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Chelsea have been linked with a Real Madrid superstar in an attempt to strengthen in the middle of the park following N'Golo Kante’s departure to the Saudi Pro League.

Incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly 'obsessed' with midfielder Fede Valverde and are said to have made an initial bid of €120m (£100m) plus €20m (£17m) in add-ons for the Uruguay international.

Chelsea transfer news – Fede Valderde

Chelsea are they look to revolutionise their midfield as they attempt to bounce back after a terrible Premier League campaign saw the blues finish in the bottom half of the table.

Following Kante’s departure, Chelsea look set to sell midfielders Mateo Kovacic to champions Manchester City and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Champions League semi-finalists AC Milan.

Chelsea also declined to make the loan of Denis Zakaria from Juventus a permanent transfer.

The London club has made an offer north of £100m for Real Madrid’s star midfielder Fede Valverde, per DefensaCentral in Spain.

Should Chelsea sign Fede Valverde?

Valverde has been crucial to Real Madrid in recent years, this includes an assist for Vinicius Jr’s Champions League final-winning goal against Liverpool last season.

The 24-year-old machine joined Los Blancos' academy in 2016 from Uruguayan club Penarol for a mere £4.5m, and it now worth an estimated £85m according to Transfermarkt.

As a versatile midfielder who can also play on the right wing, Valverde contributed seven goals and four assists to Real’s league campaign this season.

Is Fede Valverde as good as Jude Bellingham?

Chelsea title-winner Joe Cole once spoke glowingly of the 6-foot midfielder, even comparing the Urguaguay international to English superstar Jude Bellingham.

“He’s been able to bide his time and learn from the likes of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric,” the former Blues player said following Real’s 5-1 demolition of SPFL champions Celtic in this season's Champions League.

“He’s at the top of the young players alongside Jude Bellingham, and he’s about to become the best.

“We talk a lot about Bellingham in England, but this kid is as good as he is.”

Bellingham looks set to snub offers in England to join Los Blancos, and it remains to be seen if the former Birmingham City midfielder’s arrival will displace Valverde from the starting XI.

Given Toni Kroos, 33, and Luka Modric, 37, are nearing the end of their careers it feels more likely that Bellingham will replace one of those two real legends as opposed to replacing Valverde.

But that shouldn't stop Todd Boehly and co from making an attempt for his signature.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to steal a wonderful signing from under the nose of a Premier League rival.

What’s the latest on Manor Solomon to Tottenham Hotspur?

That’s according to journalists Jack Pitt-Brooke and Peter Rutzler, who claim that Daniel Levy has sparked an interest in signing Manor Solomon on a free transfer.

Writing for The Athletic, they suggest that the chairman will seek to capitalise on a technicality this summer, which will see the Israeli winger leave his parent club, Shakhtar Donetsk, on a free transfer.

Despite spending the year on loan at Fulham, the Lilywhites are reportedly at the front of the queue for the 23-year-old.

How good is Manor Solomon?

Although the diminutive wide man had built up a reputation before his move to England, most notably for his role in the Ukraine outfits demolition of Real Madrid in 2020, it was only after his move to Craven Cottage that more casual fans became aware of his talents.

Despite only scoring four times across 19 games this term, almost all the strikes were something truly magnificent to behold, including in the FA Cup triumph over Leeds United.

Journalist Josh Bunting even noted just how “stunning” the start of his year had been on Twitter after he had headed home an equaliser against Brentford.

With a seemingly patented technique for finding the net, cutting in from the left onto his favoured right foot, even Solomon’s running style mirrors that of Heung-min Son alongside this consistent scoring style.

Those fine finishes are best compared to the South Korean’s north London derby scorcher in 2020, as he too came inside from that flank to curl home from all of 30 yards.

Whilst their actual numbers are far from similar, Solomon has only been limited to 31 minutes per game in the league, thus explaining his lack of proficiency.

Son’s ten goals in the league have come across 2,899 minutes of play time, and thus has averaged a goal every 289 minutes. Conversely, across a cumulative 561 minutes for the Cottagers’ star, he instead finds the net on average once every 140 minutes. That does little to offset the gulf shown when the 30-year-old is on form, as he notched 23 goals last season, but remains worth noting.

