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Glasgow Rangers have signed seven players so far this summer as Michael Beale looks to rejuvenate a squad that finished 2022/23 empty-handed.

With the majority of his business done, the onus will be on the 42-year-old to move on a few players to free up the wage budget and raise some funds, however one such move may turn into a serious blunder…

Is Robby McCrorie leaving Rangers?

According to The Scottish Sun, McCrorie looks set to leave Ibrox this summer after having talks with Beale over his future.

The manager now appears to be resigned to losing the 25-year-old as he is looking to secure first-team football elsewhere and despite Beale admiring his ability, it now seems like he won't stand in his way regarding a potential exit.

The Gers signed former Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland during the summer and with the nine-cap England international set to begin the season as the number one choice between the posts, McCrorie isn’t prepared to revert to a backup option having featured regularly for the club during the final part of the 2022/23 season.

Who is leaving Rangers?

Antonio Colak appears to be leaving the Light Blues after only one season, moving to Parma in a £2.5m deal while Fashion Sakala is also close to a move, with an unnamed Saudi club interested in signing him for a fee believed to be around £4m as Beale aims to recoup some cash for further signings.

Despite their obvious quality in front of goal, scoring 30 goals between them last term, the arrivals of Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers should be more than enough to offset their departures.

It could be a blunder to let McCrorie leave on the other hand, and it could turn out to be a similar situation to that of Cedric Itten, who has gone on to impress elsewhere following an exit from Ibrox.

The Swiss international struggled during his two seasons at the Gers, netting just eight times across 49 matches and was sold by Giovanni van Bronckhorst last summer to BSC Young Boys for £1.5m which was seen as good business at the time.

He has since shown Gers supporters exactly what they missed, however, scoring 23 goals and grabbing 12 assists as the Swiss outfit won the domestic double last term, and although he wouldn’t have been a regular starter under Beale, there is no doubt he could have contributed with a few goals.

McCrorie could be another who leaves Ibrox and shines elsewhere, especially if his performances for the Light Blues are anything to go by. The Scot has made only six starts for Rangers during his time at the club, yet he has kept five clean sheets during those matches, conceding just one goal.

The £5.7k-per-week ace was the only ‘keeper for the Gers to keep a clean sheet against Celtic last term, in their 3-0 victory at Ibrox in May and looked to have a chance at taking the number one jersey from the departing Allan McGregor ahead of 2023/24.

Steven Gerrard dubbed the departing gem and his brother Ross as “model professionals” back in 2020 and although it would be a shame to see him leave the club, he is far too good to be warming the bench for the foreseeable future.

Hopefully, the decision doesn’t come back to haunt Beale – as it perhaps has with regard to Itten.

With the start of the new season now less than a month away, the major talking point at Tottenham Hotspur remains the future of record goalscorer, Harry Kane, with the England skipper attracting interest after entering the final year of his contract at N17.

Two years on from having angled for a move to Manchester City, the 29-year-old is now being coveted by Bundesliga giants, Bayern Munich, with the German outfit only recently lodging a bid of around £70m for the in-demand ace.

With it yet to be seen if Kane will still be on the books in north London beyond the September deadline, Ange Postecoglou and co are seemingly eyeing potential replacements for their free-scoring talisman, with Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani among those being considered.

Will Tottenham sign Kolo Muani?

A report from French outlet Foot Mercato last week suggested that the Lilywhites may 'position' themselves to make a move for the Frenchman if Kane is to depart, with the 24-year-old having enjoyed a stunning first season in Germany after joining from Nantes last summer.

This follows a previous report from the Independent which also named Spurs among the list of possible suitors for the 6 foot 2 speedster, with the one-time Boulogne loanee set to command a fee of around £80m.

How good is Randal Kolo Muani?

There is no denying that it would be an almost impossible task for Spurs to try and replace Kane next season, with the long-serving sensation having notably bagged 30 league goals last season in what was a stunning individual campaign.

While Kolo Muani may not be of that ilk just yet, the "future superstar" – as hailed by German legend Lothar Matthaus – still posted "obscene" numbers last season, according to Transfermarkt's Stefan Bienkowski, after racking up 40 goal involvements in just 46 games in all competitions in 2023.

The nine-cap international has also begun to impress for his country of late, with national team boss Didier Deschamps having hailed the threat that he is able to pose in attack, stating: "He has a presence about him, runs in behind from deep and is a good finisher."

