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Leeds United have signed numerous players since their return to the Premier League in 2020 after a 16-year absence.

The one who has arguably turned out to be the best bit of business from the club during this period is Raphinha.

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Signed from Rennes in a £17m deal, the winger has become a vital player for the Whites.

In his debut season at Elland Road, the Brazilian scored six goals and delivered nine assists in 35 top-flight matches.

Now that the summer transfer window has opened, this could give Victor Orta and the Yorkshire club the chance to sign what could be their next version of the Brazilian dynamo.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Leeds are looking at signing Schalke 04 winger Rabbi Matondo this summer.

A product of Cardiff City’s youth system, the attacker joined Manchester City’s youth ranks back in 2016. After making 53 youth appearances for the Manchester club, in which he scored 19 goals and delivered 11 assists, the Welshman then joined his current employers in January 2019 for a fee of £10m.

Last season, the 21-year-old had a loan spell with Cercle Brugge, where he scored nine goals and supplied two assists in 26 league games. To further highlight his attacking prowess, he racked up a higher average of dribbles per game (1.7) than any other player at the Belgian club.

Looking at Raphinha, he ended his latest campaign at Elland Road with more attempted dribbles (149) to his name than any other Leeds player.

Matondo also took more shots at goal (75) and had more shots on target (33) than anyone else at Cercle Brugge. Meanwhile, the Leeds star took more shots at goal (85) than any of his team-mates throughout their 2021/22 Premier League campaign, highlighting the similarities between the two.

Labelled an “incredibly fast winger” by Pep Guardiola, the Welsh youngster certainly seems to have what it takes to cause problems for a lot of Premier League defences in a similar way that Raphinha has done since his arrival in England.

With all that in mind, the former Man City youngster could be an exciting addition to Jesse Marsch’s ranks this summer, if Leeds can bring him back to the UK.

In other news: Leeds now chasing “sublime” £9m-rated “incredible talent”, Marsch badly needs him

Celtic have cashed in on a number of big-name players over recent years such as Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Kieran Tierney among others.

One other player the Hoops sold for a significant sum of money in recent memory is Moussa Dembele.

Signed from Fulham as a free agent back in 2016, the Frenchman went on to make 94 appearances for the Parkhead club across all competitions where he scored 51 goals and delivered 18 assists.

In 2018, the striker then joined Olympique Lyon in a deal worth a reported fee of £20m where he has since gone on to score 67 goals in 144 appearances.

Even though Celtic had no issues when it came to scoring goals throughout their latest SPFL season, it seems as though the upcoming summer transfer window could give Ange Postecoglou the chance to seal the next version of Dembele at Celtic Park.

Last month, it was reported that Celtic have set their sights on securing a deal for Ferencvaros striker Ryan Mmaee.

Throughout his debut season with the Hungarian club since joining from AEL Limassol last summer, the 24-year-old scored 19 goals and delivered 11 assists in 37 appearances.

This shows just how much of a consistent goal threat he can be in the same way that Dembele was during his time in Glasgow.

This also backs up why he was described as being “prolific” for Ferencvaros by journalist Maher Mezahi on Twitter.

With 141 senior club appearances to his name, the Morocco international has racked up a total of 74 goal contributions with 49 scored and 25 assisted.

Taking into account how Dembele ended his latest season in France with an average of 2.9 shots per game in the league, higher than any of his teammates, this highlights the attacking prowess he and Mmaee share.

With the Hoops not only setting out to regain their SPFL title but also going as far as they can in Europe next term, adding some extra attacking reinforcements to Postecoglou’s squad may not be a bad idea.

With that in mind, securing a deal for the Ferencvaros hotshot, who has some experience of playing on the European stage, could be a great move for the Parkhead club, especially if he goes on to replicate the same sort of goalscoring record that Dembele had there.

In other news: Shortlisted: Celtic now keen on signing 6 ft 4 “monster”, he once tormented Edouard

Roker Report journalist Philip West is buzzing with the news that Sunderland are keen on signing free agent John Ruddy.

The Lowdown: Ruddy links

According to the Sunday Mirror (05/06, p69), via Football League World, the Black Cats are interested in signing the goalkeeper this summer after he left Wolves upon the expiry of his contract at Molineux.

A move to the Stadium of Light would reunite the 35-year-old with Alex Neil, with the pair having spent time together at Norwich City when the latter was in charge at Carrow Road.

The Latest: Journalist reacts

West, who writes for Roker Report, shared his delight with the reports linking Ruddy with a move to Wearside.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist and Sunderland fan claimed: “John Ruddy would be an absolutely cracking signing for us.

“Loads of experience, very solid & reliable, and could push Anthony Patterson and step in as deputy when needed. Would be a great addition if it happens! #SAFC”

The Verdict: Get it done

With Sunderland preparing to build a squad capable of competing in the Championship, a player with Ruddy’s vast experience at that level will be a great asset to Neil’s side.

