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Leeds United loanee Weston McKennie could be set to return to Juventus in the summer regardless of whether the Whites survive the drop.

Could Leeds sign McKennie in the summer?

The American midfielder joined the Premier League side in the January transfer window on a short-term loan deal until the end of the season.

However, it is believed the Whites have a buy-clause included in this deal which could see them make his stay permanent in the summer for a fee in the region of £30m.

But with the Yorkshire club still battling away at the bottom end of the table, there may be serious question marks as to whether it is a move either party would like.

Indeed, speaking on SiriusXM, insider Pete O'Rourke has been claiming regardless of Leeds' fate, McKennie could find himself jetting back off to Turin at the end of the season:

"If Leeds do go down and suffer relegation from the Premier League there's no chance that Weston McKennie joins Leeds. That's for sure. I think he would have to return to Juventus.

"And again, I think there will be question marks whether he would join Leeds on a permanent basis if they stay up because he is a high earner and he will cost close to £30 million as well."

Is McKennie worth the £30m buy clause?

After making the move to England in January, the £40k-per-week midfielder has gone on to make eight appearances in the Premier League where he is still waiting to net his first goal and provide his first assist (via Transfermarkt).

And Leeds' form has not exactly improved since his arrival with the Yorkshire side having only picked up eight points from those eight league games.

When McKennie joined, he was brought in by Leeds' former boss, Jesse Marsch, who had the American connection with the 24-year-old midfielder.

However, Marsch has since departed with Javi Gracia coming in at Elland Road and it will be interesting to see whether the Spaniard has been impressed with what he has seen so far.

McKennie has been awarded four yellow cards in his 581 minutes of Premier League action which is unlikely to have gone down well (via Transfermarkt).

And he has not particularly shone across the season for either Juventus or Leeds with his most impressive return being for blocks made which lands him inside the top 12th percentile across the top five leagues (via FBref).

Clint Dempsey labelled McKennie "dangerous" earlier in the season, however, he is yet to show that in a Leeds shirt which could well be a deciding factor when Leeds have the option to purchase him for £30m.

Exciting young midfielder Romeo Lavia has given Southampton a ‘real hope’ of surviving in the Premier League, says reporter Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Lavia joins Saints…

The Belgium international put pen to paper on a deal at St. Mary’s last summer coming from league champions Man City with a big reputation and comparisons to Fernandinho.

Lavia was highly rated at Eastlands with fellow English giants Chelsea even taking an interest last year, but alas, it was Southampton who won the race for his signature.

The 19-year-old joined in a near-£14 million move, which at the time could’ve been seen as a real gamble considering he hadn’t even played a single minute for City in the league.

Since his move, barring some injury lay-offs, Lavia has been sensational with Saints reporters like Jacob Tanswell calling him ‘so crucial’ to the team.

Former Man United star Paul Scholes even raved over his huge potential and style of play earlier this season, saying:

‘He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in-front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there.’

The Latest: Jones makes exciting Lavia claim…

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, reporter Jones has weighed in on the hype surrounding Lavia and just how high his ceiling could be.

The journalist says he could even hand Southampton a real hope of top flight survival this year, such is his quality, with the teenager ‘destined for greatness’.

He said:

“Lavia is a player who, let’s be fair, is kind of on the verge of greatness. You’ve got somebody who a lot of other Premier League teams will be crying out for. It’s not only impressive, but it gives Southampton a real hope this season.”

The Verdict: Very exciting…To to be accomplished in England at such a young age seriously indicates there is a potential future superstar in Ruben Selles’ ranks.As per WhoScored, Lavia stands out as one of their best players in terms of distribution – averaging a higher pass accuracy (86.7%) than any current Southampton squad member.His composure and poise in midfield can be seriously impressive to behold sometimes, as explained by reporter Alfie House, who also called Lavia a ‘classy player’.One major worry for Southampton is keeping hold of the starlet with major top flight clubs apparently circling for his signature.

Aston Villa return to action in the Premier League this afternoon as they host relegation-threatened AFC Bournemouth at home.

The Villans will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run to four matches in the division heading into the international break after winning two of their last three games.

Unai Emery's side were, however, held to a draw by West Ham United in their last match as a penalty from Said Benrahma cancelled out Ollie Watkins' opening goal.

Will Leon Bailey start against Bournemouth?

Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey should be ruthlessly dropped from the starting XI after his performance against the Hammers and the head coach should look elsewhere in the squad to fill the right-wing position in the team.

