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Leicester City are reportedly at the front of the queue for Lille star Boubakary Soumare.

According to The Daily Star, the Foxes have moved ahead of the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for the Frenchman, with the club reportedly confident of sealing a deal for his signature in the summer.

Brendan Rodgers must make sure that remains the case as the transfer window draws ever nearer.

A defensive midfielder, 22-year-old Soumare has become one of the most promising youngsters on the European stage having already made 106 appearances for Lille as it stands.

He has played a key role in Les Dogues’ current title charge having made 37 appearances in all competitions for the club throughout 2020/21.

His immense promise had already been spotted by the club though before his breakthrough. Lille CEO Mark Ingla praised the £20.7m-rated destroyer as “powerful” upon his arrival from Paris Saint Germain.

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In fact, it’s not just in France that Soumare has been catching the eye. Even Spanish giants Real Madrid expressed an interest – overtures which the Frenchman reportedly rejected at the time.

Now, it all depends on whether Leicester can secure him and they certainly should try their hardest to do so considering his performances.

When compared to the Foxes’ current defensive midfield options including Wilfred Ndidi, Nampalys Mendy and Hamza Choudhury, Soumare is second to only the Nigerian in tackles and interceptions, according to WhoScored.

Meanwhile, the Lille youngster also beats Choudhury and Mendy for key passes per game, whilst racking up more dribbles than each of the three Leicester midfielders.

It indicates then that there is far more to Soumare’s game than just defensive work in the centre of the park. Alongside Ndidi and Youri Tielemans, he would certainly complete a formidable midfield triumvirate.

Leicester must ensure that they remain at the front of the queue for him as the summer approaches.

AND in more news, take a closer look at Daniel Amartey’s woeful performance against West Ham on Sunday…

Charlton Athletic extended their unbeaten run to nine matches but did little to bolster their chances of reaching the League One playoffs as they drew with fellow promotion-chasers Ipswich Town at The Valley on Saturday afternoon.

The Addicks dominated the second half, recording 61% possession and recording nine of their 12 attempts at goal, though ultimately, they could not find the net and that largely came down to Jayden Stockley, who proved wasteful in attack.

Nigel Adkins’ side now remain two points adrift of a playoff position but with two games in hand, they could quickly gain ground – however, the manager will need his frontman to be far better, especially in the absence of injured duo Chuks Aneke and Conor Washington, who have combined for 23 of Charlton’s 57 goals.

The 27-year-old Preston loanee was certainly not starved of chances, as he recorded 45 touches of the ball, which was more than playmaker Alex Gilbey (40) and ball-playing defender Jason Pearce (35).

Of the Addicks’ 12 shots, Stockley accounted for three of them and 33.3% of their shots on target were from him too, so evidently, he was particularly careless in front of goal.

In possession, the 6 foot 2 striker was equally reckless as he made only 53% of his 30 passing attempts and lost the ball a squad-high 19 times, meaning he handed the advantage back to the Tractor Boys once every 2.3 touches – or once every 4.7 minutes, as per SofaScore.

Adkins would have deployed the £810k-rated star as a target man once again but he struggled in that sense too, losing five of 15 aerial duels, also committing three fouls, the joint-most of anyone on the pitch.

A win would’ve put the south-east Londoners in a very strong position going into the final few matches of the season and had Stockley not been so wasteful on the day, then he may well have been the match-winner.

Charlton best hope they don’t come back to regret this outing come to the end of the campaign.

AND in other news, Charlton must wave goodbye to “exciting” 29 y/o dud this summer…

James Milner has praised his former club Leeds United ahead of the Whites’ Premier League clash with Liverpool.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are back in action on Monday night, welcoming the outgoing champions to Elland Road in what could be a thrilling encounter.

Both teams are famed for their attack-minded nature, serving up a 4-3 thriller at Anfield on the opening day of the season, so it would be a surprise if their meeting tonight ended up being a drab affair.

Milner will come up against his boyhood club, potentially starting in the Reds midfield, as he continues to perform at the highest level at the age of 35.

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Milner hails Leeds ahead of Liverpool clash

On Sunday, the Englishman took to Twitter to speak about the difficulty of the match for Liverpool, saying: ‘Ready to go for a difficult away trip against a good team’.

Milner added that there is ‘an important 3 points up for grabs’ as Jurgen Klopp’s side battle for a top four finish this season.

