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There is finally an air of stability surrounding Leeds United. In quick succession, the club has gained a new ownership in the 49ers, who have purchased Andrea Radrizzani’s majority stake, and also found itself a new manager, the coveted Daniel Farke.

The German possesses an impeccable resume, and it appears an excellent first step as Leeds begin the mission to regain their Premier League status. Farke is a promotion specialist, having achieved the feat on two occasions with Norwich City and if entrusted with a suitable budget and the correct targets, he is more than capable of delivering what the Elland Road faithful so desperately craves.

Last summer, the majority of signings unravelled into disappointment, particularly in midfield. Marc Roca was signed from Bayern Munich but failed to impose any consistency or dictate proceedings, with talkSPORT host Adrian Durham saying of the Spaniard: "I’m not sure he’s a Premier League footballer."

As for Brenden Aaronson, the former Red Bull Salzburg ace was also rather disappointing throughout the campaign in his playmaking berth, having statistically been the worst player in the division, according to Sofascore.

In a frantic January, the club also opted for a headline-grabbing loan move for Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, but the American struggled to adapt and often drifted out of games, having arguably been "out of his depth", according to former Whites star, Jon Newsome.

The only pivot who emerged from the rubble of relegation without any sense of credibility was Tyler Adams, and if Leeds manage to keep him, they must find an adequate partner.

The Yorkshire outfit is back to square one, and they must avoid a repetition of their previous, fateful errors. They need reliability and tenacity – two traits that Coventry City’s Gustavo Hamer possesses in abundance.

What’s the latest on Gustavo Hamer to Leeds United?

According to The Atheltic’s Phil Hay, Leeds are interested in the 26-year-old as part of their rebuild in a new division, with the respected insider Tweeting that the club have had a "long-standing interest" in the playmaker.

Would Gustavo Hamer be a good signing for Leeds United?

Last season, the 5 foot 7 central midfielder, described as “unbelievable”, was one of Coventry’s most consistent and influential performers. He made 45 appearances for the club across all competitions, recording the second-highest average rating (7.26) in the squad.

However, perhaps most impressively, the former Dutch youth international recorded 21 goal contributions, including the winning goal in the play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough and the equaliser in the subsequent final against Luton Town, in which his side painfully lost on penalties.

His supremely impressive campaign means that the Brazilian-born star ranks within the best 17% outside of Europe’s top five leagues for tackles per 90, successful take-ons per 90, assists per 90, and shot-creating actions per 90.

The £5.2k-per-week maestro has the perfect profile to partner with Adams, who was one of the shining lights in a torrid season for the Whites. The 24-year-old averaged the highest match rating (6.73), the second-most tackles per game (3.7), and the fourth-most interceptions (1.5) in the squad.

His strong defensive acumen meant he resided in the top 3% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for tackles and blocks.

Both the aforementioned players pack fantastic physicality and are formidable protectors for their backlines, whilst Hamer has an added offensive threat with a keen eye for a goal or assist. The Coventry City star has displayed he is a competent second-tier performer, who can consistently excel, and he would be a smart acquisition for Farke.

Aston Villa are thought to be eyeing up the signing of a speedy attacking player in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Will this be a huge summer at Villa?

Unai Emery's side enjoyed a fantastic 2022/23 season, with the Spaniard transforming the club's after he replaced the disappointing Steven Gerrard. In the end, Villa finish seventh in the Premier League, qualifying for the UEFA Europa Conference League in the process.

This summer looks set to be an exciting one in the summer market, with owners NSWE making funds available for new signings. Pau Torres an extremely likely centre-back addition from Villarreal, and that will hopefully only be the start of their summer business, with Youri Tielemans also arriving from Leicester City in what looks like a strong piece of business.

Emery will likely be keen to add attacking reinforcements to his squad, too, in order to ensure that he has the firepower to excel across several different competitions, which is where a new update comes into play.

Are Villa eyeing up attacking signings?

