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Leeds United target Sonny Perkins is under contract at West Ham United for a year longer than previously thought. 

That’s according to Irons insiders Claret & Hugh.

The lowdown

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported on Thursday afternoon that Leeds had ‘opened talks’ to sign Perkins from West Ham.

Perkins is an 18-year-old centre-forward who’s also made 16 appearances on the left flank in his fledgling career.

It was thought that Perkins’ deal was up in a matter of weeks, potentially enabling his suitors to line him up on a free transfer. But now Leeds are forced to negotiate with West Ham to get a deal done.

The latest

A ‘key source inside the London Stadium’ told C&H that Perkins is ‘with us for another year’.

West Ham are hopeful of extending his contract, but they’re encountering problems with the player’s representative.

The source explained that ‘the agent wants silly money to extend his contract’, so perhaps Leeds could still look to capitalise on the situation.

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The verdict

If negotiations between the two parties break down because West Ham refuse to meet the demands, then it would be worth making an offer.

Perkins is an exciting prospect, scoring nine goals in 31 appearances at Under-18 level before adding ten more in 22 games for the Under-23s (via Transfermarkt).

He’s also earned international recognition, with seven caps and two goals to his name for England U18s.

David Moyes has been so impressed that he handed him Europa League group-stage minutes against Rapid Vienna and Dinamo Zagreb.

The noises from the academy circles, according to ExWHUemployee, are that he could be ‘the next Declan Rice’ in terms of his potential to break into the first-team and become a star.

Together with Joe Gelhardt, he could be part of the next generation of young attackers at Elland Road.

In other news, Leeds have made contact with a former Chelsea ace.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in signing Alvaro Morata in the upcoming summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Calcio Mercato, the Magpies are keen on a deal for the Spain international as Juventus have opted against signing him.

The report claims that they do not want to pay the €35m (£30m) option included in his loan deal to make it permanent, which has opened the door for other teams.

Newcastle, Arsenal and Barcelona have all made enquiries as they consider making a swoop to sign the Atletico Madrid forward.

Big Chris Wood upgrade

Dan Ashworth, who recently arrived as the club’s sporting director, can seal a big upgrade on Wood by securing a deal to sign Morata this summer.

In two Serie A seasons on loan with the Old Lady, the Spaniard scored 20 goals and provided 16 assists, creating 20 ‘big chances’ in total.

He has proven at the top level that he can score and assist goals on a regular basis. Whilst he is not a prolific scorer in the style of a Karim Benzema or a Robert Lewandowski, he offers a scoring threat and a heap of creativity from a forward role.

Juventus boss Max Allegri hailed the attacker earlier this year, saying: “Morata is one of the best in Europe at a technical level, he struggles with his back to the goal, but if he goes diagonally, with into space, he’s better and brings his characteristics to the table. There are many of them.”

He has also proven his quality in La Liga and the Premier League, scoring 12 goals in 25 starts in his last season for Atletico and 16 goals and six assists in 35 starts for Chelsea. This shows that he can adapt to playing in different countries and teams, which suggests that he would be able to hit the ground running under Eddie Howe.

Meanwhile, Wood scored five goals and failed to provide a single assist in 32 starts in the 2021/22 campaign for Burnley and Newcastle combined.

The 30-year-old struggled in front of goal and has never managed more than three assists in a season at the top level, which shows that he does not have the creativity to fall back on – as Morata does – if he is not scoring.

Therefore, signing the Atletico gem would represent a big upgrade on the New Zealand international and Ashworth must now work hard to pip the likes of Barcelona and Arsenal to his signature.

AND in other news, “Newcastle asked..”: Reporter delivers big transfer claim that’ll leave Howe excited…

West Ham United manager David Moyes is stepping up his transfer push ahead of what could be an interesting 2022/23 Premier League season, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Moyes set for busy summer…

As per reports, the east Londoners seem set for a busy summer, with four departures already confirmed and the Irons’ manager increasing the tempo in attempting to land his targets (Evening Standard).

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Talks have been held over Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd and it is believed that a striker, central midfielder and left-back are ‘high’ on Moyes’ personal wish list.

This comes after West Ham’s failure to land much-needed upgrades in January, with the Scotsman seemingly determined to make sure they have sufficient depth for next season.

