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Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Marcus Bent has ruled out Everton signing Jack Wilshere this summer.

The 29-year-old is looking to get his career back on track having been released by Bournemouth back in May but hasn’t been a regular in the Premier League for five seasons.

Wilshere finally left Arsenal back in 2018 to make the short trip to boyhood club West Ham, but turned out just 19 times across two years before they let him go 12 months ago.

Bournemouth, who he’d spent the 2016-2017 campaign with under Eddie Howe, then offered him a lifeline in January, and despite proving his fitness to make 18 appearances, he wasn’t rewarded with a long-term deal.

Despite remaining injury-free, Wilshere has only managed 30 or more games once in the previous eight seasons following several injury setbacks.

And although Bent previously told FFC that his former side Everton are looking to bring in a central-midfielder this window, he believes there’s better options out there than the ex-Arsenal man.

He told Football FanCast:

“No, he’s 29 now, injury prone having been released by Bournemouth.

“He was a brilliant youngster, did well for Arsenal, but I don’t think Everton want to take the chance on someone like that – I think for the money they can go out and get someone else for younger and as talented as he is.”

An update has emerged on Milan midfielder Franck Kessie, regarding Tottenham’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Dean Jones of EuroSport, Tottenham hold a strong interest in AC Milan central midfielder Franck Kessie and are exploring the possibility of bringing him to the club this summer. Fabio Paratici wants to improve Nuno Santo’s squad and is eyeing the midfield as an area of concern.

The report claims that Kessie could be available as he has failed to agree to fresh terms with Milan and his contract expires at the end of next season. Tottenham will make an offer if they receive encouragement from the player that a deal can be done.

Nuno needs him

Paratici must do all he can in order to seal a deal for Kessie in the coming weeks. Spurs have an exceptional opportunity to swoop for a player of his quality due to his contract situation, with just under 12 months left to run on his current deal.

Milan may need to cash in on him now or risk losing him on a free transfer next year, with Spurs, or any other club being able to agree a pre-contract agreement with him in the January transfer window. Therefore, Tottenham could end up being able to land a bargain for the Ivorian enforcer as Milan may need to lower their valuation in order to adjust for his contract dilemma, with clubs knowing that they can sign him for nothing if they bide their time.

Santo needs him in his squad next season and that is why Paratici must get a transfer over the line. Kessie averaged an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.15 in the Serie A last season and earned praise from former Italy international Antonio Cassano. He hailed the midfielder as “devastating” earlier this year, admitting that he has many impressive qualities.

Speaking to BoboTV, as transcribed by Milan Live:

“I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he is intelligent. I’m watching him carefully, against Roma, he was devastating.”

The £74k-per-week powerhouse managed 13 goals and four assists for Milan in the Serie A, whilst also averaging 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game. This shows that he is a talented box-to-box midfield and that is the type of player Santo is missing from his squad. Tanguy Ndombele was Tottenham’s top-scoring midfield last term with four goals, whilst Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg only managed three.

Kessie is a much-needed signing for the club as they need to bolster their midfield ranks. He could add an additional goal threat from deep and provide the likes of Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane with the support they were lacking from their teammates last season.

AND in other news, Spurs have opened talks to sign “outstanding” £16.2m-rated beast, he’s a big upgrade…

Recently departed West Bromwich Albion winger Kyle Edwards has opened talks over a move to Scottish giants Celtic [Football Insider].

A West Bromwich Albion Training Ground academy product, the 23-year-old went on to chip in with nine goal contributions in 49 fixtures for the Baggies; four goals and five assists [Transfermarkt].

Leaving the West Midlands upon the expiration of his contract at the end of last month, he could now be set for a switch north of the border [Football Insider].

Any prospective move would be good news his former employers, who would be set to receive a sum of around £300,000 for the Dudley-born attacker, due to their role in developing Edwards since he joined West Brom at the age of six [Football Insider].

In light of this, many Baggies diehards took to Twitter to express their opinions over recent developments.

West Bromwich Albion fans react:

Replying to popular West Brom fan outlet WBA Report, here is how some supporters responded to the Edwards news, with one fan calling the youngster an ‘awful’ player:

“He’s a bang average League One level player…. aka a great player for the Scottish giants”

Credit: @MickHyde1

“He needs to play at a lower level so the Scottish farmers league could be a good move”

Credit: @LeeWestwood11

“No, had enough chance to develop and just plateaued at around league one level imo”

Credit: @RichardMoxon2

“No, he is awful”

Credit: @brodymoz2

“Nah he’ll do ace in that pub league though just look at Scott Sinclair”

Credit: @SamuelRoberts01

“I very much doubt it. Wasn’t good enough and given multiple opportunities and game time to try and do something and prove something but never delivered. Can’t hold onto players just for sentiment”

Credit: @Gibbo_29

In other news, West Brom have been linked with a move for a free agent striker.

