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Manchester United are interested in Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana, according to a report from RMC Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Hot prospect

Signed for £36.5million from Ligue 1 outfit St Etienne as a 19-year-old in 2020 (The Guardian), Fofana has enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom in the Premier League.

Now 21, the talented young centre-back made 28 English top-flight appearances in his debut campaign before suffering a horrific leg break during pre-season last summer, ruling the Frenchman out for six months.

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Having made a successful comeback against the Red Devils in February and ending the campaign by making three consecutive starts for Brendan Rodgers’ side, Fofana could be at the centre of a gigantic transfer tussle over the coming months.

The latest: PL giants keen

As per RMC Sport, translated by SW, Manchester United and Chelsea are both ‘closely interested’ in the France Under 21 starlet.

It’s claimed that Leicester are ‘counting’ on the three-cap ace but could be persuaded into sanctioning a sale should offers of ‘at least €80million (£68million)’ be forthcoming.

Under contract at the King Power Stadium until 2027 (Transfermarkt), the Old Trafford hierarchy would likely have to meet the demands in order to land the defender once hailed for a ‘phenomenal’ display in which he dominated Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The verdict: Second time lucky?

No strangers to paying big money for a centre-back from Leicester City, spending the mooted lofty asking price for Fofana would be a smart piece of business from Manchester United as Erik ten Hag attempts to fix what was a leaky backline at times during 2021/22.

Still not the finished article given his tender years, the talented Frenchman ended the recent season earning an impressive 6.97 Sofascore rating from just seven league outings, making 3.7 clearances, winning 6.0 duels and completing 67.0 accurate passes on average per game – highlighting both his defensive and ball-playing acumen.

Sharing similar stylistic traits with star compatriots Ibrahima Konate, Presnel Kimpembe and United’s own Raphael Varane (Fbref), Fofana certainly possesses all the attributes to become an elite defender and would be a welcome addition to the ranks this summer.

In other news: Man Utd now eyeing ‘world class’ Serie A gem, read more here

Manchester United are looking to beat Tottenham in the race for Darwin Nunez and have now made a bid for the Benfica striker.

The Lowdown: United and Spurs links

Erik ten Hag is yet to make a first marquee signing since taking over at Old Trafford. The club have been heavily linked with a move for Nunez, though, with transfer insider Dean Jones believing a move has been ‘extremely close’.

Spurs are also ‘fully in the race’ for the ‘big name’ striker, and it looks as if United have now acted on their interest looking to beat Antonio Conte’s side to a deal by launching a formal offer for the player who is keen on a move to Manchester.

The Latest: £90m bid

Sports Witness relayed an update from Correio da Manhã regarding Nunez on Friday. They claim that United have tabled an offer worth a total €105m (£90m) for the Uruguayan.

The Red Devils are willing to pay an initial €75m with €20m in bonuses and the final instalment coming in the form of a loan of a Red Devils player worth €10m.

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The Verdict: Good move

Nunez is clearly a man in demand this summer, which doesn’t come as a shock following his 34-goal tally last season, so it’s good to see that United have firmed up their interest with a serious sounding offer.

Ten Hag could do with another marquee forward to either partner or challenge Cristiano Ronaldo next season, especially with Edinson Cavani set to depart.

Nunez, who can also turn out in a deeper role or from the left, now appears to be the club’s main attacking target, so hopefully, it won’t be long until we hear Benfica’s response.

In other news: Sky Sports now relay big Man Utd news as Ten Hag plots move for English star. 

Newcastle United are interested in signing Manchester City defender Nathan Ake, according to a report from talkSPORT. 

The lowdown: Howe connection

Formerly of the academy system at Feyenoord and Chelsea, Ake truly made a name for himself at Bournemouth under Toon boss Eddie Howe.

The 27-year-old Dutch defender appeared under the 44-year-old on 121 occasions on the south coast and was ever-present in two consecutive Premier League campaigns – the now Magpies boss even called him an ‘outstanding’ player who he ‘loves’ working with.

Now, as Howe attempts to bolster the squad at St James’ Park, a reunion with Ake in the North East could be on the cards…

The latest: ‘Big admirer’

As per talkSPORT, Newcastle could be about to offer Ake a ‘lifeline’ with an offer of a switch this summer.

It’s claimed that the 25-cap Holland man has been ‘told he can leave City’ after two years at the club, during which time the versatile defender has made just 40 outings for Pep Guardiola.

The report also states that Howe remains a ‘big admirer’ of the Dutchman, who was hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Martin Keown in the wake of securing his big move to Manchester in 2020.

