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Sunderland chief Kristjaan Speakman is set for a big summer transfer window as he looks to forge a Championship-ready squad.

The Black Cats won promotion to the second tier through the play-offs last season and they now need to improve their squad to give them a chance of competing next term.

One player that the club are hoping to sign is AFC Wimbledon midfielder Jack Rudoni. The Daily Mail have recently claimed that they are discussing a deal with the League Two outfit after seeing an initial offer of around £1m turned down.

Imagine him & Daniel Neil

Speakman must now secure a deal to sign the 22-year-old, as he can form a dream partnership with Sunderland prospect Dan Neil.

In League One last term, the Black Cats gem produced three goals and seven assists from central midfield in 31 starts. He created 1.1 chances per game and seven ‘big chances’ for his team-mates, whilst also making 1.7 tackles and interceptions per match.

The 20-year-old has shown that he can provide a creative spark from the middle of the park, and his qualities can create an exciting blend in midfield when mixed with Rudoni’s ability to score from that position.

In 2021/22, the AFC Wimbledon maestro plundered 12 goals in 38 starts as he showcased a will to burst forward and make late runs into the box to score.

South London Press journalist Edmund Brack recently lauded the gem in an interview with the Bristol Post, saying: “He’s quite direct. When he picks up the ball, his first thought is always to go towards goal. It’s a 1-2 and then he’s off.

“He’s quite fearless. Anyone his age, they could be affected by the winless run AFC Wimbledon went through last season (the Dons failed to win 28 games in all competitions from December 11 through to the end of the season) but he continued to put in performances, and he nearly kept them up alongside Ayoub Assal and Luke McCormick.”

These comments highlight how positive Rudoni is in possession, while his goalscoring statistics show that he has the end product to go along with it.

Therefore, the AFC Wimbledon gem and Neil would be an exciting pairing in midfield. One can provide the creativity and the other can add the finishing touch, giving Sunderland a huge attacking threat to supplement the likes of Alex Pritchard and Ross Stewart, who netted 30 league goals between them last term.

AND in other news, Speakman can land a big Gooch upgrade at Sunderland with swoop for “fantastic” £33k-p/w wizard…

Celtic have reportedly been handed a potential boost to their chances of securing a transfer deal for Manchester City defender Ko Itakura.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from BILD (via Daily Express) the Manchester club are looking to bump up their £5m price tag for the defender this summer, which could put an end to Schalke and Borussia Monchengladbach’s pursuits of Itakura.

This could therefore give the Hoops the green light to launch a move to sign the Japanese international.

Having started his career in Japan, the 25-year-old signed for City during the 2019 January transfer window.

After two loan spells with FC Groningen, the centre-back spent last season on loan with Schalke, helping them get back to the Bundesliga.

In his 31 league appearances in 2021/22, the defender racked up the second-highest number of interceptions (38) and the third-highest number of successful tackles (31) in Schalke’s squad.

He also ended the campaign with the third-highest average of clearances per game (3.0) at the club, once again highlighting his defensive talents, in addition to being described as being “incredibly fast” by Hans Kraay Jr.

This shows that he certainly played a big part in getting the club back to Germany’s top division.

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Taking into account how the Bhoys have been linked with the City outcast since the last summer, it would surely have Ange Postecoglou buzzing if the club are finally able to get the player through the door at Parkhead this summer.

Bearing in mind how the Hoops boss has brought in several Japanese players since his arrival at the club such as Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi, this could make it easier for Itakura to settle into life at Celtic if he were to make a move there in the coming weeks.

Also, with the Hoops having made deals with the Manchester club in the past over players such as Patrick Roberts, Jason Denayer and Dedryck Boyata, this connection between the two sides could give the Hoops an advantage when it comes to potentially working out a move for Itakura.

Moving forward, if the two German clubs are out of the race to sign the centre-back this summer, then Celtic should have no doubts over launching a move to strike a deal for him.

