Manchester United Place £51m-Rated Player On Wanted List

Manchester United are one of the clubs keeping tabs on the situation of Dusan Vlahovic, according to a report from Corrierre dello Sport via Man United News.

How many goals has Vlahovic scored?

The forward has managed his best haul in a Juventus shirt so far this season, with ten Serie A goals and two assists in 27 games. Whilst not at the same heights as his best campaign at Fiorentina – he bagged 21 in 37 games back in the 2020/21 season – he has emerged as one of his side's best attacking outlets this campaign.

In addition, the 23-year-old has stood out as one of the best strikers in Europe in general. When compared to other players in his position in the Men's 'Top Five' leagues (Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A, Bundesliga and La Liga), his stats place him as one of the outstanding options up front.

His non-penalty xG rate of 0.43 per 90 places him within the top 28% in that stat, showcasing how often he gets himself into scoring positions. His shot rate of 3.06 per 90 also puts him within the 76th percentile – meaning that he is constantly trying to test the opposition goalkeeper.

However, despite these excellent performances in Italy, he could be on the move this summer. A report from Corrierre dello Sport via Man United News states that Vlahovic could be allowed to leave Juventus during the transfer window, with the club well prepared to flog him on because of their shortcomings in Serie A and financial difficulties.

With the player potentially available for sale, it has now alerted several teams across Europe with Man United listed as one of four sides watching his situation. With the Premier League outfit on the hunt for a striker, he would certainly fill a position of need too. In addition, CIES Football Observatory suggest that the striker's value is somewhere around 60 million Euros (or £51m), so a deal potentially might not break the bank. It would still though be a substantial fee for the Juventus forward.

Dusan-Vlahovic

Should Man United sign Vlahovic?

The striker has showcased his knack for scoring goals ever since he broke onto the scene at Fiorentina in 2019/20. That year, he managed six goals at just 19-years-old and has since gone on to bag 62 in total over the course of his career so far.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has called Vlahovic "incredibly prolific" as an attacker and even added that he is a "future legend" for his country, Serbia, because of his goalscoring.

Vlahovic then is not completely the finished article yet but his tendency to get into the right areas and finish off chances is exactly what Man United need – and the fact that he is available for sale is a massive boost for Erik ten Hag in his search for a clinical number nine.

Tottenham Hotspur Monitoring £30m Star For Summer Move

Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, who is currently on loan at Manchester United, according to a recent report from the Daily Star.

Which midfielders could Tottenham sign this summer?

Tottenham are searching for a new midfielder ahead of the summer transfer window, and they are said to be leading the race for Leicester City's James Maddison, having leapfrogged Newcastle United into pole position. Much of Spurs' transfer business will be impacted by who the board appoint as manager, however Maddison will remain a key target regardless of who takes charge, as they do not want to risk losing their lead.

Other potential targets include Sporting CP's Manuel Ugarte, although the 21-year-old would not come cheap, as there is believed to be a €60m (£53m) release clause in his contract, as well as FC Lorient's Enzo Le Fee. According to a report from The Daily Star, Tottenham have also now joined the race for Sabitzer, having been impressed by his performances in the Premier League for Man United since arriving on loan from Bayern Munich in January.

Erik ten Hag is, as yet, undecided about whether to keep the midfielder at Old Trafford, but he will now have to pay £30m if he wishes to do so, with Bayern increasing their asking price in recent weeks.

There is no option to buy included in the Red Devils' loan agreement, meaning that there could be an open race for his signature this summer, with West Ham United and Aston Villa also interested.

Should Tottenham sign Marcel Sabitzer?

It would not be a surprise if Ten Hag is eager to keep the "sensational" 29-year-old, in light of his fantastic performances since coming in as a replacement for Christian Eriksen back in January.

Although he has mainly been utilisied in a central midfield role, the Austrian was given the freedom to play further forward against Sevilla in the Europa League quarter-final, and he scored two goals, highlighting his attacking prowess.

manchester-united-marcel-sabitzer-premier-league

Not only that, but the maestro has been hailed as "diligent defensively", which was most notably on display in Man United's 2-0 victory against Leeds United earlier this season, making a higher amount of both tackles and interceptions than any other player.

As such, Sabitzer would be a versatile option for Tottenham in midfield, and they should continue to monitor his performances for the rest of the season.

Wolves Make Offer To Sign Former Southampton Star

Wolverhampton Wanderers have made an offer to bring Besiktas forward Nathan Redmond back to the Premier League, according to reports.

