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Manchester United are considering signing Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who shares a similar profile to that of current club target Andre Onana, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Zion Suzuki?

Suzuki is a 20-year-old shot-stopper who currently plays for Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in the J-League.

The United States-born player has been with the club for the duration of his senior career to date and has made 28 appearances for the first-team squad since his debut in March 2021. However, he has struggled for game time in the current term compared to previous seasons, managing just five appearances in the J-League Cup and zero appearances in the league so far this campaign.

When Suzuki broke into the first team, he had a bright start between the sticks, keeping three clean sheets in his first three league games for the club.

The keeper is also a capped international for Japan, making his national team bow in a 6-0 win against Hong Kong in 2022.

Despite not making as many appearances this season compared to the previous one, Suzuki is thought of very highly at his current club, with current coach Maciej Skorza telling reporters: "The Reds have four very interesting goalkeepers. Among them, Shusaku [Nishikawa] and Zion [Suzuki] are of a very high level, I think Zion is taller than Shusaku, and I think he’s a young player with a lot of future potential."

Reports state that he first caught the Red Devils' eye during the U17 World Cup back in 2017, with the club now prepared to make an offer to bring in the Japanese shot-stopper after "witnessing his growth against the Dutch national team" where he had a strong performance.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that United do have an interest in bringing the 20-year-old to Old Trafford this summer, with him having a profile that the club desire.

“They are also considering Suzuki. This goalkeeper, who plays for Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan, born in 2002, a Japanese goalkeeper. Suzuki is a concrete possibility for Manchester United. They have him on the radar; he could become the new second [choice] goalkeeper. He has a really similar profile to Andre Onana, this kind of goalkeeper, and this is why Suzuki is a possibility.”

Why are Manchester United interested in Zion Suzuki?

The Red Devils are set to undergo their biggest overhaul in the goalkeeping department since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson this summer.

David de Gea recently announced that his 12-year stay at the club is over following a breakdown in contract talks, whilst youth product Dean Henderson is also rumoured to depart this summer, with a return to Nottingham Forest – where he spent last season on loan – the most likely outcome at this point.

In response, United are closing in on an agreement with Inter for the transfer of Cameroonian Onana. The 27-year-old previously worked with current Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag at Ajax and had a stellar season last year as Inter won two trophies and made the Champions League final for the first time in over a decade.

The club would need an able backup for the former Ajax man, with the current option being Tom Heaton, and that's where Suzuki steps in. The Japanese player has drawn comparisons to Onana due to their similar playstyles and how both of them are incredibly comfortable playing out with their feet.

Bringing in Suzuki could be a fantastic call by the club and would set the precedent for what attributes are required by a United shot-stopper for years to come. It would also be beneficial for the players in the squad as they would not have to change how they play if Suzuki had to step in for a couple of games, allowing Ten Hag's side to take the next step forward in their evolution.

Arnaut Danjuma is hoping for a move back to the Premier League this summer, with Crystal Palace among his potential suitors, according to Jack Rosser of The Sun.

The London club will need to find a way to replace the impact of Michael Olise after the winger suffered an injury blow that will see him miss the start of the Premier League season.

Crystal Palace transfer news – will they sign Arnaut Danjuma?

With Danjuma keen on a move back to the Premier League, a move to Crystal Palace could be on the cards this summer.

The Villarreal winger spent the second half of last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, but struggled to ever really gain an influential role in a struggling side, playing just 162 minutes in the league – the equivalent of just under two games.

As per Rosser, Villarreal want £25m for Danjuma this summer, but are open to another loan move in which could be positive news for Palace.

Would Arnaut Danjuma replicate Olise's quality?

Without Olise, Palace are undoubtedly a worse side. Last season, the Frenchman was involved in 13 goals for the London side, with 11 assists to his name.

Replacing that quality will be no easy task at the start of the season, but Palace will be left with no choice after his recent injury. And that's where Danjuma could come in.

Although he struggled to make the desired impact at Spurs, the 26-year-old has previously shone in England for Bournemouth, where he scored 15 times in the Championship, earning a move to Villarreal.

It was his debut season in Spain when Danjuma really burst into life, scoring 16 goals in all competitions, including six in the Champions League as the Yellow Submarine reached the semi-final stage.

So, the quality is certainly there, it's just about unlocking it. It could be said that around more unorthodox players such as Eberechi Eze, the winger could rediscover his best form.

When compared, both Danjuma and Olise are glaringly similar at their best when it comes to output. The reported Palace target completed more take-ons per 90 at his best for Villarreal in his debut season, whilst also enjoying a better take-on success percentage.

