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A significant update has emerged regarding Manchester United's interest in Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, courtesy of journalist Pete O'Rourke.

Man Utd's links to Jarrad Branthwaite

The Red Devils clearly need to make a lot of signings once the summer transfer window arrives, with additions needed all over the pitch. Erik ten Hag's side have been consistently unconvincing all season long and only new faces will help them become more of a force moving forward.

One player who has emerged as a primary transfer option for United is Branthwaite, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe pushing to sign the "top target" in a potential £80m move.

The Englishman has enjoyed such an impressive season in an Everton shirt, standing out for a struggling side, not to mention scoring the opening goal in his side's 2-0 win over Liverpool in the Premier League on Wednesday night, making himself even more of a Goodison hero.

Branthwaite has been excellent all season long, however, starting 31 of the Blues' league games, averaging 4.5 clearances and 2.7 aerial duel wins per game. The 21-year-old has put himself in contention to make England's Euro 2024 squad this summer and a move to United could only see his reputation grow more in the coming years.

Branthwaite to Man Utd latest

Now, a significant update has now dropped regarding the Red Devils' summer move for the Everton man, in what acts as a big boost for Ratcliffe and everyone associated with the club.

According to Football Insider's O'Rourke, Manchester United are now confident of completing the signing of Branthwaite before Everton's next financial deadline of June 30, for a fee between £60m-70m.

Branthwaite is exactly the kind of profile that United need to be looking at this summer, considering he is a young player who is already a key starter for a Premier League side, and should only get better with age.

The England international hasn't looked remotely out of place alongside the far more experienced James Tarkowski this season, and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has lauded him: "Branthwaite has been outstanding. I think this lad is pretty special. He's a big part of why Everton in my eyes have a good chance of staying up, him and his partnership with [James] Tarkowski."

That further outlines what a talent Branthwaite is, and it could be that Ratcliffe sees him as the perfect long-term option alongside Lisandro Martinez at the heart of United's defence.

Ten Hag’s 7/10 star may have just saved his Man Utd career

The Man United star had 141 touches and made 109 passes last night.

By
Tom Lever

Apr 25, 2024

Harry Maguire deserves praise for some improved form this season, but at 31 years of age, he doesn't represent the future, and the same applies to Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans, both of whom have been injury-prone this season.

It is being claimed that two Premier League clubs turned down the chance to sign Raheem Sterling before he left Chelsea for a loan spell at Arsenal.

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• Fell out of favour at Stamford Bridge
• Offered to teams in English top-flight
• Reunited with Arteta at the Emirates

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As the summer transfer window wound down, England international Sterling found himself in need of a move away from Stamford Bridge after falling out of favour under new Blues boss Enzo Maresca. Various destinations for the 29-year-old were mooted – with Manchester United said to be keen at one stage.

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  In the end, Sterling ended up staying in London. He moved from the west of the English capital to the north, with Mikel Arteta prepared to take a calculated gamble on a player that he previously worked with when acting as one of Pep Guardiola’s assistants at Manchester City.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Arsenal have put a season-long agreement in place, but that deal was only struck after others passed on the opportunity to add a four-time Premier League title winner to their ranks. According to , West Ham and Crystal Palace both snubbed the opportunity to enter into talks.

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  TELL ME MORE

  That is because they had concerns regarding Sterling’s “physical age”, with the experienced forward having played a lot of football since bursting onto the senior scene at Liverpool when aged just 17. He also has 82 senior international caps to his name.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now winless across their previous six matches, failing to secure victory in a Premier League game since 9 March against Fulham.

This run of form has derailed their chances of securing a top-half finish in the Premier League, yet it shouldn’t detract from how solid a job Gary O’Neil has done in his maiden year at Molineux.

Recent weeks have seen the Old Gold hit with various injuries which have caused plenty of disruption. O’Neil was missing Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan for a while there before both returned to action. Craig Dawson is another key player who could miss the rest of the campaign, having shone at the heart of the defence.

It is perhaps the injury suffered by Pedro Neto which could prove to be the most detrimental to where they eventually end up in the top flight, especially as he was impressive during long spells this season.

Pedro Neto’s statistics for Wolves in 2023/24

The 2022/23 campaign was one to forget for the former Lazio winger. In October, he suffered a serious ankle injury which not only kept him out for 20 matches but also the 2022 World Cup, as he had a decent chance of securing a place in the Portugal squad for the tournament.

