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Ian Abrahams has admitted he’s confident that Arsenal will be able to sign £100 million midfielder Declan Rice.

The Lowdown: Arsenal will look to improve

Considering Arsenal were indeed willing to spend big on Mykhailo Mudryk in January but instead only spent a fraction of that on Leandro Trossard, would suggest that there will be money available in the summer.

Even if Arsenal don’t end up winning the Premier League – which looks rather unlikely now given their lead at the top – they will have Champions League football for the first time since the 2016/17 season, so should be able to attract a higher calibre of player.

Arsenal will know that if they wish to be challenging for the Premier League each and every season then money must be invested this summer and in windows going forward and one area they could look to bolster is midfield given Thomas Partey’s injury woes this season.

The Latest: Rice would cost Arsenal £100 million

While speaking on TalkSPORT, Abrahams admitted he was fairly certain Rice would move to The Emirates this summer, although it will force them to pay a club-record fee for the midfielder.

He said: (0:15) “This is an outstanding player, this is a £100 million footballer who -regardless of what Roy Keane says – his old club would love to sign if Liverpool don’t get Jude Bellingham they’d like to sign.

“I’m pretty certain that clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal, who I think he’ll end up going to, they want to sign as well.”

The Verdict: Huge battle for his signature

It’s no surprise so many clubs are indeed interested in Rice as he is one of the top midfielders in the Premier League and even this term when the Hammers have been poor he ranks inside the top 20 for players tackled across the division, and is also yet to make an error in the league this season which shows how reliable he is (FBRef).

Reports have been swirling around his year about how Rice may well prefer a move to Arsenal, and it’s no surprise given the trajectory they are on under Mikel Arteta, but also because they boast such a young squad, the youngest in the league.

Therefore, Rice would fit in very nicely with what Arenal need for the here and now, but also be able to build around the likes of him and Martin Odegaard in midfield for the future, but his eye-watering price tag is sure to test Arteta and Edu’s resolve when it comes to spending huge as their last big-money signing – Nicolas Pepe – certainly didn’t work out.

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their interest in signing central midfielder Morten Hjulmand in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Morten Hjulmand to Tottenham Hotspur?

According to Calciomercato, Spurs have been sending scouts to watch the Lecce gem in action in the Serie A this season as sporting director Fabio Paratici gathers information on the 23-year-old.

The report claims that the Italian side rejected an offer of €13m (£11.5m) from Southampton during the January transfer window as they did not want to cash in on him until the summer, although it remains to be seen how much they will demand for his services now.

It is stated, however, that Tottenham will face competition for his signature from AS Roma, Napoli, and Borussia Dortmund, with the former two having already held talks with Lecce.

Can Hjulmand replace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?

Paratici could now land Antonio Conte the dream heir to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s position in the side by swooping to sign his compatriot in the summer.

The Danish international, who captained Southampton earlier in his career, is a leader on the pitch for Spurs and Hjulmand has been lauded as a ‘leader and captain’ on and off the field for Lecce, which suggests that they are both vocal, encouraging, presences in the middle of the park.

Hojbjerg, 27, has been in fine form in the Premier League this season. He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.22 across 23 outings and made three tackles and interceptions per game, winning 54% of his duels, whilst also completing 89% of his attempted passes.

Hjulmand, meanwhile, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.95 in 21 Serie A outings. The 23-year-old battler, who was hailed by journalist Alvaro Canibe as having a “remarkable” campaign, has made an eye-catching five tackles and interceptions per match, winning 58% of his battles, whilst completing 79% of his passes.

This comes after the gem averaged a score of 7.13 and made 3.9 tackles and interceptions per outing in the second division of Italian football for Lecce last term across 37 appearances.

His passing efficiency is not as impressive as Hojbjerg’s but the midfielder is playing in a team that is slogging it out in the bottom half of the Serie A and he may not have the chance to play it safe in dominant possession, as the current Spurs enforcer can in fourth-place.

