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Leeds United are closing in on their third signing of the summer…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, the Yorkshire giants are in talks to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Marc Roca, who is free to leave the Bundesliga champions, in a £10m deal.

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It’s thought that Leeds director of football Victor Orta believes the Spaniard would be an ideal fit for the Premier League and that manager Jesse Marsch is also keen to sign him.

Premier League rivals West Ham United are also credited with interest but David Moyes is looking elsewhere.

The Whites have already signed RB Salzburg duo Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, so Roca could be their third major move ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Similar to Jorginho

After bolstering attacking midfield and the right flank, it would make sense to add another piece to the engine room, and one that is more defensively minded.

Roca fits the bill as the perfect signing for Marsch, his system and the gaps currently left in his squad.

The 25-year-old has struggled for game-time at Bayern, largely due to a string of injuries and the sheer competition, with Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka ahead of him in the pecking order.

However, whenever he has been given an opportunity or is fit, he has impressed, as claimed by BBC Sport’s Raj Choban, who said:

“Marc Roca to Leeds. I like it a lot. He impressed me in the run of games he got in December/January when Kimmich & Goretzka were injured,” he said. “Good defensive positioning & passing range. He’s the best Kalvin Philips replacement as a 6 that they could get. Or even to play with Phillips.”

Indeed, that reinforces the view of journalist Joe Donnohue, who described Roca as a “smooth operator” who can “steady the tempo & pick valuable forward passes”.

Fear not, Leeds fans – the former Espanyol powerhouse could be the perfect double-pivot partner to Kalvin Phillips, rather than his replacement.

That’s because Adam Forshaw has struggled to keep fit, Mateusz Klich has struggled for form, and both Pascal Struijk and Robin Koch are centre-backs by trade.

As per FBRef, Roca has plenty of similar characteristics to Chelsea midfielder Jorginho (and even Spurs’ Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg).

The £45k-per-week brute ranks inside the top 7% of his positional peers across Europe for pressures (24.85 per 90), top 8% for passes attempted (70.63 per 90) and top 13% for progressive passes (5.67 per 90).

That makes him appear to be the perfect link between defence and attack and in Marsch’s pressing system, he could fit like a glove, especially with the power of Phillips next to him.

In the 6-foot Roca, Leeds could sign their very own Jorginho and given his successes in England, it could prove to be a bargain £10m spent.

AND in other news, Orta must now ruthlessly axe Leeds’ £30m “worst signing”, he’s been “hellaciously bad”…

A big claim has emerged on Leeds United and their efforts to keep Raphinha at Elland Road during the upcoming summer transfer window. 

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Whites are putting up a fight to ward off interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.

He tweeted:

“Not less than €55m, no payments in many years/installments. Leeds have not changed their conditions for Raphinha’s transfer. #LUFC Barcelona are in advanced talks with the player since February, but talks with Leeds are definitely not easy.”

Jesse Marsch will be buzzing

Leeds head coach Jesse March will surely be buzzing with this claim for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it proves that Victor Orta is not going to be a pushover when it comes to selling the club’s best players during the window. The Leeds chief will not allow Barcelona to walk over them and snap Raphinha up for a fee that does not represent a worthwhile deal.

Retaining their Premier League status on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign means that they are under no financial pressure to sell. It may have been a different story if the club were dropping down to the Championship and needed to cash in on assets to maintain their finances but that is not the case.

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Marsch will be feeling relieved knowing that Orta will not be selling Raphinha, or any of his other players, in cut-price deals that will limit the money he can spend on their potential replacements.

He will also be buzzing as this stance seemingly increases the club’s chances of keeping hold of Raphinha. The Brazilian is a significant player for the Lillywhites and retaining his services would be a huge boost for the head coach.

In the Premier League, the winger produced 11 goals and three assists in 35 appearances as he dragged the team to safety with his silky skills and composed finishes. This came after he managed six goals and nine assists in his debut campaign in England, showing that he has the quality to both score and assist goals in the top-flight.

