Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic would jump at the chance to join Arsenal in the summer transfer window, according an intriguing new update.

Could Lazio ace leave this summer?

The 28-year-old has been a highly-rated footballer for time now, with endless Premier League clubs linked with signing him down the years. He has stayed loyal to Lazio, however, racking up 330 appearances for the Serie A giants and proving to be an influential figure.

This season, Milinkovic-Savic has scored four goals and registered eight assists in the league, making 24 starts in the competition and also averaging 2.6 aerial duel wins per game. The Serb is out of contract at his current club at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, however, so this summer could be their last opportunity to earn huge money for his services.

Arsenal are one of the clubs to have been linked with a move him in the past – one report earlier this year even stated they had tabled a bid for him – and now a new update suggests that a transfer could potentially materialise in the coming months.

Could Arsenal swoop to sign midfielder?

According to Corriere dello Sport [via The Boot Room], Milinkovic-Savic would "gladly accept" an offer from Arsenal this summer, with Lazio holding out for £35million for his signature. The report does state that £25million could be enough to snap up the midfielder, though, meaning he could be available for a bargain.

The 41-cap Serbia international could be an inspired signing by Arsenal this summer, with the Lazio man at the absolute peak of his powers and someone who could make the Gunners' midfield even more dominant. He has now scored 64 goals and chipped in with 59 assists for his club side this season, highlighting his end product in the final third, but he has so many other strengths to his game, too.

He has averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.2 clearances per game in the league this season, showing that he is an effective off-the-ball figure, while former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has called him "one of the best I’ve ever worked with", which is high praise. Meanwhile, journalist Jerry Mancini has hailed him as as "world-class" player.

For all these reasons, Milinkovic-Savic could be a fantastic signing by Arsenal, acting as an upgrade on Granit Xhaka in a No.8 midfield role, for all his good performances for the Gunners this season, as well as a younger alternative.

Chelsea are reportedly one of a number of clubs who are interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Muani enjoying great season

The 24-year-old came to the attention of the wider footballing public during the 2022 World Cup, when he almost had a life-changing moment in the final.

Muani was denied by Emiliano Martinez in the dying seconds of extra-time in France’s eventual defeat to Argentina, having been sent clean-through and with the chance to seal glory for his country.

Regardless of that miss, the Frenchman is still enjoying an excellent season, however, scoring 11 times and registering ten assists for Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

Muani did also find the net once at the World Cup, in the 2-0 win over Morocco in the semi-final, and he looks like a player with a bright future in the game.

He is unlikely to be without suitors once the summer transfer window arrives, and with Chelsea looking to bring in attacking reinforcements, it looks as though they could be in the mix.

The Latest: Chelsea in the mix

According to 90min, the Blues have ‘taken an interest’ in signing Muani at the end of the season, with the same also applying to Newcastle United.

Manchester United are seen as possible suitors, too, while European pair Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have the ‘primary interest in his services’.

The Verdict: Great attacking option

Muani could be exactly what Chelsea are looking for this summer, with a centre forward badly needed after Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang’s failed spell in west London.

The former Arsenal man needs to be offloaded and Kai Havertz can’t be relied upon to lead the line every week – he is arguably better in a slightly deeper role – and Muani could be the man to fill the void.

The five-cap France international is at a great age to come in, having already picked up the experience of 103 appearances in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga combined, but also still being a relatively young player.

He is both a scorer and a provider of goals, as his aforementioned statistics this season prove, and he has been hailed for having that ‘little something extra’ by former coach Vincent Santos.

Muani could come in and act as a great foil for the likes of Havertz, Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling, spearheading the attack and proving to be a far better option than the past-his-best Aubameyang.

Despite the stability that has been re-introduced at Manchester United following the appointment of manager Erik ten Hag, it does look set to be yet another summer of change for the Red Devils, with a whole host of first-team assets looking set to depart.

The defensive ranks, in particular, look set to be depleted amid what could be something of a mass exodus, with the likes of Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe coming to the end of their respective deals, while Brandon Williams, Alex Telles and Eric Bailly also appear in line for a departure.

