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Phil Hay has dropped an update on the future of reported Leeds United transfer target Darko Gyabi.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter and report for The Athletic, the journalist revealed that, following the Whites’ acceptance of a £42m bid from Manchester City for Kalvin Phillips, Victor Orta is now closing in on a £5m deal for the 18-year-old midfielder from the Etihad Stadium.

Hay added in a further tweet that the England under-18 international is set to sign a four-year deal at Elland Road following the completion of his medical with Jesse Marsch’s side, which is expected to take place next week.

In his tweets, the journalist said: “Leeds lining up 18-year-old centre midfielder Darko Gyabi to come in the opposite direction from City. Set to sign a four-year deal with Leeds after a medical next week.”

“Ideal number 8”

The prospect of losing a homegrown talent such as Kalvin Phillips will undoubtedly come as a gutting blow to Orta, Marsch and supporters of the Whites, but with the seemingly imminent signing of Gyabi, it appears as if Leeds have landed a player who could well go on to match the England international’s impact in the middle of the park further down the line.

Indeed, since making the move from Milwall to Manchester City in November 2018, the midfielder has become something of a stalwart in the heart of City’s under-18 and under-23 sides, with nine goals and two assists in 24 appearances for the former and one goal and three assists in 15 outings for the latter.

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Furthermore, the teenager who Neil Harris dubbed an “exceptional young player” has already earned some high praise in his short career, none more so than from Harry Brooks, the co-founder of CREATE talent agency.

He stated of Gyabi following news of the teenager’s proposed switch to LS11: “Leeds United are signing a wonderful talent and class young man in Darko Gyabi. He will have made his Premier League debut by the end of the season, I have zero doubts. If you’re building an ideal number 8 in a lab, you’d come up with something like him.”

Brooks added: “There is no downside to this transfer from a Leeds United perspective. It’s unlikely he will be signed with a view to immediate first-team football. He will simply force his way in by being so good. It’s as good as a youth transfer as you can get.”

As such, while Gyabi is by no means a direct and readymade replacement for Phillips, it is clear to see just how talented a prospect the 18-year-old is. Hay’s update that Orta is closing in on the England youth international as his fourth summer signing is undoubtedly fantastic news for the future of the Whites.

AND in other news: Victor Orta now plotting Leeds bid for “beautiful” £26m target, he “has everything”

Former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor has tipped Celtic attackers to flourish following the appointment of Harry Kewell as first-team coach. 

The lowdown: Jobs for the boys

Sky Sports revealed recently that the former Australia winger is set to be named among Ange Postecgoglou’s backroom staff for the 2022/23 campaign having left English National League side Barnet last September, where he was manager for just seven matches.

Kewell will join John Kennedy, Stephen McManus, Gavin Strachan and Stevie Woods in making up the coaching setup at Celtic Park and will bring a wealth of experience to the Lennoxtown ranks that saw the 43-year-old represent Leeds United, Melbourne Heart, Liverpool and Galatasary during an illustrious playing career.

Since retirement, the Champions League winner has managed Watford Under 23s, Crawley, Oldham, and Notts County before the spell at Barnet.

The latest: Agbonlahor endorses move

Speaking to Football Insider, former Aston Villa striker and regular talkSPORT pundit Agbonlahor claimed that the appointment of Kewell could be a masterstroke from the Hoops hierarchy.

He said: “The wingers in the team especially will be looking at Harry Kewell thinking ‘I remember you at Leeds, Liverpool and how good of a winger you were’. He had great technique and shooting.

“Definitely they will want to learn off him. I always think it’s a good idea to have ex-players who have played the game to be around and help. They can give their experiences of football and coaching to players.”

The verdict: Smart move

Albeit the managerial career of Kewell hasn’t quite gone to plan as of yet, having appeared at a World Cup, started a Champions League final and lifted the English FA Cup, the 56-cap ex-Australia international boasts a wealth of knowledge that each and every Celtic player can tap into.

A goalscoring winger who netted 122 goals in 506 career outings, allowing the Sydney-born coach to pass on information to the likes of Jota, Liel Abada, Daizen Maeda and talented youngster Mikey Johnston seems priceless.

A compatriot of Postecoglou, the pair will likely work harmoniously in tandem on the touchline and beyond as the Bhoys embark on their own Champions League adventure to accompany their domestic duties next season.

In other news… a reliable journalist has dropped a Sadio Mane transfer twist.

Liverpool are eyeing a move for Saint-Etienne youngster Saidou Sow as Jurgen Klopp looks to strengthen his squad ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

That’s according to French news outlet L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), which claimed that the Reds are keen on the 19-year-old and even sent scouts to watch him on international duty for Guinea.

