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Newcastle United will reportedly now ‘make an offer’ to sign FC Porto winger Pepe in the ‘coming days’.

The Lowdown: Busy summer

Lille defender Sven Botman is expected to sign for the Magpies after both clubs agreed on a deal on Friday night, which would make him their third summer signing after Matt Targett and Nick Pope.

With three areas of the pitch already covered, the Tynesiders will now be looking at other positions to strengthen as the new season draws closer.

The Latest: Pepe ‘offer’

As per Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), Newcastle ‘will make an offer’ for Pepe in the ‘coming days’, but it is not specified what kind of fee they would propose to Porto.

The Brazilian has a €70m (£60.2m) release clause, although his market value is set at €18m (£15.5m), which the news outlet suggests is undervalued.

The Verdict: Potential bargain

To potentially snap up Pepe for around £15.5m could turn out to be a bargain for the Toon.

He scored six goals and supplied a further six assists in all competitions in his debut season in European football, and he is capable of playing in a variety of different positions (Transfermarkt).

For context, nobody at St James’ Park managed more than 10 goal contributions in the most recent Premier League campaign, so he could certainly add an effective presence to Eddie Howe’s attack.

Also, as Pepe is just 25 years of age, Newcastle would be buying a player who is about to enter his prime and can also boast 32 goals in 159 senior career appearances.

Everton are reportedly now eyeing up a shock move to sign former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum this summer.

The Lowdown: Liverpool great…

Wijnaldum will go down as one of the greats at Anfield, after helping them secure both the UEFA Champions League and Premier League titles.

Dubbed a ‘sensational’ player by Jurgen Klopp just before he left to join PSG last summer, it has not quite worked out for him in France, as he has been limited to bit-part appearances, playing the full 90 minutes on just eight occasions.

The Latest: Everton interest

Writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Goodison Park outfit are now ‘keeping close tabs’ on Wijnaldum’s situation, although so are Leicester City, Wolves and West Ham United.

PSG already want to sell him after only signing him last summer, but a loan move looks more likely at this stage.

The Verdict: Smart move?

Given Wijnaldum’s experience in the top flight and his added winning mentality, signing him on loan could prove to be  a smart piece of business from the Merseyside club.

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Of course, there may be some grumblings from supporters due to his Liverpool connections, but the Toffees need to focus on bringing in players that will help them climb up the table next season and avoid another relegation scrap.

The fact that PSG want to move him on should also help with their pursuit of the Netherlands international.

Journalist Ashley Preece has provided his thoughts on the future of Aston Villa youngster Carney Chukwuemeka amid reports that the teenager is attracting significant transfer interest.

What’s the word?

Speaking in a Q & A for Birmingham Mail, the Villa correspondent hinted that the 18-year-old will be in no rush to commit his future to the club just yet, despite having just one year remaining on his existing contract.

Asked whether the Austria-born ace will sign a new deal, Preece stated: “As for Carney, if you’re asking me, he’ll make Villa sweat for a bit longer. A real chance he could be the player of the European Championships with the semis vs Italy. Clubs watching him.”

This follows reports which suggested the playmaker is been monitored by a number of clubs across Europe, including Villa’s Premier League rivals Liverpool and Arsenal.

However, Steven Gerrard has previously confirmed his desire to keep the academy graduate at the club for the long-term, following his recent taste of senior action.

Villa must act

While Villa won’t want to be held ransom by the youngster over a new deal, then Johan Lange and co must surely be aware that they could well be set to lose the £5.4m-rated gem if they do not act this summer.

Failure to do so would put them at risk of losing Chukwuemeka for ‘nothing’ next summer – albeit with a compensation fee likely to be required – or see them forced to cash in in the current transfer window in order to recoup funds.

Although the £2.4k-per-week talent has not become a fixed first-team as of yet – making just 12 top-flight starts last season – he has already shown glimpses of his talent, with Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson lavishing him with praise following his first league start against Brentford last August.

The former Villa midfielder gushed: “You look at the positives, the young kid, Chukwuemeka was very good.

“He has got a bright future. I don’t see a lot of the kid’s football. First-half, he was outstanding. He was gliding across the pitch. 17-years-old, you are playing in the Premier League in the centre of midfield. I mean that’s a big ask.

“He will be an absolute star. He glides across the pitch. He is a nice size. He gets on the ball. He looks for it and makes runs without the ball. I think Villa fans going away will definitely be talking about him.”

Equally, Chukwuemeka’s form at international level of late has highlighted just what an exciting asset he really is, having starred for England at the European Under-19 Championship this summer.

