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Arsenal have reportedly made an approach to sign Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande this summer. The defender has a release clause of €80m (£69m), which may be the only way that the Portuguese side accept a deal in the current transfer window.

What's the latest on Ousmane Diomande to Arsenal?

The Gunners have made an approach – but not an official bid – to sign the defender, according to Portuguese newspaper Record, via Sport Witness, who previously stated that Sporting would only let the defender leave if his release clause is triggered this summer.

Things could yet change, however, with the newspaper reporting that Sporting have received some 'tempting' offers for their central defender, perhaps suggesting that they'd be willing to negotiate in the remainder of the window, and they name-check only the Gunners when discussing possible bidders.

It would certainly be an interesting move for Arsenal to make, considering the recent arrival of Jurrien Timber to provide more than adequate cover in the backline. But, with Champions League football to think about next season, Mikel Arteta will need squad depth.

The North London side got a first-hand glimpse into Diomande's talent, of course, when he was part of the Sporting side which knocked them out of the Europa League last season. Perhaps it was in that game when Arteta identified the defender as a potential summer target.

Who is Ousmane Diomande?

At just 19-years-old, Diomande is one of the most impressive young defenders around, cementing his place in the Sporting first-team last season, and squaring off against the likes of Arsenal and Juventus in the Europa League, where he did not look out of place.

Such is his clear talent, the Ivory Coast defender has attracted praise across European football, including from Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who Tweeted: "You rarely see a player with such high ball-playing and pure defender skills.

"There are some tactical improvements but I'm quite sure this kid will play for the best teams in the world. The signs of elite talent."

According to FBref, the statistics only back that up even more, too. When compared to current Arsenal defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, Diomande is a level above on the ball, making at least two more progressive passes per 90 than the duo. It's key to remember here, too, that he's only 19, and will likely get even better.

Meanwhile, the Sporting man also makes more progressive dribbles per 90. So, if Arteta is looking for a defender to drive out with the ball, breaking the opposition's press in the process, then triggering the release clause of Diomande wouldn't exactly be a bad idea.

It could come down to how much the Gunners are willing to spend this summer. They've already splashed out a total of €231.60m (£200.72m) in the current window, welcoming Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Timber.

The North London side have showed plenty of intent, that's for sure, which would make it no surprise if they did pursue a deal to sign Diomande this summer.

Saliba, Timber, Gabriel, and Diomande would certainly give Arteta one of the best pools of young defensive talent in European football, and one that would be at the top of English football for years to come.

Everton are interested in signing Leicester City centre-back Jonny Evans in the summer transfer window, according to a video that has surfaced from the club's official training footage.

How much does Jonny Evans per week?

The 35-year-old has enjoyed an excellent career for both club and country, proving to be an unruffled presence at the heart of so many defences. Having started in the youth team at Manchester United, he ended up breaking into the first team there, making 198 appearances in the process, and winning three Premier League titles and one Champions League crown along the way.

Since then, the £100,000-a-week-earning Evans has played for West Brom and Leicester – he has also enjoyed loan spells elsewhere – but his contract with the latter expired at the end of last month and there still seems to be uncertainty over his future, in terms of whether he will sign an extension or not after the Foxes went down.

Everton are sniffing around for new signings, as they look to improve on a hugely disappointing league campaign of their own in 2022/23, with additions required to bolster both the starting lineup and the general depth within the squad, with a third relegation battle in a row something that isn't worth thinking about.

It looks as though Evans is a target for the Blues, in that respect, following a new update regarding the veteran centre-back's future.

Could Everton sign Jonny Evans?

As per @ITalkEverton on Twitter [via The Daily Mail], Everton could be set to make a move for Evans during the current transfer window, as the Toffees Twitter user shared a now-deleted clip from the club's pre-season training camp, in which an off-camera figure can be heard saying: "We've got Jonny Evans coming in."

Evans may now be 35 years of age and past his prime as a footballer, but there is still some sense in Everton making a move for him in the current transfer window, especially as Dyche is to be trusted when it comes to defensive signings, having made Burnley such a well-organised unit down the years.

The Northern Irishman is now a massively experienced footballer who has made 356 appearances in the Premier League and won 91 caps for his country, and he could come in as a direct replacement for Conor Coady, whose loan move to Goodison Park wasn't made permanent at the end of last season.

It would be wrong to expect Evans to come in as a regular starter, given his age, but he could act as a safe pair of hands when required, putting his defensive nous to good use. The fact that he would be available on a free transfer also makes it less of a risk, should the deal ultimately backfire.

