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Southampton target Giorgios Giakoumakis has revealed that he does not mind where he goes as long as his new team is attacking in its identity, with news on his future set to arrive soon.

The Lowdown: Saints eye Giakoumakis

The Saints have been linked with a move for the Greece striker (TEAMtalk), who currently plays for Dutch outfit VVV-Venlo.

So far, there has not been an official approach, but the 26-year-old has now provided an update on his future.

The Latest: Giakoumakis discusses future

Speaking to Dutch outlet De Gelderlander, Giakoumakis was discussing his next steps, saying:

“There will be news soon.

“I have proven that the Eredivisie suits me well. I would be happy if a good club from the Netherlands wanted me. But it’s not about the country or the club. It is especially important that the playing style suits me. Offensive. No, VVV was not an attacking team. But here I have taken a good step in my career.”

The Verdict: Saints must make move

As Southampton look for a new striker, Giakoumakis should be near the top of their list of targets. Last season, he scored a mammoth 29 goals in 33 matches in all competitions (Transfermarkt) as he finished as the Eredivisie’s top scorer despite VVV-Venlo’s relegation (topscorersfootball.com). Even in a struggling team, he has proven that he can be hugely prolific.

His comments about attacking football should provide a boost to Southampton. Last season, the Saints averaged 51.4% possession – only seven Premier League teams had more (WhoScored) – and Ralph Hasenhuttl has generally forged a reputation as a manager who likes his teams to be on the front foot.

It seems that Giakoumakis would enjoy his football under the Austrian if he were to make the move to St Mary’s, and if he even comes close to replicating his goal haul from 2020/21, Saints fans would certainly enjoy watching him.

In other news, Southampton are close to signing this Championship striker.

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa could sign a dream midfield partner for Kalvin Phillips in Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Whites boss is eyeing up a summer move for the Uruguay international, who he could be available for much lower than his release clause.

Connor Clancy, editor-in-chief at Forza Italian Football, has thrown his backing behind a potential move, saying in an exclusive interview with This Is Futbol: “Anywhere Bielsa wants to play him, he’d do a job. I like him a lot.

“I think he’s only about five foot seven, but you wouldn’t know it if you just watched clips of him, he is a little bit of a machine. He’s so powerful but at the same time, has really, really good ball control.”

Imagine him and Kalvin Phillips

With Phillips off to Euro 2020 as a fully-fledged England international and a cornerstone of his club team back at Elland Road, the real test for Bielsa is trying to create the perfect midfield setup around him. In Nandez, he could find exactly that.

The £12m-rated star has a real engine on him and can cover the ground effortlessly, and when you think of the intense pressing game that Bielsa likes to employ at Leeds, the Uruguayan seems absolutely perfect for it.

According to Sofascore, he averaged 1.8 tackles and won an impressive 6.1 duels per game in the Serie A last season, which compared to Phillips, looks very good – the Leeds man averaged 2.6 tackles and won 5.3 duels per match in the Premier League.

His performances for Cagliari even led journalist Mina Rzouki to say: “Cagliari’s Nandez is one of the most underrated players. God he’s been so amazing, especially in Cagliari’s last 3 games. He scored the equaliser against Napoli. Man of the match in the win against Udinese. Against Roma – just wow. Unstoppable.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-elland-road-rodrigo-de-paul” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

Having the tigerish presence of Nandez alongside Phillips could add a real menacing dimension to Leeds’ midfield.

Meanwhile, Leeds United have been handed a major transfer boost over this star…

According to Sport Witness, West Ham United and Aston Villa have both ‘asked for information’ in enquiries to sign BSC Young Boys defender Mohamed Ali Camara.

The Lowdown: West Ham in defender chase…

David Moyes reportedly has three transfer priorities for West Ham this summer as he aims to bolster key positions ahead of what is set to be a busy 2021/2022 campaign.

A permanent deal for 20/21 loan star Jesse Lingard and a new star striker are said to be at the forefront of his mind, but Moyes is also eyeing a new centre-back to reinforce his back four (Claret & Hugh).

Fabian Balbuena is set to leave the club when his contract expires June 30 and West Ham will be on the look out for a replacement.

The Latest: West Ham make enquiry to sign Camara…

As per Sport Witness, West Ham have now ‘asked for information’ in an enquiry to sign BSC Young Boys powerhouse Camara alongside Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest/” title=”West Ham latest!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The 6 foot 3 defender was a colossal presence for Young Boys, making 39 appearances in all competitions and leading them to a Swiss league title.

