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Reporter Ryan Taylor has been reacting to rumours linking Manchester United with a move for Tottenham forward Harry Kane.

The Lowdown: Old Trafford speculation

A marquee attacking addition appears to be on the agenda at Old Trafford this summer, with Kane seemingly a top target for United officials.

Reports earlier this year stated that the Red Devils are eyeing a stunning summer swoop for the England captain, who will be entering the final 12 months of his Spurs contract at the end of the season.

Described as ‘world class’ by Antonio Conte, Kane is also attracting interest from German giants Bayern Munich but is thought to be open to a move to Manchester.

The Latest: Taylor’s comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, Taylor was talking about Kane and United, believing the England international would fit into Erik ten Hag’s side ‘perfectly’. The reporter also feels that ‘Man United would be a different animal with Kane’ and thinks they could fund a potential transfer.

“I think so; personally, I’d love to see Kane win trophies and I feel like United at the moment; although it wouldn’t be a popular move amongst Spurs fans, I feel like, you know, Man United would be a different animal with Kane because he fits their team perfectly, I feel like they probably do have the money and traction to lure him in.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

Kane could well be the missing piece in Ten Hag’s Old Trafford jigsaw, with United currently having Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst as senior centre-forward options.

Kane has comfortably outperformed the pair this season, as per WhoScored, and every other United player for that matter. He has netted 17 Premier League goals this season, three more than Marcus Rashford, while also averaging more key passes per 90 than Bruno Fernandes.

Therefore, you could argue that Kane would take United to the next level, so it’s easy to see why Taylor is excited at the speculation.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have made contact to sign Espanyol defender Cesar Montes this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Montes’ admission

The Mexican only made the move to the RCDE Stadium from Monterrey in January but has instantly helped Diego Martinez sure up his backline.

The Midlands outfit are long-term admirers of the 26-year-old, who has previously admitted that he thinks the Old Gold are a ‘great club’.

Now, Julen Lopetegui sounds keen to bring the centre-back to Molineux but is set to face competition from one of his Premier League rivals.

The Latest: Wolves make contact

According to Spanish outlet La Grada (via Sport Witness), Wolves and Nottingham Forest both ‘have asked’ about the availability of Montes ahead of the upcoming window.

Wanderers have ‘not increased’ their interest as of yet with there still being several months to go, but their target does have a €30m (£26m) release clause included in his terms.

The Verdict: Ideal reinforcement

Montes has been hailed a ‘powerful’ defender by Barcelona manager Xavi, and despite Wolves already having Craig Dawson, Nathan Collins, Max Kilman and Toti as centre-back options, he would be an ideal reinforcement, especially with Kilman linked to clubs like Liverpool.

The 6 foot 3 giant currently averages 5.5 clearances and 1.8 aerial wins per game in La Liga, highlighting his physical presence at the heart of the backline (WhoScored).

Montes also knows Raul Jimenez being his international teammate for Mexico, so this existing connection could help Fosun get a deal over the line ahead of their competitors should an offer be made in the months ahead.

Leeds United head coach Javi Gracia ‘won’t allow for self-pity’, according to Dean Jones, who believes the Spaniard needs to be ‘ruthless’ over the coming months.

The Lowdown: Relegation battle

The Whites’ sole focus is now on Premier League survival after they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Fulham in the FA Cup on Tuesday.

Gracia got off to the perfect start in the top flight with a 1-0 win over Southampton, with a trip to Chelsea next on the agenda.

Leeds are currently just one point clear of the relegation zone, with Everton, Bournemouth and Southampton making up the bottom three.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Jones was talking to GiveMeSport regarding Gracia, hearing that he’s a ‘pretty reasonable man, as football managers go’. However, the journalist said the head coach won’t accept ‘self-pity’ or ‘substandard’ performances, adding that he needs to be ‘ruthless’.

“He is a pretty reasonable man, as football managers go, as far as I understand. But, at the same time, he won’t allow for self-pity and he won’t accept substandard performance levels.

“That’s probably what this team needs right now. There’s got to be a ruthless nature to the way he goes about this.

“I think, judging by the fact that he’s been taken on a contract that some managers wouldn’t have signed, to be fair, it seems that he is willing to take on this challenge.”

The Verdict: Straight to the point

Gracia was straight to the point after the loss to Fulham in midweek, saying his side weren’t clinical enough and that he’ll look to resolve that issue on the training ground.

That is good to see, and overall, Leeds have made a positive start to life under the new head coach. Defensively, Leeds haven’t given their opponents a ‘big chance’ under Gracia, the first time that has happened in successive games since 2020.

Should he solve the club’s problems in the final third, then you’d like to think Leeds will have a good chance of remaining in the top flight, which may result in the Spaniard sticking around in Yorkshire.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has a long-standing admiration for Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Antonio Conte’s future.

