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Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement will have the chance to make changes to his squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Belgian boss has only had the January market to work with so far, having arrived in October to replace Michael Beale last year, and made three loan signings.

Fabio Silva, Mohammed Diomande, and Oscar Cortes were all snapped up by Clement and Head of Recruitment Nils Koppen, and the pair could look to make further alterations to the group ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Gers could also end up losing or letting go a number of players to make way for new signings to take their place, particularly with a host of first-team stars out of contract in the summer.

John Lundstram, Leon Balogun, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, and Ryan Jack are all due to become free agents at the end of the season, unless the club pin them down to extensions.

John Lundstram transfer latest

According to Turkish outlet Fanatik, as relayed by Sport Witness, Trabzonspor manager Abdullah Avci is keen to get a deal over the line to sign Lundstram on a free transfer.

The outlet claims that the Super Lig side are aiming to reach an agreement with the former Sheffield United midfielder to join them for nothing in the coming months.

It also states that they have already agreed a deal with his teammate Barisic, who now looks set to complete a move to Turkey this summer, and they may hope that the Croatia international can convince the Englishman to follow the same route.

Clement could give up on trying to convince Lundstram to remain at Ibrox and ditch the central midfielder this summer by pursuing a deal to sign Motherwell starlet Lennon Miller.

At the end of last month, former Rangers ace Derek Ferguson urged the club to swoop in for Miller over Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron, as he claimed that the teenage whiz has more to his game as an all-round number eight than the Dons gem.

In November of last year, TEAMtalk named Rangers as one of a number of clubs keeping tabs on the Scottish youngster ahead of a potential swoop.

Scottish rivals Celtic have also had their eye on the talented ace, whilst they could also face competition from teams in the Premier League down south.

Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United have all watched him in action for Motherwell throughout the campaign.

Rangers must now press ahead and act upon their interest in the 17-year-old dynamo, who has caught the eye in the Scottish Premiership this term, to then allow them to ditch Lundstram with no worries about the hole that would leave in the XI.

Why Rangers should sign Lennon Miller

Despite not turning 18 until August, the Motherwell enforcer has already proven himself to be a terrific SPFL midfielder with his performances this season.

In fact, the 17-year-old battler has showcased his quality against Rangers, and Lundstram in particular, with a dominant display in a 2-1 win for his team at Ibrox.

Minutes played

90

90

Touches

89

58

Duels won

5/11

10/12

Tackles

1

3

Interceptions

1

3

Key passes

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Miller got the better of the Englishman in the physical battle in the middle of the park, whilst only creating one fewer chance with 31 touches less than the experienced gem.

The teenage dynamo, who has been described as a "midfield machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also stepped up against Celtic for his team back in February, with an outstanding assist to help his side take the lead in the match.

Miller took a phenomenal touch on the half-turn to bamboozle Hoops captain Callum McGregor, and then had the presence of mind and weight of pass to tee up Blair Spittal to whip the ball into the far corner.

This shows that he has the quality to stand out against the two best teams in Scotland, which suggests that the youngster has the mentality and ability required to play for a top team, given he can stand up on the biggest stages in the Premiership.

How Lennon Miller compares to John Lundstram

At the age of 17, Miller is not the finished article, and it is worth considering that Clement could work with him to develop the young star's weak points over the years to come.

Passing is an obvious area for improvement for the 5 foot 10 battler, as his passing accuracy of 68% falls well short of Lundstram's 89% for Rangers in the Premiership this season.

Although, Motherwell do only average 44.5% of possession in the league, compared to Rangers' 63.4% possession, and Miller's passing could improve in a team that has more control of the game and space to work with.

Appearances

20

31

Assists

2

4

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.9

2.6

Ball recoveries per game

6.4

6.5

Dribbled past per game

0.9

1.1

Ground duel success rate

68%

49%

Aerial duel success rate

70%

57%

As you can see in the table above, the Gers target is already significantly better than Lundstram when it comes to their respective work out of possession.

Despite his team having more of the ball, the Light Blues midfielder has been dribbled past 0.2 times more per match and made fewer tackles and interceptions combined per game.

