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Tottenham Hotspur are readying a bid to sign Everton forward Richarlison, according to a report from 90min. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

The 25-year-old’s future has recently come under increased scrutiny after the Brazilian told those interested to ‘wait for June’ before a decision would be made.

Seemingly considering his options, at that time Chelsea and Arsenal were both linked with Richarlison, who played a huge role in ensuring that Everton retained their top-flight status last term.

However, it now appears as though Spurs are looking to rush ahead in their pursuit of the Toffees attacker.

The latest: Offer ready

As per 90min, Tottenham are ‘set to submit an opening offer’ to sign the 36-cap Brazil star.

It’s claimed that the Lilywhites are ‘keen on signing’ Richarlison this summer as Antonio Conte looks to strengthen the attacking options at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The report added that the north Londoners will make an offer next week for the man hailed as a ‘warrior’ by Everton captain Seamus Coleman as the Merseyside outfit look for bids upwards of £60m.

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The verdict: Perfect fit

Albeit not a prolific goalscorer – netting a season-high 13 Premier League goals on two occasions – Richarlison does possess an unwavering work ethic which would be immensely appreciated by Conte.

Last season the Brazilian scored 11 times and provided five assists in 33 appearances across all competitions, earning an impressive 7.02 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.1 duels, making 1.3 tackles and taking 2.4 shots per game. Those statistics highlight both an attacking and defensive prowess from the 25-year-old.

Predominantly operating as a centre-forward in 2021/22, Richarlison  – who scored twice against Spurs in a bonkers 5-4 FA Cup fifth round win in 2021 – is equally adept from the left wing and would therefore provide much-needed cover for both Harry Kane and Son Heung-min as Tottenham prepare to embark on the additional demands of a Champions League campaign.

In other news: ‘Very recently’ – Tottenham hold talks over signing ‘one of the top strikers in England’! Find out more here.

Leeds United are no strangers to signing big names – the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane and Robbie Fowler have all featured for the Yorkshire club.

Back in the Premier League for the last couple of seasons, too, Leeds have managed to attract La Masia graduates and other top La Liga talents. Surviving last season may just turn out to be the key to welcoming other top players this summer.

So far, they’ve already managed to seal a deal to bring American midfielder Brenden Aaronson in, with manager Jesse Marsch looking to put his stamp on the side, as well as right-back Rasmus Kristensen.

When Leeds have splashed the cash in recent times, they have been rewarded with good performances and top players. Raphinha is a key example of this.

The Brazilian arrived in 2020 and has undergone a rapid rise since, going on to notch 17 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League.

Using TransferMarkt, we’ve put together a list below of Leeds United’s most expensive signings of all time.

10) Junior Firpo: £13.5 million (2021)

Junior Firpo will likely be the first to admit that he didn’t have the greatest of debut seasons in a Leeds United shirt.

He was part of a backline that conceded 79 goals last season and received a performance rating of 6.49 on Whoscored.

9) Robbie Fowler: £15.12 million (2001)

Some people are quick to forget Robbie Fowler’s short stint at Leeds United. And that’s not to say he flopped, either.

During his time in Yorkshire, Fowler made an impact, scoring 14 times in just 32 appearances.

8) Helder Costa: £15.93 million (2020)

Not all transfers can work out well when the cash is splashed. And, unfortunately, Helder Costa is a prime example of that.

After a successful spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he won the Championship, the winger left for Leeds, before failing to deliver the same performances that earned him a move in the first place.

He managed just eight goals in 71 appearances.

7) Robbie Keane: £16.2 million (2001)

Much like Folwer’s, Robbie Keane’s time at Leeds United was shortlived. He returned 18 goals in 55 appearances and was sold as the club headed towards financial ruin.

From there, Keane’s career blossomed as he cemented his status as a Spurs icon.

6) Raphinha: £16.74 million (2020)

The latest success story at Leeds United, Raphinha is a wanted man this summer for good reason. The Brazilian single-handedly dragged the Yorkshire club to safety at times last season, and is clearly on course for bigger things.

£16.74 million turned out to be one of the best bargains in Leeds’ history, especially when considering the price they may receive when bidding farewell.