So, the ability to take players out of games in one-on-one situations that Roy Hodgson would lose without Olise can be gained by bringing Danjuma to Selhurst Park this summer.

In the Netherlands winger, you wouldn't be getting a player who assists as often as his French counterpart, but you would be getting a more natural goalscorer. And, given that Palace's top scorer last season was Eze with ten goals, another player who knows where the back of the net is wouldn't go amiss.

Speaking on Danjuma's quality, Kevin Phillips told Football Insider back in 2022: "On his day he is a nightmare for defenders. He can create and score goals. He can hurt any defence with his pace and directness.

“I know it was in the Championship but he’s proved he can perform in this country. I think he’d be available for reasonable money as well. I don’t think he’d cost the world.

“He is a player who can hurt any defence on his day. He’s shown that countless times. Players like him are a rarity in this day and age.”

With that said, it is clear that, if Palace do sign Danjuma, they'd be getting themselves a solution to their enforced Olise absence.

Glasgow Rangers have had to resort to finding some bargains from south of the border over the last few years in order to limit lavish spending, and there have been a few gems unearthed by Steven Gerrard and Michael Beale.

In January, Todd Cantwell was signed for just £1.5m having struggled at Norwich City during the early stages of last season, yet he sparked into life upon joining the Ibrox side, registering 11 goal contributions in just 20 matches.

His rise to prominence in the SPFL is reminiscent of Calvin Bassey, who arrived in Glasgow for a compensation fee of just £230k in 2020, and having amassed 65 appearances in his two seasons at the club, he was sold for a remarkable £23m to Ajax last summer, turning out to be an excellent signing in terms of profitability.

Could Beale perhaps repeat that masterclass by making a move for Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell during the summer transfer window?

According to Football League World, the Gers recently had a bid rejected for Cresswell, yet this shouldn’t stop Beale from pursuing the youngster.

Could Rangers sign Charlie Cresswell?

The Ibrox side have a plethora of central defensive options, with Connor Goldson, John Souttar, Ben Davies and Leon King in the first-team squad, although there has been some interest shown in Davies from the English Championship, and if he did move on, Beale will require another defender in his squad.

Cresswell could certainly follow in Bassey’s footsteps should he make the move to the Premiership, as he has the ability to shine in Scotland and potentially secure the Light Blues a decent profit should he depart after a few years.

The 20-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign at Millwall during 2022/23 while on loan from Leeds, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.13/10 for his 28 appearances while adding four goals, suggesting he could be a goal threat.

Across the whole season, he ranked second in the Millwall side for overall rating, accurate passes per game (28.1) and clearances per game (3.1), while also finishing in the top three for interceptions per game (1.3), implying that he could have the maturity to shine in the senior ranks at such a young age – and by moving to a club like Rangers, not only will he challenge for honours, but he may also have the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

The £2k-per-week starlet was lauded as a player who has “amazing attributes” by Gary Rowett, and with Bassey making the move from Leicester City to Rangers and grabbing his opportunity with both hands, Cresswell could soon represent another stroke of genius by the Ibrox side.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Heung-min Son will “want to help Tottenham bounce back” in the Premier League next season, believes transfer insider Dean Jones.

The winger has recently been linked with a move to the free-spending Saudi Pro League, but Jones gets the impression that he will want to remain in North London and help the club rediscover its form next year.

What is going on with Heung-min Son at Tottenham?

Reports from journalist Ben Jacobs revealed last week that the South Korean international is a transfer target for the Middle Eastern league and “legwork” is “already underway” on a potential deal.

The “world-class” winger, as described by former manager Antonio Conte, has struggled to find form this season, scoring just 10 goals in the league.

However, with just two years left on his current deal, any move away from N17 won’t be cheap, with Transfermarkt valuing the 6 foot forward at €60m (£51m).

Despite the clear connection between the Chuncheon-born player and Spurs faithful, a bumper pay packet could tempt him away from European football, especially since he will be turning 31 this year, and retirement could be on his mind.

With his current wages estimated to be £192k-per-week, the example of Karim Benzema earning a massive £200m a season might be just too alluring.

What did transfer insider Dean Jones say about the stories linking Heung-min Son with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur?

Jones gets the impression that despite the links away from the club, especially the ones to recent headline makers, the Saudi Pro League, Son will want to remain with the Lilywhites for at least another year.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: “I’d be surprised if he went there. He’s not the sort of player that’s just looking for a payday he’s been very committed to Tottenham.

“I think he’s going to continue to be important to them next season. I think he’ll want to help Tottenham bounce back from that disappointing season.”

