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Aston Villa could be set to turn their attention towards Lille starlet Jonathan David, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider revealed that the Midlands side could potentially make a move for the 22-year-old this summer, having seemingly missed out on (or opted against) a deal for veteran striker, Luis Suarez.

Amid reports linking the Canadian to Villa Park, Crook stated: “We know that obviously, they looked at the Luis Suarez situation. But Jonathan David is somebody that might come onto the radar, I’m told.

“That profile of player might be the path that they go down. So, it’s definitely one to look out for because Aston Villa still have spending power in this market.”

The Premier League outfit are believed to have a longstanding interest in the former Gent ace stretching back to his days in Belgium, although are yet to make an official approach to his current side.

Major coup

Although any deal certainly won’t come cheap – with the highly-rated prospect valued at around £40.5m as per Transfermarkt – should NSWE be able to flex their financial muscle again and bring the youngster to the club it would no doubt represent a significant coup for the ambitious outfit.

Amid problems in attack for Steven Gerrard’s side, with Ollie Watkins top-scoring with just 11 goals in all competitions last term, a move for David would seemingly be a notable solution to those goalscoring woes, with the £35k-per-week marksman having been in explosive form in recent seasons.

Plucked by his current side two years ago, the Brooklyn-born menace has since gone on to score 32 goals and provide five assists in 96 games in all competitions in France, notably bagging 28 league goals across the last two seasons combined.

His tally of 15 top-flight goals last term was only bettered by four players in the division, while the 5 foot 11 speedster also boasts an outstanding record at international level, having scored 20 goals in just 20 appearances thus far.

A key component of the Canada side that has qualified for this year’s World Cup for the first time since 1986, the “fearless” forward – as dubbed by national team coach John Herdman – is currently thriving for both club and country, with a major move to help progress his career seemingly on the cards.

Joining a side that finished in the bottom half of the Premier League last season may appear something of a backwards step, although Gerrard and co are seemingly gearing up for a major assault on the European qualification spots next term, with four major signings under their belt already.

Despite his youth, David could well be the figurehead of that side, while his potential arrival could prove another notable statement of intent from the Villans.

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

Leeds United have got their transfer window off to a frantic start with Victor Orta and Jesse Marsch wasting no time in improving the squad.

It’s been an urgent but much-needed rebuild with the Whites enduring a dismal 2021/22 campaign.

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They survived by the skin of their teeth and they are in no mood to repeat things next time around.

Marc Roca, Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen have been added to a squad that could be gutted by the potential departures of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips.

Marsch will have big shoes to fill if they leave but with a glowing list of young prospects coming through the ranks, there is hope that one day the American could unearth his very own Yorkshire Pirlo.

Speaking of Pirlo and the best to play the game over the last two decades, Leeds could well be on the verge of repeating their Rio Ferdinand masterclass.

The centre-back signed for the Elland Road outfit back in 2000 in what was a then club-record fee of £18m from West Ham.

Fast forward 22 years later and Leeds are turning to the Hammers again, this time to sign a player at the opposite end of the pitch to Ferdinand.

That happens to be teenage forward Sonny Perkins with the Elland Road hierarchy believed to be casting their eyes towards the youngster.

The 18-year-old hasn’t earned a great deal of first-team football yet but has been banging in the goals at youth level, finding the net on 19 occasions for their U18 and U23 sides.

That form has seen Leeds linked with a switch as they aim to bolster a set up already blessed with some of the finest talents in their age group; Sam Greenwood and Joe Gelhardt.

Perkins, who has been earning “rave reviews” in the words of ExWHUemployee, certainly deserves more minutes but whether he’d earn them more under Marsch than David Moyes remains to be seen.

Either way, Leeds already have a history of recruiting from the Irons and it went pretty well with Ferdinand before he secured a move to his now beloved Manchester United.

Perkins may not be the stoic defender that the now television pundit is but he is equally as brutal, just in the opposition’s penalty area instead.

The youngster clearly has an enormously bright future ahead of him and as a result, he’d be a wise signing from Orta. Perkins really does have the world at his feet.

AND in other news, Orta now plotting Leeds bid for “complete” £25m machine, just imagine him & Roca…

Leeds United are working on a new deal for winger Crysencio Summerville, who is wanted by Nottingham Forest, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Summerville at Leeds

Summerville made the move to Elland Road from Dutch side Feyenoord back in 2020 following the club’s promotion to the Premier League.

The 20-year-old has featured mainly for the U23s, contributing to 21 goals in 27 games. He has made nine senior Whites appearances and featured on the bench regularly in the Premier League last season.

