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Derby County are thought to be in talks to sign Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith, according to Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett.

What’s the latest Derby transfer news?

The Rams and Paul Warne have been busy in the transfer market ahead of the manager’s first full season in charge at Pride Park, which begins this afternoon at home to Wigan Athletic.

In total, seven new players have arrived at the club in Curtis Nelson, Callum Elder, Joe Ward, Sonny Bradley, Josh Vickers, Conor Washington and Kane Wilson.

More could be on the way, though, with the domestic deadline not set to close until September 1. Another new forward appears to be on the agenda for Derby and Warne, with Smith, who has scored two goals against the Rams during his career, a target.

Senior Sky Sports reporter Dorsett took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share news on Derby’s search for a striker. He said that the Rams are in talks over a move for Smith and are also interested in free agent and former forward Martyn Waghorn.

“#dcfc and #blackpoolfc both interested in a deal for free agent Martyn Waghorn, who left #ccfc in May. Derby also in talks with #swfc over Michael Smith, and unlikely to sign two strikers, so Blackpool hopeful they can steal a march with Waghorn.”

Dorsett then added a further update on the pair, with Smith appearing to be the key target.

“Slight tweak: #dcfc MAY sign two strikers, but #Blackpoolfc hoping to sneak a deal with Waghorn while the Rams focus is primarily on Smith.”

Who is Michael Smith?

Smith is an out-and-out centre-forward who has plied his trade from a number of Football League clubs over the years. The 31-year-old came through the ranks at Darlington and has gone on to play for Charlton Athletic, Accrington Stanley, Newport County, Colchester United, AFC Wimbledon, Swindon Town, Barnsley, Portsmouth, Northampton Town, Bury, Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday.

In total, the striker has made 70 appearances in League Two, 257 in League One and 89 in the Championship. Smith has scored 113 goals in the Football League and has registered 38 assists.

Smith was hailed as a “game-changer” by former Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore following his performance in an FA Cup win over Mansfield Town last season, who said:

“Michael Smith is a game-changer today. The quality showed at the end of it, and that’s what Michael is. He was in the right place at the right time and that’s what quality strikers do.”

He appears to be a proven third-tier forward who has netted 34 times in the division over the past two seasons, helping Rotherham and Wednesday to promotion.

Therefore, Smith seems to be a smart target for Warne, and who knows, he could look to make it three in a row with Derby, should a transfer go through.

Derby currently have Washington and James Collins as their centre-forward options, so Smith would provide a proven and experienced third option, making this a deal to watch over the coming days.

Newcastle United are now tracking Red Bull Salzburg defender Oumar Solet, who has recently admitted he is excited by the prospect of playing in the Premier League, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

Eddie Howe is clearly still keen to bolster his backline, given that Newcastle have been linked with a number of new defenders in recent weeks, including Southampton's Tino Livramento, with a fresh swoop for the right-back now on the cards.

In terms of new centre-backs, the Magpies are running the rule over Blackburn Rovers' Ashley Phillips, with the £2m release clause in the 18-year-old's contract set to become active on Friday, however they are set to face competition for his signature from Tottenham Hotspur.

According to a report from The Daily Mail, Solet is now also emerging as a transfer target for Newcastle, but they are not the only Premier League club tracking the RB Salzburg defender, with Everton also in the mix for his signature.

A whole host of European clubs are said to be interested in the centre-back, including Inter Milan and Torino, but he has made it clear that a move to the Premier League is of particular interest to him, saying:

"I have a lot of ambitions, to be honest. I’m just on my way – for sure the Premier League excites me a lot,"

"That’s exactly what I need for the next step. I’m a challenger, a competitor, a winner. I have big ambitions in football and outside football. I want to be a really big player."

As such, the Magpies should be well-placed to win the race for the Frenchman, should their interest become more concrete over the next few weeks.

Who is Oumar Solet?

The 23-year-old defender initially made his breakthrough with French side Stade Lavallois, before making a move to Lyon, however he failed to hold down a consistent spot in the starting XI, making just four first-team appearances for the Ligue 1 side.

Since then, however, the Melun-born ace has managed to cement his place as a vital player for RB Salzburg, making 80 appearances for the Austrian side, where he has predominantly featured in the centre of defence, although he can also play in defensive midfield.

At 6 foot 3, the former Lyon man is an imposing figure at the back, and he has been hailed as "dominant" by journalist Ph Ouggourini, who also claims he is an assured dribbler of the ball, who is capable of making assists.

The £5.8k-per-week defender is yet to prove himself in a major European league, but he has already made a total of nine appearances in the Champions League, and he could be a savvy signing for Newcastle.

