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Giovanni van Bronckhorst faces a crucial first summer transfer window in charge of Rangers as he aims to keep the momentum high at Ibrox following a solid end to the 2021/22 season.

Narrowly losing the Europa League final and winning the Scottish Cup for the first time in 13 years gave the Light Blues something to cheer about after losing their Premiership crown to their Glasgow arch-rivals.

Although no incoming transfers have been completed yet this summer, there will surely be some activity as the weeks tick towards the first league fixture of the season on 30 July.

In order to spend money on players who will immediately improve the first team, there may need to be some outgoings. To that effect, with Borna Barisic being linked with a move to Trabzonspor, it might be the right time to sell him.

This could generate funds for Van Bronckhorst to make a move for Stoke City left-back Josh Tymon, although he will reportedly cost £6m.

Pete O’Rourke gave his views on the defender to GiveMeSport recently, saying: “I think Josh Tymon had a really good season for Stoke City; he’s got huge potential and is an exciting, young left-back. So, I think if Rangers were able to sign him, he would definitely improve the squad.”

Barisic wasn’t as influential last season compared to 2020/21. The Croatia international only registered three assists last time around compared to 14 in the Gers’ title-winning campaign. The 29-year-old’s goals have dried up too, as he failed to score last term following a five-goal season in all competitions prior to that.

On the other hand, Tymon helped himself to three goals and four assists in all competitions in 2021/22, and at only 23 years of age, he could be a shrewd investment for the future.

Perhaps more worryingly, Barisic proved to be a defensive liability in big games against Celtic earlier this year, twice being caught napping at the back post as the Hoops punished his lapses to find the net.

This prospective move will, of course, depend on whether or not Barisic, or even Calvin Bassey, is sold during the summer, with the latter also the subject of reported transfer interest.

With two years left on Barisic’s contract and the defender approaching his 30th birthday later in the year, Van Bronckhorst may decide to cash in on the underwhelming Croatian.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Morelos: Wilson must now seal Rangers swoop for “outstanding” 26-goal monster…

According to 62-year-old former Celtic goalscorer Frank McAvennie, Albian Ajeti ‘isn’t bothered’ about leaving the club this summer and the Hoops will struggle to get rid of him.

The Lowdown: Bit-part player

The Swiss ace first arrived in the Scottish Premiership back in 2020 when he joined the Glasgow giants from Premier League outfit West Ham, but after only making 48 appearances during his two-year spell and failing to make an impression under Ange Postecoglou, the striker has been linked with a move away from Parkhead.

The 25-year-old has never really been a regular starter in the Australian’s match-day XI and still struggled to break into the team after the long-term injuries to Kyogo Furuhashi and Georgios Giakoumakis, leaving his future with the Bhoys hanging in the balance.

The Latest: McAvennie drops Ajeti exit claim

McAvennie admitted that Ajeti is making no effort to leave and that he can’t see him departing Celtic in the coming weeks. He told Football Insider:

“They aren’t going to get rid of Ajeti because he is earning that much.

“From what I hear, he is on that much that he isn’t bothered about leaving.

“I would be kicking and screaming if I wasn’t playing. The way the boys are playing at the moment, Maeda, Kyogo, Giakoumakis, I would be asking for a move.

“I would want to play. Ajeti just seems to not be bothering. It’s one of them, someone needs to come in.”

The Verdict: Time to go

Ajeti still has two years remaining on his contract at Celtic Park, but the Hoops will most likely want to get rid of the forward as quickly as they can – he is currently earning £18k-per-week.

The Basel-born attacker only made three starts for the Hoops this season, with just 300 minutes of league football under his belt, via WhoScored, and it’s clear that he is pretty low down in Postecoglou’s pecking order.

With the boss now beginning to revamp his squad ahead of the new campaign, exits will need to be sanctioned to clear squad space and add to the transfer kitty, and fans will surely be praying something changes in the Ajeti situation as soon as possible.

In other news… a BBC pundit has sent a warning to Celtic after a transfer update on the future of Cameron Carter-Vickers.

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”

Leeds United midfielder Jamie Shackleton could leave the club on loan this summer, according to The Yorkshire Evening Post.

