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Everton are reportedly battling a rival in the Premier League to try and sign Haris Seferovic in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Seferovic impresses

Seferovic has just come off the back of a successful Euro 2020 campaign with Switzerland, as he helped knock out the reigning World Champions and favourites France in the last 16 with two bullet headers.

He was also very much a man on form for Benfica in the 2020/21 season, scoring no fewer than 26 goals and making a further seven assists in 48 matches in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Seferovic interest

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), both the Goodison Park faithful as well as West Ham United are interested in his signature, after he linked up with the Benfica squad to start pre-season.

The Merseyside club are said to be particularly drawn to Seferovic because of some of his impressive displays at the Euros, but no official moves have been made as of yet.

The Verdict: Sign

Seferovic is clearly a proven goal scorer, and Rafa Benitez will need another one of them in his team in order to ease the burden off of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Remarkably, he was likened to Diego Maradona by former Benfica star Joao Alves back in April because of his cultured left-foot and passing ability, which is a good extra quality to have for a striker.

Nonetheless, the Toffees would be getting one over on one of their rivals for European places if they manage to secure his services.

In other news, find out what Blues update has Evertonians buzzing here!

Leeds United are in advanced talks to sign Birmingham City wonderkid Amari Miller, as reported by Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Leeds United gear up for the 2021/22 Premier League season

As the Whites get their ducks in a row ahead of 2021/22, they will be keeping a close eye on all recruitment avenues as they look to improve on their impressive 9th placed Premier League finish last time out [BBC].

Though they haven’t ventured into the summer transfer market as of yet, Marco Bielsa’s men have been linked with moves for Adama Traore and Andre Ayew respectively [Leeds Live].

It seems they are searching for at least one attacking reinforcement, and they have now turned their attentions to an 18-year-old winger.

The Latest: Leeds offer contract to Miller; Everton were also keen

As a Football Insider source revealed, Leeds have moved to offer an appealing contract to the youngster as they re-shape their squad ahead of the new campaign.

Birmingham City are not expected to stand in the way of any deal for the winger, as they look to imminently overhaul their youth structures moving forward.

The Elland Road side have also seemingly beaten off competition from Everton for his signature [SB Nation], in what would be the club’s first capture of the summer.

The Verdict: Miller would be a good addition at Elland Road

Undoubtedly, this news will should come as a welcome boost to the Leeds United support.

Picking up a supremely talented youngster, perhaps he can develop into an established Premier League player in the coming years with the right coaching, and Marcelo Bielsa has a reputation for offering chances to young talents.

Impressing in the final weeks of the 2020/21 season, Miller made five Sky Bet Championship appearances for the St Andrews side [Transfermarkt].

Very much in the infancy of his career, the opportunity to work at a top-class training establishment like Thorp Arch represents the ideal platform for the sensation to progress into a top-class footballer should the deal go through.

In other news, a Leeds United defender gears up for a potential exit.

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the GIVEMESPORT Fans’ Euro 2020 Group Stage award following a blistering opening to the tournament.

In a poll run by fan engagement experts Snack Media the Portuguese superstar earned a whopping 47% of the vote, finishing comfortably clear of Romelu Lukaku in second place to secure a landslide victory.

Lukaku has been in scintillating form for Belgium but only accrued 20% of the vote, with fans clearly left in awe of Ronaldo’s longevity having watched him score five goals in his opening three games – the 36-year-old’s best ever goal scoring return at a major international tournament.

Elsewhere, Manuel Locatelli managed to scoop 13% of the fans’ vote after an auspicious opening to the tournament at the heart of Italy’s midfield, though the fact he was rested in the final group game against Wales may well have swayed opinion towards Ronaldo here.

Sceptics will argue that three of Ronaldo’s five goals have arrived from the penalty spot, but his 100% strike rate from 12-yards has almost single-handedly secured Portugal’s place in the last-16 of the competition.

And when you consider his form has arrived in an ultra-competitive Group of Death, it’s easy to see why Ronaldo secured such an overwhelming proportion of the vote.

Patrick Schick, Emile Forsberg and Frenkie de Jong made up the rest of the vote, with all three failing to break the 10% mark.

The full list of contenders from the final shortlist polled as follows:

Cristiano Ronaldo (47%) Romelu Lukaku (20%) Manuel Locatelli (13%) Patrik Schick (8%) Emil Forsberg (7%) Frenkie de Jong (5%)

The next Euro 2020 vote for Player of the Tournament will kick off on 12 July.

West Ham United are in for a busy summer transfer window, at least they should be if the club wants to build on their phenomenal progress under David Moyes.

Having saved the Irons from relegation with one game to go, the Scotsman has since guided them into Europe, which means a 50-plus game season is on the horizon in 2021/22.

