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Everton are a candidate for the signature of Jesse Lingard, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via BBC Sport). 

The lowdown

Manchester United officially confirmed on 1 June that Lingard would be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of the month.

Clubs will now be jostling for the signature of the Englishman, believed to earn £75,000-per-week at Old Trafford.

Lingard is a versatile attacking option, capable of operating on both flanks as well as in central areas.

As a result of ‘previous excesses’ in the transfer market, Frank Lampard does not have a ‘huge’ budget at his disposal this summer to strengthen the squad, and so free transfers may be particularly appealing (via The Athletic).

This has also led to links with Burnley’s James Tarkowski, for whom Everton are believed to be in pole position.

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The latest

The report states that Jose Mourinho would be interested in a potential reunion with Lingard at Roma.

But they’ll have to convince the 29-year-old to overlook Premier League suitors, including Everton and West Ham.

Lingard, of course, spent the latter half of the 2020/21 campaign at The London Stadium, which could give West Ham a key edge.

The verdict

Lingard is the right calibre of player for Everton to pursue.

He boasts 165 games of Premier League experience, scoring 29 goals and providing 17 assists in his top flight career to date.

What’s more, he’s racked up 32 caps for England, the last of which came as recently as October 2021.

Lampard may be a long-term admirer, based on comments he made live on BT Sport in 2018.

“I really like him,” he said. “I think his game’s improved so much.”

With Everton on the trail of both Lingard and Tarkowski, it’s clear that the manager is ready to make the most of Bosman deal opportunities in the coming weeks.

In other news, Frank McAvennie reacts to a potentially significant blow for Everton.

Former Glasgow Rangers manager Alex McLeish has delivered his assessment on the future of Nikola Katic at Ibrox. 

The lowdown: Out of favour

The 25-year-old initially flourished at the Light Blues but missed 57 games following a cruel cruciate ligament rupture midway through the 2019/20 season and was sent to Croatia in order to regain invaluable match fitness.

Having previously been an integral member of Steven Gerrard’s plans, the central defender spent the entirety of the recent campaign at Hajduk Split and played a part in a domestic cup success.

Now, as the one-cap senior international prepares to return to Glasgow, one interested observer has claimed there could be a pivotal role for the defender under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

The latest: ‘Big headache’

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, has suggested Katic could solve a problem for the Gers.

The 63-year-old said: “There were times when I looked at Katic and I thought: ‘Yeah, he looks really promising’. I spoke to Richard Gough as well a while back when Katic was playing. Richard quite liked the cut of his jib. He thought he was a decent player.

“It went a wee bit topsy-turvy for him. You’d think, having played at Hadjuk Split’s level, he’s obviously playing with good technical players. Can he come back? Of course. He’s a big lad who can cope with the hurly-burly of Scottish football. If he’s had that experience and he’s over all his injuries, it seems like it’s back to normal. It’s one they’ve already got in the bank. There’s one already kind of ready-made. Is he of the level of Rangers and the levels they’ve reached with European football?

“You would think that there is something there already on the books that could perhaps save them a big headache.”

The verdict: Strength in numbers

After it was confirmed Conor Goldson would remain at the club this week, Katic’s return with regular action under his belt means that the central defensive department is almost completely taken care of entirely for next term.

The combative star, who was described as a ‘warrior’ by Gerrard, earned a stellar 7.01 Sofascore rating across 21 league outings in his homeland, winning a monstrous 6.5 duels and making 3.5 clearances on average per game whilst helping keep seven clean sheets.

Added to Goldson, Filip Helander, Calvin Bassey, James Sands and perhaps Leon Balogun, Van Bronckhorst has a wealth of centre-back options at his disposal with the return of Katic and as such the Teddy Bears can be confident of at least having an assured backline next season.

In other news: GvB rejects bid for Ianis Hagi!

An update has emerged on Tottenham’s plans to sign Djed Spence during the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the Northern Echo, Middlesbrough are expecting contact from Spurs at some point over a deal for the defender as Fabio Paratici plots talks to snap him up from the Championship side.

The report claims that an inquiry was made at the start of the summer and that the Premier League team are now delaying before entering negotiations in a possible attempt to drive the price down.

It is stated that Boro want £20m for the right-back and are prepared to keep him as a member of their squad next season if Spurs refuse to meet their asking price.

The news comes with Spurs now on the verge of signing Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma for a fee of £30m as Tottenham ramp up their summer business.

Antonio Conte would love him

The Tottenham head coach would love to have Spence at the club next season as he would be an exciting wing-back option to call upon alongside Bissouma in the middle of the park.