Whilst their shared stature also likens Son and Solomon, the latter’s aforementioned penchant for the big occasion mirrors the former Bayer Leverkusen star, who showcased his quality in their fierce derby whilst also having scored five against Liverpool and four against Manchester United, via Transfermarkt.

Meanwhile, the £20k-per-week trickster scored in both of their wins over Real Madrid in the 2020/21 campaign, as they defied the odds. This was alongside nine league goals from the flank too, to compound a successful season.

Whilst fans might note this as an underwhelming signing by Levy, again seeking to find a bargain rather than a quality option in the market, his similarities to Son would make him the perfect understudy to push him back to those old goalscoring ways.

Manchester United are believed to be keen on reviving their interest in Ajax star, Jurrien Timber, having missed out on the Netherlands international last summer.

What's the latest on Timber to Man United?

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, manager Erik ten Hag is said to be a huge admirer of his compatriot and is keeping a close eye on the centre-back's situation in Amsterdam, having previously been in talks to sign the 21-year-old prior to the start of this season.

Speaking to The United Stand, the transfer guru stated: "On Timber, Manchester United are always informed of the situation. Erik ten Hag is the biggest fan of Timber in football, he is a fantastic centre-back. It depends on Ajax, how much they would ask for Timber.”

According to Sky Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, the promising defender – who signed a contract extension with the Eredivisie outfit back in August – could command a fee of around €50m (£44m) if he is to move on this summer.

Should Man United sign Timber?

A new central defender does appear to be something of a priority for Ten Hag and co amid reports that club captain Harry Maguire is set to be shown the door, with recent speculation suggesting that Napoli's Kim Min-jae could be on his way to Old Trafford.

In Timber, however, the Red Devils could seemingly find an ideal alternative to the South Korean star, with the young Dutchman offering the benefit of having worked under the 53-year-old previously, scoring four goals and registering two assists in 74 games under his compatriot's tutelage.

As has been evident with the signing of ex-teammate Lisandro Martinez – who has been a "monster" at Old Trafford, according to Luke Shaw – Ten Hag has benefitted from bringing in a familiar face, hence the ability to repeat that trick with Timber.

Not only would the 5 foot 10 rock – who can also feature at right-back – offer a more youthful alternative to 26-year-old, Kim, but he also appears to possess a greater ability in possession, with his "ball skills" described as "exceptional" by talent scout, Jacek Kulig.

That superior quality on the ball is showcased by the fact that Timber has averaged 8.80 progressive passes and 2.42 progressive carries per 90 over the last 365 days, as per FBref, while the Napoli rock has averaged just 4.84 and 1.22 for the same two metrics, respectively.

The younger man also has a similar defensive record to that of Kim having averaged 1.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in the league this season, with the Korean only just ahead having averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.2 interceptions so far this term.

As such, with Timber able to combine his ball-playing prowess with a solid defensive approach, he would seemingly be an attractive option for Ten Hag, with his "tactical intelligence and general football IQ" also said to be at a "crazy high level", according to Kulig.

For all the interest in Serie A winner, Kim, the Ajax man could offer a dream alternative for the Red Devils this summer.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Bournemouth midfielder Jefferson Lerma to the London Stadium, according to reports.

What's the latest on Lerma's future?

The Colombia international first arrived in the Premier League back in 2018 and has since gone on to make 181 appearances for the Cherries, becoming a fan favourite at the Vitality Stadium, even ranking as Gary O’Neil’s third best-performing offensive player this season despite him naturally sitting just in front of the backline.

However, the 28-year-old will be out of contract at the end of the season meaning that he is set to become a free agent on the market during the upcoming window should he not extend his stay on the south coast, and his potential availability appears to have grabbed the attention of David Moyes.

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham are “keen” to sign Lerma this summer, with top-flight rivals Crystal Palace and Fulham also hoping to “lure” him to the capital. Leicester City and Nottingham Forest are additionally interested in wrapping up a deal. The Cherries would like their midfielder to stay beyond the conclusion of the current campaign, but he is “exploring his options” and his club are therefore “facing a battle” to retain his services.

