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Leeds United employee Noel Whelan has dropped a worrying injury claim on Patrick Bamford’s involvement for the final two games of the season, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Marsch coy on Bamford’s condition

Bamford hasn’t been seen for Leeds since March when he ruptured his foot against Wolves. Jesse Marsch was ‘optimistic’ last month that the 28-year-old would return for the final two games of the season, however, he kept his cards close to his chest regarding the striker on Friday.

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Talking at his pre-Brighton press conference, Marsch told reporters at Thorp Arch that Bamford is still being ‘assessed’ and wouldn’t say if he is in contention to feature this afternoon.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Talking to FI after hearing that update on Bamford, Whelan admitted he’d be ‘surprised’ if the Leeds man featured in the final two games of the season, and added that the ‘protection of players and their health is paramount’.

“I would be very surprised if I saw him again this season, I really would.

“As much as we need him back, he’s not played a game yet. He’s not played any kind of real 90 minutes of a game, fitness-wise. We need him for next year, whether it’s Premier League or Championship football.

“We need a healthy Patrick Bamford. Unless he’s 100 per cent sure that he can do it and he can offer something and there’s no recurrence or feeling of any injury he’s gone through, I wouldn’t be risking him.

“I’m sorry. I want to stay in the Premier League, I want us to score goals and winning football matches.

“But protection of players and their health is paramount. I just believe that he won’t be match sharp. Rodrigo and Gelhardt, they’ve got to take the responsibility on their shoulders and going show their worth.”

The Verdict: Place on the bench?

Leeds can name an 18-man squad this afternoon and are short on attacking options with Dan James the latest player to be ruled out for the season after his red card against Chelsea.

Therefore, having Bamford back on the bench could be a major psychological boost, and there is definitely a place for him even if he isn’t as ready as Marsch hoped, considering 16-year-old Archie Gray was in the 18-man squad last time out.

Marsch included Bamford on the bench for his first fixture in charge against Leicester but didn’t bring him on, so it wouldn’t come as a shock if he did the same this afternoon in a crucial final home game.

In other news: Leeds want powerful 12-goal striker who is ‘ideal’ for the Championship

Celtic will tie up a deal for Jota ‘as soon as possible’, BBC pundit Alan Hutton has told Football Insider. 

The lowdown

Jota, who’s owned by Primeira Liga outfit Benfica, is coming to the end of his season-long loan spell at Celtic.

The Hoops, who clinched the Scottish Premiership title in midweek, conclude their campaign at home to Motherwell on Saturday.

But the 23-year-old could yet join long term, with Ange Postecoglou’s side able to trigger a £6.7million purchase option under the terms of the agreement.

Celtic also have a decision to make over Cameron Carter-Vickers, whose parent club is Tottenham Hotspur. He would cost an initial £6million, potentially rising to £10million.

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The latest

Hutton, a commentator for BBC Sport, says Jota can continue build on an ‘incredible’ first season at Parkhead.

He tells FI that Jota is a favourite among the Hoops faithful and that he has stood up to the pressure admirably.

“Jota’s only 23-years-old, he’s still developing. He’s probably only going to get better, I think he can get better.

“What he’s done this season has been incredible, for him to come from his parent club, where he’s not really been playing.

“Benfica are a big club in their own right but to come to another club where there’s a lot of pressure, to perform at such a young age, he’s stood up to that task.

“Jota’s that player fans want to see. He’s exciting, he takes people on, he makes things happen, he scores goals and ticks all the boxes.”

Hutton expects Celtic to activate their option to buy swiftly to avoid any uncertainty.

“So for £6.7million, I would expect them to do that as soon as possible. That means he is settled as a player and all the Celtic fans are happy. He can then just concentrate solely on his football moving forward.”

The verdict

It should be stressed that £6.7million isn’t small change for Celtic. That outlay would make Jota the eighth-biggest signing in the club’s history.

But significantly, the club are due to reap the financial rewards of qualifying for the Champions League group stage for winning the SPFL. In the circumstances, then, it’s a no-brainer for the club.

