Liverpool's interest in Brazilian midfielder Andre Trindade is "clearly a negotiating tactic" to help their position in any future negotiations with Southampton for their exciting midfielder Romeo Lavia, claims journalist Alex Crook.
Are Liverpool signing Romeo Lavia this summer?
It's been a real summer of change for the red half of Merseyside so far this year. Club captain Jordan Henderson left the side for the riches of the Saudi Pro League alongside Champions League-winning Fabinho and Roberto Firmino.
It's not just departures changing the face of the team, though, as Jurgen Klopp has already welcomed two new starting midfielders to Anfield.
The first to make his way to the northwest was Brighton & Hove Albion's World Cup-winning star, Alexis Mac Allister, who signed for the club in a deal worth an initial £35m.
Read the latest Livepool transfer news HERE…
Shortly after the Argentinian arrived, Hungarian superstar, Dominik Szoboszlai made the journey from RB Leipzig to Liverpool in a deal worth a reported £60m.
While these two players represent excellent business, Fabinho's exit has necessitated the signing of a new number six to complete Klopp's midfield overhaul, and it looks like Liverpool have identified 19-year-old Lavia as that new number six.
Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
According to Sky Sports, the Reds have now had two offers for the youngster rejected by the Saints, with neither one reaching even £40m, considerably short of the £50m valuation they have of their star.
Whilst the six-time European champions retain their interest in the Brussels-born gem, they have also turned their attention to Fluminense prospect Andre, with the Daily Mail reporting that they have already made an offer for an estimated £21m.
However, with the genuine interest the Reds have shown in Lavia thus far, this attempt to sign the 22-year-old Brazilian could be a tactic intended to cause the Saints to lower their price somewhat, according to journalist Alex Crook.
He explained the situation live on TalkSport, with the clip being posted to their YouTube channel:
"I don't know if they will walk away. It always makes me suspicious, and I've been doing this job long enough that when a new name suddenly emerges as it did yesterday [Tuesday] with a Brazilian player, Andre, I think his name was. That's clearly a negotiating tactic from Liverpool, 'let's get this name out there; let's make it clear to Southampton it's not Romeo Lavia or nobody'.
"But they bid up to £40m, Southampton want £50m. Again, for a club of Liverpool's stature, that doesn't seem a massive gap, and I think this lad is going to be a really talented Premier League player, Romeo Lavia, I think £50m is a fair price."
How good was Romeo Lavia last season?
Even though he is only 19 years old, Southampton's midfield prodigy is relatively experienced for a player his age, especially after starting 26 Premier League games last season.
In those games for the Saints, he scored one goal, maintained a passing accuracy of 86.4% – the best of a player with at least 90 minutes under their belt in the entire squad – and averaged a match rating of 6.56, which is made more impressive when the team he was playing in is taken into account, per WhoScored.
He can also put in the defensive work when needed with Fbref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, placing the 5 foot 11 "monster" in the top 4% of midfielders for blocks per 90.
He has evidently made an impact on his teammates on the south coast, with Theo Walcott telling TalkSport in January:
Southampton's Romeo Lavia
"He's young, he's 18/19 when he's off the field, but when he's on the field, it's mad. It's like he's played over 200 games in the Premier League, that's how much I rate him. It's very interesting to see, watching him from the stands, obviously it looks so easy from the stands, it always does.
"You probably know that watching us, 'he should make that run or make that pass', it's not as straightforward as that but when I watch him, I'm like 'you look way above your age right now'."
It'll be interesting to see whether or not the links to Andre will affect Southampton's stance towards a deal with Liverpool, but the Reds would be wise to do all they can to sign Lavia before someone beats them to it.
Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond brought Brendan Rodgers back to Celtic for a second spell at Parkhead this summer and has backed the manager in the summer transfer window.
Who have Celtic signed this summer?
Norwegian central midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and Melbourne City attacker Marco Tilio came in as the Northern Irish tactician's first two signings.
Since then, South Korean duo Hyun-jun Yang and Hyeok-kyu Kwon and Polish central defender Maik Nawrocki have also come through the door on permanent deals.
There could be more signings on the way for the Hoops before the window slams shut at the start of next month as they were recently touted with an interest in Manchester City midfielder Tommy Doyle.
However, they are said to be facing competition from a number of clubs in England; including Wolves, Southampton, and Sheffield United.
