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Liverpool are expected to be active in the summer transfer market after a difficult season and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's pursuit of a potential target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Micky van de Ven?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Liverpool have been "following" VfL Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven.

Romano told GIVEMESPORT:

"Now for Van de Ven is a player they've been following for a long time. Let's see if they decide to enter into it or not. But it's just about following the player nothing else at the moment honestly."

Who would Micky van de Ven replace in the Liverpool team?

The highest priority for Jurgen Klopp and his new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke is clearly to rebuild the midfield presence in the squad, with Alexis Mac Allister already confirmed as the first signing of the summer.

Having said that, there is an element of pressure mounting on the club to consider their defensive options too as both Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip well into their 30s at this point, with the latter entering the last year of his contract next season.

Indeed, the German coach has started to establish Ibrahima Konate as a starter in the first team but bringing in some more youthful talent and fresh depth in the defensive set-up would be massively advantageous as Liverpool attempt to build the next generation of success at Anfield.

As a result, the signing of van de Ven could be a great opportunity for Klopp and could provide him with the dream heir for Matip to learn the ropes as his understudy in preparation for the chance that the defender departs as a free agent next summer.

Over 33 Bundesliga appearances, the 22-year-old Dutchman – hailed "dominant" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has tallied up an 88% pass completion rate, 11 clean sheets and successfully completed 70% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.4 tackles, 3.1 clearances, 64 touches and 3.8 duels won per game, proving that he is a huge presence with reliable defensive traits.

Not only that, van de Ven ranked second for pass interceptions in his own half in the entire Bundesliga this season, as well as ranking in the top five for tackles in his own half and the top ten for blocked shots, as per One Versus One.

With that being said, it is reported that the Wolfsburg colossus has a price tag of €30m (£26m) which would fit FSG's strict financial structure perfectly, so a potential move for van de Ven is definitely one to watch for Liverpool this summer.

Glasgow Rangers will need to bolster their attacking options during the summer transfer window in order to achieve success next season.

Alfredo Morelos has left the club having failed to agree to an extension, while Kemar Roofe is perennially injured and played only six games last term, leaving Antonio Colak as their only fully fit striker at the current moment in time.

Michael Beale has admitted that improving the quality of players he has at his disposal in the final third is key, saying: "Certainly, in the final third, I think that's an area where, although we win a lot of games and score a lot of goals, we are also a team that miss a lot of chances.

"That's a key part of my thinking."

With this in mind, the Ibrox faithful will be hoping to see a couple of forwards arriving in Glasgow over the course of the summer, especially as they scored 21 fewer goals than Celtic last term, a key factor in them winning another Premiership title.

Could Rangers sign Josh Maja this summer?

The Bordeaux striker has been linked with Rangers over the previous few months, and due to the Ligue 2 side failing to achieve promotion, the Gers could now seal him on a free transfer.

Foot Mercato claimed that Maja would have signed a new deal had Bordeaux sealed a path back to the French top flight, but according to France Bleu, he is ‘expected to leave’ – and could end up being an upgrade on Fashion Sakala for Rangers.

The Zambian enjoyed something of a renaissance under Beale when he took over in November, eventually finishing the season with 20 goal contributions. However, he isn’t the most clinical, and former Rangers winger Neil McCann claimed Sakala “can sometimes lack composure” after a win against Hearts in February, whereas Maja could add a ruthlessness in front of goal that the club have been struggling with.

Across 40 games in all competitions last term, the Nigeria international scored 17 goals and grabbed six assists, while he also created more big chances (eight to seven) and netted more league goals (16 to 12) than Sakala.

There is no doubting Sakala’s enthusiasm, however, he is often deployed out wide, while Beale needs a reliable finisher ahead of an important season, and former Ibrox hitman Jermain Defoe has even lauded praise on Maja, as they both spent time at Sunderland, saying: “Josh is a quick thinker and if you’re that fast upstairs, you don’t need anything else.

“When he trained with the first team he showed such great awareness – he knew when to pass it, had a great touch – and although he’s not got electric pace, he’s two steps ahead of everyone which means he’s got an immediate advantage.

“The gift Josh has is rare and if he builds on it, the sky’s the limit.”

