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Fabrizio Romano has dropped a big Manchester United transfer claim which will leave new manager Erik ten Hag gutted.

What’s the news?

A move for Ajax star Antony might not be as straightforward as Ten Hag thinks, according to the Italian journalist.

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Sky Sports recently reported that United have made enquiries to Ajax about the player, with some suggestions that the Premier League club would bid €50m (£42.8m) for the 22-year-old, but there has been no progress on that front in recent days.

Romano told GiveMeSport: “The real point is about Ajax because Ajax would love to keep the player for one more season. They want an important fee for Antony. When I see about a potential proposal for €45m or €50m, I’m told Ajax actually want way more than this for the Brazilian, so it’s not going to be an easy one.”

This is a potential blow to Ten Hag and his transfer plans for the Brazilian, with a much bigger fee now being demanded in order to secure his services.

Big blow for United

The Ajax player would likely fit in well at United, having worked under Ten Hag in Amsterdam, and he could offer an extra dimension to their struggling attack.

The only Red Devils forward to score more than ten goals last season was Cristiano Ronaldo (24), and this is an area which needs improvement if they wish to get back to winning trophies.

Antony scored 12 times in all competitions and grabbed a further ten assists, and if he did make the move to Old Trafford, there seems little doubt that he could replicate or even better these numbers.

As per FBRef, the Ajax winger ranks in the top 1% for both assists (0.78) and total shots (4.08) per match among positional peers in major European competitions last season, displaying his attacking attributes on a consistent basis.

The 22-year-old also illustrated how keen he is to burst into the box and either score or set up a team-mate, ranking in the top 10% for touches in the opposition penalty area with 6.59 per match.

A reunion between Ten Hag and Antony may have looked likely at one point, but with this news from Romano, it might not be as close as some may have believed. It’s a development which is likely to leave the new United manager gutted.

AND in other news, MUFC in “direct discussion” to sign gem with 236 Premier League appearances, he’s Pogba 2.0

Leeds United have the youngest squad in the Premier League with an average age of 24.4 according to Transfermarkt.

However, the Whites do have some senior figures in their ranks that have hit the age of 30, one of which is right-back, Luke Ayling.

Back in August 2016, the Yorkshire club secured a deal for the defender from Bristol City. Since then, the Englishman has gone on to make a total of 220 appearances for Leeds across all competitions.

In those appearances, the defender has chipped in with eight goals and eight assists along the way.

At the age of 30, Ayling will be entering the final year of his current contract at Elland Road at the end of the month.

With that in mind, it could be worth Victor Orta looking to bring in a suitable long-term replacement for the veteran.

Despite securing a deal for RB Salzburg defender Rasmus Kristensen, another right-back that could fit the bill under Jesse Marsch that has been linked with a move to the club in the last few weeks is Sergino Dest.

After working his way through Ajax’s youth ranks and into their senior side, the 21-year-old then joined Barcelona back in October 2020 in a deal worth £23.8m.

With 182 club appearances under his belt for his past and present clubs, the full-back has scored 11 goals and delivered 20 assists in the process.

Having ended the recent La Liga campaign with the fourth-highest average of dribbles per game (1.8), it certainly shows how he could be a good replacement for Ayling, who ended his recent Premier League season with the third-highest average of dribbles per game (0.9) in the squad.

Despite predominantly playing as a right-back, the youngster has been deployed in all sorts of different defensive and attacking positions on both sides of the pitch this season.

This sort of versatility could make him a very useful squad option for Leeds going forward.

Labelled by Dani Alves as a player that “has everything to be one of football’s greats,” Dest is currently valued at a mighty £59m by CIES.

Given his young age and the pedigree he has of having played at two of Europe’s biggest clubs, signing the full-back could be a very impressive feat for Orta to pull off and deliver Leeds their dream long-term heir for Ayling.

The American link between Dest and Marsch in addition to getting the chance to play in the Premier League to go head-to-head against some of the best teams and players in the world could make it a very tempting prospect for the player.

In other news: Deal close: Leeds on the verge of signing “impressive” dynamo, Marsch will be buzzing

Sky Sports punditSky Sports pundit Alex McLeish is excited about the thought of Liverpool completing a deal for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, who he says could be yet ‘another’ top signing by the Reds.

