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Leeds United are facing a barrage of pressure to sell their best assets this summer from Europe’s elite as Jesse Marsch’s squad is gutted.

Fortunately, Victor Orta and co have methods in place to counter this.

What’s the word?

One player who looks extremely likely to leave Elland Road this summer is Raphinha. The Brazilian was the subject of interest from Arsenal before Chelsea became favourites but his favourite destination, Barcelona, are still very much a factor in this saga.

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If the former Rennes star does depart, then a player of interest to Leeds is Cody Gakpo, a forward who would appear to be the perfect replacement.

That’s according to one Italian journalist on Tweeted on Saturday the following news: “Leedsare also in talks withGakpo’s agent. Now theclub is focused on sellingRaphinhato maximize profits.”

It’s thought the PSV Eindhoven man will cost around £34m according to further reports.

A ‘supreme’ addition

Losing Raphinha will be a bitter blow to Leeds’ chances of staying up next term. Without him last season, they would have been relegated with the Brazil international very much picking up the bottom from injury-stricken Patrick Bamford when it came to scoring the goals.

He ended the 2021/22 campaign as Leeds’ top scorer, finding the net on 11 occasions. That might not be a barrage of goals but he was an effervescent and radiant threat in the attack third, often causing plenty of problems for opposition defences.

Gakpo, however, would be a worthy heir to his throne on the flanks at Elland Road.

Capable of featuring on either wing, as well as through the middle in a centre-forward role, the Dutchman would offer Marsch and co a great deal of flexibility in his front line.

He’d also offer the American coach a high level of firepower with the 23-year-old scoring 21 times last season, as well as registering 15 assists across all competitions.

With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that Gakpo has been described as a “supreme talent” by Pain in the Arsenal. The Gunners have also been eyeing the winger so any move will have to be wrapped up swiftly, particularly with Mikel Arteta’s men now seeking alternatives to Leeds’ very own Raphinha.

A move at such a price would be a gamble considering he has no experience in Europe’s top five leagues but they need more goals, and Gakpo will certainly provide that.

Orta must conclude a deal as quickly as possible; he’d be supreme at Elland Road.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has offered his verdict regarding Arsenal’s reported interest in Lille midfielder, Amadou Onana.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider suggested that the 20-year-old shares similarities to that of Gunners legend Patrick Vieira, amid reports suggesting that the north London outfit have opened talks regarding a potential deal with the Ligue 1 side.

O’Rourke stated: “He’s got the stature of Patrick Vieira, and if he’s half as good as Vieira was for Arsenal then I think Arsenal will be delighted to have him at the club.

“He does have all of the attributes to be a success in England. He’s a good ball player and has great energy.”

The one-cap Belgium international is also reportedly the subject of interest from fellow Premier League side, West Ham United, with David Moyes and co having had a €30m (£25m) bid rejected for the promising starlet.

Patrick Vieira 2.0

It remains a sore point among the Emirates faithful that the club are yet to truly replace their former talismanic skipper – Vieira – 17 years on from the Frenchman’s departure from the club after a glittering spell under compatriot Arsene Wenger.

Plucked from AC Milan in 1996, the imposing midfielder went on to rack up 307 top-flight appearances over the next nine years, netting 31 goals and 34 assists in the league in that time, while also claiming three title triumphs and four FA Cups.

An integral part of the club’s famed ‘Invincibles’ side, the current Crystal Palace boss was a leader in every sense of the word, with his forceful, dominating presence in the centre of the park making him one of the most effective and respected midfielders of his era.

As the wait goes on to end the lengthy barren run with regards to league titles, the desire to finally replace the World Cup winner grows even stronger, with supporters no doubt desperate to see a midfield colossus of Vieira’s ilk join the club.

Many believed that Thomas Partey – who was signed on a £45m deal in the summer of 2020 – could be the figure to finally emulate the 46-year-old, although while the Ghanian still has time to blossom, he has largely been plagued by injury thus far.

As O’Rourke alluded to, however, the club could finally have the heir to Vieira’s crown in the form of young Onana, with the £9m-rated gem – who has been dubbed a “huge talent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig – having shone in France in recent seasons.

