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Liverpool could pay their €37.5m (£32.3m) purchase option clause for new loan signing Arthur Melo in two years, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Arthur completes Liverpool move

The Brazilian made the move from Juventus to Anfield on transfer deadline day, as Jurgen Klopp went some way to solving the Reds’ current midfield injury problems.

Arthur is an experienced player with 22 caps to his name for Brazil and spells with both Barcelona and Juventus, and the hope is that he will be an immediate success in the middle of the park.

While his move is only temporary for now, there is the option for Liverpool to sign him permanently at the end of the season, should he have done enough to convince Klopp.

The Latest: Romano provides insight

Taking to Twitter, Romano shared some fresh insight into the specifics of the deal, saying that Arthur’s purchase clause could be paid over a two-year period and that there is no obligation to sign the player permanently.

The Italian outlined:

“Liverpool will have €37.5m buy option clause for Arthur in June, not mandatory – LFC have negotiated with Juve the possibility of paying the clause in two years.

“Arthur has already agreed the potential, future contract in case LFC will trigger the clause.”

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The Verdict: Shrewd decision

This makes complete sense for Liverpool, almost putting them in a win-win situation with regards to Arthur and his future worth as a Reds player.

If the 26-year-old flops at Anfield, the Merseysiders will simply not trigger the purchase option and look at new targets, but an impressive spell could see him become a long-term figure at the heart of the midfield who will already be familiar with his surroundings by that stage.

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Paying the money over two years would also be less of a financial hit immediately, potentially leading to more transfer funds becoming available for other prospective signings next summer.

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold reports it would be ‘very difficult’ for Antonio Conte to leave the club midway through the season unless Daniel Levy is handed a ‘huge compensation fee’.

The Lowdown: Juventus interest

The 53-year-old’s current contract with the Premier League giants is set to expire at the end of the campaign, and having not yet put pen to paper on an extension, his future in the capital is up in the air.

Recent reports have suggested that Juventus are eyeing the Italian up as a replacement for Massimiliano Allegri, who is under huge pressure, with the Lilywhites boss said to be keen on making a return to the Serie A.

The Latest: Gold’s Conte update

Asked during a Q&A for Football.London whether Tottenham had any concerns surrounding Conte’s contract situation, Gold responded:

“Conte has a contract until the end of this season and both he and Spurs have the option to agree on another year.

“Leaving midway through this season would prove very difficult unless Conte and Daniel Levy or Fabio Paratici have the mother of all fallings out, because otherwise Levy is not going to let him go without a huge compensation fee.

“Spurs certainly need to convince Conte that he can win things with the club and that future transfer windows will continue to show improved investment in the team.

“That’s the reason he’s left most clubs in his career, apart from Chelsea when he was relieved of his duties, and Tottenham will be subjected to the same demands.”

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The Verdict: New deal deserved

Making the move back to Juventus would certainly be a tempting proposition, but Paratici and Levy must do everything they can to convince Conte to stay by offering him fresh terms.

The boss has won an impressive 27 and drawn seven of his 45 games in the dugout (two seasons away from Europe’s elite competition.

Spurs currently find themselves just one point off the top of the table after a positive start to the campaign, and if they go on to secure any silverware, Conte would surely have a change of heart and want to continue his journey in north London.

Aston Villa have been handed a double injury setback ahead of their Premier League match against Liverpool tonight.

What’s the latest?

That is according to Villa manager Steven Gerrard, who spoke to the media on Monday ahead of his side’s clash against Jurgen Klopp and co.

As per Birmingham Mail, the 41-year-old told reporters: “Jacob’s got a chance for the weekend, unfortunately he won’t be involved tomorrow. The squad will be very similar to what it was against Burnley.

“We haven’t got any fresh injury worries, or anyone out of the squad. We’ve got nobody coming in either, but Ben Chrisene will join us. He had 90 minutes for the reserves on Friday against Everton in a behind-closed-doors game, so he’ll come into the squad, Ben.

“But it’s too soon for JJ [Jacob Ramsey], unfortunately. I’m sure he would have wanted to challenge himself in this game but, unfortunately, it’s too soon. He’s got a good chance for the weekend.”

Leon Bailey joins Ramsey on the sidelines, with the Jamaica international remaining out of action due to an ankle injury that he sustained against Norwich at the end of April.

Gerrard will be gutted

You can tell from the use of “unfortunately” that Gerrard is feeling negative about the injury setbacks in his squad, and rightly so. Whilst Ramsey has endured a phenomenal breakthrough season, partly under Gerrard, Bailey – whilst not featuring much due to an injury-plagued campaign – also presents an astute attacking option when fully fit.