Jota leads the way in the Celtic squad for overall goal involvements (24, four clear of Liel Abada), assists (12, three clear of Tom Rogic) and is second only to Kyogo Furuhashi (15) for goals (12).

Pundit Marvin Batley has billed him as a striker’s ‘dream’, while Postecogolou has dubbed him ‘unbelievable’.

If no option to buy had been agreed last summer, then Benfica would surely have been demanding more than £6.7million off the back of a season like this.

In other news, a Celtic transfer target has emerged.

Liverpool will have to make special plans for how to deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Daniel Podence this afternoon as he could spoil the party and ruin their chances of clinching the Premier League title on the final day.

The Reds are a point behind leaders Manchester City and need them to drop points if they are to have any chance at lifting the trophy. But they need to focus on what’s in their control, and that’s making sure they claim victory themselves.

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What’s the news?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference Wolves manager Bruno Lage confirmed that Podence would be returning to the squad. The Portuguese player has been sidelined since the beginning of last month with a foot injury and has missed 5 games.

He returns for the final fixture despite his team having little to play for. The Old Gold’s failure to beat already-relegated Norwich City last weekend means that it’s now not possible for them to finish in a European place.

However, they will want to finish as high as possible and could be overtaken by Leicester City and Brighton and Hove Albion if they’re not careful.

Klopp won’t like it

Podence could be key to ensuring Wolves finish in seventh place. He moved to the West Midlands in January 2020 for £16.6m and has been a key player for the club.

He is an exceptional goal creator and when you compare him to others in the Premier League who play in the same position it shows. He ranks in the top 10% this season for key passes and the top 5% for passes into the penalty area.

Liverpool might have a really strong defence but Jurgen Klopp will have been hoping that he was still unfit as it would have made Wolves a lot easier to deal with. As a result, this piece of news surely serves as great news for the Reds’ title rivals in Manchester City.

It’s not just his ability to create chances that is impressive, he also has plenty of opportunities to score himself, having the highest average number of shots on target per 90 minutes in the whole team at 0.91.

Despite this, in front of a packed crowd at Anfield, we would be surprised if Liverpool failed to win, but they will be in for a much tougher challenge now.

IN other news: Fabrizio Romano drops “crazy” Liverpool transfer update that supporters will love…

West Bromwich Albion secured their first signing of the upcoming summer transfer window on Thursday as they announced the capture of John Swift from Reading.

Now that they have one deal confirmed for the summer, the Midlands club and Steve Bruce can move on to other areas of the squad that they feel may need strengthening.

Looking at the defence, despite making 39 appearances in the Championship this season, Kyle Bartley is currently the oldest centre-back in West Brom’s squad.

With the 31-year-old’s current contract at The Hawthorns set to expire in the summer of 2023, the Baggies could well look to sign a long-term replacement for the Englishman this summer.

One figure with whom West Brom have been linked recently and who could fit this bill is Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Having spent the 2021/22 season out on loan from Tottenham Hotspur again, this time securing the Scottish Premiership title with Celtic, the centre-back showed how formidable a defensive unit he can be.

With 43 interceptions and 22 tackles to his name in the Scottish top flight, the American ended the season with the highest average of clearances per game (4.2) in Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

Bartley 2.0

Taking into account how Bartley ended the campaign with the highest average for clearances per game (four) in West Brom’s squad, this highlight how similar the defensive duo are in that regard.

Described by Celtic full-back Greg Taylor as a player who has “got all the tools”, as well as being called a “huge” part of why the Hoops were so successful this season, Carter-Vickers reportedly has a price tag of £6m.

His overall league performances for Celtic earned him a season rating of 7.36/10 from WhoScored, which would have made him by far the highest-rated player at The Hawthorns by the same metric.

Even though Celtic are reportedly and rather unsurprisingly looking to turn Carter-Vickers’ loan deal into a permanent move, the Baggies should definitely jump in and try and convince the defender to make a return to England and help to take West Brom back to the Premier League.

If the Midlands club are able to bring the 24-year-old to The Hawthorns, he could well go on to become an ideal long-term replacement for Bartley given his clear defensive talents.

