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Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in midfield this summer and now a reliable source has revealed a new update on a potential transfer target this summer.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Nicolo Barella?

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool have short-listed several midfielders with Inter Milan ace Nicolo Barella named.

Plettenberg tweeted: "News LFC: Still on the shortlist and being discussed with Klopp confirmed: Rice, Caicedo, Barella, Gravenberch and Nunes.

"Klopp 100% involved in the decision not to buy Bellingham. Decision was taken with the owners."

Will Liverpool sign Nicolo Barella?

There is no doubt that the recent reports claiming Liverpool are no longer interested in Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Bellingham will be a huge blow for the Anfield faithful after months of mounting speculation surrounding the player's potential move to Merseyside.

However, when considering the £130m fee attached to the England midfielder and the multiple issues Liverpool have faced this season, it makes sense that the powerbrokers at Anfield are keen to secure the services of multiple players to significantly improve the performances instead of putting all of their eggs in one basket.

Indeed, there are not many young prospects in the world more exciting than Bellingham, however, the signing of Barella could provide Klopp with a midfielder who has a wealth of experience in a similar role and a player he is already a huge fan of.

Ahead of Liverpool's clash with Inter Milan in the Champions League last season, the German coach took to his press conference to lavish praise on a player who could cost £65m:

"He's a really good player, a really good player and I like him a lot. He has all the things you want from a midfield player: he is aggressive, he is technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things. That's a top-class player."

When comparing Bellingham's output to the 25-year-old Italian this season so far, Barella has outperformed his positional peer in several attributes, most notably goals and assists (11 v 8) and shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.12 v 4.07).

Interestingly, the Italian has received more progressive passes (143 v 113), as well as possessing a better take-on success rate (62.7% v 55.1%), proving that he is a complete midfielder who can both win possession and consistently impact the attacking threat.

Simply, Barella can be a huge game-changer from the centre of the pitch, which he proved again last night in Inter's Champions League clash with Benfica, scoring the opening goal to give his team the lead in their two-leg challenge to win a spot in the semi-final of the prestigious European competition.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Barella has the quality to significantly improve the midfield at Anfield, however, it would take something special for Liverpool to snap up his services should they fail to qualify for Champions League football next season.

Newcastle United will need to fork out €120m (£105m) if they want to sign Benfica's Goncalo Ramos this summer, with the striker's value tripling in value since the start of the season, according to a report.

Which clubs are interested in signing Goncalo Ramos?

Newcastle emerged as potential suitors for Ramos back in August, at which point the club were desperate to bring in a new striker, however he pledged his loyalty to Benfica, the club he has played for since the age of 12. The Magpies are not the only Premier League club eyeing the forward, with Portuguese outlet Record reporting Manchester United could make a move, amid reports he has grown weary of waiting for a pay rise at Benfica. (via Football365)

Chelsea are also said to be considering a move for the Portugal international, however he is under contract until 2026, meaning his current club are under no obligation to sell him for lower than his release clause any time soon. That release clause could scupper Newcastle's chances of signing the 21-year-old this summer, as Jornal de Noticias are now reporting Benfica are set to demand the full €120m (£105m) (via Sport Witness).

The new price is a huge increase from earlier on in the season, when the Olhao-born marksman was valued at just €40m (£35m), but the Portuguese club feel they can now demand far more, given his impressive form for club and country this season. It is detailed that Newcastle, Man United, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are the clubs most linked to the starlet, but it remains to be seen whether any of them will be willing to match the figure Benfica have in mind.

Should Newcastle make a move for Goncalo Ramos?

The Benfica youth product impressed out in Qatar at the World Cup, with Gary Lineker hailing him as "remarkable" for being able to handle the pressure of replacing Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring a hat-trick against Switzerland in the round of 16.

At club level, the youngster has been formidable in front of goal, netting on 16 occasions in the Primeira Liga, averaging 0.88 goals per 90 in the process, the joint-highest figure of any player with at least five goals.