This meant he played just 21 matches, scoring only once in the process, and it looked like a solid pre-season was vital if he was to fulfil his potential.

It clearly worked, as during the first ten matches of the Premier League, Neto registered seven assists while finding the back of the net once as the Old Gold enjoyed a decent enough start to life under O’Neil.

He did miss nine games through a hamstring injury but returned to score once and grab two assists in the next nine games, with all these goal contributions coming against Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

The winger was subbed off at half-time against Newcastle last month with a hamstring injury and hasn’t featured since, with his season potentially over.

It is perhaps no coincidence that Wolves have failed to win since then, missing Neto’s creativity and the volume of chances he creates for others.

Indeed, among his teammates, the Portuguese gem currently ranks first for assists (nine) in the Premier League, while also ranking second for shots per game (1.8), third for big chances created (seven) and first for key passes per match (2), showcasing his skills to wonderful effect.

Pedro Neto’s market value in 2024

Although Neto has been impressive, injuries have had a catastrophic impact on his market which now stands at just £18.5m, as per Football Transfers. That said, once back fit again that valuation should increase astronomically in the coming months.

O’Neil could certainly cash in on the winger during the summer and make a wonderful profit, however which could bolster his playing squad.

Despite this decent valuation, Wolves sold a player back in 2001 for a fee which, adjusted for inflation, is currently nearly £10m more than what Neto is worth at the time of writing; Robbie Keane.

Robbie Keane’s market value in 2024 money

The Irishman began his senior career at Wolves, going on to score 25 goals in 77 matches for the Midlands side between 1997 and 1999, emerging as one of their finest talents in the process.

It was clear the striker had a wonderful future ahead of him, but they didn’t expect Coventry to table an offer of £8.1m to secure his signature during the summer of 1999.

This was a decent transfer fee in the late 1990s, never mind today, for a young player who had yet to experience the Premier League, but it appeared as though Wolves struck gold by selling Keane.

In 2024 – with Totally Money adjusted for inflation over the years – the £8.1m transfer fee that Wolves received from the Sky Blues in 1999 would now be worth a staggering £27.9m.

This fee is just under £10m more than what Neto is currently valued at in 2024. Considering his impact for the Molineux outfit this term, it proves that the club were doing excellent business in the transfer market 25 years ago.

What Robbie Keane did after leaving Wolves

His spell at the Sky Blues lasted just a single season before the glitz and glamour of Milan came calling. Inter Milan signed him ahead of the 2000/01 campaign, but he scored only three goals for the club before returning to England, this time signing for Leeds United.

This spell saw him mature as a player, netting 18 goals in 18 months before Spurs came calling, and it would become a move which turned him from a talented hitman into a Premier League icon.

Indeed, following a nine-year spell at the north Londoners, plus a couple of seasons with West Ham United and Aston Villa, Keane moved to the MLS. In the Premier League, the striker had scored 126 goals during his career, which is good enough to rank him 17th among the all-time scorers since its inception in 1992.

The top 10 all-time Premier League goalscorers

FFC takes a look at the PL’s most prolific goalscorers.

By
Mark Marston

Dec 23, 2023

Of course, if Wolves knew how good he was going to turn out, it's likely they might have kept Keane in the summer of 1999 rather than moving him on.

At the time, however, it was a decent deal on paper for a youngster who could either sink or swim in the bright lights of the Premier League.

Across his full career, the Irishman found the back of the net 320 times at club level, while also netting 68 goals in 146 appearances for the Republic of Ireland, which included three goals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Keane had a tremendous career, but at the time, selling him for £8.1m surely would have constituted good transfer business for a club who were looking to get out of the first division and return to the top flight.

The fact that his value in 1999 was more than Neto’s in 2024 just showcases how good the former Wolves frontman really was.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Raheem Sterling has been backed to shine at Emirates after Arsenal made "incredible business" by signing him on loan.

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• Sterling was exiled by Chelsea
• Arsenal made a late move to get him
• Danny Murphy believes Sterling will impress

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners left it late to snap up Sterling from their London rivals but their decision to bring him on loan, with no option or obligation to buy, could prove to be a masterstroke if the England international finds his form. He is seen as a strategic addition to Mikel Arteta's squad, providing much-needed depth and experience, particularly in attacking positions as Arsenal are set to fight for silverware on multiple fronts.

