Liverpool kept their title hopes alive with a victory over Aston Villa last night and are on for two more trophies with the FA Cup and Champions League finals secured, however, that hasn’t stopped the club from working to strengthen their team ahead of next season.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Graeme Bailey has reported (via 90min) that sources close to the club have revealed that the Merseyside club are close to securing a deal for Calvin Ramsay.

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According to the report, Leeds United, West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace are all interested in the young Aberdeen defender but 90min are told that Liverpool are leading the race in securing his signature.

This would be the club’s second signing of the summer after the Daily Mail reported that the signing of Fabio Carvalho has been ‘wrapped up’ and an announcement is imminent.

Klopp will be buzzing

There is no doubt that Liverpool have been lucky with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fitness and injury record over his career so far with only a few slight knocks to the right-back, but with the opportunity to sign a worthy back-up in Ramsay, Jurgen Klopp will surely be buzzing.

Currently, Neco Williams is the only player for position replacement for the Liverpudlian defender but he is reportedly looking likely to complete a permanent move to recently promoted Premier League side Fulham this summer, so again the signing of the 19-year-old would make perfect sense for the club.

According to SofaScore, Ramsay has been solid in his position for Aberdeen over the last 24 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, winning the majority of his duels (51%), making 1.3 clearances as well as 0.8 interceptions and tackles on average per game, scoring one goal and contributing four assists so far.

The 19-year-old has also been the recipient of high praise with the Aberdeen chairman Dave McCormack labelling the youngster in “the elite upper bracket” of players of his kind in an interview.

Ultimately, as we have seen with Luis Diaz and Carvalho this season when it comes to signings Liverpool know how to get what they want and attract players to join the successful Merseyside outfit.

Therefore, we expect that Ramsay will be no different if the club are genuinely interested in making the signing this summer.

AND in other news: FA Cup final blow: Liverpool rocked by “massive problem” that’ll leave Klopp gutted

Conor Townsend will miss West Brom’s Championship final-day clash with Barnsley due to injury, according to reliable journalist Steve Madeley.

The Lowdown: Baggies’ season ends

The Baggies play their last game of a hugely disappointing season on Saturday afternoon, with the Tykes making the trip to the Hawthorns.

Steve Bruce’s side go into the game sitting 10th in the table and with no chance of finishing in the playoff positions, summing up their struggles.

Having started the campaign as one of the promotion favourites, and with Valerien Ismael a seemingly exciting managerial appointment, things have unravelled at an alarming rate.

The Latest: Townsend ruled out

With Kyle Bartley already ruled out of the game, Madeley took to Twitter to confirm that Towsend would also be absent from Saturday’s match:

“Team news from Steve Bruce. Kyle Bartley will miss tomorrow after badly twisting his ankle. Scan results due today. Conor Townsend also out of the Barnsley game.”

The Verdict: Final-day blow

While the weekend game is ultimately not too important, considering there is little to nothing riding on it, Townsend’s absence still has to be considered a blow.

The defender has started 43 of West Brom’s 45 league games this season, highlighting his dependability, and he has also averaged 2.1 aerial duel wins and 1.8 tackles per game.

The hope is that the Baggies are still too strong for an already-relegated Barnsley side, however, at least managing to finish a poor season in style.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a West Brom transfer claim. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is often noted as a shrewd operator when it comes to transfers, although that’s not to say that the 60-year-old always gets it right with the club’s incoming and outgoings.

One scenario where the frugal businessman appears to have made what could be a costly error is with the sale of versatile defender Juan Foyth, the Argentine having gone on to impress since his £13m departure for Villarreal last summer.

The 24-year-old had spent four years on the books at Tottenham after being signed from Estudiantes by compatriot Mauricio Pochettino in 2017, although he was hardly given a look-in over the next few seasons, making just 16 Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites in total.

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A loan move to Spain ensued for the 2020/21 campaign after the 6 foot 2 gem had fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho, before he was snapped up on a permanent deal by Unai Emery and co after impressing during that temporary stint.

This season has seen the £27k-per-week gem kick on again for the La Liga side, playing his part as the Yellow Submarine surged to the Champions League semi-finals, before crashing out at the hands of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

In Europe’s premier club competition, the La Plata native averaged a remarkable 3.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game from his ten outings, while also winning 1.9 of his aerial duels per match.

Comfortable at both right-back and in the centre of defence, Foyth also ranks in the top 3% for tackles made among players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, and in the top 13% for pressures made, illustrating his sheer desire to regain possession for his team.

Such an asset would no doubt have a place in Antonio Conte’s current side as either a defensive wing-back or as part of the back three, with the Italian likely to be impressed by the former Spurs man’s full-blooded approach, while the club are currently suffering a real shortage of defensive options at present.

