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Tottenham Hotspur could hijack Fulham's free transfer bid to sign forward Manor Solomon following his impressive Craven Cottage loan spell, according to reliable journalist Nizaar Kinsella.

Who will Spurs sign after Maddison?

Spurs, much to the delight of new manager Ange Postecoglou, have moved swiftly for some of their top targets in this last fortnight.

Guglielmo Vicario joins from Empoli to shore up their goalkeeping options, while chairman Daniel Levy also managed to sign playmaker James Maddison from Leicester City for £40m.

These two transfers, coupled with the permanent signing of Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus, mark a solid start to this summer transfer window and reports suggest they're also after a star centre-half.

Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven and others have been linked with moves to north London while there is a belief that Postecoglou wishes to add attacking reinforcements as well.

The departures of both Arnaut Danjuma, who has returned to parent club Villarreal, and winger Lucas Moura on a Bosman have left Spurs slightly short of wide forwards.

As a result, the north Londoners are said to be keen on a move for Shakhtar Donetsk's Solomon, coming after a FIFA ruling allowed players to leave Ukraine freely amid the ongoing war with Russia.

The legislation allows Solomon to halt his contract, without approval from Shakhtar, and move wherever he pleases – meaning Tottenham can sign him for free.

As a result, The Evening Standard and Kinsella claim Spurs are "interested in hijacking" Fulham's "free transfer bid" for the Israel winger, as the Whites are also keen on him following his 2022/23 loan spell in west London.

While not much is added beyond that, it does appear Postecoglou and Levy are eyeing fresh faces in the forward areas.

Who is Manor Solomon?

Solomon scored in five straight games between February and March, bagging four overall in the league, with the 23-year-old impressing during his temporary Fulham spell last campaign.

The winger has also been heralded by sections of the Israeli press, as sports journalist Josh Halickman describes Solomon as an "exceptional athlete" and puts him up there with his country's most influential sportspeople of recent times.

Fulham boss Marco Silva also praised Solomon for his flair and capability in one-on-one situations.

"He has scored some important goals for us," said Silva.

"His one-v-one situation is really strong and coming from the left he is important."

Nottingham Forest have made contact to enquire about a loan deal for Everton defender Mason Holgate, according to reports.

Who is Mason Holgate?

Holgate is a centre-back who currently plies his trade at Goodison Park having moved there from Barnsley all the way back in 2015, making him the club’s second longest-serving player after Seamus Coleman, but he’s recently been out of favour on Merseyside.

The Toffees veteran, who is eligible to play internationally for Jamaica, only made five starts last season in the Premier League so is significantly low down in Sean Dyche’s pecking order and his potential availability has alerted Steve Cooper, but not for the first time.

Back in January, Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett revealed that the Reds were “considering” a swoop for the 26-year-old to strengthen their defensive ranks but they ended up completing a deal for Atletico Madrid’s Felipe, though the Forest boss is looking to be successful on his second attempt.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Holgate?

According to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest have "registered their interest" in a loan deal for Holgate alongside Sheffield United this summer. Everton have "agreed" to sanction the defender's temporary exit ahead of the new campaign, with Dyche having "told" him that he is free to leave to get more minutes under his belt.

Cooper is "looking for new additions" to bolster his ranks further to ensure that his side don't find themselves in another relegation battle this time next year.

What could Holgate bring to the Midlands?

Nottingham Forest are clearly serious about signing Holgate to be targeting him once again and it’s no surprise considering that Liverpool ECHO's former reporter Sam Carroll previously labelled him “Mr Dependable”, so whilst the centre-back has been out of favour, he still has plenty to offer and that could be showcased with the regular game time he'd receive at The City Ground.

The New Era Global Sports client, who pockets £70k-per-week, averaged 3.3 clearances and 1.4 tackles per top-flight game last season, via WhoScored, showing the positive instant impact he made at the heart of the backline when given the opportunity to play.

Holgate, who has posted ten senior goal contributions during his time at Everton, would also provide Cooper with plenty of versatility with his ability to operate anywhere across the defence and even two roles in the midfield, so he would definitely give Cooper another solid option should he put pen to paper in the weeks ahead.

Chelsea have scheduled a meeting this week to discuss a deal to sign Napoli forward Victor Osimhen, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

When does Victor Osimhen's contract expire?

