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In terms of incoming transfers, Liverpool were not very busy during the previous summer window, only managing to bring in defender Ibrahima Konate, with a number of players leaving the club.

However, even before the upcoming January transfer market, it seems as though the Reds are already eyeing up potential deals they could make in the next summer window.

What’s the news? 

According to Spanish media outlet RAC1 (via Liverpool Echo) the Merseyside club are interested in signing Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic.

That’s if he fails to renew his current contract at the Italian club by the time it expires next summer when the Reds could sign him on a free transfer.

Extra quality

Inter originally signed Brozovic on a loan deal from Dinamo Zagreb back in the 2015 January transfer window before securing him on a permanent basis in the 2016 summer window.

Overall, the 28-year-old, who is currently valued at £36m according to Transfermarkt, has made a total of 252 appearances for the reigning Serie A champions, scoring 25 goals and providing 34 assists along the way. With that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that he was described as a player of “incredible quality” by Roberto Mancini.

So far this season, Brozovic has played in all of Inter’s eight league games in which he has managed to rack up an average of 1.8 tackles per game, 1.1 clearances per game, an impressive passing accuracy percentage of 92% as well as one key pass per game, showing how well-rounded the player is in defence and attack.

In terms of a potential move to Liverpool, we feel that if the Merseyside club were able to sign him on a free transfer next summer, this could be a great bit of business. It would nearly mirror their move for Thiago Alcantara back in the 2020 summer transfer window as an experienced and technical midfielder in his peak years moved to Anfield.

Speaking of Thiago, we feel that the idea of him and Brozovic linking up for Jurgen Klopp’s side could be something that would excite a lot of Liverpool fans and give the team a different dynamic to the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson who may not be as attack-minded as the aforementioned stars in terms of creativity and their technical ability.

Specifically, Brozovic has a higher creativity rating (76) than both Fabinho (51) and Henderson (68) according to SofaScore, with Thiago’s standing at 74, much closer to Brozovic’s.

Moving forward, we feel that Brozovic’s situation at Inter is something Liverpool should be monitoring to see if they could eventually identify an opportunity for them to sign the player on a free transfer in the summer.

In other news: Liverpool dealt big injury blow ahead of Atletico clash, Klopp will be gutted – opinion

Sunderland Echo reporter Phil Smith was left baffled by Mike Dodds making no substitutions at half-time as Sunderland trailed 2-0 at home to Doncaster Rovers in League One.

The Lowdown: Worse than Bolton?

Last time out, the Black Cats were thumped 6-0 away at Bolton Wanderers, which of course cost Lee Johnson his job after a string of worrying performances.

They were 2-0 down at half-time in that fixture too, with the other four goals coming after the interval, and The Chronicle journalist James Hunter has suggested that their performance in the first half against Doncaster was even worse.

With that in mind, it beggars belief that interim boss Dodds opted not to make a single change after the first 45 this weekend.

The Latest: No subs

Taking to Twitter, Sunderland Echo journalist Smith has given his reaction to the decision by Dodds not to make any changes at half-time, calling it a ‘big call’:

“No changes at HT….. That’s a big call.”

Perhaps no surprise then that it didn’t pay off, with Corry Evans’ second-half goal not enough to rescue any points.

The Verdict: Baffling

Given that SAFC were 2-0 down at half-time once again, it was truly baffling that Dodds chose not to change things up for the second half, especially considering the quality of options available after some clever January business.

With the likes of Jermain Defoe and Patrick Roberts on the bench, he had plenty of attacking talent and experience at his disposal, but decided to stay put despite things clearly not working.

Doncaster are currently bottom of the League One table, and so this is a game that the Wearside club, especially at home in front of their own fans, really should be expecting to win comfortably.

In other news, find out what big double boost Sunderland received before the match here!

Jordan Cross has provided an update on Portsmouth’s transfer plans regarding the position in which they want to strengthen. 

What’s the talk?

According to The News journalist, Danny Cowley’s side are in the market to sign an attacking midfielder before the transfer deadline.

The report claims that Pompey could look for a loan move from a Premier League or Championship club, with Cross going on to speculate on some of the players they could potentially sign.

Fans will be excited

Portsmouth fans will be excited by this news as it shows that the club are actively looking to strengthen the squad before the end of the window and are not content with what they already have. Pompey have won three of their four League One matches this season, keeping four clean sheets and scoring an average of once per game.

