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A claim has emerged regarding Leeds United and their current situation surrounding Kalvin Phillips’ future at the Yorkshire club.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook had this to say on the matter.

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He said: “I think there is, behind the scenes, a sort of resignation that Kalvin Phillips will probably leave this summer, and actually, it might not be a bad thing for Leeds because it will give them a lot of money then to be able to revamp the squad and sign the players Jesse Marsch wants.”

In recent weeks, the midfielder has been linked with a move away from Elland Road with fellow Premier League clubs Manchester City and Liverpool rumoured to be circling around the player.

Awful news for Leeds fans

As one of Leeds’ youth products, the 26-year-old has gone on to become a crucial figure for the team.

With 234 senior appearances under his belt for the club, Phillips has seen his side go from being in the Championship to securing their place in the Premier League for a third successive season.

To highlight how important the England international is to the Whites, out of the nine league games he missed last season, Leeds lost seven of them and conceded 17 goals in total.

It was the same case this season as the Elland Road outfit lost 12 of the 18 games he didn’t feature in, once again how vulnerable the team are defensively when they don’t have Phillips on the pitch.

With that in mind, it would be an awful thing for the Leeds fans to potentially see their midfield star wave goodbye to Elland Road this summer.

However, as Crook mentioned, should the Yorkshire club end up selling the midfielder in the coming weeks for a substantial transfer fee, this could give Marsch a big pot of cash to spend on the team and make sure that Phillips’ potential absence won’t be as much of a problem as it could be.

If the people behind the scenes at Leeds are resigned to seeing the 26-year-old leave the club, then they need to make sure that they get the best deal possible in terms of the finances.

In other news: “Leeds are..“: Romano drops big transfer update that’ll leave supporters buzzing

Aston Villa are interested in signing West Ham United youngster Sonny Perkins, according to reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown: Rising star

Born in London, Perkins made the switch from the Leyton Orient academy to West Ham in 2019 before progressing through the ranks.

The 18-year-old striker has scored 19 times and provided five assists in 53 outings for the youth sides in East London, making three senior appearances under David Moyes last season.

However, as Villa continue to push for summer squad additions, Perkins appears to be the next on the radar of Steven Gerrard…

The latest: Romano on Perkins

Taking to Twitter, transfer expert Romano has claimed that the Midlands club and a major Premier League rival have initiated discussions with the England youth international.

He said: “Leeds and Aston Villa have opened talks to sign promising forward Sonny Perkins. Perkins has made 3 appearances for West Ham. Both clubs want to sign him.”

The verdict: Faith in youth

Already heavily tipped to complete the signing of Rangers starlet Rory Wilson, the pursuit of Perkins – who was described as a ‘real talent’ by journalist Tom Clark following a goal for the West Ham Under 23 side – is another nod towards those in positions of recruitment at Villa Park looking to freshen up the ranks in the Midlands.

Last season, the teenage frontman scored 14 times and registered another two assists in 29 outings across the youth levels and three senior displays.

Seemingly prepared to make a move this summer following a contractual disagreement, Tottenham are also in the mix to land the six-cap England Under 18 sensation and therefore, Villa should be pushing hard to make this deal come to fruition ahead of domestic competitors.

Since arriving at the club, Gerrard has shown a penchant for giving youth a chance having blooded Jacob Ramsey, Carney Chukwuemeka and Tim Iroegbunam at various stages last term, a factor that could give Sporting Director Johan Lange the upper hand when attempting to persuade Perkins to join.

In other news, Aston Villa are eyeing a Champions League star Gerrard saw up close on a scouting trip

Former Leeds United striker Jermaine Beckford says he has told the Whites’ current players ‘not to let’ Kalvin Phillips leave the club this summer. 

The lowdown

Beckford made more appearances for Leeds between 2006 and 2010 (151) than he did for any other club in his professional career. Now 38, the Englishman was something of an Elland Road hero, impressively bagging 85 goals for the Whites.

Phillips has two years to run on his contract at Leeds, but the club have yet to make significant progress toward an extension.

The midfielder is now reportedly attracting interest from some of the Premier League’s big hitters, including Manchester United, Manchester City and, most recently, Liverpool.

The latest

Speaking to the Sunday Express, as quoted by MOT Leeds News, Beckford said he had urged Leeds players to do whatever they could to persuade Phillips to stay put.