In a business sense as well, the north London outfit’s decision to sever ties with the player now seems an odd one, with Foyth now valued at £18m – £5m more than the amount for which he was sold just a year ago.

Tottenham are likely to go into the market to bolster their defensive ranks this summer, although they could well have been better served retaining the services of the 14-cap Argentina international, with Conte set to have nightmares about his departure.

In other news – Imagine him & Bentancur: Spurs can find perfect Conte gem in £49.5m-rated “phenomenon”

Everton have had a disappointing season and as a result, many players have been speculated about a move away from the club, with a new update emerging on Richarlison’s potential exit from Goodison Park this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Goal Brasil, the Brazilian forward’s agent Renato Velasco has been in “talks” with clubs in the top European leagues.

The report suggests that Richarlison is keen on a move to a giant club but prefers to stay in the Premier League, with Manchester United and Real Madrid already showing interest in signing the Everton player.

Lampard set for major disaster

After such a difficult season and a rollercoaster relegation battle, it would be a major disaster for Frank Lampard if he was to lose one of the best players in the squad, especially if they stay in the Premier League next term.

Everton missed out on the opportunity to secure safety in the top-flight after losing to Brentford and going down to nine men at Goodison Park on Sunday, and it could’ve given the Toffees boss a head start in working on the transfer business ahead of next season. However, it will need to continue to be put on pause.

Despite the stressful relegation battle, the £110k-per-week goal-machine who was hailed “hard-working” by teammate Allan, has been highly effective and integral in the challenge for survival scoring five goals and assisting twice in the last nine games, proving he is extremely important to this Everton team.

With that in mind, if he does depart the club, it would surely leave the fanbase at Goodison rather fuming with proceedings.

Losing the 24-year-old who has been dubbed a “match-winner” by former Blues forward Kevin Campbell would be a complete disaster for the club, and they would need to work incredibly hard to replace him this summer if they were to accept an offer to let him leave Merseyside.

The Toffees will play their penultimate Premier League game and last home fixture against Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace on Thursday and fortunately for Lampard their chances of survival are still in their hands with another opportunity to secure safety in the league before the last game of the season this weekend.

AND in other news: Rejected for £60k: Everton snub of £135m-rated “cyborg” will haunt Moshiri forever

Illan Meslier’s error in Leeds United’s Premier League defeat against Arsenal on Sunday left BBC Sport pundit Stephen Warnock ‘astonished’.

The lowdown

Leeds slipped into the relegation zone as they fell to a 2-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium while positional rivals Everton won away to Leicester City.

It was a disastrous start for the Whites as Eddie Nketiah pounced on a heavy touch from Meslier following a back pass from Luke Ayling and lunged in to score the opener after just five minutes. Nketiah then doubled the home side’s lead on 10 minutes before Ayling saw red inside the opening half-hour.

Diego Llorente halved the deficit midway through the second half, but the visitors were unable to find an equaliser.

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The latest

Warnock rates Meslier’s highly but says that there was no excuse for failing to ‘put his foot through’ the ball in the lead-up to Nketiah’s first goal. The 40-year-old also questioned Jesse Marsch’s insistence on playing out from the back, claiming that it left Leeds vulnerable.

“Illan Meslier is an incredible shot stopper but you can’t defend him there,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live [8 May, 2:12pm], as quoted by MOT Leeds News.

“Put your foot through it, this is the problem when you get these managers or players who want to play out from the back so often.

“I’m just astonished the way Leeds are approaching this game. They keep on trying to play out and they are caught again.”

The verdict

Marsch might argue that this strategy was designed to ensure that Leeds had a foothold in the game. By kicking it long, they may simply have given the ball straight back to Arsenal and invited waves of pressure, whereas they could retain possession if they were more patient.

The problem with that tactic, though, is that there is no room for error, particularly against a Champions League-chasing team like Arsenal, and Meslier’s poor touch was all it took for Arsenal to score.

The Frenchman, who joined Leeds on an initial loan basis in 2019 (he signed permanently a year later) while Marcelo Bielsa was manager at Elland Road, was his team’s Young Player of the Year last season but has actually endured a difficult campaign this time around.

Data from FBRef shows that the £22,000-per-week stopper has conceded seven goals more than he ‘should’ have this term, based on post-shot xG.

Perhaps that’s a small part of the reason why his team has struggled throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

In other news, one Spanish outlet has dropped a further update on Raphinha’s future

Leeds United have had to get through the majority of this current Premier League campaign without star striker Patrick Bamford.