Right now, you could write off the East London outfit from putting up a competitive fight throughout the entire duration of the campaign because simply put, they do not have enough strength in depth.

A new striker is paramount as is sealing a permanent return for Jesse Lingard, whilst central options at the back and in midfield wouldn’t go amiss, nor would a new full-back either.

This all means that GSB should have to back Moyes substantially in the transfer market but that may not be completely possible due to finances. Therefore, the Hammers boss ought to consider dipping into their talented Chadwell Heath academy set-up to plug a gap or two.

Lingard could set them back in excess of £30m, which is the same sort of fee Eurosport believe West Ham will splash on a forward. That’s a potential £60m outlay from just two additions.

With Fabian Balbuena out the door following the expiry of his contract and doubts over the talents of Issa Diop, Moyes may want to look to talented U23 gem Ajibola Alese for a bargain solution to provide some much-needed depth in defence.

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If the highly-rated 20-year-old can prove his salt, then the Hammers boss could well save David Sullivan and co several millions in the window this summer.

In the past two seasons, he has gotten a taste at a senior level, enjoying loan spells at Accrington Stanley and Cambridge United. And back in March, he was handed a new contract extension to tie him to the London Stadium to 2023, at the very least.

First-team coach Kevin Nolan has worked closely with the promising defender and told the club’s official website: “He’s a great lad, with a very good attitude towards his development, and he took a lot on board, in terms of what we expect from him and the targets he needs to set himself.

“I’m looking forward to working more often with Aji in the future. He’s a local boy from east London, which is such a big thing for this Club and our fans, and I can see how much it means to him to be here.”

Alese made his West Ham debut back in September 2020 during their 5-1 whitewash of Hull City in the Carabao Cup, where he received further praise about his abilities.

Moyes’ assistant manager Alan Irvine dubbed him “absolutely brilliant” to reporters, via football.london, whilst Tom Edwards told the ‘We Are West Ham’ podcast:

“Alese [is] a left-footed centre-half, which is gold dust,” claimed the former Love Sport Radio producer, before adding: “[Alese] looked like a seriously good player, as well – comfortable on the ball, good in the air, and it was just a joy to see two young players, who, not like [Declan] Rice or [Reece] Oxford, you heard lots about.”

It’s time for Moyes to promote him to the first-team set-up for next season. He may not feature at all in the Premier League but with three extra cup competitions, both domestically and on the continent, he could be a valuable asset to have amongst the squad.

AND in other news, West Ham could be about to repeat their Declan Rice masterstroke…

West Ham flop Felipe Anderson is somehow a wanted man this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Corriere dello Sport, the 28-year-old winger dreams of a return to former club Lazio, where he is likely to be considered by newly-appointed manager Maurizio Sarri.

It’s thought that the Irons are willing to sell their one-time £35m club-record signing, who is now valued at just £9m by Transfermarkt, but for the time being, he’s set to return to the London Stadium following an unsuccessful loan spell at Porto.

The Brazilian has struggled throughout his time in the Premier League and current manager David Moyes is said to not be a fan of his, so it seems his future at the club is in jeopardy.

Time to go

Anderson returns to East London on the back of only ten appearances and 663 minutes of action for the Portuguese giants, in which he provided the one goal contribution, as per Transfermarkt.

That’s hardly done himself any favours, with the likes of Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen way ahead of him in the pecking order. If the Hammers’ hierarchy can offload him this summer, then they absolutely should get rid.

His record since arriving from the Italian side in the summer of 2018 has been pretty abysmal. He was a regular under Manuel Pellegrini last season before he was sacked, yet could only end the league campaign with one goal and four assists.

By comparison, Jesse Lingard was signed in January and finished this year with nine goals and four assists, as per WhoScored.

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GSB have been paying the price for Manuel Pellegrini’s costly decision to sign him ever since.

Anderson is believed to be amongst the highest earners at the club, raking in a cool £85k-per-week and when you factor in the total £42m fee it cost to sign him, you begin to realise just how much has been wasted.

Overall, when excluding the stint at Porto this season, he has cost the club nearly £52m, which equates to £4.3m per goal scored (12 total) and a little over £722k per appearance (72 total).

Moyes isn’t the only Hammers-related man against the winger either. Former striker Frank McAvennie slammed him during an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, where he said:

“He’s got to go. Let the boy go.

“They bought him in and he’s a luxury player. I’ve never seen him go into a tackle, never mind win one. Talent in abundance, but he’s gone to Porto on loan, but has done the same there – just strolled about.

“He can’t come back to West Ham; they’ll want him off the wage bill.”

