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Ibrahim Sangare could thrive alongside Frenkie de Jong at Manchester United, according to journalist Jacque Talbot. 

The lowdown

Sky Sports reported earlier this month that the Red Devils are interested in signing Sangare from PSV Eindhoven. The 24-year-old has a release clause in his contract with the Eredivisie club, making him available for €35m (£29.9m).

Meanwhile, United are said to be closing in on a deal for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The latest

Talbot has said that the Red Devils admire Sangare and reckons that the Ivory Coast international could be a ‘perfect’ potential accomplice to De Jong in Erik ten Hag’s midfield.

The journalist told GiveMeSport: “There’s clearly some interest there. I think he’s been linked to quite a few clubs, actually, this window, and you suspect a player like him alongside De Jong would be perfect for Manchester United going forward.”

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The verdict

There’s a case to be made that United need multiple midfield additions this summer, particularly as they have lost both Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic at the end of their contracts.

Sangare and De Jong are different enough in profile that they could ideally both slot into the same midfield.

As per WhoScored, the Dutchman’s main strengths are his dribbling and passing, but he averages only 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game. Sangare is an effective distributor in his own right too, but he would likely be tasked with doing the majority of the ball-winning, with 5.9 tackles and interceptions combined in last season’s Eredivisie.

Therefore, you can see why Talbot believes that, if both players end up at Old Trafford in the near future, their skill sets would complement each other nicely.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Joaquin Correa in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, via Sport Witness, the Magpies are keen on a deal to sign Inter centre-forward as Dan Ashworth plots a swoop for him.

The report claims that the Serie A side, who signed him for €31m (£27m), want a sizeable fee in return for the striker as they look to raise funds.

It is claimed that Newcastle are the only club in the running with the potential to offer the Italian giants an acceptable amount of money for his services.

Imagine him & Callum Wilson

By snapping up a deal to sign the Argentine attacker, Ashworth can land Howe an exciting strike partnership to utilise next season.

The Magpies head coach could deploy Correa and Wilson as a front two in a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 formation in the Premier League, using both of them at the tip of the attack to cause damage to the opposition.

Since arriving at St. James’ Park from Bournemouth in the summer of 2020, the English striker has scored 20 goals and assisted five in 54 top-flight games. He has proven that he can score goals at a respectable rate when fit as he has the quality to find the back of the net when presented with a chance at this level.

Correa, meanwhile, scored six goals in 12 starts for Inter last term  after managing 17 goals and four assists in the previous two Serie A campaigns combined for Lazio.

He also caught the eye in the Champions League his last season in Rome as he produced three goals and two assists in eight games in Europe.

Simeone Inzaghi, who has managed him at both Italian clubs, once heaped praise on the forward, saying: “Correa is a formidable player, he is very intelligent tactically, he sacrifices a lot for the team. I am happy with his double, when he has no problems and can train continuously he always proves to be able to play at the highest levels.”

These quotes suggest that he would work well alongside a lethal finisher like Wilson as he is willing to play a role within the team rather than needing to be the main man.

This means that he can play off the Englishman and put the work in off the ball to create space to make the partnership thrive, whilst also holding the quality to score when chances fall to him in the final third.

AND in other news, Howe can form “spectacular” duo as Newcastle eye “beautiful” £49.5m-rated dynamo…

Tottenham Hotspur and by extension transfer chief Fabio Paratici have made an offer for one of Antonio Conte’s transfer targets as news emerges from Spain in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites push for more deals…

The signing of Yves Bissouma, preceded by Bosman deals for Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster, are seemingly not the only pieces of business possible at Spurs before the 2022/23 Premier League season.

It is reliably believed that sporting director Fabio Paratici has his eyes on strengthening at least three more positions as Conte seeks a new right wing-back, a star striker and an assured central defensive upgrade for his back three.

The Latest: Mundo Deportivo share Spurs ‘offer’…

To that effect, Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan has been linked throughout this transfer window so far, but reports have now emerged involving another centre-back wanted by Conte.

