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Monaco centre-back Axel Disasi is incredibly keen on a move to Manchester United this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Will Disasi join Man United?

As per L'Equipe, Disasi is already close to a transfer to Old Trafford this summer. However, that report was released in early June, with the central defender seemingly no closer to a move to Manchester.

A journalist for RMCsport, Fabrice Hawkins, then revealed several days ago that Ten Hag is expected to push for Disasi's signature, and contact between the Dutchman and the Monaco man is expected imminently.

Back in March, the Daily Mail suggested that Monaco wanted at least £44m for their 25-year-old, who is already a 4-cap French international despite not being a household name across Europe.

Manchester United are expected to have something of a defensive clear-out this summer. Alex Telles and Eric Bailly are expected to depart given their contracts expire in June, as well as Phil Jones, while Harry Maguire is also supposedly on his way out of Old Trafford following a season of minimal first-team football.

However, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Disasi is not a priority target for the Red Devils, despite the player's interest in a move.

He said: "So, Disasi, for example, is a player who remains in the list who would love to join United. From what I understand, he would be very happy about a United move. But, this is not a priority for the club as of now."

With so much effort having been spent on the pursuit of Mason Mount from Chelsea, which now potentially looks to have fallen through, there likely has not been much time for Ten Hag to prioritise his need for a new central defender.

When the Mount saga comes to an end, perhaps then the United boss will move onto defensive targets, with Disasi potentially high on the list.

What kind of player is Disasi?

Having featured 49 times in all competitions for Monaco last term, Disasi, who was hailed as a "hidden gem" by Kulig, enjoyed a fruitful campaign at Stade Louis-II.

With an average Sofascore rating of 6.93 in Ligue 1 and 7.16 in the Europa League, Disasi impressed so much for Monaco that he was even taken to the 2022 FIFA World Cup with France, albeit defensive injuries played their part in the defender's call-up. Disasi even made a very, very brief appearance in the final.

Ranking in the top 11% for progressive passes and top 9% for passes into the final third per 90 among Ligue 1 centre-backs last season, Disasi is clearly comfortable playing out from the back, something which will likely endear him to Ten Hag.

The 6ft2 defender also managed five goals and four assists in Ligue 1 and the Europa League, showing his influence in the opposition penalty area as well.

Chelsea are “interested” in a summer deal to bring AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi to the Premier League, according to RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins.

Who is Axel Disasi?

Disasi is a centre-back who currently plies his trade at the Stade Louis-II having moved there from Stade Reims back in 2020, where he’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team having started 37 out of the 38 Ligue 1 games last season.

The France international still has another two years remaining on his contract, but it’s been reported that he’s keen to complete a move to the top-flight in England, with Manchester United the primary club to have been linked.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Kalidou Koulibaly is close to completing a move to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Hilal so Mauricio Pochettino will know that he’ll need to recruit backline reinforcements this window, with the 25-year-old having been highlighted as a potential target.

Are Chelsea signing Disasi?

Taking to Twitter, Hawkins revealed that Chelsea are keen to sign Disasi ahead of the new campaign but stated that they are set to face stiff competition for his services. He wrote:

“Monaco will discuss from 40 M € [£34m] for Axel Disasi. Manchester United, which has not yet made an offer, is ahead. Erik ten Hag will talk to the player shortly. Arsenal and Chelsea, who are about to lose Kalidou Koulibaly, are interested in the defender.”

Could Disasi be a good addition for Pochettino?

Disasi was labelled a “hidden gem” by talent scout Jacek Kulig when breaking into senior football but he’s certainly not under the radar anymore with the name he’s made for himself at AS Monaco, so the centre-back would certainly be a strong recruit for Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.

The 6 foot 3 colossus averaged 2.9 clearances, 2.6 aerial wins and 1.5 interceptions per league game last season, via WhoScored, so can be a real rock at the heart of a backline, but he’s also equally capable of posing a threat at the opposite end of the pitch.

The World Cup participant posted six goal contributions (three goals and the same number of assists) during the previous campaign in Ligue 1 and ranked in the 96th percentile for progressive carries by centre-backs, so loves to push his team higher up the field.

For a player who positively impacts the game both defensively and offensively, this deal would be a no-brainer to complete should the opportunity present itself.

Speculation linking N'Golo Kante with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia is gathering pace, meaning Chelsea will likely have to dip into the transfer market to sign a replacement.

