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Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are seemingly looking to strengthen again this summer, with Manchester City youngster Taylor Harwood-Bellis one name that appears to be of interest.

What’s the word?

According to respected journalist Alan Nixon, the Hoops are still keen on a move for the 20-year-old this summer, as manager Ange Postecoglou looks to bolster his defensive ranks ahead of next season.

Asked about a possible switch for the Englishman on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed that the Old Firm outfit are monitoring the centre-back, although there has been little movement in recent days: “Nothing since last week … there IS an interest … no decision for a couple of weeks.”

This follows a report from Sky Sports last week that suggested the Stockport-born gem was being considered by the Glasgow side, with further reinforcements needed amid reports that Christopher Jullien could be on his way out of the club.

Supporters will love it

Those at Parkhead will be hoping that the England U21 international can be another young prospect who proves a success after making the jump from the Etihad to Scotland, with the likes of Patrick Roberts and Jeremie Frimpong two of the most notable names to have starred after arriving from City.

Although a relative unknown to many, Harwood-Bellis has already gained vital senior experience at the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht and most recently with Championship outfit Stoke City, making 22 appearances for the Potters in the second half of the 2021/22 season – all of which came as starts.

That run of games will likely have proved vital to his development, while he proved his worth after recording a string of impressive statistics, recording an average of 1.9 interceptions, 3.5 clearances and one tackle per game, while also winning a solid 60% of his aerial duels.

Having also enjoyed a taste of life under Pep Guardiola, with the serial-winning coach lavishing him with praise in the past, the 6 foot 2 colossus is likely to be able to adapt to Postecoglou’s attacking style of play, while his 81% pass accuracy rate last term illustrates his comfort with the ball at his feet.

His former Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has also highlighted his strengths both in and out of possession, the one-time Celtic man stating that the youngster is an “old school” defender in one sense, although he can also “play football if that’s the game infront of him”.

Schooled by Guardiola, and briefly managed by Premier League legend Vincent Kompany in Belgium, the £6m-rated ace likely can’t have had a better footballing education, with now the time for him to properly nail down a permanent home.

It may be too unrealistic to expect him to make an instant impact north of the border were he to be signed this summer, although Hoops’ supporters will no doubt be excited by the undoubted potential on offer, while Postecoglou has already proven his knack for developing and improving any incomings.

In other news: Ange can land his own Van Dijk as Celtic eye bid for “tremendous” £4.05m-rated machine

Luka Jovic has long been linked with a move to West Ham but it seems as if David Moyes could finally bring him to the London Stadium this summer, with reports suggesting that he will leave Real Madrid this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet Marca, the Champions League winners will look to offload a lot of deadwood this summer, with Jovic already aware that his future lies away from the Santiago Bernabeu with the player essentially transfer listed.

West Ham have regularly been credited with an interest in the Serbia international since his time with Eintracht Frankfurt, and with a new striker a priority for the Hammers ahead of next season, this summer could finally be the one where they get their man with Madrid now giving suitors the green light.

A huge coup?

Despite a less than successful spell with Los Blancos, which has seen Jovic manage just three goals and five assists in 51 appearances for Madrid, he is still just 24-years-old and has been behind one of the best strikers in world football in Karim Benzema.

His form with Frankfurt, where he notched 40 goals and ten assists in 93 appearances, suggests that he could still be a superb addition to Moyes’ side next season, where he would presumably get far more opportunities than he has been afforded in Spain.

Only a few years ago, the Serbian was being described as one of the hottest properties in European football and there seems no reason why he couldn’t rediscover that form for the Hammers.

At 24, he could be the ideal long-term replacement for Michail Antonio, as the Jamaican turns 33 next season and will perhaps not be as potent should he lose a yard of pace.

After Jovic hit five goals in a 7-1 demolition of Fortuna Dusseldorf during his time at Frankfurt, former teammate Filip Kostic sang his praises, saying:

“Jovic is just unbelievable! He has outstanding timing and a feel for the goal.”

The idea of Jovic playing ahead of the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals next season is one that is sure to excite Hammers fans, and now that Moyes has been given the green light to make a move for the £25m man, he should do everything in his power to bring him to the Premier League.

Judging by his record at Frankfurt, a move would be a big coup for the Irons.

And, in other news… West Ham can sign their own Vardy in 22 y/o star

Leeds United are reportedly readying an offer for Sporting CP attacker Gonzalo Plata.

The Lowdown: Plata profiled

The Whites have been name-checked with an interest in the 21-year-old this month as the club look to bolster their attacking ranks.

