Wolverhampton Wanderers slipped to their second defeat in a row on the weekend, losing 2-0 against Aston Villa.
The result hinders their recent progress and with a top half finish in the Premier League at stake, an improvement will be needed against Burnley on Tuesday evening.
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil before a Premier League game.
Vincent Kompany’s men currently occupy 19th place in the league table, winning just four matches all season. A win for Gary O’Neil’s side could see them gather momentum ahead of clashes against West Ham United and Nottingham Forest.
Injuries have not been kind to the Old Gold recently, with the likes of Matheus Cunha, Hwang Hee-Chan and Pedro Neto missing recent matches, but O’Neil must change things up tomorrow, especially as a few players delivered poor performances, most notably Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Rayan Ait-Nouri’s game in numbers vs Aston Villa
Having shone against Coventry City in the FA Cup prior to the international break, scoring and grabbing an assist, the defender failed to replicate that against Villa.
It was always going to be a tough match, especially facing off against Leon Bailey, but Ait-Nouri failed to really get into the game, taking just 33 touches while completing only 13 passes during his spell on the pitch.
Accurate passes
13/16
Touches
33
Key passes
0
Possession lost
9
Big chances created
0
Having provided such a vital attacking threat against the Sky Blues a couple of weeks ago, Ait-Nouri succeeded with just one dribble attempt, had one shot on target and missed a big chance, suggesting that he wasn’t quite at the races on the weekend.
There is no doubting his talent, it was just a case of the player having a bad game when it mattered most. This could perhaps give O’Neil a chance to unleash a young talent in his place for the match against Burnley, as Hugo Bueno could come into the starting XI.
Hugo Bueno’s Wolves statistics
The 21-year-old broke onto the scene during Wolves' turbulent 2022/23 campaign, making 23 appearances in all competitions in his maiden season for the first team.
The Spaniard even signed a long-term deal in November 2022, with journalist Liam Keen lauding the youngster as a “promising talent” as the future certainly looked bright.
This season has been slightly tougher for the left-back, starting just four Premier League games during 2023/24 – with none coming so far in 2024 – due to the form of Ait-Nouri.
When Bueno has played, however, he has created two big chances, averaging 0.3 key passes and 26.1 touches per game, despite averaging just 33 minutes of action in the top flight.
Bueno has also been dribbled past on just 0.3 occasions per game, along with making 1.1 tackles and recovering 2.1 balls per game. Showing his talents across a range of defensive and attacking metrics.
O’Neil should consider unleashing him against the Clarets in what would be his first league start of the calendar year, as this could stand him in good stead heading into the final weeks of the season.
A win is crucial for the Old Gold if they wish to finish in the top half of the league table come the end of the season.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Despite all the off-the-field turmoil at the club, Everton have enjoyed success in recent seasons in the transfer market, signing youngsters who have been a hit at Goodison Park.
The club's financial issues have often seen the Toffees resort to investing in youth, with the hope the club can make a hefty profit after they've made an impact at the club to avoid any future FFP problems.
Jarrad Branthwaite and James Garner are just two examples within Sean Dyche's squad who have made a brilliant impact since joining – with the pair joining for a combined £10m from Carlisle United and Manchester United respectively.
The duo are now worth a combined £44m, according to Transfermarkt, with the club now operating in a much more sustainable way than a couple of years ago in a period which saw the Toffees spending over £20m on players such as Yannick Bolasie and Jean-Philippe Gbamin with the pair both leaving Goodison on free transfers.
With the summer transfer window set to open in a couple of months, Everton are already being linked with another young talent who could see the club make a huge profit in the years ahead should they win the race for his signature.
Everton linked with young English talent
According to Football Insider, Everton are one of a number of sides who are being linked with a move to sign Juventus youngster Samuel Iling-Junior, with the 20-year-old out of contract in just under 18 months.
The report states that the Toffees face competition from fellow Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion for the Englishman, with the Italian side set to sell Iling-Junior to avoid losing him for nothing.
