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A big Rangers claim has emerged over their budget at Ibrox during the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell has claimed that Ross Wilson has the money to land a major addition to the squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, despite the addition of Antonio Colak.

Joe Aribo is now closing in on a move south of the border and the journalist has confirmed that it will allow the club to spend more in the window.

He Tweeted: “There is a budget for a significant fee for a key player + fund other signings from Bosman/cross-border markets etc. Extra spending was always going to be from sales like Aribo.”

The reporter followed that up with: “And to answer those asking, I’m sure there would be funds left over after Colak for fees, based on what I was told. Aribo moving for good money will free up more funds, though, and that should allow Rangers to reinvest in several positions. Then it is a test of the model…”

Supporters will be buzzing

This update will leave supporters buzzing as it suggests that they could be in for a thrilling end to the window, with Wilson potentially looking to bolster the team with a ‘significant’ deal for a player.

The Light Blues chief has until the end of August to get business done and his work may now be accelerated by the prospective sale of Aribo to Southampton. He will leave a huge gap in Gio van Bronckhorst’s squad and an attacking midfielder may now be a position on the club’s radar.

Supporters will be excited by the potential of a big figure being spent on a signing as the last player the club brought in for a fee in excess of £5m was Ryan Kent.

The English winger has been a huge success since arriving at the club as he played a major role in the team’s 2020/21 Premiership title success. He produced an outstanding ten goals and nine assists in the Scottish top-flight to help Steven Gerrard’s team to the trophy, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.23.

Kent followed that up with a whopping 20 assists in all competitions in the 2021/22 campaign. The 25-year-old has proven himself to be a key player for the club and this shows the level of quality Rangers can bring in by spending big money.

Of course, that does not mean that they are guaranteed to land a good player as they still need to pick suitable targets to fit van Bronckhorst’s system. For now, though, the fans will be buzzing by the prospect of another ‘significant’ deal coming in.

AND in other news, Rangers can land Jack 2.0 by signing £20m gem who “dominates”, he’s “one of the best”…

Leeds United target Charles de Ketelaere has said no to an Elland Road move in recent days, according to RTL Sport journalist Alexandre Braeckman.

The Lowdown: De Ketelaere links

The Whites were first name-checked with an interest in De Ketelaere by Fabrizio Romano last month.

Phil Hay has since added that Leeds are ‘serious’ about signing the Club Brugge star, who they view as a forward, and that the club will also target a winger and midfielder to replace Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

Braeckman previously claimed that Leeds were set to make an opening €30m (£25.8m) proposal for the 21-year-old, but it looks as if he is not keen on a move to Yorkshire.

The Latest: Braeckman’s comments

Braeckman was talking to MOT Leeds News regarding De Ketelaere and the links of a move to Leeds.

He revealed that the forward recently ‘said no’ to an Elland Road switch, and the journalist added that he ‘knows’ De Ketelaere’s wish is to play in the Champions League.

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“De Ketelaere said no when Leeds contacted him a few days ago.

“But I’m not around the table, if they’re pushing through, there must have a reason. If they think they can convince him, then they’re right to try, as we are talking about an absolutely brilliant player.

“De Ketelaere needs to play, as he’s looking for a spot in the Belgium squad for the World Cup, but I know he’d like to play Champions League. So if Milan comes too, which is likely to happen, I think it will be hard for Leeds.”

The Verdict: When will Leeds move on?

The Whites may well be fighting a losing battle when it comes to De Ketelaere, especially if AC Milan firm up their interest which, according to Braeckman, is ‘likely’ to happen.

Attacking reinforcements are needed at Elland Road to provide competition to the likes of star man Patrick Bamford and emerging star Joe Gelhardt.

Leeds clearly think De Ketelaere could still be the perfect addition, so it will be interesting to see how long they pursue him before giving up and moving on to an alternative target, especially with the new season fast approaching.

Celtic had no issues when it came to finding the net in the Premiership last season, as Ange Postecoglou’s side ended their title-winning campaign with more goals scored (92) than any other team in the division.

Now that the 2022/23 season is on the horizon, with the Hoops undeniably looking to retain their league title while also tasting domestic cup glory and giving a good account of themselves in Europe, the 56-year-old will be hoping to strengthen his squad to put them in the best shape to meet their objectives.

Focusing on their attack, one man with whom the Parkhead club have been linked with this summer and who could some strength and depth to Celtic’s squad is Antoine Semenyo.

