Manchester City are interested in signing Wolfsburg defender Micky Van de Ven, and they could hold one key advantage over some of the other clubs competing for his signature, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild planned?

Man City had a very quiet January transfer window, with 20-year-old midfielder Maximo Perrone, who joined in a £8m deal, ending up as the only addition to Pep Guardiola’s squad, however there are some signs they could be busier this summer.

The Sky Blues have recently been linked with Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson, with the Englishman viewed as a potential long-term replacement for Riyad Mahrez, who is approaching the latter stages of his career.

It is not just in attacking areas that Guardiola is reportedly aiming to strengthen, recently sending club officials to run the rule over RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, who could be targeted by a number of top clubs in the summer transfer window.

The Latest: Van de Ven eyed

While Gvardiol would be a real statement signing for City, they are also eyeing a move for another Bundesliga centre-back, with Inter Live reporting they could target Wolfsburg’s Van de Ven (via Sport Witness).

There is set to be a whole host of clubs from across Europe battling it out for the 21-year-old, with the report also naming the likes of Liverpool, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Barcelona as potential suitors.

Wolfsburg value the young centre-back at €30m (£27m), and that figure, combined with his wages, means that the two English clubs interested may hold an advantage in the race for his signature.

The Verdict: Get it done?

With Premier League clubs recently being warned that the £100m-rated Gvardiol is not for sale this summer, Van de Ven could be a viable alternative, and he is available for a fraction of the amount.

Football scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the 6 foot colossus, describing him as a ‘complete & dominant’ centre-back, while he also praised his ability in possession, saying that he is ‘confident & comfortable’ with the ball at his feet.

Despite his age, the Netherlands international has established himself as a key player for Wolfsburg, making a total of 28 appearances so far this season, and he has already made a total of six caps for his national side at U21 level.

That said, the Dutchman is no match for Gvardiol, averaging a far lower pass completion rate, as well as fewer aerials won and non-penalty goals per 90 than the Croatian in the past year.

As such, the RB Leipzig centre-back should still be Man City’s priority signing this summer.

All is not well at Tottenham Hotspur at present, with recent, tame exits in the FA Cup and Champions League having ensured that the wait to end the club's trophy drought is set to drag on, with the appointment of serial-winner Antonio Conte just under 18 months ago having failed to bear fruit.

A notable issue for the experienced Italian has been the lack of impact from his summer recruits, with £60m man Richarlison having failed to score a Premier League goal, while midfield maestro Yves Bissouma has been hampered by injury.

Veteran asset Ivan Perisic has also been branded a "liability" by writer Andrew Gaffney after being unable to truly make his mark at N17 to date, while fellow wing-back Djed Spence only featured sporadically in the first half of the campaign, before being shipped out on loan to Ligue 1 side, Stade Rennais, in January.

In the case of the latter man – who signed on a £20m deal from Middlesbrough back in July – there was seemingly confusion at the Englishman's inability to secure a regular role in the side under Conte, having been restricted to just four, cameo appearances in the Premier League prior to making the move to France.

Having been branded an "investment of the club" by the former Chelsea boss upon his arrival in north London, it was perhaps evident that Spence was not destined to be a regular fixture immediately in the side, despite having been hailed as "unbelievable" by pundit Ian Wright while on loan at Nottingham Forest last season.

The desire from supporters to see the 22-year-old take to the field had left Conte forced to justify his decision not to play the youngster, with the one-time Inter Milan head coach stating back in October that the defender was perhaps "not ready" to be involved.

The 53-year-old does appear to have been proven right in that regard with the London-born starlet currently struggling during his temporary spell at Rennes, having only recently drawn criticism from the French media following his underwhelming displays.

How is Spence getting on at Rennes?

It has been a rather grim start to life abroad for Spence as he has seemingly been unable to settle at his new club, having notably been criticised for his display in the goalless draw with Auxerre at the weekend, after being hooked at half-time in that stalemate.

While illness may have played a part in the full-back's woes, the 6 foot 1 dud failed to win a single duel and lost possession on six occasions from his 29 touches, with media outlet Maxi Foot harshly awarding him a 3/10 match rating, while also stating:

'Catastrophic evening for the right-back. Faced with high pressing, the Englishman was poor in his lane and gave away the ball for the huge opportunity for Hein. Regularly overwhelmed and replaced in the 46th minute.'