How good is Tommy Doyle?
The 21-year-old maestro is an exciting young gem who has the potential to be a throwback to one of the stars from Rodgers' first stint at Parkhead – Tom Rogic.
Doyle spent last season on loan at Sheffield United and caught the eye with his impressive performances in central midfield as he racked up four goals alongside seven assists in 38 appearances in all competitions.
The England U21 international played 33 Championship matches for the Blades as they won promotion up to the Premier League and the Hoops could now bank on that experience helping him to take his game to the next level this time around.
Prior to loan spells with Cardiff City and Hamburg before his year at Bramall Lane, Doyle was an outstanding performer for Manchester City's U21 side with nine goals and 15 assists across 50 outings.
This suggests that the talented number eight has the quality to provide goals and assists from a midfield position, which is something that Rogic excelled at under Rodgers.
Former Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic.
The Australian magician, who played in the middle of the park, produced 24 goals and 20 assists in 105 competitive games for the ex-Liverpool boss during their time together at Celtic between 2016 and 2019.
This means that the mercurial technician averaged a direct goal contribution once every 2.39 matches, which shows that he was able to make an impact at the top end of the pitch on a semi-regular basis to supplement the attacking work done by the wingers and forwards.
Doyle could fulfil a similar role if he is able to translate his form from youth level over to senior football. He averaged a goal involvement every 2.09 outings for City's U21 team and showed signs of getting near that with one every 3.45 clashes for Sheffield United last term.
The 5 foot 8 talent, who has been described as "exceptional" and a "playmaker" by scout Jacek Kulig, managed four goals and ten assists in 18 Premier League 2 appearances for City during the 2020/21 campaign.
Matt O'Riley (12) was the only current Hoops player who managed more than eight Scottish Premiership assists last term, which suggests that Doyle has the potential to be one of the club's outstanding creators if he can have a breakthrough year in Scotland.
Therefore, the Citizens prospect could be Rogic 2.0 for Rodgers as a central midfielder who could provide goals and assists to influence games in the final third.
Aston Villa are believed to be interested in signing Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie in the summer transfer window, according to a new update.
Was Weston McKennie a flop at Leeds?
The £49,000-a-week American is currently a Juventus player, with his deal there expiring in the summer of 2025, but it looks as though he is likely to move on in the current window.
Back in January, McKennie joined Leeds United on loan, coming in as what looked like an exciting signing for the Whites, and one that could help them pull clear from the Premier League relegation zone after a poor first half of the season. Instead, there is no question that he was a disappointment at Elland Road overall, ultimately failing to help his team remain in the top flight.
The 24-year-old made 19 appearances in the league for Leeds, not managing to score once and only registering one assist in that time, and his time there went "badly, very badly indeed". Unsurprisingly, there was little talk of McKennie joining permanently at the end of last season, given the Whites' relegation to the Championship, and the midfielder's future remains up in the air.
With Villa continuing to look at summer transfer business of their own, however, it looks as though the Juve man could be a target for them, according to a new update.
weston-mckennie-leeds-united-premier-league
Are Aston Villa signing Weston McKennie this summer?
According to Italian publication Calciomercato [via The Boot Room], the Villans are keen on the idea of signing McKennie this summer, with the USA international wanting to prove himself again in the Premier League. They are far from alone in being the only club interested, however, with Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray also mentioned in the report.
While Juve are believed to have wanted £34.2m for his services at one point, there are now willing to sell him for "drastically" less than that, accepting that his stock has fallen a little in recent months.
There is no doubt that some Villa fans would have reservations about the club bringing in McKennie, due to the level of his performances for Leeds, but they are in a better position than the Whites were, and he could thrive alongside superior players, also feeling more at home if the move is a permanent one.
It shouldn't be forgotten that the midfielder enjoyed a good 2022 World Cup campaign with the USA, making four starts in impressive fashion, and he has also been hailed as "excellent" by journalist Adam Pope during one performance for Leeds, so seemingly can turn it on in the right setting.
At 24, McKennie has lots of improving to do still, and could reap the rewards of playing under Unai Emery, so if the Villa boss sees him as a strong option, his superb performance as manager to date suggests that he and new transfer guru Monchi be trusted in their decision-making.
