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Leeds United are ‘frontrunners’ to sign New York City FC striker Valentin Castellanos, and we believe the swoop could be Victor Orta’s best of the summer.

The Lowdown: Leeds most interested

The Whites have already signed Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen from RB Salzburg in this transfer window and appear to be closing in on Bayern Munich midfielder Marc Roca.

A new striker is also on the agenda ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season, with the Whites thought to be the ‘most interested’ suitor in the race for Castellanos.

Manchester City passed up on their option to sign the 23-year-old from a fellow City Group outfit, while Orta and Angus Kinnear were recently spotted alongside Leeds director Massimo Marinelli just over five miles from New York City FC’s Yankee Stadium.

The Latest: Dean Jones comments

Talking to GiveMeSport in a story shared late on Sunday evening, journalist Dean Jones said that the Argentine attacker has been ‘scouted by a lot of clubs’ but it is Leeds who ‘are the frontrunners’ when it comes to a potential move.

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“He’s highly thought of and has been scouted by a lot of clubs. Man City are not going for him at this stage, but I think they would have had first option on him, so they’re opening up to other Premier League clubs, and right now, Leeds are the frontrunners.”

The Verdict: Orta’s best

The Whites are in desperate need of a forward over the coming months, especially with Patrick Bamford missing the majority of last season due to a number of injuries. Bamford managed just seven league starts, with Marsch relying on youngster Joe Gelhardt in the final games of the season.

Castellanos could be the perfect attacking addition at Elland Road and boasts an extremely impressive goalscoring record in the MLS. He contributed to 27 MLS goals in 32 games last year and has 16 contributions in 17 games in 2022.

Time is also on his side at the age of 23 to improve on his already impressive game, and Castellanos can also play on either wing if required. That could be of use, especially with Jack Harrison and Raphinha linked with exits.

With the Argentine striker at the top of his game with a career-high £10.8m Transfermarkt valuation, a summer swoop could be Orta’s best so far, gaining a versatile asset in red-hot form in a position of need whose market value is only going one direction.

In other news: Leeds now won’t sign ‘superb’ midfielder despite Phil Hay revealing talks

Tottenham Hotspur target Weston McKennie is free to leave this summer, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian outlet Calciomercatoweb claim that Juventus would like to sell the USMNT international to Spurs in an attempt to fund a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Leander Dendoncker ahead of next season.

The 23-year-old is not considered to be non-transferable in Turin and could be one name to raise funds for the transfer. Lilywhites manager Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici, who signed him for the Old Lady in 2020, are said to like him.

Previous reports in Italy have suggested that McKennie is valued by the Serie A giants at around €30m (£25m).

Green light for Paratici masterclass

The midfielder has long been linked with a switch to north London ever since the Italian supremo swapped the Allianz Stadium for Hotspur Way last summer.

“I know Paratici spoke to McKennie’s representatives about a future move in January. If the USA international is available this summer then I would expect Spurs to test the water as he would tick a lot of boxes for the squad,” recently claimed reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold.

Indeed, the American would tick plenty of boxes for Spurs, and after the recent successes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, two players who were left in the dark at Juve, this could certainly be another masterclass from Paratici.

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Whilst central midfield may not be a major priority for Conte and co, they shouldn’t ignore a player of McKennie’s talent. In the process, they could even take a talented star away from the Premier League in Dendoncker, as Le Zebre desperately want to sign him.

The £22.5m-rated powerhouse has been lauded as a “rock” by former manager Andrea Pirlo, who certainly knows a thing or two about his role in the engine room. Another former coach, David Wagner, has also been left impressed by McKennie, once claiming:

“He’s an outstanding talent. In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need. And he’s brave on the ball as well. He can be one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga.”

Across the course of his career to date, as per WhoScored, the American has averaged 1.2 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 1.1 clearances, 0.9 shots and 0.8 key passes per match as he looks to be capable of influencing a game at either end of the pitch, and consistently too.

Therefore, Paratici should be trusted to raid his former club once again, as McKennie has all the hallmarks of being another Kulusevski-like masterclass in north London.

AND in other news, Journalist drops “audacious” Spurs transfer claim that will leave supporters buzzing…

West Ham United boss David Moyes could be about to make a significant error this summer, according to the latest reports…

What’s the word?

As per Claret and Hugh, the former Manchester United manager is reluctant to ‘spend big’ on a new centre-forward this summer, despite the current dearth of options in that position in the Hammers’ squad.

The report suggests that the Scotsman may once more rely on the services of Michail Antonio to lead the line, with the 59-year-old unwilling to break the bank as he looks to ‘stretch’ his budget as far as possible.