Miller has also won a considerably higher percentage of his duels, both on the deck and in the air, despite only being 17, and this speaks to his impressive physicality and mobility at such a young age.

Club ready to sign “excellent” £22,000-a-week Rangers star with new offer

How big a loss would he be for the Gers?

ByHenry Jackson Apr 21, 2024

Therefore, Clement could brutally ditch his 30-year-old metronome by securing a deal to sign the Motherwell star this summer, due to the impressive physical and defensive attributes that he could bring to the Gers team next season and moving forward.

13 years younger than the Englishman, Miller would also be a fantastic long-term signing for Rangers and someone the club could invest in as a future asset to sell on for a profit, whilst also being a key player in the short-to-mid-term.

Arsenal may well be top of the Premier League table but there feels an air of inevitability about their chasers, Manchester City.

They haven't lost a single game in the top flight throughout 2024 and should they succeed in not dropping another point from now until the season's end, they will be crowned champions of England again.

At that point, the Gunners will likely just have to shrug it off. Barring a few blips in the road, they have more or less done all they could. Sticking eight goals past Tottenham and Chelsea is no mean feat.

In short, this campaign has been an exceptional one for Mikel Arteta's side. They showed as much with a captivating 3-2 win over rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

The Gunners weren't at their free-flowing best but still found a route through to goal, leading the north London derby 3-0 at the break.

Spurs battled back courtesy of Cristian Romero and Heung-min Son but it was too little too late for Ange Postecoglou's men.

For the Gunners, they have much to savour with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka – the scorer of Arsenal's goals – notably shining.

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, however, with one or two players underperforming at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. One of those was in-form man Leandro Trossard.

Leandro Trossard's performance in numbers

£27m was the fee Arsenal paid to land the Belgian in January of 2023. It's mighty fine business indeed.

Trossard has been a sensation at times this season and is remarkably the club's second top goalscorer with 15 strikes in 2023/24. Only Saka, Arsenal's golden boy, has found the net on more occasions.

The attacker has been particularly vibrant in recent weeks. It was the former Brighton man who scored that vital goal in the Champions League against Porto. It was Trossard who found the net in the first leg against Bayern Munich, it was Trossard who opened the scoring versus Wolves and it was that man again who opened proceedings against Chelsea a few days ago.

He is well and truly a man on fire and deserved his starting berth on the left-hand side against Tottenham on Sunday.

Sadly, he wasn't at the races at all. FFC handed the winger a 4/10 match rating for what was a rather anonymous display.

The Belgium international rarely found much space on his side of the field which ultimately led to a performance where he managed just one shot towards goal, which happened to be blocked.

Minutes played

63

Touches

28

Accurate passes

12/13 (93%)

xG

0.06

xA

0.03

Key passes

0

Shots

1

Dribble success

3/3

Crosses

0/3

Duels won

4/8

Possession lost

8x

Hauled off after 63 minutes for a more lively Gabriel Martinelli, Trossard headed to the subs bench having had just 28 touches of the ball, the lowest of any Arsenal starter and even fewer than Raya in goal.

That substantiates how little impact he had on the game, also making just 12 passes all match, again the lowest of any player to start the clash in the capital.

The 29-year-old did complete all three of his attempted dribbles on the afternoon but that was as good as it got for a character who looked rather out of sorts.

Trossard has been exceptional of late but it would not be a great surprise if sooner rather than later we saw Martinelli back in the starting lineup. That could start with Bournemouth next Saturday lunchtime.

Spurs 2-3 Arsenal: Player ratings & match recap

Arsenal took on Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

ByMatt Dawson Apr 28, 2024

With Callum Wilson's Newcastle United future in doubt, the Magpies have reportedly made their first move to secure a significant upgrade for Eddie Howe this summer.

Newcastle transfer news

Those at St James' Park look set for a busy summer, with a deal reportedly already agreed to sign Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly in a free deal upon the expiry of his current contract. The defender will hopefully arrive to add the squad depth that Howe's side so desperately lack within the backline, especially after ACL injuries to both Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.

