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Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has insisted that Manchester City might end up having no choice but to sell Raheem Sterling to Premier League rivals Chelsea this summer.

The Lowdown: BBC update

The 27-year-old only has 12 months remaining on his deal at the Etihad and the winger’s future with Pep Guardiola’s side has been thrown up in the air after an update from the BBC’s Simon Stone, who claims that Thomas Tuchel’s Blues are interested in signing the England starlet this window.

This has further been backed up by Di Marzio, who reports that Chelsea are confident of being able to complete a cheaper deal for the forward due to his current contract situation.

The Latest: Campbell’s Sterling claim

Asked by Football Insider whether City would regret letting Sterling leave for another English club, Campbell said:

“The quality in their squad is so high.

“If they look to sell a player only the best teams, who are their rivals, can afford to buy them. They are the teams that will look to buy them. No other teams can afford these players wages.

“Once you embark on that route, there are positive and negatives. That is one of the negatives when you look at it.

“Let’s say Sterling went to Chelsea and got 20-25 goals… It wouldn’t look great. That could happen.

“It is a chance that Man City have to take after bringing in [Erling] Haaland. It is one of those things.”

The Verdict: Time to say goodbye

Sterling has been a fantastic long-term servant at City since joining from Liverpool all the way back in 2015, netting an outstanding 131 goals during his seven-year stay, but now feels like the right time for him to go.

The 77-cap international, who was once hailed a “world class” player by Everton boss Frank Lampard, has fallen down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola in recent times, with the likes of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez perhaps set to be the first choices either side of Erling Haaland.

If the Kingston-born gem wants to increase his chances of making an impression on Gareth Southgate ahead of the World Cup later this year, then the best option for him would be to make the switch elsewhere and get regular game time under his belt.

Liverpool are reportedly not due to make any more signings this summer and now a reliable source has given an update on the club’s priorities ahead of next season.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has given a big update on Naby Keita’s future at Liverpool.

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Romano took to his Here We Go podcast to reveal the latest update;

“Many Liverpool fans have been asking me about Wijnaldum re-joining Liverpool, but there’s nothing, sources tell me that this is fake news, the real priority right now is to extend the contract of Naby Keita.”

Supporters will be gutted

Liverpool supporters will surely be gutted that the club are now prioritising dealing with contracts over making new signings for the season ahead, especially when you consider Naby Keita’s lack of availability in the team over his time at the club so far.

Keita made the move to Anfield from RB Leipzig in 2017 for a reported fee of £52.7m and was expected to emulate his impressive form in the Bundesliga, however, the midfielder has been harboured with injuries for long periods which has seen the player largely unavailable to hit the ground running.

The £130k-per-week gem has had a massive 16 different instances of injury or illness accumulating 307 days out of the team which is equal to 62 fixtures for the Reds, but has in his most recent campaign shown his capabilities and talent when he can get a run of games going.

In 23 Premier League appearances Keita has scored three goals, contributed one assist and created two big chances, making two tackles and taking 1.1 shots on goal on average per game, winning the majority of his ground duels (52%), proving that when he is injury-free he can be effective in the team albeit only starting 14 league games.

With that being said, Liverpool must carefully consider their options as they have already wasted millions on Keita sitting in the recovery room. They should not put themselves in the position to do so again by extending his contract instead of appointing a new midfielder who can offer availability and output consistently.

AND in other news: FSG plotting LFC bid to sign “top class” £77.2m machine, he can be Klopp’s De Bruyne

West Bromwich Albion have suffered a setback in their pursuit of Hamza Choudhury after Leicester have issued a new wage demand.

The Lowdown: Baggies facing competition

The 24-year-old looks set to leave the King Power on loan having only made six Premier League appearances for the Foxes last season.

The Baggies are just one of the Championship clubs to have been strongly linked with a move for the midfielder in recent weeks, with Middlesbrough also said to be interested in securing his services, but after a fresh update, it appears as though it won’t be an easy task for the Hawthorns side to complete a deal for the maestro.

The Latest: Leicester issue Choudhury wage demand

In a new article published by the Express and Star, it’s claimed Leicester would want ‘80%’ of Choudhury’s wages to be paid by West Brom if he made the switch across the Midlands.

The source states that the two parties have been ‘in talks’ over a potential deal, with the Loughborough-born talent said to have ‘long been admired’ by Steve Bruce.

The Verdict: Just pay it?

