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Leeds United transfer target Harry Wilson could form a superb partnership with Raphinha, having already wowed Marcelo Bielsa with his displays before.

What’s the story?

Reports in the summer of 2020 had claimed that Bielsa’s side were keen on bringing the Wales international to Elland Road, but a deal failed to materialise before the end of the deadline.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay in fact had also suggested that Wilson is “very highly rated by Leeds (and Victor Orta especially) for a while and he’s always on the list of possibles. With Wilson, it would depend on price and what Liverpool intend to do with him. One to watch, possibly.”

Now, Mercado Ingles have revealed that the Whites are in negotiations with Liverpool over a deal for the 24-year-old, and could finally bring him to the club this summer.

He stunned Bielsa

Dubbed as an “exceptional talent” by Bielsa himself after Leeds’ 4-1 triumph over Derby in which Wilson played for the Rams, it was no surprise why the Whites boss was left wowed by his performance.

As per Sofascore, he finished with a 7.0 match rating, which was by far the highest of any Derby player, as he looked to single-handedly drag his side into the game.

The £60k-a-week earning ace provided the joint-highest number of key passes of any player on the pitch for either side with three, while he also completed one out of his two dribbles and earned one free-kick too.

It was no surprise then that reports last summer suggested that “Marcelo Bielsa is a big admirer of the versatile attacker, who he regards as extremely talented and with the potential to develop into a real star.”

Given Leeds already have an outstanding winger in Raphinha who gets people off their seats, bringing Wilson into the fold could give Jack Harrison some real competition on the opposite flank as they jockey to see who partners the Brazilian.

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But with the Welshman’s superb free-kick ability and technique – Jurgen Klopp even said his “shooting is world-class” – Leeds could have a fascinating combination of dribbling and skill with both Raphinha and Wilson in tandem.

Meanwhile, Leeds United are in talks with this Premier League star…

Everton are reportedly now in fresh talks to sign Brennan Johnson in the summer.

The Lowdown: Standout season

The Welshman is certainly having a standout season at Nottingham Forest, where he has managed no fewer than 15 goals and a further nine assists in the Championship so far (Transfermarkt), playing a big part in their promotion push.

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He has recently picked up the division’s Young Player of the Season award, and at just 20 years of age, his ceiling is quite high.

The Latest: Everton talks with Johnson

As per The Independent, Johnson’s representatives have held ‘productive meetings’ with Everton ‘in the last week’, although their ability to sign him may depend on whether they avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Brentford have already offered personal terms to the Wales international, while Leicester City, Newcastle United and Villarreal are also interested in his signature.

Johnson is ‘unlikely’ to sign a new deal at Forest unless they get promoted, with his current contract set to expire in 2023. He is ‘expected’ to go for a fee of between £20m and £25m, should they end up selling him this summer.

The Verdict: Sign him

Johnson is one of the rising stars of British football, so it would be a real coup for the Toffees if they can attract him to Merseyside, especially with the spectre of relegation a clear and present threat.

Described as a ‘different animal’ on the pitch by Paul Bodin, who worked with him when in charge of Wales’ under-19s and later with the under-21s, Johnson seemingly has the fire in his belly to make something happen for his team, which is the kind of character that Frank Lampard’s side could really use right now.

Nonetheless, perhaps with a few players sold, £20m-£25m should be an affordable price range for Everton.

In other news, these were Everton’s three worst performers against Liverpool

Reliable reporter Stephen McGowan believes that Celtic could sign Hibernian left-back Josh Doig in a seven-figure deal this summer.

The Lowdown: Celtic’s previous interest

The Hoops were linked with a move for the 18-year-old back in January but a deal never materialised, with right-back Jonjoe Kenny being Celtic’s only winter window addition.

The Parkhead giants weren’t the only club linked with Doig at the turn of the year, though, with Premier League quartet Arsenal, Chelsea, Leeds and Manchester City all credited with an interest.

Doig, who has played as a left-back and as a left midfielder at Easter Road this season, was described as ‘phenomenal’ by Queens Park boss Ray McKinnon last year.

The Latest: £1.2m fee shared

Speaking in his Daily Mail column (print edition, 08/05, page 115), via 67 Hail Hail, McGowan shared the news and described a deal for the Hoops as a ‘no brainer’. He wrote:

“Little sums up the state of paralysis at Parkhead more than the failure to register an interest in a left-back half the English Premier League are trying to snap up. Favourite to win Scotland’s Young Player of the Year, the 18-year-old should really be a no-brainer.