He revealed: “As it stands, I’ve spoken to one or two other lads and told them not to let Kalvin go, and to handcuff to the crossbar if they have to!”

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The verdict

You can understand why Beckford is desperate for Leeds to keep hold of Phillips.

The 26-year-old one of his country’s best footballers, earning England’s Player of the Year award for 2021 ahead of Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount. Also, 24% of Leeds fans also voted him as their Player of the Year, which left him second only to Raphinha.

His influence and industry in Jesse Marsch’s midfield is evidenced by his match averages of 2.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions, placing him joint-second and fifth in the Elland Road squad for those respective metrics, as per WhoScored.

The Whites stayed up by the skin of their teeth in 2021/22, usurping Burnley for 17th place on the final day, but they could be fearful that losing key players like the England midfielder might land them in trouble again next season.

In other news, further talks are planned over this potential Leeds transfer

Newcastle United and Eddie Howe quickly identified the defence as an area in need of strengthening during the January transfer window.

During that month, the Toon brought in the likes of Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Matt Targett to try and stem the tide of leaking so many goals and avoid getting relegated.

This ended up working wonders for the Magpies, as they only lost five league games after January, four of which were against the teams who ended the season in the top four.

Now that the summer transfer window is set to open, this will once again give Howe the chance to strengthen his squad and put them in a good place to take on the next campaign.

One figure with whom Newcastle have been linked recently and who could potentially make them even stronger at the back is William Saliba.

In the summer of 2019, Arsenal signed the defender in a deal worth a reported £27m. Since then, the £27m-rated Frenchman has had loan spells in his homeland with clubs such as Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille.

His recent campaign on loan with Marseille saw the 21-year-old show his capabilities at the back by making more interceptions (80) and clearances (91) than any other player at the Stade Velodrome. He also made more tackles (47) in the defensive third of the pitch than any of his latest crop of temporary team-mates.

Dubbed a “confident” defensive player by former Arsenal ace Bacary Sagna, Saliba has also been likened to fellow countryman Raphael Varane by Fabio Frasconi.

As one of Europe’s most highly-decorated players, the opportunity to have Newcastle’s own next version of Varane in the shape of Saliba would be a mouth-watering prospect for Howe.

Presumably as a result of playing 14 more league games than the Manchester United defender this season, the Gunners outcast racked up more tackles, interceptions, blocks and pressures than the 2018 World Cup winner.

If Newcastle sense an opportunity to sign the young centre-back either on a permanent move or loan deal from Arsenal this summer, it is something that they should definitely pounce upon, as the 21-year-old certainly seems to have what it takes to show that he can succeed in the Premier League.

In other news: Howe can finally axe “nervous” dud as Newcastle plot bid for “superb” £14k-p/w tank

Liverpool have been battling to get some players fit for tonight’s Champions League final against Real Madrid, and an official update has emerged which will excite supporters ahead of kick-off.

What’s the latest?

The club’s official Twitter channel has delivered an update on Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho’s inclusion in the matchday squad for the final in Paris.

Liverpool FC tweeted: “Thiago and Fabinho will be included in our travelling squad for the #UCLfinal against Real Madrid”, along with images of both players in training ahead of the Stade de France showdown.

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Supporters will be excited

This latest update will surely get Liverpool supporters excited, following doubts over both midfielders being in the squad for the Champions League final.

Fabinho was pictured returning to full training on Tuesday following a thigh injury sustained in the Premier League clash against Aston Villa earlier this month. He duly missed the FA Cup final a fortnight ago, but Jurgen Klopp had been confident that the Brazilian should be in contention for tonight.

Thiago was the bigger doubt out of the two, with the Spanish star suffering an Achilles injury against Wolves on the last day of the Premier League season six days ago.

On Wednesday, Paul Joyce tweeted; “Jurgen Klopp said Thiago Alcantara has a good chance of making the Champions League final. He will train this afternoon.”

A subsequent update on Liverpool’s official website stated that the 30-year-old has indeed trained in the meantime.

Following the update, it suggests that the relentless midfield duo could be in contention for the final, which is a massive boost for the Reds. They have both featured regularly in Liverpool’s journey to the decider, with Fabinho playing in all 12 games in the European campaign, and when they come together they combine to make a formidable midfield force.

