Manchester United are reportedly interested in making a move for Porto midfielder and former Liverpool man Marko Grujic in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Grujic impressing for Porto

The 26-year-old has forged an impressive career for himself since failing to properly make the grade under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, becoming a key man for his current club.

Grujic has now racked up a total of 105 appearances for Porto since arriving in the summer of 2020, proving to be a dominant figure in the middle of the park.

During that time, the Serbian has won one Primeira Liga title, Portuguese Cup and Portuguese League Cup apiece, justifying his move there in the first place.

It could be that Grujic looks for a new challenge in the near future, however, and with his performances catching the eye, a return to England may be on the cards.

That’s where United come into play, with an intriguing new transfer update emerging.

The Latest: United eyeing move

According to Telegraf [via Sport Witness], the Red Devils are one of the clubs who are ‘seriously enquiring’ about the potential signing of Grujic this summer.

Contacts are believed to have ‘already been stabilised through intermediaries’, with AC Milan also noted as possible suitors in the report.

That being said, it is also stated that Grujic is a ‘big fan of Liverpool since childhood’ and may not want his decision to join United to be seen as ‘disappointing’ by Reds supporters.

The Verdict: Liverpool connection an issue?

There is no denying that Grujic has grown hugely as a footballer in recent years, winning 19 caps for Serbia and becoming a more rounded individual than the one who departed Liverpool.

He could be a really shrewd summer signing by United – he once was called the ‘best midfielder we have had in the last 20 years’ by Hertha Berlin boss Pal Dardai during a loan spell there in 2018 – adding physicality and quality to their midfield.

Not only has Grujic won an average of 2.3 aerial duels and 1.7 tackles per game in the league this season, but he has also enjoyed an 87.3% pass completion rate in the Champions League, showing his ability on the big stage.

The key drawback is the lingering Liverpool issue, however, and while the midfielder wouldn’t be directly joining the Red Devils from their arch-rivals this summer, it would still be a controversial piece of business, especially for someone who grew up supporting the Merseysiders.

Leeds United picked up a huge three points this weekend, but Luke Ayling was far from a standout performer at Molineux, according to journalist Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Leeds pick up a big three points

Javi Gracia was looking for what would be just his second win as Leeds manager since replacing Jesse Marsch and he certainly got that away to Wolves – although the Whites certainly came close to throwing it away.

The Whites raced into a 3-0 lead at Molineux on Saturday afternoon thanks to goals from Jack Harrison, Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen, with the latter netting for the first time as a Leeds player.

Despite getting on the scoresheet for the first time this season, it was Ayling’s defensive woes that caught the eye of many at the match, including the likes of Cross and The Athletic’s Phil Hay, who noticed Daniel Podence was giving the defender a torrid time of things, while Ayling also struggled for composure on the ball, completing just 39% of his passes (Sofascore).

The Latest: Ayling’s defensive qualities questioned

Prior to Ayling finding the back of the net and doubling Leeds’ lead at Molineux, Cross was far from impressed by what he was seeing from the veteran defender as he and teammate Jack Harrison struggled to cope with Podence.

He said: “Ayling and Harrison being ripped to shreds by Jonny and Podence down United’s right. Hosts are getting through down that side every time. Leeds need far more composure in the rare moments they’re getting the ball too. Roca and McKennie not retaining anything.”

The Verdict: Gracia will be concerned

While seeing a defender score is always a positive and a bit of a novelty, their bread and butter must be at the other end of the pitch, which is something Ayling certainly didn’t do today being part of a side that shipped a couple of goals.

Leeds will be thanking their lucky stars that Wolves weren’t able to capitalise and complete their comeback, which was also largely down to the fact goalscorer Jonny was sent off for serious foul play.

That tackle was on Ayling, so the defender was involved in all sorts of incidents, but it could be time for Leeds to turn away from the ageing full-back, as he’s clearly struggling to cope with younger, more electric wingers such as today against Podence.

Leeds United twice came from behind yesterday to claim an important point against Brighton and Hove Albion, and whilst the show was stolen by Jack Harrison and Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling stood out for all the wrong reasons.

The two attackers finally seemed to show glimpses of a return to their top form, and despite the former tapping into his own net at one point, they played their role in halting the marauding Seagulls who had seemed unstoppable under Roberto De Zerbi.

The Italian has fit into their system with ease since taking over from Graham Potter, continuing to utilise some of their lesser-known talents to shock the Premier League.