Glasgow Celtic have been handed a boost to their chances of bringing Carl Starfelt to Parkhead this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Russian Football News (via The Scottish Sun), who claimed that the Rubin Kazan defender was absent from training on Thursday, with the 26-year-old believed to be in talks regarding a transfer to Celtic after the Bhoys lodged a £4m bid for the Sweden international earlier this week.

The Scottish Sun then added that the centre-back, who is being lined up as a potential Kris Ajer replacement, is thought to be extremely keen to secure a move to Parkhead this summer, and is hoping to have his personal terms agreed with Ange Postecoglou’s side as quickly as possible.

Ange will be delighted

Considering just how impressive Starfelt was for Kazan last season, the fact that Celtic appear to be edging closer to getting a deal for the defender over the line is sure to have left Postecoglou delighted, particularly with Ajer continuing to be linked with a move away from Celtic this summer.

Indeed, over his 29 Premier Liga appearances for Leonid Slutski’s side last term, the £2.7m-rated man helped his team keep 11 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, 3.9 clearances and winning three duels per game.

The 26-year-old also impressed at the other end of the pitch, scoring three goals and completing 91% of his passes over the course of the season.

These returns saw the man Anel Avdic dubbed a “fantastic” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.08, ranking him as Kazan’s fourth-best performer in the top flight of Russian football.

So, if Postecoglou can indeed go on to secure a deal for Starfelt this summer, as well as Ajer going on to seal his anticipated move away from Parkhead, it would appear as if the Celtic boss could immediately land a very apt replacement for the outgoing defender.

In other news: Celtic dealt blow as “creative” 11 G/A gem has “decided” on move, Ange will be gutted

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Leeds United winger Helder Costa could move to a Championship club this summer.

The Lowdown: Costa not a key man

The Whites finished ninth in the Premier League last season, with Marcelo Bielsa having a core of key players to call upon regularly.

Costa wasn’t one of those, however, with the 27-year-old only managing 13 league starts and scoring just three times along the way.

The Portuguese has been linked with a move away from Elland Road this summer, in order to earn more playing time.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Pundit tips winger for exit

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor questioned whether or not Costa was even good enough for Premier League football, saying a move down to the Championship could make more sense:

“He had his chance last season, he had his chance at Wolves. But he doesn’t look like a Premier League player to me. He looks like a player with a lot of quality but maybe a different league or the Championship may suit Costa.

“I’m sure where Leeds want to go, they’ll need players who are ready and raring to go from the bench and make an impact. They can’t just come on and be satisfactory.

“I’m sure they’ll be looking to sell him and bring in a better replacement.”

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The Verdict: Time to move on

Given Leeds’ current trajectory, Costa could become even more surplus to requirements next season, as Bielsa looks to bring in more quality out wide, providing competition for Raphinha and Jack Harrison.

It makes perfect sense for him to leave the club and enjoy a fresh challenge, with the winger possessing the ability to thrive in the Championship, where the level of defending is inferior – he has played over 100 games in the second tier and racked up nearly 40 goal involvements (Transfermarkt).

Costa’s current Leeds deal doesn’t expire until 2024, so the Whites should still be able to demand a healthy amount for his services.

In other news, Leeds have suffered a blow regarding a rumoured transfer target. Read more here.

An update has emerged on Southampton target Arnaut Danjuma, regarding Villarreal’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, Villarreal are leading the race to sign Bournemouth winger Arnaut Danjuma this summer, having already had one bid rejected for the attacker.

The report claims Aston Villa and Southampton are also interested in acquiring him before the end of the transfer window.

Recent reports have also suggested that the Cherries want £35m for their star forward, following their failure to win promotion back to the top-flight.

Mane 2.0

Martin Semmens could find Sadio Mane 2.0 for Southampton by landing Danjuma this summer.

The Saints have lacked a goal threat from out wide in recent years, with the current Liverpool star having had bundles of success during his time at St. Mary’s. In the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons, Mane scored 10 and 11 Premier League goals respectively.

