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Chelsea have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Dusan Vlahovic, with Il Messagero reporting that the striker is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge should a deal materialise between the clubs.

How many goals has Dusan Vlahovic scored for Juventus?

The 23-year-old has only been with Juventus for two seasons, but has already bagged plenty for the Serie A side. In 2022/23, the striker managed a total of ten goals and two assists in just 22 league starts for the Italian outfit, which was impressive considering the Turin side could manage only a seventh placed finish during a campaign filled with turmoil on the pitch and off it. Prior to that, he had seven in 12 during his first campaign with the club.

The Serbian then has not slowed down since his switch from Fiorentina. Bursting onto the scene with La Viola as an 18-year-old, he managed a haul of 27 goals before turning 20. He ended up leaving the side with a final total of 44 goals in 69 league starts over four seasons with his old club – a record that prompted Serie A title challengers Juventus to stump up the cash to bring him in.

He's continued to hit the back of the net on a regular basis despite the change in scenery, but he could be off this summer it seems, with the Old Lady in FFP hell.

Man United have already held talks with the player's agent over a potential transfer to the Premier League and Chelsea have also held an interest in a deal, with the Blues adding him to their transfer wanted list. Now, it appears that the London outfit have the upper hand in their pursuit of the striker – but no offer is on the table yet.

Are Chelsea signing Dusan Vlahovic?

According to a report from Il Messagero, Vlahovic is personally tempted to move to Stamford Bridge should a deal be agreed.

It appears he is not averse to leaving Juve and heading to England this summer, but it adds that a potential transfer may only happen based on other events at Chelsea. That's because the Blues still have Romelu Lukaku on their books, meaning there isn't a whole lot of room in their strikeforce right now. Should the Premier League outfit be able to offload the Belgian, who cost them £97.5m, then they will formalise their interest and "attack" a deal for the 6 foot 3 Serbian.

It's unclear how much the striker may cost the English outfit should they launch a bid, but Transfermarkt suggest his value is around the 70 million Euros (or £60m) mark. However, that would be nearly £10m less than what the Turin side originally paid for him (81.6 million Euros/£69.9m) so they would likely want more than that amount as part of any potential deal as they look to balance their books.

Vlahovic is viewed as a very solid option up front, with football journalist Josh Bunting calling him "clinical" and "aggressive". He even added that he is a "consistent goalscorer" and is a "killer in the box". These are all big compliments for the attacker, and it shows how excellent he has been in front of goal to draw such praise.

Chelsea endured an incredibly disappointing 2022/23 campaign as they finished in the bottom half of the Premier League and will not be competing in any European competition next term.

Owner Todd Boehly parted ways with Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter during the season and Frank Lampard landed the gig on an interim basis.

Mauricio Pochettino has now taken over and should be looking to bolster his squad this summer with a view to returning to, at least, the top six next term.

One reported transfer target who could be an exceptional addition to the team is Manchester City central defender Aymeric Laporte.

Where would Aymeric Laporte fit in at Chelsea?

Kalidou Koulibaly has completed a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal after just one year at Stamford Bridge and the Citizens outcast could be the dream replacement for the Senegal international.

The 29-year-old enforcer would be an ideal signing as he is a proven Premier League performer who would be able to hit the ground running. Whereas, a defender from abroad with no experience in the country may need an adaptation period and there is no guarantee that they would be able to perform at that level.

Laporte – once described as a “beast” by writer Muhammad Butt – is a player with a history of playing at a high standard on a regular basis and would, therefore, have a great chance of being a success for Chelsea.

The £120k-per-week defender, who was named in the 2018/19 PFA Premier League Team of the Year, has made 120 appearances in the English top flight and won the title an incredible five times.

He has also averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94 or higher in all six of his league seasons with City, whilst Koulibaly averaged a rating of 7.07 in his only campaign with Chelsea.

However, the big difference between the two defenders comes is what they do in possession. Laporte ranks in the top 1% of players in his position over the last 365 days in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, outlining him as an elite centre-back when the ball is on the deck.