That ability to stretch a defence is likely to appeal to Postecoglou, with the Greek-Aussie having notably reaped the rewards of utilising Kyogo Furuhashi through the middle during his time at former club Celtic, with the Japanese international having scored 54 goals in just 83 games under his watch.

The 28-year-old hitman – who had been tipped for a reunion with his former boss in north London earlier this summer – was notably hailed for his "outstanding" movement by Postecoglou back in March, having led the line superbly for the Old Firm outfit over the past two years.

Much like Kolo Muani – who has been described as "ice-cold in front of goal" by Matthaus – Kyogo is also able to provide that cutting edge when it matters most, having been branded "clinical" by ex-Hoops boss, Neil Lennon.

With the former Vissel Kobe menace having only recently signed a new long-term deal in Glasgow it does not appear as if he will be following Postecoglou to England any time soon, although by snapping up Kolo Muani, the experienced coach could land his next ruthless figurehead.

Everton are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements this summer following their Premier League relegation battle last season and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a long-standing transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Boulaye Dia?

According to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Everton are in the race to sign Salernitana striker Boulaye Dia.

As per the report, the Toffees are scrambling to complete a deal for the forward due to his €25m (£22m) release clause set to expire at midnight, and although AC Milan and Fiorentina have both shown interest in Dia, it is Everton who leads in the race to secure his signature.

Everton have an advantage over their competitors due to the Serie A club's interest in Neal Maupay, who could be used as a bargaining chip in a potential swap deal, which would benefit the Premier League club's financial situation.

How good is Boulaye Dia?

After completing the signing of free agent and former Aston Villa full-back Ashley Young, Sean Dyche will surely be fully focused on strengthening his forward line over the remainder of the transfer window.

The departures of Richarlison and Anthony Gordon over the last 12 months have significantly weakened the quality in the final third, whilst Dominic Calvert-Lewin's troubling injury issues have limited the Everton boss' options when deploying his team in the Premier League last season.

As a result, Everton were the second-lowest scoring team in the entire top flight last season with just 34 goals scored over the 38-game campaign, despite making the £15m signing of former Brighton and Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay.

The Frenchman only managed to find the back of the net once in all competitions which led to journalist Paul Brown dubbing the striker's time at Everton as a "total disaster", so the opportunity to use Maupay as part of their negotiations to sign Dia would be great business by the Toffees.

Over 33 Serie A appearances, Dia – who was hailed as a "handful" by journalist Josh Bunting – scored 16 goals, registered six assists and created four big chances, as well as averaging 1.5 shots on goal, 1.1 key passes and 1.1 successful dribbles per game, proving that he is a reliable and consistent performer in front of goal.

To put those numbers into context, the French-Senegalese goal machine was the fourth-highest scoring player in the entire Italian top flight, as well as ranking first for goals per shots on target and fifth for assists per 90 minutes played, as per FBref.

When comparing the 26-year-old AFCON winner's output to Maupay's last season, Dia comfortably outperformed his Everton position competitor in a number of key attacking attributes including goal contributions (22 v 1), shot on target percentage (44.7% v 40.6%), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.29 v 1.45), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.32 v 0.08) and pass completion (76.2% v 75.1%).

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Everton to sign Dia this summer as he could significantly improve the threat in the final third and boost goal contributions next season, as well as provide a chance to offload Maupay if Salernitana are serious about their interest in the striker.

Jorg Schmadtke has, by and large, appeased the Liverpool support since taking the role of sporting director earlier this year, and the next month will be telling in how well he can close out his first transfer window at Anfield.

World Cup winner and Brighton & Hove Albion star, Alexis Mac Allister, joined for £35m in June, while Dominik Szoboszlai completed a £60m transfer this month in a move that rose from the shadows and was completed swiftly, in trademark Liverpool fashion.

Such incomings were necessary following the exits of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who all left upon the expiry of their contracts this summer, but with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho now off to Saudi Arabia, the Reds' midfield feels somewhat thin despite the possible incoming of Romeo Lavia from Southampton.

If Schmadtke can navigate through the perils and perhaps secure one more signing, the Anfield side will feel well-placed to challenge at the forefront of English football once again.

Who will Liverpool sign this summer?

The latest name to enter the transfer discourse on Merseyside is Barcelona's Franck Kessie, with the Ivorian ace deemed expendable by Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Sport previously revealed that Liverpool would be willing to part with (£30m) to secure the imposing midfielder's services, though given the work done on the transfer front thus far a move might only come into fruition if that valuation is whittled down.

