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Celtic are now pressing hard to sign Lommel SK midfielder Vinicius Souza, according to The Daily Record’s Keith Jackson.

The Lowdown: Busy summer

Ange Postecoglou has wasted no time in adding to his title-winning squad ahead of his second season in charge at Parkhead.

Loan moves for Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda and Jota have all been made permanent, while goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist and left-back Alexandro Bernabei have also made the move to Glasgow.

Those five permanent deals have set Celtic back just over £18m, and it looks as if Postecoglou doesn’t want to stop there.

The Latest: Souza update

Jackson shared a story late on Tuesday evening regarding Celtic and Souza.

He claimed that talks have been ongoing between the Hoops and Souza’s representatives, adding that Celtic are now ‘pressing hard’ for the midfielder to ‘put his cards on the table once and for all’.

However, reports since have suggested that PSV are on course to win the race for the Brazilian’s services, although nothing is yet to be confirmed.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Postecoglou appears to be after a ‘physical enforcer to beef up his midfield options’, and Souza, labelled an ‘athletic’ player by Lawrence Shankland and a ‘freak’ by scout and analyst Mikail Serin, seems to be at the top of his list.

The 23-year-old is at the top of his game with a £4.05m Transfermarkt valuation and can play in central or defensive midfield roles.

Souza has even turned out as a centre-back during his career, so would provide plenty of versatility in Scotland, and it looks as if the Hoops are extremely keen to make him their sixth summer signing, so fingers crossed there can be a breakthrough in talks soon.

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans for Callum Wilson as the summer transfer window heats up.

What’s the talk?

According to The Mirror, PIF are plotting a new deal for the centre-forward and are set to hold behind-the-scene talks with him in the coming weeks.

He currently has two years left to run on his contract and the report claims that the club want to secure his long-term future by pinning him down to an extension.

It is stated that the Magpies’ head coach is a big fan of the number nine and believes that he will be an important member of the group moving forward.

Newcastle do, however, want to add another striker before the end of the window and have had their eye on Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who they have been quoted a fee of £60m for.

Supporters will love it

The Toon boss and supporters alike will love this news because it suggests that Wilson will be staying and that another player will be coming in to challenge him for a starting spot.

Whilst the England international is an impressive goalscorer, the ex-Bournemouth man has struggled to stay fit since arriving at St. James’ Park. He joined the club in the summer of 2020 and has missed 35 competitive matches through injury in the subsequent two years.

This is a cause for concern and is why Howe will appreciate the club’s desire to add another option at the top end of the pitch. Chris Wood came in during the January window but was unable to prove himself to be an adequate replacement as he scored two goals – one from open play – in 17 Premier League matches for Newcastle.

Supporters will also be buzzing because keeping Wilson will be a big boost to the team when he is fit and available to play.

In the 2021/22 campaign, he found the back of the net eight times in 16 starts. This came after he plundered 12 goals and five assists in 23 starts in his debut season in black and white – meaning that he has averaged a direct goal contribution more than once every two starts in the Premier League for the club.

This shows that he has the quality to make a huge impact in the final third and that is why everyone associated with the club will be elated to keep him in the squad for many more years to come.

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

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Joaquin Correa in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, via Sport Witness, the Magpies are keen on a deal to sign Inter centre-forward as Dan Ashworth plots a swoop for him.

The report claims that the Serie A side, who signed him for €31m (£27m), want a sizeable fee in return for the striker as they look to raise funds.

It is claimed that Newcastle are the only club in the running with the potential to offer the Italian giants an acceptable amount of money for his services.

Imagine him & Callum Wilson

By snapping up a deal to sign the Argentine attacker, Ashworth can land Howe an exciting strike partnership to utilise next season.

The Magpies head coach could deploy Correa and Wilson as a front two in a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 formation in the Premier League, using both of them at the tip of the attack to cause damage to the opposition.

Since arriving at St. James’ Park from Bournemouth in the summer of 2020, the English striker has scored 20 goals and assisted five in 54 top-flight games. He has proven that he can score goals at a respectable rate when fit as he has the quality to find the back of the net when presented with a chance at this level.

Correa, meanwhile, scored six goals in 12 starts for Inter last term  after managing 17 goals and four assists in the previous two Serie A campaigns combined for Lazio.

