Glasgow Rangers have recently been linked with a move for Rijeka midfielder Ivan Lepinjica and if he makes the move to Ibrox this summer, he could be the ideal long-term heir to Ryan Jack in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

According to Football Insider, Rangers and Wolves are battling it out to sign the 22-year-old this summer, with the Scottish side having reportedly tracked his progress since last season, while Croatian journalist Izak Ante Sucic has claimed that the youngster “could leave” Rijeka amid the reported interest.

Although he has struggled with injury problems in the past two seasons, he finished the season strongly with Rijeka, making 31 appearances in all competitions, in which he contributed two goals.

The six-foot-three midfielder has previously captained Croatia U’21s and will no doubt be targeting a spot in Zlatko Dalic’s World Cup squad later this year.

Therefore a move to Rangers, where he would presumably be a regular in Van Bronckhorst’s side, could definitely appeal to the young midfielder, especially considering the success of fellow Croats Borna Barisic and Nikola Katic during their time at Ibrox.

If he were to arrive, then he could be the man to take over from Ryan Jack at Rangers in the long-term future, considering the former Aberdeen man will turn 31 next season.

Although still an important member of Rangers’ squad, the defensive-midfielder made just 22 appearances in all competitions last season, with injuries once again plaguing the Scotland international.

Therefore, it would not be a surprise to see van Bronckhorst bring in a more reliable, younger option to Jack, in the hope that he could eventually replace him in Rangers’ first-team, and given the interest being shown in Lepinjica from Premier League sides, he could be a stellar addition.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has previously rated Lepinjica’s strengths as passing, vision, positioning, tackling, heading and anticipation, which marks him out as an excellent defensive-midfield option for the future.

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At 22, the Rijeka man could be a very shrewd acquisition for the future and if van Bronckhorst can convince him to join this summer, then he could be the ideal man to replace Jack in Rangers’ starting eleven.

AND in other news: Journo reveals Rangers transfer update on “unplayable” star, supporters will be fuming

Manchester United’s hopes of signing Hoffenheim left-back David Raum have seemingly been handed a boost, with the Bundesliga club reportedly willing to sell him this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports Germany (via Sport Witness), Hoffenheim are ‘threatened’ by the interest that United and Borussia Dortmund are showing in the 24-year-old.

The report included quotes from the club’s sporting director Alexander Rosen, who said: “I would prefer to keep him. At the end of the day, it depends on what the market looks like and what chance the player has.

“If a top club comes and he gets the opportunity, then, of course, we will sit down with him. In the end, it’s always about an exchange based on trust.”

United have been heavily linked with Raum in recent days, and while their pulling power might not be what it once was given their failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League, it seems as if they may be able to convince him to come to Old Trafford if an agreement can be reached with Die Kraichgauer.

Supporters will be buzzing

Both Alex Telles and Luke Shaw flattered to deceive last term, with WhoScored ratings of 6.89 and 6.64 respectively, and United supporters will undoubtedly want a more consistent option on the left-hand side of their defence next season.

Raum enjoyed a sensational debut campaign with Hoffenheim, contributing three goals and 11 assists in the Bundesliga, with WhoScored awarding him a superb 7.16 average rating for his performances.

The Germany international is extremely dangerous going forwards, with WhoScored stating that he excels at key passes, crossing, dribbling and taking set-pieces. Therefore, he could be a superb option in Ten Hag’s side, especially if his pinpoint crosses are met by Cristiano Ronaldo, statistically the best header of a ball in the 21st century.

Rosen was full of praise for Raum after his performances last season, saying: “David is a highly talented and extremely fast player with a strong left foot who has developed into one of the most sought-after full-backs in Germany thanks to his outstanding performance this season.”

Therefore, United fans will surely be delighted to hear that Hoffenheim would be willing to let the 24-year-old go this summer, if the Red Devils can make a convincing enough case to the Bundesliga outfit.

In other news… Man Utd can sign Pogba upgrade in “world-class” maestro, he’s a “magician on the ball”

One of the many ways to describe Liverpool’s Premier League history of goalkeepers wearing the number one shirt is the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good, or in this case, world class, includes Alisson Becker.

