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Wolves came into the transfer window with plenty of work to do but it could only happen if they sold some of their best players.

The Old Gold had limited spending power and it was thought that in order to reinvest in the playing squad, Ruben Neves and Adama Traore would have to leave Molineux behind.

What’s the word?

Wolves are heading into the final weeks of the window still aiming to sign a centre-forward but they are set to gain the necessary money in order to do so by selling the likes of Rafa Mir, Patrick Cutrone and Romain Saiss.

That’s according to Tim Spiers who delivered an encouraging update on the future for Wolves in the window.

In his latest column for The Athletic, Spiers revealed that Wolves aren’t anticipating selling either Neves or Traore.

Arsenal’s interest in the former has never materialised and they will now only sell if their sizeable asking prices are met.

Huge boost

After Wolves finished 13th in the Premier League last season, this will come as a massive boost to their hopes of getting back in continental action.

During Nuno Santo’s final season at Molineux, he struggled to find an answer to their troubles as the Old Gold slipped down the table after missing Raul Jimenez from November onwards.

Pedro Neto finished as their joint-top scorer alongside the aforementioned Neves. That provides a big reason as to why they simply have to keep hold of the central midfielder.

Furthermore, Traore has shown that he’s one of the most dangerous players in the top-flight.

During the 2020/21 campaign, no player in the whole division recorded more successful dribbles than his 4.1 per match.

He did only score two goals last term but on his day, the Spaniard is an unstoppable force capable of scaring defenders with his remarkable speed and trickery.

Lage hasn’t had an ideal start to life in the Midlands but the idea that the Wolves hierarchy isn’t keen on selling should be music to his ears.

They are two key components in the Wolves XI and if they are to replicate their top-half finishes, they will need them to remain at the club. Consequently, fans should be absolutely delighted at this update.

AND in other news, Lage heading for big howler after Wolves submit bid to sign 35-goal “monster”…

Last season, Wolves sometimes had to often operate with four defenders instead of three and two wing-backs with Romain Saiss and Willy Boly picking up niggling injuries throughout the campaign, and former striker Steve Bull would like to see new signing Yerson Mosquera start at the back going forward.

Wolves conceded 52 goals during a turbulent campaign at Molineux and that was the most they had let in since returning to the Premier League, with their two previous campaigns, when they had a consistent defence, seeing them concede just 40 and 46 goals respectively.

Bruno Lage looked to address this obvious problem immediately with the signing of 20-year-old centre back Mosquera, who arrived for just £4.5 million, but considering his age and lack of first-team experience, it remains to be seen whether or not Lage will throw him in at the deep end for their opening game of the season against Leicester in August.

Mosquera would bring a fresh pair of eyes to a defence that has been the exact same since their Championship-winning season and with Lage likely to play 4-4-2, that leaves one less spot for the centre backs to fight for, and Bull would love to see Mosquera start next season as he exclusively told Football FanCast:

“He’s a young boy who is about six foot one, so I’d like to see him in there with Coady and Boly, and to give Saiss a run for his money, but he might be one for the future.”

Wolves became very much accustomed to playing with three at the back and having that extra bit of protection under Nuno Espirito Santo, but Lage appears to prefer a more attacking and expansive style of football with his 4-4-2 system and high pressing forwards and central midfielders.

Success will be difficult to judge this season at Molineux as they may well go through another transitional period with a new manager coming in with new ideas and wanting different types of players.

Former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern in an exclusive interview that he is surprised by former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s decision to join Crystal Palace.

The 47-year-old was available following his shock Molineux exit last month and had been linked with a host of clubs.

According to The Telegraph, Nuno had been interviewed by Everton after Carlo Ancelotti’s departure to Real Madrid, while Palace spoke to Frank Lampard and monitored the likes of Sean Dyche and Steve Cooper.

In the end, though, the south London outfit have seemingly opted for Nuno in a move that has surprised Palmer.

“I wouldn’t have thought he would leave Wolves to take the Crystal Palace job,” the ex-Leeds United player said. “That’s just in my opinion because it’s the same of the same for me.

“Palace, they might have a good season and finish just below halfway or whatever, but they’re not going to burst into that top five or top six. So, to me, Wolves and Crystal Palace are much of a muchness. So I’m surprised.”

Wolves and Palace finished in 13th and 14th respectively, so the above is a very fair point.

The latter, though, could need a massive rebuild job this summer, as the futures of so many players remain in doubt. Perhaps that is a challenge and task, creating a brand new team, Nuno is relishing.

Marcelo Bielsa will definitely sign a new deal as Leeds United manager this summer, according to former Whites defender Danny Mills.

