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Arsenal will 'touch base' with West Ham United captain Declan Rice later this month as they plot a swoop for the England international, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Declan Rice?

As per The Daily Mail, Arsenal, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are all involved in the race for Rice's signature this summer, who is valued at around £120 million by West Ham.

The report states that the Gunners will have around £180 million to spend in the off-season once they initiate player sales, though Bayern Munich are willing to offer £87 million and also players in exchange to land the England international.

According to The Times, one factor that may help Arsenal in their efforts to sign Rice is the fact that Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has agreed personal terms over a potential move to their Premier League rivals Manchester United, something which could pave the way for Rice to pitch up at the Emirates Stadium.

Rice has been non-commital regarding his future in a recent interview cited by The Manchester Evening News, instead indicating that his full focus will be given to trying to win the Europa Conference League trophy, as he said: “I’ve not really focused on any of that, to be honest. My main focus this season, from the World Cup onwards, has been getting us out of a relegation battle and, of course, having one eye on winning this trophy."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has detailed that Arsenal will initiate contact with Rice and his entourage in early June, though warns that the Gunners will need to act soon to ensure they fend off competition from other clubs.

Jones said: "We know that Arsenal are going to touch base early on in June to see what they can do with Declan Rice.

"While that's going on, if Mount is available and Manchester United could potentially look to tie that up, it straightaway gives you a foot up for if Rice doesn't sign for Arsenal, where he goes after that."

Would Declan Rice be a good signing for Arsenal?

Rice, who has been hailed as a "rare" player, is a versatile midfielder that looks primed for a move to one of the Premier League's big guns this summer and Arsenal could be the perfect environment to progress his career in the right direction.

In 2022/23, the 24-year-old has made 49 appearances in all competitions, registering five goals and four assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

The £60k-a-week earner has also shown commendable consistency this term and has been West Ham's top performer, according to WhoScored, obtaining an average match rating of 7.01/10 for his exploits on the pitch.

Driving his side forward is one of Rice's main plus points and he has been able to successfully carry out 111 shot-creating actions this campaign, as per FBRef.

Looking ahead, Arsenal will need to move fast in order to secure his signature; however, the lure of Champions League football may work in their favour when trying to recruit Rice.

Chelsea are 'pushing' to sign Sporting CP’s Manuel Ugarte as the first step of their summer rebuild.

What’s the latest on Manuel Ugarte to Chelsea?

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are “in talks” for the midfield target, who has been approved by the incoming Mauricio Pochettino.

The reputable journalist also says the Blues will be rivalled by Paris Saint-Germain for the 22-year-old’s signature, but Chelsea will keep insisting.

The Guardian has revealed that the Uruguayan has a release clause of €60m (£52m) and the 2021 Champions League holders “have a chance of winning the race” to complete the transfer.

How would Manuel Ugarte fit in at Chelsea?

The eight-cap ace has enjoyed an incredible season that has alerted Europe’s most elite clubs to his unbelievable talent.

The titan has developed a formidable reputation as an aggressive, defensive-minded protector for the backline. This is showcased by the fact that this season he has made the most tackles in Liga Portugal (121), and the Champions League (29), while only five players have made more tackles in the Europa League, as per WhoScored.

The highly-rated titan has been described as a 'warrior' by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig and a 'balling-winning machine' by Dave Kendrick, thanks to the aforementioned imperious consistency.

This is precisely why the west London outfit are interested and Ugarte; he could be the perfect midfield partner for Enzo Fernandez who has been a shining light in Chelsea’s abysmal season.

The Argentine has recorded more successful long balls (133) and successful attacking third passes (318) than any other player in the Premier League since his debut in the competition in February.

The World Cup winner’s wondrous ability to dictate play combined with the Sporting prodigy’s tenacity could be a sensational combination that could catapult the Londoners back to where they belong.

Furthermore, the Montevideo-born gift can emulate Fernandez’s role as a deep-lying playmaker as he ranks in the top 19% outside of Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for passes attempted per 90, as well as the highest 1% for pass completion.

He is simply too good for his current division and a move to a Chelsea team, whose midfield is in desperate need of a huge revamp, would hugely benefit both parties.

Both the aforementioned players are just 22 years old, so they are brimming with potential, and under the meticulous guidance of Pochettino, they could both be two of the world’s most elite footballers.

Newcastle United have made significant progress in their pursuit of Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Failed January pursuit

The 19-year-old was a firm target of the Magpies in January as new manager Eddie Howe looked to bring in a couple of forwards to St James’ Park.

Burnley striker Chris Wood arrived in the northeast after Newcastle swiftly struck a £25m deal following an injury to Callum Wilson, and it appeared that Ekitike was set to follow suit and make a late switch on deadline day after the Magpies had a £33m bid accepted by the Ligue 1 outfit.