Sow is under contract until 2025 and is just getting back to match fitness, having suffered an ankle injury since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

As per the report, the teenager has lost some of his market value since the start of the year but remains one of the club’s most bankable assets.

He’s an upgrade on Gomez

Despite already having defenders of the calibre of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip, Jurgen Klopp appears to be on the lookout for the next big talent or someone who could learn from some of the best in the Premier League.

There could be a need for some defensive reinforcements to come into the squad, though, especially with the future of Joe Gomez remaining uncertain going into the summer.

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Before the Africa Cup of Nations this year, Sow was included in a list of “ones to watch” from WhoScored. Comparing his statistics from 2021/22 with Gomez, there is a case to be made that he could be a big upgrade on the Englishman.

Sow offers a bigger goalscoring threat, having netted twice for Saint-Etienne last season, with Gomez not scoring at all, as both players registered one assist.

Sow completed 83.6% of his passes in Ligue 1, with Gomez completing 79.7% in the Premier League. This shows that the Saint-Etienne youngster is good at playing out from the back and would likely fit into Klopp’s system with ease.

The Guinea international also won more tackles (15 to four), made more blocks (18 to three) and made more than double the number of interceptions (29 to 12) compared to Gomez, although he did play in five more league matches than the Liverpool defender.

These figures suggest that Sow has the defensive attributes to excel in England, and alongside one of the world’s best players in Van Dijk, he could become one of the best in the Premier League further down the line.

AND in other news, Terms agreed: FSG are now “close” to making LFC’s second summer signing, Klopp will be delighted

Leeds United are set to make a move to bring Gonzalo Plata to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), who claim that, with it looking unlikely that Real Valladolid will be able to afford their €10m (£8.5m) option to buy the 21-year-old this summer, Victor Orta is now plotting a move for the Sporting Lisbon forward.

Further reports have revealed that Real Betis are also interested in a move for the Ecuador international in the summer transfer window, however, it is suggested that, with Sporting willing to sell to the highest bidder, Leeds currently have the upper hand and as a result, are edging closer to the winger’s signature.

The next Raphinha

Considering just how exciting a prospect Plata appears to be, coupled with the fact that Raphinha looks certain to leave Elland Road this summer, it is easy to see why Orta would be keen on a deal to bring the South American to LS11 ahead of the Whites upcoming Premier League campaign.

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Indeed, over his 30 LaLiga 2 appearances in 2021/22, the £4.5m-rated winger was in remarkable form for Valladolid, bagging six goals, providing five assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 1.4 key passes and completing 2.3 dribbles per game.

The 21-year-old talent also highly impressed when his side were out of possession, making an average of 1.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and winning 6.0 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per fixture.

These metrics saw the player who Sam Tighe claimed possesses a “huge amount of talent” – as well as “lovely dribbling” and an “extremely hard” work rate – average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.96 – playing a pivotal role in his team securing promotion to LaLiga.

As such, considering Plata’s clear eye for goal, ability with the ball at his feet and a tremendous work ethic in a defensive capacity – not to mention his extremely reasonable asking price – it would very much appear as if the Ecuadorian sensation could well be Orta’s next Raphinha-esque discovery in the transfer market.

AND in other news: “We’re hearing..”: Phil Hay reveals big Leeds transfer twist, supporters surely gutted

West Ham have been linked with a move for Watford attacker Emmanuel Dennis recently and the Nigerian could be a superb addition to David Moyes’ side this summer.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Dean Jones, the Hammers will look into bringing the striker to the London Stadium ahead of next season, following Watford’s relegation back to the Championship.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “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.”

A no-brainer for the Hammers?

Although Watford succumbed to relegation last season, Dennis was one of their star performers in the top flight, particularly in the first half of the season and arguably showed that he is capable of forging a successful career in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old contributed an impressive ten goals and six assists in 33 appearances for the Hornets, averaging a solid 6.89 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which was enough to rank him as their top performer across the season.

The Sun have previously reported that he could be available for as little as £20m this summer, and with West Ham desperately in need of attacking reinforcements after once again failing to bring in a striker in January’s transfer window, this is a deal that would make a lot of sense for Moyes.

Claudio Ranieri was full of praise for Dennis during his short spell at Watford last season, saying:

“[Dennis] is a very talented player. He’s fast, has good skill, always runs straight to the goal – I love these kinds of players.”

If the Hammers are to progress next season then they certainly need more strength in depth and Dennis could be the ideal man to level up Moyes’ attack, as his versatility allows him to play anywhere across a front three.

He is proven in the Premier League, still young and will surely be keen to avoid a season in the Championship, so Moyes should definitely look to bring him in.

