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A claim has emerged regarding Leeds United and their current situation surrounding Kalvin Phillips’ future at the Yorkshire club.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook had this to say on the matter.

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He said: “I think there is, behind the scenes, a sort of resignation that Kalvin Phillips will probably leave this summer, and actually, it might not be a bad thing for Leeds because it will give them a lot of money then to be able to revamp the squad and sign the players Jesse Marsch wants.”

In recent weeks, the midfielder has been linked with a move away from Elland Road with fellow Premier League clubs Manchester City and Liverpool rumoured to be circling around the player.

Awful news for Leeds fans

As one of Leeds’ youth products, the 26-year-old has gone on to become a crucial figure for the team.

With 234 senior appearances under his belt for the club, Phillips has seen his side go from being in the Championship to securing their place in the Premier League for a third successive season.

To highlight how important the England international is to the Whites, out of the nine league games he missed last season, Leeds lost seven of them and conceded 17 goals in total.

It was the same case this season as the Elland Road outfit lost 12 of the 18 games he didn’t feature in, once again how vulnerable the team are defensively when they don’t have Phillips on the pitch.

With that in mind, it would be an awful thing for the Leeds fans to potentially see their midfield star wave goodbye to Elland Road this summer.

However, as Crook mentioned, should the Yorkshire club end up selling the midfielder in the coming weeks for a substantial transfer fee, this could give Marsch a big pot of cash to spend on the team and make sure that Phillips’ potential absence won’t be as much of a problem as it could be.

If the people behind the scenes at Leeds are resigned to seeing the 26-year-old leave the club, then they need to make sure that they get the best deal possible in terms of the finances.

In other news: “Leeds are..“: Romano drops big transfer update that’ll leave supporters buzzing

West Ham United have been handed a huge update over the future of prized asset Jarrod Bowen.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report by transfer insider Dean Jones (via GIVEMESPORT), who has revealed that the Hammers are celebrating Darwin Nunez’s recent move to Liverpool, as it has “eased fears” that the Reds could launch a big for Jarrod Bowen.

As such, it is said that Moyes and co have renewed hope that the 25-year-old will put pen to paper over a new and improved contract at the London Stadium.

Jones states that the general consensus around the club points to Bowen being “open to the idea” of pledging his immediate future to the Irons, who are keen to increase the figures of the current contract which expires in the summer of 2025 and sees him take home around £60k-per-week.

Huge boost for West Ham

The latest update from Jones is entirely positive from a West Ham perspective.

Quite simply, if Moyes can get Bowen to pledge further allegiance to the progressive Hammers, other stars like Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek may be more likely to do the same.

The 2021/22 campaign was nothing short of mesmeric for the 25-year-old, having bagged a sensational 24 attacking returns from 36 games, with an evenly-split 12 goals and 12 assists showing his prowess as a finisher and respective ingenuity as a creator of chances. He ended the season as both their leading scorer and assists provider, a clear illustrator of his importance to the cause.

Keeping hold of a talent like Bowen – especially after his emergence into Gareth Southgate’s England setup – would feel as good as a new signing in itself, and it gives West Ham a further chance to build on their recent success which has seen them become regular contenders for a European finish.

The update from Jones will leave Irons supporters buzzing, and the east London club must seize this opportunity to build on what they already have.

In other news – “I heard…”: Journalist drops big West Ham transfer update that’ll have supporters buzzing

Leeds United goalkeeper Elia Caprile is set to leave Elland Road on a permanent deal, with Serie B outfit Bari closing in on a deal.

The Lowdown: Caprile unwanted at Leeds

The 20-year-old has made 19 appearances for the Whites’ Under-23 side but he is yet to make his first-team bow, having arrived from Chievo Verona back in 2020.

Caprile spent last season on loan at Pro Patria, with Marcelo Bielsa unable to promise him even a hint of playing time at Leeds.

The young shot-stopper’s contract at Elland Road expires at the end of this month but it looks as though he will wrap up an exit sooner than that, heading to Italy for a fresh challenge.

The Latest: Youngster set for Bari move

According to Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio on Twitter, an agreement is in place for Bari to sign Caprile imminently.

“Bari: agreement in principle for Caprile, goalkeeper of Leeds United,” the reporter wrote on Monday, sharing that it will be a permanent transfer in an attached article.

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The Verdict: Right decision by Whites

While Caprile is a talented young goalkeeper, it has been clear for some time that he wasn’t going to make the grade at Leeds.

