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Liverpool are reportedly interested in Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, as Jurgen Klopp eyes a midfield revamp this summer.

The German is expected to bid farewell to dominating ace Fabinho who is expected to complete a £40m move to Al-Ittihad, leaving a vacancy for a defensive midfielder to bolster the side.

Could Liverpool sign Joao Palhinha?

The Reds were linked to Fulham’s Portuguese monster in January, but failed to make a move for the 28-year-old.

With the timing of Fabinho’s expected departure, links to the midfielder have resurfaced, with the Liverpool Echo naming Palhinha as an option ‘back on the table’ for Liverpool to consider.

There is however a catch, with a separate report revealing that the Cottagers want a fee of £90m for the player following West Ham’s reported interest earlier this window.

How good is Joao Palhinha?

Signed by Fulham for £20m from Sporting Lisbon last summer, the 28-year-old has been integral to Marco Silva’s side’s progression in the league.

Hailed as an “absolute warrior” by editor and writer Hunter Godson, the Portugal international has lived up to his praise since arriving in the Premier League.

A warrior is a fair description for the midfielder, who averaged the highest rate of tackles per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues, recording a monstrous 4.26 per 90 for Fulham, via FBref.

The former Liga Portugal ace, with 21 caps for his country, has displayed just how much of a combative presence he is in the middle of the park, making Liverpool’s speculated interest somewhat unsurprising.

With an average of 1.33 interceptions and 2.06 aerial duels won per 90, Palhinha is a player many would opt against coming up against in the middle of the park for his sweeper-like antics in protecting the backline.

For the Reds, capturing the dominant gem’s signature could signify the start of a new era in midfield at Anfield, with Klopp already signing attacking option Alexis Mac Allister to bolster the centre of play.

Last season, the Argentine netted an impressive ten goals and two assists for Brighton in an individual campaign to remember, in which he added a World Cup-winning medal to his arsenal.

Klopp could unearth a deadly combo in midfield in deployed Palhinha alongside the 24-year-old, who could thrive if given the freedom to showcase his offensive artistry with the assurance of a mammoth protecting him.

Winning the ball is unquestionably the Lisbon-born star's forte, making him an attractive asset to have in the squad behind the fluent attack Klopp is building, starting with Mac Allister.

The attacking midfielder is capable of spawning attacking sequences with his intricate playing style, as captured by his average of 1.47 key passes per 90 last season.

Klopp could get the best out of Mac Allister to the benefit of the club, with the World Cup winner showing just how much of a threat he can be as Brighton’s favoured playmaker last term.

Combining the creative spark of the Argentine with the defensive expertise of Palhinha could form a balanced pivot in the middle of the park, in a dynamic capable of easing the departure of Fabinho.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta won't rush into selling midfielder Thomas Partey until he has had a chance to fully 'assess' the situation and his potential replacement, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Thomas Partey leaving Arsenal and who have they been linked with?

According to The Daily Mail, Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli are continuing to pursue Ghana international Partey this summer as he mulls over his future at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are reportedly open to selling the £200k-a-week ace to help recoup funds for new signing Declan Rice and have targeted Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia as a potential replacement.

As per the same outlet, Ajax attacking midfielder Mohamed Kudus is another player of interest to Arteta, who is eyeing a £40 million move for Partey's international compatriot.

Outgoings are said to be the main focus for the Spaniard at present; however, Arsenal haven't ruled out dipping their toe back into the market if they right player becomes available.

Last term, Partey made 40 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal, registering three goals along the way in their failed Premier League title bid, as per Transfermarkt.

90min have cited that Partey has joined Arsenal on their pre-season tour of the United States and is said to be someone that Arteta would also be open to keeping hold of despite putting feelers out to gauge interest in his services.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Arteta will take his time to 'assess' the situation before reaching a conclusion in his own time.

