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Manchester United are hijacking AC Milan’s proposed move for Lille centre-back Sven Botman, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Botman profiled

Botman is 22 years of age and has been on the books with Lille since 2020 after leaving Ajax’s academy in a deal worth £7.2m. Since then, the Dutch defender has made 78 appearances for the French side – 31 of which have come in 2021/22.

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Labelled as a “golden boy” by agency director Francesco Miniero, Botman has been heavily linked with both Newcastle United and AC Milan in recent months, but it looks as if Erik ten Hag now wants the towering defender at Old Trafford.

The Latest: Source shares update

FI shared a transfer update regarding Botman after being informed by a Manchester United source. They claim that the Red Devils are hijacking Milan’s £25m swoop for Botman, describing it as a ‘sensational twist’.

The report adds that Botman came up in conversation during Ten Hag’s transfer meeting last week, with the United boss a big admirer of the Lille star.

The Verdict: Get it done

United are in need of a defensive overhaul under Ten Hag after conceding 56 times in 37 games, more than the likes of Burnley and Brentford.

Botman appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high £27m Transfermarkt valuation which has soared in recent years. Milan were reportedly in advanced talks over a deal below Botman’s valuation, so United could take full advantage and get themselves a bargain.

He has excelled in France and has Champions League experience under his belt, and with the likes of Eric Bailly and Phil Jones likely to leave, Ten Hag may have just three senior centre-backs left.

Therefore, Botman could be an ideal addition at a respectable price, and it looks as if United are making their move to pip Milan and Newcastle to the in-demand defender.

In other news: Agreement reached: Man Utd now strike deal for ‘top’ gem who ‘dominates’ on the ball. 

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on a deal to bring Sam Johnstone to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Mirror, who claim that Tottenham are now set to land the West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign, as Manchester United have now decided not to pursue a deal to bring the 29-year-old back to Old Trafford this summer.

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The report goes on to state that the England international’s availability on a free makes him an attractive proposition to both Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici, with Spurs looking to bring in a quality addition between the sticks in order to provide Hugo Lloris with both backup to and competition for his starting spot in Antonio Conte’s side.

A Paratici masterclass

Considering the fact that, upon West Brom’s relegation from the Premier League last season, the Black Country side placed a £20m asking price on the goalkeeper’s head amid interest from the likes of Leeds United, Manchester United, West Ham United and Watford, should Paratici go on to land the 29-year-old on a free this summer, it would represent something of a big coup for Spurs.

While it is true that Johnstone has not enjoyed the best campaign of his career over his 36 appearances in the Championship this season, the three-time capped international undoubtedly proved his ability at the highest level of the English game last time out.

Indeed, over his 37 Premier League fixtures in 2020/21, the £7.2m-rated shot-stopper was one of Albion’s standout performers, keeping six clean sheets and making an average of 4.5 saves per game – by far and away the most of any ‘keeper in the league – with these returns seeing the £32.5k-per-week talent earn a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.03 – ranking him as the Baggies’ second-best player in the top flight.

As such, it is clear for all to see just how talented a goalkeeper the player Gary Lineker dubbed “unbelievable” is, leading us at Football FanCast to believe that, should Paratici indeed secure the 29-year-old as Spurs’ first signing this summer, it would be yet another transfer masterclass by the Italian sporting director.

AND in other news: “Expect to see”: Eccleshare drops £145m Spurs summer claim, supporters will be buzzing

Sunderland will look to make the League One play-off final tomorrow night as they travel to Sheffield Wednesday for the second leg of their semi-final, with the Black Cats boasting a 1-0 lead on aggregate.

The Wearside outfit’s top scorer Ross Stewart got the decisive goal in the first leg on Friday night, capitalising on a mistake from Wednesday defender Sam Hutchinson.

Stewart’s effort was his 25th of an excellent first full campaign in the North-East since his move from Ross County last January.

However, in order to make it to Wembley, the 25-year-old will need extra support up front, with Alex Neil’s side’s lead a slender one considering that the Owls boast the best home form in the third tier.

Therefore, the imminent return of second top-scorer Nathan Broadhead will be incredibly welcome.

On the chalkboard

Broadhead missed Friday’s first leg through injury but his manager confirmed that he could be fit in time for tomorrow’s trip to South Yorkshire, stating: “He [Broadhead] will have a chance for Monday. Unfortunately, tonight was too soon.

“We will assess him over the next few days and make a call.

“Tonight he wasn’t ready. It’s tough as he is a good player but we have other good players.”

