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Manchester City and transfer chief Txiki Begiristain are eyeing a move for Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Summer of change looming?

Recently, The Athletic and reliable journalist Sam Lee published an article detailing the futures of every City squad member and their likelihood of leaving in the summer.

Kalvin Phillips and Sergio Gomez were among the players whose departures aren’t totally ruled out with the Premier League champions potentially kickstarting a summer of change at Eastlands.

This comes as Begiristain and manager Pep Guardiola liaise behind-the-scenes at City over who to sign in their stead.

The Latest: Man City eyeing Kvaratskhelia…

It is believed by journalist Ben Jacobs that City are among the sides targeting Napoli star Kvaratskhelia, with Newcastle also displaying an interest.

The Serie A sensation has seriously impressed in Italy’s top flight this campaign, standing out as a star player, and it’s claimed the Blues are eyeing a move.

He will however cost a marquee fee with Jacobs detailing that Kvaratskhelia could command ‘double’ his rumoured £50 million valuation.

The reporter adds that City supporters will know all about talented Georgians given the cult hero status of former favourite Georgi Kinkladze.

The Verdict: Very talented player…

The forward has been called ‘unplayable’ by members of Italy’s press for his exploits over 2022/2023.

As per WhoScored, this tag is well and truly backed up, with Kvaratskhelia sitting just behind star striker Victor Osimhen in terms of best performances by average match rating.

The 22-year-old, who can play attacking midfield, has ten goals and nine assists to his name this season – totalling a very impressive 19 goals contributions domestically.

He also ranks very highly in terms of other attacking stats like attempts at goal, key passes made and completed dribbles per 90 (WhoScored).

In Kvaratskhelia, City supporters could certainly be witnessing a new Kinkladze in the making.

Glasgow Rangers are eyeing up a move for Freddie Woodman during the summer transfer window as Michael Beale looks to find the solution to his goalkeeping dilemma.

What’s the latest on Freddie Woodman to Rangers?

According to the Scottish Sun, the Ibrox side are looking to secure a deal for Preston North End keeper Woodman and it could cost them a fee of £3.5m – with the English side willing to sell – as the 25-year-old still has two years left on his current contract.

The shot-stopper has already had previous spells north of the border, enjoying loan stints at Aberdeen and Kilmarnock during the early stages of his career, and this could stand him in good stead should he join the Gers.

Allan McGregor’s stay at the club looks to be coming to an end. His contract expires in the summer and the report claims that the veteran is expected to leave, which would result in Beale requiring a replacement.

Could Woodman replace Allan McGregor at Ibrox?

Having played nearly 500 games for the Light Blues, there is no doubt McGregor will go down in the annals of the club’s history as one of their finest goalkeepers. He was recently inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy.

The previous 18 months, however, have been far from easy, with the keeper committing major errors against Ross County and Hearts last season, along with the fact he has conceded 37 goals in 26 matches this term, proving a replacement is required.

Woodman certainly fits the bill. His spells as mentioned above in Scotland a few years ago will give him a rough idea of what he is up against and with the Englishman yet to enter his peak years at 25, arguably, it could be money well spent by Beale.

In the Championship this season, Woodman has been in stunning form. He has kept 14 clean sheets from 34 games, made 2.7 saves per game while succeeding with 100% of his attempted runouts per game, and has even been included in the team of the week four times for his performances.

The 25-year-old has won the U20 World Cup with England along with the U17 European Championship and although he has yet to make his senior bow, a move to Rangers could potentially help, giving him regular experience in European and top-flight football.

Russell Martin praised him earlier this term following Preston’s win over Swansea City, saying: “Their keeper Freddie Woodman has had a brilliant game in the end, and that says a lot.

“Particularly in the second half he made some great saves, and nine times out of 10 we’d have got a result after that performance.”

The 6 foot 2 titan is clearly excelling in the Championship and perhaps a move to Rangers would allow him to develop further as a keeper, especially with the pressure of having to win every week, and his statistics suggest that the gem could be a fantastic replacement for McGregor if the veteran does depart.

