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Leeds United are now closing in on their sixth summer signing in the shape of Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Mohamed Camara.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Kronen Zeitung, who claim that, after being heavily linked with a move to Elland Road this summer, Victor Orta has now agreed a €35m (£30m) deal with the Austrian Bundesliga champions for the 22-year-old – a record-breaking fee for Matthias Jaissle’s side.

The report goes on to state that, with negotiations having been ongoing for a number of weeks, a breakthrough was made in talks over the weekend, with the Mali international now reportedly set to join Jesse Marsch’s side ahead of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

Imagine & Adams

With Fabrizio Romano recently revealing that Leeds are also nearing a deal to bring RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams to LS11 this summer, the prospect of Camara’s further addition to Jesse Marsch’s midfield options will certainly be an incredibly tantalising one for both supporters and the 48-year-old manager alike.

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Indeed, over his 25 league fixtures last season, the £24.3m-rated talent was in sensational form for Salzburg, scoring one goal, providing three assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.9 shots, making 1.0 key pass and completing 1.8 dribbles per match.

The £2.9k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his defensively focused position, making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 1.9 tackles, 45.8 passes, 4.8 long balls and winning 6.4 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

These returns saw the player who Jacek Kulig dubbed “indispensable” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.20, ranking him as the tenth-best player in the Austrian Bundesliga last time out.

As such, while the loss of Kalvin Phillips – who recently completed a £42m move to Manchester City – will certainly have come as a gutting blow to everyone involved with the Whites, should Orta manage to get deals for both Camara and Adams over the line in the coming weeks, it would very much appear as if the Spaniard will have done an exceptional job at replacing the 26-year-old in Marsch’s midfield ahead of the upcoming 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news: “New Leeds player…”: Fabrizio Romano drops huge transfer update supporters will love

Tottenham Hotspur are more likely to sign another defender than a new attacker as they target more additions…

What’s the word?

That’s according to talkSPORT’s transfer expert Alex Crook, who dropped an interesting claim to GIVEMESPORT this week, where he revealed:

“I’ve been told that a centre-back is more of a priority [than a number ten].

“Obviously, they’ve signed [Clement] Lenglet but I think they will sign one more as well because they’re going to play a back three, ideally with [Djed] Spence and [Ivan] Perisic as the wing-backs.”

Defensive depth

Spurs are yet to complete a deal for the Middlesbrough right wing-back, with talks thought to be continuing over the ‘finer details’ of a deal, but after that one gets over the line, then the north Londoners may well target another central defender.

They have been linked to plenty of exciting names throughout the off-season, including Antonio Conte’s former Inter Milan gem Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig star Josko Gvardiol. Both of those are likely to prove to be too expensive, with the former wanting to stay at the Serie A club, too.

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Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres has also been mooted with a switch to Hotspur Way, whilst Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde is the latest name to emerge.

Conte deploys a three-at-the-back system, so it certainly makes sense for him to want to sign more defenders. It remains to be seen whether Clement Lenglet is the first choice but he – or Ben Davies – could be featuring alongside Eric Dier and Cristian Romero. After that, there isn’t much quality in Joe Rodon and Davinson Sanchez.

Now with the new Premier League campaign less than a month away, Lilywhites supporters will be hoping that sporting director Fabio Paratici can deliver another addition to Conte’s squad as he will need to keep his team competitive when balancing both domestic and European competitions.

Given his tactics and immense desire to win, the Italian will surely be delighted to know that the club are prepared to back him with further defensive signings.

Having already brought in five new players, this latest claim from Cook will surely also leave the Spurs faithful absolutely buzzing as it will help keep Conte a very happy man, as well as helping them contend across all competitions.

AND in other news, Conte could solve major Spurs issue and save ENIC millions with 20 y/o “coach’s dream”…

Southampton are reportedly interested in signing Bayern Munich defender Chris Richards this summer and the USA international could be a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

What’s the word?

A number of Premier League sides, including Southampton, Crystal Palace and Leeds United are said to be interested in signing the 22-year-old this summer after an impressive loan spell with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs:

“Sources tell me Marsch [Leeds manager] is still considering USMNT defender Chris Richards, though nothing beyond that yet. Interest from Southampton and Palace plus a number of Spanish clubs also considering a move.”

Ralph would love him

Southampton’s transfer policy this summer has been clear to see.

Gavin Bazunu, Romeo Lavia, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Mateusz Lis and Joe Aribo have all joined the club, with the latter the oldest at just 25 years old.

