Southampton star Romeo Lavia is being chased by a number of clubs during the summer transfer window, with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all mooted as potential destinations.

Lavia enjoyed an impressive 2022/23 campaign, establishing himself as one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League - a hugely impressive feat considering he is still just

Barcelona twist

German transfer guru Florian Plettenberg has delivered an update on the Lavia situation, claiming that Barcelona are also interested in the 19-year-old, although the Catalan giants are unlikely to be able to afford him given Southampton's steep asking price.

Writing on Twitter, Plettenberg said: "Roméo #Lavia, there are still concrete talks with Chelsea, Arsenal, especially with Liverpool as Klopp is a big fan! #LFC Been told that his price tag is around £50m this summer!

"Confirmed: Barcelona was targeting the 19 y/o but his price is not affordable for Barca this summer."

Liverpool and Arsenal decision

Arsenal and Liverpool are both unwilling to match Southampton's £50million valuation set on midfield youngster Romeo Lavia this summer. That's according to Sky Sports, which reports that the Belgian wonderkid is valued at a high price by the Saints, but teams are standing off reaching such a figure at this stage.

Southampton stance

According to Sky Sports, Southampton are confident they will be able to receive close to £50million for Lavia this summer.

The report also claims that Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have all engaged the Belgian's representatives over a potential move. However, both the Gunners and the Reds are said to be unwilling to bid that high for the talented teenager.

Bid prepared

Arsenal are ready to make a move for Lavia once they have completed the signing of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to The Times.

It is claimed that Mikel Arteta's side want to bid for Lavia after a deal for Rice is finalised, although they will face stiff competition from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, with the Saints valuing the Belgian international at around £50million.

Liverpool and Chelsea lead race

It did seem that Liverpool led the race for the 19-year-old talent, along with Chelsea, with the Gunners falling behind in the race for Lavia's signature. A report from Football Transfers, via 90min, has stated that Arteta's side are behind their Premier League rivals as competition for the Belgian midfielder heats up.

Transfer boost

A whole host of clubs have been handed a potential boost for Romeo Lavia this summer as new Southampton boss Russell Martin has claimed that some players will leave the club this summer.

He told the press: "There will be people leaving, of course, it’s what happens when you have such a tough season last season and you move down from the Premier League. I’ve also been there and it’s not that easy, every player in the dressing room could think they’re going back to the Premier League but it’s not that easy.”

Liverpool open talks

Liverpool have made the decision to open talks with Southampton to sign Romeo Lavia this summer, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking on YouTube, he said: "Romeo Lavia is in Arsenal's list and they have had some positive conversations on the club and player side, but no official bid as they are waiting to understand the future of Thomas Partey.

"But from what I understand, Liverpool have opened talks to sign Lavia. Man United have asked about the situation as have Chelsea, so both clubs are informed but they are not yet active on this deal, but for Liverpool, Lavia is one of the players they are considering."

£40m bid pending

Arsenal are ready to submit their first offer for Lavia in the coming days. That's according to the Daily Mirror, who claim the Gunners will put forward a £40million bid for the Belgian midfielder.

The report claims the bid will all-but-end the north Londoners' pursuit of Moises Caicedo.

Advancing talks

Arsenal are advancing in talks to sign Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia this summer, though there is yet to be an official bid made. That's according to Fabrizio Romano, who claims that the Gunners are making progress, though the Saints are likely to ask for a fee above their record for a player under the age of 21 - which sits at £32million when Luke Shaw joined Manchester United in 2014.

Talks take place

Arsenal are not giving up on signing Romeo Lavia just because of their continued bid to bring in Declan Rice, according to Fabrizio Romano. "Arsenal have concrete and strong interest in Romeo Lavia," he tweeted.

"Relationship is excellent with his camp — talks already took place." The Gunners are desperate to add a new midfielder to their squad this summer.

"Timing will be crucial as Chelsea remain interested. Man United appreciate Lavia but still not advancing. City buy back clause only valid 2024," finished Romano.

Arsenal talks 'progressing'

The priority may well be on Declan Rice but reports claim the Gunners are progressing in talks to sign Lavia.

According to Miguel Delaney, the midfielder is on Arteta's radar after cooling their interest in Brighton's Moises Caicedo. They do, however, share interest with London rivals Chelsea.