Lecce’s standing in the Italian top-flight also suggests that Hjulmand has more opportunities to make defensive actions, which would explain his numbers being greater than the Tottenham man’s, however, his efficiency in those duels remains impressive as it highlights his strength and skill in winning possession back for his side.

Therefore, the 23-year-old could be the long-term heir to Hojbjerg as both players are defensive-minded midfielders who have the quality to be leaders for their side on the pitch, whilst moving to Tottenham could allow the Lecce star to improve his passing.

Southampton are set to complete the signing of Manchester City goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu and a contract extension for Willy Caballero, claims reliable journalistic Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Saints’ keeper situation

Following the expiry of his contract with Saints, Fraser Forster recently signed for Tottenham on a free transfer, moving to North London to become Antonio Conte’s no.2 choice behind club captain Hugo Lloris.

Southampton were also looking like they would be without Alex McCarthy next season with his contract having entered into its final 12 months. However, despite the absence of an official statement, it was reported by The Athletic last year that the 32-year-old had quietly signed a new three-year deal with the club.

With alternative choice Caballero originally set to depart the south-coast outfit too, it was made imperative for Southampton that they bring in a new goalkeeper ahead of the start of the season.

The Latest: Romano’s news

Taking to Twitter, Romano shared the latest news regarding Southampton’s goalkeeper situation, including the arrival of a fresh face at St. Mary’s.

“Southampton have signed contracts and paperworks with Man City to complete Gavin Bazunu deal. Done and set to be announced for £12m plus add-ons.”

He also provided clarity on Caballero’s situation: “Saints have reached an agreement also with Willy Caballero to extend contract until June 2023.”

The Verdict: Fantastic business

Whilst on loan at south-coast rivals Portsmouth, Bazunu impressed with a number of ‘unbelievable’ saves, leading manager Danny Cowley to claim the 20-year-old ‘will be world-class’ someday and that he is now ‘ready to play in the Premier League’.

Having already amassed ten international caps for the Republic of Ireland, it is clear to see why the youngster is so highly rated, and now with extensive experience in playing first-team in League One, this appears to be a fantastic long-term signing for Southampton.

Of course, with the addition of a very young talent it can’t hurt to also inject some experience into the ranks, so locking up the expertise of Caballero to guide Bazunu and McCarthy feels like excellent business.

In other news: Saints make bid for Mattias Svanberg

West Ham have regularly been linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic in recent years, and if he were to join David Moyes’ side this summer, he could be their very own Harry Kane.

It was reported earlier this week that the Serbian striker is set to leave Real Madrid following their Champions League success, and given their long-standing interest in him, West Ham could be the ones to take advantage.

While his spell at the Santiago Bernabeu hasn’t gone to plan, he has been behind one of the greatest strikers of this generation in Karim Benzema, and his previous form at Eintracht Frankfurt suggests that he could be a huge success in the Premier League.

Since joining Los Blancos from the Bundesliga side in 2019, Jovic has appeared just 51 times for Madrid, contributing three goals and five assists.

However, with regular game time, there seems no reason why the Serbia international couldn’t rediscover the form he showed at Frankfurt in the 2018/19 season when he managed 27 goals and seven assists in all competitions.

There is little doubt that the Hammers need a striker to compete with Michail Antonio next season and Jovic could be the goal-poacher that Moyes’ side have arguably lacked in recent seasons, with Jarrod Bowen finishing as the top scorer in the Premier League with just 12.

FBref suggests that Jovic, who reportedly earns £152k per week at Madrid, has a very similar style of play to Kane, and if he were to even come close to the England captain’s performances for Tottenham Hotspur in recent seasons, then the Hammers would have a very good player on their hands.

Kane contributed 37 goals and 11 assists for Spurs last season and while he is still a deadly finisher in the box, some of his best work came from deep, where he would pick up the ball and dictate the play, regularly assisting teammate Heung-Min Son.

The Real Madrid man scores extremely impressively in terms of shots, assists and goal-creating actions, which suggests that he is far more than just a goalscorer and would offer Jovic a very different option in Moyes’ side next season.

