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Everton securing the signing of Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour on loan would ‘suit all parties’, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Tricky loan spell

The 20-year-old spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan in the Premier League with Norwich City.

Whilst the Scotland international made 24 top-flight appearances for the Norfolk club, he came under fire for a number of his performances.

Gilmour was singled out by some travelling Canaries fans for his display during Norwich’s 3-0 pummeling at the hands of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in late December, with manager Dean Smith later coming out and defending the youngster.

The Latest: Brown’s claim on Gilmour

90min have reported that another loan move for Gilmour is on the cards, with Fulham, Bournemouth, and Rangers all named as possible destinations for the 2022/23 season.

However, with Frank Lampard now in full flow with the Toffees, Brown believes that a move to Everton could be perfect for the young Scotsman.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the Daily Star journalist claimed: “I think if Chelsea were to allow him on loan again, I suspect they would quite like him to go and play for Lampard because they know Lampard will look after him.

“And I think even if he doesn’t play every game, he would be an asset, so that seems like a move that would suit all parties to me.”

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The Verdict: Good move for all

Former Rangers striker Kenny Miller hailed the 20-year-old during their time together at the Glasgow club, claiming that Gilmour is a “special talent”.

Whilst in charge at Chelsea, Lampard was also full of praise for the youngster. Dubbing him an “outstanding” player, the current Toffees manager handed the Scotland gem 17 senior appearances for the west London outfit, two of which came in the Champions League.

Therefore, despite an underwhelming spell at Norwich, a loan move to Everton could revitalise Gilmour’s career in the Premier League, particularly with a trusted, familiar face in Lampard to guide him along.

In other news: Frank McAvennie has reacted to this behind-the-scenes Everton development

Out-of-favour Celtic centre-back Christopher Jullien will be sold by the club this summer, according to former Hoops striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Jullien’s lack of playing time

The 29-year-old has been dogged by injury problems during his time at Parkhead, which has stunted his development hugely since arriving in 2019.

In fact, Jullien was limited to just one Scottish Cup appearance in the entire 2021/22 season, with Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers the first-choice centre-back pairing.

The Frenchman’s current deal at Celtic expires next year and it looks likely that he will leave this summer.

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The Latest: Summer exit predicted for Jullien

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie said that he fully expects Jullien to move on from Glasgow this summer, claiming that Ange Postecoglou would be happy to sell the defender. The 62-year-old stated:

“It’s clear that Ange doesn’t like him [Jullien]. There were so many games to play last season and he never got a look in, that tells me he’s pretty much finished at Celtic.

“Carter-Vickers and Starfelt played every game. I think one of them needs a big, powerful defender to partner them at the back and you would think Jullien fits that mould.

“But he hasn’t played and it doesn’t sound like he’s injured again so Ange clearly doesn’t like him as a player. I expect he will leave this summer because Ange won’t keep anyone who isn’t contributing.”

The Verdict: Ideal time to leave

It is a shame how Jullien’s Celtic career has panned out overall – Neil Lennon once hailed him as ‘excellent’ – with the defender powerless to do anything about his constant injury issues over the years.

However, he is surely now surplus to requirements at Parkhead and it makes complete sense for him to leave this summer, giving the Hoops the chance to receive a fee for his services and him the chance to revive his career elsewhere.

If not, Jullien would be allowed to leave for free in 2023, which wouldn’t be beneficial for Celtic in the slightest. It therefore suits all parties to secure his exit imminently, if indeed a prospective suitor emerges.

In other news, a journalist has provided a key Celtic transfer update. Read more here.

Wolves have again made progress in their attempts to sign Joao Palhinha this summer, with a fresh transfer rumour revealing Bruno Lage has green lit the deal.

The Lowdown: Endless Palhinha links

No player has been linked with a move to Molineux more often than Palhinha in recent weeks, with the Sporting CP midfielder endlessly on Wanderers’ radar.

