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West Bromwich Albion midfielder Tim Iroegbunam has completed a move away from The Hawthorns.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Express & Star, who claim that the 18-year-old has rejected the offer of a generous professional contract at West Brom in favour of a move to Aston Villa.

The report goes on to mention that the central midfielder has been with the Baggies since the age of eight, also relaying the highly-rated youngster’s farewell message to Albion fans, which read: “I would like to say thank you to everyone at West Bromwich Albion who’ve helped me on my development as a footballer.

“You have all given me good times and memories I will cherish forever. Now my time has come to an end and I am looking forward to the next chapter. I wish the best to all my teammates and the coaches I’ve been with. It’s been an amazing 10 years.”

The Express & Star also cited the comments of Aston Villa academy boss Mark Harrison reflecting on the signing of Iroegbunam.

He said: “Tim is an athletic midfielder who is technically very good. He has the ability to play as a holding midfielder or a box-to-box midfielder, who can contribute in both penalty areas. Tim has a lot of potential and we look forward to seeing him develop over the next few years.”

Fans will be fuming

Considering just how much raw talent Iroegbunam appears to have, the 18-year-old’s departure from West Brom before even having the chance to make an appearance for the first team is sure to have left fans of the club fuming, particularly as he has gone to a Midlands rival in Aston Villa.

Last season, the 5 foot 8 midfielder was named as the club’s Marc Darcy Academy Player of the Season, having scored four goals and provided four assists over 28 appearances in the Under-18 Premier League, Premier League 2, FA Youth Cup and EFL Trophy.

The youngster impressed so much that Sam Allardyce opted to include him in his first team squad on the final day of the Premier League season, although Iroegbunam failed to make it onto the pitch in Albion’s 3-1 defeat to Leeds United.

However, following his switch to Villa, this occasion was the first and last time that West Brom fans will see the 18-year-old in and around the Baggies’ starting XI, something which will undoubtedly be hugely disappointing considering that the Championship club have nurtured Iroegbunam into the player he is today over the course of the last decade.

In other news: Reliable journalist drops West Brom transfer development, Ismael will be gutted

Paddy Kenny reckons that out of contract Leeds United man Ezgjan Alioski will make a decision on his Elland Road future ‘very soon’ [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Leeds United gear up for 2021/22

As Leeds United build for 2021/22, many eyes will be cast towards how Marcelo Bielsa goes about improving and tweaking his squad in the transfer market.

Though acquiring high-calibre signings will be an important element of the next step in the club’s recent improvement, keeping together the core of the 2020/21 squad will also take precedence for the Argentinian manager.

One man whose future remains unresolved as of yet is North Macedonia international Alioski, but Kenny reckons his final choice will become a lot clearer in the coming days.

The Latest: Kenny ‘surprised’ at Aloiski’s contractual wrangle

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider about the 29-year-old, the former Whites goalkeeper claimed:

“I’m surprised this hasn’t been sorted before he went away.

“From his point of view, why not it get sorted beforehand? What’s to say he doesn’t get a 12-month injury and then that could leave him without a club and a job.

“It was quite a high risk to take. Now that they’re knocked out, he doesn’t need to concentrate on the Euros.

“It’s out of the way now and if he’s going to stay at Leeds or not, he needs to get it sorted.

“So I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard something from him very soon.”

The Verdict: Losing Alioski would be a blow to Leeds United; he has to make an imminent decision

Needing clarity on positional depth before pre-season at Thorp Arch begins, Kenny correctly points out the necessity for the left-back to swiftly determine his next steps.

Valuable to the Yorkshire club, the versatile Leeds United man made 38 appearances last season, registering six goal contributions; three goals and three assists [Transfermarkt].

Either as a regular starter or as a squad player, there is little doubt that Alioski is a positive influence who has had an impact on proceedings in the English top-flight.

Moving forward, Bielsa should look to tie a deal up for the versatile left-sider as soon as possible.

In other news, Leeds United are linked with a Premier League defender.

Jesse Lingard remains West Ham United’s top priority this summer, according to an ever-reliable source…

What’s the word?

