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Tottenham Hotspur are set to approach Brentford to discuss a potential transfer fee for goalkeeper David Raya, according to Sky Sports.

What’s the latest Spurs transfer news involving Raya?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou look set for a relatively busy summer transfer window, with up to five new additions on the cards.

Reports have claimed that Postecoglou, chairman Daniel Levy, chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini and coach Ryan Mason have already held a transfer meeting. A new goalkeeper to come in and replace Hugo Lloris is on the agenda over the coming months, with Raya heavily linked with a move to north London.

Personal terms between the Spaniard and Spurs are allegedly already agreed, with a fee now needing to be agreed between the two clubs.

According to Sky Sports, Tottenham are expected to approach the Bees over a fee for Raya. The report states that Thomas Frank has previously said the goalkeeper is worth £40m, however, Spurs are reluctant to pay that amount.

How did Raya perform against Tottenham?

Raya is 27 years of age and has just 12 months remaining on his Brentford deal, with a new contract unlikely to be agreed, so now appears to be the best time for Spurs to make their move.

The shot-stopper appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €25m Transfermarkt valuation and recently shone against Spurs. Raya outperformed every Tottenham player aside from Harry Kane in the 3-1 win for the Bees last month, as per SofaScore, recording six saves. BBC pundit Garth Crooks praised his performance, describing one of his saves as “world-class”.

“The first save from the head of Richarlison was world-class, but the recovery to save the second attempt from the same player was quite remarkable.

“Brentford were better than Spurs in every department and Raya was central to their 3-1 victory.”

Frank has also called Raya “very aggressive” in his goalkeeping, and if a fee can be lowered below a £40m asking price, a move could prove to be a shrewd one by Spurs and Postecoglou ahead of the new season.

Aston Villa have been linked to another Premier League ace, after the Villans sealed their first signing of the summer in Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans.

Unai Emery is expected to have a busy transfer window following his incredible first season in charge at Villa Park, in a bid to build upon the success of this term and prepare the squad for Europe.

Latest news has suggested that the Midlands club are looking to replicate their move for free agent Tielemans in another Premier League star out of contract.

What’s the latest on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Aston Villa?

As reported by talkSPORT, Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be on his way to Villa Park.

The report states that sources close to the outlet understand that the 29-year-old is ‘on the verge’ of completing a move to Aston Villa.

The £125k-per-week Englishman will become a free agent this summer after no new contract was established on Merseyside.

What could Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain offer Aston Villa?

Hailed by BBC Sport writer Raj Chohan as “superb”, the former Arsenal ace has shown spells of his potential at Liverpool in a period tainted by injury.

During his six years at Anfield, the Portsmouth-born ace missed a total of 88 games due to injury as per Transfermarkt, contributing to him losing his spot as a regular in the side.

Starting his career as a dynamic wide player, Oxlade-Chamberlain was unleashed by Jurgen Klopp as a central midfielder, in a switch of position that paid off greatly for the Englishman.

Emery could land himself a force to be reckoned with in his midfield, with the Premier League and Champions League winner posing as a perfect fit for the Spaniard’s plans.

Following the arrival of Tielemans, the Spaniard has added significant depth to the middle of the park and by introducing Oxlade-Chamberlain as well, it could mean bad news for Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian has failed to find his best form at Villa, and having been linked with the exit door of late could be forced out of Emery’s plans entirely should another central talent arrive at Villa Park.

Comparing their statistics from last season when both players accumulated sufficient game time, the Englishman could offer a significantly greater threat to Villa’s midfield both going forward and as a defensive presence.

As per FBref, the Liverpool gem acts as more of a threat in the final third than Coutinho, averaging in the 2021/22 campaign 7.22 progressive passes received per 90 to the Brazilian’s 4.20, showing his ability to pop up in threatening positions.

In terms of actually distributing the ball, the 'Ox' averaged 6.99 progressive passes per 90 to the 30-year-old’s 6.37 per 90 as well averaging 3.99 progressive carries to his 3.25, via FBref.

The 29-year-old could rediscover his impressive form between his injury woes under Emery, and pose as a valuable member of his plans at Villa Park, being a better fit than the out-of-favour Coutinho to the Spaniard’s demands of his midfielders.