It’s a gamble that Beale must take, and considering he might not cost the club a penny in terms of a transfer fee, Maja may just go on to surprise a few people should he make the move to Scotland.

Liverpool need to sign multiple midfielders this summer after a mass departure and have reportedly earmarked Leicester City's Youri Tielemans, who is soon to be out of contract.

What's the latest on Youri Tielemans to Liverpool?

That's according to 90min's Graeme Bailey on the Talking Transfers podcast, who said that the Belgium international is a player that Reds manager Jurgen Klopp 'loves'.

A few months ago, Football Insider claimed that Liverpool were 'plotting a move' for the 26-year-old, while more recently The Athletic's James Pearce stated that his signing is indeed a possibility.

Tielemans recently posted a heartfelt farewell post to the Foxes confirming his departure at the end of his contract, and with Liverpool's new technical director Jorg Schmadtke seeking reinforcement after James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all concluded their contracts at Anfield, his signature could be a prudent one to procure.

Should Liverpool sign Youri Tielemans?

Tielemans and Leicester have not enjoyed an auspicious season by any stretch of the imagination, having been relegated from the Premier League after a miserable slump of a season.

However, Liverpool have found success in swooping for players confined to the drop before: Andy Robertson was clinched from Hull City and Gini Wijnaldum brought from Newcastle United, both players having fallen foul to the clamp of the bottom three and playing central roles in the most illustrious period in the Merseyside team's modern history.

The £35k-per-week Fox is also one of the most intelligent and dynamic midfielders in the game, once heralded by former Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers as "one of Europe's top midfielders".

Also hailed as "the complete midfield player" by Martin Keown, the one-time Anderlecht youth has still maintained an average Sofascore rating of 7.04 despite his club's woes, completing 82% of his passes, averaging one key pass and 2.1 tackles per game.

And as for the entirety of his career at the King Power Stadium, he has been instrumental in winning the FA Cup and Community Shield, actually scoring a resounding strike against Chelsea in the finale of the former to clinch the trophy, once praised as a "phenomenon" by former pro Par Zetterberg.

He could be the dream Thiago Alcantara heir on Merseyside, with the 32-year-old pass master signing from Bayern Munich for £20m in 2020 and being hailed as "staggering" for his ball-playing prowess by Michael Owen, indeed ranking among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and the top 4% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Like Thiago, Tielemans is, perhaps, not the most mobile of aces, instead flourishing through his occupation of the half-spaces and indeed utilising his footballing intellect to pick apt passes and exhibit his superlative technicality.

While Liverpool supporters are yearning for a more robust and energetic midfield, and that is not to say Tielemans cannot contribute effectively in this regard, his composure and guile could meld exquisitely alongside the likes of the unrelenting Alexis Mac Allister, who is on the verge of entering the conclusive stage with the Reds from Brighton & Hove Albion.

This is why his role as Thiago's heir could bear fruit for Klopp and co, who would only benefit from a diverse and variegated midfield – aces different in style but all boasting a similar level of quality.

And while Liverpool's Spanish maestro is "a special player" – as proclaimed by Robertson – he has spent what feels like the lion's share of his time at Anfield cuffed to the injury department, indeed missing a shocking 60 matches due to unavailability over three seasons. Hardly evoking confidence.

Tielemans would be a "divine" addition – as he was once lauded by Jaquob Crooke – providing a new dimension to Klopp's squad and without the diminution of the transfer purse, something that could prove invaluable with Liverpool requiring major midfield surgery.

It's a no-brainer, really; Tielemans has proved throughout his Leicester career that he can dazzle with consistency and produce match-winning and trophy-gleaning moments. Just what Liverpool need.

Leeds United will likely need a new goalscorer in the summer transfer window if they want to secure an instant return to the Premier League.

Sunday's 4-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur saw them relegated without much fight and a summer exodus from Elland Road now seems likely.

One man who could depart the Yorkshire outfit is 32-year-old forward Rodrigo, who enjoyed a fine individual season despite Leeds' return to the second tier, hitting 13 goals and one assist in the Premier League.

Aston Villa have been linked with the Spaniard who seems a prime candidate to depart, as the statistics from this season suggest that he is far too good a player to be playing in the Championship.

