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Leeds United appear to have been handed a blow in their pursuit of Sporting CP winger Gonzalo Plata.

The Lowdown: Leeds links

The Whites have been name-checked with an interest in the 21-year-old this month as the club look to bolster their wide ranks.

Jack Harrison and Raphinha have been linked with Elland Road exits, which has resulted in Leeds looking at the Ecuador international, described as ‘super’ by journalist Sam Tighe.

Plata, who actually shares the same agency as six Whites players, spent last season on loan at Real Valladolid in Spain’s second tier, helping them finish second and earn promotion back to La Liga.

The Latest: Transfer update

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from Monday morning’s edition of Portuguese newspaper O Jogo regarding Plata.

They claimed that a sale is now complicated after Plata suffered an injury for Ecuador against Cape Verde and left in an ambulance.

The report adds that the winger could be injured for two months which would make it difficult for Leeds or any other interested side to seal a move until mid-August.

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The Verdict: Not a priority right now

A move for Plata shouldn’t be viewed as a priority at this moment in time. Leeds have already brought in Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen and are now looking to land defensive midfielder Marc Roca.

Should they sign the Bayern Munich man, another central midfielder could still be required after Manchester City launched a bid for Kalvin Phillips.

A centre-forward also seems needed following Patrick Bamford’s injury problems last season, so although Leeds have been handed a blow in their pursuit of Plata, it shouldn’t be viewed as a disaster at this moment in time.

In other news: ‘Sky Sports has been told…’ – Live TV update emerges involving 113-goal star; Leeds mentioned. 

According to BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Danny Mills, Liverpool should sell Sadio Mane for as little as £25m this summer after a second bid was turned town.

The Lowdown: Liverpool reject second bid

The Senegalese sensation first arrived at Anfield from fellow Premier League rivals Southampton in a £34m move six years ago, but after entering the final 12 months of his current contract on Merseyside, the 30-year-old has made his intentions to quit the Reds very clear.

It was reported last month that German giants Bayern Munich want to sign the forward, and an update from The Athletic has now revealed that Liverpool have rejected a second £23.5m bid from the Allianz outfit for their star man.

The Latest: Mills baffled by ‘haggling’

Mills however believes that whilst Mane has been a fantastic servant for the club, they should not stand in his way if he’s ‘desperate’ to leave over the coming weeks. He told Football Insider:

“He’s 30-years-old they bought him for not an awful lot and had good service out of him.

“You’re getting to the point, if he wants to go, if he’s desperate to move on, just get a fee for him and let him go.

“You’re going to end up haggling over £2million, £3million either way. Do you really want that when you’re going to have keep an unhappy player there and pay his wages as well?

“Or do you say ‘Right ok, let’s get a deal done’. Get the money and bring someone else in.

“There will be a little bit of posturing, a little bit of ego, a little bit of brinkmanship from both sides.

“Ultimately I see this deal being done at anywhere between £21million and £25million.”

The Verdict: Mane would be a huge loss

Despite his age compared to the rest of the Liverpool squad, you could argue that the 89-cap international has been the Reds’ most in-form player this season.

Throughout the 2021/22 campaign, the striker netted 23 goals and provided five assists for Jurgen Klopp’s side across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt, with only Mohamed Salah (31) scoring more.

If Mane is to leave Anfield, it would be a huge loss to the club where he’s become such an integral part of the starting XI over the years, but with the Reds only securing two trophies rather than the quadruple that they were initially hoping for, the £200k-per-week starlet may just be up for a new challenge before his prime expires.

In other news… Sky Sports News have dropped a live update on Liverpool’s interest in one of their summer transfer targets.

Newcastle United have been quoted an asking price of over £40m for Brentford striker Ivan Toney, claims Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards.

The Lowdown: Newcastle’s striker hunt

Following the addition of Burnley’s Chris Wood, the Magpies sought to bring in another fresh face to their front line in January.

However, deals for Reims’ Hugo Ekitike and Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah fell through at the last moment.

As a result, Eddie Howe’s side have been linked with numerous strikers since the end of the Premier League season.

The Latest: Edwards’ news

Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards took to Twitter to share the latest update on Newcastle’s striker search.

Adding further information about well-known target Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Edwards revealed another player that the Magpies have made contact with for a valuation.

“I was told #nufc quoted asking prices of £40m+ for both Toney and Calvert-Lewin in the last few days.”

The Verdict: Great signing

When compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Toney ranks in the 88th percentile for aerials won, whilst Calvert-Lewin leads in the 95th percentile (via FB Ref).

