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Chelsea are interested in bringing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen to Stamford Bridge.

What’s the latest on Victor Osimhen to Chelsea?

According to the Guardian, a new frontman is one of the club’s priorities and the 24-year-old has been earmarked as a possible candidate.

Indeed, the report notes that the London club are 'interested' in the Napoli striker and Inter star Lautaro Martínez.

That said, whilst the Blues eye a sensational summer swoop for the €100m (£87m) Nigerian, Mauricio Pochettino is still yet to conclude how to deal with Romelu Lukaku, whose future in west London looks extremely murky.

Is Osimhen better than Lukaku?

The 25-cap Osimhen has enjoyed the season of dreams and has been simply unstoppable at times.

The marksman netted 25 Serie A goals to underline his status as the division’s top scorer and also forged the best minute-per-goal ratio (100 mins) in the league, as per BBC Sport.

The focal point emerged as the title-winning catalyst that secured the Partenopei their first Scudetto in 33 years as he achieved immortalisation in one of Europe’s most adoring and fervent football cities.

Italian legend and former Chelsea ace Gianfranco Zola recognised Osimhen’s magnificent quality saying: “He’s a very complete player. He’s got a good reference going forward, he can link up play and he’s devastating in the air. He’s a pest to defenders.”

From a Chelsea perspective, a player of this potency and productivity would be invaluable, especially when assessing the west Londoner’s hapless form in front of goal.

Their abysmal haul of 38 goals in as many top-flight games is their lowest-ever tally as it's been an issue that has plagued their disastrous record-breaking campaign.

The 2021 Champions League winners already have Lukaku in their ranks, but it remains to be seen if he wants to return and what Pochettino thinks.

Nevertheless, when you consider the Belgian’s form this season and his frighteningly little contribution last term, it seems most logical for both parties to go their separate ways.

After his £97.5m move to Chelsea, he netted three goals in his first three Premier League outings, but then only found the net on five occasions in the following 23 attempts, a run which included an outrageously controversial interview, where he expressed his desire to return to Inter.

Although the powerhouse has been more fruitful since returning to the Italian capital, scoring ten in 24 league outings, that is still a far cry from Osimhen's enormous tally.

Add to that his hideous lack of movement, mobility, and motivation for the Blues and it would make sense for the English side to pursue a more dynamic, hungry, and pacey forward, which could come in the form of Osimhen.

Manchester United could add a free agent to their squad this summer, with a report from Sport (via Sport Witness) stating that the Red Devils are one of the potential landing spots for Jordi Alba.

Is Jordi Alba leaving Barcelona?

The defender has been with Barcelona for 11 seasons now and has played in 312 league fixtures for the Catalan giants during his time there. That run has seen him amass 17 goals and 61 assists – a superb record for someone who has predominantly played as a left-back for the Spanish side. Not only that, but the player has also won the La Liga title six times – as well as claiming Champions League glory with them back in 2014/15.

However, Barcelona have now decided not to renew Alba's deal, and it means he will be leaving as a free agent when the current season comes to a close. The 34-year-old will have to try and find himself a new team this summer and it appears that a move to the Premier League for the first time is not out of the question.

That's because a report from Sport (via Sport Witness) suggests that Premier League side Man United are one of the potential destinations that the defender could end up at. It adds that there is interest from a number of teams – including Champions League finalists Inter – but that the prospect of a switch to England does "attract" the left-back. If that is the case and the Red Devils are keen to do business, a switch could be on for the player.

Are Man United signing Jordi Alba?

It is not known if there is interest from Erik ten Hag's side, though the Red Devils would get themselves an experienced, capable player if they did opt to bring in Alba.

Despite his age, he has still produced a WhoScored rating of 6.79, which actually puts him above the likes of Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto and Ferran Torres in terms of performance this campaign. He is still within the top 15 performing players at the club and his rate of 0.7 dribbles per game ranks within the top five at the club. This suggests he is still the bombarding full-back that he always has been, can drive the ball forward and can often do it better than a lot of his younger Barcelona colleagues.

The CIES Football Observatory also suggests that he still holds a value of €10m (£8.6m). This suggests that whilst he's no longer one of the most highly rated players in the game, to pick him up on a free would be good business nevertheless.

Whilst United wouldn't get many more years out of Alba and his best days may be behind him, he is a good depth option to have and his experience and knowledge of the game could be perfect to pass on to some of the younger members of the Red Devils' squad if they signed him.

Newcastle United are considering raiding Wolverhampton Wanderers for their prized asset in Ruben Neves, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Molineux this summer.

What's the latest on Ruben Neves to Newcastle?

According to the Mirror, Newcastle's qualification for the 23/24 Champions League has placed them back in the reckoning for a swoop for Neves, who is expected to depart from Wolverhampton this summer.

Barcelona have been the discernible favourites to complete a deal for the 26-year-old, though Ansu Fati's refusal to be included in a swap deal for the Portuguese midfielder has thrown a spanner in the works.

