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Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has claimed it is ‘highly likely’ that Marc Roca will move to Elland Road this summer.

The Lowdown: Roca profiled

Roca is 25 years of age who can play in defensive or box-to-box midfield roles. The Spaniard joined Bayern Munich from Espanyol back in 2020 but has made just 24 appearances for the German giants.

The left-footed midfielder has struggled for starts at the Allianz Arena, and with Leeds short of midfield options, it looks as if he could become the third player to move to Yorkshire this summer after moves for Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen.

The Latest: Hay’s post

Hay was the first reporter to break Leeds’ interest in Roca last week after sharing a story for The Athletic.

He then replied to a Whites supporter on Twitter regarding the transfer on Sunday, suggesting on Twitter ‘it’s highly likely to happen’, however, it ‘isn’t wrapped up yet’.

Reports in Spain have claimed that Roca is ‘about to become a new Leeds United player’ in a deal worth €13m-€15m (£11.1m-£12.8m).

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The Verdict: Good news…

Things haven’t worked out for Roca in Germany, with his Transfermarkt valuation falling from £27m to £6.3m over the last three years. Hopefully, he’ll be able to get back to his best with the Whites, where he could form a partnership with Kalvin Phillips.

Labelled as a ‘smooth operator’ by Leeds journalist Joe Donnohue, Roca may need time to adapt to the Premier League given he hasn’t started regularly in the Bundesliga, but it could prove to be a shrewd move if he can replicate the form which earned him a move to Bayern.

In other news: Leeds now won’t sign ‘superb’ midfielder despite Phil Hay revealing talks

Manchester City are reportedly willing to let Raheem Sterling leave the club during the current summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post, journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano had this to say on the matter.

He said: “Raheem Sterling, Chelsea top target as reported last Tuesday. Man City want around €55/60m – approach for €25m & add-ons turned down. Chelsea will be back with new bid soon – as Man City are open to let him go.”

City signed the winger back in the 2015 summer transfer window from fellow Premier League club Liverpool in a deal worth £49m.

Since then, the Englishman has made 339 appearances for the Citizens in which he’s scored 131 goals, delivered 95 assists and won numerous domestic trophies along the way.

Guardiola will be gutted

His latest season at the Etihad Stadium saw the former Liverpool attacker find the net 17 times and provide nine assists in 47 appearances across all competitions.

This shows just how much Pep Guardiola relies on him and how useful he can be in an attacking sense, which is why it could be a big blow for City to lose him this summer.

With the Spaniard sharing his praise for the winger earlier in their previous season for his efforts on the pitch, it’s clear that the City boss knows how crucial he can be for the team.

In fact, after coming on as a substitute in the second half of City’s final Premier League game of last season against Aston Villa, the England international provided the assist for Ilkay Gundogan’s first goal that eventually led to the home side overcoming a 2-0 deficit to secure the title in dramatic fashion.

This further highlights how Sterling can step up and deliver for his side when it matters.

With Chelsea now reportedly after the winger, allowing a player of his calibre and experience to leave for a club that will presumably be looking to take the Premier League title off City could be a big mistake from them.

The best way forward for City would be to change their current stance and convince the 27-year-old to continue his journey with the Citizens and keep helping them win titles.

In other news: Man City now eyeing swoop for “unbelievable” £50m star, he can be Pep’s new “warrior”

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte is now personally weighing up a move for Blackburn star Ben Brereton Diaz as an update emerges on Spurs’ hunt for a new striker.

The Lowdown: Spurs keep moving…

After completing a deal to sign midfielder Yves Bissouma from fellow Premier League club Brighton, the Lilywhites are not stopping there, as it is reliably believed that they are aiming to upgrade their striker options among other key positions.

The likes of Richarlison and Gabriel Jesus have been repeatedly linked with a move to north London as transfer chief Fabio Paratici earmarks numerous targets to potentially support/rotate with superstar Harry Kane.

As per Claret & Hugh, there has now been an update on their mission to sign a new forward, and it involves Ewood Park hotshot Brereton Diaz.

The Latest: Conte personally ‘considering’ Brereton Diaz ‘swoop’…

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As per their information, Tottenham head coach Conte is now personally ‘considering a swoop’ for the Championship sensation, who bagged 22 goals in the league alone last season.

North London officials have repeatedly been sent to run the rule over the Chile international as Paratici dispatches his staff on scouting missions.

Claret & Hugh added that Spurs’ interest in Brereton Diaz is ‘very real’.

The Verdict: Good option?

The 23-year-old, who was called a ‘beast’ by his former manager Tony Mowbray, certainly backed up that billing with his superb goal haul over 2021/22.

It is isn’t unreasonable to believe that he could cut it in the English top flight as Tottenham weigh up the shrewdest options to gift Conte more strength in the forward areas.

