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Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell thinks Liverpool are definitely making the ‘right move’ by offering Naby Keita a new contract.

The Lowdown: Contract talks opened

The 27-year-old first made the switch to the Premier League when he joined the Reds from RB Leipzig five years ago, but as a result of only having 12 months remaining on his current contract at Anfield, his future is now uncertain.

However, there has since been a positive update in the sense that LFC have opened talks with the midfielder over a new deal, with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano further confirming that the club have made it one of their priorities to tie the maestro down this summer.

The Latest: Campbell backs Liverpool decision

Asked by Football Insider whether he thinks Liverpool have made the right decision in offering new terms to Keita, Campbell said: “I like Keita.

“I think he is a very good player. Whenever he is in the team, he has performed.

“You can tell a good player when there is not drop-off. That is how you know that you’ve got a squad of top player. There was times that Keita was on the bench and Klopp brought him on to up the level.

“He has a silky way of dribbling and playing decisive passes. I think the right move is to tie him down to a new deal, 100 per cent. Klopp has to keep that squad intact.

“They were one point off of the title last season. It is going to be another close one this season.”

The Verdict: Magician in midfield

Keita has slightly fallen down Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order in recent times, with the German having the likes of Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago all available for selection, but he’s someone who is definitely more than worth keeping in and around the squad.

Even though the Guinean only made 14 top-flight starts last season, he still managed to make a hugely positive impact when given the chance, averaging an 86% pass success rate and two tackles per 90 minutes, via WhoScored, highlighting his ability to tighten up and control a midfield.

With Takumi Minamino on the verge of sealing a Reds exit and Henderson not getting any younger, Keita should get plenty of chances to impact the starting XI going forward, where he will undoubtedly continue to enjoy plenty more success with Liverpool in years to come.

Leeds United will need to pay €22m to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, according to journalist Santi Aouna.

The Lowdown: Leeds bid

The Whites haven’t wasted any time this summer when it comes to first-team signings, with midfielder Marc Roca now officially becoming the third addition.

Attention has since turned to a deal for Kalimuendo, with The Independent revealing that Leeds have made a bid in the region of €20m (£17.1m).

The 20-year-old forward scored 12 goals in 27 starts in Ligue 1 on loan with Lens last season, and any switch to Elland Road would likely include a buy-back clause.

The Latest: Journalist’s update

Aouna took to Twitter on Thursday lunchtime following the news of the ‘official offer’ that was reported ‘in England’.

He added some more ‘info’, claiming that PSG will now demand a €22m (£18.9m) fee to part ways with Kalimuendo.

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The Verdict: Good move?

European football expert Antonio Mango has hailed Kalimuendo as a ‘superstar in the making’, and should he arrive in Yorkshire, he would provide Jesse Marsch with a much-needed centre-forward option.

Patrick Bamford missed 30 games through three separate issues last season, and there is little depth behind the England international.

The Frenchman would also be able to provide cover on the left wing or in a deeper central role, but it seems as if Leeds will need to up their initial offer slightly to get a transfer over the line.

Transfermarkt currently has a probability of a move going through at 63%, so it looks like this one does have legs, especially with reporters abroad such as Aouna now getting additional scoops on the news.

In other news: £25m: Leeds now want ‘complete’ Phillips replacement; just waiting for Radz green light. 

Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has waxed lyrical over the club’s recent move for Robin Olsen on a permanent basis, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Fourth summer signing

NSWE have already backed Steven Gerrard ahead of his first full season in charge by making four signings so far. The most recent of those was Olsen, who – like Philippe Coutinho – converted his loan move into a permanent deal.

Villa reportedly paid around €3.5m (£3m) for the Sweden international, with the club now turning their attention to Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The Latest: Agbonlahor reacts to Olsen transfer

Agbonlahor, who contributes as a pundit for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Villa’s business so far.

He described the club’s permanent move for Olsen as ‘crucial’, describing the goalkeeper’s performance on his Villans debut against Manchester City last month as ‘very good’ .

Agbonlahor said:

“Sorting the goalkeeper out was crucial.

“Martinez does travel a lot with Argentina, he says he suffered with jet lag this season (2021-22) and if your first-choice gets injured you want a second-choice who’s good enough, not one that you don’t trust.

