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Manchester United are ‘not giving up’ on signing Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer but are keeping alternatives ‘warm’, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth. 

The lowdown: Transfer saga

Perennially linked with a move to the Red Devils throughout the transfer window, the attempt to bring De Jong to Old Trafford remains up in the air as the new season fast approaches.

Despite reportedly agreeing on an initial €75million (£63million) fee with the La Liga giants for the 25-year-old Holland international a fortnight ago, disputes over unpaid wages and an apparent lack of desire to head to Manchester mean that the deal is no further down the line.

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Having seemingly reached an impasse and with Chelsea also entering the fray, fresh claims have now emerged suggesting that United remain steadfast in their attempts to bring De Jong to the club…

The latest: Sheth shares De Jong update…

Speaking to Sky Sports (via Football Daily on Twitter), Sheth shared the latest state of play regarding the 44-cap star.

He said: “This is definitely the saga of the window as far as Manchester United are concerned, but, the information that I’m getting this morning is that Manchester United are not giving up on the signing of the Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

“There remains a belief that a deal can still be done between the two clubs. We’ve been saying this for the past few weeks, United remain comfortable in the position that they’re in. They have a broad agreement with Barcelona worth £72million – that’s including add-ons for Frenkie De Jong.

“United you’d think would have their own private deadline on getting this deal done and so they do have other targets. I’m told today that they are keeping those other targets warm, that was the phrase that I was given, but they still maintain that a deal can be done for Frenkie de Jong.”

The verdict: Something has to give

A little over a week out from United’s opening Premier League clash with Brighton at Old Trafford, that FDJ deadline cannot be too far away from being reached and seeing Erik ten Hag finally give up on a reunion with his former Ajax sensation.

Whilst much of the groundwork has clearly already been laid in order to bring the Dutchman to the club, another midfielder is an essential addition in this window having lost Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba and Juan Mata and as such, missing out on De Jong without an alternative in place cannot be an option for John Murtough and co.

Therefore, although the confidence in getting this deal over the line clearly remains high, movement on other targets such as Leicester City ace Youri Tielemans could well ramp up in the coming days.

Newcastle United have not offered Martin Dubravka to Leicester City as part of their bid for James Maddison, according to Craig Hope of The Daily Mail.

The lowdown

The newspaper’s northeast football correspondent reported that Leicester have ‘shown an interest’ in signing the 33-year-old goalkeeper from Newcastle.

On Monday, the Magpies made a second bid for Foxes midfielder Maddison, this time worth in excess of £40m.

The reason that Leicester may be looking at Dubravka is that Kasper Schmeichel is on his way to Nice, with a medical likely to take place in the next 24 to 48 hours (via Sky Sports).

The latest

Hope took to Twitter to inform supporters that, while Leicester are genuinely keen on Dubravka, a cash-plus-player deal is not currently believed to be on the table.

However, he hints that Newcastle could still choose to submit an offer of that nature further down the line, tweeting: “Leicester have shown an interest in NUFC goalkeeper Martin Dubravka but understand he is not yet part of the package for James Maddison. That could change, of course.”

The verdict

What kind of discount could Newcastle receive if they threw Dubravka into the deal?

He turned 33 at the start of this year, and the CIES Football Observatory value him at a maximum of €7m, which equates to £5.9m. That wouldn’t be an enormous saving by any stretch, but it’s potentially worth a try for the Magpies.

That’s because they’ve already signed a goalkeeper in the form of £10m man Nick Pope, which means that the Slovakian is no longer indispensable.

Dubravka, who was dubbed ‘amazing’ by Allan Saint-Maximin, has been an excellent servant for the club, but the Toon’s 2919/20 Player of the Year may view a move to the King Power Stadium as an attractive one if it means that he could be their first-choice ‘keeper to succeed Schmeichel.

Everton are reportedly keen on a bargain swoop for Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic.

The Lowdown: Striker needed

It is very clear that the Goodison Park outfit need to bring in a new centre-forward before the transfer window closes.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out injured, while Richarlison was sold to Tottenham Hotspur and Ellis Simms was allowed to go on loan to Sunderland.

Salomon Rondon was suspended for their 1-0 loss at home to Chelsea, where the Toffees played without a recognised striker.

The Latest: Kalajdzic talks

As per The Daily Mail, Everton are among a number of clubs who have held talks over the possible signing of Kalajdzic, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich also thought to be keen on the Austria international.

He is available for around £15m and could be an alternative to Chelsea forward Armando Broja, for whom Frank Lampard’s team are expected to enquire about the possibility of a loan move.