Indeed, his form hasn’t gone unnoticed in England either as both the Hammers and Villa eye a move.

Despite Camara just putting pen to paper on a contract extension last month, a source has still told Sport Witness that Young Boys will allow the player to leave if they receive a convincing enough offer.

Moyes and West Ham have probed in regards to Camara but it remains to be seen whether they take it further.

The Verdict: Good option?

Enjoying a highly impressive season at the heart of Young Boys’ defence, Camara could come as a good candidate to strengthen West Ham’s centre-back options.

It’s unclear how much the Swiss giants would demand for Camara, but the five-cap Guinea international may be attract plenty of interest due to his great year at the Wankdorf Stadium.

There is still plenty of time left in the summer market to assess options and we believe the 23-year-old should definitely be in the conversation, at the very least.

In other news: West Ham now frontrunners to sign ‘top class’ £115,000-per-week ace for Moyes, find out more here.

Keith Gillespie insists he is not surprised that Ed Woodward has resigned from his role at Manchester United after a number of failed pursuits of players in recent years.

Woodward resigned from his role as executive vice-chairman following the fiasco surrounding the European Super League, though he will remain in his post until the end of 2021.

His departure came amid a wave of anger towards the club’s ownership, leading to a protest from fans that saw the angry supporters invade Old Trafford and force the postponement of a clash with Liverpool.

Since then, United have reached the Europa League final, though they lost on penalties to Villarreal, and are now heading into the transfer window attempting to strengthen Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.

It remains to be seen if those plans come to fruition but Gillespie has pointed to the fact that various players have been linked with United over the years, only to fail to materialise in the end.

Woodward has previously led pursuits of Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund, Cesc Fabregas when he was with Barcelona, Mats Hummels when he played for Dortmund, Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid and Antoine Griezmann at Atletico Madrid, all per Planet Football.

As a result, Gillespie has not been shocked by the supremo’s decision to step down.

He told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview: “There was a lot of players touted as coming to United that didn’t materialise.

“It’s no surprise whatsoever to me. In terms of what the United fans want, they didn’t want him in, they don’t want the Glazers there.

“Whether they’ll follow suit, I don’t know.”

Nottingham Forest have been linked with a swoop for Almeria defender Mathieu Peybernes, as reported by Nottinghamshire Live.

The Lowdown: Exits aplenty at the City Ground

The Reds will likely be looking to add some defensive quality and experience to the ranks after a disappointing 2020/21 campaign saw them finish 17th in the Championship.

Forest fans may expect reinforcements across the back line moving into next season after fellow enforcers Michael Dawson and Michael Hefele were let go upon expiry of their contracts [Nottingham Forest FC].

Conjecture also continues to grow surrounding a potential exit for West Ham and Crystal Palace target Joe Worrall [The Athletic]. As a result, Chris Hughton may be ready to dip into the transfer market to acquire suitable positional replenishments ahead of 2021/22.

The Latest: Three clubs interested in Peybernes

Forest are now said to be courting Peybernes as part of their summer rebuild [Nottinghamshire Live]. Interestingly, he plied his trade at Real Zaragoza for some of last season on loan from parent club Almeria, making 14 appearances for Los Blanquillos [Transfermarkt], who are also said to be eyeing a permanent swoop for the former France Under-21 international [Nottinghamshire Live].

Said to also be attracting attention from divisional rivals Swansea City, the East Midlands club will need to move swiftly in order to secure his signature [El Periodico de Aragon].

The Verdict: Now is the time for Forest to make their move

Peybernes would represent a solid addition to the fold at the City Ground. The 30-year-old has also been something of a long-term target for the club, as Forest were known to have an eye on his situation last summer [Nottinghamshire Live].

The 1.86m-tall (6 foot 2) defender’s capability to attack the ball with utmost aggression, alongside his reputation as a fearless tough tackler (2.1 tackles per game in 2016/17 with Bastia), would make him an ideal introductory 2021/22 acquisition at the Reds. Contractually, he only has 12 months left on his Almeria contract [Transfermarkt].

With the player reportedly craving “stability” [Nottinghamshire Live] and considered dispensable enough by his parent club to be loaned out, this move could be an amicable solution for all parties as they press on with their respective transfer window activities.

