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Rangers are eyeing a move for 17-year-old Dylan Reid as Giovanni van Bronckhorst looks to bring more talent to Ibrox.

What’s the news?

That’s according to the Daily Record, who report that Rangers are ready to make a six-figure move for the St Mirren starlet as the Ibrox side continues to source the brightest talent in the country to add to their squad.

The Gers face competition from Benfica and Premier League side Crystal Palace for the youngster’s signature, however.

The report states that the Paisley outfit are only likely to sell if a significant deal is made with a host of add-ons built into the deal.

He can be Jack 2.0

Rangers have come to life recently in this summer’s transfer market following a slow start which began to frustrate the supporters. 16-year-old Zak Lovelace has agreed to join the Ibrox club before a move for Croatian striker Antonio Colak was sealed.

Van Bronckhorst looks set to continue his business by securing a move for Reid, and he could well see the player as a younger version of Ryan Jack.

Reid made history in March 2021 by becoming St Mirren’s youngest ever debutant, ironically against Rangers, in a 3-0 defeat, and having spent time on loan at Queens Park during the latter stages of last season, could be signed by the Gers to bolster their B team squad.

Despite playing slightly deeper than Jack, operating mainly in a defensive midfield position, the players share similar traits. The Dutchman might see a potential heir to the Scotland midfielder in the youngster. The 17-year-old ability to protect the defence and win the ball back effectively is comparable to Jack and he could get even better learning under the Scotland international.

Craig Mulholland, the head of the Rangers academy, watched Reid as St Mirren lost to Northampton Town on Wednesday and it appears the Ibrox side are ready to make an official approach to St Mirren.

He might not be ready to be thrown straight into the Rangers’ first team, but Reid looks like an exciting talent that could make the club a fortune in a few years’ time.

AND in other news, David Ornstein drops big transfer update that’ll have Rangers supporters gutted

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Nathan Ake in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed that the Magpies head coach is a big fan of the Netherlands international, having worked with him at Bournemouth. The reporter also added that the Tyneside club are likely to make a move if Manchester City give teams the green light to come in for the 27-year-old.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT about Ake: “Eddie Howe loves him, he’s had him on his mind for quite a while now.

“He recommended him as a signing for the summer and he’s potentially going to be available, so of all the people being mentioned, look out in the background, if anything starts to happen with Nathan Ake, Newcastle will probably be in the conversation.”

Howe’s own Ruben Dias

If the Premier League champions decide to cash in on the £41m tank, the Magpies must snap him up as he can be Eddie Howe’s own version of Ruben Dias, who is listed as a similar player to the former Cherries defender on FBRef.

The Portugal international was named the English top flight’s Player of the Season for the 2020/21 campaign, as his impact at centre-back was judged to have played a big role in City winning the title after losing out to Liverpool in the previous campaign.

Whilst Newcastle may not be expecting to win the league next term, they can land their own transformative centre-back signing in the sense that Ake could elevate the style of play that they are able to deploy next season.

The gem, who was dubbed “underrated” by Liverpool machine and international compatriot Virgil van Dijk, is a ball-playing defender who can use his quality to build play out from the back for the Magpies. 

In Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, Ake rank in the 96th percentile amongst centre-backs for progressive carries, the 98th percentile for passes attempted, the 93rd percentile for pass completion percentage and in the 99th percentile for non-penalty Expected goals and assists, as per FBRef.

Meanwhile, Dan Burn ranks in the 58th percentile or lower in those statistics, which includes him being in the 19th percentile for pass completion percentage. This suggests that, whilst the January signing from Brighton has been a rock in defence, he does not have the quality to progress the play out from the back to a high standard.

On the other hand, Ake’s statistics show that he is exceptional at carrying and passing the ball out from defence to initiate attacks for his team.

Therefore, the Dutchman could transform the way that Newcastle play and have a major impact on Howe’s team next season, much like the signing of his current team-mate Dias had on Pep Guardiola’s side. The 27-year-old can instigate moves from centre-back and quicken their build-up through the thirds when needed, allowing Newcastle to play a more possession-based style.

