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Kevin Phillips has slammed Leeds United’s decision not to sign striker cover for Patrick Bamford in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

Bamford has been an ever-present for Marcelo Bielsa’s side over the past couple of years – he featured in every single Premier League game last season – but missed the game at the weekend against West Ham due to injury.

Without him up front, the Whites fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to the Hammers, and former Sunderland star Phillips has now questioned the Yorkshire club’s decision not to sign some cover for him in the summer.

He said: “Defensively, Leeds have been struggling but (Charlie) Cresswell has come in and done really well. From an attacking point of view, I think it is crazy that they did not sign another out-and-out striker to compete with Bamford and to provide cover for him if he was to get injured.

“Every player at some point gets injured. It is very rare that they don’t and it’s happened.  It was interesting to see Rodrigo playing up there.

“It was another poor result at the end of the day and you have to say it could be a bit of a slog for Leeds this season. They need to stop shipping goals. Who is going to step up and score the goals if Bamford is out?”

Leeds fans will be worried

While Rodrigo was deployed up top in Bamford’s absence, Phil Hay detailed how the Spaniard actually played a far different role than the England international, playing more as a false nine and coming deeper to pick up the ball.

Last season saw Bamford score a remarkable 17 goals in the Premier League, while also providing another eight assists too, so it’s not just the goal-scoring that the Whites really miss when he isn’t in the side too.

Just like their decision not to sign a new central midfielder, the Whites took a major risk by relying on their current options staying fit, and it’s already seeming like a flawed one.

If Bamford gets ruled out for the long-term, then Leeds are putting a lot of faith on someone like Rodrigo coming good, something he hasn’t exactly shown in his time at Elland Road just yet.

Whites fans will no doubt be worried.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has made an exciting claim about Leeds United’s Rodrigo…

Liverpool have made a move to bring Yves Bissouma to Anfield this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Express, who claim that Jurgen Klopp’s side have submitted an enquiry with Brighton & Hove Albion regarding the price of the central midfielder, with the German manager believed to have been interested in the 24-year-old for a considerable amount of time.

The report goes on to state that Graham Potter’s side have subsequently informed the Reds they would require a figure in the region of £40m in order to part with the Mali international, although the Seagulls are under no pressure to sell, having already received a £50m fee from Ben White’s sale to Arsenal earlier this summer.

Finally, it is claimed that Liverpool could face competition for the signing of the midfielder from both Manchester United and the Gunners, who are also thought to be extremely keen on the Brighton man.

Klopp must move

With Georginio Wijnaldum and Marko Grujic both having departed Liverpool earlier this summer, Klopp has been left somewhat short of players capable of operating in defensive midfield.

While Naby Keita, Thiago and Jordan Henderson can all be played in the role if needs must, aside from Fabinho, the 54-year-old manager does not have any natural options in the position, something that Bissouma’s signing would more than address.

Indeed, since his arrival at Brighton from LOSC Lille back in 2018, the 24-year-old has gone on to prove himself as one of the standout defensive midfielders in the Premier League – something illustrated by the £22.5m-rated man’s form for Potter’s side last season.

Over his 36 Premier League appearances for the Seagulls last term, Bissouma made an average of 1.8 interceptions, 2.9 tackles, 1.8 clearances and won a whopping 6.3 duels per game.

These returns saw the man Gary Lineker dubbed an “exceptional” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Brighton’s fourth-best performer in the top flight.

For comparison, over Fabinho’s 30 league fixtures for Liverpool last season, the Brazilian made an average of 1.5 interceptions, 1.9 tackles, 2.2 clearances and won 4.9 duels per match, as well as earning a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.97.

As such, it would appear highly advisable for Klopp to do all he can to secure the signing of the £25k-per-week midfielder prior to Tuesday’s transfer deadline, as Bissouma clearly has the ability to not only plug a gap in the Reds’ squad but to push Fabinho for his starting spot in the team.

In other news: Bye-bye Origi: Klopp must replace LFC dud with “special talent”, fans would love it

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has dropped an update on Aston Villa starlet Carney Chukwuemeka.

What’s the story?

In the end, transfer deadline day was a bit of a quiet one for Dean Smith’s side, with the only notable incoming or outgoing seeing Frederic Guilbert return to Ligue 1 to join Strasbourg on loan.

