Leeds Eyeing Move For £20k-A-Week La Liga Man

Leeds United are believed to be interested in making a move for Villarreal attacker Boulaye Dia during the summer transfer window.

Do Leeds need summer signings?

The Whites have had a tough time of things in the Premier League for a second consecutive season, with results and performances both not good enough. They stayed up on the final day last year, and given their current 16th-place position, it could go to the wire again this time around.

Too often, there has simply been a lack of quality on show, as well as depth, so it is essential that key signings are made at the end of the season. Staying up is clearly key to being able to attract top-level players to Elland Road, further highlighting the importance of these next few weeks.

Various areas of the pitch could do with an injection of life in the next few months, and it looks as though Leeds could be looking at the attacking third for potential new signing, following a new transfer report that has emerged.

Could midfielder seal Leeds move?

According to La Citta di Salerno [via Sport Witness], the Whites are battling with fellow Premier League club Everton to secure the signing of Dia this summer. It is described as a "blitz" by the pair, as well as AC Milan, as current loan club Salernitana also look to sign him permanently from Villarreal.

Leeds have been following the 26-year-old "for months now", suggesting he is a serious long-term target as we approach the summer window.

Dia could be a great signing by the Whites if they manage to strike a deal, having scored 11 goals and registered six assists in Serie A so far this season. The £20,000-a-week Senegal international has an admirer in legendary compatriot Sadio Mane, too, who has spoken glowingly of him in the past, which says a lot about his ability.

He could add the attacking spark that is badly needed at Leeds this summer – Rodrigo (11) is the only player to have scored more than four goals in the league – coming in as a player right in and around the peak of his powers, and likely remaining that way for the next four or five years.

Dia's international record of six goals in 25 caps is also a solid return, with one of those strikes coming against hosts Qatar at the last year's 2022 World Cup.

Predicted Man Utd XI & team news vs Nottingham Forest

Manchester United return to Premier League action today, as they travel to face a Nottingham Forest side fighting for their life.

Having overseen a late collapse in their mid-week European bout with Sevilla, whilst also suffering additional casualties, Erik ten Hag has something of an injury crisis on his hands as they enter the run-in. With the initial promise shown this season slowly dwindling, the Dutchman's focus will likely shift to ensuring that at the very least his side are playing Champions League football next term.

The Red Devils must crawl over the finish line with just nine games left to play, and to do so they must win these 'easier' games against far weaker opposition.

However, the big miss for today's clash will be Lisandro Martinez, who was carried off in that aforementioned 2-2 draw with the Spanish outfit. It has since been revealed that their Argentine stopper will not play again this season, further compounding the expected absences of Marcus Rashford and Raphael Varane.

manchester-united-marcel-sabitzer-premier-league

Therefore, some tactical gymnastics will have to be enforced to ensure a competitive side is put out that can look to add solidity around any glaring weaknesses within the team.

Simply by avoiding defeat the Tricky Trees can climb out of the relegation zone, however, with the backing of a raucous City Ground, they will be quietly confident of snatching more.

How could Manchester United line up against Nottingham Forest?

De Gea; Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Malacia; Fernandes, Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Martial, Sancho.

Ten Hag is expected to fashion four changes from that side that drew at Old Trafford on Thursday, with some enforced and others purely rotational.

David De Gea will remain between the sticks, however, the back four in front of him is to see wholesale changes.

Tyrell Malacia will be the only player retained from last time out at the back, as both centre-backs who did start are now unavailable. Therefore, the troubling inclusion of both Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof is a necessary evil. Diogo Dalot will seek to offer some more attacking impetus in the place of Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

If the Manchester outfit are to claim a win today in Nottingham, it is likely in midfield where the game will be seized. That is due to the immense quality they are expected to boast, with their first-choice three all back in contention.

Casemiro returns from his suspension, and the fit-again Christian Eriksen could be thrown straight back into the mix. Bruno Fernandes will therefore cap off a fine engine room trio.

Marcel Sabitzer is an unfortunate casualty of this refresh, as the £210k-per-week loanee nearly won the last game on his own with two goals. Having been branded a "match-winner" by journalist Stefan Bienkoswki back in 2022, the Austrian should have been so again if not for a disappointing late collapse.

Their front three will likely remain unchanged, however, again due to a lack of competition for places given the threadbare nature of Ten Hag's squad of late.

