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The permanent addition of Jack Harrison for £11m represents ‘phenomenal business’ from Leeds United, Noel Whelan has told Football Insider.

The lowdown

After three years on loan in Yorkshire, Harrison is now officially a Leeds player. The Whites paid his erstwhile parent club Manchester City an £11m fee to sign him outright.

The 24-year-old was directly involved in 16 Premier League goals in 2020/21 (eight goals, eight assists). Only Patrick Bamford (24) recorded more goal contributions for Leeds.

The latest

Whelan, who played for Leeds as a striker between 1993 and 1995, has said that the club have reaped the rewards of shrewdly negotiating an option to buy Harrison last summer.

He feels that the deal has set an early benchmark for the summer transfer window, which opened on 9 June, telling Football Insider: “£10million-£11million for a player like Jack Harrison, wow, that’s phenomenal business in today’s market.

“Credit to the club for negotiating the permanent option before he had proved himself in the Premier League.

“This is amazing business from Leeds. At that price, it’s the signing of the summer by any team.”

The verdict

‘Signing of the summer’ is quite a statement from Whelan, but who’s to say Harrison won’t be in the conversation? Indeed, if he can improve on last season’s impressive tallies, £11m will seem like a snip.

There’s every reason to think he will improve further. He’s only 24 years old and, towards the end of the 2020/21 season, he looked more confident and more accomplished than ever, as illustrated by a goal and two assists in April’s 4-0 thrashing of Burnley.

If last season’s loan hadn’t included a permanent option, Leeds would probably have had to pay at least double what they have spent on him. As it is, they’ve very astutely saved themselves crucial funds for the remainder of their summer transfer business.

In other news, Kevin Phillips dropped this intriguing verdict on a Leeds transfer target. 

An update has emerged on Wolves winger Adama Traore, regarding how much Liverpool are willing to pay for him…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool have opened negotiations with Wolves over a deal to sign Adama Traore this summer. The Premier League giants have told Wolves that they are prepared to go as high as £25m for the Spanish international.

However, the report claims that Wolves are unhappy with this valuation and are demanding that any interested clubs will need to pay £50m to snap him away from Molineux ahead of next season.

Fans would be gutted

Wolves boss Bruno Lage must avoid a disaster this summer and stick firm to his valuation of the forward.

He cannot allow Liverpool to bully him or the club into lowering their asking price as Traore is likely to be a key player in the upcoming campaign. Thus, they must reject any offers of £25m.

That is not to say that the club should not be flexible in any negotiations. For example, if Liverpool came in and offered £40m upfront and £5m in add-ons, or a deal within that region, then it could be enough to tempt the Midlands side.

What they must avoid is selling him on the cheap as fans would be gutted if one of their best players was easily let go. Supporters will want to see the club working hard to have the best squad possible and selling a player for 50% of the reported valuation would not be a piece of business that aligns with that expectation.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has publicly shown his appreciation for the winger, as he labelled Adama “unplayable” following a clash with the Reds last season; “What a player – it’s not only him but he’s so good,” the German said.

Jordan Henderson also added that he’s tricky to come up again, saying:

“[Traore] is very tough, strong, powerful, quick.

“He’s difficult to play against. But the lads did brilliantly against him. I thought we did really well with that.”

The 25-year-old dynamo is a key player for Lage and the club should be trying to do everything they can to keep him. Whilst he was only able to contribute two goals and two assists in the Premier League last season, his overall performances were still encouraging as he averaged an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.11.

No Wolves player managed a higher rating and Adama averaged the most chances created and dribbles completed per game (5.6) for the club. This suggests that his lack of assists may have been more an issue with the players he was providing the service to rather than his own end product.

Although his lack of goals was a cause for concern, hopefully, he will rectify that next term.

AND in other news, Wolves must act quick to land “excellent” £43m gem likened to Ronaldo, Lage needs him…

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have expressed their happiness at an ExWHUemployee update involving Chelsea striker and Hammers transfer target Tammy Abraham.

