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Wolves are keen on signing young Liverpool full-back Neco Williams, according to a report from Goal. 

The Reds are prepared to sell the youngster, who is currently on Euro 2020 duty with Wales. It will apparently take an offer in the region of £10m to sign the 20-year-old.

Williams, for his part, is said to be keen on a move away for Anfield, with his prospects limited behind Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.

Wolves are among a ‘host’ of Premier League clubs interested in signing him, having first considered the move last summer before instead signing another Reds youngster in Ki-Jana Hoever.

Who else wants to sign Neco Williams?

At the moment, it’s Southampton who are ‘at the front of the queue’ after an unsuccessful bid to bring Williams in on loan in January, according to Goal.

Leeds have also enquired about his availability, while Burnley, Norwich and Aston Villa are all named as ‘admirers’ of the 20-year-old defender.

Fan feed Talking Wolves relayed the report, with many supporters not sold on the youngster, who came under fire for some of his performances at Liverpool last season. Also, whenever he did get his opportunity, he did not really make the most of it – his WhoScored average match rating of 6.49 was one of the lowest among Jurgen Klopp’s squad in 2020/21.

These Wolves fans far from keen on Williams

“This makes no sense unless we are not buying RAN (and who I would much rather have because his ceiling is immense)”

Credit: @sbarneywillis

“No”

Credit: @danisawolf

“Doesn’t really make any sense tbh. Maybe if he’s going to be backup left back to Ait-Nouri?”

Credit: @aepearson02

“No thank you. Always seems to struggle when I’ve watched him play, plus we’ve got Hoever and Matheson as youngsters to develop in that position. Put the money towards a top quality CB/CM”

Credit: @cassei2195

“He is awful”

Credit: @YerdaMosquera

“No. Just no.” 

Credit: @alfiewwfc

In other news, many Wolves fans reacted to this update on Rui Patricio. 

Rangers have been heavily linked with a move to bring Jonson Clarke-Harris to Ibrox to link up with Steven Gerrard in recent weeks, but Barry Fry insists that Peterborough United have yet to receive a single bid for him, although there have been a number of enquiries.

The striker enjoyed a fantastic season as Peterborough won promotion back to the Championship.

In total, the 26-year-old scored 33 goals in 48 games in all competitions and has subsequently been linked with a potential move to the Scottish champions this summer.

However, it seems as though there are seven other clubs who are interested in a deal to snaffle the ex-Rotherham United striker away from London Road.

Posh’s Director of Football Fry is insistent that he is not receptive to low-ball offers, but he is open to kick-starting a negotiation in order to ensure that Peterborough receive the highest fee possible.

Clarke-Harris has been linked with Rangers, with Steven Gerrard clearly keen to take him north of the border.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Fry said: “We’ve had no offers, we’ve had eight enquiries from eight different clubs, saying ‘what would it take’, and I just said ‘make us an offer and I’ll reject it.’

“But that will start the ball rolling. And then we’ll have to sit down. It’s taken us eight years to get back into the Championship, we’re not going to let anybody go cheap.”

Clarke-Harris has endured something of a nomadic career before moving to Posh, playing for playing for six clubs on a permanent basis, including a brief spell with his current club back in 2012/13.

Everton have only just hired a new manager but they’re already plotting some enormous moves in the summer transfer window.

Rafa Benitez has been promised a summer of spending and that could kick off with the signing of an England player who’s currently at Euro 2020.

What’s the word?

The Toffees have been linked with a few centre-backs since the window opened, with a move for Juventus defender Merih Demiral reportedly on the cards.

However, in a surprising report on Thursday evening, the Daily Mail revealed that Everton are seriously interested in Ben White. The Brighton defender has caught the eye of Arsenal, who are believed to be close to sealing a move.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, Everton are trying to usurp them in the race for the 23-year-old England international.

The report states that the Merseysiders are willing to put in a bid of a whopping £50m plus £5m in add-ons. That would eclipse the £50m that Arsenal have proposed.

Everton would pay £20m up front before spreading the rest of the cost out over the next four years.

Benitez on cloud nine

After the Spaniard’s torrid time in Newcastle on the transfer front, to see his new club aiming to spend as much as £55m on one player should be music to his ears.

One of the main reasons the 61-year-old departed the Magpies was down to disagreements over finances. During his time in the northeast, Benitez’s record signing was just £20m on attacking midfielder Miguel Almiron.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-everton-news-benitez-kamara-romero-dumfries” title= “Read the latest Everton transfer news!”]

