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Leeds United kick off their Premier League campaign against Wolves in just under two weeks and will surely be hoping for an improvement on the 2021/22 season.

The Whites escaped the drop by three points as they secured their survival on the final day, with Jesse Marsch keeping the team up after taking over from Marcelo Bielsa.

Victor Orta will hope that his work in the transfer market will be enough to push the club up the table and one area that needs to be addressed is the attack. Leeds only scored 42 goals in their 38 league matches and need their signings to add to their threat at the top end of the pitch.

Their rivals, West Ham, look set to solve their own problems in that area as they close in on a deal for Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, who scored 16 goals in the Serie A last term.

Orta must now potentially land Marsch his own version of the Italian centre-forward by signing Wilfried Gnonto from FC Zurich this summer.

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The Whites are reportedly interested in signing the teenage talent, who is Italy’s youngest-ever goalscorer at 18 years, seven months, and nine days old.

He has scored 12 goals for Italy at various youth levels and for the senior squad, whilst he has also racked up 28 goals and 16 assists at club level.

Scamacca, meanwhile, scored at seven different age groups for the Azzuri and is yet to score in seven caps for the first-team. In his club career, he has found the back of the net 55 times in 173 outings – including 16 in 41 games for Sassuolo.

He is five years ahead of Gnonto in his development and his fellow countryman, who has been dubbed a “wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is showing that he has the potential to be a consistent scorer at the top level in the future.

The 18-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign with Zurich in 2021/22 as he registered ten goals and five assists in all competitions for the first-team, showing that he can make a big impact in spite of his lack of experience.

This suggests that he has the scope to become a regular scorer and creator in the future if he is able to continue his development and grow as a player as he plays more senior football in the years to come.

Imagine how good he could be by the time he reaches Scamacca’s age. The world is at his feet at the moment and Leeds can be the club he fulfills his potential – whether that is in the immediate future or longer term.

Orta must now sign the talented teen to bolster Marsch’s squad and, potentially, be the club’s own Italian predator in the Premier League.

AND in other news, “Leeds are interested..”: Journo drops big transfer update, supporters will be buzzing…

Aston Villa could make a ‘surprise’ striker signing before the end of the summer transfer window, according to reliable reporter Ashley Preece.

The lowdown: Summer so far

The Villans have already been busy in the transfer market as ownership group NSWE continues to back Steven Gerrard – who himself made the bold decision to replace Tyrone Mings with John McGinn as club captain this week – with multiple signings.

So far, Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos, Ludwig Augustinsson, Robin Olsen and Boubacar Kamara have been added to the Villa Park ranks, whilst Matt Targett, Trezeguet, Conor Hourihane,  Lovre Kalinic and Wesley all departed the senior squad whether it be on loan or on a permanent basis.

However, the exit of Wesley on loan to Levante has left Gerrard with only Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins at his disposal as experienced senior centre-forward options, leading to speculation as to whether there will be an attempt to bring in another signing to the Midlands club…

The latest: Preece predicts a ‘surprise’

Responded to questions from supporters for a Q&A on Birmingham Mail, Villa correspondent Preece was asked whether there was any movement on a possible incoming frontman.

He replied: “No. It could well be a Lange-esque surprise a little later in the window, though.”

The verdict: Options out there

Having already been active in the window, there has also been no shortage of potential options for Johan Lange as the likes of Espanyol striker Raul de Tomas, now Southampton gem Sekou Mara and Lille sensation Jonathan David have all been linked with a switch to Villa Park.

Even former Barcelona superstar Luis Suarez had been indexed to the club prior to completing a move to Uruguayan outfit Nacional this week, suggesting that Gerrard has been attentive to the possibility of adding more firepower to the ranks at Bodymoor Heath.

Despite the impressive loan spell enjoyed by Keinan Davis at Nottingham Forest and the promise of highly rated Cameron Archer, going into the 2022/23 campaign with just Watkins and a previously injury-prone Ings as the Premier League proven operators would undoubtedly represent a major risk.

