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Leeds United star Raphinha will be a Barcelona player ‘in the coming days’, according to journalist Shay Lugassi.

The Lowdown: Marsch’s comments

The Whites took on Blackpool on Thursday evening in their first public pre-season fixture, winning 4-0.

Jesse Marsch revealed after the game that Raphinha had returned to training yesterday, and that it was still undecided if the 25-year-old would travel with the squad to Australia on Sunday.

The Brazilian appears to be holding out for a move to Barcelona, despite Leeds agreeing a fee with Chelsea, and it looks as if he may just get his wish.

The Latest: ‘Deal almost done’

According to Barca Times journalist Lugassi, Raphinha will be a Barcelona player ‘in the coming days’.

He shared the news on Twitter in the last 24 hours, revealing that a ‘deal is almost done’, with just ‘final details’ left and contracts already swapped.

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The Verdict: Best for all involved

It looks as if Raphinha may well get his wish over the coming days, but it remains unclear as to what the finances involved in a potential transfer would be.

Leeds may not receive a £60m up-front fee like they could have gotten from Chelsea, but the plus side of that is he won’t be joining a Premier League rival.

Hopefully the fee will still be a respectable one, as that would then allow the club to invest in a new marquee striker, which appears to be their final piece of major business to accomplish ahead of the new season.

Leeds United have set their sights on a move for former first-team coach Carlos Corberan, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Corberan leaves Huddersfield

Corberan spent three years with the Whites, initially arriving as the U23 manager before working as a first-team coach under Marcelo Bielsa.

The Spaniard left Elland Road for Huddersfield back in 2020 and spent two seasons with The Terriers, taking charge of 102 games.

Labelled as ‘outstanding’ by Danny Cowley, Corberan guided Huddersfield to the play-off final last season but missed out on a spot in the Premier League following a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Corberan resigned as Huddersfield boss in recent days, and it looks as if a return to Leeds could be on the cards.

The Latest: Source shares update

FI shared a story regarding Corberan and Leeds on Friday morning after they were handed news by sources.

They claimed that Corberan is under consideration for a ‘shock’ return to Leeds, who are after a first-team coach for Jesse Marsch. The report adds that Victor Orta and Corberan remain close.

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The Verdict: Why not?

Corberan impressed last season in the Championship and almost sealed what would have been an eye-catching promotion to the Premier League.

Former Blackpool manager Neil Critchley made the move to Aston Villa earlier this summer to become Steven Gerrard’s assistant, so you wouldn’t rule out Leeds making similar behind-the-scenes moves.

Marsch has brought in Ewan Sharp and Pierre Barrieu but has lost assistant manager Frankie Schiemer on a day-to-day basis, so bringing in Corberan could be a shrewd move.

Glasgow Rangers are near-guaranteed to receive the full €27m (£22.9m) from the prospective sale of Calvin Bassey.

That’s according to The 4th Official, the insiders who first broke news of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s move to Ibrox last November.

The lowdown

Rangers have agreed an initial €22m (£18.7m) fee with Ajax to sell the defender, with a further €5m (£4.2m) payable in add-ons (via Fabrizio Romano). They’ve also negotiated a 10% sell-on clause, entitling them to a portion of the proceeds from any future move away from Amsterdam.

Even the base sum alone would be enough to break Rangers’ transfer record, which is currently the £12.6m that they received from Everton in January for Nathan Patterson.

The latest

The 4th Official have claimed that the add-ons look easily attainable, barring an injury to the 22-year-old.

They tweeted: “I am being told that the €5m add on is very achievable as long as Bassey plays a minimum number of games.

“Given the current scenario, unless Bassey suffers an injury, difficult to see how Rangers don’t get this additional €5m.”

The verdict

This is significant news, because £4.2m alone is a lot of money. For instance, that would be enough to cover virtually the entirety of Rangers’ £4.59m transfer outlay so far this summer.