He also caught the eye in the Champions League his last season in Rome as he produced three goals and two assists in eight games in Europe.

Simeone Inzaghi, who has managed him at both Italian clubs, once heaped praise on the forward, saying: “Correa is a formidable player, he is very intelligent tactically, he sacrifices a lot for the team. I am happy with his double, when he has no problems and can train continuously he always proves to be able to play at the highest levels.”

These quotes suggest that he would work well alongside a lethal finisher like Wilson as he is willing to play a role within the team rather than needing to be the main man.

This means that he can play off the Englishman and put the work in off the ball to create space to make the partnership thrive, whilst also holding the quality to score when chances fall to him in the final third.

AND in other news, Howe can form “spectacular” duo as Newcastle eye “beautiful” £49.5m-rated dynamo…

Manchester United’s move for Frenkie de Jong is ‘still on’ following ‘direct contact’ with Barcelona, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Saga of the summer

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the Dutchman ever since Erik ten Hag was announced as the club’s new manager towards the end of April.

That prospective transfer has turned into one of the biggest so far during the off-season, with United having an opening offer turned down last week. Barcelona rejected an initial €60m (£51.5m) fee plus €10m (£8.6m) in add-ons and are looking for a total of €85m (£73m) for their star midfielder.

The Latest: Romano’s update on De Jong

Romano took to Twitter on Friday evening to provide an update on De Jong.

He claimed that a deal is ‘still on’ and said that the player’s salary will be ‘really huge’ next season, which is a ‘problem’ for Barcelona due to their financial situation.

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The Verdict: Positive signs

All of the small updates in recent days appear to be pointing towards an Old Trafford move for De Jong.

The Athletic have well-placed sources who believe that a move will eventually happen, whereas the 25-year-old’s wage will be an issue for Barcelona according to Romano, and Ten Hag has also reportedly persuaded De Jong over a move to England.

All that’s left now is for an agreement to be reached between the two clubs. They currently appear to be €15m (£12.9m) apart when it comes to a total valuation, so hopefully they can meet in the middle with a second offer and De Jong can finalise a move to Manchester before the end of the month.

In other news: ‘They’ve looked at him’ – talkSPORT man drops huge Man Utd transfer claim involving ‘lethal’ ace

Sunderland are less than two months away from kicking off their first Championship season since the 2017/18 campaign. 

The Black Cats secured promotion via the play-offs and will now be looking to ensure that they do not head straight back down to League One at the first time of asking.

Alex Neil and Kristjaan Speakman will be plotting moves to improve the squad and one player who has been linked with a switch to the Stadium of Light is Josh Murphy.

Journalist Darren Witcoop Tweeted: “Sunderland have registered their interest in signing winger Josh Murphy, who is available on a free. Alex Neil worked with Murphy at Norwich and is a big fan. Interest in Wolves defender Dion Sanderson and keeper John Ruddy as reported elsewhere remains.”

New Aiden McGeady

By securing a deal to sign the attacker in the coming weeks, Speakman can land the club’s new Aiden McGeady out on the left wing.

Like the Irishman, Murphy is a tricky left winger who likes to cut inside onto his right foot and is adept at creating chances for his teammates.

McGeady created 25 ‘big chances’ and scored 11 goals in three League One campaigns as he consistently delivered in the final third for the club, which is what the ex-Norwich man can now replicate.

Former Cardiff boss Neil Warnock once tipped Murphy to become an “instrumental” player and that is exactly what he can be for the Black Cats in the second tier.

In his last two Championship campaigns for Norwich – one of which came under Neil – he provided 12 ‘big chances’ in 43 starts. He also scored 11 goals in that time as he showed that he has the quality to make a big impact at that level.

Whilst his chance creation numbers are not as high as McGeady’s, the attacker was playing at a higher level than the former Celtic man and has the relevant experience needed to shine in the second tier.

The winger has struggled for form of late, with no starts, goals, or assists for Preston last term, but his relationship with the Sunderland coach can spark his career back to life.

Neil clearly knows how to get the best out of the £25k-per-week wizard, given his form under the Scot for Norwich, and that is why he can be the club’s new McGeady next season as he can be the go-to creator from out wide.