Bruce will be wanting to complete his transfer business as early as possible so that all of his new additions can be integrated into the squad in time for pre-season, and Choudhury would be a brilliant signing to get in the building.

Despite only clocking up 287 minutes of action in the top flight last term, the midfield destroyer recorded an 82.6% pass success rate when on the field, and averaged 1.5 tackles per league game, via WhoScored.

Someone who has the ability to tighten up a midfield and control a game from the central area is something that West Brom have been crying out for as Jake Livermore ages, and  there’s a solid chance that they would receive exactly what they have been looking for in Choudhury if they stump up the cash this summer.

Leeds United are set to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Marc Roca, according to Marca.

The Lowdown: Phil Hay reveal

The Whites have been hard at work preparing for Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge, with moves for Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen already finalised.

Midfield reinforcements appear to be next on the agenda, with Phil Hay revealing in The Athletic on Thursday that Leeds are keen on signing Roca. The Spaniard is viewed as competition and support for Kalvin Phillips, and it looks as if a transfer is rapidly gathering pace.

The Latest: Roca transfer latest

Marca provided a big update on Saturday evening regarding Leeds and Roca. They claimed that the midfielder is ‘about to become a new Leeds United player’ in a deal worth €13m-€15m (£11.1m-£12.8m).

The report adds that the 25-year-old will sign a three- or four-year contract in Yorkshire and will play a ‘leading role’ following an ‘express request from Jesse Marsch’.

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The Verdict: Good news

Roca is primarily a defensive midfielder who can also play in a box-to-box role, something that Leeds desperately require.

Phillips is the club’s only holding midfielder, so the Spaniard may strike up a partnership with the boyhood Whites fan in a 4-2-2-2 system under Marsch.

There’s no guarantee that Phillips will still be a Leeds player next season due to interest from Manchester City, so Leeds may need even more holding midfield additions after Roca, but it is good to know that the Victor Orta appears to be closing in on yet another signing.

In other news: Leeds now won’t sign ‘superb’ midfielder despite Phil Hay revealing talks

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Ben Brereton Diaz to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report by The Sun, who claim that, with both West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion no longer believed to be pursuing a deal for the Blackburn Rovers centre-forward this summer, Victor Orta has now been handed a clearer run at a move for the 23-year-old.

However, the report goes on to state that both Everton and recently promoted AFC Bournemouth are also keeping a close eye on the situation of the Chile international ahead of a potential swoop of their own, while a number of Spanish clubs – including Sevilla, Real Betis and Valencia – are also thought to have registered an interest in the striker.

It’s thought Blackburn are looking for a fee of around £13m for the forward.

A huge coup

Considering just how impressive Brereton Diaz was for Blackburn this season, in addition to the sheer number of clubs interested in the 23-year-old’s services this summer, should Orta manage to get a deal over the line for the Chilean sensation in the coming weeks, it would undoubtedly represent a huge coup for the Whites.

Indeed, over his 37 Championship appearances this term, the £14.4m-rated striker was in astonishing form for Rovers, hitting the back of the net 22 times, providing three assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game.

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These metrics saw the £6.5k-per-week hitman who Tony Mowbray dubbed “an extraordinary talent” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as his club’s eighth-best performer in the league – while his 22 goals saw him rank joint third in the second tier scoring charts.

As such, with Leeds having scored just 42 Premier League goals in 2021/22 – the joint fourth-worst record in the division – it is clear to see that the addition of a player with a knack for finding the onion bag as regularly as Brereton Diaz is very much needed this summer.

However, with the likes of Sevilla being able to offer the 23-year-old Champions League football next season, Orta will certainly have a fight on his hands if he is to convince the forward of a switch to Elland Road ahead of the Whites’ 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news: Orta could seal “unbelievable” deal as Leeds now plot bid for £83k-p/w “goal machine”

Islington Gazette Journalist Josh Bunting was left shocked with the news that Rangers defender Connor Goldson has agreed a new four-year contract at Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Goldson’s contract

The 29-year-old was set to be out of contract this summer after arriving at the Ibrox from Brighton in 2018.

Ahead of the Scottish Cup final, Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst conceded to the Glasgow Times that it was likely that Goldson would leave the club upon the expiry of his contract.

“Regarding Connor, the club has been in talks with him to extend his contract. So far, he hasn’t extended it. The chance he will still be a Rangers player after tomorrow will be small,” the manager said.

The Latest: Journalist reacts

Following Rangers’ shock announcement that Goldson has agreed to a new four-year deal, Bunting gave his immediate reaction on Twitter.