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  The Gunners will pay only a fraction of Sterling’s wages during his loan spell, with Chelsea continuing to shoulder the majority of his salary. According to they are going to bear "significantly less than half" of his salary which could be between £300,000 and £350,000 ($394,000-$460,000) per week.

• WHAT DANNY MURPHY SAID

  Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy in his column for , has expressed high hopes for Sterling's impact at Arsenal.

  "Arsenal signing Raheem Sterling is an incredible piece of business," he wrote. "He’s a winner, a four-time league champion. He isn’t going to be phased by the size of the club and the level of expectancy from the fan base.

  "The more players you have in the dressing room that have won trophies, the more it rubs off on those around you. It’s about showing a mentality and calmness in decisive moments and Raheem was a huge part of that at Manchester City."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Murphy believes that Sterling’s presence will allow Arteta to rest Bukayo Saka when necessary, providing much-needed depth in the squad.

  "The one area where Arteta has found it difficult at times is strength in depth on the right wing. He had Bukayo Saka and no one else he trusted," he added.

  "That meant he often ran Saka into the ground. Sterling’s arrival gives Arteta an opportunity to rest Saka when needed. The reality is if Arsenal want to be at that elite level, they need that strength in depth. Raheem will play more games than people think because if he gets anywhere near his best he’ll be starting."

Liverpool turn their attention back to the Premier League this weekend as they travel away from Anfield to take on Fulham at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

The Reds have the chance to move level on points with Arsenal at the top of the division, although they would need a big ten-goal swing in goal difference to go ahead of them, if they pick up all three points against Marco Silva's side.

Jurgen Klopp's men, despite winning the second leg 1-0, were knocked out of the Europa League by Serie A side Atalanta on Thursday night, and must quickly move on from that disappointment to bounce back in the Premier League.

Liverpool have also failed to win in their last two domestic outings, with a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace and a 2-2 draw with Manchester United, which is why it is so important that they return to winning ways today.

Klopp may look to make some changes to the starting XI that lined up against Atalanta last time out. With this in mind, the boss must unleash Diogo Jota over Cody Gakpo.

Cody Gakpo's goalscoring form

The Netherlands international was selected to lead the line, with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah either side of him, but he failed to register a single effort on goal.

He has only scored one goal, which came in a 3-1 win over Sheffield United, in his last seven matches for the club in all competitions, which speaks to his lack of goal threat.

The 24-year-old forward, who was signed from PSV in January of last year, has scored 21 goals in 74 appearances for Liverpool so far, but has only managed six strikes in 30 games in the Premier League this term.

As you can see in the table above, Gakpo is almost underperforming his xG and has been helped out by his teammates, who have scored three goals from 1.6 xA created by the former PSV star.

Quite simply, the right-footed attacker has not provided a consistent threat in the final third as either a scorer or creator of goals, whether that is down the left as a winger or through the middle as a centre-forward, in the Premier League.

The Dutch gem has not done enough to prove that he deserves to be a regular starter for the Reds through the middle of the pitch, and that is why the manager should drop him down to the bench for this clash with Fulham.

Jota must now be unleashed in his place as the Portugal international has the finishing quality to put Fulham to the sword this afternoon.

In fact, former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher claimed in January that the forward is "clinical" in the final third and a better finisher than Salah, as well as legends Luis Suarez and Robbie Fowler.

Mohamed Salah's finishing this season

The Egypt international's finishing has not been at the peak of his powers in the Premier League for the Reds so far this season, with some wasteful displays from the attacker.

Over his last four league appearances for Liverpool, Salah has had an astonishing 23 shots on goal and scored one from open play and one from the penalty spot.

The experienced star has scored 17 goals from 26 matches in the top-flight, which is a solid return, but it has come from an Expected Goals (xG) of 18.27.

Salah has missed 13 'big chances' in the division and his xG underpeformance suggests that the attacker should have more goals than he has.

As you can see in the table above, the 31-year-old whiz also underperformed his xG in the Premier League last season, with 19 goals from an expected tally of between 21 and 22.

These statistics show that Salah's finishing has not been impressively efficient in the league over the last two campaigns, as he has missed 30 'big chances' and scored 36 goals from an xG of 39.95.

Jota, on the other hand, has been ruthless in front of goal for Liverpool and Klopp must unleash his lethal finisher from the start ahead of Gakpo this afternoon.

