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Manchester United are now "monitoring" Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka for a potential summer transfer swoop, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Who are Man United signing?

Bringing in a new central midfielder appears to be one of Erik ten Hag's main priorities in the upcoming window, with Mason Mount emerging as a key target, and it has now been reported an offer of around £50m is in the works.

Not only are Man United interested in Mount, but they could target the 24-year-old's Chelsea teammate, Mateo Kovacic, with it being reported they have made a move to try and beat Manchester City to the Croatian's signature this summer.

The Red Devils have also registered their interest in signing West Ham United captain Declan Rice, however Arsenal remain in pole position for the 24-year-old, meaning they may have to turn their attentions towards other targets.

One such player is Goretzka, with Plettenberg recently taking to Twitter to claim that United are "monitoring" the Bayern midfielder, whose future at the Allianz Arena is uncertain, amid the German club's interest in signing Rice.

However, there has not yet been any concrete talks with the German, who "definitely" wants to stay at Bayern this summer, with club executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also keen to keep him.

Will Man United sign Leon Goretzka?

At the moment, it appears unlikely that Man United will be able to sign the 28-year-old, given that he is committed to Bayern Munich, however if his situation changes in the future, then there is evidence he could be a quality addition to the squad.

Former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann has hailed the £300k-per-week maestro, previously stating: "Leon is one of the best box-to-box players in Europe. He has incredible goal threat and knows when to bomb forward."

The Germany international is also capable of playing in a defensive role, as he did on numerous occasions last season, and he ranks highly on some key defensive metrics over the past year, including blocks per 90, averaging 2.04 per game.

That figure places the central midfielder in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he is also in the 95th percentile for assists, highlighting his ability on the front foot, so it is clear that he is a very well-rounded player.

As such, if Goretzka's situation changes at some point this summer, then Man United should definitely pursue a move.

An update has emerged on Burnley and their plans to improve their attacking options following their promotion to the Premier League…

What's the latest on Jack Clarke to Burnley?

According to Football League World, Sunderland are expected to cash in on Clarets target Jack Clarke ahead of next season amid growing competition for his signature.

The report claims that Vincent Kompany is eyeing a swoop for the attacker alongside Rangers, Crystal Palace, and Everton, among others.

It is stated that Burnley hold the strongest interest in the former Leeds United academy graduate, who joined the Black Cats from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal that could rise to £10m last summer.

How did Jack Clarke perform this season?

The English forward caught the eye with his performances in the Championship for Tony Mowbray's side and could form an exciting partnership with current Clarets star Josh Brownhill.

Clarke averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across 45 matches in the second tier and chipped in with nine goals from out wide and only missed five 'big chances'. He plundered those strikes from 6.92 xG and proved himself to be a reliable finisher in front of goal.

Brownhill, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.27 across 41 league games and scored seven times. The former Preston North End ace outscored his xG by 0.85 and this suggests that, like his compatriot, the maestro is not wasteful with his shooting.

These statistics show that both players are effective at the top end of the pitch and could both carry a significant goal threat in the Premier League next season if they are provided with enough chances.

The Sunderland magician, whose dribbling ability was hailed as "effortless" by ex-Leeds ace Noel Whelan, also showcased his wizardry by racking up 12 assists from 11.10 xA in the division – four more assists than any Burnley player managed.

Brownhill was also a source of creativity for his side as the Englishman assisted eight goals and created 10.94 xA for his teammates, which suggests that the ace was let down by his fellow attackers as they did not make the most of the chances he was providing them with.

Kompany could now add another forward who is capable of finishing and creating opportunities in the final third by securing a swoop for Clarke.

The Black Cats whiz could form a dream partnership with Brownhill as they have both proven themselves capable of outperforming their xG and being able to consistently create openings for others from midfield and wide positions, which makes them huge threats for the opposition to deal with.

Should the San Francisco 49ers complete their takeover of Leeds United from Andrea Radrizzani this summer, their first task will be finding a manager who can help the Yorkshire outfit seal a swift return to the Premier League.