A deal for White might be a pricey move for a player who’s had just one full season in the Premier League but he is a mightily impressive defender. Capable of playing the ball out from the back, he possesses all of the qualities you’d associate with an excellent modern defender.

Last season, the Brighton star completed 83.2% of his passes, a tally which was fractionally down on the 84.6% success rate he had during his one-year loan with Leeds United in the Championship.

Described as “exceptional” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, White looks as though he’s set for an incredibly vibrant future. He earned his England debut last month and was named in the squad for the ongoing European Championship.

A humble but dominating defender, White’s reading of the play and his versatility would also make him an important acquisition for Everton. He produced 1.7 interceptions per game last term and has the ability to play at right-back, in defensive midfield and at the heart of the defence.

One of the most promising young English players around, this would be an exquisite start to Benitez’s reign at Goodison Park. White wound undoubtedly improve their backline and signing him would show that the Toffees mean business.

AND in other news, Everton eye swoop for “superb” 69-goal colossus, it could mean the end for DCL…

Former Glasgow Rangers manager Alex McLeish has suggested Glen Kamara could leave the Gers this summer for the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Kamara linked with exit

After playing an important role in Rangers’ Premiership title win last term, Kamara has attracted plenty of interest from south of the border.

Watford (The Daily Mail), Arsenal and Leeds United (TEAMtalk) have all been linked with the midfielder, who started all three games for Finland at Euro 2020 (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: McLeish fears the worst

Speaking to Ibrox News, McLeish believes the £5.4m-valued 25-year-old (Transfermarkt) could leave the 55-time Scottish champions this summer. When asked whether the prospect of the Premier League would be too much to turn down for Kamara, he said:

“100%.

“It would surprise me if he did get offered the chance to go to one of those clubs and he turned it down.

“Listen, we hope that he would. I’m sure he has a massive attachment to Rangers, he knows what they have done for him, but life is short.

“A lot of players won’t waste the opportunity to leave and go to a bigger league, and the Premier League is bigger.”

The Verdict: Difficult

There is no doubt it will be difficult for Ross Wilson and co to hold on to Kamara this summer, which they will surely want to do. Yes, they can offer the potential carrot of Champions League football, but they must get through two rounds to make the group stages – there is no guarantee they will be able to do that.

After the last year or so, Kamara’s stock has grown massively, and that is only going to continue to do so after his Euro 2020 involvement.

Unfortunately, the Gers must prepare for the worse and plan ahead for beyond Kamara’s seemingly inevitable departure, whenever exactly that will be.

In other news, this Rangers man speaks about his Ibrox desperation.

Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan appears to have issued a come-and-get-me plea to Celtic after talking to Fox Australia, as cited by The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Ryan a top Celtic target; Sociedad winning race

The 29-year-old was linked with a move to Parkhead three days after Ange Postecoglou was announced as the Hoops’ new manager. Celtic were ready to promise Ryan the number one jersey in Glasgow, but La Liga side Real Sociedad appeared to leapfrog the Hoops in the race for his services.

The Scottish Sun suggested last weekend that Ryan was set to sign for Sociedad this week, but a deal is yet to be announced. The ‘keeper became Ange Postecoglou’s top target after a deal for Osaze Urhoghide went through, and it seems as if a move could still materialise.

The Latest: Ryan’s comments

Talking live on Fox Australia’s The Back Page, as cited by The Daily Record, Ryan was asked if he prefers haggis or paella, i.e. the Hoops or Sociedad.

Ryan ended up giving an answer which seems to point towards a preferred move to Scotland, saying: “Haggis every day of the week!”

The Verdict: Celtic to try their luck following Ryan’s comments?

Celtic may well decide to look into a deal for Ryan following the shot-stopper’s comments. Reports have suggested a move to Spain was edging closer, but it seems as if the 29-year-old is keen on a reunion with Postecoglou.

Should the Hoops manage to snatch Ryan from Sociedad’s grasp, that could also then allow Conor Hazard to move to Dundee on loan.

Postecoglou could then have Ryan, Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain as options in between the sticks, more than enough for his first season in charge.

In other news: ‘My understanding is’ – Agent makes bold off-field Celtic claim; Hoops have been stopping Ange, find out more here. 

An update has emerged on Wolves target Kaio Jorge, regarding Juventus’ interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Record, as transcribed by Sport Witness, Wolves are battling it out with Juventus to land Santos striker Kaio Jorge this summer.

The report claims that Wolves are looking for competition for Raul Jimenez and have identified Jorge as a target, with Italian giants Juventus also showing an interest in the Brazilian. He is out of contract in December and is currently available to sign a pre-contract agreement with any side in Europe.

