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Liverpool and Chelsea are now in pole position to sign Southampton midfielder and Arsenal target Romeo Lavia this summer, according to reports.

Is Romeo Lavia leaving Southampton?

The Belgium international only arrived at St. Mary’s from Premier League rivals Manchester City last summer, but during the 34 appearances he made during his debut season, he was one of the standout stars in a struggling side that eventually suffered relegation to the Championship.

The Saints’ 19-year-old established himself as Ruben Selles’ former side’s second top-performing defensive player which is impressive considering he’s still a teenager, so despite the fact that his contract doesn’t expire for another four years, he’s caught the eye of several managers in the top-flight, including Jurgen Klopp.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the Reds and Arsenal have both “asked [for] conditions” of a potential deal for the south coast outfit’s talented prospect, whilst Manchester United and Chelsea are only “monitoring” him and have held no "active talks” at this stage.

Are Liverpool signing Lavia?

According to Football Transfers, Liverpool and Chelsea have “overtaken” Arsenal in the hot pursuit of Lavia ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Gunners are claimed to have been favourites due to Mikel Arteta’s personal admiration for the player, but he could now “risk losing out” due to focusing all of his attention on the deal for West Ham’s Declan Rice. Lavia had been picked out as a replacment for Thomas Partey.

Southampton have placed a £40m price tag on their prized asset’s head, and with one of the initial frontrunners having put a swoop on the backburner, the Reds are in a “better” position to secure his services.

FSG will likely believe that Southampton demanding £40m for Lavia is extortionate considering that they were able to secure Alexis Mac Allister for £35m, but the defensive midfielder has got the potential to be a fantastic long-term signing so an opening offer should definitely be considered to test the waters.

The Elite Project Group client, who’s sponsored by Adidas, last season ranked in the 96th percentile for blocks by midfielders and won 35 out of his 60 tackles, which was the second-highest success rate throughout his squad, as per FBRef, so he’s not afraid to get stuck in when it comes to challenges.

Southampton’s “monster”, as dubbed by journalist Benjy Nurick, also has the ability to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role sitting just in front of the backline, so he would provide the boss with a little bit of extra versatility, making him an option to seriously think about should the opportunity to strike a deal present itself.

Tottenham Hotspur believe they’ve signed an “absolute gem” in goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli, according to journalist Rahman Osman.

Who have Spurs signed this summer?

After weeks of chasing Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, with Spurs eventually priced out of a move, the north Londoners instead opted to bid for Vicario as a far cheaper and capable alternative.

Raya was said to be commanding a £40 million price tag, which is arguably hefty given he has just 12 months remaining on his Bees deal, and Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy was always unlikely to reach that figure.

As a result, Tottenham instead turned to Vicario, with a deal coming to fruition quickly and reliable transfer journalists Fabrizio Romano soon after giving his famous “here we go” to the move.

The Italy international apparently completed his medical yesterday, and commenting on that development, reporter Osman shared an interesting bit of background.

Those close to Vicario see the shot-stopper as a potential “superstar” in the making, while Tottenham themselves believe they’ve signed an “absolute gem” in the 26-year-old.

After Vicario, it is believed Spurs are seriously chasing a deal for Leicester City star James Maddison, with Ange Postecoglou also in the hunt to sign a new centre-back and further forward options.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba, Juventus defender Gleison Bremer and Man United’s out-of-favour centre-back Harry Maguire are all being considered (The Telegraph).

What’s been said about Vicario?

Italian footballing legend Gianluigi Buffon, speaking on DAZN (via The Athletic), has seriously endorsed Vicario as a keeper.

“Vicario is the goalkeeper who, on the whole, is doing the best,” Buffon said.

“In the future, he could be part of the national team setup for a long time either as first or second choice.”

Meanwhile, The Athletic’s goalkeeping analyst Matt Pyzdrowski, a coach and former goalkeeper who played in the United States and Sweden, also holds Vicario in high esteem but also issues a note of caution.

“One thing to keep an eye on with Vicario is, yes, he makes a lot of saves, but he gives up a lot of rebounds, often into dangerous areas,” Pyzdrowski said.

“Credit to him, he’s so athletic he can make up for it, but that’s something to keep an eye on.”