One man who could replace Rodrigo at Elland Road is Honduran forward Luis Palma, who has been linked with a move to Leeds in recent weeks.

Could Leeds sign Luis Palma?

According to Diez, both Burnley and Leeds are interested in signing the 23-year-old after a fine season with Aris Saloniki in the Greek Super League.

The young striker has notched an impressive 13 goals and eight assists in 36 appearances this term, which is more goal contributions than anyone in Leeds' squad, while he also has experience playing in the Europa Conference League.

Aris manager Apostolos Terzis was full of praise for Palma after his goals helped the Greek side secure a spot in Europe again for next season, something which may make it harder for Leeds to prise him away in the upcoming transfer window.

He said: "Luis has done that all season. He has been a huge player for us. We know there has been a lot of interest in him and it's not surprising.”

Capable of playing anywhere across the attack, the Honduras international could easily fill the void that will likely be left by Rodrigo, provided he can bring his goalscoring form with him to Elland Road this summer.

With Patrick Bamford's fitness still questionable and club-record signing Georginio Rutter enduring a torrid few months at the club which saw him muster just one start, a new senior striker could well be a priority for whichever manager succeeds Sam Allardyce this summer.

Bamford has shown his class in the Championship in the past but looked a shadow of his former self this term, managing just four goals in the top flight despite registering an expected goals tally of 9.77.

Although youngsters such as Joe Gelhardt and Sonny Perkins will both be hoping to make the step up into the first team, a more experienced goalscorer may be required if Leeds want to bounce back at the first time of asking, and Palma could be the ideal man for Andrea Radrizzani to sign, should he remain at the club this summer.

Manchester United see Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane as 'the perfect kind of striker for their football', though any deal to entice him to Old Trafford won't be an easy one to complete, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

As per The Guardian, Manchester United are set to up the ante in their search for an elite forward by 'bidding as quickly as possible' for Kane this summer and they are also keen on Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount.

The report states that the Red Devils are aware that Spurs will not be pushovers in negotiations, though they believe that the England international 'could transform them into title contenders and they intend to test [Daniel] Levy’s resolve' early in the forthcoming transfer window.

Speaking on Match of the Day via METRO, Premier League all-time leading goalscorer Alan Shearer has weighed in on the debate over whether Kane should commit to Tottenham or move elsewhere, stating: "If it was me, personally, in his situation now – yeah, I would look at my options. He has been so loyal to Tottenham and so brilliant for Tottenham. I don’t think any Tottenham fan could complain if he said: ‘Look, I’ve done my time and I have got to look elsewhere."

Capology understand that the 29-year-old earns £200,000 per week on his current terms at Tottenham that run until the summer of 2024.

Chelsea and Bayern Munich have also been linked with a swoop to try and secure Kane's services in the off-season, which could instigate a transfer tug-of-war for his signature.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Romano believes that Kane is highly regarded within the walls of Old Trafford, though insists that Tottenham will be difficult to do business with.

Romano said: "In terms of reality and a concrete situation happening, we can say that they have an interest. They really appreciate Harry Kane and they consider him the perfect kind of striker for their football.

"But they also know that it's not going to be fast or easy so don't expect any deal in the next two or three weeks for Harry Kane because this is not going to happen."

Would Harry Kane be a good fit for Manchester United?

Kane is an elite striker who has once again proved his credentials this season and he would enrich almost any side in world football due to his clinical finishing ability.

In 2022/23, the Walthamstow-born ace has netted 30 times and laid on five assists in 48 appearances across all competitions for Tottenham, as per Transfermarkt.

The 29-year-old star has also been Spurs' most consistent performer across this campaign, managing to obtain an average match rating of 7.47/10 for his exploits on the pitch, according to WhoScored.

FBRef also shows that Kane has the capacity to be a creative influence and illustrate that he has faired well compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five divisions in the art of progressive passes, having managed 4.73 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, ranking him in the fourth percentile for this metric.

Manchester United would improve significantly with the arrival of Kane and it is unsurprising that it seems as if they are pulling out all the stops to bring him to Old Trafford.

Nottingham Forest are believed to be optimistic about the chances of signing loan star Djed Spence next season, according to a report from a reliable source in The Guardian. 