Everton are turning their eyes towards the summer transfer window, as the Blues have been linked with a Premier League starlet.

With survival confirmed, Sean Dyche can place his focus on improvements ahead of the 2023/24 campaign as the club must avoid a repeat of the previous two seasons.

In a year of struggle both on and off the field, Everton have had some shining lights, one being the performances of Amadou Onana, who could potentially remain at Goodison despite rumours suggesting his departure.

The latest transfer link could be an exciting one for Dyche should Onana remain a Toffee, as the Blues could swoop for an electrifying midfield partner for the Belgian.

What’s the latest on Shea Charles to Everton?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Everton are one of the clubs interested in Manchester City U21 midfielder Shea Charles.

The Northern Ireland international has gained interest from the Bundesliga, with RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund also rumoured to be “admirers” of the player.

The 19-year-old made his debut for City last weekend against Brentford as a substitute, and is contracted to the champions until 2027.

What could Shea Charles bring to Everton?

Pep Guardiola handed the teenager his first minutes for the first team last Sunday, as he played 27 minutes earning an impressive 7.0 Sofascore match rating in the process.

It was a difficult game for the champions who were defeated 1-0 away from home, however, the Spaniard was full of praise for the academy graduate after the fixture, hailing him as “so good” and “so composed” on the club’s official website.

It’s praise indeed from one of the greatest managers of all time, however, his compliments are supported by his impressive numbers, hinting that he has an exciting career ahead of him.

On his Premier League debut, the teen won 100% of his aerial duels, as well as four out of five of his ground duels in midfield, making four tackles and one interception in just under 30 minutes of play – as per Sofascore.

The Manchester-born ace, lauded as “terrific” by journalist Mark McIntosh, could be an exceptional future addition to Everton’s midfield, alongside the talents of Onana.

Goodison’s midfield gem has similar attributes to the City youngster, inspiring the thought that they could be a commanding duo in the middle of the park together.

The Belgian has averaged 2.60 tackles per 90 over the past year, as well as an average of 2.17 successful aerials per 90, placing him in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues in terms of winning challenges in the air – as per FBref.

With Onana being just 21, and Charles only 19, Dyche could have a midfield pairing for years to come, in two players that are combative both in the air and on the ground, as supported by their numbers.

There are lots of indicators to suggest that Charles is ready to take the leap into senior football, not just through his performance on his debut, but his integral presence in City’s U21 side, starting in all 26 of his appearances in Premier League 2 – as per Transfermarkt.

Whether the player would be available to purchase permanently, or as a loan deal is yet to be discovered, however with such talent shown in his youth career, Dyche could unlock a generational talent in Everton’s midfield.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their attempts to add to their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Anastasios Douvikas to Rangers?

According to Football Insider, the Light Blues have registered an interest in signing centre-forward Anastasios Douvikas from FC Utrecht in the coming weeks.

The report claims that the Gers are on the lookout for a replacement for Alfredo Morelos, who is set to depart on a free transfer this summer, and the Greek international has emerged as one of their targets.

It is stated that the Eredivisie outfit are demanding a fee in the region of £6.9m for the prolific marksman and it remains to be seen how much Michael Beale's side are willing to pay for him.

Who is Anastasios Douvikas?

The 23-year-old striker has caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Dutch top-flight this season and he could form an exciting partnership with Kieran Dowell at Ibrox.

In the Eredivisie this term, Douvikas – who was hailed as "sharp" by journalist Josh Bunting – has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01 and has plundered 19 goals in 24 starts, which shows that the dynamo has the quality to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

No Rangers player managed more than 16 goals in the Scottish Premiership in 2022/23 and this indicates that the Utrecht forward has the potential to come in as Beale's go-to man for goals next season.

The signing of Dowell on a free transfer from Norwich City could allow the Greek international to thrive even more as the Englishman is a creative midfield maestro that could provide the striker with the chances he needs to be a success in Scotland.

Over the last 365 days, the ex-Everton man ranks in the top 25% of players in his position in the Men's Next Eight Competitions for assists per 90 (0.24) and has racked up 0.20 xAG per 90.

