Spurs can land Dybala 2.0 in Joao Felix

The summer transfer window is well underway and Tottenham have been active, with deals for Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma and Ivan Perisic already sealed. 

Fabio Paratici is not wasting any time as he looks to improve the squad in the coming weeks, and another player he may be attempting to bring in is young attacker Joao Felix.

According to The Express, Spurs have recently been alerted to the possibility of signing the Portugal international ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that the news of Atletico Madrid being open to doing a deal for the talented youngster has left them with a chance to snap him up.

It is stated that a swap deal could be on the cards, as the La Liga side have been linked with an interest in Tottenham outcast Giovani Lo Celso.

Antonio Conte’s own Paulo Dybala

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Fabio Paracti will move forward with a bid for the attacker, Spurs would land Conte’s own version of Dybala by securing a deal for him.

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Spurs are reportedly interested in signing the Argentine gem on a free transfer from Juventus but can now find a suitable alternative by bringing in Felix from Atletico.

FBRef list them as similar players based on their statistics over the last 365 days and they are certainly similar in the roles that they can be deployed in on the pitch. Both of them are diminutive forwards who can play anywhere across the frontline; on either flank, in the number 10 position, and as a false nine or centre-forward.

Diego Simeone once dubbed Felix “complete” after an impressive performance for Atletico, and his statistics suggest that that is exactly what he often is on the football pitch. As per FBRef, he ranks in the 91st and 95th percentiles for progressive passes and carries respectively, whilst also ranking in the 92nd percentile for interceptions per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues in his position over the last 365 days, with Dybala ranking in the 93rd percentile or higher in all three categories.

Furthermore, the £113m Atletico phenomenon scored eight goals in 13 La Liga starts last term, after managing seven in 14 starts in the previous campaign. This shows that he can carry and pass the ball to create for his team-mates, whilst also winning possession back for the team and being able to finish off opportunities which come his way.

Therefore, Conte can land his own version of Dybala – a dynamic, versatile, threat who can score and assist – by landing a deal to sign Felix in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Paratici plotting Spurs bid for “clinical” £50m gem, he can be Conte’s new “talisman”…

Sunderland eye Broadhead and Clarke

Sunderland have reportedly now ‘held talks’ over re-signing both Nathan Broadhead and Jack Clarke.

The Lowdown: Impressive seasons

The pair had impressive seasons on loan at the Stadium of Light from Everton and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, playing their part in getting the Black Cats promoted to the Championship.

They both ranked among the Wearsiders’ top eight performers in League One, scoring 11 goals and supplying three assists between them, picking up four man-of-the-match awards combined (WhoScored).

The Latest: Talks held

Taking to Twitter, Scott Wilson has revealed that Sunderland have now ‘held talks’ over re-signing Broadhead and Clarke, who are both entering the final year of their contracts at their respective clubs.

The Northern Echo journalist said: “#SAFC have held talks to try to re-sign Jack Clarke and Nathan Broadhead – but a final decision on both players is unlikely until later in the summer. Both are entering the final year of their current deals with Spurs and Everton…”

The Verdict: Sign both

Given the duo’s form for Alex Neil’s side last term, there is sure to be plenty of interest in both players again this summer, so the Black Cats must ensure that they are the first to sign them.

Considering their contract situations, it is likely that they will be available for cut-price fees, as their respective clubs will not want to risk losing them for nothing next summer.

Nonetheless, Broadhead and Clarke have already shown that they can perform for Sunderland, and although the Championship is a step up from League One, they will both surely relish the challenge coming down from the Premier League.

In other news, find out what big Sunderland claim this finance expert has now made

Leeds: Orta could make "unexpected" moves

Leeds United could shock a few people this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT this week, the Eurosport journalist delivered an intriguing claim about Victor Orta and co’s potential plans to bolster Jesse Marsch’s playing squad.

He said:

“We’ll discover how ambitious Leeds will be.

“I think they’ll put in a few offers that are unexpected, just to test the water, but then I also think that we’ll see Jesse Marsch leaning on players that he’s either worked with in the past or knows a lot about from his career so far so that he can build a team that is adept to play his style of play.”

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Exciting claims

Indeed, these claims are surely going to leave the American head coach absolutely delighted as the club have already secured two familiar names in Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, both joining from RB. Salzburg for a combined £35m.

The Yorkshire giants could make it a hat-trick by signing another player with ties to the Austrian champions as Liverpool backup Takumi Minamino has been linked with a switch to Elland Road, whilst Bayern Munich outcast Marc Roca is another name heavily mooted.

