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West Ham centre-back Craig Dawson will be ‘high’ on Wolves’ list of potential January transfer targets, according to an update from journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Dawson linked with Wolves move

Wanderers lost a number of key defenders during the summer, with Conor Coady, Romain Saiss and Willy Boly all moving on to pastures new.

One player who has been linked with making up for the loss of those players is Dawson, who is struggling for playing time for West Ham, making just one start in the Premier League this season.

While a summer move didn’t materialise, it could be that a January move is possible, with the player himself thought to be keen on a move to be closer to his family.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke claimed that Dawson could head to Molineux in the next window to play under Wolves’ new manager:

“I think it’s a position that they will definitely look to strengthen again in January. I’m sure Dawson will be pretty high on the list of targets.”

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The Verdict: Great option for Wanderers

At 32, Dawson may not be at the peak of his powers anymore, but he remains a solid Premier League player who could be an effective squad option for Wolves.

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The centre-back now has a wealth of experience at the top level, playing 239 times in the top flight, as well as winning 16 caps for England’s Under-21s during his younger days.

The fact that Dawson can also thrive as right-back makes him a versatile option, too, so while it is wouldn’t be a game-changing signing, it would be a shrewd one.

Fulham have made contact to sign Inter Milan defender Stefan De Vrij next summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Attracting interest

The centre-back will be out of contract with the Italian giants in 2023, and the fact that he could available on a free at the end of the season has alerted several Premier League clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have both been credited with an interest in the 30-year-old, though a new name has now entered the fold in the race for his services, and it’s coming from Craven Cottage.

The Latest: Fulham eyeing De Vrij

According to FC Inter News (via Sport Witness), Fulham have ‘contacted the entourage’ of De Vrij, and are ‘ready to move’ for him should he not agree to fresh terms with Inter.

The Dutchman is believed to ‘still prefer’ to remain in the Serie A, though the club have ‘frozen all talk’ of a new deal, which has now ‘opened the door’ for Marco Silva’s side, who are considered a ‘valid track’.

It’s stated that the Cottagers have the sufficient ‘money to invest’ and could offer their target ‘important sums’ to entice him to England.

The Verdict: Massive coup

If Fulham could pull off the signing of De Vrij, it would be a massive coup for everyone associated with the club given the profile of player he is.

The 6 foot 2 star, who Antonio Conte once said was ‘like Bonucci’, has Champions League experience under his belt and has made a name for himself on the world stage.

Knowing that he would be a guaranteed starter would surely give the Cottagers the advantage over their fellow competitors, so this will definitely be one to watch in the months ahead.

Liverpool are facing a race against time to bring in a new central midfielder before Thursday’s transfer deadline but they could secure a phenomenal deal by signing Konrad Laimer.

It is no secret that Jurgen Klopp wants to bring in Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, with a deal for the teenager reportedly on the cards for next summer, but the German manager could find a similar player a year early in Laimer.

According to recent reports, the Austria international is one man on Liverpool’s shortlist as they look to bolster their midfield options following injuries to Thiago, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita.

Last season saw the 26-year-old contribute four goals and four assists in 26 Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig, averaging a solid 6.67 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

According to FbRef, the second-most similar player to Laimer in terms of style of play is Bellingham. The former Birmingham City youngster has established himself as one of the top talents in world football during his time at Dortmund, contributing 11 goals and 19 assists in 95 appearances for the Bundesliga side.

Last season saw the two midfielders register extremely similar numbers in terms of expected goals and assists per 90 minutes (0.30 vs 0.29), percentage of dribbles tackled (35.4 vs 35.8) and fouls committed (45 vs 44).

This emphasises that both midfielders can do the dirty work in midfield, while they also like to get forward in attack, which is arguably what Liverpool are lacking in the absence of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita.

While Bellingham is clearly the better long-term prospect for Liverpool’s midfield, Klopp emphasised following the defeat against Manchester United that he needed more bodies in the middle of the park, and at £25m, Laimer could be a bargain option for the Reds.

Laimer has gathered a lot of praise during his time in Germany, with Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann dubbing him a “Monsterballeroberungsmaschine”, which translated to English means “a monster, ball-winning machine.”

This is reinforced by WhoScored, who claim that tackling is Laimer’s greatest strength, while he also excels at through balls, long shots and dribbling, which again goes to show that he can offer Liverpool plenty from both an attacking and defensive perspective.

Bellingham is also said to excel at through balls and dribbling, which highlights their similarities further. Thus, if FSG and Klopp want a stop-gap midfielder until the 19-year-old potentially arrives at Anfield, then Laimer could be the ideal man.

