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Wolves are seemingly on the brink of finally signing Joao Palhinha, and transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has now shared what he knows about the deal.

The Lowdown: Palhinha constantly linked

Few, if any, players have been linked with a move to Wanderers in recent months than Palhinha, with the Sporting CP man surely the club’s No.1 summer target and recent reports even claiming the deal is as good as done.

The Portuguese colossus looks likely be arrive as Ruben Neves’ natural replacement in midfield, as the Wolves hero looks for his own fresh challenge ahead of next season.

Now, Romano has weighed with on what he’s heard from Molineux, suggesting the deal is not quite done but the parties are down to just the finer details.

The Latest: Romano drops key update

Taking to Twitter on Friday, Romano claimed that talks are ongoing over the structure of the payments:

“Wolves are in talks with Sporting to sign João Palhinha as new midfielder. Negotiations ongoing as reported by @Record_Portugal, price tag €20m. Discussions ongoing about payment terms, Bruno Lage wants Joao. Work in progress.”

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The Verdict: Matter of time?

With each passing day, the more it feels as though Wolves have got their man, in what could be a significant piece of transfer business to kick-start their summer.

It was vital that a player of Neves’ brilliance was replaced both immediately and sufficiently, and Palhinha could be the perfect man to come in.

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He has 14 caps to his name for Portugal, scoring twice, and according to FBRef ranks extremely highly in the defensive numbers, registering in the 99th percentile for pressures, 92nd for blocks and 86th for tackles among midfielders in Europe’s top leagues.

In other news, a fresh Wolves transfer rumour has emerged. Read more here.

Manchester United are close to reaching an agreement with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong.

The Lowdown: Making moves…

An Old Trafford rebuild under Erik ten Hag is well and truly underway, with the club announcing exits for midfielders Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata.

The Red Devils are also working on a number of deals, with Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and Benfica striker Darwin Nunez key targets.

Reports have hinted that an agreement could be close between United and Benfica for Nunez following a first offer, and it looks as if the club could be about to break through in talks for De Jong as well.

The Latest: Morning update

Sports Witness relayed Spanish outlet Sport’s Saturday morning update regarding Manchester United and De Jong.

They claim that there is a ‘serious chance’ the midfielder swaps the Nou Camp for Old Trafford, with the two clubs ‘very close’ to reaching an agreement.

An €80m (£68.6m) figure was mooted in the report, which would provide Barcelona with a much-needed financial boost.

Ten Hag is personally involved in trying to ‘convince’ the player to join, and he now looks set to get his way.

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Described as a ‘genius’ by Xavi Hernandez, De Jong’s presence in Manchester is needed following three midfield departures.

The 25-year-old can play in a holding or box-to-box role and has appeared under Ten Hag on 59 occasions already, so could form part of a three-man midfield with Bruno Fernandes and a more defensive-minded midfielder, perhaps Fred.

Ten Hag clearly got the best out of De Jong seeing as their time together resulted in a mega-money move to Barcelona back in 2019, and it looks as if a reunion could well and truly be on the cards.

In other news: £90m bid: Man Utd now launch move for ‘big name’ star as Ten Hag looks to get one over on Conte. 

Dutch transfer journalist Mike Verweij of De Telegraaf has shared a big Tottenham Hotspur exit update involving want-away winger Steven Bergwijn.

The Lowdown: Bergwijn eyes exit…

The Netherlands international openly admitted that he intends to leave Spurs this summer as manager Antonio Conte cannot give him a sufficient amount of game time.

Despite weighing in with crucial contributions at big points over 2021/2022, including his last minute brace to clinch a 3-2 victory away to Leicester City, Bergwijn has found it hard to fight his way past the in-form Dejan Kulusevski in Tottenham’s pecking order.

As such, Eredivisie giants Ajax have been plotting to bring him back across the English channel with Verweij now sharing an update on the situation.

The Latest: Personal terms a ‘formality’…

The reporter, taking to Twitter, claims a five-year contract for Bergwijn at Ajax is a ‘formality’ – going on to state in his piece that the 24-year-old has an ‘outline agreement’ on personal terms to leave Tottenham.

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However, it is also believed that the Amsterdam outfit have been indecisive in terms of an offer to Spurs and will have to shake off emerging competition from the Premier League (De Telegraaf).

The Verdict: Time to go?