The Latest: West Ham set for imminent Lunin talks…

According to the print edition of The Sunday Mirror (via West Ham Zone), Moyes and co are set for imminent talks to sign Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin ‘this week’.

West Ham, and by extension their manager, are ‘stepping up their loan interest’ in the Ukraine international, who is personally ‘looking for a temporary move’ away from the Bernabeu.

The report claimed that a loan with the option to buy is possible as the Hammers eye a move for the 6 foot 4 powerhouse.

The Verdict: Surprising claim…

Reports have suggested that West Ham are actually ‘close’ to finalising a permanent deal for Paris-Saint Germain loanee Alphonse Areola, so we believe that this update comes as a surprising one.

Unless there has been an unknown twist to the tale, or if Moyes is planning to significantly strengthen his goalkeeping department to have three brilliant deputies for Lukasz Fabianski, a move for Lunin could make little sense when taking into account their alleged interest in sealing a permanent swoop for Areola.

In other news: West Ham now ahead of European giants in race to sign £21m forward! Find out more here

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou could be heading for an early summer transfer disaster as the Hoops are at risk of losing defender Osaze Urhoghide permanently.

What’s the news?

According to a recent article from the Daily Record, Belgian club KV Oostende are weighing up a permanent move to sign the centre-back just a year after he signed for Celtic.

Last July, the Hoops secured a deal for the defender from Sheffield Wednesday, making him the first signing of the Postecoglou era at Parkhead.

After making just one senior appearance for the Bhoys, which came during their 3-2 win over Real Betis in the Europa League in December, the 21-year-old joined Oostende on loan in the January transfer window. Since then, the former Hillsborough youngster has made seven league appearances for the Belgian club.

In those appearances, he showed what a capable defender he is by averaging 2.1 tackles, 2.9 interceptions and 1.7 clearances per game. He also earned himself an overall performance rating of 6.81/10 from WhoScored, making him the second-highest rated player at the club in the 2021/22 season.

Taking this into account, and with Urhoghide still having a lot of time ahead of him to grow into an important and very capable first-team figure for the Hoops, seeing him potentially leave on a permanent basis this summer after barely getting a chance to show what he can do at Parkhead could be a big mistake from Postecoglou.

Bearing in mind how the Hoops have seen young players leave the club in recent times such as Ben Doak and Leo Hjelde, having Urhoghide added to that list of ex-Parkhead youngsters to potentially thrive and blossom elsewhere would not be a good look for the Bhoys.

While Oostende are reportedly weighing up a decision as to whether or not they will use their option to sign the 21-year-old on a permanent basis, the Hoops will need to hope that the Belgian club don’t trigger this option and instead send the player back to Glasgow.

Otherwise, if they do sign him outright, Celtic’s decision to put in a purchase option when they loaned him out could well come back to bite them.

In other news – “Celtic have..”: Transfer insider drops exciting claim that’ll have supporters buzzing

Everton are reportedly now eyeing up a double swoop for Brennan Johnson and James Tarkowski this summer.

The Lowdown: Positions identified

With links to the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jack Harrison recently, it is clear that the Goodison Park faithful are now targeting a new central defender and winger this window.

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It has been reported that up to seven first-team players could be allowed to leave, including Michael Keane and Andros Townsend, and so the Merseyside club will need to strengthen if that is to happen.

The Latest: Double swoop

Taking to Twitter, reliable journalist Craig Hope has revealed that the Toffees are now eyeing up moves for Johnson and Tarkowski, with the former depending on how Nottingham Forest get on in their Championship play-off final against Huddersfield Town:

“Everton eye move for Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson, but a lot hinges on Forest fate in play-off final. Newcastle, Leicester, Brentford have also watched 21-yr-old. James Tarkowski also near top of Everton list this summer.”

Expanding in his article for The Daily Mail, Hope added that Johnson would likely cost around £20m, and a move away from Forest would be more likely if they lose the final.

The Verdict: Exciting

These are exciting times for Blues supporters given their links to Johnson and Tarkowski, who would both be excellent acquisitions to the team.

The former comes off the back of a standout season in the Championship, where he won the league’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring 19 goals in 50 games over all competitions (The Daily Mail).

Meanwhile, Tarkowski already has that added Premier League experience, and is available on a free transfer with his contract at Burnley set to expire.