5) Diego Llorente: £18 million (2020)

The jury may still be out on Diego Llorente, who arrived in the summer of 2020 looking to become recognised as a game changer at the back for Leeds United. Almost two years later, however, he is yet to transform their defensive fortunes.

With a full season under Marsch to come, Llorente could still come good, with his work on the ball a key trait. But, for now, questions remain over whether the £18 million fee paid in 2020 was worthwhile.

4) Rio Ferdinand: £23.4 million (2000)

Rio Ferdinand could have become an Elland Road icon, had the club’s financial problems not forced them to cash-in on him amid interest from Manchester United.

Nonetheless, Leeds clearly saw his potential and shelled out the club’s biggest-ever transfer fee, prior to their top flight return in 2020, to sign him from West Ham.

3) Daniel James: £26.19 million (2021)

Daniel James always looked destined to play for Leeds United.

The winger is yet to justify his price-tag, though, with just four goals and four assists in 32 Premier League appearances in his debut season.

James will be hoping to enjoy a season away from the relegation scrap come August and have a far bigger impact under Marsch.

2) Rodrigo: £27 million (2020)

At the time of his arrival, Rodrigo felt like a statement of intent from Leeds United. Fresh off the back of promotion, they managed to sign a top La Liga player for what felt like a big fee of £27 million.

It was a signing which suggested their ambitions were higher than some expected, with survival an expectancy rather than a goal in their first season back up.

But Rodrigo has struggled to really make his mark in a Leeds shirt, with only 13 goals across the last two seasons. He may fare a little better under Marsch, however, assuming the Leeds boss won’t continue Marcelo Bielsa’s bizarre experiment of playing the forward in midfield.

1) Brenden Aaronson: £29.56 million

Now onto the latest addition to Leeds’ top ten signings, 21-year-old Brenden Aaronson. The midfielder that will add some much-needed creativity to this Leeds United side, easing the burden on the likes of Raphinha.

The American managed six goals and ten assists for RB Salzburg in all competitions last season. If he can replicate those numbers in the Premier League, then Leeds will be able to consider this club-record £29.56 million deal a solid investment.

Aston Villa might just be the most ambitious side in the Premier League this summer.

What’s the word?

Their aggressive approach in this window has seen them sign the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos, Boubacar Kamara and Robin Olsen, and it does seem as though they will stop there.

As per a report from Football Insider, Aston Villa’s latest statement comes in the form of a reported £50m bid for Leeds United’s star midfielder, Kalvin Phillips.

The news comes directly from a recruitment source via Football Insider, who state that Phillips has a “huge admirer” in Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, whilst West Ham United are also said to have tabled a bid for the England international.

Fabinho 2.0

A bid for “monster” Phillips represents serious intent from Gerrard and co, who may be able secure their own version of Liverpool’s Fabinho.

By that comparison, they would bag themselves a defensive-minded string-puller in the heart of the engine room to help in their quest to establish more possession of the ball.

Last season, the Villans averaged 46.4% possession, a metric that places them in 14th place compared to the rest of the Premier League. At Rangers during the 20/21 season, Gerrard’s side averaged 65.7% – which is a percentage that he will surely be hoping to achieve at Villa Park.

Phillips would not just bolster possession though, he would help to stabilise the side defensively, just like Fabinho.

The England international has knocked up some slightly better defensive numbers than the Brazilian this season, with an average of 3.67 tackles per 90, with 1.52 of these in the defensive third and 1.86 in the mid third, he is willing to sit deep and provide cover for his fellow midfield colleagues.

Fabinho, on the other hand, averages around 2.62 tackles per game with 1.48 of these coming in the mid-third of the pitch and just 0.71 achieved in the defensive third. Whilst this is a consequence of Klopp’s high-line-playing side, Fabinho provides a similar service to Phillips.

Gerrard has the perfect opportunity to take influence from Klopp and implement a positionally and statistically similar player within his midfield.

AND in other news: Gerrard could form scary duo as AVFC now plot bid for £9m-rated gem who is “on fire”

West Bromwich Albion can seriously upgrade their midfield and give their promotion push next season a huge boost by signing Leicester City’s Hamza Choudhury this summer.

