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Transfer insider Dean Jones has shed some light on the situation surrounding the Everton pursuit to sign Burnley forward Maxwel Cornet. 

The lowdown: Breakout season

Signed from Lyon for £12.9million (Sky Sports), Cornet enjoyed an impressive first campaign in the Premier League on a personal level.

The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international was unable to prevent the Clarets from suffering relegation but was a shining light in Lancashire, particularly when scoring and supplying an assist in a 3-2 victory over the Toffees in April.

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Following the exit of Richarlison to Tottenham, Everton have been extensively linked with a move to sign Cornet for a £17.5million release clause and one well-informed onlooker has provided an update on the current state of play…

The latest: ‘Been told…’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Frank Lampard and Kevin Thelwell could now step up their pursuit of the 29-cap star.

He said: “Cornet is easier to quantify and to know what level you’re going to get out of him and what his output will be, so I think that Cornet will be one they push on with because Gibbs-White, they went in at £20m and they’ve been told it will be £10m more than that, it’s quite a big jump.”

The verdict: Richarlison replacement?

The Toffees have been linked to numerous attacking options in recent weeks including Watford frontman Emmanuel Dennis, Chelsea starlet Armando Broja and of course, Wolves sensation Morgan Gibbs-White, albeit the latter would represent more of a midfield reinforcement.

But, last season Cornet scored ‘explosive’ by the official Burnley Twitter account.

Sharing similar stylistic qualities with the likes of Kasper Dolberg, Callum Wilson and Broja (Fbref), were the man described as ‘electric’ by Burnley writer Andy Jones to hit the ground running at Goodison Park then there is no doubt that the Ivorian could be an unbridled success on Merseyside.

Equally adept as a left-winger and at centre-forward – two positions occupied by Richarlison for the most part – holding a market value of £13.5million (Transfermarkt), the widely mooted release clause represents exceptional value for money and as such those involved in recruitment at Everton should be pushing hard to make this deal happen.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has urged the club to sign an extra centre-back this summer and has suggested Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar as a possible addition.

The Lowdown: Lenglet close to Spurs move

According to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are now ‘hopeful’ of completing the loan signing of Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet ‘very soon’.

However, it has been suggested elsewhere that Antonio Conte could remain on the lookout for a more permanent centre-back solution this summer.

As per The Guardian, Fabio Paratici is interested in making a move for Slovakia international Skriniar, with the Lilywhites having previously failed in their attempts to sign the defender in 2021.

The Latest: Robinson’s claim

Robinson, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, believes that Conte will add another signing at centre-back this summer.

When questioned whether Skriniar was needed by Tottenham, the ex-England goalkeeper told Football Insider: “Dier was magnificent last year but Conte will want competition for places. I think we will see another signing in that area.

“Skriniar would be a top signing. Dier was fantastic but when you look at where Spurs want to go, it is a squad game. Skriniar would give the manager real options at the back.

“If you bring in Lenglet and Skriniar to compete with [Cristian] Romero, Dier and Ben Davies you have a very strong back three regardless of who you play.”

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The Verdict: He’d be a great signing

Valued at £58.5m by Transfermarkt, the centre-back has entered the final 12 months of his contract in Italy. Therefore, the Serie A club may be worried about losing the 27-year-old on a free transfer next year, potentially pushing them into selling him for a reduced fee this summer.

If so, Spurs should go all out for the Slovakian.

When compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, Skriniar ranks in the 96th percentile for non-penalty expected goals, pass completion rate and progressive passes received (via FBRef).

With such quality potentially available on a free transfer, this could end up being a great signing for Conte, if he takes Robinson’s advice and goes in for the player.

Crystal Palace have enquired about Chelsea centre-back Levi Colwill, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown

The Eagles officially made their first signing of the summer over the weekend, landing 18-year-old winger Malcolm Ebiowei from Derby County. They have also reached an agreement with goalkeeper Sam Johnstone ahead of the expiry of his West Brom contract.