The Juve ace could come in and provide good competition for place in the middle of the park, while Villa's UEFA Europa Conference League commitments in 2023/24 also heighten the need for the squad to be rotated sensibly, and he could add the desired squad depth to aid that.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino "appreciates" Roma's Paulo Dybala amid transfer links but there is nothing "concrete" between the two clubs at present, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Are Chelsea signing Dybala?
With Pochettino keen to add more quality to his attacking ranks next season, an unlikely name has emerged as one of his potential targets.
Roma's Dybala and Pochettino's fellow Argentine has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in recent days as the new Chelsea boss begins to shape his side.
29-year-old Dybala reportedly has a £10m release clause in his current deal with the Italian side, only available at that price to foreign clubs, and such a low fee for such a spectacular talent may be what has tempted Pochettino to consider the attacking midfielder.
There have also been previous links between Dybala and Paris Saint-Germain but there is nothing concrete between the former Juventus man and any other club at present.
According to Romano, Pochettino has been convinced by Dybala's quality, although there is no formal negotiations between Roma and Chelsea or Pochettino and Dybala.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: "For Chelsea, I had many questions in the recent days about Paulo Dybala, but again guys I'm not aware of anything advanced. This story is still not something concrete or something advanced.
"We always knew about Mauricio Pochettino appreciating Dybala but at the moment it's not a negotiation between Dybala and Chelsea, or a negotiation between Chelsea and Roma, or any message from Chelsea to inform Roma that they will send a proposal for the release clause."
Romano mentioning the release clause suggests that the reported £10m figure may be accurate but even if it was triggered Dybala would still have the final say on his future.
Having recently spoken about his desire to stay at Roma (via Metro), despite Thiago Silva wanting the Argentinian international at Stamford Bridge, a deal at present looks unlikely.
Dybala only arrived at Roma in July 2022, helping the club reach the Europa League final under Jose Mourinho. Despite scoring in the final, the playmaker couldn't prevent his side from ultimately losing on penalties to Sevilla.
How did Dybala do last season?
Featuring 38 times in all competitions for Roma last season, Dybala – hailed a "maestro" – enjoyed a wonderful campaign with the Giallorossi, scoring 18 goals and providing eight assists.
Injuries, much like they have done throughout his career, somewhat hampered Dybala's progress, but the numbers he produced in spite of missing a number of games were mightily impressive.
What Chelsea lacked last season was a player who could both score and create and Dybala seems to tick both of those boxes. Comfortable in an attacking midfield role or playing just off former Chelsea man Tammy Abraham at Roma, the 38-cap international thrived last year.
The maestro was in the top 2% of all Serie A attacking midfielders and wingers per 90 last season for goals and expected assists, while also ranking in the top 5% for shot-creating actions, averaging 5.38 per match.
With Chelsea having severely lacked creativity, ingenuity and ruthlessness in attack last season, Dybala could be a wonderful solution to their goalscoring woes if they can convince him to leave the Italian capital.
Sunderland continued their charge up the Championship table last Saturday afternoon with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers.
The hosts had to deal with the wrath of Tony Mowbray's possession-based yet purposeful attacking football and the contrast in styles showed as the Black Cats recorded 72% possession, 407 more accurate passes, 22 shots on goal and an xG of 2.78, as per Sofascore.
A relentless and domineering performance at the Kiyan Prince Foundation stadium preceded a 5-0 thrashing against one of the favourites, Southampton, so when they travel to Blackburn on Wednesday night, Sunderland will be confident of making it three consecutive victories.
The cliché of not changing a winning team is often banded, however, Mowbray will have to go against this old chestnut as midfielder Pierre Ekwah was forced off in the 14th minute after sustaining a dead leg.
How has Pierre Ekwah performed this season?
After playing a bit-part role for Sunderland last season, featuring on 14 occasions in the Championship, Ekwah has become a vital cog in Mowbray's machine this term.
One of the first names on the teammate sheet, the 21-year-old has gone on to form an indispensable partnership with fellow youngster Dan Neil at the heart of the Black Cats' midfield, speaking highly about the Frenchman's in-demand physical and technical attributes when asked about him previously.
Neil said: "Yeah brilliant. He’s dynamic, he’s really strong, he’s got a great left foot on him.
“He’s been brilliant in training the last few weeks and I said to him you are going to get your chance because he’s been brilliant in training.