And, in other news…West Ham can sign their own Vardy in “fearless” 22 y/o

Newcastle United are believed to have emerged as a surprising suitor for Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold in a report for football.london.

The Lowdown: Spence profiled

The 21-year-old worked his way up through the ranks of Fulham’s academy system before making the move to the Riverside Stadium back in 2018, where he’s made a total of 70 senior appearances for the Championship outfit.

The defender was allowed to leave the Boro last summer under former manager Neil Warnock in a bid to find some much-needed game time, which resulted in him joining Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan.

Steve Cooper’s side recently secured promotion to the Premier League following a 1-0 victory against Huddersfield Town in the play-off final at Wembley last weekend, and the youngster’s performances more than contributed to the Reds making the jump up to the top flight, with his displays being so impressive that he appears to have attracted plenty of interest heading into the upcoming transfer window.

The Latest: Newcastle join the race

In a new article published by football.london’s Gold, it’s claimed that Spence has ‘caught the eye’ of several clubs in the top division and across Europe, with Tottenham Hotspur currently one of the ‘front runners’ for his signature.

However, Spurs are set to face competition from the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Brentford, Forest, and the Magpies, who all want to sign the ace in the coming weeks.

The report further states that a £16m price tag has been put on the wing-back, and whilst a decision regarding his future will have to be made soon, it’s expected to be ‘at least another couple of weeks’ before anything official is confirmed.

The Verdict: Standout performer

The talented prospect has been one of Forest’s standout performers this season and has been a regular feature in Cooper’s starting XI, having recorded a staggering 50 outings across all competitions, scoring three goals and registering five assists during that time, as per Transfermarkt.

Spence, who was once dubbed an “unbelievable” player by BBC pundit Ian Wright, is set to represent the Three Lions later this month after being selected as part of England’s latest U21 squad.

It’s clear to see many clubs will be in the race for the colossus when the time comes that he has to decide his next destination, but whether that place will be St. James’ Park remains to be seen.

In other news… a Sky Sports reporter has been left impressed following a recent Newcastle appointment.

Aston Villa are interested in signing Sevilla defender Diego Carlos, according to a report from The Athletic. 

The lowdown: Carlos’ career so far

Signed from Ligue 1 outfit Nantes in 2019, the centre-back has amassed 136 appearances for Sevilla since arriving in Spain.

The 29-year-old also made six outings for the Brazil team which won Olympic gold in Tokyo last year and has previously been a major target for Newcastle United.

It now seems as though Steven Gerrard could be readying an approach to bring Carlos to Villa Park…

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The latest: Villa exploring Carlos swoop

As per The Athletic, Villa are ‘exploring the possibility’ of signing the experienced Brazilian centre-back this summer.

It’s claimed that Gerrard is ‘looking to strengthen his defensive options’ in the Villa squad as the 41-year-old attempts to build a squad capable of challenging in the top half of the Premier League table.

However, the report added that the asking price and salary for the man dubbed ‘amazing’ by journalist Dermot Corrigan following a standout display in the 2020 Europa League final could be a ‘complication’ for Villa owners NSWE.

The verdict: Make it happen

Carlos could be a potentially expensive signing given his £40.5m market value and contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), but his proven quality from 230 top-flight outings in Spain, France and Portugal would be an upgrade on Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause.

During the 2021/22 season, the powerful Brazilian earned a superb 7.09 Sofascore rating whilst winning four duels and making 3.5 clearances per game, helping Sevilla to keep 13 clean sheets whilst also chipping in with three league goals.

His overall rating was significantly higher than the three aforementioned Villa centre-backs, with Mings coming out the best at 6.91 from Sofascore.

Signing a player of the calibre of Carlos would be a stellar statement from the Midlands club as they look to move on to the next phase of their development under Gerrard.

In other news: NSWE now eyeing another defender; Villa chiefs sent to club after Gerrard approves

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Ugurcan Cakir to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to former Turkish international Ali Kemal Denizci, who claimed in a recent interview with Radyospor (via Leeds Live) that both Leeds and Newcastle United are lining up a move for the Trabzonspor goalkeeper at the end of the current campaign.

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Denizci goes on to claim that the 26-year-old is keen on leaving Turkey after helping his side lift their first Turkish Super Lig title for 38 years, with the Whites and the Magpies looking to be the most likely destinations for the 18-time capped Turkey international.

“One to keep an eye on”

While it is undeniable that Illan Meslier is a fantastic young goalkeeper with an incredibly exciting future in the game, considering just how impressive Cakir has been for Trabzonspor in recent years, it is easy to see why Victor Orta would be interested in a deal to bring the shot-stopper to Elland Road this summer.

