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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is poised to bring his former Ajax winger, Antony, to Old Trafford.

That is according to a report from The Sun, who state that the United boss is eager to make the Brazilian his first signing in what looks to be a £40m move.

Mahrez 2.0

The signing of Antony makes a lot of sense for ten Hag’s new-look United side, certainly from a tactical point of view.

The Red Devils have been crying out for a left-footed inverted winger for some time, with fans already baited into thinking the problem was solved when Amad Diallo arrived last year. Though he was not given a chance and at this stage, Ten Hag needs established players that he can rely on.

In almost every aspect of their play style under Ralf Rangnick, United were one-dimensional and it was a similar case under Ole Gunnar-Solskjær.

In order to shake up the attack, they can make use of an inverted approach – just like Pep Guardiola utilises when deploying Riyad Mahrez on the right-wing.

The Algerian has endured repeated success in this role, cutting inside in a bid to wrong-foot the central defenders and fire a shot at goal, a style of play that has rewarded him with 63 goals and 46 assists in City colours. An inverted approach adds another dimension in the attack and allows for a wide player to operate almost solely in the half-space, which also results in more space for the centre-forward.

Antony can shine in the “Mahrez” role for United, and has proven his ability under Ten Hag at Ajax, having notched up 12 goal contributions in 23 Eredivisie appearances last season, in the form of eight goals and four assists. With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that he’s been described as an “unreal” footballer by Andre Noruega.

It looks as though Ten Hag has a real strategy, with his targets thus far all tailored to his mass-possession philosophy.

United should wrap this deal up pronto.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops “serious” Man United transfer claim that’ll have ten Hag buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to finally seal the signing of Djed Spence on Thursday.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to talkSPORT, who revealed in a recent post on Twitter that, following the news Richarlison is set to sign a five-year deal with Spurs, coupled with Clement Lenglet looking on course to arrive on a loan deal from Barcelona, Antonio Conte, Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy are now also hopeful of agreeing a deal for the Middlesbrough right-back imminently.

In their post, talkSPORT said: “Richarlison will sign a 5-year deal at Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs are also hoping to sign Clement Lenglet & Djed Spence imminently – talkSPORT sources understand.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering just how arduous Spurs’ negotiations for Spence have been – with reports on Wednesday suggesting that Levy was just £1m away from meeting Middlesbrough’s £20m asking price, a figure which includes add-ons – talkSPORT’s claim that Tottenham’s move for the 21-year-old is now coming to a close is sure to have left supporters buzzing.

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And, it is not difficult to see why Spurs are interested in a move for the England U21 international this summer, as the £7.2m-rated talent demonstrated during a season-long loan spell with Nottingham Forest last season that he is one of the most exciting up-and-coming full-backs in English football.

Indeed, over his 42 Championship appearances for Steve Cooper’s side, the £4.4k-per-week defender scored two goals, registered five assists and created six big chances, as well as making an average of 1.5 tackles and 1.6 interceptions, completing 1.8 dribbles and 1.0 key pass and winning 5.8 duels per game.

These returns saw the former Fulham starlet average a quite extraordinary WhoScored match rating of 7.05, ranking him as the Reds’ sixth-best performer in their play-off winning campaign.

As such, with Emerson Royal being linked with a summer move to Atletico Madrid and Matt Doherty still in recovery from a medial collateral ligament injury, the news that Levy is now close to finalising a deal for the Boro defender is undoubtedly fantastic news for everyone involved with Spurs – not least Conte himself.

AND in other news: Di Marzio: Spurs now have another “done deal” after Richarlison, Conte will be buzzing

West Ham United have been handed a huge boost in their bid to bring Mohamed Bayo to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Foot Mercato, who claim that, following a number of reports linking David Moyes with a move for the Clermont Foot centre-forward in recent weeks, the Ligue 1 side are now willing to green light a move for a figure in the region of €14m (£12m) in the summer transfer window.

However, the report goes on to state that the Hammers are not alone in their pursuit of the Guinea international’s signature, with LOSC Lille, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hertha Berlin, Valencia, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton also believed to be tracking the forward ahead of a potential move of their own.

Huge coup

Considering just how exciting a prospect Bayo quite clearly appears to be, should Moyes manage to beat the likes of Spurs, Everton, Eintracht and Valencia to a deal for the 24-year-old this summer, it would undoubtedly represent a huge coup for West Ham.

Indeed, over his 32 Ligue 1 appearances in 2021/22, the £10.8m-rated talent was in electric form for Clermont, scoring 14 goals, registering five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots, making 1.0 key pass and completing 0.9 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £10k-per-week forward who Jacek Kulig dubbed “indispensable” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Pascal Gastien’s third-best performer in the league – a quite remarkable feat considering Clermont’s 17th place finish in the French top-flight last time out.

