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Newcastle United are keen on signing Sadio Mane and a report from Sport Bild, via TeamTalk, claims that a deal is doable for the forward as the Toon are willing to stump up his fee and extortionate wages.

What happened to Sadio Mane?

The forward currently plays for Bayern Munich in Germany but has only been with the club for one campaign so far. He joined the Bundesliga champions from Liverpool back at the beginning of the 2022/23 season, having set the Premier League alight with 111 goals in 237 starts for the Reds.

However, he wasn't given too much of an opportunity to do the same in the Bundesliga, with his new side giving him just 18 starts on their way to league title glory, albeit partially due to injury and a short ban for punching teammate Leroy Sane.

Mane still produced the goods though, with seven goals and five assists meaning his goal contribution rate hit double figures for a ninth consecutive campaign.

He was also given the chance to shine in the Champions League for Bayern and duly did so, playing in nine games for the club and producing three goals with one assist. That meant his goal contribution per 90 rate on the European stage stood at 0.65.

However, despite the player doing so well when he did get onto the field, it looks as though he could potentially be on the move again this summer window, perhaps due to the disputes in the Bayern dressing room.

A recent report has suggested Chelsea could be one of the sides that try and bring him to the Premier League, but the player himself seemed keen to stay in Germany with his current outfit.

A fresh report today though from Sport Bild, via TeamTalk, has suggested that Newcastle are still keeping tabs on the player and that they, with their new-found wealth, also have the capabilities to launch an official move for him.

It states that they would be willing to stump up the cash for both his potential transfer fee and weekly-wage at Bayern, which currently stands at around £360,000-a-week, while the player himself would find a St. James' Park move "attractive".

What is the value of Sadio Mane?

Mane cost Bayern about £35m when he made the move over from Liverpool, and CIES Football Observatory suggest that his value may be slightly less than that now, at around 30 million Euros (or £25.5m).

It could be worth that amount though for a player who former boss Jurgen Klopp labelled as a "machine" back when he played for Liverpool. If Newcastle want to challenge in the Champions League, then there aren't many around who have experience on the big stage and are proven goalscorers in the competition quite like Mane, who has 27 UCL goals and even bagged in the final of the competition back in 2018.

Leeds United should have plenty of money to spend this summer under the control of 49ers Enterprises, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

Is Leeds' takeover complete?

The Whites experienced a season to forget in the Premier League, suffering relegation back down to the Championship, following failed spells under Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce.

All of a sudden, however, Leeds have received some much-needed good news, with the club confirming on Friday that an agreement has been reached between Aser Ventures and 49ers Enterprises over the purchase of the Whites.

It is a big moment in the club's recent history, with this new takeover expected to be hugely beneficial financially, allowing Leeds to become more of a force on and off the pitch in the coming years.

While relegation is clearly a blow – especially as it could have meant fewer funds being available for reinforcements – a new update has allayed those fears.

How will Leeds' summer spending be affected?

According to The Athletic's Hay, Leeds' current situation is a positive one, with this new injection of money likely to aid them in the summer transfer window:

"Parachute payments in year one in the Championship are worth around £45million to Leeds.

"Those sources of income will still be used by 49ers Enterprises but this takeover is expected to lead to an injection of working capital by the U.S. fund, allowing Leeds to have a more active or aggressive window than they might otherwise have had.

"That is not to say that spending will be lavish or wildly excessive, and don’t be surprised if the club make use of the loan market, but they should be better placed to recruit and sell, and the takeover should give them more chance of retaining certain key players."

This is great news for Leeds, who could have been damaged so badly by the exit from the Premier League, and it highlights how important the takeover of the club is.

It puts the Whites in a strong position when it comes to making a rapid return to the top flight over the next 12 months, suggesting that their next manager will be backed in the transfer market and that they should start the 2023/24 season as one of the favourites to get out of the Championship.

There have clearly been good times with the outgoing owners – not least hiring Marcelo Bielsa and getting back into the Premier League. But it is perhaps time for a change, and it has come at a pivotal point in the club's recent history.

Liverpool will be confident they can fend off rival interest from Premier League suitors in target Alexis Mac Allister, according to Ben Jacobs.

