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Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante will be 'committed' to spending at least another year at Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving N'Golo Kante?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea enforcer Kante's preference is to stay at Stamford Bridge for the foreseeable future, despite the fact his contract in west London is due to expire.

The outlet states that there has not yet a 'breakthrough in discussions' between the Blues and the £290,000 per week ace, though Kante is willing to stay put even though Chelsea look unlikely to secure continental qualification this term.

One report from Spain has suggested that Kante had said yes to a proposal to join Arsenal on a free transfer on a two-year deal with the option of an additional 12 months; however, other claims in the media have contradicted this statement.

Liverpool have also been linked with a swoop for Kante; however, it is still unclear where he will be playing his football come the start of 2023/24.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Kante will want to continue playing on for Chelsea for the next year at least.

Jones said: "I mean, Kanté and Chelsea both seem to be pretty committed to carrying this on for another year. I think Chelsea kind of need that from him right now, too."

Should Chelsea look to keep hold of N'Golo Kante this summer or let him go?

This comes as quite the U-turn should it be true, as the Frenchman had reportedly already said yes to a potential move to London rivals Arsenal last month.

Chelsea can't afford to lose someone with the experience of Kante in the summer, given his quality and the example he sets when on the field at Stamford Bridge.

In 2022/23, Kante has endured an injury-plagued campaign for his current employers and has made just eight appearances in all competitions, with a hamstring problem preventing the Frenchman from regularly featuring until recently, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, Chelsea are a youthful outfit at the moment and will also undoubtedly shift a few experienced stars out the door in the off-season, meaning that continuity of some form will be needed to counteract the notion of too many familiar faces leaving at once.

Kante is now one of the elder statesmen in the Chelsea dressing room, with only Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang being his senior at the club.

Moving forward, it may make sense to keep Kante around for another season, at least, as Chelsea look to get themselves back on the canvas following a difficult 2022/23 for everyone involved.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have not entered discussions with Barcelona over a potential swap deal involving Ansu Fati and Ruben Neves.

Are Wolves interested in Ansu Fati?

Julen Lopetegui's men were able to secure three huge points on the weekend against their local rivals after sealing a narrow 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.

The points have taken Wolves 10 points clear of the drop zone as they sit up in 13th spot with just three games remaining in their campaign.

But their expected survival comes at a time when the future of one of their star players could be set to leave the club over the coming months.

Indeed, the future of Neves is up in the air as he looks set to enter the final year of his contract at Molineux over the summer.

Reports have suggested Barcelona hold an interest in the Portuguese midfielder which coincides with the potential departure of Fati.

However, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has shut down the notion of talking already taking place between the two sides.

In fact, the Italian journalist even claimed Neves is not as high on their radar as some may suggest:

(1:25) "But at the moment, from what I understand, there is absolutely nothing agreed between Barcelona and Wolves. But even something advanced because what's the point with Ansu Fati? Ansu so would love to stay at Barcelona."

"But from what I understand, Barcelona at the moment have not given any kind of green light to potential swap deal with Wolves involving, Ruben Neves.

"Why? Because the priority of Xavi in that position is not Ruben Neves. Ruben Neves is a player that Barcelona already discussed internally, but it's not something that they are considering to do as a priority signing in this moment."

Would Fati improve Wolves?

What is apparent, is if this is a potential deal that could happen over the summer, Wolves would not be receiving a direct replacement for Neves in Fati.

The young Spaniard typically plays on the left-wing and has shown the ability to play across the frontline at the Camp Nou (via Transfermarkt).

Fati has offered a return of four goals and four assists in La Liga this season across his 31 appearances, however, it is worth noting on 11 of those games have come from the starting XI.

Diego Costa's signing has failed to provide Wolves with much in front of goal with the veteran having only returned one goal across his 21 league appearances (via Transfermarkt).

With this in mind, it will be interesting to see whether Lopetegui could potentially opt to move away from a two-man frontline next season and play with a front three.

This could possibly see competition for the spot on the left if Fati was to arrive with Pedro Neto playing a significant role in the Wolves side – when fit.

However, comparing the two players, Neto has offered Wolves with a higher number of shot-creating actions, progressive distance and take-ons per 90 minutes (via FBref).

Although Fati has been hailed as a "magician" in the past by broadcaster Kaylyn Kyle, perhaps he may not be the answer Wolves are looking for.

Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as the new Chelsea manager is edging closer, and he will need to begin the unenviable task of trimming down a hideously bloated squad.

