An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s interest in signing Adrien Rabiot in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Adrien Rabiot to Newcastle?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Magpies have ‘tested the ground’ on a potential deal to sign the French midfielder on a free transfer at the end of the campaign, with his deal at Juventus set to expire, as Dan Ashworth eyes up a swoop for the gem.

The report claims that the 27-year-old is demanding €10m (£8.9m) per season, which works out at roughly £171k-per-week, and his current club are only willing to offer €7m (£6.2m) for two more seasons.

It is stated that fellow Premier League side Arsenal are also in the running for his signature and that a move to England is his ‘most likely’ destination.

Would Rabiot be an upgrade on Longstaff at Newcastle?

Ashworth could land Eddie Howe a big upgrade on current Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff by finalising a deal to sign Rabiot on a free transfer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Magpies academy graduate has enjoyed a resurgence in the first-team picture this season and worked his socks off in the middle of the park, but the Juventus dynamo could provide a step up in quality.

In the Premier League this term, Longstaff has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.74 across his 22 appearances, making 1.7 tackles and interceptions and 0.8 key passes per game. The Englishman has also won 44% of his duels and completed 80% of his attempted passes in midfield.

Meanwhile, Rabiot has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 in his 18 outings for Juventus in Serie A. The 27-year-old has made 2.8 tackles and interceptions and created 1.1 chances per match, whilst winning 54% of his duels and completing 84% of his passes, as per Sofascore.

These statistics suggest that the France international would be an upgrade on the Newcastle gem both in terms of his defensive quality and efficiency, and his creative talent in possession. Rabiot also provides a goal threat from midfield – scoring four times in the Italian top flight this season – whilst Longstaff has only managed four goals in 100 Premier League appearances in his career.

Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon once hailed the French midfielder’s physicality, saying: “He is a fantastic mix, he has the physical strength of Pogba, who is like a wardrobe, has the personality of Vidal and potentially the dynamism of Marchisio. He is incredible, extremely strong.”

This suggests that Rabiot has the physique to cope with the demands of English football, which would allow his qualities both in and out of possession to shine through.

Therefore, Ashworth could improve Newcastle’s options in the middle of the park by beating Arsenal to the Juventus star’s signature in the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur could turn to Roberto De Zerbi as Antonio Conte’s future at the club is looking rather bleak…

What’s the latest on Antonio Conte’s future at Spurs?

Renowned Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio recently provided an update on the 53-year-old, who remains out of contract in the summer.

Speaking to Sky Sports (via Tuttojuve), he claimed that negotiations over a new deal have stalled and there is now an expectation for his departure at the end of the season, with Serie A giants Juventus keeping a close eye on the situation.

Now, it seems as if the north London outfit are looking for potential replacements, in which the Brighton and Hove Albion boss has emerged as a likely candidate.

Has Roberto De Zerbi been linked to Spurs?

That’s according to Football Insider, who suggest that Spurs are monitoring the 43-year-old, having made an instant impression in replacing Graham Potter on the south coast.

The Italian has not only maintained the Seagulls’ impressive progress but has introduced a more attacking playstyle with a brimful of new talent. Only four teams have outscored De Zerbi’s men and they remain on course for their best-ever Premier League finish as they currently occupy sixth place, just four points behind Spurs.

His fellow countryman, meanwhile, has endured some inconsistencies at the helm of the Lilywhites and right now, he’s still in Italy as he looks to recover from an operation.

It’s been easy to question Conte’s commitment to the club as his furious and reactionary responses to defeats often lead to thoughts of if he’s already got one foot out of the door, though his one-game return last weekend – a 4-1 defeat to Leicester City – would suggest otherwise.

In his absence, assistant manager Cristian Stellini guided the side to an impressive victory over defending champions Manchester City – a result that now looks even better considering they toppled arch-rivals Arsenal in midweek.

It does seem likely, though, that a natural parting of ways will happen and De Zerbi should quite rightly be atop the shortlist.

His high-possession, fast-paced system is exciting and most importantly, somewhat successful. Indeed, since his arrival at the Amex Stadium, the Seagulls have recorded the most games with 70% possession or more – not even Pep Guardiola’s City.

All of the Premier League’s top guns have hailed him, ranging from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp describing him as “very influential,” whilst the aforementioned Spaniard claimed: “His impact in England will be massive in the future.”

Given the evidence above, chairman Daniel Levy could do little wrong in turning to the Brighton boss in a bid to end the ongoing uncertainty over Conte.

AND in other news, Signed for £15m, now worth over 4x more: Levy struck gold with Spurs’ 6 ft 2 “warrior”…

Manchester City are  willing to push Arsenal all the way in the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Man City eyeing a new midfielder

Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he wants to sign a new midfielder in the summer transfer window, with it recently emerging that Alexis Mac Allister is being targeted in a deal which could cost more than £70m.

