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Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in a deal to bring Anthony Gordon to north London this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sunday Mirror (via the Evening Standard), who claim that, following Tottenham’s recent links with a move for the Everton forward, Fabio Paratici is now plotting a fresh approach for the 21-year-old after completing the £60m signing of Richarlison.

The report goes on to state that, with the Toffees set to owe Spurs £10m upon Dele Alli playing 20 fixtures for Frank Lampard’s side, the Italian sporting director is now willing to waive this fee, in addition to paying an extra £20m, in order to get a deal for the England U21 international over the line.

Mount 2.0

Considering just how exciting a prospect Gordon undoubtedly is, it is not difficult to understand why Paratici appears so keen on a deal to bring the forward to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

Indeed, the £26m-rated talent enjoyed a stellar breakthrough campaign for the Toffees last season, scoring four goals, registering two assists and creating four big chances for his teammates over 35 Premier League appearances, in addition to taking an average of 1.3 shots, making 1.0 key passes and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

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Furthermore, the FBref ranking the 21-year-old in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues for blocks per 90, as well as the top 4% for tackles, the top 6% for pressures and the top 15% for interceptions over the last 365 days.

These returns saw the £10k-per-week forward who David Unsworth dubbed “unbelievable” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.89, ranking him as Lampard’s sixth-best outfielder last time out – a quite incredible feat considering Everton’s struggles in the top flight.

As such, considering his talent in the final third, his extremely impressive positional versatility and his tireless work rate in helping his teammates out defensively, it is easy to see why Lampard compared the England youth international to Mason Mount – the 23-year-old attacking midfielder who has scored 30 goals and registered 31 assists over his 159 appearances for Chelsea.

And, while it would be insincere to suggest that Gordon is currently at the same level as the 31-cap England international, should the Everton youngster continue his remarkable development following a summer switch to Spurs, Paratici could well have unearthed a future Mount in the Scouse sensation – a very exciting thought indeed.

AND in other news: Paratici given green light for “outstanding” £52m Spurs signing, he’s a Romero clone

Douglas Luiz could try to ‘force’ his way out of Aston Villa amid interest from AC Milan, according to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

Having lost Franck Kessie to Barcelona at the end of his contract, Milan are pushing for a new midfielder.

Their top target is Lille’s Renato Sanches, but he’s now finalising a move to Paris Saint-Germain. And the Serie A champions have identified Villa midfielder Luiz as an alternative.

Significantly, he’s now into the final 12 months of his contract with the Midlands outfit, who know this may be their last opportunity to cash in.

The latest

Aston Villa have apparently placed a €25million (£21.6million) price tag on Luiz.

But Milan hope that Luiz will ‘force the issue’ and compel Villa to accept a lower fee.

The verdict

It would arguably be a blow for Villa to lose Luiz ahead of the 2022/23 season.

Last term, only two of Steven Gerrard’s players (with ten or more starts) recorded a better points-per-match average than Luiz’s 1.24 (Emiliano Martinez and Ashley Young).

Villa’s goal difference with Luiz on the pitch was +0.17 per 90 minutes, which is again the third-best record (behind Philippe Coutinho and Jacob Ramsey).

This suggests he’s an important player, whose absence may be felt.

Luiz is, after all, a nine-times capped Brazil international who’s been dubbed a ‘bow and arrow’ by manager Tite.

Villa may have signed Boubacar Kamara, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll make the same impact.

Leeds United journalist Graham Smyth has dropped an update on the club’s reported interest in Red Bull Salzburg’s Mo Camara. 

The lowdown

The 22-year-old’s agent told LUFCFANZONE last week that the Whites have been ‘in direct contact’ with Salzburg over the Malian and ‘like the player’s profile’. However, he said that they had not yet made an offer for the midfielder, instead merely demonstrating ‘their interest’.

Leeds have already picked up two players from the Austrian Bundesliga champions this summer, completing deals for attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson and right-back Rasmus Kristensen. Current Whites manager Jesse Marsch was, of course, in charge at the Red Bull Arena between 2019 and 2021.

Camara operated almost exclusively as a defensive midfielder last season, but he also has extensive experience in a more advanced role.

Meanwhile, Leeds look set to lose Kalvin Phillips after an initial £42m bid from Manchester City was accepted.

The latest

Sharing a corresponding article he penned for the Yorkshire Evening Post, Smyth tweeted that Camara has been identified ‘as one of a trio of potential Kalvin Phillips replacements’.