Since Thiago arrived at the club, the Reds have only lost one game in all competitions when the Brazilian and the Spaniard start together. That is an astonishing statistic, and one which proves that the pair are desperately needed to start against Real Madrid tonight.

Klopp and Liverpool supporters will be hoping that the duo can combine to inspire another positive result in Paris, as Liverpool chase their third trophy of the season.

AND in other news: James Pearce shares exciting Liverpool update that supporters will love

Yosuke Ideguchi could end up being Celtic’s long-term answer to Parkhead legend Scott Brown in midfield, according to former Hoops striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Ideguchi’s injury problems

The 25-year-old made the move to Glasgow during the January transfer window but struggled to play a key role in the Hoops’ Premiership title win.

Ideguchi’s progress has been halted by injury problems, meaning that he failed to make a single start in the league and has been limited to just 134 minutes of action across six appearances for the club in all competitions thus far.

The hope is that the Japan international becomes a key player moving forward, and there is one man who believes that will certainly be the case.

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The Latest: Ideguchi backed to be Brown’s successor

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie has backed Ideguchi to end up being the ideal replacement for Brown at Celtic in terms of his style of play in the middle of the park. The 62-year-old claimed:

“I have been saying this for a while, Celtic are missing Scott Brown. He was the catalyst in that midfield for so long. He dictated everything that went through there.

“I just wonder if Ideguchi could be that guy. He has barely played really, we don’t know what kind of player he is. Maybe he is that kind of perfect player we need. Next season will be a big one for him because the jury is still out.

“Rogic and Bitton are going so there will be a chance for him and we know he wouldn’t have come if the manager didn’t rate him. He has been so unlucky with that injury so hopefully we see a bit more of him in pre-season.”

The Verdict: One to watch

Ideguchi has become something of a forgotten man at Parkhead because of others excelling during Celtic’s title triumph, but he could yet become a formidable player in his own right.

Ange Postecoglou has described the midfielder as the ‘hardest worker’ at the club, and that is something for which the legendary long-time captain Brown was famed during his time with the Hoops.

With Tom Rogic leaving this summer, a gap will open up in Celtic’s midfield, and a strong pre-season and return to full fitness could yet see Ideguchi fill that void.

Having averaged 2.3 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.7 successful duels per game in his final season in the J-League last year (Sofascore), the evidence is there to suggest that the 25-year-old could be the industrious Brown-like presence in the Hoops’ engine room over the coming months and years.

In other news, Celtic are reportedly eyeing up a move for one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United reportedly ‘remain keen’ on signing Sven Botman in the summer, despite a ‘sensational twist’ that has now emerged.

The Lowdown: Milan bound?

It has been reported that the St. James’ Park faithful have ‘not given up hope’ of signing Botman in the summer, despite AC Milan already verbally agreeing personal terms with the Lille central defender.

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After failing to sign him in the January transfer window, the North East club have continually held ‘extensive negotiations’ over the potential signing, but it looks like Milan could be the favourites for his signature.

The Latest: Remain keen

As per Football Insider, the Tyneside outfit ‘remain keen’ on signing Botman, even though a ‘sensational twist’ has now emerged in the form of a new suitor.

According to a source from Manchester United, the Red Devils are now ‘exploring a move’ for the Dutchman, with ‘preliminary talks’ set to take place after a board meeting involving new manager Erik ten Hag.

The Verdict: Get it done

With Manchester United, who can offer Botman European football just like Milan, now entering the frame, the Magpies need to act fast to get this deal done.

Described as a ‘golden boy‘ by his agent Francesco Miniero, he is one of the most promising up-and-coming players in the game at just 22 years of age, having already played regularly at the highest level.

Nonetheless, at six-foot-five, he is an imposing centre-back, and could form a truly scary partnership with the six-foot-seven Dan Burn.

In other news, find out which ‘terrifying’ star NUFC are now eyeing here!

Wolves host already-relegated Norwich in the Premier League this afternoon with Bruno Lage’s men looking to end the season strongly after a run of five games without a win.

The Molineux outfit have been in poor form of late, shipping ten goals in their last three matches having conceded just 29 in the 33 games prior.

But against a side whose fate is already sealed in the Canaries, Wolves have an excellent chance to sign off in front of their home fans with a victory.

