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Chelsea legend Ceaser Azpilicueta is "really close to joining Atletico Madrid" despite reaching a "verbal agreement" to join Champions League runners-up Inter Milan, reveals transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea transfer news – What's the latest on Cesar Azpilicueta?

The Blues have been clearing house in a huge way over the last month, selling players like N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, and Kalidou Koulibaly to the burgeoning Saudi Pro League whilst simultaneously shopping Kai Havertz and Mason Mount off to Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United respectively.

Granted, this wave of selling their players was needed as their ballooning squad has been one of many elements blamed for their terrible season last year, with reports that some players were even changing in hallways as the dressing room was too crowded.

However, one of the players set to leave Stamford Bridge is the club captain and all-round legend of the club, Azpilicueta.

The Spaniard still has one left on his £180,000-a-week contract, but interest from Italian giants Inter Milan and the aforementioned need to trim the squad made for the perfect time to say goodbye.

The deal looked to be complete earlier this week according to reports, the former Marseille man would undergo his medical in the next few days.

However, recent developments have thrown a real spanner in the works for Internazionale, as Atletico Madrid look set to hijack the deal and bring Azpilicueta back to Spain, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Romano broke the news on his YouTube channel, saying:

"I am told that now Azpilicueta is really close to joining Atletico Madrid. Its exclusive news, we heard about Inter in the past few days, he had an agreement, a verbal agreement on personal terms with Inter to join them, then Inter were still focused on different things, we know about Brozovic and many other things."

What did Azpilicueta achieve at Chelsea?

Azpilicueta will undoubtedly leave Stamford Bridge as a Chelsea legend. Since joining the West London club for just £7m from Marseille in the summer of 2012, he has gone on to win just about everything there is to win in club football.

During his 11-year spell with the Blues, he has won two Premier Leagues, one Champions League, two Europa Leagues, one FA Cup, one Carabao Cup, one European Super Cup and one Club World Cup.

As if that wasn't enough to be considered one of the club's all-time greats, he won one of the Europa Leagues and the Champion's League as the club's captain.

He has been a player appreciated by his managers as well, with Thomas Tuchel saying:

"He's super important, he was super important from day one."

If this really is the end of the road for his time with the Pensioners, he leaves after 508 games and nine major trophies as a modern great.

Manchester United are still leading the race for AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi, who is set to be on the move this summer, according to reports from France.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

The Daily Mail report Man United are willing to part ways with up to 13 players this summer, including Harry Maguire, meaning Erik ten Hag may be in the market for a new centre-back, and there are several options available.

The Red Devils are one of the clubs interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, with the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race, while 21-year-old Goncalo Inacio has also been named as a target.

Disasi has also been routinely linked with a switch to Old Trafford, with United holding "positive" talks over a move back in April, and they remain very much in the race for his signature.

According to a report from L'Equipe (via Sport Witness), Man United still lead the race for the 25-year-old despite other big European teams trying to convince the defender to move to their club instead.

As Kim Min-jae is seemingly on his way to Bayern Munich, the Red Devils may have to turn their attentions to the Monaco star, but there will be fierce competition for his signature, with a number of big European teams trying to convince him about a move.

At the moment, the player himself seems to have his mind set on a move to Old Trafford, but United appear to be prioritising a move for a goalkeeper, and they could make one last swoop for Kim before pursuing a deal for Disasi.

Who is Axel Disasi?

The Frenchman has played in his home country for his entire career up to this point, across spells with Paris FC, Reims and Monaco, establishing himself as a key player last season by featuring in every single Ligue 1 game.

Last season, the £12k-per-week centre-back averaged 1.5 interceptions per game in Ligue 1, the joint-second highest figure in the squad, and he did enough to impress France manager Didier Deschamps, making his debut for his national side last November.

For the meantime, Kim should remain United's top target at centre-back, considering he has been hailed as "one of the best" defenders in the world by teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but the France international could be a very solid back-up option.

Football scout Jacek Kulig has hailed Disasi as "dominant", while also likening him to Virgil van Dijk, and members of the media have praised him for his "insane strength and power."

Former Stoke City star Rory Delap has claimed his long throws could have been worth £20m alone in the transfer market.

Who is Rory Delap?

Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Republic of Ireland midfielder earned himself a reputation as having one of the most feared niche skills in the Premier League.