According to Football Insider, sources have informed them that Villa, and by extension Emery and new sporting director Monchi, have "turned their attention to signing a forward as they put the finishing touches to the signing of Pau Torres from Villarreal."

It is claimed that "Emery wants to recruit a top-level attacker capable of providing cutting edge and slotting straight into the starting XI for next season", and that he is looking to sign someone with "blistering pace and mobility, ability to carry the ball forward as well as a track record of supplying goals and assists."

This is another encouraging update from a Villa perspective, with the club clearly identifying key targets and looking to make this one of their most formidable squads of the Premier League era, if not the best of the lot.

Having attacking players with pace and directness can be such a weapon in the modern game, especially if Emery adopts a counter-attacking style in certain matches. Ollie Watkins is an excellent player who remains a key man, so another top attacker like him could take the club to the next level.

If Villa were able to bring in one or two players with those weapons in their armoury – perhaps one wide player and another central option – it could make Emery's team an even greater force, especially if they are sizeable upgrades on the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Bertrand Traore and Leon Bailey.

Tottenham Hotspur target Edmond Tapsoba is reportedly 'one step away' from completing a move to the North London side according to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti via GIVEMESPORT.

What is the latest Edmond Tapsoba transfer news?

Tapsoba has a market value of €30m (£25.7m) according to Transfermarkt and has two years remaining on his deal, which may force his club Bayer Leverkusen to sell him to maximise the transfer fee they receive.

After upgrading in the goalkeeping department recently, it has been claimed that the North London side have made the 24-year-old their defensive priority, as Ange Postecoglou looks to strengthen his squad even more.

Spurs have lost Clement Lenglet following the conclusion of his loan spell, which will be a blow for the club as he made 35 appearances last season.

Tapsoba was reportedly joined on the defensive shortlist by Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven and Villarreal defender Pau Torres before his move to Aston Villa.

What has Rudy Galetti said about the potential Edmond Tapsoba transfer?

Speaking on the transfer, Galetti told GIVEMESPORT: “On the table, there are around €25m and the German club is concretely evaluating this proposal. Last winter, Arsenal asked them for him but then now they decide to go for Timber, who is close as well.

So, the Burkina Faso player [Tapsoba], we can say that is one step away from joining Tottenham. In the next few days, they will push and close the deal positively.”

Would Edmond Tapsoba be the right signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

The Burkina-Faso international is one of the most underrated ball-playing and ball-progressive centre-backs, with his 5.76 progressive passes and 1.46 progressive carries ranks him in the top 8% of all central defenders across Europe's top five leagues according to FBref.

Tapsoba enjoyed a fantastic campaign for Die Schwarzroten last season, making 46 appearances and averaging a rating of 6.76 according to Whoscored.

One thing that will surely be high on Ange's list to sort at Tottenham will be the leaky defence, hence the interest in Tapsoba, with a shocking 63 goals being let in under Antonio Conte in the campaign just gone.

This is evident with the fact that the London club are prepared to listen to offers for Eric Dier, who played a part in shipping the high amount of goals, so perhaps Tapsoba could be the man to potentially replace him too.

The 24-year-old would be an incredible start to Tottenham's defensive reinforcements and looks to be the perfect partner for Cristian Romero ahead of the clubs first season under Postecoglu.

Former Stoke City star Rory Delap has claimed his long throws could have been worth £20m alone in the transfer market.

Who is Rory Delap?

Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Republic of Ireland midfielder earned himself a reputation as having one of the most feared niche skills in the Premier League.

No, it wasn't a fancy stepover or a thunderous right foot that had defenders scrambling, nor was it an eye for a cute assist or even a penchant for particularly bruising challenges.

Well, we're sure you all remember…

Indeed, his infamous long throw-ins used to terrorise defences time and time again when travelling away to Stoke on those cold, wet and windy nights.

In a recent interview with SPORTbible, the now 46-year-old Delap recalled memories of yesteryear, noting: "We're still talking about it today so I must have done something right.”

