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Ibrahim Sangare could thrive alongside Frenkie de Jong at Manchester United, according to journalist Jacque Talbot. 

The lowdown

Sky Sports reported earlier this month that the Red Devils are interested in signing Sangare from PSV Eindhoven. The 24-year-old has a release clause in his contract with the Eredivisie club, making him available for €35m (£29.9m).

Meanwhile, United are said to be closing in on a deal for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The latest

Talbot has said that the Red Devils admire Sangare and reckons that the Ivory Coast international could be a ‘perfect’ potential accomplice to De Jong in Erik ten Hag’s midfield.

The journalist told GiveMeSport: “There’s clearly some interest there. I think he’s been linked to quite a few clubs, actually, this window, and you suspect a player like him alongside De Jong would be perfect for Manchester United going forward.”

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The verdict

There’s a case to be made that United need multiple midfield additions this summer, particularly as they have lost both Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic at the end of their contracts.

Sangare and De Jong are different enough in profile that they could ideally both slot into the same midfield.

As per WhoScored, the Dutchman’s main strengths are his dribbling and passing, but he averages only 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game. Sangare is an effective distributor in his own right too, but he would likely be tasked with doing the majority of the ball-winning, with 5.9 tackles and interceptions combined in last season’s Eredivisie.

Therefore, you can see why Talbot believes that, if both players end up at Old Trafford in the near future, their skill sets would complement each other nicely.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly closing in on the signing of Troyes defender Giulian Biancone, according to journalist Jacque Talbot. 

The lowdown: Career so far

A product of the youth system at AS Monaco, the 22-year-old signed for Belgian outfit Cercle Brugge on loan twice before being sold to Troyes last August.

The France youth international enjoyed a superb campaign in Ligue 1 as Troyes finished 15th on their return to the French top flight.

It now appears as though a move to the Premier League could be the next step in a promising career for Biancone…

The latest: ‘Will join…’

Taking to Twitter, Talbot – a European football correspondent for numerous outlets – claimed on Saturday afternoon that the 22-year-old had passed his medical and was on the verge of completing a transfer to the City Ground.

He stated: “Exc: Told Giulian Biancone passed his medical an hour ago at Nottingham Forest and will join the side ahead of pre-season. Moussa Niakhaté will be done soon and there is confidence in Liverpool’s Neco Williams getting wrapped up as well. #NFFC”

Elsewhere on the deal for Biancone, The Athletic reported that the Reds will pay £5m for the versatile defender, who earned £3,200 per week at Troyes during 2022 (Salary Sport).

The verdict: Smart business

Holding a perceived market value of £3.6m and under contract until 2026 (Transfermarkt), signing the Frenchman for the aforementioned fee must to be regarded as a shrewd piece of business from the Forest hierarchy.

Last season, the former Monaco youngster earned an impressive 6.88 Sofascore rating whilst winning 4.9 duels and making 1.6 interceptions and two clearances per game, showcasing superb defensive attributes in the process.

Capable of operating as a central defender, in either full-back role and in more advanced wide positions, Biancone adds invaluable versatility to Steve Cooper’s squad as the Welshman plans for life managing in the Premier League.

Newcastle United have a track record when it comes to signing players from fellow English clubs during previous summer and winter transfer windows.

One player that made a move to St. James Park from a side that Newcastle will be facing off against in their upcoming Premier League campaign is Callum Wilson.

Back in the 2020 summer transfer window, the Magpies struck a deal with AFC Bournemouth worth £20m for Callum Wilson.

Since then, the Englishman has gone on to score 20 goals in 46 appearances for the Tyneside club, highlighting how useful he can be in front of goal.

With there still being some time left before the current transfer window closes, this period could give the Toon the chance to bring in what could be their next version of the former Bournemouth star.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Magpies have set their eyes on securing a transfer deal for Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Having made 190 senior appearances for the Toffees, the centre-forward has found the net 58 times in addition to providing 18 assists as well.

With 86 Premier League appearances across his previous three campaigns, the Englishman has found the net 34 times, highlighting the goalscoring credentials he has in the top division.

This backs up why he was praised for his “fabulous” goalscoring efforts by Graeme Souness back in November 2020 as well as being described as a “cold” finisher by former Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti.

To compare his previous league campaign with Wilson’s, the pair racked up an almost identical rate for shots on target per 90 minutes, highlighting the attacking similarities between the two and why Calvert-Lewin would be a suitable next version of the current Toon striker.

