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A big update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Alan Virginius in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to Le10Sport, the Magpies are set to make an offer worth up to €10m (£8.5m) as Dan Ashworth looks to sign the winger ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report does not, however, state whether or not that will be enough to tempt Sochaux into cashing in on their asset.

It is also claimed that Bayer Leverkusen are in the race for his signature and look set to challenge the Toon in a straight shootout to land the attacker.

Just imagine him & Allan Saint-Maximin

By snapping up a deal for the teenager this summer, Newcastle can land an exciting duo by pairing him with his fellow countryman on the wings next season.

Jacek Kulig once dubbed him a “huge talent” and his statistics at such a young age back up that comment. The 19-year-old caught the eye in the Sochaux first-team last season with five goals and one assist in seven Ligue 2 starts – as well as creating three big chances for his teammates.

This came after he managed three goals and two assists in 15 league outings – starting four games – during his breakthrough campaign in 2020/21. The gem has, therefore, racked up an outstanding 11 direct goal contributions in 11 starts for Sochaux’s senior side.

He has also impressed at international level, with six goals in 16 youth team appearances for France, including three goals in two games at the U19 European Championships this summer.

These statistics suggest that he is a player with huge potential as he is already making big strides in the game despite still being in his teens.

Saint-Maximin, meanwhile, is a proven Premier League winger who scored five goals and set up another five in the top-flight last term. He averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.94 and completed a whopping 4.3 dribbles per match as he made himself a constant threat out wide whilst chipping in with contributions in the final third.

Now, imagine having two French wingers playing for Newcastle and causing chaos at the top end of the pitch – scoring and creating goals to propel the club up the table.

Virginius can learn from Saint-Maximin, who will also be able to speak his native language to help him settle in, and develop over time to be a superb signing for the Magpies in the long term, if he is able to adapt to English football.

AND in other news: Eddie Howe voices teasing Newcastle transfer update, supporters will be buzzing

After months of speculation, Leeds United’s worst fears were realised as talisman Raphinha made his long-awaited move to La Liga giants Barcelona, joining the Camp Nou outfit on a reported £55m deal after two years in England.

That departure has brought with it the need to find a suitable replacement, with Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe believed to be one of those names who could well come through the door to try and fill the void left behind by the outgoing Brazilian.

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Signed from Lille on a mammoth £72m deal in 2019, the Ivorian gem has failed to live up to expectations at the Emirates thus far, having struggled to establish himself as a regular fixture of Mikel Arteta’s side, notably making just five Premier League starts last term.

Despite the obvious disappointment regarding his move to north London – which has culminated in the Gunners reportedly being willing to cash in for as little as £25m this summer – the 27-year-old has no doubt shown glimpses of his talent in recent seasons, with there a sense that he had been deserving of greater game time of late.

The 2020/21 season proved particularly impressive for the France-born speedster as he chipped in with ten top-flight goals, while also providing ten goal contributions in just 13 games in that season’s Europa League run.

The “exciting” talent, as described by teammate Granit Xhaka, possesses a number of special attacking qualities, with one source stating that he is “lightning fast with beautiful technical ability`’.

Perhaps one of his greatest traits is his devastating ability to cut onto his favoured left foot from the right flank before unleashing a shot, with that quality seemingly reminiscent of Dutch legend, Arjen Robben.

That claim is not unfounded, however, with former Lille boss Christophe Galtier even suggesting that the pair possess similar attacking traits, while reports a few years ago suggested that Bayern Munich were interested in Pepe as a like-for-like replacement for the departing veteran.

Now retired after a brief, injury-plagued stint back at Groningen, Robben had enjoyed a hugely successful career at the elite level, turning out for the likes of PSV, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern and seemingly always delivering.

A winner of a plethora of major honours, the 38-year-old was a truly lethal force in his pomp, racking up 209 goals and 165 assists in 613 games in all competitions across his club career, while also scoring 37 times in 96 appearances at international level.