In his first three games in the tournament, the former Northampton Town youngster provided four goal contributions in total, with such standout form no doubt catching the eye of even more top clubs around Europe.

The fear will be that an elite club will attempt to poach the teenage menace following his involvement with the Young Lions, leaving Gerrard and co little time to act to try and agree a contract extension.

It may be an old cliché, but getting a bumper new deal sorted for Chukwuemeka could well feel like a new signing for the club.

AND in other news, Lange eyeing Villa move for £30m “goalscoring machine”, he’d be their own Darwin Nunez

The summer transfer window is officially open and the only first-team deal that Rangers have completed at Ibrox so far is the signing of John Souttar. 

Ross Wilson snapped up the centre-back on a pre-contract agreement in January, with the player arriving on a free transfer from Hearts ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

It now remains to be seen what other business the Light Blues will look to execute as Gio van Bronckhorst attempts to build on his first season in Glasgow as a manager.

Former Gers defender Craig Moore recently tipped the club to be one of the interested parties in a deal to sign former Hibernian star Martin Boyle, and the forward could be a player who joins Souttar as a fresh arrival at Ibrox.

The 46-year-old said: “Celtic, no, Rangers, definitely could be a possibility. I think Rangers are in a situation where they might be looking at a right winger in terms of strengthening the squad.

“Hagi is still injured, I know Wright and Sakala have played there but there are not natural winger types. Someone like Martin Boyle, who has proven himself, that for me would be very interesting and I’m sure Rangers will be monitoring the situation.”

The winger joined Al-Faisaly for £3m in January but his future is now said to be in doubt after the club’s relegation last season.

Big Scott Wright upgrade

Van Bronckhorst must now push for Rangers to sign Boyle, as he would come in as a big upgrade on current right winger Scott Wright.

Former Hibs boss Neil Lennon once dubbed the Australian an “outstanding” talent, and his statistics in Scotland back up that comment. In the first half of the 2021/22 Premiership season, the 29-year-old scored seven goals and created six ‘big chances’, along with recording three assists, in 20 games. 

He also scored a hat-trick against Rangers in the semi-final of the League Cup last November as he gave the Light Blues a first-hand display of what he would be capable of doing for them.

This came after he plundered 12 goals and six assists in 36 Scottish top-flight matches in the previous campaign, showing that he has the quality to make a huge impact in the final third at that level.

Meanwhile, Wright scored four goals and provided one assist in 19 league games for Rangers, after a haul of three goals and one assist in 26 games in 2020/21.

He has been unable to prove that he can be a regular source for goals and assists, and that is why the Gers can land a big upgrade on him by signing Boyle, who has proven his ability in front of goal in the Premiership.

The former Aberdeen man can still be a useful squad member and pacey option from the bench, but the statistics suggest that the Australian forward would improve Van Bronckhorst’s starting XI.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Morelos: Rangers can form dream duo with bid for “delicious” 98 G/A gem…

Everton have been linked with a move for Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider, Everton are readying a second bid for Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Gibbs-White, after having their initial £22.5m bid rejected.

As per the report, sources have told the publication that the Toffees are confident their improved bid will be able to seal the deal to sign the player and Gibbs-White is keen on a move to Goodison Park this summer.

Deli Alli upgrade

Although Frank Lampard completed the signing of Dele Alli within less than 24 hours of being appointed as the new Everton manager, it hasn’t been the monumental midfield signing that was expected after the Tottenham Hotspur star made his move to Merseyside.

Alli made just 11 appearances last season, with no goal contributions and averaging just 29 minutes per game, proving that Lampard clearly doesn’t trust the player in terms of his reliability and effectiveness in the advanced midfield role.

As a result, the signing of Gibbs-White who was hailed an “exciting talent” by journalist Andy Naylor could be a major upgrade for Everton if they can seal a deal and offer Wolves exactly what they want to let go of their rising star.

The £25m star had an impressive season-long loan spell at Sheffield United in the Championship last season after struggling to get opportunities to start in Bruno Lage’s side, and he certainly proved to the manager of his parent club that he has what it takes to start in the Premier League.

Over 35 league appearances Gibbs-White scored 11 goals, delivered nine assists and created a whopping 16 big chances, making 1.6 key passes, taking 2.4 shots per game and winning 4.9 duels on average per game, becoming a reliable and effective attacking threat in the team.

Sheffield United teammate Billy Sharp lavished praise on the young midfielder, claiming he had become “instrumental” in the side over last season:

“Morgan’s come in and been instrumental. Scoring goals, creating goals. He really gets the crowd off their feet.