Primarily a right-winger, Plata can also play on the left and is valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt.

The Ecuador international spent last season on loan at Spanish side Real Valladolid, where he scored six times and registered five assists, and that form appears to have caught the eye of Leeds chiefs.

The Latest: Transfer update

According to an outlet local to his temporary home, Diario de Valladolid (via Pucela Fichajes), Leeds are now preparing an offer close to €10m (£8.7m) for Plata.

The report adds that the Whites are also willing to offer the forward a salary in the region of €2m-a-year, which would work out at just over £33,000-a-week.

This comes despite news earlier this week that the player had suffered a serious injury while on international duty.

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The Verdict: Not waiting around

The Whites appear to be closing in on Bayern Munich midfielder Marc Roca, who is set to undergo a medical later this week.

It now looks as if Victor Orta is already working on a fourth transfer, with Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers Enterprises willing to write another multi-million cheque.

Plata has been described as a player with a ‘huge amount of talent’, so it’ll be interesting to see how this unfolds, especially with Jack Harrison and Raphinha linked with Elland Road exits.

In other news: Next step now taken on Kalvin Phillips leaving Leeds in big development. 

Rangers midfielder Stephen Kelly could possibly team up with an illustrious figure from the Ibrox club’s arch-rivals, as per a report from Football Scotland’s Euan Robertson.

The lowdown

Robertson says that the 22-year-old’s future is very much ‘up in the air’ this summer as he enters the final year of his contract at Ibrox.

Kelly, who came through the youth ranks at Auchenhowie, spent the latter half of the 2021/22 season on loan at English League Two club Salford City. It was his third temporary stint away from Ibrox after earlier spells with Ayr United and Ross County.

However, it’s said to be unlikely that he goes out on a loan for a fourth time, unless the Light Blues extend his contract beforehand.

The latest

According to Robertson for Football Scotland, Salford will ‘keep tabs’ on the situation with a view to a potential bid after Kelly ‘excelled’ at the Peninsula Stadium.

However, the 22-year-old may want to play at a higher level, and that could present an opportunity for Fleetwood Town boss and former Celtic stalwart Scott Brown, who is ‘actively exploring’ the Scottish market.

Robertson also names Dundee United, Hibernian and Kilmarnock, who wanted to sign Kelly in January, as potential suitors.

The verdict

Kelly’s loan at Salford was a resounding success, with the 22-year-old earning 18 starts and 21 appearances overall. His all-contribution was solid, as evidenced by his match averages of 1.9 tackles, 3.2 successful duels and 1.1 key passes (via SofaScore).

The 22-year-old has only made three appearances for Rangers’ first team, including one in a Europa League qualifier against Alashkert last summer.

However, his former manager John Hughes has called him a ‘magnificent’ player and ‘an absolute winner’ on the training pitch, and losing him to a Hoops icon in Brown would surely sting for many Rangers fans, if indeed Fleetwood can lure him from Ibrox.

In other news, Rangers have made an offer for this goalkeeper

West Ham United are ‘leading the race’ to sign Watford forward Ismaila Sarr as David Moyes gears up for the 2022/23 Premier League season, according to reports.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye new forward…

It is reliably believed that the east Londoners have closed in on their first major signing of the summer window as Rennes star Nayef Aguerd puts pen to paper on a move, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Amid this development, it is also claimed that a permanent deal for West Ham loanee Alphonse Areola is ‘being worked on’ (Sky Sports), as Moyes and co apparently get moving behind the scenes.

A new forward is also said to be on the agenda, with club insider ExWHUemployee even backing links to Hornets winger Sarr. The Irons are apparently set to formalise their interest soon, with journalist Daniel Moroney now sharing another promising update.

The Latest: West Ham in pole position for Sarr…

The reporter, who covers Watford news for the likes of Back Page Football and Off The Ball, has claimed that Moyes and co are ‘leading the race’ to sign the Senegal international, as per his Twitter profile.

Moroney added that La Liga club Sevilla are also said to be ‘monitoring’ Sarr but could be put off by Watford’s potential asking price.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The 24-year-old, who had an asking price of £80m last August according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth (via Daily Express), could come as a real attacking upgrade for Moyes.

As per WhoScored, Sarr finished 2021/22 as one of Watford’s most threatening players, having averaged the joint-most attempts at goal per 90 minutes alongside team-mates Emmanuel Dennis and Juraj Kucka.

