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Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa may be worried after the latest transfer update to come out of Thorp Arch.

What’s the story?

The Whites enjoyed a superb return on their first season back in the Premier League, finishing in ninth place, and picking up some impressive results along the way – not least ending on a four-match winning streak.

But, it appears Bielsa’s side are set for a quiet start to the summer transfer window, with Leeds Live’s Beren Cross admitting that fans shouldn’t expect a “flurry” of incomings for now.

And, via his official Twitter account, Cross said: “The transfer window officially opens today, but don’t expect a starting pistol and a flurry of eight-figure deals. Leeds remain hopeful signings will be made before pre-season. #lufc”

Bielsa may be worried

When a transfer window opens, one of the main things managers will have stressed to the club is the importance getting deals done as soon as possible.

That can help in a multitude of ways, not least ensuring they don’t go late into the window stressing about what they still need to do, and it also allows the players who do arrive to join up with pre-season and get to know their teammates and manager better so that they can hit the ground running when the season starts.

It’s no surprise that Victor Orta himself meanwhile has recently admitted that he will do everything in his power to try and ensure Leeds’ business gets done as quickly as he can.

Speaking on The Phil Hay Show back in May, he said: “It’s a strange market, I think obviously I want all the new players to start pre-season. I still have a long month of June and obviously, I hope that (in) the month of June we can finish the job.

“We can put our effort but it is not always just our side. Perhaps from our side, it is all done but there are a lot of people involved and it is out of our control.”

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With it now approaching mid-June, and Leeds still looking no closer to clinching their first signing of the summer, let alone the rest of their business, Bielsa may be starting to get worried about when the Whites will kick things into gear.

Meanwhile, a journalist has dropped an exciting transfer update on this Leeds target…

Many Wolves fans have been left to rage as Tim Spiers gave an update on their final game of the 2020/21 term in the Premier League on Sunday 23rd May.

As per a tweet from The Athletic journalist, ticket prices for their match against Manchester United, at which 4,500 fans will be allowed in at Molineux, stand at £45 to sit in the Steve Bull stand, and £40 in the North and South Banks and Graham Hughes stand.

Several members of the Wanderers faithful have been left angered at just how much money the Midlands club are charging them, given that they have not been able to go to the stadium all season long and these prices are not affordable at all for some.

Spiers also tweeted a comparison with other clubs, with Burnley letting their supporters in free of charge, while some ‘Big Six’ teams even have cheaper ticket prices, with Arsenal and Manchester City charging as little as £25.

Wolves fans on ticket prices

These WWFC supporters raged as the ticket prices were shared on Twitter, with one fan even going as far as to claim that they were ‘disgusting’:

“£45 quid…… what a joke! What happened to the games we had from last season which we didn’t get to see and the Europa game we paid for??? “Football is nothing without the fans”…….”

Credit: @DaveWillis1981

“Massive own goal this”

Credit: @cagwassell

“Disgusting prices !!!”

Credit: @EuropeanSam

“Robbing us blind”

Credit: @Stonewolf68

“Ludicrous price tbh”

Credit: @wolfieandwendy

“Shocking prices”

Credit: @Beardo92

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Wanderers fuming here!

Leeds United are reportedly locked in a battle with several other Premier League clubs to sign Sunderland midfielder Josh Hawkes this summer.

The Lowdown: Hawkes impresses for Sunderland

The 22-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting players in the Black Cats’ academy this season, scoring 14 goals in 21 appearances in total, as well as registering seven assists.

Sunderland Under-23s boss Elliott Dickman has hailed Hakwes as ‘excellent’ and a number of top clubs are now thought to be eyeing him up.

The Latest: Leeds keen on move

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of those who are interested in signing the attacking midfielder, with West Ham, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United also mentioned.

Hawkes’ current contract expires next summer, meaning this may be the last chance for Sunderland to receive a decent fee for his services.

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The Verdict: One for the future?

It is always exciting to see Leeds linked with talented young British players, with a nucleus of homegrown individuals important in any Premier League squad.

Hawkes could certainly be viewed as an exciting option for the future, with the youngster having the chance to excel under a special manager like Marcelo Bielsa.

It is unlikely that he would be a first-team regular to begin with, given his lack of experience, but signing him would be further proof that Bielsa is looking at the long-term picture and that Leeds are putting plans in face for long term success, rather than short-term quick wins.

In other news, ‘huge’ offers are expected to be made for one key Leeds player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie fears Douglas Luiz will be condemned to the bench if he leaves Villa Park this summer.