However, the Frenchman decided that the timing wasn’t right and that he would instead assess his options at the end of the season.

The Latest: Romano’s update on Ekitike

Romano has now shared the latest update involving Newcastle’s pursuit of Ekitike.

Taking to Twitter, he claimed: “Hugo Ekitike deal. Newcastle and Reims have full agreement on €30m fee plus €5m add-ons, agent is now in talks with Newcastle after being given permission by Reims.

“Work in progress as Newcastle have been leading the race for weeks.”

The Verdict: Huge talent

According to analyst Statman Dave, who has featured on Sky Sports, the Magpies are set to sign “a big talent”. He elaborated: “Only Kylian Mbappe [1.25] registered more non-penalty direct goal involvements than Hugo Ekitike [0.85] in the 21/22 Ligue 1 season.”

Newcastle writer Charlie Bennett has claimed that the unfulfilled deal for the 19-year-old paralleled one failed transfer from the past; like Ekitike, a young, highly-rated Ligue 1 striker in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was close to joining the Magpies in the past, but a deal to bring him to St James’ Park ultimately failed to materialise.

Therefore, if Ekitike can live up to the Gabon striker’s legacy in the Premier League, in which he scored 68 goals for Arsenal, it would be a fantastic signing for Newcastle.

In other news: Craig Hope shares Sven Botman transfer insight

Liverpool will benefit from a highly competitive auction for the Champions League broadcast rights for the period between 2024-2027, claims football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

The Lowdown: Upcoming sale

The domestic TV privileges for the Champions League are set to come up for sale shortly.

The current contract for the UK is held by BT Sport, which is worth £400m per year over its three-year deal.

With Team Marketing having been tasked with selling the 2024-2027 rights on behalf of UEFA, the Daily Mail have reported that Sky, BT Sport and Amazon will all battle it out for the lucrative contract.

The Latest: Maguire’s claim

Maguire, a finance expert and regular contributor for Sky, has claimed that 2021/22 finalists Liverpool will be one of selling points as the three major broadcasters make a claim for the competition’s next ‘long-term deal’.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed: “You’d imagine this would bump up the deal a bit.

“Liverpool are a big draw in their own right. Uefa will be aware of the viewing figures and want to secure a long-term deal.

“With the takeover of BT by Discovery, they will be a flagship product.

“From Sky’s point of view, they will be watching with interest. If they took it over, it could be a bit of a knockout blow for BT Sport.

“Amazon are delighted with what they had in terms of the Premier League TV deal. They are aware that the Champions League is a product that generates interest and fills in gaps in their Amazon Prime roster.

“Whether this will be combined with a terrestrial broadcaster who broadcasts one match per round, we don’t know.”

The Verdict: Beneficial income for LFC

According to Football Insider, the Merseyside outfit earned a stunning £266.1m in media income across the 2020/21 campaign, although this included deferred broadcast revenue from the Covid-struck season prior.

And with a bidding-war set to occur between three huge broadcasters, it is possible that these figures will increase even further.

With Liverpool being one of UEFA’s biggest selling-points, this could prove to be a huge financial benefit for FSG, as the club prepare to build upon and maintain the success they have achieved in recent years.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops latest on Divock Origi

Luis Suarez could be set for a return to the Premier League, with Aston Villa targeting a deal for the striker, who is set to become a free agent after departing Atletico Madrid upon the expiry of his contract over the summer.

What’s the story?

That’s according to The Telegraph, who claimed that Villa manager and ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard wants to reunite with his former team-mate at Villa Park next season.

It would be a sensational capture for the West Midlands outfit, who have already shown serious intent with the additions of Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos before the end of May.

Gerrard has already tied down one former Reds team-mate to a permanent contract in Philippe Coutinho, and the Brazilian’s former Liverpool and Barcelona colleague could be the next big name to make the move to Villa Park.

Villa must secure a deal for Suarez

Although he wouldn’t be a long-term option at 35, signing Suarez would be a seriously impressive feat by Aston Villa.

The striker is an incredible goalscorer, having scored 436 times at club level during his stellar career, with 82 of those coming at Liverpool.

Having left Anfield for Camp Nou in 2014, the Uruguayan hasn’t played for an English club since departing Merseyside. He made 282 appearances for Barcelona, where he scored 194 goals and registered 113 assists, before joining Atletico in 2020.

Suarez enjoyed an impressive first season with Diego Simeone’s side, helping them to a first La Liga title in seven years with 21 goals in the Spanish top flight.

However, this season hasn’t been as straightforward for the striker, who had fallen out of favour and was limited to just 20 league starts. Despite a significant decrease in game-time, though, the 132-cap Uruguay international still reached double digits in goals, scoring 13 times.