Kante only started six games for the Blues last season, though that perhaps plays a small part in explaining just why they endured such a terrible campaign that saw them finish 12th in the Premier League.

Chelsea could do with bringing in a player with similar attributes to Kante, who has made playing in holding midfield sexy again across his eight seasons in the Premier League.

The Blues appear to be honing in on exactly that type of player, with Football Transfers reporting that they are pushing very hard to beat London rivals Arsenal to the signing of Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

It is claimed that Arsenal are stalling on handing over the £70m Brighton are after for Caicedo, possibly allowing Chelsea to pounce for the midfielder – much like they did with Mykhailo Mudryk in January.

Could Caicedo be an upgrade on Kante?

Chelsea and Arsenal's interest in Caicedo is longstanding, with the 21-year-old handing in a transfer request at Brighton in January in an attempt to force through a move, only to then backtrack and instead pen a new contract.

That ensures the ball is very much in Albion's court, even more so after bringing in potentially up to £55m from the sale of Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool last week.

But in the current market, £70m seems like good value for a player who has shown promise right from his early years. Indeed, South American football expert Tim Vickery was spot on when, prior to signing for Brighton, he described Caicedo as a "terrific player" with the potential to keep improving.

As pointed out by Vickery, Caicedo took no time at all to settle at Independiente del Valle as a teenager, and likewise with Ecuador, for whom he now has 30 caps at the age of 21.

The same has been true of his first full season at Brighton in the Premier League. The Ecuadorian was second only to Fulham's Joao Palhinha (147) in terms of tackles (100) last season, which told with the ten yellow cards he received – one of eight players to hit double figures for bookings.

It would be unfair to compare Caicedo's figures to those of Kante from last season given the latter's lack of action, but even in 2021-22, when playing 30 times, Kante only registered 59 tackles.

Kante recorded 1.57 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Premier League that same season, as per FBref, which Caicedo marginally bettered last season with 1.60.

There was little between the players in those respective campaigns in terms of average touches per 90 minutes (74.6 for Caicedo compared to 78.4 for Kante), but the Brighton player – understandably – was much stronger than Kante when it comes to aerial duels won (64.9% v 50%).

The role of a defensive midfielder is about a lot more than simply breaking up play, though – it is also about keeping the ball ticking along and getting attacks going from deep.

That is an area Caicedo particularly thrived, as highlighted by his 64.54 passes completed per 90 minutes over the past 12 months, ranking him in the top 6% among his positional peers. Kante, for comparison, has averaged a far smaller number of 55.03.

Caicedo also comes out on top in terms of the percentage of short passes completed (92.5 v 90.6 for Kante), medium passes (90.5 v 88.2) and long passes (79.2 v 70.5). Whether it is knocking the ball to a team-mate a few yards away, or a pass of more than 30 yards, Caicedo is among the best.

While there are similarities and differences between the pair, Caicedo undoubtedly seems to be the newer breed of midfielder who is capable of doing many different aspects.

Indeed, when taking his statistical profile into account, FBref ranks Declan Rice as the player fourth most like Caicedo. The pair were very alike last season in terms of pass completion per 90 minutes (86.5 and 88.5 respectively) and shot-creating actions (2.75 v 2.52) , while both won 37 aerial duels.

With Rice three years older and valued at around £30m more, Chelsea will be getting value for money in Caicedo should they get there ahead of their rivals.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a "serious offer" to sign Galatasary centre-back Victor Nelsson this summer, according to reports out of Turkey.

Who could join Spurs this summer?

The 2023 summer transfer window is now officially open for business, presenting Spurs with an opportunity to strengthen and undergo an arguably needed overhaul.

Ange Posteocoglou faces the huge task of transforming the north Londoners back into a major Premier League force, coming after they fell short of both winning silverware and securing European qualification last season.

Many players could depart N17, with Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Clement Lenglet, Eric Dier and Ben Davies having all been tipped to potentially leave. Meanwhile, Tottenham are also planning to offload the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks (The Telegraph).

In terms of incomings, Spurs are actively scouring the market for goalkeepers, leading to serious links with Brentford's David Raya among others.

Tottenham have also been tipped to potentially sign a new midfielder, like Leicester's James Maddison, and Postecoglou has apparently given the green-light to capture a centre-back.

For the latter position, Man City's Aymeric Laporte and Wolves defender Max KIlman have been mentioned as targets, but the Turkiye Gazetesi has some interesting news on Nelsson.