AND in other news, Forget Ekitike: Newcastle now “close to” landing second summer signing, Howe will be elated…

It could be the end of the road at Aston Villa for Trezeguet, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider hinted that the Egypt international is likely to be heading for the exit door this summer, with the 27-year-old seemingly not set to be a part of manager Steven Gerrard’s plans next season.

Amid reports linking the player with a move to Trabzonspor, O’Rourke stated that: “You can’t see any way back for Trezeguet in that Villa team right now, the way things are going. Steven Gerrard is busy making signings to improve the squad.”

The 56-cap playmaker – who joined from Kasimpasa on an £8.5m deal in 2019 – had spent the second half of last season on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir, having fallen out of favour at Villa Park.

Supporters will love it

Although there have been bright moments for the player in a claret and blue jersey, notably his crucial winner against Arsenal at the tail-end of his debut campaign to help stave off relegation, the £9m-rated gem has largely struggled to nail down a regular role in the Midlands, with supporters surely delighted to see him depart in the current window.

While not aided by a lengthy absence through injury that saw him kept on the sidelines from April to December in 2021, the £47k-per-week man had struggled for consistency prior to that, with his current record standing at just nine goals and five assists in 64 appearances in all competitions for the club.

With the likes of Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Phillipe Coutinho having been added to the squad over the past year, the current crop is currently brimming with attacking talent, ensuring little room for a player who is unlikely to feature too heavily.

For Trezeguet himself, an exit and a fresh start may also make sense, having proven what he can do in a perhaps less competitive league while on loan in Turkey over the past six months, netting six goals and providing three assists in just 13 appearances during his temporary spell.

For supporters, while the versatile forward has been no costly disaster over the last three years, his presence is perhaps a reminder of the previous regime under Dean Smith, with it time for the club to ensure a fresh start under Gerrard by axing those who are surplus to requirements – the one-time Anderlecht man being one of them.

IN other news, AVFC face battle to land “aggressive” £60m machine, he’s one of the “best” in his role

Newcastle have asked Brentford about Ivan Toney, The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards reports.

The lowdown

Toney has already one spell at Newcastle, beginning in 2015 when they signed him from Northampton.

After spells on loan with Barnsley, Shrewsbury Town, Scunthorpe United and Wigan Athletic, he sealed a permanent exit to Peterborough United for just £350,000 in 2018.

He would spend two seasons with the Posh before making a move to Brentford and helping them win promotion to the Premier League.

The Englishman, who’s now earning £21,000 per week on a contract that runs until June 2025, only made four appearances for the Toon.

The latest

Newcastle launched a ‘pursuit’ of Brentford striker Toney, Edwards writes.

However, the Bees told them they would have to pay £50million, and Newcastle regard that as extortionate.

As of now, the pursuit has gone cold, but it’s clear that the Magpies are interested, and so they may return if Brentford show a willingness to compromise later in the window.

The verdict

You can see why Newcastle might be keen to bring Toney back to St James’ Park. He bagged 14 goals in 37 appearances last season, including 12 in 23 in the league.

One of those goals was an 11th-minute effort in the 3-3 draw between Newcastle and Brentford on Tyneside, Eddie Howe’s first game in charge.

Toney produced a big performance against his former club that day, clearing a shot off the line and drawing five fouls in addition to his goal (via Whoscored).

Manager Thomas Frank says he has the ‘mindset of a lion’, and that could make him a fan favourite wherever he’s playing.

This may be one to keep an eye on.

In other news, a potential goalkeeper target has emerged for Eddie Howe.

Everton youngster Ellis Simms is wanted on loan by Scottish Premiership side Hearts next season, according to a report from Edinburgh Evening News. 

The lowdown: Hot prospect

Formerly of the youth system at Manchester City, Simms joined the Blues in 2017 and has since progressed remarkably through the ranks on Merseyside.