The 26-year-old has shone in the middle of the park this season but it seems likely that he will look for a fresh challenge during the summer transfer window given the amount of suitors from top European leagues, namely Tottenham and Wolves.

Wolves have certainly been at the front of the queue regarding a move and a new update suggests nothing has changed, in that respect.

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The Latest: Fresh rumour emerges

According to Correio da Manha [via Sport Witness], Wolves’ move for Palhinha has been given ‘the approval’ from Lage, who sees him as a perfect replacement for Ruben Neves, whose likely exit is also mentioned in the report.

Any move is ‘pending to the offer’ from Wanderers, with Sporting demanding €30million (£25.4m) for their player’s services.

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The Verdict: Move feels likely

With each passing week, the more it feels as though Palhinha will end up being a Wolves player next season, given the relentlessness of their pursuit.

There has been rumoured interest from others, including an ever-improving Spurs side, which is a worry, but the Portuguese connection at Molineux could sway his thinking.

While Palhinha is known for his class on the ball – he had an 87.8% pass completion rate in the Primeira Liga this season – his average of three tackles per game is greater than any Wolves player, showing what an impressive all-round footballer he is.

In other news, one Wolves hero has been linked with a summer exit. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with Calvin Ramsay ahead of the summer transfer window, and now a new update has emerged that may encourage the club to step up their pursuit.

What’s the latest?

According to Scottish news outlet The Scotsman, Serie A club Bologna are set to reignite their interest in Ramsay following a £4.8m bid falling through in January.

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As per the report, the publication understands that the Italian club are set to return to negotiations for a second time this summer to secure Ramsay’s signature over Liverpool and Leeds United who are both named as potential suitors for the defender.

Andy Robertson 2.0

Andy Robertson was a major coup for Jurgen Klopp back when he signed him from newly relegated Hull City back in 2017 for £10m, and since then, he has gone on to be a Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Premier League title winner over the last five seasons and Ramsay could be the second coming of the full-back.

Labelled an “unbelievable” player by sports journalist Ryan Taylor, the 18-year-old recently won the SPFL Young Player of the Year award after an impressive season for Aberdeen which has obviously caught the attention of the powers at Anfield.

The £6m ace who was tipped for a “massive future” by Brian Rice, has scored one goal and contributed three assists, creating three big chances, making 1.8 key passes and 1.3 clearances on average per game, whilst winning the majority of his duels (51%) combined in 24 league appearances this season, proving he is showing huge potential.

In total this term, he has racked up a supremely impressive nine assists so it’s easy to see why Klopp wants to add the full-back to his options.

There are many comparisons capable of being drawn between Robertson and Ramsey, with the Liverpool left-back winning the same SPFL Young Player of the Year award back in 2014 when he was at Dundee United and have both been discovered as upcoming talents during their time playing Scottish football.

In terms of similarities on the pitch, despite playing on opposite sides of the backline the pair offer similarities in their ability to not only offer consistent defensive performances but also pose a deadly attacking threat that can cause all sorts of problems for their opponents.

The youngster has even claimed that he looks up to the Liverpool star in an interview back in April (via The Scotsman):

“Andy Robertson at Liverpool and Tierney at Arsenal, they’ve all been brilliant and they’re players I look up to, especially as they are full-backs like me.”

With that being said, Liverpool should do everything they can to get the signing over the line as the player can not only learn a lot from the influence of Robertson but can also be a great back up for Trent Alexander-Arnold in the future when the side are competing for multiple trophies.

AND in other news: “Very soon”: Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Liverpool update, supporters will love it

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Marc Cucurella to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Spanish journalist Albert Roge, who revealed in a post on Twitter that, following an impressive campaign with Brighton & Hove Albion, Antonio Conte has now added the 23-year-old to his list of transfer targets.

A further report by the Daily Express claimed that the 52-year-old Tottenham manager is keen to add more quality to his first-team squad this summer, and has identified the left-back as an ideal candidate ahead of Spurs’ 2022/23 campaign.

