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Newcastle United are preparing to make an official approach for Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney, according to reports.

Is Kieran Tierney leaving Arsenal?

The Scotland international first arrived in the Premier League back in 2019 after graduating from the academy at Celtic and he’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team fold, but after being handed just six starts in the top-flight last season, he could be looking to secure a move elsewhere during the upcoming window despite Arsenal now being a Champions League side.

The Sun report that Eddie Howe has placed the 26-year-old at the top of his list of targets in that left-back position, and the boss has been given a huge boost in his pursuit after The Times claimed that Mikel Arteta has given his ace the green-light to complete a switch to the northeast.

Sky Sports also recently relayed an update stating that the St. James’ Park outfit are confident that they are in pole position to secure their target’s services, and if the following update is to be believed, PIF are already laying the groundwork on a move behind the scenes.

Are Newcastle signing Tierney?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are indeed "strong favourites" to sign Tierney and a "well-placed source" has revealed that a deal "could be agreed" with Arsenal should they receive a fee of £35m. The Magpies are "long-term admirers" of the defender and are therefore "gearing up to make an approach" ahead of the summer transfer window opening on June 14.

Newcastle will know that Tierney wasn’t given a fair shot at proving what he’s capable of during the 2022/23 season, but in 2021/22, he showed the defensive quality he possesses, and having been dubbed a “baller” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, PIF should cash out to secure his services at the reported fee.

Arsenal’s left-footed ace won 14 out of his 18 tackles and was averaging 2.2 clearances per top-flight game so is a rock out on the flank, but he also likes to burst down the wing and whip crosses into the box, which he did on 79 occasions, the third-highest total in N7, as per FBRef.

Tierney, who is a versatile operator with his ability to play higher up in the midfield and even at centre-back, also shares the same agent, CAA Stellar, as Nick Pope, Ciaran Clark, Kell Watts, Javier Manquillo and Elliot Anderson, so this existing representative connection could give the northeast outfit an advantage in the race to get a deal over the line.

Manchester United are reportedly plotting a shock summer swoop for Leeds United defender Robin Koch, as manager Erik ten Hag seeks to strengthen his defensive ranks ahead of next season.

What's the latest on Koch to Man United?

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils are said to have made contact regarding a move for the 26-year-old, with the German centre-back seemingly set for an exit from Elland Road following the club's recent relegation.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "News #Koch: He‘s on the shortlist of ManUtd! Loose talks took place. Confirmed. #MUFC."

While there has been some suggestion that the former Freiburg man – who has just 12 months to run on his existing deal – could be available on a free transfer due to a possible relegation clause in his contract, further reports have revealed that a fee would be required if a move is to occur.

Would Koch be a good signing for Man United?

There may be those among the Old Trafford faithful who are scratching their heads at that shocking transfer rumour, with it hard to see the benefit in signing a player who was no doubt culpable in Leeds' return to the Championship in 2022/23.

The £40k-per-week dud – who has previously been branded "horrible to watch" by journalist Beren Cross – was part of a backline in Yorkshire that shipped 78 Premier League goals in the most recent campaign, the worst record in the division.

On an individual basis, Koch was no shining light as he racked up an average match rating of just 6.63, as per Sofascore, with that figure ensuring he would rank just 21st among Ten Hag's current squad at the Theatre of Dreams.

There also may be a concern at United at the prospect of snapping up another asset from the Championship, with the Red Devils having perhaps been stung by their signing of Daniel James from Swansea City back in 2019.

While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and co did ultimately make a profit on that £15m signing – having moved the Welshman on to Leeds, ironically, for £25m in the summer of 2021 – the wing wizard rarely looked of the quality required to make the grade in Manchester, scoring just nine goals and registering only nine assists in 74 games in all competitions.

Despite possessing something of an "X-Factor" due to his breathtaking speed – according to Solskjaer – James was simply just "not a Manchester United player", as per talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor.

Also described as "headless" by pundit Darren Bent, the 25-year-old has hardly set the world alight since his Old Trafford exit after scoring just four times in 40 games for Leeds, before enduring a bit-part role on loan at Fulham in 2022/23 in which he made just 23 outings across all fronts.

