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Transfer season is always a strange time. With no football to talk about, fans resort to tracking flights, watching YouTube compilations are creating their dream starting line-ups.It’s also an interesting period for pundits, who are left to analyse transfer business across various leagues, leading some to occasionally blurt out some interesting theories.The latest to come out with a bizarre claim is former Chelsea player Eni Aluko, who spoke on TalkSport about Manchester City and Arsenal’s battle to sign West Ham United’s captain Declan Rice.

What did Eni Aluko say about Rice?

Aluko said that she believes Mikel Arteta could have prompted Pep Guardiola’s move for the midfielder, so that Arsenal’s owners are forced to place a higher bid and get the deal done.

Guardiola helping last season’s closest challengers to sign one of the best midfielders in the league would certainly be an interesting move, to say the least. And it’s not even clear how much the Gunners would be helped by City making Rice’s transfer fee higher.

The claim comes out of nowhere, and remains a controversial one, given the fact that the former Chelsea star has claimed that Arteta and Guardiola are secretly working together to strengthen Arsenal.

Speaking on TalkSport (via HLTCO), Aluko came out with an astonishing claim, referencing her time spent as the sporting director of Los Angeles side Angel City FC.

She said: “I think there’s a lot of cat and mouse going on here. As a sporting director, I used to do this a lot.

“So I used to call up a big club and say, can you put a bid in, and that would get my owner to basically put a higher bid in. It’s a bit like an auction, isn’t it?

“I don’t think Manchester City actually want to sign Declan Rice, I think what’s going on here is Arteta’s picked up the phone to Pep and said, listen, Arsenal are going to do the incremental bid approach, if you put a bid in, it will push my owner.

“I think there’s a bit of that going on here.”

What’s the latest on Declan Rice?

As of right now, West Ham are holding firm for the right price. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, the Hammers have rejected Arsenal’s offer of £75m plus £15m in add-ons as well as Man City’s offer of £80m and £10m in add-ons.

The battle is certainly on for the England international’s signature, it just remains to be seen who provides the most suitable offer, and which destination Rice ultimately chooses this summer.

With the treble winners and a side on the up to choose from, Rice is spoilt for choice, that’s for sure.

Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race for the signature of AS Roma centre-back, Roger Ibanez, according to Italian outlet Roma Giallorossa, via Sport Witness.

What is the latest on Ibanez to Spurs?

The report from Italy explains that Roma director Tiago Pinto was in London last week, and is believed to have spoken with Spurs chiefs about Ibanez. Spurs are said to be in pole position "above all (the other suitors)" in the transfer race, but not for the current price tag.

The fee quoted for the Brazilian defender is a minimum of €30m (£25m). This however is a fee which Daniel Levy is unwilling to commit to, instead planning to sign the 24-year-old for around €20m (£17m).

Tottenham are not the only club in the chase for Ibanez, with London rivals Chelsea and West Ham United also showing an interest. Therefore, Roma are hopeful that there is a "revival" of interest from the other interest clubs who could be willing to offer more than Spurs.

What would Ibanez bring to Spurs?

Ibanez is among the best defenders in Serie A, and a player that should he leave, will be sorely missed in the Italian capital.

He played a pivotal role in Roma's run to the Europa League final, prior to defeat against Sevilla, and nobody will be sadder to see him go than his current boss. Jose Mourinho, speaking in a press conference last year, was incredibly complimentary to his defender, as reported on the AS Roma official website.

"For me, he is untouchable." Mourinho said, revealing his next line-up would be Ibanez "and 10 others”.

The defender stands at 6 foot 1, which isn't massive for a Premeir League centre-back, but utilises his height well, winning 1.96 aerials per 90 as per FBRef, which places him about middle of the pack for that metric.

While a tremendous physical defender, being both quick and strong, Ibanez also boasts the qualities necessary to be a top level modern centre-back.

