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Everton are reportedly eyeing up a move to sign Pierluigi Gollini in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Goalkeeper needed

Given that Robin Olsen has returned to AS Roma after his loan spell at Goodison Park, and Joao Virginia is still relatively raw at 21 years of age, the Merseyside club will be looking for a new goalkeeper to challenge Jordan Pickford.

The England number one will face Italy in the final of Euro 2020 on Sunday night, so he may be given an extended break before coming back to the Toffees. Therefore, Rafa Benitez may want to get a new shot-stopper in while his number one is absent.

The Latest: Gollini eyed

As per La Lazio Siamo Noi, the Blues are among a number of clubs who are reportedly eyeing a potential move for Gollini, along with both Fiorentina and Lazio.

Valued at £15.3m by Transfermarkt, the 1.94m (6 foot 3) colossus may end up leaving Atalanta, with his current deal at the Serie A outfit set to expire in 2023.

The Verdict: Sign

A little bit of healthy competition will do no harm to Pickford for the upcoming season, and Gollini could give him just that.

The Italy international has a lot of experience of playing at the highest level, with 10 games played in the Champions League over the last two seasons for Atalanta (qualified for the tournament again this year.

Interestingly, he was once on the books of both Manchester United and Aston Villa (Transfermarkt), so he already has the experience of playing in English football.

Gollini could be a valuable addition to the Everton squad ahead of next season if they can fend off the competition for his signature.

In other news, find out what recent footage has had these Evertonians buzzing

Paddy Kenny has hinted that Sheffield United could sell key players Billy Sharp, Chris Basham and David McGoldrick before their contract expiration [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Sheffield United eye 2021/22 redemption

As Sheffield United look to bounce back after relegation from the Premier League last time out, they will need to keep the core of their side in order to breed consistency and understanding next season.

Important squad members Sander Berge and Oliver McBurnie have been linked to Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively in recent times.

However, ex-Bladesman Kenny believes that a different crop of the Sheffield United roster may depart, following the recent appointment of Slavisa Jokanovic last month [BBC].

The Latest: Kenny tips Jokanovic to sell the experienced trio

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, the 43-year-old discusses the prospect of new the new manager jettisoning Sharp, Basham and McGoldrick, who’s deals all come to an end in 2022.

Kenny stated:

“Is it worth cashing in? They’ll all be very good players in the Championship and hopefully play a massive role in getting them back to the Premier League.

“For me, they need to stay. But the manager might not think that, he might want his own players. We see that often so I wouldn’t be at all surprised.

“But I think it might be worth keeping them around for their experience when they’re going for promotion.” [Football Insider].

The Verdict: Difficult situation at Bramall Lane, could it be worth the risk?

There is certainly a worry over the trio’s contract situations.

On one hand, keeping the old heads who have previous experience earning promotion from the Sky Bet Championship is a massive positive for the Bramall Lane side.

Despite this, the Yorkshiremen face a complicated predicament from a financial standpoint.

Potentially losing all three players for free in 2022 would come as a crushing blow to Sheffield United, especially if they do not bounce straight back up this season, as they would not then have extra funds from top flight TV deals to replace the players adequately.

It may just be worth taking the hit if the trinity can fire the Blades back to the riches of top-flight football in 2021/22, but don’t be surprised to see a few familiar faces on their way out this summer.

In other news, a Sheffield United key man has been linked with a Premier League exit.

Many Wolves fans have been left to buzz as Tim Spiers shared the name of a new manager candidate.

Writing in his latest piece for The Athletic, the journalist has shared that Steven Gerrard is being looked at by the Midlands club as a potential replacement for Nuno Espirito Santo.

Frank Lampard is also on the running, while Bruno Lage still remains the frontrunner, although Gerrard was certainly the name that caught the eye the most among the Molineux faithful.

The Liverpool and England international legend has just enjoyed a great season with Rangers, winning the Scottish Premiership title off of the hands of Celtic while also going through the Gers’ league campaign without a single defeat.

Of course, Gerrard knows the Premier League very well too, and so he has emerged as an ideal successor in the eyes of several WWFC supporters.

Wolves fans on Gerrard manager update

These Wanderers buzzed as Spiers shared the update on Gerrard on his Twitter page:

“Gerrard…. no brainer”

Credit: @nakedguyonvespa

“I think most of us want Gerrard”

Credit: @MarkTFillingham

“If Gerrard is an option we should go all out for him”

Credit: @Vaughany1973

“Gerrard please.”

