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Leeds United are about to make a bid for Club Brugge star Charles de Ketelaere, according to RTL Sport journalist Alexandre Braeckman.

The Lowdown: Busy summer

The Whites have already brought in three players this summer and appear to be closing in on a fourth addition in Manchester City midfielder Darko Gyabi.

A £5m transfer for the 18-year-old is separate from Kalvin Phillips’ pending £42m move to the Etihad Stadium.

De Ketelaere could become the fifth arrival in Yorkshire, with Leeds’ interest ‘serious’ according to Phil Hay, and it looks as if Victor Orta and co are about to make a formal bid for the Belgian.

The Latest: Braeckman’s update

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Braeckman had this to say on Leeds and De Ketelaere, revealing that an opening €30m (£25.8m) proposal is set to be made ‘in the next days’:

“Leeds is about to submit a first €30m bid, it could be done in the next days, but I can’t tell exactly when.

“Bruges is expecting €40m, they know they could have a huge amount of money for this player. It could easily be the biggest transfer of the Belgian football (currently €27m for Jonathan David, from Gent to Lille).”

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Leeds view De Ketelaere as a forward, although he can also play in a deeper role or on the wing and has just come off the back of his best season with 28 goal contributions. [Transfermarkt]

Attacking reinforcements are needed in Yorkshire with the new season fast approaching and Raphinha’s future still up in the air, so hopefully the club can get a high-profile move for De Ketelaere over the line, especially with European giants AC Milan also circling.

James Marshment said that the 21-year-old moving to Leeds would be an “elite signing” for the Whites, and you’d like to think that the Belgian would improve Jesse Marsch’s attacking ranks straight away following his form in 2021/22.

Celtic have been handed a boost to their chances of landing a summer move for Jordan Larsson.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Scottish Sun, AIK Stockholm have dropped out of the race to sign the son of former Celtic hero Henrik Larsson, after the club’s sporting director, Henrik Julius, revealed the difficulty in being able to sign the player as a result of the interest he has from other clubs.

As a result, it has given Celtic and any other willing suitor the green light to bid for the striker without having to worry about the Swedish club’s efforts in trying to do so.

Celtic supporters will be buzzing

After starting his career in Sweden and having a spell in the Netherlands with NEC Nijmegen, the striker joined Spartak Moscow in the 2019 summer transfer window.

The player was loaned out to AIK for the last few months of the previous season, where he went on to score three goals and provide two assists in 11 appearances.

In those 11 appearances, the attacker had 30 shots at goal and delivered 28 crosses, highlighting the danger he possesses at the top of the pitch as he was labelled as a “great talent” by Marcus Allback.

Having made 83 appearances for the Russian club, the 25-year-old scored 27 goals and provided nine assists.

Now that his contract at the club has expired, the centre-forward is now a free agent and available to join a new club.

Now that a move back to Stockholm has been ruled out, it represents great news for Celtic and their chances of bringing him back to Celtic Park, where he watched his Dad play in his younger days.

If the attacker did start a new chapter in his career at Parkhead, it would surely leave Celtic supporters delighted as they relish the thought of him replicating his father, someone who ended up scoring 242 goals in 315 appearances for the Hoops.

With the clear connection between the club and the player, the Glasgow side should definitely explore the possibility of getting Larsson to become the newest member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

AND in other news: “Almost impossible”: Big transfer update emerges that’ll have Celtic supporters gutted

Antonio Conte has been heavily backed in the summer transfer window as Tottenham have made a number of additions to their side.

Fabio Paratici has brought in Yves Bissouma, Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic, and Richarlison on permanent deals, along with Clement Lenglet on loan, and they may yet add more ahead of the 2022/23 Premier League and Championship campaigns.

If reports are to be believed, those four players will not be the end of the business at the club this summer as they eye further reinforcements.

One player who has been linked with a move to the London-based outfit is Barcelona centre-forward Memphis Depay.

It has been reported that the Catalan giants would be willing to part ways with him for a fee in the region of €20m (£17m), but it remains to be seen whether or not Paratici is willing to pay that after making an initial enquiry.

Tottenham’s own Karim Benzema

Spurs already have a top-class striker in Harry Kane and can now land their own version of Karim Benzema in a deal to sign Depay this summer.

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FBRef lists the Dutch striker as being similar to the Real Madrid superstar – who has been tipped to win the Ballon d’Or this year – and this shows the level of quality he could provide.

Journalist Usher Komugisha once dubbed him “extraordinary” and reporter Deji Faremi called him a “magician”, with these comments highlighting his impressive ability in possession of the ball.

