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Keith Gillespie believes that Dean Henderson will be Manchester United’s number one goalkeeper moving forward, and reckons that David Da Gea might have played his last game for the club.

If the Spaniard does leave Old Trafford this summer, his final kick in a United shirt would have been the decisive penalty which cost them a second Europe League title in five seasons following their dramatic shoot-out defeat to Villarreal on Wednesday.

Not only did De Gea’s missed penalty prevent his fifth major trophy for the Red Devils, but it leaves United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer searching for his first.

The 30-year-old started in United’s previous five European matches, part of 36 appearances in all competitions, but has endured the most testing of his 10 seasons at Old Trafford and has lost his place in the Premier League side.

With Dean Henderson now the first-choice in the league, reports believe that Man United are preparing to offload the Spanish goalkeeper to allow the former Sheffield United loanee to become their permanent number one.

Asked whether Henderson is now above De Gea in the pecking order, Gillespie told The Transfer Tavern:

“I think he is. I think when they brought him back, they did have that long-term that he was going to be the number one.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if David De Gea goes back to Spain in the summer, but he’s been an unbelievable servant, a great goalkeeper.”

New Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will have a £200m budget this summer and has already got to work to create a four-man transfer shortlist.

The Lowdown: Ten Hag announced

The Red Devils finally announced the Dutchman as their new manager on Thursday morning.

Ten Hag was confirmed as Ralf Rangnick’s replacement from the end of this season, signing a deal through to June 2025 with an option of a further year.

The 52-year-old previously demanded to be 100% involved when it comes to new signings, and he has wasted no time by already having four possible marquee additions in mind.

The Latest: Four mega targets

The Mirror shared a story regarding Ten Hag and Manchester United shortly after the announcement, claiming the Red Devils will give their new manager £200m to spend ahead of his first season in charge.

Up to 12 players could leave the club, with Ten Hag placing Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Darwin Nunez and Ruben Neves at the top of his wishlist.

The Verdict: Rebuild begins

Plenty of change is needed at Old Trafford ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, but getting Ten Hag confirmed prior to the summer window is a good first step.

He’ll have a huge job on his hands in what looks set to be an extremely busy summer off the pitch and it looks as if a new midfielder and forward is crucial as he gets to work already.

Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani look set to be two players who will leave as free agents, so one of Kane or Nunez and Rice or Neves could be shrewd moves to replace the two outgoing big earners.

In other news: ‘Source has told Sky Sports’ – Big live TV update on another Man Utd exit. 

Liverpool might have been handed a great chance to sign the perfect Georginio Wijnaldum replacement this summer in the form of Yves Bissouma.

The Reds have been linked with a move for the Brighton man in the past, with ESPN indicating that he was being tracked as far back as the winter.

His current employers will, of course, be loath to lose him, especially to a Premier League rival. However, Seagulls boss Graham Potter has admitted that he is being “sensible” in relation to any potential interest in Bissouma, whilst the Daily Express indicate that the South Coast club have priced him at £40m – which should certainly be enough for Liverpool to make a move.

For context, that price is less than the £48m that Liverpool agreed to pay RB Leipzig for the underwhelming Naby Keita. They would certainly be receiving a far more accomplished midfielder this time around.

Since arriving at Brighton from Ligue 1 outfit Lille in 2018, the 14-time Malian international has gone on to make 91 appearances for the club, scoring four goals.

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His performances have also garnered plenty of praise too, with Gary Lineker labelling Bissouma as “exceptional”.

He is just the type of player that Liverpool, and Jurgen Klopp, need.

When comparing his attacking stats to the potentially outgoing Wijnaldum, it is surprisingly the Brighton man that comes out on top.

According to WhoScored, Bissouma has averaged more shots per game – 1.2 to 0.8 – more dribbles  – 1.5 to 0.9 – and the same amount of key passes compared to the current Liverpool midfielder in the Premier League this season.

Meanwhile, he is also far more impressive from a defensive standpoint, racking up more tackles, interceptions and clearances.

So, with Wijnaldum potentially set to depart in the summer and Brighton apparently open to parting for a certain price, Liverpool now have the perfect opportunity to bring Bissouma to Anfield.

AND in more news, find out why Liverpool could be missing Mo Salah ahead of next season…

Celtic face a real battle to land Zinedine Ferhat with Trabzonspor ‘on a mission’ to win the race, according to Foot Mercato. 

The lowdown

The French publication originally reported on New Year’s Eve that Nimes Olympique star Ferhat was on The Hoops’ radar.

The 28-year-old, who’s predominantly a right winger but can also play in a central attacking midfield role, is out of contract at the end of the current season.