Southampton price tag

Arsenal will have to cough up between £40million-£50million to sign Lavia this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

The high valuation of the Belgian is said to be down to three clauses inserted into his contract. The first is in regard to Man City, his former side, being able to match any bid that arrives with a buyback clause - around £40million. The final clause entitles City to 20% of any future sale.

Two midfielders to join?

As per transfer expert Ben Jacobs, Arsenal could look to sign two of Lavia, Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice this summer as Sporting Director Edu looks to get his business done early.

"Arsenal could still come back in for Moises Caicedo, even if the priority is Declan Rice. And they could go for Romeo Lavia as well", Jacobs told GiveMeSport. "They won’t get all three, but it could indicate that they might be looking for two in the centre of the park when these targets are concrete.

"They’re looking at such a high volume of players because not all these deals are easy, particularly the ones involving Brighton. Roberto De Zerbi will not want a mass exodus, and Brighton will only sell on their terms."

Summer shortlist

The Daily Mail named Lavia as one of the three midfielders that Arsenal have on their summer shortlist, alongside the aforementioned Rice and Brighton starlet Moises Caicedo.

The report claims that the Gunners are desperate to close the gap on league-leaders Manchester City, with not just one but potentially two central midfielders targeted as sporting director Edu looks to bolster Arteta's squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Manchester City advantage

Southampton's £12million deal to sign Lavia last summer has a clause that gives Manchester City a chance to buy him back for £40million, although this clause doesn't become active until 2024.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, this will likely mean the youngster should cost more than that if he is to leave St Mary's Stadium this summer. Writing for CaughtOffside, he said: “Nothing has changed for Romeo Lavia, at the moment. It’s normal to see big clubs linked because he’s a top talent but there’s nothing concrete at this stage.

“It’s fair to remember that Man City have £40m buy back clause for Lavia, so value has to be higher for sure.”

Kevin De Bruyne verdict

Lavia's rise to prominence in recent months is unlikely to surprise former Manchester City teammate Kevin De Bruyne, who has previously heaped praise on the 19-year-old when the pair were teammates. Speaking about his fellow Belgian international to Play Sports last year, De Bruyne said: "He is very good.

"He's been training with us since the end of last year. If he continues his development, I think he'll be a top player."

[Football.London]

Barcelona have stepped up their pursuit of a new right-back lately. With Jules Kounde unhappy with his role in the first team, coach Xavi Hernandez wants to sign a new option that can serve as the first-choice option next season.

One of the players Barça are targeting heading into the new season is Joao Cancelo. The Portuguese international has been a target for Barcelona for a while now and was in contention to join the club in the January transfer window.

Barcelona were not able to complete the deal due to financial constraints. But they have been in contention to sign Cancelo on a loan deal this summer. Manchester City want to offload the player on a permanent deal, but Barça are not in a position to do so.

However, according to Mundo Deportivo, the signing of Cancelo has been ruled out for Barcelona. The financial requirements for the deal are completely unviable for the club.

This comes shortly after a report which pointed out how Barça were expecting Cancelo to lower his salary demands. But with Arsenal also in the mix, the right-back is unlikely to lower his demands and may end up moving to the Emirates this summer.

This will force Blaugrana to look out for other alternatives in the market. The club’s pursuit of Ivan Fresneda has been well-documented in recent weeks. The youngster is already waiting for Barcelona’s offer and looks keen on making the move.

Barcelona’s technical staff are also yet to reach a consensus about Fresneda. Although they rate the player highly, many doubt whether he will be a good investment for the club, especially in the current scenario.

Therefore, Barcelona may end up failing to sign any right-back this summer, although the situation may drastically change if the club manage to get rid of their unwanted stars this summer.

[barcauniversal]

Newcastle United are ready to launch their bid to sign Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes this week.

Eddie Howe’s side are expected to offer around £25million initially for the England international. 

They were initially put off after the 25-year-old was given a £60m price tag, but the Magpies are now confident of securing a considerably lower fee.

Barnes was a key player for the Foxes last season and managed a career-best tally of 13 Premier League goals.

He was unable to keep Leicester in the Premier League, though, and is unlikely to stay at the Championship side as they look to cash in on their most valuable assets.

