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Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Romeo Lavia this summer and now a new update from a reliable source could be present a huge opportunity for the club to advance on their target.

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

According to The Athletic's football correspondent David Ornstein, the Southampton midfielder is one of the players under consideration as Liverpool are expecting a bid for Fabinho from Al Ittihad.

As per a report written for the publication, Ornstein reveals that the Reds are preparing for a £40m bid for their long-standing defensive midfielder and Lavia is named as a potential replacement.

A further analysis from Andy Jones in the same article reveals that whilst the Merseyside club retain an interest in Lavia, they are not keen on his £50m valuation set by the recently relegated club.

What position does Lavia play?

Reports of approaches for both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho from the Saudi Pro League in the last few days will leave Jurgen Klopp with huge decisions to make during his preparations for next season.

Whilst the German coach is all too familiar with FSG's 'sell to buy' transfer policy that ultimately creates hurdles for him to acquire the services of further new additions this summer, he will need to consider if he has enough experience in the centre of the pitch to sanction moves away for two of his most experienced assets.

However, an opportunity to add a younger talent into the midfield rebuild will be hard to ignore for the club and Lavia could be a great prospect for the next generation of success at Anfield, should Liverpool sanction the sale of Fabinho.

When comparing Lavia's output to his Liverpool positional peer, the Saints star outperformed Fabinho in a number of key defensive attributes per 90 minutes played including tackles won (2.43 v 2.13), interceptions (1.34 v 1.25), blocks (1.90 v 1.23) and successful take-ons (1.13 v 0.25), proving that he was a more prolific and confident ball-winner over the last 12 months.

The 19-year-old sensation – who was once hailed a "real diamond" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – was one of the most talked about talents in the Premier League over last season and despite Southampton's relegation to the Championship, has been lauded for his strong presence in the heart of his team.

Paul Scholes is one of many former professionals who have been in awe of Lavia's development and skill set, with the Manchester United legend analysing the youngster's strengths:

"He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there."

Indeed, there is a huge risk that comes with offloading a number of experienced players all at once, especially when they have a sound understanding of the manager's system and the club culture, which ultimately helps with bedding in newcomers who will learn from those leaders and mainstays that represent the team.

Fabinho has been a key component to Liverpool's success over the last half a decade and with three years remaining on his contract, continues to play a vital and trusted role in the team, something that will be hard to replace next season if he does exit for Saudi Arabia.

With that being said, the developments at Anfield over the coming days and weeks will definitely be one to watch, and it will be interesting to see whether Klopp is ready to dive straight into a complete transition of his midfield presence or retains his more experienced players for the campaign ahead.

West Ham United have rightly made signing a new midfielder to replace Arsenal-bound Declan Rice a top priority this summer, but the Hammers cannot afford to neglect other areas of their squad.

In a positive development for United supporters, it appears focus has finally switched to defensive upgrades in time for the 2023/24 season.

What new players have West Ham bought?

Rice, whose £105m move to London rivals Arsenal now looks likely to be finalised on Monday, is set to follow Manuel Lanzini and Arthur Masuaku in departing the club this summer.

The Europa Conference League winners have yet to make any signings, which is all the more worrying when you consider they start their pre-season programme against Boreham Wood on Monday.

Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria appears to be United's top choice to replace Rice, while La Stampa – via TuttoMercatoWeb – suggests Torino defender Perr Schuurs is also wanted by David Moyes' men.

How good is Perr Schuurs?

The Italian outlet suggests West Ham are willing to pay €20m (£17m) for Schuurs, while also allowing Nikola Vlasic to head the opposite way following his successful spell on loan with the Serie A side last season.

That makes it a fairly sizable deal from United's perspective, but they will be getting themselves a hugely talented centre-back in the process – and an upgrade on the declining Angelo Ogbonna in the heart of their back four.

Schuurs ranked in the top 7% of all defenders last season across Europe's top five leagues in terms of possession won, while he was also in the top 13% for aerials won, as per The Analyst.

The former Netherlands U21 international won 0.98 tackles per 90 minutes last season across his time with Ajax and Torino, as per FBref, which compares to 0.29 for Ogbonna at West Ham.

Indeed, Schuurs also comes out on top in metrics such as blocks (1.10 v 0.80), the number of dribblers tackled (0.57 v 0.36) and pass-completion rate (88.1% v 80%).

Schuurs is not exactly an unknown talent, having impressed for Ajax in Eredivisie before doing likewise for Torino in Serie A, and links to a Premier League club are also not new.

