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Aston Villa and Newcastle are likely to be near the front of the queue for Joe Gomez in the summer, according to The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Gomez links

It didn’t take long for Gomez to be linked with a move to the Midlands after Steven Gerrard took over at Villa Park back in November.

Reports prior to the New Year suggested that Villa made an offer to Liverpool for the defender. Rumours continued throughout the January window regarding a possible move, with Villa determined to secure Gomez’s services late in the month.

As we know, a transfer failed to materialise, however, the links are refusing to go away ahead of the summer window as Gerrard prepares for his first full season in charge.

The Latest: The Athletic’s claim

The Athletic’s Stuart James and James Pearce shared an in-depth story on Gomez on Tuesday. They revealed that both Villa and Newcastle, should they stay up, are likely to be near the front of the queue for his signature.

They think that Liverpool will need to make a decision on Gomez’s future soon, as he will be into the final two years of his Anfield deal in the summer.

The Verdict: Needed?

Villa and Gerrard have just four senior central defenders on the books in Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa, Kortney Hause and new arrival Calum Chambers.

So, to take Villa to the next level, Gerrard may see bringing in someone like Gomez as a must, especially as his side have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight fixtures.

Gomez, who has been labelled as a ‘sensational footballer’ with ‘outstanding speed’ by Jurgen Klopp, appears to be entering the prime years of his career.

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He already has Premier League and Champions League winners’ medals to his name and has made over 100 appearances for the Reds, so a swoop in the summer could be a shrewd one as Gerrard looks to make his mark on the squad.

In other news: One report has outlined the probability of Philippe Coutinho signing on a permanent basis.

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst will have a number of difficult decisions to make at Ibrox in the summer as he heads towards his first pre-season in Glasgow as the manager.

The likes of Leon Balogun, Scott Arfield, Connor Goldson, Allan McGregor and Steven Davis are all out of contract and the head coach will need to decide whether or not he wants to keep them.

Some of these calls could hinge on what Ross Wilson is able to do in the summer in terms of bringing players in to bolster Van Bronckhorst’s squad at Ibrox, as he could sign players who play in the same position.

Finally axe

One player who could be ousted from the starting XI to make way for a fresh addition is central midfielder/winger Arfield.

Rangers have been linked with a deal for MK Dons attacker Scott Twine, and his prospective arrival in Glasgow could result in Arfield dropping out of the team.

His former Swindon boss Phil Brown claimed that he is “going to blossom” as a player, which suggests that he would be a fantastic signing for the Gers in the short- and long-term. Twine has 14 goals and nine assists in English League One this season, whilst the current Light Blues gem has four goals and zero assists in 20 Premiership matches.

Therefore, the MK Dons dynamo could be an upgrade in the final third with his knack for scoring and creating goals, whilst he has the potential to improve even further at the age of just 22.

However, this does not necessarily mean that Arfield should or will leave the club at the end of the season. He could sign a contact extension and take on a smaller role in the squad, which would allow Van Bronckhorst to call upon him when needed rather than relying on him as a first-choice player.

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The Canadian would be a useful player to keep around the club due to his experience. He has played 173 matches for the Gers to date and was dubbed a “manager’s dream” by his former manager John Hughes, which suggests that he is a hard-working player who is willing to play any position.

The signing of Twine would allow Van Bronckhorst to finally axe Arfield from his starting XI and either enable him to leave at the end of his current contract or make him more of a squad option than a contender to start on a regular basis.

AND in other news, Forget Roofe: Van Bronckhorst can save Rangers millions in “big talent” who scores every 41 minutes…

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani will eventually look to sell the club in the near future, according to financial expert Kieran Maguire.

The Lowdown: Radrizzani’s successful reign at Leeds

The 47-year-old has been the sole owner of the Whites since May 2017, having initially purchased 50% of the club in January of the same year.

It has undoubtedly been a successful period at Elland Road under Radrizzani, with Marcelo Bielsa a hugely ambitious appointment and promotion back to the Premier League achieved in 2019/20 under the Argentine.

However, the Italian has hinted that he will sell Leeds when the time is right, perhaps suggesting that a sale may not be too far away.

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The Latest: Maguire makes big Radrizzani claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire claimed that he feels it is ‘inevitable’ that Radrizzani will sell up amid growing involvement from 49ers Enterprise, duly bringing to an end a great chapter in Leeds’ history. The football finance expert said:

“I think there will come a time when he looks for a return on his investment. Radrizzani realises that it is a very expensive business being a competitive force in the Premier League.

“There will be an appropriate point in time when the financial support really needs to be amplified by another party.

“It really does look inevitable and more of a case of when rather than if. But he will be desperate for Leeds to have more success in the meantime.”

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The Verdict: New era coming soon?

