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Journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a concerning update regarding the future of Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane…

What’s the word?

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider has revealed that the Senegal international’s move to Bayern Munich has taken a step closer, with the 30-year-old having agreed personal terms with the Bundesliga outfit: “Sadio Mané has reached full verbal agreement with Bayern on personal terms. Three year contract ready – talks will enter into final stages with Liverpool, new bid set to be submitted.

“LFC are aware of his decision: Mané wants Bayern – and it’s really close now.”

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This follows reports from the end of last month that revealed the former Southampton man is ‘expected’ to leave Anfield this summer, having also teased a potential exit while on international duty.

The long-serving forward – who joined the Merseyside club from the Saints back in 2016 in a £34m deal – has just a year remaining on his existing contract, hence the increased uncertainty over his future.

Klopp gutted

While the arrival of Benfica starlet Darwin Nunez has helped to somewhat soften the blow, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp will no doubt be gutted at the prospect of losing one of his key men this summer, with Mane having been instrumental in the club’s rise under the German.

Since his switch six years ago, the £63m-rated speedster has gone on to register a staggering 120 goals and a further 40 assists in 269 games in all competitions, notably winning the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League title the following year.

Part of a ruthless and lethal forward line alongside Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah for much of his time at the club, the £200k-per-week machine has at times been overshadowed by the prolific Egyptian, yet his impact has certainly not gone unnoticed, with club legend Jamie Carragher full of praise for the way the winger has “sacrificed” for the team in recent years.

A relentless workhorse in Klopp’s remarkable side, the one-time Red Bull Salzburg man enjoyed yet another stellar campaign last time out, scoring 23 goals and providing five assists in all competitions as the Reds came within a whisker of winning an unprecedented quadruple, eventually settling for a domestic cup double after final day heartache and a European showpiece defeat to Real Madrid.

That most recent loss could well have been the 5 foot 9 marksman’s last game in a Liverpool shirt, with it looking like his fairytale run at the club is set to come to an end this summer.

That fact will be a bruising one for Klopp, not least due to his star asset’s potential destination, with the former Borussia Dortmund coach having routinely tussled with Bayern during his stint in charge in the Bundesliga.

The 55-year-old will not enjoy seeing the Bavarian giants getting one over on him…

AND in other news: Bid made: FSG now in LFC talks to land “world class” £60m “storm”, imagine him & Nunez

Liverpool have been linked with a summer move for Real Madrid attacking midfielder Marco Asensio, as Jurgen Klopp potentially looks at more attacking signings.

The Lowdown: Asensio out of contract soon

The Spaniard has found himself in and out of Madrid’s team in the past 12 months, failing to nail down a regular spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s starting lineup.

Asensio started exactly half of his side’s La Liga games last season – 19 out of 38 – but he did manage to chip in with ten goals in the competition.

The 26-year-old is out of contract at Madrid next summer, meaning he could look to leave in the coming months, despite being offered a new deal.

The Latest: Liverpool linked with move

According to reports in Spain [via Sport Witness], Klopp has been interested in the Spain international for a ‘long time’.

The report also states that, if he was available, Liverpool would ‘surely go for’ the Madrid man due to Klopp’s personal admiration, who scored in his side’s 2017 Champions League final win against Juventus.

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The Verdict: Would be a surprise

While Asensio is a proven player at the top level – he has been hailed as ‘world-class by Vicente del Bosque – it would be a surprise if he joined the Reds this summer.

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Darwin Nunez already looks likely to be coming in from Benfica, while Klopp also has outstanding current attacking options in Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino.

Sadio Mane may be moving on, but there is still a plethora of talent to choose from and it would be hard to guarantee a player of Asensio’s pedigree regular playing time.

In other news, a key update has emerged in Liverpool’s quest to sign one huge talent. Read more here.

Everton securing the signing of Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour on loan would ‘suit all parties’, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Tricky loan spell

The 20-year-old spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan in the Premier League with Norwich City.

Whilst the Scotland international made 24 top-flight appearances for the Norfolk club, he came under fire for a number of his performances.

Gilmour was singled out by some travelling Canaries fans for his display during Norwich’s 3-0 pummeling at the hands of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in late December, with manager Dean Smith later coming out and defending the youngster.

The Latest: Brown’s claim on Gilmour

90min have reported that another loan move for Gilmour is on the cards, with Fulham, Bournemouth, and Rangers all named as possible destinations for the 2022/23 season.

