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Leeds United winger Jack Harrison could be the subject of an offer from Newcastle United, according to The Daily Mail. 

The lowdown

There has already been one high-profile exit from Elland Road this summer, and another looks set to follow.

Kalvin Phillips has sealed a £45m move to reigning champions Manchester City, the biggest sale in Leeds’ history. However, that record probably won’t last for long, with Barcelona closing in on a deal for Raphinha which is expected to be worth close to £60m (via The Athletic).

The Whites have been able to recruit one new winger, with £22.5m man Luis Sinisterra arriving from Feyenoord, but it now seems that they might lose a second.

The latest

The Daily Mail journalist Simon Jones wrote that Newcastle are ‘weighing up a bid’ for Harrison, with their manager Eddie Howe said to admire the player’s attitude and work ethic.

Leeds have apparently been ‘braced for offers’ this summer after they were approached by Tottenham Hotspur in January.

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The verdict

Harrison is a very important player for Leeds. Since they were promoted in 2020, only two players – Patrick Bamford (32) and Raphinha (31) – have recorded more goal involvements for the Yorkshire outfit than his 27.

Overall, he has been involved in 26% of the goals that Leeds have scored in that period.

Journalist Joe Donnohue has described the £60,000-per-week man as an ‘unsung hero’, while Jesse Marsch has raved about the 25-year-old’s ‘quality’.

Maybe Sinisterra was brought in as a pre-emptive replacement for the Englishman, with another winger to be targeted after Raphinha moves on.

Steven Gerrard will be ‘desperate’ to keep hold of coveted Aston Villa gem Carney Chukwuemeka. 

That is according to sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

A host of elite European clubs are said to be pursuing Chukwuemeka, with a recent talkSPORT report identifying Liverpool, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Barcelona as the teams who have been linked.

Significantly, the 18-year-old midfielder is now into the final year of his contract at Villa Park. Gerrard has said the club have ‘done everything’ to convince him to commit, but the player is apparently keen to leave (via Birmingham Live).

Chukwuemeka has made 16 appearances for the Villa first team up to this point, including two Premier League starts.

The latest

O’Rourke has said that Villa have been trying to secure Chukwuemeka’s future for some time, but to no avail.

There is considerable excitement about what he could achieve at Villa going forward, but his future in the Midlands is clearly in doubt.

O’Rourke told GiveMeSport about the 18-year-old: “It’s been a priority for Villa for a while now to sort out his long-term future. He has been linked with a move for the last couple of transfer windows.

“He’s obviously highly-rated, and they have high hopes for him, so Gerrard will be desperate to keep him in the long-term to see how he can fit into the Aston Villa team.”

The verdict

It’s easy to understand why Chukwuemeka has so many suitors. He started every game for England’s under-19s en route to glory at the recent European Championships at that age level, while Goal ranked him 37th on their list of the best 50 wonderkids in world football in March.

Indeed, Villa journalist John Townley has called the 18-year-old’s potential ‘scary’, while talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed him a ‘superstar in the making’.

Gerrard and Villa may be torn – do they take their opportunity to cash in on an outstanding academy graduate, or do they fully integrate him into the first team next season in a bid to change his mind?

There’s certainly a dilemma to face, but considering Chukwuemeka’s undoubted potential, Villa must take great care with their eventual decision on the youngster.

Leeds United have been tipped to launch a bid to secure a permanent move for Manchester City midfielder James McAtee.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Ryan Taylor had this to say on the matter.

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He said: “I think McAtee is one that Leeds will look at permanently. They’re partial to that kind of deal. We saw them sign Lewis Bate from Chelsea, that kind of high potential youngster that they’re willing to invest in, although it hasn’t quite worked out yet.”

As a product of City’s youth academy, which has produced players such as Phil Foden, McAtee has made 93 appearances for the club across their senior and youth sides.

Over those appearances, the 19-year-old has scored 44 goals and delivered 27 assists in the process.

