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Rumours have been flying around about why Nuno Espirito Santo decided to leave Wolves, and a lack of funding this summer appears to be the main reason, something Wolves legend Steve Bull can’t rule out.

Wolves spent heavily last summer on a few additions instead of spreading the money across improving the whole squad and both Nelson Semedo and Fabio Silva have not delivered this season despite costing a combined total of £63 million.

After Nuno’s squad was rocked by injuries throughout the campaign he was eager to add some much-needed reinforcements, something the Fosun group were not as happy about, throwing in the expected sale of Ruben Neves for £35 million and the picture becomes a lot clearer as to why he left.

The Wolves faithful will be disappointed if a lack of funding was what forced Nuno to leave and think he couldn’t take the club forward with the squad he has, and that’s something Bull believes can’t be ruled out as he spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“We’ve done a lot of loan deals over the last two seasons and some of them have paid off but others haven’t. I’d like to see a lot more permanent signings coming into the club.

“The supporters just want success and the only way you achieve that is through spending money, and whether Fosun refused to give Nuno money, who knows?”

The Fosun’s apparent lack of willingness to give Nuno the financial backing he required may have something to down with them attempting to buy Ligue 1 side Bordeaux.

If money isn’t going to be widely available at Molineux this summer then they may have to rely on Jorge Mendes’ contacts and ability to get young Portuguese players into the Premier League on loan deals.

Stoke City have been dealt a blow to their chances of keeping Nathan Collins at the bet365 Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claimed that Sean Dyche’s Burnley have retained their January interest in the 20-year-old centre-back ahead of the upcoming market.

The Clarets had a number of bids for the £1.8m-rated defender turned down by Stoke in the winter window, although it would seem as if the Premier League side have no intention of moving on to a new target this summer.

Fans will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Collins – whom Republic of Ireland under-21 manager Jim Crawford dubbed a “leader” – has been for the Potters this season, as well as how highly rated the youngster is at the club, the news of Burnley’s continued interest in the youngster is likely to come as a sickener to both Michael O’Neill and fans of the club alike.

Indeed, over his 22 Championship appearances for Stoke this season, Collins helped his side to keep nine clean sheets, as well as averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, 2.7 clearances and winning five duels per game. The 20-year-old was also impressive in an attacking capacity, scoring two goals and providing one assist in the league.

These metrics saw Collins earn an impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as O’Neill’s ninth-best performer in the league.

As such, losing a player with the obvious talent and potential of the £5,900-per-week defender this summer would undoubtedly dent the Northern Irishman’s hopes of putting together a side capable of mounting a push for the play-offs next season, while also depriving Stoke fans of seeing an academy graduate of the club blossom into a key member of their first team squad over the coming years.

In other news: Coates must sanction Stoke swoop for “excellent” £8m beast, O’Neill would love him

Many Everton fans have been flocking to respond to a manager update involving Rafa Benitez.

As per The Athletic, the Spaniard is willing to talk to the Goodison Park faithful about them potentially appointing him as their new boss, but his past associations with Liverpool make it difficult for the Merseyside club’s board to hire him.

It seems as if a lot of Toffees are split over whether they think Benítez is the man to lead them forward, as some do not want to hire a coach who used to manage and was so fondly remembered by Liverpool, given that he won the UEFA Champions League with the Reds back in the 2004/05 season (Transfermarkt).

However, the 61-year-old has won numerous other trophies at top clubs in European football, and has a vast amount of experience of managing in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, he is currently available at the moment, and it may be an ideal opportunity for the Blues to take advantage of that.

Everton fans on Benitez manager update

These EFC supporters seemed split as they flocked to the manager update on Twitter:

“Rafa would be perfect for us for where we are now. The board members with the problems need to swallow some pride and realise there isn’t a lot of proven premiership quality out there and he is the best one for the job. He’s had time away from them lot and would surely relish it.”

Credit: @martinEroberts

“If Benitez is the best available manager then we should go for him and forget about whether he was an ex Red.”

Credit: @leemolton

“I’d honestly have him me. Just need the fans on side”

Credit: @bluetom_tom

“Rafa is nothing more than a Spanish Allardyce, who has been given money and or inherited a decent squad. Did you not watch his Newcastle teams who by the way Bruce has bettered.. I couldn’t think of a worse appointment”

Credit: @peter12002547

“I’m not willing to get behind this one.”

Credit: @KStaff1878

“Nooooooooooo he’s a Red”

Credit: @cjmarston

In other news, find out the latest Fabrizio Romano has given on Moise Kean here!

