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A number of Liverpool supporters have been reacting to claims that the Reds are on the verge of agreeing a deal to sign Ibrahima Konate.

Jurgen Klopp is expected to bring in at least one new centre-back this summer, having been dealt such a tough hand in that position this season. The German has to make do without Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for the majority of the campaign, with Joel Matip also joining them on the sidelines.

It meant Liverpool have understandably looked more shaky in defence at times, with midfielder Fabinho and Jordan Henderson having to fill in there, as well as Ozan Kabak and Nathaniel Phillips forging an unlikely pairing.

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According to journalist Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, Liverpool have agreed a five-year deal for Konate, costing the Reds approximately £35m.

The Frenchman has earned glowing admiration with his performances for RB Leipzig, and at 21, he is viewed as a centre-back with massive long-term potential.

Liverpool fans delighted at Konate update

These Liverpool fans reacted positively to the news on Twitter after a difficult week which saw a lot of antipathy towards the club’s owners over the European Super League fiasco.

“Good start from the owners but I still expect to see Mbappe or Haaland, I’ll be real”

Credit: @Kee_P

“Lettssss goooo”

Credit: @ynwaMattH

“Good news “

Credit: @OmonodeDavid

“Not a bad start for an apology, John Henry”

Credit: @KyAitken

“Goooooooood news”

Credit: @phphranklin1

“Could be a great signing this”

Credit: @JaiGriffiths17

In other news, some Liverpool fans are excited about the Reds being linked with a Bundesliga star. Find out who it is here.

Stuart Webber has told a number of the Norwich City stars that they will be sold for the right price this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Grant Holt, who, in a recent interview with Football League World, revealed that Webber has a clear valuation of each Norwich player in his mind, and, if their asking price is met, they will be sold without hesitation.

He said: “Stuart has always come out and said exactly the same thing; ‘If the price is right for the football club, they’ll leave. If it isn’t, we don’t need to sell.’ That’s the same argument.

“He tells the players that. He has conversations with these players, he tells them, ‘This is the deal, this is how it needs to go down, if that deal comes in then we’ll shake hands and thank you for everything you’ve done and it’s over to you now’.

“If money comes in for them and it’s right, I’ve got no doubt Stuart will shake [a player’s] hand go ‘thank you very much, it’s too much to turn down’.”

Potential disaster

Following a highly impressive campaign in the Championship, with the Canaries’ all but certain of winning the league title, there is understandably a great amount of interest in a number of the club’s stars this summer.

Over the course of the season, Emi Buendia has been reported to have attracted the interest of clubs such as Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Liverpool, Todd Cantwell has been thought to be a target of both Aston Villa and Leeds United, Max Aarons has been eyed by Arsenal, Everton, and West Ham United and interest in Teemu Pukki, who was the target of a number of Premier League clubs last summer, is likely to be high once again this time around following another stellar goalscoring campaign.

As such, while it would appear an extremely unlikely scenario that Norwich would receive an offer of £30 million for each of Aarons and Cantwell in addition to a £40 million bid for Buendia this summer – the reported asking prices of the three players in question – in the event that they do, Daniel Farke could be leading his side out on the opening day of the Premier League season without three of his most influential players.

And, while the argument could be made that Norwich would easily be able to fund moves for replacements for their outgoing stars, the potential incoming signings would undoubtedly take a little while to bed in as they adjusted to the club, which could prove disastrous for City’s hopes of top-flight survival next term.

In other news: Bye-bye Tettey: Webber must sanction NCFC swoop for £5.4m-rated ace Farke would adore – opinion

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Sheffield United striker Brian Deane believes his old side were asking too much of Rhian Brewster.

Chris Wilder looked to build on a great 2019/20 Premier League season by signing Brewster in a club-record deal from Liverpool, expecting the young English forward to fire his team to more success.

However, Brewster has really struggled, failing to find the back of the net in English football’s top flight since his arrival at Bramall Lane during the last summer transfer window.

Given that Brewster is still just 21 years of age with little experience at this level, though, Deane feels there was too much expectation placed on his shoulders.