His latest campaign saw the midfielder score 18 goals and provide seven assists in 23 league appearances for City’s U23s.

He also made six senior appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, showing that he is on the fringes of breaking into the first team.

Leeds supporters will be buzzing

Should the Manchester club not be able to guarantee regular senior minutes for the teenager next season, perhaps a move away from the Etihad Stadium could be the best next step for him and his development.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to suggest that the Englishman would be an exciting signing for the Yorkshire club and have a lot of Leeds supporters buzzing to have such a promising young player in their ranks.

As Taylor also mentioned, the Whites have not been shy when it comes to signing young players from clubs across England.

In addition to Bate, figures such as Joe Gelhardt and Sean McGurk have made moves to Elland Road in recent years, highlighting just how eager the club can be when it comes to securing deals for young talents and developing them for the future.

Moving forward, if the Whites see an opportunity to potentially secure a loan, or even a permanent deal for the City starlet, this is definitely something that they should look to explore, as the possible long-term benefits could be huge for the club.

AND in other news: Marsch could seal the next £142m talent in Leeds bid for “magnificent” £16k-p/w target

Celtic are reportedly interested in signing Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder Alfa Semedo, according to a report from Portuguese outlet A Bola. 

The lowdown: Semedo’s career so far

After graduating from Benfica’s academy in 2016, the Guinea-Bissau international struggled to make the grade in the Portuguese top flight and left the Lisbon club with only 16 first-team outings to his name.

Since then, the 24-year-old has spent time on loan at Nottingham Forest, Reading and Espanyol before returning to Portugal.

Despite being under contract until 2026 (Transfermarkt), Semedo could now be on the move once again less than a year on from joining Guimaraes.

The latest: Celtic interested in Semedo

As per A Bola, Celtic are believed to be leading the chase to sign the eight-cap Guinea-Bissau international this summer.

It’s claimed that there are ‘are several clubs interested’ in Semedo, but it’s the Hoops who are ‘at the forefront’ as things stand.

The report added that the man who was hailed by reporter Andy Preston for his ‘brilliant’ role in a goal for Reading against Bournemouth in November 2020 ‘will be able to leave’ the Portuguese outfit during the summer transfer window.

The verdict: Much-needed signing

After the departures of Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton, signing a midfielder – particularly a defensive-minded operator – must be a priority for Ange Postecoglou and the Parkhead hierarchy ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

During the 2021/22 season, Semedo made 31 appearances across all competitions for Guimaraes, earning an impressive 6.61 Sofascore rating whilst making one interception and 1.1 clearances and winning 4.6 duels per league game – more than Rogic’s 3.4 and Bitton’s 3.1 in the Premiership.

Valued at £1.35m by Transfermarkt, signing the former Benfica starlet should be a relatively inexpensive venture for Celtic and a wholly worthwhile one, especially given his previous experience in the English Championship, which could help to ease any transition back to the UK.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a key Celtic transfer update. Read more here.

Newcastle United reportedly now ‘like’ the look of Gianluca Scamacca as a potential alternative to Hugo Ekitike.

The Lowdown: Standout season

The Italian has come off the back of a standout season at Sassuolo, where he scored 16 goals in 36 Serie A games (Transfermarkt).

Magpies supporters may have become familiar with him, having watched him play against England for Italy in their 0-0 draw in the UEFA Nations League recently, as the Three Lions defence found it difficult to play against him at times.

The striker won all three of his aerial duels against Gareth Southgate’s men at Molineux, a testament to his imposing 6 foot 5 stature.

The Latest: Ekitike alternative

Taking to Twitter, Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that Newcastle now ‘like’ Scamacca as a potential alternative to Ekitike, with the latter’s agent holding out amid interest from Borussia Dortmund.

However, there is a ‘feeling’ that Scamacca would prefer to stay in Italy, as Chelsea forward Armando Broja is also a player in whom the Magpies hold an ‘interest’.

