Spurs Will Not Pursue “Monster” As Kane Alternative

Dusan Vlahovic isn't a target for Tottenham Hotspur this summer due to Harry Kane's continued presence according to Dean Jones.

Which club is interested in Dusan Vlahovic?

Vlahovic is reportedly a target for a number of top European sides this summer.

The striker joined Italian giants Juventus in January 2022 from Fiorentina for a fee reportedly in the region of £67m. The forward opted for the move to the 'Old Lady' instead of a move to Premier League side Arsenal.

Since his arrival in Turin, the forward has played 63 games, scoring 23 and assisting six. However, last season was one of the most difficult in the forward's career, with him only managing 14 goals in 42 appearances.

dusan-vlahovic-juventus-arsenal-transfer-gossip-edu-arteta-erling-haaland

His former sides president Rocco Commisso has been one of the loudest critics of the Serbian, stating earlier this season:

"We paid €15 million combined for Arthur Cabral and Luka Jovic and they have already scored 20 goals in the three competitions we play in. Vlahovic, on the other hand, has scored 10 goals in Turin, two of which were penalties. He has exactly half [the number of goals] of our two forwards. And amidst all of this, we earned €70m. The Cabral-Jovic deal was excellent for us, unlike the Juventus deal for Vlahovic."

Despite a disappointing campaign last time out, a number of top European sides remain interested in acquiring the "monster" striker, with reports stating that Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are all looking at potentially bringing the forward to their clubs ahead of next season.

There have also been reports that London side Tottenham Hotspur are ready to join the race for the highly-rated forward should Harry Kane leave this summer. However, journalist Jones stated on The Football Terrace's Done Deal show that he isn't "convinced" by the north London club's reported interest, with the club intent on keeping star player Kane this summer.

"The Tottenham interest, I’m not convinced by. I mean Vlahovic has been talked about for a while now in terms of Tottenham and it goes back to last season, the guy who’s doing their transfers has the Juventus links and such. Look, Harry Kane is still at Tottenham, Tottenham aren’t actually looking at Harry Kane replacements at the moment because he is still there and they don’t intend to lose him.”

Where will Vlahovic go this summer?

There seems to be three clear options for the Serbian this summer.

The first one is to stay at Juventus. The club spent big on the forward 18 months ago and despite not hitting the lofty heights he reached at Fiorentina, Vlahovic still has the support of a number of big names associated with the side. Current manager Massimiliano Allegri has argued that the striker just needs time, saying to DAZN:

"Vlahovic just needs to stay calm, Every now and then, he uses up too much energy, so he has to just take it easy. Once he is able to learn that game management, he will be less hasty when the ball arrives and more clinical in finishing. Let's not forget he’s only been at Juventus for a year, he is doing well and has everything it takes to improve."

It would have to be a big sacrifice from the Serbian however, with the Old Lady currently suffering sanctions for financial breaches, which most recently resulted in the club being banned from this season's Conference League tournament.

Juventus strikerDusan Vlahovic

Should Vlahovic seek a new beginning, a potential move to Chelsea is reportedly on the cards. According to the Evening Standard, the Blues have made contact with the representatives of the player to sound out the details about a potential move.

The club have already added two forwards this window in Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, and as such the club are only willing to pay €60m (£51.5m) to acquire the forward who could potentially give the Chelsea forward line a new dynamic as they look to refresh their attack.

French side PSG are also interested in the forward, with reports suggesting that the Ligue 1 champions are the player's preferred destination. The forward is just waiting for the first formal offer from the Parisians, with a potential loan deal that includes a buy clause already being ruled out by the Turin club. It could be a big move for PSG who are trying to keep star Kylian Mbappe at the club, with one of the forwards demands being the arrival of a striker to move Mbappe out of the lone striker role.

According to Fabrizio Romano, PSG know the conditions of the deal and it is in their hands to make the deal happen.

Watch more of The Football Terrace HERE!

Liverpool Eye Swoop For £25m "Leader"

Liverpool have been working on a midfield rebuild this summer following a disappointing campaign last season and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Andre Trindade?

According to 90min, Liverpool are one of the clubs that have been approached to sign Fluminense midfielder Andre Trindade, better known as André.

As per the report, it is claimed that Fulham are pushing to sign the player this summer, however, Liverpool, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have all been contacted by Andre's representatives, with the Brazilian outfit keen to earn a transfer fee of £25m to part ways with their player.