Hasenhuttl is also evidently looking to overhaul a defence that shipped 67 goals in the Premier League last season, the fourth-most of any side in the top-flight.

A new ‘keeper and centre-back has already arrived at St Mary’s, and Richards could be another young defensive option capable of improving the Austrian’s backline.

The Bayern Munich man, who has also featured at right-back and left-back in his career, has been limited to just ten senior appearances for the Bundesliga giants since signing from FC Dallas, but made 21 appearances in a loan spell at Hoffenheim last season.

WhoScored suggests that Richards’ main strengths include aerial duels, passing and tackling, which is everything you want from a modern centre-back.

The 22-year-old has earned praise from USA manager Gregg Berhalter, who said:

“Chris is one of our central defenders of the future. I like his development very much. I find the cooperation between Bayern and the USSF to be outstanding. Together we’re trying to develop a great player from a great talent.”

Therefore, it seems clear that Richards has a bright future and given Hasenhuttl’s preference for developing young players, he would surely love to bring the American to St Mary’s this summer.

AND, in other news: Ralph can unearth his next £30m gem as Saints plot bid for “unbelievable” £10m target

Tottenham Hotspur target Memphis Depay has reportedly rejected a ‘call from Tottenham’, according to Spanish outlet Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Spurs interested

Signed as a free agent following the expiry of a contract at Ligue 1 outfit Lyon, Depay enjoyed a strong first campaign for the Catalan giants but now still finds himself surplus to requirements at Camp Nou.

That’s because Barca have recently added Robert Lewandowski and reported Lilywhites target Raphinha to their ranks as well as tying down Ousmane Dembele to a new contract, leading to question marks over the 28-year-old’s continued role as a key player in Xavi’s plans.

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Having originally been linked back in 2019, Tottenham have once again been credited with an interest in bringing Depay to Hotspur Way and an emerging claim has shed some light on the current state of play…

The latest: Contact rejected, door not closed

As per Sport, translated by SW, the 80-cap Holland international is believed to have ‘said no’ to the opportunity to join Spurs this summer.

It’s claimed that the Dutchman and his entourage ‘received the call from Tottenham a few days ago’ regarding his ‘situation’, however, the versatile attacker rejected the chance in order to ‘explore’ alternative options with clubs who have ‘serious aspirations to win titles’.

The report makes no mention of other serious suitors for the man hailed as ‘one of the best’ players in Europe by Barca teammate Riqui Puig, instead suggesting that the ‘door is not completely closed’ on a move to north London as the La Liga giants look to recoup in excess of €20million (£17million) for Depay.

The verdict: Wait and see

Albeit far from a necessity signing having already snapped up Richarlison in the summer window, Depay’s ability to play across the frontline would give Antonio Conte another high calibre option to call upon from the bench, particularly having lost Steven Bergwijn to Ajax.

Last season, the skilful Dutch ace scored 13 times and provided two assists in 37 appearances across all competitions, earning an outstanding 7.26 Sofascore rating whilst completing 1.6 key passes, taking 2.2 shots and successfully carrying out 1.6 dribbles on average per Spanish top-flight outing.

That current form, affordable asking price, plus a wealth of experience that has seen Depay score 146 professional domestic goals in his career, would make him a smart addition to Conte’s ranks should there be a change of heart.

A frustrating Sunderland claim has emerged regarding their failed pursuit of Troy Parrott in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Shortly before Preston confirmed the Irishman’s arrival, The Northern Echo reporter Scott Wilson claimed that the Black Cats made an offer to sign the youngster from Tottenham.

He tweeted: “TRANSFER LATEST: Preston look to have won the battle to sign Troy Parrott on loan from Spurs. Major blow for #SAFC, who had made loan offer for Irish international. #Boro were also interested, although not to the same extent as Sunderland…”

Sunderland Echo journalist James Copley added to that by explaining why Kristjaan Speakman was unable to seal a deal, tweeting: “Understand part of the reasoning behind Troy Parrott choosing Preston is that he has been promised a starting position. The Republic of Ireland man is set to begin the campaign as one of two strikers leading the line for Ryan Lowe this coming season.”

Alex Neil will be gutted

The Black Cats manager will surely be gutted by this revelation, as it shows that the club missed out on the attacker to one of their Championship rivals.

It also means that Sunderland are still set to head into the opening match of the campaign this weekend with just one senior centre-forward in their squad.