AND in other news: Ange could land Roberts 2.0 as Celtic plot bid for £12k-p/w wizard who wowed Guardiola

Every transfer window throws up something of a left-field rumour, with Premier League outfit Aston Villa currently at the centre of the latest, surprise transfer claim, amid reports that the Midlands side are interested in Inter Milan forward, Alexis Sanchez.

According to La Tercera, Villa have been named as one of the clubs who are believed to be keen on signing the 33-year-old, with the Chilean ace set to be allowed to depart the Serie A side this summer despite having a year remaining on his existing deal.

Having already wrapped up four major deals in the current window, manager Steven Gerrard and owners NSWE could be set for their next marquee addition in the form of the former Arsenal man, with the veteran attacker potentially the solution in their quest to add an experienced forward this summer.

Although it may be a bold move to recruit an ageing, £175k-per-week asset, the one-time Barcelona man has seemingly done enough in his career previously to warrant the gamble – particularly if he is to be available on a free transfer.

Much like the recent capture of Philippe Coutinho – who has signed on a permanent deal after a six-month loan stint last term – Sanchez’s arrival could help rejuvenate a once-great figure who has perhaps fallen by the wayside in recent years.

The £3.15m-rated “maverick” – as described by one source – has previously set the Premier League alight during his time at the Emirates Stadium, having joined the club on a £35m deal from Catalonia in the summer of 2014.

Under the guidance of Arsene Wenger, he would go on to score 80 goals and provide 45 assists in 166 games in all competitions for the Gunners, proving a constant menace from his left-wing berth.

Once dubbed a “warrior” by Liam Canning, the 148-cap maestro was able to combine his devastating attacking output with a humble, hard-working approach, emerging as something of a talismanic figure in north London as a result.

With his subsequent move to Manchester United in January 2018 failing to work out – as he scored just five goals and laid on nine assists in 45 games in total – the fleet-footed forward was shipped off to Italy just 18 months later, although has again been reduced to just a bit-part role at the San Siro.

That being said, he has still chipped in with 20 strikes and 23 assists in all competitions for the Serie A side thus far, while he also ranks highly in a string of attacking and defensive metrics, as per FBref, most notably in the top 1% for progressive carries and the top 2% for dribbles completed among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

Although his lack of game time is a factor in that favourable comparison, it perhaps illustrates that the diminutive gem can still provide lethal, brief cameos when required.

That may be all Villa are potentially in need of, a player to come on and impact the game in the closing stages, particularly when a figure is needed to create a moment of magic to unlock the door.

Coutinho has already shown early signs that he can do just that, perhaps Sanchez can follow suit.

AND in other news, Lange eyeing Villa move for £30m “goalscoring machine”, he’d be their own Darwin Nunez

According to Daily Echo journalist Benjy Nurick, there is nothing in the rumours linking Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu with a move to Premier League champions Manchester City.

The Lowdown: Man City linked with Salisu

As per information provided by StatCity, with Nathan Ake now on the verge of a return to Chelsea, Pep Guardiola’s side have turned their attention to the Saints defender as a potential replacement.

The two top-flight clubs already have an established relationship, with City having sold promising youngsters Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia to the south coast club this summer, making this transfer appear to be a realistic potential transaction.

The Latest: Nurick’s news on Salisu

However, Nurick has now shared the latest news on City’s rumoured move for the Southampton defender.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist claimed: “Believe there’s nothing in the Salisu to Manchester City link at this time. Told Salisu is happy at the club and #SaintsFC want to keep him.

“Can always change but sources close to the player and within the club don’t believe there’s substance to the report of #MCFC interest.”

Nurick further added: “If he’s on City’s list, no one has informed the player or the people around him. Seems a non-starter this rumour for the time being at least. #SaintsFC”

The Verdict: Good news for Southampton

According to WhoScored match ratings, the 23-year-old was Southampton’s joint-third best player last season, having averaged an impressive 6.83 rating in the Premier League.

