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Liverpool have been boosted in their efforts to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer, with a report claiming the "doors are opening" for the move to take place.

Is Romeo Lavia a transfer target for Liverpool?

The Belgian saw his stock rise significantly last season, having joined Saints from Manchester City and made an immediate impression at the base of his side's midfield. While the south coast outfit ended up being relegated from the Premier League, finishing bottom of the table, he came away with his reputation enhanced, let alone in-tact.

A summer exit from St Mary's is now almost certainly on the cards for Lavia and he is reportedly wanted by some of the biggest teams in the country, including Arsenal and Chelsea. It is Liverpool who have emerged as arguably the favourites to sign him, however, with the Reds seeing him as a great option to bolster their midfield, especially with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson heading off to pastures new.

The 19-year-old is still at the Southampton for the time being, but it seems increasingly clear that the Merseysiders are working hard to get a deal over the line sooner rather than later. Now, a fresh update has emerged that sheds further light on the situation, as Liverpool look to complete some exciting transfer business.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

According to Belgian newspaper La Derniere Huere [via Sport Witness], the "doors are opening" with regard to Lavia's move to Liverpool coming to fruition in the near future. The player himself is believed to be "on alert", as he waits for a significant update from his agent.

He is described as a "priority" target by the Reds, while a move to London is mentioned as being less likely at this point, suggesting Arsenal and Chelsea and lagging behind in the race to sign the Saints starlet.

Liverpool have the luxury of "time and patience" being on their side, according to the report, with plenty of the transfer window remaining and Southampton knowing they will likely have to offload key talent at some point this summer.

With each passing week, the more it looks as though Lavia is destined to head to Anfield before the 2023/24 season gets started, in what would be an eye-catching and long-term piece of business.

The teenager's ceiling looks extremely high, considering he has already stood out as a star man for a Premier League team, while City manager Pep Guardiola has said the following about him as a player:

"Really impressed with what Romeo is doing, we had and have an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him but we thought maybe he doesn’t get enough minutes like he’ll get in Southampton."

Lavia could help fill the void left in the No.6 by Fabinho, and Henderson to a lesser extent, but it is also important that another new arrival in that position also comes in, in order to ease the burden on him. Expecting a 19-year-old to boss Liverpool's midfield from the off is asking too much, and it is vital that he is given time to settle instead.

Liverpool's interest in Southampton ace Romeo Lavia has hardly been inconspicuous this summer, and the precocious defensive midfielder remains firmly at the forefront of Jurgen Klopp's transfer consideration.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

That's according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who has taken to Twitter to state that Liverpool are "still in contact" with the Belgian's agents, though Premier League rivals Chelsea are also keeping an eye on the situation.

This is corroborated by Football Insider, who have also recently stated that the Reds are confident of warding off competition for Lavia's signature and hope to reach an agreement by the end of the month.

The 19-year-old anchor was Southampton's shining light in a dismal campaign that ended in relegation from the top-flight, and due to the calibre of his performances, the Saints hierarchy believes that their starlet is worth £50m, though Liverpool are reluctant to venture past the £40m mark.

What position is Romeo Lavia?

A product of the long time of superlative talent stemming from Manchester City's esteemed youth academy, Lavia signed for the south coast club one year ago in a deal that could rise to £14m.

While Southampton did suffer the plummet into the second tier, Lavia was exceptional throughout a tough term and belied his tender age and inexperience at the heart of his outfit, earning praise as an "absolute monster" from reporter Benjy Nurick for one particular performance.

As per Sofascore, the one-cap international recorded an average rating of 6.8 in the Premier League, notably completing 88% of his passes and averaging 2.1 tackles per game as he held the shoddy Saints system together.

The ace also ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks per 90, as per FBref, which illustrates his aptitude as a defensive whiz in the centre.

A recent report from The Analyst also displayed his prowess in ball retention, with only 15 midfielders who played over 800 minutes in the English top-flight last term winning possession more than he did per 90 (7.5), with the report also offering a graphic illustrating the ubiquitous, all-encompassing nature of his ball-winning skills.

He could be the perfect replacement for Reds captain Jordan Henderson, who has all but completed an initial £12m transfer to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ettifaq after receiving a lucrative offer.

While Henderson plies his trade slightly further up the pitch, he has been described as the heartbeat and energy of Liverpool's midfield over the past several years, paramount to the illustrious success under Klopp's tutelage.