Radrizzani has now completed his takeover at Sampdoria which should hopefully hasten his sale of Leeds, even if relegation has significantly lowered his valuation of the club.

Sam Allardyce took over as interim manager at Elland Road until the end of the season, but he could still be in the running to take over permanently, despite taking just one point from the final four games as Leeds dropped down into the second tier.

A plethora of names will be linked with the club throughout the summer but a swift appointment should be made to give the new manager the best possible chance of building a squad capable of challenging at the top of the table.

Who could replace Sam Allardyce at Leeds?

One man the 49ers are also said to be targeting is former Rangers and Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard, in an appointment which could be disastrous for their hopes of a positive Championship campaign.

According to The Sun, the Liverpool legend is a possibility for Leeds's potential new American owners as the Yorkshire side target their fourth manager of 2023, with Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia's spells at the club both ending prematurely due to poor results on the pitch.

The 43-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Villa in October 2022 after a terrible start to the season, with the Villans' qualification for the Europa Conference League testament to both the impressive impact of Unai Emery and the struggles that Gerrard had in getting the best out of a clearly talented squad.

If Leeds were to only consider Gerrard's spell at Rangers, where he delivered a Premiership title and averaged a strong 2.15 points per game, then it would perhaps not be seen as a dreadful appointment.

However, his former assistant Michael Beale was described as "the brains behind it all" there and after he left Villa to join QPR last summer, it was perhaps no surprise that Gerrard quickly struggled.

The former England midfielder, who typically employs a 4-3-3 formation, mustered just nine points in 11 Premier League matches this term, which is fewer than even Jesse Marsch managed at Leeds (18), with a much better squad at his disposal.

So good was that squad at Villa Park that Unai Emery would later go on to finish in a European spot, only highlighting the poor job Gerrard had done in the Midlands.

With Leeds nearly opting for "disaster" when Gerrard was touted as a potential replacement for Marsch in February – in the words of journalist Hunter Walker – the new prospective owners must avoid repeating Villa's mistake and steer clear of the Liverpudlian this summer.

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, West Ham should forget about a move for Everton forward Moise Kean.

The Lowdown: Irons named as Kean suitor

The 22-year-old first put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the Toffees from Juventus three years ago, but after limited game time at Goodison Park, re-joined the Serie A side on a season-long loan last summer.

In a new report published by Italian source ilBiancoNero, it’s claimed that the Allianz Stadium outfit plan to take up the option to buy the striker outright before selling him on for a higher fee to another team, with the Irons name-checked as a destination.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s ‘interesting’ transfer claim

As a result of his previous struggles to come to terms with life in the top-flight, O’Rourke suggested that he thinks Kean might not be the right profile of player for David Moyes

He told GiveMeSport: “That’s an interesting transfer link. Moise Kean has had his issues at Everton. He’s gone out on loan on a couple of occasions as well, at Juventus right now. I think West Ham really need to get the striker deal right.

“They’ve had quite a few transfer windows to try and bring in a striker which they haven’t done, and I’m just not sure that Moise Kean is probably a type of player that David Moyes would want right now because of the struggles at Everton – it’s a negative in that respect.”

The Verdict: Not the right fit

It’s fair to say that the 12-cap international’s time at Everton was pretty underwhelming, having only managed to score two goals in his single full season on Merseyside.

Life in Italy seems to have treated the talented prospect a lot kinder though, where’s he’s hit the back of the net 14 times as well as providing three assists throughout his various spells with Juventus, as per Transfermarkt.

As much as Moyes is desperate to bring a new striker to the London Stadium to provide some serious competition and backup for Michail Antonio, we agree with O’Rourke – bringing in a player with reported attitude problems who has flopped in the top flight before seems like an accident waiting to happen.

In other news… a West Ham insider has shared a big six-word update on the future of Declan Rice.

Tottenham Hotspur are thought to be among the teams interested in Richarlison…

What’s the word?