AND in other news, Scott Wilson delivers big SAFC transfer development that’ll leave Speakman scrambling…

Despite finishing in 17th place in the Premier League table, Leeds United were still a very capable attacking side at times this season.

In fact, the Whites racked up a total of 711 shot-creating actions throughout the campaign, which is more than a number of teams that finished above them in the table such as West Ham United, Wolves and Leicester City.

One figure that played a massive part in Leeds’ season in an attacking sense is Raphinha.

With 35 appearances under his belt as well as 11 goals and three assists, no other Leeds player managed to equal the number of shots at goal (85) or successful dribbles (59) the Brazilian made.

Now that their turbulent campaign has come to an end and Jesse Marsch has guided them to safety, the focus can turn to getting ready for the next campaign and making sure they aren’t involved in another relegation battle.

One figure that the Yorkshire club have been linked with that could benefit from having such a deadly attacking player next to him, such as Raphinha, is Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton-Diaz.

Last August, Tony Mowbray said that he hoped the centre-forward would be “hungry for goals” for his current club, which is exactly what he turned out to be by finishing the season as their top scorer.

Specifically, the 23-year-old found the net 22 times in 37 league appearances, leaving only Aleksandar Mitrovic (43) and Dominic Solanke (29) scoring on more occasions than the Chile international in the entire division.

This shows just how capable he is of putting away goalscoring chances, which is why having a player like the Leeds star, who delivered 90 crosses in total throughout the campaign, could be so beneficial for him and the team in general.

With a reported price tag of £20m, it would surely be an investment worth making for Victor Orta as the striker would then give Marsch the chance to form what could be a formidable attacking duo in his side that could fire them to the top half of the table.

The opportunity to play at a big club like Leeds and show what he’s capable of producing in the Premier League would undeniably be a tempting prospect for the player.

In other news: Big update emerges on mega-money summer deal, Leeds United supporters will be fuming

Liverpool are expected to agree a new deal with midfielder Naby Keita in the near future, according to reliable journalist Paul Joyce.

The Lowdown: Keita’s best season yet

The Guinean enjoyed arguably his best season in a Reds shirt in 2021/22, finally managing to remain relatively injury-free and playing his part in a great campaign.

Keita made 40 appearances in all competitions, including 23 in the Premier League, with Jurgen Klopp hailing him as ‘one of the best midfielders I ever saw’.

The 27-year-old’s current Liverpool deal expires in 2023, but it looks as though his stay at Anfield will be prolonged.

The Latest: Joyce drops contract claim

According to The Times‘ Joyce, the Reds are in discussions with Keita over a new contract – one that would keep him at the club for several more years to come.

He is expected to accept the offer, having joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig back in 2018, before officially moving there a year later.

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The Verdict: Deserves a new deal

Keita remains a divisive figure with Reds supporters, with some adoring him and others feeling he has flattered to deceive, but last season was proof of what he can offer.

As mentioned, he managed to stay largely fit, which has been an issue in the past, and an 86% pass completion rate was accompanied by an average of 2.0 tackles per game – Virgil van Dijk has even described him as ‘world class’, which speaks volumes.

Finally strutting his best stuff on Merseyside, Keita fully deserves a new deal and the hope is that he still has another gear to find, as he heads into what could be the peak years of his career.

In other news, Liverpool are believed to have given up on signing one player. Find out who it is here.

A crushing Leeds United development has emerged on their pursuit of James Garner heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Jacque Talbot has revealed that the Lillywhites will not be signing the English central midfielder ahead of the 2022/23 campaign as their Premier League rivals are refusing to do a deal with them.

He tweeted:

“No chance James Garner goes Everton or Leeds. Man United won’t sell him permanently either. Full story out later this week.”

The reporter then added:

“Man United aren’t going to sell to a direct rival like Everton or Leeds of all clubs and potentially see him flourish into a world-beater. Could turn out to be like another Wilfred Zaha situation.”

Supporters will be gutted

The supporters will be gutted by this claim from Talbot as it comes as a huge blow to Jesse Marsch heading into the next Premier League season.

Garner enjoyed a sublime campaign in the second tier on loan with Nottingham Forest and he would have been an exciting addition to Leeds’ squad.

