Liverpool edge closer to Ramsay move

Liverpool have been in hot pursuit of Calvin Ramsay for a while and now a reliable source has given an update on the progress of the transfer.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has taken to his Twitter to reveal more detail about Liverpool’s progression in completing the signing of Ramsay.

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Romano tweeted: “Liverpool are progressing in talks with Aberdeen for Calvin Ramsay. Personal terms agreed as fullback wants LFC move, work in progress to get it done with add-ons in the agreement.”

The news comes amid the Merseyside outfit’s swoop for Benfica forward Darwin Nunez.

Klopp will be delighted

Jurgen Klopp will be delighted that talks are progressing to sign the young right-back from Aberdeen, as he has proven he has the potential to be a great back-up for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 18-year-old has been impressing this season in the Scottish Premiership scoring one goal, delivering four assists and creating three big chances. He’s also made 1.3 clearances and 1.8 key passes on average per game, as well as winning the majority of his duels combined (51%) over 24 appearances.

Ramsay received high praise from Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack this season (via Scottish Daily Express): “There are not many right back at his age like him, doing what he does.

“He is in the elite upper bracket, right up there, for a young right-back in Europe.”

Although the youngster will be unlikely to play a consistent starting role in the right-back position at Anfield, he will become a great option for Klopp to deploy in the team when he is needed to take the place of Alexander-Arnold and will have the opportunity to develop his craft at the club, with the potential of playing Champions League football.

Liverpool could be set to sell their current back-up right-back Neco Williams who has been attracting attention from Premier League clubs due to his loan spell at Fulham in the second half of last season, with Nottingham Forest the latest to register their interest in the player who has been reportedly valued at £15m.

With that being said, if Liverpool can get a deal done for Ramsay it would be a great signing for the future and would certainly add depth to the club’s already highly rated back-line giving him the opportunity to work with the likes of Virgil van Dijk to continue to fulfil his potential.

AND in other news: “I’m told..”: Romano drops behind-the-scenes Liverpool update that’ll upset supporters

Wolves: Dean Jones issues Seferovic verdict

Journalist Dean Jones has shared his view on Wolverhampton Wanderers’ potential interest in Benfica striker, Haris Seferovic…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the trusted insider has raised the hopes of the Molineux faithful after suggesting that they should “get excited” about a possible move, following a viral image that showed manager Bruno Lage meeting with the Switzerland international.

Although it is unclear if that was related to a possible move, Jones has suggested that it would do no harm for supporters to be optimistic: “I see it both ways. I can see why they would defend it and say there’s nothing in it, but if you’re a Wolves fan, then you might as well get excited about it because there hasn’t been much to get excited about over the course of the last six months.”

The 30-year-old had previously been linked with a switch to the Midlands last summer, having played under the Wolves boss during their time together in Portugal.

Time to get excited

That connection has been the centre of the speculation regarding the forward’s potential move to England, with the pair having won the league title together during the 2018/19 season for the Lisbon outfit, after Lage had taken charge midway through the campaign.

That season would see Seferovic net 27 times in all competitions – including 23 goals in the league – notably netting twice in a remarkable 10-0 thrashing of Nacional, as Benfica ended the campaign with a joint-club record of 103 league goals.

That is a far cry from Lage’s current side who scored just 38 top-flight goals last term – the fourth-worst record in the division – with the Old Gold seemingly crying out for a prolific presence to lead the line.

Although the former Eintracht Frankfurt man did enjoy a poor campaign of his own last time out – with just five goals in 15 games in all competitions – that was largely due to frustrating spells out with injury, having previously netted 22 league goals the year prior.

Equally, at international level he also boasts a solid record with 24 goals in 85 caps, notably netting a hat-trick in a 5-2 thrashing of Belgium in 2018, while he also bagged a double in the thrilling 3-3 draw with France at last summer’s European Championships.

Such talent has seen him dubbed a “monster” by one journalist, while former coach Ottmar Hitzfield also previously labelled him a “full-blooded centre-forward”, as he can also add a physical quality to his finishing prowess.

With doubts over the future of Raul Jimenez, Seferovic could be the ideal man to come into the side to fill the void, with Lage needing to reunite with the £7.2m-rated gem this summer to help solve Wolves’ attacking woes.

As Jones suggested, it could well be time for supporters to start getting excited, even if it is all just speculation at present.

IN other news, Lage plots Wolves bid for £34.1m gem who’s “one of the best”, imagine him and Palhinha

Newcastle pushing for Sven Botman transfer

Newcastle United are reportedly advancing their efforts to secure a summer move for Lille defender Sven Botman.

What’s the news?

In a recent tweet from journalist Fabrizio Romano, the transfer expert touched upon the current situation regarding the Magpies’ attempt to sign the 22-year-old.