His statistics in La Liga last season illustrate his qualities perfectly. He ranks in the 92nd percentile or higher in shot-creating actions, progressive passes made, progressive carries completed, dribbles completed and passes per 90 in his position across Europe’s top five leagues in the last 365 days.

This shows that the Netherlands international is one of the best strikers in Europe when it comes to progressing the play and being heavily involved in the build-up, whilst Benzema is also in that bracket as he ranks in the 95th percentile or higher in all of the aforementioned categories aside from dribbles.

Along with his progressive play, Depay has also proven that he has the end product to make a big impact in the final third. He has racked up a whopping 51 goals and 26 assists over the last four league campaigns for Barcelona and Lyon combined.

Therefore, Conte can land Tottenham their own version of Benzema to compete with Kane next season by snapping up the Dutch wizard, as he is excellent in the build-up and a goalscorer – just like the Frenchman.

AND in other news, Spurs could find Vertonghen 2.0 as Conte eyes deal for £50.5m “extraordinary talent”…

West Ham United have reached an agreement in principle over a move for Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, according to 90Min’s Graeme Bailey.

The lowdown

West Ham have thus far spent a shade under £50million on three new signings.

Alphonse Areola has arrived in an £8.37million permanent move from Paris Saint-Germain after an initial loan, Flynn Downes has made a £9.59 switch from Swansea City and, most notably, Nayef Aguerd has arrived from Rennes for £31.5million.

But it would seem they are still desperate to add a striker who can battle with Michail Antonio for a starting role.

Indeed, according to Sky Sports, they have also submitted a £30million bid for Chelsea striker Armando Broja.

The latest

Bailey took to Twitter on Friday to relay the major development surrounding Scamacca.

“West Ham agree deal in principle for Gianluca Scamacca,” he wrote.

The Italian, he says, ‘has emerged as David Moyes’ first-choice attacking target’, ahead of Broja.

Paris Saint-Germain ‘were also keen’ but they appear to be prioritising a deal for Reims’ Hugo Ekitike instead.

In the attached story for 90Min, he cautions that West Ham still have to agree on the precise structure of the deal, which will likely cost ‘in excess of €40million’ (£34million).

Personal terms have to be agreed too, but that may not be too big an issue, with Scamacca apparently keen on the switch.

The verdict

You can see why Moyes has identified Scamacca as the solution to his perceived striker problem.

He bagged 16 Serie A goals last season, finishing in sixth in the league’s scoring charts despite playing for a mid-table side.

And as if to make that figure even more impressive, it came from an xG of just 10.8. underlining how ruthless he was in front of goal.

Scamacca is also 6ft 5in tall, and so it’s no surprise that he ranks in the 95th percentile among positional peers in the top five leagues for aerial duel success.

Moyes will have to seek assurances over discipline, though, with the player sent home from Italy Under-19 duty in the past after he ‘took a practical joke too far’.

He is, in the words of The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke, something of ‘a maverick’.

Fabrizio Romano has now shared a teasing transfer update for Tottenham Hotspur supporters after their flurry of activity so far this window.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites busy…

It’s safe to say this summer market has been the busiest at Spurs over many, many years.

Indeed, with still over a month of the window remaining, sporting director Fabio Paratici and co have sealed a plethora of signings for manager Antonio Conte ahead of his first full Premier League season in charge of the north Londoners.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence have arrived so far, with reports suggesting that Paratici could yet make more.

The Lilywhites apparently remain in the market for a creative midfielder and could yet go for another central defender, even after the capture of Lenglet on a season-long loan.

The Latest: Romano makes teasing claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, reliable reporter Romano has now also hinted that Spurs may not be done.

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When asked if the club could make another attacking signing, like Memphis Depay or James Maddison, he explained:

“I would keep it open honestly because Fabio Paratici, the director of Tottenham, always works in this kind of opportunity.”

The Verdict: Promising…

The fact Romano has refused to rule out another Spurs swoop before the end of this year’s summer transfer market could come as promising for supporters.

It will certainly be interesting to see whether Paratici opts to move for someone like Depay or Maddison ahead of what will be a very interesting 2022/2023 campaign, with the latter in particular an enticing option.

Everton have been linked with a move for Kim Min-Jae for a while, and now a new update from a reliable source has emerged on the player’s future.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Napoli are close to signing the Fenerbahce defender this summer.

Romano tweeted:

“Napoli are pushing to get Kim Min Jae deal done as soon as possible. Negotiations in progress on final details, as Napoli want Kim to replace Kalidou Koulibaly.”

Lampard will be fuming

Min-Jae is just another player on a long list of Everton transfer targets who have gone on to make moves to different clubs over this summer, so Frank Lampard will surely be fuming that another potential signing has slipped through the net with less than two weeks until the Premier League returns.