Abraham has been linked with a move to east London for quite some time, with reliable reports as far back as April detailing West Ham’s interest (The Telegraph).

Despite his reported £40 million valuation, a fee which West Ham can’t afford according to manager David Moyes, links to the 23-year-old have since re-emerged.

Football Insider recently claimed that the Hammers are in pole position to sign Abraham ahead of Aston Villa, with ExWHUemployee now providing his own update on the West Ham Way Podcast.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-updates/” title=”West Ham updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The reliable club insider believes that GSB and co are expected to move for the forward within these next few weeks, and the player himself is said to be keen on a move to the London Stadium.

Moyes is also thought to be a personal admirer of Abraham with the striker rumoured to prefer staying in London if he is to secure a move away from Chelsea this window.

Flocking to Ex’s claim, which seems promising, many Irons fans have been left overjoyed on social media – find all of their best Twitter verdicts down below in reply to West Ham News & Views, West Ham Central and West Ham Transfers.

ExWHUemployee news has fans ecstatic

“This is what I like to hear.”

Credit: @Kieranwhufc

“Yesssss”

Credit: @louiefootball

“I’m normally quite negative but I can see this happening.”

Credit: @leebrown22

“Come oooon”

Credit: @JoshBathtub

“Big W”

Credit: @idkwhatnameeee

“Abraham would be unreal for us”

Credit: @WestHam_Xtra

“Get it done goal scorer”

Credit: @murray_donni

“yes yes yes yes yes yes yes”

Credit: @whualfie_

“TAMMY SZN IS BACK ON

SUIIIIII”

Credit: @reders_66

In other news: ‘No way’, ‘Absolutely amazing’, ‘What we need’…Many West Ham fans react as transfer claim surfaces, find out more here.

Everton have reportedly been joined by a club in the UEFA Champions League to sign Jeremie Boga in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Wingers wanted

Given the signing of Andros Townsend, and what looks to be the imminent capture of Demarai Gray (BBC Sport), it is clear that the Goodison Park faithful are looking to sign wingers.

Whether the Merseyside club would stop there is another question, but Rafa Benitez clearly wants to add more width to his team ahead of the new 2021/22 season.

The Latest: Boga race

As per The Daily Mail, Atalanta have joined the Toffees in what looks like to be a long race to secure the signature of Boga from Sassuolo, having already had a £15.5m bid rejected.

Leeds United and Crystal Palace have also shown interest in signing the Ivory Coast international, who only has two years left on his current deal.

The Verdict: Avoid

Given that Townsend has already signed, and that the Blues could well be following that up by signing Gray, it would not seem a wise idea to go after Boga as well.

The 24-year-old is a promising player, but only scored a mere four goals and made just two assists in 28 games in total over all competitions in the last campaign (Transfermarkt), which are not really impressive numbers for an attacker in a side known for their fast, expansive football.

Nonetheless, EFC should now be using their transfer budget to invest in more important areas of the squad, such as another striker to lighten the goalscoring load on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

In other news, find out what confirmed news has Evertonians fuming here!

Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser says West Ham United star Declan Rice will not submit a transfer request despite interest from Chelsea.

Rice joined the Hammers at the age of 14, having been released by Premier League rivals Chelsea.

That proved to be an error of judgement from the Blues’ point of view as Rice has gone on to make 145 West Ham appearances and become a key player for the east Londoners.

Rice has also won 24 England caps and played a pivotal role as Gareth Southgate’s side reached the Euro 2020 final before losing to Italy on penalties.

Chelsea are keen to seal the defensive midfielder’s return to Stamford Bridge and are reportedly set to test West Ham’s resolve with an opening bid.

The 22-year-old has turned down two contract offers from the Hammers this summer, which could help Thomas Tuchel’s side to take advantage, but he will not come cheap as West Ham boss David Moyes values Rice at more than £100million.

