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Leicester City have been handed a fitness boost after Brendan Rodgers confirmed that Marc Albrighton is set to return for the Premier League game vs Wolves this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Concerns over absence

The Foxes secured a 2-0 victory over Leeds in midweek so should be travelling to Molineux with a bit more confidence having picked up a much-needed three points.

The midfielder was noticeably absent from the matchday squad against the Whites, though it’s now been revealed that it wasn’t due to an injury, eliminating any concerns that supporters may have had.

The Latest: Albrighton fitness update

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Rodgers confirmed that Albrighton was missing due to illness, and should be back in contention to face the Old Gold later today.

As quoted by the club’s official website, he said:

“He was off ill. He’s been ill for a few days. I saw him [on Thursday] morning and he was feeling much better so hopefully he’ll be back in [on Friday] and available for the weekend.”

The Verdict: Boost for Rodgers

Albrighton being available for selection again will come as a huge boost to Rodgers who will know how much of a valuable member of the squad he is.

The ‘superb’ 32-year-old, as hailed by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has racked up 46 assists and 18 goals during his time at the King Power, highlighting the impact he can have in the final third (Transfermarkt).

The Tamworth-born talent has made zero starts this season, but with Leicester still in the relegation zone, it’s worth thinking about making some changes, and Albrighton is someone who more than has the ability to change a game on his day.

Glasgow Rangers haven’t exactly had the greatest of weeks on the pitch.

A 7-1 Champions League defeat at Ibrox against Liverpool on Wednesday was bad enough, and a serious injury sustained to the ever-reliable Connor Goldson that night means that Giovanni van Bronckhorst is facing something of an injury crisis in defence.

The Engilishman joins Filip Helander and John Souttar on the treatment table, with all three looking like long-term absentees.

It also looked like Ben Davies might be joining them, as the defender was assessed following the Liverpool match with a suspected injury complaint.

However, The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell delivered a big boost to Rangers ahead of the Premiership clash against Motherwell tomorrow, tweeting: “Hearing positive news re Davies ahead of Sunday after further tests. He’s been positive in the last four starts. Been really composed and Rangers need him at the moment.”

This is great news for the Gers and will surely be a sigh of relief for Van Bronckhorst, especially as he would otherwise have had only Leon King and James Sands available to play at the heart of defence.

Davies arrived at Ibrox in the summer for £4m and has started for Rangers in their last four matches. In his three Premiership appearances for the club, the 27-year-old has averaged 54.7 touches and completed 92% of his attempted passes, proving that he is comfortable on the ball and can display an excellent passing ability.

The defender has also won 53% of his duels and lost possession just 4.3 times per match, showing that he is strong in one-on-one scenarios and doesn’t often make mistakes on the ball.

Van Bronckhorst will be praying that Davies is 100% fit for tomorrow’s clash against Motherwell, and the Dutchman will be looking at his team to grasp the opportunity to redeem themselves following the woeful midweek result in the Champions League.

Having the former Liverpool defender available will come as a huge boost to the Gers, especially in the wake of the Goldson body blow, and it looks like there is finally one piece of good news on the injury front for Van Bronckhorst.

Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Jeff Vetere as a new scout to join Fabio Paratici’s backroom staff, reports Football.London correspondent Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Paratici’s restructure

After arriving in the Premier League last summer, the director of football is believed to have conducted a review of the club’s scouting department, and following the departure of technical performance director Steve Hitchen in February, started a mass restructure with an increased budget.

There have been several new additions since then, including Gretar Steinsson, who replaced Hitchen, head of football strategy Andy Scoulding and chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini, a compatriot of the Italian.

The Latest: Vetere already working for Spurs

Taking to Twitter, Gold revealed that Vetere is the latest fresh face to join Paratici, and has actually already been deployed over the last couple of weeks.

“Understand Jeff Vetere, formerly of Birmingham, Villa, Real Madrid and Newcastle, began work a couple of weeks ago to scout young talent.”

Expanding in his column for Football.London, the journalist claimed that the 56-year-old will be responsible for scouting ‘internationally for the club’s development squad.’

