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Arsenal could be set to immediately replace an outgoing star, with rumours swirling surrounding their interest in one European gem…

What's the latest on Mohamed Simakan to Arsenal?

That's according to The Guardian, which outlines a number of this summer's biggest targets and the various clubs that are showing interest.

Whilst many will rush to see the future of Victor Osimhen or Kylian Mbappe, it is RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan who has instead caught the eye of Mikel Arteta and Edu.

His versatility is a prime asset that has drawn 'strong interest' from both the Gunners and Newcastle United, yet he will likely not come cheap. Football Transfers value the Frenchman at €33.3m (£28m).

Given Cedric Soares is seemingly being ushered towards the exit door with just one year left on his £75k-per-week deal, this summer would mark the final chance to cash in on the Portuguese defender.

How good is Mohamed Simakan?

At just 23 years old, immediately Simakan marks a better option to have in the squad than the 31-year-old who has never really shone in north London. Arteta has already crafted a squad laden with young talent, with this acquisition sure to add to that.

Having only ever really been a backup, the former Southampton ace has made just 59 appearances across three and a half years with the Gunners.

With 16 starts being the most he has made in one Premier League season at the Emirates, maintaining an underwhelming 6.86 average rating too, the struggles of the man once dubbed a "defensive liability" by writer Mike White have only been exacerbated.

Meanwhile, RB Leizpig's young full-back has shone this year in a term where they claimed the DFB Pokal and once again secured Champions League football for next season.

His role in that cup victory was massive too, with a 7.26 average Sofascore rating feeding into his three goal contributions in just five games.

Current Strasbourg reserve team manager Francois Keller had recognised his talents way before he began shining in Germany though, noting: "We quickly realised that we were dealing with a phenomenon. He tore the place up… I said to myself that we had the new Varane. He was athletic, powerful, assured and calm."

This has led to Simakan, when being ranked against other full-backs in Europe, sitting in the top 3% for aerials won per 90, the top 14% for assists per 90 and the top 18% for progressive passes per 90, via FBref.

When comparing that with Cedric's rankings inside the Premier League throughout the 2021/22 campaign, it's clear just what an upgrade they'd seal. Indeed, the right-back was in the bottom 19% for aerials won and the worst 60% for rate of assists, illuminating his status as a player who rarely contributes to anything of note in defensive or attacking phases.

Thus, given how clearly impressive Simakan is in so many facets of the game, his entrance would prove fine cover across most of the back line, and oust one of their underperforming higher-earners in one fell swoop.

Michael Beale heads into the summer transfer window knowing he has to get it spot on if he wants Glasgow Rangers to return to the summit of Scottish football once again.

Two major trophies in 12 years is far from good enough for the Ibrox faithful, but with a change in the dugout at their Old Firm rivals, the Gers could take advantage of the uncertainty from across the city.

Beale has made a solid start in terms of transfers since arriving at the club, making five signings in all. However, it is the deal to bring Todd Cantwell to the Light Blues, a snip at just £1.5m, that could prove to be one of the finest he will make.

The Englishman registered 11 goal contributions across just 20 matches from January until the end of the season, already showcasing the talent which nearly secured him a £20m transfer to Aston Villa back in 2021.

It’s been a wonderful start, no doubt about it and next season will surely see the 5 foot 9 gem further improve, while he could also be Beale’s very own version of Alexis Mac Allister.

Will Todd Cantwell be Rangers' most important player next season?

Mac Allister has enjoyed a whirlwind 12 months. His impressive performances for Brighton & Hove Albion led to him securing a place in the Argentina squad for the 2022 World Cup, going on to score during the tournament as the Albiceleste secured their third world title.

The 24-year-old finally got his big move, as Liverpool recently announced him as their first signing of the summer, and for a fee of just £35m, it could well be a bargain.

Analyst Ben Griffis demonstrated on Twitter that Cantwell is statistically similar to Mac Allister, and if he kicks on next term, he could truly become an excellent player for Rangers.

Indeed, last season, Mac Allister and Cantwell registered similar stats with regard to goal contributions (12 to 10), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.66 to 3.31), tackles won (30 to 33) and interceptions (26 to 22), showing that not only do they pose a solid attacking threat, but they can also chip in defensively by winning a lot of tackles and making plenty of interceptions.

