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Manchester United playing in next season's Champions League is vital for summer spending – with or without the Glazers – according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Will the Glazers sell Man Utd?

The ownership of the Red Devils is one of the biggest talking points in football at the moment, with the saga continuing to rumble on. Bids for the club have been tabled by Qatar's Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS Group, but the Glazers have rejected the first batch of offers.

Many United fans are desperate for the current owners to move on after an up-and-down era at Old Trafford, with many believing new owners could herald a new era, not least Gary Neville, who has spoken negatively about the Glazers, criticising their inability to redevelop Old Trafford, for example.

Tottenham's 1-1 draw away to Everton on Monday night has suddenly left United fifth in the Premier League, and while they are level with the north Londoners with two games in hand, there are now doubts over a top-four finish.

Will Red Devils secure a top-four finish?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs admitted that securing Champions League football is imperative in terms of summer spending, regardless of who the club's owners are moving forward:

"I think the most important thing for Manchester United is qualifying for the Champions League, regardless of who any new owner may be, because that will impact the budget.

"If the Glazers stay, it will be because they've decided to be invested in the football club. Although that won't be popular with the fan base, if Manchester United qualify for the Champions League, and they [the Glazers] remain, they will need to spend.

"If they depart, the Champions League will still impact the budget come summer."

There is no doubt over the importance of Champions League qualification, as despite United showing their capability of signing good players regardless of their situation in the past, they risk falling behind their rivals if they are able to offer an immediate pathway to that competition.

Thankfully, they have two routes to reach it, with Europa League glory also guaranteeing them a spot, but they should still be expected to finish fourth at worst in the league given their aforementioned games in hand on Spurs.

There may be worries that United are running out of steam a little following a long season, but there is clearly enough quality for the Carabao Cup winners to get over the line, and victory at home to Brentford on Wednesday evening would help get back on track.

Rangers could be set to lose Glen Kamara this summer, with Nantes continuing to eye a deal for the midfielder, according to a report from Football Insider.

Which Rangers players could be leaving this summer?

There is speculation regarding the future of multiple first-team players, with Alfredo Morelos edging closer to an exit, amid recent reports that Rangers are yet to offer the striker a new deal. With the Colombian's contract set to expire at the end of the season, the club are aware they will lose him for nothing if an offer is not tabled, amid interest in his services from France and Italy.

The same report also outlines that the Light Blues are at risk of losing Ryan Kent, with the winger's contract also due to expire, as he has shown no desire to extend his stay, despite the offer of a contract extension being put forward. Morelos is not the only Gers player attracting interest from abroad, with a recent report from Football Insider claiming Kamara is being targeted by Nantes, the club that also tried to sign him last summer.

The midfielder was linked with an exit in the January transfer window, with Serie A side Salernitana also believed to be interested, however no deal could be agreed. Rangers' resolve is set to be tested once again this summer, when it appears likely Nantes will make a fresh attempt to sign the Finland international.

Will Glen Kamara leave Rangers?

Judging by Beale's comments about the central midfielder, the manager has no desire to let him leave this summer, previously stating: "Glen has got 100 per cent of my trust. He was hugely important in my previous time here and while he’s still young, he’s coming into the prime of his career."

Since Beale returned to Ibrox, the 27-year-old has featured regularly in the first team, appearing in 14 of the last 17 Scottish Premiership matches, while also starting in the Scottish League Cup final, indicating how highly he is rated by the manager.

Over the past year, the £21k-per-week earner has flourished defensively, averaging 1.88 interceptions per 90, a figure that places him in the 96th percentile compared to other midfielders, also ranking in the 85th for aerials won in the same timeframe.

Kamara has been very solid for Rangers, and he is clearly thought of in high regard by Beale, so it would be a surprise if the club are willing to let him go in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur managerial target Roberto De Zerbi shares a similarity with Antonio Conte, says reporter Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: De Zerbi linked…

The Brighton boss has been linked with taking over at Spurs over the last few weeks with Football Insider first breaking news that Lilywhites chiefs are impressed by him.