Labelled as “fantastic” by former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson, the £2.9k-per-week Everton loanee has scored 13 goals in 25 appearances in what’s been an impressive campaign for the 24-year-old, although injuries have prevented the Welshman from making a serious impact at the Stadium of Light.

However, no current striker in the Sunderland squad comes close to the numbers of either Stewart or Broadhead, with the next best tally from a striker coming from Leon Dakaju with four.

Therefore, it is imperative that the Welsh striker is fit enough for tomorrow, at least to make the bench, with the Black Cats looking to finally put an end to their miserable four-year stay in the third tier.

This is arguably the best chance the Wearside outfit has had to escape League One since their back-to-back relegations in 2017 and 2018, having made the 2019 final but being second-best to an impressive Charlton Athletic.

With Broadhead, Sunderland will have a much stronger chance of making the play-off final on 21 May, where they will face either MK Dons or Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley.

AND in other news: Neil can blow SAFC supporters away with £3.4k-p/w gem who was made “in a laboratory”

Everton manager Frank Lampard has received a timely injury boost ahead of a pivotal end to the season following Tom Davies’ return to training at Finch Farm.

What’s the word?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s visit of his former club Chelsea to Goodison Park, the 43-year-old revealed that the academy graduate is now back in first-team training and as such may still have a part to play between now and the end of the campaign.

The 23-year-old – who has been absent since sustaining a knee injury in November – took to social media in February to suggest that he would not play against this season.

However, Lampard has now raised hopes of an unlikely return to action for Davies in the run-in, saying: “He is a great lad, he’s been on the training pitch with us now for a couple of weeks. He is so dedicated to the cause. It comes out of his veins. He has worked very hard to get to this stage.

“We just need to get him more training minutes, and hopefully more game minutes, which we can produce at the training ground for him. He has been out for a while. Hopefully he can contribute in the latter part of the season.”

Supporters will be buzzing

While the local lad will still be unavailable for this weekend’s meeting with Thomas Tuchel’s side, news of his impending return will be a welcome boost to the Goodison Park faithful, with the club needing all the help they can get as they look to stave off relegation.

The Merseysiders currently sit 18th in the Premier League table and are two points from safety, with relegation rivals Burnley having enjoyed something of a bounce following the sacking of long-serving manager Sean Dyche a couple of weeks ago.

A first-ever relegation from the Premier League had previously appeared unthinkable for a club of Everton’s stature, although for Lampard’s men it is now a very real possibility, hence the need for a timely boost from the returning Davies.

There had been some suggestion that the £16.2m-rated maestro would be unable to feature having been omitted from the club’s 25-man Premier League squad following the January transfer window, although the loan departure of Jean-Philippe Gbamin to CSKA Moscow in February enabled the Englishman to be reinstated.

While he has missed the majority of the current campaign, the £32k-per-week ace did impress under former Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti last term, showcasing his all-action midfield quality as he averaged 1.4 interceptions, 1.2 tackles and o.8 clearances per game in his 25 top-flight outings.

Dubbed one of the club’s midfield “tigers” by pundit Nigel Martyn last year, it would seem that the current Toffees crop are crying out for a bit of athleticism and steel in the centre of the park as they attempt to scrap for their top-flight future.

The possible return of Davies in the coming weeks will surely leave the Everton faithful delighted, particularly with their Premier League status in the balance.

In other news, £44m down the drain: Allardyce’s £69k-p/w disaster has rinsed Everton for 54 months

A significant update has now emerged regarding Raphael Wicky becoming Middlesbrough’s next manager, as the Championship side look to find the right replacement for Rob Edwards in the near future.

The exit of Edwards to Wolves has knocked Boro for six at an important point in the season, but it is vital that they don’t allow it to derail their Championship promotion push in the coming weeks and months.

A number of candidates have already been mentioned as potential options as the Englishman’s successor, including former Young Boys manager Wicky.

It has been claimed that Boro are serious about appointing the 48-year-old as their next boss after he impressed during talks, although he is far from the only candidate being mentioned for the job.

Former striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a contender for the Championship side, with the Dutchman reportedly given Gareth Southgate’s endorsement, following their time working together with the England national team. Steven Gerrard, Gary O’Neill and Carlos Corberan are some of the other names to have been thrown around.

Wicky keen on taking Middlesbrough job

Now, according to a fresh claim from The Northern Echo, Wicky is keen on becoming Middlesbrough’s next manager, with the Swiss very much in the mix to come in.

He is said to be one of a host of overseas bosses who are “interested” in taking charge at the Riverside Stadium, following his exit from Young Boys last year, having spent two years at the club.