That said, spending £105m on a player unproven outside of Portugal would be a real risk for Newcastle, and they should look to negotiate a lower transfer fee, which they may be able to do, given that he is growing unsettled about having to wait for a pay rise.

Considering the level of interest in Ramos, the Magpies will still need to spend big to secure his signature in the summer, but he would be an excellent addition to the frontline, judging by his goal return, and his proven ability to perform under pressure.

Manchester City want Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell as the Premier League champions seek to fix a ‘problem position’ for Pep Guardiola.

The Lowdown: City left-back woes…

The Blues’ left-back area has indeed been an issue under Guardiola with the Spaniard turning to former makeshift options like Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabian Delph in past seasons.

At the time, Benjamin Mendy would often be sidelined through injury, forcing Guardiola to get creative.

More recently, the now-departed Joao Cancelo flourished in that role as a creative left-back, but was forced to operate on his weaker side being a traditional right-footer.

Fast forward to now, the likes of Nathan Ake, Sergio Gomez and Aymeric Laporte are options for Guardiola in that area, but they remain without a natural, out-and-out left-back.

The Latest: City target Chilwell…

According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, City are keen on signing Chelsea defender Chilwell as they prioritise a ‘problem position’.

The 26-year-old could be a target as reinforcing City’s left-back area is set to be a transfer ‘priority’ for them this summer.

The Verdict: Right man?

Homegrown and arguably proven in the English top flight, Chilwell stands out as a viable candidate to seriously strengthen their ranks.

After his return from a hamstring injury, Chelsea boss Graham Potter has heavily favoured the Englishman with Chilwell featuring in every game since recovering.

The former Leicester City star has also been praised by sections of the Stamford Bridge media with Chelsea correspondent Nizaar Kinsella calling him ‘class’ recently.

On a reported £190,000-per-week, Chilwell’s signing could require significant investment in terms of wages and transfer fee, but he could represent a solid option.

Tottenham Hotspur must look to avoid a repeat blunder as interest in one of Antonio Conte’s key stars increases ahead of the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Emerson Royal’s future at Spurs?

Lilywhites right wing-back Emerson Royal has looked like a reborn animal in recent weeks but such exploits have seen other teams attracted to the prospect of signing him.

According to Italian outlet Calciomercatoweb, AC Milan could land the Brazilian dynamo in a swap deal, with Spurs keen on signing central defender Fikayo Tomori, formerly of Premier League rivals Chelsea.

It’s thought that the arrival of Pedro Porro in the winter market will eventually force Emerson out in north London.

Spurs must avoid Kieran Trippier repeat

However, despite Emerson’s past inconsistencies – having been dubbed as “a complete liability” by talkSPORT’s Jamie O’Hara earlier in the season – it would surely be a major, yet familiar, mistake to let him go in 2023.

Against defending champions Manchester City, the 24-year-old produced a “defensive masterclass” – in the eyes of Express journalist Ryan Taylor – with that 7.1-rated display being followed up with a recent goal and 7.5 rating against West Ham United, via Sofascore.

It seems as if the extra competition has lit a fire in Emerson’s belly, something that transfer insider Dean Jones has even alluded to this month.

“The switch has flicked for him and he’s just starting to understand his role and got himself to the perfect moment; it’s not a bad thing at all for Tottenham to have this kind of competition,” he told GIVEMESPORT.

It would, therefore, seem foolish to give up on him after he’s improved considerably, especially as it would leave Spurs – and manager Antonio Conte – back at square one with problems in the right wing-back role.

This situation would be similar to chairman Daniel Levy’s past mistakes, having let Kieran Trippier join Atletico Madrid for around £20m, not too long after giving up Kyle Walker to the aforementioned Citizens.

Still to this day, it’s an issue that has lingered around Hotspur Way and now with Emerson battling Porro for the starting spot, it’s the first time in a long time that the Lilywhites have healthy and quality competition.

