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Reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano has shed some light on the pursuit from Arsenal to sign Lyon forward Lucas Paqueta. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

The Gunners have been heavily linked with a move for Paqueta this summer, while there is also strong interest from mega-rich Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

Any potential swoop was handed a significant boost recently when a report from Media Foot Marseille claimed that the Ligue 1 club are willing to accept £34million for the 24-year-old, a substantial price drop from a previously mooted £68million demand.

Despite the apparent admiration, no move has yet materialised and one transfer expert has delivered his verdict on the current state of play regarding Paqueta…

The latest: Edu makes contact

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Romano claims that although there is a link with technical director Edu and the 33-cap Brazil international’s agent, no deal is currently in the pipeline.

He said: “At the moment there is nothing close for Arsenal. There is an interest because Edu, of course, with his Brazilian link knows the players so well and had some contact with his agent but never submitted a proposal.”

The verdict: Make it happen

Holding a perceived market value of £31.5million and under contract in France until 2025 (Transfermarkt), the freshly reported price point for a player of Paqueta’s calibre has to be regarded as a bargain opportunity that cannot be overlooked.

Albeit Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is blessed in terms of attacking midfield options with Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli already in situ at N7, the Brazilian’s ability to operate centrally and in wide positions make the former AC Milan man a smart addition to the ranks, particularly given the increased demands facing the squad next term.

Last season, Paqueta – who was hailed as an ‘exemplary’ performer by teammate Karl Toko-Ekambi – scored 11 times and provided seven assists in 43 appearances across all competitions – highlighting a willingness to influence matches in the final third, more so than another heavily linked target in Youri Tielemans who only managed 12 direct goal contributions in 50 appearances.

Loved by Arsenal icon Thierry Henry for his ‘dribbling and blind passing’, the balletic Brazilian earned a 7.13 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.3 duels, completing 2.3 dribbles and making 1.2 key passes on average per outing during the 2021/22 Ligue 1 campaign, form that would light up the Emirates Stadium and see Paqueta become an instant hit with the North Londoners.

Newcastle United could launch a move for Seko Fofana this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who recently revealed the Magpies’ interest in the RC Lens midfielder to GIVEMESPORT.

He said:

“They also like Seko Fofana at Lens. So, I think there are all sorts of players right now.”

The 27-year-old, who was once on the books at Premier League champions Manchester City, is expected to cost around £25m.

Imagine him and Guimaraes

Despite never making a senior appearance at the Etihad Stadium, the Ivory Coast international has emerged as one of Ligue 1’s standout stars in recent seasons.

FBref cite City star Ilkay Gundogan and Barcelona man Frenkie de Jong as statistically similar players and it’s easy to see why, given the level at which he has been performing over the past 365 days.

Fofana, when compared to his positional peers across Europe, ranks amongst the top 1% for total shots (2.63 per 90), the top 2% for dribbles completed (1.93 per 90) and the top 10% for progressive carries (6.49 per 90).

The Lens star, dubbed “unplayable” and “very reliable” by journalist Said Amdaa, could therefore be a fine addition to Eddie Howe’s engine room and one that could form a frightening duo with Bruno Guimaraes, who has already taken to the northeast like a duck to water.

After providing nine goal contributions across 38 appearances in the French top-flight, the Magpies could have two lethal midfielders in the final third, given just how well the Brazilian has done in the Premier League so far (six goal contributions in 11 starts).

Elsewhere, Fofana’s manager Franck Haise has dubbed him “the most complete player”, whilst journalist Zach Lowry has lauded him as a “phenom,” too.

The £22.5m-rated machine would be a mighty fine acquisition for sporting director Dan Ashworth to make and at £25m, they wouldn’t be overspending whatsoever.

Just imagine him and Guimaraes under Howe this season.

AND in other news, Newcastle “join chase” to land “special” £5m dynamo, he’s a “superstar in the making”…

Sunderland may have signed winger Jack Clarke from Tottenham for ‘next to nothing’ on the condition that a ‘huge’ sell-on clause is included in the deal, claims Spurs insider John Wenham.

The Lowdown: Clarke’s signing

At the weekend, Sunderland announced that they had reached an agreement with the Lilywhites over the permanent signing of the 21-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the Stadium of Light.

The winger played an integral role in the Black Cats’ promotion to the Championship, making 20 appearances for the Lads, including the club’s play-off final victory over Wycombe Wanderers.

As per BBC Sport, Clarke signed for the Wearside outfit for an undisclosed fee.