Juventus forwardSamuel Iling-Junior.
The young "menace", as dubbed by scout Antonio Mango, is believed to be up for grabs for around £17m – as per a prior report from the same publication – and has made 17 appearances for the Old Lady in Serie A this campaign, but most of his game time has come from the bench after only featuring for 465 minutes.
Everton are claimed to be long-term admirers of the youngster, with the Toffees needing to address their lack of goals given their tally of just 29 league goals this season – the second lowest in the Premier League.
Illing-Junior could be Moise Kean 2.0 for Everton
The youngster wouldn't be the first player to swap Juventus for Everton in recent seasons, with the Toffees signing striker Moise Kean from the Italian side for £27.5m back in 2019.
At the time, it was seen as brilliant business by the club, with Kean impressing in Serie A after scoring six times in 13 league outings. However, the striker would flop at Goodison, scoring just four times in his 39 appearances before returning to Juve in 2021.
Despite his lack of impact, it was a good move from the club as they started to prioritise younger additions to the squad, with Everton needing to do the same again with Iling-Junior.
He might not have featured as much as he would've liked this campaign, but the 20-year-old has the ability to be a huge hit under Dyche should the club pursue any deal for him this summer.
His stats per 90, given his limited minutes this campaign, are remarkable, with the attacker consistently ranking highly among other players within Europe's top five leagues.
Touches in penalty area
3.8
Top 3%
Progressive carries
3.6
Top 9%
Shot creating actions
3.6
Top 5%
Shots
1.5
Top 7%
Assists
0.4
Top 1%
Given Everton's lack of goals, coupled with the youngster's impressive stats in the final third, the club should be doing everything they possibly can to win the race for his signature.
They would face tough competition trying to convince him to join the Toffees instead of Tottenham, who could even secure Champions League football this season, but a move to Goodison could allow him to receive more consistent first-team minutes and develop his game further, which could result in a hefty profit further down the line.
Everton want to complete signing of prolific gem compared to Bukayo Saka
Liverpool were a day late and a dollar short against Atalanta in the Europa League on Thursday night but can ill-afford to brood over the chastening Anfield defeat, with Crystal Palace travelling to Merseyside for a Premier League showdown this afternoon.
While Liverpool have been restored as title contenders this season following sweeping summer changes to right the lofty wrongs of the 2022/23 campaign, a never-say-die, tenacious attitude has superimposed over residual defensive fragilities.
The Reds have kept just five clean sheets across 22 matches in all competitions in 2024 and have been undone in recent fixtures against Atalanta and Manchester United after inexcusable lapses and mistakes.
Ibrahima Konate after Atalanta defeat
This error-strewn streak must now reach its end, lest Liverpool's thrilling finale to the Jurgen Klopp era peter out with bitter disappointment.
Crystal Palace, sitting in 15th place in the league, have not beaten Klopp's Liverpool in 13 attempts but will be eager to capitalise on complacency, especially with several first-team host members still unavailable.
Liverpool team news
Diogo Jota, at least, is in line for a start after returning from the bench against Atalanta on Thursday. The clinical Portugal forward had been sidelined for 12 games after injuring his knee against Brentford in February.
And while Trent Alexander-Arnold is also nearing a return from injury, he is unlikely to find his name on the starting team sheet after spending the lion's share of the calendar year recovering from an issue – though he may well be named as a substitute.
The same could be said for first-choice shot-stopper Alisson Becker, who might be involved but is likely to return to the grass next week.
Stefan Bajcetic returned to action on Friday as Liverpool defeated Manchester United in a U21 fixture, but Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip remain long-term absentees.
Liverpool must unleash Diogo Jota
An element of circumspection will be needed with Jota, but after entering the play in the late stage of the Europa League in midweek Klopp might be convinced to unleash his prolific striker.
As per FBref, Jota ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and tackles, the top 16% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 3% for touches in the attacking box per 90.