Diogo Jota's big xG overperformance

The Portuguese ace scored seven goals from an xG of 6.5 in 22 appearances and 12 starts in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign.

He made the most of the opportunities that his teammates created for him in front of goal throughout the season, and that has been the case once again this term.

As you can see in the table above, Jota has been efficient in the Europa League this season, with three goals from 2.08 xG in five outings before the Reds were knocked out of the competition on Thursday night against Atalanta.

His finishing in the Premier League has been even more impressive. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star has fired in nine goals from an xG of 4.91 in just 13 starts, and 20 appearances in total.

Jota, who has also recorded four assists in that time, has two goals and one assist in his last four Premier League starts for Liverpool, and must be brought back into the XI.

His exceptional finishing quality, with 16 goals from 11.41 xG in the league since the start of last season, backs up Carragher's comment on him being a better finisher than Salah, who has been wasteful during the same period.

The Portugal international has proven that he has the ability to be ruthless and effective in front of goal when his teammates create high-quality chances for him, which is something Gakpo is yet to prove.

Therefore, the £140k-per-week star should be selected to lead the line for the Reds against Fulham this afternoon, as his statistics suggest that he is Klopp's best choice to fire his team to the win against the Cottagers.

Alan Brazil has described an off-field update coming out of Leeds United as “incredible” and questioned how it has managed to happen.

Leeds release 2022/23 financial accounts

On the pitch, the Whites, under Daniel Farke, are pushing for one of two automatic promotion spots in the Championship alongside Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton.

Leeds already have their next Dallas in "unbelievable" star who Farke loves

Leeds United will hope this blossoming young star becomes their next Stuart Dallas over time.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 11, 2024

It promises to be a dramatic run-in, and news recently coming out of Elland Road has highlighted how important promotion back to the Premier League promises to be.

Leeds released their 2022/23 financial accounts, with reporter Joe Donnohue sharing the main takeaways, with the overall loss before tax standing at £33.7m.

Another eye-catching point from the figures is that the club currently owe £190m to clubs in unpaid transfer fees, relating to players Leeds purchased when they were in the Premier League.

TalkSPORT presenter stunned at “incredible” Leeds update

Finance expert Kieran Maguire was speaking to talkSPORT, relayed by MOT Leeds News, regarding the numbers coming out of Elland Road and if Leeds could be in trouble further down the line.

Specifically, in regards to the £190m in unpaid transfer fees, Maguire said former owner Andrea Radrizzani was using ‘the Leeds United credit card’.

“Well, possibly [Leeds could be in trouble], and the reason for that is that, under Jesse Marsch, Leeds spent a fortune on players last season. They bought players for £170m and Leeds fans were saying, ‘Well, that’s great, but we thought the owner was looking for a way out, so where’s he getting the money from?’

“It turns out [former chairman Andrea Radrizzani] has effectively used the Leeds United credit card. So Leeds now owe other clubs £190m in unpaid transfer fees. How are they going to do that in the Championship?”

Presenter Brazil couldn’t believe what he was hearing, saying in response: “That is unbelievable! How has that just come out? That is incredible.”

To make matters worse at Elland Road, it has also emerged that Leeds have withdrawn their appeal against FIFA’s award of £24.5m in compensation to Jean-Kevin Augustin, so you’d expect we’ll be seeing these figures in future accounts.

The figures also show what a good job Leeds, now under new owners the 49rs Enterprises, are doing with the club appearing to be on the right side of PSR at this moment in time.

The Norwegian grabbed his seventh Premier League treble in what was eventually a routine win after Pep Guardiola's side fell behind early

Fantasy Premier League managers were licking their lips at the prospect of Erling Haaland facing newly-promoted Ipswich Town in Manchester City's first home game of the season on Saturday, and they had every right to be excited.

The Norwegian bagged a hat-trick as the champions monstered the top-flight new boys 4-1, but the performances of Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho were equally impressive in what was a hugely enjoyable afternoon for Pep Guardiola's side, save for an early shock.

That came in just the seventh minute when Ipswich crafted a clever breakaway move and Sammie Szmodics put the ball through Ederson's legs, sending the travelling Tractor Boys (and girls) into raptures. But the joy of the visitors, who were playing City for the first time in the league since the 2000-01 season, did not last long.