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The Verdict: Perfect for Spurs

Paratici is renowned for surrounding himself with the most talented individuals in the game to create the most successful structure below him, and Vetere is an excellent addition for Tottenham.

Having previously had spells with the likes of the Magpies and the Villans, he will have plenty of experience working in the top-flight and should be able to identify the best young players that could make a difference at the club.

Despite being out of the game since 2018, Vetere has now staged his backroom return and is no doubt already making an impact behind the scenes in preparation for the January window.

Everton are reportedly ‘keen’ on signing Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, according to 90min. 

The lowdown: Rise to prominence

A product of the youth academy in Manchester, the 25-year-old made 30 appearances at youth level before getting his senior bow in 2017.

The Scotland international has since amassed 172 outings for the Red Devils, directly contributing to 20 goals in the process.

However, following the capture of Casemiro from Real Madrid, question marks have been raised over McTominay’s future, and it appears as though Everton could be among those interested in discovering the answers…

The latest: Everton ‘keen’ on McTominay

As per 90min, the Toffees, along with Newcastle, West Ham, Southampton and Leicester, are all ‘keen’ on the 34-cap midfielder.

It’s claimed that suitors in Italy and Germany are also interested in McTominay, who has been hailed as ‘absolutely unbelievable’ and a potential future captain by Old Trafford legend Sammy McIlroy.

The report also states that any departure ‘would likely be on loan’ should it happen before the transfer deadline passes on September 1.

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The verdict: Go for it

While the arrival of Amadou Onana has undoubtedly strengthened the midfield options at Goodison Park, there remains room for at least one more arrival to the ranks.

Also being linked with former Celtic ace Tom Rogic, Everton are clearly in the market for another option in that department, and the powerful United midfielder is an ideal candidate.

Last season, McTominay earned an impressive 6.91 average SofaScore rating whilst winning 6.7 duels, completing 1.2 dribbles and making two clearances per Premier League game , highlighting a superb all-round ability to perform at the top level.

Sharing similar stylistic traits to Declan Rice, Etienne Capoue and Oriol Romeu (FBRef), the 25-year-old warrior would appear to be a fine addition to Frank Lampard’s squad, and one that the Goodison Park hierarchy should be working hard to make a reality.

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are ‘closing’ in on a deal to sign Anderlecht defender Sergio Gomez.

The Lowdown: Guardiola’s left-back hunt

After losing Oleksandr Zinchenko to Premier League rivals Arsenal and then missing out on Marc Cucurella, Pep Guardiola will be on the hunt for a new left-back, and it sounds like he’s identified his ideal target.

BBC Sport reported on Tuesday that the Sky Blues are in talks regarding a potential deal for 21-year-old Gomez, and after a quick development, it sounds like his transfer to the Etihad could be announced imminently.

The Latest: City set to sign Gomez

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that it should simply be a matter of time before Gomez is unveiled as a Man City player. He wrote:

“Excl: Manchester City are closing on Sergio Gómez deal with Anderlecht. Fee will be in excess of €10m, final details being discussed and then it will be completed.

“Plan has always been to loan him to Girona… but been told City could now decide to keep Sergi.”

The Verdict: Threat down the flank

It’s believed that City’s initial plan was to buy Gomez before sending him straight back out on loan, but to now learn that Guardiola is considering keeping hold of him suggests that he sees his star potential.

The Spaniard, dubbed the ‘heir to Iniesta’ by football journalist Ronan Murphy, had an outstanding season last term, providing an incredible 15 assists and netting seven goals in all competitions for Anderlecht, via Transfermarkt.

With this kind of form from the wing-back position, it’s no surprise that the City boss wants him to be involved with the action in and around the first team, and he would be a fantastic addition for the future of the club if they managed to secure his services.

Everton could reportedly lose Mason Holgate as West Ham United have now made an enquiry over the central defender.

The Lowdown: Simms departs

As per the official website of the Goodison Park outfit, Ellis Simms has now left to join Championship side Sunderland on loan for the season, after previous temporary spells at Blackpool and Hearts.

He may not be the last departure before the window closes, as Frank Lampard looks to refine his squad ahead of the new campaign.

