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Leeds United have enjoyed a productive transfer window so far with the Whites sealing the signings of three new faces. However, there is plenty of work left to do for Victor Orta and co.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish publication Marca, via TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of the sides interested in signing Manchester United centre-back Phil Jones.

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They suggest that the £110k-per-week earner has also taken the fancy of Southampton and newly-promoted Fulham.

Jones is still under contract by United and is valued at just £2.7m by Transfermarkt.

Their next Woodgate?

Leeds United need to add far greater depth and quality to their squad ahead of the upcoming campaign as they aim to have a much smoother run of things after their worrying relegation battle.

In Jones, however, Marsch may be on the verge of making his first transfer mistake since taking over at Elland Road.

He has recruited smartly so far in the shape of Brenden Aaronson, Marc Roca and Rasmus Kristensen but the signing of the Red Devils defender would be a puzzling one.

Sir Alex Ferguson once suggested that he could be one of the greatest ever players to don the famous red jersey at Old Trafford but a quite horrendous streak of injuries has led to a rather disappointing and frustrating playing career for a man who is now 30 years of age.

That is still a great age for a centre-back but the fact of the matter is that he’s now incredibly unreliable from a fitness point of view.

Jones has played just four times in the last two years, which comes down to both a lack of quality and his injury record.

The former England international has had 22 separate issues since signing for United which means he’s missed a whopping 1239 days of action. That also amounts to a rather incredible 205 matches.

All of that suggests he could be Leeds’ next Jonathan Woodgate. The former defender turned manager played 137 times for the Yorkshire club, the most appearances he made for any side.

He came through the academy of Leeds but after leaving, saw his career plagued by injuries, just like Jones.

Such was his frustration that he turned to desperate measures such as botox and boiled grass in a bid to end his ‘injury hell’ when he was at Real Madrid.

Both defenders have endured sorry careers, spending more time on the treatment table than out on the pitch. That once led Rio Ferdinand to dub Jones a “waste of time” in a rather harsh assessment of the player’s time at Man United.

However, what that should tell the hierarchy at Leeds is that he’s a player not worth investing in this summer.

AND in other news, Marsch could secure the next £33m monster as Leeds eye “wonderful” 49-goal starlet…

The transfer window has officially opened for the Premier League and Everton will be hoping they can take advantage of the opportunity to sign reinforcements following a struggle in the league last season.

However, with reported financial troubles surfacing it is likely that the Toffees will need to be smarter and more thrifty with their transfer business this summer and could be more inclined to target players who are out of contract and seek out loan deals ahead of next season.

Everton are already reportedly close to sealing a deal for James Tarkowski on a free transfer as it was revealed on Wednesday that he would complete a medical this week with the view to complete his move to Goodison Park from newly relegated Burnley.

With Tarkowski almost a done deal, Farhad Moshiri must focus on his next potential free transfer as Everton have been speculated to be interested in signing Christian Eriksen this summer.

Eriksen returned to the Premier League in January via Brentford on a six-month deal but is now free to move on and find his next challenge with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United both reportedly interested alongside the Merseyside club.

The £228k-per-week maestro who was hailed “top class” by Pontus Jansson, has made a huge impact on the team since joining Brentford.

According to SofaScore, in 11 Premier League appearances Eriksen scored one goal, delivered four assists and created five big chances, making 2.8 key passes, 69.7 touches and 1.2 tackles on average per game, which led Brentford to pick up points in eight of the ten games the player played the full 90 minutes.

Frank Lampard could save millions by signing the 30-year-old attacking midfielder as he could be the perfect upgrade for Dele Alli who has had a disappointing start since joining in January on a permanent deal thought to be worth up to £40m.

Alli has scored no goals and contributed no assists, proving to be largely ineffective and rarely seen at Goodison Park since he joined making the same number of appearances as Eriksen but only playing 29 minutes on average per game.

With that being said, if Lampard could find a move for Alli elsewhere and secure the signing Eriksen on a free transfer it would be a major coup for Everton and put them in a great position to have a better Premier League campaign.

AND in other news: Lampard must now brutally axe Everton’s £22m “walking red card”, he’s Klaassen 2.0

Celtic had a rampant start to the 2021 summer transfer window but Ange Postecoglou hasn’t exactly been busy at Parkhead yet this time around.

What’s the word?

The Hoops have been looking into completing permanent deals for Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota during the off-season but a new exciting transfer rumour has emerged.

It concerns Schalke youngster Rabbi Matondo who could be moving to Scotland this summer.

That’s according to Wales Online who suggest that Celtic and their Old Firm rivals have now opened talks with the German side regarding a move.

