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Liverpool’s summer transfer window so far has been pretty much perfect. They’ve welcomed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, as they finally start to rebuild their midfield ahead of next season.

It’s been maybe too good to be true, however. Too perfect. And that’s where the future of Thiago Alcantara enters the mix to add a flavour of negativity. The former Bayern Munich and Barcelona man has just one year left on his contract and is a firm fan favourite.

Injury issues have slightly limited his Anfield career at times, but when fully fit, Thiago remains one of the most important players at the club. At 32, though, his Liverpool future has come into question.

What’s the latest on Thiago and Liverpool?

As things stand, Liverpool do not plan to offer Thiago a new contract upon the expiration of his current deal next summer, according to The Athletic.

Meanwhile, reports back in April suggest that the Spaniard is on Barcelona’s shortlist this summer, meaning that a return to his boyhood club could be on the cards. According to Diario AS, via the Liverpool Echo, Thiago was on the La Liga club’s five-man list of targets a few months ago.

Having just signed Ilkay Gundogan, however, a move for Thiago could be unlikely this summer, especially since he’ll be leaving Liverpool on a free deal next summer, as things stand.

As also noted in The Athletic, Saudi Arabia can never be ruled out these days, either, considering club’s spending power this summer, attracting players nearing retirement, and even a couple of players in their prime currently.

Thiago removes Liverpool from Instagram bio

Amid speculation over his future, Liverpool fans spotted that Thiago has removed the club from his Instagram bio in what is potentially an alarming clue, regarding what’s next.

Given that the Reds have already welcomed two midfielders this summer, too, with interest also in Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, as per Fabrizio Romano, Thiago may not play such a large role at Anfield next season.

His injury issues mean that, despite his quality, Klopp can’t look to him for reliability. And that could have played a huge part in reportedly opting out of extending the midfielder’s current deal.

Thiago remains a fan favourite at the club, though, and his experience on and off the pitch could yet prove vital, especially as younger players arrive. Either way, it looks set to continue being a busy summer for the Reds ahead of the next campaign.

West Ham United reaped the rewards from Premier League rivals Chelsea's decision to release Declan Rice at a young age, but they could be at risk of a similar misjudgement.

Rice's talents were clear to see in West Ham's academy, and it was not long before he was making his debut for the club at the age of 18.

After 245 appearances for the Irons, however, culminating in last month's Europa Conference League triumph, his time at the club is set to come to an end when he joins Arsenal in a £105m transfer.

Considering what West Ham got out of Rice, plus the nine-figure windfall that his sale brings to the club, it is fair to say Chelsea will be left kicking themselves.

But could it be West Ham who are left questioning what could have been after releasing Armstrong Oko-Flex?

According to ExWHUEmployee, ambitious Championship side Sunderland have already taken the young winger on trial with a view to adding him to their squad.

Could West Ham regret letting Armstrong Oko-Flex depart?

Football is full of examples of players not cutting it at one club, only to then become a major hit at another – Rice being just one of them. For every instance of that happening, there are hundreds more where the club proved right in letting a player leave.

West Ham will certainly be hoping the latter is true in the case of Oko-Flex, who made just one senior appearance for the East London side, coming in a Europa League tie against Viborg at the start of last season.

Much was expected of the Republic of Ireland U21 international after he scored a hat-trick against Arsenal on his Premier League 2 debut soon after joining from Celtic, for whom he featured four times in the first team.

Oko-Flex was loaned to Swansea last season to gain experience, but he was recalled in January after making 13 appearances – all but one of those as a substitute.

Still, that was enough time on the field to give an indication of what the Irishman is all about, and his performances see him ranked favourably by FBref in their player comparison model.

Indeed, based purely on statistics, some top players in the Premier League are comparable to Oko-Flex, with Mason Mount of Chelsea and Alexis Mac Allister two names in particular.

The Dublin-born attacker, who also spent some time in Arsenal's academy ranks, averaged 0.30 shots on target last season, which compares to 0.49 for Mount, while the pair played 38.2 and 38.6 live passes per 90 minutes respectively – passes that are not from set-pieces.

They also tackle at a similar rate (1.82 per 90 minutes for Oko-Flex v 1.80 for Mount) and also average a similar number of touches (54.2 v 53).

Oko-Flex is far from being on Mount's level just yet, of course, but the early signs are positive enough, with Sunderland clearly seeing enough potential to give him a chance.