The Sky Blues have also been linked with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, although it may be difficult to land the 19-year-old, given that Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid are also interested.

The Latest: Man City will push to sign Rice

According to Football Insider, Man City are planning to push Premier League title rivals Arsenal all the way in the transfer race for Rice over the summer.

The likes of Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested in the England midfielder, who could cost as much as £80m, although Champions League qualification could be crucial in this pursuit.

That puts City in a very strong position, with them looking like certainties to qualify for the tournament again next season, whereas that seems a tall order for the Merseysiders and west Londoners.

The Verdict: Get it done?

West Ham manager David Moyes has previously stated that £100m would be considered a ‘cheap’ amount for his club’s captain, so the potential availability of Rice for £80m gives City all the more reason to pursue a deal.

Hailed as ‘incredible’ by journalist Matt Law in the past, the 24-year-old ranks in the top 11% compared to other midfielders in Europe’s five main leagues for numerous key metrics, including his pass completion rate, progressive carries and interceptions.

Rice’s long-range shooting was also on display in the Irons’ 4-0 victory against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, netting his team’s third goal with a fantastic strike from outside the penalty box, achieving an 8.2 Sofascore rating for his efforts.

Also, the 24-year-old is likely to be just about to enter his prime footballing years, and he would appear be an excellent prospective addition to Guardiola’s side.

Chelsea welcome Southampton to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League this afternoon, with the two teams simply desperate to salvage some positivity in what has been a wretched campaign for both.

The visitors might sit bottom of the table, but the Blues – who have spent more than £550m since Todd Boehly assumed ownership of the club last year – have won just one of their nine matches across all competitions since the start of January, so the need to rectify that is glaring.

Graham Potter will welcome back the likes of Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who were all excluded from the Champions League knockout phase squad due to player congestion, consequently missing the midweek defeat against Borussia Dortmund.

Additionally, a host of players – including Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell – may be in contention following a raft of injuries to the west London outfit over recent weeks.

How might Potter line up his Chelsea team against Southampton?

Considering these factors, Potter might be inclined to revert to a similar team which claimed a third successive top-flight draw away to West Ham United last week. Here is Football FanCast’s predicted starting XI, which in turn sees two changes from the trip to Germany on Wednesday…

Predicted Chelsea line-up – Kepa; James, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Loftus-Cheek, Fernandez; Madueke, Felix, Mudryk; Havertz

Kepa Arrizabalaga takes his place between the sticks once again, having started the last eight Premier League matches in succession and conceded only one goal in his last four top-flight games.

In defence, Kalidou Koulibaly reverts to the bench and Badiashile will indeed return following his midweek Champions League absence. The former has been benched for the last two top-flight games and, at 31, might struggle with a second start in less than 72 hours; while the latter has impressed of late with a solid 7.38 Sofascore rating, the second-highest in Potter’s squad.

Elsewhere, the under-fire Marc Cucurella could retain his starting berth despite recent criticism, with Chilwell unlikely to be risked after hobbling off against Dortmund.

In midfield, January signing Enzo Fernandez will start once again, having featured from the beginning in every match since his arrival from Benfica, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has started Chelsea’s last two games after returning from injury, may be entrusted to add a robust aura one more.

In the offensive third, £29m January arrival Madueke – who has been dubbed “sensational” by journalist Danny Rust – comes back in following his Champions League omission, with Hakim Ziyech dropping out. Meanwhile the fleet-footed Mykhaylo Mudryk will hope to score after blanking across his first four outings in blue; while despite only scoring six times this season, Kai Havertz could continue to be entrusted at centre-forward in the absence of any more potent option.

Potter will meticulously select the team which he feels is best equipped to get Chelsea back winning, and nothing less than three points will do at home to the side who are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League and currently without a permanent manager.

Aston Villa are thought to be plotting a move for Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Dubravka profiled

The 34-year-old has made 128 appearances in the Premier League. The Slovakian was out on loan to Manchester United earlier this season and played in a 4-2 Carabao Cup win over Unai Emery’s Villa side in November.

He has since been recalled by the Magpies and made his first Premier League appearance of the season after Nick Pope was sent off against Liverpool last weekend.

The Latest: Villa linked with Dubravka

Football Insider shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding Dubravka, claiming that Villa and Brentford are laying the groundwork ahead of potential moves for the veteran.

Those two clubs are thought to be plotting a transfer, with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez linked with an exit from the Midlands this summer.

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The Verdict: Squad player?

Dubbed a leader by The Chronicle’s Mick Quinn, Dubravka could prove to be a shrewd second-choice shot-stopper due to his experience, although making him first-choice to replace Martinez would be a gamble by NSWE and Villa.

He has played just over 300 minutes of football during the current campaign and recently turned 34, appearing to enter the stage of becoming second fiddle at St James’ Park.