The 21-year-old striker amassed an incredible 62 direct goal contributions in 84 outings across the Everton Under 18s and Under 23s before a spell out on loan at Blackpool, where the starlet netted ten times in 24 appearances for the then League One side.

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Set to return to Goodison Park this summer following a loan spell at Hearts last season, Simms is wanted for a second spell north of the border.

The latest: Approach made

As per the report from Edinburgh Evening News, Hearts officials have already made a ‘strong pitch’ to take the frontman back.

It’s claimed that the Toffees will wait to make a decision on Simms amidst interest from a ‘number of teams’ in the Championship and to allow Frank Lampard to ‘assess him’ during pre-season.

The report also states that the man lauded for an ‘absolutely magnificent’ goal against Hibernian in the Scottish Cup semi-final could be required to fill the void left behind by either Richarlison or Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The verdict: Keep him

Given the lack of striking options at his disposal due to injuries and suspensions last season, Lampard should seriously consider keeping Simms for the 2022/23 campaign, regardless of what happens with Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin over the coming weeks.

Standing at an imposing 6 foot 2, the Oldham-born youngster has the physical attributes to cope with the Premier League and could provide a younger, more agile alternative to 32-year-old target man Salomon Rondon, who was so often the go-to option in times of need late last term despite only scoring once in the league.

Having enjoyed further senior success and big match exposure whilst scoring seven times and providing two assists in 21 outings in Scotland, the ace who won the 2018/19 Premier League 2 Golden Boot award with a staggering 32 strikes can be an affective member of the Everton squad moving forwards.

In other news, Everton are eyeing this midfielder from a big-six side

Leeds United’s No.9s during their Premier League years have usually performed exceptionally well. Out of the eight who have worn the shirt, only two players have failed to hit double figures.

The current holder of the shirt is Patrick Bamford, who has every chance of keeping the No.9 jersey in the coming years provided he puts his injury problems behind him.

The Englishman scored an impressive 17 goals in his first season playing in the top flight at Elland Road. A dip last season due to what felt like an injury curse may lead many to forget just how good a goalscorer Bamford is, but next season will hopefully provide some timely reminders.

With Raphinha potentially on his way out of the exit door this summer, the responsibility will fall on Bamford once again to find the goals in this Leeds side. Under Jesse Marsch, the striker will hope to put his injury troubles behind and kick on once more.

Those before Bamford, if you cast your minds back, didn’t have a bad time in front of goal, either, as revealed by TransferMarkt.

Every Leeds No.9 ranked on Premier League goals scored

Noel Whelan – 0 goals

Ian Rush – 3 goals

Tony Yeboah – 12 goals

Lee Chapman – 15 goals

Patrick Bamford – 19 goals

Brian Deane – 27 goals

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 34 goals

Mark Viduka – 59 goals

As you can see, it is Mark Viduka who leads the way for Premier League goals scored by Leeds United number nines. The Australian did everything he could to keep Leeds afloat, but couldn’t do enough to prevent the drop in the end, as the Yorkshire club suffered relegation in 2004.

Behind Viduka is Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. The forward enjoyed an affluent spell at Elland Road before making a big-money move to Chelsea, netting on 34 occasions.

Brian Deane provided a healthy return of 27 strikes, while Lee Chapman only featured for Leeds during one Premier League season and Yeboah’s Elland Road spell was explosive but shortlived.

The only real flops in the list of number nines are Noel Whelan and, surprisingly, Ian Rush, although the Liverpool legend was very much in the latter stages of his career when he turned out for the Whites.

Now, the responsibility lies with Bamford. 35 goals away from Viduka, can the former Chelsea forward become the most successful number nine in Leeds United’s Premier League history?

He’s got a long way to go but at 28 years of age, the England international still has a few years left to try and whittle down his predecessor’s tally.

Bertrand Traore, Douglas Luiz and Morgan Sanson could all leave Aston Villa this summer. 

