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Chelsea are edging closer to signing Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo following a recent update by renowned transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea?

The Stamford Bridge outfit could now finally see Caicedo at the club sooner rather than later, with the Italian now tweeting:

“Chelsea are set to open talks with Brighton for Moisés Caicedo as negotiations between clubs starting within 24/48h.

“Personal terms, not as issue — now Chelsea prepared to ‘attack’ the deal.

“Never easy or fast negotiations with Brighton. Chelsea, on it.”

Chelsea had a £55m bid rejected in January, and he will cost a lot more now should the Blues get a deal over the line in the coming weeks, with some reports suggesting that the Segulls will demand in the region of £80m.

Will Moises Caicedo join Chelsea?

It looks as though Chelsea have beaten off competition from Arsenal and Manchester United for the Brighton starlet as evidenced by the Romano update and the £60k-per-week gem could be a dream signing for Mauricio Pochettino as he looks to form a new-look midfield ahead of next season.

The Ecuador international could link up in the middle of the park with Enzo Fernandez as N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic have both departed west London recently.

Caicedo could enjoy success at the heart of the Chelsea midfield as he completed 2209 passes last season, the seventh most in the Premier League while ranking second in the top flight for tackles, making 100 over the course of the season and Pochettino would be signing a tenacious player who will fight for every ball while also being able to dictate play with his excellent passing ability.

It’s no wonder that he is being courted by a plethora of teams this summer, as he could improve pretty much every side in the division, perhaps aside from Manchester City and the Argentinian will be desperate to get a deal over the line soon.

A move from the South coast to the big city lights shouldn’t faze Caicedo, especially with his experience at the World Cup last year with Ecuador, and it appears as though he is ready to take his game to the next level and challenge for trophies.

If he continues his current upward trajectory, could he even become one of the finest players that Ecuador has ever produced? Historian Enrico Castro-Montes certainly thinks so, dubbing the 21-year-old as being a “crown jewel of a new generation” and this wonderful praise goes to show just how highly regarded he is.

Finally securing his signature would ensure Pochettino gets his business off to a wonderful start, especially as Chelsea will have beaten off clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United, who both could offer the Brighton gem Champions League football next term.

It shows the appeal of Pochettino and the project he is clearly trying to build at the Stamford Bridge side, and with Caicedo the beating heart, it could be a dream move for all parties.

Earlier this month it was reported that Aston Villa are interested in Napoli winger Hirving Lozano, as the Villans bid to bolster their squad ahead of next season.

Both Unai Emery and Monchi are expected to have a busy summer in the Midlands, with Mexican ace Lozano posing to be a potentially potent signing.

The Napoli ace’s former agent Alessandro Monfrecola – relayed by Sport Witness – claimed that both Villa and West Ham have ‘shown interest’ in the attacker.

Monfrecola added to his comments this week, reinforcing the interest by naming the two Premier League clubs as interested parties, although there is also an attraction from Saudi Arabia.

What could Hirving Lozano offer to Aston Villa?

While every player brings their own creative DNA to the game, some are very similar in their styles, and the calibre of player that Lozano is likened to establishes the level of talent Villa could add to their ranks.

As per FBref, based on statistics over the past year, the tricky Mexican is likened to Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma, who has lit the Premier League up since his emergence last season.

Described a 'defenders' nightmare', the Japanese winger contributed seven goals and five assists in the league last campaign, showcasing his skill set from the wide areas and posing as one of the most threatening talents in Europe.

The 26-year-old ranked in the top 5% of wingers in Europe over the past year for his monstrous average of 5.55 progressive carries per 90, as well as averaging 2.25 successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

Lauded as “dangerous” with an “insane skill set” by analyst and scout EBL on Twitter, Mitoma offers Brighton a serious threat on the flanks, in a way that Lozano could present to Villa.

Similarly to the Japan international, the £97k-per-week gem scores highly in terms of progressive carries and take-ons, averaging 4.78 carries and 2.13 successful take-ons per 90 minutes over the past year, via FBref.

Emery could have his own answer to Mitoma in the Mexican star, who has been praised as being “pure class” by scout Antonio Mango. Indeed, he is a player that enjoys causing problems in the final third.

In a recorded 383 domestic career appearances, the Mexico City-born sensation has recorded a mammoth 184 goal involvements, via Transfermarkt, showing his innate ability to be clinical in every chapter of his career so far.

Valued around £26m by Football Transfers, Villa could land a bargain in a talent proven domestically and internationally this summer.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has been a busy man so far this summer in an attempt to bolster his playing squad for the 2023/24 campaign.

