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Keane Lewis-Potter is one of the hottest properties in the Championship right now and there is no shortage of Premier League sides interested in signing him, with West Ham having reportedly made contact with Hull City over a potential deal.

What’s the word?

The Hammers, alongside Southampton and Brentford, are said to be extremely keen on bringing him to the top flight this summer after an impressive campaign in the second tier.

According to Hull Live, West Ham have already enquired about the 21-year-old, while Brentford saw a bid rejected in January.

Vice-chairman Tan Kesler recently spoke about how they are desperately trying to convince the young winger at Hull next season but also confirmed that they had received three offers from Premier League sides, presumably the above-mentioned teams.

However, considering the winger’s contract with Hull is set to expire at the end of next season, the Championship side may well be forced to cash in on him this summer, and West Ham could once again benefit from the Tigers.

Bowen 2.0?

The comparisons with Jarrod Bowen are to be expected, considering the Hammers signed the England international from Hull in January 2020.

Since then he has gone on to contribute 27 goals and 23 assists in 103 appearances for the Hammers, earning his first England cap last week after some sensational performances for David Moyes’ side last season.

Lewis-Potter and Bowen both enjoyed similar campaigns, as they hit 12 goals apiece and averaged 2.2 shots per game in their respective leagues.

Although Bowen has the edge in terms of creativity at the moment, Lewis-Potter is still just 21 and will only get better should he make the move to the London Stadium this summer, with reports claiming he would cost around £15m.

Former Hull boss Grant McCann was full of praise for the youngster back in 2020, saying:

“The kid’s a special talent. Wherever we play him across that frontline, he’ll create and score goals. He can be anything he wants to be. He’s quick, he’s getting stronger.

“If you see him physically now compared to where he was this time last year, he’s head and shoulders above in terms of his physique. He’s got all the tools to be anything he wants.”

The similarities with Bowen are clear to see and if Moyes can bring him to the London Stadium this summer, he may well have another gem on his hands.

And, in other news… Moyes given green light for “unbelievable” goal-machine

Newcastle United avoided falling through the Premier League trap door in the 2021/22 campaign as they achieved a comfortable midtable finish in the top-flight.

Eddie Howe led the team out of trouble after staring relegation in the face in the first half of the season and will now be looking to push on next term.

Dan Ashworth has been appointed as the club’s sporting director and the pair will now be working with each other to improve the squad in the coming months.

One player the club have been linked with a move for is Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca and the club must ensure that they can strike a deal for him.

Andy Carroll 2.0

The 6 foot 4 Italian can be the new Carroll – 6 foot 3 – for Newcastle as he is a well-rounded centre-forward who can be the focal point of Howe’s attack next season.

Throughout his time in the Premier League, the former Toon striker has scored 24 goals with his left foot, 24 with his head and six with his right. This shows the level of versatility he has in front of goal as he offers a threat on the floor and in the air.

In his short career to date, Scamacca – who reportedly rejected a £35m move to Arsenal – has scored 12 headers, 19 with his right foot and two free-kicks

Ex-Italy U21 coach Luigi Di Biagio previously commented on his all-round game, saying:

“He can become a very high-level centre-forward.

“He has the technique of a 1.75 m tall player and the physicality of a 1.95 m tall player, like him. And then he is complete: right foot, left, head, he attacks from deep, but also plays on the edge for his teammates.”

These comments, along with their respective statistics, suggest that the Italian centre-forward can be the new Carroll at St. James’ Park.

His goalscoring record in the Serie A also proves that he can score goals on a regular basis, along with being a complete player. He scored 16 goals in 25 league starts for Sassuolo and this shows that he can be a huge signing for Howe.

Scamacca is a prolific scorer and can lead the line for the Magpies in the Premier League next season, much like Carroll did prior to his move to Liverpool.

Therefore, Howe and Ashworth must work hard to complete a deal for the number nine so that he can showcase his goalscoring talents whilst playing in black and white next season.

AND in other news, Howe can axe £25m NUFC flop by signing “frightening” £94m predator who’s “the future”…

Journalist Ryan Taylor believes Aston Villa will sign Rangers star Calvin Bassey this summer because he’s ‘highly rated’ by Villa chiefs, GiveMeSport report.