Meanwhile, the bad looks at Mike Hooper and Diego Cavalieri, before we get to the ugly of Loris Karius and Brad Jones. The fact is, Liverpool struggled to find a consistent, game-changing number one of Alisson’s level until the Brazilian arrived at Anfield in 2018.

It’s no coincidence that since Alisson has arrived from AS Roma, Liverpool have had most of their success in the Premier League. He has been one of many difference-makers. By the time he calls it a day on Merseyside, the number one may go down as exactly that in Liverpool history.

With that said, we wanted to see where the current shot-stopper ranked for clean sheets amongst previous number one wearers for Liverpool in the Premier League. You can see what we found out below, as revealed by TransferMark.

David James – 71 clean sheets

Alisson Becker – 45 clean sheets

Jerzy Dudek – 34 clean sheets

Sander Westerveld – 28 clean sheets

Loris Karius – 13 clean sheets

Brad Jones – 3 clean sheets

Mike Hooper – 2 clean sheets

Diego Cavalieri – 0 clean sheets

Sitting at the top currently is David James on 71 clean sheets. The Englishman was at Liverpool for seven years, accumulating the impressive number of goal-less games in the process. It must be said, however, with Alisson sitting on 45 in just three seasons wearing the number one shirt, James’ record is unlikely to stand for very long.

It’s difficult to look back in Liverpool’s history of number ones in the Premier League and pick out any other goalkeeper that is anywhere near the level of Alisson – particularly when looking at those just before him.

As it turned out, Karius was the final straw between Liverpool settling for average and aiming for world class. That dreadful night in Kyiv, which saw the German make two errors as Liverpool lost the 2017/18 Champions League final 3-1 against Real Madrid, resulted in Alisson’s arrival.

A season later, with Karius frozen out and Alisson in between the sticks, Jurgen Klopp’s side claimed redemption by winning the 18/19 Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur. A season later, the same side lifted the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history.

Some turnaround and a testament to the theory that goalkeeper is one of the most important positions on the pitch.

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a move for Lanus full-back Alexandro Bernabei, according to journalist César Luis Merlo. 

The lowdown: One out…

This comes after the Hoops agreed to send Liam Scales on loan to Aberdeen for the duration of the 2022/23 campaign. The 23-year-old will work under Jim Goodwin at Pittodrie and look to obtain much-needed first-team match experience before returning to Glasgow.

Despite being a natural central defender, Scales was predominantly utilised as a left-back to act as cover for Greg Taylor, last season and Ange Postecoglou appears to have wasted little time in replacing the young Irishman…

The latest: Two in…

Taking to Twitter, Argentine journalist Merlo has claimed that Celtic have reached a ‘verbal agreement’ with Bernabei ahead of a switch to the Premiership champions.

He stated: “There is verbal agreement for Alexander Bernabei to go to Celtic in Scotland. Lanús is exchanging documentation for an operation that is carried out for 90% of the economic rights.”

Arriving for a reported £4m transfer fee, the 21-year-old – who was hailed as a ‘very complete winger’ by reporter Ezequiel Liniado due to his versatility and unwavering work ethic – has been spotted bidding farewell in Argentina.

He is expected to follow the permanent signing of Jota, who starred on loan last season and is reportedly on the brink of penning a long-term deal to remain in Glasgow.

The verdict: Exciting times

Given the unquestionably sublime work already achieved by Postecoglou in the transfer market during his time in situ, it can be anticipated that the addition of Bernabei to the Lennoxtown ranks will be one of great success.

Boasting impressive dribbling, finishing and defensive contribution (WhoScored), the versatile Argentina youth international certainly possesses all the hallmarks of a full-back suited to the style of play under the 56-year-old, capable of playing anywhere up the left flank.

Albeit only in its infancy, Bernabei has already enjoyed a thriving senior career, with four goals and ten assists in 85 appearances, and the marauding wing-back will no doubt be hoping to evolve onto the next level as a Bhoy whilst pushing Taylor hard for a starting berth.

