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Manchester City will be ‘launching a bid soon’ for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips as he is ‘absolutely perfect’ for Pep Guardiola’s side, journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed.

The Lowdown: Phillips transfer rumours

According to a report by The Athletic, it is expected that the 26-year-old will contemplate forcing through a move to the Premier League champions if a bid is tabled this summer. It is believed that an offer of around £50m would be enough for the Whites to allow the midfielder to make the switch to the Etihad Stadium.

Whilst this would match West Ham’s bid put forward in January, City’s offer would be more likely to be accepted given Phillips’ desire to join the Manchester club.

The Latest: Talbot’s claim on Phillips

Talbot, who works as a freelance journalist for The Times, The Mirror and The Guardian, believes that City are now set to head to the negotiating table and submit a bid for the Leeds star.

When asked on Sunday evening whether Phillips has a long-term future at Elland Road, the reporter told GiveMeSport: “There’s been no talk of contracts yet because the only clubs that he would have gone to is a team like Manchester City or Liverpool.

“He’s absolutely perfect for Manchester City. It sounds like they’re going to be launching a bid soon.

“I imagine it will be accepted by Leeds and he will go on and play Champions League football. He is absolutely perfect for them.”

The Verdict: He’d be a great signing

With Fernandinho leaving the club this summer after nine years at the Etihad, Phillips would likely be a fantastic replacement for the City captain, given the Englishman’s defensive attributes.

When compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the 26-year-old ranks in the 98th percentile for pressures, the 97th percentile for tackles and the 96th percentile for blocks (via FBRef), all indicating his no-nonsense nature in the midfield engine room.

With Guardiola looking to add depth to compete with Rodri in the holding midfield position, Phillips’ prospective arrival at the Etihad would be a great addition to the champions’ squad.

In other news: Pep Guardiola is fighting to keep hold of this Man City star

Leeds United appear to have been handed a blow in their pursuit of Sporting CP winger Gonzalo Plata.

The Lowdown: Leeds links

The Whites have been name-checked with an interest in the 21-year-old this month as the club look to bolster their wide ranks.

Jack Harrison and Raphinha have been linked with Elland Road exits, which has resulted in Leeds looking at the Ecuador international, described as ‘super’ by journalist Sam Tighe.

Plata, who actually shares the same agency as six Whites players, spent last season on loan at Real Valladolid in Spain’s second tier, helping them finish second and earn promotion back to La Liga.

The Latest: Transfer update

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from Monday morning’s edition of Portuguese newspaper O Jogo regarding Plata.

They claimed that a sale is now complicated after Plata suffered an injury for Ecuador against Cape Verde and left in an ambulance.

The report adds that the winger could be injured for two months which would make it difficult for Leeds or any other interested side to seal a move until mid-August.

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The Verdict: Not a priority right now

A move for Plata shouldn’t be viewed as a priority at this moment in time. Leeds have already brought in Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen and are now looking to land defensive midfielder Marc Roca.

Should they sign the Bayern Munich man, another central midfielder could still be required after Manchester City launched a bid for Kalvin Phillips.

A centre-forward also seems needed following Patrick Bamford’s injury problems last season, so although Leeds have been handed a blow in their pursuit of Plata, it shouldn’t be viewed as a disaster at this moment in time.

In other news: ‘Sky Sports has been told…’ – Live TV update emerges involving 113-goal star; Leeds mentioned. 

Liverpool have enjoyed a successful season winning both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, but they are now ready to go again next season and could be set to bolster their squad beyond finding a Sadio Mane replacement this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato, Liverpool are interested in signing Matthijs de Ligt this summer.

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As per the report, the Reds are one of the most interested clubs in taking advantage of stalling contract talks between Juventus and the young defender, but they are not alone in their interest.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are all named as parties who will compete with Liverpool to secure the signing.

The news comes amidst a potentially record-breaking swoop for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez who could move to Merseyside this summer.

Dream VVD heir

There is no doubt that Liverpool have one of the best defensive set-ups in European football boasting top talents like Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Joel Matip, however Klopp could be planning for the future when it comes to their most recent rumoured transfer target.

Both Matip and Van Dijk are now in their 30s and whilst they have many years ahead of them as well as a reliable youngster in Ibrahima Konate rotating into the centre-back partnership, if the reports are true FSG are clearly planning ahead to make sure they’re not caught short in their back-line.

De Light who was hailed an “absolute monster” by journalist Carlo Garganese has had an outstanding season in Serie A with Juventus.

According to SofaScore, the £83.6m star scored three goals and created three big chances, whilst making 1.1 tackles, 3.1 clearances and taking 64.5 touches on average per game.

He also won the majority of his duels (62%) and was successful in the majority of his dribbles (67%), proving he is a nightmare for any forward line.