Transfer Tavern take

There is every chance that Milner will start against his old team, having been on from the outset in Liverpool’s last two league games, and Bielsa may actually see him as a potential weakness to target.

Despite his enduring quality, the midfielder is now an ageing player and Leeds’ intensity could prove to be too much for him, even though his fitness levels remain admirable.

If he plays, it will be interesting to see how he fares against such a relentless Whites team on what could be an emotional night for him back at Elland Road.

In other news, an update has been provided on Leeds’ potential quest to sign a Premier League forward this summer. Find out who it is here.

West Ham have strangely been linked with a new right-back this week…

What’s the word?

According to The Independent’s Nick Mashiter, the Hammers are keen on signing Norwich City defender Max Aarons this summer as David Moyes plans for the future amid their top-four challenge.

It’s thought that the Championship league leaders will demand in the region of £30m and there is also interest from Premier League rivals Spurs as well as Everton.

However, there is a belief that the England U21 international would like to remain in the south, so that could rule out the Merseysiders.

Waste of resources

There is no denying that Aarons is a huge talent with major potential but a move for him this summer would be a complete waste of money on West Ham’s part as they already have Vladimir Coufal, whilst Ben Johnson’s emergence is encouraging, too.

The 5 foot 10 dynamo, who is currently valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, was dubbed a “special player” with an “unbelievable future” by Canaries boss Daniel Farke back in December, and previous interest from Bayern Munich only goes to show just how good he could become.

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You would imagine that £30m will be a huge chunk of Moyes’ budget this summer, irrespective of whether or not they qualify for Europe, especially with many teams still dealing with the financial implications post-pandemic, such as having no supporters in the ground all season.

The Irons still desperately need a striker as they are still yet to replace Sebastien Haller, who left for Ajax in January. GSB failed in their attempts to bring a new forward to the London Stadium and it has left Moyes in dire straits up top.

Michail Antonio is West Ham’s only recognised striker and he’s unable to keep fit. His recent hamstring problem is set to keep him out for the remainder of the season, which would mean he’s only played 21 times in the top-flight this term.

That should be their top priority, and if David Sullivan and David Gold are to spend £30m anywhere, then it has to be up top. Otherwise, they will be dealing Moyes yet another silly blow to their fortunes.

Coufal and Johnson is a decent tandem on the right for several years to come. On the other hand, a perennially injured 31-year-old on his own up top is not the answer for the long-term.

AND in other news, “Would be a very good signing for West Ham” – Exclusive: Harewood drops 30-goal striker claim…

Birmingham City are interested in signing Jordan Graham this summer, according to recent reports…

What’s the word?

That’s the word according to Football League World, who report that Lee Bowyer has identified the Gillingham winger as a player who he believes could improve his squad at St. Andrew’s.

It is also reported that Bowyer attempted to sign the 26-year-old during his time in charge of Charlton Athletic and that the 44-year-old’s interest in Graham has not subsided since being appointed as the Blues manager back in March – with Football League World going as far to claim that the manager is a “big fan” of the former England U17 international.

Smart signing

It is not difficult to see why Bowyer is so fond of the winger, as, so far this season, Graham has been in remarkable form over his 37 League One appearances for Steve Evans’ side, with the 26-year-old scoring 11 goals and registering six assists, as well as creating 13 big chances and making an average of 1.9 key passes per game.

These returns have helped the £225,000-rated man average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.21 – ranking him as Gillingham’s second-best performer in the third tier, helping his side to sit comfortably in the top half of the table.

As such, the addition of the winger Steve Evans once described as “frightening” could add some much-needed firepower to Bowyer’s attacking arsenal at Birmingham, with the winger outscoring both Scott Hogan and Lukas Jutkiewicz in terms of league goals this season, with the Blues duo having seven strikes each to their name.

Furthermore, with Jordan being available on a free transfer this summer, his signing would represent something of a risk-free move for Bowyer’s side, as well as one with the potential to help take Birmingham’s game to the next level in their Championship campaign next summer – something that has been required at St Andrew’s for a number of years now.

Many Leeds United fans have been left to slam the display of Tyler Roberts in their Premier League game away at Brighton and Hove Albion.

The former West Brom man did not have the best of games at all in the eyes of several members of the Elland Road faithful, as he failed to have an influence in an attacking sense as Marcelo Bielsa’s team fell to a disappointing defeat.