The towering 6 foot 5 giant shares obvious physical similarities to that of the club legend, while he is also a fierce competitor in the middle of the pitch, notably ranking in the top 6% for tackles made among those in his position across Europe’s big five leagues.

Although his youth would suggest he is far from the finished article, the £5.5k-per-week brute still enjoyed a strong 2021/22 campaign, averaging 1.6 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game and losing possession just 4.5 times per 90.

Clearly an impressive performer both with and without the ball, Onana could potentially be the man to lead Arteta’s side moving forward should sporting director Edu manage to strike a deal, with the Vieira-shaped void having the chance to be belatedly filled.

AND, in other news: Arsenal plotting move for £19.8m-rated “assist machine”, could be better than Raphinha

Steven Gerrard should do all in his power to try and lure Conor Gallagher from Chelsea to Aston Villa.

Pete O’Rourke had recently touted the midfielder with a move to the Midlands and claimed that it would “definitely be a huge signing for Villa” should they manage to pull it off.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a fine 2021/22 season whilst on loan at Crystal Palace, racking up 11 goal contributions across his 34 league appearances.

His ability to excel for a Palace side who finished 12th suggests that he could help propel Villa up the table should they fork out the reported £50m asking price for him.

Furthermore, he could strike up a formidable partnership in midfield with John McGinn. The two would offer a perfect blend of creativity, hard work and tough tackling to cause problems for any opposition midfield.

Last season, the Scotsman managed seven goal contributions as his team finished a disappointing 14th. However, with a number of summer additions and a full pre-season under Steven Gerrard, there is promise surrounding Aston Villa.

It is this promise which could tempt Gallagher, who would slot right into the three-man midfield.

Last season, the England international ranked in the 93rd percentile for pressures per 90 minutes among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, outlining his willingness to do the dirty work.

The thought of him lining up alongside McGinn, who averaged 16.31 pressures alongside sitting in the 85th percentile for tackles per 90, paints the picture of a balanced midfield which only needs one complementary addition to perfect it.

Summer signing Boubacar Kamara could be that man, and Gerrard could have one incredible midfield on his hands.

Gallagher was lauded for his performances last season, being labelled “unreal” by Mark Duffy and “unbelievable by Nizaar Kinsella. Journalists, pundits, players and staff all recognised his qualities, and he would represent an amazing coup for Villa.

In terms of SofaScore ratings, both McGinn and Gallagher boast similarly impressive scores. The former enjoyed a fine personal season and recorded a 7.29 average rating, while Gallagher managed a 7.08 rating. With these two paired in midfield, Villa would ne virtually guaranteed a high level of consistency and unparalleled graft.

It’s easy to imagine that these two would work perfectly together in midfield, and despite the astronomical price tag on the Chelsea gem, the added goals and graft from the centre of the park alongside McGinn’s consistency could be the difference which propels Gerrard’s side up the table in 2022/23.

AND in other news: Reliable journalist now reveals huge transfer development, Villa supporters will be gutted

Newcastle United are one of the teams interested in signing Carney Chukwuemeka this summer…

What’s the word?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, the Magpies are a project that could excite the Aston Villa contract rebel as interest in his signature hots up.

The 18-year-old recently rejected Villa’s latest offer of a new deal, meaning he is free to leave the club next year. And St James’ Park is just one mooted destination.

“I think it makes sense that they would want to know about his situation and whether he’d be interested, I think that there are so many clubs looking at his situation,” claimed the Eurosport journalist to GIVEMESPORT.

“It doesn’t help that Barcelona are the top club interested because at the moment, you just assume that everyone is just going to sign for them.

“But if he doesn’t, then a club like Newcastle, who have got such an ambitious project, is probably exciting for him and might be the platform that he is looking for. So, I can believe that they will be in that race.”

One for the future

It’s thought that the teenager is demanding around £100k-per-week from the Midlands outfit, as per Football Insider, whilst the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund are all interested.

Villa are resigned to the fact that he will not sign a new deal and have subsequently put up a £20m asking price, according to Fabrizio Romano.

If this turns out to be the case, then Magpies chief Dan Ashworth could well land quite the coup as Chukwuemeka would bolster the club’s long-term ambitions.