Ramsey has been a key component for Villa this season, having stared 79% of their Premier League fixtures in 2021/22. Along the way, he has helped himself and the team to six goals and one assist, which marks the best return of his albeit fledgling career. It’s a tally that’s made even more impressive considering that he did not score or set up a goal during his 22 top-flight appearances last term.

The absence of Bailey, whilst no doubt frustrating, is unlikely to hamper Villa as much as Ramsey’s, and with Gerrard’s recent formation tweak from 3-4-2-1 to 3-4-1-2, there would probably not be any room in the Villa attack for the Jamaican.

However, his absence means there is less attacking depth for the manager to call upon, which represents a blow in its own regard and will leave the 41-year-old gutted as his former club roll into town.

In other news: Gerrard must now unleash “magic” £18m-rated AVFC sensation tonight, he’d give Klopp nightmares

Wolverhampton Wanderers look set to miss out on a permanent deal for Barcelona-loanee Francisco Trincao this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to a journalist in Portugal, who claims that the 22-year-old winger has already decided his next move.

Taking to Twitter, the following statement was issued: “Sporting’s priority target, Trincão has already given the “yes” to being directed again by Rúben Amorim, with whom he worked at SC Braga. It is the ideal replacement for Sarabia. Talks for a 1-year loan are moving in a positive way – salary issues with Barcelona still need to be settled.”

The latest report echos the word ‘rebuild’ even louder around the Molineux, with Trincao yet another name who will leave at the end of the summer. Another face constantly linked with the exit door is Ruben Neves and it’s still uncertain whether he’ll be in the Midlands next term.

Wolves had an option to buy Trincao for around £25m, though Lage has not executed this and now it looks as though Sporting CP will seal a reunion between former Braga duo Ruben Amorim and Trincao.

Lage surely fuming

Having managed just three returns in the form of goals and assist across 27 Premier League games, Trincao has endured a rocky time at Wolves for the most part, but in fairness has shown glimpses of the quality that we saw in his final season at Braga, where he bagged goals and assists in 27 games.

His recent goal against Chelsea was one of these positive displays, though they have been few and far between for a player previously described as “magic.”

With the latest news around Trincao’s loan spell faltering to become permanent, Lage has a rebuild on his hands and this departure could add yet further complication.

In an ideal world, the Old Gold boss may have hoped for a straight swap deal between Adama and the £19.8m-rated Trincao, though, just like the option to buy, this is now not viable.

In this case, Lage will surely be kicking himself for his indecisiveness around a player who could have flourished next season, after taking this season to settle into what is such a fast-paced and physical league.

Tactically, it weakens the side, with a lack of inverted options at the right wing position, leaving just Pedro Neto as the only left-footed winger in the side. That’s a piece of news that will surely be gutting to Lage and his coaching staff.

In other news: Wolves now plot bid for “flourishing” £20m gem, he’s better than Moutinho 

While it is undeniable that both Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta pulled off an astonishing feat in getting Leeds United back into the Premier League after a 16-year absence, since the Whites’ promotion back in 2020, the club have had something of a hit and miss record in the transfer market.

Indeed, spending just shy of £100m in the summer before their return to the top flight, Orta very much hit the jackpot with a few of his deals, with the likes of Raphinha, Illan Meslier and Joe Gelhardt undoubtedly being fantastic acquisitions by the Spanish sporting director.

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However, the same cannot be said for some of the big-money signings completed in the same window, with the likes of Rodrigo, Helder Costa, Robin Koch and Diego Llorente all already having varying levels of question marks hanging over their respective futures at Elland Road.

It was a similar case last summer, with both Kristoffer Klaesson and Jack Harrison – despite the former Manchester City winger enduring something of a below-par campaign this time out – looking to be solid longer-term investments, while the likes of Junior Firpo and Dan James have both struggled following their big-money moves to LS11.

However, it is undoubtedly the latter of the aforementioned players who has been the biggest transfer disappointment, with the £30m signing from Manchester United very much failing to live up to his incredibly hefty price tag.

Indeed, over his 34 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, James has struggled to find any real level of form for the Whites, scoring four goals, registering four assists and missing eight big chances, as well as completing an average of just 9.9 passes, ceding possession of the ball 9.4 times and winning a mere 2.9 duels – at a success rate of 39% – per game.

These returns have seen the £16.2m-rated man who Darren Bent dubbed “headless” average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.64, ranking the 24-year-old as Jesse Marsch’s ninth-worst player in the top flight of English football.