Jacobs told FFC: "I think the other thing with Arteta is that he wants first to assess in pre-season, who he's kind of got and where that kind of chemistry is to make sure that they buy in the right position. I think that this is very classic Arteta. If we go back to the Arsenal interest in Youri Tielemans, who's now at Aston Villa, when Arsenal did personal terms with Youri Tielemans, they didn't pull the trigger and they waited because they wanted to assess their squad and their chemistry and their balance because Fabio Vieira had come in.

"Even with Tielemans, it was at the right time to get him in. In the end, they decided that it wasn't and I think the same with Mohamed Kudus because, obviously, he's a different midfielder to Romeo Lavia. So that's the intrigue in all of this, will Arsenal let Partey go and then bring in someone like Lavia, or will they move for an attacking midfielder and winger like Kudus, who's young and has a strong profile, but it's maybe not necessarily what Arsenal need right now in terms of priority."

Have Arsenal got anyone else on their radar at this stage of the window?

The Sun report that Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is a person of interest to Arsenal and it is said that the Gunners could do battle with arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur to try and land the Brazilian enforcer.

Discussions are also underway between Arsenal and Gremio regarding 23-year-old midfielder Bitello, who could be available for a relatively inexpensive fee of £8.5 million this window, according to 90min.

Croatian youngster Martin Baturina, who plies his trade for Dinamo Zagreb, is another target for the Gunners following his exemplary performances at the UEFA EURO Under-21 Championships, as per The Evening Standard.

Only time will tell to see if Arteta has any unexpected aces up his sleeve between now and the close of play in the market as rumours continue to swirl concerning potential incomings at the Emirates.

Arsenal "could reluctantly be forced" to cash in on striker Folarin Balogun with his value at an all-time high, according to journalist Charles Watts.

Who will leave Arsenal this summer?

Following the marquee signings of Germany international winger Kai Havertz, midfielder Declan Rice in a £105 million deal and defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax, the north Londoners need to balance the books.

Further additions haven't been ruled out this summer, with Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia attracting Mikel Arteta's interest, though outgoings are of the upmost importance right now.

Granit Xhaka has already completed his multi-million pound move to Bayer Leverkusen, with the likes of Thomas Partey and Balogun linked to the exit door also.

The latter player is a curious case after his scintillating season on loan at Reims. The USA forward scored 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances last campaign, putting a host of clubs on red alert given his Arsenal contract also expires in two seasons.

Journalist Charles Watts, writing on his official website, claims Arsenal could be forced to sell Balogun given he has no intention of going out on loan again and has also showed little willingness to pen fresh terms.

"Arsenal’s academy product scored 22 goals in all competitions in France, sending his reputation through the roof," wrote Watts.

"That has allowed him to go into the transfer window holding all the cards when it comes to taking his next step.

"Balogun is coming off the back of a superb individual campaign. He still has two years left of his deal and he has just agreed to be the poster boy for the United States ahead of their home World Cup in 2026. So his value, both in footballing terms and commercially is sky high."

How good is Folarin Balogun?

The 22-year-old's goal record in France is just one indicator of his quality, with Balogun also attempting more shots at goal per 90 than any other Reims player and ranking among their best-performers overall (WhoScored).

Balogun is a player of serious potential and attacking quality, making him an attractive proposition for any interested side, domestically or abroad, who are in need of a prolific forward.

Arsenal could apparently demand as much as £50 million for the frontman, who Arteta has previously praised for his commitment and bravery as well.

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career," said Arteta.

"He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special."

It looks as if an official bid for Moises Caicedo from Chelsea could finally be happening, with Sky Sports reporting that the Blues will "formalise" their interest in the player shortly.

What are the latest Chelsea transfer rumours?

The Premier League side have got plenty of irons in the oven it seems, with numerous players all linked with potential transfers to Stamford Bridge. They've already brought in Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku for their first-team squad and yet the rumours have not stopped. Instead, it appears the business may now be in full flow for Mauricio Pochettino's side, as they look to rebuild the squad after last season's meltdown.

At one end of the pitch, Chelsea appear to be keen to bring in more goalkeeping reinforcements. At the top of their list in that area seems to be Diogo Costa, with a recent report suggesting Jorge Mendes is now on the case in terms of a deal. The Blues have recruited the agent to help them snap up the Porto man and are now pushing to get a transfer done.