While not every decision Radrizzani has ever made has been correct, Leeds supporters will surely look back on his era at the club as hugely positive overall.

He has given no specific indication of when that may be, but the fact that he is even discussing it means that it could be close, as 49ers Enterprise continue to slowly take more control.

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The hope is that Radrizzani’s reign doesn’t end sourly with relegation back to the Championship this year – if that does happen, it could be a natural time for the Italian to sell.

In other news, Leeds are still reportedly interested in signing one player. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa will reportedly monitor Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez this summer with manager Steven Gerrard keen to reunite with his former Liverpool teammate.

What’s the story?

According to The Athletic’s Villa correspondent Gregg Evans, Gerrard will monitor Suarez’s situation in the summer with the 35-year-old set to depart the reigning La Liga champions.

The Uruguayan striker’s contract with Atletico expires at the end of June and will be available to join a new suitor on a free transfer, with Villa amongst those interested.

Villa must sign Suarez

To have already signed Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho on loan and now be linked with a possible move for Luis Suarez, we are certainly in the midst of exciting times at Aston Villa.

Of course, the Gerrard factor is a major contributor with the Villa boss Liverpool captain when both Suarez and Coutinho were at Anfield.

Although Coutinho is an exceptional player, the 35-year-old is certainly of a greater pedigree and excitement than the Brazilian, with the striker netting 435 goals in 689 appearances during his club career whilst also winning a plethora of major honours, including the Champions League.

Having left Liverpool in 2014 to join Barcelona, where Suarez scored 195 goals and registered 113 assists in 283 appearances, the veteran striker now finds himself in his second season at Atletico Madrid, having won La Liga with Diego Simeone’s side last season.

Last term saw the Uruguayan score 21 goals in 32 league matches during Atletico’s title-winning campaign, although this season hasn’t been as straightforward.

In 36 appearances across all competitions, Suarez has found the back of the net on 12 occasions, but the 35-year-old is starting to see game time start to decrease.

Simeone didn’t put the striker on the pitch at all for their Champions League draw against Manchester United in the Champions League whilst racking up just 55 minutes of football as a substitute in Atletico’s last three league games.

With his spell in Madrid approaching its final months, a return to the Premier League for Suarez could be a shrewd move, with the 35-year-old a cult hero for Liverpool.

In fact, former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers had plenty of praise for the Uruguayan, saying: “For him not to be in the top three of the Ballon d’Or was incredible.

“He left Liverpool as a world-class player and he’s gone into a Barcelona team that was already up there and made them better. Playing with that level of players as well has obviously made him a better player. He’s still young enough to win that accolade but he’s certainly up there with the best.â€

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In terms of Aston Villa’s current options, none have scored more frequently this season than Suarez with Ollie Watkins scoring seven goals in 25 matches whilst Danny Ings has five goals in 22 appearances this term.

However, with Suarez 35 years old, how long he’d be able to last at Villa Park and how regularly the striker would be able to play would certainly be in question.

If the opportunity to sign the striker arises though, Gerrard and co. must pounce on it, given the Uruguayan’s pedigree and experience.

In other news: Gregg Evans drops behind-the-scenes Villa update which will have many Villa fans sweating

Tottenham are reportedly ready to open talks with Gleison Bremer, who is also wanted by Liverpool.

The Lowdown: Bremer profiled

Bremer is 25 years of age and currently plays for Serie A side Torino, where he has made 103 appearances – 26 of which have come in 2021/22.

The centre-back is at the absolute peak of his powers with a £27m career-high Transfermarkt valuation and actually shares the same agent as Spurs star Son Heung-min.

Bremer has been a regular during the current campaign and is under contract until 2024, but it seems as if Spurs are eyeing up a summer swoop for the player.

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The Latest: Spurs ready to open talks

Sports Witness relayed an update from print newspaper Tuttosport on Thursday regarding Bremer. They suggested that Torino’s owner would prefer to sell Bremer to an English side, with Spurs, Liverpool and Manchester City all name-checked with an interest.

Tottenham are reportedly now ‘ready to open talks’ over a deal and an offer of around €25m (£21m) is thought to be enough.

The Verdict: Interesting…

Centre-back reinforcements appear to be needed in north London over the summer, with Antonio Conte having just five senior options to choose from at this moment in time.

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Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga have hardly featured under the Italian, with the latter currently sidelined with a knee injury. Left-back Ben Davies has been transformed into a regular member of Conte’s back three, so bringing in Bremer, labelled as an ‘emerging superstar’, could be a shrewd move ahead of Conte’s first full season in charge.

In other news: Alasdair Gold drops major ‘incoming’ news emerging from Spurs; may be announced before West Ham. 