Jadon Sancho and Antony will aim to impress on the flanks, seeking to supply Anthony Martial up front.

Liverpool Ready To Move For "Fantastic" Rival Star

Liverpool are 'ready to raid' Chelsea for exciting youngster Levi Colwill during the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Is Colwill shining on loan at Brighton?

The 20-year-old may be on the Blues' books currently, but he has spent this season on loan at Brighton, having been sent there last summer to enjoy more regular playing time. He has caught the eye for the Seagulls in 2022/23, not always being a regular but playing a positive role in them pushing for European football.

Colwill has made eight starts in the Premier League in total, as well as appearing five times in the FA Cup and EFL Cup combined, and he has an overall pass completion rate of 88.5%, highlighting his quality on the ball.

The Englishman will return to Chelsea at the end of this season, but his future at Stamford Bridge could be up in the air as many clubs take an interest. One of them is Liverpool, considering they could look to sign a new centre-back in the upcoming window.

Levi Colwill for Brighton

Are Liverpool in the mix to sign youngster?

According to The Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella, Liverpool and one of their main Premier League rivals who are 'ready to raid' Chelsea for Colwill this summer:

"Manchester City and Liverpool are ready to raid Chelsea for defender Levi Colwill, as clubs queue up to take advantage of financial threats by poaching homegrown stars from Stamford Bridge."

It is added in his Evening Standard piece that both Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are planning to "refresh their back lines this summer" and see the Chelsea defender as a "top target".

This could be a perfect summer signing by Liverpool, given Colwill comes as a player with a high ceiling, having once been hailed as "absolutely fantastic" by Carlos Corberan. Indeed, he's also been compared to Blues and England legend John Terry.

In Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, the Reds still have an excellent first-choice centre-back pairing, assuming the latter gets back to his best next season, but they could now do with an upgrade on Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, with the former turning 32 this summer and the latter too inconsistent these days.

Colwill could be that man, combining elegance in possession but also defensive nous, averaging 2.9 aerial duel wins per game in the Premier League this season, as well as 2.3 tackles per match in the EFL Cup.

Aston Villa Eyeing Move For £33k-p/w Star

Aston Villa are eyeing a summer move for Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, who could be available on a free transfer this summer, according to a report from TEAMtalk.

Will Alfredo Morelos leave Rangers in the summer?

Former Rangers man Neil Murray is adamant that Morelos will be on the move this summer, telling PLZ: "I think that it's an absolute guarantee that he won't sign again for Rangers. He will be finding a new club somewhere.” (via Daily Record)

The Colombian's £33k-per-week deal is set to expire in May, but despite Murray's comments, there is seemingly still a chance he could remain at Ibrox, as it has been reported he would be happy to stay, due to his love for the club, but time is running out.

Turkish Super Lig side Konyaspor were said to be exploring the opportunity to sign the forward back in February, and he is now attracting the interest of a whole host of Premier League clubs, according to a report from TEAMtalk.

Crystal Palace's interest appears to be the most advanced at this point, with the Eagles ready to make an offer for the former HJK Helsinki man, however, they are not the only English side in the mix.

The likes of Villa, Everton and Wolves also hold an interest in the 26-year-old, and signing him is deemed a relatively low-risk move, given that he will be available on a free transfer.

Would Alfredo Morelos be a good signing for Aston Villa?

The centre-forward has reached double figures for goals in the Scottish Premiership in each of his last five seasons, and he is on track to do so again this term, weighing in with nine goals up to this point, also bagging six assists.

During his time north of the border, the Cerete-born marksman has emerged as one of the Scottish Premiership's top players, with journalist Andrew Dickson calling him "terrific" and lauding him for "bullying entire defences on a regular basis."

His performances in Scotland do not necessarily mean Morelos would be a guaranteed success in the Premier League, but he has proven himself as a regular goalscorer at Rangers and has earned the opportunity to move to a club like Villa.

The fact that the Rangers striker is available on a free transfer makes this deal all the more worthwhile, and Unai Emery should continue to monitor his availability between now and the summer.

Man Utd Handed Possible Harry Kane Boost

Manchester United have been boosted in their efforts to sign Harry Kane this summer, with the striker reportedly unlikely to sign a new deal at Tottenham.

Is Kane on the move this summer?