Has Heung-min Son’s season really been as bad as everyone seems to think?

There is no denying that the South Korean’s season in the Premier League has been somewhat underwhelming compared to previous years.

However, you’d think from the way people talk about the player that he has been cataclysmically bad, which isn’t the case.

According to WhoScored, the former Leverkusen man has averaged a fairly respectable rating of 6.95 across his 33 games in the league.

His performances in Europe have also been fairly consistent, seeing him earn an average rating of 6.8 across eight games in the Champions League.

His underlying numbers were also better than expected.

According to FBref, who compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, Son was still within the top 16% for non-penalty expected goals per 90, despite his slender return in the league.

With all that considered, it might be fairer to view this season as simply a dip in form, one he should recover from.

Jarrod Bowen etched his name in West Ham United folklore when firing in the winning goal in last week's Europa Conference League final victory over Fiorentina.

That 90th-minute strike earned United a 2-1 win in Prague and ended the club's 43-year wait for a major trophy, while at the same time helping to cover the cracks of a poor Premier League campaign.

Bowen is not the only player West Ham have signed from a Championship club, having brought the forward in from Hull City for around £20m three-and-a-half years ago, and they may be about to repeat the trick.

According to the Daily Mail, the Hammers are in the running to sign Alex Scott from second-tier side Bristol City, though they face competition from Premier League rivals Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Is Alex Scott ready for the Premier League?

Scott is still aged just 19, yet he has already racked up 81 appearances for City in the Championship, almost half of those (40) coming in the 2022-23 season.

The ten yellow cards Scott collected in the league last season – the most of any City player – gives a rough indication of what the England U20 international is all about.

However, the Guernsey-born youngster – who can play as a holding midfielder, attacking midfielder and even out wide – particularly thrives in terms of beating his opponents and getting the ball forward.

Indeed, with 2.34 progressive carries per 90 minutes over the past year, Scott ranks in the top 22% of his positional peers, as per FBref. He is also in the top 17% when it comes to successful take-ons.

Scott's impressive midfield game at such a young age earned him the ultimate compliment earlier this year when Pep Guardiola described him as an "unbelievable player" following Manchester City's 3-0 win at Ashton Gate in the FA Cup fifth round.

The Robins' reported £25m valuation is said to be putting prospective buyers off making a move but, as was the case with Bowen, there is value to be had from signing players from the Championship.

Like Scott, Bowen had only been a Championship regular for two full seasons before being given a Premier League chance by West Ham.

As pointed out by transfer insider ExWHUEmployee on The West Ham Way podcast, the Hammers are "looking at players in the Championship" this summer with the belief that they will adapt to the Premier League quicker than a foreign import, such as big-money recruit Gianluca Scamacca last year.

Bowen is not West Ham's only success story when recruiting players from further down the ladder, with the likes of Michail Antonio, Flynn Downes and Aaron Cresswell all making an impact. Last season, those four players made a combined 120 appearances in the Premier League alone.

The lure of European football next season, plus a sizeable sum of up to £100m incoming for Declan Rice, means West Ham can lure a higher calibre of player to the London Stadium this summer.

But it may well be that a player such as Scott ticks all the boxes for David Moyes as he looks to repeat the success of previous windows.

It might not be as straightforward now in Manchester United's pursuit of Kim Min-jae, with Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg reporting that Bayern Munich have entered the race for the player.

Is Kim Min-jae joining Manchester United?

The defender has really burst onto the scene this season thanks to an incredible year in Italy with Napoli that has seen the club claim the Serie A title. The 26-year-old played a key part in that success, featuring on 35 occasions in the league for the side and even bagging two goals and two assists along the way. It marks his first season in the country but he already looks right at home in the centre of that Napoli defence.

In addition, he's proven himself as having a superb ability to take the ball with his feet and to play out from the back with ease. With a 90.2% pass completion rate, he ranks amongst the top 10% of players in his position amongst the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues for example. It shows that not only is he a standout talent in his domestic league but is one of the best at doing so in Europe.

It's led to big interest in his services from Man United in the Premier League, who have been keen to get a deal done. It had looked like a move was all but completed too, with a report suggesting that he would link-up with Erik Ten Hag's side on July 1, with the Red Devils agreeing to pay his 60 million Euro (£51m) release clause and already agreeing personal terms.

However, according to a report from Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, there is now competition for his signature. Bayern Munich are keeping tabs on the situation and could launch their own bid for the centre-back. The German giants are seemingly "aware" of United's eagerness to snap up Kim and the Red Devils are now "pushing" to get a deal over the line with this new twist in the race to sign the player.

How many games has Kim Min-jae played?