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According to Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet has received an ‘offer’ from the north Londoners as they eye a possible two-year loan deal.

The Frenchman, who is set to evaluate this approach alongside another one from Marseille, has now scheduled a crunch meeting with his agent ‘by the end of this week’.

The Verdict: Good option?

Despite his lofty £170,000-per-week salary, this move could be viewed as the most economical option overall for Spurs if Barca agree to a two-year loan deal.

Paying no lofty transfer fee, like they would have to for the likes of Bastoni, could save Paratici and Spurs a great deal of finance, but we believe that investing in more quality targets is far more advantageous in the long run.

Lenglet has struggled for a regular starting place at Barca over the last year despite once showing real promise, and he should perhaps come as a fallback option at best.

Jurgen Klopp has begun the summer transfer window quite well, as Liverpool have signed Fabio Carvalho from Fulham and also landed Darwin Nunez from Benfica in a club-record £85m deal.

With the club also very close to announcing Aberdeen defender Calvin Ramsay as their third summer signing, it’s clear that the Reds manager is adding some much-needed youth into the squad at Anfield.

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Given these incoming transfers, it looks likely that there will be a few players leaving Merseyside over the next few weeks, with one midfielder already being linked with a departure from Liverpool.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked with a surprise move to Premier League rivals Manchester United, and with the player earning £125k-p/w, Klopp may be be keen to get him off the wage bill.

With a WhoScored rating of 6.56, the player ranks a lowly joint-23rd in the Liverpool squad following a poor season which has seen him fall down the pecking order at Anfield.

Klopp could replace the 28-year-old with a deal for Porto midfielder Vitinha, who impressed for the Portuguese champions last term.

News outlet O Jogo (via Sport Witness) reported in April that Liverpool were linked with a move for the player, whose release clause of €40m (£34m) would be well within Klopp’s budget.

Vitinha has some Premier League experience under his belt following a stint at Wolves in 2020/21, featuring in 19 top-flight matches.

Porto manager Sergio Conceição has lauded him as “fabulous” following a victory last season which propelled Porto to yet another league title, with the 22-year-old contributing two goals and three assists.

Vitinha displayed his attacking attributes throughout the campaign, registering 2.48 shots per match, higher than Oxlade-Chamberlain’s 2.41. He also proved his defensive worth by winning 31 tackles, 17 more than the Liverpool midfielder, and making 4.5 times as many interceptions (36 to eight).

These figures clearly show that signing the Porto midfielder would be a shrewd move from the Reds, especially for the price quoted, as he could well be a major upgrade on Oxlade-Chamberlain.

It appears that Klopp has a few more big decisions to make during this summer’s transfer window.

AND in other news, “To be completed…”, Romano drops major LFC transfer development, its great news

Graham Smyth has dropped an update on the future of Leeds United goalkeeper Kiko Casilla.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Yorkshire Evening Post’s chief football writer revealed that he would be incredibly shocked if the 35-year-old were to rejoin Jesse Marsch’s first-team squad ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign, despite the former Spain international still having one year remaining on his current contract at Elland Road.

The journalist added that it would appear likely that Victor Orta will look to offload the one-time Real Madrid stopper on another loan deal, a permanent transfer or by mutually terminating his contract by agreeing a settlement for his remaining pay owed, with the latter appearing the most probable outcome.

In response to a supporter asking for an update on Castilla’s future, Smyth replied: “I will be stunned if he returns. Loan, permanent or settlement. Latter seems likely.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Leeds very much seem to have moved on from Casilla over the last two years, with Illan Meslier emerging as the Whites’ undisputed number one in the absence of the 35-year-old.

With the club also signing 21-year-old Kristoffer Klaesson on a four-year deal last July, it now seems evident that the Spaniard is surplus to requirements at Elland Road.

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In truth, Casilla’s career in LS11 was done a little over two years ago, when an independent Football Association regulatory commission found him guilty of racially abusing then-Charlton Athletic forward Jonathan Leko in September 2019, with the £630k-rated stopper being handed an eight-match ban.