Whilst the Everton man takes the win in the aerial department, Toney tops various other stats including clearances, interceptions and progressive passes (via FB Ref).

Therefore, it can be argued that with the Brentford striker, you are getting a more well-rounded player for the money, who can contribute both defensively and as a playmaker.

Hailed by Brentford boss Thomas Frank as a “special player”, it is no wonder the London club are demanding so much for their star man, who is said to have the “mindset of a lion”.

In other news: Newcastle United: Magpies target Hugo Ekitike ‘told’ he can leave Reims

Manchester United have made contact over a possible cut-price move for RB Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele.

The Lowdown: Mukiele profiled

Mukiele, who has been hailed as an “unsung hero”, is primarily a right-back who can also play as a centre-back or as a right-midfielder.

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The 24-year-old signed for Leipzig back in 2018 and has gone on to make 145 appearances since then, scoring 10 times and providing 11 assists.

The France international is heading into the final 12 months of his contract with the Bundesliga side, though, and it looks as if a summer exit could be on the cards.

The Latest: United contact

Sports Witness relayed an update from well-known French outlet L’Equipe regarding Mukiele on Friday.

They claimed that Mukiele’s future ‘is probably written elsewhere’, with United looking to take advantage of the ‘opportunity’ by initiating first contacts. The report adds that the right-back is valued between €10m (£8.5m) and €15m (£12.7m).

The Verdict: Wan-Bissaka replacement?

Erik ten Hag will be at the heart of an Old Trafford rebuild this summer and doesn’t have Aaron Wan-Bissaka in his plans, according to Sky Sports.

Therefore, should the Red Devils find the Englishman a new home either on a temporary or permanent basis, then Mukiele could be viewed as an ideal replacement.

Ajax defender Jurien Timber also appears to be closing in on a move to United, and although he can play at right-back, you’d expect he’d be preferred in his natural centre-back role, opening the door for Mukiele, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, to sign in a cut-piece deal.

In other news: Reliable journalist leaks Man Utd talks as Ten Hag now eyes ‘terrific’ Englishman. 

Wolves loanee Francisco Trincao is unlikely to remain at Molineux beyond this summer, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Trincao disappoints on loan

The Portuguese forward moved to the Black County on loan from Barcelona last summer, looking to enjoy regular football and become a key part of Bruno Lage’s plans.

However, he struggled to make an impact throughout the 2021/22 campaign, scoring just twice in 28 Premier League appearances and registering only one assist.

There is the £25m option of Wolves signing the 22-year-old permanently this summer, but that doesn’t appear likely to be triggered.

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The Latest: Summer exit expected

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor claimed that Wolves are not interested in keeping hold of Trincao, who could be set for a return to his homeland. The journalist outlined:

“I don’t think Wolves are going to exercise their option to buy. He’s a player with huge potential and has shown in glimpses that he’s got a lot of quality, but it’s not really worked out for one reason or another.

“It looks like he could go to Sporting on loan, but Lage seemed to suggest the other day that no decision has been made yet, but I expect him not to be signed permanently. The figure’s £25 million, which is obviously quite substantial.”

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The Verdict: Correct call by Wolves

While Trincao is a talented young player – former Wolves ace Dave Edwards recently dubbed him “terrific” – he did nowhere near enough this season to suggest that he is worth a £25m investment.

His end product was sorely lacking all too often, as highlighted by his aforementioned statistics, while his overall performances saw him ranked 15th in WhoScored’s metrics for the campaign. Also, Lage also has decent wide options already in the squad such as Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence.

The money which would have been spent on Trincao can instead go towards a new attacking recruit this summer – something that Wolves badly need after a paltry return of 38 top-flight goals from as many games this season.

In other news, Tim Spiers has dropped a key Wolves update. Read more here.

Celtic waved goodbye to veteran midfielder Tom Rogic after nine years of service following the end of their recent title winning SPFL season.

Since arriving at the Parkhead club back in the 2013 January transfer window from Central Coast Mariners, the midfielder has gone on to make 272 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions.

In those appearances, the 29-year-old scored 46 goals, delivered 49 assists and won numerous trophies along the way.

Taking into account what he’s done for the club over such a significant period of time, it will be a big job for the Bhoys to find a suitable replacement for the Australian.

However, one figure that Celtic already have in their ranks that Ange Postecoglou could possibly unearth as the next version of Rogic is Luca Connell.