As he said during his time on loan with Swansea, Oko-Flex – on a reported £5.5k a week during his time at the London Stadium – is "hungry to play" and wants to be able to "make an impression" by featuring regularly.

Much like Rice before him, he will now get the chance to do that elsewhere. West Ham's loss could well be Sunderland's gain.

Burnley supporters can be forgiven for racing to Google to find out most of their transfer targets this summer, but that is nothing new since head coach Vincent Kompany's revolution started last year.

The Clarets have been linked with goalkeepers Bart Verbruggen and Jean Butez, both of whom are talented in their own right but are not exactly household names in England.

According to Belgian outlet HBVL, Royal Antwerp 'keeper Butez now looks the more likely option for Burnley to sign as Verbruggen is set to join Brighton and Hove Albion from Anderlecht.

Should the deal go through, Butez is expected to rival Arijanet Muric for the number one shirt next season on Burnley's return to the Premier League.

While some may be left wondering exactly who Butez is, Burnley have had great success in recruiting unheralded gems of late, thanks in large to Kompany.

Who is Jean Butez?

Much like Butez, many Burnley fans would not have heard of Anass Zaroury, Manuel Benson, Jordan Beyer or Ameen Al-Dakhil. As it is, each of those – the first three in particular – played an important part in the Clarets' promotion from the Championship.

Zaroury, for example, was signed from Jupiler Pro League side Charleroi and had never played outside of Belgium. Butez came through French side Lille's academy, but all 104 of his senior appearances have come just across the border in Belgium.

The Morocco international played in 34 of the Clarets' 46 league games last season and was given a rating of 6.95 by WhoScored – the sixth-highest of all Burnley players.

If Butez can make something close to the same impact, Kompany's side will stand a very strong chance of retaining their top-flight status beyond next season.

The 28-year-old, who measures in at 6 foot 2 and has previously been described as "very impressive" by football writer Josh Bunting, looks primed and ready to do exactly that at Turf Moor.

Butez kept the most clean sheets in the Belgian top flight last season – a league pretty much on a par with the Championship, according to Global Football Rankings – which goes a long way to explaining links with LaLiga side Villarreal.

As a goalkeeper who is also comfortable with the ball at his feet, as his 74.15% pass-completion rate showed last season, Butez may well be the next unheralded talent snapped up by Kompany. much like Zaroury was.

Newcastle United are creeping closer towards a breakthrough in negotiations for Leicester City's James Maddison, but still face a battle to reach an agreement for the England international.

What's the latest on James Maddison to Newcastle?

According to CBS Sports' Ben Jacobs, Newcastle "will move" for the 26-year-old after sustaining a vested interest in his services since failing with a £50m bid last summer.

The sticking point at present lies in the fact that the Foxes feel their prized midfielder is worth £55m, whereas Newcastle's sporting director Dan Ashworth is unwilling to pay more than £40m for a player relegated from the Premier League this term and with just one year left on his current deal.

Having qualified for the Champions League this year after two decades away, the Magpies are looking to make first-rate moves to bolster Eddie Howe's squad and an attacking midfielder has been highlighted as an area for investment.

Should Newcastle sign James Maddison?

The £110k-per-week star endured a torrid season with Leicester succumbing to the drop after years of impressive work under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers, notably winning the FA Cup and the Community Shield.

However, Maddison can hold his head high after producing prolific and robust performances with regularity despite his outfit's woes, scoring ten goals and supplying nine assists from 28 starts in the Premier League, subsequently mentioned among the "world-class" crop of talent England boast at present by Dean Saunders.

The three-cap gem could catalyse Newcastle's midfield in a manner not too dissimilar to that of Martin Odegaard, with the Norwegian maestro thriving at the heart of Arsenal's centre over the past several seasons following his £30m permanent transfer to the club after an initial loan deal.

The Gunners captain is listed as the most comparable midfield player to Maddison via FBref's 'Similar Players" model, and ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 14% for rate of assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for progressive passes, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 18% for successful take-ons per 90.

This illustrates the sensational calibre and impact the "wizard" – as dubbed by footballer Babayele Sodade – has had on this resurgent Arsenal team, now fighting at the forefront of the Premier League pack after years mired in obscurity.

Maddison could emulate this at St. James's Park, ranking among the top 1% of peers for rate of non-penalty goals, rate of assists and shot-creating actions, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90 – praised as a "monster" by journalist Josh Bunting.