However, Preece did reveal that the Midlands club have still got a significant deal to do, and even delivered a timeframe on it…

And, writing on Twitter, he said: “Frederic Guilbert has passed his Strasbourg medical & pens a loan move back to Ligue 1, announcement soon. Still 1/2 loans out to be completed re #avfc U23s. A big deal will happen on Oct 20 when Chukwuemeka signs new long-term contract on 18th birthday.”

Fans will be buzzing

Make no mistake about it, getting the talented Chukwuemeka to put pen to paper on a new long-term contract when he turns 18 will be a major boost to Villa.

This is the same teenager who was being linked with the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester United just earlier this year – a real indication of the kind of potential he possesses and how some of the biggest and high-profile clubs around Europe are all sitting up and taking notice.

The 17-year-old was handed his senior debut in the Premier League towards the end of last season by Smith, making some late cameos against the likes of Spurs and Chelsea.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans then delivered some exciting news on the plans for Chukwuemeka heading into this campaign, saying: “Carney Chukwuemeka is the one teenager who will definitely be a part of the first team. He’s starting to fill out and will soon be ready for the demands of Premier League football.”

After seeing their club keep their powder dry on deadline day, the biggest and best news to come out of it is surely that one of their club’s brightest young academy talents, and a part of their FA Youth Cup winning side last season, is set to stay at Villa Park for the long-term.

Fans will be absolutely buzzing at the news Preece has just dropped.

Liverpool continue to be linked with a move for Lille midfielder Renato Sanches this summer.

What’s the story?

Following Gini Wijnaldum’s decision to depart Anfield and join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, the Reds have been credited with an interest in several stars, including Sanches.

And now, well-known journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reiterated those claims on the latest installment of his ‘Here We Go’ podcast.

“I would keep an eye again on Renato Sanches for midfield,” said Romano (as relayed by the Liverpool ECHO).

“Also, Barcelona are looking at his situation. So it’s Barcelona and Liverpool interested in Renato Sanches, but the price tag is around €40m (£34m). So we will see in the coming days.”

Liverpool fans will be buzzing

News that Liverpool are still firmly in the race for Sanches’ signature will surely leave a large section of the club’s supporters buzzing.

So far, former RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate has been the Anfield outfit’s only summer signing, leaving manager Jurgen Klopp short on strength in depth in certain areas of his squad.

Wijnaldum’s exit has left a sizeable void for the German tactician to fill in the centre of the park, and his previous importance to the 19-time English champions cannot be downplayed.

The Dutch international featured in all 38 Premier League games last term, starting on 34 occasions. And although he never grabbed the headlines through goals or assists, he was the heartbeat of the team and kept Liverpool ticking over.

As a result, they’re big shoes to fill, but Sanches has shown he has the ability and potential to do just that over the last couple of campaigns.

He’s rebuilt his career with Lille in northern France following a tricky spell with Bayern Munich and a tough 12-month loan stint at Swansea City, playing a pivotal part as Les Dogues claimed their first Ligue 1 title in 10 years.

As per WhoScored, the Portugal international completed 1.7 dribbles per league game last term and 0.8 key passes while recorded a passing accuracy of 85.8%, highlighting his effective use of the ball.

Therefore, Liverpool’s fanbase will surely be urging director of football Michael Edwards to get this deal over the line, providing Klopp with the players he needs to return the club back to the top-flight summit.

And, in other news…Neil Jones drops new Liverpool transfer update, Reds fans would love this player

Hamza Choudhury is keen to join Newcastle United on loan in pursuit of game-time, according to The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson. 

The lowdown

Newcastle had hoped to agree a temporary deal for Choudhury in January, only for Brendan Rodgers to stand in the way, and the 23-year-old remains on the Magpies’ shortlist.

He was limited to just four Premier League starts last season, making a further six appearances off the bench (via WhoScored).

Rodgers has hailed Choudhury as ‘one of the best’ at winning the ball back and also described him as a ‘tough’ individual.

The latest

According to Wilson on Twitter, Choudhury is ‘ready to push’ for the move ‘to ensure he plays next season’ and has told his representatives to take the necessary steps.