The Latest: Holgate enquiry

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Hammers have now made an enquiry over the possibility of signing Holgate.

Former Toffees manager David Moyes is thought to be keen on bringing in a player of his versatility, and so this is a deal that could accelerate over the next few weeks with the window closing on September 1.

The Verdict: Sell

With the arrival of centre-back James Tarkowski on a free transfer from Burnley, the Blues can afford to lose Holgate, and they could demand a considerable fee for him given that they would be selling him to a Premier League rival.

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He ranked as low as 16th for EFC’s best performers in the top flight last term, lower than fellow centre-halves Michael Keane and Yerry Mina, while he also averaged more fouls and more times dispossessed per game than any other defender still at the club (WhoScored).

Currently earning £64,000-per-week, the Merseysiders could also do with getting his wages off of their books.

According to reliable journalist John Percy, Nottingham Forest are now in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Liverpool defender Neco Williams.

The Lowdown: Forest win the race

The Welshman has worked his way up through the ranks at Anfield, from being an academy graduate to a member of the senior first-team squad.

The 21-year-old spent the second half of last season out on loan at Fulham due to a serious lack of game time, and this has recently seen him linked with a permanent move away from Merseyside.

It’s believed that the Cottagers were keen on re-signing him after a successful spell, but interest was also coming from the City Ground, and a move to the Midlands now appears highly likely to be on the cards.

The Latest: Reds in ‘advanced talks’ with Williams

In a Twitter post, Percy revealed that Forest are ‘hopeful’ of being able to complete a deal for Williams in the coming days. He said:

“NFFC in advanced talks with Liverpool over a £16m deal for Neco Williams. Talks have progressed today and Forest are increasingly hopeful of signing the Wales international before this weekend.”

The Verdict: Clever bit of business

It comes as no surprise to see that Williams is looking for a move away from Liverpool considering he hasn’t been able to seriously challenge Trent Alexander-Arnold, and this could be a decent bit of business for Forest after completing the signing of Moussa Niakhate.

The 21-cap international, who was once described as a ‘fearless’ player by football journalist Henry Winter, scored twice and registered two assists in just 15 outings across all competitions for Fulham last season, as per Transfermarkt, highlighting his attacking qualities and desire to get forward.

Steve Cooper will be wanting to bolster his ranks with players that already have experience in the English top-flight, and Williams is someone who’s got that under his belt, so could be a great addition to the Reds’ starting XI as they look forward to an exciting campaign back in the Premier League.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Mohamed Camara to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by LUFC FANZONE (via MOT Leeds News), who stated that the Red Bull Salzburg central midfielder’s agent has revealed Victor Orta has been in contact with the Austrian Bundesliga side regarding a move for the 22-year-old this summer.

The agent then claims that, at present, no offer has been made by Leeds, however, he also stated his hope that a concrete bid would arrive from the Whites in the not too distant future.

In their tweet, LUFC FANZONE said: “Speaking exclusively with LUFC FANZONE, Mo Camara’s agent has told us: ‘Leeds have been in direct contact with RB Salzburg and like the player’s profile. They have only demonstrated their interest and have not yet made an offer – we hope to have an answer very soon’.”

“On KP’s level”

Considering just how impressive Camara was for Salzburg last season, in addition to the 22-year-old appearing a very similar player to Kalvin Phillips – who looks increasingly likely to move onto pastures new this summer – it is not difficult to understand why Orta would be interested in a deal to bring the Mali international to Elland Road this summer.

Indeed, over his 25 Austrian Bundesliga appearances in 2021/22, the £24.3m-rated talent was imperious in the heart of Matthias Jaissle’s side, scoring one goal, registering three assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.9 shots, making 1.0 key passes and completing 1.8 dribbles per game.

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The £2.9k-per-week defensive midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 1.9 tackles, 45.8 passes, 4.8 long balls and winning 6.4 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Conor McGilligan dubbed “on KP’s level” and “underrated” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.20, ranking him as the tenth-best player in the league last time out.