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who was writing for GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Villa paid £17m to sign Traore from Lyon in September 2020 but his future is already in doubt after he made just one start (and eight substitute appearances) in the most recent Premier League campaign.

Sanson is an even more recent acquisition, having joined from Marseille in a £14m deal in January 2021. He also found opportunities hard to come by in 2021/22, with just three starts and seven run-outs from the bench.

Luiz was in the same price bracket – a £15m addition from Manchester City in 2019 – but has played far more often. The Brazilian started 31 of Villa’s 38 top-flight matches, seemingly regarded as a key player by both Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard.

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The latest

Jones addressed Villa’s prospective summer transfer business in a Q&A with GiveMeSport.

He claimed that ‘there has to be doubt’ over whether Traore will be a Villa player next season, adding that Sanson ‘looks sure’ to leave the Midlands outfit just 18 months on from his arrival.

However, perhaps the real surprise for Villa supporters would be the potential exit of Luiz, ‘who seems to be one they could move on’, according to the transfer insider.

The verdict

On the one hand, Villa could make healthy money from offloading these players. Transfermarkt value them at a combined £62.1m, and that could give Gerrard considerably more spending power as he targets a further three singings.

Still, some Villa fans may be sad to see Luiz go. After all, this is a player that Pep Guardiola, the manager of reigning league champions Manchester City, called ‘important’, ‘clever with the ball’ and ‘physically strong’.

Meanwhile, former Villa marksman Gabriel Agbonlahor said in March that the ‘outstanding’ Luiz has looked a ‘transformed’ player.

However, it seems that the recent arrival of Boubacar Kamara from Marseille could spell the end of the Brazilian’s time at Villa, with Gerrard ruthlessly plotting a clearout over the summer.

In other news, Villa are exploring a move for this striker. 

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring James Ward-Prowse to north London in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Hampshire Live, who claimed that the Southampton midfielder’s future is the subject of much speculation ahead of the opening of the summer market, with both Tottenham and Manchester United mentioned as interested parties.

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Further reports have backed up the claim that Antonio Conte is interested in a move for the midfielder this summer, with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side expected to demand a figure in the region of £60m in order to part with the England international in the coming months.

Jorginho 2.0

Considering Ward-Prowse’s remarkable form for Southampton this season, in addition to reports suggesting that Conte is hoping to sign a midfielder in the mould of Jorginho this summer, it is not difficult to see why the 52-year-old would be keen on a deal for the 27-year-old playmaker.

Indeed, over his 36 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £42.5m-rated talent highly impressed for Saints, scoring 10 goals, registering five assists and creating eight big chances for his team-mates, as well as taking 1.5 shots, making two key passes and enjoying 69.7 touches per game.

The £100k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, completing 43.8 passes, 1.1 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and 1.8 long balls and winning 2.6 duels per match.

These returns saw the 10-cap England international average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.27, not only ranking him as Hasenhuttl’s best performer in the league but also as the eighth-best midfielder and the 19th-best player overall in the top flight.

As a result of Ward-Prowse’s incredible performance standards this season, Oriol Romeu heaped considerable praise on his St Mary’s team-mate, with the Spaniard stating: “He is an unbelievable player, the way he works. He always finds a good option, he never gives the ball away, he works the hardest and he runs the longest. Ward-Prowse is probably going to be one of the most important players for this club.”

For comparison, over Jorginho’s 29 Premier League appearances this season, the £40.5m-rated midfielder scored six goals, registered two assists and created six big chances, in addition to taking 0.6 shots, making 0.9 key passes and enjoying 75.8 touches per game.

The Italy international also completed 58 passes, 1.2 interceptions, 2.2 tackles and 2.1 long balls and won 4.5 duels per game, with these metrics seeing the £110k-per-week playmaker average a SofaScore match rating of 7.08.

