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Manchester City are believed to be readying a bid for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to a report from 90min.

The Lowdown: Phillips profiled

As per the Whites’ official website, the 26-year-old is a product of the Elland Road youth system, working his way up through the ranks to make his first-team debut for the club back in 2015 and going in to make 234 appearances for Jesse Marsch’s side.

The maestro has become an integral feature of his hometown club’s starting XI over the years after helping them gain promotion to the Premier League in 2020. However, his impressive performances appear to have caught the eye of many top-flight rivals, with the champions among those looking to secure his signature.

The Latest: Man City preparing bid for Phillips

In an article published by 90min, it is claimed that City are now ‘readying a bid’ for Phillips after making ‘several enquiries’ about the Leeds midfielder.

The source stated that Etihad Stadium scouts have been ‘hugely impressed’ with their target’s progress since the Whites’ promotion two years ago, with Pep Guardiola making his admiration for the 19-cap England international ‘clear’.

It’s reported that City are currently ‘conducting background checks’ to decide whether or not they fully believe the 26-year-old be a good fit in the dressing room ahead of an ‘opening bid’.

Phillips has insisted that he would be ‘happy to stay’ in Yorkshire, but the source suggests that a move to the Etihad ‘does appeal’ to him.

The Verdict: Ideal Fernandinho replacement

With it being confirmed that Fernandinho will be leaving City this summer, the club need to find a suitable replacement for the Brazil veteran in the middle of the park, and the £45m-rated Leeds talisman could well be the perfect candidate.

Despite only playing 23 times this season, mainly due to a long-term hamstring injury, Phillips has still been an absolute rock in the Whites’ midfield. He averaged 2.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per Premier League game (via WhoScored), demonstrating that he can be hugely effective at breaking up opposition attacks.

Leeds probably wouldn’t be able to match any offer from City if one is to materialise in the coming weeks.

Therefore, it may be a case of the Elland Road academy graduate – who was once dubbed an “exceptional” player by former Leeds and Man City defender Danny Mills – having to decide whether to commit his future to his boyhood club or make the switch to the Etihad, where he could go on to achieve big things at the highest level in years to come.

In other news… this Manchester City first-team maestro could be set for a surprise exit over the summer

Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly registered interest in Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino ahead of a potential move this summer, according to journalist David Lynch.

The Lowdown: Minamino close to Liverpool exit

The 27-year-old first arrived in the Premier League when he joined the Merseysiders from Red Bull Salzburg back in 2019, but after a considerable lack of game time this season, the forward has now been linked with a move away from Anfield.

It was reported last week that the Reds are expected to allow the Japanese starlet to leave during the upcoming transfer window, and Bruno Lage might now be pouncing on the opportunity to try and complete some kind of deal for the 40-cap international.

The Latest: Wolves named as potential suitor

In a new post on his personal Twitter account early on Wednesday morning, Lynch named Wolves as one of the potential suitors for Minamino as he edges ever nearer to the Liverpool exit door. He wrote:

“Takumi Minamino closing in on an LFC departure with his agent having flown to Europe to field interest from Leeds, Southampton, Wolves, Fulham and Monaco. Situation likely to be resolved quickly – Liverpool hoping to secure £17m.”

The Verdict: Great addition to the squad

With Lage now beginning to revamp his squad ahead of the start of the new season, the boss will be looking to bring in new additions who can improve his starting XI and help the Midlands outfit aim for a European spot, and the Anfield maestro could be the man to do just that.

The £10.8m-rated ace, who was once dubbed a “top-class” player by manager Jurgen Klopp, only made 24 appearances across all competitions under the German this season, but proved that he can be prolific in the final third when given the chance, having scored four goals in just five EFL Cup games, as per Transfermarkt.

Wolves will need to see off plenty of competition if they want to secure the signature of Minamino, but should they be successful, they’ll be getting a player who averaged a goal every 101 minutes in all competitions this season.

In other news… Wolves are now reportedly leading the race to sign one of their summer transfer targets.

Reliable journalist Pete O’Rourke has backed Nottingham Forest to reach an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur over the transfer of Joe Rodon this summer.

The Lowdown: Rodon out of favour

After the Reds successfully secured promotion to the Premier League following their 1-0 play-off victory against Huddersfield Town last month, Steve Cooper will now be looking for some new reinforcements to strengthen his squad as he prepares for life in the top flight.

This summer hasn’t exactly gotten off to the best of starts though, with moves for Connor Goldson and Djed Spence seemingly off.

The 24-year-old Rodon meanwhile has fallen down the pecking order under Antonio Conte at Spurs, having only made three league appearances this season, something which has seen him now being linked with a move away from N17.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s transfer claim

Speaking to Football League World, O’Rourke hinted that Rodon’s existing relationship with the Forest boss could benefit the club when it comes to arranging a deal. He said:

“Steve Cooper knows all about him from his time at Swansea as well.

