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A new transfer update has claimed that Liverpool are interested in making a move for exciting Porto winger Otavio in the summer window and have discovered how much they will need to spend in order to sign him.

The Lowdown: Liverpool linked with Otavio

In recent days, the 27-year-old has been linked with a summer move to Anfield, as Jurgen Klopp looks at possibly making more attacking reinforcements.

The Liverpool manager knows Otavio well after coming up against him numerous times in the Champions League against Porto since 2018, with the winger losing on all five occasions that he has faced the Reds.

A new update has now emerged from Portugal which suggests that this transfer story could have legs to it.

The Latest: Otavio could cost £34m+

According to O Jogo, a previous report claiming Otavio’s agent was in England to talk to Liverpool is false, but the Reds are still interested in signing him.

It is stated that they ‘admire’ the Porto attacker, who registered 12 assists in all competitions last season and has been noted for his rapid pace, not to mention having 86 goal contributions (24 goals and 62 assists) in 237 appearances for the club overall.

The report added that the Portuguese champions will give short shrift to any offers of less than €40m (£34.4m), giving Liverpool a base line from which to work.

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The Verdict: Ideal squad addition

It remains to be seen how genuine Liverpool’s interest is, with Klopp already well-stocked in attack following the arrival of Darwin Nunez from Porto’s rivals Benfica earlier this summer.

Then again, Sadio Mane and Divock Origi have departed, while Takumi Minamino also looks set to leave, so the Reds’ options in the final third may end up being slightly threadbare unless further reinforcements are brought in.

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If Otavio is happy to come in and be a backup to Mohamed Salah on the right flank, it is a move which could make complete sense. If he isn’t content to play second fiddle to last season’s joint-top Premier League scorer, it is hard to see any such transfer happening.

Alasdair Gold has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur central midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the football.london journalist revealed that, despite recent reports suggesting that Antonio Conte could look to cash in on the central midfielder following Fabio Paratici’s £25m signing of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma, Spurs currently have no plans to move the 26-year-old in the summer transfer window.

In his tweet, Gold said: “Spurs have no plans to sell Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer.”

Supporters will love Gold’s update

Considering just how impressive Hojbjerg has proven himself to be for Spurs ever since his £15m move to north London back in the summer of 2020, Gold’s claim that Conte and Paratici currently have no plans to sell the Denmark international is sure to be news the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful will love.

Indeed, over his 36 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £60m-rated talent was imperious in the heart of Conte’s side, scoring two goals, providing two assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.9 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

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The £100k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 2.2 tackles, 1.4 clearances, completing 63.1 passes – at a success rate of 90% – and winning 5.1 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the great Dane average a rather extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.19, ranking him as Tottenham’s fifth-best performer in the league.

As such, while it is true that the middle of the park is an area of the pitch in which Conte’s side is now incredibly well-stocked, the news that Hojbjerg will not be moving onto pastures new this summer is undoubtedly fantastic news for everyone involved with the club, as the 26-year-old more than proved his worth to Tottenham over the course of the last Premier League campaign.

AND in other news: Bid made: Paratici now working on fourth Spurs summer signing, Conte will be buzzing

Liverpool are interested in making a surprise move for Chelsea forward Timo Werner this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

The Lowdown: Werner disappoints at Chelsea

The 26-year-old moved to Chelsea from RB Leipzig back in 2020, with big things expected of him after his goalscoring exploits in the Bundesliga.

There is no doubt that Werner has been a disappointment for the Blues overall, however, scoring 23 goals in 89 appearances and rarely justifying his price tag after netting an incredible 93 goals in 158 matches for Leipzig.

It could be that the German leaves Chelsea this summer following their takeover and a shock Liverpool transfer rumour has emerged.

The Latest: Reds eye up move

According to Football Insider, a Reds source has informed them that Jurgen Klopp is eyeing up a move for Werner in the coming months, after showing interest back in 2019.

It is claimed that ‘no discussions have taken place’ over a move yet but that there is genuine interest in the forward.

Klopp and Julian Ward believe Werner is ‘better suited’ to their style of play than Chelsea’s.

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The Verdict: Is he worth it?

Werner is a dangerous attacking player when he wants to be, possessing electric pace and being hailed as ‘amazing’ by Thomas Tuchel, but signing him would still feel like a risk by Liverpool.

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Too often, the Germany international has flattered to deceive in a Chelsea shirt, and given the wage demands he would likely still have, it could easily end up being money wasted by the Reds.

The departures of Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino have admittedly lessened the depth in Liverpool’s attack slightly, but the player would have to accept arriving as a back-up option at best if he makes the move to Merseyside.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola may have been gifted a significant boost in the race to sign Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: City eye Phillips move…

The Premier League champions have been heavily linked with a bid to sign Leeds’ midfield maestro as club legend Fernandinho puts an end to his glittering nine-year stay at Eastlands.

Guardiola is reportedly after an heir to the City fan favourite who has played a pivotal role in the Sky Blues’ dominance of English football over the last decade.

In what could be a real summer of change, many first team players have been tipped to potentially follow Fernandinho out of the door with Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus all entering the final year of their contracts (The Times).

