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Glasgow Rangers are reportedly now following Brazilian youngster Antony as Giovanni van Bronckhorst targets his first signing of the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Busy summer?

In his first summer transfer window at Ibrox, van Bronckhorst will want to put his own stamp on the squad, and so there should be expected to be plenty of incomings and outgoings before the new season starts.

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The Teddy Bears have recently been linked with a loan move for Billy Gilmour, but the likes of Alex Lowry, Joe Aribo and Filip Helander are reportedly attracting interest from the Premier League.

The Latest: Rangers following

As per A Bola, the Light Blues, as well as Basel, are now following young forward Antony ahead of a potential move in the summer.

Described as an ‘offensive weapon’, the Gers have ‘collected some notes’ on the versatile talent as they look to start their business straight away.

The Verdict: Exciting

It certainly is exciting for the supporters that the club seem to be looking at summer recruitment already, despite the season not being over.

A Brazilian who is just 20 years of age, Antony is an interesting albeit relatively unknown prospect, having scored two goals while on loan at Arouca in the Portuguese top flight from Corinthians.

Capable of playing virtually anywhere in the attack, from second striker to both wings, RFC will be hoping to add more depth to the squad once the window officially opens, and perhaps the young South American could be a good start.

In other news, find out what ‘disappointing’ Rangers update has now emerged here!

Leeds United are likely to wait until next summer to look for a new central midfielder, according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay. 

The lowdown

The Whites were linked with midfielders during the summer transfer window, with Huddersfield Town’s Lewis O’Brien and Cagliari’s Nahitan Nandez among the names mentioned. They didn’t sign one in the end, though, sticking with existing options Kalvin Phillips, Mateusz Klich, Adam Forshaw and Jamie Shackleton.

Most of their £53m summer spend went on wingers Dan James and Jack Harrison and a left-back in the form of Junior Firpo.

The Whites had to wait until the seventh league game of the season to record their first victory and are hovering in 16th in the early Premier League table.

The latest

Hay was asked in a supporter mailbag for The Athletic whether there’ll be ‘any moves for a midfielder in January’.

“What else is there to talk about?” he wrote in reply.

“At least one other person took this further by asking whether a new centre-mid will be a priority next summer, to which the answer has to be “yes”.

“But January?” he added. “I’m not convinced the club will do much in January unless the league position is causing acute concern.”

Leeds’ director of football Victor Orta is apparently of the view that the mid-season window offers ‘poor value for money’, while the club are increasingly sceptical about whether ‘January arrivals work for Marcelo Bielsa’.

The verdict

It has been a rocky start to the season for Leeds, but by January they should hopefully have moved comfortably clear of trouble. As Hay says, that would make mid-season signings unlikely.

He added that the failure of a previous winter addition in Jean-Kevin Augustin, who made only three appearances at Elland Road, is something of a cautionary tale.

Leeds’ push for Europe may be delayed by the absence of a quality central midfielder in front of Phillips, but you could still argue that their approach is sensible.

In other news, Hay had this to say about Marcelo Bielsa’s future. 

Newcastle United are still very much intent on doing a lot of business on transfer deadline day according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

What’s the story?

The Magpies have been one of the quieter Premier League clubs in this summer transfer window, with their only significant signing being that of Joe Willock on a permanent basis from Arsenal.

However, Bailey has now claimed that Steve Bruce’s side have their iron in several fires heading into the final few hours of deadline day, talking to numerous clubs about several players.

He tweeted: “Newcastle are talking to Tottenham about Cameron Carter Vickers. They have also not given up on Leicester’s Hamza Choudhury. And the club have engaged with Chelsea about more than one player. Be surprised if Newcastle don’t get any loans by tonight.”

Fans will be buzzing

If the Magpies could get at least a couple of additions into their squad before the transfer window shuts tonight, then it would put some gloss over what has been a rather disappointing summer as a whole.

The fact the Tyneside club have only brought in Willock and have also said goodbye to a number of fringe players means that there really is a question about how and where Bruce’s team have actually improved – something that The Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards was quick to discuss on Twitter.