The verdict: No brainer

If indeed Ake is free to move on in the upcoming window, working alongside Howe once again and in turn strengthening the Magpies would make an abundance of sense for all parties.

Last season, the star capable of playing as a central defender and at left-back made 27 appearances across all competitions, earning an impressive 7.08 Sofascore rating whilst completing 55.1 (91%) accurate passes, making 1.5 clearances and winning 3.9 duels on average per league game.

That ball-playing ability out from the back – his pass accuracy is far higher than any NUFC centre-back – would be a perfect fit for the manager, something Howe will of course know all too well given their previous time together.

Holding a stylistic likeness to elite Premier League defenders such as Ruben Dias, Joel Matip and now Real Madrid powerhouse Antonio Rudiger (Fbref), signing Ake to feature alongside Dan Burn would be another smart piece of recruitment from Newcastle and PIF this summer.

In other news: Magpies send scouts to watch Ben Nelson…

Newcastle United are said to be exploring the possibility of a deal for Wolves winger Adama Traore, according to a report from 90min.

The Lowdown: Barcelona turn down buying option

The Spaniard first arrived at Molineux from Middlesbrough for a club-record fee back in 2018 and put pen to paper on a five-year contract, where he has since made a total of 154 appearances.

The 26-year-old spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Barcelona with the option to make the switch permanent, but the Catalans have since confirmed that they won’t be taking this up, signalling the forward’s imminent return to the Premier League.

The Latest: Magpies make contact

In a new article published by 90min, it’s claimed that Traore will ‘still leave’ Wolves this summer, who are desperate to ‘offload’ him for good, despite Xavi passing up the opportunity to sign him.

The source reveals that the Magpies have actually already enquired about the eight-cap international, but are set to face competition from Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Verdict: Perfect fit?

With Traore’s time with the Wanderers seemingly over, it’s no surprise to see so many clubs chasing his signature given how much of a threat he can be in the final third.

Before making the move to Barca, the 5 foot 8 talisman averaged 4.2 dribbles and 1.2 shots per league game for Wolves, via WhoScored, with his pace a real handful for opposition defenders to try and deal with.

The £46k-per-week star, who was once dubbed an “undefendable” player by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, is exactly the profile of player that Newcastle should be looking to bolster their attacking ranks with as he could add a potent threat on the right flank, meaning teams will no longer be able to cater their defensive plans so heavily towards Allan Saint-Maximin.

In other news… the Magpies are set to send out club scouts to watch one of their summer transfer targets in action.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Piotr Zielinski to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a number of recent reports in Italy (via Sport Witness), who claim that both Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte are known to be big fans of the Napoli midfielder, with Spurs said to have already approached the Serie A side concerning a move for the 28-year-old.

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However, the report goes on to state that Aurelio de Laurentiis informed the Tottenham transfer team that it would require a fee of around €50m (£43m) in order for him to sanction the sale of the Poland international this summer.

“Out of the ordinary”

Considering how impressive Zielinski was for Napoli this season, in addition to the signing of a new central midfielder being reported to be one of Conte’s priorities in the summer market, it is unsurprising to learn of Tottenham’s interest in a move for the 28-year-old.

Indeed, over his 35 Serie A appearances this term, the £45m-rated talent was in sensational form in the heart of Luciano Spalletti’s side, scoring six goals, registering five assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 1.4 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, the £106k-per-week Pole also ranks in the top 4% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, in addition to the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for shots, the top 9% for xG, the top 12% for assists, the top 4% for progressive passes received and the top 19 % for progressive carries.

The midfielder’s impressive returns during his six-year stay in Naples have also seen him come in for a considerable amount of praise, none more so than from Pepe Reina, who stated of the playmaker back in 2020:

“There is a player who I fell in love with from the first time I saw him – the Napoli midfielder Zielinski. He’s a Real Madrid or Barcelona player. He is out of the ordinary. He is higher than Serie A.”

As such, with the likes of Harry Winks, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso all looking as if they could be moving on this summer, Zielinski would very much appear to be an ideal replacement for any of this trio, as the Napoli star would evidently be a much better fit for the 52-year-old Italian’s setup in north London.

AND in other news: Conte now plotting £50m offer for “frightening” £200k-p/w Spurs target, he’s Salah 2.0

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will already have one eye on the summer transfer window with one Premier League game left in the campaign.

PIF have shown that they are willing to dip into their pockets to strengthen his squad as they brought in Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett, Dan Burn, Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier.

They may now look to invest again to take the club to the next level and they already have targets in mind if reports are to be believed.