No, it wasn't a fancy stepover or a thunderous right foot that had defenders scrambling, nor was it an eye for a cute assist or even a penchant for particularly bruising challenges.

Well, we're sure you all remember…

Indeed, his infamous long throw-ins used to terrorise defences time and time again when travelling away to Stoke on those cold, wet and windy nights.

In a recent interview with SPORTbible, the now 46-year-old Delap recalled memories of yesteryear, noting: "We're still talking about it today so I must have done something right.”

Interestingly enough, however, he revealed that instead of spending hours on the training ground with his Stoke teammates working on the set pieces, they'd simply do "two or three on a Friday, the day before a game, same with the corners and the set plays."

Even so, his long throws still frequently caused havoc in opposition boxes – as shown by the fact that Sky Sports have a 4.37 YouTube video dedicated to every goal scored by the Potters thanks to his long throw-ins.

On top of that, Hull City goalkeeper Boaz Myhill once famously gave away a corner out of fear of handing Delap the chance to do damage with a throw-in.

Could Messi do it on a wet and windy night at Stoke?

In the interview, Delap was reminded about how Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed former Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam’s set-pieces were worth £10m.

He was then asked, if this was the case, then how much money would his throw-ins be worth?

“Ahh at least double that,” the 46-year-old said in response, with a huge smile on his face. “I played with Charlie, he had an unbelievable left foot and still does."

On top of all that, he also got onto one of football's biggest questions. Would Lionel Messi struggle on a wet and windy night at Stoke?

Delap certainly seems to think the Argentine would be just fine. He explained: “No, I think the thing you saw with the top players, we made it hard for teams but we never got a result.

“Against [Man] United, they were the top team at the time. With Sir Alex Ferguson, he'd seen it all before with the Wimbledons and the teams of that era. So, you know, he set the team up to go and win and I think they won every game when I was at Stoke so I think the top players don't let stuff like that affect them.

“Arsenal were a great side at that time, maybe it got to them a bit.

“Chelsea, we always struggled against Chelsea. They were the top three teams at that stage. They never really struggled with the cold, wet night there.

"So you're talking about Messi and players like that, I think they're just elite. They're another level. It doesn't matter where they go, they will perform.”

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is reportedly eyeing a reunion with Leicester City defender, Daniel Amartey, with the Ghanaian ace in line for a summer exit from the King Power Stadium.

What's the latest on Amartey to Celtic?

According to TEAMtalk, the Old Firm outfit are considering a move for the 28-year-old following the confirmation that Rodgers has sealed his return to the club, with the versatile asset set to be available on a free transfer amid his expiring contract.

The report suggests that while there is also interest in the 6 foot 1 gem from clubs in Saudi Arabia and in Turkey, there is a 'chance' that the 51-cap ace could seal a move to Glasgow instead, after seven years with the Foxes.

The piece also goes on to add that the Hoops are ready to make contact with the former Copenhagen man's agent, as Rodgers plots to make the first signing of his second spell in charge of the Scottish champions.

Who is Daniel Amartey?

The experienced defender – who can also operate at right-back or in central midfield – has racked up 145 appearances for the newly-relegated outfit since his arrival from Denmark back in 2016, with 80 of those outings having come during Rodgers' time at the helm with the Midlands side.

Previously described as "outstanding" by the Northern Irishman, Amartey appears to have all the attributes to be an astute capture for the Bhoys this summer, particularly on a free transfer, with the returning Celtic boss having also said of his qualities:

"He’s played as a midfield player, as a full-back, and you need your outside centre-halves to be able to have no doubt they can step in and press the game and be aggressive. He’s got all of that. He defends the box really well and then, with the ball, he has a real sufficient level of comfort. He can pass it."

The signing of the all-action machine could well prove bad news for current Hoops man, Stephen Welsh, with Football Insider having reported last month that the club were open to offers for the young Scotsman, provided that a suitable replacement could be found ahead of next season.

The 23-year-old has notably slipped down the pecking order after being restricted to just four Scottish Premiership outings under Ange Postecoglou last season, having notably been "bullied" alongside Moritz Jenz in the shock defeat away to St Mirren back in September, in the words of journalist Josh Bunting.

With Postecoglou favouring Yuki Kobayashi as the third-choice option behind Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers, Welsh has become something of a spare part in recent months, with the addition of Amartey potentially set to prove the final nail in the coffin with regard to his time at Celtic Park.