Discussing the England U21 international in an exclusive interview with FFC, Deane said:

“£20m for Rhian Brewster in the Premier League is a hell of a lot of money. It’s a lot of money and then what are you asking a 20-year-old kid to do in the Premier League against very well-established, highly-motivated athletes, defenders?

“You know, what is going to make this kid who has done very well in the Championship… how are you going to guarantee that he makes that leap into the Premier League?”

In that 2019/20 season in the Championship, Brewster scored 11 times in 22 appearances and helped Swansea City to reach the play-offs. Taking that into account, the former Liverpool man could be a really good option for Sheffield United next term.

According to West Ham United insider Claret & Hugh, after they gave defender Arthur Masuaku a ’50/50′ chance of playing this afternoon, the Congolese ace is now set to miss the match against Everton.

The Lowdown: Masuaku on the injury list

West Ham have had to cope with their fair share of injuries recently and the 27-year-old was added to the long list yet again after already missing a big portion of the campaign.

Indeed, Masuaku underwent knee surgery in mid-December and didn’t return to the team until their away win over Wolves, being unavailable for a combined total of 20 games over 97 days (Transfermarkt).

However, following his return to action, he was quickly sidelined again for the Hammers due to a build-up of fluid around the knee (ExWHUemployee), causing him to miss the encounters with Newcastle, Chelsea and Burnley.

The Latest: Still sidelined…

Sharing an update in midweek, C&H gave some hope in regards to Masuaku playing this afternoon and refused to rule him out of contention, giving the left-back a ’50/50′ shot of featuring at the London Stadium.

However, providing updated team news, the insider says the 27-year-old is now set to miss the clash with Everton as West Ham gear up for what could be a crucial game in their bid for a top four finish.

The Irons will again have to cope without him in the left full-back role and it remains to be seen how Moyes shapes his team today, with a 4-2-3-1 formation perhaps likely after the win at Turf Moor last Monday.

The Verdict: Blow for Moyes…

There is an argument to be made that West Ham are most effective when playing three at the back and Masuaku was key to that earlier this season. Indeed, Aaron Cresswell also thrived as a left centre-half while partnering Masuaku on that side, with the Slaven Bilic signing doing well defensively and providing width before his knee surgery (whufc.com).

West Ham face a stern opponent in Everton today and Moyes would have been hoping to have more options available to him. Alongside Masuaku, C&H explained that first team star Declan Rice may also miss the match despite being back training on grass.

One hope for Moyes is the possible return of centre-back Angelo Ogbonna as he faces a late fitness test.

In other news: West Ham fans livid after ‘joke’ development, find out more here.

Leeds United are monitoring Club Brugge winger Noa Lang ahead of the summer window.

That’s according to the reliable Mike McGrath of The Telegraph, who shared the news in his transfer notebook on Tuesday evening.

McGrath claims the Whites have watched Lang, with the 21-year-old recently turning his loan from Ajax into a permanent deal.

He’s played all across the front line this season, scoring 16 goals and registering 10 assists in just 33 games during the current campaign.

Leeds aren’t the only side keen on Lang, with the Dutch starlet having a host of admirers.

Transfer Tavern take

The report claims that Leeds view Lang as a player who can provide competition for Jack Harrison and Raphinha, so we feel he could well come in at the expense of Helder Costa.

Marcelo Bielsa has handed Costa just 13 league starts this season and the club are thought to be willing to listen to offers for the Portuguese winger this summer.

Should he seal an Elland Road exit, it seems as if Victor Orta could be on to his replacement in Lang, who may well fit right in under Bielsa.

He has an eye for goal, can play on either flank or through the middle and is still early into his career. Valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, he could come at a price similar to the one Leeds paid for Raphinha (£17m), who has been a revelation in Yorkshire.

In other news: Noel Whelan makes big Marcelo Bielsa claim, find out more here. 

Queens Park Rangers have been handed a massive boost to their hopes of keeping Ilias Chair at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Belgian outlet Voetbal 24, who claim that both Club Brugge and Anderlecht are now unlikely to make a move for the attacking midfielder in the upcoming transfer window, as they cannot afford QPR’s reported asking price of €15m (£13m).

