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Manchester United have been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid winger Yannik Carrasco recently, and the Belgian could be a big upgrade in Erik ten Hag’s side next season.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet AS, the Red Devils, plus Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, are all keen on signing the 28-year-old this summer after his impressive performances in Diego Simeone’s side last season.

They claim that the Atletico manager sees Carrasco as a big part of his plans at the Wanda Metropolitano and won’t budge on the €60m (£51.5m) release clause in the former Monaco attacker’s contract.

Better than Rashford?

If United were to meet the winger’s release clause, they would be signing a player who has just enjoyed two of his best seasons in an Atletico shirt.

Last term saw him contribute six goals and six assists in 34 La Liga appearances for Los Colchoneros, with WhoScored awarding him an impressive 7.08 average rating for his performances in Spain’s top flight, including five man-of-the-match displays.

For comparison, Rashford managed just four goals and two assists in 25 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, averaging a shocking 6.35 WhoScored rating for his performances.

The United academy graduate also averaged just 0.9 shots, 0.4 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in the top flight last term, whereas Carrasco managed 1.5 shots, 1.6 key passes and 2.6 dribbles per match in La Liga, so it seems clear that he would be an upgrade on the 24-year-old.

Given the England international’s sharp decline in form last season, Ten Hag may well be looking for more consistent options out wide, as United were far too reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo for goals in 2021/22.

Carrasco would almost certainly provide an attacking output that the majority of United’s wide players have failed to consistently produce, as he has 80 goals and 80 assists in his club career thus far.

After hitting a hat-trick against Granada in 2016, Simeone was full of praise for Carrasco, saying: “He is a very complete player, with a bright future ahead of him.”

Although the 28-year-old would be an expensive option for the Glazers, it seems as if United are definitely interested in bringing him in; and if his statistics last season are anything to go by, he would surely be an upgrade to Ten Hag’s current options out wide.

In other news… United can land Ten Hag his own Robertson with bid for “exceptional” £30m target

Liverpool are among the clubs interested in signing Juventus defender Matthijs De Ligt, according to a report from Calciomercato. 

The lowdown: Rise to stardom

A product of the famed Ajax academy, he made a big-money move to Juventus in 2019 having flourished in the Dutch youth system and after 117 senior outings for the Eredivisie champions, and he has gone from strength to strength ever since.

Signed for an initial £67.8m (Sky Sports), the towering Dutchman has since made 117 appearances for the Serie A giants and played an integral role in the team which lifted the top-flight title in 2019/20.

Amidst protracted contract renewal discussions, it now appears as though potential suitors are positioning themselves to strike, with the Reds not willing to be left behind…

The latest: Liverpool linked with De Ligt

As per Calciomercato, Liverpool ‘should not be overlooked’ as the 22-year-old attempts to resolve his future, with Chelsea also attentive.

It’s claimed that the 37-cap Netherlands ace – who took the captain’s armband for the national team in the absence of Virgil van Dijk – wants to lower his release clause to €80m (£69m), whilst Juventus are looking to place a €140m (£120m) clause on the head of one of their most prized assets.

The report stated that the Anfield club are ‘considering the idea’ of pairing Van Dijk with the man hailed as ‘world class’ by journalist Jerry Mancini after a standout display against Austria at Euro 2020, during which the Juventus centre-back made three clearances, won three ground duels and completed each of his 40 passes in a 7.40 Sofascore rated performance.

The verdict: Worthwhile headache

Already boasting a well-stocked central defensive department containing Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, adding De Ligt to the ranks would undoubtedly give Jurgen Klopp a huge selection dilemma.

However, opportunities to sign such prodigious talents don’t present themselves often, and the 6 foot 1 star would be a game-changing capture even with the existing strength in depth at Klopp’s disposal.

De Ligt scored three times in 42 appearances across all competitions last term, earning a 7.07 Sofascore rating whilst winning 4.6 duels and making 3.1 clearances per Serie A match – equalling Liverpool’s top performer and compatriot Van Dijk when it comes to clearances per game.

Possessing a wide range of impressive attributes, along with outstanding leadership qualities for a player still so young, De Ligt has the ability to thrive under Klopp’s methods and slot into the first team immediately as well as potentially being viewed as the long-term successor to Van Dijk.

Therefore, signing the powerful Dutch defender should be considered more than just a luxury for Julian Ward and FSG, particularly should the out-of-favour Gomez decide to seek more regular first-team football elsewhere this summer.

In other news… a Premier League club has reportedly made an approach for one of Liverpool’s defenders

Everton will need to look to the transfer window to improve their squad after a disappointing season in the Premier League, and with the prospect of key players leaving this summer, Farhad Moshiri will need to make smart moves to identify new signings who could make an instant impact.