One player the Magpies have been linked with a swoop for is Bologna left-back Aaron Hickey, with Brentford, Napoli, and Arsenal also eyeing up the gem – who Fabrizio Romano claimed is valued at up to £20m.

The club are reportedly wanting to sign Targett on a permanent deal and already have Trippier at right-back and this may cause fans to wonder why there is an interest in the Serie A gem.

Imagine him & Bruno

Well… that is because his future may not be at left-back. Scottish coach Austin MacPhee once compared the defender to a Barcelona defensive midfielder, saying: “He’s so young he could play a lot of positions. He could end up being like Busquets.

“Right now he reminds me of Jonny Evans, who I’ve seen in training with Northern Ireland. It’s the way he defends, moves and always wants the ball as a defender.”

Former Hearts boss Daniel Stendel dubbed him an “extraordinary talent” and backed up MacPhee’s claim as he said:

“Aaron as a player is like Philipp Lahm. For me at Hearts, he played as a full-back. He not only runs up and down the line, but looks for attacking moves like Lahm once did. And Aaron can also play in the central midfield.”

These quotes suggest that he is a player Howe can develop into being a dream midfield partner for Bruno Guimaraes at Newcastle.

The Scot’s statistics for Bologna in the Serie A at the age of 19 indicate that he has the potential to make it at the top level and two of his coaches have backed him to transition into midfield. In the Italian top-flight this term, he has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.85 – making 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game.

He can provide a defensive, assured, presence at the base of the midfield and provide Guimaraes with a platform to break forward and work his magic in the final third. The Brazilian has registered five goals and one assist in ten starts for the Magpies in the Premier League and this shows that he has the quality to have a big impact in attack.

Therefore, they can work well as a pairing as Hickey sits deeper and protects the back four whilst the ex-Lyon man joins in with attacks and attempts to be a match-winner. This is why PIF must now seal this deal in the coming weeks or months.

AND in other news, Howe can get SJP rocking with NUFC swoop for £21m predator with the “scoring nose”…

Wolves failed to sign off from Molineux with a victory today as they were held to a 1-1 draw by already-relegated Norwich City in the Premier League.

The visitors took the lead through Teemu Pukki after 37 minutes before Rayan Ait-Nouri equalised early in the second half.

However, the West Midlands outfit were unable to find a winner and are now six games without a victory in the top flight.

To not be able to win in front of their own fans against a side whose fate has already been confirmed was incredibly poor with numerous passengers in the side.

Forward Hwang-hee Chan was certainly one of them after a quiet display against Dean Smith’s side.

The South Korean returned to the starting lineup having been on the bench against both Chelsea and Manchester City but struggled to make an impact.

With just one shot off target and another blocked, the forward made little impact in the final third whilst also giving the ball away on eight occasions, having made just 37 touches, meaning he lost possession once every 4.6 touches.

Moreover, there was little defensive contribution from Hwang as well with zero clearances, blocks and tackles whilst making just one interception.

As well as that, the South Korea international lost most of his duels at 64% having won four from an attempted 11.

Lage’s biggest area to improve on over the summer will be his attack, with the lack of goals scored being an issue all campaign.

Only three sides have scored fewer goals than Wolves’ 37 in 37 matches with two of them already relegated.

With the likes of Raul Jimenez, Fabio Silva and Pedro Neto, as well as Hwang, able to play up front, the Portuguese manager will have to find a solution to unlock the talents of his best possible partnership.

It seems as though a dip into the transfer market will also be needed, which could spell trouble for the 26-year-old having only recently joined Wolves permanently from RB Leipzig after initially joining on loan from the Bundesliga outfit.

What is for sure is that Hwang will have to work hard over the summer and through pre-season to ensure he earns regular playing time at Molineux next campaign.

AND in other news: Wolves can get summer off to a blinder with “unplayable” £46k-p/w brute who Lage wants

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to secure a deal to extend Pierluigi Gollini’s stay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite previous reports suggesting that Tottenham will not be looking to make the Atalanta goalkeeper’s loan deal a €15m (£12.5m) permanent switch this summer, Fabio Paratici now would like to extend the stay of the 27-year-old in north London.

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However, the report goes on to state that Torino are also interested in a move for the Italy international this summer, with the Serie A side believed to already be in contact with the shot-stopper regarding a switch to the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium.

Paratici must axe Gollini

Considering just how little Gollini has featured for Tottenham since joining the club last summer, in addition to the widespread reports that Spurs previously had no intention of activating the goalkeeper’s purchase clause, the news that Paratici could now be considering a deal to keep the shot-stopper on is certainly surprising.

