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Bruno Lage faces a crucial summer transfer window if he aims to take Wolves to the European spots next season.

He had a solid if unspectacular start at the club, guiding Wolves to tenth in the Premier League last season, but there will have to be some new faces added to the squad in order to take the side to the next level.

The midfield area is one of concern, with the future of Ruben Neves uncertain, reinforcements are urgently required.

One player that Lage should be making a move for is PSG player Georginio Wijnaldum, who has been given the green light to leave the French capital to seek a move elsewhere.

Wolves face competition over the Dutchman, however, with 90min understanding that Everton, West Ham, and Leicester City are all keen on adding the midfielder to their squads this summer.

His stint at PSG hasn’t exactly set the world on fire and despite the player earning £180k-per-week, Wolves should be getting ready to make a move, even if it is only a season-long loan deal.

Wijnaldum could be Lage’s very own Frenkie de Jong, with FBref comparing the two players via their similar player model.

Both players have outstanding passing abilities, with Wijnaldum (90.5%) and de Jong (89.9%) having similar statistics, with both being able to effectively start attacks.

Going forward, the Barcelona player is more of a threat, scoring more (3 goals to 1) and generating more shot-creating actions per match (2.65 to 1.31).

Defensively, both players are solid, but de Jong edges his national teammate slightly by winning more tackles (26 to 12), and interceptions (31 to 11) and also makes more pressures than Wijnaldum (315 to 213).

The stats show that de Jong statistically comes out on top, but they are extremely similar in playing styles, being able to transition from defence to attack with ease.

If Lage signs Wijnaldum, who Mauricio Pochettino dubbed “aggressive”, it would be a big statement of intent and could well be a catalyst for further high calibre incomings this summer.

AND in other news: “Interested in..”: talkSPORT journo drops big Wolves claim that’ll delight supporters

Rangers currently have the fifth-oldest squad in the SPFL in terms of the average age (26.4) of their current crop of players.

In terms of their transfer business during the current summer window, one figure that the Gers have been linked with that could help bring the average age of the squad at Ibrox down is Blackburn Rovers winger Tyrhys Dolan.

Earlier this month, it was reported by Geoff Peters on Twitter that Rangers, as well as fellow SPFL side Celtic and Premier League club Nottingham Forest, are keen on signing the 20-year-old winger this summer for a possible fee of between £2m and £3m.

After spending time with Manchester City and Preston North End at youth level, the attacker joined Blackburn during the 2020 summer transfer window.

Since then, the youngster has gone on to make 76 senior appearances for the Lancashire club, in which he has scored eight goals and delivered six assists.

His latest season with the Championship club saw the Englishman find the net four times and provide three assists in 34 league appearances, whilst playing in a number of different positions across the pitch.

In fact, one of his goals was labelled as “wonderful” by Tony Mowbray back in October, highlighting the attacking talent he has for such a young player.

To further show what sort of player he is, on a list of similar players to the Blackburn starlet, according to Football Transfers, is former Real Madrid and Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil.

With 113 goals and 219 assists to his name in 636 senior and youth appearances at club level, as well as winning numerous trophies for club and country, having a potential next version of the German in the shape of Dolan will be a mouth-watering prospect for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the Gers.

Having also shown his versatility throughout his long and illustrious career in addition to scoring and creating goals on a very regular basis, it’s easy to see why the comparison has been made between the 33-year-old and the young Blackburn prodigy.

Moving forward, given the attacking prowess that he has shown throughout the latest campaign at his current club, if Rangers get the chance to secure a deal for him and give him the opportunity to develop his talent at Ibrox, this could be a big coup for the club and give them many long-term benefits.

AND in other news: GvB now now plotting Rangers bid for “unbelievable” £4.5m-rated target, he’s Kent 2.0

Bruno Andrade has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Richarlison.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the UOL Esporte journalist revealed that, following numerous reports claiming that Antonio Conte is extremely keen on a move for the Everton centre-forward this summer, talks between Fabio Paratici and the Toffees transfer team regarding a deal for the 25-year-old are already well underway.

The Brazilian reporter went on to state that negotiations between the two Premier League clubs have so far been positive, with an agreement in the region of £60m expected to be reached – despite Chelsea also pursuing a deal for the Brazil international.

In his tweet, Andrade said: “Richarlison: Despite Chelsea’s interest, talks between Tottenham and Everton are moving in a positive light. With the Brazilian striker, there is already a negotiation well underway. Agreement should be around £60m (in principle, without involving players in exchange).”

Conte will be buzzing

With it being reported that Conte had identified Richarlison as his primary attacking target in the summer transfer window, Andrade’s claim that Paratici is now closing in on an agreement for the striker is sure to have left the 52-year-old manager buzzing.

