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Leeds United reportedly want to sign Bayern Munich goalkeeper Alexander Nubel this summer on a permanent transfer.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?

The Whites and new manager Daniel Farke are currently preparing for the Championship season but are yet to make any senior signings in the transfer market. A number of payers have left Elland Road, either on loan or on a permanent basis, with a takeover involving the 49ers Enterprises still awaiting the EFL green light.

There has been plenty of speculation over new signings, though, with Phil Hay stating that a new goalkeeper, left-back, centre-back, midfielder and forward could be on the agenda in Yorkshire over the coming weeks. One player who could now be targeted in goal appears to be Nubel, with Leeds being named in a recent update.

According to reliable German outlet Bild in the last 48 hours, Nubel doesn’t see his future at the Allianz Arena and seemingly has two options on the table.

The report claims that fellow Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart are looking to loan the goalkeeper, whereas Leeds are interested in a permanent transfer, with Bayern Munich leaning towards a permanent sale. It is believed that a decision could be made regarding Nubel’s future by Monday.

Leeds’ current first-choice goalkeeper has been Illan Meslier, however, Hay believes the club will sell the Frenchman this summer.

Who is Alexander Nubel?

Nubel is 26 years of age and is under contract with Bayern Munich until 2025. The German began his career on the books of SC Paderborn before joining FC Schalke in 2015. Nubel made 53 appearances for the club and signed for Bayern in 2020 on a free transfer.

However, he has featured on just four occasions for his current employers and spent the last two seasons on loan with AS Monaco, where he turned out on 97 occasions in all competitions.

Klaus Thomforde, Germany's U21 goalkeeper coach, once labelled Nubel as an “incredibly talented goalkeeper” who has “extraordinary footballing ability”.

"You can only speak highly of Alex – he's an incredibly talented goalkeeper, with the world at his feet. He's got an extraordinary footballing ability, but he's also very down to earth and is a great lad."

Meanwhile, Eric Kroll, Nubel’s former teammate at Paderborn, has previously hailed the goalkeeper's ability with the ball at his feet.

"Alex was always better with his feet than many of our outfield players – when you had Alex on your team, that was half the job done – you knew you could always pass the ball to him. I can imagine seeing him as Germany number one in future."

As per FBref, Nubel ranks in the top 10% of goalkeepers for saves over the past 12 months (90th percentile), compared to Meslier who sits in the top 62% (38th percentile).

Nubel also holds a better pass completion percentage than the Leeds man and has conceded fewer goals, so it looks as if he could be a sensible option for the Whites to replace Meslier, and by the looks of things, a move could be one to keep an eye on over the coming days.

Liverpool will only strengthen in central defence if Jurgen Klopp finds the 'right player' to fit his vision, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Who are Liverpool signing in 2023?

Liverpool have been busy making inroads in the summer transfer market and have confirmed two signings in the form of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Reds' manager Klopp has his eye on bolstering his midfield further and Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia has emerged as another potential addition at Anfield, as per Football Insider.

The report states that Lavia is keen to join Liverpool over any other prospective suitors that are keen to secure his signature, which include the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona.

Intriguingly, Liverpool have also been linked with an ambitious swoop for Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde and even submitted an enquiry to the Spanish giants before being rebuffed, as per 90min.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Manchester City also made approaches to Real Madrid; however, it is believed that Valverde is completely against the idea of leaving the Santiago Bernebau.

Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram had been linked to Liverpool earlier in the window and was even thought to have verbally agreed personal terms with the club, as per FootballTransfers.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has indicated that midfield signings will take precedence and thinks that Liverpool will only enter the market for a central defender if Klopp thinks they are the correct fit at Anfield.

Romano said: “But let me say that Liverpool will only do that if they find the right player. They don’t want to put money in a player who is not 100% their important target, so this is the idea. But again, now the focus is on completing the midfielder and then moving to the new centre-back.”

Who are Liverpool looking at with regards to defensive additions?

