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Leeds United remain interested in a deal to bring Ben Brereton Diaz to Elland Road next summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Estadio Deportivo, who claim that, after being heavily linked with a move for the Blackburn Rovers centre-forward in the summer transfer window, Victor Orta remains keen on a deal to bring the 23-year-old to LS11 at the end of the current campaign – when the Chile international could be available on a free transfer.

However, the report goes on to state that a host of European sides are also tracking the forward, with UD Almeria, Valencia, Celta Vigo, Sevilla and AC Milan all believed to be keeping a very close eye on the situation of the attacker ahead of a potential move of their own, while Everton are set to offer the Whites competition from the Premier League in the race for the striker.

Absolute bargain

Considering just how impressive Brereton Diaz has been for Blackburn in recent seasons, in addition to the fact that the forward had a reported asking price of £20m last summer, should Orta be able to beat off a number of Champions League competitors in the race for the 23-year-old’s signature on a free, it would not only represent a huge coup for the Whites but also an absolute bargain.

Indeed, over his 37 Championship appearances in 2021/22, the £14.4m-rated talent was in sensational form, scoring 22 goals, registering three assists and creating three big chances, in addition to taking an average of 2.8 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game – with these returns seeing him average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.94.

It has been a similar story over his 14 second-tier fixtures so far this season, with the £6.5k-per-week attacker having already bagged seven goals, provided one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.2 shots – 1.1 of which have hit the target – making 0.7 key passes and completing 0.9 dribbles per game.

These metrics have seen the player who Tony Mowbray dubbed “extraordinary” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.84, currently ranking him as Rovers’ eighth-best performer in the Championship this term.

Furthermore, with Brereton Diaz being able to operate from the left wing or as an out-and-out centre-forward, aside from his clinical nature in the final third, the 14-cap international’s impressive positional versatility also makes him an extremely attractive prospect for potential new suitors – particularly the Whites.

As such, it would appear extremely wise for Orta to do everything in his power to win the race for the Chilean sensation next summer, as it is clear to see that landing a player of Brereton Diaz’s ability for nothing would represent an absolute steal.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is waiting on a last-minute decision as to whether he will be involved in Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Copenhagen, according to injury analyst Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Rodri’s injury

Ahead of Sunday’s 6-3 demolition in the Manchester derby, the Spain international sustained an injury in the final training session before the game, leading manager Pep Guardiola to leave him out of the match-day squad.

The boss added he did not want to risk the 26-year-old with City’s busy upcoming Premier League schedule ahead of the World Cup taking place in November.

The Latest: Dinnery’s news

Ahead of City’s Champions League fixture against Copenhagen, Dinnery has shared an update on Rodri’s availability.

Taking to Twitter, the injury analyst reported:

“Kyle Walker is out of the Champions League tie with FC Copenhagen. Rodri ‘feels better’ and a decision on his involvement will be made after the final session this afternoon.”

The Verdict: Huge boost

When looking at Rodri’s underlying stats, it is clear to see how important he is to Guardiola’s setup at City.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the midfielder ranks in the top one percent for passes attempted and in the top two percent for pass completion, also ranking in the top six percent for aerials won.

Hailed as an ‘absolutely incredible’ player by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, news of Rodri’s return will come as a relief to City fans, with the defensive midfielder having averaged an impressive 7.20 match rating in the Champions League this year.

Sunderland are expected to appoint former Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray as their new manager imminently.

The Lowdown: Mowbray’s career

Arriving at Ewood Park in February 2017 with Blackburn second-bottom of the Championship table, the 58-year-old led the side to automatic promotion from League One the following season after their inevitable relegation from the second division.

After missing out on the Championship play-offs and promotion to the Premier League last season due to a disappointing end to the 2021/22 campaign, Mowbray left the club after five years in charge, relinquishing his title as the league’s longest-serving manager.

Previously, during his three-year stint at West Brom, the Englishman led the Baggies to the 2007/08 Championship title, securing promotion to the Premier League.

The Latest: Hunter’s news

After Alex Neil vacated his position as Sunderland boss, speculation had Mowbray down as the favourite to take on the role.

James Hunter has now shared an update on the Black Cats’ managerial search, revealing that a deal is now close to being finalised.

Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist claimed:

“Tony Mowbray is due at the AoL this morning and is expected to finalise deal to take over as #safc’s new head coach.

“Possible he could take training today ahead of tomorrow’s game against Rotherham.”

The Verdict: Safe appointment

According to The Northern Echo, even if the Wearside club do confirm his appointment later today, it is unlikely he will be in charge of the side for their home fixture against Rotherham United.