With Atletico refusing to extend Suarez’s contract, Villa can land the forward on a free transfer, although wages could be tricky to negotiate given that he is on a mammoth £263k-p/w. That is more than twice the pay of every Villa player except Coutinho, who is their highest earner on £150k-p/w.

Signing a striker will be imperative this summer, though, with Ollie Watkins blowing hot and cold this term despite scoring 11 Premier League goals. Meanwhile, Danny Ings has appeared to have struggled to settle in at Villa Park, netting seven goals, a significant decrease on his figures at Southampton.

Labelled “world-class” by his former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and “probably the best player I have played with” by none other than Gerrard, in Suarez Villa would be getting a serial winner with massive experience and a sensational goal-scoring record.

It wouldn’t be a long-term solution, but it would surely leave Villa supporters ecstatic, with Gerrard already a huge admirer of the qualities that the Uruguay striker possesses.

AND in other news: Contact made: NSWE in talks for “unreal” £100m AVFC target, he’s “perfect” for Gerrard

West Bromwich Albion are set for an overhaul this summer following a disappointing season that saw the side fail to secure a chance at promotion back into the Premier League, and Steve Bruce has his work cut out to improve the team.

The release and retainment list has been confirmed for next season with Romaine Sawyers, Andy Carroll and Sam Johnstone three of 12 players who will be let go by the club this summer to make way for signings.

In terms of releasing Andy Carroll, the Albion manager will need to find a replacement for the striker to ensure that they are not caught short like they were last season when Daryl Dike suffered a long-term injury after making just two appearances.

It would be advantageous to bring in a ready-made experienced striker who knows how to bag goals in the Championship and there is one player Bruce could reunite with this summer that can provide exactly what they need.

Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle has been starved of game-time at St James’ Park in the Premier League but is a proven goal-machine when it comes to the Championship and could be the key to unlocking promotion for West Brom next season.

The £37k-per-week gem who was dubbed “proven” by Kyle Bartley, is no stranger to The Hawthorns, scoring 24 goals and contributing eight assists in 41 appearances when he was on loan at the club in the 2018/19 season, and Carlton Palmer believes the player could emulate his previous spell at the club if West Brom signs him this summer.

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer claimed: “He’s guaranteed you 20 goals in that league. He’s done it before.”

“So, those are the players he’d be looking to bring into the football club, and obviously, Steve works with those players and knows them well.”

With that being said, due to his lack of minutes with the Magpies, it could be an attractive move for the player to get back on the pitch and be a regular feature for the Baggies again.

Therefore, Bruce could be in a great position to get a deal over the line if he made the move, something he simply has to do if he wants to get fans on side and build a steady platform for promotion.

AND in other news: West Brom could unearth an “immense” Livermore upgrade by signing £23k-p/w gem

New Liverpool signing Fabio Carvalho will play a ‘key role’ immediately at Anfield next season, according to reliable journalist Dominic King.

The Lowdown: Carvalho move sealed

The 19-year-old has signed for the Reds ahead of officially joining on July 1st, in what is an exciting piece of business by the club.

Carvalho enjoyed a superb season for Fulham, scoring ten goals and registering eight assists in the Championship, as the Cottagers sealed their return to the Premier League.

While there could have been the option of loaning the attacker out immediately this summer, perhaps back at Fulham to gain top flight experience, that doesn’t look as though it will be the case.

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The Latest: King drops interesting claim

Taking to Twitter, King claimed that Jurgen Klopp sees Carvalho as an immediate part of his plans from next season onwards:

“Liverpool have agreed a £7.7m deal with Fulham to sign Fabio Carvalho and he will officially move to Anfield on July 1. No intentions to loan Carvalho out next season, Liverpool see him as having a key role to play.”

The Verdict: One for the present & future

Carvalho looks like a huge prospect and it is encouraging to hear that he is already considered a massive part of Klopp’s plans in 2022/23.

The manager clearly thinks that he is ready to make a big impact from the off, with Fulham boss Marco Silva describing him as a ‘fantastic’ player.

The fact that Carvalho can operate in an attacking midfield role or across the front-line is perfect, in terms of versatility, and it could be that he begins to usurp more senior players in those roles, such as Roberto Firmino.

In other news, one Liverpool attacker has been backed to stay at the club. Find out who it is here.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly now favourites to sign James Tarkowski for Newcastle United this summer.

The Lowdown: Many admirers

The Burnley defender certainly has plenty of admirers, with both West Ham United and Everton also reportedly interested in his signature.

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He is out of contract at Turf Moor in the summer and can therefore be signed on a free transfer once it expires.

The Latest: Newcastle favourites for Tarkowski

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, Lee Ryder has reported that Newcastle may have ‘nudged ahead’ in the race to sign Tarkowski, as West Ham have cooled their interest.