While that's not to suggest that any move for a newly-relegated or second-tier player will prove to be a mistake, United must question the wisdom in looking to the Championship to find new recruits – such as Koch – with a Champions League campaign and potential title challenge on the horizon.

Fulham are reportedly interested in exciting right-back Max Aarons, per reports.

Fulham transfer news – What's the latest on Max Aarons?

According to the Telegraph, the Cottagers are 'weighing up' a potential move for the Norwich City full-back to increase the competition at right-back in Marco Silva's team.

Dutchman Kenny Tete has primarily filled the position this season, with loanee Cedric Soares failing to impress and heading back to parent club Arsenal this summer.

According to the publication, the west London club are considering a tempting offer in the region of £10m for the fullback.

The youngster is into the final 12 months of his £22.5k-per-week deal, so a transfer is highly likely in the summer.

Would the arrival of Max Aarons spell the end for Kenny Tete?

Aarons has been a player subject to a lot of hype ever since his Premier League debut back in the 2019/20 season, so a move to Fulham might surprise many and probably spell the end of Kenny Tete's starting berth at Craven Cottage.

To compare the two players, it makes the most sense to look at the Fulham man's most recent season and Aarons' 2021/22 season, as that was his last year in the Premier League.

In doing that, the picture becomes much less bleak for the 27-year-old, as the comparison between the players is far closer than many might first assume.

In an attacking sense, the players are very close.

According to FBref, Tete averaged 0.07 expected assists per 90, whilst Aarons 0.05.

In contrast, though, it's the Norwich dynamo with the slight edge for progressive passes, having averaged 3.66 per 90 to the Amsterdam-born players' 3.61.

One area the tricky Canaries full-back is clear of the competition is the progressive distance he carries the ball, having averaged a seriously impressive 105.5 yards per 90, compared to Tete's 84.2 yards per 90.

The pass completion is also better for the Hammersmith-born gem, at 75% compared to just 72% for the Dutchman.

However, whilst it is difficult to clearly separate the players from their last seasons in the Premier League, it's important to note that Fulham were a significantly better collective than Norwich City, thus providing a more stable platform.

There are also the players' ages and potential upside to consider.

Aarons is still just 23, whereas the former Lyon man is 27, just four months off being 28.

Many in the game hold the view that the future is incredibly bright for the burgeoning Aarons, with manager David Wagner saying earlier this year:

"He likes to add new ideas to his game and this means you have more or less everything to make a top career. I'm excited to help him make the next steps."

It isn't just his manager, though, as Rio Ferdinand, one of the league's greatest-ever defenders, was full of praise for the youngster, saying on his YouTube channel, "he has got huge potential."

So the statistics might paint a picture of similar abilities at this moment in time, but with the right coaching and experience, Aarons could explode in the coming seasons, and therefore, sadly, spelling the end for Tete's Fulham career.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to boost their defence tenfold, by simply making one standout transfer…

What's the latest on Aymeric Laporte to Tottenham Hotspur?

According to The Mirror, that is exactly what Ange Postecoglou plans to do.

With the Australian looking to usher in revolutionary change in north London, removing the weak mentality that has plagued this club for too long, this report seems to suggest that the former Celtic boss views Aymeric Laporte as a key figure in achieving this goal with Tottenham named as an 'interested' party.

As Manchester City seek to both free up a spot and gather funds to sign Josko Gvardiol, the Spain international could be a necessary casualty, with a hefty £60m price tag slapped upon his head.

In an effort to make a marquee signing and show that they are not here to continue their cycle of mediocrity, Daniel Levy may well sanction this switch and bring the out-of-favour colossus to N17.

How good is Aymeric Laporte?

It is a testament to the qualities of Laporte, that Pep Guardiola once branded him "the best left-sided centre-back in the world."

However, with his ever-changing philosophy and the vast squad upheaval the former Barcelona coach often undergoes, it seems the 29-year-old has fallen down the pecking order. He made just 12 league appearances last season.