The Lowdown: Closing in?

Bassey, who Owen Hargreaves labelled as ‘astonishing’ for his display in the Europa League final, appears to be next on Villa’s transfer radar.

NSWE have already signed Philippe Coutinho and Boubacar Kamara on permanent deals while also reaching an agreement with Sevilla for centre-back Diego Carlos.

Reports over recent days have suggested that Villa chiefs are now closing in on a move for Bassey, and Taylor has had his say on a possible transfer after Sky Sports called the youngster a ‘key’ target for Gerrard.

The Latest: Villa love Bassey, ‘deal will happen’

Talking to GMS, Taylor said that Bassey is extremely well thought of by those at Villa Park and believes a ‘deal will happen’.

Taylor did add that Carlos’ arrival could possibly change things, however, he described a move for Bassey as a ‘no-brainer’.

“Bassey is clearly highly rated by Villa. I think that deal will happen; I can see it happening. Obviously, [Diego] Carlos coming in might change the picture, but it’s clear Villa rate him highly, and for me, it’s just a no-brainer.

“The way he played in the Europa League, he looks like a player that’s just naturally ready to step up and perform.”

The Verdict: Smart…

Bassey appears to be ready for the next step in his career after starring on the European stage and is entering the final two years of his Ibrox contract. Rangers could see this summer as the right time to maximise the defender’s value, should he wish to leave.

You’d expect that agreeing on a fee with the Scottish giants could be the only potential obstacle. Villa already know Bassey’s agency well as they represent Jacob Ramsey, who recently penned a new Villa contract, so it wouldn’t come as a shock if the Nigerian was the club’s fourth major signing.

In other news: Villa may now move for another Rangers star after Bassey; Gerrard loves him – transfer insider. 

Liverpool have maintained a long-term interest in Jude Bellingham, and a new update has emerged on their pursuit of the player following speculation that the Reds have made an approach this summer.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has given an insight on the 18-year-old’s immediate future and an update on Liverpool’s interest in his column for Caught Offside.

The transfer insider claimed in the report that the Borussia Dortmund star won’t be leaving the Bundesliga this year, although the Reds remain interested for the summer of 2023.

Romano added that, despite the interest Liverpool have shown, it will be an open race for the player to all interested parties, as there has been no official or definite move made by the Merseyside club as of yet.

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Supporters will be disappointed

Liverpool are in the market this summer to strengthen in the middle of the park, with a number of midfielders linked with a move to Anfield including Aurelien Tchouameni and Ibrahim Sangare, but supporters will surely be disappointed that Bellingham won’t join for at least another season.

The 18-year-old has been drawing attention to himself for a while now and did not disappoint for Borussia Dortmund this season, dominating the centre of the pitch and offering a solid presence in his team, impressing with both his defensive and attacking play.

As per SofaScore, the English youngster scored three goals and contributed eight assists, in addition to creating 10 big chances and recording 1.3 key passes, 1.6 tackles and 67.7 touches on average per game. He also won the majority of his duels (51%) and was successful with most of his dribbles (57%).

For a player who is so young, Bellingham already has an overwhelming amount of experience under his belt, with 134 senior club career appearances (61 in the Bundesliga, 16 in the Champions League). He was also part of the England squad which made it to a first major final in 55 years as they finished runners-up at Euro 2020, making three appearances at the tournament.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been full of praise for the youngster, telling SPORTbible; “He’s a great lad, a fantastic player and I’m sure he’ll go from strength to strength as he gets older and matures. When I watch him, he plays with such maturity even now. The sky is the limit for him really.”

Signing Bellingham would be a major coup for Jurgen Klopp if it were to happen, as the teenager will surely only develop even further while he is still at Dortmund, but Liverpool must not squander their opportunity to sign him and lose out to another club. That would really leave Kopites feeling very disappointed.

AND in other news: Liverpool plot £42.5m bid for “spectacular” gem with “no ceiling”, he’s Bellingham 2.0

Newcastle United are edging towards completing their first piece of transfer business, following the latest update regarding their interest in Manchester United stopper, Dean Henderson.