However, it has also been reported that all three of Watford, Bologna and Genoa are keen on the 23-year-old, who is under contract with the Hoops until the summer of 2025.

Massive boost

While a significant amount of interest remains in Chair ahead of the summer transfer window, the fact that the two sides from the midfielder’s home country now look out of the race for his signature is a massive boost for Mark Warburton, and is likely to delight QPR fans.

Indeed, keeping the £3.6m-rated youngster in west London ahead of next season would appear crucial for Warburton’s hopes of mounting a promotion push, as the 23-year-old was one of the stars of QPR’s 2020/21 campaign.

Over his 45 Championship appearances last term, Chair bagged eight goals, provided four assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.6 key passes and taking 1.9 shots per game – culminating in a highly impressive average SofaScore match rating of 7.04 – ranking him as the club’s joint fourth-best performer in the second tier.

As such, it would very much seem as if the midfielder – whom Ryan Dilks dubbed a “quality” player – could play a huge role in helping the Rs improve on their eighth-place finish in the Championship as of next season, meaning that Warburton should be doing everything in his power to ensure that the 23-year-old is not tempted away from the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this summer.

In other news: Get it done: Bhatia must sanction QPR swoop for 23 G/A beast who’s “something special” – opinion

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills believes that Marcelo Bielsa will stay loyal to the Whites this summer rather than head to Tottenham.

The Lowdown: Bielsa linked with Spurs job

The Argentine has done a remarkable job at Leeds, guiding them back into the Premier League and easily ensuring another year in the top flight ahead of next season.

Bielsa has been hailed as a ‘genius’ by Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino, highlighting his current standing in the game.

Spurs have been linked with acquiring the 65-year-old’s signature as they look to replace the departed Jose Mourinho in the coming weeks and months.

The Latest: Mills tips Bielsa to stay

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills says he is not worried about the prospect of Bielsa leaving Leeds, believing that the Argentine will eventually commit his short-term future to the club. The ex-Whites defender said:

“It’s one of those, it’s not about him getting what he wants, it’s about people being reasonable. He wanted Ben White last year and he didn’t get him and still stayed.

“He’s very understanding. As long as the club are working with him and they’re both pulling in the right direction. They’re not going to agree on every decision because that’s impossible.

“I genuinely believe that he has a huge degree of loyalty. As long as you do right by him, he’ll stand by you. I don’t see any issues at the moment with Leeds and Bielsa.

“He’ll be talking to Leeds about who they want to bring in. It’s what Bielsa does, he chooses to sign a one-year deal which also means that if you do need to get rid of him at some point, you don’t have to give him a massive pay-off.”

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The Verdict: Too loyal to leave

The idea of Bielsa suddenly moving on this summer would surely be a hugely worrying one for anyone of a Leeds persuasion, considering the manner in which he has transformed the Whites.

Much like Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, he has built a wonderful team spirit and is adored by supporters, arguably proving to be the key reason for Leeds’ current success.

As Mills has suggested, Bielsa does things in his own time and is also fiercely loyal, so it would be a huge surprise if he didn’t at least sign a one-year deal imminently.

In other news, Leeds are believed to be eyeing up a move for an established international player this summer. Find out who it is here.

David Ornstein has revealed that the manner in which Harry Kane has announced his desire to leave Tottenham Hotspur will have hurt chairman Daniel Levy.

The Lowdown: Kane wants out

The 27-year-old recently dropped a bombshell on Levy and co at Spurs by revealing that he wishes to leave the club this summer (Sky Sports).

There has already been plenty of interest in the England captain, with Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea believed to the main contenders for his signature. It will therefore be difficult for Spurs to keep him at the club, not least as they only came seventh this season while the other trio all qualified for the Champions League.

The Latest: Ornstein reveals Levy “bitterness”

Speaking to Sky Sports News (via Daily Express), Ornstein revealed that Kane’s way of sharing his desire to depart will not have pleased Levy. The journalist said:

“What’s hurt Daniel Levy and the board is how he’s [Kane] gone about it.

“With a couple of games to go, the stories came out and then the interview he gave with Gary Neville as well.

