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Glasgow Rangers are showing interest in winger Kwadwo Opoku ahead of the summer transfer window as Michael Beale looks set to continue with his Ibrox rebuild.

What’s the latest on Kwadwo Opoku to Rangers?

According to German outlet Fussball Transfers, Rangers have ‘signalled interest’ in winger Opoku, who plays for MLS side Los Angeles FC.

The Light Blues aren’t alone however, with Old Firm rivals Celtic also keen, alongside Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, while several teams from Ligue 1 and the Premier League also keeping tabs on the player, as Beale faces stiff competition.

He could cost the Gers around €4.8m (£4.1m) if any move was to be sealed, which is surely within the 42-year-old's budget this summer.

Could Kwadwo Opoku move to Rangers?

With Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos departing Rangers, it’s clear Beale needs reinforcements both in the wide positions and through the middle heading into next season.

One key issue the manager has is in the right-wing area, which could well be fixed by signing Opoku.

Todd Cantwell has shone when being deployed there during his first few months at the Gers, registering 11 goal contributions from 20 games, however, with Malik Tillman returning to Bayern Munich following his loan spell, the Englishman could be pushed to a more central role in 2023/2024.

The LAFC winger has enjoyed success in America, registering 11 goal contributions during the 2022 season as he led his team to the MLS Cup, and he has continued this rich vein of form into the current campaign.

Two goals and two assists in 13 league matches underline his attacking potential from a wide position, and he averages two shots per game, makes 0.8 key passes per game and has created two big chances, solid numbers from the 21-year-old.

According to WhoScored, Opoku’s strengths include passing and long shots, while he typically likes to cut inside and dribble past opponents as often as possible, suggesting that he tends to make things happen as opposed to being static and waiting for the right chance to drop.

This proactive nature could be crucial for Rangers next term, especially with goals paramount for success, both domestically and in Europe, as Celtic scored 21 more times in the league than the Ibrox side last season, a key factor to where the title eventually ended up.

For just over £4m, the “magnificent” Ghanaian – as so dubbed by journalist Owuraku Ampofo – could be a wise investment and given he has plenty of experience in scoring and creating chances for others, it’s a move that makes perfect sense in the long run.

Leicester City have identified Enzo Maresca as a potential Dean Smith replacement, if they move on from the manager, according to recent reports.

Who will manage Leicester City next season?

Following their relegation from the Premier League, this summer is set to be one of great change for the Foxes, with several key players heading out the door in the coming weeks, but it remains to be seen whether the club's first team manager Smith will be joining them.

Having been appointed in April to replace Brendan Rogers after the Irishman was sacked, the 52-year-old went unbeaten in five of his eight league games at the club, but it wasn't enough to keep Leicester in the top flight.

With their fate sealed on the final day of the season, Smith's future at the club was thrown in doubt, and now The Telegraph's John Percy has reported that while the club haven't made any final decisions on his status at the club, they have identified Pep Guardiola's assistant as a possible replacement.

Smith met with Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and the club's director of football Jon Rudkin recently, and talks are said to have gone positively as they outlined plans for the side's upcoming Championship campaign and pursuit for promotion, but things are still up in the air with Maresca now in the frame.

Who is Enzo Maresca?

Having worked closely with Guardiola as his assistant manager this season, Maresca has been learning from one of the very best in the game and could follow a similar path as that of Mikel Arteta, who once also worked under the tutelage of the Manchester City manager, before embarking on a successful managerial career himself at Arsenal.

The 43-year-old has a little bit of experience as a first-team coach, though, having spent a brief amount of time in charge at Parma, but it's safe to say, things didn't quite go to plan for the Italian, and he was let go after just 14 games which saw him pick up just four wins, despite having names like Gianluigi Buffon and Franco Vazquez in the side.

Leicester are taking their time figuring out who will be in charge of the side's first season back in the Championship, but Maresca is in no rush to join, with his duties at Man City and their quest for the treble still his number one priority.

Any decision on his future will likely be made after the Champions League final next weekend, but with Smith still fighting to keep his job and a wealth of experience managing in the Championship on his side, it remains to be seen where the club will go from here.

Liverpool will want to wrap up a deal to bring in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in swift fashion to avoid rival interest in his services, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Alexis Mac Allister?

As per BBC Sport, Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has signalled that both Mac Allister and his teammate Moises Caicedo are expected to leave the Amex Stadium this summer.

Speaking in his post-match press conference following the Seagulls' 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last Sunday, the 43-year-old said: "I think that can be the last game of Alexis and Moises, I'm really sorry. They are two great people and two great players. He then added: "The policy of Brighton is like this. "I think it's right they can leave, can change teams and play in a level higher. We are ready. We have to find others big players to play without Alexis and Moises."