This comes after Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola failed to rule out the possibility of the Citizens taking up a buy-back option they had included in the initial deal that saw Luiz join the Villans back in 2019, labelling him as “clever” on the ball.

The 22-year-old Brazilian has been a mainstay in Dean Smith’s midfield this season and is now valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt.

Hendrie, however, is not expecting him to have a similar role at City should he join their ranks given the options Guardiola already has in that area of the pitch.

On Luiz, the ex-Villa player told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“I just think, would he get into that City side? I don’t think he’d get in that City team. I think he’d be going there and he’d be sitting on the sidelines, really. I just think that they’ve got far too much.

“It would be a bad thing if Villa did sell him because he’s been brilliant.”

At present, City have Fernandinho and Rodri for that deep-lying midfield position. But with the former now 34 years of age and possibly leaving the Etihad at the end of the season when his contract expires, you can understand why Guardiola may be looking to bring someone in this summer.

Liam Kennedy has dropped some insight from sources on a potential timescale for Mike Ashley’s latest Newcastle United takeover case.

The Lowdown: Ashley launches another legal case

As per the Shields Gazette, Ashley and the St James’ Park club have launched another legal case against the Premier League, this time accusing them of what they believe to be anti-competitive behaviour in their decision-making process on the proposed deal from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium.

This is separate to the other case that the chief executive of Sports Direct has held against the league over the failed takeover, which is pending an arbitration hearing.

The Latest: Potential timescale for case

Writing in his latest piece for the Shields Gazette, Kennedy has outlined that proceedings for the case could reach a court date in less than six months, depending on the outcome of an impending hearing, according to sources.

The legal representatives of Newcastle, along with those of the Premier League, will also take part in a case management conference to determine whether their case will be expedited, and this should happen within the next seven to 10 days.

The Verdict: Premier League under pressure

The Premier League have certainly been put under pressure by Ashley and the Tyneside club in what is now two legal cases being launched against them relating to the failed takeover bid.

Nonetheless, the results of both cases should be quite interesting to see and will surely give a clearer understanding over where the potential takeover of Newcastle United is heading.

In other news, find out what Lampard-likened ace is wanted by Newcastle!

In an exclusive interview with Transfer Tavern, Rob Lee, who featured 280 times in the Premier League, has claimed that Adam Armstrong will favour a move to the Premier League in the summer.

Newcastle United have been credited with an interest in the player they sold in 2018, which is likely to be Blackburn Rovers’ favoured buyer as they have a 40% sell-on clause if Armstrong is sold to any other club.

Armstrong, who The Sun reported in February has a £25m price tag, has been in great form for Blackburn this season and is the third top scorer in the Championship this season.

Speaking on Armstrong’s ambitions to play in the Premier League and if a move to Newcastle would be good, Lee told Transfer Tavern exclusively:

“I think he’ll want to test himself in the Premier League. I know it’s his hometown club but they got rid of him for whatever reason, which still baffles me.

“If Newcastle go down why would he want to join? Surely he would want to push forward and play in the Premier League.

“I know him pretty well and I know he’s very ambitious and that he’ll want to test himself at the top because he’s a confident lad.”

Armstrong has been linked with a host of clubs including West Ham, with David Moyes reportedly singling him out as a priority signing this summer.

The Magpies may see Armstrong as the perfect striker to propel them back to the Premier League next season if they are relegated this campaign.

According to reports from Italy, Southampton centre-back Jannik Vestergaard is attracting interest from AS Roma, with Ralph Hasenhuttl facing a battle to keep the defender at Saints this summer.

The report by TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness) claims that Roma have made contact with Southampton regarding a deal for Vestergaard, with the Serie A side submitting an enquiry about the defender.

The 28-year-old, who has averaged a highly impressive WhoScored match rating of 7.08 over his 23 Premier League appearances so far this season, is also thought to be of interest to Tottenham Hotspur, with Jose Mourinho keen to strengthen the centre of his defence in the upcoming transfer window.

As such, with Roma now reportedly joining the race for the £60,000-per-week Denmark international, it would appear as if Hasenhuttl faces a huge battle to keep the defender at St Mary’s come the end of the season.

Transfer Tavern Take

With Vestergaard currently ranking as Southampton’s best performer in the top flight this season, it would appear highly unlikely that Hasenhuttl will be receptive to parting with the Dane this summer, whom Alan Shearer dubbed as “outstanding” earlier on this season.

And, considering the centre-back’s current Transfermarkt valuation of £16.2 million, Southampton will no doubt be demanding a considerable amount of money in order to even consider sanctioning the sale of the defender.