He is a young prospect with the scope to develop in the future and also has the potential to make an immediate impact on the side if he is able to handle the step up to the Premier League.

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The 21-year-old spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan to Nottingham Forest and played a key role in their promotion to the top-flight as they beat Huddersfield 1-0 in the play-off final.

He impressed enough to earn praise from former Premier League striker Ian Wright, with the retired forward saying:

“If we are talking about right-backs performing at an unbelievable level, we’re talking about Reece James and Trent, but I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time. I said to him, in all seriousness, ‘That level we saw there? You should be in the Premier League.’ Simple as that.”

The wing-back was excellent throughout the season as he made 42 appearances in the Championship for Forest. He showcased his ability to make an impact in the final third with two goals and four assists – creating six ‘big chances’ – and this suggests that he would be perfect for Conte.

His attacking quality would provide a real threat on the overlap ahead of Dejan Kulusevski and force opposition defenders to be wary of his movement. This would then open up space for the Juventus loanee to cut inside and do damage on his left foot if he opts against playing the ball to the Englishman.

Therefore, Conte would love to have the young prospect as part of his squad next season as he can be a useful option in the immediate future and has the potential – at the age of 21 – to improve over the next few years.

AND in other news, Spurs can unearth dream Kane heir in deal for “invaluable” £22m “Ibrahimovic-machine”…

New Liverpool signing Fabio Carvalho will be used in the front three during the Reds’ pre-season, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Carvalho signs for Liverpool

The youngster joined the Premier League giants from Fulham earlier in the summer, having shone for the west London club during their promotion-winning 2021/22 season.

Carvalho scored 10 goals and registered eight assists in the Championship last term, which clearly caught the attention of Jurgen Klopp and the recruitment team at Anfield.

The 19-year-old can play in midfield or in a more attacking role, and an interesting update has emerged regarding Liverpool’s proposed use of him.

The Latest: Jones makes Carvalho claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Carvalho would be trialled in the front three by Klopp during Liverpool’s pre-season.

The reporter suggested:

“They’re going to test out Fabio Carvalho in that frontline in pre-season, just to see whether he’s actually ready for it and it might be that he gets more of a role next season in that frontline than we might envisage.”

Darwin’s a Red! Get your special edition Darwin Nunez tee here. The Verdict: Great option to have

Versatility is always a bonus in any player and Carvalho possesses that in abundance, which only adds to his potential brilliance as a signing.

The former Fulham man can excel in a number 10 role, which has been his main position, but it will be interesting to see him in attack, likely cutting in from the left-hand side in a similar vein to Luis Diaz.

While Carvalho is unlikely to be a regular starter straight away next season, a strong pre-season for Liverpool in attack could show that he is more than ready to be a mere impact substitute.

In other news, Liverpool are reportedly ready to sign a Premier League star. Find out who it is here.

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace have now reached a ‘full agreement’ to sign West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: Johnstone departs the Hawthorns

The 29-year-old has been a regular feature between the sticks for the Baggies ever since arriving at the Hawthorns back in 2018, but the club recently confirmed that the shot-stopper wouldn’t be putting pen to paper on a new deal upon the expiration of his contract, meaning that he is now a free agent.

Premier League giants Tottenham and Manchester United, alongside the Eagles, are all thought to have registered interest in securing the Preston-born talent’s services this summer, but it appears as though Patrick Vieira’s side have done enough to fend off their strong competitors and make their first summer signing.

The Latest: Romano confirms Palace deal

Taking to Twitter, Romano confirmed that Johnstone has now agreed a deal to join Palace. He wrote:

“Goalkeepers update. Sam Johnstone has reached full agreement to join Crystal Palace on a free transfer, deal in place.”

The Verdict: Great competition for Guaita

With second-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland likely to be heading for the Selhurst Park exit door, Vieira will want to bring someone in who can really challenge Vicente Guaita for that number one jersey, and Johnstone is the perfect man to do just that.

The three-cap international has got a great record in goal, having kept a total of 15 clean sheets in just 36 Championship appearances under Steve Bruce last season, per Transfermarkt, and already has plenty of top-flight experience under his belt, once dubbed ‘one of the best’ by Sam Allardyce after a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

At the time of those comments from ‘Big Sam’, Johnstone had the most saves in the Premier League, so he’d certainly done enough to justify that claim.

The 6 foot 2 colossus will no doubt have been desperate to make the jump back up to the Premier League, and having that status back against his name could potentially put him in a stronger position to regain a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad ahead of the World Cup.

Newcastle United have been linked with a summer move for Bayern Munich striker Joshua Zirkzee.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Het Laatste Nieuws (via Sport Witness), the Magpies have joined Ajax and Anderlecht in the race to sign the centre-forward this summer.