In Illan Meslier and Kristoffer Klaesson, Jesse Marsch already has two gifted young stoppers at his disposal, meaning there is no real pathway into the first team.

Caprile could instead blossom into a key player in Serie B with Bari, thriving back in his homeland and being afforded far more playing time than he would ever get at Leeds.

In other news, another Leeds player is thought to be ‘very close’ to leaving the club. Find out who it is here.

After losing Gabriel Jesus to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, Manchester City could be about to lose a second forward to yet another London outfit.

What’s the word?

That is according to an update from super-journalist Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed that Raheem Sterling is keen on a move to Chelsea, with Tuchel’s side preparing a new bid for the England international.

Taking to his personal Twitter page to issue the update, Romano said: “Positive feelings around Raheem Sterling deal also tonight. Chelsea have a new bid ready, Man City are prepared to let him go as it was part of the plan – and Raheem is keen on Chelsea move. Personal terms, already discussed. Second bid is coming. More to follow soon.”

Indeed, Romano then Tweeted on Tuesday: “Chelsea will also send new bid to Manchester City for Raheem Sterling – Tuchel wants two wingers.”

Guardiola will be gutted

Despite the arrivals of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, the loss of Jesus and potentially now Sterling will prove impactful.

In losing such a duo, Guardiola is not only losing experience in his attacking line, but losing two players who hit a combined 34 Premier League goals last season via their respective attacking contributions, with Jesus scoring eight and assisting eight, and Sterling bagging 13 and assisting five times.

At 27-years-old, Sterling is approaching the prime years of his career and already sits as City’s second-highest goalscorer in their history with 131 scored for the club, 129 goals behind Sergio Aguero.

His development under Man City’s Spanish tactician has been exponential and he’s been a regular in a side that have also shown terrific development over the last seven seasons, with Sterling making 30 or more appearances in each campaign he’s played for the Cityzens.

His fitness is yet another underrated component in what, on the whole, is a technical player who often goes under the radar in terms of his natural ability.

The England international’s pace cannot be matched up top and with both player and club said to be keen, Guardiola now faces a very real situation in which his dynamic winger could be turning out in a deeper shade of blue for a big rival, an eventuality that would leave him gutted.

On a personal level, this does not seem like a prosperous opportunity for Sterling and after selling Jesus to Arsenal, it’s less than ideal from a Manchester City and Guardiola perspective.

In other news: Txiki now in advanced talks to seal behind-the-scenes MCFC deal, Pep will be buzzing 

Victor Orta is lining up three key Leeds United signings and could finalise one or two prior to the club’s pre-season tour of Australia.

The Lowdown: Busy summer

The Whites have been busy over the last six weeks after securing their Premier League status on the final day with a dramatic victory at Brentford.

Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca have all joined in the meantime, setting Leeds back just over £52m.

Manchester City youngster Darko Gyabi looks set to become the fourth summer arrival at Elland Road, and it seems as if Orta wants more over the next seven days.

The Latest: Smyth’s claim

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from Friday’s print edition of The Yorkshire Evening Post, where Graham Smyth provided a transfer update.

He claimed that Orta may have ‘one or two’ completed in time for them to link up with the Leeds squad, who jet off down under in seven days’ time. Smyth added that Orta won’t be joining the squad in Australia, sacrificing the trip as he intends ‘staying home’ to continue with any transfer business.

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The Verdict: Who could come in?

The areas which need addressing appear to be a central midfielder, winger and centre-forward. Kalvin Phillips is set to join Manchester City, while Raphinha’s future is also up in the air.

Replacements for the two stars and competition for Patrick Bamford in attack would be ideal, with a number of players linked with moves to Elland Road.

The most serious rumours appear to surround Club Brugge attacker Charles De Ketelaere, midfielders Mohamed Camara and Tyler Adams and PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo, so those could be names to look out for over the next seven days.

Aston Villa transfer target Gabriel Barbosa could be a ‘really good’ acquisition for the club, in the view of transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown

According to a recent report from 90min, the striker was a target for Villa during the January transfer window, and NSWE are still thought to be ‘keeping tabs’ on his situation with a view to a potential move.

Nicknamed ‘Gabigol’, Barbosa currently plays for Brazilian giants Flamengo after making a £15.75m move from Inter Milan in January 2020.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans has already written that Steven Gerrard wants to add another centre-forward to his ranks in the coming weeks.

