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Chelsea are looking to prioritise the transfer of Barcelona phenom Frenkie de Jong to Stamford Bridge this summer, with the Dutch midfielder of interest to owner Todd Boehly last summer.

What’s the latest on De Jong to Chelsea?

According to Football Insider, Boehly is a ‘huge admirer’ of the 25-year-old, whose outfit had agreed to an £85m sale to Manchester United before the player rejected the Red Devils, content with his place in the La Blaugrana squad.

Barcelona’s financial struggles have been well documented over the past few years and the La Liga giants might now be forced to sell some of their most coveted assets to balance the books.

And De Jong, who would command a mammoth fee and reportedly boasts a wage of £232k-per-week, might well be the optimum choice of departure for Xavi, meaning the lucrative power of Chelsea could lure him to west London, following a remarkable spending spree of over £550m since last summer.

Where would Frenkie de Jong fit into Chelsea’s team?

Since signing for Barcelona from Ajax for £65m in 2019, De Jong has forged 172 appearances, scoring 15 goals and registering 19 assists, notably winning the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

As per FBref, the 50-cap international ranks among the top 4% of midfielders in Europe for progressive carries, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 4% for pass completion and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, illustrating the dynamic capabilities of his game and the superlative ability at conducting play and dictating the flow of matches.

Hailed “extraordinary” by his manager, Xavi, De Jong has been an assured and composed presence at the heart of his side for club and country, and boasts a seasonal league rating of 7.16, according to Sofascore.

While Chelsea have secured a multitude of fresh faces over the past year, the Blues’ fortunes have left them in tenth place in the Premier League after 26 matches, facing the possibility of playing their football outside of the Champions League next year, although they have advanced to the quarter-finals of the competition after defeating Borussia Dortmund.

In order to cement the desired stature as one of the globe’s foremost outfits, the acquisition of De Jong is imperative, and if manager Graham Potter is successful in landing the “maestro” – as dubbed by Statman Dave – £107m British-record signing Enzo Fernandez would have the perfect partner in the engine room over the coming years.

Having won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and earned the prestigious Best Young Player award, the 22-year-old Fernandez has been a revelation this season, dazzling with Benfica in Portugal after signing from homeland club River Plate for an initial €10m (£9m) fee in the summer.

With the “game changer” – as hailed by journalist Roy Nemer – indeed flourishing in the early days of his career in west London, earning an impressive Sofascore rating of 7.25 across his six outings in the English top-flight, registering two assists and completing 88% of his passes from his robust role, De Jong could indeed find the perfect partner to devastate and suffocate opposition for years to come. This would certainly be an extraordinary and mouth-watering duo for Chelsea fans to salivate over.

Everton are reportedly eyeing up a potential summer move for striker Chuba Akpom, should Middlesbrough fail to be promoted from the Championship.

The Lowdown: January interest

It was reported that Everton held an interest in signing Akpom in the January transfer window, but a move never materialised in the end.

His current deal at the Riverside Stadium expires in the summer, but Boro have the option to extend it by a further 12 months.

The Latest: Summer move?

As per talkSPORT, the Goodison Park outfit are still interested in a summer move for Akpom, but so are half a dozen clubs in the Premier League.

Leeds United and Crystal Palace are also mentioned as potential suitors for the striker, who has only been outscored by Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland in England’s top four divisions so far this season.

The Verdict: Get it done

The Merseyside club are in desperate need of a goalscorer for next campaign, having scored the joint-fewest goals in the top flight, and Akpom would be perfect as a signing in that regard.

Lauded as a ‘fantastic‘ player by former Boro caretaker manager Leo Percovich, he has scored no fewer than just missed out on the Championship Player of the Month award for February.

Of course, the Premier League is a big step up, but the Englishman would surely relish the opportunity to prove himself at a higher level, should he make the move to the Toffees, or indeed win promotion with Middlesbrough.

Chelsea are eagerly awaiting the return of N’Golo Kante, in the hope that he can inspire a turnaround in form alongside Enzo Fernandez in Graham Potter’s midfield.

However, the Frenchman will turn 32 this month and his injury concerns so far this season suggest that he may not be the player he once was at Stamford Bridge, so Potter may soon have to find a replacement for the long term.

Fortunately for the English manager, he has Leo Castledine at his disposal, and with the 17-year-old catching the eye for the academy sides, he may soon be able to make an impact in the first team.

Who is Leo Castledine?

Castledine joined Chelsea from AFC Wimbledon’s academy back in March 2020, where his dad Stewart was a midfielder in the top flight for nine years, which certainly bodes well for the youngster’s future.