Is Nathan Redmond leaving Besiktas?

Redmond only arrived at the Vodafone Stadium last summer on a free transfer from Southampton, going on to make 28 appearances during his debut season. With his contract set to expire at the end of this month however, Julen Lopetegui has been alerted to his immediate availability, and it’s not the first time he’s been a target at Molineux.

The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell reported in September 2022 that the Old Gold were keen to strike a deal for the 29-year-old in the final few hours of the window but missed out to Senol Gunes’ side, though with him having not yet signed a new deal, the opportunity to take a second bite at the cherry is absolutely there to be taken.

Are Wolves signing Redmond?

According to Turkish outlet Hurriyet (via Sport Witness), Wolves and Burnley have “made offers” for Redmond ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. The Midlands outfit are “working to sign” the right-sided winger, but it won’t be easy to prise him away from the Super Lig.

Besiktas “wish to keep” the attacker and have therefore tabled a €1.5m-per-year (£1.2m) salary to try and retain his services, but his agent, Simon Bayliff, has publicly stated that they need to increase it to €2m (£1.7m) to have any chance of holding onto his client beyond the summer.

Besiktas forward Nathan Redmond.

What could Redmond bring to Molineux?

First of all, Redmond being available for nothing would be an absolute bargain for Wolves, and his attacking threat has seen him hailed a “danger” in the final third by journalist Josh Bunting so he could add a prolific streak to Lopetegui’s squad.

The ARETE client, who’s sponsored by Adidas, posted ten goal contributions (five goals and the same number of assists) in 25 Super Lig outings last season and recorded a total of 47 shots, which was the third-highest out of all of his teammates, as per FBRef.

England’s former international would also provide the boss with wonderful versatility having been deployed in seven various positions since the start of his career, including all across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, which is a great quality to possess.

Finally, Redmond is proven in the Premier League having made 264 appearances so would be able to easily slot back into the style of play should he return to the top-flight, which at this stage, could be a real possibility if the hierarchy pull out all the stops to make it happen.

Manchester United Hold Agent Talks For £77m "Goal Machine"

Manchester United have held talks with the agent of Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic regarding a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

Is Dusan Vlahovic leaving Juventus?

Vlahovic only arrived at the Allianz Stadium in January 2022 from Fiorentina and he’s been a regular feature of the first-team since joining having been handed 22 Serie A starts by Massimiliano Allegri last season where he missed ten games through injury.

Despite still having another three years to run on his contract, the 23-year-old striker has reportedly decided to leave the Italian outfit during this window in search of a new adventure, and after establishing himself as their best-performing offensive player during the previous term, he isn’t short of a potential suitor having attracted the interest of Erik Ten Hag.

Back in March, Manchester Evening News relayed an update suggesting that the Red Devils would be at the front of the queue to sign the Serbia international should he leave the black and white stripes, and it appears that they have already taken the first step towards completing a deal.

Are Man United signing Vlahovic?

According to Calciomercato (via TEAMtalk), Vlahovic’s agent has been “speaking” to Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea who are all keen to strike a deal ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Juventus have set their asking price at €90m (£77m) and his representatives are currently in the process of trying to “persuade” the trio that he would be worth it.

Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Man United will need to sign a new centre-forward this summer as a result of Wout Weghorst returning to Burnley following his unsuccessful loan spell and Vlahovic could be the perfect replacement having been dubbed a “goal machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The World Cup participant, who is naturally left-footed, posted 12 goal contributions (ten goals and two assists) in 27 Serie A appearances last season, form which saw him receive three man-of-the-match awards, but he also posed a threat even when the ball didn’t hit the back of the net.

Over the course of the campaign, Vlahovic recorded a total of 65 shots which was higher than any other of his fellow teammates, as per FBRef, so he’s constantly looking to find a breakthrough and would bring that prolific edge that Ten Hag has been missing through the middle in recent times, potentially making him the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle and it looks as if a transfer is one to watch.

Spurs Set For Talks To Sign £204k-p/w Star

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are set for talks over signing Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet at their friendly on Tuesday, with both sides hoping to find a resolution to the transfer.

Who will Spurs sign?

New Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is buoyed by the imminent arrivals of both Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven and Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz, who both look set to sign from their respective clubs.

They appear likely to join goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, defender Ashley Phillips, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon as confirmed transfers of the summer window.

It could be a busy final month at the club, with reports suggesting they could add another star centre-back to their ranks alongside van de Ven.

Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba is among the most likely options, as some media sources say chairman Daniel Levy is prepared to offer the African a long-term contract.

