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Newcastle United are advancing in their deal to sign Sandro Tonali, and are set to double his salary in what will be a huge deal for the Magpies, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What's the latest on Newcastle's move for Tonali?

The AC Milan star is being eyed up by Eddie Howe as he aims to add quality to his midfield, with Newcastle returning to European football for the first time in over ten years.

A major deal for the 23-year-old appears to be edging closer, as Newcastle aim to flex their financial muscles over Milan and take one of their prize assets.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano hinted that a deal could reach a huge fee, whilst Tonali's £76k-per-week salary could even be doubled should he make the move to St James' Park.

"Now we can say that the talks are moving to the final stages for Sandro Tonali to Newcastle," he stated.

"Newcastle made a really important bid to the player, it's more than double salary for Sandro Tonali compared to what he's earning at Milan right now, so crazy salary and also important bid to Milan, around €70m (£60m) with add-ons included.

"Now, what is needed to close the deal, to discuss the structure of the deal, payment terms and how to structure the add-ons, so Milan and Newcastle are negotiating, waiting for the green light, but this is getting closer, so the next hours could be crucial to close the deal for Sandro Tonali to Newcastle, a really big one for Newcastle if they will be able to complete it."

Where does Tonali fit in at Newcastle?

Newcastle have been desperate to reinforce their midfield this summer, to support Bruno Guimaraes and Joe Willock in the middle of the park, and Tonali has now been identified as the ideal addition.

It remains unclear whether Tonali would arrive as a more advanced box-to-box option to compete with Joelinton, with Guimaraes playing in a deeper role, or if the Italian will sit back and allow the Brazilian to play further forward.

Tonali ranks poorly in defensive contributions compared to Guimaraes as per FBref, but did notch up seven assists in all competitions, perhaps indicating that his presence in the middle will add more creativity to the side.

Given the status of the Italy international as a key player for the Champions League semi-finalists, this deal represents a statement from Newcastle that they are aiming to compete with Europe's biggest clubs in the transfer market.

Leeds United are still without a manager after suffering relegation from Premier League almost a month ago, but progress is starting to be made at Elland Road.

The 49ers have confirmed their full takeover of the club, buying Andrea Radrizzani out of his majority stake and taking full control in the last few days, which has been further boosted by the arrival of interim football advisor Nick Hammond.

Hammond was the sporting director at Reading, director of football operations at Celtic and most recently worked on a consultancy for Newcastle United, so has plenty of experience to provide Leeds with a much-needed expert to support in the summer transfer window during a difficult chapter for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Indeed, the main priorities for Leeds at present are the acquirement of a quality manager who can quickly reinstate their Premier League status and figuring out which players in the current squad will make an exit and who will stay to compete in the Championship next season.

However, with many Leeds players already speculated with a move away from the club this summer, identifying key targets who can replace and revive the team next season will be absolutely essential for a successful season.

One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road this summer is Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, who has just spent a year on loan in the Serie A with Sampdoria.

Would Harry Winks be a good fit for Leeds?

It is no secret that Leeds will struggle to keep a number of their talents ahead of their Championship campaign and finding the best way to approach that will be essential for Hammond during his time at the club.

In midfield, the Whites have already lost Weston McKennie as he returns to Juventus after his loan spell, whilst Tyler Adams has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs following relegation to the second tier, so there is definitely an opportunity to bolster the centre of the pitch this summer.

As a result, the signing of Winks – who had a £22m buyout clause as part of his temporary deal – would be a major coup for Leeds if they could convince him to make a move and would definitely soften the blow of losing some of the key players in midfield.

Over 20 Serie A appearances this season, the 27-year-old Englishman – hailed "amazing" by Mauricio Pochettino in the past – has tallied up an 85% pass completion rate and successfully completed 78% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, one clearance and 3.2 duels won per game, displaying strong ball-winning capabilities and ability to look after the ball in possession.

One of Leeds' biggest issues in the top flight last season was their defensive consistency with no other team in the Premier League conceding more goals over the 38-game campaign (78), so bringing in players who can improve the defensive presence and being more efficient in possession would be advantageous.

With that being said, if Hammond could secure the services of Winks it could massively improve the performances in midfield next season and help Leeds to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

Everton are likely to dip into the market this summer to add some much-needed quality into their forward line and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Viktor Gyokeres?