£60,000-p/w Newcastle fan favourite could now join Premier League rivals

He’s struggled to find his best form this season.

ByTom Cunningham May 9, 2024

As Kelly arrives, however, Wilson could be heading for the exit door. Now 32 years old and still struggling with injuries, the forward has just over a year left on his current deal, leaving Newcastle with limited time to cash in on the injury-prone attacker. Those injury troubles do not take away from the need to replace Wilson if he does leave, however, and the Magpies seem to be well aware of that given recent reports.

According to GiveMeSport, Newcastle have made contact to sign Dominic Solanke this summer following the Bournemouth forward's excellent campaign for the Cherries. It remains to be seen how much PIF would be left paying for the forward, but an 18-goal Premier League forward is unlikely to come cheap.

The prospect of Alexander Isak and Solanke partnering up or rotating should be enticing enough to draw Newcastle into a potential deal, however, as they look to break back into the Premier League's top four next season.

Signing Solanke would also ease any potential departure blow if Isak was tempted away by the likes of Arsenal in the coming months. Suddenly, those at St James' Park would have a ready-made replacement to lead the line with similar quality in Solanke. That said, having two young and hungry number nines could be a real game-changer moving forwards, and fans will be desperate for the Swedish star to stay put.

"Complete" Solanke can follow Wilson path

Newcastle and Bournemouth are no strangers in the transfer market, with a number of stars heading the way of St James' Park in recent years alongside Howe. Now, the latest to do so looks set to be Kelly, before Solanke possibly follows in his footsteps. There's some irony involved that Newcastle are looking to replace Wilson and the first place they've turned to is Bournemouth, where they initially bought the Englishman from.

Looking to do business with another clinical Bournemouth forward years later, Solanke can follow Wilson's path to becoming a Champions League player and so much more. Cherries boss Andoni Iraola will be keen to keep hold of his star man though, having been full of praise for the clinical striker earlier this season.

Iraola told the Bournemouth Echo: “I think he is really complete. He helps us without the ball and on the ball. He is good technically, to play with his feet. He uses his body well. If they leave him space at the back, he can also exploit it. He had his chances. He scored, he hit the post. I think he was really dangerous. He helped his teammates a lot. I am really happy with him.”

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly will be forced to sell a player they valued at £50 million for a seismic discount this summer.

Chelsea players up for sale amid PSR concerns

The west Londoners have just over a month to raise £100 million through player sales, or risk being sanctioned by the Premier League.

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ByEmilio Galantini May 14, 2024

That is according to widespread reports, with rival clubs believing Chelsea must source £100 million by June 30 amid their worries surrounding Profit and Sustainability rules. The west Londoners announced a £90.1 million loss in their latest set of financial accounts for 2022/2023, and the Premier League only allows clubs to make a £105 million loss over a rolling three-year period.

After spending over £1 billion on new signings since the summer of 2022, Chelsea are far exceeding the limit, meaning Boehly and co may orchestrate a fire-sale of players to bring in funds.

Moises Caicedo

£115 million

Enzo Fernandez

£107 million

Mykhailo Mudryk

£88 million

Wesley Fofana

£72 million

Marc Cucurella

£58 million

Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling could be sold by Chelsea, with the former's contract expiring next year and the latter reportedly open to offers from other sides (Simon Phillips).

The English duo are by no means Chelsea's only big names who could be up for grabs, though, as the club have a plethora of players out on loan right now. Romelu Lukaku commands a price tag of around £39 million for interested sides, according to Fabrizio Romano, and he's apparently held talks with clubs in Saudi Arabia already (Rudy Galetti).

The Belgian has spent 2023/2024 on loan at Roma in Serie A, with young Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen also reaching the Champions League final on a temporary stint at Borussia Dortmund.

Maatsen is certain to leave Chelsea permanently this summer, according to another report by Romano, coming after his excellent campaign in the Bundesliga. The 22-year-old is flying under Edin Terzic, but the same definitely cannot be said for striker Armando Broja.