Lange has already pulled off some major coups out of the blue in this time as technical director in the Midlands, none more so than the under-the-radar capture of Ings himself, and therefore many will be hoping Preece’s premonition becomes a reality and another central striking option is indeed forthcoming before the September 1 deadline.

Everton are reportedly now ‘interested’ in a move to sign Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi.

The Lowdown: Midfield deals close?

Ahead of the new season, it looks as if the Goodison Park outfit are close to bringing in both Lille’s Amadou Onana and PSG’s Idrissa Gueye to strengthen their midfield.

They have already brought in both James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil from Burnley, as well as former Wolves left-back Ruben Vinagre, as Frank Lampard looks to get a squad ready to avoid another relegation battle this season, with attention now turning to the striker position.

The Latest: Batshuayi interest

Taking to Twitter, Belgian football journalist Sacha Tavolieri has revealed that the Merseyside club are now ‘interested’ in signing Batshuayi, and Lampard has already ‘validated’ a move:

“The Toffees are interested in Michy Batshuayi. Frank Lampard validated the profile. Chelsea wants a permanent transfer. On the player side, we like the idea of a one-year extension and a loan at Everton.  To be continued.”

The Verdict: Desperate

After Dominic Calvert-Lewin suffered a bad injury that is likely to keep him out for six weeks, and with the sale of Richarlison and suspension of Salomon Rondon, the Toffees will no doubt be desperate to bring in a new striker as soon as possible.

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Batshuayi has largely been a bit-part player at Stamford Bridge, having been shipped out on loan no fewer than five times, and with Armando Broja returning from his loan spell at Southampton, he is likely to be available for the right deal.

The 28-year-old is no stranger to goals, having scored as many as 167 in total at club level and for the Belgium national team combined, and so could help the Blues out massively while Calvert-Lewin is out injured.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Teun Koopmeiners to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet CalcioAtalanta (via TEAMtalk), who claim that, after impressing in Italy last season, David Moyes’ side have now made an enquiry to Atalanta over a potential move for the 24-year-old midfielder.

The report goes on to state that the 59-year-old Hammers manager views the Netherlands international as a perfect addition to the likes of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek in the heart of his Irons side.

However, CalcioAtalanta close their report by suggesting that the sale of Koopmeiners would be very complicated, with the Serie A side unlikely to be willing to part with one of their most important players just weeks before the current market slams shut.

Imagine him & Rice

Considering just how exciting a talent Koopmeiners undoubtedly is, in addition to the fact that West Ham already possess one of the leading holding midfielders currently playing the game in the shape of Rice, should Moyes manage to convince Atalanta to part with the Dutch dynamo this summer, the Scot will have formed an imperious duo in the middle of the park.

Indeed, the £59m-rated Koopmeiners is quite clearly an exceptionally creative outlet in the heart of the Atalanta side, with FBref ranking the 24-year-old in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for shot-creating actions per 90, as well as the top 17% for passes attempted, the top 18% for progressive passes and the top 20% for progressive carries over the past 365 days.

The £31k-per-week talent is also a threat in the opposition third, with FBref also ranking the nine-cap international in the top 20% of midfielders for non-penalty goals per 90, the top 16% for shots and the top 5% for xG assisted – xG which follows a pass that assists a shot – over the last 12 months.

In contrast, FBref also rank the “imperious” – in the words of Chris Godfrey – Rice in the top 10% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for progressive carries and the top 5% for pass completion per 90, however, the England international also ranks in the top 4% for interceptions – a metric in which Koopmeiners sits in the bottom 14%.

As such, with both players clearly being confident in their progression of the ball and boasting an eye for a pass, while Rice’s attributes also make up for what could be described as the Dutchman’s defensive shortcomings, the prospect of the player who Gian Piero Gasperini dubbed a “leader” lining up alongside the 23-year-old West Ham captain in the middle of the park is certainly a tantalising one.