Who is André?

The 21-year-old has been developing and polishing his skills at Fluminense, rising through the ranks of the club's youth set-up to become a stand-out performer in the first team with 141 club appearances already tallied up, as well as earning his Brazil national team debut last month.

André is an energetic midfielder with almost all of his experience in the defensive position just in front of the back four and his dominant performances in the deep-lying role have prompted football talent scout Jacek Kulig to hail the player a "leader".

Over 11 Brasileiro Serie A appearances so far, Andre has tallied up an impressive 94% pass completion rate, successfully completed 78% of his dribbles and won 65% of his aerial and ground duels combined, as well as averaging a whopping 87.9 touches, 68.8 accurate passes and 2.4 tackles won per game, demonstrating his huge presence in the centre of the pitch.

Liverpool have already sanctioned the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer, however, this week it has been heavily reported that both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho could also be heading for an exit with offers from the Saudi Pro League.

According to The Athletic, the Reds are expecting a £40m offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad for their Brazilian mainstay which could be a tempting prospect for the club's hierarchy who work on a 'sell to buy' recruitment policy, as they continue to eye potential new additions ahead of next season.

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho.

As a result, the signing of André could be a great opportunity to bring in a worthy successor for Fabinho, offering Jurgen Klopp another youthful talent for the next generation of Liverpool's success who can be transformed into a winner and a household name at Anfield.

When comparing the Fluminese whiz's output to that of Fabinho's over the last 12 months, the younger man has outperformed his compatriot in a number of key defensive midfield attributes per 90 minutes played including progressive passes (5.60 v 5.34), progressive carries (1.83 v 0.55), successful take-ons (1.94 v 0.25) and interceptions (1.27 v 1.25).

With that being said, it remains to be seen as to whether Liverpool are willing to part ways with Fabinho this summer, however, if they should accept an offer for their midfielder, there is no doubt that André could be a revelation at Anfield if he could continue to present a strong presence in the Premier League.

Everton v Fulham: predictions, preview & more

Everton play host to Marco Silva's Fulham in the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.

The Toffees will be hoping for a slightly more relaxing season in the coming campaign after surviving relegation on the final day last season and the penultimate game the season before that.

The Cottagers, on the other hand, will be hoping for more of the same, as before Aleksandar Mitrovic's eight-game ban for shoving a lineman at Old Trafford, the team was on battling it out for the European places.

Here is Football FanCast's official preview for the game…

When is the match, and is it on TV in the UK?

The match is set to be played on Saturday, August 12th at 3pm BST, alongside three other fixtures in the league.

Unfortunately, the match will not be televised in the UK due to the 3pm blackout rule first put into place in 1987.

The last meeting between the sides saw Fulham claim their first victory in two months, whilst the defeat left the men in blue hanging perilously above the drop zone thanks to their goal difference.

Every Openind Day Premier League Fixture in full

Who is Everton's key player?

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

You might have been hard-pressed for much of last year to pick out a 'star' player in the Everton squad due to their consistently poor performances.

However, the man who was probably most responsible for the team's top-flight survival last year was England international Jordan Pickford.

The keeper won the club's Player of the Season award for the second year running for his excellent work between the sticks, and you can bet that should Sean Dyche keep the team up again, he'll have the former Sunderland man to thank.

Who is Fulham's key player?

It's quite the opposite situation for the West London team. Their excellent year back in the Premier League makes it difficult to pick out a key player for all the right reasons.

It could be Bernd Leno for his brilliant shot-stopping last year or Joao Palhinha for his immense tackling in the middle of the pitch, but it's probably the man up top, Mitrovic.

The Serbian striker was potentially on course to break 20 goals before his suspension against Manchester United, eventually finishing on a respectable 14.

Should he avoid any disciplinary problems, he could well beat that tally next year and open his account away at Goodison Park.

How will Everton line up?

Everton manager Sean Dyche.

It could be a summer of upheaval at Goodison Park, with a few players looking like they might be on the way out, notably Neil Maupay and Yerry Mina and loanees Conor Coady and Ruben Vinagre.

There have also been murmurings of a move to Manchester United for Pickford, as Erik ten Hag is said to be a fan, but so far, no official bids have been made.