It’s time for Moyes to show no mercy and axe Anderson from the club this summer.

AND in other news, Moyes can ease the Hammers’ devastating Lingard blow with swoop for £18m-rated “special talent”…

Leicester City could save themselves millions this summer by gifting Kamal Sowah a chance in the first-team.

What’s the story?

The 21-year-old midfielder has spent the last three-and-a-half seasons with the Foxes’ sister club OH Leuven, impressing throughout 2020/21.

King Power-owned Leuven finished 11th on their return to the Belgian First Division, with Sowah catching the eye after bagging eight goals and providing six assists.

Rodgers could save millions

The versatile Ghanaian has been training with Leicester’s first team at their training base in Seagrave since the season’s conclusion, allowing Brendan Rodgers to assess the youngster first hand.

Sowah started all 34 top-flight fixtures for Leuven in 2020/21, playing a variety of different positions, including the No.10 role and as a winger on either flank.

His form earned the praise of ex-teammate Thomas Henry back in 2019, with the striker waxing lyrical over Sowah’s quality and potential.

“It is good that he is building up more and more confidence. He certainly has the right mentality,” Henry revealed.

“I am happy that I can play with him. His position is good, he can be decisive. He is a very complete player.”

With Leicester narrowly missing out on a place in the Premier League’s top four following a final day defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur, the Midlands outfit already appear to be making good progress in the transfer market.

Lille’s highly-rated box-to-box midfielder Boubakary Soumare is reportedly close to completing an £18 million move to the King Power Stadium, while Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard is also thought to be on the club’s radar.

Therefore, bringing Sowah into the fold could be beneficial to the Foxes in more ways than one.

Not only would he provide Rodgers with cover and competition for places in multiple positions, he would also allow the Northern Irish manager to focus Leicester’s relatively modest resources on their key transfer targets.

Players such as Dan James have previously been linked with the 2016 English champions as the former Liverpool boss looks to add strength-in-depth, but the answer to that particular problem may already be at the club in the shape of Sowah.

And, in other news…Huge LCFC transfer update emerges over “powerful” star, fans will surely be buzzing 

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Tottenham Hotspur legend Paul Stewart has urged his former club and chairman Daniel Levy to accept offers for Dele Alli if they are in the region of £20-25 million.

Alli hardly featured under Jose Mourinho, having been handed just three Premier League starts this season under the former boss, but he did impress with two goals and three assists in eight Europa League games.

The 26-year old has found himself out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad this season and will likely not be included in the final 26-man squad for the European Championships this summer.

Speaking on why Spurs could look to sell Alli this summer and what sort of fee would be acceptable for the midfielder, Stewart exclusively told FFC:

“I think if somebody came in with a substantial offer like £20-25 million, then they may consider letting him go, but then again when a new manager comes in there could be a total switch around in his favour.

“There’s nothing more reassuring than when a manager comes in and he fancies you as a player and is willing to give you a chance, because then your confidence builds up. 

“So I think that’s possibly what Dele needs but he will be one of the players that is happy that Jose is gone.”

The £100,000 per week midfielder took no time adapting to the Premier League when he arrived from MK Dons in 2015 as he scored 10 goals and registered nine assists in his debut season for Spurs.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to German outlet SportBild (via The Express), the Red Devils could be set to land the 24-year-old France international after Bayern were unable to match the forward’s expensive wage demands.

Coman still has two years left to run on his current contract with the reigning Bundesliga champions, so new boss Julian Nagelsmann won’t be forced into a sale, but an unhappy player could spoil the dressing room atmosphere, meaning an imminent exit is potentially on the cards.

Solskjaer must avoid Coman

It’s been a season of steady progress for United. With second place secured in the Premier League table and the Europa League final on the horizon, Solskjaer can be proud of his side’s efforts, although he’ll know there is still a lot of work to be done.

Manchester City have been head and shoulders above their domestic rivals throughout 2020/21 and currently hold a 12-point gap over the Red Devils at the top of the table, showcasing the vast gap in quality that United need to breach this summer.

The Old Trafford outfit have largely excelled in the transfer market during Solskjaer’s tenure, though, bringing in the likes of Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Edinson Cavani while seeing sub-standard stars such as Alexis Sanchez and Marouane Fellaini depart.

However, the Norweigian would be heading into a huge mistake if he pursues the £58.5m-rated (as per Transfermarkt) Coman.

The pacey attacker may boast an expansive and incredibly impressive trophy cabinet, including one Champions League crown, 10 league titles and five domestic cups, but his overall output is far below the standard that United require at this moment in time.

For a forward to have played for Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Bayern at times when the trio have utterly dominated their respective divisions and not once score over six league goals in a season is extremely alarming.