He said: “Newcastle are pushing to sign Sven Botman as soon as possible. Talks entering into key stages with Lille, AC Milan still in the race but NUFC are now advancing. Negotiations with Newcastle started last January, Botman is open for this PL possibility.”

After working his way through Ajax’s youth ranks, the defender joined the French club in the summer of 2020.Since then, the 22-year-old has made 79 appearances for Lille across all competitions, chipping in with three goals and two assists along the way.Great news for HoweBotman’s latest season with his current club saw him make 32 appearances across all competitions.To highlight the Dutchman’s importance to the team, they only managed two clean sheets in the 13 league games in which he didn’t feature, showing just how much they miss him when he’s not available.He also racked up a higher average of clearances per game (4.5) than any of his Lille team-mates and earned himself an overall performance rating of 6.83/10 from WhoScored, making him their third-highest rated player for the campaign. For context, Dan Burn was the only Newcastle centre-back with a better rating in 2021/22.This could make the French club reluctant to let their star defender leave this summer, despite his apparent willingness to play in the Premier League.However, taking into account how the Tyneside club have reportedly been after him since January, their eagerness to add Botman to their ranks could also convince the player to wave goodbye to France and begin the next chapter of his career in England.Now that Romano has claimed that the Magpies are advancing their attempts to bring the centre-back to St James’ Park and beat AC Milan to his signature, this will be great news for Eddie Howe as he looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the upcoming season.If the Toon can finally complete the signing of Botman in the coming weeks, this would surely put them in a good place to take on their next Premier League campaign and bolster their defence.In other news: Newcastle eyeing £15m magician Shearer dubbed “magnificent”, he’s better than Almiron

Leeds: Orta interested in Garner

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

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that, following an extremely impressive season-long loan at Nottingham Forest, Victor Orta is now keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Manchester United central midfielder ahead of a potential move for the 21-year-old in the summer market.

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The report goes on to state that Leicester City, Everton and Southampton are also interested in the England U21 international, with the youngster’s long-term future at Old Trafford looking to be rather uncertain following the appointment of Erik ten Hag as the Red Devils’ new manager.

“Absolute beauty”

With the signing of a new central midfielder reported to be one of Leeds’ priority targets in the summer transfer window, it is not difficult to understand why Jesse Marsch and Orta would be interested in a deal to bring Garner to LS11 ahead of the Whites’ 2022/23 campaign.

Indeed, over his 44 Championship appearances this season, the £6.3m-rated talent was in breathtaking form in the heart of the Forest side, scoring four goals, registering eight assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots and making 2.0 key passes per game.

The £20k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.9 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 1.5 long balls, 34.0 passes and winning 3.9 duels – at a success rate of 53% – per fixture.

These returns saw the 21-year-old who Martin Keown dubbed an “absolutely beauty” and Josh Wright labelled “unreal” average a quite extraordinary WhoScored match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Steve Cooper’s fifth-best performer in the second tier – playing a key role in the Reds going on to secure promotion to the Premier League.

As such, it is clear to see that Garner would be an exceptional signing for Orta to get over the line this summer, however, with a number of top-flight clubs interested in the youngster’s services, the Spaniard must act fast if Leeds are to have any chance of securing a deal for the midfielder in the coming weeks.

AND in other news: Orta could seal “unbelievable” Leeds signing with bid for £20m talent, he’s Walker 2.0

Everton: Lampard interested in Gallagher

Everton manager Frank Lampard could sign his next Mason Mount in the form of midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, with both players having a lot of similarities.

What’s the story?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT journalist Peter O’Rourke has said that there are many similarities between Gallagher and Mount and that if Everton were to get him it would be a “huge signing”.

It was recently reported by The Daily Star that Everton are one of the clubs interested in signing the player from Chelsea. He spent this past season on loan at Crystal Palace where he impressed greatly.

It was confirmed by Blues boss Tomas Tuchel that Gallagher would return to Chelsea for pre-season and then a decision would be made then.

It’s thought the midfielder’s price tag is as much as £50m.

He can solve Everton’s problems

If a move to Merseyside did happen then it would go a long way in helping solve Everton’s current problems. They secured their Premier League status with a game to spare and are now looking to rebuild.

A player of Gallagher’s quality would surely pull them away from the relegation dogfight for next season. The Toffees scored just 43 goals as they secured a 16th placed Premier League finish and Gallagher’s creative ability would help increase that number.

The 22-year-old made 34 appearances for Palace in the league this season, scoring eight and assisting three. If you compare that to Everton’s players, only forward Richarlison scored more.

When you look at Gallagher in relation to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, his performances are outstanding. He ranks in the top 2% for successful dribbles that lead to a goal, and the top 3% for pressures in the attacking third which shows his work rate.