Starting his career in Netherlands, the 21-year-old joined Bayern’s under-17 squad five years ago. Since then, the youngster has gone on to make 98 appearances for the German club across their senior and youth teams.

In that time, he has scored 50 goals and delivered 26 assists along the way, highlighting his attacking prowess in front of goal.

Last season saw the striker spend the campaign on loan with Anderlecht in Belgium, where he found the net 18 times and provided 13 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions.

In his 32 league games for the Brussels outfit, Zirkzee – who is currently valued at £9.9m by Transfermarkt – ended the season with more shots on target (30) than any other player at the club. He also won 27 tackles, showing that he isn’t afraid to get stuck in to try and win the ball back for his team either.

The next Wilson

Praised for his “remarkable” development at Bayern by former manager Hansi Flick, Zirkzee has also received praise from the German club’s academy manager Holger Seitz.

He said of the Dutch youngster: “He’s the kind of player who is highly sought-after: a powerful striker who keeps his cool and doesn’t let himself be caught out. He has a great understanding of football and reacts quickly to different situations.”

Given how Newcastle have relied on goals from Callum Wilson over the past couple of years (20 in total), it seems as though the Toon could find their next version of the English striker this summer in the Bayern sensation.

Having been described by former Magpies interim boss Graeme Jones as the “best matchday finisher” with whom he’s worked, the 30-year-old would be a great figure for a player like Zirkzee to have as a mentor should he make his way to St James’ Park this summer.

If an opportunity to sign the young Dutchman arises at any point this summer, the Magpies should do all they can to make it a reality.

AND in other news – “Have enquired”: talkSPORT journalist drops NUFC transfer claim that’ll excite supporters

Rangers have a track record when it comes to signing players from other clubs on free transfers during previous summer and winter windows.

Their most recent Bosman signing saw the Ibrox side complete a deal for John Souttar after he signed a pre-contract in January.

Should the Gerst look to continue their theme of bringing free agents to Glasgow, one man with whom they have been linked recently and who could be a solid addition to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad is Tom Lawrence.

After working his way through Manchester United’s youth ranks and having loan spells with Carlisle United and Yeovil Town, the winger joined Leicester City on a permanent basis in 2014.

Having then had periods on loan with the likes of Rotherham United, Blackburn Rovers, Cardiff City and Ipswich Town, the Welshman joined Derby in the summer of 2017.

With 185 appearances to his name for the Rams, the 28-year-old has scored 37 goals and delivered 25 assists along the way.

His latest season with the Midlands club saw the attacker find the net 11 times and provide five assists in 38 league appearances.

Praised for his “inspirational” form by journalist Jake Barker on Twitter, Lawrence’s potential arrival at Ibrox this summer could give Van Bronckhorst the chance to form what could be a scintillating partnership at the top of the pitch alongside one of Rangers’ top attacking talents.

Taking into account how Gers striker Alfredo Morelos has been in double figures in terms of contract at the end of June – in the same team could make Van Bronckhorst’s side a much deadlier outfit.

Bearing in mind how the Welshman has played in numerous attacking positions throughout his career, this sort of versatility could make it easier for the Rangers boss to get him and the Colombian striker in the same team to create what could be a frightening partnership.

If Ross Wilson is able to strike another free transfer this summer, this time for Lawrence, it could be a fine bit of business which would suit the manager, the fans and the club’s finances.

AND in other news: Rangers can land their own David Silva as Van Bronckhorst eyes move for “massive” £2.7m-rated gem

Tottenham Hotspur are still trying to sign Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence this summer, and the Teesside club’s manager Chris Wilder has now dropped an update on the potential transfer.

The Lowdown: Stumbling block

According to football.london, Spurs’ managing director Fabio Paratici is keen to push through and make a deal with the Championship outfit for the 21-year-old, who enjoyed a fantastic breakout season whilst on loan at Nottingham Forest.

However, it is reported that coming to an agreement on a transfer fee has proven to be the stumbling block in negotiations, with Middlesbrough demanding an initial £15m with further add-ons, an arrangement to which which the Lilywhites are reluctant to agree (via Daily Mail).

The Latest: Wilder’s comments

Wilder has now commented on Spence’s potential move to Spurs, stating that the transfer is ‘taking its time’, but Middlesbrough are hopeful that it will come to a ‘quick conclusion’.

As reported by The Northern Echo (via football.london), Wilder claimed: “Hopefully, it will come to a quick conclusion because that would help everybody. That’s the way we’d like it to be, although the situation isn’t always straightforward.