Mohamed Salah
36
23
0.80
112
Darwin Nunez
46
18
0.58
154
Diogo Jota
29
14
0.79
113
Cody Gakpo
46
14
0.51
177
Luis Diaz
43
13
0.39
232
Hailed as a “pressing monster” by assistant manager Pep Lijnders, the 27-year-old is one of the most potent attacking outlets in the Premier League and has scored nine goals from just 13 starting appearances in the top flight this season.
Mohamed Salah is marginally ahead of Jota in prolificness this season but he offers a very different skill set to his Egyptian counterpart and must be unleashed as the central focal point against Palace, sending Darwin Nunez to the bench.
Nunez, while influential and improved this season, has ebbed back toward the wasteful, wayward shooting of the 2022/23 campaign, his first in Liverpool after signing from Benfica in a club-record £85m deal, and has missed a catalogue of recent chances that may well have changed the current narrative quite drastically.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.
The Uruguayan actually has the worst conversion rate of any player to have been presented with 20+ chances in 2023/24 – as per WhoScored – and Jota could provide the Midas touch needed to steer the season back on course against Palace.
Fitness withstanding, Jota is a crucial inclusion at Anfield, with Harvey Elliott also demanding a return to the outset in the Premier League.
Harvey Elliott's season in numbers
Elliott has only just turned 21 but the versatile midfielder is truly one of the finest prospects around, having been a creative option for Liverpool throughout the course of the campaign and compensating for the host of injuries that had threatened Klopp's team in recent months.
Praised for his "special talent" by The Athletic's James Pearce, Elliott has scored three goals and supplied seven assists for his club this term but has only started six Premier League matches, though he may well be in line for a start today.
Harvey Elliott for Liverpool
In the Premier League, as per Sofascore, the England U21 star has completed 88% of his passes, though his displays in the Europa League, where he has played with the greatest frequency, probably serve as a better gauge of his level.
Across nine fixtures on the continent, Elliott has racked up four assists, completed 85% of his passes, averaged 1.6 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 4.1 ball recoveries per game while succeeding with 71% of his dribbles.
Klopp noted that Wataru Endo looked fatigued against Atalanta so it's likely that Alexis Mac Allister will shift into a deeper-lying central role, opening space for Elliott to move into his favoured midfield role after playing on the wing on Thursday, hitting the bar twice but receiving only a 5/10 match rating from the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle as he struggled to make an impact.
Liverpool have been rinsed of £63m by a flop who earns more than Diaz
This is surely one of the biggest and most costly misfires under Klopp’s leadership.
ByAngus Sinclair Apr 13, 2024
Still, this is hardly his fault and he was one of the better performers on an abject evening, albeit subbed off for Salah at halftime.
Why Liverpool must unleash Harvey Elliott
Rested and raring to go, Elliott is stylistically similar to Dominik Szoboszlai – according to FBref's Player Comparison model – and given the Hungarian's recent struggles Elliott must indeed be handed a starting berth.
The £40k-per-week ace ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.
Moreover, he's developing a sharp goalscoring sense that Palace keenly felt in the reverse fixture back in December, having performed so well to rebuff Klopp's squad only for substitute Elliott to fire an awesome effort into the back of the net in the dying embers.
He's rarely unleashed from the opening in the Premier League but Elliott is growing into quite the midfielder and he could make a marked impact on Liverpool's fight for three points this afternoon, providing his frontal teammates with creative support, adding a dimension to the centre of the park at a time of great importance for Liverpool's campaign.
Just moments before the final whistle sounded in Munich last Wednesday night, Bukayo Saka struck a corner straight onto the head of a Bayern defender at the front post.
It was a shocking set-piece, but one that rather summed up the tired nature of his recent performances, and indeed Arsenal's.
The last seven days or so have given Mikel Arteta and his side a reality check. The Gunners tasted a bitter defeat in the title race to Aston Villa last weekend and were then dumped out of the Champions League following an aggregate loss to Harry Kane and Co.
