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Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked with signing PSG striker Mauro Icardi this summer and the Argentinian could be Bruno Lage’s very own Jamie Vardy should he make the move to Molineux.

According to Corriere dello Sport the French champions are ‘desperate’ to offload the Argentina international this summer and Wolves are a potential destination for the 29-year-old.

Les Parisiens have reportedly asked super-agent Jorge Mendes for help in finding Icardi a new club, and given his connections with Wolves, a move to the West Midlands could be on the cards.

While the striker has not enjoyed the most fruitful spell in France, his previous form at Inter suggests that he could be a superb addition to Lage’s squad this summer.

Icardi hit 124 goals and 29 assists in 213 appearances for I Nerazzurri and captained the side before moving to Paris in 2020, where he has made 92 appearances, contributing a respectable 38 goals and 10 assists.

While the striker’s game time has been limited at times, he has been forced to compete with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria in PSG’s attack, so would presumably be much more of a regular in Wolves’ side next season.

If he were to join, he could be Lage’s version of Vardy, who has enjoyed a superb career with Leicester City in the Premier League, scoring 133 goals in the top flight and memorably helping the Foxes to the title in 2016.

According to FBref, the former England international is the most similar player to Icardi in terms of play style, with both players registering similar scores in terms of shots per 90, shot-creating actions per 90 and expected goals per shot last season.

WhoScored also suggests that both Vardy and Icardi excel at finishing, and considering Wolves’ lack of goals in the top flight last season, with only the relegated sides scoring fewer, a clinical finisher could be exactly what Lage needs next season in order to progress.

Therefore, if a deal can be done to bring the £19.8m-rated “animal” to Molineux this summer, then Wolves should definitely consider it.

And, in other news… “I’m sure..“: Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Wolves transfer update that’ll elate Lage

Celtic are now on the brink of completing a deal to sign Lanus full-back Alexandro Bernabei, according to Argentinian journalist Cesar Luis Merlo. 

The lowdown: Hoops’ interest

The Hoops have been heavily linked with a move for Bernabei for a number of days and it now appears that the switch to Celtic Park is closer than ever.

Having flown to Glasgow from Buenos Aires last week, the 21-year-old is expected to sign a five-year deal at Parkhead as Ange Postecoglou seeks competition for Greg Taylor.

After completing the signing of Ben Siegrist and Cameron Carter-Vickers already this summer, the Scottish champions could be entering the final stages of another deal…

The latest: Medical completed…

Taking to Twitter, Merlo has confirmed that the player has undergone a medical in Scotland and is therefore edging towards becoming a Bhoy.

He stated: “Alexander Bernabei has already had a medical check-up in Scotland. Celtic are preparing the contract for him to sign in the next few hours until June 2027. Lanús sold 90% of its record.”

Previously it’s been reported that the Hoops will pay £3.75million to sign the attack-minded full-back who was recently tipped as a player with a ‘big future’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The verdict: Almost there

All being well over the coming hours at Lennoxtown and Bernabei – – who boasts impressive dribbling, finishing and defensive contribution attributes (WhoScored) – should be part of the squad that flies out to Austria on Monday for a pre-season training camp.

During the ongoing 2022 South American season, the Argentine has scored twice and provided two assists in 15 appearances across all competitions and should arrive into Postecoglou’s squad fit and raring to challenge Taylor for the first-choice left-back berth.

Overall the energetic Argentina youth international has earned a sensational 7.57 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.2 duels, making 1.2 key passes and 1.2 interceptions on average per game in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.

Recently dismissed after 70 minutes against CA Colon, Bernabei may still face suspension at the start of the 2022/23 Scottish Premiership campaign and will likely take some time to settle into life in a new environment and indeed a whole new style of play under Postecoglou having predominantly operated in a back four of a 4-4-2 in his homeland.

Celtic have been heavily linked with Schalke centre-back Malick Thiaw in recent weeks and the German could be the next Cameron Carter-Vickers in Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Reports have claimed that the Hoops are in talks with the German giants over a potential move for Thiaw, who impressed last season as Die Konigsblauen earned promotion back to the Bundesliga.

The 20-year-old already has 58 senior appearances for Schalke under his belt, and made 31 league appearances in the last campaign, popping up with two goals for Frank Kramer’s side.

Thiaw’s strengths, according to WhoScored, include his tackling and ball interceptions, while he also offers a big threat from set-pieces at six-foot-three.

He clearly has an eye for goal, as he managed eight goals in just 20 appearances for Schalke’s U19 side in the 2019/20 season, while Carter-Vickers also emphasised his goalscoring ability last season, with four goals in 33 league appearances.

