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Atletico Madrid full-back Renan Lodi is due to meet with Newcastle United in the coming days to discuss a potential transfer, according to journalist Andre Hernan. 

The lowdown

The 24-year-old joined Atletico from Brazilian outfit Athletico Paranaense in a £19.6m deal in 2019, and the contract he signed upon his arrival at the Wanda Metropolitano still has another three years to run.

However, Lodi – who is now valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt – only started 13 of Atletico’s 38 La Liga matches this season.

Newcastle signed another left-back in Matt Targett on loan in January and have the option to sign him permanently from Aston Villa. However, Magpies manager Eddie Howe is exploring alternative options, which suggests that he’s not entirely convinced by the 26-year-old.

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The latest

Hernan took to Twitter to explain that Lodi and Newcastle ‘will meet later this week’ and is optimistic that ‘business can happen’.

The Magpies are keen to ‘strengthen’ ahead of an assault on the top half of the table next season, and they view the Brazilian as a potential upgrade on their current left-back options.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has recently said that Atletico will demand around £42m for the 24-year-old.

The verdict

What kind of a full-back is Lodi?

He is certainly someone who can pitch in going forward, as evidenced by his tally of four goals and five assists in just 1,837 minutes of football this season, and his 16 goal contributions for Atletico overall. He also backs himself to run with the ball, ranking in the 75th percentile among positional peers in the big five European leagues for successful dribbles per 90 minutes (via FBRef).

While he may not have had the playing time that he would have liked this season, he has shone on the biggest stages in the past.

For instance, after the first leg of a 2019/20 Champions League round of 16 tie against Liverpool, which Atletico won 1-0, sports journalist Josh Bunting commended a ‘very solid’ display in which Lodi restricted both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah to peripheral roles on the night.

The 15-cap Brazil international faced Manchester United at the same stage of this year’s competition and scored the winning goal in a performance dubbed ‘incredible’ by The Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan, while his manager Diego Simeone has praised him as a “hard-working, humble player”.

Therefore, it’s little wonder that Newcastle seemingly want him at St James’ Park ahead of next season.

In other news, this Premier League striker could be tempted to move to St James’ Park 

Manchester United have reportedly launched an ‘important offer’ for Napoli forward Victor Osimhen.

The Lowdown: Osimhen linked with United

The Nigeria international, who former United striker Odion Ighalo described as ‘the future’, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford this month.

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Reports earlier this month claimed that Erik ten Hag’s side were ‘on pole’ to sign the 23-year-old, who is also wanted by Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Ten Hag faced the media as Red Devils manager for the first time on Monday, with Old Trafford chiefs seemingly hard at work over new signings for the Dutchman behind the scenes.

The Latest: Transfer update

Sport Witness relayed an important transfer update from La Repubblica regarding Osimhen.

They claimed that AC Milan have now joined the race for the Nigeria international, although they added that the ‘most important offer’ has come from United.

Osimhen is thought to be an ‘alternative’ target to Harry Kane, with the Tottenham striker seemingly Ten Hag’s priority.

The Verdict: Expensive…

It remains to be seen how much United’s offer for Osimhen was worth, but you’d expect that it would need to be a big bid for Napoli to consider parting ways with their star attacker.

Osimhen is valued at £54m by Transfermarkt and still has three years remaining on his current deal. Reports have previously mooted a €90m (£76.8m) figure, so a transfer could eat into Ten Hag’s budget of £100m-£150m, some of which he wants to spend on Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

However, United could well offload a few players over the coming months to raise funds, such as right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Eric Bailly, so a prospective big-money move for Osimhen could be one to watch.

In other news: Sky Sports man now worried at ‘dangerous’ MUFC move Glazers have approved after landing Ten Hag

Aston Villa transfer target Henrikh Mkhitaryan is set to snub a return to the Premier League in favour of a move to Inter Milan.

What’s the story?

That’s according to renowned transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed that the Roma attacking midfielder has reached a verbal agreement with the Serie A runners-up ahead of joining on a free transfer.

Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla tweeted last week that the Villans were among the clubs interested in signing the Armenian on a free transfer, with the former Manchester United and Arsenal playmaker’s current contract at the Stadio Olimpico set to expire next month.

Villa have already made three statement signings this month with the permanent capture of Philippe Coutinho followed by the additions of Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos, and they will be disappointed to miss out on what would’ve been another high-profile signing.

Villa supporters will be gutted

Despite being 33 years old, Mkhitaryan could have proved to be an excellent addition to Aston Villa’s squad.