The Jamaica international started on the right against West Ham and endured a rough 64 minutes on the pitch before being substituted. As per Sofascore, the forward only completed 11 passes and created one chance, whilst losing five of his six individual duels and failing to complete a single dribble.

Bailey was also at fault for the penalty that Villa conceded as his "clumsy" – as described by journalist Ashley Preece – challenge on Lucas Paqueta allowed the Brazilian to make the most of the contact in the box, with the resulting penalty costing the club two points.

Preece also stated that the winger has been "struggling" of late – citing his zero away goals in 21 Premier League away matches – and that is backed up by the £100k-per-week dud's statistics.

The attacker has scored four goals and provided two assists in 25 top-flight appearances for the Villans this season and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.64 – placing him 16th in the squad.

This comes after the 25-year-old scored once and assisted two goals in 18 outings in the Premier League last term, which suggests that his struggles are not a flash in the pan as he has been disappointing in front of goal for the majority of the last season-and-a-half.

Bailey, who has only created 0.8 chances per game for his teammates this season, has not done enough in the final third to warrant a regular starting position in the side and his poor display against West Ham last time out should see him moved out of the XI.

Emery must ruthlessly ditch the winger and offer an opportunity to another member of the squad to see if they are able to offer more than the Jamaican dynamo.

Everton have struggled once again in the Premier League this season with a relegation scrap plaguing the majority of their campaign and despite Sean Dyche improving the performances, there is still plenty of work to do at Goodison Park before it's over.

The Toffees climbed into 15th and went two points clear of the relegation zone following their well-fought draw against Chelsea on Saturday night but with the bottom half of the table unstable and tight for points from 12th down, survival is not a certainty ahead of their remaining ten league fixtures.

Indeed, there is no doubt the appointment of the former Burnley boss has had a positive impact on the Merseysiders with the side taking 11 points from his first eight games in charge so far and for some players, they have found their Everton careers revived upon his arrival.

Michael Keane, Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ben Godfrey have all seen their game-time increase since the new manager took the reins and although the players who have been favoured will be thrilled, others will be disappointed to lose their place.

One player in particular who has rarely been seen in the new Dyche era is Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Conor Coady, a player who despite Everton's struggles this season has quickly become a favourite for supporters owing to his dynamic centre-back partnership in the first half of the campaign alongside James Tarkowski.

Why isn't Conor Coady playing at Everton?

Despite dropping the 30-year-old former Wolves captain in the last four outings, the Everton boss both addressed his absence and sang the praises of Coady ahead of the clash with Chelsea:

"He’s been an immaculate professional, which everyone in the game has always suggested he is. And now I work with him I can see why, because he is."

"It’s fine margins with who we are picking at the moment because there are several players who could argue the case of getting (in the team). It enhances things less for your chances if the team is winning, not always but sometimes."

Over 22 league appearances, the £55k-per-week titan – hailed a "mentality monster" by former teammate Adam Morgan – has scored one goal, tallied up an 85% pass completion rate and six clean sheets, as well as averaging 3.7 clearances and winning 2.3 duels per game, proving that he is a huge influence defensively.

In spite of Dyche's improvements, the Goodison Park faithful have been bemused by the manager's decision to exile Coady with former Everton journalist Adam Jones baffled at the selection of Keane during the Chelsea clash:

"Michael Keane with a weak clearance for the opener, and missing an absolute sitter to make it 1-1.

"Meanwhile arguably Everton's best centre-back still sits on the bench. It's baffling."

To give a fair comparison when considering Coady's superiority over Keane due to the latter's lack of game-time this season, the England international outperformed the unpopular Toffees defender in many attributes last season including pass completion (89.5% v 76.4%), clearances (140 v 128), errors led to shots (0 v 2), take-on success (100% v 87.5%) and ball recoveries (162 v 149).

With that being said, the decision to play Keane over Coady could easily be Dyche's first and only howler at Everton so far with supporters likely to be hoping that Coady's absence won't negatively affect their chances of survival in the Premier League at the end of the season.

Liverpool are interested in signing Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio this summer and have reportedly ‘come forward’ for him in recent days.

The Lowdown: Asensio leaving Madrid?

The 26-year-old picked up his third Champions League medal at the expense of the Reds last season, admittedly not playing a key role in his team’s success, though.

Asensio has drifted down the pecking order under Carlo Ancelotti, with Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde preferred out wide, and it means he could leave Madrid with only a year remaining on his current deal.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for the Spaniard this week and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away.

The Latest: Liverpool pressing ahead

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], the Reds have now ‘come forward’ for Asensio, as they look to beat Arsenal and Newcastle United to his signature.