Whats’ the word?

According to Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the Magpies have all but secured the signing of the Englishman, with sources believing he was in Newcastle on Wednesday to discuss a deal.

Writing on Twitter, the Red Devis correspondent delivered this update on the 25-year-old’s future: “Dean Henderson closing in on a move to Newcastle. Understand he travelled to Newcastle for talks yesterday”.

The report reveals that while a season-long loan deal is the subject of discussions at present, it is said that a permanent transfer has ‘not been ruled out’, with the player said to be available for a fee in the region of £40m.

The northeast side had attempted to secure a temporary deal for the former Sheffield United loanee back in January, although the move reportedly collapse when Martin Dubravka rejected the chance to head in the other direction.

Howe will be delighted

Despite missing out in the winter, it looks as if the St James’ Park outfit are close to getting their man, with that news set to be a real source of delight for manager Eddie Howe, particularly with the deal nearing completion even before the current campaign has ended.

That desire to get the switch done early would suggest that strengthening the goalkeeping department was high on the priority list for the Tynesiders, having failed to settle on a preferred number one this season.

The aforementioned Dubravka has been the go-to man under Howe, although he has only made 25 starts thus far, with Freddie Woodman and Karl Darlow also enjoying brief stints in between the sticks.

That inability to find a settled option is far from an ideal scenario, with the arrival of Henderson seemingly set to alter that, with the £120k-per-week gem having showcased his quality in previous years, despite his current woes.

Having ended last season as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s number one at Old Trafford, an unfortunate stint out with the viral pandemic prior to the start of the current campaign saw teammate David De Gea reinstated, with the Spaniard going on to enjoy a standout campaign to reclaim his first-choice status.

That has restricted the younger man to just three appearances in all competitions this season – none of which have come as starts – with the one-cap international having failed to really progress after his previous two-year loan stint at Bramall Lane.

After helping the Blades to promotion from the Championship in the 2018/19 season, the Whitehaven-born gem was hugely impressive in his debut top-flight campaign the following season, conceding just 33 goals in 36 games and recording 13 clean sheets – the joint-third most in the division.

Dubbed “insane” by former teammate Sander Berge, the highly-rated stopper appears to simply need a settled run of games in order to reproduce that standout form, with Howe and co likely aware of just what a talented prospect they are set to have on their hands.

IN other news, PIF now plotting Newcastle bid for “complete” £34m monster, he’s “like Yaya Toure”

Wolverhampton Wanderers seem to be rolling into a summer rebuild, considering the number of potential departures at the end of this campaign.

And whilst a section of the Old Gold faithful may be disappointed with what appears to be indecisiveness in failing to extend players’ contracts, Lage may well be a step or two ahead and could look to lean towards his youth – something that Wolves have been criticised for by Marcal.

The 33-year-old is set to leave the club at end of the season, and was a regular for Lage in the first half of this season. He had to contend with a groin injury that kept him out for 11 games and seemingly lost his place to Ait-Nouri.

Injury aside, his presence and versatility has been felt at Wolves, and in the two years he’s been at Molineux, he’s seen enough to form an opinion.

Speaking to Brazilian outlet IG, via Birmingham Mail, Marcal said:

“The season could certainly have gone better.

“I think we had a very good squad, we could easily have already qualified for European competitions, but I think the club’s strategy in the middle of the season of putting in slightly younger players to also being able to sell them ended up conditioning our performance in the race for European competitions.

“I ended up playing less games than expected due to the club’s strategy of selling young players. We generally fell short of expectations.”

Speaking of young players, a viable replacement for Marcal is already at the club and has featured 12 times, drumming up three goals and five assists to demonstrate his brilliance at the youthful age of 19 for the U23’s – that man is Hugo Bueno.

In the Premier League 2 semi-final play-off, Bueno staked his claim in Jamie Collins’ side, bagging Wolves’ goal in the 1-1 draw with Norwich. His attacking potency has been top-notch this season, so it comes as no surprise to see him score against the Canaries once again.