Although regular game-time may not have been a guarantee, especially with some of the prospective signings which could still be made, quality squad depth could be crucial if Gerrard wants to take the Villans to the next level.

The Armenia international has been a regular for Roma since joining initially on loan from Arsenal in 2019, making 117 appearances over the past three seasons; 44 of those came this term, with Jose Mourinho’s side winning the inaugural Europa Conference League whilst finishing sixth in Serie A.

With five goals and nine assists in 2021/22, Mkhitaryan proved once again that he is a quality squad player, with the attacking midfielder finding his quality once again in Italy after a tricky period in England with both Manchester United and Arsenal.

However, with the likes of Coutinho, Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore among the attacking midfielders already in the Villa squad, accommodating the 33-year-old would have almost certainly depended on the sale of at least one current Villa player.

With the Armenian having an impressive pedigree and plenty of talent, Villa supporters will have to hope that they dodged a bullet by missing out on Mkhitaryan, with the failure to capture a high-quality and experienced attacking midfielder potentially leaving the fan base gutted.

AND in other news: Gerrard can seal “no-brainer” Villa signing with bid for “outstanding” £25m talent

West Ham United will look into signing Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Dennis delivers despite Watford relegation

Whilst the Hornets endured a tough season in the Premier League, having won just six games all season, the Nigeria international can hold his head high, given he achieved a double-figure goal tally for a team which was relegated.

The Daily Mirror have reported in recent weeks that the Irons are looking at a move for the 24-year-old and that the east London club could secure the player’s services for £20m.

The Latest: Jones’ claim on Dennis

Following Watford’s relegation to the Championship, Jones expects the Hammers to look into the possibility of bringing Dennis to the London Stadium this summer.

Speaking with GiveMeSport on Sunday night, he claimed: “It’ll be interesting. There are loads of names that West Ham are looking at at the moment. People like Emmanuel Dennis, I’m sure that they’ll be looking into situations like that because they always explore good opportunities, but we’ll have to wait.”

The Verdict: Good competition for Antonio

With Michail Antonio being West Ham’s only senior striker, the arrival of Dennis would provide the Jamaica international with much-needed competition for the number nine role in David Moyes’ starting XI.

When compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the 32-year-old ranks in the 40th percentile for non-penalty goals, whereas Dennis ranks in the 81st percentile (via FB Ref).

According to WhoScored, the Nigerian forward was the Hornets’ best player this season, with an average match rating of 6.89 across the campaign. That would put him fifth among the Irons’ squad, indicating that he’d probably be well able to make an impression for Moyes’ team.

This shows how the 24-year-old has proven himself to be Premier League quality, so a move to the London Stadium could prove to be a shrewd one from GSB if they can lure him from Vicarage Road.

In other news: Paddy Kenny makes Jarrod Bowen transfer claim

Newcastle United are reportedly now eyeing up a move to sign Yann Sommer this window.

The Lowdown: Great career

Sommer has had a great career playing at a high level for both club and country.

He has played 74 times by Switzerland.

The 33-year-old became a national hero after an outstanding performance against favourites France in Euro 2020, keeping them in the game before saving crucial penalties in the shootout.

Asked about those displays at the Euros, former assistant coach for the national team Michel Pont claimed that Sommer is a ‘cat’ with ‘incredible muscular elasticity.’

The Latest: Henderson alternative

Writing in his latest piece for talkSPORT, transfer insider Alex Crook has revealed that the St. James’ Park outfit are now ‘on the trail’ of Sommer, after ‘cooling’ their interest in Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

They want to sign a ball-playing ‘keeper to replace current number one Martin Dubravka, and Sommer fits the bill.

He only has one year left on his contract at Gladbach, and is ‘reluctant’ to sign a new deal with the Germans.

The Verdict: Smart move

Signing Sommer would be a smart move from the North East club, given that he is likely to be available for a reduced price with only a year left on his deal.

He is only earning £40,000-per-week as well, and so is unlikely to break their wage structure.

Nonetheless, Henderson is likely to be far more expensive given that he is eight years younger, has two more years left on his contract at Old Trafford, and would be signing from a Premier League rival, meaning that Sommer would be a suitable alternative.

In other news, find out what significant NUFC transfer update has now been dropped here!

Sunderland are set to embark on their first Championship campaign since the 2017/18 season and will be looking to avoid relegation at the first attempt.