Now would mark the perfect time for a switch, especially given he has essentially completed club football following their recent treble victory.

He could bring this winning mentality to north London, alongside his immense quality, and surely strike up an instant partnership with the returning Destiny Udogie.

Having been signed for £15m under Antonio Conte, the 20-year-old was shipped out on loan to Udinese, where he has excelled. Poised to now fight for a starting spot in the Spurs side, these two on the left side could lock down one-half of Postecoglou's new-look back-line with ease.

After all, Laporte was once an imperative cog for Guardiola, who underpinned plenty of success that came before last term.

He has featured 179 times for the Citizens, with the pinnacle of his career at the Etihad arguably either coming during the 2018/19 season or the 2021/22 season. Given the latter was more recent, it is a far more valuable tool for comparison.

During that campaign, he averaged a 7.12 average rating in the league, where he established himself as one of Europe's best ball-playing defenders. His 95% pass accuracy and 75% dribble success rate serve to emphasise this (via Sofascore), with the former statistic so high that it ranks 6% higher than Spurs' best performer in that field last term.

To combine this with one tackle and 1.8 clearances per game suggests he boasts solidity to boot.

These attributes would help facilitate the front-foot play style of Udogie, who managed seven goal contributions from left-back in Serie A most recently alongside his one key pass recorded per game, via Sofascore. Throughout the Spurs squad, only Pedro Porro and Ivan Perisic recorded a higher average last season in this metric of those who were not forwards.

With the "beast" that is Laporte – as dubbed by writer Muhammad Butt – punching high-quality balls into the Italian, who could then bomb forward knowing he has the security of such a solid stalwart behind him, this swoop could immediately fix a left side of defence that has troubled the club in recent years.

Glasgow Rangers have already signed four players this summer, however, Michael Beale is desperate to add another attacking option to his Ibrox armoury ahead of next season.

A move for Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers has stalled in regard to a potential fee for the striker, however, the Glaswegian side have a backup list, with Brazilian forward Danilo included and he could be an interesting option for the club.

Another option which Beale could pursue is that of Josh Maja, who has been linked with a move to the Light Blues of late and with competition coming from Anderlecht and Real Valladolid, they will need to act swiftly to get a deal over the line.

Indeed, the Gers have received a boost with regard to a potential move as according to All Nigeria Soccer, Maja is ‘unlikely to sign an extension’ to his Bordeaux contract, meaning he will be available for nothing in the coming weeks.

Should Rangers sign Josh Maja this summer?

Although the likes of Dessers and Danilo appear to be Beale’s preferred targets, Maja could certainly be a wildcard option and having scored 17 goals last term, he knows where the goal is.

The 42-year-old could form a menacing duo with him and attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi, who looks set to play a big part next term having missed all of 2022 having suffered a serious knee injury last January.

The Romanian showed Scottish football just how highly regarded he was during the 2020/21 campaign as he was integral to Rangers claiming their 55th league title. The 24-year-old showcased his creative talents by registering 11 assists in only 23 starts, and he created six big chances along with playing one key pass per game.

These statistics were enough to rank him first, fifth and fifth across these metrics, underlining how important he was and indicating that his creative ability was among the finest in the squad.

Maja could benefit from this as he clearly thrives in the penalty box, scoring 16 goals in Ligue 2 last season and by averaging 32.9 touches per game, he tends to get involved regularly according to his seasonal heatmap via Sofascore, dropping deep and linking up with the midfielders.

This could suggest Hagi and Maja have the potential to make an effective duo for Beale next season and the 5 foot 11 gem was even lauded by Jermain Defoe, his former teammate at Sunderland, who said: “Josh is a quick thinker and if you’re that fast upstairs, you don’t need anything else.”

It could be a gamble worth taking by the Gers and if it works out, Hagi could well become one of the meanest creative forces in the division. Indeed, just imagine what a prolific forward such as Maja could do for his numbers; the Romanian could well be unplayable before too long.

Manchester United target Andre Onana is "open" to a move to Old Trafford this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Onana joining Man United?