Not only does the soon-to-be free agent have the benefit of having worked closely with Rodgers in recent years, but the £20k-per-week ace also compares favourably to his fellow centre-backs in Europe's top five leagues with regard to playing out from the back, as he ranks in the top 10% for progressive carries and the top 7% for pass completion.

Amartey does appear to offer greater composure in the backline as he lost possession on average just 5.7 times per game from his 20 league outings last term, while Welsh, by contrast, lost the ball 9.5 times per game on average, showcasing the latter man is not quite as adept at building from the back.

As such, if Rodgers is looking to freshen up his defensive unit with the signing of his former Leicester asset, it could prove to be the end of the road for Celtic's 6 foot 3 academy graduate.

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has said that final managerial interviews will take place early next week, with three candidates in the frame.

What’s the latest Leeds manager news?

The Whites are on the hunt for a fourth manager in less than 12 months, with Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce all coming and going.

Leeds, and by extension the 49ers Enterprises, who have agreed on a deal to take full control from Andrea Radrizzani, have made a start on their summer plans by bringing in Nick Hammond as an interim football advisor to oversee their transfer business.

However, the club’s top managerial target, Brendan Rodgers, has made it clear that he doesn’t want to drop down to the Championship and looks set to join Celtic, but Hay has shared a development he’s heard from Elland Road on the process to appoint a new manager.

Taking to Twitter over the last 48 hours, the reliable reporter said that “final interviews” are planned for early next week, with the 49ers looking to make an appointment.

“Looking like the process to appoint will run into next week, with final interviews planned on the other side of the weekend. First group of players due back for pre-season on July 2.”

Within his report for The Athletic, Hay named Carlos Corberan, Daniel Farke and Scott Parker as options.

“Final interviews are planned for early next week with West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan and former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke, recently sacked by German side Borussia Monchengladbach, two names in the frame. Scott Parker has also been considered but Leicester are also considering making an offer to him.”

Time is ticking…

As Hay mentions, Leeds’ players are set to report back for pre-season at the beginning of July, and hopefully, by then, a chosen manager will have made a start on the club’s plans for the new campaign.

After relegation from the Premier League last season, Leeds have plenty to sort out in a short space of time both in the boardroom and when it comes to ins and outs of the playing squad, with a first pre-season fixture against Manchester United scheduled for July 12.

It looks like it could be one of Corberan, Farke or Parker to arrive in Yorkshire, with Farke and Parker having a previous history of earning promotion to the top flight. Corberan, meanwhile, took Huddersfield to the playoff final back in 2022, so it seems as if Leeds are going down the tried and trusted route, and it’ll be interesting to see who impresses in final talks.

Ange Postecoglou may have only just been named as the permanent successor to Antonio Conte at Tottenham Hotspur, although there are already reports that the 57-year-old could be set to spark something of a mass clearout at N17.

As per The Telegraph, one of the most high-profile figures who is set for the axe is long-serving captain, Hugo Lloris, despite the veteran Frenchman still having a year left to run on his existing deal.

The 36-year-old – who missed much of the 2022/23 campaign due to injury – looks almost certain to be usurped as the new number one in north London, with 90min reporting that Postecoglou and co are interested in a move for Brentford's David Raya.

As pundit Graeme Souness stated earlier this year, the World Cup winner looks to be "past his sell-by date" following what was a rather dismal campaign, with the former Nice man having made the most errors leading goals of any player in the Premier League (4).

If it is any consolation to Lloris, the 145-cap stopper won't be the only figure to be axed under the new regime, with The Telegraph report also stating that on-loan defender, Clement Lenglet, could be set for a return to parent club Barcelona.

Football Insider has also corroborated those claims, with that recent report suggesting that the Lilywhites are not looking to make the centre-back a permanent fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the 27-year-old set to be the 'first to go' as part of this impending summer exodus.

Should Tottenham sign Lenglet permanently?

Described as an "imposter" by ex-Spurs man, Jamie O'Hara, it is fair to say that Lenglet's year on loan in north London has not gone particularly smoothly, with the Frenchman forming part of a defence that shipped 63 league goals – the sixth-worst record in the division.

Notably criticised by commentator Jim Belgin for his "awful mistake" in the 4-2 defeat to Manchester City back in January, the one-time Sevilla man failed to have the desired impact at the heart of the defence, with his average match rating of 6.65, as per Sofascore, seeing him only ranking 20th in the Tottenham squad.

