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Manchester United have made an offer to sign Christian Eriksen on a free transfer, according to David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: Eriksen’s impressive Premier League return

Eriksen made a move back to England with Brentford at the beginning of the year, penning a contract until the end of the season.

It didn’t take long for Eriksen to catch the eye with the Bees, with Gary Neville labelling the midfielder’s passing as ‘out of this world’.

The 30-year-old won seven games in 11 starts with Brentford, contributing to five goals mainly from a slightly deeper midfield role than we’re used to seeing him. He is now weighing up his next move, and it looks as if Erik ten Hag is keen to bring the Denmark international to Old Trafford.

The Latest: Ornstein’s reveal

Ornstein took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to provide a significant update on Eriksen’s future.

The reliable reporter revealed that United have ‘made an offer’ for the midfielder, with Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong still a priority.

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The Verdict: Shrewd move

United could do with midfield additions following confirmed exits for Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata, leaving Bruno Fernandes as the only recognised senior attacking midfielder.

Eriksen would give Ten Hag another high-quality attacking midfield option who has plenty of experience in the Premier League and in Europe.

He’d also be able to turn out in a deeper role or out wide, and after showing last season he still has the quality to star in England, a free transfer could turn out to be an excellent piece of business.

In other news: Same agent as Ronaldo: Man Utd now close to ‘special’ signing, move is ‘imminent’. 

Leeds United won’t be pursuing New York City FC striker Valentin Castellanos this summer. 

The lowdown

90Min claimed earlier this month that a number of Premier League clubs had been offered the chance to sign Castellanos, with ‘Leeds thought to be the most interested’.

They added that the Whites had representatives in the United States looking at the 23-year-old as well as one other player.

Castellanos, who has three and a half years remaining on his contract with the Major League Soccer outfit, is valued at £10.8million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

A supporter asked Graham Smyth, the chief football writer at The Yorkshire Evening Post, about the club’s reported interest in Castellanos.

He’s ‘been told’ that Castellanos is ‘not on the list’ of options put together by Jesse Marsch and his recruitment team.

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The verdict

Castellanos is putting up some impressive numbers in the US, netting 11 times in his first 17 matches this season.

It might be said that they’re wary of recruiting a player who’s yet to prove himself in Europe, but it’s worth noting that Jack Harrison, the winger who started 32 of Leeds’ 38 Premier League games last season, spent seven and a half years in the US during his development.

And Marsch, an American himself and the former coach of Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls, will surely be an advocate for MLS talents.

But after a near miss with relegation last term, the manager is said to be targeting a centre forward who’s already shown he can score goals in the Premier League.

In other news, this pundit bemoans a frustrating Leeds setback.

Leeds can sign Marc Roca from Bayern Munich from an ever lower fee than first reported. 

The lowdown

The Athletic’s Phil Hay reported on Thursday that Leeds have ‘turned their attention’ to Roca after completing the signing of Ramus Kristensen, their second of the summer.

The Whites identified Roca as a target back in January and want to bolster their midfield.

Hay wrote that the Spaniard, also admired by West Ham United, is available for a fee of £10million.

Roca made just 13 appearances for Bayern last season, starting only four Bundesliga matches over the course of the campaign.

The latest

German publication Bild (via Sport Witness) explain that Roca is ‘on the sales list’ after being informed ‘he isn’t good enough for a regular place’.

If Bayern are offered ‘around €9million’ (£7.7million) for his services, then ‘they would let him go’.

Roca himself is ‘open to a new beginning’ and hopes to find a new club who will give him ‘significantly more playing time’.

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The verdict

Clearly, Roca’s £8.1million move from Espanyol to Bayern hasn’t worked out.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side are willing to sell him at a loss just two years into a five-year contract.

Still, there’s no shame in failing to muscle a way into a title-winning side, when players like Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are your competition.

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has spoken glowingly of Roca’s individual qualities, comparing the ‘absolutely brilliant’ midfielder to Manchester City’s Rodri and even dubbing him ‘the Toni Kroos of Espanyol’.

He has the potential to be a good replacement for Kalvin Phillips, should he leave Leeds this summer.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano shares a Leeds transfer update.

West Bromwich Albion have never been shy when it comes to signing players from fellow English clubs over recent years.