It looks a ‘stronger and stronger’ likelihood that a Premier League move is on the cards as Madrid are desperate to avoid losing him for free next year, and the Reds see him as a replacement for Sadio Mane.

One sticking point however is Liverpool not being able to guarantee him regular football.

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The Verdict: Might not be worth it

Asensio’s quality as a footballer cannot be questioned – he was once described as ‘tremendously precise’ by Jorge Valdano and more recently called ‘spectacular’ by agent Horacio Gaggioli, and the numbers certainly back that up.

Despite limited chances this season, the Spain international bagged ten goals from just 19 La Liga starts, averaging over two shots and one chance created every game, per Whoscored.

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That being said, with Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino already battling for minutes in Liverpool’s attack, it is hard to see where he would fit in.

Asensio would also cost a hefty sum of money and with funds not exactly unlimited this summer, Jurgen Klopp would be better off using them to bring in a new midfielder, such as the recently-linked Nicolo Barella.

BBC journalist Fraser Fletcher reports that Glasgow Rangers have now ‘approached’ the representatives of Erik Botheim over a potential move to Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Rise to fame

You would be forgiven to not know much about Botheim before last season, where he lit up the European stage for Bodo/Glimt, scoring four goals and making four assists in six games in the UEFA Europa Conference League, including five goal contributions in a 6-1 thrashing of Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma (Transfermarkt).

Perhaps his biggest claim to fame is being the best friend of now Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, as the Norwegian pair have been mates since releasing a viral music video together back in 2016.

Nonetheless, while Botheim has not made his senior debut yet for the national team, he sure to play alongside his fellow countryman soon enough, scoring at six different youth levels for Norway and now captaining their U-21 side.

The Latest: ‘Approached’

Taking to Twitter, Fletcher has revealed that Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side have now ‘approached’ Botheim’s representatives over a potential move to Scottish football, and are ‘very keen’ to sign the striker:

“Rangers have approached Erik Botheim representatives to try and bring him to Ibrox. Many offers on table for him but Rangers in a tough fight for his signature and are very keen I understand. He will announce his decision soon.”

The Verdict: Morelos replacement?

Given uncertainty over the future of Alfredo Morelos with his contract running down, and the fact that young prodigy Rory Wilson is set to sign for Aston Villa, the Teddy Bears may have to sign another forward this window, and Botheim would fit the bill.

Added to his European exploits, he also managed a goal every two games in Norway’s top flight last year, 15 in total, showing that he knows where the back of the net is.

Despite being just 22 years of age, Botheim is a real leader, evidenced by him captaining his country at youth level, and is exactly the kind of character needed to succeed Morelos, should the Colombian end up leaving the Light Blues.

In other news, find out which Gers gem is now set for a ‘shock’ move away here!

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their interest in signing Daniel Iversen from Leicester in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, the Black Cats are keen on the shot-stopper as Kristjaan Speakman plots to bring in a new goalkeeper for the club.

The report claims that Middlesbrough and Preston North End are also in the race for his signature ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Alex Neil would love him

The Sunderland boss would love to have him at the Stadium of Light next season as he already knows exactly how good the Dane is, having worked with him at his previous club.

Upon signing Iversen for Preston in 2021, Neil said: “We know what we are getting; young, enthusiastic, played at a good level, played international football for his country, so I think he will be a great addition.”

The Scot was seemingly confident that he had landed an excellent goalkeeper and he was proven correct as the shot-stopper enjoyed an excellent second half to the 2020/21 season.

In 23 Championship appearances, he averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 6.95 as he kept nine clean sheets and saved 71% of the shots against him.

He then returned to Deepdale for a second spell in the 2021/22 campaign – after Neil left – and caught the eye between the sticks. The 24-year-old averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.93 as he played in all 46 league matches – keeping 13 clean sheets.

These statistics show that the £22k-per-week colossus – who stands at 6 foot 4 – is a proven Championship performer, with Preston reporter George Hodgson dubbing him “unbelievable”. He will, therefore, add much-needed second-tier experience to the goalkeeping ranks.

Current number one Anthony Patterson has never played at a higher level than League One and only has 23 professional league appearances in his career to date. He is untested over a long period of time and this means that he cannot be relied upon as the only goalkeeping option heading into next season.

This is another reason why Neil would love to have Iversen in his squad as he would provide serious competition for the number one shirt. He would be able to challenge Patterson for his place and step in if the 22-year-old is unable to make the step up to Championship level.