Given that he is currently valued at £19.8m on the market, signing him for free would prove to be a real bargain.

In other news, find out which £44,000-per-week star EFC are now showing ‘interest’ in here!

Wolves defender Fernando Marcal will leave the club at the end of the season, reliable journalist Tim Spiers has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Marcal a good servant

The 33-year-old made the move from Lyon to Molineux back in 2020, as he looked to add squad depth to Wanderers’ squad.

Marcal has done just that, proving to be a reliable figure, when fit, going on to make a total of 32 appearances for Wolves, including 18 in the Premier League this season.

The Brazilian’s current deal expires at the end of the season, however, and his exit has felt inevitable with the emergence of Rayan Aït-Nouri.

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The Latest: Summer exit confirmed

Taking to Twitter on Friday, The Athletic‘s Spiers said that Marcal would depart this summer, as he relaid Bruno Lage’s confirmation on the matter:

“Fernando Marcal is leaving Wolves this summer, Bruno Lage confirmed today. The Wolves boss also says he wants Joao Moutinho, Morgan Gibbs-White and John Ruddy to be in his squad next season.”

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The Verdict: Right time to leave

At 33, and with his contract up, it makes complete sense for Marcal to move on and find another club, rather than be offered a new deal at Wolves.

He was a solid performer throughout this season, winning an average of 1.4 aerial duels per game in the league, while Jeff Shi spoke of his happiness when Wanderers signed him.

Marcal won’t exactly go down as a Wolves legend but his contribution will always be appreciated, as he helped his side push towards a European finish in 2021/22.

In other news, one Wolves player has been linked with a high-profile exit. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa sporting director Johan Lange is plotting a move to bolster the club’s attack ahead of a crucial 2022/23 campaign.

What’s the word?

According to French outlet But, Villa are interested in Lille striker Jonathan David, with the Ligue 1 club reportedly asking for €50m (£42.5m) to sign the Canada international.

West Ham are also interested in the 22-year-old and there could be an interesting battle ahead to secure the services of the North American gem.

Watkins upgrade

Steven Gerrard has had a mixed start to his tenure at Villa so far, having arrived from Rangers in mid-November. The early signs were promising but a poor run of results over the festive period set them back, although they head into Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace with a shot at a top-half finish.

Gerrard will likely be aiming to bring in his own players in the summer and his forward options urgently need a rejig, so a move for David could be a shrewd one.

The Canadian has netted 87 goals between club and country during his relatively short career so far, with the striker being described as “fearless” and there is a reason why other clubs are sniffing around the 22-year-old.

This season, David has scored 13 league goals compared to 10 for Watkins, and the Lille frontman also has a greater shot on target percentage over the Villa striker (46.7% to 40.8%).

David has a higher pass completion rate than Watkins (79.2% to 71.4%) and draws slightly more fouls (44 to 43). These stats prove that, whilst the two close in some criteria, the Canadian looks like he will just keep getting better and better.

There seems little doubt he would be an upgrade on Watkins, and the onus is on for Gerrard to go and get his man before other clubs start to follow up on their interest.

AND in other news, Villa supporters will love this “unbelievable” thing that Jurgen Klopp has said…

Newcastle United are reportedly now eyeing a shock move for former Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the summer.

The Lowdown: Sunderland connection

Having being born in Washington in Sunderland, Pickford has strong connections with the Wearside club, as he made 35 appearances for them in total over two seasons.

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Now at Everton, he is also the number one goalkeeper for England, a testament to how far he has come since leaving the Black Cats.

The Latest: Newcastle lurking

Writing in his latest piece for talkSPORT, transfer insider Alex Crook has revealed that the St. James’ Park faithful are now ‘monitoring’ Pickford’s situation, as the Toffees prepare to listen to offers for him this summer.

He will ‘push’ for a move away from Goodison Park if they are relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season, but Tottenham Hotspur are also thought to be interested in his signature.

The Magpies will also find it ‘tricky’ to persuade him to move to Tyneside, given his SAFC connections.

The Verdict: Difficult

Although players have moved between rivals in the past, this deal does seem like a difficult one to do.

Described as having ‘world-class‘ shot-stopping ability by Blues manager Frank Lampard, Pickford will have no shortage of admirers if they were to go down, and the 28-year-old is in the prime of his career.