The 35-year-old has made 163 appearances in the second tier of English football and a further 122 in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt), so 22-year-old Patterson could learn a lot from Ruddy’s wealth of experience. Indeed, the veteran’s former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo once claimed that the goalkeeper’s ‘high standards’ in training were ‘amazing’.

With Ron Thorben Hoffmann and Lee Burge moving on, a reliable shot-stopper is just what Sunderland need in order to provide them with invaluable depth between the posts for next season.

In other news: Roker Report delighted with this Sunderland transfer link

Yves Bissouma has long been touted as one of Aston Villa’s top transfer targets for the summer but in an unexpected twist, it now seems as if they have given up on signing him from Brighton.

What’s the word?

After seeing a bid for the Malian midfielder rejected in January, Villa were widely expected to return for the former Lille man this summer, although reports suggested that Brighton would demand as much as £50m.

Villa were still heavily linked, however, with some reports claiming that he was Gerrard’s top target as he looks to bolster his midfield options ahead of next season.

However, the Athletic’s Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans has now revealed the latest on Villa’s interest in Bissouma, writing:

“AVFC may still look for a new No.8 this summer, but BHAFC Yves Bissouma is no longer on the list. Villa have moved on.”

Villa supporters will be gutted

While Villa have already brought in Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer from Aston Villa, Bissouma would have offered Gerrard a box-to-box midfielder with plenty of Premier League experience.

The 25-year-old was Brighton’s best performer in the Premier League last season (of those to make at least 10 appearances) according to WhoScored, averaging an impressive 6.99 rating for his performances.

The same rating would have seen him ranked behind only John McGinn in Gerrard’s side, which suggests that he could have been an excellent addition at Villa Park.

Graham Potter was full of praise for the midfielder after a superb individual performance in Brighton’s impressive 1-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur last season, saying:

“Tactically Yves was really good. He understood when to cover and when to release and when to put pressure on and then you could see his qualities.

“His high-end actions are Champions League level. I think you saw the full array of his quality.”

Villa’s early transfer business has certainly suggested that they are targeting a European qualification spot next season and Bissouma could have added that extra quality to Gerrard’s midfield.

It is a surprise therefore that the Villans have ruled him out before the transfer window has even officially opened, and Villa supporters will no doubt be disappointed that he won’t be playing in claret and blue next season.

And, in other news… Gerrard now given green light for “fantastic” £10m Aston Villa move, Lange must act 

Celtic have shown over the years that they are not averse to scouring targets from south of the border and securing transfers for players from the top four English divisions.

Players such as Joe Hart, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Matt O’Riley are some of the more recent recruits from England who have played their part in the  Hoops’ latest Premiership-winning campaign.

Now that the summer transfer window is around the corner, it seems as though a clue has emerged over another player from the English leagues on whom the Parkhead club may have an eye.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist and transfer insider Pete O’Rourke discussed Celtic’s reported interest in signing Bristol City striker Antoine Semenyo.

He said: “I think he’s someone that Celtic have been watching for quite a long time. There was talk of a possible move last summer, and also during the January transfer window, and I’m sure Celtic have continued to monitor his situation. He’s got potential, Semenyo.”

A product of the Robins’ youth system, the 22-year-old has gone on to make 98 senior appearances for the club across all competitions.

In that time, the centre-forward has racked up 13 goals and 20 assists along the way, with eight goals and 12 assists coming during the most recent Championship campaign.

Fans will be thrilled

To further highlight the Ghanaian’s attacking and creative talents, he ended the 2021/22 season in the English second tier with the highest average for shots per game (2.3) and the second-highest average for key passes (1.1) per match at Ashton Gate.

Taking all this into account, it’s easy to see why Celtic have apparently been keeping a close eye on him for a while.

It’s also safe to assume that hearing their club being linked with an exciting young attacking player like Semenyo will be very pleasing for a lot of Hoops supporters.

It would be even more exciting for them if the club were able to secure a deal for the Bristol City striker this summer and add him to Ange Postecoglou’s squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

With the Bhoys presumably setting out to not only regain the Premiership title but enjoy a successful campaign in terms of the domestic cups and Europe, having as much strength and depth in his squad would be very beneficial for the 56-year-old Hoops boss.

This could duly sway the club into finally making good on their interest in Semenyo and launching a move to sign him in the coming weeks.

In other news: Ange can land his own Van Dijk as Celtic eye bid for “tremendous” £4.05m-rated machine

Everton boss Frank Lampard is eager to use his connections at Chelsea to secure the loan signing of defender Levi Colwill, reports the Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Colwill’s season in the Championship

The 19-year-old joined Championship side Huddersfield on a season-long loan at the beginning of the campaign.