The journalist states that it could be the ‘perfect deal’ for the Magpies, given that he would come for free and they could offer him more in wages.

The Verdict: No-brainer

It really is a no-brainer for the Tyneside outfit to try and bring Tarkowski to St James’ Park on a free transfer.

Once dubbed ‘outstanding’ by his former Clarets manager Sean Dyche, the Mancunian would offer Eddie Howe another solid option in the centre of defence, and he is in his prime at 29 years of age.

The Englishman also has valuable Premier League experience and know-how, so he should be able to settle in fairly quickly at Newcastle should he make the move to the northeast.

In other news, find out who else NUFC are now ‘chasing’ this summer

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Konrad Laimer.

What’s the word?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist and transfer insider revealed that Bayern Munich are preparing an opening offer of around €20m (£17m) for the RB Leipzig midfielder, with Julian Nagelsmann believed to be a big fan of the 24-year-old.

However, Romano goes on to state that a number of Premier League sides – one of whom is reported to be Antonio Conte’s Tottenham – are also interested in a move for the Austria international this summer.

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In his tweet, the journalist said: “FC Bayern are preparing an opening bid [of] around €18/20m to begin talks with RB Leipzig for Konrad Laimer – it won’t be easy but Bayern want him. Julian Nagelsmann is pushing to sign Laimer – as Premier League top clubs are interested too. He’s out of contract in 2023.”

Paratici must move

Considering just how well suited Laimer appears to be for Conte’s tactical setup in north London, in addition to the fact that it appears as if the midfielder will be available for an extremely reasonable fee this summer, it would seem a very wise move for Paratici to launch a bid of his own for the RB Leipzig dynamo at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, according to FBref statistics, the £23.4m-rated Austrian ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for pressures per 90 minutes, as well as the top 19% for tackles, the top 13% for progressive carries, the top 17% for blocks and the top 14% for dribbles completed over the last 365 days.

The £49k-per-week talent also impresses in attacking metrics, with FBref ranking the 24-year-old in the top 10% of midfielders for non-penalty goals per 90 minutes, in addition to the top 4% of non-penalty xG, the top 13% for shots, the top 4% for assists, the top 13% for xA and the top 5% for non-penalty xG+xA throughout the last year.

As a result of these returns, FBref compare Laimer to the likes of Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, Liverpool’s Naby Keita, Barcelona duo Pedri and Gavi and Atalanta’s Teun Koopmeiners, demonstrating the calibre of player the RB Leipzig sensation is in and amongst.

As such, should the player dubbed an “elite presser” indeed be available for as little as £17m this summer, Paratici simply must throw Tottenham’s hat in the ring, as it is abundantly clear that Laimer signing that Conte would love to welcome to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the club’s 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news: Spurs now set to seal “unbelievable” first summer signing, it’s a Paratici masterclass

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Tomas Soucek to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report by The Express, who claim that Antonio Conte is keeping a very close eye on the situation of the West Ham United central midfielder ahead of a potential summer swoop.

The report goes on to state that David Moyes’ side have informed Juventus – who are also believed to be keen on the 27-year-old – that it would require a fee of around £40m in order for them to part with the Czech Republic international.

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Finally, it is suggested that both Spurs and Juve could look to take advantage of the fact Soucek is yet to agree a new deal at the London Stadium, with the midfielder demanding an improvement on his current £70k-per-week wage, and talks between the player and club expected to be resumed at the end of the current campaign.

He’d be a “monster” for Conte

Considering just how impressive Soucek has been for West Ham following his £15m move to east London back in 2020, it is easy to see why Conte is said to be a huge admirer of the 27-year-old.

Indeed, over his 38 Premier League appearances in his first full season with the Hammers last time out, the £42m-rated midfielder was one of Moyes’ standout performers, scoring ten goals, registering one assist and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.7 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.

The former Slavia Prague star also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 2.7 clearances and winning a whopping 9.6 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per game.

These returns saw the player who Deji Faremi dubbed a “monster” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.16, ranking him as the Irons’ second-best player in the top flight of English football.

The 27-year-old has also played a key role in West Ham’s run to the semi-final of the Europa League this term, making an average of 1.6 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 2.5 clearances and winning 5.3 duels per fixture over his ten appearances in the competition – with these metrics seeing the 48-time capped international average a SofaScore match rating of 7.04.

As such, it is clear to see that Soucek is exactly the sort of hard-working player Conte loves to have in the heart of his side, leading us to believe that Fabio Paratici simply must stump up West Ham’s £40m asking price in order to get a deal for the midfielder over the line this summer.

AND in other news: Conte now plotting THFC bid for “refreshing” £34m-rated gem, he’d be a “great signing”