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West Ham United are ready to fight it out to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Odilon Kossounou, according to a report.

The Lowdown: West Ham eyeing defender

West Ham manager David Moyes has set his sights on a new defender this summer, with AS Roma’s Chris Smalling recently being linked with a move to the London Stadium.

Angelo Ogbonna has recently admitted that he wants to extend his stay with the Irons beyond the end of the season, when his current deal expires, however no talks have yet been held, meaning a couple of new centre-back additions could be required.

The Latest: Kossounou targeted

According to a report from The Sun, the Hammers are ready to fight it out for Koussounou, who could be available for a summer move, given that he has expressed his desire to leave Leverkusen.

The report claims that Moyes failed in a bid to loan the defender in the January transfer window, but he still remains interested, with the Bundesliga club looking to receive £25m if they are going to sanction his departure.

That price appears to be too high for the Irons, however, and they could instead look to strike a loan-to-buy agreement.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

There is some evidence that the 6 foot 3 colossus would be an upgrade on some of West Ham’s current options at centre-back, averaging more interceptions and aerials won per 90 than both Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma over the course of the past year.

The Ivorian has been lauded as having a ‘crazy amount of talent’ by football scout Jacek Kulig, but he has struggled to cement his place in the Leverkusen team this season, often featuring off the bench rather than as a starter.

That said, Kossounou is still only 22-years-old, meaning he has plenty of time to develop, and a move could be exactly what he needs to reignite his career, considering he wants to leave Leverkusen. As such, West Ham should definitely pursue a deal in the summer transfer window.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans to improve their squad in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Mohammed Salisu to Newcastle?

According to the Mirror, the Magpies are planning a swoop to sign Southampton central defender Mohammed Salisu at the end of the campaign.

The report claims that Eddie Howe is a fan of the Ghanaian and that the club looked into a deal, before ultimately looking elsewhere, during the January window in 2022.

It is stated that the defender is expected to depart from St. Mary’s if the Saints are relegated from the Premier League and that Newcastle will swoop if that becomes the case.

Will Jamaal Lascelles leave St. James’ Park this summer?

The signing of Salisu, who joined Southampton for £11m from Real Valladolid in 2020, could push Magpies skipper Jamaal Lascelles out of the door ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Sven Botman and Fabian Schar have been the preferred defensive partnership for Howe in the Premier League this season, with the captain playing just five times, and the arrival of another player in that position could result in a centre-back being moved on.

Lascelles, who has played 223 matches for the club, was thrown in at the deep end against Manchester City on Sunday and struggled to deal with the quality on display from the champions – losing four of his five defensive duels and failing to make a single block, tackle, or interception.

The Englishman has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.53 across his five Premier League outings this season and lost a whopping 75% of his ground duels. This comes after the defender averaged a score of 6.73 and lost 57% of his battles on the deck in the top-flight last term.

Salisu, who is six years younger than the Toon centre-back, could be a major upgrade on the ex-Nottingham Forest man. The Southampton star, who journalist Josh Bunting once described as a “total force”, has caught the eye in 2022/23 in spite of his club’s battle against the drop.

In the Premier League this season, the 23-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.07 across 21 appearances and won 58% of his ground duels. Last term, the “nasty” 6 foot 3 ace – as he was dubbed by Ralph Hasenhuttl – averaged a score of 6.92 and won 57% of his battles on the floor, which suggests that the youngster has progressed over the last 18 months.

The Saints defender has showcased his defensive strength and consistency in the top flight over the last couple of seasons, whilst Lascelles – who looks set to leave in the summer – has struggled badly.

As a result, the enforcer could be a strong addition to Howe’s side and one that forces an exit for their current captain.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou leaving the Scottish Premiership is a ‘never say never’ situation, according to BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Attracting interest

The Australian will be out of contract at Parkhead at the end of the season and having not yet signed an extension, has been attracting interest from a trio of potential suitors.