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has detailed on his YouTube channel that Liverpool are in an advanced stage of negotiations to acquire the Argentina international, stating: "Liverpool want to be fast. The agreement on personal terms is 90% done, so Alexis Mac Allister is really, really close to Liverpool."

The Mirror reported earlier this month that Manchester and Arsenal were also keen on Mac Allister while Chelsea had also expressed an interest in the past, according to The Guardian; however, the Reds look to be the closest to landing the 24-year-old heading into the summer transfer window.

Capology understand that Mac Allister earns £50,000 per week at Brighton on a contract that runs until June 2027.

What has Ben Jacobs said about Alexis Mac Allister?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that the incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino could make a 'late move' to try and sign Mac Allister; nevertheless, he expects Liverpool to move swiftly to land the playmaker in the summer.

Jacobs told FFC: "As I said before, the only twist until it's signed could be a late move from Chelsea, but first of all, Pochettino actually has to come in and start before things like that could move. We wait and see on that one, but McAllister has always said that he wants to go early. He's always said that he wants his future resolved as soon as possible when the season ends. Liverpool themselves want to do their business early. They always do that; they always try and window plan and make progress to the point where they don't drag things out if at all possible and much like when they signed Cody Gakpo and it was announced early, it wouldn't remotely surprise me if Liverpool do exactly the same for Alexis Mac Allister and try to get him in as fast as they possibly can."

Would Alexis Mac Allister be a good fit for Liverpool?

Mac Allister has been in fantastic form this campaign for Brighton and has played a major part in helping to propel the Seagulls to their sixth-place Premier League finish.

In total across 2022/23, Mac Allister managed to register 12 goals and three assists from 40 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also note that the Argentina international gained an average match rating of 7.05/10 for his exploits on the field for the Seagulls this term, making him their second-most consistent performer behind Solly March.

Providing chances has proved to be his forte in Brighton colours during an impressive season, with Mac Allister successfully performing 106 shot-creating actions in the English top-flight, according to FBRef.

Jurgen Klopp will be in the market to bolster his squad this summer and Mac Allister would be an ideal candidate to provide some fresh ideas in the middle of the park come 2023/24 if the German boss can sanction a deal to bring him to Anfield.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa this summer, seeing him as a potential replacement for Emiliano Martinez.

Is Martinez leaving Villa this summer?

A number of Villa players have enjoyed excellent seasons, with their fortunes transformed under Unai Emery, but none have gone through a more exciting period than Martinez. The 30-year-old has not only performed impressively between the sticks at Villa Park, making 35 starts in the Premier League, but he has also tasted World Cup glory with Argentina.

Not only that, but he was one of his country's star men in Qatar, perhaps only behind Lionel Messi, proving to be the penalty hero so often in shootouts, and also making a huge save in the last minute of extra-time in the final victory over France.

Martinez's current standing in the game means that there is likely to be interest from top clubs at the end of the season, and the player also wants to quit the Midlands this summer, so Villa may find it difficult to keep hold of him. Admittedly, his current deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2027, though, so the club will be able to demand huge money for his services.

It looks as though the Villans may be resigned to losing the Argentine, with a new claim suggesting that they have already found a possible replacement.

Could Sa come in Martinez's replacement?

According to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], Sa could be an option for Villa during the summer window, having impressed for Wolves since arriving from Olympiakos in 2021. The report claims that Martinez "can say goodbye" to the club in the coming months and is valued at €40m, at which point their attention could switch to snapping up the Portuguese stopper, valued at €20m.

Sa could be an excellent signing by Villa, and while Martinez could arguably be better, he has shown that he can be a strong performer in the Premier League, making 75 appearances in the competition in two seasons. The £28,000-a-week Wolves ace has been hailed as "amazing" by teammate Daniel Podence, and at 30, he would be coming in at a great time in his career, with his best days still potentially ahead of him.

In an ideal world, Martinez would simply stay put and continue to be a key figure for years to come, but if Sa coming in to replace him is the next-best option, it may not be a bad outcome for Villa.

Reach PLC Journalist Sean McGinlay has been left shocked at Steven Gerrard’s latest move to bring Neil Critchley to Aston Villa.

The Lowdown: Critchley joins

Gerrard brought assistant Michael Beale with him from Rangers when he took over at Villa Park back in November. However, Beale has now been appointed as the new manager of QPR, penning a three-year contract with the Championship side.

Villa haven’t wasted any time in bringing in Beale’s replacement, with Blackpool manager Critchley next to pen terms in the Midlands. The Villa Park outfit have of course been impressively busy in these last few weeks, securing deals for Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos.

Critchley and Gerrard crossed paths at Liverpool’s academy, with the latter describing Critchley as his ‘number one choice when looking for a new assistant head coach’.

The Latest: McGinlay reacts

McGinlay, a Blackpool reporter for Lancs Live, took to Twitter to share the news and his reaction.

