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Manchester United are reportedly eyeing up a raid on one of their bitter rivals in what could be a cut-price deal.

What’s the word

That is according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, who has shared inside information on the potential comings and goings in the Premier League.

Taking to his transfer notebook, Crook has issued a report suggesting that the Red Devils could be eyeing a move for Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in what would make for a rare piece of transfer business between the two clubs.

It is said that the 28-year-old is desperate to leave Anfield due to a lack of game-time, starting just nine league games in 2021/22. With United’s lack of midfield depth, the Old Trafford club are said to fancy the 35-cap England international, as long as Klopp’s side would be willing to accept a cut-price fee of £10m.

It is said that United face competition from Southampton for the midfielder’s signature.

Supporters surely addled

The latest report from Crook will make for a strange reading among most United fans and will no doubt leave many of them addled.

Out of the four midfielders who are set to depart Old Trafford at the end of the month, Lingard is one of them – a positionally and technically similar player to Oxlade-Chamberlain – with both struggling for game-time, and the latter struggling for fitness for much of his career.

The move would not make sense from the Liverpool midfielder’s perspective, either. If Lingard wasn’t able to achieve regular minutes at United, it seems highly unlikely that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a guaranteed starter under Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

If United are to make a move for the 28-year-old, it would make for a confusing signing in its own admission and will make the departure of Lingard even more sour.

It would make more sense for Ten Hag to promote some of the talented youth prospects at Carrington than sign an injury-prone midfielder who has been struggling for game-time with their arch-rivals. Given the animosity between the two clubs, a move for Oxlade-Chamberlain would likely not go down well among the Red Devils’ fan base.

In other news: Romano issues Man Utd twist on £31.5m-rated brute, Ten Hag needs him 

Erik ten Hag faces a massive summer transfer window in charge of Manchester United, with the club hoping to get back to challenging for silverware next season.

There are problem areas all over the pitch at the club, but Ten Hag will be prioritising attacking options this summer as he aims to take the pressure off of Cristiano Ronaldo.

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The 37-year-old was the only Man Utd forward to score more than ten goals last season (24) and this overreliance on the aging Portuguese star was one of the main reasons the club underperformed as a whole over the course of the campaign.

There have been attempts to bring in another forward, with interest in Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez ending in disappointment, especially as the players joined Man City and Liverpool respectively, it’s time for Ten Hag to think outside the box.

This could mean a raid on his old club Ajax, as according to reports in Brazil, via the Metro, United have made a bid of £38.4m to sign the “wonderful” winger ahead of next season.

It’s claimed Ten Hag has told the Red Devils’ hierarchy that the 22-year-old is his first choice to boost his attack and it could be a shrewd move.

According to FB Ref’s similar player model, Antony has been compared to PSG forward Neymar, and although the two play on opposite wings, their creative talents, and goalscoring ability make them very comparable.

In terms of goalscoring, Neymar has the edge, with 13 league goals compared to Antony’s eight last season, while both players register over two shots per game (Antony 3.4 and Neymar 2.5) underlying their ability to score as many as possible.

Both wingers want to get involved as much as possible while playing, with Antony (65.7 touches per 90) and Neymar (83.2) proving that they won’t shy away from pressure and will actively look to make things happen.

The PSG winger is one of the finest players in the world and with Antony having a similar style of play and stats that are comparable to the 29-year-old, it’s no wonder Ten Hag is looking to work with him again, he could well thrive under the Man Utd pressure.

AND in other news, MUFC now in talks to sign £51m-rated “incredible talent”, he’s a huge Rashford upgrade

Celtic are closing in on the imminent signing of Lanus left-back Alexandro Bernabei, reliable journalist Mark Hendry reports.

The Lowdown: Ange looking for depth

Ange Postecoglou has a good squad at his disposal currently but there is still a lack of depth in certain areas, away from a strong starting lineup.