Sharing news on who could come in, journalist Rudy Galetti of Tribal Football has shared a very promising update on the chase for Phillips.

The Latest: City enter pole position…

According to the reporter, City are ‘now leading the race’ to sign Jesse Marsch’s star man and have ‘started talks’.

As well as this, Galetti claims Phillips wants to play for Guardiola, even stating the 26-year-old could ‘push with Leeds’ to let him leave ‘unhindered’.

The Verdict: Promising development…

Phillips could leave Elland Road for around €70 million (£61m) according to this report, potentially making him one of the more astute central midfield options for Guardiola.

The England international averaged more tackles per 90 than any City star over the 2021/2022 season and may well come as a solid choice to protect an already resolute back four – with Leeds ambassador Noel Whelan even calling him ‘phenomenal’.

As City’s transfer window gets well and truly underway with the recent announcement of Erling Haaland, supporters should expect far more twists and turns to come.

In other news: Man City now a ‘dream’ move for this very exciting defender…find out more here.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou will eventually sign a new deal at the club as his rolling contract continues, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Still no new deal for Postecoglou

The 56-year-old has proven to be a magnificent appointment at Parkhead, coming in last summer and making an immediate impression.

Celtic won both the Premiership and Scottish League Cup under his tutelage in 2021/22, sealing a return to the Champions League in the process.

Frustratingly, Postecoglou is yet to sign a new deal after only agreeing a one-year contract when he joined the Hoops, with his rolling deal similar to past managers.

The Latest: Joseph makes Postecoglou claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Joseph claimed that the Australian would remain as manager, with an extension imminent.

The journalist stated:

“Celtic do this with new managers all the time; they have done since the start of the century.

“[Martin] O’Neill was on a rolling contract, [Gordon] Strachan, [Neil] Lennon, [Tony] Mowbray, Lennon again and Brendan Rodgers as well was on a rolling contract, and then they usually sign if their first year has been successful or Celtic see it going somewhere. That’s when they end up tying them down on a longer term contract.

“And I think that’s what’s going to happen here. There’s been no change there with Celtic’s approach, and it’s just a case of when, rather than if, I think.”

The Verdict: Longer contract would be perfect

In an ideal world, Postecoglou would agree a long-term contract which sees him stay at Celtic for four or five years, but that doesn’t appear to be the way the club want to run things.

As it is, the Hoops will have to settle for these short-term agreements moving forward, which is certainly preferable to their brilliant manager moving elsewhere instead.

The hope is that this is only the beginning for Postecoglou and Celtic, with many more trophies still to come, as well as some memorable European nights.

In other news, Celtic are set to make a key addition to their backroom team. Read more here

Celtic are reportedly close to confirming an official permanent transfer for Jota from Benfica.

What’s the news?

According to a recent article from the Daily Record, the Hoops “are set to take up their £6m option” to purchase the winger from the Portuguese club after his recent season-long loan spell at Parkhead.

During his time in Glasgow, the 23-year-old made 40 appearances in total for the Bhoys across all competitions. In that time, the winger found the net 13 times and delivered 14 assists, showing that it wasn’t any trouble for him to settle into the team and become a deadly attacking figure.

In 29 league appearances, Jota scored 10 goals and supplied 11 assists, which goes to show how important he was in Celtic’s Premiership title charge as they ended the season with more goals scored (92) than any other top-flight team.

Great news for Celtic

To further highlight how dangerous Jota was in an attacking sense, only Liel Abada finished the season with more shots and shots on target in the league than the Benfica youngster among Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

Also, no other Celtic player came close to providing the number of crosses that the Portuguese gem delivered for his side (229).

Taking this latest behind-the-scenes development into account, it will surely be great news for the Glasgow club and their fans to be able to secure the talented winger on a permanent transfer.

If they can do so, it would then give them the chance to focus on securing other potential transfers that Postecoglou may feel the need to complete.

While the Bhoys will undoubtedly be setting out to retain their Premiership title next year, they will also be looking to go as far as they can in Europe and win the other domestic trophies as well.

To maximise their chances of doing so, Postecoglou will need to ensure that he has the right balance of quality and depth in his squad so they can go out and achieve their targets.

Looking back to last summer’s transfer window, the significant amount of business which took place during that period will surely give a lot of Celtic fans hope that the upcoming window can be just as fruitful for them once again, with Jota’s proposed arrival on a permanent basis kicking things off.

In other news: Celtic can replicate O’Riley masterclass by signing 21 y/o gem who’s “right up there”

Journalist Rahman Osman of London World has now shared a Tottenham Hotspur transfer update involving Brentford playmaker Christian Eriksen.

The Lowdown: Spurs in mix…

The Lilywhites, as per recent reports, are in the mix to sign Eriksen following his phenomenal and fairy-tale return to the grass.

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After suffering a cardiac-arrest at Euro 2020, few could’ve predicted the Dane would be thriving back in the Premier League under Thomas Frank and sparking interest from Spurs.

Eriksen is allegedly keen on a sensational reunion with the north-Londoners and manager Antonio Conte as the club eye a Bosman deal for their ex-hero.

