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Leeds United want to sign another midfielder on top of a move for Club Brugge forward Charles De Ketelaere.

The Lowdown: Four in

The Whites have already bolstered their midfield ranks this summer after selling Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City.

Jesse Marsch, Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta have brought in two defensive midfielders in Marc Roca and Tyler Adams, Darko Gyabi, a young central midfielder, and attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson. [Transfermarkt]

There could well be more to come, though, with Leeds on course to spend more than £100m in a transfer window for the first time in their history.

The Latest: Another wanted?

The Daily Mail’s Simon Jones shared a story in the early hours of Monday morning, looking at Leeds’ pursuit of Club Brugge forward Charles De Ketelaere.

Intriguingly, the reliable journalist added that as well as the Belgian attacker, the Whites ‘want to sign another midfielder, a left-back and an experienced goalkeeper’.

While the left-back pursuit was already well-known, it appears Orta has quietly been making moves for a fifth midfielder too.

The Verdict: Orta in overdrive

The new season is just around the corner, but Orta is showing no signs of stopping in the market and still has plenty of time to make further additions happen.

It seems as if the club’s priority at this moment in time is a new forward, specifically De Ketelaere, and once an attacking addition is made, three more areas could be bolstered.

That may end up taking Leeds’ summer signings into double digits and the spending miles above their record outlay, so August could be just as busy for Orta and co as June and July.

The Rangers Review journalist Jonny McFarlane has revealed some promising Glasgow Rangers injury news on Rabbi Matondo.

The Lowdown: Injury rumours

Rumours of an injury picked up by Matondo started circulating on social media on Monday night, ahead of the Ibrox outfit’s opening game in the Scottish Premiership away at Livingston on Saturday lunchtime.

It was suspected that it must have been picked up in training, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team last played on Saturday in a friendly at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Latest: ‘Nothing serious’

Taking to Twitter on Monday night, McFarlane has now revealed that Matondo’s injury real but ‘nothing serious’, and that it will only keep him out for three or four days:

“I understand 3-4 days for Rabbi Matondo. Nothing serious.”

The Verdict: Promising

Even though the rumours of Matondo’s injury seem to be true, the fact that he would only be out for a few days is certainly promising.

It means that he could recover in time to make his full debut against Livingston on Saturday, after signing from German side FC Schalke 04.

The winger impressed in his first outing at Ibrox in a pre-season friendly against West Ham United last week, and Gers supporters will no doubt be keen to see what their new signing can do in a competitive match.

Nonetheless, van Bronckhorst will be hoping that Matondo can recover fully from this minor setback, so that he can throw him straight into the side on Saturday.

West Ham United have now agreed a deal to bring Maxwel Cornet to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Dharmesh Sheth, with the Sky Sports reporter revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, following a number of reports linking David Moyes with a move for the Burnley winger in recent weeks, the Hammers have now concluded negotiations with the Championship side regarding a deal for the 25-year-old.

The journalist went on to state that, although West Ham’s preference was initially believed to be a loan deal, the Premier League outfit have now met the Ivory Coast international’s reported £17.5m release clause – although it is also said that the final decision will ultimately lay with the player should further clubs now meet his buy-out fee.

In his tweet, Sheth said: “West Ham United have agreed a deal with Burnley for the signing of Maxwel Cornet. West Ham have met £17.5m release clause. Cornet travelling to London tonight for a medical.”

“Unbelievable”

Considering the sheer amount of interest in Cornet’s services this summer – with Newcastle United, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City all reported to be keen on the winger – in addition to how impressive the 25-year-old was in a poor Burnley side last season, the argument that the Ivorian would be an unbelievable signing for just £17.5m is a very easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 26 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £13.5m-rated forward highly impressed, demonstrating that he could offer the Hammers a great deal of offensive flair. He scored nine goals, registered one assist and created two big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.8 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game – with these metrics seeing the forward average a SofaScore match rating of 6.84.

Should these returns have come at West Ham, the £30k-per-week forward who Maximiliano Bretos dubbed “unbelievable” would have ranked as the club’s third-highest goalscorer and the fourth-most frequent shot taker in the top flight last season.

Furthermore, with Cornet also being capable of operating at left-back – a position it is well known that Moyes is looking to strengthen this summer – should the Irons manage to get a deal for the 25-year-old over the line, Cornet may well end up being a signing who could be deployed in more than one position for the Hammers next season.