Koulibaly, on the other hand, does not rank higher than the top 24% in either statistic, indicating that the City colossus would offer more on the ball as he has been one of the best on the continent at playing out from the back.

Guardiola's centre-back has proven himself capable of consistently progressing play by either breaking lines with his passes or by driving forward with the ball at his feet and this could help Chelsea's attackers to thrive as they would gain possession in better positions on the pitch.

Therefore, Laporte could be a dream replacement for the Senegal international as his Premier League experience and quality means that the 6 foot 2 man stands a good chance of being able to make an instant impact at Stamford Bridge.

David de Gea's future is hanging "in the balance" at Manchester United as Erik ten Hag is yet to make a decision on whether to hand the Spaniard a new contract, according to Dharmesh Sheth.

What's the latest on De Gea?

De Gea endured a somewhat turbulent season with the Red Devils last year.

The 32-year-old won the Premier League Golden Glove award, as well as being nominated for Save of the Season accolade, but made a number of high-profile gaffes throughout the campaign that led to question marks over the shot-stopper's future.

Much of the discourse surrounding De Gea has been due to his inability to play with his feet, certainly in comparison to other goalkeepers in the division, leaving Ten Hag questioning whether a more progressive, modern goalkeeper is needed for his squad.

Despite his contract expiring at the end of June, United left the Spaniard off their retained list at the end of the season, suggesting that contract discussions are taking place.

De Gea has already agreed a pay cut to his £375,000-a-week salary, but talks have seemingly not progressed, even prompting the goalkeeper to post a yawning emoji on his Twitter account.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Dharmesh Sheth admitted that De Gea's future is still very much uncertain at Old Trafford.

"I’ve spoken to him many times about David de Gea, and it looked like it was odds on he was going to stay at Manchester United. Erik ten Hag would make all the right noises in news conferences particularly after high-profile errors David de Gea would make. He would say ‘Look, he’s kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League."

Sheth added: "But the information we’re getting now is that David de Gea’s Manchester United future is in the balance, and that both parties, Manchester United and David de Gea, are considering all of their options."

If De Gea were to leave the club for free, United would need to dip into the market to find a new goalkeeper, leaving even fewer funds to be spread across the rest of the team.

De Gea has enjoyed a fruitful 12-year career at the Theatre of Dreams, appearing 545 times for the Red Devils and winning five major trophies with the club.

Who could United replace De Gea with?

Links with several goalkeepers have already surfaced as United prepare for a potential future without De Gea, the most prominent of which has been rumours of a deal for Inter's Andre Onana.

According to reports, Onana's agent has already met with Manchester United to discuss a move, with Ten Hag being told his side need to cough up over £40m for the recent Champions League finalist.

There have also been strong links with Everton and England stopper Jordan Pickford, as well as Porto's young goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

However, it appears that Onana is the priority should De Gea be pushed out of Old Trafford this summer.

Crystal Palace are keeping close tabs on FC Koln star Ellyes Skhiri ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Ellyes Skhiri?

Skhiri is a defensive midfielder who’s been playing his football for Steffen Baumgart’s side having joined there from Montpellier back in 2019. He’s since gone on to make a total of 133 appearances to date, but he will be moving onto new pastures during the ongoing window.

The Tunisia international’s contract in the Bundesliga expires at the end of this month and having not taken up the chance to extend his stay, it means that he will be available on the market as a free agent waiting to be snapped up ahead of the 2023/24 term.

The CAA Stellar client last season ranked as his side’s second-best defensive and third-best overall player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.04 so he’s clearly strong in all aspects of his game, and if the following update is to be believed, his form has caught the watchful eye of Roy Hodgson.

Are Crystal Palace signing Skhiri?

According to TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness), Crystal Palace have been "strongly" following Skhiri as they weigh up whether to make an official move this summer. AC Milan are also extremely keen having already made the midfielder an offer, though it's stated that it's his "dream" to play in the Premier League, with a final decision expected to be made "in the coming days".