Former England international Ben Foster raved over the African late last year, branding Sarr ‘frightening’ and ‘phenomenal’, and Watford’s relegation to the Championship could mean it is unlikely that they will be in a position to demand extortionate fees for the player.

In other news: ‘It’s likely’ – Sky Sports journalist says West Ham agreement is ‘being worked on’ alongside Aguerd… find out more here

Aston Villa have already been rather busy in terms of their business in this summer’s transfer window.

In addition to securing permanent deals for former loanees Philippe Coutinho and Robin Olsen, the Midlands club have also brought in new faces in Diego Carlos and Boubacar Kamara.

Another name with whom the Villans have been linked this summer, and who Steven Gerrard knows very well, is Rangers centre-forward Alfredo Morelos.

After scoring 46 goals and delivering 13 assists in 62 appearances for HJK Helsinki, the 26-year-old joined the Scottish club five years ago.

Since then, the Colombian has found the net 113 times in 224 appearances for the Ibrox outfit. With 294 club career appearances to his name, the striker has 159 goals and 64 assists on his CV.

Taking this into account, it’s safe to say that Morelos – who has been described as being “brutally ruthless” on the pitch by HJK chief executive Aki Riihilahti – knows how to be a dangerous and consistent goalscorer.

Another club with whom Gerrard has a significant connection is fellow Premier League outfit Liverpool, who have been just as busy as Villa in terms of their summer transfer business.

In fact, the Reds recently caught the headlines by splashing out a club-record £85m to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica. The fact that they chose to shell out such a significant sum of money to bring him to Anfield just goes to show how highly they rate the 23-year-old.

Having scored 67 goals in 138 club appearances, it’s easy to see why the Uruguayan has been included on a list of similar players to Morelos by Football Transfers.

With all this in mind, the prospect of linking up with Morelos once more and getting what could be his own version of Nunez at Villa Park would surely be an exciting prospect for Gerrard.

If the Villa manager can use his connections at Ibrox to help thrash out a deal which would see the Colombian move to England in the coming weeks, this could be a smart bit of business from the Midlands club.

Given his record of being able to score on a regular basis, the 26-year-old would certainly be a useful asset for Villa in front of goal.

In other news: Aston Villa now in the mix to sign “elegant” £106k-p/w machine, imagine him & Carlos

Newcastle United are fans of Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, The Daily Mail’s Simon Jones writes.

The lowdown

Newcastle are lining up alternative striker targets after talks with Reims’ Hugo Ekitike seemingly broke down.

23-year-old Scamacca signed a new contract with Sassuolo as recently as April, in the midst of a fine individual season.

Even though he didn’t start 13 of his side’s 38 Serie A matches, the £27million-rated full Italy international managed to score 16 Serie A goals.

The latest

Jones says that Newcastle ‘like’ Scamacca as an alternative to Ekitike, but they face fresh competition from Atletico Madrid.

And even Diego Simeone’s side, who have qualified for the Champions League, may not be able to persuade the player.

‘There is a feeling’ that the centre forward would prefer to remain in Serie A.

The verdict

Scamacca scored a goal every 134 minutes last season for a side that finished 11th in the table, and that’s very impressive.

He out-performed his xG of 10.8 by a full 5.2 and while some might argue that’s unsustainable, others would simply say it demonstrates his ruthlessness in front of goal.

And to further boost his reputation, he’s racked up seven caps for European champions Italy since his first call-up in the autumn of 2021.

Stylistically similar to Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy and AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham, he’s been called a ‘complete’ striker by former Italy Under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio.

Newcastle should do all they can to persuade him if he turns out to be available for a reasonable price.

Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign young defender Daniel Ballard, according to reliable journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Championship experience

The 22-year-old Arsenal man enjoyed a successful loan spell in the Championship last season after joining Millwall for the year.

The centre-back made 30 league appearances for the Lions; with the total expected to have been far higher if it wasn’t for undergoing knee surgery halfway through the campaign.

According to WhoScored, the Arsenal loanee was Millwall’s fourth best player all season, having averaged an impressive 6.93 match rating.

The defender averaged 1.9 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 3.4 clearances and 0.6 blocks per game, gaining valuable experience playing in the Championship.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s news

O’Rourke has revealed the next chapter in Ballard’s footballing career. Taking to Twitter, the journalist claimed:

“Understand Sunderland have agreed a deal for Arsenal and Northern Ireland defender Daniel Ballard. #safc #afc #Arsenal

“Ballard has completed a medical at the Stadium of Light and is set to sign a four-year deal with Sunderland. #SAFC #AFC”

The Verdict: Great signing

With Alex Neil’s side preparing for life in the Championship, the 22-year-old’s arrival would add second tier experience to the Black Cats’ back-line.