Is Conte leaving Tottenham?

The Italian’s stay in north London is seemingly coming to a conclusion with a belief that neither he nor the club would be keen to extend his stay in the summer.

Conte’s contract is set to expire in the coming months and it is believed his recent spell in Italy recovering from his gallbladder surgery has only amplified his wish to return home.

There have already been links to the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and even Thomas Frank ahead of the summer with Spurs seemingly set to find themselves looking for yet another manager.

However, another name which has been suggested is that of Rodgers with insider Graeme Bailey discussing the Northern Irishman’s relationship with Levy on the Talking Transfers podcast:

“I’ll throw another name in there who we understand Danny Levy has always been a fan of, is Brendan Rodgers. He’s always liked him. He came close at one point. He could do some wonders with that squad.”

Could Brendan Rodgers replace Conte?

There may be some initial concerns over the possibility of welcoming Rodgers to the club considering the current position the Foxes find themselves in.

Leicester have had a fairly disappointing campaign as they find themselves slumped in the bottom half of the table and just two points off the relegation zone.

However, there have been a lot of factors which can be taken into consideration as to why they are enduring such a poor campaign.

Over both the summer and winter window, Rodgers has been handed just over £40m to spend and has had to replace his goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, and the talented young centre-back Wesley Fofana (via Transfermarkt).

On top of this, the 50-year-old has had to compete with continuous injury issues which has seen some of his key players – like James Maddison – miss chunks of the season.

However, despite this, Rodgers has shown what he is capable of getting out of a side with Leicester embarrassing Spurs recently at the King Power Stadium after putting four goals past the Lilywhites despite conceding first.

And, perhaps most impressively, the Northern Irishman was able to guide Leicester to their first-ever FA Cup triumph just under two years ago.

Although his stock may be fairly low among some in the game, it does seem as if Levy may still have one eye on bringing Rodgers to north London.

Chelsea have ‘good chances’ of sealing the signing of West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice this summer, according to journalist Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Rice linked with Chelsea move

The Blues have needed midfield additions for some time now, in order to replace the likes of experienced duo N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic in the long term.

Enzo Fernandez has already come in as a big-money addition in January, helping alleviate that issue, but Rice is another player who has been strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

The 24-year-old is undoubtedly one of West Ham’s most important players, and England’s for that matter, having started all five matches for the Three Lions at the 2022 World Cup.

Rice is likely to leave the Hammers at the end of the season, in order to enjoy a new challenge at a bigger club, and Chelsea will know that they face strong competition for his signature.

Now, a new update shows that the Blues remain extremely keen on the midfielder.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sport journalist Plettenberg claimed that Chelsea are ‘definitely in the race and highly interested’:

“News #Rice: Chelsea is definitely in the race and highly interested – confirmed! He’s one of the top candidates in order to strengthen the defensive midfield. Contract until 2024. Therefore good chances to sign him this summer.”

The Verdict: Perfect midfield signing

Rice would be absolutely perfect for Chelsea this summer, potentially coming in as part of the midfield rebuild along with Fernandez and fellow rumoured transfer target Romeo Lavia.

At 24, the 39-cap England international is maturing into the complete midfielder, possessing quality in possession, dynamism off the ball and also being a strong leader, already captaining West Ham at a young age.

Rice averaged 2.2 interceptions per game at the World Cup, as well as enjoying an incredible 94.3% pass completion rate, while in the Premier League, he has averaged 1.2 key passes per match, showing all facets to his game across various stages.

The fact that he is also a boyhood Chelsea fan could be an added bonus for the Blues, as they look to acquire the service of someone who Gary Lineker has hailed as ‘magnificent’.

Rice is a player who could end up captaining England in the future, such is his current standing, and it is hard to see him being anything other than a big success for Chelsea, even though he would clearly cost a lot of money.

Liverpool fans have been left bemoaning an injury picked up by Darwin Nunez, as he withdrew from the Uruguay squad for their upcoming fixtures.

The Lowdown: Nunez injury

As confirmed on the official website of the Merseyside club, Nunez has now withdrawn from international duty after picking up an injury.

The striker is set to receive treatment at the AXA Training Centre, where supporters will be hoping that he can make a swift recovery ahead of the return of the Premier League after the international break has finished.

