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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.

Ange Postecoglou's summer rebuild at Tottenham Hotspur looks to be getting underway, with various reports suggesting that the Lilywhites are now closing in on a deal for Brentford's David Raya.

That impending arrival comes as part of what could be a sizeable squad shake-up at N17 over the coming weeks and months, with Postecoglou set to oversee something of a mass clearout ahead of next season, amid the prospect of a host of notable departures.

With regard to those who could follow Raya in bolstering the squad, the Daily Star recently reported that the north London outfit are considering making a £50m move for Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho, albeit with the Red Devils set to demand close to £60m if they are to part ways.

This follows a previous report from the Guardian that claimed the Englishman's place at Old Trafford is now 'under threat' due to his lack of impact in recent seasons, while Manchester Evening News has revealed that United boss Erik ten Hag is said to be growing 'increasingly impatient' with the former Borussia Dortmund ace.

Having been signed for £73m back in the summer of 2021, the 23-year-old has since gone on to score just 12 goals and provide only six assists in 79 games in all competitions, with those woes notably seeing the winger miss out on a place in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad last year.

That seemingly paints a picture of a player who is simply struggling to perform at present, although Postecoglou and co may be hoping that they can coax the best out of a talent who previously caught the attention during his stint in Germany…

Should Tottenham sign Sancho?

It is easy to forget – amid his current woes – that Sancho was once earning rave reviews due to his consistently stellar displays at Dortmund, having notably been hailed as the "perfect player" by German legend, Lothar Matthaus back in 2018.

Also lauded as "superb" by Bayern Munich star, Thomas Muller, the former Manchester City starlet certainly made his mark in the Bundesliga, having ultimately racked up 114 goals and assists in just 137 games in all competitions while plying his trade at Westfalenstadion.

The aim will be for the 23-cap trickster to try and get back to those heights if he is to make the leap and join Postecoglou's side this summer, with it potentially set to prove a notable coup if the Greek-Aussie can get Sancho fit and firing again.

The wide man's ability to perform at the elite level may also be shown by the fact that he is said to share a number of statistical and stylistic similarities with compatriot, Jack Grealish – according to FBref – with the latter man only recently playing his part in City's remarkable treble-winning campaign.

That likeness between the two wingers – who both operate typically off the left flank – is shown by the fact that the pair can both glide forward with the ball at their feet to devastating effect, with Grealish ranking in the top 3% for progressive carries among his European peers, while Sancho ranks in the top 13% in that regard.

Equally, the two men are also alike due to their ability to impact proceedings in the final third, with the latter man ranking in the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area, while the City ace ranks in the top 10% in that regard.

The former Aston Villa man is evidently still riding high following that glittering campaign – as his recent celebration antics would suggest – having notably played a vital role in that glorious success after providing five goals and 11 assists in 50 games in all competitions.

It would then, therefore, be a wise move for Postecoglou to land his own version of the "unplayable" ace – as described by pundit Rio Ferdinand – with the signing of Sancho, with the United man perhaps just in need of a change of scenery in order to get back to his best.

Jordan Cronin has shared Newcastle United’s priorities for the summer transfer window, as Eddie Howe looks to bring in fresh additions to build upon January’s success in the market.

The Lowdown: January business

Newcastle were the biggest spenders in Europe in January after the Tyneside club forked out £91m on Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Matt Targett in order to plug gaps and strengthen the squad.

That winter trolley dash has since been viewed as a great success. Having stared relegation in the face up until Christmas, the Magpies finished the season in a respectable 11th place.

As a result, it is expected that Newcastle will continue to build upon their recent success in the transfer market with an equally busy summer window.

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The Latest: Newcastle’s transfer priorities

Cronin has since shared the Magpies’ ambitious reported plans for the summer transfer window.

In a Newcastle World transfer Q&A, he claimed: “I’m told Newcastle are prioritising signing a goalkeeper, central defender, full-back (there has still been no word on Matt Targett), winger and striker. They’re also open to strengthening all positions if the right player becomes available. All that is very ambiguous, I know! But it’s a clear indication of the club’s ambition this summer. Rule nothing out.”

The Verdict: Busy summer ahead

Given the number of positions that Newcastle’s recruitment team are seemingly targeting, it is expected that a number of departures will need to be made prior to securing any big-money deals. Indeed, Cronin has also named several players who could be set for the chop.

If the board are able to offload some of the deadwood quickly, it could be possible to see numerous incomings and outgoings this summer, as Howe looks to build a squad which is capable of European qualification.

Therefore, it is likely that this summer will provide a busy and exciting transfer window for Newcastle.

In other news: Journalists name-check potential summer departures from Newcastle

On the final day of the Premier League season, Crystal Palace completed their end of the bargain by securing a high profile win against Manchester United.

The Eagles needed a win to secure a top half finish, if other results went their way. And whilst they ended the season on a positive, results from Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton meant that they fell just short of their ambition and ended the campaign in 12th place.

Although it was a Ronaldo-less Manchester United side who had nothing significant to play for, Palace still fought well and earned all three points, courtesy of a Wilfried Zaha solo effort. The Ivory Coast international just had to score against his old club to metaphorically kick them whilst they were already down.