Rosser says Moyes’ side have yet to receive an offer for Rice.

He told The Transfer Tavern: “It’s all hypothetical until a big bid comes in and there hasn’t been one yet.

“I think he feels ready to test himself at another level but that’s not to say that he’s pushing to leave West Ham.”

Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury is seeking a move away from the King Power Stadium this summer as he searches for regular game time next season.

What’s the story?

According to the Northern Echo, Newcastle United remain hopeful of concluding a deal for the tough-tackling 23-year-old, and claim sources have told them that Choudhury has instructed his representatives to find him a new club.

The report states that the Newcastle hierarchy are aware of the former England Under-21 international’s wishes, although the club aren’t in a position to sign him on a permanent basis.

He’s not good enough

Choudhury was first linked with a move to St. James’ Park back in January, and Steve Bruce could finally secure his man this summer.

The £6.3 million-rated youngster was tipped for big things following his first-team debut in 2017 and has gone on to make 72 appearances for his boyhood club over the last four years.

However, Choudhury’s progress has been significantly stunted of late, with the likes of Wilfried Ndidi and Youri Tielemans keeping him on the bench for large spells.

He started just four Premier League games throughout 2020/21, and the arrival of Boubakary Soumare from Lille is expected to force him further down the Leicester pecking order.

With Brendan Rodgers’ charges achieving consecutive fifth-place finishes and a maiden FA Cup crown under the Northern Irish tactician’s tutelage, it’s hard to make a case for Choudhury being deserving of more minutes at the Midlands outfit.

And a hugely disappointing 6.19 WhoScored rating from his 10 top-flight outings last term is evidence that he’s not currently good enough to force his way into Leicester’s starting XI.

His departure on loan could be the most beneficial solution for all parties involved. The Foxes would free up funds on their wage bill without permanently losing a promising prospect, Choudhury would get some much-needed minutes under his belt and Newcastle would strengthen their squad whilst working on a very limited budget.

It remains to be seen whether the Englishman has a long-term future with Leicester, but a loan move away from his hometown appears to be the best option at this moment in time.

And, in other news…Leicester register their interest in £12m magician, he has “huge potential” 

Former Premier League defender Steve Howey thinks Jerome Boateng could have a Thiago Silva-like impact at Tottenham if he joined the north London club this summer.

Boateng is currently a free agent after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of his contract and The Athletic recently suggested a move to Tottenham would make a lot of sense.

Last summer, it was Spurs’ London rivals Chelsea who decided to snap up a high-profile centre-back on a free transfer when they signed Silva and it paid dividends.

The 36-year-old, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain, went on to help Chelsea win the Champions League and secure a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League.

For Howey, if Tottenham brought in Boateng this transfer window, then they could be getting their own Silva.

“Look what Chelsea did with the lad at the back, Thiago Silva,” the ex-Newcastle central defender said in an exclusive interview with TT. “Very experienced and I thought he did quite well for Chelsea at the back end of the season.

“Boateng, we all know what he’s about and how good he is. So, of course, it could certainly be an option for Tottenham.”

German journalist Christian Falk reported back in April that Spurs were interested in signing Boateng going into this transfer window, so perhaps that is one they revisit if they cannot sign their other centre-back targets and the German is still available.

Aston Villa confirmed on Monday evening that right-back Kaine Kesler Hayden has joined League Two side Swindon Town on loan, and a number of Villa fans interacted with the club’s post on social media following the announcement.

Kesler Hayden, who captained Villa to their first FA Youth Cup triumph since 2002 last season, signed a new five-year deal at Villa Park last month. He made his senior debut for Villa against Liverpool in the FA Cup last season and will now get the chance to gain more experience in the fourth tier.

Villa confirmed that they have the option to recall the 18-year-old in January, with Swindon now managed by Ben Garner.