Even though midfield reinforcements look likely to be the focus of recruitment for Liverpool just now, they have still been linked with plenty of defensive targets.

As per The Evening Standard, Chelsea defender Levi Colwill is one name that continues to be mentioned in connection with a surprise potential move to Anfield, though Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City are also in contention to sign the England Under-21 international.

The Times have shared quotes from Colwill talking about where his future may lie, as the 20-year-old stated: “I’ll speak to my family, speak to everyone I need to and make a decision. I’ve got to play at the end of the day to hopefully get there and go to the next camp.”

Football Insider claim that Torino defender Perr Schuurs is a 'top target' for Klopp and could be a cheaper alternative to some of the high-profile names being floated this summer as recruits to slot into the Reds backline.

Sporting Lisbon ace Goncalo Inacio and Wolfsburg young star Micky van de Ven are also admired by Liverpool and appear on a shortlist of names identified by the club.

In the coming weeks we will likely find out more about who may pitch up on the red half of Merseyside as the 2023/24 campaign edges closer to kick-off.

Manchester United are still suffering the consequences of their protracted takeover process as the search for a new number nine has resulted in "nothing at the moment", according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The unintended side effect of this lack of progress in the market means that the prospect of Marcus Rashford being utilised as the club's "central striker" must now be "considered."

Manchester United transfer news – what's the latest in the club's search for a striker?

The Times reported earlier this month that regardless of the speed at which United's takeover is completed, it would be unlikely for the new owners to be in charge of the club before next season had begun.

It is perhaps no surprise then that transfer dealings have appeared somewhat more challenging for the club so far this window, though Chelsea's Mason Mount does look set to join.

However, it hasn't been easy as there was hope earlier this year that Harry Kane might make his way to Old Trafford over the summer, with the England captain entering the final 12 months of his contract in North London.

However, a tough stance from Daniel Levy ultimately made any negotiations untenable, so United pulled out.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about the search for a striker at Manchester United?

Jones was pessimistic about the progress the club has been making regarding the search for their new number nine and pointed out that the longer they delay, the more and more likely it'll be that Rashford has to be used down the middle.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "There's nothing at the moment and the longer it goes on, the more you start to wonder, does Marcus Rashford end up having to be used as United's central striker next season? That wouldn't be ideal, but I think that that is something that has to be considered."

How good was Rashford last season?

It was a good year for Erik ten Hag's team last year; a Carabao Cup triumph and a top-four finish would have been the kind of level they were aiming for in preseason, and they have Rashford to thank for that success.

According to WhoScored, the Manchester-born-dynamo averaged a great match rating of 7.08 across his 35 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 17 goals and assisting a further five.

Ex-United striker Michael Owen was a massive fan of the 25-year-old's exploits last season, saying: "It's scary numbers we're looking at, and we're looking at a player that we're talking about at world-class level in years to come if he keeps this going."

His underlying numbers were equally outstanding and only go to prove – if it needed to be – that his season wasn't just a fluke.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, he sits in the top 1% for non-penalty goals and non-penalty expected goals, the top 2% for total shots, and the top 8% for touches in the oppositions penalty area, all per 90.

If United can't get their hands on a quality striker in time for the start of the season, Rashford should be able to provide high quality cover if required.

That said, if they want a repeat of his outstanding performances from last season, they need to keep him out wide and spend the cash required to get a central striker through the door.

Sunderland may have been handed a boost in their efforts to sign Ellis Simms this summer, with Phil Smith of The Sunderland Echo reporting that the player himself could be keen on a switch back to the Stadium of Light.

What is the latest Sunderland transfer news?

The Championship side appear to have a few irons in the fire when it comes to transfer dealings, as they look to try and push on and seal a potential promotion into the Premier League next season.

The Black Cats are clearly keen to bring in attacking reinforcements, with the side revealed as one of the teams wanting to bring in Sonny Perkins on loan this summer. The Leeds man could be available on a short-term basis and the Black Cats have thrown their hat into the ring over a potential deal to sign him for the duration of the campaign.

