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Leeds United defender Robin Koch is now wanted by Serie A champions Napoli this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.

Which players are leaving Leeds?

The Whites' relegation from the Premier League last month was a bitter pill to swallow for anyone associated with the club, following three years back in the top flight of English football.

It will create problem for so many reasons, not least the fact that Leeds are going to find it extremely difficult to keep hold of key players beyond the summer. Playing in the Championship will not appeal to many of their top young talents, especially if they have the opportunity to return straight to the top level at another club.

A host of current Whites heroes are being linked with summer moves away from Elland Road, with the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Jack Harrison among those in the mix to depart.

Koch is another who has been tipped to move on, however, as he looks for a new challenge.

Is Koch potentially joining Napoli?

According to Sky Italia journalist Franceso Modugno (via Gianluca Di Marzio and Sport Witness), Napoli are eyeing up a summer move for the £38,000-a-week defender, as they look to bring in a tailor-made replacement for centre-back Kim Min-jae, who looks set to join Bayern Munich.

The report claims that the Serie A giants see Koch as a strong target because he "stands out for his physicality and ability in aerial play", with a bid now possibly in the offing.

In truth, these are the sort of departures that Leeds simply have to accept in the summer transfer window, with someone of Koch's standing no doubt intrigued by the idea of joining a Napoli side that excelled so much last season.

While it would be nice to see the 26-year-old stay put with the Whites and help them make a speedy return to the Premier League, it is difficult to be too critical of him moving on if a club of such stature comes in for him.

Granted, Koch hasn't always covered himself in glory for Leeds, starting 36 of his side's 38 league games en route to relegation in 2022/23, but he has been hailed as a "machine" by teammate Max Wober and he would be a loss, certainly boasting the physicality to thrive in the second tier.

The fact that the German's current Whites deal expires next year does make this a realistic time to sell him and receive good money, though, which is the one positive to take from his likely exit.

Aston Villa could start "making offers" for players, according to journalist Dean Jones, with the club linked to £35m midfielder Manu Kone.

Are Villa interested in Kone?

One of the names hot on the lips of transfer experts everywhere is Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone, with the young Frenchman having been linked with a move away from the Bundesliga this summer.

Even Gladbach's director of football has admitted as much, telling kicker (via 90min): "Our attitude is well-known. If there are sums involved that a club like Borussia has to think about, we will do it."

Gladbach have already lost Marcus Thuram to Inter, Ramy Bensebaini to Borussia Dortmund and Lars Stindl to Karlsruher, all on free transfers, and are expected to have to cash in on some of their saleable assets this summer.

This will likely be great news for clubs around Europe, one of whom might be Aston Villa.

According to Dean Jones, Unai Emery's side could start making offers for unsettled players, one of which could be Kone.

He told GIVEMESPORT: "There's been a lot of umming and ahing over targets like Manu Kone, and I feel like at some point Villa are just going to go in there and start making offers for these players to really give them something to think about and see if those other clubs react."

Having been frequently linked with Liverpool, although a move to Anfield is now "unlikely", Villa would have to fend off some of the world's biggest clubs to acquire the 22-year-old's signature. It would certainly be a huge statement of intent if Emery could lure him to Villa Park.

Why do Villa want Kone?

Currently at the U21 European Championship with France, Kone enjoyed an impressive season in an underperforming Borussia Monchengladbach team that slumped to 10th under Daniel Farke.

A robust defensive-midfielder, Kone, who has been hailed as a "one man army", is something of an all-rounder in the centre of park, excluding goals and assists.

Compared to other Bundesliga midfielders last season, Kone made 1.28 tackles in the defensive third per 90 (top 10%), 2.55 overall tackles per 90 (top 18%) and 1.52 blocks per 90 (top 25%), highlighting his ability to win the ball back and stop danger.

He also boasts a good passing ability, sitting in the top 9% for average passing accuracy (86.2%), and he very rarely loses the ball, being dispossessed just 1.73 times per 90.

One of his key strengths is his dribbling ability and press resistance, sitting in the top 11% per 90 for successful take-ons, carries and progressive carry distance. This would be incredibly useful for someone like Villa, given the high-intensity pressing of many Premier League teams.

