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Mason Mount's Chelsea future remains in the balance, but it appears the club have already got at least one alternative lined up should the midfielder join Manchester United.

Who could Chelsea sign to replace Mason Mount?

Man United have now agreed terms over a £60m move to sign Mount with Chelsea now potentially feeling the need to sign a replacement.

Should the Englishman indeed depart, the Evening Standard claims that the Blues expect to move for Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga, who has also been strongly linked with Premier League rivals Liverpool.

The Spain U21 international has a release clause of £34m, meaning he can be signed for around half the fee Mount goes for.

Is Gabri Veiga a good choice for Chelsea?

Veiga is coming off the back of a stellar campaign for Celta Vigo in which he scored 11 goals and assisted four more in 36 LaLiga appearances.

The 21-year-old's 0.43 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes over the past year sees him ranked in the top 1% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues, as per FBref, while he is in the top 2% for shots (2.43 per 90), which tells you all you need to know about his playing style.

Described as a "top talent" by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, and with a reasonable release clause, it is clear that Veiga is a man in demand.

With Chelsea also said to be closing in on a big-money deal for Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo, the Blues could well create a dream central-midfield partnership that can help bring success back to Stamford Bridge.

Indeed, whereas Veiga thrives in the attacking metrics, Caicedo is very much a defensive-minded midfielder and is considered more of a replacement for N'Golo Kante.

Caicedo, who is reportedly valued in the region of £80m by Brighton, ranks in the top 11% among his positional peers across Europe's elite leagues for interceptions (1.61 per 90 minutes) and the top 13% for tackles (2.87).

Veiga, incidentally, is in the bottom 32% and 28% respectively in those metrics, whereas Caicedo is in the bottom 26% for non-penalty goals (0.03 per 90) and bottom 33% for shots (0.80).

It effectively means that the pair thrive in different areas, making them the ideal pivoting combo for Mauricio Pochettino.

They would undoubtedly be an upgrade on what the Blues already have available, too, with Veiga's 0.43 goals per 90 in LaLiga last season more than any other Chelsea player could manage, with Joao Felix ranking highest with 0.38.

In terms of the defensive metrics, Caicedo recorded 4.47 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes for Brighton in the Premier League last term. To put that number in some perspective, no Chelsea player could match that, with best-performing midfielder Conor Gallagher managing 3.83.

Chelsea's squad overhaul is already in full swing, but it could be about to get a whole lot more exciting if Veiga – and indeed Caicedo – are brought to Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks.

Manchester United have made an enquiry for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, according to reports.

What’s the latest Declan Rice transfer news?

Rice’s future has been a hot topic of conversation during the transfer window, with a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal seemingly his preferred destination.

The 24-year-old, who former West Ham defender James Collins has hailed as "outstanding" and "incredible", allegedly agreed on personal terms over a move to the Emirates Stadium at the beginning of the month, however, shaking hands on a transfer fee has proven tricky.

The Gunners have had two offers for the West Ham star turned down already, the second of which was worth an initial £75m fee plus a further £15m in add-ons.

Premier League champions Manchester City also appear to be in the race for the central midfielder, and it looks as if those at Old Trafford have made their first move for Rice.

The Daily Mail’s Chief Football Reporter Sami Mokbel shared an update regarding Rice’s future on Thursday evening, where the Red Devils received a mention.

He claimed that Man United have made an enquiry for Rice in recent days and are considering offering a £40m fee plus defender Harry Maguire and winger Anthony Elanga. The reporter adds that United are outsiders in the race, with Arsenal in pole position for the England international’s services.

Are Mason Mount and Declan Rice best friends?

The Red Devils appear to be closing in on signing Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount in a deal worth £60m after further talks between the two clubs.

The England international has agreed on a five-year deal in Manchester worth £200,000-a-week, and it looks as if United officials are now looking into bringing Mount’s best friend to Old Trafford.

Mount and Rice have been boyhood best friends since the age of 12 after coming through the academy at Chelsea but have only been able to play in the same side at senior level when representing England. Therefore, should United’s ambitious move for Rice come off, you’d expect the pair could feature heavily in midfield under Erik ten Hag on a weekly basis.

However, United still have a lot of work to do before that materialises with Rice and West Ham, and you’d expect that the Hammers may want more than £40m, even if a potential move included Maguire and Elanga after turning down a £90m offer from Arsenal, making this one to watch.