After scoring 17 goals in 38 league games last term, the Englishman has been dogged by injuries this time around which have left him with just nine league appearances to his name in 2021/22.

One figure in Leeds’ squad who has failed to effectively deputise for the injured Bamford is Rodrigo, who despite playing in 29 top-flight games has only racked up six goals and one assist.

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Signed for a club-record fee of £26m from Valencia in August 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa’s reign, the Spaniard has not been able to take up Bamford’s mantle of being a consistent goalscorer for Leeds this season.

As a result, the upcoming summer transfer window could give Jesse Marsch the chance to get the 31-year-old, who has been dubbed “non-existent” by Kevin Phillips, and his £100k-per-week wages off their books.

In terms of who could come in as a potential replacement for the misfiring Leeds dud, one man who could fit the bill is Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah.

Last month, Leeds journalist James Marshment shared a post on Twitter relaying news that the Elland Road outfit were interested in signing the Englishman this summer.

Having spent some time with the Yorkshire club on loan, scoring five goals in 19 appearances during the promotion-winning 2019/20 campaign, the 22-year-old has experience and knowledge of the club, which could make a potential return on a permanent basis tempting for him.

During his time with Arsenal’s senior and youth sides, Nketiah has scored 68 goals and provided 13 assists in 150 appearances across all competitions. This shows just how dangerous an attacking figure he is when at his best, with 22 goals in 90 senior games for the Gunners.

With 19 league appearances under his belt in the current campaign, the former Leeds loanee has found the net four times. Two of those came against the Whites earlier this month, which led to the £9m-rated talent being dubbed “clinical” by journalist Kweku Lawrence.

To further highlight just how deadly he can be in front of goal, only Emile Smith Rowe has a higher percentage for shots on target than Nketiah in the league this season out of players currently at Arsenal.If Marsch feels the need to get rid of Rodrigo this summer, securing the Arsenal attacker on a free transfer could be a great bit of potential business from the Elland Road club.In other news: Insider drops huge Leeds transfer claim involving “big names”, supporters will love it

Leeds United have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to secure Premier League survival.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Leeds Live, Frank Lampard revealed that he will be able to call upon each of Michael Keane and Donny van de Beek – both of whom missed the 3-2 defeat against Brentford last weekend due to injury – for Everton’s fixture against Crystal Palace on Thursday evening.

The 43-year-old also revealed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ben Godfrey will be available for selection at Goodison Park, however, the former Chelsea boss claimed that it is currently unclear as to whether Godfrey will be fit enough to feature from the off.

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Concerning the current state of his squad, Lampard said: “Ben may be in the squad and that more a testament to him as he’s striving to get fit. He is in the squad but I will make a decision on whether he is involved at all. Michael Keane has recovered and Donny van de Beek will also be in the squad. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fine too.”

Supporters will be gutted

With Leeds’ hopes of securing survival on the final day of the season – something which FiveThirtyEight predict there is currently a 40% chance of – being severely dented should Everton pick up all three points against Palace tomorrow evening, the news that Lampard looks set to have all of Keane, Van de Beek, Calvert-Lewin and Godfrey available is sure to have left the Elland Road faithful gutted.

Indeed, according to SofaScore data, Keane, Calvert-Lewin and Godfrey currently rank as the Toffees’ fifth, ninth and 14th-best performers in the top flight of English football, while Van de Beek proved during his time at Ajax – scoring 41 goals and registering 34 assists over 175 appearances in the Netherlands – that he is a talent who can always provide a moment of inspiration for his team.

As such, the news that the quartet all look as if they will play some sort of role on Thursday night is undoubtedly awful news for the Whites’ survival hopes this season – as an Everton win, coupled with a Burnley victory over Aston Villa tomorrow evening, would all but represent the final nail in the coffin for Jesse Marsch and his side this term.

AND in other news: Orta now plotting Leeds bid for “incredible” £40m target, he’s “one to keep an eye on”

Liverpool are reportedly willing to pay the €50m (£42.5m) release clause to sign Barcelona midfielder Gavi this summer.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Sport, the Merseyside club are the biggest threat in terms of the La Liga giants being able to keep hold of their midfield star.

After joining Barcelona’s youth system from Real Betis in 2015, the 17-year-old has gone on to work his way through the ranks and get into the first team at Camp Nou.

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The teenager already has 46 senior appearances under his belt, in which he has scored two goals and provided six assists.

This shows how highly he is rated at the Catalan club and why they would be so keen to keep hold of him for the future.

Liverpool’s Greatest European Nights! Click here to OWN yours now!

Fans would be delighted

To further highlight how important he has been for Xavi’s side, only three other outfield players at the club have racked up more minutes in La Liga this season that the youngster.