Much of his success came from that innate knack for cutting inside and unleashing an often composed, carefully placed finish, with the 5-foot-11 menace having honed his craft to such an extent that he was simply unstoppable at times, with defenders unable to prevent his genius despite knowing exactly what he intended to do.

Although it’s only been seen in flashes thus far during his time with Arsenal, the belief is that Pepe has the quality in him to produce Robben-like levels of performance, with it perhaps a risk worth taking for sporting director Victor Orta and manager Jesse Marsch to try and land the one-time Angers man.

AND in other news: Victor Orta plotting Leeds bid for “formidable” £19m sensation, he’s “one of the best”

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has delivered his verdict on the ongoing takeover speculation surrounding Everton. 

The lowdown: Story so far

Earlier this summer, it was reported that a group spearheaded by former Manchester United and Chelsea CEO Peter Kenyon are interested in taking over from owner Farhad Moshiri at Goodison Park, sparking suggestions that the Iranian was ready to walk away from the Toffees.

However, despite holding conversations with Kenyon and Talon Real Estate chief executive Maciek Kaminski, Mohiri has insisted that the club wasn’t for sale, but instead the owner was open to the idea of ‘minority investment’ coming into Everton.

Following a fresh report from i News suggesting that the Kenyon-Kaminski group remain keen on striking a deal for the Merseyside outfit, one well-informed onlooker has had his say on the current state of play…

The latest: ‘Worst of both worlds’

Speaking to Football Insider, regular Sky Sports contributor Maguire has claimed that allowing outside parties to invest into the club would be the nightmare scenario for the Toffees.

He said: “They would only be attracted to minority investment if it is a gateway to an ultimate takeover.

“For a club like Everton that have lost so much cash under Moshiri and has shown a fairly wild west to financial prudence, why buy into, say, 30 per cent of that when you don’t have the ability to control the level of expenditure?

“To a certain extent, it’s the worst of both worlds. You’re putting money into an organisation but you’re not allowed to put your foot on the brakes when it comes to spending.”

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The verdict: No clarity

Heading steadfast towards the 2022/23 campaign, as things stand there is genuine unrest behind the scenes at Everton, manifesting itself in a protest at Goodison Park over the weekend.

That isn’t helping matters on the field either, as Frank Lampard and Kevin Thelwell seemingly struggle to acquire their top targets in the market, having only added the free agent capture of James Tarkowski so far this summer.

The Toffees have also lost talismanic forward Richarlison to Premier League rivals Tottenham, whilst a nightmarish 4-0 defeat at the hands of MLS outfit Minnesota United highlighted the problems remaining within the squad which need resolving during the ongoing transfer window.

Ultimately, with the new season now only two weeks away, a new stadium under construction and time remaining to do business in the market, Everton’s hierarchy needs to offer an outright solution to the off-field matters in order to focus fully on the issues in hand and give Lampard the tools to make progress on the pitch.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has now claimed that Arsenal giving Bukayo Saka a new deal would ‘be a huge statement’.

The Lowdown: Arsenal ‘confident’

It was reported earlier this week that the Gunners are ‘confident’ that the 20-year-old will sign a new contract at the Emirates Stadium.

The Sun claimed in March that the club want to increase his wages from £30,000 per week to a whopping £125,000 per week in order to fend off interest from the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

The Latest: ‘Huge statement’

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke has claimed that Saka signing a new deal would ‘be a huge statement’ by Mikel Arteta’s side, adding that they would be ‘going places’ if they can tie down the youngster.

The journalist said: “It’ll be a huge statement of intent to the fans and to everybody connected with the team that Arsenal are going places and they want to keep hold of their best players, because that’s been a criticism in the past that they’ve lost and sold some of their best players to their rivals, so keeping Saka would be a huge statement that Arsenal do plan on keeping hold of their top players.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Given that Saka only has two years remaining on his current contract, Arsenal need to tie him down as soon as possible.

They have been guilty of selling their best players to Premier League rivals in the past, notably the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Robin van Persie to Manchester United, and Emmanuel Adebayor and Samir Nasri to Manchester City.

