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Everton have been named among a host of clubs interested in signing Fenerbahce defender Kim Min-jae this summer, according to a report from Takvim (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: ‘The monster’

Dubbed a ‘monster’ amid previous Toffees links – owing to his towering 6 foot 1 presence – Min-jae has been compared to Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk in the past and has enjoyed a burgeoning reputation since arriving in Europe.

Signed from Chinese Super League outfit BJ Guoan in 2021, the 25-year-old South Korean has gone from strength to strength in Turkey and could now be ready for the next step in a promising career.

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Now, the latest report has claimed that Everton boss Frank Lampard is keen to include the towering centre-back as part of a summer rebuild at Goodison Park…

The latest: Toffees keen

As per Takvim, translated by SW, Everton are one of the ‘serious suitors’ to sign the 40-cap ace.

Premier League rivals Tottenham are also credited with a strong interest in Kim, whilst Napoli, AC Milan and Sevilla are also watching on with intent.

The report also states that the man hailed as ‘world class’ by journalist Jason Lee during a 1-1 draw with Trabzonspor has a €25million (£21.5million) release clause as part of a contract that runs until 2025 (Transfermarkt).

The verdict: Straight swap

With the future of injury-prone central defender Yerry Mina seemingly lying away from the blue half of Merseyside, signing Kim as a direct replacement would make an abundance of sense for the Toffees.

Albeit the South Korean missed four matches of his own last term, the powerful star has remained relatively injury-free thus far in what has been a career on an ever upwards trajectory.

Overall in 2021/22, he made 39 appearances across all competitions, including six Europa League outings whilst earning a strong 6.93 Sofascore rating comprising of 3.7 successful duels, 2.3 interceptions and 4.1 clearances on average per Super Lig game – more than any Everton defender when it comes to clearances.

Given the mooted price, the potential offloading of Mina and with Lampard attempting to fix a defensive department that conceded 66 goals last term, a move for the Fenerbache warrior would be a smart and wholly achievable one.

In other news: ‘Abolsutely magnificent’ Everton man wanted on loan, read more here

Liverpool have been in hot pursuit of Calvin Ramsay for a while and now a reliable source has given an update on the progress of the transfer.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has taken to his Twitter to reveal more detail about Liverpool’s progression in completing the signing of Ramsay.

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Romano tweeted: “Liverpool are progressing in talks with Aberdeen for Calvin Ramsay. Personal terms agreed as fullback wants LFC move, work in progress to get it done with add-ons in the agreement.”

The news comes amid the Merseyside outfit’s swoop for Benfica forward Darwin Nunez.

Klopp will be delighted

Jurgen Klopp will be delighted that talks are progressing to sign the young right-back from Aberdeen, as he has proven he has the potential to be a great back-up for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 18-year-old has been impressing this season in the Scottish Premiership scoring one goal, delivering four assists and creating three big chances. He’s also made 1.3 clearances and 1.8 key passes on average per game, as well as winning the majority of his duels combined (51%) over 24 appearances.

Ramsay received high praise from Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack this season (via Scottish Daily Express): “There are not many right back at his age like him, doing what he does.

“He is in the elite upper bracket, right up there, for a young right-back in Europe.”

Although the youngster will be unlikely to play a consistent starting role in the right-back position at Anfield, he will become a great option for Klopp to deploy in the team when he is needed to take the place of Alexander-Arnold and will have the opportunity to develop his craft at the club, with the potential of playing Champions League football.

Liverpool could be set to sell their current back-up right-back Neco Williams who has been attracting attention from Premier League clubs due to his loan spell at Fulham in the second half of last season, with Nottingham Forest the latest to register their interest in the player who has been reportedly valued at £15m.

With that being said, if Liverpool can get a deal done for Ramsay it would be a great signing for the future and would certainly add depth to the club’s already highly rated back-line giving him the opportunity to work with the likes of Virgil van Dijk to continue to fulfil his potential.

AND in other news: “I’m told..”: Romano drops behind-the-scenes Liverpool update that’ll upset supporters

Jurgen Klopp faces an interesting summer transfer window ahead as Liverpool aims to build on last season’s success and go even further by winning either the Premier League or the Champions League.

This summer will mainly be about re-energising the squad as opposed to a full-scale rebuild, with Klopp’s alluring ability in the transfer window recently, he will probably avoid having to do this anytime soon. Signings such as Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota will eventually lead to them becoming the focal points of the front three when Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah leave.