The anonymous but trustworthy ExWHUemployee delivered a fresh update on the situation following a question from one supporter. He said:

“Nope Jesse is still the number one priority.”

In recent weeks, the Irons have been linked to a number of alternative options in the attacking midfield role, ranging from hardly-seen Liverpool star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Aston Villa bound Emi Buendia – even relegated West Brom playmaker Matheus Pereira has been linked.

Furthermore, there have also been reports suggesting that the Europa League clinching Hammers could miss out on signing him due to his £100k-per-week wage demands, which would put him amongst the club’s highest earners.

As evident by the question posed to Ex, it certainly seems that many in East London were getting a little worried over their prospects of clinching the £20m-rated sensation on a permanent deal.

Fans will be buzzing

Given that uncertainty had started to creep in, it’s hugely encouraging to see Ex make this update.

Lingard has been one of David Moyes’ star performers since his arrival in January, so it’s no wonder the 58-year-old and the fans are absolutely desperate to see him join.

As per WhoScored, the Manchester United outcast provided West Ham with nine goals and four assists, which saw him graded as their second-best season across the campaign, with the 28-year-old recording a 7.22.

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He was only beaten on goals by Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio (ten apiece), whilst it was the Czech monster who topped the rating charts (7.36).

His performances have drawn high praise indeed, with ex-Hammers centre-back Rio Ferdinand describing him as “amazing” whilst talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham labelled him “absolutely phenomenal.”

Lingard’s form at the London Stadium even earned him a surprise recall to Gareth Southgate’s England squad – that’s how well he has been performing in recent months and whilst he did not make the final 26-man cohort for the Euros, he’ll have been delighted to have been back involved.

That also gives David Sullivan and co a huge boost as they can now begin talks with Lingard far sooner than expected and if Ex is bang on the money – as he often is – then the chances of seeing the attacking midfield dynamo back in the claret and blue seems quite high.

He’s their top target, so now it’s on the club to get this deal over the line.

AND in other news, Moyes eyes West Ham move for £13.5m-rated “absolute disaster”, he’d be shades of Nasri…

A number of Liverpool supporters have been showing their delight at the news that Adrian’s time at Anfield could come to an end this summer.

Things have gone relatively quiet on the Reds front for the time being, with some players on Euro 2020 duty and others enjoying some downtime after a long season. Jurgen Klopp will be working hard on perfecting his summer transfer business, though, with incomings and outgoings expected at Anfield.

One player whose future appears to be up in the air is Adrian, with the Spaniard proving to be an unconvincing understudy to Alisson.

Having made an impressive start to life on Merseyside, the 34-year-old’s form then began to dip, culminating in a terrible performance which all but single-handedly got Liverpool knocked out of the 2019/20 Champions League by Atletico Madrid. He was also culpable for some errors in the 7-2 drubbing at Villa Park last October.

According to ESPN, Adrian is ‘likely’ to leave the Reds for free this summer, with his contract at the club expiring.

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Liverpool fans happy with Adrian update

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the matter, with many pleased at the thought of him possibly leaving in the coming weeks given his previous mishaps.

“YESSSSSSSSSSS”

Credit: @virgil001x

“If it’s true it will be great news, this guy cost the team the Champions League against Atletico Madrid”

Credit: @Abuabfullah

“Congrats everyone”

Credit: @qaz1f

“YESS”

Credit: @Jordan_LFC19

“Cya”

Credit: @jaketay88907204

“Amen”

Credit: @edem_DemsLfc

In other news, some Liverpool fans are excited about a fresh update regarding a rumoured Reds target’s future. Read more here.

It would be a risk for Kalvin Phillips to leave Leeds United and join Juventus this summer, warns the club’s former midfielder David Norris.

According to TuttoJuve, Juventus are interested in signing Phillips as they look to wrestle back the Serie A title from rivals Inter Milan.

The 25-year-old had a very strong season with Leeds, making 29 league appearances and averaging 2.6 tackles per game, more than any other midfielder in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad (via WhoScored).

