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Chelsea are likely to be in the market for a striker this summer, and their new manager could be presented with a number of options ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

Goalscoring has been a major issue for the Blues in the top flight so far this campaign, with just 30 goals in 31 outings, and it appears that a clinical forward is required if the west London outfit are to challenge at the top again next season.

Although Romelu Lukaku could still return after his loan spell with Inter, Todd Boehly could find a significantly more reliable option in Brentford talisman Ivan Toney.

Could Chelsea sign Ivan Toney?

In a recent article for GiveMeSport, journalist Dean Jones detailed five different striker options for Chelsea ahead of what will be a vitally important summer transfer window for the club, while touching on the chances of Toney moving across west London.

He wrote: "Toney has proven himself to be a regular goalscorer in the Premier League and he has a confidence in his own ability that Chelsea have been crying out for.

"A ban is looming over his betting investigation and that needs to be factored into the potential of any pursuit, but it is true that he has caught the eye of Chelsea recruiters who feel he could be a good fit with the other attacking players available to them.

"Brentford will not let him leave easily. They sold Ollie Watkins to Aston Villa for £33m at a time when he had not even played in the Premier League. Toney eclipses anything he had achieved and will easily be valued at over £50m by the Bees."

Would Toney be an upgrade on Lukaku?

As Jones suggests, Toney has developed a supreme confidence in his own ability which has been cultivated in a series of phenomenal goalscoring seasons in the lower leagues and the top flight.

He crashed in 49 goals in 94 appearances for Peterborough United before earning a move to the Bees, where he broke a long-standing record in the Championship for most goals scored by a single player, hitting 33 as Thomas Frank's side were promoted through the play-offs.

The English forward enjoyed a strong debut campaign in the Premier League with 12 goals and five assists, while he has been one of the most consistent players in the division so far this season, registering 18 goals and four assists in just 29 appearances.

Frank was full of praise for his star striker in 2021, saying:

"If you want to be a top player you need to work hard, constantly reflect and want to learn and then of course you need to have that confidence that he’s got so naturally.

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"He’s coming across so fantastically: he’s humble, calm, but with a mindset of a lion."

By comparison, Kai Havertz is the top scorer at Stamford Bridge this term with just seven Premier League goals, while the £97.5m spent on Lukaku in 2021 has also gone down the drain as he continues to struggle out on loan with Inter.

The Belgian forward would manage just eight top-flight goals last season and has registered just three in Serie A during his current loan spell, so looks unlikely to be the saviour at Chelsea next year.

Not only is Toney a younger, more confident goalscorer than Lukaku, but he has also averaged far more shots (3 vs 1.7), aerials won (3.4 vs 1.6) and average passes (23.1 vs 13.2) than the 29-year-old this season, so could represent a significant upgrade at Stamford Bridge should Boehly bring him in.

Leeds United return to Premier League action tonight, as they play host to a Liverpool side searching for their first win since early March.

Jurgen Klopp's men threatened to return to form after they had demolished Manchester United at Anfield, yet since then they have gone five games without a win in all competitions, which also included crashing out of the Champions League alongside a loss to relegation-threatened Bournemouth.

Javi Gracia will be aware of this dip in form and will hope that his outfit can be the latest to pile on the misery for the European-chasing Reds.

However, they too have faced something of an inquest following their collapse against Crystal Palace in their last game. Despite taking the lead, four second-half goals condemned the Whites to a heavy defeat in front of a frustrated Elland Road crowd. Under floodlights against a top side tonight, they will seek to rectify that with wholesale changes.

Few performed well during that miserable encounter, which could give justification for a host of alterations for this fixture. Perhaps the Spaniard might opt to apply further pressure onto the struggling defence of the visitors by employing a tactical switch, in order to overload their back line.

Either way, something drastic has to change from their last performance.

How could Leeds United line up against Liverpool?

4-4-2 – Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Firpo; Sinisterra, McKennie, Roca, Gnonto; Bamford, Rodrigo.

Gracia could make a whopping four changes from the team that collapsed against the Eagles, with a change in formation likely to be key in any success they might enjoy.

Whilst he might have struggled of late, given only one of his last five Sofascore ratings have surpassed a 6.7, Illan Meslier represents the only real option to continue in goal.