The belief is that Moyes views reported targets Ollie Watkins and Darwin Nunez as simply too expensive, despite having reportedly placed a £60m bid for the latter man back in January.

Supporters fuming

Although the report does outline that a striker may still arrive through the door, the fact that the club are seemingly unwilling to splash the cash on a notable upgrade will come as a real source of anger for supporters, as not securing a top-class striker could well be Moyes’ biggest mistake in the window yet.

At present, the only senior, recognised number nine in the squad is Michail Antonio, with the player himself having even admitted that a new forward could be needed, in order to help shoulder the burden and provide renewed competition.

Perhaps Moyes and co will simply recruit a cheaper, backup option to the Jamaica international, although there are concerns as to whether he is the man to lead the line long-term, despite currently ranking as the club’s top scorer in Premier League history.

A return of ten league goals in the 2021/22 campaign is no doubt respectable, although the Irons undoubtedly suffered when the former Nottingham Forest man hit a dry spell at the turn of the year, netting just three top-flight goals in 2022 – two of which came during the last three games of the season.

The 32-year-old does undoubtedly have his plus points, receiving notable praise from Pep Guardiola after the 2-2 draw with Manchester City a few weeks ago, although the jury is out on whether he can really put a consistent run of goalscoring form together across an entire season.

The prospect of heading into another campaign with the Wandsworth-born colossus as the sole striker will not sit well with supporters, with West Ham still yet to find a replacement for club-record flop Sebastian Haller, despite the Frenchman having departed back in January 2021.

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

Reliable journalist Sami Mokbel of The Daily Mail has now shared an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer update involving Newcastle United forward Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Lowdown: Paratici talks held…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte, gearing up for his first full Premier League season in charge of the Lilywhites, has now held a summit with transfer chief Fabio Paratici in Italy.

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On Friday, it is believed that the pair had talks over the club’s recruitment plans and strategy in Turin – coming after Conte lead his side to a previously unthought of Champions League qualification place.

A list of targets, as mapped out by Conte, have apparently been drawn up.

According to the Mail and Mokbel, though, a brand new name has found it’s way on to Tottenham’s radar with the north London coach now eyeing a move for Saint-Maximin.

The Latest: Conte eyes brand new target…

Their sources believe that the Frenchman is now a target ‘for Conte’ with Spurs seemingly holding no shortage of ambition after their £150 million equity increase.

They have allegedly ‘already’ started making ‘firm enquiries’ for their targets as they seek to full back their manager, but in Saint-Maximin’s case, the move will ‘prove difficult’.

The Verdict: Ambitious move?

Depending on whether Spurs advance with a possible summer bid, landing the 25-year-old could be one of their more challenging transfer goals for the summer.

Newcastle, now backed by PIF, are seemingly under no pressure to sell one of their star assets, who has been a revelation for them over the last few seasons.

That being said, if Tottenham can somehow pull it off, there is little denying his arrival would be a head-turning forward addition for Conte.

Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan has lavished Saint-Maximin as a ‘massive’ and ‘exciting’ player in two separate interviews with Football Insider, as evident by the fact no top flight star averaged a higher rate of successful take-ons per 90 last year (WhoScored).

In other news: Conte could see ‘one of the best in the world’ join Tottenham after behind-scenes demand…find out more here.

Journalist Alex Crook has delivered an exciting update regarding West Ham United’s interest in Arsenal striker, Eddie Nketiah…

Whats’ the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the talkSPORT reporter insisted that the Englishman would be interested in a move to the London Stadium this summer, with the 22-year-old set to be out of contract at the end of the season.

Asked about the Gunners academy graduate potentially joining the Hammers in the upcoming window, Crook stated that: “Yeah, I do [think he would be interested], because obviously he’d still be in London, still a big club, could go there and be the main man, play European football. I think that would appeal to him.

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“How do you find a role for him and [Michail] Antonio in that team? I think because Antonio is not a natural centre-forward and his goals have dried up a bit since the turn of the year, I think that [bringing in Nketiah] would still work.”

The £9m-rated forward has previously turned down the offer of a contract extension at the Emirates, raising the possibility that he could be available on a free transfer in the coming months.

Supporters buzzing

He could well prove to be the answer to the Irons’ prayers – and on a bargain deal too – with the club having been crying out for a new centre-forward addition ever since the departure of club-record signing Sebastian Haller in January 2021.

Left with just Michail Antonio as the sole recognised centre-forward in the squad, that lack of depth has proven a notable issue in recent months, with the Jamaica international having scored just two league goals this calendar year.

The former Nottingham Forest man had himself previously admitted that he would welcome the new addition of a striker, with – as Crook suggested – the club in need of a more prolific presence in front of goal.