Colwill spent the 2021/22 season on loan with Huddersfield Town in the second tier and has now returned to Stamford Bridge.

The two London clubs did business last summer, with Conor Gallagher moving to Selhurst Park on loan at Marc Guehi joining permanently from Stamford Bridge.

The latest

Romano has said that Chelsea will make a ‘final decision’ on Colwill amid interest from ‘multiple clubs’.

The Blues are expected to sign two centre-backs this summer after losing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.

Crystal Palace are one of four Premier League outfits who ‘have asked for Colwill’, along with Brighton, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest. Those clubs are thought to be pursuing ‘a permanent deal’ rather than a loan move for the 19-year-old.

The verdict

Palace have clearly been encouraged by the success of Guehi in his first season with the Eagles.

The youngster performed so well that he won The Athletic’s Rookie of the Year Award, scooping more than 25% of the vote, and Colwill also looks equipped to thrive in the top flight.

Even though he is only a teenager, he started 26 league games for a Terriers side which chased promotion and narrowly lost out to Forest in the Championship play-off final.

He won 66% of his ground duels – the second-best record in the division among under-21 defenders with at least five appearances – and 64% of his aerial battles.

Excitingly for Palace fans, he has been dubbed ‘the new John Terry’ – a fine endorsement considering the Chelsea legend’s standing in the game.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Marco Asensio, and now a new update has emerged on the club’s progress in getting a deal done for the player this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet COPE, Liverpool have tabled an offer to sign Real Madrid winger Asensio.

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As per the report, the player has a desire to get more game-time and it was thought that he may achieve that now that Kylian Mbappe will not be making the move to the Bernabeu this summer, however, with just 12 months left on Asensio’s contract, there is no intention from Real Madrid to secure his future.

AC Milan have also reportedly made an offer for the player alongside the Merseyside club.

He’s Coutinho 2.0

Jurgen Klopp will likely jump at the opportunity to strengthen his forward line after losing Sadio Mane, Taki Minamino and Divock Origi this summer, whilst doubt remains on Mo Salah’s future at the club and signing Asensio could be the perfect opportunity to add an experienced and proven winner in his team.

Since joining Los Blancos in 2015, the Spanish winger has won three Champions League trophies and three La Liga titles, scoring 49 goals and delivering 24 assists over 235 appearances.

Despite struggling for game-time in the side with just 19 starts and 59 minutes on average per game this season in the Spanish top-flight, Asensio has proved that he has the capabilities to perform at the highest level when called upon.

The £35m gem who was hailed “special” by journalist Kiyan Sobhani, scored ten goals and created one big chance. He made one key pass and took 2.2 shots on average per game, whilst he proved successful in the majority of his dribble attempts (68%) and ranked tenth in La Liga for shots on target over 31 appearances last season.

In terms of his compatibility with Liverpool, Klopp could have Philippe Coutinho 2.0 on his hands if FSG were to sign Asensio this summer, as the former Liverpool star is the eighth-most comparable player to the midfielder over the last year, according to FBref.

Although Coutinho offered a better pass completion rate (82.8%) and delivered three more assists, the Real Madrid midfielder scored more goals (10), had a far better shot on target percentage (48.4%) and a better pressure success rate (23.9%), proving that Asensio can offer similar attributes but is more prolific in attacking opportunities.

With that being said, if Julian Ward can get a deal done for Asensio this summer it could be a major coup for Liverpool in their pursuit of trophies by adding a proven winner and clinical attacker to the team.

AND in other news: Klopp can land his own Tchouameni as Liverpool now plot £5m offer for “absolute star”

Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell thinks Liverpool are definitely making the ‘right move’ by offering Naby Keita a new contract.

The Lowdown: Contract talks opened

The 27-year-old first made the switch to the Premier League when he joined the Reds from RB Leipzig five years ago, but as a result of only having 12 months remaining on his current contract at Anfield, his future is now uncertain.

However, there has since been a positive update in the sense that LFC have opened talks with the midfielder over a new deal, with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano further confirming that the club have made it one of their priorities to tie the maestro down this summer.