How good is Franck Kessie?

Kessie is best described as a powerful midfield vehicle capable of crashing into dangerous offensive areas while also boasting a defensive sheen to his arsenal, having been once heralded for his "devastating" impact by Stefano Pioli.

The box-to-box player would bring physicality to Liverpool's midfield and could help instil a "warrior" – as called by talent scout Jacek Kulig – attitude that certainly evaded the Liverpool ranks last year as the team failed to qualify for the Champions League.

As per FBref, the £149k-per-week midfielder ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box and progressive passes received per 90, confirming his adept skill at ploughing forward and stretching the opposition lines, hailed as a "beast" by journalist Sacha Pisani.

With the dynamic Cody Gakpo occupying the centre-forward role at Anfield, this could prove to be an invaluable tool for Klopp as he devises a strategy for success this summer.

Gakpo completed an initial £35m move to Liverpool from PSV in January, arriving at a turbulent time but cementing a starting berth in the side as Liverpool enjoyed a late-season purple patch to spark renewed optimism in the forthcoming prospects.

Scoring seven goals and providing three assists for the Reds across 26 outings, the Dutchman has been hailed "magnificent" by Josh Bunting, and his set of skills could bring the best out of an ace like Kessie.

Indeed, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 10% of forwards for assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 1% for tackles per 90, meaning that not only can he drop deep and pick out forward-surging players with slick passes, but he gets stuck in and can disrupt the play with his high tackling output.

With this in mind, Klopp may consider signing Kessie, given the support he would have on Merseyside and the duo that could be formed, with the Ivorian latching onto Gakpo's creativity and returning to the top of his game.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to continue their summer spending spree by making a move for Nottingham Forest forward, Brennan Johnson, albeit with the Lilywhites like to face competition for the youngster's signature.

How much would Brennan Johnson cost?

According to the Daily Mail, the north Londoners are seemingly considering whether to make a move for the 22-year-old if they are to lose talisman Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, with the Wales international among those list of potential targets who could replace the England skipper.

The report suggests that the Forest ace would suit the needs of what Ange Postecoglou and co are looking for as he qualifies as a homegrown talent and already has Premier League experience under his belt, having helped his current side to stave off relegation last season.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

As per the piece, the City Ground outfit are likely to demand as much as £50m if they are to sanction a sale this summer, although Spurs will seemingly be hoping to find a 'middle ground' rather than meeting that sizeable asking price.

Those at N17 aren't alone in their interest in the versatile forward, however, with Brentford having only recently seen a £35m bid rejected.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

There may be those scratching their head at the prospect of replacing Kane – who scored 30 league goals last season – with a player who has only played in the top flight for a solitary campaign thus far, although Johnson may help to form part of a fluid forward line alongside the likes of Heung-min Son, rather than directly filling the shoes of the Bayern target as a central striker.

That is the view of the Independent's Miguel Delaney, who previously shared the alterations that could be made if Tottenham's record scorer is to depart: 'Should Spurs sell Kane, the idea would be more to reshape the attack amid Ange Postecoglou’s fluid new style, rather than directly replace the forward. That is seen as virtually impossible.'

Johnson, therefore, could prove to be a dream option for that new-look attack as a player who can feature out wide or through the middle, with the emerging talent having proven himself to be a real "livewire" of late, as per journalist Ciaran Kelly.

In his debut season in the Premier League last time out, the one-time Lincoln City loanee scored eight goals and provided three assists in Forest's battle for survival, having previously been crucial in the club's promotion push after contributing 26 goals and assists in the Championship in the 2021/22 campaign.

That time in the second tier showcased the forward's ability to provide quality service to his teammates as he created 15 big chances in 2021/22, ensuring he could well help to tee up the aforementioned Son where possible next season – with Kane, for reference, creating 14 big chances in the top flight last term.

The latter man did endure something of a dip by his own standards after scoring 'just' ten league goals last season, although the 31-year-old remains an undoubted goal threat having scored 23 top-flight goals the year prior to claim the Golden Boot.

With the South Korean star likely hoping to get back to his best under Postecoglou in the upcoming campaign, having another attacking weapon alongside him to help carry the goalscoring burden could be crucial, hence why Johnson could emerge as a wise investment for those in north London.

Aston Villa have had a summer to remember so far, with Unai Emery and Monchi bolstering the talent on show at Villa Park through their moves in the market.