Therefore, Marsch will be delighted by the prospect of keeping him as he has the potential to be a huge player for the club again next term. He is a proven performer in the division and can be a match-winner with his quality in the final third, as shown by his impressive statistics.

AND in other news, Orta can seal “outstanding” Raphinha replacement with Leeds bid for £72k-p/w “machine”…

Newcastle United are reportedly still interested in making a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney, according to reports.

What’s the word?

As per the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards, the Magpies have “not given up” hope of signing the Englishman, despite having been put off by the Bees’ reported £40m plus asking price.

Writing on Twitter about the club’s hunt for a striker, amid speculation surrounding the impending arrival of Hugo Ekitike, the journalist revealed that Toney remains an option, alongside Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin: “Toney & Calvert-Lewin too expensive at moment but not given up. Ekitike is a development project and plays mainly wide. Wilson’s form at end of season complicates things. Signing better tough.”

The 26-year-old had previously been signed by the northeast side back in 2015 from lower-league outfit Northampton Town, although he went on to make just four appearances for the club in all competitions, spending much of his time at St James’ Park out on loan before joining Peterborough United on a permanent deal in 2018.

Massive signing

That decision by then-boss Rafa Benitez to let the £31k-per-week gem depart for just £650k four years ago has no doubt come back to bite the Tynesiders, with PIF now potentially set to pay substantially more to bring him back to the club this summer.

That interest in a reunion has been sparked by his lethal goalscoring form in recent seasons, the dynamic forward having emerged as something of a talisman under Thomas Frank since his £5m from Posh in the summer of 2020.

Even that fee has become to look like an absolute bargain, with Toney having since netted 47 goals in just 89 games for the west London outfit over the past two seasons, notably hitting a stunning Premier League.

Despite the step up to the higher level, the £31.5m-rated marksman has adjusted with relative ease – as have the club as a whole – scoring 12 goals and laying on a further five assists to ensure a comfortable mid-table finish for Frank’s men.

Not just a goalscorer, however, the 5 foot 10 ace has also impressed with his all-round holdup play, ranking in the top 12% for aerial duels won among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, as well as in the top 16% for progressive passes.

Such a presence would prove vital in Eddie Howe’s side, with a shortage of goals having been a real issue in the most recent campaign, the club’s leading scorer in all competitions that of Callum Wilson with just eight goals.

The former Bournemouth man has looked sharp when fit although has too often been restricted to a viewing brief – missing over four months of the season with injury –  with Newcastle in need of a trustworthy figure to lead the line next term.

Once dubbed a “massive” talent by journalist Gabe Henderson, Toney could well be the man to fill that striking void at his former club, with Howe and co set to rue letting him slip through their fingers once again, should they opt out of a deal.

IN other news, Eddie Howe can now help NUFC sign “spectacular” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than Saint-Maximin…

Brighton & Hove Albion assistant manager Billy Reid has delivered a promising verdict on what could be to come from Celtic midfielder James McCarthy.

The lowdown: First-year struggles

Having amassed 272 Premier League appearances south of the border across spells with Everton and Crystal Palace, the capture of McCarthy appeared to be a masterstroke from Ange Postecoglou as a first signing.

However, the 31-year-old Republic of Ireland international struggled for consistent form in the first of a four year deal at Celtic Park.

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Despite often being overlooked in favour of Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley, McCarthy has been backed to turn his fortunes around in Glasgow…

The latest: Reid keeps the faith

As quoted by the Daily Record, Reid, the man who gave the 42-cap ace his senior debut for Hibernian when aged just 15, suggested that the experienced midfielder has adapted to do the ‘dirty’ work next season.

The 58-year-old Glasgow born coach said: “There is a role for James at Celtic. He’s not the box-to-box player he was, he’s adapted to become a sitting midfielder where he can do the dirty side. Keeping it simple as a possession-based player, winning the ball back and being that central cog is what he’s so good at.