The former United defender earned the praise of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2012, with the Scot saying, "Jonny's always had terrific ability and it's good to see he's in consistent form", while Keith Gillespie once described his compatriot as "absolutely unbelievable", which further highlights how highly he is thought of when he's fit and firing.

Everton need to be making more signings on top of Evans, with a younger centre-back also required, but the out-of-contract Northern Irishman could be a shrewd purchase on a short-term basis.

Tottenham Hotspur are "not far off" completing a deal for Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven with talks suddenly progressing in the last few days, according to journalsit Graeme Bailey.

Who are Spurs signing?

New Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, despite only officially starting work on Saturday, has already watched his side complete three major deals.

Dejan Kulusevski, who has spent the last 18 months on loan from Juventus, recently completed a permanent move to Tottenham with both goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and playmaker James Maddison following the Swede.

Postecoglou, speaking after the captures of both Maddison and Vicario, professed his joy at the signings and drew particular attention to their elite mentality.

“It’s not just about the talent they bring as footballers," said Postecoglou.

"It’s what they bring as people as well because we are going to play football that requires a certain type of personality and character.

“Both those guys have got it in abundance. I could hear it in their voices when I spoke to them. I had a couple of chats with both of them before we signed them and I knew that they were the right types to bring into the dressing room."

Following on from the aforementioned trio, it is believed Spurs are also closing in on the signing of Israel international Manor Solomon as well, who is due for a medical at Hotspur Way soon.

The former Fulham loanee could soon be joined by a star centre-back, with Spurs pushing to revamp their leaky defence which conceded a poor 63 league goals last season.

Tosin Adarabioyo of Fulham, Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba and van de Ven have been most recently mentioned as top transfer targets for the role.

Reporter Bailey of 90min, sharing news on Twitter, has a promising update on the latter defender, as Spurs talks for van de Ven progress in recent days.

It is believed the Lilywhites are "not far off" agreeing a deal for the 22-year-old who dazzled in the Bundesliga over 2022/2023.

"Tottenham's talks with Wolfsburg over Dutch defender Micky van de Ven have progressed well in last few days. Deal is not far off from being finalised and personal terms not an issue."

What's been said about Micky van de Ven?

The Dutchman has been a pivotal figure under Niko Kovac, especially last campaign, with no other Wolfsburg player making more blocks per 90 than him (WhoScored).

Standing out as a brilliant ball-playing defender, van de Ven averaged the highest pass accuracy percentage (88.3%) of any Wolfsburg regular with more than one start (WhoScored).

The Bundesliga's offical website have also described van de Ven as a lightning quick defender with huge potential, even likening him to Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk.

They wrote:

"Much like Liverpool’s Dutch centre-back, Van de Ven can be a nightmare for attacking players with his immense strength, determination and precision tackling scuppering the most promising of forward moves. With incredible pace and passing ability among his many assets, the Netherlands U21 international – who captained his country at the 2023 UEFA Europan Under-21 Championship – is on course to become a regular for the senior Oranje in the near future."

Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement in principle with Clement Lenglet over a three-year contract, according to reports from Spain.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham are now edging closer towards completing a deal for James Maddison, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reporting contracts and documents are set to be completed in the next 24 hours, before the move will finally be made official.

It is not only attacking areas in which Ange Postecoglou is looking to strengthen, with several new defenders also being considered, including Tosin Adarabioyo, Edmond Tapsoba, Micky van de Ven, and at least one other.

As well as looking at options from elsewhere, Postecoglou is also keen to bring Barca loanee Lenglet back to the club on a permanent basis, and there has now been an update on Spurs' pursuit of the defender.

According to reports from Spain (via Sport Witness), Tottenham remain in continuous contacts with the La Liga club over a deal for the Frenchman, and there has been some progress made on the player's side in recent days.

Spurs have now reached an agreement in principle with the 28-year-old over a three-year deal, meaning the only obstacle remaining is agreeing a fee with Barcelona, who are keen to get him off the wage bill.

A transfer fee of €10m (£8.6m) is currently being considered, with the Lilywhites aware of Barca's desire to sell the defender, and unwilling to overspend.

Is Clement Lenglet joining Tottenham?

At this stage, it seems very likely the France international will complete a switch to north London, considering his current club are so eager to get rid of him, and there is evidence he could be a solid addition to Postecoglou's squad.

Hailed as a "brilliant" talent by members of the media, the former Sevilla man put in some promising performances on loan last season, capping off the campaign with a 7.1 Sofascore rating against Leeds United, after making 13 clearances, the most of any player.

The £145k-per-week defender did struggle at times, however, putting in a particularly disappointing performance in the 2-2 draw against Manchester United in April, winning just one of the eight duels he contested.