Lauded as a ‘big-game monster’ in recent seasons by members of the media (John Cross, Daily Mirror), as evident by his heroics at the King Power Stadium, his quality at times is perhaps deserving of more regular chances.

Depending on the fee Spurs can obtain from Ajax or any other interested party, we believe it is best to amicably part company before the start of 2022/2023.

Allowing the player more regular minutes at a high level team while Spurs bank a decent fee to reinvest into other positions feels like a win-win.

In other news: ‘Better and better’ – Tottenham could make announcement ‘in the coming days’, says insider…find out more here.

Everton manager Frank Lampard could sign his next Mason Mount in the form of midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, with both players having a lot of similarities.

What’s the story?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT journalist Peter O’Rourke has said that there are many similarities between Gallagher and Mount and that if Everton were to get him it would be a “huge signing”.

It was recently reported by The Daily Star that Everton are one of the clubs interested in signing the player from Chelsea. He spent this past season on loan at Crystal Palace where he impressed greatly.

It was confirmed by Blues boss Tomas Tuchel that Gallagher would return to Chelsea for pre-season and then a decision would be made then.

It’s thought the midfielder’s price tag is as much as £50m.

He can solve Everton’s problems

If a move to Merseyside did happen then it would go a long way in helping solve Everton’s current problems. They secured their Premier League status with a game to spare and are now looking to rebuild.

A player of Gallagher’s quality would surely pull them away from the relegation dogfight for next season. The Toffees scored just 43 goals as they secured a 16th placed Premier League finish and Gallagher’s creative ability would help increase that number.

The 22-year-old made 34 appearances for Palace in the league this season, scoring eight and assisting three. If you compare that to Everton’s players, only forward Richarlison scored more.

When you look at Gallagher in relation to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, his performances are outstanding. He ranks in the top 2% for successful dribbles that lead to a goal, and the top 3% for pressures in the attacking third which shows his work rate.

It’s no wonder he has been dubbed as the “next Mount” by pundit Noel Whelan to Football Insider.

“Even though he is young, he’s very much in the mould of Mason Mount. He’s got that kind of attitude where he wants to be the star, the next Mount, he wants to be the player who gets hold of the game and is always making things happen.

“He’s brave, he makes himself available, he’s got no fear. That’s the way it should be,” he added.

Chelsea have yet another talented academy product on their hands, but he’s not going to want to sit on the bench. If Tuchel can’t offer him enough game time then he’ll want to go somewhere that will.

Although he would be offered that at Everton, it would take a lot of money to buy him permanently given his talent. A loan deal would look more likely, Gallagher only earning £17k per week would allow The Toffees to recover financially.

AND in other news: Everton eye £30m swoop for 21 y/o “special talent”, just imagine him and Gordon…

A Newcastle United claim has emerged on PIF’s plans for the upcoming summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Telegraph reporter Luke Edwards has revealed that the club are attempting to do some business early on in the market ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He Tweeted: “There is a desire to bring at least one signing in early but no stress if that’s beyond them. Progress being made but it was hard going in January too. We do know they are being very proactive #nufc.”

This comes after the Premier League outfit struggled toward the end of the January transfer window. Deals for Hugo Ekitike and Jesse Lingard both fell through on deadline day – despite a £33m bid for the former – and they did not have the time to bring in any alternative targets.

Supporters will be excited

This claim will excite the supporters for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it suggests that they may not have long left to wait before they have more Newcastle content to enjoy. The season ended on a high with a 2-1 win over Burnley – thanks to a double from Callum Wilson – on Sunday and the fans will now be without any competitive football to enjoy for a couple of months, which is why the prospect of an early signing will excite them.

With no Premier League action to sink their teeth into, supporters will be keeping a close eye on the club’s off-season business and Edwards has hinted that PIF will give them something to celebrate in the coming weeks. They will be able to look forward to seeing a new signing, or signings, playing for the team and that is an exciting prospect.

The fans will also be buzzing to learn that the owners are aware that they need to be proactive in the market. Ekitike and Lingard not coming through the door in January was a lesson for PIF as it showed them that they need to get as much of their business done as possible in the early stages of the window, as you otherwise run the risk of deadline day mayhem.

This shows that they are not stuck in their ways and are self-aware of any errors they made earlier this year. The supporters will be excited by this as it is a great sign for the future development of the club as they have owners who are seemingly desperate to progress on and off the pitch.