The Lowdown: Liverpool close to agreement

The Uruguayan first put pen to paper on a deal with the Primeira Liga outfit when he joined the club in a £21.6m move from UD Almeria two years ago, and despite his contract with the Portuguese side not being set to expire until 2025, the 22-year-old has been linked with a move away from the Estadio da Luz.

Jurgen Klopp and Co, alongside top-flight rivals Manchester United, are both interested in his services.

After further developments, it’s been reported that the Merseysiders look to have won the race for his signature and are now close to reaching a full agreement with the forward ahead of a potential summer move.

The Latest: McLeish backs Nunez to shine

McLeish suggested that Nunez would have to prove himself in Liverpool’s starting XI, but says he’s heard really good things about the level he could reach, pondering whether he could even eventually be ‘another (Sadio) Mane’.

He told Football Insider: “For any player coming from any other country in the world to play in the English Premier League is a leap.

“The thing is that Mane and Salah have all proved their worth. That’s what Nunez will have to do, come in and prove that.

“We can’t speculate about him and say he’ll definitely come in and be another Mane. At the same time, there seems to be a good crop of players in Portugal.

“I’ve got a pal out there, he watches the Portuguese league every week. He keeps waxing lyrical about the quality of a lot of the play and indeed the players.

“If Liverpool are going for a guy like that, you would tend to think that this guy is some player. We’ve seen him, of course, but they will have assessed the whole picture, as they do very well.

“It’s rare that Liverpool are making mistakes in the transfer window.”

The Verdict: Perfect attacking addition

With Mane’s future at Anfield currently up in the air, Klopp will be wanting to find a suitable replacement in case the Senegalese star does depart ahead of the start of the new season, and Nunez possesses the qualities to fill that role perfectly.

The £49.5m-rated talisman was hitting the back of the net for fun this campaign, having scored 34 goals and provided four assists in just 41 appearances for Benfica, as per Transfermarkt, showing just how much of a threat and handful he can be for defenders in the final third.

The 6 foot 2 talent would surely flourish playing in the Premier League and is the ideal addition to the Reds’ attacking ranks, where there’s a very strong possibility that we won’t see Mane ever again.

In other news… a BBC pundit has claimed that Liverpool will be ‘raging’ after hearing a Mo Salah update.

Celtic will be ‘trying to do everything’ they can to seal the permanent signing of Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer, according to Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers excels at Celtic

The 24-year-old was loaned out to the Hoops last summer, with Tottenham never granting him regular football

Carter-Vickers’ move to Parkhead proved to be a match made in heaven, as the American flourished at the heart of Ange Postecoglou’s defence, achieving the fourth-highest WhoScored rating of anyone in the squad after last summer’s transfer window.

Celtic are now trying to seal a permanent move for the centre-back, although there has been interest in him from other clubs in recent months.

The Latest: Whelan talks up permanent move for Carter-Vickers

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan claimed that the Hoops will be doing all they can to acquire Carter-Vickers’ signature, with the player likely to reciprocate that, given how well the 24-year-old has done at Parkhead.

The former BBC radio pundit said:

“I think happiness to a player is very important, feeling wanted and belonging in a place. I think he’s definitely got that from Celtic as a football club and the fans.

“He plays regularly, we’ve seen the progression and how good he’s looked in the Celtic shirt. It’s an exciting team to be involved with as well with the style of play and the players they have been brought in.

“They won’t be looking to sit on that either, they’ll be looking to strengthen. With Carter-Vickers, he’s been an integral part of that defence. That’s why they’ve been so solid over the past season as well.

“I think Celtic and Carter-Vickers will be trying to do everything to make it happen, for him to stay there.

“They’re a European club, they’re massive, they’ve just won the Premiership. Why would you not want to be at a successful side who are playing in the Champions League as well?”

The Verdict: Simply has to happen

Given Carter-Vickers’ influence at Celtic this season – he has been lauded as ‘immense’ by Chris Sutton – it is imperative that they get a permanent deal over the line.

He has already looked at home at Parkhead, slotting in seamlessly next to Carl Starfelt, and he could be a fixture in green and white for many years to come. An average of 4.2 successful aerial duels per game and a pass completion rate of 89.5% in the Premiership is a testament to his quality.

With Champions League football returning to Celtic in 2022/23, that should surely be enough to persuade him to sign permanently, rather than head elsewhere and risk undoing all the progress he has made in Glasgow.