Premier League pair Brighton and Leicester City both targeted the 57-year-old last year, whilst Leeds United were the most recent club to add him to their managerial candidate shortlist.

The Hoops boss, however, was quick to shut down any exit rumours in an interview in February, hinting that he could remain in charge for longer than expected.

The Latest: Hutton’s verdict

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton was asked whether he thought Postecoglou could be tempted to depart at the end of the 2022/23 term, to which he replied:

“You can never say never in football.

“You just do not know what is round the corner.

“One thing I would say is that what he has done is remarkable and no wonder there is other teams looking at him.

“The turnaround, the recruitment, the players that he has brought in have been excellent. He is performing at a high level and he comes across as a really genuine guy.

“At the cup final Ange came out the tunnel and walked right over to us and he stood and chatted for ten minutes. He was answering questions, he was talking about me and my career. I was thinking ‘how does he even know me?’.

“It felt strange but it was a touch of class. He did not have to do it. He talks a lot of sense so it does not surprise me that he is a really likeable guy.“

The Verdict: Tie him down

Postecoglou has worked miracles at Celtic since being appointed manager and it’s vital that the club tie him down before suitors start circling again.

The Bhoys coach has won 73, drawn ten and lost just 16 of his 99 games in charge, averaging an outstanding 2.31 points per match (Transfermarkt).

The Greek-born man has also led his side to three trophies, twice taking the Scottish League Cup and once the Premiership trophy.

Celtic are nine points ahead of their rivals at the top of the table so Postecoglou looks set to secure a second consecutive league title at the end of the season, making him the perfect person to remain in charge north of the border.

Everton are reportedly eyeing up a potential move for Lyon striker Moussa Dembele on a free transfer.

The Lowdown: January interest

Everton were reportedly linked with a move for Dembele in the January transfer window, but a deal never materialised in the end.

He is out of contract in the summer, meaning that he can leave Lyon as a free agent at the end of the season.

The Latest: Everton on the table

As per Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, the Goodison Park outfit is an option ‘on the table’ for Dembele, should he leave as a free agent.

However, they will face competition from both Atletico Madrid and Southampton for his signature.

The Verdict: No-brainer

The Merseyside club have been goal-shy in the Premier League, as they are the joint-lowest scorers in the division with 19 goals.

Hailed as a ‘scoring machine’ by L’Equipe journalist Bertrand Latour, Dembele would come in and immediately fix that problem.

The 26-year-old has scored an impressive 140 senior goals over the course of his club career so far, which includes experience in the Premier League with Fulham.

He has even been dubbed the ‘new Didier Drogba’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, a player that gave the Toffees nightmares when playing for Chelsea, as he scored eight goals and made four assists in 16 games in total against them (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, on a free transfer, the Blues could do little wrong by snapping him up.

Liam Keen believes that Wolves should’ve been awarded a penalty after Raul Jimenez was taken to the ground.

The Lowdown: VAR at the centre of the Wolves storm

Despite only managing to register four shots on target in the entire game, Wolves and their fans will feel very aggrieved having come away from St James’ park with nothing to show for their efforts.

This is because they’ll believe Newcastle United should’ve been down to 10 men when Nick Pope appeared to lean his shoulder into Jimenez after he took a heavy touch and panicked with the Mexican striker knocking the ball past the huge shot-stopper.

While Andy Madley may be excused for not giving the spot kick given he was so far away from the incident and had a poor angle of it, his linesman or even the VAR team should’ve been able to make a decision on what had happened.

The Latest: Jimenez didn’t initiate the contact

Keen was speaking on The Express and Star YouTube channel about how it should’ve been a penalty and anyone claiming Jimenez initiated the contact was simply wrong.

He said: (2:20) “Jimenez does very well to anticipate it, put him under pressure and nick the ball off him and he is about to run through on goal, let’s not dress it up any more than that he’s about to go through have a tap in and put Wolves 1-0 up.

