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Every new day seems to throw up plenty of fresh transfer rumours, and it is no different in regards to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Today’s Reds transfer roundup includes an offer for a Ligue 1 ace, an update on a Spanish target and a potential outgoing to the Bundesliga.

Bid made for Pepe

According to Le10Sport, Liverpool have made an offer for Lille’s Nicolas Pepe. Klopp is a big fan of the Ivorian, who bagged 22 goals and 11 assists in the French top flight last season. The amount of the bid is as of yet unknown.

Asensio available for right price

AS are reporting that Real Madrid would not be against selling Marco Asensio if they receive the right bid this summer – €90m (£80.2m) to €100m (£89.1m) would apparently be enough for the 23-year-old. Liverpool are known to be interested in the player and even bid for him last year.

Bundesliga sides after Whelan

Defender Corey Whelan could be off to the Bundesliga this summer, according to Football Insider. The player will leave Anfield when his contract expires, and two clubs from Germany’s top tier are keeping an eye on the player. The specific sides are yet to be named.

Djaniny Semedo might not be a name that many in the football world know about, however, that has not stopped West Ham United from taking note.

According to Portuguese media outlet A Bola, the Hammers are thought to be keen on the Al-Ahli Jeddah striker this summer after impressing for the Saudi Arabian outfit.

The 28-year-old, who is a Cape Verde international, has been in prolific form for his club this season, having managed to score 23 goals and providing eight assists in his 29 appearances.

West Ham need a striker that knows how to find the back of the net this summer. Although there might be doubts about what Semedo could actually bring to the London Stadium, it might actually be worth them taking the risk and trying to sign him.

Take Manuel Lanzini for example.

The Argentine was a relatively unknown quantity when he first arrived at the club, however, he turned out to become an influential figure for the side and has since become a favourite with the Claret and Blue faithful.

He was snapped up from a club playing in the Middle-East.

Obviously, it is difficult to say that Semedo could prove to be a success and turn out like Lanzini has, however, the Cape Verdean has every chance of being able to do so.

He has shown he can find the back of the net on a regular basis and if clubs like Wolves and Everton are also sniffing around, he must clearly have something about him to suggest that he will be successful in England.

West Ham fans, what do you think the club should do? Do you think Semedo could have the same success as Lanzini? Let us know below!

شدد الإسباني إيميليو بوتراجينيو مدير العلاقات المؤسسية بنادي ريال مدريد، على أهمية تحقيق الفوز على إشبيلية في الليجا، قبل مباراة بوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ الحاسمة في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ريال مدريد فاز خارج قواعده بهدف نظيف على حساب إشبيلية، على ملعب “رامون سانشيز بيزخوان”، ضمن لقاءات الجولة الثانية عشر من الدوري الإسباني (طالع تقرير المباراة).

وقال بوتراجينيو في تصريحات عبر صحيفة “ديفنسا سنترال” الإسبانية: “كان من المهم للغاية الفوز هنا، إشبيلية دائمًا مكان صعب، إنهم فريق رائع، الفوز هُنا مُهم جدًا، هذا الفوز يعطينا دفعة”.

وأضاف: “لقد دفعنا اليوم بشكل جيد، وأهدرنا أكثر من فرصة، وكنا حازمين وأظهرنا صلابة دفاعية عندما ضغط إشبيلية، سجّلنا في الشوط الثاني هدفًا، ولعبنا بشكل جيد للغاية “.

وواصل: “نحن لدينا لاعبون جيدون للغاية، الفريق يلعب كرة القدم بشكل جيد لكن ظروف المباريات تقودك إلى نتيجة أو أخرى، لدينا لاعبون من فئة هائلة، يلعب خط الوسط لدينا كرة القدم بشكل جيد للغاية، لقد استفدنا من التقدم ومن ثم عرفنا كيفية الحفاظ عليه”.

وأكمل: “لقد كنا ملتزمين وأظهرنا شخصيتنا، نحن ريال مدريد، نخرج دائمًا للفوز، لدينا لاعبون اعتادوا على تحمل الضغط وبعقلية الفوز من أجل حصد النقاط الثلاث، لقد تغلبنا على الصعوبات التي فرضها علينا المُنافس اليوم”.