Both Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been linked with moves away from the club this summer, and they would be huge losses to the team’s goal contributions next season if Everton do not act fast in the transfer window to replace them.

Richarlison was the Toffees’ top scorer with 11 goals this season, and despite Calvert-Lewin’s numerous injury problems in recent months, he has also been a consistent and effective striker for the team.

The 25-year-old has scored 58 goals and delivered 18 assists for the Merseyside club in 191 appearances, with a goal contribution every 163 minutes. Frank Lampard will therefore be hoping that, if the England striker does move on, the 43-year-old can find someone to either emulate or improve upon the goal threat of Calvert-Lewin next season.

One player who has been closely linked with a move to Goodison Park is potential Calvert-Lewin heir Valentin Castellanos, who has been impressing in the MLS with Lampard’s former club New York City FC.

The €14m (£12m)-rated striker, who was dubbed “exceptional” by journalist Conor McGilligan, scored 22 goals and delivered eight assists in the MLS over the 2021 season, winning the league’s Golden Boot. He has continued to show his prolific nature in front of goal this year, scoring seven goals in 11 appearances so far.

Everton will likely have competition for the forward’s signature this summer, as Premier League trio West Ham United, Leeds United and Newcastle United are all named as interested parties in acquiring the services of the Argentine predator.

The Merseyside club’s interest must be ramped up by Moshiri if he wants to add depth to the forward line this summer, especially with the futures of Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison hanging in the balance. It could be a huge risk not to act upon their reported interest and get a proposal put together to sign the goal machine.

Ultimately, Everton will need to make sure that they prepare for the worst outcome of losing both their key attackers, and signing Castellanos could be a great start to ensuring that they don’t caught short with attacking options ahead of next season.

AND in other news – “Interested…”: Insider drops big Everton transfer update, supporters will be buzzing

Sky Sports journalist Tom White has now revealed some big news involving Sunderland.

The Lowdown: Change of ownership?

It has been reported that both Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven would consider selling their shares at the Stadium of Light, while The Sunderland Echo have claimed that majority shareholder Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is looking to take full control.

However, other outside bidders have not been ruled out which could take hold of the shares instead.

The Latest: TFT deal

Taking to Twitter, White has revealed that fan ownership group ‘The Fans Together’ (TFT) are now ‘moving closer’ to a 39% ownership of the Wearside club.

He also shared a statement from a spokesperson of the group to confirm that they are in talks with Donald and Methven to acquire their stake, and explained their reasons for wanting to do so.

The Verdict: Needed

TFT seem to have good intentions with regards to wanting to buy a stake in Sunderland, and given that Donald and Methven do not seem to be committed to the club anymore, a change of ownership in that regard is needed.

Finance expert Kieran Maguire has claimed that the pair have left a “toxic legacy” after several years in League One, and the club’s promotion to the Championship could offer a new slate.

This is big news for the Black Cats and their supporters, with further developments likely to emerge over the next few weeks.

In other news, find out who Sunderland are now ‘keen’ to reunite with Alex Neil here!

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Hugo Ekitike heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Magpies are now speaking with his agent to agree on personal terms after ironing out a fee with Stade Reims.

He tweeted:

“Hugo Ekitike deal. Newcastle and Reims have full agreement on €30m fee plus €5m add-ons, agent is now in talks with Newcastle after being given permission by Reims. #NUFC Work in progress as Newcastle have been leading the race for weeks.”

Supporters will be delighted

The supporters will surely be delighted by this update for multiple reasons.

Firstly, they will be buzzing with the proactive approach that is being taken by the club. The window officially opens next Friday and they are already closing in on their first signing ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Doing their business as early as possible will help to avoid a repeat of their January deadline day failings. PIF attempted to sign both Ekitike and Jesse Lingard on the final day of the window and both deals fell through, leaving them with no time to source alternative targets.

Attempting to make signings in the early part of the window will, therefore, allay any fears of that happening again to Newcastle. For example, if this deal for Ekitike now hits a stumbling block then they will still have over two months to find and sign another centre-forward.

The supporters will also be delighted with this update because Ekitike would be an exciting addition to the squad next season. He is a promising young talent who has already proven that he can perform at the top level and the fans will surely be keen to see him continue his development at St. James’ Park.

In Ligue 1, the 19-year-old produced 10 goals and three assists in 15 starts as he showcased his knack for finding the back of the net on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Callum Wilson was Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League with eight goals in 16 starts – the only Toon player with more than five strikes.

This suggests that, if he can adapt to English football, Ekitike can provide a much-needed goalscoring threat to support the ex-Bournemouth hitman.

The fans will be delighted to see another striker with the potential to score goals on a regular basis come through the door and it is now down to Dan Ashworth and Eddie Howe to get this deal over the line.