Described as ‘superb’ by Noel Whelan, the winger is now entering the final 12 months of his deal in Yorkshire, but it looks as if Leeds want to keep him at the club.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano took to Twitter on Thursday to provide an update on Summerville.

He revealed that the Dutchman is attracting interest from both Forest and AZ Alkmaar, however, he added that ‘Leeds are busy’ trying to extend his contract with ‘negotiations ongoing’.

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed?

Summerville has proven at Thorp Arch with the U23s that he has bundles of attacking quality, so agreeing on a new contract would be a wise move.

Jesse Marsch may lose a star winger in Raphinha this summer, and although Summerville may not be viewed as a direct replacement at this moment in time, he could become a first-team regular over the coming years.

Securing a new contract and sending him out on loan for regular senior football could be the ideal scenario for Leeds chiefs, and it looks as if a decision will be made on the player’s future very soon.

Celtic defender Christopher Jullien is ready to stay and fight for a place in the team, according to a report from the Daily Record. 

The lowdown: Setback after setback

The Frenchman has endured a torrid spell with injury after initially missing 13 matches with a back problem during the 2020/21 campaign.

Upon making a return, the towering centre-back was then forced off against Dundee United at the end of 2020, clattering his knee off the post as he cleared a Marc McNulty shot off the line in a 3-0 victory. He was subsequently absent for 409 days as a result before returning to face Raith Rovers in February of this year.

That appearance was the solitary outing for the 29-year-old last term, and having been deemed surplus to requirements in some quarters this summer, it now appears as though the Frenchman may be willing to stay put…

The latest: Not going anywhere

As per the Daily Record, Jullien is believed to be ‘ready to stay and fight’ for a place in Ange Postecoglou’s plans next season.

It’s claimed that the Hoops have ‘received no concrete bids’ for the former France under-20 gem despite being willing to ‘listen to offers’ from clubs.

The report added that Jullien – who was branded a ‘man mountain’ by ex-Scotland defender Alan Hutton following a formidable performance containing 15 clearances in the 1-1 draw against FC Copenhagen in 2020 – has already ‘told’ Postecoglou of a willingness to remain as part of the Bhoys’ squad.

The verdict: Good news

Despite the wretched recent spell of injuries and the consequent lack of game-time, keeping a player of the £4.95m-valued Frenchman’s prowess within the Lennoxtown camp can certainly prove to be positive.

Prior to the crippling setbacks which have ultimately seen him fail to attract any attention in the market, Jullien had been a regular feature for Celtic, making 47 appearances during 2019/20 and scoring seven times that season to highlight an attacking aerial threat to accompany his defensive skills.

As the Hoops prepare to embark on another strenuous campaign in the pursuit of yet more silverware, with the addition of midweek Champions League action to cram in, keeping the 6 foot 5 Jullien at Parkhead could prove to be an unintended masterstroke.

In other news, Celtic are in ‘advanced talks’ to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Everton have been reportedly interested in a move for Conor Gallagher this summer, and a new update has now emerged as Frank Lampard sets out to bolster his squad at Goodison Park ahead of next season.

What’s the latest?

Popular West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee went on The Transfer Show podcast to give an insight on Everton’s pursuit of the Chelsea youngster.

The insider revealed (via This is Futbol): “You’ve got Conor Gallagher, who I really like; he had a great spell at Crystal Palace on loan this year, scored against West Ham, played very well against us, pretty much dominated the game against us.

“He looks like someone that Lampard’s interested in.”

Supporters will be buzzing

It was claimed earlier this month that Thomas Tuchel was planning to give Gallagher a more consistent role in the Chelsea team next season, although Everton supporters will now be buzzing because it seems that the Toffees manager is refusing to give up on his chances of signing his former Stamford Bridge prodigy.

Lampard worked with the 22-year-old at Chelsea and the young midfielder is a huge admirer of his former boss, excelling as an attacking-minded midfielder just like the Everton manager during his playing career.

Gallagher claimed in an interview (via talkSPORT): “Frank Lampard is someone I have always looked up to, being a Chelsea fan, it was incredible watching him.”

Everton signing the Chelsea gem could have a great impact on his development if he makes the move to Goodison Park to work with Lampard, who has ample experience on how to execute the perfect midfield performance, something he achieved on countless occasions at Chelsea in his playing days.

The Merseyside club have had their midfield depth weakened as Donny van de Beek returns to Manchester United after his six month loan spell and Fabian Delph has been released after his contract expired this month, so there is definitely room for Gallagher to comfortably earn a lot of game-time.

