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Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is likely to leave the club this summer and Barcelona are keen on signing him, according to reliable journalist David Ornstein for The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Neves’ Wolves future in doubt

The Portuguese maestro has stood out as one of the Old Gold’s best players this season, recapturing some of his best form and making 26 starts in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, Neves has been linked with an exit from Molineux this summer, with the 24-year-old potentially eyeing up a new challenge at an elite European club.

A fresh update has now emerged which appears to further increase the probability of him moving on from the Black Country.

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The Latest: Ornstein provides Neves latest

According to The Athletic’s Ornstein, Barcelona look like the most likely club to snap up Neves this summer, with discussions currently underway over his future. The journalist reported:

“However the campaign ends, it is expected to be another summer of change at Molineux — with uncertainty over the future of some key players, such as Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho.

“There is an acceptance that after five years of fine service, Neves may be sold if a suitable offer arrives and gives him a chance to play Champions League football.

“Discussions are taking place between intermediaries and at present the most likely destination is said to be Barcelona, though Premier League teams are known to be keen and Wolves would gladly sign him to a new contract.”

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The Verdict: Matter of time?

Sad as it may be to accept, Neves does look likely to leave at the end of the season, having given five years of great service to Wolves and making 207 appearances overall.

As he approaches 25, the midfielder – who has been described as ‘fantastic’ by Molineux team-mate Jose Sa – may feel that now is the right time to enjoy a new chapter in his career.

It would be hard to begrudge Neves a move to a club of Barcelona’s legendary stature, and should it happen, finding the right replacement then becomes pivotal for Bruno Lage to ensure that Wanderers continue their upward trajectory.

In other news, Wolves have been linked with a move for one La Liga winger this summer. Read more here.

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Everton signed Richarlison from Watford last summer in a deal which could eventually rise to £50m, which is hardly small change.

The Brazil international made a very strong start to the 2018-19 season – netting three times in his first two Premier League appearances.

The striker has 10 Premier League goals to his name this term – an impressive record – but his form has certainly been disappointing in recent weeks.

Indeed, the 5 ft 10 ace has now not scored for Everton since the end of January after drawing another blank in his team’s 3-0 win over Cardiff City in the Premier League on Tuesday night.

Richarlison was replaced by Bernard just past the hour in Wales and despite the fact that it was a very welcome three points for the Toffees, the performance of the 21-year-old was widely criticised by the Everton fans.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

A selection of the Twitter reaction to the South American’s display against Cardiff can be seen below:

Writing on his personal Twitter feed, journalist Matteo Moretto of Sky Sports Italia has backed a transfer development out of Tottenham Hotspur involving Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz.

The Lowdown: Spurs ‘preparing’ £32m bid…

According to The Daily Mail, as Spurs close in on the signing of both Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski of Juventus, the Lilywhites are not quite done there.

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Their sources claim that transfer chief Fabio Paratici could be busy long into deadline day as Tottenham apparently prepare a £32 million bid to sign Villa star Luiz.

The Brazilian is apparently attracting real interest from Tottenham as manager Antonio Conte seeks to bolster his options before the 11pm Monday deadline.

The Latest: Moretto backs development…

Taking to social media, Moretto has backed this report, simply stating ‘it is true’ that Spurs are planning to sign Luiz in this final hurdle of the transfer window.

“And it is true that Tottenham plans to try to sign Douglas Luiz, as reported by the Daily Mail,” he stated.

The Verdict: Brilliant move?

The 23-year-old would come to Spurs with plenty of plus points, and depending on Villa’s sale stance so late in January, he could be a great signing.

Journalist Gregg Evans of The Athletic (via This is Futbol) raved over Luiz back in 2020, calling him an ‘absolute star’ and a ‘joy to watch’ – perhaps highlighting just how brilliant has been for Villa since his move from Man City back in 2019.

Earning nine caps for Brazil, one of the most competitive international squads in world football, City boss Pep Guardiola has also praised the midfielder in past seasons.

The Spaniard called Luiz an ‘important player’ for Villa as well as ‘clever’ and ‘strong’ (Daily Express), with evidence seemingly piling up that he would be a brilliant 11th hour move.

In other news: Tottenham gifted late window chance to sign player once valued at £90m, find out more here.

