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Liverpool are considering making an approach to sign Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Arthur out

The Reds were on the lookout for a new central player over the summer to provide cover for the ongoing injury crisis, and ended up landing Juventus’ Arthur Melo on a season-long loan.

However, the Brazilian has now been ruled out of action and is facing up to four months on the sidelines after sustaining a serious thigh injury, leaving FSG to identify the man they want to bring to the Premier League as his replacement.

The Latest: Liverpool monitoring Rodriguez

According to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are ‘keeping an eye on’ Rodriguez, though it remains to be seen whether the Merseyside outfit will be ‘taking the step forward’ to sign him in January.

It’s stated that the 28-year-old is the ‘main value’ of Manuel Pellegrini’s squad, meaning they ‘could offer him’ out in the New Year to balance the books, though it’s believed they are keen to get him to put pen to paper on a new deal before the World Cup.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Rodriguez is a hugely talented player and if Liverpool have the opportunity to land him in January for a reasonable fee, then it’s a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

The Argentinian, praised for his ‘creative spark’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, currently averages 3.1 tackles per La Liga game and has a pass success rate of 88.7% (WhoScored), showing quality on both sides of the ball.

With seven career trophies to his name, Rodriguez would bring a wealth of success and experience to the midfield in what would be a welcome addition at Anfield.

Aston Villa left-back Lucas Digne has reportedly suffered an ankle injury while on international duty with France, adding another defensive concern for Steven Gerrard.

The Lowdown: Injury problems mounting

It has been a disappointing start to the season for Villa, with Gerrard’s men sitting 15th in the Premier League table with seven matches played to date.

Injuries certainly haven’t helped the situation at Villa Park, with new signings Diego Carlos and Boubacar Kamara both currently sidelined while Matty Cash also missed the clash against Southampton.

And almost immediately after the players jetted off on international duty this week, a new setback has emerged.

The Latest: Digne suffers injury

According to the French Football association [via Sport Witness], Digne has picked up an ankle injury with France, ruling him out of the upcoming UEFA Nations League clashes with Austria and Denmark.

There is no timescale in terms of a return date however, meaning his status for the next league game away to Leeds United remains a mystery.

The Verdict: Big blow for Gerrard

This is another big injury headache for Gerrard to contend with, considering what a consistent performer Digne has been since joining from Everton back in January.

The 29-year-old has won an average of 2.1 aerial duels per game in the league this season – only Tyrone Mings (2.4) has a higher tally – not to mention 2.3 tackles and clearances apiece.

The hope is that Digne’s injury isn’t too serious and that he will available for the Leeds game – if not, Ludwig Augustinsson or Ashley Young will have to fill in, acting as weaker options at left-back, with all due respect.

Liverpool are still ‘looking’ to sign a new midfielder this summer but Frenkie de Jong is staying put at Barcelona, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Midfielder desperately needed

The Reds may have won 9-0 at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, getting their Premier League season up and running, but they still badly need an extra midfielder.

Injuries to Thiago, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have left Jurgen Klopp short on options, while Jordan Henderson and James Milner have both come under fire for recent performances.

De Jong is one player that Liverpool have been loosely linked with signing, but a fresh update has now emerged which appears to have poured cold water on any prospects of the Reds landing the Dutchman.

The Latest: Midfield update emerges

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Jacobs claimed that De Jong would now remain at Barcelona, with the Reds working hard on an alternative.

The reporter tweeted:

“Frenkie de Jong is expected to get his wish and stay at Barcelona. As previously reported, Manchester United have all but given up. No significant new offensive to sign him has taken place. Chelsea haven’t made any further progress either. Liverpool looking elsewhere.”

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The Verdict: Business simply must be done

There is no excuse for Liverpool not to sign a midfielder between now and deadline day on Thursday – failure to do so would arguably be negligence on the part of Klopp, the transfer committee and owners FSG.

While the Reds’ selective style has often worked wonders in the transfer market in recent years, occasionally it is vital to bring in a player who may not be the absolute perfect target in order to solve a squad depth crisis.

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That’s what Liverpool are experiencing in midfield right now, and in defence two seasons ago, so it is imperative that a new face arrives in the middle of the park, giving that area of the squad a much-needed injection of depth.

According to The Telegraph’s Matt Law, Harry Kane is expected to sign a new deal at Tottenham Hotspur after Fabio Paratici’s ‘phenomenal’ behind-the-scenes impact.

The Lowdown: Change of heart

Last summer, the 29-year-old hinted that he wanted to leave north London in an appearance on Sky Sports’ The Overlap with Gary Neville, with fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City consistently credited with a serious interest.

However, a move failed to come to fruition before the Blues moved on to Erling Haaland, and since the arrival of Antonio Conte, reports have suggested that the striker is happy with life under the Italian.

The Latest: Kane expected to sign

In a report for The Telegraph, Law claims that the ‘smart money’ is now on Kane ‘eventually signing a new Tottenham contract’ as a result of Haaland having joined the Manchester outfit.

The source states that Paratici had a ‘phenomenal’ impact on keeping his forward at the club last year, having ‘told’ the England captain that City’s initial offer of £85m plus £15m in add-ons ‘was not one that demonstrated a realistic desire to sign him’.