One man that the Baggies signed from one of England’s top clubs in the past is Jonny Evans. In 2015, the Midlands club secured a deal for the defender from Manchester United worth a reported fee of £6m plus £2m in add-ons.

After making 96 appearances for the Baggies across all competitions, in which he scored five goals and delivered four assists, the centre-back then joined Leicester City in 2018 for £3.5m.

Throughout his final Premier League season at The Hawthorns, the former United defender won 19 tackles and made 200 pressures, 29 blocks, 65 interceptions and 166 clearances, highlighting his clear defensive attributes and usefulness to the team.

Now that another season has gone by and another summer transfer window is set to open for business, this period could give Steve Bruce the chance to finally replace the Northern Irishman.

One player who has been linked with a move to The Hawthorns this summer and who could be West Brom’s next version of Evans is Darragh Lenihan.

During his previous four campaigns with Blackburn Rovers, the £2.7m-rated defender has totalled 218 interceptions and won 121 tackles. This latest campaign saw the 28-year-old make more interceptions (58) and win more tackles (43) than any other defender at the Lancashire club.

He also racked up the second-highest average of clearances per game (4.1) at Blackburn, further highlighting how capable he is at the back and why he’d be a great addition to West Brom’s ranks in a similar way to how Evans was a few years ago.

Labelled a “very solid Championship defender” by journalist Callum Altimas, Lenihan also ended his latest and potentially last season at Ewood Park as Blackburn’s highest-rated player according to WhoScored in terms of his overall performances throughout the campaign.

Available on a free transfer once his current contract expires at the end of the month, bringing the Irishman to The Hawthorns is definitely something that the Baggies should be all over as they look to get closer to promotion next year.

In other news: Bruce can finally axe “lazy” £26k-p/w West Brom flop by signing “unplayable” dynamo

Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are seemingly looking to strengthen again this summer, with Manchester City youngster Taylor Harwood-Bellis one name that appears to be of interest.

What’s the word?

According to respected journalist Alan Nixon, the Hoops are still keen on a move for the 20-year-old this summer, as manager Ange Postecoglou looks to bolster his defensive ranks ahead of next season.

Asked about a possible switch for the Englishman on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed that the Old Firm outfit are monitoring the centre-back, although there has been little movement in recent days: “Nothing since last week … there IS an interest … no decision for a couple of weeks.”

This follows a report from Sky Sports last week that suggested the Stockport-born gem was being considered by the Glasgow side, with further reinforcements needed amid reports that Christopher Jullien could be on his way out of the club.

Supporters will love it

Those at Parkhead will be hoping that the England U21 international can be another young prospect who proves a success after making the jump from the Etihad to Scotland, with the likes of Patrick Roberts and Jeremie Frimpong two of the most notable names to have starred after arriving from City.

Although a relative unknown to many, Harwood-Bellis has already gained vital senior experience at the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht and most recently with Championship outfit Stoke City, making 22 appearances for the Potters in the second half of the 2021/22 season – all of which came as starts.

That run of games will likely have proved vital to his development, while he proved his worth after recording a string of impressive statistics, recording an average of 1.9 interceptions, 3.5 clearances and one tackle per game, while also winning a solid 60% of his aerial duels.

Having also enjoyed a taste of life under Pep Guardiola, with the serial-winning coach lavishing him with praise in the past, the 6 foot 2 colossus is likely to be able to adapt to Postecoglou’s attacking style of play, while his 81% pass accuracy rate last term illustrates his comfort with the ball at his feet.

His former Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has also highlighted his strengths both in and out of possession, the one-time Celtic man stating that the youngster is an “old school” defender in one sense, although he can also “play football if that’s the game infront of him”.

Schooled by Guardiola, and briefly managed by Premier League legend Vincent Kompany in Belgium, the £6m-rated ace likely can’t have had a better footballing education, with now the time for him to properly nail down a permanent home.

It may be too unrealistic to expect him to make an instant impact north of the border were he to be signed this summer, although Hoops’ supporters will no doubt be excited by the undoubted potential on offer, while Postecoglou has already proven his knack for developing and improving any incomings.

In other news: Ange can land his own Van Dijk as Celtic eye bid for “tremendous” £4.05m-rated machine

A major Newcastle United update has emerged regarding their pursuit of Dean Henderson heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Chronicle Live reporter Charlie Bennett has revealed that the shot-stopper is expecting a move to go through in the coming weeks, following a meeting with the Magpies earlier this month.