However, with Frank Lampard now in full flow with the Toffees, Brown believes that a move to Everton could be perfect for the young Scotsman.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the Daily Star journalist claimed: “I think if Chelsea were to allow him on loan again, I suspect they would quite like him to go and play for Lampard because they know Lampard will look after him.

“And I think even if he doesn’t play every game, he would be an asset, so that seems like a move that would suit all parties to me.”

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The Verdict: Good move for all

Former Rangers striker Kenny Miller hailed the 20-year-old during their time together at the Glasgow club, claiming that Gilmour is a “special talent”.

Whilst in charge at Chelsea, Lampard was also full of praise for the youngster. Dubbing him an “outstanding” player, the current Toffees manager handed the Scotland gem 17 senior appearances for the west London outfit, two of which came in the Champions League.

Therefore, despite an underwhelming spell at Norwich, a loan move to Everton could revitalise Gilmour’s career in the Premier League, particularly with a trusted, familiar face in Lampard to guide him along.

In other news: Frank McAvennie has reacted to this behind-the-scenes Everton development

Aston Villa have recently been credited with an interest in Nantes left-back Quentin Merlin, and the youngster could form an excellent duo with Lucas Digne in Steven Gerrard’s side.

What’s the word?

According to the Sunday Mirror (05/06, p72), Villa are lining up a move for the 20-year-old defender, with the view of him competing with Digne for a starting spot at Villa Park next season.

The report suggests that Villa scouts were impressed by the defender when sounding out new signing Boubacar Kamara in France and could now look to make him the fifth addition of what has already been a hectic transfer window.

A frightening duo?

Merlin enjoyed a solid breakthrough campaign with Les Canaris, making 33 appearances last season, in which he contributed two goals and three assists in all competitions.

This included a well-taken goal in a surprise 3-1 win against PSG, which led journalist Josh Bunting to tweet:

“What a goal from Quentin Merlin his first in Ligue 1, incredible technique to make it 2-0.”

The 20-year-old wonderkid is currently valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, but he is contracted at the Stade de la Beaujoire until 2026, so it may take a substantial fee for Villa to prise him away this summer.

If he were to make the switch to Villa Park, he could be an excellent deputy for Digne, who joined the club from Everton in the January transfer window, averaging a solid 6.96 rating from WhoScored across his 16 appearances in the Premier League under Gerrard.

The 28-year-old, who was once dubbed “frightening” as a prediction for the future of the French national team by Daniel Storey, has plenty of experience in the Premier League and with Barcelona, so could be an excellent tutor for Merlin as he adapts to English football.

With Matt Targett looking likely to depart Villa Park this summer after spending the second half of last season on loan with Newcastle, Gerrard will need a backup to Digne next season if the Villans are to realise their European ambitions.

If Merlin can produce the sort of form he showed for Nantes in the Premier League with Villa, then he could prove to be a magical addition to Gerrard’s squad, helping to form a magical left-back pairing in the Midlands.

And, in other news… Aston Villa must revive interest in winger loved by Thierry Henry

Liverpool are still in the race to sign Monaco starlet Aurelien Tchouameni this summer, according to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Three-way fight for Tchouameni

It looks almost certain that the 22-year-old will leave his current club this summer in order to kick on and reach the next stage of his blossoming career.

Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid look like the leading candidates to secure Tchouameni’s services, although the latter appear to have surged into pole position recently.

The Frenchman has enjoyed a magnificent season for Monaco, making 33 starts in Ligue 1, in which he averaged 2.5 tackles and 2.9 interceptions per game.

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The Latest: Romano provides Tchouameni update

Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, Romano gave a fresh update on the situation, suggesting that Liverpool are still very much in the mix. The reporter outlined:

“Key week ahead for Aurelien Tchouameni deal. Real Madrid had new contacts with club and player side during the weekend, before and after the Champions League final.

“Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are still on it – Real are in now in direct talks with Monaco.”

The Verdict: Ideal transfer target

It may be that Real Madrid end up signing Tchouameni ahead of Liverpool but he still has to be the Reds’ top summer transfer target, given his vast potential, having been described as the ‘best’ midfielder in Ligue 1 by his manager Niko Kovac.

Midfield is an area which needs to be improved upon at Anfield this summer, with some players ageing (Thiago, James Milner, Jordan Henderson), others still maturing (Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones) and the likes of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain not up to the required standard.