As such, Levy must ensure that the £26m man remains a Spurs player going forward. Even if central defenders are needed in the squad, there’s no point weakening another area in a bid to get one.

AND in other news, Levy had transfer disasterclass with Spurs “liability”, he’s lost 45% value in 5.5 yrs…

Chelsea’s transfer business over the previous few years has been something of a mixed bag. The positive incomings have been far outweighed by players arriving on inflated fees who quite simply haven’t produced the goods.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Alvaro Morata arrived in London to much hype and fanfare, yet for the large sums of money that they have cost Chelsea, they couldn’t fire the club to greater heights.

Indeed, some players who join Chelsea often struggle at the club before leaving and regaining their form elsewhere, with Timo Werner being a key example.

What has Timo Werner done since leaving Chelsea?

Considering Chelsea’s attacking options at the start of the campaign, it was a surprise when the club sold him back to RB Leipzig for £25m just two years after signing him from the same club, and it looked as though Thomas Tuchel was undergoing a rebuild at Stamford Bridge.

However, with the Blues’ centre-forwards scoring just four times all season, that move now looks even harder to explain, especially since his form has been superb since returning to Germany.

In the Bundesliga this term, the 26-year-old has scored five times in 14 matches while also creating three big chances, making 0.5 key passes per game and taking 2.3 shots per match, which suggests that he is getting back to his clinical best.

It is not only domestically that he is shining, with Werner performing well in the Champions League for Leipzig, scoring twice in six group stage matches including a goal against Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old also recorded an assist, created two big chances, made one key pass per match and had 1.7 shots per game in Europe, proving that he can excel on the biggest stage in club football and surely making Chelsea regret selling him last summer.

He is certainly living up to his “deadly” nature – as he was dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig in 2020 – and although he managed to score a credible 23 goals in 89 appearances for Chelsea, it clearly wasn’t enough to show Tuchel that he had a future at the club.

It could well have been different under Graham Potter. The Englishman has been forced to deploy Kai Havertz as a striker due to injury issues elsewhere, and it could have been the ideal chance for Werner to prove himslef and stake a claim to be the club’s main number nine.

Selling Werner can be considered another transfer blunder committed by the club in recent years.

Despite Eddie Howe’s recent comments, journalist Jordan Cronin has insisted that Newcastle United have touched base over Scott McTominay.

The Lowdown: Midfield is an area to improve

It’s no secret that Newcastle could do with at least one new midfielder this month, which was probably required before Bruno Guimaraes’ recent injury, but that will have likely only intensified their search.

This is because last season, Guimarares was playing more advanced with Jonjo Shelvey sitting behind him, and that led to the Brazilian scoring five in the Premier League, whereas he’s only got three this term as Shelvey has also been largely absent.

Therefore, a new No 6 could well be just what the Magpies need, someone who can conduct play and do the hard yards while Howe unleashes Guimaares in the final third more often – which is where someone such as McTominay could come into the equation.

The Latest: McTominay on the radar

However, Howe recently rubbished any talk of Newcastle swooping in for a loan deal for McTominay, although Cronin has heard different information on the contact between Newcastle and Manchester United.

Speaking on the Loaded Mag YouTube channel, he said: “Eddie Howe denied that there was contact with Scott McTominay, but from what I was told, Newcastle did enquire about Scott McTominay – but Manchester United said that there was no chance of letting him go.”

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The Verdict: Newcastle could aim higher than McTominay

Given that McTominay has only been able to start six league games this season, it would suggest that the Scotland international isn’t quite up to the standard of a top-four club, which is what Newcastle are clearly looking to become.

The Magpies have been linked with moves for players such as Moises Caicedo and Youri Tielemans as of late, which would signal a big statement of intent given they’re also wanted by the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal respectively.

If Newcastle could bring in McTominay on loan until the end of the season without an obligation to buy, he could be a decent stopgap signing, although if someone such as Tielemans and Caicedo become more attainable this month, PIF could move for them instead.

