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The summer transfer window brings forth some crazy conspiracies regarding players’ futures. But, occasionally, those bizarre theories come true, and leave us all wondering just where fans learned their incredible detective abilities.The latest set of supporters to get out their long coats and magnifying glasses are Liverpool fans, who have spotted a potential transfer clue, regarding Romeo Lavia and Kephren Thuram.So far, Jurgen Klopp has welcomed both Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, in what is already an impressive midfield rebuild.Not wasting any time waving goodbye to Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, who could both reportedly leave the club this summer, the Reds have turned their attention straight to potential replacements.Now, in classic transfer season fashion, fans have spotted a major transfer clue.

Liverpool fans spot potential transfer clue

Taking to Twitter with the findings, @Omzlfc posted the path of a flight from Nice – where Thuram’s current club is based. The Twitter user explained: “Flight was meant to go from Nice to Liverpool has instead gone to Blackpool.

“It’s then going to Southampton and off to our training base in Stuttgart.”

As crazy a find as it is, Klopp and co are currently set up in Stuttgart, Germany, where they will kick off their pre-season plans against Karlsruher SC, before facing Greuther Furth.

It is interesting to note that the flight from Nice goes through Southampton, too, where Lavia is currently based.

With both the Saints midfielder and Nice man linked with a move to Anfield this summer, it’s no surprise that a flight going to both of their locations in one swoop has caught the attention of fans.

It’s the kind of detective work you might see more often in an Agatha Christie novel, which just about sums up the antics involved in a summer transfer window.

What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?

All seemed to be going to plan for Liverpool this summer, before Saudi Arabia came in for both Fabinho and Henderson.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Reds are discussing key details of a deal with Al Ittihad which will see Fabinho leave the club this summer.

The Brazilian has reportedly agreed personal terms and spoken to Al Ittihad manager Nuno Espirito Santo. The midfielder has also not travelled with Liverpool to Germany for pre-season plans.

Meanwhile, it looks more likely that Henderson could stay put this summer. The club captain has travelled with the squad for pre-season preparations but has reportedly agreed personal terms with Al Ettifaq, with the deal relying on Liverpool and the Saudi Arabian club reaching an agreement over a transfer fee.

Given that the Reds will be left short in midfield if the aforementioned duo depart this summer, the Premier League giants have Lavia on their list of targets, according to Romano, and have previously been in contact with Thuram.

With pre-season getting underway, Liverpool will be keen to solve any midfield issues once and for all in the coming weeks, whether that be with or without Henderson and Fabinho.

It’s certainly been a busy summer so far for the Reds.

West Ham United are "talking" to AC Milan over the possibility of signing forward Divock Origi this summer, according to reports.

Who will West Ham sign?

The Irons and manager David Moyes are aiming to bolster their ranks after clinching a first ever European trophy last season. West Ham's triumph in the Europa Conference League final last season represents a significant milestone for the club, but that wasn't enough to keep former star Declan Rice.

The 24-year-old completed his British record switch to Arsenal last week, with Rice moving for £105 million and becoming the most expensive English player in history.

One silver lining for Moyes' side is the huge financial windfall off his sale, money that will be put to use in this summer transfer market as West Ham source potential replacements.

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, Switzerland international Denis Zakaria, Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka and Man United's Scott McTominay are some of the midfielders tipped as targets recently.

Meanwhile, it is also believed that West Ham want to sign new forward options, with both Michail Antonio and Danny Ings linked to leaving the club.

Chelsea forward Armando Broja, who has found game time difficult to come by lately, is one player who could make the move to east London while Milan striker Origi is another.

According to reports out of Italy, the Belgian is attracting serious interest from West Ham, coming one year after he left Liverpool on a free transfer.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) claim the Irons are "talking" to Milan over signing Origi, but they're joined by Turkish Super Lig giants Galatasary in the race for him.

The Rossoneri are actively trying to find a new club for the 28-year-old, but his excessive wages are believed to be off-putting to both Galatasary and Moyes' side.

Origi, meanwhile, has little intention of leaving the San Siro despite being left out of their US pre-season tour by manager Stefano Pioli.

While there are a few obstacles for West Ham to overcome here, they're apparently still in discussions with the Serie A giants over a move for the attacker.

How good is Divock Origi?