Despite having a rather hefty reported price tag of £60m, this would be an investment worth making for PIF as not only does the Everton striker have the experience to immediately hit the ground running at Newcastle, but he also has the time ahead of him to a long-term fixture in the squad.

Moving forward, with the Merseyside club having already cashed in on Richarlison this summer, if they could be tempted with a big-money offer for Calvert-Lewin, Newcastle should definitely put themselves at the front of the queue to land him.

AND in other news: Howe can land huge Almiron upgrade with Newcastle bid for “fearless” £18m-rated target

Crystal Palace are seemingly closing in on their fourth summer signing, with reports suggesting that the Eagles have a verbal agreement to sign Bayern Munich defender Chris Richards.

What’s the word?

Patrick Vieira’s side were linked with the USA international last week, with Southampton and Leeds United also said to be interested in the 22-year-old.

However, it seems as if the Selhurst Park outfit have won the race to sign Richards this summer, as Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg confirmed on Twitter.

He wrote: “Chris Richards: He has a verbal agreement with Crystal Palace. The Bayern defender wants to join them. Now the clubs has to find an agreement. Negotiations ongoing.”

Supporters will be buzzing

After an impressive first season in charge of Palace, Vieira is working quickly to continue his overhaul at the club, having already brought in Sam Johnstone, Malcolm Ebiowei and Cheick Doucoure this summer.

Under Roy Hodgson, Selhurst Park was home to far too many journeymen and players in decline, but they have been transformed into an exciting, youthful side over the past 12 months. In Richards, the Eagles will be getting another promising young defender who has been a regular on loan at Hoffenheim for the last two Bundesliga seasons.

The centre-back made 34 appearances across his two loan spells at the club, contributing one goal and two assists in that time to add to his 10 senior outings for Bayern Munich.

Richards has been tipped for a bright future by USA manager Gregg Berhalter, who spoke highly of the youngster last year, saying: “Chris is one of our central defenders of the future. I like his development very much. I find the cooperation between Bayern and the USSF to be outstanding. Together we’re trying to develop a great player from a great talent.”

While Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen formed a strong partnership at the heart of Palace’s defence last season, Vieira will be glad to have another young option at the back, and supporters will surely be delighted to hear that Richards is ready to make the move to Selhurst Park.

AND in other news: Vieira can land his own Cavani as Crystal Palace eye move for £42m “huge talent”

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Carney Chukwuemeka to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report by Leeds Live, who claim that the Whites are the latest side to join the race for the Aston Villa central midfielder’s signing in the summer transfer window – with the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund all believed to be extremely keen on a move for the 18-year-old.

The report goes on to state that, after Steven Gerrard omitted the England U19 international from Villa’s squad for their pre-season tour of Australia – as a result of the teenager rejecting the club’s offers of a new contract – the West Midlands side would be willing to accept an offer in the region of £20m for the Austrian-born starlet this summer.

“Generational talent”

Considering the sheer amount of potential Chukwuemeka undoubtedly possesses, it is not difficult to understand why Victor Orta would be keen on a deal to bring the 18-year-old to Elland Road ahead of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

While it is true that the £5.4m-rated starlet is yet to make a huge impact within the Aston Villa first team – having featured just 16 times for the club’s senior side – the midfielder’s returns at youth level have been incredibly eye-catching.

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Indeed, over his 26 fixtures during his time with Villa U18s, the youngster scored a quite remarkable ten goals and registered eight assists from the middle of the park, while, over his 28 fixtures for the U23s, the talent also bagged three goals and provided five assists.

Furthermore, the £2.4k-per-week sensation played a starring role in England’s U19 European Championship victory this summer, with the 18-year-old scoring three goals over his four appearances in the competition, including the all-important second to take an extra-time lead against Israel in the final – with his displays seeing him named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament.

Further still, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie clearly believes that Chukwuemeka has a huge future in the game, stating of the youngster last August: “This boy is going to be the future. You talk about the [Jack] Grealish’s of the world. This boy has got composure, silk, [strength] and I think they are looking more from him in that he adds goals to his game.”

As such, should Orta manage to fight off the fierce competition for the player who Patrick Rowe dubbed a “generational talent” this summer, the Spaniard could well have unearthed a new Grealish-level talent – who left Villa for Manchester City in a £100m deal last summer – for the Whites, something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for everyone involved with the club.