As such, Eddie Howe's Magpies and Manchester United, who need one point from two matches to secure top four, are in a firm position to clinch Neves' signature, with a fee as high as £50m touted for his signature.

Should Newcastle sign Ruben Neves?

Despite a remarkable campaign that has propelled Newcastle back to the forefront of the Premier League, Howe has admitted that a "big transfer window" is forthcoming, with a return to the Champions League expected to continue the ascension, and not cultivate a slump with the increase in match action.

Signing Neves would represent a marked improvement on an already thriving midfield, Joe Willock, Bruno Guimaraes, Sean Longstaff and Joelinton all impressing with their exploits this year and playing instrumental roles in crafting a high-octane and cohesive side capable of fighting to the top across multiple fronts.

Having made 252 appearances for the Old Gold, Neves, who has been described as "incredible" by former teammate Hugo Bueno, is a distinguished gem in English football and is one of the sweetest strikers of a football around, also hailed as a "beast" by former pro Jimmy Conrad for his scintillating set-piece ability.

As per Sofascore, the 39-cap Portugal international has recorded an average rating of 7.26 in the top flight this season, scoring six goals, averaging 1.9 shots per match, completing 84% of his passes, and making 2.3 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game.

He also ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 15% for interceptions, the top 8% for blocks and the top 2% for clearances per 90 (statistics provided by FBref) illustrating his defensive resilience and eye for the back of the net.

The £50k-per-week phenom could be the perfect ace to replace Sean Longstaff, who has been a notable success story on Tyneside this year and has been regarded as a £50m player by journalist Keith Downie, which could bode well for United as they look to make the requisite improvements to their team to ultimately unleash a squad brimming with Europe's premium talent.

Longstaff has been heralded as Newcastle's "unsung hero" by Paul Merson, but is outscored by Neves across almost every metric on Sofascore, and while statistics do not paint the full picture, with Longstaff's work indeed encapsulating the diligence that falls below the eye-catching, dazzling side of football, Neves is something of an assiduous ace himself.

Neves, who indeed has been touted for the very same fee as the lifelong Magpie, is unquestionably an upgrade: more robust, more tenacious, and more quality on the ball.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Arsenal are set to make a bid for Declan Rice in the next few weeks.

Who do Arsenal want to sign this summer?

After what's seemed like such a long season – lengthened by the mid-season delay of the winter World Cup – the Premier League campaign will be finished at the end of the month.

And while the Gunners may not have been able to win the title, they have still achieved their first major goal by qualifying for the Champions League with a top-four finish.

Next season then, with football to be played in Europe's most prestigious competition, the Gunners will need to upgrade some areas in their squad.

And it seems as though Mikel Arteta is not hanging around. Indeed, the latest news is that Granit Xhaka is heading to Bayer Leverkusen in a £13m deal.

And this may open the door for West Ham United captain Rice to arrive at the Emirates in the near future.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed the very latest on the £60k-per-week Englishman.

He said (3:41): “Arsenal will attack the situation of Declan Rice and now it's a priority for them to go on that one.

"So Declan Rice remains on the Arsenal list, is discussed internally and they want to try to make a bid in the next weeks, once the situation will be clear on West Ham's side, also on the price tag to start the negotiations”

Is Rice joining Arsenal?

Seeing as Manchester City look to have the title wrapped up but the Gunners mathematically can't drop below second with just two games left to play, they may as well start focusing on summer transfers.

West Ham, however, still have the little matter of a European final to fight for. Indeed, they play AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final on Thursday night.

With that being the case, the Irons and Rice will be entirely focused on that game in the short term and if they qualify, Arsenal probably won't be able to negotiate with the midfielder until the final has been played on June 7.

And so, for those particularly impatient in north London, they may even be hoping West Ham lose so they can come in with a bid as soon as possible.

To be fair, though with Premier League rivals such as Manchester United also in the market for Rice, it might be wise to get this deal wrapped up without much delay.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their interest in Amine Gouiri heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The i Paper’s Mark Douglas has confirmed that PIF are eyeing up a swoop for the Nice attacker ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, tweeting: “#nufc scout Amine Gouiri, highly-rated Nice striker.”

Douglas’ accompanying article states that the Tyneside club are in the market for a centre-forward this summer, with the 22-year-old a player they are scouting.

The Frenchman is reportedly valued at £30m by the Ligue 1 outfit, although it remains to be seen how much the Premier League side are willing to pay for his services.

Howe’s own Benzema

Journalist Evan Barlett dubbed Gouiri the “new Benzema”, and the comparison is an easy one to make. Both strikers came through the ranks at the Lyon academy and Gouiri appears to be on his way to reaching the top level, where Benzema has been showcasing his quality for many years.

In the current Real Madrid maestro’s last Ligue 1 season for Lyon in 2008/09, he scored 17 goals and provided four assists in 36 games.

Meanwhile, Gouiri was directly involved in 19 league goals last term and has caught the eye again in 2021/22 as he has proven that he can score and set up goals on a regular basis – as shown in the graphic below, with stats via SofaScore.