The Denmark international, who appeared for his country in Qatar at the World Cup last year, is attracting interest from Spurs and the newspaper claims they have made a "serious offer" for him.

Tottenham apparently informed Galatasary that they're willing to pay £16 million excluding bonuses for Nelsson, but there is an "expectation" they may need more – specifically around £19 million.

The defender's contract contains a £21m release clause, so Spurs may need to come closer to this figure if they wish to prise him away from Turkey.

Who is Victor Nelsson?

The report describes Nelsson as a "successful" first-teamer for Galatasary, and his stats from the 22/23 season certainly back that up.

The 24-year-old was selected over more Turkish top flight minutes than any other memeber of Okan Buruk's squad last campaign, highlighting his real importance to them (WhoScored).

In that time, Nelsson averaged more blocks per 90 than all of his Galatasary teammates in the league, all whilst also winning the highest number of aerial duels per match (WhoScored).

While he is arguably yet to be tested in a more demanding division like the Premier League, it is clear that Nelsson has been a star for his club, with Tottenham seemingly well aware.

West Ham United play one of the biggest games in their history this evening – their first European final since 1976 will take place when they face Fiorentina in Prague.

The Europa Conference League has been an important source of distraction and confidence during a troubled domestic season.

The Hammers ended the term with inconsistent results, winning four and losing as many in the final eight games of the campaign.

However, most importantly, this run included two vital victories of AZ Alkmaar to ensure progression to the final hurdle.

David Moyes and his squad know there is no room for error and complacency – so after naming a rotated side against Leicester City in the previous game, the Scotsman is expected to revert to his strongest lineup.

How will West Ham line up against Fiorentina?

There could be as many as four changes from the 2-1 defeat to the Foxes.

In goal, Alphonse Areola has started every game in this competition, keeping six clean sheets in 12 outings, and will take over from Lukasz Fabianski.

The centre-back pairing is expected to be Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma, as the former Chelsea ace will replace Vladimir Coufal in a reshuffled backline. The Frenchman has the highest average Sofascore rating (6.68) of any Hammers defender this season and his European experience could be crucial this evening.

This alteration will see Thilo Kehrer move across to right-back instead of Coufal, where the former Paris-Saint Germain man has performed admirably in recent weeks. Aaron Cresswell will retain his place at left-back.

Unsurprisingly, club captain Declan Rice will begin the encounter in what is likely to be his final appearance for the Irons, amid reports that he will join a Champions League outfit this summer.

The third change will see Tomas Soucek come in for Flynn Downes. The 6 foot 4 titan has made 49 appearances this season and is one of Moyes’ most trusted assets, even if he has been "woeful" at times, as per talkSPORT's Tom Rennie.

The ridiculously talented Lucas Paqueta will start behind the striker. The Brazilian has flourished in recent weeks, notably bagging an assist against Leeds, and his intricate creativity could be vital.

The reliable pairing of Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen will start on the wings. The latter was rested in the recent loss to Leicester but is Moyes’ preferred option to the "unbelievable" Pablo Fornals, as described by the Independent's Karl Matchett.

The £50k-per-week Spaniard is likely to still be involved in some capacity off the bench, especially after netting the winner in the away victory over AZ Alkmaar in the semi-final second leg.

Whilst Michail Antonio, who is the club’s top scorer (13) in all competitions this season, will keep his spot up top.

Predicted West Ham XI (4-2-3-1): Areola; Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell; Rice; Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma; Antonio.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their efforts to add to their wide options in the upcoming summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Brian Gutierrez to Rangers?

According to the Daily Mail, the Light Blues are one of the teams keeping tabs on Chicago Fire starlet Brian Gutierrez with a view to a possible swoop.

The report claims that a number of Premier League sides, including Manchester United, have taken an interest in the 19-year-old talent, whose performances have caught the eye of clubs in Europe.

Although, it is stated that a work permit would be difficult to achieve for the ace and that could rule out a move to England, with RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund among the other teams set to challenge the Gers for his signature.

What is Brian Gutierrez's style of play?

The teenager is a creative forward who predominantly plays on the left wing and is also often deployed as an attacking midfielder and this suggests that the dynamo could be Michael Beale's dream heir to Ryan Kent.

Rangers lost the English winger at the end of last month, when his contract at Ibrox expired, and this has left a hole in the squad that needs to be filled ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

In 22/23, Kent produced three goals and ten assists in 44 appearances in all competitions for the Gers and was able to showcase his creative quality out wide.