The Lowdown: Shackleton at Elland Road

Shackleton has been around the first-team squad ever since Marcelo Bielsa handed the academy graduate his debut during the 2018/19 season.

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The central midfielder, who can also play as a right-back, has made 79 appearances for the Whites in all competitions – 14 of which came during the 2021/22 campaign.

However, the 22-year-old only played 22 minutes of action under Jesse Marsch and is entering the final two years of his Elland Road contract.

The Latest: Loan exit?

Leeds journalist Joe Donnohue shared a story on The Yorkshire Evening Post on Saturday morning, looking at the club’s summer plans.

Donnohue stated that Marsch is open to the idea of several youngsters leaving to gain regular game time and said that Shackleton could be a prime candidate to depart on a temporary basis.

The Verdict: Keep?

Leeds are fairly short of midfield and right-back options already, so sending Shackleton out on loan may not be the best idea. Kalvin Phillips has been heavily linked with a summer exit, and should he depart, Marsch would be extremely short in central midfield despite making Brenden Aaronson his first signing as head coach.

Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas are also out injured heading into the 2022/23 season, so it wouldn’t make sense to send Shackleton, who Bielsa called ‘important’, out on loan, especially with Phillips reportedly top of Manchester City’s priorities to replace Fernandinho.

It looks as if that could be the case, though, following his lack of game time in Marsch’s first 12 games in charge, so it could be one to keep an eye on as the American aims to put his stamp on the side with a summer rebuild.

In other news: Orta now working on bizarre transfer for ‘magnificent’ ace; he has history with Leeds supporters.  

Tottenham Hotspur ‘hierarchy’ are willing to back manager Antonio Conte with risky signing this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs set for exciting summer?

The Lilywhites, after announcing a £150 million equity increase earlier this week, were further boosted by the news that Conte is now set to stay for the 2022/2023 Premier League season.

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Transfer chief Fabio Paratici and the head coach even held a meeting in Italy on Friday to discuss the club’s summer recruitment plans with a major overhaul on the cards, according to The Telegraph.

It is believed that the Italian is set for Tottenham’s full backing, and as per The Athletic, they’re even willing to go against their transfer policy for one of Conte’s targets.

The Latest: Tottenham hierarchy willing to make risky Eriksen move…

According to their information, despite the ‘element of risk involved’ in re-signing former star Christian Eriksen on a Bosman deal, it is believed that Spurs ‘hierarchy’ are willing to make ‘exceptions’ in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

Signing the Dane is viewed as a gamble given his ‘harrowing health scare’ at Euro 2020, not to mention the fact he has recently turned 30 with little sell-on value.

However, there is an ‘acceptance’ among the north London chiefs, including Paratici, that a sensational reunion for Eriksen could be viewed as one of those exceptional circumstances over bringing in younger players.

The Verdict: Promising update…

The Athletic also state that Eriksen is a personal target for Conte, backing recent reports that the former Chelsea boss is personally ‘pressing’ for his signature.

We believe the Tottenham boardroom have adopted the right stance when it comes to making a move for the international, especially considering his phenomenal campaign at Brentford under Thomas Frank.

He finished 2021/2022 as their best-rated player by average match performance with a solid 7.37/10 (WhoScored), not to mention his creativity is seemingly intact.

Making more key passes per 90 in the final third than any Brentford player, the midfield ace could well gift Conte and Spurs an injection of quality further forward.

In other news: ‘Not only Perisic’…Tottenham push for ‘genius’ signing after Conte call ‘in recent days’…find out more here.

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Moussa Diaby heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), PIF are preparing a bid to bring the Bayer Leverkusen maestro to Tyneside ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that the 22-year-old has been made a priority target for the Magpies, who are set to battle it out with Tottenham and Arsenal for his signature.

It has previously been claimed that the Bundesliga outfit could demand as much as £75m for the attacker, although it remains to be seen how much the Premier League clubs are willing to offer.

Better than Allan Saint-Maximin

Eddie Howe can land an upgrade on Saint-Maximin by bringing his compatriot to St James’ Park in the coming weeks or months.