“He’s brilliant to have in the team. He’s always looking for the killer pass which is obviously brilliant for me.”

With that being said, if Kevin Thelwell can complete the signing of Gibbs-White he could be exactly what Everton need to inject some high-quality talent and positive influence into the attacking force at Goodison Park.

AND in other news: Romano: “Official bid” has come in for £32m Everton target, supporters will be gutted

Leeds United youngster Joe Gelhardt is in advanced talks over a big pay rise at Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Gelhardt’s breakthrough season

The 20-year-old made the leap from exciting youth team player to key squad figure last season, making his presence felt as the Whites secured their Premier League safety.

Gelhardt ended up chipping in with two goals and assists apiece in the league, one of which was an unforgettable stoppage-time assist for Pascal Struijk in the 1-1 draw at home to Brighton.

Huge things are expected of the young striker, who has been described as ‘unreal’ by Premier League pundit Alan Hutton, and the hope is of course that players of his ability want to stay at Elland Road long-term.

The Latest: Big new deal

Following reports last month from Graham Smyth that Gelhardt had entered talks with the club, Football Insider are now reporting that Gelhardt and Leeds are in ‘advanced talks’ over a new contract, with his current deal expiring in 2024.

FI say a ‘big pay rise’ is on the cards for the attacker, and club chiefs believe he will be a ‘huge’ player moving forward.

The Verdict: Huge indeed

Nailing down Gelhardt’s future is of the utmost importance given the club have already lost two fan favourites this summer, so this is a huge piece of news considering what a prodigiously gifted talent the Englishman is.

The genius of his aforementioned assist summed up his natural ability and he is capable of producing moments of magic from nowhere – something that is priceless in a player as it cannot really be taught. Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta are spot on to believe in his huge potential.

At 20, Gelhardt is still maturing and some rawness should be expected in his game, but with Patrick Bamford injury-prone and turning 29 this year, he could be viewed as Leeds’ future first-choice striker.

Arsenal have entered discussions with Juventus regarding a move for midfielder Arthur Melo, according to Italian outlet TuttoJuve. 

The lowdown: Interest revived

Brought to Europe by Barcelona from Brazilian outfit Gremio in 2018, the midfield maestro joined Juventus two years later for a whopping £72.5million (Sky Sports).

The 25-year-old Brazil international has since made 63 outings for the Serie A giants to add to the 71 appearances made during his time in Spain, lifting the La Liga title, Italian Cup and the Copa America so far in his career.

Having previously chased a move for Arthur during the January transfer window, it appears as though the Gunners are continuing their push to bring the Brazilian to north London…

The latest: Talks ‘activated’

As per TuttoJuve, Arsenal are believed to have ‘activated’ talks regarding a possible loan swoop for the 22-cap star this summer.

It’s claimed that the Gunners are ‘considering whether to make the decisive thrust’ for Arthur in this window as Mikel Arteta and Edu attempt to strengthen the midfield ranks accordingly.

The report also states that Arsenal would be required to pay a fee in the region of €30million (£27million) in order to make the move for the man once hailed as ‘very good’ by Lionel Messi a permanent one.

The verdict: No brainer

Having already profited from initial loan arrivals when signing Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid on a permanent basis, landing Arthur with an option to buy would be an exceptional piece of business from the Emirates Stadium hierarchy.

Last season, the Brazilian – who predominantly operates as a conventional central midfielder – earned a 6.83 Sofascore rating whilst winning 3.5 duels and completing 90 per cent of his passes in 20 Serie A outings, with Fbref revealing he sits in the 96th percentile for pass accuracy amongst midfielders in Europe’s top leagues.

Currently earning a reported £125,000 per week in Italy (Salary Sport), Edu should have no problem sourcing the funds to make the loan move happen and indeed the potential subsequent permanent switch.

With issues remaining over the consistency of performance from Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey, we feel that adding a player of Arthur’s calibre to the N7 ranks should be regarded as a top priority, even ahead of the heavily linked Youri Tielemans.

Liverpool completed most of their transfer business early into the window with three signings secured ahead of their return to action next month, but now an update has emerged on another potential move this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to 90min, Liverpool are plotting a move for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.

As per the report, the Reds are keeping tabs on the young player, but they will need to convince the La Liga club with a tempting offer as a move is unlikely this summer.

Imagine him & Nunez

With Sadio Mane, Divock Origi and Taki Minamino making a move away from Merseyside this summer, it would certainly do Liverpool no harm in strengthening their forward line even further, and Williams could be a great prospect for the future of the team.

