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Southampton are interested in a deal to bring Issa Diop to St Mary’s this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), who claimed that the Saints, along with Wolves and Crystal Palace, have made an approach to West Ham regarding the availability of the centre-back this summer.

The report added that the Hammers have already rejected offers of an initial loan with a view to purchasing the defender at a later date, although it is believed that David Moyes could nevertheless be tempted into the Frenchman’s sale this summer.

Fans surely buzzing

With Diop clearly boasting an enormous amount of potential, it is easy to see why Ralph Hasenhuttl is keen on a deal to sign the former France under-21 international ahead of Southampton’s upcoming Premier League campaign.

Indeed, over his 18 Premier League appearances for West Ham last season, the £67,000-per-week centre-back helped his side to keep two clean sheets, in addition to averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and 3.2 clearances and winning 3.1 duels per game.

The £16.2m-rated man also helped out in an attacking capacity, ending the season with two goals to his name.

These metrics saw the man Mario Husillos dubbed a “fantastic” player earn an impressive average SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as the Hammers’ seventh-best performer in the 2020/21 Premier League.

As such, if it is indeed true that Moyes could be tempted into selling the defender this summer, it would seem highly advisable for Hasenhuttl do to everything in his power to land the Frenchman ahead of Wolves and Palace. Diop not only appears to have the potential to slot straight into the Austrian’s starting XI, he could also go on to become a real star for the club for many years to come, with his potential signing something which could have the Saints faithful buzzing.

In other news: Tom Leach delivers update on £60k-p/w Southampton outcast, fans will be buzzing

Swansea City have agreed a seven-figure fee to bring Joel Piroe to the Liberty Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Wales Online, who claim that Steve Cooper’s side have agreed a fee of around £1m with PSV Eindhoven for the transfer of the 21-year-old centre-forward.

However, it is also reported that the deal is far from complete at present, as the former Netherlands U20 international is currently on holiday, something that is slowing the process down, while Brexit complications could also pose a threat to the £675k-rated man’s switch to Wales this summer.

Cooper will be buzzing

As long as the finer issues of the deal are ironed out, the fact that Swansea could be set to land a new centre-forward so soon after the departure of Andre Ayew is sure to have left Cooper buzzing.

And, while Piroe’s returns for PSV last season were far from breathtaking, the young striker’s potential is very much something that Swansea fans should be getting excited about.

Indeed, over his 11 Eredivisie appearances for Roger Schmidt’s side last season, none of which came as starts, the 21-year-old managed just one goal, in addition to taking an average of 0.5 shots and making 0.1 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the £1.1k-per-week forward earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.70, however, considering Piroe featured for an average of just 12 minutes over each of his 11 appearances, the former Feyenoord player had very little opportunity to have any real impact on his side.

Furthermore, having been targeted by the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Juventus as a youngster, a 17-year-old Piroe featured on the Metro’s top 50 U20s list, with the striker himself comparing his style of play to that of Bayern Munich goal-machine Robert Lewandowski, as well as the report dubbing the striker as being extremely technically-gifted.

As such, with Cooper’s reputation for developing young players, should a move to Swansea go on to be completed, we would not bet against Piroe finally going on to fulfil his potential with Swansea next season.

In other news: Major update emerges on “quality” Swansea gem that will have Levien buzzing

Glasgow Rangers fans are gutted after it was revealed Alfredo Morelos has agreed terms with Porto ahead of a move to the Portuguese outfit.

Morelos has been a fantastic forward for the Gers since signing for the club in 2017 – he has managed 94 goals in 182 games for them (Transfermarkt). However, he has been regularly linked with a move away from the club, and he has admitted he wants to play in a more competitive league in the future (Goal.com).

Given he also said more recently that his dream is to play in the Premier League (Radio Caracol), it is therefore a little surprising that he appears to be on his way to Porto. As per Antena 1, Porto have agreed terms with the Colombia international, and the Portuguese outlet is positive the 25-year-old will soon make the switch.

The fans were gutted at the prospect of losing their star man, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Morelos news below

“Seen a couple things about Morelos to Porto and I feel like I’ve just watched my bird cheat on me, feel sick”

Credit: @jamiemcmathx

“If Morelos is away to Porto, I’ll genuinely greet.”