Villa have Martinez, Robin Olsen and Jed Steer on their books, but if two of those three were to leave this summer, then perhaps Dubravka could arrive alongside a younger ‘keeper, providing plenty of experience and knowledge of the English top flight.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has compared Bruno Guimaraes to Cristiano Ronaldo after he shed tears following the Newcastle United defeat in the Carabao Cup final.

What’s the latest on Guimaraes and the NUFC cup defeat?

On Sunday night, playing in the club’s first major cup final since 1999, the Magpies sadly fell at the final hurdle as they lost to Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

Indeed, first-half goals for Casemiro and Marcus Rashford were enough to see the Red Devils pick up the win, while Eddie Howe and co slumped to defeat.

After the game, when the Newcastle players took a moment to applaud their travelling support, cameras caught Guimaraes crying as he looked on with disappointment.

While speaking about this tender moment on his YouTube channel, Talbot noted that it reminded him of Ronaldo and praised the Brazilian midfielder for displaying just how much he cares for the club.

He explained (4:45): “I think even seeing Bruno crying tears was like, wow that’s something I saw Ronaldo do when Portugal got knocked out.

“You know, these massive stars getting so close but so near and I just thought wow, he really really cares about this club.” What do Bruno’s tears mean for Newcastle?

The Ronaldo incident Talbot is referring to is perhaps when the former Red Devil cried following a defeat with Portugal during the 2006 World Cup – although he has shed a tear more than once over the span of his career.

Seeing as the Magpies have not won a major trophy since 1955, it’s not hard to see why the occasion would have meant an awful lot to the team.

Even so, Guimaraes only arrived in Newcastle just over a year ago – signing for £40m from Lyon in January 2022 – and so wouldn’t necessarily have any great reason to be so fond of the club.

Evidently, though, he has already formed a huge bond with the club and this latest display of raw emotion will likely only endear him to the Toon Army even more.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke says that Benfica defensive midfielder Florentino Luis would ‘be a real marquee signing’ for Everton this summer.

The Lowdown: Everton interest

As per Portuguese news outlet Record, Everton sent scouts to watch Luis play in Benfica’s 2-0 win away at Club Brugge in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie.

They are interested in a move this summer, but Benfica do not want to entertain any talks at this moment in time.

The Latest: ‘Marquee signing’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke says that Luis would ‘be a real marquee signing’ at Goodison Park, but he is protected by a ‘huge’ release clause of €120m (£105m):

“He would be a big signing if they could get him. He’s got a huge release clause at Benfica, so I don’t think Everton will be getting anywhere near that, but Florentino Luis has had a really good season for Benfica.

“His stats are right up there with the best defensive midfielders in Europe so, if Everton were able to pull off this signing, he would be a real marquee signing because there are a number of top clubs across Europe monitoring his situation as well.”

The Verdict: Difficult

This would be a very difficult deal to do for the Merseysiders, especially given top European clubs will want him this summer, and any move would rely on them staying up in the Premier League.

Luis currently boasts the most interceptions in both the Portuguese top flight and Champions League, and has been nicknamed the ‘Portuguese Octopus’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Joao Tralhao, who coached him in Benfica’s youth ranks, has hailed him as an ‘exceptional talent’, and says that he has a ‘very similar’ profile to Manchester United’s recent Carabao Cup winner Casemiro.

Nonetheless, this deal seems like one too far for the Toffees, unless they can finish the season impressively and really whittle down that price tag.

Liverpool are struggling to maintain their high standards in the Premier League this season and Jurgen Klopp will surely be looking ahead to the summer transfer window to strengthen his stale squad.

The Reds are currently ninth in the top-flight table after a string of poor and inconsistent performances that have left the side nine points adrift of a Champions League qualifying spot inside the top four, which is a testament to the need for new additions at Anfield at the end of the season.

One of the biggest concerns has been the midfield with a number of players either out of contract in the summer or reaching the latter stages of their careers with only Fabinho, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones under 30 years old and set to remain at the club next season.

As a result, there is a pressing concern surrounding the future of Liverpool’s midfield with a number of players linked to a move to Merseyside including Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Jude Bellingham and Wolverhampton Wanderers ace Matheus Nunes.

However, Klopp could save FSG millions by unleashing a forgotten young player who is excelling on loan, with Tyler Morton flourishing in the Championship at Blackburn Rovers.

Could Tyler Morton play for Liverpool next season?

The 20-year-old midfielder was sent out on a season-long loan at Ewood Park to gain some first-team football and experience which has been an absolute success so far.

Over 29 Championship appearances, Morton – dubbed an “incredible talent” by journalist Matthew Stanger – has registered two assists, created six big chances and successfully completed 57% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.3 key passes, 37.9 accurate passes, 59.1 touches, 1.4 tackles, one clearance and three duels won per game, proving that he is a huge presence on the pitch.