Boehly forced to sell Broja for big discount

The Albanian, who was valued at £50 million in January, has endured a torrid time on loan at Fulham – barely playing a minute behind the in-form Rodrigo Muniz.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Ben Jacobs says Boehly could now be forced to sell Broja at a seismic Chelsea discount – which could even go as low as 50 per cent off.

"I think Chelsea would bite their hand off if a suitor offered £35 million for Amando Broja," said Jacobs.

"And very possibly now will have to consider offers between £25 and £30 million in order to get a permanent sale.

"Maybe they will consider a loan with an option or an obligation, again to bring in some short-term finances and resolve the situation, but it certainly won't be easy to get even the lower end of their original valuation for Broja just because he's not been playing he's not been scoring."

It was a mixed bag of a season for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Ange Postecoglou got off to a flying start with a ten-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League, but a slew of injuries saw the wheels come off partway through the campaign, and a string of defeats towards the end saw them just miss out on Champions League qualification.

However, considering people's expectations before things kicked off, securing Europa League football for 2024/25 isn't too bad.

On top of that, the club welcomed a number of impressive signings over the summer, like James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, and one more who is now worth substantially more than club captain Son Heung-min.

Brennan Johnson's Spurs career

The Lilywhites completed the £47.5m signing of Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest on deadline day last summer, and while there was some excitement around the arrival of a young attacking talent who had scored ten goals and provided three assists in 44 games the season prior, the fee raised a few eyebrows.

It wasn't the easiest start to life in North London for the Welshman, and he was even described as "disappointing" by Gary Neville in a game against Manchester United a few months in.

However, as the season went on, the 23-year-old seemingly grew in confidence, and fans started to see more of what he could offer on the pitch.

In all, the Nottingham-born winger made 34 appearances for the Lilywhites, in which he scored five goals and provided ten assists. This means he averaged a goal involvement every 2.2 games, which is a reasonably impressive return for his first season in the team.

Appearances

32

2

Goals

5

0

Assists

10

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.00

Moreover, the "superb" gem, as he was described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, was also relatively unlucky this season, with Understat recording him as having an expected goals figure of 11.90 in the league, meaning had he been able to take his chances better, he could have ended the campaign with another six goals to his name.

Now, while this is undoubtedly his fault to some extent, the fact that the Welshman was able to produce such a high figure in just 32 league appearances is an achievement in itself and lends credence to U23 scout Antonio Mango's description of the winger as being "a real handful."

In all, while Johnson's first season wasn't the most straightforward, he showed his ability towards the end of it, and as a result, his valuation has actually increased.

Brennan Johnson's transfer valuation in 2024

According to CIES Football Observatory, Johnson is now worth €60m, which converts to around £51m, or about £3.5m more than he cost Spurs last summer.

1

Dejan Kulusevski

€80m(£68mm)

24

2

Brennan Johnson

€60m(£51m)

23

3

Timo Werner

€20m(£17m)

28

4

Manor Solomon

€10m(£9m)

24

4

Bryan Gil

€10m(£9m)

23

5

Mikey Moore

€5m(£4m)

16

5

Yago Santiago

€5m(£4m)

21

His new price tag also makes him the second most valuable winger at the club, behind Dejan Kulusevski and ahead of Timo Werner.

It also means the 23-year-old is now worth twice as much as his captain, Son, whom CIES price at €30m, or around £26m.

This isn't to say that the Welshman is double the player of the South Korean, as the latter's return of 17 goals and ten assists in just 36 games this season highlights how he is still one of the best attackers in the league.

Instead, it is likely due to the fact that he is turning 32 this summer, and his £190k-per-week contract is set to expire next summer – both things that significantly affect a player's resale value.

Ultimately, Johnson isn't a better player than Son – very few players in the league are – but his slightly increased valuation validates his signing and acts as a reminder that, at just 23, he has plenty of potential.

Spurs struck gold with "complete & dominant" ace now worth 2x more than Son

The incredible talent could remain a key player for the Lilywhites for years to come.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 25, 2024

Newcastle United’s efforts in the transfer window over the last couple of years have been very successful, signing multiple key players that have transformed them from relegation contenders to European hopefuls.