The future of the England captain and all-time record goalscorer is a big talking point currently, with much made of the lack of trophies in his career. He will have turned 30 years of age by the beginning of next season, and he may feel that this could be his last chance to earn a huge move away while at the peak of his powers.

Kane has been linked with a move to United in recent months, with himself and Napoli star Victor Osimhen arguably standing out as their main striking targets once the summer window arrives. The 29-year-old's current Spurs deal runs out at the end of next season, meaning this year is the last chance to receive enormous money for his services, before potentially losing him for nothing in 2024.

Now, a significant update has emerged regarding his future in north London – one that could make United fans sit up and take notice.

Could United snap up the Spurs legend?

According to Football Insider, Kane "has told friends he won’t be signing a new Tottenham deal amid a backdrop of chaos at the club". The Tottenham legend is reportedly "reluctant to pen new terms as Man United eye a summer swoop for his services", suggesting that Erik ten Hag's side are preparing to pounce if Kane seeks an exit in the summer.

The report also states that United are "desperate" to bring in a big-name striker this summer and "it is believed they will launch a bid for top target Kane".

This is clearly an encouraging update from a United perspective, with Kane seemingly growing unhappy at Spurs and looking for a way out. If the Red Devils could strike a deal for him in the summer, it could prove to be a sensational and gamechanging piece of business by the club.

The striker has scored an incredible 272 goals in 426 appearances for Spurs – more than anyone in the club's history – and been described as a "world-class" player by former Tottenham manager Antonio Conte. His relentless goalscoring record could be the perfect foil for the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony that helps take United to another level next season.

At 29, he is admittedly not a young option and the Red Devils may only get him at his best for two or three years, but that could be worth it given the impact he is capable of having.

Celtic: £3.6m Star Could Leave Parkhead

Former Celtic striker and pundit Frank McAvennie has been reacting to a transfer update on attacker Liel Abada.

What’s the latest on Abada’s Celtic future?

Abada made the move to Parkhead back in 2021 and has proven to be a smart signing by the Hoops. The 21-year-old is already closing in on 100 first-team appearances in Glasgow, contributing to 45 goals in the process.

The right-winger has contributed to 19 goals during the current campaign, and his impact in Scotland has not gone unnoticed. Premier League side Southampton are thought to be readying an eight-figure offer for Abada, who has reportedly failed to come to an agreement with Celtic over a new contract. As a result, the Hoops appear to be open to offers for the attacker heading into the summer window.

McAvennie was talking to Football Insider regarding a potential exit for Abada. He believes that the player won’t go to a bigger club than Celtic and feels that Ange Postecoglou won’t be too bothered should he leave. The pundit also described Abada as ‘terrible for a couple of games’, resulting in Postecoglou taking him out of the starting XI.

“It is inevitable players move on but he is only a young boy. He is at a big club and doing well and all of a sudden agents are creeping in.

“It is not going to happen, he will not go to any bigger club than Celtic. That is if he even wants to leave. He is only 21, I think Ange is doing well with him. He was terrible for a couple of games and the manager had every right to leave him out. Then when he brings him back he does well.

“I do not think it will bother Ange too much. If he goes somewhere else he will be like another player. Abada is not ready to go to the Premier League. He is at a huge club, the fans love him and he has got to settle down.”

Should Celtic sell Abada?

Celtic have been in this position before when it comes to Premier League interest in one of their impressive performers so may not be too stressed at the possibility of an exit. The Hoops paid £3.6m for Abada, who is still under contract until 2026, so the ball is firmly in Celtic’s court. Should Southampton offer an eight-figure sum for the player, then the Hoops would be making an eye-catching profit which could be invested into bringing in his replacement.

Abada may have had his ups and downs this season, as McAvennie mentions, but he has shown his ability in Scotland, however, if the price is right, it could be wise to cash in, especially with the forward failing to agree on new terms in Scotland.

Tottenham eyeing Ruben Neves transfer

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves for a potential transfer swoop, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Midfielder targeted

Central midfield is just one of the areas that Tottenham are looking at strengthening this summer, recently being linked to Lecce star Morten Hjulmand, who could be available for a price of just £13m.

The Lilywhites are also said to be leading the race for Inter Milan maestro Marcelo Brozovic, with Tanguy Ndombele potentially being used as a bargaining chip in negotiations for the Croatian, who has a lot of admirers in the Premier League.