Having had really big shoes to fill, De Zerbi has thrived in the Seagulls hot seat since taking over from Graham Potter, who departed for Chelsea earlier this season.

The Italian has been praised by top flight rivals like Man City boss Pep Guardiola for his ‘incredible’ football and Brighton are well in contention for a European qualifying place.

His brilliant job at the Amex has reportedly alerted top clubs and Spurs remain linked with a move for the 43-year-old.

Chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici apparently have De Zerbi on their radar alongside Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique, Thomas Tuchel, Marco Silva and Thomas Frank.

The Latest: Gold makes De Zerbi claim…

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, reporter Gold has said De Zerbi shares some similarities with Conte, namely that he is a ‘bit of a livewire’.

When asked about the 43-year-old and his links to Tottenham, the journalist also claimed he naturally falls into the category of summer managerial targets.

Gold said:

“The Italian would naturally fall into the summer category of candidates as it’s doubtful he would walk out on the Seagulls at this stage of the season. He would also be expensive with reportedly a big £11m release clause in his contract.”

“Like Conte, De Zerbi is also known to be a bit of a livewire behind the scenes, but his football would likely win over plenty of fans if he can get Tottenham playing as his Brighton team do.

“It’s all down to Levy really and what kind of direction he’s going to tread in next. If he wants a project manager then the 43-year-old is an up-and-coming coach and he could do a lot worse, but it’s whether the Spurs chairman is prepared to gamble again with all eyes on him or take a safer, but still not guaranteed to succeed, option.”

The Verdict: Exciting candidate…

The former Sassuolo boss would excite Spurs supporters with his brand of attacking football.

Gold also claimed in the Q&A that De Zerbi has adopted a similar formation to Pochettino with Brighton even scoring more goals than top-four hopefuls Man United and Newcastle so far this season.

This is despite Brighton having a far inferior squad in terms of depth and quality, so the ‘special’ De Zerbi deserves real credit.

While Pochettino remains the standout candidate, especially given his status as a free agent, De Zerbi could well be one to watch out for this summer.

When Jurgen Klopp took the reins at Liverpool in 2015, the prestigious Premier League outfit was a shadow of its former calibre, but the meticulous and mesmerising crafting of one of Europe's modern super-teams has reinstated authority and left the club competing for major honours across every angle once again.

The road has been rocky this season, with last season's FA Cup and Carabao Cup champions falling by the wayside and now languishing outside of the top four after 26 matches, exiting from each cup competition prematurely and 27 points behind league leaders Arsenal, with the two games in hand inconsequential given the insurmountable gulf between the Reds and the table-toppers.

Regardless, Liverpool's resounding success over the past years lies largely in Klopp's success on the transfer front, crafting his team with shrewd and well-placed acquisitions to ascend to prominence, with the dealings of peripheral figures during this time imperative toward clinching profits to set up the big buys. One such departure that helped with that was Dominic Solanke's.

How much did Liverpool sell Solanke for?

In 2019, Bournemouth registered their interest in the striker and eventually parted ways with £19m in order to acquire the striker from Anfield and bring him to the south coast.

That marks quite the piece of business with the Merseyside outfit initially bringing in the forward on a free transfer from Chelsea as a 19-year-old in 2017.

Indeed, Liverpool cashed in for a lucrative fee less than two years after the player's arrival at Anfield, with Solanke registering just one goal and one assist from 27 appearances under Klopp's tutelage.

It's well-known that Liverpool operate a largely self-sustaining model, and with Solanke's exit coinciding with the seasonal arrivals of Alisson and Fabinho, the Brazilians staples toward the recent silver-laden success, the feat in growing his value at such an important period in the club's modern history is exemplified.

Fortunes have been brighter on the south coast, with the 25-year-old scoring 53 goals and supplying 24 assists from 163 outings for the Cherries, including a mammoth haul of 29 strikes and seven assists in the promotion-clinching Championship campaign last year, but it is hard to envisage he would have been the catalyst for success had he stayed with the Reds.