With Champions League football returning to Parkhead next season, it is vital that Celtic bring in a number of new faces and improve the depth to be able to fight on four fronts, especially with stars like Tom Rogic moving on.

Defence is one area that needs reinforcements and it looks as though a new signing is close.

The Latest: Hoops close in on Bernbei

Taking to Twitter, and writing for Football Scotland, Hendry confirmed that Celtic are closing in on Lanus man Bernabei:

“EXCLUSIVE! Celtic close in on Lanus’ Alexandro Bernabei.”

Sharing more details in his article, the reporter says the deal is ‘close’ and the player could even arrive in Glasgow in the next few days.

The Verdict: Good competition for Taylor

This could be a really shrewd signing by the Hoops, providing Greg Taylor with some strong competition ahead of what could be a busy 2022/23 campaign.

Bernabei is an Argentina Under-23 international – he is still only 21 – and his current deal expires next summer, meaning Lanus need to sell and won’t be able to demand a huge fee.

He has four goals and ten assists to his name in 84 appearances for the Argentine side, showing that he could bring some attacking thrust from left-back, too, where he will likely replace Boli Bolingoli in the squad.

In other news, Kieran Devlin has dropped a fresh Celtic transfer claim. Read more here.

Nottingham Forest are about to make their long-awaited return to the Premier League and will need to bolster their squad to ensure they can compete in the top flight, with a new transfer target emerging.

What’s the latest?

According to The Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest have joined the race to sign Liverpool full-back Neco Williams this summer.

As per the report, the newly-promoted Premier League side have competition from Fulham, Southampton and PSV Eindhoven to secure the player’s signature, who the FA Cup winners have valued at £15m.

The report also claims Liverpool are now keen to sell Williams after signing Scottish youngster Calvin Ramsay to provide the back-up for Trent Alexander-Arnold at Anfield.

Forget Djed Spence

Steve Cooper will be looking to add quality players who can help them compete in the Premier League to remain in the top tier of English football for years to come, and there is no doubt Cooper would love to sign his fellow Welshman this summer.

Williams spent six months on loan at Fulham who like Forest have also been promoted back into the top flight for the 2022/23 season ahead, and the right-back was impressive during his short spell at the London club.

The 21-year-old maestro who was hailed “outstanding” by Ryan Giggs, was the third highest-rated player in the entire Fulham squad last season according to SofaScore, and it’s no wonder when you look at his output in the Championship over the second half of the season.

Williams scored two goals, contributed two assists and created two big chances. Meanwhile, from a defensive point of view, he made 2.6 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.6 clearances on average per game, while winning the majority of his duels combined (53%).

The Wales international has not only proven that a consistent run of form shows a clear picture of his talents and capabilities, but his Premier League experience will be invaluable for Nottingham Forest if they can secure a deal this summer.

Forest were chasing the permanent signing of Djed Spence this summer after he wowed whilst on loan with Forest last season, however, his impressive performances have led to interest from Premier League elites, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly set to sign the star this summer.

With that being said, Cooper should do everything he can to tempt Williams to join his project at Forest as he would be an ideal candidate to step into Spence’s previous position in the team.

AND in other news: NFFC now “close” to sealing 1st “major” summer signing, Cooper will be buzzing

Newcastle United have been linked with a summer move for Porto winger Pepe.

What’s the news?

According to a recent Twitter post from journalist Jeremias Wernek, the Porto attacker is on the Toon’s radar in terms of a potential summer transfer swoop.

Wernek also added that the Magpies “may present an official proposal in the coming days.”

After starting his career in Brazil, the 25-year-old made his move from Gremio to his current club during the previous summer transfer window.

During his time at Gremio, the winger found the net 26 times and delivered 15 assists in 117 appearances, highlighting the attacking talent he has at scoring goals and creating them for his teammates.

With 42 appearances across all competitions under his belt for Porto, the Brazilian scored six goals and delivered six assists.

