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Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly eyeing a Serie A ace this summer, as Julen Lopetegui confirms his place in the front seat ahead of the transfer window.

Ongoing speculation regarding the Spaniard’s future at Wolves was ended this week as the Telegraph confirmed his choice to stay at Molineux amidst Financial Fair Play (FFP) woes.

Regardless of having to remain on a budget, the Old Gold must introduce reinforcements to improve on this season's mishaps, which they could do in signing the latest talent linked to the club.

What’s the latest on Antonio Sanabria to Wolves?

As reported by Italian outlet Torino Granata – relayed by Sport Witness – Wolves are interested in Torino striker Antonio Sanabria.

The report claims that Wolves are ‘chasing’ the forward, along with fellow Premier League competition in Everton and Crystal Palace.

It’s added that club chairman Urbano Cairo has set the 27-year-old’s price tag at €25m (£21m) however ‘will sell’ the Paraguayan for €20m (£17m) if a suitable offer is made.

What could Antonio Sanabria bring to Wolves?

In a season lacking inspiration in all areas, Wolves’ requirement to obtain a goalscorer is critical this summer having scored just 31 goals in 38 games.

Such perished form in the final third ranked the Midlands side as the lowest scorers in the Premier League, averaging just 0.82 goals per match in a campaign that highlighted what the club needs to return to its former heights.

The drop in form of Raul Jimenez following his devastating head injury is a subject damning to both player and club, with the Mexican ending the term with no goals in 15 appearances.

Across the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, Jimenez contributed 44 goals and assists in the Premier League in a streak of form that is greatly missed at Molineux, via Transfermarkt.

The 32-year-old has enjoyed a memorable career at Wolves, however could now see his place taken by fellow forward Sanabria.

As per Sofascore in 33 appearances for Torino in Serie A this campaign, the Paraguayan contributed to 16 goals, scoring 12 himself and assisting four in a strong personal year of football.

Hailed as “brilliant” by Serie A and Roma legend Francesco Totti, the 27-year-old could be exactly what is required to kickstart Lopetegui’s side into producing in the final third again.

Averaging 2.1 shots per game in the league, the San Lorenzo-born ace is a live wire in front of goal as well as being a playmaking outlet for those around him as highlighted by his seven big chances created, via Sofascore.

Lopetegui must identify what is required to get his side firing after a testing Premier League season, in signing Sanabria the Spaniard could inspire his attack with the essence of the striking flair that once ascended on Molineux through Jimenez.

Celtic are reportedly set to officially confirm Brendan Rodgers as their new head coach on Monday after they agreed terms with the 50-year-old boss.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond has been pursuing a new manager for the Hoops since Ange Postecoglou decided to join Tottenham Hotspur on June 6th.

After settling back in at Parkhead, the Northern Irishman will have plenty on his docket to deal with after the summer transfer window opened earlier this month.

Football Insider reported, in May, that multiple Premier League teams are interested in signing Liel Abada from the Scottish giants and that the club are prepared to accept offers in the region of £10m as the exciting youngster is pushing for an exit.

Who could replace Liel Abada at Celtic?

The incoming Celtic boss could find the perfect replacement for the Israel international by striking a deal to sign soon-to-be free agent forward Mohamed Elyounoussi, who Neil Lennon dubbed as "outstanding" during the hotshot's time on loan in 2019.

Speaking about Rodgers' reported move to Parkhead, the winger said: "From what I've heard, he's an excellent manager and is loved by the fans up there. It's a massive pull for the club and probably for him too, so it's a good link up I think."

Elyounoussi was then quizzed about a potential return for himself and teased: "We'll see. I enjoyed my time there. I didn't get much time to play with the fans, it was mostly without fans. I enjoyed my time there and you never know."

The Norway international appears to be open to a second spell with the Glasgow giants and Rodgers could take advantage of that by snapping the right-footed whiz up after his release from English side Southampton.

Abada provided an abundance of quality down the right flank for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership last season and Elyounoussi's previous time with the club suggests that the 28-year-old attacker has the ability to replace the young talent.