The Spanish duo smashed the club record transfer fee to welcome Moussa Diaby to the Midlands in a deal worth £51.9m, as well as reuniting Emery with former player Pau Torres and capturing Youri Tielemans on a free transfer.

Following on from the highs of the 2022/23 campaign that was transformed by the former Arsenal boss, things are looking to be on a good route for the Villans, however the club could soon suffer their first blunder since the Spaniard’s arrival.

What’s the latest on Cameron Archer’s future at Aston Villa?

It wasn’t long ago that Emery gave a refreshing update on the status of academy striker Cameron Archer’s via BirminghamLive, during the club’s pre-season tour.

The manager spoke in reference to fellow young forward Jhon Duran when providing assurance over his plans to keep the promising duo at Villa Park for the season to come.

“He’s [Duran] a player we will need because he is our second striker with Cameron Archer and we have to use both as well as we have to give them chances to help us.”

Despite the reassurance delivered by the Spaniard, renowned journalist David Ornstein revealed on Wednesday that the dynamic youngster could be for “sale”, with the club “open” to his departure with “strong interest” noted.

How good is Cameron Archer?

Lauded by U23 scout Antonio Mango as being “undoubtedly the best finisher” in England’s U21 European Championship winning squad, Villa could be making a huge mistake in sanctioning the sale of Archer.

A product of the club’s academy, the Englishman – who has been valued at €10m (£9m) by CIES Football Observatory – made the decision to endeavour on a half-season loan spell in the Championship last term, with game time not sufficient enough for his development.

In 20 appearances for Middlesbrough, the striker contributed to 17 goals on their path to the play-offs, scoring 11 times and providing six assists in what was an instant impact at Riverside.

Described as “incredibly prolific” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Emery could not only lose a homegrown talent, but a player with gargantuan potential at a time where Ollie Watkins is only getting older and a successor will one day need to be identified.

With Watkins being Villa’s primary forward at present, the room is there for Archer to develop at his boyhood club next season, under a manager that has unearthed one of the best young talents in England, with his harvesting of Bukayo Saka most notable.

It would be a significant blunder for the claret and blues to part ways with the 21-year-old, who has shown evidence of the maturity he has added to his game by playing exceptionally at senior level, to elevate his raw talent.

The Villans are also in the process of completing the sale of fellow academy starlet Aaron Ramsey, in a move that is beneficial to the player, but an example that could come back to haunt Emery.

While there are a host of targets speculated to be wanted by Villa, there comes an instance where promoting homegrown talents could be the greater route to success, rather than a way to make profit.

West Ham United have already kicked off their Premier League campaign but are still looking for new additions to bolster the squad, and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

According to Chelsea writer and transfer insider Simon Phillips, West Ham are interested in signing England star Conor Gallagher this summer.

In an update on his SubStack subscription platform, Phillips revealed:

'Gallagher is almost certain to leave the club if both Caicedo and Lavia arrive, and even if it’s just Caicedo.

'I know that Tottenham are still keen, and Gallagher would certainly be more than open to returning to Crystal Palace – he really enjoyed it there.

'But I’m also told that he could go to West Ham this window, and that is probably the one to watch most right now. I’d be very surprised if Gallagher is still a Chelsea player come the end of this month.'

Will Lucas Paqueta leave West Ham?

Despite already sanctioning the sales of Ginaluca Scamacca and Declan Rice this summer, David Moyes may find himself having to agree to another outgoing with Manchester City keen on snapping up the services of Lucas Paqueta.

The Premier League champions had already submitted an offer for Paqueta before their campaign kicked off on Friday evening, but now that Kevin De Bruyne has suffered an injury, it is reported that the treble-winners will push the Hammers harder for the acquisition of their attacking midfielder.

As a result, the signing of Gallagher would present an opportunity to get ahead in replacing the potentially departing Paqueta, to provide Moyes with the perfect profile of midfielder to succeed him and could even improve the presence in the centre of the pitch in the process.

The Chelsea ace earned a starting spot at Stamford Bridge after lighting up the Premier League with his talent during a season-long loan with Crystal Palace in the previous campaign, but with Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo top targets for the Blues it is looking like his role in the team could be limited.

When comparing Gallagher's output with Paqueta's last season, the England international actually comfortably outperformed his West Ham positional peer in a number of key attributes including shots on target rate (39.3% v 26.3%), pass completion (81.1% v 79.3%), progressive carries per 90 (2.16 v 1.08), progressive passes received per 90 (6.09 v 2.83) and interceptions per 90 (1.31 v 0.66).