Pinpointing a new midfielder to partner Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea is arguably one of Mauricio Pochettino’s biggest challenges, which he simply must get right.

Getting the perfectly curated protector with a tough-tackling ferocity and keen athleticism is a tricky task.

The club has been incessantly linked to Moises Caicedo, however, Brighton are supposedly demanding around £120m for the Ecuadorian’s services.

Nevertheless, a cheaper, more realistic, and attainable alternative has emerged in the form of Aurélien Tchouaméni, whose signing would be a humongous statement of intent from the West Londoners.

What’s the latest on Aurélien Tchouaméni to Chelsea?

According to reports in Spain, the Blues offered €60m (£51m) for the Frenchman which was immediately rejected, and they are planning an improved bid of €80m (£68m), which will give Real Madrid something to think about.

Although far-fetched and extremely ambitious, the 2021 Champions League winners possess a ludicrously excessive budget, which could be shrewdly sprayed upon this ball-winning machine.

Who can Aurélien Tchouaméni emulate at Chelsea?

The 25-cap international joined the 14-time European Champions last summer for €100m (£86m) and made 50 appearances for Los Blancos.

As per FBref, the former Monaco prodigy has been compared to the current talk of the town, Declan Rice, due to their strikingly similar attributes.

Defensively, both these titans are formidable protectors for their backlines, with Tchouaméni averaging slightly better numbers in most departments as he has more tackles per 90 (2.61 vs 2.17), interceptions per 90 (1.98 vs 1.73), clearances per 90 (1.87 vs 1.59), and aerials won per 90 (1.91 vs 1.02), according to FBref.

The £206k-per-week man also outperforms his positional peers in pass completion (92.9% vs 86.5%), but Rice makes more progressive passes.

Tchouaméni’s compatriot Paul Pogba has lauded the sensation for his quality saying: “Very very good. He's not a boy, he's a man.

“It was a pleasure to play next to him. He brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy, and extraordinary technical and physical quality.”

Indeed, that's a review that could well describe Rice too.

The 22-year-old has started every game for his nation at the 2022 World Cup and scored in the 2-1 quarter-final victory over England.

Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol has said that Chelsea’s new ownership has targeted the world’s “best young players” and Tchouaméni certainly fits that bill.

The pivot ranks within the best 8% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for interceptions, pass completion, and clearances per 90.

For the West London outfit to get back to where it belongs, this is exactly the type of scintillating Rice-like signing to reinvigorate the fanbase with a new-found belief that its new setup can take the club forward.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their efforts to bolster their squad following Brendan Rodgers' return to Parkhead on a three-year deal…

What's the latest on Hyun-jun Yang to Celtic?

According to South Korean outlet Newstong, the Hoops have made an offer in an attempt to snap up Gangwon FC winger Yang Hyun-jun in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Scottish giants have 'formally' expressed their interest as they pursue a deal for the 21-year-old attacker but the K-League outfit are not willing to accept their current bid – although it is not revealed whether it has been officially rejected or not.

It states that Celtic's proposal is not enough to tempt Gangwon into cashing in on the young gem as they are currently in a relegation battle and do not believe that there is enough money on the table to warrant taking a significant blow to their chances of avoiding the drop.

What is Yang Hyun-jun's style of play?

The exciting South Korean U23 international is a right-footed right-winger who has showcased his ability to score and assist goals at an impressive rate for a player of his age.

By pushing the club to make an offer that convinces Gangwon to part ways with the talented youngster, Rodgers could forget all about Liel Abada, who could reportedly be on his way out of Parkhead for up to £10m this summer.

Abada, who is also a 21-year-old right-footed forward, has proven himself to be an excellent option out wide for the Hoops in the Scottish Premiership over the last two years.

The Israel international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01 and plundered ten goals and five assists in 34 league outings in 2022/23, and that came after the No 11 produced ten goals and six assists in 36 outings the previous year.

Yang's form for Gangwon in 2022 indicates that the potential is there for him to be an excellent replacement for the current Celtic attacker if he departs during the summer transfer window.

