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Graham Roberts insists there is next to no chance of Harry Kane leaving the club purely because of the sheer enormity of the funds involved.

According to Sky Sports, Kane has asked to leave the club this summer.

That has reportedly led to interest from Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea.

But Roberts is doubtful that any club can truly afford to do a deal to sign the England captain, who is preparing to lead his country into Euro 2020 this summer.

Roberts insists that any deal would cost £150m in terms of a transfer fee, and he believes that there would have to be a further £150m, minimum, spent on his wages.

That equates to at least £300m, and Roberts does not believe that either City or United will be able to afford such a package.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “I don’t think he can go anywhere. He’s got three years on his contract. If you can name a club that’s going to pay £150m, because that’s the minimum the club will accept. Plus whatever Harry Kane’s wages are going to be.

“If they’ve bought you for the highest money, then Harry Kane’s going to want the largest wage. So you’re talking another £150m or £200m.

“So somebody’s got to have £350m in their kitty just for one player. I can’t see it happening, I just cannot see that happening, whether it be Man City, Man United, whoever.”

Kane enjoyed a phenomenal season, winning the Golden Boot and the league’s Playmaker Award, having scored 23 goals and laid on 14 assists in the top-flight.

Celtic still have some important games left to play in the SPFL before the season draws to an end and the next summer transfer window opens for business.

However, it seems as though one potential deal has emerged as something the Bhoys could look to complete before their next campaign gets underway.

What’s the news?

According to the Daily Mail (via Daily Record), Bodo/Glimt star Ola Solbakken is a potential summer transfer target for the Hoops if they are unable to strike a permanent deal for current loan star Jota.

Since joining the Norwegian club back in the 2020 January transfer window, the 23-year-old has gone on to make 71 appearances for his side across all competitions.

In those appearances, the winger has managed to score 17 goals and provide 18 assists along the way.

This highlights just how much of an attacking threat he can be.

Postecoglou would love him

Throughout his career, the attacker has been deployed on the left and right wings, delivering goal contributions from both sides, showing just how versatile he is on the pitch.

In comparison to Solbakken, the Portuguese attacker has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists in 35 appearances for the Bhoys across all competitions since his arrival from Benfica on loan last summer.

The Hoops will be very familiar with what sort of player Solbakken is, as he scored a goal and provided an assist during the two meetings between the clubs in the UEFA Europa Conference League earlier this season.

Currently valued at £1.8m according to Transfermarkt, the Norway international has been likened to former Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Real Madrid winger Arjen Robben in terms of his attacking moves on the pitch. Moreover, he’s been likened to a certain Norwegian forward too with BT Sport describing one of his goals in Europe as having “serious Haaland vibes.”

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to suggest that Postecoglou would be delighted to have a player like the Norwegian in his squad that is capable of scoring and creating goals as well as playing in numerous positions.

Moving forward, while securing a permanent deal for Jota should undeniably be their first port of call for the summer, having Solbakken as a potential backup option is not a bad one to have given his attacking talents.

In other news: Sold for £2.5m, now worth £8.1m: 27 y/o could’ve been Celtic’s “player of the season”

Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard has reportedly turned down a move to Liverpool, following a telephone conversation with Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds’ attack has misfired throughout this season, with Mohamed Salah the only individual who can feel happy with his efforts.

Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have both been shadows of their former selves, leading to suggestions that Klopp needs to delive into the transfer market in the summer.

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Edouard turns down move to Liverpool

According to Anfield Central, Liverpool have ‘withdrawn their interest’ in Edouard, presumably now moving on to other striker targets in the next transfer window after concerns emerged about his playing time.

It is claimed that the Frenchman actually spoke with Klopp on the phone, but that he is worried about a lack of playing time at Anfield, potentially playing second fiddle to those around him.

Transfer Tavern take

Edouard has been a superb servant for Celtic, scoring 81 goals in 165 appearances for the Scottish giants, not to mention having an incredible record of 17 in 13 matches for France’s Under-21s.

At 23, he could have been a shrewd addition by Liverpool, providing a goal threat from the bench and potentially maturing into a regular over time.

That ship appears to have sailed, however, but last weekend’s dire show of finishing against Newcastle United last weekend suggests a ruthless striker is needed this summer.