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

According to Football Insider, Liverpool will meet Mac Allister's release clause and shell out a fee of between £55-60 million to bring the Argentina international to Anfield.

The report states that personal terms have already been agreed and the £50k-a-week ace will be set to triple his wages and move to the Reds on a contract that will net him £150,000 per week at Jurgen Klopp's side.

As per The Guardian, Chelsea and Manchester United have also expressed an interest in the 24-year-old as he gears up to seek a new challenge away from the South Coast.

Manchester City are also keen on the playmaker and Pep Guardiola is believed to have identified Mac Allister as a potential replacement for one of either Bernardo Silva or Ilkay Gundogan, as detailed by The Mirror.

Guardiola is also an admirer of Mac Allister's teammate Julio Enciso, who has burst onto the scene at the Amex Stadium and scored a terrific goal against Manchester City last month in the Premier League.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Liverpool will feel they have 'control' of the situation surrounding Mac Allister at present.

Jacobs told FFC: "Liverpool's only concern is obviously that another suitor comes in and creates a complication, which is again why they're trying to be as fast as they possibly can because it's obvious that Mac Allister has had an outstanding season and was brilliant at the World Cup. There's been rumblings of Chelsea because of the Pochettino factor, but Chelsea, prior to Pochettino, had other targets; they've really moved away from Mac Allister and more towards Caicedo. If they pivot and there is a surprise, it will very much be Pochettino-led, but at the moment, Liverpool feel that they're in control of the situation."

What could Alexis Mac Allister add to Liverpool's midfield?

Mac Allister is a cultured midfielder that can add creativity and a goal threat at any level and his arrival at Anfield would be greeted with excitement by Reds supporters.

In 2022/23, Mac Allister made 40 appearances in all competitions for Brighton, registering 12 goals and three assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also note that the 24-year-old had an average of 2.5 shots per game in the Premier League, demonstrating his ability to regularly trouble opposition backlines despite not being a striker.

FBRef also illustrate his inventive nature in the engine room and detail that Mac Allister successfully carried out 106 shot-creating actions this term.

Liverpool need to add fresh ideas to their midfield and Mac Allister would be a statement signing at Anfield if he is to join the Reds this summer.

Leeds United have opened negotiations to bring Fenerbahce defender Bright Osayi-Samuel to the Championship, according to reports.

Who is Bright Osayi-Samuel?

Osayi-Samuel is a Nigerian international who currently plays his football in the Super Lig having joined Jorge Jesus’ side back in 2021 where he’s since clocked up 98 appearances to date, but the younger years of his career were spent in England.

The Turkish outfit’s versatile right-sided player is an academy graduate of Blackpool having worked his way up through the youth ranks to become a regular feature of the first-team before moving onto new pastures to join Queens Park Rangers, as per Transfermarkt, and a return to his former country could be on the cards.

At Elland Road, a number of players will be out of contract at the end of next season meaning that the upcoming window could be the club's final opportunity to cash in prized assets, even more so since relegation occurred, so replacements are likely to be needed which is where the 25-year-old comes into play.

Are Leeds signing Osayi-Samuel?

According to A Spor (via Sport Witness), Leeds and Bournemouth are both “in the picture” to sign Osayi-Samuel ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Yellow Canaries have “decided to evaluate” offers over the summer and it’s stated that the Whites and the Cherries have already “started negotiations” having “contacted” his representative.

Fenerbahce will “approve the sale” of Osayi-Samuel, should they receive a “suitable offer” of €10m (£8m), and the report claims that the player “wants” to stage his comeback in England.

Should Leeds recruit Osayi-Samuel?

QPR’s former manager Mark Warburton hailed Osayi-Samuel as a player that “terrifies defenders” during their time together at Loftus Road, but having managed to record only one assist all season, he could be a risky signing by Leeds.

The Europa League participant ranks as Fenerbahce’s 17th worst-performing defensive player where he’s averaging just 0.8 tackles per game so is even weak in the natural aspect of his play, not to mention that he’s also listed 22nd overall with a match rating of 6.49, via WhoScored.

