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Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur would be getting a ‘bargain’ if they managed to pull off the double permanent signings of both Dejan Kulusevski and Cristian Romero during the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: New arrivals

Romero was the first of the duo to make the switch to the Premier League when he signed on a season-long loan from Atalanta last summer, with the option to make the deal permanent available for a fee believed to be £42.5m.

Kulusevski later followed in his footsteps, joining from Juventus in January on an initial 18-month loan, with the obligation to buy being completed based upon if the club are satisfied with his level of performance.

According to a new update from Fabrizio Romano earlier this week, the Lilywhites look set to make both players’ deals permanent at the end of the season for a combined fee of approximately £68m.

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The Latest: Absolute bargain for Spurs

When asked for his thoughts on Romano’s news of the pair putting pen to paper and remaining in north London, Campbell told Football Insider: “That’s a bargain.

“It is good business because they have tried before they buy.

“Both players have made a real difference to Spurs. They’re both at a good age as well. You’d expect them to get better.

“Listen, it will be interesting to see them sign and see how they go next season.”

The Verdict: Stars of the future

Both players have become a regular feature in Antonio Conte’s starting XI since making the move to N17 and have made a huge positive impact on the team’s displays.

Romero has made 22 league appearances and recorded five clean sheets during that time, as per the Premier League’s official website.

Kulusevski is someone who has been more influential at the opposite end of the pitch, however, having provided eight assists and scoring three goals in the top-flight so far this campaign, via Transfermarkt.

As Conte starts assembling his squad ahead of the new season, it sounds as though the boss has been very happy with what he’s seen from his duo, and once they do become a permanent fixture in the capital, they will no doubt both go on to enjoy plenty of success with Spurs in years to come.

In other news… Conte has reportedly made a behind-the-scenes exit decision.

Liverpool are having a phenomenal season with the club still in contention for another two trophies after winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup already.

They are reportedly working on their summer transfer business already and now an update on a potential transfer target has emerged.

What’s the latest?

According to a report from Portuguese news outlet UOL (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are competing with Manchester United to sign Brazil and Ajax winger Antony this summer.

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The report suggests that the Merseyside club are in ‘dispute’ with their fierce North West rivals, as both clubs have made an approach to secure the signing of the player.

Liverpool and Manchester United will also reportedly compete with another Premier League club for the forward with Newcastle United mentioned in the report.

Klopp would love him

Despite the attacking prowess at Liverpool being a formidable force this season, there is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp would love Antony especially when you look at his output this season for Ajax.

The £50m ace who was dubbed “wonderful” and a “winner” by Dutch football scout Piet de Visser, has scored eight goals and registered four assists, creating seven big chances as well as making 1.7 key passes and taking 3.4 shots on goal on average per game in his 23 appearance in the Eredivisie this season.

Liverpool have a number of ageing forwards with Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane all entering their 30s this year, so injecting some more youth into the forward line with a player like Antony who is currently just 22-years-old and planning for the future could pay off massively for Klopp.

In terms of competing with Manchester United for the signing, despite the club recently hiring Antony’s former manager Erik ten Hag there is a lot of work to do and no Champions League football at Old Trafford next season, whereas Liverpool are competing consistently at the highest level and winning trophies.

Ultimately, if the reports are true and Liverpool are interested in signing the Brazilian then they should be able to make an attractive offer that should have enough to convince the youngster to join the club on Merseyside over a move to Manchester this summer.

AND in other news: Huge boost: James Pearce delivers four-word injury update that’ll delight supporters

Everton are keen on a move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, according to journalist Larry Henry Jr. 

The lowdown

The 24-year-old has now reached the end of his season-long loan at Scottish Premiership champions Celtic. The centre-back would like to remain at Parkhead and has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Hoops.

Celtic can activate an option to purchase the defender outright for £6m, potentially rising to £10m with add-ons. That could make it the most expensive transfer in the Glasgow club’s history, so you can understand why they might be hesitant to let him slip through the net.

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The latest

Henry Jr explained on Twitter that Everton ‘are in the race’ for Carter-Vickers, as are newly-promoted Fulham, as confirmed by ‘a source close to the player’.

If Celtic fail to reach an agreement with Spurs before 12 June, the duo could then look to pounce.

Carter-Vickers is joining up with the United States national team ahead of their friendlies against Morocco and Uruguay on 2 June and 5 June respectively.

The verdict

Defensive reinforcements are sorely needed at Goodison Park this summer. Everton conceded 66 league goals over the course of the season, and at one point, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher slammed their depleted back four as ‘Championship’ standard.

Injuries to Yerry Mina (who missed 25 games) and Ben Godfrey (sidelined for 14) certainly didn’t help matters, but they can’t bank on those players being fit and healthy throughout next season.