The 21-year-old plundered ten goals and five assists in 34 league appearances for the Hoops and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01, which shows that the exciting dynamo is able to make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch.

However, the Southampton magician has already proven himself capable of excelling in the Scottish top-flight. He racked up ten goals and four assists in 34 outings during the 2020/21 campaign, whilst on loan at Paradise from the English side, and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94.

These statistics show that the £60k-per-week ace could be the perfect replacement for Abada as his prior form for Celtic indicates that the Moroccan-born talent has the ability to make up for the goals and assists that the club would lose by cashing in on the £10m sensation.

It would be a dream deal as Rodgers would be bringing in a player who is ready to hit the ground running as Elyounoussi knows what it takes to perform week in, week out at Parkhead.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are “ready to push” to bring Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres to the Premier League, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Viktor Gyokeres leaving Coventry?

The Sky Blues' forward’s contract is set to expire next summer meaning that this window will present Mark Robins with his final big opportunity to cash in on his prized asset, which shouldn’t be too difficult considering that he was his top-performing offensive player last season.

Back in May, TalkSPORT reported that the Old Gold were preparing an approach for the Sweden international, who has had a £25m price tag placed on his head, as Julen Lopetegui looks to bolster his attacking ranks.

On the same day, Football Insider stated that the Molineux outfit were the one suitor trying the hardest to sign the 25-year-old despite interest from the likes of Everton, Burnley and Leeds United, with his club resigned to losing him having failed to achieve promotion to the top-flight.

Are Wolves signing Gyokeres?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Wolves are prepared to fight for Gyokeres and are willing to do whatever it takes to secure his services ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. He wrote:

“Viktor Gyokeres future, key hours/days ahead. Decision has not been made by player and his camp — potential free transfer in 2024 being discussed. Coventry owner, asking for huge amount with just 1 year left on contract. Fulham, Wolves, West Ham & Sporting are ready to push.”

Should Fosun table a bid for Gyokeres?

Wolves lacked any kind of firepower and were missing a prolific out-and-out centre-forward last season so it’s easy to understand why they want to add to their attacking department, and having been dubbed “unplayable” by his former teammate Maxime Biamou, Gyokeres is 100 per cent a player worth submitting an offer for.

The Building Society Arena talisman clocked up 31 goal contributions (21 goals and ten assists) in 46 Championship appearances during the previous term, with this outstanding form seeing him receive ten man-of-the-match awards, so it really is no surprise that he's in such high-demand.

Gyokeres, who also recorded 191 shot-creating actions – higher than any of his fellow peers – is additionally a versatile operator having been deployed in six various positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even in the midfield, so he possesses all the qualities that would make him the perfect candidate to slot into Lopetegui’s squad.

Former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke is the favourite to become Leeds United's new boss this summer with talks over terms now being discussed, according to a new update.

Who is in contention for Leeds job?

It was a dramatic season at Elland Road, as the Whites suffered relegation from the Premier League after three years back in the top flight. Jesse Marsch's time as manager came to an end, following a disappointing run of results, while both Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce also came and went, failing to stave off the threat of relegation to the Championship.

Since the latter's departure at the end of the campaign, the search has been on to find the perfect summer appointment, with a host of names thrown into the mix.

The likes of Farke, Patrick Vieira and Scott Parker have all been linked with taking charge at Leeds, and a fresh claim suggests that one of those individuals is the front-runner to come in under the 49ers Enterprises.

Who is on Whites shortlist currently?

According to The Daily Mail, Farke looks the most likely candidate to become the Whites next manager, jumping ahead of Vieira and Parker in the pecking order, with talks open over Elland Road terms after a meeting on Friday.

"Daniel Farke has emerged as the leading candidate to take over at Leeds United following a meeting on Friday.

"The 46-year-old, who won the Championship twice with Norwich City, had been on a shortlist with Scott Parker and Patrick Vieira. Mail Sport understands the club's hierarchy opened talks over terms with Farke on Friday afternoon after he became their favoured choice.

"Leeds want a manager with experience of both the Premier League and Championship as they look to bounce back into the top flight at the first time of asking."