The former Liverpool man produced 2.2 key passes per game in the Scottish Premiership and this shows that he was able to regularly open up the opposition's defence to provide his teammates with opportunities to score.

Beale could now unearth his new Kent by securing a deal to sign Gutierrez ahead of the likes of Dortmund and Leipzig as the teenager has shown terrific potential during his time in the MLS with the Fire so far.

The 19-year-old has provided 15 key passes and created four 'big chances' for his teammates in 12 MLS starts in 2023 and this comes after he racked up 26 key passes and five 'big chances' created in 20 starts in 2022.

Gutierrez, who MLS announcer Max Bretos hailed as "special", has also excelled in the US Open Cup and caught the eye by creating a stunning 12 chances in three appearances in the competition in 2022 and 2023 combined.

These statistics show that the wizard, who has only scored two senior club goals, has the potential to be a Kent-like threat for Rangers on the left wing by consistently opening up the opposition with his passing and crossing quality to provide his teammates with chances to score.

At the age of 19, the gem could be a long-term heir to the Englishman and a player who Beale could work with over the course of number of seasons, though, instead of coming in with the expectation of immediately hitting the ground running.

Tottenham Hotspur may well have claimed Premier League victory earlier today over Leeds United, but in the end it was a result that benefited neither team as results elsewhere went against them both.

Battling to a 4-1 win in which the result never really felt in doubt, Aston Villa and Everton’s victories meant that the Europa Conference League was dragged out of their grasp and that Sam Allardyce’s side were relegated.

Ryan Mason’s men did their job comfortably although the statistics might suggest otherwise, but although the hosts enjoyed more of the ball and had more shots, it was the big chances created that truly told the story of the game, as the Whites mustered just one to the visitors’ three, via Sofascore.

In a game where the headlines will be dominated by Harry Kane’s heroics, with his brace taking his tally for the season up to a truly outstanding 30, there was another who arguably played just as big a role in sending the Yorkshire club back to the Championship.

The man who is set to join permanently this summer: Pedro Porro.

How did Pedro Porro play vs Leeds United?

Starting just ahead of Emerson Royal as what seemed to be a right midfielder, the Spaniard was clearly afforded ample creative freedom as he managed to enjoy 57 touches of the ball down that flank.

Although his 69% pass accuracy might paint the picture of profligacy, it perhaps hides the consistent efforts the £85k-per-week dynamo made to forge chances. This rewarded him greatly, scoring one and setting another up, via Sofascore.

His finish, a driven right-footed effort to make it 3-1, led the commentator Darren Fletcher, to question: “Is that the dagger into the Leeds United heart?”

However, the extent of his influence was not just linked to these tangible figures, as he also mustered two key passes and created one big chance.

Despite all this offensive impetus, the 23-year-old was not shy of working back to help out his Brazilian teammate, as he chipped in with two tackles, one clearance and one interception, via Sofascore.

For all his efforts however, it was not enough as Unai Emery finished off his masterclass at Villa Park, bringing European football back to the Midlands against all the odds. Spurs, conversely, will be without European football for the first time since 2009, which is sure to hurt their attempts of attracting new star players and even a new manager.

It marked a culmination of an entire term of mediocrity, which Daniel Levy needs to learn a huge lesson to progress this static club.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Ugurcan Cakir to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to former Turkish international Ali Kemal Denizci, who claimed in a recent interview with Radyospor (via Leeds Live) that both Leeds and Newcastle United are lining up a move for the Trabzonspor goalkeeper at the end of the current campaign.

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Denizci goes on to claim that the 26-year-old is keen on leaving Turkey after helping his side lift their first Turkish Super Lig title for 38 years, with the Whites and the Magpies looking to be the most likely destinations for the 18-time capped Turkey international.

“One to keep an eye on”

While it is undeniable that Illan Meslier is a fantastic young goalkeeper with an incredibly exciting future in the game, considering just how impressive Cakir has been for Trabzonspor in recent years, it is easy to see why Victor Orta would be interested in a deal to bring the shot-stopper to Elland Road this summer.

Indeed, over his 35 Super Lig appearances this season, the £16.2m-rated talent was imperious between the Trabzonspor sticks, keeping ten clean sheets, as well as making an average of 3.5 saves – the joint third-most in the league – and conceding just 0.9 goals per game.

These returns have seen the £22k-per-week shot-stopper who Conor McGilligan dubbed both “incredible” and “one to keep an eye on” average a quite spectacular SofaScore match rating of 7.17, ranking him as Abdullah Avci’s sixth-best performer in the top flight of Turkish football.