وأتم تصريحاته قائلًا: “نحن سعداء بما حققناه على إشبيلية، الآن لدينا نهائي يوم الأربعاء في فالديبيباس، وسنفكر فيما سيحدث”.

يُذكر أنّ ريال مدريد ما زال يملك فرصة من أجل التأهل لثمن نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، رغم الهزيمة مُجددًا من شاختار دونستيك الأوكراني (طالع التفاصيل).

Are we about to see a player exodus on the south coast at Bournemouth?

Maybe, because according to The Sun, Manchester United are eyeing up Daniel James’ Wales team-mate David Brooks in a potential £50m deal.

This follows the constant speculation surrounding Ryan Fraser’s future at the club while the same outlet also reported earlier this month that Tottenham are interested in Nathan Ake.

Factor in the attention Callum Wilson has attracted, too, and the Cherries could be in real danger here.

If they do not stand their ground this summer, they risk potentially becoming the new Southampton.

Since winning promotion to the Premier League back in 2012, the Saints have boasted some excellent players. The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Luke Shaw, to name a few, all come to mind.

However, they were all eventually cherry-picked by Liverpool and the rest of the Premier League elite, leaving Southampton battling for safety over the last couple of seasons.

That could easily be Bournemouth if they sell Brooks and co and fail to adequately replace them, though supporters will have faith in Eddie Howe regardless of what happens.

Having signed a new long-term deal back in March, Bournemouth are in a real position of strength here when it comes to Brooks.

Still, you cannot help but feel worried about the Cherries with all of this speculation surrounding their key players. As they say, there is no smoke without fire.

Bournemouth fans, can the club keep hold of all its prized assets this summer? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below!

Roberto Martinez is a man who has divided opinion throughout his career; is he a brave connoisseur of the beautiful game or a clueless hopeful out of his depth? Well, amid big links in regards to the Spaniard of late, our latest instalment of the Look at him Now feature will delve into his journey to try and discover the answer. 

Well, one thing is for certain: you can’t accuse him of being boring.

Roberto Martinez is a man who demands a, shall we say, certain brand of football. And when we say ‘certain brand’, what we truly mean is a top-heavy attacking bonanza, where everyone and their nan in thrown forwards in a gung-ho-style push that would put World War I military tactics to shame.

Naturally, such an emphasis on attacking play left the defence open for a shafting on more than one occasion, and shipping 50+ goals in two consecutive seasons a result wasn’t exactly something fans were particularly keen on, especially given the plucky efforts they’d become accustomed to in years gone by.

There was also the feeling that Martinez was never really willing to adapt his philosophy and beliefs or devise a backup plan to which he could turn to when his go-to methods weren’t cutting the mustard.

After three years in charge, the Spaniard was eventually released from his duties following Everton’s 3-1 defeat against Premier League champions Leicester City and 3-0 midweek shocker against Sunderland. Not to mention the semi-final losses in the FA Cup and the League Cup the very same season.

To be quite honest, anyone who loses out to the Black Cats by that amount deserves to never get another job in the game. But to our surprise he did. And it wasn’t just any old role. Oh no. It was the holy grail of managerial appointments.

Indeed, you’d be lying if you didn’t pinch yourself when you woke up to the news that Roberto Martinez had been gifted the Belgium national post to command some of the most gifted players in world football.

Likewise, you’d do extremely well to convince us that you didn’t try to gnaw your own arm off when you learned that he had recently been linked with the Barcelona job which was supposed to be free for the taking, before Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu put a stop the rumours by confirming that Ernesto Valverde will return as manager.

Everton fans, what are your standout memories of Roberto Martinez? Let us know in the comments below…

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The location of Wednesday’s Europa League final has been a consistent point of controversy. The teams were only allocated 17% of the stadium’s tickets and fans have had huge difficulty travelling to Azerbaijan.

It was one of the big talking points on the latest episode of the Fixture In Focus podcast, which looked at both of this week’s European finals. Regular co-host Chris McMullan said; “I get the need to bring these things around. And I get the need for the Super Cup to go to these smaller cities and obviously Baku has built the biggest stadium…but I still don’t understand why it needs to be in Baku.”

And then there is the issue of Henrikh Mkhitaryan being unable to play because of local politics. If Eden Hazard were unable to play in this match, you get the feeling that there would be a lot more pressure to change venues. Arsenal would probably be more firm about it too if their place in the Champions League did not ride on the result.