AND in other news, Imagine him & ASM: Howe can form scary NUFC duo with 58-goal hotshot who has “swagger”…

Victor Orta is eyeing up a Leeds United swoop for Manchester United’s James Garner heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Mirror, the Yorkshire giants are one of three Premier League clubs keen on the midfielder ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that Leicester and Southampton are also keen on the youngster, with the former said to be willing to wait it out for his availability this summer.

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It remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils will be willing to send him out on loan, or a permanent deal, as Erik ten Hag is set to run the rule over his players in the coming weeks.

Jesse Marsch needs him badly

The American head coach needs Garner at Elland Road as he is badly in need of midfield reinforcements in the upcoming window.

No Whites central midfielder averaged a SofaScore rating higher than 6.85 and Mateusz Klich – who played 33 times – averaged an unimpressive score of 6.67. This suggests that Marsch does not have an array of quality in his options in the middle of the park, which is why Orta must look to bring in one, or two, players to bolster his selection.

Garner can be the player Leeds need as he has shown that he has the potential to be an excellent player at Premier League level.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a stellar campaign on loan at Nottingham Forest in the Championship and earned plaudits for his displays.

Former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson previously heaped praise on him, saying:

“Garner has been exceptional at Forest. He is an example of why players get sent out on loan.

“He can play at the top level and I think he has proven that at Forest. I don’t think he’s one that will go straight into the Man United side but I think there is a first-team role there for him and he will feature next season.”

These comments highlight how well the gem has performed and his statistics back that up.

In the Championship, he averaged an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.26 as he scored four goals and created eight from midfield in 41 outings.

The £20k-per-week dynamo has been outstanding in the second tier and this is why he may have the ability to make the step up to the top flight.

If he can adapt to Premier League football and produce a similar level of displays then he will be an incredible signing for the Lillywhites and exactly what Marsch needs to improve his lacklustre midfield options.

AND in other news, Huge transfer twist emerges that will have Leeds United supporters buzzing…

West Ham United are believed to be leading the transfer race for New York City striker Valentin Castellanos, according to a report by The Mirror.

The Lowdown: West Ham register interest in Castellanos

The 23-year-old joined the MLS club on a season-long loan from Atletico Torque four years ago before making the switch permanently in 2019. He has since gone on to make 126 appearances at the Yankee Stadium, with 76 goal contributions during that time.

The Argentine’s contract with his current club isn’t set to expire until 2025, but after previously admitting that he wanted to leave New York in a bid to boost his chances of playing for his country, his future is very much up in the air.

It now appears that there is some Premier League interest in the 5 foot 10 predator in the form of West Ham.

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The Latest: West Ham in ‘pole position’ for Castellanos

The Mirror reported that West Ham are now in ‘pole position’ to secure Castellanos’ signature, with competitors River Plate ‘struggling’ to meet the £12.8m valuation that Ronny Deila’s side have put on the 23-year-old.

The report added that the asking price ‘won’t be any problem’ for the Irons, who believe that the attacker is a ‘gamble worth taking’ for the fee that New York City are demanding.

The Verdict: Competition for Antonio

Despite a healthy seventh-place league finish and securing European football for next season, David Moyes is in desperate need of a new striker considering that Michail Antonio is the only natural centre-forward at West Ham.

With the Jamaica international now 32 and rather injury-prone, Castellanos could be the perfect candidate to provide some serious competition for the Hammers’ number nine.

The Mendoza-born talent, who was once hailed as a “top class” player by his manager Deila, has been in prolific form in the MLS this season, having scored seven goals and registered one assist in just ten league appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

The forward won the MLS Golden Boot award last year and was even voted the league’s Most Valuable Player, which sounds like exactly the profile of striker that Moyes would want to have at the London Stadiun ahead of the 2022/23 season.

In other news… a transfer insider has claimed that West Ham are set to make an official ‘offer’ for one of their summer targets

A huge Rangers update has emerged regarding Ibrox machine Connor Goldson heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Gio van Bronckhorst has revealed that the defender looks set to leave the club upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the month.

The Dutch head coach has not completely ruled out a new contract for the Englishman but is being realistic about the chances of the 29-year-old still being at Ibrox next season.

Van Bronckhorst told the Glasgow Times before the Scottish Cup final: “Regarding Connor, the club has been in talks with him to extend his contract. So far, he hasn’t extended it. The chance he will still be a Rangers player after tomorrow will be small.

“I would love to have Connor in the team next year. But as you see quite a lot, when players are getting out of contract, there are two possibilities – to keep playing or to move on and maybe have another challenge.

“I still have in my mind that he will be part of Rangers next year. That’s my feeling more than the reality. We will have to watch in the coming weeks. But I think Connor has been amazing for this team in all of his years as a Rangers player. Will it be his last game on Saturday? I don’t know right now.”