Marcus Harness and John Marquis are the only attackers who have managed to get themselves on the scoresheet in the league, suggesting that there is room for improvement in that area of the pitch.Cowley recently admitted that Gassan Ahadme is starting to find his feet in the number 10 role, but still has plenty left to learn. The manager said: “He showed his fitness and did really well for the penalty.”He’s got a lot to learn but he played with power and energy. He got up to the ball and he gave us good quality in possession.”Technically he did well and gave us something. He was a real plus for us, one of the real positives and he looks like he’s starting to find his feet.”On loan from Norwich, Ahadme has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.92 in three appearances. He has created 1.3 chances and completed one dribble per game, showing signs that he could add quality in the starting berth behind the strikers.

However, the forward has not directly contributed to a goal so far this season, and adding another player to compete with him for the number 10 position could push him to work harder in training and improve his own game. That is why fans could be excited to see who the club brings in between now and the end of the transfer window, as it could be a much-needed signing to bolster the attacking ranks and help Cowley’s team find the net more regularly.

AND in other news, Cowley must sanction deal for 20y/o gem, Portsmouth fans would be delighted…

Manchester United are ‘monitoring’ Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, according to reports this week.

The Lowdown: Unhappy at Spurs

Ndombele’s move to N17 from Lyon hasn’t worked the way both parties would have hoped for but after missing the entire pre-season and the opening three league games, the Frenchman is back in Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad.

He started in the draw with Rennes last Thursday and Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea, but his future remains unclear after rumours of him wanting to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium emerged in the summer.

The Latest: Pogba replacement

According to Calciomercato, United have started to put plans in place in case Paul Pogba departs the club, and Ndombele is on the list of players who could be brought in.

It is stated that a new deal hasn’t yet progressed between United and Pogba, with the France international free to talk to foreign clubs from January about joining on a free next summer.

Ndombele has three years left on his contract, and having been hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Jose Mourinho, one would think it would cost the Red Devils a big sum to pry him away from north London.

The Verdict: Blow for Nuno

Nuno has only just begun to utilise the midfielder, with Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg starting in the opening three league games of the season, so it would certainly be a blow to lose such a talent just when he is on the cusp of forcing his way back in.

A move to Manchester United, a chance to reignite his career at club currently performing better, may be exactly what he needs, but for all the struggles the midfielder has had at Spurs, it’s hard to imagine finding Nuno a more talented replacement in the transfer market – just ask his Tottenham teammates, who reportedly gushed over his talents to West Ham man Declan Rice while on England duty.

To lose the man dubbed ‘unbelievable’ by Rice before the manager has really even had a chance to utilise him would be a real shame.

In other news, Spurs scouts have rivals winger on their radar after impressing display over the weekend. Find out more here.

Manchester United’s winless run in the Premier League extended to three games after they fell to a hugely disappointing 4-2 defeat against Leicester City this afternoon.

The Foxes scored two late goals to snatch a deserved victory against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s charges, with strikes from Jamie Vardy and Patson Daka securing all three points.

In truth, no United player can be proud of their showing at the King Power Stadium, but some members of the back four were particularly disappointing.

Right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka was poor in possession, completing just 50% of his dribbles and failing to pick out a teammate with any of his three attempted crosses, but it was Harry Maguire who really had an afternoon to forget.

The Red Devils captain was returning the starting line-up after being sidelined with a calf injury, and the 28-year-old looked extremely rusty against his former club.

Leicester forward Kelechi Iheanacho dispossessed the centre-back on the edge of his own box after he misjudged the weight of a David de Gea pass, setting up Youri Tielemans for the Foxes’ equaliser after Mason Greenwood had opened the scoring.

However, things went from bad to worse for the England defender. He needlessly put the ball out for a Leicester corner under no pressure in the 78th minute and was unable to clear his lines after the ball had been swung into United’s box leading to Caglar Soyuncu smashing the ball home from close range.

His desperately poor display saw SofaScore award Maguire a match rating of just 6.1 out of 10, the lowest received by any player on the pitch. During the 90 minutes, he won just 56% of his duels, made one error leading directly to a goal and was dribbled past on one occasion, highlighting his underwhelming performance at the King Power Stadium.

Questions will be asked over whether Maguire should have been starting so soon after coming back from an injury, but the 6 foot 3 gem let Solskjaer down against Leicester, piling further pressure on the Norwegian.

In other news… MUFC could secure their next Pogba in “devastating” £74k-p/w gem, Ole would love him 

West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone could sign a new deal with a release clause included, according to former England defender Danny Mills.

The Lowdown: Johnstone likely to stay put

The 28-year-old was one of the few positives to take from the Baggies’ 2020/21 campaign as they were relegated back to the Championship from the Premier League.

His form earned him a call-up to England’s Euro 2020 squad, and while he didn’t feature in the tournament, it was proof of how much he impressed throughout the season.