Where would Lerma fit in at West Ham?

West Ham do have plenty of options available in the midfield but Declan Rice has been heavily linked with an exit as he looks to secure a move to a club that are competing at the highest level, so should he depart, Lerma could be his ideal successor having been hailed an “outstanding” player by journalist Josh Bunting.

The Nike-sponsored star is naturally a defensive midfielder which is proven by him ranking in the 98th percentile for clearances whilst winning 26 of his tackles from 44 players challenged this season, as per FBRef, but he can also contribute to his team’s efforts in the final third with five goals to his name since the start of the term.

The World Cup participant would furthermore add some much-needed versatility to Moyes’ squad having operated in six different positions since first bursting onto the scene, including four in the midfield but also two in defence.

The Irons need to remember that Lerma would quite literally cost them nothing to initially recruit which is a huge bonus compared to the exponential price tags likely to be placed on some of their other high-profile targets, but Bournemouth have a hidden gem in their talisman and so it’s up to the board to act fast should they want to beat their fellow competitors to his signature in the weeks and months ahead.

Everton could offer influential centre-back Yerry Mina a new deal this summer, according to a positive new update regarding his future.

When is Mina out of contract at Everton?

The Blues have endured another tough season in the Premier League, meaning they have endured back-to-back relegation battles in the top flight. While they stayed up late in the day last time around, there is still work to do in their remaining three matches in 2022/2023.

One player who Everton have largely had to make do without is Mina, who has been troubled by injury problems throughout the campaign. He has been limited to just four appearances in the league, although he is at least fit currently, thriving in 90 minutes of the 5-1 win away to Brighton on Monday.

The Colombian is out of contract at Goodison Park this summer, however, so unless an extension is agreed, he will move on to pastures new on a free transfer. A positive rumoured has emerged, though – one that suggests his time with the Blues may not definitely be up.

Could Mina sign new Blues deal?

According to Football Insider, Mina "could land a surprise new contract" at Everton this summer, with Sean Dyche thought to be a "fan" of the defender. He was "immensely impressed" with his performance at Brighton and potentially sees him as part of his future plans.

It is noted that the centre-back would have to potentially take a pay cut from his current £120,000-a-week wages, but his exit certainly looks far from a given.

Mina signing a new deal at Everton would be a massive boost, even though his injury troubles have clearly been problematic in recent times. He is a top-level defender when he is fit and firing, having won 39 caps for a talented Colombia side, and also been hailed as "fantastic" and a "monster" by former Blues defender Michael Ball in the past.

His influence was outlined in the aforementioned win over Brighton, where he enjoyed a 94% pass completion rate, made two tackles and won five duels. His aerial dominance and leadership could be such an asset to Dyche moving forward, and at 28, he could remain in and around the peak years of his career for the next three or four years.

A new deal is a no-brainer, with the positives outweighing the positives, and some strong performances in the last three fixtures could further convince Dyche about an extension.

Fulham have been handed a boost in their pursuit of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Erick Gutierrez, as he has recently confirmed he will consider his future, should offers come in for him this summer.

Who could Fulham sign this summer?

The Cottagers are believed to be in the market for a number of new players this summer, and they have recently held 'informal contacts' with agents about the potential signing of FC Porto star Mateus Uribe, who's available for free this summer.

Uribe may be targeted as a replacement for Joao Palhinha, as journalist Dean Jones has confirmed that a number of Premier League clubs are interested in the Portugal international, including Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Central midfield is not the only area Marco Silva is keen to strengthen in the upcoming window, having made contact with Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech, while Borussia Monchengladbach defender Joe Scally could also be targeted.

A report from March detailed that Gutierrez is a summer target for the Cottagers, and they have now been handed a boost in their pursuit of the midfielder, as he has confirmed he will consider offers from elsewhere this summer.

As relayed by Soccer News (via Sport Witness), the PSV ace said: “My children are now three and four years old, born here and completely used to the environment,”

“I will soon be here for five years, and the club is in my heart, forever. If offers come in, I’ll look at them calmly with my agent and it’s also important what PSV want.”

Should Fulham sign Erick Gutierrez?