Supporters will be gutted

Gers supporters will surely be left feeling gutted by these comments from the manager, as they suggest that Goldson will be on his way out of the club this summer.

Van Bronckhorst states that the likelihood of the defender staying at Rangers is ‘small’, and this will be upsetting for fans as the centre-back has been a vital player at Ibrox in recent years.

In the Premiership this term, Goldson averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.18 as he started 36 of the Light Blues’ 38 matches. He produced consistently brilliant performances at the heart of the defence as he made himself a reliable option for the head coach.

Last season, he started al 38 top-flight games and averaged a phenomenal score of 7.39 for the Gers as he helped the team to keep a whopping 26 clean sheets on their way to the title. He won an impressive 71% of his duels and made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game as he played a pivotal role in their success.

Goldson also showcased his quality on the continental stage as he caught the eye in the Europa League, with an average Sofascore rating of 7.00 across 14 starts as Rangers fell short in the final against Eintracht Frankfurt.

These statistics illustrate how impressive he has been for the Glasgow giants and shows why the supporters will surely be gutted by his potential exit ahead of next season.

AND in other news, Ross Wilson plotting Rangers swoop for 16 y/o “teen talent”, GvB will be buzzing…

Sunderland journalist James Copley has now revealed some big news ahead of their League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers next week.

The Lowdown: One game away

After knocking out Sheffield Wednesday over two legs in the play-off semi-final, Alex Neil knows that his team are only one game away from Championship football.

Beating Wycombe will be an uphill battle though, as they knocked out third-placed MK Dons, and of course were promoted themselves a couple of years ago, with much of the squad who know what it takes still in tact.

The Latest: VAR considered

Taking to Twitter, Copley of The Sunderland Echo has revealed that goal-line technology will be used at Wembley Stadium for the clash, and VAR is ‘under consideration’:

“Goal-line tech to be used during Sunderland-Wycombe at Wembley. Understand no decision on VAR yet but it is under consideration.”

A final decision on the use of VAR is set to be made later this week.

The Verdict: Use it

Yes, VAR has not been used for the entirety of the League One season, but this is too huge an occasion to sacrifice accuracy for consistency – there is no reason not to make use of it.

It has been suggested that the clubs competing in the Championship play-offs would welcome the use of VAR, and so this should trickle down to both League One and League Two.

Nonetheless, the technology is simply there to help the referees get the right decisions, and with so much at stake, they should be given every tool possible to do so.

In other news, find out which Black Cats loanee is now set for a new deal here!

Crystal Palace are plotting a summer move for FC Porto winger Pepe according to Portuguese outlet A Bola, via Sport Witness, and have reportedly already ‘collected information’ on the player.

The 25-year-old Brazilian joined the Portuguese outfit from Gremio last summer and is also subject to interest from Arsenal, having scored six goals and registered five assists in 40 appearances across all competitions this term. Moreover, Pepe reportedly has a €70m (£59.4m) release clause, which could cause Palace a real issue.

However, the 25-year-old would undoubtedly be a quality addition to Patrick Vieira’s squad.

Palace should sign Pepe

Vieira has had an excellent first season as Crystal Palace manager, with the Frenchman subject to doubts regarding whether or not he would be able to keep the Eagles in the Premier League.

The 45-year-old has added plenty of bright young talent at Selhurst Park, with the south London outfit certainly a more exciting prospect going into next season, but there are still some areas of the squad which have ageing personnel or could do with extra quality in depth.

The Eagles have strong options out wide in Wilfried Zaha, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, but they could certainly do with more options in case of unplanned absences.

Moreover, there have been concerns that Olise could be lured away from Selhurst Park after just one season, with the 20-year-old’s current contract reportedly including a £35m release clause, although there are works behind the scenes on handing the French youngster a new deal to extinguish any fears regarding his future.

Therefore, adding Pepe to his ranks would certainly be a wise from Vieira, although the winger’s goal contributions don’t justify an asking price anywhere near £59.4m. At 25, he is at an excellent age where he already boasts ample experience but still has huge potential.

The £13.5m-rated Brazilian averages an 84% passing accuracy whilst providing 1.1 key passes per match. Moreover, he completes 1.3 dribbles per game at a 56% success rate whilst being right footed, as opposed to Olise being left-footed.

In the Premier League this term, the 20-year-old has completed 1.1 dribbles per match at a 45% success rate whilst having a slightly lower passing accuracy at 81% and averaging 0.9 key passes per game.

Although Zaha will be at the top of the pecking order after his 13 Premier League goals this term, having other options would certainly improve Crystal Palace’s squad depth, with Pepe being a player that Vieira could certainly adore given his evident talents.

AND in other news: Big boost as Vieira handed injury lift which will leave Palace supporters buzzing