Blackburn allegedly value Brereton Diaz at around £20m, and taking into account the player’s age coupled with other factors, it’s a price which could be worth paying.

Indeed, this could be an interesting development to keep an eye upon throughout the summer.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has made a claim involving Celtic defender Josip Juranovic amidst reported interest this summer.

The lowdown: Atletico Madrid watching 

Recently, Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas shared news that Spanish giants Atletico are keen on acquiring the full-back’s services after an impressive debut campaign in Glasgow.

The Times then reported that the Hoops would be looking for a fee in the region of £15million for the 26-year-old only signed from Legia Warsaw on a five-year deal in 2021.

Now, one informed onlooker has shed some light on the current state of play between the Scottish Champions, Juranovic and the possibility of a move away during the ongoing transfer window…

The latest: O’Rourke on Juranovic

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke has suggested that Celtic would be reluctant to sell the 20-cap Croatia international despite the potential to earn a lofty profit on their £2.5million expenditure (Sky Sports).

The journalist said: “Juranovic has proved himself to be a good signing for Celtic since joining the club last summer. He’s played at right-back and left-back and has performed well for Postecoglou’s side.

“So, I’m sure Postecoglou would prefer to keep him at Celtic Park, especially as they prepare to be back in the Champions League next season.”

The verdict: Drive a hard bargain

Ultimately, such is the position of strength the club finds itself in right now, it would need to be a bid that would blow the Parkhead hierarchy’s original outlay of the water to even tempt the Bhoys into a sale of a prized asset so soon after arriving in Glasgow.

During the successful 2021/22 season, Juranovic scored six times and provided four assists in 44 appearances across all competitions, earning an outstanding 7.21 Sofascore rating whilst helping keep 11 clean sheets in the Premiership in the process to highlight a well-rounded overall game.

Although the emergence of Anthony Ralston allows for Ange Postecoglou to dovetail his two right-back options accordingly, the experienced Croatian – who was lauded as a ‘beautiful footballer’ by journalist Josh Bunting in February – will undoubtedly remain a key cog in the side next season as Celtic return to UEFA Champions League action.

Everton are currently in talks with Tottenham Hotspur over a potential move for Richarlison, but the London club are also reported to want Anthony Gordon too, and now a reliable source has given an update on the club’s progress.

What’s the latest?

Journalist and Everton insider Alan Myers has taken to Twitter to give an update on the club’s stance when it comes to Gordon’s future at Goodison Park.

Myers tweeted:

“My understanding is that Everton have zero interest in entertaining any double bid for Anthony Gordon and Richarlison from any club.”

Supporters will love it

There is no doubt that supporters will love the news that the club are not willing to sell Gordon this summer, as not only is he a boyhood Evertonian but he also plays a key role in the team that will be highly valued by Frank Lampard next season in the Premier League.

Despite a disastrous campaign, the 21-year-old winger proved he has what it takes to start week in week out for the Toffees, offering a consistent and reliable attacking threat in the forward line.

Gordon scored four goals, delivered two assists and created four big chances, making one key pass, 1.5 tackles, taking 1.3 shots and winning 4.9 ground and aerial duels combined per game.

Lampard has made clear his admiration for the young forward, and has offered high praise for Gordon hailing him a “leader” in an interview with Sky Sports last season:

“He’s becoming more of a man, more of a leader with every game, with every day. His dedication and talent is huge.

“His feeling for the club, to bring that across at such a young age is something pretty special. I love working with him, love him as a player.”

Potentially losing Richarlison is already a major blow ahead of next season, and Farhad Moshiri will need to work hard to identify a worthy replacement should the worst outcome emerge. However, to lose Gordon as well would be a complete disaster for the club and could be the final push to send Everton into the Championship.

With that being said, the powers at Goodison Park must consider Gordon a priceless asset to the team no matter how attractive an offer comes in for him as he could be the difference in Everton keeping or losing their Premier League status next summer.

AND in other news: Greg O’Keeffe drops big Everton transfer claim that’ll leave Lampard scrambling

Liverpool have already made three signings this summer with Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay joining the squad on Merseyside, and now a claim from a reliable source has emerged that suggests Liverpool are not done in the transfer market just yet.

What’s the latest?

According to Liverpool insider DAVEOCKOP, Liverpool could sign a midfielder this summer.

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The popular account tweeted:

“Liverpool are ticking along nicely so far this window with signings & renewals. A change of direction up top with Nuñez, a shrewd buy in Ramsay, Carvalho has gone under the radar despite dominating as a teenager in the Championship. I still think Liverpool will add a midfielder.”