Wicky stands out as a strong option for Boro, with journalist Graeme Bailey describing him as an “impressive” individual, following a successful managerial career to date.

He won both the Swiss league title and Swiss Cup with Young Boys in the 2022/23 season, outlining his winning mentality, and at 48, he is still a relatively young manager who will bring fresh ideas to the Riverside.

It remains to be seen if the 4-4-2 diamond-playing Wicky will ultimately be Boro’s pick as their new boss, but the fact that the job appeals to him can only be a good thing, and his trophy-winning pedigree isn’t something that should be ignored.

Middlesbrough now considering move for ex-QPR manager recommended by Southgate

He’s been out of a managerial job since 2022.

1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 14, 2025

It is vital that the club don’t rush into the decision, however, instead ensuring that they have the best possible choice of manager to hopefully spearhead their return to the Premier League, rather than making a quick call and bringing in the wrong man.

How Middlesbrough feel about Raphael Wicky as Swiss manager holds Riverside talks

Arsenal scouts have watched a “world-class talent” in action a number of times already this season, and they could be set to battle Tottenham Hotspur for his signature.

Gunners looking to bolster options in midfield

Mikel Arteta made major improvements to his squad in the summer transfer window, and Martin Zubimendi is already looking like a very astute signing, having been singled out for praise after scoring twice in the 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

Former Watford striker Troy Deeney said: “The technique on the first of his two goals against Nottingham Forest was frightening. It would have been so easy to get over that and put it into Row Z, and his header was nice as well.

“We see so many players that can’t head a ball any more and it was really calm. He ran the show and that is why Arsenal brought him in. They want him to be that maestro when they have loads of the ball.”

"He's still got it" – Odegaard says "complete" icon is Arsenal's best ever

The Arsenal captain has revealed who he believes the best player in the Gunners’ history is.

ByDominic Lund Sep 14, 2025

Christian Norgaard also arrived at the Emirates Stadium in the summer, meaning Arteta should be very well-stocked in the engine room this season, but the north Londoners have now joined the race for another central midfielder.

That is according to a report from journalist Ahad Shaukhat for the Daily Briefing, who states Arsenal scouts have now watched Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi on a number of occasions already.

Bouaddi is being targeted by a number of top clubs from across Europe, with bitter rivals Tottenham also in the race for his signature, but there have been suggestions a deal could be on the expensive side.

The 17-year-old has been widely reported to have a price tag of £40m, which would be a huge amount to pay for a teenager.

"World-class talent" Bouaddi is one for the future

Despite his age, the young Frenchman has already established himself as a regular starter for Lille, making a total of 58 senior appearances for the French club, including four in Ligue 1 so far this season. Already he has emerged as “one of the best young midfielders in Europe”, in the words of football writer James Brooke.

Earlier this year, the Lille starlet also received very high praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who lauded him as a “world-class talent”, while also describing the youngster as having “excellent technical capacity & ball carrying ability.”

That is underlined by the fact the Senlis-born ace ranks in the 90th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to other midfielders, and the 85th percentile for tackles over the same timeframe.

Having already started to make a name for himself in Ligue 1, Bouaddi clearly has a lot of potential, and may not be too far off first-team level for a top Premier League club, so Arsenal should undoubtedly look to win the race for his signature.

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has shot down claims regarding himself and Wayne Rooney, comparing themselves during their teenage years.

Owen unrivalled at 18 years of age

Owen burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old back in 1997, scoring on his Liverpool debut at Wimbledon, before becoming a superstar for both the Reds and England.

The ex-striker’s career fell away as the years passed, mainly due to injuries, but speaking to Rio Ferdinand, he claimed that no English player has reached the level he did at that age.

“People can look at how I played at 26 and say, ‘these players are much better than him.’ Yes, I know. By then, my hamstring muscles were torn in half. I was ashamed to wear a shirt with my name on it at 26 and beyond. I was already in decline. I won the Ballon d’Or when I was already on the downturn. It was a serious decline. At 19, my muscles tore in half.

“But if we talk about the period from 7 to 19 years old, I’m not sure anyone was better than me. There were very few players like that. What Ronaldo was doing at 17, 18 – my God! I played against Thierry Henry; there was a one- or two-year gap between us, and he wasn’t doing what I was doing.

“At 17, I became the Premier League top scorer – that will never happen again! And at 18, twice. But everyone remembers only how I played at 31, 32. By then, I couldn’t do anything anymore.”

It is clearly a topic that has irked Owen, with some remembering his latter days rather than his remarkable early years, and he isn’t letting the debate go away.