With Edouard seemingly now off the table due to concerns over playing time, the club could have a job on their hands convincing proven goalscorers to sign as depth rather than sure-fire starters.

In other news, some Liverpool fans aren’t happy with a report linking the Reds with a La Liga. Find out who it is here.

Birmingham City have agreed a deal that will see Matija Sarkic spend next season at St. Andrew’s.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that the Blues have agreed to take the Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper on a season-long loan deal after impressing during a trial period at the club.

The report continues by stating that the 23-year-old will now challenge for a place in the Birmingham starting XI ahead of the club’s upcoming Championship campaign, with Neil Etheridge looking likely to be sidelined for what could be a number of months following his hospitalisation due to illness.

Finally, it is reported that the Montenegro international’s switch to the Championship side is expected to be confirmed by the club in the very near future.

Bowyer masterclass

With Lee Bowyer having already secured the services of a number of impressive arrivals at St. Andrew’s in the summer transfer window, with all of Jordan Graham, Ryan Woods, Chuks Aneke, Dion Sanderson, Juan Familia-Castillo and Tahith Chong linking up with the Blues squad, considering just how much potential Sarkic appears to possess, the 23-year-old looks to be yet another transfer masterclass by the 44-year-old manager.

Indeed, the ‘keeper impressed over his 26 League One appearances while on loan at Shrewsbury Town last season, with the £90k-rated man keeping nine clean sheets, conceding an average of just one goal per game and making an average of 2.3 saves per league fixture.

These returns saw the man Kris Boyd dubbed an “excellent” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as the Shrews’ joint 11th-best performer in the English third tier.

Furthermore, the £4.9k-per-week shot-stopper also impressed in Birmingham’s recent 3-0 pre-season friendly victory against Cheltenham Town, keeping a clean sheet and making a number of important saves.

And, with Etheridge’s fitness ahead of the start of the Championship season appearing questionable at present, Bowyer was very much in need of another solid option between the Blues sticks, with Sarkic seeming to be exactly that.

In other news: Alan Nixon drops 8-word transfer claim that’ll surely have Birmingham fans buzzing

Everton have started the ongoing transfer window with some rather understated signings.

The Toffees have targeted some big names but so far have only ended up with the likes of Andros Townsend, Demarai Gray and Asmir Begovic.

What’s the word?

Whether Everton do spend big this summer could be determined by the future of Richarlison.

If the Brazilian leaves Goodison Park behind then presumably he’ll command a pretty hefty fee.

Should a large sum be acquired then it would not be a great surprise if Rafa Benitez finally decided to splash the cash in the market.

One player they could target as a result is Real Madrid star Marco Asensio. Reports in Spain suggest that Everton, Leeds and Leicester are all options for the winger heading into the new campaign.

Asensio has long been tipped for stardom and was once linked with a mega £119m move to Chelsea.

The new Rodriguez

With James Rodriguez and Richarlison in danger of leaving, Everton must look at signing some high-quality wingers in the eventuality they depart.

Their Colombian dynamo would be the biggest loss after extraordinarily signing him on a free transfer 12 months ago.

He contributed to ten Premier League goals and was their most creative player in terms of key passes per match last season.

Once of Real Madrid, Marcel Brands and Benitez could repeat last summer’s marquee arrival by snapping up Asensio.

Previously tipped to win the Ballon d’Or, he is a mesmeric player on his day, being described as “magical” by Madrid midfielder Casemiro.

He has scored 37 goals for the Spanish side throughout his career but his trajectory has fallen off after suffering a nasty ACL injury back in July 2019.

At the time, Asensio was even being compared to Lionel Messi; “Zidane told me that since Messi, he had never seen a left foot like mine,” the wide man admitted. Rodriguez has an impressive left foot himself but this is arguably the best compliment a player of their ilk could receive.

Asensio only scored seven times last season but at the age of 25, he is now rapidly approaching his prime.

A canny dribbler and a creative maestro, he’d be a simply wonderful addition to the Goodison Park ranks.

Rodriguez was a fine coup last summer but this would arguably be even more impressive given the reviews he received just a few years ago.

AND in other news, Benitez could discover his new Fernando Torres if Everton land 58-goal “nightmare”…

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa must make a ruthless decision and drop Tyler Roberts from the starting line-up for the clash against Burnley in the Premier League.