They've also placed Federico Valverde on their wanted list, although there is no offer on the table yet for the Real Madrid player.

Are Chelsea signing Moises Caicedo?

However, it is Moises Caicedo who has arguably dominated headlines when it comes to Chelsea transfers recently. One report suggested that a deal worth £70m could happen for the Brighton man, whilst another added that the Blues have already spoken to the Seagulls ahead of a potential move.

Now, according to Sky Sports, Chelsea are indeed ready to kick things up a gear when it comes to Caicedo. They plan to "formalise" their interest in the player soon and in another boost for fans of the club, it seems as though once a fee has been agreed, the midfielder himself will have no issue with joining them. Instead, they are being "encouraged" by the Ecuador man in regards to whether or not he would agree personal terms – so it is positive news for the Blues in their pursuit of the 21-year-old talent.

With no official bid made yet, it isn't clear how much Caicedo would cost Chelsea as part of a move. However, other reports have suggested that an offer may be worth around £80m and that could be enough to land the midfielder. That fee is not fixed though and could vary when talks officially open between the Seagulls and the Blues.

Whatever fee the club have to pay for the 21-year-old could be worth it though, with the youngster viewed as having a lot of potential, whilst also already playing at an incredible level. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that Caicedo is already a "high quality" option in the middle of the field and that he is a "big fan" of the Brighton man. It shows that the Ecuador starlet is already catching the eye – and a move to Stamford Bridge could really bolster Chelsea's midfield as they look to improve in the Premier League next season.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, as Monchi eyes his first transfer window masterclass during his first window in charge.

The Spaniard alongside former colleague Unai Emery will fuse together to ensure the Villans are in good stead ahead of next season, as the Midlands club prepare to endeavour on their first European journey since 2010.

Laporte has been on Villa’s radar since earlier this month, when 90min revealed the club’s interest in the central defender.

An update provided by Football Insider this week cemented the Claret and Blues’ desire to sign the 29-year-old, claiming that the club had ‘set sights’ on the Manchester City star and were ‘considering a move’.

The report adds that the Spaniard ‘ticks a lot of boxes’ wanted by Emery, with the four-time Europa League-winning manager hoping to sign a left-sided centre-back this summer.

Valued at £60m by the treble winners, as per the Mirror, the defender could be Villa’s record-breaking signing this summer, however, he’s not the only centre-back linked to Villa Park.

Indeed, Pau Torres looks as though he's also on his way to the Midlands, with reports emerging on Thursday that an agreement is in place to land the player from Villarreal.

The links to the two centre-backs is exciting news for the Villans, who could see a complete shift in defence with two experienced upgrades potentially incoming.

What could Aymeric Laporte and Pau Torres offer Vila?

While Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings have been a revelation at the back for Emery, the Spaniard could present Villa Park with two world-class signings in a rebuild of the defence this summer.

Hailed as the “best left central defender in the world” by treble-winning manager Pep Guardiola, the City star could be just what Emery requires to take Villa forward.

Despite falling down the pecking order at the Etihad, Laporte possesses quality that could see him dominate in most defences in Europe, seeing him lauded a “beast” by journalist Muhammad Butt.

The 29-year-old won an average of 60% of his total duels in the Premier League last season, cementing himself as a competent defender before anything else, however, his attributes go way beyond his defensive capabilities.

Similarly to Torres, Laporte flexes a powerful progressive ability, acting as a defender that can transition the ball upfield competently, in skills honed by the genius of Guardiola.

When comparing the two Villa targets based on their respective seasons and minutes via FBref, it makes for fascinating reading for those associated with the Midlands club, who could see a complete revamp of the defence as they know it.

While Torres’ 4.30 clearances and 1.74 aerials won along with Laporte’s 2.72 clearances and 2.18 aerials won per 90 communicate their defensive knowhow, their competency on the ball highlights just how much they could add to Villa Park.