During the 2020/21 campaign, Stuart Armstrong’s tally of four was the most by any wide man for the club. This suggests that Ralph Hasenhuttl is in desperate need of a forward who can come in and hit double figures for goals from out wide, as Mane did in his two years on the south coast.

Therefore, Danjuma could be an ideal signing as he has the potential to be that player and Semmens must ensure that he can now oust Villarreal out of the way to secure a deal for him.

Last year, Clinton Morrison lavished praise on the Netherlands international called him an exceptional talent. He told Quest, via Football League World:

“Danjuma is an excellent player. Whatever happens, he will be playing Premier League football next year, whether it’s with Bournemouth or without them. He’s an exceptional talent.”

The 24-year-old showcased his attacking talent in the Championship for Bournemouth last term. He found the back of the net 17 times and provided seven assists for his teammates, suggesting that he is now ready to make the step up to Premier League football.

Like Mane, Danjuma is a right-footed left-winger who likes to cut in and shoot across the goal and his tally in the second-tier shows that he is adept at doing so.

Therefore, he could finally be the Mane replacement Southampton have been searching for, which is why supporters would adore him at St. Mary’s if he arrives from Bournemouth.

His exciting wing play could endear him to the fans and get them off their seats applauding his skill, similar to the way the Senegal international had them doing so many years ago.

AND in other news, Saints heading for transfer disaster over “outstanding” beast, fans will be fuming…

Leon Bailey is said to be on the verge of leaving Bayer Leverkusen, with an official offer believed to have been submitted from Aston Villa [Sky Sports DE].

Enjoying a productive 2020/21 campaign, the Jamaican winger registered an outstanding 26 goal contributions in 40 fixtures; 15 goals and 11 assists [Transfermarkt].

Now, he looks very likely to move to England following recent developments.

It is confirmed that the 23-year-old has an offer on the table from Aston Villa, whilst Bayer Leverkusen would be willing to part ways with the wide-man, whose contract expires in 2023 [Sky Sports DE].

However, the Bundesliga outfit would be looking to receive a considerable fee to initiate the sale of Bailey.

In light of this news, loads of Aston Villa diehards took to Twitter to react to recent developments.

Aston Villa FC fans react:

Replying to popular Aston Villa fan outlet villareport, here is what some fans had to say about the latest on Bailey:

“I’m still not allowing myself to get too excited yet….but, please, God…let this happen!”

Credit: @C_Lioneye

“Villa’s back”

Credit: @MerseMagic

“villareport has anyone ever told you how amazing you are”

Credit: @AlexAstonVilla

“i have tears in my eyes”

Credit: @Josh1874_

“villa report i love you”

Credit: @tiwari0216

“Awesome!”

Credit:  @RossMatthewman7

In other news, Aston Villa fans enjoy a throwback tweet by the club…

Tottenham Hotspur were initially interested in Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, before turning their attentions to new signing Pierluigi Gollini, according to The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Tottenham Hotspur complete Gollini deal

Of course, Spurs have finally initiated their first signing of the summer in the form of Pierluigi Gollini on a loan deal with an option to buy from Serie A outfit Atalanta [BBC].

Despite this, new details have emerged suggesting he may have not been the first choice to inherit the gloves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Latest: Spurs initially in for Raya; Paratici called deal off due to expense

Initially, the Londoners were keen on a move for 6ft ace Raya to bolster their goalkeeping ranks.

Enquiring to the Bees about a potential swoop, it is said that Tottenham director of football Fabio Paratici called off any notion of a deal due to its prospective expense [Athletic].

Incorporated into the Gollini deal, Espirito Santo’s men are said to have agreed to pay a fee of £12.9 million to keep the goalkeeper if he makes 20 appearances whilst on loan.

The Verdict: Gollini deal is more flexible that Raya swoop

All things considered, the decision to acquire Gollini instead of stumping up the funds for Raya may prove to be an intelligent one by the Spurs’ hierarchy.

Being able to essentially ‘try before you buy’ with the Italian loanee, the Lilywhites can take their time to gauge whether Gollini will be a good fit at the club in the long-term. If he is, then Spurs don’t have to worry about another club swooping in too.

However, Raya’s qualities shouldn’t be underestimated in the midst of these developments. In 2020/21, the Spaniard was in sparkling form for his newly promoted employers, keeping 18 clean sheets in 48 appearances [Transfermarkt].

