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Newcastle United have been linked with a summer move for FC Metz midfielder Boubacar Traore.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Football Insider, the Magpies are one of the clubs, alongside the likes of fellow Premier League sides Leicester City, Southampton and Nottingham Forest, interested in signing the midfielder.

The report also adds that the player would be available for a transfer fee of around £18m.

Big Shelvey upgrade

The previous campaign was Traore’s breakout season in France as he ended up playing in 27 Ligue 1 games and started 17 of them.

Given how young he is, it shows just how highly rated he is at Metz and why this group of Premier League clubs have their eyes on him.

In fact, having been described as a “diamond in the rough,” by Andres Onrubia Ramos, Traore’s performances have also been hailed as “fabulous” by the journalist on Twitter.

With that in mind, Traore could provide Eddie Howe with an upgrade on one of his current midfield options; Jonjo Shelvey.

Looking at the two midfielder’s previous domestic seasons, from a defensive point of view, the Mali international showed how much of a useful figure he could be for the Toon, more so than Shelvey.

Specifically, despite playing over 200 fewer minutes than the Englishman, Traore managed to win more tackles, carry out more successful pressures and rack up more blocks than the current Newcastle figure.

Additionally, he ended his Ligue 1 campaign with no errors that led to an opposition goal, whereas Shelvey made two.

The fact that the 30-year-old is set to see his contract at the Tyneside club expire next summer, adding Traore to the squad during this current window could not only give the team an upgrade on Shelvey, but also give them a solid long-term replacement for him should he leave next year.

As a result, Dan Ashworth should do everything he can to beat Newcastle’s top-flight competitors to the Metz midfielder’s signature this summer.

AND in other news: Bid submitted: NUFC in talks to sign “skillful” £9m-rated gem, he could be Neymar 2.0

Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has delivered his verdict on Celtic signing Jota on a permanent basis. 

The lowdown: Deal done

The Hoops confirmed the capture of the 23-year-old winger after triggering a £6.5m purchase option as part of the deal which saw him spend last season on loan at Parkhead.

Signed from Benfica on a five-year contract, the Portuguese winger played a key part in Ange Postecoglou’s double-winning side in 2021/22 and looks certain to enjoy an integral role moving forwards.

Upon hearing the news, one invested onlooker has had his say on what the transfer means for the Premiership champions…

The latest: ‘More to come…’

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish claimed that Jota still has a lot more to offer to the Bhoys and will almost certainly justify his price tag over time.

The Sky Sports pundit said: “It does surprise me that he has been let go [by Benfica]. When I say let go, I don’t mean let go, it was £6million. He showed so much flair and technical ability last year, he was on a different level.

“There is obviously more to come and that could be a fantastic investment for Celtic. He could be a real target for someone in the future. Having won the league last year and him playing a major role, it’s a great signing by Celtic.

“It’s a cracking agreement for Benfica as well.”

The verdict: Great deal for Celtic

Although Celtic have undoubtedly landed a bargain, the reported 30% sell-on clause installed into the deal could prove to be a masterstroke from Benfica over time.

Currently valued at a rising £6.75m (Transfermarkt), another campaign even close to the exploits of his 27 direct goal involvements in 40 appearances last term would almost inevitably bring about transfer interest from across Europe.

That said, with Champions League football back on the agenda at Celtic Park and potentially more arrivals such as Vinicius Souza, first and foremost there is no reason why the Scottish champions cannot retain their most prized assets, including Jota, in the future.

West Ham United may have been given a timely boost in their pursuit of Raphinha, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Moyes in chase?

The Hammers, having recently confirmed the signing of Nayef Aguerd, are ready to make even more moves this summer as Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth expects them to be ‘very busy’.

It is believed that manager David Moyes wants ‘at least’ six new additions overall this window as he gears up for what will be an interesting 2022/2023 Premier League season.

Sharing news on reported transfer target Raphinha, 90min now have a promising update for Hammers supporters.

The Latest: West Ham in mix…

According to their information, West Ham may not be out of the picture to sign Leeds’ attacking sensation just yet despite much interest.

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Indeed, it is claimed that the 25-year-old would ‘consider’ a move to the London Stadium after Moyes tried to sign him in January and the Irons remain keen on a deal.

However, while Raphinha refuses to discount West Ham, his preferred move remains Barcelona.

The Verdict: Keep pushing?

While the South American is holding out for Barca, if the Catalans should fall away due to their financial troubles, Raphinha’s openness to joining Moyes could come as a potential boost.