“I thought Olsen was very good against Man City. He was probably a bit nervous with his kicking but I’m sure that will come and it’s something Villa will be working on.”

The Verdict: Good start…

As Agbonlahor mentions, bringing in Olsen on a full-time basis was a smart piece of business. Moves for Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos also appear to be exciting coups, with Villa’s summer expenditure so far just shy of £50m.

Indeed, the Swedish stopper put in a decent display against City, making two saves on the day. Also, as Agbonlahor pointed out, first-choice ‘keeper Martinez was frequently hopping across the Atlantic to play for Argentina throughout the season, so it would not be ideal for Gerrard to flog him remorselessly.

Reports in recent months have claimed that NSWE are likely to spend more than £150m this summer and are expected to break their transfer record once again, so it could be an eye-catching few months following a positive start to the window as Gerrard looks to take Villa to the next level.

In other news: Gerrard set to axe £18m-rated Villa pair next after Targett; ‘very important’ Smith star may go

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering a move for Allan Saint-Maximin this summer, according to football.london journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Making a big impression

The Frenchman made his Premier League entrance in 2019 when he put pen to paper on a six-year deal with Newcastle following his departure from Nice. He has gone on to become a standout performer in Eddie Howe’s starting XI, having made 93 appearances for the St James’ Park club to date.

Even though the 25-year-old still has four years remaining on his current contract, his scintillating form has seen him catch the eye of the Lilywhites. After a fresh update, it seems that Spurs appear to be seriously monitoring the forward ahead of a potential switch.

The Latest: Spurs considering Saint-Maximin move

In Gold’s latest piece for football.london, it is claimed that Tottenham are ‘weighing up a move’ for Saint-Maximin after making a huge impression in the English top flight.

The report stated that Spurs’ director of football Fabio Paratici is a ‘big admirer’ of the player, with the north London club viewing the Newcastle ace as someone who could ‘boost’ Antonio Conte’s attacking options ahead of the start of next season.

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The Verdict: Bergwijn replacement?

With Steven Bergwijn’s exit seeming imminent, Spurs will need to find a suitable replacement for the Dutchman in the final third, and the former France under-21 international could well be the ideal candidate to take the 24-year-old’s place.

The £28.8m-rated Newcastle dynamo, who was hailed as a “next level” player earlier this year by Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards, scored five goals and provided five assists in the Premier League this term (as per Transfermarkt), with only Callum Wilson (eight) netting more often for Howe’s team.

Whether or not Saint-Maximin would be a regular starter under Conte if he were to make the move to N17 is unclear, but he is definitely a highly-rated talent who can produce the goods at top-flight level. He is someone that Spurs should strongly consider adding to their ranks if the price is right.

In other news… a transfer insider has revealed that Tottenham are now seriously ‘going after’ one of their long-term targets

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Dean Henderson heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to 90Min, the Magpies have reached an agreement with the England international over personal terms as they attempt to bring him to St. James’ Park.

The report claims that talks are ongoing with Manchester United over whether the deal would be a permanent one or on loan for the 2022/23 campaign, with a fee in the region of £20m touted.

This comes after Fabrizio Romano revealed that the club have agreed on a fee with Stade Reims for 19-year-old French striker Hugo Ekitike.

He’ll leave Eddie Howe speechless

Forget the Ligue 1 centre-forward for now… the Magpies head coach will be buzzing with a potential deal for Henderson as he would love the shot-stopper to be on Tyneside next season.

The Red Devils gem is an exciting prospect who has the potential to leave Howe speechless with his ability between the sticks.

He is a proven Premier League performer as he has enjoyed two excellent seasons in the top-flight for two different teams. In the 2020/21 campaign – for his parent club – Henderson averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 6.94 in 14 appearances as he saved a whopping 77% of the shots against him.

The ‘keeper also impressed at Bramall Lane on loan, with his former Sheffield United teammate Sander Berge previously showering him in praise, saying: “He’s insane. I’ve never been with such a good goalkeeper. One thing in matches, he is almost a defence alone at times, and you feel so secure with him.

“But people have to see him at training. It’s crazy. He saves balls from one yard. Sometimes I am completely speechless by how good he is. It’s like having two goalkeepers in goal with him. He’s awesome.”

In the 2020/21 campaign for Chris Wilder’s side, Henderson averaged a sublime score of 7.00 and saved 75% of the shots against him as he kept 13 clean sheets in 36 games.