Matondo joined them from Manchester City but spent last term on loan at Cercle Brugge.

Cercle are understood to be keen on keeping the winger at the club, while their own rivals in Club Brugge are believed to be interested too.

Transfermarkt values the player at £3.6m.

The next Sane?

Does an exciting young winger with ties to Manchester City and Schalke remind you of anyone? Well, look no further than a certain Leroy Sane, someone who took the opposite career path to Matondo.

While the German wide man, who signed for Bayern Munich for £54.8m, started his career at Schalke, he went on to enjoy a hugely successful stint with the current Premier League champions.

It was at City where Matondo learnt his trade before joining Sane’s former employers where he even spoke of the Germany international’s talent.

Upon signing for the recently-promoted Bundesliga outfit, he said: “Mesut Özil, Ivan Rakitic & Leroy Sane all took big steps in their careers here.”

Matondo’s career hasn’t quite taken off in the same way as the aforementioned trio, scoring just twice in 32 games for Schalke, but his stint on loan in Belgium last term was particularly impressive, with the winger bagging ten goals and registering two assists in all competitions.

With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise to see him praised relentlessly, with Ryan Giggs previously hailing his “electrifying pace.”

That attribute is also synonymous with Sane, someone who uses his speed and trickery to make himself a real nuisance for defenders.

With 1.7 dribbles per game to his name throughout 2021/22, the 21-year-old is evidently also particularly dangerous in possession of the ball while his 32 career goals make him deadly inside the penalty area too.

With all of that said, it’s clear that Matondo would be a very exciting addition should he make the switch to Parkhead over the summer.

Celtic have some captivating options in their forward line already but the Wales international would surely complete the set.

AND in other news, Ange can land his own Denayer as Celtic eye £7k-p/w gem who has “fire in his belly”…

Leeds United chiefs have ‘discussed’ signing Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz this summer, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: 22 goals

Brereton Diaz, described as the ‘face of Pepsi’ in Chile due to massive marketing campaigns following his international success, enjoyed a fine 2021/22 campaign in the Championship. The 23-year-old played on the left and through the middle, ending the season with 22 goals in 37 league games.

Tony Mowbray has hailed the forward as an ‘extraordinary talent’, and it seems as if the South American is still on Leeds’ radar following links during the January window.

The Latest: Whites talks

The Daily Mail’s Simon Jones shared a Leeds transfer update on Tuesday afternoon, mainly focusing on the club’s interest in FC Salzburg right-back Rasmus Kristensen.

However, the journalist also leaked inside talks regarding Brereton Diaz, stating that Leeds officials, presumably Victor Orta, have held discussions about signing the forward in recent months, as well as Lewis O’Brien from Huddersfield.

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The Verdict: Forward required

A striker is certainly needed for Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge, with the American relying on Joe Gelhardt for the final games of the recent season.

Star forward Patrick Bamford was limited to just seven league stats due to a number of injuries, so Brereton Diaz could be a shrewd signing following an impressive campaign.

Phil Hay has stated that the Whites would prefer a forward with Premier League experience, something Brereton Diaz doesn’t have, but following his best season in front of goal and offering great versatility, he may well be a smart alternative.

In other news: After Kristensen: Radz & 49ers now ready to write Leeds cheque for ‘really exciting’ midfielder. 

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Clement Lenglet to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that Fabio Paratici has now made contact with Barcelona concerning a move for the 26-year-old centre-back this summer.

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The report goes on to state that Arsenal, Newcastle United and Everton have also made contact with the LaLiga side regarding a deal for the France international, while the player himself is believed to be open to a temporary move away from the Camp Nou after being informed he is not currently a part of Xavi’s first-team plans.

“Similar to Laporte”

While it is true that Lenglet has seen his game time become rather limited following Xavi’s appointment at Barca back in November, it is nevertheless easy to see why Antonio Conte would be interested in a move to bring the left-footed Frenchman to north London in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, according to FBref data, the £34m-rated talent ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for passes attempted per 90, as well as the top 1% for progressive passes, the top 1% for progressive carries, the top 18% for passes completed, the top 6% for assists and the top 10% for xA over the last 365 days.

The £99k-per-week defender who Andrew Gaffney dubbed “similar to Laporte” also ranks in the top 15% for pressures per 90, in addition to the top 39% for tackles, the top 43% for aerial duels won, the top 20% for npxG+xA and the top 24% for progressive passes received over the last 12 months.

These metrics see FBref compare the 15-time capped international to some of the most exciting defensive talents in world football, such as Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano, Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Manchester City’s Ruben Dias.