The new ownership, led by Todd Boehly has splashed £585.5m on 16 new players in two transfer windows, leaving the Blues in a frenzy of instability and chaos.

The 51-year-old is entering this cauldron with an expectation that he will be handed autonomy over future dealings to nurture a more finely-tuned squad to prevent a repetition of this horrendous campaign, which has left the West Londoners in 11th place.

However, one player whose arrival at Stamford Bridge has already been finalised is Malo Gusto, and Pochettino could unearth the Frenchman as his next Kyle Walker.

How did Walker play under Pochettino?

The 32-year-old played under the Argentine for three seasons between 2014 and 2017, forming a formidable reputation as one of the country’s most consistent and electric forces.

The 75-cap international was a vital member of the side that came third and second in consecutive campaigns.

In the 2015/16 season, the Englishman made 33 Premier League appearances for a side that conceded just 35 goals in 38 games, the joint-lowest in the division. During this time, he averaged 2.6 tackles, 2.8 interceptions, and 3.2 clearances per game, according to WhoScored.

The right-back was then signed in a £50m deal by Pep Guardiola for Manchester City, making 247 appearances and winning four league titles, but he owes a lot of his success to the exceptional tutelage of Pochettino.

How good is Malo Gusto?

The youngster has been at Lyon since 2016 and has risen through the academy ranks, before making his first-team debut in January 2021.

At the start of the 2021/22 season, Gusto started his club’s opening Ligue 1 game against Brest to become the youngest defender to start a league game, aged 18 years and 80 days, breaking Samuel Umtiti’s record in 2012.

The right-back has gone on to make 59 appearances for the French outfit and was signed for £26.3m in the last transfer window, before being loaned out to his parent club for the remainder of the term.

Gusto, now valued at around £24m by FootballTransfers, has been hailed for his limitless potential and defensive capabilities by football.london’s Bobby Vincent, who said:

“Malo Gusto is very dangerous going forward. He's very quick and athletic and has an eye for a cross on the right-hand side. Also, he's very good at defending one-versus-one situations. Looks a real talent."

The attributes listed by Vincent are all qualities that are strongly associated with Walker, and Gusto could follow the same path of tremendous progress under the guidance of Pochettino, should Boehly finally get a deal for the manager over the line ahead of pre-season.

Leeds United will be desperate to stay in the Premier League for a multitude of reasons which include finances, reputation and the ability to attract better players this summer.

The Yorkshire outfit are in a unique situation, however.

Current interim manager Sam Allardyce, who was very much hired for the short-term, could have a huge say in who is next in the dugout at Elland Road.

Could Leeds appoint Arne Slot?

Keep Leeds up and there will surely be a huge amount of interest in taking over such a well-supported, well-respected Premier League club, with the potential to grow on and off the pitch.

If Allardyce fails, any new manager would have to navigate the sales of Leeds' best players as they return to the Championship – a league which is notoriously difficult to get out of, which would surely make it a far less attractive proposition.

One man who could be tempted to Elland Road by chairman Andrea Radrizzani if Allardyce pulls it out of the bag is Feyenoord manager Arne Slot after the Dutchman admitted in February that Leeds' interest was a "compliment" but he remained with the Eredivisie side to help them win the league title.

Leeds, alongside Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, are said to be keen to bring the 44-year-old to the Premier League this summer after his impressive performances with the Dutch champions.

Back in February, Slot was described as "probably the most exciting head coach I’ve seen in 10 years" by Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan on talkSPORT, while he has also been tipped to emulate Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag by former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink.

Slot is certainly a man with a growing reputation and his attacking style of play could fit Leeds perfectly, especially if it sees him get the best out of one of his former players, Luis Sinisterra.

Could Slot unlock Luis Sinisterra at Leeds?

It has been a frustrating first season for the Colombia international at Elland Road as regular injury problems have meant that he has featured in just 19 Premier League games this season, resulting in a total of only five goals, via WhoScored.

He has shown glimpses of quality, though, with recent goals against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Leicester City but given he was signed for £21m, his lack of game time suggests that his time in Yorkshire thus far cannot be considered a great success thus far.

At the time of writing, no player has scored more goals for Slot at Feyenoord than Sinisterra, having contributed an impressive 23 goals and 14 assists in just 48 appearances, leading to the attention of Leeds and many other potential suitors last summer.

Signing players from the Eredivisie has historically been a gamble for Premier League clubs, with ex-Spurs dud Vincent Janssen and former Everton flop Davy Klaasen two memorable examples of players who failed to cut the mustard, but Sinisterra could still prove his worth at Leeds under a manager who clearly knows how to get the best out of him.