So far, Everton have only made one signing with James Tarkowski joining the ranks at Goodison Park, however, if the Toffees want to improve upon the outcome of last season where the side found themselves in a relegation scrap, they will need to start signing some more players.

The relationship between the supporters and the board at the Merseyside club has never been more fragile, with many of the Goodison Park faithful protesting outside the ground this weekend against Farhad Moshiri and his associates.

Despite the owner making a statement claiming that signings will come and requesting patience from the supporters, it appears that the wait for new additions is wearing thin following Richarlison’s exit and a 4-0 preseason defeat to Minnesota United over in America.

Lampard spoke out following the preseason defeat about the plans ahead and what Everton need to do to ensure they don’t suffer another season of disaster (via The Mirror):

“The players have to work and understand we were in a relegation battle for a big portion of last season,”

“And if we don’t want to be in that situation again, they have to better and I have to be better.

“As a club, it [the Minnesota game] reinforced the situation in terms of what we need to do with the squad because it has to be stronger than what we saw tonight.”

With all considered, there is still plenty of time for Everton to make improvements but the powers at Goodison Park now need to start making serious moves in the transfer market and commit to signings if Lampard has any chance of delivering a better outcome for the Toffees next season.

AND in other news: Lampard can unearth his own Son as Everton eye bid for “extraordinary” £59k-p/w talent

Everton are reportedly now in ‘pole position’ to sign Maxwel Cornet, and have already agreed personal terms.

The Lowdown: Burnley absence

Cornet was left out of the Burnley squad that won 1-0 at Huddersfield Town in the Championship opening game on Friday night, amid reports that he could follow the likes of Nick Pope and Dwight McNeil out of the doors at Turf Moor.

Hailed as ‘electric’ last season by The Athletic journalist Andy Jones, the winger was a rare shining light in the Clarets team that were relegated from the Premier League, with nine goals and one assist in the division (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, now down in the Championship, he is sure to attract potential suitors in the top flight.

The Latest: Pole position

As per But! Football Club (via Sport Witness), the Goodison Park outfit are now in ‘pole position’ to sign Cornet, and have already agreed personal terms with him ahead of a potential move.

However, they have had a bid rejected from Burnley for the player, and so will have to submit an improved offer if they are to land their man.

The Verdict: No-brainer

The report claims that Cornet has a release clause of €21m (£17.6m), which would be a no-brainer to pay for someone that has shown that he can perform in the Premier League.

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With McNeil and another former Clarets teammate in James Tarkowski already at the club, the Ivory Coast international should be able to settle in very quickly on Merseyside.

Nonetheless, he has not reached his peak yet at 25 years of age, and so this is an investment that would benefit Frank Lampard’s side for years to come.

Back in 2003, a Spanish prodigy by the name of Cesc Fabregas joined Arsenal from Barcelona and since that very moment, the Gunners haven’t looked back.

His emergence on the Premier League and at Highbury saw a stream of technically gifted playmakers make a name for themselves in English football with Arsene Wenger covering his side in elite passers and elegant distributors.

The likes of Tomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla, among others, would all follow in the illustrious line of midfield maestros to dominate the middle of the park in Islington.

That said, not all got the farewells that their Arsenal careers deserved. Ramsey left under a cloud during the reign of Unai Emery, Rosicky and Wilshere were both injury prone, Ozil departed controversially and Cazorla never got to say goodbye after his injury hell.

He had a skin graft taken from his arm to repair his leg sufficiently and had it not been for that problem, the Spaniard may well still be at Arsenal to this day.

Such was his mesmerising qualities in the centre of the pitch that he is still a fine player in the year 2022, scoring and creating on a regular basis in the middle east at Qatari side Al Sadd.

However, with Arsenal looking to strengthen their options in midfield this summer, Arteta could find his own version of Cazorla in Leicester’s Youri Tielemans.

The Belgian has been fielding interest from the Gunners for a while now and providing Edu can clear out a few bodies from the squad, a deal that may end up setting them back £25m could be on the cards.

That’s certainly the word of journalist Ben Jacobs who recently said in an interview with GIVEMESPORT: “If they don’t sign him, it’s not because Tielemans doesn’t want to join, it’s not because the deal can’t be agreed with Leicester, I think Arsenal are very confident if they do come to the table and finally make a bid that they will be able to strike a deal with Leicester, it’s down to Arteta’s desire, and at the moment, he doesn’t want to move.”

Confidence is evidently rife in the Arsenal camp and if they do decide to open negotiations, a move could happen rather quickly.

It would be a tremendous signing too, with the Belgium international boasting Premier League experience and the abilities to influence play marvellously in the offensive third.

