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Liverpool have got ‘no chance’ of signing Real Madrid star Federico Valverde next summer, according to Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell.

The Lowdown: FSG bid rejected

The Reds had been in the market over the summer for a new midfielder to cover for the ongoing injury crisis, but despite signing Arthur Melo from Juventus on a season-long loan, he wasn’t the only player being targeted by FSG.

Spanish outlet AS reported that the Premier League giants made an £86.5m bid for the 24-year-old Valverde in the final days of the window, though this was turned down by the La Liga side, who weren’t willing to let him leave before the deadline.

The Latest: Valverde not for sale

Asked by Football Insider whether Liverpool might be able to land Valverde in 2023 should they increase their offer, Campbell said:

“No chance.

“Valverde is a player who Real Madrid have put a lot of time into. They have built him up and developed him into a regular starter.

“The guy scored an unbelievable goal at the weekend as well. He is a player who I think will go on to be world-class. He has got a great engine, a hell of a shot on him and can pass the ball with both feet.

“Real Madrid are not a selling club. They have developed this youngster and he is now starting to repay the faith. I cannot see him moving to Liverpool.

“Real Madrid are not a club who sell their best players.”

The Verdict: Not surprising

Valverde has become an integral member of Carlo Ancelotti’s starting XI at the Bernabeu, so it’s no surprise that Liverpool’s approach was rejected.

The Uruguayan has got off to a flying start this season, making five goal contributions in eight appearances in all competitions, registering one goal and one assist in just two Champions League outings (Transfermarkt).

Valverde still has five years remaining on his deal with Real so he won’t come cheap, but with Arthur now in the building, the Reds should wait until next summer to further assess their options.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte could leave the club this summer if the Lilywhites don’t make a good start in the upcoming transfer window, according to insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Potter identified as replacement

The 52-year-old suggested earlier this season that he could walk away from Spurs before the end of the campaign following a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Burnley in the Premier League.

However, he recently dismissed the rumours that he has offered himself to Paris Saint-Germain, with the former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino set to leave the French giants.

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However, it would appear that the club are preparing for the possible departure of Conte, with The Telegraph dropping a pretty big update on Friday.

According to their sources, Brighton boss Graham Potter has emerged as Spurs’ number one managerial replacement should the Italian decide to leave N17.

The Latest: Conte’s big decision

Reacting to that Potter update during an interview with GiveMeSport, Jones, an insider for Eurosport, admitted that he believes the future of Conte will hugely depend on how the early stages of the club’s transfer window will pan out, meaning the boss could even leave by July.

“Conte’s going to make his decision based on how this transfer window starts to pan out.

“I think he’ll get an indication early in June as to what he’s actually getting, and I think probably by the start of July, we’ll get a clear sign of whether things are going his way or not. If, by that point, there isn’t a sign of Conte getting the type of players he needs, then I think his future is definitely in doubt.”

The Verdict: Backing from the hierarchy

Conte is said to be looking at bringing in six new signings in the summer and is reportedly targeting a goalkeeper, centre-back, right wing-back, two midfielders, and a forward.

A couple of players in those positions who Spurs have been heavily linked with in recent weeks are West Brom shot-stopper Sam Johnstone and Atalanta defender Joakim Maehle, who both have the potential to be great additions to the squad and would indicate ambition to Conte nice and early in the window.

However, if Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy fail to back the manager by giving him the transfer funds he requires or don’t support his long-term vision for the club, then this could quickly turn into a catastrophic summer.

In other news… Spurs are believed to be leading the race for a 16 y/o star in the making.

Wolves have had a wonderful spell in the Premier League since their promotion from the Championship in 2018.

Nuno Espirito Santo delivered two consecutive seventh-place finishes before a slightly more disappointing 13th place spot in the 2020/2021 season before he joined Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021.

There is no doubt the majority of his transfer business was excellent, bringing the likes of Ruben Neves and Rui Patricio to Molineux as they aimed to make the next step up.

Yet there were a couple of transfer mistakes, with the costliest one being that of striker Fabio Silva, who was signed from Porto for a club-record fee of £35.6m and quite frankly, hasn’t lived up to the hype.

The striker, who earns £37k-per-week has received his fair share of criticism since joining the club, with journalist Tariq Panja describing the whole transfer as “baffling” and with just four goals and six assists in 64 matches for the club, it’s clear to see why.

The 19-year-old has yet to score in 21 Premier League matches this season as Wolves aim to finish in eighth spot, but it looks like time could be running out for the youngster.

There is no doubt there is significant potential there, a club wouldn’t spend close to £40m if there wasn’t, but he has got to start scoring goals sooner rather than later.

His market value sat at £10.8m when he joined Wolves, proving that they overpaid. With his value currently sitting at £16.2m as of March 2022, the player’s value has dropped a mammoth £19.4m since his move to the side in 2020.