Credit: @Supermancooks

“Gerrard all day”

Credit: @DanielSparkrite

“Gerrard. Got to be.”

Credit: @goggs19591

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Wanderers buzzing here!

Swansea City are considering a move to bring Kyle Joseph to the Liberty Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Wales Online, who claim that the Wigan Athletic forward has emerged as a transfer target for Steve Cooper’s side in the upcoming transfer window.

It is stated that, despite the fact that the Latics have offered the 19-year-old a new deal at the DW Stadium, as his current deal expires at the end of his month, the Scotland U21 international looks set to become available on a free transfer in the coming weeks.

Wales Online also report that a number of other clubs, such as Celtic, Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Sheffield United and Preston North End, are also keeping a close eye on the situation of the £90k-rated youngster ahead of a potential summer move.

Cooper must move

Considering just how impressive Joseph was for Wigan this season, it is not surprising that a whole host of clubs are interested in acquiring the forward’s services this summer.

Over his 18 League One appearances for Leam Richardson’s side this term, the 19-year-old scored five goals, registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots and winning 3.6 duels per game.

As a result of these returns, the £300-per-week hitman earned a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as Wigan’s 10th-best performer in the third tier of English football.

And, when factoring in Joseph’s tender age, these displays for Wigan would appear to indicate that the striker has a very bright future in the game, with this being an opinion that his former teammate Kal Naismith agrees with, with the 29-year-old stating his belief that Joseph will go on to become a “top player” in the future, while the youngster has also been described as already being a “dangerous” talent.

As such, it would be highly advisable for Cooper to do all he can to convince the youngster of a move to Wales this summer, as the 19-year-old could well go on to play a huge role in any success the Swans may have in the future.

However, with a considerable amount of interest from some of the United Kingdom’s biggest clubs, a deal will certainly not be an easy one to get over the line for the 41-year-old Swansea boss.

In other news: “Fantastic” £4.5k-p/w beast drops huge Swansea transfer hint that’ll have fans buzzing

A major update has emerged on West Brom goalkeeper Josh Griffith, regarding Sheffield Wednesday’s chances of potentially landing him this summer, and it’s not great news for the Yorkshire-based side.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Lincoln are the club trying the hardest to land West Brom goalkeeper Josh Griffiths on loan this summer. Nixon responded to a question regarding Portsmouth’s interest in Griffiths, with the transfer guru explaining that Lincoln are leading the race, as things stand.

Yorkshire Live have claimed that Sheffield Wednesday are chasing a deal for Griffiths. Darren Moore is looking for a replacement for Kieren Westwood and has identified Griffiths as a target.

Fans will be fuming

Sheffield Wednesday fans will be fuming that Dejphon Chansiri has allowed this to happen. With Westwood out of contract at the end of the month and poised to leave on a free transfer, Moore has a major gap in his starting XI; between the sticks. This means that Wednesday need to bring in a new number one and Griffiths could be a player with the quality to be a first-choice option in League One.

The 19-year-old proved his class at League Two level on loan at Cheltenham last season. He kept 21 clean sheets in 44 appearances for Cheltenham as they won the title and secured promotion to League One. This suggests that he could have the ability to play at a higher level and he has the potential for further development given he is still in his teenage years. Therefore, he could be an ideal signing to come in and replace Westwood next season for Wednesday, to add some hunger and youth to the squad.

However, Chansiri has been dealt a blow by Lincoln working harder for a deal, as it stands, and Wednesday fans will be furious if he does not do something to change that. Chansiri needs to work as hard as Lincoln to get Wednesday back in the race to sign Griffiths, so that they avoid missing out on a potentially key signing to one of their League One rivals.

Chansiri and Moore will need work together to lure Griffiths to the club and overcome this obstacle that Lincoln have provided. The Owls need a goalkeeper for next season, letting one join a rival club would be a huge mistake, one that would rightly upset plenty of Wednesday supporters.

AND in other news, Chansiri must avoid grave mistake with £10k-p/w SWFC “threat” after news emerges…

Crystal Palace host Arsenal this evening as Roy Hodgson takes charge of his final ever game at Selhurst Park as Palace boss.

The former England manager announced his imminent departure earlier in the week after four relatively successful years with the south London outfit.