Liverpool could be set to add some more exciting young talent to their ranks this summer, with Calciomercato in Italy reporting that Patrick Dorgu is on the club's wanted list.

Who is Patrick Dorgu?

The 18-year-old has yet to make a first-team appearance over the course of his career but has still stood out because of his showings in the reserves. He currently plays for Lecce's Under-19 side and managed 33 outings in the Primavera 1 over the course of the 2022/23 season. It amounted to a solid return of four goals along the way for the left-back.

Prior to his Italy move, he played in his home country of Denmark for FCN Youth and then Nordsjaelland's Under-19 side. He's also been given gametime with his national side's youth teams, playing for their Under-19 and Under-18 sides as well. With the former of the two, he has a healthy return of two goals in five games.

In spite of all this though, Dorgu is yet to break into the first-team picture at any of his clubs and has had to made do with reserve team football.

However, he hasn't needed senior minutes to catch the eye of Liverpool. The Reds have been watching the player on a handful of occasions according to Calciomercato, and Jurgen Klopp's side are now ready to make a move.

How much is Dorgu worth?

It's unclear just how much Lecce would demand for Dorgu if a deal was to go ahead and there is no fee currently mentioned in regards to a move from Liverpool. Transfermarkt suggest that his value could be around £400,000, which would be a decent sum for the Italians to generate from a player who has yet to feature in their first-team. It would though, be mere pocket change to a Premier League outfit such as the Reds.

He should, perhaps, rake in slightly more though considering his perceived potential. Danish Scout on Twitter for example shared a clip of the left-back driving through the opposition and tucking home a smart finish, and stated that he is an "extremely dynamic" player and is the "star" of that Lecce reserve side.

It appears as though he has some real talent then and if Liverpool can bring him to England, then they could have a future starter on their hands – although he would likely have to make do with more reserve team action in the interim for the Reds.

Mykhailo Mudryk has supposedly impressed new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino with his attitude by stating his desire to represent Ukraine’s U21 side.

What does Mauricio Pochettino think of Mykhailo Mudryk?

The season is now officially over for the Blues and many will be delighted by this as it will allow them to put a terrible campaign behind them, having finished 12th in the Premier League – their lowest-ever final position in the division.

Perhaps more than most, Mudryk will also be relieved to be done with English football for a short while, having really struggled to adapt to his new environment since his £88.5m January move from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Indeed, the £97,000 per week winger has scored zero goals and had claimed just two assists in 17 matches since arriving and has been subjected to plenty of criticism for his underwhelmed displays.

With that in mind, you might think he'd prefer to take a big break away from the game over the summer but according to The Telegraph, he hopes to play for Ukraine at this summer’s European Under-21 Championship in a bid to rediscover his best form.

The article explained: "Mudryk’s desire to try to recapture his form and confidence with the Under-21s is thought to have impressed new head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff ahead of the Argentine officially starting work at Chelsea on July 1."

Can Mudryk play for Ukraine Under-21s this summer?

Mudryk had actually already had a couple of weeks off since Chelsea's season finished but he did start in Monday’s friendly against Germany, even forcing an own goal off Antonio Rudiger in the 3-3 draw.

The article adds, however, that despite being in the senior Ukraine squad, the 22-year-old is also still eligible for the Under-21s for this summer’s tournament in Romania and Georgia.

With that being the case, he hopes to use this as an opportunity to "find some rhythm at a critical time" having not played an awful lot of minutes for Chelsea in the final stages of the season.

Interestingly enough, Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi once rejected the opportunity to play for England’s Under-21s after appearing for the senior side – which left Gareth Southgate unimpressed – and so Mudryk's decision shows the very opposite attitude.

There's no doubt, Ukraine's winger has failed to live up to expectations since arriving at Stamford Bridge but he's still so young there is plenty of time for him to develop with the right coaching and this willingness to play for his nation during the summer certainly shows he's really committed to fulfilling his potential at Chelsea.

Sky Sports have confirmed that a Manchester United takeover is no closer to completion, despite recent rumours of a deal involving Sheikh Jassim.

What’s the latest Man United takeover news?

It has been an eventful few days when it comes to Old Trafford takeover rumours, with speculation from Qatar suggesting that Jassim was successful in his bid to take full control from the Glazers.

