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Steven Gerrard could be on the brink of a subjective summer transfer disaster.

What’s the word?

As per a report from Birmingham Live, Morgan Sanson faces an uncertain future at Aston Villa after making just 10 appearances under the tenure of Gerrard.

As referenced in the report, a piece by TRTSpor states that Sanson is a priority target for Turkish giants Galatasaray this summer. It is said that the Istanbul-based side will submit an offer to Villa for Sanson in the coming days.

A summer disaster

Back when Sanson made the switch from Ligue 1 to the Premier League via a £16m move from Marseille, he was extremely highly rated, having signed a five-year contract at Villa Park.

Though his time in England has not at all gone to plan, and he has since gone from playing Champions League football with Marseille to sitting on the bench for a mid-table Premier League side.

Back when former Villa boss Dean Smith signed the midfielder, he said:

“Morgan has performed consistently at the highest level in French football for a number of seasons as well as in this season’s Champions League, and is a player with the quality and experience to play in any midfield position. He will add real competition for starting places and gives us more squad depth, which is vital to competing successfully in the Premier League.”

However, despite being rated by Smith, the Frenchman made just 10 appearances under his tutelage.

His spell has not gone to plan at Villa thus far, but there is surely something left in a 27-year-old who is now entering the so-called prime years of his career.

His best season in Ligue 1 came in the 16/17 season in which he bagged four campaigns that followed were very solid too.

It remains a mystery as to why Sanson cannot achieve regular minutes at Villa, despite once being a Champions League starter, so if Gerrard is to allow the 27-year-old who Smith once named a “technician” to leave without being given a consistent run of games, it will surely leave a bitter-sweet taste in the mouths of the Villa faithful – and it could well go down as a transfer disaster.

AND in other news: Steven Gerrard can form “unplayable” duo with Aston Villa bid for £30m “machine” 

Nottingham Forest have completed a deal to sign former Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi.

What’s the word?

That is according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter to issue the update.

Romano said: “Nottingham Forest have signed all the paperworks for Taiwo Awoniyi deal with Union Berlin. It’s done and sealed, agreement completed. £17m release clause triggered and Liverpool will receive 10% of the transfer.”

Cooper will be delighted

The signing of Awoniyi is a smart move from Forest.

Lewis Grabban was an important figure for Cooper’s side in the 2021/22 season, chipping in with 12 precious goals to finish the campaign as the Tricky Trees’ second-highest scorer. However, even with his experience, the 34-year-old is virtually unproven at the highest level, having managed just Premier League appearances.

Bearing in mind his injury record, having missed 21 games last season due to injuries and illness, he is not reliable enough to lead the line on his own, which is where the signing of Awoniyi comes in.

With Cooper preferring to go with two forwards up top, he needs sufficient depth in the centre-forward position, with the likes of top scorer Brennan Johnson and third-highest goal provider Sam Surridge the only real established options who can offer a sufficient threat for Forest in the final third.

Awoniyi was on the books of Liverpool for six years and never made a single appearance for the first team, so he will have an extra sense of ambition to show his former club exactly what they are missing.

The Nigerian has just come off the back of a stellar season for Union Berlin which saw him score two assists in 31 Bundesliga appearances, so Cooper will be thrilled to have landed such a reliable high-level scorer.

The 24-year-old appears to be an exciting addition to the Premier League, and an even greater addition to Nottingham Forest, who have shown that they mean business with this coup.

In other news: Cooper now given green light for £9m-rated Forest swoop, he’s a Zinckernagel upgrade 

A big update has emerged on Tottenham’s pursuit of Gleison Bremer in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to TuttoSport, Torino chiefs are set for a meeting with Spurs in London as Fabio Paratici plans to hold talks over a deal for the centre-back.

The report claims that the Italian supremo wants to improve the club’s defensive options and the Serie A tank has been identified as a key target.

Antonio Conte would love him

Conte would love to have Bremer, who is reportedly valued at €50m (£43m), in his squad next season as he is an outstanding player with the potential to get better in the future.

