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There have been some bizarre Rangers transfer tales over the years, although arguably one of the most memorable from Ibrox was that of the infamous ‘Newcastle five’, with the Glasgow outfit having loaned in five players from Newcastle United on deadline day back in February 2015.

Then in the second tier of Scottish football, the Old Firm giants had turned to the Magpies in order to help boost their hopes of promotion, utilising the club’s connections with Mike Ashley to help secure that raft of new additions.

That swoop ultimately backfired as few of those new arrivals were able to make an impact – largely due to lack of fitness or injury – with promising full-back Kevin Mbabu, as well as midfielder Gael Bigirimana, failing to even make an appearance over the next few months.

The former Servette man – who had been signed by the Tynesiders after a successful trial back in 2013 – was unable to force his way into the first-team reckoning despite the Gers’ struggles in their attempts to return to the top flight, admitting his bemusement at not being handed a chance:

“A new manager came up in with his own ideas and I didn’t even play a game or even make the bench. I don’t know why.”

As the 6-foot ace alluded to, the departure of manager Kenny McDowall in March 2015 – and the subsequent arrival of Stuart McCall – did little to help his cause with regards to game time, as he made his return to St James’ Park at the end of the season having only been restricted to outings in the reserves.

Mbabu has since gone on to prove his worth in the years since, with the Scottish giants potentially left to rue their inability to get the promising right-back on the pitch at senior level.

While the 22-cap gem was unable to secure a regular role after returning to his parent club – making just five appearances in all competitions for the Premier League outfit – he has since impressed during spells in his native Switzerland and in Germany.

A move to BSC Young Boys – initially on loan – in 2016 proved particularly fruitful for the talented ace as he went on to provide 21 goal contributions in 101 games for the club in all competitions, winning two league titles in that time and being named Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2018.

That form – which saw him lauded as a “very good player” by coaching legend Jose Mourinho – sparked an £8m move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in 2019, while he only recently completed a £6.4m switch to Fulham in the recent window.

Such fees are a marker of the 27-year-old’s rise since being on the periphery at Ibrox seven years ago, with the dynamic ace having also become a key figure on the international stage, featuring in all five of his nation’s games at Euro 2020.

A solid performer who offers real attacking intent – as he notably ranks in the top 1% for dribbles completed among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues – Mbabu has surely left the Gers ruing their previous mistake with regards to his lack of action at the club.

Newcastle United supporters rarely had any reason to praise Mike Ashley during his turbulent ownership of the club, although one case in which the St James’ Park faithful may well applaud the Englishman is regarding the sale of former Magpies striker Ayoze Perez.

The forward had been signed for a fee of just £1.5m from Tenerife in 2014, with reports suggesting that he had even snubbed the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid in order to come to the Premier League, having scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in 51 games for his previous club.

The versatile attacker quickly became a key figure for the Tynesiders over the next few years, eventually racking up 195 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 48 goals and supplying 17 assists.

That five-year spell notably saw the former Spain under-21 international prove integral in securing promotion out of the Championship in 2017 – having scored nine league goals – while he also netted 12 top-flight goals in his final campaign at the club in 2018/19.

Having been a key figure under compatriot Rafael Benitez, the departure of the former Liverpool boss ultimately sparked Perez’s exit from St James’ Park, with the 5 foot 10 menace opting to join Leicester City in 2019.

Although something of a blow at the time, the decision to sanction the Spaniard’s departure has become to look a real masterstroke by those at Newcastle, with Ashley having played a blinder in securing a hefty £30m fee for a player who was a reliable, yet far from prolific, goalscorer.

That decision has also been vindicated by the £45k-per-week man’s struggles since his exit from the northeast, having tailed off after an initial strong start at the King Power Stadium, where he netted eight Premier League goals during the 2019/20 season.

He has subsequently scored just six goals in all competitions since then for the Foxes, while notably making only six league starts last season, having seemingly slipped down the pecking order under Brendan Rodgers.

Now valued at a measly £9m by Transfermarkt, the 29-year-old has endured a real decline since his departure from St James’ Park, with reports earlier this summer having even suggested that he could secure a move elsewhere.