The Lowdown: Future not yet decided

The Argentine has been an incredible manager for Leeds, guiding them back into the Premier League and playing superb football along the way.

Bielsa has transformed the Whites’ fortunes both on and off the pitch, arguably becoming one of the most popular figures in the club’s history.

The 65-year-old’s current deal expires at the end of this month and he is yet to sign a new contract, much to the concern of some supporters.

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The Latest: Mills makes key claim

Speaking to Football Insider, however, Mills claimed that a deal has been agreed behind the scenes at Thorp Arch, extending Bielsa’s stay at Elland Road:

“We knew that Bielsa anyhow, whether he was in Argentina or at Thorp Arch, we know full well that he’s going to be relentless.

“Even if he was in Argentina he’d be watching stuff, he’d be doing stuff to help Leeds and his team. That’s how he is. The guy doesn’t seem to take a break, whether that be in season or out of season.

“It’s come out now behind the scenes that his contract is agreed and it’s just about putting pen to paper. We’ve seen in the past that clearly if he’s been working that hard at Thorp Arch over the summer, that pen on paper is literally a formality and it will happen sooner rather than later.”

The Verdict: Keep him forever!

Bielsa is so key to Leeds’ future success that he will hopefully remain in charge for many years to come, perhaps even guiding the Whites into Europe if they continue to improve at the rate they have since his arrival.

At 65, he is admittedly not getting any younger, though, and it may be a case of Leeds fans making the most of him while he is still at the club, prior to an eventual heartfelt exit.

It looks nailed on that Bielsa will stay put for at least one more year, however, which has to be considered a huge positive.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly set to miss out on one player this summer. Find out who it is here. 

Fulham have agreed terms with Marco Silva regarding the vacant managerial position at Craven Cottage.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that the 43-year-old has provisionally agreed a deal to become Scott Parker’s successor at the west London club.

Parker left the Cottagers on Monday after he and Shahid Khan came to a resolution regarding the 40-year-old’s compensation fee, with the outgoing manager subsequently being appointed the new manager of Championship side AFC Bournemouth.

And, despite being heavily linked with a move for the Swansea City manager Steve Cooper, it would now appear as if Silva will be the man leading Fulham out on the opening day of the season.

Fans should be furious

While Silva does have a history in the English game, having managed the likes of Hull City, Watford and Everton in his relatively short career in football management, there are a great many question marks regarding the Portuguese’s credentials for taking over at a Championship side.

During his spell at Hull back in 2016/17, Silva impressed during his 18 Premier League games in charge of the club, winning six, drawing three and losing nine fixtures, picking up 21 points along the way.

However, this was ultimately not enough to keep the Tigers in the top flight, with the club finishing the season in 18th place in the Premier League standings.

The 43-year-old was then awarded the Watford job the following season, going on to win seven, draw five and lose 12 of his 24 Premier League fixtures in charge of the club, before the Hornets parted company with Silva following a run of just one win in 11 games.

The former Sporting CP head coach continued what was now becoming a trend of failing upwards in 2018/19, landing the Everton job after Sam Allardyce’s departure at the end of the previous campaign.

His spell at Goodison Park proved to be his longest at a club in England, winning 15, drawing nine and losing 14 of his 38 Premier League fixtures in his first full season with the Toffees, enough to finish eighth in the Premier League table.

However, Silva once again found himself out of a job 15 games into the 2019/20 campaign, having picked up just 14 points in the league, with Everton languishing down in 18th place at the time of his dismissal.

As such, considering the sheer magnitude of the task at hand at Fulham next season, with the club very much expecting an immediate return to the top flight of English football, appointing a manager with no experience in the division, as well as what is quite a shaky record in the Premier League, would certainly not appear to bring with it any guarantees of promotion.

And, with a young, exciting and Championship-proven manager such as Steve Cooper clearly being interested in the job, should Khan indeed opt for Silva over the 41-year-old this summer, fans would be well within their rights to be furious with their owner’s decision.

In other news: Smyth drops transfer update on “immense” £9m-rated gem, Fulham fans should be buzzing

It seems that Tottenham Hotspur have finally got their man…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold at football.london, former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is “looking likely” to become the next manager of Spurs following talks with the club.

It’s claimed that the North Londoners pushed hard to bring Mauricio Pochettino back to the club from Paris Saint-Germain but the Ligue 1 giants did not want to lose him, and the 51-year-old was an appealing candidate following his departure from Inter Milan.

Speaking on Twitter on Wednesday evening, the reporter wrote:

“Now looking likely that Antonio Conte will become the next Tottenham boss. Spurs pushed hard to try to bring Mauricio Pochettino back but PSG have fought hard to keep him.