The Baggies have been strongly linked to Choudhury recently with the Birmingham Mail reporting that Leicester would be willing to let the player leave, but would prefer a permanent deal rather than a loan.

Whether West Brom are willing to pay the fee required is another matter, but if they’re not, then in any loan deal they would still have to pay 80% of his wages, according to The Express and Star.

They are also not the only club interested with fellow Championship side Middlesbrough also admirers of the player. Steve Bruce’s side need to do all they can to land the 24-year-old who can seriously improve their midfield.

The club’s current squad is in need of a refresh, and we think that Choudhury would be a better option than club captain Jake Livermore. As controversial as it may sound, at 32 years old, the Baggies skipper isn’t getting any younger.

If they are to compete at the top end of the league, they need players who are almost Premier League quality, and Livermore certainly isn’t that anymore.

He made 37 appearances for the West Midlands side last season so played a key part, and having previously played under Bruce at Hull City, he’ll be tough for the manager to drop.

However, just because he wouldn’t be starting as many games doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have a key role to play, particularly in the dressing room if the team are fighting to go up.

Choudhury has been described as “excellent” by journalist Baz Cooper, and his performances in a Leicester shirt have seen him talked about as a future England star.

Bruce has also admired him for a long time and even wanted to bring him to Newcastle United during his sting on Tyneside.

If you compare him to Livermore you can see he performs better in many areas, he makes on average 2.0 interceptions per game which is better than the WBA captain’s 1.1.

He also won an impressive 70% of duels last season with Livermore winning 47%. This is simply a transfer West Brom have to be making.

AND in other news: Bruce now closing in on “brilliant” £27k-p/w West Brom target, just imagine him & Dike…

Academy graduate Joe Worrall could get a reward for his fine form as Nottingham Forest look to stave off any interest from potential suitors.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Paul Taylor, whose piece in The Athletic details a number of potential targets and contract issues Forest have for the upcoming season.

One player noted is the stand-in captain Worrall, who has been linked with moves away from the club for some time now.

However, Taylor claims that “his performances were such that the club want to reward him with an improved deal”.

Supporters will be buzzing

This will leave fans of the Tricky Trees buzzing, who have seen this young man grow into a colossus at the back for them.

Also, in the absence of club captain Lewis Grabban, he captained the side for much of their promotion-winning season.

His average SofaScore rating of 7.07 marks him out as a consistent stalwart at the back for Forest, which was especially important due to their rocky start. They sat bottom of the league before Steve Cooper took over back in September.

Not only this, but his underlying stats show him to be integral to the way the manager wants his side to play. Averaging 0.8 blocks, 2.0 tackles, 3.1 clearances and 1.9 interceptions per 90, he is pictured as a busy defender who enjoys the dirty work.

His role as the enforcer allows his side to operate the way it does, and afforded the likes of Djed Spence the freedom down the right which saw him lauded throughout the year.

Even as far back as 2018, he was being identified as a remarkable footballer, with Steven Gerrard labelling him a “fantastic player” as his Rangers side were reportedly interested in him prior to the defender joining the former Liverpool captain’s side on a year-long loan deal.

Forest will want to get him tied down as soon as possible to avoid any further links away from the City Ground, however now they are finally in the Premier League, supporters can be optimistic that their captain will commit his long-term future to the club.

AND in other news: Forest now in contention for “unbelievable” £15m talent, he’s Cooper’s dream signing

Newcastle United have been linked with a summer move for Chelsea striker Armando Broja.

What’s the news?

Luke Edwards took to Twitter on Friday to reveal the latest on that particular transfer pursuit.

The Telegraph journalist said: “#nufc have an active interest in Chelsea forward Armando Broja but are waiting to see what London club want to do with the player.

“As I said earlier in week, there is a sense of calm at SJP following early transfer breakthroughs and they’re assessing various offensive options.”

The 20-year-old striker has made 54 appearances for the west London club across their senior and youth teams, scoring 21 goals along the way.

Newcastle fans will be buzzing

After a loan spell with Vitesse Arnhem where he scored 11 goals in 34 appearances, the centre-forward joined Southampton on another loan deal during last summer’s transfer window.