The teenager has played in nearly every position during his time with Chelsea’s academy sides but boasts an impressive return of 16 goals and six assists in just 45 appearances for the U18s.

Unsurprisingly, he has been promoted to the U21s and he has been a regular there this season despite his age, making 11 appearances in the Premier League 2, scoring and assisting once.

U21s coach Mark Robinson was full of praise for Castledine in an interview with The Athletic late last year, highlighting his impressive versatility and attitude.

He said: “Physically he is strong. He was standing out in his own age group so we just took him to give him a taste of the under-18 level early. As well as being a very good footballer, he has a tremendous attitude and he works very hard on his game too.”

When asked about the youngster’s best position, Robinson replied:

“We believe it is in midfield as a No 8, but he is also very versatile as well. He has played right-sided centre-back for the under-21s, he’s played wide for the under-18s. But wherever you put him, he gives absolutely everything.”

Is he a long-term partner for Fernandez?

While the return of Kante will be big for Potter in the short term, he has managed just two appearances this season due to injury and as he gets older, the Frenchman will surely only become more injury-prone and a less reliable option for Chelsea in the middle of the park.

As such, Castledine’s versatility suggests that he could do a job for Chelsea in midfield instead.

Alongside mega-money signing Fernandez, his energy could allow the Argentine to do what he does best, playing progressive passes and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Indeed, behind Castledine the £106.8m man could well be the glue that binds everything together, with the Cobham youth product then serving as the main instigator of attacks from deep, using his immense physicality to bully opponents.

That quality may well see him drag the defence closer to him, subsequently opening up gaps for Chelsea’s Argentine maestro to use his creativity. It’s a match made in heaven and one that could well see the Blues thrive moving forward.

Castledine is clearly a player of high potential – as Fernandez is – and if they can both live up to their hype at Stamford Bridge, there is no reason why a formidable partnership can’t be formed in the future.

West Ham United manager David Moyes is now weighing major bids for a number of top Premier League players, including Leeds United forward Raphinha, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Moyes hoping for busy window…

The Hammers are believed to be closing in on their first major signing of the summer as West Ham edge nearer a deal for Rennes star and Morocco international defender Nayed Aguerd.

Moyes also wants to sign goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a permanent deal from Paris-Saint Germain as the Scotsman hopes for what will be a fat busier transfer window than January.

West Ham must make new additions and strengthen in key areas if they wish to keep their place among England’s elite with 90min now sharing an update on who else they could move for.

The Latest: Moyes weighing Raphinha bid…

According to their information, the east Londoners, and by extension Moyes, are ‘considering’ a bid to sign Leeds star Raphinha among many others – including Josh Brownhill of Burnley and Championship starlet Keane Lewis-Potter.

90min add that the club are also ‘hopeful’ of fending off suitors for star duo Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen.

The Verdict: Make the move…

Lauded as a ‘big player’ by ex-Leeds man Noel Whelan and an ‘unbelievable’ one by former QPR keeper Paddy Kenny, the Brazil international has no shortage of admirers.

Raphinha, rated at around £40.5 million by Transfermarkt, was a star player at Elland Road over 2021/2022 – finishing the campaign as their most potent attacking threat by some way.

According to WhoScored, the South American forward was Leeds’ best player in terms of average match rating, shots at goal, key passes made and successful take-ons per 90 – leaving little wonder Moyes is weighing an offer.

In other news: West Ham enter pole position for ‘game-changer’ as GSB eye ‘frightening’ forward, find out more here.

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has now shared the latest Tottenham Hotspur transfer news amid major reports surrounding Djed Spence.

The Lowdown: Big claims…

In the last 24 hours, a really big claim emerged of a reached agreement between Middlesbrough and Spurs for the signing of Spence.

The Guardian stated yesterday evening that club chief Fabio Paratici and the Premier League giants had agreed a £20 million fee for the 21-year-old.

After they claimed manager Antonio Conte was closing in on his third summer signing after Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster, journalists like Alasdair Gold of football.london were then quick to rebuff the update.

Gold did state that there should be developments in the next 72 hours though, with Romano now sharing what he knows.

The Latest: Spurs talks ‘on’…

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According to Romano, sharing news on Twitter, Tottenham talks are still ‘on’ to sign Spence but things aren’t as advanced as the Guardian suggested.

He explained:

“Tottenham are interested in Djed Spence since long time but they’ve not reached full agreement to sign him yet despite rumours. Talks on – there are few clubs interested in the right back. THFC Discussions about Spence’s future will continue in the coming days.”