And, it is not difficult to understand why the Italian is so keen on a deal to bring the 25-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the new Premier League campaign, as Richarlison’s impressive positional versatility, as well as his fantastic returns in the final third, would appear to make him something of a perfect fit for Conte’s front three.

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Indeed, despite Everton’s struggles last season, the £60m-rated attacker still managed to catch the eye over his 30 Premier League appearances, scoring ten goals, registering five assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.4 shots, making 1.0 key pass and completing 1.3 dribbles per game.

These metrics saw the £90k-per-week forward – who is 7.02, ranking him as Frank Lampard’s best performer in the league last time out.

However, 2021/22 was not the first top-flight campaign in which Richarlison returned eye-catching numbers for the Toffees, with the 36-cap international having bagged 13 goals and two assists over 34 appearances in 2020/21.

As such, with it being plain for all to see that Richarlison is a versatile and Premier League-proven attacking outlet, Conte’s interest in the former Watford hitman should come as no surprise to the Tottenham faithful, while it is also clear to see why Andrade’s latest update on Paratici’s move for the 25-year-old forward will delight the Italian manager.

AND in other news: Paratici now given green light for “unreal” £43m Spurs signing, it’s Kulusevski 2.0

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on Manchester United’s pursuit of Pau Torres in an interview with GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

The Red Devils were interested in signing the Villarreal centre-back last summer as a backup to new arrival Raphael Varane, and they have nd now reignited their pursuit of the Spain international, with recently-appointed United manager Erik ten Hag having been consulted.

The 25-year-old’s contract with the La Liga club contains a release clause of around £52m, as per Romano.

The latest

The Italian journalist has now claimed that United have learned that they can sign Torres for a reduced fee. Intermediaries have been trying to strike an agreement that could see the move reach the next stage.

He told GiveMeSport: “For Pau Torres, they know he has a release clause of around €60m (£52m), but they also know that Villarreal would be willing to negotiate for something less than this.

“It could be around €45m-€50m (£38m-£43m). So they have all the conditions set, and they have had some conversations with intermediaries working on this deal.”

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The verdict

If United can agree a deal with Villarreal via these intermediaries, then the next challenge is persuading the player to come to Old Trafford.

Torres knows that he’d be competing with not only Varane but also club captain Harry Maguire, the most expensive defender in football history.

Beyond that, the Spaniard has made clear his preference to play Champions League football next season. United had to settle for a place in the Europa League after finishing sixth in last season’s Premier League.

The Red Devils saw first-hand how good he was in last season’s Champions League group stage. Even though Villarreal lost 2-1 at Old Trafford in September, Torres stood out on the night. As per Sofascore, he won five out of six duels, successfully executed a last man tackle and completed 97% of his passes (including four out of five long balls) and both of his dribbles.

Imagine how much United fans might love to see him performing like that at Old Trafford regularly…

In other news, United have submitted a bid for this Premier League star

Rangers have been linked with a move for goalkeeper Berke Ozer recently and if the shot-stopper were to arrive at Ibrox this summer, it could prove to be the end for Allan McGregor in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

According to Turkish news outlet En Son Haber, the Teddy Bears have made an offer to sign the 22-year-old ‘keeper, with the report claiming that he would be open to a move to Rangers this summer, as he eyes regular first-team football away from Fenerbahce.

The youngster is set to leave the Turkish giants on a free transfer this summer despite making 19 appearances last season, in which he conceded 20 goals and kept six clean sheets.

Ozer has played regularly in Turkey’s youth sides and has also featured in the Europa League, so isn’t short of experience despite his age, and he could be an excellent long-term addition to Van Bronckhorst’s side, especially since Rangers can sign him for nothing.

Given his age, experience and lack of transfer fee, Van Bronckhorst would surely love to have Ozer as part of his squad for the 2022/23 campaign, as the Gers look to regain the Scottish Premiership title and continue to progress in Europe.

If he were to arrive at Ibrox ahead of next season, it may well be the catalyst for McGregor departing, with the 40-year-old certain to leave with legendary status after amassing 445 appearances for the club across two different spells.

The former Hull City man is yet to agree to a new deal at Ibrox and despite being first-choice for the majority of last season, Van Bronckhorst seems to be eyeing up a younger alternative to the Scotsman in between the sticks.

McGregor’s last appearance was a one-minute cameo in the Scottish League Cup final win against Hearts, which certainly felt like an opportunity for the Rangers fans to thank the veteran goalkeeper for his service, so the signs suggest that he won’t be at Ibrox in a playing capacity next season.

Therefore, with Jon McLaughlin also in the latter stages of his career at 34, it is no surprise that Rangers are being linked with a younger option such as Ozer, and the 6 foot 3 stopper could be the ideal heir to McGregor at Ibrox.