But who is available for Lage’s side and how will the Portuguese opt to set his team up?

Injury News

According to Premier Injuries, both Max Kilman and Nelson Semedo have been ruled out for the season with respective issues whilst defender Romain Saiss could also miss the final two games of the campaign.

However, the Moroccan’s absence will be particularly painful for the Wolves faithful. The defender is likely to leave this summer with his contract set to expire next month.

The only other likely absentee is Daniel Podence who is nursing a foot injury.

Wolves Predicted XI

After a thumping 5-1 defeat by Manchester City at Molineux on Wednesday night, Lage could be tempted to make wholesale changes. However, we expect the 46-year-old to make just a few alterations…

Wolves XI: Sa, Jonny, Coady, Boly, Chiquinho, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Marcal, Silva, Jimenez

The defensive trio keep their place with Saiss still absent whilst Chiquinho also stays in the side after an impressive full Premier League debut on Wednesday despite the heavy defeat and registered two assists in the draw with Chelsea.

Dendoncker, Neves and Moutinho all keep their spots in midfield too whilst there is a change at left-wing-back with Marcal coming in for Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The £33k-per-week 20-year-old, labelled as “immature” by Wolves legend Steve Bull in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, had a poor outing vs Manchester City and has struggled for consistency of late.

As for Marcal, the 33-year-old is set to leave Molineux with his contract expiring next month and therefore deserves the chance to play in front of the Wolves supporters one last time.

Then the second change comes up front as Fabio Silva comes back into the fold in place of Pedro Neto alongside Raul Jimenez.

Although the 19-year-old is yet to score this season, he was crowned as Wolves’ player of the month for April and has shown glimmers of the potential that tempted to the West Midlands club to fork out a club record £35.6m almost two years ago.

This afternoon’s match proves to be a good opportunity for Wolves to sign off at home with a victory whilst also allowing players set to depart the opportunity to say goodbye one last time.

AND in other news: Forget Neto: Lage must now unleash Wolves £26k-p/w “top player” who’s “got everything”

With Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur heading into Thursday’s Premier League meeting against Arsenal knowing that they simply must secure victory over their north London rivals in order to have any chance of sealing a top-four finish this season, the 52-year-old Spurs manager will certainly not have been disappointed by his team’s performance, nor the result.

Indeed, Cedric Soares’ needless barge into the back of Son Heung-min gave Paul Tierney no choice but to point to the spot after just 22 minutes, with Harry Kane coolly tucking the ball past Aaron Ramsdale to give Tottenham the lead.

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Matters were made worse for Arsenal just 11 minutes later when, having already made a quite astonishing three fouls, Rob Holding was shown a second yellow card for an elbow on Son – a numerical advantage on which Spurs wasted no time in capitalising, with Kane again heading home just before the break to double the hosts’ lead.

The game was dead and buried a little over 60 seconds after the restart, when Gabriel Magalhaes first failed to hold off Kane, before scuffing his clearance straight into the path of Son, who slotted home to give Tottenham an unassailable lead and move his side to within one point of the Gunners in the Premier League table.

However, while it was very much all about Kane and Son in attack on Thursday night, one player whose performance perhaps went under the radar was that of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, the 26-year-old midfielder who has recently been linked with a £30m move away from north London in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, over the course of the 90 minutes last night, the £60m-rated talent was imperious in the heart of Conte’s midfield while he had the ball at his feet, enjoying 91 touches, completing 73 of his 79 attempted passes (92%), finding his man with five long balls and making one key pass.

The £100k-per-week Dane also impressed out of possession, winning three tackles, making one interception, completing three clearances and winning four of his five attempted duels, a success rate of 80%.

These returns saw the midfielder who Graeme Souness once dubbed “useless” average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.5, while football.london journalist Alasdair Gold awarded the 26-year-old an eight in his own player ratings, stating of his performance: “Won some big tackles to get Spurs on the front foot and was a constant thorn in the side of the Arsenal midfield.”

It is indeed true that Kane and Son stole the show on Thursday, while Davinson Sanchez also impressed after being a late replacement for Cristian Romero. However, it was undoubtedly Hojbjerg who most proved his worth to Conte against the Gunners, with it now appearing as if the Denmark international is an indispensable part of the Italian’s side.