Perhaps more pressingly, however, is the suggestion that Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof could also be up for grabs come the end of the season, with the experienced duo having fallen behind both Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the centre-back pecking order.

Although it would appear unlikely that both Maguire and Lindelof will be moved on this summer, even if just one of the pair is to be sold it would spark a need for a fresh face to arrive through the door ahead of next term.

According to Football Insider, one potential target that could be on his way to Old Trafford is Eintracht Frankfurt colossus, Evan Ndicka, with the 23-year-old set to depart the Bundesliga side with just a matter of months left on his existing contract, after rejecting 'multiple' offers regarding an extension.

The 6 foot 4 Frenchman is also said to be attracting attention from United's bitter rivals, Liverpool, with the prospect of signing such an impressive figure on a free transfer having piqued the interest of clubs across Europe.

Should Man United sign Evan N'Dicka?

The chance to acquire a more youthful central defender this summer will likely also be of interest to Ten Hag, with Ndicka having proven himself a truly "superb player" during his time in Germany to date, as per talent scout Jack Kulig.

The former Auxerre ace – who made the move to Frankfurt back in 2018 – would seemingly be a suitable fit at the Theatre of Dreams, with the towering titan said to share a number of statistical and stylistic similarities with current United man, Varane, as per FBref.

That likeness to his compatriot is not just due to Varane's impressive, physical stature – as the 29-year-old stands at 6 foot 3 – but also due to their quality on the ball, with the former Real Madrid man having recorded 12 progressive carries so far this season from his 19 Premier League games, while Ndicka has racked up 11 progressive carries from his 25 league outings.

The comparison between the pair can also be made due to their prowess defensively, with the latter man having recorded 21 tackles in the current campaign, while his fellow Frenchman has recorded 22 tackles to date.

To be compared to the World Cup winner is a sign of Ndicka's exciting potential, with Varane having made a fine impression in Manchester over the past 18 months or so – despite having been hampered by injury at times – after being lauded as a "monster" by journalist Tom McDermott due to his impressive impact.

While Ndicka would offer a slightly different option to 93-cap gem as he is a left-sided centre-back, it would seemingly be a real coup if Ten Hag could get a deal over the line, particularly without having to pay a transfer fee.

Leeds United are thought to be readying a “possible attack” with a move for Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer.

What’s the latest news on Ugarte and Leeds?

Ugarte is primarily a defensive midfielder who can also turn out in a central midfield role and appears to be at the peak of his powers with his Transfermarkt valuation rising from €6m to a career-high €25m after joining Sporting back in 2021.

The 21-year-old has made a total of 75 appearances for Sporting, 37 of which have come during the current campaign. He is under contract until 2026 but could well be on the move over the coming months, with a number of Premier League sides seemingly keen on his services.

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from the print edition of Portuguese newspaper O Jogo in the last 48 hours regarding Ugarte, who has a £52.7m release clause. They claimed that Leeds chiefs are readying a “possible attack” to sign the player and are joined by Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Tottenham and Wolves.

Ugarte’s displays this season have also caught the eye of AC Milan and AS Roma. Leeds also sent their scouts to watch Ugarte play against Arsenal in the Europa League earlier this month.

Would Ugarte be a good signing for Leeds?

Javi Gracia currently has a shortage of midfield options after Tyler Adams underwent hamstring surgery, with Marc Roca and loanee Weston McKennie the only available senior options to the head coach at this moment in time, with Adam Forshaw also sidelined.

A permanent move for McKennie could well be on the cards in the summer, with the Whites set to trigger their option of a £30m transfer if they remain in the top flight. However, the injury to Adams shows that Leeds could do with another midfield addition over the coming months, where they are likely to be under new owners in the 49ers Enterprises.

Ugarte could prove to be a shrewd signing, with the Uruguay international making more clearances and tackles per 90 than any of his Sporting teammates, as per WhoScored. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has labelled Ugarte as a "midfield machine" earlier in the season, with the player outperforming every Leeds player so far in 2022/23.

A transfer could prove tricky with the likes of Newcastle and Tottenham keen, though, but it still may be one to keep an eye on if things go to plan on the pitch.

Everton will make the short trip to Manchester this afternoon for their Premier League clash with Manchester United and Sean Dyche will be hoping his team can continue their unbeaten run.