The Napoli man is an experienced head already, despite being only 26. As well as his 35 league showings for Napoli this campaign, he also featured heavily for Fenerbache in Turkey, playing 31 times for the title-chasing club. Prior to that, he also had three seaons with Beijing Guoan and two with Jeonbuk. It means that he has now accumulated 157 league games worth of action in his career already.

That has led to him becoming the player he is today, with the defender now earning the nickname of "monster" because of his performances. If United can get a deal done then, they would be getting a player who certainly appears capable of slotting straight into their backline.

Aston Villa have their eyes on a Premier League ace ahead of the transfer window, as Unai Emery prepares for his first summer in charge of the club.

The Spaniard is reported to have a monster £150m budget to spend, as the Villans aim to equip their side with star quality as their first European involvement since 2010 comes next season.

In their latest linked player, Villa could sign one of the world’s most talented youngsters, who could be a perfect fit in Emery’s plans.

What’s the latest on Joao Felix to Aston Villa?

As reported by Mundo Deportivo last week, Villa have emerged as one of the ‘options’ for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.

The claims have been supported by Football Insider, who yesterday revealed that a move for the Chelsea loanee ‘cannot be ruled out’ ahead of the window, with the player having already been offered to the Villans.

Transfer expert Pete O’Rourke added that the Midlands side are ‘ambitious’ and aim to bring in attacking reinforcements this summer.

What could Joao Felix bring to Aston Villa?

Lauded as being an “excellent player” by international teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner even tipped the starlet to ‘repeat’ his successes in Spain during an interview in 2019.

There’s no denying the talents that Felix has, despite a slightly underwhelming loan spell at Chelsea ending with him scoring four goals in 16 Premier League appearances – via Sofascore.

At just 23, the youngster has already established himself as one of Europe’s most encouraging talents, as supported by his 107 goal contributions in a total of 238 recorded career appearances – as per Transfermarkt.

The youngster could find comfort playing under Emery, who could unleash the Portuguese gem’s full potential which would be a positive action for Villa and specifically, Ollie Watkins.

Playing predominantly as a centre-forward, Felix has become accustomed to playing with a strike partner in Madrid, recording stellar performances in Diego Simeone’s inspired 3-5-2 formation.

During his time in Spain, the £195k-per-week ace registered 52 goal contributions in 131 games, showing the threat he could add to Villa’s attack if paired with Emery’s 15-goal forward.

Hailed as “special” by former strike partner Alvaro Morata, the Spaniard praised the former Benfica star’s ability to provide a ‘great’ range of passing that allowed him to run into space.

Emery has unleashed a strength in positional play in Watkins, that could serve the Spaniard well if he can pair him with the expertise of Felix.

In a piece analysing the Englishman’s performance against Newcastle United this season, Medium journalist Sam Stobbart claimed that the 27-year-old ‘can’t be stopped’ when he makes a run to capitalise on a ball from an advanced position.

Such exploits have been displayed by Felix, who could be Watkins’ perfect strike partner, something that's rubber-stamped by his average of 4.12 progressive passes per 90, ranking him in the top 5% of forwards in Europe in this area – as per FBref.

Emery could create a special duo to grace Villa Park if he can pull the superstar signing off, and with his stance on wanting to “add another striker” clear, the prospect is one fans can get very excited about.

Manchester United are willing to pay Villarreal €50m (£42.8m) to sign centre-back Pau Torres, according to Marca.

The Lowdown: Torres linked with United

The Red Devils were name-checked with an interest in Torres by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano towards the end of April, who stated that the Red Devils and their crosstown rivals Manchester City were ‘interested’ in the 25-year-old, who has a release clause of €55m-€60m (£47.1m-£51.4m).

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Erik ten Hag is seemingly keen to bolster his defensive ranks, with Ajax’s Jurrien Timber also of interest at Old Trafford.

The Latest: Torres transfer update

Marca shared an update regarding Torres and United on Monday afternoon. They claimed that the Red Devils, who remain owned by the Glazers, are willing to pay Villarreal €50m (£42.8m) for the Spain international.

The report adds that Ten Hag wants a ball-playing centre-back, with Torres fitting perfectly into his plans.

The Verdict: Smart move?

It appears as if United are looking at lowering the cost of a possible deal and are willing to knock off €5m to €10m (£4.3m-£8.6m) of the defender’s release clause. However, you’d like to think that if push came to shove, the club would be willing to activate Torres’ release clause.

The Spain international, who was hailed as ‘sensational’ by his national team boss Luis Enrique, appears to be entering the prime years of his career, with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation.