Former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri labelled Jovic “dangerous” ahead of a game against Frankfurt in 2019, and if he can find his feet at West Ham after a difficult spell with Real Madrid, the 24-year-old could become as talismanic for the Hammers as Kane is for their London rivals.

And, in other news… In talks: West Ham now in “final stages” of £34m deal, he’s David Moyes’ dream signing

Manchester City have scored a lot of goals throughout their previous Premier League campaigns under the management of Pep Guardiola.

Since the Spaniard took charge of the club ahead of the 2016/17 season, the Citizens have scored a total of 565 top-flight goals. Their latest title-winning campaign saw Guardiola’s side score 99 goals, more than any other team in the top flight.

One man in their squad who played a big part in the team’s goal haul this season is Riyad Mahrez.

In 47 appearances across all competitions, the Algeria winger found the net 24 times and delivered nine assists in the process.

Now that Guardiola has ended his sixth season in charge of the Citizens with a fourth Premier League title, his focus can now switch to the upcoming summer transfer window and getting his squad in the best shape for the next campaign.

In terms of potential incoming transfers, one player with whom City have been linked and who could give the 51-year-old the chance to form a deadly duo with Mahrez on the right-hand side of the pitch is Chelsea full-back Reece James.

Having played in 26 league games with the west London club this season, the defender netted five goals and delivered nine assists in the process.

To further highlight the Englishman’s attacking talent, no other Chelsea player could equal the number of crosses (82) that James made throughout the season.

Labelled an “outstanding” player by Roy Keane, the 22-year-old is reportedly valued at around £50m.

His overall performances in the league earned the England international a season rating of 7.24/10, making him the highest-rated player in Thomas Tuchel’s squad to start more than six league games according to WhoScored.

Taking all this into account, the prospect of having both Mahrez and James on the right-hand side of the pitch, both of whom are most capable of providing a constant attacking threat, is a mouth-watering one.

Should the Premier League champions end up bringing the Chelsea star to the Etihad Stadium this summer, it would be hard to see this move doing anything other than making what already is a formidable attacking side even deadlier, which wouldn’t be good news for any other team in the league.

In other news: Sam Lee drops behind-the-scenes Man City transfer claim, it’s worrying news for Pep

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring James Garner to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that, following an extremely impressive season-long loan at Nottingham Forest, Victor Orta is now keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Manchester United central midfielder ahead of a potential move for the 21-year-old in the summer market.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

The report goes on to state that Leicester City, Everton and Southampton are also interested in the England U21 international, with the youngster’s long-term future at Old Trafford looking to be rather uncertain following the appointment of Erik ten Hag as the Red Devils’ new manager.

“Absolute beauty”

With the signing of a new central midfielder reported to be one of Leeds’ priority targets in the summer transfer window, it is not difficult to understand why Jesse Marsch and Orta would be interested in a deal to bring Garner to LS11 ahead of the Whites’ 2022/23 campaign.

Indeed, over his 44 Championship appearances this season, the £6.3m-rated talent was in breathtaking form in the heart of the Forest side, scoring four goals, registering eight assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots and making 2.0 key passes per game.

The £20k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.9 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 1.5 long balls, 34.0 passes and winning 3.9 duels – at a success rate of 53% – per fixture.

These returns saw the 21-year-old who Martin Keown dubbed an “absolutely beauty” and Josh Wright labelled “unreal” average a quite extraordinary WhoScored match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Steve Cooper’s fifth-best performer in the second tier – playing a key role in the Reds going on to secure promotion to the Premier League.

As such, it is clear to see that Garner would be an exceptional signing for Orta to get over the line this summer, however, with a number of top-flight clubs interested in the youngster’s services, the Spaniard must act fast if Leeds are to have any chance of securing a deal for the midfielder in the coming weeks.