When looking at the Ghanaian’s underlying statistics, it is obvious just how important the centre-back is to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

When compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, Salisu ranks in the 96th percentile for tackles, the 93rd percentile for clearances and the 90th percentile for interceptions (via FBRef).

Therefore, the news claiming that Salisu is set to remain at Southampton will surely come as a huge sigh of relief for Saints fans.

Wolves look to be closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window, with reports suggesting that Burnley centre-back Nathan Collins is set to join Bruno Lage’s side.

What’s the word?

Reports emerged yesterday that the Premier League side were set to complete a move for the Republic of Ireland international following the Clarets’ relegation to the Championship.

Express and Star contributor Matt Cooper also shared an update on the defender, writing: “I’ve been told that Nathan Collins does have a relegation release clause in his contract but not sure on the exact amount. It’s believed to be between £20-25m mark.”

Indeed, John Percy backed up those claims, revealing a fee had been agreed with the player having a medical: “Nathan Collins medical today after Wolves agreed a £20.5m deal with Burnley. Excellent signing, a top player with huge potential.”

Great news for Lage

Wolves fans would have been rightfully concerned by the lack of transfer action at Molineux so far this summer, and this prospective signing will hopefully put some supporters at ease.

A new defender was always going to be necessary for Lage this summer following the departures of Romain Saiss and Marcal, and they are getting a top prospect in Collins.

The 21-year-old was one of Burnley’s standout performers last season, contributing two goals in 19 Premier League appearances, with WhoScored awarding him an impressive 6.89 average rating for his performances.

The former Stoke City man can easily deal with the physicality of the Premier League at 6 foot 4, while WhoScored suggests that he also excels at dribbling and crossing, which emphasises his ability on the ball as well.

Wolves’ impressive start to the 2021/22 Premier League campaign was built on clean sheets, and signing another quality young centre-back should hopefully help the Old Gold to rediscover that defensive solidity after they faltered in the final few months of last season.

Despite being just 21, Collins is already an established international defender, and he earned the praise of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny after he scored an impressive solo goal in a UEFA Nations League draw against Ukraine last month.

Kenny said: “Nathan has established himself in the team and has been really exceptional over the four matches. His decision-making is remarkable for someone so young and it’s a special goal and he deserves special credit for it.”

Therefore, this looks to be a very shrewd prospective signing by Wolves, and their fans will be hoping that the young defender is the first of many through the door at Molineux before the season begins next month.

AND in other news: Lage can unearth Wolves their ideal Joao Moutinho heir by signing £42.2m pass master

Newcastle United reporter Craig Hope has provided an update on Leeds United winger Jack Harrison potentially swapping Elland Road for St James’ Park.

The Lowdown: Harrison rumours

The Whites have been extremely busy when it comes to incomings and outgoings this summer. Kalvin Phillips of course joined Manchester City and a deal was then agreed for Raphinha to move to Barcelona.

Harrison could be another high-profile player to depart ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season, with recent reports claiming that Newcastle are willing to offer around £20m for the winger.

The Latest: Hope’s comments

MOT Leeds News relayed comments from Hope regarding Newcastle and Harrison.

He said via Instagram that he’s heard little things in recent days and said he wouldn’t be surprised if Newcastle ‘firmed up their interest’ with ‘serious conversations’.

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“The one I think they are looking at as a viable alternative is Jack Harrison of Leeds.

“They’ve watched Jack Harrison many times, including on the final day of the season down at Brentford.

“They like Harrison, I don’t think it is unanimous amongst all of the transfer committee that Harrison is the best way to go, but from what I understand, I certainly think the manager, Eddie Howe, likes him.

“At the moment, Newcastle’s valuation and Leeds’ valuation is some way apart, so that’s why we haven’t seen movement already, but it is one, little things I’ve heard in the past week, the past few days, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Newcastle firmed up their interest and started having more serious conversations with Leeds regards Harrison.”

The Verdict: Keep

The Whites should be under no pressure to sell Harrison this summer after already cashing in on Phillips and Raphinha. Leeds will bank around £100m for the pair, which should be more than enough to balance the books at Elland Road.