Furthermore, in a recent article for Leeds Live, journalist Kyle Newbould also stated his belief that Camara would be an “an ideal successor to Kalvin Phillips” due to his “tight control” and “composure” when dropping “into the same positions Phillips” in front of the defence, while the 22-year-old’s ability to play both “long, raking passes” and “short, line-breaking passes” are also stated as reasons why the Salzburg starlet and the England international are similar types of deep-lying playmakers.

As such, should Phillips indeed go on to join Manchester City this summer, it would very much appear as if a move for Camara would make a great deal of sense for the Whites – leading us to believe that the news the Orta is currently in talks with the Austrian champions concerning a deal for Camara is fantastic news for both Jesse Marsch and supporters of the club alike.

AND in other news: Phil Hay drops big Leeds United update on £32.25m transfer target, it’d be a huge coup

Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to back Antonio Conte with an abundance of new signings this off-season…

What’s the word?

That’s according to reliable Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, who delivered a fresh claim on Spurs’ transfer plans to GIVEMESPORT over the weekend.

“I do think they will back Conte with five or six new signings, I’m just not sure they will all be in before pre-season, it will rumble on,” he said.

“We might see swap deals as well, Paratici has shown that he likes the open negotiating instead of paying straight money.

“If Spurs have got deadwood in their squad, which we know they do, there’s a lot of players that could leave and they could look to exchange those for players they actually want to sign.”

Conte will be buzzing

The north London outfit have already secured their first arrival in Ivan Perisic, a veteran wing-back who Conte has worked with before at Inter Milan, and now appear to be close to announcing Fraser Forster as Hugo Lloris’ backup next term.

And based on the aforementioned update, the Lilywhites’ hierarchy – largely sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy – aren’t close to being done yet.

After securing Champions League qualification on the final day, the 52-year-old is set to receive a massive boost with the club seemingly prepared to sign further options to his squad, something that’ll be needed if they are to compete on all fronts.

This should leave the manager absolutely buzzing as he can expect four or five new names following their Perisic swoop.

A left-footed central defender is thought to be high on the priorities, with Alessandro Bastoni and Josko Gvardiol very much top targets for the role, whilst an alternative to Harry Kane wouldn’t go amiss either.

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It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Conte land a right wing-back either, amid interest in newly-promoted Nottingham Forest loanee Djed Spence, whilst names like Youri Tielemans, Christian Eriksen and Lautaro Martinez have all been mooted, too.

The Italian head coach must be excited to see how the summer pans out heading into his first pre-season in charge of Spurs.

AND in other news, Spurs now eyeing £27m-rated “tank” who’s like Van Dijk, he’s way better than Bastoni…

Newcastle United ‘remain interested’ in signing Wolves forward and Barcelona loanee Adama Traore, claims 90min journalist Graeme Bailey.

The Lowdown: Traore to leave Wolves

The Spain international spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign in La Liga, after he joined his boyhood club Barcelona on loan until the end of the season.

However, it appears that the Catalan giants are not going to trigger the option to buy clause in the 26-year-old’s contract, which requires a £29m transfer fee.

Therefore, Traore will return to the Molineux Stadium ahead of next season.

The Latest: Newcastle remain interested

Taking to Twitter, 90min journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that “Tottenham, Leeds and Newcastle all remain interested in Adama Traore.”

In the adjacent article, Bailey claims that Wolves will now turn their attention to offloading the Spaniard on a permanent deal.

It is understood that Newcastle previously enquired about the 26-year-old’s services.

The Verdict: Great signing

Dubbed by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp as “unplayable”, with the German further claiming that “the speed of Traore is actually undefendable in moments”, the winger will certainly be on a whole host of Premier League shopping lists this summer.

As per FB Ref, the Wolves forward ranks in the 99th percentile for dribbles completed and in the 97th percentile for progressive carries when compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year.

With Eddie Howe targeting direct attackers, Adama’s strength and speed fits Newcastle’s criteria perfectly. Therefore, with PIF already having made contact, this could be a great and realistic signing for the Tyneside club, but it won’t come without strong competition.

In other news: Newcastle United: Magpies send scouts to watch Ben Nelson