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A fresh report from the last 48 hours has now shared a behind-the-scenes West Ham United update involving midfielder Tomas Soucek.

The Lowdown: Irons open to offers…

The 2020/2021 Hammers Player of the Year, according to recent claims, could be sold by manager David Moyes if the east Londoners receive a suitable offer from the Premier League or elsewhere (Claret & Hugh).

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West Ham’s manager apparently refused to sanction a sizeable increase on Soucek’s current salary package during the first round of talks over a new deal.

The Scotsman allegedly feels his mainstay midfielder has been a shadow of the player he was last campaign and is now ready to entertain the right bids, with Football Insider now sharing what they know on the situation.

The Latest: West Ham ‘tension’ behind-the-scenes…

According to their information, it is believed there has been ‘tension’ between Soucek and Moyes ‘behind the scenes’ amid West Ham’s contract stand-off.

The report adds that the Irons, and by extension club owners GSB, ‘could now have a big decision to make’ on the Czech Republic international this summer – namely whether to stick or twist.

The Verdict: Keep…

Soucek shined at the London Stadium last season and we believe he could still have a huge role to play over the next few years.

Players can often experience off-campaigns with the 27-year-old, as per WhoScored, actually shining over 2021/2022 in some crucial aspects statistically.

Out of Moyes’ squad at West Ham, only star duo Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice have averaged higher match ratings in England’s top flight Soucek – who puts in a solid 6.98/10 showing per 90.

The colossal midfield man has also won more aerial duels than any of his teammates, perhaps backing why he’s the third-most picked player in the West Ham squad (WhoScored).

As an interesting summer window looms, potentially selling Soucek could perhaps be one of the more risky decisions by Moyes and GSB.

In other news: BBC journalist: Moyes eyeing potential ‘massive signing’, West Ham move already made…find out more here.

Leeds United officials Victor Orta and Angus Kinnear have been spotted in New York, just over five miles away from the stadium of a rumoured summer transfer target.

The Lowdown: Valentin Castellanos links

The Whites have made a start on their summer business after guaranteeing another season of Premier League football by signing Brenden Aaronson.

Rasmus Kristensen now appears to be the next potential arrival from FC Salzburg, with Leeds also after a striker.

New York City FC forward Valentin Castellanos could be that forward addition at Elland Road, with journalist Dean Jones recently labelling it as one to watch.

Castellanos, described as a ‘quality player’ and even dubbed the ‘new Didier Drogba’, can also play on the wing and has contributed to 76 goals in 126 games for the MLS side.

The Latest: Orta and Kinnear spotted

Orta and Kinnear were snapped alongside Leeds director Massimo Marinelli at Quality Meats Steakhouse on Central Park – just 5.6 miles away from New York City’s Yankee Stadium.

Marinelli uploaded the image of the three on Tuesday evening on his private Instagram account, which was shared by @LUFCBayArea on Twitter.

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The Verdict: Move possible?

Leeds fans quite often go into investigator mode whenever a player is linked – with the most recent example coming with Aaronson’s flight to England even being tracked across the channel.

We’ve saves supporters the work this time to show that Orta and Kinnear may well have been in New York to see Marinelli and work on a move for Castellanos.

The 23-year-old has enjoyed a fine 2021/22 season, contributing to 16 goals in 17 games, so a transfer could indeed be one to watch closely over the coming days.

In other news: After Kristensen: Radz & 49ers now ready to write Leeds cheque for ‘really exciting’ midfielder. 

Celtic are reportedly closing in on securing a deal for Bayern Munich midfielder Christopher Scott ahead of the upcoming summer window.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Ghana Soccernet (via Scottish Sun), the Hoops are favourites to sign the 19-year-old and will secure the signing if they pay Bayern’s asking price of £250k.

After making 61 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen’s youth sides in which he scored 32 goals and provided two assists, the midfielder joined Bayern’s U19 side back in the 2020 January transfer window.

Since then, the teenager, who turns 20 tomorrow, has gone on to make 53 appearances for the youth teams, finding the net 12 times and delivering 15 assists in the process.

The youngster also has two senior appearances for the German giants under his belt.

On the international stage, the player has made appearances for Germany across their U15, U16, U17, U19 and U20 sides.

Celtic fans will be buzzing

The above shows the attacking and creative talent he has and why the Bhoys are reportedly close to signing him. However, it also underlines why supporters will be buzzing to see him sign.

According to Celtic Analytics on Twitter, Scott’s strengths are “offensive and on the ball as a strong passer and ball carrier,” as well as being a player who “generates a lot of threat from finishing and creativity.”

