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Pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag may be the reason Ralf Rangnick has left Old Trafford, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Rangnick’s departure

Rangnick was expected to move into a two-year consultancy role this summer after taking over on an interim basis back in November.

However, the Red Devils recently announced that the German won’t be taking up that position and will be leaving with immediate effect.

The club cited the demands of his new role as Austria manager as a reason for not being able to move up into a United boardroom role, however, Agbonlahor has a different thought process.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s comments

The former Premier League striker, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI regarding the major news of Rangnick’s exit.

He stated that Ten Hag may have thought Rangnick was ‘a joker’ and could have played a role in the 64-year-old leaving.

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“If I’m Ten Hag, I would say ‘This joker’s got to go’. That’s what’s happened.

“It’s another episode in the shambles of Man United. Ten Hag thought ‘You’re a joker, you. Just go’.

“Man United are just a shambles at the moment. They need to start doing some business.

“When Man United go to St. James’ Park or these stadiums then they are going to get turned over.

“Nobody is scared of them anymore.”

The Verdict: Action needed

The club are in the process of a major summer rebuild under Ten Hag both on and off the pitch. They have confirmed exits for Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata, however, there is yet to be any movement when it comes to incomings.

Getting several players through the door before June 27 when Ten Hag begins pre-season would be beneficial, especially in midfield given the aforementioned departures.

Hopefully then, the club can get some serious signings in over the coming weeks and shake off the ‘shambles’ tag they have certainly deserved in recent times.

In other news: Agent close to Man Utd officials now pushing to bring ‘magical’ Real Madrid star to Old Trafford. 

The Telegraph have now shared a fresh update for Manchester City supporters on their hunt to sign Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Sky Blue summer overhaul?

The Premier League champions, after retaining their top flight crown in the most dramatic way possible with three goals in five minutes on the final day, have now set their sights on the transfer window.

A real summer of change could be on the horizon with Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez all heading into the final year of their Eastlands contracts (The Times).

The Sky Blues will have to extend their deals or contemplate selling over the next two months with the likes of Nathan Ake and Oleksandr Zinchenko also tipped to potentially leave.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak also recently confirmed in his annual end-of-season interview that there will be more signings after Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.

The Latest: City make Phillips top target

According to The Telegraph, sharing an update, City and by extension manager Pep Guardiola have earmarked England international star Phillips as a ‘first choice’ to bolster their midfield.

This comes as club legend Fernandinho is set to depart Eastlands as sporting director Txiki Begiristain and co set their sights on a ‘priority’ in finding the Brazilian’s replacement.

The Verdict: Make the move?

The marquee Leeds star, reportedly valued at around £60 million, could be a shrewd acquisition for Guardiola and great candidate to rotate with star man Rodri.

Phillips is a key player for Leeds when fit and available, as evident by the fact he averages the joint-second most tackles per 90 in their squad (WhoScored).

Members of the media have reserved real praise for the 26-year-old with pundit Paddy Kenny even believing he could become a ‘key player’ at City (Football Insider).

Ex-Scotland boss Alex McLeish has also raved over the ‘special player’ and has tipped Phillips to become a ‘sensation’ in the top flight (Football Insider).

His numbers and plaudits certainly point towards a player who could provide a real injection of quality in front of City’s back four next season.

In other news: Man City could now join race for £68m ‘monster’, club already preparing for his exit…find out more here.

Manchester United are reportedly lining up a move for Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt this summer, as Erik ten Hag looks to oversee a defensive overhaul at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

According to reports in Italy (via Daily Star), United consider the Juventus man their main centre-back target this summer, with ten Hag unsurprisingly a big fan of the defender after their time working together at Ajax.

The report also claims that Juventus are unlikely to want to sell the Netherlands international and makes reference to his release clause, which currently stands at £106m, which could perhaps rule out any United move for him.

However, other reports have claimed that the 24-year-old wants any new contract with the Old Lady to include a more realistic release clause, while he has also spoken out about Juventus’ disappointing fourth-place finishes in the last two seasons.

Ten Hag’s dream signing?

De Ligt is well-known to ten Hag, having captained Ajax during their memorable run to the Champions League semi-final in 2019.

The centre-back would make 11 appearances in the competition, averaging a superb 7.17 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which emphasises his ability to play at the very top.

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With ten Hag also linked with reunions with Frenkie de Jong and Jurrien Timber, it seems clear that the new United boss will make use of his Ajax connections this summer as he looks to lead a revolution at United.

De Ligt earned high praise from former Juventus centre-back Andrea Barzagli last year, as he said:

“De Ligt is a modern defender who likes physical contact, has incredible potential and a strong professionalism. He has been under pressure since he was very young, yet he is always calm.”

