Reporter Shares Man United Update Involving Sheikh Jassim

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani is yet to hear back from Manchester United following his latest takeover bid, according to The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson.

What’s the latest on a Man United takeover?

An Old Trafford takeover saga has dragged on over recent months, with Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe seemingly the frontrunners to take control from the Glazers.

Ratcliffe was thought to be closing in on purchasing United earlier this month in a deal that would have kept the Glazers on as minority stakeholders. However, Jassim went on to launch an 11th-hour bid in a final take-it-or-leave-it offer.

His latest offer, submitted two weeks ago, was a significant increase over the initial proposal and was once again for 100% of Manchester United and would clear all the debt at Old Trafford. However, since then, it has gone quiet, and it seems as if the Qatari group are none the wiser as well.

Jackson took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share what he’s heard on Jassim and United. He said that the prospective new owner is yet to hear back from those at Old Trafford.

“As I understand it, Sheikh Jassim is still waiting to hear back from Glazers regarding his last bid for Man Utd…”

Time is ticking…

The Red Devils’ season comes to a close on Saturday in an FA Cup final showdown with rivals Manchester City at Wembley. After that, you’d expect that Erik ten Hag and co will be focusing on the summer transfer window, looking at various incomings and outgoings.

There were previous reports that those at Old Trafford were concerned the ongoing takeover saga could derail the club’s transfer plans, so hopefully, there will be further developments over a deal involving Ratcliffe or Jassim.

Despite the process not being resolved, United are already working on possible additions, with personal terms thought to be agreed with Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount. Meanwhile, a new forward is also on the agenda with discussions held for Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund and Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani.

Should Jassim win the race to take control in Manchester, he appears to have big transfer plans, with PSG star Neymar thought to be a player of interest to the Qatar group. It could well be a busy few months in regards to a takeover and transfers, and it will be interesting to see what the Glazers finally decide to do and when Jassim will be made aware if his bid is successful.

Rangers’ 22-year-old Gem Shone Vs St Mirren

Glasgow Rangers finished their Scottish Premiership campaign with a 3-0 victory against St Mirren, with Michael Beale’s side ending the season positively.

The Ibrox crowd said their farewells to the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Allan McGregor, Filip Helander and Scott Arfield during their midweek draw against Hearts and the manager rotated the first team for this afternoon's tie, bringing back Robby McCrorie into the starting XI.

Rangers were bright in the opening exchanges, with Ianis Hagi dictating play by operating as a false nine, and it’s evident that the club have missed his creativity at times this season, especially during their dismal Champions League showings.

It took half an hour for the first goal, when Fashion Sakala cut inside from the left-hand side to slot a calm finish into the net to make it 1-0. He doubled the lead with his second just after halftime and the game eventually finished 3-0 to the visitors.

Sakala was clinical during his spell on the pitch, scoring twice while succeeding with two of his four dribble attempts, winning 50% of his total duels and ending his game with a 100% pass success rate, and he could still have a future at the Ibrox side next term on this form.

It was an impressive showing, yet it was Ridvan Yilmaz who took his opportunity vs St Mirren today.

How did Ridvan Yilmaz perform for Rangers today against St Mirren?

The Turkish defender hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons, missing 29 games through injury, yet he managed to take his opportunity well today, with sections of the media praising him.

The Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie lauded the youngster, writing on Twitter: “Think Ridvan’s taken his chance well these past few games after a tricky season. Really impressive pass through the gap for Sakala to break the deadlock.”

Yilmaz received a rating of 7.6/10 for his performance against the Paisley outfit, showcasing his attacking abilities which proves he could well be an ideal heir to Borna Barisic.

The 22-year-old registered two assists for both of Sakala’s goals, while he also created one big chance, played two key passes, attempted one dribble and delivered two crosses, indicating that he was regularly bombing up and down the left flank with purpose.

Ridvan Yilmaz

He also managed 56 touches throughout and his passing was virtually spot on, achieving a 92% pass success rate while succeeding with all three of his long balls. And although he clearly didn’t have much to do defensively, Yilmaz still won one duel, made a clearance and wasn’t dribbled past once during his time on the pitch.

Next season will be massive for the youngster, and he has certainly given Beale food for thought over the previous few weeks, that’s for sure.

Spurs Urged To Sort Transfer For £110k-p/w Star

Journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur would be "mad" not to sign Dejan Kulusevski permanently.

What is the latest on Dejan Kulusevski?

The 23-year-old winger joined Spurs in January 2022, on an 18-month deal from Juventus for an initial £8.3m.

While the club have the option to buy for £24.9m this summer, there has been some talk that he could head back to Italy with Tottenham failing to secure European football.