'Catastrophic' was also used as the word to describe Spence's performance in the Europa League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk last month, as per the same publication, having also been awarded a measly 6.2 match rating by Sofascore for his errant display, notably losing possession on 15 occasions and winning just four of his 11 total duels.

Although it has not been a truly terrible loan spell thus far – with the Spurs man having starred against Nantes a few weeks ago after recording a 7.8 match rating, as per Sofascore – there are signs that Conte was right to be cautious with regard to throwing the player into the fray, with Spence appearing to be sinking rather than swimming at Roazhon Park.

If the England U21 international had been hoping to prove a point to his parent club by starring elsewhere, he hasn't managed to do so as yet.

Chelsea appear to be planning ahead for next season as Graham Potter eyes a move for striker Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer.

What’s the latest on Aleksandar Mitrovic to Chelsea?

According to the Daily Star, Mitrovic is currently on Potter’s radar following a successful Premier League campaign, although Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona are also keen on the striker ahead of the summer transfer window.

Manchester United were also interested, however, following his meltdown against the Red Devils in their recent FA Cup clash, where he was sent off, it appears their interest may have waned slightly, leaving the door ajar for Potter.

Such a move could well spell the end for a divisive figure in Pierre-Emerick Aubayemang.

What would Mitrovic add to Chelsea?

The Blues have improved in recent weeks, reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League while remaining undefeated in the league throughout March, yet it’s clear Potter needs a proper out-and-out striker.

Aubameyang arrived at Chelsea last summer from Barcelona for a reported £18m deal and although it was expected to a short-term fix, it hasn’t quite worked out like that so far.

The 33-year-old has scored just three goals in 19 appearances and hasn’t completed a full match since the start of January, further adding to their woes and there is no doubt Mitrovic could be a massive upgrade on the faltering forward.

Indeed, this term, the Serbian hitman has registered more goals (11 to one) and indeed goal-creating actions (nine to zero). Pivotally, he takes considerably more touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes (6.57 to 3.40) clearly proving he is a more effective goal threat than the current Chelsea forward.

The £80k-per-week Fulham star could be the answer to Potter’s attacking woes ahead of next season and he is certainly blossoming into one of the most devastating attackers in the league.

Statman Dave dubbed him as “magic” at the beginning of the year as he broke his previous scoring record in the top flight this season, and his performances have reflected in Fulham’s impressive season which will see them retain their Premier League status.

Along with 11 league goals, he has created five big chances, completed 1.1 dribbles and made 0.7 key passes per game, far better than Aubameyang, who has scored just once, created zero big chances, made 0.3 key passes and completed 0.3 dribbles per game.

For the most part, the Serb has been superb this term but funnily enough, he hasn't had such luck against Chelsea. Indeed, big-money signing Enzo Fernandez got the better of him at the beginning of February, winning multiple tussles against the brutish forward who notably threw himself to the ground in embarrassing fashion after being grappled by the Argentine.

On the statistical evidence, however, Mitrovic is a far better option to lead Chelsea into their new era than Aubameyang but with the 28-year-old hitting his peak years, it may cost the club a substantial fee to lure him from their local rivals.

Glasgow Rangers have sent scouts to watch Joel Piroe ahead of a potential move to the Scottish Premiership, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Alongside Whittaker?

The Light Blues are believed to still be in contact with Swansea City regarding a summer deal for Morgan Whittaker having failed to land him in January and it appears that he isn’t the only player Michael Beale is targeting.

The Dutchman has now entered the final 18 months of his contract in Wales, and being Russell Martin’s top-performing offensive player, has caught the eye of the hierarchy at Ibrox.

The Championship outfit are having the kind of season where they aren’t in any real danger but neither are they going to achieve anything so the striker could be tempted to look elsewhere should he want to progress his career further.

The Latest: Rangers scout Piroe

According to Football League World, Rangers (and by extension sporting director Ross Wilson) have been ‘scouting’ Piroe in ‘recent weeks’ and would offer a ‘different type of opportunity’ should he decide to make the move north of the border.

Burnley, Middlesbrough and Norwich City are also ‘keeping tabs’ on the 23-year-old, whilst Crystal Palace and Everton both ‘explored’ a deal in January, though nothing ever came to fruition.

Sources believe that Swansea are ‘at risk’ of losing their standout performer as a result of failing to properly get themselves going under Martin, so this could be one to watch in the months ahead.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Piroe has been dubbed a ‘danger man’ by journalist Josh Bunting and Rangers need to act fast should they want to secure his services ahead of their fellow competitors.