Both Aaronson and Kristensen add quality to two much-needed positions – attacking midfield, where Leeds had failed to sign a new option for four years and right-back, where an upgrade was due.

Minamino would add a new dimension to Marsch’s attack, something that could be needed if Raphinha does depart the club. The Japan international bagged nine goals in 22 appearances under the American at Salzburg.

Roca would be another piece for the engine room and could be a solid option alongside Kalvin Phillips, who too has been linked with an exit.

Given the fact that the Whites only narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship on the final day of the season, Marsch will surely be buoyed by the club backing him in the transfer window to ensure that it won’t happen again.

It could be an exciting time to be a Leeds fan if Jones’ claims turn out to be true.

AND in other news, Orta given green light to seal “special” £18m Leeds swoop, he’s Marsch’s dream signing…

Everton join the race to sign Jesse Lingard

Everton struggled this season following a tight relegation battle in the Premier League, and Frank Lampard must improve the squad if they want to do better next time around.

To that effect, a new Goodison Park transfer target has now been revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to 90min, the Toffees have joined the race to sign former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard, who is now a free agent.

As per the report, the attacking midfielder is a potential target for not just Everton – his former Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho could try to tempt him with a move to Roma, or he could rejoin his former loan club West Ham United this summer.

Imagine him & Gordon

Everton are desperate to add new attacking threats to enhance their goalscoring opportunities following a lack of goals last season, which ultimately led to the Toffees struggling in the bottom half of the table, and signing Lingard could be a great solution to that problem ahead of next season.

The Merseyside club conceded 23 goals more than they scored in the 2021/22 Premier League, with Richarlison leading the way with 11 in all competitions. However, they will need to find a few more reliable scoring outlets if they want to break back into the top half next term.

Lingard has never been a consistent starter at Old Trafford, but during his time at his boyhood club, he has scored 35 goals and delivered 21 assists in 232 first-team appearances, with one goal contribution every 224 minutes. However, he has proven elsewhere that regular game-time enables him to offer a consistent attacking threat.

The £80k-p/w star, who was dubbed “infectious” by Manchester United legend Andy Cole, enjoyed a successful six-month loan spell at West Ham last year. He displayed his talents effectively in east London, scoring nine goals and contributing five assists in just 16 appearances, proving that he could be a very astute signing for any Premier League club this summer.

Lampard is already a huge fan of the 29-year-old and spoke out about him in 2018 on BT Sport (via The Sport Review), saying: “What I like about him is his game intelligence. You never see him linger on the ball when he doesn’t need to. He has the right amount of touches and knows when to arrive in the box at the right time.”

With that in mind, the Toffees manager could tee up a formidable attacking duo if he can secure the signing of Lingard and deploy him in the team alongside Anthony Gordon, who chipped in with seven goal contributions this term. The pair couldlink up to create more goal-scoring opportunities in the final third, ideally leading to Everton enjoying a more fruitful 2022/23 season.

AND in other news – Worse than Klassen: Journo claims Everton are now tracking “really slow” 31 y/o dud

Jullien backed to leave Celtic this summer

Out-of-favour Celtic centre-back Christopher Jullien will be sold by the club this summer, according to former Hoops striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Jullien’s lack of playing time

The 29-year-old has been dogged by injury problems during his time at Parkhead, which has stunted his development hugely since arriving in 2019.

In fact, Jullien was limited to just one Scottish Cup appearance in the entire 2021/22 season, with Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers the first-choice centre-back pairing.

The Frenchman’s current deal at Celtic expires next year and it looks likely that he will leave this summer.

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The Latest: Summer exit predicted for Jullien

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie said that he fully expects Jullien to move on from Glasgow this summer, claiming that Ange Postecoglou would be happy to sell the defender. The 62-year-old stated:

“It’s clear that Ange doesn’t like him [Jullien]. There were so many games to play last season and he never got a look in, that tells me he’s pretty much finished at Celtic.

“Carter-Vickers and Starfelt played every game. I think one of them needs a big, powerful defender to partner them at the back and you would think Jullien fits that mould.

“But he hasn’t played and it doesn’t sound like he’s injured again so Ange clearly doesn’t like him as a player. I expect he will leave this summer because Ange won’t keep anyone who isn’t contributing.”

The Verdict: Ideal time to leave

It is a shame how Jullien’s Celtic career has panned out overall – Neil Lennon once hailed him as ‘excellent’ – with the defender powerless to do anything about his constant injury issues over the years.

However, he is surely now surplus to requirements at Parkhead and it makes complete sense for him to leave this summer, giving the Hoops the chance to receive a fee for his services and him the chance to revive his career elsewhere.