Credit: @d_calderwood72

“Morelos will be missed if the Porto move goes through. He will forever be loved by the Rangers support. If the money is right then we can’t grumble with what he’s given to the club, he deserves his chance to explore and try further his career”

Credit: @garryhood1872

“Fab tell me if Morelos to Porto is true i’m going to cry”

Credit: @logan_c1872

“Nothing but good to say for Morelos if he is leaving. Porto is probably the correct level he should be going to if he wants to further his career. It’s going to be a very sad day if it does happen but he’s done all we could ever ask for. King.”

Credit: @RakoTuke

“NO”

Credit: @EveryOtherSatu1

In other news, Rangers fans rage at this 21/22 reveal.

Liverpool striker Divock Origi has been linked with a summer loan move to Fenerbahce having fallen out of favour at Anfield this season.

The Lowdown: Bit-part player for Reds

The Belgian has enjoyed a memorable Reds career, scoring in the 2019 Champions League final and bagging massive goals against the likes of Barcelona and Everton down the years.

However, despite Jurgen Klopp describing him as “unbelievably important for us” back in December 2019, the 25-year-old has been a peripheral figure for Liverpool of late, making just two Premier League starts in the 2020/21 season.

It has become clear that, despite those comments, the £14.4m-rated attacker isn’t a key part of Klopp’s plans moving forward, and he has now been linked with a summer exit from Anfield.

The Latest: Fenerbahce keen on Origi

According to Fotomac [via Sport Witness], Fenerbahce are eyeing up a loan move for Origi this summer, with a view to signing him permanently in the future.

The Turkish giants are keen on bolstering their attacking options amid a projected summer clearout and see the Belgium international as an ideal man to come in as a solution.

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The Verdict: Time to leave

Origi will always be loved by many Liverpool supporters for his past achievements, but the Reds have moved on without him this season and he should be sold if the price is right. Ideally he would leave on a permanent deal in the summer, but a loan exit would also make sense as it would allow others to fill his role as a squad player.

Someone like Harvey Elliott would probably now be a better option than Origi, for example, with the teenaher having scored seven goals and registered 11 assists in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers last season.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been left delighted with an update regarding one star player. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for Juventus defender Radu Dragusin ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (print version via Tutto Mercato Web), the Eagles have made an offer for the highly-rated 19-year-old as they prepare for life after Roy Hodgson.

The report doesn’t state the exact sum that Palace are believed to have offered for Dragusin and claims that the Romania Under-21 international would be open to staying with the Turin giants if Merih Demiral is sold.

Parish must swoop

A new contract was signed by the former Regal Bucharest academy graduate as recently as April, appearing to end any chance of a summer exit for the youngster.

However, it appears as though Dragusin could still depart Juve over the coming months as Massimiliano Allegri plans an overhaul of the Serie A outfit.

It could present a perfect opportunity for Palace chairman Steve Parish to snap up one of Europe’s best teenage centre-backs, and he must swoop for prodigy before another interested party pounces.

Although Dragusin doesn’t have an abundance of first-team experience, making just four appearances for the Old Lady’s senior side, his arrival at Selhurst Park is much-needed.

The Eagles are in desperate need of young players over the imminent window in order to lower the average age of their squad, which was the oldest in the Premier League last season.

They also have real problems in the heart of defence. Mamadou Sakho, Gary Cahill and Scott Dann are all set to become free agents when their current contracts expire at the end of the month, meaning reinforcements will be desperately required.

After impressing in a 20-minute cameo against Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League group stage, former Juve manager Andrea Pirlo was quick to praise Dragusin’s development.

“He’s physically very strong. He’s very young and must develop on a technical level, but he will have time to do it, training every day with great champions,” said Pirlo in his post-match press conference.

Therefore, news of his potential arrival will surely have the Palace supporters buzzing as the club enters a treacherous transitional period. At long last, the club are beginning to target young players who they can build for the future or sell on for a greater fee.

That business method has eluded them in years gone by so this deal would be timely from Steve Parish, one that provokes a sense of relief from supporters at Selhurst Park.

And, in other news…Worse than Nuno: Palace must avoid potential Hodgson successor with 42.51% win record 

It would be a big surprise if Gini Wijnaldum remains a Liverpool player beyond this season, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Final season at Liverpool?

The Dutchman has been a fantastic servant for the Reds since arriving in 2016, proving to be a key figure in the middle of the park and being hailed as ‘incredible’ by compatriot and former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel.