“They feel that it’s heavily disrupted such a crucial part of the season when perhaps it could have been articulated differently after the end of the season.

“So I think there’s a little bit of bitterness there, from them towards him, that could affect how things play out from here.”

The Verdict: Tough negotiator

Of all the businessmen involved in the Premier League, Levy is perhaps the one you would least like to annoy. He has earned himself a reputation as a hard-nosed negotiator and is often unwilling to compromise to the desires of those trying to strike a deal with him.

Kane is Tottenham’s most valuable player according to Transfermarkt – it was always going to be difficult for him to leave north London easily anyway. By making his hopes and dreams public, he may have just awoken the wrath of Levy. It remains to be seen how this transfer saga plays out this summer.

In other news, Levy enquired about this star striker in February.

With Eddie Howe approaching his Celtic coronation, the Hoops can finally begin preparing for the upcoming summer transfer window.

Until a new manager had arrived, it appeared impossible for the Bhoys to be able to plan who was coming or going.

What’s the word?

Unsurprisingly, we’ve seen a number of Howe’s former players linked with a move to Celtic.

Everton striker Joshua King has been in their crosshairs while Jack Wilshere has even been mentioned in the same breath as the Bhoys.

The most realistic option could be in defence where 30-year-old Steve Cook has been touted with a Howe reunion.

Following Bournemouth’s failure to get promoted, it could open the door for him to arrive at Parkhead.

That’s the word of Dean Windass who spoke exclusively to Football FanCast this week: “In terms of bringing Bournemouth players in, only time will tell. Yes, with Steve Cook and players like that, now they’re in the Championship, would Celtic be appealing to them? Without a shadow of doubt (with) the size of the football club.”

Natural leader

With Scott Brown heading to Aberdeen, Celtic will be in need of finding more players with leadership skills, individuals who are of captaincy material.

In Cook, Howe could find his perfect player.

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The centre-back is currently the skipper of Bournemouth and leads by example with some titanic performances in the middle of defence.

This would help to kill two birds with one stone. Not only do Celtic need to find a new captain, but they could also do with someone who can improve their defence.

If there is one area to focus criticism on it’s in their backline. They shipped 16 more goals than Rangers in the Premiership this season, bemoaning some amateur mistakes.

You only need to look at the way they succumbed to a 4-1 defeat to their biggest rivals in the closing weeks of the season to understand how far the gap is.

Cook would give them a sterner resolve at the back and could complement someone like Kristoffer Ajer impeccably.

The Norwegian is a ball-playing defender by trade but Cook is the definition of a no-nonsense centre-half.

For Bournemouth this season, he won a whopping 177 aerial duels at a rate of 4.1 per game. That’s a staggering number but demonstrates exactly what he’d bring to Paradise; brute force and the ability to beat any striker in the air.

Described as “excellent” by Howe, Cook has played under the 43-year-old on 302 occasions. Thus, if the English manager is looking to find someone he’s familiar with, there are few better players.

They know what to expect from each other and the 6 foot 1 defender will provide Celtic with more leadership; this feels like a no-brainer for the Hoops hierarchy.

AND in other news, Celtic can axe Christie by signing 20-goal beast, Strachan dubbed him a “great talent”…

Barry Fry believes Mauricio Pochettino would be willing to resign from his job at PSG in order to seal a sensational return to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Argentine has been heavily linked with an amazing move back to north London in recent days.

The Athletic has reported that talks have opened between the two sides and that Pochettino would be willing to return, were an agreement to be reached.

Of course, the Argentine is currently under contract with the French giants but he only has a year remaining on his deal.

Fry believes that he could well walk away, although he thinks Spurs will ultimately be forced to pay a huge compensatory fee to lure Pochettino back to the club he guided to the Champions League final and two Premier League title challenges.

Indeed, Pochettino is said to have signed a contract that included the option to extend for a further year, suggesting that PSG could well trigger that in order to extract a higher fee from Spurs.

Asked about whether he could envisage Pochettino’s resignation, Fry exclusively told Football FanCast: “Yes I can, but I can see there being a large compensation claim as well so it seems ironic that it cost him millions to get rid of him and it might cost him millions to get him back, but that’s football.”