“Nick Pope leans in, catches him and tries to step out of the way. He goes in first, comes in and makes contact and some people are suggesting that Jimenez initiated the contact, not for me, not at all I think Jimenez is about to race through on goal and he’s clipped on his back from behind.

“It’s a stonewall penalty, it’s a red card because it wouldn’t be an intention of playing the ball, so by the latter of the law it’s a red card and it’s a penalty.”

The Verdict: Game-changing decision doesn’t go Wolves’ way

While Wolves certainly didn’t create anywhere near enough chances to win the game, especially compared to their opponents, the fact that VAR couldn’t see that their striker had been wiped out with the goal gaping is very poor.

Given that Wolves are still only three points above the bottom three, the last thing they needed was for VAR to not even be on their side, but to not be balanced and give a clear penalty decision when the score was 0-0.

What will have made it even worse for Wolves is that Nick Pope played a huge part in Newcastle leaving with all three points having pulled off impressive saves from Pedro Neto and Joao Moutinho in the second half.

Referee Michael Salisbury and VAR may have made a big mistake in the most recent Wolves defeat after missing a possible penalty for a foul on Nelson Semedo.

What's the latest on Wolves and VAR?

The officials certainly were at the very centre of attention at Molineux this weekend in the Premier League as Julen Lopetegui's side fell to a 4-2 defeat.

Indeed, Leeds United managed to pick up the win as Jonny and Matheus Nunes were both sent off while the Whites also profited from a controversial decision when Rodrigo sealed the win with a late fourth.

What's more, as seen in the Sky Sports highlights of the game, with Wolves only 1-0 down, Semedo charges into the box and looked to have been fouled.

Did Wolves deserve a penalty for the possible foul on Semedo?

The referee didn't point to the spot live and when VAR reviewed it, they felt it was fine to let the incident pass without asking Salisbury to check the monitor.

As the footage clearly shows, though, Leeds defender Junior Firpo stretches out to clear the ball but ends up kicking his opponent's foot and bringing him to the ground.

It certainly feels as if it's one of those decisions where VAR wouldn't have overturned the decision had referee Salisbury given the penalty in real-time. And had he been asked to check the monitor, it's hard to see Firpo getting away without punishment.

After the game, manager Lopetegui certainly seemed incensed by the incident, telling BBC Sport: "I understand mistakes because it's human. I've seen the [potential] penalty against Nelson Semedo – he has a knee injury [because of the challenge] and [Junior Firpo] doesn't touch the ball.

"The referee has a fantastic view for TV. I don't know why he doesn't change the decision."

Leeds United have been handed a boost in their pursuit to sign Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres.

What’s the latest on Viktor Gyokeres?

Gyokeres has enjoyed the best season of his career in front of goal this season, resulting in teammate Maxime Biamou hailing him as "unplayable" earlier in the campaign. The 24-year-old has scored 18 times in 38 Championship appearances, surpassing his tally of 17 in 45 last season. The Sweden international has also registered eight assists for the Sky Blues, the same as his previous best back in 2017 for former side IF Brommapojkarna.

As a result, the Whites have continued to be linked with a move for the forward in recent months following Javi Gracia's arrival, with those at Elland Road believing he could be a key addition to the side. Speculation only increased when Leeds scout Alex Davies was in the stands for Preston North End vs Coventry last month, and it looks as if an exit could be on the cards.

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared a transfer update regarding Gyokeres in the last 48 hours, where Leeds, and by extension likely new owners the 49ers Enterprises, were given a boost.

He said that the door has opened for the Whites over a deal, with Coventry ‘resigned’ to losing the £20m-valued Gyokeres this summer if they can’t seal an unlikely promotion to the Premier League. O’Rourke added that Leeds and relegation rivals Everton are ‘continuing to monitor the Sweden international’s situation after considering a move in January’.

Would Gyokeres be a good signing for Leeds?