Postecoglou, speaking to the media last month, highlighted the importance of Spurs securing a new defender to fix one of the glaring weaknesses in their squad.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said the Spurs head coach on bringing in new defenders.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Tottenham have also been linked with a move to re-sign former defender Lenglet after his 2022/23 loan spell, and some reporters believe he prefers Spurs above other suitors like AC Milan.

Sharing an update on the matter, Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claims Tottenham chiefs want to hold talks over the Frenchman with Barca chiefs on Tuesday – when the two sides meet for a pre-season friendly.

The two clubs are hopeful of finding a resolution, as Barca may be eager to rid themselves of Lenglet's reported £204,000-per-week wages.

The report said: "The interest of Tottenham persists and in Barça they hope to unblock their situation taking advantage of the fact that the English club disputes the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 8 in Montjuïc.

"The leaders of the two clubs hope to exchange impressions and find a solution. Lenglet is also for the task of continuing in England.

"There are other interested clubs. There is Milan, but they do not want to assume all of their high record. Naples has also joined in the last few hours. He is looking for a new centre-back and Lenglet blocks them."

How did Clement Lenglet play for Tottenham last season?

clement-lenglet-tottenham-hotspur-transfer-gossip-postecoglou-eric-dier

The 28-year-old made 26 league appearances for Spurs last term, bagging two assists in the process, and he could be useful for Postecoglou as a ball-playing centre-half (WhoScored).

Lenglet also averaged a cool 87.5% passing accuracy out from the back, with Cristian Romero being the only Spurs defender to better that number during the 2022/23 campaign (WhoScored).

Whether Postecoglou will opt to the defender back to north London, however, remains to be seen.

VAR Makes "Unbelievable" Error In 1-1 Dortmund Draw

The referee and his VAR team may have made a huge mistake in the most recent Borussia Dortmund game when not awarding Karim Adeyemi a penalty.

What’s the latest on VAR and Dortmund?

The Bundesliga leaders suffered a notable blow in their hopes of winning the title on Friday night as they drew away from home against VfL Bochum.

Indeed, the home side took the lead after just five minutes thanks to Anthony Losilla’s effort but BVB had themselves level only two minutes later via Adeyemi.

In the end, these two early strikes were the only goals of the game as they were enough to ultimately settle the affair as it ended 1-1.

However, Dortmund will feel as though they were denied a major opportunity to win the game when Bochum defender Danilo Soares lunged in to win the ball inside his own box.

As seen in this footage shared on Twitter, the left-back leaps off the ground and flies through the air to try and cut out Julian Brandt’s cutback. Instead of reaching the ball, however, he clatters into Adeyemi​​​​​​.

Did Adeyemi deserve a penalty for BVB?

This footage seems pretty conclusive. Indeed, Soares makes clear contact with the Dortmund striker, preventing him from reaching the cross as he’s knocked to the ground.

Somehow, though, referee Sascha Stegemann waved play on. To make things even more baffling, VAR opted against intervening and so the blatant foul went unpunished.

Journalist and former footballer Jan Aage Fjørtoft seemed as perplexed as everyone else by this maddening call which could have huge repercussions at the top of the Bundesliga table.

He took to Twitter to say: “Can you believe it!!!!??? No penalty for Dortmund here!!!! It may be the decider of the title….the referee says “play on”…unbelievable.”

Understandably, Dortmund manager Edin Terzic was also extremely upset by this shocking decision.

Indeed, after the game, he told DAZN (via Yahoo!Sport) it was an “extremely bitter” result with his team having a “rare chance to be so close to the championship”.

And on the penalty shout, Terzic said it was “a key scene” in the 90 minutes, explaining that he “begged” the referee to review the incident.

BVB could have extended their lead to four points at the top of the league table but now sit just two points above Bayern Munich having played a game more.

West Ham’s £65k-p/w Flop Was ‘Comical’ Vs Newcastle

West Ham United proved that they are very much still in a relegation battle this season as they were thumped 5-1 at home by Newcastle United on Wednesday night, in a game which could potentially spell the end for David Moyes.

The pressure will surely now be ramped up on the Scottish manager after an embarrassing home defeat which leaves the Hammers only out of the bottom three on goal difference.

How did West Ham against Newcastle play out?

Although West Ham could have opened the scoring early on when Bruno Guimaraes hit his own post, it was one-way traffic for most of the 90 minutes.

Callum Wilson headed in from Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross to continue his fine run of form against the Hammers before Joelinton made it two after exploiting a Sunday League-esque defensive line from Moyes’ side.