Indeed, since this incident, the veteran went on to make just six more first-team appearances for the Whites, before being sent out on loan to Elche in the summer of 2021.

Furthermore, when taking into account that the 35-year-old is reported to be earning a quite ridiculous £40k-per-week at Elland Road, it is clear that getting the goalkeeper’s salary off the club’s books would provide both Orta and Marsch with a handy boost to their available wage budget in the summer transfer window.

As such, considering all of that, Smyth’s claim that Leeds will more than likely tell Casilla to pack his bags this summer is sure to be news which will leave both Marsch and the Elland Road faithful buzzing.

AND in other news – “Sources say..”: The Athletic journalist drops Leeds transfer update, supporters will be livid

Everton have already been linked with a number of players this summer as Frank Lampard sets out to improve the squad following a disappointing Premier League season, and now a reliable source has revealed a new potential transfer target.

What’s the latest?

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, the Toffees have joined the race to sign Montpellier winger Stephy Mavididi.

The Italian journalist tweeted: “Stephy Mavididi could leave Montpellier this summer. Many clubs have approached his agents including West Ham, Brighton, Southampton, Everton and OM. Deal still at early stages but there are good chances for Mavididi to make his move in the coming weeks.”

Mavididi would be a huge coup for Everton

Everton are in desperate need of improvement after they narrowly avoided their first-ever Premier League relegation with a win in the penultimate game of the season, so supporters will be excited that the club is working to identify players who can add depth and quality to the squad.

Mavididi has been a consistent attacking threat for Montpellier in Ligue 1 this season, scoring eight goals, delivering three assists and creating four big chances for his team over his 30 league appearances.

For comparison, only Richarlison hit more than five league goals for Everton in 2021/22, so Mavididi could give Lampard’s side much greater potency judging by his goal return in the French top flight.

The former Arsenal loanee has received high praise from his idol Thierry Henry in recent months, with the Gunners legend saying of the 24-year-old on commentary for Amazon (via The Score): “What I’ve always liked about Stephy Mavididi is that he’s a hard-working player who closes (opponents) down.

“He’s always in the right place. What was missing was finishing — whether to give the ball or to score — but now he’s brought that to his game.”

With that in mind, the £20m-valued ace could be a great prospective addition to the squad at Goodison Park. As above, he is renowned as a hard-working forward who is capable of delivering plenty of goalscoring opportunities from centre-forward or out wide.

However, Farhad Moshiri will need to act fast if he does want to secure Mavididi’s signature this summer, as the 24-year-old has a number of clubs interested in making a move for him. If the Everton chief can pull it off, it has the makings of a real coup for the Toffees.

AND in other news – No-brainer: Moshiri must seal bargain Everton swoop for “very strong” £73k-p/w leader

Aston Villa’s transfer business is currently in full swing, although there is still perhaps a nagging feeling that they are missing something, with the void vacated by former skipper Jack Grealish last summer having yet to be adequately filled.

The boyhood Villa man had proved instrumental in dragging the former European champions out of the second tier in 2019, before again stealing the limelight to help maintain their Premier League status the following season, netting a vital, final-day strike to ensure the club’s safety.

Another decisive season followed in the 2020/21 campaign as he bagged 16 goal contributions under then-boss Dean Smith, despite a lengthy absence that essentially put paid to any hopes of European qualification for the Midlands outfit.

Having held firm for so long, unwilling to part ways with their prized asset, a British record, £100m offer from Manchester City ultimately proved too good to ignore, with the Englishman becoming just another special talent in a squad full to the brim with quality.

Perhaps he misses his talismanic role at Villa Park, having somewhat blended into the background at the Etihad, although the 26-year-old’s decision has already resulted in silverware, as Pep Guardiola’s claimed a fourth league title in five seasons with a dramatic last day triumph against, ironically, Villa.