As such, when taking into account his threat in the final third, his impressive versatility and his extremely reasonable £17.5m fee, Cornet would very much appear to make an unbelievable addition to Moyes’ first-team squad ahead of the fast approaching 2022/23 campaign.

Arsenal transfer target and PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo would be ‘attainable’ for the Gunners if they make a move to complete a deal, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Gakpo linked with Arsenal

Throughout the summer, Mikel Arteta’s side have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old.

According to a report by The Mirror, Manchester United have now joined Leeds United and the Gunners in the race for the Netherlands international, who was named Dutch Footballer of the Year last season.

It is said that PSV will only listen to offers for Gakpo once their Champions League fate has been decided on Tuesday night, as they face off against Monaco in the second leg of their third-round qualifier.

The Latest: Taylor’s claim

Taylor believes that a reasonably-priced deal could be agreed for Gakpo, meaning that Arsenal would be able to bring him to the Emirates this summer.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the journalist claimed: “We know that he is attainable, because he’s reasonably priced around about £30m-£35m, potentially a little bit more.

“So, if that was one Arsenal wanted to do, then there is scope to do that. But it’s important to be clear that, at the moment, there doesn’t seem to be any concrete names, unfortunately.”

The Verdict: Great long-term target

Having produced 12 goals and 13 assists in the Eredivisie last season, Gakpo earned nine Man of the Match awards, finishing the campaign having averaged a hugely impressive 7.79 match rating (via WhoScored). That unsurprisingly put him top of the pile among PSV’s squad.

As per The Mirror’s report, the 23-year-old has been likened to Arsenal legends Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie due to his stature and elegance on the ball.

Having been hailed a ‘constantly threatening’ presence on the pith by De Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen, this could be the addition that Arsenal have been so desperate to secure after missing out on Raphinha to Barcelona.

Therefore, given the fees which have been mooted by Taylor, this appears to be a great deal for the Gunners to capitalise upon if Gakpo is indeed “attainable”.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their pursuit of young winger Jewison Bennette in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Costa Rican journalist Kevin Jimenez has claimed that the Black Cats are in the “final stages” of a deal to sign Jewison Bennette from Club Sport Herediano.

He said in full: “Jewison Bennett will be Sunderland’s new Championship player, the 18-year-old Costa Rican winger arrives from Club Sport Herediano. Deal in final stages.”

Neil admitted earlier this month that he would like up to five new signings, saying: “We’ve still got four, potentially five that we want to bring in before the window ends.”We need to make sure the squad is competitive and not only that, they brought four or five really fresh lads on who know the level, and that can really make a difference.” Future star

Bennette now looks set to become one of the signings Neil wants and he could be one for the future, rather than a player to come in and have an instant impact on Championship matches this season.

He has only played 35 senior club matches in his career and all of them have come in his native Costa Rica, whilst he has also been capped six times by his country – despite only turning 18 in June.

This season he has produced two goals and one assist in four league outings for Herediano in the league, offering a glimpse at what he could offer as a winger in the future. Although, there is not a big enough sample size to definitively state that he will fulfil his potential.

Journalist Josh Bunting has said that his pedigree suggests there is “obviously quality” there and that he broke the record for being the youngest capped player at international level for Costa Rica.

His eye-catching statistics – taking his age into consideration – suggest that there is potential there for him to become a star performer for Sunderland. However, he must first adapt to English football and prove that he can score and assist goals over the course of a season, rather than four games.

It is a gamble by the club but one that could result in them having a real gem in the future if he applies himself and Neil is able to help him develop and hone his skills.

This means that fans should be patient with Bennette if he does arrive at the Stadium of Light as, on paper, he does not appear to be a signing with a view to him making an immediate difference to the XI.

Manchester City have been linked with signing Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta in recent weeks and the Brazilian could prove to be Pep Guardiola’s next £100m talent at the Etihad.

Recent reports have suggested that City are weighing up a move for the talented midfielder, who has played a starring role for Lyon in the last few seasons and could cost around £68m.

In the last campaign, Paqueta contributed nine goals and six assists in 35 Ligue 1 appearances, averaging an impressive 7.24 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

For context, the same level of performance would have ranked him as the joint-sixth best performer in Guardiola’s side last season, with only Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus contributing to more goals.

Considering both Jesus and Sterling are now plying their trade elsewhere, there is definitely an argument to be had that Guardiola could use another goal-scoring midfielder or winger, even with the additions of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.