The club have already confirmed deals for Jack Butland, Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers, and Dujon Sterling to improve their options across the pitch after they failed to win a single trophy last season.

Lammers is the most recent arrival to date as the Light Blues confirmed the signing on a four-year deal from Serie A side Atalanta earlier this week.

However, Beale could make further improvements to his forward line as the Scottish giants have also been linked with a swoop for Hearts centre-forward Lawrence Shankland in recent weeks.

Would Lawrence Shankland be a good signing for Rangers?

The 27-year-old whiz has the potential to be a phenomenal addition to the squad in this summer's transfer window as his form in 2022/23 indicates that the deadly marksman could be an instant upgrade on Lammers in the number nine position.

Shankland is coming off the back of an incredible season in the Scottish Premiership and has proven himself to be a lethal player at that level.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.11 across 37 matches in the division and chipped in with 24 goals and four assists, whilst the former Dundee United ace also found the back of the net three times in eight European matches for his club.

The Scotland international, therefore, ended the campaign with 28 goals and four assists in 47 appearances in all competitions and his exceptional return in front of goal was far more impressive than what Lammers has displayed in recent seasons.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Dutchman played in 33 Serie A matches for Empoli and Sampdoria combined across two loan spells from Atalanta and plundered just two goals and two assists.

His poor form in Italy came after the 26-year-old forward managed one goal and zero assists in 15 outings in the Bundesliga on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt in the previous term, in which the misfiring attacker also scored once in seven Europa League clashes.

Lammers is, therefore, coming to Ibrox in terrible form in front of goal and it may take time for him to be able to rediscover his touch in the final third, if he ever does, and that is why bringing Shankland in could be an immediate upgrade as the Hearts sensation is full of confidence and in sublime form.

The £3k-per-week goal machine, who was once hailed as "clinical" by journalist Josh Bunting, is a proven Premiership performer who knows what it takes to be a consistent scorer in Scotland, which could allow him to hit the ground running and offer more than the ex-Atalanta dud straight away.

Liverpool will not pursue a summer deal to sign Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

Is Benjamin Pavard leaving Bayern Munich?

The France international will be out of contract at the end of next season meaning that this transfer window will provide Thomas Tuchel with his final big opportunity to cash in, should he not want to risk losing him for free in 12 months time, and being his second top-performing defensive player, he won’t be short of suitors.

Whilst FSG and Jurgen Klopp are known to be prioritising the midfield area having already confirmed the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister, the backline is believed to be another position that they are looking to strengthen and the 27-year-old had been mentioned as a target.

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, SportBILD journalist Christian Falk revealed that the right-back has “informed” the Bundesliga outfit that he wants to leave and name-checked the Reds as a “hot candidate” after his agent held talks with the hierarchy, but an update has now emerged contrary to those reports.

Are Liverpool signing Pavard?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are “not in the running” to sign Pavard this summer despite multiple outlets stating otherwise. The Premier League side have been the “most strongly linked” with a swoop for the defender, but it’s stated that there is “no truth” to the rumours that they are set to make an approach in the weeks ahead.

The Merseyside outfit are maintaining their “focus” on additions in the midfield, with Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone, Gabri Veiga and Romeo Lavia all on the boss’ shortlist, where he will then turn his attention to increasing numbers in the backline.

Are FSG right not to chase Pavard?

During Liverpool’s final few games of last season, Trent Alexander-Arnold was deployed in the midfield and appeared to flourish in his new role, so Klopp could do with another right-back to take his place should his regular starter be set to change positions, and Pavard could have been the perfect candidate.

The 2022 World Cup runner-up, who pockets £82k-per-week, averaged 2.5 clearances, 2.3 tackles and 2.1 aerial wins per game in the Bundesliga during the previous term, via WhoScored, so was a real rock out wide, but he also got more than involved at the opposite end of the field.

Bayern’s “wonderful character”, as described by one of their club chiefs Uli Hoeness, ranked in the 99th percentile for three different statistics, including progressive passes, and this attacking mindset resulted in him clocking up eight goal contributions (seven goals and one assist) across all competitions. The Reds could be making a big mistake by deciding not to chase Pavard.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt sensation, Randal Kolo Muani, with manager Erik ten Hag still seeking to find a suitable centre-forward option ahead of next season.

What's the latest on Kolo Muani to Man United?

According to journalist Miguel Delaney, writing on Twitter, the Red Devils are said to be "pursuing" a move for the France international, with doubts remaining as to whether leading target Harry Kane will be attainable for the Old Trafford outfit.