According to the report, RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams is also under consideration too, while Leeds’ director of football Victor Orta admires Camara, for whom a move this summer ‘cannot be ruled out’.

However, the Salzburg player is ‘thought’ to be one of the ‘pricier’ options, while it’s unclear at this stage how much the Whites are willing or able to spend.

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The verdict

Is Camara – valued at £24.3m by Transfermarkt – worth purchasing for Leeds?

He may be playing in a league currently ranked eighth on UEFA’s association club coefficient, but as per football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the ‘midfield general’ showed that he could hold his own against elite opposition with a ‘huge’ performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16 earlier this year.

In fact, Kulig has even put Camara forward as a potential heir to Barcelona veteran Sergio Busquets – a ringing endorsement considering the Spaniard’s glittering CV.

Leeds may yet be tempted to do whatever is required to sign a player who journalist Ben Bocsak dubbed a ‘brilliant holding midfielder’.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has ‘confirmed’ Leeds United’s interest in RB Leipzig midfielder Tyler Adams.

The Lowdown: Adams profiled

Adams is primarily a defensive midfielder who can also turn out as a right-back or right midfielder. The 23-year-old has made 71 appearances under Jesse Marsch for New York Red Bulls and RB Leipzig, scoring three times and registering seven assists.

A third reunion with Marsch at Elland Road could now be on the cards, with the Leeds boss already bringing in players he knows well in RB Salzburg duo Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen.

The Latest: Leeds keen

Plettenberg took to Twitter on Monday evening to ‘confirm’ some ‘news’ regarding Adams.

He revealed that the 23-year-old is ‘on the shortlist’ at Elland Road with Leipzig keen to sell the midfielder this summer and Leeds ‘considering the situation’.

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The Verdict: Phillips replacement

Kalvin Phillips has been heavily linked with Manchester City this summer, and if the Leeds man does move to the Etihad, a new midfielder will be required in Yorkshire.

Adams, labelled as a ‘special talent’ by Marsch himself, could well be that man following the update from Plettenberg. He’s made the majority of his senior appearances as a holding midfielder and has now racked up over 100 games for the Bundesliga side.

A move to the Premier League champions for Phillips may need to go through first before the Whites go after Adams, so this could be one to watch closely if that deal gathers pace.

In other news: Orta now working on signing 31-goal striker for free; famous Leeds fan may help Elland Road move. 

Nottingham Forest are looking to strengthen their team to prepare for their return to the Premier League, but there has been a new update that could cause a setback for Steve Cooper.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider, Ligue One side Nantes have submitted a bid for Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba with all parties now in talks over a solution to his future.

As per the report, Samba rejected an offer for a new contract at the club and a recruitment source has told the publication that the French club are looking for a way to exploit his current situation by tempting him with a move back to France.

Bad news for Cooper

The latest news of Samba’s potential exit from the club will surely leave Steve Cooper scrambling for potential transfer options that can come in and take the place of the ‘keeper should he leave this summer.

Nottingham Forest have been linked with signing Nick Pope from recently relegated side Burnley but will need to compete with Fulham and West Ham United who are both reportedly interested in securing the stopper’s signature this summer.

Cooper’s side conceded the second-fewest number of goals in the 2021/22 season (40) only one goal more than automatically promoted Bournemouth (39) which is a great achievement and a reflection of how solid Samba has been in goal for the club during their promotion challenge.

The 28-year-old kept the sixth most clean sheets in the Championship with 14 in 40 appearances, but his most notable performance came in the play-off semi-final penalty shoot-out when the incredible keeper saved three Sheffield United penalties to send his team to the final and earned Man of the Match.

With that being said, Cooper and the powers at Forest will now need to step up their interest in Pope and focus on identifying a new keeper to join the Midlands club this summer, as they could run the risk of weakening their squad should Samba leave 12 months sooner than his contract expiration.

AND in other news: NFFC plot bid to sign “majestic” £15m dynamo, he can be their own “swashbuckling” gem

Liverpool have completed the signing of Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez and now will reportedly move their focus to signing a midfielder this summer.

The Merseyside club have already missed out on a potential target in Aurelien Tchouameni who had agreed personal terms with both Liverpool and Real Madrid, but ultimately completed a move to the Champions League winners last week, so now FSG will need to take a closer look at their other targets.