As per FBref, the Villarreal gem averaged a monstrous 5.81 progressive passes and 2.24 progressive carries per 90 in La Liga this season, closely followed by the City ace who scored an average of 7.70 progressive passes and 2.72 progressive carries per 90.

By introducing two experienced players in quality and efficiency, Emery could equip his side with strength that could bolster all areas of the field, with two players boasting the ability to move the ball and dictate play from the back. This is surely a mouthwatering prospect for everyone associated with the club.

If Premier League legends played in their prime in today’s market, there’s no doubting that the fees negotiated would be up there with some of the highest that we’ve ever seen. The inflation in fees has seen the likes of Antony hit the £82m mark, so we dread to think how much the likes of Rio Ferdinand would be worth.Ever the confident defender, however, even if backed up by his illustrious career, Ferdinand believes that he’d be worth more than double the £75m fee that Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk back in January 2018.

Who are the most expensive players in football history?

Given the price that he thinks he’d be worth, the former Manchester United defender would rank among the most expensive players in history. According to Transfermark, the top five list has Neymar sitting top after his move to Paris Saint-Germain cost €222m (£190.71m). Meanwhile, his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe cost the French club €180m (£154.6m).

Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele make up third and fourth at €135m (£115.9m), whilst João Félix cost Atletico Madrid €127.20m (£109.2m).

So, with that said, given the fact that Ferdinand told his FIVE YouTube channel that he believes he’d be worth £170m in today’s market, the defender would rank second in the most expensive players of all time.

The Premier League winner would also become the most expensive defender in football history, thankfully taking the mantle from a certain Harry Maguire, who cost United £80m back in 2019. The less said about that transfer, the better.

Perhaps if United had a player of Ferdinand’s level these days then they wouldn’t be going through such a difficult spell without many major trophies – ending a six-year drought with their Carabao Cup triumph last term. It must be said, however, not many clubs in world football could splash out more than £150m on a player, no matter the ability.

Ferdinand would be worth spending the money on if a club had the funds available. Even in the modern game, where defenders need to be press resistant and able to play from the back, he would thrive, as highlighted in a compilation put together by @niamhutd:

What did Rio Ferdinand say?

Speaking on his YouTube channel when the topic of how much he’d be worth in today’s market came up, Ferdinand said: “£100m would be cheap for me in today’s market. £170m, £400,000-a-week. That’s what I’ll be now.”

Bear in mind, PSG reportedly could sell Mbappe for €150m (£129) this summer.

The £400k in wages is an interesting number, too. Within Manchester United’s current squad, that would put the defender top of the Red Devils’ earners, as per Salary Sport, with David de Gea losing top spot. So, on that front, United can count themselves lucky that Ferdinand is not in his prime and playing these days.

You can see the video in full below:

Social media can be a brutal place for footballers, who have to watch what they say over the years just in case an awkward post resurfaces at the worst possible time.If James Maddison could go back in time, for example, then we’re pretty sure he never would have posted his Tweet mocking Gareth Bale.The Leicester City midfielder is reportedly set to join Tottenham Hotspur this summer, making the posts fairly awkward reading. It’s not exactly the best introduction to the fans, to say the least.

What’s the latest on James Maddison and Tottenham Hotspur?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are finally set to get their man, with Maddison’s medical to be scheduled soon ahead of a transfer worth £40m, plus potential add-ons.

The England international is on course to become new manager Ange Postecoglou’s second signing in North London following the arrival of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Serie A side Empoli.

The Maddison deal will be the one to really dominate the headlines, though, given his place in England’s squad and his status as a Premier League proven player.

Even in a struggling Leicester City side last season, the midfielder was involved in 19 Premier League goals, netting 10 and assisting nine.

With Harry Kane around to potentially assist next season too, should the move reach the expected completion, Maddison’s creative numbers will only go up. At Leicester in the last campaign, he had Kelechi Iheanacho and an ageing Jamie Vardy to choose from – neither of which found the back of the net on enough occasions (with 14 goals between them in all competitions).