Averaging an 87.7% pass completion rate (73rd percentile), along with ranking in the 65th percentile for progressive carries (0.74 per 90) and the 77th percentile for successful take-ons, he is talented on the ball.

Off the ball, the Brazilian averages two tackles per game (82nd percentile) and 2.19 interceptions per game (97th percentile) and therefore is clearly a defender who can read the game just as well as he plays it.

Ibanez will be a major building block for Ange Postecoglou's new-look Spurs side, but it sounds like it will only happen if Levy and Roma can close a roughly 33 per cent difference in their valuations.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have got their eye on a Premier League ace ahead of the transfer window, as Julen Lopetegui prepares for his first summer in charge at Molineux.

While the break is set to be busy for the Spaniard, it’s also projected to be far from easy considering the recent revelations of Wolves’ FFP woes.

The former Real Madrid boss may not be able to spend lavishly this summer, however, with a number of departures forecast, players are still expected to arrive at Molineux, with the latest link being one of ‘the best’.

What’s the latest on James Ward-Prowse to Wolves?

As reported by SunSport at the start of the month, Wolves have been linked with Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

More recently, journalist Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT that the Midlands club are ‘interested’ in the Englishman, who he believes would be a “really good fit” for Lopetegui’s side.

SunSport claimed that the newly relegated side are expected to demand a fee in the region of £40m for their captain.

What could James Ward-Prowse offer Wolves?

Hailed as “phenomenal” by former teammate Charlie Austin via talkSPORT, the 28-year-old has enjoyed a fruitful career in the Premier League at St Mary’s.

Following Southampton’s relegation, rumours have sparked regarding their captain’s future at the club, and with Wolves a potential suitor, Lopetegui could build a devilish midfield around the Englishman.

With an average Sofascore match rating of 7.23, the Portsmouth-born ace has been the Saints’ shining light in a dreary campaign, registering himself as the club’s top performer this term.

Despite ending the season rock-bottom of the table, Ward-Prowse was influential in the final third as he was the year prior, scoring nine goals and assisting four starring in every Premier League game.

The £100k-per-week ace could add an additional threat in the goal department, which is essential for Lopetegui with his side ending the campaign as the league’s lowest scorers.

Playing in central-midfield, the Spaniard could inject his side with added talent going forward from the engine room, in a partnership with Mario Lemina who has been an anchor for Wolves.

The duo played together previously at St Mary’s, making the possible transition from the south coast to the Midlands easier for the Saints captain, with a familiar face beside him in the middle of the park.

Having a pivot in midfield between a creative spark and a defensive-minded ace is the recipe for unlocking oppositions, as well as maintaining a strong ability to transition from defence to attack.

As per FBref, the Gabon international provides defensively for Wolves in the heart of the pitch, averaging a monstrous 2.95 tackles per 90, as well as 1.64 blocks and 1.85 clearances, winning 59% of his total duels per game.

Having such defensive assurance could allow Ward-Prowse freedom in midfield to exercise his strengths offensively, where he averages 5.05 progressive passes and 3.39 shot-creating actions per 90, via FBref.

The Englishman fairs better than Lopetegui’s current midfield set-up with Ruben Neves contributing 2.38 shot-creating actions, suggesting he could be more useful in the final third than the departing Portuguese.

With Lemina acting as a sweeper protecting the defence, and having Ward-Prowse as an option to unleash going forward, Molineux could see an exciting duo reconnect next season.

Leeds United manager candidate Daniel Farke is starting 'to have a bit more prominence' in the Whites' hunt for a new boss to replace Sam Allardyce, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Leeds United and Daniel Farke?

According to Phil Hay on Twitter, who is a journalist for The Athletic, Farke is in the running for the Leeds United managerial vacancy and 'impressed' during 'initial discussions' with the Whites' hierarchy.

Hay also detailed that former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers another contender and is a figure that they 'really want' at the helm at Elland Road heading into next term.

Nevertheless, Rodgers looks to be on his way to his former club Celtic, who are in 'advanced talks' with the Irishman over a potential return to the Scottish giants, as per Sky Sports.

Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg also detailed on Twitter that Farke was another name in the frame to take over at Celtic from Ange Postecoglou last week; nevertheless, it looks like Rodgers will head north of the border, potentially paving the way for Farke to assume control at Leeds United.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has signified that the notion of Farke ending up at Leeds United is gaining momentum, though he questions the differing profiles of managers that the Yorkshire outfit have been linked with.

Jones said: "It's a bit strange at the moment. The type of managers that they are going for seem to be a bit all over the place in terms of profile.

"So, it's not totally clear what we're getting. Farke, at the moment, has also been linked with Celtic, but the Leeds rumours do seem to have a bit more prominence to them right now."

Would Daniel Farke be a good appointment for Leeds United?

Farke definitely operates with a high-octane style that would suit Leeds United's style of play and has experience of success at Sky Bet Championship level.

In his previous spell as manager of Norwich City, the 46-year-old led the Canaries to the English second-tier title on two occasions, in 2018/19 and 2020/21, as per Transfermarkt.

Most recently, Farke was head coach at Borussia Monchengladbach and was dismissed at the end of the 2022/23 campaign following a tenth-placed finish in the Bundesliga.

He may feel that a return to England will give him the best chance of re-establishing success; however, he may have to compete with West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan to land the position, as per The Yorkshire Evening Post.

Moving forward, Leeds United will hope that they can appoint a new manager swiftly as they get their preparations underway for 2023/24.

Aston Villa have even more games to factor in next season after qualifying for the Europa Conference League, meaning squad depth will take on more importance than ever.

Unai Emery has worked wonders during his short spell in charge of the Villans, and now he has a chance to shape the squad in his own right by bringing in players to not so much as act as back-up options, but to improve on what he already has in his favoured line-up.

That could spell bad news for some first-team regulars, especially those in central midfield should Villa push ahead with plans to sign Youri Tielemans following his exit from Leicester City.

Tielemans confirmed the news everyone was expecting last week when announcing his departure from Leicester following their relegation from the Premier League.

The Belgium international will go down in club folklore at the King Power Stadium for his stunning winning strike against Chelsea in the 2021 FA Cup final, though he was never expected to stay on once his contract expires later this month.

After four years' service for Leicester, during which time he racked up just short of 200 appearances, the 26-year-old is now set to embark on a new challenge elsewhere, widely expected to be with another Premier League club.

The Express & Star recently claimed Villa are in the mix for the midfielder, while The Athletic's David Ornstein has since revealed that the one-time Anderlecht man is "set to join" Emery's side on a free transfer.

Where would Youri Tielemans fit in at Aston Villa?

Tielemans hardly had the finest of campaigns last time out – which Leicester City player did? – but he has more than shown what he is capable of during his time in English football, as well as on the international stage with Belgium.

Indeed, much has been expected of the Anderlecht youth product ever since he first caught the eye as a 20-year-old, with Eden Hazard describing him as "a major player" after scoring his first international goal in 2019.

Even accounting for Leicester's relegation, three goals and two assists in 31 Premier League appearances for a struggling side last season is not a terrible return, especially considering he plays in a deep-lying midfield role.

Tielemans is a creative player, highlighted by his expected assisted goals (xAG) return of 0.18 over the past year, which ranks him in the top 11% of his positional peers, as per FBref.

The Belgian also ranks highly for progressive passes (6.95 per 90) and passes attempted (82 per 90), while also remaining strong defensively with 2.53 tackles per 90 on average.

To put that into some context, Douglas Luiz – the man Tielemans is expected to challenge for a place at Villa should he join – averages 4.55 progressive passes, 55.72 passes and 2.24 tackles, meaning the latter is stronger in each of those key areas.

Tielemans is also stronger aerially, winning an average of one duel per game (68.4%), compared to 0.77 per game (53.2%) for Luiz, as well as leading the way for tackles won – 1.50 compared to 1.29.