“The hopeless Diego Laxalt will follow Scott Brown and Shane Duffy out the door next week. And that leaves Greg Taylor as the only left-back in the building.

“Doig clearly lacks solid, prolonged first-team experience. He’s not the finished article. But he’s tall, technically strong, and Hibs are not asking for silly money. The player some regard as the next Kieran Tierney or Andrew Robertson is up for grabs for £1.2m.”

The Verdict: Doig to replace Laxalt?

We’re with McGowan in believing that a deal for Doig should be a no-brainer this summer.

Celtic will lose loanee Diego Laxalt back to AC Milan over the coming weeks, which may leave the club looking at possible additions to replace the Uruguayan.

Doig could rival Greg Taylor for a starting spot next season, with a view to then establishing himself as first choice at left-back in years to come.

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard was impressed with the 18-year-old recently, labelling him as a player with ‘huge potential’.

Judging from what others have had to say about the teenager, the widespread Premier League interest and the reported £1.2m fee, we feel as if new Celtic CEO Dominic McKay should be all over this potential transfer.

In other news: ‘Hearing from various sources’ – journalist drops huge weekend Eddie Howe agreement claim, find out more here. 

Paulo Dybala is still being targeted by Tottenham Hotspur, according to recent claims…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT this week, journalist Pete O’Rourke revealed:

“I think Dybala, [a] long-term target under [Mauricio] Pochettino, I’m sure he will definitely be on the list in the summer but I think lots of clubs in Europe will be interested in the playmaker this summer on a free transfer, potentially.”

The 28-year-old came very close to signing for Spurs during the summer of 2019, only for a deal to fall through at the final hurdle over image rights. He has regularly been linked with a switch ever since then.

Conte needs him

This time, however, he’s a player that Antonio Conte could really do with in north London.

The January transfer window saw the Italian let three, potentially four, of his more creative outlets depart the club in record signing Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Dele Alli and Byran Gil.

Not as if any were performing at the level required anyway but there has been a severe lack of imagination in the final third, often leaving the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son to provide for themselves. After all, they led pretty much every attacking department last term.

Again, this season, the South Korean tops the charts for goals scored (eight), assists (three) and key chances created (1.9 per game) in the Premier League, via WhoScored.

Three of the four behind him in the latter regard are defenders, so the likes of Matt Doherty, Emerson Royal and Sergio Reguilon have been more creative than any of the departed quarter, which speaks volumes.

But it does leave Conte without an outlet in the heart of the pitch – something that Dybala could aid and not only that, he’ll provide Kane with some backup, too.

Despite being hampered by injury this campaign, the Juve man has still delivered 11 goals and five assists, averaging a direct contribution once every 101 minutes, as per Transfermarkt.

He was once dubbed an “unbelievable player” who does “breathtaking” things by former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey, whilst Serie A expert Conor Clancy believes his presence would aid Kane tenfold.

“I feel like he’d be unstoppable with Kane because he’s not a number nine, so he’s got to be playing alongside a striker like that,” he told Football FanCast back in the summer.

The £45m-rated dynamo also possesses a career average of two dribbles and 1.6 key passes per game (via WhoScored) only bolsters his threat, ball playing and carrying ability in the attacking third.

He’s got to be someone that Conte would surely love to sign this summer. He’d be a steal on a free transfer, too.

AND in other news, Conte could take Spurs to the next level by signing £27m-rated “leader” who he’d love him…

West Ham could reignite their interest in Andrea Belotti before this month’s transfer deadline, according to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee.

The Irons have been mooted with the Torino talisman in the past and when speaking on this week’s ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, the trustworthy insider suggested that he is someone the club could explore once again as their search for a new striker rumbles on.

Back in May, the Premier League outfit were touted by reports in Italy as the ‘front-runners’ to sign Belotti, especially with him entering the final year of his current contract.

Corriere dello Sport (via the Manchester Evening News) suggested that he could be available for just €25m (£21m) only a month earlier.

Belotti is still yet to sign fresh terms at Torino, so David Moyes and co must absolutely consider an approach for him in the coming weeks, if not days.

Fresh off winning Euro 2020 with Italy, the 5 foot 11 marksman could provide the perfect foil to Michail Antonio, who very much needs an alternative option alongside him, with West Ham competing in the Europa League this season.

The 31-year-old is Moyes’ only proper option in attack, which is a massive risk considering his injury problems. He is yet to start more than 24 games in any top-flight campaign since 2016/17.