Harrison has proven to be a reliable member of the squad over the last four seasons, missing just two games through injury while many in the squad have suffered. The winger still has two years remaining on his Leeds contract, so unless an offer arrives that is too good to turn down, the club would be better off keeping hold of Harrison heading into the new campaign.

West Ham United have reportedly made an offer to sign Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, according to Sky Sports. 

The lowdown: Opening offer

Coming off an impressive Italian top-flight campaign, the 23-year-old senior Italy international has attracted the attention of many suitors, including Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain and of course, West Ham.

The Hammers have recently stepped up their pursuit of Scamacca and reportedly saw a £28million bid rebuffed by the Serie A outfit as they continue to hold out for a fee in the region of £42.6million.

Now a fresh report has emerged claiming that the east Londoners have made a fresh attempt to strike a deal for the frontman…

The latest: New bid

As per Sky Sports, West Ham are believed to have made a bid of ‘more than’ £34million for the seven-cap star, which could make him their second most expensive signing ever.

It’s claimed ‘positive discussions are ongoing between the clubs’ as David Moyes attempts to strengthen the attacking department at the London Stadium accordingly.

The report also states that the Irons also ‘remain interested’ in Chelsea striker Armando Broja and are ‘awaiting a response’ from Lille regarding Amadou Onana.

The verdict: Positive signs

As it was confirmed that West Ham missed out on the capture of Jesse Lingard after the attacking midfielder joined Nottingham Forest on a one-year deal, another seemingly top target fell by the wayside.

Nonetheless, the Hammers have wasted no time in shaking off the disappointment and instead pressed ahead with a pursuit for the giant 6 foot 5 former PSV Eindhoven frontman who was dubbed ‘deadly’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and a ‘revelation’ by journalist Zach Lowy for his U20 World Cup form.

Last season, Scamacca scored 16 times in 36 Serie A outings, earning an impressive 7.03 Sofascore rating whilst winning 3.1 duels and taking 2.2 shots on average per game – highlighting battling qualities as well as a sharp eye for goal that make him ideally suited to the Irons’ style.

Having predominantly operated as the figurehead of a four-pronged attack for Sassuolo, Scamacca should fit seamlessly into the plans in east London as an alternative option to Michail Antonio.

Sharing a close stylistic likeness with such highly regarded centre-forwards as Jamie Vardy, Victor Osimhen and Tammy Abraham (Fbref), Moyes should be pushing GSB to do all it takes to bring the Italian to Rush Green this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur could potentially make a move for Leicester City playmaker James Maddison, believes reliable journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Spurs in the market?

The Lilywhites and sporting director Fabio Paratici are believed to be in the market for a creative midfielder, even after their plethora of transfer activity so far this summer.

While the focus for now is said to be on outgoings, The Evening Standard back that Spurs could yet sign another attacker and haven’t completely ruled out the possibility of another new central defender too, alongside Clement Lenglet.

Maddison, fresh off the back of a brilliant 2021/2022 Premier League campaign at The King Power Stadium, has been linked with a move to north London as Gold now shares what he knows.

The Latest: Gold hints at Maddison swoop…

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, the journalist has hinted at the possibility of a Spurs swoop for the Englishman.

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He explained:

“The club shot down the Maddison links during the Korea tour but I can’t help that feel if there is movement around the player from other sides and the chance to prise him away arises they might just make a move.”

The Verdict: Worth a go…

As per WhoScored, an attempt to sign Maddison may well be worth the effort considering he finished last season as Brendan Rodgers’ best-performing regular by average match rating whilst registering their highest amount of key passes per 90.

It’s hardly surprising pundits like Owen Hargreaves have called the 25-year-old ‘unplayable’ on his day while Leicester reportedly value their star player at a marquee £60 million.

Spurs may arguably have to make a real effort to prise away the Foxes ace but Maddison’s numbers and glowing reputation indicate why it may be one to watch.