Both performances were rather lifeless, with Saka even singled out for criticism. Typically, the winger has been one of a few members of this team to escape the blame but not on this occasion.
His set pieces are usually some of the best in the business too – there is a reason Arsenal are the best in that department in the Premier League – but that moment in the dying embers in Germany signified that he may well be running out of gas.
Who could blame the Englishman, either? He has played over 3,000 minutes this term with five games still left to play.
It must be stated, however, that he has still been sublime for the vast majority of the campaign. Although he could not add to his tally for the season as Arsenal bounced back with a 2-0 win at Wolves, Saka remains the club's top goalscorer on 18 strikes.
That said, their player of the match from that victory at Molineux, Declan Rice, will be right up there with his national teammate when the club's player of the season award is discussed in a few weeks.
Declan Rice's performance in numbers
Is there anything the former West Ham man can't do? Seemingly not. Against Bayern, Rice was one of the players who looked like he was running on empty but it's amazing what a more positive performance can do.
As Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard wrapped up all three points in the Midlands, it was the Gunners' record signing who was running the show, not quietly either.
For large parts of the campaign the England international has operated as the lone 6 in the side, the only man in the midfield pivot. He was charged with that role again on Saturday evening, Kai Havertz moved back into a deeper role beside him.
Usually when that happens, Rice has to stay back and do the so-called 'dirty work'. He performed that task admirably at Molineux but he also surged forward with great purpose.
That lung-busting run the midfielder performs has become something of a trademark and it was that guile and power from the centre which set the tone for Arsenal's win. Only William Saliba (11) made more passes into the final third than Rice (10) from those on the visiting team while no player on either side provided more key passes than his five.
No matter how Arsenal play, the £105m man often stands out and is sure to run Saka close for Arsenal's Player of the Year. However, another man deserves to be in the conversation, Ben White.
Ben White's performance in numbers
The right-back has been a hot topic of debate in recent months. Now refusing to play for England, many outside of Arsenal have lambasted White for his decision.
Only he will know the true reason he doesn't want to play for his country, but either way, it's a rather big shame. Indeed, the defender has one of the best in his position in the division this term.
White will rightfully be judged on his ability to defend, first and foremost, but it's his attacking intuition that has caught the eye so much in 2023/24. This is already the 26-year-old's best campaign for goal contributions in his career to date, scoring twice and supplying five assists in all competitions.
That's certainly not a bad tally for a player who initially arrived in north London as a central defender.
He has been particularly vibrant in the last few weeks of the season, assisting two goals against Brentford a few weeks ago and supplying Saka's opener against Bayern in the first leg.
Against Wolves, the £150k-per-week earner showed many of the same qualities, even if no assist was forthcoming on this occasion.
White was accurate with 100% of his crosses – the only man on either team to prove as such – and was successful with all five of his long balls during the contest. It is probably not a surprise, therefore, to learn that no player at Molineux left the field with a better pass success rate than the full-back's 96%.
Minutes played
90
Accurate passes
69/72 (96%)
Chances created
2
Touches
86
Accurate crosses
1/1
Accurate long balls
5/5
Clearances
2
Defensive actions
2
Recoveries
3
Duels won
3
Also boasting 86 touches, the third-most of any player, it's clear just what a pivotal role White played in Arsenal moving back on top of the table again. He truly was the "utter monster" that blogger Rohan Jivan described him as.
When the former Brighton man first arrived in a £50m deal, eyebrows were raised. Some may not like what he brings to the table, notably those not associated with Arsenal, but it's hard to dispute what a key figure he has become at the Emirates. Watch out Saka and Rice, you have found yourselves a new rival for player of the season.
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed the latest on West Ham's move for Julen Lopetegui, and has explained what is now likely to happen after a verbal agreement was reached over the weekend.
West Ham searching for new boss
Another thrashing for David Moyes' side away from home, this time against Chelsea, saw any small lingering hope of his time at the London Stadium being extended quickly extinguished, and it has become clear that the Hammers are in desperate need of new blood ahead of the next Premier League campaign.
