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West Ham United transfer target Oleksandr Zinchenko now seems poised to join Arsenal.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who had the following to say on Twitter: “Arsenal and Manchester City have reached an agreement for Zinchenko in the morning. £30m fee. No doubt it’s done between clubs. Negotiations ongoing on player side for personal terms and salary details, then it will be completed”.

West Ham had shown reported interest in the Ukrainian as far back as June.

Supporters will be gutted

Although only a tenuous interest, Zinchenko would’ve been a fine addition to West Ham’s squad. Admittedly, he would have been for most Premier League clubs.

With incredible versatility, an eye for a pass and multiple years being coached by Pep Guardiola, the Ukrainian international offered it all for just £30m.

An incredibly well-rounded player, he featured just 14 times in the league last season for Manchester City. However, he still managed four assists whilst largely filling in positions in which Pep Guardiola was lacking.

He also managed a remarkable SofaScore rating of 7.07, which shows just how dependable he could be. If he was to make the step down to West Ham, he would have been guaranteed game time in his preferred central midfield position.

When viewing his stats on FBref, it makes for astounding viewing. He ranks in the 96th percentile for shot-creating actions and in the 99th percentile for both progressive passes and carries.

He has deputised as a defender, but his creativity is wasted there and would be a welcome addition to Moyes’ midfield.

Guardiola has been vocal in his admiration for the pass-master in the past, claiming:

“He is well-educated, he knows exactly what it means. He adapted and said: ‘Okay, what does the team need? I’m going to do it.’

“He is a reliable player, honestly. He is focused, a guy who handles the pressure, otherwise he would not have played the final of the Champions League.”

It therefore makes it even more frustrating that the Hammers seem poised to miss out on the 25-year-old to London rivals Arsenal. Supporters especially have reason to be frustrated because of this, as Moyes looks set to miss out on a top target.

AND in other news: “Still talking to..”: ExWHUemployee drops big WHU transfer update supporters will love

Manchester City are monitoring the possibility of a move for Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry this summer, according to one German outlet.

The Lowdown: Three-horse race

The 26-year-old’s contract at the Allianz is set to expire in just under 12 months, making this a pivotal window to decide his future in the Bundesliga.

It was reported just last month that the winger had turned down a new deal from Bayern, suggesting that he is looking for a move away, and there have been a couple of potential suitors already name-checked.

The Sky Blues, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United, have all been credited with an interest in the forward, but in a fresh update, it’s the top-flight champions who appear to be the most serious contender.

The Latest: Gnabry on City’s radar

In an article published by German outlet SportBILD (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that Man City have Gnabry firmly ‘on their books’, and are ‘looking at’ him as competition for Riyad Mahrez in that right-wing position.

The source states that the attacker’s transfer situation ‘remains uncertain’, with talks of an extension ‘on ice’ having stalled due to the player’s earlier contract rejection.

It’s reported that there is ‘no truth’ in the rumours that Chelsea are interested in a deal, meaning that a switch to another big English club like City is ‘therefore possible’.

The Verdict: Premier League return

Pep Guardiola is clearly having an attacking overhaul of his squad, with Gabriel Jesus leaving for Arsenal and Raheem Sterling recently ann0uncing his departure to become a Chelsea player, so the boss will be left light in the final third, but that’s where the addition of Gnabry comes in.

The 34-cap international, once hailed a ‘world-class’ player by BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand, was a revelation up top for Bayern last season, recording 27 goal contributions in 45 appearances across various positions, via Transfermarkt, exactly the profile of player that the Spaniard loves in his starting XI.

Gnabry will already be used to life in the Premier League having previously spent three years at Arsenal, but any kind of return to England could now see him changing the colour of his shirt from red to blue.

Liverpool will look to secure new contracts for Diogo Jota and Naby Keita this summer, according to a report from The Mirror. 

The lowdown: Ward at work

Following the departure of highly-regarded sporting director Michael Edwards, the passing of the baton to Julain Ward has seemingly proved to be a seamless transition.

So far in his first summer in the role, the 41-year-old has already secured the arrivals of Fabio Carvalho, Calvin Ramsay and the big-money capture of Darwin Nunez, the club’s record signing at £85m.

Ward has also overseen the departures of Takumi Minamino, Sadio Mane and the imminent exit of Neco Williams, along with successfully completing contract negotations for Joe Gomez and Mohamed Salah.