The Mexican has received regular game time for PSV so far this season, making 25 appearances in the Eredivisie, although a fair few of those have been as a substitute, owing to the solid performances of Ibrahim Sangare and Joey Veerman.

Having averaged 2.97 tackles per 90 in the past year, ranking in the 89th percentile compared to his positional peers, the 27-year-old is very solid defensively, which indicates he could be a good replacement for Palhinha.

The £14k-per-week maestro's defensive attributes are not his only strength, however, with journalist Cesar Hernandez claiming he's capable of doing "a little bit of everything", due to his ability to play in defence, and occasionally get on the scoresheet.

Gutierrez would be a versatile option for Silva, having played as far back as centre-back five times in his last 50 appearances, and Fulham should definitely look to make an offer in the summer.

Arsenal are becoming increasingly likely to win the race for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to a recent report from the Daily Mail.

What's the latest news on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

Rice is likely to have offers from a number of Premier League clubs in the summer transfer window, although reports have indicated he favours a move to the Emirates Stadium, due to the prospect of playing under Mikel Arteta.

That said, it is unclear whether the Gunners will throw everything at the midfielder this summer, with it being reported they are unwilling to match the fee currently being quoted by West Ham, leaving Chelsea very much in the race.

One thing that is almost certain is that the Englishman will leave the Hammers this summer, with journalist Alex Crook recently confirming he is pushing for a summer move, potentially opening the door for a move to Arsenal.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, the 24-year-old making the switch to north London this summer is looking increasingly possible, as it would tick a lot of the boxes, in terms of what he wants from his next club.

The £60k-per-week central midfielder would be able to stay in London, while also competing in the Champions League, which could make a move to Arsenal a very attractive proposition compared to Chelsea, who are almost guaranteed not to be playing in Europe's elite competition.

The report also suggests the Gunners could sign the England international for a cut-price fee, with West Ham no longer in a position to demand £150m, which was being spoken about a year ago.

Should Arsenal sign Declan Rice?

The former Chelsea youth player has been a shining light for West Ham in a very poor season, averaging a 7.21 Sofascore rating in the Premier League, by far the best-performing player in the squad.

Lauded as an "absolute monster" by the media, the maestro is a very confident dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 88th percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, while a total of 80 tackles last season ranked him eighth in the Premier League, highlighting his defensive acumen.

Arsenal are not in dire need of a new central midfielder, with Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka consistently performing well this season, but Rice would be an excellent addition to the squad, who would provide real depth ahead of a 2023/24 campaign, in which Arteta will want to be competing on all fronts.

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up summer moves for Bayer Leverkusen duo Moussa Diaby and Mitchel Bakker.

The Lowdown: Long-term interest

Both Diaby and Bakker are long-term interests at St. James’ Park, with the former reportedly being ‘hotly courted’ by Newcastle since last summer.

The North East club were also reportedly in ‘contact’ over a deal for the latter last summer, and even made a formal offer for him, but a deal never materialised in the end.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘still hot’

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that the Tynesiders are ‘still hot’ on both Diaby and Bakker, although fellow Premier League rivals Arsenal are also thought to be interested in the former.

The report adds that they also want to sign a ‘younger and better’ option at left-back, with Dan Burn currently filling in that position as a central defender, and 22-year-old Bakker ‘fits the profile’ that they are looking for.

The Verdict: Get both in?

While Diaby would certainly help boost Eddie Howe’s attacking options, with 17 goal contributions so far this season, Bakker could come in as a new starter at left-back.

He has been described as a more ‘modern’ full-back by Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller, and would offer Howe a more attacking option down the left flank with his ‘strong desire to get forward’:

“Mitchel Bakker combines athletic qualities such as pace and strength in challenges with footballing ability. He is a modern full-back with a strong desire to get forward and he’ll help our team.”

However, the Dutchman has recently been criticised for disciplinary issues, with Bundesliga commentator Derek Rae sharing German news outlet Kicker’s headline of him being unprofessional, after being late three times for training since November:

“Kicker not holding back on Leverkusen’s Mitchel Bakker. Headline is “Footballer by occupation but not a professional.” It scolds Bakker for sleeping late for a 3rd time since Nov & missing the final training session before the win over Hertha.”