According to A Bola, Everton are one of the clubs interested in signing Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres.

As per the report, the Toffees will need to compete with Leeds United, Fulham, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers to secure his signature this summer and it is claimed that his Championship club will command a transfer fee of €20m (£17m).

Would Gyokeres be a good signing for Everton?

There is no doubt that Gyokeres would be a warmly welcomed addition at Goodison Park this summer after the struggles the club have faced over their Premier League season in front of goal.

Only Wolverhampton Wanderers scored fewer goals (31) than Everton (34) over the 38-game campaign which led to a hard-fought relegation scrap at the bottom of the table, that saw the Merseysiders only saved inside the final 45 minutes of the season.

As a result, the signing of a prolific and confident goalscorer will be essential this summer if the club is to have any chance of comfortably competing and Gyokeres could be the perfect profile of forward to take on the task.

Everton have had huge success with strikers who use their height to beat opponents to the ball in dangerous positions with 6 foot 2 Dominic Calvert-Lewin and 6 foot 3 Romelu Lukaku two of the most consistent strikers the Toffees have had in the last decade, and now Gyokeres could follow in their footsteps to guide the team out of trouble.

Over 46 Championship appearances, the 6 foot 1 monster – hailed "unplayable" by former Coventry teammate Maxime Biamou – scored 21 goals, registered ten assists and created nine big chances, as well as averaging three shots on goal and 1.3 shots on target per game, proving that he is a huge presence in the centre-forward role.

Not only that, the 25-year-old Swedish striker has displayed a number of similarities to the aforementioned Lukaku this season, with the Belgian just two inches taller but using a similarly bullish approach to the game.

Indeed, they are comparable when it comes to shot-on-target rate (39.1% v 40.8%), goals per shots on target (0.14 v 0.16), pass completion rate (67.3% v 68.6%), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.27 v 3.96) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.47 v 0.60), as per FBref.

With that being said, the signing of Gyokeres would be a big coup for Everton and if he could emulate his Championship form in the top flight in would put the Toffees in a great position to improve and compete comfortably next season.

With new boss Ange Postecoglou now at the helm to end the club's managerial search, the main focus for Tottenham Hotspur will likely have shifted towards acquiring quality additions in the summer window.

According to 90min, one area that the 57-year-old is keen to strengthen is the centre-back ranks, with the Lilywhites having drawn up a list of targets amid doubts surrounding the futures of the likes of Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez and Clement Lenglet.

Among those who are reportedly being considered by the north London outfit is Manchester United skipper, Harry Maguire, with the Red Devils said to have offered the 30-year-old to potential suitors in order to get him off the books ahead of next season.

A move for the former Leicester City man – who is set to be worth in the region of £40m – may come as something of a surprise amid his recent woes at Old Trafford, with the 6 foot 4 asset having slipped down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag after starting just eight Premier League games in the most recent campaign.

Having also previously been labelled as a "walking disaster" by journalist Samuel Luckhurst amid his dismal form in the previous campaign, the £190k-per-week brute appears to be in need of a fresh start in order to spark a career revival.

Signing for Postecoglou could then be a dream arrangement for Maguire, with the Greek-Aussie having already proven himself capable of rejuvenating the career of a struggling Three Lions star – Joe Hart.

How is Joe Hart getting on at Celtic?

Much like his compatriot, Hart was in something of a rut prior to linking up with Postecoglou at Celtic back in the summer of 2021, having endured a nomadic spell after being cast aside by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City in 2016.

Formerly the number one option for his country and a two-time Premier League winner at the Etihad, the 75-cap goalkeeper ultimately ended up at the likes of Torino, West Ham United and Burnley following his time in Manchester, before being snapped up by Spurs on a free transfer in 2020.

Having ultimately featured just ten times for the north London outfit during the 2020/21 campaign, the Shrewsbury native was informed by new boss Nuno Espirito Santo that he would be surplus to requirements for the following season, having been brutally notified by the Portuguese that he would "not kick a ball" that year.

At arguably the nadir of his career at that stage, Hart has since gone on to flourish in Glasgow in recent seasons, proving a "really great signing" for the Hoops having "transformed himself" under Postecoglou's watch, according to pundit Alex McLeish.

Also lauded as an "unsung hero" for the Old Firm outfit, the veteran stopper has now racked up 104 appearances in all competitions for his current side, playing a vital role in winning five domestic honours over the last two seasons.