As Leicester now face the prospect of losing him for nothing next summer with less than a year left on his current contract, that £30m windfall now looks even more astute by Ashley and co – particularly considering that those funds were subsequently used to help secure the £16.5m arrival of current talisman Allan Saint-Maximin later that summer.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Yeremy Pino this summer, but a reliable source has revealed a new transfer update which could jeopardise the club’s pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Villarreal wonderkid could instead make a last-minute move to Arsenal this summer.

The transfer insider told GIVEMESPORT: “I wouldn’t be surprised if he could be one of the names [for Arsenal] in the last few weeks of the transfer window because he is a really top player.”

“Many Premier League clubs are approaching his agents. He has English agents – Stellar – which is a strong group in the Premier League, so it’s normal to have these kinds of links and these kinds of approaches.”

It’s another setback for Klopp

Jurgen Klopp has been plagued with troubles ever since the season began, with a number of players getting injured in the latter stages of pre-season and during the first two matches of the campaign, so another setback is the last thing that the Liverpool manager needs right now.

Diogo Jota, Ibrahima Konate, Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joel Matip are just some of the names on Liverpool’s injury list at present. If that wasn’t enough, summer signing Darwin Nunez was shown a straight red card on Monday night against Crystal Palace which will now see him suspended for the next three fixtures.

Liverpool have had a big clearout in their squad over the summer, letting go of Divock Origi, Takumi Minamino and Sadio Mane from their forward options, so the signing of Pino would be a fantastic prospect for the future of the Reds’ attack.

The 19-year-old has been enjoying success over in Spain with Unai Emery’s Villarreal side, becoming the youngest player ever to win the Europa League last year, but it’s not just his record-breaking feats in European football which have caught the attention of Liverpool and other Premier League clubs.

Last season he became the youngest player in the top five European leagues to register a first half hat-trick since 2006/07, with Pino scoring four goals against Espanyol as he showed glimmers of his potential throughout the campaign.

Across 31 league appearances last season, the €45m-valued (£38m) attacker scored six goals, delivered four assists and created six big chances, winning one tackle and 3.5 duels per game as he showed that he has the potential to develop his game even further with the right move and the right development.

If Liverpool can capture the signature of Pino over the remaining weeks of the transfer window, beating off Arsenal to acquire his services, it could be a massive coup for the Merseysiders in terms of the future of their forward line.

As things stand, though, the apparent strength of the Gunners’ position in this transfer race comes as another setback during a testing time for Klopp.

Leeds United are still reportedly keen on signing PSV Eindhoven attacker Cody Gakpo this summer, but another club has now emerged in showing interest.

The Lowdown: Flying start for Leeds

Jesse Marsch’s side made a dream start to their Premier League season on Saturday afternoon, beating Wolves 2-1 at Elland Road after coming from behind to claim three points.

While it was a positive day at the office for the Whites, they could probably still do with bringing in another attacking signing this summer following Raphinha’s exit to Barcelona, duly depriving them of their top scorer from 2021/22.

Gakpo is one player who has been linked with Leeds in recent days, and it could be a saga which rumbles on throughout the remainder of the transfer window.

The Latest: Gakpo still ‘coveted’

According to Foot Mercato, the Dutchman is ‘coveted’ by the Whites, but Nottingham Forest have also now emerged as potential suitors.

A move to the Premier League certainly appears to be on the cards for the 23-year-old, with Arsenal also highlighted in the report as possible destination for Gakpo.

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The Verdict: Really exciting option

Gakpo has enjoyed a superb spell at PSV, scoring 43 goals and chipping in with 35 assists in 136 appearances in total, also being hailed by Theo Janssen as a player who ‘has everything’.

The 23-year-old could give Leeds’ attack an added dimension, combining speed, strength and finishing and giving Marsch another potent option in the final third.

A lack of firepower was one of the reasons that the Whites got dragged into a relegation fight last season, with Patrick Bamford’s injuries not helping, and Gakpo is someone who could alleviate that shortcoming in 2022/23 if he comes to Elland Road, also representing a long-term option given his youth.

Leeds United employee Noel Whelan has been reacting to the club’s move for Sonny Perkins, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Perkins in demand

Perkins officially left West Ham at the beginning of the month and was linked with Leeds, Aston Villa and Tottenham. It was the Whites who won the race for the 18-year-old’s signature, though, with the club confirming a deal last week.