Scoring 41 goals and assisting 18 others in 175 Liverpool appearances, Origi has also featured at international tournaments for Belgium and is arguably proven in the Premier League.

If Milan are eager to offload him, it may also suggest that Moyes and West Ham could land him for a fair enough price, so it's a move they should well consider.

He could come as a solid rotational option if either Antonio or Ings do end up departing, with Jurgen Klopp previously expressing his huge admiration for Origi.

Klopp has called the player a "monster" in past seasons and a "positive" person in general, perhaps indicating Origi would bring character to the dressing room too.

“He’s a positive person. He is talented, he shoots left and right, he is really quick, in the air – he is a monster. He is an interesting package,” Klopp said.

“His skillset is a special thing – he can come in and play brilliantly. The biggest game in our history against Barcelona in 2019, he started and he was incredible.

"In specific moments, Divock is absolutely outstanding and everybody was really happy on Saturday. It’s a nice story.”

Liverpool have been boosted in their efforts to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer, with a report claiming the "doors are opening" for the move to take place.

Is Romeo Lavia a transfer target for Liverpool?

The Belgian saw his stock rise significantly last season, having joined Saints from Manchester City and made an immediate impression at the base of his side's midfield. While the south coast outfit ended up being relegated from the Premier League, finishing bottom of the table, he came away with his reputation enhanced, let alone in-tact.

A summer exit from St Mary's is now almost certainly on the cards for Lavia and he is reportedly wanted by some of the biggest teams in the country, including Arsenal and Chelsea. It is Liverpool who have emerged as arguably the favourites to sign him, however, with the Reds seeing him as a great option to bolster their midfield, especially with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson heading off to pastures new.

The 19-year-old is still at the Southampton for the time being, but it seems increasingly clear that the Merseysiders are working hard to get a deal over the line sooner rather than later. Now, a fresh update has emerged that sheds further light on the situation, as Liverpool look to complete some exciting transfer business.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

According to Belgian newspaper La Derniere Huere [via Sport Witness], the "doors are opening" with regard to Lavia's move to Liverpool coming to fruition in the near future. The player himself is believed to be "on alert", as he waits for a significant update from his agent.

He is described as a "priority" target by the Reds, while a move to London is mentioned as being less likely at this point, suggesting Arsenal and Chelsea and lagging behind in the race to sign the Saints starlet.

Liverpool have the luxury of "time and patience" being on their side, according to the report, with plenty of the transfer window remaining and Southampton knowing they will likely have to offload key talent at some point this summer.

With each passing week, the more it looks as though Lavia is destined to head to Anfield before the 2023/24 season gets started, in what would be an eye-catching and long-term piece of business.

The teenager's ceiling looks extremely high, considering he has already stood out as a star man for a Premier League team, while City manager Pep Guardiola has said the following about him as a player:

"Really impressed with what Romeo is doing, we had and have an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him but we thought maybe he doesn’t get enough minutes like he’ll get in Southampton."

Lavia could help fill the void left in the No.6 by Fabinho, and Henderson to a lesser extent, but it is also important that another new arrival in that position also comes in, in order to ease the burden on him. Expecting a 19-year-old to boss Liverpool's midfield from the off is asking too much, and it is vital that he is given time to settle instead.

Everton are considering a swoop for Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior this summer, with Sean Dyche impressed by the teenage talent's blistering pace and creativity.

What's the latest on Samuel Iling-Junior to Everton?

According to Calciomercato, Everton are attentive to the Englishman's situation in Turin and are leading the race – alongside Premier League rivals Aston Villa – for his signature.

Juventus are keen to recuperate funds given their detrimental financial issues, and have subsequently touted the 19-year-old at roughly €20-25m (£17m-£21m) following his contract renewal last term.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Given that the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers have also been credited with an interest of late, the Toffees' hierarchy would be wise to act swiftly and bolster their ranks with a precocious talent.

Who is Samuel Iling-Junior?

The former Chelsea academy prospect broke into contention with the Old Lady first-team last year, scoring one goal and providing two assists from 18 appearances across all competitions – starting just three times.

Praised for his "high energy and work volume as well as dreamy ball skills" by scout Antonio Mango, Iling-Junior looks a real prospect and might be best placed returning to his homeland and offered a greater opportunity to impress at a side such as Everton.

