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West Brom are ‘very close’ to selling midfielder Matheus Pereira to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, reports Joseph Masi.

The Lowdown – Saga of the Summer for Baggies

West Brom star Pereira is now finally set to leave West Brom ahead of the 2021/22 league season, after the midfielder caught the eye with a number of strong performances during last year’s campaign for the Baggies.

Pereira chipped in with 12 goals and six assists for West Brom last term, although his efforts weren’t quite enough to see them avoid relegation back into the Championship.

The 25-year-old has previously revealed that he was keen to pursue a new challenge, with the likes of Leicester City and West Ham United reportedly being keen on landing his signature this summer.

The Latest – Deal ‘very close’

Al-Hilal that have seemingly won the race to sign Pereira, with the Express and Star’s Joseph Masi claiming that a deal is nearly finalised.

“Matheus Pereira’s move to Al Hilal now very close to completion, I understand,” he said on Twitter on Thursday morning.

“Player set for a medical. According to Fabrizio Romano that medical will take place in Paris.”

The verdict – Massive boost

The midfielder scored eight goals and was on hand to provide 20 assists in the 2019/20 season, as he played a starring role in the club’s promotion-winning campaign under the management of Slaven Bilic. He then followed that up with a strong season in the top-flight with the Baggies,

With an average Whoscored rating of 6.96 from the 2020/21 season, Pereira was West Brom’s joint-best performer alongside Okay Yokuslu, which certainly makes for impressive reading.

Former boss Sam Allardyce tipped Pereira to become a ‘top class’ player in the future, and deep down most fans knew he has probably now outgrown the second tier.

Therefore, this actually comes as a major boost for the club and for Valerien Ismael, providing far more funds for the transfer kitty than would have otherwise been on offer.

If Ismael can spin Pereira’s sale into a like-for-like replacement with money left over for other new signings, this would become a very successful summer window for the Baggies.

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for Bournemouth forward Arnaut Danjuma as new manager Patrick Vieira looks to bolster his attacking options.

What’s the story?

According to Sky Sports, the Eagles are interested in signing the 24-year-old this summer after he put in a string of impressive performances in the Championship last season.

Vieira is believed to be searching for a new right winger following the departure of Andros Townsend on a free transfer, and Danjuma could be the ideal candidate to replace the now-Everton ace.

Crystal Palace fans will be buzzing

The Netherlands international was one of the second tier’s standout performers in 2020/21, bagging 15 goals and laying on a further seven assists in 33 appearances for the Cherries.

Although Danjuma added a further two strikes to his tally during the two-legged play-off semi-final against Brentford, his efforts weren’t enough to see off the capital club, meaning Bournemouth face another year outside of the Premier League.

That’s led to several top-flight sides reportedly circling around the exciting winger in recent weeks, with the likes of Leeds United and Aston Villa also credited with an interest in his services.

However, Palace supporters will surely be buzzing to learn that the south London outfit are also in the running to sign Danjuma given his previous exploits on the south coast.

The departure of Townsend and Eberechi Eze’s long-term injury has left the Eagles in desperate need of reinforcements in the final third of the pitch ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Loan moves for Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson and RB Leipzig’s Ademola Lookman have also been muted, but a permanent deal for Danjuma would arguably be the best solution in the long term.

At just 24, the former PSV Eindhoven academy graduate has plenty of room to grow, and his entertaining nature is a perfect fit for Palace’s new-look side under Vieira.

The French tactician has already brought in several young, exciting acquisitions as he attempts to implement a possession-orientated style at Selhurst Park, and Danjuma could be the latest addition to the club’s new era.

And, in other news…Vieira provides exciting Crystal Palace update that’ll have fans absolutely delighted 

Arsenal are among the teams interested in signing Denis Zakaria this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sport Bild’s Christian Falk, who claimed on Twitter that the Gunners were “in talks” with Borussia Monchengladbach over a potential swoop for the 24-year-old midfielder.

However, the North London giants are facing stiff competition from a whole host of clubs, including arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, fellow Premier League outfit Everton and two Serie A clubs in Napoli and AS Roma.

No fee has been mentioned by the reporter but Transfermarkt currently values him at around £27m.

Shades of Vieira

Zakaria has been compared to some very interesting players throughout his career, including former Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, so perhaps their interest should come as no surprise.

