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Leeds United midfielder Stuart McKinstry is reportedly wanted on loan at League Two club Hartlepool United.

The Lowdown: McKinstry at Leeds

The teenager, who is primarily a central midfielder but can also play out wide, made the move to Elland Road in 2020 from Motherwell.

Since then, the 19-year-old has gone on to make 50 appearances for the Whites’ under-18s and under-23s, contributing to 12 goals. McKinstry also made two senior appearances under Marcelo Bielsa last season, with the former Elland Road manager describing the Scot as having ‘great character’.

The Latest: Hartlepool keen on McKinstry

Hartlepool Mail shared a story on Monday evening, claiming that the northeast club are weighing up a loan move for McKinstry.

The report added that Elland Road chiefs rate the teenager highly, with any potential temporary move resulting in Leeds watching his progress closely.

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The Verdict: New contract first?

Leeds look set to lose one midfielder in Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City, and it seems as if Andrea Radrizzani may receive an offer for another midfielder in McKinstry over the coming days.

Allowing the 19-year-old to gain senior first-team experience could be a wise move by the club, although they may want to extend his Elland Road contract first.

McKinstry has just 12 months left on his current deal, and with the player highly rated by Leeds, an extension prior to a temporary move away could be best for all involved.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Ismaila Sarr in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), Dharmesh Sheth has revealed that the Watford winger is one of the players on the Tyneside club’s radar.

Dan Ashworth is looking to add a new wide man to Eddie Howe’s squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and has identified Sarr as a target.

Sheth has stated that Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby is the Magpies’ number one target, but the Hornets star is viewed as a cheaper alternative if they cannot afford a deal for the Frenchman.

Big Ryan Fraser upgrade

By snapping up the Senegal international this summer, Ashworth could land a big upgrade on Scottish winger Ryan Fraser for Howe.

In two seasons playing for the Magpies, the former Bournemouth man has not been able to showcase his quality on a consistent basis in the final third. Since arriving from the south coast, Fraser has only scored two goals and provided five assists in 45 Premier League matches.

Meanwhile, Sarr has produced 10 goals and eight assists over 50 outings in his two seasons for Watford in the English top flight, suffering relegations in both campaigns but nonetheless showing that he can score and set up goals at the top level.

This shows that he put up more impressive numbers than Fraser whilst playing in a worse team, given that the Newcastle winger finished in mid-table in both of his seasons on Tyneside.

Ben Foster previously praised the 24-year-old Vicarage Road wizard as a “freak” of a talent and hailed his ability on the ball, saying: “It’s scary, isn’t it, really? It’s almost like everything seems to just be off the cuff. Every single time he gets the ball, even he doesn’t know what he’s going to do, but it will end up being good either way.”

Also, the Watford attacker is four years younger than Fraser and has the potential to get even better as he gains more experience at the top level.

Therefore, he could be a big upgrade on the Scot at St James’ Park next season, and the gap between them may grow if he is able to fulfill his potential working under Howe.

It has been reported that Sarr is set to be available for a fee in the region of €35m (£30m), so Newcastle must now pounce on the dynamo to improve their options out wide.

AND in other news, Forget Ekitike: Newcastle now “close to” landing second summer signing, Howe will be elated…

Journalist Freddie Paxton has now revealed the ‘feeling’ inside Arsenal regarding their pursuit of Gabriel Jesus.

The Lowdown: ‘Advanced’ talks

It has been reported that the Gunners are in ‘advanced’ talks to bring Jesus to the Emirates Stadium this summer after the departure of Alexandre Lacazette.

The Frenchman’s exit has left Mikel Arteta with only Eddie Nketiah and the returning Folarin Balogun as his striker options for next season, meaning that they are almost certain to sign another centre-forward this window.

The Latest: Jesus ‘feeling’

Taking to Twitter, Paxton, who also supports the North London club, has revealed that talks for them to sign Jesus are ‘progressing well’, and that discussions with his agents have been ‘positive’.

He added that there is a ‘feeling’ inside AFC that it is now a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ for the deal to be done:

“Understand that negotiations for Arsenal to sign Gabriel Jesus are progressing well. Negotiations with agents around the overall package have been positive.

“There is a feeling from those around the club that it’s now a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’.”

The Verdict: Exciting

It is certainly exciting for the supporters to hear of Jesus’ expected arrival, with the saga dragging on long enough already for fans wanting to see him in a red and white shirt.