The Toffees are a little light on their feet on the offensive flanks despite signing Arnaut Danjuma on loan already this summer; last year, Richarlison completed a £60m deal for Richarlison, while hometown talent Anthony Gordon departed for high-rising Newcastle United last winter for £45m.

Given that there are murmurings over Demarai Gray's possible outgoing at present, it's imperative that another deal is struck to ensure the Toffees do not spend a third successive season battling against relegation from the top-flight.

Gordon was a popular figure on Merseyside before his flight, hailed for his "frightening" skills by pundit Paddy Kenny, and it was his fleet-footed gait that often allowed Everton to progress up the pitch, into dangerous positions.

Despite this, the 22-year-old only scored seven goals and supplied eight assists from 78 total outings for the Blues, never quite the most prolific of youngsters, which means Iling-Junior could be the perfect successor.

Described as an "assist machine" by journalist Michele Neri, the rising star could grow into the creative focal point to form the nucleus of Dyche's outfit's offensive flow.

Yet to find match action with regularity, Iling-Junior has already unearthed a cutting edge that evades many aspiring prospects, with FBref ranking him among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90.

It is important to remember that, yes, this is from limited game time – he averaged just 27 minutes per match in the Serie A after all – but this here is the making of a first-rate phenom and Everton would certainly be wise to bypass the competition and bolster their ranks for years to come.

Burnley have held discussions with Sheffield United to sign star man Sander Berge this summer, according to reports, as Vincent Kompany looks to add to his midfield options.

The Norwegian has just one year left on his current contract at the Blades.

What's the latest on Sander Berge to Burnley?

The Clarets have opened talks with Sheffield United in an attempt to sign Berge this summer, according to Mike McGrath of The Daily Telegraph, who also stated that the midfielder has been linked with a move away in the past, without transfer away coming to fruition.

With just one year left on his current deal, however, it could be now or never for Sheffield United if they want to receive a transfer fee for the midfielder before his exit.

The Blades initially signed the 25-year-old for a reported £22m, but the midfielder had a release clause of £35m come into play upon Sheffield United's relegation in 2021, according to The Yorkshire Post.

Speaking on Berge's future last summer, manager Paul Heckingbottom told The Star: “Sander, the way he’s handled himself, it’s a credit to him really.

“When you are a player and you find yourself in a position like this, it’s the centre of your world and it can be a distraction. You are dealing with it, thinking about it, all the time. It’s not the same for everyone else, because they have other things to consider as well.

“It’s so important, if that happens, to remain focused and concentrated on your profession. Because, if you don’t, the only person who ends up suffering is the player themselves.”

With that said, now in the Premier League, it remains to be seen whether Berge will make the switch to fellow newly-promoted side Burnley in the coming weeks of the summer transfer window.

Should Burnley sign Sander Berge?

Given Kompany's neat, tidy, and offensive style of play, a midfielder of Berge's quality on the ball wouldn't go amiss for Burnley in the Premier League this season.

Statistically speaking, Berge would be an upgrade on the Clarets' current options, too. According to FBref, the Norway international made more progressive carries, more blocks, and had a better take-on success than three of Kompany's current options, Josh Brownhill, Josh Cullen, and Johann Berg Gudmundsson.

He's earned plenty of praise during his time at Sheffield United for putting up such numbers, with teammate Rhian Brewster telling Sky Sports' Saturday Social: "He’s a Rolls Royce.

“Ask him next time you interview him. What does Rhian call you in training, and he’ll say Rolls Royce. ‘The Rolls Royce is back’ is what I shout at him.”

With that said, if Burnley do push forward with a deal to sign Berge this summer, it would not only strengthen their own side, but also weaken Sheffield United, who they may see as a side they can take six points off in the coming campaign in pursuit of first-time survival back in England's top flight.

For now, however, Kompany's main focus will be on Burnley's opening day clash with former side Manchester City, in a game where he will hope to see his side pull off the ultimate shock.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to considering a raft of centre-forward targets in the event that talisman Harry Kane does leave the club this summer, with Ange Postecoglou and co believed to have identified something of a left-field option in the form of a current Premier League striker…

Who will Tottenham sign this summer?

With an agreement having been reached with German giants Bayern Munich for the sale of Kane, the wait is now on to see if the 30-year-old is also ready to green-light the deal, having reportedly been leaning towards staying in north London of late.