Talismanic midfielder James Maddison has already left in a £45 million move to Tottenham, while Kelechi Iheanacho could also be on the move after interest from Nottingham Forest.

For Newcastle, Barnes could add vital depth to their squad as they prepare for their first Champions League campaign in 20 years.

They have already brought defensive midfielder Sandro Tonali in from AC Milan for £55 million, and Southampton full back Tino Livramento remains a target.

Reliable squad players will be vital for Eddie Howe as he looks to juggle the demands of European and domestic football. 

[Dailymail]

Nigerian professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Spanish Liga F club FC Barcelona, Asisat Oshoala, has been enlisted for the 2023 Ballon d’Or Award.

Naija News reports that the organiser of the award, France Football confirmed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday.

Before now, the 28-year-old Super Falcons forward got nominated in the Socrates Award category, which recognises outstanding solidarity actions carried out by football champions.

Oshoala is one of five individuals shortlisted for the award, which was established last year and named after the legendary Brazilian footballer Socrates.

Joining Oshoala as nominees in the category are Vinicius Jnr (Brazil/Real Madrid), Antonio Rudiger (Germany/Real Madrid), Marcus Rashford (England/Manchester United), and Alex Morgan (USA/San Diego Wave).

The nomination acknowledges Oshoala’s remarkable contributions to her community through the creation of the Oshoala Academy. The academy aims to provide its beneficiaries with high-quality football training and life skills education. It also empowers young women through sports, transforming them into community role models and ambassadors for the skills they acquire.

The announcement further stated that the nominees in other categories, including men’s, women’s, Yachine Trophy, and Kopa Trophy, will be revealed on September 6.

Naija News reports that Oshoala is currently in Australia with the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s national women’s football team, as they train for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup, which New Zealand and Australia will host.

The Super Falcons are placed in Group B and will face Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland during the group stages of the tournament.

Former Chelsea captain John Terry announced his return to the academy of the Premier League club just less than a month after his stint with Leicester City, where he was the assistant manager.

The 42-year-old former England skipper returned to Chelsea in a coaching consultancy role in 2022 before joining Dean Smith's coaching staff at Leicester in April this year.

Terry's contract at Leicester was not renewed following the side's relegation from the English top flight.

"I'm delighted to be back Home working in the academy and continuing my role at the club," Terry, who started his coaching career in 2018 as an assistant manager at Aston Villa, said in an Instagram post.

The former defender and five-time Premier League champion won every major trophy during his 19-year stint at Stamford Bridge, making him Chelsea's most successful captain.

[Reuters]

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Following the recent capture of Mason Mount, Manchester United's focus appears to have shifted toward the signing of a new striker and a new goalkeeper, with Erik ten Hag seemingly intent on strengthening the spine of his time this summer.

With a £50m bid for Atalanta marksman, Rasmus Hojlund believed to be in the works, United are also currently in negotiations with Inter Milan to try and strike a deal for Cameroonian stopper, Andre Onana, having seemingly made an offer of around €50m (£43m) for the 27-year-old.

With doubts remaining over the future of long-serving number one, David De Gea, it would appear that Onana is being lined up to replace the experienced Spaniard in the sticks, having previously worked under Ten Hag at Ajax.

Having been part of the Inter side that reached the Champions League final last season, the 6 foot 3 ace has particularly impressed due to his quality on the ball, having been branded "exceptional" in that regard by Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola ahead of that European showpiece.

That ball-playing brilliance is evidenced by the fact that the towering gem ranks in the top 11% among his European peers for touches made as a sign of just how comfortable he is in possession, with De Gea, by contrast, ranking in just the bottom 30% in that regard.

The introduction of the Serie A star to Ten Hag's side would then allow the Red Devils to begin to properly play out from the back next term, with club legend Paul Scholes previously stating that De Gea "makes the whole team nervous" when attempting to use his feet.

Onana will, however, need players ahead of him who are also comfortable in possession, hence why the signing of Monaco's Axel Disasi - who is a reported target for the Premier League outfit this summer - could prove to be a perfect fit at the heart of the defence.

How good is Axel Disasi?

The 6 foot 3 centre-back could represent a big upgrade on club captain, Harry Maguire in Ten Hag's defensive ranks, with the latter man having been branded "a walking disaster" by journalist Samuel Luckhurst in recent times, having also been restricted to just eight league starts last term.