The Toffees are currently teetering on the edge of the relegation zone, matching points with 18th place Bournemouth heading into their challenging fixture away from home, so picking up more crucial points this weekend will be integral to their fight for survival in the top flight.

Since joining the Merseyside outfit at the end of January, Dyche has collected 12 points from his nine league outings and is currently unbeaten in his last four fixtures with points collected from both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in their last two games, putting them in a great position to compete with Erik ten Hag's side.

Indeed, the Everton boss will be without his midfield talisman Abdoulaye Doucoure for the clash due to his red card suspension following an altercation with Harry Kane earlier this week, however, it could now present a golden opportunity to a young player-in-waiting who is all too familiar with the Red Devils.

Former Man United academy graduate James Garner could now be unleashed in Dyche's midfield set-up to replace his suspended teammate and could be the secret weapon Everton need to take all three points from their opponents.

Will James Garner start vs Manchester United?

The talented youngster made the move to Goodison Park in a £15m deal from Man United last summer but due to a long-term back injury has found himself becoming a rare feature for the Toffees.

However, now he could seize the chance to get in his manager's good favour by filling the boots of Doucoure, who has recently revived his Everton career since Dyche took over from Frank Lampard.

Over his seven-minute cameo against Spurs, Garner completed 100% of his passes (7/7) and won 100% of his duels (2/2) in the lead up to Michael Keane's 90th minute equaliser that earned Everton a point at Goodison Park.

Despite only averaging 21 minutes per performance, the 22-year-old ace – dubbed "highly-rated" by journalist Samuel Luckhurst – has tallied up an 83% pass accuracy, successfully completed 50% of his dribbles and won the majority of his duels combined over seven appearances, showing glimpses of his consistency in the centre of the pitch.

The Everton boss has already lavished praise on his young talent despite giving him limited game-time, citing Garner's impressive loan spell last season in the Championship with Nottingham Forest:

"From what I saw, and I did see him quite a bit at Forest, he’s got a good engine and running strength, he can strike a very good ball and he is calm in possession and he will cover the yards."

With that being said, there is no doubt that Dyche should now give Garner his first call-up to the starting eleven this weekend, as he could be the perfect replacement for Doucoure.

Sporting CP midfielder Pedro Goncalves would be a 'superb' signing by Aston Villa in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

How's Goncalves doing this season?

The 24-year-old has been a talismanic figure for Sporting so far this season, catching the eye with his constant quality in the final third. He has scored 12 goals and registered six assists in 23 Primeira Liga appearances, as well as netting three times in four Europa League outings.

It is in Europe that Goncalves has produced his most eye-catching moment of the campaign to date, lobbing Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from all of 50 yards in their eventual triumph over the Gunners. It was a moment that was described as 'incredible' by former striker Kevin Campbell, highlighting the brilliance at the attacking midfielder's disposal.

NSWE have recently been linked with a move to bring Goncalves to Villa at the end of the season, with the Portuguese maverick potentially jumping at the chance to head to the Premier League.

Could the midfielder be off to Villa?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor reacted with excitement to the rumours that the Sporting hero could head to Villa Park:

"I do think that is where Villa will be shopping. I know they played a 4-2-3-1 in their last game, and I think it was Ramsey that operated from the left. He’s not a winger as such, so I think that is where they will be looking at. Gonçalves would be a great signing, he was at Wolves and it didn't really work out, but he's really highly thought of in Portugal because of what he's done with Sporting.

"So I think that's the kind of player that would be superb for Villa."

The ideal summer signing for Villa?

Goncalves, valued at roughly £44m, has the ability to be a magnificent signing by Villa this summer, adding the guile and match-winning quality that is missing in attacking midfield areas currently. This season, Emiliano Buendia is the highest-scoring player in a similar position to him with five goals, showing how much of a difference he could make.

The two-cap Portugal international is averaging 2.1 key passes per game in the league this season, which is more than any Villains player – Alex Moreno and Douglas Luiz lead the way with 1.3 per match – and at 24, there is no reason why he shouldn't find further gears in the coming years.