To further highlight his attacking prowess, the winger racked up 23 shots at goal and 19 crosses in the 28 league games he played in, as well as an average of 1.3 dribbles per game.

From a defensive point of view, the Brazilian made 12 interceptions and won 13 tackles, showing just how useful he can be with and without the ball.

Newcastle’s next Saint-Maximin

As a fairly young winger making a name for himself abroad, Pepe could well be seen as Newcastle’s potential next version of Allan Saint-Maximin.

Having scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists in 74 appearances for OGC Nice, the Frenchman has gone on to find the net 12 times and supply 16 assists for the Toon since his £16.5m move back in 2019.

With 4.3 dribbles per game in the Premier League last season, it’s clear to see where the winger’s talents are and where Pepe would need to focus on if he were to be the club’s next version of their star winger.

Given how the duo have both shown how capable they are of scoring and creating goals, should Newcastle end up signing the Porto talent and getting him on the pitch alongside Saint-Maximin, this could be a mouth-watering prospect for the Toon.

Moving forward, with the attacker having a reported release clause of £43m in his contract at Porto, the Tyneside club should definitely consider making a move to sign Pepe this summer and see if he can replicate the same sort of impact that Saint-Maximin has had on the team since his arrival.

AND in other news: NUFC waiting for green light to sign “underrated” £41m tank, he can be Howe’s own Dias

Liverpool have had a long-term interest in Jude Bellingham and have been linked with a move for the player again this summer.

There has now been an update on the details of what Borussia Dortmund would expect from any transfer for the 19-year-old.

What’s the latest?

According to SportBild (via Daily Mail), Bellingham will cost £103m if Liverpool want to sign the player in 2023.

As per the report, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Liverpool have been named as clubs who are interested in signing the youngster next summer, but the Bundesliga outfit have their demands and a price tag which must be met.

It is reported that, due to the absence of a release clause in Bellingham’s contract, Dortmund have given themselves the opportunity to demand whatever transfer fee they deem necessary.

Klopp’s Henderson heir

It is no secret that Liverpool’s midfield is an area in need of refinement, especially after engaging in a transfer battle with Real Madrid for Aurelien Tchouameni last month, so signing Bellingham next summer will likely be an endeavour into which FSG will put a lot of effort in completing.

Jordan Henderson is now 32 years old, and despite his amazing career at Anfield – captaining the team to many trophies and winning the first Premier League title as the club’s skipper – Liverpool need to start looking at the future of the centre of the pitch. Bellingham could be the perfect heir to succeed him.

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The Liverpool captain is a big fan of the 19-year-old Dortmund midfielder and has even claimed that “the sky is the limit” for his England team-mate.

In an interview with SPORTBible, the Anfield stalwart said of the teenager: “He’s a great lad, a fantastic player and I’m sure he’ll go from strength to strength as he gets older and matures.

“When I watch him, he plays with such maturity even now. The sky is the limit for him really.”

Bellingham has been proving his worth and justifying his reported price tag during his time in Germany, and last season he continued to impress in the middle of the park for Dortmund.

The young talent – who was dubbed “adventurous” by Michael Owen – scored three goals, delivered eight assists and created 10 big chances in the 2021/22 Bundesliga. He also made 1.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, whilst successfully completing the majority of his dribble attempts (57%) and winning the majority of his duels (51%), as per Sofascore.

The signing of Bellingham would be worth every single penny of his transfer, fee as he’d not only virtually guarantee a decade of performances in his peak, his ability and potential is crystal clear, so FSG must prepare to compete for his signature next summer.

AND in other news – In talks: FSG make move for “exceptional” £17m target, he can be Klopp’s Camavinga

Celtic’s hopes of signing Randers striker Stephen Odey have been handed a big boost, with the latest reports suggesting that he would be open to a move to Parkhead this summer.

What’s the word?

Celtic have been heavily linked with the Nigerian centre-forward in recent weeks, along with their Old Firm rivals, and it seems as if he would be keen on a move away from Denmark this summer as he looks to test himself at a bigger club.