The 30-year-old Englishman - who has been linked with a move away from the Theatre of Dreams - has looked rather uncomfortable when attempting to play out of late, notably turning into trouble in the grim Europa League defeat to Sevilla earlier this year.

Disasi, however, should have no such trouble in that regard, with the impressive "hidden gem" - as lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig - ranking in the top 4% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for both progressive passes and progressive carries, showcasing his willingness to initiate attacks from deep.

That is in stark contrast to Maguire's record across the last 365 days, as per FBref, with the former Leicester City man ranking in just the bottom 47% for progressive passes and only in the top 19% for progressive carries, having looked ill-suited at times to a more progressive style of play.

Disasi would also offer a benefit to both Onana and United as a whole due to his ability to sniff out danger, showcased by the fact that the Frenchman ranks in the top 14% for interceptions made, while Maguire ranks in just the top 38% for that same metric.

That would suggest that the signing of the 25-year-old - who has been valued at around €50m (£43m) - could be a perfect solution for Ten Hag ahead of next season, helping to hasten the transition towards a more free-flowing style of play.

[footballfancast]

Former Manchester United and Netherlands goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is in intensive care after suffering bleeding around his brain, Dutch club Ajax have announced.

Van der Sar, 52, won the Premier League four times during his time at United, as well as the Champions League in 2008, which he also lifted while at Ajax.

After retirement, Van der Sar, who also enjoyed a spell at Fulham before signing for United, returned to Ajax where he took up the role of chief executive in 2016, from which he decided to stand down at the end of last season.

“On Friday, Edwin van der Sar has had a bleeding around his brain. He’s currently in hospital in the intensive care unit and is in a stable condition,” Ajax said in a statement on Twitter.

“Once there is more concrete information, an update will follow. Everyone at Ajax wishes Edwin a speedy recovery. We’re thinking of you.”

Although no further details were given by Ajax, it has been reported Van der Sar was admitted to hospital while away in Croatia after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage.

Following a disappointing season for Ajax, the club finishing third in the Eredivisie and missing out on Champions League qualification, Van der Sar announced he would be stepping down from his role after almost 11 years on the club’s board.

“I feel the need to take some distance, to get some rest, and to do other things,” he said on Twitter at the end of May.

“It doesn’t feel good to take decisions about the future of this wonderful club in the coming period. That is why I have decided to resign.”

United offered Van der Sar the club’s best wishes.

“Sending all our love and strength to you, Edwin,” a post on the club’s Twitter feed read.

[telegraph]

Kylian Mbappe has been linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, with Real Madrid his likely destination.

Kylian Mbappe will be a free agent next summer, and Paris Saint-Germain could look to cash in on him this year to avoid losing him on a free transfer next year. A report from Sky Sports claims that the French club fear that the 24-year-old has already agreed to join Real Madrid in a Bosman move in the 2024 summer transfer window.

Mbappe has recently revealed that he does not wish to leave the French outfit this summer, and he will see out his contract at the club. But Paris Saint-Germain will be desperate for him to sign an extension with them so that they do not lose him on a free transfer.

Alternatively, they will look to cash in on the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, considering the precarious situation they find themselves in. So it will be interesting to see if they can convince the player to sign a new deal with them with a nominal release clause.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid certainly need someone like him to lead their attack, especially after the departure of Karim Benzema. Mbappe is one of the best players in the world, and he scored 41 goals across all competitions last season.

He is versatile enough to play anywhere across the front three and could transform the Real Madrid attack next year. The player has been linked with clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool as well. But it would be highly surprising if he decided to join them.

A move to Real Madrid will appeal to him more than any other club, and the player was heavily linked with the Spanish giants before he signed his last contract with PSG. Mbappe will be hoping to take the next step in his career and fight for major trophies with Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants have a phenomenal record in the Champions League, and the French international will want to win that competition soon. Despite spending massive sums of money in recent seasons the Champions League trophy has proven to be elusive for Paris Saint-Germain.

So Mbappe might feel that a move to Real Madrid could finally help him secure the european crown. Signing a player of his quality on a free transfer could prove to be an absolute masterstroke from the Spanish giants, and it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds.

[thehardtackle]