As such, while Lenglet is certainly not the most glamorous left-sided centre-back Tottenham have been linked with this summer, the 26-year-old would very much appear to make an extremely impressive addition to Conte’s current options at the back.

Indeed, the Frenchman’s apparent defensive weaknesses would easily be balanced out by the incredibly solid Eric Dier and Cristian Romero, while the former Sevilla starlet’s quite spectacular range of passing would undoubtedly add an extra dimension to Spurs’ build-up play from the back.

As such, considering his availability on a loan deal – with the potential of this including an option to buy clause, similar to Romero – as well as his undoubted ability with the ball at his feet, it would very much look as if the signing of Lenglet could be something of a no-brainer for Paratici this summer.

AND in other news: Conte can unearth the next Thuram as Spurs plot bid for “powerful” £22.5m-rated talent

Sporting CP midfielder Joao Palhinha is definitely on Wolves’ ‘shortlist’ of potential summer signings, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Constant Palhinha links

The 26-year-old has been constantly linked with a move to Molineux in the summer transfer window, as Wanderers likely have to plan for life without Ruben Neves.

Palhinha has emerged as one of Sporting’s most influential players, not only catching the eye in their midfield but also winning 12 caps for Portugal to date.

Wolves’ interest doesn’t appear to be going away but it looks as though they will have to battle to get their man.

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The Latest: Spiers drops fresh claim

Taking to Twitter, Spiers confirmed that Wanderers want to sign Palhinha:

“Wolves maintain an interest in Joao Palhinha (as do a lot of clubs) and he’s on their midfield shortlist for the summer.”

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The Verdict: Snap him up, Wanderers

Palhinha really does look like the perfect option to come in as Neves’ replacement, with the pair not dissimilar in style, in terms of their deep-lying midfield brilliance.

The Wolves target enjoyed an 87.8% pass completion rate in the Primeira Liga in 2021/22, compared to Neves’ 84% in the Premier League, and he also averaged three tackles per game. Manager Ruben Amorim has called him a ‘special’ player in the past.

The fact that there is interest elsewhere could be a stumbling block – Tottenham have been linked and can offer Champions League football – but Bruno Lage must do all he can to snap up his compatriot if he believes he is the man to replace Neves.

In other news, one Wolves player has been backed to thrive next season. Find out who it is here.

Rangers are reportedly eyeing up a move to bring one young talent to Ibrox during the upcoming summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Wales Online, the Gers are among the clubs who are plotting a swoop to land 16-year-old winger Japhet Matondo ahead of the 2022/23 campaign as Ross Wilson looks to make moves in the market.

The report claims that the Glasgow giants, along with Leeds United and Premiership arch-rivals Celtic, are monitoring the teenager’s progress as they consider attempts to snap him up from English Championship outfit Cardiff.

It is stated that the player is going to wait until his current club offers him a new contract before deciding whether or not he wants to ditch Wales for Scotland.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be buzzing

The Rangers head coach will be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it shows that the club are working hard to identify players who can improve the development teams. Instead of focusing solely on first-team arrivals and leaving the Glasgow catchment area to bring in youth players, Wilson is trying to snap up prospects from elsewhere.

This could save Rangers millions in the future, as any young player who can make the breakthrough at senior level will prevent the club from needing to make a signing in that position. For example, Alex Lowry’s emergence in the first-team could mean that Wilson does not need to go out and spend money on a transfer fee and wages for another central midfielder.

Journalist Mark Hendry dubbed Matondo a “teen talent” and he has been called up by Wales at under-16 and under-17 level in recent years, with the Wales Online article also claiming that he is ‘highly rated’ at Cardiff.

If he can reach a similar to his brother Rabbi, who has won nine caps for Wales, then he will be a useful player for Rangers to have in the future. Japhet’s 21-year-old sibling has scored nine goals in 23 starts for Cercle Brugge in the Belgian Pro League this term and, from his time at Schalke 04, has also played 30 Bundesliga games by the age of 21.

Japhet may now follow in his brother’s footsteps by leaving Cardiff to try his luck elsewhere in a bid to make it at first-team level. The 16-year-old has clearly caught the eye of the Glasgow giants with his performances at youth level, and his current club rate him highly, which suggests that there is potential there for Rangers to mould if they can land him.

This is why Van Bronckhorst will be buzzing with the Light Blues’ interest in Matondo and will be hoping that he is in a position to offer the youngster first-team chances at Ibrox in the years to come.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst eyeing Rangers swoop for “phenomenal” £1m destroyer, supporters would love him…

Wolves could allow Ruben Neves to leave the club if a £50m offer is tabled this summer, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Neves exit likely

The future of the Portuguese midfield maestro has been a big talking point of late, with Barcelona among the clubs linked with snapping him up.