He said he ‘can’t quite believe’ that Critchley has left his post as Blackpool boss to become Gerrard’s assistant, with fans echoing McGinlay’s reaction, saying it’s a big ‘shock’ and ‘absolutely wild’, while talkSPORT called it a ‘surprise’.

The Verdict: A coup for Villa

Critchley has plenty of experience as an academy manager and a first-team manager, with Villa set to be his first assistant position.

The 43-year-old was seemingly persuaded by Villa’s long-term plans to leave a managerial role for a number two position, and you’d expect that this could be a real coup for the club.

Villa have already made a number of exciting additions on the pitch and have acted quickly to replace Beale, showing plenty of positive signs ahead of Gerrard’s first full season in charge.

In other news: Villa and NSWE now want to sign ‘stand out’ forward after Suarez; Gerrard not hanging around. 

Sky Sports journalist Tom White has now revealed some ‘talks’ going on behind-the-scenes at Sunderland.

The Lowdown: Shares sold?

There have been rumours circulating on social media that both Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven have now sold up their shares at the Stadium of Light.

Football Insider have reported that they would part with their shares for £10.7m, while The Sunderland Echo claim that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is looking to take full-control of the Wearside club.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Taking to Twitter, White, a presenter on SSN, has revealed that Donald and Methven have not shared their shares at the Black Cats, in spite of the rumours, but ‘talks are at an advanced stage’ with one group:

“Regarding the rumours that Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven have sold their shares in Sunderland, it’s my information that talks are at an advanced stage with one group, but there is still a long way to go.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Donald and Methven are clearly not connected to the club anymore, as finance expert Kieran Maguire has claimed that they have left a ‘toxic legacy’, and so their shares need to be sold as soon as possible.

Whether Louis-Dreyfus takes full control, or their shares are sold to another bidder, they need to get their board structure finalised before the start of next season.

Rich Energy drink founder William Storey has reportedly submitted his own takeover offer to the club, and so this is another path to consider as they look to cement their place in the Championship, and potentially push for promotion to the Premier League in the future.

In other news, find out which three Championship clubs are now eyeing this ‘incredible’ SAFC star here!

Newcastle United are interested in signing Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, according to a report from Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Goalkeeper hunt

Strakosha is the latest in a long line of stoppers linked with a move to the North East after Manchester United’s Dean Henderson and Leicester City star Kasper Schmeichel.

Toon boss Eddie Howe is expected to actively pursue an alternative to Martin Dubravka, who has almost always been the first choice at St James’ Park since arriving from Sparta Prague in 2018.

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The 33-year-old has made 129 appearances during his time at the club, but it seems as though his monopoly over the number one spot could be coming to an end this summer…

The latest: ‘Ready’ to move

As per Corriere dello Sport, translated by SW, Strakosha is described as being ‘ready for Newcastle’ ahead of the final Serie A game of the season and a contract expiry in July (Transfermarkt).

Recently, the 27-year-old has been indexed with a move to Fulham, and it appeared that a move to the newly-promoted London club could be on the horizon.

However, the latest revelation fails to mention Marco Silva’s outfit and instead claims that Newcastle are in the box seat to sign the 19-cap Albania international on a Bosman deal.

The verdict: No brainer

Boasting 163 career Serie A outings, signing Strakosha on a free transfer would be a superb piece of business from the new ownership group at PIF.

This season, the 6 foot 4 Albanian ace has kept 11 clean sheets in 30 appearances and is a close stylistic match for the likes of Premier League goalkeeping stars Edouard Mendy, Hugo Lloris and Barcelona ace Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Fbref).

Branded ‘extraordinary’ by former Lazio manager Alberto Bollini for his incredible athleticism, adding the £6.3milion valued Strakosha to the St James’ Park ranks whilst leaving the budget untouched for other areas in the squad would be a masterstroke on Howe and co’s behalf.

In other news: Newcastle now eyeing move for ‘absolutely superb’ international, read more here

Celtic were crowned Premiership champions this month to cap off what has been a successful domestic campaign for the Hoops and Ange Postecoglou.

With 29 wins, six draws and just three defeats in the top flight, the Bhoys ended up scoring 92 goals along the way and only conceded 22 times.

However, one man who didn’t contribute much to their title-winning season is left-back Boli Bolingoli.

Celtic signed the defender from Rapid Vienna in the summer of 2019 in a deal worth a reported £3m.

The Belgian featured in a mere eight matchday squads for the Hoops across all competitions this season and only played in two games.

In 2020, the defender effectively threw his Celtic career under the bus when he broke the government’s guidelines during the pandemic by not quarantining after a trip to Spain, which led to him being charged by the SFA.

Having been called “arrogant” by newspaper columnist Bill Leckie for his actions, the 26-year-old has reportedly been training on his own in Belgium for the past number of weeks, which doesn’t say much for his chances of redemption at Parkhead.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic will be looking to move the full-back out of the club on a permanent basis this summer, which to us feels like the right decision for all parties.