The latest

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones pointed out that Barbosa has been representing Brazil, the world’s top-ranked international team. The 25-year-old made Tite’s squads in September and October 2021 and January 2022, scoring against Venezuela and Uruguay.

Jones said of the Flamengo marksman’s links with Villa: “I think Gabigol could be [good enough], to be honest. I mean, he’s a Brazilian No.9. If he’s good enough to get into that set-up, he’s got to be good enough to play for Aston Villa, surely.

“We don’t obviously know yet if he’s Champions League class, but he’s kind of proven that he’s world-class on an international basis, so I feel Gabigol might be a really good get for a club like Aston Villa.”

The verdict

Barbosa’s record for Flamengo is sensational – 158 games, 131 goal involvements (103 goals, 28 assists).

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that he was named in the IFFHS South American Team of the Year in 2021, alongside Neymar, Lionel Messi and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.

However, it would still be a gamble to move for the £23.4m-rated marksman, who struggled during his previous stints in Europe with Inter Milan and Benfica. He made just 15 appearances combined across those two spells, netting only two goals.

Therefore, you might wonder whether he can deliver in the Premier League, the top-ranked division on the continent.

A major update has emerged on Aston Villa’s pursuit of Ludwig Augustinsson in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the club have agreed a deal to sign the Sweden international ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He Tweeted: “Aston Villa have reached an agreement with Sevilla to sign Ludwig Augustinsson as new left back. Deal now in place, been told it’s a loan move with an option to buy included. #AVFC There’s still something to be resolved on player side, final details before deal completed.”

The full-back is set to become the fifth signing of the summer, following on from Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara, Robin Olsen, and Diego Carlos.

Supporters will be buzzing

Villa supporters will be buzzing with this news as it means that the club have finally snapped up a replacement for Matt Targett, who joined Newcastle earlier in the window.

Lucas Digne will now have competition for his place in the side and that will, hopefully, drive both players on to improve. It will create a healthy battle to start in the back four and give Steven Gerrard a welcome selection headache, which is why this can be a very smart move.

Augustinsson struggled for game time at Sevilla last term – starting nine times – but previously showcased his quality in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen.

In the 2020/21 campaign, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 in the German top-flight. He started 21 matches and created an impressive 1.8 key passes per match – recording four assists in total.

The gem also caught the eye in the recent Nations League matches for his country. In three games for Sweden, he averaged a phenomenal rating of 7.43 as he made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game and won 78% of his individual duels.

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These statistics suggest that the 28-year-old has the potential to be a top performer for Villa as he can make an impact at both ends of the pitch from left-back.

Even if he does not end up being the first-choice and playing every week in the Premier League, his presence will be vital to avoid Digne becoming complacement.

Fans will, therefore, be buzzing with this prospective loan deal for the Swedish full-back and will be delighted with the club’s willingness to bolster the depth of their squad ahead of next season.

AND in other news, Lange can seal “great talent” as Villa’s fifth summer signing, imagine him & Coutinho…

An update has emerged regarding Tottenham’s interest in Rodrigo De Paul in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Tutto Mercato Web journalist Giacomo Iacobellis has claimed that Spurs are one of the clubs eyeing a swoop to sign the Argentina international ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He tweeted: “Rodrigo #DePaul in recent weeks rejected several offers because he wants to stay in the #Atleti #AtleticoMadrid. He also received calls from #Fiorentina and #Tottenham.”

The Spanish outfit paid Udinese a reported fee of €35m (£30m) to sign him last year, although it remains to be seen how much they would want for him now.

Conte’s own Youri Tielemans

Tottenham have been linked with Leicester’s Youri Tielemans this summer, and they can now land their own version of the Belgian gem with a deal for De Paul.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle have also been touted with interest in the 25-year-old, and Fabio Paratici can avoid a bidding war with a host of Premier League rivals by convincing the Atletico Madrid magician to change his mind.

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If the Italian can tempt him into making the switch to England, then the 28-year-old would be an excellent addition to Antonio Conte’s squad in the number eight role.

FBRef lists De Paul and Tielemans as similar players based on their statistics over the last 365 days, which suggests that their playing styles are not a million miles apart from one another.