As such, with Moyes in desperate need of both backup to and competition for West Ham’s sole centre-forward, Michail Antonio, next season, it would very much appear as if Bayo could be something of a perfect fit for the 59-year-old Scot – especially considering the fact the Guinean now looks to be available for an extremely reasonable fee this summer.

AND in other news: ExWHUemployee drops huge one-word transfer update, West Ham supporters will be buzzing

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has delivered his verdict on the transfer situation surrounding Celtic ace Josip Juranovic. 

The lowdown: Instant impact

Signed from Legia Warsaw for £2.5m (Sky Sports), the Croatia right-back has been nothing short of sensational since arriving at Parkhead.

The 26-year-old was one of numerous new signings last summer as Ange Postecoglou built a squad to try and dethrone Rangers at the top of the Premiership, playing a major role whilst making 26 league appearances as the Bhoys reclaimed their crown as Scottish champions.

After a stellar campaign in Glasgow, Spanish giants Atletico Madrid are reportedly keen on acquiring Juranovic’s services, a prospect that one pundit can foresee becoming a reality this summer…

The latest: Hutton on Juranovic

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton has claimed that both Old Firm clubs would find offers of around £10m for their prized assets difficult to resist.

The BBC Sport contributor said of Juranovic and Celtic: “Ultimately I don’t think they’ll want to sell him. I think he’s one year into a five year contract. He’s had an excellent first year, he’s very versatile and he fits into the Ange Postecoglou way so ultimately they won’t want to sell him.

“But, if Atletico Madrid come in for you and they put £10million on the table, I think it’s a figure that a team like Rangers or Celtic can’t turn down.

“So it’s going to come down to the fee. What that’ll be I don’t know but he has had an outstanding season.”

The verdict: Not enough

Holding a market value of £6.3m and just 20% of the way into a five-year deal at Parkhead (Transfermarkt), Celtic could and should be demanding offers of at least their reported £15m asking price for the 20-cap Croatia international.

Furthermore, unlike in previous campaigns, the Hoops can now offer Champions League football to the likes of the man branded ‘different class’ by Celtic podcast host Ryan Clifford. That proposition that had been off the table in the past and perhaps lured star names away or prevented potential signings from materialising.

Capable of playing on either side as a full-back, the energetic Croatian won three duels, made 1.5 clearances and completed 1.3 key passes per game in the Scottish top-flight during 2021/22, showcasing his attacking and defensive acumen in both halves of the pitch (Sofascore).

Having already bolstered the squad with the permanent double swoop of Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers, along adding Alexandro Bernabei and Benjamin Siegrist to the Lennoxtown ranks, the Parkhead hierarchy should be doing everything in their power to further back Postecoglou. They must resist any temptation to cash in on Juranovic, who ended the 2021/22 season with the eighth-highest average Sofascore rating among the squad at 7.21.

West Ham United have been handed a huge boost in their bid to sign Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca.

What’s the word?

That’s according to ExWHUemployee, who, speaking on Friday’s episode of The West Ham Way podcast (via This Is Futbol), had the following to say: “As of this morning we were still talking to Sassuolo regarding the deal for Scamacca. It is felt that Sassuolo hope another club will enter the bidding having seen PSG look like they have moved onto Newcastle target Hugo Ekitike from Stade de Reims. There is a desire to try and get this deal over the line as soon as possible.”

Supporters will be buzzing

With David Moyes already outlining his intentions this summer with several early moves, this one could be the biggest of them all and will leave supporters buzzing.

West Ham have been crying out for a striker who could one day replace Michail Antonio, with plenty of failed experiments along the way.

This young, fresh, free-scoring Italian could be the answer to all their problems, as he would be coming off the back of a remarkable goalscoring season whilst playing for a lacklustre Sassuolo side.

His 16 league goals across 36 games represents a fine return for the 23-year-old, with the fact he managed to play so often instantly makes him more reliable than Antonio.

His injury record has ravaged the Jamaican and left West Ham forcing wingers and midfielders into the number nine spot. A reliable target man is a must, especially given he has just turned 32.

Unsurprisingly, Scamacca earned a very high average SofaScore rating to pair with his fine season in front of goal. He earned a 7.03 rating, which ranks him second amongst his teammates.

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell was full of praise for the youngster after his performance against England, stating that “one thing I will say is that his link play is brilliant. It is very good and he puts himself about.”

He continued: “If you watch video clips of him he looks decent. He knows where the goal is. It looks as if he will cause a lot of problems.