If Radrizzani can convince the title-winning head coach that his future should lie in west Yorkshire over the English capital, then his transfer gamble in Sinisterra could finally pay off next season.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United are attempting to tie Diogo Dalot down to a fresh deal at Old Trafford.

Is Diogo Dalot staying at Manchester United?

The defender has been impressive this season for the Red Devils and has emerged as a key first-team player for the side in the Premier League under Erik ten Hag. With 25 league outings to his name, as well as a goal and two assists, he has arguably had his best season in a United shirt, if not his whole career.

He's been relied upon frequently on that right flank by Ten Hag and has made that position his own, having nailed down the position for the majority of the campaign. He also has the seventh-most appearances for the Red Devils over the course of the term ahead of the visit of Chelsea on Thursday.

Now, it appears the club are hoping to convince him to extend his stay at Old Trafford for even longer. Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that United want to get a long-term deal for the player done.

He said: "Manchester United are advancing in talks to extend Diogo Dalot’s contract. Club plan remains to keep Dalot and get new long-term deal done. There’s confidence to reach agreement soon."

Are Man United selling Diogo Dalot?

It's understandable that Ten Hag would want to tie down Dalot, with the defender impressing many. Football journalist Josh Bunting admitted that the player is coming on "leaps and bounds", adding that he has been "brilliant".

The stats would back that claim up, too. This year, the player has managed a 6.97 WhoScored rating in the Premier League and produced a superb 7.27 score during his performances for Portugal at the World Cup, highlighting the consistency of his performances for club and country.

The right-back could cost any interested team €40m (£34m) based on his valuation from the CIES Football Observatory, and that isn't a terribly large amount in this day and age for a player who has grown in importance to United. It's therefore understandable that they would want to tie him to a new contract while increasing the fee they would fetch for the player if they did opt to sell him.

United have a talent on their hands with Dalot, and if they could tie him down to a longer deal with the club, it would be a shrewd piece of business.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to bolster their squad heading into the upcoming summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Zan Vipotnik to Celtic?

According to Football Scotland, Ange Postecoglou is considering a swoop to sign Maribor centre-forward Zan Vipotnik ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that the club are weighing up a possible bid to snap up the 21-year-old prospect, who is also being courted by Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb.

It is stated that his current club are looking for a fee in the region of £3.5m and the player's agent has confirmed that the Hoops are in the race for his signature.

Sasa Zupan told Football Scotland: "Yes, there is interest from Celtic for a summer transfer but there are a lot of clubs who want to sign Zan when the window opens."

Who is Zan Vipotnik?

He is a 21-year-old Slovenian international who currently plays for Maribor in his home country and the talented youngster could come in as a dream heir to Kyogo Furuhashi at Parkhead.

The number 77 has caught the eye with his performances this season as the young marksman has plundered an impressive 23 goals and one assist in 38 appearances in all competitions, including 20 strikes in 30 league outings.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig previously described the hotshot as a "poacher" and listed "finishing" and "movement" as some of the strengths of his game.

His statistics for Maribor this season suggest that those comments from Kulig were accurate as the dynamo has been a consistent, prolific, goalscorer at senior level in spite of his young age.

He is seven years younger than Kyogo and could arrive in Scotland as his understudy to start with before eventually taking over from the Japan international, as the gem has many years left ahead of him to grow and develop.

In the Scottish Premiership this season, the 28-year-old scored 27 goals and provided two assists in 36 appearances and was a reliable, prolific, scorer for Postecoglou throughout the campaign.

The PFA Scotland Men's Player of the Year is the go-to man for goals at Parkhead but has been linked with Crystal Palace and would reportedly be interested in playing in the Premier League, which puts his long-term future at the club in doubt.

This means that bringing in Vipotnik could be a shrewd piece of business by the head coach, as the up-and-coming marksman's form this season indicates that the ace has the potential to replicate Kyogo's success at Celtic if he is able to translate his performances over to Scotland.

Therefore, Postecoglou could land the dream heir to the phenomenal Japanese centre-forward by winning the race to land the £3.5m Slovenian talent.

Liverpool look to be in a period of transition as Jurgen Klopp eyes a squad rebuild following a topsy-turvy campaign that has left them fifth in the Premier League table heading into the final day.

The Reds have confirmed through their official channels that Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave Anfield upon the expiration of their contracts this summer, paving the way for some much-needed freshening of the guard heading into 2023/24.