Saka scored two goals as the Gunners thumped Sevilla 6-0 at home in the Emirates Cup on Saturday, and he is looking in good shape ahead of the start of the new season away to Crystal Palace on Friday night.

As O’Rourke says, Arsenal tying down the 20-year-old for the next few years would send a big statement of intent to their rivals.

Liverpool have already let go of nine players this summer and now a reliable source has given an update on the club’s plans for their 10th Anfield exit before the transfer window closes.

What’s the latest?

According to The Express journalist Ryan Taylor, Liverpool have reduced the asking price for Nathaniel Phillips as they plot the defender’s exit from Anfield.

In the reporter’s Transfer Tuesday segment for the publication, Taylor claims that the club are now ready to sell the defender and their intention is clear after reducing their asking price for the player this summer.

It is reported that Bournemouth are interested in securing a permanent deal for the player following his loan at the club, Liverpool have lowered their asking price from £15m to £10m to entice more interest and attract a club to Phillips.

He’s “not good enough”

There is no doubt that Liverpool supporters appreciated Phillips’ impact in the team during the season of 2020/21 when the side suffered a huge injury crisis that saw Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip suffer long-term injuries.

The defender dubbed ‘The Bolton Baresi’ by fans even earned a brand new four-year deal to secure his future at Anfield as a reward for his contributions in the troubling season for the Reds.

However, now that the defensive line is looking solid and fitness has returned to normal, there hasn’t been an opportunity for the centre-back to continue to feature in the team, so a move away now makes perfect sense for the 25-year-old.

Former Aston Villa star Gabby Agbonlahor made a scathing claim that the player  is “not good enough” to play for Liverpool in an interview with Football Insider, saying:

“Nat Phillips is not a Premier League centre-half.

“I’ve watched a bit of him now at Liverpool and he’s not good enough.

“For me, he’s a Championship player at best, he’s not good enough for the Premier League, especially at the top end.”

Whilst Jurgen Klopp may not be able to offer Phillips a future or first-team football with the Merseysiders, he is attracting interest from newly-promoted Premier League clubs, so Agbonlahor’s assessment of the player may well be considered unfair by those in recruitment teams across the top-flight, especially when you look at his impact on Bournemouth over his loan spell.

Over 17 Championship starts for the Cherries, Phillips created one big chance and made 1.5 interceptions per game. He also produced 4.1 clearances per game and won the majority of his duels (65%) and totalled up a pass completion rate of 90% in his own half.

In fact, Bournemouth only lost twice with the central defender in the team upon his arrival, proving that the player clearly contributed to the side’s promotion into the top flight and has the defensive attributes to be a great player for the team that secure his signature this summer.

However, that was indeed in the Championship and making the step up to Premier League life might be tricky. Quite clearly good enough for a second-tier outfit or a team towards the bottom of the top-flight, he isn’t up to scratch when it comes to matching the likes of Matip and van Dijk.

With that being said, it is clear that with the player no longer in Klopp’s plans, selling him could, in the long term, be the best decision for Phillips’ interests as he seeks first-team football elsewhere.

Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham has heaped praise on Antonio Conte’s side’s ability to fight back against Southampton.

The Lowdown: Positive start

The Lilywhites kicked off their 2022/23 Premier League campaign at home against the Saints, going 1-0 down early in the first half thanks to an outstanding effort from James Ward-Prowse.

The north London outfit managed to stage a magnificent comeback though, with goals from Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, Dejan Kulusevski and a Mohammed Salisu own goal, meaning an emphatic 4-1 victory was secured.

The Latest: Wenham’s delight

Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham, who was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch the game, was delighted with the fighting spirit shown after Saints opened the scoring:

“Top of the pile, Antonio Conte’s tricky Lilywhites are off to a good start.

“Really impressive performance. What was most impressive was that when we went behind, no one in the ground feared there was any issue.

“The players didn’t fear there was any issue. We just got our heads down like normal and scored very quickly after.

“It was a phenomenal cross from Kulusevski that was so good Harry Redknapp’s wife Sandra would have tapped it in.

“It was right on the point, a great goal. Very unlike Tottenham we then scored a second headed goal, this one was even better.