Farke could be an excellent appointment by Leeds this summer, having proven himself in the Championship during a successful period at Norwich, twice earning promotion by virtue of being champions.

The German has been hailed as "world-class" by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, which says a lot about his quality as a boss, and he looks like a more reliable option than some of those linked with the job, in terms of experience and pedigree.

It is essential that Leeds get back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, rather than languishing in the Championship for a number of years, and in Farke, the Whites would have someone who is an expert at getting out of the division.

Romelu Lukaku's stay at Chelsea could be about to get prolonged, with The Sun reporting that should no team offer to sign the player permanently, he may be kept on at Stamford Bridge.

What is the latest on a Romelu Lukaku transfer?

Having spent last season out of the Blues' squad and on loan with Inter Milan, it hasn't looked like there would be a place for him in the side upon his return this summer. There has already been plenty of rumours and murmurings surrounding his future and potential deals this transfer window, although nothing has concretely materialized as of yet.

It's become clear that the striker himself wants to leave Stamford Bridge if he can during the close season, with the player not seemingly prepared to even attempt to play some minutes under new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

It appears he is set on an exit and there are clubs keen to do business. Juventus have been mooted as a potential landing spot for the Belgian, with Chelsea keen to land Dusan Vlahovic and seeing Lukaku as ideal to use in a swap deal. Inter are also eager to bring him back to Serie A and have lined up loan moves for the 30-year-old again.

Are Chelsea selling Romelu Lukaku?

However, according to The Sun, a short-term move might not be good enough. They report that Premier League side Chelsea are unprepared to let Lukaku leave on a loan deal again and only want to shift him out of the club on a permanent basis this summer

It means that Inter would need to stump up the cash to make a long-term move happen – cash that they likely do not have. The alternative is that the Belgium international stays with the Blues, with the club's hierarchy unwilling to compromise over their stance on a loan move for the striker.

If Inter did bring Lukaku back to the club – and decided to stump up the cash to do so – then they would undoubtedly be getting a player that could help them climb the table in Serie A.

Football journalist Josh Bunting stated that the attacker is a "dream of a striker" to have in Italy and added that he "works perfectly" despite his struggles in London.

He is clearly an asset in the top tier of Italian football then, as Inter will already know, but it appears that they may have to be willing to pay big if they want to see him back at San Siro next season.

Newcastle United have "shown interest" in signing Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior, who could be allowed to leave on a loan deal this summer, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

With Eddie Howe preparing for Champions League football next season, the manager has now identified Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze as a transfer target, however the likes of AC Milan, Arsenal and Liverpool are also said to be on his tracks.

The Magpies will have to fend off fierce competition to win the race for the Nigerian, but Howe will be well aware of the need to bring in a new winger, given Allan Saint-Maximin's uncertain future, amid interest from teams in the Saudi Pro League, as well as Everton and Crystal Palace.

Harvey Barnes could be brought in as a replacement for the Frenchman, with the PIF pursuing a move for the England international, who is valued at £40m by Leicester CIty, while Iling-Junior is also emerging as an option.

Newcastle were linked with a move for the 19-year-old back in March, alongside Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea, and there are still a number of top clubs vying for his signature.

That is according to Galetti, who recently told GiveMeSport that Juventus could sanction the youngster's departure this summer, but not on a permanent deal.

The journalist said: “Juventus, for sure, this summer will change something in this squad.

“Some players could leave on loan to grow and improve. Samuel Iling-Junior is one of them.

“He could leave Juventus on loan this summer, and many clubs have shown interest in him. From the Premier League, Manchester City, Newcastle, and Chelsea are monitoring his situation.”

Who is Samuel Iling-Junior?

The Juventus ace, who has stated himself that he is "similar" to Leroy Sane, was born in Islington, and made a number of appearances for Chelsea in the Under 18 Premier League, as well as the UEFA Youth League, before he made the switch to the Serie A.

Since then, the Englishman has risen through the ranks at the Allianz Stadium, making his first-team breakthrough last season, picking up one assist in the Champions League, after making a 20-minute cameo in his side;s 4-3 loss against Benfica.