Kurt Zouma gave the home side hope just before half-time after heading in Jarrod Bowen’s corner but any dreams of a comeback were quelled by Nayef Aguerd as he miscontrolled a simple pass, with Jacob Murphy robbing him of possession and squaring for Wilson for his second.

West Ham weren’t done there as Lukasz Fabianski gifted Alexander Isak the fourth.

The Polish ‘keeper made an inexplicable howler as he unnecessarily came flying out of his goal, only to fluff his lines and present the Swedish forward with an empty net to find.

That was before Joelinton compounded the home side’s misery by firing in a fifth, which the Hammers shot-stopper arguably could have kept out.

Who was West Ham’s worst performer against Newcastle?

There are plenty of names to choose from when deciding upon the Hammers’ worst player against the Toon, as individual errors from Aguerd and Fabianski were crucial in the visitors taking all three points.

However, there was another completely anonymous display from Tomas Soucek in West Ham’s midfield, with the Czech Republic international barely touching the ball in his 65 minutes on the pitch.

West Ham manager David Moyes.

As per Sofascore, the former Slavia Prague man would earn a woeful 6.3/10 rating for his performance, with only Emerson, Bowen, Fabianski and Aguerd rated lower from the West Ham players to feature in the game.

Despite his role as a midfielder, the 28-year-old simply let the game pass him by, as he managed just 13 touches of the ball and eight passes in his time on the pitch, with Fabianski managing 31 touches by comparison.

This has been the story of Soucek’s season as he possesses the 16th-best pass average in West Ham’s squad, but he has averaged 27 passes per game in the top flight, which emphasises just how little influence he had against a dominant Newcastle side on Wednesday.

Unsurprisingly, the £65k-per-week midfielder’s woeful display caught the eye of journalists on Twitter, with Barry Collins writing:

“What the hell has happened to Tomas Soucek? An absolute shadow of the player that arrived. Has zero presence.”

David Rivers suggested that Moyes’ faith in Soucek was a stackable offence in itself, suggesting that his decision to keep playing the out-of-form West Ham man was “becoming comical.”

Although fingers will naturally be pointed at Fabianski and Aguerd for their shocking mistakes, Soucek completely went missing again. Indeed, he simply isn’t fulfilling his role as a midfielder, as a return of no shots, no key passes, no dribbles and no tackles represents a horrific all-round display.

Journalist reveals Klopp set for £200m Liverpool budget

Journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed Jurgen Klopp will be handed a £200m transfer budget to improve his Liverpool squad this summer.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild is on the cards

It’s pretty clear that Liverpool are going to look a very different team next season, with the likes of Roberto Firmino leaving and a much-spoken-about midfield overhaul set to be on the cards.

The Reds have been linked with a number of new midfield options heading into the summer transfer window such as the much-coveted Jude Bellingham and reported Chelsea contract rebel Mason Mount.

Bellingham is said to have a price tag of around £130m on his head, so FSG would have to hand Klopp a sizeable transfer budget if he is to bring that level of superstar into the team.

The Latest: Klopp set for a transfer warchest

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Talbot claimed Klopp is to be handed £200m by Liverpool’s current owners to spend this summer – which does not take any player sales into account.

He said: “I did ask about [their] budget. It seems to be around £200m they will spend, net – and then on top of that, you can put into account player sales as well.”

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The Verdict: Liverpool could make huge moves this summer

If Liverpool are to get back to the glory days of the last few seasons and challenge for the Premier League and Champions League on a regular basis, Klopp must be allowed to spend this summer.

Liverpool are still relying on ageing players such as Fabinho, James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Joel Matip quite often, which just goes to show why they are in need of a shake-up this upcoming transfer window, particularly in midfield.

Bringing in Premier League and Champions League-proven players such as Mount and Bellingham would go a long way to redeveloping the Reds by adding energy and youthfulness, while also giving Klopp the ability to build the spine of his team around two impressive English midfielders.

Celtic: Rodgers Could Sign Big Maeda Upgrade For £3.5m

Celtic are reportedly closing in on their seventh new addition of the summer transfer window as Brendan Rodgers attempts to bolster his playing squad.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

The Hoops head coach has already been able to snap up Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, and Hyun-jun Yang all on permanent deals to add to his midfield selection.

Central defenders Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke have also been brought in to strengthen the defensive side of the team, which needed to be addressed after Carl Starfelt's move to Spanish outfit Celta Vigo.