Managing to keep a save percentage rate of 74.2% across, the Barcelona-born keeper most certainly has shown the metal to perform at the highest level consistently [FBRef].

Only time will tell in regards to whether Spurs have made the right choice in choosing not to persue a deal for Raya, a man once labelled as ‘stand-out’ by manager Thomas Frank [West London Sport].

In other news, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a Serie A ace.

West Ham United are reportedly set to submit an offer for Matheus Pereira…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida, who delivered a fresh update on the Irons’ pursuit of the West Brom playmaker to Twitter, where he revealed: “West Ham prepares an offer of around 20M€ + 2M€ bonus to present to West Brom by Matheus Pereira.”

The £13.5m-rated attacking midfielder has also been linked to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, by whom he is said to be tempted thanks to the salary they are offering.

Pereira has been widely regarded as an alternative option to last season’s loan star Jesse Lingard, and with the England international seemingly unlikely to return to the London Stadium, interest in the Brazilian has ramped up considerably in the past week.

Moyes needs him

As mentioned above, the Hammers have a gigantic void to fill in attacking midfield as one of the stars of 2020/21 is unlikely to be playing in the claret and blue this term.

Lingard rated out as David Moyes’ second-best player, as per WhoScored figures, despite only joining the club in January. He provided nine goals and five assists, playing an integral role in the Irons qualifying for the Europa League with a sixth-place finish.

Only two other players scored more goals than the Manchester United loanee, and they had a full season to reach that number.

Pereira may have been relegated at West Brom but he was one of their shining lights and he proved that he belongs at this level by registering 11 goals and six assists in what was his maiden campaign in the Premier League.

He actually accounted for 48% of all of the Baggies’ goals scored, which is hardly a surprise as the versatile 5 foot 9 dynamo averaged 2.1 key passes per 90 – a number which exceeded every player in Moyes’ squad, including Lingard (1.1), Aaron Cresswell (1.6) and Said Benrahma (1.7), as per WhoScored.

The 25-year-old maestro, who earns around £30k-per-week, has previously been hailed as a “genius” with unseen technical ability as well as a “special talent”, which only adds further reasoning to why Moyes may well have turned his attentions to him in recent weeks.

For around £17m, West Ham could do little wrong in securing the Baggies star in this transfer window. He may well provide that missing spark needed to challenge for a place in Europe once again.

Just imagine the damage that the ten-goal Michail Antonio could do with a player like Pereira providing the service behind him. He racked up plenty of assists without a proper striker at The Hawthorns, so he could elevate to a new level with the 31-year-old in front.

GSB must look to seal this deal before kickoff in two weeks time.

AND in other news, “Moysey would be delighted if he got him” – Exclusive: Pundit drops WHU claim on £20m-rated ace…

Taking to Twitter, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has backed an ExWHUemployee transfer update which involves West Ham defensive target Kurt Zouma.

The Lowdown: West Ham hold Zouma talks…

Sky Sports broke news last week that West Ham had entered talks with Chelsea over signing the centre-back as manager David Moyes continues his search for defensive reinforcements.

The Irons are currently prioritising a move for defenders before any other position, with Zouma, Nikola Milenkovic and Duje Caleta-Car the main targets according to reports.

The Latest: Romano backs Zouma update…

Taking to Twitter, Romano has now backed club insider ExWHUemployee’s update on the talks to sign Zouma this summer.

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Ex believes that the move, as it stands, is currently off with the 26-year-old having turned down West Ham – citing the fact situations can change at an almost hourly rate (Twitter).

Reliable transfer journalist Romano has supported this news out of east London whilst going one step further into detail.

He says that Ex’s update is in fact ‘correct’ and personal terms were never agreed over his signing.

As of now, West Ham are ‘already’ focusing on other central defensive targets according to the reporter.

The Verdict: Blow for West Ham?

There is little arguing that Zouma would have been a brilliant defensive addition for Moyes.

The colossal 6 foot 3 defender averaged a superb 90.9% pass accuracy out from the back for Chelsea over 2020/2021 in the Premier League and even managed to chip in with five goals going forward (WhoScored).

These reliable reports come as another blow for West Ham as the transfer window deadline looms on August 31.

Attention should now quickly shift to Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic, who could leave Italy for as little as €15 million (£12.7m) according to Charlie Eccleshare.

In other news: ‘Yesssss’, ‘What we’ve been asking for’…West Ham fans flock to ‘beautiful’ club post, find out more here.