The South Korean whiz, who was hailed as "special" by journalist Nathan Sartain, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.02 across 36 K League 1 matches and contributed with eight goals and five assists, whilst he also created six 'big chances' for his teammates.

This suggests that Yang has the quality to make a big impact in the final third with his goalscoring ability and eye for a pass, which means that he could replace a large portion of the production that Abada has provided during his time in Scotland.

A return of one goal and one assist in 14 league starts this year suggests that Yang has struggled this season, but his performances in 2022 indicate that there is still a very promising player for Rodgers to potentially unearth.

Therefore, the Northern Irish tactician could forget all about Abada by signing Yang and helping the 21-year-old to rediscover his touch in the final third, as the Gangwon star has the scope to contribute with goals and assists from a wide position.

Fans online have been left rather excited after hearing that Liverpool ace Darwin Nunez could soon be wearing the number nine shirt, suggesting it will help him find a new level next season.

What number will Darwin Nunez wear next season?

The Uruguayan striker arrived at Anfield with big expectations after sealing a club-record £85m move from Benfica. And right away, he was pitted against Manchester City’s big summer signing, Erling Haaland.

For instance, ITV’s coverage of the Community Shield noted that he “struck first blood in the battle of the summer super-signings” after he scored in the 3-1 win while the Norwegian didn’t.

However, now we’ve reached the end of the season, it’s safe to say Haaland had a much better debut campaign in England than his opposite number.

Indeed, the City star won the treble and scored 52 goals in all competitions, while Nunez scored only 15 times and didn’t win anything else.

However, both men are relatively young and there is plenty more to see from the pair. With that in mind, the 23-year-old Liverpool ace will hope to improve next term – and one thing will be different right from the off.

Indeed, The Anfield Talk hinted online that Nunes will be taking the number nine shirt from the departing Roberto Firmino this summer.

It’s safe to say a number of Liverpool supporters are already hyped for next season and they seem to think this new kit number could help their striker explode into life.

They took to Twitter to make their points. Here are the best reactions…

Some even think this means Nunez will now outshine Haaland.

Manchester United have been in hot pursuit of Mason Mount over the last few weeks and now a new update has emerged on their pursuit of the player this summer.

What's the latest on Man United's move for Mason Mount?

According to The Times, the Chelsea midfielder has agreed personal terms to become a Man United player this summer.

As per the report, it is claimed that the Red Devils are closing in on making Mount their first signing of the summer with Erik ten Hag keen to add more creativity into his midfield set up this summer and Chelsea are keen to cash in to ensure they don't lose a huge asset on a free next summer.

Would Mason Mount be a good fit for Man United?

Whilst the most pressing concern for Erik ten Hag will be the centre-forward role this summer, an opportunity to strengthen the quality and attacking perspectives in the centre of the pitch is a chance they cannot afford to pass up on.

Although Man United boast a number of highly-respected talent in midfield it is definitely an area of the squad that is starting to age with Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and Fred all in their 30s at this point and other than Bruno Fernandes, are three of the most experienced first teamers.

As a result, the signing of Mount presents an opportunity for the Dutch coach to continue his rebuild at Old Trafford by injecting not only some youth into the midfield personnel but also maintaining a high level of quality and a winning mentality to match those decorated players who surround him.

The 24-year-old Champions League winner – who has been "unbelievable" in the words of Joe Cole – offers flexibility in his positioning with experience operating in a number of roles over his illustrious career so far, but could be the dream creative outlet that Ten Hag is searching for who can combine with one of his England teammates to make United an unstoppable force.

Marcus Rashford has been one of the standout performers on the red side of Manchester this season – tallying up 30 goals and 11 assists in all competitions with a goal contribution every 104 minutes, an impressive output unmatched by any player in the team as Fernandes came in second scoring less than half (14).

Now, Mount could provide the pacey winger with even more opportunities to convert chances by injecting some consistent creativity into the midfield and breaking the lines of attack to form a dangerous attacking threat.