The 36-year-old clearly has Postecoglou to thank for his recent resurgence having described the experienced tactician as an "awesome force" and an "unbelievable coach", with that boding well for the impact that the new Tottenham boss could make on changing Maguire's fortunes if a deal was to be made.

For all the latter man's woes, the central defender has still shown glimpses of his quality of late after being hailed as "dominant" by Ten Hag earlier this year, having also been described as a "big player" for his country by international colleague, Kieran Trippier.

That praise would suggest that there is a talented asset in there somewhere, with Postecoglou potentially able to replicate his Hart masterclass by getting Maguire back to his best in a Spurs jersey.

Liverpool signing Nice enforcer Khephren Thuram and Bayern Munich star Ryan Gravenberch this summer would be an 'unbelievable' upgrade on their outgoing midfielders, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Khephren Thuram and Ryan Gravenberch?

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, Liverpool have had conversations with the agent of Nice midfielder Thuram ahead of a potential summer move to Anfield.

In 2022/23, the £14k-a-week ace was in sparkling form for Ligue 1 outfit Nice, and Thuram registered two goals and eight assists in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

As per Michael Reschke's interview with Die Bayern-Woche via The Liverpool Echo, Liverpool also 'really want' to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Gravenberch in the forthcoming off-season. In an interview with Sport1, the former Schalke Director of Football said: "Liverpool are interested in him. They really want to have him. That speaks for the quality of the player."

Earlier this year, The Daily Mail confirmed that the £152,381 earner had been 'sounded out' by the Reds over the possibility of moving to Merseyside and contact is believed to have been initiated between Liverpool and Gravenberch's representatives.

Of course, Liverpool's willingness to strengthen in midfield hasn't stopped there. Brighton & Hove Albion playmaker Alexis Mac Allister is also a target for the club and has a release clause in his contract worth £45-55 million and Liverpool are 'hopeful' that they can conclude a deal to bring in the Argentina international by the end of this week, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks Thuram and Gravenberch joining Mac Allister at Liverpool would be an 'unbelievable' upgrade on Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlian, who have all now left the Premier League giants due to their contracts expiring.

Jones said: “Imagine we get to a situation where Liverpool strike a good deal for Mac Allister at such value they can follow it up with two more like Khephren Thuram and Ryan Gravenberch – it would be an unbelievable squad upgrade on the back of losing Oxlade-Chamberlain, Keita and Milner. This is such a key area of their rebuild.”

Who else have Liverpool targeted ahead of the summer transfer window opening?

With Lavia having a price tag of around £40 million and Gravenberch at £44 million, it remains to be seen as to whether Liverpool would spend so much money on so many midfielders.

Liverpool look to be in the market for many players this summer and have been linked with several high-profile additions as Jurgen Klopp aims to refresh his squad.

As per FootballTransfers, Feyenoord captain Orkun Kocku and Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone remain high up on Klopp's transfer wishlist at Anfield.

One report in Spain via Caught Offside also claim that Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram could be an option to strengthen Liverpool's forward line on a free transfer.

Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia has also cropped up on Liverpool's radar amid interest from multiple Premier League suitors, as per Football Insider, indicating that the Reds may be set for a busy next few months as they prepare for next term.

Celtic will round off their season with the Scottish Cup final against Inverness on Saturday and can complete the domestic treble with a victory.

The Hoops have enjoyed an excellent campaign under Ange Postecoglou, as they have already wrapped up the Scottish Premiership and League Cup trophies, and they may now have one eye on 23/24.

Whilst the head coach could improve his squad by dipping into the transfer market to add fresh faces to the group, the Australian boss could delve into the academy to add competition for places.

One young gem who could be ready to make the step up to playing regular football for Celtic is youngster Adam Montgomery following his impressive loan spell with St Johnstone.

He is a 20-year-old defender who can play as a left-back or as a left-midfielder and the dynamo could be the long-term heir to Greg Taylor's position in the side.

How did Adam Montgomery perform this season?

Montgomery had already played 20 first-team games for the Hoops prior to going out on loan this season and racked up one goal and four assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Saints.

He showcased his defensive ability alongside his attacking prowess as the battler made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and won 53% of his physical duels.