Crystal Palace must do all they can to keep Wilfried Zaha at Selhurst Park in the summer with the £36m rated gem a potential target for top clubs.

What’s the story?

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has urged his former club to sign Zaha insisting he is ‘a better player now’ than when they tried to previously sign him back in 2019.

The 29-year old winger who was dubbed “electric” by GOAL was a target for the Gunners during Unai Emery’s reign, but Arsenal’s £40m bid was not enough to persuade the South London club to sell.

He even handed in a transfer request at the time to try and force a move through but he ended up staying at Selhurst Park.

With his contract expiring next summer, now could be the time for Arsenal to get him at a reduced price.

Zaha is vital for Vieira

As a result of standing their ground, Palace have reaped the rewards with Zaha proving to be a star player since.

The Ivory Coast international is the Eagles’ top scorer this season with ten goals and has been key to manager Vieira’s positive start at the club.

However, it’s not just goal scoring that Palace rely on – Zaha ranks in the 90th percentile for passes into the penalty area when compared to other wingers in Europe’s big five leagues this season.

He also ranks the highest in the Palace squad when it comes to passes that lead to a shot attempt at 51 so far this campaign, proving his distribution and playmaking is simply crucial.

Despite these contributions, his manager still believes he has “potential to fulfil” and called on him to show more consistency.

There’s no doubting that’s a challenge that Zaha will relish with him saying that he feels like he “performs better” when he’s under the added pressure.

Seeing him attract interest from several big clubs isn’t a new thing. During his first stint with the Eagles, he was targeted by then Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

He made the move to Old Trafford in 2013 for £10.5m just after the Scottish manager retired, but it didn’t quite work out for him during a period where United declined.

Zaha made only 14 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils and didn’t score once before he eventually moved back to Palace in 2015 for a fraction of the price (£3.4m)

His value has once again soared, but if Palace are to continue thriving under Vieira they may need him to stick around for longer. Anything less would be seen as a disaster for Steve Parish and co.

IN other news: Sold for £25m, now worth just £608k: CPFC struck gold on dazzling 32 y/0 – opinion.

Wolves are building towards an extremely exciting summer transfer window if reports of late are to be believed.

The likes of Lucas Ocampos and Allan Saint-Maximin have both been touted with making a switch to Molineux but will Bruno Lage be able to secure them?

What’s the word?

Unfortunately, it looks as though their hopes of securing a deal for Saint-Maximin may have been quashed.

That comes courtesy of Fabrizio Romano who claimed there is nothing concrete in rumours linking the Frenchman with a move away from Newcastle United.

He said on the Que Golazo YouTube channel: “So at the moment, for Saint-Maximin, still nothing concrete, but let’s see in the coming weeks what happens.”

90min had initially suggested that Wolves and Everton were both interested in securing his services.

Supporters surely gutted

Considering just exciting Saint-Maximin can be, this news is unlikely to please much of the Molineux fanbase.

After all, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding their forward line ahead of the summer so it is absolutely imperative they have some targets lined up.

Adama Traore could still move to Barcelona while Wolves have a deal in place, should they choose to utilise it, to sign Trincao from the Catalan giants on a permanent basis.

However, judging by the fact that both players have contributed to a combined haul of just two goals in the Premier League this term, neither should be long-term options.

Yet, in Saint-Maximin, they’d find a player capable of not only excelling in areas where Traore thrives – pace and dribbling – but also someone who is capable of providing more end product in the final third.

The 25-year-old livewire has racked up a supremely impressive haul of 4.3 dribbles per match in 2021/22, a number that actually eclipses that of Traore who has managed 4.2 in comparison.

His five goals and three assists are also a better tally than the energetic Spaniard, proving he’d be a superb acquisition this summer.

Sadly, if you believe Romano, a deal now looks unlikely. Wolves supporters will have every right to be gutted as a result.

AND in other news, Jota 2.0: Wolves plot bid to sign “electric” £58m gem who terrorised Doherty in 2020…

Manchester United will make a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer.

The Lowdown: De Jong at Barca

De Jong, who previously worked under new United boss Erik ten Hag at Ajax, has been at the Nou Camp since 2019.

The 24-year-old has gone on to make 135 appearances for the Catalan giants, scoring 13 times and registering 17 assists.