As such, considering the fact that the £52k-per-week forward is now worth roughly 46% less than the £30m fee Orta paid for his services last summer, in addition to the fact that the Wales international has endured an incredibly torrid season at Elland Road, it is clear for all to see that the Spaniard had a nightmare when bringing James to the club.

AND in other news: Marsch must place trust in “unbelievable” Leeds sensation, he thrives “under pressure”

Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa is set to miss the opening weeks of the 2022/23 Premier League season after sustaining a knee injury last weekend against Crystal Palace that will keep the Englishman sidelined for 12-16 weeks.

What’s the latest?

As tweeted by Birmingham Live’s Ashley Preece following Steven Gerrard’s pre-Burnley press conference, the 24-year-old has sustained a “serious” knee injury and will miss all of pre-season as well as the opening stages of the next Premier League campaign.

The Villa boss stated: “We’re quite relieved because we thought we were dealing with an ACL” whilst also revealing that Emi Martinez picked up an injury in training and Robin Olsen could be set for his Villa debut in between the sticks.

The Villans have just two matches left this campaign, this evening’s home clash with the Clarets before a trip to Manchester City on Sunday.

However, the injury has come at an awful time for Konsa who will have to work extra hard to catch up for when the new season comes around given him missing out on pre-season training.

Bad news

Although the West Midlands outfit have been frustratingly inconsistent at times this season, Konsa has had a decent campaign this term.

The Englishman has won 64% of his duels in the Premier League whilst averaging 0.5 interceptions, 0.9 tackles and 2.8 clearances a match in 29 top-flight appearances.

However, the injury could trigger long-term issues for Konsa’s Villa tenure.

There have been reports that the 24-year-old could depart Villa Park this summer with Gerrard planning a major squad overhaul, particularly in defence with his side conceding 50 times in 36 matches this season.

Therefore, Villa may still go ahead and sign new defenders that will beat Konsa to a starting spot whilst the Englishman is now unlikely to be bought this summer given his injury and the uncertainties that could bring.

It’s a major blow for the defender and could lead to an even greater predicament that will surely have supporters gutted.

AND in other news: Signed for £7.6m, now worth £225k: AVFC had a shocker on “hiding” £28k-p/w disaster

Rangers’ failure to win the UEFA Europa League could actually lead to a boost from matchday income, claims football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

The Lowdown: Rangers’ Europa League campaign

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side came agonisingly close to winning their first European Cup since 1972 after going the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw against German side Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final.

Painstakingly, the Gers lost out on penalties as Aaron Ramsey was denied moments before Rafael Borre crashed in the decisive spot kick.

The Glasgow outfit would have automatically qualified for the Champions League group stages if they had beaten Frankfurt. Instead, they must now navigate two play-off rounds before qualifying.

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The Latest: Maguire’s claim

Despite this, Maguire believes that Rangers may be better off with two extra matches in the long run.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed:

“They’ve missed out on £3.9m in prize money.

“But you also qualify for the European Super Cup. It would be a very high-profile tie against either Real Madrid or Liverpool that they have missed out on.

“Then there is also automatic qualification in next year’s Champions League. They finished runners-up in the Scottish Premiership so they could still go through the preliminary stages.

“So if they do make it to the group stages of the Champions League, they will actually lose very little.

“In fact, you could argue they would be even better off because you can sell out Ibrox a few more times in those preliminary rounds.”

The Verdict: Great season for Rangers

Despite the painful loss in the Europa League final, the 2021/22 campaign can be labelled a big success for Rangers under new boss van Bronckhorst.

Just days after leaving Seville with runners-up medals, the Gers faced off against Hearts in the final of the Scottish Cup. Two goals in extra time ensured victory and another trophy being added to the club’s illustrious cabinet.

Therefore, with everything considered, Rangers fans should consider this season a success, thus providing them with hope for the title race in the Scottish Premiership next year.

In other news: Rangers: Jonny McFarlane stunned by Cinch news

Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has made a transfer claim on the club’s interest in Luis Suarez.

The Lowdown: Suarez links

Steven Gerrard has been extremely busy ahead of his first season in charge, completing deals for Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos.

However, he doesn’t plan to stop there, with recent reports from The Telegraph stating that Villa are exploring a move for Suarez after the 35-year-old was released by Atletico Madrid.

Villa correspondent Gregg Evans revealed on Wednesday that the club are still ‘weighing up a move’ for Suarez.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s comments

Agbonlahor, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider after hearing about Villa’s interest in a move for Suarez.

He feels that a move could materialise for the Uruguayan to provide some competition to Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings, providing Suarez doesn’t ask for a ‘crazy’ wage.

“It depends on wages.

“I don’t see Villa paying Coutinho wages on Suarez, I don’t think they would do that. If the wages aren’t crazy then I don’t see why not.