In the 2020/21 Championship campaign, the magician created 0.31 xAG and made 5.12 shot-creating actions per 90 and this placed him in the top 3% of players in his position in that division, which shows that the wizard excels at opening up opposition defences for his teammates.

These statistics show that the 25-year-old has the playmaking quality to be a consistent provider for Douvikas in the final third, which could allow the Greek ace to flourish in front of goal.

The Utrecht star could also return the favour as the 23-year-old has created seven 'big chances' for his teammates in the Eredivisie and Dowell, who scored 12 goals in 72 games for Norwich, could profit from that by getting on the scoresheet for himself.

Therefore, they could form an exciting partnership at the top end of the pitch for Beale next season and the head coach should be hoping that the club are able to secure a deal for Douvikas in the coming weeks.

Arsenal are expected to table their opening "bid" in an attempt to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice in June, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Declan Rice leaving West Ham?

The Premier League veteran has made 243 senior appearances at the London Stadium having worked his way up through the academy ranks with David Moyes’s side, but with his contract set to expire at the end of next season, the upcoming window is likely to present the 24-year-old with his final big opportunity to secure a big-money move, and he isn’t short of potential suitors being the E20 outfit’s overall top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.04.

According to the Irons manager, the England international is set to bring in a “British transfer record” should he depart over the summer, and whilst his price tag hasn’t yet been specified by the club, Sky Sports have reported that they would sanction their skipper’s sale for £120m, or alternatively, £100m in cash plus a player going the opposite way as part of a swap deal amid interest from Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and indeed Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium.

Are Arsenal signing Rice?

Taking to Twitter in the last 48 hours, Romano revealed that Arsenal are preparing an offer in an attempt to fend off other attention and sign Rice ahead of the start of the 2023/24 campaign. He wrote:

"Arsenal have not changed their plans for Declan Rice as top target: opening bid to be submitted in June, waiting for West Ham to clarify final price tag. #AFC Nothing is agreed or done, race remains open. Other clubs are also interested; so timing will be crucial."

Arsenal are clearly serious about recruiting Rice in the summer if they are already in the process of readying a bid, and having been dubbed a defensive “midfield general” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and "world-class" by pundit Alan Smith, he would be an outstanding acquisition for Arteta in N7.

The World Cup participant has made 79 tackles since the start of the term which is higher than any other member of West Ham’s squad, via FBRef, not to mention that he also averages 1.7 interceptions per top-flight game so loves to get stuck in and regain possession for his team.

The Kingston upon Thames-born talent, who is even impactful in the final third having clocked up six league goal contributions (four goals and two assists) this season, would finally add excellent versatility to the manager’s squad with his ability to operate in five various positions over the grass, so this really is a deal that the board can’t give up on during negotiations over the summer.

Steven Gerrard is planning a revolution at Aston Villa, especially when you consider his recent signings. The likes of Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos and Boubacar Kamara could all instantly improve the first-team squad and will hopefully be able to help the club in their European ambitions next year.

A disappointing 14th-placed finish in the Premier League will drive Gerrard on to reaching bigger and better things with Villa. There is no doubting his managerial ability, having taken Rangers from the doldrums to arguably the most important top-flight title in their history, so the onus is on him to achieve things with the Midlands club as well.

In order to achieve this, certain players may need to be sold or replaced, and one such instance is Douglas Luiz.

The defensive midfielder was signed from Manchester City for £15m in 2019, and despite impressing under Dean Smith, it looks like Gerrard may want to bring in his own players and rejig the squad to his liking.

Ashley Preece dubbed Luiz as Villa’s biggest “issue” in February following a match against Newcastle where he lost possession 10 times, as it appeared that the manager had made a big mistake in the transfer window.

That mistake was not bringing in Yves Bissouma to replace the £52k-p/w Brazilian, and Gerrard really needs to make amends in the summer transfer window.

Axe Luiz, sign Bissouma

Bissouma ranked second in the Brighton squad this season with an average rating of 6.99 on WhoScored and was described as “unreal” by BBC writer Raj Chohan as he contributed heavily to helping the club achieve their highest-ever finish in the Premier League.