It will no doubt hurt the Ibrox faithful to lose Bassey, who earned some rave reviews in light of his performance in last season’s Europa League final.

Ally McCoist has called him ‘frightening’, while Jamie O’Hara has compared him to a man renowned as one of the best centre-backs in world football in Virgil van Dijk (via talkSPORT).

However, to soften the blow, Rangers can reflect on ‘terrific’ business (the words of Andrew Dickson) after generating a huge sum of money from a player that they signed on a free transfer two years ago.

One of the long-running transfer sagas of the summer so far appears to be nearing a resolution, amid reports that West Ham United are growing in confidence regarding a deal to sign free agent, Jesse Lingard.

What’s the word?

According to the Evening Standard, the Hammers are said to have ‘increased optimism’ that the 29-year-old will make a return to the London Stadium, with manager David Moyes said to be ‘desperate’ to secure his services, following his recent departure from Manchester United.

The report suggests that the England international is set to make a decision regarding his future this week, as he weighs up offers from abroad, including from MLS clubs, and also within the Premier League, notably the east London outfit and Newcastle United – whom he came close to joining in January.

The piece goes on to outline that the Irons believe themselves to be in ‘pole position’ as they move ever closer to getting a deal done, albeit with the 32-cap gem said to be ‘seriously considering’ a reported £10m-per-year offer from Saudi Arabia.

Imagine him and Broja

Although there may still be a hurdle or two to overcome, it would appear that Lingard is edging closer to a reunion with Moyes, with it looking as if the Warrington-born playmaker is set to be the club’s fourth summer signing – with a deal for Lille’s Amadou Onana also in the works, as per the report.

Landing the £80k-per-week menace would be a notable coup for GSB such was his impact during his previous, six-month loan spell at the club, with the versatile midfielder registering nine goals and five assists in just 16 top-flight appearances.

A return to Old Trafford last summer off the back of that stunning revival ultimately backfired as he was restricted to just two league starts all season for his boyhood club, with the player perhaps ruing not making a permanent move to West Ham instead 12 months ago.

Despite the backwards step he has taken this past year, the £16.2m-rated man clearly possesses the quality to make the difference in the top tier, with Moyes no doubt keen to help him recapture his previous, electric form.

Not only that, however, but the former Everton boss will also want to combine his creative talents with that of another potential incoming in the form of Armando Broja, with the Chelsea youngster believed to be edging closer to a permanent switch.

The dynamic, imposing forward netted nine goals in all competitions while on loan at Southampton last term, notably scoring a stunning solo goal in an FA Cup victory over Moyes’ men back in March to clinch a 3-1 victory at St Mary’s.

Lingard too also netted a spectacular effort of his own against the Hammers in what was a rare high point in a largely dismal 2021/22 campaign on a personal note, the 5 foot 9 speedster curling in a superb, late winner for the Red Devils in a 2-1 win for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.

Those two moments of quality from the potential new arrivals illustrate just why the club have been so keen to land them this summer, with the hope being that they can replicate such magic in a claret and blue jersey next term, in what would be a fairly lethal attacking partnership.

AND in other news, Contact made: Moyes can unearth a new sensation as West Ham move for “complete” £39m target 

Arsenal are one step closer to landing Oleksandr Zinchenko as their fifth signing of the summer…

What’s the word?

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have agreed on a deal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City.

“Arsenal and Manchester City have completed contracts for Oleksandr Zinchenko deal, set to be announced as player left City training camp yesterday in order to join AFC. He’s gonna sign until June 2026,” he tweeted. “Medical tests, contract signature and the official statement.”

It’s thought that the Ukraine international is set to cost around £30m as manager Mikel Arteta links up with his former player, having coached him as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad Stadium.

Only a matter of time

It’s now only a matter of time before Zinchenko is announced as an Arsenal player and that is sure to make many supporters absolutely buzzing as they are getting another huge addition.