Gini Wijnaldum has completed his move from Liverpool to Paris St Germain, following an official confirmation on Thursday [Liverpool FC Official].

Spending five successful years on Merseyside, the Netherlands international made 237 appearances in front of the Kop faithful, registering 22 goals and 16 assists [Transfermarkt].

Within that timeframe, he helped the club win the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup [Transfermarkt], so it is no surprise to see quite an emotional reaction from fans after his departure was confirmed.

Initially expected to sign for Spanish giants Barcelona, he has now opted to move to Paris, penning a lucrative three year contract until the summer of 2024 [The Athletic].

Now seeking a replacement midfielder, the Reds have been linked with moves for Porto midfielder Fabio Vieira alongside Barcelona starlet Pedri.

In light of the announcement of the deal, loads of Liverpool diehards took to Twitter to voice their opinion on the matter.

Reds fans react:

Replying to Liverpool FC’s Official Twitter account, this is how some Liverpool fans summarized their thoughts on the news:

“Thank you Gini Wijnaldum for bringing out the best in Liverpool. I hope you do well in your new club.”

Credit: @EristiawanR”All the best Gini wijnaldum Legend”Credit: @KivurugeL’Thanks for the past 5 years Gini! And good luck with PSG!’Credit: @jimbo888″Done immense things for us but he said Barca was the dream move, or was it about money all along….?”Credit: @26McMahon”Sad that we let him go, especially when Klopp wanted to keep him but yeah… Let’s hope we get a good replacement in (Tielemens, Bissouma?) “Credit: @01mJulian”Thanks & good luck Gini. It was memorable.”Credit: @The_Paul_Winn”‘nobody can take our memories from us'”Credit: @Cousama_O3″Should have kept him, if he was at another club on a free we would all want him, stupid decision”Credit: @johnpeatIn other news, Liverpool fans flock to a Rafael Benitez update.

Pep Guardiola looks set to receive a huge boost at Manchester City in the coming weeks, with it reported that Fernandinho has agreed to a new contract at the Etihad.

According to Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail, the veteran midfielder has agreed to a new one-year contract with Guardiola’s side, which will see him play his ninth season with the Citizens in the 2021/22 campaign.

The 36-year-old was perhaps expected to play a bit-part role last season as Rodri emerges as his long-term successor, but he showed his worth in the final few months of the season and won back a starting role with his impressive performances in the Champions League, particularly in the 4-1 aggregate win against PSG.

In total, the Brazilian would make 21 appearances in the Premier League last season, for which he earned a solid 6.89 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which suggests that he still has what it takes to perform at the highest level.

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As club captain, the former Shakhtar Donetsk man will also be hugely influential in the dressing room and in training, so it makes a lot of sense to hand him a new one-year deal, as City prepare to defend their Premier League title next season and aim to go one step further in the Champions League after they fell short in the final against Chelsea.

Since joining the club in 2013, the midfielder has gone on to make 350 appearances for the Citizens, in which he has contributed 24 goals and 30 assists, so it would not be a surprise to see him recognised as a City legend when he does eventually depart.

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There was an understandable concern when the “incredible” Fernandinho wasn’t included on City’s retained list for next season due to his contract being set to expire, but it seems as if City fans will be able to see him for another season at least when they hopefully return to the Etihad in full force in August.

It seems the Brazilian powerhouse is set to put pen to paper at the Etihad Campus in due course and this will surely delight the fans when you consider how important he has been to City’s success in his time at the club.

And, in other news… Txiki should seal Man City swoop for “intelligent” beast after dazzling Euro display

Manchester United could be closing in on their first signing of the summer, as Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier seemingly nears a return to English football.

What’s the story?

According to a major update from Football Insider, the 30-year-old has told his international teammates that he is likely to sign for the Red Devils over the coming months and as such, he’s already begun house-hunting in the North West of England

Fans will be buzzing

United are believed to have made an opening bid of £10 million for the talented full-back, but Diego Simeone’s side value the former Tottenham Hotspur man closer to £30m.

Ole Gunnar Solkjaer has reportedly made Trippier one of his top targets ahead of the upcoming transfer window as he looks to provide cover and competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

The current United No.29 has impressed since making a big-money move to United two years ago, although his struggles in the final third have been well documented.

While he excels at his defensive duties, making the most blocks in the top-flight last season and the joint-fifth most tackles, the attacking aspect of his game comes less naturally to the 23-year-old.