In turn though, they lose some of their key players to those higher up the pyramid. Jack Clarke put himself on the map with his displays on Wearside last season and Burnley are now trying to snap up the winger.

One big striking target for Sunderland though has been former loanee Simms, with the Black Cats keen to get him back through the door at the Stadium of Light. It seems that a decision will be made soon over where the striker's future lies after a bid was made last week.

Are Sunderland signing Ellis Simms?

Now, according to a report from Phil Smith for The Sunderland Echo, there has been a fresh update over a potential deal. That's because the player himself is open to a return to the Championship side and "keen" to link back up with his old teammates.

That means that if the previously reported bid is accepted he will surely choose Sunderland. Other clubs are also interested, but it looks as though the Black Cats' previous association with the youngster has handed them a huge leg up in the race.

He's received high praise in the game already for his efforts up front, with Karen Carney calling him "unbelievable" in terms of his finishing ability. The Toffees starlet already possesses an excellent ability to find the back of the net despite being just 22-years-old and a transfer back to Sunderland could see him get more minutes and allow him to really hone that ability in front of goal.

It seems as if the player himself could fancy bagging goals again for the Black Cats too, so that will be positive news for fans of the club.

West Ham are interested in signing Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria this summer but don't want to spend the reported €20m asking price, according to a new report.

Did Zakaria have a good season?

The Hammers are on the lookout for some significant transfer business in the summer window, as they look to kick on after a disappointing Premier League season, but a campaign that ultimately saw them crowned winners of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

With Declan Rice looking almost certain to leave the London Stadium for a fresh challenge in the coming weeks, finding a replacement in midfield will be of the utmost importance for West Ham.

One player who has been linked with a move to east London recently is Zakaria, who is currently at Juventus but spent last season on loan at Chelsea, where he earned £90,000 per week. The Swiss had an underwhelming spell at Stamford Bridge, though, being part of a struggling Blues team and only starting five league games in total.

Despite this, it looks as though he remains a transfer target for West Ham, though, and with an approach already made, a fresh update has emerged regarding his future.

Could Zakaria be off to West Ham?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], the Hammers "having carried out a survey" for Zakaria, with Juventus happy to let him leave the club before the beginning of next season. That being said, the mooted €20m (£17.1m) asking price is "too much" for West Ham, so a move is only likely to materlialise if they lower the price.

There is competition for the Juve man's signature, however, with Bundesliga pair Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund believed to have "sniffed out" a deal for him.

While Zakaria's time at Chelsea hasn't exactly enhanced his reputation as a player, he could still be an exciting signing by West Ham this summer, helping fill what is likely to be a sizeable void left by Rice in the middle of the park.

Former Chelsea and England star Joe Cole hailed him as "excellent" at one point last season, while a tally of 49 caps for Switzerland shows what an experienced international player he is, not to mention the fact that he has 125 Bundesliga appearances to his name.

At 26, Zakaria could be a strong signing for West Ham for four or five years, bringing a combination of 1.3 tackles and 1.1 clearances in the Premier League in 2022/23, while also ranking in the 99th percentile for medium and long passes completed.

Liverpool aren't just after midfielders this summer it seems, with the Reds preparing an offer to bring in Federico Chiesa, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, via Rousing the Kop.

How many goals has Federico Chiesa scored?

The winger has had a somewhat torrid year for Juventus in the 2022/23 campaign, with knee injury troubles meaning he was limited to very little playing time. He started on just six occasions in Serie A for example, although he did manage to play in 21 games in total – meaning that he largely had to make do with coming off the bench.

Even though that meant his minutes were limited, he was still able to score two goals and assist five times – it meant that he actually bettered his totals from the 2021/22 season, despite playing for slightly less time.

When able to get onto the field frequently though, the Italian has already showcased in the past what he can do. The last season in which he managed over ten lots of 90 minutes for example brought him eight Serie A goals and the same amount of assists. That meant he had a rate of 16 goal contributions in 28 starts for the Old Lady.

Are Liverpool signing Chiesa?