Newcastle are aware of this development and are prepared to open talks with Leicester, but only once ‘they know where they stand’ with Joe Willock.

As Wilson explains, only two domestic loans are allowed at any one time, and Newcastle are looking to strike a season-long deal with Arsenal. If they’re successful, they would need to decide whether to use their second domestic loan slot on another midfielder.

The verdict

It’s easy to understand why Newcastle are hesitant. Steve Bruce is working within what’s been called a ‘meagre’ transfer budget this summer, so loans will be key to strengthening the squad and staving off the threat of relegation.

Willock has to be to the top target, having proven his value to the Magpies following a hugely successful loan spell earlier this year. That move would halve Newcastle’s domestic loan quota, but they shouldn’t necessarily shy away from Choudhury simply because he too is a midfielder.

Where Willock offers a box-to-box presence and a goalscoring threat, Choudhury is a different kind of player. He is more destructive and excels at protecting a defence, so he could complement the Arsenal man’s skillset nicely if both players end up at St James’ Park for the 2021/22 campaign.

In other news, Mark Douglas says Newcastle have been offered this player.

Michael Ball has offered his thoughts on a potential deal to take Kalidou Koulibaly to Everton.

What’s the talk?

The former Toffees player Michael Ball has claimed that the 30-year-old potentially arriving at Goodison Park would “raise the bar” in training and help to improve the current players at the club.

Everton are reportedly interested in signing the defender this summer and have already had one bid turned down for his services.

Ball told Football FanCast: “Moving forward, you want to improve year on year and if you bring in the types of Koulibaly into your football club it’s only going to raise the bar in training, competition for places, for the other players, to either reach that level or move on elsewhere and give Rafa Benitez an opportunity to spend money elsewhere in that team.”

Get it done

Marcel Brands must land Koulibaly this summer to raise the standards at Goodison Park and improve the overall quality of the squad. If Everton are serious about competing for the Europa League and Champions League spots, they will need to bring in the requisite quality to do so.

Signing duds from other clubs in England such as Alex Iwobi, Fabian Delph, Theo Walcott and Morgan Schneiderlin has not had the desired effect in recent years. The club made some great first steps last summer by signing Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez, who all impressed, and now it is time for them to dip into the market to add more proven talent to their squad.

Koulibaly has played 283 games at a high level for Napoli, featuring in the Europa League, Champions League and Serie A for the Azzurri. In that time, he has averaged a fine WhoScored rating of 7.05, which shows that he is able to produce consistently excellent performances week in, week-out. Therefore, he could come in and immediately be an upgrade to Everton’s backline.

Serie A expert Conor Clancy recently called Koulibaly “phenomenal” and said that he is the second-best centre-back in the world behind Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said of the Senegal powerhouse: “He improves any team he goes to. He’s phenomenal. I’d say, to be honest, after Virgil van Dijk, he is in the conversation for being the second-best defender in the world.”

This highlights the quality the £195k-per-week colossus has and why he would raise the bar at Everton, as his teammates would see the standards he sets and work hard to match him. This is why Brands must work hard to secure a deal for the defender this summer to bolster Rafa Benitez’s starting XI.

AND in other news, Big update emerges on dud who “frustrated” Ancelotti, Everton fans will love it…

Newcastle United may now reportedly lose Sean Longstaff to a rival club in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Davies swap?

It has previously been reported that Longstaff could be used in a potential swap deal to lure Tom Davies away from Everton to St. James’ Park.

However, whether that deal comes into fruition is another question, given that the new 2021/22 season kicks off on Friday night and the end of the summer transfer window is edging closer.

The Latest: Longstaff eyed

As per The Liverpool Echo, Rafa Benitez is considering a move to bring Longstaff to Goodison Park, as he has entered the final year of his current contract in the North East.

He is being discussed by the Toffees as a potential target in this window, and so the Tyneside club risk losing him before the deadline hits.

The Verdict: Keep

Steve Bruce needs as big of a squad as possible if the Magpies are going to kick on in the new campaign, and that would mean keeping hold of players like Longstaff.

Once called ‘faultless’ by Alan Shearer after an impressive performance against Manchester City back in 2019, Longstaff is a local lad, and one that the Toon Army would love to see thriving.