Interestingly enough, however, he revealed that instead of spending hours on the training ground with his Stoke teammates working on the set pieces, they'd simply do "two or three on a Friday, the day before a game, same with the corners and the set plays."

Even so, his long throws still frequently caused havoc in opposition boxes – as shown by the fact that Sky Sports have a 4.37 YouTube video dedicated to every goal scored by the Potters thanks to his long throw-ins.

On top of that, Hull City goalkeeper Boaz Myhill once famously gave away a corner out of fear of handing Delap the chance to do damage with a throw-in.

Could Messi do it on a wet and windy night at Stoke?

In the interview, Delap was reminded about how Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed former Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam’s set-pieces were worth £10m.

He was then asked, if this was the case, then how much money would his throw-ins be worth?

“Ahh at least double that,” the 46-year-old said in response, with a huge smile on his face. “I played with Charlie, he had an unbelievable left foot and still does."

On top of all that, he also got onto one of football's biggest questions. Would Lionel Messi struggle on a wet and windy night at Stoke?

Delap certainly seems to think the Argentine would be just fine. He explained: “No, I think the thing you saw with the top players, we made it hard for teams but we never got a result.

“Against [Man] United, they were the top team at the time. With Sir Alex Ferguson, he'd seen it all before with the Wimbledons and the teams of that era. So, you know, he set the team up to go and win and I think they won every game when I was at Stoke so I think the top players don't let stuff like that affect them.

“Arsenal were a great side at that time, maybe it got to them a bit.

“Chelsea, we always struggled against Chelsea. They were the top three teams at that stage. They never really struggled with the cold, wet night there.

"So you're talking about Messi and players like that, I think they're just elite. They're another level. It doesn't matter where they go, they will perform.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers target El Bilal Toure is a potential 'upgrade' on the likes of Diego Costa at Molineux as the Old Gold look to add some firepower in attack, says journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving El Bilal Toure?

According to Football Insider, Toure has attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs this summer, including Wolves, Everton, West Ham United and Burnley.

The report states that Almeria have put a £34 million price tag on the head of the Mali international, who has also drawn admiration from the likes of Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen.

As per The Daily Mail, Wolves have a good working relationship with Almeria, which could come in handy in their efforts to try and land the 21-year-old.

Toure is a physical striker that is said to have been likened to former Chelsea icon Didier Drogba and looks odds on to seek a new challenge this window.

Diario De Almeria via Sport Witness claim that ‘the first approaches are already taking place’ between Everton, Wolves as the race to sign the youngster gathers pace.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Toure would add a new flavour to the Wolves attack at Molineux if he were to join the Premier League outfit.

Jones told FFC: "There's obviously an agent hard at work here to try and get him a move, but he's a fast and awkward player to handle.

"I think at Wolves he would add an edge to their attack. He also could be quite frustrating at times, to be honest, but he's definitely a very different option from Diego Costa. If they want someone who's more mobile, then this is an upgrade."

How did El Bilal Toure fare in 2022/23 with Almeria?

Toure enjoyed a commendable campaign with Almeria and showed flashes of his undoubted potential, which has, in turn, attracted interest from the Premier League.

In 2022/23, the 21-year-old made 22 appearances for Almeria, encompassing all competitions, registering seven goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored show that Toure carried a keen goal threat during the season and averaged around 1.4 shots per match in the Spanish top flight.

As per FBRef, Toure also carried out 2.36 shot-creating actions per match for Almeria, showing his ability to fashion chances for himself and his teammates.

Wolves could do with some fresh blood in attack ahead of next term and Toure could be an exciting arrival with lots of potential at Molineux.

Leicester City's relegation from the Premier League will see plenty of big names plying their trade in the Championship next season, but others are expected to be given a lifeline.

That is a category Harvey Barnes will likely fall into, with the one-cap England international showing enough during his time in the top flight to suggest he deserves to stay there.

With money to play with ahead of Declan Rice's seemingly imminent big-money move away, West Ham United have a number of targets to potentially go for.

