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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

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Max Aarons to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

That’s according to a recent report by TEAMtalk, who claim that, following Norwich City’s relegation from the Premier League, Dean Smith’s side are now preparing for the departure of the right-back – who is reported to be available for a figure in the region of £20m.

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The report goes on to state that Leeds United, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Leicester City, Manchester City and Manchester United are all keen on a move for the England U21 international, with Victor Orta believed to have already made contact with the Canaries regarding a deal for the defender.

Walker 2.0

While it is true that Norwich endured something of a nightmare campaign in the Premier League this term – finishing bottom of the table on a mere 22 points, conceding a league-high 84 goals and winning just five games all season – this by no stretch of the imagination truly reflects Aarons’ ability at the back.

Despite playing for the worst team in the division in both 2019/20 and 2021/22, the £19.8m-rated talent has still managed to develop a reputation as one of “one of the best young players” in the top flight of English football – in the words of his former manager, Daniel Farke.

Indeed, over his 70 Premier League appearances, the £17k-per-week right-back has highly impressed for the Canaries, helping his side keep nine clean sheets, registering three assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.4 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, the 22-year-old ranks in the top 4% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for blocks per 90 mins, as well as the top 29% for progressive carries, the top 25% for dribbles, the top 44% for pressures and the top 39% for clearances over the last 365 days.

As such, considering Aarons has achieved these metrics while playing for a side that have conceded the most and scored the fewest goals in each of their last two Premier League campaigns, the prospect of the player who Breaking The Lines journalist Tom Quartly compared to Kyle Walker lining up on the right of a competent backline is certainly an incredibly exciting one.

Indeed, if the youngster is available for a figure of just £20m this summer, Orta simply must do everything in his power to win the race for the “unbelievable” Aarons, as the England youth international could well prove that, in a better side, he can go on to develop into the next Walker.

AND in other news: Victor Orta could land Gundogan 2.0 with Leeds bid for “extraordinary” £64k-p/w talent

According to reporter Jacque Talbot of Football Transfers, a significant Tottenham Hotspur transfer development has now come to light involving Benfica star Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Spurs set for busy summer?

Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte has now met with club chief Fabio Paratici in Italy as Spurs map out a list of summer targets (The Telegraph).

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This comes after Premier League giants confirmed a £150 million capital increase which could seriously back Conte in the next transfer wind0w ahead of his first full season in charge.

On the transfer agenda, it is believed that the north Londoners are interested in landing an alternative frontman to star striker Harry Kane, with Talbot now sharing a significant update involving Nunez.

The Latest: Nunez meeting held…

According to the reporter, writing for Football Transfers, Spurs and representatives of the in-demand striker have held a meeting as they enter talks – though it is currently unclear whether Paratici and co wish to move further with a formal bid.

This comes as Tottenham, via Talbot, do ‘want to bring in a marquee striker’ for Conte.

The Verdict: Make the move…

As the north Londoners currently weigh pushing further, there is little denying that Nunez would add seriously quality going by his huge goal haul over 2021/2022 – not to mention the fact he has been labelled an ‘absolute beast’ by members of the media (Hari Sethi, Anfield Index Podcaster).

However, reports he could cost around £100 million could be a real deterrent for Spurs even despite their recent cash injection.

Tottenham and Paratici have to strengthen in other areas as Conte reportedly sets his sights on a major overhaul, so we believe the club should look at potentially cheaper alternatives first before deciding to press further for Nunez.

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

Eddie Howe reportedly now ‘ponders’ making a club-record bid to sign Kieran Tierney for Newcastle United this summer.

The Lowdown: Targett uncertainty

It is not clear whether the St James’ Park outfit will sign loanee Matt Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa, with the likes of Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi being linked with a move to the northeast recently.

It is an area of the pitch where the Tynesiders are expected to strengthen, with more names now being reported as potential arrivals.

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The Latest: Tierney move?

Taking to Twitter, The Gooner journalist Layth Yousif has revealed that Howe now ‘ponders’ making a £50m bid for Tierney, which would be a club-record transfer for Newcastle.

However, the Arsenal and Scotland left-back is ‘happy’ with Mikel Arteta’s project in north London, so it may be difficult to persuade him to join the Tyneside revolution.

The Verdict: Avoid

£50m is a big gamble to pay for a player in Tierney who, despite his brilliance – Premier League and England legend Ashley Cole has previously dubbed him a ‘warrior’ – is unfortunately quite injury-prone.

Also, with him being on £110,000 per week at the Emirates Stadium, he is likely to cost a lot in wages, further adding to the gamble from a Newcastle perspective.

Targett would provide a much cheaper option at £15m, and 97.5% of supporters polled want him to stay anyway. However, as Tierney shares the same agent as three other Magpies players, this is a deal which could still work if the price is negotiated down.