It is clear that he has all the ability to make the step up to Premier League football, and West Ham supporters can start to get excited at the prospect of a big man with good feet filling the boots of fan favourite Antonio.

AND in other news: Moyes edging closer to 4th summer signing in West Ham talks for £32.3m “masterclass”

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on a deal to bring Memphis Depay to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication AS, who claim that, after Fabio Paratici was given the green light by Barcelona to make a move for the centre-forward during the Italian’s negotiations for Clement Lenglet, the sporting director has now moved a step closer to signing him after informing the LaLiga side he is willing to pay €17m (£14.5m) for the 28-year-old – a figure just €3m (£2.5m) short of Barca’s €20m (£17.5m) asking price.

The report goes on to state that, while the Netherlands international would prefer to remain at the Camp Nou beyond the summer, he is willing to leave the club in the search of regular first-team football with a top European side – with it being said that a move to Sevilla does not interest him, while a number of interested Italian sides are not believed to be able to meet Barcelona’s demands for the striker.

An “unreal” coup

Considering just how impressive Depay was for Barcelona last season, in addition to the centre-forward currently possessing a market valuation of around £34m, should Paratici manage to seal a £14.5m deal for the 28-year-old as Tottenham’s seventh signing of the summer, it would undoubtedly represent an unbelievable coup for Antonio Conte’s side.

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Indeed, over his 28 LaLiga appearances in 2021/22, the £158k-per-week talent was in scintillating form, scoring 12 goals, providing two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.2 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game.

These returns saw former Olympique Lyon forward who Liam Canning dubbed “unreal” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.26, not only ranking him as Xavi’s fourth-best performer in the league but also as the joint 10th-best player in the Spanish top flight as a whole.

Furthermore, according to FBref, the Dutchman also ranks in the top 1% of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for passes attempted per 90, as well as the top 3% for progressive carries, the top 3% for progressive passes received, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive passes and the top 8% for dribbles completed over the past 12 months.

As such, while it is true that Paratici has already added the £60m Richarlison to Conte’s attacking options in north London this summer, should the Italian be able to add the further addition of Depay to Spurs’ squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, the argument that Tottenham will be serious contenders for the Premier League title next season would become much easier to make.

AND in other news: “Definitely want..”: O’Keefe reveals huge Spurs transfer update, Conte will be buzzing

Aston Villa wasted no time early into the summer transfer window by making five signings to make sure their squad is ready to compete and improve upon their last season in the Premier League.

Steven Gerrard joined the Villains back in November, so next season will be his first full campaign with the side and will surely be hoping that after the entire summer to prepare his team ahead of their return to action, the team will excel even further.

Despite already making several new signings, there may be another opportunity to strengthen the attacking threat in the team, especially after Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings failed to light up the forward line with only 18 goals combined throughout last season.

One player who has been recently linked with a move to Villa Park is Espanyol striker Raul de Tomas, a forward with a reported price tag of £30m who could certainly improve the number of goal contributions being completed in the team.

Over 34 La Liga appearances, De Tomas scored 17 goals, delivered three assists and created two big chances, making 1.1 clearances and taking 3.1 shots per game last season.

The Spanish striker who branded himself as “gifted” was the third highest scoring player, ranked fourth for most big chances created and ranked third for the most shots on target in the entirety of La Liga last season, proving that he is a highly efficient forward who could be a valuable asset next season for the Villa team.

Gerrard could even land his very own Luis Suarez with the signing of de Tomas, as the Villa boss’ former Liverpool teammate was one of the most comparable players to the 27-year-old talent, according to FBref.

Despite the Atletico Madrid forward having a better shot on target accuracy (45.1%), de Tomas outperformed his peer in several areas with more goal contributions in fewer appearances (20), a better pass completion rate (82.6%) and made more shot-creating actions (65).

With that being said, the signing of De Tomas could give Aston Villa a big upgrade in their front line and also provide Coutinho with a strike partner that could be deadly for their opponents when the team returnS to action next month.

AND in other news: Villa given green light to sign 44-goal “massive talent”, he’s better than Chukwuemeka

Everton journalist Chris Smith has revealed that Director of Football Kevin Thelwell is now ‘at the table’ to potentially sign Armando Broja.

The Lowdown: McNeil signs

The Goodison Park outfit confirmed the signing of winger Dwight McNeil from Burnley on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee on Thursday afternoon.

He joins former Clarets teammate James Tarkowski and ex-Wolves full-back Ruben Vinagre on Merseyside, and it means that they can now focus on securing their targets in other areas of the pitch.