Alex Neil and Kristjaan Speakman will be working hard to improve the squad in the coming weeks and months in order to give themselves the best chance of competing in the second tier.

One player who has been tipped to make a move to the Stadium of Light is young Tottenham centre-forward Troy Parrott, who spent last season on loan at MK Dons in League One.

Former Black Cats striker Stephen Elliott has suggested that a move to Wearside would suit the 20-year-old, saying: “For him to keep improving, he needs to move himself up a level. I think somewhere like Sunderland – they need a couple of strikers – they’ve got Ross Stewart there at the moment but he could do with a little help in there.

“I think if Troy Parrott came to Sunderland, I think he’d embrace playing for a club like that with the big crowds, the atmosphere at the games and that feeling of doing well there and thriving there. He looks like the type of player that thrives on playing on the big occasion and I think it could be a really good move.”

Sunderland’s own Harry Kane

By securing a deal for Parrott, either on loan or permanently, Speakman can find the club’s own version of the England captain.

The obvious links between the two players are that they are both Tottenham academy graduates who play up front and both spent time on loan at Millwall early in their respective careers.

Along with that, they are both strikers who are equally capable of scoring and assisting goals from the number nine position.

In the 2020/21 campaign, Kane won the Golden Boot and the Playmaker award in the Premier League with 23 goals and 14 assists. Meanwhile, Parrott has just enjoyed an impressive year out on loan with MK Dons in League One as he offered a glimpse of what he can be capable of at a higher level.

Keith Andrews said that the youngster is “flying” with Ireland at international level. The striker has three goals in 13 matches for the Boys in Green so far, which shows that he can handle the pressure of playing for his country.

At the age of 20, the £7k-per-week gem is in the early stages of his career and has the potential to develop further and hit higher numbers with his contributions in the final third.

Sunderland must now act on Elliott’s advice and swoop for the youngster, who has been dubbed “incredible” by compatriot and former MK Dons team-mate Connor Coventry, as he can develop into the Black Cats’ own version of Kane – scoring and creating goals in equal measure in the Championship.

AND in other news, Speakman eyeing SAFC deal for “top quality” £33k-p/w wizard, imagine him & Pritchard…

Leeds United supporters may not be too thrilled to see a familiar name linked with a switch to Elland Road this week…

What’s the word?

According to TEAMtalk editor James Marshment, relaying news from his website, the Yorkshire giants are keen on signing Adama Traore from Wolves in a cut-price deal.

“@TEAMtalk understands Victor Orta remains keen on a deal for Adama Traore this summer amid claims Wolves will now accept a cut-price £20m fee. Winger was brought to Boro by Orta back in August 2016,” he tweeted alongside an accompanying article written by his colleague Graeme Bailey.

Spurs have also shown strong interest in the Spaniard and there is currently no plan for Barcelona to sign him permanently following a mixed loan spell in LaLiga last season.

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Poor Raphinha replacement

With the future of Raphinha so uncertain in west Yorkshire, there won’t be many supporters happy to see Traore’s name mentioned with a move to Leeds this off-season.

The Brazil international finished the 2021/22 campaign as their top scorer in all competitions and proved to be their major creative outlet on the wing, having averaged 0.7 more key passes per game than any other player, as per WhoScored.

It remains to be seen where or if he will go, though he’s going to rake in at least £45m, according to Fabrizio Romano (via Metro).

Simply put, Traore isn’t fit to lace Raphinha’s boots and would be something of a dire replacement, with his end-product a big, big issue.

“Last season his numbers were poor. Go back two or three seasons it was all about his end product not being good enough and it probably wasn’t,” claimed Danny Mills to Football Insider.

Indeed, at the Nou Camp, he could only muster up two assists across 11 appearances, taking his total combined for both Barcelona and Wolves in 2021/22 to one goal and four assists in 40 games, via Transfermarkt.

On that evidence, the current Leeds star is leagues apart from Traore, and Orta would be making a bad decision in signing him this summer, with some fans already left fuming on social media.

AND in other news, Leeds United can land their own Declan Rice by signing “unbelievable” £38k-p/w gem…

According to an update in the last 48 hours from Football Insider, Aston Villa have submitted an official bid for Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Phillips eyes Leeds exit

The 26-year-old has played for his boyhood club ever since graduating from the Whites’ youth system, where he’s worked his way up through the ranks to become one of the most highly-rated players in Jesse Marsch’s starting XI.

Even though he still has two years remaining on his current contract, the midfielder has reportedly been eyeing up an Elland Road exit for some time, regardless of whether or not the Yorkshire outfit would have avoided relegation from the Premier League.