It now looks as though the man behind the deals is setting his sights on securing the future of two more current Reds…

The latest: Keita and Jota next

As per The Mirror, Liverpool are now turning their attentions to contract extensions for midfielder Keita and forward Jota.

It’s claimed that the Anfield club will look to open discussions in the ‘coming weeks’, with the Merseysiders ‘keen to extend’ the stay of the £22.5m-rated Guinea captain, who is already into the final 12 months of his Reds deal.

The report added that £54m-rated Jota, who was branded ‘exceptional’ by pundit Tony Cascarino earlier this year, is also ‘in line to receive a bumper pay rise’ following a brilliant start to life under Jurgen Klopp which has seen the 25-year-old score 34 times in 85 outings.

The verdict: Show of faith

Handing former Wolves star Jota a fresh contract is somewhat of a no-brainer, given the remarkable impact he has had since arriving at Liverpool, surpassing the expectations of most.

However, the decision to offer Keita a renewal at this juncture could still be considered a risk when taking into account the Guinean’s wretched injury record, having missed 62 matches following his move from RB Leipzig in 2018.

While there were signs of a marked improvement in terms of availability last season as the dynamic midfielder made 50-cap midfielder during the upcoming campaign.

That said, securing the futures of those within first-team plans will add to the stability that Klopp himself has enhanced when signing his own contract extension in April, and this is just another sign of the German getting his ducks in arow for the long-term at Anfield.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a ‘late move’ for Leeds United target Sonny Perkins following his departure from West Ham.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Perkins

Described as a ‘stand out’ player for the Hammers’ youth teams, the 18-year-old has been linked with a move to Elland Road this summer.

Phil Hay reported at the beginning of June that Leeds were lining up deals for both Perkins and Birmingham City’s George Hall.

West Ham confirmed on Friday evening that Perkins had left the east London club, but it looks as if the Whites have competition for the teenage forward.

The Latest: Spurs move for Perkins

According to ExWHUemployee, Premier League giants Spurs have made a ‘late move’ for the youngster, who is a boyhood fan of the north London club.

The Irons insider said that Perkins ‘was meant to be going to Leeds’, but it looks as if Tottenham’s move for the 18-year-old could throw a spanner in the works for the Elland Road hierarchy.

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The Verdict: Not ideal for Leeds

Perkins appears to be a future star and contributed to 11 goals in 22 games for West Ham’s under-23 side. Therefore, a move to Thorp Arch could be an extremely shrewd one by Leeds chiefs, where you’d expect he could initially start for the under-23s.

The Whites have reaped the rewards of bringing in young attackers in recent years, with Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood helping the club to stay in the Premier League last season, with 27 appearances and two goals on Friday evening between them in the top flight in 2021/22.

Perkins could become Leeds’ next main man in attack for the under-23s with a view to breaking into the first team, but it seems as if he could now join Spurs, which would be a blow for Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta.

Leeds United are following £9m-rated FC Nantes forward Moses Simon, according to RMC Sport.

The Lowdown: January offer

The Whites are on the search for attacking reinforcements ahead of the new season, with a number of players linked with a move to Elland Road.

Simon has seemingly been on Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta’s radar for some time now, with the player confirming that he actually already had an offer on the table from Leeds during the January window.

Capable of playing anywhere in attack, Simon is entering the final two years of his contract with Nantes and still appears to be of interest to the Whites.

The Latest: Leeds links

RMC Sport provided an update regarding Simon on Wednesday afternoon, where Leeds were once again brought up in conversation.

They claim that Simon is being followed closely by both Leeds and OGC Nice and could be allowed to leave “if there are very interesting offers”.

Nice may have taken the first step however, already agreeing terms with the player, so Orta will have to act fast.

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The Verdict: Cheaper option?

Simon has scored 67 goals for club and country during his career so far, with Belgian defender Jules Van Cleemput claiming that Simon has made him suffer the most out of any player in a game, describing him as ‘fast’ and a ‘real nightmare’ (RTBF via Pulse Sports.

The 26-year-old is valued at just £9m by Transfermarkt, so he could be viewed as a much cheaper option to someone like Cody Gakpo.

Leeds have been linked with the PSV star but will need to smash their transfer record to secure his services, so Simon could be an alternative target and may well be one to keep an eye on.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their efforts to land Tottenham forward Jack Clarke in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Northern Echo journalist Scott Wilson has revealed that Kristjaan Speakman has held negotiations with the Premier League club over a deal for the attacker.

He Tweeted: “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.”

Spurs reportedly paid £9m to Leeds to sign him and it remains to be seen how much they would be willing to sell him for this summer.