The central defender would bolster the Italian’s options at the back and offer a possible upgrade on the likes of Ben Davies, Davinson Sanchez, and Eric Dier.

All three Spurs centre-backs averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.08 or lower – including Davies’ 6.88 – in the Premier League and Bremer has the scope to come in and improve upon that.

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He was dubbed a “monster” by journalist Maxi Angelo and his claim is backed up by the defender’s statistics in the Serie A last season.

In the 2021/22 campaign, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.13. The gem made an astounding 4.7 tackles and interceptions and 4.0 clearances per game and this shows that he was a machine at the back for Torino as he consistently won the ball for his team and was in the right positions to cut out attacks on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Dier made 1.2 tackles and interceptions, Sanchez made 3.1 and Davies managed 2.2 per game in the English top-flight. Whilst these are not terrible statistics from the Spurs players, Bremer has shown that he has the quality to come in and perform to a higher level than them.

At the age of 25, the Brazilian would also be coming in as a player with room to improve. He still has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and Conte can work with him to help him fulfil his potential in the next few seasons – making him a crucial player for Tottenham in the process.

Therefore, the Italian head coach would love to have the gem in his squad next season as he would immediately improve the team, if he can adapt to English football, and would be a signing for the future as well.

AND in other news, Paratici now given green light to seal “outstanding” Spurs signing, he’d be “clinical”…

Sky Sports punditSky Sports pundit Alex McLeish is excited about the thought of Liverpool completing a deal for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, who he says could be yet ‘another’ top signing by the Reds.

The Lowdown: Liverpool close to agreement

The Uruguayan first put pen to paper on a deal with the Primeira Liga outfit when he joined the club in a £21.6m move from UD Almeria two years ago, and despite his contract with the Portuguese side not being set to expire until 2025, the 22-year-old has been linked with a move away from the Estadio da Luz.

Jurgen Klopp and Co, alongside top-flight rivals Manchester United, are both interested in his services.

After further developments, it’s been reported that the Merseysiders look to have won the race for his signature and are now close to reaching a full agreement with the forward ahead of a potential summer move.

The Latest: McLeish backs Nunez to shine

McLeish suggested that Nunez would have to prove himself in Liverpool’s starting XI, but says he’s heard really good things about the level he could reach, pondering whether he could even eventually be ‘another (Sadio) Mane’.

He told Football Insider: “For any player coming from any other country in the world to play in the English Premier League is a leap.

“The thing is that Mane and Salah have all proved their worth. That’s what Nunez will have to do, come in and prove that.

“We can’t speculate about him and say he’ll definitely come in and be another Mane. At the same time, there seems to be a good crop of players in Portugal.

“I’ve got a pal out there, he watches the Portuguese league every week. He keeps waxing lyrical about the quality of a lot of the play and indeed the players.

“If Liverpool are going for a guy like that, you would tend to think that this guy is some player. We’ve seen him, of course, but they will have assessed the whole picture, as they do very well.

“It’s rare that Liverpool are making mistakes in the transfer window.”

The Verdict: Perfect attacking addition

With Mane’s future at Anfield currently up in the air, Klopp will be wanting to find a suitable replacement in case the Senegalese star does depart ahead of the start of the new season, and Nunez possesses the qualities to fill that role perfectly.

The £49.5m-rated talisman was hitting the back of the net for fun this campaign, having scored 34 goals and provided four assists in just 41 appearances for Benfica, as per Transfermarkt, showing just how much of a threat and handful he can be for defenders in the final third.

The 6 foot 2 talent would surely flourish playing in the Premier League and is the ideal addition to the Reds’ attacking ranks, where there’s a very strong possibility that we won’t see Mane ever again.

In other news… a BBC pundit has claimed that Liverpool will be ‘raging’ after hearing a Mo Salah update.

Newcastle United target Sven Botman has the ‘unanimous’ approval of key figures behind the scenes at St. James’ Park, according to The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope.Â

The lowdown

Amanda Staveley claimed earlier this year that Lille centre-back Botman ‘desperately wanted’ to join Newcastle in January.