Even if the in-demand ace does stay put beyond the September deadline, the fact that he has just a year left on his current deal could ensure that the Lilywhites will need to find a suitable figure who can replace the England skipper for the long term.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

According to 90min, one perhaps rather rogue option that is on Tottenham's 'radar' is Fulham hitman, Aleksandar Mitrovic, with the experienced Serbian international – who has been valued at £50m – seemingly eyeing a move away from Craven Cottage, amid interest from Saudi Arabia.

Should Tottenham sign Mitrovic?

There's no denying that the 28-year-old "beast" – as described by teammate Bernd Leno – can offer a real menacing threat in front of goal, with the one-time Newcastle United man having netted 14 goals in just 24 league outings in the 2022/23 campaign.

Also prolific in the second tier – as he bagged 43 Championship goals the year prior – the 6 foot 2 brute has been a truly talismanic presence for the Cottagers in recent years, with 111 goals in 205 games in all competitions to date.

Whether he would represent the right fit for Spurs is another matter, however, with it no doubt likely to be a step up if he is selected as the man to try and fill the shoes of Kane at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

There should also be concern in north London at the fact that Mitrovic is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with former Chelsea flop, Alvaro Morata, according to FBref, with the Lilywhites no doubt wanting to avoid a repeat of their rivals' mistake.

The Spaniard scored just 24 goals in 72 appearances for the Blues after signing on a hefty £70m deal back in the summer of 2017, having notably been branded a "disgrace" by pundit Richard Dunne due to his lack of impact in the capital.

The current Atletico Madrid man particularly came under fire due to his wasteful nature in front of goal, having notably missed 17 'big chances' in the 2017/18 campaign – the fourth-most in the division – while scoring just 11 league goals.

To then find their own answer to the one-time Real Madrid man with the signing of Mitrovic could prove a costly mistake for Postecoglou's side, with the pair particularly alike due to their woes on the ball, with the Fulham man ranking in just the bottom 17% for pass completion among his European peers, while Morata ranks in just the bottom 23% in that regard.

Equally, the duo are also unlikely to offer much with regard to providing quality service to their teammates when leading the line, as they rank in just the bottom 16% and the bottom 34%, respectively, for assists made per 90.

With Spurs having seen the woes that Morata endured at Stamford Bridge, they may want to think again before snapping up a possible clone in the form of Mitrovic.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the Celtic board have backed Brendan Rodgers throughout the summer transfer window so far.

Who have Celtic signed?

The Hoops have made five new additions to the first-team squad; including Marco Tilio, Odin Thiago Holm, Hyun-jun Yang, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, and Maik Nawrocki.

These moves may have been funded by the sale of Portuguese dynamo Jota. He moved to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in a reported £25m deal last month.

There could be more signings on the way for the Scottish giants, though, after it was confirmed that Carl Starfelt has left the club to join Spanish outfit Celta Vigo on a permanent basis.

It was recently reported that the Bhoys have made an offer within the region of £2.9m for Elfsborg central defender Gustaf Lagerbielke, who could be a replacement for his compatriot.

How good is Gustaf Lagerbielke?

The 23-year-old titan's form in his home country over the last 18 months suggests that he has the potential to be an excellent defender for Rodgers and could be a dream partner for Nawrocki at the back.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is at least two years older than both of them and has been linked with Premier League interest this year, which could make Lagerbielke and Nawrocki the long-term central defensive pairing for the Hoops moving forward.

The £2.9m-rated centre-back, whose passing was hailed as "impressive" by journalist Ryan McGinlay, is a strong enforcer who is able to dominate opposition forwards and produce consistently brilliant performances at the back.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.20 across 15 Allsvenskan appearances in 2023 and caught the eye with 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and a duel success rate of 62%.

In 2022, the 6 foot 3 titan averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.20 over 20 league outings and he made 3.2 tackles and interceptions per match, whilst the talented gem also came out on top in 64% of his individual battles.

Meanwhile, no current Celtic defender managed a score higher than 7.20 or produced more than 2.1 tackles and interceptions per clash in the Scottish Premiership last term.

These statistics suggest that Lagerbielke has the potential to be an outstanding performer at the back for Rodgers if he is able to translate his form from Sweden over to Scotland this season due to his ability to deliver a high standard of performance week-in-week-out.