Indeed, over his 35 Super Lig appearances this season, the £16.2m-rated talent was imperious between the Trabzonspor sticks, keeping ten clean sheets, as well as making an average of 3.5 saves – the joint third-most in the league – and conceding just 0.9 goals per game.

These returns have seen the £22k-per-week shot-stopper who Conor McGilligan dubbed both “incredible” and “one to keep an eye on” average a quite spectacular SofaScore match rating of 7.17, ranking him as Abdullah Avci’s sixth-best performer in the top flight of Turkish football.

As such, while it would reportedly take an offer in the region of $50m (£40m) to secure the signing of the 26-year-old this summer, should Leeds go on to seal their place in the Premier League ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, this would appear to be a price well worth paying for Orta – as Cakir would undoubtedly help to shore up the Whites’ incredibly leaky defence next season.

AND in other news: Leeds handed huge boost as early Brentford team news emerges, Marsch will be buzzing

Everton are in a vulnerable position in the Premier League with just two games left to go in their fight to avoid their first relegation from top-flight football in over 70 years.

Frank Lampard will be feeling the pressure after his team fumbled their opportunity to secure definite safety last weekend, but will have their penultimate opportunity to save themselves against Crystal Palace on Thursday in their final home game of the season at Goodison Park.

There is no doubt that if Everton can remain in the Premier League next season there needs to be drastic changes at the club to ensure they are not in this position again and getting rid of players who are ineffective or negatively impacting the team is an absolute necessity.

With that being said, following a disappointing season, Salomon Rondon should be on the list of players the Toffees boss must be willing to sell and replace this summer.

In the game against Brentford, the rarely-seen striker was given a golden opportunity to come on and positively affect the game with the side down a goal in the last ten minutes of the game. However, he lost the ball every 1.5 touches, instead of exercising some damage control and taking his chances. Rondon was also red-carded just four minutes after coming on the pitch.

The ineffectiveness displayed in the game on Sunday has been a reflection of the 32-year-old’s entire season at Goodison Park, making 20 appearances and scoring just once in a defeat against Crystal Palace.

According to SofaScore, the centre-forward has created no big chances, is unsuccessful in the majority of his dribbles (60%) and has averaged at a shocking 15.2 touches per game, proving that he has been completely anonymous and ineffective in his attacking role for the Toffees since he joined last summer.

After the £28k-per-week flop’s short appearance against Thomas Frank’s side, Sky Sports pundit Don Hutchinson made a bold statement about Rondon’s future at the club, saying:

“This will be Rondon’s last game in an Everton shirt.”

If Everton do manage to complete the great escape by the end of this week, Lampard must get to work to improve the team and take them in a new direction ahead of next season.

Getting rid of Rondon in particular should be a priority so he can focus on improving the goal-scoring opportunities the side needs to be completing to win games.

AND in other news: Talks ongoing: Major Everton transfer development will leave supporters fuming 

A ‘rising star’ at Tottenham Hotspur has now looking for a new club after being told he has no future under Antonio Conte, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs exodus awaits?

While much has been made of backing Conte in the summer transfer market, it is believed that just as many, if not more, players could be departing Hotspur Way in a major Premier League reshuffle.

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The obvious names linked with a move away are Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Steven Bergwijn among others as transfer chief Fabio Paratici is tasked to balance the books.

Paratici’s overhaul of the scouting department appears to spread all the way down to academy level as N17 could also see a plethora of top young talents depart, according to Football Insider.

The Latest: Spurs ‘rising star’ told he has no future…

As per a Lilywhites ‘source’, speaking to the outlet, promising winger and ‘rising star’ Jeremie Mukendi is now set to leave Spurs after being told he has no future at the club.

Indeed, the 21-year-old has been informed that there is no new deal in the pipeline with his current contract at the Premier League side set to expire next month.

Mukendi will now follow both Khalon Haysman and Dante Cassanova in exiting with the north Londoners having made their decision on the talents.

The Verdict: Interesting future ahead…

Playing 20 time for the club’s Under-18’s and five times for their Under-23’s, Mukendi was a schoolboy sprint champion and emerged through the academy with some promise as one Spurs ‘batch of rising stars’ (Football Insider).

The fact he’s been told he has no future under Conte or hope of breaking into the first team is perhaps testament to the amount of competition at the Hotspur Way academy.

Even wonderkids like Dane Scarlett, previously lauded as a ‘diamond’ by Jose Mourinho, has barely featured for Tottenham this season and it appears even the best breakthrough players will have to be very patient in this new era.

Mukendi’s departure could represent the real rise in standards at Spurs both in the first team and lower down the club.

In other news: Offer made: Paratici tables crucial bid as Conte personally pushes for Spurs signing, find out more here.