A product of Bristol City’s youth system, the 22-year-old has scored 13 goals and delivered 20 assists in 97 senior appearances for the club.

His previous campaign saw the centre-forward find the net eight times and supply 12 assists in 30 Championship appearances, highlighting how deadly he can be in front of goal, whether that’s in terms of scoring goals or setting them up for his team-mates.

This also explains why the £3.5k-per-week attacker was described by his former manager Nigel Pearson as being a “a nightmare to play against” and “a real threat with his power and pace.”

According to Football Transfers, one name who has been included on a list similar players to Semenyo is Karim Adeyemi.

After scoring 33 goals and providing 21 assists in 91 appearances for Red Bull Salzburg, the 20-year-old joined Borussia Dortmund last month for a fee of £33m.

To compare the young attacking duo from their recent individual domestic seasons, they racked up a combined total of 139 shots at goal between them with virtually a 50-50 divide, the Bristol City gem having 70 and the young German taking 69.

With this in mind, the prospect of having his own version of Adeyemi at Celtic in the form of Semenyo would surely be an exciting one for Postecoglou and Hoops fans.

Should an opportunity arise for the Bhoys to launch a move for the Robins predator this summer and bring him to Parkhead, this is something that the Scottish champions should be all over.

In other news – “Celtic would..”: Antony Joseph drops behind-the-scenes claim, supporters will be thrilled

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on Manchester United’s pursuit of Pau Torres in an interview with GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

The Red Devils were interested in signing the Villarreal centre-back last summer as a backup to new arrival Raphael Varane, and they have nd now reignited their pursuit of the Spain international, with recently-appointed United manager Erik ten Hag having been consulted.

The 25-year-old’s contract with the La Liga club contains a release clause of around £52m, as per Romano.

The latest

The Italian journalist has now claimed that United have learned that they can sign Torres for a reduced fee. Intermediaries have been trying to strike an agreement that could see the move reach the next stage.

He told GiveMeSport: “For Pau Torres, they know he has a release clause of around €60m (£52m), but they also know that Villarreal would be willing to negotiate for something less than this.

“It could be around €45m-€50m (£38m-£43m). So they have all the conditions set, and they have had some conversations with intermediaries working on this deal.”

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The verdict

If United can agree a deal with Villarreal via these intermediaries, then the next challenge is persuading the player to come to Old Trafford.

Torres knows that he’d be competing with not only Varane but also club captain Harry Maguire, the most expensive defender in football history.

Beyond that, the Spaniard has made clear his preference to play Champions League football next season. United had to settle for a place in the Europa League after finishing sixth in last season’s Premier League.

The Red Devils saw first-hand how good he was in last season’s Champions League group stage. Even though Villarreal lost 2-1 at Old Trafford in September, Torres stood out on the night. As per Sofascore, he won five out of six duels, successfully executed a last man tackle and completed 97% of his passes (including four out of five long balls) and both of his dribbles.

Imagine how much United fans might love to see him performing like that at Old Trafford regularly…

In other news, United have submitted a bid for this Premier League star

Manchester United will again loan out midfielder James Garner to Nottingham Forest next season, according to journalist Jacque Talbot.

The Lowdown: Garner excels at Forest

The 21-year-old joined Forest on a temporary basis last season, with United seeing it as beneficial to his development in terms of earning more regular minutes.

Garner was a revelation at the City Ground, proving vital to Steve Cooper’s side earning promotion to the Premier League, scoring four goals and registering eight assists in the Championship.

While the midfielder could return to Old Trafford for good this summer, it looks as though that won’t be the case.

The Latest: Garner going back to Forest

Taking to Twitter in sharing his report for Football Transfers, Talbot claimed that Garner would instead return for another season-long loan spell at Forest in 2022/23, amid reported transfer interest from other clubs.

He tweeted:

“Exc: Told Manchester United will fend off interest for James Garner as they wish to keep him permanently – but he will be loaned back to Nottingham Forest. Don’t think Everton or Leeds have a chance at this point.”

The Verdict: Great news for Forest

This is a massive boost for Forest, with Garner’s technical ability in the middle of the park proving to be influential last season.

Only three players registered more goal contributions for the Reds in their promotion campaign, while the 21-year-old led the way for key passes (two) and crosses (1.6) per game, as per WhoScored.

While they might not be getting the youngster on a permanent deal, this would be the next best thing, with Cooper no doubt delighted to retain the youngster’s services.

This boost is especially needed after negative reports surrounding the likes of Brice Samba and Djed Spence, both of whom may not be at Forest next season.