The Chelsea academy graduate ranks in the top 15% of his positional peers in midfield across the top five European leagues for shot-creating actions, shots on goal, progressive carries, touches and progressive passes received, proving that he could be a key asset in playing that final ball into the box or even taking the goal-scoring opportunities for himself with confidence.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see how Ten Hag will deploy Mount if he joins the Red Devils this summer and whether he can reach the high expectations that will come with his reported £70m price tag next season.

Everton are in the market for new players as they look to put a terrible 2022/23 season behind them, but boss Sean Dyche cannot bring in new recruits for the sake of it.

That is a category Crystal Palace Jean-Philippe Mateta – a possible loan target for the Toffees this summer, according to French outlet So Foot – very much fits into.

Who are Everton looking to sign this summer?

Everton have already been linked with a whole array of players since retaining their Premier League status at the end of last month, including the likes of El Bilal Toure, Wout Weghorst and Tammy Abraham.

As the second-lowest goalscorers (34) in the division last season, behind only Wolves (31), and eighth in terms of goals conceded (57), there is not really a position Everton could not do with strengthening in the coming months – a goalkeeper aside.

Smart recruitment has not exactly been a buzz phrase around Goodison Park in recent years, though, with Everton far more accustomed to splashing out large on a flop than spending wisely on a player for the future.

While he may still only be aged 25, meaning his best years should be ahead of him, Mateta has done little in his time in English football to suggest he will provide Everton with value for their money.

How has Mateta performed at Crystal Palace?

Signed for a reported fee of €18m (£15.5m) in January 2020, initially on an 18-month loan arrangement, Palace have not yet seen a return on their investment.

Mateta has scored just eight Premier League goals in 58 appearances and netted just once in his final 30 games of the 2022/23 season. Despite those disappointing figures, Everton, Torino, Valencia and PSV are all reportedly weighing up a move for the former France U21 international.

In last season's Premier League campaign alone, the former Lyon player scored twice from 27 shots and had a shot-on-target percentage of 25.9. To put that in some perspective, no Everton attacker who featured regularly last season failed to hit the target as often.

Those problems go beyond simply finding the net, with football reporter Raj Chohan describing Mateta's decision-making on transitions as "woeful".

Mateta's numbers are very similar to those of Weghorst, another rumoured target for the hierarchy at Goodison.

Like the Palace man, however, he has been a high-profile flop and failed to set the world alight during a temporary stint at Manchester United.

That said, the Dutchman did just about edge out his positional peer for pass completion percentage (72.9 compared to 69.8) and goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.23 and 0.12 respectively).

Pivotally, he also scored more goals last term. Although Weghorst netted just once for United, he bagged eight in 16 Super Lig appearances for Besiktas in the first half of the season.

Everton fans may joke that any option is an improvement on what they currently have, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin's fitness issues proving to be a huge concern, but given Mateta's weekly wage of £50k and a likely transfer fee in the region of £8m if a permanent move is forged, they will be better off biding their time and looking elsewhere.

Celtic are set to lose one of their talents this summer, with Tsoanelo Letsosa deciding not to agree a new deal with the club, according to the Daily Record (24/05, 4:31pm).

Who will Celtic sell this summer?

The 18-year-old has spent this season playing for the Scottish Premiership side's B-team in the Lowland League. He's been a first-team regular for that outfit, playing 32 times in the division and bagging himself three goals and five assists along the way. He also played for the side in Europe in their UEFA Youth League campaign, managing five appearances with one goal to his name.

Having come up through the ranks at the club – he began in the side's Under-17 and Under-18 teams before moving on to play with the B-team – Celtic may have hoped that he could come through and play in some matches for their first team in the future. However, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, it seems he has no intention to stay.

That's because the Daily Record is reporting that despite being offered fresh terms, he has opted against putting pen to paper and is instead looking for a move over to England. However, the only saving grace for the Scottish side is that if he does move on to another side, the club are likely to be given compensation due to his age, which is thought to be to the tune of a six-figure sum.

Who is Tsoanelo Letsosa?

The youngster has yet to really have a taste of first-team football at the top level, so it is obviously unclear just how well he would do if given the chance in perhaps the EFL or at a higher level than he has featured so far.

However, the signs are promising for any team that does pick him up this summer. That's because coach Stephen McManus stated that he and the rest of that squad are "terrific" and that they each have a "bright future" in the game. It's high praise from the former player and suggests that he may well have the ability to go on and feature somewhere else to some success.