Arsenal are edging closer to signing a Premier League ace, as the Gunners aim to make a dominant start to the transfer window.

Mikel Arteta will be hoping to build upon his title-challenging season in north London by making strong reinforcements this summer.

The latest talent speculated to be Emirates-bound poses as a significant figure to bolster the squad.

What’s the latest on Kai Havertz to Arsenal?

As initially reported by journalist Alex Goldberg via AFCStuff last week, Arsenal are interested in Chelsea forward Kai Havertz.

The speculation has gathered significant pace since the official opening of the transfer window.

Journalist Angelo Mangiante stated yesterday that the Gunners are “very close” to signing the German star, naming him a player with “great class”.

Valued around £60m by FootballTransfers, it’s believed that Chelsea are wanting a fee in the region of £75m for the 24-year-old, who has two years remaining on his current contract.

What could Kai Havertz offer to Arsenal?

Lauded as a “generational talent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Germany international could be a revelation in north London.

While this season was damningly underwhelming in the west of the capital, Havertz has unquestionable talent outside of his form and contribution to Chelsea’s 12th-place finish.

Deployed primarily as a forward at Stamford Bridge, the former Bayer Leverkusen star is versatile in his positioning in attack, having innate playmaking skills which make him a strong asset in central midfield.

During his rise to senior football in the Bundesliga, the Aachen-born gem contributed to 61 goals in 118 league appearances, including a glamorous individual campaign in which he was voted Transfermarkt Player of the Season for 2018/19.

That year, the then-20-year-old scored 17 goals and added four assists in 34 appearances, showing the threat the talent can provide if stationed in a fluid attack.

Arsenal ended the season as the Premier League’s second-highest scorers in a delightful term for the Gunners, with Arteta creating a flourishing young attack Havertz could undoubtedly thrive within.

Due to his creative ability, the Champions League winner could add a playmaking spark if deployed to lead Arsenal’s line, which could significantly benefit Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian scored 11 goals in his first term at the Emirates, as well as registering six assists, showcasing his own creative ability aside from putting the ball in the net.

This campaign, the German averaged 3.12 progressive passes per 90 via FBref, highlighting his ball-playing competency and multi-dimensional approach to leading the line in a style that could reach new heights in Arteta’s system.

Jesus followed closely behind Havertz in terms of progressive passes, averaging 2.76 per 90 – suggesting that he could be complemented by the German in the similarities to their games.

The duo could form a balanced partnership with their goal-scoring and creative ability, supplying the squad with unlimited chance creation in attack.

If Arteta is capable of unlocking the past form of Havertz in a positive environment in north London, having two creative forwards could be the key to unlocking another title charge at the Emirates.

Chelsea should not be too concerned after missing out on midfield transfer target Manuel Ugarte and will have already moved on to other targets, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Who did Ugarte sign for?

Chelsea pulled out of the race to sign Ugarte this week despite submitting an offer to Sporting CP for the Uruguayan midfielder.

The Blues fought against French champions Paris Saint Germain for the player’s signature, but Ugarte is expected to make the switch to Ligue 1 despite strong interest from new Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino.

PSG pushed hard to sign the 22-year-old and refused to be beaten on wages, per Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian. The club are now expected to chase other midfield targets, including Brighton’s Moises Caicedo

Jones believes it will not come as a shock to Chelsea that they have missed out on securing Ugarte’s services and expects the club’s summer business to continue as usual.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones stated: “I think it's important that we remember clubs don't just go after one player at one time. And that wasn't the case here, either. So Chelsea were just going about their business in a normal way.

“It’s just so widely reported now from every angle that it just seems to have gone further than people expected.

“PSG were always in that conversation; it looks like they are going to win that particular battle. Chelsea will move on and they won't be too concerned.”

Would Ugarte have been a good signing for Chelsea?

Chelsea will be disappointed that Ugarte has chosen to move to PSG given the size of the rebuild needed in the Blue’s midfield.

N'Golo Kante looks set to leave the club to join Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League, while Mason Mount and Reuben Loftus-Cheek have been tipped to leave Stamford Bridge.

Ugarte was an important player for Sporting last season in a season in which they reached the Europa League quarter-finals.

The defensive midfielder played a total of 47 games for Sporting in the 22/23 season, picking up an eye-watering 16 yellow cards in that time per Transfermarkt.