Instead, his first game as manager is more likely to come in the Tees-Wear derby against Middlesbrough, whom he managed between 2010 and 2013, during which Boro averaged 1.44 points per game.

With the likes of Scottish champions Celtic and also Coventry City on his CV, Mowbray’s wealth of experience suggests he is a good appointment for Sunderland, who will surely be prioritising stability in their first season back in the Championship.

An update has emerged on Rangers defender Adam Devine and the club’s plans for his future at Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Gers are in talks with the right-back to extend his current contract with the Scottish giants.

The report claims that his current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2023 and that they are now looking to pin him down to fresh terms.

It is stated that he is highly rated by the coaches at Ibrox and that they believe the youngster has the potential to become a first-team regular in the future.

James Tavernier’s heir

Rangers could keep hold of the long-term heir to their captain by convincing Devine to put pen to paper on an extension to his contract.

As it stands, the 19-year-old will be able to leave on a free transfer at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and that is why pinning him to a new deal would be a crucial piece of business by Ross Wilson.

Tavernier, who ex-Gers boss Steven Gerrard once dubbed “unstoppable”, turns 31 in October and recently committed his future to the club until 2026.

This does not mean that he is guaranteed to be the first-choice at right-back until then, though, as it is impossible to predict how his performances will go as he heads into his mid-30’s.

At the age of 19, Devine has plenty of time left ahead of him to potentially replace the captain in the future, whether that is down to his own displays forcing the issue or a natural regression from Tavernier.

Gio van Bronckhorst has already shown that he sees something he likes in the teen by handing him two appearances in the Premiership last season.

Journalist Craig Vickers hailed him after a meeting against Hearts, saying: “Devine isn’t as clean technically as Patterson and doesn’t have his self-belief in possession, but he looks like another powerful runner in that position.”

The defender has also been on the bench for three first-team matches in 2022/23 and this, coupled with how highly the coaches rate him, suggests that the potential is there for him to make a breakthrough in the future.

As with any young player, nothing is guaranteed and Devine has to keep working hard to improve and develop in training.

If he can continue on the right track and reach the levels his coaches believe that he can then he could end up being Tavernier’s heir, which is why securing his future with a new deal would be a good move by the club.

Rangers summer signings Ridvan Yilmaz and Rabbi Matondo trained with the team on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League qualifier, according to The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell.

The Lowdown: Rangers’ summer signings

The Light Blues have been busy at work during the transfer window this summer, with numerous arrivals and departures to and from Ibrox.

Last month, the Gers announced the signing of 21-year-old Rabbi Matondo, who made the switch to Glasgow from Schalke 04 in a deal worth £1.8m. The Wales international joined the German outfit from Manchester City in 2019 for a staggering £11m.

Giovanni van Bronckhost’s side also recently announced the arrival of Ridvan Yilmaz at Ibrox, who joined the club in a deal worth £3.4m plus add-ons. The Turkey international made his debut for Besiktas in 2019 as an 18-year-old and has since gone on to make 62 appearances in all competitions for the Super Lig giants.

The Latest: Campbell’s team news

With Matondo having missed out on Rangers’ opening game of the Premiership season against Livingston due to injury, Campbell has shared an update on the youngster’s fitness.

Also speaking about recent arrival Yilmaz, the reliable journalist took to Twitter on Monday morning to state: “Ridvan Yilmaz and Rabbi Matondo trained with the team yesterday ahead of the UCL qualifier tomorrow.

“Another session in store today but Van Bronckhorst says a couple of players are still doubts.”

The Verdict: Big boost

The inclusion of Matondo and Yilmaz in the Gers’ squad for their Champions League qualifier against Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday will come as a big boost to Van Brockhorst’s side.

With it being Rangers’ first continental clash since the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt in May, the Light Blues will be desperate to progress in the Champions League this season.

However, with Saint-Gilloise narrowly missing out on the Belgian title last year, this will be no easy fixture for Van Bronckhorst’s men.

Therefore, the possible inclusion of the two new signings will come as a boost to Rangers, providing them with alternative options in the latter stages of the match in Belgium if needed.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has finally found his dream replacement for Armando Broja in the form of striker Sekou Mara from Girondins de Bordeaux.

Saints confirmed on Thursday that they have reached an agreement to sign Mara from French side Bordeaux subject to international clearance. He is set to become their sixth summer signing and finally adds much-needed quality to their forward line.