Indeed, should Moyes manage to get a deal over the line for the Atalanta star this summer, the 59-year-old would not only have formed an imperious central midfield duo, but he could well have brought together the basis of his West Ham midfield for many a year to come.

Everton are in desperate need of signing another striker following Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s knee injury that will see him out of the side for six weeks, but fortunately, a new transfer target has emerged that could be the solution to their problem.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic’s Southampton reporter Jacob Tanswell, Everton are “exploring” the potential of signing Che Adams this summer.

Tanswell tweeted:

“EXCL: Understand Everton are exploring a loan-to-buy offer for Che Adams.

“#SaintsFC’s public stance is he’s not for sale but privately club open to letting Adams go, using funds for a new striker. Situation ongoing.”

In the accompanying article for The Athletic, it is stated that an approach has been made by the Toffees in the last few days.

Moshiri must act now

The desperation for a striker is getting stronger every day at Goodison Park right now, so Farhad Moshiri must act now to ensure the club doesn’t fall short in their forward options over the upcoming fixtures in the Premier League.

Adams has been going from strength to strength at Southampton, scoring 21 goals and delivering 12 assists since joining back in 2019, but it is reported that the club are now ready to sell the striker, and it could be a great opportunity for Everton to capitalise on that.

With Calvert-Lewin out for over a month, Salomon Rondon suspended and Richarlison making a move to Tottenham Hotspur, Frank Lampard was without a centre-forward in the opening game of the Premier League season against Chelsea, with Anthony Gordon playing out of position to cover the role in their 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park.

Rondon will be available to play this weekend after serving his one-match ban carried over from last season, but the 32-year-old is certainly not the most trusted of players by Lampard, playing just 74 minutes since the former Chelsea boss took the reigns at the Merseyside club last season.

As a result, the signing of Adams would be the perfect move for the Toffees as they can bring in an experienced Premier League striker that can be relied upon. Not only that, the 26-year-old offers more than just a short-term solution that could be advantageous to Lampard upon Calvert-Lewin’s return.

Indeed, the £15m talent who was hailed a “clever player” by Ally McCoist, has played most of his career in the centre-forward position, however, he has been deployed in the left and right winger roles on 42 occasions, scoring nine goals and delivering five assists in those positions collectively. Therefore, it will give the manager something to think about it when the Toffees’ star striker does return.

With that being said, if Moshiri can get a deal done to land Adams it would be an important coup and the missing piece in their otherwise pretty good transfer window in terms of adding depth and quality to positions. However, the club must act fast as every game that passes without a decent striker is a risk to Everton’s Premier League survival.

Nottingham Forest will sign Palmeiras midfielder Gustavo Scarpa in December, according to Palmeiras Online. 

The lowdown: Career so far

A product of the youth system at fellow Brazilian top flight outfit Fluminense, Scarpa joined Palmeiras for a second time in 2018 on a free transfer having made 111 appearances for his boyhood club.

The 28-year-old Brazil international has amassed 195 outings for his current employers, directly contributing to 78 goals and playing a role in two Copa Libertadores successes in the process.

Out of contract in December (Transfermarkt), having initially been linked earlier this summer, now it appears as though a move is in place for the winter…

The latest: ‘Will leave’

As per Palmeiras Online, Nottingham Forest are believed to have agreed on a deal to sign the one-cap star.

It’s claimed that Scarpa is ‘close to leaving Palmeiras’ and will ‘defend’ the Reds from December onwards having opened up on his ‘biggest dream’ about playing in the Premier League.

The report states that the man who was hailed as ‘sensational’ by journalist Claudio Ricci ‘will leave’ Brazil in the winter and the City Ground appears to be the chosen landing spot.

The verdict: For good measure

Forest has been a hive of activity already this summer as Dane Murphy and Evangelos Marinakis look to suitably strengthen the options at Steve Cooper’s disposal in order to survive back in the top flight.

With a move for Houssem Aouar seemingly in doubt, despite the wave of incomings, the midfield department remains somewhat light in numbers and therefore, adding Scarpa mid-season would be a welcome boost to the ranks, particularly for what seems certain to be a free transfer.