The 25-year-old is set to join his former teammate Gabriel Jesus at the Emirates Stadium and the pair have bags of trophy-winning experience. Last season’s triumph saw the duo clinch their fourth Premier League title. They have also won multiple League Cups and an FA Cup, too.

Zinchenko provides Arteta with a hugely versatile option as he is capable of playing in his natural midfield position, as well as at left-back, where the Gunners have struggled massively, whenever Kieran Tierney has been absent.

Nuno Tavares was often thrown into the deep end and it became evident that he is not yet ready for a regular berth in the English top-flight.

Such versatility has earned plenty of praise from Guardiola, who once said: “Oleks is another player who is so reliable. I will never forget what he has done in these three or four years, playing in a position that is not his natural position.”

Meanwhile, Zinchenko has been likened to players such as Joao Cancelo and Andy Robertson based on their statistical profiles, as per FBref. And when compared to his positional peers across Europe, it becomes evident that Arsenal are getting a top-tier player.

The Ukraine star ranks inside the top 1% for assists (0.35 per 90) and progressive passes (8.02 per 90), as well as the top 2% for passes attempted (85.82 per 90) and pass completion (88.5%). He even ranks within the top 4% for shot-creating actions (3.43 per 90), via FBref.

This suggests that he is a hugely attacking option along the left flank and one capable of providing the Gunners with some much-needed creativity out wide, or through the middle, given his versatile talents.

As such, supporters around north London should be absolutely thrilled as this deal edges closer to being complete. Zinchenko is set to become an Arsenal player, much to the delight of anyone associated with the club.

AND in other news, Arteta could form a “perfect” partnership as Arsenal eye summer move for £80m “tank”…

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur centre-forward Harry Kane.

What’s the latest?

Speaking on a recent episode of the Here We Go podcast, the Italian journalist revealed that, following several reports claiming that Bayern Munich are interested in a move for the 28-year-old, the Bundesliga club are indeed keen on the idea of bringing the England captain to Allianz Arena in the summer of 2023.

However, the transfer insider did go on to state that, in a bid to deter Julian Nagelsmann’s side from launching a bid for the centre-forward in 12 months’ time, Antonio Conte, Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy are planning to offer the Spurs talisman a new long-term contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the coming weeks.

Regarding the future of Kane, Romano said:

“Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte are working together – of course, with Daniel Levy – to build a future around Harry Kane.

“Now the atmosphere around Tottenham is completely different. They have Champions League football and Harry Kane seems to be happy with the team, with the atmosphere. He is English so to stay in England is always the best solution.

“At the moment everything is perfect between Tottenham and Kane.

“They want to offer him a new contract to avoid an attempt from Bayern for next summer in 2023, and so it is true that Bayern are in love with Harry Kane. But Tottenham have no intention to let him go, not just this summer but for the future. Conte considers him a key part of his project.”

Conte will be fuming

While the news that Paratici and Levy look set to offer Kane a new contract to extend his stay in north London beyond the summer of 2024 is undoubtedly good for all involved with Spurs, Romano’s confirmation that Bayern are extremely interested in a move for the 28-year-old is nevertheless sure to have left Conte fuming.

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Indeed, the Italian manager recently chastised Nagelsmann for speaking publicly about his interest in the 73-cap international, stating his belief that the 35-year-old’s remarks regarding the 247-goal Spurs striker were “disrespectful” to Tottenham.

However, while it would appear as if Kane is more than happy to remain with the Premier League side while Conte is at the helm, should the 52-year-old leave at any point over the course of the next year – with the former Inter Milan, Juventus and Chelsea manager not exactly being known for his longevity at any particular club – the centre-forward’s future at Spurs could become much less certain.

Furthermore, with Kane himself revealing that he wants to be winning trophies over the peak years of his professional career, a poor start to Tottenham’s 2022/23 Premier League campaign, or a group stage exit from the Champions League next season, could also see the £81m-rated talent begin to question his immediate future at the club.