Carter-Vickers, who has been described as ‘immense’ by pundit Chris Sutton, isn’t the only centre-half with whom they are currently linked – the Blues have reportedly offered James Tarkowski £120,000 per week to join as a free agent.

It’s good to see that Kevin Thelwell and co are quickly getting to work with a view to next season, with the American looking like a solid Plan B in case things don’t work out with Tarkowski.

In other news, Everton are also keen on signing this defender

Rangers are plotting a summer bid for an English defender as Giovanni van Bronckhorst looks set to bolster his squad at Ibrox.

What’s the news?

That’s according to TEAMtalk, who understands that the Light Blues are keen on a deal for Cameron Humphreys.

The 23-year-old is now a free agent following his decision to leave Belgian club Zulte Waregem, although the Gers could face a battle over his signature, with English Championship sides Sheffield United and Middlesborough, along with newly-promoted Bournemouth, all ready to make a move for the player.

Humphreys was at Premier League champions Manchester City as a youngster, making two appearances for the club in the FA Cup.

Humphreys in, Bassey out?

Van Bronckhorst has had a good start to life as Rangers manager, securing the club’s first Scottish Cup in 13 years last week and leading them into the Europa League final, their first on the continent since 2008.

He will be under no illusions that the squad needs strengthening over the summer, though, with a few first-team players uncertain of their futures.

Given Aston Villa’s strong interest in Calvin Bassey, Humphreys could be the ideal replacement for the 22-year-old, who may well be tempted by a move to the Premier League and a reunion with Steven Gerrard.

The English centre-back was previously described as a “leader” by his former coach Simon Davies, and at 23 years of age, there is plenty of time to continue his development at the Ibrox side.

Losing Bassey would be a big blow to Rangers, especially after his performances this season. The 22-year-old has slotted into the centre of defence to partner Connor Goldson with ease, whilst also deputising for Borna Barisic at left-back when required.

Although Humphreys is a right-footed centre back, this is an area in which the Gers need reinforcements, especially when the futures of Goldson and Leon Balogun at Ibrox are uncertain.

Humphreys would be a great signing, and he still has plenty of years left to get even better.

AND in other news, Huge transfer twist emerges on Rangers summer target, supporters will be gutted

Jurgen Klopp faces the almighty task of breaking up a frontline that has led Liverpool to glory over the previous four seasons and contributed a mind-blowing number of goals between them.

The supporters might be facing up the fact that it could be the end of the line, at least for Sadio Mane anyway, with Bayern Munich increasingly linked with the player and having a first offer rejected by Liverpool.

Klopp’s recruitment strategy is excellent, however, and the signings of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have been superb. The two have settled in with ease at Anfield.

There could be another Klopp masterclass this summer too, with the club linked with Leeds United player Raphinha recently, who could well become another key part of the squad.

Lining up a move for the Brazilian right-winger makes a lot of sense, he has scored 11 times this season, whilst providing three assists as Leeds narrowly escaped relegation.

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The move could cost Liverpool around £60m, but judging by his performances this season, it could be a wise move. Klopp reportedly wants him and they simply have to acquire his services.

He has been dubbed a “magician” by Daniel James and if Klopp wants to build a team that can compete once the likes of Salah and Mane are gone, he doesn’t have far to look.

The 25-year-old has made 3.67 shot-creating actions per match in the league this season whilst also adding in 90 crosses. These stats prove his attacking abilities are excellent, he does contribute well defensively too.

By completing 574 pressures and winning 25 tackles, the winger knows that tracking back and helping with the dirty work is the key to success and this is an attribute that Klopp will love.

A duo of Diaz on the left wing and Raphinha on the right is enough to make defenders have nightmares and would get Anfield rocking.

After all, the Colombian is a dazzling trickster of his own, registering 11 goal involvements in the 26 matches he’s played for the Reds.

Klopp can make it happen as it looks like an interesting summer awaits the German.

AND in other news, Forget Tchouameni: LFC eye a move for “outstanding” £60m ace, he’s “one of the best”

Crystal Palace are on the verge of singing England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

Set to become a free agent at the end of the month, Johnstone has previously attracted the attention of West Ham United, Newcastle United, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Palace recently emerged as the main protagonist for the 29-year-old’s signature as Patrick Vieira attempts to bolster the goalkeeping department at Selhurst Park.

Despite an apparent lull in the proceedings, it’s now been claimed that Johnstone remains on course to arrive in South East London in the near future…

The latest: Crook on Johnstone

Speaking live on talkSPORT during his transfer notebook segment, Crook suggested that the three-cap England man is set to become a Palace player when his contract expires at West Brom.

He said: “I was told a couple of weeks ago that Crystal Palace are very close to signing Sam Johnstone, I’ve got no reason to believe that is off course.