In terms of whether he would add quality, the answer is obvious – absolutely.

As per WhoScored, Leeds’ best player of 2021/2022 averaged their highest rate of shots at goal, key passes made and completed dribbles per 90 in the top flight.

He finished the campaign as their best-performing regular domestically and racked up the most goals for Jesse Marsch’s side.

Raphinha also terrorised Irons defender Issa Diop during West Ham’s 3-2 defeat at home to Leeds in January, as perfectly explained by Josh Bunting of Islington Gazette, who stated the attacker had him ‘on toast’ (Twitter).

Leeds United are going in strong for Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb.

The Lowdown: Bid made?

The Whites appear to have turned their attention to signing a new striker after securing deals for Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca.

Kalimuendo could well be the player to arrive and rival Patrick Bamford, with reliable reports claiming last week that Leeds have made an offer in the region of €20m (£17.1m).

PSG would want a buy-back clause in any transfer, but it looks as if Andrea Radrizzani and co are still keen on the Frenchman.

The Latest: Kalimuendo update

Tuttomercatoweb shared a story regarding Kalimuendo and Leeds on Monday afternoon.

They claimed that the Whites are ‘strong on Kalimuendo’, with their information stating that PSG’s valuation is actually €20m – the figure that Leeds have reportedly already matched.

Perhaps, then, we’ll see this one moving on towards personal terms fairly swiftly.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Still just 20 years of age, Kalimuendo could be the perfect addition at Elland Road alongside the likes of Bamford and Joe Gelhardt. The PSG man has been labelled as ‘clever’ by Frank Haisethe and a modern forward at ‘the highest level’ by Cameron Smith.

He impressed on loan at Lens last season, scoring 12 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games, so a fee in the region of £17.1m could be an excellent piece of business to bolster Jesse Marsch’s attacking options both in the short and long term.

In other news: Orta now working on signing 31-goal striker for free; famous Leeds fan may help Elland Road move. 

Everton could be offered Lucas Moura as part of Richarlison’s prospective move to Tottenham Hotspur, The Telegraph’s Matt Law reports.

The lowdown

It emerged at the weekend that Antonio Conte and Spurs want to add Richarlison to their ranks this summer.

Spurs have not yet made a formal offer and they do have other targets in mind if they deem Everton’s demands excessive.

29-year-old Moura played most of his football last season on the right flank but also operated as an attacking midfielder/second striker at times.

He isn’t a first choice option at the North London club, with 15 of his 34 Premier League appearances in 2021/22 coming as a substitute.

Law had already reported that Spurs are willing to include midfielder Harry Winks in a package for Richarlison.

The latest

Now Law writes that Spurs are open to offering the Toffees both Moura and Winks.

Everton value Richarlison at ‘well over £50million’, and so they’d only accept a package that was equivalent to their price tag.

They will, of course, have to be interested in both players too.

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The verdict

Should Everton be interested in Moura? Well, he has played 137 games in the English top-flight, but his headline numbers aren’t spectacular – 19 goals and 16 assists.

However, former Spurs ‘keeper Paul Robinson believes he makes up for that with his work rate.

“Regardless of when and where he plays, you get 150 per cent from him,” he told Football Insider. “His energy with and without the ball is second to none.”

The Brazilian, who featured in the 2018/19 Champions League Squad of the Season after a hat-trick in the semifinal comeback against Ajax, brings pedigree and relentlessness, but is the lack of end product a concern?

In other news, this journalist is fretting after what he read about Richarlison.

Rangers insider the 4th Official has dropped a transfer update regarding Ibrox left-back Borna Barisic amid interest from abroad.

What’s the word?

The 4th Official have stated that “as of right now, Rangers have not received any official bid for Borna Barisic.”

This follows news that Trabzonspor are keen on bringing the defender to Turkey ahead of the new season, in which the club will be playing in the Champions League.

The Ibrox side will be aiming to maximise any fee for the Croatian and won’t be willing to sell on the cheap.

Wilson will be gutted

Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be determined to build on the momentum from winning the Scottish Cup last season and enjoy a productive transfer window.

Unfortunately, unlike the majority of the clubs down south, the Ibrox side simply can’t go and spend massive sums of money without selling a few players first in order to generate funds.

This is despite having a lucrative season on the field, especially with the Europa League prize money boosting the coffers.

Ross Wilson will surely be hoping that a bid arrives for Barisic and because of his displays last term, may well be gutted that nothing has been forthcoming yet. The Croatia international has had an up and down season, he ranks 13th in the Gers squad with a SofaScore ranking of 6.81 and the stats tell the full story of his campaign.