The Latest: Campbell backs Liverpool decision

Asked by Football Insider whether he thinks Liverpool have made the right decision in offering new terms to Keita, Campbell said: “I like Keita.

“I think he is a very good player. Whenever he is in the team, he has performed.

“You can tell a good player when there is not drop-off. That is how you know that you’ve got a squad of top player. There was times that Keita was on the bench and Klopp brought him on to up the level.

“He has a silky way of dribbling and playing decisive passes. I think the right move is to tie him down to a new deal, 100 per cent. Klopp has to keep that squad intact.

“They were one point off of the title last season. It is going to be another close one this season.”

The Verdict: Magician in midfield

Keita has slightly fallen down Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order in recent times, with the German having the likes of Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago all available for selection, but he’s someone who is definitely more than worth keeping in and around the squad.

Even though the Guinean only made 14 top-flight starts last season, he still managed to make a hugely positive impact when given the chance, averaging an 86% pass success rate and two tackles per 90 minutes, via WhoScored, highlighting his ability to tighten up and control a midfield.

With Takumi Minamino on the verge of sealing a Reds exit and Henderson not getting any younger, Keita should get plenty of chances to impact the starting XI going forward, where he will undoubtedly continue to enjoy plenty more success with Liverpool in years to come.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with Raphinha for a while, and a new update has now emerged on Leeds United’s latest stance on the prospective sale of the player this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, the Whites would now be willing to accept a transfer fee of €50m (£42.8m) for the Brazilian winger, and that could be revised down even further.

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As per the report, Raphinha has made clear his desire to leave his current club, with Barcelona being his first choice option for this summer, although both Liverpool and Arsenal have also approached with interest.

Klopp’s next Jota

Liverpool don’t always sign their star players from within the Premier League, but when they have done during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure they have struck gold, with Sadio Mane, Virgil Van Dijk and Diogo Jota all having a massive impact at Anfield after leaving their former English top-flight clubs.

Jota in particular has had a fantastic impact competing for a place in Liverpool’s formidable front three since joining from Wolves in 2020 for a similar fee (£41m) as Raphinha’s reported asking price.

The Portuguese maestro has scored 34 goals and delivered nine assists in 85 appearances for Liverpool, with a goal contribution every 124 minutes for the Reds, proving that he has been a worthwhile signing.

Darwin’s a Red! Get your special edition Darwin Nunez tee here.

Raphinha could now follow in the footsteps of Jota by joining the Merseyside giants to compete for a place in their team and potentially becoming a key component in the club’s pursuit for more trophies.

Following Sadio Mane’s imminent departure, Divock Origi’s contract expiry and the expected sale of Takumi Minamino this summer, there will definitely be an opportunity for the Brazilian to apply his talents and strengths in the team despite the signing of another striker in Darwin Nunez.

The Leeds winger, who was dubbed a “proper talent” by Joe Cole, has scored 17 goals and contributed 12 assists since joining the Whites in 2020. He has been a consistent threat for the West Yorkshire club, duly cementing his status as a fan favourite with his heroics against Brentford a month ago to keep Jesse Marsch’s side in the top flight.

FSG should not give up on their pursuit of the Brazilian, as Raphinha could be a great asset to replace the depth lost in the forward line at Anfield this summer, especially now that Leeds are seemingly resigned to selling him for much less than originally intended.

AND in other news: Major Liverpool transfer twist emerges; Jurgen Klopp will be frustrated

Liverpool are on the lookout for a replacement for Sadio Mane who has unexpectedly decided to leave Anfield ahead of the last 12 months of his contract with the club, and now a new potential transfer target has been identified.

What’s the latest?

According to Daily Mail, Liverpool have joined Premier League rivals Manchester City in the race for Bukayo Saka.

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As per the report, Saka was thought to be unlikely to make a move this summer and contract negotiations were opened to extend the young player’s deal with Arsenal beyond the two years he has left, however, their failure to qualify for the Champions League has thrown a spanner in the works.