The Wijchen native has clocked up 13 goals and provided one assist in 34 Championship appearances so far this season where he’s currently averaging 3.2 shots per 90 minutes.

The 6 foot 1 star also ranks in the 95th percentile for pass completion, showing his excellent ability to link up well with his teammates, and the 91st percentile for most progressive passes (FBRef).

Despite naturally being a centre-forward, the left-footed ace has played in five different positions since the start of his career and is comfortable operating anywhere across the frontline.

The Teddy Bears have to head into the summer window on a mission to recruit players that will be able to have a significant impact on the side and get them competing with Celtic again and Piroe is certainly the perfect candidate to come in and do just the job.

Everton provided an epic late twist at Stamford Bridge in their Premier League clash with Chelsea this evening and Sean Dyche will be proud of the resilience his team showed throughout the performance to take a well-earned point from West London.

The Toffees remain in a tight relegation battle and are teetering on the edge of the drop zone just two points clear in 15th, however, sharing the spoils with Chelsea tonight will certainly give the team a boost of confidence and a belief in their chances of retaining their Premier League status at the end of the season.

Despite having just 31% possession, fewer shots on goal (12 v 20), fewer accurate passes completed (158 v 449) and fewer duels won (58 v 43), Everton kept fighting until the very end to fend off the individual quality that threatened them throughout.

The game didn't offer too much in the first half with neither team unable to break the stalemate when the whistle was blown to end the first 45 minutes of action, however, in the second half it was all action in front of goal with both Joao Felix and Abdoulaye Doucoure finding the back of the net for the two sides, respectively, to make it 1-1.

A penalty gifted to the hosts saw them take the lead again with 14 minutes to go, but a magical substitution made by the Toffees boss just moments after will have the Goodison Park faithful in high spirits.

Academy graduate Ellis Simms – who was recalled from his successful loan spell at Sunderland in January – delivered the fatal blow to Graham Potter's side, scoring his first-ever Premier League goal in the 89th minute, finishing the game 2-2.

Indeed, Simms will steal the headlines for his phenomenal goal and fearless effort in the south tonight, but it was Doucoure who was instrumental in keeping the Merseysiders in the game throughout.

How did Abdoulaye Doucoure get on vs Chelsea?

The talented midfielder found himself out of favour upon the arrival of Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gana Gueye last summer, yet like many players who were banished to the bench under Frank Lampard's reign has thrived since the appointment of the former Burnley boss in January.

Over his 90-minute performance, the former Watford dynamo – hailed for his "brilliant" touch by James Nalton – scored one goal, registered one assist for Simms' goal, completed 29 touches and two key passes, as well as winning two tackles and completing one clearance.

Dyche spoke out about Lampard's banishment of Doucoure who was sent to train alone in the turn of the year after falling out with his former manager:

"Different managers see different things, different managers want different things."

"They all respond to new manager changes in different ways. He has just responded very well so far – but I want him to continue in that vein. I agree, he has played very well. He keeps working in both boxes, driving with his running that's for sure. The signs are good."

With that being said, Doucoure can be proud of his heroic display this afternoon – which earned him a stellar, 8.0 match rating, as per Sofascore – surely proving to his manager that he is hard-working and worthy of starting for the Merseysiders over the remainder of the season.

West Ham United’s recruitment over the previous decade has yielded a vast collection of underwhelming transfers coupled with a considerable financial outlay.

The club have had particular problems recruiting in the forward ranks over the years, with some excruciatingly bad signings among them. Think back to Lucas Perez, Benni McCarthy and Marouane Chamakh, who were all woeful signings that contributed very little during their spells at the club.

Another terrible signing was that of Albian Ajeti, who arrived at the London Stadium in the summer of 2019 to much fanfare from the supporters, especially considering his performances for FC Basel in his homeland.

Like so many others though, Ajeti failed to live up to the reputation upon arriving in the Premier League, departing after just one uneventful season, costing the club a colossal amount in the process.

How much did Albian Ajeti cost West Ham United?

The Irons shelled out £8m to sign the Switzerland International four years ago and on the surface, it appeared to be a solid investment by then-boss Manuel Pellegrini as he looked to take the club to the next level.

The striker had netted 43 goals and grabbed 21 assists in just 96 matches for the Swiss side, and he was also capped 11 times by Switzerland, scoring once. Therefore, a fee of £8m seemed like it had the potential to be a real bargain.

It soon turned out that playing in the Premier League is a harder prospect than the top flight in Switzerland and Ajeti was soon found out. He played just 12 matches in his one and only season in England, failing to score a single goal in that time.