The former Liverpool target has been tipped to reach the top since the age of 17, when former Manchester City goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus described him as "the leader of his club in everything", and a player who was destined to reach the top.

An added bonus Schuurs brings is an ability to make an impact in the opposition box, as highlighted by his two assists last season. Ogbonna, by comparison, did not score or assist any goals.

In fact, Schuurs ranked in the top 37 percentile for shots taken by defenders across Europe's elite leagues last season, showing he is not afraid to have a go at goal himself.

Whether Kurt Zouma is still good enough to play regularly at the back for West Ham is a separate issue, but by bringing in a player of Schuurs' quality, Moyes will at least be resolving one troublesome area of the pitch.

Aston Villa have initiated contact to enquire about a summer deal to sign Benfica star Fredrik Aursnes, according to reports.

Who is Fredrik Aursnes?

Aursnes is naturally a defensive midfielder who first arrived in Liga Portugal from Feyenoord last summer, where he quickly established himself as a regular feature of Roger Schmidt’s first-team, clocking up 42 appearances during his debut season.

The Norway international’s contract isn’t set to expire for another four years, but with his deal including a €50m (£42m) release clause, there’s always the chance that he could be prized away from a potential suitor earlier, possibly one in the Premier League.

Football Insider have recently reported that Unai Emery has given the green-light to sell Leander Dendoncker because he doesn’t view him as part of his plans next season, so the boss will need a replacement should he depart, and it sounds like the 27-year-old has been highlighted as a possible candidate.

Are Aston Villa signing Aursnes?

According to Portuguese newspaper Record (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa have “made contact” regarding a summer swoop for Aursnes.

The Midlands outfit have “knocked on the door” to register their interest in the central talisman, but they were met with a “denial” from his club who are “only letting the player go” should his release clause be met.

Benfica losing their prized asset is “out of the question”, and as a result of this interest, it’s believed that they have opened talks over fresh terms.

Should NSWE make a second approach for Aursnes?

Benfica’s manager Schmidt has hailed Aursnes a “complete” defensive midfielder for the positive impact that he has at both ends of the pitch, so despite having been knocked back in their opening approach, NSWE should definitely make a second move to bring him to Aston Villa.

The 2022/23 Champions League participant won 29 out of his 41 tackles made last season so isn’t afraid to get stuck in and win back possession for his side, but he’s also more than capable of posing a threat in the final third having posted seven goal contributions (five assists and two goals) in 28 Liga Portugal outings.

Finally, Aursnes is a remarkably versatile operator having been deployed in an outstanding ten different positions since the start of his career including in defensive, midfield and attacking roles, so he really would add a bit of everything to the boss’ squad, making this a no-brainer of a deal to pursue if Emery likes what he sees.

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing both Kalvin Phillips and Conor Gallagher on loan this summer, as they look to bolster their midfield options.

Are Newcastle signing more midfielders?

The Magpies enjoyed a fantastic 2022/23 season, qualifying for the Champions League and arguably finding themselves ahead of schedule under Eddie Howe.

This is not a time for Newcastle to rest on their laurels, however, and a number of new signings are required this summer with Champions League football sure to be taxing on the squad, as Sandro Tonali is now the first major capture of the summer.

Midfield is clearly still an area of the pitch Howe has identified as in need of strengthening however, as the Magpies have also missed out on bringing in James Maddison and Dominik Szoboszlai, who have joined Tottenham and Liverpool respectively.

Are Phillips and Gallagher joining Newcastle?

According to The Irish Independent, Phillips and Gallagher have emerged as potential targets for Newcastle this summer, with loan moves being mooted:

"Newcastle United are looking into possible loan signings this summer with Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips and Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher both of interest."

The report claims The Magpies are keeping a "close watch" on Phillips, who wants to fight for his place at Manchester City but may find out it's simply not going to work come pre-season. Gallagher meanwhile has been a target in "each of the past two transfer windows", although he too could look to stay and fight for his place with his current club.

Phillips and Gallagher would represent exciting additions for Newcastle's midfield before the new season gets underway, with the pair both England internationals with plenty of Premier League experience, despite their inability to force their way in with their current squads.

The former may have had a tough first season at Manchester City, suffering injury problems and only starting two Premier League matches, but he is still a top-level midfielder who Barcelona legend and one of the greatest midfielders of all time, Xavi, has described as "superb".