“With the international boys being away, Ed playing on Tuesday and it being a quick turnaround for him, this was his chance and I think he took it. I thought he was brilliant."
Stamping his mark on proceedings superbly since being given regular opportunities to impress, Ekwah has featured in all of Sunderland's matches so far, averaging 7.3 ball recoveries per game, 1.7 tackles, recording a pass completion of 90%, via Sofascore, and even scored two well-taken goals in the victory over Southampton.
Ahead of their trip to Ewood Park, Mowbray is hopeful that he could be fit, although it seems unlikely. As such, Sunderland will desperately miss the 6 foot 2 titans presence in the engine room without having a direct replacement for his strength, power and all-action displays, leaving Mowbray with a crucial decision to make.
Who could replace Pierre Ekwah vs Blackburn?
In his pre-match interview, Mowbray confirmed that his side had been hit with a double injury blow, leaving them without two of their most influential figures, Bradley Dack and Ekwah.
While Jobe Bellingham can continue in his advanced midfield role in the absence of Dack, the task of choosing someone to play in the double pivot is much more difficult to resolve, with the likely candidate being Alex Pritchard.
The 30-year-old performed admirably after coming on and replacing Ekwah against QPR, placing 86% of his passes accurately, crossing eight times, blocking two shots and making two tackles, as per Sofascore.
Pritchard is more readily known for the creativity he brings to the party, rather than the energetic and robust performances of Ekwah, but he can still do a job of keeping it neat and tidy in that deep-lying role while letting Neil do the dirty work, that is unless Bellingham drops into the deeper role and lets the former operate more advanced.
In the Championship last season, the £7k per-week Prichard has showcased how crucial of an influence he can have in the final third, ranking in the top 20% for progressive passes, the best 16% for assists, the upmost 5% for shot-creating actions and top 5% for key passes when compared against his positional peers per 90, via FBref.
If he can bring those creative metrics to the party against Blackburn, he will be a threat on the counter-attack but without having the energy and dynamism of Ekwah, they could lose the physical battle against the likes of Lewis Travis and Adam Wharton.
Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for a "superb" young player in the January transfer window, potentially seeing him as a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah.
Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future
Salah's future has been a major talking point of late, with the 31-year-old the subject of a huge £150m bid from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad last summer. The Reds rejected their advances, ensuring their star player stayed put for another season, but their interest is almost certain to return later this year, and there is another unnamed Middle East club in contact for Salah now too.
Liverpool will no doubt be braced for offers for the Egyptian superstar, who continues to stand out as comfortably his side's most relentless attacking player, and he will have to make a big decision over his future at the end of the season. His contract is up at Anfield next year, so he will either have to sign an extension in 2024, or find a new challenge.
The better outcome is to see Salah remain on Merseyside, considering he is still one of the best players in world football, but if he does move on, it is essential that the Reds bring in a spectacular replacement during the summer transfer window.
Liverpool eyeing Johan Bakayoko
According to Caught Offside, PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko is seen as a target for Liverpool, with a move even potentially happening this month, due to Salah's involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations.
"Sources with a close understanding of the situation inside Anfield have informed CaughtOffside that Liverpool have as many as six main names on their list of targets for defence, midfield, and attack, with the latter being something they could be tempted to look at closely this January due to the absence of Mohamed Salah, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt."
Bakayoko looks like a player of immense potential, being hailed as a "superb" footballer by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and enjoying a wonderful season for PSV to date, chipping in with 11 goal contributions (three goals and eight assists) in 16 Eredivisie appearances.
Appearances
16
Starts
14
Goals
3
Assists
8
Dribbles per game
3.3
Key passes per game
2.7
Still only 20 years of age, Bakayoko has Salah's ability to cut inside onto his left foot from a right-sided attacking role, and he is already producing such impressive levels of end product, despite his tender years. While the Belgian likely wouldn't be able to come straight in and hit the heights of the Liverpool legend from the off, he could be an eye-catching long-term addition at Anfield, with his potential clearly through the roof.
Bakayoko could even be a great signing even if Salah stays this summer, arriving as a squad player, before eventually usurping the Egypt legend when he does finally drift past his peak.
Brentford and Crystal Palace meet on the weekend in the Premier League but this is not a fixture which has much of a recent history behind it. But Football FanCast has everything you need to know ahead of their meeting on Saturday.
