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Newcastle United have reportedly set their sights on signing Galatasaray attacker Nicolo Zaniolo this summer.

What’s the latest Newcastle transfer news?

The Magpies, and by extension owners PIF, have already splashed the cash on two marquee signings to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Sandro Tonali was the first big-name player through the door, joining from AC Milan in a deal worth £55m, and it was recently confirmed that Harvey Barnes has signed from Leicester City at a cost of around £38m.

However, it doesn’t look as if those at St James’ Park plan on stopping there, with Champions League football on offer for the upcoming season. It appears as if Howe and Newcastle want to bring in a new full-back as they have had a £30m approach turned down by Southampton for Tino Livramento.

Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney is another who has been linked with a move north, whereas Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is another player of interest.

Further additions at the back and in midfielder could be on the cards, and by the looks of things, another signing in the final third may also be on the agenda, with speculation emerging over Zaniolo.

According to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb, Newcastle have set their sights on a move for Zaniolo. They claimed that polls and information have been gathering when it comes to the Galatasaray attacker, however, the Turkish side are reluctant to sell this summer.

The report adds that Zaniolo is attracting interest from a number of clubs in Italy, but say that Newcastle could complicate a possible return to Serie A.

Who is Nicolo Zaniolo?

Zaniolo is 24 years of age and is primarily an attacking midfielder who can also turn out on the right-hand side or as a second striker. The Italy international, who was labelled a wonderkid alongside Tonali back in 2019, spent time in Fiorentina and Inter Milan’s youth systems before moving to Roma in 2018.

He went on to make 128 senior appearances for Roma, scoring 24 times and providing 18 assists and only made the move to Galatasaray back in February.

Since then, Zaniolo has contributed to six goals in 12 appearances for his current employers, but it looks as if he is attracting interest once again.

Described as a “monster” by journalist Nick Mercadante, Zaniolo has also been linked with a move to Tottenham this summer, with Milliyet's Galatasaray correspondent Nevzat Dindar saying:

"Zaniolo is also evolving into a world star. English clubs for Zaniolo.

"It goes up to 30-35 million euros. At this point, Galatasaray does not take Juventus' offers seriously. Tottenham is the closest club to finish Zaniolo."

However, it looks as if Newcastle could soon join the race for the left-footed attacker, who would offer plenty of versatility to Howe’s squad.

During his career, Zaniolo has made 101 appearances as an attacking midfielder, 56 as a right-winger and 28 as a second striker, so he could prove to be a smart signing in what looks set to be a busy season for the Magpies, making this one to watch.

Chelsea look set to be ramping up their efforts to lure more talent to Stamford Bridge as Mauricio Pochettino aims to build a team which can challenge for domestic honours during 2023/24.

Having already signed Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, a move for Ajax starlet Mohammed Kudus could be next on the cards for the Argentinian as he continues his summer overhaul at the Blues.

How much could Mohammed Kudus cost?

According to The Daily Mail, Chelsea have ‘held talks’ with Kudus over a potential move to the Premier League this summer, although Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion may potentially provide stiff competition with regard to securing his signature.

He rejected a contract offer from the Dutch side back in April, expressing his desire to leave the club during the transfer window.

The Ghanaian attacking midfielder has been valued at around £40m, which is a fee that Chelsea could certainly afford, especially since they have raised £219m from player sales already this summer.

What could Mohammed Kudus offer Chelsea?

One of the more highly publicised departures from Stamford Bridge during the transfer window was that of Kai Havertz, with the German international moving to Arsenal for £65m following three seasons at Chelsea.

Although showing glimpses of his talent which convinced the Blues to splash out £71m for him in 2020, including scoring the winner during the 2021 Champions League final, he couldn’t quite live up to expectations in England.

Registering 47 goal contributions – 32 goals and 15 assists – does sound like a decent figure across 139 games, yet he failed to score more than ten league goals in a single campaign during his three seasons at the club, something which he did during his final two years at Bayer Leverkusen.

Kudus could be an excellent heir for the 24-year-old, not only due to his ability to operate in an attacking midfield role, but also because of his positional versatility, being able to play as a centre-forward or on the right wing.

Both players pose a danger in the final third, although Kudus did score more often last term than Havertz (18 to nine), while also grabbing more assists (seven to one) and these aren’t the only attacking metrics in which he held an advantage over the former Chelsea star.

Indeed, the Ajax starlet also registered more shots per 90 (3.09 to 2.61), more shot-creating actions per 90 (3.04 to 2.48) and succeeded with a higher percentage of successful take-ons (59.8% to 34.9%), not only indicating that he was a greater threat in front of goal but that he had more confidence when coming up against opposition defenders.