Perkins has signed a three-year deal at Elland Road and is set to initially link up with the U21s, with a fee involved possibly set for tribunal.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Talking to FI regarding the move for Perkins, Whelan said that there is ‘real potential’ for the youngster to follow in the footsteps of Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood.

“I think it’s a really attractive proposition for players like him.

“There is that clear pathway from the Under-23’s into the first-team, and it’s not just filling spaces – there is real potential to be the next Gelhardt or Greenwood.

“Many young players at clubs around the country don’t really have that pathway in place, and that can be really frustrating.

“Leeds United have got that set-up in place.

“They’ve got a real successful track record of giving these kinds of players first-team football.”

The Verdict: Good to see

Leeds have put their trust in a number of youngsters over the last 12 months, making history with eight teenagers making their Premier League debuts during the 2021/22 campaign.

The club’s plans to sign and develop some of the best young players around appears to be working, and you’d expect that Perkins would have been fully aware of the pathway through to first team level in Yorkshire.

Hopefully, he’ll hit the ground running at Thorp Arch, and you never know, an impressive start could see him catch Jesse Marsch’s eye, which may result in a place in a first-team match-day squad sooner rather than later.

Arsenal are reportedly the leading contenders to sign Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta this summer, according to a report from Brazilian outlet UOL. 

The lowdown: New target

Having missed out on Barcelona-bound Raphinha, the Gunners appear to have shifted their attention to the winger’s Brazilian compatriot, Paqueta.

The 24-year-old has emerged as a target for Edu in recent days after previous links to mega-rich Premier League rivals Newcastle United earlier in the summer, as Mikel Arteta looks to add creative reinforcements to the Emirates Stadium squad.

Now, following a fresh update, it appears as though the north London club are in pole position…

The latest: Boards in negotiations

As per UOL, Arsenal are believed to be the ‘main candidate’ to sign the 33-cap Brazil international.

It’s claimed that the enthusiastic attack-minded midfielder has the ‘chance to change clubs’ during the ongoing window and ‘talks are already taking place’ between the club’s boards.

The report also states that the transfer has been ‘approved’ by Arteta and Edu is ‘close’ to the player, who Lyon value at €60million (£50million). However, the north Londoners will attempt to reduce the asking price for the star with ‘undeniable quality’ (football writer Sacha Pisani).

The verdict: Blow the budget

Already an established Brazil international, the Rio de Janeiro-born gem – who is under contract in France until 2025 – is a close stylistic match with such illustrious names as Hakim Ziyech, Marco Reus and Thomas Müller (Fbref).

Predominantly operating as an attacking midfielder, Paqueta scored 11 times and provided seven assists in 43 appearances across all competitions last season, earning an impressive 7.13 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.3 duels and successfully completing 2.3 dribbles on average per Ligue 1 outing – showcasing outstanding battling qualities to accompany wonderful ball control.

In addition to that recent form, combined with the experience of already making 186 senior career outings in what remains a fledgling career, the Brazilian would be a superb addition to Arteta’s ranks even at the mooted lofty price tag, giving the Spanish manager a selection headache alongside youngsters Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe.

According to Yorkshire Live, Sheffield Wednesday are now eyeing up a summer move for Rotherham United defender Michael Ihiekwe.

The Lowdown: Ihiekwe available for transfer

The 29-year-old first joined the Millers from Tranmere Rovers ahead of the start of the 2017/18 campaign, but his contract at the club is set to expire at the end of the month and he is yet to agree a new deal, making him a free agent from the start of July if nothing is concluded between now and then.

League One outfit Derby County are thought to have been previously interested in the colossus, but with the ongoing takeover crisis, transfers and new signings have been put on hold, removing them from the picture.

The Latest: Wednesday interested in Ihiekwe

In a new article published by Yorkshire Live, it’s claimed that Wednesday are ‘interested in signing’ Ihiekwe, who is on Darren Moore’s ‘shortlist’ of centre-back options.

The report states that the boss is keen to bring in ‘two more’ central defenders before the start of the new season, and it looks as though the Rotherham man is someone who he has identified as a top target.