In the Championship, the midfielder averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.26 across 41 matches as he delivered excellent performances on a consistent basis. He also produced four goals and eight assists from the middle of the park as he showcased his ability to contribute in the final third.

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Defensively, he put himself about as he made 3.2 tackles and interceptions and won 3.9 duels per game for Steve Cooper’s side. This shows that he works hard off the ball to win possession back for his side and can be an asset at both ends of the pitch.

Former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson lavished him with praise in the 2021/22 campaign, saying:

“Garner has been exceptional at Forest. He is an example of why players get sent out on loan.

“He can play at the top level and I think he has proven that at Forest. I don’t think he’s one that will go straight into the Man United side but I think there is a first-team role there for him and he will feature next season.”

These comments show that the eye test matches the statistics as a former professional was impressed by his displays and he had outstanding stats.

Therefore, Leeds fans will now be gutted that the club has ‘no chance’ of being able to sign Garner. The 21-year-old would have been an exciting signing for the club but Victor Orta will now need to identify alternative targets in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Orta can now seal “eye-catching” Leeds signing with £20m bid for “sensational” talent…

Tottenham Hotspur may have been boosted in their hunt to sign Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni this summer, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye move for Bastoni…

After manager Antonio Conte and club chief Fabio Paratici’s crucial transfer summit in Italy last week, it is reliably believed that the exciting international defender is a top target for the north London club (The Telegraph).

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Bastoni, who Conte knows well from his time in charge at the San Siro, could cost Spurs around £50m if they wish to bring him to the Premier League.

As per recent reports, the Lilywhites head coach is making a ‘personal commitment’ to sign the 23-year-old, with Gold now sharing a potentially promising update on their pursuit of the Italy international.

The Latest: Gold makes promising Bastoni claim…

According to the football.london reporter, sharing news on Bastoni’s stance, there are ‘suggestions’ that the 23-year-old is ‘keen on a reunion’ with Conte as he eyes a possible move to Spurs.

Gold also claimed that the north Londoners are ‘set to pursue’ the Italy defender, but the main hurdle will be prising him away from the San Siro, with the Nerazzurri setting a £51m asking price.

The Verdict: Boost for Spurs?

While negotiating with Inter will likely prove a significant obstacle, the news of Bastoni being open to a move will come as a boost for Spurs and Conte.

The ‘defensive genius’, as hailed by Italian football expert Conor Clancy, is one of the most promising young centre-backs in Europe, and comparisons have already been made with Azzurri figurehead Giorgio Chiellini.

His salary of around £122,000 per week is also attainable from a financial perspective, so personal terms shouldn’t be an issue. Indeed, it seems the only thing standing in Conte’s way is his old club and their valuation of the player.

In other news: ‘Fully’ – Journalist says Tottenham could sign £100m ‘big name’ for Conte this summer, find out more here

Allan Saint-Maximin will reportedly now be allowed to leave Newcastle United in the summer for the right price.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild

It is anyone’s guess just how many players the St James’ Park faithful will be looking to bring through the doors this summer, with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dean Henderson and Sven Botman all being linked with moves to the North East recently.

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The fact that they all play in different areas of the pitch also suggests that multiple first-team additions will be made, but the club may need to offload one or two players in order to help fund a big spending spree.

The Latest: Saint-Maximin transfer latest

Writing in his latest piece for i News, journalist Mark Douglas has revealed that Saint-Maximin will be ‘available’ for sale this summer, providing that the Tyneside outfit’s valuation is met.

Aston Villa are thought to be one of the teams interested in the Frenchman’s signature, and he should attract plenty of other admirers given his exploits in the Premier League.

The Verdict: Keep him

Saint-Maximin has shown his worth time and again for the Magpies, so they should not be looking to let him go so easily.

Hailed as a ‘top-class‘ player by former top-flight striker Kevin Phillips, the 25-year-old’s influence at Newcastle is unquestionable. He ranked as their second-best performer in the Premier League before their trip to Burnley on the final day, and top in terms of shots and dribbles per match, while also grabbing himself five goals and four assists (WhoScored).

The Frenchman would not be easy to replace, so the Magpies’ board should be looking at keeping him as part of the project.

In other news, find out what ‘brilliant news’ for Eddie Howe has now emerged here!