He will sit behind a back four altered in order to deal with the tricky threat that Liverpool pose, with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo awkward customers to quell. As such, Rasmus Kristensen will earn a recall after Luke Ayling's recent disasterclass, and club captain Liam Cooper will replace the similarly disappointing Pascal Struijk. Robin Koch and Junior Firpo will retain their spots, as Max Wober remains unlikely to return.

A flat four across the midfield may well see Jack Harrison as the only casualty, allowing Luis Sinisterra another chance to prove his worth after returning to fitness. Wilfried Gnonto must earn a recall too, with these electric wingers expected to terrorise the likes of Andy Robertson and particularly Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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That leaves Marc Roca to partner Weston McKennie in the engine room.

The final change will be to drop Brenden Aaronson for another natural striker to partner Patrick Bamford. Having started on the bench, there is no better option than to start their top scorer Rodrigo from the off.

The Spaniard has been "unstoppable" this season in the eyes of journalist Firzie Idris and will be key in causing the visitors' back four further problems.

Arsenal starlet Folarin Balogun will be "keen to leave" this summer if the club don't guarantee him first team opportunities, according to reports.

What's the latest news on Balogun?

The 21-year-old is currently attracting a lot of serious interest from clubs abroad as reliable journalist David Ornstein shared recently. Indeed, the player's future could be a big topic for Arsenal this summer and Ornstein has reported that they face a big decision.

Balogun's contract expires in just over two years, giving Mikel Arteta's side a dilemma over whether to sell this year or implement him into the first team – as it is currently very unlikely he will extend his contract with the club.

Currently on loan at Reims in Ligue 1, the forward has absolutely dazzled under Will Still, prompting some of the continent's best sides to take note of his exploits.

It has been reported that AC Milan, Inter, Marseille, Monaco and RB Leipzig are just some of the elite sides eyeing a move for Balogun.

Now, 90min has weighed in with their own update, as it appears the England Under-21 international is set to give Arsenal an ultimatum upon his return to north London.

Indeed, it is now believed that he will be 'keen to leave' the club permanently if Arsenal don't guarantee him first-team minutes. Balogun is apparently due to hold 'crunch talks' with the club over his future, Another loan move has been ruled out by the striker's entourage, meaning his potential exit will be a permanent one.

90min adds that RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin, Nice, Lyon, Villarreal and Sevilla are all taking an interest in Balogun – and he is just as popular in the Premier League.

Brentford, Leicester City, Wolves, Everton and Crystal Palace are all keeping tabs on the exciting youngster, with the Bees particularly seeing him as an alternative to Ivan Toney – who faces a lengthy ban due to the betting charges against him.

What should Arsenal do with Balogun?

We believe the solution is obvious – the Gunners should guarantee Balogun first-team minutes next season.

As we've already seen with defender William Saliba, it is entirely possible for returning loanees from France to make an immediate impact in Arteta's first team.

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Called 'incredible' for his form by Arteta, Balogun has been quite simply scintillating in front of goal – scoring 18 in 26 top-flight starts.

He's also attempted an impressive 3.3 shots at goal per 90, more than any Gunners forward in England – making you wonder what exactly is stopping him from breaking through.

Losing such a highly talented player would be a real shame and we believe his best place next season is at The Emirates.

Newcastle United are following Napoli striker Victor Osimhen for a summer transfer swoop, but he could cost more than €150m (£130m), according to journalist Ciro Venerato.

Do Newcastle need a new striker?

Club-record signing Alexander Isak has had a difficult first season at St. James' Park on the injury front, having been ruled out of 13 games due to hamstring issues. However, he has recently started to prove his worth.

The Sweden international has scored five goals in his last five Premier League games, beginning to display his quality at a crucial stage in the season, but Eddie Howe may have some concerns about his injury problems returning.

During his time with Real Sociedad, the 23-year-old suffered from hamstring and knee problems, also having the latter during a spell with Borussia Dortmund, meaning Howe may want to bring in some more competition at striker.

According to Venerato, Osimhen is being followed by Newcastle for a summer transfer swoop, although they are not the only side interested, with Chelsea and Bayern Munich also being named as potential suitors.

The journalist does not expect Napoli to sell their star striker for anything less than €150m (£130m), meaning the Magpies would likely have to break the Premier League transfer record if they were to win the race for his signature.