A fee of £8.6m is hardly going to break the bank for Tottenham, so Lenglet is certainly worth bringing back to the club as a depth option, but Postecoglou will be hoping the centre-back can become more consistent in his second season in the Premier League.

Chelsea are "ready to invest" in the summer transfer window and one of their targets is Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, according to a new report.

Who is Diogo Costa?

The 23-year-old has emerged as possibly one of the most talented young 'keepers in Europe, already becoming a key player for Porto despite his age.

Costa has already made 109 appearances for his current club, not to mention winning 14 caps for Portugal, and he looks set to have a long and successful career ahead of him.

He has been constantly linked with a move away from Porto this summer, however, and Chelsea are one of the clubs who have been backed to snap him up. The Blues had issues between the sticks throughout the 2022/23 season, with neither Kepa Arrizabalaga nor Edouard Mendy proving to be convincing performers, and it has become clear that an upgrade is required in that area.

It increasingly looks as though Costa could be the man to solve that issue, with another update emerging regarding their pursuit of him.

Are Chelsea signing Costa?

According to O Jogo [via Sport Witness], Chelsea "continue to be a possibility" for the Portuguese giant, with Todd Boehly and Co now "ready to invest" in new signings after getting rid of some of the deadwood in the squad, including Mendy.

Porto are demanding a sizeable €75m (£64m) for Costa's services, however, so it depends on whether the Blues hierarchy are willing to pay such a hefty amount transfer fee.

While this is clearly a lot of money, this could be a move that ends up being inspired, considering Costa could potentially be a top-class No.1 for them for a decade, maturing into one of the world's leading goalkeepers.

He has shown already that he is a top-level performer, both at club and international level, winning two Primeira Liga titles and three Portuguese Cups, among other trophies. He has also been hailed as "world-class" by Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot, who has known him well throughout his career to date.

It is essential that Chelsea bring in the right stopper to be a big upgrade on both Kepa and Mendy this summer, and while there could be more proven options out there, Costa feels one of the most exciting choices, given his age and the fact that Mauricio Pochettino has got a lot out of young players in the past, bringing through the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli at Tottenham, for example.

Liverpool were reportedly keen on Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Max Kilman earlier this year and journalist Dean Jones thinks he is 'one of the best options' from the Premier League as Jurgen Klopp eyes defensive reinforcements.

What's the latest transfer news involving Max Kilman?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT back in March, journalist Ben Jacobs indicated that Liverpool had been 'very impressed' with Wolves defender Kilman and were interested in bringing him to Anfield, stating:

"With Kilman, Liverpool have looked at him, Spurs have looked at him. I don't think Wolves want to lose Kilman, but it might be the right time for him to make a move. A series of Premier League clubs on the centre-back's trail are very impressed by him."

Former Liverpool icon turned pundit Jamie Carragher praised Kilman for his defensive work in the same month, speaking on Sky Sports quoted by HITC, saying: “Max Kilman at the back for Wolves, an ever-present for Wolves all season. He’s no-frills at centre back; he just gets on with his job and very rarely makes mistakes, hence why he’s an automatic pick no matter who the manager is."

In more recent times, The Mirror report that Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing Kilman this summer as their new boss Ange Postecoglou targets squad improvements following his arrival in north London.

The Athletic claim that West Ham United are interested in Kilman alongside Spurs and could be willing to shell out around £30 million to land the £15k-a-week ace.

In an interview with Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Kilman would be 'one of the best' players available in his position from the Premier League should Liverpool choose to pounce this summer.

Jones told FFC when asked if he'd be a good signing: "It could be, obviously, if Liverpool want to shop within the Premier League for players that aren't going to take much time to adapt to the situation, then Max Killman is one of the best options you're going to find."

Would Max Kilman be a good signing for Liverpool?

Kilman is a cultured left-footed central defender with an education in futsal and would be a smart piece of business from Klopp that would add composure and steel to the Reds' backline.

In 2022/23, the – "outstanding" according to some in the media – 26-year-old was almost ever-present for Wolves and racked up 41 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

According to WhoScored, Kilman was also switched on when presented with moments of danger from the opposition and completed 4.4 clearances per game on average in the Premier League.

FBRef show that Kilman also excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in the art of blocks, successfully managing 1.91 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the fifth percentile for this metric.

Looking forward, Liverpool could do a lot worse than turning to Kilman as they look to build ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Celtic did not waste much time in finding their replacement for Ange Postecoglou as they officially confirmed the appointment of Brendan Rodgers on a three-year deal earlier this week.