In other news, Forest have been dealt a transfer blow. Read more here.

Journalist Rudy Galetti of Tribal Football has now shared a major Tottenham Hotspur transfer update on the club’s pursuit of Everton striker Richarlison.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye move…

The Lilywhites are reliably believed to hold a serious interest in Brazil’s international attacker as manager Antonio Conte reportedly sets his sights on an alternative to star man Harry Kane.

According to reporter David Ornstein of The Athletic, some sources at Goodison Park even believe a Spurs move for Richarlison is inevitable and Everton could be forced to accept a fee lower than their desired asking price.

Now, as per Galetti, it appears the north Londoners could be about to seriously ramp up their Premier League transfer chase.

The Latest: Galetti shares major Richarlison update…

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According to the reporter, Tottenham now ‘want to speed things up’ for Richarlison and ‘decisive days’ lie ahead.

Galetti also explains that the Toffees value their star 25-year-old at ‘€65/70 million (£56/£61m)’ but Spurs would ‘like to shell out a little less’.

The Verdict: Get moving…

As backed by WhoScored, Richarlison stood out as one of Frank Lampard’s most crucial assets over 2021/2022 when at his very best.

He finished 2021/2022 as their best-performing player by average match rating whilst also racking up Everton’s most goals and assists combined (10G, 5A).

Richarlison attempted a threatening 2.4 shots at goal per 90 in that time, more than any of his teammates, leaving little surprise Conte and co want him through the Hotspur Way door as soon as possible.

Called ‘unplayable’ by Sky pundit Andy Hinchcliffe, the South American could be a real asset at Spurs.

In other news: Sky journalist: Tottenham hold ‘negotiations’ as Paratici also eyes ‘perfect player for Conte’! Find out more here.

The Scotsman journalist Barry Anderson has provided an update on the future of Glasgow Rangers youngster Rory Wilson. 

The lowdown: Star in the making

Born in Girvan, the 16-year-old has been making a name for himself in the youth ranks at Ibrox over the last 12 months.

The centre-forward made four appearances for the Gers’ under-19 side in the 2021/22 UEFA Youth League and is already a shining light on the youth international scene.

Having announced his imminent departure from the Glasgow giants, Wilson has been heavily linked with a move to join up with former Teddy Bears manager Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, and it appears that the proposed move could be edging closer…

The latest: Wilson transfer latest

Taking to Twitter, Anderson reported that the Ibrox teenage sensation is nearing a switch to the Premier League outfit.

He said: “Rory Wilson from Rangers to Aston Villa is progressing. Wilson (16) scored 49 goals at youth level this season for Rangers & Scotland. RFC due a £300,000 development fee. Villa also close to signing Ewan Simpson (15) from Hearts in a £250,000 transfer. #AVFC #Football #Scotland”

The verdict: Blow for Rangers

While it seems almost inevitabile that such a prodigious talent would move on from Ibrox at some stage, losing a talent of Wilson’s quality at such a young age is a blow to the project at Rangers.

With eight goals in just 11 Scotland under-17 outings on top of an astonishing campaign which has seem him score 49 goals between club and country at youth level, the prolific young striker was labelled ‘clinical’ by his coach Brian McLaughlin earlier this year.

Nonetheless, receiving a fee of £300,000 – as suggested by Anderson – would be a boost to the Gers’ coffers for a player who was unlikely to make a direct impact on Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side next season, so long as the money is redistributed to the Dutchman’s own transfer budget.

In other news: Alex McLeish has had this to say on Nikola Katic’s Ibrox return

West Ham United could well be facing a major post-season setback, amid reports that midfield star Declan Rice won’t be signing a new deal.

What’s the word?

According to Claret and Hugh, the Hammers have reportedly ‘confirmed’ that the 23-year-old will not be agreeing to a new contract this summer. This represents a twist as there were ‘hopes’ from within that club that he could commit his future to the London Stadium.

The England international has just two years remaining on his existing deal – with the option of an extra year – having been rumoured to have rejected a remarkable eight-year extension from the east London outfit worth an estimated £83m.

While it would appear he will remain at the club for at least another season, with the Premier League side placing a £150m price tag on his head to ward off any interest, the belief is that he will more than likely be moving on at the end of next term, as per this latest report.

Supporters worried

Although there is the positive news that the £62k-per-week gem should be a West Ham player for the 2022/23 season, that will seemingly only marginally soften the blow, with supporters facing what looks like an inevitable separation with their talisman, something that will no doubt leave them worried.