While the Whites may have gotten back to winning ways last week by securing a 3-1 victory over Spurs, Roberts once again endured a disappointing afternoon, eventually being replaced just before the hour mark.

The Wales international appeared to be heading for the exit door a couple of months ago, with reports suggesting that clubs from the Championship were looking to lure him away from Elland Road.

Since – and actually even before – then,  Roberts just hasn’t shown anywhere near enough to warrant being picked continuously in this Leeds side, with no goals at all in the 24 Premier League games that he has played.

Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan simply insisted that the £4.5m-rated forward just may not be cut out for this level, saying: “Is he good enough? In my opinion he isn’t. I would love him to go out there and prove me wrong because I want everyone to succeed. I need him to show me more. He needs to show more fight and desire. I just do not see that.

Whelan has also previously called for the Leeds manager to drop Roberts from the starting line-up, saying: “I’m just not seeing enough from him. There’s glimpses there but he’s not hurting teams with his performances and his creativity. Now number 10, you’ve got to be that special player. You’ve got to be that player that can open up teams and really take the game by the scruff of the neck. I just don’t think Tyler Roberts does that for Leeds.”

As per WhoScored, his lowly averages of one shot and 0.5 key passes per game in the Premier League are even worse than the likes of Stuart Dallas, who until recent weeks has played in a number of different roles, including both full-back positions.

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With Rodrigo having returned from injury and coming off the bench in the last couple of games, scoring against Tottenham last week, Bielsa now has the perfect opportunity to drop Roberts and start his £27m signing.

Roberts has simply held Leeds back for too long with his ineffective displays.

Meanwhile, Leeds source drops exciting update on club’s transfer plans…

Everton have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Chris Smalling to Goodison Park this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Corriere Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claimed that the AS Roma centre-back is no longer considered non-transferable by the Serie A club, with both Tiago Pinto and Jose Mourinho believed to be open to the sale of the 31-year-old in the summer transfer window.

The report added that Everton are extremely interested in making a move for the former Manchester United defender, and should Marcel Brands submit an acceptable offer, Roma would not stand in the way of Smalling’s departure from the Stadio Olimpico this summer.

Brands will be buzzing

While Smalling did not have the best of seasons for the Giallorossi last time out, something which was largely down to the centre-back picking up a number of varying injuries, the 31-year-old’s form in the season prior demonstrated that, as long as he keeps himself injury-free, he would be a fantastic signing for the Toffees to get over the line this summer.

Indeed, over his 30 Serie A appearances for Paulo Fonseca’s side in 2019/20, the £10.8m-rated man helped his side to keep six clean sheets, as well as averaging 1.9 interceptions, 0.8 tackles and four clearances and winning 4.5 duels per game.

The England international also impressed for Roma in an attacking capacity that term, scoring three goals, providing two assists and averaging 0.3 key passes per league fixture. These returns saw the £102,000-per-week centre-back earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.12, ranking him as Roma’s sixth-best performer in the Italian top-flight that year.

As such, with Marcel Brands undoubtedly hoping to build a squad in the summer transfer market which would be capable of much more than Everton’s 10th-placed finish in the Premier League last time around, the news that the player Fonseca dubbed an “extraordinary” defender is available on the transfer market is sure to have left the Toffees director of football buzzing.

In other news: Forget Benitez: Moshiri could still land “excellent” 54y/o who Everton fans would love

Adama Traore could be a huge success for Liverpool if he leaves Wolves to join the Reds, according to BBC pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Traore linked with Wolves exit

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to Anfield in the January transfer window, which would provide Jurgen Klopp with extra attacking depth.

Traore’s current Wolves deal expires in the summer of 2023 and there is little sign of him extending his stay at Molineux as things stand.

The Latest: Tipped to shine to Liverpool

Whelan believes that the Spain winger could excel in a Reds shirt, telling Football Insider that the 25-year-old could be similarly influential to superstar Liverpool pair Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

The BBC pundit said:

“He’s a player who can be crucial to winning football matches.

“His pace, his aggression, his direct running – and now his end product, which he’s brushed up after his early days in the Premier League.

“He’s a more complete player now, he can get a cross into the box or a shot off on goal. If you think about it, would he fit into Liverpool’s style of play? Absolutely.

“He can be just as destructive as Salah and Mane in that side.”

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Losing Traore would be a big blow for Wolves at a time when he is still maturing as a player and should have his best years ahead of him.