Lage has a more than viable option in Bueno, “who’s owning the left flank” in the words of the Athletic’s Tim Spiers, and should at the very least, be given a chance to prove himself over pre-season.

In other news: Contact made: Lage opens talks for “underrated” Wolves signing, he’d replace Moutinho 

Leeds United have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his post-match press conference after the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday night (via the Yorkshire Evening Post), Jesse Marsch revealed that Raphinha’s withdrawal in the second half of the fixture was more for precaution than anything else, as the winger was beginning to cramp up.

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Regarding the current condition of the 25-year-old, the American manager said: “Raphinha’s [substitution] I think was more precautionary, he was cramping and I just wanted to make sure that we didn’t push him too much.”

Marsch will be buzzing

Considering the fact that Leeds simply must secure a result against Brighton in order to give themselves any chance of beating the drop on the final day of the season, the fact that a player as important as Raphinha does not appear to have sustained a serious injury is sure to have left Marsch buzzing.

Indeed, over his 33 Premier League appearances this season, £40.5m-rated forward has been the Whites’ most dangerous outlet, scoring ten goals, providing three assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.4 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 1.9 dribbles per fixture.

These returns have seen the £63k-per-week Brazil international average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.91, ranking him as Jesse Marsch’s second-best performing outfielder in the top flight of English football.

As such, it is clear for all to see that the availability of Raphinha on Sunday will come as a huge boost to Leeds’ chances of picking up a much-needed result against the Seagulls, especially with the likes of Jack Harrison, Tyler Robers, Daniel James and Crysencio Summerville all looking likely to be sidelined for the visit of Graham Potter’s side.

AND in other news: Forget Rodrigo: Orta must ruthlessly axe “inexcusable” £55k-p/w Leeds flop this summer

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Magpies are one of four clubs in talks with the England international ahead of his contract expiring at the end of next month as PIF plot a swoop for the midfielder.

The report claims that Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and AC Milan are also in the mix for his signature, with two of those said to be in ‘advanced talks’.

Allan Saint-Maximin needs him badly

Newcastle must get this deal over the line, as would provide a much-needed attacking boost to Eddie Howe’s squad heading into next season.

Saint-Maximin recently claimed that he would have 10-15 assists in the Premier League if he had team-mates who could finish the chances that he has been creating. The winger has just four assists in the top flight this season despite creating 1.5 chances per game and six ‘big chances’ in total.

Whilst these statistics may not prove that he would be on 15 assists with better finishers around him, his chance creation numbers suggest that he is not being rewarded in full for his efforts out wide.

This is why the attacker needs the club to sign Lingard, as the Englishman has proven that he is a clinical finisher in the Premier League. He has scored two goals from 0.77 Expected Goals for Manchester United this term and plundered a whopping nine goals from just 5.25 xG whilst on loan at West Ham in the top flight last season.

Over the course of his career in the Premier League, the midfielder has scored 29 goals from 28.29 XG. He has duly proven that he is capable of finishing chances consistently when he pops up in the box, and that he could benefit from Saint-Maximin’s creativity on the left if they were in the same team.

talkSport pundit Adrian Durham dubbed the 29-year-old “absolutely phenomenal” last year, and that is exactly what the £80k-per-week maestro could be for Newcastle.

Lingard is a proven Premier League goalscorer and would not need any time to adapt to the division, as he has spent his entire career in England. He could also improve Saint-Maximin’s mood, as he would be able to finish off the chances that the Frenchman creates next season, which is why he would be a fantastic signing by PIF this summer.

AND in other news, Craig Hope drops worrying £50m transfer claim, it’s a first major PIF disaster at NUFC…

Rangers are reportedly plotting a move for former England defender Gary Cahill, as the Ibrox side look to solve their current defensive woes.

What’s the word?

That’s according to journalist Owen O’Brien, who revealed on Twitter: “EXCL: Understand Coventry City are among a number of Championship clubs interested in signing free agent, Gary Cahill – Rangers also interested. 36yo already been in contact with clubs.”

In his attached piece, the transfer insider suggests that the Old Firm are potentially keen on a move for the veteran centre-back, so long as the 36-year-old’s ‘terms are reasonable’.