In his attached piece for the Independent, the respected insider revealed that United are already in contact with the representatives of the 24-year-old marksman, with signing a new striker said to be the 'primary concern' for Ten Hag and co.

The piece does add, however, that any move for the former Nantes man could require a rather hefty fee of around £100m, while the Carabao Cup winners are also set to face stern competition from German giants, Bayern Munich in the battle to land the 6 foot 2 dynamo.

Would Kolo Muani be a good signing for Man United?

Hailed as a "complete" player by compatriot Kylian Mbappe after starring at the World Cup in Qatar – having scored in the semi-final triumph over Morocco – Kolo Muani has certainly warranted the admiring glances from those at United, following what was a standout campaign in the Bundesliga for the Frenchman.

Having only arrived in Frankfurt last summer, the £25k-per-week menace ended the 2022/23 season with a stellar tally of 40 goals and assists from just 46 appearances across all fronts, notably bagging 15 goals and 14 assists in 32 league outings.

It has therefore been a real breakthrough campaign for the one-time Boulogne man, although there may be concern as to whether he is the centre-forward solution that United are in need of, having previously scored just 23 goals in 87 games during his time in France.

Equally, the fact that Kolo Muani is also said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with Liverpool's Darwin Nunez, as per FBref, may also have alarm bells ringing, with the Uruguayan having endured a difficult debut season at Anfield.

The 23-year-old was snapped up on a rather sizeable £85m deal after scoring 34 goals in a breakout 2021/22 season for Benfica, although has since gone on to struggle in English football to date, after scoring just nine league goals and missing 20 big chances in 2022/23 – the third most in the division.

To acquire their own version of the 6 foot 2 enigma with the signing of Kolo Muani may then be something of a mistake for United, with the two men – who can both operate on the flanks or through the middle – particularly errant in possession, with the Frankfurt man ranking in just the bottom 28% among his European peers for pass completion, while Nunez ranks in just the bottom 24% in that regard.

That being said, there are obvious qualities to their game with the pair both able to drive forward with the ball at their feet with ease, with Liverpool man ranking in the top 6% for progressive carries, while Kolo Muani ranks in the top 7% for that same metric.

Even so, Ten Hag may well be wary of snapping up the next Nunez with the signing of the seven-cap speedster, with the Red Devils seemingly craving an addition who has delivered the goods on a consistent basis, rather than in just a solitary, standout season.

Manchester United have already put an offer in to sign Vanderson before the summer window has even opened, according to a report from Sport via Sport Witness.

Who are Manchester United signing this summer?

The Red Devils have sealed themselves Champions League football for the next campaign, with Erik Ten Hag managing to lead his side to third in the Premier League during his first season in charge.

The Dutchman has managed to restore the highest level of European football to Old Trafford again and will now look to strengthen his team even further to make sure they are capable of competing on all fronts this campaign, as rivals Man City have over the course of this campaign.

One position the club have been looking to add to is at right-back. It seemed as though that slot could be filled by Jeremie Frimpong, with the defender a long-time target for the Red Devils and the interest in his signature seemingly still there. Current right-sided option Diogo Dalot has recently committed his future to the Old Trafford outfit by agreeing a new contract, but the Portuguese ace can provide depth on both flanks.

It appears as though a right-sided player is still on the club's agenda. That's according to a report from major Spanish paper Sport, via Sport Witness, that states the club have already tabled an offer to Vanderson prior to the window opening on June 14.

United have seemingly decided to launch their move early for the defender, who can also play further forward. They aren't alone in that though, with the report adding that there are offers from the Premier League, with only one coming from the Red Devils.

They'll face a battle to sign him then if that is the case, with Barcelona also keen to sign Vanderson next summer. However, it appears as though the Catalan giants would rather move for the youngster next summer – meaning Ten Hag is clear to bring him in, if they can do, during the close season this year.

Should Man United sign Vanderson?

The 21-year-old has impressed in France during his time with Monaco, as showcased by the player generating a 6.93 WhoScored rating over the course of the current campaign. That puts him as the fourth-highest rated player at the side over the course of the season – an impressive feat considering his age.

In addition, the youngster also has the second-best tackle and interception rates at the Ligue 1 side this year – showing just how capable of a defender he is already despite his youth.

Vanderson has also received high praise in the past from manager Phillipe Clement who declared that the youngster had made an "exceptional adaptation" at Monaco and that he is a "perfectionist" as a player.

The player then would be a good investment from United if they could pull off a deal. He is young, already proven at a decent level and has the ability to shore up their backline.

ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United will target domestic players in the summer transfer window if David Moyes is in charge.