The 22-year-old dubbed “incredible” by Andrea Barzagli would be the perfect heir to eventually succeed Matip and van Dijk when the time comes, but there is one huge problem that puts the entire idea of the potential transfer in question.

De Ligt would only be willing to make the move to Liverpool if he was paid £200k-per-week, something that would be unfathomable in FSG’s tight wage structure and would put him at the top end with the likes of Mo Salah and Van Dijk who perform and play week in week out, which would be unlikely for the youngster due to the strength in defence.

With that being said, FSG will need to carefully consider their move for De Ligt and weigh up their options as there are other areas of the squad that need strengthening, so to offer a player they don’t necessarily needs the kind of salary he demands would likely be a non-starter.

AND in other news: Offer made: Liverpool now “want to sign” 34-goal “diamond”, Klopp absolutely loves him

The last few weeks haven’t been ideal for Liverpool with Jurgen Klopp’s men failing to secure the Premier League title, losing in the Champions League final and seeing rumours of Sadio Mane’s exit.

What’s the word?

With that in mind, signing players ahead of next season should be a large priority right now.

Liverpool have a mind-blowing attack but if Mane does leave, they will need to find an experienced replacement who has the know-how to perform in top-level games.

Fortunately, it looks as though the Reds have identified his heir in Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry.

A report from Anfield Central claims that Liverpool have already held talks with the player’s agent over a possible move this summer with his contract at the Allianz Arena expiring in 2023.

They claim the winger is valued at around €80m (£68.3m) but Bayern realise they may have to accept as little as €40m (£34.1m) due to the fear of losing him for free in a year’s time.

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Talks are understood to have been had about the German’s salary demands with a weekly wage of £250k being mentioned. Liverpool, however, are only prepared to offer £200k-a-week.

The next Luis Diaz

A move for Gnabry this summer would be an incredibly sensible one by Liverpool. The Germany international is experienced and in his prime, knows where the back of the net is and he also knows the English game.

He came through the ranks at Arsenal before moving back to his homeland where he’s become one of the most exciting attackers in Europe.

Described as a “real weapon” by his former manager Niko Kovac to Bundesliga.com and as “magic” by Transfermakrt’s Stefan Bienkowski, the 26-year-old was in stunning form this term.

He scored 17 times for Bayern, as well as registering ten assists in all competitions.

That type of attacking return has seen him compared to Liverpool’s January signing, Luis Diaz, who has made an instant impact in Merseyside.

The Colombian has been involved in 11 goals for the Reds and according to FB Ref’s similar players model, Gnabry and Diaz are alike.

It’s clear to see why the pair are equal in terms of some of their in-depth attacking statistics.

This season, the Liverpool winger produced 4.62 shot-creating actions per 90 compared to the former Arsenal attacker’s 4.37.

Furthermore, they are similar when it comes to their dribbling with Gnabry registering a dribble success rate of 64.4% to Diaz’s 66.7%. As for progressive carries, the former amassed 9.38 per 90 in comparison to the latter’s 8.58.

With that in mind, this is a potential signing that will excite plenty inside of Anfield.

AND in other news, James Pearce drops huge Liverpool transfer update, it’ll surprise supporters…

Manchester United are plotting a move for Ajax star Antony this summer and he could be reunited with manager Erik Ten Hag ahead of next season.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Peter O’Rourke has told GIVEMESPORT that Antony will be one of the players that United will be looking to bring in the most this summer.

He said: “Antony would definitely add some attacking flair to Manchester United’s frontline if they were to sign him.

“He’s been exceptional for Ajax, not just in the Eredivisie but also in the Champions League. So, I think those two [Antony & Jurrien Timber] probably would be the two players they’ll be looking at the most to bring in from Ajax.”

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Recent reports from UOL stated that The Red Devils were battling with Liverpool for the player.

He’s better than Sancho

Antony’s performances this past season have been impressive, not just in the Eredivisie but in the Champions League as well. He’s established himself as one of the most exciting young wingers and is rated at £31.5m.

He made 33 appearances for Ajax during this past campaign and was directly involved in 22 goals, so it’s no surprise that he’s been attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs and why he’s been described as “wonderful” by Dutch scout Piet de Visser.

With the departure of Anthony Martial and the absence of Mason Greenwood from Old Trafford, space is available in the squad for a player with his qualities.

If he became a Red Devil he would be competing with star player Jadon Sancho. His numbers show that he is better than the 22-year-old and if he can replicate them in the Premier League then it will prove that.

Having moved to Manchester from Borussia Dortmund last summer for £73m, Sancho has faced a lot of pressure, as many expected him to carry a struggling side.

Antony would arguably arrive with a lot less on his shoulders and would be more comfortable working under a manager who knows him so well.

If you compare them both directly, the Brazilian excels in many areas. He averages 1.41 shots on target per 90 minutes compared to Sancho’s 0.43.