The Verdict: Wait for Ekitike…

Ekitike still remains the Tynesiders’ number one centre-forward target, so they should wait to see if a deal can be pushed through for him first before they look at signing Scamacca or Broja.

Dubbed the ‘next Mbappe’ by some in France, the teenager certainly has a big future ahead of him, having broken onto the scene with 11 goals and four assists in French football last term (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, Scamacca is not much older at 23 and was called ‘deadly’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so he too has an eye for goal which could take Newcastle to the next level.

In other news, find out which deal NUFC have now tried to ‘hijack’

Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho is reportedly close to agreeing to a new deal at Molineux, which will surely delight Bruno Lage.

What’s the word?

According to Express and Star journalist Liam Keen:

“Wolves are getting closer to signing Joao Moutinho to a new deal. Talks progressing well and remain positive.”

The 35-year-old’s contract with the Old Gold is currently set to expire at the end of this month but it seems likely that the Portuguese maestro will be extending his stay with the club, which can only be good news for Wolves considering his performances in recent seasons.

Wolves supporters will be buzzing

Since signing from Monaco in 2018, Moutinho has gone on to make 176 appearances for Wolves, in which he has contributed five goals and 23 assists.

Despite his age, the veteran midfielder was a consistent first-team regular in Lage’s side last season, making 39 appearances in all competitions, popping up with two goals and one assist.

This emphasises that Lage still sees him as an important member of the squad, and it is no surprise that Wolves are keen to offer him a new deal, especially if his Portuguese compatriot Ruben Neves completes his likely move away from Molineux.

Danny Murphy was full of praise for Moutinho after he scored in a win against Brentford last season, saying:

“I think he’s missed five games in three and a half years which is some going. That’s durability for you. He’s such an intelligent footballer.

“His goal, what a goal… 35 years of age, to be playing so consistently at that age in the Premier League week in week out, it says a lot about the way he looks after himself. His goal was beautiful, as was his performance.”

Given how important the former Porto man has been for Wolves since their promotion to the top flight, supporters will no doubt be delighted with this update from Keen and will be hoping that Moutinho’s new contract is confirmed as soon as possible.

And, in other news… Lage can sign the next Busquets with Wolves bid for “highly gifted” £18m-rated gem

Arsenal’s summer transfer window could be an incredibly busy affair with the Gunners aiming to bolster their chances of reaching the top four in 2022/23.

What’s the word?

One area where Mikel Arteta’s men will need severely strengthening is in attack where both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang have departed in the last six months.

Fortunately, it looks as though Edu and the club’s recruitment team have spotted a solution.

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), they are interested in a deal for Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca.

The Italian has already attracted a bid of €32m (£27.2m) plus bonuses reaching around €40m (£34m) but that has been rejected by the Serie A side.

As a result, if Arsenal want a successful end to talks, it’s thought they will have to pay closer to €50m (£42.5m).

Giroud 2.0

The north London club look extremely short from an attacking perspective as the new season commences.

Eddie Nketiah remains the sole striker in their ranks and even his future is still uncertain. That said, it does look as though he’s set to sign a new £100k-per-week contract with them.

Even if that happens, Arsenal will need to sign another forward if they are to have any chance of leapfrogging their rivals in the Premier League next season.

A deal for Scamacca represents a risk considering his tally of 16 goals last term. That is a solid return but for a player who could cost over £40m, you’d want a bit more for your money.

That said, this is a player who has the all-round game to trouble many a defence with scout Jacek Kulig once describing him as an “outrageous talent.”

The 23-year-old has progressed nicely in recent years, developing from a potent threat in Serie B to now one of the most sought-after forwards in the top-flight of Italian football.

That journey rather mirrors that of former Arsenal star, Olivier Giroud, who also plied his trade in the second tier, albeit in France, before becoming a genuine star in the top division.