Many Glasgow Rangers fans are livid with comments from journalist Graham Spiers made on Saturday.

Many Gers supporters have had problems with journalists, including Spiers, for the way they feel their club has been portrayed in the media. Last year, Club 1872 won an IPSO complaint against the Daily Record for false allegations in an article, while both Jordan Campbell and Andy Walker (Glasgow Times) have been banned from Ibrox for their coverage of the 55-time Scottish champions.

Spiers has now attracted the wrath of some Gers supporters. On Twitter, he shared a video of Sir Alex Ferguson, who was discussing an interaction he had with an official at Ibrox many moons ago. The former Manchester United manager said he was asked whether he and his wife were married in a chapel or not.

Spiers called it an “utter embarrassment”, seemingly alluding to a previous unwritten rule in the Rangers code that they could and would not sign Catholic players. However, this incident was said to have taken place more than 50 years ago, and Rangers have been openly signing Catholic players for more than 30 years.

The comments were shared on Twitter by Spiers, and these Gers fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Spiers’ comments

“Get a grip Spiers”

Credit: @Tunnocks17

“Embarrassing take”

Credit: @alanmillar91

“You really love a pop at Rangers Graham despite Alex Ferguson talking about something said by a director in 1967. The world has changed including in Glasgow since then. Try focus on the good and positive changes in Scottish football and not on the past. You prefer to be negative.”

Credit: @KidKiddr

“Posting something that happened more than half a century ago is just as embarrassing!”

Credit: @Steven53448760

“Oh do behave Graham – you cannot compare the club then with the club now. SAF actually accepted that because most people did at the time – not saying it was acceptable btw. We’re accepting of everyone and anyone”

Credit: @darren_cairns

“Not even remotely relevant to the Rangers of today, or for decades to be honest, but for people like yourself it has to be kept alive, it’s what your industry has traded on.”

Credit: @JHC17626935

In other news, this ex-Rangers man has expressed his delight since leaving Ibrox.

Lee Johnson has been handed a double injury boost ahead of Sunderland’s upcoming play-off semi-final.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Johnson hinted that both Tom Flanagan and Ross Stewart could make a return to the matchday squad for the Black Cats’ play-off semi-final against Lincoln City on Wednesday evening.

Stewart had missed the club’s final game of the regular season with a hamstring injury, an issue that also ruled him out of a behind-closed-doors friendly against the club’s U23 side on Friday, while Flanagan has not featured competitively for Sunderland since the Papa John’s Trophy final against Tranmere Rovers, also due to injury.

As cited by the Sunderland Echo, Johnson said: “We played against our U23s and Ross Stewart wasn’t involved in that but we are going to have a look at him over the next couple of days.

“We think he’s OK, and certainly if he gets through the final test, he would be ready to start, if we needed to.

“Tom has trained and it’s obviously something we’ve got to consider. He’s a top character, a top lad and he seems like he’s in good nick.”

Huge boost

With Johnson having lost a number of centre-backs in the closing stages of the season – with on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Dion Sanderson being ruled out for the rest of the season, in addition to Jordan Willis being sidelined for up to a further year after suffering a setback in his recovery from a knee injury – the news that Flanagan could feature in what is arguably Sunderland’s biggest game of the season so far is likely to leave Johnson buzzing.

Furthermore, while Stewart has not been a regular starter since joining the Black Cats from Ross County back in January, the centre-forward will provide the 39-year-old manager with another attacking option against Lincoln, something that could prove all the difference in the clash.

As such, things appear to be looking up at the Stadium of Light in terms of injuries, something that will undoubtedly provide Johnson and his players with a huge boost ahead of Wednesday’s massive fixture.

In other news: Johnson must finally unleash “exciting” SAFC gem in play-off semi, he’s a game-changer – opinion

With Newcastle eyeing up a summer move for Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, this could be the perfect time for Steve Bruce to wave goodbye to Joelinton.

Reports in recent days have suggested that the Magpies are one of the sides interested in signing Abraham, and a move for the centre-forward would push Joelinton even further to the sidelines amid a really disappointing career at St James’ Park.

While his performances have slightly gone up a notch in recent games, with two goals in his last five, it doesn’t mask the fact that the Brazilian has been terrible value for money – with 76 games played for the Tyneside club, he has a measly nine goals and seven assists.

To put that into context, Joelinton has actually earned more yellow cards for Newcastle than he’s scored (10 to 9).