He can also feature competently as a defensive midfielder, which would have most likely been a role he assumed over the next year had he decided to remain on Merseyside, with Fabinho also attracting interest from Saudi side Al Ittihad, who are hoping to sign the Brazilian star for £40m.

Previously called "exquisite" by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell, Lavia has been the centrepiece of Southampton's midfield at a tumultuous time and there is every possibility that he could transcend his own exploits with a move to Anfield, growing into one of the most destructive forces in the game.

Jose Cifuentes remains a target of Scottish side Rangers, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Ecuadorian has spent the last four seasons in the MLS but now looks set to depart the United States in search of European football.

Who is Jose Cifuentes?

Cifuentes is one of the MLS' most highly sought-after players.

The defensive midfielder joined the LA club in January 2020 for €2.73m(£2.3m) from CD Universidad Católica, and in his three years in America has made 121 appearances, scoring 15 and assisting 20 whilst helping the club win their first-ever MLS Cup as well as the Supporters Shield in the same season.

The Ecuadorian really caught the eye during the U20 World Cup in 2019, with South American football expert Tim Vickery full of praise for the player at the time, stating: "He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder. He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while."

The midfielder has reportedly been a target of both Celtic and Rangers for a number of years now, with the Bhoys interest dating back to 2019 following the U20 World Cup, however, it seems like Rangers may be the side to secure the 24-year-old's signature following a breakthrough in talks according to a report from FootballInsider.

Reports state that Cifuentes could be one of two new additions in the coming days for the Gers, with Feyenoord striker Danilo potentially becoming the third striking addition this window after the club submitted an improved £5.2m bid for the Brazilian forward

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Italian journalist Romano revealed that talks were progressing, with just a few issues to sort out before the transfer can be considered complete: "For Cifuentes they're negotiating for a long time. So there are still talks ongoing. Also, some crucial parts of the deal for the player side need to be wrapped, but this remains a very concrete possibility.”

Who could Jose Cifuentes be replacing?

There are two main candidates who could leave the club should Cifuentes join this summer.

Finnish midfielder Glen Kamara has fallen out of favour at Ibrox following the arrival of Michael Beale last season, leading to the manager declaring that the player "could be sold" this summer, with a report stating that recently relegated Leeds United could make a move for the 27-year-old for around £5m. Kamara has been pushing for a move this summer, with reports from Turkey suggesting that the Finland international had handed in a transfer request in order to push through a move away from the club just one year on from the defeat in the Europa League final.

Another player who could leave the club is Scott Wright. The winger reportedly was the subject of a concrete offer from former manager Steven Gerrard at his new club Al Ettifaq, however, he is now closing in on a move to Super Lig side Pendikspor, following in the footsteps of teammate Ryan Kent in heading to the Turkish league. Beale also seemed to confirm this move in the same interview when he confirmed that the club were closing in on signing Cifuentes, saying that Wright would be "limited for game time".

Cifuentes would be a fantastic purchase for the Gers, and would help the club close the gap on Celtic for next season.

Newcastle United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Axel Disasi, with Football Transfers reporting that the defender is happy to join up with the Toon and has agreed personal terms.

Who is Axel Disasi?

The 25-year-old has been a regular first-team member for current club AS Monaco ever since his switch to the side three seasons ago. His game time has grown year on year for the Ligue 1 outfit, with the defender managing just 22.3 lots of 90 minutes when he first arrived at the side in the league. In the 2022/23 campaign though, that had increased to 37 – showing just how crucial he has become for their backline and how reliable he has been as an option for them in defence.

The Frenchman, who has also played for Monaco during their run in the Europa League, began his career with Paris FC in his teen years. He was then given the chance to shine for Reims and after helping them to seal a promotion into Ligue 1 from the second tier, he then went on to truly showcase his talent in the 2019/20 season for the side. Despite it being his first year of regular action in that first-team environment, it was enough to convince Monaco to snap him up.

Are Newcastle United signing Axel Disasi?

Disasi has since proven he can cut it with the big boys in his position in the top division. The 25-year-old, who stands at a giant 6ft 2in tall, ranked tenth for blocks in the entire league in 2022/23 for example with 51 in total and ranked second in Ligue 1 for his successful take-on percentage of 72.4%. When you consider his position on the field, it makes that stat seem even more impressive from the defender.

Now, his ability has led to interest from afar. Having never left France over the course of his career yet, it appears that Newcastle are ready to bring him to England.

The Toon have been linked with a transfer and it now appears as though a move is gathering pace. That's because according to a report from Football Transfers, the player is happy to move to the Premier League side if a deal can be agreed between the clubs.