AND in other news: Sky Sports reveal “breaking news” that’ll leave Leeds United supporters gutted

Joe Donnohue has dropped an update on Leeds United’s bid to sign a new left-back this summer.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Yorkshire Evening Post journalist revealed that, following Monday’s confirmation that Leif Davis has secured a £1m move to League One side Ipswich Town, it is now expected that Victor Orta brings a new left-back into Elland Road over the remainder of the summer transfer window.

In his tweet, Donnohue said: “Leif Davis joins Ipswich Town on a permanent deal. Fee in the region of £1m. Left-back expected to come in at LUFC now.”

Supporters will love Donnohue’s update

Considering just how underwhelming Junior Firpo was throughout his debut campaign at Elland Road last season, and with both the former Barcelona left-back and Stuart Dallas missing the start of 2022/23 due to injury, Donnohue’s update suggesting that Orta will now make a move for a new player in the position this summer is sure to have left Leeds supporters buzzing.

Indeed, over Firpo’s 24 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £12.8m signing failed to convince on the left of the Whites’ backline, being beaten by an opponent 1.2 times, losing possession 9.2 times and committing 1.6 fouls per game.

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These metrics contributed towards the £55k-per-week defender averaging a disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.60, ranking the 25-year-old as Jesse Marsch’s seventh-worst performer in the league last time out.

As such, when taking into account Davis’ recent departure, coupled with Dallas being ruled out until roughly the turn of the year, it is clear to see that Leeds are in rather desperate need of reinforcements at left-back if they are to improve upon last season’s disastrous total of 79 goals conceded.

With Orta recently being linked with moves for a number of impressive talents – such as Stoke City’s Josh Tymon and Anderlecht’s Sergio Gomez – it would seem as if the Spaniard does have a few potential options to pursue in the position over the remainder of the transfer window.

That is sure to delight both the Elland Road faithful and Marsch alike.

AND in other news – “Talks still ongoing…”: Journalist reveals latest Leeds transfer twist, Orta must now act

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi on his transfer ‘wish list’, says reliable journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Conte’s centre-back pursuit

Before the summer transfer window opened, the Lilywhites boss was touted with an interest in a whole host of different central defenders.

According to The Athletic, Josko Gvardiol of RB Leipzig and Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan were the Italian’s top choices; two players who are among Europe’s best on the left side of a back three.

However, Spurs are still yet to bring in a left-sided centre-back on a permanent deal. Instead, they seem to have momentarily settled on Clement Lenglet, who arrived at Hotspur Way on a season-long loan from Barcelona.

The Latest: Gold’s claim

In a QnA for football.london, Gold was asked whether Spurs have ever been interested in Guehi from Palace. In response, the journalist claimed:

“Spurs absolutely love him and I reported earlier in the summer that the 22-year-old was one of the names on their centre-back wish list. He plays mainly on the left of central defence where Tottenham now have Davies and Lenglet, although the latter can play in the centre if required.

“I just wonder whether the price that Palace would ask for the England international, who has a deal until 2026, would prove to be prohibitive and whether they’d even allow him to leave this year.

“Spurs will look for another centre-back if Rodon and/or Tanganga depart in the weeks ahead but I wonder if Guehi would may be one for next summer when I’m sure a number of teams will look at him after the World Cup.”

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The Verdict: Great potential

When looking at the 22-year-old’s underlying stats, his huge potential is clear to see.

Compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Guehi ranks in the top 22 percent for passes and dribbles (via FBRef), displaying the type of ball-playing abilities the elite clubs expect from their defenders.

He has also been hailed as ‘an absolute tank’ by England U21 teammate Josef Bursik, so would seemingly have no trouble with the physical demands Conte places upon his squad.

Having featured in 36 Premier League games last season, Patrick Vieira’s immense trust in the youngster should also say a lot – Wwth such great potential, it’s easy to see why this would be a brilliant long-term signing for Conte.

Leeds United are unlikely to sign PSV left-back Philipp Max following a hands-off warning from manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, LeedsLive reports.

The Lowdown: £7m bid

The Whites appear to be on the hunt for a new left-back before the transfer window slams shut, with Junior Firpo out through injury and Leif Davis recently sold to Ipswich Town.

It looks as if centre-back Pascal Struijk will be the man used by Jesse Marsch for the time being after he got the nod in the problem position for the club’s final pre-season friendly.

One player who has been linked is Max, with reports suggesting that Leeds made a £7m offer for the 28-year-old, described as ‘dangerous in the forward areas’ by former Augsburg coach Martin Schmidt.