Whilst displaying both potence in attack and sound defensive attributes, the young Liverpool academy graduate is showing promising signs that he could become an effective option for Klopp next season in the German coach’s plans to freshen up the squad.

After rising through the ranks of the U18s and U21s, Morton earned his Premier League debut back in November 2021 tallying up nine first-team appearances in total before heading out on loan, so there is no doubt that the Reds boss will be keeping a close eye on the young talent.

With that being said, if the midfielder could continue to thrive and develop his craft with Blackburn it could be a great opportunity for him to catch the eye of Klopp and earn a spot in the centre of the pitch at Anfield next season.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson worked with Michael Beale to bolster the squad with two new additions during the January transfer window.

The Light Blues chief struck deals to sign Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell on permanent deals from Standard Liege and Norwich respectively and it will be interesting to see how they fare in the coming years.

Wilson has had mixed success in the transfer market over the years with the ex-Southampton man having unearthed some gems but also brought in flops who have struggled.

One signing the sporting director has struck gold with, however, is attacker Fashion Sakala, who joined the club ahead of the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

How much is Fashion Sakala worth now?

The Light Blues snapped the forward up from Belgian side KV Oostende on a free transfer with then-boss Steven Gerrard revealing that the club had been aware of the Zambia international for some time.

At the time of his pre-contract agreement in May 2021, Football Transfers placed his expected transfer value (xTV) at £2m (€2.3m) with that then beginning to soar as soon as he stepped foot at Ibrox.

By the end of July, his xTV rose to £3.1m (€3.5m) and the forward’s impressive performances for the Gers under Gerrard and then Gio van Bronckhorst meant that his value continued to soar.

In Scottish Premiership appearances, which shows that the marksman was able to make a significant impact at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis.

Former Gers defender Alan Hutton once hailed the forward’s playstyle, telling Football Insider: “He’s like a firework, isn’t he? You just light him and watch him go.

“He’s one of these players who plays at 100 miles per hour, he takes players on, he’s aggressive, he can get shots off.”

Sakala’s energetic, high-intensity, performances resulted in plenty of goals and assists in his debut campaign and they also led to his xTV soaring to an impressive £5.3m (€6m) in December 2021 – an increase of 165% from his initial value at the time of his move to the club.

The £8.3k-per-week attacker has fluctuated since then, currently sitting at £2.8m (€3.2m), but his initial burst and a return of 17 goals and 13 assists in 78 competitive appearances for Rangers shows that Wilson struck gold by bringing him to Ibrox.

Since arriving in Glasgow, the 25-year-old’s market value has soared and the gem has provided plenty of quality in the final third by delivering goals and assists – including 11 goal contributions in 13 Premiership starts this term.

Leeds United boast one of the country’s most prestigious academies, with a youth system that nurtures talent and a pathway to the first team that has been most recently paved by the likes of Joe Gelhardt, Sam Greenwood and Crysencio Summerville.

That’s not to mention the acquired youngsters from abroad, such as Wilfried Gnonto, who has captured the imagination this season since his summer move.

Despite the club not being where it wants to be in the Premier League, it remains an attractive place to be especially for those looking to gain a standing in the game.

With some of their recent transfer missteps too, it seems like the academy could be the only facet of the Yorkshire outfit which can truly be relied upon. January saw Jesse Marsch welcome three new faces into the first team, but it was a window largely dominated by big-money moves that dwarfed that of the Whites’.

Anthony Gordon was one in particular that raised eyebrows, as Everton seemingly stole an astronomical £45m fee from Newcastle United to tempt away their academy graduate. It marked the continued success of a rival academy, and a feat Javi Gracia might look to emulate by enlisting Sean McGurk into his squad.

Who is Sean McGurk?

The 19-year-old wide man bares many similarities to the 21-year-old scouser, with both of them having been born in Liverpool.

Gordon burst onto the scene for a struggling Toffees side, and offered flashes of brilliance but remained incredibly raw. Despite that, he remained branded as the club’s ‘starboy’, with Everton’s official account confirming as such.

McGurk seems to suffer from a similar issue but remains immensely talented. Journalist Lee Sobot even took to Twitter to dub him “a bag of tricks” after some “lovely footwork” for the U21s.

This season the teenage sensation seems poised to surpass his four goal contributions from last year, as he already boasts three from the left wing. Whilst his numbers are not incredible, the threat he poses with his unparalleled trickery is sure to frighten any full-back.

His emergence into the first team could be imminent, especially given the underperformance and injury woes of Jack Harrison and Luis Sinisterra respectively.

Should he successfully break through into the first team at Thorp Arch, perhaps he could offer even more output than the seven senior goals for the Blues that Gordon boasted to eventually command a similarly astronomical fee for the Whites.