He said: “By my reckoning #nufc are only club in Premier League whose squad has not been strengthened from the end of last season… yes the permanent signing of Willock after loan is a positive but with Carroll and others gone, squad overall weaker than it was in May. Why?”

It’s exactly why Bailey’s latest update that the Magpies are talking to several clubs, including the likes of Spurs, Leicester and Chelsea, about a number of players is something which will surely delight the Toon Army.

The more new signings the merrier, and ultimately the necessary, at St James’ Park. Getting more than just the one player in on deadline day would go a long way to improving Bruce’s 2021/22 squad from the one he had last season.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are set to sign this Latin American gem…

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is believed to be under consideration for the Barcelona job, with Ronald Koeman on the verge of being sacked as manager.

The Lowdown: Bielsa transforms Leeds

The Whites have enjoyed a great period in their history and it has been largely down to the brilliance of Bielsa as a manager.

The Argentine guided Leeds back into the Premier League in 2019/20 and has arguably got his side playing some of the most vibrant attacking football in the division, even despite the poor start to this campaign.

Bielsa is adored by anyone of a Whites persuasion – he has also been hailed as ‘incredible’ by Mikel Arteta – and the hope is that he stays on as manager for years to come.

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The Latest: Barca keen on Whites hero

According to Cuatro [via Sport Witness], however, Barca see Bielsa as a candidate to come in and replace Koeman, with the La Liga giants struggling hugely currently.

They believe that ‘if the offer is good’, the Leeds boss’ head could be turned.

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The Verdict: Man of his word

Bielsa signed a new one-year deal in the summer and seems to be a loyal figure, so it would be a huge surprise if he upped sticks and suddenly left Elland Road in the near future.

It may be that the 66-year-old decides to move on at the end of the season due to the nature of the one-year deals he signs, but he will surely respect his contract and look to get his side’s stuttering campaign back on track.

In other news, a pundit has reacted to an exciting update regarding a Leeds player. Read more here.

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has been urged to turn down any advances from Newcastle and only consider offers from ‘clubs like Manchester City or Manchester United’. 

The lowdown

The Northern Echo’s Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson reported over the weekend that the Magpies had sounded out the possibility of appointing the 51-year-old, as well as his sporting director Marc Overmars.

Ten Hag, who has previously turned down Tottenham Hotspur, is still under contract at the Johann Cruyff ArenA for another two years, so Newcastle would need to pay a compensation package if they are to entice him to Tyneside.

The 51-year-old led Ajax to the semi-finals of the 2018/19 Champions League, claiming the scalps of Juventus and Real Madrid along the way. He has also steered the team to two Eredivisie titles and twice been named the Dutch league’s manager of the year (via Transfermarkt).

The latest

Speaking on Studio Voetbal, Dutch journalist Arno Vermeulen admitted that he was baffled by the links and feels that the ‘much smarter’ move for Ten Had would be to wait for an offer from a club which has already ‘established’ itself at the top level.

“Why in God’s name would he go to Newcastle, I wonder?” he said, as quoted by Ajax Showtime. “He’s really smart. He started working at Ajax in the top of the Netherlands.”

Vermeulen later added: “Wouldn’t it be much smarter to wait for clubs like Manchester City or Manchester United? Clubs that are established. If you win prizes with that for a few years, that is very valuable.”

The verdict

The attraction of Newcastle is clear. It’s a transformative project being bankrolled by immensely wealthy owners, and while they may not be ‘established’ now, they may well have the means to be challenging for the top prizes by the end of the decade.

Will Ten Hag be interested in the job? It’s almost surprising that he’s still at Ajax more than two years on from that incredible Champions League run, but this might be the opportunity which tempts him away from Amsterdam. His CV certainly makes for good reading.

In other news, read this major update on an another managerial candidate

Eredivisie side Cambuur have been linked with a late swoop for Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh, according to Omrop Fryslan journalist Andor Faber.

The Lowdown: Summerville interest

Drameh isn’t the first Leeds player the Dutch side have shown an interest in this summer.

Crysencio Summerville, who made the switch to Elland Road last September, was linked with a season-long loan move to the newly-promoted side back in July.

As we know, the Dutch winger has stayed in Yorkshire and has been on the bench in all three first-team games this season.