The Latest: Van Nistelrooy’s comments

LeedsLive relayed comments from Van Nistelrooy on Max in a story shared on Tuesday.

He isn’t thinking about letting the left-back go over the coming weeks, with the report labelling a move to Elland Road as ‘unlikely’.

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The Verdict: Tymon instead?

Leeds could do with getting a move on in their pursuits of both a left-back and a striker, with Charles De Ketelaere now an AC Milan player, and if Max isn’t the man to come in at the back, it could be wise to look at Stoke City’s Josh Tymon.

Reports last month suggested that the Whites were weighing up a move for the 23-year-old, who was a regular in the Championship last season.

The Englishman may not be too expensive, can play further forward when required and loves a nutmeg, so he could be the ideal attacking full-back to rival Firpo going forward.

Liverpool got their transfer business done early this summer with three new faces joining the Anfield outfit, however, a reliable source has now claimed that the club may now dip back into the transfer market following the injury problems unfolding in the squad.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano claimed in his Caught Offside daily column that Liverpool “will consider” making another signing this summer.

Romano revealed on the Sub Stack subscription platform (via Rousing the Kop):

“Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool will consider a new midfielder if there is an opportunity on the market”

“I believe that Sporting Lisbon’s Matheus Nunes is a very interesting player who could be a good fit for this team, but we need to see the amount that the club will be prepared to invest.”

Klopp will love it

There is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp will love the possible opportunity to strengthen his midfield options before the transfer window slams shut on September 1st, especially after the news that Thiago Alcantara will be sidelined for up to six weeks.

James Pearce revealed in a piece for The Athletic that the Spanish midfielder will be out for over a month following a hamstring injury sustained in the clash at Craven Cottage last weekend, which is another blow to the midfield at Anfield.

Curtis Jones is already missing from the squad with a calf injury and is reportedly set to miss at least four weeks, alongside Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who will be sidelined for much longer with a serious hamstring injury.

As a result, Liverpool are left with minimal experienced players in their midfield with only Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho, Harvey Elliott and Naby Keita fit, with the latter renowned for his awful injury record since joining the Reds tallying up 16 incidences of fitness or illness issues so far.

Although they haven’t been to active of late, the club’s intent speaks for itself with talks reportedly taking place to sign Jude Bellingham next summer and the pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni earlier in the summer.

It was reported that the talented midfielder had agreed personal terms with both the Merseysiders and their Champions League final rivals Real Madrid, but ultimately chose a move to Los Blancos instead.

With that being said, it will now be interesting to see whether Liverpool secure their fourth signing to add further depth sooner rather than later to the centre of the pitch, but with three weeks left in the transfer window Julian Ward and FSG will need to act now. Should a surprise signing emerge before September 1st, it should well delight Klopp who is evidently lacking quality in central areas.

Sunderland are back in Championship action this afternoon with a home clash against Queens Park Rangers.

The Black Cats suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, after managing to pick up their first league win of the season last weekend.

On the chalkboard

Now that Alex Neil’s side are back in league action in front of their home fans, this will be the best way for them to put their midweek defeat behind them and continue picking up points in the Championship.

In terms of what Neil’s starting XI could look like, one figure that was involved in the defeat against Wednesday that we feel should be in from the beginning on this occasion is Luke O’Nien.

After coming on as a second-half substitute in Sunderland’s 1-1 draw against Coventry City, the midfielder was an unused substitute in last weekend’s win over Bristol City.

The 27-year-old then completed the full 90 minutes against Wednesday in midweek and put in a performance that will have given his manager a question to ask over whether he keeps his place in the team this time around for his first league start of the campaign.

Against the Yorkshire club, the Englishman, who has been hailed as a “revelation” in the past by Jack Ross, had 81 touches of the ball in total and completed 50 of the 55 passes he attempted, with two key passes and one shot on target under his belt.

From a defensive point of view, O’Nien won 14 of the 16 duels he was involved in, as well as making one clearance, three interceptions and seven tackles, which is more tackles than any other Black Cats player managed to make on the day.

This display ultimately earned him an impressive overall match rating of 7.9/10 from SofaScore, making him the highest-rated Sunderland player on the day, even higher than the likes of Elliot Embleton, who has appeared in both of the Black Cats’ opening two league games of the season.

Moving forward, with today’s opponents boasting the third-best rate for goals per shot (0.21) in the division, having someone with O’Nien’s defensive attributes in the team could be the best way for Sunderland to pick up a positive result.