Nuno had a major howler with the Portuguese striker, and it is now Bruno Lage who has to work out if he has a future at the club or not.

With his value dropping, another team might be willing to take a punt on him, the question is, how much money will Wolves recoup from their original outlay?

AND in other news, big boost: Major Wolves transfer development emerges that’ll leave Lage ecstatic – opinion

Celtic want to tie Ange Postecoglou down to a new contract after clinching the Scottish Premiership, The Daily Record’s Fraser Wilson reported late on Thursday night. 

The lowdown

The Hoops’ 1-1 draw with Dundee United on Wednesday night was enough to seal glory with a game to spare.

They’ve regained the title after Steven Gerrard’s Rangers halted their nine-year streak in 2020/21.

Postecoglou, who took up his post as Neil Lennon’s permanent successor last summer after leaving Yokohama F Marinos, has steered his side to 28 victories, six draws and just three defeats from 37 league matches.

In addition, he delivered the Scottish League Cup after a 2-1 victory over Hibernian in the December final.

The Australian had signed a one-year rolling contract on his arrival at Parkhead.

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The latest

Wilson revealed late Thursday evening that Celtic are ‘set to hold contract talks’ with Postecoglou and his representatives ‘in the coming weeks’.

The board have been ‘delighted’ with how this season has gone, both on and off the pitch, and want to reward the manager in recognition of his ‘central’ role.

He’ll be offered an improved salary and a longer-term commitment.

The verdict

Postecoglou has only added to his impressive CV in 21/22. He’s now won nine trophies a manager across three different countries – Australia, Japan and Scotland.

There have been rave reviews, with FOX Sports Australia likening him to Tom Cruise after he accomplished ‘Mission Impossible’, while The Japan Times labelled him a ‘distinguished’ coach (via The Scottish Daily Express).

Perhaps the main task next year will be to do better in Europe.

Celtic could only finish third in their Europa League group and suffered a heavy 5-1 aggregate defeat to Bodo/Glimt in their Conference League quest.

The return of Champions League football is exciting, but it will bring with it even greater challenges.

In other news, this BBC man predicts an imminent Celtic incoming.  

Wolves should tread very carefully about making a move for Napoli attacker Hirving Lozano this summer, according to Italian football expert Conor Clancy.

The Lowdown: Wolves linked with Lozano

Bruno Lage will be keen to make new signings during the summer transfer window, and one player with whom Wanderers have been linked in recent months is Lozano.

The £31.5m-rated Mexican has made 30 Serie A appearances for Napoli this season, registering five goals and five assist, along with netting once in the Europa League.

Lozano also famously shone at the 2018 World Cup with Mexico, chipping in with one goal and one assist and catching the eye with his dazzling performances out wide. Indeed, it was he who netted the winner against then-world champions Germany at that tournament.

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The Latest: Clancy sounds Lozano warning

Despite that impressive summer in Russia, Clancy is not convinced about Wolves signing the 26-year-old, telling GiveMeSport that Lozano is too hit-and-miss as a footballer.

The Serie A expert warned:

“Lozano, he’s what you expect from a number 10. He’s small, he can create, he can really amaze you on his day, but his days are too few and far between.

“He’ll frustrate you; he’ll have moments of brilliance, but he’s not someone to build a project around, I would say.”

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The Verdict: One to avoid

While Lozano is clearly a talented player who is capable of match-winning moments on a big stage, Clancy’s assessment should act as a word of warning to Lage ahead of the summer.

Wolves need to be signing reliable players who are likely to perform in the Premier League on a consistent basis, rather than someone who will blow hot and cold all too often.

There could be some excitement if the Old Gold end up signing Lozano, given his pedigree at World Cup and Champions League level, but Lage could be better off focusing on the signing of a winger who isn’t going to leave the Molineux faithful tearing their hair out in frustration, as Clancy has suggested of the Mexican.

In other news, Wolves have been boosted in their quest to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Djed Spence to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that a recruitment source has revealed that Fabio Paratici has now opened talks with Middlesbrough regarding a deal for the right-back, with Antonio Conte believed to have made the Nottingham Forest loanee one of his priority targets ahead of Tottenham’s 2022/23 campaign.

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However, the report goes on to state that Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal are also interested in a move for the 21-year-old, who is expected to be made available to sign for a figure of around £10m this summer.

The next Trent Alexander-Arnold

Considering just how impressive Spence has been while on loan at Forest this season, it is not difficult to understand why Conte would be interested in a deal to bring the full-back to north London this summer.

Indeed, over his 41 Championship appearances for Steve Cooper’s side this term, the £7.2m-rated talent has been a revelation in the Reds backline, scoring two goals, registering four assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.6 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 1.8 dribbles per game.

The £4.4k-per-week right-back has also impressed in a defensive capacity, making an average of 1.5 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 0.2 blocks and winning 5.8 duels per fixture, in addition to boasting a pass completion rate of 75.8%.