Indeed, as speaking to the Dail Mail recently, the player himself admitted he wasn't entirely sure what is next in line.

He said: "I don't know honestly…we will see." Before adding: "I'm just focused on the pitch, I tried to do as good as I can and now of course it's time to speak with the club."

When talking about it all on his YouTube channel, Gold urged Tottenham's decision-makers to get a deal done without hesitation.

He said (31:34): “Certainly the expectation still seems to be within Spurs, that he’s coming. But obviously, you'll been reading the reports that are coming out of Italy of them thinking he might be going back.

“Unless Spurs are just waiting to see the director of football and manager first to say: do you definitely want Deki [Kulusevski]?

“Personally, I think it'd be mad not to. I think it'd be an incredibly daft decision not to. Because, let's be honest, in whatever formation I think someone's going to come in and play, I think he fits it, he is that versatile.

"And for me, £30m for a player like Deki, 23 years old, who again, like I say of the other young players, is not anywhere near his peak yet.”

How much does Kulusevski get paid at Spurs?

It's certainly promising for fans to learn that Spurs expect him to stay. However, the club are yet to hire are a director of football or a manager.

When those appointments are made, then a final decision can be made on players such as Kulusevski but until that happens, his future does remain somewhat in the air.

Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski

While he is on wages of £110k-p/w, meaning this isn't a bargain deal but it's not a bad price for a player who has shown plenty of promise already in a Spurs shirt – with seven goals and 16 assists in 57 outings since joining a season and a half ago.

It will certainly be interesting to see how long it takes to decide the next step for the player with so much uncertainty around Tottenham right now.

Man Utd looking to axe Bailly and Tuanzebe

Manchester United will seemingly be looking to get rid of two of their defenders during the upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

Journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared on Twitter that there has been a “decision made” regarding the future of Eric Bailly and Axel Tuanzebe, with both players “set to leave” Old Trafford this summer.

Signed from Villarreal six years ago this week in a deal worth a reported £30m, Bailly has gone on to make 113 appearances for the Red Devils. However, with a worrying injury record and only seven appearances in all competitions this season, it’s easy to see why the club are looking to offload the Ivorian this summer.

The 28-year-old has largely failed to convince in a United shirt, being branded “rash” by Trevor Sinclair after a hapless own goal in the Manchester derby last November.

As for Tuanzebe, despite playing for two different clubs on loan this season, the 24-year-old failed to make an impact with either, as he made just two appearances for Napoli after he left Aston Villa in January.

After the first of those, Italian journalist Umberto Chiariello criticised the Old Trafford academy graduate for committing “mistakes that a defender should never make”.

Taking all this into account, it’s easy to see why the club are looking to move the defensive duo out of the club and off their books permanently.

Great news for United fans

This should be music to the ears of United fans everywhere and give them hope that the club are looking to move some deadwood out of Old Trafford and potentially bring in some new players to replace them.

Taking into account how the likes of Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Edinson Cavani and Juan Mata will not be at the club next season, this already suggests that the Red Devils will need to be rather busy to ensure that their squad is strong enough before the next campaign kicks off in two months’ time.

It’s safe to suggest that both Bailly and Tuanzebe won’t be greatly missed at the club based on what they’ve offered on the pitch, but should the pair find themselves waving goodbye to Old Trafford once and for all this summer, the pressure will then be on the club’s hierarchy to ensure that they find suitable replacements so that Erik ten Hag isn’t left short of central defensive cover over the next few months.

In other news: Bid made: Man Utd now in talks for “spectacular” signing, supporters will be buzzing

West Ham: Evening Standard make promising Aguerd claim

The Evening Standard have now shared a promising West Ham United transfer update involving Rennes defender and transfer target Nayef Aguerd.

The Lowdown: Moyes joins race…

Irons boss David Moyes joined the chase for one of Ligue 1’s standout defenders in recent weeks amid his search for a central defensive upgrade, as backed by The Telegraph.

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Journalist Mike McGrath first claimed earlier this month that West Ham are looking to revive a deal for Aguerd after they failed to finalise his Premier League move last year.

Later on, it was reported by Sky journalist Dharmesh Sheth that the Irons had entered negotiations for the Morocco international with ‘growing confidence’ they can complete a move.

The Latest: Evening Standard share update…

Backing reports, The Evening Standard have weighed in with their own update, claiming ‘talks are progressing over a deal’ for Aguerd as manager Moyes ‘steps up transfer talks’.

The Scotsman is continuing to plot a summer rebuild in east London and it is believed that West Ham negotiations are advancing for Rennes’ star.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Aguerd’s capture will come as a big boost for Moyes and real upgrade for his defensive roster.