“Adding an experienced striker like Suarez for a season, why not? Gerrard knows him well, he’ll get the best out of him.

“Villa need a bit of help up front. Watkins is a top player and Ings is a top player but you need a couple more strikers in there for some competition up there.”

The Verdict: Possible?

With no transfer fee involved, there is no reason why Villa and Gerrard can’t get a deal over the line for Suarez.

However, like Coutinho agreed to, you’d expect that Suarez would have to lower his previous £263,000-a-week wage for there to be any chance of a Premier League return.

Coutinho took a 70% pay cut but is still on £125,000-a-week in the Midlands, something Villa may well be open to offering Suarez, who has scored 69 goals in 110 Premier League games.

In other news: Sky Sports: Villa and Gerrard already now prioritising a fourth target; NSWE are closing in. 

A crushing Leeds United development has emerged on their pursuit of James Garner heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Jacque Talbot has revealed that the Lillywhites will not be signing the English central midfielder ahead of the 2022/23 campaign as their Premier League rivals are refusing to do a deal with them.

He tweeted:

“No chance James Garner goes Everton or Leeds. Man United won’t sell him permanently either. Full story out later this week.”

The reporter then added:

“Man United aren’t going to sell to a direct rival like Everton or Leeds of all clubs and potentially see him flourish into a world-beater. Could turn out to be like another Wilfred Zaha situation.”

Supporters will be gutted

The supporters will be gutted by this claim from Talbot as it comes as a huge blow to Jesse Marsch heading into the next Premier League season.

Garner enjoyed a sublime campaign in the second tier on loan with Nottingham Forest and he would have been an exciting addition to Leeds’ squad.

In the Championship, the midfielder averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.26 across 41 matches as he delivered excellent performances on a consistent basis. He also produced four goals and eight assists from the middle of the park as he showcased his ability to contribute in the final third.

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Defensively, he put himself about as he made 3.2 tackles and interceptions and won 3.9 duels per game for Steve Cooper’s side. This shows that he works hard off the ball to win possession back for his side and can be an asset at both ends of the pitch.

Former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson lavished him with praise in the 2021/22 campaign, saying:

“Garner has been exceptional at Forest. He is an example of why players get sent out on loan.

“He can play at the top level and I think he has proven that at Forest. I don’t think he’s one that will go straight into the Man United side but I think there is a first-team role there for him and he will feature next season.”

These comments show that the eye test matches the statistics as a former professional was impressed by his displays and he had outstanding stats.

Therefore, Leeds fans will now be gutted that the club has ‘no chance’ of being able to sign Garner. The 21-year-old would have been an exciting signing for the club but Victor Orta will now need to identify alternative targets in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Orta can now seal “eye-catching” Leeds signing with £20m bid for “sensational” talent…

Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan has made a claim involving Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou’s future. 

The lowdown: Unbridled success

Since taking over the managerial reins a year ago following the departure of Neil Lennon, Postecoglou has been a breath of fresh air in Glasgow.

The 56-year-old has transformed the fading fortunes at Parkhead and guided the Bhoys to the Premiership title, having lost their grip on the crown in 2021.

Coupling smart recruitment with an impressive tactical nous, the Australian has proven to be a sensational appointment and one that the club will surely be desperate to tie down beyond a current 12-month rolling contract.

The latest: Whelan urges Postecoglou contract offer

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan has implored the Celtic hierarchy to offer Postecoglou a lengthy deal after the 56-year-old recently exclaimed that the Hoops are ‘everything I’ve ever wanted in a football club’.

The former BBC radio host said: “I think you always want that security in place with a manager. That way, he knows he has the backing to go into the transfer market and build the club over a number of seasons.

“He had a fantastic season and shut up a lot of doubters. I was one of them – I had no idea who he was when he came in. It was shambolic at the time, but he’s had an unbelievable first season – his transfer business has been spot on.

“He’s in a really strong position. I’m sure all the Celtic fans would love it if he signed a two or three-year deal.”

The verdict: No-brainer

Appointed as somewhat of a risk having never managed in Europe previously, Postecoglou has certainly silenced his detractors in his first year in Scotland.

Not only has the experienced coach guided Celtic back to Scottish top-flight glory after looking devoid of inspiration under Lennon in the latter stages of the Northern Irishman’s reign, he also ensured a return to the Champions League group stage and with it the ensuing financial windfall.

These feats alone should be enough to offer Postecoglou a lucrative new deal, along with full backing in the upcoming transfer window, having already proven to be an astute market operator.

In other news: Ex-Scotland manager makes Celtic transfer claim