“There is stiff competition but it doesn’t matter what age you are, age is not a barrier. I look at Mark Noble who I saw when we played West Ham last week, he’s still at the top despite being 35 years old. Scott Brown was being written off every season after he turned 30 but look at the size of his character to show people they are wrong. He always came back stronger.

“Players are always being tested and this is another test for James. I’m just hoping that next season marks a positive turnaround for him as it’s probably fair to say that the last few years have not been where James wanted things to be.”

The verdict: More to come

During the successful 2021/22 campaign, McCarthy made only 22 appearances across all competitions despite remaining fit and available for the most part.

Eight of those outings came in a deeper-lying role, a position Reid has mooted that could be the future for the experienced star ,who was once hailed as ‘real class’ by Roy Hodgson during his time at Crystal Palace.

Following the departure of Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic, Ange Postecoglou may well call upon the services of a McCarthy with plenty to prove more frequently as the Hoops add participation in the Champions League to an already packed fixture schedule.

In other news, Celtic have been linked with another midfield signing. Find out who it is here.

Eddie Howe reportedly now ‘ponders’ making a club-record bid to sign Kieran Tierney for Newcastle United this summer.

The Lowdown: Targett uncertainty

It is not clear whether the St James’ Park outfit will sign loanee Matt Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa, with the likes of Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi being linked with a move to the northeast recently.

It is an area of the pitch where the Tynesiders are expected to strengthen, with more names now being reported as potential arrivals.

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The Latest: Tierney move?

Taking to Twitter, The Gooner journalist Layth Yousif has revealed that Howe now ‘ponders’ making a £50m bid for Tierney, which would be a club-record transfer for Newcastle.

However, the Arsenal and Scotland left-back is ‘happy’ with Mikel Arteta’s project in north London, so it may be difficult to persuade him to join the Tyneside revolution.

The Verdict: Avoid

£50m is a big gamble to pay for a player in Tierney who, despite his brilliance – Premier League and England legend Ashley Cole has previously dubbed him a ‘warrior’ – is unfortunately quite injury-prone.

Also, with him being on £110,000 per week at the Emirates Stadium, he is likely to cost a lot in wages, further adding to the gamble from a Newcastle perspective.

Targett would provide a much cheaper option at £15m, and 97.5% of supporters polled want him to stay anyway. However, as Tierney shares the same agent as three other Magpies players, this is a deal which could still work if the price is negotiated down.

In other news, find out what ‘very disappointing’ NUFC ‘blow’ has now emerged

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford is ‘touch and go’ for the final day trip to Brentford, LeedsLive’s Ed Mackey has reported.

The Lowdown: Bamford missing since March

The 28-year-old, who Jurgen Klopp labelled ‘perfect’, suffered a ruptured foot in March but was expected to be available for the final few games of the season, if required.

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However, despite reports suggesting that he could be ahead of schedule and return to action as early as the Chelsea game last week, Bamford is still yet to feature since mid-March and missed the final home match of the campaign against Brighton last Sunday.

Jesse Marsch’s side currently find themselves a point clear of Burnley, who have a game in hand, but it looks as if Leeds could be without Bamford once more next weekend.

The Latest: Mackey’s claim on Bamford

Mackey shared a story on LeedsLive, looking at the injury lists of Leeds, Burnley and Everton, the three teams who could still go down along with already-relegated Norwich and Watford.

The journalist started with the Whites, for whom he said that Bamford is ‘touch and go’ for the Brentford game but stating that the striker’s lack of match sharpness could rule him out for Sunday.

The Verdict: Blow for Leeds

Leeds’ last two goals over the past five games have come from defenders Diego Llorente and Pascal Struijk. Young forward Joe Gelhardt provided some magic to set up Struijk on Sunday, but overall the Whites attackers have lacked a cutting edge in front of goal over the last four weeks.

Therefore, having Bamford – who has scored 19 Premier League goals over the last two seasons -back for the Brentford game would be a big boost, regardless of how sharp he might be.