He could, therefore, be a dream partner for Nawrocki as the Polish battler would have an excellent centre-back to play alongside, after his own impressive debut for the Hoops.

The 22-year-old ace recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.20 in the 4-2 win over Ross County on the opening day of the season last weekend. As per Sofascore, the former Legia Warsaw star won 100% (2/2) of his ground duels and made three tackles and interceptions combined, whilst the towering colossus also completed 93% of his attempted passes – including ten of his 11 long passes.

Nawrocki, who won 61% of his aerial duels in the Polish top-flight last term, was able to hit the ground running with an excellent performance at the back, on and off the ball, and he could form an exceptional partnership with Lagerbielke if they are able to bring the Swedish brute to Parkhead.

Manchester United have seen a sizeable bid turned down for a prolific top-five European league striker this window, according to recent reports.

How good is Randal Kolo Muani?

Randal Kolo Muani is a distinctive attacking force who would've added another dimension to Manchester United's final third. In his time at Eintracht Frankfurt, Kolo Muani, who has previously been labelled as "explosive" by his former youth coach Yann Lecoq, has enjoyed a meteoric rise to becoming one of Europe's most prolific marksmen, registering 25 goals and 17 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Expectedly, he has started the new Bundesliga campaign in fine fettle, netting the opening goal in his current employers' 1-0 victory over Darmstadt in their first league fixture, as per Sofascore. The France international converted his goal from an xG of 0.91 and picked up a match rating of 7.2/10 for his exploits on the pitch for Eintracht Frankfurt.

According to FBRef, Kolo Muani ranks highly compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in successful take-ons and has managed around 2.24 per 90 minutes in the last 365 days, putting him in the 96th percentile.

What happened with United's bid?

According to L'Equipe journalist Loic Tanzi, via Sport Witness, Manchester United have had a bid in the region of €70 million plus bonuses (£60m) turned down for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani earlier this window.

Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain are also looking to add to their star-studded squad and are keen to bring the France international to the nation's capital – they now hope to finalise his signature later this week.

As per L'Equipe, transcribed by The Mirror, Kolo Muani did not close the door on a move to Old Trafford and even confirmed his dream is to play for an elite-level club in an interview earlier this year, stating: "We talk about it a lot already, but I try to be focused on my club. We continue our performances and we will see this summer. Afterwards, I always dreamed of playing in big clubs. I thought I was going to need some time to adapt, maybe a year. But everything exploded. Either way, I’m ready for any challenge."

Foot Mercato claim that Paris Saint-Germain have agreed personal terms with the 24-year-old on a deal that would see him sign on for five years at the Parc des Princes. Tottenham Hotspur were reported to be keen on Kolo Muani earlier this summer, though their lack of Champions League football complicated any potential swoop, as per Sport Bild.

Manchester United now look to have found their solution to a long-standing striking problem in the form of Rasmus Hojlund, who joined the Premier League giants from Atalanta in a transfer worth £72 million, as per Sky Sports. Nevertheless, the Denmark international is currently out injured due to a back problem and it is unclear when he will come into contention to make his Red Devils debut, according to The Evening Standard.

Manchester United could've benefitted from having someone of Kolo Muani's unique abilities leading the line in 2023/24, though they will be excited to see how Hojlund settles in once his injury clears up.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison completely lost his head after tripping over himself and then lashing out to pick up a silly yellow card in his club's most recent game.

What's the latest on Spurs vs Bournemouth?

Having made a bright start to life in the Premier League under Ange Postecoglou – with one draw and one win in their opening two games – Spurs travelled down to the south coast this weekend.

Playing in the lunchtime kick-off, Tottenham took on Bournemouth and managed to grab a first-half lead thanks to James Maddison, who netted his first goal for his new side. Dejan Kulusevski then added another in the second half to seal the three points.

No doubt, those goalscoring moments would have helped ease the pain left by Harry Kane after the Englishman joined Bayern Munich this summer, but fans would have been hoping for more of an attacking contribution from main striker Richarlison.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

However, the forward completely failed to deliver on that front – as evidenced by one embarrassing moment in particular.

Footage shared on Twitter caught the incident and it really doesn't look very smart at all from the Spurs ace. Indeed, he trips over without even being challenged and then picks up a yellow card for senselessly lashing out at his opponent.

How bad was Richarlison vs Bournemouth?