Since then, the England U21 international has made a fantastic start to life in men’s first-team football, having made 29 appearances in the English second-tier this season.

The youngster has been integral in Huddersfield’s push for promotion, illustrated by the 1.7 tackles and 4.3 clearances he averages per league game (via WhoScored).

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The Latest: Lampard wants Colwill

As per the Daily Mail, Lampard and Everton are plotting a loan swoop for the Chelsea man this summer, after seeing him excel in the Championship.

According to reports, Toffees officials have been pictured watching Colwill several times this season and have been thoroughly impressed with what they’ve witnessed.

Chelsea may need the centre-half back this summer if a potential exodus comes to fruition at the west London club, but Lampard is ready to strike otherwise.

The Verdict: Great potential

With Everton narrowly avoiding relegation, Lampard will now be able to offer first-hand Premier League experience to Colwill, who will be looking to make the step up from the Championship.

Dubbed the ‘new John Terry’ for an array of his displays for Huddersfield, Colwill clearly has fantastic potential which has yet to be explored in the top-flight.

Therefore, this could be a great addition to Lampard’s side, especially if they can retain the youngster beyond the initial loan’s expiry.

In other news: Everton: Carlo Ancelotti ‘targeting’ Richarlison summer move

West Bromwich Albion were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempt at getting out of the Championship and back into the Premier League this season.

In their 46 league games, initially under Valerien Ismael and then Steve Bruce, the Baggies won 18, drew 13 and lost 15, leaving them with a 10th-place finish.

One figure in West Brom’s squad who didn’t have much of an impact on the team despite playing regularly this season is Grady Diangana.

Diangana’s 2021/22

With 31 appearances to his name in the 2021/22 campaign, the attacker scored just two goals and only provided one assist along the way.

By the end of the season, players such as Adam Reach and Alex Mowatt had more goal contributions than the 24-year-old, who has had his performances in the past labelled “desperate” by Adrian Goldberg.

Along with his lack of regular goal contributions, Diangana’s overall performances were also not up to scratch – so much so that WhoScored gave him a season rating of 6.39/10, making him the lowest-rated outfield Baggies player currently at the club to have started more than one league game.

Now that the summer transfer window is around the corner, there’s every chance that Bruce may not feel like the winger is capable of being an important squad figure for Albion and having what it takes to get them back to the Premier League.

In terms of potential incoming transfers at The Hawthorns, one player with whom the Baggies have been linked and who could potentially push Diangana out the door is Scott Twine.

Axe Diangana, sign Twine

Since joining MK Dons from Swindon Town last summer, the 22-year-old has taken League One by storm.

In 46 league appearances, the versatile attacker found the net 20 times and supplied 13 assists in the process, earning himself a superb overall performance rating of 7.4/10 from WhoScored.

Despite being in the third tier, the youngster has shown that he could prove to be just as good in the Championship if given the chance.

Labelled a “human highlight reel” by podcaster Ryan Dilks, Twine’s versatility by playing in numerous midfield and attacking positions this season could also make him a useful squad figure for Bruce, as well as being a more clinical player in front of goal than Diangana.

Therefore, bringing him to The Hawthorns may then give the manager the scope to axe the former West Ham winger for good.

In other news: Bruce can save WBA millions by finally unleashing “aggressive” rarely-seen 19 y/o gem

Crystal Palace youngster Tayo Adaramola looks set to make his Premier League debut before the end of the season, with the Eagles having just three matches left to play.

What’s the news?

As per football.london, Palace manager Patrick Vieira is set to hand the 18-year-old left-back his Premier League bow before the end of the campaign, having impressed for both the Eagles’ under-18 and under-23 sides, whilst winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has also been training with the first team ahead of a potential opportunity.

Vieira said: “I think [this] is important as it is part of their development. It’s good to see them around the first team and to see their personality and how they conduct themselves in training and in the dressing room with the other players. That will allow me to learn more about them.

“We have Jes and Tayo with us who have been training with us since the academy has been closed. They will be around the first team for the next three games and for some of the games they will be on the field. We need to create those kinds of opportunities to see how they will react under pressure.

“Jes and Tayo show that they can play in our team and in the Premier League, it’s just about having the right players around them to support what they are missing. The balance has to be right to allow them to play with confidence and belief.”

Imagine him and Guehi

Having made his first-team debut off the bench in the FA Cup victory over Hartlepool United before playing 65 minutes against Stoke City in the following round, this season has been a breakthrough one for Adaramola.

Claimed by Vieira to be “full of energy”, the 18-year-old Irishman has racked up five appearances in the Under-18 Premier League whilst also playing twice in the FA Youth Cup, but it has been in the under-23s where the youngster has really impressed, with 16 appearances in Premier League 2. [Transfermarkt]

Having seen Tyrick Mitchell come through the ranks and establish himself as a first-team regular whilst also being handed his senior England debut, Adaramola can take plenty of confidence that with hard work he can follow the Palace left-back’s footsteps.