The Latest: Liverpool fans react

Taking to Twitter after the news was announced, these Reds fans were left fearing the worst, with one even going as far as to claim that the club are ‘finished’:

“We’re finished” – @faadel667

“This season is so awful just end it now” – @SoLockedIn

“Just gets worse” – @Cameron50491268

“Pain.” – @PatMahomesSZN

“We’re cursed” – @StevennPottss

“This medical team are a bunch of jokers” – @Demoncyborg29

“Oh our season is OVER” – @Mxtthijs

“The slim top 4 hope is gone” – @Capiii_

“My heart just dropped to my stomach” – @jjumil

“This club can’t catch a break” – @AzzurriLFC

The Verdict: Rotten luck

It is safe to say that Liverpool have had rotten luck with injuries, as injured players have missed far more combined games for them than any other team in the Premier League so far this season.

Nunez is just the latest casualty on a list which includes the likes of Stefan Bajcetic, who is ruled out for the rest of the campaign, Thiago, Luis Diaz and Joe Gomez at the moment, while other first-team players have had extended spells out earlier on in the term.

The 23-year-old has been Liverpool’s third-best performer in what has been an otherwise disappointing top-flight campaign, as he is their joint-second top scorer with eight goals, while he has also contributed a handy three assists (WhoScored).

He is also averaging more shots per game than any of his team-mates (3.8), and so has certainly made an impact since arriving to Anfield from Benfica last summer.

Nonetheless, losing him to injury is no doubt a big blow for Jurgen Klopp and his team, and so they will be hoping and praying that Nunez’s injury is not serious, and that he will be able to make a swift return after the international break, with Liverpool set to play Manchester City away from home in their first game back in the top flight.

Aston Villa appear to be in pole position to sign AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham.

What’s the latest transfer news on Abraham and Aston Villa?

Unai Emery could well be a busy man in the transfer window this summer ahead of his first full season in charge at Villa Park in the Premier League. A new striker to partner Ollie Watkins is at the top of Villa's shopping list this summer, according to Ashley Preece, with additions at the back also likely to be strengthened.

Watkins is Villa’s current top scorer with ten goals to his name in all competitions, and after selling Danny Ings to West Ham in January, Leon Bailey is Watkins’ nearest challenger, netting five times.

Abraham appears to be a player of interest in the Midlands, with the former Villa loanee appears slipping down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho. He has started just one of Roma’s previous five Serie A fixtures, with reports suggesting the Italian club could sell the forward this summer and that Emery has him at the top of his transfer wishlist.

Birmingham World relayed the latest transfer rumours in the last 48 hours, one of which was from Corriere dello Sport on Abraham and Villa. They claimed that Villa are in pole position to sign the 25-year-old, citing a €40m (£35.16m) fee which would be a club record at Villa Park, surpassing the current record deal for Emiliano Buendia.

Would a return to Villa Park make sense?

Emery has only Watkins and teenager Jhon Duran to choose from in attack at this moment in time, with youngster Cameron Archer currently on loan at Middlesbrough.

Therefore, you can see why the Villa boss would like to bolster his ranks in the final third with a move for Abraham as he looks to take the club to the next level. Watkins’ purple patch in front of goal has helped take Villa to 35 goals in 27 Premier League games, although nine of the top 10 teams in the division have scored more than Villa.

Abraham has scored goals wherever he has been during his career, helping Villa into the top flight back in 2019 with 26 goals in 40 games. He has netted 34 times in 91 appearances for his current employers, being hailed as 'incredible' by journalist Maxi Angelo in the past, but his lack of game time in recent weeks and Villa's desire for a new forward could make a reunion in the Midlands a shrewd move for all involved.

Arsenal have enjoyed a wonderful campaign which has given them an excellent chance to win their first Premier League title in 19 years.

Mikel Arteta’s men have lost just three league matches all season and with just ten games to go, they currently lead Manchester City by eight points.

This has been a few years in the making, with the board backing the Spaniard despite some poor results over the previous couple of years and combined with some important signings, it is perhaps no surprise to see the Gunners sitting pretty at the top of the table.

Indeed, Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko Thomas Partey and Gabriel Jesus have vastly improved the Arsenal side, and they could form the core of the side for the next few seasons.

Jesus, in particular, has been integral, and his performances have seen his value increase.

How much is Gabriel Jesus worth now?

Having joined from City in the summer for a £45m fee, which seemed steep, it was clear the club needed world-class forward if they were to challenge more major honours.

The Brazilian had impressed in Manchester during a five-year spell under Pep Guardiola. He scored 95 goals in just over 200 appearances, despite not always being first choice and having won four league titles, he would bring a winning mentality to the north Londoners.

He showcased his magic during the first few months of the season, scoring on five occasions and registering seven assists across all competitions, and it looked as though Arteta had finally found a forward who could not only provide a serious goal threat, but create countless opportunities for teammates.

He suffered a serious knee injury at the World Cup representing Brazil and was ruled out for around three months, yet he has made his return at precisely the right time as the title race looks set to go down to the final few weeks.