As such, Romano’s confirmation that Bayern are indeed waiting in the wings for the £200k-per-week forward is sure to come as a source of great frustration to Paratici, Levy and Conte – as being aware that the six-time European Cup winners are ready and willing to make a move for his services next summer will undoubtedly be a very tempting prospect for Kane.

AND in other news, “Maybe Spurs will…”: Reliable journo drops big transfer claim supporters will love…

Celtic midfielder James McCarthy is ‘looking to move’ in this transfer window, according to reputable journalist Fraser Fletcher. 

The lowdown: Faltering start

Signed as a free agent following the expiry of a contract at Crystal Palace in 2021, McCarthy arrived at Parkhead as a vastly experienced operator having already amassed 439 senior career outings including spells at Hamilton, Everton and Wigan.

However, things haven’t gone to plan for the 31-year-old Glasgow-born Republic of Ireland international after he picked up an injury during pre-season last term and was plagued by issues in his early time with the Hoops, struggling to break into Ange Postecoglou’s immediate plans as a result.

Now, it appears as though the veteran defensive midfielder is already considering his options and a move away from the Scottish champions could be on the horizon…

The latest: ‘I’m told’

Taking to Twitter, Fletcher has claimed that McCarthy has been left ‘disappointed’ by his time under Ange and is ‘looking to move’ this summer.

He stated: “James McCarthy is looking to move after a difficult time at Celtic. I’m told the 31 year old is disappointed with how things have gone and seeking a new challenge for the season . Interest is there and some offers being prepared. McCarthy has contract until 2025 in Glasgow.”

The verdict: One in one out?

Seemingly still in the market for further midfield reinforcements despite the capture of Aaron Mooy and with Matt O’Riley staying put, opportunities for McCarthy could be limited once again in the 2022/23 campaign.

Last season, the 42-cap tough tackling stalwart – who was hailed by teammate David Turnbull for a ‘brilliant’ display in the 2-1 win over Aberdeen in November 2021 – made just 22 appearances across all competitions for the Bhoys, completing 90 minutes on only three occasions.

Having been omitted from the match-day squad for the opening day Scottish Premiership victory against Aberdeen, the future of the £1.44million valued ace appears to be more uncertain than ever and an exit from Celtic Park could be the best option for all parties.

Manchester United have agreed on a fee with Juventus for midfielder Adrien Rabiot as Erik ten Hag looks set to bolster the squad.

What’s the news?

That’s according to the Guardian, who state that Manchester United have reached an agreement with the Serie A side regarding Rabiot, for an initial £15m fee.

Discussions are currently at an early stage in terms of personal terms, but with Juventus happy to sell the midfielder, a move might not be far off.

Another Pogba?

Following the arrival of the Dutchman, it looked like Manchester United were going to begin the season with a newfound optimism not seen since 2016 when Jose Mourinho took over. The opening day defeat to Brighton certainly threw a spanner in the works for Ten Hag’s vision and he will need to go back to the drawing board.

While poor in defence and ineffective in attack, the midfield area appears to be a priority for the manager to strengthen and Rabiot could be an interesting signing.

Former Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo dubbed the Frenchman a “champion” in 2020, while Gianluigi Buffon lavished praise on the midfielder by saying “he has the physical strength of Pogba.”

Although Pogba’s time at United was something of a controversial period, his performances at Juventus between 2012-2016 and for the French national team proved that he was one of the finest midfielders of his generation, scoring 34 goals and supplying 39 assists during his time in Turin.

Rabiot hasn’t quite been perceived in the same light but his ‘strength’ on the pitch, as Buffon eludes to, is not the only similarity with Pogba. Of course, they are both French, but the Juve midfielder would also come with his own baggage and controversy.