Indeed, both players evidently possess that intricate ability to carry the ball forward and unlock a defence with relative ease.

Given the sheer brilliance of Odegaard's trade and his orchestrating prowess, it's clear to see that Newcastle would only flourish by procuring a signature worthy of matching the prominent player in both merit and effectiveness, and Maddison is the man for the job.

Newcastle United are preparing an offer to sign Wolfsburg star Felix Nmecha this summer, according to reports.

Who is Felix Nmecha?

Nmecha is a midfielder who currently plays his football for Niko Kovac’s side, having moved to the Bundesliga on a free transfer from the Premier League, namely Manchester City’s academy, back in 2021. During his two-year spell, he’s so far made 50 appearances for Die Wolfe.

The Germany international still has another two years to run on his contract, but having established himself as his club’s overall fourth best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.86, has caught the eye of the northeast outfit.

Eddie Howe has reportedly made it his priority to enter the market for new central reinforcements during the transfer window, with Matty Longstaff out of contract at the end of this month and leaving the club, and the 22-year-old appears to have been highlighted as a potential ideal replacement.

Are Newcastle signing Nmecha?

According to The Telegraph (via The Daily Mail), Newcastle are “set to make a bid” for Nmecha this summer. The Magpies are “readying an offer” for the midfielder having “tracked” him for months through the club’s scouts, and it’s stated that Howe is a “fan” of several of his qualities, including his “energetic” and “box-to-box” style of play. Wolfsburg are likely to demand £15m for their prized asset which the board deem to be “relatively cheap” and a price tag that they could easily afford.

Nmecha is naturally an attacking midfielder so is renowned for driving forward with his “quick” pace, as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting, and getting involved in the final third, and we feel PIF should definitely see if they could bring him to St. James’ Park.

Wolfsburg’s number 22, who was born in Hamburg, posted nine goal contributions (six assists and three goals) in 30 Bundesliga outings last season and recorded 37 shots over the course of the campaign, which was the third-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef.

Standing at 6 foot 2, Nmecha, who has the versatility to operate in seven various positions across the pitch, would also add a different dimension to the centre with his height having averaged 1.5 aerial wins per league game, so him being available for £15m is an absolute bargain of a deal for a young player with the ability to add physicality and end product to the Magpies midfield ranks.

Arsenal are reportedly edging closer in their pursuit of Declan Rice, with the midfielder being the talk of the Gunners’ summer as the transfer window approaches.

What’s the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

As reported by CBS journalist Ben Jacobs after West Ham United won the Europa Conference League on Wednesday, the north Londoners are ‘preparing a formal bid’ for the midfielder.

Jacobs claimed that Arsenal remain hopeful of agreeing a deal under the £100m mark, with Sam Dean from the Telegraph reporting that the Gunners will ‘step up’ their pursuit with a fee of £92m.

What could Declan Rice offer Arsenal?

Having won the Conference League trophy this week, the Englishman wrote himself into West Ham folklore by becoming the first Hammers captain to lift a European trophy since Bobby Moore in 1965.

The midfielder has been one of the club's top performers over the past few years, and could be a revelation at the Emirates should he make the switch from east to north London this summer.

Arsenal have had their share of British players over the years, and medalled with the idea that they could operate a British core with Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere in the middle of the park during the latter years of Arsene Wenger's reign.

The duo played alongside each other in north London for ten years before the Englishman departed, however, they had little opportunity to showcase their partnership during this time with both players suffering their fair share of injury troubles.

Hailed as “unbelievable” by Ramsey, Wilshere had a career tainted by injuries but was still able to shine when given the opportunity at Arsenal and was adored by all associated with the club.

The once anticipated duo weren’t able to live up to their expectations as a pair, however, the essence of their presence at the club could see their on-pitch potential fulfilled by the next generation of British talent at the Emirates.

Signing Rice could hand Arteta his answer to Wenger’s Wilshere, with the retired midfielder claiming that the West Ham man would be a ‘perfect fit’ in the Spaniard’s project.

Lauded as a “monster” by former Chelsea ace Frank Leboeuf, the Englishman averages 2.1 tackles per game this season, comparative to – but slightly better than – Wilshere’s 1.3 tackles per game in the 2013/14 campaign. The Hammers star has seen his ability to carry the ball improve throughout the years too, a quality that undoubtedly mirrors Wilshere's.

Arsenal star Emile Smith-Rowe has been tipped to have a future at the club, and could one day be the Ramsey to Rice’s Wilshere, to emulate the potential shown by the duo under Wenger.