Compared to his compatriot, Wan-Bissaka lags behind Trippier when it comes to several statistics, highlighting their contrasting output in the opposition’s half.

In 2020/21, the Atleti full-back completed 78.3% of his dribbles, whereas the United man achieved a success rate of 60.6%.

Trippier also outperformed Wan-Bissaka in terms of shot-creating actions per 90, forging 2.73 shooting opportunities compared to 1.68.

These figures are evidence of the added qualities that the England international will bring to Solskjaer’s side should he arrive this summer, and news of his potential addition will surely have the club’s supporters buzzing.

His delivery was once described as “outstanding” by current Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate, and it’s easy to understand why when delving into the stats.

Trippier put in 2.40 crosses per 90 last term, compared to Wan-Bissaka’s 1.68, and achieved an Expected Assists of 0.13 to the United right-back’s total of just 0.07.

While other positions should take preference for United this summer, if they can afford to bring in Trippier alongside the likes of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, then it’s certainly a deal worth making.

And, in other news…Man United handed huge transfer boost over “perfect” £77m beast, Ole will be buzzing 

Crystal Palace appear to be closing in on their new manager after several weeks of searching for Roy Hodgson’s successor.

Former Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre is reportedly close to accepting a contract offer from the capital club, meaning an exciting new chapter awaits the Eagles.

The 63-year-old tactician is known for playing an exciting style of football and should bring a wave of optimism and hope to Selhurst Park upon his arrival.

However, Favre will have a tough job on his hands in south London. A major overhaul of the first-team squad is needed, key man Wilfried Zaha is angling for a move away, and Eberechi Eze is sidelined until the new year with an injury.

To make matters worse, the effects of the ongoing pandemic means the retired Switzerland midfielder is likely to have a shoestring budget to work with this summer, should he accept the club’s terms.

With that in mind, if he does take the job, how could Favre’s starting XI look next season once the summer transfer window has concluded?

Here’s our prediction…

Goalkeeper Vicente Guaita has been one of the Eagles’ standout performers over the last couple of years and is expected to keep his place irrespective of who takes control over the coming months.

The full-back positions are also likely to be occupied by familiar faces, with highly-rated 21-year-old Tyrick Mitchell on the left and experienced campaigner Nathaniel Clyne on the opposite flank, although the former Liverpool man would need to be handed a new contract first.

It’s at centre-back where Favre would be required to make the most changes. Gary Cahill, Scott Dann and Mamadu Sakho are all set to depart when they become free agents at the end of the month.

As a result, at least two new centre-halves will be required at Palace. Nottingham Forest’s Joe Worrall has been linked with a £10 million move in recent weeks and we think Favre would be happy to see that deal go through.

He could be partnered with Chelsea youngster Marc Guehi after an impressive loan spell at Swansea City attracted the attention of several Premier League sides and is expected to cost in the region of £15m.

Another Blues academy graduate who could be on the move this summer is Conor Gallagher. A £15m price tag has been placed on the England Under-21 international’s head and he’d offer energy next to the experienced Luka Milivojevic.

In attack, Zaha’s sale could fund an audacious swoop for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey. The 30-year-old is reportedly available for a bargain price of £8.5m and getting Zaha’s salary off the books frees up cash to spend on the Welshman’s wages.

Ramsey could be partnered by free agent signing Josh King, Christian Benteke and January addition Jean Philippe Mateta in the final third as Favre looks to build a dynamic, well-rounded forward line in the same mould as the one he had at Dortmund.

And, in other news…Huge £220m update emerges from Crystal Palace, fans should be worried 

Romelu Lukaku has commented on a potential transfer to Manchester City this summer, during a Q&A on his Twitter account.

What’s the talk?

Inter forward Lukaku has reaffirmed his commitment to the Italian giants and snubbed a potential move to Manchester City at the same time. In a Q&A on his personal Twitter account, Lukaku responded to Trevor Sinclair asking him if he wanted to join City by saying “I am happy at Inter”.

Ahead of the summer transfer window, Calcio Mercato claimed that Manchester City and Barcelona are both interested in signing Lukaku from Inter. The Italian side, however, are desperate to keep their top goalscorer after winning the Serie A.

Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho hailed the phenomenal attacker as a player he fully trusts to do a job on the pitch. He told The Mirror:

“He is a guy you can trust, his attitude is phenomenal.”