Meanwhile, Gallagher could be a strong link man between the midfield and the attack, and he has already shone on loan away from Chelsea in the past, scoring eight goals and registering three assists in the league for Crystal Palace.

Whether City and the Blues are willing to let them leave could be an obstacle, but if the chance to sign them temporarily emerges, Newcastle should jump at it, with the moves potentially becoming permanent further down the line.

Manchester United are considering competing with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur for Juventus centre-half Gleison Bremer this summer.

Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have both been signed over the past several years to fortify the strength of the Red Devils' backline, and while progress has been made in this regard, manager Erik ten Hag will be looking to strengthen further after reclaiming a place in the Champions League with a top-four finish.

Winning the Carabao Cup and returning to European competition's pinnacle is undoubtedly a successful starting point, but United still finished 14 points off divisional champions Manchester City, having shipped ten more goals (43) than their city rivals and top four peers Newcastle United (33).

So, Bremer could offer a solution, a formula to provide succour and strength to a defensive regiment in tantalising yearly increments, and according to reports, could join the fold for around £51m if United win the battle for his signature after the Old Lady's financial jeopardy thrust them cheerlessly into the Europa Conference League with a ten-point deduction.

How would Gleison Bremer perform at Manchester United?

While Juventus technically finished seventh in Serie A this season, the Turin side's points punishment swiped away their fourth-place in the division – level on points with Inter Milan in third – which would have retained their Champions League spot.

And with just 33 goals conceded all term, only Napoli and Lazio in first and second place could better the steely backline, in which Bremer certainly played a definitive role.

As per Sofascore, the three-cap Brazil international recorded an average rating of 7.11 in the league last season, playing 30 matches, scoring four goals, completing 90% of his passes, averaging 3.8 clearances per game and winning 61% of his aerial battles.

Also keeping 12 clean sheets for his prestigious outfit, it's no wonder that the "unbelievable" – as hailed by journalist Ryan Taylor – titan is attracting attention from aspiring Premier League sides.

His all-encompassing work would gel very nicely with that of Martinez, who has cemented a regular starting berth at the Theatre of Dreams after his £57m move from Ajax one year ago.

Dubbed "an absolute warrior" by journalist Jon Dunham, the Argentine has swiftly emerged as a fan favourite for his no-nonsense defending and unflinching commitment to rebuffing danger.

As per FBref, the Argentinian menace ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 5% for interceptions and the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90, underscoring his tenacity and paramount importance to Ten Hag's side.

Bremer, comparatively, brings a forward-thinking approach to complement the ferocious ubiquity of Martinez's defensive duties, with the £153k-per-week Juve star ranking among the top 8% for goals, the top 5% for touches in the attacking box and the top 19% for aerials won per 90.

Bremer is an "animal" of a colossus – as remarked by Torino’s Mergim Vojvod – and must be brought to Old Trafford to provide Martinez with the perfect partner and craft a whole new sense of dynamism to ensure Manchester United close the distance to the very forefront of the Premier League pack.

The transfer window opened up earlier this month and Leeds United could be set for a busy few months as they prepare for life in the Championship after three years away from the second tier.

Victor Orta was relieved of his director of football duties in May and manager Sam Allardyce departed at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, which means that the Whites do not have a solid structure in place behind the scenes as they begin this transitional period.

The 49ers have, however, moved to appoint Nick Hammond as an interim advisor over the summer to help with the transfer window before they make a long-term decision on their next sporting director.

Reading's former director of football could secure a sensational deal for the club's next manager by sealing an ambitious swoop for Lens centre-forward Lois Openda, who is a reported transfer target for the now-Championship outfit.

How did Lois Openda perform last season?

The 23-year-old marksman, who would cost at least €30m (£26m), enjoyed a sensational season in Ligue 1 and would be a huge upgrade on current Leeds number nine Patrick Bamford.

Relegation from the Premier League may make a deal for the Belgian whiz unlikely, given that he is currently playing in a major European league, but if Hammond could pull it off then it would be a huge coup ahead of a promotion push next term, whether that is on a permanent deal or with a loan-to-buy strategy to mitigate for a failure to go straight back up.

Openda averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.14 across 38 appearances in Ligue 1 and contributed with an impressive 21 goals. This means that the exciting attacker averaged a strike every 1.8 matches for the French side throughout the campaign.