Aiden McGeady 2.0

One player the club will need to replace this summer is outgoing winger Aiden McGeady and Clarke can be his successor out wide.

In 12 League One starts, the departing Irishman produced three goals and four assists – creating seven ‘big chances’ and making 2.4 key passes per game. He consistently delivered in the final third with his crossing and passing to set up his teammates and, as it stands, his exit will be a huge blow to Alex Neil’s squad.

By signing Clarke, Sunderland can land the next McGeady as he has the potential to develop into a creative force at the top end of the pitch.

Former Premier League forward Noel Whelan once lauded the youngster’s ability on the ball, saying:

“He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players.”

In 11 League One starts last term, Clarke managed one goal and three assists on loan at the Stadium of Light. He created five ‘big chances’ and made 1.6 key passes per game as he offered a similar level of creativity, albeit not quite as much, as McGeady.

At the age of 21, he has plenty of time left to develop in order to reach the ex-Celtic man’s levels and this means that he can be the veteran’s long-term replacement on Wearside if Sunderland are able to snap him up.

The Spurs gem can be Neil’s new magician in the Championship next season, scoring and creating goals from out wide.

AND in other news, Speakman can find SAFC’s own Kane in swoop for “incredible” £7k-p/w gem who’s “flying”…

Bruno Lage will be panicking to get a deal done for Sporting Lisbon star Joao Palhinha as an update on the Wolves target has emerged.

What’s the news?

That’s according to journalist Ryan Taylor, who said: “As I was to say about Palhinha, I’m not sure Wolves are ready to jump back in, but they would have to do so in the next two days – probably the next crucial hours, really.”

This news will worry Lage, with Premier League newcomers Fulham in the race for the player too, the next day or two could be a crunch time.

Lage aims to strengthen his squad

Wolves will be looking at improving on their tenth-placed finish in last season’s Premier League and with the quality of players who Lage is reportedly keen on, such as Palhinha, Matheus Nunes, and Takumi Minamino, it could well be an excellent season ahead.

Nothing is guaranteed, however, and there are plenty of other clubs who are keen on signing these targets too, with Fulham fighting tooth and nail to prevent Wolves from signing Palhinha.

His stats prove why he is in high demand. Despite playing in a defensive midfield position usually, he demonstrated his attacking ability by netting three times last season, and with Wolves scoring only 38 times in the league, goals from anywhere will be crucial.

The player ranked eighth in the Sporting squad with a score of 7.03 as per WhoScored and achieved an 87.8% pass success rate, which would have placed him second in the Wolves squad for players who made over five appearances, showing that he could make an immediate impact.

The 26-year-old won an impressive three tackles per match, made one interception per game, and was only dribbled past on average 0.9 times.

Lage will need to act fast to get this deal over the line and these stats prove that Palhinha could be a wonderful piece of business for the club.

AND in other news, Mendes could deliver transfer masterclass as Wolves eye move for 173-goal “animal”

Leeds United are reportedly closing in on the signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Marc Roca, with the Spaniard set to be the club’s third summer addition.

What’s the word?

As per The Athletic’s Phil Hay, a deal to bring to the 25-year-old to Elland Road is now imminent, with the transfer insider revealing that the move “should get done this week.”

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This corroborates an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano who revealed that it is now a “done deal”, with the former Espanyol man set to sign for a fee of around €12m (£10.4m) plus add ons having committed to a contract until 2026.

The Yorkshire side have already acted swiftly to land Red Bull Salzburg duo Rasmus Kristensen and Brenden Aaronson, with the Jesse Marsch revolution currently in full swing.

Supporters will be buzzing

Despite no confirmation from the club as yet, the indication is that Roca is firmly on his way to becoming a Premier League player, bringing to an end what has proven a brief and frustrating stint in Germany.

The £6.3m-rated gem had been plucked from La Liga two years ago for a fee of around €15m (£13m), although has since gone on to make just 24 appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga champions, failing to score or register an assist.

That may be a point of concern for some sections of the Leeds support, although the £31k-per-week gem is undoubtedly a hugely talented individual, having even been compared to former Liverpool and Real Madrid maestro Xabi Alonso following his move to the Allianz Arena.

In his final campaign for the Catalan side, during the 2019/20 season, the 6 foot playmaker showed just what an impressive impact he can make when handed the chance, having averaged 2.3 tackes, 0.9 interceptions and 1.4 clearances per game in his 35 league outings, while also averaging a solid 2.3 dribbles per game.