Last summer, the Magpies invested in youth, keeping one eye on the future with the arrivals of full-backs Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento from Chelsea and Southampton, respectively.

However, Eddie Howe’s side have also targeted key players from all over Europe in the hope they could transform his side – an ambition that has certainly been fulfilled following the Champions League campaign they enjoyed this season.

£60m signing Alexander Isak has been a huge part of the club’s recent success, scoring 35 times in his 67 games for the Magpies – an average of one goal every 1.9 matches.

Despite the Swede’s form on Tyneside, the club are looking to sign another player who could potentially push one of Isak’s teammates to a new level, building on his excellent individual season during 2023/24.

Newcastle interested in £21m talent this summer

According to TuttoJuve, Newcastle are one of a number of Premier League sides interested in signing American central midfielder Weston McKennie this summer.

The 25-year-old, who previously had a spell on loan at Leeds United in the Premier League, has featured in 34 Serie A matches this season, but could still be set for an exit from Italian giants Juventus.

Aston Villa and Everton are also said to be interested in McKennie, whose contract is set to expire next summer, with this window potentially the last opportunity for Juve to receive a fee for him should he decide against a new deal in Italy.

The report states that they are looking for a fee in the region of £21m to part ways with the USA international – a fee that could be a bargain for Howe’s side when delving into the impact he’s had in Serie A this campaign.

Why McKennie could take Guimaraes to the next level

Every Magpie supporter will know how impressive Bruno Guimaraes has been for the club since his £40m move from Lyon back in January 2022.

The 2023/24 campaign was arguably the Brazilian’s best season at St James’ Park, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in his 37 outings – demonstrating his quality in attacking areas.

He’s often been utilised as a box-to-box player alongside fellow countryman Joelinton, but should McKennie arrive at St James’, it could allow Guimaraes to play in a more advanced role – which would massively suit his game when looking at the duo’s stats from this season.

The former Lyon talent has averaged 1.9 passes into the penalty area, alongside 0.7 through balls per 90, with Guimaraes ranking within the top 10% of all midfielders in Europe in both categories.

He’s also averaged 7.8 progressive passes to his teammates, with the Brazilian having the potential to dramatically increase his assist and goal tally should he feature further forward.

Howe could be able to push the 26-year-old into a more advanced role, if they agree a deal for McKennie, with his defensive stats making him a great ball-winning player.

The “incredibly underrated” talent, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has averaged 1.7 tackles, one block and 1.3 aerials won per 90 this campaign, with his tally of 2.2 progressive carries also evidence that he can perform in transition after regaining possession.

He's also managed to provide seven assists in Serie A this season – with the American potentially able to add goals as well as defensive stability in Howe's midfield.

Kieran Trippier

10

Anthony Gordon

10

Bruno Guimaraes

8

Jacob Murphy

7

Weston McKennie

7

Harvey Barnes

3

All things considered, McKennie would be an excellent addition to the Magpies squad, one that would allow the supporters to see Guimaraes transform his game further and reach the next level in a Newcastle shirt.

Newcastle can repeat Guimaraes masterclass by signing £60m "top talent"

The Magpies pulled off excellent business by signing the Brazilian, they could replicate it this summer.

ByEthan Lamb May 29, 2024

Aston Villa have shown great ambition since V Sports completed their club takeover in 2018, rising to the Premier League's top four after previously languishing in the Championship.

While it's a certainty that Unai Emery's men will walk out under Champions League lights next season, the ferocious push to ascend the division over the past several years has put Villa Park on the wrong side of the line in regard to profit and sustainability rules, with Douglas Luiz closing on a transfer to Juventus as a result.

Given that Everton and Nottingham Forest both suffered points deductions last season after separate financial breaches, it's no wonder that the Midlands outfit is moving quickly to placate the Premier League's financial department.

But with Luiz set to be sold and a host of other players, including the £30m-rated Matty Cash and mercurial young striker Jhon Duran being linked with moves away, Emery and Co are confident that present obstacles can be wound around.

Speaking of Duran, the Colombian centre-forward is attracting attention from Chelsea and looks likely to be off this summer, but if Villa play their cards right, they could bring in an exciting replacement, one who knows Villa Park well.