With Erik ten Hag's side having finally agreed a deal with Chelsea for Mason Mount, attention has turned to replacing the departing David de Gea, who is edging towards leaving the club following the expiration of his contract.

The man they have seemingly turned to is Inter's Onana, who is in contact with United over a move to the Premier League.

Despite no fee having been agreed with the Italian side as of yet, it is believed that Inter will demand a fee of around £50m for their 27-year-old shot-stopper. United will be hoping to get that figure down, or at least spread the payment over a long period of time.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Onana is keen on a move to the Premier League and is open to joining the Red Devils on a permanent basis.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Italian said: "Something I mentioned yesterday night and in the past few days about Andre Onana is that Manchester United interest is there. I can say that also in the recent hours, today Man United had one more contact with Andre Onana's camp."

He added: "They [Inter] want around €50/55m for Onana, not less than this. But, for sure Man United interest is there. They're very well informed on the conditions, on player and club side, and the player would be open to Premier League experience."

The fact that Onana is open to a Manchester United will only strengthen the club's position when bargaining for the Cameroon international, although it appears that United are yet to approach Inter directly to speak about the transfer.

Chelsea were also interested in Onana, with the Blues eager to replace Edouard Mendy, but United have jumped ahead of them in the queue.

Is Onana an upgrade on De Gea?

When comparing Onana with his potential predecessor De Gea, both in their domestic leagues only, the two goalkeepers are not too dissimilar in standard.

Onana conceded 0.13 fewer goals per 90 and boasted a 2.4% higher save percentage than his counterpart, while De Gea enjoyed a significantly better clean sheet percentage (44.7 to 33.3).

However, there is a difference when it comes to distribution. Despite playing 14 fewer games than De Gea, Onana managed only 29 fewer passes, boasting a 10.1% better pass accuracy, but the main difference came with long passes as both goalkeepers had the exact same short and medium pass completion percentage.

It's clear that Onana is more comfortable with the ball at his feet and is utilised in a distributor role far more often than De Gea, which is the main reason Ten Hag is looking to move for the 27-year-old.

For Ten Hag, however, it looks like a trade worth making to help him implement his style of football at Old Trafford.

Celtic are reportedly leading the race to sign Watford forward Jack Grieves this summer.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have made a head start on their transfer business, with two players already through the door at Parkhead ahead of Brendan Rodgers' second tenure in charge following his return.

The club have confirmed the arrivals of midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and winger Marco Tilio from Valerenga and Melbourne City, with the pair seemingly long-term signings after penning five-year deals.

There have been some departures, though, with star winger Jota signing for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m. That looks set to boost the club’s finances even further, with reports prior to Jota’s exit claiming Rodgers has been given a £30m transfer kitty this summer.

As a result, a new attacker appears to be on the radar for Celtic in Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun. The 21-year-old is keen on making the move to Glasgow and a £2.1m fee had been agreed between the two clubs.

Gangwon did want to keep the forward until January when the K League 1 season finishes, but it looks as if a summer swoop could now be on the cards. There has recently been a transfer ‘breakthrough’, with reports suggesting that Gangwon are now ready to allow the forward to leave immediately.

Yang could be about to move to Scotland, and it looks as if Celtic also want another forward in Grieves.

According to Football League World, highly-rated teenage forward Grieves is wanted by a number of clubs this summer. The report states that Celtic and Premier League side Brentford are leading the race for his services and are trying to get a deal done over the coming weeks.

Grieves had been offered a contract by Watford, as the Championship side look to keep hold of the attacker, who is a Hornets fan, but it seems as if he is weighing up his future due to interest from a number of sides.

Who is Jack Grieves?

Grieves has been described as a versatile forward and is the great-great-grandson of former Watford goalkeeper Reginald 'Skilly' Williams, who made close to 400 appearances for the club.

He made it four generations of his family to play for Watford following his debut last season. The 18-year-old made three senior appearances for the Hornets, two in the Championship and one in the FA Cup.