Adding Maddison should pay off for Spurs, who will be looking to make a return to European football next season after finishing eighth and, therefore, missing out last season.

Why did James Maddison delete his Spurs Tweets?

What’s the worst way to introduce yourself to your new fans? We’d say criticising a club legend in favour of showing your support for the biggest rival’s midfielder is up there.

That’s exactly what Maddison has done here, too, with his old Tweets resurfacing showing more love for Arsenal than Spurs.

The midfielder said in 2012: “I hate Gareth Bale with a passion, calm down you monkey, [Jack] Wilshere is 10x better than you chimpanzee.”

He didn’t stop there, either, Tweeting in 2013: “Hope Luis Suarez destroys Tottenham today, don’t like Spurs! Especially that monkey that everyone’s on about!”

Somehow, we have a feeling that Maddison will have some apologising to do in his first Spurs interview…

At least they have since been removed from the England international’s account, as reported by the Daily Mail.

It will be a summer of change at St Mary's Stadium following Southampton’s relegation to the Championship.

The Saints finished dead last in what was a disastrous season on the south coast, and the squad could see a serious shake-up as a result.

Sources have reported West Ham’s interest in James Ward-Prowse, with the possibility of young midfielder Flynn Downes moving the other way.

Downes, who only started seven Premier League games last season, may be used as a sweetener in a deal to bring Southampton’s free-kick specialist to east London.

Southampton transfer news – Flynn Downes

That's according to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, who shared on his Patreon account that David Moyes had shortlisted Ward-Prowse on his summer wishlist, but the current price is too high.

According to the Independent, the Saints are demanding close to £30m for their captain, but it is expected that the player will leave St Mary's to play in the Premier League in the upcoming season.

Ward-Prowse could be one of a number of signings for West Ham if Declan Rice does leave the club.

As Southampton look to rebuild, ExWHUemployee stated:

"Southampton were considering making a move for Flynn Downes either on loan or permanent as he had spoken to someone within the Downes family,”

“I have since checked this out and there does seem to be credible evidence. This is largely down to their appointment of his former manager at Swansea, Russell Martin. They enjoyed a great relationship and the former Norwich player sees Downes as a great addition to help drive the Saints back to the Premier League."

He then added:

"What makes this move more significant is our interest in James Ward Prowse. The set piece king is high on Moyes’ wish list, as he was last summer, and at the moment we feel their valuation is too high. If Downes could be included in the deal this could help lower the cost.”

Flynn Downes could shine under Russell Martin at Southampton and start their push for promotion back to the Premier League

At just 24-years-old, Downes is a player went plenty of development left to do, but his play under the Saints in Wales certainly gave us a taste of how high his ceiling is.

At the Swansea.com Stadium under the 39-year-old tactician, Downes was an influential member of the engine room – not only did he contribute towards three goals across 37 league appearances but displayed his defensive prowess, with an average of 1.3 tackle and 1.1 interceptions per outing, also providing an impressive 92.6% passing accuracy.

These are heights that he has yet to match at the London Stadium, with minutes hard to come by, though a reunion with his former coach could be exactly what's needed. Southampton will certianly have holes to fill in midfield, so the 24-year-old machine surely makes for a viable and interesting target.

Martin was in awe of the £12m gem's performances at the time, stating:

"I'm running out of superlatives for Flynn.

"He has all the ingredients he needs to play at the very top. He knows how I feel about him and how we feel about him as a coaching staff and what his ceiling can be. I think he can go and play wherever he wants eventually.

"We have a lot of good players, some of them are suited more to the style of play than others. He certainly is that. He's been incredible."

Southampton awarding their manager with a player that he has worked with before and trusts could be the perfect combination to kickstart their promotion push.

If Ward-Prowse does leave the club to move to West Ham, the Saints should be fighting to have Downes included in the deal, given the evidence above. Just imagine him back under Martin as the south coast outfit plot an instant return to the big time in 2023/24.