Leeds United transfer target Kai Wagner ‘seems to prefer’ a move to Elland Road over both Benfica and Dinamo Zagreb, according to journalist Manuel Veth.

The Lowdown: Leeds talks

The Whites have been linked with bringing in a new left-back before the deadline following Junior Firpo’s injury in pre-season.

Jesse Marsch has used centre-back Pascal Struijk at left-back for the opening two matches of the Premier League campaign but is reportedly driving a move for Wagner.

Talks are thought to be going well for the Philadelphia Union player, who has been labelled ‘very creative’ by Ben Jacobs, and Leeds chiefs have been handed a further boost in their pursuit of the German.

The Latest: Veth’s claim

Veth took to Twitter on Sunday evening to reply to Jacobs’ update on the full-back.

He claimed that Wagner’s camp ‘seems to prefer Leeds United’ over both Benfica and Dinamo Zagreb.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Both Benfica and Dinamo Zagreb are in the Champions League play-offs, so Wagner’s preference for a move to Elland Road is huge for Victor Orta and co.

Veth has stated that Marsch is a ‘big fan’ of the 25-year-old, who can also play as a left midfielder, and a move appears to make sense due to the left-back situation in Yorkshire.

A transfer may not be too expensive either, as Wagner is out of contract with the MLS club at the end of 2022, so hopefully the full-back will arrive in England before the transfer deadline, alongside a new striker.

Newcastle United could reportedly turn to Valencia star Maxi Gomez in their quest to land a new centre-forward recruit.

What’s the word?

According to reports in Turkey – via Aksam – the Magpies have been named as one of the clubs who are believed to be interested in signing the 25-year-old, albeit they will face a race against time as Turkish side Fenerbache step up their approach.

The report suggests that the Uruguay international – who has two years remaining on his existing deal at the Mestalla – could be available for a fee of around €12m (£10m), having spent the past three seasons with the La Liga side after joining from Celta Vigo in 2019.

A new striker appears to be a major priority for the Tynesiders this summer, with Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie revealing that the northeast are likely to bring in a new figure to lead the line – as well as a winger – before the September deadline.

Howe’s own Suarez

Managing to secure the former West Ham United target would no doubt be a major coup for the Premier League side, with the £10.8m-rated man having proven himself a reliable goalscoring presence in recent seasons in Spain, having scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in 102 games for his current side.

Prior to that, the £49k-per-week menace had registered 31 goals and 12 assists in just 75 games across all fronts at Celta, while also bagging 41 goal contributions in just 52 games at his prior stint at Montevideo outfit, Defensor Sporting Club.

Equally, at international level, the 6 foot 1 “throwback” – as dubbed by South American football expert Tim Vickery – has netted four times in 27 caps thus far, with the suggestion being that he can go on to emulate compatriot and international colleague, Luis Suarez, as his nation’s leading man.

Gomez himself has previously opened up on those comparisons, stating that: “[Suarez] is my idol. I admire him a lot for the way he works. People in Uruguay say that I am going to be his successor in the national team, and I hope that will be the case.”

Such a claim will no doubt have caught the eye of those at St James’ Park, with it a mouthwatering prospect as to the thought of someone being able to replicate the success of the genius figure that is Suarez.

The 35-year-old – who recently returned to former club Nacional after 16 years away from the club – has been a prolific figure in European football over the last decade or so, notably enjoying a fine previous stint in England at Liverpool.

His spell at Anfield saw the often controversial forward score 82 goals and provide 46 assists in just 133 games for the Merseyside outfit in all competitions, notably producing one of his finest goals for the Reds against the Tynesiders back in November 2012.

After joining Catalan giants Barcelona in 2014, the 132-cap menace went on to provide 307 goal involvements in 281 games across all fronts, before adding a further 40 goals and assists in just 83 games at Atletico Madrid.

Such remarkable statistics are a marker of just how talented the 6-foot sensation is, with Newcastle manager Eddie Howe no doubt licking his lips at the prospect of having a Suarez-like figure in his ranks in Gomez.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are ‘ready to push ahead’ to sign Lucas Paqueta and Bamba Dieng for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Attackers wanted

Having recently been linked with moves for the likes of James Maddison and Maxi Gomez, it is clear that Eddie Howe is now looking at bringing in attacking reinforcements to St. James’ Park.

They have already signed goalkeeper Nick Pope, central defender Sven Botman and left-back Matt Targett, so they can now focus on strengthening their options in the final third with time ticking down towards the September 1 deadline.