Joao Palhinha is another target, with the Fulham midfielder being monitored by a plethora of top English clubs, while journalist Pete O’Rourke has urged Spurs to move for James Ward-Prowse, as the Southampton captain would be a ‘great fit’ in Antonio Conte’s midfield.

The Latest: Neves on the radar

According to a report from 90min, Tottenham, Newcastle United and Liverpool have all asked to be kept informed of Neves’ ongoing contract situation at Wolves, with his current deal set to expire at the end of next season.

Julen Lopetegui is keen to tie the Portugal international down to a new deal, however his future is uncertain, as a result of the Old Gold’s difficult season so far.

Agent Jorge Mendes has reportedly made it clear that his client is prepared to seek pastures new this summer, potentially opening the door for a move to north London, with Spurs likely to be able to offer him European football.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Journalist Raj Chohan has previously lauded the midfielder as having the ability to be a ‘top fit as a defensive midfielder at an elite side’, while he has also branded him an ‘unbelievable technician’.

The 26-year-old is at the right age to take the next step in his career, having proven that he is capable of playing at a level above Wolves, ranked by Sofascore as by far and away their best-performing player in the Premier League this season.

The former Porto man has been well-known for his long-range goals for quite some time, highlighting the threat he poses going forward, but he is also well-versed in the defensive side of the game, ranking in the 98th percentile for clearances per 90 in the past year.

Neves would be an excellent addition for Tottenham in the summer, and the club should continue to monitor how his contract talks progress with Wolves.

Spurs: Levy could appoint Conte 2.0

Tottenham Hotspur's recent collapse away to Southampton has only served to intensify the scrutiny on the future of manager Antonio Conte, with the experienced Italian – who has just a matter of months left to run on his existing deal – having hit out at the club in an explosive, post-match outburst.

Those eye-catching comments – in which the former Chelsea boss labelled his players "selfish" and took aim at the lack of success that the club has enjoyed under the current ownership – have sparked new uncertainty surrounding his position in the dugout, with the 53-year-old having already looked set for an exit.

With chairman Daniel Levy having seemingly been plotting possible replacements for the hot-headed coach, former Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp has now suggested that it appears as if Conte "wants to be sacked", such was the strong nature of the manager's criticism on Saturday.

Amid that exit talk, Redknapp then suggested that another ex-Blues boss, Thomas Tuchel, could be the man to succeed the one-time Inter Milan coach at N17, having hailed the German as a "really good" manager.

This follows a previous report from The Sun that suggested Levy and co could be interested in appointing the out-of-work gem, albeit with the 49-year-old likely to need persuading if he is to return to the Premier League in north London, despite reportedly being a fan of the club.

While there would be obvious merit in appointing a man who worked wonders to guide the Stamford Bridge outfit to Champions League glory back in 2021, it could well be that Spurs would be simply securing Conte 2.0 by bringing Tuchel into the fold.

Would Tuchel be a good fit at Spurs?

Aside from the recent downturn in performances – with Tottenham crashing out of Europe and the FA Cup in recent weeks – a major gripe that supporters have had with Conte's approach has been the rather dour style of play, with it seemingly at odds with the "free-flowing, attacking and entertaining" brand of football that Levy is seemingly craving.

The current Spurs boss was criticised by pundit Gary Neville for his pragmatic tactics in the north London derby defeat to Arsenal back in October, with the ex-Manchester United skipper stating that the Lilywhites looked "awful" and "negative" after appearing to sit back against their rivals.

The fear will be that Levy could simply be trading one defensive-minded coach for another with the appointment of Tuchel, with the one-time Borussia Dortmund man having been branded "boring" by talkSPORT pundit, Gabby Agbonlahor, amid his spell in west London.

Former Tottenham man Mauricio Pochettino – who has been linked with a return to the club – also suggested that Chelsea were a "defensive team" who played "in transition and on the counter" under Tuchel's watch.

That may set alarm bells ringing among the club's supporters, with such an approach currently remarkably similar to what is being utilised – rather unsuccessfully – by Conte.

After appointing a succession of pragmatic coaches in the form of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and now Conte, Levy must surely be keen to take the club back to their roots and prioritise a more expansive and attractive style of play moving forward.