His statistics are outstanding and Berge’s inside insight backs up that the Englishman is a top-quality goalkeeper, whilst he still has plenty of time left to develop at the age of 25.

He can be a player Howe works with at Newcastle for a number of seasons, given his quality and age, and that is why he would love to work with him.

Hopefully, PIF and Dan Ashworth can now reach an agreement with Manchester United to make this a permanent move so that Henderson can make the Toon head coach speechless with his stunning displays between the sticks for many years to come.

AND in other news, “In talks…”: Fabrizio Romano delivers NUFC transfer claim that’ll delight supporters…

Rangers defender Connor Goldson has signed a new contract at Ibrox in a huge blow to Nottingham Forest’s transfer plans.

The Lowdown: Goldson pens new deal

The 29-year-old first completed the switch to Glasgow from top-flight side Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2018, where he put pen to paper on a four-year deal, making a staggering 222 senior appearances for the club since that time.

The centre-back’s spell with Gio van Bronckhorst’s side looked to be coming to an end this summer, but the Gers shocked fans on Wednesday by announcing a four-year extension.

The Latest: Forest were about to move

The Scottish Sun revealed late on Monday night that the Reds were about to ‘step up’ their interest in Goldson.

Steve Cooper is said to be ‘huge fan’ of the player and the Premier League new boys were ‘ready to make their move’.

The Verdict: Huge blow

The 1-0 victory against Huddersfield Town in the play-off final at Wembley last weekend will see the club receive an astonishing £170m cash boost for making the jump up to the top division.

Goldson, once dubbed an “incredible” player by former Gers boss Steven Gerrard, would have been a superb way to start off their summer business, immediately granting Cooper one of his top targets without paying a penny on transfer fees due to his contract situation.

Averaging 3.3 clearances and 1.2 tackles per league game this season, via WhoScored, he’s been an absolute rock in Rangers’ back-line, also racking up 13 Europa League appearances.

A reunion with Joe Worrall would have provided Cooper with a truly solid pairing of two colossal defenders ready to take the top flight by storm, but the manager will now have to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements, and it’s extremely unlikely he’ll find one he likes so much on a Bosman deal.

Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster is set to undergo a medical at Tottenham Hotspur this week, claims Daily Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath.

The Lowdown: Forster’s Saints contract

Both Alex McCarthy and Forster headed into last summer with just 12 months left on their contracts at St Mary’s.

The former agreed fresh terms with the club, agreeing to a new three-year deal, but the latter was not offered a new contract and will now be allowed to sign somewhere else for zero transfer cost.

The Athletic’s Dan Sheldon previously reported that Southampton will sit the keeper down and inform him that he is free to leave. The 34-year-old is set to be out of contract officially at the end of June after spending seven seasons at the south-coast club.

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The Latest: Spurs closing in

According to Daily Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath, sharing news smack bang in the middle of north London’s rush hour on Monday, Forster is set to undergo a medical at Spurs this week ahead of a summer move.

Taking to Twitter, McGrath shared:

“Fraser Forster set for #THFC medical this week with deal for England goalkeeper as a free agent to be closed in the coming days, after Southampton departure #Spurs #SaintsFC.”

The Verdict: Great signing for Conte

With Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte set on signing a new back-up goalkeeper to replace Pierluigi Gollini, the 34-year-old’s arrival will provide excellent experience as a no.2 and also serve to help solve the homegrown player issue at N17.

With 168 appearances tallied in the Scottish Premiership and a further 133 games under his Premier League belt, Forster, dubbed ‘ridiculous’ for ‘one of the best goalkeeping performances’ this season vs Arsenal by journalist Josh Bunting, will be able to come in and be relied upon to do a solid job with his wealth of experience.

On a free transfer, we feel this will be a great and shrewd signing for Tottenham.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Paratici set to back Conte with major signings

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing PSV Eindhoven’s defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare during the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Midfielder on the agenda?

Jurgen Klopp is sure to dip into the transfer market this summer as he looks to ensure that his Reds side remain in touch with Manchester City in the Premier League next season.

Midfield is certainly an area which could do with some fresh blood, with a number of Liverpool’s incumbents now in their 30s, including James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Thiago.