The 22-year-old is, without doubt, a talented player, but his wages would have been significant in a Chelsea team that have an eye on Financial Fair Play regulations.

PSG reportedly offered £2.6 million more in base salary than Chelsea, and although Pochettino will be disappointed on missing out on the talent of Ugarte it could be a blessing in disguise due to the cost of the young star’s wages.

Sunderland have been quick off the mark with their transfer business this summer, already bringing in centre-back Nectarios Triantis and young midfielder Jobe Bellingham, the brother of now-Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.

But that excitement may well be offset by possible departures, with Jack Clarke a target for a number of Premier League sides, while Amad Diallo has also returned to parent club Manchester United.

Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray has admitted it is "very unlikely" Diallo will return to the Stadium of Light next season – a loan switch to a Premier League club seems the most likely option – but that is not to say there are not adequate replacements out there.

Replacing the 14 goals and three assists Diallo provided in 39 Championship matches last season will be no easy feat, but Sunderland have shown with their impressive transfer business in recent windows that anything is possible.

According to a recent report by Sunderland Nation, Swansea City's young attacking midfielder Morgan Whittaker is one of those being eyed up to fill the void left by Diallo.

Who is Swansea City attacker Morgan Whittaker?

Whittaker impressed on loan with Plymouth Argyle in the first half of last season in League One, scoring nine goals and assisting another seven in 25 appearances for the Pilgrims.

That type of form was never going to go unnoticed, and so it proved in January when Swansea recalled the 22-year-old with the aim of bolstering their own attack.

However, Whittaker took to social media at the time to say he was "devastated" his time at Plymouth was cut short. The England U20 international clearly knew what awaited him, as he started just twice for Swansea in the Championship in the second half of last season.

Whittaker's future in South Wales now appears uncertain, with Sunderland perhaps looking to take advantage by tabling a bid for a player on wages of around £5k-a-week, according to Capology.

While Whittaker has not truly had a chance to showcase his talents in three seasons with Swansea, he caught the eye at Derby County when breaking into the first team in the 2019-20 season.

As pointed out by football talent scout Jacek Kulig at the time, the Englishman possessed good pace, dribbling skills and ball control, earning him the tag "flamboyant winger".

Whittaker did play out wide a couple of times last season, but his favoured position was playing through the middle of attacking midfield, featuring there 19 times from the start of games, as per WhoScored.

Comparing Diallo and Whittaker last season is made a little tougher by the fact the latter played across two divisions, including a league below. However, the pair were similar in terms of goals scored per 90 minutes (0.45 and 0.41 respectively), while Whittaker edged things in terms of assists – 0.29 v 0.10.

Both players were also very similar in terms of their shooting, with Whittaker finding the target from 39.3% of his efforts, compared to 39.1% for Diallo. Whittaker found the net from 0.11 of those shots; not too dissimilar to Diallo's 0.16.

They also each showed an equal willingness to win the ball back high up the pitch, with Diallo averaging 0.17 tackles per 90 minutes in the attacking third, while Whittaker averaged 0.21.

The truth is that Sunderland fans would easily take Diallo over Whittaker if they had the choice of signing both men this summer. But with the United man surely out of their reach, Whittaker seems as good a choice as any to land on the cheap.

After all, Sunderland have shown with the likes of Clarke, Ross Stewart and others that there are plenty of unpolished gems out there waiting to step up.

Glasow Rangers head coach Michael Beale is working hard to bolster his playing squad with a view to competing for major honours next term.

The Light Blues ended the 2022/23 campaign without a single trophy to show for their efforts and must rectify that by competing on all fronts next season.

To do that, the Gers could need to overhaul their roster and work has already started on that front as Kieran Dowell and Dujon Sterling are set to come through the door, whilst the likes of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos have already departed.

Another player who could be on his way out of Ibrox in the coming weeks is central midfielder Glen Kamara, who has been linked with an exit.

The Daily Mail recently reported that Galatasaray and Besiktas are both keen on the Finland international, who will be allowed to leave for a fee in the region of £6m this summer.

Who could replace Glen Kamara at Rangers?

Beale could brutally ditch the former Arsenal academy graduate by striking a deal to sign LAFC central midfielder Jose Cifuentes ahead of next season.