Tottenham Hotspur officials watched Valencia duo Jesus Vazquez and Cristhian Mosquera in action for Spain Under-19s on Wednesday, according to Super Deporte (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The young Spaniards played out a 2-2 draw with Austria in an Under-19 European Championship qualifier.

Mosquera, 17, lined up at centre-half, with Vazquez, 19, stationed on the left side of the back four.

Both players were apparently ‘on top form’, delivering ‘outstanding’ performances in front of their potential suitors.

Mosquera has made five appearances for Jose Bordalas’ senior Valencia side, while Vazquez has made 11, including four La Liga starts.

The latest

Tottenham were one of a whopping 18 clubs to send ‘top’ officials to run the rule over Vazquez and Mosquera.

They were impressed by the players’ physicality as well as their technical skill.

The report stresses, though, that both are ‘contractually protected’, with their deals running until 2025.

And they specify that Mosquera’s deal includes a €25million release clause (£20.8million).

The verdict

It’s going to be difficult to land either of these players given the extent of the competition.

Super Deporte remarked that it felt like ‘half of Europe’ were in attendance on Wednesday, with the likes of Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain also casting a watchful eye over proceedings.

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Spurs’ recruitment team will perhaps look to capitalise on their prior relationship with counterparts at Valencia, having negotiated a loan move for Bryan Gil late in the January transfer window.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has named Mosquera among an ‘extremely talented’ crop of rising Spanish stars, but will Spurs be willing to shell out nearly £21million for a player with so little experience, or will they try to reach a compromise?

In other news, read this pundit’s take on a potential blockbuster Spurs transfer.

Tottenham Hotspur are among the potential suitors for Paulo Dybala this summer as he looks to depart Juventus following the expiry of his contract.

According to Italian journalist Niccolo Ceccarini, Spurs are waiting ‘at the window’ for the Argentinian attacker to make a decision on where his future lies away from the Allianz Stadium.

The Lilywhites’ chances are bolstered by the fact that current sporting director Fabio Paratici was the man to bring Dybala to the Old Lady from Palermo back in 2015.

Atletico Madrid have also been mooted with interest but the 28-year-old will wait until the end of the season to decide.

If Paratici manages to seal the 5 foot 10 forward on a free transfer, then he could well replicate one of his greatest decisions from his time at Juventus.

The Italian supremo has a knack for sealing superstars for absolute bargains – a year into his tenure in Turin, he sealed a ‘deal of the century’ in Andrea Pirlo, signing the 32-year-old for nothing from AC Milan in 2011.

Kingsley Coman was another astute signing who didn’t cost a penny in terms of a transfer fee but perhaps the most renowned is that of Paul Pogba, who Paratici snatched from Manchester United aged just 19.

It was a move which upset Sir Alex Ferguson, though the then-young Frenchman went on to put up outstanding numbers as he provided 34 goals and 40 assists across 178 appearances before returning to Old Trafford.

Dybala could be held in similar regard, should he make the move to N17 this off-season.

Not only would it be a steal, considering that he’s valued in the region of £36m by Transfermarkt, but he would fill a lot of needs for current Spurs manager Antonio Conte.

The Italian lacks depth behind Harry Kane up top, a role that Dybala could easily fulfil, but his versatility also opens up the prospect of him being a no.10 in behind the England talisman.

Once described as “unbelievable” and “breathtaking” by former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey to The Athletic, the Argentina international has delivered 13 goals and six assists in 29 appearances this term, taking his Juventus career total to 161 direct contributions in 283 games.

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His playing style has drawn some comparisons to late compatriot Diego Maradona, too.

An average of 1.6 key passes and registered 1.9 dribbles per game across the course of his recorded career on WhoScored suggests he has the ability to play in the hole, just as much as up top, given his goalscoring record.

Therefore, if Paratici can win the race for the wizard’s signature, then he may well stumble upon another Pogba-like transfer masterclass, and that has to be an exciting prospect to those around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

AND in other news, Talks underway: Spurs eye dream Conte signing in £18m prodigy dubbed “the next Mbappe”…

PIF enjoyed their first transfer window since taking over at Newcastle as they made a number of signings in January to bolster Eddie Howe’s team.

The Saudi Arabian consortium splashed the way to bring in a wave of fresh recruits to improve the club’s chances of securing Premier League survival.

Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett and Chris Wood all came through the door with the club sat in the bottom three at the start of the month.

Their arrivals, coupled with improvements from players who were already at the club, led the team to a nine-game unbeaten run recently. This sublime sequence of results shot them up the table and Howe’s men currently sit nine points clear of the relegation zone as it stands.

One January signing, in particular, the club played a blinder with was central defender Burn as they brought him in from Brighton for £13m.