“Conte is one of the top managers in the world and it’s going to be fascinating to see how he will fit into a very different environment at Spurs than he’s previously had elsewhere.

“Conte suddenly becoming a free agent made him a very attractive prospect for Levy, but if he puts pen to paper as expected it’ll be intriguing to see how the two men gel, whether he fits that Levy DNA statement and whether he can settle at Spurs for longer than elsewhere.”

A new era?

It has been nearly seven weeks since Jose Mourinho was sacked from the club, so this news should be rather exciting for many in N17 as it appears that they have finally got their next manager – and not to mention Conte’s successful coaching career.

The Italian has not only cleaned up the Special One’s mess before at Chelsea but across four different clubs, he has amassed nine major trophies, including a Premier League title and an FA Cup at Stamford Bridge.

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Mourinho left the Blues just before they recorded their worst-ever finish since 1996 and in the very next season, Conte delivered the title before earning his second piece of silverware a season later.

His latest success was steering Inter Milan to their first Serie A triumph in 11 years – a familiar situation to the one at Spurs, as they are without a trophy since 2008, so that should only encourage the Lilywhites faithful even more.

Conte has been likened to Sir Alex Ferguson in the past, whilst during his time in England, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola dubbed him a “tactical master” and suggested that he would leave his mark on the English game.

After leaving his post at the San Siro, plenty of supporters were quick to jump on the bandwagon of Spurs potentially appointing the 51-year-old.

As relayed by This is Futbol, one fan claimed it was the “best possible appointment”, whilst another pleaded for it to be true, with a further member of the Tottenham fanbase suggesting he is “what every Spurs fan should want.”

Well, as per Gold, it certainly seems like Conte will be in the dugout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season, barring any late developments, so these Spurs fans and many more should be buzzing with the news.

The North London giants are certainly about to embark on an exciting new era, and the sooner the Italian is in place, the sooner they can crack on with plans to get this club back on the right path.

AND in other news, Fresh twist emerges on Harry Kane’s future at Spurs, it’ll leave Daniel Levy seething…

Leeds United have been handed a major boost over summer transfer target Matthew Sorinola.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are one of a number of interested Premier League clubs in the versatile left-winger, and that they have made checks on him since the start of the campaign.

Now, TEAMtalk have provided a major update on the situation, saying that the 20-year-old has rejected the offer of a new contract and is set to leave the League One club.

Bielsa’s new Kalvin Phillips

While Sorinola doesn’t play the same position as Kalvin Phillips, he is the kind of young starlet that Bielsa may feel he can mould into a fully-fledged England international just like he has done with Leeds’ main man.

Sorinola appears to have all the tools in his locker to grow into a first-class player, and what Bielsa will be most impressed about is the kind of mentality he possesses even at such a young age.

His manager at MK Dons, Russell Martin, spoke highly of the teenager’s impressive aptitude for defending despite it not really being his natural strong suit. He said: “He’s technically right up there with anyone in the squad – he wants to play. I love his calmness too – for a young lad, he’s so composed. He defended really well.

“People may question his size but when you’re as brave as he is to play with the ball and get in people’s faces and shut them down, he has so much ability and potential.”

That fearlessness and intent to give everything for the cause will be music to the ears of Bielsa, who has worked his magic in turning a promising Phillips into a star at international level.

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Sorinola has got the versatility – he can play at left-back and out wide on the right too – to be a real weapon for the Leeds boss, and quite crucially, has the attitude to buy into Bielsa’s methods and workings.

Meanwhile, Leeds United handed a huge boost as major Elland Road news emerges…

West Brom winger Matheus Pereira would be an ideal summer signing for Leeds United, according to former Whites striker Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Pereira shines for relegated Baggies

The Baggies may have been relegated from the Premier League this season, but Pereira has been a shining light for Sam Allardyce’s team. The 25-year-old has scored 10 goals and registered six assists, which is an excellent return considering West Brom’s struggles throughout the campaign.

He has previously been described as ‘unbelievable’ by team-mate Matt Phillips, often standing out as a star player at The Hawthorns.

The Latest: Leeds told to sign the Brazilian

Leeds have been linked with a move for Pereira in the summer transfer window, with the Brazilian highly unlikely to be playing Championship football in 2021/22.

Whelan believes the 25-year-old would be a great signing at Elland Road, telling Football Insider that his former club should make a move for him:

“It is a mouth-watering prospect. We missed out on certain players last season, and this is a player that excites everybody. I would definitely take him all day long.

“He’s a fantastic player, he’s great on the ball, he can turn people inside out. Pereira’s another option we can use right across that front three and maybe in a number 10 role as well.

“He’s the right age and he’s the sort of player we should be looking at. Imagine, if you put him alongside Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison etc, that’s pretty formidable.”