The journalist tweeted: “Understand Dean Henderson is keen on a Newcastle move and has made it known he prefers a permanent transfer to a loan deal. Also told player’s camp believe a deal is “close” after meeting club representatives in Northumberland last week. NUFC.”

Eddie Howe will be over the moon

The Toon head coach will be feeling over the moon following this claim for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it shows that the England international is committed to wanting a move to the Tyneside club. Henderson is not looking to join on loan with a view to earning himself a transfer elsewhere or a first-team spot at Old Trafford, which suggests that he is desperate to be at St James’ Park in the long-term.

Howe will surely want players who are prepared to be part of a long-term project rather than those who may only see themselves playing for the club for one or two years at most.

Secondly, the Magpies boss will be delighted to learn that a deal is ‘close’, as it means that PIF are on the verge of sealing their first signing of the summer before the end of May. The owners are being proactive and looking to make moves early, which will give the manager more time to work with new signings to integrate them into the squad ahead of 2022/23.

Finally, Howe will be buzzing because Henderson has the potential to be an excellent addition to the squad and challenge Martin Dubravka for his place in the team.

In the Englishman’s two Premier League seasons, he has played 49 games and kept 18 clean sheets for Sheffield United and Manchester United combined, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.94 or higher across both campaigns. This shows that he has the ability to deliver on a consistent basis in the top flight, as he has been able to perform to a high level whilst keeping clean sheets regularly.

He also has the scope to develop even further at the age of 25. Howe can look forward to helping him fulfill his potential on Tyneside and making Henderson his number one for many years to come.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bruno: NUFC can form a deadly duo by signing “outstanding” £34m “rock”…

Burnley and Leeds have written to the Premier League to question whether Everton’s financial losses have broken financial fair play rules, claim Sky Sports News.

The Lowdown: Everton’s financial losses

According to reports, Everton have lost £372m over the past three years. Usually, financial fair play rules allow for losses of £105m over a three-year period.

However, due to the Covid pandemic, clubs have been permitted to write off such losses. Everton have claimed that their Covid losses over the last two years have amounted to £170m.

In comparison, clubs of a similar size have reported losses much smaller. For example, Newcastle posted Covid losses of over £40m and Aston Villa have announced theirs as being £56m.

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The Latest: Leeds and Burnley inquire

According to news broken by Sky Sports in the last 24 hours, Burnley and Leeds have written to the Premier League to question whether Everton’s losses over the past three years have broken FFP.

Sky shared the live-on-air news clip to Twitter with their journalist saying ‘listen to this’ before unleashing the ‘significant breaking news’ of the call for investigation from the Blues’ relegation rivals.

The Verdict: Sour grapes

Everton have recently been involved in a scrap with Burnley and Leeds as the three sides have been fighting to avoid Premier League relegation.

However, with the Toffees’ stunning 3-2 comeback over Crystal Palace on Thursday, Frank Lampard’s side secured their top-flight status for next season.

As a result, this feels like a case of sour grapes from Burnley and Leeds – if they were so desperate for an independent commission to assess Everton’s finances, why wait until now to ask?

In other news: Everton: Report provides Dominic Calvert-Lewin update

An early piece of Rangers team news has emerged ahead of the Glasgow giants taking part in the Europa League final tonight…

What’s the talk?

Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that Kemar Roofe will be in contention to make the starting line-up as the Gers look to win a major European trophy in Seville.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, the head coach said: “Kemar Roofe is available, he trained yesterday for the first time. He will also be training tonight and in the squad.”

The Dutchman added: “Kemar (Roofe) is a boost for us, he is important and I am happy for him as he has been working hard to return. He is there and ready to play a part.”

Supporters will be buzzing

This update will surely leave the Ibrox faithful buzzing, as having Roofe back is a major boost to the team ahead of a monumental clash for the club.

The players, and indeed staff, have an opportunity to write their names in the history books as the first group to lift a European trophy for Rangers since 1972. A win will also mean that the Gers go straight into the group stage of the Champions League next term, handing the club a significant financial lift and giving the players an exciting chance to play at the very top level.