There have been no significant incomings at this point, but the club are linked to Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, per O Jogo (via Goodison News) who would certainly bolster their faltering attack.

At this stage, the line up could be:

Jordan Pickford; Vitalii Mykolenko, Ben Godfrey, James Tarkowski, Nathan Patterson; Amadou Onana, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Alex Iwobi, Dwight McNeil, Demarai Gray, Dominic Calvert-Lewin

How will Fulham line up?

Fulham boss Marco Silva.

Fulham could be the victims of their own success in the summer, with their star midfielder, Palhinha, being linked to a host of clubs, notably West Ham United, who will be looking to replace Declan Rice.

However, the West London club are interested in bringing in some reinforcements of their own.

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, the Cottagers are ready to "open talks with Fiorentina" for defender Igor Julio, and the links to United's Fred haven't gone away either.

The club will also likely want to make the loan of Manor Solomon a permanent deal after he has impressed during the campaign.

That said, here is what Fulham's line up could look like:

Bernd Leno; Kenny Tete, Issa Diop, Igor Julio, Antonee Robinson; Harrison Reed, Fred. Andreas Pereira; Willian, Harry Wilson, Aleksandr Mitrovic

What were the last five Premier League meetings between Everton and Fulham?

Fulham forward Willian.

Everton 1 – 3 Fulham Fulham 0 – 0 Everton Everton 0 – 2 Fulham Fulham 2 – 3 Everton Fulham 2 – 0 Everton

Looking at their last five Premier League meeting paints a picture of dominance from the Cottagers.

Only once in the previous five meetings have Everton been able to claim all three points against Fulham, and that was away from home, which is not a promising sign going into the game at Goodison Park.

Will Dyche be able to work his magic and turn things around?

Who is going to win?

Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic reacts.

Despite the Toffees ending their season on an extreme high with their relegation-beating win at home to AFC Bournemouth and Fulham losing their final game away to United, the Cottagers should have the quality to claim all three points.

Everton will likely be better next season, but based on their performances over the last two years and the seriously impressive performances Silva has been able to get out of his players, you'd have to back the men in white.

Things look even worse for the blue half of Merseyside when you remember that Mitrovic will be back and raring to go come August 12th.

FFC predicts: Fulham will win

Tottenham Want "Special" £40m Kulusevski Upgrade

Tottenham Hotspur seem unwilling to slow down in their quest for a revolution this summer, as another report emerges detailing fresh interest…

What's the latest on Harvey Barnes to Tottenham Hotspur?

This latest claim comes from journalist Sami Mokbel, speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast about their interest in Leicester City's Harvey Barnes.

Having prised James Maddison from their clutches only earlier this week, it seems Ange Postecoglou now has the £40m winger in his sights once more. Although, it might not prove as straightforward as the aforementioned deal.

The writer stated: "You mention Harvey Barnes there, and there is an interest in Harvey Barnes. But equally, Harvey Barnes has a number of options and while he would be attracted to Tottenham he may look at that and think ‘wait a minute how often am I going to play here?”

"You have Son there, you have Kulusevski there and you have Richarlison there. He may look at that situation and think he may be better off elsewhere."

How good is Harvey Barnes?

Although this may be a dilemma for the one-time England international, he could join safe in the knowledge that he presents a far greater goal threat than both Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison given recent performances.

Given neither the Foxes nor Spurs performed particularly well last season, as the former were relegated and the latter failed to secure European football for the first time since 2010, the respective underperformance of the players can at least be dispassionate and without the bias that a purple patch can bring.

Their most recent campaigns showcase exactly how a player will deal with tough situations. Whilst the former Juventus ace and Brazil international went into hiding, with the latter scoring just one league goal all year, Barnes instead thrived.

Notching an impressive 13 from the wing, with a goal conversion rate of 18% (via Sofascore), his figures far outperform that of the struggling Sweden international. It seems he is finally growing into the claims of journalist Adam Bate from 2019, as he had branded him as "special" and a "huge talent".

Kulusevski even admitted earlier this month: "Of course, I’ve been disappointed personally. After the World Cup, I didn’t think I played well enough."

Having burst onto the scene with 13 goal contributions in his first 18 Premier League games during his first loan spell, it seems the expectation that he would mimic these figures weighed heavily on the 23-year-old.