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The Verdict: Could be an excellent addition

Pereira could be a shrewd addition at Elland Road ahead of next season as Marcelo Bielsa looks to add quality and depth to his squad. The winger’s goal and assists return this season speaks for itself, proving that his game possesses plenty of substance and isn’t just about a few eye-catching tricks.

He is both technically gifted and hard-working – he averages 0.8 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game in the league this season – which should appeal to the demanding Bielsa, and he shouldn’t yet be in the peak years of his career.

Whelan is right to advocate Pereira as a recommended signing for Leeds.

In other news, a Leeds player has been linked with a summer exit, despite plenty of appearances this season. Find out who it is here.

Arsenal could turn their attentions to a new target after suffering a devastating blow in their bid to sign Emiliano Buendia this week…

What’s the word?

The Gunners have lost the race to clinch the Norwich City playmaker after he opted to join Premier League rivals Aston Villa in an initial £33m deal but the North London outfit reportedly have a fresh name in mind.

According to CBS Sports journalist James Benge, AC Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is on their shortlist, he tweeted:

“Another target who Arsenal are understood to have broached internally is Hakan Calhanoglu, out of contract with AC Milan this summer. He is an option, not clear how high on the list he might be but [the] expectation is he’s an alternative to Odegaard.”

Forget about Buendia

The 27-year-old, who is rated at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, is an intriguing solution to Mikel Arteta’s attacking midfield woes, not at least because he won’t cost Stan Kroenke and KSE a single penny in terms of a transfer fee.

And that could be important if Arsenal are to bolster the playing squad right across the pitch as we’re yet to see what sort of damage their failure to qualify for Europe will do to their finances.

Thus, signing a quality player on a free makes the world of sense to do right now, especially as he appears to fit a lot of criteria that Arteta is currently lacking.

Martin Odegaard was always going to be a short-term option, as much as the club want to keep hold of him, whilst Mesut Ozil was on a rapid decline prior to his long-awaited departure.

Calhanoglu has emerged as one of Milan’s star performers after registering nine goals and 12 assists across 43 appearances in all competitions this season, via Transfermarkt.

But perhaps more interestingly, his ability to progressively move the ball forward is what makes him most appealing.

The Gunners ranked 12th in the league for average number of shots per game (12.1) whilst they scored the second-fewest number of goals from set-pieces (six), as per WhoScored.

Calhanoglu averaged 7.92 progressive carries per 90 minutes (FBRef) and created a whopping 50 chances from dead-ball situations alone with a further 48 taking him to a total of 98 for the season (WhoScored).

By comparison, Bukayo Saka was Arteta’s most creative influence with 36 key chances created – some margin off the 56-cap Turkey international.

It’s no wonder the 27-year-old’s head coach Stefan Pioli has waxed lyrical about his talents, he told reporters (via MilanNews.it):

“Calhanoglu is a leader of this team. He’s a leader on the pitch, he’s an intelligent player. Lately, we have faced teams that have closed the spaces and therefore, sometimes, I have had to lower him even though I want to keep him high.

“He knows how to marry perfectly with the game of his teammates. I have great respect for him and with intelligent players, you can play great games. He has the qualities to have some more goals.”

Also lauded as “generous and exceptional,” it’s evident that Calhanoglu would be a massive upgrade to Arsenal’s attacking midfield department and even though they missed out on Buendia, Edu Gaspar and co can alleviate the pain by landing the 5 foot 10 wizard for nothing.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Xhaka: Edu must seal Arsenal swoop for “unbelievable” £36m-rated “pure talent”…

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Graham Roberts has told The Transfer Tavern that the club simply cannot appoint Maurizio Sarri as their new manager.

Spurs sacked Jose Mourinho on Monday and are now in the market for a new manager.

Various names have been linked, foremost among them Julian Nagelsmann, the young RB Leipzig boss who currently has his side second in the Bundesliga.

Sarri has been linked as a potential replacement for Mourinho and that has gone down remarkably badly with the ex-Spurs star.

The Italian managed Chelsea in the 2018/19 season and is currently without a job after leaving Juventus following the 19/20 campaign. During his time at Stamford Bridge, he guided the club to the Europa League title, along with a third-placed finish in the Premier League.

And Roberts does not believe that any ex-Chelsea figures can be appointed anymore, after seeing Mourinho crash and burn during his time in north London.

Speaking exclusively to TT, he said: “You have to laugh because in the press last week, they said Maurizio Sarri, who used to be at Chelsea, Tottenham are looking to bring him in. I went, you’re having a laugh, aren’t you?

“You can’t bring any more Chelsea people in, it just isn’t going to work, so that’s papers trying to stir things up again.”