Magpies reporter Ciaran Kelly dubbed him a “colossus” and ex-Premier League striker Frank McAvennie sang the club’s praises over the deal, saying: 

“£13million or whatever it was is an absolute steal from Newcastle. To go at that price, unless his contract is up, which it isn’t, I don’t know how they got him at that price.

“There are a lot of younger lads at Newcastle so they need an experienced head in there.

“That’s what Burn has given them. He looks a confident boy, which is great for the boys around the training ground.”

‘An absolute steal’ is exactly what Newcastle pulled off based on his performances for the Toon so far as he has been immense at the back.

As you can see in the graphic above, his market value has doubled since he arrived in January three months ago, from £3.15m to £6.30m – as per Transfermarkt.

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This is down to his excellent displays on the pitch in the Premier League. He has started eight top-flight matches for the club and helped them to win four of those.

In those eight games, he won 32 aerial duels and eight tackles, whilst also making 11 interceptions, nine blocks and 46 clearances. He averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.92 as he has been able to showcase his defensive quality in black and white.

The former Brighton man has been a steal of a signing, as the statistics on the pitch and off it with his market value show, and looks set to be a big reason behind the club’s revival in the Premier League, which will save them far more than the £13m they spent. His stoic defending has helped them rise above the bottom three and PIF deserve credit for snapping him up in the winter window to lead Howe’s backline.

AND in other news, Less touches than Dubravka: “Struggling” NUFC flop with 6 passes was useless yesterday…

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata will not join the club’s coaching staff and has no plans to retire in the summer, Fabrizio Romano has reported.

The Lowdown: Mata’s lack of game-time

Mata, who made the move to Old Trafford back in 2014, has once again struggled for game-time this season. The 33-year-old has made just two starts in all competitions and hasn’t kicked a ball in the Premier League.

The Spaniard’s deal expires at the end of June, and it seems as if he could well be on the way out in a huge summer shake-up.

The Latest: Romano’s post on Mata

Romano took to Twitter on Monday to provide an update on the playmaker. He revealed that Mata will not retire in the summer and won’t join a new-look coaching staff in Manchester, outlining:

“Been told Juan Mata will not retire at the end of the season, it’s not even an option. He’s now focused on Man United and then he will plan for his future – his current Man Utd deal runs out in June.

“Mata will not join Man Utd coaching staff, it’s not in his plans.”

The Verdict: Mata exit inevitable

With Mata playing no part in the Premier League this season, it looks as if his days at Old Trafford are now numbered.

An exit appears to be the best decision for all involved, with a coaching role at the club under a new manager not lined up for the 33-year-old.

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By moving on from the Red Devils, Mata will hopefully get the chance to play regular first-team football in the final years of his career, whereas United will be freeing up a whopping £8.32m on their wage bill every year.

In other news: Man Utd manager twist as chiefs talk with boss who has no agent

According to Sky Sports, Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend could be set to leave Selhurst Park this summer. The England international is being heavily linked with a move to fellow Premier League side Newcastle United, and were the 26-year-old to indeed make his way to the North East, the Eagles must seek to replace him with Middlesbrough sensation Adama Traore.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, while Townsend didn’t exactly pull any trees down last season, the winger was hugely influential in netting twice and laying on eight assists for Roy Hodgson’s side, thus contributing more assists than any other Palace player last term.

And given how well he led the line for the London-based outfit last season alongside Wilfried Zaha, what with Palace struggling for out-and-out strikers over the course of the campaign, the 26-year-old will certainly need replacing if Hodgson is to indeed take the club forward this time round.

And while 22-year-old Traore found life in the top-flight difficult for Middlesbrough in the 2016/17 campaign, his efforts last term suggest that he is beginning to translate his undoubted talent into direct contributions in the final third of the pitch.

How far will England get in Russia? Tell us now

The Spain Under-21 international was often Boro’s go-to man during their relegation campaign in the top tier, yet the tricky winger failed to net at all in 27 Premier League appearances, and only laid on one assist.

And while those figures are likely to seriously concern our resident Palace fans, they can take great comfort from his efforts last time round in the Championship, with Traore netting five times and laying on ten assists to help Tony Pulis’ men reach the play-offs, in which they lost to Steve Bruce’s Aston Villa.

Thus, while not in the top-flight, the 22-year-old found a level of consistency in his performances that hadn’t necessarily been seen in his Middlesbrough career to date, perhaps suggesting that he is beginning to find his feet in English football, and thus is ready to finally fulfil his undoubted potential.

And in a Palace side eyeing the next level under Hodgson this season, the Spaniard could certainly flourish, and as such may go some way to minimising the impact felt by the seemingly likely departure of Townsend.

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As such, the Eagles must seek to replace the linked-away Englishman with the £7.2 million-rated Boro sensation (as per Transfermarkt) this summer.

Palace fans… what do you think? Let us know!