He also puts far more crosses in the box with 100 compared to the Englishman’s 32. When you have got Cristiano Ronaldo in your team, who is one of the best headers of the ball, it’s vital he is given the service.

On top of that, he also contributed to 14 more goals in all competitions,

Signing Antony can mark the perfect start to United’s rebuild under Ten Hag, and it’s highly likely the player would want to come.

IN other news: MUFC are “extremely close” to signing £50.6m “diamond”, he’s the next Diego Forlan…

A major Rangers development has emerged as Ibrox defender Borna Barisic has made a key decision heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Scotland, the left-back has decided that he wants to remain at Rangers and continue to fight for his place in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team next season.

The report claims that the Gers are not pushing to sell him in the coming months but would be willing to consider a sale if the right offer came in for his services.

It is stated that the club rejected two offers for Barisic during the January transfer window, including one worth around £2m from Premier League side Watford as they attempted to snap him up.

Van Bronckhorst will be buzzing

The Ibrox head coach will be buzzing with this news as Barisic has been a big member of the squad throughout the campaign for the Dutchman.

Van Bronckhorst placed his faith in the Croatian throughout the impressive Europa League run. The defender played 14 times in the competition and started 12 matches – including the final – as the Gers lost on penalties to Frankfurt in Seville.

He made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game and won 63% of his duels at left-back as he seemingly earned the manager’s trust. Instead of moving Calvin Bassey out to full-back, the head coach selected the 29-year-old on a regular basis in Europe and this highlights how much he values the gem.

Meanwhile, he played 23 matches in the Premiership as he found minutes harder to come by in competition with Bassey at times. When he did play, though, he caught the eye with some impressive displays as he averaged an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.29.

In the Scottish top-flight, Barisic created an eye-catching 1.9 chances per game as he provided an attacking threat from left-back. He also won 67% of his duels as he stood up to the physical tests thrown his way throughout the campaign.

Therefore, van Bronckhorst will be delighted to learn that the player is committed to Rangers and wants to stay and fight for his place in the XI. The defender played a key role domestically and in Europe and, unless a big offer that allows the club to bring a replacement comes in, keeping hold of him will be a boost to the head coach this summer.

AND in other news, Rangers can land dream Kent heir in deal for £1.5m “asset” who can “affect the game”…

David Moyes has led West Ham to one of their finest seasons in recent memory, taking them to the Europa League semi-finals and securing continental qualification for next term as well.

The 59-year-old will believe that he can now take the Irons to the next level, and this may require some positive transfer business during the summer.

According to Calciomercato, West Ham are interested in a move for Josip Brekalo this summer, who has spent the season on loan at Torino, with the winger’s parent club Wolfsburg keen on selling him in the summer.

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Brekalo could be available for just €10m (£8.5m) and this could be an excellent piece of business if Moyes can pull it off.

Moyes must land Brekalo for West Ham

West Ham have done brilliantly this season despite relying on the same core group of players as last term, and the addition of attacking options remains one of the priorities ahead of the transfer window.

With only one player in the squad scoring more than ten goals this season (Jarrod Bowen with 12), it’s clear to see where the weakness lies, and Moyes needs to improve that with the prospective signing of Brekalo.

The Croatian has scored seven times and registered two assists this season at Torino, a decent if not spectular tally. At only 23 years old though, he has the time to improve even further, and a move to the Premier League could be the catalyst for him to utilise his potential.

Compared to Bowen (2.96), Said Benrahma (2.86), and Michail Antonio (3.19), Brekalo generates 4.22 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, a considerably higher return than the West Ham trio.

The Croatian (80) also puts more crosses into the opposition penalty area compared to Bowen (53) and Benrahma (64), creating more goalscoring opportunities for team-mates.

Journalist Ronan Murphy stated that Brekalo will “torment defenders” everywhere, and with his form also being dubbed “frightening” by Josh Bunting, it’s no wonder that Moyes is looking to add the 23-year-old to the West Ham squad over the summer. It’s an opportunity that he cannot afford to let slip.

AND in other news, Cost £1.5m per goal: GSB made a colossal blunder on “strong” £40k-p/w West Ham flop

Phil Hay has dropped a worrying injury update concerning Leeds United centre-forward Patrick Bamford.

What’s the latest?

In comments made on a recent Q&A on The Athletic, the Leeds United correspondent hinted that, after being left out of Jesse Marsch’s 20-man matchday squad to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, the 28-year-old may not be able to make a return to fitness before the crucial trip to Brentford this weekend.

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Regarding the England international’s absence at Elland Road, Hay said: “No Patrick Bamford in the 20. Will be Brentford for him, if at all.”

Leeds supporters will be sweating

While it is true that both 18th placed Burnley and 16th placed Everton have a game in hand on the Whites, the point gained from Pascal Struijk’s late equaliser against the Seagulls will have undoubtedly given the Elland Road faithful hope that their side could well go on to pull off what would be a rather miraculous escape from the drop.