The above, and the fact that he is now starring at Euro 2020 with England, makes it no surprise that Phillips has caught the attention of other clubs.

Norris, however, is not too sure about a move to Italy. The ex-Leeds player told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“It’s a risk. He’s still learning, he’s still developing as a player. He’s getting better and better, but it’s a totally different league, totally different environment.

“Another country, another language, another culture, it’s hard. Some tough English players have gone over there and struggled, so it’s a risk and I don’t think he needs to take it at this time.”

Interest in Phillips is something Leeds will have to get used to. Now that he is an established England player who has featured at a major international tournament, his stock is undoubtedly on the rise.

Peterborough Director of Football Barry Fry has told Football FanCast that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Mauricio Pochettino make a sensational return to Tottenham.

Spurs have been linked with countless managers since Jose Mourinho lost this job last month, but perhaps none more suited than the Argentine.

Despite leading Tottenham to four consecutive top four finishes and the Champions League final, Pochettino was sacked by Daniel Levy following Spurs’ poor start to the Premier League season in 2019-2020.

But with his replacement Mourinho failing to get close to matching Pochettino’s achievements, the Portuguese was sacked just days before the Carabao Cup final.

Strong reports believe that Levy is ‘seriously considering’ reappointing Pochettino, which quickly saw him move to favourite to become the next Spurs manager.

However, it would still take a monumental effort to prize the 49-year-old away from the French capital despite their failure to win the Ligue 1 title last weekend.

But Fry exclusively told Football FanCast that it makes perfect sense:

“Daniel and Poch were not only chairman and manager, but they had a wonderful relationship. They were friends as well.

“It was a hard decision to get rid of him and I’m not sure it was the right decision, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Poch came back to Tottenham.

“The fans loved him, the players loved him, and Daniel loved him, although he was going through a bad spell and like all chairman, they press the button too early sometimes in my opinion.”

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer has suggested that Sam Allardyce could be a good option for the Whites if Marcelo Bielsa decides to leave in the summer.

Bielsa’s current contract expires at the end of the season and the Leeds manager is yet to agree to new terms.

He has done an excellent job since arriving at Elland Road back in 2018, taking the Yorkshire club back to the Premier League and keeping them away from any real sort of relegation trouble. Bearing that in mind, it is easy to understand why some would fear losing Bielsa.

Palmer, however, does not believe Leeds’ Premier League future is dependent on the Argentinian, with the retired England international adamant that there are plenty of other capable coaches out there, including West Brom boss Allardyce, who labelled Bielsa as “so crazy” earlier this season.

When asked by FFC whether a Bielsa-less Leeds would find themselves in trouble next season, Palmer said:

“If he does go, you know, there are plenty of good managers out there. I think West Brom are going to go down now, so Sam Allardyce, if they don’t give him the funds to do the job to get them back up, he’s going to become available. He might be a good bet for them.

“So you can’t automatically assume that Leeds are going to get relegated if Bielsa leaves, but you can’t also underestimate the job he’s done with that squad of players and the way that they play.”

After such a successful campaign in the Premier League this season, following a 16-year absence away from English football’s top flight, Leeds will surely do everything in their power to keep hold of Bielsa.

Leeds United will have to battle Liverpool for the signature of Rodrigo de Paul this summer, according to a fresh report which has emerged from Italy.

The Lowdown: Constant interest in De Paul

The Udinese midfielder has been linked with a move to Leeds numerous times in recent months, as Marcelo Bielsa eyes up some key reinforcements.

The 26-year-old has shone in Serie A this season, registering nine goals and assists apiece, while scout and analyst Dan Altman once described him as a ‘great fit’ for Marcelo Bielsa’s style due to his ability to contribute end product and also cover lots of ground.

The Latest: Fresh link emerges

Now, a new link has emerged from Il Milanista [via Sport Witness], which claims that Leeds and Liverpool will lock horns for the signing of De Paul.

It is stated that the two clubs are in the ‘first row’ of potential suitors, providing ‘fierce competition’ to AC Milan, who may not be able to pay the required €40million (£34.4m) for him.

