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Tottenham Hotspur starlet Bryan Gil’s imminent exit is allegedly ‘going very fast’ as Valencia intensify talks to sign him on loan this summer.

The Lowdown: Spurs focus on sales?

The Lilywhites have well and truly backed manager Antonio Conte this summer with six major signings coming through the door already in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence arriving at N17.

Spurs could also make even more additions before the end of this transfer window, but as reliably reported, the club are also eager to seal more outgoings to balance their Premier League books.

Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Winks, Sergio Reguilon and Giovani Lo Celso have been heavily tipped to leave whilst the likes of Gil, who may be seen as more of one for the future, become linked with loan moves.

The Latest: Gil exit ‘going very fast’…

As per newspaper AS, shared by Sport Witness, there has been a significant update on Gil’s potential move to Valencia.

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It is believed the La Liga side have ‘intensified’ talks to sign the midfielder and the operation is ‘going very fast’ – so much so that both Spurs and Valencia could ‘close the transfer in the coming days’.

The Verdict: Good move?

A return to Spain on loan could be a brilliant move for Gil as he continues his development.

The 21-year-old has been likened to footballing legend Johan Cruyff and could become an important player for the Lilywhites in years to come, but first he needs regular playing time.

If Gil stays in England for 2022/23, he may find it difficult to work his way into a much stronger Spurs squad than last season so a move away could suit all parties.

Director of Football Kevin Thelwell is reportedly considering signing Neal Maupay for Everton.

The Lowdown: Striker wanted

Given the injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the Goodison Park outfit are looking for a new striker to lead the line in his absence, with the lack of a traditional number nine clear as day in an otherwise decent performance at Aston Villa on Saturday.

The likes of Southampton’s Che Adams and Strasbourg’s Ludovic Ajorque have been linked with a move to Merseyside, and it will be interesting to see who they end up going for.

The Latest: Maupay considered

As per the print edition of The Daily Mail (via Goodison News), Frank Lampard and Thelwell are also considering a move for Maupay, alongside Adams and Ajorque, and are currently studying their options.

He has been linked with a move away from Brighton and Hove Albion, who are thought to be open to selling him in this window.

The Verdict: Worth a punt

Maupay has not exactly been the most prolific in the Premier League, with five years straight.

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Hailed as an ‘exciting’ player by former Seagulls ace Glenn Murray, the Frenchman is only 25 years of age, and so his best years are still ahead of him.

Incidentally, Maupay shares the same agent as Toffees winger Demarai Gray, and so coupled up with Brighton’s willingness to sell, this is a deal that could perhaps be pushed through relatively quickly.

Southampton are in ‘open negotiations’ to sell midfielder Oriol Romeu to Girona this summer, according to journalist Nil Sola.

The Lowdown: Big season for Saints…

This 2022/2023 Premier League season looks set be a crucial one for manager Ralph Hasenhuttl with there being no shortage of new faces at St. Mary’s Stadium.

Southampton have made six major signings in preparation for this campaign, most of which you could argue are young and on the inexperienced side.

Nigeria ace Joe Aribo comes as their most senior addition at only 25-years-old as Saints owners Sport Republic seemingly operate under the ‘invest for future’ model.

The decision to bring in young, exciting players may prove a stroke of genius or major mis-step by the end of this campaign with news now emerging that Southampton are in exit talks over experienced figurehead Romeu.

The Latest: Saints in ‘open’ Romeu negotiations…

Indeed, reporter Sola claims Girona are trying to sign the 30-year-old with both clubs in ‘open negotiations’.

He explained (via Twitter):

“INTEREST from @GironaFC and open NEGOTIATIONS with Southampton to try to sign centre/midfielder ORIOL ROMEU, whose contract with the English club ends in June 2023. Desire of Míchel and Quique.

The economic aspect (salary) is the main handicap.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Selling the midfielder is probably unwise decision given Hasenhuttl may want as many experienced figures as possible in his squad to balance things out.

As per WhoScored, Romeu actually finished last campaign as their second-best performing player in the English top flight with only James Ward-Prowse and Mohammed Salisu playing more minutes.

The former Chelsea star appears to be quite a pivotal figure on the south coast with pundit Kevin Phillips calling him a ‘leader’ and Man City boss Pep Guardiola even once branding Romeu ‘one of best midfielders in the Premier League’.

Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell is reportedly eyeing up a move to take James Garner to Goodison Park.

The Lowdown: Forest out of the running

It was reported last week that Nottingham Forest are out of the running to sign the 21-year-old on a permanent deal, following his successful loan spell at the City Ground last season.

Hailed in particular for his ‘unbelievable‘ set piece delivery by former Reds teammate Ryan Yates, Garner managed an impressive eight goals and ten assists across all competitions from the middle of the park (Transfermarkt) in 2021/22, helping Steve Cooper’s side to win promotion to the Premier League.

The Latest: More clubs in race

As per The Daily Mirror, both Everton and Southampton have now made an approach to try and sign Garner, with Leicester City also joining the race for his signature.

Manchester United would be willing to sell him for around £15m before the transfer window closes, as he is unlikely to break into Erik ten Hag’s plans at Old Trafford.

The Verdict: Get it done

There is no doubt that Everton could benefit from bringing in a dead ball specialist, having ranked 12th in the Premier League for goals scored from set pieces last season, with six coming from penalties (WhoScored).

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Having only scored twice so far in three games this term, set pieces could be vital in getting the Toffees some priceless goals and points on the board.

Garner should certainly help with that if he comes to Goodison Park, and the 21-year-old will no doubt be hungry to impress if the Red Devils were to let him go before the transfer deadline.

Leeds United have been handed a double injury boost ahead of their Carabao Cup clash with Barnsley this evening.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by Leeds Live, who claim that both Patrick Bamford and Liam Cooper look set to make a return to Jesse Marsch’s squad for the visit of the Tykes on Wednesday evening, with the duo appearing to have recovered from their respective adductor and Achilles injuries.

However, all three of Junior Firpo, Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas will once again be ruled out of contention for the cup clash, with Firpo and Ayling currently having an expected return date of September 3, while Dallas will is not likely to make a return to first-team football until the turn of the year.

Great news for Marsch

Considering how important both Bamford and Cooper are within the Leeds side, Leeds Live’s claim that both players could get some minutes under their belt against Barnsley this evening is sure to be great news for Marsch.

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Indeed, while injuries limited Bamford to just seven Premier League starts last season, the 28-year-old proved over his 38 league fixtures in 2020/21 just how crucial he is in the Whites’ attack, scoring 17 goals, registering seven assists and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.01 – ranking him as the club’s joint seventh-best performer that year.

Likewise, over Cooper’s 21 league fixtures in 2021/22, the 30-year-old was one of Leeds’ most important players, helping his side keep five clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.0 tackles, 2.0 interceptions, 3.4 clearances and winning 6.4 duels – at a success rate of 64% – per fixture.

These returns saw the Scotland international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.99, ranking him as the Whites’ best performing outfielder last term – playing an all-important role in helping Leeds avoid relegation to the Championship on the final day of the season.

As such, while a Carabao Cup fixture against a League One side is not likely to be Leeds’ most important game of the season, it is nevertheless clear to see that the potential return of both players will come as a huge boost to Marsch – especially with a testing trip to Brighton & Hove Albion coming up for the Whites’ this weekend.

Everton are believed to have made an approach to sign Cork City goalkeeper, David Harrington, according to recent reports.

What’s the word?

As per Echo Live, the Toffees are said to have made a concrete offer to sign the 22-year-old this summer, with a bid of around €50k (£42k) plus add-ons having been lodged by the Premier League outfit.

The report suggests while the League of Ireland side are likely to reject that initial offer, the Merseysiders will move again with a second bid for the youngster before the September deadline, with the player potentially set to make the move to Goodison Park in January.

The Republic of Ireland U21 international has just a matter of months remaining on his current deal, with Frank Lampard’s side set to have to pay a compensation fee if they move once his contract has expired.

Coleman 2.0

It would appear that Lampard and co are keen to bolster their goalkeeping ranks with a new youthful addition, with the current challengers to first-choice stopper Jordan Pickford that of veteran pair Andy Lonergan and Asmir Begovic.

While Harrington’s arrival would likely be a nod to the future, the eye-catching starlet has already sparkled in his embryonic senior career thus far, having notably been lauded as “very impressive” by Cork boss, Colin Healy.