In his impressive 2013/14 season, the Welshman averaged 1.3 key passes per game, as well as netting ten goals and registering eight assists from the midfield, via WhoScored.

Similar numbers were hit by Smith-Rowe last term as per WhoScored, who averaged 0.9 key passes per game, scoring ten goals and assisting two in just 21 appearances.

A potential duo of Rice and the 22-year-old Hale End graduate could be influential to Arteta’s midfield, operating in a similar way to the likes of Wilshere and Ramsey in fusing defensive and offensive attributes to create a perfect balance in the engine room.

With the deal expected to progress now that West Ham’s season has closed, this could be a huge deal for the Gunners.

Manchester United's interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer is believed to have cooled, according to a fresh update.

Is Osimhen linked with United?

The 24-year-old enjoyed a memorable season for Napoli, proving to be arguably their star player en route to them winning their first Serie A title since 1990. He scored 26 goals in 32 league appearances, as well as five in as many starts in the Champions League, cementing his reputation as one of Europe's leading strikers.

Osimhen has been constantly linked with a summer move to the Premier League in recent months, with United seen as one of the front-runners, as they look to bring in an elite attacker to lead the line. They aren't alone in showing an interest, however, with Chelsea also eyeing a move for him.

Now, a key update regarding the Nigerian's future has emerged – one that suggests the Red Devils could be set to look at different options moving forward.

What is the current situation with Osimhen?

According to TEAMtalk, United and Chelsea's interest in Osimhen isn't as strong as has otherwise been reported, due to Napoli demanding £150m for his services:

"Manchester United and Chelsea have cooled their interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen after the Italian club placed a £150million price tag on his head, TEAMtalk understands.

"United and Chelsea are ready to end their interest in Osimhen due to Napoli’s inflated valuation of him. The Serie A champions have no intention of selling Osimhen as they want to keep him for next season’s title defence and Champions League campaign. This is why they have given him that huge £150m price tag, and the scare tactics seem to have worked exactly as they were intended."

While Osimhen could be an outstanding signing, considering his performances in 2022/23 and the fact that has been called "phenomenal" by Walter Mazzarri in the past, United could be wise to walk away from the deal because of the fee that is being mooted.

It is an enormous amount of money to pay for one player, especially one who has still only had one genuinely world class season in his career, and it would eat up a vast chunk of the Reds' summer transfer budget.

Should Napoli accept a lower offer, it should be all systems go for United, but if not, finding a cheaper alternative makes sense, with Harry Kane a potential option and someone who has been linked with making a switch to Old Trafford.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has shared some ‘good’ news for supporters ahead of their blockbuster final day clash with Aston Villa.

The Lowdown: Super Sunday…

It’s been 10 years to the month since Sergio Aguero scored that iconic 93:20 title-winning goal, clinching City their first Premier League crown in unrivalled fashion.

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Today, quite fittingly, the Sky Blues could win it on the final day yet again, a decade on from one of the finest moments in the club’s history.

City face off against Steven Gerrard’s side in the hope of beating rivals Liverpool to domestic glory, with just one point separating Guardiola and Reds boss Jurgen Klopp. A win would guarantee retaining the title, but anything else and the Eastlands side will be relying on a big favour from Wolves.

The English champions have had to cope without key defensive figureheads during their final run of games, with the likes of Ruben Dias, John Stones and Kyle Walker all having been sidelined through injury.

However, in a refreshing potential boost, Guardiola has now shared a significant update on the latter duo as City gear up for their most important clash of 2021/22..

The Latest: Pep shares ‘good’ news…

Indeed, in some ‘good’ news, City’s head coach confirmed that both Walker and Stones made ‘partial training’ having ‘recovered’ from their injuries, praising the club’s ‘incredible’ medical staff.

Guardiola also hinted that the duo could now be involved against Villa at the Etihad Stadium in what could be a huge uplift.

He stated (via Simon Bajkowski): “We have incredible doctors and physios and they recovered. They made partial training and we will see tomorrow but it is good for us to have them back”

The Verdict: Massive…The England internationals returning could be massive given their importance, particularly Walker.City’s right-back has been a sore miss, particularly with the absence of his pacey recovery runs, and the 31-year-old’s return could help to nullify Villa’s real threat on the break posed by the likes of Emi Buendia, Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings.Stones also comes as a solid and reliable alternative to Fernandinho and/or Nathan Ake in the centre of defence besides Aymeric Laporte, backed by his phenomenal campaign next to Dias last year and his brilliant performances when called upon this season.Given all that is riding on this final day battle for the Sky Blues, Guardiola’s latest update comes as a much-needed bit of good news.In other news: Man City officials travel to club as Pep and Txiki agree on perfect signing, find out more here

Leeds United are interested in Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill, 90Min report. 