Beale must act swiftly in order to secure a deal for Woodman because if he keeps up these excellent performances, there will be plenty of other interested parties come the end of the season.

Liverpool produced a magical performance under the Anfield lights on Sunday as Jurgen Klopp’s rampant Reds defeated Manchester United 7-0.

They were fortunate not to go behind in the early exchanges when Bruno Fernandes missed a gilt-edged header from a few yards out but that appeared to be a turning point in Merseyside.

After that moment, Liverpool were by far the better side with Cody Gakpo truly bursting onto the scene in English football.

The January signing found the net on two occasions while his attacking colleagues in Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez also scored braces.

The scoring was then rounded off by Roberto Firmino, just days after he confirmed his intentions to leave the club behind.

That said, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows at Anfield with one unsavoury moment drawing quite the reaction from Klopp.

Amid the celebrations for Firmino’s goal, a fan raced onto the pitch and slid, slide tackling and injuring Andy Robertson in the process.

The supporter was ejected from the stadium by stewards, with Klopp left furious with the events that played out, screaming at the individual at question.

The moment drew quite a reaction from those on Twitter. The best of the reaction can be found below…

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that Arsenal could make an offer for Lille central midfielder Carlos Baleba this summer.

The Lowdown: Midfielders wanted

Arsenal want to sign midfielders this summer, with West Ham United’s Declan Rice being linked with an £100m move to the Emirates Stadium.

With Mohamed Elneny’s long-term injury, and Albert Sambi Lokonga being allowed to join Crystal Palace on loan in the January transfer window, the Gunners look a little short in the middle of the park, and could do with strengthening in that area come the next window.

The Latest: Baleba interest

Writing for 90min, Bailey says that Arsenal have been scouting Baleba for a number of months ahead of a possible summer move, with a view to a potential offer.

However, they will face competition from AC Milan, Juventus, Nice, Monaco, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Leicester City for his signature.

Lille see Baleba as the next Amadou Onana, who they sold to Everton for £30m last summer, and value him at around the same price.

The Verdict: Get it done?

At just 19 years of age, Baleba is an exciting talent, and one that the Gunners could snap up now before his market value starts to rise.

He has already played 12 senior games for Lille so far this season, and ranks highly among his team-mates for average blocks, dribbles and long balls per match in Ligue 1 (WhoScored).

Presumably alongside a more experienced addition like Rice, Baleba would be the prefect signing to complement him and provide depth and a long-term option once he furthers his development.

Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy has withdrawn from the Australian national squad through injury, according to their head coach Graham Arnold.

The Lowdown: Fitness concerns

The Yellows boss named the 32-year-old as part of his 26-man squad for the upcoming ‘Welcome Home’ fixtures against Ecuador on Friday 24 and Tuesday 28 March, but it wasn’t long before his dreams suffered an unwelcome setback.

The Hoops star was missing from Ange Postecoglou’s team for the 3-1 Scottish Premiership victory over Hibernian last weekend with the manager having revealed prior to kick-off that he was suffering from soreness. He said:

“Probably Aaron Mooy will miss out. He’s been a bit sore the last couple of weeks, and he won’t be able to make the Hibs game.”

The Latest: Arnold’s comments

Speaking to the Socceroos’ official website on Sunday, Arnold confirmed that Mooy has withdrawn from the squad and will remain at Celtic to carry on with his rehabilitation programme. He said:

“It’s unfortunate for Aaron that he misses these games, something I know he was very much looking forward to playing, but his absence provides an opportunity to a further emerging player as we start this new campaign.

“After speaking with Aaron, who missed this weekend’s game, he would only be able to play limited minutes if he came to Australia, so the decision was made for him to stay in Scotland and continue his recovery.”