According to The Atheltic, the fee agreed is €13m (£11m) with Mara becoming an integral part of their squad, filling the void left by Shane Long and Armando Broja, who departed the club at the end of the season.

Long left St Mary’s Stadium on a free transfer joining Reading, and Broja returned to Chelsea following a successful loan spell.

Mara represents manager Ralph Hasenhuttl’s dream replacement for Broja, being a young talented centre-forward who can hopefully replicate the goal tally reached by the Albanian last season.

At least 6 feet tall he brings a physical presence that is perhaps lacking from their current options of Adam Armstrong and Che Adams, and at just 19 years old he had years ahead of him to only get better.

Last season in Ligue 1 Mara made 26 appearances and scored six goals in a Bordeaux side that finished bottom of the table. He seems far too good to be playing in France’s second division so a move to Southampton is a step in the right direction.

Journalist Josh Bunting also thinks the same and recently described Mara as a “very exciting young talent”.

He will get great exposure in the Premier League and replicating his form will ensure the Saints aren’t in a battle for relegation themselves.

If you compare him to Broja, the man he will be replacing, they produce identical statistics in many areas. Not 0nly did they score the same number of goals but Mara has a pass accuracy percentage of 68% which compares to Broja’s 61%.

The Frenchman also made 1.5 shots per game in comparison to the Albanian’s 1.4.

Supporters will be able to breathe a sigh of relief now that the club have finally signed a striker. It is still set to be a difficult season but they are in a much better position now that Mara is part of the squad.

AND in other news, Hasenhuttl could make big “improvement” in £21m Saints swoop for “Ibrahimovic-machine”…

An update has emerged on Newcastle and their pursuit of Armando Broja in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to iNews, the Chelsea centre-forward is open to making the switch to St. James’ Park ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that the Magpies have made an enquiry over a potential deal for the striker and have now been given the green light to pursue a deal as the player is receptive to the idea of a transfer.

It is not stated how much the Blues would want for his services, but it has previously been reported that it may take a whopping £58m to snap him up.

Imagine him & Callum Wilson

Newcastle would have an excellent set of options at the top end of the pitch if they secured a deal to bring Broja to Tyneside.

They already have the experienced and clinical Callum Wilson, so the English-born Albanian international would be able to learn from him and improve over time.

Broja scored nine goals in all competitions on loan at Southampton last term. He has shown signs of promise at Premier League level, at such a young age, and has the potential to be a sublime signing for the Magpies in the long term.

The 20-year-old’s impressive form last term led to Albania’s assistant Sergio Porrini saying: “From last year to this he has grown a lot and at Southampton, he has exploded.

“His greatest qualities are in his progression, especially the ball and chain. . Less good on the other hand with his back to the goal, in the construction of the action, but in the spaces it is devastating.”

He is a promising youngster who is still developing and in need of experience at the top level, which is why having him alongside Wilson in training – and potentially in matches – would be a perfect situation for him.

The 30-year-old Englishman has been around the block and knows exactly how to score goals in the Premier League, with 20 goals in 39 starts in the division since arriving at Newcastle, showing that he is a reliable number nine for the Toon.

Wilson can take Broja under his wing and help the 20-year-old to fulfill his potential, hopefully helping him to become a consistent goalscorer in the top-flight – as his statistics suggest that he has the scope to achieve that.

AND in other news, Howe can land dream Ekitike alternative as NUFC plot bid for “powerful” £8.5m dynamo…

Reliable journalist Ross Gregory has revealed some surprising behind-the-scenes news at Sunderland.

The Lowdown: Championship preparation

The new set of Championship fixtures for next season were released on Thursday, with Alex Neil’s side hosting Coventry City at the Stadium of Light on the opening weekend.

The Scotsman will now be eager to get transfer business finalised and his squad together for pre-season, as well as sorting out his backroom team.

The Latest: Shock

Taking to Twitter, Gregory has revealed that both David Preece and Phil Jevons have now been ‘axed’ from Neil’s backroom staff:

“I understand David Preece and Phil Jevons have been axed from Alex Neil’s backroom staff.”

Expanding in his article for The Chronicle, Gregory adds that the goalkeeping and first team coach were told this week that they would not be part of the upcoming campaign, in a ‘shock’ shake-up just over a month before the season starts.

The Verdict: Ruthless

The Wearside gaffer is clearly being ruthless with regards to who he is going to take with him as part of his backroom staff, with a long and difficult season ahead having only just gained promotion from League One.

