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Derek Rae has dropped an update on reported Glasgow Rangers transfer target Malik Tillman.

What’s the talk?

In a number of recent posts on Twitter, the ESPN journalist revealed that, following reports linking Rangers with a move for the Bayern Munich attacking midfielder this summer, they would be willing to loan the 20-year-old out ahead of the 2022/23 campaign – something that would appear to open the door for both Ross Wilson and Giovanni van Bronckhorst to launch an offensive for the USA international.

In his tweets, Rae said: “Have had so many questions about Rangers’ interest in Bayern’s Malik Tillman, who is now committed to the USMNT rather than Germany. Reporting on this interest has so far all come from colleagues in Scotland. Nothing new from Germany.

“What we can say is that Bayern don’t feel Tillman is someone who is going to challenge for regular first-team football at the moment & a loan has been a strong possibility for a while.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering just how exciting a prospect Tillman undoubtedly is, Rae’s update suggesting that Bayern would be willing to allow the forward to leave the Allianz Arena on a temporary basis this summer is sure to have left Van Bronckhorst and his Rangers transfer team buzzing.

Indeed, the £1.35m-rated prospect has highly impressed throughout the various age groups in Bayern’s youth setup, scoring 15 goals and providing 10 assists over 42 appearances for the U17s, bagging 17 goals and registering 11 assists over 36 outings for the U19s and netting seven goals and providing four assists over 24 fixtures for Bayern Munich II.

These returns have seen the £5k-per-week starlet fast-tracked into Julian Nagelsmann’s first-team squad, with the 20-year-old making seven appearances for the senior side in 2021/22 – scoring one goal in the process.

Furthermore, those in the know quite clearly expect big things from Tillman in the not too distant future, with the USMNT head coach, Gregg Berhalter, stating in an interview with The Athletic of the attacking midfielder – who scored three goals in four appearances for Germany’s U21s prior to making the switch to America – earlier this year:

“I think he’s an attacking midfielder in a 3-4-2-1, he could be a pocket winger in a 4-3-3, could be a centre mid in a 4-3-3, depending on if he can get his defensive work up to it. But he’s really talented between the lines, really natural with scoring goals, good and calm around the penalty box. Good technique, good with both feet, so a really interesting player.”

As such, it is clear to see that, should Wilson and Van Bronckhorst manage to get a deal over the line for the versatile forward this summer, Rangers will have a real talent on their hands heading into their 2022/23 campaign – something that is sure to be an incredibly exciting prospect for both the Ibrox faithful and the Dutch manager alike.

AND in other news: Rangers keen on “strong” £2.5k-p/w gem with a “high ceiling”, he’s a Jack upgrade

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Jonathan David in recent weeks, though it seems he is not a player on Steven Gerrard’s radar…

What’s the word?

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans recently claimed the Midlands outfit have had eyes on the 22-year-old ever since his time at Gent in the Jupiler Pro League, and also suggested that he would be a player that they would love to sign.

Meanwhile, transfer insider Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT that David was someone who “might come onto the radar” for the Premier League side before the end of the window on September 1st.

However, journalist Ashley Preece of the Birmingham Mail has poured cold water on such claims – speaking in a Q&A with supporters this week, he said:

“Villa haven’t gone in for him.”

Gutting news

Those six words are enough to leave many supporters around Villa Park absolutely gutted as the Lille star is a hugely exciting talent and one that would add a lot to the current squad.

Gerrard may well be stacked up top, with Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings his two main options, but David could well be a long-term upgrade considering he’s just 22.

The Canada international registered 13 goals and three assists across 37 appearances on Les Dogues’ way to the Ligue 1 title in 2021 before continuing that form last season, bagging 19 goals across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

That’s certainly a prolific record in one of Europe’s top divisions.

The 5 foot 11 talisman wouldn’t come cheap as he is currently valued in the region of £42m-£60m by CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis.