Howe needs reinforcements for his backline, especially with European football on the line next season.

Journalist Mitch Fretton believes "very smart" new Tottenham Hotspur signing Ashley Phillips could come as the "perfect" replacement for Wales international Joe Rodon.

Who have Spurs signed?

So far, new manager Ange Postecoglou has watched a quartet of new arrivals officially come through the door this summer, namely goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, midfielder James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon and Phillips.

The latter player is very highly-rated and could well work his way into becoming a top Spurs player for years to come, with Phillips putting pen to paper on a five-year deal.

He could also soon be joined by both Micky van de Ven of Wolfsburg and Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz, as reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has given his famous "here we go" to both moves.

Postecoglou, who has his eyes on two senior central defensive additions this summer, could yet add the likes of Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba before September 1.

Reliable outlets like The Evening Standard have backed this up most recently, but it will largely depend on outgoings, with Rodon being one of the Spurs players who have been told they can leave.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

"Signing two senior centre-backs this summer has not been ruled out by Spurs," wrote journalist Dan Kilpatrick in The Standard.

"Although they are still to offload the likes of Davinson Sanchez and Joe Rodon, who are among the squad players to be have been told they can find a new club."

Rodon spent the 2022/23 season on loan at French side Rennes, and it looks like he may well depart Tottenham after three years in north London. Former boss Jose Mourinho signed him from Swansea City in 2020.

Fretton, who writes for WhoScored and contributes as a member of the media team for Colchester United, believes Tottenham have a ready-made replacement for the Welshman in Phillips.

The journalist wrote on social media:

"Levy may have waited to save a few million quid, but Ashley Phillips is a very smart signing and a player with a high ceiling. The perfect Rodon replacement but hopefully he will be much better than what he was."

How good is Ashley Phillips?

The 18-year-old, after joining Blackburn from National League North side Curzon Ashton, quickly progressed through the club's youth academy – eventually managing 14 senior appearances for Rovers last term.

Former Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray, now in charge of Sunderland, once heaped praise on Phillips for his physicality and potential to be a world-class player.

“He’s an amazing footballer and he is going to be a mega footballer I’m pretty sure, but he’s a very young boy," exclaimed Mowbray in 2021.

“He’s a 6’3, 6’4 magnificent cut of a guy, fast as lightning, composed with the ball, aggressive. I think this football club have a footballer on their hands, and we have to manage his introduction into our team as best we can. I just brought him to give him some experience.”

The England Under-19 international comes with plenty of pedigree as an exciting youth player and supporters will be hoping he can evolve into a mainstay.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is known to 'appreciate' a Scottish Premiership midfielder and could look to bring him in before the end of the transfer window, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Leeds United?

Leeds United have slowly built their way into the transfer window and so far have wrapped up the additions of Karl Darlow, Ethan Ampadu, Sam Byram and Joe Rodon, as cited by Transfermarkt.

According to journalist Alan Nixon on Patreon, Everton striker Tom Cannon is a target for Leeds United as Farke looks to strengthen his forward line; however, he could cost in the region of £8 million to bring to Elland Road.

In conversation with Football League World, former England international Carlton Palmer has indicated that Leeds United are keen on Swansea City striker Joel Piroe and stated in an interview with the outlet: "Leeds have a genuine interest in Swansea striker Joel Piroe.

"They need to bring a striker in, but Swansea do not want to sell and with interest from other clubs, Swansea are asking for a £20 million price.

Football Insider back up the notion that Leeds United are indeed keen on Piroe, though Southampton and Leicester City are also monitoring the Dutch poacher.

Earlier this month, The Daily Mail revealed that Leeds United were weighing up an offer for out-of-favour Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara, who earns £21,000 per week north of the border, as speculation over the future of USA international Tyler Adams continues to grow in the latter stages of the window.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has detailed that Leeds United boss Farke is known to 'appreciate' Kamara, who is "made of iron", though he doesn't expect negotiations between both parties to be straightforward.

Romano stated: “He's a player they appreciate for sure. This is true. It’s a name they have discussed internally at the club.

“So, let's see in terms of numbers with Rangers because it's never an easy negotiation when you want to sign important players. But it's true they have his name on the list.”

What now for Leeds United?

Leeds United will need to up their game in the Sky Bet Championship after taking just one point from six available in their opening two matches against Cardiff City and Birmingham City, as per Sky Sports.

Cited by The Yorkshire Evening Post, Whites manager Farke has urged calm with regard to their transfer activity in the window's closing stages, stating in a pre-match press conference before his side take on West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road: "It's a bit tricky, but I'm quite confident that we'll have some good solutions and you know the quote 'Save the best for last'. So sometimes it's even a good choice."