Taylor, meanwhile, made featured in 31 Premiership games for Celtic and won 51% of his contests and made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per outing. The Scotland international also assisted four goals from left-back, which shows that both players are attack-minded defenders who can also put their foot in to win possession back for their sides.

Montgomery's performances in the Scottish top-flight suggest that the youngster, who is five years younger than Taylor, could be the long-term heir to the current Hoops star's position in the team, based on their similar attacking and defensive outputs.

The talented youngster was rewarded for his efforts by being named on the shortlist for the Scottish Football Writers' Young Player of the Year, which was ultimately won by Motherwell's Max Johnston.

St Johnstone boss Steven MacLean hailed the gem as "outstanding" and his former manager Callum Davidson claimed that the ace has a "big future" ahead of him, which shows that the defender impressed both of his coaches during his loan spell.

The 20-year-old still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and grow and being the back-up to Taylor for another season could provide the seasoned Hoops defender with competition and allow Montgomery to learn from him before eventually taking over the starting berth in the future.

Journalist Paul Brown has backed West Ham to make a move for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse in the summer transfer window.

Is Ward-Prowse leaving Southampton?

The 28-year-old has endured a tough season in the Premier League, being part of a Saints team who will finish bottom of the table. Relegation to the Championship has looked on the cards for some time, and it has become increasingly inevitable as each month has passed.

Ward-Prowse has done his best to keep his team in the division, scoring eight goals and also chipping in with four assists, with a free-kick winner away to Chelsea arguably the best moment of his campaign. There simply hasn't been enough quality around him, however, and Southampton have paid the price.

The £100,000-a-week midfielder has been a great servant at St Mary's, making 408 appearances along the way, but it now seems certain that he will leave this summer, with a player of his calibre not wanting to be playing Championship football.

West Ham are one of the clubs who have been linked with a move for Ward-Prowse and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away, ahead of what is sure to be his final Saints appearance at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

Could West Ham sign Ward-Prowse?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown talked up the Hammers' chances of sealing the signing of the Southampton captain at the end of the season:

"I think he's a leader, someone you can rely on, a great trainer, brilliant professional. I think he'd be a great signing for West Ham, and if Rice was to go, that would certainly sugar the pill a little bit."

Granted, the fact that Ward-Prowse is part of a relegated team doesn't necessarily reflect brilliantly on himself, but he could still be an inspired signing by West Ham this summer.

At 28, he is in the career sweet spot of being very experienced but also young enough to be at his best for a number of years to come, and he has been hailed as "world-class" by former Saints manager Nathan Jones during their time together.

Ward-Prowse's all-round quality and bite in midfield could help fill the likely void left by Declan Rice at West Ham, with an average of 1.7 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game coming his way in the Premier League this season, as well as two key passes per match, showing that he can be a force both on and off the ball.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued an update regarding the fitness of defender Ben White, ahead of Thursday’s pivotal Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

What’s the word?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, the Spaniard revealed that it remains uncertain as to whether the former Brighton man will be fit to feature against Antonio Conte’s side, having been absent since the win over Manchester United at the end of April.

Asked about the injury latest regarding his squad, the Gunners boss stated that: “Thomas [Partey] is still out, Kieran [Tierney] is still out, “Ben [White] is a doubt. We’ll have to assess him he’s feeling much better and Bukayo [Saka] is the same.”

The 40-year-old went on to add that it will be a close to call as to whether both White and teammate Bukayo Saka will be able to feature: “Very difficult to rate (a chance) with injuries, it’s just how they feel today,” he said. “That’s the last day we can assess them so we’ll have to see.”

White has missed the wins over both West Ham United and Leeds United due to a hamstring injury, while Saka was withdrawn late on against the Elland Road outfit. Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney remain on the sidelines.

Fingers crossed

Arteta will be praying that the England centre-back will be fit to feature at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with it set to be a titanic tussle between two bitter rivals going toe-to-toe in the race to secure fourth spot.

For the Gunners, however, the motivation is clear, with a win confirming their Champions League qualification ahead of their north London neighbours, with the Emirates outfit currently four points clear and with just two games left to play following the meeting with Spurs.

The club are on the cusp of a return to Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 2017 following a largely promising season, although defeat would ensure a nail-biting end to the campaign.

Should White be absent for that encounter, it would no doubt serve as an almighty blow, with the 24-year-old having been in imperious form since his £50m arrival last summer.