That’s according to the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel, who delivered a fresh update on the Brazilian’s status at Everton heading into the summer transfer window.

European heavyweights Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also mooted by the report as the 25-year-old faces an uncertain future in Merseyside.

Richarlison has two years to run on his current £90k-per-week deal, so the Toffees will be in no rush to sell their star man; and given his importance to Frank Lampard’s side, it remains to be seen if they’d even let him go and for how much.

He is currently valued at £45m by Transfermarkt and may well represent an opportunity to bolster their transfer budget due to financial constraints.

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Shades of Lautaro Martinez

Antonio Conte’s quest to find another option up top has certainly taken a surprising twist, with the Everton frontman a potential candidate to either provide back-up to Harry Kane or play alongside him.

It could suggest that the Italian may be keen to replicate his successful tactics at Inter Milan, where he secured the Nerazzurri their first Serie A title in over a decade in 2020/21.

At the San Siro, Conte enjoyed a free-scoring duo of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, two very different profiles of strikers. The former is more of a brute force, a target man, whilst the latter is shorter, quicker and can cause trouble in behind the defensive line.

Kane is a far superior striker to the Chelsea marksman, as he can drop deeper and act as a playmaker with his impressive passing range, so the prospect of a proven attacker like Richarlison playing off him is certainly an intriguing one.

He is also the perfect fit for the 52-year-old Lilywhites boss – as per FBRef, the Brazil international ranks inside the top 1% for blocks (1.71 per 90), top 5% for tackles (1.43 per 90) and top 8% of pressures (21.05 per 90) when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s ‘Big Five’.

This suggests he has an impressive work rate in the final third and will help the side defend from the front, thus retaining possession in dangerous areas, where he or Kane can then wreak havoc.

He bagged ten goals in a struggling Toffees side last season, taking his total for the club to 53 across 152 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Also lauded as a “complete” player by his former manager Carlo Ancelotti, the 25-year-old could well emerge as Conte’s next Martinez should Spurs follow up their interest with a firm offer.

His versatility to play on either flank would also provide further cover for the likes of Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski, so on the above evidence, Richarlison would indeed be a fine addition to Tottenham’s frontline.

AND in other news, Paratici could unearth the next £100m talent as Spurs now eye “unbelievable” signing…

Manchester United are ‘prepared’ to sell centre-back Eric Bailly this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Wan-Bissaka update

It looks set to be a busy few months at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag, who has already made a head start on the United job by recently terminating his Ajax deal.

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A number of players are out of contract at the end of June, while others, like Aaron Wan-Bissaka, aren’t in the new manager’s plans.

Sky Sports revealed that United will listen to offers for the right-back as a result of Ten Hag’s decision, with a return to Crystal Palace rumoured earlier this month.

The Latest: Romano’s claim

Romano took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to provide updates on both Wan-Bissaka and Bailly.

He revealed that United are ‘prepared’ to let the defenders leave this summer but said it ‘depends on the proposals’.

The Verdict: Right call?

Bailly, who Gary Neville labelled as ‘really poor’ back in 2018, has made just seven appearances this season. His form since 2018 has dipped massively, with his Transfermarkt valuation dropping from £31.5m to just £7.2m.

The Ivory Coast international will be entering the final two years of his deal in the summer, and with his lack of game time this season, it does seem to make sense to part ways.

Ten Hag has been linked with a number of centre-backs since taking the United job, including Jurrien Timber, Sven Botman, Kalidou Koulibaly, Goncalo Inacio and Alessandro Bastoni, which may show what he thinks of Bailly and others already at the club.

In other news: Major Frenkie de Jong to Man Utd claim; Ten Hag looks set to get his way. 

With just two games left in the current campaign – and with Premier League safety long since assured – Newcastle United are likely beginning to turn their attention towards the upcoming transfer window as they look to build upon the positive early strides made in the January market under the new owners.

While it will be the potential marquee incomings which will grab the headlines in the coming weeks and months, consideration should also be made as to who could be moving on, with there likely to be numerous few casualties among the current squad.

