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Heerenveen striker Henk Veerman believes that Glasgow Rangers target Joey Veerman will leave the club this summer.

The Lowdown: Gers linked with Veerman

As the Gers prepare for next season and a potential Champions League run, they will be looking at new targets as a result. As such, they are said to be eyeing midfielder Joey Veerman.

They are among a number of clubs interested in his services, along with the likes of Atalanta and PSV Eindhoven (Voetbal International).

The Latest: Teammate expects departure

Henk Veerman, who also plays for Heerenveen but bears no relation to Joey, believes that the 22-year-old will move on during the transfer window. He told podcast Omrop Fryslan (via Voetbal Primeur):

“Then it changes enormously. That is a serious problem for me. I have read things about Atalanta Bergamo, Rangers FC, Celtic, PSV, Ajax and AZ. I expect him to go to one of those clubs. I also think Joey is an added value for every club in the Netherlands.”

The Verdict: Good news for Rangers

It looks like one of the Gers’ targets will be available this summer, and if they can capture his services, he could prove to be a very useful player. Veerman has managed nine goals and 11 assists in all competitions from the middle of the park this season, adding to the five of each he picked up for his current club in the previous campaign (Transfermarkt).

Currently valued at £7.65m by Transfermarkt, he is unlikely to come cheap. However, if Steven Gerrard is particularly eager to take him to Ibrox, perhaps Ross Wilson and co should sit up and take note, given his abundant goal contributions in recent months and the seemingly strong prospect of him leaving Heerenveen.

In other news, some Rangers fans don’t want to sign this striker.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Kalvin Phillips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Telegraph, who claim that Antonio Conte is a big fan of the Leeds United defensive midfielder, with the 26-year-old believed to be on Fabio Paratici’s list of targets ahead of the upcoming transfer market.

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However, the report goes on to state that it is questionable whether Daniel Levy would be willing to offer the England international a similar salary to the one Manchester United will likely put forward to the Whites academy graduate.

Conte’s dream signing

Considering just how impressive Phillips has been for Leeds in recent years, in addition to the midfielder possessing a skill set that would appear to suit Conte’s brand of football seamlessly, it is easy to see why the 52-year-old would be keen on a deal for the deep-lying playmaker this summer.

While injury has seen the 26-year-old make just 14 Premier League appearances this season, Phillips proved last season that he is undoubtedly one of the best holding midfielders currently playing the game.

Indeed, over his 29 top-flight fixtures last term, the £45m-rated talent was the Whites’ standout performer, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per fixture.

The £38k-per-week Englishman also highly impressed in a creative capacity, bagging one goal, providing two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as completing an average of 1.2 key passes, 4.7 long balls, 41 passes and 0.7 dribbles per outing.

These returns saw the player who Nigel de Jong dubbed a “baller” and Adam Crafton labelled “stunning” average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as Leeds’ best performer in the league but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the division as a whole.

Indeed, with Phillips being a tough-tackling, tireless and incredibly creative defensive midfielder, it is clear to see just how well the England sensation would fit into Conte’s tactical setup at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

As such, it would appear highly advisable for Paratici to do all he can to convince Levy to stump up the 26-year-old’s £60m asking price, as Phillips would certainly be Conte’s dream signing for Spurs this summer.

AND in other news: “100%” – Fabrizio Romano drops Spurs transfer claim that will leave supporters buzzing

Southampton chairman Jisheng Gao could be set to suffer a huge blow at St Mary’s this summer, as CEO Martin Semmens is being touted as a potential replacement for Ed Woodward at Manchester United.

According to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, United have already begun their search for Woodward’s replacement, with both Semmens and Norwich City’s Stuart Webber admired.

Woodward had worked as executive vice-chairman with the Red Devils since 2012 but resigned last week as he could not support the proposed Super League plans.

The Old Trafford side were already expecting his exit, as he had already announced his intention to leave at the end of the season, but the Super League debacle clearly accelerated his plans.

Therefore, United will be certainly be looking to add a new executive vice-chairman ahead of next season and it seems as if Semmens could well be on their list.

Semmens has been CEO since Gao became the chairman in June 2019 and has been in charge of the day-to-day running of the club since then.