He’s valued at £4.05million by Transfermarkt, but it’s worth noting that he’s also free to strike a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club ahead of the summer.

The latest

Ferhat has been ‘ardently courted’ by Celtic as well as Ligue 1 outfits Montpellier and Saint-Etienne, but there’s now a chance he ends up in Turkey, according to the French outlet.

Trabzonspor sources have indicated that Ferhat is a ‘priority recruit’, with ‘significant financial resources’ available for the pursuit.

They’re determined to secure his signature and could initiate talks ‘in the coming days’.

The verdict

Celtic should make a big push to see off Trabzonspor – Zerhat’s 2020/21 season was hugely impressive, as he combined six goals with ten assists for a side that finished down in 19th and suffered relegation.

Only Lyon’s Memphis Depay, who subsequently joined FC Barcelona, set up more goals in the French top flight last term.

Celtic started the January window strongly but the tide seems to be turning. They lost out to Middlesbrough after holding talks with Riley McGree and now Blackburn-bound Dilan Markanday seems to evaded them.

Ange Postecoglou may be frustrated if another target moves elsewhere.

In other news, Frank McAvennie thinks this summer signing could leave.

Paul Stewart has warned Tottenham Hotspur would need to spend £300million to make their squad competitive if Harry Kane departs this summer.

Star striker Kane, who picked up the Premier League’s Golden Boot award and registered the most assists last term, has made it clear he wants to leave Spurs in a bid to win more silverware.

Manchester City have the England captain marked as one of their top transfer targets, along with Aston Villa talisman Jack Grealish.

The Sun originally reported Kane is poised to join Pep Guardiola’s City for £160million after Spurs chairman Daniel Levy agreed to allow the England skipper to depart last week, but the Premier League champions hit back at the report and dismissed it as nonsense.

So far, Spurs have welcomed Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini on a season-long loan with an option to buy while Bryan Gil has joined from Sevilla with Erik Lamela going the other way.

But Stewart believes chairman Daniel Levy would need to allow new head coach Nuno Espirito Santo to spend big if Kane gets his wish and moves to the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, the former Spurs man said: “If they get £160million for Kane, they’ve got to spend £300million at least to get a team that’s going to compete, but that’s not Daniel Levy’s style.”

Many Everton fans have been left to buzz as a transfer update emerged on Sander Berge.

As per Sky Sports, the Goodison Park faithful as well as Arsenal are leading a number of clubs who are considering making a bid for the Sheffield United central midfield player in the upcoming summer window.

A host of top teams in Europe are also said to be interested, with the Blades’ relegation down to the EFL Championship meaning that his release clause has slashed from £45m to £35m.

Despite playing in a struggling side, Berge has done well in the Premier League so far in the 2020/21 term, even averaging more clearances (1.3), shots (0.7), key passes (0.9) and dribbles (1.4) per game than Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan and Andre Gomes (Whoscored).

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The stats suggest that he could fit straight into Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield, and at just 23 years of age, he will only get better.

Everton fans on Berge transfer update

These Toffees supporters buzzed as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“This guy is exactly what we need. Real box to box baller”

Credit: @DVDWLKNSN

“Think this would be a great signing depending on the price”

Credit: @carlofantasico

“Get him at my club now”

Credit: @Joe_17efc

“Top player”

Credit: @Toffee213

“All day boss player”

Credit: @davidforster88

“Yes please”

Credit: @adamsg1878

In other news, find out what other transfer update has left Blues buzzing here!

Leeds United are reportedly close to making a number of signings in the coming weeks, one of which will see Jack Harrison join permanently on July 1.

The Lowdown: New signings expected

The Whites were superb in their first season back in the Premier League, finishing ninth in the table and proving to be one of the most entertaining teams in the country.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side cannot afford to rest on their laurels, however, with new players needed to help keep their current momentum going.

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The Latest: Key transfer update emerges

According to Football Insider, Leeds will ‘announce multiple new signings’ as early as next week, in what represents an exciting update.

Harrison will join permanently from Manchester City in 7 days time, having spent three years on loan at Elland Road, while a number of Under-18 and Under-23 hopefuls will also come in.

Talks to bring young pair Amari Miller and Darryl Ombang to Thorp Arch are described as ‘advanced’.

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The Verdict: Harrison the main bonus

Retaining Harrison’s services for the future is a huge positive for Leeds, with the winger such an important player during Bielsa’s time at the club.

The 24-year-old has scored 18 goals and registered 20 assists in 128 appearances for the Whites and he was his side’s joint-second top scorer in the league last season, netting eight times – Patrick Bamford would cut a very isolated figure on the Whites’ goalscoring charts without Harrison.