Recent reports have suggested that as many as seven players could be ruthlessly axed by manager Eddie Howe ahead of next season, with one of those set to be Paraguayan playmaker Miguel Almiron.

Despite arriving amid much fanfare following his £21m move from MLS outfit Atlanta United in January 2019 , the 28-year-old has failed to truly ignite in English football, memorably waiting almost a year to net his first goal for the club in all competitions.

Things have not really improved since then for the £74k-per-week dud, who has made just 19 goal contributions in 121 games across all fronts for the St James’ Park club, with his lack of cutting edge proving an issue despite his admirable work ethic.

His stint in the northeast has also not been aided by controversial comments made by the player himself towards the back end of last season, in which he admitted that he wished he played for a team which “fights more”.

Now it would seem it is the £14.4m-rated man who is fighting for his Newcastle future under Howe, with the former Bournemouth boss already having the perfect replacement in the form of academy graduate Elliot Anderson.

The 19-year-old starlet – who has made just two senior appearances for the club – is set to return to Tyneside this summer after a dazzling six-month loan stint with Bristol Rovers in League Two, during which the teenager provided eight goals and five assists in just 21 appearances.

That tally included a goal and two assists in the final day thrashing of Scunthorpe, with the playmaker netting the vital seventh goal in that 7-0 drubbing to clinch automatic promotion for Joey Barton’s side.

Such form has seen him dubbed “unbelievable” by Newcastle striker Callum Wilson, while former club scout Graham Carr insisted that the youngster is “like Peter Beardsley” due to his technical talent, also naming him the “best young player I have seen in a long time”.

Such high praise would indicate that the Magpies starlet is set for a bright future, and it is imperative that he doesn’t get lost amid the likely surge of incomings which seem set to arrive at St James’ Park in the coming months and years.

As for now, Howe and PIF must be ruthless in ensuring that they get the teenager in the first-team squad, with Almiron potentially being axed to free up space if needed.

IN other news, Eddie Howe can now help NUFC sign “spectacular” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than Saint-Maximin

Rangers forward Amad Diallo registered his second goal for the club over the weekend as he scored in a 2-0 win for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men at Ibrox on Sunday.

The winger has struggled for form since making the switch to Glasgow on loan until the end of the season during the January transfer window.

In eight Premiership outings for the Light Blues, Amad has scored two goals and failed to provide a single assist whilst averaging a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.53.

He has been unable to make himself a regular starter for van Bronckhorst and sporting director Ross Wilson will surely be ruing the decision to bring the Ivorian in.

The ex-Southampton chief could have opted to sign a different player and one gem the club were reportedly interested in was Manchester City forward James McAtee.

Imagine him & Kent

Wilson fumbled the chance to land a frightening wing pairing as he would have been able to hand van Bronckhorst the firepower to line up with Kent and McAtee on the wings.

The latter has been in phenomenal form for Manchester City at youth level throughout the campaign. He has amassed a whopping 23 goals and eight assists in all competitions across 28 games. The attacker has also played a further six times for the Cityzens at senior level, which shows how highly Pep Guardiola rates him.

McAtee has plundered 26 goals and 16 assists in 46 Premier League 2 outings in total for the club in recent seasons as he has worked his way into the first-team set-up.

He is capable of playing in attacking midfield and on both wings, which means that he would have been able to play anywhere across the frontline – linking up with the likes of Kent, Joe Aribo and Fashion Sakala.

Kent has been particularly productive for the Gers this season as he has chipped in with three goals and 19 assists in all competitions. This shows that he is able to make things happen on a consistent basis in the final third, just as McAtee has proven he can do at youth level and as Amad has failed to do.

Now, imagine both of them scoring and assisting goals week-in-week-out for Rangers in multiple competitions this season; what a frightening prospect that would be for defenders.

Wilson fumbled a deal to sign the exciting English teenager and will surely be regretting his decisions during the January window as a result of that.