Remarkably, the struggling outfit only kept one Premier League clean sheet with the 15-cap dud in the side, with the club seemingly "paying the price" for opting to make that cheap, temporary move, according to respected insider, John Wenham.

As such, there will no doubt be a sense of relief that Postecoglou is looking to shift the centre-back in the coming weeks, with chairman Daniel Levy likely keen to free up some funds by getting Lenglet's £145k-per-week salary off the books – with that figure equating to around 7% of the entire wage bill.

With the Lilywhites having had little return on that investment this season, it appears to be a no-brainer for the new boss to quickly ditch the defender and send him packing back to Catalonia.

A big Rangers claim has emerged on Ibrox loanee Aaron Ramsey and his future under Giovanni van Bronckhorst heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has hinted that the midfielder will not be returning to Rangers for the 2022/23 campaign.

Speaking about the Ibrox loanee, he told GIVEMESPORT: “I’m sure Aaron Ramsey looked like he enjoyed his time at Rangers.

“But a deal would have to be subsidised because of his wages at Juventus if Rangers were to bring him back. As it stands right now, it looks like he might have played his last game for the club.”

Gio van Bronckhorst will be gutted

The Ibrox boss will be gutted by this claim as it suggests that Ramsey will not be in his squad next season due to financial constraints.

Whilst the midfielder’s time at the club will be marred by his penalty miss in the Europa League final, he showed glimpses of quality throughout the second half of the campaign.

In the Premiership, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.93 in seven appearances. He found the back of the net twice, including one against Celtic, and set up another as he created seven chances for his teammates.

The gem also registered one assist in three games in the SFA Cup as he helped the club to win the competition. His statistics, albeit limited, show that he has the quality to pop up with goal contributions from midfield, which is in line with what he has done throughout his career.

He produced 130 goals and assists combined during his time with Arsenal – playing 371 matches – and 12 in 70 games for Juventus. The 31-year-old has enjoyed a fantastic career and has proven that he can make a big impact in the final third.

Therefore, with a full pre-season under his belt and more time to adjust to playing with his teammates, Ramsey could have been a huge player for the Gers. The quality – as shown by his statistics – is there and that is why van Bronckhorst will be gutted that he will be unable to work with him again next season.

O’Rourke has not completely ruled out a deal, as the situation may change, but it appears unlikely at this moment in time that he will be pulling on a light blue shirt again.

Hopefully, he can get his career back on track elsewhere if he does not return to Rangers.

AND in other news, GvB can find Kemar Roofe 2.0 in Rangers swoop for “clinical” gem who “rarely misses”…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in England international Dean Henderson heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that PIF are plotting a move for the shot-stopper, reportedly valued at £40m, ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, although it remains to be seen how a deal will be structured.

He Tweeted: “Newcastle are still interested in Dean Henderson. English goalkeeper could leave Man United this summer as he’s looking for regular game time. Loan or permanent move to be discussed, not clear yet – it depends on Newcastle’s budget.”

This is an update on his previous Henderson claim: “Newcastle are interested in Dean Henderson since last January, he’s always been one of three goalkeepers in the list for NUFC. Man United will make a decision about Dean in the summer whether let him go on loan or not. He wants to play as starter next season.”

Eddie Howe needs him

The Magpies boss will be delighted to learn that the club are set to discuss a deal for Henderson as he needs him at St. James’ Park.

Martin Dubravka turns 34 next season and the Toon need to start thinking about life after the Slovakian international, which is why the Manchester United stopper would be an important addition to the squad. He can come in to initially challenge and then take over from the 33-year-old next term.

The current Newcastle number one has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.88 and made two errors directly leading to shots in the Premier League. This shows that he has been a reliable performer between the middle of the sticks as his displays have not been littered with mistakes.

Although, he did make a whopping ten errors leading to shots or goals between the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons before an injury-hit 2020/21.

Henderson, meanwhile, has averaged scores of 6.94 and 7.00 across his last two campaigns in the top-flight for Manchester United and Sheffield United respectively, making three errors in that time.

The Englishman is also eight years younger than Dubravka and this means that he can be the long-term number one for Howe on Tyneside. His statistics suggest that he may be a slight upgrade on the Slovakian but with the potential to improve further at his young age for a goalkeeper.

That is why the ex-Bournemouth head coach needs him at Newcastle and PIF must ensure that they can get this deal over the line.