Hailed for his "massive" contributions as a dynamic talisman by Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neil, Solanke has been vital to his current outfit's relegation dog-fight this term, scoring three goals and providing four assists in the Premier League from 22 displays, with the Cherries one point adrift from safety after 27 matches.

The one-cap England international is valued at about £17m by CIES Football Observatory, which does reflect the fee accepted for his departure from Anfield, but given the 6 foot 2 colossus arrived at Liverpool for nothing, Klopp and co were prudent to ship him on and cash in when they did.

Leeds United's illustrious history stretches back afar, and despite their 16-year hiatus from the Premier League, they have still boasted some incredible talent the likes of which many other clubs would have loved to have.

There is a reason why they were such a feared outfit in the late 90s and early 2000s, with George Graham and later David O'Leary crafting a squad laden with quality which would propel them to the Champions League semi-finals.

However, this burst of success actually marked the beginning of the end for the Whites, who quickly found themselves in deep financial trouble which brought the period crashing down.

Despite this, and the subsequent exit of most of their top assets, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had left years earlier due to a dispute with the aforementioned O'Leary as he sought to make some quick cash.

He was quick to offload their prized player, who had starred ever since signing for the former boss in 1997. Leaving acrimoniously could have seen him fade into obscurity in the Leeds history books, but he remains an ever-present figure in best teams of the past few decades due to his undeniable talent. Were he at Elland Road now in his prime, relegation certainly would not be a threat.

How long was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Leeds?

Although the Dutchman only spent two short years in Yorkshire, his impact was swift and spectacular.

A struggling first-half season quickly turned into a blistering second half, and he would score 16 times before turning that into 18 Premier League goals the campaign following.

With an electric burst of pace to partner with his powerful physique, his two-footedness made him a constant danger in front of goal for the opposition. The way in which he would score goals with such ease marks him out as a far cry from the struggling Georginio Rutter, who was brought in to uphold their survival bid.

The Frenchman is only 20 but boasts huge potential, despite only showing glimpses of the player he might become if he can find consistency.

Before moving he had just two goals to his name in this campaign for Hoffenheim, yet a club-record fee was unloaded to tempt him to leave.

Whilst he might one day be a success, Leeds needed tangible quality immediately to steer them to safety. The kind of quality that Hasselbaink had in spades, as he adapted to England with ease.

Despite their disagreements, O'Leary did praise the character of the forward by lauding him and Mark Viduka as "wonderful lads" as they returned to face their old club.

With a misfiring strike force that could see them fall further, Javi Gracia would surely be dreaming of a player like the legendary marksman who lit up the Premier League to come and have a similar impact on his side.

Liverpool would be making an ‘excellent signing’ should they land RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, according to BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Gvardiol scouted

Alongside Jurgen Klopp and the Reds, Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea are all reportedly interested in a deal for the 21-year-old, who has a £98m buyout clause.

The Croatian has previously made it public knowledge that it’s his dream to one day pull on the red shirt at Anfield having admired the club ever since his childhood.

According to 90min, the Merseyside outfit have sent scouts to watch their target in action so that they can keep regular updates on his situation ahead of the summer window.

The Latest: Hutton reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton claimed that Gvardiol could be the perfect profile of player for Liverpool to add to the heart of their backline. He said:

“I think he is an excellent player.

“We are talking about a lot of money, left-sided, great range of passing, he is physical, he is a good size. Him playing up with a Virgil van Dijk who is fully fit, I think a lot of fans would be very happy with that.

“It is going to cost a lot of money and whether they are willing to spend that on a centre-half we will soon find out.

“We are talking £80-plus million for him. But I think it is well worth it. He is only 21, it is crazy to think that he is playing at that level at such a young age and taking it all in his stride.

“So I think that would be an excellent signing.“

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The Verdict: Get it done…

Gvardiol has been dubbed a ‘monster’ and ‘warrior’ by journalist Sripad and Liverpool have to act fast should they want to get this deal over the line ahead of their fellow competitors.