“I’ve been compared to [Patrick] Vieira and [Paul] Pogba – two more players I really respect and, in a way, see as role models. When I watch videos of them I think I’d like to play that way,” the Switzerland international once revealed to Bundesliga.com.

But could he genuinely become the Gunners’ next defensive midfield animal? There’s reason to be very hopeful.

Standing at 6 foot 3, Zakaria has a similar frame to that of the ex-France midfielder and just like him, he covers a lot of ground and does the so-called ‘dirty work’ that many shy away from.

Throughout his domestic and international career, the Gladbach powerhouse has averaged 2.4 tackles and 1.6 interceptions every 90 minutes, whilst only being dispossessed once per game, too, as per WhoScored.

Furthermore, a career passing accuracy of 86.5% suggests that he’s very confident on the ball and can often be the key cog between the defence and the attack.

It’s no wonder the Swiss star has been dubbed a “complete package” and a “rare talent” by GIFN editor Kaustubh Pandey, whilst he has earned even further comparisons to Toni Kross.

A perfect mix of physically imposing power and a deft touch, Zakaria could well become the Gunners’ next Vieira, should technical director Edu Gaspar win the negotiations to sign him before the August 31st deadline.

His qualities may well be required with the injured Thomas Partey facing a stint on the sidelines.

Arsenal must look to secure the Gladbach monster this month.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Arsenal transfer claim, fans will be buzzing…

Leeds United tying down goalkeeper Illan Meslier to a new contract is “good business”, the club’s former midfielder Carlton Palmer has told Football FanCast.

Meslier recently put pen to paper on a new five-year deal that will keep him at Elland Road until the summer of 2026.

The 21-year-old joined from French side Lorient permanently last year after initially signing on loan and has thoroughly impressed under Marcelo Bielsa.

Last season, he made 35 Premier League appearances and kept 11 clean sheets as Leeds went on to secure a ninth-placed finish following their promotion from the Championship.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about Meslier’s new deal, Palmer said:

“I think he’s a future starter for his national team. I think that’s for sure. He’s a very talented boy.

“Young ‘keeper, why would you want to move anywhere? You know, don’t go and sit on the bench and not play. He’s playing for a massive club and he’s doing well. Good business for Leeds and good business for him.”

Meslier has got off to a rocky start this season following Leeds’ 5-1 thrashing to rivals Manchester United last weekend.

However, the Frenchman proved last term that he is a very good goalkeeper, one who has time on his side, so Leeds getting him to sign a new contract is indeed good business.

According to a report by Il Resto del Carlino (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur managing director Fabio Paratici held ‘new contacts’ with Bologna on Monday over defender target Takehiro Tomiyasu.

The Lowdown: Spurs and Tomiyasu, the never-ending saga?

Tottenham have been in talks for the Japan international since the very start of July, with Sky Sports claiming Bologna rejected a £12.9 million (€15m) bid from Spurs, which included an extra £2.6 million (€3m) in add-ons.

Despite The Athletic’s claim soon afterwards that the Lilywhites were ‘closing in’ on his signing, nothing came of the report once the young defender jetted off to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.

Alasdair Gold, after speaking with sources close to Tomiyasu, was confident his signing would happen but reports of a breakthrough have since died down.

The Latest: Paratici makes ‘new contacts’ for Tomiyasu…

As per Il Resto del Carlino (via Sport Witness), releasing an update on Tuesday, Paratici and Spurs held ‘new contacts’ with Bologna on Monday over the signing of Tomiyasu.

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It is believed that the Serie A side are willing to do a deal for ‘around €25m (£21.2m)’ but could even settle for less if the offer includes ‘performance bonuses’ – which is expected to raise the overall price up.

In another twist, Il Resto del Carlino explain that Bologna have been made to rethink their transfer plans from now until the end of this transfer window after a shock defeat to Ternana in the Coppa Italia.

Boss Walter Sabatini even admitted that they would reflect and listen to ‘really important offers’ should they arrive.

The Verdict: Time to move on?

Despite being lauded as a ‘giant’ player by the Italian press and averaging the joint-most clearances per 90 for Bologna last season (3.3), it feels like this saga is really dragging on and Paratici should perhaps abandon his drawn out pursuit of Tomiyasu.

The stunning performance of Japhet Tanganga against Manchester City last weekend highlighted an arguably better option for Nuno Espirito Santo and one which won’t cost chairman Daniel Levy a penny.

Tanganga can also play at both right-back and centre-half on demand, and given Spurs’ hunt for a new central midfielder and striker, Paratici’s funds are arguably better saved for bigger priority positions.