Pep will be gutted

Txiki Begiristain has been dealt a blow with this news and Pep Guardiola will be gutted as it means that Lukaku will likely not be joining Man City this summer. Lukaku publicly rejecting the idea of signing for City will surely force Txiki to cross his name off of his list of transfer targets this summer, which is a shame as the Belgian international could have been a terrific addition. Irrespective of his United connections, Lukaku could have been a player that City fans would have loved at The Etihad.

Lukaku is a proven, top-quality, centre-forward. The 28-year-old scored an incredible 113 goals in 252 Premier League appearances, playing for West Brom, Everton and Manchester United in the Premier League. He then moved to Inter in 2019, where he has found the back of the net 64 times in 95 games in all competitions for the Italian giants. This shows that he is a consistent goalscorer who can provide goals at an excellent rate at the top level.

The £200k-per-week beast could, therefore, have been a brilliant signing for City to bolster their attacking options after the departure of Sergio Aguero on a free transfer. Guardiola would have had a reliable, trustworthy, centre-forward who he could count on to find the back of the net consistently, which is why his commitment to Inter will leave the City boss gutted this week.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Dias: Txiki must sanction MCFC swoop for “amazing” £63m-rated “leader”…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Leeds United midfielder David Norris suggested that Kalvin Phillips could spend the entirety of his career at Elland Road and if that did happen, Whites fans would certainly be delighted.

Speaking to FFC, Norris said:

“We’ve seen it with Kane, he’s stayed with Spurs, it’s his club and he’s a legend with the fans. But his is coming to the end now, if he wants to win something he must move on.

“With Kalvin, it’s still early days, Leeds are progressing, he’s still progressing, so it doesn’t feel like anything needs to be done drastically soon.

“Potentially, depending on how Leeds progress, he could stay there and become a one-club man, with the relationship he’s got. But for now, he doesn’t want to leave, they don’t need to sell.”

After an impressive debut season in the Premier League, and a superb European Championships with England thus far, Phillips has unsurprisingly attracted the interest of some major clubs across Europe.

The 25-year-old is a product of the academy at Elland Road and has made 211 appearances for the Yorkshire club in his career thus far, contributing 13 goals and 12 assists in that time.

Last season saw the midfielder make 29 appearances in the Premier League, managing one goal and two assists, averaging an impressive 7.01/10 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This was enough to rank him as the fifth-best performer in Bielsa’s squad, so it is clear how important he is to the Argentinian, who, like the majority of Leeds fans, would surely love for him to spend the entirety of his career at Elland Road.

He’s certainly won over BBC pundit Micah Richards during his time in the Premier League thus far, as he sang his praises after his impressive performance against Germany at Wembley recently, saying:

“He’s gone up another two or three levels and his performance against Germany was just sensational.

“When you watch him live in a stadium, you can see there is so much more, how good he is on the ball.

“Phillips is going to be an England player for a very long time.”

It would undoubtedly be a huge boost for Leeds if he were to spend the rest of his career with his boyhood club, as he could be the key to pushing Leeds onto even bigger and better things after their superb first season back in the top-flight. Fans will be buzzing if Norris’ claim comes true

And, in other news… Leeds could sign a huge Helder Costa upgrade in English wonderkid

A number of Liverpool fans are excited after a transfer story emerged regarding the Reds’ reported interest in Netherlands forward Donyell Malen.

Jurgen Klopp’s side battled their way to a third-place finish in the Premier League last season, but the team looked jaded at times during a tough campaign.

There is a feeling that some fresh blood is needed in the squad this summer, with defender Ibrahima Konate already arriving from RB Leipzig. Liverpool’s attack could be in need of a rejig, considering the struggles of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino last term.

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According to Voetbal International journalist Marco Timmer [via Sport Witness and LFC Transfer Room on Twitter], agent Mino Raiola is in talks with Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund about a move for Malen.

The 22-year-old Dutchman scored 19 goals in the Eredivisie last season and is seen as one of the most exciting young players in the Netherlands.

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Liverpool fan react positively to Malen links

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the possibility of Malen coming to Anfield, with many Kopites very much in favour.

“I would like this signing”

Credit: @ChrisHPE

“That magazine is very reliable so this is good news”

Credit: @ABxLFC

“Interesting. The adaptation between leagues might take time, especially as a squad player with limited time, but he’s definitely really talented”

Credit: @NotoriousJOS

“Liverpool please”

Credit: @agarwalkaus

“Jota, Malen and Elliott as our backup front three omds what an upgrade”

Credit: @itskebaboclock

“@LFC SIGN HIM”

Credit: @sanomistan

In other news, Liverpool’s interest in a former transfer target has reportedly returned. Find out who it is here.