Premier League finishes of 11th, 12th and 14th represent a healthy return for Hodgson during his reign with the capital club, and the 73-year-old will be keen to end the season strongly this time around.

Two wins in Palace’s final two games could see them match their best ever league position under their departing manager, and this London derby should make for entertaining viewing.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects the Eagles to line up on Wednesday evening, with two changes from the side which started against Aston Villa last time out…

The usually ever-present Vicente Guita found himself on the Palace bench for the first time this season last time out as Jack Butland earned his first Premier League start since May 2018, but the Spanish keeper should take up his usual spot between the sticks for the visit of the Gunners.

In defence, it’s likely to stay the same as the dependable centre-back partnership of Gary Cahill and converted midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate continue to put in good performances. Patrick van Aanholt is expected to follow Hodgson out the exit door, meaning Tyrick Mitchell will make his fifth consecutive start, with Joel Ward on the opposite flank.

Hodgson will be forced into making at least one change in the centre of the pitch after Eberechi Eze suffered a season-ending injury. The more defensive-minded Jairo Riedewald could replace the talented 22-year-old and give James McCarthy more support and protection.

Two of the forward positions are guaranteed to be occupied by Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke after the pair both got on the scoresheet over the weekend, but Jordan Ayew will be punching for a recall from the off after Andros Townsend’s mediocre display, meaning the £7.2m-rated winger (as per Transfermarkt) could drop to the bench.

And, in other news…Steve Parish headed for huge mistake over £55k-p/w Crystal Palace speed demon – opinion

After coming off the bench to make a couple of promising cameos in recent weeks, it’s surely time for Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa to unleash Ian Poveda in the Premier League.

The Whites take on Brighton away from home on Saturday afternoon, and Bielsa will have some big calls to make, not least between Poveda and Helder Costa.

The latter has been in shocking form for a few weeks now, and his blank against Manchester United last time out saw him extend his run of games without a goal in the top flight to eight.

In fact, after seeing what Poveda produced after coming on as a substitute for Costa against Liverpool, former Leeds striker Noel Whelan made it clear that the young winger must “come before” the 27-year-old now.

He told Football Insider: “There is something there that is not right because Poveda came on and did more in that short time than Costa did in the 60 minutes he was on the field.

“He is fourth in the pecking order in terms of wingers for me. Poveda has to come before him now. He is direct, exciting and wants to take people on. He wants to do his job as a winger and Costa does not. He plays it safe and he’s negative. At least Poveda runs at people. He is positive and that is what a winger should do. Costa has been a massive flop. A real disappointment again.”

Paul Robinson added to the £10,000-a-week forward’s admirers, saying last year: “I think we’re going to see Poveda come through next season. Leeds have signed him for a reason, Bielsa knows he’s a top, top player.”

As Whelan says, Poveda’s directness could be exactly what Leeds need to unlock Brighton’s defence, and if he is given a rare opportunity to start from the off, would surely want to make his mark. Indeed, all 12 of his league appearances this term have been from the bench.

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Bielsa just needs to give him a chance to shine, and a clash against Brighton would offer him exactly that. He could well be Leeds’ game-changer on the day.

Meanwhile, Leeds can finally bin this “liability”…

Celtic have reached an agreement with Eddie Howe over becoming the club’s new permanent manager, according to credible journalist Stuart Hodge.

The Lowdown: Howe finalising his backroom staff

Links with the former Bournemouth boss replacing Neil Lennon emerged at the beginning of April, but they appeared to die down after the 43-year-old reportedly had second thoughts about taking the Parkhead gig.

He spoke to Crystal Palace about potentially succeeding Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park, but it seems as if Sean Dyche is the Eagles’ number one choice to replace the former England manager.

It now appears as if a move to Glasgow is back on for the ex-Cherries boss, though, with Howe reportedly finalising his backroom staff at the end of April.

The Latest: Announcement in ‘very near future’

According to Hodge, who shared the news on Twitter on Saturday, an announcement on Howe is expected in the ‘very near future’.

The journalist added that the 43-year-old will become Celtic’s 21st permanent manager, stating:

“Hearing from various sources now that an Eddie #Howe agreement has been struck and that #CelticFC will announce him as manager in the very near future. The Englishman will become the 21st manager in the history of @CelticFC.”

The Verdict: Howe must be motivated by Hoops job

To us, this is a huge boost for the club, as it looks as if they have finally got the man Dermot Desmond met in London for talks six weeks ago.