Moreover, Vieira could certainly do with the extra depth at left-back, with Mitchell the only natural option in that role, whilst on the right the likes of Nathaniel Clyne (31) and Joel Ward (32) are starting to approach the latter years of their respective careers.

The Frenchman has integrated a youthful identity into his defence, with centre-back Marc Guehi particularly emphasising that claim by seriously impressing in his first season at Selhurst Park, and he could also prove to be an excellent mentor for the Irishman.

Therefore, with the south Londoners safe from relegation, now is the perfect opportunity to integrate Adaramola into the first team and hand him his Premier League debut.

If the 18-year-old can take his chance and establish himself in the first team like Guehi and Mitchell, he might save Palace the need to go out and spend millions on reinforcements in the transfer market.

AND in other news – Imagine him and Olise: CPFC must swoop for £13.5m-rated wizard, Vieira would adore him

It looks like Newcastle United versus Aston Villa in the race to sign Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United, according to a source at Football Insider.

The lowdown

Phillips and Leeds are scrapping for Premier League survival as the season enters its final week.

The Whites currently sit in 17th place, a point ahead of Burnley, but they have played a game more.

The Daily Mail’s Matt Hughes recently claimed that Phillips is one of the players with a release clause that will become active if Jesse Marsch’s side drop.

It’s thought to be in the region of £30million, half the £60million figure quoted by The Times’ Jonathan Northcroft earlier in the year.

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The latest

The publication report that Phillips’ future is very much ‘up in the air’ amid the risk of Leeds being relegated.

Talks between the player and the club over a new deal have also stalled, adding to the uncertainty around the plummeting price tag.

A ‘recruitment source’ has told FI that Newcastle and Villa are ‘leading the race’ for Phillips, having each identified him as a ‘top target’.

They currently have the edge on Manchester United in the battle for his signature.

At this stage, they’re laying the ‘groundwork’ for a potential deal.

The verdict

Phillips, England’s reigning player of the year, could form part of an excellent midfield trio at St James’ Park.

In theory, he may play alongside Newcastle’s newly-crowned POTS Joelinton and £37.9million January addition Bruno Guimaraes, who has himself been dubbed ‘different class’ by journalist John Gibson.

Given Phillips’ credentials – he was also named in The Guardian’s Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament – this is the kind of trio that can elevate Newcastle to another level.

This is a player who left Xavi ‘extremely impressed’ after his ‘superb’ showings on the run to the Wembley final, and so signing him at a 50% discount would be something to celebrate on Tyneside.

In other news, Newcastle are ‘confident’ of landing this forward.

Rangers made it three wins on the spin as they ran out impressive 4-1 winners at Ibrox in the Premiership on Wednesday night.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men have a Europa League final to look forward to next week and a number of players stepped up to show that they are bang up for it.

James Tavernier, Fashion Sakala, Scott Wright and Amad Diallo all got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for the Gers, on the night their rivals were crowned champions of the Scottish top-flight.

However, not every player caught the eye as a few members of the Light Blues team failed to live up to the standard set by their teammates. One player who was a passenger throughout the win over Ross County was English winger Ryan Kent.

Rangers fans know exactly what he is capable of when he is at his best but he was miles off the pace as he struggled on and off the ball on Wednesday night.

The £18k-per-week gem has amassed 19 assists in all competitions, including five – and one goal – in 12 Europa League outings. He has been a regular source of creativity out on the left flank and has the potential to play a telling role in the final against Frankfurt next week.

This performance, however, was a worrying step in the wrong direction. Off the ball, he was abysmal for the Gers all night. As per SofaScore, he lost 100% of his individual duels as he was beaten by the opposition in all five of his battles. He also failed to complete a single clearance, tackle, interception, or block as he failed to get stuck in defensively.

Kent did little to make up for this at the other end. Via SofaScore, he failed 100% of his attempted dribbles and did not create a single chance in his 61 minutes on the pitch. Both of his attempted shots failed to trouble the goalkeeper and he lost possession of the ball 11 times from 37 touches.

Therefore, the lightweight was a passenger throughout the match as he did almost nothing to contribute at either end of the pitch for the Gers. His impressive teammates meant that his dire display went unpunished in terms of the result, which means that he can dust himself down and not worry too much about his individual showing.

What he will need to do, though, is ensure that he works his socks off in the next five-to-six days to put himself in the best possible position to be 100% ready to face Frankfurt.

AND in other news, GvB can unearth Patterson 2.0 in “athletic” 19 y/o Rangers dynamo who’s “highly rated”…