The Hoops had been on the lookout for a new head coach after the Australian chief opted to ditch Parkhead for a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Dermot Desmond has persuaded the ex-Leicester City boss to take the job and he is now in his second spell with the club, after winning seven domestic trophies at Paradise between 2016 and 2019,

The club are reportedly set to hand him a stunning £30m to work with in the transfer market but the Nothern Irish tactician already has a number of quality players at his disposal, chiefly Reo Hatate.

How has Reo Hatate performed at Celtic?

Rodgers worked with some terrific players during his time with the Foxes in England and could already have his next version of Youri Tielemans in Reo Hatate, who is one of the current stars of Celtic's midfield.

The Japan international is an excellent number eight who can make an impact in and out of possession and the 25-year-old could now thrive under the new boss, who was able to get the best out of Tielemans at the King Power.

Only Scott Sinclair (238) has played more matches for the manager than the now-Aston Villa ace (184) throughout his career, illustrating how much trust he placed in the 26-year-old.

The pinnacle of their time together, arguably, came when the Belgian rifled in a screamer from 25 yards to win the FA Cup against Chelsea in 2021.

Tielemans was a consistently excellent performer for Rodgers in the Premier League, as well as in cup competitions, and enjoyed a terrific campaign during their last full season together in 21/22.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 across 32 league outings and contributed with six goals and 1.2 key passes per game. The Foxes maestro also showcased his defensive ability with three tackles and interceptions per match and a 51% duel success rate for the side.

Hatate, who has been hailed as "all action" by ex-Scotland defender Alan Hutton, is also a midfielder who puts himself about on and off the ball.

The 25-year-old averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.23 across 32 Scottish Premiership matches and chipped in with six goals and 1.3 key passes per outing, whilst the Japanese hero also won 57% of his duels and made 1.5 tackles and interceptions per clash.

These statistics suggest that the pair are similar midfielders, with both able to hold their own in physical contests and have the quality in possession to score goals and create chances.

Indeed, Rodgers may not need to use any of his £30m budget to bring his next Tielemans to Celtic as he already has one in the form of the £12k-per-week menace.

Manchester United are still waiting for an official takeover to go through despite plenty of rumblings on Monday night, according to an update this morning from reliable journalist Ben Jacobs.

What is the latest on the takeover at Manchester United?

The proceedings that would see a new owner take the reins at Old Trafford have dragged on and on over the last few months, with the bidding process whittled down now to just two prospective buyers.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani is one, with the Qatar-backed group looking to try and seal a complete takeover of the club. They launched a fresh bid not too long ago that would see them own potentially all 100% of the Red Devils, whilst also wiping out any debts that the club currently have. As yet though, it appears as though nothing has materialised in response to that offer.

The other interested party is billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is trying to buy stakes in the club alongside his INEOS Group. They too have looked like they could win the battle to take over at points, with Ratcliffe at one point emerging as the preferred option for the Glazers. It would allow them to retain a stake in United too, with INEOS planning only to buy a majority rather than the entirety of the Red Devils.

The bidding process though has continued to rumble on though and there is no deal officially confirmed yet. A decision on exclusivity is expected soon but that too has yet to be sorted out.

Last night though, it appeared as though there may finally have been a breakthrough over new ownership, with the club's share prices soaring in reaction to rumours from a Qatari news source that the deal was effectively agreed with Sheikh Jassim's team.

However, according to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs on Tuesday morning, no deal is done as of yet. He revealed that nobody has been deemed as "successful" yet and no further update is expected within "the next few days".

Jacobs said: "Lots of speculation on the MUFC sale process, and an out-of-hours stock price surge reacting to that. But as of last night no group had been informed they are successful. Not expecting anything public or groundbreaking in the next few days. If that changes will update you."

Why do Man United fans want the Glazers out?

The club is, of course, currently run by the American Glazer family, with United supporters continually venting their frustrations at the way in which they have handled the club ever since their hostile takeover, which even had fans trying to block the deal.

While the owners have helped turn the club into a commercial juggernaut, they continuously use club profits for their own good, taking profits out rather than injecting cash in, all while straggling the club with huge debts and leaving Old Trafford to rot.

There have been protests at Premier League games this campaign over their perceived mismanagement of the Red Devils and things reached a head when they were revealed as one of the faces of the proposed Super League in 2021.

United fans will be hoping for a resolution to their ownership issues soon and will be hoping that this latest rise in stock prices eventually leads to a final decision over who will be taking over at Old Trafford.

Despite ending the season without the stress of a relegation fight, Crystal Palace are heading into the summer transfer window in a shroud of uncertainty.