Where could Skhiri fit in under Hodgson?

Crystal Palace will love the fact that they could sign up Skhiri for literally nothing, and having confirmed the departure of Luka Milivojevic, they will need to enter the market to find a long-term successor for their captain, with the 28-year-old being the ideal successor, lauded as "very impressive" by journalist Josh Bunting.

The World Cup participant is extremely strong in the natural aspect of his game sitting in front of the backline, having made 79 tackles last season, which was the second-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef. He also averaged 1.8 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per league game, as relayed by WhoScored.

The Lunel native, however, can also pose a threat at the opposite end of the pitch having clocked up eight goal contributions (seven goals and one assist) in 32 Bundesliga outings during the previous term, so for a player who has such a positive impact both defensively and offensively, this feels like a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

It seems as though Arsenal are pretty close to pulling off their first transfer of the summer with all the rumours suggesting Declan Rice is heading to the Emirates.

What is the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

Yes, as per The Guardian, the Gunners are closing in on a £100m deal to bring the West Ham United captain to North London in the near future.

It's noted that while a bid is yet to be submitted, talks between the sides have been progressing smoothly and there is confidence that the deal will be finalised shortly.

And with the transfer market now officially open, it seems as though it could be only a matter of time before we see Rice unveiled as Arsenal's first summer signing.

Interestingly, however, it appears that he's been on the club's radar for some time. Indeed, a 2019 article from the Evening Standard recalls how former boss Arsene Wenger first encountered Rice as a youngster.

The article claimed that back in 2015, the iconic manager was watching an academy game between Arsenal and West Ham and needed just 20 minutes to recognise that the English midfielder was the best player on the pitch.

It explained: "Arsene Wenger had been watching for 20 minutes when he decided he had seen enough.

"It was early one afternoon in September 2015 and Wenger had been standing by one of the pitches at Arsenal’s training ground watching his Under-18s play West Ham.

"As he walked away, he turned to a member of his coaching staff and pointed out that the best player on the pitch was Declan Rice.

"A 16-year-old Rice was playing at centre-back for West Ham. Arsenal went on to win the game 1-0 but Wenger was left in no doubt that he was a real talent.

"Just 18 months earlier, Rice had been released by Chelsea and the way he stood out that day in front of Wenger was an early sign of how hard he would work in a bid to rise to the top."

Can Declan Rice play centre-back?

It's fascinating to remember that Rice was initially seen as a centre-back and even last year the 24-year-old had to insist that his best position was further up the pitch.

He told TalkSport: "Look, if I had to drop back in to a centre-half in a back-three, of course I'd do a job for the team.

"But my best position is midfield. I don't want to be at the back because I feel like then I won't be able to show my full qualities that I can do on a football pitch like I do in midfield."

Well, it seems certain that he'll be playing in his favoured role at Arsenal and it will certainly be interesting to see how he gets on under the coaching of Mikel Arteta.

With the deal expected to cost around £100m, though, perhaps Wenger should have acted on his instincts all those years ago and convinced the Gunners to snap up the youngster back then when his potential was yet to be fulfilled.

It certainly would have saved the club a pretty penny.

Tottenham Hotspur are considering a swoop for Galatasaray centre-back Victor Nelsson this summer, with the north London club desperate for some defensive reinforcement.

For the first time since 2009/10, the Lilywhites have failed to reach European competition and will now need to work diligently on the transfer front to ensure that the seasonal misfortune is not replicated next term.

The somewhat shrewd appointment of Ange Postecoglou from Celtic has installed cautious optimism that a grounded coach with an eye-catching philosophy can dispel the malaise.

And his first order of business could be to swoop for Nelsson and provide the Premier League with its latest hot prospect, according to Turkish newspaper Takvim, with the Danish ace's contract containing a €25m (£22m) release clause.