In other news, find out what ‘very disappointing’ NUFC ‘blow’ has now emerged

Journalist Scott Wilson has lauded Sunderland ace Alex Pritchard for his emphatic performance in the Black Cats’ sensational victory over Wycombe Wanderers.

The Lowdown: League One Play-Off Final

Sunderland took to Wembley to face off against Wycombe in the League One play-off final as Alex Neil’s men sought promotion to the Championship, having been relegated to the English third tier following a disappointing 2017/18 campaign.

The Black Cats began with a flying start, rewarded by Elliot Embleton’s strike in the 12th minute giving them the lead.

Chances further came for Patrick Roberts, Pritchard and Ross Stewart, but the North East outfit were unable convert in front of goal. Thus, Sunderland went in to half-time with just one foot in the Championship.

After returning to the field, it took the Black Cats until the 79th minute to double their lead. Pritchard wriggled across the pitch before rolling the ball into Stewart, who lashed low it into the far corner – securing Sunderland’s place in the Championship.

The Latest: Wilson’s claim

Journalist Scott Wilson hailed Pritchard for his dominant display in the midfield.

Taking to Twitter, he claimed at the interval:

“HT: #SAFC 1 Wycombe 0 – job half done. A really good first half from Sunderland, who have been bright and incisive, with Pritchard especially impressive. Wycombe starting to come into it, but Sunderland have defended their 18-yard box effectively so far.”

The Verdict: Great performance

Whilst a whole host of Sunderland players put in terrific performances against Wycombe, Pritchard really did stand out in the midfield.

Named Man of the Match by Sky Sports, the 29-year-old deserves all his plaudits, as he created four chances and won six duels, also completing five accurate crosses.

Pritchard’s award as the MOTM was certainly justified by his magnificent display, and the Black Cats’ reward of a spot in the second tier never really looked in doubt.

In other news: Sunderland: James Hunter shares Carl Winchester injury news

Liverpool transfer target Robert Lewandowski has submitted a transfer request at current club Bayern Munich ahead of the upcoming summer window.

What’s the story?

As confirmed by Bayern’s director of football Hasan Salihamidzic, via the Liverpool Echo, the Polish striker has lodged a transfer request and intends to depart Bavaria this summer despite still having another year on his contract with the Bundesliga giants.

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Liverpool have recently been claimed to be interested in signing the 33-year-old after previous target Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City was confirmed this week.

With Divock Origi looking likely to depart Anfield whilst Roberto Firmino’s future hangs in the balance, Jurgen Klopp will certainly need depth amongst his strikers and reuniting with Lewandowski after the two worked together at Borussia Dortmund would provide the German would an even more deadly front line.

Liverpool must sign Lewandowski

Although Bayern are holding their cards close to their chest, with president Herbert Hainer stating: “Lewandowski has a contract until June 2023 and will play for us until then,” it seems likely that the Poland international will move on this summer.

It will be incredibly hard for the German juggernaut to keep hold of the striker following the submission of a transfer request, and Liverpool must pounce.

Striker Diogo Jota has had an excellent campaign for the Reds, scoring 21 goals for Liverpool. However, it seems as though the arrival of Luis Diaz, whilst being predominantly a winger, has seen the Portuguese fall down the pecking order slightly.

The 25-year-old started Saturday’s FA Cup final from the bench but was brought on to replace the injured Mohamed Salah and played a total of just 63 minutes across the two legs of Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final tie against Villarreal.

Therefore, extra firepower up front is needed and Lewandowski has a mouthwatering pedigree in front of goal.

Labelled as a “freak of nature” by journalist Sam Tighe and “breathtaking” by Owen Hargreaves, the 33-year-old has scored a whopping 509 goals and registered 135 assists in 675 appearances throughout his club career, with 50 of them coming this season alone.

Moreover, in 374 appearances for Bayern Munich, the Polish forward has found the back of the net on 344 occasions whilst providing 72 assists, averaging 1.11 goal contributions every appearance.

Lewandowski is a serious goal machine and would provide Liverpool with an answer to City’s acquisition of Haaland, something that could propel them towards their second Premier League title.

AND in other news: Liverpool must now brutally sell £85k-p/w dud who’s lost possession every 4.5 minutes

Alan, Miller and Vish reflect on another comprehensive Bazballing in the Mount Maunganui Test

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2023England continued their striking run of Test form with a crushing 267-run victory in the day-night Test at Mount Maunganui, making it 10 wins out of 11 since Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes took charge of the team’s fortunes. Harry Brook was Player of the Match for the third game running, while James Anderson and Stuart Broad took their wickets tally in Tests together past 1000. On this week’s pod, Alan Gardner was joined by Andrew Miller and, on the line from Wellington, Vithushan Ehantharajah to breakdown another emphatic display of “Bazballing”, marvel at two old-stagers enjoying their part in the revolution, and preview England’s final Test assignment of the winter.