In addition, he's also been capped by the Scotland national team at Under-16 level – an honour which wouldn't be given to a player unless their coaches saw talent in his boots.

Therefore, Letsosa could be a good free-agent pickup for a team in England this summer – although it is unclear as of yet where he will end up.

Villarreal attacker Arnaut Danjuma is now on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the summer transfer window, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Danjuma’s season

Since making the switch from Bournemouth last year, the 25-year-old has gone on to leave an incredible impression on the Spanish top-flight. In 34 games for the La Liga outfit, the Netherlands international has netted an impressive 16 goals.

As a result of his domestic and European form – he scored six times on route to the Champions League semi-finals – a number of transfer rumours have arisen linking the winger with a move back to England.

According to a report by 90min, Fabio Paratici and co. sent a number of club officials to watch Danjuma in the first leg of Villarreal’s semi-final tie against Liverpool earlier this month.

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The Latest: Jones’ claim

With all this information, transfer window expert Jones believes that Danjuma is on Paratici’s summer wish list.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed:

“They’ve got Danjuma on their radar. He’s a good player, but I don’t believe that he’s going to increase the ceiling of what this Tottenham team can achieve, so I think this is one they will wait and see on.”

The Verdict: Great signing

During his stint along the south coast, Bournemouth manager Jonathan Woodgate was full of praise for the 25-year-old, asserting that he is “an exceptional player”.

Former European Golden Shoe winner Kevin Phillips has also reiterated this rhetoric, claiming that Danjuma “is a nightmare for defenders”, as “he can hurt any defence with his pace and directness”.

With Antonio Conte’s side hoping to secure a top four Premier League finish and a place in next season’s Champions League, Paratici will be eyeing the likes of Danjuma, as the Lilywhites look to bolster the quality in their squad as they plan for a busier schedule next year.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Levy will be ‘delighted’ with Champions League plans

Manchester United have reportedly reignited their interest in signing West Ham United’s French centre-back Issa Diop.

What’s the word?

That is according to a fresh report from Foot Mercato, who claimed that Ralf Rangnick is keen to acquire the 25-year-old’s services on behalf of new Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag.

David Moyes’ side would reportedly be prepared to let Diop depart in the summer for around €15m (£13m).

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Upgrade on Maguire

United have struggled in all areas this season, although it is their defence which has perhaps let them down the most.

With 52 league goals conceded this season, averaging a total of 1.5 conceded per match, the Red Devils have the sixth-worst defence overall in the current top-flight campaign.

Unsurprisingly, no defender has stood out for United, although Harry Maguire has been isolated for his performances by the media this season for some high-profile mistakes.

It is no wonder that Rangnick, who is set to take up a consultancy role with United next season, is eyeing up a move which would offer great value towards the club’s ambition of bolstering their defensive depth.

Diop, who has been described as a “rock” by Sam Tighe on Twitter, is not as tried-and-tested as Maguire when it comes to receiving the ball under pressure, although he does boast a record of zero errors per 90, which highlights his quality on the ball in stark contrast to the £80m liability.

The French centre-back has become something of a forgotten man when it comes to the Premier League, starting just 29% of West Ham’s top-flight games this season, although it is worth pointing out that injuries have played a massive part in him missing so much action.

As such, it may leave some of the United fanbase wondering exactly why Rangnick want to sign the £13m-rated Diop.

His performance in the Europa League clash against Lyon demonstrated exactly what the 6 foot 4 talent is truly about. He played an outstanding game at left centre-back which saw him make six clearances and three recoveries, all whilst maintaining his composure in possession as he achieved a respectable 86% pass accuracy.

Most importantly, he played a vital role in West Ham’s clean sheet in the second leg of that Europa League quarter-final in France as the Irons advanced to the last four of the tournament.

He could well prove to be a more reliable upgrade on Maguire at United, as evidenced by his lack of errors, although Ten Hag may prefer a left-footed centre-back.

In other news – Fewer touches than De Gea: Man Utd flop with just 12 passes must never play again