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All the transfer speculation surrounding Wolverhampton Wanderers at the moment seems focused around those who could be on their way out rather than those arriving.

Joao Moutinho is moving on following the expiration of his contract, while Adama Traore has been tipped to depart and speculation surrounding Raul Jimenez refuses to go away.

On the back of a frustrating couple of years for the Mexico international following a long-term head injury lay-off, it has been reported he is weighing up a big-money offer on the table from Saudi Arabia.

Rather than seeing that as a blow, however, it could well prove to be a transitional moment should the club bring in an exciting replacement.

The Express & Star recently reported that Wolves remain interested in signing talented young Chile international Dario Osorio, who would very much fit into the category of an exciting signing to plug the gap left by Jimenez.

Who is Wolves target Dario Osorio?

Osorio only made his senior bow for Universidad de Chile in April last year, but he has certainly caught the eye across his 44 appearances for the club.

Indeed, aged just 19, the teenager has already earned a couple of caps for Chile's senior side and has been linked with Serie A quartet Udinese, Bologna, Sassuolo and Atalanta.

The youngster scored seven goals in 27 league appearances last season and, while he has yet to find the net in nine outings this campaign, he remains hot on the lips of transfer experts.

ESPN reporter Luis Miguel Echegaray has described Osorio as a 'quality prospect' and one of the 'brightest' players to emerge from Chile, a nation that has produced the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal in recent times.

Osorio is said to be 'fast, brave and a headache for defenders', which would make him a great fit for Julen Lopetegui at Wolves.

As well as attracting interest from Italy, ex-Universidad de Chile ace Johnny Herrera (as quoted by Bolavip), claimed last year that West Ham had made a £5.5m offer for the Chilean, with Leicester City also making a formal approach.

Osorio will need to improve his scoring output, which can come more naturally with age and experience, but he has already showed plenty of potential and is also not afraid to put himself about, as shown by the eight yellow cards he has collected in his short career to date.

The "flamboyant" youngster – as hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has also won 2.68 tackles per 90 minutes this year, as per FBbref, compared to 0.64 for Jimenez, who often appears to lack the fight for a battle.

Osorio – who has also been labelled the "jewel of Chilean soccer" by former boss Raul Torro – is not necessarily ready to be thrown straight into the first team, but with a valuation of a reported £6.7m, he is a smart option for Wolves and will offer something different to Jimenez, who has simply – rather unfortunately – failed to reach his previous heights since returning to action.

Jimenez has scored just six goals across 39 appearances in the past two Premier League campaigns – a far cry from his peak in 2019-20 when scoring 17 goals in 38 games.

On wages of £100,000 a week, according to Capology, and with his valuation diminishing, it now makes sense to turn a new page without Jimenez in the squad.

Heart of Midlothian are keeping tabs on defender Morgan Feeney as they look to strengthen their defence ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Morgan Feeney to Hearts?

According to the Daily Record, Hearts are eyeing up a move for Feeney, who is set to become available on a free transfer after his current contract at Carlisle expires this summer.

They could face stiff competition from League One teams along with Premiership outfits Hibernian and Aberdeen in order to secure the former Everton youth starlet.

Could Morgan Feeney sign for Hearts?

They will need to beat off competition from their arch-rivals, however, with the club aiming to get their managerial appointment spot on, his signing could very well depend on who becomes permanent manager.

The Tynecastle side had the fourth-best defensive record in the Premiership last season, conceding 57 goals in 38 matches, however, improvement will need to be made if they are to finish higher than fourth next term.

The club are currently thin at the back, with Kye Rowles, Tony Sibbick and Craig Halkett their only senior centre-backs, and Feeney could give them a boost in that area.

Having played over 60 matches for the youth sides at Everton, the 6 foot 3 gem made his senior debut aged just 17 back in 2017, however, he failed to make the grade at Goodison Park, turning out for Tranmere Rovers and Sunderland before finally establishing himself at Carlisle.