Despite only receiving limited time on the pitch, the starlet received a 7.4 Sofascore rating, the highest of any Juventus player on the night, and he also made an instant impact in the Serie A, managing to score on his full debut for the club.

Fooball Scout Jacek Kulig has heaped praise on the youngster, describing him as a "flamboyant winger", while also outlining his key traits, which are his dribbling, pace, ball control and bravery.

It is still very early days in his career, but Iling-Junior is showing all the signs he could go on to be a top player, so it is exciting news that Newcastle are monitoring his situation.

That said, Howe will surely be hoping they can sign the £11k-per-week winger on a permanent deal, rather than on loan, as he could be a fantastic long-term replacement for Saint-Maximin.

We have a great selection of opening day and weekend fixtures with Man City looking to defend their title with a tricky opening encounter away at Burnley on Friday. The match can be watched live on Sky Sports. Pick of the Saturday action includes Arsenal at home to Nottingham Forest and Newcastle v Aston Villa is the Sky Sports match. Chelsea v Liverpool is arguably the match of the weekend on Sunday with Man Utd vs Wolves rounding things off on Monday.

First round matches in the Premier League in full:

Friday 11th August

Saturday 12th August

Sunday 13th August

Monday 14th August

Live Football on TV and streaming service: Our complete listing

An update has emerged on Southampton and their plans to add to the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Championship campaign…

What's the latest Southampton transfer news?

According to The Sun on Sunday (16/7; page 61), the Saints are one of the teams eyeing up Sunderland centre-forward Ross Stewart during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Russell Martin's side are plotting a swoop to sign the Scottish finisher in the event of one of the manager's current number nine options moves on over the coming weeks.

It states that fellow second-tier teams Middlesbrough and Stoke City are also keen on securing his signature, as the ex-Ross County star's contract at the Stadium of Light is due to expire at the end of the season.

Burnley, Nottingham Forest, and Everton are all reportedly interested in snapping up Southampton striker Che Adams, who has been valued at £15m, and this could open the door for another marksman to come in.

How many goals has Ross Stewart scored for Sunderland?

The 6 foot 2 titan has been a prolific goalscorer for the Black Cats since joining from Ross County in January 2022 and has racked up 40 goals in 80 competitive appearances to date.

He has proven himself to be an exceptional performer at League One and Championship level, which could make him a big upgrade on Adams at St. Mary's.

His teammate Alex Pritchard once described him as an "unbelievable" player who has been a "revelation" throughout his time on Wearside, which is backed up by the 27-year-old ace's statistics.

Stewart, who scored 26 goals in 49 third tier outings during the 2021/22 campaign, missed 36 competitive games through injury last term but was able to showcase his quality in the final third when he was fit.

The Scotland international averaged a phenomenal Sofascore rating of 7.40 across 13 Championship matches, which is a score only two players throughout the division managed to better, as the talented hotshot plundered ten goals to go along with three assists.

Adams, meanwhile, is coming off the back of scoring five goals in 28 Premier League games and has never hit double figures for strikes in the top flight.

He did, however, catch the eye with his Championship performances for Birmingham during the 2018/19 campaign. The 27-year-old ace averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.11 across 46 outings to go along with his 22 goals and four assists prior to his move to Southampton.

This means that the Scottish forward averaged a direct goal contribution every 1.77 games on average in his last season at that level, which is unimpressive in comparison to Stewart's sublime return of one every match on average.

These statistics suggest that the Sunderland star has the quality to be a significant upgrade on Adams as his sensational form for the Black Cats has proven that he has what it takes to be a prolific scorer in the second tier.

Stewart's Championship performances and impact at the top end of the pitch have dwarfed the current Saints number nine's achievements at that level, which is why replacing the ex-Birmingham man with his compatriot could be a shrewd piece of business by Martin this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has been left far from impressed after a German reporter brought a Bayern Munich number nine Harry Kane shirt to his press conference.

Is Harry Kane joining Bayern Munich?

According to the latest report in The Times, the Bundesliga giants are currently preparing a third bid for the Spurs striker.

Bayern have already had two bids rejected but say they are confident the England captain, who turns 30 next week, wants to join, and has only one year left on his contract.