The Verdict: A defensive rock

Having recently completed the signing of Will Vaulks, Moore will now be keen to bolster his ranks even further as Wednesday look to bounce straight back and secure a place in the playoffs again next year, and the addition of Ihiekwe could be exactly what they need to do just that.

The Liverpool-born gem, who was once dubbed an “ambitious” player by his former Tranmere manager Rob Edwards, was an absolute rock at the heart of the Millers’ backline last term, averaging 3.8 clearances and 4.8 aerial wins per game, via WhoScored, displaying his strong physical presence, both on the ground and in the air.

With Rotherham having gained promotion back to the second tier at the first time of asking, Ihiekwe will know exactly what is required to make the jump up, and he could bring that knowledge and experience to Hillsborough to recreate the same success with the Owls in the near future.

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.

Manchester United have made contact over a possible cut-price move for RB Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele.

The Lowdown: Mukiele profiled

Mukiele, who has been hailed as an “unsung hero”, is primarily a right-back who can also play as a centre-back or as a right-midfielder.

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The 24-year-old signed for Leipzig back in 2018 and has gone on to make 145 appearances since then, scoring 10 times and providing 11 assists.

The France international is heading into the final 12 months of his contract with the Bundesliga side, though, and it looks as if a summer exit could be on the cards.

The Latest: United contact

Sports Witness relayed an update from well-known French outlet L’Equipe regarding Mukiele on Friday.

They claimed that Mukiele’s future ‘is probably written elsewhere’, with United looking to take advantage of the ‘opportunity’ by initiating first contacts. The report adds that the right-back is valued between €10m (£8.5m) and €15m (£12.7m).

The Verdict: Wan-Bissaka replacement?

Erik ten Hag will be at the heart of an Old Trafford rebuild this summer and doesn’t have Aaron Wan-Bissaka in his plans, according to Sky Sports.

Therefore, should the Red Devils find the Englishman a new home either on a temporary or permanent basis, then Mukiele could be viewed as an ideal replacement.

Ajax defender Jurien Timber also appears to be closing in on a move to United, and although he can play at right-back, you’d expect he’d be preferred in his natural centre-back role, opening the door for Mukiele, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, to sign in a cut-piece deal.

In other news: Reliable journalist leaks Man Utd talks as Ten Hag now eyes ‘terrific’ Englishman. 

Manchester City have never been shy when it comes to getting involved with various transfer deals over the past few years.

Now that the next summer transfer window is around the corner, this will give the Manchester club yet another opportunity to make whatever changes to their squad that they see fit.

However, it seems as though a clue has emerged around one deal that could take place behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium. Although, it’s not regarding a player.

What’s the talk? 

Speaking to Football Insider, Gabby Agbonlahor had this to say about the possibility of Guardiola putting pen to paper on a new deal with the Citizens.

“I’m sure Pep will sign a new deal as well and Liverpool and Man City will be winning the league for a long time. Pep will think he wants to sign a new deal but he knows there is no rush. There is nobody good enough to take his job, he’s doing so well.

“He’s got two years left on his contract so there is no rush and he can sign a new one next season. I’m sure Pep will be fine. There’s talk of [Erling] Haaland [signing] so I’m sure Pep will want to stay for a long time and get the best out of Haaland.”

Great news for City fans

Since his appointment back in the summer of 2016, Guardiola has taken charge of 347 games in total across all competitions, making him the longest-serving manager in the club’s history.

In those games, City have won 257, drawn 38 and lost just 52, winning a whopping ten trophies along the way. As a result of that, the Spaniard is the most successful manager in the history of the club, making him a legend at the Etihad Stadium.

Thus, taking into account how successful and domestically dominant the Manchester club have been under the 51-year-old’s reign, it’s undeniable that City fans will be over the moon to hear Agbonlahor’s claim that Guardiola would be willing to sign a new deal at the Etihad Stadium.

If the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager does pledge his future to his current club for some more years of service, it will surely lead to even more titles for the Citizens, an eventuality that will no doubt leave supporters buzzing.

In other news: Guardiola can unearth his next Aguero as MCFC plot bid for “outstanding” £17m predator