The 29-year-old didn’t score at all last season, while only registering three assists in all competitions, which in contrast to 2020/2021 (five goals and 14 assists) signifies a player who has massively regressed.

With just two years left on his current contract, Wilson will be hoping to attract a fee close to his valuation of £5.4m which could be spent on other areas of the side or simply reinvest in a younger and more profitable player.

Following the poor season he has just had, this may prove to be unrealistic, but the club should make a profit on the £2.2m they splashed out to sign him from NK Osijek in 2018.

The Ibrox side faces an interesting few weeks ahead.

AND in other news, Offer made: Major Rangers transfer development emerges that’ll leave Gvb buzzing…

Manchester United are interested in signing PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, according to a Sky Sports journalist Mark McAdam. 

The lowdown: Rising star

Signed from French Ligue 1 side Toulouse in 2020, Sangare has made great strides since arriving in Holland, making 88 appearances for the first-team overall.

The powerful 24-year-old is also a fully fledged Ivory Coast international built in a similar mould to countryman and Premier League winner Yaya Toure, albeit the PSV star is of a far more defensive midfield persuasion.

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As new manager Erik ten Hag attempts to strengthen the Old Trafford squad, Sangare would appear to be on the radar for the Dutchman…

The latest: ‘On the list’

Speaking live on Sky Sports News, McAdam explained the United interest in the 17-cap Ivorian that has since been reiterated in a report from the same outlet.

He began: “He is absolutely, Ibrahim Sangare, on the list. We know that Chelsea are also chasing him as well.”

McAdam continued: “We know that Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in Sangare. He’s got his heart set on a move to the Premier League. He’s desperate to play in the English top-flight, he’s convinced that this summer he can get the dream move.

“We are told that there’s a potential release clause which would be €35million, so not hugely expensive. But he does still have three years left on his current PSV Eindhoven deal.”

The verdict: Make it happen

At the suggested €35m (£29.9m) price tag, signing Sangare would be a sensational piece of early business from Ten Hag and John Murtough.

Last season, the 6 foot 2 juggernaut scored four times and provided four assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, earning a outstanding 7.38 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.4 duels, completing 60.2 accurate passes and making 2.6 interceptions on average per game in the Eredivisie.

Described as ‘unstoppable’ by ex-PSV boss Roger Schmidt, adding the defensive acumen of Sangare to the Red Devils squad to play alongside the flair of Bruno Fernandes is a mouth-watering proposition.

In other news: Man Utd now eyeing ‘world class’ Serie A gem, read more here

A major Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged regarding the club’s pursuit of Hugo Ekitike heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has provided an update on the state of play as the Magpies attempt to get a deal over the line for the French centre-forward.

He tweeted: “Newcastle hopeful of sealing Hugo Ekitike signing (structure/fees/terms still being discussed). A loan + obligation to buy was mooted (a way to delay FFP restrictions) but it will be permanent. Deals also still in play for Sven Botman & Matt Targett.”

Hope has since added to his initial claim, tweeting: “Newcastle believe he wants to sign. Last I heard was agent fees were still being negotiated.”

Eddie Howe will be excited

The Magpies head coach will surely be left feeling excited by this news, as he will be keen to get Ekitike to St James’ Park as early as possible.

Howe will want as many signings in the door as the club can manage ahead of pre-season, as it will give him the best chance of integrating them into the team ahead of the first Premier League match of the campaign. Conversely, bringing someone in with only days, or even hours, left in the transfer window will leave them playing catch-up, as Newcastle would already be a few matches into the season.

The Toon boss will also be excited by the prospect of working with the French striker, who has shown great promise in his short career so far. In the 2021/22 Ligue 1 campaign, the youngster managed 10 goals and three assists in 15 starts for Reims, showing that he can make a big impact in the final third on a consistent basis.

As per FBRef, he also ranked in the 99th percentile for interceptions (1.06) and 86th percentile for tackles made (1.2) per 90 in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days. This shows that he works his socks off for the team and is an asset in and out of possession.

He has the quality to make things happen in the penalty box when his team has the ball and he also has the tenacity and work rate to cause the opposition problems when they have possession. Howe will be delighted with this as it will enable him to get his team to press high up the pitch, knowing that he would have Ekitike to put pressure on defenders.

AND in other news, “I’m told…”: Journalist drops “exciting” NUFC transfer claim that supporters will love…

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

What’s the talk?