Considering United’s defensive woes last season, which saw them concede more than Burnley, Brighton and Brentford in the top-flight, signing a top-class defender to partner Raphael Varane should be a top priority for ten Hag this summer.

At just 22-years-old, de Ligt would also be a great investment for the future, as he could easily be a key man at Old Trafford for the next decade, so if a deal can be done, then United should do everything they can to sign him.

The new manager would absolutely adore him.

And, in other news… MUFC now edging closer to “unreal” £67m signing, he’d be “absolute magic” for Ten Hag – opinion

Leeds United are among the clubs credited with an interest in Paris Saint-Germain full-back Colin Dagba, according to Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Trophy haul

Having joined the French giants in 2016, the 23-year-old has lifted three Ligue 1 titles, two Coupes de France, one Coupe de la Ligue and three Trophees des Champions in what is already an illustrious career.

Despite the impressive trophy haul, the marauding right-back has hardly played a key role in any of the aforementioned successes, only making 77 first-team appearances for the Parisiens in six years at the club and never starting more than 15 league games in a single season.

With regular first-team football still at a premium in the French capital, the former France youth starlet is now hoping to move on, and Leeds could be in the mix…

The latest: Leeds interested in Dagba

As per Foot Mercato (translated by Sport Witness), Leeds, Villarreal, Eintracht Frankfurt and Mainz are all keen on signing Dagba from the French champions. However, it’s fellow Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg who currently lead the race to sign the 23-year-old after making ‘first contacts’ with PSG.

The report did state that all the clubs interested in the man who was hailed by Presnel Kimpembe for a ‘hyper-focused’ Champions League showing against Bayern Munich last year have the means to satisfy both the player and the club.

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The verdict: Too many cooks?

Following the capture of Red Bull Salzburg defender Rasmus Kristensen last week, Jesse Marsch has seemingly addressed a major area of weakness from last season in the Elland Road squad, having been ravaged by injuries, suspensions and loss of form in the right-back department throughout.

However, should regular right-back Luke Ayling continue as a makeshift centre-back, and given Stuart Dallas’ lengthy rehabilitation timescale, adding another option to the ranks may well be a worthwhile venture for Leeds’ director of football Victor Orta.

The Frenchman can also play on the left-hand side and in more advanced positions. Indeed, he could be viewed as somewhat of a utility man in the mould of Elland Road fans’ favourite Dallas and could fill that void in the absence of the Northern Irishman for the first half of the upcoming season.

Valued at £6.3m and under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), Dagba certainly fits the profile of an attainable target and should represent a wholly affordable candidate for Leeds, particularly after only making six fleeting appearances during 2021/22.

In other news: Leeds now won’t sign ‘superb’ midfielder despite Phil Hay revealing talks

West Ham United are believed to be eyeing a deal for Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, although face a battle for his signature amid significant rival interest.

What’s the word?

According to Football.London, the Hammers are said to be one of nine clubs who have ‘made contact’ with the player’s representatives regarding a possible move this summer, with the 30-year-old set to be available on a free transfer following his departure from Brentford.

The 115-cap international had spent the last six months with the Bees after signing a temporary contract back in January, with Thomas Frank’s side offering the playmaker a route back into the game after having been absent since suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 last summer.

A longer-term stay in west London has been mooted, while both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have also been heavily linked with a move. The report does suggest that David Moyes and co are keen on a deal, having sent scouts to watch both Eriksen and international colleague Joakim Maehle in action against Austria recently.

Moyes’ own Kroos

The sheer number of clubs chasing the £18m-rated man’s signature is not only a marker of his talent, but also a credit to his courage and bravery, having managed to return to the elite level just over six months on from his horror, near-death experience last year.

In what proved an impressive stint as part of Frank’s side, the “unbelievable” talent – as described by former Spurs teammate Dele Alli – managed to chip in with one goal and four assists in 11 games for the club, serving as a reminder of just how much damage he can inflict with the ball at his feet.

A sheer master in possession with that knack for producing outrageous moments of quality, the £228k-per-week ace can seemingly add much-needed quality and depth to a Hammers squad in desperate need of reinforcements.

Comfortable in an attacking midfield role or as a deep-lying playmaker, Eriksen has the quality to provide both pinpoint passes and a lethal threat from dead-ball situations, with it understandable as to why there is such a frenzy to try and secure him on a free.

Such talent is also reminiscent of a certain Toni Kroos, the Real Madrid man having recently been vital to yet another European triumph for Los Blancos, once again orchestrating play from his central midfield berth.

The Germany international had reportedly come close to signing for Moyes during his time at Manchester United, only for the Scotsman’s swift sacking to put paid to any hopes of a deal going through, with the former Bayern Munich man eventually moving to the Bernabeu in 2014.