AND in other news, PIF plotting Newcastle swoop for “scary” £30m “freak”, he’s a major Almiron upgrade…

The Athletic’s West Ham United correspondent Roshane Thomas was critical of Lukasz Fabianski as the Hammers capitulated against Brighton on Sunday. 

The lowdown: Europa League missed

For large parts of the day, it appeared as though David Moyes’ side would be competing in the Europa League once again, as Manchester United’s defeat to Crystal Palace opened the door for the Hammers to move into sixth if they could win at the Amex Stadium.

Having reached the semi-final this term, the Irons will undoubtedly be disappointed to miss out and be left with Europa Conference League football, particularly having taken the lead through Michail Antonio on the south coast.

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However, goals from Pascal Gross, Danny Welbeck and Joel Veltman punished a lacklustre West Ham performance, and one man came in for criticism for his role in the defeat…

The latest: Thomas slams Fabianski over Veltman goal

Taking to Twitter, Thomas lamented the part that veteran goalkeeper Fabianski played in Brighton’s equaliser as Veltman fired the home side level early in the second half.

Giving updates throughout the match, the journalist initially posted: “1-1, Veltman scores for Brighton. Fabianski could have done better. #WHUFC”

Despite being informed on the social media platform of a deflection on the strike, the journalist doubled down on his assessment soon after: “I missed the deflection. Still should have saved it though.”

The verdict: A sign of things to come?

Few could question the continued quality of Fabianski this season, as the experienced Pole made 38 appearances across all competitions for the Hammers and was their seventh-best player in the Premier League according to WhoScored metrics.

This display was far from a peak performance from the stopper, though, as the 57-cap stalwart gave away possession 17 times and misplaced 16 passes and 16 long balls whilst earning a lowly 6.40 Sofascore rating on an afternoon to forget.

Having watched Alphonse Areola perform so admirably in Europe this term, and with the Frenchman potentially staying in east London next season, perhaps there is a decision to be made by Moyes regarding who should be the Irons’ first-choice Premier League goalkeeper for 2022/23.

In other news: ‘Close…’ – Sky Sports journalist shares major West Ham development from the last 72 hours! Find out more here

Bournemouth have not yet opened talks with Nat Phillips over a permanent move from Liverpool this summer, according to journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Phillips impresses for Bournemouth

The centre-back famously helped the Reds qualify for the Champions League last season, filling in during a defensive injury crisis for Jurgen Klopp.

It was clear that Phillips wasn’t going to be a key man once Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez returned, however, and he joined Bournemouth on loan in January.

The 25-year-old has impressed for the Cherries, making 17 appearances, and it looks highly likely that he will leave Liverpool permanently during the summer transfer window.

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The Latest: Journalist provides update

Taking to Twitter, Crook claimed that Phillips is not a certainty to remain at Bournemouth, though, with talks over a move not yet underway:

“Understand #AFCB are yet to open talks with #LFC over a permanent move for defender Nat Phillips.”

The Verdict: Time to move on

It makes complete sense for Phillips to end his stay at Liverpool this summer, with Klopp clearly not seeing him as a key player moving forward.

For all his excellent performances last season  – he has been hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Jamie Redknapp – it is time for him to become a regular on a permanent basis elsewhere.

Phillips is more than capable of thriving for a low-end Premier League side and with Bournemouth earning promotion it would be ideal for him to join the Cherries.

In other news, Liverpool are eyeing up a move for one player. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a late setback ahead of tonight’s Premier League clash against Arsenal.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by London World this afternoon, who claims that, despite Mikel Arteta revealing that both Ben White and Bukayo Saka were injury doubts for this evening’s north London derby, the duo are now expected to be given the all-clear to feature at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Concerning the centre-back, the report claims that the 24-year-old “should be back” in Arsenal’s starting XI to face Spurs, while, regarding the winger, it is said that the 20-year-old “should pass a fitness test” ahead of the 19:45 kick-off.

That news turned out to be true when journalist Charles Watts spotted the pairing arriving at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening,

Conte will be fuming

Considering just how much is riding on the outcome of tonight’s meeting with the Gunners, the news that White and Saka look as if they will both make a return to Arteta’s starting XI is sure to have left Antonio Conte fuming.

Indeed, over Saka’s 35 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, the £58.5m-rated forward has bagged 11 goals, registered six assists and created eight big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.5 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £30k-per-week attacker average a rather extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as the Spaniard’s best performer in the top flight of English football.

