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Manchester United could land their very own Kevin De Bruyne with a move for Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, as Erik ten Hag looks set for a busy summer ahead of his first season as Red Devils manager.

What’s the word?

In his recent Caught Offside column, Italian super-agent Roberto de Fanti wrote: “I believe this summer could be the time that Milinkovic-Savic leaves Lazio and I wouldn’t be surprised if the destination is Manchester United. I can say for sure that there are already whispers in the industry that he could move to Old Trafford in time for next season.”

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The club has been linked with the midfielder as of late, but Lazio have confirmed that he isn’t for sale as United aim to bolster their squad ahead of next season.

Ten Hag could unearth United’s own De Bruyne

Incoming manager Ten Hag has a massive rebuild ahead of him if he wants to take United back to winning trophies and competing in the Champions League.

With Paul Pogba’s contract set to expire in the summer and the ever-increasing likelihood that he will depart the club, with Juventus set to offer him a contract, the onus is on the 52-year-old to replace him.

A move for Milinkovic-Savic would make a lot of sense for the club, as he is very similar in style to De Bruyne (as per FBRef); and with the success the Belgian has had at the blue half of the city, Ten Hag may want to break the bank for the Serbian.

Both players have reached double figures for league goals this season, Milinkovic-Savic has 10 in Serie A whilst De Bruyne has netted 15 times in the Premier League, proving that the Serbian can be a goalscoring threat from the centre of the midfield, something that United are severely lacking. Aside from Bruno Fernandes (10), no Red Devils midfielder has reached the five-goal mark in the league this term.

The 27-year-old earns £75k-p/w at Lazio and will surely enjoy a pay rise if he moves to Manchester; and with Sky Sports reporter Anton Toloui dubbing him a “complete midfielder”, this prospective transfer makes perfect sense.

It could be an exciting summer ahead for the Old Trafford faithful, particularly if United can entice the Serbian monster to the Premier League.

AND in other news, Man Utd eyeing move for £130m-rated genius, just imagine him & Ronaldo

There will be ‘hell’ if Liverpool don’t tie down Mohamed Salah to a new contract this summer, according to former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.

The Lowdown: Still no new deal for Salah

The saga surrounding the Egyptian’s future at Anfield has been rumbling on for months now, with a new contract still not signed.

Salah is out of contract at the end of next season, but his representatives and Liverpool are yet to reach a compromise regarding the terms of the deal.

The hope is that the 29-year-old extends his stay soon, although it is difficult to predict at this stage.

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The Latest: Kenny warns Liverpool over Salah

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny warned that there would be uproar at Liverpool if Salah ends up moving elsewhere during the summer transfer window.

The former Republic of Ireland international stated:

“I don’t know how this still isn’t done. If there has been a positive update then yeah, that’s great. But nothing is done until it’s announced.

“If he hasn’t signed and an offer comes in this summer, what happens then? It’s like with a new signing, until he’s on the pitch with a scarf, it’s not done.

“I’ll guarantee you one thing, there will be hell on if he doesn’t sign by the start of next season.”

The Verdict: Could Madrid snap him up?

It still feels likely that Salah will extend his stay at Anfield eventually, especially as Liverpool are arguably a step up from any other club in Europe at the moment, in terms of the trophies they’ve won under an inspirational manager in Jurgen Klopp, whose own future on Merseyside is secure.

That being said, Kylian Mbappe deciding to remain at Paris Saint-Germain could mean that Real Madrid eye a move a different superstar this summer. That could potentially be Salah, who has been linked with Los Blancos in recent months.

It would be an enormous shame if his head is turned and he fails to agree terms on a new contract, but no player is bigger than the club and Liverpool may be best advised to plan now for the eventuality of Salah going so that they are not left high-and-dry if it does happen this year or next.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a new midfield signing. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United are reportedly interested in Albania international Armando Broja, according to ExWHUemployee.

What’s the word?

Writing on Twitter, the respected insider revealed that the Chelsea striker – who spent the most recent campaign on loan at Southampton – is “another target” that the Hammers are keeping an eye on, having also been heavily linked with a move for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

It would appear that a new centre-forward addition is a major priority for David Moyes and co this summer, with the east Londoners still yet to find a replacement for club-record flop Sebastian Haller, having failed in their pursuit of Benfica’s Darwin Nunez in January.

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This latest update follows reports earlier this month that revealed GSB are keen on the 20-year-old marksman and could make a move this summer, albeit with Blues boss Thomas Tuchel recently admitting that the youngster may be welcomed back into the fold at Stamford Bridge next term.

Supporters buzzing

The London Stadium outfit are acutely aware of just how much of a talent the Slough-born star is, having seen his quality up close during his promising spell with the Saints.