Owen shoots down Rooney with new remarks

Writing on X on Friday, Owen further went on to compare himself to Rooney at 17, saying there is no debate as to who was better at that age, comparing his Liverpool exploits to that of the ex-Everton sensation.

In fairness to Owen, time hasn’t been kind to him, with so many thinking about his injuries, and the players who have potentially surpassed him since, including Rooney.

That said, he has a genuinely valid point in saying that nobody was better at 17 or 18, in England at least, with the former Three Lions international a stunning talent – one who scored 23 goals in both 1997/98 and 1998/99, before he had even turned 20.

It's not Ekitike or Isak: "Special" Liverpool star could reach Salah levels

This underrated Liverpool star could reach another level in Slot’s system this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 6, 2025

While Rooney went on to have a better career, and was a superior all-round footballer overall, Owen was better as a teenager, and was arguably only below Brazil legend Ronaldo at the same age.

Leeds United and the 49ers have held internal discussions over signing a £150,000-a-week “monster” who shares the same agent as Jayden Bogle.

49ers looking at Leeds signings alongside Rangers takeover

The Whites are preparing for life back in the Premier League following a brilliant 2024/25 campaign in the Championship, and chairman Paraag Marathe seemingly has big plans at Elland Road this summer.

Talking earlier this month, Marathe confirmed Farke would lead Leeds in the top flight and promised to “spend to be competitive in the Premier League”.

“Together we are going to build the best squad we can, with every penny we are allowed to spend to be competitive in the Premier League. We are going to attack the transfer market and it’s something I’m really excited about.”

49ers now preparing £15m+ bid to sign "playmaker" who Farke wants at Leeds

The Whites are plotting some intelligent moves under Daniel Farke…

1 BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

As well as looking at summer transfers for Leeds, the 49ers have now announced their takeover of Scottish giants Rangers, with Marathe named as vice chairman at Ibrox.

There have already been transfer rumours regarding Leeds and Rangers, with the Whites thought to be interested in Gers star Nicolas Raskin, who plays as a central midfielder.

However, he isn’t the only central midfield target for the 49ers, who are eyeing up a potential reunion in Yorkshire.

Leeds hold internal talks over Kalvin Phillips return

According to The Daily Mail, who have shared an in-depth transfer update from Elland Road, Leeds have ‘discussed’ a return to Elland Road for Kalvin Phillips this summer.

Sold to Man City for an initial £42m in 2022, Phillips has struggled for game time at the Etihad and has been sent on loan to West Ham and Ipswich Town as a result.

Alongside internal talks for Phillips, Leeds also have their eye on Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Julian Weigl, with Farke a fan after working with the 29-year-old in Germany.

On £150,000-a-week, Phillips, who shares the same CAA Stellar agency as Bogle, Dan James, Joe Rodon, Wilfried Gnonto and Patrick Bamford, could be a risky signing for Leeds, considering he has recently undergone an operation on his Achilles and is set to be sidelined until August.

Games

234

Goals

14

Assists

13

Yellow cards

54

Red cards

4

Minutes played

18,257

Trophies

1

That would rule him out of the majority, if not all of pre-season, and with his lack of game time over the last three years, may not be the best of decisions to come in and rival Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev and Ao Tanaka.

Phillips has been called a “monster” in the past, though, and by the looks of things, a move could still be one to watch, although the injury update could mean the 49ers pass on any transfer.

Arsenal have reportedly sealed their first sale of the summer transfer window already, with Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta waving goodbye to one “high level” player who’s completed a move to Europe.

Arsenal players who are poised to leave this summer

A fair few high-profile members of Arteta’s squad are currently bound for the N5 exit door.

Obi-Mikel desperate for Arsenal not to sign "unplayable" Gyokeres alternative

The ex-Chelsea midfielder suggests he’d be a major threat under Arteta.

1 ByEmilio Galantini May 22, 2025

Kieran Tierney’s pending move to Celtic will be a welcome return to Parkhead for the Scotland international, who gets to work under Brendan Rodgers six years after their pair parted company in 2019.

1

Kai Havertz

£280,000

£14,560,000

2

Gabriel Jesus

£265,000

£13,780,000

=3

Declan Rice

£240,000

£12,480,000

=3

Martin Odegaard

£240,000

£12,480,000

5

Thomas Partey

£200,000

£10,400,000

6

Bukayo Saka

£195,000

£10,140,000

7

William Saliba

£190,000

£9,880,000

via Capology

Meanwhile, it is reliably believed that Jorginho is set to join Flamengo once his £110,000-per-week Arsenal contract expires, but the Brazilian side are also exploring a deal to bring him in early, so he can take part in the Club World Cup next month (The Athletic).