Johnstone looks set to stay put at West Brom this summer despite transfer interest in him, but his long-term future remains up in the air.

The Latest: Mills thinks Johnstone could swing a new deal

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills tipped the 28-year-old to sign a new deal at The Hawthorns, adding that a release clause could allow him to leave next summer if promotion isn’t achieved.

The former Leeds defender said:

“If he wants a bit of security, he can just say to West Brom ‘This is where we’re at, if we don’t get promoted I can go for x, y or z. If not, I’ll just sit here and wait until the end of the season to consider my options’.

“There is a good chance he’d be in a very strong position if he did that.

“All the cards are in his hands. He can now pick and choose what suits him best and what he wants to do. He can pretty much dictate the terms of a contract.”

The Verdict: Makes sense for all parties

Realistically, West Brom must accept that Johnstone won’t be content with being in the Championship for long, so a release clause could actually be a shrewd idea in a new contract.

Should Valerien Ismael’s side earn promotion this season, the England international may be happy to remain at the club, continuing to be a key player for Albion.

If that clause is one way of keeping hold of Johnstone right now, West Brom should go through with it, with his current deal expiring next summer.

In other news, West Brom have been tipped to sign a player on loan this summer. Find out who it is here.

An update has emerged on Rangers and their pursuit of a striker from the English Championship…

What’s the talk?

According to TEAMtalk, the Gers are among a number of clubs keen on a deal to sign QPR centre-forward Lyndon Dykes this month.

The report claims that Norwich, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are among the other clubs interested in signing the attacker, although it remains to be seen how much the west London outfit will demand for his services.

Get it done

Giovanni van Bronckhorst must ensure that he is able to get a deal over the line for Dykes, as he could be a “brilliant find” for Rangers, to use the words of Alex McLeish.

The £8k-per-week bulldozer could provide a different option for the Gers boss at the top end of the pitch, as he is not built in the same way as Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos. Whilst the current Ibrox duo are technically adept and like to make runs, Dykes is a forward who can be the focal point of the attack and hold up the ball for his teammates.

In the Championship this season, he has won an impressive 4.3 aerial battles per game, after averaging 4.8 last season. This shows that he can hold his own in the air and is capable of winning flick-ons by beating opposition defenders to long balls, whilst it also suggests that he could aid Rangers in their defending from set pieces as he could use his talents to defend his team’s penalty box.

Darren Jackson hailed him as “mobile” despite his big frame after he scored a winner against the Faroe Islands for Scotland three months ago. This suggests that the 26-year-old could also offer running off and on the ball to go along with the physical presence that he provides.

In terms of goals, Dykes has also shown that he knows how to find the net regularly. He has scored 18 Championship goals for QPR since the start of last season and has netted four times in six starts for Scotland in World Cup qualifiers.

Therefore, he could be a brilliant find for Rangers, as he is a striker who can score goals, bully defenders with his physique and work hard at the top end of the pitch with his mobile running. This is why Van Bronckhorst must work with Ross Wilson to secure his services before the end of the month.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Van Bronckhorst must ruthlessly axe £900k-rated Rangers dud, he’s a “weak link”…

Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba could return to the first-team squad for the first time in nearly four months today as the Villans host Tottenham Hotspur.

What’s the story

According to Villa manager Steven Gerrard, the Zimbabwe international is nearing a return to action.

Ahead of the meeting with Spurs, the 41-year-old said of Nakamba: “He has played for the under-23s. So you couldn’t rule out the possibility of him making the matchday squad soon. If not for the Tottenham game, then he’s certainly going to be available for that Leicester fixture.

“But he has an outside chance of being involved in the matchday squad this weekend, although it wouldn’t be a start.

“It might be a bit too soon for him now because he hasn’t had any serious game time. Hopefully, he comes through that, recovers well and then he can be back with the group. He’s been back training fully for ten, 12 days, and he’s smiling, getting closer and closer.”

The Zambian has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury away to Liverpool in December but he featured for Villa’s under-23s last Friday, the 28-year-old’s first match since that pre-Christmas setback.

Gerrard will be buzzing

Although inconsistent form has ultimately denied the West Midlands side any late shot at qualifying for Europe, a top-half finish is still very achievable for the Villans.

With eight matches to go, it is vital that Gerrard’s men finish the season as strongly as possible, with the manager certain to be making judgements over the coming weeks as to which players will have a future at Villa Park .

Therefore, Nakamba’s imminent return comes as excellent timing, both for him and for the team as a whole.

The regular midfield trio of Douglas Luiz, John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey have impressed during the 28-year-old’s absence, although having another option in the middle of the park will undoubtedly improve the Villa squad and give the manager some pleasant food for thought.