Although Southampton lost £76m in 2020 as a result of the financial impacts of the pandemic, it is suggested that the South Coast club usually lose money on a day-to-day basis and then cover those losses with the sale of players, which other than Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, didn’t really happen last summer.

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Semmens has a decent record of bringing in quality players, with the likes of Kyle Walker-Peters, Ibrahima Diallo and Danny Ings all joining on permanent deals under his tenure.

Woodward was often criticised for his transfer decisions at United and you can see why those at Old Trafford might want to bring in someone of Semmens’ experience and expertise in making smart deals in the transfer market.

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In a summer where a rebuild looks to be a must for Southampton, it would be a huge blow for the club to lose such an influential figure, as it could have serious implications on the deals they are looking to complete.

And, in other news… Wilson masterclass: Outstanding beast’s value has risen 275% since joining Southampton

Napoli have been urged to swoop for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz…

What’s the talk?

Former Napoli coach Gianni Di Marzio has urged the Italian giants to sign Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz this summer as he would be perfect addition to their squad.

The 81-year-old has claimed that the Brazilian would be available for £17m (€20m) this summer and could have the potential to be a £68m (€80m) player in the future.

He told Radio Marte, via Sport Witness:

“Would Douglas Luiz be a good buy? Perfect, I’d take it right away! He’s very strong: he defends well, he has imagination, he’s bad. He can do everything.

“If you take such a footballer, he can be sold for €70-80m in a few years. Now, however, he would cost you a maximum of twenty million.”

Smith would be furious

Johan Lange must avoid a Villa nightmare following these comments from Di Marzio. He cannot allow Luiz to leave Villa Park this summer, let alone for a fee as low as £17m. Transfermarkt value his services at £31.5m and this shows that the £17m fee touted would be nowhere near enough for Lange to be tempted into parting ways with him.

Dean Smith would be furious if the club cashed in on Luiz, for any price, this summer as he is an important member of the squad and could be a key figure in his midfield again next season. The Athletic journalist Gregg Evans once said of him: “He’s an absolute joy to watch now and I never thought I would be saying that. Villa have got a fantastic player in Douglas Luiz now, he looks like an absolute star, he could have played in that Man United team.

“He was better than (Paul) Pogba, I thought. I thought he was brilliant, hardly did anything wrong, hardly put a foot wrong. He won so many interceptions and made so many important blocks. When he gets the ball, he passes it nicely. He’s the best player in that Villa team at the moment because it’s just not working for John McGinn.”

Luiz averaged a solid WhoScored rating of 6.71 in 23 starts as a defensive midfielder for the club last term, with a score of 6.67 across 33 appearances in the Premier League overall. This shows that he is a reliable, consistent, player for Smith and that is why he would be fuming if Lange sold him in the coming months, whether that be for the derisory £17m touted or any other figure within reason.

At the age of 23, the midfield maestro still has plenty of potential left to fulfil and Villa fans will surely want to see him develop in a claret and blue shirt. Smith will love to continue to work with him on the training ground to improve his game whilst being able to see the fruits of his labour on matchday in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Aston Villa launching bid for 21 y/o who “every coach would love”, fans surely buzzing…

Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he would not swap Ollie Watkins for Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Both England strikers were on the scoresheet in Villa’s recent 2-1 win over Everton, with Calvert-Lewin grabbing his 15th Premier League goal of the season in what has been a brilliant campaign for the 24-year-old.

Watkins himself, though, has also been in stunning form this term, picking up his 13th league goal in that fixture. And Hendrie has made it clear he would not swap the former Brentford man for Calvert-Lewin if he had the chance.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the two strikers, the ex-Villa player said:

“I think if I put the two together in comparison, they’re very similar in certain aspects. if I had to choose one, I’ve been pleased with what Ollie Watkins has produced this season since coming to Villa.

“He’s also got that versatile sort of position where he can go and drift out into a left or right side of the three, so I’d certainly stick with Ollie Watkins.”

Indeed, looking at their goalscoring records this season, Watkins and £40.5m-rated Calvert-Lewin are two talented centre-forwards.