The Latest: Paqueta and Dieng interest

Taking to Twitter, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the North East club are ‘ready to push ahead’ for moves for both Paqueta and Dieng, adding that their prices fit well into their budget:

“Newcastle are ready to push ahead with moves for Marseille’s Bamba Dieng and Lyon’s Lucas Paqueta. The prices for both players fit well into Newcastle’s budget and they have both been on the club’s radar since the turn of the year.”

Expanding in his piece for 90min, the journalist shared that Marseille could be willing to sell Dieng for £15m, while Lyon could sell Paqueta for £33m plus add-ons.

The Verdict: Exciting

The fact that the Tynesiders are pursuing both of these deals is exciting for the Toon Army.

Dieng managed a handy eight goals and three assists in total over all competitions last term (Transfermarkt), and the striker has even been labelled the ‘new Sadio Mane’,  with the Senegal international starring alongside his countryman in their African Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph.

Paqueta meanwhile would certainly add more guile in midfield alongside his former Lyon teammate and fellow Brazilian Bruno Guimarares, scoring an impressive 11 goals and making a further seven assists from the middle of the park last campaign (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, with Maddison thought to cost around £60m, the Magpies could get both Dieng and Paqueta for less, which would be a real bargain.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Giovani in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to ESPN Brazil, via Sport Witness, the Magpies are among a number of clubs eyeing a move for the attacker, as Dan Ashworth plots a swoop to sign him.

The report claims that the 18-year-old has a release clause set at €60m (£50m), although it remains to be seen how much the Toon are willing to pay for him.

It is also stated that Ajax and Bayer Leverkusen are in the race to land his signature and will battle Newcastle to land him in the coming weeks.

Howe can axe Jacob Murphy

The Magpies must work hard to bring Giovani to the club this summer, as his arrival could enable Eddie Howe to axe Jacob Murphy from the squad.

Kieran Trippier’s arrival in January means that the former Norwich man is no longer needed as a right-back option. The England international looks set to be the go-to man in that position, whilst Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth remain in the squad as backup options.

This means that Murphy’s only likely chance of getting minutes this season is playing in his more natural position as a winger. However, this is a cause for concern, as his statistics in recent campaigns do not suggest that he has the quality to play there in the Premier League, with just three goals and five assists in 59 outings.

In Giovani, Newcastle can land a player with the potential to be a first-team quality gem. At the age of 18, he is yet to showcase his ability on a consistent basis at senior level but has shown signs of promise.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed him as having “Angel Di Maria vibes” and listed his strengths as pace, acceleration, dribbling, technique, ball control, first touch, creativity and flair.

These comments, along with his four goals and three assists in eight games for Palmeiras’ under-20s, suggest that Giovani has the potential to be a star of the future.

This means that he would be perfect for Murphy’s role in the Newcastle squad as he can gain valuable experience sitting on the bench and picking up minutes here and there this season. He can fill in when required and be a supporting act to the frontline players, with a view to him taking over from them in the future.

Therefore, Howe could axe the English dud from his squad role, with Giovani possibly being an asset for the Magpies this season and for many years to come.

AND in other news, “I know for a fact”: Journalist delivers huge Newcastle transfer claim, it would be a huge coup…

Luke Edwards has now shared his views on the arrival of Sven Botman at Newcastle United, thrilled by the show of ambition from the Magpies in beating seven-time European champions AC Milan.

The Lowdown: Botman’s arrival

After a long round of negotiations, the Magpies have now secured the signing of Lille centre-back Botman, who joins Eddie Howe’s side on a five year contract.

Newcastle eventually came to an agreement with the French side after months of talks dating back to January, with a £32m fee deemed acceptable for the promising youngster.

The Toon were locked in a battle with Serie A giants AC Milan to land the 22-year-old defender, with the Italian outfit unwilling to match Lille’s valuation of the player.

The Latest: Edwards’ reaction

Edwards has now shared his views on Newcastle’s latest signing, proclaiming that this is a sign of things to come for the North East club.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist exclaimed:

“Botman was on #nufc scouting list this time last year but there was no chance they could have signed him then and beating AC Milan to do so was simply unimaginable. The times are a changing.”

The Verdict: Great signing

According to SofaScore match ratings, Botman was Lille’s most valuable player for the 2021/22 Ligue 1 season, having averaged an impressive 7.10 score across 25 appearances.

This praise has been supported by teammate Jose Fonte, an experienced Premier League defender, who claimed: “He’s tall, he’s considerably fast, he has a great left foot, he gives great balls between the lines and he reads the game very well. Listen, I loved every time, every game that we played together.