Venerato describes the Nigerian as the "most promising" young striker on the international stage, alongside Erling Haaland, so it is no real surprise Napoli will look to hold out for an astronomical fee.

Should Newcastle sign Victor Osimhen?

Purely based on ability, the Lagos-born marksman would be an excellent signing for Newcastle, given that he has scored an incredible 25 goals, as well as registering five assists, in just 29 games so far this season.

The "world class" forward is way out in front at the top of the Serie A goal-scoring charts, having averaged a goal every 91 minutes, ranking in the 99th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 in the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

That said, because the Nigeria international is contracted until 2025, Napoli are able to hold potential suitors to ransom this summer, and £130m would be far too much to shell out on one player.

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The Magpies already have Isak to lead the line, and they should instead look to invest in multiple areas of the squad, rather than spending a sizeable chunk of the budget on one player.

Sky Sports' Pete Gill has slammed Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock for missing a huge opportunity in the club's most recent game.

What's the latest on Joe Willock and Newcastle?

As the race for the final Champions League spots heat up, two key top four contenders met at St James' Park on Sunday afternoon.

Indeed, the Magpies played host to Manchester United in the Premier League, coming into the game two places and three points behind the Red Devils on the table.

The first half flew by as both teams pushed for the break-through in a fiercely-contested opening 45 minutes, but they score remained 0-0 at the break despite Newcastle having the best of the opportunities.

The Athletic's George Caulkin best summed it up: "The only thing missing from an #NUFC perspective has been a bit of finesse in the final third. Otherwise, a really good performance so far and a feisty, aggressive match, played in a great atmosphere."

And perhaps the man who was mostly guilty of being wasteful was Willock who missed a brilliant opportunity in the 40th minute when set up by Allan Saint-Maximin – as seen in this footage.

Reacting to the wasted chance, Pete Gill said on Sky Sports: "That is a dreadful finish. Two Newcastle players threw themselves to the floor in despair at Willock's miss."

How bad was Willock's miss against Man Utd?

Having helped create the opportunity Saint-Maximin was one of the players to also hit the deck after the miss, alongside a visibly exasperated Alexander Isak.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville had some advice for the £80k-p/w man, echoing Gill's words: "Do not lean back! There are a couple of Newcastle bodies on the floor, they cannot believe he has put it over."

While Alan Shearer perhaps summed it up most aptly with his Tweet: "How many f…… chances man!!"

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Thankfully, it seemed as though Willock got the message at half time. Indeed, having missed two big chances in that first 45, he made no mistake when the next opportunity came his way.

Indeed, when Saint-Maximin arrived at the far post to meet a cross, he nodded the ball across the face of goal and Willock couldn't miss as the Englishman headed home from just a couple yards out.

Glasgow Rangers’ youth academy is starting to bear fruit some wonderful talents that Michael Beale will be able to utilise in the coming years.

Youngsters such as Zak Lovelace, Robbie Ure and Adam Devine are all emerging into prominence after excellent displays for the B team and could form the cornerstone of the Rangers side in years to come if they continue to improve.

The likes of Alex Lowry and Leon King have already made a name for themselves in the previous year or two, and it is the young centre-back who surely has the highest ceiling in terms of potential.

Under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, King was thrust into the starting XI during the early part of the season due to injuries and played 11 matches in the Premiership, more than holding his own as he won 56% of his duels and lost possession just 5.7 times on average per game.

He hasn’t made an appearance under Beale yet, however with the Englishman looking to build a new dynasty at the Ibrox side, he firmly remains in his plans.

The club could also have a youngster emerging through that might just follow in King’s footsteps – Cameron Bell.

Who is Cameron Bell?

The 17-year-old defender joined Rangers last summer having spent a few years working his way through the youth academy at Everton, however, a move back to his homeland was too good to turn down.

It looked as though Van Bronckhorst was keen on luring the best young talent to Ibrox and the Light Blues could repeat their King masterclass with the signing of Bell.

The centre-back has made four appearances for the Scotland U17 squad, making his debut aged just 16, suggesting he is mature beyond his years and this could stand him in good stead looking ahead to the future.

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He had been turning out for the Everton U18 side before returning north of the border and his potential already looks frightening.