Lage needs him

Wolves must act now to secure a deal for Jorge as quickly as possible. Juventus’ interest in him is concerning, given that they play in the Champions League and compete for titles, and that is why Wolves must move urgently and strike an agreement with the forward before the Italian side have a chance to beat them to it.

The striker, who has a £43m release clause, could be a much-needed addition to Bruno Lage’s squad this summer following the club’s struggles in front of goal last season. Pedro Neto and Ruben Neves were the club’s top-scorers in the Premier League with five each, highlighting the need for a centre-forward to arrive at Molineux in the coming months.

Jorge has shown flashes of quality and potential for Santos in the past 18 months. The 19-year-old has scored 15 times in 75 appearances for Santos at senior level, including an impressive haul of five goals in 12 games at the Copa Libertadores in 2020. His former coach Rui Aguias also hailed the forward’s “excellent” attitude and believes that he has the potential to make it to the top. Although, he does not think that it will happen instantly and patience is required with the youngster.

He told Record, as transcribed by Sport Witness: 

“Kaio Jorge unquestionably has qualities. He’s a kid with an excellent attitude in training and in play, physically available and brave. In technical terms he’s not a player who excels, he’s not for 1v1 or holding the ball.

“However, it seems to me that he has some way to go. I don’t think he’s ready for big demands. He’s an athlete with a future and potential, but I don’t see him coming to a European club and imposing himself without reservations. He’s a good player project, with quality.

“It’s an opportunity to bet on a young player, on a club that is going through difficulties and will want to sell. Forwards are expensive, but Kaio Jorge could prove to be a very successful bet in the future. But he’s not at that level yet.”

The attacker has also been compared with Cristiano Ronaldo with his quick feet and ability in the air highlighting how much potential the teenager has and why Wolves must act quickly to secure a deal.

His quality in the final third could help to ease the goalscoring burden on Jimenez, whilst also being a player that could become more influential in the future.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Neves: Wolves must swoop for £150k-p/w beast who’s an “unstoppable force”…

Fabio Paratici has reportedly ‘knocked on the door’ to try and sign Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Vlahovic likes Tottenham

It has recently been reported that Vlahovic likes Spurs, and his future could be finalised very soon, with news from Florence that his next move will be decided in the coming days.

The North London club allegedly see the Fiorentina star as an ideal replacement for Harry Kane, should he move away from the Lilywhites in the summer transfer window.

The Latest: Paratici wants Vlahovic

As per Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), THFC, led by Paratici, have ‘knocked on the door’ to sign Vlahovic, and came forward with an ‘important’ bid of €40m (£35.1m).

However, Fiorentina have ‘kindly shut the door’ to Tottenham, and have made it clear that he will only be sold for a fee in the region of €60m (£51.2m).

Vlahovic could be bought as a back-up striker to Kane, or as his successor should the England international captain move on.

The Verdict: Sign

Whether Kane ends up staying or going, Vlahovic is a player that has the potential to turn out to be as prolific as him in the future.

Described as an ‘incredible’ player by Conor Clancy, editor in chief at Forza Italian Football, Vlahovic scored a very impressive 21 goals and made a further two assists in 37 games in total in Serie A over the course of the 2020/21 season (Transfermarkt), despite being just 21 years of age.

Nonetheless, the Serbia international is a star already with plenty of time ahead of him to develop into an even better player, so Spurs may even want to think about buying him anyway to play alongside Kane and help convince him to stay.

In other news, find out what one pundit has said about this ‘sensational’ THFC target here!

Wolverhampton Wanderers could be set to secure the signature of Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho.

What’s the story?

According to the Birmingham Mail, Wolves are favourites to land the 29-year-old this summer as new manager Bruno Lage continues to make his mark on the first-team squad.

This comes after reports from Spain suggested that they just one of a number of top-flight teams interested in securing his services.

Bruno Lage needs him

Lage has only been in the Molineux hot seat for a matter of weeks, but the Portuguese tactician has already brought four new signings to the club.

Former Olympiacos goalkeeper Jose Sa recently arrived on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, joining Yerson Mosquera, Francisco Trincao and Rayan Ait-Nouri in committing their futures to the Midlands outfit.

However, with several stars such as Ruben Neves, Adama Traore and Pedro Neto thought to be allowed to leave Wolves over the coming months, Lage may need another marquee signing in order to ensure success next season.

And Coutinho’s availability has provided the perfect opportunity for the club’s hierarchy to secure a significant acquisition for their new boss.

At Liverpool, the Brazil international showcased his world-class ability on a regular basis, often bamboozling opponents with his outrageous skill and catching unsuspecting keepers off-guard with his long-range shooting.