If not, Jullien would be allowed to leave for free in 2023, which wouldn’t be beneficial for Celtic in the slightest. It therefore suits all parties to secure his exit imminently, if indeed a prospective suitor emerges.

In other news, a journalist has provided a key Celtic transfer update. Read more here.

Everton eye move for Clement Lenglet

Everton are set to have a busy summer transfer window following a disappointing season in the Premier League, and now a new transfer target has emerged that could be the first signing to improve the squad.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet SPORT, Everton are eyeing a move for Barcelona outcast Clement Lenglet this summer.

As per the report, the La Liga defender was not keen on an exit but has now accepted he is not in the current future plans of the club and is looking for a loan deal with an option to buy.

It is reported that Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal join Everton in keeping an eye on the player’s situation but no official moves have been made by any of the Premier League clubs as of yet.

Lampard needs him

There is no doubt that improvements are needed at Goodison Park and when you consider their defensive record in the Premier League last season, it is clear that Frank Lampard needs to acquire a player like Lenglet.

Everton faced a challenging relegation battle this season and only secured safety in their penultimate fixture in the league, which is a situation the Toffees won’t want to repeat again, so improving the defensive line is a huge must for the club when they’re identifying players to improve the squad.

Lampard’s side conceded the fifth-highest number of goals in the Premier League, and Jamie Carragher even branded the defence a “Championship back four” following their humiliating defeat to Spurs.

Lenglet who was hailed “world-class” by Didier Deschamps has been struggling for minutes at Barcelona but when he has played he has been efficient in his role as centre-back.

The £97k-per-week star has contributed one assist, created two big chances, made one tackle, completed two duels and offered up a 91% pass accuracy on average per game in his 21 La Liga appearances this season.

With that being said, making signings to improve the defence should be a huge priority for Farhad Moshiri this summer and if they can secure a deal for Lenglet it would be a major coup for the club over their competitors.

AND in other news: Everton can finally axe “waste of space” by signing £50m ace who is “Kante with goals”

Southampton: Source drops Lis claim

Southampton are set to secure the signing of goalkeeper Mateusz Lis, according to Polish outlet Sport. 

The lowdown: Career so far

Despite coming through the academy at Lech Poznan, Lis failed to make a single outing for the club before heading to Wisla Krakow on a permanent switch in 2018.

The 25-year-old shot-stopper made 70 appearances for the Ekstraklasa outfit and was signed by Turkish Super Lig side Altay Sk for £630,000 (Transfermarkt).

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However, following just one full season in Turkey, the former Poland youth international looks to be on the move once more having come to the end of his deal…

The latest: Deal close

As per Sport, Southampton are believed to be ‘interested’ in the free agent and are set to sign Lis on a five-year contract as Ralph Hasenhuttl performs much-needed surgery on the goalkeeping department at St Mary’s.

It’s claimed that the six-cap youth international – who has been billed as a player with ‘long term potential’ by journalist Alex Crook – will spend the 2022/23 campaign out on loan upon completion of his move to the South Coast.

The same report also details the ongoing Saints interest in Fiorentina star Bartlomiej Dragowski, who is also on the radar of Hasenhuttl as the Austrian prepares for the departure of Fraser Forster and Willy Caballero.

The verdict: Smart signing

Securing the capture of Lis would be a welcome addition to the Southampton squad, although it appears there will be a season-long wait to see the new man in action.

Last season, the Polish goalkeeper made 3.7 saves per game, kept seven clean sheets and only made one error leading to a goal whilst earning an impressive 7.01 average Sofascore rating from 35 Turkish top-flight outings.

When using the Fbref comparison tool, Lis stacks up positively against Forster, boasting a 74.1 save percentage compared to the Englishman’s 66.3 per cent from the 2021/22 campaign, whilst also saving 2/9 penalties faced compared to 0/2 during the season, highlighting an almost instant upgrade on the current first-choice.

In other news… a talkSPORT reporter has made this huge Saints transfer claim involving one of their summer targets

Journo drops 49ers claim at Leeds

Leeds United won’t be expecting much investment from the 49ers Enterprises if they go down, according to journalist Beren Cross…

What’s the word?

In a recent Q&A with supporters, the reliable LeedsLive reporter was asked about the situation at boardroom level, with one fan questioning whether or not their minority shareholders would hold back spending.

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He responded:

“Without knowing the small print of their agreement with [chairman Andrea] Radrizzani, my assumption would be they are far more cautious about putting any more money into a Championship club than they need to.