Should he make the move to Scotland, you’d expect he could initially ply his trade in the Scottish lowland league with Celtic’s B team, looking to progress through into the first team. Celtic have enjoyed recent success in bringing young players from England to Scotland and transforming them into first-team stars, most notably Jeremie Frimpong.

The full-back arrived from Manchester City without any real first-team experience and went on to star for the Hoops before leaving for Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £11.5m in 2021, so who knows, Grieves could be the next future star to head north, and by the looks of things, a move is one to keep an eye on.

Manchester United are continuing to rebuild their squad this summer in their pursuit to regain their dominance and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Man United's interest in Joao Felix?

According to Spanish newspaper ABC (via Sport Witness), the Red Devils are one of the clubs interested in signing Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix.

As per the report, Erik ten Hag's side join Newcastle United and Aston Villa in their interest of the talented forward and after a taste of Premier League football with Chelsea, Felix is keen for his agent, Jorge Mendes, to action a move back to England ahead of next season.

What is the market value of Joao Felix?

According to reports coming out of Spain, the LaLiga giants are demanding an eye-watering fee of €140m (£120m) to part ways with their player this summer.

However, CIES Football Observatory state that Felix's market value is currently under half the amount quoted, totalling €60m (£51m), a valuation that would much better suit United's budget.

The Dutch boss has already completed the signing of former Chelsea dynamo Mason Mount, but will reportedly need to offload a number of players during the current window to ensure he can healthily reinvest.

One of the players who has been named on the 'for sale' list at Old Trafford is Jadon Sancho, with the winger struggling to be backed as a consistent first-team starter by his Dutch coach – averaging just 65 minutes per game over 26 Premier League appearances last season.

As a result, the signing of Felix could only further add competition for his positional peer next season, as Sancho is already having to compete with a number of highly-rated wide-forwards with Antony, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho all strong contenders to start.

The Portuguese star – once hailed a "pure talent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – is one of the hottest young prospects in European football ranking in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five leagues for shot-creating actions, progressive passes, progressive carries, successful take-ons and tackles per 90, as per FBref, proving that he is a consistent ball-winner and attacking threat.

When comparing Felix's output with Sancho's last season, the Atletico talent comfortably outperformed the former Borussia Dortmund ace in several attributes including goal contributions (11 v 9), shots on goal per 90 (4.07 v 1.12), aerial duels won (31.3% v 14.3%).

As well as offering more progressive passes per 90 (4.12 v 4.04), successfully completing more take-ons per 90 (1.89 v 1.86) and winning more tackles per 90 (1.23 v 0.99) than Sancho.

Not only that, Felix offers Ten Hag a player with huge versatility in his positioning, which could be an invaluable asset next season with experience as a second striker, centre forward and in both the left and right wider forward roles too.

With all considered, it is unlikely that a move for Felix would be viable without the sale of at least one big-name player this summer, however, there is no doubt that Felix could develop into an even bigger superstar at Old Trafford and thrive under the guidance of Ten Hag.

And this interest surely spells trouble for Sancho heading into the new campaign.

Romeo Lavia is a player Chelsea "really appreciate" and are actively "following" in the transfer market, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Lavia joining Chelsea?

Chelsea's transfer business has been extensive in the summer window so far and shows no signs of slowing down in the coming weeks.

Mauricio Pochettino has been working around the clock to prepare himself for his first season at Stamford Bridge, having signed four players and let 13 go on a permanent basis already.

Some big names have departed such as Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic, while there have been some exciting arrivals in the form of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson – both of whom have got off to a flying start in pre-season.

However, Pochettino is yet to be fully satisfied with his current crop, with suggestions that midfield is the priority area for reinforcement and improvement.

Chelsea's admiration of Moises Caicedo has been well-documented and a deal appears to be slowly edging towards the final stages, but Southampton's Lavia has also emerged as a significant target for the Blues.

According to Romano, a deal for Lavia is possible and would have no impact on Chelsea's ability to sign number one target Caicedo.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano stated: "Chelsea are following the situation of Romeo Lavia. It's not linked to Moises Caicedo, he's a player they really appreciate.