The lowdown: Stellar season

Signed on loan from fellow second-tier side Middlesborough back in September 2021, Spence has proven to be a superb addition to the Forest squad.

The marauding right-back has been a key component of Steve Cooper’s side and looks certain to play an important role as the Reds prepare to take on Huddersfield Town in the Championship playoff final.

Regardless of whether Forest reach the promised land of the Premier League, it appears plans are already in place to bring the 21-year-old back to the City Ground for 2022/23.

The latest: ‘Quiet optimism’

As per The Guardian, Nottingham Forest are said to hold ‘quiet optimism’ that Spence will return on loan even if a move elsewhere is available this summer.

It’s claimed that the club are ‘confident’ of re-signing at least two of this season’s loanees, with Philip Zinckernagel, James Garner and Keinan Davis all mentioned as possible permanent captures.

Should Cooper guide the Reds to the top flight, the report states that the hierarchy would need to shell out a ‘Premier League premium’ to bring any of the aforementioned stars in.

The verdict: Statement signing

If Forest could sign Spence for good next term it would be a remarkable coup for the club and a sure sign of the pulling power returning to the Midlands outfit.

During the regular 2021/22 campaign, the youngster who was hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Arsenal legend Ian Wright following the FA Cup triumph over the Londoners, scored twice and provided five assists in 42 Championship appearances.

With interest from the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United as well as currently being valued at a rising £7.2million (Transfermarkt), the Reds’ hierarchy would make a real statement of intent by beating teams with European football to offer to get their man.

In other news, a Nottingham Forest bid for one player is expected this summer. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United are reportedly now ‘closing in’ on signing Dean Henderson this summer.

The Lowdown: Interest there

Writing for Manchester Evening News, reliable journalist Samuel Luckhurst has recently reported that the Magpies are ‘interested’ in signing Henderson in the summer, and are ‘considering’ a £40m move for him.

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He would be ‘open’ to moving to St. James’ Park, but ‘sources‘ believe that it is likelier that he would only leave on loan.

The Latest: Luckhurst update

Taking to Twitter, Luckhurst has now given an update on the situation, revealing that Henderson is now ‘closing in’ on a move to the North East, as he ‘travelled’ to Tyneside for ‘talks’:

“Dean Henderson closing in on a move to Newcastle. Understand he travelled to Newcastle for talks yesterday.”

Expanding in his latest piece for Manchester Evening News, Luckhurst added that those talks have been over a season-long loan, although a permanent deal has ‘not been ruled out’.

The Verdict: Sign

Henderson has not been given enough opportunities at Old Trafford this season, having played just three times in total over all competitions, and no games in the Premier League (WhoScored).

He has shown his credentials once given a run of matches in the top flight, having kept 13 clean sheets while on loan at Sheffield United just a couple of seasons ago.

Dubbed an ‘insane‘ and ‘exceptional‘ goalkeeper by former Blades teammate Sander Berge, Henderson will no doubt be eager to show that he can perform again, especially in a World Cup year.

Thus, the Toon should be looking to give him that opportunity by signing him this summer.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ ace NUFC have now made contact over signing here!

Now that the next summer transfer window is on the horizon, it seems as though Manchester City have their eye on securing the signature of one player that could potentially become their next version of Phil Foden.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Mirror, City are in the mix to sign Birmingham City’s 16-year-old midfielder Jobe Bellingham.

As a product of Birmingham’s youth system, the midfielder has followed in the footsteps of his brother Jude by making his senior debut for the Midlands club at a very early age.

The next Foden?

Manchester City have a raft of young players at their club that they have given Premier League minutes to this season.

Some of these players such as Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, James McAtee, CJ Egan-Riley and Kayky have all had their first taste of top-flight action at some point.

One other prime example of a young player working his way through the academy and becoming a regular first-team player is Foden.

With 210 appearances under his belt for the club across their youth and senior sides, the Englishman has scored 66 goals and delivered 46 assists along the way.

Having played in 44 games across all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side this season, the 21-year-old is a top example of a young talent coming through a club’s youth system and making a name for himself at senior level.

Thus, with 26 appearances to his name across the club’s senior, U23 and U18 sides with five goals and one assist, Bellingham could become the next prominent young star at the Etihad.