AND in other news, Big boost: Gvb issues huge Rangers injury relief that’ll leave supporters delighted…

Sport Italia TV journalist Rudy Galetti has now made a West Ham United transfer claim involving Man United forward Jesse Lingard as Premier League rivals Newcastle United and newly-promoted Fulham also eye a move.

The Lowdown: Hammers in Lingard chase…

Since enjoying a phenomenal 2020/2021 spell on loan at the London Stadium, it is no secret that David Moyes has held a real interest in bringing Lingard back on a permanent deal.

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Out of contract at the end of this season, it appears West Ham head of recruitment Rob Newman and GSB have their best chance yet to secure a move for the Three Lions ace.

Moyes has allegedly set his sights on the signing of a midfielder alongside possible central defensive and striking additions, according to The Times, with Galetti now sharing a Lingard update on Twitter.

The Latest: Galetti makes transfer claim…

According to the reporter, West Ham are still eyeing the 29-year-old for Moyes but face competition from Newcastle and even the newly-promoted Fulham.

He explained:

“Lingard, his priority is to stay in the EPL.

“West Ham and Newcastle have shown interest in him. Even the newly promoted Fulham are following the player closely: evolving situation.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Singing the proven top flight attacker at zero initial transfer cost is a no-brainer given he is already proven under Moyes – scoring a fantastic nine goals and four assists over 16 top flight appearances during his 2021 temporary move.

Lingard knows the club, Moyes and members of the squad already with star man Declan Rice even revealing that he is ‘infectious’ and a ‘great person to be around’ (via The Football Faithful).

There is little risk his addition would bring disharmony to West Ham’s tight-knit dressing room, and taking into account his ability on top of that, it’s little wonder Paul Robinson has called Lingard’s return a potentially ‘massive signing’ for Moyes.

In other news: ‘Something special’ – Journalist says ‘massive player’ could be open to joining West Ham, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly loan out centre-back Joe Rodon rather than allowing him to leave the club on a permanent deal during the upcoming transfer window, according to Lilywhite Rose insider John Wenham.

The Lowdown: Rodon given green light to leave

The 24-year-old, whose contract with the north London club isn’t set to expire until 2025, reportedly made up his mind earlier this year that he wanted to quit Spurs, and a source from N17 later told Football Insider that they have given the green light for the Welshman to find a new club this summer.

Rodon was linked with a move away from the capital in the January transfer window amid interest from the likes of Brighton, Newcastle and Leeds, but the Spurs insider now believes that the 24-cap international could be loaned out in a bid to raise his price tag before considering a permanent sale.

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The Latest: Loan move on the horizon?

When speaking to Football Insider about the Tottenham defender’s situation, Wenham said:

“If you look at Cameron Carter-Vickers, he has gone to Celtic and risen his stock. Tottenham are now going to get a bigger fee for him wherever he goes this summer.

“So my position on Joe Rodon has changed slightly. I now think it would be more sensible to loan him to another Premier League club.

“Maybe someone who comes up, Fulham would be a good one. He can then play every game that season and raise his own stock.

“That allows us to sell him at a much greater price. At the moment, he is getting no exposure. The Carter-Vickers deal has shown this is the way to do things.”

The Verdict: Rodon could be looking to move

The £7.2m-rated Welshman has barely been given a chance to prove himself in the first team since the arrival of Antonio Conte, having made just three appearances under the 52-year-old this season, with none of those coming in the top flight despite being a regular feature in the Italian’s matchday squads.

Rodon, who was dubbed an “outstanding” player by Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson, will no doubt be looking for a move elsewhere as a result of this in a bid to find some much-needed game time.

With Conte reported to want six fresh faces ahead of the start of the 2022/23 campaign, including one centre-back, it looks like the writing might be on the wall for the Wales defender in N17, and it seems highly unlikely that we will be seeing him in a Spurs shirt next season.

The question is whether we’ll see him in a Spurs shirt again, or whether he could put a potential loan move to good use.

In other news… a source has revealed that Conte is eyeing an ‘incredible’ new transfer target