Without Rodrigo enjoying his best season in front of goal in Yorkshire, Leeds’ numbers in front of goal wouldn’t make for pretty reading. The Spaniard has scored 13 goals in all competitions, nine more than any of his Elland Road teammates. Patrick Bamford is one of five payers with four goals to his name, however, the club’s number nine has missed large parts of the season through injury.

Therefore, you can see why the Whites are seemingly on the hunt for a new striker this summer, where they will hopefully be preparing for another season in the Premier League. Gyokeres has impressed in successive seasons in the second tier so appears to be ready to make the step up to the top flight, where he would also provide an option out wide as well as in a central role.

It could be one to keep an eye on, especially following this update, and a fee could be relatively cheap with Gyokeres out of contract in just over 12 months’ time.

Leeds United reportedly failed in a late attempt to sign highly-rated Celtic teenager Aidan Borland, with Aston Villa set to snap him up instead.

How good is Borland?

At just 15 years of age, Borland is already a player who has been making waves at Celtic, being seen as one of the most talented youngsters at Parkhead. The midfielder could have a bright future in the game – at international level, he already has three caps to his name for Scotland's Under-16s – and his performances have not gone unnoticed among some Premier League clubs.

Recent reports have suggested that Villa have had a £1.2million offer accepted for Borland's services, with an initial £300,000 fee eventually rising to that amount. He would move to Villa Park on a scholar contract and eventually sign his first professional deal when he turns 17 years of age.

While it looks as though the Villans are now almost certain to acquire the teenager's signature, a new claim has emerged that suggests there could have been a late twist in the saga.

Did Leeds bid for teenager?

According to Football Insider, Leeds "attempted to hijack" Villa's move for the Celtic teenager at the eleventh hour, when talks were already thought to be at an "advanced stage".

The Whites' efforts to steal Borland from under the nose of their Premier League rivals ultimately failed, however, and he will join Villa instead, "following in the footsteps of Rangers youth star Rory Wilson who joined Villa last summer".

While it is a shame that Leeds missed out on a late move for the Scot, it is encouraging to see them making bold efforts to sign emerging British talent. While bringing in established foreign players for big fees is always something that excites supporters, it is also imperative that the club plans for the long-term future and ensures there is a talented homegrown nucleus both in the first-team squad and coming through in the youth team.

Borland could have ticked that box, but Villa have instead snapped him up and could have a big talent on their hands, assuming he reaches the potential Celtic believe he has. The Scottish Premiership giants attempted to keep him at the club moving forward, but ultimately, the lure of the Premier League has proven to be much to turn down, given its reputation as arguably the best and most entertaining league in the world currently.

Journalist Charles Watts has accepted that talented teenager Ethan Nwaneri could leave Arsenal before signing a professional contract.

What's the latest on Ethan Nwaneri and Arsenal?

Earlier this season, while still only 15 years of age, the youngster made headlines as he made his debut for the club.

Indeed, when coming on in the Premier League win away at Brentford – aged 15 years, 5 months and 23 days old – he became the club's youngest senior player of all-time, as well as the youngster player to ever feature in the English top flight.

Evidently, then, Nwaneri is one to keep an eye on with expectations already high about his potential. With that in mind, however,r it's no shock that rival clubs are keeping their eye on his progress.

Worryingly for the Gunners, Watts has named Chelsea and Manchester City as possible future destinations with the player's future up in the air as he can't sign a professional deal until he is 17.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts said: (3:36) “Chelsea, Manchester City, there's lots of clubs who are chasing Ethan Nwaneri and he can't sign a professional deal until he is 17.

"He's 16 now, he only turned 16 last month. He can sign scholarship terms. But there's clubs that are chasing him.

"And you know it's kind of an open secret really that he could leave Arsenal. We don't know, we're hoping hopefully he doesn't but he could.

"And there's lots of clubs are trying to get him and lure him away before he signs that first professional contract at 17."

What's been said about Ethan Nwaneri?