To make things worse, Richarlison was subbed off just minutes later, meaning he is still yet to score a goal for Spurs so far this season in three starts. In fact, having now played 38 times for the club in all competitions, the 26-year-old only has three goals to his name.

Journalist Charlie Eccleshare summed things up well for the Tottenham man, as he wrote on Twitter: "Another frustrating game for Richarlison. He had a couple of chances but made a few bad decisions and was booked after losing the ball."

As per Sofascore, he finished the game with just 77% passing, losing the ball 12 times and having had fewer touches than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario – showing just how ineffective he was.

Journalist Rob Guest also described the player's woes well in his player ratings for football.london as he gave the striker a 6/10 and wrote: "Led the line for Spurs once again and should have done better ten minutes before half-time after Maddison had slipped him in with a fine pass, before hitting the side netting with a header moments later.

"Impressed with his build-up play in the first half, including a flicked header to Kulusevski, but his performance after the break was frustrating as he picked up a needless yellow card and lost the ball when Spurs looked to hit Bournemouth on the break. Desperately needs a goal to come his way. 6

Perhaps it's poor finishing as seen in one moment in the first half – referenced by Guest above – that explains why he's struggled to get his name on the scoresheet with any regularity since moving to north London last summer.

Indeed, in the key moment, the striker was through on goal but chopped back onto his left foot, stumbled over the ball and was tackled just when it looked as though he may have finally sorted his feet out.

All in all, it was another bad day at the office for Richarlison; even if his side picked up an impressive victory.

After months of stagnancy in the transfer window, Wolverhampton Wanderers are set for a dramatic end to deadline day, as another target has emerged.

The Old Gold have already announced both the £53m sale of Matheus Nunes to Manchester City and the capture of Tommy Doyle from the treble winners on loan, with reports pointing to more action to come.

Who could Wolves sign on deadline day?

As reported by Sky Sports News (relayed via Football Daily), Strasbourg midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde has emerged as a target for the Midlands club to chase ahead of the 11pm deadline, with the two clubs locked "in talks over a potential deal."

Recent reports in France (via Get Football News France) claim that Strasbourg have turned down an €8m (£7m) bid from Wolves for the 25-year-old, who is said to have even agreed personal terms with the Premier League side.

With just hours remaining of the summer window, Gary O’Neil must act fast in the quest to secure the talented Frenchman, who was reportedly not in training for the club today.

Who is Jean-Ricner Bellegarde?

Deployed in a host of areas on the pitch, but primarily in central midfield, the 25-year-old machine could be the ideal capture for O’Neil this window, however, it’s clear as to why Strasbourg are reluctant to let him leave.

In the opening three Ligue 1 fixtures, the Wolves target has had a hand in four goals, scoring two and assisting two to assert his importance in his side’s midfield.

Named as one of the “crazy” talented midfielders that France have at their disposal by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Bellegarde could be the missing piece of the puzzle in O’Neil’s side.

Sales this summer have generated Wolves some critical funds, however have equally left the squad short in some areas due to the calibre of talent lost.

Bidding farewell to both Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes leaves Molineux without two star creators, which is where the Strasbourg ace could come in and bolster the options in such an area.

While Wolves will undoubtedly miss the quality of Nunes, the Portuguese whiz is not irreplaceable, certainly not for the £57m gained for his transfer.

In fact, when revising the numbers accumulated by the former Sporting CP whiz in comparison to Bellegarde in their respective 2022/23 campaigns, the averages pose an interesting read.

As per FBref, the Frenchman averaged 5.69 progressive passes and 3.87 progressive carries in Ligue 1 last term, as well as averaging an impressive 2.12 key passes per 90 to account for his nine assists that year.

At Molineux, Nunes fell far short of the Wolves target last season, averaging 3.06 progressive passes, 2.15 progressive carries and 0.99 key passes per 90 for the Old Gold, via FBref, suggesting that the 25-year-old could in fact be a stronger fit.

Taking into consideration that the Portuguese ace was adapting to the Premier League, it was perhaps a wise moment for Wolves to sell him, considering that he had not yet hit true form at the club, as highlighted by his two goal contributions in 34 league appearances.

With an opening offer turned down, O’Neil will have to work to secure the signature of Bellegarde, in a signing that could prove to make those at Molineux forget all about the talent of Nunes.