Thus, taking into account how Ange Postecoglou has shown that he is not against signing young players from abroad and giving them the chance to shine in his side such, notably Liel Abada, Scott could well be the next one in line to become a household name at Celtic.

With the likes of Nir Bitton, Tom Rogic and now Luca Connell waving goodbye to Parkhead, this could give the Bayern prospect an easier shot of making it into the first team at Celtic should he end up joining.

With all of this in mind, it’s safe to say that should the Hoops secure the German youth star’s signature in the coming days or weeks, it would definitely be an exciting signing for the club. He is capable of scoring goals and creating them for his teammates, something that makes him a real nuisance for defenders.

Given the talent he has at such a young age, the potential he has to grow into a senior star at Parkhead is a mouth-watering prospect for everyone connected to the club.

In other news: Ange can land his own Denayer as Celtic eye £7k-p/w gem who has “fire in his belly”

Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch will be ‘livid’ after Kalvin Phillips’ latest injury setback on international duty, according to Sky Sports Alex McLeish.

The Lowdown: Phillips injured for England

The Whites had to make do without the 26-year-old for much of the 2021/22 season, with injuries keeping him out of action for many months.

It no doubt played a part in Leeds’ struggles in the Premier League, as they ended up remaining in the top flight by the skin of their teeth on the final day.

While Phillips returned to the fold late in the campaign, he has now picked up a ‘severe dead leg’ on England duty (Adam Pope, BBC), having been replaced in the first half against Germany earlier this week.

The Latest: Mcleish bemoans setback

Reacting to that news in a chat with Football Insider, McLeish, a pundit on Sky, rued Phillips’ injury and said Marsch will not be amused:

“I think there has been an overload on the players over the last year. The pandemic had something to do with that but the amount of games and the demands on them nowadays…

“Okay, they’re training to different levels. The sport science enables them to recover quickly and there are more modern ways, nutrition, etcetera.

“I’ve said in the past, you fear for many of the players that are all-out action players. You wonder how they don’t get more injuries sometimes.

“We’ve spoken about Leeds and Patrick Bamford. The overloads that guy had was something that, I felt, needed to be looked at. The club managers will be livid about all these international games, believe me.

“They know the players love to play for their countries but the managers will be concerned. They’d rather keep them here.”

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The Verdict: Hopefully nothing too serious

Phillips’ injury a clearly a worry for Leeds but dead legs usually heal relatively quickly, so the hope is that his absence in the coming weeks is relatively short-term.

The Whites cannot afford to be without arguably their best player for chunks of the 2022/23 season, assuming he remains at Elland Road beyond the summer.

As McLeish alludes to, it does again raise question marks over the workload of footballers these days, though, with the current internationals coming at a time when players could be enjoying a much-needed rest.

In other news, Phil Hay has confirmed Leeds’ interest in one player. Find out who it is here.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy this summer and the Frenchman could add some serious quality to Erik ten Hag’s defence.

According to reports in Spain, the Champions League winners are willing to sell Mendy this summer, with Antonio Rudiger’s imminent arrival likely to see David Alaba moved to left-back, leaving the Frenchman on the bench.

They suggest that United and Chelsea are both keen on bringing him to England, while Juventus are also keen on signing the former Lyon man in what could be a €48m (£41m) deal.

It is something of a surprise that Los Blancos are willing to part ways with the £36m-rated Mendy, given that he was a regular for Carlo Ancelotti’s side last season as they secured the La Liga title, as well as the Champions League after a 1-0 win over Liverpool.

The 27-year-old would make 22 appearances in the Spanish top-flight, contributing two goals and one assist, with WhoScored awarding him an impressive 6.96 average rating for his performances.

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This ranks him ahead of both Alex Telles and Luke Shaw, who alternated as United’s first-choice options last season, and Ten Hag will surely be looking for a more consistent option on the left next term as he looks to shore up a United defence that shipped 57 goals in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

Not only would United be getting a left-back who has played for one of the strongest club sides and countries in recent years, but they would also be signing someone who already has an established partnership with Raphael Varane.

The former Madrid man was highly complimentary of Mendy during his time in Spain, saying:

“He has amazing physical strength. He is adapting well to the team and to the league, and this helps us a lot.

“His main strength helps him in defence, but he helps in other areas as well. He is a really tough player, and he is showing his potential this season.”

Therefore, considering both Telles and Shaw have been criticised for their defensive ability in the past, signing Mendy could be exactly what United need to bring the best out of Varane and ensure that they aren’t so easily breached next season.