Villa lining up new striker

Villa only signed Duran in January 2023, purchasing him from Colorado Rapids, but reports from Colombia suggest an agreement has already been made that will see the 20-year-old move to Stamford Bridge in a £42m transfer.

If Duran is to be sold, it would put Villa in a much better position regarding PSR, and so it's no wonder that Monchi is already turning toward a shrewd replacement in Tammy Abraham.

As per The Telegraph, AS Roma are battling their own financial quandary and are eager to sell Abraham this summer to adhere to Serie A rules.

Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have been named alongside the Villans as suitors for the £20m-valued Englishman.

Why Villa are interested in Tammy Abraham

Abraham spent the majority of the 2023/24 campaign sidelined with a knee injury, starting just two matches in the Italian top flight, scoring one goal, supplying one assist.

The 6 foot 3 colossus had, however, been a success story in Italy's capital during his first two seasons, joining from Chelsea for £34m in 2021, scoring 36 goals and adding 12 assists across 107 matches, instrumental in the Europa Conference League-winning campaign of 2021/22.

Once described as a "goal machine" by former coach Stephen Elliott, Abraham is imposing and powerful but also sleek-framed and deceptively adept with the ball, fleet of foot and creative – having been turned into something of a "monster" in Rome by Jose Mourinho, by his own admission.

23/24

Ollie Watkins

53

27

22/23

Ollie Watkins

40

16

21/22

Ollie Watkins

36

11

20/21

Ollie Watkins

40

16

19/20

Jack Grealish

41

10

18/19

Tammy Abraham

42

26

Ollie Watkins might have been the sharpest marksman at Villa Park in some time but Abraham successfully cut his teeth on loan at the club back in 2018/19, scoring 26 times in 42 games – including netting a four-goal haul in a 5-5 draw with Nottingham Forest at Villa Park.

The on-loan marksman flourished with his role of focal point in the final third providing Dean Smith's Villa with an almighty outlet, propelling the side back into the Premier League after two years away.

He's a proven goalscorer and while he's now 27, Abraham would offer something different to the frontline and that could be invaluable in enjoying success in Europe's premier club competition.

Duran, while a great talent, is unrefined and for £42m it might just be a loss that Emery can recover from.

How Tammy Abraham could fit in for Emery

Duran scored eight goals across 37 matches during his first (and likely only) full season in Villa garb, bagging five times in the Premier League despite only starting three fixtures.

Whatever happens, his unforgettable off-the-bench brace against Liverpool in the penultimate match of the campaign salvaged a draw to help keep Tottenham Hotspur at bay. It was an important, galvanising flurry of activity that helped Villa Park move toward the security of that fourth-place spot.

The 6 foot 1 Duran's frenetic, youthful style has led to him being described as a "nightmare to play against" by Lions skipper John McGinn, and indeed, his barrelling, crazed style on the pitch makes him a unique and devastating weapon.

While Abraham would not replicate the pure chaos that Duran brings to the field, he is a seasoned and established striker with multiple successes in Europe and a track record in the Premier League, posting 21 goals and four assists across 56 matches for Chelsea between 2019 and 2021.

Moreover, he knows Villa Park well and played a key role in paving the foundation of the recent thrilling years of success. While Spurs and West Ham are both in need of centre-forwards, Emery will hope that the allure of the Champions League, an emotional return and, most importantly, a platform from where he can perform will convince Abraham to make the move.

In theory, if Aston Villa play their cards right here they could sell Duran and bring in Abraham as his replacement for a ballpark £20m profit.

Not bad. Duran is an electric talent but if he wishes to play in west London then selling him and making such an acquisition in turn will only speak highly of the shrewd and savvy nature of Emery and his team.

What Aston Villa’s starting XI could look like after £105m spending spree

Aston Villa will be looking to build on their momentous 23/24 campaign, having qualified for the Champions League.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 6, 2024

With last season's financial struggles hopefully behind them, Nottingham Forest now look set to return for a teenage talent that they have been interested in for some time.