Uncertainty continues to surround Thomas Partey’s long-term future with no fresh terms currently agreed as things stand, despite widely reported talks, but Arteta is adamant that he wants the Ghana international to stay.

“Yes,” said Arteta when asked if he wants Partey to extend his contract.

“I think consistency-wise it’s been his best season. The way he’s played, performed, his availability, has been exceptional and he’s a really important player for us.”

The writing appears on the wall for Albert Sambi Lokonga in terms of an exit, with the Belgian spending 2024/2025 on loan at Sevilla. The same can also be said for left-back Nuno Tavares, who’s impressed on a loan-to-buy deal at Lazio.

Nuno Tavares seals exit from Arsenal to Lazio

The Portuguese, despite some injury woes over the second half of the campaign, has racked up nine assists in all competitions and won over the Serie A side’s supporters with some impressive displays.

According to Il Messaggero, via Sport Witness, this form has been enough to convince Lazio to keep him there permanently.

The newspaper claims Lazio have paid £4 million to sign Tavares from Arsenal indefinitely, and the 25-year-old will complete his move to Europe after a regrettable four-year stint at the Emirates where he never quite established himself.

He performed well on various loan spells, with ex-Marseille boss Igor Tudor calling him a “high level” player during his temporary stint in Ligue 1. Arteta also had initial high hopes for him when Edu signed Tavares from Benfica in 2021.

“One of the biggest qualities he has is that he is not fazed at all when is playing,” said Arteta about Tavares. “He was not fazed to make a debut like he did, the risks that he takes, the actions that he puts in place.

“Plus what you can see, his physicality, he is naturally a very gifted athlete. He can run and he can change speed and direction, and technically he is very gifted. But, for me, the most important thing is that he is a defender and he needs to defend first, and then he can provide the rest of his qualities.”

Chelsea chiefs hold a private belief that one “sensational” player will make the move to Stamford Bridge this summer, following the club’s decision to offer him a tempting contract.

Chelsea suffer damaging 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United

The race for Champions League qualification is the tightest and most enthralling we’ve seen in years, with six teams involved in a narrow top-five battle which could see any one of them drop out in the final two Premier League games of the season.

Chelsea favourites to sign £148m forward ahead of Al-Nassr with talks held

The Blues are ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s side.

ByEmilio Galantini May 11, 2025

Chelsea acquired some breathing room between themselves and sixth place after their excellent win over champions Liverpool, but immediately followed up that result with a damaging 2-0 loss to Newcastle at St. James’ Park over the weekend.

Sandro Tonali opened the scoring inside two minutes, kickstarting the uphill contest awaiting Enzo Maresca’s men, with striker Nicolas Jackson then compounding Chelsea’s misery by receiving a red card on 36 minutes.

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

They remained in the game until the dying seconds, with midfielder Bruno Guimaraes sealing a precious three points for Newcastle. Chelsea remain in the top five on goal difference alone, making their final matches against Man United and Nottingham Forest absolute must-wins.

The race for Europe is absolutely vital in more ways than one, with their success set to have an influence over their transfer plans for the summer as well.

Beyond this season, Chelsea are competing in the Club World Cup and reportedly want to bolster their squad before the tournament kicks off.

According to widespread reports from reliable media sources, Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen is a very serious target for Maresca’s side as they seek to reinforce their central defensive options.

Chelsea have already held talks with Huijsen’s representatives, and some reports claim they’re moving in with an attractive proposal for the 20-year-old, one which he personally likes (Simon Phillips).

Huijsen’s £50 million release clause has piqued interest from a host of English rivals and beyond, but it appears BlueCo are making real moves for the ex-Serie A defender, and want a deal done “by the end of May” (Fabrizio Romano).

Chelsea convinced Huijsen will join with "lucrative" contract offer

Now, TEAMtalk have backed up previous reports that Chelsea are ready to tempt Huijsen with an offer, providing further background on this evolving story.

The outlet reports that Chelsea’s offer to Huijsen will be a “lucrative” seven-year contract, and he’s responding “positively” to their eagerness. Those within Stamford Bridge are also convinced that he’ll choose to join them over rival clubs.

While they haven’t won the race for his signature just yet, with Real Madrid described as a threat in particular, Chelsea view themselves as serious frontrunners to sign the Bournemouth sensation after his impressive debut campaign in England.

Dubbed a “sensational” centre-back prospect by members of the media (Ben Mattinson), the intense race for his services is a clear indicator that elite club insiders see Huijsen as a potentially world-class addition, both for now and the long-term.