Having already made ten international appearances for Northern Ireland, the defender is clearly highly rated, yet he has never been given a chance with Arsenal’s first-team, perhaps explaining why he is so keen to get out and impress.

Dubbed a ‘huge talent’ by Northern Irish press, the former Millwall loanee looks to be a brilliant signing for Sunderland.

A big Newcastle United claim has emerged on Youri Tielemans and Isco as the summer transfer window rolls on…

What’s the talk?

Northern Echo reporter Scott Wilson has claimed that neither of those players are active targets for the Magpies at this moment in time, from what he has been told.

He Tweeted: “On NUFC, have seen this weekend’s stuff linking them with Youri Tielemans and Isco, but they’re not two names I’ve heard seriously discussed. The two key remaining priorities this summer are striker and wide-attacker. Plus moving players on.”

This comes after journalist Ben Jacobs recently stated that the club have made contact over a potential deal for the Leicester maestro, Tweeting:

“There is a growing feeling Newcastle could enter the Tielemans race, too. Dan Ashworth has already made enquiries. Challenge for NUFC would be convincing Tielemans how he fits into a midfield with Joelinton, Bruno and Shelvey. One to watch.”

Eddie Howe will be gutted

The Toon head coach will be gutted by Wilson’s claim as it suggests that the club are not pursuing deals for Tielemans or Isco ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Both of them have the potential to be excellent signings for the Magpies as they have both proven themselves in a major European league.

Tielemans has, as Newcastle fans will know, showcased his quality in the Premier League in recent seasons for the Foxes.

In the top-flight last season, the Belgian international managed six goals and four assists in 32 games. He averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.08 and made an impact at both ends of the pitch as he managed 3.0 tackles and interceptions per game.

These statistics show that he is a quality box-to-box midfielder who would improve the Newcastle squad, as no Toon player – aside from Bruno Guimaraes – in his position averaged a higher SofaScore rating.

Isco, meanwhile, is a player who has proven himself at the pinnacle of club football. He has won an astounding five Champions League medals, along with three La Liga titles, and produced 109 direct goal contributions in 352 games for Real Madrid.

The 30-year-old Spain international would, therefore, provide goals and assists from midfield, whilst also bringing in a wealth of experience and a winning mentality at the top level.

Howe will be gutted that neither player is being seriously looked at by the club and will be hoping that suitable alternatives arrive before the end of the window.

AND in other news, “Lots of talk..”: Keith Downie drops exciting NUFC transfer claim that’ll elate Howe…

Nottingham Forest have completed their fifth signing of the summer with Omar Richards joining the squad yesterday, and now a reliable source has given an update on one of the club’s transfer targets.

What’s the latest?

According to Nottingham Forest reporter for The Athletic Paul Taylor, Nottingham Forest are in talks to sign Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien this summer.

As per the report, Taylor claims that the newly-promoted side are currently in discussions with Huddersfield to sign O’Brien and Harry Toffolo, with the club also interested in signing Morgan Gibbs-White.

Cooper needs him

It is clear that Steve Cooper wants to bolster his squad to ensure they have the best chance of retaining their Premier League status for years to come and doing so would require him to identify high-quality players that can make an instant impact on the team.

O’Brien had an outstanding season with Huddersfield last season, becoming a key player in the team which ultimately led to their fantastic campaign in the Championship and a play-off final at Wembley, only caught short of promotion in their defeat to Nottingham Forest.

The 23-year-old midfielder scored three goals, delivered three assists and created four big chances, making one key pass and 2.2 tackles on average per game, whilst winning the majority of his duels (56%) and was successful in completing the majority of his dribble attempts too (70%) over 43 Championship appearances.

O’Brien has been the recipient of high praise for his performances in the team last season, with former Huddersfield Town manager Carlos Corberan hailing the player “very special” in an interview:

“He is one player who is very special in the team and is one player who deserves everything he has achieved in football as he makes everything to achieve everything( in football).”

With the ongoing pursuit to sign the player, Cooper clearly feels he needs a midfielder like O’Brien in the team who offers reliability and versatility, something that the Huddersfield gem can clearly offer as he can efficiently play in attacking, central and defensive midfield.

As a result, the signing of O’Brien would be a major coup for the Forest boss and could be a great piece of business if the midfielder can continue his form in the Premier League next season.

AND in other news: Sunday update: Nottingham Forest confirm exciting news that’ll have supporters buzzing