Former Ajax striker and Dutch legend Marco van Basten praised Kudus after comparing him to current Manchester United winger Antony, saying: "I find Mohammed Kudus a much better football player than Antony. Antony has his skills, but he is confused with the things he is trying to do!

"Kudus has much better technique and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical. He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team. In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He’s more fun to watch play."

For a fee of £40m, Pochettino could potentially sign one of the bargains of the summer in the 22-year-old gem, while subsequently turning him into an ideal Havertz heir.

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Rennes and Belgium winger Jeremy Doku, but face stern competition from Aston Villa for his services.

How old is Jeremy Doku?

The attacker is currently 21 years of age and is considered a bright young prospect, having already scored 11 goals and added ten assists in 90 appearances for Rennes since joining in 2020. Last season, he registered ten goal contributions (six goals and four assists) in all competitions.

Doku didn't always manage to be a regular starter throughout 2022/23, however, with a number of injuries holding him back, and he may be eyeing a fresh challenge elsewhere beyond this summer. His current Rennes contract expires in 2025 and it would be a surprise if he was still at the Ligue 1 club at that point, given his potential.

While Liverpool's emphasis this summer has been on signing midfielders, and with centre-back also an area of focus, it looks as though a surprise attacking reinforcement could now be on the cards, which is where Doku enters the equation.

Could Liverpool sign Jeremy Doku?

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are eyeing a summer more for the 14-cap Belgium international, but they aren't alone in expressing an interest in him:

"Liverpool and Aston Villa are among the clubs interested in the potential transfer of Rennes winger Jeremy Doku as he sets his sights on a move to the Premier League.

"Liverpool, meanwhile, have also made checks on Doku in recent times but are currently focused on strengthening other areas of their squad such as midfield and defence, even if there is a long-term appreciation of the Belgium international, whose current contract expires in 2025."

This is an intriguing update from a Liverpool perspective, with Doku potentially being viewed as a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, who is 31 years of age now and arguably not likely to remain at Anfield beyond 2025, when his current deal runs out.

The Rennes man is happy thriving on either flank, but he was used more on the right-hand side last season, which is of course the position that Salah has taken up down the years.

That being said, Liverpool do look well-stocked in attack for now, considering Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo are all battling for minutes and all represent strong options, so it is hard to see where Doku would fit in right now, should he want to start for a new side from the off.

Revisiting the transfer this time next year could make more sense, unless he has joined Villa or another club by that point, especially if the mutual decision has been made for Salah for depart with a year remaining on his contract.

The Rennes ace has been described as "The Belgian Flash" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who added that he is "finally showing what he is capable of", while Paris Saint-Germain and France superstar Kylian Mbappe has also shown his appreciation for him in the past also, highlighting his potential.

David Moyes has rightly earned another season in charge of West Ham United after guiding the club to Europa Conference League success in May.

However, having struggled in the Premier League last season, an underwhelming transfer window to date has left the Scotsman on the back foot with a month to go until the new campaign begins.

Are West Ham United signing a striker?

Replacing Arsenal-bound Declan Rice will be Moyes' top priority at this stage, but that seems to be covered as Denis Zakaria looks set to join from Juventus.

Next on the list of Moyes' targets should be a striker, given Gianluca Scamacca struggled badly in his first season at the club and there are no alternatives, other than shoving winger-cum-striker Michail Antonio up top.

Rather worryingly for West Ham supporters, however, journalist Paul Brown has told GIVEMESPORT that the club are really determined to try and make a success of Scamacca.

Moyes is said to be intent on getting the best out of the 11-cap Italy international, who this week admitted he would love to join Roma, but that could spell bad news if it comes at the expense of bringing in a new striker.

How many goals has Gianluca Scamacca scored?

Scamacca arrived at West Ham in a £35.5m transfer from Sassuolo 12 months ago and scored just three goals in 16 Premier League appearances last season, whilst failing to assist any.

According to FBref, Scamacca ranks in the bottom 41% of all forwards across Europe's top five leagues for non-penalty goals (0.29 per 90 minutes) over the past 12 months, with that dropping to the bottom 17% when it comes to non-penalty expected goals (0.24 per 90).

That second figure suggests the £90k-per-week Italian dud did not even look like scoring on a regular basis for United last season, so it is difficult to see how Moyes can change that with what is effectively an even weaker squad on the face of it as things stand.

As Chris Sutton put it last season, Scamacca looked "miserable" and, in the view of the BT Sport pundit, had "let David Moyes down in a way" with his lack of impact.