Dejan-Kulusevski-Spurs-Tottenham

He would score just twice last season, assisting seven and maintaining an abysmal 5% conversion rate in front of goal, via Sofascore. Even during that aforementioned blistering six-month period, which few would have been able to maintain, his conversion rate of 19% only slightly outperforms the 25-year-old's recent performances.

In an effort to add more cutting edge to his squad, Postecoglou could return to the King Power Stadium to secure Maddison's former teammate and bolster his own ranks further.

Rangers In Advanced Talks To Sign £11m-Rated "Prospect"

Glasgow Rangers are closing in a move for Abdallah Sima as Michael Beale edges closer to recruiting another forward ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Abdallah Sima to Rangers?

According to Football Insider, the Light Blues are in advanced talks with the Brighton and Hove Albion forward ahead of a potential move to Ibrox this summer, with a season-long loan deal close to being agreed.

With Beale losing Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos at the end of the season, the onus is to add another few forward options before the season begins and Sima fits the bill due to his ability to either play through the middle, or on both flanks, and it could certainly be a risk-free move.

Could Abdallah Sima improve Rangers?

If Beale can get the Senegal international to replicate the form he displayed during his spell with Slavia Prague in 2020/21, then Rangers will have an exciting talent ready to dominate opposition defences in the Premiership next term.

The 22-year-old burst onto the scene during that campaign, scoring 16 goals and registering eight assists across all competitions, while he even terrorised the Light Blues during the Europa League last 16 clash against the Czech side in March 2021.

Sima may not have scored across the two legs, yet he was a constant menace for the Gers’ defence, succeeding with six successful dribbles and making three key passes across the two legs, causing chaos for the likes of Connor Goldson and Borna Barisic during the tie.

These performances led to a move to Brighton in the summer of 2021 for a fee of around £7m before he was loaned to Stoke City, where he failed to score while playing just 123 minutes of senior football.

The former Slavia Prague youngster is valued at €12.4m (£11m) according to FootballTransfers, and although he enjoyed a slightly more productive season with Angers in 2022/2023, scoring six goals and grabbing two assists, Beale will be hoping to transform him once he arrives in Scotland.

Once lauded as a “fantastic prospect” by talent scout Jacek Kulig during his excellent season for the Czech outfit, his stock has fallen in the previous few years, yet a loan move could be a stroke of genius by the 42-year-old, giving Rangers another attacking option.

Indeed, Sima actually had more shots on target per game than Morelos last term (1.1 to one) and also missed fewer big chances (eight to 13), suggesting that he was slightly more clinical in front of goal.

Overall, it’s surely a low-risk move by the Ibrox side and gives Beale another string to his attacking bow as he looks to get his side firing right from the get-go next term.

Everton Could Land Pienaar 2.0 In £16m Whiz

Everton are in the market to make much-needed improvements to their attacking threat this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Jack Harrison?

According to one journalist, Everton are in talks with Leeds United over a potential deal to sign Jack Harrison.

As per the report, the Toffees are interested in the midfielder who has a £16m release clause and the player would be very much open to a move to Merseyside due to having family connections in the North West.

Would Jack Harrison be a good fit for Everton?

After losing both Richarlison and Anthony Gordon over the last 12 months, Everton's presence in front of goal has been significantly weakened after scoring just 34 league goals last season, having further suffered due to Dominic Calvert-Lewin's constant injury issues.

Sean Dyche will surely be making it a top priority to improve the attacking presence in the team to ensure that his team don't fall into another Premier League relegation battle next season or worse, fall into the Championship.

jack-harrison-leeds-premier-league-everton-transfers

As a result, the signing of Harrison would be a major coup for the club as the Premier League-proven attacker could not only provide a real threat in front of goal but could even be Everton's next Steven Pienaar.

The former Toffees talisman tallied up 229 appearances, 26 goals and 48 assists in his selfless versatile role at Goodison Park; predominantly deployed in an attacking left midfield position in a time when strikers would often be deployed alone in the final third, he played 37 times in a left-winger role and was also found occasionally in right or attacking midfield positions too.

Now Harrison could emulate Pienaar's strong presence across the Everton attacking threat as, just like the retired South African, the Leeds left-winger also offers huge versatility in his positioning and has often been deployed in a left midfield role, on the right flank and in a central attacking midfield role too.