According to The Telegraph, West Ham are expected to start the bidding for Barnes at around £30m, though it may take as much as £40m to prise him away from Leicester.

With two years to run on his contract, and other clubs showing an interest, the Foxes have some bargaining power when it comes to negotiating a fee for the Burnley-born winger.

What can Harvey Barnes offer West Ham?

Barnes led the scoring charts for Leicester last season with 13 goals in the Premier League – plus one assist – yet that was not enough to keep the Foxes above the dotted line.

It marks the first time the 25-year-old has hit double figures for top-flight goals in what was his sixth season at that level, with his return of 0.43 goals per 90 minutes last season the 18th best of all Premier League players, as per FBref.

That may not sound exciting enough to justify a possible £40m outlay, but to put that into some perspective, you have to go much further down that list to find West Ham's highest-ranked player – Manuel Lanzini with 0.36.

Gianluca Scamacca, who failed to make the impression expected of him in his first season at the London Stadium, averaged 0.29 goals per 90 minutes and third on the list was Said Benrahma (0.26), who Barnes may well replace next season.

On the face of it, that would be a clear upgrade for David Moyes' side. Barnes not only outperformed Benrahma in terms of goals and assists combined (0.46 per 90 minutes compared to 0.39), he also came out on top in metrics such as shots on target percentage (47.2 v 33.3) and goal-creating actions (0.47 v 0.22), with the latter taking factors such as passes, take-ons and fouls won leading to goals into the equation.

Indeed, when taking the past 12 months into account, Barnes ranks in the top 6% of his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.43), while Benrahma is in the bottom 11% (0.09).

Brendan Rodgers was correct two years ago when he described Barnes as being someone with the potential to become a "top player", and there is seemingly still more to come from a player who does not turn 26 until December.

Barnes may not be as strong as Benrahma when it comes to beating an opponent (averaging 0.90 take-ons per 90 minutes to the latter's 2.22), but he wins more aerial duels (0.22 v 0.96), suggesting he can also play a part defensively.

Benrahma will go down in West Ham folklore after netting from the penalty spot in their Europa Conference League final win over Fiorentina, but this summer may be a natural time for the Algerian to depart and make way for a player who has proved he deserves another crack at the Premier League.

Ellis Simms' return to parent club Everton in January was a huge blow in Sunderland's pursuit of a Premier League return, but they may just have found an adequate replacement.

According to Portuguese outlet Record, Benfica youngster Luis Semedo is very close to joining the Championship side after failing to agree new terms with the Primeira Liga heavyweights.

What impact did Ellis Simms have at Sunderland?

Simms made a huge impact in his half-season spell on loan at the Stadium of Light, scoring seven goals in 17 league matches to not only help Sunderland adapt to life back in the Championship, but also compete in the higher reaches of the division.

The 22-year-old may have departed with 31 league games of the campaign left to play, including the two-legged play-off semi-final, yet he still finished as the club's fourth-top scorer behind Jack Clarke (9), Ross Stewart (10) and Amad Diallo (13), the latter of whom also impressed on loan from a Premier League side.

With an average of a goal every 0.56 league games, only Stewart (0.86) was more effective in attack for Sunderland this past season than Simms, who also chipped in with a couple of assists.

Sunderland ultimately battled on to reach the play-offs without Simms, where they went on to lose 3-2 on aggregate to promoted Luton Town, but it remains to be seen what could have been with the Everton academy product in their ranks for the second half of the season – especially considering he started just two Premier League games for the Toffees after being recalled.

Could Luis Semedo replace Simms at Sunderland?

On the face of it, it is easy to see why Semedo is being touted as a like-for-like replacement for Simms. After all, both players are similar in stature, measuring in at roughly the same height at 6 foot 3.

Semedo, whose playing style has seen him described as "a big physical unit" by football reporter Josh Bunting, also has an eye for goal, as reflected by the four goals he scored in four games for Benfica in the 2022-23 UEFA Youth League.

However, whereas Simms arrived at Sunderland with some experience of first-team football under his belt following spells on loan with Blackpool and Hearts, Semedo has so far represented only Benfica B and Portugal U20.