The £16.2m-rated gem netted a stunning solo goal in the two sides’ FA Cup meeting in March, the 12-cap starlet weaving his way past Kurt Zouma before slotting the ball beautifully beyond the reach of Alphonse Areola.

That strike was one of nine that the £8.5k-per-week forward scored in all competitions during his time at St Mary’s – including six Premier League goals – with that form also reportedly alerting the likes of Arsenal.

Despite enduring a barren run in the latter months of the season – with his last top-flight goal having come back in early February – the 6 foot 3 menace proved himself a real handful in his debut campaign in the top division, having previously scored ten goals in 30 Eredivisie appearances for Vitesse Arnhem during the 2020/21 campaign.

With quality competition needed for Michail Antonio, Broja could well represent the young hungry asset that Moyes will no doubt be after, with the player having also been dubbed “devastating” by his national team assistant manager, Sergio Porrini.

Managing to secure his services would no doubt be a real coup for the Irons, with supporters set to be beaming at the prospect of this prodigious talent lining up in the claret and blue come the return to action in August.

IN other news, Cost £1.5m per goal: GSB made a colossal blunder on “strong” £40k-p/w West Ham flop

Dan Kilpatrick has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Evening Standard journalist revealed that, despite recent reports to the contrary, he has been informed that Tottenham have not yet agreed terms regarding the Argentine’s proposed permanent transfer to Villarreal this summer.

However, Kilpatrick added that Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici hope that the 26-year-old will be one of the players who depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for good by the time September 1 comes around.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Am told no truth in reports that Spurs have agreed a deal to sell Lo Celso to Villarreal – although much hope that he will be one of the players sold permanently this summer.”

Supporters will be fuming

Considering how disappointing Lo Celso has generally been for Tottenham since his £55m move to north London, Kilpatrick’s latest update concerning the midfielder’s move away from the club is sure to have left the Spurs faithful fuming.

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Indeed, the £34m-rated talent’s time at Tottenham was summed up over his nine Premier League appearances this season, in which the Argentina international scored no goals, registered no assists and missed one big chance. He also averaged just 0.1 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 13.9 passes and 2.6 successful duels per game.

These metrics saw the £100k-per-week midfielder average a well below-par SofaScore match rating of 6.72, ranking him as Conte’s sixth-worst performer in the league.

As such, while Lo Celso could yet move onto pastures new in the coming months, the fact that Spurs have not yet agreed the £17m permanent transfer of the 38-cap Argentina international will certainly come as a blow to Paratici. The funds that Spurs would receive from the 26-year-old’s sale – not to mention his hefty weekly wage – could easily be put to much better use by the Italian sporting director in the summer transfer window.

AND in other news – “I understand”: Alasdair Gold drops huge Spurs summer update that supporters will love

With Aston Villa’s reported interest in Luis Suarez set to come to nothing, Steven Gerrard should consider unleashing Keinan Davis in his first-team next season.

Villa have been widely touted as a potential destination for the legendary Uruguayan following his departure from Atletico Madrid, with Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho the obvious Liverpool connections, but it now seems as if he won’t be reuniting with his former teammates this summer.

Therefore, after a season which saw Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings manage just 18 Premier League goals between them in 65 appearances, Gerrard should give Davis an extended run in the side during the 2022/23 campaign.

The 24-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and he was a key member of Steve Cooper’s side as they earned promotion back to the Premier League via the playoffs.

The striker would make 18 appearances in the Championship for the Reds, in which he contributed five goals and two assists, averaging an impressive 7.17 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Davis earned a lot of plaudits for his hold-up play and work rate in Cooper’s side and it is no surprise that they are linked with signing him permanently following their promotion.

Teammate Steve Cook sang his praises last season, saying:

“Keinan has been outstanding. He’s probably a bit of an unsung hero for us at the moment, because he’s doing the hard work. He’s bullying defenders and he’s connecting the play from back to front, without scoring the goals he probably would have liked so far.

“He’s looked such a threat.”

Neither of Watkins or Ings can be said to regularly bully defenders, and Davis could be the ideal man to hold the ball up for the likes of Emi Buendia, Coutinho and Jacob Ramsay who could play in behind him.

While he might lack the goalscoring prowess of Suarez, Davis represents a much cheaper, younger option for Gerrard next season, and his contributions on loan at Forest suggest he’s ready for a chance in the Premier League.

And, in other news… Romano delivers transfer update that’ll frustrate Villa fans

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly taking an interest in Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn this summer and it would be a disaster if Steven Gerrard were to lose the Scotland international.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Antonio Conte’s side are lining up a move for the former Hearts man following their fourth-place finish in the Premier League last season, a feat which secured them Champions League football for next season.