In other news, Celtic have reportedly set their sights on another signing. Find out who it is here.

West Bromwich Albion got the ball rolling with regards to the potential summer overhaul that Steve Bruce addressed some weeks ago as the Baggies announced they had secured the signing of midfielder John Swift on a free transfer from Reading.

Now that the move has been confirmed, it seems as though a claim has emerged over the potential transfer of another Championship midfielder with whom the Midlands club have been linked recently.

What’s the news?

During a recent online Q&A for The Athletic, Baggies reporter Steve Madeley was asked what the chances are of West Brom securing the signing of Joe Rothwell from Blackburn Rovers.

In response, the journalist said: “Rothwell is a player West Brom are aware of but I haven’t heard any suggestion that West Brom have made a move for him.”

Earlier this month, journalist John Percy tweeted that West Brom are one of the clubs interested in signing the midfielder on a free transfer once his current deal at Ewood Park runs out at the end of next month.

While the Rovers ace still has a few weeks left before he officially becomes a free agent, it would still be bad news for Baggies fans to hear that there has not yet been an inkling over a potential move for him to The Hawthorns.

After working his way through Manchester United’s youth ranks, the midfielder found himself at Blackburn in the summer of 2018 after a two-year spell with Oxford United.

During his time with Rovers, the 27-year-old made 161 appearances across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and delivering 18 assists along the way.

In what has turned out to be his final season at Ewood Park, Rothwell found the net three times and supplied 10 assists in 41 league appearances.

To highlight his attacking and creative prowess on the pitch, he not only ended the season with far more crosses (141) to his name than any other Blackburn player, he also posted a higher average of key passes per game (1.7) than any of his team-mates.

With the Baggies failing to score in 18 of their 46 Championship matches this season, having a creative midfielder like Rothwell could be just what Bruce needs to make his side a much deadlier force going forward.

Therefore, Madeley’s downplaying of Albion’s links with the 27-year-old will come as bad news for the club’s supporters.

In other news: Bruce heading for big transfer calamity as West Brom eye move for £1.7m dud

West Bromwich Albion are set for an overhaul this summer following a disappointing season that saw the side fail to secure a chance at promotion back into the Premier League, and Steve Bruce has his work cut out to improve the team.

The release and retainment list has been confirmed for next season with Romaine Sawyers, Andy Carroll and Sam Johnstone three of 12 players who will be let go by the club this summer to make way for signings.

In terms of releasing Andy Carroll, the Albion manager will need to find a replacement for the striker to ensure that they are not caught short like they were last season when Daryl Dike suffered a long-term injury after making just two appearances.

It would be advantageous to bring in a ready-made experienced striker who knows how to bag goals in the Championship and there is one player Bruce could reunite with this summer that can provide exactly what they need.

Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle has been starved of game-time at St James’ Park in the Premier League but is a proven goal-machine when it comes to the Championship and could be the key to unlocking promotion for West Brom next season.

The £37k-per-week gem who was dubbed “proven” by Kyle Bartley, is no stranger to The Hawthorns, scoring 24 goals and contributing eight assists in 41 appearances when he was on loan at the club in the 2018/19 season, and Carlton Palmer believes the player could emulate his previous spell at the club if West Brom signs him this summer.

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer claimed: “He’s guaranteed you 20 goals in that league. He’s done it before.”

“So, those are the players he’d be looking to bring into the football club, and obviously, Steve works with those players and knows them well.”

With that being said, due to his lack of minutes with the Magpies, it could be an attractive move for the player to get back on the pitch and be a regular feature for the Baggies again.

Therefore, Bruce could be in a great position to get a deal over the line if he made the move, something he simply has to do if he wants to get fans on side and build a steady platform for promotion.

AND in other news: West Brom could unearth an “immense” Livermore upgrade by signing £23k-p/w gem

David Moyes will be aiming to bolster his West Ham squad next season, with a defender being a main priority in the summer transfer window as the Scot hopes to be backed by GSB.

The Irons have enjoyed a wonderful 2021/22 campaign, reaching the Europa League semi-finals and securing European football again for next season, but Moyes will want to take the next step.

There will be signings made this summer, no doubt about it, but the main priority must be improving the heart of defence.