Even before finding his scoring boots in European competition last season, Benfica clearly saw plenty in the youngster as they handed him a professional contract in August 2020 when he turned 18.

While his overall numbers at age-grade level are hardly much to shout about, having scored just twice in 18 Segunda Liga appearances last term, Sunderland have a habit of finding gems in need of fine-tuning – not least Stewart, who went from scoring two goals for Ross County in 2020-21 to 26 goals in his first full campaign with the Black Cats.

With Diallo also heading back to parent club Manchester United – though a possible loan return has been touted – Sunderland need to be smart with their transfer business to plug an obvious gap – or gaps.

As boss Tony Mowbray stated in January, any new signing "has to fit the criteria of what we need". If it is another talented young attacker in need of fine-tuning that Sunderland are indeed after, Semedo – who at a reported €600k (£518k) is a low-cost punt – might well be their man.

Liverpool are on the brink of making Alexis Mac Allister's move to Anfield official this week and now a new update has emerged on another transfer target for the Reds.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Romeo Lavia?

According to Football Insider, Chelsea have stepped up their pursuit to compete with Liverpool for the signing of Southampton star Romeo Lavia this summer.

As per the report, the West Londoners are preparing a new move to beat Liverpool to the signing of the midfielder after the Reds also registered their interest.

Both clubs will need to meet a fee of up to £50m to be in contention to snap up his services from the relegated side.

Should Liverpool sign Romeo Lavia this summer?

Both Chelsea and Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in midfield this summer and Jurgen Klopp is clearly keen to focus his attention on up-and-coming talent as opposed to more experienced professionals.

The Reds have been strongly linked to and held discussions to sign Kephren Thuram and Kouadio Kone who are both 22 years old, proving that sparking a youthful revolution in the centre of the pitch seems to be the clear intention this summer.

As a result, the signing of Lavia would be a major coup for the Merseyside giants as he is not only a young midfielder that Klopp can mould and develop but already boasts Premier League experience, something the aforementioned French targets do not possess.

Over 29 top-flight appearances, the 19-year-old – hailed an "absolute monster" by Southampton correspondent Benjy Nurick – has tallied up an 86% pass completion rate and completed 68% of his dribble attempts, as well as averaging 47.7 touches, 1.1 interceptions, 2.1 tackles and 4.9 duels won per game, proving that he is a dominant defensive presence.

The Belgian midfielder – who polished his craft in the Manchester City youth academy – has been the recipient of high praise during his first season of playing consistent Premier League football, with Pep Guardiola complimenting his impact on Southampton:

"I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing. We had, and we have, an incredible opinion about him."

Bearing in mind the youngster's quality, Lavia could well be Klopp's next version of fellow teenager Stefan Bajcetic.

Indeed, the Liverpool academy graduate was given the opportunity to compete for a defensive role in the first team this season after impressing in the youth set-up, which led to the Spaniard adding some much-needed energy into the centre of the pitch.

Like Lavia, he boasts excellent defensive attributes, winning 3.1 duels per game and ranking in the top 2% of midfielders in Europe for the number of dribblers he attempted to tackle every 90 minutes, a marker of his keenness to get stuck in.

Should be be acquired, then the Saints ace would be the perfect understudy for Fabinho over the next season as the Brazilian ace has struggled to maintain his own high standards in the deeper midfield role, notably being described as an "old man" by 90min journalist Graeme Bailey.

As a result, if Lavia arrives in the red side of Merseyside it could be exactly what Klopp needs to provide quality competition for the position.

With that being said, it is an exciting and transformative time at Anfield with Klopp on the hunt to build the next generation of success and this ambitious rebuild could be an extremely attractive prospect for a young player like Lavia to become a part of.

Sunderland's philosophy of signing talented youngsters for the future has certainly paid off in recent seasons, with Kristjaan Speakman's tenure at the club proving to be an extremely successful one.