In other news: Bruce can save WBA millions by unleashing “explosive” prodigy, just imagine him & Dike

West Ham United are believed to be interested in a move for Bologna defender Arthur Theate, according to reports in Italy.

What’s the word?

As per Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sports Witness), the Hammers have been handed a boost in their pursuit of the centre-back, as the 22-year-old ‘could be sacrificed’ by the Serie A outfit if manager Sinisa Mihajlovic opts for a change in formation next term.

The Belgium international only joined his current side, initially on loan, from Oostende last summer, although could well be moved on in the upcoming window, with the Hammers, who like the player, potentially set to be able to secure his services for roughly €10m (£8.5m), as per the report.

This follows previous speculation that the Premier League side had been offered the chance to sign the two-cap gem, as David Moyes seeks to bolster his defensive ranks ahead of next term.

Bye-Bye Diop

With rumours abound that the east London outfit are also closing in on the signing of Rennes centre-back Nayef Aguerd, it would suggest that the centre of defence has become something of a priority for GSB, with the club in need of both depth and quality.

That fact has been heightened by the concerning fall from grace for 25-year-old Issa Diop, the once-promising Frenchman having been restricted to just ten league starts in the most recent campaign, while he only made 15 top-flight starts the season before.

Once dubbed a “monster” by former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, the £61k-per-week brute has endured a sad slump of late, having simply slid down the pecking order under Moyes behind the likes of Craig Dawson and Kurt Zouma.

When he has featured, however, the former Toulouse man – who joined the Irons on a then club-record £22m deal in 2018 – has largely failed to take his chance, averaging just a 6.69 average match rating in the league in the 2021/22 season – the 17th-lowest record among the West Ham squad.

Equally, in comparison to his fellow centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues he also fares poorly, notably ranking in just the top 78% for tackles made, the top 74% for aerials won, as well as only the top 90% for progressive passes, illustrating his struggles both in and out of possession.

By contrast, Theate compares far more favourably to his continental peers, ranking in the top 14% for pressures made and the top 15% for interceptions, while with the ball at his feet he has all shone, ranking in the top 6% for dribbles completed and the top 15% for progressive carries.

The “old school” defender – as he has been dubbed by Italian football Conor Clancy – has that unique ability to provide a rock-solid defensive presence as well as being comfortable in playing out from the back, a quality that only further enhances the bargain nature of his rumoured transfer fee.

There may be concerns as to why his current side are potentially so willing to cash in, although on the evidence of the past year or so it would be no major risk were GSB to strike a deal, with Theate seemingly a player who is only set to progress even further.

As for that man Diop, it would appear that his race is run in English football, with the player – who was once reportedly the subject of a £45m bid from the Red Devils – now valued at just £10.8m, a stark illustration of his decline.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Wolverhampton Wanderers are set for a busy summer transfer window according to Bruno Lage, and they may have now identified their first singing before the window has even opened.

What’s the latest?

Portuguese news outlet JN has reported that Wolves will join the race for and reignite their interest to sign Porto midfielder Sergio Oliveira.

As per the report, the Midlands club are interested in offering Oliveira a fresh start in England after Roma, where he had been on loan this season, did not trigger the £11m release clause to secure his signing ahead of the summer transfer window.

Lage’s Neves heir

There have been numerous reports linking Ruben Neves with a move away from Molineux this summer, with Barcelona and Manchester United reportedly expressing an interest in the midfielder, so Oliveira could be the perfect heir to his compatriot in the Black Country.

The 30-year-old, who was dubbed “important” and a “champion” by Roma manager Jose Mourinho, has been a solid and dependable performer for the Serie A club this season.

In the most recent Serie A campaign, Oliveira scored two goals, delivered one assist and created two big chances, along with making 1.1 key passes, 1.9 tackles and 27.3 accurate passes per game, He was successful in the majority of his dribbles (53%) and completed the majority of his duels (58%) in 14 league appearances.