As to be expected, that claim gathered plenty of attention in the media as claims emerged on both sides of the story, with journalist Ben Jacobs for example one of those arguing against the rumours on an agreement being reached, saying on Tuesday morning:

"Lots of speculation on the MUFC sale process, and an out-of-hours stock price surge reacting to that. But as of last night no group had been informed they are successful. Not expecting anything public or groundbreaking in the next few days. If that changes will update you."

Sky Sports have now confirmed that it was in fact Jacobs in the right and not the reports sending United fans wild, with chief reporter Kaveh Solekhol sharing news from “sources”. He said on Tuesday evening that the rumours regarding Jassim are false, adding:

"Man United fans will want an update on what is happening with a takeover. Is anything happening? Are we closer to any resolution?

"We’ve checked with all sides, with all our sources, and they’re telling us no update at the moment."

Jassim already planning Man United transfers?

Although Jassim is unaware if his fifth and final bid has been successful to take charge in Manchester, he already appears to be eyeing up a marquee signing for Erik ten Hag’s side.

Recent reports have claimed that the Qatar group are planning a stunning move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. Jassim feels that the French superstar “belongs at Man United”, with PSG valuing the player at £170m.

However, with the transfer window now officially open, every passing day without a takeover resolution could impact United’s plans in the market. For example, back in March, some inside Old Trafford were worried that the ongoing saga would affect the club's planning in the window.

Hopefully, there will be a development soon for either Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but no off-field news continuing could spell trouble for the Red Devils and cause unrest among the club's supporters.

Arsenal have enjoyed some glorious days across their rich history, yet the start of Mikel Arteta's reign threatened to derail those years of success under Arsene Wenger.

Unai Emery had struggled to offer an instant impact following the legendary Frenchman's retirement, and so the hierarchy traded one Spaniard for another and instead put their trust in youth.

Despite a tumultuous opening two years, his most recent term has provided all the rewards their loyalty has merited. However, they are far from reaching their ultimate goal of toppling Manchester City and reclaiming that Premier League title.

It is common knowledge that to do this Edu will need to invest heavily once again this summer, adding more depth to a starting XI that could likely compete with anyone across Europe when fully fit.

In an effort to conjure the success of past regimes, perhaps the Brazilian sporting director could seek to replicate the key stars from those older periods of glory.

Fortunately for him and Arteta, the availability of Orkun Kokcu at just €40m (£35m), and their reported interest from last month, could see them emulate Cesc Fabregas' early days in north London.

Does Orkun Kokcu play like Cesc Fabregas?

Before he reverted to a metronome-like figure in the engine room of Barcelona and Chelsea, the Spaniard was an all-action box-to-box star, who would claim goals and assists from deep.

In Fabregas' first full year in the first team, the now 36-year-old would record 11 goal contributions, before taking that figure up to 17 the year following.

The apex, however, arguably came during the 2009/10 season, as he scored 15 and assisted a further 15 in the league alone, with 38 goal contributions to his name across all competitions from midfield.

It was no surprise that at the time Wenger claimed: "I have seen a lot of young players start in the game and he is one of the best I have ever seen. He gave a few final balls, set up the first goal and there were a series of key moments in which he was involved. It is very pleasing."

In Kokcu, they would gain another young goalscoring star from deep, given how his offensive exploits have fired Feyenoord to an unlikely title win in Holland.

The 22-year-old boasts 12 goals and five assists this term and has been dubbed "the best in his league" by former Juventus star Mohamed Sissoko, to emphasise his pedigree akin to Wenger's earlier praise.

His numbers are dressed up in a similar all-action play style that saw Fabregas shoot to fame, as when compared to other midfielders across Europe he ranks in the top 3% for progressive carries per 90 and the top 1% for shot-creating actions per 90, via FBref.

It is perhaps no surprise then to see such similarities drawn by analysts in the game, with Nick Gada stating during the infancy of the Turk's career: "Can see why Arteta is after Orkun Kokcu. His passing ability for a 19yo is unreal. A lot of similarities to a Fabregas / Cazorla."

In this dynamic Turkish superstar, therefore, Edu could hand Arteta some added firepower to replace the outgoing Granit Xhaka and allow the 41-year-old head coach to mould him even further in the image of his legendary compatriot.