The Black Cats have found success with young stars such as Jack Clarke, Trai Hume and Dennis Cirkin in the Championship, with Tony Mowbray's side narrowly missing out on a playoff final at Wembley after losing out to Luton Town.

However, one of the most successful signings of the season was undoubtedly Amad Diallo, with the young Ivorian enjoying a superb campaign after joining on loan from Manchester United, finishing as the top scorer on 14 league goals in Mowbray's squad.

It now seems as if the north-east side are looking to repeat that success this summer, with reports suggesting that they could target Manchester United midfielder, Ethan Galbraith.

Would Galbraith be a good signing for Sunderland?

According to The Northern Echo, both Sunderland and Middlesbrough are lining up offers for the 22-year-old, whose contract at Old Trafford will come to an end next month.

Galbraith spent the season on loan with Salford City in League Two, contributing four goals and three assists in 32 league appearances for the Ammies as they also lost out in the playoffs.

He does have experience at a higher level, having played 33 times in League One for Doncaster Rovers last season, while he also has two caps for Northern Ireland under his belt, with U21 boss Ian Barraclough dubbing him a "little Iniesta or Xavi" back in 2020.

During his time at Doncaster, the young midfielder earned the praise of teammate John Bostock, who tipped him for a big future in the game.

He said: “He came in yesterday and was really quiet, then goes and puts in such a good performance on his professional debut.

“It’s nice to have him here because he’s got a massive future in the game, I enjoyed playing alongside him and hopefully we can develop that relationship."

Although Galbraith doesn't perhaps have the reputation of someone like Diallo, as he joined from Linfield as a teenager compared to United paying £37m to Atalanta for the Ivorian, their footballing educations at Old Trafford will have been similar.

While the 22-year-old isn't a winger, and it would be a surprise to see him have as big an impact as Diallo given he registered 17 goal involvements this season, Sunderland have already shown the benefits of recruiting players from the Red Devils.

Galbraith could be one for the future, but he certainly fits their philosophy of signing younger players and on a free transfer, he could be a no-brainer for Speakman this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to make an approach for Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou in the coming days, according to reports.

Who is Ange Postecoglou?

Postecoglou is a Greek-Australian manager who is currently in charge of Celtic having been appointed there back in 2021, but the fact that he’s on a 12-month rolling contract means that his future is always uncertain, especially beyond this summer having not yet put pen to paper on a deal extension in Glasgow.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Hoops boss is someone that has “always” been on Daniel Levy’s shortlist to succeed Ryan Mason from next term, and despite the 57-year-old having recently reaffirmed his commitment to the Scottish Premiership side during an interview with Sky Sports, the champions are worried that he’s set to depart for the Premier League.

Football Insider claim that the Bhoys have already started sounding out potential replacements amid fears that their coach will leave them at the end of the season to accept the role in N17 which is definitely something that could be on the horizon.

Are Spurs appointing Postecoglou?

According to The Daily Record, Tottenham are "preparing to make their move" for Postecoglou despite him remaining focused on the job at hand at Celtic. Spurs are expected to "get set to swoop" for the experienced coach who is "hot property" following the outstanding impact he's made at Parkhead. Levy's interest is believed to be "concrete", so this could be one to watch in the near future.

What Postecoglou has achieved since joining Celtic is nothing short of remarkable, and he’s been praised for passing his “top class” mentality onto the players, as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting, so he would be the perfect candidate to take charge at Tottenham.

The Nea Filadelfeia native, whose preferred formation is an attacking 4-3-3, has won 82, drawn 12 and lost just 18 of his 112 games north of the border, averaging 2.30 points per match, via Transfermarkt, not to mention that he’s also been rewarded with four pieces of silverware having secured both the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup titles consecutively, first in 2021/22 and now 2022/23.

Postecoglou, who has won 11 senior trophies in total at club level since the start of his managerial career, also shares the same agent, CAA Base Ltd, as Pedro Porro, Son Heung-Min and Richarlison, so this existing representative connection could give the club an advantage when trying to tempt him into moving to the top-flight.