With Wijnaldum’s contract expiring at the end of the season, constant speculation has linked him with a move away from Liverpool. The fact that the 30-year-old hasn’t yet signed a new deal at Anfield seems to speak volumes about where he sees his future, with Barcelona the front-runners for his signature amid a potential reunion with former national team coach Ronald Koeman.

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The Latest: Pearce provides key update

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic on Sunday, Pearce admitted that he fully expects Wijnaldum to be elsewhere come the start of next season, saying:

“Last I heard he was still weighing up various options, but I’d be amazed if he ended up staying out. He would bank a massive signing on fee as a free agent.”

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The Verdict: A wonderful servant

Wijnaldum looks nailed-on to leave Liverpool, but he should always be remembered as a legendary modern-day figure at Anfield, winning both the Premier League and Champions League.

He might not have made as many headlines as the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, to name just a few, but he has been vital to Liverpool’s success. His goal on a tense final day afternoon against Middlesbrough four years ago proved the catalyst for Champions League qualification, and who can forget his double against Barcelona on that night at Anfield in 2019.

Wijnaldum has made 235 appearances in just five seasons, speaking volumes about his consistency and fitness levels, and he will be a big miss should he move on, knitting things together in midfield in an understated manner.

In other news, a Premier League player has been linked with a surprise move to Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

After the shock announcement last week that Nuno Espirito Santo was to leave Wolves after their final game of the season, the board will now be on the hunt for his successor, and Wolves Hall of Famer Steve Bull believes that Zinedine Zidane could do a good job at Molineux.

Nuno had been at Molineux for four seasons which saw the club win the Championship title as well as reach a Europa League quarter-final and despite signing a new contract just last year, he and the board thought it was time to part ways.

There have been several candidates linked with the job with The Athletic’s Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers claiming some “big names” have thrown their hat into the ring.

Someone who has seen a lot of talk about his future in the press is Zidane. Goal have reported that he is set to walk away from Real Madrid in the summer after failing to deliver any silverware this season.

Zidane would certainly command respect and be able to attract players just because of his name at Molineux and Bull, who spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, responded when asked if he thought Zidane could be one of those big names Spiers mentioned, saying:

“Zinedine Zidane, he could do a job all day long. He was my favourite player when I was growing up, he’s absolutely top drawer and he’s showed it as a manager at Real Madrid.

“I think there’s going to be names bandied about left, right and centre now.”

Zidane has only ever managed his former side having been appointed in 2016, but he initially left in 2018 before returning in 2019 for a second stint as manager – over his two spells at the Bernabeu, he has won an impressive 11 trophies.

The early favourite for the Wolves job is former Benfica manager Bruno Lage, who left the Portuguese side in 2020 and it has been reported that he is set to have talks with the Wolves hierarchy.

One of Everton’s primary goals this summer is to sign a central defender.

After Mason Holgate’s inept display against Aston Villa last weekend you can certainly understand why.

He inexplicably turned towards his own goal and then lost it as Ollie Watkins raced towards the area before sticking the ball beyond Jordan Pickford.

It was a wake-up call for Carlo Ancelotti that if the Toffees are to have any chance of being back among Europe’s elite, they need improvement.

Everton have already been linked with Kalidou Koulibaly but another defender based in Italy could be a viable option too; Merih Demiral.

The Juventus centre-back could set Ancelotti and Marcel Brands back €30m (£26m) this summer but he’d add plenty of assurance to their backline.

A dominant figure, the centre-half has been recognised as an “absolute beast” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Everton’s defence hasn’t been filled with the most awe-inspiring players in recent years and it feels like a long time since Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott were in charge of proceedings at Goodison Park.

That said, Demiral could evoke memories of Lescott if he pens terms in Merseyside this summer.

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First and foremost, they are both superb when it comes to playing out from the back. Calm and composed in possession of the ball, the Turk has registered a pass success rate of 93.2% for Juventus this term.

Lescott may not have reached the same dizzy heights but he was still impressive in this regard, regularly completing over 85% of his passes after his move to Manchester City.

Their reading of the game is also incredibly similar. Demiral has enough pace that it doesn’t cause himself a problem but more often than not, he stops the source of the attack before it’s even occurred.

This is incredibly similar to Lescott, a defender who won 1.9 interceptions per match throughout his career. Everton’s transfer target, meanwhile, has won 1.7 per game during 2020/21.

The former Toffee was a brick wall during the early stages of his career and also used his 6 foot 3 frame and stocky build to bustle opponents to one side.