New manager Postecoglou has already gone on the record about how this current situation of uncertainty over his star player has made him uneasy.

He recently told the press: “Fair to say I am not relaxed about it. It’s not something where you go: “Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen.” I mean he’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club. He’s such a massive figure.

“And, whilst my focus isn’t on it on a daily basis because I’ve got other things I need to do, I know that every time I’m talking, or whenever Harry is going to talk, that’s the first question you are going to get. So, you’ve got to deal with it.”

He added: “For everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that’s good for anyone. I don’t think it’s good for Harry, I don’t think it’s good for the club, because as laser-focused as we want to be, you end up sort of repeating yourself along the way.”

Well, with that in mind, the Australian really would not have appreciated a recent gesture made by a reporter turning up at his press conference all the way from Germany.

Journalist Charlie Eccleshare was on site to report what happened, Tweeting: “A German reporter has brought a Bayern shirt with ‘Kane 9’ on the back and showed it to Postecoglou during the press conference.

“Fair to say he was not impressed. ‘You flew all the way for that… got yourself a laugh’.”

Journalist Chris Wheatley later shared an image of Bild reporter Max Schrader too.

What’s the latest Spurs transfer news?

Of course, with Kane’s future up in the air, it remains to be seen if the club will need to go into the market at some stage and spend big on a striker.

Regardless of that, while speaking in the same most recent press conference, Postecoglou did suggest that more business could be happening.

He told the press (via football.london): “We’re working with the players we’ve got at the moment and I’m really happy with the way they are all working hard. But we’ve obviously still got time in the transfer window and we’ll still looking to do some business.”

So far, the most notable arrivals have been James Maddison, Manor Solomon, and new goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. While Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski have turned initial loans into permanent transfers.

It will be interesting to see if the Premier League outfit spend any more in the near future, or if they will wait to see what happens with Kane before potentially dipping back into the market again.

Newcastle United are not yet close to signing Monaco centre-back Axel Disasi in the summer transfer window, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.

Do Newcastle want to sign Axel Disasi?

The Frenchman has emerged as what looks like a primary target for the Magpies this summer, having become such an influential performer for Monaco over an extended period of time.

Eddie Howe will want to boost his defensive options ahead of what could be a busy 2023/24 season, especially with Champions League football returning to St James' Park in 2023/24, ramping up the intensity of matches in the process.

Disasi started 37 out of a possible 38 Ligue 1 matches for Monaco last season, outlining both his consistency and availability for his side, and it saw his reputation as a top-level central defender further increase, having joined his current club from Reims back in 2020.

The 25-year-old has also forced his way into the France setup at international level, winning four caps to date and appearing three times at the 2022 World Cup, starting one match for his country in the tournament.

What's the latest on Axel Disasi to Newcastle?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Disasi's potential move to Newcastle isn't as far along as some may think currently, though, with work still to do to get a deal over the line:

"I feel like this deal has got a little bit ahead of itself at the moment. Newcastle deny that anything formal is happening here with Disasi.

"At the moment, I'm told that Newcastle haven’t progressed this deal as far as it’s been reported. But there is an interest, so that part is true."

It feels like there are fresh updates regarding Disasi's future all the time, but this does suggest that there is still plenty of work to do, in order to get a deal over the line this summer.

It would still be something of a surprise if the Monaco man didn't come in at St James' before the Premier League season kicks off next month, given the level of interest in him, but it is also obvious that it may not be plain sailing in the next few weeks.

Should Disasi suddenly not join Newcastle, it is essential that a strong alternative is lined up, with failure to improve the defence something that could be fatal to their top-four hopes and chances of doing well in the Champions League.

While the Magpies excelled at the back last season, only conceding 33 goals in 38 league matches, Fabian Schar is now in his 30s and should arguably become more of a squad player, while more depth is so important, allowing Howe to rotate effectively across four competitions throughout the campaign.

Disasi should remain the No.1 centre-back target for Newcastle, though, being hailed as a "complete & dominant" player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig recently, and holding his own in a France squad that reached the World Cup final in December – a game in which he featured briefly in during extra-time against Argentina, prior to their penalty shootout defeat.