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The Verdict: Sprinkling of stardust

Leeds certainly don’t need numerous additions this summer, but De Paul is a player who could take Bielsa’s team up another level.

He is a midfielder who is primarily attack-minded but also savvy defensively, averaging 1.2 dribbles per game in Serie A this season, but also exactly the same number of tackles.

De Paul can be that sprinkling of magic who gives Leeds’ midfield an extra dimension, potentially elevating those around him in the way Bruno Fernandes has at Manchester United.

In other news, Leeds have been handed a boost after a rumoured target rejected a new deal at his current club. Find out who it is here.

Freddie Woodman could leave Newcastle United this summer because ‘there is no clear path for him’ to the first team, according to Chronicle Live journalist Mark Douglas.

The lowdown

Woodman impressed on loan at Championship side Swansea City this season, keeping a league-high 21 clean sheets.

The 24-year-old also featured in The Athletic’s team of the season for the division as a result of his heroics as he helped the Swans to reach Saturday’s play-off final, in which they were beaten 2-0 by Brentford.

The latest

Douglas reported that Swansea are keen on a permanent move for the 24-year-old, who has signalled that he wants to play regular football and ‘is hinting’ that he wants to stay in south Wales.

That may not be possible at Newcastle given that Martin Dubravka signed a six-year contract during the 2019/20 season and ‘is an important voice in the dressing room’. Karl Darlow is then ‘next in line’ behind the Slovakian.

Arsenal, where Woodman’s father previously worked as a goalkeeping coach, could also be among his suitors.

Douglas reckons that £15m is a realistic price tag if Newcastle were to sanction a sale. That deal, though, should include ‘smart clauses’ such as first refusal on future moves or a ‘hefty sell-on’. [Chronicle Live]

The verdict

Newcastle need to box clever here. Dubravka is a more than capable number one who delivered some strong performances after his return from injury in the spring and, right now, it makes little sense to deny Woodman a lucrative move in order to keep him as a rarely-used backup.

It has been reported that, with Mike Ashley intent on selling the club, Newcastle may have as little as £12m to spend this summer – this deal could more than double their transfer budget.

If they can insert one of the clauses mentioned above, it would be a no-brainer for the Magpies to cash in on the 24-year-old.

In other news, Newcastle are in pole position to land this teenage forward.

Eddie Howe is reportedly having second thoughts on becoming the new Celtic manager after verbally agreeing on a move to Parkhead.

Former England striker Kevin Phillips, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, has shared his thoughts on why the former Bournemouth manager is stalling over a switch to Glasgow.

Howe now on Palace radar

Howe has also spoken to English Premier League club Crystal Palace about potentially replacing Roy Hodgson and is on a three-man shortlist at Selhurst Park alongside Sean Dyche and Frank Lampard.

Phillips believes that the pressure of having to win matches on a regular basis at Celtic could be the reason for his Parkhead U-turn, saying:

“Whoever goes there will be well aware of the challenge they face.

“It’s a high-pressure job and we all know what you have to do if you go to Celtic this summer, you have to win the league next year, it’s as simple as that.

“Howe’s under no illusions and some managers won’t like that pressure, the pressure is a big factor, you have to win football matches if you take over at Celtic.

“If Eddie was to take over it would be a challenge that he hasn’t had to deal with in his football career.”

Transfer Tavern take

Howe has averaged 1.51 points per game during his 540 games as a manager, with the majority of those coming at Bournemouth. That ratio would certainly need to increase if he were to make the move to Glasgow, but considering his previous jobs were with the Cherries and Burnley, it’s not a bad record.

We feel that Phillips citing pressure as a deterrent isn’t quite accurate. Howe would surely have known what would be demanded at Celtic Park in terms of the level of expectation, so there are probably other factors as to why he is holding off on putting pen to paper.

One reported assurance was being able to bring Bournemouth director Richard Hughes with him to the club, even though Celtic were thought to be closing in on Manchester City’s Fergal Harkin. That perhaps seems a more plausible reason for Howe’s potential move to Glasgow losing momentum in recent days.

In other news: Celtic keen on English teenager related to ex-Tottenham defender, find out more here.