Now, according to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport, via Rousing the Kop, the player could be given an escape from the Turin side. That is because Liverpool do appear to have an interest in him and, not only that, they are already preparing an offer for the player to try and tempt Juventus into letting him leave.

That bid will reportedly be worth around £34m and they will be hopeful it can be enough to convince the Italian side into a sale – although it's believed that they are more likely to want just above £50m for the player.

Chiesa clearly still has a lot to offer a football club when he is fit, as football journalist Josh Bunting recently praised his "wonderful" talents after witnessing a "special" goal from the Juve starlet on international duty.

It shows that the forward can still fulfil his potential despite his injury hell over the last 18 months, and given the chance to thrive elsewhere, we could see the best out of him – perhaps Liverpool could be that team.

Liverpool will not be making a move for Alex Scott this summer, according to a report from reliable journalist Ben Jacobs.

Who is Alex Scott linked with?

The midfielder has had an electric year in the Championship for Bristol City and has become a key player for the side already despite being only 19-years-old. He featured in a total of 42 second tier games for the Robins in the 2022/23 season – nearly every single league fixture for the club – and 40 of those came as starts. It led to one goal and five assists from the centre of the field, the teenager's best ever career tally for assists.

In addition, when compared to others in his position in the Men's 'Next 8' competitions in Europe, he ranks extremely highly despite his youth and relative inexperience (he's only had two years of first-team football).

He sits nicely in the top 11% for progressive carries for example with a rate of 2.34 per 90 and also fits into the 83rd percentile for successful take-ons, with a total of 1.22 per 90 to boot.

It's led to plenty of clubs from higher up the pyramid sniffing around his signature – but one club that won't be making a move is Liverpool according to journalist Ben Jacobs. He states that the Reds have indeed scouted and had a look at Scott but that they won't be making a move to sign him. Instead, that leaves the path empty for some of the other interested Premier League sides, namely Wolves and Tottenham.

What is Alex Scott's transfer value?

A deal won't be cheap for the player even though he is only 19. That's because Jacobs adds that Bristol City want around £25m for his signature – a huge fee for a player who has yet to leave the Championship.

However, when you consider the impact he has had on the game already and some of the high praise he has receieved, it comes as no surprise. Even Pep Guardiola has hailed Scott for example, as he called the midfielder an "unbelievable player."

Indeed, some Reds fans may feel that, considering his talent, their club should be in the race to try and bring Scott to Anfield.

Celtic are searching for a new manager this month after they were rocked by the departure of Australian chief Ange Postecoglou from Parkhead last week.

The former Hoops tactician sealed a move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond is now tasked with finding a replacement for the 57-year-old.

One coach who is reportedly in contention to take the job in Glasgow is Manchester City assistant Enzo Maresca, who the Hoops are said to be considering as one of the candidates to take over at Parkhead in the coming weeks.

Would Enzo Maresca be a success at Celtic?

The Italian, who has been tipped to become an "extraordinary" boss by Pep Guardiola, has only managed 13 league games as a first-team manager but his pedigree as a coach suggests that he has the potential to be an upgrade on Postecoglou.

Maresca enjoyed a memorable night last Saturday as his side won the Champions League against Inter to complete a historic treble for City, having already won the Premier League and the FA Cup.

Although it was largely Guardiola who masterminded such an honour, it this shows that the 43-year-old knows what it takes to be part of a relentless winning machine.

Whilst it may seem crazy to suggest that the Citizens assistant could be an upgrade on the Australian, former West Ham United winger Robert Snodgrass believes that it could be the case.

The Scotsman, who worked with Maresca during their time together at the Hammers, has stated that the coach could come in and make the players "better", saying: "What I loved about him at West Ham was he took the time to work with players and improve them.

“He was a coach so didn’t have as much control as you do as manager. But at Celtic he could take that to a different level. He’ll identify areas in certain players’ game, work on it, make them better and that in turn will help the team."

The ex-Norwich attacker also said that the Italian could provide the Hoops with something "extra" on top of what Postecoglou achieved, which could come from his ability to get the best out of his players.

