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The future of exciting young Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White rests with the player himself this summer after the club made a new contract offer.

The Lowdown: Gibbs-White superb on loan

The 22-year-old was loaned out to Sheffield United at the start of the season, with Bruno Lage unable to promise him regular time at Molineux.

Gibbs-White enjoyed a fantastic year at Bramall Lane, helping the Blades reach the Championship playoff semi-finals and scoring 12 goals from midfield along the way.

It is unknown what will happen next with the youngster, with AC Milan reportedly keen on signing him but Wolves also potentially wanting him to sign a new deal.

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The Latest: Offer made

Taking to Twitter on Monday, The Athletic‘s Spiers confirmed that the decision rests with the player himself, with Wanderers trying to extend his stay at the club:

“Wolves want Morgan Gibbs-White to play a big role next season and are believed to have offered him a new contract to help convince him to stay. Decision now rests with the player.”

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The Verdict: Must keep hold of him

Gibbs-White is a prodigiously talented footballer – he has been hailed as ‘instrumental’ by Blades legend Billy Sharp – and for that reason, Wolves must do their best to keep hold of him.

With Ruben Neves looking likely to leave this summer, a midfield spot could open up for the Englishman – at 22, this could be his moment to shine in the Premier League.

While Wolves would receive good money for Gibbs-White if he was sold, his potential means he surely has to stay put and become a key player under Lage.

In other news, Wolves are reportedly closing in on a new signing. Find out who it is here.

West Bromwich Albion failed in their first attempt to win promotion back to the Premier League after the Midlands club finished 10th in the most recent Championship season.

The Baggies won 18, drew 13 and lost 15 of their 46 matches, leaving them with 67 points on the board.

Despite this ultimately disappointing finish, one factor in their season in which they can take a bit of pride, and which Steve Bruce can use as a platform to build upon for next term, is their defence.

Albion conceded just 45 goals in the 2021/22 campaign, fewer than four of the nine teams who finished above them in the table.

One man who played a big part in this regard for the Baggies is Matt Clarke.

Signed on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Brighton, the centre-back made 33 league appearances for the Baggies in the most recent campaign. He even managed to round off his loan spell at The Hawthorns by scoring on the final day of the season in their 4-0 win over Barnsley.

However, it was his defensive contribution which made him a solid figure for the team.

Having racked up more interceptions (60) than any other Baggies player, the 25-year-old also won 33 tackles in total and averaged 3.1 clearances per game, the second-highest in the squad behind Kyle Bartley (four).

Now that the season has drawn to an end, the upcoming summer transfer window could give the West Brom hierarchy to replicate their masterstroke of bringing Clarke to the club by securing a deal for Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The Baggies were linked with a move for the Tottenham defender back in February.

During his recent loan spell with Celtic, with whom he secured the Scottish Premiership title, the American showed just how capable a defensive figure he is, a bit like Clarke.

In 33 league appearances for the Hoops, the 24-year-old ended his season in Glasgow with more interceptions (43) than any other Celtic player, along with the highest average of clearances per game (4.2) in Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

This pretty much mirrors the sort of defensive abilities that Clarke showed during his time with the Baggies this season, and illustrates why it would be a great move for the club to sign the Spurs defender.

Described by Simon Donnelly as being “solid as a rock” for the Bhoys, the USA defender certainly has what it takes to improve what is already a rather sturdy backline.

With a reported price tag of £6m, the Spurs outcast could be well worth a punt if Bruce believes that the 24-year-old can help to get Albion closer to promotion.

In other news: Imagine him & Dike: Bruce can form scary WBA duo by signing “invaluable” 103-goal ace

Celtic are ‘monitoring’ Manchester City pair Ko Itakura and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, according to reliable journalist Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Busy summer for Ange

The Hoops have completed a triumphant 2021/22 season, having won both the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup, with transfers now taking centre stage.

Ange Postecoglou will be eyeing up a host of names who he believes will make his squad more formidable, with a return to the Champions League on the horizon.

While established players need to come and enhance the options at Postecoglou’s disposal, it is also important that emerging talent is added.

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The Latest: Ange ready to strike

According to Joseph on Twitter, Celtic and Ange are keen on signing City pair Itakura and Harwood-Bellis this summer:

“Celtic are monitoring Manchester City duo Ko Itakura and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.”

Itakura has spent the season on loan at Schalke, and is 25 years of age, while youngster Harwood-Bellis (20) has been at Stoke City on a temporary basis.