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One player who has been consistently linked with a move to Anfield is Barcelona youngster Gavi who has been causing a stir with his impressive La Liga performances this season. As a result, Liverpool are thought to be willing to pay his asking price.

The 17-year-old midfielder who was dubbed an “erupting volcano” by Spain national team coach Luis Enrique scored two goals and delivered five assists in his 34 league appearances for Barcelona, however, it’s not just goal contributions that have captured the attention of the world.

Gavi created eight big chances, made 1.1 tackles and won 5.2 duels on average per game, as well as completing the majority of his dribble attempts successfully (62%) and provided an 89% pass accuracy overall in La Liga last term.

The Spanish teenager has failed to reach an agreement with his current club to extend his stay at Camp Nou and secure his future in Xavi’s side despite their desperate attempts to keep hold of him, which has prompted both Liverpool and Manchester City to pursue the player.

It has most recently been reported that as a result of cash-strapped Barcelona’s contract offers being refused so far by Gavi, they have now at the very least doubled his release clause so that the two Premier League giants cannot take the player for the original €50m (£43m) release clause, which now sits at €100m (£86m).

Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Jude Bellingham, but Borussia Dortmund are reportedly unwilling to sell the player during the current transfer window due to Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City, but Klopp could unearth his own Bellingham with the signing of Gavi this summer.

According to FB Ref, Bellingham is listed in the top ten comparable players to the young Barcelona midfielder, with the Bundesliga star outperforming Gavi on all fronts but by very close margins proving that the Spaniard could easily develop with more experience and a coach who can get the best from him.

With that being said, FSG could either risk it by holding out another year for their marquee midfielder signing or they can get ahead of their plans to land Bellingham by signing Gavi this summer and securing his future 12 months before the Dortmund midfielder will even be available for negotiations.

AND in other news: Bid made: FSG now in LFC talks to land “world class” £60m “storm”, imagine him & Nunez

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s interest in Ismaila Sarr heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that the Magpies are eyeing a potential swoop for the Watford attacker, with Crystal Palace also considering a deal for the relegated winger.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “They (Palace) just won’t want to get into a price battle with Newcastle, who have got some interest in him.

“It’s not major interest right now, but they’re definitely looking at the situation, as they see him as a game-changer and somebody that’s probably a step-up from Saint-Maximin.”

Supporters will be delighted

The supporters will surely be delighted by this claim as Sarr has the potential to be an excellent, exciting, addition to the team next season.

He has managed ten goals and six assists in two Premier League campaigns since making the move to England from France in the summer of 2019.

In between those two seasons, he caught the eye playing in the Championship as he scored 13 goals and provided four assists in their promotion success. This shows that he has the ability to score goals on a regular basis, with glimpses of that also coming through in the top-flight.

At the age of 24, he still has plenty of time left on his hands to develop as a winger. He is far from the finished article and having two full seasons of Premier League football will be useful experience for him moving forward, as he now knows what it takes to compete at this level.

The Senegal international was relegated in both of those campaigns and this means that he was playing in a team that was not good enough to stay in the division both times. Now, imagine what he could do if he was playing for Newcastle in a team that is looking to finish in the top half of the table instead of just avoiding the bottom three.

Sarr is a player the club invest in for the future as well as the here and now. Eddie Howe can work with him on the training pitch to help him fulfil his potential and become a crucial player for the Magpies in the years to come.

Fans will surely be keen to see young, exciting, players developing alongside the club and that is why they will be delighted with the interest in signing the Hornets attacker.

AND in other news, “Newcastle asked..”: Reporter delivers big transfer claim that’ll leave Howe excited…

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has been left impressed following the appointment of Dan Ashworth as Newcastle United’s new sporting director.

The Lowdown: Ashworth joins Newcastle

Newcastle have now announced the appointment of highly rated Dan Ashworth as the club’s new sporting director, after the 51-year-old resigned from his technical director role at Brighton back in February.

Ashworth joined the south-coast club in 2018 after a successful stint as the Football Association’s technical director, where he led various England age groups to international triumph with wins at three tournaments in 2017.

Since arriving at Brighton, the former FA man has helped establish Graham Potter’s side as a mainstay club in the Premier League.

The Latest: Downie’s verdict

Taking to Twitter, Downie shared the news of Ashworth joining Newcastle, and the Sky Sports reporter gave his verdict on the appointment, claiming:

“Feels like Dan Ashworth is as good an appointment as Newcastle could make for their Sporting Director role. Time will tell, but going by his past work this feels like a bold & clever piece of business. Also been a while since I wrote/said “with immediate effect.” #NUFC”

The Verdict: Great appointment

According to The Guardian, Amanda Staveley’s PIF-backed consortium identified Ashworth as a key figure when they completed their takeover last October.