The 70 goals conceded this season is a record for any team Moyes has managed, while performances have been poor and they seem set to miss out on European football next season.
West Ham compared to last season
22/23
23/24 so far
Games
38
36
Wins
11
13
Losses
20
13
Points
40
49
Goals conceded per 90
1.45
1.94
Goals scored per 90
1.11
1.56
Finishing position
14th
9th*
The Hammers had been eyeing up Ruben Amorim, and had held face to face talks with the Sporting boss, for which he subsequently apologised. But, after winning the Portuguese title with Sporting on Sunday, he revealed that he wasn't going to be swapping Lisbon for London or anywhere this summer.
"I'm staying at Sporting. I'm under contract and it's a special moment for me, for the club", he explained. "Now we will try to win the third title together. Let's try to make it happen."
Lopetegui deal agreed – Romano
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has today revealed that ex-Wolves and Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui has "agreed terms" with the Hammers to take charge this summer.
The pair had been locked in talks, and it had seemed like a losing battle at one point, only for AC Milan to decide to abandon their pursuit of the Spaniard, leaving the London side with a free run at their man.
Steidten must cash in on West Ham flop who's now worth just £4m
This failed Moyes signing must be shipped on this summer.
ByAngus Sinclair May 4, 2024
With the agreement now in place, they will proceed to "formal stages", which involves the "details being finalised" and only then the "contracts will be signed", provided that there is no 11th hour change of heart from either party.
Lopetegui has been out of management since he left Wolves at the beginning of the season over a financial dispute, but appears to have won over the West Ham hierarchy, who are ready to now place their faith in the Spanish coach.
He will have significant work to do at the London Stadium, though there is undoubtedly talent available to him in the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta and Edson Alvarez.
Mohammed Kudus celebrates for West Ham
The home fans will demand that their style of football changes, with Moyes coming under fire as much for the performances of his side as the results across the last 12 months. For now though, it appears that the West Ham manager search is finally reaching it's conclusion.
Making his Anfield return, reports suggest that Michael Edwards is looking to make a statement signing to hand Arne Slot the perfect start to life at Liverpool this summer.
Liverpool transfer news
The Reds are preparing to bid farewell to a club legend and one of their greatest managers of all time in Jurgen Klopp, but that hasn't taken away from the preparations when it comes to life without the German. It now looks almost certain that Slot will be the next man in charge tasked with completing the almost impossible task of replacing Klopp, with the Feyenoord boss recently speaking about the news.
With that said, it's now up to Edwards to mould the current Liverpool squad into Slot's vision ahead of Liverpool's first season without Klopp in almost a decade. And that has already seen the headlines start, with the likes of Crysencio Summerville already linked with a summer switch to Anfield. But any deal for the Dutchman could quickly become overshadowed by one statement signing.
rutter-summerville-leeds-opinion
According to reports in Spain via Football365, Liverpool have upped their bid to sign Aurelien Tchouameni to a hefty €80m (£69m) ahead of the summer transfer window as they look to go all out to land the Real Madrid star.
Darwin Nunez axed, £180m trio sign: Arne Slot's dream XI at Liverpool
Things could be looking rather different at Anfield come August.
ByAngus Sinclair May 9, 2024
Tchouameni would undoubtedly be one of, if not the signing of the summer in a deal that would finally see the Reds land a target they've been chasing since his AS Monaco days. Having missed out on the midfielder under Klopp, Liverpool could now hand Slot the perfect welcome gift by sealing a deal for the Frenchman. A player of such talent would certainly make an impact and would be more than worth his reported £207k-per-week salary.
"Fantastic" Tchouameni would permanently unleash Mac Allister
As good as Alexis Mac Allister has been in his debut season at Liverpool, the World Cup winner has been occasionally limited when left with no choice but to play in a deeper role. And with Wataru Endo already 31 years old, the Reds need the long-term solution that Tchouameni would provide in abudance to permanently unlock the best form of Mac Allister.