Also, only Ousmane Dembele (16) has contributed more goal-creating actions in the 2021/22 campaign than Gavi (13), showing just how much of an attacking threat he can be for his team.

The teenage talent has shown what a solid player he can be without the ball too, as only Sergio Busquets and Ronald Araujo have made more tackles where Barcelona have won the ball back than him.

In addition, only Busquets has racked up more successful pressures than Gavi, which could be a big clue as to why Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are reportedly willing to pay such a hefty fee for the 17-year-old given their penchant for suffocating teams with their press.

Taking into account how Liverpool have a track record when it comes to sign teenage talents such as Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho, it seems likely that the Reds would be looking at adding a player like Gavi to their ranks.

With all this in mind, it would be safe to assume that if Liverpool are able to entice one of Barcelona’s top young prospects away from Camp Nou and bring him to Anfield, this would surely have lots of Kopites buzzing given the potential and talent that the Spanish gem has already shown.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano delivers big Liverpool transfer update that’ll disappoint supporters

Newcastle United are reportedly now considering signing Dean Henderson in the summer.

The Lowdown: Lack of game time

Henderson has largely been out of favour at Manchester United this season with just three games played in total over all competitions, and none in the Premier League (WhoScored).

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The goalkeeper failed to make Gareth Southgate’s England squad for their friendly matches against Switzerland and Ivory Coast back in March, and will likely seek a move away from Old Trafford in search of more playing time, given that it is a World Cup year.

The Latest: Newcastle interest

Writing in his latest piece for Manchester Evening News, reliable journalist Samuel Luckhurst has revealed that the St. James’ Park faithful are ‘interested’ in signing Henderson this summer, and are ‘considering’ a £40m deal for him.

He would be ‘open’ to moving to the North East, but ‘sources’ believe that it is likelier that he would only move on loan, as his contract at the Red Devils does not expire until 2025.

The Verdict: Worth a punt

Even though he has not played much this term, Henderson could well be worth a punt, especially on an initial loan deal, meaning that the Tyneside outfit would not have to fork out £40m straight away.

Dubbed an ‘insane‘ and ‘exceptional‘ player by former teammate at Sheffield United Sander Berge, the six-foot-two colossus has already shown his credentials in the top flight, as he kept 13 clean sheets while on loan at the Blades just a couple of seasons ago.

Nonetheless, he is still relatively young for a ‘keeper at 25 years of age, and so has the potential to become one of the best in the division under Eddie Howe’s management.

In other news, find out which ‘terrifying’ star NUFC are now eyeing this summer here!

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has made an intriguing claim regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the trusted insider hinted that striking a deal to sign the England international could be a possibility, particularly if the Elland Road outfit are to suffer relegation.

Having been discussing a potential move for Tottenham star Pierre-Emile Hojberg, Downie revealed that a move for Phillips may be more likely: “I don’t know what his [Hojberg’s] contractual situation is actually with Spurs, but I’d be surprised if that one happened. I would say [Kalvin] Phillips would probably be a more workable deal for the club.”

This follows recent reports that suggested the Magpies were keeping an eye on the 26-year-old, with the £38k-per-week gem rumoured to have a £30m relegation clause in his contract should Jesse Marsch’s side be unable to avoid the drop.

Howe will love him

That will no doubt be welcome news to Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, with the 44-year-old seemingly keen to bolster his playing ranks again this summer, having already recruited successfully in the January window.

Despite rumours linking the club with the likes of Ibrahim Sangare of PSV, in Phillips, the northeast side have a player already accustomed to life in the Premier League, while he has also earned rave reviews for his displays at international level.

A key component of the Three Lions’ squad that reached the Euro 2020 final last summer – featuring in all seven games – the £45m-rated star was dubbed “the best modern midfielder” by iconic coach Fabio Capello.

Even amid a frustrating, injury-hit campaign that has contributed to Leeds’ tumble down the table, the defensive midfielder has still recorded some impressive statistics, averaging 2.7 tackles per game, 1.1 interceptions and 0.8 clearances in his 19 league outings.

Equally, compared to those in his position in Europe’s top five leagues, the 5 foot 10 machine also comes out favourably, ranking in the top 1% for pressures made, the top 2% for tackles made and the 4% for blocks made.

Although referencing Hojberg, pundit Noel Whelan suggested that the Tynesiders are in need of a “very disciplined holding midfield player” in order to allow the likes of Bruno Guimaraes to thrive, with Phillips potentially the man to do the job.

It may not be a done deal just yet, although the 19-cap destroyer appears to be a player that Howe would simply love.

IN other news, PIF now plotting Newcastle bid for “complete” £34m monster, he’s “like Yaya Toure”