What are the latest West Ham transfer rumours?

It's been a funny old season for the Hammers. What started out very slowly and looked potentially as though it could end its relegation, could now finish with sheer joy.

Indeed, the Irons have secured Premier League safety with ease, finishing 14th in the division, and have the Europa Conference League final to enjoy next month.

It's crazy how much the mood has changed in East London but maybe it's because their star signings have taken some time to adjust to life in England but have now hit their stride.

After all, the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Nayef Aguerd, and Thilo Kehrer arrived from overseas in the summer so it would make sense if they've taken time to find their best form in a new environment.

While discussing this on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex suggested that Moyes will look to sign players from England in the summer to help avoid similar issues occurring next term.

He explained (2:58): “I have been told if David Moyes remains the manager, the main focus is going to be on players with domestic experience over foreign signings.

"Although he has made it clear that if he feels that there's better value in the foreign signing than the domestic signing, then he will do whatever the best value is.

"Often people say you have to add British tax on to British signings or domestic-based signings because they tend to be more expensive than the foreign signings, when you're getting pretty much a like-for-like player.

“But they do want to sort of balance out that between the value and having domestic experience because I think they've pinpointed a lot of the reason a couple of players took their time to adjust to the league this year [is] because they hadn't played the league before."

How much could West Ham spend this summer?

With Declan Rice expected to leave this summer, the Irons could have somewhere in the region of £120m to spend on new signings.

This means, the club could potentially shop from any side in the world but if they do look closer to home, they can afford to sign players with a potential premium due to the "English tax" Ex refers to.

Of course, though, it remains unclear if Moyes will even still be their manager. If he loses the final against Fiorentina, he could be sacked – having been under the threat of losing his job earlier on in the season – and a new manager could have completely different transfer ambitions.

Only time will tell.

Arsenal may well be set to lose a fan favourite or two this summer, but they are wasting no time in sorting out a replacement.

What's the latest on Orkun Kokcu to Arsenal?

That's according to the Portuguese outlet Record (via Sport Witness), which details Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar's interest in Feyenoord's outstanding skipper Orkun Kokcu.

The Turkish international has enjoyed a standout year in the engine room of the title winners, having ended Ajax's Eredivisie monopoly in sensational fashion. His midfield exploits have proven key, unsurprisingly attracting interest from some European heavyweights.

Whilst the €40m (£35m) price tag is said to have put off Benfica, the Gunners remain in the race alongside Liverpool and Sevilla.

Given Granit Xhaka seems to be inching closer to an exit, this could represent a fine piece of business, to bid farewell to an ageing star in favour of one with a sparkling future ahead.

How good is Orkun Kokcu?

The Swiss international has earned such widespread praise for his somewhat surprisingly creative role this term, and this adulation could be easily translated onto their new potential midfield general, who too boasts just as much pedigree in front of goal as he does at dictating the play.

Xhaka scored five and assisted seven in the league as his side narrowly missed out on top spot, whilst Kokcu instead boasts 12 goals and five assists in all competitions on his way to the title.

This potency is married with a tireless grit, as he wins possession back once and makes 1.1 tackles per game too, meriting his 7.47 average rating. It remains impossible to look past his astounding 2.7 key passes per game too alongside an 85% pass accuracy, further outlining his level as well above this division, via Sofascore.

For all his benefits, the departing 30-year-old simply cannot compete with these impressive figures. His 1.3 key passes per game feed into his admirable 7.01 average rating, yet it still remains nowhere near that of his possible successor, via Sofascore.

To further emphasise the gulf between them, whilst Arteta was praising Xhaka for being a "really important player" for the Gunners, Mohamed Sissoko has suggested that the 22-year-old is instead "the best in his league".

The former Juventus midfield would continue, likening him to some of the greatest midfielders of this generation: "(Luka) Modric. For me, (Kokcu) has the same quality of play. He has the potential to reach his level."

Such lofty flattery only reinforces Kokcu's position as an upgrade on their current engine room stalwart, who has admittedly done well to revive a career on north London that seemed dead and buried after his altercation with the fanbase many years ago.

However, his triumphant exit could be quickly forgotten, should Edu swoop to secure such a capable replacement with immediacy.

Ange Postecoglou's Celtic side host St Mirren at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they attempt to bounce back from a defeat in the Old Firm last weekend.

The Hoops were beaten 3-0 last time out and will be hoping for a strong reaction on their own turf today to put that loss behind them as quickly as possible.

They come up against a side that has gone four games without a win, losing three of those, and this is an excellent opportunity for Celtic to return to winning ways.