The player could well join their ranks after Darwin Nunez who is currently the subject of intense speculation regarding a move to Anfield.

Mane 2.0

Although the midfield was an area the Reds were set to strengthen this summer, the potential departure of Sadio Mane has caused a headache for FSG who will need to now focus on finding a replacement to emulate the Senegalese winger’s attacking output that has been crucial in Liverpool’s success over the last six years.

With that being said, Jurgen Klopp has been a long-term admirer of Saka with the German coach hailing the youngster a “young and exciting player” as well as upsetting Arsenal supporters with his warm approach to Saka on the pitch at full-time after Arsenal’s Carabao Cup draw at Anfield

The £102m-rated star who was hailed a “game-changer” by Cesc Fabregas, has been impressive this season for the Gunners and has been a stand out performer in the team.

According to SofaScore, in 38 Premier League appearances Saka has scored 11 goals, delivered seven assists and created eight big chances while making 1.8 key passes.

He’s also made 1.1 tackles and taken 2.6 shots on average per game, proving that he is an absolute nuisance in attacking play, something Klopp would value in his forward line.

Another attribute Klopp will be keen on is the 20-year-old’s diversity in his positioning with the player deployed predominantly on the right this season but has also been seen on the left side too.

Thus, if the Liverpool manager could unlock his potential on the left side he could have Mane 2.0 on his hands.

AND in other news: Offer made: Liverpool now “want to sign” 34-goal “diamond”, Klopp absolutely loves him

Celtic’s heavy amount of business during the previous summer transfer window ended up paying dividends for the Bhoys as Ange Postecoglou guided the club to the SPFL title.

Heading into the upcoming summer window, it seems as though a clue has emerged regarding the possibility of one particular transfer deal taking place at Parkhead that would surely have lots of fans jumping for joy.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football Insider, Noel Whelan had this to say about the current situation surrounding the possibility of Celtic securing a permanent deal for the centre-back.

“I think happiness to a player is very important, feeling wanted and belonging in a place. I think he’s definitely got that from Celtic as a football club and the fans.

“I think Celtic and Carter-Vickers will be trying to do everything to make it happen, for him to stay there.”

Great news for Celtic fans

The Hoops signed the defender on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur back in August.

With 45 appearances under his belt across all competitions, more than any other team he’s played for throughout his career, the American chipped in with four goals and one assist.

However, it was his defensive work that made him a crucial figure for Postecoglou in their title-winning campaign.

In 33 league appearances, the 24-year-old made more interceptions (43) than any other Celtic player and ended the campaign with a higher average of clearances per game (4.2) than anyone in Postecoglou’s ranks.

His overall performances earned the Tottenham loanee an impressive season rating of 7.36/10 from WhoScored, making him the fourth-highest rated player currently in the 56-year-old’s squad.

Earlier this month, Carter-Vickers shared his wishes that he wants to bring an end to his time as a Spurs player once and for all this summer, which could be why Whelan has said the player will be doing everything he can to join Celtic permanently.

This could then give the Parkhead club a great chance to secure the defender on a permanent basis.

Now that Whelan has suggested that both Celtic and the player will be doing all they can to make this deal come to fruition, this will undeniably be great for the Hoops fans to hear.

Should the league champions secure the defender’s signature in the coming weeks, this would surely give the team a great chance of regaining the title and potentially being successful in Europe given his clear defensive talent.

In other news: Deal close: Big transfer update emerges that’ll have many Celtic supporters buzzing

A huge Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged on the club’s pursuit of Renan Lodi heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Reporter Jacque Talbot has revealed that the Brazilian defender is the club’s number one target in that area of the pitch.

The Magpies will be pursuing a deal to sign the Atletico Madrid man in the coming months and will then look to snap up Matt Targett if they fail to bring their first choice in.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I’m told that with Targett, it’s going to be more of a secondary option. So, they’ve put the feelers out for Lodi, who’s their main priority signing for that left-back side. And if that falls through, then they’re going to go back to Targett.”

