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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

Celtic celebrated their Premiership title in style last weekend as they thrashed Motherwell 6-0 at Parkhead before lifting and parading the trophy around the ground.

It was an emotional afternoon for multiple reasons as fans celebrated the title success as well as saying goodbye to two long-serving midfielders – Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic.

Both players will leave the club upon the expiry of their contracts at the end of next month and Ange Postecoglou will need to source replacements for them heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

One player the Hoops have been linked with a swoop for is Coventry gem Gustavo Hamer and he can be Ange’s dream heir to Rogic’s midfield throne.

In the Premiership this season, the Australian produced six goals and six assists – creating 1.5 chances per match – in 32 appearances, whilst also completing 1.6 dribbles and 3.4 duels per game for the Scottish giants.

He is a cultured midfield presence with the ability to make key contributions in the final third and his exit will leave a big hole in the squad heading into next season.

In Hamer, they can find a player who can have a similar impact on the team. He has showcased his quality in the second tier in England as he has enjoyed a fine season south of the border.

The Dutchman, who joined Coventry for £1.5m, chipped in with three goals and nine assists in 37 Championship starts, which means that both he and Rogic directly contributed to 12 goals in their respective leagues.

He created 1.6 chances per game for the Sky Blues as he proved that he can be a consistent creator for his side from a central midfield position, along with winning 3.3 duels per game as he battled hard in midfield.

His teammate Marko Marosi called him “unbelievable” and EFL pundit Ali Maxwell previously dubbed the gem a “class act”. This shows how he has impressed his peers and those in the media with his performances for the English club.

At the age of 24, he also has plenty of time left to develop and improve as a player. This means that he can be the short and long-term replacement for Rogic at Parkhead as he is a player Postecoglou can work with over the course of a number of seasons.

Therefore, he can be the heir to the Australian gem and Celtic must ensure that they can get a deal over the line for the Dutchman this summer.

AND in other news, £5m bid rejected, now worth £31.5m: Celtic had a giant howler on 190 G/A “lion”…

Wolverhampton Wanderers have a Portuguese starlet on their hands in Chiquinho and the 22-year-old is looking to replicate the progress shown by Diogo Jota and Daniel Podence amidst his ambitions of breaking into the first team.

What’s the latest?

That is according to Journalist Josh Holland, via GIVEMESPORT, who believes Chiquinho is eager to become one of the first names of the team sheet.

Holland said: “He’s aspiring and going to want to show his worth to then follow in the footsteps of Diogo Jota and Daniel Podence by getting into that Portugal team.

“I don’t blame Tim [Spiers] for being an admirer of him. I think when he came on against Arsenal, when they lost 1-0, he was just running at Arsenal.

“It’s just something that Wolves miss when Traore is not there. It’s whether he’s got that final product that Traore obviously struggled with.”

On the chalkboard

Jota’s rise to prominence serves as the golden example that the £2.2m-rated Chiquinho will be looking to follow.

The 25-year-old broke into the Portuguese national team during his time at Molineux and has since gone on to make 24 appearances in a time span that has seen him become an elite forward under Jurgen Klopp’s management at Liverpool.

22-year-old Chiquinho, who has been dubbed “magic” by Estoril U23’s head coach Vasco Botelho da Costa, demonstrated his promising potential in his 20-minute cameo against Chelsea on Saturday. The two goals that Wolves scored were both assisted by the former Estoril asset, leaving the Old Gold faithful questioning why he is not being given more minutes.

His “explosiveness” as highlighted his former coach Vasco Botelho da Costa, was the game-changer for Lage’s side and scorer of the last-minute equaliser Conor Coady gave the starlet all the plaudits: “I went into the box, hoping Chiquinho would get it. I thought he was outstanding when he came on.

“He’s a young lad who’s learning every day and he took the game to Chelsea, he ran at them every single time he got the ball, and he always put a ball inside the box.”

With that in mind, he’s clearly a young individual with the world at his feet and if he can find some end product in the Midlands, he stands a great chance of following Jota’s impressive lead at Wolves.

In other news: Lage can land huge Jimenez upgrade for Wolves in £82k-p/w “monster”, he’d be “perfect”