The primary cause of this uncertainty is the future of club legend and talisman Wilfried Zaha.

The Ivorian international's contract with the South London club expires next month, and there seems to be no indication that he will sign the new £200,000 a week contract he's been offered, per The Athletic.

However, there is some good news in the shape of a potential replacement, Matheus Franca.

What's the latest on Matheus Franca?

According to Matt Woosnam of The Athletic, the 19-year-old forward from Brazilian outfit Flamengo is a 'distinct possibility as a replacement' for club legend.

The club has been monitoring the young striker for most of the season, and from what they have seen so far, they are 'keen.'

So keen, in fact, that Douglas Freedman, the club's sporting director, has travelled to Brazil to watch the exciting prospect, per Woosnam.

The Eagles might want to act quickly if they want to get this deal done as according to transfers expert, Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle United already offered €16m (£14m) for the youngster in January.

However, the new price to secure the services of the "quality" Brazilian, as once hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is reportedly higher at €20m (£17m)

Would Matheus Franca be a good signing for Crystal Palace?

Despite being only 19-years-old, Franca has already played 27 games of senior football in his home country.

According to WhoScored, across those 27 games, he has averaged a rating of 6.62.

That may not be the most impressive rating, but it is important to remember that he is still an incredibly raw talent and should only improve as he gets more experience.

His underlying numbers, however, are quite impressive and paint a picture of an all-action pressing forward.

According to FBref, the young attacker sits in the top 1% for successful take-ons, interceptions and progressive passes received per 90 compared to players in his position within their definition of the 'next best eight' leagues in world football.

He also sits in the top 3% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90.

If we compare his expected non-penalty goals and assists per 90 to the man he could replace, Zaha, he looks even better coming in at 0.45 compared to the Palace man's 0.30.

Whilst it is important to remember that there is a smaller sample size for the Rio de Janeiro-born forward, and he plays in a weaker league, it does show promise.

Should South London's biggest club get this deal done, it could prove to be an excellent decision a few years down the line.

However, if there is an expectation that the 6-foot prospect can come straight into the Premier League and replace one of the club's greatest-ever players, disappointment might follow.

Everton are plotting a surprise summer swoop to sign Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, according to reports.

Is Harry Maguire leaving Man United?

The Red Devils centre-back first made the move to Old Trafford from at the time Premier League rivals Leicester City back in 2019 and he’s since gone on to record a total of 175 appearances, not to mention that he even became such an integral member of the squad that he was handed the captain’s armband.

The England international still has another two years to run on his contract, but last season he fell significantly out of favour under Erik Ten Hag, having made just eight starts in the top-flight, so could be looking to secure a move elsewhere to a club where he knows he will receive sufficient game time.

Following the departures of Conor Coady and Yerry Mina at the heart of the defence, Sean Dyche will need to enter the market for backline reinforcements during the upcoming window to get his number of options back up, and the 30-year-old appears to have been highlighted as an ideal target at Goodison Park.

Are Everton signing Maguire?

According to Football Transfers, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are all “interested” in striking a deal for Maguire ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Man United have put the defender “up for sale” and it’s believed that the veteran himself also “wants to leave”.

The M16 outfit have been planning his exit for “several months” and have placed a £35m price tag on his head, a fee which they are “determined to receive” in order to make a sale worthwhile.

The 6 foot 4 colossus is hoping to leave the building in search of “regular” football to make sure that he is able to maintain his place on the international stage and remain in Gareth Southgate’s thoughts for England’s upcoming Euro 2024 tournament.

Should Farhad Moshiri move for Maguire?

Everton might have thought that with Maguire sharing the same agent, Triple S Sports, as James Garner, that they may have had a chance of using a familiar representative to reach an agreement, but the centre-back had a horrid last season so Farhad Moshiri should steer well clear of a summer swoop.

The World Cup participant ranked as Ten Hag’s 18th worst-performing defensive player out of 25 squad members during the previous term, averaging just 0.5 tackles per top-flight game, not to mention that he had no impact at the opposite end of the pitch having posted zero goals or assists across all competitions.

United’s “terrible” captain, as slammed by journalist Josh Bunting, also earns £190k-per-week so is likely to have extreme salary demands which the Toffees couldn’t afford – Jordan Pickford is only on £125k-per-week and he is the highest earner on Merseyside, via Capology.

Maguire has previously been booed by his own supporters during one of the Red Devils’ pre-season tours for his poor level of performances and this toxicity being created with the fanbase is something that the boss could do without, so he certainly isn’t a player that should be being targeted in the weeks and months ahead.