The Latest: Wenham’s claim

Wenham believes that the transfer for Clarke should command a minimal fee, but with focus on a sell-on clause.

Speaking with Football Insider, the Lilywhites insider claimed:

“I have seen some people quoting ridiculous figures, you have to be realistic.

“He has 12 months left on his contract. For me, Tottenham would be wiser to let him go for next to nothing with the caveat of a huge sell-on clause.

“That way, if he does go and impress and move again, we will see some of that money back. It has happened before.

“Tottenham got 50% on Marcus Edwards when he moves to Vitoria for essentially nothing. So letting Clarke go for nothing would be better than letting him go for a smaller transfer fee without the clause.

“So I hope that is something Tottenham have included because Clarke has a high ceiling.”

The Verdict: Great signing

Former Leeds United forward Noel Whelan heaped huge praise on the youngster during his time at Elland Road, saying: “He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players.”

This was backed up by former Black Cats boss Lee Johnson, who asserted that the winger has the potential to be an ‘influential’ player for the Wearside club.

With such high praise, it is clear to see Sunderland now have a great, young talent on their hands, and with the rumoured fee potentially so low, this could turn out to be shrewd business for the North-East side regardless of what they may lose down the line in clauses.

Tottenham Hotspur could make a move for free agent Jesse Lingard if he fails to come to an agreement with West Ham, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Lingard’s offers

With the midfielder now out of contract following his departure from Manchester United, the 29-year-old has recently been at the centre of numerous of transfer rumours.

According to a report by ESPN, the former England international is travelling to the United States to meet with a series of MLS teams ahead of a proposed move this summer. However, the same report also cites West Ham and Everton as clubs who remain interested in the free agent’s services.

Adding to the number of Premier League teams interested, The Telegraph have reported that Tottenham are keen on bringing Lingard to Hotspur Way in attempt to improve upon their homegrown quota.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim

O’Rourke believes that there is a possibility that the attacking midfielder could snub his former loan club in favour of Champions League football with Spurs this summer.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the journalist said of Lingard: “West Ham obviously will probably offer him more of a guarantee of regular first team football.

“That probably couldn’t be guaranteed at Tottenham right now under Antonio Conte with the quality of the squad he’s now got at his disposal.

“But Champions League football is on offer at Tottenham and West Ham can only offer Europa Conference League football so that might be a big decision in where Jesse Lingard does end up moving this summer.

“I still think Tottenham will be thinking if West Ham can’t agree a deal with Lingard, then they might make a move for him.”

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The Verdict: Good addition for squad depth

During Lingard’s time at Old Trafford, former United coach Michael Carrick previously praised the 29-year-old for the hard work that he put in to establish himself at the highest level, describing him as a  ‘dynamic’ midfielder with a ‘unique’ playing style.

The free agent is also a proven Premier League operator, with 46 goal contributions in 165 appearances in England’s top flight.

Following the addition of Yves Bissouma to Antonio Conte’s squad, the arrival of the 32-cap England international would add further depth to the Lilywhites’ options in the middle of the park, with a more creative outlet able to come off the bench.

When you consider that Lingard would also be adding to Tottenham’s homegrown quota, this could be a move which makes perfect sense for both parties.

Fabrice Hawkins has dropped an update on the future of reported Leeds United transfer target Arnaud Kalimuendo.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the French journalist revealed that both Leeds and Inter Milan are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Paris Saint-Germain centre-forward ahead of a potential move this summer, with the Ligue 1 Champions believed to be demanding a figure in the region of €22m (£19m) in order to part with the 20-year-old.

Hawkins goes on to suggest that, despite the new PSG manager, Christophe Galtier, previously being eager to sign the France U21 international during his time at OGC Nice, all things still point to the striker securing a move away from Le Parc des Princes ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Arnaud Kalimuendo is well tracked by Inter Milan. His relatives were even invited to see a match in Milan a few weeks ago. Leeds are there too. The trend is towards a departure even if Christophe Galtier wanted to recover him when he was coaching Nice.”

Jonathan David 2.0

Considering just how exciting a prospect Kalimuendo undoubtedly is, it is not difficult to understand why Orta would be plotting a move to bring the centre-forward to Elland Road this summer.

Indeed, over his 34 Ligue 1 appearances for RC Lens last season, the £17m-rated talent was in deadly goalscoring form, hitting the back of the net on 12 separate occasions, as well as creating three big chances for his teammates and taking an average of 1.8 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

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Furthermore, according to FBref data, the £6.6k-per-week forward also ranks in the top 28% of centre-forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 1% for passes completed, the top 19% for progressive carries and the top 11% for progressive passes received over the past 12 months.