AND in other news, Howe can get SJP rocking with NUFC swoop for £21m predator with the “scoring nose”…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is reportedly contemplating a move to poach Raheem Sterling from former club Manchester City this summer.

What’s the word?

As per the Telegraph, the Gunners are ‘ready to explore’ a deal for the 27-year-old at the end of the season, with the Englishman potentially set to be available to depart the Etihad as he enters the final year of his existing deal.

The report suggests that Arteta – who previously worked under Pep Guardiola at City – wants to make the 74-cap international the ‘focal point’ of his attack, with forward additions seemingly required with Alexandre Lacazette nearing the end of his current deal and with former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having departed for Barcelona in January.

Sterling – who had been linked with an exit last summer – could well be joined in north London by current teammate Gabriel Jesus, following recent reports that the Brazilian is another player on the radar of the Emirates outfit.

Better than Saka

The addition of the £76.5m-rated man in the upcoming window would prove a major coup for the top-four hopefuls, with the pacy wide man having emerged as one of the top-flight’s leading figures in recent years.

After dazzling as a teenager at Liverpool, Sterling made the controversial £49m switch to Manchester in 2015 in pursuit of silverware, with that move more than paying off as he has since claimed three league titles, five League Cup’s and an FA Cup – with an additional Premier League crown potentially on the way this season.

Under the tutelage of Guardiola, the £300k-per-week gem has developed into a prolific presence in front of goal, having scored 130 times and provided 93 assists in 337 games for the club in all competitions.

Dubbed a “fighter” by Gareth Southgate, the diminutive speedster has also shaken off early criticism at international level to become one of Southgate’s trusted lieutenants, the Jamaica-born ace starring in the Three Lions’ surge to the Euro 2020 final last year, netting three times en route to the showpiece.

It has proven a difficult campaign at club level since then, as he has drifted in and out of the starting XI, although he has still managed to provide 12 goals and four assists in just 22 league starts.

Despite starting 11 more top-flight games than his compatriot, current Arsenal man Bukayo Saka has still scored fewer goals (11 in total) than the more senior man, while he only averages a goal every 248 minutes this season, compared to a goal every 167 minutes for Sterling.

The latter – who Guardiola insisted “always creates something” – also averages 1.8 successful dribbles per game, compared to 1.1 for Saka, while he also ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes received among players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, with his international colleague only in the top 31% for the same metric.

Equally, the City star offers perhaps greater consistency at the elite level, having been a regular fixture in the top-flight since making his Reds debut as a 17-year-old a decade ago, with it some feat to have maintained his quality for so long.

Saka has dazzled in recent times, although he still has a way to go to reach the heights of the potential target.

IN other news, Forget Saliba: Arsenal must finally unleash their “exciting” rarely-seen Hale End gem

Glasgow Rangers reportedly now face a ‘big fight’ to keep Ryan Kent this summer.

The Lowdown: Europa League hero

Kent was just one of many Europa League heroes for the Teddy Bears as they overcame RB Leipzig 3-1 at Ibrox on Thursday night to book themselves in the final against Frankfurt.

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The winger grabbed the assist for the opening goal of the game by James Tavernier, and also recorded a team-high two key passes, while he won three of his duels, made two tackles and one interception (SofaScore).

The Latest: ‘Big fight’

Taking to Twitter, transfer insider Graeme Bailey has revealed that Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team now face a ‘big fight’ to keep hold of Kent in the summer, as he is ‘attracting interest’ from a number of clubs in the Premier League.

Expanding in his latest piece for 90min, Bailey added that the Light Blues have accepted that they will not be able to match teams in the top flight in terms of contract offers, given that he only has a year left on his current deal.

Bailey’s sources have confirmed that the uncertainty over his contract is now attracting interest, with Leeds United, Everton, Wolves and Fulham named as possible destinations.

The Verdict: Worrying

It is certainly worrying for the supporters to hear of uncertainty over Kent’s long-term future, as they will no doubt find it difficult to pull him away from the attraction of the Premier League.

He has been one of their best performers in both the Europa League and the Scottish Premiership, and at 25 years of age, has not yet reached his full potential.

Nonetheless, if the Gers do decide to sell him, then they need to make sure that they get a sizeable fee in order to help find a suitable replacement.

In other news, find out which ‘absolute legend’ Andrew Dickson hailed against Leipzig here!