Even though they missed out on Summerville, it seems as if they may try their luck with a move for Drameh, described as ‘fantastic’ by Ben Parker.

The Latest: Faber post

Faber took to Twitter on Monday evening to share Cambuur’s interest in the 19-year-old.

He revealed that the Dutch side are looking at the full-back, however, a deal could be complicated due to the possibility of playing time under Marcelo Bielsa.

Drameh was included in Bielsa’s matchday squad for just the second time in the 2-2 draw with Everton on the weekend.

The Verdict: Keep

Even though the teenager could head, presumably on loan, to the Netherlands and play regular first-team football, it would make sense to keep Drameh in Yorkshire.

The Whites chose not to add to their right-back ranks this summer, showing faith in both Drameh and Jamie Shackleton.

Drameh continues to be a regular for the Under-23’s and is reportedly knocking on the door over an England Under-21 call-up.

If he can continue to impress at Thorp Arch, he may well become a regular in Bielsa’s matchday squad, and who knows, could take over from Luke Ayling in years to come.

In other news: Orta now looking at late Leeds swoop for ex-Man United trialist; he’s recently changed position. 

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Montpellier forward Stephy Mavididi…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Magpies are among the clubs interested in a deal to sign the former Arsenal attacker this month.

The report claims that Brighton and Crystal Palace are also monitoring his progress, with a fee in the region of £15m being touted.

Imagine him & Wood

Imagine a strike force of Wood and Mavididi lining up for Newcastle in the Premier League in the coming weeks with Callum Wilson out injured!

If Howe can secure a deal for the 23-year-old, he could be an ideal player to slot in alongside the New Zealand marksman due to his style of play and physique. The 5 foot 9 forward is in a similar mould to Wilson in the sense that he is more likely to cause problems with his pace and footwork than physically or in the air, which could complement Wood brilliantly.

Former Charlton boss Lee Bowyer once compared Mavididi to a greyhound because of his electric pace, saying: “There was one time we broke and we had Stephy and Sullay (Kaikai) breaking and it was like two greyhounds in a race – look at how quick they are.

“We’re very fortunate, we’ve got these types of players at the club., if we can get them right and get them all fit for the remaining eight games, it’s going to be exciting times.”

This suggests that the 23-year-old could be the perfect partner for Wood if Howe wants to play a 4-4-2 system, as he could be the one to make runs in behind and play off of the former Burnley man. The 6 foot 2 New Zealand international has won 5.5 aerial battles per game in the Premier League this season, which suggests that Mavididi could have numerous chances per match to run in behind and create chances from Wood’s flick-ons.

Karl Robinson, a former manager of his during a loan spell at Charlton, previously claimed that the young striker has a “bright future” , and this mooted transfer could be an investment for the future as well as one to make an immediate difference. At the age of 23, Mavididi has plenty of scope for development left in him, and he could be a player with whom Howe works over time to improve his game.

He is capable of playing through the middle or out wide and has been in fine form this season, with six goals and three assists in Ligue 1, after scoring nine goals last term, suggesting that he could have the end product to make the most of his prospective partnership with Wood.

That tantalising propsect means that Newcastle must do everything in their power to try and lure Mavididi back to England.

AND in other news, Player keen: Howe must seal NUFC deal to land “world-class” maestro, he’s Cabaye 2.0…

Everton are eying a move for Ukraine international Mykola Matvienko, who could be the perfect replacement for Michael Keane.

What’s the story?

According to reports from 90min.com, Everton are one of several clubs interested in the 25-year-old who currently plays in his homeland for Shakhtar Donetsk. However, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the league is currently suspended.

He is capable of playing at left-back and centre back and is rated at £9.9m, so could be available for a good price.

The Toffees will have to fend off interest from other Premier League clubs such as Brentford and West Ham who could also make the player a good offer.

He’s better than Keane

Everton have the fifth worst defensive record in the Premier League this season and as a result it has left them in a fight to stay up.

One of the players at the heart of that is Michael Keane. He has been described as a “liability” in the Everton backline and it’s about time they replaced him.

The £65k-a-week earning Keane simply hasn’t been the answer to Frank Lampard’s team’s defensive issues.

Signing Matvienko could be the perfect answer to their problems and could provide the club with much needed defensive reinforcements heading into next season.