According to WhoScored, Cantwell and Mac Allister both like to tackle, showing their tenacious sides, while the duo both have passing noted as a key strength, being able to circulate the ball well throughout the pitch.

Following the 3-0 win against Celtic last month, Beale stated: “Todd is highly motivated to be here. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

And if he continues to demonstrate the abilities which have seen him compared to the new Liverpool sensation, his performances will surely only improve.

Manchester United owners, the Glazer family, could change the guard in swift fashion once they choose to go ahead with the proposed takeover of the club, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United's takeover situation?

As per Sky News, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm INEOS are believed to be the front-running candidate to take over at Old Trafford despite having an inconclusive meeting with board executives last week.

Ratcliffe is proposing taking a majority stake in the club that would allow two members of the Glazer family to stay on in some capacity while rival bidder, Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani, is seeking to buy out 100% of the Premier League giants with no external involvement.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has criticised the Glazer family for their approach towards running Manchester United, stating in an interview with Football Insider: "The Glazer family have always adopted a parasitical approach to football ownership. It manifests itself in the fact that Avram Glazer is more than happy to watch Man United play at Wembley for the glamorous matches. Yet he shows very little interest in attending matches on a regular basis."

Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag has commented on how much financial backing he may have to direct towards new recruits this summer amid the ownership debacle, as per The Mirror, stating when asked if he knows how much money he will have to spend: "No, I don’t have influence on that, I don’t have and also I don’t know. The only thing I know is that Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, one of the biggest two or three from a fanbase perspective."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs thinks that there will be a quick turnaround in getting the new owners in the door once the Glazers elect to sell the club.

Jacobs said: "These kinds of deals take as long as they take in many ways. Until a singular group is chosen, it's very difficult for things to progress.

"The upside is that a lot of what has gone to date is in many ways transactionally backwards and would be traditionally associated with a period of exclusivity. Those logistical elements, including preparation for a Premier League Owners' and Directors' Test and due diligence, are sometimes the time-consuming things.

"Because they've been done ahead of a preferred bidder at large, it does mean if the Glazers choose to green-light something, things could still move reasonably quickly by takeover standards."

What next for Manchester United?

Manchester United will take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final this weekend at Wembley Stadium as they look to inherit a second piece of silverware this campaign following their Carabao Cup triumph.

Once the trip to London is over, focus will soon turn towards concluding their transfer business, with Ten Hag keen to strengthen his side in the summer ahead of 2023/24.

As per The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur marksman Harry Kane is a main target for Manchester United and is said to be keen on a move to Old Trafford.

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount and West Ham United captain Declan Rice have also been shortlisted by Manchester United heading into the off-season, as reported by Sky Sports, indicating that the Red Devils may be in for an exciting time of things in the market.

Aston Villa are eyeing up a swoop for Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards this summer as Steven Gerrard looks to build his own team in the Midlands.

What’s the word?

The Birmingham Mail have reported that the teenager has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs, with Villa amongst them.

The report added that an unnamed top-flight side have had a £2m bid rejected for the player, as Peterborough’s director of football Barry Fry appears to be demanding a club record fee of £15m in order for them to sell the 19-year-old.

Forget Tarkowski

Gerrard has already made a few signings ahead of next season, capturing Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos and Boubacar Kamara as the spine of his new-look team begins to take shape.

Another defender would be a welcome addition to the squad, with James Tarkowski being heavily linked with the Villans, although the manager could well go for youth and potential over signing the more experienced Burnley defender.

Edwards has already made his England under-19s debut against France last year and seems set to leave relegated Peterborough this summer.

His former manager Darren Ferguson lavished him with praise in the past, stating that the 19-year-old is an “incredible talent”; and with clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur sniffing around the youngster, Gerrard might need to act quickly.

Edwards has a slightly better temperament compared to Tarkowski, receiving only six bookings last season compared to 11 for the Burnley defender. The 19-year-old also committed just 14 fouls in 34 matches, an impressive number when you compare it to the 34 fouls for which the Clarets centre-back was culpable.

Edwards might still be slightly raw, but a move to a club like Aston Villa could prove to be the catalyst that he needs to kick on and reach his potential.

An outlay of £15m might seem a lot to Gerrard for a 19-year-old centre-back in the here-and-now, but he could well make Villa a fortune further down the line if they can persuade Peterborough to sell this summer.