And, in other news… Ronaldo 2.0: MUFC eyeing deal for “extraordinary” £68m predator, he’d be “world-class” 

Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham has backed Joe Rodon to join Nottingham Forest on loan this summer, ahead of a potential permanent move the following year.

The Lowdown: Rodon free to go

According to a report by Football Insider, Spurs have told the 24-year-old that he is free to find a new club over the summer.

The Wales international was keen on a move away from north London in January, with the likes of Brighton and Newcastle both interested in securing the centre-back’s signature.

However, his departure failed to materialise, leaving the Welshman at Hotspur Way for the remainder of the campaign.

The Latest: Whelan’s claim on Rodon

With Cameron Carter-Vickers having joined Scottish giants Celtic on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell with the Glasgow club, Wenham believes that a similar situation could transpire with Rodon.

Speaking with Football Insider in reference to the American’s departure, he claimed: “That could be an option for Joe Rodon.

“He is a player who, if he went out on loan, he would impress. You just have to look at how well he plays for Wales.

“He just needs a run of games somewhere. It isn’t going to be Tottenham. Three, four, five managers have had a look and decided he isn’t for them.

“I think the interesting one is Steve Cooper at Forest. They have worked together before and Forest need players with Premier League experience.

“I know Rodon hasn’t played a heap of Premier League games for Tottenham but he has trained against Son and Kane every day.

“Forest would be a good shout for him but Tottenham should loan him and potentially double his value.”

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The Verdict: Needs to leave

Having joined Tottenham in 2020, Rodon has been given limited playing time to show what he can do at the top level.

The 24-year-old has featured just 15 times in the Premier League, with only three of these appearances coming this season, and those totalled a mere 86 minutes (via Transfermarkt).

With a current market valuation of £7.2m, a successful loan away could see Tottenham profit on the £11m that they paid for the defender 20 months ago.

Therefore, this would appear to be an idea well worth exploring for all parties involved.

In other news: Charlie Eccleshare has made this promising Tottenham transfer claim

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has reacted to reports linking Nottingham Forest with a move for Rangers star Joe Aribo. 

The lowdown: Rising stock

Signed from Charlton as a free agent in 2019 following spells in the English Non-League, Aribo has gone from strength to strength north of the border.

The 25-year-old versatile midfielder has directly contributed to 51 goals in 148 appearances for Rangers and played an integral role in the side that lifted the Scottish Premiership title in 2020/21.

However, now in the final 12 months of a contract in Glasgow (Transfermarkt), it’s been reported that Forest, Crystal Palace and Fulham are among the suitors for Aribo and one pundit has had his say on the potential move to the Midlands…

The latest: Campbell on Aribo

Speaking to Football Insider, former Arsenal man and regular Sky Sports contributor Campbell has suggested that the lure of a move to the City Ground would be difficult to resist for the Nigeria international.

He said: “Joe Aribo has done really well at Rangers. He is one of the main men there. We are talking Premier League football here though. Financially, Rangers cannot compete. That is unfortunately the case. That is the way life is.

“Aribo has gone up there and won his trophies. He’s had that success. Nottingham Forest are a massive draw. It is a beautiful city.

“They have a young, progressive manager who has got the club back in the Premier League for the first time in 23 years. Steve Cooper could develop him and that might entice him. It is an exciting project at Forest.

“With the money we are talking about, I think it might materialise. I think it would turn his head a little.”

The verdict: Make it happen

With the future of Harry Arter almost certainly lying away from the Reds and Cafu a lesser-seen entity under Steve Cooper, Forest are light in the midfield department and signing the £9million valued Gers star would be a shrewd move given the likelihood of a cut-price deal owing to a dwindling contract.

Last season, Aribo was hailed for a ‘phenomenal’ campaign by Vavel journalist Jack Koblitz as he scored nine times and provided ten assists in a mammoth 57 appearances across all competitions, showcasing impressive durability as well as an eye for a goal involvement in the final third.

Overall, Aribo earned a 7.07 Sofascore rating whilst winning 6.4 duels, taking 1.6 shots and making 1.8 key passes on average per game in the Scottish top flight, highlighting a well-rounded game that would be an excellent addition to Cooper’s squad.

Sharing a stylistic likeness with such star names as Marco Reus, Dejan Kulusevski and the highly sought-after Leeds United winger Raphinha (Fbref), the 20-cap Nigerian has even been compared to Yaya Toure for his ‘unique’ blend of quick feet and physical dominance.

We feel he should be regarded as a top priority for the Forest hierarchy and hopefully Campbell’s prediction can come to fruition.