Meanwhile, over White’s 31 Premier League outings this term, the £36m-rated centre-back has helped his side keep 13 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 3.1 clearances and winning 4.4 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per game.

These metrics have seen the £120k-per-week defender average a SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as the Gunners’ joint tenth-best performer in the league.

As such, it is clear to see that the respective returns of both England internationals will come as a huge blow to Tottenham’s chances of securing a victory over their rivals this evening, with anything but a win all but ending Spurs’ chances of finishing above Arsenal in fourth place come the end of the season.

AND in other news: Conte starts duo who have “been huge” in big call ahead of Arsenal: Predicted Spurs XI

A worrying Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged regarding Allan Saint-Maximin…

What’s the talk?

According to The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, PIF are exploring the possibility of cashing in on the French winger in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that no clubs are willing to pay his £50m valuation and that the Magpies will need to lower their asking price in order to find a buyer.

Hope has also suggested that Saint-Maximin has remained in the team in spite of recent poor performances in order to keep him in the shop window, although that may not be the case.

First major disaster for PIF

PIF are heading for their first major disaster on Tyneside after this report, for multiple reasons.

Firstly, selling the winger will surely upset Newcastle fans, as he has been a bright spark throughout the last few seasons at St James’ Park. He is an exciting player to watch and he gets supporters off their seats with his exceptional dribbling ability.

In the Premier League this season, Saint-Maximin has completed a whopping 4.4 dribbles per game, which shows that he routinely finds a way past opposition players with the ball at his feet. He has not been consistent with his end product in the final third but has chipped in with five goals and four assists, and this shows that he has the potential to be a match-winner for the Magpies.

January signings Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn are the only Newcastle players with a higher average SofaScore rating than the Frenchman in 2021/22. This means that the winger has the highest rating if you exclude players who have not been at St James’ Park for the entire campaign, highlighting how important he has been for the club.

Therefore, supporters would be fuming if the club opt to cash in on Saint-Maximin this summer, and this is why it would be a disaster for PIF to allow the ex-Nice dynamo to depart.

It would also be an error on their part if they decide to lower their £50m valuation to facilitate a transfer. They must hold firm and either cash in on him for the value they deem him to hold, or else keep hold of him. Whilst the fans may be frustrated with a move for the winger regardless, they will be doubly furious with the owners if they do so for less than they originally wanted.

AND in other news, “There’s going to be”: Luke Edwards drops exciting Newcastle United transfer claim…

SM Caen star Alexandre Mendy’s agent, Warsame Egal, has hit back at recent transfer rumours linking his player with a move to Celtic, claiming they have had no contact from the Hoops.

The Lowdown: Rumoured interest

The 28-year-old remains under contract with the Ligue 2 outfit until 2024, but approximately a week ago, a report from French newspaper L’Equipe emerged which claimed that the Hoops had ‘great interest’ in signing the forward.

The outlet even went on to state that the Glasgow outfit have ‘already made a proposal’ of €3m (£2.5m) in a bid to attract him into a move to Parkhead.

However, all of these claims have now been strongly denied by the player’s representative, who clearly wanted to set the record straight regarding the reports around Mendy.

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The Latest: No contact made

Following the release of L’Equipe’s article, Egal was again approached by the website for a response to Celtic’s supposed interest. He told Le10 Sport (via Sport Witness):

“We don’t know where it comes from… If a club wants a player, we still start by asking the player if he wants to come, right? I haven’t been contacted by anyone, so I think it’s obviously not true.”

The Verdict: End of the road for Ajeti?

The £1.8m-rated ace has been in impressive form for Caen this season, having scored 16 goals and registered one assist in 31 league outings for Stephane Moulin’s side, as per Transfermarkt, and so whether he’s been in contact with the Scottish club’s hierarchy or not, it would be no surprise to see the club interested in securing his services come the summer.

Should the Celts make any kind of move for a striker though, this would surely signal the end of Albian Ajeti’s time at the club, who has been out of action since the end of last year after picking up a hamstring injury.

The Swiss international has massively dropped down the pecking order under Ange Postecoglou, and so if Michael Nicholson were to sell Ajeti, that fee could be spent on finding a suitable replacement ahead of the start of next season.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit has recently heaped praise on the Hoops boss.