Even having him on the bench in the matchday squad with Leeds potentially needing a goal to stay up could be massive, but sadly it looks as if he may miss out once again.

In other news: Leeds journalist: ‘Incredible’ Orta signing may now leave with Phillips and Raphinha this summer. 

According to a report from Football Insider, Manchester City are among the clubs interested in signing AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni this summer. 

The lowdown: Hot property

The 22-year-old has rapidly become one of the most sought after young talents in European football with Liverpool, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain all vying for his signature.

Despite his tender years, Tchouameni has already made 130 senior professional outings in France having made the switch from Bordeaux to Monaco in 2020.

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As a move to one of the continent’s elite clubs looms large, title rivals Liverpool have been the furthest ahead for the player, with some members of the French media even believing a deal to Anfield is close.

City could now be in contention having already secured the signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund though, according to a new update.

The latest: Transfer ‘boost’

As per a recruitment source at FI, both Man City and Liverpool have been handed a ‘boost’ in their pursuit of the eight-cap France ace.

It’s claimed that Monaco are already preparing for life after the powerful midfielder as the Ligue 1 outfit ‘prepare to cash in’ this summer.

The report also claims that Chelsea have shown an interest in the youngster, who was hailed as ‘top quality’ by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano as the Italian journalist cited a €70millon (£59.6million) asking price.

The verdict: Fernandinho successor?

Following the apparent surprise revelation that Fernandinho will leave the Etihad at the end of the season, Pep Guardiola will be seeking a replacement for the Brazilian defensive midfielder.

So far this season, Tchouameni has scored five times and provided a further two assists in 48 appearances across all competitions, earning an outstanding 7.33 Sofascore rating, completing 51.3 passes, 2.9 interceptions and 2.5 tackles on average per game in the process.

Those statistics – plus a stylistic likeness to players such as Liverpool star Thiago and Real Madrid’s midfield spoiler Casemiro (Fbref) – highlight the Frenchman’s well-rounded game and make Tchouameni a superb candidate to bolster the Cityzens squad.

In other news: Guardiola could also join race to sign £354,000-per-week superstar! Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly not consider paying £100m for Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves this summer, according to club insider John Wenham.

The Lowdown: Plenty of interest

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move away from Molineux pretty much all season, with the Lilywhites said to be among several clubs interested in his services, alongside Manchester United and Arsenal.

However, it was claimed earlier this week that the 26-cap Portugal international would prefer to join Barcelona rather than another Premier League club, with it being his dream to one day play at Camp Nou.

As a result, Wenham believes that it would take an extortionate sum of money to lure Neves away from the Midlands at the end of the current campaign.

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The Latest: Neves could cost £100m

When asked about Spurs potentially making a move for the Portuguese talent, Wenham told Football Insider:

“He’s a very good player but I see Wolves have slapped a £100million price tag on him. That’s the fee that I have seen mentioned and there is no way we would pay that.

“It’s up to Wolves to set that price tag and they can do that. It’s about what he is worth to Wolves. I can’t see us getting him as long as that price tag stands. We are well stocked in midfield as well.

“If that price tag was to come down and he was an achievable player then we would have to see. But I don’t think anyone signs him for £100million.”

The Verdict: Neves move to Spurs unlikely

Once hailed an “outstanding” player by Wolves journalist Tim Spiers, there’s no doubt that the £36m-rated talisman has been one of the standout midfielders in the Premier League over the last few years, having made a total of 36 goal contributions since joining Bruno Lage’s side back in 2017.

Despite that impressive output, Tottenham are already pretty well stocked in the middle of the park, especially following the January arrival of Dejan Kulusevski. The Swedish youngster has made a hugely impressive start to life under Antonio Conte in north London, recording three goals and eight assists in just 17 appearances to date, as per Transfermarkt.