The £36m-rated man, previously dubbed “exceptional” by pundit Jamie Redknapp, has been a real force of nature at the back so far this term, averaging 3.1 clearances, 1.4 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per 90, while also winning a solid 59% of his total duels and keeping an impressive 13 clean sheets from 31 league outings.

Comfortable as both a central defender and at right-back, the £93k-per-week gem also offers his manager valuable versatility and flexibility, with his ability to also feature as part of a back three – as he did under Graham Potter last term – potentially useful up against Conte’s 3-4-3 system.

It would appear, however, that the one-time Leeds loanee faces a race against time to be fit, with it simply set to be a case of crossing fingers ahead of a game of such long-term importance. Should he miss out, though, the manager will understandably be gutted.

IN other news, Vieira 2.0: Arsenal gifted chance to sign “top-class” £25m ace, he could guarantee UCL…

Crystal Palace have had a solid first season under the management of former France midfielder Patrick Vieira.

The 45-year-old steered his side to an FA Cup semi-final in his maiden campaign in charge at Selhurst Park and has the team well placed for a top-half Premier League finish, which would be an excellent base to build from looking ahead to next season.

This weekend, Palace travel to the Midlands to take on Aston Villa, who only sit a point behind them in the table in the race for a top-half spot.

With both teams enjoying decent runs of form, it’s hard to predict a winner, although Vieira has been handed a big lift which will please Eagles supporters.

Speaking about the availability of his squad for Sunday, the 45-year-old said: “Everyone trained this week and the only one out is Nathan Ferguson who is following his induvial training on the field.”

This will be a boost to the Palace faithful as the final three fixtures of the campaign loom on the horizon. With a fit and firing squad, Vieira will have plenty of options to choose from as they look to make it three wins on the bounce.

The Frenchman will be seeking some form of revenge against Steven Gerrard and his side following a 2-1 reverse in November in the 41-year-old’s second match in charge of the Midlands club.

Vieira will be looking at Wilfried Zaha for inspiration, with the winger arguably one of the Eagles’ finest players this season, scoring 14 goals in all competitions and registering two assists.

Whatever happens on Sunday, it has been an encouraging start for the 45-year-old in his first managerial role in England. There’s no doubt that he possesses a winner’s mentality from his hugely successful playing career, and next season could be an exciting one for Palace, who may feel they have every chance of a victory this weekend after this weekend’s good news squad-wise.

AND in other news, Vieira eyeing bid for £14k-p/w gem with “world at his feet”, imagine him & Zaha

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has made a decision concerning the future of Kalvin Phillips.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Star, who claim that Radrizzani is not prepared to offer the defensive midfielder a new contract until the conclusion of the Premier League season, as Leeds’ status as a top-flight club appears increasingly uncertain following Everton’s 1-0 win over Chelsea last weekend.

The report goes on to state that, should the Whites ultimately suffer relegation back to the Championship, not only will they be unable to offer the England international the £100k-per-week wage he is looking for in a new deal at Elland Road, but the club will also have no choice but to cash in on the 26-year-old.

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Finally, the report claims that Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have all enquired about the signing of the Leeds academy graduate, while the Daily Mail recently reported that Radrizzani and Victor Orta would be willing to accept an offer of around £60m for the Whites midfielder this summer.

Supporters will be devastated

Considering just how important a part of the Leeds side Phillips has become in recent years, the news that Radrizzani is holding off on his offer of a new deal until the end of the current campaign certainly does not appear to bode well for the long-term future of the 26-year-old at Elland Road.

Indeed, while injuries have hampered Phillips’ 2021/22 campaign, the £45m-rated deep-lying playmaker proved just how crucial he is to the Whites over his 29 Premier League appearances last term, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

The £38k-per-week dynamo also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as completing an average of 1.2 key passes, 4.7 long balls and 41 passes per fixture.

These metrics saw the 26-year-old average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as the club’s best performer in the top flight but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the league as a whole.

As such, while the vast majority of Leeds supporters will likely admit that, should the Whites indeed suffer relegation to the second tier this season, it will be a near-impossible task for the club to keep hold of a player of Phillips’ ability, the fact that Radrizzani already appears to be planning for life without the midfielder is sure to have left the Elland Road faithful devastated.

AND in other news: Orta can finally axe £55k-p/w “schoolboy” as Leeds plot bid for £15.3m-rated “beast”