This highlights the fact that he has a knack for not only scoring goals but creating them as well in a similar fashion to Foden.

>After making his senior debut for Birmingham, the £450k-rated youngster found himself on the receiving end of big praise from Lee Bowyer.

He said: “Young Jobe coming on looked so comfortable. He’s earned that, he’s been training with us for two, three, four weeks now, you can just see him growing and improving every day.”

Further praise has come from talent scout Jacek Kulig, who took to Twitter earlier this season to call the teenager a “huge talent.”

Given the exciting attributes that he clearly has, enough to see him get some senior minutes at such a young age, Bellingham could be a fine addition to City’s ranks.

If the Manchester club do end up signing him and he then gets the chance to become Foden 2.0, this could end up being a solid long-term investment from the Citizens.

In other news: Big boost: £59.6m “genius” now willing to seal move to Etihad, it’s great for Man City

Leeds United winger Raphinha is in advanced talks concerning a move away from Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), who claim that the 25-year-old’s agent is in continued talks with Barcelona regarding a transfer to the Camp Nou at the end of the current campaign.

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The report goes on to state that, despite earlier claims that the Brazil international will be available for €25m (£21m) in the event that Leeds are relegated, this is in fact not the case, before also suggesting that Victor Orta has an agreement in place to sanction Raphinha’s sale for “not too high an amount” if the Whites do drop out of the top flight this season.

Supporters will be livid

Considering just how important a part of the Leeds side Raphinha has become since joining the club back in 2020, the news that the winger could leave the Elland Road on the cheap this summer is sure to be an update that will leave the Elland Road faithful livid.

Indeed, the £40.5m-rated attacker has continuously been a standout for the Whites ever since his £17m move, bagging 16 goals, registering 12 assists and creating 21 big chances over his 63 Premier League outings, in addition to making an average of 2.0 key passes, taking 2.3 shots and completing 1.9 dribbles per game.

These metrics have seen the £63k-per-week Brazilian average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.03 over his two league campaigns for the club – playing a crucial role in Leeds sealing a top-half finish last time out, as well as being the club’s top-scorer in the current campaign.

As such, should Orta sanction the sale of the 25-year-old for anything less than Leeds’ reported £60m asking price, it would certainly come as a huge blow to all involved with the Whites, as it is clear that Raphinha is a talent who would be well worth a figure around the £60m mark in the current market.

AND in other news: Forget Klich: Radz must ruthlessly axe £80k-p/w Leeds figure, he’s “out of his depth”

Former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been reacting to the news that Celtic could be set to receive a healthy financial windfall in the near future. 

The lowdown: £40m windfall?

This comes following a report from the Daily Record confirming that the Hoops will earn upwards of £40million due to participation in next season’s UEFA Champions League group stage.

Ange Postecoglou’s side will book an automatic place in the competition with success in the Scottish Premiership after Russian teams were banned from competing in Europe due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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As things stand, the Bhoys are six points clear at the top of the Scottish top-flight and could all but wrap up the title with victory over Hearts at Parkhead.

The latest: Kenny reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny has claimed that the influx of funds could be monumental for Scottish football.

“Celtic and Rangers both need that money. We know what the financial situation is like up in Scotland. It’s the same every year.

“A guaranteed place in the group stage is massive. £40million is a crazy amount of money to either club.

“Celtic have also failed to get through the qualifying rounds in recent years and Rangers couldn’t do it this season.

“Europa League is great but the Champions League is far more lucrative. So if they get this money, and it looks like they will, that gives them such a boost.

“They can spend more and we know good Ange Postecoglou is with transfers. With Rangers’ finances, you would think they couldn’t pay the same, so I think Celtic could pull further away if they get their transfers right.”

The verdict: Spot on

Out of the elite European competition since 2017/18, Celtic have not only missed the prestige of playing amongst the upper echelons of the continent but also the money that comes with the participation.

Having already proven to be an astute operator in the transfer market, giving Postecoglou even a percentage of the mooted £40million windfall towards transfers would be a daunting prospect for the rest of the league.

Whilst the quality of the group may dictate whether or not the Hoops advance beyond the first stage, simply being back at the top table will be a huge plus for the club.

In other news… a Celtic ace has been backed to make a permanent move away from Parkhead this summer.