The Magpies submitted ‘multiple offers’ but the Ligue 1 outfit simply refused to negotiate a winter sale (via The Athletic).

Eddie Howe did manage to add Dan Burn to his ranks in January but he would still like to sign another centre-back in the coming weeks.

Botman, under contract at Lille until June 2025, is valued at £27million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

North-East football correspondent Hope writes that the Botman deal is ‘one they’d like to do’ during the summer transfer window.

Unlike some other players on Newcastle’s shortlist, he says, the Dutchman has total backing from Magpies chiefs.

All at Newcastle have said ‘yes’ to the pursuit, and now it remains to be seen if they can pull it off.

The verdict

Botman has attracted some rave reviews.

The director of his agency has billed him a ‘golden boy’ who has shown ‘extraordinary courage’, while compatriot Jaap Stam has backed him to become ‘one of the best centre-backs in Europe’

But the problem for Newcastle is that the player’s preference may be to join newly-crowned Serie A champions AC Milan.

Italian journalist Daniele Longo worryingly claims that Botman has made a move to the San Siro his ‘absolute priority’.

In other news, this journalist is buzzing over an NUFC transfer link.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Jason Knight to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Leeds Live, who claimed that the Whites and recently-relegated Burnley, are considering a move for the Derby County midfielder in the off-season, before relaying comments made by the 21-year-old concerning a potential move to the Premier League this summer.

Regarding his future, the Republic of Ireland international said: “Whenever I step out there I always mix it with anyone. If that offer comes in, it’s something you have always dreamt of, playing in the Premier League and at the highest level.

“At the moment I’m still a Derby player. Everyone knows it’s been a tough year with things behind the scenes at Derby. I’ve played a lot of games so I was happy with that aspect but what the future holds I don’t know. I’ll see what happens.”

The next Mason Mount

While it is true that Derby have been in something of a downward spiral in recent years – something which ultimately saw the Rams suffer relegation to the third tier of English football this year – Knight has undoubtedly been one of the few bright sparks at Pride Park.

Indeed, despite his tender age, the 21-year-old has already made 119 first-team appearances for the Midlands club, scoring 11 goals and registering four assists across all competitions.

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The £4.5m-rated talent has even captained his side on occasion, with Wayne Rooney suggesting that the academy graduate’s attitude both on the pitch and in training was the reason for him handing Irishman the armband.

The 36-year-old said of Knight: “He’s a manager’s dream. He gives everything. He’s great for the younger and older lads to take note of, but I still want more from him. But in terms of what we’re trying to build, he deserves the armband – whether he’s 19 or 30.”

As such, considering his leadership qualities, his undoubted ability and his impressive positional versatility – being comfortable operating in defensive, central or attacking midfield, and on either flank – it would appear as if Knight could well be on course to follow in the footsteps of one of Derby’s former loan starlets in Mason Mount.

Indeed, the England international made his name over 38 Championship appearances with the Rams in 2018/19, with the £103m-rated Chelsea midfielder scoring eight goals, providing four assists and creating seven big chances for his team-mates, along with taking 2.6 shots and making 1.9 key passes per game.

As such, should Victor Orta be successful in his pursuit of Knight this summer, and the 21-year-old continues his impressive career progression at Elland Road, the Spaniard could well have unearthed the next Mount for Leeds. That is sure to be an incredibly exciting prospect for Whites supporters and Jesse Marsch.

AND in other news: Orta can land “the next Declan Rice” as Leeds eye talent who’s “getting rave reviews”

Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are seemingly looking to strengthen again this summer, with Manchester City youngster Taylor Harwood-Bellis one name that appears to be of interest.

What’s the word?

According to respected journalist Alan Nixon, the Hoops are still keen on a move for the 20-year-old this summer, as manager Ange Postecoglou looks to bolster his defensive ranks ahead of next season.

Asked about a possible switch for the Englishman on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed that the Old Firm outfit are monitoring the centre-back, although there has been little movement in recent days: “Nothing since last week … there IS an interest … no decision for a couple of weeks.”

This follows a report from Sky Sports last week that suggested the Stockport-born gem was being considered by the Glasgow side, with further reinforcements needed amid reports that Christopher Jullien could be on his way out of the club.