The Verdict: Blow for Postecoglou

Mooy has been dubbed a ‘warrior’ by BBC pundit Alex Scott and it’s a real blow for Postecoglou that he could be facing a spell on the sidelines, with his comeback taking ever so slightly longer than expected.

The Sydney native has been having a remarkable season having racked up 13 goal contributions in 25 Premiership outings and he’s averaging 1.3 key passes per game.

The Bhoys ace has also whipped an impressive 63 crosses into the final third since the start of 2022/23, with this form having seen him receive two man-of-the-match awards.

The Parkhead talisman is a useful option for the boss to have at his disposal having operated in six various positions throughout his career, as he’s been fielded in both central and defensive midfield this term.

Mooy is an integral member of Celtic’s starting 11 and Postecoglou will no doubt be hoping that he will be able to return to action as soon as possible as he aims to lead his side to a second consecutive league title.

Everton have been made to deal with their relegation battles over the past two seasons with Dominic Calvert-Lewin facing regular spells on the sidelines, and as the season approaches the business end the fight to preserve top-flight status might feature the towering talisman on the periphery once again.

Last season, a late burst of form propelled the relegation candidates away from the danger zone, concluding the term four points and two places above relegated Burnley.

But with the bottom three looming once again, manager Sean Dyche will be hoping that the recent purple patch that followed his January arrival will be maintained and the two-point gap to 18th-place West Ham United can be stretched further still.

Calvert-Lewin has scored just once from 11 league outings this season to complement a similarly uninspiring preceding year that landed just five strikes from 17 appearances, and with the 26-year-old missing the past seven matches in the Premier League, Dyche has been forced to utilise Demarai Gray in a dynamic striking role.

Gray has held his own, but against Chelsea in the club's last encounter, it was 22-year-old forward Ellis Simms, recalled from his loan spell at Championship outfit Sunderland, who burst past the hapless Kalidou Koulibaly in the dying embers of the contest to fire the ball home and restore parity, earning an invaluable point to maintain distance above the depths of the division.

How good is Ellis Simms?

Simms' goal at Stamford Bridge was his first for the Toffees since rising from the club's youth ranks and spending a string of spells out on loan.

For the Black Cats this term, the ace plundered seven goals and two assists from 14 starts, impressing the newly-appointed Dyche and earning a recall to aid his parent outfit in the fight to preserve top-flight status.

Simms has made just one starting appearance since his return to the fold, but he could indeed start to see opportunities increase after demonstrating his clinical edge against Chelsea, hailed for his "superb" maiden strike for his Premier League outfit by writer Peter Guy.

Also praised for being an "absolute nuisance" by Phil Smith, the £7k-per-week star ranks among the top 15% of forwards across Men's 'Next 8' divisions – the leagues preceding the established big five – for rate of goals and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, illustrating a growing prowess as a lethal force and as a transitional cog to whir Everton into life.

Calvert-Lewin, in retrospect, is mired in woe and ranks only among the top 84% of forwards across Europe's major leagues for rate of goals and the top 78% for progressive carries per 90, highlighting the stark plummet from prominence that saw him bag 21 goals across all competitions during the 2020/21 campaign.

Simms is raw but he is a brute in his powerful and imposing offensive play, and this level of gritty tenacity is exactly what Dyche needs to bully opposition into submission and secure yet another Premier League year for this proud Merseyside club.

Should the youngster achieve that for his outfit, then the former Clarets boss may well discover that he can finally cash in on Calvert-Lewin, a beleaguered striker who is now a shadow of his former self.

Journalist Dean Jones says that Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is ‘unplayable’ on his day.

The Lowdown: On form

Isak is a man on form at the moment, with two goals in his last outing away at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Friday night, which came after a goal at home to Wolves in the previous matchday.

He was subsequently named in Magpies striking legend Alan Shearer’s recent Team of the Week as a result, as the club-record £63m signing continues to show the Toon Army what he is made of.