Unai Emery will surely feel that Goncalves is someone who could be a game-changer of a signing, improving those around him and becoming a firm favourite among the supporters, given his eye for the spectacular.

Aston Villa are interested in making a big-money move for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer, according to a new transfer update.

How has Phillips fared at Man City?

The 27-year-old joined the reigning Premier League champions last summer in what looked like an effective signing. He had starred for Leeds United in the years prior, helping them return to the top flight in 2020 and also became a key man for England alongside Declan Rice in the middle of the park.

Phillips' first season at the Etihad has been something of a disaster, however, with injuries curtailing his progress hugely, limiting him to just 65 minutes of league action spread across six appearances. He may also be finding it tough to adapt to Pep Guardiola's tactical demands, with the manager even calling him out earlier in the campaign, so it is difficult to see him featuring too much between now and the end of the season.

It could even be that the £150k-per-week Englishman is allowed to leave City after just one year at the club – which is where Villa come into play.

Could Villa sign Kalvin Phillips this summer?

According to Football Insider, the Villans are keen on bringing in Phillips over the summer as they look to make a significant midfield addition. It is claimed that Unai Emery "wants to add a top-class signing capable of running the midfield" and believes that the former Leeds star is exactly what he is looking for.

City would demand £45m for Phillips' services, which would surpass the £42m they paid for him last summer.

Granted, this has been a tough year for Phillips, who would have hoped to go up another gear in a City shirt, but he could still be an outstanding signing for Villa this summer. When fit and firing, we believe he possesses the quality to make Emery's side more formidable moving forward, enjoying a 93.3% pass completion rate in the league this season – albeit with a limited amount of playing time.

Meanwhile, as a regular at Leeds last season, he averaged 2.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per Premier League game – both values which would top the rankings among City's current squad (as per WhoScored).

At 27, he is also at a good age to come in and be a key figure at Villa for a number of years, while he has been hailed as "superb" by midfield legend Xavi, which is extremely high praise. Therefore, if City are willing to let him go, we think Villa should jump at the chance to sign him in what could be an inspired piece of transfer business.

Chelsea are continuing talks with 32-year-old midfielder N'Golo Kante to extend his stay in west London ahead of the summer transfer window.

Could Kante leave Chelsea in the summer?

The French midfielder is now playing into the final months of his contract which is set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

However, the Blues are keen to keep Kante at Stamford Bridge with the £290k-per-week star believed to be in talks over a potential new deal.

But there is believed interest coming from Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the summer window with the Ligue 1 giants keen to take Kante back to his homeland.

And speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has issued the latest on the future of the 32-year-old midfielder:

"Chelsea [are] trying to tie him down to a new two-year deal. They're confident, have been for a few weeks now. Talks are ongoing. Obviously, the fact that he's out of contract at the end of the season means he is free to talk to other clubs, and one of those is PSG. We understand those talks have continued.

"But from our standpoint, speaking to Chelsea sources, they're confident that he will stay."

Should Chelsea sell Kante in the summer?

The 2022/23 campaign has been a disastrous one for the Frenchman, who has found himself sidelined for the majority of the campaign after picking up a serious injury early on in the season.

As a result, Kante has only played 175 minutes of Premier League action thus far after sustaining the injury back in August against Tottenham Hotspur.

Kante has undoubtedly been one of the best Premier League midfielders over the last decade, however, this injury issue has to be a major concern for those at Stamford Bridge.

For a player who is now 32 and earning almost £300k per week, it does feel like a potential risk in offering him another relatively lengthy deal on the back of such a serious injury.

And this comes at a time when Chelsea have invested heavily in their midfield with the likes of Enzo Fernandez and seemingly not stopping there.

Reports would suggest the Blues are keen on adding another big name to the midfield, with Declan Rice of serious interest ahead of the summer.

But there are also reports that Chelsea could offload Mateo Kovacic over the summer, which would weaken the experience among the midfield options at Stamford Bridge.

Keeping Kante would, therefore, maintain some of that experience, but if they are to sign Rice, it could leave Kante as an expensive option from the bench.

The Frenchman is now working towards his return to Premier League action, and perhaps the final weeks of the season could be an indication of whether he still has enough to offer the Blues.