Supporters will be excited

There is no doubt that a new midfielder would be warmly welcomed at Anfield this summer, so supporters will be excited to see the claim from the popular insider, and will likely be hoping that his opinion will hold some truth.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner will all be out of contract in June 2023 as it stands, so the signing of more than one midfielder over the next 12 months will likely be a crucial move for the Reds as they plan to build and develop a team to continue to compete for trophies at the highest level.

Not only that, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are both in their 30s, and the latter has so far been unable to make more than 25 Premier League appearances per season during his tenure at Anfield so far, so again adding a new midfielder would make perfect sense.

The Merseysiders have been linked with a number of midfielders over the last couple of months with Jude Bellingham, Adrien Rabiot and Nicolo Barella all named as potential targets for the club, but nothing has materialised so far.

Bellingham, in particular, is a player that has been linked to the club relentlessly but if Liverpool want to sign the Borussia Dortmund youngster they will have to wait until 2023, as the club already let go of Erling Haaland this summer.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see whether Klopp and the powers at Anfield will wait on Bellingham or make moves to add reinforcements this summer as well, but if they do wait they run a risk with no guarantee that the Bundesliga midfielder joins the club next year.

AND in other news: Liverpool given green light to sign “magical” £26m maestro, FSG must act now

Celtic have been handed a green light to bring Argentinos Juniors midfielder, Fausto Vera to Parkhead.

What’s the word?

As per reports in Brazil (via Daily Record) the Argentine outfit have rejected bids worth in the region of €4m (£3.4m) for the 22-year-old from Brazilian side Corinthians and Belgian outfit Genk, leaving the door open for the Hoops to pounce.

The Scottish champions have been linked with a move for the 5 foot 9 gem in recent days, having previously missed out on a deal for another midfield target in Vinicius Souza, who has joined La Liga side Espanyol.

The Old Firm outfit have also been handed a further boost following an admission from Argentinos chairman Cristian Malaspina that the club may be willing to cash in if an acceptable offer is received:

“As a club, when there is a value that cannot be refused, we have to negotiate. Nobody is irreplaceable. But, equally, it is also a position that we are covered. We are calm if it happens. It is a possibility we sell and then he stays with us (until September) which would be the ideal scenario. But it could be that a club that comes to buy has other ideas. We are working. He has been with us for a long time and we have to be sensitive too. It is not easy.”

The suggestion is that it could take as much as £5.5m for a deal to be agreed.

Good fit

Any successful move would mean the second Argentine arrival at Parkhead this summer, following the recent capture of full-back Alexandro Bernabei on a £3.75m deal from Lanus, with manager Ange Postecoglou seemingly scouring the globe for potential talent.

In Vera, it would appear that the Glasgow side have found a player who could well prove to be the next big thing, having been on the receiving end of a glowing assessment from Pablo Carrozza, who labelled him as “one of the most complete players in Argentine football.”

Fellow journalist Roy Nemer has also given his backing to the £5.4m-rated man, suggesting that he could “do well” in Postecoglou’s side, with the chance to play Champions League football also likely to be an attractive prospect.

The youngster has already proven his worth amid what has been a strong season thus far for his current club, averaging 1.4 clearances, 1.7 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game from his seven league outings, while also chipping in with one goal and averaging an impressive 2.9 shots per game.

Clearly a dynamic midfielder, Vera would add increased quality and competition to an area of the pitch that is in need of bolstering following the departures of Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton, with the player potentially another unknown quantity who could blossom under Postecoglou’s tutelage.

AND in other news, In talks: Ange makes Celtic move for £7m “big talent”, he’s the perfect Jullien heir

Glasgow Rangers could be facing another high-profile departure this summer, amid reports that Kemar Roofe is attracting interest.

What’s the word?

According to the Sunday Mirror (via Football Scotland), Derby County are believed to be contemplating a move to bring the 29-year-old back to England, with the suggestion that the League One outfit are keen on a loan deal for the Jamaican international.

It is unknown whether or not the Ibrox outfit would sanction a temporary exit for the Walsall-born gem, with two years still left on the deal that he signed following his arrival from Anderlecht in the summer of 2020.

The former Leeds United forward was troubled by injury last term for the Old Firm outfit, although still netted an impressive 16 goals in 36 games across all competitions, including ten goals in just 21 Scottish Premiership appearances.

Supporters fuming

That shock claim comes amid the reports that Gers defender Calvin Bassey is nearing a club-record departure to join Dutch giants Ajax, having already seen fellow Nigeria international, Joe Aribo join Premier League side Southampton just last week.

Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is now facing the prospect of losing three influential figures in the space of roughly 10 days, leaving sporting director Ross Wilson with plenty of work left to do before the start of the new campaign to adequately bolster the squad.