These returns have seen the 21-year-old who Danny Green dubbed an “unreal player” and Neil Warnock claimed has “all the tools” average a quite astonishing WhoScored match rating of 7.06, ranking him as Forest’s sixth-best performer in the second tier – playing a key role in the Garibaldi’s run to the play-off final.

So impressive has Spence been that, following the Reds’ 1-0 FA Cup victory over Arsenal back in January, Ian Wright compared the England U21 international to Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the 58-year-old stating:

“If we are talking about right-backs performing at an unbelievable level, we’re talking about Reece James and Trent, but I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time. I said to him, in all seriousness, ‘That level we saw there? You should be in the Premier League.’ Simple as that.”

And, while the Boro starlet may still be a little way off the €100m (£83m) 23-year-old’s output, there are clear comparisons between the two, with the England international scoring two goals, providing 12 assists and creating 18 big chances over his 32 Premier League outings this season, as well as making 2.8 key passes, completing 0.6 dribbles and having a pass completion rate of 78.1%.

As such, should Conte be able to convince Spence of a move to north London this summer, it would very much appear as if the Italian could have landed himself the next Alexander-Arnold, and, if the youngster is available for as little as £10m, the 21-year-old may well prove to be one of the bargains of the summer.

AND in other news: “In the coming days”: Fabrizio Romano drops big Spurs update that supporters will love

A big Rangers transfer claim has emerged regarding Gio van Bronckhorst’s pursuit of a new attacker heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Reporter Alan Nixon has suggested that the Light Blues will only pursue a deal for Oladapo Afolayan if Ryan Kent leaves the club in the coming months.

The journalist has cast doubt over whether or not the Bolton forward would be interested in joining the Gers as a back-up to the current Ibrox gem.

In response to a fan asking about a deal for the Trotters winger, Nixon tweeted: “Only if Kent goes I suspect … if there was spare cash you could do him as cover … if he fancied that.”

Supporters will be concerned

This claim from Nixon will surely leave Rangers supporters concerned for multiple reasons.

Firstly, the suggestion that they may not want to sign him if they keep Kent is a worrying one. The club is in dire need of additional reinforcements on the left flank in addition to retaining the ex-Liverpool man, as Joe Aribo was the only other Gers midfielder with more than three assists in the Premiership.

Scott Wright, Amad Diallo, Fashion Sakala, Aaron Ramsey, Scott Arfield and Ianis Hagi managed just two assists between them in the league in 2021/22. This shows that Van Bronckhorst did not have much in the way of creativity outside of Kent and Aribo, in terms of his midfielders.

Therefore, Rangers need to strengthen in this area even if they can keep hold of the ex-Liverpool winger, and this is why fans will be concerned that Afolayan may only be a replacement for the 25-year-old.

The supporters will also be gutted by the suggestion that the English League One attacker may not be willing to come to Ibrox as a squad option. This would result in the club missing out on an excellent addition to the depth of their squad.

Bolton manager Ian Evatt previously lauded the winger’s style of play, saying: “The way that Dapo plays out wide is that he’s always drifting inside into pockets of space into half spaces and then looking to thread passes or dribble and drive and shoot, so as a number 10, he can really affect the game from that position.”

These comments indicate that Afolayan is a player who can excite Gers fans, and his statistics in the 2021/22 campaign back that up. He found the net 12 times and created eight ‘big chances’ whilst playing on the left as he showed that he can deliver in the final third on a regular basis.

Hopefully Rangers are able to retain Kent and decide that they want to bring in the Bolton gem to challenge him, whilst convincing the 24-year-old to make the move to Glasgow, as these stats suggest that he could be a big asset for the Gers.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Souttar: Rangers can seal dream deal by signing 23 y/o “real leader”…

Journalist Pasquale Guarro has made an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Inter Milan star and defensive target Alessandro Bastoni.

The Lowdown: Bastoni top of Tottenham’s list…

After their summit in Italy last week, Spurs manager Antonio Conte and club chief Fabio Paratici have reportedly listed Bastoni among their top targets for the summer transfer window.

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A left-sided central defender is thought to be of serious interest to Conte, with the Nerazzurri ace said to be valued at around £50m.

Tottenham recently announced a £150m cash injection which will be used to back their manager and ensure that the Lilywhites can seriously compete for the 2022/23 Premier League season.

The Latest: Conte making ‘personal commitment’ to sign Bastoni…

According to Guarro, reiterating the club’s interest in Bastoni ‘firmly’, Conte is apparently making a ‘personal commitment’ to seal the 23-year-old’s signing this summer.

The reporter explained (via Twitter): “I can reiterate this firmly: the #Tottenham is working on the hips for #Bastoni , Conte wants to transfer the left chain of the #Inter to London and is making a personal commitment.”