It’s no surprise then that former Magpie Rob Lee has been very vocal in his criticism of the forward, and speaking exclusively to FFC on a couple of occasions, he let his feelings be known.

He said: “If he came for £5-10 million you’d probably think ‘yeah that’s not bad’, but when you arrive for £40 million and you wear the number nine shirt then the pressure is massively on you and I don’t understand why they paid that amount of money for him.

“He was immense against Aston Villa, probably our best player until he got to the box, and then when he’s in the box, he always makes the wrong decision. When you want him to shoot he passes and when you want him to pass, he shoots, it’s just a conundrum of how you play him.”

He added: “First of all, I want to know who spent £40 million on Joelinton. If it was Steve Nickson, then come out and hold your hands up and say ‘yeah, I sanctioned and put forward that deal’, but I’m sure he won’t.

“Secondly, the club should have made it clear from the beginning that he’s not a centre forward and they could’ve done that by not giving him the number nine shirt.

“The minute he was given the number nine shirt he’s a centre forward. He’s the club’s most expensive signing and with him being a forward player as well as the number nine, people instantly expect him to score 20-25 goals a season.”

In bringing in the £40m-valued Abraham – dubbed a “hell of a talent” by Aston Villa boss Dean Smith – Bruce would have the perfect chance to finally axe Joelinton from his starting line-up, or even just cash in on him completely.

Either way, Joelinton’s days at St James’ Park could well be numbered if Abraham arrives this summer.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could sign Joe Willock’s perfect midfield partner in this Premier League star…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, David Norris, who was with Leeds United for two and a half years, has claimed that Rodrigo has struggled this season but urges people to judge him next year.

Rodrigo was signed from Valencia last summer for £27 million, which is a club-record fee, however, he has had a lot of injury problems this season and as a result, has missed nine games.

The £57,692 per week striker has not been able to play in his natural role through the middle with Marcelo Bielsa preferring Patrick Bamford, with Raphinha and Jack Harrison on either side of the striker.

Speaking on why Rodrigo’s form doesn’t define him as a player and how people can’t judge him after just one season, Norris exclusively told FFC:

“Yeah he’s had a tough time with injuries which have prevented him from showing what type of player he can be, but you can’t fault his effort.

“The last thing you want is to be injured when you come to a new team because you’re not even in the group and you’re away from the training ground. So, I think we should judge him after next season when he’s had a good pre-season.”

Rodrigo has only been handed 12 starts this season with fierce competition at Leeds to earn a starting spot in their attack, with Raphinha, Harrison, Bamford and Tyler Roberts all vying for a starting chance.

The Spaniard has only just recovered from a groin injury that kept him out for 33 days and he could be set to rejoin the matchday squad in the coming weeks.

Speaking to football.london in a Q&A, reliable Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has shed light on Marcel Sabitzer and his possible move to north London this summer. 

The Austrian, who is believed to be a prime target for chairman Daniel Levy and manager Jose Mourinho, has impressed in the Bundesliga but hasn’t signed a contract extension with RB Leipzig.

Gold drops enticing Tottenham summer transfer message

This could put the Lilywhites in a strong negotiating position given his current deal expires in 2022, as Leipzig potentially risk losing him as a free agent at the end of next season.

However, as Spurs reportedly take a keen interest, one supporter seemed concerned whether the 27-year-old would still be a target if the club part ways with under-fire boss Mourinho.

Gold, responding to this query, candidly explained that Sabitzer will be chased regardless of who is at the helm.

“I believe Sabitzer is a target that Spurs have long admired and is also someone Mourinho likes,” explained the journalist (via football.london).

“He would be someone they attempt to sign in the summer regardless of who is manager.”

Transfer Tavern take

News that Spurs will likely be targeting the midfielder, a stance irrelevant to Mourinho’s position, could come as music to the ears of some supporters.

He’s averaged an impressive 2.1 shots and 1 key pass per 90 in Germany this season from midfield, all whilst notching six goals and two assists (WhoScored).

Tottenham arguably still haven’t replaced Christian Eriksen’s creative influence in midfield since the Dane’s departure, with Giovani Lo Celso often in and out the side due to injury.

If Spurs land Sabitzer this summer, the signing could propel Mourinho’s side to another level.

In other news: BBC pundit says these four first teamers will leave Spurs, find out more here.