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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Tottenham Hotspur are lining up a move for Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz, per AS.

What’s the word?

Spurs are reportedly looking to replace Fernando Llorente, whose contract has expired at the club.

He spent the entirety of his career at the club as a back-up to Harry Kane and enjoyed an integral role as Mauricio Pochettino’s side reached the Champions League final, scoring the winning goal in the quarter-final second leg against Manchester City.

And AS report that the north London club have made an enquiry for Mariano as they look to strengthen their attack.

However, the piece also claims that the former Lyon forward is keen to stay at Santiago Bernabeu, having only re-joined the club last summer after 14 months in Ligue 1.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

An exciting option

This would be an excellent signing for Spurs as they look to bring in back-up to Kane.

As it is, they currently have just Vincent Janssen behind the England captain as an out-and-out forward option; he played just three Premier League games for the club in 2018/19.

Mariano, though, appears to be a solid goalscorer even when he is given limited opportunities.

The 25-year-old struggled with injuries last season but managed to score three goals in the Spanish top-flight despite making just three starts.

During his time at Lyon, he scored 21 goals in 48 games, including six assists, and that is perhaps the sample size from which Spurs’ scouts should draw.

A younger, more mobile option than Llorente, he could be a reliable recruit this summer.

أعلن نادي لاتسيو الإيطالي، تعاقده مع الدولي الأرجنتيني ماتيو موساكيو مدافع ميلان، خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية الجارية.

صاحب الـ30 عامًا، أجرى الفحص الطبي صباح اليوم في العاصمة الإيطالية روما، تمهيدًا لانتقاله إلى نسور لاتسيو.

وأعلن النادي في بيان رسمي، تعاقده مع اللاعب الأرجنتيني، دون تحديد أي تفاصيل، لكن التقارير تشير إلى انضمامه مقابل مليون يورو من ميلان، حتى نهاية الموسم، مع خيار التمديد حتى 2023.

موساكيو كان قد نتقل إلى ميلان في صيف 2017 قادمًا من فياريال مقابل 18 مليون يورو.

وكان موساكيو لاعبًا أساسيًا مع ميلان في موسمه الأول، لكن بعد الإصابة خرج من حسابات المدرب ستيفانو بيولي.

موساكيو خاض مع ميلان 75 مباراة بمختلف المسابقات، وسجل هدفين وصنع مثلهما.

ويأتي تعاقد لاتسيو مع موساكيو، بسبب خسارته لـ لويز فيليبي لإصابة في الكاحل، ستبعده لعدة أشهر عن النسور.

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According to L’Equipe, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are eyeing a move for Lille’s Nicolas Pepe, with the Italian side said to have submitted a bid close to €90m (£80.5m) for his services already.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Serie A giants and Diego Simeone’s side are locked in a battle to sign the Ivory Coast international, who enjoyed a standout 2018/19 campaign with Lille.

The 6 ft forward scored 23 goals and recorded 12 assists for the Ligue 1 club last term, projecting him onto the radars of Europe’s top sides.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

Liverpool, who won the Champions League last season, were said to have already spoken to Lille about the 24-year-old, but they would almost certainly need to break the bank and smash their own transfer record after Inter’s huge offer.

Jurgen Klopp would have to go back on his words from May

Back in May, the former Borussia Dortmund said: “I don’t think this is a team at the moment where we have to spend the big money or whatever. The best way to do it is bring together a group of players, try to develop them all together and then stay together for a while.”

Judging by these words, Klopp ruled out spending any huge amounts of money this summer on his squad. This theory has been backed up by Bleacher Report, claiming John W. Henry is prepared to back Klopp during the transfer window, but the Liverpool boss doesn’t want to spend that much.

The aforementioned report from L’Equipe states that the German is a huge fan of Pepe, but he will almost definitely have to spend big now in order to land the dangerous forward after Inter’s large bid.

If he did go ahead and do so, he would be performing a major U-turn on his words from May which suggested that Liverpool wouldn’t be making any astronomical moves in the market this summer.

Then again, Klopp does have some history here. As reported by BBC Sport, after declaring he’d quit football if transfer fees like Paul Pogba’s became commonplace, Liverpool invested huge sums in Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, leading Klopp to admit to a change of opinion.

Maybe Klopp will change his mind in pursuit of Pepe as well.

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Manchester United are yet to fully dip their toes in the transfer waters of this hot summer window. The Red Devils have, however, cast their eyes on the out-of-favour Real Madrid superstar, Gareth Bale, if the reports from Mirror are to be believed. But the catch is in the decision to try and acquire the Welshman on loan rather than making his signing permanent. The same source suggests season-long loan with an option to extend the deal by a further 12 months is on the cards with a supposed £480,000-a-week contract, putting him neck to neck with the highest Premier League earners. Even though the deal has a nice ring to it, here are two reasons why it’s actually a big mistake.