During his time with the Saints, the youngster found the net nine times in total, with six of those coming in his 32 Premier League appearances for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

To further highlight his attacking prowess, only James Ward-Prowse (51) and Che Adams (49) had more shots at goal than Broja (48) in the league for Southampton during the 2021/22 campaign.

Taking this into account, having a young figure such as Broja, who has shown how capable he is of playing in the Premier League, in the squad at Newcastle would surely have lots of Toon supporters buzzing.

Given how both Callum Wilson and Chris Wood have hit the age of 30, having a young striker such as Broja to potentially lead the team forward in the future could make securing a deal for him this summer a smart investment for the Magpies.

Bearing in mind how capable Newcastle have shown themselves to be when it comes to signing players from fellow Premier League clubs in recent months, such as Matt Targett and Dan Burn, it would be safe to assume that they would have no qualms with approaching Chelsea to try and work out a deal to sign their young striker.

If Thomas Tuchel’s side would be willing to let the Albanian leave the west London club this summer, Newcastle should definitely be in the mix to secure a deal for him.

AND in other news: PIF plotting bid for £211k-p/w target who terrified Verratti, imagine him & Saint-Maximin

West Bromwich Albion saw a number of big names leave the club earlier in the current transfer window.

Players such as Andy Carroll, Romaine Sawyers and Sam Johnstone all left The Hawthorns in recent weeks, with the latter two joining other clubs.

Another player currently in Steve Bruce’s squad who has been linked with a move away from the Midlands this summer is Callum Robinson, whose return for Albion stands at a less than stellar 17 goals in 89 appearances.

Last week, it was reported that fellow Championship club Preston North End are looking to secure a deal for the Irishman this summer.

Should the attacker find himself following in the footsteps of Sawyers, Carroll and Johnstone in moving away from West Brom in the coming weeks, one man who could be an ideal replacement for Robinson is Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle.

The centre-forward joined the Tyneside club from Crystal Palace in 2016 for a fee of £10m, and he has since scored 34 goals in 122 appearances for the Magpies.

Having reportedly held talks with the Newcastle striker over a potential move to The Hawthorns this summer, West Brom could very much benefit from having the Englishman in their squad as they look to get back into the Premier League.

With 59 goals scored in 100 Championship games throughout his career, the 32-year-old certainly has the experience of being a deadly goal threat in the second tier. Not only would this be a big help for the team in general, but also for current Baggies striker Daryl Dike given his rather young age (22).

In fact, in terms of how dangerous Gayle can be in front of goal, the striker was described by current Newcastle boss Eddie Howe as “one of the best finishers” with whom the 44-year-old has ever worked.

Having already had experience of playing for the Baggies, for whom he scored 24 goals in 41 appearances during his loan spell in 2018/19, a return to The Hawthorns under his former Newcastle boss Bruce could be a rather tempting prospect for the 32-year-old, especially if he can help to fire Albion back into the top flight.

Should Robinson – who has been labelled as “overhyped” by Irish football pundit Eamon Dunphy – find himself waving goodbye to West Brom this summer, it could be a very smart move from the club to bring in a player like Gayle, to whom Bruce could look in terms of being a regular goalscorer who would boost their chances of winning promotion.

AND in other news: Bruce can land Grant 2.0 with West Brom bid for “clinical” £5.4m-rated “goal machine”

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan forward Joaquin Correa.

The Lowdown: Correa profiled

Correa is primarily a second striker but can also play on either wing, as a centre-forward or in an attacking midfield role.

Labelled a ‘really sharp’ player by journalist Josh Bunting, the Argentina international has scored 62 goals during his career for club and country.

The 27-year-old spent last season on loan at Inter, with a transfer made permanent from Lazio earlier this summer, but it looks as if he could be on the move once again over the coming weeks.

The Latest: Leeds linked with Correa

Gazzetta dello Sport provided a transfer update on Wednesday, looking at Inter’s pursuit of free agent Paulo Dybala.

They claimed that the Italian giants need to make space for the former Juventus striker to come in, with Correa potentially one player who could make way, with Leeds interested in the 17-cap marksman.