Signed from Bolton Wanderers’ U18 side back in the 2019 summer transfer window, the midfielder has only made three appearances for Celtic’s youth team and is yet to make a senior appearance for the Bhoys.

The 21-year-old has spent two loan spells with Scottish League One side Queen’s Park, making a total of 42 appearances in the process.

In those appearances, the youngster has found the net ten times and delivered 11 assists, showing that he certainly has a knack for scoring and creating goals, in a similar way to Rogic.

Having also played in numerous midfield positions throughout his career, Connell’s versatility could make him a very useful squad figure for Postecoglou moving forward.

Described as having a “wand of a left foot” after scoring a goal against Edinburgh City back in April last year, Connell could well have what it takes to make the step up to playing regular senior football should he manage to impress the Celtic boss in pre-season.

While the SPFL champions are reportedly looking to add a handful of new players to their ranks during the upcoming summer transfer window, turning to Connell for his first taste of senior football with his side could be a gamble worth taking for the club.

If this were to happen and the youngster is able to make the most of any opportunities he gets to play, he could then go on to have a very fruitful career at Parkhead and potentially follow in Rogic’s footsteps.

In other news: Worth £293k in 2020, now worth £4.05m: Celtic hit the jackpot on Ange’s “superstar”

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ star midfielder Ruben Neves has “got to move” according to Journalist Josh Holland.

What’s the word?

That is via quotes from GIVEMESPORT, which claims that Old Gold boss Bruno Lage could find himself in a “predicament” over Neves’ future at Molineux, after failing to qualify for Europe.

Wolves’ 1-1 draw with Norwich City last time out means that with just one game to go, they cannot finish higher than eighth in the Premier League. 

Meanwhile, with Neves’ on-going links to Barcelona, his future at Molineux looks doubtful, though Holland believes that the Portugal star has “got to move” from the West Midlands.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“If you lose Neves with no European football, Bruno Lage could be in a bit of a predicament because if they sell Neves with no European football, are they going to get back?

“I know we spoke about players last year and the ambition of it, but I think he’s got to move.

“I think I saw his agent was at lunch with people from Barcelona.”

Bad news for Wolves

Holland’s latest claim over seeing Mendes entertaining lunch with Barcelona representatives does not bode well for his Molineux future. In fact, amidst Wolves’ lack of European football, it suggests that Neves is entirely ready to move on from the side that he been at since 2017.

Wolves face a big decision as to what kind of player they will look to replace Neves with.

If Lage sticks with the 3-4-3 system, he should look for a central midfielder who can cover both parts of the game.

On the other hand, if he looks to shift into a four-at the back set up or continue with the 3-5-2 system that has been deployed in recent weeks, he should look for an out-and-out defensive midfielder like Wolves target Joao Palhinha – whose primary focus is to hold the midfield together and win the ball back in the mid third of the pitch.

Neves can do both aspects, which is why he has been so instrumental to Wolves over the last five seasons, scoring 24 goals in the process, the majority of which have been long-range screamers.

He has been capable of producing moments of magic and thus, if he does head for the departure lounge, supporters will be gutted.

Unfortunately, with no European football and sitting at the age of 25, a move to Barcelona is surely too tempting.

In other news: Wolves can finally wave farewell to Neves by signing 22y/o “rare bright spark”

Crystal Palace are believed to be nearing a contract agreement with forward Michael Olise, according to journalist David Ornstein.

What’s the word?

The respected insider revealed via Twitter that the two parties are “close” to agreeing a new deal, writing of the situation that:

“Crystal Palace in talks with Michael Olise over new contract. Agreement close. Extra year likely but no salary increase. Aim is to raise release clause (£35m) to ensure future sale breaks #CPFC record (£50m) & that would benefit all.”

In his Athletic column on Monday, Ornstein went into further detail about the situation, insisting that the 20-year-old ‘wishes to stay’ at Selhurst Park and will agree to a new one-year extension on his existing deal, with the main aim of the new agreement seemingly to raise his current release clause (£35m) to ward off any potential interest.

This news follows reports earlier this week that suggested clubs were interested in taking advantage of that clause to strike a deal this summer, although any suitor will now likely have to stump up more than the £50m that the club received for the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United in 2019.

Supporters delighted

There will be many of a Palace persuasion breathing a hefty sigh of relief at present, with it looking as if the Eagles have been able to swiftly curtail any notion of a departure by striking a new deal.

The London-born France U21 international has become such an integral asset following a stunning debut campaign in the Premier League, having been snapped up for a bargain fee of just £8m from Championship outfit Reading last summer.