Yesterday marked yet another stellar display from Kaoru Mitoma in particular, who terrorised the aforementioned right-back with his pace and trickery.

It was always bound to be a tough game for the ageing talisman, but the Japan international was relentless in his desire to tear him inside out. As such, it could be a warning sign for Javi Gracia to perhaps now look to Rasmus Kristensen for future matches when defending against wingers of Mitoma’s ilk.

How did Luke Ayling play against Brighton?

Featuring for the full game and captaining the side, the 31-year-old’s 6.3 rating was the second-worst of anyone on the pitch as he was dribbled past twice and won just two of his seven competed duels (via Sofascore).

Meanwhile, Mitoma recorded three key passes and created two big chances, playing a huge role in both of the goals.

For the first, he peeled off at the back post as his header found the free man in the box, whilst the second he drove to the outside and his devastating delivery could only be put into Leeds’ own net.

Journalist Graham Smyth even took to Twitter to highlight one particular period of play, where he set up one of those earlier chances that likely should have been scored: “Brighton should be ahead again. Mitoma in behind Ayling, left him for dead, pulls it back and Mac Allister sidefoots wide from near the penalty spot. Golden opportunity.”

Although Mitoma will terrorise plenty of defenders, perhaps this particular outing will have shown Gracia that Ayling is perhaps not the man to lead them into the run-in.

His performances at the back end of last season serve to support this after his rather ridiculous red card against Arsenal.

The £20k-per-week stalwart was shown up yesterday by a top winger, and it could now pave the way for Kristensen to finally get his chance under the new boss.

A number of Newcastle United supporters have heaped praise on Alexander Isak, following his match-winning performance against Nottingham Forest.

The Lowdown: Huge win for Newcastle

Eddie Howe’s side picked up one of their most important victories of the season on Friday night, winning 2-1 away to Forest in the Premier League.

Sven Botman’s terrible error allowed Emmanuel Dennis to put the hosts ahead but Newcastle responded admirably, with Isak finishing brilliantly to equalise just before half-time.

The Magpies dominated the second half and it was left to the Swede to score a dramatic late penalty, sending the away end into raptures at the City Ground.

It is a win that could look so pivotal come the end of the season, as Newcastle continue to push for a top-four finish and a long-awaited return to the Champions League.

The Latest: Magpies fans laud striker

Taking to Twitter, these Magpies fans waxed lyrical over Isak, as his influence continues to grow after a lengthy injury absence:

“I’m not exaggerating when I say we have the next Thierry Henry. 23 years old and already levels above. We’ve got Isak in attack, fire us into Europe you baller.” – @agbnufc_

“Couldn’t agree more. He wins a Ballon d’Or at our club mark my words” – @nufcHS

“There are games/moments where you actually stand there and realise how good someone is. This lad is special” – @nufcsamuel

“Unbelievable man, the future is bright with this man, Bruno and Botman mind” – @AdamWaterss

“Reminds me of Henry. The kid’s got everything” – @RyanMoseleynufc

“Newcastle haven’t had a player that excites me the way he does in FOREVER. The bloke is stupid, stupid good. Make the right signings in the summer to give him reliable service and it’s game over” – @thompaa__

The Verdict: What a player

Isak really does look like a sensational signing for Newcastle, already scoring six goals in just seven league starts this season, with his performance at Forest magnificent at times.

The Magpies have a potentially elite striker in their ranks, and had he not been absent for several months earlier in the season, you wonder where Howe’s side would be in the table.

Isak has the ability to inspire Newcastle to a top-four finish in the next couple of months – not only that but he can be the club’s next great attacking start for a number of years.

At just 23 years of age, the hope is that this is just the beginning for the 37-cap Sweden international, who could be ‘worth £100million’ one day, according to Jason Cundy.

Tottenham Hotspur's search for a manager before dismissing Antonio Conte essentially made it so the writing was on the wall by the time they came to an announcement, yet it still came as a shock.

The time in which it took them to sack the Italian was startling given his explosive post-match press conference, the likes of which have seldom been seen before in the Premier League.

Scrutinising almost every facet of the club, his position had become untenable and he had to leave.

Whilst Cristian Stellini has been announced as his successor until the end of the season, it leaves months now for the rumour mill to swirl endlessly, with a core group of names already marked out.

However, one such option comes across as far more unorthodox, as their former boss Harry Redknapp essentially threw his own name into the ring.