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The Verdict: CDK and Kalimuendo alternative?

Two attacking names who have been heavily linked with a move to Leeds are Club Brugge’s Charles De Ketelaere and PSG’s Arnaud Kalimuendo, but it seems as if Correa is also catching the eye of Elland Road chiefs.

The latter would bring plenty of versatility to Jesse Marsch’s attacking ranks and could provide fierce competition to Rodrigo in a second striker role.

The South American also has plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country and has played in European competitions in each of the past six seasons, so you could argue that he would be a marquee addition and potentially one transfer to watch for Whites supporters.

Leeds United have submitted an offer for Fenerbahce transfer target Mergim Berisha, according to journalist Omer Celikbasli on Twitter.

The Lowdown: Berisha linked with Leeds

Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta are clearly keen on signing a new attacking player this summer, with several targets linked with moves to Elland Road in recent weeks.

One of those is Berisha, who emerged as a new target on Saturday, having played under Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg and scored 23 goals in 52 games.

A new update suggests that the 24-year-old could be heading to Leeds in the near future and potentially become their seventh summer signing, in what is an exciting update for the Yorkshire faithful.

The Latest: Leeds submit offer for Berisha

Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, Celikbasli claimed that the Whites have tabled a €2m (£1.7m) offer for Berisha, although Fenerbahce want more than twice that figure.

The Turkish reporter tweeted:

“Leeds United have offered 2 million euros for Mergim Berisha. Fenerbahce demanded 5 million euros from Stuttgart and Mainz as it wanted. Negotiations continue.”

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The Verdict: Proven attacking pedigree

While Charles De Ketelaere and Arnaud Kalimuendo are exciting young targets for Leeds – one of them could come in, too – Berisha would represent a more experienced signing.

At 24, he already has several years under his belt at the top level, registering 58 goal involvements (34 goals and 24 assists) in 87 Bundesliga matches in total, so he could be a more reliable source of goals from the get-go.

Increasing the offer to take it closer to Fenerbahce’s valuation shouldn’t be a big issue, given the modest fee and the money received for Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, with Berisha hopefully coming in as strong competition for Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt.

Everton making a move for Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe runs the risk of being a ‘big mistake’, journalist Pete O’Rourke has said.

The Lowdown: Everton linked with Pepe

According to the Liverpool Echo, recent reports have suggested that the Toffees could rival Premier League trio West Ham, Newcastle and Leicester for the 27-year-old, who joined the Gunners for a club-record £72m fee three years ago.

Pepe made just five starts in the top flight for Arsenal last season, with the last of those all the way back in October. His overall record for the club stands at a modest 27 goals in 112 appearances.

With the arrival of Gabriel Jesus at the Emirates Stadium, we could end up seeing the £140,000-a-week Ivory Coast international fall even further down Mikel Arteta’s pecking order.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim

O’Rourke has weighed in on Pepe’s rumoured loan move to Everton.

When questioned about whether the winger runs the risk of being another expensive mistake for the Toffees, the journalist told The Transfer Tavern:

“Well, he’s got the risk of being a big mistake in the transfer window considering probably a lot of Arsenal fans see the move to the Emirates as a mistake because he just hasn’t met the expectations of his big money move from Lille.

“But as I said, I think there is potential there in Pepe if somebody can get the best out of him.”

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The Verdict: Could be another mistake

Everton have had their fair share of expensive mistakes in recent times.

In 2019, Alex Iwobi arrived at Goodison Park after the Blues stumped up £35m to sign the winger. However, in 97 games for the Merseyside outfit, he has scored just seven goals and produced a mere seven assists. As a result, his market valuation has dropped all the way down to £16.2m.

Elsewhere, the highly-rated Moise Kean joined Everton from Juventus for £25.1m just three years ago. However, after struggling to establish himself as a starter, the striker’s record sits at just four goals in 39 games for the club. Consequently, he has been sent out on loan twice since his arrival in 2019.

With Pepe having a similarly arid career to these two attackers, Frank Lampard should think twice about signing him, as it could end up being another expensive mistake for Everton, with huge wages needed to secure his signature.