A loan makes no sense for Manchester United and suits Real Madrid better

On the face of it, a loan is a win-win scenario for both, right? It would seem so – Real get rid of their outcast and Manchester United get their test run with the player, having an option to opt out if it doesn’t work. So what’s the problem? There are several, actually. Let’s say that Bale arrives on a loan and lights up the Premier League once again. Excellent, the deal was a success but now Real Madrid want him back and won’t let the Welshman go. Why would they part with a player that’s regaining his form and would be a great addition to the team?

Even if Manchester somehow convince them to sell, with Bale’s new-found form, the price tag suddenly skyrockets and Ed Woodward will easily have to add additional funds to get the deal over the finish line. The same thing happens in the case of the Welshman being bang average during his one year stay at Old Trafford. He was not that good, and Real Madrid still want to sell, but he was also not that bad so the price jumps again.

The final scenario, the one that sees Bale fail at United, is rather self-explanatory. In that case, you send him right back and you’ve spent a fortune in wages that you cannot recuperate through a sale since he’s not your player but rather a loanee. For those reasons alone, this deal makes little sense for the English side. Either buy him or leave him in Spain and that’s it. Besides, indulging Real in their cries and helping them out with their Bale-sized problem should not be Manchester United’s worry.

Watch a Man Utd fan’s epic Ed Woodward rant in the video below…

Bale is a luxury but not a necessity

Manchester United have already burned themselves with a similar deal that involved Alexis Sanchez, a player that became their top earner but flopped hard in the end. We all know how injury prone Bale is and his appointment would be a huge risk, especially when you factor in his ridiculous wage demands that were mentioned above. But that’s not even the biggest problem in this scenario. Even if he is signed, he will come as a panic buy, a luxury that will aim to appeal to the fans’ outcries and ease the tensions.

But Bale, while still a top player, doesn’t fit the needed profile at the club. United actually have enough wingers, especially with their recent purchase of Daniel James, who’s been signed for a position Bale usually occupies on the pitch. With their big rebuild in process, the Red Devils should focus on signing players that are a necessity rather than a luxury.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Phil Hay has once again given a transfer update on Leeds United, and this one could have huge implications.

There are set to be some outgoings from the Yorkshire club, but these sales could help Marcelo Bielsa’s side keep hold of one of their most important players.

What’s the story?

Earlier this week it was reported by The Daily Star that Leeds were planning on selling some of their less important players so that they can keep hold of Kalvin Phillips next season, with the deep-lying midfielder an Aston Villa target.

Just a few days after that report was published, Hay took to Twitter to provide updates on multiple players who would be leaving the club. He stated that Hadi Sacko, Yosuke Ideguchi and Caleb Ekuban would all be on their way out of Elland Road.

Helping them keep Phillips

The Daily Star stated that the club’s plan to keep Phillips is to move on some less important players.

The aforementioned trio certainly fit into that bracket as all three of them spent last season out on loan.

Hay’s most recent claim fits with what the paper had been saying, and the sale of these three players could help Leeds keep hold of Phillips.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Shifting deadwood allows the Whites to receive transfer fees and open up some space in their wage budget as well, meaning that they wouldn’t be as reliant on the money they would receive if they sold the 23-year-old.

It’s unknown what these players will be sold for, but it’s been rumoured that Ekuban is on his way for around €1m (£900k), and although the fee may seem small they all add up to help aid Leeds’ grand plan.

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Rangers fans are pleased to hear that Steven Gerrard is in no way interested in making a switch to Derby County this summer, after the club were said to be interested in appointing him.

The Times reported on Tuesday that the Rams had made an approach to open discussions on a potential switch, should Frank Lampard take up the vacant manager’s position at Chelsea.

Check out a fan’s outrageous call for England to take a leaf of out cricket and rugby’s book after a limp Nations League performance in the video below…

The paper reckon that the Gers boss refused the notion outright, not even entertaining the idea of making a shock summer switch.

Gerrard is busying adding players to his Rangers squad, who have returned to pre-season training this week in preparation for UEFA Europa League qualifying action next month.

He may not have won any trophies last season but he tangibly improved the club in a number of different ways and apparently now wants to see the project through to its conclusion, despite the reported interest from England.

Rangers fans believe he’s in it for the long haul, refusing to believe there was much chance of him move to Derby anytime soon.

These supporters have taken to Twitter this week to share their thoughts on it all…

Sheffield Wednesday will head into the 2019/20 season buoyed by a positive finish to the season under Steve Bruce.

Hillsborough looked back to being something of a fortress under Bruce, and if the Owls can continue that form into the new campaign, then they might just surprise a few people and push on for a shot at promotion.

However, the summer is going to be key for Wednesday, who will be looking to add some quality to the squad following the release of several senior players such as Gary Hooper, George Boyd and Daniel Pudil.

Wednesday have had some quality players on the books in recent times and there have been periods where perhaps they should have been performing better than they have shown over the last 12 to 18 months.

One of the big problems for the Owls which Bruce will be looking to address is quality within the squad, rather than simply adding players for the sake of it who can often sit on big wages and occupy places in the squad to minimal effect.

We have seen this in S6 with the likes of Daniel Jones and Almen Abdi in recent times, both players who were brought in for big wages but offered little to the cause for the Owls in the end.