It’s no wonder he has been dubbed as the “next Mount” by pundit Noel Whelan to Football Insider.

“Even though he is young, he’s very much in the mould of Mason Mount. He’s got that kind of attitude where he wants to be the star, the next Mount, he wants to be the player who gets hold of the game and is always making things happen.

“He’s brave, he makes himself available, he’s got no fear. That’s the way it should be,” he added.

Chelsea have yet another talented academy product on their hands, but he’s not going to want to sit on the bench. If Tuchel can’t offer him enough game time then he’ll want to go somewhere that will.

Although he would be offered that at Everton, it would take a lot of money to buy him permanently given his talent. A loan deal would look more likely, Gallagher only earning £17k per week would allow The Toffees to recover financially.

AND in other news: Everton eye £30m swoop for 21 y/o “special talent”, just imagine him and Gordon…

Manchester United: Frenkie de Jong update emerges

Manchester United have reportedly made the ‘strongest bid’ for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The Lowdown: Ten Hag to watch Palace match

As we all know, Erik ten Hag will be the man in charge at Old Trafford next season, taking over from Ralf Rangnick. The Dutchman has terminated his Ajax deal six weeks early in order to get going with the Red Devils.

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Ten Hag will reportedly be in attendance for the final game of the season away to Crystal Palace this afternoon, and an update has emerged prior to the game on key target De Jong.

The Latest: ‘Strongest bid’ by United

Sport Witness relayed an update from Sport regarding United and De Jong on Friday. They claimed that Ten Hag is pushing the move for De Jong and that the Red Devils have made the ‘strongest bid’ so far.

The report adds that Barcelona would be ‘willing to sell’ the midfielder, who Xavi called a ‘genius’, and won’t go below a fee in the region of €80m (£67.6m).

The Verdict: Get it done

Ten Hag knows just how to get the best out of his fellow countryman following their successful time together at Ajax.

United are also in desperate need of midfield reinforcements with Nemanja Matic set to leave and Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata all out of contract over the coming weeks.

Therefore, it would be ideal if the club could get a deal in place as soon as possible, which will then allow them to explore further additions, including possibly another marquee midfielder to play alongside De Jong.

In other news – After AWB: Fabrizio Romano reveals Man Utd and Ten Hag now ‘prepared’ to sell ‘really poor’ flop

Celtic eye up Francisco Ortega move

Celtic are interested in signing young Argentine left-back Francisco Ortega in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Summer business expected

Ange Postecoglou may still be basking in the glory of winning the Scottish Premiership title but attention will soon turn to incoming signings if it hasn’t already.

The Australian will know that he has to make Celtic’s squad even more formidable, ahead of what is hopefully a successful title defence and a return to the Champions League in 2022/23.

Left-back could be an area that the Hoops look to strengthen – there have been plenty of links to Iraq international Mohanad Jeahze – and a new update has emerged in that respect.

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The Latest: Celtic eye up Ortega move

According to The Daily Mail‘s Stephen McGowan, sharing his article on Twitter, Celtic are keen on signing Velez Sarsfield defender Orteta this summer:

“Celtic looking at Argentinian U23 left-back Francisco Ortega.”

Expanding in the report, McGowan says the Hoops have compiled impressive scouting reports on the talented young South American, and are also closing in on a permanent deal for Jota.

The Verdict: Great for squad depth

Ortega could be a shrewd signing by Celtic ahead of next season, acting as a strong backup option to Greg Taylor, ahead of Boli Bolingoli’s expected exit.

The 22-year-old is a player who ‘dominates defensively’, according to South American fan site Football FV, as well as being described as a ‘very all-round left-back’, suggesting he would be a strong acquisition.

The fact that Argentinian giants River Plate have reportedly shown an interest in signing Ortega is a sign that he is a big prospect in his homeland, and this could yet prove to be another shrewd snip from Ange in the transfer market.

In other news, Kieran Devlin has dropped a Celtic transfer claim. Read more here.

Everton plotting bid for Kim Min-jae

Everton are still not sure whether they will be playing Premier League or Championship football next season as their relegation battle goes down to the wire with just three games left, but it hasn’t stopped transfer interest from mounting this month, with one player set to join Goodison Park this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to a report from Turkish news outlet Fanatik, the Toffees are amongst a number of clubs interested in signing Fenerbahçe centre-back Kim Min-jae this summer.

Napoli and Tottenham are suggested as the clubs who join Everton in plotting to make a serious offer for the South Korean, with his release clause being valued at €23m (£19.5m).

Miles better than Holgate

The £9.9m-rated defender has been in impressive form for the Turkish side, and with Everton’s defensive problems often being exposed this season, Frank Lampard could use a fresh impetus in the back line from a player who dominates his position.