To further highlight Bolingoli’s downfall, his market value was listed at £2.7m by Transfermarkt in February 2020, whereas it now stands at £1.35m, highlighting a drop of 50%.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that Celtic’s deal for the Belgian has turned into a disappointing one up to now.

If Postecoglou can finally get the player out the door for good and his £15k-per-week wages off the club’s books, this would pave the way for them to bring in a suitable and hopefully reliable replacement.

With that in mind, reports have already emerged linking the Hoops with a summer swoop for Hammarby left-back Mohanad Jeahze.

Should the club secure his signature, it could well be the final nail in the coffin for Bolingoli’s chances of having any sort of a future in a Celtic shirt.

In other news – “Around that number..”: Big Lennoxtown transfer claim emerges, it’s great for Celtic

Liverpool kept their Premier League title dreams alive against Aston Villa last night, however, the victory was bittersweet after an in-game injury worry occurred in the first half of the clash.

What’s the latest?

Fabinho hobbled off the pitch in the first half an hour of the game at Villa Park on Tuesday night and now Jurgen Klopp has given an update on the midfielder’s condition following the full-time whistle.

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Jurgen Klopp updated in his post-match interview on Sky Sports casting doubt on his player’s condition (via Metro):

‘That’s a massive problem. That’s a big blow for us. I don’t know (how bad), hopefully not that bad, but I don’t know.’

Klopp will be frustrated

There is no doubt that the Liverpool manager will be massively frustrated to potentially lose such a key player in his team ahead of the FA Cup final and Champions League final coming up over the next few weeks.

The Brazilian midfielder has been one of the most influential players in the centre of the pitch and has been integral in Liverpool’s chase for multiple trophies this season so to lose him when the side has one hand on two huge trophies is a massive blow.

Fabinho has been involved in Liverpool’s incredible 17-game unbeaten run, scoring four goals during this time as well as providing consistent solid defensive performances in his role in the centre of the pitch.

According to SofaScore, the Liverpool star has been successful in an impressive 73% of his dribbles, wins 63% of his aerial duels and makes 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions on average per game in the Premier League this season.

Anfield and Brazil teammate Alisson Becker even called Fabinho “the most important” player for Liverpool and his national team in an interview:

“I believe that Fabinho is the most important player for both the club and the national team, this is my opinion about that, he’s a very important player wherever he is, he always proves his worth on the pitch.”

With that being said, there will surely be a further update on the star player’s condition ahead of the Chelsea clash on Saturday afternoon at Wembley and supporters will be anxiously hoping for positive news on Fabinho’s availability.

AND in other news: Klopp must now finally axe Liverpool gem who lost the ball every 3 touches yesterday

Sunderland have a couple of massive games ahead of them as the Black Cats are preparing to take on Sheffield Wednesday in two play-off semi-final clashes.

The first showdown is set to take place at the Stadium of Light on Friday evening before Alex Neil takes his side to Yorkshire for the second leg on Monday.

Sunderland’s previous game saw them pick up a 1-0 win over Morecambe on Saturday thanks to a goal from Nathan Broadhead in the tenth minute.

The Wearside club have now not lost a game in the league since their 2-1 defeat against MK Dons back in February during the early days of Neil’s reign in charge of the side.

Looking ahead to the first-leg clash between the two sides aiming to reach the Championship, it seems as though the home side may have been handed an early injury boost that could increase their chances of securing a positive result.

What’s the news?

According to Chronicle Live, Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan picked up a muscle injury during the late stages of their recent 4-1 win over Portsmouth.

This could be crucial for the Black Cats with the Owls midfielder proving one of their most influential players so far this term.

Great news for Neil

With 45 league appearances under his belt in this campaign, the 32-year-old has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists along the way, suggesting that the Yorkshire side will be without a vital attacking presence if his muscle problem keeps him out any longer.

To further highlight his creativity and how much of an attacking danger he is, only Sean McConville has completed more crosses (391) than the Owls captain (287).

Having racked up more minutes for Wednesday than any other player, the midfielder is currently listed as the highest-rated member of Darren Moore’s squad according to WhoScored.

As well as this, his rating of 7.21/10 makes the Scotsman the 13th-highest rated player in the entire league.

Taking all of this into account, potentially being without the veteran in their side for Friday’s showdown will surely be a big blow.

From Sunderland’s point of view, however, the prospect of not having to deal with Bannan’s attacking talents would be great for Neil and his chances of seeing the Black Cats pick up a positive result.

Moving forward, whether the Owls star is fit enough to play or not, the 40-year-old will undoubtedly be wanting his side to go out and secure a win no matter what.

In other news: “Been offered a deal”: Journalist drops summer claim that’ll delight SAFC supporters