The Gers are reportedly eyeing the Colombia international and bringing the ace through the door at Ibrox in the coming weeks would allow Kamara to move the other way, as it would provide Beale with the dud's replacement.

In the Scottish Premiership in 22/23, the 27-year-old averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.78 across 22 appearances, as well as just one key pass and one tackle and interception combined per match.

The Finnish midfielder, who lost 53% of his duels in the division, struggled throughout the campaign and his statistics in the league suggest that the lightweight failed to make much of an impact in or out of possession. He did not win the ball back for his side on a regular basis or provide his teammates with chances to score too often.

Cifuentes, meanwhile, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.83 across 11 MLS appearances in 2023 and averaged 1.5 key passes and 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the middle of the park.

The Colombian dynamo, who LAFC general manager John Thorrington claimed "has absolutely everything he needs to succeed", has also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across seven outings in the CONCACAF Champions League this year and created four 'big chances' for his teammates in those clashes.

These statistics suggest that the ace, who is three years younger than the Gers dud, could be a big upgrade on Kamara due to his ability to cut out opposition attacks more frequently as well as being able to create more for others with his quality on the ball.

Sunderland and the rest of the English Football League will suffer a major financial blow if the League Cup is to be discontinued in favour of more Champions League matches, claims football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

The Lowdown: New Champions League format

UEFA are set to change the format of the Champions League, with two extra group stage matches being added from the 2024/25 season (via GiveMeSport).

The Daily Mail recently reported that the League Cup could be scrapped as a means of making room for the extra games which will need to be scheduled.

The Latest: Maguire’s claim

Maguire believes that the removal of the League Cup would see the EFL’s £119million-a-year TV deal fall rapidly in value. As a result, teams across the EFL would suffer a major financial hit.

Speaking with Football Insider, who say the TV deal is ‘on the line’, Maguire revealed: “The EFL TV deal is estimated to be worth £119m per year.

“Some people say that between a third and a half of that is due to the League Cup because it has the likes of Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool in it.

“We know that quite a few clubs put forward weaker teams for it, so the value of matches in the early rounds tends to be relatively low. But as you progress through the competition, there is more interest.

“It is important in terms of it being a flagship competition and good for the EFL brand. The prize money is buttons, so they get a lot of money coming in but don’t have to pay a lot out.

“Proportionately, a greater element of the money goes to EFL clubs themselves.”

The Verdict: Would be a major financial loss

After Sunderland’s emphatic 2-0 victory over Wycombe saw the Black Cats’ promotion to the Championship, the North East club will be grasping on to every last penny that they have as they look to reinvest in the squad ahead of next season.

The League Cup being scrapped will have a huge impact on clubs outside of the Premier League, which could see an even bigger disparity form between the top-flight and its second division.

Sunderland will be hoping to make it past the quarter-finals of the competition next year after being knocked out in that round this year, and more importantly, clubs from the EFL will be doing anything they can to stop the competition being abandoned.

In other news: Sunderland: Lynden Gooch makes claim over his future

Tottenham Hotspur will be delighted with UEFA’s latest U-turn, which involves awarding additional spaces in the Champions League based on a league-specific coefficient system, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has claimed.

The Lowdown: UEFA’s plans

UEFA had originally intended to hand out two extra places in the Champions League, which fell in accordance with clubs’ 10-year coefficients. However, critics argued that this represented an unwarranted insurance policy for the ‘big clubs’ who were seen to be underperforming.

As a result, The Times have reported that UEFA will now award an extra spot based on a country’s performance in the competition, which would likely lead to a fifth team qualifying from the Premier League.

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The Latest: Maguire’s claim

With Tottenham still fighting it out for a fourth-place finish and a spot in the Champions League, Maguire has claimed that Spurs, and by association their chairman Daniel Levy, will welcome this news – especially with the potential to earn up to £150m from qualifying for the competition.

Speaking with Football Insider, he proclaimed: “It is a backstop for the likes of Spurs.

“Qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League generates more money than winning the Europa League, and the upper limit is £150m.

“We can argue about the fairness of it but this is why Tottenham would understandably be so keen to have these insurance options in place.”