To do that, the head coach could make some changes to his starting XI after a number of players failed to perform in the defeat at Ibrox.

Will David Turnbull start against St Mirren?

Postecoglou should finally unleash attacking midfielder David Turnbull from the start in the middle of the park as his creativity could help to unlock the opposition's defence.

Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor, and Matt O'Riley produced one key pass between them last weekend and the ex-Motherwell man – who has created 34 chances in six starts (24 appearances) in the Premiership – could provide more invention in his passing.

His last start for the club came on the 18th of March against Hibernian and the former Motherwell sensation registered two assists in that match, which highlights the level of quality he can provide when given an opportunity to play meaningful minutes.

The 23-year-old, who Postecoglou once hailed as "outstanding", has also terrorised St Mirren in the past. He has scored seven career goals – three more than against any other team – in 11 matches and has some great memories of facing them in the past.

At the start of the 2021/22 campaign, Turnbull recorded a perfect WhoScored rating of 10 as he scored a hat-trick in a 6-0 win over the Saints.

This shows that the Scotland international has the quality to provide a huge goal threat to go along with his creativity, whilst also having a history of being able to step up in games against today's opposition.

The £16k-per-week maestro has assisted six goals and created four 'big chances' in six Premiership starts this term. This comes after he racked up 3.2 key passes per game and eight 'big chances' created in total in 20 starts in the division in 2021/22.

Turnbull has proven himself to be an excellent performer at Premiership level in terms of what he offers in the final third, both with his goalscoring contributions and his creativity, and that is why the ace should be unleashed from the start today after the Old Firm midfield offered very little.

Chelsea have spent exorbitant sums of money since American businessman Todd Boehly assumed ownership of the club last year, and while a shrewder route must be taken going forward, the Blues have identified Nicolo Barella as a summer target.

What's the latest on Nicolo Barella to Chelsea?

According to Inter Live (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are prepared to rival Premier League rivals Liverpool and Newcastle United for the signature of the Inter maestro, who is being touted at €80m (£70m) by his outfit.

The report continues to state that despite Chelsea's lucrative outgoings across the past two transfer windows, spending roughly £600m, a further midfield signing is desired.

Barella is considered a vital component to Inter's future success, though such a high value to coincide with the club's financial struggles could leave Simone Inzaghi's side resigned to grant a departure from his homeland.

Should Chelsea sign Barella?

Work in the transfer department needs to be conducted in earnest at Stamford Bridge this summer, with Chelsea's ignominious season needing to be left firmly in the past, and swiftly.

The Blues claimed their first victory under interim manager Frank Lampard away to Bournemouth last weekend, though the result ended a shocking run of six straight defeats that have swiped Chelsea from the Champions League and mired the west London club in mid-table obscurity, and they remain 11th with four games to go – 13 points behind Brighton & Hove Albion in the last European slot.

The insurmountable gulf between Boehly's outfit and the Seagulls highlights the searing need for change, and while the inflated squad must be trimmed like a tangled thicket, replenishing the ranks with one or two well-placed moves is vital, and Barella could be the man to take the reins and spur the midfield into lasting action.

The 26-year-old dynamo has won the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia during his time at the San Siro, and with the Nerazzurri holding a 2-0 advantage over city rivals AC Milan in this year's Champions League semi-finals, he could cement his legacy as one of the club's modern greats.

Hailed for his "unbelievable" performance in the derby, the £157k-per-week gem completed 84% of his passes, making two key passes, three tackles and winning three of his seven ground duels in midweek, as per Sofascore.

And as per FBref, the 43-cap Euro 2020 champion ranks among the top 9% of midfielders for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 8% for rate of assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions and in the top 10% for progressive carries per 90, with the statistical site even comparing him to Manchester City's superlative star Kevin De Bruyne.

De Bruyne, of course, plied his maiden years in Chelsea blue, signing from Genk in 2012 for £7m and failing to make his mark before departing for Wolfsburg in January 2014 for a reported £17m after starting just five matches.

The imperious £400k-per-week Belgian now perches comfortably inside the pantheon of contemporary greats, having scored 96 goals and supplied 148 assists from 351 displays for the Citizens and won a wealth of major honours for Pep Guardiola's City including four Premier League titles.

Signing Barella would provide the Stamford Bridge side with a world-class centre-midfielder to steady the ship after the harshest of storms; he is a "genius" on the pitch, as dubbed by sports editor Mike Piellucci, much like De Bruyne, and could be the catalyst for a year as resounding as it is disparate from the current stricken season.