According to Football Insider, Leeds United, West Brom and Rangers are all vying for the signature of Millwall central defender Jake Cooper, who is in the final year of his contract at the Den and could be available for a cut-price fee.

Football Scotland have revealed that Leeds United sent scouts to watch Aberdeen forward Duk in action against Scottish champions Celtic last weekend.

When it comes to pre-season preparations, to say that Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a summer to forget would be an incredible understatement.

For the majority of pre-season, the Midlands club were under the guidance of Julen Lopetegui. With the Premier League season on the horizon, however, the Spaniard and the club parted ways, resulting in Gary O'Neil's arrival.

If things couldn't get any worse from there, having lost Ruben Neves at the end of last season, Manchester City then came in for Matheu Nunes in a move that looks set to be successful.

Left searching for a replacement, Wolves are reportedly set to make a second approach for a Premier League midfielder.

What's the latest Wolves transfer news?

After bidding farewell to the likes of Neves and Raul Jimenez, Wolves have welcomed five reinforcements, with one of those being a permanent deal for Matheus Cunha. To their credit, too, the Midlands club haven't got off to the worst of starts, winning once in their opening three Premier League games and deserving a result at Old Trafford.

Reportedly set to lose Nunes, however, Wolves could yet endure a busy end to the summer transfer window, which could include the arrival of Harrison Reed.

According to The Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella, after seeing their first bid for the midfielder rejected by Fulham, Wolves are set to return with a new offer before the deadline.

Reed remains an important part of Marco Silva's side, however, featuring in every game so far this season. And, with that said, it remains to be seen just how much the Cottagers will demand for their midfielder, who earns a reported £41k per-week.

Should Wolves sign Harrison Reed?

Replacing Nunes with Reed would be surprising business for Wolves, but that's not to say it wouldn't be smart. The Fulham man can play in both defensive midfield and in a slightly more advanced role.

With that said, Reed may even be an upgrade on Nunes, especially when you consider the fact that he outperformed the Portuguese midfielder in the Premier League last season, as per FBref.

The number of blocks that Reed made last season was particularly impressive, and is an ability that Wolves could really benefit from, given their position as a side who will find themselves sitting slightly deeper than others against certain teams.

Silva is certainly a fan of the Englishman, though, potentially making the deal a difficult one. The Fulham manager previously heaped praise on Reed, saying, via The Athletic, after his side defeated Swansea City a couple years ago: “I congratulated him straight away, because he had a very good game. I think it was his first 90 minutes this season. I congratulated him on the way he played 90 minutes.

"He’s playing in a different position and he is adapting really well. I know he can be very good in the No 6 position, but he can play a little bit higher up the pitch with his mobility as well.”

Manchester City are targeting one of the most talented youngsters in the world and will aim to beat off competition from several clubs for his signature, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester City?

David Ornstein, who is one of the lead writers for The Athletic, has issued an update involving Manchester City's pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes, stating on X:

"Matheus Nunes has stopped training with Wolves + expressed wish to join Man City. #WWFC rejected €55m #MCFC bid & plan to stand firm unless valuation met. 25yo will face disciplinary action + be reintegrated post-window if no deal struck."

Manchester City are expected to return to the table with a fresh offer for the Portugal international after he downed tools at Molineux; however, Wolves will insist on recouping around £60 million for one of their prize assets, as per Sky Sports.

Pep Guardiola referred to Nunes as "one of the best players in the world today" back in 2022 when he was at Sporting and is known to be a big admirer of his talents.

Belgium international Kevin De Bruyne is currently ruled out with a hamstring injury and could even miss action until next year due to a hamstring issue, signifying the need for Manchester City to bring in an additional body in midfield to replicate his impact, as per The Guardian.

Football Insider claim that Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has also been identified as an alternative target to Nunes by Manchester City; nevertheless, it is believed that it would take a significant fee for the Eagles to even consider selling their star man.

Who else could Manchester City sign?

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester City are lining up a move for Boca Juniors' 19-year-old left-back Valentin Barco as they continue to expand their reach in the continent of South America.

Nevertheless, they face competition from the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea and Serie A giants Juventus to bring the Argentina Under-20 international to the Etihad Stadium. The Citizens are also active in pursuing another unnamed target from South America before the window slams shut.

Barco has proved to be a smash hit in his homeland since breaking into the Boca Juniors senior side, registering one goal and two assists in 20 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, Barco, named among The Guardian’s 60 best young talents in world football, with Juan Carlos Pasman highlighting his ability for a mean free kick, has also become a reliable outlet when breaking forward for Boca Juniors and has successfully carried out 26 shot-creating actions in 2023, combining his exploits in the Primera Division and Copa Libertadores.