What is clear is that there is interest in McTominay despite the Toon boss playing it down, and it remains to be seen if Manchester United can be lured into a sale for a player surely keen on more regular game time.

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Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been a stalwart for the club, serving for over a decade and encapsulating the highs and the lows of the prestigious football club during his tenure between the sticks. 

Signing from Spanish La Liga giants Atletico Madrid on a permanent deal in 2011, De Gea has made 511 appearances for the Red Devils, keeping 177 clean sheets and winning multiple major honours including the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

But over the past few seasons, the Spaniard has encountered multiple bouts of criticism over his performances, with journalist Dominic Booth branding the 32-year-old as “woeful” after a dreadful Champions League display against German outfit RB Leipzig.

And now, according to The Sun, the Everton ‘keeper is attracting attention from the likes of United and Tottenham Hotspur, despite revealing to the Everton hierarchy that he wishes to remain at the club.

Despite this, Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri is unwilling to offer much more than the current £100k-per-week contract he is tied to, and with suitors promising a lucrative upgrade in salary, Everton boss Frank Lampard might face a strenuous task in succeeding in clinching the new deal, with his current contract set for expiry at the end of next season.

Time to ditch De Gea

Signing for Everton in 2017 in a – then – club-record £30m transfer from Sunderland, Pickford has established himself as a mainstay in the perennial Premier League competitors as well as earning the No. 1 spot in the England set-up, making 50 appearances.

Across the past two seasons, despite his Merseyside outfit’s struggles, the 28-year-old has recorded average league ratings of 6.87 and 7.11, as per Sofascore.

De Gea had been struggling for form, however, a recent purple patch in the Premier League has boosted his average rating up to 6.95, bolstering his overarching desire to remain at the Theatre of Dreams while he still feels at the top of his game.

However, with the £23m-rated Pickford four years his positional peer’s junior, and with De Gea indeed on a lucrative wage of £375k-per-week, shifting the man at the bedrock of Ten Hag’s team could be a prudent move indeed.

Pickford, who was dubbed a “monster” by journalist Joe Crann, has devoted years of stellar servitude to an Everton outfit that have been wayward in direction and spluttering in strategy, and it could be time for the shot-stopper to earn a move to a European-challenging outfit.

If his performances with the national team are anything to go by, recording an average rating of 6.86 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and keeping three clean sheets from five outings, then United would prosper with a composed, assured leader to signify the embody of the changing of the guard at the club.

Pundit and former footballer Noel Whelan believes Antonio Conte could sell all three of Tottenham Hotspur’s right wing-backs in the next two windows as none of them have been good enough.

What’s the word?

Spurs have struggled in that position, with Emerson Royal receiving heavy criticism for his performances. Meanwhile, Matt Doherty has been in and out of the side and Djed Spence has hardly featured.

Conte could sign a new player to replace them, with Pedro Porro of Sporting linked, and Whelan believes the Italian could even be tempted to get rid of all three of his current options.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan revealed that he would not be surprised to see all three go as he believes the Spurs boss does not trust them.

He said: “The performances in this position just aren’t up to standard.

“It’s not just Emerson Royal, it’s all of them. Doherty may have scored against Palace, but his future is still under big question marks.

“We’ve said with whoever is playing right wing-back – Conte really isn’t happy. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them all leave this year.

“It’s always been the question mark, and none of these players have set the right benchmark. It’s all over the place.

“It doesn’t surprise me to hear that Royal might be on the way out.

“Conte is trying to generate the funds he needs to overhaul what is probably the most fragile area of their squad.”

Unfair appraisal?

Although criticism of Royal and Doherty is largely justified as neither have impressed in North London, Spence has simply not been given a fair chance to prove himself.

The 22-year-old arrived from Middlesbrough in the summer for around £20m after delivering some standout performances for Nottingham Forest last season, but is yet to start for Spurs in any competition and has hardly been seen the pitch.