Thiaw has already earned a lot of praise for his performances, with former manager Christian Gross waxing lyrical about the young defender after an impressive performance against Union Berlin in 2021.

He said: “Malick did an excellent job. He was calm and collected. He has great potential”

The youngster was also praised for his ability to win aerial duels in that game, which is incidentally one of Carter-Vickers’s strongest attributes, according to WhoScored, so the similarities between the two are clear to see.

The USA international was a standout performer last season as Postecoglou’s side won the title, with his 7.36 average rating from WhoScored the fourth-best of any Celtic player to make at least ten league outings.

If Thiaw can perform anywhere near that level for Celtic then he would surely prove to be an excellent addition at Celtic Park this summer.

The prospect of having a 20-year-old Thiaw and 24-year-old Carter-Vickers at the heart of Celtic’s defence for years to come is certainly one that will excite fans, so they will be hoping that a deal can be agreed for the Schalke youngster.

And, in other news… Celtic handed green light for “exceptional” new signing, supporters will be buzzing

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Ismaila Soro is now in ‘advanced talks’ to leave Celtic on loan.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The Ivorian was largely out of favour under Ange Postecoglou last season, featuring just 19 times across all competitions and completing 90 minutes on just four occasions when he was picked to start (Transfermarkt).

The Hoops manager already has plenty of options at his disposal in the middle of the park, so the 24-year-old has duly found himself falling down the pecking order.

The Latest: ‘Advanced talks’

Taking to Twitter on Saturday morning, O’Rourke has revealed that Soro is now in ‘advanced talks’ to sign for Portuguese outfit FC Arouca on loan for next season.

The reporter stated: “Celtic midfielder Ismaila Soro is in advanced talks to join Portuguese side FC Arouca on loan.”

The Verdict: He needs a move

Soro needs a loan move away from Parkhead in order to get some more game-time.

He looked a promising player when he first joined Celtic in 2020, with Hoops legend John Hartson even going as far as to call him ‘outstanding’.

However, the Ivorian has never really been able to establish himself as a mainstay in the team, so he needs a move elsewhere in order to rediscover his best form.

Soro currently earns £10,500-per-week at Celtic, which could also be taken off the wage bill for the upcoming campaign should he end up going out on loan.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has shed some light on the multiple planned transfer swoops from West Ham United this summer. 

The lowdown: Reinforcements wanted

The Hammers have been pulling up trees domestically and in Europe during David Moyes’ second spell at the helm in east London, finishing inside the top seven of the top-flight in consecutive campaigns for the first time in the Premier League era.

Despite the successes, there has been a reluctance from the London Stadium hierarchy to spend lavishly, highlighted by the failure to land a replacement for Sebastien Haller after the Ivorian left for Ajax in January 2021.

However, following reports claiming that GSB were willing to shell out £100m on a sensational triple swoop for Armando Broja, Gianlucca Scamacca and Amadou Onana, in addition to the possible signing of free agent Jesse Lingard, an expert in the market has had his say on the potential transfers…

The latest: ‘Big few days’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that West Ham are about to get busy as they attempt to bolster their squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He said: “It’s true they are progressing various deals at the moment and just waiting for one to show signs of a breakthrough.

“Onana is looking good, there’s promise over Scamacca, Broja is still up in the air, and they are waiting for Lingard to make his announcement. It’s a big few days ahead.”

The verdict: High-profile moves

While all four aforementioned transfers would certainly set tongues wagging and provide additional options for Moyes, the deal for Gianluca Scamacca is the one which may appeal most of all to the Scot.

The 23-year-old Italy international scored 16 Serie A goals last season and has been dubbed ‘a bit Zlatan-ish’ by sports journalist Maxi Angelo due to his towering 6 foot 5 frame and strong aerial ability (WhoScored).

Not only a dominant target man, Scamacca shares similar stylistic traits with a variety of strikers such as Jamie Vardy, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and former Irons forward Marko Arnautovic (FBRef), which indicates his excellent all-round ability to accompany a towering presence.

Valued at £27m and under contract until 2026 (Transfermarkt), Sassuolo are likely to hold out for a significant fee for their prized asset, but it’s one that GSB and Rob Newman should be doing everything in their power to meet.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Duvan Zapata in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The Northern Echo reporter Scott Wilson has claimed that PIF are now eyeing up a deal for the Colombia international after giving up on two of their other targets.