“I think if he went there he would go as number one as well.”

The verdict: Smart move

Snapping up a goalkeeper of Johnstone’s calibre to compete with and perhaps usurp 35-year-old Vicente Guaita would be a superb piece of business from the club.

Despite suffering relegation from the Premier League in 2020/21, the former Manchester United academy prospect caught the eye with some standout displays for West Brom, earning high praise from former Palace boss Sam Allardyce, who hailed the stopper as ‘one of the best’ following a 1-1 draw against Liverpool.

Johnstone continued to impress in the Championship last season, making on average 1.6 saves per game whilst keeping an impressive 15 clean sheets in what was a disappointing campaign overall for West Brom.

As a free transfer, this deal would make an abundance of sense for Palace, particularly as Jack Butland has been heavily linked with a move away this summer and as it would leave money in the coffers for Vieira to strengthen other necessary positions in the squad.

In other news, Palace are eyeing two Manchester United players.

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Merih Demiral in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Turkish journalist Osman Cengiz has claimed that the Magpies have tabled a £21m (€25m) offer for the centre-back as PIF aim to strike a deal for the Old Lady gem.

He Tweeted: “Merih Demiral #PremierLeague, whose contract continues with #Juventus and who completed last season on loan in #Atalanta, from their team, Newcastle United, has applied. #Newcastle sacrificed 25 million euros for Turkish defender Merih Demiral!”

Huge Fabian Schar upgrade

By landing the Juventus defender, the club would be bringing in a player who would be a huge upgrade on Schar at the back.

In the Nations League, the Swiss enforcer has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.1 for his country. He has also averaged a score of roughly 6.77 across the last two Premier League campaigns combined, which shows that he has been a solid – if not outstanding – performer for the club.

Demiral, meanwhile, has averaged a rating of 7.5 in the Nations League for Turkey, showing that he has caught the eye with his displays at international level whilst Schar has struggled in this break.

Domestically, the 24-year-old has averaged a rating of 6.91 or higher in each of his four seasons in the Serie A, playing for Sassuolo, Juventus and Atalanta.

Turkish-football.com founder Emre Sarigul previously lauded the machine, saying: “The Turkish international towers above most players, is physical, strong in the air and surprisingly technical with the ball for such a big man. He is a natural leader and cool under pressure.”

He has also been described as an “absolute beast” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and Sarigul’s comments and the defender’s statistics in the Italian top-flight back that up.

In the 2021/22 campaign, Demiral won an outstanding 69% of his aerial battles and has never won less than 67% over the course of a season – winning 80% in 2019/20. This shows that he is a physically dominant centre-back who is able to get the better of his opponent in the air the majority of the time.

Schar, meanwhile, lost 51% of his overall duels and only won 52% of his aerial battles in 2021/22 for Newcastle, which suggests that the Juventus man would be a major upgrade in terms of his ability to win headers.

The aforementioned ratings of the players in their respective leagues also suggests that Demiral would be the better option, whilst the Turkey international is also six years younger and has the potential to improve in the future – making him an excellent signing in the short and long-term.

AND in other news, NUFC can find their own Paqueta in deal for “glorious” £64m gem with “no weaknesses”…

Liverpool have already made two signings with Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho making the move to Merseyside, however, FSG are now reported to be already plotting their third.

What’s the latest?

According to one Spanish news outlet, Real Madrid want to compete with Liverpool for the signing of Jude Bellingham, with the Reds remaining interested in securing the Borussia Dortmund star’s signature.

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As per the report, Los Blancos are tabling an offer of €90m (£77.7m) this summer but the Anfield outfit are willing to pay €100m (£86.3m) whether that be during this transfer window or in 12 months’ time.

Klopp’s very own Stevie G

Liverpool are reportedly making the signing of a midfielder a priority as Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and James Milner are all in their 30s and Klopp could bring in his very own Steven Gerrard by signing Bellingham this summer.

In fact, Jamie O’Hara was even quoted comparing the young Bundesliga star to the former Liverpool captain, telling talkSPORT:

“He is the closest thing we have had since Steven Gerrard.”

The 18-year-old phenomenon who was hailed “powerful” by Roy Keane has been attracting attention to himself following his impressive performances for Borussia Dortmund, and this season again has proved he has the potential to be a valuable asset in Liverpool’s midfield three.

Bellingham has scored three goals, delivered eight assists and created ten big chances in his 32 Bundesliga appearances, making 1.3 key passes, 1.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions on average per game, winning the majority of his duels (51%) and completing the majority of his dribbles (57%).

With that being said, FSG must do everything they can to attract the youngster to Merseyside either this summer or the next to avoid losing out on another young talent after Aurelien Tchouameni made the move to Real Madrid despite reportedly agreeing personal terms with Liverpool.