Like Cazorla, Tielemans is a marvel in possession of the ball and is particularly effective at scoring goals from a deeper position.

Last term, the 25-year-old found the net on seven occasions and also supplied five assists for his teammates during an impressive campaign.

With that in mind, it’s clear to see why he’s comparable to Arsenal’s Spanish magician, who contributed to 74 goals during his stint in the capital. The fact he was also dubbed an “elite-level distributor” by Statman Dave lends itself well to the comparison too.

Cazorla was a firm fan favourite in the eyes of many a supporter at the Emirates and it’s about time they replaced him adequately. Tielemans can do just that if he signs on the dotted line.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano: Edu can seal “phenomenal” £38m signing, he’d be Arsenal’s next Henry…

Celtic winger Mikey Johnston appears set for a departure from Parkhead this summer, with manager Ange Postcoglou having made a decision on the youngster’s future.

What’s the word?

As per Football Scotland journalist Mark Hendry, the 23-year-old is said to be currently ‘weighing up offers’ from a number of suitors regarding a potential loan move, having failed to establish himself as a regular fixture with the Old Firm outfit.

The report suggests that the Scotsman has been told he is free to leave in the coming weeks, with Postecoglou hoping for the academy graduate to earn regular game time elsewhere.

The report goes on to add that former Hoops boss Ronny Deila is keen to take the winger to Belgian side Standard Liege, albeit with the Glasgow-born gem currently considering alternative destinations as he looks to revive his career.

Time to go

That decision to let him depart temporarily appears the right call from the title-winning coach, with Johnston unlikely to be handed too many opportunities this season such is the wealth of attacking options at the 56-year-old’s disposal.

The former Yokohama boss currently has the likes of Jota, Liel Abada, Daizen Maeda and James Forrest as options on the flank, while recent reports have also seen the Scottish champions linked with a move for Barcelona’s Alex Collado – a player who can slot in both out wide and in an attacking midfield role.

As for Johnston, the £720k-rated man will seemingly be unsurprised as to his current fate, having been restricted to just 20 appearances in all competitions last season, with injury woes once again hampering his involvement as has been the case throughout his senior career.

After a breakthrough 2018/19 campaign in which he scored £7.9k-per-week dud has failed to score in each of the last two seasons.

Such a dismal record has ensured that he can have no real complaints over his slide down the pecking order, with a fresh start likely to be needed as he looks to try and kickstart his floundering career.

The hope will be that the highly-rated forward, whom teammate Joe Hart recently lauded as “incredibly talented”, can hit form wherever he does end up over the coming weeks, with it still not out of the question that he could force his way back into the manager’s plans next season – with three years still to run on his current deal.

If he does ignite elsewhere then he could either be reintegrated next summer or be sold for a more sizeable fee, while if he fails to deliver then Postecoglou’s decision to let him depart will have been vindicated.

A lot may be on the line for the player, but for the manager, it is potentially a win-win situation.

Everton are reportedly in line to make a surprise approach for Villarreal starlet Nicolas Jackson, with the Toffees in desperate need of attacking reinforcements.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Merseyside outfit are believed to have ‘set their sights on the 21-year-old this summer, with the player available for £27m owing to a release clause in his current deal.

The Senegalese forward – who can play all across the front line – is also said to be attracting the interest of fellow Premier League sides Fulham and Southampton, as per the report.

As for the Goodison outfit, the club are in need of new additions following the departure of talisman Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur, while first-choice marksman Dominic Calvert-Lewin is currently sidelined with injury.

Solves Lampard’s problem

Adding a new centre-forward has then become a necessity with a just few weeks left until the transfer window closes, with manager Frank Lampard currently forced to deploy young Anthony Gordon in a makeshift role through the middle.

With only Salomon Rondon in reserve, the 21-year-old has had to assume that central berth in the early weeks of the season, although it is seemingly not a long-term, viable option moving forward – particularly with Newcastle United believed to be interested in the forward.

That fact has only enhanced the need to dip into the market, with Jackson potentially an attainable figure who would provide an exciting option to Lampard’s squad, without having to really break the bank.

The £900k-rated menace may have only made nine first-team appearances for his current side thus far since joining back in 2019, although he has started the new season in fine fettle, scoring in the recent 3-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in what was his first ever La Liga start.

Likened to Brazilian icon Neymar in his homeland, the youngster also has an impressive record for the Spanish side’s B team, having recorded 13 goal contributions in just 26 appearances thus far.

Labelled “imposing” by journalist David Timon, the one-time Mirandes loanee appears to have a bright future ahead of him, with Lampard set to be desperate to be in charge of his development over the next few years.

Managing to get the highly-rated talent through the door could well be the answer to the 44-year-old’s attacking problem.