AND in other news, Gerrard must axe “frustrating” Aston Villa liability in deal for “unreal” £10m dynamo

Celtic saw their move to appoint Ange Postecoglou as their new manager last June ultimately pay off, as the Australian helped the Hoops to reclaim the Premiership title.

Over 38 league games, the Bhoys won 29, drew six and lost only three, ultimately leaving them with 93 points on the board.

One other impressive feat in Celtic’s season was the fact that they conceded fewer goals (22) than any other side in the Scottish top flight, and one man who contributed a lot to give the Hoops the best defensive record in the league was Carl Starfelt.

Signed from Rubin Kazan last summer in a deal worth £4.5m, the centre-back went on to make 49 appearances for the Parkhead club across all competitions.

With the second-highest number of interceptions (42) and tackles won (30) in Postecoglou’s squad, the 27-year-old also had the joint-second highest average of clearances (3.5) and joint-highest average for aerial duels won per game (4.2) among the Bhoys’ ranks.

Now that Postecoglou and Starfelt’s debut season at Celtic has come to an end, the upcoming summer transfer window will give the Parkhead club the chance to strengthen their squad and get them ready to take on the next campaign.

In terms of potential incoming transfers, one player with whom the Hoops have been linked and who could be a potential upgrade on their current defensive hero is Joseph Okumu.

Similarly to Starfelt, the 25-year-old has enjoyed a rather busy season with a new club after making 46 appearances for Belgian side Gent following his transfer from Swedish outfit Elfsborg last year.

To compare the defenders’ individual domestic campaigns, the Kenyan racked up more interceptions and won more tackles than the Celtic man, while also giving away far fewer fouls and completing more crosses than the Swede despite making fewer appearances. Okumu also averaged 3.2 clearances and 0.9 blocks per game in the Belgian top flight.

Labelled a “perfect” player by Dan Egner, Okumu certainly seems to have the defensive capabilities to be a solid prospective addition to Celtic’s ranks and potentially pose a risk for Starfelt and his place in the team moving forward.

Also, with the 27-year-old having to be stretchered off during Sweden’s recent win over Slovenia after picking up an injury, this could well force Celtic into action and bring in a player like the Gent colossus to help give them some extra depth at the back.

In other news: Celtic eyeing swoop for £810k-rated “thing of beauty”, it could be bye-bye Soro

Manchester City duo Ko Itakura and Taylor Harwood-Bellis could both leave the club this summer, according to a report from Sky Sports. 

The lowdown: Eternal loanees

Both Ikatura and Harwood-Bellis have spent much of their careers out on loan away from the Etihad in recent times, including the majority of the 2021/22 campaign.

Japan international defender Ikatura signed for City in 2019 but has since had two spells at FC Groningen before joining FC Schalke 04 for the recent season.

Meanwhile, academy graduate Harwood-Bellis has spent time on loan at Blackburn Rovers and Anderlecht but finished the term at Championship outfit Stoke, having joined in January.

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As both are set to return to Manchester for pre-season, their longer-term futures could be in jeopardy.

The latest: Celtic interested

As per Sky Sports, Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are believed to be ‘monitoring’ Manchester City’s 25-year-old Ikatura and 20-year-old Harwood-Bellis.

Both central defenders are on the radar of the Glasgow giants as it’s believed Schalke are struggling to meet a £6million option to buy for the eight-cap Japan ace.

The report confirms at present ‘no contact’ has been made, however, Celtic may look to utilise a ‘good relationship’ with the club in an attempt to sign the City pair.

The verdict: Double departure possible

Allowing the permanent transfer of Ikatura seems the best move for all parties at this stage as the Japanese centre-back approaches three years at the club without so much of a sniff at first-team action under Pep Guardiola.

Signed for just £990,000 from J1-League side Kawasaki Frontale (Transfermarkt), the Citizens will make a profit on their expenditure and as such should be willing to sanction the sale.

The exit of Harwood-Bellis is a more complicated situation, as the starlet hailed for a ‘fantastic’ display against Oxford United in 2019 by Raheem Sterling clearly has a bright future and Guardiola may yet see a pathway to the senior side for the Stockport-born defender.