The Verdict: Make the move…

While a fee hasn’t been agreed upon yet, the fact Spurs are still in contention with talks ongoing is brilliant news for Conte and the club’s supporters.

Spence is arguably one of the most promising young players in England right now, having played a significant part in Nottingham Forest’s push for top flight promotion over 2021/2022 whilst on loan.

The exciting wing-back’s addition would also help to balance Spurs’ homegrown quota and provide them a further boost ahead of a long and busy summer window.

In other news: ‘Being negotiated’ – Club now want their ‘sensational’ star to join Tottenham…find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has swung his axe as the Lilywhites close in on a summer exit, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs summer reshuffle…

Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici met with Conte in Italy last week to discuss recruitment strategy ahead of what will be a very interesting window for the north Londoners.

The Lilywhites head coach secured a Premier League top four finish and Champions League football for the 2022/2023 campaign, prompting the club to green-light a major £150million equity increase.

Conte will benefit from the bulk of these added funds as Spurs look set to back their manager and ensure he has most of what he needs for his first full season in charge.

While new signings have been heavily tipped, so have exits from Hotspur Way, with Football Insider now sharing the latest development involving midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.

The Latest: Tottenham hold Lo Celso talks…

According to their information, a Tottenham ‘agreement is close to being reached’ over Lo Celso’s permanent departure to Villarreal with ‘extensive talks’ held.

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This comes as Conte swings his axe and deems the Argentine ‘surplus to requirements’.

As per this update, Spurs are keen to offload, so much so they’re willing to take a near-£10million loss.

The Verdict: Major update…

Dropping the asking price from £30million to around £20million, according to this report, certainly stands out as a major call.

Perhaps this is an indicator of Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy’s eagerness to back Conte and seriousness in going the extra mile to display a matched ambition.

Selling Lo Celso for that amount is generous to say the least, especially considering he thrived on loan under Unai Emery and was a key player on their run to the Champions League semi-finals.

In other news: Alasdair Gold says ‘exciting’ Conte target is now eyeing a move to Tottenham! Find out more here.

Celtic not only ended their 2021/22 SPFL season with the league title under their belt but they also did it whilst boasting the best-attacking record in the top flight.

Having played 38 games, the Hoops found the net 92 times, which is 12 more than their fierce rivals, Rangers, did.

One player that ended up playing a rather significant role in Celtic’s attack this season was Jota.

Signed on loan from Portuguese club Benfica back in the previous summer transfer window, the winger played in 29 league games for the Bhoys.

In those appearances, the 23-year-old scored ten goals and delivered 11 assists along the way.

Rather unsurprisingly, there have been reports claiming that the Hoops are looking to make the winger’s stay at Parkhead permanent this summer.

Should they be successful in those attempts, the focus can then shift to potentially bringing new players to the club and help strengthen Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

One figure that the Bhoys have been linked with recently that could form a scary attacking partnership with Jota is Ferencvaros striker Ryan Mmaee.

With 141 senior club appearances under his belt across all competitions, the 24-year-old striker has scored 49 goals and delivered 25 assists in the process.

This season saw the Moroccan rack up 19 goals and 11 assists in 37 appearances for his current side, which included two games against Celtic in the Europa League.

This shows just how much of a deadly striker he is who can not only score goals but provide them as well.

It also backs up why he was described as being “prolific” for the Hungarian side by journalist Maher Mezahi on Twitter.

Having racked up the second-highest average for shots and dribbles per game in the Europa League this season for his current side, he clearly has the attacking talent to be a suitable addition to the Parkhead club’s ranks.

With all of this in mind, if Celtic can start their next campaign with both Jota and Mmaee in their side, it would give Postecoglou the chance to form a potentially frightening attacking pair that could give the Hoops a great chance to not only possibly regain the SPFL title but to go as far as they can in Europe as well.In other news: Celtic can replicate CCV masterclass by signing 25y/o gem who’s “one of the very best”

Journalist Niccolò Ceccarini has shared some exciting transfer news for Tottenham Hotspur supporters as their club continue to be busy just after the 2021/2022 Premier League season’s conclusion.

The Lowdown: Exciting times…

The Lilywhites, having confirmed a £150 million capital increase recently, apparently intend to back manager Antonio Conte with the significant financial windfall as their boss now decides to stay for next campaign.

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In a big boost for the club, the trophy-laden 52-year-old who guided them to a top-four finish has elected to take full charge of Spurs for the 2022/2023, as has been widely reported.

This comes after a summit to discuss the club’s summer recruitment in Italy with both Conte and official Fabio Paratici holding crunch talks to determine who will be targeted (Daily Mail).