“It was like a snooker shot, arrowed into the far corner. It doesn’t get better than that. From that point onwards we were in complete control.

“Southampton offered nothing. Salisu did his best Djimi Traore impression for the third, it was utterly bizarre. I’m not sure what happened there, he had some much time with no one around him.

“To get the most comprehensive win out of everyone in the Premier League this weekend was great.

“This was a team that we lost to last year, so we are already three points up from last season.

“It’s really promising all around.”

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The Verdict: Sign of things to come

Whilst it was only the opening fixture of the season, getting those first three points in the bag will be a huge weight lifted off the shoulders for Conte.

The Italian managed to introduce Ivan Perisic, Clement Lenglet and Yves Bissouma all from the bench, and after such a positive display, it can only be exciting times ahead with the likes of Djed Spence and Richarlison yet to be brought into the fold.

Spurs currently find themselves sitting at the top of the table, and they will be hoping to continue their strong start to the new campaign when they travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea this Sunday.

Nottingham Forest continue to be active in the summer window, and could be set to make another acquisition…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Foot Mercato, who notes of Steve Cooper’s eagerness to shop in Ligue 1 for additional reinforcements.

One forward they could poach is FC Nantes forward Moses Simon, who has been courted by European clubs for several years now.

The Nigerian could group up with his compatriot Taiwo Awoniyi, who was also a summer signing, and form a fierce and fresh attacking line for Cooper. He is reportedly available for €15m (12.7m).

 He could be their Sadio Mane

Premier League giants Liverpool reaped the rewards of signing a young African winger with bundles of pace and the ability to finish, as Sadio Mane went on to win every trophy available to him.

The Forest manager will be hoping to recreate this feat with the signing of this exciting Nigerian talent who will terrify Premier League full-backs.

In his final season with Southampton, Mane scored 11 and assisted seven before making the switch to Anfield.

Whilst not quite as impressive, a respectable return of six goals and eight assists for a decidedly mid-table side does suggest that Simon has the goalscoring and the creative ability to be a success.

Furthermore, his 7.69 progressive carries per 90 suggest he is someone who loves to pick up the ball and drive at defences, similar to Mane, who used to terrify right-backs as he would cut inside onto his favoured right foot and shoot with frightening success.

Simon fits this play style too, and with an average SofaScore rating of 7.08, he can be counted on as a reliable threat throughout the season.

He had praise rain down upon him after Nigeria’s group stage win at the Africa Cup of Nations, with journalist Oma Akatugba labelling him as “unplayable, unstoppable, unbelievable”.

Not only were his goals and assists tally impressive last season, but the fact that he also missed six more big chances, and created 13 despite his eight assists, suggests that his ceiling can go so much higher if he can improve his level.

Forest could definitely benefit from this injection of pace and energy, and if he could bring even a fraction of the success Mane did to Liverpool, then he will be loved across the City Ground.

Therefore, director of football Kyriakos Dourekas must seal a move for Simon before the transfer deadline on September 1st.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have ‘made an offer’ to sign Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi, according to 90min. 

The lowdown: Loan star

Signed for £35.1million from Marseille as a fledgeling youngster in 2016, Batshuayi has become a perennial loanee since arriving in London.

The 28-year-old Belgium international has spent time at Borussia Dortmund, Crystal Palace, Valencia and Besiktas, still finding time to score 25 times in 77 outings for the Blues.

Having been linked earlier in the window, Wolves now appear to have stepped up their pursuit of Batshuayi as Bruno Lage seeks attacking reinforcements…

The latest: ‘Made an offer’

As per 90min, Wolves are believed to have ‘made an offer to sign’ the 45-cap star this summer.

It’s claimed that the powerful Belgian is ‘also wanted by Frank Lampard at Everton’ as Batshuayi looks to seek pastures new in the final 12 months of a deal at Stamford Bridge.

The report makes no mention of the details of the offer made for the man who was hailed as ‘top class’ by Frank Lampard during his time in charge at Chelsea.