If Farhad Moshiri could negotiate a loan deal for the 22-year-old, it would be a great piece of business for Everton, who are currently having to watch their spending amid Financial Fair Play concerns.

AND in other news: Moshiri can land Everton their own Theo Hernandez with swoop for “incredible” £10.8m-rated baller

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent and reliable reporter Alasdair Gold has now shared a potentially big transfer boost for manager Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Conte summer in full swing…

Having already confirmed the signing of Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan on a Bosman deal, it appears Conte’s first summer window at Spurs is well and truly underway.

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After the Italian’s crunch transfer summit with club director Fabio Paratici in Turin last week, the Lilywhites are showing absolutely no sign of stopping there (The Telegraph).

The Premier League giants are said to be casting their eye towards Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan) and Gabriel Jesus (Man City) among other targets.

Another name in right-wing-back starlet Djed Spence is repeatedly being linked at the moment and Gold now has a very promising update concerning the defender.

The Latest: Gold shares very promising update…

According to the football.london journalist, Spence is now ‘definitely’ tempted by a move to Spurs.

He explained:

“The latest on Spurs and Djed Spence as I understand it. The young wing-back is definitely tempted by a move to work with Antonio Conte but Tottenham have some decent competition for his signature.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Conte…

Able to help solve a ‘looming problem’ at Spurs in their homegrown quota, Spence’s potential signing would come as a boost for the north Londoners in so many ways.

His age and quality are obvious pulls given his phenomenal season in the Championship and just how crucial he was under manager Steve Cooper.

The Middlesbrough loanee was a fixture in Forest’s promotion campaign, starting 41 second tier matches and featuring over the sixth-highest amount of minutes in Cooper’s squad.

As well as this, forward Keinan Davis was the only Forest regular to complete more successful take-ons than the 21-year-old over the past season (WhoScored).

Spence also delivered the second-most crosses per 90 on the road to promotion, leaving little wonder members of the media have branded him an ‘exciting player’ (Marc Williams, Basford United head of media).

In other news: Tottenham now hopeful of signing ‘technically brilliant’ star amid internal talks! Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur could still sign Filip Kostic even after wrapping up a deal for Ivan Perisic, The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick reports. 

The lowdown

After Perisic passed a medical at Hotspur Way, the club confirmed the completion of the transfer this afternoon as the 33-year-old signs on a two-year deal.

Positional peer Kostic, meanwhile, is approaching the final 12 months of his agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt, who were crowned Europa League winners after beating Rangers.

Antonio Conte was able to call upon the likes of Ryan Sessegnon and Sergio Reguilon at left-wing back last season, but it seems they were a temporary solution.

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The latest

Kilpatrick points out that Perisic’s ‘versatility’ means that he may not be confined to a LWB berth in Conte’s system.

And that means Spurs could still sign another player in that position this summer, with Kostic one of the players ‘they also admire’.

The verdict

Kostic, a left midfielder by trade, is unsurprisingly very effective when it comes to the attacking side of the position.

Last season, he scored seven goals and topped Frankfurt’s assist rankings with 15 in all competitions, six clear of his nearest challenger Jesper Lindstrom.

Indeed, he set up more goals than anybody else in the Europa League (six), which helped win the competition’s Player of the Season award.

He recorded low volumes of defensive actions, ranking in the bottom 20 percentiles for tackles, interceptions, blocks, clearances and successful aerial duels, but Conte would look to mould that side of his game.

Significantly, Sky Sport Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg says he will be allowed to leave for just €15million (£12.8million), which journalist Brogan Clasper has dubbed ‘an absolute steal’.

In other news, read this Italian reporter’s big Bastoni claim.

Journalist Alan Nixon has now shared an exciting Southampton transfer update involving Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White after his brilliant Championship campaign on loan at Sheffield United.

The Lowdown: Saints set for busy summer?

The Saints and transfer chief Martin Semmens could be set for a very interesting summer transfer window, with plenty of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s current crop either out of contract or heading into the final 12 months of their existing deals.

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Speaking to The Daily Echo, Southampton’s director has recently admitted that the club could move for targets earlier than in previous windows, as new owners Sport Republic seek to move the St Mary’s outfit in a new direction.

Hasenhuttl’s side are apparently frontrunners to sign Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks, who looks set to depart the Premier League giants, and Nixon has now shared another promising update for Saints supporters.

The Latest: Southampton ‘topping the queue’ for Gibbs-White…

As per the reliable reporter via Patreon, Southampton are ‘topping the queue’ to sign Gibbs-White this summer as they enter pole position.

They are also ready to pay £20m or the Englishman after his ‘dazzling campaign’ on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship over 2021/22.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Nixon is certainly bang on the money when he references a ‘dazzling’ season for Gibbs-White at Bramall Lane.