“It is taking its time, but hopefully, it can get sorted. If not, then as I’ve said all along, Djed comes back to us.”

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The Verdict: Worth the wait

At just 21 years of age, Spence inevitably has a long-term future at the top of the game.

Pundit and former Premier League striker Ian Wright couldn’t praise the youngster enough, having proclaimed: “If we are talking about right-backs performing at an unbelievable level, we’re talking about Reece James and Trent, but I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.”

With Antonio Conte looking to add a right-back to his squad to challenge Matt Doherty for the starting spot, Spence would appear to be an ideal candidate. The 21-year-old averaged 1.5 interceptions per game last season, level with Spurs’ best performer for that metric, while he also showed a willingness to take on opponents by completing 1.7 dribbles per game, better than anyone in Conte’s squad in 2021/22.

Therefore, for Tottenham, this is a prospective transfer worth a degree of compromise if that’s what it takes to get over the impasse in negotiations.

Wolves were heavily linked with Metz midfielder Boubacar Traore in January and now that he has been given the green light to leave the French side following their relegation, Bruno Lage must look at bringing him to Molineux.

Football Insider suggests that the Old Gold hold a long-standing interest in the 20-year-old and saw a bid rejected for the Mali international in January, although Metz are now resigned to losing him.

Last season was a breakthrough campaign for Traore, as he made 28 appearances in all competitions for Metz, contributing one goal and one assist, having only made two senior appearances previously.

This led manager Frederic Antonetti to suggest that the youngster was “exploding”, and Premier League sides are certainly taking an interest, with Football Insider claiming that Newcastle United, Leicester City, Southampton and Nottingham Forest are all plotting moves for him this summer.

They also claim that the midfielder would be available for around £18m, which could prove to be a bargain if he lives up to his potential.

Lage’s midfield lacked athleticism at times last season, as while Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves are both undoubtedly great passers of the ball, they don’t possess the ability to play as box-to-box midfielders.

Therefore, Traore could definitely compliment Neves in Wolves’ midfield for years to come, if the Old Gold are able to keep hold of him this summer, with signs suggesting that he is now more likely to stay at Molineux than leave.

Traore scored in the 99th percentile for pressures per 90 last season, averaging an impressive 29.25 per game, whereas Moutinho and Neves scored in the 50th and 48th percentiles respectively, so it is clear what the Metz man would add to Lage’s side.

The 20-year-old’s dynamism would allow Neves to conserve his energy more and focus on dictating the play and playing higher up the pitch, as he managed just four goals and two assists in the top flight last season.

While Traore is a man-in-demand, Wolves have clearly been interested in him for a while, and he could be an excellent addition if Lage can bring him to Molineux this summer.

And, in other news… “Already accepted”: Fabrizio Romano drops big Wolves update, supporters will be fuming

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped an exciting behind-the-scenes update regarding the Hoops’ summer transfer plans.

What’s the latest?

Speaking after the pre-season win over Banik Ostrava (via Daily Record), the Bhoys manager said: “We’re still working in the background and hopefully we’ll get some new players in.”

So far in this summer’s transfer window, Celtic have secured permanent deals for their previous loan trio of Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Daizen Maeda. In addition, the Parkhead club have also brought a couple of new faces to Glasgow in the shape of goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist and full-back Alexandro Bernabei.

The Bhoys have also missed out on some reported targets such as Rabbi Matondo, who recently joined Rangers from Schalke 04, and Vinicius Souza, who has now joined Espanyol.

In more recent days, the Premiership champions have been linked with a move for Argentinos Juniors midfielder Fausto Vera.

Bearing in mind how the likes of Tom Rogic, Nir Bitton and Ismaila Soro have waved goodbye to the Parkhead club this summer, it’s easy to see why the Bhoys have been linked with another midfielder.

Celtic fans will be buzzing

Now that Postecoglou has revealed that the Hoops are working behind the scenes and is hopeful of bringing more players to Glasgow, that should have a lot of Celtic fans jumping for joy.

Looking back to the significant number of deals which were completed last summer, this track record will surely give Hoops supporters a lot of faith and confidence that the club will be able to get the deals that they want done before the current transfer window closes.

Taking into account how the Bhoys will not only have the league title to fight for next season but also the other domestic competitions as well as the Champions League, having a squad that’s strong enough and has the right amount of depth in it will be crucial.

If Celtic can bring some new players to the club who can improve the squad and push the team forward, this would surely top off what has been a rather productive summer transfer period.

AND in other news: Ange can seal big Kyogo upgrade with £3.5k-p/w Celtic target who has “power and pace”