Although Villa will be targeting European qualification of their own next season, considering their statement signings so far, it may be difficult for McGinn to turn down the offer of Champions League football in north London next season.

Gerrard heading for disaster?

While much was made of Villa’s exciting midfield last season, with Philippe Coutinho starring on loan from Barcelona and Jacob Ramsay enjoying a breakthrough season, it was arguably McGinn who was the most consistent performer for the Villans.

According to WhoScored, the 27-year-old was Villa’s best performer in the Premier League, averaging a superb 7.17 rating for his performances, with Coutinho ranked second after averaging a 6.96 rating.

This emphasises just how important he is to Gerrard, and his midfield would surely be significantly weaker if McGinn were to depart this summer.

The Villa boss was full of praise for the Spurs target after a stunning performance in a 2-1 win against Leicester City last season, saying:

“I thought he was terrific all game, John has been one of the more consistent ones over the four games.

“I knew John a little bit before I came through the door and I knew he’d be the type to run through a brick wall for me.

“The effort, commitment and desire, the energy that he gives this team, but not only that he plays with real quality too.

“Some of his passing today was outstanding, so I’m super pleased with John over the past few games, the challenge for him now is for him to stay in this place.”

The Scottish midfield maestro is also a fan favourite at Villa Park, so supporters would surely be gutted and even angry if he were to depart to Premier League rivals.

It has been widely reported that Spurs would need to bid around £40m if they were to prise McGinn away from Villa this summer but considering his performances last season, it would be disastrous for Gerrard to sell him if he does have aspirations of European qualification next season.

And, in other news… Journo shares update on “Champions League level” beast, Villa supporters will be buzzing

Rangers midfielder Stephen Kelly could possibly team up with an illustrious figure from the Ibrox club’s arch-rivals, as per a report from Football Scotland’s Euan Robertson.

The lowdown

Robertson says that the 22-year-old’s future is very much ‘up in the air’ this summer as he enters the final year of his contract at Ibrox.

Kelly, who came through the youth ranks at Auchenhowie, spent the latter half of the 2021/22 season on loan at English League Two club Salford City. It was his third temporary stint away from Ibrox after earlier spells with Ayr United and Ross County.

However, it’s said to be unlikely that he goes out on a loan for a fourth time, unless the Light Blues extend his contract beforehand.

The latest

According to Robertson for Football Scotland, Salford will ‘keep tabs’ on the situation with a view to a potential bid after Kelly ‘excelled’ at the Peninsula Stadium.

However, the 22-year-old may want to play at a higher level, and that could present an opportunity for Fleetwood Town boss and former Celtic stalwart Scott Brown, who is ‘actively exploring’ the Scottish market.

Robertson also names Dundee United, Hibernian and Kilmarnock, who wanted to sign Kelly in January, as potential suitors.

The verdict

Kelly’s loan at Salford was a resounding success, with the 22-year-old earning 18 starts and 21 appearances overall. His all-contribution was solid, as evidenced by his match averages of 1.9 tackles, 3.2 successful duels and 1.1 key passes (via SofaScore).

The 22-year-old has only made three appearances for Rangers’ first team, including one in a Europa League qualifier against Alashkert last summer.

However, his former manager John Hughes has called him a ‘magnificent’ player and ‘an absolute winner’ on the training pitch, and losing him to a Hoops icon in Brown would surely sting for many Rangers fans, if indeed Fleetwood can lure him from Ibrox.

In other news, Rangers have made an offer for this goalkeeper

Rangers have been linked with a move for a player who could prove to be the next James Tavernier in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side at Ibrox.

According to the print edition of The Sun (via The Boot Room), the Light Blues manager is keen on signing a 23-year-old full-back from the English Championship this summer.

Stoke City’s Josh Tymon has recently been linked with a move to Rangers, but any such transfer will have to wait until either Borna Barisic leaves or Champions League qualification is potentially secured, as the Potters value him at £5m.

Last season was Tymon’s best in a Stoke shirt since he joined the club in 2017. He made 44 appearances in the Championship, contributing one goal and four assists and averaging a solid 6.73 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

At 23, the left-back still has plenty of time to improve. If he joins Rangers, he could even have a similar impact to Tavernier, who was playing in the English Football League before his move to Glasgow in 2015, with the right-back arguably securing legendary status at Ibrox with his performances in the seven years since.

In 347 appearances for the Teddy Bears, the former Wigan Athletic man has gone on to contribute an extraordinary 83 goals and 107 assists from right-back, with the 30-year-old remarkably finishing as the top scorer in the entire Europa League last season with seven goals in 14 appearances.