Osimhen is a striker who currently plays his football at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium having moved there from Lille back in 2020 ,where’s he’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team, clocking up 101 appearances to date.

The Nigeria international still has another two years to run on his contract in the Serie A, but having established himself as Rudi Garcia’s both overall and offensive top-performing player last season with a WhoScored match rating of 7.45, has grabbed the attention of Mauricio Pochettino.

Back in May, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg revealed that the Blues were “pushing” to sign the 24-year-old who is at the “top of the list” for attacking targets in the final third, and it sounds like club chiefs are now planning to take their interest one step further.

Are Chelsea signing Osimhen?

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Tavolieri revealed that Chelsea, alongside Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester United, have all arranged meetings with Osimhen’s representatives this week to present their project. He wrote:

“The Victor Osimhen saga will move on the market! #ManUnited, #ChelseaFC & #Liverpool have meetings planned with the entourage of the top scorer of #SerieA. Next week should define the intentions of his 3 clubs. The priority of #Osimhen is #PremierLeague.”

Chelsea are believed to be close to confirming the arrival of Villarreal centre-forward Nicolas Jackson after he completed his medical over the weekend. And having been dubbed “lethal” by journalist Josh Bunting, Osimhen could be a fantastic recruit should he follow in his footsteps, a more natural number nine than the versatile Jackson.

The Nigeria star posted a remarkable 31 goal contributions (26 goals and five assists) in 32 Serie A outings last season, form which saw him receive five man-of-the-match awards and named his division’s top goalscorer for the 2022/23 campaign.

Napoli’s £90k-per-week earner also recorded a total of 132 shots over the course of the previous term which was higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, highlighting the prolific threat he poses when leading the line.

Finally, Osimhen would also add wonderful versatility to Pochettino’s ranks with his ability to operate everywhere across the frontline, despite his natrual dominance through the middle, so it would be a massive coup if he was to put pen to paper.

Liverpool could be a side to look out for in the potential race for the Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella this summer.

How much is Nicolo Barella worth?

The Reds have already kick started their summer window off in style through seeing a number of players depart at the end of their current deals with the Merseyside club.

However, it has not just been exiting players at Anfield with the former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister making the move to join Liverpool.

However, it has been claimed Jurgen Klopp is looking to bring in more than just the one midfielder this summer as it is a major area for improvement.

And one player who has been heavily linked with a potential move away this summer is the long-standing Liverpool target, Barella.

Indeed, the Italian midfielder has been linked with a potential move to Newcastle United this summer after reports suggested the Toon were closing in on a deal worth in the region of £50m.

This is a player who the Reds have been heavily linked with for a long period of time now with the 26-year-old still having three years remaining on his contract.

However, it has since been reported the suggested £50m bid from the Toon would not be anywhere near enough to prise Barella away from the San Siro.

But speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has suggested the Merseyside club could be one to watch this summer:

"I would also keep an eye on Liverpool because Liverpool have always been following the player. Jurgen Klopp has always been a big fan of Barella and so let's see what happens at Liverpool.

"We know they are now busy with Khephren Thuram, Manu Kane and Gabri Veiga so they're they're speaking to agents of many midfielders because they will sign at least another important midfielder this summer. But they're also informed on the situation of Nicolo Barella."

Will Inter sell Barella?

The 26-year-old – who has been hailed "magic" by some in the media – played a huge role in Inter's 2022/23 campaign having made 35 appearances in Serie A where he was able to provide them with six goals and seven assists (via Transfermarkt).

And as a result, reports in Italy (via InterNews) have claimed the Serie A giants would be unwilling to listen to any offers for their midfielder.

The report suggests no bid will be enough to prise Barella away from the San Siro this summer, however, it is no secret that the Italian side have endured some financial difficulties of late.

Amid their issues, the likes of Alessandro Bastoni have been linked with a potential move away in the not-so-distant past, but it seems as if he could be soon to ink a new deal.

Even if Inter were willing to sell Barella, it would be intriguing to see whether the Reds would be able to stretch their transfer budget to compete with the likes of Newcastle.

Newcastle United are about to enter their fourth transfer window since the new ownership took control, and it promises to be a big one. After all, they now boast a place in the Champions League after finishing 4th in the Premier League.

Their rise has been rapid, with some massive signings that transformed the team under Eddie Howe. They haven't signed every player they hoped for, however, and Football FanCast has taken a look back on some of their near-misses over the last 18 months.