At just 18 years old, the Reds could have a future leader on their hands if they can complete the signing to follow in the footsteps and reprise the role in the team that Henderson inherited in the centre of the pitch from Gerrard.

AND in other news: Bid made: FSG now in LFC talks to land “world class” £60m “storm”, imagine him & Nunez

An update has emerged regarding Sunderland’s interest in signing Ravel Morrison in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Black Cats are eyeing up a move for the 29-year-old as Kristjaan Speakman looks to improve the squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

The report claims that Preston North End and Huddersfield are prepared to challenge Alex Neil’s men for the midfielder’s signature.

His contract with League One side Derby County expires at the end of next week and he is set to leave Wayne Rooney’s team on a free transfer.

Alex Pritchard 2.0

By securing a deal to sign Morrison this summer, Speakman could land Neil another Alex Pritchard to select in Sunderland’s midfield next season.

The Black Cats snapped up the former Norwich player on a free transfer from Huddersfield last year and he enjoyed a sublime debut season in red and white.

In the 2021/22 League One campaign, Pritchard produced four goals and nine assists from attacking midfield, creating nine ‘big chances’ for his team-mates and making two key passes per match. He set up both goals in the 2-0 win in the play-off final at Wembley against Wycombe, teeing up Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart to fire their team back into the Championship.

Sunderland can now repeat that masterclass by striking a move for Morrison in a similar deal to the one which brought Pritchard to the Stadium of Light.

The Derby playmaker started 26 games in the Championship last term and was directly involved in eight goals, with four strikes and four assists.

Rio Ferdinand previously quoted Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder as saying: “Rav – unpredictable, maverick, humble, a natural, and frustrating.”

These quotes suggest that the 20-year-old will be an exciting player for the fans to watch, as he takes risks with the ball and can entertain the crowd with his unpredictability in possession.

The £4.7k-per-week maestro created six ‘big chances’ in total and made one key pass per match in the division above the one in which Pritchard was playing last season, showing that he has the ability to make things happen in the final third at that level.

Morrison is a proven Championship performer who could slot into Sunderland’s starting XI and have an immediate impact, much like the former Tottenham man did in League One in 2021/22.

It is now over to Speakman to convince the former Manchester United gem that a move to Wearside is the best next step for him ahead of the likes of Preston and Huddersfield.

AND in other news, Huge Sunderland behind-the-scenes development emerges, supporters will be buzzing…

Phil Hay has dropped an update on Leeds United’s reported interest in Charles De Ketelaere.

What’s the talk?

Speaking on a recent episode of The Phil Hay Show, the titular journalist revealed that, following recent reports linking the Whites with a move for the Club Brugge forward, Victor Orta is indeed keen on a deal to bring the 21-year-old to Elland Road this summer.

However, Hay went on to suggest that the Whites’ sporting director is only likely to move for the Belgium international in the event that Raphinha departs LS11 ahead of the new season. The Athletic journalist also confirmed that PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo is another player on the Spaniard’s shortlist of summer targets.

Regarding Leeds’ interest in De Ketelaere and Gakpo, Hay said: “Yes, the interest in those wingers is genuine, but it will be dictated by Raphinha going. They’re not going to go and sign Gakpo or De Ketelaere unless Raphinha leaves, that’s my reading of this situation.”

“Elite signing”

Should Raphinha go on to seal a move away from Elland Road this summer – which looks increasingly likely – it is not difficult to understand why Orta would be interested in lining up the versatile De Ketelaere as the Brazil international’s replacement.

Indeed, over his 39 Jupiler Pro League appearances last season, the £27m-rated talent was in breathtaking form for Brugge. He scored 14 goals, registered nine assists and created 16 big chances for his team-mates, along with taking two shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

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These returns saw the player who James Marshment dubbed an “elite signing” and “the heir to Kevin De Bruyne” average a spectacular SofaScore match rating of 7.25. That ranked him not only as Alfred Schreuder’s fourth-best performer in the league but also the 13th-best player in the entire division.

The £17k-per-week attacking midfielder – who can also operate in central midfield, on either wing and at centre-forward – also impressed over his six Champions League games in 2021/22, providing one assist and creating one big chance, in addition to taking 1.5 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing one dribble per match.

These returns saw the 21-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.98, an impressive feat considering that Brugge were in the competition’s group of death alongside Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig.

As such, should Orta go on to seal a €30m (£26m) deal for De Ketelaere this summer, the Spaniard could well have unearthed the next £76.5m-rated De Bruyne at Leeds. That is sure to be an incredibly exciting prospect for both Jesse Marsch and Whites supporters alike.

AND in other news: Orta now closing in on “exceptional” target as Leeds’ next signing, he has “no downside”