Given his age and time already out of the game, this appointment would actually boast similarities with Crystal Palace's decision to appoint Roy Hodgson. This is not a likeness the Lilywhites will be keen on gaining.

Would Spurs appoint Harry Redknapp?

Having been retired since his 2017 sacking from Birmingham City, the 76-year-old has enjoyed a long and fruitful career, overseeing periods at West Ham United, Portsmouth and Spurs alongside numerous other English outfits.

His name is synonymous with English football, but his managerial influence within the game has unsurprisingly dwindled given his age and lack of experience in recent years.

Given the predicament the north London club find themselves in, seeking stability after a tumultuous prior reign, Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy could feasibly combine to make this appointment happen, likely much to the dismay of the fanbase.

He spoke on talkSPORT about the vacancy, claiming: "If someone asks you, I think it would be hard to say no, I’ll be truthful. When you love it, you do find it hard to say no, as Roy and Neil would agree."

When the Eagles sacked Patrick Vieira, it reeked of desperation as they reverted to a familiar face who had already seen a downturn in form given his role in relegating Watford.

Whilst Redknapp had enjoyed an impressive period at Spurs in the past, that now concluded over a decade ago. Since then, he has spent his time as a pundit offering dubious statements about the players of his former club. Few would agree that Hugo Lloris has been "outstanding" of late, yet the experienced boss still suggested so in January.

His final two jobs at club level hardly leave much to be desired too, as he resigned from a struggling QPR and was dismissed from the Midlands outfit as they sat second-bottom of the Championship.

To give Redknapp the job would be a disaster of epic proportions, sacrificing any progress made in recent years in favour of an uninspiring appointment who simply will not be there for the long haul.

Among the plethora of positives that have come out of the season so far for Manchester United under manager Erik ten Hag, one of the more notable success stories has been the emergence of teenage sensation, Alejandro Garnacho, with the 18-year-old having established himself as a vital member of the squad since the World Cup, in particular.The promising “game changer” – as hailed by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – has registered nine goal involvements in all competitions in what has been a breakout campaign thus far, memorably scoring away at Elland Road and providing an assist for Marcus Rashford in the Manchester derby in what were two of his more notable contributions.The rapid and meteoric rise of the Madrid-born speedster – who had been included in Argentina’s senior squad prior to his recent injury blow – is yet another marker of the benefits of having such a star-studded youth set-up, with United undoubtedly masters at continually churning out potential gems of the future.For all the warranted hype surrounding Garnacho, however, the beauty of football is that there is always another youngster who can emerge as the next poster boy, with 15-year-old Shea Lacey seemingly the player who is sparking “lots of excitement” among those at the club, according to journalist Tom Maston.

Who is Shea Lacey?

Although both club and supporters will no doubt be wary of talking up the teen ace too greatly – with the case of Ravel Morrison still firmly in the minds of those at the Theatre of Dreams – it is hard to ignore the buzz that is surrounding the fleet-footed maestro.

While the precocious talent – who has been likened to Manchester City sensation, Phil Foden – may have to bide his time for a first-team berth due to his tender age, it does appear that United are keen to elevate him up the age groups, with the playmaker having already featured for the club’s U18 side this season, scoring once and registering two assists in just six league outings.

That is an indication of just how highly rated Lacey is by the Premier League giants, with that excitement beginning to bubble among those outside of the club, with the forward having set tongues wagging after producing a scintillating, solo goal for the U16’s earlier this month.

The manner in which the Liverpool-born menace weaved his way through a sea of bodies with breathtaking skill and trickery ensured that it is easy to see why the comparisons to Foden have come about, with Lacey truly having a “left foot made of gold” – according to talent scout, Jacek Kulig.

Football Transfers reporter Jacque Talbot even when as far as to suggest that the Old Trafford outfit may have stumbled across the “next [Lionel} Messi” in the form of the teen starlet, with the club’s current first team figures likely to be running scared at the prospect of losing their place in the side in the coming years.

Summer signing Antony, in particular, could well be fearing for his starting berth more than most, with Lacey potentially set to prove a direct rival to the Brazilian’s position on the right flank, with the duo both able to wreak havoc by cutting in onto their stronger left foot.

In the case of the former Ajax man, the 23-year-old has endured a mixed start to life in England, in truth, since his £86m arrival, having registered just eight goal involvements in all competitions thus far, including only three goals and no assists in the league.