The 6 foot 1 star is currently averaging 2.5 clearances and 1.4 aerial wins per game in the Bundesliga (WhoScored), but also has an attacking mindset.

The Zagreb native ranks in the 99th percentile for most passes attempted and the 98th for successful take-ons by central defenders across Europe, so he’s not afraid to play out from the back to move his team up the pitch (FBRef).

Gvardiol also has the ability to operate at left-back, which is an attractive attribute given Klopp’s squad has often suffered with injuries this term, making him the perfect candidate to put pen to paper.

Liverpool are in talks with Premier League rivals Chelsea over a deal for Mason Mount, according to BBC pundit Stan Collymore.

The Lowdown: Mount keen to join

The Blues playmaker has entered the final 18 months of his contract at Stamford Bridge and it’s likely that he’ll be on his way out this summer after rejecting an offer to extend his stay.

The Reds have been heavily linked with an interest in the 24-year-old, with reports suggesting that they are confident that an agreement can be reached.

Football Insider have since claimed that the England international is a huge admirer of Jurgen Klopp and would be keen to make the switch to Anfield.

The Latest: Collymore’s comments

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside, Collymore revealed that Liverpool and Chelsea are now in direct contact regarding a deal for Mount. He said:

“I’ve been told by two very reliable people, one of which being a person who knows Mason Mount personally, that his rumoured move to Liverpool this summer is very much on.

“It’s already being discussed within both clubs. There is a lot still to decide though, particularly at Chelsea. There will be a lot of outgoings and probably some more incomings so a lot will depend on what the club decides to do but the fact they’re already talking about the possibility of letting Mount go says a lot.”

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The Verdict: Splash the cash

Mount has got all of the creative qualities that Klopp looks for in his attacking midfielders so Liverpool should splash the cash to secure his services this summer.

The Portsmouth-born talent has clocked up 70 goal contributions in 192 appearances at the Bridge (prior to today’s game vs Leeds), ranking in the 92nd percentile for progressive passes.

The Nike-sponsored star has also operated in five different positions this season so would be a versatile option for the German boss to have in the building.

Naby Keita, James Milner, Arthur Melo and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will all be out of contract at the end of the season so Mount would be the perfect midfield reinforcement.

Arsenal may well be looking to banish a few demons as they get ready to take on struggling Everton at the Emirates this evening, with the north Londoners having suffered a 1-0 defeat in the reverse meeting on Merseyside earlier this month.

The Toffees had wilted amid the raucous atmosphere at Goodison Park on the day, with the Merseysiders having enjoyed an instant lift following the appointment of Sean Dyche, as defender James Tarkowski headed home the game’s only goal.

With Mikel Arteta’s side hoping to right those wrongs this time around, the former Manchester City assistant coach will once again be without the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Mohamed Elneny due to injury, albeit with Thomas Partey in the frame for a more prominent role after making his return from a muscle issue against Leicester City last time out.

How will Arsenal line up against Everton?

While the Spaniard has largely stuck with his tried and trusted starting lineup so far this season, Football FanCast predicts that there will be two changes from the side that edged past the Foxes on Saturday…

4-3-3 – (GK) Ramsdale; (RB) Tomiyasu, (CB) Saliba, (CB) Gabriel, (LB) Zinchenko; (CDM) Partey, (CM) Xhaka, (CM) Odegaard; (RW) Saka, (ST) Trossard, (LW) Martinelli.

One of those notable tweaks could lie at right-back with versatile defender Ben White in line to make way for Takehiro Tomiyasu, with the Englishman having produced his “worst performance of the season” against Dyche’s men a few weeks ago, as per journalist Jason Soutar.

Ahead of the backline, the aforementioned Partey could make his return to offer a greater physical presence in the centre of the park, with the 6 foot 1 gem’s inclusion set to see January arrival Jorginho drop to the bench, despite the Italian’s recent strong form.