There is no doubt he will be boosted by the fact King made his senior bow for the Gers aged just 16 during a League Cup tie under Steven Gerrard and with the club trailing in the race for the Premiership title, there may just be some opportunities for the precocious talent come the end of the season.

The future is looking bright for Rangers, especially with talents such as Cameron Bell coming through the ranks, and it will surely only be a matter of time before he is unleashed.

Greg O’Keeffe has name-dropped last summer’s target Mohammed Kudus as the type of player Everton need to be signing.

The Lowdown: More goals are needed at Everton

Everton are the league’s joint-lowest scorers in the Premier League this season, which may not be a surprise given that the Toffees have been without star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the majority of this campaign.

The Everton board clearly knew they needed more firepower in the final third because of Calvert-Lewin’s shocking injury record and that they’d sold Richarlison by targeting Ajax star Mohammed Kudus.

While it was reported that Kudus was keen on leaving Ajax for Everton in the summer, his form this season has shown why he was indeed right to stay in the Eredivisie as he will have bigger clubs pushing for his signature.

The Latest: Kudus-like player is what Everton need

Despite his scintillating form for Ajax this season, O’Keeffe name-dropped Kudus on the All Together Now podcast as the player Everton could target and if not him, then someone of a similar mould, despite Ellis Simms’ latest heroics.

He said: (19:00) “It’s dead interesting because I think he’s [Ellis Simms] not the kind of striker if we all, well I can’t speak for everyone, but if I had my choice, I’d want Everton to be in the market for like Mohammed Kudus. I know he’s not a striker but I’m sure he could [play there], a Richarlison or those sorts of players.”

The Verdict: Everton are desperate for a proven goal scorer

While O’Keeffe and many other Evertonians would likely love to have someone such as Kudus in their squad, after his stunning season for Ajax, coupled with the fact he starred for Ghana out in Qatar last winter, he will probably have loftier ambitions having proven himself to be a ‘goal threat’.

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Last summer was the chance for Everton to go all out, back Frank Lampard and land a proven goal scorer, but they decided to save their cash and instead brought in Neal Maupay who’s netted just once in the league this term.

Everton managed to get £60 million for last season’s hero Richarlison from Tottenham Hotspur over the summer and at no point did they replace him or even bring in a player similar to him and the qualities he brought to the side, which is simply negligent on Everton’s behalf.

Leeds United find themselves once again entrenched in a desperate battle for survival, with Javi Gracia the new man at the helm expected to guide them to safety.

Jesse Marsch had managed it last season but was deemed too unreliable to repeat his feat, despite taking over from the revered Marcelo Bielsa who had also became untrusted.

The Whites clearly boast a hierarchy inundated with a lack of faith, and their overwhelming fear of the drop has manifested into panic purchases and backing the wrong managers.

However, what is particularly mind-boggling is their acceptance to go on without signing some valid competition for Junior Firpo at left-back, despite the fans and media almost pleading for it.

It was not even as if they were strapped for cash; the American shattered their transfer record on two separate occasions across his two windows in charge.

It was the undeniable priority and has instead left a liability as their sole option. If only they had some talent from the past to fill in, namely the great Ian Harte, who would displace the former Barcelona defender in an instant.

How good was Ian Harte?

One of the great offensive full-backs, arguably before it became commonplace, the now 45-year-old was a true journeyman, plying his trade all across the English football leagues as well as enjoying a stint in Spain too.

However, it was at Elland Road where he resided for most of his career, featuring 281 times. During that period, he would establish himself as a true creative threat, outlined in his 38 goals and 27 assists.

His stint in Yorkshire marked their high point since the turn of the century too, as he was part of David O'Leary's heroic squad that reached the Champions League semi-finals back in the early 2000s.

The resolute defender boasted a career that spanned decades, as even as recently as 2012 he was lauded by podcaster Nilesh Deshmukh for his "magic touch" over a set piece that he had not lost.

Meanwhile, although he has seen a slight upturn in form since Gracia's arrival, Firpo has struggled since his initial move under Bielsa, paling in comparison to the great Harte.

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His debut campaign saw him handed a 6.60 average rating, which is hardly much improved going into this season. Growing ever so slightly to a 6.65, Pascal Struijk has often deputised in his role due to his defensive deficiencies, despite being a natural centre-back.