This is why it is important for Van Bronckhorst to have his best players available to him, and Roofe certainly falls into that category based on his form prior to picking up a knock last month.

In his last six appearances for the club, the Jamaica international scored four goals and provided two assists in all competitions. Over the course of the season, he has netted 12 goals in 13 starts across the Premiership and Europa League.

The 29-year-old has proven that he has the quality and mentality to turn up when it matters in Europe. In the second leg of the quarter-final tie against Braga, Roofe turned in a sublime performance to decide the game for the Gers as he won a penalty for James Tavernier to convert before scoring the winner in extra time with a composed finish.

This shows that he has the potential to play a key role in the final tonight if he is selected, and that is why having him fit and available is a major boost to the squad. Supporters will be buzzing to see him in action and will be hoping that he can sprinkle his magic in the Europa League one more time…

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst must finally unleash “powerful” 19 y/o Rangers gem who “took his chance” in 2022…

Manchester United have been reportedly relentlessly chasing the signing of Frenkie de Jong, and now a new update has emerged that will surely deflate new manager Erik ten Hag.

What’s the latest?

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has given an update on the ongoing situation between Man United and De Jong.

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Plettenberg tweeted: “Been told from close sources that MUFC is trying everything to get de Jong in summer. Ten Hag wants him! The club is verifying the financial package. Talks have taken place. But Xavi definitely won’t let him go!”

Ten Hag will be deflated

If Plettenberg’s report is accurate it is clear that the Barcelona midfielder is a huge target for Ten Hag but the new Man United boss will surely be deflated that Xavi is unwilling to consider letting him go.

The Red Devils have been in desperate need of a midfielder who can offer strong defensive attributes and improve the possession in the centre of the pitch, something De Jong is more than capable of offering at Old Trafford.

According to SofaScore, in La Liga this season the 25-year-old ace has won the majority of his ground and aerial duels (63%), has an impressive 95% pass accuracy in his own half and makes 1.1 tackles per game, but it’s not just his solid defensive performances that stand-out.

De Jong also offers phenomenal ball progression and creativity from his position, completing an overwhelming majority of his dribbles (88%), creating three big chances, making 1.4 key passes whilst scoring three goals and contributing three assists for his side this season. That proves that he is the complete midfielder and could offer a diverse set of skills to Man United.

When you consider these impressive statistics it is no wonder Ten Hag is desperate to seal the deal for the Barcelona player, as he would considerably improve the current midfield, especially with Paul Pogba set to leave this summer on a free transfer. Not only can the Dutch maestro replace his creativity but he can offer more in defensive transition.

Ultimately, it looks like the Dutch coach and the powers at Old Trafford will need to work hard to make Barcelona a hugely tempting offer to secure the signing and convince Xavi to let go of the player this summer.

AND in other news: David Ornstein: MUFC seriously keen on signing £51m “diamond”, ten Hag will adore him

A Leeds United source has dropped a further worrying update regarding Stuart Dallas’ serious injury, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Femoral fracture

The Northern Irishman, who has started 121 of Leeds’ last 122 league games, became the latest Whites star to suffer a major injury this season.

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The 31-year-old was involved in a heavy collision with Manchester City’s Jack Grealish last weekend and had to be stretched off shortly before half-time.

Leeds have since confirmed the worst, with Dallas suffering a femoral fracture and facing a lengthy period on the sidelines. The versatile full-back has already undergone surgery on the problem, but it looks as if it could be even worse going off a recent update.

The Latest: Leeds source

FI shared a story regarding Dallas on Friday morning after being informed by a Leeds source.

They were told by the Elland Road source that Dallas’ injury is worse than first feared and that he could be out for 12 months, describing it as a ‘devastating’ blow.

The Verdict: Nightmare

Should FI’s reveal prove accurate, then Dallas looks likely to be unavailable for most of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge.

That would be horrible news, with Dallas regularly the go-to man to provide cover in a number of different areas. Dallas has also been the club’s third-best Premier League performer this season behind Raphinha and Liam Cooper, as per WhoScored, turning out at left-back, right-back and in midfield.

He has established himself as a Leeds legend with his displays over the last three seasons, and hopefully, he’ll have a setback-free recovery and return sooner than this latest timeframe has suggested.

In other news: Leeds officials sent abroad as Radz plots move for 56-goal attacker.