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However, Roge goes on to state that both Manchester City and Chelsea are also interested in a move for the Spain international, for whom the Seagulls are expected to demand a figure of around £30m to part with this summer.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Pep Guardiola’s City want to sign Cucurella this summer. We add that the former Barca player is also wanted by Chelsea and Tottenham. His great season at Brighton has not gone unnoticed. The price will be around £30m.”

Conte can axe Reguilon with Cucurella

Considering just how impressive Cucurella has been for Brighton this season, in addition to the fact that Sergio Reguilon has been heavily linked with a move away from Spurs this summer, it is easy to see why Conte would be keen on a deal to bring the 23-year-old to north London at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, over his 34 Premier League appearances this term, the £18m-rated left-back – who has also been deployed on the left-wing and at centre-back – has been in sensational form for Graham Potter’s side, scoring one goal, registering one assist and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.2 key passes, taking 0.5 shots and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

The £23k-per-week defender also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep eight clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 44.9 passes, 0.9 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 1.8 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Potter dubbed both “important” and “infectious” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as the Seagulls’ third-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, considering his age, undoubtedly ability and positional versatility, should the £43m Reguilon – who Tom Young dubbed “pathetic” – indeed move onto pastures new this summer, it would appear an extremely wise move for Conte to replace the 25-year-old with the Brighton starlet.

Indeed, not only would he be a cheaper option than the £68k-per-week Reguilon, but considering their respective match ratings this season, Cucurella would also appear to be a much more promising prospect for Conte and his Tottenham Hotspur side.

AND in other news: Huge boost: Alasdair Gold drops early Spurs team news hint, supporters will be buzzing

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly eyeing a move for Barcelona’s 22-year-old midfielder, Riqui Puig.

What’s the word?

That is according to Spanish outlet, Sport, who claims that super-agent Jorge Mendes is bringing Wolves’ Ruben Neves closer to Barcelona.

The report goes on to state that Mendes will also look after Wolves, having negotiated “interesting meeting points.”

Whilst Neves’ transfer fee could be lowered for the benefit of Barcelona, a swap deal may prosper in addition, with the likes of Ez Abde, Nico Gonzalez, Alex Balde, Riqui Puig and Oscar Mingueza all mentioned as players that Mendes believes “can come to fruition” and “who are very interest in the English club.”

Farewell to Neves

With Barcelona advancing talks to sign Neves thanks to Mendes, as well as the report suggesting that the 25-year-old Portuguese midfielder would be “delighted to play for Barca” – it looks as though the Old Gold will bid farewell to their midfielder of five seasons at the end of this campaign.

And with Mendes’ proposed inclusion of players, one man stands out from the rest as an outright Neves replacement. That man is Puig, who has been dubbed a “rare bright spark” by Graham Ruthven.

A somewhat underrated option and evidently overlooked by Barcelona, having made just 14 appearances in La Liga this season finding himself in the starting XI just 5% of the time, Puig clearly needs a move that will guarantee him game time.

And with his ability in possession, averaging an emphatic 77.77 passes completed per 90, with an astonishing 92.5% pass completion, he actually outdoes Neves’ average of 55.09 at a completion rate of 83.2% and finds himself in the elite category in comparison to positionally similar players across Europe’s top five leagues.

Puig’s match average of 4.08 shot-creating actions are another indication of the attacking threat that he could bring to the Wolves engine room, again bettering that of Neves who averages 1.73 shot-creating actions per 90.

With his average of 94.42 touches per 90, he is a dictator in midfield and could offer an upgrade over Neves on the ball, with almost all of his possession metrics sitting in the elite category, as per FBref.

With Mendes making way for Neves’ transfer to Barcelona, Wolves could massively benefit by snatching Puig and cash for their Portuguese star.

In other news: Wolves heading for summer disaster over “fantastic” warrior, Lage will be fuming 

A big claim has been made on Celtic and their potential deal to sign Jota on a permanent basis…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Ange Postecoglou will be bugging the board to wrap up a move for the Portuguese forward as quickly as possible.