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With a clear focus in sight, Klopp should also be looking at key upgrades, and a move for Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni would allow him to finally axe Naby Keita.

The Frenchman has been linked with Liverpool and Real Madrid recently and Klopp will be hoping he can persuade the player to move to England in what could be a potential £60m move.

Keita, who earns £130k-per-week only made 23 appearances in the Premier League last season due to a few niggling injuries and a call up to the Africa Cup of Nations and with his contract expiring in June 2023, this might be the perfect time to sell him on in order to broker a deal for Tchouameni.

The Monaco player has played in all but three of his side’s Ligue 1 fixtures this season whilst contributing three goals and two assists.

The 22-year-old generates 2.15 shot-creating actions per match, whilst also displaying his defensive capabilities by ranking first in Ligue 1 for interceptions (114) and in the top ten for pressures (656).

Liverpool could have a special talent on their hands if they land the Frenchman, with Paul Pogba describing him as “extraordinary” in the past.

His versatility in the midfield area, being able to contribute both going forward and defensively, will be music to Klopp’s ears and he should be doing everything he can to land the player before it’s too late.

AND in other news, Forget Tchouameni: LFC eye a move for “outstanding” £60m ace, he’s “one of the best”

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”…

Alasdair Gold has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Alessandro Bastoni.

What’s the talk?

In a recent Q&A on football.london, the journalist revealed that, following widespread reports of Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici’s interest in a move for the Inter Milan centre-back this summer, the 23-year-old is understood to be keen to work with the former Nerazzurri coach once again.

Gold went on to suggest that the Serie A club’s pressing need to raise funds in order to complete their own signings could also play into Tottenham’s hands, with a figure of £51m mentioned as the amount that Inter may be seeking in order to part with the Italy international in the coming months.

In response to a question concerning Spurs’ interest in Bastoni, Gold said: “There are two sides to this one in that Alessandro Bastoni is understood to be keen to play under Antonio Conte again at some point, but he is happy at the moment at Inter Milan and it’s worth remembering that he only just turned 23 last month so he’s young in terms of his career and uprooting from Italy. For someone like Romero, he had already uprooted from his homeland.

“Spurs’ hope is that Bastoni can bring added quality to the left side of Tottenham’s back three to complement Romero’s strength and quality on the other side. They see him as a potential heir to Jan Vertonghen with a similar skilful style to the Belgian in being a ball-playing defender rather than an aggressive one like Romero. That could potentially make his adaptation to the physical nature of the Premier League slightly more gradual than the Argentine’s and perhaps that is a concern the player also holds.

“The key to whether Tottenham can get this deal done may come down to how much Inter need the money and whether they help push Bastoni towards the door, particularly as he has only two years left on his contract. The Serie A club want to sign players this summer, not least Gleison Bremer from Torino for around £21m, and if they decide that selling Bastoni for more than £51m can fund more deals then they may help influence his decision. Things change quickly in the transfer window.”

Supporters will love Gold’s update

Considering just how exciting a talent Bastoni undoubtedly is, Gold’s latest update concerning Tottenham’s interest in the 23-year-old is sure to be news that the Spurs faithful will love.

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Indeed, over his 31 Serie A appearances this season, the £60m-rated defender highly impressed on the left of Inter’s backline, helping his team to keep eight clean sheets, making 1.1 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 1.8 clearances and winning 4.1 duels (at a success rate of 60%) per game.

The £122k-per-week left-footer also impressed in a creative and attacking capacity, scoring one goal, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his team-mates, along with averaging 50.5 passes, four long balls and 0.5 key passes per match.

These metrics saw the 11-cap Italy international average a remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Simone Inzaghi’s eighth-best player in the Italian top flight.

As such, considering his age, ball-playing talent and ability to play on the left of a back three, it is clear to see that Bastoni would be something of a perfect signing for Paratici to get over the line this summer, especially if the centre-back is available for as little as the £51m fee that Gold has mentioned.

AND in other news – “Am told…”: Dan Kilpatrick reveals huge Spurs transfer twist, supporters will be fuming

Sunderland could reportedly now sell Ross Stewart to one of their new Championship rivals.