Across two seasons with the club, Feeney has featured 76 times, and despite missing the playoff victory that saw them win promotion to League One through injury, he was solid throughout the 2022/2022 campaign.

The 24-year-old averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.96/10 across 31 games in League Two, helping his team keep 13 clean sheets while winning 62% of his total duels, making 2.8 clearances, 1.3 interceptions and 0.6 tackles per game, showcasing his defensive abilities.

Following his season-ending injury in April, the Bootle-born ace was praised by journalist Nathan Ridley, who said: “A real shame if Morgan Feeney's time at Carlisle ends like this. He's more than capable of playing in League One.”

The defensive titan could be an ideal signing for Hearts as they head into pre-season looking at reclaiming third spot next season. They wouldn’t have to spend a penny on the centre-back, and it could represent a solid investment from the club as they look to also improve other areas of the side in what could be a busy summer transfer window.

Aberdeen have enjoyed a stunning resurgence under Barry Robson during the final few months of the Scottish Premiership campaign.

Jim Goodwin was sacked following a woeful 6-0 defeat by Hibernian in January and Robson was placed in interim charge before finally securing the job on a full-time basis at the start of May following a run which included nine wins from their final 15 games to finish in third place and secure European football next term.

Much of their good form has come down to the performances of on-loan Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson, who is attracting the attention of both Rangers and Celtic, however, might his future be with the Dons in 2023/24?

The 21-year-old dropped a major hint following their 3-0 win over St Mirren, in which he scored a free kick that secured third place in the table, as a video appeared of him indicating he’d see the fans in Europe.

He said: "Thank you for your support this season. It's been incredible. I’ll see you in Europe."

Could Aberdeen sign Leighton Clarkson ahead of next season?

Nothing should be ruled out, especially with the video hinting that Clarkson could be playing European football for the club next term.

Jurgen Klopp may feel that the midfielder requires another campaign with regular first-team football and with added continental exposure on the table, it could have benefits for all parties that’s for sure.

The Englishman has been outstanding this term for the Dons, scoring six times and grabbing nine assists across all competitions, while a Sofascore rating of 7.14/10 ranks him as the second-best performer for the club in the Premiership.

He also further underlined just how important he was for Aberdeen by ranking first for big chances created (nine), free kick goals (two), key passes per game (1.6) and second for tackles per game (2.2), suggesting that not only can he score, but his ability to set up plenty of chances for his teammates, while being able to provide defensive support when required, are key strengths of his.

Indeed, he was lauded by Liverpool’s assistant manager Pep Ljinders when the player was just 17, claiming that he could “dictate play” and “speed up the tempo of the positional play”, certainly proving that he is well thought of among the staff at the Anfield side.

Another season in the North East would do his game wonders and with the added experience of already playing in Scotland for a year, imagine how good he can be throughout 2023/24.

It’s over to you Robson.

Leeds United central midfielder Kalvin Phillips is attracting increasing interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication SPORT (via Metro), who claim that Liverpool have ended their pursuit of a deal for Barcelona midfielder Gavi – with the 17-year-old looking set to put pen to paper on a new deal at the Camp Nou – and have now entered into talks with the Whites regarding a move for the England international.

The report goes on to state that both Manchester City and Manchester United are also keeping a very close eye on the situation of the 26-year-old ahead of a potential move of their own in the coming weeks, while Leeds are believed to be demanding a figure in the region of £60m in order to part with their academy graduate this summer.

Marsch will be devastated

With recent reports suggesting that, despite his continued links with a move away from Elland Road this summer, Phillips would be more than happy to remain at Leeds beyond the closure of the transfer market on September 1, the news that Liverpool have now started talks with the Whites concerning a move for the midfielder is sure to have left Jesse Marsch devastated.