Boca Juniors legend Juan Roman Riquelme, who is now vice-president at the club, hasn't been short of praise for the youngster, stating in an interview cited by The Argus:

“He is a cheeky lad. We are here to accompany and take care of the boys.

“Barco is a technically very good player and we are very happy to have him with us.”

Liverpool put in a statement performance on Sunday afternoon by comfortably dispatching Aston Villa 3-0 at Anfield.

The Reds were dominant throughout, registering 17 shots on goal, creating five big chances and garnering an xG of 2.09 as Villa were unable to live with Jurgen Klopp's rampant front line.

Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring with a beautifully controlled left-footed half-volley before Matty Cash was powerless to prevent a Darwin Núñez strike from hitting the post, deflecting off him and rolling into the back of the net.

Despite speculation linking him with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia before the transfer window slammed shut, Mohamed Salah put any speculation to bed by closing the scoring and rounding off a fantastic performance.

While Liverpool's attack drew most of the praise, and rightly so, there were reasons to be optimistic about their defensive shape in the absence of Virgil Van Dijk.

Prior to this match, the Reds were significantly scrutinized for how open they were defensively and without the Dutchman marshalling the back line, many thought Liverpool would struggle to live with Villa's attacking prowess.

But Joe Gomez stepped up to the plate in place of Van Dijk and inspired his side to a clean sheet, restricting Villa to only three shots on target, zero big chances and an xG of 0.69.

How did Joe Gomez play against Aston Villa?

Since joining the club from Charlton Athletic in 2015, Joe Gomez's Liverpool career has been maligned by injury setbacks, defensive mistakes and difficulties in sustaining a regular place in the Reds starting XI.

Although he joined the club eight years ago, the 27-year-old has only gone on to make 111 appearances in the Premier League as the ever-present partnership of Joel Matip and Van Dijk forced Gomez into biding his time for opportunities.

Following Liverpool's 3-0 defeat against Wolves in February, the performance of Gomez was shined under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons as ESPN pundit Steve Nicol branded his display as "horrendous".

He said: "Liverpool started this game just backing off and asking to be ran at. Two-down after 15 minutes. [Joe] Gomez and [Joel] Matip were as a centre-back partnership were absolutely horrendous".

While this was a particularly low point in his career, he was praised highly by Gary Neville earlier on in the season for his imperious display against Manchester City which saw Liverpool beat the reigning champions 1-0 at Anfield.

"That’s my man of the match, Joe Gomez," Neville said on commentary on Sky Sports.

"It could’ve went to James Milner but it’s going to him. He’s been outstanding at right centre-back."

During his time on Merseyside, man-of-the-match performances have been few and far between but having starred in Liverpool's victory on Sunday, Gomez reined in the plaudits from many with journalist Neil Jones labelling his performance as his "best game for Liverpool in a long time."

The £85k per-week titan was near faultless in every aspect of his game, impressing with his defensive capabilities, winning three of his five ground duels, 100% of his aerial duels and making two interceptions, as per Sofascore.

Not only that, but he also showcased his ball-playing ability, completing 95% of his passes while three of his four attempted long balls were accurate.

That aspect in possession was truly outstanding during the game as the Englishman made a mammoth 103 passes and had 121 touches during the encounter.

Having been written off throughout his Liverpool career, imperious performances like these will give supporters hope that the best is still yet to come from Gomez.

Manchester United have set their sights on signing another new forward alongside Brighton and Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson, as a reliable journalist dropped an update on the club's transfer plans this week .

What's the latest transfer news at Man United?

Over the summer, Erik ten Hag was busy in the market, bringing in seven fresh faces in the form of Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund, Jonny Evans and Altay Bayindir all on a permanent basis, whilst securing loan moves for Sofyan Amrabat and Sergio Reguilon.

There were also plenty of outgoings, with the hierarchy sanctioning the sales of some big names like Fred, Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly and Anthony Elanga, though having this space in the squad means that the boss has room to bolster his ranks further in January.

One of the players that he could turn his attention to is Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who has caught the eye for Rudi Garcia’s side since joining last summer from Dinamo Batumi, where he’s so far made a total of 45 appearances to date.

The Premier League giants were credited with an interest in the left-winger during the previous transfer window, alongside Manchester City and Newcastle United, and despite a deal failing to come to fruition, the 22-year-old could be on his way to Old Trafford in 2024.

Are Man United signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?