“Wow, honestly didn’t expect this and thought he was off to Nottingham Forest. That’s a big move for Rangers.”

The Verdict: Huge news for Rangers

With Premier League interest looming over his head, it looked likely that Goldson would join up with Steve Cooper at newly promoted Nottingham Forest.

However, with the news of a fresh contract, Gers fans will surely be delighted to see the centre-back remain at Ibrox and look to take back the title from Celtic next season.

Having made 222 appearances for the Glasgow outfit, the 29-year-old has been a mainstay in Rangers’ team, providing van Bronckhorst with a leader in the dressing room and on the pitch – his departure would have hurt in more ways than one.

In other news: Rangers: Pete O’Rourke drops Aaron Ramsey claim

Newcastle United are reportedly now ready to sign Lucas Paqueta in what would be a club-record deal this summer.

The Lowdown: Another Bruno…

Paqueta is very much cut from the same cloth as Bruno Guimaraes, in the respect that he is a silky Brazilian midfielder who plays for Lyon, with Bruno since moving to St. James’ Park in the January transfer window.

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The Magpies fan favourite is a ‘good friend’ of Paqueta’s, and so could play his part in trying to persuade his former teammate to join him in the North East.

The Latest: Deal readied

As per The Times, the Tyneside outfit are now ready to break their transfer record to sign Paqueta, who would cost them in the region of £50m.

He is a ‘major target’ for Eddie Howe, and his side are now ‘weighing up’ an offer for the 24-year-old.

The Verdict: Sign

The prospect of getting Bruno and Paqueta playing on the pitch for the same team again is truly mouth-watering, and adding another Brazilian in Joelinton into the middle of the park is surely something that the Toon Army will want to see.

Hailed as ‘exemplary and a ‘soldier’ by his teammate Karl Toko-Ekambi earlier this season, he is even a player that Arsenal and Premier League legend Thierry Henry loves.

No wonder, as Paqueta managed 11 goals and seven assists from midfield in all competitions this term (Transfermarkt), and so would be an extra deadly weapon for the Magpies should they be able to get this deal over the line.

In other news, find out what shock triple raid of one top-flight club NUFC are now eyeing here!

Manchester United had their fans jumping for joy last summer when they announced that Cristiano Ronaldo would be making a return to Old Trafford.

Despite the 37-year-old finding the net 18 times in 30 Premier League appearances this season, he couldn’t carry his side to a top-four finish.

With 58 points on the board, the Red Devils finished sixth, having scored (and conceded) just 57 goals in 38 league games, a lower return than the likes of Leicester City and West Ham United.

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One other Portuguese figure who could be seen as a bright light in a dark season for the Manchester club is Bruno Fernandes.

No other outfield player at United ended up playing more minutes than the midfielder, who scored 10 goals and delivered six assists in 36 appearances.

To further highlight his importance to the team, none of his team-mates came close to equalling the number of shot-creating actions (145) that Fernandes made throughout the campaign.

Now that the season has mercifully drawn to a close, the focus for the club and their new manager Erik Ten Hag can move on to the summer transfer window.

To make the Red Devils a deadlier team in an attacking sense, one player with whom they have been linked and who could do just that, potentially forming a scary duo with Fernandes, is Jonathan David.

Imagine him and Bruno

In 179 appearances between his previous club Gent and his current side Lille, the £45m-rated striker has scored 69 goals and supplied 20 assists across all competitions.

With 38 league outings to his name in Ligue 1 this season, the 22-year-old has racked up the highest number of shots on target (30) and the joint-highest number of successful dribbles (34) at his club.

This shows just how dangerous he can be in an attacking sense and illustrates why he could be a deadly figure for United if he has Fernandes feeding him with plenty of chances to score.

Labelled a “ruthless” player by Mark-Anthony Kaye, David is exactly the sort of player that the Red Devils need in their team to make them a scary attacking force again.

With all that in mind, the prospect of having an attacking duo of Fernandes and David should be enough for Ten Hag to launch a move for the striker in the coming weeks and months.

In other news – Bid incoming: Sky Sports journalist drops MUFC transfer update, Ten Hag will be thrilled

Wolves have been boosted in their efforts to sign Sporting CP midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer, with Tottenham’s interest in the player cooling.

The Lowdown: Palhinha a main target

The Portuguese maestro is someone who Wanderers have seemingly been tracking for some time now, as Bruno Lage eyes up summer additions in the middle of the park.