Despite being shifted out on the wing for most of last season by Pep Guardiola, the Brazil international still managed to score eight goals and make a further nine assists in 28 games in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

His 17 goal contributions in the competition was only bettered in the Arsenal squad by Bukayo Saka (18), and the 25-year-old has shown consistently that he can make the difference at the final end of the pitch in the top flight.

Nonetheless, Jesus is a player Arteta knows very well from his time assisting Guardiola at City, and so this is a deal that makes a lot of sense for the Gunners.

West Brom are interested in re-signing former striker Dwight Gayle during the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer report.

The Lowdown: Gayle a former Baggies hero

The 32-year-old spent one season on loan at the Hawthorns back in 2018/19 and he proved to be an instant hit with his goalscoring prowess in the Championship.

Gayle scored 24 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances for West Brom overall, helping them return to the Premier League before returning to Newcastle United.

Now, it could be that a return to the Baggies is on the cards for the Englishman, who has 103 goals across his senior club career.

The Latest: Hawthorns return mooted

According to The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson, West Brom are interested in re-signing Gayle, although they face stiff competition from fellow Championship side Middlesbrough.

His current Newcastle deal doesn’t expire until 2024 but he could be allowed to leave this summer, having only featured for 34 minutes of Premier League action last season.

The Verdict: Still a strong option

At 32, Gayle isn’t necessarily the player he once was but he can still be a prolific presence in the Championship, scoring 59 of his career goals in the competition.

While the Premier League is arguably too strong for him, he is famed for his prowess in the second tier and he could be a good option for Steve Bruce, even if it is as a squad player.

Gayle has outlined his quality many times over the years – he was famously an influential player in the legendary 3-3 draw between Crystal Palace and Liverpool in 2014, scoring twice, and he has been hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Alan Shearer. It is surely worth taking a punt on him again at the Hawthorns.

In other news, West Brom are reportedly in advanced talks with one player. Find out who it is here.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst led Rangers to Scottish Cup glory and came so close to winning the Ibrox club’s first European trophy since 1972 in the Europa League final last season, but he is already planning ahead for next term.

With the Ibrox coffers boosted following the European run, there will surely be a few new faces arriving at the club over the summer.

A couple of players who could immediately improve the first team would be a welcome sight as the Gers aim to win back the Premiership title next season, although extending the contracts of a few key players in Van Bronckhorst’s current squad could be just as important.

Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Joe Aribo, arguably three of the club’s most valuable assets, are all out of contract at the end of next season, and former Rangers boss Alex McLeish has had his say on the situation.

He told Football Insider: “It is a little bit worrying when contracts are running so close to finalising. We all talk about the coming months and it’s something Rangers have to deal with.

“Whether they feel the need to bring some money in and somebody goes for a big fee, Calvin Bassey, there’s been talk about him, that helps Giovanni bring his players in as well… I’m sure there will be talks galore in the coming days, weeks, and months.”

The supporters will likely be concerned that there has been no word on new deals being offered to these players, and Van Bronckhorst needs to sort this out as soon as possible.

Aribo has stated that he isn’t interested in a move to the Premier League, despite the ongoing interest from Crystal Palace. With the midfielder currently valued at £9m, the Rangers boss could surely bring in more than double that for the 25-year-old if he extends his deal beyond 2023.

This summer could see the Rangers squad rejuvenated as Van Bronckhorst will be aiming to bring in his own players in, although keeping the existing core of the first team such as Aribo and Morelos could be every bit as crucial in the chase for glory next season.

AND in other news, “Was told..”: Journalist makes big Rangers transfer claim that’ll leave supporters excited…

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri will be aiming to avoid a repeat of last season in which the club just avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth with a win over Crystal Palace on the penultimate day of the campaign.

It wasn’t looking rosy for Frank Lampard, who only took charge in January following the sacking of Rafa Benitez and he will need to get his summer recruitment spot on if he aims to still be in a job this time next year.

There have been reports linking the club with Tottenham Hotspur player Steven Bergwijn, although Ajax are also keen on the £27m Dutchman who recently admitted that he wanted to leave Spurs ahead of the summer transfer window.

Lampard should be acting quickly to sign the left-winger, who can also play across the frontline as he could add a different dimension to their struggling attack.

Only Richarlison (11) hit double figures for goals last season at the club, and their attacking woes have been well documented.