It feels as though Neves is more likely to leave Wolves than stay put, and the 25-year-old may simply feel that he has come as far as he can at Molineux.

Wanderers will only entertain big-money offers for the Premier League midfielder in order to use those funds on replacing him with a similarly top-class player.

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The Latest: Jones drops £50m Neves claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones provided an update on the matter, saying that a bid in the region of £40m to £50m for Neves could be accepted by Wolves, despite reports of a £70m price tag. He claimed:

“I think £70million is unrealistic for Ruben Neves and Wolves will know that, but I can see it settling out at £40million to £50million.

“Manchester United will definitely be in the conversation. They will be linked with him again.”

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The Verdict: Time to say goodbye?

The idea of Neves leaving Wolves is a depressing one – he has been lauded as an ‘amazing’ player by team-mate Jose Sa – but it is a scenario for which the Old Gold faithful should be prepared.

The lure of playing for a club of Barcelona’s size and stature is too great to turn down for many players and that could be no different for the 25-year-old, as he looks to play in the Champions League.

It is imperative that Wolves fill the void that Neves will leave once he goes, spending the money wisely on an adequate replacement. Wanderers-linked Joao Palhinha could be one such candidate to pick up wherever his fellow countryman leaves off.

In other news, a new player is now reportedly a Wolves transfer target. Find out who it is here.

A major Rangers decision has been made on Glasgow gem Glen Kamara ahead of the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, Ibrox sources have revealed that Ross Wilson is now set to field offers for the Finland international over the coming months.

The report claims that the two sides have come to an agreement which will see the 26-year-old leave the club ahead of next season if the right bid comes in.

He is under contract until 2025 and Football Insider claimed that his former club Arsenal attempted to sign him in the summer of 2021, but it remains to be seen who will be in for him this time around.

Van Bronckhorst will be infuriated

This update will surely leave Light Blues manager Gio van Bronckhorst infuriated, as he will no doubt want to keep his best players heading into next season.

The Gers will be competing in the Champions League later this year if they beat Eintracht Frankfurt in the final of the Europa League next week. This means that the club may be competing at the top level in Europe next term, so the Dutch head coach will surely want the best squad possible to avoid being outclassed by the best teams on the continent.

Kamara is one of the players that he will surely want to keep, as the 26-year-old has proven his quality across multiple competitions for Rangers this season.

In the Premiership, the Finland midfielder has played 31 times for the Gers and averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.01. He has completed an impressive 91% of his attempted passes in the top flight and created 1.3 chances per game, often being able to showcase his ability on the ball.

Kamara has the quality to recycle possession efficiently and rarely gifts the ball back to the opposition. This allows him to dictate the pace of matches and assert control of the game.

Meanwhile, he has played 13 times in the club’s extraordinary Europa League run, which shows that Van Bronckhorst has relied upon him in the competition. He put in a sensational display in the semi-final second leg against Leipzig, scoring one of the Gers’ three goals that night to secure a place in the final as he proved that he can step up for the big occasion.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst will be fuming by the prospect of Kamara being sold ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and will be hoping that a move fails to materialise.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Kent: Van Bronckhorst can form scary Rangers duo by signing this gem “who never gives up”…

Wolves reportedly lead the race to sign Sporting CP midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer, having been linked with him in the recent past.

The Lowdown: Palhinha linked with move

Bruno Lage faces the potential blow of losing Ruben Neves at the end of the season, with the Portuguese maestro tipped to complete a move to Barcelona or another of Europe’s elite clubs.

One player who has been linked with arriving at Molineux instead is Palhinha, who has grown into an influential figure in Sporting’s midfield.

The 26-year-old has made 25 Primeira Liga appearances this season, as well as starting six Champions League matches before his side’s defeat to Manchester City.

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The Latest: Wolves in pole position

Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding Palhinha’s future, with Record [via Sport Witness] claiming that Wolves are the front-runners to sign him.

He is described as a ‘preferential target’ for Lage’s side and they are readying an offer for him, with Atletico Madrid also credited with showing interest.

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The Verdict: Strong midfield contender

Palhinha looks the ideal replacement for Neves in many ways, assuming the current Wolves hero moves onto pastures new at the end of the season.

At 26, he is at a good age to come in and provide immediate quality and experience, and he has enjoyed an 87.9% pass completion rate in the league this season, which is actually superior to Neves’ tally (83.8%).

Palhinha may feel he has outgrown the Primeira Liga and is ready to test himself in the Premier League and he and Wolves look a perfect fit, with their Portuguese core an added bonus.

In other news, one Wolves player has been linked with a summer exit. Find out who it is here.