The highly-rated prospect boasts a strong record at first-team level to date, having made 30 appearances in all competitions for the club, conceding just 15 goals and keeping 17 clean sheets in that time.

That tally includes 26 outings from the 2022 season, conceding just 14 goals and keeping as many shutouts to showcase his obvious talent, with his arrival potentially set to help provide increased competition for that man, Pickford, in the years to come.

The hope will be that Harrington can emulate the success of compatriot Seamus Coleman, with the current Everton skipper having gone on to become a key figure at the club after being plucked from Sligo Rovers for just £60,000 back in 2009.

Since then, the reliable right-back has racked up 385 appearances in all competitions during his 13-year stint at Goodison, scoring 27 goals and providing 33 assists in that time after emerging as a real key figure under a succession of managers.

Much like the young Cork stopper, Coleman had limited experience prior to his move to England having made just 60 appearances across all fronts for Sligo, although that ultimately mattered little as he has since go on to become a leading asset for both club and country.

The experienced, 65-cap titan remains arguably one of the most astute pieces of business that the club have ever pulled off, with another potential bargain in store if they can get a deal for Harrington over the line.

Celtic have been dealt a huge injury blow ahead of tonight’s Champions League meeting with Real Madrid.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via BBC Sport), Ange Postecoglou revealed that, after being brought off in the second half of the 4-0 demolition of Rangers on Saturday afternoon with a knee injury, Carl Starfelt will not be available for selection for the visit of the reigning European champions tonight.

Regarding the centre-back’s current condition, the 57-year-old Hoops manager said: “On the weekend, Carl Starfelt hurt his knee. We don’t have an exact diagnosis, but it’s nothing too serious but will probably keep him out for a couple of weeks.”

Huge blow

Considering just how important a part of the Celtic backline Starfelt has become since his £4.3m move to Parkhead last summer, the fact that the defender is now unavailable to take part against Real Madrid is sure to have come as a gutting blow to Postecoglou.

Indeed, over his 34 Premiership appearances last season, the £5.4m-rated centre-back was imperious in the heart of the Bhoys’ defence, helping his side to keep 18 clean sheets, along with making 1.3 interceptions, 1.2 tackles and 3.6 clearances and winning 6.3 duels (at a success rate of 61%) per game.

These returns saw the £15.5k-per-week Sweden international average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.20, not only ranking him as Postecoglou’s ninth-best performer in the league but also as the 12th-best player in the Scottish top flight as a whole.

The defender has also been in eye-catching form over his three league outings so far this term, averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.40 which ranks him as the Hoops’ sixth-best performer in the Premiership in the 2022/23 campaign.

As such, with Celtic set to face an intimidating front three of Federico Valverde, Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior tonight, it is clear that the absence of one of the club’s most reliable centre-backs is sure to have come as a huge blow to Postecoglou and his side, as the Bhoys’ will need to be as close to perfect as possible if they are to take anything from the clash at Parkhead.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson attempted to improve Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad at Ibrox by dipping into the market during the summer transfer window.

John Souttar, Malik Tillman, Ridvan Yilmaz, Rabbi Matondo, Antonio Colak, Tom Lawrence, and Ben Davies all came through the door, whilst Joe Aribo, Leon Balogun, and Calvin Bassey left for pastures new.

Colak has been an instant success in Scotland and has taken over from Alfredo Morelos as the starting centre-forward, scoring nine goals in his first 13 appearances for the club.

Not all of their signings have been as successful as the Croatia international, though, as Yilmaz has endured a slow start to life in Glasgow. The Light Blues reportedly paid an initial fee of £3.4m to Besiktas to sign the defender and he has only played 176 minutes in all competitions, featuring in three matches since making the move.

His arrival at Rangers has seemingly pushed Borna Barisic, who former Gers winger Neil McCann previously claimed on BBC Sport coverage is “like a train” in attack, to raise his own levels as the left-back has been in phenomenal form in the Premiership this season.

The 29-year-old has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.44 – placing him second in the squad – in the Scottish top-flight across seven appearances, creating four ‘big chances’ for his teammates and making 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game.

Only James Tavernier (7.71) has averaged a higher rating for the Gers and this suggests that he has been one of van Bronckhorst’s top performers in 2022/23.