As Whelan suggested, the winger is becoming a more polished footballer, winning four Man of the Match awards from WhoScored in just seven Premier League appearances this season. He also has more dribbles per game than any other player in Europe’s major leagues, with a remarkable match average of seven (WhoScored).

That highlights how important he is to Bruno Lage, with his pace arguably the most frightening in the league, giving him a potentially match-winning attribute which Wolves cannot afford to sacrifice too readily.

In other news, Wolves have received a potential boost in their efforts to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

With Valerien Ismael’s West Bromwich Albion side having bounced back from their first defeat of the Championship season with a 1-0 win in their last outing, the Frenchman will have undoubtedly been hoping for yet another positive result from the trip to Swansea City on Wednesday evening in order to keep the Baggies’ hopes of a top-two finish moving in the right direction.

However, despite taking an incredibly early lead through Karlan Grant’s first-minute strike, Albion failed to capitalise on their first-half dominance, with second-half goals from Joel Piroe and Jamie Paterson turning the game on its head, and seeing Swansea take all three points at the Liberty Stadium with a 2-1 win.

As is to be expected after such a result, a number of the West Brom players did not enjoy the finest game of their respective careers, with eight of the Baggies starting XI – including the likes of Darnell Furlong, Kyle Bartley and Semi Ajayi – receiving a SofaScore match rating of 6.9 or below.

However, rather than any of the initial lineup, it will undoubtedly be second-half substitute Jordan Hugill who most disappointed with his display against the Swans, as the centre-forward was once again abject upon his introduction to the game.

Completed four passes

Since his arrival at The Hawthorns on a season-long loan deal this summer, it is clear for all to see that the Norwich City striker has not been in the best form of his life in a West Brom shirt, having failed to score a single goal, provide an assist or create a big chance over his eight Championship appearances prior to the Swansea game.

These are statistics that did not change on Wednesday evening, with the 29-year-old failing to even have a shot – either on or off-target – over his 34 minutes on the pitch, let alone find the back of the net.

Furthermore, the £1.8m-rated man also had just nine touches of the ball, completed a mere four passes, failed with his one attempted dribble and lost 75% of his duels against Russell Martin’s side.

These returns saw the £36k-per-week forward receive a predictably disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.5, ranking him as the Baggies’ joint third-worst performer on the night.

As such, with the player who Daniel Farke dubbed a “leader” still yet to have any real impact on West Brom’s season, Ismael’s patience with the striker must surely be starting to run out – as the 29-year-old once again failed the 46-year-old against Swansea.

In other news: Forget Hugill: Ismael could save WBA millions by placing trust in 20 y/o “star boy”

West Ham United have entered into talks regarding a deal to bring Jesse Lingard to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by West Ham insiders Claret & Hugh, who claim that opening talks have been held between David Moyes’ side and Manchester United regarding a deal for the 28-year-old attacking midfielder.

The report goes on to state that, following the arrival of Jadon Sancho at Old Trafford, Lingard is likely to fall further down Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s attacking pecking order, with the England international believed to be seriously considering his future at the club this summer.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how highly Lingard impressed while on loan at West Ham last season, the fact that the Hammers are believed to be making moves to bring the forward back to east London on a permanent basis this summer is sure to have the fans buzzing.

Indeed, over his 16 Premier League appearances for David Moyes’ side last term, the £19.8m-rated man scored nine goals, registered four assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.1 key passes and taking 2.6 shots per game.

These returns saw the man Adrian Durham dubbed a “phenomenal” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.19, ranking him as the club’s best performer in the top flight of English football, helping West Ham secure a sixth-place finish in the league.

As such, with Moyes undoubtedly hoping to build off the back of a remarkable season in their upcoming campaign, as well as the rather exciting prospect of a jaunt in the Europa League, bringing Lingard back to the club on a permanent basis would certainly appear to increase the Hammers’ chances of success both domestically and in Europe.

However, with it being reported recently that Manchester United are preparing to offer the forward a new £130k-per-week deal at Old Trafford, as well as putting a rather hefty £25m asking price on the 28-year-old’s head, a deal for Lingard may be a difficult one for David Gold and David Sullivan to get over the line this summer.

In other news: Moyes dealt fresh West Ham blow over “exceptional” £105k-p/w gem, fans may be relieved