Leicester's relegation may cloud somewhat just how good a player Tielemans has been – and indeed still is – with Pep Guardiola among the talented midfielder's fans.

"Tielemans is a top, top class player," Guardiola said in 2021, adding that he was told all about Tielemans' qualities by Vincent Kompany long before the defender's compatriot had arrived in the Premier League.

Add in the fact Tielemans is available for free, with weekly wages of £35,000 a week, according to Capology, Villa must ensure they do all they can to bring in a player who can help them both domestically and in Europe next season.

Leeds United saw their three-year stint in the Premier League cut ruthlessly short on Sunday, as their 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur confirmed their relegation.

Wins elsewhere for Everton and Leicester City only exacerbated such failures, as they finished 19th to return to the Championship.

Having spent 16 years in the second division the last time they were demoted, the hope around Elland Road will be that they can avoid another lengthy absence and bounce back at the first time of asking.

To do that, it will require an almighty effort from the hierarchy to secure a new long-term manager and a host of new players to propel them there, amidst a potential takeover.

However, they might have some key assets who could spearhead such a charge, who are already in their squad and unlikely to leave this summer.

One such example is Darko Gyabi, who joined as a top-quality youngster from Manchester City just last summer. Despite the £5m expended, he was forced into the U21s for the majority of the campaign.

Having surely acclimatised to life at Elland Road now, next term could truly be his breakthrough one to announce himself as a star in Yorkshire.

How good is Darko Gyabi?

With all the physical assets to compete in such a taxing division, it is wholly possible that the 19-year-old could be the Championship's next top product.

After all, he has already shown himself to be at a level above his youth category, with journalist Joe Donnohue offering massive praise after one performance in particular back in March: "Darko Gyabi's performance tonight is the most complete midfield display by any LUFC player, at any level, (I've seen) this season. Passing, strength, presence, awareness, use of his body – class."

He continued by noting that he "plays with an attitude, dynamism & real vitality"; attributes that will be key to dominating midfield battles.

As such, he may already be ahead of a certain Weston McKennie, the American who endured a torrid time in Yorkshire after his half a season loan from Juventus back in January.

The midfielder did little to weave his way into the hearts of those at Elland Road during his six-month stint, as he travelled home to Turin this week with zero goals and just one assist to show for his efforts.

On the flip side, with Gyabi amassing five goal contributions from 17 Premier League 2 games, his offensive input cannot be understated alongside his other impressive attributes. This has culminated in just three senior appearances, which should be vastly expanded upon next season with more game time likely forthcoming.

Gyabi's work in the U20 World Cup serves to offer further proof as to just how remarkable he is for his age, as the teenage sensation has recorded a 7.07 average rating thus far, maintaining an 88% pass accuracy alongside, one interception, 2.7 tackles and 2.7 successful dribbles per game, via Sofascore.

This tough-tackling mindset blended with elegance on the ball makes him a technical marvel, who already stands at a whopping 6 foot 5 to only emphasise his stature as someone capable of making the step up.

He has everything needed to shine at senior level, and it could be argued that a run of games in the Premier League might have even been merited. But with huge changes set to occur this summer once McKennie and co depart, Gyabi should offer some clarity for the new boss, as a nailed-on starter for their new adventure in the Championship.

Celtic head coach Ange Postecoglou has been heavily linked with a move away from the Scottish Premiership with several English top flight clubs on the search for new managers.

The 57-year-old was asked by Sky Sports whether any of the speculation, particularly amid interest from Spurs, had come across his radar. To which he defiantly said: "And yet, I'm still here."

Adding more to his reply, Postecoglou said:

"Listen, it doesn't,""I think anyone that knows me knows that what is important for me is the here and now. I've never planned anything in my football career."My ambitions right now are to enjoy tomorrow and have a good game and try to win a cup final to have a special year. It's not every year that you get the chance to win a Treble. If anyone thinks that I am thinking anything other than that then they don't know me."