Kim, who is nicknamed “monster” and has been referred to as the “Korean Van Dijk” by Sky Sports, has put in consistent and dominant performances in his position this season for Fenerbahçe.

According to SofaScore, in 31 appearances this season he has been successful in the majority of his duels (61%) and in the overwhelming majority of his dribbles (75%), also making 2.3 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and 4.1 clearances on average per game, which shows that his effectiveness in defensive play makes a huge impact.

When you compare these statistics to current Everton centre-back Mason Holgate, it is no wonder the Merseyside club are interested in snapping up the South Korean colossus this summer.

The Toffees defender has a lower success rate on his duels (55%) and is successful in only 33% of his dribbles, making 1.1 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 3.7 clearances per game in his 22 appearances this season. Therefore, Kim would be a huge upgrade on Holgate when you compare their statistics from 2021/22.

Ultimately, the Everton manager will need to focus on securing top-flight football next season before he begins to look at the areas which need strengthening in the transfer market this summer. However, if the Toffees stay in the Premier League, then Kim would be the perfect signing to improve their defence heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news: Huge boost: Lampard drops Everton transfer update that’ll delight supporters

Leeds: Hay drops Harrison injury update

Leeds United have been dealt yet another injury setback ahead of their Premier League meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Phil Hay, who revealed in a recent article for The Athletic that, after being withdrawn in the 37th minute of the 3-0 loss to Chelsea on Wednesday evening, Jack Harrison now looks as if will be ruled out of the weekend’s clash with the Seagulls.

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Concerning the 25-year-old’s injury, Hay wrote: “Others are simply injured, like Harrison, who went down in the 37th minute and is probably beyond Marsch’s reach for the meeting with Brighton.”

Marsch will be fuming

With Leeds now in need of something of a miracle if they are to secure Premier League survival following their recent run of three straight losses, the news that Harrison could now be ruled out of what is undoubtedly a season-defining fixture this Sunday is sure to have left Jesse Marsch fuming.

Indeed, with Daniel James being ruled out for the remainder of the season after receiving a straight red card against Chelsea on Wednesday, as well as both Tyler Roberts and Crysencio Summerville being unavailable for the last two fixtures of the current campaign due to injury, the further loss of Harrison in the Whites’ attacking arsenal will undoubtedly come as a huge blow.

And, while it is true that the £13.5m-rated winger has not been in the best form of his career this season, the 25-year-old has still scored seven goals, registered one assist and created three big chances over his 33 Premier League outings – with the £60k-per-week forward being Leeds’ second-top scorer in the top flight this term.

As such, with it now being absolutely essential that the Whites secure all three points against Brighton this weekend, it is clear to see that the loss of Harrison would come as a huge blow to Marsch’s chances of doing so – with a loss at Elland Road, coupled with a Burnley win over Tottenham Hotspur, being enough to condemn Leeds to the Championship.

AND in other news: Forget James: “Completely anonymous” dud should’ve just played his last game for Leeds

Leeds: Radrizzani makes Phillips decision

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has made a decision concerning the future of Kalvin Phillips.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Star, who claim that Radrizzani is not prepared to offer the defensive midfielder a new contract until the conclusion of the Premier League season, as Leeds’ status as a top-flight club appears increasingly uncertain following Everton’s 1-0 win over Chelsea last weekend.

The report goes on to state that, should the Whites ultimately suffer relegation back to the Championship, not only will they be unable to offer the England international the £100k-per-week wage he is looking for in a new deal at Elland Road, but the club will also have no choice but to cash in on the 26-year-old.

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Finally, the report claims that Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have all enquired about the signing of the Leeds academy graduate, while the Daily Mail recently reported that Radrizzani and Victor Orta would be willing to accept an offer of around £60m for the Whites midfielder this summer.

Supporters will be devastated

Considering just how important a part of the Leeds side Phillips has become in recent years, the news that Radrizzani is holding off on his offer of a new deal until the end of the current campaign certainly does not appear to bode well for the long-term future of the 26-year-old at Elland Road.

Indeed, while injuries have hampered Phillips’ 2021/22 campaign, the £45m-rated deep-lying playmaker proved just how crucial he is to the Whites over his 29 Premier League appearances last term, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

The £38k-per-week dynamo also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as completing an average of 1.2 key passes, 4.7 long balls and 41 passes per fixture.

These metrics saw the 26-year-old average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as the club’s best performer in the top flight but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the league as a whole.

As such, while the vast majority of Leeds supporters will likely admit that, should the Whites indeed suffer relegation to the second tier this season, it will be a near-impossible task for the club to keep hold of a player of Phillips’ ability, the fact that Radrizzani already appears to be planning for life without the midfielder is sure to have left the Elland Road faithful devastated.

AND in other news: Orta can finally axe £55k-p/w “schoolboy” as Leeds plot bid for £15.3m-rated “beast”

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