Kesler Hayden has made 43 appearances for Villa’s youth sides alongside his maiden senior appearance and can also play as a right midfielder or a right winger.

Villa fans react

Villa posted the news regarding Kesler Hayden on Monday evening on Twitter.

Here is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with one describing a loan move as ‘excellent’. However, there were also a few nervy replies from fans, possibly due to fears over updates about Jack Grealish’s future at the club following a £100m bid from Manchester City.

“Wow, whispers got something right”

Credit: @MDavidson1874

“Good luck BUT I SWEAR TO GOD”

Credit: @jblund__
“My heart can’t take this…”
Credit: @_FPLJJ

“Excellent move for the lad”

Credit: @JonahB90

“Good luck to him, he will smash it. Exactly the transfer update we’ve all been waiting on all day”

Credit: @Spencer938

“almost had a heart attack”

Credit: @catrinedwards18

“Solid move. Great player, should do well at that level.”

Credit: @Jannetts_

In other news: ‘Stop’, ‘What’s going on?’ – Lots of Villa fans ‘nervous’ after club post. 

According to Turkish journalist Talha Arslan, Glasgow Rangers have made a formal bid for Fenerbahce winger Bright Osayi-Samuel.

The Lowdown: Poor season start for Gers

After a magnificent campaign that saw the Gers win the Premiership for the first time in ten years last time out, the Ibrox outfit have been brought back down to earth with a bang.

A 3-0 opening day victory against Livingston was followed by a 2-1 defeat to Malmo in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round and a 1-0 loss to Dundee United in the Premiership.

Judging by the latest developments, Steven Gerrard, Ross Wilson and co are not resting on their laurels, perhaps spurred into transfer action by those setbacks.

The Latest: Gers make Osayi-Samuel bid

As per Arslan, a trusted reported in Turkey, the 55-time Scottish champions have made an offer for former Queens Park Rangers winger Osayi-Samuel.

It was not established exactly how much that offer was said to be, but the journalist revealed “Glasgow Rangers begin formal bid” two months after first reporting serious interest in the winger from both sides of Glasgow.

The Verdict: Interesting move

Previously called “outstanding” by Mark Warburton (kilburntimes.co.uk), £3.06m-valued Osayi-Samuel has not had the best of times in the Super Liga.

In 19 games in all competitions last time out, he managed just one goal and one assist (Transfermarkt), and 19-time Turkish champions Fener are believed to be open to selling him (Fanatik).

The 23-year-old impressed at QPR, though, scoring five and providing nine assists in the Championship during the 2019/20 campaign. Not only that, he would fill up an important hole for Steven Gerrard – the boss likes to play in a 4-3-3 formation but lacks a natural right winger. This could be an inspired move from Wilson.

In other news, Rangers receive an injury blow.

Carlton Palmer has exclusively told Football FanCast that Arsenal fans are soon going to lose patience with Mikel Arteta.

The Spaniard has delivered the FA Cup in his first season in north London, but the Gunners league form since his arrival has been seriously concerning.

Arsenal finished outside the top-six when they came eighth in his FA Cup-winning season, with their victory over Chelsea securing their place in the Europa League.

However, a second eighth-place last term saw them fail to qualify for Europe for the first time in 21 years, with Tottenham’s final-day win at Leicester snatching their place in the UEFA Conference League.

Arteta has looked to improve his squad by making three summer signing, including the £50m arrival of Ben White from Brighton.

But White’s presence made little difference as Arsenal slumped to a 2-0 opening day loss at Brentford on Friday, with the daunting prospect of games against Chelsea and Man City now to come.

Asked whether he thinks Arteta’s job could soon come under threat, Palmer told FFC:

” I do. At some point, the fans are going to lose their patience. When you’re a supporter or a chairman, you look at an evolvement of the club.

“If you look at Ole, people wanted him out, but every time I watch him, I see an improvement, and I’ve not seen an evolvement at Arsenal since Arteta has gone in there.”