It’s believed that the director of football ‘explained’ that Pep Guardiola’s side must have been ‘less certain’ to buy him due to the Haaland interest occurring straight after.

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The Verdict: Exciting

Any Tottenham fan will know just how much of an influence Kane has on Conte’s starting XI, and it would be massively positive news if he commits himself for the long-term.

The 73-cap international, described as an ‘animal’ by Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness, has made a remarkable 306 goal contributions in 386 senior appearances, as per Transfermarkt, and constantly proves to be an absolute beast in the final third.

Kane has played such a significant role in Spurs’ success over the years, and if he puts pen to paper on fresh terms, will no doubt continue doing so for the foreseeable future.

Tottenham Hotspur chief Fabio Paratici could be lining up another masterclass in the transfer market this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero (via Sport Witness), LaLiga giants Barcelona are planning to make an offer for left-back Sergio Reguilon, who is free to leave Spurs before deadline day.

However, they are unable to pay much due to their complex financial situation, so they are keen on a swap deal, in which Memphis Depay could be sent in the other direction.

It’s thought that Paratici has been offering the Spanish defender around to clubs and the Catalan outfit view him as a viable alternative to the ageing Jordi Alba.

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The north Londoners have been linked with interest in Depay for much of the summer.

A swap in Spurs’ favour

Spurs really ought to consider this proposal as Depay would add a lot to manager Antonio Conte’s attack, especially given his versatility.

Paratici has already delivered big this off-season, signing as many as six new players, including a £60m swoop for Richarlison and a £25m move for Yves Bissouma.

Reguilon clearly has no part to play under the Italian head coach, seeing as he was left behind for their pre-season trip to South Korea and has effectively been replaced by summer signing Ivan Perisic. who is tried and trusted by Conte.

There is little point in keeping him around if he’s not going to play, so swapping him for Depay could be a very smart decision. Some reports suggest that Spurs are in the market for a creative influence and to an extent, the Netherlands international would bring that and more.

Despite losing his place at the Nou Camp, the former Lyon gem ended the 2021/22 campaign as their top league goalscorer on 12 goals.

Meanwhile, as per FBref, Depay ranks inside the top 1% for passes (48.11 per 90), the top 3% for progressive carries (7.37 per 90) and the top 6% for progressive passes (3.26 per 90) when compared to other forwards across Europe.

The versatile frontman, once lauded as a “special talent” by Dutch legend Marco van Basten, can evidently provide the sort of creativity that Harry Kane and Heung-min Son need, on top of his finishing threat.

Valued at £33m by CIES Football Observatory, Spurs would be getting decent value in a swap for Reguilon, who cost the north Londoners around £32m. If Paratici can pull this one off, then it would be yet another masterclass from the Italian supremo.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals big Harry Kane update…

Spanish journalist Oriol Domenech has claimed that Manchester United and Barcelona have reached an agreement for Frenkie de Jong.

The Lowdown: Saga of the summer

De Jong, who Xavi Hernandez described as a ‘genius’, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford for over two months now after rumours first emerged following Erik ten Hag’s appointment as United boss at the end of April.

Since then, there has been plenty of talk but not much action, however, United chiefs John Murtough and Richard Arnold have recently been spotted in Barcelona to seemingly continue talks regarding a move for De Jong, and it looks as if progress is finally being made.

The Latest: Breakthrough

Domenech was speaking to Onde TV3, with Football Talk translating the update regarding Man Utd and De Jong.

He claimed that a deal has now been closed for the midfielder worth a total €85m (£71.8m). The report adds that the Red Devils now need to convince De Jong over a reunion with Ten Hag, which could be straightforward if his salary issues with the Catalan giants can be resolved.

The Verdict: Finally

It has been a long time coming, but it looks as if the club have finally made a breakthrough when it comes to signing De Jong.

There could still be obstacles to overcome before we see the Dutchman in red, though, as he is still owed £17m in deferred salary payments by Barcelona.

It has been an extremely complicated process but one that United officials have never given up on, and it looks as if Murtough and Arnold are close to getting their main man in ahead of Ten Hag’s first competitive game in charge.

Leeds United could make their move for Noa Lang this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who revealed that the Club Brugge hotshot has been a long-term target for the Elland Road hierarchy.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“We know that they’ve been looking at some other really exciting names. Noa Lang is a long-term target, somebody that they definitely like. Gakpo is definitely admired and somebody that they’ve had on their list.”

It’s believed that the Dutch winger would cost in excess of €30m (£25m), as per Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws (via Sport Witness).

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Raphinha 2.0

Indeed, Lang has regularly been linked with a switch to west Yorkshire and this off-season could be the ideal time for Leeds to make their move.

Raphinha, who has now been left out of their pre-season tour of Australia, appears to be edging ever closer to an exit. Fabrizio Romano claims the Yorkshire giants are “in talks” over his exit, with Barcelona and Premier League rivals Chelsea battling it out for his signature.

Leeds have already taken steps to fill the inevitable void left behind by signing Feyenoord star Luis Sinisterra for £25m but his primary position throughout his career has been on the left, rather than the right, though he is versatile to play on either side.