Perhaps a loan move to Celtic could be negotiated as the best option for the four-cap England Under 21 prospect.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit has backed one of Man City’s first-team stars to put pen to paper on a new contract

Yosuke Ideguchi could end up being Celtic’s long-term answer to Parkhead legend Scott Brown in midfield, according to former Hoops striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Ideguchi’s injury problems

The 25-year-old made the move to Glasgow during the January transfer window but struggled to play a key role in the Hoops’ Premiership title win.

Ideguchi’s progress has been halted by injury problems, meaning that he failed to make a single start in the league and has been limited to just 134 minutes of action across six appearances for the club in all competitions thus far.

The hope is that the Japan international becomes a key player moving forward, and there is one man who believes that will certainly be the case.

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The Latest: Ideguchi backed to be Brown’s successor

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie has backed Ideguchi to end up being the ideal replacement for Brown at Celtic in terms of his style of play in the middle of the park. The 62-year-old claimed:

“I have been saying this for a while, Celtic are missing Scott Brown. He was the catalyst in that midfield for so long. He dictated everything that went through there.

“I just wonder if Ideguchi could be that guy. He has barely played really, we don’t know what kind of player he is. Maybe he is that kind of perfect player we need. Next season will be a big one for him because the jury is still out.

“Rogic and Bitton are going so there will be a chance for him and we know he wouldn’t have come if the manager didn’t rate him. He has been so unlucky with that injury so hopefully we see a bit more of him in pre-season.”

The Verdict: One to watch

Ideguchi has become something of a forgotten man at Parkhead because of others excelling during Celtic’s title triumph, but he could yet become a formidable player in his own right.

Ange Postecoglou has described the midfielder as the ‘hardest worker’ at the club, and that is something for which the legendary long-time captain Brown was famed during his time with the Hoops.

With Tom Rogic leaving this summer, a gap will open up in Celtic’s midfield, and a strong pre-season and return to full fitness could yet see Ideguchi fill that void.

Having averaged 2.3 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.7 successful duels per game in his final season in the J-League last year (Sofascore), the evidence is there to suggest that the 25-year-old could be the industrious Brown-like presence in the Hoops’ engine room over the coming months and years.

In other news, Celtic are reportedly eyeing up a move for one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Wolves host already-relegated Norwich in the Premier League this afternoon with Bruno Lage’s men looking to end the season strongly after a run of five games without a win.

The Molineux outfit have been in poor form of late, shipping ten goals in their last three matches having conceded just 29 in the 33 games prior.

But against a side whose fate is already sealed in the Canaries, Wolves have an excellent chance to sign off in front of their home fans with a victory.

But who is available for Lage’s side and how will the Portuguese opt to set his team up?

Injury News

According to Premier Injuries, both Max Kilman and Nelson Semedo have been ruled out for the season with respective issues whilst defender Romain Saiss could also miss the final two games of the campaign.

However, the Moroccan’s absence will be particularly painful for the Wolves faithful. The defender is likely to leave this summer with his contract set to expire next month.

The only other likely absentee is Daniel Podence who is nursing a foot injury.

Wolves Predicted XI

After a thumping 5-1 defeat by Manchester City at Molineux on Wednesday night, Lage could be tempted to make wholesale changes. However, we expect the 46-year-old to make just a few alterations…

Wolves XI: Sa, Jonny, Coady, Boly, Chiquinho, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Marcal, Silva, Jimenez

The defensive trio keep their place with Saiss still absent whilst Chiquinho also stays in the side after an impressive full Premier League debut on Wednesday despite the heavy defeat and registered two assists in the draw with Chelsea.

Dendoncker, Neves and Moutinho all keep their spots in midfield too whilst there is a change at left-wing-back with Marcal coming in for Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The £33k-per-week 20-year-old, labelled as “immature” by Wolves legend Steve Bull in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, had a poor outing vs Manchester City and has struggled for consistency of late.

As for Marcal, the 33-year-old is set to leave Molineux with his contract expiring next month and therefore deserves the chance to play in front of the Wolves supporters one last time.

Then the second change comes up front as Fabio Silva comes back into the fold in place of Pedro Neto alongside Raul Jimenez.

Although the 19-year-old is yet to score this season, he was crowned as Wolves’ player of the month for April and has shown glimmers of the potential that tempted to the West Midlands club to fork out a club record £35.6m almost two years ago.