His current form is further evidence that Steven Gerrard played a masterclass by snapping him up from NK Osijek in the summer of 2018 for just £2.2m as the former manager plucked him from obscurity, and he has gone on to enjoy a sublime career in Scotland.

The flying full-back has racked up 168 appearances in all competitions for the Gers in just over four years at the club, scoring seven goals and providing a whopping 38 assists from defence – winning a Premiership title and the SFA Cup in that time.

In the 2020/21 title-winning campaign, Barisic averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.40 across 33 outings in the division – ranking second in the squad – and made a big impact at the top end of the pitch as he created nine ‘big chances’ and delivered 2.2 key passes per match.

Transfermarkt values him at £5.4m at the time of writing, and this means that his valuation has soared by a mighty 145% since arriving at Ibrox.

Therefore, Gerrard certainly struck gold by signing Barisic as the Croatian has enjoyed an excellent career with Rangers, raising his value over the years. He remains a key player in the present, and with two years left on his contract. he has plenty more time left for him to add to his legacy.

Journalist Rob Tanner has lauded the ‘superb’ James Maddison after he produced a masterclass in Leicester City’s 4-0 victory at home to Nottingham Forest.

The Lowdown: Massive win for Foxes

Brendan Rodgers’ side faced what felt like a must-win Premier League game on Monday night, as they looked to move off the bottom of the table.

Leicester produced an emphatic performance at the King Power Stadium, leading 3-0 at half-time before adding a fourth for good measure in the second half.

Maddison was exceptional all evening, scoring twice and registering an assist, as he continues to enjoy a strong season despite the Foxes’ struggles.

The Latest: ‘Superb’ Maddison

Writing on Twitter, The Athletic’s Tanner couldn’t hide his admiration for the Englishman, waxing lyrical over his performance:

“Maddison is head and shoulders above any other player on the pitch tonight. Superb so far.”

The Verdict: Are you watching, Gareth?

This was a display that once again made England manager Gareth Southgate look foolish for not picking Maddison in his recent squad, with the 25-year-old someone who the Three Lions are crying out for, in terms of providing spark and unpredictability in the final third.

That’s now five goals and two assists in just seven league games this season, in a hugely struggling team, and he is surely pushing for a place in the World Cup squad.

Maddison enjoyed a 91% pass completion rate against Forest, as well as playing four key passes and winning more duels than any player on the pitch, in what was an immense all-round showing – there are also few better free-kick takers in Europe at the moment.

CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed a significant update on Maciek Kaminski’s proposed takeover of Everton.

The Lowdown: Kenyon-Kaminski takeover bid

It was reported in the summer that the group spearheaded by former Manchester United and Chelsea CEO Peter Kenyon and chief executive of Talon Real Estate Kaminski had a ‘phone call’ with current owner Farhad Moshiri over a potential takeover at Goodison Park.

That proposed deal fell through, with the Iranian thought to have wanted more than £500m to sell.

Now, as per Financial Times, Kaminski has launched a new takeover bid on his own, with the American businessman in talks with Moshiri over a reported £400m deal.

The Latest: Kaminski takeover latest

Taking to Twitter, Jacobs has revealed that ‘sources close to the Kaminski side’ do not recognise the £400m figure being reported as the sale price, so no price has been agreed of yet despite ‘positive dialogue’ between all parties involved.

He tweeted: “More on Maciek Kaminski’s proposed takeover of Everton. Although there has been positive dialogue, a deal is not imminent. No price has been agreed. Sources close to the Kaminski side also don’t recognise £400m as the sale number being spoken of.”

Jacobs adds that Everton’s construction of their proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is estimated to cost around £500m, with £300m of that still unaccounted for; and while Kaminski is ‘fully committed’ to funding the project, talks continue over an overall sale price, which looks like it may have to exceed £400m.

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The Verdict: £500m+ should do it

It looks as if Kaminski will have to reach deeper into his pockets if he is to secure a takeover of Everton.

The £400m being reported does not seem to be enough, taking into account the cost of the new stadium.

Moshiri has been firm on his valuation before, as evident when he reportedly asked for more than £500m to sell to the Kenyon-Kaminski group in the summer, and a similar amount looks like it will need to be offered for Kaminski to seal a takeover of the Merseyside club.