Patrick Bamford was starved of service throughout the match and was subsequently subbed off on the hour mark, and playing in the centre of midfield, Roberts needed to feed chances to him, which he failed to do.

The Wales international also struggled to help his side keep the ball out of the back of their own net in what was ultimately a game to forget for him, showing little impact on either side of the ball.

Leeds fans on Roberts display

These Whites supporters slammed his performance on Twitter, with one Peacock even going as far as to claim that the 22-year-old was ‘woeful’:

“If I was Bamford I’d be fuming right now… Klich and Roberts have been woeful all day and he gets the hook… #lufc”

Credit: @joel_anderson_1

“Roberts is just not good enough #LUFC”

Credit: @Tom_C_88

“Roberts and Klich stealing a living #lufc”

Credit: @lewis_rs10

“Let’s not forget that although the defensive display against the Mancs was outstanding, the attack was almost non-existent. Roberts is not at this level and Klich is adding nothing #LUFC”

Credit: @n6gold

“Tyler Roberts should be playing for Accrington Stanley #lufc”

Credit: @ScottDickinson2

“Luke Varney was better then Tyler Roberts and that says it all #lufc”

Credit: @andyborrows1

In other news, find out whose first-half display was slammed by LUFC fans here!

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League striker Dean Windass has completely ruled out Marko Arnautovic returning to West Ham this summer.

Arnautovic enjoyed two successful seasons at the London Stadium between 2017 and 2019 but left on bad terms just six months after signing a new long-term contract with the Hammers.

He’d scored 22 times in 65 appearances, but prior to the start of last season, the Austrian demanded a transfer away from the club and was allowed to leave to sign for Chinese Super League Shanghai Port.

Arnautovic has continued his impressive goal tally in China, netting 20 goals in 36 appearances, but has been linked with a shock return to the Premier League – with the Hammers reportedly amongst those interested.

Current West Ham manager David Moyes was in charge for the majority of his period at the club, but Windass believes there’s “no chance” that Arnautovic ends up back in east London next season.

Reports believe that Serie A outfit Bologna and Crystal Palace are both keen on the Austrian’s signature, and when asked if he could return, Windass’ view was clear.

“No chance,” he told The Transfer Tavern. “He left under a cloud. When he wanted to leave, he chucked his toys out the pram, so no.”

West Ham United are in line to receive a huge boost ahead of Saturday’s match against Brighton and Hove Albion…

What’s the latest?

According to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, Irons midfielder Declan Rice is set to finally return from injury after missing their last six Premier League games, which included disappointing defeats to Chelsea, Newcastle and, most recently, Everton on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking on ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, he revealed: “I can tell you that Rice will be back for the Brighton game. I think he’ll come straight into the starting XI. He should be back for the Brighton game. Noble will be available for the Brighton game as well, so that gives us a bit more options there.”

Big boost

This will come as massive encouragement to David Moyes and the rest of the Hammers squad, as the England international has been an integral part of their success this season. There has been a huge void to fill in the heart of midfield and the 22-year-old watched on yet again as the Toffees carved open West Ham’s engine room on their way to a narrow 1-0 victory on Sunday.

The east London outfit are still firmly in the race for a spot in Europe next season but their chances of making the Champions League have been severely hampered following three defeats in their last four games, with Rice being sorely missed.

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They now need Manchester United to do them a favour and win against both Leicester City and Liverpool this week, as a win over the Seagulls would see them sit two points behind fourth with only two games left to play.

The Irons are currently in fifth place but could be leapfrogged by the 2019/20 champions if they win at Old Trafford on Thursday, whilst Everton in eighth are now only three points behind, so it’s certainly getting very tight now.

Having Rice back will give the side a massive boost, for both morale and performances on the pitch.

He is among their top five performers on the season with an average WhoScored rating of 7.02, whilst he leads the way for average passes (47.4) and interceptions (two) per game and isn’t too far behind the top spot for tackles (1.9) either.

As explained by Kevin Campbell to Football Insider, Rice is “a phenomenal holding midfielder” and has been a “revelation in midfield” this season.

Moyes and everyone at the London Stadium will be buzzing to have him available on Saturday night in what is a must-win clash for the Hammers.