Osayi-Samuel, who plays alongside former Leeds man Ezgjan Alioski, has only been handed ten starts by Jesus this season with 12 of his appearances in the Super Lig having seen him brought off the bench, so he’s clearly not seen as good enough to nail down a consistent place in the starting XI, and if he can’t perform to the standard needed at Fenerbahce, he may not at Leeds, who are desperate for quality players to get them back up to the Premier League.

There has been an update in Manchester United's pursuit of Napoli sensation, Kim Min-jae…

What's the latest on Kim Min-jae to Man United?

According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, the Red Devils are seemingly close to reaching an agreement with the 26-year-old regarding personal terms.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "Man Utd made important progress for Kim (Napoli). Talks with the [Korean] player are at the good stage, not far from reaching a long-term agreement.

"On the club's side, MUFC are thinking to pay the release clause to anticipate the competition that is becoming fierce".

As per 90min, that release clause is believed to be in the region of €45m (£39m) and is set to be active in the first two weeks of the summer transfer window, although a €60m (£53m) offer outside of that period could also be accepted by the Serie A champions.

Would Kim Min-jae be a good signing for Man United?

With club captain Harry Maguire seemingly on his way out and with Raphael Varane having been hampered by injury at times over the last two years, it is no doubt wise for manager Erik Ten Hag to be contemplating making a marquee, centre-back addition this summer.

In Kim, the Dutchman could well be acquiring a figure who "truly is the best centre back in the world" – according to manager Luciano Spalletti – with the South Korean star having played a vital role in Napoli's Scudetto success in 2022/23.

The former Fenerbahce man notably kept 14 clean sheets in 35 league games for Spalletti's side, while also showcasing his defensive prowess after averaging 1.6 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in that time.

The "dominant" asset – as hailed by writer Neal Gardner – is a truly menacing asset in the air as he ranks in the top 14% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won, with the 47-cap ace no doubt aided by his towering, 6 foot 3 frame.

The addition of the £54k-per-week rock would certainly help to add further steel to Ten Hag's current spine, with the former Ajax boss having already reaped the rewards of bringing in the menacing presence of Casemiro last summer.

Like Kim, the £70m man is a true master at winning possession back for his side as he finished joint-fourth in the Premier League with regard to tackles made (89), while also ranking in the top 3% among his European peers for aerial duels won.

An additional element that has also been an added bonus for United is the Brazilian's quality in possession, with the 31-year-old having created seven big chances so far this term in the top flight, as well as averaging one key pass per game.

That quality on the ball is also shared by Kim, with the one-time Beijing Guoan man ranking in the top 12% for both progressive passes and progressive carries, illustrating his ability to play out from the back with ease.

As such, it would certainly be a mouthwatering prospect to have both the Napoli titan and Casemiro lining up in tandem at the Theatre of Dreams next season, such is the pair's destructive and ball-playing brilliance.

Newcastle United are heading into their first summer transfer window under PIF after enjoying an excellent month of business in January.

The Saudi Arabian consortium backed Eddie Howe by bringing in the likes of Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Chris Wood, Dan Burn and Matt Targett.

They also pursued a deal to sign Diego Carlos from Sevilla to bolster their options at centre-back before signing Burn from Brighton.

The Brazilian defender has now been snapped up by fellow Premier League side Aston Villa in a move that Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett has claimed to be worth around £26m. He has also stated that Newcastle attempted to sign him for £30m in January, but a deal collapsed after the La Liga outfit demanded £38m for his services.

This means that Sevilla’s valuation of the 29-year-old plummeted by £12m in just four months, so PIF would have overpaid by a considerable amount of money if they had decided to match the La Liga club’s asking price, which would have been a disaster for the Newcastle owners.

Not only would they have overspent by £12m, they would also have brought in a centre-back with huge question marks over his ability.

South American football expert Tim Vickery previously raised concerns over the defender, saying: “It was a couple of years ago that a Brazilian journalist, based in Spain, brought my attention to Diego Carlos and said ‘I think this is the best Brazilian centre-back in Spain, have a look at him’.

“My conclusion, and he won the Olympic gold medal as well, is that we may be dealing with a centre-back who may look better than he is.”