Diaby has enjoyed a sublime season in Germany, showcasing his ability to score and create goals from a wide position. He has proven that he can make a big impact in the final third on a consistent basis, something with which the Magpies attacker has struggled during his time at the club.

For all of his exciting dribbling and direct play on the left flank, Saint-Maximin often leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to his end product. In 35 Premier League appearances this season, the attacker produced five goals and five assists from almost 11 expected goals and assists (xG and xA) combined, underperforming on his xG by 0.66.

It was a solid return from the former Nice wizard but hardly exceptional due to his underperformance and lack of consistency throughout the campaign, averaging a goal contribution every 3.5 matches.

Meanwhile, Diaby accumulated roughly 19 xG and xA combined in the Bundesliga and ended the campaign with 13 goals and 12 assists as he overperformed in both statistics. He averaged a goal contribution every 1.28 games for Leverkusen as he delivered in the final third on a consistent basis.

His current team-mate Kerem Demirbay previously hailed the 22-year-old’s qualities, saying: “He’s not only very quick but also a very clever player and you don’t see that very often in the Bundesliga.” 

The French phenomenon’s impressive statistics duly suggest that he would be an upgrade on Saint-Maximin for Newcastle. Diaby has been more clinical in front of goal and created a higher quality of chances for his team-mates, while he is also three years younger than the Magpies maverick, which suggests that he has the potential to improve even further.

Howe will now be hoping that PIF can work their magic and get a deal done for Diaby this summer…

AND in other news, PIF “are interested” in NUFC deal for “cold” £27m tank, he can be Howe’s own Varane…

Everton were unable to see out their disastrous season with a win on the final day at the Emirates and will be thankful that their tight relegation battle didn’t go down to the last day after today’s performance.

Frank Lampard secured safety in the Premier League with the Toffees earlier in the week at Goodison Park against Crystal Palace, so going into today’s game there was no pressure on the side to take all three points from the game in North London against Arsenal.

Everton were completely dominated by the Gunners throughout with only 29% possession, 20 fewer shots on goal and over 400 fewer accurate passes than Mikel Arteta’s side who went out to win to compete with Tottenham Hotspur for the fourth spot but failed at the final hurdle despite their overwhelming 5-1 win.

It was a free for all in terms of scoring goals, Alex Iwobi gifted Arsenal their first opportunity with a handball inside the box leading to Gabriel Martinelli opening up the score-line 27th minute of the game.

After the hosts got their first goal they found their way to kill the game with Eddie Nketiah, Cedric Soares, Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Odegaard all finding the back of the net to take their victory.

However, one returning player did make his mark on the game with Manchester United loanee Donny van de Beek finding the back of the net in the final moments of the first half, but it wasn’t enough for Everton to bow out with a positive result.

One player who failed to take his opportunity to prove his worth today was Dele Alli, who has already been linked with a move away from the club following a disappointing five months since signing on Deadline Day in a deal believed to be worth £40m.

According to SofaScore, Alli who was dubbed a “waste of space” by Simon Jordan made just six passes, losing 100% of his aerials duels and losing 80% of his ground duels. He also lost the ball every 2.7 touches before being brought back to the bench by the Toffees boss in the 67th minute.

With that being said, Farhad Moshiri must let Alli go this summer and invest in players that can be effective when they are called upon as major improvement is needed next season to ensure Everton doesn’t find themselves in a similar situation they have been in during the current campaign.

AND in other news: Lampard plotting Everton bid for £158k-p/w dynamo, he’d be a “joy to watch”

The representatives of Dominic Calvert-Lewin have reportedly now held talks over a potential move away from Everton in the summer.

The Lowdown: Exit bound?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that there is a ‘decent chance‘ that the 25-year-old will end up leaving Merseyside in the summer, with Arsenal thought to be among the clubs who are interested in his signature.

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The Goodison Park outfit find themselves in a relegation battle, and if they were to go down to the Championship, then it seems inevitable that the striker would be allowed to exit.

The Latest: Talks held

As per Football Insider, a source from St James’ Park has revealed that early talks have now taken place with Calvert-Lewin’s representatives and Newcastle over a potential move to Tyneside.