Last term, the Brazilian scored nine times and provided another nine assists in 44 appearances across all competitions, earning a remarkable 7.61 SofaScore rating whilst winning 3.6 duels, making 3.6 key passes and taking 3.3 shots on average per game in the league.

Capable of playing centrally and on both wings, adding the £8.1million valued Scarpa to Cooper’s squad would be a superb piece of business and could provide the boost required after the World Cup.

West Brom have made a move for Reading striker Lucas Joao as they look to sort their striker shortage, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: West Brom need a striker

Steve Bruce is already under pressure with just four Championship matches played this season, failing to win any of their games to date.

The Baggies’ current plight hasn’t been helped by Daryl Dike’s absence from the team, with the American not expected to return from a thigh injury until much later in the year.

The search is on for a new striker and it looks as though West Brom may have identified their primary target.

The Latest: Baggies make move for Joao

Taking to Twitter,  Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke says the Baggies are ‘exploring a move’ for Joao, with Bruce keen to improve his attack:

“West Brom are exploring a move for Reading striker Lucas Joao as Steve Bruce looks to add to his attacking options. Not an easy deal to do but Joao is on West Brom’s radar.”

The 28-year-old is now into the final year of his current deal, meaning the Royals could be forced to sell him this summer rather than losing him on a free transfer next year.

The Verdict: Strong attacking option

Joao could be an excellent signing by West Brom, with the Portuguese attacker now an experienced attacker who has consistently performed in the Championship.

He has scored 65 goals in 208 appearances in the competition, as well as winning two caps for a Portugal side featuring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva and Joao Felix.

Joao could come in and provide competition for Karlan Grant, potentially even usurping him as a regular starter without Dike available. Reading boss Paul Ince has described him as a ‘great finisher’ – something that is badly needed at the Hawthorns.

Celtic have had another busy summer transfer window in terms of the number of players who have come to and left Parkhead.

The Premiership champions’ latest incoming transfer saw the Hoops bring in Sead Haksabanovic from Rubin Kazan on a five-year deal.

With only a few days left before the transfer window closes, this could give the Bhoys the opportunity to not only bring in another player who would strengthen their squad even further, but also act as new version of an important figure who left the club in 2021.

The player in question is Hajduk Split midfielder and reported transfer target Jani Atanasov, who could be seen as Celtic’s next version of Scott Brown after the veteran brought an end to his 14 years at Parkhead at the end of the 2020/21 season.

At the age of 22, the North Macedonian has made 60 appearances for his current club, scoring five goals and providing two assists in the process.

Last season saw the midfielder end his domestic campaign with an average of 1.6 tackles per game, which isn’t too far away from the 1.3 per match that Brown managed to end his final Premiership campaign at Parkhead.

This shows just how industrious the young midfielder is and why he’d be a valuable asset for Ange Postecoglou’s side, not just because of his tackles in midfield but also because of his occasional usefulness in front of goal. That also mirrors Brown, who scored 46 goals and supplied 63 assists in his 611 appearances for the Glasgow club.

Bearing in mind how the Hoops have seen the likes of Nir Bitton, Tom Rogic and Ismaila Soro exit the club since the end of last season, in addition to missing out on signing reported targets such as Fausto Vera and Vinicius Souza, securing a new defensive midfielder before the transfer window closes should be the top priority for the Scottish champions.

Furthermore, with the Premiership title to retain and other domestic trophies to contest, Celtic also have a Champions League campaign with Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg and Shakhtar Donetsk waiting for them in the group stage, so having optimum strength and depth in their squad will be crucial for the Bhoys.

With that in mind, securing a late swoop for Atanasov should definitely be something that Celtic look to complete before the transfer window closes.

Everton are believed to have been rebuffed in their attempts to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Leander Dendoncker, with manager Frank Lampard looking to bolster his squad before the window closes.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland, the Toffees lodged a bid of around £8m for the Belgium international, although that offer was subsequently rejected by the Midlands outfit.