Sky Sports pundit Andy Walker has been full of praise for Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, claiming that the Australian has ‘surpassed any expectations’ that he had coming into this season.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou’s outstanding achievements

The 56-year-old was appointed as the new Hoops boss last summer when he joined from Yokohama F. Marinos, and it’s fair to say that he has achieved more than even he probably thought possible during his first campaign in charge, having got his hands on both the Premiership and League Cup trophies.

The Australian also guided Celtic to an astonishing 32-game unbeaten run in the league and has been renowned for his success during his two transfer windows so far, bringing in the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Josip Juranovic and Joe Hart.

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The Latest: Walker’s high praise for Postecoglou

In an interview with Glasgow Live, Walker hailed Postecoglou and admitted that the Celtic manager has done more for the club than the Sky pundit or the rest of his family could have ever imagined.

The former Bhoys striker said of the 56-year-old: “He finished the season by going 32 games unbeaten in the league and I never thought I’d be saying that when you look at what he had to bring in and the turnover in the squad.

“You look at his success in the transfer market. It’s hard to find any of his signings who haven’t made an impact. The turnaround has been extraordinary.

“I have six brothers and they all go to Celtic home games. We had a chat at the start of the season about what would be deemed a success.

“It was decided success would be if Ange could get that 25-point gap down to single figures, if Celtic could beat Rangers at least once and if they were going along to Celtic Park every week enjoying what they were seeing.

“If you got that, you’d let it go in the first season if the title wasn’t to be, but Postecoglou has way surpassed any expectations.”

The Verdict: Fair comment

Walker’s remarks about the job that Postecoglou has done at Celtic are quite fair, particularly in terms of his transfer record and the overhaul of Rangers’ utter superiority from last year.

Of the eight highest-rated current Hoops players this season according to Sofascore, six were signed by the incumbent manager, a sure sign that he is able to detect quality in the transfer market.

Also, as Walker mentioned, Celtic finished 25 points behind their arch-rivals last term. One year is all it has taken Postecoglou to not only bridge that gap but finish six points clear of the Gers this time around, an astonishing 31-point swing in less than 12 months.

In other news… a former Hoops manager has backed two Celtic stars to be perfect replacements for Tom Rogic

As relayed by London World journalist Rahman Osman, Tottenham Hotspur have alleviated fears after a worrying claim emerged before Norwich City.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye top four…

A massive Sunday lies in store for Spurs and manager Antonio Conte with the Premier League top-four chasers just one point away from sealing a place in Europe’s most-coveted competition next season.

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Qualifying for the Champions League with anything but a loss against Norwich today would be a big boost for the club and Conte as they also cast one eye on the summer transfer market.

A previously unthought of finish among England’s elite will grant a significant financial windfall to Spurs with numerous transfer targets on the agenda, not to mention the privilege of competing against the continent’s very best over 2022/2023.

Before today’s encounter, though, worrying rumours of a ‘food poisoning outbreak’ come out courtesy of big name presenter Gary Lineker – who shared what he heard from inside the club (Twitter).

A stomach bug has been present in the Spurs camp recently, causing several players to miss their encounter with Burnley last weekend (The Sun).

Lineker’s illness report prompted more concerns surrounding a ‘lasagne-gate’ type situation, when the Lilywhites famously missed out on fourth place 16 years ago thanks to a pasta-based bug spreading through their squad.

The Latest: Osman shares Conte boost…

Taking to Twitter, sharing what Spurs have said, Osman claims that the club have denied an outbreak in what is a boost for supporters and Conte.

He explained:

“Tottenham have just told us that there is no food poison outbreak at the training ground. Harry Kane has an event this evening and not feeling too well but that is it.”

The Verdict: Phew…

Going by this update, it appears Spurs supporters will not have to worry about history repeating itself with lasagne-gate as their side chase Champions League participation.

All eyes are on their clash with the Canaries today and a fine finish to the campaign would be usurping arch rivals Arsenal to a coveted place in Europe.

In other news: ‘Spurs will…’ – Fabrizio Romano shares exciting update with Conte ‘very happy’…find out more here.