The Verdict: Levy will be delighted

With the new insurance policy set to come into play, Levy will be delighted with the increased probability of gaining revenue as a result of Champions League qualification.

Furthermore, this could also act as an incentive for manager Antonio Conte to remain with the club, as it has previously been reported that it is unlikely that the Italian would stick around in N17 without Champions League football.

Therefore, the introduction of a backstop will surely be welcomed by Spurs, as Maguire has suggested.

In other news: Noel Whelan drops Richarlison/Spurs transfer claim

Manchester City have been rather proactive when it comes to signing new players during recent summer and winter transfer windows.

As the Manchester club are looking to secure their fourth Premier League title in five years, it seems as though they have been dealt a blow in regards to one potential transfer deal for the upcoming window.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post, journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano relayed comments from RB Leipzig director, Oliver Mintzlaff, regarding the future of Christopher Nkunku, who has been linked with a move to City.

He said: “We have clearly discussed it internally: we won’t let Nkunku leave this summer, we told him and his agent.”

Romano then added that Leipzig “will also try to extend his contract but talks are still at [the] early stages.”

Guardiola will be fuming

Now that it has been revealed that Leipzig will not be allowing their star figure to leave in the summer, this will surely be bad news for City, thus leaving Pep Guardiola fuming.

Since joining the German club back in 2019 from Paris Saint-Germain, the Frenchman has gone on to make 134 appearances for Leipzig across all competitions.

In those appearances, the 24-year-old has found the net 46 times and delivered 47 assists along the way with a whopping 54 of those involvements coming this term alone. That shows precisely why a team like City would have their eye on adding him to their ranks.

To further highlight how much of an impressive attacking and creative figure he is, no other player in the Bundesliga has racked up more shot-creating actions than Nkunku (129) this season.

He also ranks fourth for shots on target (36) and successful dribbles throughout the current Bundesliga campaign, making him a real handful for defenders and goalkeepers to deal with.

However, with it recently being reported that a deal for Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland is close to being completed, this could take some of the sting away from City fans and Guardiola over potentially missing out on signing Nkunku.

Although should the Manchester club fancy their chances of swaying the hierarchy at Leipzig into selling their French talent, he would certainly be an exciting addition to what is already a rather deadly attacking side if he doesn’t sign a new deal at his current club.

In other news: “Man City will..”: Romano drops behind scenes transfer claim, it’s bad news for Pep

Former Aston Villa striker Frank McAvennie has warned Steven Gerrard against a move for Rangers centre-back Filip Helander. 

The lowdown: Villa linked with Helander

A Villa Park source recently told Football Insider that the 41-year-old was considering revisiting his former employers in an attempt to bring the Swedish defender to the Midlands.

The 29-year-old was signed for the Light Blues by the current Villa boss in 2019, arriving at Ibrox for £3.5m from Serie A outfit Bologna (BBC).

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Since then, Helander has gone from strength to strength in Scotland, being an integral part of the Rangers side which lifted the Premiership title in 2020/21.

The latest: McAvennie unsure about Helander

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie – who represented Villa three times in the first Premier League season – has suggested that Gerrard could be best served to look elsewhere for central defensive reinforcements.

The 62-year-old said: “Helander is alright but the Premier League is a big jump. It’s not like Van Dijk. When he was at Celtic, it was clear he was miles better than anyone else.

“He had to move to the Premier League, he was too good. He used to just stroll around the pitch. When you see players like that, you know they are going to do great things.

“Is Helander that player? I’m not sure. Fair play to him though, Gerrard must think he’s good enough.

“I just wonder with the money Villa have and where they want to be, would they not be looking at a player with Premier League experience. It’s a risk, for me.”

The verdict: Better options elsewhere

Not only is the 19-cap Sweden international unproven in the Premier League, at 29 and with a worrying injury track record there seems not much scope for him to quickly adapt to life in the English top flight.

This season, Helander has made just 11 appearances across all competitions, falling way short of an impressive 2020/21 campaign in which the towering defender earned a 7.10 average Sofascore rating from 22 league outings.

Despite the 29-year-old previously being hailed as a ‘leader’ by Gerrard, the Villa boss should be looking elsewhere for defensive reinforcements to complement Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa this summer.

In other news, BBC man urges Aston Villa to sign ‘magical’ star. Read more here.