Jubilant scenes ensued for City – and in particular, Grealish – while Steven Gerrard’s side were left reflecting on a campaign that had ended with a whimper, the club languishing in 14th place despite spending over £100m throughout the campaign.

In the absence of their former leading man, there is no question that the club have faltered, with even the statement loan signing of Philippe Coutinho in January – a move which has since become permanent – failing to inspire too great a response, despite an early flurry of goals from the Brazilian upon his arrival.

Gerrard’s men, it would seem, are simply in need of a figurehead – a man to produce something from nothing when they need it most. Step forward, Gareth Bale.

That is the view of pundit Tony Cascarino, who suggested that the Villans may be a suitable destination for the Welshman, as reported by Birmingham Live, with the one-time Southampton man having only just confirmed his expected departure from Real Madrid after almost a decade in the Spanish capital.

It has proved a largely toxic last few years or so for the 102-cap international with Los Blancos, with the winger proving a “controversial” figure in Madrid, in the words of one journalist, for his desire to put his country over his club, a fact only heightened with that infamous ‘Wales.Golf.Madrid’ banner.

Despite that bitter and long overdue ending, the former Tottenham man has provided a good return on the La Liga side’s initial £85.3m investment, scoring 106 goals and providing 67 assists in 258 games across all competitions, winning three league titles and a staggering five Champions Leagues in that time.

The last of those European triumphs came last weekend as Carlo Ancelotti’s side ran out 1-0 winners over Liverpool in Paris, although Bale was, as expected, simply a bystander to proceedings, having largely been overlooked for selection in the most recent campaign.

That lack of game time may be a concern to Gerrard and co, although as he proved on international duty back in March, the £528k-per-week gem still has the ability to grab the game by the scruff of the neck even when not fully fit, netting twice in a vital 2-1 win over Austria in Cardiff – the winger an undoubted “legend” for his country, according to manager Robert Page.

Any doubters should also look to his form during the 2020/21 season following his return to Spurs, when he scored a remarkable 16 goals in just 20 games for the club in all competitions, 11 of those strikes coming in the league.

He may well not be what he was, although at just 32 he is still young enough to make an impact for any side, with Villa in need of someone with such game-winning nous and vast experience at the highest level, while he provides the added bonus of being available on a free.

The hole left by Grealish remains, NSWE should turn to Bale to fill it.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

Journalist Giovanni Albanese of La Gazzetta dello Sport has now made a teasing Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie.

The Lowdown: Conte overhaul begins…

It has quite simply been a massive week at Spurs in so many ways.

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After manager Antonio Conte guided them to a top-four Premier League finish, securing the riches of Champions League football, it was then announced by ENIC that Spurs have been handed a £150 million equity increase.

This financial windfall will be used to back Conte and transfer chief Fabio Paratici in the summer window (The Telegraph), and what’s more, it is widely reported that the north Londoners are already closing in on both Fraser Forster (Southampton) and Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan).

The Latest: Albanese makes teasing McKennie claim…

Writing on Twitter, Italian reporter Albanese has now teased a Paratici bid for McKennie – imploring supporters to ‘stay tuned’.

He explained:

“Paratici could also bid for McKennie : stay tuned!”

The Verdict: Promising update?

The 23-year-old has been a star at international level for the USA in recent times with reporter Chris Smith of 90min absolutely raving over the midfield gem.

McKennie, as per the MLS football expert, is a ‘supremely underrated’ attacking threat and ‘pressing machine’ who has it what it takes to be a ‘truly elite midfielder’ (Twitter).

Reports have suggested that the Serie A starlet is valued at around £25 million, and given his age, we believe that could be a fair price to pay for someone so highly rated on the international stage with bags of potential.

Depending on the offer Paratici puts on the table, it will be interesting to see whether Spurs can back Conte with the move.

In other news: ‘Not only Perisic’ – Tottenham push for ‘genius’ signing after Conte call ‘in recent days’…find out more here.

Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard could well be the deciding factor in the club’s move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the respected insider hinted that the chance to work under the former Liverpool captain could be too good to turn down for the 26-year-old.

Asked about the Englishman’s future, O’Rourke stated how Gerrard’s presence in the dugout could be to Villa’s advantage: “I think the chance to maybe work under a top midfielder, like Gerrard was, might appeal to Kalvin Phillips.

“He might think it would help improve his own game. There will be lots that Villa would be hoping might appeal to Phillips if it does come down to a race for his signature.”

Recent reports suggested that the Midlands side – alongside Newcastle United – have emerged as frontrunners in the race for his signature, albeit with the 19-cap international also reportedly a ‘top target’ for Manchester City.

Any deal is not likely to come cheap for any of those sides, however, with reports that it could take as much as £60m to prise him from Elland Road, with Jesse Marsch leading the club to safety ending any hopes of a securing him for a potentially reduced fee.

Gerrard will love him

While that assessment would suggest that Phillips is keen to work under the Premier League legend, the reverse could also be true, with Gerrard potentially relishing the chance to add the £45m-rated man to his side.

The Villa Park outfit have already added Marseille youngster Boubacar Kamara to their midfield ranks, although a further addition could be on the cards, with the Leeds man offering the flexibility to play in a holding role but also in a more aggressive, number eight role as he has done for his country.

Dubbed the “best modern midfielder” by legendary coach Fabio Capello, the £38k-per-week monster set the world alight for the Three Lions at Euro 2020, forging an immense partnership with West Ham’s Declan Rice.

Although injury has since halted his progress, he still recorded some notable statistics for his current side in the 2021/22 campaign, averaging 1.2 interceptions and 2.7 tackles per game in his 20 league outings.

He has also impressed compared to his peers in Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 4% for blocks, the top 3% for tackles and the top 2% for pressures made, illustrating his workman-like quality in the centre of the park.

It is no real surprise then to see the clamour for his services this summer, although it remains to be seen whether he will be able to forego his emotional attachment to his current side.

That being said, the prospect to work under Gerrard may just be the carrot that he needs in order to make a departure.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

Leeds United have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to secure Premier League survival.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Leeds Live, Frank Lampard revealed that he will be able to call upon each of Michael Keane and Donny van de Beek – both of whom missed the 3-2 defeat against Brentford last weekend due to injury – for Everton’s fixture against Crystal Palace on Thursday evening.

The 43-year-old also revealed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ben Godfrey will be available for selection at Goodison Park, however, the former Chelsea boss claimed that it is currently unclear as to whether Godfrey will be fit enough to feature from the off.

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Concerning the current state of his squad, Lampard said: “Ben may be in the squad and that more a testament to him as he’s striving to get fit. He is in the squad but I will make a decision on whether he is involved at all. Michael Keane has recovered and Donny van de Beek will also be in the squad. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fine too.”

Supporters will be gutted

With Leeds’ hopes of securing survival on the final day of the season – something which FiveThirtyEight predict there is currently a 40% chance of – being severely dented should Everton pick up all three points against Palace tomorrow evening, the news that Lampard looks set to have all of Keane, Van de Beek, Calvert-Lewin and Godfrey available is sure to have left the Elland Road faithful gutted.

Indeed, according to SofaScore data, Keane, Calvert-Lewin and Godfrey currently rank as the Toffees’ fifth, ninth and 14th-best performers in the top flight of English football, while Van de Beek proved during his time at Ajax – scoring 41 goals and registering 34 assists over 175 appearances in the Netherlands – that he is a talent who can always provide a moment of inspiration for his team.

As such, the news that the quartet all look as if they will play some sort of role on Thursday night is undoubtedly awful news for the Whites’ survival hopes this season – as an Everton win, coupled with a Burnley victory over Aston Villa tomorrow evening, would all but represent the final nail in the coffin for Jesse Marsch and his side this term.

AND in other news: Orta now plotting Leeds bid for “incredible” £40m target, he’s “one to keep an eye on”