The Citizens starlet can continue to thrive out wide in Yorkshire, with Raphinha hopefully staying put and wreaking havoc on the opposite flank, and the capture of some young talents for the academy sides is also very promising.

In other news, Noel Whelan has dropped an interesting verdict on one potential Leeds target. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace posted footage of Eberechi Eze joining in with first team training on Saturday.

As to be expected, it didn’t take long until a number of Eagles fans went wild at the official club update on social media.

The attacking midfielder has been sidelined since May following a freak Achilles injury in training but he appears to be edging closer to a Palace return.

Reports back in August suggested that Eze was well ahead of schedule with his recovery, and it appears as if he could return before the year is out.

He is yet to feature under Patrick Vieira, but after posting an individual drill on his personal Twitter profile last week, he has now joined in with group training.

The 23-year-old was all smiles and participated in a passing drill, which was shared on Palace’s official Twitter channel.

Palace fans react

Here is what these Eagles supporters had to say in reply, with many sharing their excitement over the footage.

“Best day of my life icl”

Credit: @CPFCMax9

“Tears in my eyes”

Credit: @BludOnTheLeaves

“oh my days”

Credit: @MATTT046

“Oh myyyyy”

Credit: @Phillyconcarne

“Can’t even begin to describe how happy this makes me.”

Credit: @pnm1979

“Oh man I can’t wait for this young man to be back balling.”

Credit: @Scrivum

In other news: Palace keen on midfield prodigy with 35 goals and 24 assists at youth level. 

Graham Roberts reckons Tottenham should sell up to eight players this summer, amid new manager Nuno Santo’s stance of preferring to work with a smaller squad.

Following another poor season by their own high standards, Spurs missed out on the top four once again and only qualified for Europe in the final seconds of the campaign after beating Leicester City.

The man who secured their place in the UEFA Conference League, Gareth Bale, has returned to Real Madrid, whilst Tottenham have decided against signing another loanee in Carlos Vinicius.

Juan Foyth has joined Villarreal permanently, whilst several of their first-team squad have been linked away from the club having failed to perform in 2020-2021.

The likes of Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon are expected to bolster numbers by joining the first-team set-up following their respective loan deals with Norwich and Hoffenheim.

To sum up Spurs’ problems last season, 20 different players made 15 or more Premier League appearances – epitomising how much Jose Mourinho struggled to find a settled XI.

With that in mind, former Tottenham captain Roberts exclusively suggested to Football FanCast that he wants a summer clear out in north London amid Nuno’s small squad preference.

“Me personally, there would be eight players that I would get rid of – there will be the two right-backs Aurier and Doherty, I’d let Sanchez go. Although, saying that if I had to keep him, I would let Dier go, Winks go.

“They’re just squad players and they’re not happy being squad players, so it just causes you problems.”

An update has emerged about Sunderland target Daniel Jebbison, regarding interest from the Premier League.

What’s the talk?

According to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, Everton are one of three Premier League clubs eyeing up a permanent deal for Sunderland transfer target Daniel Jebbison, who Sheffield United value at over £5m.

The Black Cats are reportedly keen on signing the teenager striker on loan to bolster their squad before the transfer window closes next week but it appears that there is serious interest in the forward from top-flight teams.

Fans will be gutted

This is a worrying update for any Sunderland fans hoping to see Jebbison arrive at the Stadium of Light in the next six days. Sunderland will not be able to compete financially with any Premier League clubs in terms of securing a permanent deal for the centre-forward, hence their loan interest, which means that they could now be out of the race entirely if this report is accurate.

Sunderland, if they are in the market for a new striker, will need to move on to other targets and assess their options as a Premier League move may be more appealing to Jebbison. Instead of going out on loan to the third tier, he could sign for Everton and get minutes in the Premier League whilst training alongside the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and James Rodriguez.

Ex-Manchester City full-back Micah Richards called him the shining light of Sheffield United’s Premier League last term. He told Sky Sports (via Yorkshire Live): “I really like the look of him. He just gets in the right areas, and they needed that with all the negativity that’s gone on at the club.

“You want to bounce back straight away, and you want to go to the end of the season with positivity. They’re playing for pride, and he’s the shining light.”

This suggests that he does have the potential to play in the top-flight, which is why some Sunderland fans may want him to join the club in League One. He has already scored a goal in the Premier League and could, therefore, thrive in the third tier as it is two divisions lower and offers less of a challenge in terms of the quality of opposition.

Therefore, Black Cats fans will be gutted that they are now unlikely to get the chance to see what Jebbison could do in League One as the Premier League interest could end any hope the club had of signing him.

AND in other news, “Desperate”: Alan Nixon drops Sunderland transfer update which will leave fans excited…