The young Spaniard has become a key player in the team at Bilbao and put in some impressive performances for his side scoring three goals in all competitions over last season.

Over 34 La Liga appearances, Williams created one big chance, taking one shot, winning 2.9 duels and completing 1.3 successful dribbles on average per game, proving that he is starting to show his potential and talent which could be further developed under Jurgen Klopp’s watchful eye.

The phenomenon, who has a reported release clause in the region of £42m, has been the recipient of high praise for his progress with his manager Marcelinho hailing Williams “daring” in an interview:

“He has very good football conditions and then he is daring.

“I think he has more things, but he can always have more and that is what he has to have, a lot of ambition.

“If he continues in this dynamic, he will also have more opportunities.”

Indeed, Williams predominantly plays in the right-winger position which means he wouldn’t be a guaranteed starter at Anfield as Mohamed Salah has extended his contract to 2025, nevertheless, the opportunity to train with and learn from one of the best forwards in the world right now could be a tempting opportunity for the young talent.

With that being said, there is no doubt that the signing of Williams would be a great opportunity to strengthen their squad and to put some plans into place for the future, however, it would depend on the player’s expectation on game-time as he would for the moment fall down the pecking order at Liverpool.

AND in other news, “Impossible..” Fabrizio Romano drops LFC transfer update that’ll frustrate supporters…

Football journalist Ben Jacobs has provided an update on the situation surrounding reported Arsenal transfer target Lucas Paqueta. 

The lowdown: Arsenal interested in Paqueta

The Gunners have been heavily linked with a move for the Lyon attacking midfielder in recent weeks, with reports out of France confirming that technical director Edu is a huge fan of the 24-year-old.

Having asked to leave the Ligue 1 club earlier in the window, the Brazil international – who was signed for €35m (£29m) from AC Milan in 2019 (ESPN) – has also been courted by Tottenham, Everton and Premier League champions Manchester City.

One well-informed onlooker has now shed some light on the current state of play as Arsenal vie for the capture of Paqueta…

The latest: ‘Interesting one’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs – a journalist for CBS Sports – has claimed that the north Londoners ‘admire’ the 33-cap Brazil star but are currently no further along in making a deal happen.

He said: “Paqueta’s still an interesting one; Arsenal’s interest is real. They admire the player, but they haven’t really moved.

“They’ve never placed an offer, so when Jean-Michel Aulas spoke of lots of offers, I think I was one of the first to report that Arsenal and Newcastle were not teams that had ever gone to Lyon, they’d simply explored the option with the agent.”

The verdict: Go all-out

Available for a mooted £55m this summer and earning a mooted £49,000 per week at present (Salary Sport), signing Paqueta to bolster the attacking options at Mikel Arteta’s disposal would be an expensive venture for the Gunners.

However, boasting a variety of outstanding attacking attributes and hailed as a ‘magician’ by Lyon’s official Twitter channel, the balletic Brazilian would be a wholly worthwhile addition to the Emirates Stadium ranks.

Predominantly operating as an attacking midfielder, Paqueta scored 10 times and provided seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions last term, earning a 7.13 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.3 duels, completing 2.3 dribbles and making 1.2 key passes per top-flight outing in the process.

That form, age category and need for further reinforcements in N5 amidst links to Jarrod Bowen and Youri Tielemans make the cultured ace a potentially superb prospective capture for Arsenal, and one that Edu should be pushing to get over the line.

Crystal Palace have been dealt another injury blow ahead of their Premier League opener with Arsenal this evening, with James Tomkins ruled out in the last 24 hours.

The Lowdown: Pre-season…

Patrick Vieira’s side haven’t had the best of preparations for the new campaign, with the Palace squad split in half in recent weeks. The Eagles took just ten senior players on their pre-season tour, with plenty of well-known names staying behind due to either injuries or travel issues.

Tomkins, who journalist Josh Bunting called ‘superb’ in his defending, was in the matchday squad for the final friendly with Montpellier and featured against QPR, but the experienced defender now won’t be seen this evening.

The Latest: Vieira’s update

Vieira faced the media on Thursday afternoon for his first pre-match press conference of the season.

He confirmed that Tomkins will join James McArthur and Michael Olise on the sidelines due to a calf problem.

The Verdict: Not ideal

Tomkins only made eight Premier League appearances last season, however, you’d expect he would have been in and around the squad this evening if he was available.

His experience could come in handy throughout the season, with three of Vieira’s five centre-back options 22 years of age or younger.

The five-substitute rule may also result in the 33-year-old receiving more game time, but we won’t be seeing him tonight in what is another blow for Vieira.