Vickery added: “I worry about Diego Carlos. There are moments when he looks classy, but there are lots of mistakes and wild man things.”

In La Liga this season, the now-Villa defender committed a whopping five errors directly leading to opposition shots or goals and gave away two penalties. This means that he essentially made seven big individual mistakes, and this is the error-prone nature to which Vickery alluded.

Burn, who joined Newcastle for £13m in January, has made zero errors leading to shots or goals and given away just one penalty in three Premier League seasons for Brighton and the Magpies combined.

This shows that he is much more reliable in comparison to Carlos, whilst costing £25m less than the latter would have in January. Along with the Brazilian’s plummeting value in 2022, that explains why PIF avoided a big disaster in the last transfer window.

AND in other news, PIF “are interested” in NUFC deal for “cold” £27m tank, he can be Howe’s own Varane…

Manchester United have reportedly launched an ‘important offer’ for Napoli forward Victor Osimhen.

The Lowdown: Osimhen linked with United

The Nigeria international, who former United striker Odion Ighalo described as ‘the future’, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford this month.

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Reports earlier this month claimed that Erik ten Hag’s side were ‘on pole’ to sign the 23-year-old, who is also wanted by Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Ten Hag faced the media as Red Devils manager for the first time on Monday, with Old Trafford chiefs seemingly hard at work over new signings for the Dutchman behind the scenes.

The Latest: Transfer update

Sport Witness relayed an important transfer update from La Repubblica regarding Osimhen.

They claimed that AC Milan have now joined the race for the Nigeria international, although they added that the ‘most important offer’ has come from United.

Osimhen is thought to be an ‘alternative’ target to Harry Kane, with the Tottenham striker seemingly Ten Hag’s priority.

The Verdict: Expensive…

It remains to be seen how much United’s offer for Osimhen was worth, but you’d expect that it would need to be a big bid for Napoli to consider parting ways with their star attacker.

Osimhen is valued at £54m by Transfermarkt and still has three years remaining on his current deal. Reports have previously mooted a €90m (£76.8m) figure, so a transfer could eat into Ten Hag’s budget of £100m-£150m, some of which he wants to spend on Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

However, United could well offload a few players over the coming months to raise funds, such as right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Eric Bailly, so a prospective big-money move for Osimhen could be one to watch.

In other news: Sky Sports man now worried at ‘dangerous’ MUFC move Glazers have approved after landing Ten Hag

Leeds United have been linked with a move for Philadelphia Union left-back Kai Wagner, Transfermarkt report.

The Lowdown: Wagner profiled

Wagner, valued at a cut-price £2.7m, has been with the MLS side since 2019 but is out of contract at the end of the calendar year, meaning he could move for cheap this summer.

The 25-year-old can also play as a left-midfielder and has made 104 appearances for his current employers.

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He’s scored four times and registered 13 assists while in America, and it looks as if Jesse Marsch is keen on a move for his services this summer.

The Latest: Leeds links

Transfermarkt shared a story regarding Leeds and Wagner on Thursday morning after being informed by a source close to the situation.

They claim that the Whites are keen on his services, where he could become an ‘important part of the club’s rebuild’ under Marsch, Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani.

Relegation rivals Burnley and Championship side Middlesbrough are also name-checked with an interest.

The Verdict: Firpo replacement?

If Leeds go down on Sunday, you’d expect there will be plenty of change over the summer with a number of high-profile exits, with Radz and Orta needing to revamp the squad to give Marsch the tools fit for the Championship.

Junior Firpo, the club’s marquee signing last year from Barcelona, could well be one to leave due to his poor first season in Yorkshire where he has picked up 11 yellow cards, so it looks as if Wagner may come in to replace him.

Leeds have a track record in recent years of getting left-back additions wrong, with Firpo and Laurens De Bock perfect examples, however, Wagner has been described as ‘one of the best left-backs’ in the MLS, so an under-the-radar move for the German could be shrewd and cheap when you look at his contract situation.

In other news: Orta now finally set to accept defeat as Leeds plot exit for Bielsa ‘mistake’ – opinion. 