The ex-England international was aggressive and consistently on the front foot, a style of play that bears great similarity to Demiral; he also stands at 6 foot 3.

If Everton are ever going to qualify for Europe, they need more consistency at the back. Luckily, that’s something the 23-year-old would bring to Goodison.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Everton’s summer transfer priority revealed after behind-the-scenes talks with agents…

West Ham United have their sights set on an alternative signing to Jesse Lingard this summer…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Express, the Irons have identified West Brom star Matheus Pereira as a potential target should they not seal the 28-year-old on a permanent deal from Manchester United.

The East London side aren’t the only one eyeing the Brazilian playmaker, with Premier League rivals Leicester City and Leeds United also keen along with Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

His asking price is likely to exceed £20m, according to Baggies reporter Joseph Chapman, who wrote in a recent BirminghamLive column: “He’s got the majority of his career, you’d like to think, ahead of him. You’d be disappointed if the club weren’t asking for £20-25m for him.”

Lingard alternative

Lingard’s future at the London Stadium is shrouded in mystery heading into the summer and according to the Daily Mail, the Hammers may struggle to meet his salary demands for a four-year deal in the region of £100k-per-week.

The 28-year-old has undoubtedly been a revelation to David Moyes and his squad, providing nine goals and three assists in just 13 appearances but you do have to wonder if he can keep it up without that point to prove next season as these have been his best returns in the Premier League for quite some time.

It is also likely to cost the Irons around the same amount of money at £25m.

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£25m on a 28-year-old or £25m on a 25-year-old? The latter is certainly going to give GSB more bang for their buck, even potentially earning them some profit in the future.

Perhaps West Ham should be considering a move for Pereira instead.

In a struggling Albion squad, he has delivered ten goals and five assists, proving he is more than capable in the English top-flight following an impressive debut campaign and continuing on from 24 goal contributions in the Championship last term.

He would also offer Moyes plenty of versatility, having been deployed through the middle and out wide.

Interestingly, the £18m-rated dynamo is proving to be a more creative influence than Lingard, too. He has averaged 1.8 key passes per game compared to the England international’s 0.9.

Earlier this season, Jermaine Jenas waxed lyrical about his ability, claiming to Match of the Day: “He’s just silky. When he’s on it, he’s just got that lovely left-foot.”

This has echoed the sentiments of Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards, who heaped praise on Pereira back in September.

“I watched him a lot in the Championship last season, wondering if he can do it in the Premier League, and he showed me in the last couple of games that he definitely can. He’s just an absolute delight to watch,” he said.

Also once lauded as a “genius,” the Baggies sensation would certainly be a viable alternative to Lingard and given his performances this season and cheaper wages (around £30k-per-week), he could even be the better long-term option to target in the summer.

AND in other news, GSB must sanction West Ham swoop for £20m “absolute tank” who tackles more than Dawson…

Speaking after West Ham United’s encounter with Newcastle on Saturday afternoon, David Moyes provided a positive outlook amid injury fears for Jesse Lingard, with the Irons manager sending an encouraging message after their 3-2 defeat at St James’ Park.

The Hammers travelled to Tyneside aiming to clinch another victory on the road to unprecedented Champions League qualification, but Moyes’ men instead succumbed to a setback in the race for a top four finish.

West Ham lost 3-2 in what was another very eventful match, with the Irons coming back from 2-0 down at one point only to lose Joe Willock in the area for the home side’s eventual winner. The biggest worry from that defeat, however, appeared to be a potential injury for Lingard, who was hooked by Moyes near full-time.

Providing a positive update after the match, Moyes outlined: “I think it was just cramp, I don’t think it was anything serious” (via Jack Rosser).

Flocking to this message, many Hammers supporters were naturally relieved that the in-form 28-year-old – whose penalty against Newcastle was his ninth goal in 10 games for West Ham – hasn’t taken a serious knock. Read some of their verdicts below on this “positive news”, as one fan described it.

West Ham fans ecstatic over Moyes update

“Thank the lord”

Credit: @notorious1324

“we live to see another day”

Credit: @Whuben1

“Some positive news”

Credit: @jamiemaragakis

“I pray this is not just Moyes trying to downplay it”

Credit: @ScottieHammer1

“Phew!”

Credit: @Lawrenceee_B

“Let’s hope so”

Credit: @_samhowell

In other news: GSB still in pole position for this ‘phenomenal’ striker, find out more here.