And, in other news… GvB can land the next McCoist as Rangers eye summer swoop for “superb” £5m gem

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United’s attempts to land their second deal of the summer transfer window after signing Matt Targett.

What’s the talk?

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has revealed that the Magpies are leading the race for Sven Botman and should find out what the player wants to do before next week.

He Tweeted: “On Botman nothing has fundamentally changed in last few days but as reported. NUFC believe they’re in pole position. We should finally get a decision this week. Until it’s done it’s not done etc. Howe returns from holiday soon. Ashworth watched player last night for Holland U21s.”

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson then added: “NUFC hoping to reach end game with Sven Botman deal this week after defender signs off from international duty. Looks like they’ve beaten off competition from AC Milan. Suggestions of PSG interest noted – but not regarded as a concern…”

Eddie Howe will love it

The Magpies’ head coach will love these updates on the club’s attempts to land the Lille enforcer for several reasons.

Firstly, he will be buzzing with the claim that a decision is now on the way. Having a final call from the player by the end of the week will either allow Newcastle to wrap the deal up quickly and in time for pre-season or give them over two months to find an alternative centre-back target.

He will also be delighted with the suggestion that the club have managed to beat AC Milan and PSG to the player, if they are now able to get this over the line. Both of those teams will be competing in the Champions League next season after winning their respective leagues.

Newcastle, meanwhile, have no European football on offer and it remains to be seen what targets Howe will set in terms of a realistic finish in the Premier League in 2022/23.

This means that they are set to land Botman in spite of having less to offer from a footballing point of view, which will delight Howe as it would show that the defender has faith in the long-term project at the club.

At the age of 22, the Dutchman is a player who can develop alongside the team in the years to come and be a part of the journey to, hopefully, securing Champions League football in the future.

AND in other news, NUFC can find their own Paqueta in deal for “glorious” £64m gem with “no weaknesses”…

Frank Lampard will be aiming to build his own squad when the transfer window opens on June 10th as he looks ahead to his first full season in charge of Everton.

Last season was better left forgotten by the Goodison Park faithful following a relegation dogfight they eventually retained their Premier League status on the penultimate matchday with a win over Crystal Palace.

There is no doubt improvement is needed, in almost every area of the pitch, and Lampard will surely leave no stone unturned in order to make this role a success.

The club have been linked with players such as James Tarkowski and Christian Eriksen of late, then there appears to be plenty of optimism in the air.

One player that the 43-year-old should be looking to bring in is someone who he knows very well from his days as Chelsea manager.

Everton were linked with Ruben Loftus-Cheek in April as Lampard sought a reunion with the midfielder, but with recent reports linking the “special” player to Serie A side Inter Milan, then Lampard will need to act fast to sign the Englishman.

Chelsea are looking at a €20m (£17m) fee to secure his services and this could be a bargain in the long run.

Loftus-Cheek is compared to Real Madrid star Luka Modric on FBref’s similar player model, with both players having related styles of play and doing the basic things well without much fanfare.

Passing is a big strength for the two, with Loftus-Cheek (90.6%) and Modric (88.1%) having the ability to control the match and create plenty of opportunities for their respective teams.

While scoring goals isn’t the pair’s main strength, they both generate over three shot-creating actions per match in order to give themselves a chance at grabbing a goal (3.36 for Loftus-Cheek, 3.23 for Modric).

Defensively, the pair are technically sound and don’t give many fouls away (24 each over the course of the season) showing that they can be excellent without having to give away goalscoring opportunities on a regular basis.

Modric is one of the finest midfielders in the world, and if Lampard has a legitimate chance of signing Loftus-Cheek, then he must act now.

AND in other news, “No chance…”: Journo drops big Everton transfer twist that’ll disappoint supporters…

Jurgen Klopp has led Liverpool to a brilliant season which has comprised two trophies and another appearance in the Champions League final, which unfortunately resulted in a defeat to Real Madrid.

FSG will surely be looking to improve the squad at Anfield ahead of next season for another tilt at a quadruple, with various positions in need of a slight rejig, especially with the news that Sadio Mane appears to be leaving the club in the summer.

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However, the Reds could have already identified his heir with a possible move for Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry.

According to a recent report from Anfield Central, Liverpool have held talks with the player’s agent ahead of a potential move in the summer.

The winger earns £115k-p/w at Bayern and will reportedly be demanding more than double that to sign for the Anfield club, which could nullify any potential deal.

There is no doubt about his ability, having been described as “magic” in the past and dubbed “a real weapon” by former Bayern manager Niko Kovac, so he could easily slot into the Reds’ front free.

According to FBRef’s player comparison model, Gnabry is similar to Neymar, and Liverpool could unearth their very own mercurial talent by closing a deal for the German.