Not only that, Gallagher – once hailed for his "extraordinary" development by Thomas Tuchel – is incredibly versatile and has the diverse range of skills to comfortably perform in a number of midfield roles.

Indeed, he boasts a wealth of experience in the central, attacking and defensive roles, which would make him a major asset following the departure of Rice too.

It has been reported that Chelsea have already rejected a £40m bid from the Hammers for the Cobham academy graduate, with £50m reportedly a more realistic price. However, West Ham should have no trouble matching that valuation following the £105m sale of Rice and a potential incoming fee of €81m (£70m) for Paqueta.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for West Ham to secure a deal for Gallagher whether they lose Paqueta this summer or not, as he has the skillset to offer Moyes crucial depth in a number of positions and the quality to improve the centre of the pitch.

One Tottenham Hotspur player in particular could find himself 'out of the team' due to the arrival of Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg, according to journalist Paul Brown.

What has gone on with Micky van de Ven at Tottenham Hotspur?

Van de Ven attended Tottenham's 5-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of his proposed move to the Lilywhites from Wolfsburg, as per The Daily Mail. And, he has since put pen to paper, bolstering Ange Postecoglou's defensive line.

Last term, Van de Ven featured 36 times for Wolfsburg in all competitions, registering one goal and two assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Of course, Van de Ven's arrival could have a knock-on effect in terms of game-time distribution regarding his teammates, with England international Dier likely to be influenced by the impending deal.

Nevertheless, The Sun's Martin Lipton believes that Dier will be valued as an important squad player at Tottenham in 2023/24, as he stated to the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel: "“The fans don’t like Dier, but I think Dier’s role will be as a squad player, not as a first-team player. He’s important in the squad as a human being, as a man, as an experienced head, and maybe if he played fewer games he’d be a better player as well."

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Brown thinks that £85k-a-week earner Dier could be sidelined in favour of Van de Ven as the latter is a better natural fit in a back four, making him a more applicable choice.

Brown told FFC: "I've always thought that Dier is a centre back only really works in a three. It doesn't look to me like Spurs are going to play with a three this season, so it may be that he finds himself out of the team once Van de Ven is up to speed. I think that Van de Ven and Romero may be the first choices ideally for the new manager in a back four."

What next for Tottenham Hotspur?

Well, Tottenham fans certainly won't be in the best of moods on the eve of their first game of the season, with record goalscorer Harry Kane now out of the club and the country, as he sealed a move to Bayern Munich.

But, there is reason for optimism, as Daniel Levy now has plenty of money to spend on a potential replacement.

O Jogo via The Sun claim that Porto forward Mehdi Taremi could be a potential replacement for Kane and the Lilywhites are said to have opened talks with the Iran international's entourage to discuss a move to north London.

Taremi is believed to be available for a fee in the region of £17 million and has just one year left on his deal at the Estadio do Dragao as rumours over his future continue to swirl.

In terms of departures, Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele could be on their way out of Tottenham amid interest from Turkish giants Galatasaray, according to 90min.

Aston Villa have had a difficult start to the 2023/24 campaign, after enjoying a magnificent end to last season and a thrilling summer in the build-up to Unai Emery's first full year in charge.

Strong signings, and an encouraging pre-season left an inspired aura at the club in preparation for the new footballing calendar that includes Villa's first involvement in Europe since 2010, but things have taken a turn in a blink.

Less than a week before the Premier League opener, Emiliano Buendia was injured in training which has since been confirmed as an anterior cruciate ligament blow, followed closely by Tyrone Mings’ significant knee injury sustained on the opening day.

The two long-term injuries have left the Villans short of two players that would typically start in Emery’s squad, leaving the Spaniard pondering the transfer market, though he could save the club millions in the future by developing an academy starlet.

Who could replace Tyrone Mings?

Villa have been linked to defensive names such as Kieran Tierney and Marcos Acuna recently, however with both being fielded as full-backs, neither speculated target could cover the areas perfected by Mings.

The summer signing of Pau Torres added to the depth in central defence, however, no one could have anticipated the horrifying blow that Mings would suffer just half an hour into the new campaign.

An enlightening tweak within the club has been recognised on social media, with the club’s official Instagram account posting a picture of the first team in training, with the addition of 19-year-old academy talent Lamare Bogarde.