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Mattias Svanberg to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet 1000 Cuori Rossoblu (via Sport Witness), who claim that, with the 23-year-old’s current contract with Bologna set to expire in June of 2023 and the central midfielder having no interest in extending his stay at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, the Serie A side will look to cash in on the Sweden international this summer.

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The report goes on to state that the likes of Tottenham, Everton, West Ham United, Napoli and Fiorentina are all interested in a deal for the former Malmo FF starlet, who looks as if he will be available for a figure of around €20m (£17m) at the end of the current campaign.

Conte would love Svanberg

With it being reported that Antonio Conte is looking to bring in additions to bolster his current options in the middle of the park at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, it is unsurprising to learn that the 52-year-old is interested in a deal for Svanberg.

Indeed, the 23-year-old has highly impressed over his 35 Serie A appearances this season, scoring three goals, registering three assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.0 key passes, 0.8 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, taking 1.1 shots and winning 4.3 duels per game.

These returns have seen the £13.5m-rated talent average a SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as Sinisa Mihajlovic’s eighth-best performer in the Italian top-flight – an impressive feat considering the Rossoblu’s struggles in the league this term.

Furthermore, FBref also rank the £14k-per-week Swede in the top 16% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for shots taken per 90, in addition to the top 28% for non-penalty goals, the top 30% for assists, the top 22% for xA, the top 34% for progressive passes received and the top 33% for blocks over the last 365 days.

These are all metrics that would appear to make the versatile midfielder a perfect fit for Conte’s Spurs, an opinion which an unnamed source in Italy also clearly believes, with the insider stating in comments cited by football.london:

“Svanberg is probably one of the top four or five No 8’s in Europe – that’s how good he is. He’s a very talented young man. He’s playing for a very defensive Bologna side but he can bring a spark to whichever team he plays in.

“Spurs already know him very, very well because of the Italians involved in the club now. Anyone who has seen him play for Bologna will tell you that he’s the sort of player that Conte would enjoy working with.”

As such, considering his particular skill-set, impressive versatility and potential for further growth – not to mention a very reasonable asking price – it would indeed appear a wise for Fabio Paratici to launch a £17m bid for Svanberg this summer, as the 23-year-old would undoubtedly be a player Conte would love to work with at Spurs.

AND in other news: “Consequences for his future”: Gold drops Spurs exit claim, supporters will be buzzing

Southampton media have been left slamming Jan Bednarek and Mohammed Salisu for their role in Yoane Wissa’s goal for Brentford this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Another loss

Ralph Hasenhuttl had to watch his team suffer yet another loss in the Premier League, which means the 1-0 win at home to Arsenal in April remains their only win since the beginning of March.

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They stay on 40 points, and if not careful, could yet be dragged into the relegation picture if Burnley and Leeds can put a couple more wins on the board.

The Latest: Centre-backs slammed

Taking to Twitter, The Daily Echo journalists Alfie House and Benjy Nurick were left slamming both Bednarek and Salisu for their roles in Wissa’s goal for the hosts, which made it 2-0 to the Bees after just 14 minutes.

House was shocked as the duo were left on the ground as Wissa walked straight through:

“Bednarek and Salisu left on the ground. Brentford walk straight through and Wissa scores from the edge of the area. Wow.”

Nurick was baffled by how much space Wissa was given, labelling the defending from the pair as ‘disastrous’:

“How did Wissa have so much space to drive through the middle and shoot? Well, both Salisu and Bednarek ended up in a heap on the floor. Just disastrous.”

The Verdict: Must do better

After conceding early on already to Pontus Jansson’s goal, the Saints just needed to steady the ship, but conceded once again straight after.

Of course, they were not helped by Bednarek and Salisu, who both had poor games along with the rest of the defence.

They lost out on six of their duels between them, and only managed to block two of the shots on their goal, while Salisu failed to make any interceptions, and Bednarek recorded just one tackle (SofaScore).

On the ball, they were inaccurate with 11 of their attempted long balls combined, and gave possession away 17 times between them in total (SofaScore).

Nonetheless, they will now surely be sweating over their starting places with Lyanco sat on the bench.

In other news, find out which ‘class act’ SFC are now eyeing here!