However, given the fact that he has been lauded as a “phenomenon” by former Gent and Anderlecht boss Hein Vanhaezebrouck, plenty of fans around B6 will surely be left disappointed by Preece’s latest update on the matter.

AND in other news, Lange eyeing Villa swoop for “phenomenal” £34m gem, he’s the “perfect fit” for Gerrard…

Transfer insider Dean Jones has now shared some ‘whispers’ from Arsenal involving Raheem Sterling.

The Lowdown: Raphinha alternative?

It now seems unlikely that the Gunners will sign Raphinha, after reports of FC Barcelona, who are the Leeds United winger’s preferred destination, wanting to gazump Chelsea’s own £60m deal.

Thus, the north Londoners will have to look at alternative targets if they want to strengthen out wide, with Sterling a reported option at the start of the summer, although Chelsea are reportedly now also in talks for his signature.

The Latest: Arsenal ‘whispers’

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones has now shared ‘whispers’ of Sterling possibly moving to the Emirates Stadium, although they ‘can’t compete’ with Chelsea in terms of his wages:

“There have been whispers of Arsenal going for Sterling but there is very little chance of them jumping in on that deal to revenge at Chelsea for bidding on Raphinha.

“The main issue, away from the level they’re at, is the wages. I’m told they just can’t compete at his pay level.”

The Verdict: Shame

It would be a shame for Mikel Arteta’s team to miss out on both Raphinha and Sterling, especially if they both end up at London rivals Chelsea.

The latter has shown that he can score and assist goals on a consistent basis for Manchester City, racking up 78 goals in the last five top flight seasons (Transfermarkt).

However, his massive £300,000-per-week salary could prove to be a stumbling block in terms of making the move to North London, and would break their current wage structure.

Given that Chelsea can offer him UEFA Champions League football as well, any deal for Sterling this summer seems highly unlikely.

An update has emerged regarding Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of a right wing-back in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas has revealed that Spurs may walk away from negotiations to sign Djed Spence from Middlesbrough, as they are yet to agree a fee with the Championship club.

Fabio Paratici is now plotting a potential swoop for Lens defender Jonathan Clauss as an alternative target to the England under-21 international.

The reporter tweeted: “Exclusive: #Tottenham and #Boro remain apart in their valuations of Djed Spence after latest round of talks in London yesterday. Still no agreement and #Spurs ready to move on if it can’t be done.”

He then added: “#Spurs, of course, have other options they can look at. Interestingly, one of those is the 29yo Jonathan Clauss at #Lens. He was statistically the best performing full-back in France last season acc. to @Wyscout.”

It has been reported by Ryan Taylor of The Express that the Ligue 1 club are open to cashing in on the right-back and will accept a fee in the region of £10m.

Conte would love him

Antonio Conte would love to have Clauss at Spurs next season, as he is an attack-minded defender who can make a big impact in the final third.

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Journalist Sam Tabuteau recently claimed that the 29-year-old has been “the name on everyone’s lips” of late, while Zach Lowy dubbed him “one of the best” wing-backs in Ligue 1, having been named in the division’s Team of the Season in each of the last two years.

His statistics in the French top flight are certainly impressive and indicate that he has the potential to be an excellent addition to Tottenham’s squad. In the 2021/22 campaign, he produced five goals and 11 assists as he averaged a phenomenal SofaScore rating of 7.38.

Along with his contributions at the top of the pitch, Clauss made an eye-catching 3.7 tackles and interceptions per match last term. He has the quality and fitness to get up and down the flank and make key contributions both defensively and offensively.

Meanwhile, Spence managed two goals and four assists in the Championship on loan at Nottingham Forest, making 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game.

These statistics suggest that Clauss – who is eight years older than the Middlesbrough gem – would be the better option at both ends of the pitch. Therefore, Conte would surely love to have him in his squad next term and will be hoping that a deal can be reached in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano reveals huge Spurs transfer update which will have Antonio Conte fuming…

Frank Lampard has endured what can only be described as a tough spell in charge of Everton so far, narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League and generally struggling to get his team to play the kind of football and achieve the kind of results that the Goodison Park faithful might expect.