Although Nketiah had been starved of opportunities for much of the season, in recent months he has showcased his finishing prowess, netting four goals from his last seven league starts – the only starts in the competition he has had this term.

A record-breaker at England U21 international, the youngster clearly has a knack for finding the back of the net, having also chipped in with five goals in just five games in this season’s Carabao Cup.

The defensive side of his game is also not found wanting – something that will be vital to make it in Moyes’ side – as he ranks in the top 13% for pressures made and the top 7% for tackles made among players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

The “phenomenal” striker – as he has been dubbed by Mikel Arteta – could be the man to finally end the long-running centre-forward curse in east London, with supporters set to be crossing their fingers in the hope of a deal being done.

IN other news, Cost £1.5m per goal: GSB made a colossal blunder on “strong” £40k-p/w West Ham flop 

Allan Saint-Maximin will reportedly now be allowed to leave Newcastle United in the summer for the right price.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild

It is anyone’s guess just how many players the St James’ Park faithful will be looking to bring through the doors this summer, with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dean Henderson and Sven Botman all being linked with moves to the North East recently.

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The fact that they all play in different areas of the pitch also suggests that multiple first-team additions will be made, but the club may need to offload one or two players in order to help fund a big spending spree.

The Latest: Saint-Maximin transfer latest

Writing in his latest piece for i News, journalist Mark Douglas has revealed that Saint-Maximin will be ‘available’ for sale this summer, providing that the Tyneside outfit’s valuation is met.

Aston Villa are thought to be one of the teams interested in the Frenchman’s signature, and he should attract plenty of other admirers given his exploits in the Premier League.

The Verdict: Keep him

Saint-Maximin has shown his worth time and again for the Magpies, so they should not be looking to let him go so easily.

Hailed as a ‘top-class‘ player by former top-flight striker Kevin Phillips, the 25-year-old’s influence at Newcastle is unquestionable. He ranked as their second-best performer in the Premier League before their trip to Burnley on the final day, and top in terms of shots and dribbles per match, while also grabbing himself five goals and four assists (WhoScored).

The Frenchman would not be easy to replace, so the Magpies’ board should be looking at keeping him as part of the project.

In other news, find out what ‘brilliant news’ for Eddie Howe has now emerged here!

Nottingham Forest will host Sheffield United in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final clash, and Steve Cooper will be hoping they can continue their momentum after their 2-1 victory at Bramall Lane.

What’s the latest?

The Forest manager took to his pre-match press conference to give a promising injury update on his team ahead of the important challenge facing them this evening.

Cooper told the press (via Nottinghamshire Live):

“There isn’t anything new from the game. We were carrying a few injuries going into it, with the players who were unavailable yesterday. There’s no changes from yesterday. There’s the normal bumps and bruises, and a little bit of fatigue from the game.”

The manager continued: “But that’s very normal for the day after a game. I’m fairly sure we’ll be as we were for the first leg.”

Cooper will be delighted

At this stage of the season after playing 46 games as well as a short turnaround in the play-offs when it comes to fixtures, Cooper will surely be delighted that his team are still fit and raring to go with just one game standing in the way of joining Huddersfield Town at Wembley for the final in just under two weeks time.

Despite having less possession (39%) Nottingham Forest took their chances and offered a superior attacking threat than their Premier League promotion competitors with over twice as many shots on target, five more big chances created and ultimately scoring two goals to secure a lead ahead of their home leg this evening.

If Cooper could lead his team to the final at the end of this month it would be an incredible achievement considering the position they were in when he inherited the side from Chris Houghton in September 2021.

Upon appointment, Forest were bottom of the Championship table, suffering their worst start to a campaign in over a century and Cooper has since completed a turnaround supporters would have felt was impossible when he joined the club seven months ago.

Thus, to get to the final and potentially return to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years would be a dream. With a lack of injuries, that could well become a reality.

AND in other news: Forest can land the new McKenna in “outstanding” 19/yo prodigy, Cooper surely ecstatic

Rangers have been issued a huge injury relief over Ibrox centre-forward Kemar Roofe…

What’s the latest?

Gers boss Gio van Bronckhorst has revealed that the current plan is for the striker to be fit enough to play in the Europa League final later this month.

He was absent from the matchday squad for the 2-0 Premiership win on Sunday and he has now missed five games in all competitions with this knock.

Football Scotland quote the head coach as saying: “He’s going to work hard to make it. Of course he didn’t make it for last Thursday’s game. That means he’s got two weeks to prepare more.

“All he wants is to be available for those games so he will push himself. My medical staff will do everything possible to get him fit.

“We have to wait and see how it goes but the intentions are there to have him fit.”