Speaking about his compatriot previously, Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino commented: “He’s phenomenal. You simply can’t say that he’s not a magician.

“He has magical powers. He produces plays that don’t exist, that you couldn’t make up.”

Coutinho has been unable to replicate his form at Anfield for Barcelona, though, and found himself loaned out to Bayern Munich for 2019/20.

The South American creative talent enjoyed a relatively successful 12-month stint with the Bundesliga giants, scoring 11 goals and providing nine assists in 38 appearances as Bayern won the treble.

But the bad luck continued for Coutinho upon his return to Barca last season, with a serious knee injury ending his campaign in December after just 14 uninspiring outings.

On his day, the £27 million-rated gem is a top-class operator, capable of playing for the world’s best teams, but unfortunately for him, those days have been few and far between since he left English shores three-and-a-half-years ago.

Joining a side where he’s guaranteed game time and will undoubtedly be the main man could well resurrect Coutinho’s career, meaning Wolves would be an ideal destination, and the club must try and sign him this summer.

And, in other news…Wolves may repeat their Cutrone howler if Lage signs “ungrateful” 56-cap flop 

Crystal Palace are looking to sign Arsenal ace Ainsley Maitland-Niles, according to The Athletic journalist Matt Woosnam.

The versatile Maitland-Niles, 23, has been made available for transfer after failing to nail down a place in Gunners boss Mikel Arteta’s future plans.

Maitland-Niles made 15 appearances during a loan spell with West Bromwich Albion last season but he was unable to steer the Baggies away from relegation to the Championship.

However, Maitland-Niles remains on the radar of a host of top flight clubs, including Palace.

The Eagles, under new manager Patrick Vieira following his appointment earlier this month, face competition for Maitland-Niles’ services.

Newly-promoted Watford, along with Southampton, are also monitoring the situation ahead of the Premier League season getting underway next month.

Maitland-Niles, who has been capped by England five times, impressed Palace fans during West Brom’s 1-0 defeat at Selhurst Park in March, according to Woosnam.

The reporter believes Palace are vying to win the race for the Arsenal man’s services.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Woosnam said: “Ainsley Maitland-Niles did well last season at West Brom.

“Certainly, he was one of the two players that stood out when Palace hosted West Brom towards the end of the season, along with Okay Yokuslu.

“He would bring an element of positivity to Palace but it will come down to the cost.”

An update has emerged regarding Everton’s interest in Sporting Lisbon midfielder Matheus Nunes.

What’s the talk?

According to Portuguese outlet Record, via Sport Witness, the Toffees could open up talks with Sporting to sign the midfielder this summer.

The report claims that Rafa Benitez is keen to get a deal done for the 22-year-old, for whom Sporting want £15m (€18m).

Dream deal

Director of football Marcel Brands could seal a dream deal for Everton by snapping Nunes up for £15m before the end of the window, as he could be a superb replacement for Andre Gomes.

The Toffees are reportedly open to selling the former Barcelona man this summer and that could open up a space in the midfield for a new signing to come in. Gomes averaged a lowly WhoScored rating of 6.46 in the Premier League last season, which suggests that he is not good enough to consistently provide good performances on the pitch at the top level.

Nunes could come in and offer an upgrade in the midfield. Last season, he won more ground duels per match than Gomes, with whom he tied for clearances and interceptions per game, whilst also losing possession less frequently than the Everton midfielder.

The Sporting gem is also six years younger than the man he could potentially replace, which means he would come in with potential as well as the quality to make an immediate impact. Therefore, he could be an excellent signing for Everton in the short and long-term.

He has been backed by his peers, with former team-mate Goncalo Santos lavishing praise on the youngster earlier this summer as he pointed out the unbelievable ability he has with the ball at his feet.

He told theLiverpool Echo: “In one game, he went on a run which was about 60 metres, it was amazing! People went crazy and everybody was talking about it.

“It’s unbelievable when he has the ball at his feet. Nobody can catch him; it’s impossible because he’s too fast.

“Matheus is a box-to-box player. He’s not so strong like midfielders in the Premier League but he’s very fast. He’s very good with the ball because he is a Brazilian boy.”

Taking all of this into consideration, Brands must get a deal over the line for the Portuguese midfielder this summer. He should bid farewell to Gomes and bring in Nunes to bolster Benitez’s squad, with a fee of £15m potentially making it a dream deal as they would not need to break the bank for his signature.

AND in other news, Brands must ruthlessly axe £112k-p/w Everton flop, Ancelotti wanted him gone…