Welcomed to the academy from Feyenoord back in 2020, the versatile defensive-minded player could be one to watch in the future in terms of eventual heirs to the English centre-back.

Who is Lamare Bogarde?

Born in Rotterdam, the teenager is deployed primarily in defensive midfield, however, has the ability to play at centre-back as he has done when called upon in his career.

Despite not playing for the senior team at Villa yet, the teenager earned himself vital experience away from youth level, spending half of last season on loan in League One at Bristol Rovers, before returning to the club this week on a season-long loan to further his experience and gain regular game time at this stage in his journey.

The Dutchman made 18 league appearances for Rovers last term, showcasing his talents and impressing at his first taste of senior football after featuring heavily in the Premier League 2 for the academy.

Averaging 1.8 tackles and 0.7 interceptions for his loan side, via WhoScored, the teenager certainly impressed during his short time at the Memorial Stadium, praised heavily by club manager and former Premier League midfielder Joey Barton.

As relayed by Birmingham Live, Barton dubbed the Dutchman as “quality”, singling out his composure and maturity as his strengths, as well as being called a player that “does a bit of everything”.

It's no wonder the former Newcastle United and Manchester City midfielder has returned to sign the promising Bodymoor Heath talent on loan once again.

The teenager's spell away from Villa could pave the way to his eventual breakthrough at this parent club, with Mings being 30 years of age and set to miss a huge chunk of the season through injury.

Also hailed by Barton as a player with “enormous potential”, Emery's inclusion of the 19-year-old in training prior to his departure could be an exciting indication that he is set for an extensive future with the Villans, one that is likely to see him usurp the aforementioned first-team star within a few years.

Leeds United have finally got their season underway, but Daniel Farke will be keen to ensure his side do not rest on their laurels after claiming a first Championship win in four attempts…

Who are Leeds United signing?

It has been a tumultuous summer for the Whites, who despite welcoming five new faces into Elland Road have seen their window marred by the numerous outgoings. Despite the bulk of a lucrative squad underperforming, they were seemingly unwilling to stay and help pull the club out of the mess they created.

As such, the German boss will be keen to bolster his side further, having showcased their attacking talents with a splendid win yesterday over top-of-the-league Ipswich Town.

For all the benefits plucked from such a hearty display, the shining light was to see their new striker instantly get off the mark, firing home from close range to add their third of the day.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Now, perhaps in an effort to place their faith in Joel Piroe, the new manager could be set to build his squad around the Dutchman, with their reported interest in Djed Spence clearly seeking to do so.

The attack-minded full-back is massively out of favour at Tottenham Hotspur, and valued at just €12.9m (£11m) by FootballTransfers.

How good is Djed Spence?

Although his career has stuttered since his £20m switch to north London, the former England U21 international still remains a promising young star surely raring to reignite a career that once promised much.

Especially after his 2021/22 season, where he caught the eye whilst on loan for a Nottingham Forest side that claimed promotion to the top flight.

He was dynamic, relentless, and a breath of fresh air down the right flank for Steve Cooper, earning huge praise from former Forest star Brian Laws:

"He has been the standout player in the Forest side and we are talking about a full-back. Full-backs do not tend to get many headlines. He grabs them by the handful. In every single game, he has a positive impact.

"He has power going forward, he has electric pace, he has an abundance of skill, he can drop his shoulder, step over, go inside or outside — he is a major threat. I’ve been impressed with his one-to-one defending. He is decent on the back post, he is strong in the air. There is nothing I have seen that you could call a weakness.”

This attacking impetus showed up in his numbers too, as the 23-year-old scored twice and assisted four, all whilst averaging one key pass, 1.5 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per game throughout that Championship term, via Sofascore.

You only have to imagine him powering down the right to deliver for Piroe, who has scored 19 and 22 in his last two league campaigns, and things are finally looking promising once again for the Yorkshire outfit.

Spence is certain to aid in the potential improvement of those figures, with his presence set to forge plenty of chances should he recapture his form of old – especially given that, when compared to other full-backs across Europe, he sits in the top 8% for pass completion per 90, the top 7% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

At the very least his tireless running will provide enough of a threat to draw the interest of defenders, affording more space for the former Swansea City hitman to light up his new environment.

The hope will be that this combination can be struck instantly, to help forge plenty of goals for the Elland Road crowd to enjoy, and fire them back into the Premier League with ease.