Chelsea could potentially look to Frank Lampard as a possible option to become their next permanent manager over the summer.

Why did Chelsea reappoint Lampard?

After Bruno Saltor's only game as the caretaker manager in charge of Chelsea, the decision was made to replace him with Lampard until the end of the campaign.

Saltor had overseen the draw at home to Liverpool, however, Lampard's return did not get off to an equally as impressive start following a defeat away from home at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Chelsea now remain inside the bottom half of the Premier League table with a whopping 17-point gap now opened between themselves and the top four.

The search for Chelsea's next manager goes on with the likes of Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann believed to be two of the main options for the Blues.

However, there are some massive games ahead of Lampard to prove his worth to the likes of Todd Boehly and none bigger than the Champions League tie against Real Madrid.

Indeed, speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Simon Phillips has claimed the 44-year-old could potentially play himself into contention if he is to turn around Chelsea's dreadful form:

"I'm told that he did not come with the intention to stay short-term, and in his eyes, he wants to prove that he can be a contender to get the role on a full-time basis.

"The club would not rule this out if Lampard has a very good spell from now until the end of the season, especially if he pulls off a miracle and wins the Champions League."

Could Lampard turn around this Chelsea side?

The fixtures ahead of the Blues over the coming weeks are certainly not easy ones with Chelsea still to play the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Arsenal in the league.

With this in mind, it did feel as if Chelsea needed a result on the weekend against Wolves to get them up and going under the former Chelsea midfielder.

But this was clearly not the case as the Londoners failed to even get themselves on the scoresheet against Julen Lopetegui's side at Molineux.

Lampard's side had real issues in front of goal with just one of their 13 shots landing on Jose Sa's goal over the course of the game (via SofaScore).

That has been the story of Chelsea's season so far with the seven-fewest (29) goals of any Premier League side over the course of the campaign.

Lampard's previous tenure at Stamford Bridge did not offer a whole load of optimism for his short spell until the end of the campaign having won marginally over half of his 84 games in charge across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

Having said that, if he is able to pull off a Champions League miracle, then perhaps it may be time to refresh our judgement on the 44-year-old – but that does feel a huge ask for Chelsea to beat the reigning champions.

Tottenham Hotspur are closely monitoring Swansea City defender Nathan Wood, but they may face competition for his signature from rivals Arsenal, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Do Tottenham need to sign a new defender?

Tottenham may well need to enter the market for a new centre-back this summer, with Eric Dier being slammed by the media for some of his performances this season, branded “terrible” during the 2-1 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.

Clement Lenglet has also been criticised at times, being labelled an “imposter” by former Spurs man Jamie O’Hara, having averaged a Sofascore rating of just over 6.6 in the Premier League so far this season, among the worst-performing players in the squad.

Japhet Tanganga has fared even worse than Lenglet, averaging a rating of around 6.30 during his three appearances in the top flight this term, and the Lilywhites are in dire need of bringing in some new defensive options this summer.

Wood is one potential option for Tottenham, with Romano reporting they are “closely monitoring” the performances of the Swansea City defender, although Arsenal are also named as potential suitors.

The journalist explained (via Twitter):

The 20-year-old’s current employers are looking to extend his contract, in order to try and prevent a summer departure, however it may be difficult to hold onto him, considering some of the Premier League’s top clubs are now circling.

Should Tottenham sign Nathan Wood?

One particularly impressive part of the defender’s game is his passing ability, ranking in the 98th percentile for his pass-completion rate per 90 over the past year, when compared to other players in his position.

Hailed as “magnificent” by members of the media back in March, the 6 foot 2 enforcer has enjoyed a real breakthrough season with the Swans, making 35 appearances in the Championship, during which time he has improved considerably.

Manager Russell Martin has claimed the starlet is now a “real leader” within the group, despite his young age, while also branding him an “incredible performer”.

In Swansea’s recent 2-0 away win against Wigan Athletic, the youngster made six clearances, the highest total of any player, as well as making one clearance off the line to preserve his side’s clean sheet, in another fantastic performance.

Given that Wood has no experience at Premier League level, he may not be able to immediately come into the Tottenham starting XI, but he is certainly one to watch for the future.