Indeed, over his four appearances in the Europa Conference League this season, the £9m-rated stopper did little to convince that he would be a worthwhile signing for Spurs, being unable to keep a clean sheet against the likes of Stade Rennais, NS Mura and Vitesse, in addition to conceding an average of 1.5 goals and making just 1.3 saves – at a success rate of 45% – per game.

These returns saw the £23k-per-week Italian who John Wenham dubbed both “damaging” and “unnecessary” average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.25, ranking him as Conte’s second-worst performer in the competition.

Furthermore, with it being reported that Tottenham are closing in on the signing of West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on a free transfer – an England international who highly impressed during his last campaign in the Premier League – a move to sign Gollini for around £12.5m appears to make even less sense this summer – leading us at Football FanCast to believe that Paratici simply must axe the Atalanta shot-stopper at the end of the current campaign.

AND in other news: Paratici could land Spurs their own KDB with £68m signing, he’d be “unreal” for Conte

Aston Villa have joined West Ham in the race to sign Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Brownhill profiled

The 26-year-old made the move to Turf Moor from Bristol City in 2020 and has gone on to make 81 appearances for the Clarets.

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The £40,000-a-week midfielder, who was described as ‘fabulous’ by Lee Hendrie, is currently at the top of his game with a career-high £6.3m Transfermarkt valuation.

The 26-year-old was wanted at Villa Park last year during Dean Smith’s time in charge, and it looks as if he is still on the radar under Steven Gerrard.

The Latest: Villa interest in Brownhill

90min shared a story regarding Brownhill’s future on Friday, claiming that West Ham are readying a summer bid for the Burnley man.

The report also name-checks Villa, along with Everton, Leeds, Wolves Fulham and Bournemouth, with an interest in the midfielder, although it is the Hammers who appear to be leading the way.

The Verdict: Gerrard not impressed?

Gerrard was able to watch Brownhill up close on Saturday during Villa’s 3-1 win at Turf Moor. The Clarets ace didn’t exactly impress, though, finishing as Burnley’s worst-rated midfielder, as per SofaScore.

He lost all five of his duels, failed to make a tackle or clearance and committed three fouls, one of which resulted in a yellow card.

Brownhill was also unsuccessful with three of his four crosses and didn’t register a single shot or dribble, so based on that performance, Villa’s interest in him may cool heading into the summer transfer window.

In other news: Gregg Evans shares ‘very important’ behind-the-scenes AVFC news

Former England international Danny Mills says Jurgen Klopp’s new deal at Liverpool is a ‘big boost’ for everyone concerned at the club.

The Lowdown: Klopp signs new deal

Last week, Klopp signed a two-year extension at Anfield, meaning he will now remain as manager until the summer of 2026.

It was a significant moment in Liverpool’s recent future, with the German completely transforming Liverpool since taking charge back in October 2015.

Not only has he won the Champions League and Premier League, among other trophies, but he also has turned the Reds into arguably the world’s best club side, currently neck and neck with an incredible Manchester City squad to decide who deserves that title.

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The Latest: Mills reacts positively

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills, a BBC Radio 5 Live pundit, was unsurprisingly positive about the news, saying it should only improve the current feel-good mood at Anfield:

“The timing is probably aimed at giving the whole squad a big boost. I’m guessing these talks have been going on for four or five months. This is not something that comes about a few days before when they ask ‘Jurgen will you sign a new contract?’ And he says ‘Oh, go on then’ and it’s done and dusted.

“When you’ve got a little bit of speculation around other players’ contracts, Mane and Salah, to announce Klopp’s contract and to say ‘He’s the man’, it gives everyone a bit of comfort.

“For those players, they think ‘Oh he’s going to be here, we can plan’ and if they are not going to be there then there is still a plan and it settles down the fans.

“Why wouldn’t you sign him up? He’s an exceptional manager. But remember, managers can be sacked. It only takes two disastrous seasons and he will be out. Simple as that.

“I don’t envisage that happening in any way shape or form but it’s much easier to tie down a manager because you can always get rid of them with six months or a year’s pay-off.”

The Verdict: Best news of the season

For all the talk of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane’s futures and potential new signings, Klopp staying on for a further two years is more important than anything else.

The 54-year-old holds the key to Liverpool’s success and he is already a truly legendary figure at the club, masterminding a glorious period in the Reds’ history and making legends out of his players.

In an ideal world, Klopp would stay on well beyond 2026 but to have him for an extra couple of years is huge in itself – the fact that rival clubs will likely be upset by the news sums up his brilliance.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a huge £80million Liverpool claim. Read more here.