The 61-cap colossus is currently a free agent after having left Bournemouth at the end of last season, having racked up 22 appearances for the Cherries in the Championship in his solitary season at the Vitality Stadium.

Sands upgrade

The Glasgow side are seemingly in need of defensive reinforcements following what’s been a miserable last few weeks for manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, with the Dutchman having seen his side ship 11 goals in their past three games across all competitions.

The Scottish Premiership outfit’s latest defeat saw them concede three at home to high-flying Serie A side, Napoli, albeit with the momentum of the game having undoubtedly shifted following the dismissal of young James Sands early in the second half.

Although the jury is out on whether or not the 22-year-old made contact with the ball in that last-ditch tackle, that red card seemingly epitomised what has been a torrid last few games for the United States international, having looked somewhat uncomfortable at the heart of the backline.

Pundit Mark Hateley had previously suggested that the on-loan midfielder could well be something of a “problem” in a centre-back berth, with that statement perhaps proving correct after what has been a dismal string of performances.

Run ragged by Celtic’s fluid forward line in the Old Firm derby drubbing and at the centre of criticism following the 4-0 defeat to Ajax last week after allowing Edson Alvarez to header home freely earlier on, the seven-cap dud appears unsuited to life in the centre of the defence.

Although Cahill may not be the most glamorous replacement due to his veteran status, sporting director Ross Wilson arguably won’t find a better short-term fit than the one-time Chelsea man, with the 6 -foot-4 menace a vastly experienced and reliable asset.

The ageing ace has racked up a staggering haul of 585 appearances in his club career to date, notably featuring 290 times during a glittering spell at Stamford Bridge, where he also proved himself a real threat in an attacking sense after registering 25 goals across all fronts.

Dubbed a “leader” by journalist Henry Winter, Cahill would offer a calming presence in the backline for the Gers amid their current struggles, with it potentially worth the gamble for Wilson to hand him a deal until January, at least.

The former Crystal Palace titan proved his quality during his stint in England’s second tier last term, averaging 4.3 clearances and 1.2 interceptions in the league, with young Sands having only averaged 1.8 clearances and 0.2 interceptions from his five league games thus far this season.

The Champions League winner would seemingly be an upgrade on the American both in terms of quality and experience, with Van Bronckhorst no doubt needing to do something to alter the recent slump.

Middlesbrough should be competing for a Championship play-off spot rather than struggling in the relegation zone, according to Sunderland writer and podcaster Philip West. 

The lowdown

After 10 matches, the Teessiders sit 22nd in the table, and to make matters worse, 23rd-placed Huddersfield Town have a game in hand.

Chris Wilder’s team have picked up just two victories, in addition to four draws and four defeats, and only two sides in the division – Hull City (21) and Bristol City (16) – have conceded more goals than Boro so far this term (15).

On Saturday, they missed the chance to move out of the relegation zone after being held to a goalless draw by Rotherham United at the Riverside Stadium.

The latest

West took to Twitter to express his surprise at Middlesbrough’s woes, having expected them to make a promotion push this season, echoing some pre-season Championship previews. He feels that Sunderland should have beaten their local rivals in the recent Tees-Wear derby, which Boro won 1-0.

He tweeted: “I’m staggered at how poorly Chris Wilder is doing at Middlesbrough.

“I really thought they’d kick on and be targeting the playoffs as a minimum this season, but it’s not working at all. Makes our loss at the Riverside slightly more frustrating, for me.”

The verdict

Part of the reason for West’s surprise may be that Middlesbrough were among the Championship’s highest spenders in the summer. They ranked fourth in the division for total expenditure after shelling out more than £8m on 11 new players.

The only major departure from the squad which finished seventh last season, narrowly missing out on the play-offs, was midfielder Marcus Tavernier, who joined Bournemouth. That makes their current struggles all the harder to fathom.

Wilder took Sheffield United into the Premier League in his last full season in the Championship in 2018/19, but he looks like he has his work cut out to turn things around at the Riverside Stadium – if indeed he is given the time to do so.