The Verdict: Bargain

Given that he is currently valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, signing Kalajdzic for as little as £15m could turn out to be a real bargain.

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Hailed by journalist Marcel Reif as a player who can do ‘crazy‘ things in the air, he intimidates defenders with his 6 foot 7 stature and recorded an impressive six goals and two assists in an injury-hit 2021/22 season (Transfermarkt).

Also, Kalajdzic is only 25 years of age, so the Toffees could have him at his peak if they can bring him to Goodison Park this month.

Newcastle United are ‘still interested’ in signing Chelsea attacking midfielder Ross Barkley this summer, with a host of clubs in the mix to acquire his signature.

The Lowdown: Barkley on the move

The 28-year-old’s Blues career has stagnated in recent times, having been loaned out to Aston Villa in 2020/21 and struggled for playing time back at Stamford Bridge.

Barkley hasn’t played a minute of Premier League action so far this season and he is expected to be allowed to leave Chelsea before deadline day on September 1st.

Newcastle have been linked with a move in the recent past and they still appear to be eyeing him up.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘interested’ in signing

According to journalist and podcaster Simon Phillips on Twitter, the Magpies are one of many clubs considering snapping up Barkley this summer:

“Ross Barkley has an offer from Celtic (permanent). Other clubs still interested – Brighton, Newcastle, West Ham, Aston Villa and Everton. Will leave this window.”

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The Verdict: Worth a gamble?

While Barkley hasn’t enjoyed a huge amount of success or playing time recently, he remains a hugely talented player who was once hailed as a ‘special talent’ by former Everton manager Roberto Martinez.

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Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan is also convinced the midfielder can still turn it on, even claiming Barkley ‘can be unplayable at times’ and has ‘such creativity’ (Football Insider).

If Eddie Howe believes he can get the best out of the Englishman, he could be an inspired signing for Newcastle, given the technical class at his disposal, and his ability to offer something different in the middle of the park. He has scored 29 goals and registered 31 assists in the English top flight.

There is a risk element involved – there is a reason why Chelsea aren’t using the £110,000-per-week ace, after all – so a loan move with an option to buy permanently could make the most sense. Barkley only has one year remaining on his current deal, however, meaning it could depend on the Blues’ stance.

Newcastle United are reportedly continuing their attempts to sign Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos, with the Magpies looking to ‘unblock’ his current situation.

The Lowdown: Newcastle keen on Ramos

The 21-year-old has burst onto the scene at Benfica, scoring seven goals in just 17 Primeira Liga starts last season and also netting once in the Champions League.

Newcastle have been linked with a move for Ramos in the summer transfer window, with Eddie Howe seeing the youngster as an exciting potential signing.

It looks as though the Magpies’ interest isn’t going away, following a fresh update.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

According to both O Jogo and Record [via Sport Witness], Newcastle will ‘try to unblock’ Ramos from Benfica, with the Portuguese giants proving stubborn in their asking price. The Magpies ‘will present a proposal’ at some point, however, with the player currently ‘under surveillance’.

Benfica’s position is described as ‘uncompromising’ but next week could prove to be ‘decisive’.

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The Verdict: Strong summer addition

Ramos looks a hugely exciting prospect with a big future ahead of him, so the idea of him in a Newcastle shirt moving forward is undoubtedly exciting.

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His record of 14 goals in 18 caps for Portugal’s Under-21s outlines his brilliance, with 17 in 62 appearances for Benfica also a healthy return for such a young player.

More firepower is required at Newcastle if they are to mount a genuine top-six push, as highlighted by the 0-0 draw at Brighton on Saturday, and Ramos could be just the man to make a difference.

Manchester United have been tipped to make an audacious move for Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi amid their current search for a new right-back.

What’s the word?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones – who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT – it would prove to be an “unbelievable” coup if they could tempt the 23-year-old into making the move to Old Trafford, amid reports that they are ‘working on a deal’ to sign the Morocco international.

The reliable source stated: “Hakimi is firmly on the radar of Barcelona, and it is a result of that we will now see United, and Chelsea linked to him. There is no doubt this player wants to come to the Premier League at some stage and he would be an unbelievable signing if United could somehow pull it off.”

Reports this summer have suggested that United could potentially be in the market for a new right-sided defender, with £50m man Aaron Wan-Bissaka heavily linked with a return to his former club Crystal Palace.

Ditch Wan-Bissaka

Although potentially improbable, it would represent an almighty coup were the Premier League giants able to secure Hakimi’s signature before the September 1 deadline, with the former Real Madrid man set to be a notable upgrade on their current options.