The striker earned £53k-per-week during his 53-week stint at West Ham and combining this with his transfer fee, he rinsed the club for £10.8m during his underwhelming stay in London.

They did manage to recoup a £5m by selling him to Celtic in 2020, yet his time north of the border was also littered with poor performances and a lack of goals, scoring just nine times in 48 appearances.

Former Celtic striker turned pundit Frank McAvennie described him as “lazy” during his second season at Parkhead, and it’s clear that his time at West Ham – and indeed Celtic – were a disaster.

It was yet another failed move for a once-proven striker by West Ham, and it appears they have not learned their lesson, with recent acquisition Gianluca Scamacca scoring just eight goals so far with the forward positions appearing to be a poisoned chalice when it comes to recruitment in this area.

Everton's financial concerns will have major effects on the club if they are to be relegated this season amid the construction of their new stadium.

What's the latest in Everton's believed FFP breach?

On Friday, Everton were told of the news they were being passed on to an independent commission amid their alleged breach of the Financial Fair Play regulations.

The breach in question covers the 2021/2022 campaign where complaints were lodged by Leeds United and Burnley over Everton's financial state.

Rules state Premier League clubs are able to make losses of up to £105m across a three-year period, however, between 2018 and 2021, the Toffees recorded a staggering £370m loss.

And with the prospect of points deductions and relegation looming over the club, insider Graeme Bailey has suggested it could prove disastrous for the club amid their new stadium development:

"Yeah, it's a bit of a mess. I'm being told, you know, if Everton go down, there could be some serious, serious ramifications.

"There's serious issues at Everton. There really is, they're in a lot of debt. This stadium is costing a lot of money. And they will finish it, there's no suggestion they won't finish it or anything.

"But if they're playing in that stadium in the Championship, who knows? Who knows? I don't want to speculate about administration or whatever. But I'm told if Everton goes down, there's a lot of pain to follow that."

What could this mean for Everton?

Everton have plans to grow their club with a new stadium offering a significantly increased capacity of over 52,000 which will provide them with an increase in matchday revenue.

However, relegation will mean the club would see their revenue decrease dramatically with the Premier League the place to be for financial reasons.

The difference in playing in the Championship instead of the top flight is believed to be worth in the hundreds of millions.

Everton's owners are said to be on the hunt for some new investment to help push the club forward, however, if the Toffees are to go down then their attractiveness to potential investors will likely diminish.

Relegation to the Championship could see some of their big players depart which will likely have an effect on their ability to bounce straight back to the top flight.

And when the club are needing to start the repayments on their new shiny home, Championship revenue is the last thing the club needs for one season never mind multiple.

The Toffees have been able to pull themselves out of the relegation zone for the time being with Sean Dyche at the helm, however, it is still incredibly tight.

Only two points separate them from the drop zone and only three points from the side rock bottom of the Premier League table, Southampton.

And given it is so tight, the prospect of a potential points deduction will be a real concern for the Blues with that potentially sealing their faith in the second tier of English football.

Aston Villa could sign Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu over Chelsea and Manchester United this summer, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

Could Salisu leave this summer?

The Villans picked up a highly impressive 2-0 victory away to the Blues on Saturday evening, thanks to goals from Ollie Watkins and John McGinn. It was the latest sign of the progress being made under Unai Emery, with his side now sitting ninth in the Premier League table.

This summer, the hope is that plenty of transfer funds are available for Villa to boost their squad, as they look to go up another level next season in what will be Emery's first full campaign in charge. They have been linked with a move for Salisu recently, with the 23-year-old proving to be a key figure for Saints this season and potentially available for £25m.

He has started 21 league games in 2022/23 to date, averaging 5.4 clearances per game, as well as 2.5 aerial duel wins and 2.3 tackles, highlighting his defensive dominance. Now, a new update has emerged regarding his future, with Villa again in the mix to snap him up.

Are Villa the favourites to sign defender?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that he believes the Villans are more likely than Chelsea or United to sign Salisu in the summer window:

"Salisu's being linked with some massive clubs at the moment, and I think most of them are quite unrealistic given his current levels and what he's been able to achieve so far in his career. But I think this [Villa] is probably a bit more realistic.

"I'm still not convinced that Salisu's actually going to be leaving Southampton at all, but if he was to leave, then Aston Villa are the sort of club I could imagine [him joining]."