“So there’s links there and if Forest were to get him, I’m sure they would get a young hungry Joe Rodon who will be determined to be playing regularly next season ahead of the winter’s World Cup in Qatar with Wales.

“So yeah, it could be a go with this one. Could be a move to suit all parties.”

The Verdict: Chance of a fresh start

It’s been a disappointing season for Rodon at Tottenham, but making the move to Forest would give him the perfect opportunity to revive his club career, where he would likely be part of the starting XI each week.

It’s important for the 6 foot 4 colossus to be getting regular game time as he looks set to be heavily involved in Wales’ squad for the forthcoming World Cup later this year – his form on the international stage has been praised by Gareth Bale, while Ashley Williams even tipped him to become Wales captain one day (Ian Mitchelmore).

The centre-back’s connection to Cooper could also prove to be a big deciding factor when it comes down to choosing where his next destination will be, and impressive form for Cooper at the Swansea.com Stadium suggests he could re-capture that level at Forest.

In other news… Forest have been dealt a huge blow in their quest to complete the permanent signing of Djed Spence.

Liverpool have already had a busy summer transfer window so far, with two signings already confirmed alongside the seemingly imminent departure of Sadio Mane, and a reliable source has now offered a further update on the club’s latest transfer developments.

What’s the latest?

The Times’ northern football correspondent and renowned Liverpool source Paul Joyce has given an update on the progression of the Senegal star’s proposed move to Bayern Munich and Takumi Minamino’s future at the club.

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In an article for The Times, the reporter confirmed that the Reds have now agreed to sell Mane to the Bundesliga champions this summer for a fee of £27.5m, which could rise to £35.1m.

The journalist further claimed that Minamino is also expected to depart this summer.

Supporters will be gutted

There is no doubt that Liverpool supporters will be absolutely gutted to lose Mane this summer after six glorious years at the club since he joined in 2016.

The 30-year-old has scored 120 goals and contributed 48 assists for the Reds, helping them to their first Premier League and Club World Cup titles, their sixth European Cup and, this season, the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

Darwin’s a Red! Get your special edition Darwin Nunez tee here.

On an individual level, the goal machine jointly won the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2018/19 season and was named Player of the Tournament for his efforts in Senegal’s first African Cup of Nations triumph earlier this year.

It’s safe to say that Liverpool could struggle to replace the winger’s output and work ethic in the team, but they have already begun their revolution for the next generation of the front three by securing the signing of Darwin Nunez earlier this week.

In terms of Minamino, the Japanese forward has been a dedicated servant at Anfield. In fact, he was the highest scorer in both Liverpool’s FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs last season.

The 27-year-old has scored 14 goals and contributed three assists in his 55 Reds appearances since joining midway through the 2019/20 season, with one goal contribution for every 132 minutes played.

Minamino’s efforts in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Premier League this season, scoring 10 goals in total, have seen him attract attention from a number of Premier League clubs. Leeds United, Wolves and his former loan club Southampton are all reportedly interested in snapping him up this summer.

It will be interesting to see how Liverpool might have to cope without two of their most effective forwards next season, and there will be a lot of responsibility on Nunez to deliver to the high standards that the departing pair have held, especially if the Reds do not make another signing for the forward line this summer.

AND in other news: Liverpool now need £42.8m to sign “proper talent”, he could be Klopp’s next Jota

According to reports out of Italy, there has been a big Southampton transfer update involving Bologna star Mattias Svanberg as manager Ralph Hasenhuttl potentially edges closer to another signing.

The Lowdown: Saints busy…

Saints transfer chief Martin Semmens has been busy in this summer market already, first sealing a deal for ex-Man City goalkeeper Gavin Bazanu, who dazzled on loan at south coast rivals Portsmouth last season.

Following on from the Republic of Ireland international, Hasenhuttl then saw colossal central defender Armel Bella-Kotchap arrive from Bundesliga side VfL Bochum.

It appears Southampton mean business as they gear up for the 2022/2023 Premier League season with another promising update now coming to light involving Svanberg.

The Latest: Svanberg terms agreed…

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), it is believed the St. Mary’s side ‘have already reached an agreement’ on his contract and salary as they shake hands on personal terms.

Potentially edging closer to his signing, all that remains is for Southampton and Bologna to agree a fee over Svanberg.

The Verdict: Exciting?

An iNews source described the Denmark sensation as one of the top number 8’s in Europe, a potentially head-turning tag and one which could best sum up why Hasenhuttl wants him in England.