At just 24, the “extraordinary” – in the words of Peter Bosz – Paqueta could also be a long-term heir to the likes of De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, as they are both now 31 and could struggle to maintain their current levels of performance for the significant future.

According to FbRef, the most similar player to Paqueta in terms of play style is RB Leipzig sensation Christopher Nkunku, who has been valued at a staggering £100m after a sensational season with the Bundesliga side that saw him contribute 20 goals and 15 assists in the German top flight.

Last season saw the two register extremely similar scores in terms of pass completion percentages (79.7 vs 80.1), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.9 vs 4.43) and shots on target per 90 (1.1 vs 1.29), numbers that demonstrate they are rather devastating in the final third.

Furthermore, WhoScored suggests that both Paqueta and Nkunku excel at through balls, passing, dribbling and key passes, which emphasises just how similar the players are. It also shows how much the former would suit City’s possession-based style of play.

From a goal-scoring and creative point of view, both players are extremely dangerous in the final third, and if Guardiola could get his hands on the Brazil international, he could well craft him into a £100m talent, just like Nkunku.

Everton are among the clubs interested in signing Valencia striker Maxi Gomez this summer, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

The 26-year-old has been the subject of interest from multiple Premier League clubs already this summer, with Wolves and Newcastle both heavily linked.

Spanish giants Atletico Madrid are also believed to be keen on the Uruguay international, who was once a target for West Ham.

Despite all of that reported interest, Gomez remains in situ in Spain, and it now appears as though the Toffees could be ready to make their intentions known…

The latest: Plettenberg shares Gomez update

Taking to Twitter, Sky Germany’s Plettenberg has claimed that Everton and a host of other clubs are now ‘in’ for the wantaway 27-cap frontman.

He stated: “Excl. News Maxi #Gomez: The 26 y/o striker wants to leave Valencia. Gladbach bosses should like the player (next to Beljo), talks took place. But: Price tag around €12m at this stage. Still too expensive for Borussia! Also in: Everton, Newcastle and Fenerbahce. @SkySportDE”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict: Fingers crossed

Everton are in desperate need of adding a new centre-forward, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin sidelined by injury and Salomon Rondon unable to impact matches consistently at the elite level.

So far this term, Frank Lampard has utilised Anthony Gordon as a false nine in their first two league games at home to Chelsea and away at Aston Villa respectively, whilst Rondon led the line in the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Therefore, adding a genuine centre-forward option is imperative before the September 1 deadline, and Gomez – who was hailed by Premier Sports for a ‘clinical’ finish against Real Valladolid in 2020 – could be the answer.

Sharing similar stylistic traits to Thomas Henry, Callum Wilson and Chris Wood (FBRef), the striker with 82 club career goals boasts a style of play which would make him the ideal candidate to bolster Lampard’s options.

Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt and earning a mooted £49,000 per week at Valencia, this is a deal which shouldn’t prove too expensive for the Goodison Park hierarchy, and one that they should be working hard to try and execute.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could finally be set to solve their striking issues…

What’s the word?

According to journalist Jacques Talbot, despite reports of an advanced move for Sasa Kalajdzic, Scott Sellars could still move for Goncalo Ramos.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he claimed:

“I think what Mendes does, is he takes over the mandate of these agents, he’ll offer them some money, then he brings them over to the Premier League, and that’s how he makes his money.

“I think that’s the idea, it’s through his connections, so it’s very possible.

“They’re definitely going to be having conversations, Wolves and Benfica.”

Lage can axe Fabio Silva

Although during his tenure at the club Nuno Espirito Santo brought in some top Portuguese talent such as Ruben Neves and Rui Patricio to the club, he did make a few financial missteps along the way.

One, in particular, was the £35.6m acquisition of Fabio Silva from Porto, who has looked toothless in a Wolves shirt when called upon.

Given a huge stint in the side after Raul Jimenez’s lengthy layoff, the £80k-per-week dud still only has four goals in 54 appearances for the club, all of which came in one season.

He was recently dubbed a “bad signing” by former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan, who commended their decision to offload him to Anderlecht on loan.

In his absence, however, they could opt for an improved Portuguese talent by moving for the man who has been putting up “outrageous numbers”.

When Nuno first signed Silva, he was coming off the back of just three goals in 24 appearances during the 2019/20 season.

Ramos already has five goals and four assists this season in just six appearances across the Champions League and Liga Portugal, and the season prior managed seven goals and two assists.