Nuno wants to bring young stars to City Ground

The latest rumours out of the City Ground suggest that Forest want to sign Archie Stevens from Rangers. The 18-year-old winger also has interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester United and West Ham United, meaning that there could be a bidding war for his services.

Nottingham Forest must finally axe £15k-p/w Cooper signing

He hasn’t featured for the Reds in over 18 months.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 23, 2024

Joining Stevens on Nuno Espírito Santo's wishlist is Stade Brestois left-back Bradley Locko. The £17 million-rated 22-year-old also has suitors from across the Premier League meaning that Forest could once again face a battle to get their man.

Rounding off the most recent names linked with a move to Forest is 17-year-old striker Riquelme Fillipi. Forest have reportedly tabled an official proposal of just over £4million for the player. With young players clearly the priority this summer, Forest have now returned for a talent that they have previously moved for.

Forest submit fresh offer for Celtic gem

As first reported by Football Insider's Wayne Veysey, Forest are readying a new offer for Celtic forward Rocco Vata. Sources have told the outlet that the Glasgow outfit have already rejected bids for the 19-year-old from Forest, who appear eager to secure the services of the young winger.

Football Insider also reports that Watford and Bolgona are eyeing up a move for the Ireland youth international, perhaps suggesting the reason why Forest seem desperate to get a deal done quickly.

Vata is highly rated at Parkhead, however has struggled for opportunities to break into the first team. The 19-year-old played just three league minutes for the Celtic first team last season as his side lifted the Scottish Premiership. Whilst opportunities with the senior team have been at a premium, Vata has shone in the Celtic B team, scoring 12 goals in just 15 league games.

Despite struggling for game time in the league, Vata did manage to get his first senior goal during Celtic's 5-0 cup win over Buckie Thistle back in January.

Speaking after the game, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers spoke on Vata's limited opportunities as well as speculation about his future telling the press: “He is a talent and it depends what the mentality is with him and his representatives.

“He is 18 and I don’t need players ready at 18 unless they are real, real special talents. At 20 or 21 they need to be ready. But you can see he has tools, and this can be a really good place for him to develop.

“It was nice for him to get his goal because that’s a good feeling and he has been here a long time as a young player and he has strengths we could develop."

Whilst Rodgers was quick to sing the praises of the 19-year-old he stopped just short of suggesting that Vata would be in for any more game time at Parkhead. It is perhaps this desire for first team football that will push Vata away from Celtic and towards Forest this summer.

A £315,000-a-week star "wants to join" Manchester City, however, he’s also keen on Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.

Man City transfer rumours

Pep Guardiola recently guided City to a historic fourth Premier League title in a row, however, the 2024/25 season could be his ninth and last with the Citizens.

Reports from The Daily Mail last month revealed that the Spaniard is ‘expected to call time on a spell of unprecedented dominance at City next summer’, with his current contract set to expire in 2025.

Etihad officials appear to have been discussing the prospect of losing Guardiola behind the scenes in recent months, with Girona’s Michel talked up as one potential candidate.

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Despite the possibility of losing Guardiola, it looks as if he could still make a number of additions during the summer transfer window, possibly with one eye on leaving City in a strong position.

For example, contact has reportedly been made over a deal to sign RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo, who is currently impressing with Spain at Euro 2024. Another target appears to be FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who has been linked with a move to Manchester to potentially replace Ederson and rival Stefan Ortega.

Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich has also been linked with a move to England and City in 2024, and there has now been a new update on the versatile German, one that could encourage Etihad chiefs.

Joshua Kimmich transfer update – Sky Sports

Taking to X, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg revealed that Kimmich could leave Bayern Munich this summer, with new manager Vincent Kompany not having the versatile star in his midfield plans.

A split between Bayern and Kimmich, who is out of contract next summer, is “getting closer”, and it is added that the German “wants to join Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid or Barcelona”.

Kimmich and Guardiola previously worked together at the Allianz Arena, with the 29-year-old coming in for plenty of praise from the Man City boss. Back in 2016, Guardiola said after Kimmich played at centre-back against Borussia Dortmund: “I told him that he's perhaps one of the best centre-backs in the world. I love this boy.