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘also’ attempting a move to sign one ‘incredible’ player amid the club’s heavily reported talks for Richarlison, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs push for Richarlison…

After sealing a trio of deals for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma – it is reliably believed that the north Londoners have now set their sights on Everton’s star striker.

Claims have emerged in the last 48 hours that talks are fairly advanced and progressing nicely as the Lilywhites enter pole position to sign him for manager Antonio Conte.

The Italian wants upgrades in the attacking areas, at centre-back and in the right-wing-back area ahead of his first full 2022/2023 Premier League season in charge of Tottenham.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘also’ attempting to sign ‘incredible’ player…

Transfer chief Fabio Paratici is reportedly spinning many plates as news emerges courtesy of The Evening Standard.

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The reliable news outlet claims Tottenham are ‘also’ in the middle of attempts to sign Middlesbrough wing-back Djed Spence, who has been called ‘incredible’ by Alan Hutton, and are ‘targeting a £15m move’.

Indeed, despite the serious pursuit of Richarlison, it appears Tottenham haven’t given up on their defensive hunt for the 21-year-old either.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Signing Spence, who was pivotal to Nottingham Forest’s promotion push whilst on loan last season, would come as a seriously brilliant buy for Conte.

Homegrown and able to balance the books of their quota, the Englishman also been called the ‘perfect player for Conte’ due to his playing style on the right of a back five.

Having emerged as a brilliant defender whilst on a temporary deal at the City Ground, Conte and Paratici must surely pull out all the stops to get a young, English talent who fits like a glove into the manager’s system.

Kalvin Phillips is now set to undergo a medical at Manchester City on Friday ahead of completing his switch to the Etihad.

The Lowdown: City win the race

The 26-year-old had been heavily linked with a move away from Elland Road after Leeds only just managed to maintain their Premier League status last season, with West Ham and Aston Villa both tabling bids for the midfielder, but it was the top-flight champions who won the race for his signature.

It was announced by Sky Sports just last week that a deal had been agreed for the England maestro to join Pep Guardiola’s side, and in a fresh update, it now looks as though the transfer is almost officially over the line.

The Latest: Phillips set for medical

In a new article published by Football Insider, it’s claimed that a City source has told the website that Phillips is ‘pencilled in for medical tests’ on Friday as the club edge ever closer to securing their target.

The report states that all paperwork is now ‘in place’ for the Whites star to be officially announced as the Sky Blues’ next signing ‘within days’, with the player ‘set to double’ the wages he currently earns at Leeds.

The Verdict: Fernandinho replacement

After Fernandinho departed City to return to his former side Athletico Paranaense, Phillips will be the perfect replacement for the ex-captain in the middle of the park and is someone who will be able to bring a fresh energy to the starting XI.

The 23-cap international only made 20 appearances under Jesse Marsch in the Premier League last campaign after suffering from injury, but still managed to make a real impact when on the pitch, averaging 2.7 tackles and 3.5 long balls per match, via WhoScored.

Having this ability of being able to both attack and defend box-to-box is something that is so important to Guardiola’s control in the middle of the park, and Phillips will definitely add some serious competition for Rodri as he looks forward to the start of a new chapter in his career in Manchester.

According to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown, David Moyes ‘definitely’ wants a major midfield addition for West Ham this summer.

The Lowdown: Getting down to business

The 59-year-old has already made a strong start to the transfer window having completed the signings of Nayef Aguerd, Alphonse Areola and most recently Flynn Downes.

Those three aren’t likely to be the only fresh faces that we see walking through the doors at the London Stadium in the coming weeks though, with the Scot believed to have wanted six new additions after Aguerd and rumours circling of bids for Amadou Onana.

The Latest: Brown’s transfer claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown insisted that Moyes would target someone similar to Kalvin Phillips in midfield after missing out on the Manchester City star. He said:

“So, nobody quite knows the real situation there, but Moyes definitely wants a big name midfielder who knows the Premier League. He’s been in for, going back to the last window, they wanted Phillips, which was highly ambitious.”

The Verdict: Moyes’ midfield priority

Moyes’ existing midfield duo, Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek, are just two of the names to have been rumoured with a move away from the capital, so it’s understandable to see why he’s making this area of the pitch a priority.

The Irons have been linked with multiple central players over the past few weeks, including Onana, James Ward-Prowse and Santiago Ascacibar, with the latter said to have already opened formal talks over a move, though nothing official has yet been confirmed.

It yet remains to be seen which of West Ham’s targets will be arriving in east London, but it’s clear that the boss wants to bolster his ranks further in case of any shock departures that might be on the horizon in the near future.