The centre-back already has 47 appearances for his nation so is an experienced international. His versatility could also benefit the Toffees massively.

When you compare his defensive record directly to Keane’s he comes out on top. In his last full season Matvienko conceded an average of 0.68 goals per game compared to the Englishman’s 1.2.

The Ukrainian also has experience playing in the Europa League and Champions League which can only be a plus. He also kept 13 clean sheets in 29 appearances for his club last season.

Given the interest the player is attracting and has had in the past, it would be a coup for Everton if they were able to secure his services.

Their defence this season has been described as “championship level” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, and given their record it’s hard to disagree.

If they do manage to retain their Premier League status then they’ll need to make improvements, and bringing Matvienko to Goodison Park would be a good start.

IN other news: Everton: Lampard can replace Richarlison with Luka Jovic…

A number of Wolves supporters have been purring over a video which emerged showing Wanderers’ work on the training ground paying off against West Ham.

Bruno Lage’s side picked up a massive victory on Saturday, winning 1-0 against a Hammers team who had been in outstanding form.

A tight game saw Raul Jimenez score the only goal of the game at Molineux as Wolves went sixth in the Premier League and picked up a fifth win in seven outings.

After a relatively slow start to the season, Wanderers are really clicking into gear now and Lage is looking an excellent managerial appointment.

After Saturday’s match, Wolves’ head of coaching strategy Jhony Conceicao posted a video on Twitter showing Jimenez’s goal coupled with the work done on the training ground which enabled it to happen.

Wolves fans laud brilliant video

These Wolves fans loved the “perfect” footage and provided their reactions on Twitter in response to Conceicao’s post.

“Bruno is a genius”

Credit: @Brunoholic

“Clearly something we have worked on in training which is great to see”

Credit: @WolvesNumber37

“Quality video here showing the goal from yesterday and the work they’re putting in on the training field paying off. Keep it up @Wolves”

Credit: @JamesBarnett1

“Practice makes perfect – imagine if this was a Bielsa vid”

Credit: @grubby27

“Makes the goal even more impressive”

Credit: @LukeTurner7

“Love it when a plan comes together! Straight off the training ground”

Credit: @Carl_Yorke

In other news, some Wolves fans have shown their love for one player’s Twitter post. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur could look to replicate their Gareth Bale masterstroke last season with a move for one of his fellow teammates…

What’s the word?

According to the Sunday Mirror (10th April, page 73), Spurs are among the first teams to have been offered the chance to sign Marco Asensio, who Real Madrid are trying to offload this summer.

The LaLiga outfit are looking for around £30m, despite the Spaniard’s contract being up in 2023.

He is yet to agree on terms over an extension to his £117k-per-week deal and that could be down to a lack of game time, having made only 15 league starts this season.

Bale 2.0

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, Asensio could prove to be quite the bargain at a cheaper price and Spurs’ move for Bale last term showed why a lack of game time and form at the Spanish giants can easily be ignored.

The Welshman, often left in the stands under Zinedine Zidane, arrived back in north London with little match fitness under his belt but that didn’t stop him from delivering 16 goals and three assists in all competitions.

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Only Harry Kane and Heung-min Son contributed to more goals.

The 26-year-old has arguably enjoyed one of his finer seasons at the Bernabeu, even despite him being in and out of the starting XI – as per Transfermarkt, he’s provided 11 direct goal contributions from 35 appearances.

However, he’s started just once since mid-February in LaLiga.

Asensio was once tipped to win the Ballon d’Or and has previously been lauded for his “magical” ability by teammate Casemiro – an average of 1.5 and 1.6 key passes per 90 across the past two seasons suggests he’s very much a creative influence in the final third.

Also dubbed a “special talent” by ex-Man City midfielder Joey Barton, the Madrid star could provide manager Antonio Conte with another depth option in the engine room, especially if Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele leave permanently in the summer following their loan stints away.

Just as Bale did, Asensio could make a considerable impact in a Lilywhites shirt and whilst £30m may be a stretch, it’s currently under his estimated worth.

AND in other news, “Tottenham sources”: Romano drops huge transfer claim that Spurs supporters will love…