Progressive Passes
111
199
Goals + Assists
4
9
Interceptions
28
34
Ball Recoveries
99
189
It remains to be seen whether Real Madrid will be willing to part ways with their young midfielder, however, especially after the praise of Carlo Ancelotti, who said via TNT Sports: “Without three centre-backs, Tchouameni played a fantastic game as a centre-back. It's an emergency now, but we understand he's a fantastic player in every place you put him. He's good as a number six, but also as a centre-back.”
Now, Liverpool will be hoping to benefit from that versatility and quality to steal the headlines in what is set to be a busy summer of change at Anfield as Slot arrives.
After a season that started with plenty of play-off promise ended with a disappointing 16th-place finish, Sunderland are reportedly set to suffer transfer consequences in the coming months.
Sunderland transfer news
If those at the Stadium of Light could go back in time, then it would be interesting to see whether they would have parted ways with Tony Mowbray in favour of appointing Michael Beale. When the former left, the Black Cats were battling well for a top six place, but by the time his successor departed, their play-off chances were left looking more like a pipe dream than anything else.
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ByKelan Sarson May 7, 2024
Mike Dodds' interim spell in charge didn't help improve things either, resulting in a season to forget on Wearside. Now, Sunderland have been left searching for their next manager in a decision they must get right. The likes of Paul Heckingbottom and Steve Cooper have been linked, but it remains to be seen just who will be stepping into the hot seat.
Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper.
Whoever it is though, they will reportedly face an instant transfer problem as a result of a frustrating campaign at the Stadium of Light. According to Graeme Bailey, Sunderland will lose Trai Hume this summer as a consequence of their struggles.
Bailey told Sunderland AFC News: ”I think you’re going to lose Hume at right-back too. Well, they were looking to sell the lad you got from PSG [Pembele], but I think one of the right-backs will go. They had originally signed the PSG boy to succeed Hume, but he hasn’t got much of a look in, has he?”
It's quite the blow for Sunderland, who could lose not one, but two right-backs to leave them with no choice other than to turn towards the transfer market for reinforcements. Hume would be a particularly frustrating exit, given his starting role and high praise from Mowbray, who said: "I told him to be patient, that there would be injuries and therefore opportunities, and to make sure that he was ready to grab it.
"Make me think, 'wow'. That's what happened, Lynden has moved on, Luke is at centre back, and Trai has made that position his own."
Hume departure would sum Sunderland's season up
As much as Sunderland will want to look towards positives and starting a new era at the Stadium of Light, Hume's exit would deal them a huge blow, even if the right offer comes in to clear his reported £3k-a-week salary from their wage bill.
His exit would act as a warning sign of just how important at least competing for a place in the Championship's top six is and then, of course, promotion to the Premier League. With or without Sunderland, however, Dodds believes that Hume has top-flight quality, having praised the right-back via Chronicle Live back in March.
Dodds said: “If he carries on the path he is going to, Trai is going to the Premier League. That’s how good I think he is. When you think of full-backs in this league, Trai would definitely be one of the best if not the best full-backs in the league and I don't think there will be many arguments over that."
If he is to exit as predicted by Bailey, then perhaps the Premier League is where Hume is heading this summer. At 22 years old, he's certainly got the time and potential to thrive at the top level.
West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui has personally set his sights on a £45 million signing to come in after Flamengo defender Fabricio Bruno, who is now set to become the Spaniard's first Irons signing.
West Ham set to seal £11.5 million Fabricio Bruno deal
As now confirmed by reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, giving his famous "here we go", West Ham director Tim Steidten has sealed the opening deal of Lopetegui's new era as manager.
West Ham now ready to step up chase to sign "phenomenal" £25m+ title-winner
He’s enjoyed an excellent campaign.