Seemingly perfectly suited to the manager’s system, it’s unlikely that the Celtic hierarchy would’ve allowed Scales to exit on loan without the Argentine starlet edging closer to an deal at Parkhead, and this seemingly imminent capture – alongside Jota’s permanent arrival – would mark an excellent start to the transfer window.

A big update has emerged on Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn and his potential exit from North London…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge has claimed that Ajax and Spurs are a long way away from agreeing a fee for the Dutch international forward.

The reporter has stated that the club feel their valuation is not being met and they have been unhappy with the Eredivisie side’s attempts to meet it so far.

He Tweeted: “Steven Bergwijn keen for first-team football ahead of November World Cup but THFC frustrated by Ajax’s bids. Broad agreement at Spurs this is a very good player who will go on & be a success. Valuation still miles apart.”

Supporters will be fuming

Spurs supporters will be fuming with this update from Bridge for multiple reasons.

Firstly, they will be – like the club are – frustrated with how Ajax are handling the situation. The Dutch giants are seemingly throwing in lowball offers in an attempt to secure a cut-price deal for him and Fabio Paratici is not entertaining them at all.

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They will also be fuming because at this moment in time this transfer saga now looks set to continue further into the summer window. This does not benefit anyone as Bergwijn will be left in limbo and Spurs will not be able to bring in a replacement before they know if he will be sold, unless they run the risk of keeping him in the reserves.

Therefore, Ajax’s lacklustre offers to snap the winger up may affect what Paratici is able to do in terms of incomings for Spurs. He may be waiting for the money to come through for the Dutchman so that he can reinvest it in a replacement.

In the Premier League last season, he managed just three goals and one assist in 25 matches for the club as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.68.

These statistics show that he struggled badly in the English top-flight as he was unable to make a big impact in the final third. He only started four of those 25 games and his poor return at the top end of the pitch suggests that Antonio Conte was right to not hand him regular minutes.

Spurs fans will, therefore, be keen to see him on the way out of the club and will be fuming with Ajax’s underwhelming attempts to sign him.

AND in other news, Paratici and Conte now eyeing Spurs swoop for £45m-rated “machine”, he’s Eriksen 2.0…

Tottenham Hotspur aren’t just trying to sign Premier League striker Richarlison, as reports are also emerging of a move for Bundesliga defender Piero Hincapie.

The Lowdown: Conte wants new defender…

The Lilywhites and head coach Antonio Conte are said to be chasing a world class central defensive upgrade for the north Londoners’ back three, coming after they sealed deals for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma.

Spurs are also said to be in talks over signing Richarlison from Everton as transfer chief Fabio Paratici and Conte show no sign of slowing down ahead of what will be an entertaining 2022/2023 season.

Links to various defenders have come to light in the last few days alone as Paratici continues to spin various plates.

The Latest: Duran makes Hincapie claim…

As per journalist Marcos Duran of Relevo, it appears a development has come to light on Spurs’ hunt for Bayer Leverkusen star Hincapie.

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Indeed, as shared by the South American reporter, Tottenham have been in contact over signing the Ecuador international and this may just be the ‘beginning’.

He explained (via Twitter):  

“As reported in Italy and Germany, both Milan and Tottenham were contacted by the Ecuadorian Piero Hincapié, a

@bayer04_es player.

“Player and club, in talks to improve the contract. He wants to play in the Champions League, but the market is just beginning.”

The Verdict: Take it further?

Reports state it will take a £34 million fee for Spurs to sign Hincapie this summer but his glowing endorsements in past years suggest he could be worth it.

The 20-year-old, who would come to north London with many years ahead in a promising career, has already been called ‘South America’s best young defender’ by his former club president Andres Fassi.

Quite the tag, it’s hardly a surprise Hincapie has caught Spurs’ attention after starting 20 games in a breakthrough Bundesliga campaign, and this could well be one to watch over as the summer window progresses.

Rangers look set to make their second summer signing of the summer transfer window as Giovanni van Bronckhorst aims to strengthen his squad at Ibrox.

What’s the news?

According to Rangers Review journalist Jonny McFarlane, the Light Blues have triumphed in the race to sign a prodigious teenager from the English Football League.