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Indeed, while a hamstring injury limited his game time in the 2021/22 campaign, the £45m-rated talent still managed to impress over his 20 Premier League appearances, registering one assist and creating one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 38.9 passes, 3.5 long balls and winning 4.5 duels per fixture.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, the £38k-per-week deep-lying playmaker also ranks in the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for pressures per 90, in addition to the top 3% for tackles, the top 4% for blocks, the top 23% for clearances, the top 35% for interceptions and the top 45% for aerial duels won over the last 365 days.

As such, considering his remarkable returns for the Whites, it is not difficult to see why the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are all reported to be interested in a move for Phillips this summer, nor is it hard to understand why losing the services of the Leeds-born dynamo would come as a gutting blow to Marsch and the Elland Road faithful alike this summer.

AND in other news: Kinnear could unearth the next Tevez with Leeds bid for “exceptional” £12.8m talent

Liverpool are reportedly targeting their midfield as an area of improvement this summer, and now a previously linked transfer target has been identified as a potential interest to the club ahead of next season.

What’s the latest?

According to The Mirror, Liverpool are now prepared to rival Manchester City for the signing of Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer after losing out on Aurelien Tchouameni to Real Madrid.

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As per the report, Jurgen Klopp is understood to be a huge admirer of the player and the West Yorkshire club are preparing themselves for an approach from both the Merseyside club and Man City.

Forget Tchouameni

It has been widely reported that Tchouameni prefers a move to Spain this summer and with that in mind, FSG need to move on fast to identify another midfielder that can offer dominance in the centre of the pitch, with Phillips clearly the alternative option for the Reds.

The £60m dynamo who was hailed “outstanding” by England manager Gareth Southgate has struggled with hamstring injury issues during the most recent Premier League campaign making only 20 appearances, despite that he has still shown glimpses of his talent and capabilities in the team.

According to SofaScore, the midfielder delivered one assist and created one big chance, making 2.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and won 4.8 duels on average per game and was successful in the majority of his dribbles (58%), proving that he can make an instant and consistent impact.

“For me, he is one of the best midfielders in the world right now,” once claimed his teammate Liam Cooper during Euro 2020 last summer.

Liverpool are looking for fresh perspectives in their midfield three and although the Kopites had one of their most successful seasons under Klopp winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and James Milner are all well into their 30s.

Identifying younger players that can come through to succeed the current crop of midfielders can help Liverpool continue their reign of dominance and keep them fighting for trophies on all fronts for years to come preventing them from dropping off in key areas of the pitch.

With that being said, signing Phillips would be a major coup for the club and if they could complete the signing of the 26-year-old it would surely put to rest the worry that Liverpool weren’t able to secure a deal for Tchouameni.

AND in other news, Klopp could land his dream Mane heir with Liverpool bid for “unbelievable” £47m target…

Chris Waugh has now revealed some exciting under-the-radar Newcastle United transfer news on Renan Lodi.

The Lowdown: Left-back conundrum

The St James’ Park club currently face a conundrum over whether to sign loanee Matt Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa, or go out and buy a new left-back for the 2022/23 season.

Kieran Tierney from Arsenal is the latest such player to be linked with the switch to the northeast, although other names are now emerging into the frame.

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The Latest: Lodi interest from Newcastle

Taking to Twitter, The Athletic journalist Waugh responded to a tweet from Luke Edwards in a thread on the social media platform which may have gone under the radar.

The Telegraph reporter claimed that Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi is of ‘interest’ to the Magpies, to which Waugh replied: “Yeah, that is my understanding, too. But whether they can get him is another matter.”

The Verdict: Exciting

It is certainly exciting for Newcastle to be linked with a player of Lodi’s pedigree.

He played in the Champions League this season for Atletico, with 27 appearances in the tournament throughout his career, and helped them to win the La Liga title last year ahead of the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

While a deal for Targett is still up in the air, it is good for the Toon to have Lodi as an alternative option, not least when you look at his attacking output.

In addition to his FBRef). Just imagine him rampaging up and down the touchline for Newcastle…

In other news, this financial ‘blow’ has now hit NUFC

Liverpool are having a phenomenal season with the club still in contention for another two trophies after winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup already.