When asked about the interest Celtic and their fierce rivals were showing in him, he said: “These are big clubs, and it is clear that this is something that I want to be open to.”

With that in mind, it looks as though the Hoops have been handed a much-needed green light in their bid to sign him.

Supporters will be buzzing

Odey’s form last season suggests that he would be an excellent addition to Ange Postecoglou’s side this summer, as the Australian boss looks to build upon his title-winning side from last season, while also strengthening ahead of a campaign in the Champions League.

The 24-year-old forward hit 13 goals and two assists in 32 appearances for the Danish league side, improving upon recent steady campaigns with FC Zurich and Amiens SC.

It was always likely that Postecoglou would look to bring in another natural centre-forward this summer, as Albian Ajeti struggled for game time last season, which leaves Giorgos Giakoumakis as the only consistent senior central option at Celtic Park.

If Odey can be convinced to join this summer, then Celtic would arguably be rectifying a transfer mistake from the past, as they were linked with the young forward back in 2018 after an impressive season with Nigerian side Mountain of Fire, before he made the move to Switzerland with Zurich.

After his departure, Mountain of Fire manager Fidelis Ilechukwu said:

“Stephen Odey was exceptional when he was with us. He has moved on and I wish him the best. We need a good replacement who will be as deadly in front of goal as Odey was.”

Considering the number of goals Celtic scored last season and the number of chances they are likely to create again next season, especially with the quality they have in midfield and out wide, signing a ‘deadly’ striker such as Odey will only improve them further, and supporters will surely be delighted to hear that he is open to a move to Glasgow.

AND in other news, Celtic can land Jota 2.0 as Postecoglou eyes “extraordinary” £1.08m-rated trickster…

Celtic have had a steady start to their latest summer transfer window in terms of the deals they’ve managed to complete.

With permanent deals secured for Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Daizen Maeda, the Hoops have also brought in Alexandro Bernabei and Benjamin Siegrist.

Should Ange Postecoglou look to add a new attacking figure to his ranks before the season starts and the window closes, one rather recognisable name that has been linked with a move to Parkhead recently that would cost the club a penny to sign is Jordan Larsson.

After recently seeing his contract at Spartak Moscow expire, the son of former Celtic legend Henrik Larsson, is now available to sign as a free agent.

In 83 appearances for the Russian club, the striker found the net 27 times and delivered nine assists in the process, highlighting the clear attacking talent the £7.2m-rated 25-year-old has.

Labelled as a “versatile” player by ex-Sweden international Marcus Allback, the player would certainly be a useful addition to Postecoglou’s squad.

In fact, to further expand on the sort of player he is and what sort of figure he could become for the Hoops should he make a move to Parkhead this summer, the Swedish attacker has been compared to former Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery, who is included on a list of similar players to Larsson according to Football Transfers.

With 627 club appearances under his belt, the Frenchman, who is still playing at the age of 39, has scored 150 goals and provided 220 assists throughout his illustrious career.

Taking this into account, the prospect of having their own version of Ribery in the shape of Larsson would be a mouth-watering one for the Bhoys, especially if he can go on to have a similar sort of career that the former Bayern star has had.

In terms of a potential move to Celtic Park this summer that would see him follow in his father’s footsteps, it seems as though this move would go down rather well with a significant number of Hoops fans, as 74% of them voted in a recent poll ran by Football FanCast that they would like to see the former Spartak star in Postecoglou’s squad.

Moving forward, with the striker now a free agent, bringing him to Parkhead this summer is a move that could benefit all parties from a financial and a footballing point of view.

AND in other news: Imagine him & Gia: Ange can form “wonderful” Celtic duo by signing “massive” £2m gem

According to Tottenham insider John Wenham, Spurs could be about to re-sign Danny Rose after he was spotted playing for the U21s.