Although securing the services of the 32-year-old in the present day appears highly unlikely for the Hammers boss, he could well have a perfect alternative in the form of Eriksen – a player who has been likened to Kroos, according to Football Transfers.

The statistics also seemingly corroborate that likeness, with the Madrid man ranking in the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 15% for progressive carries among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, while Eriksen is not too far behind as he ranks in the top 7% and the top 21% for the same two metrics, respectively.

The Irons will no doubt have a battle on their hands to get any deal over the line, although it would no doubt be worth it to try and secure such a quality asset.

IN other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

The Daily Record have provided an update on Rangers’ pursuit of PAOK striker Antonio Colak. 

The lowdown

Rangers are down one of their centre-forward options after selling Cedric Itten to Young Boys for £1.64million.

PAOK paid £2.7million to sign Colak from native outfit HNK Rijeka in September 2020 but loaned him out to Swedish outfit for Malmo for much of 2021.

Rangers faced the Swedish side in the Champions League third qualifying round last August, and Colak scored twice in four second-leg minutes to knock them out.

The 28-year-0ld’s former clubs also include German outfits TSG Hoffenheim, Ingolstadt and Darmstadt. He came close to joining Arsenal in 2016, having agreed personal terms with the Gunners.

Colak, who’s made 38 appearances for PAOK, is under contract for another two years.

The latest

The Daily Record (via Ibrox News) reports that the Gers have ‘already’ opened talks with the Greek Super League club over the signing.

They’ve made it clear to the Gers that Colak ‘won’t be going anywhere’ unless their £2.6million demands are met.

Colak is said to be keen on the move but has now joined up with the Greek squad for pre-season.

The verdict

Should Rangers meet PAOK’s asking price for Colak?

They don’t have much money to spend this summer – Jordan Campbell says they’ll only be able to afford one starting player without a meaningful sale – but the funds from Itten’s exit will cover more than 60% of this deal.

Colak’s record for PAOK is unimpressive – just four goals – but he managed nearly one every other game for Malmo (19 in 40) and put up excellent numbers at Rijeka (51 goals and 15 assists in 90).

In total, he’s bagged 148 goals and laid on 48 assists in 363 recorded club games. And he’s also notched three caps at international level for top-15-ranked Croatia, most recently in September 2021.

He could provide very strong cover and competition for Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe.

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has claimed that the club will target a winger alongside a move for Club Brugge attacker Charles De Ketelaere.

The Lowdown: Serious about De Ketelaere

Hay took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon, revealing that the Whites are ‘serious’ on signing De Ketelaere ‘with Arsenal stepping up interest in Raphinha’.

The 21-year-old Belgian appears to be a man in demand, with AC Milan keen on him and able to offer Champions League football.

De Ketelaere contributed to 28 goals in all competitions last season, mainly playing as a centre-forward, with Leeds viewing him as a secondary striker or false nine.

The Latest: Winger wanted by Leeds

In Hay’s story for The Athletic regarding Leeds, he also made a claim on another signing.

He stated that ‘Leeds are also thought to be targeting the arrival of a winger before the coming season’ alongside a move for De Ketelaere.

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The Verdict: Busy few weeks

Victor Orta was straight to work after the club dramatically secured their Premier League status on the final day, with moves for Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca already tied up.

However, with De Ketelaere seemingly the club’s main attacking target, Kalvin Phillips set to join Manchester City and Raphinha wanted at Arsenal, Orta may need to go into overdrive when it comes to further additions over the coming weeks.

De Ketelaere, along with a new winger and a marquee holding midfielder, would be exciting deals, and it seems as if that’s what Leeds want to do ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge at Elland Road.

Following talk that West Ham United manager David Moyes is plotting multiple new additions this summer – having already wrapped up deals for Nayef Aguerd and Alphonse Areola – supporters may understandably getting excited as to who else could be coming through the door at the London Stadium.

One name who has perhaps set pulses racing more than most is Villarreal talisman Arnaut Danjuma, with Fabrizio Romano reporting earlier this week that the Hammers were in talks with the La Liga club regarding the Dutch winger.

The speedster is set to be available for a fee in the region of £40m owing to a release clause in his existing deal but a deal is now proving problematic, with negotiations thought to be off due to personal terms.

The clamour for his signature has been sparked by what can only be described as an explosive debut campaign in Spain last term, with the former Bournemouth man netting ten goals and providing three assists in the league for Unai Emery’s team.

The six-cap Netherlands international had only joined the ‘Yellow Submarine’ last summer after a two-year stint with the Cherries, having scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in the Championship during the 2020/21 campaign.

The most recent campaign saw the £25k-per-week machine – who has been dubbed a “nightmare for defenders” by pundit Kevin Phillips – particularly catch the eye in the Champions League, notably handing Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot a torrid time at Old Trafford last September.