Having been plucked at the age of 14 after being released by London rivals Chelsea, Rice has gone on to become an integral asset to the Irons, notably taking on captaincy duty in the absence of Mark Noble in recent seasons.

Not just a leading figure at the club, the £67.5m-rated machine is also one of the most prominent players in the division, with pundit Paul Parker suggesting that he is “the best central midfield player in the country”, such has been his standout form of late.

In recent seasons, in particular, the 29-cap colossus has been a real driving force for both club and country, while he compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 5% for interceptions made, as well as in the top 6% for pass completion and the top 9% for progressive carries.

That latter stat is no real surprise, in truth, with the marauding midfielder so often seen winning the ball back in the centre of the park and driving right at the heart of the opposition defence, with his powerful surging runs forward so vital to dragging David Moyes’ side up the pitch.

Of course, with that £150m figure that has been bandied about the former Everton boss could likely strengthen in a number of positions were Rice to be sold, although supporters will no doubt agree that he is a simply unique and irreplaceable asset who would leave a notable void were he to depart.

The Hammers only have to look at the mess that Tottenham Hotspur made with their sizeable, £80m Gareth Bale sale back in 2013, with Spurs proving that even seven new signings couldn’t replicate the talent of just one, leading figure.

It may not be this summer that GSB cash in on their man, although it could prove an anxious 12 months for supporters as they wait and see where the midfielder’s long-term future lies.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Manchester United are lining up a bid for Brazilian talent Joao Gomes as Erik ten Hag aims to start the club’s summer transfer business early.

What’s the news?

South American news outlet BolaVIP have reported that the Red Devils are sending scouts to watch Flamengo star Joao Gomes in action as they appear keen to bring him to England.

It was originally TNTSports which linked United with the 21-year-old in March, and it looks like Ten Hag is about to get a closer look at the player.

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A fee of around R$200m (£33m) is what the Manchester club are willing to pay for the defensive midfielder, according to journalist Gustavo Henrique, and this seems a reasonable fee for someone of Gomes’s talent and age.

Imagine him and Bruno

One of Ten Hag’s main priorities at Old Trafford will surely be to rejuvenate the midfield. With the future of Paul Pogba still hanging in the air and Nemanja Matic leaving, there will be a need to bolster United’s options in this area.

Gomes could well be an ideal signing and he has a respectable WhoScored average rating of 6.85 this season. His pass success rate is an excellent 88.4%, and a player with such impressive passing ability is one that the Dutchman will surely want in his team.

Having a holding midfielder of his ball distribution in the team would allow more creative freedom to the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo. Knowing that they have a solid midfielder behind them with the attributes to break up play and potentially build attacks from the base of midfield could be a game-changer going into next season.

Gomes has been described in the past as the “great ball thief”, and this quote perfectly summarises his qualities. The 21-year-old makes 4.1 tackles per game and wins back possession 0.4 times per 90 minutes.

For a reported fee of £33m, Ten Hag should be making Gomes one of his first summer signings at Old Trafford.

AND in other news, Bid incoming: Sky Sports journalist drops MUFC transfer update, Ten Hag will be thrilled

West Bromwich Albion are interested in Millwall midfielder Jed Wallace.

What’s the word?

As per a report from The Sun’s Alan Nixon, it has been claimed that West Brom have opened talks to sign the Millwall midfielder who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

Steve Bruce is said to be keen on the 28-year-old but he has been offered new terms by his current employers.

Bruce needs him

The latest news is timely for Bruce, who is set to lose midfield depth in the form of Romaine Sawyers, who will leave in the summer on a free after the Baggies decided against triggering his one-year contract extension.

It is no wonder as to why Wallace has so many reported suitors, especially when you consider that he was hailed as “unbelievable” by current manager Gary Rowett too.

Of the last three Championship campaigns, the Englishman has struck gold with his attacking returns – managing a whopping 27 goals and 30 assists.

57 returns over the last three seasons presents serious value for a club who can prise him away on a free at the end of the season.

And he has continued in that vein, with another six goals and 12 assists shooting Millwall to within touching distance of the play-off places.

Compared to Sawyers, therefore, he’d be a huge upgrade. Since signing for Albion, the 30-year-old has only ever scored once and laid on a solitary assist.

Furthermore, Wallace is also a more versatile threat, possessing the ability to play in Sawyers’ attacking midfield role, but also on the flanks.

In other news: Bruce can save WBA millions by unleashing 19 y/o dynamo who has a “knack of scoring”