It’s safe to say that his loan spell has been successful at Roma, playing all but one game in the Europa Conference League knockout rounds and even scoring the winning goal in their first game in the tournament against Vitesse. The Giallorossi went on to win the competition, claiming their first European trophy in over 60 years.

Replacing Neves would be no easy task if the 25-year-old were to leave the Black Country this summer, so Lage will need to identify potential replacements who can fit into the team, offering consistent performances in midfield and making an instant impact next season.

With that in mind, the signing of Oliveira would be a major coup for Wolves, as he is experienced at a high level and could make an instant impact in the team following his success with Mourinho’s Roma.

AND in other news – Forget Gibbs-White: Wolves may already have their Neves heir in gem who “makes things happen”

West Ham are seemingly set to raid Rennes again this summer, with Adrien Truffert reportedly on David Moyes’ list as he targets a new left-back at the London Stadium.

What’s the word?

According to French news outlet L’Equipe, West Ham, Everton and Leicester City have all enquired with Rennes about signing the 20-year-old, who looks set to follow in the footsteps of Eduardo Camavinga and Jeremy Doku as the next wonderkid at the Ligue 1 side.

The Hammers already look set to sign Fayef Aguerd from the French side this summer and could well return again to sign Truffert, after his impressive performances saw him nail down a first-team spot at Roazhon Park last season.

West Ham’s Cresswell heir?

West Ham will undoubtedly be in the market for a left-back this summer, as David Moyes was regularly forced to deploy Ben Johnson or Vladimir Coufal there last season whenever Aaron Cresswell was unavailable.

While the former Ipswich man has been a superb player for the Hammers since signing in 2014, making 293 appearances in all competitions, he will turn 33 next season and Moyes should now look for a long-term replacement.

The Englishman also showed his vulnerabilities defensively in important moments last season, receiving avoidable red cards in Europa League knockout games against Lyon and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Like Cresswell, Truffert likes to get forward, contributing three goals and two assists in 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season, which suggests that he could be a natural heir for the West Ham man.

Former Rennes coach Julien Stephan was full of praise for Truffert in 2020, saying:

“He’s a young player who I know very well. He has huge potential and a very good left foot.

“He’s very intelligent, has the right mentality and the versatility to play in different positions. He has all the qualities needed to keep progressing and to break through in the near future.”

Therefore, if West Ham do complete a deal for the £10.8m-rated talent this summer, it seems clear that he would be a natural long-term heir to Cresswell in Moyes’ side.

And, in other news… Contact made: Moyes now in WHU talks to sign “special” £15m “talent”, he’s Bowen 2.0

Former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor has reacted to reports linking Leeds United with a move for Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

Signed from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020 after the Reds met a £7.25m release clause (Sky Sports), Minamino arrived in England with a growing reputation as a talented creator, having impressed under current Whites boss Jesse Marsch in the Champions League.

However, things didn’t quite go to plan on Merseyside for the Japan international, who was sent out on loan to Southampton for the second half of the 2020/21 campaign.

After another season of predominantly taking a watching brief at Anfield, Minamino could now be on the move amidst interest from Wolves, AS Monaco, Southampton, Fulham and indeed Leeds.

The latest: Agbonlahor has his say

Speaking to Football Insider, regular talkSPORT pundit Agbonlahor suggested that the Whites would almost certainly benefit from the capture of the 41-cap winger.

The former Aston Villa striker said: “When I watched him at Salzburg when he played that one game against Liverpool he looked really good. Liverpool just bought him after that one game. At Liverpool, he’s not really kicked on, but maybe the pressure of Liverpool, we’ve seen it with the likes of [Christian] Benteke, can get to players.

“If he went somewhere like Leeds you would see more out of him. If Jesse Marsch knows him well then it could work. It will be interesting. We know how hard it is to get players so if they know they can get one they might go for it.”

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The verdict: Could be ideal for Leeds

Seemingly destined for a fresh start this summer, reuniting Minamino with Marsch would likely be a superb move for all parties as Victor Orta attempts to bolster the Elland Road squad and the Japanese forward looks to rekindle a stalling career.