The Lowdown: ‘Incredible’ season

As Black Cats legend Kevin Phillips has pointed out, Stewart has had an ‘incredible‘ season at the Stadium of Light, scoring no fewer than 26 goals in total over all competitions, double the next best in Everton loanee Nathan Broadhead with 13 (Transfermarkt).

Fittingly, he also scored their final goal of the campaign as well, the one that sealed promotion back up to the Championship in the 2-0 League One play-off final win over Wycombe Wanderers.

The Latest: Clubs swarming

As per the print edition of The Daily Mirror (via The Sunderland Echo), fellow Championship sides Middlesbrough, QPR and Sheffield United are all now in the hunt to sign Stewart, as well as Glasgow Rangers.

However, Alex Neil’s team would like to tie him down to a lucrative new contract that would make him their best-paid player.

The Verdict: Keep at all costs

There is no denying how important Stewart is to the team with his goal output, and if they are to have the best possible chance of staying in the division next term, then there is no doubt that the striker would have to stay.

At 25 years of age, it is scary to think that Stewart’s best playing days are ahead of him, and so tying him down to a new deal would be huge.

Nonetheless, selling the Scotsman to a Championship rival would surely be seen as unforgivable by the Wearside club’s supporters.

In other news, find out who SAFC will now ‘hold talks’ over signing here!

Erik ten Hag will have a major rebuilding job on his hands this summer at Manchester United, and with their defence urgently needing improvement, there could be a few players in that position brought in over the coming months.

What’s the word?

French journalist Fabrice Hawkins tweeted that United “are tracking” Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka ahead of the summer transfer window with a view to submitting a transfer offer, with Tottenham also interested.

The defender is out of contract at the end of next season, with a fee of around £17m being enough to secure his services this summer.

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Ten Hag must swoop for Ndicka

This season has been one to forget for the Old Trafford faithful, with United nowhere close to achieving any kind of silverware, leaving new manager Ten Hag with a major rebuilding job awaiting him over the summer and beyond.

With the Red Devils shipping a total of 56 goals in the Premier League with one game still left to play, it’s no surprise that the defence is one of the main areas to be worked upon before the next campaign.

Ndicka has helped Eintracht Frankfurt to win the Europa League this season, defeating Rangers on penalties in the final in midweek, and he would be a bargain addition to the United squad.

His performances this season have been incredible, and he has the figures to show for it. Compared to his positional peers in the big five European leagues, the 22-year-old ranks in the 94th percentile for aerial duels won (4.34 per 90) and the 95th percentile in blocks (2.46), while he has only received three yellow cards in the Bundesliga despite playing 32 matches in defence.

With four goals and four assists in the German top flight this term, he has outscored every single United defender put together in the 2021/22 Premier League.

These numbers clearly show that the Frenchman would be a fantastic signing for United, and with journalist Christopher Michel describing Ndicka as the “complete package”, Ten Hag surely can’t pass up a glorious opportunity like this to improve the Red Devils’ defence ahead of the 2022/23 season.

AND in other news, Man United nearing the signing of “magic” £58m “unicorn”, he’s Modric 2.0

Football expert Daniel Oliveira has issued a rather large statement regarding one of Manchester United’s defensive transfer targets in Goncalo Inácio.

What’s the word?

The 20-year-old Portugal starlet is one of the most sought after defenders in the world as we step ever closer towards the summer transfer window.

And according to a report from A Bola, as per The Sun, Manchester United are in the best position to sign the Sporting CP defender.

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According to the report, Sporting will not consider any offer that is less than Inácio’s £38m release clause as the Red Devils prepare to launch a bid.

Better than Dias

Per playmakerstats.com, football expert Oliveira gave a statement that will have Manchester United fans ecstatic at the thought of signing Inacio this summer.

He was asked: “Man City’s Ruben Dias is an example of a Portuguese central defender who has thrived in the Premier League…can comparisons be made between Dias and Inácio?”

Oliveira replied: “It’s always difficult to compare players.

“One obvious difference is that Dias joined Manchester City when he was 23, so he was further along in his development than Inácio, who is still only 20.

“It is unlikely, therefore, that Inácio could have the same impact as Dias, who was crowned the Premier League’s best player at the end of his first season. Dias was always a natural leader and Inácio’s communication may be one area in which he can improve.

“Like I say, it’s hard to make comparisons. I’m 100% sure about one thing: the 20-year-old Inácio is a better player than Ruben Dias was at the same age.”