The Verdict: Planning for the future

Whether or not these would be permanent moves remains to be seen, but signing both players could prove to be shrewd business by Postecoglou.

Ikatura made 30 starts in the Bundesliga II in 2021/22, shining at centre-back, while fellow central defender Harwood-Bellis enjoyed 22 Championship starts for Stoke, averaging three aerial duel wins per game.

With Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt set to be first-choice next season, if the former signs permanently, these two could be strong backup options.

In other news, Joseph has also dropped a Celtic transfer claim. Read more here.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Paulo Dybala.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, despite a number of reports to the contrary, Tottenham are not currently in talks with the 28-year-old regarding a move to north London ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, nor have they been at any point this summer.

In his tweet, the transfer insider said: “Nothing has changed on Tottenham side: they’re not in talks to sign Paulo Dybala as of today – and he’s never been considered a serious target. Spurs want different players.”

Supporters will be gutted

Recent reports have claimed that Dybala is demanding an eye-watering £280k-per-week from a new suitor this summer. However, considering just how talented the Argentina international undoubtedly is, the news that Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte are not planning on making a move for the former Juventus forward is sure to have left Spurs supporters gutted.

Indeed, over his 29 Serie A appearances this season, the £36m-rated attacker was in breathtaking form for the Bianconeri. He bagged 10 goals, provided five assists and created 11 big chances for his team-mates, in addition to taking 3.4 shots, making 1.3 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game.

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These metrics saw the £222k-per-week talent average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.43, ranking him not only as Massimiliano Allegri’s best performer in the league but also as the joint fourth-best player in the entire division.

As such, while the 28-year-old would certainly cost a pretty penny in wages, the prospect of adding Dybala’s sensational ability in the final third to the likes of Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min in the Tottenham attack is undoubtedly a mouthwatering one, with there being a very real argument that Argentine could be worth his hefty salary demands.

However, following Romano’s latest update, it seems as if a Spurs move for the versatile forward is not currently on the cards, which is sure to be a disappointing outcome for the Tottenham faithful.

AND in other news: Paratici now given green light for “world-class” Spurs signing, Conte will be buzzing

Aston Villa have been urged to make a move for soon-to-be free agent Gareth Bale.

What’s the word?

The 32-year-old Welshman’s contract at Real Madrid expires at the end of this month, so he will be able to sign for whichever club he chooses via the Bosman rule, and Gabby Agbonlahor believes that Steven Gerrard should duly pounce.

Asked whether Villa should move for Bale on talkSPORT [via Birmingham Mail], the club’s former striker said: “I’d take him, yeah. Because Leon Bailey had his injury problems and not performed. Aston Villa have got options in Coutinho and Buendia but Bale would offer something different coming from the wide position.”

A shock signing?

Villa’s name being mentioned in conjunction with Bale may come as something of a shock. Amid reports mooting several clubs with a possible move for the Wales forward, the Midlanders have been conspicuous by their absence.

While Agbonlahor may be among the first to cite Villa as a possible destination for the 32-year-old, it is certainly not the worst shout in the world.

When Bale – who has been dubbed “unplayable” by Seb Stafford-Bloor – returned to the Premier League on loan in autumn 2020, there was plenty of scrutiny surrounding him. However, he inevitably delivered for Jose Mourinho at Spurs, with 13 attacking returns in 20 top-flight appearances in the form of 11 goals and two assists.

Despite Carlo Ancelotti’s return to Real Madrid, Bale has not been given a chance at all under the manager who first brought him to the Bernabeu in 2013, making just five appearances in La Liga with one goal to show for it. Nonetheless, they all add up, with Bale’s career total now sitting at 183 goals.

A switch to an ambitious Villa side under perhaps a more trusting manager in Gerrard could be enough to rejuvenate Bale’s passion for the game and would likely help the Villans to make a stronger push for European qualification.

This is a prospective move which could pay dividends for both parties, giving Bale the opportunity to gather strong club form ahead of the World Cup with Wales later this year.

Agbonlahor has got this completely right, in our view.

In other news: Gerrard must pounce on Villa swoop for £263k-p/w “stallion” who supporters would love 

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly lining up Torino defender Gleison Bremer and Everton forward Richarlison after sealing the signing of Yves Bissouma.

The lowdown

Bissouma was unveiled as a new Tottenham player on Friday, having completed his move from Brighton and Hove Albion for an initial £25million.