The Scottish giants have brought in five new faces so far this summer – including former Derby man Tom Lawrence on a free transfer – although more quality additions will no doubt be needed if the trio mentioned above are to all depart.

Supporters will no doubt be fuming if such figures aren’t suitably replaced in time for the new season, with the aim seemingly to reclaim their league title crown after losing out to bitter rivals Celtic last term.

In the case of Roofe, in particular, the £4.95m-rated ace has been a steady performer for the club over the past two seasons, having scored 34 goals and provided five assists in 72 games in all competitions, a record of just over one goal contribution every two games.

Having the £26k-per-week menace to call upon, typically off the bench, has been a useful asset for the club in recent times, while he also stepped up admirably after Alfredo Morelos was ruled out for the latter weeks of last season.

He may not be a star attraction, although supporters will no doubt be enraged if Roofe is allowed to depart this summer.

AND in other news: Van Bronckhorst can unearth his own Bernardo Silva with “dream” Rangers swoop for “fantastic” gem

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Piotr Zielinski to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet TuttoMercatoWeb (via the Daily Mail), who claim that, after David Moyes missed out on the signing of Jesse Lingard to Nottingham Forest, the 59-year-old has now turned his attention in the transfer market to the 28-year-old Napoli forward.

The report goes on to state that the Serie A side would not be willing to part with the Poland international for anything less than a figure of €45m (£38m) ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, while the Scottish manager is also believed to have enquired about fellow Napoli forward Hirving Lozano, however, the Mexico international’s wages proved to be a stumbling block for the Hammers.

Better than Lingard

While missing out on the signing of Lingard will have undoubtedly come as a disappointment to both Moyes and the London Stadium faithful, should the 59-year-old manage to get a deal over the line for Zielinski in the former England international’s place, it would certainly help to ease this blow.

Indeed, over his 35 Serie A appearances last season, the £36m-rated forward was in devastating form for Luciano Spalletti’s side, scoring six goals, registering five assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 1.4 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game – with these returns seeing the 28-year-old average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.92.

The £107k-per-week attacker also caught the eye over his seven fixtures in the Europa League last time out, scoring two goals and taking an average of 1.7 shots, making 1.7 key passes and completing one dribble per outing – with these returns seeing the player who Carlo Garganese dubbed “sensational” average an even more impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.03.

As such, while it is true that Lingard would not have cost West Ham a penny in transfer fees, it is undeniable that Zielinski would be a much better fit for Moyes’ first team squad in comparison to a player who started just two league fixtures last season – leading us to believe that missing out on the 29-year-old could have been something of a blessing in disguise for the Irons.

AND in other news: “It’s true…”: West Ham target drops huge transfer hint, supporters will be buzzing

Leeds United avoided relegation back down to the Championship by the skin of their teeth as they achieved survival in the 2021/22 campaign.

The Whites sacked Marcelo Bielsa and brought in American head coach Jesse Marsch to lead them to safety as they finished three points clear of the bottom three.

A consistent issue for the club throughout the season was their struggles in front of goal as they ended on 42 goals in 38 Premier League matches.

Raphinha, who has since left to join Barcelona, was the only player who reached double figures for goals and one of three attackers with more than four strikes.

Leeds felt the impact of Patrick Bamford’s absence as injury problems left him out of action for the majority of the campaign – starting seven matches in total.

This came after he produced an exceptional 17 goals and seven assists in 38 outings the year before that, having scored 16 goals in the Championship in 2019/20.

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Victor Orta must now land the club their next Bamford by securing a deal to sign Ben Brereton Diaz from Blackburn this summer, with the Whites reportedly interested in £20m attacker.

Jaquob Crooke once labelled him a “superstar” and his former manager – Tony Mowbray – previously heaped praise on his talent, saying:

“You saw what I saw today; Brereton with the ball at his feet is an extraordinary talent. He’s a wonderful footballer who can dribble with both feet, take people out of the game.

“Yes they want to see you dribble, score and shoot, but they want to see you fight. He has to learn that, but he still is only 20. He’s still a boy, but he has wonderful ability and wonderful talent.”

The Chile international enjoyed a fantastic season in the Championship with Rovers as he plundered 22 goals and three assists in 34 starts, whilst also scoring three goals in seven games for his country in 2022.

He has shown that he can be a prolific scorer in the second tier, just like Bamford was for Leeds, and now deserves the chance to show what he can do in the top-flight.

At the age of 23, he is still developing as a player and, therefore, has the potential to make the step up to the Premier League as he has time on his hand to hone his skills and become a complete centre-forward.

Orta must now sign the Blackburn star to be the club’s next Bamford in the hope that he can carry his goalscoring form over to a higher division and be the consistent scorer that they lacked last term.

AND in other news, “Leeds are interested..”: Journo drops big transfer update, supporters will be buzzing…