Manchester United are reportedly keen to add to Leeds United's recent relegation woes, amid reports that the Red Devils are hoping to poach one of their rivals' star players this summer…

What are the latest Man United transfer rumours?

According to Italian outlet, TuttoMercatoWeb, the Red Devils are said to be one of the 'illustrious suitors' who are eyeing a move for midfield maestro, Tyler Adams, with the report suggesting that Erik ten Hag would 'gladly' bring the American to Old Trafford.

This follows a previous report from Football Insider which suggested that United are among the teams who are interested in signing the 24-year-old ahead of next term, with the 36-cap ace looking destined for an exit after just a solitary season at Elland Road.

The piece adds that the former RB Leipzig man – who made the £20m move to Yorkshire last summer – would cost the Carabao Cup winners roughly £35m if a deal was to be agreed.

Who could Adams replace at Man United?

With Ten Hag evidently searching for a 'younger' midfield recruit – such as Adams – it could well spell the end for one of the club's more experienced figures, with Brazilian enigma, Fred, potentially set to be on his way this summer.

That's according to Manchester Evening News, who reported that the 30-year-old is a target for recent opponents, Fulham, with Cottagers' boss Marco Silva having been seen talking to the playmaker following Sunday's Old Trafford encounter.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk man has spent five years on the books at the Theatre of Dreams, although the £52m addition has fallen down the midfield pecking order of late, having started just two of the last 13 Premier League games since the 7-0 drubbing away to Liverpool.

That grim defeat at Anfield laid bare the £120k-per-week asset's woes as he was merely a 'non-entity', according to 90min's Jack Gallagher, with it perhaps no surprise that Ten Hag is believed to be keen to move him on this summer.

The addition of Adams, therefore, could well represent something of an upgrade on the diminutive menace, with the Leeds star having been hailed as "one of the best defensive midfielders in the league" by pundit, Noel Whelan.

Despite missing the last few months of the season through injury, the "aggressive" ace – as hailed by Whelan – still finished in joint-fourth in the division alongside Casemiro for tackles made (89), with that a marker of his ball-winning prowess.

Unsurprisingly, Adams ranks in the top 1% among those in his position across Europe's top five leagues for tackles made, with Fred slightly behind as he ranks in just the top 3% in that regard.

That superior defensive quality is also showcased by the fact that while the latter man won just 48% of his ground duels and 50% of his aerial duels in the 2022/23 campaign, the New York native averaged 55% and 64% for those same two metrics, respectively.

In an attacking sense, despite failing to register an assist this term, Adams did notably average one key pass per game as a marker of his creative ability in his deep-lying berth, with that superior to the current United man, who averaged just 0.9 key passes per game.

That brilliance both in and out of possession appears to suggest that Ten Hag would be wise to replace the 5 foot 7 midfielder with the Leeds sensation for next season.

Celtic not only wrapped up their 2021/22 Premiership season with a blistering 6-0 win over Motherwell on the final day of their title-winning campaign, they also ended it with the best attacking and defensive record in the league.

Throughout their 38 top-flight games, the Hoops found the net 92 times and only conceded 22 goals along the way.

Speaking of their imperious defence, one man in Ange Postecoglou’s squad who didn’t play a significant part throughout the campaign is Christopher Jullien.

After recovering from a serious knee injury in January, the Frenchman played just 16 minutes of action for the Hoops, which came during their 4-0 win over Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup. Even though he had been out of action for so long, there may have been some Celtic fans expecting to see the centre-back given more game-time than that between January and May.

This duly raises the question of whether or not Postecoglou sees Jullien – who has had some performances in the past dubbed a “shocker” by Tam McManus – as a suitable figure in his squad going forward.

Should the 56-year-old not have enough faith in the £20k-per-week Frenchman for whatever reason, it could well spell the end of the defender’s time at Parkhead.

Looking back at the number of players who left the club last summer, it has been made clear that the Australian is not reluctant when it comes to shipping fringe squad members out of Parkhead.

Also, according to a recent report from Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic will likely consider selling the French defender if a decent bid comes in for him this summer.

If Jullien does end up leaving Glasgow, the Hoops may already have a prime long-term replacement to whom they can turn, instead of potentially diving into the transfer market once again.

Ewan Otoo, who is a product of Celtic’s youth system, obtained first-team experience during a loan spell with Clyde in 2021, where he made 15 appearances.