Tchouameni could be a game-changing addition in the middle of the park, possessing the physical and technical attributes to excel in a Jurgen Klopp team, not to mention being able to thrive as both a defensive and central midfielder.

In other news, one Spanish source has dropped a key Liverpool claim. Read more here.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have their sights set on a swoop for Vitoria Guimaraes’ young midfield duo, Andre Almeida and Guilherme Guedes.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Portuguese outlet Zero Zero who claims that negotiations are underway between Wolves and Vitoria SC.

As per the report, Wolves have long been tracking Almeida with the intention of moving for the 21-year-old in what will be a package deal, that would also see the 19-year-old known as Gui included.

It is said that a sum of between €10m (£8.5m) and €15m (£12.8m) could be enough to secure the duo in a package deal, with the fee expected to be closer to the latter mentioned €15m (£12.8m).

As of yet, no official agreement has been made.

Neves & Moutinho replacements?

With the uncertainty surrounding a certain Wolves duo in Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho, the Vitoria SC youngsters could help to fill the rather large void that the pair would leave.

Though, with Moutinho at least in talks with Wolves over a possible extension, and only one of the Vitoria SC duo ready to go straight into the first team, it’s more like a mix and match package.

Almeida, having featured 31 times for the Liga Portugal side is a player who could quickly be integrated within the Old Gold first team.

His average of 2.4 successful dribbles per 90 are better than Moutinho and Neves’ averages combined – with the Wolves pair’s 0.5 and 0.9 respective averages totalling 1.4 successful dribbles per game. Almeida’s average is actually around that of a winger, with his average this season also beating the likes of Daniel Podence, who has registered 2.1.

It’s a severely underrated but important metric in the centre of midfield, with Lage’s side lacking a central option that can consistently progress the ball. Almeida would allow them to be more direct in the attacking transition and allow them to build on the measly total of 41 big chances created – a metric that ranks the side as the fourth worst for BCC.

Gui, having made just five appearances in Liga Portugal will need a longer amount of time to establish himself in Lage’s side, but with Lage already negotiating a deal for the Portuguese starlets, you can see where his head is at amidst his rebuild this summer.

In other news: Tim Spiers drops behind-scenes Wolves update that’ll worry supporters at Molineux 

Glasgow Rangers have now been gifted a double injury boost ahead of a big week for the football club.

The Lowdown: Huge week

This is a huge week for the Teddy Bears, not because of their game away at Hearts in the Scottish Premiership at Saturday lunchtime, but because of the small matter of a UEFA Europa League final against Frankfurt on Wednesday night.

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Celtic have already won the SPFL title, so it would be smart for Giovanni van Bronckhorst to rest some of his key players against Hearts, thus keeping them fresh for Frankfurt in midweek.

The Latest: Team news

Speaking to the media in a post-match interview after they beat Ross County 4-1 at home on Wednesday night, van Bronckhorst revealed (via The Daily Record) that Ryan Jack ‘will be ready’ to play Frankfurt, while Scott Wright ‘is okay’ after coming off with a knock.

However, it will be a ‘close call’ whether Kemar Roofe will be able to return from injury.

The Verdict: Double boost

Despite the news on Roofe, it will be a double boost to have both Jack and Wright available, especially for the final on Wednesday.

Wright has five goals and two assists over both competitions so far this season, while Jack keeps things ticking in the middle of the park, as highlighted by his passing accuracy in both competitions (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, the Light Blues will need all of the help that they can get if they are to achieve the unthinkable and lift up the Europa League trophy.

In other news, find out who was an ‘absolute delight’ against Ross County here!

Former Premier League manager Alex McLeish has been left thrilled by the news that Tottenham Hotspur could be set to appoint Yaya Toure as a coach. 

The lowdown: Toure inbound…

Recently, a report from the Evening Standard confirmed that Spurs are considering offering the 38-year-old a permanent role at Hotspur Way.

Toure has been in situ in north London since December, working with the Lilywhites Under 18s whilst also learning towards his coaching badges.

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Having suitably impressed with his work, club officials are now set to hold talks with the one time UEFA Champions League winner over an ongoing full-time role moving forwards, a decision McLeish has given his backing to.

The latest: ‘Shrewd appointment’

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Scotland and Aston Villa boss suggested that Toure’s appointment would be an inspired one.

The 63-year-old said: “A great player. I’m sure that all the students, the wannabe coaches and wannabe players will look up to him definitely in a big way.