The 43-year-old faces a crucial transfer window this summer and it looks to have gotten off to a solid start. With a deal to sign former Burnley defender James Tarkowski imminent, it remains to be seen who arrives next.

One player who has been linked with the Toffees is Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen, whose contract at Brentford expires at the end of the month.

The 30-year-old has impressed during his short spell with the Bees, having joined in January following a successful recovery from his cardiac arrest during Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 match against Finland just over a year ago.

He scored once and registered four assists in the Premier League for Thomas Frank’s side, and Everton are crying out for a player of his quality to improve their team.

According to FBRef’s similar player model, Eriksen is comparable to Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne. If the Toffees could land the Danish maestro, he could certainly inspire them to enjoy a better season than the one they have just had.

Although De Bruyne played nearly three times as many league games as Eriksen last term, their stats are quite similar. The latter generated 5.08 shot-creating actions throughout the campaign, compared to the Belgian’s 5.68, while both averaged more than two shots per match (2.11 for the Dane, 3.15 for De Bruyne).

These figures demonstrate that Eriksen can still consider himself one of the elite, and these returns would have been much higher had he had played for a full season.

In terms of passing, Eriksen (74.4%) and De Bruyne (75.5%) both had a high success rate, which contributed to their respective teams’ performances.

There isn’t much difference between the two players, and with the Belgian superstar being one of the finest players in the world, the aforementioned comparisons would hint that Eriksen is still up there despite his unfortunate absence from the professional game.

With Brentford manager Frank describing the 30-year-old as “world class” when he signed for the club in January, Lampard needs to act quickly to pull off this move, as otherwise it could be a major regret for the Toffees.

AND in other news, “Full agreement”: Fabrizio Romano drops Everton transfer claim that’ll delight Lampard

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has already begun his work in the transfer window by making Matt Targett his first signing of the summer.

With deals agreed to bring Kilmarnock youngster Charlie McArthur and Reims striker Hugo Ekitike to St James’ Park as well, the Magpies boss seemingly isn’t finished there.

According to Brazilian news outlet Globo Esporte, Newcastle have reportedly reached out to the agent of Santos winger Angelo Gabriel as they look to enhance their squad further.

With the youngster having just signed a new contract until 2024, the Brazilian club won’t be looking to sell him right now; and with no formal offer made, it might be a while before any breakthrough in talks becomes apparent.

Having been described by his first coach Betinho as a player who “is like Neymar”, Newcastle may have found a new wonderkid.

He became the youngest-ever scorer in the Copa Libertadores in April 2021 and his rise to one of South America’s most wanted talents is similar to that of the PSG winger.

With Howe looking for more improvements to the first team, Gabriel could well be placed to take over from right-winger Jacob Murphy, with the Brazilian’s versatility being particularly impressive.

In only four matches this year, Gabriel already has two assists, with Murphy registering just two in 33 appearances last season. In terms of shots, the 17-year-old has taken 4.09 per match in the current campaign, while Murphy averaged 1.71 during the 2021/22 season.

Therefore, it’s clear to see the Santos teenager’s keen eye for goal, particularly compared to the Magpies forward.

Moving from Brazil to Europe before reaching adulthood is a big risk and the hype might be too premature, but given his statistics and success so far at Santos, it looks like Gabriel could be the next big thing and duly follow in Neymar’s footsteps.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar, who also featured for the Brazilian club, has gone on to score more than 200 goals at a high level in Europe after moving across the Atlantic.

Howe will just be hoping it is Newcastle who manage to secure Gabriel’s signature.

AND in other news, Deal close: Keith Downie relays huge Newcastle transfer news that supporters will love

TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has made a claim involving Manchester United and a potential pursuit of AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham. 

The lowdown: A star is reborn

Signed by the Serie A outfit for £34m in 2021 as he linked up with ex-United and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho (BBC), the 24-year-old has been nothing short of a revelation in Italy.