In other news: ‘Omg’, ‘Yessss’, ‘I beg’…Many Tottenham fans erupt as ‘perfect’ news emerges, find out more here.

Ex-Premier League striker Nigel Jemson has hailed Leeds’ decision to tie Patrick Bamford down to a new Elland Road contract.

The 27-year-old recently put pen-to-paper on a new five-year deal, which will keep him at Elland Road until 2026.

Bamford has been in fine goalscoring form for Leeds, scoring 43 goals for the Whites in 112 games. The striker was in good superb form in Leeds’ first campaign back in the Premier League, netting 17 goals and provided eight assists throughout the 2020/2021 season.

And Jemson believes its good news for Leeds that Bamford has committed himself to the club, exclusively telling Football FanCast: “I think just spreading a bit of good news, I think Patrick Bamford has just signed a new five-year deal there.

“I know there was talk of him, you know, if Kane did go that maybe he would be a replacement at Tottenham, but that doesn’t look like that’s going to happen now.”

Speaking to the Daily Mail on signing his new contract, Bamford said: “I know that Leeds want to get back to where they were and hopefully reach Europe at some point, and that is my ambition as well.”

After an impressive first season back in the top flight of English football, Leeds are looking to avoid a case of second-season syndrome by replicating last season’s success at the very least, and Bamford will no doubt be the focal point in Marcelo Bielsa’s attack.

West Ham fans have been given a huge glimmer of hope as the summer transfer window draws to a close next week…

What’s the word?

The Irons are amongst the lowest-spenders in the Premier League so far, having only brought in one senior addition on loan – back-up goalkeeper Alphonse Areola from Paris Saint-Germain.

A new centre-back, playmaker and striker are all needed to bolster David Moyes’ threadbare playing squad but time is quickly running out.

However, talkSPORT host Jim White dropped an exciting claim live on air earlier this week that should provide plenty of encouragement, he said:

“This is where I understand where West Ham are at right now. How much is available to spend in the remainder of the window? [They have] between £40m and £45m available to spend.”

The popular radio station also suggested that the east London outfit would make at least one more signing before Tuesday night’s 11pm deadline.

A late flurry?

Whether Moyes finds the right players to splash the cash on remains to be seen but it should be exciting news for many around the London Stadium as some have been absolutely desperate to see new additions.

The Hammers are also competing in the Europa League this term, so strength in depth across the pitch will be crucial to their chances of success. They may well have picked up back-to-back wins to kickstart the season and sit atop the Premier League table but one or two injuries could serious curtail their progress.

For example, 31-year-old talisman Michail Antonio – who became the club’s record top-flight goalscorer on Monday – is still the Scot’s only senior striker.

He’s been troubled with plenty of injury problems in the past too, so the club cannot afford to risk that happening. As per WhoScored, the former Forest man has failed to start more than 24 league games in the last four seasons.

Fabian Balbuena is yet to be replaced in the backline, so there’s a chance Aaron Cresswell’s creative exploits from the left will be needed in the middle should injuries arise there, though it does seem like the Irons are closing in on the signing of Kurt Zouma from Chelsea.

There’s also a massive gap to fill in the attack, behind Antonio.

Jesse Lingard only joined on loan in January but ended the campaign as their second-highest rated player with nine goals and four assists, via WhoScored.

Hammers assistant Stuart Pearce confirmed their intentions to sign him permanently to talkSPORT last week but whether he leaves Manchester United remains a different story.

But all in all, this update from White, who is thought to be acquaintances with co-owner David Sullivan, is promising news. Moyes has the budget to spend, clearly.

We should expect to see an addition or two before next week, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops major West Ham transfer update, fans will be buzzing…

Celtic summer signing Osaze Urhoghide is struggling to catch the eye at Lennoxtown, according to Kieran Devlin.  

The Lowdown: Celtic’s summer business

Urhoghide was one of 12 arrivals during the summer window, joining from Sheffield Wednesday at a cost of £207,000.

He’s yet to feature in a competitive game under Ange Postecoglou, though, taking a place on the bench in nine of the club’s 11 fixtures this season.

The Hoops brought in three signings on deadline day in Georgios Giakoumakis, Filipe Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers, but it appears as if Urhoghide,  who Postecoglou described as ‘quick’, is struggling in Scotland.