Two game weeks are now behind us in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign and both sides have made respectable starts to their seasons, however, the game on the weekend will offer both teams a big opportunity to earn what would be an impressive three points.
Although the Bees come into the game on Saturday with a slight advantage in the table, Roy Hodgson's Eagles will be looking to bounce back after their narrow defeat against last season's runners-up.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: After previous matches, what's their head-to-head record?
Vitaly Janet scores an equaliser for Brentford against Crystal Palace.
Although the two London clubs have met over their histories across the South Divisions, it is not a matchup which has provided much recent history.
Indeed, prior to Brentford's promotion to the English top flight back in 2021, the last meeting between these two sides came all the way back in 1977 when they faced off in the League Cup.
Their first meeting came well over 100 years ago when they met in the FA Cup in 1907, however, since then, there have only been 42 games across all competitions which has seen the Eagles narrowly edge the number of victories.
Brentford wins: 14 Draws: 2 Crystal Palace wins: 17 Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What's their record at Brentford?
Out of the 42 meetings between these two sides over the years, exactly half of them have come at the home of the Bees. And the west London side hold a seriously impressive record at home against the Eagles.
Although a lot of these meetings have come between 50-100 years ago, Brentford have recorded more than double the number of victories against Palace as they have recorded defeats.
Recent results may not provide fans of much hope about seeing a home win on the weekend, but they do show just how solid the Bees have been on home soil since moving into their new stadium.
Out of their 19 games at home last season, Brentford were able to take an impressive 37 points away from those games.The Bees were able to record 10 wins and seven draws but the most impressive stat coming in the way of just two defeats.
And this season has seen the Bees make an equally strong start at home with a resilient 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur who have been receiving rave reports from some in the media under their new boss Ange Postecoglou.
Brentford wins: 11 Draws: 6 Crystal Palace wins: 4 Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What's their Premier League record?
Ivan-Toney-Brentford
Given the Bees were only promoted to the Premier League back in 2021, meetings between these two sides in England's top flight are few and far between.
On just four occasions have these sides met in the Premier League and every single meeting has ended as a draw with just four goals having been scored between them.
Their two games in Brentford's first campaign in the Premier League, both of the games in west and south London ended goalless with 180 minutes of football unable to separate the sides.
Although there were only two positions in the league separating these two sides at the end of last season, there was a whopping 14 point difference between ninth placed Brentford and 11th placed Palace.
Both sides have opened the season with a win from their opening two games, however, it is the Bees who have the slight advantage having also recorded a draw.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What is the Brentford's biggest win between these sides?
Recent results between these two teams has provided a lot to be desired for the neutral, however, over the years there have been some thrilling meetings.
One of Brentford's biggest ever wins came in this fixture when the Bees ran out as 8-2 victors over the Eagles when they met back in 1930 in the South Division Three.
It turned out to be a real Christmas Day treat for the Brentford fans but what was to follow on Boxing Day proved to be a bruising affair…
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What is the Crystal Palace's biggest win between these sides?
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson with EberechiEzeafter the match
On the following day, the Eagles were able to seek some form of revenge when they hosted Brentford and were able to beat the west London side 5-1 at their south London home.
In the meeting prior to Brentford's 2021 promotion to the Premier League – which came in 1977 – Palace also ran out 5-1 victors when the two sides met in the League Cup.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What happened in last season's fixtures?
Crystal Palace'sWilfriedZaha
Meetings in the Premier League are few and far between when it comes to these two sides and the four meetings since Brentford's 2021 promotion have not exactly been classics.
However, last season's meetings did provide slightly more entertainment than their two clashes in the 2021/22 campaign.
Once again, 180 minutes of football were unable to separate the sides with both games ending as draws, but at least there were some goals for the fans to celebrate as both games ended 1-1.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What is Yoane Wissa's record?
Yoane Wissa scores late on for Brentford vs Crystal Palace.
Given there has been so few goals between these sides in recent years, there is no player, in particular, which holds a strong record in this fixture. But Yoane Wissa did find the back of the net in their meeting at Selhurst Park in August 2022.
Amid the absence of Ivan Toney, the 26-year-old's role in Thomas Frank's attack will be put under further importance for the foreseeable future and he has certainly responded well with a goal in each of their opening two Premier League games.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What is Eberechi Eze's record?