Celtic face Iverness in the Scottish Cup final and the manager appears focused on bringing the treble home for Celtic fans.

What's the latest on Ange Postecoglou's Celtic future?

In the last 48 hours, the Daily Mail's Rob Draper reported on behind the scenes news he's heard on Spurs' interest in Postecoglou in a promising boost for Celtic fans.

With Tottenham set to part ways with acting manager Ryan Mason following the end of the Premier League season, It's reported that Xabi Alonso, their initial no.1 candidate, had ruled himself out of contention while Postecoglou looks quite likely to commit to another year at Celtic.

For Spurs there wouldn't be an exorbitant exit clause due to the 57-year-old's one-year rolling contract with Celtic. Yet, the manager's desire is to remain at the club with his "ultimate ambition" said to be to guide Celtic through to the Champions League knockout stages.

Additionally, the current Celtic side has been "largely recruited by him" and so Postecoglou wants to yield returns on that faith shown in him by the club.

What is Ange Postecoglou's contract situation at Celtic?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Postecoglou is on a one-year rolling contract. This means that unless terminated by either the club or the manager, it will renew again and "roll" into another season.

For Celtic, it's a precarious situation as they can do little to prevent Postecoglou from leaving if he decided to due to the lack of a prohibitive exit clause.

For instance, another former Spurs managerial candidate, Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has a £17m release clause, while the Daily Mail claims Postecoglou's contract does not contain an "expensive" clause.

That said, Postecoclgou seems set for another year at the club with a European adventure in sight.

Despite a sensational season which saw Sunderland narrowly miss out on the Championship playoff final, rumours are rife about Tony Mowbray's future at the Stadium of Light.

What's the latest on Mowbray's future at Sunderland?

The former Blackburn Rovers boss took over in the northeast following Alex Neil's shock move to Stoke City earlier in the season and has delivered far better results than many Sunderland fans would have dreamed of at the start of the campaign.

Last season's promotion from League One, via the playoffs, suggested that this season would be all about ensuring stability in the second tier, especially after losing the influential Neil.

However, Mowbray would go one further and took a depleted Black Cats squad into the top six on the final day, despite missing key players such as Ross Stewart and Danny Batth through injury.

Further injury concerns meant that Trai Hume would partner Luke O'Nien at centre-back in the away leg at Kenilworth Road, with natural wingers Lynden Gooch and Patrick Roberts featuring at full-back, so Mowbray cannot really be blamed for the defeat.

Remarkably, talkSPORT are claiming that the 59-year-old is now fighting to save his job at Sunderland, with three young European managers on a potential shortlist to replace him in the summer.

The same report claims that RB Salzburg boss Matthias Jaissle is currently top of that shortlist, with Francesco Farioli and ex-Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber also options for the Black Cats.

While it would be incredibly harsh to sack Mowbray following such an impressive campaign, the prospect of hiring a top young manager such as Jaissle is surely a hugely exciting one for the Black Cats, with the 35-year-old perhaps reminiscent of former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann.

Who is Sunderland manager target Matthias Jaissle?

The German coach spent time working in RB Leipzig's academy before he was even 30, and he earned a move to Danish side Brondby, where he worked as an assistant manager for two seasons.

He then took on his first role at RB Salzburg as manager of the U18 side, where he earned a remarkable average of 2.78 points per game across 23 fixtures in charge, which saw him earn his first senior management role at FC Liefering in Austria.

Another successful spell would follow, as he averaged 2.12 points per game between January and June 2021, before he was deemed ready to take on the job at RB Salzburg following Jesse Marsch's upgrade to RB Leipzig.

He has since gone on to average a phenomenal 2.27 points per game, winning the Austrian title and cup thus far, which emphasises the winning mentality he could bring to the Stadium of Light.

Winning titles at such a young age is rarely seen in football management but Nagelsmann would achieve it at Bayern, having also made his name at Hoffenheim and another of Red Bull's sides in Germany.