As such, it is clear to see that Ward-Prowse is very much a player in the same mould as the Chelsea star, leading us to believe that Fabio Paratici must do all he can to land the player who Jamie O’Hara dubbed “perfect” for Spurs this summer, as there would be very few players beyond the 27-year-old who would satisfy Conte’s criteria in the middle of the park.

AND in other news: Bid incoming: Conte can land Spurs’ own Steph Curry in £60m offer for “special” target

There will be ‘hell’ if Liverpool don’t tie down Mohamed Salah to a new contract this summer, according to former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.

The Lowdown: Still no new deal for Salah

The saga surrounding the Egyptian’s future at Anfield has been rumbling on for months now, with a new contract still not signed.

Salah is out of contract at the end of next season, but his representatives and Liverpool are yet to reach a compromise regarding the terms of the deal.

The hope is that the 29-year-old extends his stay soon, although it is difficult to predict at this stage.

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The Latest: Kenny warns Liverpool over Salah

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny warned that there would be uproar at Liverpool if Salah ends up moving elsewhere during the summer transfer window.

The former Republic of Ireland international stated:

“I don’t know how this still isn’t done. If there has been a positive update then yeah, that’s great. But nothing is done until it’s announced.

“If he hasn’t signed and an offer comes in this summer, what happens then? It’s like with a new signing, until he’s on the pitch with a scarf, it’s not done.

“I’ll guarantee you one thing, there will be hell on if he doesn’t sign by the start of next season.”

The Verdict: Could Madrid snap him up?

It still feels likely that Salah will extend his stay at Anfield eventually, especially as Liverpool are arguably a step up from any other club in Europe at the moment, in terms of the trophies they’ve won under an inspirational manager in Jurgen Klopp, whose own future on Merseyside is secure.

That being said, Kylian Mbappe deciding to remain at Paris Saint-Germain could mean that Real Madrid eye a move a different superstar this summer. That could potentially be Salah, who has been linked with Los Blancos in recent months.

It would be an enormous shame if his head is turned and he fails to agree terms on a new contract, but no player is bigger than the club and Liverpool may be best advised to plan now for the eventuality of Salah going so that they are not left high-and-dry if it does happen this year or next.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a new midfield signing. Find out who it is here.

Celtic had a rather significant summer last year, not just because of the hefty number of players who moved in and out of the club, but because of their change in management.

After seeing Neil Lennon leave in February 2021, Ange Postecoglou took over on a permanent basis in June having signed a 12-month rolling contract.

Now that the 2021/22 season has drawn to an end and the 56-year-old has brought the Premiership title back to Parkhead in his first attempt, a claim has emerged over the Australian’s future at Lennoxtown which will surely have lots of Celtic fans buzzing.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football Insider, Gabby Agbonlahor raised the possibility of Celtic offering Postecoglou a new long-term deal.

The former Aston Villa striker said of the 56-year-old: “I think he does deserve that long-term deal, he has been outstanding this season. I’m sure they will give him that. It’s big for Scottish football. It’s great for Scottish football.

“Rangers and Celtic both look really good at the moment, next season is going to be really exciting. I remember as a kid always watching Rangers v Celtic, now, more people will be watching because they are both doing well.”

Earlier this month, it was reported by the Daily Record that the Parkhead club will look to sit down with Postecoglou and offer him a new long-term deal as a result of his successful first season in charge of the Bhoys.

While there has been no official announcement yet on the matter, the Hoops boss recently said that the Celtic fans would not need to worry about his future at the club.

Taking into account how Postecoglou has won 42 of his 60 games in charge at Celtic, it’s safe to say that Hoops supporters would love to see the Australian not only continue his journey with the Parkhead club but carry on with them on a long-term basis.

The sooner that the 56-year-old puts pen to paper on a new contract, the sooner that he and the Celtic hierarchy can get on with preparing for the new season and being as successful as they can on the domestic and European front.

In other news: Kieran Devlin shares big Lennoxtown transfer claim, Celtic supporters will be buzzing