Hailed for an ‘amazing’ goalscoring performance against Southampton in the latter part of an exhausting 2021/22 season by Liverpool team-mate Joel Matip, the decorated 27-year-old has also had his praises sung highly by Jurgen Klopp during what has been a stop-start spell at Anfield.

Last season, Minamino directly contributed to 11 goals in 24 outings across all competitions, operating across the entire frontline and also an attacking midfield role. He would duly offer unrivalled versatility in the attacking department, and that would be a huge positive for Marsch’s options in attack, which have been quite sparse at times in recent months.

In other news: Leeds handed blow as Ligue 1 club lead the race for ‘clinical’ star, read more here

Former Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton has been reacting to the club’s interest in Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Villa linked with Oxlade-Chamberlain

Villa have already made four summer signings and appear to be closing in on a fifth in Rangers forward Rory Wilson. However, Steven Gerrard isn’t planning on stopping there and has reportedly made Oxlade-Chamberlain a ‘top priority’ for the remainder of the summer.

Liverpool are reportedly willing to cash in on the 28-year-old as he enters the final 12 months of his Anfield contract and could be available for around £11m.

The Latest: Hutton’s comments on Oxlade-Chamberlain

Hutton, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Villa’s interest in the Anfield ace.

The Scot believes that Villa’s current midfielders will be ‘worried’ at the possibility of ‘someone with the quality of Oxlade-Chamberlain’ coming in.

Hutton said:

“They’re well-stocked in that area.

“Oxlade-Chamberlain will have to prove himself. But Steven Gerrard has got the best out of the likes of Philippe Coutinho before when he’s been out of form, and this is a similar situation.

“You’d be worried if you’re a midfielder at Villa right now. I’m just saying how I would feel if I was in that position and someone with the quality of Oxlade-Chamberlain came in.

“They’ve got to embrace it and see it as an opportunity to show what you’re worth.

“It’s competition for places, and you need that if you’re going to be going for those European spots. That’s where Aston Villa see themselves.”

The Verdict: Shrewd signing?

Oxlade-Chamberlain has played in 10 different positions throughout his career, with the majority of his appearances coming as a central midfielder or on the right. [Transfermarkt]

He would therefore add plenty of versatility to Gerrard’s midfield ranks, with the Villa boss tinkering with narrow and wide formations last season.

An £11m move for Oxlade-Chamberlain could also be deemed a cut-price one due to his £14.4m Transfermarkt valuation, so this could be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

In other news: Villa and Gerrard now want ‘unbelievable’ ace on free transfer alongside Suarez. 

Leeds United have allegedly made ‘direct contact’ with Red Bull Salzburg over a possible move for Mo Camara and he’s even been hinting at a move on Instagram.

The Lowdown: Camara profiled

The Mali international is primarily a holding midfielder who can also play in a box-to-box role. The 22-year-old is valued at a career-high £24.3m by Transfermarkt and has made 76 appearances for Salzburg, 42 of which came under Jesse Marsch.

He has played more under Marsch than any other manager, and it looks as if a reunion between the two at Elland Road is now a possibility.

The Latest: Contact made

LUFCFANZONE took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to share a conversation that they had with Camara’s agent.

They stated that Leeds have once again been in ‘direct contact’ with Salzburg, this time over a potential move for the Malian. An offer is yet to be made, but the player’s agent hopes ‘to have an answer very soon’.

Camara has added fuel to the fire over an Elland Road move by replying to a Leeds supporter on Instagram. Responding to a fan who urged him to move to Yorkshire, he posted blue, yellow and white heart emojis.

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The Verdict: Phillips replacement?

It looks as if Camara is on Leeds’ radar to potentially replace Kalvin Phillips, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City.

The Whites may end up receiving a large fee for the England international, which could then be put towards a move for Camara. It looks as if the Malian is keen on a move with his response to a Leeds fan on social media, and he could be the perfect replacement due to his age, versatility and experience of working under Marsch already.

RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams appears to be another potential target to come in for Phillips, but you’d expect that it would be one or the other with Camara and not both.