This afternoon’s match proves to be a good opportunity for Wolves to sign off at home with a victory whilst also allowing players set to depart the opportunity to say goodbye one last time.

AND in other news: Forget Neto: Lage must now unleash Wolves £26k-p/w “top player” who’s “got everything”

Former Scotland striker Frank McAevnnie has made a claim involving Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch’s future beyond the end of the current campaign. 

The lowdown: A tough act to follow

Appointed in February following the departure of Elland Road favourite Marcelo Bielsa, the American was always swimming against the tide somewhat in Yorkshire.

The 48-year-old has taken charge of 11 matches since arriving at the club, picking up three wins and an average points per game ratio of 1.09, better than his predecessor’s 0.88 during the 2021/22 season.

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Despite the slight upturn in fortunes since his arrival, Marsch is still under extreme pressure as Leeds stare down the barrel of relegation, with just one point separating the Whites and 18th-placed Burnley.

The latest: Writing on the wall?

Speaking to Football Insider, former West Ham United and Celtic striker McAvennie claimed that Marsch won’t be at the club next term.

The 62-year-old said: “It’s not looking good, is it? Burnley and Everton look like they have turned a corner and Leeds are getting worse.

“They are pretty much going down in my opinion. The manager has done absolutely nothing. The whole thing about him coming in was that he was meant to stop Leeds conceding loads of goals, that hasn’t happened.

“I don’t think it’s worked out for him and it seems like the fans have turned on him. I don’t expect he will be there next season either way, it hasn’t worked.”

The verdict: Stay of execution needed

Having been handed a late lifeline by Pascal Struijk’s last-gasp equaliser against Brighton over the weekend, the Whites’ survival hopes have been lifted heading into the final week of a testing campaign.

However, regardless of whether or not Leeds preserve their top-flight status, Marsch will surely be granted the opportunity to oversee a rebuild in the summer.

Both Bielsa and the former RB Leipzig boss have had to cope with squads decimated by injuries to key players and more recently suspensions, making the job almost impossible with such a small pool of Premier League-ready players available.

Whilst it would be a bitter pill to swallow should Leeds make an untimely return to the Championship, Marsch wouldn’t wholly be to blame and therefore would be deserving of the chance to bring the Whites straight back, and he certainly must stay in situ should the drop be avoided.

In other news: Leeds want this powerful 12-goal striker who is ‘ideal’ for the Championship

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen ahead of the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Calcio Mercato reporter Daniele Longo has revealed that the Magpies are set to swoop for the Nigerian centre-forward.

He Tweeted: “Il #Newcastle pronto a fare una offerta al Napoli per Osimhen.”

This roughly translates to “The Newcastle ready to make an offer to Napoli for Osimhen.”

It has been reported that the Italian club will be looking for a fee in the region of €100m (£85m) but it remains to be seen how much the Toon are willing to offer.

Eddie Howe would love him

The Magpies head coach would love the attacker at Newcastle next season as he has proven his quality throughout the season with Napoli and has the potential to get better.

In the Serie A this season, he has scored 13 goals in 22 starts for the Italian side and averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.18. He has been a consistent performer, and goalscorer, in the division as he has been able to deliver the goods on a regular basis, earning plenty of plaudits along the way.

Former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo previously showered his international teammate with praise, saying:

“He’s the future, he’s going to do so well in football. I love him, he’s down to earth, he’s hard-working, he has a future and he has the mentality of a winner, that’s what I love about him.

“He has that lion’s heart. I love him, I just want him to keep working hard the way he’s doing, he’s going to break so many records in Europe and Nigeria.”

He was also dubbed a “thoroughbred bomber” by Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti and these comments from his manager and teammate highlight how impressive he has been.

Meanwhile, Callum Wilson is Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League with six strikes this term and this illustrates how badly Howe needs a consistent goalscorer to bolster his squad. He would, therefore, love Osimhen as the forward is exactly what he is missing, as proven by his excellent form so far for the Serie A giants this season.

At the age of 23, the Nigerian also has time on his side to continue his development. He can hone his finishing skills and improve his consistency, with the ex-Bournemouth boss potentially getting the chance to play a part in helping him fulfil his potential.

AND in other news, Howe plotting NUFC swoop for £9m-rated “goal machine”, he’s a huge upgrade on Wood…