“He’s good now offensively too, he has improved. He scores goals. I think he can deal with the Premier League. For sure it’s going to be a great test for him, but I think he can deal with it, 100%.”

Given such remarks from a player with 177 English top-flight games under his belt, this is certainly an exciting signing for Magpies fans.

As Edwards suggests, beating the likes of Milan to the Dutchman’s signature highlights a huge change in Newcastle’s status as a club across Europe.

A big update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their agreement to bring James Sands to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Ibrox ranks in 2023… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Tom Bogert has revealed that Rangers will be able to sign the versatile gem for a fee in the region of £4.8m next year, at the end of his current loan spell.

He Tweeted: “Was told Rangers’ purchase clause for on-loan NYCFC and USMNT defender James Sands is $6 million. Dunno if there was a loan fee too or not. I would assume Rangers will trigger that. Think he’ll be really good this year.”

Supporters will be excited

The Gers supporters will be excited by this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it shows that there is money in the bank to spend a decent amount of money on permanent signings. The club have agreed a near-£5m fee for Sands, albeit with the intention of paying it in 2023, and fans will be pleased with the ambition shown by being willing to spend that kind of money.

Rangers have not spent more than £4.5m on a permanent signing since they brought Ryan Kent in from Liverpool in 2019 and this news indicates that they may be able to open up the purse strings again.

The supporter will also be excited by the prospect of seeing Sands develop at Ibrox in the years to come by signing him on a full-time basis.

He has now had five months to settle into life in Scotland and will be able to hit the ground running in 2022/23 with some valuable experience under his belt. The 21-year-old played 12 times in the Premiership and Europa League combined as he played at centre-back and in central midfield, showing off his impressive versatility as a youngster.

Sands showcased his potential in the 2021 MLS campaign for New York City FC as he won 58% of his duels and made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game – averaging an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.91 whilst playing in multiple positions.

These statistics illustrate the kind of player he can grow into as he has strong defensive instincts and is not bullied by the opposition in individual battles, whilst he is also capable of delivering good performances on a regular basis.

At the age of 21, he has plenty of growth left to go through and can, hopefully, fulfil his potential in Glasgow as he gains more experience, which is why the supporters will now be excited by Bogert’s expectation that the club will sign him permanently.

AND in other news, Big setback: Rangers dealt hammer blow that’ll leave van Bronckhorst fuming…

Liverpool had reportedly agreed on personal terms with Aurelien Tchouameni last month, but now as a new update emerges on the player’s future the Reds could be ready to move on to a new potential transfer target this summer.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Aurelien Tchouameni has agreed to join Real Madrid.

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Romano tweeted: “Aurelién Tchouaméni to Real Madrid, here we go! Talks were at final stages yesterday night between Real and Monaco, it’s now fully agreed after final meeting for €80m plus add-ons to €100m.”

With the Monaco midfielder now unobtainable, Liverpool have been handed the green light to sign another target in Carlos Soler with reports from Spain (via The Express) suggesting that Valencia are prepared to sell him in a deal that could be worth £34m (€40m).

Tchouameni alternative

The current midfielder situation at Liverpool is not in crisis but there is definitely room for fresh new talent to start making an impact on the side, especially when you consider the age range in the squad in terms of the centre of the pitch.

Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and James Milner are all in their 30s at this point and Jurgen Klopp is likely feeling that he needs to start planning for the future, which reflects in their interest for Tchouameni already this summer.

Carlos Soler was reportedly in talks with the Reds earlier this year but since then nothing more has materialised. However there are now reports that Valencia are set to sanction a sale of the player which is a massive green light for Liverpool to take the next steps in their interest.

The midfield maestro who was hailed “complete” by Curro Torres, has scored 11 goals, delivered five assists and created five big chances, making 1.7 key passes, taking 1.3 shots per game and winning the majority of his duels (54%), proving that he is highly effective in attacking play but also offers defensive attributes too.

The 25-year-old midfielder could be the perfect cheaper alternative to Tchouameni for Liverpool and thanks to his diversity in positioning with the Spain international capable of playing a wide range of midfield roles he could certainly add quality depth to every area which will be a huge bonus for Klopp.

With that being said, FSG should act upon their interest and finally make an official move for versatile Soler this summer, especially with his Spanish club ready to sell up there’s a golden opportunity for Liverpool to seal a good piece of business.

AND in other news: Offer made: Liverpool now “want to sign” 34-goal “diamond”, Klopp absolutely loves him