The former Preston loanee knows exactly what it takes to perform in the second tier and Speakman must now work hard to land him in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Forget Stewart: SAFC deal for gem who’s “loved by the fans” would get SOL rocking…

Wolves are plotting a bid for Braga defender David Carmo ahead of the summer transfer window as Bruno Lage identifies new targets.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Birmingham mail) which states that the Premier League is the likely destination for Carmo.

Wolves face competition from German club Wolfsburg, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, although their bid was turned down.

The defender has a release clause of €40m (£34.3m) and this could tempt Lage into making a move for the player.

Lage needs him

Wolves enjoyed a solid campaign in the Premier League, finishing tenth and just missing out on European football for next year.

The onus is on the manager to rejuvenate the squad and with certain players’ futures, such as Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho uncertain, there could be plenty of incomings during the summer.

One area that Lage is aiming to boost is the defence and with Romain Saiss leaving, there is a hole that needs to be filled.

Carmo would be a fine addition to the Wolves squad and won 2.5 aerials per game last season, ranking him third in the Braga side.

Compared to positional peers in the big five leagues, Carmo ranks in the top 1% for clearances per match (6.75), whilst also displaying his attacking skills, again ranking in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (0.18 per 90) and he also generates 0.89 shot-creating actions per match.

These stats show that Lage would be benefiting at both ends of the pitch by signing the defender and at just 22 years of age, he could kickstart the next stage in his development by moving to England.

His Braga performances led manager Carlos Carvalhal to describe him as a “fantastic” centre back, while Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers claimed that Carmo has an “excellent profile” and this is high praise indeed from two coaches who are well respected.

Lage should act sooner rather than later with a move for the player before a club of a bigger stature come along and ruin the opportunity.

AND in other news, Tim Spiers now reveals major Wolves transfer twist, supporters will be buzzing…

West Ham United could pounce on Bologna defender Arthur Theate, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

Bologna brought in Theate from homeland club KV Oostende last summer on an initial loan with an obligation to buy.

The 22-year-old Belgian, who’s been capped twice by his country, played 31 Serie A matches in his first season at the club.

A report from The Evening Standard has already revealed that David Moyes wants to buy ‘at least one’ new centre-back during the summer transfer window.

The latest

The report states that Theate ‘could be sacrificed’ if manager Sinisa Mihajlovic opts to play with four at the back next season.

He would be made available for a fee of around €10million, the equivalent of £8.5million.

David Moyes and West Ham ‘like’ the Belgian and they could be in position to take advantage.

The verdict

What attributes does Theate offer as a centre-back?

Well, he makes a high number of progressive passes, ranking in the 74th percentile in Europe, and his 2.64 interceptions per 90 minutes (85th percentile) suggest he reads the game well too.

But perhaps his standout asset is his ball carrying, with Theate in the 85th percentile for progressive carries and as high as the 94th for dribbles completed.

In terms of a stylistic profile, he’s a close match for Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed him as ‘one of Serie A’s biggest revelations’ and suggested in December that he could be worth up to €18million (£15.3million). West Ham could end up signing him for nearly half what some would consider his true worth.

Theate, then, looks like a potential bargain that would help to address one of Moyes’ transfer priorities.

In other news, David Moyes has stepped up this transfer pursuit.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly now ‘ready’ to sign Aaron Hickey for Newcastle United this summer.

The Lowdown: ‘Amazing’ development

Former teammate at Hearts – and now part of the coaching team for Scotland – Steven Naismith has hailed Hickey’s ‘amazing’ development since leaving the country to sign for Bologna in Italy.

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Indeed, he played in all but two games in the Serie A this season, scoring five goals and making one assist from full-back (ninth-fewest goals in the division, finishing 13th on a very low budget.

His performances earned Hickey his first two senior caps for Scotland back in March, at the tender age of just 19.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘ready’

As per Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the St. James’ Park faithful are now ‘ready’ to sign Hickey ‘above all’, with Arsenal and Brentford also thought to be interested in his signature.

He is likely to cost in the region of €25m (£21.3m), should he make the switch to the North East.

The Verdict: Sign

At 19 years of age, Hickey has the world at his feet, and there is no doubting his potential having already played at a high level for club and country.

He is equally as comfortable at playing at right-back and left-back, which makes him a handy option for Eddie Howe, and at six-foot tall, could perhaps even do a job as a central defender if needed.

Nonetheless, £21.3m could end up being a small price to pay if he rapidly develops over the next few years.

In other news, find out which ‘outstanding leader’ could now join the Magpies here!