The striker’s future at Everton is thought to be ‘up in the air’, even if the Toffees stay up.

The Verdict: Depends on price

Hailed as an ‘amazing’ striker by team-mate Salomon Rondon, there is no doubting Calvert-Lewin’s importance to the Toffees, having scored more than 50 goals during his time with the club so far.

However, he has been hit with injury problems this season, and Frank Lampard’s side will not want that to continue going into the 2022/23 campaign.

Nonetheless, given that he is an England international and a good age at 25, they could demand a hefty transfer fee for him, especially from the mega-rich Newcastle owners, which could then be used to reinvest in the squad.

In other news, Everton now battling Liverpool to sign £9m-rated workhorse for free this summer

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a further setback ahead of their Premier League meeting with Liverpool tonight.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via Evening Standard), Jurgen Klopp revealed that he has a fully fit squad at his disposal for the meeting with Spurs, with the 54-year-old hinting that Roberto Firmino will be available for selection should he feel that the centre-forward is required.

When asked whether the Brazil international will be fit to feature against Spurs, the German said: “I don’t know, but he is back in training, so now we have to make a decision about that. But let’s see. Yesterday he was in training, was great.”

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When asked whether the remainder of his squad will be available for selection, Klopp added: “Yes. I don’t have my smartphone here, because I get messages pretty late, but when I checked it last time, yes.”

Conte will be gutted

Considering just how important tonight’s fixture is for Tottenham’s hopes of securing a top-four finish this season, the news that Firmino looks as if he will be available and that the rest of the Liverpool squad are fit, coupled with Spurs’ earlier loss of Sergio Reguilon to injury, is sure to have left Antonio Conte gutted.

Indeed, the Reds have been in exceptional form across all competitions this season, having already lifted the Carabao Cup, secured a place in the final of both the Champions League and the FA Cup.

In addition, they are just one point behind Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, with Klopp being in with a fantastic chance of securing an unprecedented quadruple.

As such, when taking into account just how talented the current crop of Liverpool players quite clearly is, the news that the Reds have no injury concerns ahead of the Tottenham game is sure to come as a huge blow to Spurs’ chances of picking up a positive result at Anfield, with Conte in desperate need of the three points if he is to give his side the best possible shot at securing Champions League football next season.

AND in other news: Conte starts “really special” talent & drops “awful” £82k-p/w flop: Spurs predicted XI

West Ham United have now emerged as favourites to sign a Premier League ‘beast’ for manager David Moyes this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Irons eye striker move…

Over a year-and-a-half after club record signing Sebastien Haller left east London, the Hammers are still without an alternative striking option to mainstay Michail Antonio.

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As a result, a new forward is firmly on the agenda for West Ham and Moyes in the next transfer window with recent links emerging to the likes of Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah and Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins.

Journalist Dominic King of The Daily Mail, sharing news on Twitter, now has an exciting update for Irons supporters on their Gunners attacking target.

The Latest: West Ham favourites…

According to the reporter, West Ham ‘will move’ for Nketiah if there is no resolution to his contract stand-off at the Emirates Stadium have now emerged as favourites to sign the Englishman – entering pole position as he explains in his article.

Taking to social media, he says:

“West Ham want to sign Eddie Nketiah and will move for him if there is no resolution to his contract stand-off with Arsenal.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Rush Green officials leading the race for Nketiah comes as a promising development on it’s own, but does that mean he is the right man to finally end West Ham’s striker hunt?

He has been in scintillating form lately, starting all of Arsenal’s last five top flight matches and scoring four in that time – backing why his potential 2022 free agent status is turning a few heads.

Mikel Arteta has raved over Nketiah’s attitude and application this season, likening him to a ‘beast’ in training, and the 22-year-old can still get better going by his fairly young age.

While it is arguably a gamble to solely rely upon the youngster as a back-up to Antonio, for zero cost, he could be a real investment for the future while Moyes also scours the market for a more senior option.

In other news: ‘Evolving situation’ – Journalist says West Ham are now eyeing a ‘massive signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.