He was even dubbed “unreal” by Alex Batt during a Europa League display last year and his value has increased significantly following his impressive start to life in London.

Football Transfers now value the player at €68.1M (£60m) which is a decent increase on the £45m the club shelled out for him just ten months ago and if he manages to replicate his early season form over the next few weeks, this value could increase further.

At 25 years of age, he could become the cornerstone of the Arsenal frontline over the next few years and Arteta has certainly hit the jackpot with the former City star.

Tottenham Hotspur have seen a host of talent grace the club, but their lack of competitiveness at the top level often sees them exit before they can help transform the culture.

As such, it has been 15 years now since they last won a major honour, earning widespread ridicule from rival fans.

What makes things even more frustrating is the success these players often go on to have at other clubs, suggesting that within the correct environment, they could have contributed massively to instead earning silverware in north London.

One such example that stands out is Dimitar Berbatov, who joined with a big reputation from the Bundesliga as a skilful and expressive forward who could win games on his own.

Whilst they would bare witness to this, as he played a key role in that aforementioned EFL Cup win, what he would go on to accomplish at Manchester United was unprecedented.

Whilst they made a big profit, effectively striking gold with the initial deal, it arguably offers a marker of what could have been had they matched his ambitions.

How good was Dimitar Berbatov?

Standing at 6 foot 2, the Bulgarian forward arguably remained one of the most gifted players with the ball at his feet despite his physique. It was this combination that made him so unstoppable when on form, and it was his 21 goals and nine assists in his final season at Bayer Leverkusen that spurred Spurs to unload £10.9m on him.

A further 38 goal contributions in his debut season would announce him in English football, which he would maintain the campaign following with 37 goal contributions.

His quality was frightening, and he threatened to spearhead the Lilywhites to further success with a maverick play style that often made him unplayable.

The only issue was that during that time they had finished fifth and 11th, whilst the Red Devils had won the league both years. So when Sir Alex Ferguson came calling, with the financial backing only the top team in the country could have, they were powerless.

He signed for a £30.75m fee, marking a sensational 182% profit across just two years; but given how instrumental he had become, this fee was arguably a bargain. Journalist Matt Jackson summarised this move, and explained why the Manchester outfit had swooped for the lackadaisical magician: "He was enigmatic, drifted about, and could come up with magic from nowhere."

As he had to become accustomed to no longer being the main man at Old Trafford his numbers somewhat suffered, yet he still posted 56 goals and 27 assists in 149 games as he would win two Premier League titles and another two EFL Cups.

The 78-cap star would be lauded by Ferguson for his contribution to this period too, as the legendary Scotsman claimed: "I think we are being rewarded this season for our confidence in a player who has a touch of genius.”

Having hit the jackpot financially, to lose a player of this immeasurable quality is always going to be remembered with disdain and frustration as it remains one of the great 'what could have been' stories for the club.

كشفت تقارير صحفية موقف نادي مانشستر سيتي من ارتداء القمصان المُزينة بشعار كأس العالم للأندية، بعد التتويج بالبطولة مساء الجمعة الماضي.

وفاز مانشستر سيتي بالبطولة لأول مرة في تاريخه عقب انتصاره برباعية نظيفة ضد فلومينينسي في نهائي كأس العالم للأندية، في المملكة العربية السعودية.

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “ذا صن” الإنجليزية، فإنه سيُسمح لمانشستر سيتي بارتداء القمصان المُضاف إليها شعار كاس العالم للأندية، على جميع الأطقم الثلاثة هذا الموسم.

ويستطيع مانشستر سيتي ارتداء تلك القمصان المميزة، حتى النسخة المقبلة من كأس العالم للأندية وتحديد الفائز الجديد.

وأوضحت أن مانشستر سيتي سيقوم بذلك الإجراء بشكل فوري، حيث ينوون ارتداء تلك القمصان خلال مواجهة إيفرتون يوم الأربعاء المقبل في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

يأتي هذا بالرغم من منع ليفربول من ذلك التغيير الفوري بعد فوزهم بكأس العالم للأندية نسخة 2019.

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وفاز ليفربول بالبطولة، في ذلك الوقت، عقب انتصارهم على فلامينجو البرازيلي بهدف دون رد، سجله روبرتو فيرمينو.

واضطر ليفربول إلى الانتظار إلى الموسم التالي حتى يتسنى له ارتداء قمصان مُضاف إليها شعار كأس العالم للأندية.

وقد نصت قواعد الدوري الإنجليزي في ذلك الوقت على أنه لا يمكن إجراء تغييرات على المجموعة خلال الموسم.

وبعد ذلك، تم تغيير تلك القواعد لاحقًا ومُنح تشيلسي الإذن بارتداء تلك القمصان فور فوزه بالمسابقة في عام 2021.