He reportedly has a release clause of €400m (£337m) and is under contract to 2026, but it looks as if a reunion with Ten Hag could be on the cards.

The Latest: United bid

Sports Witness relayed an update from Spanish outlet Sport on Saturday regarding the Red Devils and De Jong.

They claimed that the Barcelona star is one of United’s ‘priority targets’ and there ‘will be an offer’ made for his services. Ten Hag’s arrival at Old Trafford ‘could change everything’ due to the pair’s positive relationship, the report adds.

The Verdict: Needed

Midfield reinforcements are required at Old Trafford this summer, especially with Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic set to leave on free transfers.

De Jong is primarily a central midfielder but can also play as a defensive midfielder, and Ten Hag will know just how to get the best out of him.

Financially, a deal could prove difficult due to his huge release clause, however, landing De Jong, who still has plenty of years at the top ahead of him, could be an extremely shrewd move ahead of Ten Hag’s first season in charge.

In other news: ‘First signing of the Ten Hag era will most likely be’ – Journalist breaks major Man United news.

According to Calciomercato, there has been an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer update as they eye a permanent deal for loanee attacker Dejan Kulusevski.

The Lowdown: Decky shines at Spurs…

The winger, who is nicknamed ‘Decky’, has shone for Spurs since joining the club on an 18 month loan-to-buy deal from Juventus in January.

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Indeed, Kulusevski has gone on to bag three goals and six assists in 11 Premier League appearances, becoming a key part of Antonio Conte’s front three alongside Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

Following his brilliant run of form, reports have since emerged of Spurs moving to make his deal permanent already, with Calciomercato now sharing the latest out of N17.

The Latest: Conte pushes for permanent Kulusevski deal…

As per their sources, Conte personally ‘pushes’ behind the scenes at Tottenham to make Kulusevski’s deal a permanent one, with the club – and by extension Spurs chiefs – ‘considering’ the move which would cost €35m (£29m).

The Lilywhites are apparently ‘very happy’ with the Swedish gem, and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy may well back Conte by making Kulusevski an indefinite Tottenham player.

The Verdict: Get it done…

For just £29m, transfer chief Fabio Paratici could back Conte with one of the most promising starlets in European football, going by Kulusevski’s start to life at Spurs.

His goals and assists tally since arriving in the English capital provide a glimpse as to how he could evolve into a capable Premier League star for years to come.

Still only 21 years old, the Sweden international has already dazzled fans with some brilliant performances, prompting Conte to lavish praise on Kulusevski to the media.

A match made in heaven so far, this moves surely seems like a no-brainer, with ex-Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson also claiming a permanent deal for Kulusevski looks like a ‘real bargain’.

In other news: Conte unhappy with ‘perfect’ Spurs player behind-the-scenes, he’s now set to leave! Find out more here.

Newcastle United are on course to avoid relegation to the Championship as Eddie Howe has guided the club out of the bottom three since taking over from Steve Bruce.

The ex-Bournemouth boss has taken the Magpies nine points clear of the relegation zone and was helped by PIF providing him with a host of new signings in January, with the likes of Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, Matt Targett, Chris Wood and Bruno Guimaraes coming in.

PIF may now look to dip into the transfer market yet again in the summer in an attempt to take the Toon to the next level in the 2022/23 campaign.

Axe him

One position in which the club may look to improve upon is in central midfield.

Bruno Guimaraes arrived in January to bolster that area of the pitch but he only makes up a third of the players in the 4-3-3 set-up, with Sean Longstaff, Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Willock and Joelinton also among the options available to Eddie Howe at present.

The Magpies have been linked with a swoop for Juventus gem Adrien Rabiot, who is said to be available for up to £12.5m (€15m), and this would allow Howe to axe Willock from the starting XI. Since arriving on a permanent deal from Arsenal last summer, he has been unable to find his best form and has often been a liability in the middle of the park.

In 21 Premier League starts, the Englishman has scored two goals – missing three ‘big chances’ – and failed to register an assist whilst creating 0.7 chances per game. He has also been dribbled past 1.5 times and only made 0.8 interceptions per match – averaging an underwhelming SofaScore rating of 6.73 and completing 81% of his passes.