The campaigns they are having will come as a big boost to Gareth Southgate and England ahead of the European Championships in the summer.

West Bromwich Albion are edging closer to appointing Valerien Ismael as the new manager at The Hawthorns.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a claim made by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who revealed in a post on Twitter that the compensation agreement between West Brom and Barnsley should be sorted imminently.

An earlier report by Football Insider claimed that this compensation fee would be around £2m, with Nixon adding that the gap between the two clubs was minimal during talks at the weekend.

The journalist tweeted: “West Brom. Valerien Ismael. Compo deal with Barnsley should be sorted soon. Gap small at weekend… all sides need it resolved.”

Fans should be buzzing

Considering just how long West Brom’s managerial search has dragged on so far this summer, reports that a deal for Ismael appears to be nearing competition is something which should have fans of the club buzzing.

Indeed, not only does the 45-year-old appear to be an exceptional coach, having taken a highly unfancied Barnsley side to the play-off semi-finals last season, the Frenchman also appears to be a manager who favours the development of youngsters, as well as one who can get the most out of a squad assembled on a tight budget.

Having arrived at Barnsley after the closure of the summer transfer window last year, Ismael’s only three signings in January were 21-year-old Forest Green Rovers centre-back Liam Kitching, 25-year-old Norwich City striker Carlton Morris and the 20-year-old loan signing of Orlando City centre-forward Daryl Dike, with Barnsley not paying a penny in transfer fees for the trio.

As such, given West Brom’s presumably larger transfer budget, as well as a squad brimming with Premier League quality, it would very much seem as if the club’s chances of going on to secure a return to the top flight next season could dramatically increase if Ismael is given the job at The Hawthorns this summer.

In other news: Ismael must make “quality” £33k-p/w gem his first WBA signing as Baggies show interest

Dean Windass has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that Josh Windass’ Sheffield Wednesday future is unlikely to be resolved until the players are paid.

The former Hull City striker revealed that the Owls squad haven’t been paid for more than two months, which could prove a barrier in deciding where his son will be playing his football next season.

Josh still has 12 months remaining on his Hillsborough contract, but has been the subject to recent interest from Championship outfit Millwall, who have had two bids knocked back.

The 27-year-old was the Owls’ standout player last season, scoring nine times and adding six assists – contributing to almost 40 percent of their league goals.

However, Josh’s impressive numbers couldn’t save Wednesday from slipping into the second-tier, which has led to serious doubts over his future.

But Windass has reiterated that despite interest from the Lions and other Championship, his son wants to remain with the club and would be happy to play in League One.

He told The Transfer Tavern:

“It’s a difficult situation, because they’ve not been paid for two months, so I’m not sure what intentions Sheffield Wednesday have got.

“He’s happy to stay there if everything gets resolved. I don’t know the answer, obviously Darren Moore doesn’t want to lose him, but the players have got to get paid and once that gets resolved, the situation might change.”

An update has emerged on the fitness of Rangers central midfielder Ryan Jack, via an insider source… 

What’s the latest?

Close friend of Ryan Jack and former Gers star Greg Stewart has revealed that the midfielder is not too far away from being back in action for the club.

Stewart has claimed that Jack will be ‘like a new signing’ for the Gers and that he has heard the 29-year-old is closing in on his return.

He told the Daily Record:

“It’s been a difficult one for Ryan.

“He’s had a couple of problems but from what I hear it won’t be long before he’s back on the pitch. That’s great news – it will be like a new signing for the team, because we’ve missed him.

“Every team would miss having a Ryan Jack in their line-up as he’s got a bit of everything about him. He even chips in with a few goals, which is great for a midfielder. Once he’s back, it will be like he’s got a new lease of life and I can’t wait to see him out there again.”

Gerrard will be buzzing

Jack’s last appearance for the Gers came back in February and he recently took to Instagram to post a picture of his muddy boots on the floor of what appeared to be a changing room.

His post left plenty to speculate over in regards to what stage he is at in his recovery, but these quotes from his close friend provide a better perspective as he has stated that Jack is not too far away from being fit.

Gerrard is surely buzzing with this news as it will be a welcome boost to his team in the coming weeks and months.