Over 206 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit, the 26-year-old whiz – hailed "phenomenal" by YouTuber Conor McGilligan – has scored 34 goals and registered 32 assists, again similarly to Pienaar offers a great balance of both goal-scoring ability and a keen eye for providing goal-creating opportunities for his teammates.

With that being said, if the powerbrokers at Goodison Park can strike up a deal for Harrison this summer it would be a great statement of their ambitious intent to form a much stronger attacking presence against opponents next season.

Celtic: £12k-p/w Star Could Be Rodgers’ Next Tielemans

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.

Former Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans.

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.

Newcastle Could Sign Dream Barella Partner In "Intelligent" £15m Gem

Newcastle United supporters will be eagerly anticipating the club's transfer activity this summer after ending a two-decade absence from the Champions League and years of malaise under the ownership of the despised Mike Ashley.

Now, a Saudi-backed consortium have pumped fresh, lucrative life back into St. James' Park, making impressive moves on the transfer front, impressive decisions in appointing Eddie Howe as manager and Dan Ashworth as technical director, and achieving a major confluence as the facets combine.

A fourth-placed Premier League finish illustrates the meteoric ascent, but this is the most important phase of the process thus far, as the side must now demonstrate their calibre is perpetual and they will not be knocked from their pedestal among the division's elite, instead rising closer and closer to the creme-de-la-creme of European football.

By Howe's own admission, several 'marquee' moves might be taken this summer to cement the high-fliers' new position, but one which might just go under the radar is the attention on Wolfsburg's Felix Nmecha.

According to the Telegraph, the 22-year-old is attracting the Magpies' attention and could join the fold for around £15m, with Howe keen to bolster his thriving midfield with one or two astute options.

Should Newcastle sign Felix Nmecha?

Nicolo Barella and James Maddison are both making the headlines right now as the Toon look to please their fans with an established phenom, but signing Nmecha could prove to be a prudent move as Ashworth looks to craft lasting success.

The notion that Newcastle boast a bottomless pit of plunder has left Howe guffawing; the 45-year-old has always maintained that the diligence permeating through the outfit since the takeover will not crumble away, and Nmecha would be unlikely to cement a starting berth with regularity in his maiden season in England, instead absorbing the fruits of his peers' labour and creeping towards a standout role.

He has been in fine fettle in the Bundesliga this year, though, starting 19 times, scoring three goals and registering six assists after playing a peripheral role across past terms.

Niko Kovac said: "Previously, he never got into a rhythm. He played in so many different positions. Now he's playing in midfield and you can see his technical ability. He has [also] improved physically."

Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha

He would be the perfect partner for someone like Barella, who is reportedly closing on a £50m move to Tyneside this summer and is undoubtedly one of Europe's first-class midfielders, with the box-to-box midfielder one of the most impressive around, especially from an offensive standpoint.

The Italy international has been in scintillating form this term, registering 19 direct contributions, winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, and being hailed as a "genius" by journalist Mike Piellucci.

Given that Nmecha has been dubbed "intelligent" himself by journalist Josh Bunting and already ranking among the top 22% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals and the top 4% for rate of assists, as per FBref, he might just be apt for moulding into a prolific star of Barella's ilk.

Considering the various elements, Nmecha could be a shrewd signing to make, bolstering the ranks and ensuring the ambitious squad is layered with quality as it continues its soaring ascent.

He may not be an instant hit on Tyneside but rest assured a genius duo lies in wait, ready to dominate the domestic and continental stage with swashbuckling ease.

Man Utd Prospective Bidders May Exit Process On Own Terms

Manchester United bidder Sheikh Jassim and The Nine Two Foundation may have set up a way to exit the ownership process on their own terms by submitting a new bid to try and seize control of the club, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest ownership news involving Manchester United?

According to Sky Sports, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and The Nine Two Foundation has submitted a fifth and final bid to take over at Manchester United and has stated that the offer must be accepted by this Friday or he will bow out of proceedings.

The report claims that Sheikh Jassim wants to acquire 100% control of the club and wants to upgrade infrastructure around Old Trafford and the Carrington training complex alongside clearing £1 billion worth of debt at Manchester United.

His rival bidder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm INEOS, are proposing taking majority control of the Red Devils in a deal that could keep Joel and Avram Glazer on as minority stakeholders.