“They may well surprise us all in the summer with bold statements about investment and immediate promotion, but a relegation was evidently never a part of their plan when they came on board in 2018.”

No easy return

It took the Yorkshire giants 16 years to return to the big time, so if they were to be relegated this weekend, then there will surely be big worries around Elland Road.

Heading into the final game of the season on Sunday, the Whites are sat in the relegation zone on goal difference – by quite some margin too (20 goals). They simply have to better Burnley’s result against an in-form Newcastle United side to remain in the Premier League.

Given the fact that Leeds have picked up just two points from a possible 15, it is entirely plausible that they will be a Championship side once again and that division is not getting any easier either.

Very few teams have managed an instant comeback. It took over a decade-and-a-half to return themselves, and without that financial backing from the American heavyweights, that task could be even more difficult.

As such, supporters will surely be hugely concerned to read this latest claim from Cross, who effectively says that the 49ers group will not put in more than they have to.

If Leeds were challenging in the top half of the table, you’d imagine their backing could elevate the club into European reckoning but that’s nothing more than a pipe dream right now.

AND in other news, Jesse Marsch dealt fresh blow in relegation fight…

Everton transfer news on Osayi-Samuel

Frank Lampard has reportedly now personally requested to sign Bright Osayi-Samuel for Everton.

The Lowdown: Solid season

The 24-year-old is having a solid season at Fenerbahce, where he has scored two goals and supplied a further five assists playing as a right-back at times, and he has generally been a mainstay in a team who have played in the Europa League and Conference League (Transfermarkt).

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In the Turkish Super Lig, he ranks as their sixth-best performer, averaging more dribbles per game (2.3) than any of his team-mates (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, he could well be an exciting arrival at Goodison Park in the summer.

The Latest: Lampard requests

As per En Son Haber, Lampard has now made a personal request to add Osayi-Samuel to Everton’s transfer list for the summer.

The 24-year-old currently holds a market value of €6m (£5.1m), and the Toffees will ‘knock on Fenerbahce’s door’ after the campaign has ended.

The Verdict: Bargain

Signing a player for just £5.1m in today’s market holds real value, and the Blues could be getting a bargain on their hands if they were to snap up Osayi-Samuel for that amount.

Described as a player with ‘blistering pace’ and who ‘terrifies defenders’ by his former QPR manager Mark Warburton (Kilburn Times), he could offer Everton another dimension in attack and possibly give defenders in the Premier League a few problems.

Also, at only 24 years of age, he could be an ideal replacement for the 33-year-old Seamus Coleman at right-back.

In other news, find out who EFC are now fighting Liverpool to sign here!

Watkins and Ings now thriving for Villa

Ex-BBC pundit Noel Whelan has claimed that Steven Gerrard has ‘hit the jackpot’ by creating the strike partnership of Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa.

The Lowdown: Formidable duo

The 41-year-old boss named the attacking duo in his starting line-up for his side’s recent comfortable 3-1 victory over relegation-battling Burnley, and his decision to play the 4-4-2 diamond formation clearly paid off, with both of the forwards getting their name on the scoresheet.

According to a report from a Football Insider transfer source back in April, the Villans are thought to be preparing a brand new bumper deal for Watkins, amid receiving interest for the player from Premier League rivals Arsenal, whilst Ings is believed to be catching the eye of Brighton as they search for a new centre-forward this summer.

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The Latest: Gerrard has hit the jackpot

Reacting to the news of Watkins’ potential new deal, Whelan has urged Gerrard to keep hold of his men and persist with this new-found successful formation. He told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury: “Ings and Watkins are not bad Premier League strikers.

“They seem to thrive from playing with one another, and both are pretty well-rounded forwards. They can do almost everything in that final third.

“I think right now that a diamond system is a brilliant option for Steven Gerrard. He’s hit the jackpot.

“They don’t lose any creativity by having two centre forwards. They can both drop in and play in between the lines if they have to.

“The goals at the weekend just prove that they can be a really potent strike force when they are given the opportunity to play together.”

The Verdict: The perfect formula

Ings first arrived at Villa Park from Southampton last summer and has enjoyed a decent albeit slightly underwhelming first season in the Midlands, providing seven goal contributions in as many appearances in an excellent recent run of form.

Watkins joined a year before his teammate from Brentford for what was a club-record fee of £28m, and so far this campaign, the pair have netted a combined total of 17 top-flight goals between them.

If the pair of poachers continue their impressive returns between now and the end of the term, there is a definite chance that Gerrard’s boys could be set for a top ten finish before aiming even higher from next season.

In other news… The Daily Mail have reported that one Villa star wants to leave the club this summer.

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