The reporter tweeted: “Rangers have won the battle for Millwall’s Zak Lovelace. The 16-year-old forward was wanted by several teams but will now move to Ibrox. Made his Championship debut at only 15”.

The Millwall gem is set to become the second new arrival at Ibrox this summer, following on from defender John Souttar, and Van Bronckhorst will surely be aiming to bring in more new faces in the coming weeks.

Another signing

Souttar was initially signed on a pre-contract agreement in January from fellow Premiership club Hearts, but Lovelace becomes the first signing that the Dutchman has made since the 2021/22 season finished.

The Gers appear to have fought off interest from Premier League duo Brighton and Leicester City for the talented 16 year old, who only made his debut for Millwall last December. He became the London club’s second-youngest debutant and he appears to have a very promising future.

Rangers have a solid record when it comes to signing players below Premier League level in England, with Joe Aribo costing the club a mere £300k upon making the move to Glasgow from Charlton Athletic three years ago this week, and he is now valued at £9m.

Lovelace made four appearances in the Championship last season as he was eased into senior football by Millwall manager Gary Rowett.

The forward will link up with with Rangers in the next few weeks as the Ibrox club ramp up their pre-season training ahead of what could be a monumental first few weeks of the campaign.

They face a crucial Champions League third round qualifier on 2/3 August, with the return leg a week later. This is followed by the play-off round later in the month, in addition to Premiership matches from the end of July, and it’s clear to see why Van Bronckhorst wants to add fresh faces to improve squad depth.

Lovelace might just be the catalyst for a flurry of new arrivals at Ibrox over the next month or so; and considering the teenager’s potential to be entrusted with first-team football at such a tender age, the Rangers boss must be delighted to have now sealed his signature.

AND in other news, Journalist reveals worrying Rangers news which will disappoint supporters

West Ham United could renew their interest in Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri, having been heavily linked with the player over the past year or so.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Paul Brown has suggested that the Hammers will still be keeping tabs on the 25-year-old amid their current striker search, although a sizeable offer appears unlikely due to the Moroccan’s recent dip in form.

The transfer insider stated: “I’m pretty sure he’s still on their radar. They had quite a big bid turned down for him at one point when it looked like he was their most likely option that window.

“Since then, his forms gone off a cliff a little bit. He hasn’t had a great season, and it would be a surprise if West Ham were to make a big bid for him now.”

The east Londoners are believed to be contemplating a move this summer having reportedly seen a £27m bid rejected in January – short of the Spanish side’s £40m valuation – with their interest stretching back to January 2021.

Moyes’ own Giroud

As Brown alluded to, the former Leganes man did endure a difficult last campaign in Spain, netting just five league goals and providing just one assist in 23 games for the La Liga outfit.

Prior to that, however, the 48-cap marksman had scored 24 goals in all competitions in what was a real standout campaign during the 2020/21 season, notably netting six times in just eight Champions League games for the Andalusian outfit.

That “prolific” form – as described by journalist Muhammad Butt – unsurprisingly caught the attention of those at the London Stadium, with the £45k-per-week man seemingly the figure who can finally end their centre-forward woes.

Despite reports that manager David Moyes will not break the bank for a new number nine, the continued void left by the departure of a newly-rejuvenated Sebastian Haller 18 months ago has placed for too great a burden on Michail Antonio, with extra competition seemingly vital ahead of next term.

The former Manchester United boss may potentially have doubts over En-Nesyri’s lack of Premier League experience, although according to FBref, the one-time Malaga man shares a number of stylistic and statistical similarities to a man who does – Olivier Giroud.

The current AC Milan hotshot spent nine years in English football prior to his move to Italy last summer, netting 144 goals and providing 55 assists in 372 games in all competitions across spells at London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, notably winning the FA Cup on four occasions during that time.

The 2018 World Cup winner – who is the second-top scorer for France at present with 48 goals in 112 caps – has dazzled with his repertoire of delightful finishes throughout his career, producing a catalogue of goals that would be the envy of anyone in Europe.

To potentially find a comparable figure in En-Nesyri – who is also left-footed like the veteran ace – will no doubt be a huge source of excitement to both Hammers supporters and the club itself, with the Irons seemingly in need of a lethal leading man who knows where the goal is.