“I do wonder if Arsenal weren’t in the position if winning this game got them into the Champions League they might be a little bit firmer on this. Whereas at the moment, it is such a big game for their near future that they really have to be careful,” Chris continued.

The fact is that the club need to win this game in order to avoid a third successive year outside of the Champions League, whereas Chelsea have already qualified by finishing inside the top four. Nonetheless, surely the principle should matter more than financial rewards.

To listen to the podcast in full, click on this link (for Baku discussion go to 30:40), or use the player below…

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As Aston Villa players celebrated triumphantly on the Wembley pitch on Monday, those associated with West Brom could only wonder what may have been.

Both teams had their ups and downs this season and following heartbreak last term only one of them could make up for it in 2018/19.

Villa, of course, tasted defeat in the play-off final last term, but Albion were relegated from the Premier League. It’s a division that feels miles away from them at the moment.

This summer will be a huge rebuilding job for the Baggies. A number of players have departed and countless more look as though they’ll leave. Express & Star hinted that first team defenders Ahmed Hegazi, Craig Dawson and Kieran Gibbs among others could be those who are first through the exit door.

However, there are more pressing concerns before any of that happens. To start with, they need a new manager.

It would be typical West Brom if they went into the new season with another member of their backroom staff in charge. This time, they must take a risk and in doing so, follow the example set by their Midlands rivals who defeated them in the play-off semi-final.

In short, Albion must find someone like Dean Smith. That’s easier said than done but he has a number of qualities Luke Dowling must be searching for when he holds talks with managers the club are interested in.

This week, he will meet with Wolfsburg’s Bruno Labaddia, a man who, like the Villa boss, led his side out of trouble to a more than respectable league finish.

Would he be the man to rebuild Albion? Only time will tell, but he certainly has the qualities to do so. The question, though, is whether the German would have the funds.

The Baggies face a monumental task to patch up their squad over the window and at the same time, they also need to reduce their wage bill which currently stands at £38m.

Consequently, they need a boss who can work on a tight budget. Smith is famed for doing this, first at Brentford and now with the Villans. After the failings under Steve Bruce which almost rinsed the club of all their financial resources, they’ve undertaken a new model. It’s one which West Brom must now follow.

If they can find a manager capable of working on the slim budget that’s likely to be given, then they can strike gold. In some regards, Albion do need to play safe, but they must balance this with the right amount of risk.

The future of the football club is on the line here. If Mark Jenkins and Dowling get things wrong, a third season in the Championship beckons.

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Just three days after winning the Champions League, Liverpool officially confirmed they’ll be parting ways with both Daniel Sturridge and Alberto Moreno. And shortly after that, reports from Italy emerged linking the latter to Unai Emery’s Arsenal.

Now without a club, north London might indeed be suitable destination for the left-back from his perspective. From Arsenal’s point of view, though, if the claims from LazioNews24 are to be trusted on the matter, it would really make for bad business. With that in mind, here are two main reasons why Moreno is simply not the right choice for the Gunners, and should certainly not be on their radar…

Not an upgrade

It’s not really a secret that Arsenal have had their respective fair share of defensive woes over the last season, and even stretching further back. In the 2018/19 campaign, they conceded 51 goals, which is 29 more than Liverpool. So the Gunners do need reinforcements for the backline. Moreno himself, however, did not contribute much to the aforementioned stability of the Reds. The 26-year-old was rarely ever picked by Jurgen Klopp, managing only two meagre appearances last season and having no real impact whatsoever.

Just the fact that he was constantly sidelined and Andrew Robertson firmly took hold of the left-back position means that he simply did not have the quality for the Reds’ starting XI. Klopp needed a well-rounded outlet, and while Robertson could provide that, Moreno clearly lacked something. His three goals and 11 assists in a total of 141 games for the Merseyside club can attest to that. Emery’s options in the ageing Nacho Monreal and sometimes underwhelming Sead Kolašinac are not really ideal, but Moreno is hardly an upgrade either.

Arsenal shouldn’t be collecting other clubs’ outcasts

This one is more of a pride thing than anything else but Arsenal should really not revert to collecting players who were thrown away by their former clubs in the first place. A team with such rich history, a huge legacy and a name to uphold should be making strides for players who are more representative of their own image. Sure, it’s normal that they have certain dips in form every now and then but transfers like the reported Moreno one are only making them look even more desperate.