In a recent article for Caught Offside, the Italian journalist suggested that, despite both Manchester United and Manchester City being heavily linked with a move for the 26-year-old this summer, the England international could still end up remaining at Elland Road beyond the closure of the transfer window in September.

In his article, Romano wrote: “Kalvin Phillips hasn’t made any decisions about his future yet. Manchester United have his name on the list but he is not a priority for them, even because the player would not want to ‘betray’ Leeds.

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“In fact, the England international does not rule out staying at Leeds for another year after they secured survival in the Premier League, but this will depend on the proposals that come in for him.

“Manchester City are interested, but after taking on Erling Haaland they will not invest insane amounts on a new midfielder to replace the departing Fernandinho. But, Phillips wants to wait before the talks enter the decisive stages.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering how important a part of the Leeds midfield Phillips is, Romano’s suggestion that the Whites academy graduate could end up staying at his boyhood club for at least one more year is sure to be news that will leave the Elland Road faithful buzzing.

Indeed, while a hamstring injury severely limited the £45m-rated talent’s game time this season, the deep-lying playmaker highly impressed over his 29 Premier League appearances in 2020/21, bagging one goal, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.2 key passes, taking 0.5 shots and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

The £38k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances, completing 41.0 passes and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per fixture.

These returns saw the 19-time capped international earn a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as Marcelo Bielsa’s best player in the top flight but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the league as a whole.

As such, it is clear to see that, should Jesse Marsch’s side indeed be able to retain the services of the 26-year-old heading into 2022/23, it would undoubtedly come as a huge boost to the Whites’ chances of success next season – a prospect that will certainly delight everyone involved with the club.

AND in other news: Orta now plotting Leeds offer for “exquisite” £12.5m target, imagine him & Aaronson

West Ham United are reportedly interested in a deal to bring Augsburg defender Reece Oxford back to the club, according to reports.

What’s the word?

As per ExWHUemployee, the Hammers are huge admirers of the academy graduate and are tracking the 23-year-old’s progress in Germany, although doubts remain as to the player’s enthusiasm to return to the London Stadium.

Asked about the ‘possible chances’ of the Englishman making the switch back to England, the trusted insider stated: “Firstly I have been really impressed with Oxford, he’s done very well in Germany this season and has been receiving some very good reviews. There is definitely talk of him wanting to return to England, potentially with us. Whilst there are people at West Ham who still rate him very highly at this stage I don’t believe he would be prepared to return at this point.”

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The centre-back had previously made 17 senior appearances for the east London outfit before eventually joining his current side on a permanent deal in 2019, having also previously spent time on loan at both Reading and Borussia Monchengladbach.

Supporters will be buzzing

That news will no doubt pique the interest of the club’s supporters, although it would appear that GSB and manager David Moyes will have to work their magic to try and tempt the youngster into a return to his old stomping ground.

A guarantee of regular game time will likely be high on the agenda for the £9m-rated gem, having admitted that he had originally departed the club due to a lack of minutes, revealing that there was “not a pathway” into the first-team by the end of his time at the club.

The £11k-per-week star had burst onto the scene at the age of just 16, becoming the Hammers’ youngest ever player after making his debut in a Europa League qualification clash in July 2015, before starting his first Premier League game just a month later away at Arsenal.

Despite that remarkable nod of faith by manager Slaven Bilic, Oxford went on to make just eight top-flight outings in total over the next few seasons, failing to make a single league appearance during the 2016/17 campaign.

Perhaps simply a case of too much too soon, the Edmonton born starlet was forced to reinvigorate his career away from England, although has since blossomed away from the limelight in the Bundesliga.

As he proved in the most recent campaign, his return to his former club would not be for solely sentimental reasons, with his form warranting a move to a side competing in Europe and challenging in the upper echelons of Europe’s toughest league.

In 30 league games this season, he has averaged a remarkable 5.6 clearances per game, as well as o.9 tackles and 2.4 interceptions, while also winning a solid 62% of his aerial duels and keeping nine clean sheets.

Typically deployed as part of a back three – although also comfortable as a defensive midfielder – the former England U20 international also ranks in the top 2% for interceptions made by centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues, as well as in the top 9% for touches in the attacking penalty area, with the 6 foot 4 giant a handful at both ends of the pitch.

With a new centre-back addition needed next season for Moyes and co, Oxford could well be the man to fill the void, with the club’s supporters set to be delighted to welcome back a familiar face who is beginning to realise his early promise.

IN other news, Cost £1.5m per goal: GSB made a colossal blunder on “strong” £40k-p/w West Ham flop