He scored nine times in 13 outings as Roma became the inaugural winners of the Europa Conference League, recapturing the form he once showed on loan at Aston Villa.

Unsurprisingly, the upturn in fortunes has led to interest from the Premier League, with one journalist now suggesting that the Red Devils could be watching on with intent.

The latest: United have ‘looked at’ Abraham

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Crook suggested that Erik ten Hag might turn to the 10-cap England striker after missing out on Liverpool-bound Darwin Nunez.

The talkSPORT man said: “It wouldn’t surprise me if they were sounding out Tammy Abraham again. I know they’ve looked at him in the past and he’s done well in Italy, but Mourinho is the problem.

“We spoke to him on our Boot Room programme a few weeks ago and seems quite settled in Italy, so whether they could tempt him, I don’t know.”

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The verdict: Worth the risk?

Previously mooted as only being available should an eye-watering €80m (£67m) asking price be met, signing Abraham for such a lofty figure would certainly represent a gamble from the new-look Old Trafford recruitment setup.

After leaving the Premier League with 26 goals in 89 appearances, the 24-year-old – who was previously hailed as ‘lethal’ by former England marksman Gary Lineker – scored 26 times in 52 appearances across all competitions last season.

The 6 foot 3 Englishman – who may be suited to Ten Hag’s style based on the success of Sebastian Haller at Ajax last term – earned a superb 7.06 Sofascore rating whilst winning 5.2 duels, making one key pass and attempting 2.6 shots per league game.

That return to top form, combined with the homegown factor and his ideal age, would make Abraham a worthwhile addition to the Manchester United ranks, particularly as Ten Hag possible looks towards finding a long-term successor to Cristiano Ronaldo.

In other news – Fabrizio Romano: Man Utd and Ten Hag are now in ‘new’ talks for ‘huge talent’ as well as De Jong

Liverpool are now unexpectedly desperate to sign a forward this summer after it was revealed that Sadio Mane wants to leave the club this summer, with a bid already rejected from Bayern Munich and another imminent.

Mane has been the linchpin in Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp, since joining the side in 2016 the Senegalese winger has scored 120 goals and delivered 48 assists to lead the Merseyside club in winning the Premier League title for the first time ever, a Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

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As a result, it will be a hard challenge to fill the boots of the AFCON winner this summer, with not only his attacking output but his diversity and proven effectiveness across the front three positions which is an attribute rarely found in players combined with the goal contributions Mane has delivered in his time.

The Merseyside club have already been linked with a number of replacements and the names keep on coming with Christopher Nkunku one of the names to be added to their shortlist in recent months. That’s for good reason because he has had a phenomenal season for RB Leipzig.

The £64m gem who was dubbed “glorious” by journalist Andrew Dickson and called a “nightmare” by ESPN has impressively scored 35 goals and delivered 20 assists in 51 appearances with a goal contribution every 76 minutes.

However, it’s not just his scoring habits that are attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and the Reds.

Nkunku has created 16 big chances, made 1.9 key passes, won 5.9 duels and taken 2.4 shots on average per game as well as being successful in the large majority of his dribbles (67%), proving that he is an absolute nuisance for his opponents and offers more depth to his game than just goals.

Former Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch hailed the Frenchman in a review of Nkunku’s performances and style of play, saying in a press conference:

“Christopher has no weaknesses. He is young and still wants a lot more.

“Working with him is a lot of fun as he is really intelligent and has a lot of potential.”

Darwin Nunez has been another player who has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield but plays a much more restricted role as an out and out striker for Benfica.

Thus, signing Nkunku could be a much better like for like signing to replace Mane due to his diversity in positioning, something that Klopp likes to exploit when managing in-game.

The 24-year-old can play effectively as an attacking midfielder, striker, left and right winger whereas Nunez produces his best work deployed strictly as a number nine in the striker role with SofaScore rating his passing as a weakness, which could be an issue for Liverpool’s free-flowing forward line.