AND in other news, Get it done: Moyes could seal huge West Ham upgrade by signing “fearless” £26m “beast”…

Rumoured Leeds United transfer target Adama Traore is reportedly in talks to sign a new deal with Wolves, acting as a blow to the Whites’ chances of landing the man Jurgen Klopp once called ‘unplayable’.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Traore move

The Whites have been linked with a host of players, as a potentially busy summer transfer window looms at Elland Road.

Marcelo Bielsa will no doubt feel happy with the squad he has built, but will also believe some new faces will make them an even stronger outfit verging on becoming a contender for the European places.

Someone who has been tipped to join Leeds in the past is Traore, whose incredible pace and unpredictability has made for entertaining viewing at Wolves, with Eurosport claiming earlier this year he is ‘firmly’ on Leeds’ radar and that Victor Orta and co are ‘likely’ to make a bid this summer.

The Latest: Spaniard could extend Wolves stay

According to The Athletic, talks are ‘ongoing’ between the Spaniard and Wolves over a new deal, with his current contract expiring in the summer of 2023.

That suggests Leeds could miss out the 25-year-old being available in the summer, meaning Bielsa has to look elsewhere for a new wide man.

This will certainly be a blow to Orta, who ‘loves’ Traore after once signing him for Middlesbrough.

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The Verdict: Bullet dodged or opportunity missed?

While the £31.5million-rated Traore is a player who can get you off your seat, he is a footballer who flatters to deceive when it comes to end product.

Despite his ability to get into good positions constantly, mainly because of his blistering speed, he has only managed two goals and assists apiece in 36 league appearances this season.

He has also been dispossessed an average of 1.8 times per game in the league in 2020/21, which suggests he could struggle in a Bielsa side – only Jack Harrison is on a par with him for Leeds, in that respect.

That said, the impossibly athletic Traore has created 1.5 chances per game this season, a number only bettered in Yorkshire by Harrison and Raphinha, so perhaps he has been the victim of Wolves’ striker problems.

In other news, one pundit admits he is 50/50 over the future of one huge Leeds figure. Find out who it is here.

Daniel Farke’s Norwich City side are interested in a move for Angus Gunn this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Hampshire Live, who claim that Southampton are open to the possibility of parting with the £2.7m-rated goalkeeper this summer, with Norwich reported to have identified the former England U21 international as a transfer target.

Hampshire Live go on to report that Norwich are considering bringing a new ‘keeper to Carrow Road in order to provide support and to compete for a starting spot with Tim Krul, as Orjan Nyland is stalling over a contract extension due to a lack of game time at the club.

Webber must move

Having spent the season on loan at Stoke City, Gunn turned in a number of solid performances while at the Bet365 Stadium, helping his side to keep six clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.1 saves and 0.9 successful run outs per game over his 15 Championship appearances, culminating in an average SofaScore match rating of 6.73.

And, while this form is far from remarkable, there is easily enough evidence to make the argument that the shot-stopper – who came through the youth ranks at Norwich before moving to Manchester City – would be a good signing for Daniel Farke’s side.

Firstly is the point raised in Hampshire Live’s report regarding Orjan Nyland – with the 30-year-old goalkeeper looking set to depart City this summer without making an appearance since arriving at the club in February.

As such, Norwich simply have to bring in a ‘keeper to provide Krul with cover and competition ahead of next season – and, considering the fact that Gunn already has a decent amount of Premier League game time under his belt from his time at Southampton, he would appear a fine candidate in terms of experience in the league.

Secondly, and a rather important point when factoring in how Stuart Webber goes about his business in terms of incoming transfers, Gunn would appear to be an extremely cost-effective signing, with the ‘keeper – whom Ralph Hassenhuttl claimed has a “big future” ahead of him – likely to be available for a figure around his £2.7m Transfermarkt valuation due to being surplus to requirements at St. Mary’s.

Finally, the 25-year-old is a player who it can be assumed Daniel Farke is a big fan of, as the German manager brought Gunn the to club on loan for City’s 2017/18 Championship campaign, meaning that it should not take the £40k-per-week man long to adjust to life back at Carrow Road.

So, all in all, it would appear as if a move by Webber for the ‘keeper would be a very astute signing for the Canaries this summer, as the sporting director looks to build a squad capable of retaining their top-flight status beyond next season.

In other news: Major Norwich City development is revealed that’ll surely have fans buzzing – opinion