Eddie Howe will be buzzing

The Toon head coach will be buzzing with this news as it shows that PIF and Dan Ashworth are not willing to settle for the safe option.

Targett spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan from Aston Villa and he was a solid performer at left-back. He ended the season with an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.92 for his parent club and the Magpies combined in the Premier League, making an impressive 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game as he showcased his strong defending.

However, he is not a high-level left-back when it comes to crossing the halfway line and attacking the opposition’s goal.

As per FBRef, he ranks in the 62nd percentile or lower in shot-creating actions, non-penalty goals, non-penalty Expected Goals + Expected Assists, assists, and dribbles completed per 90 in the last 365 days among left-back’s in Europe’s top five leagues.

Lodi, meanwhile, ranks in the 74th percentile or higher in all of those categories and in the 92nd percentile or higher for both assists and non-penalty goals per 90.

The 24-year-old managed three goals and four assists in 17 starts in La Liga and the Champions League for Atletico as he proved that he can make a big impact in the final third. He has the quality to score and assist goals from full-back and this means that he can offer Newcastle another attacking threat in the Premier League next season.

However, he is a riskier signing than Targett as he has not played in England before and it is not a guarantee that he will adapt to English football.

That is the risk Newcastle have to take if they want to elevate their attack with a talented left-back option to provide a threat from the defence and that is why Howe will be buzzing with the club’s pursuit of Lodi.

AND in other news, Howe can axe £25m NUFC flop by signing “frightening” £94m predator who’s “the future”…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring James Ward-Prowse to north London in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Hampshire Live, who claimed that the Southampton midfielder’s future is the subject of much speculation ahead of the opening of the summer market, with both Tottenham and Manchester United mentioned as interested parties.

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Further reports have backed up the claim that Antonio Conte is interested in a move for the midfielder this summer, with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side expected to demand a figure in the region of £60m in order to part with the England international in the coming months.

Jorginho 2.0

Considering Ward-Prowse’s remarkable form for Southampton this season, in addition to reports suggesting that Conte is hoping to sign a midfielder in the mould of Jorginho this summer, it is not difficult to see why the 52-year-old would be keen on a deal for the 27-year-old playmaker.

Indeed, over his 36 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £42.5m-rated talent highly impressed for Saints, scoring 10 goals, registering five assists and creating eight big chances for his team-mates, as well as taking 1.5 shots, making two key passes and enjoying 69.7 touches per game.

The £100k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, completing 43.8 passes, 1.1 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and 1.8 long balls and winning 2.6 duels per match.

These returns saw the 10-cap England international average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.27, not only ranking him as Hasenhuttl’s best performer in the league but also as the eighth-best midfielder and the 19th-best player overall in the top flight.

As a result of Ward-Prowse’s incredible performance standards this season, Oriol Romeu heaped considerable praise on his St Mary’s team-mate, with the Spaniard stating: “He is an unbelievable player, the way he works. He always finds a good option, he never gives the ball away, he works the hardest and he runs the longest. Ward-Prowse is probably going to be one of the most important players for this club.”

For comparison, over Jorginho’s 29 Premier League appearances this season, the £40.5m-rated midfielder scored six goals, registered two assists and created six big chances, in addition to taking 0.6 shots, making 0.9 key passes and enjoying 75.8 touches per game.

The Italy international also completed 58 passes, 1.2 interceptions, 2.2 tackles and 2.1 long balls and won 4.5 duels per game, with these metrics seeing the £110k-per-week playmaker average a SofaScore match rating of 7.08.

As such, it is clear to see that Ward-Prowse is very much a player in the same mould as the Chelsea star, leading us to believe that Fabio Paratici must do all he can to land the player who Jamie O’Hara dubbed “perfect” for Spurs this summer, as there would be very few players beyond the 27-year-old who would satisfy Conte’s criteria in the middle of the park.

AND in other news: Bid incoming: Conte can land Spurs’ own Steph Curry in £60m offer for “special” target