In their search for midfield reinforcements, Borussia Dortmund Jude Bellingham had been heavily linked with a switch to Merseyside. Nevertheless, ESPN report that Liverpool pulled out of the race to sign the England international as 'the move would prevent the club from strengthening elsewhere ahead of next season', leading Klopp and company to pursue alternative targets.

Football Insider broke earlier this month that Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella has emerged as someone who Liverpool have serious interest in and they have become 'frontrunners' to secure his signature, with a fee of £61 million potential being enough to tempt the Serie A giants into selling the €178,077 (£154,450) earner.

What's the latest news involving Nicolo Barella and how has he faired in 2022/23?

The Football Insider report also claims that Inter Milan would be 'open' to letting Barella explore a new challenge this summer and detailed that he has been scouted by Reds chiefs.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones has stated his belief that Barella could become Liverpool's version of Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan at the heart of Klopp's midfield.

Jones told FFC: "They could definitely have their own version of Gundogan, possibly even for right now, a better version, given that he is emerging as a player, whereas Gundogan is the fully developed, experienced end product; I think that Barella might still have a desire inside him to keep pushing on and possibly even slightly remould himself into whatever it is that Jurgen Klopp would want."

Barella, like Gundogan, has a keen eye for goal and has managed to record eight goals and nine assists in 48 appearances across all competitions for his side this term, as per Transfermarkt.

FBRef also takes into account that the Cagliari-born 26-year-old star has provided a glut of chances for his teammates this campaign, successfully completing 140 shot-creating actions in total.

In Serie A, the Italy international has also illustrated his capacity to perform a number of functional roles in the middle of the park, having racked up an average of 1.6 key passes and 1.4 tackles per game in 2022/23, according to WhoScored.

Intriguingly, Liverpool boss Klopp has previously praised Barella's all-round ability in an interview in February 2022, as cited by OneFootball, saying: "He's a really good player, a really good player and I like him a lot. He has all the things you want from a midfield player: he is aggressive, he is technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things. That's a top-class player."

Seeing that Klopp is a fan of Barella may add weight to prospective rumours linking the playmaker with a move to Anfield and his versatility would likely compensate for their failed long-running pursuit of Bellingham.

Multiple midfield additions are said to be on the horizon at Liverpool and Barella could well be their very own midfield general to drive the Reds forward for the coming years.

The Liverpool Echo claim that financial concerns at Inter Milan may make the process of a sale smoother for Liverpool, who simply cannot pass up opportunities to bring a player who is of the calibre of Barella to Anfield in the summer.

Leeds United could make a move for Steven Gerrard to replace Sam Allardyce as manager, according to a recent report from The Sun.

Who could Leeds appoint as manager?

Leeds are said to have held talks with Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola, but there will be stiff competition for the Spaniard, as the likes of Sevilla and Villarreal are also given a mention in the update.

The Whites are set for crunch talks with Allardyce about his future at the club, and the 68-year-old could potentially remain at Elland Road, having impressed several members of the board, although that scenario is deemed to be unlikely.

However, according to a report from The Sun, the players are keen for the manager to stay, which could impact the board's decision, although the club currently remains in limbo until Andrea Radrizzani agrees a sale to the San Francisco 49ers.

The report gives an overview of a number of potential manager targets for Leeds, with Brendan Rodgers getting a mention, but it is detailed that the Northern Irishman may not be keen on dropping to the second tier.

Another possible option is Gerrard, who has been unemployed since being sacked by Aston Villa in October, but he has been linked with a number of jobs in the meantime, including Paris Saint-Germain and Poland.

Should Leeds appoint Steven Gerrard?

It is fair to say the Liverpool legend did not impress in his first Premier League job, averaging just 0.82 points per game last season with a Villa team that clearly had quality, given that Unai Emery went on to secure a place in the Europa Conference League.

As such, there may be some understandable concern about the 43-year-old being linked with Leeds, but it is also important to highlight the fantastic job he did at Rangers, winning the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership in style ahead of Celtic.

The Gers amassed a remarkable 102 points that season, winning every single home game, indicating that Gerrard is more skilled at managing teams competing near the top end of the table, something Leeds will be hoping to do next season.

That said, a move for Rodgers would undoubtedly be preferable, as the former Leicester City boss has far more experience, winning nine trophies throughout his career, so he could be a better target for the Whites, but it looks as if Gerrard's name could be another to keep an eye on.

Chelsea have been linked with a Real Madrid superstar in an attempt to strengthen in the middle of the park following N'Golo Kante’s departure to the Saudi Pro League.

Incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly 'obsessed' with midfielder Fede Valverde and are said to have made an initial bid of €120m (£100m) plus €20m (£17m) in add-ons for the Uruguay international.

Chelsea transfer news – Fede Valderde

Chelsea are they look to revolutionise their midfield as they attempt to bounce back after a terrible Premier League campaign saw the blues finish in the bottom half of the table.

Following Kante’s departure, Chelsea look set to sell midfielders Mateo Kovacic to champions Manchester City and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Champions League semi-finalists AC Milan.

Chelsea also declined to make the loan of Denis Zakaria from Juventus a permanent transfer.

The London club has made an offer north of £100m for Real Madrid’s star midfielder Fede Valverde, per DefensaCentral in Spain.

Should Chelsea sign Fede Valverde?

Valverde has been crucial to Real Madrid in recent years, this includes an assist for Vinicius Jr’s Champions League final-winning goal against Liverpool last season.

The 24-year-old machine joined Los Blancos' academy in 2016 from Uruguayan club Penarol for a mere £4.5m, and it now worth an estimated £85m according to Transfermarkt.

As a versatile midfielder who can also play on the right wing, Valverde contributed seven goals and four assists to Real’s league campaign this season.

Is Fede Valverde as good as Jude Bellingham?

Chelsea title-winner Joe Cole once spoke glowingly of the 6-foot midfielder, even comparing the Urguaguay international to English superstar Jude Bellingham.

“He’s been able to bide his time and learn from the likes of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric,” the former Blues player said following Real’s 5-1 demolition of SPFL champions Celtic in this season's Champions League.

“He’s at the top of the young players alongside Jude Bellingham, and he’s about to become the best.

“We talk a lot about Bellingham in England, but this kid is as good as he is.”

Bellingham looks set to snub offers in England to join Los Blancos, and it remains to be seen if the former Birmingham City midfielder’s arrival will displace Valverde from the starting XI.

Given Toni Kroos, 33, and Luka Modric, 37, are nearing the end of their careers it feels more likely that Bellingham will replace one of those two real legends as opposed to replacing Valverde.

But that shouldn't stop Todd Boehly and co from making an attempt for his signature.

Celtic are edging closer to appointing former manager Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead and his prospective return to Parkhead 'might be able to work', according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Brendan Rodgers?

According to The Guardian, Celtic are close to appointing Rodgers as their new manager in what would be a headline-grabbing return to the scene of some of his finest former glories.

The report states that discussions between the 50-year-old boss and Celtic majority stakeholder Dermot Desmond have 'progressed positively' to the point where his appointment is all but confirmed.

The Daily Mail have detailed that Rodgers has pitched an exciting vision regarding how to make Celtic a 'competitive force' in Europe, with a focus on improving the playing squad and infrastructure surrounding the club.

Rodgers is already in the process of assembling a backroom team to take on the challenge of trying to maintain the Hoops' domestic dominance and it is said that attempts to keep hold of assistant manager John Kennedy, who is wanted by Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur, are already underway.

Ex-Norwich City boss Daniel Farke, Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen and Manchester City assistant Enzo Maresca were among the alternative names that were considered for the role, though it now looks like Rodgers is in pole position to take over at Celtic.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Rodgers returning to Celtic could work out for both parties after hearing the recent reports.

Jones told FFC: "There are definitely a few concerns about whether he'd want to go back to Celtic, but the fact that you hear that he is keen to talk is definitely interesting and it's perhaps the safest bet. If he could actually go back, if he was willing to get his head around that, it might be able to work."

Would Brendan Rodgers be a good appointment by Celtic?

Judging on his time previously at Celtic, there is no doubt that Rodgers, on paper at least, would be a sensible appointment by the Hoops as they look to continue to topple Rangers at the summit of the Scottish Premiership and make advances in European competition.

During his first spell in charge, Rodgers swept all before him domestically, winning seven trophies from seven available and laying down a marker of dominance in Scotland, as per Transfermarkt.

His acrimonious exit to take the reins at Leicester City in 2019 was received badly in the east end of Glasgow; however, at the Foxes, Rodgers in the main did a commendable job, recording two fifth-placed finishes in the Premier League, winning an FA Cup trophy alongside a FA Community Shield and taking the East Midlands outfit to a Europa Conference League semi-final.

Nevertheless, his credentials to return to Celtic more than stand up to scrutiny and he now looks to be odds-on favourite to be installed as their new boss, which is a turn of events that nobody would've been able to predict even just a couple of weeks ago.