Though, whilst Zaha’s performance was mature and gave Manchester United a taste of what they could have had if they had persevered all those years ago, it was Jeffrey Schlupp who was the unsung hero.

The Ghanian is a player who can often go unnoticed, due to his nonchalant approach and acceptance at being used as a utility tool, though he is a vital part of the Palace squad – with his 32 appearances in the Premier League this season evidence of this.

Deployed as central midfielder in a 4-3-3 system, Schlupp was emphatic off the ball, and needed to be with United racking up 62% possession across the 90 minutes.

With five out his six duels won at a rate of 83%, he was sensational for the Eagles and was a key part of Vieira’s counter-pressing system against the Red Devils.

His seven recoveries were also integral to the maintenance of Palace’s clean sheet in what ended up being a home win against Manchester United for the first time ever in the Premier League.

What a performance from Schlupp, and what an end to the season for Palace.

In other news: Crystal Palace now plot bid to sign £9m-rated “tangfastic” ace, imagine him and Zaha

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst was not shy of handing out opportunities to academy players as his side ended the Premiership campaign with a 3-1 win at the weekend.

Adam Devine, Charlie McCann, Leon King, Tony Weston, Ross McCausland and Cole McKinnon were all given minutes on the pitch to showcase their quality at first-team level.

Lowry caught the eye with a goal and an assist from midfield but he was not the only youngster who impressed on the day as Devine put in an exciting showing at the back.

FFC recently published an article suggesting that the right-back may be the next Nathan Patterson who can play a back-up role to James Tavernier and be sold for a profit in the future, but this matured performance against Hearts suggests that he could have a brighter future at Rangers.

Instead of being viewed as a player who can be a squad player and moved on in a few years to rake in a few million, he could be seen as the long-term replacement for the captain.

This is why van Bronckhorst must finally unleash the 19-year-old on a regular basis at the start of the 2022/23 campaign to help him ease into the role.

Journalist Craig Vickers was impressed by his display against Hearts as he praised him after the match, Tweeting: “Devine isn’t as clean technically as Patterson and doesn’t have his self-belief in possession, but he looks like another powerful runner in that position.”

Reporter Joshua Barrie replied to this by Tweeting: “Thought Devine took his chance over this past week well. Next season’s understudy?”

These comments suggest that he did enough to pass the eye test and the statistics back up that he enjoyed a great afternoon in the Scottish top-flight.

As per SofaScore, he completed 84% of his passes and 100% of his attempted dribbles in the game as he proved that he is comfortable on the ball and likes to get forward. He also made a whopping six clearances to go along with one interception and two tackles as he got stuck in defensively and worked hard for the team throughout the 90 minutes.

The fact that he played the entire match also indicates that van Bronckhorst trusts him to perform throughout an entire first-team match, which bodes well heading into next season. The Dutch head coach must now continue to give him chances as he moulds him into being Tavernier’s successor in the years to come.

AND in other news, Wilson plotting Rangers bid for “top notch” 16 G/A “master”, GVB needs him badly…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Mattias Svanberg to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet 1000 Cuori Rossoblu (via Sport Witness), who claim that, with the 23-year-old’s current contract with Bologna set to expire in June of 2023 and the central midfielder having no interest in extending his stay at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, the Serie A side will look to cash in on the Sweden international this summer.

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The report goes on to state that the likes of Tottenham, Everton, West Ham United, Napoli and Fiorentina are all interested in a deal for the former Malmo FF starlet, who looks as if he will be available for a figure of around €20m (£17m) at the end of the current campaign.

Conte would love Svanberg

With it being reported that Antonio Conte is looking to bring in additions to bolster his current options in the middle of the park at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, it is unsurprising to learn that the 52-year-old is interested in a deal for Svanberg.

Indeed, the 23-year-old has highly impressed over his 35 Serie A appearances this season, scoring three goals, registering three assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.0 key passes, 0.8 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, taking 1.1 shots and winning 4.3 duels per game.

These returns have seen the £13.5m-rated talent average a SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as Sinisa Mihajlovic’s eighth-best performer in the Italian top-flight – an impressive feat considering the Rossoblu’s struggles in the league this term.

Furthermore, FBref also rank the £14k-per-week Swede in the top 16% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for shots taken per 90, in addition to the top 28% for non-penalty goals, the top 30% for assists, the top 22% for xA, the top 34% for progressive passes received and the top 33% for blocks over the last 365 days.

These are all metrics that would appear to make the versatile midfielder a perfect fit for Conte’s Spurs, an opinion which an unnamed source in Italy also clearly believes, with the insider stating in comments cited by football.london:

“Svanberg is probably one of the top four or five No 8’s in Europe – that’s how good he is. He’s a very talented young man. He’s playing for a very defensive Bologna side but he can bring a spark to whichever team he plays in.

“Spurs already know him very, very well because of the Italians involved in the club now. Anyone who has seen him play for Bologna will tell you that he’s the sort of player that Conte would enjoy working with.”

As such, considering his particular skill-set, impressive versatility and potential for further growth – not to mention a very reasonable asking price – it would indeed appear a wise for Fabio Paratici to launch a £17m bid for Svanberg this summer, as the 23-year-old would undoubtedly be a player Conte would love to work with at Spurs.

AND in other news: “Consequences for his future”: Gold drops Spurs exit claim, supporters will be buzzing