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Wolverhampton Wanderers are set to make one final effort to sign Sporting midfielder Matheus Nunes.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Portuguese outlet Correio de Manha, who claim that the two clubs were set to enter talks over the player following their friendly match on Saturday.

Wolves had tabled a proposal of €45m plus add-ons, however, the midfielder was still holding out for a team in the Champions League.

Several Premier League clubs have shown an interest in the Portuguese ace over the summer, but with a reported price tag of £51m, most are unwilling to move for the maestro.

Imagine him & Neves

Although a hefty price has been touted, this long-term target of Wolves could be the perfect fit for Bruno Lage’s side.

Their midfield is already stacked with pass-masters, and to add the youthful flair of this Portuguese international with the calm and coolness of Ruben Neves, the two could hold down the midfield for many years to come.

Last season he featured one league game in the 2022/23 campaign.

Consistency in midfield is imperative, and this reliability alongside Neves, who also featured 33 times last season for Wolves, is important to provide a foundation for the rest of the squad to build on during the season.

Across Nunes’ many league appearances, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.95, further cementing him as a fine performer across a league campaign.

Not only would he be a smart signing for the club, but if Wolves could capture the 23-year-old, it would be a huge statement of intent given the other clubs reportedly interested.

Zack Lowy was full of praise for the midfielder, noting of a “fantastic pass” to record another assist, which contributed to what he thought was a “solid game”. This is compounded in James Marshment’s claim that he is a “star”.

Nunes and Neves, if the partnership was to be formed, have all the potential to one day be one of the best midfield duos in the Premier League as a whole.

They could dominate midfield for years to come and offer the foundation for Wolves to start challenging further up the table.

AND in other news: Lage could unearth the next Haaland as Wolves plot bid for “generational” £55m talent.

Liverpool are reportedly making strong progress regarding the potential signing of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham in the summer of 2023.

The Lowdown: Bellingham staying put

The midfielder is arguably one of the most exciting English players of his generation, already growing into a key figure for Dortmund at the age of just 19.

Bellingham has 90 appearances to his name for the Bundesliga giants and has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool in recent months, but to no avail as of yet.

The 19-year-old will instead remain at Dortmund for another season before almost certainly moving on next summer.

The Latest: Exciting update emerges

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are ‘putting in place an agreement’ to sign Bellingham in 2023 as they attempt to acquire his signature 12 months in advance, as was the case with Naby Keita.

The England gem has been ‘identified’ by the Reds’ recruitment team as someone who can take Jurgen Klopp’s side up another level, such is his quality.

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The Verdict: Makes complete sense

This is fantastic news for Liverpool if true, with Bellingham someone who looks like a prototype of a Klopp midfielder, possessing technical ability, power, intelligence and versatility. He averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.7 dribbles per game in the league last season.

With Jordan Henderson 33 by the time the 2023/24 season starts and doubts still surrounding Keita’s consistency, the Dortmund gem could be the ideal player to come in and fill the right-sided central midfield role at Anfield for many years to come.

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While it would have been exciting to see Bellingham arriving at Liverpool this summer, Klopp has enough options in midfield currently, so snapping up the 19-year-old in advance is the next best thing, with the Reds seemingly closing in on an agreement for the teenager.

Newcastle United hold a ‘serious’ interest in Brazilian youngster Angelo, according to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder.

The lowdown

Angelo, 17, plays as a right winger in his homeland for Santos, the club who produced Neymar (now of Paris Saint-Germain) and Rodrygo (now of Real Madrid).

He may not be an adult yet, but he already has a release clause of £52million in his contract.

Angelo has already made 76 appearances for the club, and the majority of those (57) have come at national or even continental level, as opposed to state level.

The latest

Newcastle’s head of recruitment ‘Steve Nickson flew out to Brazil to watch him in action’, and Ryder takes that as ‘a big indication’ that their ‘interest is serious’, per Chronicle Live.

He adds that fending off elite competition for the prodigy would be a ‘big statement’ and ‘a real sign of progress’.

The verdict

The sheer amount of senior football Angelo has played at such a young age bodes incredibly well.

One of his standout achievements is becoming the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Copa Libertadores at the age of 16 years and 105 days. He broke a record that had stood for 59 years. (via Goal).

One of the player’s former coaches even says he’s ‘like Neymar in terms of his dribbling at speed and his change of direction’.

And he could certainly follow in his footsteps by making a big move to Europe. Could this be the player Newcastle build their next generation around?