If he was to make the switch to the Premier League, 20-year-old Inácio would indeed be ahead of his compatriot, and senior by three years, Dias.

With similar defensive metrics to Maguire this season, the best move would see United buy the starlet and loan him back to Sporting for what would be another season of regular minutes, with the Portuguese featuring in 82% of Sporting’s domestic games this season.

Though, the majority of his metrics are surpassed by the Manchester City captain, especially in terms of possession, with Dias registering an average of 86.47 touches and 62.32 carries per game amidst his average completed passes total of 73.73 per 90.

Although these metrics are boosted as a direct result of Pep Guardiola’s high-possession philosophy, they are miles ahead of Inácio’s average of 51.27 touches, 32.14 carries and an average of 37.77 passes completed per game.

There is no doubt that Inacio is “underrated” in comparison to other defenders and would most certainly improve Manchester United in the long run, but taking a leaf out of Dias’ book and biding his time may be the best option for a 20-year-old centre-back entering one of the most physical and high profile leagues in the world.

In other news: Decision made: Man Utd eyeing move for £130m-rated genius, just imagine him & Ronaldo

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has dropped a worrying injury claim regarding winger Jack Harrison ahead of Sunday’s crucial clash with Brighton.

The Lowdown: Marsch’s comments

Harrison was withdrawn in the first half of the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday evening. Jesse Marsch admitted after the match he was hoping the injury wasn’t too serious, describing the issue as a ‘contusion’ that ‘limited him from moving’.

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The 25-year-old, described as a ‘big influence’ by Marcelo Bielsa, has missed just three Premier League games all season and none under Marsch but was due to have a scan on Thursday morning.

However, it looks as if he could join a number of senior stars on the sidelines due to injury and suspension for the final home game of the campaign.

The Latest: Hay’s claim

Hay shared a story for The Athletic following another night to forget for Leeds against Thomas Tuchel’s side. When it came to injuries, he stated that Harrison is ‘probably beyond Marsch’s reach for the meeting with Brighton’.

Raphinha was also taken off with a slight hamstring concern in the second half, but that was thought to be simply as a precaution.

The Verdict: What next?

Leeds are running out of time, games and players in their attempts to avoid the drop, so should Harrison miss out on Sunday, Marsch will be left with limited resources in attack on what would be another big blow.

Providing Raphinha makes it, he could be the only senior wide man available at Elland Road. Youngsters Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood, who are suited to more central roles, could be Marsch’s only options.

An even narrower formation could be deployed as a result, and who knows, Patrick Bamford may make a timely return to the squad in a rare injury boost, should he return to team training today as expected.

In other news: Phil Hay says £15k-p/w Leeds man will now leave Elland Road over the coming weeks. 

Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is ‘destined’ to move from Molineux to Barcelona this summer, according to journalist Josh Holland.

The Lowdown: Neves linked with Wolves exit

The 25-year-old has proven to be a wonderful player for the Old Gold, producing moments of magic from midfield and maturing into a formidable player.

Unfortunately, Neves’ superb form this season has seen him linked with a summer move away, with numerous clubs keen on acquiring his signature.

Barcelona are arguably the front-runners to sign the Portuguese maestro, as Xavi looks to build a successful new era at the Catalan club.

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The Latest: Journalist drops Barcelona claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Holland claimed that Neves’ rumoured move to the La Liga giants feels inevitable. He stated:

“The history and the name Barcelona, that’s pulling power in itself. And you look at what Xavi is doing at the club, there’s always going to be the whole if he goes and works with Xavi, how good will he be?

“No disrespect to Wolves, but you’d rather live in Barcelona than Wolverhampton. I think that’s more or less destined to happen.”

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The Verdict: Matter of time

As great as it would be to see Neves remain at Wolves, there almost seems to be an acceptance that he will trade Molineux for Camp Nou this summer.

The lure of playing for such a special club could be too great to turn down, especially for Portuguese players, with past legends such as Luis Figo and Deco representing the Blaugrana.

The hope is that Neves will extend his stay at Wolves, but with European football looking unlikely for Bruno Lage’s team next season and elite clubs interested in the 25-year-old, it seems as if the Molineux faithful should be prepared for the midfielder’s exit.

In other news, Wolves are interested in signing an exciting wide player this summer. Find out who it is here.