Despite his relative youth, the £58.5m-rated ace has also ready racked up a wealth of elite-level experience in his career so far, turning out for the likes PSG, Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan after rising through academy ranks in the Spanish capital.

Having provided 29 goal contributions in 73 games during his loan spell in Germany, the 5 foot 11 ace’s subsequent move to the San Siro saw him thrive under Antonio Conte as they won the Serie A title in the 2020/21 season, when he provided seven goals and 11 assists in 45 games in all competitions for the Nerazzurri.

After just a solitary season at Inter, the highly-rated “baller” – as dubbed by CBS Sports’ Luis Miguel Echegaray – was plucked by his current club in a £60m deal last summer, going on to register six goals and seven assists for the Parisien outfit since then.

Having reverted to seemingly his preferred wing-back role under new PSG manager Christophe Galtier this season, the £236k-per-week sensation has been in inspired form in the early weeks of the Ligue 1 campaign, scoring two goals and registering one assist in just three league games so far.

Such end product is a far cry from the aforementioned Wan-Bissaka, with the 24-year-old having never truly justified his sizeable asking price during his three-year spell at the Theatre of Dreams, providing just two goals and ten assists in 127 games across all fronts.

While his famed tackling ability had earned him plaudits initially – with Jamie Carragher previously dubbing him the “best one-on-one defender for a full-back in the world” – the £90k-per-week Croydon native has struggled hugely in recent times, with journalist Andrew McDonnell labelling him a “liability” last season.

That is emphasised by the fact that he now only ranks in the top 30% for tackles made among those in his position across Europe’s big five leagues, while his potential replacement Hakimi ranks in the top 8%, while also offering great offensive thrust.

Equally, Wan-Bissaka’s much-maligned woes with ball at his feet saw him lose possession on average 14 times per league game last season, with the PSG man only squandering possession 8.9 times per game on average.

Such a slump has seen the former Eagles defender usurped by Diogo Dalot in the pecking order at Old Trafford and now staring at an exit from the club altogether, with his departure set to be hastened if Ten Hag can get Hakimi through the door over the next week or so.

It may prove interesting to see how the latter would perform in a flat back four rather than in a more advanced wing-back role, but even so, the evidence suggests that he would be a clear upgrade on the underwhelming Wan-Bissaka.

Tottenham Hotspur may have a trick up their sleeve in the pursuit of Everton winger Anthony Gordon, according to reputable journalist Pete O’Rourke. 

The lowdown: Spurs still in the mix

Spurs have been heavily linked with a move for Gordon, albeit the north Londoners face serious competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

The 21-year-old England youth international is thought to have told Everton he favours a move to Stamford Bridge, but reliable journalist Alasdair Gold recently confirmed the Lilywhites still hold a ‘firm interest’.

Now, one well-informed onlooker has had his say on the speculation and has hinted that Spurs could well hold the upper hand in the transfer tug of war…

The latest: ‘Always helps…’

Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke has claimed that the preexisting relationship between Everton and Tottenham that saw Richarlison arrive at Hotspur Way could be the ace in the hole for the Lilywhites.

“Yeah, it always helps if two clubs have done a deal already between themselves this summer.

“There’s obviously open dialogue between the two clubs so you would imagine that would help if there was a deal to be pursued for Anthony Gordon for Tottenham.”

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The verdict: Double deal?

Seemingly edging closer to a deal for Atalanta attacking midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi, it appears as though Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte are desperate to further bolster the forward-thinking options at N17, and snapping up both players could fix their attacking depth both in the short and long term.

Last season, Gordon enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Everton, scoring four times and providing three assists in 40 appearances across all competitions and was the constant thorn in the opponents’ side in what was an underperforming side for the most part.

Capable of operating on either wing and in central areas, the £18million valued Scouser has remarkable numbers when it comes to pressing and off-the-ball work, implying he could be a perfect fit for Conte.

Hailed as a ‘massive player’ recently by Frank Lampard, landing a future star in Gordon alongside an experienced head for the here and now in Malinovskyi would be an excellent way to put the cherry on the cake of this remarkable Tottenham window.

Tottenham Hotspur have now made it through another summer transfer window filled with plenty of exciting business that saw players move in and out of the north London club.

The Lilywhites managed to bring in some serious players from their fellow Premier League clubs such as Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and Fraser Forster.