After a slow start to life under manager Patrick Vieira due to injury, the £19.8m-rated starlet has come alive since the turn of the year, chipping in with four goals and eight assists in all competitions thus far this season.

The left-footed speedster has dazzled as a focal point of Vieira’s exciting young side, notably earning praise from pundit Ian Wright, who suggested that “he is going to be somebody that is going to do unbelievable things.”

Dubbed “fearless” by former teammate Sam Baldock, Olise has not looked overawed by the move to the higher level and has showcased his willingness to make an impact in the attacking third, ranking in the top 6% for progressive carries and in the top 11% for progressive passes among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues.

A young talent with a bright future, it looks as if it’ll be in south London where he continues to develop.

AND in other news: Vieira may finally axe “inevitable” 142-goal Palace dynamo as twist emerges

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp must ruthlessly axe “influential” club captain Jordan Henderson as he is the weakness in their midfield and a better replacement is needed in the summer.

On the chalkboard

Liverpool are fighting on all fronts at the moment and are hunting down an unprecedented quadruple. But they face stiff competition from Real Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester City in the Premier League, and they veered slightly off course in the title race when failing to beat Tottenham Hotspur yesterday.

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Henderson was one the players who failed to shine in the game at Anfield and was substituted after 65 minutes being replaced by Diogo Jota. He failed to make a single tackle in the whole time he was on the pitch and barely contributed. Furthermore, he gave up possession of the ball every five minutes which will have been a key factor in the team dropping points.

Whilst his leadership and strong voice in the dressing room might go unmatched, there’s only so many times you can use that as a reason to be playing him.

Henderson has been a vital part of Liverpool’s success in recent years but there is a feeling that his qualities are slightly diminishing, with Roy Keane describing him as a “cheerleader” and questioning why he was in the England squad during Euro 2020.

The 31-year old moved to Merseyside from his boyhood club Sunderland in 2011 and is currently the longest-serving player at the club. He is, and always will be considered a legend in the eyes of the fans, and he has rightly earnt that status. However, he is no longer a player who is capable starting every week for one of the best teams in Europe.

Liverpool have to accept that and Klopp has to make it his priority to bring in a third world class midfielder to sit alongside Fabinho and Thiago next season.

If you compare Henderson to them both he doesn’t produce performances that are close to what they consistently produce. Both players have a higher pass completion percentage that the Englishman and have successfully completed more dribbles.

Henderson’s time at Anfield isn’t necessarily over, but the club need to rely on him less if they are to keep competing at the highest level. He still has a major role to play in the squad as a leader and captain, just not as a player who is a key starter.

IN other news: “Won’t accept less than…”: Romano drops big transfer update, Liverpool must now move…

Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly in ‘talks’ with teenage striker Bailey Cadamarteri about the possibility of signing his first-ever professional deal with the club, according to The Star journalist Joe Crann.

The Lowdown: Gradual progress

The 16-year-old has worked his way up through the ranks at Middlewood Road, having initially displayed his talents in the Owls’ U18s side. More recently, his development has meant that he has stepped up to the U23s and has occasionally been training alongside the first team.

It has previously been reported that the youngster’s impressive progress has caught the eye of Premier League clubs Manchester City and West Ham, but despite having interest from the top-flight, it’s thought that Cadamarteri is very much keen to remain in Yorkshire and fight for his place in the blue and white stripes.

The Latest: Cadamarteri ready to commit

In a social media post on Twitter, Crann revealed that ahead of the forward turning 17 next week, he is likely to put pen to paper on a professional deal with Wednesday.

He wrote: “I’m told that SWFC are in preliminary talks with the teenage attacker, and it’s thought that he’s keen to commit to the club. He can sign on Monday.”

Expanding in his column for The Star, the journalist claimed that talks have been ‘opened up’, with the club looking to complete the signing ‘as soon as possible’.

The Verdict: ‘Brilliant’

Cadamarteri played a full 90 minutes for the Owls’ U18s in the FA Youth Cup against Southampton earlier this season and managed to get his name on the scoresheet, despite only making two appearances throughout the entire competition.

The Leeds-born prospect has been hailed as a “brilliant” potential signing by Crann himself, and it’s clear to see that he has got bags of potential given the interest from the Premier League’s elite.

If the centre-forward does up committing his future to Darren Moore’s side, we could end up seeing him on display in the senior match-day squad sooner than we think, especially if the boss is unable to guide his side up to the second tier through the play-offs.