He follows versatile wide man Ivan Perisic and goalkeeper Fraser Forster (both free transfers) through the door at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Conte led Spurs to a fourth-place finish after taking over from the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo in November, and he’s now looking to take them to the next level.

The latest

Darren Lewis, an assistant editor at The Daily Mirror, revealed in a report on Friday what managing director of football Fabio Paratici is lining up next.

He’s already targeting a double swoop for ‘£22million Brazilian defender’ Bremer and his ‘£50m’ compatriot Richarlison.

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The verdict

Where would these two players fit into the Tottenham side?

Well, assuming Conte sticks with the 3-4-2-1 he predominantly used last season, Bremer would potentially slot into the centre of the back three as he did at Torino.

As for Richarlison, he could compete with Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min for the inside forward spots behind Kane, or even deputise for the no. 9 himself.

This £72million double deal, then, would improve both the first XI and the depth in the squad ahead of Spurs return to the Champions League.

And it will nudge Spurs further to their goal of mounting an ‘audacious title challenge’ next season.

In other news, Paratici is plotting a major offer for this target.

Leeds United have identified PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo as a replacement should Raphinha leave this summer, according to French outlet Foot Mercato. 

The lowdown: Rising star

Having come through the ranks at PSV, Gakpo has enjoyed a sublime rise to stardom in Holland and is now a fully-fledged senior international.

The 23-year-old has directly contributed to 75 goals in 134 first-team outings in a young career that has already yielded one Eredivisie title and one Dutch Cup success.

As shown by stats-based analysis account CrabStats on Twitter, Gakpo is right up there amongst the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe and Luis Diaz for expected goals and assists for young players throughout Europe.

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With speculation continuing to link Raphinha with a move away this summer, Director of Football Victor Orta and Jesse Marsch now appear to have identified Gakpo as a successor to the Brazilian…

The latest: On the radar

As per Foot Mercato, Leeds are believed to be ‘very attentive’ to the seven-cap Holland ace.

It’s claimed that an ‘internal source’ at Elland Road has informed the outlet that the club view Gakpo as the ‘future offensive star’ should Raphinha move on as expected.

The report also states that Leeds would have ‘no trouble’ in paying the €30million (£25million) asking price to sign the starlet hailed as an ‘outstanding player’ by journalist Michael Bell following a goalscoring 45-minute rescue act in a 3-3 draw against FC Twente recently.

The verdict: Intriguing…

Despite all the suggestions pointing toward Gakpo replacing Raphinha, positionally or stylistically the two aren’t a close match and as such this potential move makes for an interesting dynamic.

Predominantly operating as a right-footed left-winger, last season the Dutchman scored 21 times and provided 15 assists in a sensational campaign for PSV whilst earning a 7.51 Sofascore rating comprising of 2.9 successful dribbles, 5.5 duels won and 2.6 key passes on average per game – the kind of form in a highly regarded league that would make any elite club sit up and take notice.

By comparison, Leeds’ current 26-year-old wing maestro netted 11 times and registered three assists across all competitions as well successfully completing 1.8 dribbles, winning 5.2 duels and making 1.9 key passes on average per Premier League outing during the 2021/22 campaign.

Albeit unlikely Gakpo could fill the void left behind by Raphinha in a positional sense, the exciting attacker – who was previously linked to Liverpool and Arsenal – would certainly make for a superb addition to Marsch’s squad and could perhaps lead to a slight shift in the attacking system.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Adama Traore to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that Victor Orta has now approached Wolverhampton Wanderers regarding a move for the 26-year-old winger this summer.

The report goes on to state that Wolves are willing to part with the Spain international ahead of the new Premier League campaign, with an offer of around £18m expected to be enough to get a deal over the line.

Finally, it is claimed that Everton are also keeping a very close eye on the situation of the forward ahead of a potential move of their own in the off-season, while Barcelona are said to be out of the race for the attacker.

“Unreal”

While it is true that there are several limitations within Traore’s game, should Jesse Marsch believe he can be the coach to consistently get the best out of the Spaniard, the winger’s £18m signing would certainly represent a huge coup for Leeds – especially with the reported interest of Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and the aforementioned Everton.

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Indeed, the £18m-rated forward’s contributions in the final third are slightly underwhelming, with Traore having scored a total of just one goal and registered four assists over his 40 appearances for both Wolves and Barcelona in 2021/22.