Supporters will be delighted

Ibrox supporters will surely be left feeling delighted by this news as it is a big boost for the club heading into that huge clash with Frankfurt in Seville.

The Gers have the chance to win a major European final in under two weeks and Roofe will be desperate to play a role in the game.

Rangers’ last final in Europe came in 2008 and this proves that occasions like this do not come around too often in football. This may be the only chance the majority of the players in the squad have to play in such a match and that is why there will be extra motivation for the Jamaica international to get himself in contention to play.

Fans will be eager to see him in action as he has the quality to be a match-winner for the club. He has scored ten goals in 21 Premiership outings and twice in four Europa League starts, which shows that he is capable of being a difference-maker.

In the quarter-finals of the Europa League, Roofe scored the winning goal in extra-time against Portuguese side Braga. This proves that he can step up in big moments, in Europe, for Rangers and that will be a huge boost to the side for the final as the team will know that they have a centre-forward capable of producing the goods at the top end of the pitch.

Therefore, the fans will be buzzing with van Bronckhorst’s hopeful comments on the attacker’s injury and will be hoping that he is available for selection in Seville.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than McLaughlin: Rangers dud with 0 duels won was a passenger on Sunday…

Highly-rated Bristol Rovers youngster Elliot Anderson is wanted by West Brom and a host of other clubs this summer, according to journalist Mark Douglas.

The Lowdown: Anderson shine for Rovers

The 19-year-old has emerged as a hugely exciting player in League Two this season, catching the eye with his brilliance for Rovers.

Anderson has scored six goals and registered four assists in 20 matches from midfield, being described as ‘unbelievable’ by teammate Sam Finley.

The youngster is only on loan at Rovers, however, with Newcastle United his permanent club, and it could be that the Magpies allow him to head out to another team next season.

The Latest: West Brom keen on move

Taking to Twitter, inews‘ Douglas claimed that West Brom are in the race to sign Anderson on loan, calling him a ‘cheat code’:

“Elliot Anderson is a SkyBetLeagueTwo ‘cheat code’ – but he nearly didn’t go out on loan. Bristol Rovers & Joey Barton have managed him well & could yet go up. WBA one of clubs who want him for next season (along w/ most of the Championship & Swfc).”

The Verdict: Exciting summer addition

This is exactly the kind of loan signing that the Baggies could do with next season  – a vibrant midfield presence who could bring end product and entertainment value to the team.

Granted, Anderson won’t likely be able to come in permanently but his performances for Rovers have shown what he is capable of and he should only improve in the coming years.

Steve Bruce is likely to want experience in his squad ahead of what is hopefully a Championship promotion push next season but having someone of Anderson’s raw ability would also make perfect sense.

In other news, a West Brom injury has been confirmed by journalist Steve Madeley. Read more here.

West Bromwich Albion are now facing another season in the Championship after failing to maintain a consistent run of promotion-worthy form throughout the current campaign.

With Steve Bruce at the helm and the summer transfer window set to open for business in the coming weeks, it seems as though the Baggies may have identified one man for a potential swoop.

According to journalist Alan Nixon (via Birmingham Mail), the Midlands club are eyeing up a move for Blackburn Rovers midfielder Joe Rothwell.

Since arriving at the Lancashire club in 2018 from Oxford United, the 27-year-old has gone on to make 161 appearances across all competitions. In that time, the midfielder has scored 11 goals and provided 18 assists, showing that he can be effective in front of goal.

According to WhoScored, in addition to having three goals and 10 assists to his name in the current Championship campaign, the Englishman has an overall performance rating of 6.95/10, making him the third-highest rated player in Blackburn’s squad to start more than two league games.

With his current contract at Ewood Park set to expire in the summer, the Baggies could theoretically land Rothwell on a free transfer, as they did with Alex Mowatt during the summer 2021 transfer window.

Rothwell is better than Mowatt

To compare the two midfield maestros, the Blackburn man has recorded more interceptions (48) than Mowatt (35) and has a higher percentage for shots on target. Also, despite playing seven more games than the West Brom midfielder, Rothwell has committed nine fewer fouls than his fellow countryman this season.

This all suggests that he could be a significant upgrade on last summer’s midfield recruit for Bruce’s side if they bring him to the Midlands.

Described by his manager Tony Mowbray as a player who has “Premier League talent”, he could be just what the Baggies need in their side to make a strong push to get back into the top flight in 2023.

With Bruce discussing a possible transfer overhaul at The Hawthorns during the upcoming window, adding Rothwell to their ranks could be a perfect way to start.

In other news: West Brom dealt another big injury setback, it’s worrying news for Bruce