The Verdict: Promising claim…

There is little denying that Bastoni would seriously upgrade Tottenham’s back-three options and provide Conte with an injection of real class.

Widely tipped as Italy’s next generation defensive answer to legendary Azzurri figurehead Giorgio Chiellini, the 6 foot 2 star has also been called a ‘defensive genius’ by Italian football expert Conor Clancy.

Already possessing a glowing reputation, chief Squawka writer Muhammad Butt has called Bastoni a ‘special’ player, which shows why Conte is very eager to bring the Italy international to north London.

If the Lilywhites can back the manager with the 23-year-old’s addition, it could certainly signal the start of a very promising summer.

In other news: Paratici eyeing Spurs move for ‘sensational’ £75m man who Guardiola called ‘quality’…find out more here

Manchester United are reportedly planning a bid for Sporting Lisbon centre-back Goncalo Inacio this summer and the Portuguese wonderkid could be Erik ten Hag’s own version of Ruben Dias at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

According to Portuguese news outlet A Bola (via the Express), United have prepared a bid of £34.1m for the 20-year-old defender and hold an advantage over fellow Premier League sides Newcastle and Wolves, as he would rather join a club competing for major honours.

Erik ten Hag is clearly keen on defensive reinforcements this summer as he looks to improve on a defence that shipped 57 top-flight goals last season and Inacio could be one man to ease United’s woes at the back next season.

United’s Ruben Dias?

Dias has been phenomenal for Manchester City since joining from Benfica in 2020, helping Pep Guardiola’s side to two consecutive Premier League titles.

The 25-year-old instantly adjusted to the demands of Premier League football and has quickly established himself as one of the top centre-backs in England. That’s backed up by his supremely impressive WhoScored average match ratings that head north of 6.90 in his first two campaigns.

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However, when Portuguese football expert Daniel Oliviera was asked to compare Dias and Inacio, he said:

“It’s always difficult to compare players. One obvious difference is that Dias joined Manchester City when he was 23, so he was further along in his development than Inacio, who is still only 20. It is unlikely, therefore, that Inácio could have the same impact as Dias, who was crowned the Premier League’s best player at the end of his first season.

“Dias was always a natural leader and Inácio’s communication may be one area in which he can improve. Physically speaking, I believe the young Sporting defender would be able to handle the Premier League, as he is very strong in the tackle and in the air.

“He’s also smart in his defending, as just two bookings all season will tell you. In terms of his quality on the ball, I would probably rate Inácio higher than Dias – he’s very good on the deck and has a 91% pass completion rate in the Primeira Liga this term.

“Like I say, it’s hard to make comparisons. I’m 100% sure about one thing: the 20-year-old Inacio is a better player than Ruben Dias was at the same age.”

Last season saw Inacio make 28 appearances in the Portuguese top-flight, in which he contributed four goals and two assists, averaging an impressive 7/10 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Therefore, it seems clear that the young centre-back has a huge amount of potential and if he were given regular game time under ten Hag at United, he could even surpass the level of performance we have seen from Dias in the other half of Manchester.

And, in other news… Bye-Bye Maguire: Ten Hag must swoop for Spanish centre-back

According to reliable journalist and northern correspondent Martin Blackburn, a Manchester City transfer development has come to light involving Brighton star Marc Cucurella.

The Lowdown: Guardiola eyes summer reshuffle…

Sky Blues boss Pep Guardiola, after guiding his side to a fourth Premier League title in five seasons, could be the architect of a serious summer shake up at Eastlands.

Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan, Nathan Ake and Oleksandr Zincheko, as per The Times, are linked with a possible exit from City while Barcelona also eye a move for superstar Bernardo Silva.

City have their eyes on potential incomings after the signings of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, perhaps most notably Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips and Cucurella.

Sharing news on the latter man, Blackburn of The Sun has an update for supporters.

The Latest: City prepared to double money…

According to his information, City are ‘prepared to double Brighton’s money’ for the Spaniard’s signing after they paid £15.4 million to sign him from Getafe.

Guardiola and co are also ‘confident they can fight off Chelsea’ to sign the 23-year-old but Etihad Stadium chiefs are currently looking to whittle down his £40 million asking price.

The Verdict: Priority target?

The left-back has been an untouchable for Graham Potter, playing the second-most league minutes behind goalkeeper Robert Sanchez last season (WhoScored).

Over that time, Cucurella was also Brighton’s third-best performing player –  averaging their second-highest rate of tackles per 90 whilst completing making the third-highest rate of key passes out of their squad (WhoScored).

ESPN journalist David Cartlidge has been quick to point out the defender’s ‘phenomenal’ evolution since leaving Barcelona and we believe he would be an ideal signing to balance Guardiola’s left-channel.

In other news: The Telegraph have just shared a major Man City update on Kalvin Phillips! Find out more here.