It states that Disasi and Newcastle have reached an agreement on personal terms – based on the understanding fro ST James' Park that he would receive plenty of game time, and it now appears as though it could just come down to ironing out a fee for the defender.

If Newcastle did land Disasi, labelled as a “complete” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, it would be another tool in their arsenal to help them compete on all fronts next season. With the side wanting to compete in Europe, having bagged Champions League football, adding a player like Disasi who has that kind of experience would be hugely beneficial to the side.

He has played at the highest level and has can even provide an option at right-back if needed – showing that he certainly could slot into the Toon backline.

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has hinted at another Arsenal midfield signing after Declan Rice, if Thomas Partey leave the club this summer.

Who are Arsenal signing?

Mikel Arteta's side have enjoyed a very fruitful transfer window thus far, coming after a 22/23 Premier League season which didn't quite bare fruit.

Arsenal did qualify for the Champions League but couldn't beat eventual treble-winners Man City to the title, with Pep Guardiola's side enjoying an imperious run of form towards the back end.

In response, the Gunners have taken to the summer by storm, first signing Germany international Kai Havertz in a £65 million deal from Chelsea.

The forward adds both quality and versatility to Arteta's forward line, as explained by the manager himself in a recent interview.

“Kai is a player of top quality," said Arteta.

“We welcome Kai and his family to Arsenal Football Club and we are all excited to start working with him when we start pre-season training soon.”

Perhaps most importantly, the north Londoners have also reached an agreement to sign West Ham United star Declan Rice after weeks of negotiations. His £105 million signing will boost Arteta to no end, with Ajax defender Jurrien Timber following him to the Emirates Stadium as well.

With three major signings through the door, Arsenal could make further additions for Arteta, as links surround Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia and Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong.

Renowed transfer journalist Romano, speaking to CaughtOffside, has hinted at the possibility of another midfield signing after Rice – but it depends on whether they can find a suitor for Partey.

The reporter claims exits are of top priority at Arsenal right now, as they must balance the books after a plethora of big transfers. However, the possibility of another player coming through the door is very much there.

"They’ve done great work with Timber, Rice and Havertz, but now the focus will be on finding a solution for some players who are not crucial in the project, especially Nicolas Pepe," said Romano.

"Let’s see also what happens with Thomas Partey; in case he leaves, another new midfielder could join."

Who else could join Arsenal?

As previously mentioned, the likes of Lavia and Frimpong are reported targets, but we believe they're best placed making a move for the former.

The 19-year-old stood out as one of Southampton's best players last season, and despite their relegation, Lavia was praised for his contribution at St. Mary's Stadium.

Journalist Sam Tighe, writing on Twitter, said Arsenal supporters should be excited by the prospect of Lavia joining – calling him a "shining star" on the south coast.

"I watched every game Roméo Lavia played last season and he was absolutely incredible," said Tighe.

"A shining star despite playing in terrible circumstances most of the time. Arsenal reportedly advancing on a deal…one to be very excited about."

The Belgium international has also been called a "sensational midfielder" by other members of the press, making him an enticing proposition for Arsenal.

Manchester United are in the market to find their next superstar to take on the number nine role at Old Trafford and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target who could be perfect for the role.

Will Randal Kolo Muani sign for Man United?

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are continuing talks to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani this summer.

As per the report, Erik ten Hag is keen to have a new striker in place before his squad returns for pre-season training and the Red Devils are continuing to hold discussions for their main centre-forward targets with Kolo Muani named alongside Rasmus Hojlund.

Is Kolo Muani a good prospect for Man United?

There is no doubt that the signing of a striker will be the top priority for Ten Hag in his pursuit to rebuild the squad and lead the club back to dominance in both domestic football and on the European stage.

The Red Devils failed to replace Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese superstar made a shock departure just a few months into last season and instead secured a six-month loan for Wout Weghorst which spectacularly failed with the Dutchman only finding the back of the net twice during his short spell.

As a result, the signing of Kolo Muani would be a major coup for Ten Hag if he can secure a deal for the talented titan this summer and could spark a dangerous goal-threatening partnership between the Frankfurt ace and Marcus Rashford next season.

Over 46 appearances last term, the 24-year-old France international scored 23 goals and delivered 17 assists in all competitions, with a goal contribution every 91 minutes, an output that would be incredibly valuable to Ten Hag.