And it is this sort of player which Bruce will have taken note of no doubt, as he looks to use all his managerial experience to bring success to a Wednesday team which has been starved of any sort of joy for far too long now in the eyes of their passionate fans.

Wednesday have the tools to compete, and while the money might not be there as it was under Carlos Carvalhal a few seasons back, expect Steve Bruce to go out there and get value for money and real quality when it comes to his summer transfer dealings.

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New West Brom manager Slaven Bilic will be doing all he can to get his squad ready for the upcoming Championship season, so with that in mind, here is today’s Albion transfer roundup.

It includes a new deal offered to an up-and-coming star, the first signing of the window reportedly completed and an interest in a Premier League defender.

Barry offered three-year deal

According to Express and Star, West Brom have offered 16-year-old Louie Barry the equivalent of a three-year contract to keep him at the club. He has been offered a one-year scholarship and then a two-year professional contract when he turns 17. Barcelona are reportedly interested in the youngster.

Windsor is first signing

The Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard is reporting that West Brom have made their first signing of the season in Owen Windsor. The 17-year-old has reportedly joined on a three-year deal from non-league outfit Cirencester Town.

Jenkinson talks started

West Brom are in talks with Arsenal in regards to the signing of right-back Carl Jenkinson according to Sky Sports News. Jenkinson played just eight games for the Gunners last season and could leave in search of first-team football.

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According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are considering a swoop for Huddersfield Town defender Terence Kongolo ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

It is expected to be a busy summer for Villa as they prepare for life back in the Premier League.

According to Football Insider, Kongolo has emerged as a target for Dean Smith’s side, with the 25-year-old keen to return to the Premier League.

Kongolo, who joined Huddersfield on a permanent deal from Monaco last summer, made 32 Premier League appearances during the 2018-19 season.

Capable of operating as a centre-back or a left-back, the Netherlands international’s versatility will be attractive to Villa.

The club’s supporters have been on social media offering their views on the speculation and it would be fair to say that there are some differing opinions.

A swoop for Kongolo could also mean that Villa have potentially admitted defeat in their bid to sign Tyrone Mings on a permanent deal from Bournemouth.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Maxi Gomez is waiting to see if Tottenham Hotspur make a bid for him this summer, per the Daily Mirror, amid rival interest from West Ham United.

The Celta Vigo striker is wanted by the Hammers this summer.

Football FanCast understands that the club’s Director of Football Mario Husillos is attempting to negotiate a deal with the Spanish club as Manuel Pellegrini looks to strengthen his strikeforce.

However, the Mirror claim that the Uruguay international, who scored 13 goals in La Liga last season, is waiting to see if Spurs will make a move for him as they seek back-up to Harry Kane.

Indeed, the club are set to allow Fernando Llorente to depart upon the expiration of his contract, leaving Vincent Janssen, who played just three games in 2018/19, as the England captain’s deputy.

But is Gomez right to potentially miss out on a move to east London as he looks to become a second-choice striker?

Football FanCast’s writers give their verdicts below!

Charles Jones

“If Gomez thinks he can get a move to Tottenham then of course he is right to wait for them to come in for him. Spurs don’t have much depth up top, and they represent a great chance for Gomez to get a game at a top club.

“With all due respect to West Ham, they won’t be challenging for the same type of silverware as Spurs. Every player’s dream is to win trophies and Spurs have a much greater chance of doing that than the Irons – just a month ago they were playing in the Champions League final.

“On top of that, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are regulars in the competition, and any self-respecting footballer would have aspirations of playing in Europe’s most elite tournament. You can’t blame him for wanting to wait and see if Spurs come in for him.”

Matt Dawson

“It’s difficult to work out whether he’s right to hold out for a move because it depends on his aspirations. If he wants to play regular football then he should obviously choose West Ham but if he wants a better shot at competing for honours, he’s right to hold out for a move to Spurs. It seems as though he’s willing to play back-up to Kane too, with the player reportedly waiting for them to make a bid.

“After Llorente’s impact it’s easy to see why. The Spaniard popped up with eight goals, proving to offer a completely different option to Kane, and will be remembered as something of a cult hero in north London after playing such a key role in them reaching the Champions League final.

“Gomez could provide the same kind of threat, winning four aerial duels per game last term. On that evidence, he’d be a very good plan B – the more useful he proves in that respect, the more games he’ll end up playing. 

“In terms of his own development, however, West Ham would be a better choice. He could easily end up starting every week for the east Londoners and proving what he can do consistently in the Premier League.”

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

James Beavis

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if he was holding out for a move to Tottenham Hotspur, but he’d be better off joining West Ham for his career. The Uruguay international is obviously keen on the idea of playing Champions League football, but what he needs to remember is that if he were to link up with the north London outfit, he would likely be playing back-up to Kane more often than not.

“On the contrary, he would have a good chance of being a first-choice starter and playing more minutes at the London Stadium under Pellegrini, given he has been described as the Chilean’s number one target this summer. At 22 years of age the South American attacker has time on his side, and he should look to prove himself at a club like the Hammers before moving on to a bigger one in the future. All in all, he’d be making the wrong career move by opting for Spurs.”