The “world-class” 5 foot 10 asset – as described by pundit Jose Enrique – has been branded “superb” by former Gunners striker Kevin Campbell (talkSPORT, 20/02/2023/, 08:11) for his impact of late, although endured an underwhelming debut against the Toffees at Goodison, having failed to provide a single key pass and squandered possession on six occasions in his 30-minute outing.

That alteration could seemingly be Arteta’s final change to the side, with the continued absence of Jesus set to see Leandro Trossard given the nod once again ahead of Eddie Nketiah in a centre-forward berth, with the Belgian having been somewhat controversially denied a fine goal against Leicester.

West Ham United are in talks to sign forward Jesse Lingard on a Bosman deal and already have a plan in place for after the ‘deal is completed’, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing move…

As reliably reported elsewhere, Lingard remains a priority target for Moyes and the Hammers following their previous attempts to bring him back to the London Stadium.

The 29-year-old dazzled on loan at West Ham for the second half of the 2020/2021 Premier League season, scoring nine goals and assisting four others in 16 starts.

Rio Ferdinand was quick to praise the ‘amazing’ Lingard during this spell but he couldn’t quite fight his way into the United starting eleven over 21/22.

Moyes is apparently pushing to seal Lingard on a permanent deal this window with a Turkish reporter now sharing what he knows on the situation.

The Latest: Lingard ‘talks’ claim made…

According to the journalist who works for Italian news outlet Calcio In Pillole, West Ham are indeed ‘in talks’ to sign Lingard.

As well as this, Moyes and co apparently have a plan for ‘when the deal is completed’ – and that is to ‘seek offers’ for winger Said Benrahma (Twitter).

The Verdict: In motion?

It appears the Irons boss wants to replace Benrahma with Lingard this summer as he aims to upgrade and rotate his squad, coming as a fair few decisions are made behind-the-scenes.

As West Ham set their sights on transfer targets, the east Londoners are seemingly willing to let many current first teamers depart in their stead – including the likes of Tomas Soucek according to recent reports.

This could be a really interesting summer for GSB and one which may well define their 2022/2023 season and beyond.

In other news: ‘I believe…’ – ExWHUemployee has ‘great news’ for West Ham supporters! Find out more here.

Newcastle United’s move for Moussa Diaby may be about to advance, The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope says. 

The lowdown

Hope reports that Bayer Leverkusen winger Diaby ‘has been on Newcastle’s radar since January’.

Manager Eddie Howe is intent on adding a winger to his ranks during the summer transfer window.

Diaby, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain, is under contract with the Werkself until June 2025 and is valued at a whopping £49.5million by Transfermarkt.

For reference, Newcastle’s transfer record currently stands at £39.6million – the fee they paid Hoffenheim for Joelinton in 2019.

The latest

After striker Patrick Schick committed to Leverkusen by signing a new contract and Adam Hlozek joined from Sparta Prague on Thursday, Hope told NUFC fans that they ‘might see movement on Diaby’ soon.

He added that Brennan Johnson, recently promoted with Nottingham Forest, has ‘also [been] watched’.

Newcastle scouts were in attendance at Wembley as Johnson’s Forest beat Huddersfield Town in the Championship playoff final last weekend 1-0 to claim a place in the Premier League.

The verdict

Newcastle fans should be excited if a move for Diaby is indeed in the offing.

According to FBRef, Diaby is similar in profile to the likes of Mohamed Salah, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden.

He possesses a ‘supernatural, divine gift’ (in the words of the president of his first club) and journalist Ronan Murphy says he’s ‘the player they thought they might be getting from Joelinton’.

His return of 17 goals and 14 assists in all competitions last season was simply outstanding, with the Frenchman averaging a direct contribution every 115 minutes.

Only Robert Lewandowki (38), Christopher Nkunku (33), Erling Haaland (29), Schick (27) and Thomas Muller (26) were involved in more Bundesliga goals in 2021/22.

In other news, read this big goalkeeper claim from a European newspaper.