"I told you many times about Joe Shields having a special connection. Joe Shields who is at Chelsea as one of the directors having a special connection with the player. He had the player at Southampton, at Man City, so there is a very good feeling, but at the moment for Chelsea the priority remains Caicedo."

Romano suggests that Lavia would likely cost in the region of £50m and also cites Liverpool as having a strong interest in the player and "actively working" on the deal. Therefore, with Caicedo's deal taking priority, Chelsea could be pipped to the post by the Reds in their pursuit of the 19-year-old.

Lavia featured 34 times in all competitions for the Saints last season contributing a goal and an assist across the season, albeit his primary focus is to shield the back four not offer a goal threat.

The one-cap Belgian international has a high ceiling and huge potential, something he exhibited repeatedly during his debut senior season in the Premier League.

Who are Chelsea signing?

As Romano mentions, Caicedo is undoubtedly the number one target for Pochettino who is looking to replace the departing Mount, Kovacic, N'Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Caicedo would most closely resemble a Kante replacement and would offer some much-needed defensive solidity and awareness for the Blues, while also offering Enzo Fernandez more freedom in midfield.

However, a £100m asking price has been the stumbling block between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion so far, with the Blues eager to reduce that fee significantly.

The priority after Caicedo may not actually be another signing but instead ensuring that young centre-back Levi Colwill stays at the club amid interest from Brighton and Liverpool, the former being where he spent last season on loan.

Colwill featured in Chelsea's 4-3 win over Brighton in pre-season with Pochettino adamant that the England U21 European Championship winner is not for sale.

Leeds United fans will have started to 'worry' about their prospects this term due to their decision to take Sam Byram on trial at Elland Road, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Sam Byram returning to Leeds United?

According to Football Insider, Byram has returned to Elland Road on trial in a bid to try and win himself a deal at Leeds United to work under his old boss Daniel Farke.

The Whites are mooted to see the 29-year-old as an inexpensive option to help with depth at left-back, even though he is predominantly a right-back by trade and his arrival may free up expenditure to put to good use elsewhere. As per The Guardian, Thurrock-born Byram started his senior career at Leeds United before joining West Ham United in 2016.

Byram is known well by Leeds United boss Farke and left Norwich City upon the expiration of his £30,000 per week contract at Carrow Road at the end of last season alongside Kieran Dowell and Michael McGovern, who have since headed north of the border to join Rangers and Hearts, respectively.

Following their capture of Ethan Ampadu, who joined from Chelsea in a £7 million transfer earlier this week, 90min report that Leeds United are 'set to reunite' with Byram, which could mean the Englishman is in line to join on a permanent basis.

Last term, Byram made 16 appearances in all competitions for Norwich City and managed to get himself on the scoresheet on one occasion, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones thinks Leeds United fans will worry about the type of recruitment the club may be willing to conduct in light of their decision to take Byram on trial.

Jones told FFC: "What I like about a lot of them [Leeds United's summer targets] is they've got a point to prove. I think that's what Leeds need to do now because Leeds have a point to prove next season and they need to bounce back quickly. You would expect them to be in that promotion hunt next term, but when you're seeing the likes of Sam Byram going back to the club on trial, you're going to start to worry as a Leeds fan because that's absolutely not where you thought the club would be heading straight on the back of relegation, you thought they could set their sights a bit higher than that."

Who else has been linked with Leeds United this window?

According to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, Leeds United are keen to bring in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Edouard Michut, as he stated on the social media platform: "Excl: Leeds United are among several clubs interested in Edouard Michut from Paris Saint-Germain. Deal will depend on conditions decided by PSG in the coming days."

Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara is reported to have 'agreed terms with the club leadership at Elland Road' ahead of a proposed move to Leed United, as per Last Word On Sports.

Football Insider claim that Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis will be allowed to leave the City Ground this summer amid interest from Leeds United in offering him a chance to ply his trade at Elland Road in 2023/24.

All things considered, Leeds United fans could be in for an intriguing few weeks as Farke starts to shape his squad ahead of their return to Sky Bet Championship action for the first time since 2020.