Guardiola previously hailed Maresca's work in developing City's young talents, notably enjoying a solid record with the club's U23 side as he won 17 of his 24 Premier League 2 matches in charge.

This suggests that the 3-4-1-2 manager could be an upgrade on Postecoglou by taking what the 57-year-old built and building further by working his magic on the training ground to extract every ounce of potential out of the squad to make them the best possible versions of themselves.

Therefore, Desmond could gamble on the City assistant being able to translate his coaching skills over to first-team management and land an improvement in the dugout in the process.

Everton must seal a deal for FC Barcelona midfielder Gavi this summer as he could be the answer to their problems and he is better than their current option Allan.

It was recently reported by Spanish outlet AS that Everton are among several clubs interested in completing a move for the 17-year-old. Barcelona were considering offloading the player in order to help finance their re-build and set a price tag of €40m (£34.2m) for his services.

However, they have since been more reluctant to let him go and if Everton don’t move quickly then it could become too tough for them to persuade the club and player.

The teenage sensation is one of the latest products of their world-famous La Masia academy and has made 31 La Liga appearances this season, being directly involved in eight goals. To be having that much of an impact at a big club when he’s so young proves just how good he is. If Everton really wanted to make a statement this summer then signing him would do exactly that.

The Toffees are still battling to stay in the Premier League and transfers will probably take a back seat until their fate is sealed. If they do get relegated, then a move for Gavi will likely be off the table, but he could be a key part of a resurgence next season if they stay up.

Moving to Goodison Park would provide him will lots of game time and he would get the chance to showcase his skills in the Premier League. At Barcelona it’s often hard to stand out due to the level of talent and scrutiny, he wouldn’t have this problem at Everton.

One of the players he could replace in the long term at the club would be Allan. The Brazilian midfielder made the sensational switch from Naples to Merseyside in 2020 for £21.7m where he linked up with former manager Carlo Ancelotti.

He has played a key role since the move, averaging over 25 Premier league appearances in that time. But he is 31-years-old and Everton can’t rely on him forever.

Gavi would make the perfect successor and if you compare the two the numbers prove it. In possession of the ball, he excels over Allan with 168 progressive carriers this season compared to Allan’s 100.

He’s also better at passing the ball with a completion percentage of 89.3% compared to the Brazilian’s 79.9%. With those stats in mind, it’s not a surprise to see his teammate Pedri recently call him an “absolutely crazy” talent.

If they survive the drop then they should do everything they can to sign Gavi, even if it’s initially on loan, he can drastically improve their squad next season.

IN other news: Everton plotting move for £12.6m-rated “monster”, he’s a huge upgrade on Keane…

Manchester United are interested in a deal for Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from The Times (via The Express) who claim that Man United have now learnt the asking price for the rampant Argentine striker.

They claim that he could cost in the region of £60m to £70m this summer.

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Martial upgrade

With reports stating that Ten Hag wants Martinez to lead the line next season, it gives us a good indication of how he wants his forward to play in United’s attacking line.

The 52-year-old Dutchman clearly wants his striker to possess the necessary technical attributes and work rate to help create an offensive threat. In other words, he does not want a forward who relies solely on wingers to produce chances.

Martinez, who has been described as a “machine” by reporter Roberto Rojas, serves as a major upgrade on Anthony Martial and conforms to ten Hag’s creative requirements, with his match average 3.19 shot-creating actions ideal for the Dutch tactician, as per FBref.

For starters, Martinez has proven himself as a world-class centre forward over the last three seasons having scored 18 assists in 105 appearances for Inter in Serie A.

Meanwhile, Anthony Martial has netted once.

United are right to be targeting a deal for Martinez and ten Hag should instruct Rangnick to go in with an offer of around £70m in what would be an astute, future-proof move that allows the new manager to play exactly how he wants to.

In other news: Ten Hag set to make £20m “pitbull” his first MUFC signing, supporters surely buzzing – opinion…