ByTom Cunningham May 19, 2024
They've now got a verbal agreement in place to sign Brazil international defender Bruno from Flamengo, for a fee of around £11.5 million including add-ons, with Lopetegui getting the first in line of what should be a few defensive signings this summer.
36-year-old veteran centre-back Angelo Ogbonna is out of contract on June 30, and likely to leave the London Stadium following years of faithful service. Meanwhile, it is believed West Ham could look to sell Nayef Aguerd after the Moroccan's lacklustre season.
Kurt Zouma has also been attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, so Lopetegui's backline could look very different by the start of 2024/2025 if all goes to plan. West Ham conceded a very poor 74 Premier League goals last season, so reinforcing their defence is absolutely imperative ahead of next campaign.
Sheffield United
104
Luton Town
85
Burnley
78
West Ham
74
Nottingham Forest/Bournemouth
67
The signing of Bruno, following performances over 23/24 which earned the player his first call ups to the Brazil national team, comes as a welcome boost for Lopetegui and co.
In terms of who could follow the South American, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared news on West Ham's pursuit of Wolves captain Max Kilman.
Lopetegui personally wants Kilman at West Ham
According to Ex, Lopetegui personally wants West Ham to sign Kilman this summer – following their time working together at Molineux.
Max Kilman for Wolves
"Max Kilman will be a top target," said the insider (via West Ham Way). "The manager worked with him at Wolves and is said to want to bring the captain with him to London.
“The 27 year old is likely to cost around £45m and Wolves will have to give around 20 percent of that to Maidenhead the club that they signed the player from. Other centre backs who are also expected to be in the radar include Jacob Greaves of Hull, Harwood-Bellis of Manchester City, Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea, Oumar Sole of RB Salzburg, Loubadhe Abakar Sylla a 21 year old centre back of Strasbourg, Logan Costa of Toulouse. and Zeno Debast of Anderlecht."
The Englishman was an indispensable member of Gary O'Neil's starting elevens last term, starting all 38 of their league games, and has been "nationally underrated" by members of the press (Jacqui Oatley).
It may not have been a wholly smooth ride, yet Brendan Rodgers' return to Celtic has worked a treat, with the Northern Irishman picking up where Ange Postecoglou left off after leading the Glasgow giants to yet another domestic double.
January arrival Adam Idah proved the man to clinch that latest success after netting in the Old Firm derby at Hampden last weekend, with the on-loan marksman having been the major success story amid a mixed bag of signings for Rodgers – scoring nine goals in just 19 games for the club.
In truth, the former Liverpool boss will be thankful for the core of key players that arrived under his predecessor's watch, with Matt O'Riley notably stealing the show with 19 goals and 18 assists in all competitions, while Daizen Maeda continued to terrorise defences with 14 goal involvements of his own.
Not even Postecoglou can take credit for the rise of one Hoops sensation, however, with long-serving skipper Callum McGregor having once again been central to all that was good about the champions this season.
Callum McGregor's season in numbers
Lauded as an "unreal player" by departing teammate, Joe Hart, McGregor has been a mainstay in the midfield at Parkhead for almost a decade, having cost the club nothing after rising up through the youth ranks.
Handed his chance by Ronny Deila at the start of 2014/15 – after netting 14 goals on loan at Notts County the previous season – the Scotsman hasn't looked back since, racking up 64 goals and 77 assists in 464 games in all competitions.
As for the current campaign, the 30-year-old has again dazzled at the base of the midfield despite contributing just two goals and six assists across all fronts, boasting a stunning pass accuracy of 92% in the Premiership, while also averaging 1.4 key passes per game and making 1.5 tackles per game.
The playmaker was particularly impressive in the final league Old Firm of the campaign, shaking off an injury to dominate in the centre of the park after winning seven duels and providing four key passes, including the assist for O'Riley's opener.
Time and again the captain steps up when needed on the big occasion, now boasting a ridiculous record of having won 12 out of 12 senior finals that he has played in for the club – alongside his eight title triumphs.