Lauded as the ‘real boss’ of Rennes by members of the French media, no player in Bruno Génésio’s side has made more clearances per 90 than the 26-year-old, summing up exactly why he’s been called one of the best defenders in France.

Taking this into account, Moyes’ interest is perfectly justified, and we believe Aguerd’s arrival would signal a solid start to the summer.

In other news: West Ham tension behind-the-scenes as GSB could now be set for big decision, find out more here.

Everton plotting bid for Memphis Depay

Frank Lampard is reportedly plotting a move for Barcelona star Memphis Depay in order to bolster Everton’s attacking options ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

According to reports from Spanish outlet Sport, the Toffees are among the clubs who are interested in the 28-year-old, with Arsenal and Newcastle United also keen on securing the services of the Dutchman.

His contract expires at the end of next season, and Lampard could be tempted to lure him to Everton as part of a possible summer rebuild.

However, valued at £40.5m by Transfermarkt and with a wage of £158k-p/w, Depay won’t come cheap.

Depay would be a great coup for Everton

Everton narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League with a stunning 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace on Thursday, but Lampard won’t want to be in that position again, and his squad could be in need of an overhaul during the summer.

Signing Depay would be a solid piece of business, with his first season in Spain seeing him score 13 goals in 37 appearances despite Barcelona experiencing some considerable struggles during the campaign.

With Richarlison (11) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (five) struggling for goals this season in comparison to 2020/21, it’s clear that a new centre-forward is needed to improve the Toffees’ attack for next term.

Over the course of the 2021/22 season, Depay has generated more shot-creating actions (76) in La Liga than both Richarlison (62) and Calvert-Lewin (26) in the English top flight. The Dutchman is also effective from wide areas, putting in 61 crosses, with the Everton duo only managing 31 between them.

This vast skill set would no doubt please Lampard, and with former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman describing Depay as a “joy to watch”, Everton could do a lot worse than bringing the former Manchester United forward back to the Premier League.

AND in other news, Everton handed huge injury lift as early Arsenal team news emerges

West Brom not eyeing moves for EPL trio

West Bromwich Albion could be set for a busy summer transfer window as Steve Bruce aims to take the Baggies back into the Premier League after their uninspiring campaign in the Championship.

The 61-year-old spoke previously about the number of changes to the squad that he wants to see happen in the coming months to give his team the best possible chance of reaching their objective.

However, it seems as though a big update has emerged behind the scenes regarding some players who have been mentioned with potential moves to The Hawthorns in recent weeks.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Joe Masi in the Express & Star, after being linked with moves for Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane and Newcastle United duo Karl Darlow and Elliot Anderson, these three players are reportedly not targets for the Baggies this summer.

Good news for Albion fans

With Hourihane, while he would be available on a free transfer as a result of his Villa contract expiring, his 2021/22 season on loan with Sheffield United suggests that, even for free, he may not be the right player to come in and elevate West Brom to where they need to be.

He recorded a lowly WhoScored rating of 6.57, which put him 21st among Paul Heckingbottom’s squad, far from a glowing testament to the Irishman’s performances.

As for Darlow, having conceded 15 goals in eight Premier League appearances this season, the 31-year-old may not be the right figure for the Baggies either, especially with Sam Johnstone likely to leave in the coming weeks and a suitable replacement needed for him.

Finally, with Anderson only having regular senior football at League Two level under his belt, adding the 19-year-old to Bruce’s ranks could be a risk for Albion given his inexperience.

Taking all this into account, seeing these three players scratched off the list for potential summer transfer targets should be great news for West Brom fans.

With this Premier League trio out of the frame, it will presumably now give the Baggies the chance to move on and potentially look at other players who they feel will be the right options to come in and improve their squad.

In our view, with the Midlands club scoring fewer goals than the likes of Reading, Bristol City and Blackpool among others, adding a player who can find the net on a regular basis should be the first port of call for West Brom and their recruitment staff.

In other news: WBA can unearth ideal Sawyers replacement with 20 y/o gem who has “a lot of quality”

Tottenham: Turkish source makes interesting Min-jae claim

Turkish source Fanatik have now made an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Fenerbache defender Kim Min-jae.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye 2020 move…

Under former boss Jose Mourinho, it was claimed that Spurs seriously held an interest in bringing the South Korea international to the Premier League in 2020.

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Kim, who has the reputation for being a ‘monster’ in his homeland, allegedly attracted attention from the Lilywhites with reports even claiming that the centre-back wanted a move to north London.

Recently, Spurs head coach Antonio Conte has been linked with a move as the Italian reportedly set his sights on the signing of a central defender this summer.