The electric Savinho soon earned a penalty, given via VAR, which Haaland duly slammed home. The Brazil winger then pressured hapless Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric into an error and De Bruyne took advantage.

De Bruyne, who later smashed the bar with a sizzling strike from well outside the area, then laid on a pass for Haaland to score from a tight angle, meaning City had gone from 1-0 down to 3-1 up in just 193 seconds.

The second half was a stroll as Ilkay Gundogan made his first appearance back in a City shirt since completing his return to the club from Barcelona. But what everyone wanted to see was Haaland complete his hat-trick, and he finally did so with by arrowing home a shot from outside the area late on. for what is already his seventh Premier League treble. There will be plenty more to come.

GOAL rates City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

• Getty Images
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (5/10):

  Let Szmodics' shot through his legs too easily.

  Rico Lewis (7/10):

  Played the hybrid full-back/midfielder role to perfection, but should have scored when he smashed against the bar.

  Manuel Akanji (5/10):

  Lost track of Szmodics for the goal. Otherwise was assured.

  Ruben Dias (6/10):

  A commanding presence and also supplied plenty of useful passes into attack.

  Josko Gvardiol (6/10):

  Focused on defending, which he did well, and let the experts do the attacking.

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  Midfield

  Bernardo Silva (6/10):

  Didn't directly contribute to the win but engineered a lot of the build-up play.

  Mateo Kovacic (6/10):

  Very tidy in possession and out of it. A shame to see him forced off injured early in the second half.

  Kevin De Bruyne (8/10):

  One of those games where nearly everything he touched turned to gold. A goal, assist and a near-worldie when he clanged the bar.

• Getty Images
  

  Attack

  Jeremy Doku (6/10):

  Lively but the occasional heavy touch let him down. Upstaged somewhat by the man on the other flank.

  Erling Haaland (8/10):

  His second goal was him at his clinical best. Finally got his hat-trick with a deadly strike from outside the area. He now has as many Premier League trebles as Wayne Rooney, who played for 16 seasons.

  Savinho (8/10):

  Ipswich just couldn't live with his trickery and relentless energy. Won the penalty, robbed Muric for De Bruyne's goal and dragged Davis all over the place. All that was missing was a goal.

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  Subs & Manager

  John Stones (6/10):

  Looked at home in midfield after replacing Kovacic.

  Jack Grealish (5/10):

  Things didn't quick click for him and was booked at the end for diving.

  Ilkay Gundogan (5/10):

  Got a hero's welcome when he came on but didn't do loads in his 21 minutes on the pitch.

  James McAtee (N/A):

  Brought on in added time.

  Matheus Nunes (N/A):

  On in stoppage time.

  Pep Guardiola (6/10):

  A very comfortable afternoon for the coach, save for the shock early goal and the Kovacic injury. And this was without Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and Rodri…

Celtic won’t be completing the signing of Benfica youngster Paulo Bernardo this summer, according to a new transfer update from his homeland.

The Lowdown: Celtic linked with Bernardo move

Ange Postecoglou will be hoping for a productive summer in the transfer window, as the Hoops look to build on last season’s Scottish Premiership triumph and build a squad capable of challenging on multiple fronts.

One player who has been linked with a move in recent days is midfielder Bernardo, who is making a name for himself at Benfica, appearing 24 times for the first team to date, dubbed a player with ‘endless’ potential.

Now, it appears as though Celtic will need to look elsewhere, however.

The Latest: Transfer off the table

According to A Bola [via Sport Witness], there is not ‘any kind of negotiation’ between Celtic and Benfica over a summer move for Bernardo, pouring cold water on the claims.

The 20-year-old is expected to remain at his current club moving forward, with the Portuguese giants seeing him as an important figure for their future, even protecting that with a €100m (£85m) release clause.

The Verdict: Move on and look elsewhere

While this is a blow, considering Bernardo’s standing as a talented young midfielder, it is no disaster to miss a target this early in the summer and Postecoglou has plenty of time to move on and look at alternatives.

Midfield is certainly an area of the pitch that needs additions this summer, with Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton moving on and leaving a sizeable void in the middle of the park.

Someone older than Bernardo would make sense however, in terms of coming in as an immediate regular with experience on par to one of those departing heroes, while David Turnbull could be ready to go up a gear, too.

In other news, Celtic have been backed to seal the signing of one player. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United are reportedly monitoring Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, ahead of a potential deal this summer.

What’s the word?