Ross Stewart is the only available striker on the books and an injury to him against Coventry would leave them in a difficult situation, with no natural replacement able to come into the side.

Parrott would have offered Neil an alternative at the top end of the pitch after an impressive campaign on loan at MK Dons in League One last term.

The Republic of Ireland international chipped in with nine goals and six assists in 36 outings for Liam Manning’s side. Whilst that was not an incredible return which suggests that he will score 20+ goals in the Championship, his statistics show that he has the quality to make things happen in the final third – whether that is scoring or setting up goals.

At the age of 20, Parrott is still in the early stages of his career and may develop as he gains valuable experience next term, which means that he could grow over the course of the campaign and become a key player for Preston.

Neil will now be gutted that he has missed out on the chance to work with the centre-forward for Sunderland during the 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news, Neil plotting Sunderland bid for £500k target who “rarely misses”, imagine him & Pritchard…

West Ham United are waiting on free agent Adnan Januzaj to make a decision regarding his future, according to a report from El Diario Vasco.

The lowdown: Hammers’ interested

Following an initial report from Spanish outlet AS claiming that the Hammers are among the clubs interested in Januzaj, reputable journalist Dean Jones recently claimed that a deal is ‘pretty much set up’ to reunite the attacking midfielder with David Moyes.

The 27-year-old Belgium international played under the Scot on 60 occasions during their time together at Manchester United and Sunderland before both went on to rekindle their careers elsewhere.

Now, having left Real Sociedad after making 167 appearances for the La Liga outfit, Januzaj is seemingly on the verge of deciding his next move…

The latest: ‘On the verge’

As per El Diario Vasco, the 15-cap Belgium star is believed to be ‘on the verge’ of picking his next club.

It’s claimed that Januzaj is wanted by Real Betis, Napoli and in Qatar and Saudi Arabian leagues, as well as attracting admiration from West Ham and Everton.

The report also states that the man once hailed as ‘gifted’ by reporter David Cartlidge is currently training ‘alone’ whilst pondering where to ply his trade.

The verdict: Fingers crossed

Still holding a perceived market value of £10.8million (Transfermarkt), signing Januzaj for free would have to be regarded as a no-brainer for Rob Newman and GSB.

Moreover, still at the peak of his career despite failing to live up to early expectations, adding the versatile Belgian to David Moyes’ attacking options would be a welcome move from the Irons.

Last season, Januzaj scored five times and provided three assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, highlighting his continued importance to an elite-level side that finished in a highly respectable sixth position in the Spanish top flight.

Overall, the 6 foot 1 ace – who is equally adept on either wing – earned a 6.81 Sofascore rating whilst successfully completing 1.4 dribbles and 1 key pass on average per game.

That recent form combined with an ability to play in numerous positions makes Januzaj the perfect addition to Moyes’ squad as West Ham seemingly actively pursue another attacking signing, having also been linked to Nice forward Amine Gouiri.

Reliable journalist Pete O’Rourke reports that Celtic would only consider selling Matt O’Riley for ‘massive’ money this summer.

The Lowdown: Being hunted by the Foxes

The midfielder only put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Scottish Premiership champions back in January, but has already been linked with a move away from Glasgow.

Premier League side Leicester City seem to be the club whose name has cropped up the most, with Brendan Rodgers eyeing the 21-year-old as a replacement for James Maddison should he make the switch to Newcastle United.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s exit claim

O’Rourke, speaking to The Transfer Tavern, insisted that the Hoops would only let O’Riley depart for what they would view as a ‘massive’ profit. He said:

“I think in the current market you’re probably looking at O’Riley around the £15-20m mark.

“If you’re seeing how well he did at Celtic last year, and again, if Celtic were to sell him for that price, it would represent a massive profit from what they got from MK Dons as well.

“So, I think if Celtic were to lose him, I think they would ask for top dollar and I think it would be a good piece of business financially, but I just think that Ange Postecoglou will be looking to keep hold of him and I’m sure if he continues to have another good season, his price tag will be even higher next summer.”

The Verdict: Would be a huge loss

Even though O’Riley has only been with the Bhoys for a number of months, he’s become an integral part of Postecoglou’s starting XI and it would be devastating if they were to lose him at such an early stage of his career.

Last season, the maestro averaged 2.5 key passes and 1.2 tackles per game, as well as making six goal contributions in just 12 appearances, via WhoScored.