The former ranks in the 87th percentile or higher in progressive passes, progressive carries, shot-creating actions, xA, and non-penalty xG + xA per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues in his position., Meanwhile, Tielemans ranks in the 85th percentile or higher in all of those categories apart from carries.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once described De Paul as a “lovely player”, while Julio Velazquez claimed that he “lacks absolutely nothing” in his game, whilst the aforementioned statistics suggest that the Argentine excels in attack.

The 28-year-old is at his best when he is in possession and looking to progress the play, by passing or dribbling with the ball on his own. He can break the lines to unlock deep blocks or drive with the ball in transition to make the most of counter-attacks, making him a versatile and excellent option in the middle of the park.

De Paul can therefore be Tottenham’s own version of Tielemans, and signing him would allow Spurs to avoid a bidding war for the Leicester talent.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano delivers frustrating Spurs update that’ll leave Conte & Levy fuming…

Glasgow Rangers have long been linked with a loan move for James McAtee and it seems as if he could finally be allowed to leave his current club this summer.

Gers were said to be interested in the Manchester City attacking midfielder in January but he opted to stay with Pep Guardiola’s side, and it initially seemed as if he would be staying with the Citizens again this summer.

However, the Athletic’s Manchester City reporter Sam Lee has suggested that, due to the amount of interest being shown in him, he could be sent out on loan for the upcoming season, which opens the door to a potential move to Ibrox, as he has once again been linked with a move north of the border.

Although the 19-year-old has very little experience in senior football, making just six appearances for City’s first team in his career thus far, his form in the Premier League 2 last season suggests he could be a quality addition to Giovanni van Bronckorst’s side.

The forward would contribute a hugely impressive 18 goals and seven assists in just 23 league games for City’s U23s as they won the Premier League 2 title, so he is clearly ready to make the step up into men’s football.

McAtee, who reportedly earns just £3.1k per week at City, is capable of playing in both midfield and attack and could form an exceptional partnership with Rangers’ star attacker Ryan Kent.

Both players are extremely skilful and talented on the ball, with McAtee dubbed the ‘Salford Silva’ because of his similarities to City legend David Silva.

The prospect of Kent and McAtee linking up at Ibrox, with the former stretching defences with his searing pace and the latter picking up the ball in space and feeding through balls, is surely one Van Bronckhorst would love.

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Therefore, now that Rangers have been given the green light to try and loan the exciting youngster, Ross Wilson should do everything he can to bring him in.

AND in other news: Wilson can land the next £100m talent in Rangers bid for “world-class” £43k-p/w target

Celtic have been potentially handed the green light to launch a move to sign Maccabi Haifa midfielder Mohammed Abu Fani.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from the Daily Record, the Israeli club ‘have left the door open for a potential summer exit, admitting that they would accept a “suitable offer” for the player once they had complete their Champions League second round qualifiers.’

It was reported in June that the Hoops had their eye on the midfielder, who has spent his entire career in Israel.

A product of Haifa’s youth system, the 24-year-old has gone on to make 101 senior appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and delivering seven assists along the way.

With 44 appearances and 12 goal contributions to his name last season across all competitions, this highlights just how useful he can be in front of goal at times.

On the international stage, Abu Fani – who is currently valued at €4m (£3.3m) – has made 46 appearances for Israel across their youth and senior teams, scoring six goals in the process.

Back in January, Sanny Rudravajhala quote-tweeted a now-deleted clip of the Haifa figure keeping possession of the ball during a game against Maccabi Tel Aviv when his side won 3-2 after being 2-0 down, with the journalist lauding Abu Fani’s efforts as a “thing of beauty”.

Bearing in mind how the Bhoys have seen the likes of Nir Bitton, Tom Rogic and Ismaila Soro leave Parkhead since the end of last season, despite seeing Aaron Mooy arrive on a free transfer, launching a move for Abu Fani should definitely be under consideration before the window closes.

Having also missed out on the chance to sign Vinicius Souza and Fausto Vera, this highlights Celtic’s eagerness to bring a new midfielder in alongside Mooy.

Now that it has been revealed that the Israeli club would be willing to entertain offers for their midfield star, this should prompt the Parkhead hierarchy to get the chequebook out and see what it would take to secure Abu Fani’s signature.

If they can pull it off and get him embedded with the rest of Postecoglou’s players, this should put to bed any concerns that some Celtic fans may have about heading into the new season without the likes of Rogic, Soro and Bitton.

AND in other news: Ange can now axe £3.6k-p/w flop in Celtic bid for £6.8m target with “great potential”