Ruben Neves now looks extremely likely to leave Molineux, having waved goodbye to the fans last weekend, and a top player will be needed to fill the void.

Spurs have also been linked with a move for Palhinha, but the situation appears to have taken a twist.

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The Latest: Wolves given big boost

According to O Jogo [via Sport Witness], Spurs are now focusing on other summer targets away from Palhinha, acting as an undoubted boost for Wolves.

It isn’t all good news, however, as Sporting are only likely to use €30million (£25.3m) as a ‘first bar’ in negotiations, as they look to receive far more for his signature.

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The Verdict: Lage gets his way

This report suggests that Wolves are now the favourites to snap up Palhinha before the beginning of next season, with the 26-year-old someone who would be ideal under Lage.

He is a classy presence on the ball, enjoying 91.9% pass completion rate in the World Cup qualifiers for Portugal, and he has also chipped in with three Primeira Liga goals for Sporting this season from a mostly defensive minded midfield role.

Palhinha could help significantly fill the void left by the likely departing Neves, and given the club have been linked with him all the way since Lage’s arrival last year, it feels like the manager is finally getting his way.

In other news, a key Wolves transfer claim has emerged from abroad. Read more here.

Wayne Rooney has opened up on the biggest regret of his entire footballing career – and it involves Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney played at three World Cups for England but has revealed that he wishes he had sat one of them out as he was not fully fit at the time. The legendary striker also admitted he was close to not joining Manchester United after a rival Premier League side enquired about him.

• Getty
  

  Rooney wishes he didn't play at 2006 World Cup

  Rooney was at the peak of his powers a few months out from the 2006 World Cup, his next tournament after exploding onto the scene at Euro 2004. However, the striker suffered a metatarsal injury just one month out from the World Cup in Germany when playing for United against Chelsea. He faced a race against time to be fit for the big event, which ended in massive disappointment as he was sent off in the quarter-final tie with Portugal. Rooney accidentally stamped on Ricardo Carvalho and Ronaldo was one of several players to encourage the referee to send Rooney off. Ronaldo was later seen winking at the Portugal bench. 

  And Rooney has admitted that he wished he had never gone to the tournament. He told 'The Wayne Rooney show' on the : "I regret going to the World Cup 2006 probably. I weren’t fit, I shouldn't have went and then it ended with getting a red card and so yeah if I went back, I probably wouldn't go."

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• How Rooney-Ronaldo partnership almost never happened

  Rooney struck up an incredible partnership with Ronaldo at United, winning three Premier League titles together and reaching successive Champions League finals. However, they nearly never played together. Rooney revealed that Newcastle United rivalled the Red Devils for his signature in 2004 before he eventually moved to Old Trafford for £27m.

  Rooney explained: "I would have certainly went [to Newcastle]. Manchester United wanted to wait a season and then sign me the year after they did sign me. Newcastle put a bid in and if Manchester United hadn't come in, I would have gone to Newcastle. Those two were bidding against each other. My agent's best mate was chairman at Newcastle at the time! So I'm sure he was getting nudged to try to get me as well.

  "I wanted to go to Manchester United, but I spoke with Sir Bobby Robson and Alan Shearer. In true Bobby Robson style, on the phone he called me 'Mark'. I thought he had either forgotten my name or he was a genius – because that's my middle name."

• AFP
  

  Rooney: I was quicker than Ronaldo

  Rooney has said that he was quicker than Ronaldo in his prime although he was not the fastest player in the United squad. "We’d done tests at over 30 yards I think it was, and I was topping that and Owen Hargreaves was second," he said. "Owen was quicker than when people think.  so yeah, I was, I was faster than that. But there's all different aspects in, in football. Cristiano obviously dribbling with the ball is really quick, Ryan Giggs dribbling with the ball. Some players seemed quicker with the ball and then without it as well."

  While Rooney retired from football in 2020, Ronaldo is still going strong with Portugal and Al-Nassr. And Rooney is convinced his former team-mate will reach his long-held target of scoring 1000 goals before he hangs up his boots. He said: "One hundred percent.  He’s not retired before he’s caused thousands.  It’d be great for him as well if he does that and I’m sure over the next couple of years he’ll be playing with his son alongside him, so I think that’s a big thing as well for him."

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• Rooney etched into Man Utd history

  United's decision to sign Rooney back in 2004 proved a masterstroke, with the striker going on to become the club's all-time leading scorer with a staggering 253 goals. He also played a major hand in winning 12 trophies, including five Premier League titles and one Champions League.