O’Riley is a truly promising player who is showing signs and attributes that he can go on to become the future of Celtic Football Club, so they need to do everything they can to fend off interest and potentially sell him for a mega fee further down the line.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Sergio Reguilon’s stance on leaving north London this summer is crystal clear after Sevilla’s ‘last-ditch bid’, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Spurs eyeing sales…

The Lilywhites and sporting director Fabio Paratici have been attempting to balance the books after their busy summer of Premier League incomings thus far, with the arrivals of Richarlison, Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence.

Indeed, many players could now reportedly depart the club with Matt Doherty, Emerson Royal, Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Harry Winks and Reguilon linked with a move away.

The latter man has been at the centre of interest from Spain lately as Mundo Deportivo share the latest on his future.

The Latest: Reguilon eyes exit…

According to their information, relayed by Sport Witness, the left-back is eyeing a move away from north London.

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Mundo claim that Reguilon, after Sevilla’s ‘last-ditch bid’ for the Tottenham defender, is ‘putting pressure’ on his club to accept their offer and ‘deeply desires’ a move away to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

Amid Sevilla’s one last effort to sign the 25-year-old, it seems as if Reguilon is really pushing to leave.

The Verdict: Shake hands?

Whether or not the La Liga side end up agreeing a move for the Spurs ace, if an opportunity comes to offload Reguilon, Conte and Paratici should arguably take it.

The Spaniard has enjoyed some bright moments at N17, as explained by pundit Noel Whelan, who raved over the former Real Madrid starlet following his ‘standout’ performance against Leeds in November.

Whelan explained how Reguilon can show what a ‘quality’ player he is when given the chance but, with the presence of Ryan Sessegnon and Ivan Perisic to fill in at left-wing-back, it simply doesn’t look like he’ll get many opportunities.

Manchester United are once again interested in Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, according to The Daily Mirror’s chief sports reporter Tom Hopkinson. 

The lowdown

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, one of Erik ten Hag’s predecessors at United, identified Caicedo as a defensive midfield target while he was still playing for Indepediente del Valle in Ecuador.

United were all set to make a move for him but they then pulled the plug, and Brighton were able to bring him in for just £4.5million.

The 20-year-old is under contract at the Amex Stadium until the summer of 2025.

The latest

United are apparently ‘one of a number of clubs weighing up’ a move for Caicedo in the remaining fortnight of the summer transfer window.

There could be domestic competition from Arsenal and West Ham, while Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen are also keeping tabs on the Ecuadorian.

And Hopkinson cautions that it won’t be ‘easy’ to prise Caicedo away from Brighton, who don’t need to sell.

The Seagulls have already generated just under £90million from the sales of Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma and Leo Ostigard this summer.

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The verdict

Caicedo showed United what they had missed out on in Brighton’s 2-1 victory at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the season.

His SofaScore rating of 7.5 out of 10 was the third-highest among the away side’s starters.

He earned it by winning eight out of 11 duels, creating three chances, notching three interceptions and completing 28 of his 34 attempted passes.

Sports journalist Josh Bunting called it a ‘sensational’ display, while talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed it a ‘masterclass’ and described Caicedo as a ‘Machine Man’.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is seemingly determined to sign Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo before September 1, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs mean business…

The Lilywhites, having finished in the Premier League top four last season, subsequently gifting supporters Champions League football for 2022/2023, have been busy in backing Conte this summer.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie put pen to paper on moves to N17 and they could even remain busy in these final days of the window.

Conte himself has refused to rule out further additions as Zaniolo remains linked with a potential transfer to north London.

The Latest: Conte chasing Zaniolo…

Indeed, according to reports out of Italy, the 23-year-old remains of serious interest to Spurs and Conte specifically.

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Calciomercato claim that the boss is ‘insisting a lot’ on Zaniolo’s signing as the former Chelsea boss makes a transfer demand to sporting director Fabio Paratici.

It is added that Tottenham remain ‘strong’ on the attacking midfielder and they are seriously eyeing a move.

The Verdict: Get it done…

While the likelihood of Zaniolo’s signing arguably diminishes with each passing day given the size of this potential deal, we believe he could be a brilliant addition for Conte if Spurs can reach a compromise with Roma.

As per WhoScored, no attacker under Jose Mourinho completed more successful take-ons per 90 or attracted more fouls than the Azzurri international – backing ex-Juventus defender Federico Balzaretti’s claim that Zaniolo is a ‘special’ player.

Reportedly valued at around £50 million, the former Inter Milan starlet’s ability arguably justifies a price tag of that size.