Monaco youngster Aurelien Tchouameni has been strongly linked with a move to Anfield, and now another rumour is doing the rounds.

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The Latest: Liverpool eye up Sangare move

According to Voetbal International [via Sport Witness], Liverpool have sent scouts to watch Sangare in action for PSV in recent weeks as the club’s FSG ownership weigh up a potential summer move.

The Ivorian has a release clause of €37.5m (£31.6m) which can be triggered at any time, and the Reds are believed to have him ‘firmly in their sights’.

The Verdict: Ideal Fabinho backup?

While Henderson can do a good job in place of Fabinho in the number six role, the skipper is 32 this summer. Sangare could represent a long-term deputy in that position, having been described as ‘extraordinary’ by former coach Aad de Mos.

The 17-cap Ivory Coast international has averaged 3.3 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per game across 29 Eredivisie appearances this season, highlighting his off-the-ball tenacity. Both of those averages are better than what anyone at Anfield has managed this term.

At 24, Sangare could mature into someone who eventually usurps Fabinho at the base of Liverpool’s midfield, perhaps even partnering Tchouameni for the Reds in a few years’ time.

In other news, a fresh update has emerged regarding one Liverpool superstar’s future. Read more here.

Southampton are now undergoing contract discussions with Kegs Chauke and are ‘confident’ a new deal can be struck, claims journalist Alfie House.

The Lowdown: Chauke’s situation

The 19-year-old academy graduate broke into the Saints first-team last season, having made the bench on ten occasions and being awarded his full debut in the FA Cup against Shrewsbury.

However, the central midfielder has made the bench in the Premier League just once this season, sparking worry about his future, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign.

As a result, Manchester City had expressed their interest in signing the youngster earlier this year.

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The Latest: House’s update

Daily Echo journalist Alfie House has now shared the latest details on Chauke’s future with Southampton.

Taking to Twitter, he claimed: “Understand contract discussions between #SaintsFC and Kegs Chauke are ongoing.

“Hinges on assurances, including loan move next season. His current deal expires this summer.

“Was involved in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad a lot last campaign. Confidence that a deal can be struck.”

The Verdict: Loan move needed

As per the Daily Echo, young players view Southampton as one of the best opportunities to play first-team football in the Premier League.

However, this has not been the case this season, with 17-year-old Thierry Small being the only academy youngster who has received any minutes.

As a result, it seems a loan move to the Championship is needed for Chauke, as a means of adjusting to senior football. Therefore, this should be crucial in his contract talks.

If he impresses, it is likely that he will be rewarded with minutes in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s first-team down the line.

In other news: Southampton: Sasa Kalajdzic now on Saints’ radar

Aston Villa will be without Jacob Ramsey for tonight’s Premier League clash against Liverpool due to injury.

The Lowdown: Ramsey a regular for Villa

The midfielder, who Steven Gerrard labelled a ‘top talent’, has been a regular for the Villans this season, making 32 appearances in all competitions.

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The 20-year-old has scored six times in the Premier League and has missed just three top-flight games, with the latest coming in the 3-1 win at Burnley on the weekend.

Gerrard was hoping to have Ramsey back in the squad for the visit of Jurgen Klopp’s side to Villa Park, but it doesn’t look as if that will prove to be the case.

The Latest: Groin problem for Ramsey

As reported by Birmingham Live, the 20-year-old will miss the clash against the Reds due to a groin problem.

Gerrard said there is an ‘outside chance’ that Ramsey could return against Crystal Palace this weekend, but the youngster will be forced to watch on from the sidelines tonight alongside Leon Bailey and Kortney Hause.

The Verdict: Options for Gerrard?

Calum Chambers, Douglas Luiz and John McGinn linked out in a three-man midfield on the weekend, with Emiliano Buendia in an advanced role behind Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins.

The trio may all keep their places in the starting line-up, although Gerrard does have options even with Ramsey missing once again. Teenagers Carney Chukwuemeka and Tim Iroegbunam were on the bench against the Clarets last time out, along with more experienced midfielders Morgan Sanson and Marvelous Nakamba.

Therefore, even with Ramsey out, Gerrard still has plenty of midfielders available to shake things up, but after a 3-1 win at the weekend, he may resist making wholesale changes to his team.

In other news: Gregg Evans reveals shock Aston Villa exit is on the cards this summer after NSWE call