That said, the 27-year-old Rabiot does have an average career rating of 7.03 on WhoScored, proving that he can excel at the highest level. He has won five Ligue 1 titles and a Serie A crown so the Frenchman would add that winning mentality to the Man United squad that is severely lacking at the minute.

While mainly operating as a defensive midfielder, he has scored 26 goals in his career, and with the United midfield only contributing a total of eight goals over the course of last term, Rabiot would certainly be able to chip in with a few.

The Juventus star might not be Frenkie de Jong, a long-term target for United, but for the aforementioned price, it may be a deal too good to ignore. The new manager will just have to hope his on-field performances do the talking, unlike Pogba.

Despite signing a new deal at PSV Eindhoven, transfer journalist Santi Aouna has claimed that West Ham United are still pursuing midfield star Ibrahim Sangare.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye more signings…

The Premier League club are said to be eyeing a host of other transfer targets despite having sealed five first-team signings already this summer.

Indeed, it appears that David Moyes isn’t done yet, regardless of Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Alphonse Areola (loan made permanent), Gianluca Scamacca and Maxwel Cornet putting pen to paper at the London Stadium.

West Ham currently have a central defensive shortage, with the likes of Attila Szalai being targeted, while it is also believed that head of recruitment Rob Newman has his eye on central midfield signings.

The Latest: West Ham still want Sangare…

Aouna claims that West Ham are looking at PSV midfielder Sangare as an alternative to Amadou Onana.

Expanding on the 24-year-old’s recent new contract, the transfer reporter claims that Moyes’ side are unfazed by this development and remain in the running to sign the Eredivisie star (Foot Mercato).

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The Verdict: Make the move?

Sealing a move for the midfield titan, who has also been targeted by Liverpool, would be quite the feat for West Ham, judging by his exploits over 2021/22.

As per WhoScored, Sangare – who has been called ‘extraordinary’ by former PSV manager Aad de Mos – was one of the Dutch top flight’s standout performers last term, making the second-most tackles (3.3) and interceptions (2.6) per 90 out of any player in the division.

He also finished last season as the league’s seventh-highest rated player overall, with it being clear as to why he is a target for West Ham and Moyes.

Depending on his price tag, which could be quite high after his contract extension, it will be interesting to see if the Irons keep chasing him.

Everton remain interested in Benfica striker sensation Goncalo Ramos, but one of their rival suitors is about to make the first move.

The Lowdown: Ramos is hot property

Ramos has become one of the hottest properties on the market for Premier League sides, linked with the likes of the Toffees, Leeds and Newcastle.

It’s no surprise there is so much interest in his services, with a breakthrough campaign in 2021/22 yielding eight goals and four assists in 46 appearances for the Eagles.

He has started the current campaign in even better form, bagging four goals and three assists in just four games, including a Champions League qualifying hat-trick against FC Midtjylland.

The Latest: Everton need to act fast

According to Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Notícias, via Sport Witness, Newcastle are about to make the first official move to win the race for Ramos.

Eddie Howe’s side are expected to bid over €40m, with Everton, Leeds, Southampton and Wolves watching intently.

In a possible boost for the Toffees however, the report says Benfica ‘may not be able to keep’ the 21 year-old and it’s ‘very possible’ a transfer happens in the final days of the window even despite his €120m (£100m) release clause.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Ramos looks like an immense talent. North East broadcaster Andy Sixsmith, commenting on the links to Newcastle recently, said the youngster is ‘brilliant in the air, a real clever finisher & a proper grafter up front’, traits that may remind Everton fans of a certain Brazilian.

And it’s not just Richarlison who needs replacing, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injuries becoming a real problem for Frank Lampard – the England international missed 42 games with seven different injuries in his career to date.

Ramos meanwhile has missed just four games in his professional career – two from his only ever injury and two for a positive Covid-19 test – so looks to have the durability and fitness to match his impressive list of attributes.

Jumping into the mix to try and beat Newcastle to his signing looks like a no brainer for Lampard and Kevin Thelwell.