According to Football Transfers, Tymon is a stylistically similar player to the Rangers captain, with both full-backs loving to get forward and put in crosses; while WhoScored suggests that both Tymon and Tavernier’s strengths include key passes and concentration.

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One of Tavernier’s most impressive attributes is his athleticism and physicality, and Tymon certainly doesn’t seem to be short of that either.

Stoke manager Michael O’Neill praised the 23-year-old in that respect last season, saying: “He never lost what he had, his natural attributes: athletically very, very good, quick, left-sided. What he’s got now is that his confidence and belief has grown.

“He understands the game. He’s got good game intelligence and he’s easy to work with. I always felt from a manager’s point of view that there was a player in there but he had to get it out of himself as well.”

The full-back also has an element of flair to his game, being crowned a “nutmeg king” for his efforts in the English Championship last term.

If Tymon were to achieve even half of what Tavernier has at Rangers, then he would surely be worth the £5m fee this summer, so Van Bronckhorst should definitely look to bring him in at Ibrox.

In other news… Rangers could repeat Ryan Kent masterclass with swoop for “bullish” £5.4m-rated gem

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in signing Manchester City full-back Issa Kabore, according to The Athletic. 

The lowdown: Kabore profiled

Signed from Belgian top-flight club KV Mechelen in 2020, Man City immediately allowed the right-back to return on loan before sanctioning a temporary spell at French Ligue 1 side Troyes last season.

As things stand the 21-year-old is yet to make a single senior outing for the Premier League champions but remains a highly-rated prospect, having been named the best young player at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Now as Forest boss Steve Cooper seeks an alternative to the reportedly Tottenham-bound Djed Spence after the youngster enjoyed a glittering loan spell at the City Ground, Kabore could be the chosen one…

The latest: Reds keen

As per The Athletic, Forest are believed to be ‘monitoring’ Kabore ahead of a potential summer swoop.

It’s claimed that the 27-cap Burkina Faso defender is viewed as a player with ‘similar character to Spence’ and is ‘hungry to prove himself’ to the top level.

The report makes no mention of a fee for the youngster hailed as ‘outstanding’ by European football expert Antonio Mango, who even tipped him as a potential Kyle Walker successor.

The verdict: Test the water

Valued at just £3.6million but under contract until 2025 (Transfermarkt), Kabore is expected to spend time out on loan once again next season due to being behind two world-class right full-backs in Walker and the versatile Joao Cancelo in Manchester.

During the 2021/22 season, the right-back earned a 6.60 Sofascore rating whilst winning 4.7 duels and completing 1.5 successful dribbles on average per league game, less than Spence’s 5.8 duels and 1.8 completed dribbles.

Capable of operating as a right-sided midfielder as well as a right-back, Kabore appears ideally suited to play in Cooper’s system as a wing-back and as such the City Ground hierarchy should perhaps test the waters with a temporary move, including an option to buy in case he shines in Spence’s shoes next season.

Manchester City have shown over recent years that they are not reluctant when it comes to signing players from other clubs across Europe and beyond.

One player that the Citizens brought in from abroad fairly recently is Ruben Dias, who made his move to the Etihad Stadium from Benfica back in September 2020 for a fee of £65m.

Since then, the Portugal international has gone on to make 89 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side across all competitions.

In those appearances, the centre-back has scored three goals, provided five assists and won two Premier League titles along the way.

Now, with the summer transfer window open, the Manchester club could have the chance to bring in what could be their next version of Dias to the Etihad.

Earlier this month, City were linked with a summer move for Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt.

As a fairly young defender playing at one of Europe’s top clubs, the 22-year-old could well follow in Dias’ footsteps by making a move to the Premier League.

After working his way through Ajax’s youth ranks, the Dutchman made 117 senior appearances for the club before making his move to Italy in the 2019 summer transfer window for an initial fee of £67.8m.

The centre-back has now made 117 appearances for Juventus in which he’s scored eight goals and delivered three assists after finding the net 13 times and providing seven assists for Ajax.

To compare De Ligt’s previous Serie A campaign with Dias’ latest season in the Premier League with City, the duo both ended up winning more than 20 tackles as well as making a combined total of 76 blocks, 80 interceptions and 208 clearances.

Labelled as a player that “can’t be stopped” by Mino Raiola, De Ligt certainly has what it takes to have a similar sort of impact at City that Dias has had since his arrival.

Moving forward, if the Citizens want to plan for the future, then securing a €100m (£86m) deal for the Juventus star this summer could be a very smart investment for them to make in the same way that their deal to sign the former Benfica youngster was.

AND in other news: Terms agreed: Fabrizio Romano drops big MCFC transfer update that supporters will love