Nonetheless, the Magpies will have to weigh up whether Bakker is the kind of character that they would want in their dressing room, but there is no doubt that he would offer them a more attacking option at left-back, and at just 22 years of age, could be a mainstay in the team for years to come, should they be able to get a deal over the line of course.

Greg O’Keeffe has claimed that Vitalii Mykolenko is not guaranteed to play for Everton this weekend.

The Lowdown: Dyche to make tough selection decisions

Everton failed to pick up a positive result in their battle against the drop last weekend, so their home game against an in-form Brentford side has taken on more importance.

The Toffees will know that this weekend’s clash will be one of the toughest of the season given the contrasting forms of the two teams, but Sean Dyche must make Goodison Park an intimidating place to play after their last home defeat.

Dyche will need to ensure he gets his team selection is spot on, as Thomas Frank has not done much wrong of late, as his Bees side are unbeaten in 12 Premier League games, so some changes could well be in the offing for the Toffees this weekend.

The Latest: Mykolenko could miss Everton’s crucial home clash

Alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin, O’Keeffe has insisted on the All Together Now podcast that Mykolenko is touch-and-go as to whether or not he will start for the Toffees against Brentford.

He said: “Really, really tough games against sides that we’ve got no dice on recently at all. Brentford not exactly much easier, but it’s at Goodison, like you said at the top of this podcast, it’s in front of the Goodison faithful. We all know what’s at stake, and by hook or by crook, by 1-0, by a set piece, we need the points here.

“Speaking about set pieces, there might be a few tweaks as well. I think it’s touch-and-go with Vitalii Mykolenko, isn’t it?”

The Verdict: Everton must win this weekend

No matter if the likes of Mykolenko and Calvert-Lewin miss out, Dyche can’t be feeling sorry for himself as they simply must win this weekend, or they could easily slip into the bottom three.

If Everton were to beat Brentford this weekend, taking four points from their previous two games will be seen as a minor success for Dyche, and looking at their upcoming fixtures, it could be well-needed.

After playing Brentford, Everton face successive matches against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, so those three games will be tough and could easily yield zero points, so taking the maximum from this weekend is a must, no matter how difficult it may be.

Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos is expected to leave in the summer with the Colombian interested in a potential move to the Premier League.

How long does Morelos have left on his contract?

The 26-year-old is set to find himself as a free agent in the summer with his current deal at Ibrox set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

Morelos has now been playing his football in Scotland since 2017 after making the move to Rangers from the Finnish side HJK Helsinki.

The Colombian has endured some struggles in recent years at Ibrox, however, not finds himself back in the mix with Micahel Beale regularly using the 26-year-old.

And speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested the striker would be keen to make a move to England over the summer:

“Yeah, I think it’s getting closer and closer now to the end of his contract. We’re in this situation where maybe with just a few months left he was out of contract and he’s free to talk to foreign clubs right now on a pre-contract due to his contract situation.

“The player is keen to play at the highest level possible as well. He’d be really interested in the move to the Premier League if that was to be an option for him as well.”

How will Rangers replace Morelos?

Morelos had some issues over the course of his time at Rangers with the Colombian showing signs that he would be keen to move on from Ibrox.

However, the influence he has provided over the years cannot be ignored with the striker having played a huge role in their recent history.

The Colombian has now played 257 times for the Gers across all competitions and has provided a stunning return of 121 goals and 57 assists (via Transfermarkt).

And despite having only started 10 games in the Scottish Premiership this season, the striker has still been able to offer Rangers nine goals and five assists.

Although his game time has been inconsistent, Morelos is still Rangers’ third-highest goalscorer this term which will leave a big hole to be filled if he does leave in the summer.

Perhaps what will be equally as crushing is the fact if he does leave they will not see any money come in given he will be leaving as a free agent following the conclusion of his contract.

However, there may be a lot of things which Morelos’ departure could offer Rangers some relief from with the player consistently showing a lack of discipline throughout his time at Ibrox.

Beale does have the likes of Antonio Colak to potentially choose ahead of next season but the Englishman has shown he is more than willing to look south of the border to bolster his squad.