Despite signing one midfielder in Kamara on a free transfer, journalist Fabrice Hawkins claims that Villa are “still there” regarding a potential move for Bissouma, who could seriously strengthen the midfield area in Gerrard’s line-up.

The Mali international features in the top 9% of positional peers in the big five European leagues for pass completion (89.7%) and the top 10% for dribbles completed per 90 minutes (1.32).

These figures prove that he can regularly dominate the midfield with his superb passing ability, while also contributing towards attacks with his dribbling skills, which are two key components for Gerrard’s style to work effectively.

AND in other news, Gerrard must brutally axe “fortunate” AVFC dud in deal for “astonishing” £25m monster

Journalist Craig Vickers has hailed current Hearts and incoming Rangers defender John Souttar for his display in the Scottish Cup final.

The Lowdown: Rangers vs Hearts

Rangers took to Hampden Park to face off against Hearts in the Scottish Cup final, just three days after their agonising loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final, having missed out on penalties.

Both sides went into half-time goalless, having each failed to capitalise on respective excellent chances. Ellis Simms hit the post for Hearts, whilst Amad Diallo headed over from six yards for Rangers.

Whilst coming close numerous times in the second half, including Scott Wright hitting the bar in the third minute of extra time, Rangers were held to a stalemate within the 90 minutes.

However, Rangers came out all guns blazing for extra time, and in the 93rd minute, Ryan Jack smashed home to give the Gers the lead.

Just four minutes later, Wright emphatically doubled the score, sending Rangers to their first Scottish Cup victory in 13 years.

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The Latest: Vickers lauds Souttar

During the January window, Rangers announced the signing of Hearts defender John Souttar on a pre-contract agreement.

Taking to the field for the cup final, Souttar set about playing his last game in a Jambos shirt.

Freelance journalist Craig Vickers was very complimentary of the soon-to-be Rangers man, clearly impressed with the Glasgow club’s free signing. Taking to Twitter, he was stunned by the player’s ability on the ball.

“Souttar is so good stepping into midfield with the ball. Going to be interesting to see how GvB uses that next season because it’s something Goldson lacks despite his quality passing range.”

The Verdict: Good addition

Described by Hearts ace Josh Ginnelly as a “world-class player”, Souttar’s arrival at Ibrox will prove to be a massive addition to van Bronckhorst’s squad.

According to SofaScore, the 25-year-old has been rated Hearts’ best player this season, having averaged a sensational 7.30 rating.

Therefore, if the Scotland international can maintain this form going into next season, the free transfer will prove to be a massive piece of business for Rangers.

In other news: Rangers: Paddy Kenny issues summer transfer warning

Newcastle United return to action tonight as they host Arsenal at St. James’ Park in their penultimate Premier League match of the season.

The Magpies have already achieved safety and are five points off the top ten with two games left to play and this means that Eddie Howe’s men have little in the way of motivation when it comes to the league table.

However, the players will still be fighting for their places heading into the summer and will be desperate to prove that they deserve to be a part of the club moving forward.

One gem who must be unleashed from the start with a view to next season is Kieran Trippier. The England international returned from injury to come off the bench against Manchester City last time out and Emil Krafth must be brutally axed to bring him back into the starting XI.

In the 5-0 loss to Pep Guardiola’s side, Krafth recorded a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.3 as he failed to win a single aerial battle – losing Rodri from a corner for the third goal. Over the course of the campaign, he has lost 57% of his duels in the air as he has proven himself to be a lightweight at the back and Howe must now axe him from the team tonight.

This will then open the door for Trippier to be unleashed at right-back. The defender enjoyed a sensational start to his career on Tyneside, as he scored twice in his first four games, and he will now be hoping to end the campaign on a high by playing against the Gunners and then Burnley on the final day.

England boss Gareth Southgate previously dubbed him a “warrior” and his statistics for the Toon back that up as he has been a fierce competitor at the back.

He has made 4.8 tackles and interceptions per game and won a whopping 77% of his aerial battles in the Premier League across his five appearances, showing his ability to win the ball back for his side on a consistent basis and compete in individual duels.