Clearly a player capable of doing a bit of everything, he will add quality to a midfield that has been devoid of depth in recent seasons and ultimately been stretched to breaking point, while his arrival will also help to soften the blow should prize asset Kalvin Phillips depart, with the local lad reportedly a top target for Manchester City.

Roca will seemingly be able to take on the Englishman’s role at the base of the midfield if required, with his qualities in and out of possession making him an ideal fit for the role, having been lavished with praise by former Bayern technical director Michael Reschke: “Roca plays like a quarter-back. He has good passing, short and long range, his technique is good and he has a good mentality.

“Defensively, he is very aggressive in one on one situations and brings a lot of emotion to the team. He was certainly well respected by his teammates. The one downside perhaps is that he could be a little stronger.”

That glowing assessment will be music to the ears of the Elland Road faithful, with supporters no doubt buzzing that the club are on their way to securing even more early transfer business, as they look to improve upon last season’s nail-biting, relegation scrap.

IN other news: Leeds now plotting swoop for “reliable” £22k-p/w starlet, he’s the new Dani Alves

Manchester United have been tipped to sign Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia this summer and the Dutch youngster could bring an end to Alex Telles’ nightmare spell at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

According to the Mirror, Feyenoord are willing to listen to offers for the 22-year-old defender with Erik ten Hag receiving the green light to potentially make him his first signing as United boss.

They include a report from Voetbal International which claims that Lyon have already seen two bids for the young defender rejected, so interest in the Netherlands international is clearly high after a superb season with Feyenoord.

Malacia made 32 appearances in the Eredivisie last season, contributing one goal and four assists, earning an impressive 7.14 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He also made six appearances in the Conference League where he was dubbed “sumptuous” by reporter Alex Turk, helping Arne Slot’s side to the final where they eventually lost 1-0 against Jose Mourinho’s Roma.

Could Malacia end United’s Telles nightmare?

There was a lot of excitement among United fans when Telles joined the club from Porto in an £18m deal in 2020 but the Brazilian has flattered to deceive in his time at the club thus far.

Last season saw the 29-year-old make 21 appearances in the top-flight, in which he contributed no goals and four assists, averaging a 6.89 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Martin Keown was less than impressed with his performance in United’s 3-1 defeat against Arsenal last season, as he clumsily fouled Bukayo Saka after some panicked defending.

The problem with Telles and Luke Shaw last season was perhaps that neither were given a consistent run in the side by United’s managers and if Malacia were brought in as a youthful cover for Shaw, then the Brazilian could perhaps be moved on.

Telles will turn 30 next season and ten Hag should perhaps look towards the future if he wants to overhaul United’s identity, as there have been far too many instances of players staying at Old Trafford for arguably longer than they should, with the club having already seen the likes Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic depart this summer.

Considering some of the former Porto man’s performances last season, ten Hag should take advantage of Feyenoord’s decision on Malacia and bring him to Old Trafford as Telles’ replacement.

And, in other news… Man United now plotting offer for “incredible” £106m monster, he’s Ten Hag’s dream

Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

The Lowdown: Midfielders needed

Erik ten Hag is on the hunt for midfield additions at Old Trafford after the departures of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata were all confirmed.

Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong appears to be the primary target, with recent reports from Spain believing that an agreement is close for the Netherlands international.

Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips is another player the Red Devils have checked out, and it seems as if Rabiot is the latest midfielder who may move to Manchester.

The Latest: Rabiot transfer update

Sport Witness relayed an update from TuttoMercatoWeb regarding United and Rabiot on Saturday.

They claimed that Juventus have offered the 27-year-old’s services to the Manchester club and have received a ‘positive’ response. The Red Devils are believed to be tempted over a swoop for the Frenchman, with a figure of €15m-€20m (£12.9m-£17.2m) mooted in the report.

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The Verdict: Should they?

Rabiot, who Gianluigi Buffon hailed as ‘strong’ and built ‘like a wardrobe’, can play as a holding, central or left midfielder and is valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt.

He has a wealth of experience for two of Europe’s biggest clubs in Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, so he may be able to cope better than most with the pressure of playing at Old Trafford on a regular basis.

Rabiot also has 26 caps to his name for France and 24 trophies for club and country, so he should be able to bring that winning mentality to Ten Hag’s side in what could be a shrewd prospective move by United.

In other news: Agent close to Man Utd officials now pushing to bring ‘magical’ Real Madrid star to Old Trafford