Previous reports have linked Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Serie A giants Napoli and AC Milan to a transfer, while a recent report from Fanatik claims Arsenal could yet swoop, which only emphasises the need to strike swiftly in order to tie up a deal.

Should Tottenham sign Victor Nelsson?

Postecoglou will have his work cut out this summer, but this burgeoning defender could create a foundation from which more prosperous fortunes can be gleaned.

The 24-year-old played 33 times in the Turkish Super Lig this season as Galatasaray revelled in title-winning glory, with Sofascore recording his average match rating at a solid 6.95 as he completed 86% of his passes, averaged one interception, 3.3 clearances per game and succeeded with 65% of his aerial duels.

The ten-cap Denmark international has left the likes of Jacek Kulig waxing lyrical, with the talent scout saying: "Nelsson is a great mix of a pure defender and ball-playing centre-back. He can also play as a defensive midfielder.

"Great defensive skills combined with really good ball skills. The future leader of the Danish defence. Another pearl produced by FC Nordsjælland."

Given Postecoglou's preference to implement a fast-paced and possession-centric system, with centre-halfs expected to be comfortable on the ball, this could set Nelsson up nicely to cement a starting berth in the Lilywhites' team, potentially displacing Eric Dier in the process.

Dier has made 361 appearances for Spurs since signing from Sporting Lisbon for a bargain £4m in 2014 and has been a dynamic presence in north London, though he has been culpable for lacklustre performances this year. One such performance against Bournemouth attracted vast criticism after his poor clearance led to a Cherries goal.

The 49-cap England international matches up to Nelsson's skill set, completing 86% of his passes in the top flight this term, averaging 1.1 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game, also winning 70% of his aerial duels.

Described as a "Danish lion" by Resit Omer Kukner, one of Cimbom's board members, Nelsson is on the cusp of prominence and will be hoping to earn a move to the Premier League this summer to take the next step in his progress, and at Tottenham, he could be provided with a starring role.

Burnley outscored every other team en route to finishing as winners of the Championship this past season, but Vincent Kompany is ready to add to his attacking options ahead of embarking on his first season as a Premier League manager.

Queens Park Rangers striker Lyndon Dykes is being eyed up by the Clarets, according to the Daily Mail, and he could bring something a little different to Turf Moor should he arrive.

Who is Burnley target Lyndon Dykes?

Dykes spent the first seven years of his career in his native Australia and Scotland – whom he now represents at international level – before being given a break in English football with QPR in August 2020.

The 27-year-old finished his first season at the club as top scorer with 12 goals and a further five assists, and has scored eight goals in each of the past two Championship campaigns, the most recent of which was disrupted by a worrying health scare in January.

After returning from a two-month lay-off, Dykes made up for lost time with a strong end to the 2022/23 campaign, scoring twice in QPR's final six matches and being named Man of the Match by WhoScored in half of those games.

Dykes also has a respectable eight goals in 28 caps for Scotland, but there is more to his game than simply finding the net, as reflected in the 4.8 aerial duels won per game in the Championship last season – the most of any QPR player.

Do Burnley need a Chris Wood 2.0?

Alan Hutton previously described Dykes as a "focal point" that one of his previous clubs, Rangers, could have done with at a time they were being linked with the striker in 2020.

Given his size, with QPR's official website putting him down as 6 foot 2, there are obvious comparisons to be made with former Burnley player Wood, who himself measures in at 6 foot 3.

A career-wide comparison of the two players only highlights their similarities in terms of playing style. Sofascore gives Wood a rating of 62 for his attacking play compared to 61 for Dykes, while the pair are both rated at 44 for creativity, as per Sofascore.

However, it is the physical side of the game where they are really alike, with the New Zealand international ranking in the top 9% of strikers in Europe's top five leagues for aerials won per 90. Comparatively, Dykes ranks among the best 8% in the next eight best divisions for the same metric.

Wood reached double figures for goals in all four full Premier League seasons with Burnley, before earning a move to Newcastle United in January 2022, so he undoubtedly has more goalscoring quality than unproven Dykes.