With that being said, signing up Nkunku could be a huge piece of business in Liverpool’s pursuit to find a replacement for Mane, bringing in a player who can play in the striker role as well as be effortlessly capable of switching positions when needed.

AND in other news: “Will go for…”: Fabrizio Romano drops LFC transfer update that’ll excite supporters

Everton are in need of big changes to make a positive impact after a disastrous season in the Premier League, however a new update has emerged on the future of a key player that could cause a huge problem at Goodison Park.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to Brazilian news outlet Globo Esporte, Richarlison has given an update on his stance when it comes to his future at Everton and what he expects from the summer transfer window.

The Brazilian winger told the publication:

“I’ve already made it clear to the board, I’ve already talked to Lampard too, with my managers and they know what I want. Let’s wait for June.

“Now I can’t talk, because when I talk about leaving a club I’m kind of like this, because of the history I have at Everton, the affection that the fans have for me when I talk about leaving I’m kind of speechless.”

Supporters will be concerned

When it comes to the relegation fight Everton found themselves in this season, Richarlison has been one of, if not the most crucial player for the team in their successful survival in avoiding the drop into the Championship so supporters will rightly be concerned by these comments.

Not only was the forward the top goal-scorer for the Toffees this season, he scored six goals in his last nine appearances over the final ten games of the season when the battle was at its tightest, proving that he is such a key player for the team and would be a massive loss to the squad if he were to leave Goodison Park this summer.

The winger has become a fan favourite for his consistent output since he joined four years ago scoring 53 goals and contributing 14 assists, proving that he has been a reliable player for the supporters to get behind and his departure would likely be something the Goodison faithful would prefer not to happen.

Ultimately, if Richarlison is serious about leaving the club this summer Frank Lampard and Farhad Moshiri must come together to find a like for like replacement as losing the player’s attacking threat could be massively detrimental to Everton next season.

AND in other news: Everton plotting move to sign “world class” £97k-p/w gem, Lampard needs him badly

Celtic are reportedly expecting Jota to sign a permanent contract with the club, and it could be finalised as early as this week, according to the Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Eye-catching loan spell

The 23-year-old joined the Premiership side on a season-long loan from Benfica last summer, and as part of his deal, it is claimed that there is a purchase option for a fee believed to be in the region of just over £6m.

During his spell with the Glasgow giants, the forward has made 40 appearances under Ange Postecoglou across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and registering 14 assists (as per Transfermarkt). Such form has clearly caught the eye of the Hoops’ hierarchy, who are now keen to retain Jota’s services outright.

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The Latest: Jota close to permanent move

In an article from the Daily Record late on Tuesday night, it is claimed that the 23-year-old’s representatives are ‘due to hold a final round of talks’ with Celtic, which should see a permanent transfer completed over the next few days.

The report added that the Parkhead hierarchy have now ‘exercised’ the option to buy and have ‘all but agreed’ personal terms with the player ahead of his permanent move to Glasgow.

The Verdict: Instrumental to Celtic’s success

Jota has been a key figure in Celtic’s success this season, so it comes as no surprise to see that Postecoglou wants to keep him at the club for next term and beyond.

The £4.95m-rated talisman has proven to be a huge threat in the final third this season, averaging 2.7 shots, two key passes and 1.7 dribbles per league game (via WhoScored), making himself a real handful for opposition defenders to try and handle. Indeed, of the current Celtic squad, only David Turnbull achieved a higher WhoScored rating, illustrating the Portuguese gem’s importance to the side.

He was also hailed as a “terrific” and “clinical” player by Owen Hargraves last November following a fine performance against Ferencvaros in the Europa League.

Jota’s impact on the pitch is no doubt one of the main reasons why the Hoops have enjoyed so much success this term, having won the Premiership and Scottish League Cup. Should the 23-year-old extend his stay in Glasgow, Celtic could well go on to achieve even bigger and better things in the years to come.

In other news… journalist provides key Celtic transfer update; it’s one that fans might want to hear