The Belgium international also showcased his ability to create for others as he racked up 12 'big chances' created for his teammates, which shows that the young dynamo is a consistent goalscorer who can also be unselfish to provide his fellow attackers with quality openings in front of goal.

Bamford, on the other hand, is coming off the back of a bitterly disappointing season in the Premier League with Leeds. The former Chelsea prodigy averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.6 across 28 matches and scored four goals – once every seven outings for the club.

Creativity was also lacking from the English attacker as the 29-year-old dud made one 'big chance' and assisted two goals in that time. This meant that the left-footed liability let his team down as he was unable to provide goals or chance creation on a regular basis.

These statistics indicate that Openda, who was once hailed as "super-fast" by former AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement, would be a huge upgrade on Bamford in terms of both his goal output and his ability to create for others.

Whilst a deal for the Belgian finisher appears unlikely at this moment in time, Hammond could pull off a masterstroke by working out a way to get him to Elland Road ahead of next season.

Tottenham Hotspur officials have held talks with Juventus director Giovanni Manna over a potential discount for winger Dejan Kulusevski, according to reports out of Italy.

Who could Spurs sign this summer?

It's a new era at Spurs after the departure of Antonio Conte, and after over two months of searching, chairman Daniel Levy finally elected to appoint Ange Postecoglou early last week.

The north Londoners can now give their full focus to the summer transfer market with Levy and co reportedly setting their sights on a number of key targets for different areas of the squad.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could well depart N17 after over a decade at Spurs, meaning they're actively sourcing his replacement, with Brentford's David Raya and AC Milan's Mike Maignan apparently on the radar.

Leicester City star James Maddison is also a firm transfer target for the Lilywhites, while Postecoglou has reportedly given the green-light for his side to sign a centre-back.

However, amidst all of these plans, Spurs still haven't officially signed Kulusevski from Juventus on a permanent deal yet.

The Sweden international signed on an 18-month loan-to-buy deal in January 2022, which contains a clause for Spurs to sign him permanently for around £26 million in total.

According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport (via juventusnews24.com), Juve director Manna met with Spurs officials on a recent mission to England – where they held talks over Kulusevski's future.

During these talks, Tottenham apparently made it clear that they're not willing to pay the £26m clause in his deal, instead hoping for a discounted price.

They apparently know Kulusevski didn't get on well at Juve under Massimiliano Allegri, something which could put them in a better position to negotiate a lower fee.

Who is Dejan Kulusevski?

Despite enduring a more difficult 2022/2023 season, the forward has displayed some true class at points during his Spurs career.

During the second half of 21/22, under the tutelage of Conte, Kulusevski contributed with some electric performances as Tottenham sealed Champions League qualification that season – scoring five goals and racking up eight assists from February onwards.

Former Italy international Antonio Cassano, speaking to Bobo TV (via TUTTOmercatoWEB), heaped praise on the 23-year-old's form at that time.

"Dejan is sensational between plays, assists and goals. Conte then manages to squeeze his players by making them perform at their best. He always did it, last year at Inter and today at Spurs."

Kulusevski has already displayed his true quality in a Spurs shirt and we believe £26m would actually be a fair price to play.

A collection of fans online have slammed West Ham United for perhaps tempting fate by having a team bus ready to go announcing the Irons as European champions.

What has David Moyes said about the final?

Tonight at 8pm (UK time), the Hammers take on Italian outfit Fiorentina in Prague with both teams looking to secure the Europa Conference League title.

Anticipation is understandably high seeing as the Premier League club have not actually played in a European final since 1976 and they lasted lifted a major trophy 43 years ago when they won the FA Cup.

Speaking ahead of the game, manager David Moyes even admitted it was the “biggest moment” of his managerial career.

He told Sky Sports: “It is slightly surreal. To turn up and have your own dressing room is a big thrill for me. I really hope I can take it to the next level and win the game.

“I’ve had a really good career since I started coaching at 35. Over a thousand matches, been in some finals, had some promotions. But this is the biggest moment. To be a coach for as long as I’ve been, you’re obviously doing something right.”

Despite all the excitement in East London, though, they shouldn’t forget there is an Italian side who will be just as desperate to win the trophy.

With that in mind, many supporters have warned West Ham that they might come to regret the team bus that was spotted and circulated online by TalkSport.

It’s safe to say plenty of fans were worried that this “premature” decision may come back to haunt the club. Indeed, many quickly flocked to social media to make their feelings known.