The Latest: Devlin’s claim

Devlin, Celtic’s correspondent for The Athletic, shared a story on Wednesday morning to assess the Hoops’ summer window.

When it came to talking about centre-backs, he claimed that Urhoghide hasn’t impressed enough yet to be considered a viable first-team option under Postecoglou.

Devlin even added that it has been suggested that 18-year-olds Dane Murray and Bosun Lawal are ahead when it comes to development.

The Verdict: Time required

Celtic had their eye on Urhoghide for some time before securing his services, so they clearly think highly of the centre-back, who chose Parkhead over the Premier League.

He’s still just 21 years of age so he could still be adjusting to life in Scotland, meaning the Hoops may have to be patient when it comes to the Englishman.

A regular run of games in Celtic’s B team could help him, but at the minute, it looks like he’s struggling under Postecoglou.

In other news: Deadline day activity away from Celtic means two of McKay’s signings cost effectively nothing.

Crystal Palace’s new era under Patrick Vieira has got off to a slow but steady start, with the Eagles picking up a respectable two points from a possible nine in the opening weeks of the Premier League campaign.

The south London outfit bounced back from a disappointing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea on the opening day of the season via draws with newly-promoted Brentford and West Ham United, giving them hope of future success going forwards.

Vieira oversaw a mass overhaul of the first-team squad during his first summer in the Selhurst Park hotseat.

The likes of Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Odsonne Edouard were brought in on permanent deals to replace several experienced campaigners, although it was their loanee who stole the show in August.

As per SofaScore, Conor Gallagher received a match rating of 7.95 out of 10 for his two top-flight outings, a tally far greater than any of his Palace teammates.

And it’s clear why the England Under-21 international is head and shoulders above his colleagues when taking a closer inspection of his underlying numbers.

After being forced to miss the curtain-raiser against parent club Chelsea, Gallagher has racked up two key passes, two goals and created two big chances in the capital club’s subsequent league encounters.

But it’s not just going forwards where the robust 21-year-old has excelled. He was also won 17 duels, made four clearances, and pulled off five tackles from his central midfield position, highlighting his influence over Palace’s play.

Vieira will be hoping that Gallagher can pick up where he left off following the international break and fire Palace to their first victory under the Frenchman’s reign.

And, in other news…Lost 61% of his duels: Crystal Palace lightweight let Vieira down badly during August 

Jim Goodwin has commented on the future of Watford transfer target Jamie McGrath…

What’s the talk?

St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin has admitted that Watford transfer target Jamie McGrath could leave the club on a pre-contract agreement next near.

The midfielder is out of contract in the summer of 2022 and Goodwin has said that the player is ‘within his rights’ to sign a deal with a new club in the winter window ahead of leaving at the end of the season.,

He told the Scottish Sun:

“There was serious interest in him – I’m delighted he’s still here. Jamie would be well within his rights if he signed a pre-contract with another club in January.

“Equally, if someone comes in with an outrageous bid for him we’d need to decide what’s best for all concerned. Ideally, we’d like to tie him down on a long-term contract but, realistically, that’s not going to happen.”

Delight

Watford fans will be delighted by these comments from Goodwin as they open the door for McGrath to arrive at Vicarage Road for free next summer. The Hornets could land the Irish talent without having to pay a transfer fee, with Goodwin suggesting that St Mirren are now resigned to the possibility of him departing on a free.

Hornets fans will also be delighted because of the quality of player this news opens them up to getting. Goodwin has given an exceptional reference for the 24-year-old’s talents, saying:

“He had been pigeonholed as a No 10 at Dundalk and people looked at him as a luxury player, but I had a very good conversation with Jamie and his representatives and explained that I saw there was more to him than that.

“My belief was that he could become a No 8 and be a box-to-box player and I think he’s shown he can do that.

“He’s not one to fly into tackles, but he gets close to opponents, he’s fit, he’s quick and his composure on the ball is incredible. His creativity and bravery when in possession is second to none.”

McGrath was directly involved in 20 goals for St Mirren in all competitions from midfield last season, with 14 goals and six assists in 41 games.

This shows that the 24-year-old has the ability to score and assist goals at a decent rate in Scotland.

Bringing him in for nothing would be a worthwhile gamble for Watford.

Fans will be buzzing if Xisco Munoz is able to sign McGrath on a free transfer, especially if the Irish wizard starts scoring and assisting goals in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Signed for £18m, now valued at £3.6m: Watford endured transfer nightmare with dud…