Lacking positional awareness at the best of times, were he to offer some firepower up front he could at least be noted as a useful asset. But with just five goal contributions in 43 appearances, the 26-year-old cannot even manage that.

To compare him to Harte would be an insult, which is why this legendary figure would be so integral were he to return in his prime to today's team. It could arguably complete them, offering the perfect foundation upon which to build into a team without a continued fear of relegation.

Mikel Arteta has been dealt an injury blow as he confirmed that Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah is still ‘a few weeks away’ from returning.

The Lowdown: Niggling issue

Arsenal reporter for GOAL Charles Watts confirmed on his YouTube channel (via FootballFanCast) that Nketiah had ‘limped off’ in their 4-0 win at home to Everton in the Premier League earlier this month, and that she has been struggling with an injury issue for ‘a while’:

“Eddie Nketiah limped off at the end of the game.

“He went down as soon as the full-time whistle went, he fell onto the ground and then he got up and he limped off.“He went down the tunnel straightaway with one of the fitness coaches at Arsenal. He has been suffering with an issue for a while now, Eddie, which is kind of why he was rested at the weekend against Leicester.”The Englishman has since missed Arsenal’s last three games in total over all competitions, ahead of their second leg at home to Sporting in their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie. The Latest: ‘A few weeks away’

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of the clash at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta has confirmed that Nketiah is still ‘a few weeks away’ from returning to first-team action, in what he describes as a ‘nasty injury’:

“He’s getting better. He’s still in the boot so still a few weeks away. We need to be patient – it was a nasty injury. It’s a challenge that Eddie’s got ahead of him, but thank God he could have been worse so he’s not in a bad place.”

The Verdict: Big blow

For Nketiah to be ruled out for another few weeks at least is a big blow for Arteta and his team.

Both Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard have only just come back from injuries themselves, and so the Spaniard will want as many options in the forward line available as possible, especially if they get through in the Europa League and continue to fight on two fronts.

Nketiah has not been the most prolific so far this season, but has chipped in while Jesus has been out injured, scoring nine goals and making a further two assists in 32 appearances in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

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The 23-year-old offers so much more to the side though, with Arteta previously hailing his ‘incredible work-rate’.

Nonetheless, it is a blow for Arteta to be without Nketiah, as they look to beat Sporting before a potentially tricky London derby against Crystal Palace in the top flight on Sunday afternoon.

Mark Goldbridge doesn’t want the Elliott Investment Group to be buying Manchester United.

The Lowdown: Competition is starting to emerge

It looked as though the two likely frontrunners to buy Man United were Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Qatari group led by Sheikh Jassim, but an American hedge fund group has recently surfaced and been put through to the second phase.

Elliott Investment Management is now directly competing with the other two groups and any other interested parties that aren’t yet in the media domain to buy the Red Devils.

However, it has been reported that they are willing to do the takeover in a different way to the other two groups, as they’re willing to offer equity investment or help to rebuild and develop Old Trafford.

The Latest: Elliott Investment is not what Man United need

While speaking on The United Stand YouTube channel, Goldbridge has labelled this latest interest from the Elliott Group as a ‘nightmare situation’ for Man United fans.

He said: “It’s almost a case of the good, the bad and the ugly, here – and I’m not talking about the Glazers. I’m talking about the situation that we’re in. The Elliott Group really do concern me.

“[Journalist] Simon Stone has mentioned that they don’t want to buy Manchester United; what they’re looking for is equity investment or help to rebuild the stadium. Both of these situations are investments. We’ll talk about what that investment is, but for me, it’s a nightmare situation for Manchester United.”

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The Verdict: Could be deja vu all over again

The fact that the Elliott Group is looking to buy the club via equity investment should set alarm bells ringing for Man United fans, as that is essentially what the Glazers have been doing for the past 17 years.

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Therefore, they should be pushing against this and making their voices heard about how this and any other potential hedge fund groups should not be allowed to run the Red Devils, and that it must be a straight takeover bid.

That’s exactly what the Qatari bid would offer the Glazers and Man United, as Sheikh Jassim only wants 100% control of the club and is thought to be willing to walk away from any potential deal if it can’t be done on their terms.