Bergwijn could become Everton’s very own Sadio mane, with the two players alike on FBref’s similar player model and it could be a match made in heaven.

Both players generate over three shot-creating actions per match (3.19 for Bergwijn and 3.10 for Mane) while the Dutchman has the greater shots on target percentage (52.6%) compared to the Liverpool winger (37.4%), although Mane has played more matches this season.

Mane appears to be the better goalscoring threat, having netted 16 goals in the Premier League this season, but Bergwijn has only played in 25 matches, with just four starts. During this time he has scored three goals and registered one assist, just one behind Mane.

If the 24-year-old, who has been dubbed “incredible” in the past by Jose Mourinho, was a regular fixture in his team like Mane, then his goalscoring abilities might have yielded better results.

The potential is clearly there, and he has shone on international duty for the Netherlands, scoring five goals in 18 appearances, including the opener against Belgium in the recent Nations League clash.

It could well be a shrewd signing by Lampard, and one that will give the supporters a big lift.

AND in other news, “No chance…”: Journo drops big Everton transfer twist that’ll disappoint supporters…

Gianluca Di Marzio has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Darwin Nunez.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by centredevils, the Italian journalist revealed that, with the Benfica centre-forward being heavily linked with a £100m move away from Portugal this summer, he believes the 22-year-old will go on secure a move to the Premier League in the coming months. Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal appear to be the most likely destinations for the striker at present.

Regarding the interest in Nunez, the transfer insider said: “I think Darwin Nunez is going to the Premier League – either Manchester United or to Arsenal or Tottenham. We don’t know where he’s going but for sure the Premier League has to be his next step.”

Supporters will love Di Marzio’s claim

Considering just how exciting a talent Nunez undoubtedly is, Di Marzio’s claim that Spurs are among the clubs in the running for the 22-year-old’s signature this summer is sure to be news that the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful will love.

Indeed, over his 28 Liga Portugal appearances this season, the £49.5m-rated forward was in breathtaking form, scoring 26 goals, providing four assists and creating 10 big chances, in addition to taking three shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

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These metrics saw the £31k-per-week talent average an extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.48, ranking him as the joint third-best performer in the Portuguese top flight.

The Uruguay international also caught the eye over his 10 outings in the Champions League this term, bagging six goals against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Ajax and Liverpool, averaging a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.06.

As such, with the 22-year-old clearly one of the most exciting young talents currently playing the game, the news that Antonio Conte’s side are serious contenders for Nunez’s signing is sure to delight Spurs supporters. The prospect of the Benfica forward lining up alongside the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski in north London next season is very much a tantalising one.

AND in other news – Contact made: Paratici given green light for “enormous” Spurs signing, he’s Kulusevski 2.0

Tottenham Hotspur will look to revisit Antonio Conte’s former club for another signing this summer after edging closer to signing Ivan Perisic this week…

What’s the word?

According to Italian journalist Pasquale Guarro of Calciomercato, the north London outfit will push to sign Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni after the defender received a personal call from manager Antonio Conte.

“There is not only #Perisic in the aims of #Tottenham , the “Spurs” push for #Bastoni and in recent days the defender has received the call of #Conte,” he tweeted.

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The Italy international has been linked with a move frequently since the climax of the 2021/22 campaign, with The Athletic revealing that Conte is a big admirer, though the Serie A giants will not be pushed to sell him, given his talent and potential.

They could request a fee in the region of £50m.

Conte’s summer dream

Bastoni would be something of a dream signing for the 52-year-old at Hotspur Way as he looks to bolster his playing squad with a much-needed addition.

After arriving in N17 back in November, Conte quickly adapted Spurs’ system to a three-man defence but he did so without a solid left-sided central defender.

Full-back Ben Davies has been the man to play alongside Eric Dier and Atalanta loanee Cristian Romero and whilst he has done a very decent job, he’s not a natural middle man, whereas Conte’s former starlet is.

On Inter’s way to their first Scudetto in 2021/22, the 23-year-old started 33 matches and he has continued to impress under Simeone Inzaghi, managing 44 appearances across in all competitions.

As a player compared to both Leonardo Bonucci and Alessandro Nesta, it’s no surprise that his ball-playing ability is something that stands out amongst the rest of his qualities and it’s no wonder Conte is super keen to sign him for Tottenham.