The Lowdown: Rose makes Spurs comeback

The 32-year-old veteran left the Lilywhites when he put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Watford last summer, but recently suffered a blow as the Hornets got relegated from the Premier League.

Despite still being contracted to Rob Edwards’ side for another 12 months, the left-back was spotted warming up at Spurs’ U21s fixture against Enfield on Tuesday, before going on to start the game.

The Latest: ‘To my absolute disbelief…’

Speaking to Football Insider, ‘insider’ Wenham claimed that Tottenham could bring Rose back to the club as a player-coach to try and benefit squad registration rules. He said:

“I went to watch the Under 21s the other night and to my absolute disbelief, there was Danny Rose.

“I hadn’t seen any media or any story in regards to him. To see him there and actually playing was beyond bizarre.

“I presume he was doing it just to stay fit or maybe he is looking to get into coaching. From all the reports I have heard, the academy staff seem to love him.

“There is another angle, another possibility. I just wonder if Tottenham look at an option to register him as a coach/player and basically only play him in the Under 21s as an overage player.

“But he would count as homegrown and club trained which is very useful for Champions League and Premier League squads.

“He joined as a 17-year-old from Leeds and came through our academy. It’s an interesting angle to look at.

“He could come on very low money and he would come in and do his coaching badges at the same time.

“Liverpool did it earlier this summer with Jay Spearing. Clubs do this. That could maybe happen.”

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The Verdict: A welcomed return?

Rose was a great servant at Hotspur Way, having spent 14 years at Tottenham before making the move to Vicarage Road, so a return in such a fashion would be more than welcomed.

It’s highly unlikely that he’d be viewed as someone that Antonio Conte would include in his senior match-day squad now given his age and the calibre of new additions, but being in and around the U21s and academy teams as a player-coach would be hugely beneficial to the development of the younger players.

Rose is an experienced figure who would be good to have back in the building both on and off the pitch, and there’s a strong chance that he could soon be starting a potential new chapter of his career back where it all began.

Nottingham Forest have already made ten signings this summer already with over a month left of the transfer window, and now they have been linked with a new potential transfer target.

What’s the latest?

According to The Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest are now exploring a deal for Watford forward Emmanuel Dennis.

As per the report, Forest want to add a striker with pace and versatility, both attributes the club believe Dennis possesses but will need to compete with Everton and Villarreal for his signature this summer.

The news comes as Jesse Lingard pens his terms with Forest.

Imagine him & Johnson

Steve Cooper has wasted no time on improving and bolstering his squad ahead of their long-awaited Premier League return next month, and Dennis could be the perfect signing to top off an exciting new chapter for Forest.

Despite being relegated with Watford from the Premier League last term, the 24-year-old striker was a stand-out performer in the team and finished up the campaign as the club’s top goal scorer.

Over 33 Premier League appearances, Dennis scored ten times, delivered six assists and created seven big chances. He also made one key pass, 1.5 tackles and won 6.2 duels, as well as completing 2.1 successful dribbles per game.

The £27k-per-week goal machine was hailed “very talented” by former manager Claudio Ranieri in an interview (via GOAL):

“[Dennis] is a very talented player. He’s fast, has good skill, always runs straight to the goal – I love these kinds of players.”

Cooper has made many signings already but has very few players with Premier League experience, something that the Watford forward can offer with 33 appearances in the top flight which could be a valuable asset to Forest.

The Forest boss could even form a formidable attacking partnership between young talent Brennan Johnson and Dennis if the powers at The City Ground can seal a deal for the striker this summer.

Johnson was electrifying as they were promoted last term, netting 19 times and claiming nine assists. Thus, a devastating duo could well be inbound on Trentside.

With that being said, the signing of Dennis would be a great piece of business for the club and if the forward can emulate his form and continue to deploy his talents in the Forest team next season it could make a huge difference in their survival in their first season back in the top-flight.

AND in other news: Romano shares who Forest are “pushing to sign” after Toffolo, it’ll excite supporters