The Black Cats clearly feel as if Preece and Jevons are not up to the standard in the Championship, and will now have to find replacements for the pair as quickly as possible – perhaps Neil even has names in mind already.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Djed Spence.

What’s the latest?

In a recent article for Caught Offside, the Italian journalist revealed that Antonio Conte’s side are currently the frontrunners in the race to sign the 21-year-old right-back, with an offer of £16m reported to be enough for Middlesbrough to sanction the sale of the England U21 international this summer.

The transfer insider goes on to state that Bayern Munich attempted to open talks regarding a move for the defender prior to their signing of Noussair Mazraoui, while Nottingham Forest are also said to be pursuing a permanent deal for the former Fulham starlet after securing promotion to the Premier League.

In his article, Romano wrote: “Spurs frontrunners for Championship wonderkid…Djed Spence has already received many important approaches from clubs for next season since March.

“Behind the scenes, Bayern Munich tried to start a negotiation before retiring from the race as the Noussair Mazraoui (initially close to joining Barcelona) opportunity opened up.

“Now, Spurs are still in contact for Spence and consider him a possibility for their right-wing, but Fabio Paratici is always able to have three or four targets in the same position; Nottingham Forest are already trying to find an agreement with Middlesbrough to have Spence in the Premier League. Surprises are not excluded.”

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“Unbelievable”

Considering the sheer amount of potential Spence quite clearly possesses, Romano’s claim that Fabio Paratici is currently leading the race to sign the right-back is sure to leave the Tottenham Hotspur faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 42 Championship appearances for Steve Cooper’s side this season, the £4.4k-per-week talent was in breathtaking form, bagging two goals, registering five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.0 key passes, taking 0.6 shots and completing 1.8 dribbles per fixture.

The £7.2m-rated full-back who Romano dubbed a “wonderkid” also highly impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.5 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.4 clearances and winning 5.8 duels per game.

These metrics saw the 21-year-old average a rather sensational WhoScored match rating of 7.05, ranking him as Forest’s sixth-best player in the division.

As such, with the signing of a new right wing-back reported to be one of Antonio Conte’s priority targets in the summer transfer window, the news that Tottenham are in pole position to land Spence is certainly an incredibly exciting prospect, as the England youth international would quite clearly be an “unbelievable” – in the words of Ian Wright – signing for Paratici to get over the line.

AND in other news: Paratici given green light for “unbelievable” £40m Spurs signing, he’s Conte’s “dream”

Manchester City are interested in signing Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni this summer. He is a promising young talent and could make a perfect partner to Ruben Dias in the long term.

A recent report from FCInterNews (via Manchester Evening News) revealed that City have spoken to the representatives of the player after being impressed by his displays for the Serie A outfit this season.

However, they aren’t the only club interested and face a battle against local rivals Manchester United and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Bastoni moved to Inter from Atalanta back in 2017 for £28m in what was a huge fee for a relatively unproven player at the time. He stayed in Bergamo for another season as part of the deal before spending a further campaign out on loan at Parma.

He has made 30 appearances in the Serie A this term and has played a key part in Inter’s push for the Scudetto, proving himself to be a reliable player at the top level despite only being 23-years-old.

It’s a very similar story to Dias who moved to The Etihad Stadium in 2020 from Benfica for £65m. Nobody could have predicted just how good he was at the time, but he helped the Citizens reclaim their Premier League crown and was rewarded by being named the league’s player of the season.

City could repeat this success by signing Bastoni, if you compare the statistics of both players he already excels in some areas.

Dubbed “special” by Squawka reporter Muhammad Butt, he has tackled a higher percentage of dribblers this season at 58% compared to 44% for Dias. The Italian is also impressive in the air having won 63% of his aerial duels which beats Dias’ 60%.

It makes sense for Guardiola to sign a player like Bastoni, and at such a young age he could form a partnership with Dias that would help guarantee City stay successful even after the Spanish manager leaves.

Further lure towards the player is unearthed when you see that he was described as a “phenomenon” by Serie A expert Conor Clancy in an interview with Football FanCast. On that evidence, he is clearly blessed with mesmeric talent but rated at £54m, he won’t come cheap.

A key characteristic needed to be a successful defender in a Guardiola side is composure on the ball, and with 272 touches in the defensive penalty area this campaign Bastoni has also shown he is comfortable with the ball at his feet.

It will take a big fee to persuade Inter to sell, but the chance to play in the Premier League and under one of the world’s best managers is surely something the player wouldn’t turn down.

IN other news: Huge blow: Big behind the scenes Man City claim emerges, it’s bad news for supporters…