In Scamacca's defence, he was often left out of the side for a run of games and substituted off when he did get a start, but it is clear he did not fit Moyes' system – in fact, team-mate Michail Antonio said as much on his podcast.

News of Moyes possibly showing more faith in the 24-year-old comes at a time when West Ham have been linked with highly talented Sassuolo striker Habib Diallo and Arsenal star Folarin Balogun, who lit up Ligue 1 with Reims last season.

Between them, the energetic pair scored 41 goals in the French top flight last season at an identical rate of 0.63 goals per 90 minutes.

To put that into some context, Scamacca scored 0.29 goals per 90 in the Premier League.

West Ham do not have a great recent history when it comes to signing strikers – Scamacca was brought in to replace fellow flop Sebastian Haller, after all – but the Hammers could pay the ultimate price should they stick with what they have rather than looking for another option to lead their line.

Liverpool have had their opening offer for Torino defender Perr Schuurs immediately turned down, however they are set to return to the negotiating table with a new bid, according to reports from Italy.

Are Liverpool signing a defender?

Jurgen Klopp has already made two new additions to his squad this summer, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai being brought in to bolster the midfield, and he is also eager to strengthen his defence.

Football Insider report the Reds are set to turn their attention to signing a centre-back, with Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio on the shortlist, and it has recently emerged they are one of the favourites to sign the 21-year-old, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven has also been named as a target for Klopp, however Tottenham Hotspur are now close to completing a deal for the 22-year-old, currently in the process of finalising an agreement over a £30m move.

As such, Liverpool may well go back in for Marc Guehi, with reports suggesting they are ready to battle Newcastle United for the Crystal Palace star, however he will not come cheap, with the Eagles now holding out for a fee of £60m.

Schuurs is another key target for the Reds, however their opening offer of €30m (£26m) for the Torino defender has been rebuffed by the Italian club, who are holding out for a fee of around €40m (£34m), according to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness).

Despite Torino's refusal, FSG are set to return to the negotiating table with another offer, as Klopp has made it clear he wants them to sign the 23-year-old "at any cost" this summer.

There may be competition for the centre-back's signature, however, as Napoli have also made an offer amounting to €28m (£24m).

At the moment, the Dutchman is in no hurry to decide his future, despite the growing interest in his signature, but he may find it difficult to turn down a move to the Premier League.

Is Perr Schuurs going to Liverpool?

It is clear that Klopp is determined to sign the former Ajax man, with a new offer already in the works, but Torino are in a very strong negotiating position, as his contract is not set to expire until 2026, and they have the option for an extra year.

As such, Liverpool may have to match the Serie A club's asking price, but there are indications he could be worth it, given the level of his recent performances for Torino.

Over the past year, the 6 foot 3 defender ranks in the 81st percentile for tackles completed per 90, when compared to his positional peers, while he averaged 3.4 clearances per game last season, the highest figure of any Torino player.

Not only that, Schuurs could also make a positive influence in the dressing room, having been hailed as a "leader" by former Manchester City goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus, so his arrival would be a boost for the Reds both on an off the pitch.

Leeds United are interested in signing former Thorp Arch youngster Charlie Taylor in the summer transfer window, according to an update from reliable journalist Phil Hay.

When was Charlie Taylor at Leeds?

The Whites are looking to turn their fortunes around after the disappointment of being relegated from the Premier League back in May, with the arrival of Daniel Farke as manager hopefully a positive step in the right direction, in thay respect.

The new boss also needs to be backed in the transfer market for their improvements to continue, though – hopefully, 49ers Enterprises' takeover of the club will be completed in the near future, generating more money – with additions required all over the pitch.

One player who could be a contender to come in is Taylor, who spent many years at Elland Road early on in his career, firstly in the youth team and then making the grade in the senior setup. The 29-year-old made 104 appearances for Leeds in total, scoring three goals and registering 13 assists in that time, before joining Burnley in 2017.

Taylor remains with the Clarets currently, but with his current contract at Turf Moor expiring next year, they may feel that now is the best time to sell him, instead of losing him for free in 2024.

With Junior Firpo moving on after a really poor spell as a Whites player, a new left-back will be required, and it looks as though the former Leeds man is a candidate to come in.

Are Leeds signing Charlie Taylor?

According to The Athletic's Hay, the Whites could look to bring Taylor back to the club this summer, as he provided a fresh update on potential transfer targets in that area of the pitch:

"Defensively, Leeds require a left-back having decided to listen to enquiries for Junior Firpo. They have been repeatedly linked with Ryan Manning, who is on a free transfer after parting company with Swansea City, and they are pondering bidding for Burnley’s Charlie Taylor, the defender who came through the academy at Elland Road."