He tweeted: “Duvan Zapata back on the agenda for #NUFC – after they call time on pursuit of Moussa Diaby and Alexander Isak. Atalanta were wanting £35m for Zapata in January. The suggestions in Italy are that they’ll take a lot less now…”

The accompanying article states that. earlier this year, the Serie A club wanted an £8m loan fee to go along with a £35m purchase option, which is why PIF backed away from a deal.

However, they may now go back in for him, with it being suggested that Atalanta’s asking price for the 31-year-old is lower than it was six months ago.

Forget about Isak

In terms of the immediate future, Zapata would be a better signing for the Magpies than the Real Sociedad attacker, and Newcastle fans must now focus on the Atalanta marksman instead of the Sweden international.

Isak scored six goals and provided two assists in the 2021/22 La Liga campaign and has managed 32 goals and five assists across his three years in the division. This suggests that the 22-year-old endured a difficult campaign with Sociedad and would be arriving at St James’ Park needing to rediscover his best form.

Meanwhile, Zapata contributed 10 goals and four assists in 20 Serie A starts last term. He has scored 43 goals and produced 19 assists over his last three campaigns in the Italian top flight, illustrating the difference in quality between the two players in recent years.

His former team-mate Papu Gomez previously lauded the Colombian’s strength, saying: “Zapata’s shorts look like underwear, he is so big. Sometimes I don’t even want to get close to him in a match because he’s a beast and it hurts. When he is feeling good he’s like a train – you throw the ball forward and ‘ciao!’”

These comments suggest that the 31-year-old has the physicality to deal with a move to the Premier League, whilst also holding the potential to both score and set up more goals than Isak.

Therefore, Newcastle fans must now forget about the ex-Borussia Dortmund man and get excited by the prospect of Zapata lining up in black and white next season.

AND in other news, “One to watch..”: Craig Hope issues teasing Newcastle transfer claim that’ll excite Howe…

Reputable journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur may have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of Villarreal defender Pau Torres. 

The lowdown: Long-standing interest

The Lilywhites were heavily linked with a move for Torres last summer but the transfer failed to materialise as the centre-back snubbed the chance to head to North London in favour of a prolonged stay at his hometown club.

Since then, the 25-year-old senior Spain international has continued to impress with his performances in La Liga and also helped Unai Emery’s side reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, where they were eventually eliminated by Liverpool.

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Those exploits have led to a renewed interest from Spurs, whilst Manchester United are also believed to have been keen on securing Torres’ services, however, the admiration from Old Trafford may now have waned following the arrival of Lisandro Martinez, offering Antonio Conte a potential boost…

The latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Talking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke said that there could now be a ‘clear path’ for Tottenham towards the 19-cap star.

He explained: “Yeah, I think with Manchester United now, Martinez is done, I don’t expect them to be moving for another central defender.

“That might pave the way for Tottenham to have a clear path at Pau Torres, who has been a long-term target for Tottenham.

“They tried to sign him last summer but he stayed at Villarreal.”

The verdict: Act fast Paratici

Despite the apparent free run at the talented Spaniard, Fabio Paratici may yet not have everything his own way in the race to make the deal happen as Premier League champions Manchester City are the latest club to make their interest known.

However, having come so far in negotiations previously and with immediate first-team action on the table at Hotspur Way – something City may not be able to offer assurances over now that Nathan Ake seems set to remain in Manchester – Conte and Paratici remain in a strong position to sign the man once hailed as ‘sensational’ by his national team boss Luis Enrique.

Last season, Torres scored six times in 46 appearances across all competitions for Villarreal, earning a highly impressive 7.09 Sofascore rating whilst helping to keep 11 clean sheets, winning 4.0 duels and making 3.1 clearances on average per La Liga outing in the process – showcasing top defensive acumen as well as a genuine threat in the opposition penalty area.

Valued at £45million and under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), if Spurs can get this deal over the line for a reported £55million release clause that it would have to go down as a superb coup given the levels of interest.

Wolves have a strong Portuguese presence in their ranks at the moment, including numerous players and current coaching staff.

This is partly down to super-agent Jorge Mendes, who has had a significant connection to the Midlands club for a number of years.

Mendes has found himself rather preoccupied at the moment in having to deal with Cristiano Ronaldo’s current situation, as the 37-year-old is reportedly trying to find a way out of his current contract with Manchester United.

Focusing back on Wolves, while the agent tries to work out a solution for Ronaldo, the remaining weeks of the current transfer window could give the Old Gold and Bruno Lage the chance to bring in someone who could be their own version of the legendary Portuguese striker.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Wolves are one of the clubs interested in signing Inter Milan and former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko.