They are reportedly working on their summer transfer business already and now an update on a potential transfer target has emerged.

What’s the latest?

According to a report from Portuguese news outlet UOL (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are competing with Manchester United to sign Brazil and Ajax winger Antony this summer.

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The report suggests that the Merseyside club are in ‘dispute’ with their fierce North West rivals, as both clubs have made an approach to secure the signing of the player.

Liverpool and Manchester United will also reportedly compete with another Premier League club for the forward with Newcastle United mentioned in the report.

Klopp would love him

Despite the attacking prowess at Liverpool being a formidable force this season, there is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp would love Antony especially when you look at his output this season for Ajax.

The £50m ace who was dubbed “wonderful” and a “winner” by Dutch football scout Piet de Visser, has scored eight goals and registered four assists, creating seven big chances as well as making 1.7 key passes and taking 3.4 shots on goal on average per game in his 23 appearance in the Eredivisie this season.

Liverpool have a number of ageing forwards with Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane all entering their 30s this year, so injecting some more youth into the forward line with a player like Antony who is currently just 22-years-old and planning for the future could pay off massively for Klopp.

In terms of competing with Manchester United for the signing, despite the club recently hiring Antony’s former manager Erik ten Hag there is a lot of work to do and no Champions League football at Old Trafford next season, whereas Liverpool are competing consistently at the highest level and winning trophies.

Ultimately, if the reports are true and Liverpool are interested in signing the Brazilian then they should be able to make an attractive offer that should have enough to convince the youngster to join the club on Merseyside over a move to Manchester this summer.

AND in other news: Huge boost: James Pearce delivers four-word injury update that’ll delight supporters

A huge Newcastle United injury lift has emerged regarding centre-forward Chris Wood…

What’s the latest?

The New Zealand international was not in the matchday squad for the 2-0 win against Arsenal on Monday night, but Eddie Howe has now hinted that he could be back at the weekend.

An own goal from Ben White and a strike from Bruno Guimaraes sealed the three points for the Magpies as Callum Wilson led the line in place of Wood on the night.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh tweeted after the game: “Javier Manquillo missed NUFC’s 2-0 victory over AFC tonight with chicken pox, while Chris Wood was absent with a hip injury which Eddie Howe “hopes isn’t too serious”. Wood has a chance of being back for Burnley, his former club, on Sunday.”

Howe will be delighted

The Toon boss will be delighted that the striker’s blow is not a serious one, as it suggests that Wood will be back for the final game of the season on Sunday.

Newcastle are two points off the top half of the table heading into their clash against Burnley, and they have a realistic chance of finishing in the top 10 if they are able to beat the Clarets – potentially consigning them to relegation from the Premier League in the process.

This means that there is still a lot riding on this game for both teams, although the Magpies have already secured their place in the top flight for another year. Therefore, it may be a tense, cagey encounter at Turf Moor as Mike Jackson’s side scrap for their lives to avoid the drop.

With this in mind, having a player with Wood’s physical prowess available will be a big boost to Howe’s team. In the Premier League this season, the striker has won a whopping 6.2 aerial battles per game, which highlights his strength in the air.

The 30-year-old will be a useful option for Howe to call upon as he can win headers to create counterattacks and alleviate pressure from the defence. Burnley may start the game quickly and attempt to load the box with crosses in what could be a must-win clash for them, and this would mean that the Newcastle defenders will need a target to hit when they clear the ball. That is what Wood can be.

Therefore, the Magpies boss will be buzzing by the prospect of having the attacker available and may utilise his strengths against the club that he left to come to St James’ Park in January.

AND in other news, Forget Guimaraes: £59k-p/w NUFC dynamo who won 100% duels was a monster on Monday…

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their pursuit of Raphinha heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that PIF are plotting a swoop for the Leeds United forward and will need to battle it out with an elite European club to land his signature.