Yet, for a player who is rated at a small fee of just £2m, according to Football Transfers, it is clear to see why Burnley are showing a reported interest in the Aussie-born forward.

For while Kompany has transformed Burnley's style of play in his first year in charge, bringing on Dykes from the bench could act as a perfect back-up plan next season.

West Ham United hold a concrete interest in signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah, who has his sights set on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

West Ham have already been linked with moves for several defenders, including Manchester United's Harry Maguire, having already made an enquiry about his potential availability this summer, amid an uncertain future at Old Trafford.

In terms of options from abroad, journalist Mirko Di Natale reports that the Hammers hold a "great interest" in Juventus' Koni De Winter, and a transfer battle could be on the cards, with Monza, Sassuolo and Bayer Leverkusen also name checked.

Leverkusen may be looking at De Winter as a potential replacement for Tah, as according to German outlet BILD (via Sport Witness), the defender is now "pushing for a change" after eight years with the club.

The 27-year-old's preferred destination is England, as it his dream to play in the Premier League, but there are several English sides showing an interest, so there is likely to be fierce competition for his signature.

The Hammers are showing "very concrete" interest in signing the German, but they will have to stump up his release clause of €18m (£15.5m) prior to the beginning of July, at which point it expires.

David Moyes' hope is that a victory in the Europa Conference League final could help convince the centre-back to move to the London Stadium.

Who is Jonathan Tah?

Tah has played in Germany throughout his entire professional career, making 305 appearances for Leverkusen, establishing himself as a key player, having missed just one Bundesliga game throughout the entire 2022-23 season.

Former Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller has spoken highly of the former Hamburg man, describing him as "quick, technically gifted but still robust", while he is also very comfortable in possession of the ball.

Over the past year, the 6 foot 5 colossus ranks in the 90th percentile for his pass-completion rate per 90, when compared to his positional peers, but he does not win as many headers as you'd perhaps expect, ranking in just the 45th percentile for aerials won.

That said, the 16-time Germany international could still be a very solid signing for a fee of just £15.5m, and West Ham could be well-placed to win the race for his signature, if they win the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.

Sunderland’s 26-year-old American Lynden Gooch does not know where he will be playing his football next season.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from the Northern Echo, who claim that the American’s future is up in the air, with talks over his future at the Stadium of Light scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

Despite playing the full 90 minutes in Sunderland’s 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers in the League One play-off final, the player who has been at Sunderland since 2016 said this after the game that secured promotion:

“I don’t know where I’m going to be next season so we’re going to have to wait and see. If this is my last game for Sunderland then there is not a better way to go out.

“I’ve got a meeting with him (Alex Neil) on Tuesday and we’ll see what happens. It is what it is. I’ve give everything for the club in my ten years as a pro. We’ll see what happens.

“If it’s my last game then happy days, I can go out on a high. If not, then I’ll continue to represent the club as best I can.” as per Northern Echo.

A potential disaster

Quite simply, letting go of a player who is approaching his prime, who has started 72% of his 38 League One appearances, and has stuck with the club during one of its worst periods would be a disaster from a Neil perspective.

Particularly when you bear in mind the fight that Sunderland will face next year in terms of keeping their status as a Championship outfit. The side will never want to see League One again, after being stuck in England’s third division for four years.

Gooch has been a massive part of Sunderland since his initial breakthrough in 2016 and has represented the Black Cats in all three tiers; the Premier League, Championship and League One.

The part the £5k-per-week earner has played for Sunderland in their promotion bid this season was integral. His versatility has been his best offering for the club, occupying six different positions across both flanks for Neil.

In the Championship, the depth that Gooch offers will be integral in what will be a potentially gruelling fight for survival.

Neil will need players who know the club well and can offer stability through consistency.

Gooch can offer exactly that and is a player who “truly gets it” in the words of the Chronicle.

In other news: Sunderland may be on the verge of repeating their Charlie Wyke disaster this summer