Here's what could have been…

8 Cody Gakpo

Chronicle Live claims Newcastle were big, big fans of Gakpo before his move to Liverpool. They'd actually been watching him pre-takeover and continued right the way through the World Cup.

It always looked likely that Gakpo would move on from PSV Eindhoven in January, and Newcastle were a common name linked. Anfield would be his ultimate destination, however.

7 Mykhailo Mudryk

Just about every Premier League club wanted Mudryk – or at least, it felt that way to start the year. Newcastle were among those, says The Athletic, but they couldn't justify his ultimate fee as Chelsea swooped in.

6 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Kvaratskhelia arrived at Napoli a year ago and absolutely stormed it in Serie A, leading his side to their first title in decades. Naturally, Newcastle were amongst the clubs hoping to sign the now-superstar – according to The Times. All reports suggest he's staying put after signing an extended deal, though.

5 Enzo Fernández

Enzo was one of the biggest stories coming out of the World Cup, with Benfica under pressure to sell the player they'd signed just a few months prior. A Bola in Portugal believed Newcastle wanted him, too, and that they could trigger his release clause. As it turned out, Chelsea would be the ones to do that.

4 Jude Bellingham

Bellingham was quite possibly the most in-demand player on the planet ahead of this summer. Sport Bild claimed that the Magpies were hoping to get involved and make the midfielder a marquee signing. He does feel like the perfect player to build around given his age and quality.

Instead, he has now signed for Real Madrid, but perhaps a Premier League move beckons in the future.

3 Neymar

Okay, so maybe it's time to take these ones with a pinch of salt. Still, rumours swirled this season that Paris Saint-Germain wanted to sell Neymar. Few clubs could actually afford the Brazilian – but Newcastle are one of them.

90min made the link, and while Neymar is ultimately still with PSG, you can expect to hear this one again. Speculation is louder than ever that the playmaker will depart this summer. Maybe Champions League football in the north-east appeals?

2 Kylian Mbappé

There was a lot of drama around Mbappé ahead of the World Cup, with suggestions in France that he wanted out of PSG. Much like Neymar, the number of clubs that could afford the superstar is very small. Newcastle would again be up there, though.

And journalist Ben Jacobs claimed they were a potential destination at the time. Now, again as with Neymar, nothing ultimately happened. But the striker doesn't seem too happy and Newcastle may just have a chance to try again someday soon.

1 Lionel Messi

One PSG star who was on the move was Lionel Messi – he's joined Inter Miami. But there was talk in Spain this year that Newcastle were planning to make a monster offer to arguably the greatest player of all time.

That's what Sport claimed. Barcelona also wanted Messi back but Newcastle were seen as a genuine threat. As it is, Messi will leave elite European football behind and take his talents to South Beach.

Olympic champion Usain Bolt has claimed that Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford could actually beat him in a 20-yard sprint.

What's the latest on Manchester United and Marcus Rashford?

It was a pretty impressive season all told for the English forward. After all, not only did he help the Red Devils win the League Cup and secure Champions League football, he also netted 30 goals in all competitions – making him the first MUFC player since Robin van Persie in 2012/13 to hit that total.

So what does all this have to do with Bolt?

Well, the world’s fastest man – who holds the 100m, 200m and 4x100m records in both the Olympics and World Championships – is taking part in Soccer Aid this weekend and will captain the World XI who take on England at Old Trafford.

Consequently, he's been in the UK this week and has taken the time to talk about Man United, the club he supports, recently on talkSPORT.

During the interview, co-host Darren Bent asked him who would be quicker in a race between Bolt and Rashford, and the Jamaican came up with a bit of a surprising answer.

Bent said: “I read an article where you said that Rashford could beat you over 20 yards, is that correct?”

Bolt replied: “Yeah! Rashford is quick out the blocks, that is what he does.

“He has that burst of speed but after that, I told him, you could probably get me in 20 [yards].

“But after that, it is over!”

How fast can Usain Bolt run?

So there you have it, Rashford might be quicker over a shorter distance but if they were racing 100 yards, the Englishman probably wouldn't be able to keep up.

According to Speeds DB – a database that can tell you the top speed of anything – the Man Utd winger can run at 33.30 km/h (or 20.69 mp/h), while Bolt's top speed is 44.72 km/h (27.79 mp/h), which shows the real disparity between the two.