AND in other news: Orta could seal “unbelievable” Leeds signing with bid for £20m talent, he’s Walker 2.0

Celtic had a turbulent period last season after Neil Lennon left his role as manager for the second time in February, leaving the Hoops 18 points behind their fierce Old Firm rivals in the SPFL table at the time.

Things looked to be even more calamitous for the Bhoys after a reported deal to appoint Eddie Howe as their next manager collapsed just over a year ago.

Celtic then moved on and appointed Ange Postecoglou on a 12-month rolling contract in June.

Now that the Australian has completed his debut season with Celtic and his deal will run out soon, it seems as though a clue has emerged regarding what could be going on at Lennoxtown regarding the matter.

What’s the news?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist and insider Pete O’Rourke had this to say about Postecoglou’s future at the Parkhead club.

“Celtic are hoping to build on this season and hopefully have Postecoglou around for quite a few years, so I’m sure talks will be ongoing right now to secure the Australian on a long-term contract and reward him for the success he’s had so far.”

Fans will be buzzing

With 60 games in charge of the Bhoys, Postecoglou has won 42, drew seven and lost 11 across all competitions.

As a result, despite a disheartening campaign in Europe, the former Yokohama F Marinos manager evidently gave the Celtic fans plenty to shout about on the domestic front by taking the league title off their Old Firm rivals.

Not only did they win the league but they also did it with the best attacking and defensive record in the top flight, having scored 92 goals and conceding 22 in the process.

Taking into account the domestic success that Postecoglou delivered during his first season in charge of the club, it’s easy to see why O’Rourke thinks Celtic and their hierarchy will be looking to tie the 56-year-old down to a long-term contract.

It would allow him to continue his journey with the Hoops and would present him with the chance to make the great Glaswegian club even more successful, something he will no doubt do by remaining at Celtic Park.

Should this happen, then many Celtic fans would be delighted to see him put pen to paper on a long-term contract.

In other news: Celtic can replicate CCV masterclass by signing 25y/o gem who’s “one of the very best”

West Bromwich Albion failed to secure promotion back into the Premier League next season so it will now be up to Steve Bruce to put them in a better position to challenge again and now another transfer target has been linked with a move to The Hawthorns.

What’s the latest?

Football League World reported on Tuesday that West Brom were competing with Watford to secure the signature of Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff who was initially out of contract at the end of the season.

The report suggested that his current club on Tyneside had offered him a new contract with the player facing many for next season with opportunities to gain extra game time.

However, with the midfielder now signing a new contract on Wednesday afternoon, it seems unlikely a deal will be forced through.

Should a move ever occur though, they could land a big upgrade.

Better than Livermore

Bruce is no stranger to Longstaff after managing him during his days at Newcastle United so will be more than knowledgeable on how to deploy him.

Although Longstaff’s game time has been limited in the Premier League this season, he still offers more on the pitch than Jake Livermore in the glimpses he has given for this current club.

According to SofaScore, has scored one goal and contributed one assist, was successful in the majority of his dribbles (55%) and made 2.3 tackles on average per game in 24 appearances.

The Magpies midfielder scored more goals, won more ground and aerial duels combined (50%), made more tackles and has a better pass accuracy (81%) on average per game in 13 fewer appearances than Livermore at West Brom this season.

The £23k-per-week ace who was hailed “immense” by Chronicle Live journalist Charlie Bennett, was chased in January by Everton but the bid was rejected ahead of contract talks with Newcastle after the negotiations broke down when Bruce was in charge almost two years ago.

Ultimately, if Bruce could secure the signing of Longstaff it would be a major coup for West Brom and add a fresh perspective in their midfield set up.

AND in other news: In talks: West Brom on the verge of landing 1st summer signing, Bruce will love him

Manchester United are reportedly sizing up a move for Ajax’s left centre-back Lisandro Martinez.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from The Telegraph, who claimed that Ten Hag is keen on a reunion with the 24-year-old and sees Martinez as an “ideal player” due to his pace and passing ability.

As such, it is said that the 52-year-old has added Martinez, whom he signed for Ajax from Defensa y Justicia in 2019, to his wish list, alongside Ajax team-mate Jurrien Timber.