The lowdown

Burnley paid £9million to sign Brownhill from Bristol City midway through the 2019/20 season.

He’s now approaching the final two years of the £40,000 per week deal he signed on arrival.

Brownhill has established himself as a mainstay in the Clarets’ line-up this season, starting 28 of their 34 Premier League matches.

Burnley and Leeds are battling with Everton for Premier League survival, with only goal difference (in favour of the former) separating them at this stage.

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The latest

90Min’s Toby Cudworth writes that Burnley may struggle to hold onto Brownhill even if they secure survival, as the midfielder could apparently be on the market for a fee in the region of £15million.

Victor Orta and co. are ‘keen’ but do face plenty of competition, above all from long-term admirers and current favourites West Ham.

Aston Villa, Everton and Wolves are also in the running, along with newly-promoted Bournemouth.

The verdict

Brownhill recently scored a goal that could actually hurt Leeds’ survival prospects. He completed his side’s dramatic late turnaround away to Watford last weekend with an 86th-minute winner. Burnley reporter Andy Jones hailed him as a ‘sensational man’ in the aftermath of the strike.

It was his fifth goal involvement of the season, which ranks him joint-fourth in the squad behind Maxwel Cornet, Jay Rodriguez (both nine) and Matej Vydra (six).

What’s more, Brownhill has wowed supporters with moments of skill, ‘breaking the ankles’ of Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur with ‘NBA-style’ footwork (in the words of Jones).

He also ranks in their top three for tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, highlighting his all-round strengths.

In other news, a Leeds source shares a worrying Dallas update. 

Dean Jones has dropped an update on the future of former Leeds United transfer target Rodrigo de Paul.

What’s the talk?

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, the journalist and transfer insider stated his belief that, despite recent reports suggesting that the central midfielder is looking to secure a move away from Atletico Madrid, the 27-year-old would more than likely be out of Leeds United’s price range this summer.

However, Jones did go on to state that Victor Orta, the man who saw a €35m (£29.5m) bid rejected for the Argentina international back in the summer of 2020, would still love to bring De Paul to Elland Road.

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When asked whether the Whites could once again launch an offensive for the Atleti midfielder this summer, Jones said: “Victor Orta loves him, but I just think he’s beyond their reach at the moment.

“I mean, financially, I’m not sure that they can go there at the moment. He’ll be linked with some massive clubs and be on big wages. So, while I’m sure they would love him, I would imagine he’s beyond their reach at this point.”

Orta must move

While it is true that the player who Atletico spent €35m (£29.5m) on and handed a five-year contract on a reported £107k-per-week last July will not likely come cheap this summer, considering just how talented a player De Paul quite clearly is, if the midfielder is available this summer, Orta simply must make a move for the 27-year-old.

Despite not enjoying the best campaign of his career at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium this season – having started just 21 LaLiga fixtures under Diego Simeone – the £59m-rated dynamo nevertheless proved during his final year at Udinese that, when given the opportunity, he can be a key player for his club.

Indeed, over his 36 Serie A appearances last term, the Argentine was in breathtaking form for the Bianconeri, scoring nine goals, registering nine assists and creating a quite astonishing 20 big chances – the joint-most in the league – for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.3 shots, making 2.3 key passes and completing 3.4 dribbles per game.

The 39-time capped international also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 40.7 passes, 0.5 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, 4.5 long balls and winning 8.1 duels – at a success rate of 60% – per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Charlie Wilson dubbed “absolutely sensational” and Roy Nemer labelled both a “monster” and “unplayable” average an incredible SofaScore match rating of 7.53, not only ranking him as Udinese’s best performer in the Italian top flight but also as the second-best player in the league as a whole.

As such, should there even be the slightest chance of Leeds signing De Paul this summer, Orta simply must make a move for the 27-year-old, as he would undoubtedly help to transform the Whites’ midfield under Jesse Marsch next season.

AND in other news: Phil Hay reveals yet another “massive blow” for Leeds, Jesse Marsch will be devastated