The similarities are apparent and while it would be a big gamble to replace Mowbray, Sunderland could just find themselves a gem if they appoint Jaissle this summer.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has made an exciting claim regarding Leeds United and a possible pursuit of Wolves winger Adama Traore. 

The lowdown: Traore’s troubles

In January, the 26-year-old joined Barcelona on loan until the end of the season, with a £29m permanent option included in the deal.

However, since arriving in Spain, the powerful ace has made just 10 La Liga appearances for the Catalan giants, completing 90 minutes on only one occasion.

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Traore is now expected to return to Molineux at the end of the season, where his future remains in the balance.

The latest: Traore ‘open’ to Leeds move

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has suggested that Leeds will likely be among the leading contenders to land the Spain winger in the summer.

The journalist explained: “He knows they want him. I think he’s been open to it in the past. If there’s no future for him at Wolves, or Barcelona, then he will have to consider it.”

The verdict: Worth the risk

Traore was once dubbed ‘undefendable’ by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp due to his frightening pace, power and direct running style, possessing all the raw attributes to succeed at a high level, but he has often flattered to deceive in the final third.

Despite the eight-cap Spain international’s frightening physicality, he has just 24 direct goal contributions in 160 Premier League appearances and has earned a lowly 6.94 Sofascore rating in the Spanish top flight this term – taking only 23 touches per game – in a disappointing 2021/22 campaign.

However, with the long term future of Raphinha at Elland Road in doubt and fellow winger Dan James failing to hit the ground running in Yorkshire, Whites manager Jesse Marsch would indeed be wise to keep Traore in mind if the price is right this summer as Wolves potentially look to cut their losses on the 26-year-old.

In other news: Leeds want this powerful 12-goal striker who is ‘ideal’ for the Championship

Sunderland are back in action this evening for their second-leg semi-final play-off clash against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

The Black Cats secured a 1-0 victory over the Yorkshire club in the first leg at the Stadium of Light on Friday thanks to a goal from striker Ross Stewart.

Looking ahead to tonight’s clash, Sunderland manager Alex Neil revealed that his side have no new injury issues coming off the back of Friday’s win, which will be music to the ears of many fans of the Wearside club.

With that in mind, here’s how we feel the Black Cats could line up for tonight’s crucial showdown.

In goal, having kept a clean sheet last time out and saved Wednesday’s only shot on target, it seems likely that Neil would stick with Anthony Patterson to see if he can stop the home side from scoring this time around.

For the back three, we predict that Bailey Wright and Danny Batth will keep their places in the team but see Callum Doyle come back in from the start after making a late cameo on Friday to see out the win.

Labelled as a “very exciting talent” by Kevin Phillips, Doyle has racked up a lot of experience during his season with Sunderland on loan from Manchester City’s U23 side in terms of his playing time.

With that change in mind, we think that Dennis Cirkin will also keep his place in the side but move into the left wing-back role with Jack Clarke dropping out.

Having had his move to Tottenham Hotspur described as “bizarre,” the 21-year-old failed to have much of an impact last time out either in an attacking or defensive sense for his side.

For the right wing-back position, we can see Lynden Gooch lining up once again to make up the back five.

In midfield, rather than making anymore big changes, we think that the duo of Corry Evans and Luke O’Nien will make up the central midfield on this occasion.

Then for the final three attacking positions, having scored the winner in the first leg and racking up a total of 25 goals in 51 games this season, it’s safe to suggest that Stewart is likely to be the first name on the teamsheet for the Black Cats.

Behind Stewart, we can see Alex Pritchard sticking in the team to try and be an attacking nuisance once again.

Finally, with Neil suggesting that Nathan Broadhead could be available to play after missing the first leg through injury, we feel that the Sunderland boss will put him back in the team if he’s fit enough to add an extra attacking threat in his side.

In other news: Neil must ruthlessly axe “effortless” £25k-p/w SAFC dud, he could cost them promotion