Only two Palace players have scored against the Bees in the Premier League and one of those is the recently departed Wilfried Zaha. The only other player to have found the back of the net for the Eagles in this fixture is Eberechi Eze.
The 25-year-old is yet to get off the mark for the Eagles this season, however, the departure of Zaha will put more emphasis on the need for Hodgson's young guns to step up in front of goal.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: What are the recent results?
Wilfried Zaha scores for Crystal Palace against Brentford.
Last season saw Palace host the first meeting between these two sides which, ironically, also came in the latter stages of August. As previously mentioned, 90 minutes at Selhurst Park was not enough to separate these two sides.
Palace looked to have sealed the points in south London with Zaha's goal in the second half looking enough to beat the Bees, however, Wissa was able to rescue a point for the travelling side with an 88th-minute goal to send the visiting fans into raptures.
The two sides then met back in April when it was Brentford's turn to host the fixture which once again ended in a 1-1 draw.
In a fixture which has proved so hard to separate these sides, this meeting panned out in an almost identical fashion to the previous meeting in south London. Palace were handed the lead through Eze in the second half but Vitaly Janet secured a point for the hosts in the dying minutes of the game.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace: When is it?
Frank's men will host the Eagles on Saturday at 3pm (BST) in west London. Recent history would suggest this is not a fixture which will provide fans with a thrilling encounter, however, both sides will be looking to get one over on a fellow London side.
The Bees will go into the game with a big opportunity to continue what has been an impressive start to the new campaign which has them sitting inside the top four. However, they will be coming up against a well organised Palace side under Hodgson.
Since the return of the 76-year-old manager, Palace have looked rejuvenated and have only lost three of the 12 games under the Englishman's latest rein.
Although Palace were unable to pick up any points on Monday night, they were able to hold their own against one of the favourites to get their hands on the title this season. But there is no room for moral victories in the Premier League and Hodgson will be hoping for an instant reply from his side.
Question marks will have been asked of Brentford having lost their star striker, Toney, to a long-term ban, however, Frank's side look just as impressive in the early stages of this season and five goals from their opening two games would suggest they will not have any issues in front of goal as they await the return of their England international.
Chelsea are considering a move to sign Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Previous uncertainty
The Athletic held a recent interview with the 28-year-old who admitted that he came close to leaving Craven Cottage at the end of his side’s last season in the Premier League.
The Serbian, however, decided to stay put and isn’t out of contract until 2026 having since penned a new deal, but being Marco Silva’s top-performing player, appears to have caught the eye.
The Latest: Chelsea monitoring Mitrovic
According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Chelsea are ‘considering a move’ for Mitrovic ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Todd Boehly and Graham Potter are ‘targeting’ the forward, who they view as a ‘back-up option’ should they fail to land Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.
Fulham succeeding or failing in their hunt for European qualification is set to be a ‘big factor’ when it comes to his decision to stay or leave at the end of the term.
The Verdict: Get it done…
Mitrovic has been dubbed a ‘relentless’ striker by his former manager Scott Parker and Chelsea should act fast to get this deal over the line this summer.
The Nike-sponsored star has posted 13 goal contributions (11 goals and two assists) in 19 league appearances this season, ranking in the 95th percentile for most shots per 90 minutes.
The 6 foot 2 colossus is also as much a threat off the ground as he is on it, currently averaging 4.4 aerial wins per top-flight outing.
Mitrovic is a proven goalscorer and target man at Fulham and he would be the perfect attacking reinforcement to put pen to paper at Stamford Bridge.
Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly be set to rekindle their interest in Galatasaray star, Nicolo Zaniolo, having been heavily linked with a move for the promising playmaker in the recent past.
What's the latest on Zaniolo to Tottenham?
According to journalist Nevzat Dindar – via Turkish outlet Milliyet – the Lilywhites are seemingly the frontrunners in the race to sign the 23-year-old this summer, having suggested a fee in the region of €35m (£30m) for the signing of the Italy international.
Speaking about the midfielder's future, Dindar revealed: “Zaniolo is evolving into a world star. English club are asking €30-35m for Zaniolo. Galatasaray are not taking Juventus’ offers seriously at this point. Tottenham are the closest club to sign Zaniolo.”
This follows reports from back in January which claimed that the north Londoners were in talks to prise the 6 foot 3 ace from Serie A giants, AS Roma, with speculation having also been rife last summer that former Spurs boss Antonio Conte was keen to bring his compatriot to N17.