Taylor could be a really shrewd investment by Leeds this summer, with the Englishman knowing the club inside out, and therefore unlikely to take time to settle in as Farke's first signing.

At 29, he is now an experienced head who has become accustomed to life in the Championship, appearing 126 times in the competition down the years, and he could bring a mix of defensive stability and attacking nous, with the latter highlighted by his aforementioned assist tally for Leeds.

He also impressed Burnley manager Vincent Kompany in a centre-back role last season, with his boss saying: "If he has never played there, I can’t say why. But he looked like a centre half. I have been in the position for a few years of my life, and I saw a centre half.”

That level of versatility could be an added bonus for Farke moving forward, giving him more options in his squad, so it is a move that makes a lot of sense, especially as the Clarets could be willing to sell for a cut-price amount, given Taylor's contract situation.

Rangers have lined up a move for Ecuador international Jose Cifuentes amid reports they're closing in on Cremonese forward Cyriel Dessers.

Who will join Rangers this summer?

It's been a busy summer transfer window for the Gers and manager Michael Beale, who have already seen five major signings come through the Ibrox door.

Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima are all now Rangers players as the Ibrox side look to wrestle back Scottish football dominance from their arch-rivals.

The Hoops sealed an impressive domestic treble last season, but following the departure of Ange Postecoglou and re-appointment of Brendan Rodgers, it will be interesting to see if Rangers can usurp them.

Beale's side have held no shortage of ambition when it comes to transfers and reliable media sources claim that they're closing in on another major deal in potentially signing Dessers (as per Fabrizio Romano).

The 28-year-old is apparently on the verge of joining Rangers, and that is echoed by journalist Scott Burns in a piece for The Daily Record.

However, dropping another line in his piece, Burns claims that the Glasgow giants have "also lined up a move" for Los Angeles midfielder Cifuentes.

In a further bit of good news, it's added that the move is "expected to be completed" in this window.

Cifuentes has been heavily linked with a move to Rangers this summer and it appears they're still very much interested in signing the 24-year-old for Beale.

Who is Jose Cifuentes?

The South American ace apparently "starred" for Los Angeles over his most recent season, and with Cifuentes out of contract in December, Rangers could seemingly strike a cut-price move.

Cifuentes, who featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last year, has also been praised by Tim Vickey for his exploits across the Atlantic.

Vickery, an expert on all things to do with South American football, called Cifuentes a "terrific" player after his 2019 exploits at the Under-20 World Cup.

"He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder," said Vickey on talkSPORT (via footballscotland).

"This fellow Cifuentes strikes the ball well, moves across the field, strong in the tackle, strong on the ball, I like him a lot."

Liverpool are among the suitors for one of Europe's most prodigious talents in Fenerbahce star Arda Guler, who has blitzed into prominence after a remarkable breakout campaign in his homeland.

What's the latest on Arda Guler to Liverpool?

That's according to a report from TEAMtalk that underscores the Yellow Canaries' desire to retain the services of their starlet for at least one more year, tieing him down to a new deal that will allow a more lucrative future sale.

Guler has a €17.5m (£15m) release clause in his contract, which is an attractive element to consider given that Liverpool are looking to complete astute deals on the market, having already tied up Alexis Mac Allister for a bargain £35m.

Jurgen Klopp's Reds are joined by Arsenal, Bayern, Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain in their interest in the fleet-footed phenom.

How good is Arda Guler?

Hailed as a "magician with a wand of a left foot" by one European scout, Guler is one of the most exciting players on the scene right now, boasting a wealth of skills that tantalise a career at the very forefront of the game over the next footballing era.

Despite his youthful age and inexperience, he produced displays of exceptional quality in the Turkish Super Lig this year, earning a stunning average Sofascore rating of 7.48 after starting just 11 matches, scoring four goals, supplying three assists, completing 85% of his passes and averaging two key passes per game from the offensive right flank.

Given the "serious talent" – as he has been described by Duncan Castles – possesses an innate cutting edge and tendency to drift inwards and wreak havoc from the box, he could be viewed as the dream heir to Mohamed Salah's pre-eminent role at Anfield, with the Egyptian sensation registering 265 direct goal contributions from 305 appearances since signing from Roma for £34m in 2017.

Liverpool fell by the wayside this term but it mattered not to the £350k-per-week forward's individual success, posting 30 goals and 16 assists from 50 appearances – with a return to fluidity when football resumes, there is no telling how destructive Salah's displays might be.