However, in order to do so, Leeds will need both Aston Villa on Thursday and Newcastle United on Sunday to do them a big favour against the Clarets, while the Whites simply must ensure that they take all three points home from Brentford Community Stadium this weekend – a task which will be made a great deal more difficult is Bamford is once again out.

Indeed, the £18m-rated forward has been a huge miss for Leeds this season, with the 28-year-old’s two goals and two assists over nine Premier League appearances in 2021/22 being pale in comparison to his return of 17 goals and eight assists over 38 top-flight fixtures last season.

As such, it is clear to see just how big of a miss the £74k-per-week striker has been in the Leeds frontline this term, with the Englishman’s availability for what is undoubtedly the Whites’ most important game of the season sure to be something that will have both Marsch and supporters sweating throughout the week – as Bamford remaining sidelined would certainly come as a huge blow to Leeds’ hopes of remaining a Premier League side in 2022/23.

AND in other news: Talks held: Leeds plot bid for £19.8m-rated “phenomenon”, it’s surely bye-bye Raphinha

Celtic’s squad underwent some major surgery at Parkhead during the previous summer transfer window.

Not only did the Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou bring a significant number of new players in during this period, but they also waved goodbye to some familiar faces as well.

Players like Scott Brown and Olivier Ntcham left on free transfers, whereas others left for considerable amounts of money such as Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer.

This significant overhaul of the squad seems to have done the trick for the Bhoys as Ange Postecoglou’s side are on the verge of securing the SPFL title having won 28 of their 36 league games.

Looking ahead to the next summer transfer window, two current players in Celtic’s ranks that we feel should be on their way out this time around are Boli Bolingoli and Mikey Johnston.

With the left-back only making two appearances for the Hoops this season and spending some time away from the squad to train on his own, this doesn’t make him likely to be in Postecoglou’s plans for the future.

Slammed for his “appalling” behaviour when he broke the government’s protocols surrounding the global pandemic back in 2020 by former Bhoys manager Neil Lennon, this may well explain why he’s not been in the frame for most of this current season.

Taking this into account, if the club can cash in on him this summer before his contract runs out in the summer of 2023, this would be the best option for them from a financial point of view.

As for Johnston, while he’s had more action than the full-back this season by making 20 appearances across all competitions, he’s only started three of the 11 league games he’s appeared in.

His last appearance in the league came back in January during Celtic’s 2-0 win over Hibernian.

In terms of his attacking output, the winger has failed to register even one goal and only provided one assist, which, given the hefty number of goals the Hoops have scored this season, is rather dismal.

This was backed up when the 23-year-old’s crossing ability was described as “pathetic” by Willie Miller during the Scottish League Cup final back in December.

Moving forward, if the 56-year-old Hoops boss is considering another big summer overhaul, getting rid of this disaster duo that are bleeding the club dry should be at the top of his priority list.

In other news: Time to go: Postecoglou must finally axe Celtic’s “daft” £14k-p/w “walking joke” – opinion

When Liverpool unloaded £32.5m on the signing of Christian Benteke back in July of 2015, it raised some eyebrows despite the Belgian having impressed in the Premier League alight for Aston Villa.

It was, at the time, a large sum of money, but he had just scored 13 goals in 29 league appearances so it made some sense.

There were some reservations about whether he would be able to adapt to the style of play that the Reds wanted, but at the time former Liverpool striker John Aldridge admitted he was “optimistic” to see the “quick, very strong, very aggressive” gem lead the line.

However, Brendan Rodgers only lasted until October of that season before he was sacked and replaced by Jurgen Klopp.

Instantly, those reservations over play style became far more intense. The man who had been signed for big money and was on a reported £100k-per-week fell to the wayside, as the German preferred slick football that did not require Benteke’s brute strength.

Ten goals in 42 appearances in all competitions was not a terrible return, but he was renowned for the chances he would squander during this period. He missed nine big chances in the Premier League alone.

This goal return meant that Liverpool had to pay £3.81m for every goal he scored for the club, as when factoring in his wages, the Belgian flop cost an eye-watering £38.1m.

Football writer Stefan Buczko labelled the 31-year-old  “one of the worst strikers I’ve ever seen”, and also dubbed him “utter useless”.

The only saving grace that FSG have is that they managed to offload him just a year after he was signed, with Crystal Palace willing suitors. They recouped a £27m fee, which was impressive considering his average form at Anfield.

However given the year he spent on the salary he did, making £5.6m just on the wages, it meant that in total the Merseyside outfit took a £11.1m loss on the misfiring marksman.

This represents a large outlay for the times, trusting a manager only to sack him soon into the season and replace him with someone also unwilling to play to Benteke’s strengths.

The striker rinsed FSG blind with this deal, but they made a rod for their own back with this transfer.