Salisu may be playing in a Saints side threatened by relegation currently, which doesn't necessarily suggest he has excelled throughout this season, but he could still prove to be a great signing by Villa this summer.

In terms of his quality "against the ball", he has been lauded as "one of the best defenders in the league" by former Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, which shows what an inspired addition he could be to Emery's back-line this summer.

With Tyrone Mings now 30 years of age, the six-cap Ghana international could possibly be viewed as a long-term replacement for him, as well as coming in as an immediate key man from the off and enhancing Villa's squad depth.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has become the first Tottenham Hotspur player to comment on the Antonio Conte's scathing rant from the weekend.

What has Hojbjerg said?

The Danish midfielder played the full 90 minutes on Saturday as Spurs fell apart in the final 15 minutes of their game on the south coast against Southampton.

The Lilywhites looked set to climb up the table to go up into third spot ahead of Manchester United, who were playing in the FA Cup.

However, the north London side somehow allowed their 3-1 lead to slip against the side bottom of the Premier League table and were forced to settle for a point.

And after Conte's furious post-game press conference, Hojbjerg has responded by claiming he will always give his all when playing for the club.

He said (via Daily Express): "I understand that if you want to be successful as a team, you need 11 men who are committed to a project and a culture. But I think he has to elaborate on how he feels before you as a player can start measuring and weighing.

"The coach has not been satisfied, and that is what I will take with me. You do what you can to please him. What I do know about myself is that I am an honest player. I am a player who always gives 100 per cent of myself for the team."

Should Spurs find an upgrade for Hojbjerg?

Spurs have now had Hojbjerg playing in the middle of the park for three seasons now having brought him in from Southampton back in 2020.

And he has maintained a regular spot in the starting XI over the numerous managers he has seen come and go having racked up 137 appearances across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

In that time – from his defensive role – he has returned 10 goals and 14 assists with five of those goals and five of those assists coming in this season's Premier League and Champions League.

However, across other midfielders in the top five leagues, he has provided a return which ranks in the bottom 22nd percentile for tackles made (via FBref).

In the game against the Saints, he registered a slightly above-average return of two goals but he has also dribbled past on two occasions (via Sofascore).

He did only win two of his five attempted ground duels and gave away possession 10 times throughout the game.

In comparison to one of the Premier League's top defensive options in the shape of Casemiro, Hojbjerg not only lacks in his defensive returns but also has provided slightly fewer shot-creating actions (via FBref).

With Rodrigo Bentancur recovering from a long-term injury and a new manager potentially coming in over the next few months, perhaps this is an area which Spurs look to upgrade over the summer.

Southampton are monitoring Juventus defender Koni De Winter ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

Southampton make De Winter enquiry…

The Belgian initially joined the Serie A outfit’s U17s five years ago and has since worked his way up through the ranks to become a member of the club’s Next Gen side, as per Transfermarkt. The 6 foot 2 colossus’ contract at the Allianz Stadium isn’t set to expire until 2026 but he’s currently out on a season-long loan at FC Empoli where during his ten starts and two substitute appearances, via WhoScored, has caught the eye of Ruben Selles.

Italian outlet Tutto Juve reported in November that the Saints, alongside their top-flight rivals Crystal Palace and West Ham, all made an enquiry regarding a deal for the 20-year-old with a view to taking him in January, and despite a move failing to materialise, they are still very much keeping a close eye on their target ahead of the upcoming window.

According to Tuttomercatoweb (via Sport Witness), Southampton still “like” De Winter who is being “followed closely” by the hierarchy at the St. Mary’s Stadium. Juventus are believed to be “happy” to sanction his sale should they receive a “good offer”, with the south coast outfit one of the clubs to have “viewed” him in recent weeks.

Sport Republic are “deeply attentive” to scouting younger players for the future with the defender one of the ideal candidates to have been identified and he has “no shortage of offers”, making this “one to watch” in the months ahead.

Should Southampton cash out on De Winter?

Italy and Juventus captain Leonardo Bonucci has claimed that De Winter is a player that has “no fear” with “enormous room” for improvement and he would be an exciting signing for the future of Southampton should they secure his services in the summer.

The Antwerp native is currently averaging 4.1 clearances per league game, highlighting the rock he is at the heart of the backline, and is recording an 86% pass success rate, displaying his calmness and composure when playing out from the back (WhoScored).

De Winter is also a threat at set pieces having scored three goals and provided two assists throughout his career so far with the versatile operator having additionally played at right-back and as a defensive midfielder, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete (Transfermarkt).