Bolt also provided his thoughts on how the Red Devils have been playing of late, saying: “[The season] has been positive. I wish we won the FA Cup but it is just one of those things.

“We got one trophy and we are in the top four. The way we were looking for the past couple of seasons, this is just positive moment.

“I am just happy that we have a great coach that is really getting the team together. Hopefully, we can get some good players to add to the team and challenge for the league because it is going to be tough.”

Leeds United could make a move for Steven Gerrard to replace Sam Allardyce as manager, according to a recent report from The Sun.

Who could Leeds appoint as manager?

Leeds are said to have held talks with Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola, but there will be stiff competition for the Spaniard, as the likes of Sevilla and Villarreal are also given a mention in the update.

The Whites are set for crunch talks with Allardyce about his future at the club, and the 68-year-old could potentially remain at Elland Road, having impressed several members of the board, although that scenario is deemed to be unlikely.

However, according to a report from The Sun, the players are keen for the manager to stay, which could impact the board's decision, although the club currently remains in limbo until Andrea Radrizzani agrees a sale to the San Francisco 49ers.

The report gives an overview of a number of potential manager targets for Leeds, with Brendan Rodgers getting a mention, but it is detailed that the Northern Irishman may not be keen on dropping to the second tier.

Another possible option is Gerrard, who has been unemployed since being sacked by Aston Villa in October, but he has been linked with a number of jobs in the meantime, including Paris Saint-Germain and Poland.

Should Leeds appoint Steven Gerrard?

It is fair to say the Liverpool legend did not impress in his first Premier League job, averaging just 0.82 points per game last season with a Villa team that clearly had quality, given that Unai Emery went on to secure a place in the Europa Conference League.

As such, there may be some understandable concern about the 43-year-old being linked with Leeds, but it is also important to highlight the fantastic job he did at Rangers, winning the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership in style ahead of Celtic.

The Gers amassed a remarkable 102 points that season, winning every single home game, indicating that Gerrard is more skilled at managing teams competing near the top end of the table, something Leeds will be hoping to do next season.

That said, a move for Rodgers would undoubtedly be preferable, as the former Leicester City boss has far more experience, winning nine trophies throughout his career, so he could be a better target for the Whites, but it looks as if Gerrard's name could be another to keep an eye on.

Newcastle United are set to battle Manchester United for Serie A hitman Victor Osimhen after his incredible goalscoring feats for Napoli this season.

Why is Victor Osimhen so highly rated?

In all competitions for Napoli, Osimhen managed 30 goals and five assists in 38 appearances. The forward almost managed to score or assist a goal every 90 minutes this season – a truly elite feat.

Winning Serie A in such exciting fashion has ensured the likes of Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are spoken about in the same breath as some of Europe's most exciting players.

Former striker David Trezeguet told Napoli Magazine how much he believes in the Nigerian forward. He said: “I follow Osimhen elsewhere, everyone wants him. In Germany and France, he’s talked about a lot, he’s demonstrating a lot.

“He’s already done it with Lille, he did very well there. He’s a unique player, a prototype of the new player, fast, and he moves a lot. I think he has become a striker with an important profile. He knows how to move and manage himself in the match.”

FBref, a statistics database, compares players to other stars in the same position to them and they've recorded that Osimhen has some truly astonishing stats this season.

Scoring 0.9 non-penalty goals every 90 minutes places Osimhen in the top percentile of all forwards.

His xG, the metric that refers to how many goals a player is expected to score based on projections, is 0.79. This means that if Osimhen plays ten games, he is expected to score 7.9 goals in that period. In reality, he scored at a rate of 0.93 goals per 90 or 9.3 goals every ten matches.

A unique player indeed as Trezeguet said.

What's the transfer latest on Osimhen to Newcastle?

The Mirror has relayed an update from Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport regarding Newcastle and Osimhen. Eddie Howe wants to add more firepower to his squad after qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Following their fourth-placed finish, Newcastle are set for a "windfall of more than £100m", the Mirror states. They are also set to announce a brand-new shirt sponsor in July which will further enable Newcastle to secure their preferred transfer targets.

Osimhen is a target for Howe and Newcastle have made contact with the forward's agent. Napoli maintain they do not want to sell the Nigerian, who will reportedly cost a minimum of £130m.