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Belotti could well take the Hammers to a new level, given his prolific record – as per Transfermarkt, the Italian goal machine has hit double figures in every season since 2015/16, including a career-best of 28 goals in 2016/17.

He is very consistent in front of goal and it’s even more impressive as Torino have struggled to finish above 9th throughout those campaigns.

Last season, the £31.5m-rated forward drew a whopping 3.9 fouls per game, which suggests he’s a similar nuisance to Antonio in the attack, whilst he also fired off 3.1 shots per outing, a figure that would see him rank first in the current West Ham squad by a fair margin, via WhoScored.

Former Spurs goalkeeper Joe Hart once described Belotti as “special”.

“He has [an] instinct for goals, personality and he’s a team player,” he told Gianluca Di Marzio.

The Italy international has also been lauded for his leadership qualities, with Torino president Urbano Cairo dubbing him a “real captain.”

On the above evidence, Belotti could slot right in at the London Stadium, especially under Moyes, whom he seems a perfect fit for. He can become a serious upgrade on Antonio but also the perfect partner. Just imagine the pair together ripping it up across all competitions this season.

GSB must look to seal him at all costs, he’s the obvious answer to their striker woes.

AND in other news, West Ham insider drops exciting transfer claim about David Moyes…

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes it would be an ‘absolute disaster’ if Marcelo Bielsa took over at Tottenham this summer.

The Lowdown: Priceless figure at Leeds

The Whites are in the middle of a special period in their history, having finally returned to the Premier League this season.

Bielsa has been the undoubted key reason for Leeds’ success, transforming the club’s fortunes and playing an exciting brand of high-energy attacking football.

Worryingly, the Argentine is yet to commit his future to the club for another year, with his current deal expiring at the end of June.

The Latest: Robinson bemoans Bielsa rumour

Tottenham have been linked with acquiring Bielsa’s services and bringing him as their new manager, following Jose Mourinho’s departure earlier in the year.

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson admitted it was exciting from a Spurs perspective, but disastrous for anyone of a Leeds persuasion:

“From a Spurs point of view, I would love to see Bielsa there.

“When you compare the Spurs and Leeds squad there is not much comparison, and that is no disrespect to the Leeds squad. Tottenham’s squad is made up of top international players.

“Look at what Bielsa got from that group of Leeds players in the Championship, it makes you wonder what he could get from those Spurs players. It could be unbelievable.

“From a Leeds point of view though it would be an absolute disaster. It really would.

“He would be a very shrewd appointment but I don’t think they’ve got any chance of luring him away.”

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The Verdict: Too loyal to leave

The thought of Bielsa suddenly leaving Leeds is a horrendous one, considering he has been the catalyst for such a memorable few years at Elland Road.

Losing him now, at a point when the Whites are primed for a possible European push next season, would be extremely hard to come back from, such is his level of influence.

Bielsa is a fiercely loyal, principled character, however, so it would be a big surprise if he didn’t extend his stay and moved to north London instead.

In other news, one Leeds player has been blasted for his recent behaviour. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United have submitted an offer for Lyon star Maxwel Cornet as they look to strengthen Marcelo Bielsa’s side ahead of the new Premier League season.

What’s the story?

While EURO 2020 may be dominating the headlines at the moment, Victor Orta and co are going about their summer business, and recently announced the signing of Barcelona left-back Junior Firpo.

Reports in recent weeks had claimed that Leeds are also interested in signing Ivory Coast international Cornet this summer, and that his “pace and skill is attractive to boss Marcelo Bielsa”.

Now, OlympiqueetLyonnais have revealed that the Whites have actually made an offer for the versatile ace, but that it has fallen short of Lyon’s demands.

It’s added that the Yorkshire club are following Cornet with interest, and it remains to be seen whether they come back in with another offer.

He wowed Pep Guardiola

Cornet initially broke onto the scene as a winger, but last season under Rudi Garcia, transitioned into a left-back, and enjoyed a superb campaign because of it – the 24-year-old managed four goals and six assists in 39 games across all competitions.

And, it wasn’t just his attacking exploits that caught the eye.

As per Sofascore, he also made 1.9 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in Ligue 1, and won 4.6 duels per match too (to put that into context, England star Kalvin Phillips averaged 2.6 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 5.3 duels won per game in the Premier League).

And, after seeing him shine against his Manchester City side in the Champions League, even Pep Guardiola was left to hail the Ivorian’s talents.

He said: “We only talk about PSG but there are many good French teams, I was very impressed by the talent of Maxwel Cornet. There are many talents in France, I like to play the Champions League because there is a very high quality everywhere, players, coaches.”