Capped by England at U19 level, the young midfielder has already played 16 times for the senior side, including 14 appearances in the Premier League.

Originally born in Austria, the Villa gem has certainly caught the eye on the few occasions he has seen the pitch under Steven Gerrard and his predecessor Dean Smith.

Birmingham Mail contributor Patrick Rowe has dubbed the 18-year-old as a “generational talent”, whilst scout Jacek Kulig believes the prospect is a “superstar in the making.”

Chukwuemeka also featured in the ‘Team of the Tournament’ at the U19 European Championships, where he bagged on three occasions on England’s way to the trophy.

On the above evidence, it’s clear that the Villa starlet would be an exciting signing for many years to come, so the Magpies hierarchy must ensure they win the coveted race for his signature.

Their ambition could well be exactly what he’s after and the fact that he gets to remain in England could also be a factor in their favour.

AND in other news, Romano reveals Newcastle’s next “priority” after Sven Botman…

Everton could submit a counter-offer in a bid to thwart West Ham’s move for Armando Broja, according to Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian. 

The lowdown

Everton want to sign a replacement striker after they sold Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur for £60million.

Broja, who spent last season on loan at Southampton, has flown home from Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States.

Steinberg writes that he’s returning to England because of injury, but The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson reported on Monday that the hope was ‘to tie up his future’.

Lampard gave Broja his Chelsea debut during his time as manager and heaped praise upon him last season, describing him as a ‘very talented young boy’, ‘fast’ and ‘strong’.

Both the Hammers and Blues had already made one bid each for the striker.

The latest

Steinberg tweeted on Monday that West Ham had submitted an ‘improved £30m+ bid for Chelsea’s Armando Broja’.

The Albanian has ‘asked to leave’ Stamford Bridge but ‘doesn’t want a loan’, preferring a permanent exit.

‘Everton could bid too’, he adds, but worryingly, Broja is ‘close’ to agreeing personal terms with West Ham already.

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The verdict

Even if Everton can submit an offer that meets Chelsea’s demands, they’ll have to convince Broja to snub West Ham.

And his move to the London Stadium already seems to be pretty far down the line.

Broja, a 2021 Golden Boy nominee, knows that he’ll have the opportunity to play European football with David Moyes’ side next season, provided they come through the Europa Conference League qualifying play-offs.

And he may also be confident of displacing Michail Antonio as the team’s leading no. 9, given that the Jamaican only scored three Premier League goals between New Year’s Day and the end of last season.

It simply looks like a more attractive destination right now after Everton barely avoided relegation in 2021/22, especially as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is arguably harder to displace as the number one option.

And they’ve hardly been able to strengthen either, with free agent James Tarkowski the only signing at Goodison so far.

Manchester City could turn to Benfica left-back Alejandro ‘Alex’ Grimaldo after backing away from their pursuit of Marc Cucurella, according to Spanish outlet Marca. 

The lowdown: City’s conundrum

The Sky Blues have been actively pursuing a deal for 24-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion defender Cucurella this summer, seeing a £30million offer rejected out of hand by the south coast club.

Having allowed Oleksandr Zinchenko to leave for Arsenal, Pep Guardiola is seeking reinforcements for the Premier League champions at left-back to avoid being left with only Joao Cancelo as a senior option for the position.

Despite installing Cucurella as their top target, a fresh report from The Athletic has suggested that City could be about to walk away from the transfer amidst demands of £50million and claims emerging from Spain have once again highlighted a potential alternative…

The latest: Marca provides Grimaldo update

As per Marca, Manchester City are understood to ‘follow’ 26-year-old Grimaldo in the current window.

However, it’s claimed that ‘there are more suitors’ for the twice-capped Spain Under 21 star, with Newcastle, Barcelona and Juventus all keen on the former Valencia youth prospect.

The report also states that Benfica would expect offers of around €20million (£16.7million) for the marauding full-back – who was described as being ‘good enough to play for any side’ by sporting director Tiago Pinto last year.

The verdict: Move on

Ultimately whilst Cucurella would clearly be the preference of Guardiola, City have remained reluctant to pay what they perceive as over the odds for any target and should stick to their principles on this occasion also.