The £77k-per-week gem has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.42 for the Magpies and Bruno Guimaraes (7.16) is the only other player with a score of 7.00 or higher. Trippier is one of the club’s best players and that is why he must start this game to get some minutes in the tank and build some positive momentum heading into next season.

AND in other news, “Keeping a close eye on..”: Downie delivers big NUFC claim that’ll excite supporters…

The English Football League have officially come to a decision regarding the potential use of VAR in Nottingham Forest’s upcoming Championship play-off semi-final against Sheffield United.

The Lowdown: A top-four finish

The Reds narrowly missed out on automatic promotion to the Premier League, but were still able to successfully secure a play-off place after recording a fourth-place finish, where they will now face the Blades at Bramall Lane in the first leg of this crucial fixture on Saturday afternoon.

Just last week, The Telegraph claimed that all four teams who were still in contention to make the jump up to the top flight had been questioned over the use of VAR in the upcoming games, to which the response was overwhelmingly positive.

However, following a fresh update, it seems as though the clubs in question haven’t received the news that they were hoping for.

The Latest: VAR not in use

In a decision published in the last 48 hours by NottinghamshireLive, it’s stated that the EFL have concluded that VAR will ‘not be in use’ for any of the semi-finals involving Forest, Huddersfield Town, Luton Town, and Sheffield United.

The source goes on to say that it still ‘remains unclear’ whether or not this particular rule will be in place for the final at Wembley Stadium on May 29th.

The Verdict: Completely wrong decision

Not having VAR in use for one of the most important games of the season for the Reds is surely the wrong choice considering the number of matches that have been won and lost based on poor refereeing decisions this term – just look at the wrongly flagged offside decision against Sam Surridge at Bournemouth.

Manager Steve Cooper will already be familiar with the technology after it was used in Forest’s FA Cup game against Liverpool earlier in the campaign, and whilst it does have it’s pros and cons, clubs have generally been supportive of it’s use.

The east Midlands outfit will be making the trip to Yorkshire this weekend looking to gain a positive result and put one foot into that all-important play-off final at the end of the month.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit has recently backed the Reds to gain promotion to the Premier League.

Rangers enjoyed another special night at Ibrox as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men secured their spot in the final of the Europa League on Thursday.

The Gers came into the second leg of the semi-final clash with a 1-0 deficit to overturn and van Bronckhorst pulled off a masterclass as his team ended up winning 3-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate.

James Tavernier scored the opening goal as he made his trademark run at the back post and was picked out brilliantly by Ryan Kent. The right-back made sure that he timed his run to perfection and slotted into a virtually empty net.

Glen Kamara then put Rangers ahead for the first time in the tie as he beautifully rolled a left-footed shot into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Christopher Nkunku made it 2-2 on aggregate in the second-half and, just when it looked like the game was heading for extra-time, John Lundstram sealed the club’s place in the final with a composed finish on the volley after a scramble in the box.

Whilst the ex-Sheffield United man won the match for the Gers, the player who stood out for van Bronckhorst’s side was £5.4m-rated Kamara in the middle of the park.

Kris Boyd, live on Sky Sports, said that Kamara’s strike got Ibrox “rocking” as his strike sent the fans into raptures in Glasgow. His goal was not the only part of his performance that left supporters buzzing, though, as he put in a brilliant display.

Lancashire journalist Cal Gaunt dubbed him an “absolute baller” and he certainly showcased his ability as he ran the show offensively. For Tavernier’s goal, the Finland international brilliantly trapped the ball under pressure and produced a deft touch to send Kent away down the left – eventually crossing for the captain to score.

Couple this with his cultured finish for the second goal and only losing possession every 3.7 touches and you have the makings of a sublime European outing from the ex-Arsenal man.

Off the ball, he also made an impact. As per SofaScore, he won five of his nine individual duels and made one clearance, two interceptions and one tackle. This shows that he was not physically dominated by the opposition and held his own out of possession.

Therefore, he was superb for Rangers throughout the game and got Ibrox rocking with his brilliance, with Kamara surely forcing himself into the starting line-up for the final.

AND in other news, Rangers played an Ibrox blinder with £22k-pw “cornerstone” who’s like “Graeme Souness”…