Newcastle United have been linked with a summer move for FC Metz midfielder Boubacar Traore.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Football Insider, the Magpies are one of the clubs, alongside the likes of fellow Premier League sides Leicester City, Southampton and Nottingham Forest, interested in signing the midfielder.

The report also adds that the player would be available for a transfer fee of around £18m.

Big Shelvey upgrade

The previous campaign was Traore’s breakout season in France as he ended up playing in 27 Ligue 1 games and started 17 of them.

Given how young he is, it shows just how highly rated he is at Metz and why this group of Premier League clubs have their eyes on him.

In fact, having been described as a “diamond in the rough,” by Andres Onrubia Ramos, Traore’s performances have also been hailed as “fabulous” by the journalist on Twitter.

With that in mind, Traore could provide Eddie Howe with an upgrade on one of his current midfield options; Jonjo Shelvey.

Looking at the two midfielder’s previous domestic seasons, from a defensive point of view, the Mali international showed how much of a useful figure he could be for the Toon, more so than Shelvey.

Specifically, despite playing over 200 fewer minutes than the Englishman, Traore managed to win more tackles, carry out more successful pressures and rack up more blocks than the current Newcastle figure.

Additionally, he ended his Ligue 1 campaign with no errors that led to an opposition goal, whereas Shelvey made two.

The fact that the 30-year-old is set to see his contract at the Tyneside club expire next summer, adding Traore to the squad during this current window could not only give the team an upgrade on Shelvey, but also give them a solid long-term replacement for him should he leave next year.

As a result, Dan Ashworth should do everything he can to beat Newcastle’s top-flight competitors to the Metz midfielder’s signature this summer.

AND in other news: Bid submitted: NUFC in talks to sign “skillful” £9m-rated gem, he could be Neymar 2.0

West Ham United winger Said Benrahma was a signing wanted by the board rather than manager David Moyes, talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook has claimed.

The Lowdown: Benrahma’s West Ham tenure

The Algeria international made the move across London in 2020, joining from then-Championship Brentford side on an initial loan deal which was made permanent a few months later.

However, since his arrival at the London Stadium, the 26-year-old has failed to establish himself as a guaranteed starter in Moyes’ starting XI.

This might seem like a curious statement given that the attacker started 26 games in the Premier League last season, Benrahma was substituted off no fewer than 22 times, causing visible frustration between the manager and player.

The Latest: Crook’s claim on Benrahma

With reports suggesting that the Irons would be open to letting the Algerian leave this summer, a number of claims have arisen concerning his position at the club.

Crook has weighed in on the situation, as he told GiveMeSport: “He’s been more of an impact sub under David Moyes. He started the season quite well, but like West Ham, he tailed off in the second half of the campaign.

“I’ve never felt like David Moyes has been completely convinced by him, I think it was more of a board signing than a Moyes signing.”

The Verdict: Persist with him

Since arriving at the London Stadium, Benrahma has produced 12 goals and 13 assists in 79 appearances for West Ham.

Whilst these aren’t the best returns for a winger, his underlying numbers illustrate shades of potential.

When compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the 26-year-old ranks in the 85th percentile for shots per game and in the 84th percentile for non-penalty goals per game (via FBRef).

Therefore, it could be suggested that, if the Algerian is given a run of matches where he completes the full 90 minutes, then he could begin to fulfil the potential that he demonstrated at Brentford. Moyes should persist with him this season, especially given the Irons’ lack of squad options in attack.

West Ham United are facing stern competition in their pursuit of Hull City starlet Keane Lewis-Potter, with the forward reportedly the subject of rival approaches.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Phil Buckingham, fellow Premier League outfit Brentford have made an offer of around £20m for the 21-year-old, as they look to fend off the Hammers – and others – in the race for his signature.

Writing on Twitter about the developing situation, the reporter stated: “Brentford have upped their attempts to sign Keane Lewis-Potter from #hcafc. Could be worth as much as £20m. Hard to turn down that sort of money. Player eager for a crack at the Premier League.”

In his attached piece for The Athletic, Buckingham reports that the 5 foot 7 menace had been the subject of offers from the Bees both last summer and in January, with Thomas Frank keen to make him his first addition of the window.

West Ham must act

The previous suggestion had been that David Moyes and co were the ‘frontrunners’ in the battle to land the highly-rated youngster, although it looks as if the west Londoners have now assumed that position themselves, with the Irons needing to act swiftly to ensure that they at least put up a fight.