By way of comparison, last season, Grimaldo scored five times and provided five assists in the Portuguese Primeira Liga whilst earning a 7.28 rating. Meanwhile, Cucurella directly contributed to just two goals and ended the Premier League campaign with a 6.94 rating (WhoScored).

Both attack-minded operators, stylistically there is little to split the two and therefore paying the lower fee to land the second option wouldn’t be an issue when it comes to slotting into Guardiola’s plans.

Another product of the famous La Masia academy in Catalonia, Grimaldo’s impressive crossing, passing and key passing attributes would make the Spaniard a smart addition to the Etihad ranks and should be acted upon immediately should the Cucurella pursuit be unable to be thrashed out.

Football journalist Ben Jacobs has provided an update on the situation surrounding reported Arsenal transfer target Lucas Paqueta. 

The lowdown: Arsenal interested in Paqueta

The Gunners have been heavily linked with a move for the Lyon attacking midfielder in recent weeks, with reports out of France confirming that technical director Edu is a huge fan of the 24-year-old.

Having asked to leave the Ligue 1 club earlier in the window, the Brazil international – who was signed for €35m (£29m) from AC Milan in 2019 (ESPN) – has also been courted by Tottenham, Everton and Premier League champions Manchester City.

One well-informed onlooker has now shed some light on the current state of play as Arsenal vie for the capture of Paqueta…

The latest: ‘Interesting one’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs – a journalist for CBS Sports – has claimed that the north Londoners ‘admire’ the 33-cap Brazil star but are currently no further along in making a deal happen.

He said: “Paqueta’s still an interesting one; Arsenal’s interest is real. They admire the player, but they haven’t really moved.

“They’ve never placed an offer, so when Jean-Michel Aulas spoke of lots of offers, I think I was one of the first to report that Arsenal and Newcastle were not teams that had ever gone to Lyon, they’d simply explored the option with the agent.”

The verdict: Go all-out

Available for a mooted £55m this summer and earning a mooted £49,000 per week at present (Salary Sport), signing Paqueta to bolster the attacking options at Mikel Arteta’s disposal would be an expensive venture for the Gunners.

However, boasting a variety of outstanding attacking attributes and hailed as a ‘magician’ by Lyon’s official Twitter channel, the balletic Brazilian would be a wholly worthwhile addition to the Emirates Stadium ranks.

Predominantly operating as an attacking midfielder, Paqueta scored 10 times and provided seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions last term, earning a 7.13 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.3 duels, completing 2.3 dribbles and making 1.2 key passes per top-flight outing in the process.

That form, age category and need for further reinforcements in N5 amidst links to Jarrod Bowen and Youri Tielemans make the cultured ace a potentially superb prospective capture for Arsenal, and one that Edu should be pushing to get over the line.

Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis will miss his side’s Premier League opener away to Bournemouth this weekend, reliable journalist Ashley Preece has reported.

The Lowdown: Villa begin new season

Steven Gerrard’s side make the trip to the south coast on Saturday afternoon, as what will hopefully be a successful 2022/23 campaign gets underway.

Villa are in a fairly healthy situation in the injury department going into the game but Davis is one player who has been struggling with an ongoing hamstring issue.

A key update has now emerged, as kickoff against Bournemouth edges closer.

The Latest: Davis suffers fresh setback

Writing in a Q&A for The Birmingham Mail on Friday, Preece claimed that the young striker will miss out after ‘another hamstring setback’, adding that he’s ‘intrigued’ by the player’s future at Villa amid speculation of a move back to Nottingham Forest.

The Verdict: Cruel blow for youngster

Davis is back at Villa after being loaned out to Forest last season and he will have been hoping to hit the ground running, impressing Gerrard and proving he deserves a permanent place in the squad.

Instead, his progress has already been halted and it could be difficult for him to break into the manager’s plans regularly once the likes of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings are firing again, while Cameron Archer’s new contract suggests he’s also a threat to the pecking order.

While Davis isn’t necessarily seen as a key starter for Villa, having him fit again will provide Gerrard with much-needed depth, as he looks to prove his worth before his current deal expires in the summer of 2024.