The Latest: ‘Unplayable’ on his day

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones says that Isak is ‘unplayable’ on his day, but still needs to prove himself further after missing a large chunk of the season with injury:

“On his day, Isak is unplayable. He just has to show it more often. Now that he’s fit again, let’s see the real deal. Let’s see what we’ve got for the rest of the season because he’s got to prove himself.”

The Verdict: Must keep starting

Isak has already shown not just in his recent run of form, but in his streak before his injury at the start of the season where he scored two in his first three appearances, including on his debut at Anfield against Liverpool, that he is deserving of more starts.

On the contrary, Callum Wilson has only scored history.

Aside from his goals, the £120,000-per-week gem’s overall game is dangerous, as he ranks in the top 11% for a number of key metrics for forwards in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, including progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches and progressive passes received.

As such, Isak is being linked with a shock move to Juventus in a swap deal that would see Dusan Vlahovic move the other way, which the Tynesiders should not even look to entertain.

Nonetheless, if the Magpies want to give themselves the best chance of finishing in the top four come the end of the campaign, then they must keep starting Isak.

Leeds United face Nottingham Forest at Elland Road tonight in a game which has massive permutations for the Premier League relegation battle.

The 4-1 defeat against league leaders Arsenal last time out was expected, but it drags the Yorkshire outfit right back into the mire, as they currently sit 18th in the top flight, with just ten games to play.

After he was started on the bench for the trip to the Emirates, Javi Gracia must surely consider unleashing top scorer Rodrigo for the six-pointer against Steve Cooper's side this evening.

Will Rodrigo start against Nottingham Forest?

While Leeds have a better goalscoring record than most in the relegation battle, with 36 goals to their name in the Premier League so far this campaign, only one player has managed to find the back of the net on more than four occasions.

Rodrigo is by far and away the leading scorer in Gracia's squad, with 11 top-flight goals under his belt, despite him making just 21 appearances due to injury issues that kept him out of recent fixtures.

The experienced Spaniard made his return from injury as a substitute in the 2-2 draw against Brighton last month and came off the bench again in the games against Wolves and Arsenal, making the three points safe with a late goal in the 4-2 win at Molineux.

After featuring for just 25 minutes in the defeat at Arsenal, it is surely time that Gracia restored the 32-year-old to his starting side, especially as fellow strikers Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter have managed just two Premier League goals between them so far this campaign.

After the 32-year-old forward scored in the 5-2 FA Cup win against Cardiff City earlier in the season, Rodrigo was labelled a "class above" by BBC commentator Pat Nevin, and the former Valencia man has certainly proven that with his performances in the top-flight this season.

Recent reports have suggested that Leeds' main man, who earns £100k-per-week at Elland Road, could seek an exit in the summer if the Yorkshire outfit are relegated back to the Championship, so Gracia must get the best out of his Spanish compatriot if they are going to stay in the Premier League and keep him at the club.

Only Bournemouth have shipped more goals than Forest in the Premier League so far this term so Gracia must look to exploit the Reds' defensive vulnerabilities by unleashing his most consistent striker tonight, as it could inspire Leeds to a much-needed three points.

Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has been slammed by Darren Ambrose following his reaction to being substituted on the weekend against Brentford.

Did Newcastle deserve to win on the weekend?

Eddie Howe’s side maintained their three-point advantage over fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday but were made to work for the points against Thomas Frank’s side.

The Toon endured their fair share of pressure during the first half in London which saw the Bees take the lead through an Ivan Toney penalty.

The former Magpie had already seen one spot kick saved by Nick Pope earlier in the game and a goal had already been ruled out prior to that penalty save.

Despite the pressure, Newcastle were able to turn the game on its head and two second-half goals sealed the points ahead of their trip back to Tyneside.

However, one Newcastle ace who did not seem overly happy during the win was their January signing, Gordon.

The 22-year-old was brought on at half time as Howe looked to make some adjustments to get his side back into the game, but he was taken off with seconds left for Matt Ritchie (via Transfermarkt).