These metrics see FBref compare the 21-year-old to some of the most recognisable centre-forwards in European football, such as LOSC Lille’s Jonathan David, Lazio’s Ciro Immobile and Sampdoria’s Francesco Caputo.

And, with Jacek Kulig dubbing Kalimuendo a “prolific” forward – as well as listing the youngster’s strengths as his “pace, finishing, instinct, movement and technique” – it is easy to see the similarities between the PSG starlet and the 69-goal David – who Leeds were linked with a move for in 2020 and who has more recently been tipped to become Robert Lewandowksi’s heir at Bayern Munich.

As such, considering the fact that the signing of a new forward is reported to be one of Orta’s priorities ahead of the new Premier League campaign, it would appear highly advisable for the Spaniard to do everything in his power to seal to deal for the 20-year-old ahead of Inter this summer – as Kalimuendo could well prove to be the Whites very own David at Elland Road next season.

AND in other news: Victor Orta now given green light for “sublime” £13m Leeds signing, he’s “unstoppable”

Everton are reportedly now eyeing up a move for Oleksandr Zinchenko as a potential alternative to Harry Winks.

The Lowdown: Contact made

The Goodison Park outfit have reportedly made contact over the potential signing of Winks, who is expected to cost them around £20m to arrive from Tottenham Hotspur.

However, if that deal falls through, then they will have to look at other targets to strengthen the central midfield position given the inconsistency of players like Andre Gomes, who could well leave this summer.

The Latest: Zinchenko eyed

Taking to Twitter, The Liverpool Echo journalist Christopher Beesley has revealed that Zinchenko, who has also been linked with a move to the Merseyside club, ‘remains a transfer option’ for Frank Lampard as a potential alternative to Winks:

“Oleksandr Zinchenko remains a transfer option for Everton with the Manchester City player offering Frank Lampard a potential alternative to Harry Winks.”

The Verdict: Zinchenko is better

If the Toffees were to sign one, they should be signing Zinchenko over Winks.

A player who thrives in many different positions across the pitch, including in midfield, his teammate Kyle Walker has even gone as far as to claim that he is ‘more gifted’ than Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne.

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Having seen him feature at left-back for City in the Premier League, Blues supporters would have caught a glimpse of what he can do in midfield when he impressed for Ukraine in their FIFA World Cup play-off semi-final win against Scotland, as The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope dubbed him ‘superhuman‘.

Zinchenko would also bring an added winning mentality as a multiple title-winner with City.

West Ham United insider and reliable club source ExWHUemployee has made a claim as the east Londoners eye a move for Southampton star James Ward-Prowse.

The Lowdown: Irons in hunt…

The Saints midfielder, after a personal best campaign in the Premier League over 2021/2022, is said to be of serious interest to manager David Moyes.

The Daily Mirror recently backed that Moyes is personally keen on signing Ward-Prowse at West Ham with former club coach Stuart Pearce even claiming the England international had the best season of his career.

However, the player could also cost big, big money, with popular insider Ex now sharing what he knows on Twitter.

The Latest: Ex makes Ward-Prowse claim…

As per the reliable Hammers in-the-know, while West Ham are indeed interested, Ward-Prowse’s valuation may well be too high.

When asked about the situation, Ex explained:

“Gonna be a struggle I would say. So even though I keep being told we want him, his valuation is going to be very high.”

The Verdict: Worth the investment?

As per WhoScored, Ward-Prowse certainly enjoyed a fine season at St. Mary’s.

He finished 21/22 as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s best-performing player by average match rating, all while racking up their most goals, highest number of assists and key passes completed per 90.

It’s little surprise the 27-year-old has been called ‘sensational’ by Darren Bent and is a sought-after commodity at West Ham with reports suggesting he could cost around £75 million.

The Irons may have to considerably smash their transfer record to get a deal done.

In other news: ‘In negotiations’ – Journalist says club are ‘considering’ West Ham offer for their ‘superb’ striker! Find out more here.

Wolves could opt to sign Braga midfielder Al-Musrati if they miss out on Joao Palhinha this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: New midfielder expected

Bruno Lage will likely be working on a number of new signings in the summer transfer window, with midfield arguably the most important area to strengthen in.

It looks highly likely that Ruben Neves will move on to pastures new, meaning a new top-class midfielder will be needed to plug the gap, especially with no new deal agreed yet for Joao Moutinho.