Considering Arsenal are pushing for a Premier League title with Hale End graduate Bukayo Saka a leading light in Mikel Arteta's team, it's hard to see why Nwaneri would want to leave.

What's more, he is certainly well-regarded within the club which seems to truly appreciate his top talent and sky-high potential.

For instance, Under-18 coach and former Arsenal academy star Jack Wilshere recently suing the player's praises.

Speaking to football.london, he said: "Us as coaches, that's what we focus on with Ethan, trying to give him the best platform, trying to give him a clear head. He has been exceptional in the Youth Cup as well and to be fair, he's been exceptional with what he's been doing, how he's managed school, his GCSEs. He does well at school as well by the way, which It's important – I know that Per really believes in that – 'better people, better players'.

"So for him to manage that, then obviously it is a new world for him, people talking about him on social media, will he stay, will he go? To manage that as well and still perform in the Youth Cup. Whatever he does, I wish him all the best and he deserves it because of the sacrifices he's made."

With all that in mind, it sounds as though Nwaneri has no real reason to leave north London in the near future but perhaps his head will be turned by some exciting contract offers elsewhere once he turns 17.

Chelsea's board are planning for life with Joao Felix as a permanent member of their squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

How much did Chelsea pay for Joao Felix?

The Blues have not held back in their spending since Todd Boehly took the reins at Stamford Bridge and the loan signing of Felix from Atletico Madrid was no different.

Since Boehly's arrival, Chelsea have spent in the region of £600m on transfers this season alone with a stunning number of new faces coming through the doors in west London.

As they looked for attacking reinforcements in the January window, Chelsea brought in Felix from Atletico on a short-term loan deal until the end of the season.

And some may argue the Blues paid through the nose for the Portuguese star with the loan deal believed to be worth in the region of £9.7m.

But it seems as if this is a loan deal that the Blues may be looking to make permanent ahead of the new campaign, despite their struggles in attack this season.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the Chelsea board will look to seal the 23-year-old's future in London:

(1:10) "What I can tell you right now is that, from my understanding, Chelsea board, and I underline board because we still don't know who's going to be the coach for next season. And that's going to be an important factor.

"But discussing about the board, what I heard is something really positive for Joao Felix because Chelsea are thinking of next season as planning for potential team next season with Joao Felix included."

"So the idea of Chelsea is to continue with Joao Felix in the squad. The idea on player's side is the same because Joao Felix will be happy to stay a Chelsea, from what I understand. He's happy with the squad. He's happy with the city."

Should Chelsea sign Joao Felix permanently?

Chelsea's season has been one large to forget, but it does seem as if the board are taking some positives out of it with the Portuguese star being one.

Since landing in London, Felix has had a turbulent time himself with his first appearance for the Blues seeing him awarded a straight red card.

However, having served his three-game suspension, the 23-year-old has gone on to find the back of the net on two occasions for Chelsea in the league (via Transfermarkt).

Perhaps an issue may have arisen in the expectations over him in front of goal with Chelsea currently not playing with an out-and-out striker.

But Felix has shown over his time in Spain that he is not a player who will provide a side with 15+ league goals in a season (via Transfermarkt).

With this in mind, it will be interesting to see what the potential signing of Felix could mean for the future of someone like Mason Mount.

Amid speculation surrounding the future of the Englishman, Felix could be seen as the creative spark for years to come at Stamford Bridge instead of their academy product.

Caveated by the fact Felix played half of the season in Spain, the Portuguese forward has offered a number (3.58) higher shot-creating actions per 90 minutes in comparison to Mount (3.09) this term (via FBref).

Journalist Brian Fonseca hailed Felix for having "magic feet" and that seems to have been the case this season with the £110k-per-week ace offering more than double the number (1.67) of successful take ons that Mount (0.83) has provided.

Although Chelsea are believed to be keen to keep Felix, it will be intriguing to see at what cost it could come at.