It's a lot of money to pay but after scoring 30 goals this season, Osimhen is could be considered one of the most in-demand forwards on the market given the likes of Man United and Chelsea are reportedly interested.

Manchester United are believed to be interested but with their potential takeover still unresolved, their transfer plans for the summer may be restricted amid the Glazers' ongoing tenure at Old Trafford.

Liverpool have a track record when it comes to signing players from fellow Premier League clubs.

In recent years, the Reds have added faces such as Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk and James Milner among others to their ranks from numerous top-flight clubs.

One other player that the Merseyside club struck a deal for from another Premier League side is Diogo Jota.

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Back in the 2020 summer transfer window, the Reds bought the winger from Wolves for a reported fee of £41m.

Since then, the Portugal international has been a revelation for Jurgen Klopp’s side, scoring 34 goals in 82 appearances across all competitions.

Now that the next summer window is around the corner, it seems as though FSG could have the chance to replicate their Jota masterclass again with another Premier League talent.

Last week, it was reported that Liverpool are one of the clubs monitoring Eddie Nketiah’s situation at Arsenal, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the season and a move away from the north London club looking likely.

This could then give the Reds the opportunity to once again make a swoop to sign another capable Premier League figure.

In 19 league appearances this season, the £9m-rated striker has found the net four times and provided one assist for Mikel Arteta’s side.

He’s also managed to score five goals in five Carabao Cup appearances in this campaign for the Gunners.

According to FBref, in a list of similar players to the Arsenal attacker, Liverpool’s Jota tops the list, which also includes the likes of Roberto Firmino, Kai Havertz, Lautaro Martinez and Christopher Nkunku among others. Fine company indeed for a player who is still relatively inexperienced.

Labelled as a “clinical” player by journalist Kweku Lawrence, Nketiah could give Klopp’s side an extra attacking dynamic to what is already a formidable team going forward.

Taking all of this into account, potentially signing the Arsenal striker on a free transfer this summer could be a great bit of business for FSG and the Reds if he can take his game to the next level and become a more consistent goalscoring threat.

With the chance of winning domestic and European trophies, this could make Anfield a very tempting next destination for the Englishman if he does end up leaving Arsenal in the coming months.

In other news: Liverpool eye bid for exciting wonderkid, he could become a “scary” £127m-rated talent

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will reportedly not be ‘fulfilled’ at the club until he has made them Champions League winners, according to Sky Sports pundit Alex McLeish.

The Lowdown: New deal almost complete

The 51-year-old is said to have reached an agreement with the club’s hierarchy over a new contract which would keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2025 at the very least, but fans of the Sky Blues will have no doubt felt concerned by what the Spaniard had to say following their recent European exit.

After crashing out of the Champions League following a 6-5 aggregate defeat against Real Madrid last week, Guardiola admitted that he might not be the right man to help City get their hands on the trophy for the first time in their history, and the former Scotland manager has suggested that time is ticking in the club’s hunt for European glory.

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The Latest: Pep wants Champions League crown

Speaking to Football Insider about Guardiola’s ongoing pursuit of a Champions League triumph with City to add to the two he won at Barcelona, McLeish said:

“Guardiola’s been a phenomenon all over the world. But the one thing that will be eating away at him is this Champions League trophy. It’s escaped him over these last six or seven years.

“The loss against Real Madrid will have been devastating for the mentality at the club, but there’s no way the boardroom at City will be saying: ‘Pep’s got to go’.

“They’re rightly rewarding him with a new contract. I believe he won’t be fulfilled at the club unless he goes on and wins that first Champions League.

“How long can they keep this incredible team they have together?”

The Verdict: Best man for the job

Guardiola came to City back in 2016 and has since gone on to enjoy plenty of success with the club, having guided them to multiple Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs in that time.

They are currently in a title race with Liverpool, and if they continue to win all of their remaining matches between now and the end of the season, they will be crowned top-flight champions once again by the end of May.

The ex-Barcelona boss, who was once hailed as “inspiring” by Reds manager Jurgen Klopp, might be experiencing some self-doubt regarding what more he could achieve at the club in the future.

However, he has already transformed City into one of the best teams in the world during his six-year spell in charge and definitely has the potential to keep accomplishing great things with them in years to come, having already become the most successful manager in the club’s history.

In other news… Man City are said to have registered interest in this surprising new transfer target