Arsene Wenger would later go on to sign the Frenchman and if we dive into FB Ref’s similar players model, Giroud is directly compared to Scamacca when assessing his statistics in Serie A.

Known for his heading and work off the ball, it’s easy to see why he’s cut from a similar cloth as the World Cup winner.

Although Scamacca is vastly better when beating an opponent and carrying the ball forward, there are plenty of parallels between the two strikers.

For starters, they both win a similar percentage of aerial battles with the Italy international reigning supreme in 55.7% per 90 to the AC Milan forward’s 58.7%. With that in mind, they are also fouled at a similar rate when contesting duels with Giroud drawing a foul 1.19 times per 90 minutes compared to Scamacca’s 1.05 fouls drawn.

As for recoveries of a loose ball, there is not much to choose between the two with Arsenal’s current transfer target registering 3.94 per 90 in comparison to their former attacker’s 3.24.

Their attacking numbers also draw parallels with Scamacca’s xG per 90 of 0.45 very close to Giroud’s 0.49 xG. Furthermore, their shot-creating actions are impressive as the Sassuolo star registers 2.22 every 90 minutes while his fellow attacker amasses 2.38.

With that in mind, it’s easy to see why the offensive duo are so similar. The idea of another Giroud penning terms at Colney might not get pulses racing but it would surely be an exciting signing nonetheless.

AND in other news, Left for £0, now worth £49.5m: Wenger had huge Arsenal howler on 29 y/o “maverick”…

Celtic showed during the previous summer and winter transfer windows that they are not averse to signing players from England’s top four divisions.

One of their most recent ventures south of the border saw the Hoops secure a four-and-a-half-year deal for midfielder Matt O’Riley from MK Dons worth a reported £1.5m in January.

After just one year with the League One club, O’Riley scored 10 goals and delivered eight assists in 54 appearances before taking the next step in his career.

After arriving at Parkhead, the 21-year-old – who has represented England and Denmark at youth international level – went on to make 20 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions. In that time, the winter recruit chipped in with four goals and two assists, all of which came in the Premiership.

While it’s still early days in his Celtic career, the midfielder ended the season as the fifth-highest rated player still in Ange Postecoglou’s squad according to WhoScored, with a performance rating of 7.2/10.

Now that the summer transfer window is around the corner, this could give Celtic the chance to potentially replicate a similar sort of coup that they pulled off with O’Riley, this time for another young player with connections to the Buckinghamshire club.

Celtic interested in Sorinola

Last month, it was mentioned in an article from Wales Online that Celtic are keeping tabs on former MK Dons full-back Matthew Sorinola.

After working his way through the club’s youth ranks and making 46 senior appearances for them, during which he scored two goals and supplied six assists, the defender joined Belgian outfit Royale Union Saint Gilloise last summer.

However, despite making 14 league appearances for his new club, the 21-year-old didn’t start a single top-flight game.

Last season saw the left-back rack up the joint-highest number of crosses (106) at his previous club in League One alongside O’Riley, highlighting the danger that he can pose on the pitch.

Described as a player who is “technically right up there with anyone” at his former club, according to former MK Dons manager Russell Martin, Sorinola could have the chance to put a rather disappointing season in Belgium behind him and start a new chapter at Celtic, just as his former team-mate did in January.

If the Hoops see an opportunity to negotiate a deal for the youngster this summer, this is something they should definitely pounce upon, as he could be an impressive and exciting long-term figure in Postecoglou’s squad for the foreseeable future.

In other news: Celtic eyeing swoop for £810k-rated “thing of beauty”, it could be bye-bye Soro

Finance expert Kieran Maguire has now revealed some significant news involving Everton.

The Lowdown: Leeds and Burnley compensation

As shared by iNews, both Leeds United and Burnley are now seeking £200m in compensation in order to try and offset the advantage that the Goodison Park outfit have received through alleged overspending.