Supporters will love it

Those at Parkhead will be hoping that the England U21 international can be another young prospect who proves a success after making the jump from the Etihad to Scotland, with the likes of Patrick Roberts and Jeremie Frimpong two of the most notable names to have starred after arriving from City.

Although a relative unknown to many, Harwood-Bellis has already gained vital senior experience at the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht and most recently with Championship outfit Stoke City, making 22 appearances for the Potters in the second half of the 2021/22 season – all of which came as starts.

That run of games will likely have proved vital to his development, while he proved his worth after recording a string of impressive statistics, recording an average of 1.9 interceptions, 3.5 clearances and one tackle per game, while also winning a solid 60% of his aerial duels.

Having also enjoyed a taste of life under Pep Guardiola, with the serial-winning coach lavishing him with praise in the past, the 6 foot 2 colossus is likely to be able to adapt to Postecoglou’s attacking style of play, while his 81% pass accuracy rate last term illustrates his comfort with the ball at his feet.

His former Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has also highlighted his strengths both in and out of possession, the one-time Celtic man stating that the youngster is an “old school” defender in one sense, although he can also “play football if that’s the game infront of him”.

Schooled by Guardiola, and briefly managed by Premier League legend Vincent Kompany in Belgium, the £6m-rated ace likely can’t have had a better footballing education, with now the time for him to properly nail down a permanent home.

It may be too unrealistic to expect him to make an instant impact north of the border were he to be signed this summer, although Hoops’ supporters will no doubt be excited by the undoubted potential on offer, while Postecoglou has already proven his knack for developing and improving any incomings.

In other news: Ange can land his own Van Dijk as Celtic eye bid for “tremendous” £4.05m-rated machine

According to reliable journalist Tom Barclay, Southampton transfer target Liam Delap would ‘definitely’ fit the profile of player that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl might be tempted to sign during the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: Delap profiled

The 19-year-old first joined the academy at Manchester City as a scholar three years ago and has worked his way up through the ranks at the club, which saw him rewarded with his first-team debut in the Sky Blues’ 2-1 Carabao Cup victory against Bournemouth in September 2020.

The forward put pen to paper on a new three-year contract extension with the Etihad Stadium outfit last summer, but he has recently been touted with a move away from the Premier League champions in a bid to get some much-needed game-time and further his development.

In a recent report from The Sun, it’s claimed that the teenager is on Southampton’s shortlist as they desperately look to bolster their attacking ranks; and after raiding Chelsea’s academy to sign Tino Livramento and Dynel Simeu last year, the Saints have been backed to pull off a similar move by tempting Delap into a south coast switch in the coming months.

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The Latest: Barclay backs Southampton links with Delap

Barclay has suggested that Delap could be the perfect fit for Hasenhuttl’s plans at Southampton, given the Saints’ previous raids for young prospects from the Premier League’s top brass.

Wnd when asked whether he thought he could see any parallels in their swoops for the aforementioned ex-Chelsea youngsters, he told GiveMeSport: “Yeah, definitely. They’ve targeted Chelsea’s academy in recent history with great success, with obviously Livramento being the standout one, Broja as well.

“Dynel Simeu, who went on loan to Carlisle and did well, although he’s not been as much of a standout player; he was signed more for the B team but is another player they signed from that club’s academy.

“And I think we’ve talked about Tino Anjorin as well as another possible target in the future. So, they’ve looked at that area.”

The Verdict: Perfect replacement for Long

With veteran striker Shane Long set to depart St Mary’s upon the expiry of his contract next month, Delap could be viewed as the ideal candidate to take the Irishman’s place in the squad, either on a temporary or permanent basis.

The Winchester-born talent, who was once dubbed a “special” player by City manager Pep Guardiola, has been in excellent form in Premier League 2 this season. With eight goals and two assists in just ten appearances at that level, as per Transfermarkt, he has shown just how prolific he can be in the final third regardless of his age.