BBC Sport claim that there has not been any indication yet from the Glazer family over who they would prefer to sell Manchester United to as of yet.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that The Nine Two Foundation may have set up a scenario to leave the bidding war on their own accord rather than by being rejected.

Jacobs told FFC: "If they're not successful, then they've put something out there that effectively says this has to resolve itself one way or the other, or quickly, which means that instead of being rejected, or instead of being made to wait, they are trying to either win or walk away on their own terms. I think that that is very typical of a bid from Qatar, whereby they don't like to lose, so they're doing everything that they think it takes to win. At the same time, they're paving the foundations to walk away if they need to, because they think that the Glazers might not want to sell as the six and do so on their own terms."

What next for Manchester United?

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag and his recruitment team can't control the destination of where the ownership of the club may lie and will instead focus on trying to bring in quality additions ahead of next season as they aim to build on a solid showing in 2022/23.

ESPN report that the Dutch manager isn't sure where he stands with regards to his plans for the upcoming window, stating: "I think it's clear what I want, but it's not up to me. It's about others in this club. The family are the owners, they make the decisions. It's not up to me, so I do everything I can and I influence the processes I'm in charge of."

Mason Mount Chelsea

In terms of potential additions to his squad, Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has been a prominently mentioned name in the media and is said to have agreed personal terms over a transfer to Old Trafford, as per talkSPORT.

Tottenham Hotspur star man Harry Kane is also on the radar at Manchester United, as per Sky Sports, though it will remain to be seen how much financial muscle the Red Devils will be able to flex in the market while in the process of a potential transition of ownership.

Bayern Munich: Bayern renew interest in "extraordinary" Barcelona star

Bayern Munich are thinking about reigniting their interest in Barcelona star Raphinha, per Mundo Deportivo.

The dangerous winger was one of the Premier League's best players during his two years in the division, with ex-manager Marcelo Bielsa hailing him as a 'complete player.'

However, after a summer of transfer links to some of the biggest European clubs last year, Raphinhia finally signed on the dotted line for FC Barcelona.

Despite initially struggling for form and game time, the Brazilian has quickly established himself as a firm favourite amongst the Camp Nou faithful.

It was after a particularly impressive display against Sevilla earlier this year that Barcelona Manager Xavi labelled him "extraordinary."

His strong end to the season in Catalonia helped the Blaugrana win a first LaLiga title since 2019.

What's the latest on Raphinha?

With the Brazilian still performing at an elite level, it should come as no surprise that he has once again attracted the attention of clubs from across the continent, most notably Bayern Munich.

According to a report from Javier Gascon of Mundo Deportivo, the Bavarian club have reignited their interest in the player due to the admiration of Thomas Tuchel.

The Spanish publication reports (via Sky) that the German coach is a 'big fan of the Brazilian winger.'

Gascon reports that, alongside Tuchel's admiration for the player, the Bayern board want to bring in a player of his quality to 'not experience another Bundesliga like the one that recently ended.'

However, should the board want to bring the 5 foot 9 winger to FC Hollywood, they'll have to loosen their purse strings.

Barcelona paid Leeds £55m for his signature just last year, and so any new deal will likely exceed that valuation.

Would Raphinha improve Bayern Munich?

Primarily playing on the right-hand side, Raphinhia would be in direct competition with Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry.

Looking at their season ratings from WhoScored, it is the Brazilian who comes last at 7.04, whereas both Gnabry and Sane sit at 7.10. However, with rankings that close, it is hardly decisive.

Goal involvements, whilst impressive at 14 for the ex-Leeds man, are again lower compared to Sane's 15 and Gnabry's 19.

It doesn't get much better when you look at the underlying numbers, either. According to data from FBref, the Porto Alegre-born winger notches up 0.55 expected non-penalty goals and assists per90, whereas Sane manages 0.62, and Gnabry, a staggering 0.78.

Things balance out more when looking at their passing stats. Whilst Raphinha has the lowest pass completion of all three players at just 66.8%, he does average 2.20 key passes per 90, 0.19 more than Sane and 0.26 more than Gnabry.

Overall, whilst the numbers in isolation are certainly impressive, compared to his competition, they leave a little to be desired.

There is no doubt that Raphinha is a great player, and who knows, a move to Bayern might just bump those numbers up even higher.

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