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It is understood that representatives from the two clubs have formally requested that the Premier League order them not to delete any relevant information with regards to their accounts.

The Latest: Maguire shares latest

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire has revealed that both Leeds and Burnley have decided to pursue a compensation claim regardless of which team were to get relegated to the Championship:

“There are some precedents which need to be considered.

“There was the Carlos Tevez case in 2005. West Ham agreed an out-of-court settlement with Sheffield United. That was nothing to do with FFP because it didn’t exist then.

“But we have recently had a settlement between the owners of Derby County and Middlesbrough with regards to FFP breaches.

“You can understand why Burnley and Leeds are doing this. My understanding is that they have decided to pursue this regardless of who got relegated.”

The Verdict: Significant

The fact that Leeds and Burnley are pursuing this, despite the Clarets going down and Leeds and the Toffees staying up, is significant.

The claim could have easily been thought of in bitter taste, but it looks as if the Blues could still have a potential problem on their hands given Leeds’ involvement even after staying up.

If the claim is successful, then this may alter their transfer plans significantly for the summer, and they will not want to be restricted spending-wise again, after only spending a mere £1.7m last summer.

Nonetheless, the Merseyside club will still be confident that they have not broken any rules, and will continue with their plans as normal for now.

In other news, find out which ‘reckless’ flop EFC could now sell this summer here!

According to The Times, there has been another Manchester City transfer update involving Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips as the Sky Blues press for Fernandinho’s heir.

The Lowdown: Champions again

Pep Guardiola’s men performed what many City supporters thought was impossible on Sunday, a near-carbon copy of Sergio Aguero’s 93:20 title-winning drama 10 years on.

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The Premier League champions emerged from the depths of despair to total euphoria, coming back from 2-0 down at home to Aston Villa on the final day with three goals in five minutes. An inspired Ilkay Gundogan grabbed the first and last goal of the stunning comeback as colossal defensive midfielder Rodri also got in on the act with a composed long-range equaliser for 2-2.

Following the Sky Blues’ title parade through Manchester’s grateful streets, attention now turns to the summer transfer market, with City making a good start and already sealing a deal for Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland.

However, as club legend and faithful servant Fernandinho departs after a near-decade long spell, sporting director Txiki Begiristain and Guardiola have allegedly set their sights on a replacement.

The Daily Mail’s Jack Gaughan claimed that City are ‘ready to pursue a deal’ for Leeds star Phillips, as another credible source in The Times now share their own update.

The Latest: Ballus makes Phillips claim…

Indeed, their journalist Pol Ballus has said that the Whites midfielder is indeed top of Guardiola’s list when it comes to Fernandinho’s replacement. The English champions are also ‘considering making a bid’ for Phillips and ‘will press ahead’ with their effort to sign an heir to City’s long-serving South American.

However, Leeds avoiding relegation could make matters complicated, as they’re now in a stronger position to keep hold of their pivotal midfield anchor.

Also, City aren’t alone in their interest, with arch-rivals Manchester United, West Ham, Arsenal and Aston Villa all in the picture.

The Verdict: Standout candidate?

According to The Mirror, Phillips would cost Begiristain and City Football Group around £50m – a third of what fellow target Declan Rice would reportedly cost from West Ham (£150m). Another target in Monaco starlet Aurélien Tchouaméni is apparently rated at around £60m, so economically Phillips certainly seems like the best option.

In terms of quality, we believe that the 26-year-old’s reputation speaks for itself, with no shortage of plaudits for him in recent times.

Leeds defender Liam Cooper even called Phillips ‘one of the best midfielders in the world’ last year, whilst former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has raved over the ‘special player’ and top-flight ‘sensation’ (Football Insider).

If Guardiola wishes to add a world-class rotational partner for Rodri at a fairly reasonable cost, Leeds’ big name may well be the answer.

In other news: ‘Most attractive’ – Man City now the ‘dream’ destination for ‘complete’ and ‘dominant’ player, find out more here.