Would Zaniolo be a good signing for Tottenham?
Previously described as a "frightening talent" by CBS reporter, Ben Jacobs, Zaniolo has thrived since making the move to Istanbul during the winter window, having scored five goals and laid on one assist in just 11 games for the Super Lig side in all competitions in the second half of last season.
Prior to that, the versatile asset – who can feature in an advanced midfield role or on the flanks – had chipped in with 42 goal contributions in 128 outings during his time at the Stadio Olimpico, despite having been cruelly plagued by injury in recent years.
While there had been claims that Conte was looking to bring the 13-cap gem in as a possible wing-back option last year, Zaniolo would likely take on a different role in Ange Postecoglou's preferred 4-3-3 formation, with there a potential for him to line up in one of those two attacking midfield berths.
Leicester City's James Maddison
If Postecoglou is able to get the one-time Inter Milan asset in the door, he could well partner the Italian in the centre of the park with another exciting talent in the form of James Maddison, with Tottenham said to now be leading the race for the Leicester City man's signature ahead of Newcastle United.
That left-foot, right-foot combination could well work a treat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season, with Zaniolo able to offer a real goal threat in that central role – as his form in Istanbul of late would indicate – while Maddison can be the man to supply the goods as a creative force, having ranked tenth in the Premier League in 2022/23 for chances created (69).
Having a figure such as the Englishman in the side does appear something of a necessity as Spurs have seemingly "still not replaced [Christian] Eriksen" according to BBC Radio London's Phil Parry, while Zaniolo's desire to get forward can also put him ahead of the club's current options, with Rodrigo Bentacur leading the way among his midfield colleagues with just six goals across all fronts last season.
Therefore, the addition of both Maddison and the Galatasaray whiz could be a dream partnership in the making for Postecoglou and co.
Everton have now joined the race to sign Manchester United's Harry Maguire, with Sean Dyche believed to be a huge admirer of the defender, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk.
What's the latest Everton transfer news?
The Toffees' main priority this summer is seemingly bringing in new attacking options, and the deal for Youssef Chermiti is now entering the latter stages, with the Sporting CP striker due to have his medical tests in England after agreeing personal terms.
Swansea City striker Joel Piroe has also been of interest to Dyche, however journalist Ben Jacobs believes it is "not going to be an easy to deal to pull off", due to the Welsh club's asking price of at least £15m.
Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…
While Everton have mainly been linked with new forwards, it is clear that Dyche is also keen to bring in reinforcements in defence, with Red Bull Salzburg youngster Oumar Solet recently emerging as a potential option.
The Frenchman is open to a move to the Premier League this summer, and there are a number of clubs vying for his signature, including Everton and Newcastle United.
Solet is an unproven quantity in a major European league, but Dyche has now set his sights on a player with a great deal of Premier League experience, with Everton joining the race for Maguire.
Dyche is a huge admirer of the 30-year-old, whose future is in doubt at Old Trafford after recently being stripped of the captaincy, with Erik ten Hag now willing to sell him.
There is likely to be stiff competition for the Englishman, as West Ham United have made their interest clear, recently having a £20m bid knocked back by the Red Devils.
The Everton boss is willing to let some players leave to fund a move for the centre-back, however he will not come cheap, with it being reported that United are set to hold out for a fee of £40m.
Is Harry Maguire signing for Everton?
It is no secret the Toffees have an "extremely limited" budget to work with this summer, meaning it may be difficult to win the race for the Man United centre-back, and a move to the London Stadium may be a more attractive proposition for the player himself.
West Ham have Europa League football on offer next season, while Everton only just managed to avoid the drop last term, so it would not be a surprise if he wants to work under David Moyes.
Transfer insider Dean Jones has made it clear that Maguire won't be a United player by the beginning of September at the latest, but it is difficult to envisage Everton forking out £40m, considering their only signings so far this summer have been free transfers or loans.
If Dyche does manage to lure the England international to Goodison Park, he could be a top-quality addition to the squad, having been hailed as "fantastic" by former teammate David de Gea.
Over the past year, the Sheffield-born defender ranks in the 89th percentile for blocks per 90, and the 88th percentile for aerials won, showcasing his stellar defensive ability, however we do not think he is likely to move to Everton.