The 23-year-old, also called a ‘very talented’ player by the source in question, was a mainstay for Bologna over 21/22 – playing the sixth-most Serie A minutes out of anyone in their squad (WhoScored).

An exciting up and coming player, we believe he could be a brilliant capture after Bazanu and Bella-Kotchup if they can get it done.

Manchester United and Chelsea are thought to be in pole position to sign Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt.

The Lowdown: Talks held

De Ligt, who Italian football expert Carlo Garganese described as an ‘absolute monster’ after ‘physically bullying (Andrea) Belotti’ in a match against city rivals Torino, has recently been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have reportedly taken ‘concrete steps with the defender’s entourage’ but are yet to make an official offer. Erik ten Hag knows all about De Ligt after working with him at Ajax before he signed for Juve in a deal worth £76.95m in 2019.

The Latest: Transfer update

Sports Witness relayed an update from Corriere dello Sport regarding De Ligt on Friday.

They claimed that De Ligt has asked to move on this summer, with United and Chelsea ‘ready to intervene’ and ‘in pole position’ to secure his services.

De Ligt reportedly has a €120m (£103m) release clause, something which Juventus would expect to be met.

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The Verdict: Would be brilliant

De Ligt is still just 22 years of age but already has plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country, with former United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar even likening him to Cristiano Ronaldo for his mentality and application in the gym.

You’d expect that Ten Hag may want to strengthen his defensive ranks after a leaky 2021/22 season, so bringing in De Ligt would certainly be an eye-catching move and one that could transform United’s backline.

It looks as if it could be a costly one, though, and with Chelsea firmly in the race, any interested club may have to pay his £103m release clause.

Liverpool have often been praised for their modest wage bill in comparison to other top six clubs.  That, and the Anfield transfer model of sell to buy, makes them one of the most sustainable clubs in England, which in turn makes their success under Jurgen Klopp all the more impressive.

Every now and then though, the Reds need to make exceptions, and we’ve already seen an example of that this summer with a new deal for star forward Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian international will now be taking home in excess of £350k per week, making him the highest-paid player in the club’s history.

With that mega deal in mind, as per SalarySport, Spotrac and LFC Transfer Room, we’ve taken a look at player wages throughout Klopp’s first-team squad…

Mohamed Salah – £350,000

Virgil van Dijk – £220,000

Thiago Alcantara – £200,000

Trent Alexander-Arnold – £180,000

Roberto Firmino – £180,000

Fabinho – £180,000

Andy Robertson – £160,000

James Milner – £150,000 (as of 2021/22 season)

Alisson Becker – £150,000

Jordan Henderson – £140,000

Naby Keita – £120,000

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – £120,000

Joel Matip – £100,000

Darwin Nunez – £98,000

Diogo Jota – £90,385 

Luis Diaz – £90,000

Joe Gomez – £75,000

Takumi Minamino – £75,000

Nathaniel Phillips – £64,615 

Ben Davies – £60,000

Kostas Tsimikas – £60,000

Adrian – £58,000

Neco Williams – £25,000

Curtis Jones – £7,500

Caoimhin Kelleher – £6,000

As you can see, there are some surprising figures, the most shocking of which comes in the form of Curtis Jones’ wage. The midfielder apparently earns £7,500 per-week, which is significantly less than Neco Williams, on £25,000 a week, who was out on loan at Fulham last season. 

Jones’ current deal expires in June of 2025. Of course, though, before then, it would come as no surprise if an extension for a bigger salary were signed at the Merseyside club. 

But perhaps the big question for Liverpool now is how Salah’s new deal will affect wage negotiations going forward. Key players like Virgil van Dijk will likely expect similar levels of pay, feeling they have almost as much influence as Salah on the Reds’ results.

So in a few years’ time, Liverpool’s wage structure could look significantly different, with far more players exceeding the £200k mark than the mere three currently in that cohort.

Nonetheless, we’ve seen Klopp part with big names before and use the money wisely – the most obvious example being the sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, before bringing in Van Dijk from Southampton.

So perhaps wages will become a factor in who leaves Anfield over the next few years, with the recent deals for Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz suggesting Klopp already has one eye firmly fixed on the future.

A big update has emerged on Rangers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s pursuit of a new striker at Ibrox in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Rangers journalist Derek Clark has revealed that the Glasgow club will complete their second summer signing “soon” after the Gers added John Souttar to their ranks.

This comes after The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell recently confirmed that Ross Wilson has agreed a fee for a new number nine. He Tweeted:

“The deal for Antonio Colak is still on but there are things that need to happen before PAOK will sanction it. Fee agreed, personal terms sorted, player wants to join as Rangers have been very keen, but PAOK need a replacement.”

Supporters will be buzzing

The Gers supporters will be buzzing with Clark’s update for multiple reasons.