A previous example of the club purchasing players from other clubs in the division is their 2020 deal for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Signed from Southampton in a deal worth around £15m, the midfielder has become a significant player for Spurs as he’s made 106 appearances for them across all competitions, chipping in with six goals and nine assists along the way.

Even though the Danish international is only 27 and still has just under three years left on his current contract at the club, Antonio Conte may already have his ideal long-term heir for the midfielder in his ranks.

Back in the 2021 summer transfer window, the Lilywhites struck a deal to sign Pape Matar Sarr from FC Metz, before immediately loaning him back to the French club for the entirety of last season.

While yet to make a senior appearance for Spurs, the 19-year-old has been on the substitutes bench for their two previous league games.

To highlight the similarities between the two players from a defensive point of view, Sarr ended his previous and final Ligue 1 campaign with Metz in the club’s top five for number of successful tackles (36), successful pressures (117), blocked passes (31) and interceptions (47).

Bearing in mind how Hojbjerg topped Spurs’ list for all of those statistics in the Premier League last year, it’s clear that the teenager has the defensive talent to grow and develop into a similar sort of midfield unit that the 27-year-old is.

When asked about the teenage talent, Fabio Paratici had this to say following his arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He said: “I think Pape is one of the most talented in Europe. Our job is not to look just at tomorrow, but maybe also past tomorrow or next year. This is our job, and I think we made a great signing. In all of Europe they speak about this, a lot of teams were interested, a lot of teams were there to sign (him), so we made a very good signing.

“He needs experience, he needs to play games, to stay in one team and play regularly – a great investment for the Club, and a great vision for the future.”

If Conte decides to give Sarr some game time this season, we will hopefully see pretty quickly if he has what it takes to be a long-term player for the club, and the numbers suggest he absolutely does.

Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans hailed full-back Ashley Young for his display in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Saturday evening.Â

The Lowdown: Stopped the rot

Steven Gerrard made one change from the defeat at Arsenal in midweek with Douglas Luiz coming in for Emi Buendia.

Villa put in a promising display, with Leon Bailey’s second-half strike earning the home side a point following three successive defeats. Young was thrown into the action during the first half for the injured Matty Cash and caught the attention of Evans early on.

The Latest: Evans impressed

Taking to Twitter, Evans said that “Young has been excellent since coming on”, with the 37-year-old making his first meaningful Premier League appearance of the season following a one-minute cameo vs Everton.

The Verdict: Very good

Many may have been concerned when they saw Young coming on for Cash, however, the experienced full-back was brilliant up against Phil Foden.

As per SofaScore, Young was Villa’s second-best performer at Villa Park, earning a 7.0/10 match rating. He won an impressive six duels out of seven (85%), made four tackles and four clearances.

Therefore, should Cash’s injury rule him out of next weekend’s trip to Leicester, you’d like to think that Gerrard will have no issue with giving Young a first league start of the season.

It was reported yesterday that there was concern surrounding Liverpool forward Diogo Jota’s fitness status after he was not seen in training on Thursday and was subbed off for Portugal, but now Jurgen Klopp has confirmed a triple boost after doubts on three players.

What’s the latest?

After returning late from international duty, the Liverpool manager has set the record straight on speculation surrounding Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, confirming all three will be in contention to start against Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend.

Klopp took to his pre-match press conference to settle the worries surrounding the South American players in the squad who were not seen in training on Thursday (via Liverpool Echo):

“Luis [Diaz] only landed yesterday morning. I heard he’s good. Darwin [Nunez], with caution after intense period. Same for Diogo [Jota].”

It’s great news for Liverpool

The Reds have had their fair share of injury problems over the season so far with several players picking up fitness issues and prolonged injury problems over the last few months, but it is finally looking promising ahead of their return to action against Brighton on Saturday.

The injury crisis at Anfield would have certainly contributed to the club’s worst start to a Premier League season during Klopp’s tenure so far, but with nine fixtures this month there is plenty of opportunity for the Kopites to pull back some much-needed points to climb the table.

Currently nine points off the top spot occupied by Arsenal, Liverpool will face both Manchester City and Mikel Arteta’s formidable side this month giving them the chance to close the gap between themselves in 8th and the top two positions in the Premier League.

Not only that, the Reds return to action in the Champions League and Klopp will surely be hoping the extended break will give his team the rest they needed to refresh and rebuild their confidence after a difficult start on all fronts.

With that being said, taking all three points when they host Brighton at Anfield will be non-negotiable for Liverpool if they want to get a good start in a very congested month of fixtures as they cannot afford to lose many more points if they want to be in contention for the title.