Aris left winger Luis Palma is now said to be on the verge of completing a switch to Parkhead after the club agreed a £3.5m deal with the Greek side.

The Honduras international appears set to improve Rodgers' options at the top end of the pitch after his impressive performances in Greece throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

How good is Luis Palma?

Based on his form for Aris last season, the 23-year-old wizard has the potential to come in as a big upgrade on current Hoops winger Daizen Maeda.

The exciting dynamo showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals, with the former being his biggest strength. Palma racked up an impressive 11 goals in 20 league starts in the Greek top-flight, which also included nine substitute appearances.

Only Kyogo Furuhashi (27) scored more league goals for Celtic during the Scottish Premiership campaign last term and the £3.5m-rated talent's tally of 11 was also three more than Maeda managed in 35 matches for the club.

The incoming Hoops signing could, therefore, provide a greater goal threat than the Japan international if he is able to translate his form over to Scottish football and deliver a similar level of production in the final third.

Palma also displayed his creativity with 1.4 key passes per game for his teammates throughout last season.

Only two current Celtic players (Matt O'Riley and Anthony Ralston) produced more per outing than the Honduras international and Maeda ranked 15th within the squad with 0.8 per clash.

Honduras winger Luis Palma.

This suggests that the 5 foot 10 maestro could offer more than the 25-year-old winger when it comes to being a playmaker for his fellow attackers, as he has the quality to regularly split open the opposition's defence to create opportunities in front of goal.

Palma's superiority was also reflected in his average Sofascore rating as he ended the season with a score of 7.12, which was considerably better than the current Hoops forward's rating of 6.78 and would have placed him within the top ten in the squad.

The Aris star, who was praised for his “brilliant” goal contributions last term by agent Paulo Hernandez, has also started the current campaign in fantastic form with two goals and three assists in five matches in all competitions, whilst Maeda has zero goals and one assist in four outings so far.

These statistics over the last 12 months or so suggest that Palma has the quality to be a big upgrade on the Japanese marksman with his average performance level and his goal contributions at the top end of the pitch, which is why this could be an excellent signing for the club.

Crystal Palace news: Roy Hodgson’s £60m "beast" wants to leave in January

Crystal Palace could be set to lose one of their most important players in January, with a new report claiming that he is looking to leave Selhurst Park.

Which players are leaving Crystal Palace?

Over the summer, Wilfried Zaha, Luka Milivojevic, Jack Butland and Vicente Guaita all departed the club on a permanent basis, alongside Luke Plange who put pen to paper on loan at League One side Carlisle United for the remainder of the season.

The Eagles could still be forced to cash in on even more of their first-team stars at the start of next year because nine of them will be out of contract at the end of the season, including the likes of Jeffrey Schlupp, Nathaniel Clyne and Will Hughes (Crystal Palace contracts).

Another one of Roy Hodgson’s favourites who might be heading for the exit door despite still having three years remaining on his deal is Marc Guehi, who has made a total of 92 appearances since moving to SE25 from Premier League rivals Chelsea back in 2021 (Transfermarkt – Guehi statistics).

The South London Press recently reported that Manchester United are still keeping close tabs on the 23-year-old centre-back as they weigh up an approach for their long-term target, and if the following update is to be believed, England’s international would relish the opportunity to complete the switch to Old Trafford.

Marc Guehi transfer update

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), sharing a transfer update on Guehi, Crystal Palace’s talisman would “welcome the chance” to sign for Man United at some stage in 2024.

The Selhurst Park star would be keen to work with Erik ten Hag, and he is likely to cost his admirers £60m, which is the valuation that has been set for him by Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman.

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

How good is Marc Guehi?

Standing at 6 foot tall, Guehi isn’t the biggest centre-back around, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a rock at the heart of the backline so far this season, where he’s averaging 4.9 clearances per game in the top-flight alongside a 91.3% pass success rate, which displays his calmness and composure on the ball (WhoScored – Guehi statistics).

The Abidjan native is also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch having posted 22 contributions (14 goals and eight assists) since the start of his career, highlighting the threat he can pose when it comes to set pieces.

Furthermore, Hodgson’s regular feature has the ability to operate out wide at both left-back and right-back as well as his usual role in the middle, so his versatility is another attribute that makes him a great option for the boss to have at his disposal in the capital.

Finally, Guehi has been described as a “beast” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, so whilst there’s a strong possibility that Man United will come calling next year, Palace chiefs need to do everything they can to fend off interest and retain the services of their defender.

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