Wolves are desperately looking to sign a new striker before the transfer window shuts and it seems as if Southampton’s Che Adams is one man on Bruno Lage’s shortlist.

What’s the word?

According to The Daily Mail, Wolves, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Everton are all considering a move for the Scotland international, who could be set to leave St Mary’s this summer.

Lage sanctioned a loan move for Fabio Silva, while Raul Jimenez picked up an injury in pre-season, which has left the Portuguese manager extremely short of options up front.

Attacking reinforcements were always going to be necessary this summer after Wolves managed just 38 goals in the Premier League last season, the fewest of any side to remain in the top flight.

So far, Lage has added Valencia winger Goncalo Guedes to his side, but with just a few weeks of the transfer window remaining, they still look extremely short up front.

Would Adams be a good signing?

Adams enjoyed a prolific spell in the Championship with Birmingham City, scoring 22 goals in the 2018/19 campaign before his move to the Premier League.

Since then, he has made 110 appearances for the Saints, in which he has managed just 21 goals and 12 assists for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, including seven goals in the top flight last season.

While his goalscoring form hasn’t been the best in recent seasons, the Scottish forward would add energy and physicality to Lage’s attack, evidenced by Hasenhuttl keeping his faith in the forward when he struggled to break his goalscoring duck in his debut campaign at St Mary’s.

He said: “He is a guy who is one day a little bit frustrated when he sees he doesn’t play but then when the game comes, he shows up immediately and this is fantastic.

The Austrian also described him as a “role model”, suggesting that he had gone from “zero to hero” when he did eventually find the net.

Given Wolves’ need for strikers, Adams would represent a solid, experienced Premier League option for Lage, and the Portuguese manager should definitely consider bringing him to Molineux as their fourth signing of the window this summer.

Crystal Palace have been linked with PSV star Ibrahima Sangare this summer, and the Ivorian could be Patrick Vieira’s own version of Chelsea legend Michael Essien at Selhurst Park.

Reports from earlier in the market suggested that Palace would look to prise the defensive-midfielder away from Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven, although it could cost them as much as £31m to do so.

However, if the interest is still there, they will now face competition from Aston Villa, with Pete O’Rourke revealing to Football FanCast last week that he is a “possible target” for Steven Gerrard’s men. It’s hardly a surprise he’s attracted such widespread interest from those in England, though.

The 24-year-old was in exceptional form last season for PSV, contributing three goals and two assists in 29 league appearances, averaging a phenomenal 7.49 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

By comparison, Conor Gallagher was the top performer in Palace’s side last season, averaging an impressive 7.08 rating for his performances, which emphasises just how impressive Sangare was.

While the Premier League is undoubtedly a more competitive league than the Dutch top-flight, Sangare’s physicality and ability on the ball immediately suggest that he could adapt to English football.

The midfielder stands at 6 foot 3 and, according to WhoScored, he excels at passing, dribbling, tackling, interceptions and aerial duels, all of which mark him out as an excellent midfield option.

There is certainly a gap in Palace’s midfield this season as Gallagher, for the time being, remains at Chelsea, and Sangare could be the marquee signing that the Eagles need to push on again this season, providing they can beat Villa to his signature.

The PSV man has earned a lot of praise in the past, drawing comparisons with both Essien and Yaya Toure by African journalist Alpha Balde.

He said: “Physically, he’s like Yaya Toure but he reminds me of Michael Essien.

“I saw Essien at the start of his career and they had the same physical strength at an equal age.”

Considering Essien will go down as one of the top five African players in Premier League history in the eyes of Rio Ferinand, winning a plethora of titles with Lyon and Chelsea, Palace would be foolish to turn down Sangare this summer.

Former PSV boss Aad de Mos also sang his praises, saying:

“He is extraordinary. This season, he has been the king of PSV. You miss Sangare when he’s not playing. He isn’t just suitable for Leicester, he can easily keep up at an even higher club. He can easily play at Tottenham and certainly at Arsenal.”

Therefore, while Sangare would be an expensive option for Palace, he clearly has all the attributes required to be a success in the Premier League, and could really excel under Vieira’s tutelage at Selhurst Park. The thought of watching a new Essien dominating top-flight pitches is a mouth-watering one.