Technically a winger but reaping the fruits of his labour through his remarkable ability to cut inside, Salah ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 13% for assists and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref, heralded as "lightning" by Reds historian Carl Clemente.

With Guler boasting a similar skill set and with Andrea Pirlo saying there is "no limit to his potential", securing his services as Salah's understudy before nurturing him to a starring role in the Merseyside giants' system could be the perfect way to ensure the club remain in contention for the biggest honours on offer for a lasting period.

Everton are reportedly interested in a Premier League gem, as the Blues aim to turn their fortunes around after two dreary seasons threatened relegation.

Sean Dyche will hope for a busy summer at Goodison, with the Toffees requiring reinforcements to pull them away from the lows of the table to get things on the pitch ticking again.

The latest link could emerge as a potential heir to a club legend, in a player that possesses core attributes.

What’s the latest on Ainsley Maitland-Niles to Everton?

As reported earlier this week, Everton have emerged as one of the clubs interested in Arsenal gem Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

The versatile defender will be released by the north Londoners at the expiration of his contract, with the report claiming that ‘several’ clubs from the Premier League are ‘keeping an eye’ on his movements.

After spending the season on loan at Southampton, the Englishman returned to his boyhood club where contract talks failed to progress, which has revealed a potential bargain for Sean Dyche.

What could Ainsley Maitland-Niles offer to Everton?

Despite undergoing a tough season at St Mary’s, the 25-year-old has proven himself as a player with innate versatility through the years in his career.

Playing primarily at right-back, the defensive-minded ace could equip Everton with a skill set familiar to that of Seamus Coleman, who at 34 years old could have an heir to his services provided this summer.

Lauded as a “huge talent” by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, the Londoner worked through the ranks with the Gunners, representing the club for a total of 19 years.

The Englishman could ease the transition should Everton opt to fade out the presence of their dedicated servant, as Coleman’s contract officially expires this summer with a new deal offered.

Maitland-Niles possesses talents similar to those shown by the Irishman, as displayed through his statistics, making him a potentially strong addition to Dyche’s side.

When comparing the two on their respective 2022/23 Premier League campaigns, the numbers show that the 25-year-old could be the perfect heir to the 34-year-old.

As per FBref, the former Arsenal gem averaged 2.88 tackles and 1.79 blocks per 90 this term, with Coleman averaging slightly lower with 1.90 tackles and 0.76 blocks over the same period of time for Everton.

Playing as a full-back requires abilities on the ball and going forward also, with Maitland-Niles averaging 1.09 successful take-ons and 3.65 progressive passes per 90 to the Merseyside veterans 0.87 take-ons and 3.32 progressive passes, via FBref.

The numbers convey that Dyche’s side could adapt and progress with the versatile former Southampton star in their ranks, with a player that could ease the transition when Coleman eventually departs.

Manchester United have approached Inter Milan over a move for left-back Federico Dimarco, according to reports.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news involving Dimarco?

The Red Devils previously made a midfielder and attacker their top transfer targets ahead of the summer, with Erik ten Hag looking to build on a positive first season at Old Trafford.

There has been no shortage of transfer rumours, either, with Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount appearing to be a top target. Despite the ongoing takeover saga in Manchester, the Red Devils made a £40m offer for the England international and a new £50m bid, both of which have been turned down.

Another target in the middle of the pitch appears to be Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella, with a phone call made from Old Trafford to the San Siro over a move for the Italy international.

However, Barella doesn’t appear to be the only Inter Milan star United are keen on, with an update emerging on Dimarco, dubbed as “the left-footed Italian Beckham” by reporter Carlo Garganese.

According to The Independent, Manchester United have been in contact with Inter Milan and expressed a concrete interest over a move for Dimarco.

Described as one of the Champions League's revelations during the 2022/23 season, Dimarco is also wanted by Real Madrid, but Erik ten Hag thinks he can use the player in a number of different positions.

Who is Federico Dimarco?

Dimarco is primarily a left-back but can also turn out as a left midfielder or centre-back if needed. The 25-year-old is a product of Inter’s youth system but has played for numerous Italian clubs.

Over the last two years, the versatile full-back has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rocket to a career-high €35m, and he has made 98 senior appearances for Inter Milan, 50 of which came during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Adidas-sponsored ace, called '"world-class" and a "goal threat"' by members of the Italian media, was Inter’s best-performing defender last season, as per WhoScored, averaging a better score than any Manchester United defender, including left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

Therefore, even though United are well-stocked at left-back, Dimarco could prove to be a shrewd signing at Old Trafford, with Ten Hag having the option to use him in multiple areas, something that could be handy as United prepare for life back in the Champions League.