As the Italian looks to rebuild his squad ahead of the start of next term, it seems highly unlikely that he will go out and spend £100m on one player when he needs the transfer funds available to him to bring in new signings all over the pitch. Therefore, it wouldn’t come as any surprise to see Neves make the switch to Barcelona instead in the coming months to fulfil his lifelong dream.

In other news… a journalist has made this huge Spurs managerial claim

Liverpool kept their title hopes alive with a victory over Aston Villa last night and are on for two more trophies with the FA Cup and Champions League finals secured, however, that hasn’t stopped the club from working to strengthen their team ahead of next season.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Graeme Bailey has reported (via 90min) that sources close to the club have revealed that the Merseyside club are close to securing a deal for Calvin Ramsay.

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According to the report, Leeds United, West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace are all interested in the young Aberdeen defender but 90min are told that Liverpool are leading the race in securing his signature.

This would be the club’s second signing of the summer after the Daily Mail reported that the signing of Fabio Carvalho has been ‘wrapped up’ and an announcement is imminent.

Klopp will be buzzing

There is no doubt that Liverpool have been lucky with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fitness and injury record over his career so far with only a few slight knocks to the right-back, but with the opportunity to sign a worthy back-up in Ramsay, Jurgen Klopp will surely be buzzing.

Currently, Neco Williams is the only player for position replacement for the Liverpudlian defender but he is reportedly looking likely to complete a permanent move to recently promoted Premier League side Fulham this summer, so again the signing of the 19-year-old would make perfect sense for the club.

According to SofaScore, Ramsay has been solid in his position for Aberdeen over the last 24 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, winning the majority of his duels (51%), making 1.3 clearances as well as 0.8 interceptions and tackles on average per game, scoring one goal and contributing four assists so far.

The 19-year-old has also been the recipient of high praise with the Aberdeen chairman Dave McCormack labelling the youngster in “the elite upper bracket” of players of his kind in an interview.

Ultimately, as we have seen with Luis Diaz and Carvalho this season when it comes to signings Liverpool know how to get what they want and attract players to join the successful Merseyside outfit.

Therefore, we expect that Ramsay will be no different if the club are genuinely interested in making the signing this summer.

AND in other news: FA Cup final blow: Liverpool rocked by “massive problem” that’ll leave Klopp gutted

According to a Spanish source, Erling Haaland’s potential transfer to Manchester City is ‘a done deal’, as far as the Premier League champions’ hierarchy are concerned.

The Lowdown: City leading the race for Haaland

The Norwegian is expected to be one of the biggest transfers in football this summer, despite his contract with Borussia Dortmund not set to expire until the summer of 2024.

Pep Guardiola’s side have already been linked with the striker, with recent reports suggesting that the 21-year-old has agreed terms to join the Citizens, despite there also being interest from Real Madrid.

Following a fresh update, it is now believed that everyone at the club is increasingly confident that they have managed to win the race for Haaland’s signature, ahead of the Spanish giants.

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The Latest: Haaland deal reportedly ‘done’

When speaking on the Three Amigos Podcast (as relayed by Bernabeu Digital, via Sport Witness) about the forward’s transfer situation, Marca journalist Mario Cortegana said:

“There are people from Manchester City preparing everything they have to arrange for the process to go ahead.

“Everything is being prepared to get it done now. ‘Haaland is a done deal’, is the message from Manchester City.”

The Verdict: What a coup

The £135m-rated superstar has been an absolute machine for the Bundesliga outfit, where he has racked up an outstanding 108 goal contributions in just 87 appearances since arriving from Red Bull Salzburg midway through the 2019/20 campaign.

With City having not yet replaced Sergio Aguero since his departure, and Gabriel Jesus possibly leaving the Etihad at the end of the season, the current Premier League leaders may well be in need of someone new to lead the line.

Once dubbed a “powerful” player by Thierry Henry, it would be an extraordinary coup by City if they can sign the massively prolific Haaland pictured ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

In other news… City are reportedly at the ‘top of the list’ in the race for one of their transfer targets