Speaking on the Wondergoal Podcast (12:45), Romano said: “A player they (PIF) love is Raphinha from Leeds. We know that Barcelona are leading the race to sign to him, but Newcastle are exploring the possibilities for a long time.

“They know this is going to be more than complicated because Barcelona are already in advanced talks with the player’s side. It depends if Leeds will get relegated or not (as) it will be important to understand if the clause will be activated or not.”

Imagine him & Allan Saint-Maximin

PIF must work hard to win the race for Raphinha, as he would be an exciting addition to Newcastle’s squad for next season.

Premier League defenders will be trembling at the thought of playing against the Toon if Saint-Maximin and the Brazilian are both lining up on the wings for the Magpies, as they both have the technical ability to cause huge problems in the final third.

Whilst Leeds are struggling at the wrong end of the table, the 25-year-old attacker has been a shining light at Elland Road throughout the campaign.

As you can see from these statistics, via SofaScore, Raphinha – who joined the Yorkshire club for £20m – has been in electric form at the top end of the pitch, both in terms of scoring and creating goals.

He only has three assists to his name, in spite of him creating nine ‘big chances’, and his team’s failure to finish off the opportunities that he is creating could tempt him to make the switch to St James’ Park. Raphinha’s statistics prove that he is a quality player at Premier League level, and Leeds are not making the most of his creative talents.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland previously dubbed him “magic”, and the Brazil wizard’s 1.9 dribbles per game to go along with his chance creation figures would suggest that such praise is deserved.

Meanwhile, Saint-Maximin has completed a whopping 4.4 dribbles and 1.5 key passes per game in the current top-flight campaign. This shows that he has been a constant threat with the ball at his feet and that Eddie Howe would have a frightening wide duo if he can play him and Raphinha in the same team next season.

AND in other news, Howe can land the next Shearer as Newcastle “prepares” £59m bid for 68-goal “diamond”…

Everton are determined not to go down without a huge fight as they added more points to their tally this afternoon with a 2-1 victory that has put them in with a great chance of surviving relegation.

The Toffees can finally breathe a slight sigh of relief as they move out of the relegation zone into 16th in the table, thanks to both Burnley and Leeds United taking defeats this weekend and Frank Lampard will surely be delighted with the resilience of his team at the King Power Stadium today.

Before the clash, no other team in the Premier League had taken fewer points this season away from home (6), with today’s win only their second as a visiting side.

Despite only having 34% possession, fewer chances on goal and having less than half the accurate passes than Brendan Rodgers’ side this afternoon, Everton took their chances whenever they could and reaped the rewards by doing so.

Vitaliy Mykolenko picked up his first ever goal for Everton and the first strike of the game when Alex Iwobi set him up in the sixth minute before he was taken off injured in the 66th minute.

Leicester’s Patson Daka equalised just five minutes after Mykolenko’s opener, but it wasn’t enough to hold off a desperate Everton side with Mason Holgate finding the back of the net in the 30th minute.

The Toffees went on to hold the lead throughout the rest of the game and there is credit due to one particular midfielder who controlled the entire game for his team.

Since Fabian Delph has returned from injury, Everton have taken points from every single game he has played in their last five, and the one game he was benched for in the Merseyside Derby was the game they lost, a coincidence? We think not and his performance today is a glowing reflection of his impact.

The 32-year-old who was hailed a “top pro” by Richard Keys had a 95% pass accuracy, lost possession just three times out of his 50 touches of the ball, won the majority of his duels (4/6) as well as making one tackle and interception to steer Everton back into safety in the Premier League table.

There is no doubt that the Blues boss must recognise Delph’s positive impact on his team’s performances and results since he re-joined the midfield just over a month ago, keeping the former Manchester City star in the team could be the difference in Everton playing Premier League football or not next season.

AND in other news: £42.5m+ down the drain: Lampard must ruthlessly axe “desperate” £69k-p/w EFC liability