As such, while it would reportedly take an offer in the region of $50m (£40m) to secure the signing of the 26-year-old this summer, should Leeds go on to seal their place in the Premier League ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, this would appear to be a price well worth paying for Orta – as Cakir would undoubtedly help to shore up the Whites’ incredibly leaky defence next season.

AND in other news: Leeds handed huge boost as early Brentford team news emerges, Marsch will be buzzing

As interest surrounds Dominic Calvert-Lewin ahead of the summer transfer window, Frank Lampard could be heading for his first Everton nightmare in charge of the club.

What’s the word?

The Telegraph have reported that Newcastle United are planning an ambitious bid to bring the England striker to St James Park.

This could well depend on whether or not Everton are relegated from the Premier League, as it’s unlikely that Calvert-Lewin would want to feature in the Championship.

The Daily Mail claimed in March that his transfer fee could be north of £60m, and with the money being spent recently at Newcastle, that surely wouldn’t put them off.

Supporters will be livid

Lampard has had a difficult start to life with Everton, although a recent resurgence looks set to ensure they remain in the Premier League by the skin of their teeth.

What the manager can’t afford is his finest talents leaving Goodison Park, though, especially for divisional rivals.

Calvert-Lewin is essential to Everton improving as a squad, and despite him only netting three Premier League goals in an injury-plagued season, his record in previous campaigns suggests that Lampard has a wonderful talent on his hands who should be kept at all costs.

Signed from Sheffield United for only £1.5m back in 2016, the striker’s ascendency to the top has been remarkable. Since then, he has scored 56 goals in 188 matches for the Toffees, adding a further 17 assists as the team has generally underperformed under a series of managers.

England recognition followed in 2020 and he has since netted four times in just 11 appearances for the Three Lions, whilst also being part of the squad which finished runners-up to Italy in the delayed Euro 2020 tournament.

This shows just how highly Calvert-Lewin is rated, and with his former manager Carlo Ancelotti labelling him a “top striker”, there could be no limits as to his career progression

Lampard might face a testing summer transfer window, and it would be a nightmarish move from him if he allows his star striker to join a Premier League rival – assuming, of course, that Everton maintain their place in the top flight.

AND in other news: Everton can finally axe “poor” £68k-p/w dud by signing 22-year-old with “huge potential”

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon gem Goncalo Inacio…

What’s the talk?

According to Record, via Sport Witness, the Magpies are plotting a swoop for the Portuguese centre-back this summer.

The report claims that a deal for the 20-year-old is likely to cost a fee in the region of €45m (£38m) when you take add-ons into consideration, with Sporting unwilling to negotiate at any level below that as Ruben Amorim deems him to be indispensable.

Eddie Howe would love him

Newcastle must seal this deal for Inacio, as Magpies head coach Eddie Howe would surely love to have him at St James’ Park. The youngster has the talent to make an immediate impact on Tyneside whilst also holding the potential to develop further.

At the age of 20, he still has the majority of his career left ahead of him, so he is a player in whom the club can invest for the long run, potentially making a big profit on him in the future if he can hone his skills over the coming years.

However, Inacio has been able to consistently deliver for Sporting at first-team level as a young gem. Journalist Zach Lowy previously claimed that he is “underrated”, and he has been lauded by people who have worked with him in close proximity. 

His former coach José Lima (as quoted by Portuguese outlet RR) also showered the defender with praise, saying: “The psychological aspect is one of his great strengths, as he shows a lot of tranquility in any situation, in addition to his technical skills, in the formation, he could play as a left-back because his dominant foot is his left.

“Although at Sporting, now, he plays on the right side, even though that is not the dominant foot. He has, therefore, evolved and has been more confident with the passing of the games. He is an increasingly stronger player. He has always played with quality.”

In the Portuguese top flioght this season, Inacio has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.14 across 26 starts. He has helped his team to keep 13 clean sheets in that time and made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game, showing that he has been a key part of their resolute defence.

Therefore, Howe would surely love to work with the centre-back, as he is a young player with potential who has put himself in a terrific position from which to build the rest of his career. The 20-year-old is already proving that he can perform to a high standard on a regular basis for Sporting, and hopefully he can bring that consistency and quality to the Premier League next season if he joins Newcastle.

AND in other news, “Phenomenal” £18m-rated Premier League star now wants NUFC move, he’d be their new Gazza…