AND in other news – Bid incoming: Paratici to make £34m offer for Spurs target, he’d be a “special” signing

Ange Postecoglou is reportedly in the running for the Celtic hot seat following Brendan Rodgers' resignation, as the Australian is looking to land himself in his third club in six months. In the wake of the Northern Irishman's acrimonious exit, the club has turned to a familiar face for temporary stability in the form of Martin O’Neill, the legendary figure who guided the Hoops through one of their most glorious eras in the early 2000s.

Celtic’s shortlist revealed: Postecoglou, Keane, McKenna

According to , Celtic have drawn up a three-man shortlist of potential replacements for Rodgers: Postecoglou, Robbie Keane, and Kieran McKenna. Former Tottenham boss Postecoglou, who was sacked after leading the club to the Europa League title in May, remains a beloved figure at Celtic and would be a popular appointment, despite his disastrous 39-day spell at Nottingham Forest. His two-year reign with the Hoops from 2021 to 2023 delivered two league titles, two League Cups, and a Scottish Cup. For the time being, 73-year-old O’Neill will step in alongside former midfielder Shaun Maloney to guide the side through a turbulent few weeks. Yet, he made no attempt to hide his intentions that he’s not in this for another long stint in the dugout and revealed the profile Celtic are looking at for their next appointment.  

"They are looking for a permanent manager," he said. "The events of the past 24 hours are quite stunning. I’ve been called in to do the job of interim manager and that’s the way it will be." When further pressed on whether he might stay, O’Neill stated: "That’s never been discussed. I would say no, I think I’ll just go into the sunset. That’s not been discussed and I wouldn’t imagine it [happening]. They are looking for a young manager with proven ability who has got a bit of a track record."

However, report has mentioned that, despite O’Neill’s claim that Celtic want a “young manager", Postecoglou may actually be the board’s preferred choice if terms can be agreed.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesKeane & McKenna also in the frame

Another popular name on Celtic’s list is Robbie Keane, the former Republic of Ireland star who had a brief yet eventful spell at the club as a player. Keane’s managerial career has taken off in a surprising fashion. After success in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv, he is now leading Ferencvaros in Hungary, where he has already lifted the league title. The 45-year-old, who works alongside former Stoke City cult hero Rory Delap as his assistant, has earned a growing reputation for his methods. 

Meanwhile, McKenna, the highly regarded Ipswich Town manager, also remains on Celtic’s radar. However, finances could get in the way of finalising a deal. McKenna, just 39, has built an impressive resumé since taking over at Portman Road in 2021, guiding Ipswich from League One to the Premier League with back-to-back promotions. His reputation soared last year when both Manchester United and Brighton held talks with him. Reports even linked to the Chelsea job. However, Celtic face a major obstacle as Ipswich will demand hefty compensation from the Scottish side to let McKenna leave. Even after Ipswich’s relegation back to the Championship, he remains under contract until 2028, meaning any deal could cost the Hoops over £5 million, a fee the club is unlikely to sanction for a manager. Ipswich are also unwilling to let their man go. The club believe that the tactician can guide them straight back to the Premier League and are determined to resist any approach from Glasgow.

Celtic legend wants Ange back in the hotseat

Postecoglou was brutally sacked by Nottingham Forest on October 20 after just eight games, marking the shortest permanent managerial tenure in Premier League history. Yet, for many in Glasgow, those six forgettable weeks in England don’t tarnish his reputation.

Speaking on , former Celtic striker Chris Sutton said: "It could happen, I mean, would I like to see him back? Yeah, eventually, why not? I really enjoyed Angeball. Well, I think Brendan will leave at the end of the season – if [Postecoglou] just slots in next season, I would love to see Big Ange back. He’s respected at Celtic, the job he did. Brilliant, Angeball, what a brand of football."

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Getty Images SportCeltic working round the clock to find new manager

Rodgers’ abrupt departure has rocked Celtic, following the 3-1 defeat to Premiership leaders Hearts at Tynecastle. O’Neill’s appointment is seen as a stopgap to stabilise the dressing room ahead of two massive fixtures: a league clash against Falkirk on Wednesday, and the Scottish League Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday. For O’Neill, whose last managerial job came with Nottingham Forest in 2019, this return feels more like a rescue mission than a revival.