The Latest: Broja update

Taking to Twitter, Smith has revealed that Thelwell is now ‘at the table’ to sign Broja, but Chelsea are asking for a transfer fee as high as ‘£50m’ to sell the striker:

“If #Everton are to sign Armando Broja, it’s going to go down to the wire I think.

“They’re still very much at the table, but right now Chelsea are asking for huge sums – as high as £50m I’m told.

“They’ll only come down on that if they can sign another striker themselves.”

The Verdict: Patience needed

The Toffees need to be patient in terms of their pursuit of Broja this window, and not jump the gun to pay a heavily inflated price for the Albania international.

Having let Romelu Lukaku return to Inter Milan on loan, Chelsea could well be looking at bringing in a striker, which should theoretically then bring Broja’s price down.

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The Blues can afford to start the season with Dominic Calvert-Lewin up top, and McNeil now gives them another attacking option to help cover the loss of Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur.

They should still go all in for Broja, but may be wise to wait until later on in the window in order to secure a sensible deal.

Tottenham Hotspur are still actively pursuing a move for Nicolo Zaniolo…

What’s the word?

That’s according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs, who delivered an update on the situation to Twitter this week.

“Spurs still very much pursuing Nicolo Zaniolo, who is open to a move,” he said.

“Outgoings the priority but talks with Roma could see a player go the other way. Milan have cooled on Japhet Tanganga for now. Jose Mourinho likes him. One to watch.”

He then added: “With Zaniolo, Spurs believe Roma’s £50m price tag is £10m too high. It’s based on Zaniolo’s clear potential but his form was patchy last season.

“Further talks [are] expected next week. Spurs in no rush as outgoings remain the priority.”

Eriksen’s true heir

The Lilywhites are on the lookout for a new creative midfielder, and it’s easy to see why. They have lacked this sort of presence ever since the departure of Christian Erisken, who left Hotspur Way for Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan in January 2020.

The Dane’s replacements – Giovani Lo Celso (eight goals, six assists) and Tanguy Ndombele (ten goals, nine assists) – have failed to step up to fill his void as both now appear to be available for a permanent exit this summer transfer window.

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Eriksen has since returned to the Premier League, signing for Manchester United this summer and Spurs were keen on a reunion, according to Sky Sports.

However, Conte will now have to look elsewhere, which is why Zaniolo has emerged as a solid candidate as revealed by Jacobs, who recently lauded the Roma star as a “frightening talent” when fit.

Last season, the Serie A caught a glimpse of what the Italy international can do, having bounced back from two ACL injuries. He provided former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho with eight goals and nine assists across 42 appearances, including the match-winner in the Europa Conference League final.

Zaniolo also ranks inside the top 11% of all his positional peers across Europe for through balls (0.32 per 90), which is more than what Eriksen managed during his stint at Brentford last season. He also managed more touches in the opposition box, too (5.53 vs 1.34 per 90).

£50m may be an excessive amount to pay, especially considering the north Londoners have already wielded a £60m investment in Richarlison, who isn’t expected to be in the starting XI but in the hunt for a new playmaking piece, Zaniolo could be worth every penny.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici must either pay up or work out a favourable deal with the Serie A side in the coming weeks, with deadline day only just around the corner.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano: Spurs “working on” 7th summer signing, he’s an “extraordinary” talent…

Journalist and Sunderland supporter Josh Bunting has given his reaction to some transfer news that he has heard involving Jack Diamond.

The Lowdown: Fleetwood interested in Diamond

As per Football Insider, League One club Fleetwood Town have now registered their interest in signing Diamond, with the winger is a ‘top target’ for Scott Brown’s side.

The Championship club have reportedly given the ‘green light’ for the 22-year-old to leave the Stadium of Light, despite giving him a contract extension last year.

The Latest: Bunting reacts

Taking to Twitter, Bunting gave his instant reaction to the news of Diamond’s possible departure from Sunderland, claiming that the winger would be a ‘good signing’ for Fleetwood, and that he hopes that the propsed deal comes off.

Bunting stated: “Good signing for Fleetwood this if they get him, they’ve been direct in their opening two League One games and that will suit Jack Diamond. Just get the ball into him and he will drive at defenders. Can see him do well there, hope it happens.”

The Verdict: Sell him

Given the recruitment of attackers Ellis Simms, Jack Clarke and Leon Dajaku so far this summer, it seems unlikely that Diamond would get much game-time if he stays at Sunderland beyond the current transfer window.

He has not featured for Alex Neil’s side yet this season and was shipped off to Harrogate Town last term after making just five appearances for the Black Cats when they were in League One (Transfermarkt).

At 22 years of age, Diamond needs to be playing regular football now, so if Sunderland can get a decent fee for him from Fleetwood, it would be a move which would surely suit all parties involved.