Firstly, they will be delighted to finally see a piece of incoming business. Souttar is the only new arrival so far and he agreed to join the club by signing a pre-contract in January – arriving earlier this month on a free transfer from fellow Premiership side Hearts.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men kick off their league campaign later this month and fans will surely want to see the bulk of the club’s signings over the line by then. Any players coming in after that point will be thrown in at the deep end and given little time to adjust to their new team before they are tasked with performing in crucial games.

That is why Colak coming in “soon” will leave supporters buzzing as he is now set to take part in pre-season – giving him the chance to get to know his new teammates and, hopefully, play in a few friendly matches.

The fans will also be pleased with this news because the Croatian striker has the potential to be an excellent signing for the club.

He spent the first-half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan to Malmo and caught the eye with 19 goals in 40 matches for the club. The gem also scored 51 goals in 90 games for HNK Rijeka and 30 goals in 59 games for FC Nuremberg’s second team earlier in his career.

These statistics show that he has the quality to find the back of the net on a regular basis if he finds form and that is why supporters will be buzzing to learn that he is close to signing for the Light Blues.

AND in other news, Gvb plotting Rangers swoop for £1.3k-p/w gem who “rarely misses”, imagine him & Kent…

Liverpool will definitely make another signing during the summer transfer window, former Scotland and West Ham striker Frank McAvennie has claimed.

The Lowdown: New injuries for Reds

The Reds picked up their first win of pre-season on Friday, beating Crystal Palace 2-0 in Singapore, but not everything is going swimmingly at the moment.

Diogo Jota looks to have suffered another hamstring injury after missing a spell earlier in the summer, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain limped out of the Palace game.

There is still plenty of time for new signings to come in this summer but Jurgen Klopp has stated that he is happy with the squad at his disposal.

The Latest: Mcavennie convinced about signing

Someone who is convinced that Liverpool will delve back into the transfer market is McAvennie, however, who told Football Insider that it is a ‘guarantee’:

“I wouldn’t imagine anyone would want to leave Liverpool at the moment. Jota’s injury will be a blow but they’ve got replacements for him.

“He’s not going to have people queuing up at his door asking to leave, that’s for sure. I wouldn’t worry about it. But I can guarantee that they’ll bring somebody else in.”

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The Verdict: One more would be perfect

Liverpool’s summer has been a productive one, with Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay all coming in, but one more addition would arguably be perfect.

A big-money signing such as Jude Bellingham looks unlikely for this summer, but another versatile midfielder could be ideal, giving Klopp an extra option in an area of the pitch that mostly holds either ageing and injury-prone figures or youngsters.

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Sporting CP star Matheus Nunes continues to be linked with a move to Anfield and he could provide guile and work ethic in the middle of the park, having enjoyed an 86.2% pass completion rate and 1.3 tackles per game in the Primeira Liga last season.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Matthijs de Ligt.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, despite recent reports suggesting Fabio Paratici could be set to launch a move for the Juventus centre-back, Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, has now landed in Turin to begin negotiations regarding a deal for the 22-year-old – for whom the Serie A side are believed to be willing to accept an of €80m (£68m) in order to part with this summer.

In his tweet, the transfer insider said: “Bayern director Hasan Salihamidzic, in Turin as expected to meet with Juventus for Matthijs de Ligt. Just landed and ready to open talks between clubs. Bayern have already negotiated all details of personal terms with De Ligt, Juve now waiting for the official bid.”

Paratici will be gutted

With it being recently reported that, despite Paratici’s capture of Clement Lenglet on a season-long loan, Antonio Conte is still keen to add further options to his defensive arsenal ahead of Tottenham’s upcoming campaign, Romano’s update concerning Bayern’s move for De Ligt is sure to have left the 52-year-old manager gutted.

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Indeed, despite getting off to a slow start in Turin, the £63m-rated centre-back undoubtedly proved his true ability over his 31 Serie A appearances last season, helping the Bianconeri keep 11 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.1 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 3.1 clearances and winning 4.6 duels – at a success rate of 62% – per game.

The £200k-per-week talent also impressed going forwards, scoring three goals, registering one assist and creating three big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 48.4 passes, taking 0.6 shots and finding his man with 3.3 long balls per fixture.

These returns saw the 22-year-old average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Massimiliano Allegri’s sixth-best performer in the league last time out.

As such, considering his impressive metrics in Italy last season, coupled with Conte’s well-known fondness of the Netherlands international, should Bayern go on to seal De Ligt’s signing ahead of Spurs this summer, it would undoubtedly represent a huge opportunity missed for the north London side.

AND in other news: Paratici leading race for “sensational” £10m target, he’d be a “revelation” for Spurs