Having said that, with Roma now adding to Tottenham’s interest in the 28-year-old, it would indeed seem as if all things do ultimately point to Vestergaard moving on to pastures new this summer.

In other news: ‘Give him a lifetime contract’, ‘Love that’ – Many Saints fans gush at ‘brilliant’ contract talk – find out more here!

Frank McAvennie has suggested that Glasgow Rangers trio Joe Aribo, Borna Barisic and Glen Kamara could all leave Ibrox this summer.

McAvennie discusses potential exits

Rangers’ sporting director Ross Wilson recently said that the aforementioned trio are all loving life with the 55-time Scottish champions (The Telegraph).

However, speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie believes they could all leave for the right price. He explained:

“I think they will want to stay.

“It would have been a different story if they did not win the title but they have won the league. Why would want to leave?

“The Rangers fans will get annoyed at me but everybody has got a price. It is not me that says this.

“I am not trying to get rid of players. I do not want to see good players leave Scotland but every player has a price.

“Celtic have a price on their players and it is the same with Rangers.”

Not impossible

The Gers are currently in a strong position. They have just won the Premiership title for the first time in 10 years and, as a result, they have a chance of competing in the Champions League group stages next term. Given the collective efforts of the players mentioned, they are probably keen to test their ability in Europe’s premier club competition at Ibrox.

McAvennie is correct, though – every player has a price. Rangers and Wilson will be fully aware they will struggle to hold on to top talents throughout their careers.

Kamara, Aribo and Barisic are said to be valued at £10m, £11m and £12m respectively (The Athletic) – they are all strong assets for the Gers. The better they perform, though, the more money Rangers will receive when they eventually do sell them. At least that will allow the club to reinvest when the departures take hold.

In other news, some Rangers fans hammered this man’s performance against Celtic.

Diego Laxalt recently caused quite a stir on a gaming platform in regards to Celtic’s managerial hunt.

The Uruguayan, who is on a season-long loan from AC Milan, was streaming Fortnite on Twitch in the early hours of Tuesday morning, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

He was heard reading out a message: “Diego you meet Eddie Howe yet?” He replied: “No no no, tomorrow.”

These ten words led to many Celtic supporters thinking the Hoops were closing in on the former Bournemouth boss as Neil Lennon’s long-term replacement.

Laxalt clears up Howe confusion

It didn’t take long for Laxalt’s apparent admission on Howe to make its way on to social media, however, the left-back has now cleared up any confusion.

The 28-year-old, as reported by The Scottish Sun, took to Instagram to ask for the relevant clip to be taken down, admitting he was mistaken with Hoops striker Odsonne Edouard.

Transfer Tavern take

There’s never a dull moment when it comes to Celtic’s search for a new manager, but a first-team member revealing the new boss on a gaming platform would’ve been extremely bizarre.

However, with Laxalt now clearing up any confusion, that story can be put to bed.

Howe has been linked with the vacant Parkhead position, though, so who knows, we could still see the 43-year-old move to Glasgow ahead of the 2021/22 season, and Laxalt would have two Eddies to mix up if his loan is made permanent.

In other news: Celtic continue to be linked with international defender, find out more here. 

Liverpool may find that a move for Paris-Saint Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe could now be off the cards.

Mbappe on the rocks?

The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield over the past 12 months and has achieved a huge amount in football during his short career so far.

Mbappe was recently described as “unplayable” by compatriot and international teammate Antoine Griezmann, who says he “will be like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo” – two of the greatest footballers of all time (via talkSPORT).

However, Eurosport have revealed that the World Cup winner will be demanding around £500,000-per-week for his next contract, either with PSG or with his next club.

Liverpool’s joint-top earners are currently Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah who both take home £200,000-per-week, according to Spotrac, which is not even half of what Mbappe is looking for.

Transfer Tavern Verdict

With the current climate that the world finds itself in, and with the Reds not receiving any matchday income, there will of course be significant revenue losses.

Crucially, this will have an effect on their transfer plans and will surely put a spanner in the works of the Merseysiders’ attempts to pull off a blockbuster move for Mbappe.

Check out the latest Kylian Mbappe transfer news on the dedicated GMS Kylian Mbappe Transfer hub

There is no doubt that speculation will continue to grow as time goes on. But whatever happens, it is difficult to see how Fenway Sports Group (FSG) will sanction such a move.

In other news, Liverpool fans furious as Reds suffer new injury ahead of Fulham clash.