Considering Coman has only this season broke into double figures for assists arguably raises even more alarm bells for those planning how to spend United’s transfer kitty this window.

With Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho continuing to be linked with a move to Old Trafford, Solskjaer and United must stick to their guns and go all out for the England international rather than settle for Coman, otherwise, it’s a decision they could live to regret for many, many years to come.

And, in other news…77.7% duels lost: £290k-p/w Man United liability let Solskjaer down once more – opinion

Writing on Twitter, backing an original report by Alessandro Alciato, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has relayed big Tottenham Hotspur news on ex-Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Spurs on the chase for new manager

Having originally wanted to get an appointment done and dusted by the end of 2020/2021, chairman Daniel Levy is still on the chase for a new manager at Spurs.

This comes over a month after sacking previous boss Jose Mourinho and many candidates for the role have come and gone since then.

One of them, former Chelsea manager Conte, has recently entered contention due to his free agent status – with the Italian very recently leaving Inter due to differences in moving the club forward (Fabrizio Romano).

Due to the difficult circumstances surrounding Mauricio Pochettino at PSG, Spurs are now allegedly in talks with Conte over the managerial position as explained by numerous outlets including the Athletic.

The Latest: Romano makes big Conte claim

Writing on social media, Romano has backed these claims in regards to the 51-year-old’s future as he also lifts the lid on discussions with Tottenham.

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The managerial merry-go-round is in full swing, with ex-Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti departing for Real Madrid in the latest twist, and now Romano backs that Spurs talks are now indeed ongoing with Conte, explaining:

“Antonio Conte in advanced talks with Tottenham board about…

– Long term contract.

– Project, salary, new signings.

– Former Juventus Paratici as new director of football.

– Official bid made to Paratici but he’ll decide soon.

– Conte has never been close to join Real.”

The Verdict: Fantastic option for Spurs…

Given his credentials, with Italian footballing icon Andrea Pirlo calling him a ‘demon’ and the ‘best coach’ he has ever worked with (FourFourTwo), you’d have been inclined to think Conte would be back in work by now with so many teams frantically chasing new bosses.

However, after recently parting with Zinedine Zidane, Madrid opted instead for another Italian in Ancelotti – gifting Spurs a boost as the managerial pursuit goes on.

Premier League-winning manager Conte is arguably now the most credible option given his free agent status and impressive trophy haul, and Lilywhites supporters may take real encouragement from this news.

In other news: ‘Best news I’ve heard in a while’…Many THFC fans flock to this development, find out more here.

According to reports, Leeds are interested in signing Granada midfielder Yangel Herrera, who is currently on loan from fellow Premier League side Manchester City.

What’s the story?

The 23-year-old has been in impressive form for the Spanish side this season, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in 40 games across all competitions.

Now, Leeds United-based podcast Talking Shutt have revealed that Leeds have got their eye on signing the Venezuela international this summer and that he is one of the players they have short-listed.

An earlier report from Goal claimed that the likes of Southampton and West Ham are also keeping a track of Herrera, and are monitoring his situation ahead of a possible move.

Leeds’ new Kalvin Phillips

Given how he’s developed into a full England international now, it’s no surprise that whenever Kalvin Phillips isn’t in the Leeds team, Marcelo Bielsa’s side just don’t look the same – in the eight Premier League games that he has missed this season, the Whites have lost six and won just two.

So, moving for a midfielder like Herrera makes all the sense in the world, with the 6 foot dynamo predominantly a holding midfielder but able to play a more box-to-box role too – hence his impressive tally of eight goals.

Herrera has already been widely praised by some of the biggest and best in the game, including from Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, who coached him when the pair were at New York City together.

He said: “He’s a tactically intelligent midfielder who is strong in the tackle and reads the game well. Yangel also has a good passing range and spatial awareness, which is crucial for a player in his position.”

And that “awareness” and being able to spot danger is clearly seen in his defensive numbers this season – as per Sofascore, he averages almost two tackles and one interception per game, while he’s an absolute monster in the 50/50s, winning a mind-boggling 8.9 duels per match in La Liga. To put that into context, Phillips averages 2.4 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game, but wins far fewer duels, at 5.6.

The duo are similarly tigerish in midfield, picking up seven yellow cards apiece in the league, while Phillips only commits slightly fewer fouls per match.

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In fact, after covering the first leg of Granada’s Europa League clash against Manchester United, the editor of TEAMtalk, James Marshment, tweeted that the midfielder was “lively” and “energetic” and that he “fits the Bielsa mould”.

If Victor Orta is looking for a player to come in and fill the shoes of Phillips, then Herrera looks to be that man.

Meanwhile, Leeds could form a scary Premier League duo by signing this star…