Given how the other two options in his position have performed, there is surely nothing to lose by giving him a start to see what he could do, but Conte clearly does not trust the young defender as he was left out of the starting lineup against League One outfit Portsmouth at the weekend, and a move away would be ideal to get his career back on track.

If he is sold prematurely and excels elsewhere, then Conte’s early judgement of the Englishman could well come back to bite him.

Mikel Arteta certainly enjoyed the first half of the season with Arsenal, who top the Premier League table throughout the World Cup break, five points clear of Manchester City.

The pause in the campaign would have given Arteta ample time to refocus ahead of what is surely the most important few months in the club’s recent history, while also planning ahead for the January transfer market.

The 40-year-old might be able to get rid of some deadwood in the winter, with Cedric Soares reportedly attracting interest from Fulham, Villarreal, and Bayer Leverkusen.

The 31-year-old – who earns £75k-p/w – has played just two Premier League matches all season, featuring for a grand total of 14 minutes, and it’s evident that he no longer appears to be in Arteta’s long-term plans.

The Spaniard is obviously building for the future, and with Spanish publication AS (via Sport Witness) claiming that Arsenal are keen on a move for Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda, it could give Arteta the licence to ditch Cedric in January.

The 18-year-old has a release clause of €30m (£26m), yet Edu is believed to be ‘already talking’ with the La Liga club regarding a deal for ‘around half’ of the release clause.

A potential move for the teenager would certainly be an interesting one, especially considering his performances so far this term.

Fresneda has played six matches in the 2022/23 La Liga campaign and has impressed defensively, making 2.5 tackles, 2.8 clearances and 1.3 interceptions per game and winning 55% of his duels, proving to be solid at the back.

He isn’t shy about getting forward and contributing in attack either, making 1.5 key passes per match, creating two big chances and completing 82% of his passes. These are excellent statistics from someone of his age, and it suggests that he could adapt quite well if he moves to the Premier League.

Journalist Juan Arroita lavished high praise on the youngster on Twitter earlier this year, saying: “Iván Fresneda has a beastly ability to take measured crosses from the right-handed lane. How good does the boy look? 17 years old…”

It appears that the days of Arsenal buying older players who have outstayed their welcome at various other Premier League clubs and eyeing a final payday are coming to an end, with Arteta building ahead for what could be a glorious era under his leadership.

Cedric should be offloaded next month in order to make way for Fresneda, and it is a prospective move which could turn out to be a shrewd investment over the next few years.

Sheffield Wednesday have been linked with a move for Grimsby Town left-back Anthony Glennon ahead of the January transfer window and he could prove to be the ideal heir to Marvin Johnson in Darren Moore’s side.

It was suggested by Football Insider earlier this month that Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland and Hull were all keen on signing the former Burnley man after his impressive displays in League Two this season.

The 22-year-old has featured in 14 games in the fourth tier for the Mariners, in which he has contributed one goal and three assists, averaging a strong 6.98 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

For context, only four players in Sheffield Wednesday’s squad are rated higher for their displays in the league, which emphasises just how impressive Glennon has been, given that Grimsby are only mid-table in League Two.

The young defender was very highly rated during his time at Burnley, with academy manager Steven Stone full of praise for him in 2019.

He said: “He is exceptional wherever he plays. He is exceptional in terms of how he drives and leads this team because he is captain of this team now.

“He drives it from centre half, he is not a big centre half and he has been unbelievable alongside Bobby Thomas and I keep saying to people how brilliant he has been.

“It is the same name that comes out and I think everyone else says the same thing.

“Then to push him to left back and be as good as he was again after not playing there for months is a testament to what he is about.”

Glennon has certainly proved himself with Grimsby this season and at just 22, he could be the perfect man to replace Johnson at Hillsborough in the future, given that the former Middlesbrough man turns 32 next month.

The fact that the youngster has also featured as a left-midfielder in Paul Hurst’s side suggests that he could be ideal in Moore’s 3-4-1-2 set-up, which requires the full-backs to contribute in attack, so Moore should definitely look to bring Glennon in during the January window.