Celtic had no issue when it came to scoring goals throughout their previous SPFL campaign.

In fact, with 38 games played, the Hoops found the net on 92 occasions in total, 12 more times than their Old Firm rivals Rangers managed to rack up.

To further highlight how deadly Ange Postecoglou’s side were, there were 18 different players that managed to get their names on the scoresheet at least once throughout the campaign.

One player that contributed to this total of goals scored throughout the season in a rather small degree is Albian Ajeti.

To be specific, with seven league appearances to his name, the striker could only fire in two goals for his side.

This shows that even when he’s been given the odd chance to play, he hasn’t always been a useful provider of goals for his side.

With rumours of a potential exit arising around the Switzerland international, the Parkhead club could be on the look to see who could be brought in to be a potential replacement for the 25-year-old.

One figure that has been mentioned with a move to Glasgow, that wouldn’t just be a good replacement for Ajeti, but also a significant upgrade is Antoine Semenyo.

The forward has regularly been linked with a switch and Pete O’Rourke confirmed they still have interested in the player late last week, saying: “Celtic have been keeping tabs on him for a while and I’m sure that will continue.”

With 31 league appearances for Bristol City last season under his belt, the striker scored eight goals and delivered 12 assists, which shows that not only is he very capable of scoring goals, he can also set them up for his teammates on a regular basis.

This is something that Ajeti hasn’t really been too consistent with as he’s only managed to supply five assists in a Celtic shirt with 48 appearances to his name.

Semenyo also racked up a higher rate for shots on target per 90 minutes (1.14) than any other player at the Championship club, along with the highest average for dribbles per game (1.2).

Again, this highlights the attacking attributes that the 22-year-old has over the current Celtic striker as he could only muster an average of 0.1 dribbles per game in the SPFL last season.

Hailed by Nigel Pearson as being a “nightmare” for defenders to play against, Semenyo would be an ideal candidate for Celtic to look at in terms of being a potential replacement for Ajeti in the future, as he has proved how different and effective he can be compared to what the 25-year-old has shown during his time at Parkhead.

Tottenham Hotspur could also be without midfielder Yves Bissouma as the Lilywhites prepare for their opening Premier League clash against Southampton.

The Lowdown: Huge season awaits…

Antonio Conte, gearing up for his first full season in charge at N17, faces off against the Saints at 3pm this afternoon as the Italian looks to get Spurs off to a red hot start.

Having secured Champions League football at the back end of last campaign, all eyes will be on whether the north Londoners can repeat that feat or even challenge for major silverware this season.

The club have backed Conte in this summer transfer window, having sealed the signings of Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence and Bissouma.

Alas, despite Spurs seriously strengthening, the unpredictable nature of English top flight football means you can never fully rule out an opening day upset.

The Latest: Kilpatrick shares ‘team news’…

Taking to Twitter, reporter Dan Kilpatrick has shared some ‘team news’ out of the club from manager Conte with a fair few players either doubtful or missing.

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After confirming Skipp’s absence, the former Chelsea boss has also shared that midfield signing Bissouma is a doubt for today’s clash and could well miss Southampton with Ivan Perisic to be assessed too.

Kilpatrick shared:

“Team news: Conte says Skipp is only definite injury absentee tomorrow, with Bissouma & Perisic’s readiness to start to be assessed in tomorrow’s training session. Conte also said Doherty needs time to fully recover, too. Richarlison suspended.”

The Verdict: Challenge for Conte?

If Bissouma joins Skipp on the sidelines today, it’s safe to say Conte’s midfield options would be weakened significantly.

As per WhoScored, the 25-year-old finished last season as one of former club Brighton’s star players – having averaged their second-highest match rating per 90 whilst also making the most tackles for them per match.

The tenacious midfielder also racked up their highest rate of interceptions in that time too, backing exactly why Spurs signed him and journalist Aaron Stokes’ verdict that Bissouma is an ‘absolute monster’.

Indeed, if he is ruled out, the Mali international could be a sore miss.