The Toon will be able to offer up the money to both him and the club, but that may not be enough to push a move through.

In other news, find out what ‘incredible’ NUFC update has now emerged here!

Leeds United will try to complete some unfinished transfer business this summer by attempting another move for Huddersfield Town ace Lewis O’Brien, according to TEAMtalk.

The Lowdown: O’Brien profiled

The 23-year-old first joined the Terriers at U11s level and has worked his way up through the ranks, going from an academy product to a regular feature in Carlos Corberan’s starting XI, where he has made 128 senior appearances to date.

The midfielder has played an essential role in the Huddersfield team this season and has helped put them into contention for promotion to the Premier League, after successfully securing a play-off place following a final day 2-0 victory over Bristol City.

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The Latest: Leeds ready to pounce

In a new article published by TEAMtalk, it’s claimed that O’Brien’s future at the club ‘could depend’ on whether the Yorkshire outfit get promoted or not, and it’s understood that Leeds are ‘ready to pounce’ after chasing the maestro at the end of last season.

The source further states that the player does have a release clause in his contract which means that the club could allow him to leave for a fee in the region of £12m.

The Whites are set to face competition for his signature though, with the likes of Wolves, Crystal Palace, Burnley, Brighton, and Southampton also all interested in his services.

The Verdict: Unfinished business

It will be highly unlikely to see O’Brien stay with the Terriers should they fail to make the jump up to the Premier League, and it’s no surprise that Leeds have decided to go back in for their target, especially considering that Marcelo Bielsa was such a fan and tried to sign him during his time working alongside Victor Orta.

The Colchester-born talent, who was once dubbed an “exceptional” player by his manager, has netted three goals and provided three assists in the Championship this season, as per Transfermarkt, and has been one of the standout performers in the second-tier, hence why he is catching the eye of so many potential suitors.

The fact that the £3k-per-week star is Huddersfield’s vice-captain shows that he has plenty of leadership qualities both on the pitch and in the dressing room, and that’s something that the Whites have been lacking this term with Liam Cooper often injured.

We feel Jesse Marsch could make an excellent addition to his ranks here ahead of the start of the 2022/23 season.

In other news… a Leeds United employee has reacted to Luke Ayling’s recent suspension.  

A Sunderland injury claim has emerged ahead of their clash with Sheffield Wednesday over Carl Winchester.

What’s the latest?

Black Cats manager Alex Neil has confirmed that the full-back will not be in contention to face the Owls in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals tonight.

The Scot revealed to the Sunderland Echo that “it’s going to be weeks rather than days” before the 29-year-old comes back from his knock.

He has not been able to recover in time to put himself forward to play in this huge match in the club’s bid to secure a place in the Championship next season.

Supporters will be fuming

Sunderland supporters will surely be fuming with this news, which comes as a big blow to the Black Cats as Winchester has been an important member of the team throughout the campaign.

Former Mackems boss Lee Johnson previously hailed the 29-year-old’s versatility on the pitch, saying: “Winnie is trusted in that position, he is trusted in midfield, in the number ten position, I could even play him centre-half if I needed to. He came in on a free transfer, and I think it has proved to be really good business.”

The Northern Ireland international has largely played at right-back this term but has also been deployed in midfield and at centre-back as part of a back three. This shows that he can play a multitude of roles for the club, and Neil would surely love to have his adaptability in his squad for this match as it would allow him to change systems in-game to suit how the match is going.

He has also showcased his quality across those positions. In League One, he has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.80 in 40 appearances, helping the side to keep 10 clean sheets in that time as he put in reliable displays wherever he was asked to play.

Defensively, he has been excellent for Sunderland. As per SofaScore, he has made three tackles and interceptions and 1.4 clearances per game, whilst winning 53% of his individual duels. He has been able to consistently break up opposition attacks to set the Black Cats on their way going forward, while he has also contributed in attack with three league goals.

Therefore, losing him for ‘weeks’ – suggesting that he will miss the entirety of the play-offs – is a big blow for Sunderland, one which will infuriate fans because of the quality and versatility that will be missed in Winchester’s absence.

AND in other news, Sunderland handed double injury lift ahead of tonight, Neil will be buzzing…