Jack adds another central midfield option for him to call upon in the Scottish Premiership and Europa League, which could make him feel like a new signing, as Stewart explained. It also allows him to rest and rotate his other options in that area of the pitch.

Back in 2019, the Teddy Bears head coach lauded Jack as a leader within the squad as he demands everyone around him to up their levels. He said:

“Ryan is an example for the rest of the squad because he never drops his standards, whether it’s a training session or a game.

“He knits everything together, he drives the team on, he demands from everyone else around him.”

This suggests that Gerrard will love to have Jack back in contention to play as he could raise the standard of those playing alongside him and lift the XI overall.

Whilst you can debate his own merits as a player and whether, as an individual, he is better than the likes of John Lundstram, Steven Davis, Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo, his leadership – as explained by Gerrard – could be an immeasurable boost to the Gers.

AND in other news, Huge blow: Rangers facing potential nightmare over key Ibrox gem, fans will be livid…

Celtic have made an enquiry for Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Forster’s last 12 months

Since heading back to the Saints after his Parkhead loan spell during the 2019/20 campaign, Forster has barely featured under Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The 33-year-old, on £70,000-a-week on the south coast, made just 13 appearances in all competitions last season, five of which were in the FA Cup.

Celtic have been linked with the likes of Joe Hart and Ben Foster in recent days, and it seems as if Forster, who Scott Bain described as ‘phenomenal’, is also on their radar.

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The Latest: Source shares update

Football Insider shared a story on Forster on Friday afternoon, with Gabby Agbonlahor giving his thoughts on a possible Parkhead return.

Within their report, a Celtic source informed them that the Hoops have actually already enquired over a possible deal for the Englishman.

They didn’t say whether it would be a loan or a permanent move, with Forster now into the final year of his Southampton contract.

The Verdict: Avoid

Forster snubbed the chance to stay on loan at Celtic last season, so the Hoops should look elsewhere for any potential additions in goal.

He’s not exactly been a regular over the last 12 months and is on a huge salary, so there’s no guarantee he would be up to scratch straight away and could prove a risk financially.

It seems as if Celtic are testing the water though, so a Celtic Park return for Forster could be one to keep a close eye on as Ange Postecoglou continues his ‘keeper search.

In other news: Journalist in Turkey drops Friday transfer development; Celtic now close to signing 5-trophy ace. 

Manchester City are enjoying a growing reputation for establishing young players and Cole Palmer could well be the next top talent off the production line at the Etihad.

The 19-year-old was rewarded with his first Premier League appearance in the 5-0 win against Norwich City recently, whilst he also started in the Community Shield against Leicester City, which emphasises that he is definitely in Pep Guardiola’s thoughts.

As an attacking-midfielder, comparisons to Phil Foden are always going to be likely and there seems little reason to suggest that Palmer can’t make it as a regular at Manchester City in the future.

The Englishman followed up his appearance against the Canaries with a dominant performance for Manchester City U21s in the Papa John’s Trophy against League Two side Scunthorpe United, scoring a superb goal in the 3-0 win.

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Academy manager Brian Barry-Murphy was full of praise for the youngster following the game, saying:

“He plays the game on a level I could never dream of. My first impression was how humble he was, how hard-working he was, how respectful of his teammates he was. I know they’re clichés but it’s very refreshing to see.

“His work rate without the ball is very inspiring. The other players will always notice how he is. His ability with the ball is a given, you’re expecting what you expect and what you saw today was some amazing individual skill.”

Barry-Murphy will be in regular contact with Guardiola over the progress of his young players and if Palmer continues to perform like this, then it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him quickly establish himself as a first-team player.

Like Foden, Palmer will likely be slowly introduced into the first-team with occasional appearances from the bench and starts against inferior opposition but that certainly worked out for the 21-year-old, who became a key player for the Citizens last season on their way to the title.

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Palmer managed 13 goals and six assists in the Premier League 2 last season and has clearly given Guardiola something to think about. With those kinds of numbers under his belt, it’s clear to see why he’s in the mould of Foden, a player who contributed to 26 goals last term.

And, in other news… Txiki should seal swoop for “outstanding” goal-machine after ex-player claim