Both players have similar styles of play and, when it comes to goals and assists, they are practically identical. Gnabry (14 goals and five assists this season) and Neymar (13 goals and six assists) both have the ability to cause a plethora of attacking problems for their opposition.

This season, the Germany forward registered 2.8 shots on target per match compared to the Brazilian’s 2.43. When it comes to shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, both players possess impressive numbers (4.37 for Gnabry and 5.98 for Neymar).

Although Liverpool currently have Mohamed Salah and Mane, they may be crying out for a superstar replacement if the latter goes, and someone in Gnabry who comes in the mould of Neymar would give the Reds a huge boost in the final third heading into next season.

The summer transfer window could be an exciting time to be a Liverpool fan.

AND in other news, Klopp can unearth his own Lewandowski for LFC with bid for “exceptional” £34m maestro

West Bromwich Albion are expected to have a huge transfer window following Steve Bruce confirming plans for the summer, and improving the squad is a necessity if the club wants to compete for Premier League promotion next season.

The Baggies manager claimed (via Birmingham Live):

“I think we need to freshen the whole squad up. How big? I would think it would be substantial – I hope.”

“I think we need as many as five or six – a major overhaul is needed.”

Bruce has a huge challenge on his hands to identify areas and players that need to be moved on this summer as well as securing deals for the right players that can make an instant impact and improve the squad ahead of the next Championship season.

One player who has failed to make a positive impact on the side and contributed to the disappointing campaign for the Baggies is Grady Diangana.

The £18m flop who was dubbed “disappointing” by Kevin Phillips, has only scored 11 goals and contributed eight assists in 94 appearances for West Brom since he joined the club in 2020, with glimmers of potential in his first season with the side, the winger has failed to impose himself on opponents this season.

Scoring two goals and contributing one assist in 41 league appearances Diangana has failed to offer a reliable attacking threat in the team, making only 0.8 key passes and taking 0.2 shots on target on average per game, as well as losing possession of the ball every 3.2 touches, losing the majority of his duels (63%) and unsuccessful in the majority of his dribbles (56%) too.

With that being said, West Brom have been linked on numerous occasions with out of contract Milwall winger Jed Wallace who could definitely offer an upgrade on Diangana this summer if Bruce can seal a deal for the player.

The 28-year-old who was hailed “unbelievable” by Gary Rowett has been far more prolific in his position for Millwall in the Championship this season scoring six goals, contributing 12 assists and creating an impressive 14 big chances, making 2.5 key passes and taking 0.7 shots on target on average per game.

Ultimately, the Baggies would need to make a lucrative offer for Wallace this summer if they did want to pursue him as a move to Turkey could be an option for the player with both Konyaspor and Galatasaray allegedly interested too.

AND in other news: WBA can replicate Clarke masterclass by signing £6m machine who’s “solid as a rock”

Nottingham Forest’s future in the Championship still hangs in the balance as the side have reached the Championship play-off finals, but it hasn’t stopped the transfer speculation from mounting.

What’s the latest?

A new update has emerged on Forest’s potential transfer target Cyrus Christie as he has now been released by Fulham and is a free agent ahead of the summer transfer window.

It was revealed earlier this month that the defender could be set for a reunion with his former club, with Sky Sports (via Nottingham Live) reporting that Nottingham Forest had put him on their list of transfer targets.

Christie has also been linked with a permanent move to Swansea City after a successful loan spell at the club this season.

Spence replacement

Steve Cooper is in need of a right-back next season as Djed Spence is set to return to Middlesbrough this summer following his impressive loan spell with the promotion-chasing side, and Christie could be an ideal replacement that could save the club millions as he will be available to sign on a free transfer.

The 29-year-old livewire who was hailed “outstanding” by Martin O’Neill has had an impressive season at Swansea in a more advanced role where he has proven to be effective, scoring three goals and contributing four assists.

He’s also created two big chances whilst making 2 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 1.3 clearances on average per game in 23 Championship appearances.

Christie is no stranger to The City Ground either as the Republic of Ireland international made 44 appearances delivering five assists during a season-long loan in 2020/2021 before returning to Fulham, so it could be a golden opportunity for the player to reignite his career at his former club.

Spence is now reportedly being pursued by Tottenham Hotspur so it is unlikely that Cooper will be able to compete to sign the 21-year-old with the Champions League qualified side this summer, but could sign a replacement in a more experienced eight years older Christie who wouldn’t cost them a penny.

With that being said, signing the free agent could be a low-risk investment for Forest and could easily fill the gap Spence will leave in the team next season. After receiving the green light on his future, Coope simply has to secure a deal.

AND in other news: Cooper can save Forest millions by unleashing 18 y/o who is “one to look out for”