According to WhoScored, he came in as the Blades’ best performer by average match-rating (7.14/10) while finishing the season as their top scorer (12) and leading assists provider (ten). He also topped their second-tier charts with the most attempts at goal per 90 (2.5) and joint-most key passes averaged in the final third (1.6 per game).

Former Barnsley manager Poya Asbaghi is certainly a fan, calling the 22-year-old the Blades’ “most outstanding” player earlier in the campaign.

Given Gibbs-White’s age and rising stock, Nixon’s claim that Southampton are the leading contenders to sign him comes as very exciting news.

In other news: Southampton emerge as frontrunners for ‘fabulous’ signing who’s suit Ralph ‘down to the ground’…find out more here.

West Ham United are set to miss out on Burnley defender James Tarkowski and have started to turn to other options, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Moyes’ target

The 29-year-old has been a long-term target of Hammers boss David Moyes. According to The Guardian, West Ham had multiple bids rejected by Burnley for the defender in summer 2020.

Astonishingly, it is reported that the east London club’s final offer amounted to a staggering £30m.

However, with the Burnley man’s contract set to expire at the end of June, Tarkowski will leave Turf Moor on a free transfer this summer.

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The Latest: Jones’ claim

According to the Daily Mirror, West Ham have cooled their interest in Tarkowski because they expect him to sign for Newcastle.

Whilst Jones is unsure about the validity of that report, the transfer insider has asserted that the Irons aren’t confident in their chances of signing the defender.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed:

“I’m not sure that’s the reason necessarily, but I don’t think West Ham have had positive feelings that they’ve got a good chance of signing Tarkowski, and that’s why they’re starting to turn towards other options in case it can’t happen.”

The Verdict: Would be a great signing on a free

As a proven Premier League defender with almost 200 top-flight appearances under his belt, Tarkowski has been hailed as “outstanding” by former Clarets manager Sean Dyche.

With such a wealth of experience and available for zero initial cost, it is certainly no surprise to see a whole host of clubs lining up for the centre-back’s signature.

And if the likes of Newcastle decide to offer the 29-year-old a huge salary, this deal may prove difficult for West Ham to get over the line.

Either way, whichever team ends up signing him will be receiving a great player on a free transfer, and Moyes may well be gutted to miss out given his long-term interest.

In other news: West Ham nearing agreement with Rennes for Nayef Aguerd!

Liverpool are long-term admirers of Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo and could make a move for him this summer, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

Zaniolo, 22, is predominantly a right winger but he’s also played 17 matches this season in a second striker role. That means he could provide cover and competition for Mohamed Salah, but may also be able to operate as a false nine in the manner of Roberto Firmino, for example.

Liverpool, of course, signed both Salah and Alisson from Roma in 2017 and 2018 for fees of £34million and £67million respectively.

And it seems Julian Ward, taking over as sporting director from Michael Edwards, could look to find more success by shopping in the Italian capital.

Zaniolo has just over two years remaining on his deal at the Stadio Olimpico, though his current focus may be on preparations for the Europa Conference League final against Feyenoord on 25 May.

His hat-trick against Bodo/Glimt last month helped steer Jose Mourinho’s side into the semifinals.

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The latest

The Italian press claim Zaniolo has been a Liverpool target for some time, so this is seemingly an Edwards target being carried over into Ward’s new role.

If the player is to extend his stay at Roma, he wants a contract worth €4million per year, which equates to about £65,000 per week, says the report. But if he’s to leave, he won’t be short of suitors, either domestically or abroad.

Juventus and AC Milan are waiting in the wings, and the player’s first instinct is apparently to remain in Italy.

He would apparently find it difficult to turn down a ‘super offer’ from overseas though, as Liverpool and Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur ‘have continued to monitor him for some time’.

It’s thought that he would cost somewhere between €65million and €70million (£55.3million-£59.5million).

The verdict

Is Zaniolo good enough for Liverpool? His goals/assists record this season is good without being spectacular – seven scored, eight assisted in 39 appearances across all competitions.

But it’s important to remember that he’s still a young player and that his development has badly affected by injury. The Italian suffered two anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the space of a year, so patience may be required.

What’s more, some of Zaniolo’s underlying numbers are strong. He records a high volume of dribbles (81st percentile), touches in the attacking penalty area and progressive passes received (both 80th), highlighting his technical proficiency and intelligent movement.

This is the former Serie A Young Player of the Year, and Klopp may believe he can unlock his potential.

In other news, Liverpool may have found a Jordan Henderson replacement.