The verdict: Make it happen

Still in desperate need of a frontman to bolster Lage’s ranks following the addition of Matheus Nunes and amidst links to Benfica starlet Goncalo Ramos, adding a goalscorer of Batshuayi’s ilk to the Molineux squad would be a superb piece of business.

Last season, the £9million valued hitman scored 14 times and provided five assists in 33 Super Lig outings with Besiktas, earning a 6.96 SofaScore rating whilst winning 3.8 duels, completing 1.2 dribbles and taking 3.0 shots on average per game in the process.

In addition to that form, availability and likely affordable asking price, Batshuayi has often outperformed his xG throughout his career, a potentially key factor that would make him the ideal candidate to arrive at Wolves, a side who notoriously don’t create an enormous amount of chances.

Sunderland have enjoyed a strong return to playing in the Championship for the first time since the 2017/18 campaign.

The Black Cats are currently fifth in the table after five matches and have only lost once – against league leaders Sheffield United – after winning the League One play-off final to earn promotion to the second tier.

Kristjaan Speakman has bolstered Alex Neil’s squad over the summer with the likes of Daniel Ballard and Ellis Simms, and he has until next Thursday to make any further signings.

The transfer deadline is fast approaching and the Black Cats manager has made it clear that he wants more players coming in, recently admitting that he expects one or two signings before the final few days of the window.

It has been reported that he wants four or five new additions in total, and one player with whom the club have been linked – alongside Sheffield United and other Championship sides – is Lincoln winger Anthony Scully.

Sunderland must now push ahead with a deal to sign the former West Ham academy attacker, as he could be a big upgrade on Patrick Roberts.

The Englishman has only played 42 minutes of action in the second tier this season, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.45. This came after he made 17 appearances for the club in League One last term and contributed with two goals and one assist, playing as a wing-back and a winger at times.

He failed to make a significant impact in the final third during 2021/22 and he is now struggling to force his way into getting regular minutes in a higher division.

Meanwhile, Scully played 35 games for Lincoln in the same league last season and produced 11 goals and seven assists, creating 11 ‘big chances’ in total.

The Irishman, who Tony Carr once praised for having an “eye for a goal”, managed that after scoring 11 goals and setting up four in 24 League One starts in the 2020/21 campaign.

These statistics suggest that Scully – who has 80 goal contributions in 159 career matches at youth and senior level – has far more to offer at the top end of the pitch than Roberts. He has shown that he can score more goals and create more chances in League One than the 25-year-old, which indicates that he would also stand a better chance of making the step up to the Championship.

At the age of 23, he is a young player with the potential to grow and improve even further. This means that Sunderland would be signing someone with significant resale value and the scope to become a better player in the future, whilst also being an upgrade on Roberts in the here-and-now, and that is why Speakman must snap him up.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen an opening bid for Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic turned down in the last 48 hours, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Wolves in pole position

The Austrian has been the subject of plenty of interest this summer from the likes of Manchester United, Everton and Brighton, but it’s the Midlands outfit who have emerged as favourites to beat their Premier League competitors and land him.

Wanderers have been in advanced negotiations with the 25-year-old for quite some time and allegedly even agreed personal terms, but they now appear to have suffered a setback after making an official proposal.

The Latest: Kalajdzic bid rejected

Taking to Twitter, Romano confirmed that Wolves are set to continue talks with Stuttgart over Kalajdzic after having their opening offer knocked back.

“Wolves will be back in contact with Stuttgart for Sasa Kalajdzic after €15m (£12.7m) proposal rejected yesterday.”

The Verdict: Worth another offer

Stuttgart obviously want more to let Kalajdzic leave, and whilst that figure is yet unknown, Wolves should splash the cash and do whatever they need to get it done.

The 6 foot 7 ‘unstoppable’ forward, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has some outstanding numbers, having clocked up 60 goal contributions in 96 appearances across his senior career, via Transfermarkt.

Raul Jimenez has only recently returned from injury, so Kalajdzic would provide some excellent competition for the Mexican and give Bruno Lage a welcomed selection headache at Molineux.