He is currently on loan from Benfica and the reporter does not believe that they will encounter any problems with his contract.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: “Obviously they have got that option to buy in there, so the fee is all agreed, Celtic just need to stump it up and I’m sure personal terms won’t be an issue.

“Postecoglou will be calling on the Celtic hierarchy to get this deal done so he can start preparing for next season with Jota in his plans.”

Supporters will be buzzing

This update will surely leave the Celtic supporters buzzing for multiple reasons.

Firstly, they will be pleased to read that personal terms will not be an issue. Whilst the transfer fee has already been agreed, the Hoops would not be able to sign him permanently if he was not willing to put pen to paper on a long-term contract at Parkhead.

However, this fresh claim from O’Rourke suggests that he is open to staying in Glasgow beyond the end of the campaign, allaying any fears that he viewed his future elsewhere.

The fans will also be delighted as signing Jota will be a major deal for the club. He has been a huge player for Celtic throughout the campaign and the supporters will surely want to see him in action for Postecoglou next term, with his exciting play out on the wing.

In 27 Premiership outings, the 23-year-old has scored nine goals and provided ten assists. He has created a whopping 15 ‘big chances’ and 2.1 chances per match in the division – showing that he has been able to deliver in the final third on a regular basis in the Scottish top-flight.

He also caught the eye in the Europa League earlier in the season. Jota was directly involved in four goals (two goals and two assists) in five starts in the competition – averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.40. The winger has the quality to make a big impact in Europe and that makes him a key player ahead of a potential Champions League campaign next term.

Fans will, therefore, be buzzing with Postecoglou pushing for this deal to be done as he is a terrific player who can have a major impact on the team next season, just as he has in the current one.

AND in other news, Forget Starfelt: “Hopeless” 95-touch Celtic dud was Postecoglou’s real liability today…

A year ago Tyrone Mings’ place in the Aston Villa starting XI was a foregone conclusion.

The titanic and bullish defender was one of the first names on Dean Smith’s teamsheet and he was even in Gareth Southgate’s thoughts as a regular for England.

Indeed, Mings started the first two games of the European Championships and as captain of what looked like an ever-improving Villa side, few could blame the Three Lions boss for selecting him.

Mings barely put a foot wrong for this nation before being ousted for the divisive Harry Maguire.

Sadly for the left-footed centre-back, his form and performances had dwindled in 2021/22. He is still one of the first names in the starting XI but there is a growing feeling that it won’t be long before he is given the axe at club level too.

Mings has made a few mistakes this term, with one officially leading to a goal according to the Premier League’s stats. He has also had a problem with discipline, going into the book on nine occasions.

The 29-year-old has always been more on the aggressive side, using his brutal physicality to outmuscle opponents but sometimes he can be rash and forced into errors.

The latest mistake came against Liverpool on Tuesday evening. Villa may well have nothing to play for but the former Bournemouth defender is surely playing for his future in the Midlands.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first-half free-kick was whipped in deliciously and as the Villans’ skipper tried to clear the ball, he got it trapped under his feet in a rather calamitous moment of defending.

Pinball ensued inside the area and it eventually led to Joel Matip prodding home an equaliser for the Reds.

In that moment, it suggested why he’s becoming dispensible to Steven Gerrard and his coaching staff.

Recent reports suggest that Villa are ready to listen to offers for the experienced centre-half and on this display, few can blame them.

He lost the ball on eight occasions, meaning he gifted possession away every 5.1 times he took control of it.

On top of that, he made just one tackle and one interception over the course of the 90 minutes.

It is unfair to judge a defender merely on their performance against Liverpool. This is a team competing for a historic quadruple after all, but the fact of the matter is that Mings hasn’t been up to the task for the vast majority of the campaign.

Once the summer window opens, it may well be time for the club to cut ties with him. Until then, they must experiment with a new defender alongside the future of Aston Villa; Ezri Konsa.

AND in other news, AVFC supporters will love the “unbelievable” thing that Jurgen Klopp said last night…