The Latest: Osman shares update…

According to Osman of LW, an update has emerged, with Conte personally ‘pressing on for a deal’ to re-sign the 30-year-old.

However, if they cannot convince the midfielder to return, it is believed Brighton star Yves Bissouma has been earmarked as an alternative target.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Potentially signing Eriksen for free is an arguable no-brainer given chairman Daniel Levy once put a seismic £130m tag on his head (The Mirror), highlighting the player’s obvious value and quality.

He’s been a standout for Brentford, making the most key passes per 90 for them in the top flight last year whilst also averaging the highest match rating out of anyone in the Bees squad (WhoScored).

Sealing a return for the ‘big name’ creator may well be one of Fabio Paratici’s more shrewd moves of the summer if he can get it done.

In other news: ‘Not only Perisic’ – Tottenham push for ‘genius’ signing after Conte call ‘in recent days’…find out more here.

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

A big Rangers update has emerged regarding Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s stance on star Ibrox defender Calvin Bassey this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, Rangers’ sporting director Ross Wilson will demand a fee which eclipses the £16m that they received for former Gers defender Nathan Patterson in January to allow the versatile defender to leave if any clubs make offers for him in the coming months.

The report claims that a host of suitors from south of the border are chasing the 22-year-old’s services after his impressive displays in the Europa League for Rangers.

Aston Villa, Wolves, Fulham and Brentford are all keen on the defender, but it remains to be seen whether or not they will be willing to stump up the cash required to land him.

Wilson must avoid Bassey blunder

Ibrox chief Wilson must now avoid making a huge blunder this summer. He must stick to his guns and not waiver on his valuation of the former Leicester man, as losing him for anything less than a club-record fee would be a disaster.

Bassey has proven himself throughout the campaign and recently caught the eye in the Europa League final in Seville.

talkSPORT duo Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara waxed lyrical about the Nigerian’s performance against Eintracht Frankfurt, with the former saying: “He looked sensational tonight, absolutely sensational. I thought he was the best player on the pitch.

“He was immense, 22 years of age. He is destined for big things, this kid – he was absolutely superb tonight.”

O’Hara added: “What a player, he was like [Virgil] Van Dijk!”

In the European run, Bassey averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.90. He played 14 matches en route to the final and made three tackles and interceptions per game, winning 60% of his duels in total.

The centre-back was also crucial in the Premiership for Gio van Bronckhorst. In 29 league appearances, he averaged a rating of 6.97 as he won 63% of his duels and helped the team to keep 13 clean sheets, playing at both left-back and at the heart of the defence.

Whilst he may not be quite as good as the Liverpool metronome, the Gers defender – as O’Hara intimated – is Van Bronckhorst’s own Virgil van Dijk, who has won 74% of his duels in the Premier League. Like the 30-year-old, Bassey a physical centre-back who wins the majority of his duels against attackers, as shown by his statistics domestically and in Europe.

At the age of 22, the Nigerian tank has plenty of time left on his side to develop and hone his skills to a point where he is playing at the very top level. His form for Rangers suggests that he has the potential to do so, given his superb performances in the Europa League at such a young age, and that is why Wilson must not sell him for anything less than a club-record deal.

AND in other news, Ross Wilson plotting Rangers swoop for 16 y/o “teen talent”, GvB will be buzzing…

Leeds United have been dealt a potentially huge setback in their bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Leeds Live, Steven Gerrard revealed that Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is now a doubt to face Leeds’ relegation rivals Burnley this evening, as the 29-year-old picked up a knock in training on Wednesday morning.

Regarding the current condition of the Argentina international, Gerrard said: “Emi is a doubt at the moment. We’re just analysing the situation that happened [on Wednesday] in training, but I think he’ll play and he’ll be fine. It was just a knock in training. We’ll analyse it.

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“If he’s not there, Robin [Olsen] is champing at the bit. He’s been awesome. He’s trained well and he’s ready and I’ll have no qualms putting Robin in if I have to. If Emi’s fit and he’s fine – we’ll assess him in the next hour or two – then he’ll play.”

Awful news for Leeds

With a Burnley victory over Aston Villa making Leeds’ chances of securing survival on the final day of the season almost impossible, the fact that Martinez is now a doubt for the visit of the Clarets this evening is undoubtedly awful news for the Whites.

Indeed, over his 35 Premier League appearances this term, the £28.8m-rated shot-stopper has been a rock between the Villa sticks, helping his side keep 11 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.6 saves and conceding 1.3 goals per game.

These returns have seen the £47k-per-week Argentine average a very impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.83, ranking him as Gerrard’s tenth-best performer in the English top flight.

As such, should Martinez indeed be ruled out of action for the Burnley clash, it would simultaneously provide the Clarets’ chances of survival with a significant boost and deal Leeds’ hopes of avoiding the drop with a huge blow – with Jesse Marsch and everyone involved with the Whites surely hoping that the 29-year-old will be deemed fit for tonight’s crucial clash.

AND in other news: Marsch must axe “non-existent” £58k-p/w Leeds flop for “phenomenal” 49-goal talent