The London Stadium outfit had seemingly been hoping to replicate their previous success regarding signing a player from the Tigers, with current first-team star Jarrod Bowen having netted 26 goals and provided 21 assists since arriving on a £20m deal from the Championship outfit back in January 2020.

The belief is that Lewis-Potter could well replicate that smooth transition to life in the top tier, having been in explosive form in recent seasons at the MKM stadium at his local club.

After bagging 13 goals and registering six assists in League One during the 2020/21 campaign, the £10.8m-rated ace followed that up with a further 12 league goals the following season in the division above, while also chipping in with four assists for Shota Arveladze’s side.

Dubbed a “special talent” by former boss Grant McCann, the £3k-per-week gem appears set for a bright future, with a move to a top-flight club, such as West Ham, seemingly the logical next step in his career.

Although it may take a fairly sizeable figure to get the deal done, GSB have proven in the past with the case of Bowen that they are willing to splash the cash on a player who may have little or no top-tier experience.

They simply must get the chequebook out again to make a similar deal for young Lewis-Potter, or risk watching him blossom before their eyes at Brentford next term.

AND in other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

Manchester United are ‘really interested’ in Ajax winger Antony, with Erik ten Hag ‘pushing’ for a deal, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Still waiting…

Ten Hag was announced as the new Manchester United manager back in April. Since then, the Red Devils have been linked with a plethora of players but are still yet to bring in any for the Dutchman.

The only meaningful business so far is confirming exits for Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata, and it looks as if Ten Hag is taking matters into his own hands when it comes to a potential move for Antony.

The Latest: Antony update

Romano took to Twitter on Thursday evening to provide an update on United and Antony. He revealed United are ‘really interested’ and have already made contact, ‘with Ten Hag pushing’ for a transfer.

The transfer expert’s ‘been told’ that the winger’s camp is ‘now asking Ajax to listen to bids’ this summer.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Antony appears to be keen on leaving Ajax this summer, and a move to Old Trafford could be perfect. The Brazilian starred under Ten Hag last season, contributing to 22 goals in 32 games. United also don’t have a senior recognised right-winger on the books, with Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho down as left-wingers.

Therefore, signing an out-and-out right-winger could be handy, and a player who Ten Hag knows how to get the best from, is still just 22 years of age and enjoyed a brilliant campaign last time out is seemingly a no brainer.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has urged the club to sign another striker ahead of their hectic schedule next season.

The Lowdown: ‘Critical zone’

As per Sam Dean of The Telegraph, star striker Harry Kane spent over half of the 2021/22 season playing in the ‘critical zone’, which is said to be dangerous for a player’s health and career longevity. A player is considered to be in the ‘critical zone’ when they have made two appearances, lasting at least 45 minutes, within five days of one another.

With Tottenham having secured qualification for next season’s Champions League, worries have arisen regarding a number of Spurs players’ health.

The Latest: Robinson’s claim

Robinson, who works as a pundit for Sky Sports, has spoken about his worries for Kane, asserting that Tottenham need to sign another striker so that the England international can be rotated when he needs to rest.

Speaking with Football Insider, the 42-year-old claimed: “I’ve been saying this for so many windows, they need to sign a solid back-up option. Son [Heung-min] does a great job when he plays there but then you miss him on the left.

“Antonio Conte’s style is so rigid. It doesn’t change. Now more than ever there is a call for a Harry Kane number two if you like.

“This conversation has been had so many times. The problem is, it’s hard sell. How do you tell a top striker that he can play when Harry Kane doesn’t. Tottenham need to find a versatile player who can play wide as well as nine.

“The amount of football Spurs have next season, plus the World Cup, they need someone. Harry Kane cannot physically play all of those games.

“The manager has to have another option. It is glaringly obvious that they need somebody in that area.”

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The Verdict: Need a back-up

Kane started 36 of this season’s 38 Premier League games for Tottenham, totalling 49 appearances for his club across all competitions. This came after a 49-match campaign in 2020/21, while since the start of Euro 2020 this time last year, he has also played in 19 matches for England.

With Tottenham now preparing for the Champions League next term, Antonio Conte will surely want his star striker to be fit and healthy for both domestic and European duties.

This means that Kane will be expected to be at full fitness for a large chunk of the season. Therefore, it is imperative that Spurs bring in a backup option for matches where the striker can be rotated.