That said, a more scattergun approach to trying to replace him could pay off, so it would make sense to launch an offence for Lang, who could well become the next Raphinha around Elland Road.

The 23-year-old, who stands at 5 foot 10, continued his impressive form in the Jupiler Pro League as Club Brugge clinched the title last season – as per Transfermarkt, he registered seven goals and 14 assists, taking his total for the club to 26 goals and 26 assists in 85 appearances.

Formerly of the Ajax academy, the five-time Dutch international has been lauded for his exploits regularly.

Belgian sports journalist Peter Vandenbempt has lauded Lang as a “phenomenon”, whilst scout Jacek Kulig has described him as being “unstoppable” at times.

FBref compare his style to that of Jadon Sancho and Adama Traore, both of whom are in the Premier League, so perhaps he would need little time to settle in based on their experiences.

Lang also ranks in the top 2% of his positional peers across Europe for progressive passes (6.18 per 90) and the top 10% for dribbles completed (2.56 per 90), which is an encouraging sign and one that only adds to the possibility of him replacing Raphinha on the right flank – his natural position, too.

As Jones suggests, he could well be an exciting arrival for Leeds, should director of football Victor Orta pursue his signature before the September 1st deadline.

AND in other news, Orta could seal dream Rodrigo heir with Leeds bid for “highly-rated” 44-goal sensation…

Liverpool have been boosted if they wish to sign Adrien Rabiot this summer, with the Frenchman now keen on a move to the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Rabiot set to leave Juve

The 27-year-old made 32 appearances in Serie A last season, proving to be a solid squad player who provided quality in the middle of the park for Juve.

Rabiot has never necessarily been an undisputed key man with the Turin giants, however, and with his current deal running out in 2023, he is expected to leave this summer before they can lose him for free.

While the Frenchman has mainly been linked with the likes of Newcastle and Manchester United, the Reds are name-checked in a key new update on his future.

The Latest: Liverpool emerges as possible suitor

According to The Telegraph, Rabiot is eyeing up a move to the Premier League, but only to one of the four teams who have qualified for the Champions League.

That is, of course, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham, all of whom are mentioned in the report when it comes to the Juve man’s next move. Manchester United and Arsenal are noted as backup options, having only qualified for the Europa League.

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The Verdict: Good player but seems unlikely

Rabiot is a classy footballer who has been described as ‘complete’ by none other than midfield legend Andrea Pirlo, and with Liverpool in need of a new midfielder this summer, there is some logic behind him moving to Anfield for a relatively low fee – the report prices him at just £15m.

He has won a ridiculous haul of trophies – 24 to be exact – and also has 29 France caps to his name.

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The France international is 27 now, however, and it feels more likely that Jurgen Klopp will look for a younger option such as Jude Bellingham or Nicolo Barella, either this summer or next.

Rabiot feels more likely to end up at somewhere like Spurs, with Antonio Conte expected to be very busy this summer, not to mention being able to promise him more chance of regular playing time.

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

Tottenham Hotspur need only a point to secure Champions League football next season as they head to Carrow Road to face an already relegated Norwich City on the Premier League’s final day.

There are doubts over Harry Kane’s availability after the England talisman was struck down with illness towards the end of the week, whilst the likes of Cristian Romero, Oliver Skipp and Sergio Reguilon are all still on the treatment table.

Antonio Conte will have plenty to ponder heading into kickoff, knowing that a draw will seal a place in the top four – something that seemed impossible to achieve when he took over from Nuno Santo in November.

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An emphatic win against arch-rivals Arsenal, followed up by a win at home to Burnley last weekend has put the north Londoners in pole position but nothing is guaranteed, especially on the last day.

As such, the Italian head coach must still name his strongest lineup to ensure they go out with a bang and with that in mind, Emerson Royal’s place is surely in question as the Brazilian has struggled for consistency all season.

After signing from FC Barcelona in a £26m deal in the summer, the 23-year-old has shown flashes of his potential, especially in recent outings – three straight WhoScored ratings of 7.05 or better certainly suggest that to be the case.

However, he has struggled to maintain that to a consistent level and in part, that could be down to injury. He was withdrawn early as a precaution against the Clarets, so we may well see that level of form drop below the current trend.

As an attacking wing-back, he has failed to deliver in the final third, managing only one goal, one assist and 0.9 key passes per game across 30 appearances in the Premier League, via WhoScored.

Emerson had been so poor that Conte was desperate to bolster his squad with a new left wing-back, targeting Adama Traore before he opted for the aforementioned LaLiga giants.

Earlier in the season, former Lilywhites defender Jonathan Woodgate dubbed the Brazilian’s defending as “horrendous”, whilst fans have often slammed him as being a “liability,” so you can’t just shake that off after a couple of decent performances.

Valued at £34m by CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis, it could be wise for Conte to axe him for such a crucial encounter.

A ruthless decision perhaps but ensuring they do not concede will go a long way in securing the solitary point they need for a place in Europe’s elite competition in 2022/23.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals huge injury boost ahead of Norwich…