Of course he has had his dips in form like any young player, but it’s not hard to imagine the midfield maestro returning to his best when stadiums are packed full of passionate fans.

He does not take up much space on the wage bill either, as he currently earns just £22,500-per-week at NUFC, one of the lowest earners in the entire squad, and if they ever do consider selling him, it should not be to a fellow rival in the top flight.

In other news, find out what ‘great bit of business’ Newcastle have done here!

Marcus Bent believes Everton have been priced out of the race to sign Tammy Abraham because of Chelsea putting a “stupid” price tag on the striker.

Abraham is believed to be heading for the Stamford Bridge exit door this summer after falling out of favour under boss Thomas Tuchel.

The England international frontman has made just six Premier League appearances since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard at the Chelsea helm in January.

The lack of action has resulted in a number of clubs being linked with making a move for Abraham, with West Ham United thought to be leading the race.

Having played a key role during a loan spell as they won promotion to the top flight via the Championship play-offs in 2019, Abraham is also on Aston Villa’s radar.

Everton have been touted as another potential destination for the 23-year-old but former Toffees striker Bent does not expect to see Abraham at Goodison Park before the transfer window slams shut at the end of next month.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Bent said: “The problem with Tammy is his price tag – £40million.

“You’re talking about Tammy at £40million and Dominic Calvert-Lewin being valued at £50million. It’s stupid but that’s football today.”

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Newcastle United defender Steve Howey has expressed his concerns over his old club potentially signing Wout Weghorst.

According to The Athletic, Newcastle are one Premier League club who want to sign the Wolfsburg striker this summer.

Weghorst was in stunning form in the Bundesliga last season, scoring 20 goals in 34 appearances for the Wolves.

The £27m-rated forward has also managed to find his name on the scoresheet at Euro 2020, netting for the Netherlands in their opening fixture against Ukraine.

It all makes for good reading, though Howey still has his concerns over the player. He told TT:

“I don’t know how many times we’ve watched the Euros or we’ve watched the World Cup and there’s somebody that’s all of a sudden banged in a few goals and his price tag goes all the way up, and then somebody buys him and he comes in the Premier League and just doesn’t do it. 

“There’s been loads of players that’s happened with. Obviously he’s had a very strong season in the Bundesliga and it’s a tough league, but it’s not the Premier League.

“So, again, you’ve got to weigh everything up to think, ‘Well, are we getting the right person for the right money?’ ”

As well as Newcastle, The Athletic claims that Tottenham and West Ham are also keen on Weghorst, so the Magpies could have a real battle on their hands.

You would also have to question whether Mike Ashley would be willing to meet the 28-year-old’s valuation, which is thought to be around £25m (also per The Athletic).

According to a report by GiveMeSport, West Ham United have now made an approach to sign Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara as they get in touch with the player’s camp.

The Lowdown: West Ham eyeing midfield reinforcements?

Despite the general consensus being West Ham are prioritising a new striker, centre-back and permanent deal for Jesse Lingard (Claret & Hugh), that still hasn’t stopped the club from being linked to bolstering other positions.

One of these areas is central midfield and the Irons were even thought to be in advanced talks for Czech Republic international Alex Kral at one stage.

The Latest: West Ham make contact for Kamara…

As per GMS, West Ham are now one of the clubs interested in signing Gers ace Kamara after an impressive season in the SPFL.

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It is said that the Irons have even ‘touched base’ with the player’s camp to find out about the kind of deal he’d be looking for this summer.

They are not the only club, with Everton, Brentford and numerous teams from the Russian Premier League all believed to have done the same thing.

The Verdict: Good option…

The 25-year-old hugely impressed at Ibrox over their 2020/2021 title-winning season, with the 34-cap Finland international averaging a 90.5% pass accuracy in the middle of the park (WhoScored).

Gers boss Steven Gerrard also waxed lyrical over his contribution for the Glasgow giants, calling him a ‘magnificent player’ and a ‘big piece’ of their jigsaw (The Scotsman).

He also impressed at Euro 2020, with no Finnish player making more interceptions than Kamara (3.3 per game) over their three group games (WhoScored).

We believe he could be a fruitful option if West Ham decide to pursue a move further.

In other news: West Ham fans flock to club announcement, find out more here.