At current, Martinez has three years left on his contract at Ajax, with a reported fee of £25m enough to prise him from the clutches of the Amsterdam outfit.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-man-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more-nunez-ten-hag-nkunku-richarlison” title=”Read the latest Man United news!”]

Ideal option

Martinez’s arrival would spell trouble for Harry Maguire, who is not an orthodox centre-back by way of Ten Hag’s style.

As a 24-year-old left-footed centre-back at a major European club, with three years left on his contract, his reported £25m fee looks to be a bargain. Add in the fact that Ten Hag has worked with him and understands his character and competency as a ball-playing defender, and you have a foolproof and versatile central defender for an absolute snip.

These are the sort of signings that the 52-year-old should be looking to make – underrated but proven stars who can be astutely acquired for a relatively small fee.

Martinez not only fits the bill financially but possesses numbers far greater than the options in the United back-line. His averages of 80.88 completed passes, 3.13 tackles, 11.63 ball recoveries and 6.13 progressive carries per game illustrate that he is excellent at his job, with his scores ranking him between the 89th and 99th percentile for the aforementioned metrics, as per FBRef.

For additional context, Raphael Varane averages 50.64 completed passes, 1.23 tackles, 9.23 ball recoveries and 3.13 progressive carries per game.

Martinez’s “bulldog-like” approach in defence has seen him scoop Ajax’s Rinus Michels Player of the Year award, joining a list which boasts the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Jari Litmanen, Frank Rijkaard and Luis Suarez, to name a few.

Ten Hag is right to add Martinez to his shortlist, and with United’s desperation for a left-footed centre-back, you would hope that the 24-year-old’s name is high up on the Dutchman’s list.

In other news: Man United lead the race to sign £84.9m “exciting prospect”, he’s a dream Cavani heir 

A big update has emerged on Rangers and their plans for Ibrox gem Joe Aribo heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, Giovanni van Bronckhorst may be willing to part ways with the midfielder for less than £10m in the coming months.

The report claims that he is attracting interest from south of the border as Crystal Palace, Brentford and Aston Villa are all interested in acquiring his services.

Ross Wilson wants to create an auction to drive the price up but The Sun claims that he may settle for a seven-figure sum.

Nightmare for Wilson

The Gers sporting director is heading for a nightmare at Ibrox following this update as selling the midfielder for less than £10m would be a disaster.

Aribo has been superb for the club throughout the campaign and allowing him to leave on a cut-price deal would leave the fans fuming, both in terms of the talent that they would lose from the team and the minimal fee.

When you consider that Nathan Patterson left Glasgow for a reported fee of £16m, £9m or less for the Nigerian international appears to be a huge bargain.

Patterson had only started two Premiership matches and the Toffees may have been signing him for the potential he has to fulfill, at the age of 20. Whereas, Aribo has scope to improve – at the age of 25 – and has been a crucial player for the Gers.

He has played a whopping 55 times in all competitions and chipped in with eight goals and ten assists from midfield for van Bronckhorst, and Steven Gerrard before him.

His former Charlton teammate Ezri Konsa once heaped praise on the Nigerian midfielder, saying: “Having Gerrard as his manager at Rangers, that has made him go up another level.

“Joe’s style is unique. When I was with him at Charlton he did remind me for a while of a left-footed Yaya Toure. But you don’t get a lot of midfielders like Joe, there aren’t many around.

“Like Toure, for a tall guy he’s got such great feet. But that languid style he’s got is actually fairly unique in the game.”

Gerrard also claimed that the gem can “play anywhere” and these comments further illustrate Aribo’s importance to Rangers as he is will be difficult to replace.

He is consistently available for selection, versatile in where he can play, and has shown his quality with his contributions in the final third.

Therefore, it would be a nightmare scenario for Wilson to sanction his sale for anything less than eight figures in the upcoming transfer window.

AND in other news, GvB already heading for huge summer disaster at Rangers, Ross Wilson will be livid…