Whilst it may be hard to secure a top-class player with the promise of limited game-time, the lure of the Champions League could certainly help Fabio Paratici’s cause in transfer negotiations this summer.

In other news: Media blown away by ‘massive’ transfer news

Despite the multitude of names that have been tipped to join Celtic this summer, the most pressing issue remains that of a player who has already adorned the famous green and white Hoops, with last season’s loanee, Jota, still yet to complete a much anticipated permanent switch to the Scottish champions.

However, according to the latest reports, the end to that long-running saga could now be in sight…

What’s the word?

As per journalist Mark Hendry, it looks as if the 23-year-old’s long-term future is set to be resolved sooner rather than later, with it now reportedly a “formality” that the Portuguese starlet will make the permanent move from Benfica: “All I know is it’s very close and has been for a wee while. Believe it’s just a formality at this point. When, not if.”

The Lisbon-born ace joined the Old Firm outfit on a season-long loan deal on deadline day last summer, with that move having included an option to buy worth a reported £6.5m.

The Glasgow giants have already wrapped one notable piece of business so far in the current window, bringing in fellow loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers in a £10m permanent swoop from Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange’s best piece of business

Title-winning manager Ange Postecoglou has already proven himself an astute operator in the transfer market in his Hoops tenure thus far, although managing to bring in the former Portugal U21 international would no doubt be his best piece of business yet and a real statement of intent heading into the new season.

Having been something of an unknown quantity upon his arrival at Parkhead just under a year ago, Jota quickly cemented himself as a real key figure for the Scottish Premiership side, proving instrumental in securing a tenth league triumph of the past 11 seasons.

In a stunning campaign both on a collective and individual basis, the £4.95m-rated gem chipped in with 13 goals and 14 assists in all competitions, proving himself a vital asset both as a goal-getter and a creator.

Dubbed a “terrific player” by BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves for his form both domestically and in Europe, the £7.1k-per-week speedster has dazzled with both his trickery and bravery in possession, offering a relentless attacking threat down either flank.

With a return to the Champions League group stages to come for the first time since 2017, the Celtic Park outfit will be in desperate need of their star asset if they are to put up a real fight against Europe’s elite, while they are likely to once again face intense competition from bitter rivals Rangers on the domestic front.

In truth, the club simply need the fleet-footed winger in tow if they are to be able to kick on again next term, with it set to be Postecoglou’s best transfer deal yet if he can get it over the line.

In other news, Celtic can unearth a new Giakoumakis after submitting bid for “very strong” £2.5m gem

Aberdeen defender Calvin Ramsay is set to undergo a medical at Liverpool in the coming days after the Reds’ offer was accepted.

The Lowdown: Ramsay profiled

As per the Dons’ official website, the 18-year-old has been at Pittodrie ever since joining the academy at the age of nine. He became a full time professional in 2019, signing a long-term deal in Scotland in 2021 and making his senior first-team debut against Dundee United later the same year.

Even though the right-back still has two years remaining on that contract, his performances caught the eye of the Reds, alongside Premier League rivals Leeds.

Of course, much of the media attention on Merseyside this week is focused on the quest to sign Darwin Nunez, who is believed to be the subject of a huge bid, but it seems Ramsay could be the man to become the club’s second summer signing after Fabio Carvalho.

The Latest: Medical next, announcement soon

In a new article published by Football Insider, it’s claimed that Liverpool are ‘close to securing a full agreement’ for Ramsay, with a recruitment source telling the website that a bid ‘worth £4m including add-ons’ has been accepted by Aberdeen.

The source further states that the defender will now ‘undergo’ a medical with the top-flight giants ‘in the coming days’ after ‘agreeing terms’ on his move to England.

It’s reported that a deal is ‘all but done’, with both parties ‘negotiating the structure of payments’ before the prospect is granted permission to complete his tests.

There could even be an official announcement ‘within the next days’.

The Verdict: One for the future

Trent Alexander-Arnold will probably always be the first-choice right-back in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI, but given his age, Ramsay will definitely be one for the future and has plenty of potential to give.

The Scotland U21 international has been in hugely impressive form for the Dons this season, having assisted nine goals and even netting one himself in just 33 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt, possessing the same kind of attacking qualities down the wing that the Liverpool number 66 does.

Already establishing himself at a highly competitive level – four of his nine assists came in European games – there’s no doubt that the teenager will be ready to step up when the manager does come calling.

In other news… one of the Reds’ first-team stars is now ‘closing in’ on a summer Anfield exit.