Last season, Rabiot produced four goals and two assists in 34 Serie A outings for Juventus. He completed 91% of his attempted passes and made 1.3 interceptions, along with 2.1 tackles, per game. The Frenchman also won an impressive 59% of his duels, showing that he is strong in one-on-one battles, whilst averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.08.

Bianconeri legend Gianluigi Buffon previously heaped praise on the midfielder, saying: “He is a fantastic mix, he has the physical strength of Pogba, who is like a wardrobe, has the personality of Vidal and potentially the dynamism of Marchisio. He is incredible, extremely strong.”

He has also proven himself in Ligue 1 for PSG. In his final season in France, Rabiot averaged an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.28 as he made 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game whilst winning 62% of his duels and was only dribbled past 0.2 times per match.

His statistics in Italy and France suggest that he would be a big upgrade on Willock in terms of his consistency, his defensive quality and his ability on the ball. That is why Howe must push for the club to sign the Juventus man in order to axe the current dud next season.

AND in other news, Sold at £108k, now worth £10.8m: NUFC had howler on gem who proved Benitez “all wrong”…

West Ham United are preparing an audacious summer transfer swoop for Arsenal starlet William Saliba.

What’s the story?

After struggling to make any new signings in the January transfer window despite seemingly being willing to splash the cash and break records, Hammers boss David Moyes will know that the summer now takes on even bigger importance when it comes to his project at the London Stadium.

According to French publication Jeunes Footeux, West Ham are prepared to pay around £25m to sign Saliba in the summer as they look to bolster the centre of defence, with Moyes having identified him as his number one target for the position.

Fans will be buzzing

Currently on loan at Marseille, Saliba is yet to make a competitive appearance for Arsenal with the Gunners believing consecutive loan spells away from the club would be best for his development.

Described as someone with “cold blood” for the way he defends so calmly and with intent, the £25m-rated Saliba is the kind of centre-back signing which would likely have West Ham fans raving.

The 6 foot 4 powerhouse has excelled in his time away from Arsenal, proving why he is one of European football’s most promising centre-backs – during the 2020/21 season with Nice in Ligue 1, he was dribbled past just once.

His former coach Fabio Frasconi once claimed: “William Saliba will go far, very far. He reminds me of Raphaël Varane”.

Meanwhile, Adrian Ursea, his former coach at Nice, added: “You can see he has character and above all, he reassures the others. He’s not vocal, but he’s a leader in his own way.

“To see you a young lad who isn’t even 20 yet playing with such assurance against strikers like Wissam Ben Yedder and Kevin Volland, it really is quite amazing.

“He also gives off a calm air that the team needs. I’m not interested in age. The only question about a rookie is whether he’s a good player or not.”

It’s clear that Saliba appears to be the absolute perfect centre-back for the Hammers if they can pull a deal off, and Hammers fans would be buzzing with his potential arrival.

Meanwhile, David Moyes has delivered a West Ham update…

New Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is keen on signing Christian Eriksen for nothing this summer, according to The Daily Star.

The Lowdown: Eriksen in demand

Eriksen, who has been labelled a ‘superstar’ by Graeme Bailey, returned to the Premier League in January after signing a short-term deal with Brentford.

The 30-year-old has made seven appearances for the Bees, contributing to three goals. Brentford have won five and drew one in the six games he has started, which has resulted in six English clubs showing an interest in his services. He is out of contract at the end of June, and a move to Old Trafford to work under Ten Hag has now been mooted.

The Latest: United join the race

The Daily Star shared a story regarding Eriksen late on Saturday evening, revealing the Red Devils are now interested in the attacking midfielder.

Ten Hag believes Eriksen, who trained with him at Ajax earlier this year, will be the perfect signing to kick start a major Old Trafford rebuild.

The Verdict: Smart move?

Ralf Rangnick believes up to 10 players could arrive at the club this summer, so United chiefs need to be wise in the market.

Therefore, picking up Eriksen for free could be an extremely shrewd move. The Denmark international has contributed to 121 goals in 233 Premier League and has shown in recent months he still has he quality to star in England.

United may also be left with just Bruno Fernandes as their only senior attacking midfielder, should Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata leave when their contracts expire at the end of June, so adding Eriksen to the mix could be a wise call.

In other news: ‘First signing of the Ten Hag era will most likely be’ – Journalist breaks major Man United news.