It is no stretch to stay that Antony has not received a wholly warm welcome to the Premier League, with club legend Paul Scholes branding him a “clown” after the 15-cap enigma produced his trademark spin in the Europa League win over FC Sheriff, while talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor also labelled him a “bluffer”.

Although it is that individualistic nature that has seemingly led the one-time Sao Paolo man to become a favourite of Ten Hag, the £200k-per-week wizard will need to begin proving himself more reliable in the final third or find himself ousted from the side.

If the 5 foot 9 ace is not careful, he could well be displaced by young Lacey not too far down the line…

Arsenal secured yet another Premier League victory, this time a 4-1 success over Crystal Palace, enabling them to stretch their lead at the top of the table to eight points, albeit having played a game more than Manchester City.

With the Gunners exiting Europe just three days before, it was a much-needed win that boosts their title ambitions and a few players certainly improved from the tie against Sporting CP that’s for sure.

Defender Rob Holding came in for William Saliba and was superb. He received a Sofascore rating of 7.3/10 for his efforts, making five clearances, two tackles and winning a whopping 11 out of 15 duels, proving that after some criticism in midweek, he more than deserves his role at the club.

It might prove to Mikel Arteta he can still be of use to the team, although it was a late cameo by Kieran Tierney which potentially could have saved another defender's career at the Emirates.

How did Kieran Tierney perform against Crystal Palace?

The left-back was among the substitutes for the match but came on for Oleksandr Zinchenko with 25 minutes to go, and he looked bright.

In the past, the Scot has found it difficult to stand out in that inverted role that the Ukrainian has thrived in, but on this occasion ,he was outstanding.

The former Celtic man received a Sofascore rating of 6.8/10 and won two of his four duels and completed 16 passes, which included a late goal involvement.

Indeed, it was his assist from which Bukayo Saka netted his second goal of the afternoon, pulling the ball back from the left-hand side for the Englishman to drill home and give the Gunners a 4-1 victory.

It hasn’t exactly been the best of seasons for Tierney. He has completed 90 minutes on just four occasions this term, being used as a substitute in his other 15 fixtures and this is mainly due to the form by Zinchenko, who has made the left-back slot his own.

The 25-year-old has been attracting interest from fellow Premier League club Newcastle United due to his lack of minutes, although it appears that Arteta wants to keep him at the Emirates for the long haul.

He has made over 100 appearances since joining in 2019 for £25m, winning the FA Cup in 2020 and has established himself as a fan favourite.

With just ten league matches to go, it’s clear that the Spaniard will need to utilise his whole squad if he wants to secure the club’s first title since 2003/04 and Tierney’s performance yesterday may have just been a key moment in his Arsenal career.

Tottenham Hotspur seemed set down a path towards steady success under Mauricio Pochettino, with the Argentine taking over in 2014 and slowly building up a team capable of fighting for consistent silverware, although he would never quite grasp it himself.

His sacking caused a shock, as it essentially unravelled the progress he had made across his five-year spell in north London.

Not only this, but that decision also marked a divergence in the strategy of chairman Daniel Levy, who assumed that because the club now sat amongst the elite they should start seeking out the 'elite managers'.

Straying completely from the model that had earned them praise, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte were both appointed and expected to win trophies instantly, yet neither seem set to have done so.

This summer will see the Italian's contract conclude, but his reign could be cut short before then, marking another crossroads for the hierarchy to navigate.

Do they persevere with their current method, in a desperate search for a trophy of any kind, or do they return to their trusted old method which could see them take a few steps back before they can move forwards?

Either way, the touted appointment of Steve Cooper would essentially just see them secure a downgrade on their current boss, so it is one avenue that must be avoided.

Could Steve Cooper go to Spurs?

With his youth and impressive start to life in management, the suggestion is that the 43-year-old could well reignite the club as they tread down the latter of the two aforementioned paths.

However, he has hardly done enough to merit a jump up from a relegation battle to challenging for Champions League spots.

His work in seeing Nottingham Forest promoted was admirable, with his fluid three-at-the-back system earning praise, but since returning to the Premier League his side have admittedly struggled.

The Tricky Trees currently sit 16th, firmly entrenched within the myriad of teams vying to avoid the drop; but their goalscoring statistics make for depressing viewing.

Forest are currently the joint-lowest scorers in the division, and with 49 conceded in just 27 games, only AFC Bournemouth have shipped more goals.

The fact that they are still afloat after posting such abysmal numbers is arguably a testament to the weakness of the bottom half of the league.