Labelled a “powerful” player by Clyde manager Danny Lennon, the 19-year-old defender could well have the chance during pre-season to catch Postecoglou’s eye and show him that he’s capable of being a senior squad option for the Hoops moving forward.

Should that prove to the case, he could well become a long-term defensive figure at Parkhead and a suitable replacement for the potentially exit-bound Jullien.

In other news – “Around that number..”: Big Lennoxtown transfer claim emerges, it’s great for Celtic

Everton are interested in securing the services of Bologna’s Swedish midfielder Mattias Svanberg this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to Italian outlet 1000 Cuori Rossoblu, as per Sport Witness, who claim that the Serie A side have offered Svanberg a new contract but the Swede is not interested and is “the most likely young person to be expendable for a profitable sale in the summer.”

As noted in the report, the 23-year-old midfielder is wanted by Everton, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

It’s also highlighted that Bologna refused an offer of €15m (£12.8m) last year, but state that this time around “it’s difficult for them to deprive themselves of him for a figure much less than €20m (£17m).”

Imagine him and Doucoure

Part of Everton’s downfall this season has been their ability to create chances, hence their status as the fourth worst goal scoring team in the league, having managed just 37 goals this season.

With Donny van de Beek injured and Fabian Delph filling in to form a partnership with Doucoure, the defensive stability is there, but there is almost no attacking threat.

With Van de Beek set to return back to parent club Manchester United at the end of the season, Lampard will need to find a more positive central midfielder who can look to cause more threat.

His average of 1.13 crosses per match also poses as an upgrade and would present a more composed option in the Toffees’ engine room who could look to ignite that creative spark for the forwards to benefit from.

This is where Svanberg, who has been described as “red hot” by Bologna’s official Twitter account, comes in, with his average of 2.14 shot-creating actions and average of 1.47 shots. In comparison to Delph’s numbers of 0.62 shot-creating actions per 90 and 0.15 shots per match average, they massively falter when aligned with the Swede’s metrics.

With that in mind, partnering him with the bullish Doucoure could be just the ticket that Everton need in order to make them a more menacing prospect in the middle of the pitch.

Lampard would be wise to look into the signing of Svanberg, though there are more creative assets out there so it would not hurt to look around.

In other news: “I’m told..“: Insider drops major Everton transfer claim, Lampard will be ecstatic 

Tottenham Hotspur are understood to be keeping a close eye on transfer developments between Tomas Soucek and West Ham at the end of the season, according to Claret & Hugh.

The Lowdown: Breakdown in talks

The 27-year-old has reportedly held talks with David Moyes surrounding his future at the London Stadium, but they are said to have broken down as a result of the midfielder not being happy with the terms offered to him.

Discussions are set to be reopened once the current campaign has ended, with Soucek hoping for a more attractive deal to be placed on the table, considering that he has played 48 matches across all competitions for the Irons this term.

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However, if the Czech Republic captain’s relationship with West Ham turns hostile, it would appear that there is plenty of interest in his services elsewhere in the capital in the form of Tottenham.

The Latest: Conte’s a huge fan

In a new article published by West Ham news outlet Claret & Hugh, it is claimed that Spurs manager Antonio Conte is a ‘big admirer’ of Soucek and will be ‘ready to move’ should talks break down again in the coming months.

The report added that a source close to both clubs explained that the Italian ‘has the money’ to attempt a deal for the midfielder and would be ‘hopeful’ that Spurs can land him if a settlement fails to be reached.

The Verdict: Fellaini-esque signing

The £40.5m-rated talisman, who has previously been described as Fellaini-esque after receiving praise from the Belgian himself, currently averages 1.3 shots per league game and is winning 3.8 of his aerial duels per 90 minutes, via WhoScored, showing just how effective he can be at both ends of the pitch.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel hailed Soucek as an “incredible” player earlier this season, so it’s no wonder that Conte is such a huge fan of the 27-year-old.

Despite it being more likely that the £47k-per-week colossus will stay with the Hammers as they are in desperate need of strengthening their midfield options, the possibility of playing football at the highest level in the Champions League in N17 could be too good of an opportunity for him to turn down.

In other news… one Spurs star has admitted that there has been a ‘radical change’ at the club since the arrival of Conte