He netted six league goals in his team’s remarkable surge to the semi-finals of the competition, scoring against both Juventus and Bayern Munich, with that tally seeing him rank among the top 11 scorers in the tournament.

One such player in that elite group was Paris Saint-Germain sensation Kylian Mbappe, with the Frenchman having also plundered six goals in the competition prior to the Ligue 1 giants’ round of 16 exit at the hands of eventual champions Real Madrid.

Despite his lofty status in the game as a World Cup winner and highly-coveted asset, the 23-year-old seemingly shares a number of stylistic and statistical similarities to the aforementioned Danjuma, according to FBRef.

That is some comparison considering that Mbappe has scored 181 goals and provided 79 assists in 263 career games for club and country (as per WhoScored), with the former Monaco marksman arguably one of the best players in the world right now.

To think that Danjuma could even be anywhere near that level would be enough to spark wild excitement among Irons supporters; as would the player’s own recent admission that he has “unfinished business” in the Premier League, having only made six starts in the top flight during the 2019/20 season at the Vitality Stadium.

Should Moyes be able to fend off rival interest and get negotiations back on the table, the West Ham manager could well have his own Mbappe on his hands in the Villarreal star.

AND in other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

According to reliable journalist John Percy, Nottingham Forest are now in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Liverpool defender Neco Williams.

The Lowdown: Forest win the race

The Welshman has worked his way up through the ranks at Anfield, from being an academy graduate to a member of the senior first-team squad.

The 21-year-old spent the second half of last season out on loan at Fulham due to a serious lack of game time, and this has recently seen him linked with a permanent move away from Merseyside.

It’s believed that the Cottagers were keen on re-signing him after a successful spell, but interest was also coming from the City Ground, and a move to the Midlands now appears highly likely to be on the cards.

The Latest: Reds in ‘advanced talks’ with Williams

In a Twitter post, Percy revealed that Forest are ‘hopeful’ of being able to complete a deal for Williams in the coming days. He said:

“NFFC in advanced talks with Liverpool over a £16m deal for Neco Williams. Talks have progressed today and Forest are increasingly hopeful of signing the Wales international before this weekend.”

The Verdict: Clever bit of business

It comes as no surprise to see that Williams is looking for a move away from Liverpool considering he hasn’t been able to seriously challenge Trent Alexander-Arnold, and this could be a decent bit of business for Forest after completing the signing of Moussa Niakhate.

The 21-cap international, who was once described as a ‘fearless’ player by football journalist Henry Winter, scored twice and registered two assists in just 15 outings across all competitions for Fulham last season, as per Transfermarkt, highlighting his attacking qualities and desire to get forward.

Steve Cooper will be wanting to bolster his ranks with players that already have experience in the English top-flight, and Williams is someone who’s got that under his belt, so could be a great addition to the Reds’ starting XI as they look forward to an exciting campaign back in the Premier League.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Duvan Zapata in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to Tutto Mercato Web, the Magpies are set to reignite their interest in the Colombia international after missing out on him in January.

The report claims that they attempted to secure a loan deal for the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, with an option to sign him permanently in the summer.

Atalanta refused their offer and it is now claimed that Newcastle are eyeing a bid to sign him on a permanent basis in the current window. His club value him at €40m (£34m) but it remains to be seen how much PIF are willing to pay for him.

Eddie Howe’s own Harry Kane

The Magpies can land their own version of the England captain by securing a deal to sign the 31-year-old centre-forward in the coming weeks.

FBRef lists the pair as being similar players based on their statistics for their respective clubs over the last 365 days of action domestically and in Europe.

Zapata ranks in the 90th percentile or higher in his position for shot-creating actions, non-penalty xG + xA, assists and shots per 90. Kane, meanwhile, ranks in the 86th percentile or higher in those categories, which shows that both players are adept at scoring and creating from a number nine position.

The Atalanta man has proven his quality over the course of a number of years in the Serie A. In four top-flight campaigns for his current club, he has scored 66 goals and assisted 29 in 126 matches – averaging a goal contribution more than once every two outings.

His former teammate Papu Gomez previously lauded his strength, saying: “Zapata’s shorts look like underwear, he is so big. Sometimes I don’t even want to get close to him in a match because he’s a beast and it hurts. When he is feeling good he’s like a train – you throw the ball forward and ‘ciao!’” 

This suggests that he also has the physicality required to compete in the Premier League and that will then allow him to showcase his prowess in the final third as he is able to hold off defenders to get his shots and passes away.

He can, therefore, be Howe’s own version of Kane at St. James’ Park next season – scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis.

AND in other news, PIF could land their own Aguero as NUFC eye deal to sign “exceptional” £13m phenomenon…