The 22-year-old phenomenon has been in fine form and is showing that he has the potential to become an elite player, just like his fellow countryman.

Benzema managed a direct goal contribution roughly every 132 minutes in his last Ligue 1 campaign. Gouiri has managed one every 149 minutes for Nice this term, which suggests that there is not a great deal of difference between their productivity in those respective seasons in the French top flight.

After leaving Lyon, the now 34-year-old Benzema has gone on to score more than 300 goals for Real Madrid and has netted 44 goals in all competitions this season for the Spanish giants. This illustrates how much of an honour it is for the Nice predator to be compared with him and why his potential is so high.

Gouiri’s statistics this season show that he is on the right path, and that is why Eddie Howe can land his own goalscoring and creating sensation, like Benzema, for Newcastle by securing a deal for the youngster. He has come up through the same youth system, plays in the same position and was born under an hour away from the city of Lyon – where the Real Madrid legend was born – in Bourgoin-Jallieu.

If the Magpies bring him in, it will then be down to the 22-year-old to fulfill his potential and prove that he has the ability to reach the very top level, competing for titles and being a star in the Champions League.

AND in other news, “NUFC will..”: Ciaran Kelly delivers big transfer claim that’ll excite supporters…

West Bromwich Albion were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempt at getting out of the Championship and back into the Premier League this season.

In their 46 league games, initially under Valerien Ismael and then Steve Bruce, the Baggies won 18, drew 13 and lost 15, leaving them with a 10th-place finish.

One figure in West Brom’s squad who didn’t have much of an impact on the team despite playing regularly this season is Grady Diangana.

Diangana’s 2021/22

With 31 appearances to his name in the 2021/22 campaign, the attacker scored just two goals and only provided one assist along the way.

By the end of the season, players such as Adam Reach and Alex Mowatt had more goal contributions than the 24-year-old, who has had his performances in the past labelled “desperate” by Adrian Goldberg.

Along with his lack of regular goal contributions, Diangana’s overall performances were also not up to scratch – so much so that WhoScored gave him a season rating of 6.39/10, making him the lowest-rated outfield Baggies player currently at the club to have started more than one league game.

Now that the summer transfer window is around the corner, there’s every chance that Bruce may not feel like the winger is capable of being an important squad figure for Albion and having what it takes to get them back to the Premier League.

In terms of potential incoming transfers at The Hawthorns, one player with whom the Baggies have been linked and who could potentially push Diangana out the door is Scott Twine.

Axe Diangana, sign Twine

Since joining MK Dons from Swindon Town last summer, the 22-year-old has taken League One by storm.

In 46 league appearances, the versatile attacker found the net 20 times and supplied 13 assists in the process, earning himself a superb overall performance rating of 7.4/10 from WhoScored.

Despite being in the third tier, the youngster has shown that he could prove to be just as good in the Championship if given the chance.

Labelled a “human highlight reel” by podcaster Ryan Dilks, Twine’s versatility by playing in numerous midfield and attacking positions this season could also make him a useful squad figure for Bruce, as well as being a more clinical player in front of goal than Diangana.

Therefore, bringing him to The Hawthorns may then give the manager the scope to axe the former West Ham winger for good.

In other news: Bruce can save WBA millions by finally unleashing “aggressive” rarely-seen 19 y/o gem

Liverpool will unleash Jordan Henderson in the holding midfield role in place of the injured Fabinho, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Reds hit with Fabinho blow

The Reds have been relatively fortunate in the injury department of late but that changed during their 2-1 win away to Aston Villa in the Premier League in midweek.

Fabinho limped off early in proceedings with a hamstring injury and the Brazilian will now miss both the FA Cup final and Liverpool’s two remaining league games this season.

His involvement in the Champions League final is also up in the air, as Jurgen Klopp’s men look to win a seventh European Cup in Paris, although reports late this week suggest he will be fit for the season finale.

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The Latest: Pearce drops early team news

Taking to Twitter, The Athletic‘s Pearce says that Henderson is now ‘set to play’ the No.6 role – the skipper has played just 13 of his 53 appearances this season in that position.

“Jordan Henderson set to play the holding role in Saturday’s FA Cup final.”

The Verdict: Silver lining

Fabinho is one of Liverpool’s most important players, mastering the defensive midfield role and being hailed as a ‘lighthouse’ by Pep Lijnders, so him being out is an enormous blow. The 28-year-old has averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in the league this season, not to mention scoring an impressive eight goals in all competitions.

However, while Henderson’s usual role is further forward on the right of a midfield three, his record in the defensive spot this season is somewhat remarkable – of the 13 games he’s played there (12 starts), the Reds have won 12 and drawn just once, a win rate of 92 per cent.

The captain manages less tackles and interceptions per game than the Brazilian, but provides nearly twice as many key passes, so could make the side more creative against Chelsea’s stern back five set-up.

In other news, a ‘major’ Liverpool transfer update has emerged. Read more here.