Indeed, Gerrard will be buzzing to have Nakamba back available, as the player had proven his worth for Villa earlier in the campaign. His match average of two tackles is the fourth-highest in the squad, while his 86.6% passing accuracy makes him the joint-leader in this regard of any current Villa player to have started a Premier League match this term, as per WhoScored.

Having as many players available as possible will be a high priority for Gerrard as his side look to finish the season strongly ahead of what could be a busy summer in the West Midlands.

In other news: Sources claim Aston Villa’s “crazy” £22.5m-rated talent could now leave, fans will surely be fuming

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has been handed a major injury boost ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash with Brentford…

What’s the latest?

The Argentine is set to welcome back star striker Patrick Bamford to his matchday squad as the 28-year-old isn’t going to feature for the U23s on Friday night, as he had done last week.

“It’s likely Patrick and Luke [Ayling] will be available on Sunday. Pascal [Struijk] has a knock around his hip, but we think he’ll also be available,” Bielsa revealed to reporters during his pre-game press conference.

It remains to be seen if Bamford will start the match on Sunday but he came through 90 minutes against Manchester City’s U23s unscathed on Monday and has been back in training for a few weeks now.

Major boost

This will be a massive, massive boost at just the right time for Bielsa and the Leeds squad.

The Yorkshire giants finally picked up their third win of the season in midweek, defeating Crystal Palace at Elland Road, where they will host their old Championship rivals, so they will be in a confident mood heading into kick-off.

With Bamford potentially involved, it hands some further encouragement to everyone concerned with Leeds.

He had missed United’s last nine league games in the Premier League and they have largely struggled in his absence, particularly in front of goal as they have scored more than two goals in a game just once without him.

The £19.8m-rated frontman provided one goal and two assists from the opening five games of the season and has averaged three shots per game, so clearly he is a massive influence in the final third.

‘Top player, Bamford,” once claimed Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, before adding: “I can remember before the season I heard on talkSPORT that people said, ‘Leeds need a proper goalscorer, Bamford is not good enough’. I’m so happy that he could prove them wrong, he’s an exceptional player, perfect.

“The work rate is outstanding and still playing the football he plays on top of that and scoring goals, that’s rare.”

That glowing endorsement from one of the very best managers in Europe shows exactly how crucial Bamford is to Leeds’ fortunes, so to have him back this week will certainly be a major boost to Bielsa and co.

AND in other news, Bielsa could repeat Gelhardt masterclass with Leeds swoop for 20 y/o “manager’s dream”…

Noel Whelan has been left shocked by what he has now heard coming from Newcastle United regarding Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Lowdown: £50m price tag

As per The Daily Mail, the St James’ Park club are now willing to entertain offers of around £50m for the 25-year-old once the season ends.

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It has also been reported that the Magpies could look at Moussa Diaby as a potential replacement for the Frenchman, along with Leandro Trossard and Brennan Johnson.

The Latest: Whelan shocked by Saint-Maximin latest

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan – who regularly used to feature as a pundit for the BBC – has been left shocked by the news that the Newcastle board could sell Saint-Maximin for £50m, claiming that it would be a ‘ridiculous’ piece of business.

He said: “Look, I mean you can accept it. But if you’re going to go out there and get somebody with the same quality and love from the fans, firstly, they’ve got to earn that love, which Saint-Maximin has done.

“Secondly, he has put in the performances and been a talisman for a number of years now. £50million is not going to buy you a player of that quality, I don’t believe.

“Then you’d have the backlash from the fans. I’m very sure that they won’t see this as a positive. This is not what they expect after the consortium’s takeover of Newcastle.

“They thought they’d be spending £50million, not bringing in £50million by selling one of their best players.

“Saint-Maximin, for me, is one of these players that’s just unsellable right now to Newcastle, on many fronts. Shirt sales, fanbase and what he brings out there on the field.

“I’m sorry, but I just feel that’d be ridiculous business by Newcastle’s board.”

The Verdict: Hard to replace

As Whelan says, the Newcastle board could scoop a healthy £50m for Saint-Maximin in the summer, but the Frenchman would be very hard to replace.

He has been a mainstay in the team all season, with five goals and three assists in the Premier League so far (Transfermarkt).

Moreover, he currently ranks as the Magpies’ second-best performer in the top flight, and no team-mate comes close to his six man-of-the-match awards (WhoScored).

The 25-year-old also averages more shots and dribbles per game than any of his team-mates, so £50m may not even be enough to replace the quality that he possesses and his overall importance to Eddie Howe’s team.

In other news, find out which three stars PIF are now targeting this summer