On the face of it, it does appear Tuchel is simply not the man to spark the change that the club are craving, with it potentially set to be another mistaken, short-term fix.

Arsenal: 90-touch "Rolls-Royce" stole the show vs Fulham

Arsenal regained their five-point lead atop the Premier League table with a convincing victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.

A hat-trick of assists from Leandro Trossard across a 25-minute spell in the first half sent the Gunners on their way, the first coming after the home side had an own goal ruled out for offside.

Gabriel Magalhaes headed home from a corner before his namesake, Gabriel Martinelli, also found the net with a header before Martin Odegaard displayed immense composure inside the penalty box to make it 3-0 right on the break.

The Belgian dynamo was certainly a standout player, earning Sky Sports’ pick for ‘Player of the Match.’ However, the performance from William Saliba deserved just as many plaudits as Mikel Arteta’s men finally kept a clean sheet.

Who was Arsenal’s best player vs Fulham?

Hailed as a “Rolls-Royce” by commentator Alan Smith during the match, the France international was an absolute rock at the back, helping to thwart the tricky test of Aleksandar Mitrovic, as well as players like Andreas Pereira and Manor Solomon, all of whom have led the Cottagers to eighth place.

Saliba, who cost the north Londoners around £27m, was at the heart of everything and he was unfortunate to not get on the scoresheet himself as one of his long-range efforts came very close to flying in – Vincent Kompany-esque.

Indeed, the 21-year-old registered more touches (90) than any other Arsenal player and that translated into 64 passes, which were delivered at a 90% accuracy rate. He was also successful in 100% of his dribbling attempts, via Sofascore.

As part the backline to keep Arsenal’s first shutout in three outings, Saliba contributed a lot defensively, managing to win 83.3% of his aerial duels whilst also putting in seven clearances, four tackles, two blocks and one interception, which kind of lives up to Smith’s aforementioned and glowing tag of being a “Rolls-Royce.”

The former Arsenal striker wasn’t the only person to provide superlatives to describe his outing in west London either – Fabrizio Romano dubbed him “perfect,” meanwhile journalist Sam Dean described him as “outstanding.”

Alongside Trossard, the Frenchman was also one of many to steal the show over at Craven Cottage.

AND in other news, Cost £0, now worth £44m: Arsenal have hit the jackpot on “extraordinary” 5 ft 8 dynamo…

Romano reveals Conte is expected to leave Spurs this summer

Fabrizio Romano has insisted that the expectation around Antonio Conte’s future is that he will leave Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season.

The Lowdown: Spurs in a mess on and off the pitch

Tottenham have now gone three games without scoring a goal and have been dumped out of two cup competitions in the space of a week, ensuring they will go yet another campaign without lifting any silverware.

The Spurs fanbase was likely rocked last night, not only due to the manner of their Champions League exit, but because Richarlison came out with a scathing attack on his manager before Conte spoke about how the club may want to sack him.

Spurs are also said to be of interest to potential parties looking at a Premier League takeover, which only serves to increase the amount of noise behind the scenes at Tottenham.

The Latest: Conte leaving in the summer

While parts of the media have called for Conte to be gone after last night’s showing, Romano has insisted on his YouTube channel that meetings are scheduled for the end of the season, with the expectation now growing that Conte will be leaving once the season ends, no matter where they finish.

He said: “The situation around Conte is very clear. At the moment, the idea from what we understand for Antonio Conte is still something not decided, but what we can mention, he said we will discuss at the end of the season with Tottenham – with the board, of course, with Fabio Paratici, with Daniel Levy. And so they will have a meeting at the end of the season.

“But the feeling around Tottenham and the feeling around people close to Antonio Conte is that there is a serious chance for the Italian coach to leave Tottenham at the end of the season.”

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The Verdict: Parting ways is best for everyone

As pointed out by Danny Mills on Sky Sports, Conte simply doesn’t look like the same manager that many people have become accustomed to seeing on the touchline over the last few years, so he may well have lost that spark.

If that’s the case, it would perhaps be best not to wait until the end of the season and just make a clean break between Conte’s camp and Spurs as soon as possible. Otherwise, Tottenham could risk losing out on the top four.

Spurs will know they are going to end the season trophyless, but they can ill afford to let the top four slip away from them as it will only hinder the club in their managerial search and transfer plans come the summer.

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