In fact, no Man United player was able to match Kolo Muani's impressive output in front of goal with Rashford the only player coming close to his numbers with 39 goal contributions in all competitions last season.

Therefore, combining the England international's goal threat with Kolo Muani's could set the team's attack up as a devastating force for years to come.

The talented 6 foot 1 goal machine – who has a reported €90m (£77m) price tag – has been the recipient of high praise for his standout performances in the Bundesliga, with former Bayern Munich ace and Sky Sport pundit Lothar Matthäus claiming:

"Kolo Muani is a major asset for the Bundesliga. He has remarkable technical ability, he's ice-cold in front of goal and he really throws himself into challenges.

"The most impressive thing is that he's performing in every game. I can't remember a match where he's played badly. That's the mark of a future superstar."

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Ten Hag to snap up the services of Kolo Muani this summer.

Indeed, combining his strengths with the prowess of Rashford next season could prove to make Man United unstoppable against their opponents in the Premier League and on the biggest stage of all; the Champions League.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is now targeting Celtic defender and former Lilywhite Cameron Carter-Vickers, according to a recent report.

Who are Tottenham linked with?

Tottenham's search for a new centre-back is well underway, with a number of potential options having been identified, including Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, who has "decided" to leave Craven Cottage this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Spurs are on the verge of completing a move for Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, with a £25m offer on the table, and the hope is their activity in the transfer market will convince talisman Harry Kane to remain at the club long-tern.

Clement Lenglet spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan in north London, and the Lilywhites are keen to secure the France international on a permanent deal, having recently tabled an offer of €5m (£4.3m) to Barcelona.

With Postecoglou looking to make his mark at N17, Tottenham have also identified Carter-Vickers as a potential target, as reported in the print edition of the Sunday People (via The Scottish Sun).

The 25-year-old centre-back is part of a "posse" of Celtic players that Postecoglou wants to bring with him to north London, with the manager also keen on reunions with Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate.

The Scottish Sun claim Celtic could be made to brace for three bids, with Furuhashi potentially being available in a deal worth between £25m – £30m, although there will be competition for his signature from Burnley.

Will Tottenham sign Cameron Carter-Vickers?

On the face of it, a move for the defender would be a little strange, given that he failed to break into the first team during his previous stint with Spurs, making just five first-team appearances before being sold to Celtic last summer.

That said, the USA international has improved considerably since being given a consistent run in the Celtic starting XI, and transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey lauded him as "outstanding" for his performance against Iran at the World Cup.

The Southend-born defender made 29 appearances for the Hoops in the Scottish Premiership last term, averaging 1.1 interceptions per game, the second-highest figure in the squad, as well as a 91.6% pass-success rate.

However, even though the centre-back has looked very solid in the Scottish Premiership, it is a far weaker division than the Premier League, and we feel Postecoglou would be better off targeting other players who have more experience at the top level, despite the obvious connection to Carter-Vickers.

The head of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau has claimed that fans will have a say in whether or not current Nigeria head coach Jose Peseiro will stay in charge.

Why will fans have a say in the next Nigeria manager?

The former Porto and Sporting Lisbon manager took over back in May 2022, and it was claimed then that he would have a potentially hard time winning over supporters.

Indeed, BBC Sports writer Oluwashina Okeleji noted: "Peseiro will need to surpass his predecessor's achievement to win over demanding fans in Nigeria."

This was because the country's last foreign boss, Gernot Rohr, departed as the Super Eagles' longest-serving manager after taking charge in 2016 and leading Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup and a third-place finish at the 2019 Nations Cup.

Well, Peseiro has managed to secure qualification for next year's Africa Cup of Nations but they didn't manage to make it to the 2022 World Cup. What's more, with four wins and fives losses since, he has been criticised by local media and fans for what some "poor team selections and colourless performances".

That is according to Okeleji again, who once more is reporting for BBC Sport. This new article then quotes the NFF head who explains why fans will have a say in the coach's future.

Speaking interview on the Gbamm! LovingFootball radio show, Gusau explained: "We have the plan to push the votes to Nigerians to hear their views and thoughts.

"We've tried the foreign coaches and also the local coaches, and it seems they were having some kind of problems.

"Maybe we didn't get it right in the area of getting the right person.

"We are surely going to push it to the public, whether we should continue with Peseiro or he should go."

What happened with Jose Peseiro's Nigeria wages?

The report claims that his contract with the NFF expires on 30 June, so this situation should be resolved pretty soon.