With 681 club appearances to his name for numerous clubs across Europe, the 36-year-old has racked up a total of 308 goals and 141 assists, in addition to winning several trophies, including two Premier League titles.

This similarly mirrors the longevity and clear goalscoring talent that Ronaldo has shown throughout his long and illustrious career. It also backs up why the United star is currently included on a list of similar players to Dzeko according to Football Transfers.

With both players finding success in England, and in Manchester specifically, this further highlights the similarities between the two attackers.

It also suggests that, if Dzeko were to make a return to the Premier League with Wolves this summer, it may not take him too long to get back to the rhythm and feel of the English top flight once again.

Hailed as a “world-class” player by Steve McClaren, who managed him at Wolfsburg, the former City star could be just what Lage needs. Not only did Wolves score just 38 league goals last season, they’ll also be without Fabio Silva for the 2022/23 season while he’s on loan with Anderlecht, while also having Raul Jimenez ruled out for eight weeks through injury.

If the opportunity to strike a deal with Inter to sign the Bosnian arises before the summer transfer window closes, the Molineux club should be at the front of the queue to get it done.

AND in other news: Steve Madeley drops behind-scenes transfer claim that’ll have Wolves supporters fuming

Aston Villa correspondent Ashley Preece has claimed that AC Milan have been in contact over a move for Carney Chukwuemeka.

The Lowdown: Milan linked with Chukwuemeka

Chukwuemeka, who Steven Gerrard has backed to become “a big player for Aston Villa”, was left out of Villa’s pre-season tour of Australia and is into the final 12 months of his contract.

The 18-year-old has failed to agree on a new deal in the Midlands and is thought to be holding out for a staggering £100,000 per week.

That has resulted in Villa placing a £20m price tag on him, with reports last month suggesting that AC Milan are preparing an opening offer in the region of £8.5m.

The Latest: Preece’s comments

Preece was asked by one Villa supporter in a Q&A for Birmingham Live if Chukwuemeka is ‘definitely going’.

The reporter replied by saying that Milan are ‘strong favourites’ for the teenager’s services and have been in contact over a transfer.

Preece stated:

“Carney; sticking point is Villa’s asking price £20m+. Milan simply not paying that. Milan strong, strong favourites to get him; contact has been made. Don’t expect deal to be wrapped up until later this month, though. I can’t see Villa selling to another PL club, either, no matter what the price. Milan very much front-runners.”

The Verdict: Cash in

It could be best for all involved if a deal can be reached this summer, even if it is below Villa’s £20m asking price, as it doesn’t look as if Chukwuemeka will be featuring regularly this season after being left out of the squad for the pre-season tour.

The 18-year-old won’t want to be sitting on the sidelines for the next 12 months, and Villa won’t want to lose their exciting youngster for nothing in a potential pre-contract agreement next January.

Therefore, Milan and Villa meeting in the middle at around £13m-£15m could leave everyone fairly happy.

Journalist Samuel Luckhurst has lambasted Manchester United’s reported interest in Marko Arnautovic, describing it as a ‘scandalous’ piece of prospective transfer business.

The Lowdown: Man United linked with Arnautovic

The Red Devils were beaten 2-1 at home by Brighton in their Premier League opener on Sunday, in what was a nightmare first competitive game under Erik ten Hag.

On the same day, United were also linked with a surprise move for Arnautovic, reportedly seeing a £7.6m bid rejected by his current club Bologna.

It is a piece of news which hasn’t gone down well with many supporters, once again putting the club’s transfer business under the spotlight.

The Latest: Luckhurst fumes at Arnautovic links

Taking to Twitter, Luckhurst made his feelings clear, slamming United’s potential signing of Arnautovic.

The reporter fumed:

“That #mufc are open to signing Arnautovic is scandalous. Ighalo was supposed to be a one-off yet, two-and-a-half years later, they are looking to sign an older forward who’s been playing in China. In a summer the squad is being ‘rebuilt’. They are insulting supporters.”

The Verdict: Woeful transfer business

Luckhurst has every right to feel this way, as do United fans in general, with Arnautovic someone whose arrival would sum up the club’s recent failings in the transfer market.

At 33, the Austrian doesn’t remotely represent the future and he would feel like another desperate quick fix, rather than someone with long-term potential.

Furthermore, his attitude has come into question many times in the past, which could upset any harmony within Ten Hag’s squad. As it is, the club has had issues with dressing room unrest in the very recent past, so adding someone who could compound this would appear to defy logic.

It is a concerning piece of transfer news from a United perspective, especially at a time when rivals Manchester City and Liverpool have signed Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez respectively – prolific young attacking talents with big futures ahead of them.