After a disappointing 15th-place finish in the top flight this season, the possible addition of someone like Delap up top could be just what Southampton need if they are to start making a serious push towards a top-ten finish next time around.

In other news… a talkSPORT reporter has made this huge Saints transfer claim involving one of their summer targets

Rangers must wipe away the tears after the heartbreak in Seville earlier this week, as they have the chance to end the season on a high in the Scottish Cup today.

The Gers can win a trophy in their final match of a gruelling campaign to give the club a much-needed lift after the loss on penalties in the final of the Europa League on Wednesday night.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men were held to a 1-1 draw by Eintracht Frankfurt over 120 minutes after Joe Aribo opened the scoring in that game, losing in the penalty shoot-out as Aaron Ramsey failed to score from 12 yards.

They now come up against Hearts in the final of the Scottish Cup, and one player that Van Bronckhorst must bring into the starting XI is academy midfielder Alex Lowry.

Gio must unleash Lowry for Rangers

He was an unused substitute in Seville but has the potential to be Rangers’ big cup hero today. Lowry can put down a marker ahead of next season by making the difference for the Glasgow giants on this occasion.

The 18-year-old played against Hearts on the final day of the Premiership season and was absolutely outstanding throughout the match. As per SofaScore, he completed 33 of his 38 passes, created one ‘big chance’ and made two tackles whilst playing on the left of the front three.

He ended the match with a goal and an assist to his name, brilliantly rolling the ball into the corner for his goal and setting up Cedric Itten to score with a precise corner.

Van Bronckhorst has now handed the youngster four appearances in the top flight this season and Lowry has averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.05 in those matches. The Scottish starlet is showing that he can perform at first-team level in spite of his tender age, and he has the quality to be the hero of today’s final.

Scottish coach Andy Goldie hailed the youngster as “care free and gallus” in an interview with The Athletic, whilst he also said that the midfielder is a “master” of the ball in a way unlike many young players in the country.

These quotes suggest that Lowry has the playing style to make him standout in a cup final. He has the magic touch in possession to make things happen, as proven in the team’s last clash against Hearts, and that is why Van Bronckhorst must place him in the starting XI for this game.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst eyeing Rangers swoop for “phenomenal” £1m destroyer, supporters would love him…

Manchester City will be set to say goodbye to Fernandinho this summer after he revealed this would be his last season with the club.

Having signed back in 2013, the Brazilian has gone on to make 382 appearances for the Citizens across all competitions.

In those appearances, the midfielder has scored 26 goals, provided 33 assists and won numerous trophies along the way.

As he was so keen to join the club all those years ago, it was revealed that the player paid £4m of his own transfer fee to make his move to the Etihad Stadium.

Looking ahead to the next summer window, it seems as though another midfield talent is willing to make a financial sacrifice to force his way to the Manchester club.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Sun, Barcelona midfielder, Frenkie de Jong, is reportedly willing to kiss goodbye to nearly £6m in unpaid wages to clinch a move to City this summer.

Having made 135 appearances for Ajax across their senior side and U21 team, the Dutchman joined Barcelona in the 2019 summer transfer window after striking a deal worth £65m for him back in January.

It’s thought the player may cost around £59.6m this summer.

Great news for Man City

Since arriving at Barca, the 25-year-old has played in 139 games for the La Liga side across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and providing 17 assists along the way.

To highlight what a useful midfield option he could be for Pep Guardiola, de Jong is listed in the top five at Barcelona for passes made while under pressure from an opponent and key passes. He is also among the best five for shot and goal-creating actions in La Liga this term.

This shows just how much of a talented figure he is on the ball and how he can create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates. It also shows why Barca boss Xavi previously described him as a “genius.”

With City averaging more possession and passing success in the Premier League this season than any other side, adding the Barcelona star to their ranks could be a match made in heaven for both parties.

Now that the £63m-rated midfielder’s willingness to forget about his unpaid wages from Barcelona to join City has been reported, this surely represents good news for the Manchester club.

It should consequently push them into making a move to sign him as soon as possible.

In other news: Imagine him & Foden: Pep can form scary MCFC duo by signing gem Haaland called “crazy”