He now has experience of playing in the Champions League and for his country on a regular basis, and given that he is also wanted by Pep Guardiola, Ten Hag could strike an early blow to United’s closest rivals shortly after arriving in England.

In other news: Man Utd and Ten Hag launch ‘important offer’ to sign ‘the future’ of football along with De Jong. 

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Konrad Laimer.

What’s the word?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist and transfer insider revealed that Bayern Munich are preparing an opening offer of around €20m (£17m) for the RB Leipzig midfielder, with Julian Nagelsmann believed to be a big fan of the 24-year-old.

However, Romano goes on to state that a number of Premier League sides – one of whom is reported to be Antonio Conte’s Tottenham – are also interested in a move for the Austria international this summer.

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In his tweet, the journalist said: “FC Bayern are preparing an opening bid [of] around €18/20m to begin talks with RB Leipzig for Konrad Laimer – it won’t be easy but Bayern want him. Julian Nagelsmann is pushing to sign Laimer – as Premier League top clubs are interested too. He’s out of contract in 2023.”

Paratici must move

Considering just how well suited Laimer appears to be for Conte’s tactical setup in north London, in addition to the fact that it appears as if the midfielder will be available for an extremely reasonable fee this summer, it would seem a very wise move for Paratici to launch a bid of his own for the RB Leipzig dynamo at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, according to FBref statistics, the £23.4m-rated Austrian ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for pressures per 90 minutes, as well as the top 19% for tackles, the top 13% for progressive carries, the top 17% for blocks and the top 14% for dribbles completed over the last 365 days.

The £49k-per-week talent also impresses in attacking metrics, with FBref ranking the 24-year-old in the top 10% of midfielders for non-penalty goals per 90 minutes, in addition to the top 4% of non-penalty xG, the top 13% for shots, the top 4% for assists, the top 13% for xA and the top 5% for non-penalty xG+xA throughout the last year.

As a result of these returns, FBref compare Laimer to the likes of Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, Liverpool’s Naby Keita, Barcelona duo Pedri and Gavi and Atalanta’s Teun Koopmeiners, demonstrating the calibre of player the RB Leipzig sensation is in and amongst.

As such, should the player dubbed an “elite presser” indeed be available for as little as £17m this summer, Paratici simply must throw Tottenham’s hat in the ring, as it is abundantly clear that Laimer signing that Conte would love to welcome to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the club’s 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news: Spurs now set to seal “unbelievable” first summer signing, it’s a Paratici masterclass

As per Tim Spiers’ latest report for The Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers had an opportunity to move for former Lyon and now Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

24-year-old Guimaraes had attracted the attention of Europe’s finest outfits after another impressive campaign with Lyon in Ligue 1.

The notable sides who were interested in signing the Lyon star were Arsenal and Newcastle, with the latter signing him for £33.3m plus £6.5m in add-ons.

Spiers states in his report that Wolves “courted” the Brazilian star, before he completed his move to St James’ Park.

“The Best”

Newcastle United’s signing of the 24-year-old has turned out to be nothing short of astute, nor mesmeric.

Despite arriving as one of the most prominent central defensive midfielders around, Howe has been blown away by his technical ability and wants the Brazilian on the ball as much as possible.

As such, he has primarily functioned as a central midfielder for Newcastle United this season – a position that Wolves desperately need with the reported potential outgoings of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker.

Bruno Lage will surely regret not moving for the No.39 wearing midfielder after he watched him run the show when the two sides met in Wolves’ 1-0 defeat to Howe’s side in early April, completing 86% of his passes, 100% of his dribbles and winning a whopping 12 duels.

Guimaraes, who has been described as “the best” by journalist Charlie Bennett and as “out of this world” by Tom Barclay, has discovered his goalscoring touch in England, having scored three times in his last four Premier League games for the Magpies.

Almost all of Guimaraes’ metrics are in and around the 90th percentile on FBref, with his match average of 6.26 progressive passes, and 3.23 shot-creating actions per 90 a stand out compared to the likes of Dendoncker who registers an average of 1.99 progressive passes per 90, with a match average of 1.50 shot-creating actions.

Howe is right in letting him flourish as a central midfielder, as his attributes are so outstanding that it would be a waste to restrict him to defensive duties. On the other hand, Lage and Wolves were wrong in not actioning this deal if, as reported, they had the option to sign him.

The latest report from Spiers will come as a dagger in the hearts of a passionate fanbase who would have adored the Brazilian sensation.

Wolves have had a nightmare with this deal.

In other news: Lage must unleash “unplayable” £25.2m-rated Wolves reject, he’s better than Trincao