According to The Athletic in April 2022, the Inter centre-back ranked inside the top five of all Serie A defenders for attempted passes per 90, whilst also ranking in the top 6% for intensity and top 14% for ball retention.

Bastoni, described as a “phenomenon” by Italian football expert Conor Clancy to Football FanCast recently, would be a superb arrival this off-season.

The £54m-rated colossus is evidently the manager’s no.1 defensive target, so sporting director Fabio Paratici and co must do all they can do seal his signature. It would be £50m well invested.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops major Conte update at Spurs…

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss, Bruno Lage, is set for crunch talks with the Old Gold hierarchy.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Birmingham Mail, who claims that the Wolves boss will meet with the Molineux hierarchy to discuss the future of Adama Traore and Francisco Trincao.

The former is set to return to Molineux after Xavi declined Barcelona’s £25m option to re-sign their youth product at the end of the season, whilst Lage’s stance on the latter is currently yet to be decided.

Wolves have a reported £25m option to buy within Trincao’s loan deal and with Traore set to return to his parent club to enter what will be the final year of his current deal, the Old Gold have a decision to make.

Time to go?

With Traore’s latest setback in being rejected by the Blaugrana once again, he requires a club that can work around his direct style and within a system that gets the best out of him.

Ironically, Wolves have missed the spark that the Spaniard of Malian descent offers on the wing, and as Trincao will have found out this season when looking at his numbers in comparison to the rest of the squad, no one comes close to Adama’s average of 7.0 dribbles per 90, with Trincao closest to that Premier League-leading tally, having managed an average of 3.0 dribbles per 90.

You get the impression that a player of Adama’s technical ability would see him shine at the likes of Liverpool, if he was afforded regular game time that is. But whilst that is very unlikely to be the case, a move to a side that commits more bodies forward in the attacking phase of the game could suit the La Masia youth graduate well – especially if Wolves are to decide on signing Trincao permanently.

At the age of 26, Adama needs regular game time, and having suffered a slight blip in his career, despite showing glimpses of his potential under Lage, Trincao needs regular minutes in a progressive system also.

With Trincao linked with a reunion with former Braga-boss-now-Sporting manager Ruben Amorim, a return back to his homeland in an exciting project with familiar faces will surely prove too much of a temptation to reject.

Wolves could find themselves without the £177k-per-week duo, amidst what looks to be a big rebuild at the Molineux this summer.

In other news: In talks: Lage can unearth Wolves’ new Neves & Moutinho in double swoop for £12.8m duo 

Liverpool are interested in signing Porto midfielder Otavio during the summer transfer window, according to a fresh transfer rumour that emerged this week.

The Lowdown: Otavio shines for Porto

The 27-year-old has continued to be a key figure for Porto this season, producing a host of influential performances in his wide attacking role.

Otavio has registered an impressive 11 assists in 32 Primeira Liga appearances, as well as making nine appearances in the Champions League and Europa League combined.

Whoscored list him as being ‘very strong’ at creating scoring chances through both his passing and individual skill.

It could be that the Portuguese looks for a new challenge at the end of the season as he is approaching his prime and yet to test his mettle in a major European league, and Liverpool could well be in the conversation.

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The Latest: Liverpool in contact

According to A Bola [via Sport Witness], the Reds are one of a number of English clubs to have sent officials to watch Otavio in action and make contact with his club.

Julian Ward and co. have the player ‘referenced’ ahead of a potential move, with Manchester United and Newcastle United two of the other clubs mentioned in the report.

It is also stated that a move to Liverpool almost happened last year and an offer was even sent from Anfield, but Otavio’s Porto teammate, Luis Diaz, ended up joining in January instead. As we know, new Reds transfer guru Ward was instrumental in the capture of Diaz.

They say the two clubs have now had ‘even more communication’ since then, and the player has a €60m (£51m) release clause.

The Verdict: Is he needed?

While Otavio is clearly an excellent attacking player – he grew up idolising Brazil legend Ronaldinho – it is questionable as to whether or not Liverpool need to spend big on a player of his ilk this summer.

Jurgen Klopp already some several world-class attacking players at his disposal, so it is hard to see how the Porto man would fit into his regular plans.

The only way it could work is if Klopp used him in more of a central midfield role, potentially slotting into the right-sided No.8 berth that the likes of Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita take up.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a Liverpool transfer claim. Read more here.