“Joshua Kimmich turned in a great display. We have a very good defender who’s strong in the build-up play. I like to work with players who are eager to learn. He's got the desire, the will, the passion. He's got absolutely everything.”

Since then, Kimmich, on £315,000-a-week, has also been dubbed a "mentality monster" by ex-boss Hansi Flick, whereas another iconic manager, Jose Mourinho, called him “an absolutely phenomenal player” last year.

"I see him as a top right-back, left-back, centre-back, No.6, No.8, No.10… he has the qualities to be anything! I think he looks to me, very intelligent related to football, very intelligent, understands the moments of the games and understands the difference between positions and understands what he has to do here and what he has to do there. I think he’s phenomenal, an absolutely phenomenal player."

It looks as if a move to England, potentially the Etihad Stadium to reunite with Guardiola, could be one to watch over the summer.

Leicester City will know that they have a significant portion of cash to now play around with in the transfer market after offloading star midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea for £30m.

The Foxes managed to acquire their own midfield talent from Stamford Bridge in the process, winning the services of 18-year-old starlet Michael Golding for £4m as cash begins to be splashed at the King Power Stadium.

The newly promoted Premier League side are unlikely to stop there when it comes to new recruits, but there will be a temptation to be more frugal, especially with a reported transfer target available for free.

Leicester eyeing up free-agent attacker

According to the Athletic, Steve Cooper's Foxes are considering a move for free agent attacker Callum O'Hare this summer after signing Bobby Decordova-Reid.

O'Hare had been with Coventry but didn't sign a new contract with the Sky Blues and is now available as a free agent.

However, Leicester aren't alone in their alleged interest of the entertaining 26-year-old, with suitors from the likes of Leeds United and Southampton previously keen on the ex-Aston Villa man also.

What O'Hare can offer Leicester

This could be an ingenious move from Leicester to ensure they don't dent the bank too much, considering Cooper and Co are also sniffing around for the services of Celtic star Matt O'Riley, but his extortionate price tag could prove to be a major stumbling block here.

The Sun have reported that the Glasgow titans have slapped a £50m asking price above their prized asset to unsettle suitors, with the Foxes one keen party.

So, that's benefit number one. Benefit number two is their current lack of attacking midfield options, owing to Dennis Praet being released by the Foxes. As a result, O'Hare feels like a smart signing to make with the 26-year-old eyeing up the Premier League after being a nuisance for many a Championship defence over the past couple of seasons.

Leicester also have the likes of Harry Winks and new recruit Golding that can do a job in the central midfield ranks where O'Riley slots into, with a move for £25m-rated Benfica gem Florentino Luis also in the works, away from attempting to get a bumper deal over the line for the much talked about Celtic man.

O'Hare had shone for Mark Robins' Sky Blues in the second tier before leaving, a league which O'Riley has never competed in away from previously playing in League One for Milton Keynes Dons, with the 26-year-old picking up ten goals and four assists last campaign from all competitions.

Games played

31

Goals scored

6

Assists

3

Shots*

1.3

Big chances missed

4

Big chances created

4

Ball recoveries*

3.3

Total duels won*

3.4

Missing the start of the season recovering from a serious injury, it didn't take long for the ex-Villa youngster to blow off the cobwebs and excel under Robins again, as can be seen glancing at the table above.

Premier League fans will already know what O'Hare is capable of if they tuned into Coventry's unbelievable FA Cup journey last campaign, with the "dangerous" attacking midfielder – as he has been described in the past by football journalist Josh Bunting – running rings around Wolverhampton Wanderers in a memorable 3-2 victory at Molineux.

O'Hare would attempt four dribbles and win five duels from just twenty minutes of action against the top-flight side, with his mazey darts forward playing a huge part in the plucky Sky Blues eventually progressing at the expense of Wolves.

The capture of O'Riley might look like more of a statement purchase, but if there isn't a bottomless pit of money to play with even with the sale of Dewsbury-Hall injecting cash, snapping up the former Coventry man for free would be a shrewd bit of business.

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