The Latest: Kim has serious ‘offer’ from Tottenham…

As per Fanatik, it is believed that the ‘offers’ from Spurs, Everton and Napoli are ‘serious’ to sign Kim and it is ‘expected’ that there will be more ‘important developments’ at the end of this season.

However, if transfer chief Fabio Paratici wants to bring him to the Premier League, it is believed that Spurs will have to pay the €23 million (£20m) clause in his contract.

The Verdict: Ideal candidate?

The Athletic claim chairman Daniel Levy is willing to significantly invest in bringing a central defender to N17 and we believe Fenerbache’s star man could be a shrewd option.

The 25-year-old has been a truly colossal presence for his team in the Turkish Super Lig, averaging more clearances and interceptions per 90 than any of his teammates (WhoScored).

Playing more league minutes than any Fenerbache player, he’s also an untouchable, durable and crucial player in their starting eleven.

To top it all off, at just 25, Spurs could sign a really dependable centre-half for years to come.

While he is arguably yet to be tested in a truly elite division, for just £20m and no negotiations, he could be worth the financial risk.

In other news: Offer made: Paratici tables crucial bid as Conte personally pushes for Spurs signing, find out more here.

Aston Villa transfer news on Kamara

Aston Villa have held a fresh round of negotiations with Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara ahead of the summer transfer window, as per a report from The Daily Mail’s Simon Jones and Lee Davey.

The lowdown

Villa are able to negotiate pre-contract terms with the 22-year-old, whose deal is due to expire in the summer. Marseille, who ‘desperately need’ to reduce their wage bill, are resigned to losing the player.

Kamara is predominantly a defensive midfielder but he can also play as a centre-back, while Steven Gerrard and Villa chief executive Christian Purslow watched him in action against Nantes last month.

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The latest

The Daily Mail’s report states that Villa have held ‘further talks’ with the player’s entourage. Atletico Madrid are also courting Kamara, but he has expressed a desire to play in the Premier League.

Villa want to address the defensive midfield position quickly and also have Atletico’s Geoffrey Kondogbia, Brighton’s Yves Bissouma and Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips on their shortlist.

Once that position is resolved, sporting director Johan Lange can then move on to adding another defender and a striker.

The verdict

Would Gerrard have been impressed by what he saw from Kamara on 20 April?

The statistics from Sofascore certainly suggest so. The Frenchman was at the centre of the action that night, recording the second-most touches (124) in the match behind Arsenal loanee William Saliba (125).

He was solid out of possession, winning six of the nine duels that he contested, and also effective with the ball. Kamara successfully completed six out of eight long passes and 104 overall (94% accuracy), created a ‘big chance’ and even won a penalty for his team. It was truly an all-action display.

The £22.5m-rated maestro has been billed as ‘one of the best youngsters in Europe’ by European football expert Alex Barker, so his signing would surely be greeted with great excitement by Villa fans if the club can pull it off.

In other news, Steven Gerrard has made a ‘very important’ addition.

Leeds: Marsch drops Bamford injury update

Leeds United have been handed a potentially huge boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Arsenal this Sunday.

What’s the latest?

In comments made before Leeds’ 4-0 defeat against Manchester City on Saturday (via The Mirror), Jesse Marsch revealed that he expects the centre-forward, who has not featured since rupturing his plantar fascia in the 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in March, to return to the pitch this week – something that would appear to suggest the 28-year-old could be in line for a return to action against Arsenal this weekend.

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Regarding the England international’s recovery from injury, the 48-year-old manager said: “Patrick has been making progress and we are still hopeful we can see him later in the season. I suspect and probably expect that he will be on the pitch next week. Let’s see and we have to be cautious, but we are all optimistic about Patrick at this point.”

Marsch will be buzzing

Considering how important a part of the Leeds side Bamford has proven himself to be in recent years, the news that the striker looks as if he could make a return to first-team football sooner rather than later is sure to have left Marsch buzzing.

While a series of injuries have severely hampered the 28-year-old’s game time this season – having made just nine appearances in the Premier League, over which he has scored two goals – the forward’s returns last time out demonstrated just how crucial he is in the Whites attack.

Indeed, over his 38 Premier League fixtures last term, the £18m-rated hitman highly impressed throughout Leeds’ first campaign back in the top flight, bagging 17 goals, providing seven assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots and making 0.8 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £74k-per-week Englishman average a very respectable SofaScore match rating of 7.01, ranking him as the Whites’ seventh-best player in the league – playing a key role in Leeds securing a top-half finish.

As such, should Bamford be able to refind this level of goalscoring form upon his return to action, the centre-forward could well prove to be the difference between survival and relegation back to the second tier of English football come the end of the season.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Leeds dealt setback as early Arsenal team news emerges, Marsch surely livid

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