He is already more prolific than Silva was in Portugal and would surely take to the Premier League better than he did too.

Not only this, but his 0.8 key passes per game also outline him as something of a creative threat. He is a multi-faceted attacker who could help alleviate the Old Gold from their lack of firepower up top.

Reportedly available for just £25m, Wolves could finally exorcise the demons of their striking issues by finding a proper solution in Portugal, binning off their toothless former record signing in the process.

Football Insider pundit John Wenham has been reacting to an update from Aston Villa regarding manager Steven Gerrard.

The Lowdown: Source shares update

Villa haven’t had the best of starts to the new season, suffering a fourth defeat from five against Arsenal on Wednesday.

Sources from FI prior to the trip to the Emirates stated that NSWE won’t hesitate to sack Gerrard if results do not improve after being booed by sections of supporters after a 1-0 defeat to West Ham last weekend.

They even claimed that Villa already have Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino on a list of potential replacements.

The Latest: Wenham reacts

Wenham, a Premier League insider who regularly contributes for FI, was talking to the site about the update on Gerrard.

He said it is a ‘big worry’ following their start to the season due to the money that has been spent and even appeared to hit out at deadline day signing Jan Bednarek.

“He has spent a lot of money on players like Coutinho, who has completely switched off since his move was made permanent.

“Big, big worry for Aston Villa now. Obviously, they have spent a lot of money on Diego Carlos and he is out for something like six months. “They were linked with Jan Bednarek, is that the type of player they need? Someone who Southampton have deemed not good enough?

“Is he going to sort them out? Villa are asking for their own problems if they are making decisions like that.”

The Verdict: Running out of time?

It looks as if NSWE won’t hesitate to call time on Gerrard’s tenure in the Midlands, should things fail to improve.

It doesn’t get easier for Gerrard’s side on the pitch either, with champions Manchester City travelling to Villa Park on Saturday evening.

Who knows, this could be the sort of game where Gerrard can get everyone back on side, however, another defeat would pile huge pressure on the manager ahead of a trip to fellow strugglers Leicester.

Newcastle United are currently looking upwards under Eddie Howe after a revival in 2022, although there are still remnants of the old regime who are cluttering the 44-year-old’s squad.

One such figure is that of defender Javier Manquillo, with the Spaniard having become something of a forgotten figure at St James’ Park after sliding down the pecking order in recent times.

The 28-year-old is now in his sixth campaign with the Tynesiders, having been signed by compatriot Rafael Benitez from Liverpool in July 2017, just a matter of months after spending a season on loan at bitter rivals Sunderland.

The versatile asset – who can feature on either side of the defence – has since gone on to rack up 104 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies, albeit while netting just once and laying on only seven assists in that time.

That is a rather measly return for any full-back, with his solitary strike having come in the 4-1 defeat to Manchester United last season, briefly spoiling the party on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Old Trafford homecoming.

A rare bright moment in a largely underwhelming stint with the Premier League side, the £2.7m-rated defender has achieved 20 top-flight starts in only one season during his time at the club, having largely been restricted to a supporting role.

The appointment of Howe has only further emphasised Manquillo’s place on the periphery, as he has featured just 13 times since the former Bournemouth boss arrived last November, recording a mere 683 minutes of action under the incumbent manager.

The former Spain under-21 international has seemingly failed to impress whenever he has been handed a rare chance of late, having notably been criticised for his “awful defending” by journalist Luke Edwards following a 4-0 defeat to Leicester City last season.

Unsurprisingly there have been suggestions that the one-time Atletico Madrid man would be moved on this summer, although he was ultimately spared the axe as deadline day came and went, with a long-term injury to fellow right-back Emil Krafth potentially a factor in the Spaniard staying put.

With Kieran Trippier firmly established as the first choice in that role, however, Manquillo will almost certainly find it difficult for minutes this term, having so far failed to make a single appearance in 2022/23, even including the Carabao Cup triumph over Tranmere Rovers.

Frustratingly for those at Newcastle, the 5 foot 10 dud still has just under two years left to run on his current deal, with the club likely having no choice but to pay his reported £35k-per-week salary for a little while longer at least.

As per FBref, by the end of the current campaign the full-back will have raked in almost £9.1m in wages, a rather hefty amount for a player who has hardly ever been a regular fixture in the team over the past five years or so.

After just over half a decade of ‘service’ to the club, an exit for the defender is now long overdue.