There has been plenty of interest in the maestro from multiple top-flight clubs, predominantly Manchester City and Manchester United, but following a fresh update, it looks as though two more teams have joined the race for his signature.

The Latest: Villa submit bid for Phillips

In a new article published by Football Insider, it’s claimed that Villa, alongside West Ham, have both ‘submitted bids’ and have tried to secure Phillips by ‘tabling offers’, but look likely to miss out on his services thanks to Pep Guardiola’s side.

The report states that a recruitment source has told the website that the Leeds number 23 is ‘expected to complete’ a £50m move to the Etihad in the coming weeks, with his ‘heart set’ on joining the English champions.

The Verdict: Long-term target

Having previously sealed deals for the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Diego Carlos, Villa are right to go into the summer window with the confidence that they can attract the most sought-after players, but City is clearly too big of an opportunity for Phillips to turn down.

The 23-cap international, who was once described as a “rock” in midfield by Andrea Pirlo, has been a long-term target of the Midlands outfit, with former manager Dean Smith reportedly holding talks with him over a potential move back in 2019.

However, if he rejected a move to Villa then, you’d imagine that he won’t accept one now when he’s got a club like City knocking on his door, meaning that Steven Gerrard’s hunt for a new addition in the middle of the park goes on.

Frank Lampard must bring in some new faces that will immediately improve his Everton side or his tenure in Merseyside might be shorter-lived than many thought when he took over from Rafa Benitez in January.

The Goodison faithful will surely not tolerate another season like last year, where the club avoided Premier League relegation by the skin of their teeth on the penultimate fixture of the campaign.

Lampard will be keen to strengthen his squad and has already made a fast start, securing a deal for defender James Tarkowski who will join the club when his Burnley contract expires. The 44-year-old has eyes on other targets too, such as Chelsea trio Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher, and Levi Colwill.

With the club linked with plenty of potential incomings, there will be a need for Lampard to move on some deadwood and free up the wage budget and generate much-needed funds. One player that should be on his way out of Goodison is Andre Gomes.

The club signed the player from Barcelona in 2019 for £22m and he has been underwhelming, to say the least, with Greg O’Keeffe even describing him as a “walking red card” following a poor performance last season.

Gomes averaged a dreadful WhoScored rating of 6.17 last season and was ranked a lowly 25th in the Everton squad. Lampard could find the perfect replacement in a move for Manchester City player Oleksandr Zinchenko, who the club have been linked with.

Although he plays at left-back in Manchester, the Ukrainian international excels for his country in a midfield role and Lampard could give him this opportunity as he seeks a move away from City.

The 25-year-old has been described as “unique” by journalist Mark Critchley and had an average rating of 7.07 on SofaScore for his performances last season.

The player made an impressive 91% accurate passes per match, created three big chances, and averaged 1.1 key passes per game also.

Lampard needs some solidity in the midfield area and Zinchenko could be a brilliant signing for the Englishman ahead of the new season and he could give the Ukrainian a new lease of life in midfield.

AND in other news: Imagine him & DCL: Moshiri can form deadly Everton duo in bid for “world-class” talent

Manchester United have approached the camp of free agent Paulo Dybala, according to FC Inter News (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

28-year-old forward Dybala has officially left Juventus after reaching the end of his contract.

Inter Milan are determined to sign him, with CEO Giuseppe Marotta describing the signing as one of their ‘main goals’ for the transfer window.

However, Marotta also stressed that Inter needed to think about the ‘financial implications’ of bringing in both Dybala and Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku has sealed a loan return to the San Siro, just 12 months on from joining Chelsea.

The Premier League club demanded in the course of negotiations that Inter pay a €10million loan fee and cover the entirety of Lukaku’s £325,000-per-week salary.

Dybala, for his part, apparently earned £220,000 per week during his time at Juventus.

The latest

The report states that both United and Arsenal have ‘called the agent’ to ‘understand the situation’.

It seems they’re registering their interest in the event that the deal proves to be beyond Inter.

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The verdict

Dybala would be a blockbuster signing for Erik ten Hag and Manchester United.

He won the Serie A Player of the Year Award in 2019/20, ahead of his then-teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.

Across 293 appearances for Juventus, he was directly involved in 163 goals (scored 115, assisted 48).

Transfermarkt value him at £31.5million, so picking him up on a free is very tempting.

And United could certainly do with another player capable of playing up front after Edinson Cavani left the club.