Here are the best reactions on Twitter…

I mean, they really wouldn’t want to lose now…

Christian Pulisic has dropped a potential big hint on Instagram which suggests he could be moving to AC Milan this summer amid reports that he will leave Chelsea.

What's the latest on Christian Pulisic and AC Milan?

The USMNT star didn't really enjoy a particularly good season last campaign as he started just five Premier League matches across the entire campaign – scoring only one goal.

What's more, the Blues will be looking to offload a number of stars this summer with new boss Mauricio Pochettino reportedly set to press ahead with a major clearout. Indeed, 12 players could be sold in order to keep in line with Financial Fair Play rules.

As per the Evening Standard, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Hakim Ziyech, Mateo Kovacic, Marc Cucurella and Kai Havertz have all been touted as potential departures.

Alongside them, Pulisic is also expected to leave with Relevo's Matteo Moretto recently noting AC Milan could be his next destination.

Amid all this speculation, the 24-year-old has perhaps toyed with his fans when sharing a recent Instagram post. The winger is away with the USMNT and notably opted to include red and black dots in his wordless Instagram caption.

When does the 2023 summer transfer window open?

Of course, you can argue that these colours do match the training kit that he's wearing in the photo – which is predominantly black with the USA badge and Nike sponsor in red.

But the emojis posted aren't the usual red, white and blue you would associate with that country and their football team, so he may well have been dropping a bit of a hint about the next step in his career.

If that was indeed a deliberate post, then it does suggest he could be set for an imminent departure, already knowing what club he'll be joining despite the summer transfer window not actually opening until June 14.

His current contract runs until 2024 and so now would be the best time to move on if Chelsea want to bring in some funds with a sale, while also getting his £150k-p/w salary off their wage bill.

All in all, it really does feel as though the American attacker could be on his way to Serie A with AC Milan very soon.

Chelsea still haven't sorted out their problem of not having a natural number nine present at Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving Chelsea?

Chelsea endured a horrific 2022/23 campaign in the Premier League and ended the season in 12th position alongside being dumped out of all cup competitions.

In the English top flight, the Blues mustered just 38 goals scored, meaning they only hit the net more times than four sides in the league; Bournemouth, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton and Everton.

As per Transfermarkt, no player on the books at Stamford Bridge managed to reach the double-figure mark for goals, leaving Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz tied as Chelsea's top marksmen with nine goals apiece.

The Blues spent significant sums of money bringing in the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, David Datro Fofana, Joao Felix and Sterling during their failed campaign; however, room for improvement will be needed in 2023/24 following an abysmal return in front of the target.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has echoed this sentiment and thinks it is a 'strange' situation for Chelsea to find themselves in.

Jacobs told FFC: "It's kind of strange because I think when the season first started and the new owners came in, it was all about helping Thomas Tuchel find defenders and then as soon as Tuchel went it was all about a midfield revamp. Even when Lukaku left Chelsea to go to Inter, at no point did Chelsea think that they would be struggling this badly for goals. They've obviously had a situation where Mount hasn't chipped in as much, Havertz hasn't got going and Sterling hasn't scored perhaps as many goals as they would have hoped for. Mudryk has come in with fantastic potential but hasn't scored a goal yet for Chelsea and Joao Felix was brought in because they thought that he would chip in with a few more goals. He's offered flashes of brilliance but hasn't hit that purple patch of scoring form. For all of Chelsea's spending, the one thing that they've not been able to do is buy goals and part of that is because the one player that they've not bought is a traditional number nine. Even though Christopher Nkunku is coming in and will be able to add goals and assists. They still need to address that area. That's why if they can get him, Osimhen is a target, but if that proves trickier. There are plenty of other names on Chelsea's list, including Dusan Vlahovic and Lautaro Martinez."

What strikers could Chelsea target this summer?

Chelsea have been linked with several high-profile targets, some of which Jacobs has mentioned, to help them flourish in front of goal and avoid the profligacy displayed in 2022/23 moving forward.

Football Insider detail that Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is indeed on the radar at Stamford Bridge and would welcome a switch to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.

The Guardian also claim that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has also been earmarked as a candidate to come in and spearhead the Blues' attack in the off-season if they can seal a deal to land the Nigerian.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Rudy Galetti has also stated that Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic 'likes the destination' of potentially pitching up at Chelsea.

Romelu Lukaku could also return to the fold upon the conclusion of his loan spell with Inter Milan, meaning there are plenty of avenues Mauricio Pochettino could elect to go down as he aims to get his side firing next term.