IN other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Arnaud Kalimuendo to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Tutto Mercato Web (via Sport Witness), who claim that Victor Orta is making strong moves for the Paris Saint-Germain centre-forward this summer, with the Ligue 1 champions believed to be willing to part with the 20-year-old for a figure in the region of €20m (£17m).

An earlier claim made by Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna suggested that the Spanish director of football has even gone as far as to make a bid offer for the France U21 international, although the French reporter claimed that it would actually take an offer of €22m (£19m) in order for PSG to part ways with the young striker in the current market.

“Beautiful palette”

Considering the sheer amount of potential Kalimuendo quite clearly possesses, in addition to the signing of a new centre-forward reported to be one of Orta’s priority targets in the summer transfer window, it is easy to see why the Spaniard is believed to have made contact with PSG regarding a deal for the 20-year-old.

Indeed, over his 34 Ligue 1 appearances while on loan at RC Lens in 2021/22, the £17m-rated forward was in spectacular form, scoring 12 goals and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

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Furthermore, according to FBref data, the £6.6k-per-week forward also ranks in the top 28% of centre-forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, in addition to the top 1% for pass completion, the top 19% for progressive carries and the top 11% for progressive passes received over the last 365 days.

These metrics saw the French youth international come in for a considerable amount of praise last season, none more so than from Lens head coach Franck Haise, who stated of Kalimuendo earlier this year:

“He is already the prototype striker of the present. From 18 to 20, he not only showed that he held his place in Ligue 1, but he continued to score in a team which evolves in the first part of the classification.

“He is an attacker for the future because he feels the blows and is clever in the finish. He is able to keep his back to the goal, attack the depth, to de-zone to create spaces for the others. He is already a beautiful palette that will be enriched.”

As such, with the PSG starlet evidently being a player who knows how to find the back of the net, boasts the potential to flourish into an exceptional top-tier striker and is available for an extremely reasonable £19m this summer, a move for the 20-year-old would appear an extremely smart one for Orta to make in the coming weeks.

AND in other news: Victor Orta now working on fourth summer signing, Leeds supporters will be buzzing

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Christian Eriksen during the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Northern Echo reporter Scott Wilson has claimed that the club have held discussions with the player’s agent as they attempt to sign the midfielder in the coming weeks.

He Tweeted: “TRANSFER LATEST: NUFC have held preliminary talks with Christian Eriksen’s representatives – but accept that, at this stage, Man Utd and Tottenham are much likelier destinations for the Dane, who will not be staying at Brentford…”

The Denmark international signed a short-term deal with the Bees in January and can now join another team on a free transfer ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Supporters will be excited

Whilst Newcastle are not the favourites to land him, supporters will be excited by the club’s attempts to snap the gem up and will be buzzing with the prospect of watching the magician in black and white next season.

If the Magpies are able to fight off interest from Tottenham and Manchester United then it would be a huge coup for the club as Eriksen is a brilliant talent who has proven that he is an exceptional Premier League performer.

Prior to spells with Brentford and Inter, the midfielder spent seven seasons in the English top-flight with Spurs and averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.22 or higher in four of those campaigns – with two of them coming before the site registered ratings.

This illustrates how much experience he has in the division and shows that he knows what it takes to deliver high-quality performances on a consistent basis.

After suffering a cardiac arrest at the European Championships, Eriksen made a remarkable return to the Premier League with Brentford in January of this year.

He slotted straight back into his old self as he averaged a phenomenal SofaScore rating of 7.53 across 11 appearances for the club. In that time, he chipped in with one goal and four assists as he created a whopping 2.8 chances per game from central midfield.

These outstanding statistics prove that he still has what it takes to be a brilliant performer in the Premier League, with BBC reporter John Bennett dubbing him a “world-class” player after an impressive display for the Bees against Chelsea.

Therefore, Newcastle supporters will now be excited by the thought of the club signing Eriksen and will be hoping that their team can win the race for his signature.

AND in other news, NUFC can land their own Foden in deal for “explosive” £30m dynamo, he’s “dangerous”…