Callum McGregor's market value
Such a stellar record – both in terms of goal contributions and major honours – have unsurprisingly cemented McGregor's place as one of the most valuable members of the squad, even despite his age and the fact that he is an academy graduate.
Scott Brown's successor is said to now be worth in the region of €13.8m (£11.7m), according to Football Transfers, with that notably placing him ahead of the likes of Maeda, who is worth €10.7m (£9.1m), despite his heroics at the top end of the pitch.
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Ange Postecoglou
94
9
8
Gavin Strachan
2
0
0
John Kennedy
8
0
0
Neil Lennon
102
17
23
Brendan Rodgers
194
27
35
Ronny Deila
64
11
11
Unlike the likes of Maeda and the aforementioned O'Riley – who is attracting notable interest at present – the expectation will be that McGregor remains as the heartbeat of the side for many more years to come.
Of course, there is always excitement surrounding new additions and fresh faces, but gifted stalwarts like the 58-cap Scotland international and resurgent teammate James Forrest – who is now back in the international fold after a three-year absence – are worth their weight in gold.
James Forrest
The question now remains as to who can be the next talents to follow in McGregor and Forrest's footsteps and emerge from the youth ranks…
4/10 Celtic flop should not be a regular in 24/25 after Hampden no-show
The Hoops forward produced another underwhelming display for Brendan Rodgers on Saturday.
Liverpool are "actively pursuing" the signing of an "exceptional" new defender in the summer transfer window, according to an update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.
Liverpool transfer news
The Reds are being linked with lots of players in preparation for Arne Slot's first season in charge at Anfield, with Bayer Leverkusen ace Jeremie Frimpong one of the many rumoured targets. He shone as a right-back for Xabi Alonso's side in 2023/24, helping them win the Bundesliga title, and he could be an excellent foil for Mohamed Salah down the right flank.
It appears as though right-back could be an area of focus for Slot this summer, suggesting that Trent Alexander-Arnold may be used in midfield moving forward, with VfB Suttgart's Waldemar Anton also linked with a switch to Liverpool. They have made an enquiry about his availability.
One of the most eye-catching names to have emerged as a possible option of late is Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo, who could potentially want a move away in the summer, should Kylian Mbappe's arrival limit his minutes in attack. A move to the Reds does feel unlikely, given the likely price tag involved, but that could change if Salah suddenly left.
Links surrounding Benfica and Portugal midfield ace Joao Neves are also refusing to go away, ahead of Euro 2024, where he will look to shine for his country. Liverpool are believed to be preparing an offer for the 19-year-old.
Liverpool "actively pursuing" exciting deal
According to Ornstein on X, Liverpool are "actively pursuing" Lille centre-back Leny Yoro alongside Manchester United this summer, but Real Madrid are still the front-runners to sign him:
"Liverpool + Man Utd actively pursuing deal to sign Leny Yoro from Lille. #LFC & #MUFC see Real Madrid as favourites but pushing hard for 18yo centre-back – viewed as unique market opportunity separate to other targets. #PSG keen too."
Man Utd transfer target Leny Yoro in Ligue 1 action for Lille.
Yoro is seen as a generational defensive talent, so the idea of Liverpool snapping him up over the likes of United and Madrid is hugely exciting.
Still only 18 years of age, the £5,800-a-week defender made 30 starts for Lille in the Ligue this season, showing that he is already capable of being a key man in one of Europe's big five leagues. Cesar Arzo has called him "exceptional", while former manager Paulo Fonseca has heaped praise on him.
"I believe Leny in the next year will be at one of the best clubs in Europe. He started here at 16 with us. He is very ambitious, but very disciplined.
"He grew a lot but he is a kid with a big maturity, with big quality. He's very focused, very concentrated, he wants to learn every day and I have no doubt in modern football he will be one of the best central defenders in the world."
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Admittedly, it is easy to see Yoro choosing Madrid, especially with compatriots such as Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Mbappe there, but if Liverpool get their man, he could be seen as the leader of their defence for the next decade and beyond.