According to The Daily Mail's Mike Keegan during a live Q&A, Man United could look at Kvaratskhelia as a possible attacking reinforcement alongside Ferguson – who the board are also keeping close tabs on – despite Ten Hag's options currently being more limited out on the right wing. He said:

"He plays on the other side but it wouldn’t surprise me if Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was in the Premier League next season. I know he’s had admirers here, including United, but I can’t imagine he would come cheap and a switch during the season may be unlikely. As for January, a loan move may be the answer to get them through until the end of the campaign."

How many goals has Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored?

Since putting pen to paper at Napoli, Kvaratskhelia has posted an impressive 32 contributions (18 assists and 14 goals) in 45 appearances, form which has seen him dubbed a “legend” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, so should he put pen to paper at Man United in the new year, it would be a huge coup.

The Georgia international, who pockets just £25k-per-week, is also currently averaging 9.47 shot-creating actions per league game which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, highlighting the constant threat he poses to an opposition's defence when it comes to the action in the final third.

Sponsored by Nike, the both-footed Serie A winner has also received plenty of individual recognition over the course of his career, receiving his country's Footballer of the Year award on four occasions whilst being named the Champions League’s Best Young Player in 2023, so he would be able to pass his winning mentality onto the current squad who are already in M16.

Arsenal are now keeping close tabs on a winger who's been compared to Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, according to a report.

Are Arsenal signing a winger?

The Gunners had a relatively busy summer transfer window, during which they strengthened in a number of key areas, but they did not bring in any back-up options for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, despite being linked with several options.

At the very start of the summer, it was reported that Mikel Arteta had four targets in mind, namely Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Moussa Diaby and Wilfried Zaha, but the manager ultimately opted to stick with the wingers he already had at his disposal.

However, ahead of the January transfer window, it now seems likely the north London club will renew their interest in a winger, having recently made it clear they are interested in Club Brugge wonderkid Antonio Nusa, who's been compared to Neymar.

Another young option for Arsenal is Borussia Dortmund starlet Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, with Dean Jones revealing he could be on Arteta's shortlist, as the manager is on the lookout for "new alternatives out wide."

However, it has now been reported that the Gunners could move for a more established winger, with The Mirror detailing they are one of three Premier League clubs keeping a close eye on Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele.

Tottenham and West Ham United are also named as potential suitors for Dembele, who has not gotten off to the start he would have liked after completing a move to the Parc des Princes from Barcelona in the summer, joining in a £50m deal.

The Frenchman is without a goal in his first five games for PSG, sparking calls for him to be dropped, although the report makes it clear it is unlikely they will consider a sale this early into his career with the club.

However, if the French champions change their stance ahead of the January transfer window, then Arsenal could be waiting in the wings, with Arteta searching for a forward player capable of taking the burden off Saka and Martinelli.

Why did Ousmane Dembele leave Barcelona?

The 26-year-old decided to leave Barca for a number of reasons, but a key factor was learning that the La Liga club had explored the option of sending him and Gavi on loan to PSG in exchange for Mbappe, indicating he was not viewed as an important player.

The former Barca man has been compared to his new teammate in the past, with Spanish football expert Terry Gibson saying: "Dembele can be just as effective as Mbappe. He can be unplayable at times"

During his time with the Spanish club, the France international went through phases of being very impressive, picking up 13 assists in 21 La Liga games in the 2021-22 season, but he did not perform at that level consistently enough.

As such, Arsenal should be wary about shelling out a huge fee on the forward, but if he is available for a cut-price amount, then it could definitely be worth pursuing a deal in the January transfer window.

Lionel Messi is yet to be joined at Inter Miami by fellow Argentine Marcelo Weigandt, with there a million dollar reason for the transfer delay.

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• Defender ready to move to Florida
• Will become a free agent in the summer
• Herons refusing to part with transfer fee

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Boca Juniors right-back Weigandt is said to have agreed a four-year contract with the Herons and has paperwork ready to be signed. He is, however, being prevented from completing a switch from South to North America.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Boca had hoped to agree fresh terms with Weigandt, as he approaches free agency in the summer, but talks broke down once it emerged that Inter Miami were interested. The MLS outfit, who have parted company with USMNT star DeAndre Yedlin, want to get a deal done before their recruitment deadline on April 24.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Weigandt’s father has questioned why the Argentine outfit are making life difficult, posting on social media: “I don't understand how they don't let a player grow who would be free in two months. In other words, they prefer to lose money and say the easiest thing, always blaming the player who is a mercenary. Same as always.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Boca are playing hard ball and now requesting a $1 million fee, with Inter Miami unwilling to part with such a figure. report the Florida-based outfit are “far” from bowing to Boca’s demands. The player wants the move, on an increased salary, but it remains to be seen whether a compromise can be reached that suits all parties.