However, it remains unclear just how desperate Peseiro will be to stay in the job. After all, back in November – six months after being appointed – it was reported that he had yet to receive a single pay cheque from his employers. Even so, the 63-year-old didn't make an official complaint to the NFF at the time.

Once more, as per BBC Sport, Gusau claimed his

organisation will only pick the best man for the job and nationality will not be a factor.

He added: "Whether we are going to consider an indigenous coach, we are also going to push that to Nigerians on the phone.

"The public will tell us if they think going for a Nigerian will be best for Nigeria at the moment or we appoint another foreign coach.

"We will get their views, look at it and then we will do what we have to do as a board and come out with a decision."

Arsenal supporters have been told to get “very excited” as they reportedly advance on a move to sign Southampton star Romeo Lavia this summer.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners are aiming to seriously back manager Mikel Arteta in the transfer market this summer, so much so that they have already had two bids rejected for West Ham star Declan Rice.

One of those offers was a club record, and despite their approaches being snubbed, it is believed they’re preparing a third attempt to land the England international.

Meanwhile, it is reliably believed that Chelsea’s Kai Havertz is about to make the switch to Arsenal, with the north Londoners apparently sealing a £60 million deal (plus £5m in add-ons) for the forward.

Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is also being targeted by Arteta’s side amid reports of an offer for the 22-year-old Netherlands ace, but he isn’t the only starlet who could join Arsenal.

According to reports in the last few days, Arsenal are advancing in talks to sign Lavia from Southampton, with some sources even claiming that personal terms are almost agreed.

Amid these claims, former Southampton FC and Bleacher Report journalist Sam Tighe has told supporters to get “very excited” about Lavia’s possible signing. Tighe claims the 19-year-old has been a “shining star” on the south coast, having watched him throughout the entirety of last season.

Taking to Twitter, he said:

What’s been said about Romeo Lavia?

The impressive teenager has once been likened to former Man City captain and mainstay Fernandinho, with Pep Guardiola holding him in very high esteem.

“I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing,” said Guardiola to City’s official website.

“(It’s a) good experience to go to the Premier League and play at this early age. So important.”

According to WhoScored, Lavia also averaged Southampton’s second-highest rate of tackles per 90 in the top flight last season, eclipsed only by Mohammed Salisu, whilst also amassing a higher pass accuracy than any other Saints player (86.4%).

Ben Foster has attempted to recruit former Manchester United star Nani for Wrexham with the winger potentially open to a move.

What happened between Ben Foster and Nani?

The club goalkeeper emerged as a key figure for the Red Dragons over the course of their promotion-winning season, after joining the club midway through the campaign.

Indeed, Foster saved a late penalty against Notts County to help seal a win in what turned out to be one of the club's most important matches under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Unsurprisingly, the 40-year-old has since been rewarded with a new one-year contract and it looks as though he's already working hard to improve the team for the following campaign.

Indeed, over the past weekend he was playing for England in the charity football match Soccer Aid. Also taking part at Old Trafford, was former Red Devil Nani.

The Portuguese winger is currently without a club after leaving A-League side Melbourne Victory at the end of the season, and Foster was happy to take advantage of that.

Indeed, while talking on his YouTube channel – Ben Foster – The Cycling GK – the shot-stopper could be heard saying: “Nani hasn’t got a club everybody, I think he should come to Wrexham…

"Do you want to come to Wrexham?"

To which, Nani then replied: “You never know…"

Foster then laughed and said: "Liar!"

How many times did Nani play for Man United?

Of course, it was only a joke and not an official proposition but seeing as Nani is potentially looking for a team and Wrexham have the sort of reputation to bring in some big names of the past, perhaps this could be something to keep an eye out for – after all, it's not as if the 36-year-old dismissed the idea out of hand.

The former Man United star netted 41 goals and provided 71 assists in a 230-game spell at Old Trafford between 2007 to 2015. This means his path would have crossed with Foster – who was at the club from 2005-2010 – but played just 23 times.

Foster has shown a great attitude to playing for the club, admitting that he asked for "peanuts" in his new deal just to remain part of the story.

Indeed, he said: “To be honest, I don’t really need much anyway so the negotiations honestly took about five minutes. It was the easiest conversation in the world.

“With regards to wages and kind of stuff. It’s a short-term deal, a six-week deal. Wages wise it’s literally peanuts. I said I don’t want much.

And if Nani is just keen to find a club where he'll get plenty of media attention at this late stage in his career, perhaps he'll be the next big name to arrive at Wrexham.