And yes, you could argue that desperate times call for desperate measures but not if it arguably makes the club’s situation even worse than it originally was. Emery should, for that reason, look into the market and try to find better targets who look ready to make the step up, not ones who are essentially looking to move down the rungs of the Premier League.

They are certainly out there, you just have to dig deep to find them.

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After Leeds failed in their bid for promotion last season, some of their star men have garnered interest from the top flight.

It’s been widely reported that Tottenham want to sign Jack Clarke, while Bournemouth and Norwich are reportedly interested in Kalvin Phillips.

Both players were brilliant last season, so it should come as no surprise that they are being looked at by Premier League clubs.

Another player who has been linked with a move away from Elland Road is Pontus Jansson. Years of good performances from the Swedish centre-back has led to many speculating that his time at the club is up.

The Whites will certainly struggle to hold onto all three of these players, but it’s hard to choose which individual would be the most important to keep.

Football FanCast’s writers have had their say as to which player of the trio should the men in charge at Elland Road be focused on keeping.

Billy Meyers

“The young prospect should always be prioritised, in my opinion, as they are the future of the club. Of course, Tottenham look likely to offer a fair chunk of cash for Clarke, but his value could more than double with another good season next year – the teenager should be Leeds’ main priority to keep hold of this summer.”

Luke Glanville

“If they can, Leeds United will want to keep all three as it’s hard to choose which one out of the trio is the most important to them. However, keeping the youngest in Clarke undoubtedly makes the most sense. As well as promotion back to the Premier League next season, the Whites need to be thinking about the future and can’t get too sucked in looking at the short-term. Clarke is one of the brightest prospects in English football and he is vital to Leeds’ lofty ambitions.”

Matt Dawson

“Out of the three men in question then Jansson should be the choice to depart Elland Road this summer. He’s one of the most enigmatic members of the Leeds squad and if an offer comes in they’d be doing the right thing by accepting it. However, Clarke is clearly the priority here. He is someone that the club can build their future around and simply has to be kept at all costs.”

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Rangers announced their fifth signing of the summer on Tuesday evening, with Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo making the switch to Ibrox on a season-long loan.

The move comes after the permanent capture of Steven Davis and arrivals of Jordan Jones, Jake Hastie and Greg Stewart.

Clearly manager Steven Gerrard has prioritised the wing and attacking positions, perhaps feeling his team lacked a little bit of creativity in the final third last term.

The team heavily relied on Alfredo Morelos and James Tavernier to produce the goals, scoring 47 between them, so diversifying his attack may allow the side to find more consistency and win matches even when players are suspended or injured.

Now Ojo has arrived though there are definite other priorities in the squad that need addressing and with European qualifying matches due to start in just a few weeks time, the club need to get bodies in the door quickly.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

What do Rangers need most?

The centre-back situation at Ibrox is most urgent right now, with just two recognised first-team picks in the position available this pre-season.

From last season’s pool, Joe Worrall returned to parent club Nottingham Forest while Gareth MacAuley’s short-term deal has expired.

Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic remain, who are both good enough to be considered starters after their debut seasons at Ibrox, but with no cover available Gerrard is just a training injury or an in-game knock away from having to field a real makeshift defence in crucial UEFA Europa League matches over the next two months.

The lack of defensive signings so far is curious and while the club have reportedly been locked in an extended tussle to try and sign George Edmundson, ultimately their efforts have come up short and they need to move on to other targets if it can’t be done.

Even if the Oldham man does arrive, another will be needed to give the squad the depth they’ll need over the next 12 months.

Anything else urgent?

There are issues at left-back too, with Borna Barisic currently the only naturally left-footed player available.

Given he fell out of favour from the Ibrox boss’ plans last term, that’s not ideal.

Jon Flanagan played in place of the Croatian for extended spells but he’s essentially a right-back being played out of position and his performances for the most part have been less than convincing.

If the Gers can complete this defensive business over the next week or two then they’ll be in good shape early on in the window, allowing them to compete properly in qualifiers and giving them time to pursue the quality that can be added in other more advanced positions.

For now though, Gerrard must shift his focus from attack to defence.