The report suggests that the Merseysiders are keen on bolstering their midfield ranks in the coming days following the departures of Dele Alli and Jean-Philippe Gbamin to Besiktas and Trabzonspor, respectively.

The 27-year-old has just a year remaining on his existing deal a Molineux – albeit with the club retaining the option of a 12-month extension – while he has failed to start the last two league games for Bruno Lage’s side.

The Goodison Park outfit have, of course, already raided the Old Gold for the signings of Ruben Vinagre and Conor Coady, with the pair joining on loan earlier this summer.

Imagine him and Onana

Dendoncker’s arrival would help to bolster an area of the pitch that has long been scrutinised, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher previously criticising the “lack of athleticism” in Lampard’s side following the 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last season.

The addition of the 29-cap gem would offer a more dynamic presence in midfield, with the former Anderlecht man – who made the move to England back in 2018 – having scored 12 goals and provided four assists in his 159 outings for his current side from his holding role.

Not just a threat in the final third, the £25.2m-rated ace also provides real defensive strength, as he notably ranks in the top 10% for blocks made among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues – a better record than the likes of Allan (top 13%), Abdoulaye Doucoure (top 38%) and Andre Gomes (top 22%).

A Premier League-ready player who should take little time to adjust to his new surroundings, the £90k-per-week man could also offer a real boost in the dressing room, having been dubbed a “big character” by Lage back in February.

His leader-like presence could well help to guide his international colleague Amadou Onana in the centre of the park, with the 21-year-old still finding his feet in English football after his big-money move from Lille.

That Belgian connection could well prove vital in helping to build a formidable midfield unit under Lampard, with the 44-year-old potentially finally able to settle on a preferred pairing after chopping and changing in his tenure thus far.

With Dendoncker providing the calm, experienced head, it would allow Onana to be the more aggressive and front-foot figure in the midfield, with the latter man having proven his worth as an elite ball-winner, ranking in the top 5% for tackles made, as per FBref.

As deadline day looms, Everton supporters will no doubt be hoping that the club renew their attempts to sign the Wolves man, with an Onana-Dendoncker axis likely to be a real key pairing.

Atletico Madrid will demand that Tottenham Hotspur pay Yannick Carrasco’s release clause, according to Marca journalist David G Medina. 

The lowdown

Journalist Jason Burt reports that Spurs have opened dialogue with Atletico in the hope of completing a deal for Carrasco prior to the transfer deadline on Thursday night.

Antonio Conte is apparently a long-term admirer of the Belgian, who has scored 81 times in his club career, and tried unsuccessfully to sign him in January.

While Burt claimed that Carrasco would be available for ‘far less’ than his release clause, the media in Spain are saying something quite different.

The latest

Marca writer Medina tweeted that Atletico will ‘not negotiate for Carrasco’ before the end of the transfer window, stating that either the €60m (£51.3m) release clause is paid or ‘nothing’ will happen.

However, he does say one can assume Tottenham will go ahead and pay the fee due to the finances available in the Premier League.

“Atleti does not negotiate for Carrasco. Either the 60 clause is paid or nothing. Another thing is that seeing the potential of the Premier it is assumable that they do so.”

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The verdict

A £51.3m deal would take Spurs’ spending for the summer past the £200m mark. They would duly move top of the Premier League spending table for the current transfer window, leapfrogging West Ham and Chelsea.

In fact, it would be the third-biggest signing in the club’s history, ranking just behind their moves for Tanguy Ndombele (£54m) and Richarlison (£52.2m).

Spurs have just paid £45m to make Cristian Romero’s loan permanent, and this would be an even further sizeable outlay.

There’s a chance that we see a game of brinkmanship ahead of the Thursday night deadline, with Spurs no doubt aware that Atletico are under pressure to sell players in order to comply with La Liga salary cap rules.

Carrasco has been called a ‘brilliant player’ and a ‘very dangerous’ ‘goal threat’ by Kevin Campbell, but just how high can the Lilywhites go at the end of a busy summer?