Wolves have been linked with a move for Al-Musrati in the recent past and now a new update is doing the rounds.

The Latest: Al-Musrati to come in?

According to O Jogo, Wolves could now sign the 26-year-old if they are unable to get a deal for Palhinha over the line.

Al-Musrati stood as a key man for Braga last season, starting 30 Primeira Liga matches and 11 Europa League games, with his current deal expiring in 2024.

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The Verdict: Strong midfield addition

The importance of a new midfield signing for Wolves this summer cannot be underestimated and Al-Musrati could be a great signing for Wanderers.

At 26, the 40-time capped Libya international is at an ideal age to provide plenty of experience but also still have years left in him at the top level.

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Al-Musrati averaged 2 tackles and 2 aerial wins per game across all competitions last term, so he could be a dominant defensive presence, while he also completes six long passes per game, a number identical to Neves’ Premier League average.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has provided a Wolves transfer update. Read more here.

Borna Barisic is being linked with a move away from Rangers this summer and it could prove to be a disastrous move by Giovanni van Bronckhorst to let him leave Ibrox.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Record, Trabzonspor are set to up their interest in the Croatia international after securing the Super Lig title last season, while an unnamed Serie A side are also said to be keen on the left-back.

The report suggests that while claims from Turkey that an official bid has been made are wide of the mark, it is only a matter of time before the newly-crowned Champions make their move for Barisic.

Van Bronckhorst heading for disaster?

While some Rangers fans might have been consigned to losing a left-back this summer, they probably would have expected to see Calvin Bassey depart after his impressive performances last season, with the likes of Aston Villa and West Ham linked with the young defender.

Therefore, it could be something of a disaster if Van Bronckhorst were to lose both Bassey and Barisic this early in the window, especially with Champions League playoff fixtures to come next month, and supporters will surely be worried that they could start the season without a recognised left-back.

To make matters worse, promising left-back James Maxwell has already announced his departure from the club, with Rangers unable to convince him to extend his stay at Ibrox after a lack of first-team opportunities.

Although he lost his starting spot to Bassey on occasion last season, Barisic was still a regular for Rangers last season, making 19 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, in which he contributed three assists and averaged an impressive 7.24 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

While previous reports have suggested that Van Bronckhorst is yet to be convinced by the Croatian, the statistics suggest he was one of the top performers domestically last season, so it would perhaps be unwise to let him leave with Bassey’s future still in doubt.

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Barisic has been a consistent performer for the Teddy Bears during his time at the club, contributing seven goals and 35 assists in 155 appearances, so while he may have lost his place at times last season, it would be a mistake to let him leave this summer when Van Bronckhorst could potentially be left with no options at left-back.

And, in other news… GvB can land Rangers’ ideal Morelos heir with move for £5.4m-rated “goal machine”…

Morgan Sanson has failed to win over Aston Villa fans since his switch from Marseille and it seems as if he could be on his way out of Villa Park this summer.

What’s the word?

Reports from earlier this year tipped Sanson for an exit after a disappointing spell in England, which has seen him make just 20 appearances in all competitions, in which he has failed to score or assist.

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, journalist Josh Holland said:

“I think Tyrone Mings will be given another chance at Villa; I don’t think he’s been that bad to be sold. But Sanson, I think he’s more or less done.”

Villa supporters will be buzzing

Given Sanson’s less than impressive performances, Villa fans will surely be glad to see the back of Sanson and will be hoping that the club can recuperate a good portion of the £16m they paid Marseille to sign him in 2021.

The 27-year-old is contracted at Villa Park until 2025, so fans will be desperate to see him leave for a fee before then, otherwise, the club will continue to pay him for sitting on the bench.

With Philippe Coutinho and Boubacar Kamara having already joined Villa on permanent deals so far this summer, playing time will perhaps be even harder for Sanson to come by next season, and it will surely be best for all parties if he departs.

Last season saw the Frenchman make just ten appearances in the top-flight, seven of which came from the bench, as he averaged a disappointing 6.34 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This ranked him as the second-worst player in Villa’s squad of those to make at least ten appearances, which shows just how poor he has been for the Villans in his time at the club.

Fans will be hoping that Holland’s claim is true and that Sanson is on the brink of leaving the club as unfortunately it simply hasn’t worked out for the former Marseille man in the Premier League.

And, in other news… Gerrard can unleash Villa’s next Grealish in teenage sensation