“Of course, that’s a massive influence. It’s a very shrewd appointment as well by Spurs. You would think that Yaya Toure will be looking at predecessors, and ex-teammates doing so well in the game now.

“He’ll be saying: ‘I want a piece of that. I want to still be involved in football,’ because of his love for the game.”

The verdict: Smart thinking

Albeit the ability to coach successfully has to come first, adding someone of the ex-Barcelona and Manchester City star’s experience and class to the coaching team in N17 can only be a positive influence on the young Spurs starlets.

A four-time African Football of the Year, Toure boasts a trophy-laden career and the type of winning credentials that first-team coach Antonio Conte would undoubtedly welcome to the behind the scenes ranks.

This is just another example of Daniel Levy and co perhaps finally getting their ducks in a row following numerous failed appointments between the departure of Mauricio Pochettino and the eventual arrival of Conte.

In other news: Report claims one ‘amazing’ Tottenham man is heading for the exit, find out more here.

Despite having only joined Tottenham Hostpur from Juventus on an initial 18-month loan deal costing £8.3m back in January – with the Premier League side having an obligation to buy the 22-year-old for £29.2m if certain criteria are met – Dejan Kulusevski has already become an integral part of Antonio Conte’s first team squad in north London.

Indeed, over his 18 Premier League appearances last season, the winger made an immediate impact at Spurs, scoring five goals, registering eight assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.4 shots, making 1.4 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £110k-per-week talent average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as Tottenham’s fourth-best performer in the league but also as the 25th-best player in the English top flight as a whole last time out.

The 6 foot 1 dynamo, who journalist Raj Chohan claimed is “unreal in transitions” and whose “fit for Conte-ball has been immense”, has also impressed over his six Premier League fixtures in the current campaign, having already bagged one goal, provided two assists and created one big chance, as well as taking an average of 1.3 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing one dribble per game.

As such, when taking into account the fact that, should Kulusevski go on to meet the criteria that will force Tottenham into splashing £29.2m to make the Sweden international’s loan move a permanent deal, the forward will have set chairman Daniel Levy back just £37.5m – £40.5m less than the 22-year-old’s current market valuation of £78m – it is evident that Paratici really did hit the jackpot when sealing a deal for the attacker last January.

Indeed, it is difficult to argue with Greg Jenner’s claim that the Swede looks to have been “a hell of a bargain” for the north London side, as not only is Kulusevski already one of the most exciting talents in the Premier League, but, at such a young age, he also appears to have the scope for exponential growth in the future – something that will certainly be an incredibly exciting prospect for Conte and Spurs supporters alike.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly turned down the chance to sign Jason Denayer on a free transfer which could prove to be Bruno Lage’s biggest mistake as manager.

What’s the word?

Wolves have been linked with signing the Belgium international in recent weeks, with the centre-back available on a free transfer after leaving Olympique Lyon at the end of last season.

Lage lost Romain Saiss, Willy Boly and Conor Coady during the summer but brought in just Nathan Collins as a replacement, which has left the Old Gold looking short of centre-back options.

After a deal for Craig Dawson fell through on deadline day, it seemed as if Denayer would be the best option for Lage, as he has Premier League and Champions League experience, and could obviously be signed after the deadline as a free-agent.

However, Express and Star journalist Liam Keen has now provided an update on Wolves’ pursuit of Denayer on Twitter.

He said:

“Wolves have moved on from looking at Jason Denayer. Currently no plan to use the free agent market to bring in a centre-back, particularly with the World Cup break fast approaching.”

Lage’s biggest mistake yet?

Wolves have switched to a four-at-the-back system this season and Lage clearly feels that he can cope with fewer centre-backs in his squad.

While Max Kilman and Collins look as if they will be a formidable duo at the back, having earned three clean sheets in the opening six Premier League games, Wolves could be in real trouble if either of those players were to pick up an injury.

Lage has Yerson Mosquera and Toti available as backups, but neither have any real top-flight experience. Mosquera has just one Wolves appearance to his name in the Carabao Cup, while Toti has only made five appearances for Wolves’ senior side.

Considering Wolves’ problems in front of goal, with just three goals so far in the Premier League, they are reliant on a strong defence for positive results and losing Kilman or Collins to injury could really derail their season.

Therefore, not signing Denayer feels like a huge risk on Lage’s part, and could well be one that he comes to regret later in the season.