However, it is undoubtedly the £46k-per-week talent’s ability when carrying the ball that makes him such a unique option, with FBref ranking the 26-year-old in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues for dribbles completed per 90, as well as the top 3% for progressive carries, the top 15% for touches in the opposition penalty area and the top 25% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

As such, should Marsch be able to improve Traore’s end product, it is clear to see that the player who Nathan Judah dubbed both “scary” and “unreal” would be a huge weapon for the American manager and his Leeds United side next season, with the winger’s £18m signing very much looking to be a risk that is well worth taking for Orta this summer.

AND in other news: Leeds could sign their new Rio Ferdinand in 19-goal gem who’s getting “rave reviews”

Brazilian TV have claimed Liverpool are going to sign exciting Santos striker Marcos Leonardo, who has been described as the ‘new Romario’.

The Lowdown: One more attacker in?

Jurgen Klopp may have signed Darwin Nunez from Benfica recently but he has also lost Sadio Mane and Divock Origi, as well as the versatile Takumi Minamino.

For that reason, the Liverpool boss may feel that one more attacker needs to come in – someone who is happy to play a squad role and feature sporadically across the front three.

The likes of Arsenal and Manchester City have been quick to nab emerging talents from South America in recent times, and an intriguing rumour from Brazil suggests Julian Ward and the Reds could be about to follow suit.

The Latest: Leonardo rumour emerges

Speaking after Santos’ draw with Corinthians at the weekend [via Sport Witness], Brazilian TV presenter Milton Neves claimed that the Reds would be signing Leonardo:

“Corinthians yesterday escaped being defeated by the Santos kids. Marcos Leonardo, who’s going to Liverpool, this guy is the new Romario!”

Earlier this month, another Brazilian TV channel claimed the player is on his way to an English club, so this certainly seems like one to keep an eye on.

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The Verdict: Hugely exciting

Brazilian signings are invariably exciting, given their natural flair, but when they are compared to someone of Romario’s ilk, it becomes even more enticing.

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The former Brazil striker was one of the greatest attacking players of his generation, scoring 55 goals in 71 caps for the Selecao, as well as 39 in 65 for Barcelona.

At just 19, Leonardo has already netted 24 times in 92 appearances for Santos – a great return, given his age – and he is someone who could excel in the coming years, joining the aforementioned Alvarez on GOAL’s list of the hottest young talents from the continent.

Liverpool getting a deal done could prove to be another significant piece of business in the long run.

A big update has emerged on Sunderland and their pursuit of Jack Rudoni in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Black Cats have had an offer turned down for the central midfielder as AFC Wimbledon stand firm in negotiations.

The report claims that fellow Championship sides Luton and Huddersfield are also keen on the gem and have had bids of their own knocked back.

It is stated that all three teams are expected to go back in for the Englishman with renewed offers to snap him up from the League One outfit.

Huge Corry Evans upgrade

Kristjaan Speakman must now seal a deal to sign Rudoni as he would be a huge upgrade on Corry Evans in the middle of the park.

The experienced Northern Irishman played 36 times in the third tier last term and struggled to catch the eye as he was largely unimpressive in midfield.

Evans won 51% of his individual ground duels – making 1.3 tackles per game – and did not offer much of a threat going forward as he scored two goals and created two.

Rudoni, meanwhile, won 52% of his battles and made 1.7 tackles per match, which suggests that he was – slightly – better than the Sunderland man in that area.

South London Press reporter Edmund Brack recently showered the gem with praise in an interview with the Bristol Post, saying:

“He’s quite direct. When he picks up the ball, his first thought is always to go towards goal. It’s a 1-2 and then he’s off.

“He’s quite fearless. Anyone his age, they could be affected by the winless run AFC Wimbledon went through last season (the Dons failed to win 28 games in all competitions from December 11 through to the end of the season) but he continued to put in performances, and he nearly kept them up alongside Ayoub Assal and Luke McCormick.”

It is in attack where Rudoni can be a huge upgrade on Evans. The Wimbledon man plundered an impressive 12 goals and five assists in League One – 13 more goal contributions than the Black Cats man managed to produce.

This means that they have a similar level of defensive effectiveness whilst there is a significant gap between their offensive outputs. Therefore, Speakman can improve Alex Neil’s team by signing the League One maestro to replace the ex-Blackburn dud.

AND in other news, Sunderland enter race to sign 22y/o gem who can be “the difference”, he’s Neil’s dream…