During that time, Roy Keane and interim boss John Kennedy have been linked with the full-time managerial position at Celtic, but neither of them has the experience Howe boasts. He has more than 500 games of experience in the dugout, with Keane and Kennedy having fewer than 200 combined.

Howe admitted back in November that his next role in management would have to be one which ‘really motivated’ him, and it seems as if he is fully on board with the Hoops’ rebuild after Hodge’s enlightening update.

In other news: Source shares big Celtic transfer development; ‘magnificent’ star seems to have chosen new club, find out more here. 

Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs keen on signing Emi Buendia this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sky Sports, who claimed that several top-flight clubs are eyeing up a swoop for the Norwich City sensation ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

It’s thought that enquires have been made for the 24-year-old midfielder, with Aston Villa and Spurs’ arch-rivals Arsenal also mooted with interest in the report.

Buendia will not come cheap, though, as the promoted Canaries value him in the region of £35m to £40m, a claim which has been backed up by The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

Writing in his usual Monday column, the ever-reliable journalist claimed that the Norfolk outfit are expected to lose the Argentine this summer but will not accept less than £40m for him.

Eriksen-like playmaker

Despite the eye-watering price tag, this is a move that Daniel Levy absolutely must make, regardless of who is taking charge in the dugout next season. A player of Buendia’s quality could be paramount, with the Lilywhites’ next boss likely having to navigate through a squad overhaul.

Truth be told, Spurs have been lacking in the number 10 role for well over a year now, with none of Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso or Dele Alli adequately stepping up to fill the void left behind by Christian Eriksen.

For example, this Premier League season alone, the trio have combined for a paltry four goals and four assists, as per WhoScored.

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By comparison, Eriksen delivered at least six goals and eight assists in all but one of his six full top-flight campaigns in north London. The same goes for key passes per game, with the Dane managing an average of 2.2 per game in all but one season.

The best from Spurs’ three current number 10 options is Lo Celso (0.8), with Heung-min Son (two) topping the charts, so that speaks volumes.

This is where Buendia could be the ideal fix, off the back of what has been a career year for the midfielder. As per Transfermarkt, he registered a whopping 15 goals and 17 assists, returns which have seen him win the Championship’s Player of the Season award.

Furthermore, the Argentine maestro averaged 3.1 key passes per game, more than the Spurs trio of Ndombele, Lo Celso and Alli combined, so there’s no denying that he’s a major source of creativity behind the striker.

It is no wonder that Norwich teammate Ben Gibson once lauded him as a “very special talent,” whilst Buendia’s manager Daniel Farke believes he is a “game-changer.”

His experience in the Premier League is an added bonus, as he’s done it before in the big time, delivering seven assists in Norwich’s relegation side in 2019/20.

If there’s one signing Levy needs to make this summer, it’s Buendia.

AND in other news, Forget Ten Hag: Fresh twist emerges in Spurs manager hunt, Levy can right big mistake…

According to recent reports, the former Glasgow Rangers centre-forward, Umar Sadiq, is a shock transfer target for German giants, Bayern Munich, this summer.

Having arrived at Rangers from AS Roma on a season-long loan deal in the summer of 2018, Sadiq went on to play just 116 minutes of football for Gers, scoring no goals and providing no assists over his total of four appearances for the club, before being returned to the Serie A side just five months after his signing, with Andy Halliday suggesting that Steven Gerrard was not impressed by the Nigerian’s application in training.

However, so far this season, the 24-year-old striker has been in rather remarkable form over his 32 appearances for his new club, UD Almeria, scoring 17 goals and providing five assists for the Spanish Segunda Division side.

And, according to a recent report by Spanish publication AS, Bayern Munich are now considering making a €60 million (£52 million) move for Sadiq this summer. That fee could reportedly go even higher if Almeria earn promotion.

Transfer Tavern Take

If Halliday is to be believed, the blame cannot be attributed to Gerrard for not seeing the apparent potential of Sadiq during his spell at Rangers, as, if a player is simply not interested in putting in the effort on the training pitch, he should not be afforded an opportunity to feature in first-team fixtures.

Having said that, it is still likely that the Rangers coaching staff will be kicking themselves at how well Sadiq has done in his time since leaving Ibrox, particularly if the striker does go on to make a big-money move to Bayern this summer.

In other news: ‘I am not surprised’ – Pundit backs ‘exceptionally’ good talent to join Rangers after agent hint – find out more here!