They report that negotiations took place amid claims that Brighton wanted £5m in compensation to release him from his contractual obligations, and now a deal has been struck.

With the perseverance and money involved for Newcastle to get their man, this is clearly a great appointment for the North East club, who is highly rated due to his impressive CV in the sport.

As a result, Newcastle will now be able to start making moves in the transfer market with their focus set on next season’s competition.

In other news: Newcastle United: Magpies target Hugo Ekitike ‘told’ he can leave Reims

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has worked with many top-level players throughout his glistening managerial career who have equally won numerous trophies and awards.

The one figure that has played more games under the 51-year-old than any other player he’s managed is Raheem Sterling, who has featured 292 times under the current City boss.

City signed the winger from fellow Premier League club Liverpool back in 2015 in a deal worth a reported fee of £49m.

Since then, the England international has gone on to make a total of 339 appearances for the Manchester club across all competitions.

In those appearances, the 27-year-old has scored 131 goals, delivered 95 assists and won several domestic trophies in the process.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Sterling will decide in June whether he wants to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Citizens before his current contract runs out in the summer of 2023.

Should the former Liverpool star decide to bring his time with City to an end, the Premier League champions may have already identified who they could bring in as a suitable heir for their current winger.

It was also reported earlier this year that City are one of the potential suitors for Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka should he find himself leaving the north London club in the near future.

With 23 goals and 29 assists under his belt in 131 senior appearances for the Gunners, the 20-year-old certainly knows how to score and create goals for his side in the same way that Sterling has been doing at City for seven years.

This season saw the youngster end the Premier League campaign with more goal contributions than any of his Arsenal teammates as well as a higher overall performance rating than any other player in Mikel Arteta’s squad according to WhoScored.

This highlights just how capable he is of playing in the top division at a high level.

Labelled as an “outrageously talented” player by Gary Lineker, Saka currently has a market value of £102m according to CIES, which suggests that it may not be cheap for City to pluck him out of Arsenal this summer.

However, should the Citizens find themselves waving goodbye to Sterling or if he plans to run his contract down, securing Saka’s signature may end up being worth the potential significant investment and give Guardiola his dream heir for the current City attacker.

In other news: Man City eyeing “unbelievable” £45m gem who’s “one of the best”, Pep would love him

West Bromwich Albion ended the 2021/22 Championship season with just 52 goals scored in 46 games.

To put that into perspective, 16 other clubs in the second tier found the net with greater regularity, even though West Brom finished 10th.

That said, the Baggies were no doubt hoping to have added an extra attacking spark to their side for the second half of the season when they signed Daryl Dike.

After scoring 19 goals in 41 appearances for Orlando City, the American made a move to The Hawthorns in January in a deal worth a reported fee of over £7m. Having made just two appearances for the Midlands club, the 21-year-old was unfortunately struck down with a hamstring injury which ultimately sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Now that Dike can look forward to the 2022/23 campaign to really get his Baggies career going, one other young attacker who Bruce could unleash to make his Albion side a much deadlier force to be reckoned with is Rayhaan Tulloch.

Bruce must unleash Tulloch

A product of West Brom’s youth academy, the 21-year-old has made 98 appearances for the Midlands club across their under-18 and under-23 sides, in which he has scored 41 goals and supplied 16 assists, showing just how deadly he can be in front of goal.

Speaking about the teenager in 2020, former England underage coach Steve Cooper waxed lyrical about the Baggies prodigy, saying: “He’s quick and the type of player that’s broken through a lot recently — like Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

“I’m not saying he’s at that level but he’s that type of player that could quickly change a game through an explosive movement, a quick dribble or a run in behind and that can have quite an impact on a game.”

Taking all this into account, Tulloch definitely seems to have the talent in him to give Bruce’s side an extra attacking edge and potentially form a deadly duo with Dike if he becomes a regular figure in the team next season.

While the 61-year-old has suggested that a significant transfer overhaul could take place at The Hawthorns this summer, unleashing Tulloch as a regular first-team squad option could potentially save the club millions, especially if he ends up making the most out of any opportunities that he gets in Bruce’s line-up.

In other news: Joe Masi drops behind-the-scenes transfer update, it’s great news for WBA supporters