While Leeds may have completed the signing of Firpo, bringing in a player like Cornet who can play as a left-winger but also fill in at left-back, would give Bielsa some much-needed depth in those positions.

Aside from Gjanni Alioski last season, the Whites didn’t have a real genuine senior option to back the north Macedonian up, with the likes of Stuart Dallas coming in to fill that role when needed.

Cornet would give Leeds a more natural option in that role, and given his experience of playing for a top side like Lyon, including in the Champions League, would represent an exciting signing.

Orta must surely go back in again for him.

Meanwhile, Leeds could sign a dream De Paul alternative in this star…

Many West Ham fans were far from happy with Kortney Hause’s poor challenge on Pablo Fornals during the 4-1 victory against Aston Villa on Sunday.

The Hammers enjoyed another fantastic afternoon against the Villans during what has been a fantastic season for David Moyes’ side. The comfortable victory, which came thanks to goals from Ben Johnson, Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice, sees them move three points clear of fifth place in the Premier League table (Sky Sports).

It was all sweetness and light for the Irons, however. Fornals was the subject of an incredibly strong challenge from Hause, who caught the Spanish midfielder in the face with a stray arm. The Villa defender was not sent off for the tackle, although it is hard to see why he did stay on the pitch, especially when Ezri Konsa was almost immediately dismissed for a less physical infraction.

A video of the “disgraceful” incident was shared on Twitter by @central_louis and it attracted plenty of attention from Irons supporters. These fans took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts on Hause taking out Fornals.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Hause’s challenge on Fornals

“GBH. Nasty. A Red all day long…”

Credit: @RycraftTim

“Mental this wasn’t a red card…”

Credit: @camwestham

“this needs addressing surely”

Credit: @JohnW50065546

“A brutal assault and should have been a red card!”

Credit: @William37729473

“Looks worse every time I see it. Should have gone as well”

Credit: @ajarv19

“He’s lucky not to be more seriously hurt. That was disgraceful.”

Credit: @KillerHeels_UK

In other news, Darren Lewis has made this big Daniel Kretinsky claim

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer believes his old side will find it difficult to sign a goalkeeper ready to challenge No.1 Illan Meslier.

Leeds are in need of a new shot-stopper following Kiko Casilla’s loan move to La Liga outfit Elche.

Newcastle United’s Freddie Woodman is thought to be high on the club’s list but, according to Football Insider, the 24-year-old has rejected a move to Elland Road.

The outlet states Woodman has no interest in playing second fiddle to Meslier, forcing Leeds to look elsewhere.

Palmer now fears the Whites could end up with a No.2 that is happy to just sit on the bench and not a ‘keeper that is ready to push Meslier and offer the Frenchman genuine competition.

“It is a difficult situation,” Palmer said in response to Woodman’s reported snub. “You don’t want a goalkeeper that’s going to come there and that’s happy – and I’ve known goalkeepers who are happy to do that – to just sit on the bench and not play.

“Unfortunately, when you’re looking for a goalkeeper, that is the scenario you start off with.”

Meslier missed just three Premier League games last season, so of course some goalkeepers will understandably not fancy a move to Elland Road, where they are likely to see very little action. That does not seem to be the case with Kristoffer Klaesson, though, who Leeds are now said to be closing in on.

Express and Star journalist Luke Hatfield believes that new West Bromwich Albion striker Jordan Hugill will surprise a few people.

The 29-year-old has signed a season-long loan deal with the Baggies from Premier League side Norwich City and made his first appearance for West Brom off the substitutes’ bench in their 1-0 victory against Peterborough United over the weekend.

Hugill made 34 appearances in all competitions for the Canaries last season scoring five goals but only ten of those appearances were in the starting XI.

The Baggies have been linked with a move for a striker this summer and Hatfield believes that Hugill will surprise a few people, telling Football FanCast: “I think fans will be pleasantly surprised by Hugill and the performances he puts in.

“If he’s on his game he will offer something different for Albion, he will offer the ability to play with his back to goal, someone who will work hard, press defenders. I think they could be pleasantly surprised by him.”

Hugill knows the Championship well having played for Preston North End, Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City in the division and has a good goalscoring record also, as he has found the back of the net on 46 occasions and also provided seven assists.

The Baggies are the second top scorers in the Championship so far, scoring 12 goals and goal difference only separates them and top-of-the-table Fulham, with both clubs collecting 13 points from a possible 15.