As per 90min, the Hammers have been named as one of the clubs who are ‘keeping tabs’ on the Frenchman’s situation, albeit with the Bundesliga outfit seemingly set to hold firm in their desire to keep the 22-year-old.

The report suggests that the German giants are ‘not entertaining offers’ for their young starlet – with the lack of a release clause aiding their cause – although there has been some indication that a bid of around £60m could be enough to tempt them into a sale.

That would prove to be a club-record offer for the east Londoners were they to pursue a deal, although they are also likely to face competition from Newcastle United, with the Magpies seemingly willing to break the bank with a £50m plus bid, as per the report.

Payet 2.0

That clamour for the five-cap international’s signature has undoubtedly been justified in recent seasons, with the former Paris Saint-Germain gem having registered 72 goal contributions in just 124 games in all competitions for his current club since making the switch from the Parc des Princes in 2019.

That impressive haul includes a sparkling tally of 17 goals and 14 assists in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign, helping to fire Gerardo Seoane’s side to Champions League qualification with a solid third-place finish.

A Frenchman with a devastating ability to make the difference in the final third? Irons supporters can’t be blamed for beginning to dream of the next Dimitri Payet strolling through the door this summer at the London Stadium.

In his 18-month spell with the club, the set-piece specialist dazzled with his tricks, flicks and all-round class, pulling off the frankly unthinkable at times, including that rabona in a clash with Watford back in 2016.

The comparison between the two compatriots doesn’t simply lie in the country of their birth, however, with the duo sharing a number of statistical and stylistic similarities, according to FBref.

That is seemingly a sure sign that the youngster would be a real success in English football, with the hope he can replicate Payet’s stunning, albeit brief, impact in a claret and blue jersey, in which he registered 29 goal contributions in just 48 Premier League games, before making a swift return to Marseille on a £25m deal in January 2017.

Although the former West Ham genius may no longer quite be at his peak at the age of 35, it is still telling that the one-time talisman has been outperformed by the younger man in recent times, Diaby netting more goals (13 to 12) and registering more assists (12 – 10) in the league in the 2021/22 season.

Dubbed an “important” player by Leverkusen sporting director Simone Rolfe, it is easy to see why the German outfit are so keen to hang on to him in the upcoming window, with the “lethal” speedster – as he has been described by one journalist – continuing to make an impact on a consistent basis.

If he can produce anywhere close to the mesmerising quality that was provided by Payet during his time with the Hammers, then both David Moyes and the club’s supporters are in for a real treat.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Journalist Rudy Galetti of Sport Italia TV has shared a Tottenham Hotspur transfer update on their hunt for Benfica star Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Spurs want new striker…

After crunch talks with club chief Fabio Paratici in Italy, it is believed that Spurs and their manager Antonio Conte have a star striker on the agenda for the summer transfer window (The Telegraph).

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus is one of the targets as the Lilywhites set their sights on an alternative option to centre-forward mainstay Harry Kane (The Telegraph).

The Premier League giants recently announced a £150m equity increase which will apparently be used to back Conte in the next transfer market ahead of his first full season in charge of the club.

Aiming to put it to good use, Spurs are apparently in contention to sign a ‘big name’ forward in Nunez.

The Latest: Galetti shares Nunez update…

According to Galetti, the north Londoners are ‘fully’ in the race for the Benfica sensation amid their pursuit of a star striker. Nunez is apparently destined for England, with Spurs, Manchester United and Newcastle United seemingly all in the mix.

The reporter explained (via Twitter): “Darwin #Nunez will leave #Benfica in the summer – as reported in Feb – and his future will be in #EPL. #MUFC are the front-runners, #NUFC and #THFC are fully in the race.”

The Verdict: Ambitious move…

As per The Daily Star on Sunday (via Sky Sports), the 22-year-old’s club will demand a fee in excess of £100m for his services, potentially making this transfer a tough one for Spurs to pull off.

Even with chairman Daniel Levy’s significant financial windfall, the funds must be used wisely as Conte reportedly eyes a major N17 overhaul in a variety of different positions (The Telegraph).

Nunez’s phenomenal haul of 34 goals and four assists in all competitions over 2021/22 is certainly an indicator of his obvious quality, but the sky-high asking price will be a major factor in determining Tottenham’s next move.

In other news: Tottenham chiefs willing to back Conte with risky signing as they make special exception! Find out more here