Angelo Ogbonna has missed the majority of this season with a serious knee injury, Kurt Zouma has had his campaign disrupted by fitness and off-field issues, while Issa Diop is a lowly 17th in the West Ham squad on WhoScored performance ratings with just 6.46, so it’s clear to see the defence needs to be rejuvenated.

According to The Guardian, Moyes is monitoring Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd, who could be signed for a reasonable fee of £20m this summer.

The French media claimed that he was the “real boss” at Rennes, while the Ligue 1 club’s former manager Julien Stephen said that Aguerd was a “cerebral person”, high praise indeed for the 26-year old.

West Ham could have their own Virgil van Dijk if they sign the Moroccan, with the two players being quite similar in their styles and statistics according to FBRef.

Aguerd has actually made more tackles (30 to 21) and interceptions (52 to 48) this season than the Dutchman, and at a fraction of the price that Liverpool paid for Van Dijk, Moyes could make an extremely shrewd signing for the Hammers.

There is a feel-good atmosphere surrounding West Ham at the moment, but for this to be maintained and the club to move up a gear, there needs to be solid business in the transfer window over the summer.

AND in other news, Cost £1.5m per goal: GSB made a colossal blunder on “strong” £40k-p/w West Ham flop

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt.

The Lowdown: De Ligt impressing at Juve

The 22-year-old has been considered one of the world’s leading young centre-backs for an extended period now, having burst onto the scene for Ajax back in 2o18/19, helping them reach the Champions League semi-finals.

De Ligt is now impressing at Juve, making 30 Serie A appearances this season and even being compared to Cristiano Ronaldo by Edwin van der Sar, in terms of his mentality.

Th £63million-rated Dutchman may not be out of contract until 2024 but that hasn’t stopped an exit rumour from doing the rounds.

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The Latest: Liverpool linked with move

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Juve have to ‘watch out’ for interest from Premier League clubs, with Liverpool name-checked in the report.

De Ligt has ‘no plans to leave’ the Turin giants currently, however, so it does appear as though a transfer is unlikely to materialise, but the outlet seems fearful of interest from the Reds.

The Verdict: Is he needed?

While De Ligt is a fantastic defender who most clubs in Europe would want – he’s been called ‘incredible’ by Andrea Barzagli – Liverpool simply have no reason to need him at the moment.

In Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate, Jurgen Klopp has three outstanding centre-backs at his disposal, while Joe Gomez also remains a great option, despite injury problems.

Further down the line, De Ligt could be a perfect signing for Liverpool – Van Dijk and Matip both turn 31 this year – but he may have moved elsewhere by the time the Reds duo are no longer at their best.

In other news, a journalist says there is ‘strong interest’ in one Liverpool player. Find out who it is here.

Manchester United are interested in securing the services of Stuttgart’s Croatian left-back, Borna Sosa.

What’s the word?

That is according to German outlet Kicker, as per the Metro, who claim that Erik ten Hag is a big fan of the 24-year-old and would like him at Manchester United for when he takes over ready for next season.

The report states that Sosa could be available for around €25m (£21.4m).

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The next David Beckham?

With the Croatian’s contract expiring in 2025, this represents a fair valuation and gives Manchester United the perfect opportunity to sign a high calibre player for very little expense, something the new manager would surely love.

As a left-back who is capable of playing as a left-midfielder, Sosa has made himself a regular at Stuttgart ever since his move from Dinamo Zagreb back in 2018.

In his first full season as a starter, the Croatian bagged eight assists in 27 outings.

Sosa has received plaudits from Stuttgart’s sporting director Sven Mislintat who once said: “Borna Sosa reminds me of David Beckham.”

His stats reflect his flair as a player, with the left-back boasting an average of 3.62 shot-creating actions per 90 with 27.88 touches in the attacking third per game also.

For this attacking excellence though, his defensive stats falter, with the Croatian averaging around 1.16 tackles per 90.

The 24-year-old has mainly operated in a three-at-the-back system which has most certainly given him more licence to attack.

Whilst this will have been good for his positional development, it remains to be seen as to whether ten Hag would feel he is defensively sound enough to play as a full-back in his system.

There is a lot of room for improvement in the out-of-possession aspect of his game and with Brandon Williams set to return to his parent club, there will be a lot of competition with Luke Shaw and Alex Telles also competing for minutes.

In other news: “Manchester United are..” – Romano drops exciting transfer claim, ten Hag will love it