One player who could be on his way in after Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who has apparently completed a medical, is Inter Milan star Ivan Perisic.

The Latest: Ceccarini makes exciting Perisic claim…

Writing on Twitter and backing other reports, journalist Ceccarini has claimed that the soon-to-be free agent is ‘now destined for Tottenham’.

The reporter adds something we haven’t seen elsewhere though – Inter are already on the hunt for his replacement, as they could return for Genoa full-back Andrea Cambiaso.

The Verdict: Huge…

Alasdair Gold has already claimed that Perisic is a potential ‘big signing’ for Spurs and Conte, not least for his experience as a multi-title and Champions League winner, but also because he could mark a significant shift in mentality in north London (Twitter).

The 33-year-old arriving ‘early’ and ‘ready-made’, as per Gold again, is another boost for Tottenham in representing a ‘Conte-led change’.

We’re inclined to agree with the football.london journalist, this news is absolutely massive ahead of what will be a busy summer, as it proves the club are willing to stand back and let Conte, with Paratici’s guidance, lead the way.

In other news: ‘Not only Perisic’ – Tottenham push for ‘genius’ signing after Conte call ‘in recent days’…find out more here.

Bayern Munich are still hopeful of signing Liverpool superstar Sadio Mane this summer, according to reliable journalist Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Magnificent season for Mane

The Reds have had numerous standout heroes during a memorable season and Mane has undoubtedly been one of his side’s star men, having once been hailed as a ‘machine’ by Jamie Carragher.

The 30-year-old has thrived in a new central attacking role, scoring 16 times in the Premier League, not to mention netting huge winning penalties for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final and a World Cup playoff.

Mane has recently been linked with a summer move to Bayern, however, as they look to replace Robert Lewandowski and capitalise on a contract with just 13 months left to run.

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The Latest: Fresh ‘talks’

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Plettenberg of Sky Sports Germany claimed that Mane is considering joining the Bundesliga champions and is already in ‘talks’ over a move:

“News #Mane: He can really imagine to join #FCBayern this summer! There is movement in talks with the player and his management. Next 3-4 weeks are decisive. Nagelsmann & Brazzo want him. Transfer fee probably less than €50m.”

The Verdict: Could he actually leave?

While it would be a surprise in Mane didn’t sign a new deal at Liverpool, this update does suggest that his exit is actually possible this summer.

At 30, the attacker may feel that he has one more big move in him during his prime, and it could be that he feels a fresh challenge will be beneficial after six years with the Reds.

That being said, Bayern are still not the proposition Liverpool are currently, in terms of their manager and standing in European football, so we feel a new contract is still to be expected.

In other news, one Liverpool attacker has been backed to stay at Anfield. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool are among a number of teams interested in signing Torino defender Gleison Bremer, according to a report from Torino Granata (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Career so far

Signed from Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A outfit Clube Atletico Mineiro in 2018, the 25-year-old has made 110 appearances since arriving in Italy.

Uncapped by Brazil at any level, Bremer has emerged as one of the leading lights in the Serie A in recent years and was recently rewarded with a new deal until 2024 amidst interest from across Europe and indeed links to Merseyside.

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Despite the fresh extension, it appears that some of the biggest clubs on the continent remain interested in the powerful centre-back…

The latest: Reds’ interested

As per Torino Granata, translated by SW, Liverpool have ‘set their sights’ on Bremer ahead of the summer transfer window.

It’s claimed that Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are all interested in signing the man dubbed an ‘animal’ by defensive teammate Mergim Vojvoda.

The report also states that the Serie A side are ‘preparing the auction’ for the sale of their Brazilian ace, who holds a perceived market value of £27million (Transfermarkt).

The verdict: An unnecessary expenditure

Following the brutal 2020/21 campaign with injuries to all three frontline defenders in the shape of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, Jurgen Klopp has been relatively spoilt for choice this term with the addition of Ibrahima Konate.

Both Van Dijk and Matip returned to the peak of their powers almost instantly, whilst Konate has proven to be an extraordinary signing who has slotted straight in at Anfield, leapfrogging Gomez in the pecking order in the process.

Therefore, despite Bremer enjoying another stellar season in Italy, earning an impressive 7.13 Sofascore rating, winning 6.6 duels, making 4.0 clearances and 3.2 interceptions on average per game, Liverpool and new sporting director Julian Ward would be best served to allow the current quartet to carry the workload and spend the funds on improving other areas of the squad.

In other news… Fabrizio Romano has delivered a huge transfer update involving one of Liverpool’s senior players.