And speaking on talkSPORT, Ambrose has slammed the youngster for his reaction which was captured as he shrugged off his manager in frustration of being subbed off:

(0:30) “I’m going to say it, I thought it was a poor reaction from Anthony Gordon. I think you get subbed on and you get subbed off for the team. It’s nothing to do with individuals, it has nothing to do with the performance. Eddie Howe wanted to see the game out against Brentford.

“To shrug off your manager like that I thought was disgraceful, to be honest, but then a few minutes later they’re in the dressing room having a picture so is it clearly made up? Eddie Howe is a great man manager, he will sort this situation out hopefully because he’s still a good football player.”

Should Gordon be handed more minutes by Newcastle?

It has not been the easiest start to life in the north east for the £60k-per-week winger after an injury issue has seen him miss a number of Premier League games.

As a result, Howe has only handed the youngster two opportunities from the starting XI and just 256 minutes of league action altogether (via Transfermarkt).

Having struggled for game time, the Englishman has failed to provide a single goal or assist for the Magpies on the back of his £45m move in January from Everton.

But there have been some bright moments from the winger with Andy Hinchcliffe hailing the youngster on Sky Sports during their game against West Ham United:

“Anthony Gordon’s first involvement as a Newcastle player is really sharp. He fizzes that ball forward and gets on the move,” he said.

Even in his 45-minute display against Brentford there were some positives to be taken having ended the game with a 100% passing accuracy as well as providing an impressive defensive return of three tackles (via SofaScore).

He showed his selfishness on the pitch by helping out in defence, however, it is apparent Ambrose felt he showed unnecessary selfishness after being taken off despite there being seconds remaining.

There are several big names at Glasgow Rangers who are approaching the final few months of their current contracts. Players such as Ryan Jack, Alfredo Morelos and Scott Arfield are among a handful who could leave for free during the summer and give Michael Beale a headache in terms of finding replacements.

The most notable player who could depart for nothing is Ryan Kent and despite the winger not being at his best this term, scoring just three times, he has looked resurgent since Beale arrived in November, registering six goal involvements since the ex-QPR man was instated.

Having spent £7.5m on the winger just four years ago, letting him go without recouping at least some of this fee is a major mistake and sums up the club's transfer policy of late.

Thoughts will surely turn to who can be brought in to take over from him on the left wing. If only Beale had a time machine, as the services of former Gers star Peter Lovenkrands wouldn’t go amiss right about now.

Was Peter Lovenkrands a success at Rangers?

The Danish winger was signed by Dick Advocaat back in 2000 for a fee of £1.3m from Akademisk Boldklub as a relatively unknown quantity but developed into one of the finest players for the club during his six-year stint in Glasgow.

After a tough first season, he began to make a name for himself during the 2001/02 campaign, scoring seven goals in all competitions, including a stunning added-time winner against Celtic in the Scottish Cup final, securing the trophy for the Gers.

Having represented Denmark in the 2002 World Cup, Lovenkrands was crucial in leading the Light Blues to the treble in 2003, with his pace and supreme finishing skills causing havoc for opposition defences across the country.

Another title and League Cup followed in 2004/05 and the forward enjoyed one more season at the Ibrox side before joining Schalke on a free transfer in 2006.

The Dane could operate across the front three with ease, although mainly either as a left-winger or centre forward and his goal-scoring ability would certainly make him an upgrade on Kent at this moment in time as he scored 54 in just six years at Rangers.

His record against Celtic was another reason the Ibrox faithful enamoured him, scoring six goals against them overall, and he is still fondly remembered as a result.

The forward finally got a taste of Premier League action in 2008 with Newcastle United and their former striker, Alan Shearer, claimed Lovenkrands “made a big impression” when he arrived at the club.

There is no doubt Lovenkrands in his pomp would be an excellent component of Beale’s side, using his speed and dribbling ability to power through opposition defences. If only the Englishman could turn back the clock 20 years and replace Kent with the great Dane.