Despite overseeing something of a mini-turnaround at the turn of the year, it seems they have now reverted to form, having not won since mid-February.

This abysmal play style paired with a lack of defensive security actually draws comparisons with Conte's Spurs side, who likely only boast an improvement because of the higher quality of players they boast.

With their system and the results yielded boasting striking similarities, to ditch Conte for Cooper would be a baffling decision that could only see them compound their initial mistake.

Gabby Agbonlahor had suggested only back in October that he was "out of his depth" at the City Ground, so to upgrade him to an even bigger club with far greater expectations would likely only exacerbate that statement.

TalkSport pundit Simon Jordan has warned former club Crystal Palace not to hire either Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard as manager to replace Patrick Vieira.

What's the latest on Patrick Vieira being sacked at Palace?

After a poor run of form in the Premier League, the Eagles sit just three points above the relegation zone. Now as the division is so tight, they are actually 12th (at time of writing) but the club hierarchy was clearly unhappy with the team's trajectory.

With that in mind, after a 12-match winless run, Vieira was sacked by chairman Steve Parish and so Under-21s coach Paddy McCarthy will take charge against Arsenal on Sunday.

No doubt, the club will want to soon hire a manager to properly take charge (at least until the end of the season), and so plenty of names are being discussed in the media already.

While speaking on TalkSport, Gerrard and Lampard were both brought up as potential candidates, but Jordan seemed firmly against the idea of either man arriving at Selhurst Park.

Indeed, he said: "If you start veering into the territory of people like Lampard and Gerrard – well, Lampard was interviewed by Palace a couple of years ago. They didn't want him then, so what's changed?

"He would have got Everton relegated, he was a disaster at Everton towards the end. Gerrard was a disaster at Aston Villa. Why would either one of those guys be a fix?"

Would either Lampard or Gerrard be a good manager for Palace?

The two former England internationals are currently both out of work, despite being employed at the start of the season, which goes some way to explaining why Jordan isn't so keen on seeing either man take charge of Palace.

Indeed, Lampard was sacked from Everton after winning just three league games from 20, accruing a total of 15 points. Such form saw the Toffees stuck in 19th, but under Sean Dyche, they have immediately improved and risen up the table.

Similarly, Unai Emery hasn't instantly whipped Aston Villa into better shape as they look set to finish mid-table. Gerrard, however, had them underwhelming as he departed with a lowly win rate of just 25.8% in 2022, with eight wins, eight draws and 15 losses.

All in all, it's easy to see why both options aren't exactly ideal candidates to help a club arrest their downward trajectory, but it will be interesting to see who Palace turn to.

Celtic are thought to be readying a new ‘huge’ contract offer for manager Ange Postecoglou, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Transformation

Postecoglou arrived in Glasgow back in the summer of 2021 from Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos and has helped turn things around at Parkhead. The 57-year-old has won 76 of his 102 games in charge of the Hoops, with his side averaging an impressive 2.54 goals per game.

The manager has won three trophies so far during his tenure and is on course to retain the Scottish Premiership title ahead of rivals Rangers this season, with the Hoops currently nine points clear at the top of the table.

Postecoglou could also guide Celtic to a domestic treble over the coming months after already securing the League Cup, however, his current contract is set to expire in the summer. He has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months, with Tottenham the latest English club to be backed for a swoop.

The Latest: Off-field update

Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey provided an update he’s heard from Parkhead in the last 48 hours regarding Postecoglou. He stated that the Hoops want to tie the manager down to a new long-term deal after recent interest from the Premier League.

Celtic are ready to increase Postecoglou’s wages, with a ‘source with knowledge of the situation’ revealing that Celtic are preparing a “huge” offer which may include a release clause.

The Verdict: Good news

Postecoglou has only been on a 12-month rolling deal since taking over from Neil Lennon, so it is good to see that the club want to finalise a long-term agreement following plenty of speculation over a possible exit. He’s made an immediate positive impact and actually has a better record with Celtic than any of his previous clubs.

Celtic also appear to be doing everything they can to keep Postecoglou when it comes to their current squad, with the club working hard to keep Kyogo Furuhashi, Liel Abada and Jota, players who Postecoglou views as key.

They are even planning to add to their squad with three headline signings in the summer, with Postecoglou targeting a new centre-back, central midfielder and striker. Therefore, should the manager and club officials remain on the same page reading into the summer, you’d like to think that a long-term contract could be agreed upon over the coming months, which may prove to be the most important piece of business.