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Nottingham Forest are preparing a second approach in an attempt to bring Sampdoria star Emil Audero to the Premier League this summer, according to reports.

Who is Emil Audero?

Audero is a goalkeeper who currently plies his trade at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium having completed his permanent move there back in 2019 following a successful loan spell from Juventus, as per Transfermarkt. Across both periods, he’s gone on to establish himself as Andrea Pirlo’s official number one between the sticks.

The 6 foot 3 colossus, who is eligible to internationally play for both Italy and Indonesia, still has another three years to run on his contract in the Serie A, but having emerged as his club’s overall second best-performing player last season with a WhoScored match rating of 6.78, he’s attracted the attention of Steve Cooper, and not for the first time.

Back in March, the 26-year-old revealed that he rejected the opportunity to move to the Midlands at the start of the new year to help his side in their relegation battle, but Italian outlet Il Mattino recently revealed that the Reds have once again revived their interest.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Emil Audero?

According to Samp News 24 (via Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest still "like" Audero and are in the process of "studying the strategy" of tabling a second offer during the ongoing summer transfer window. Sampdoria failed to maintain their league status so the goalkeeper could therefore depart should his side receive a "convincing offer", though it's currently unknown as to what kind of figure it would take to prise him away.

Overseas, Lazio, Inter Milan, Fiorentina, Empoli and Bologna are the other admirers "in the mix", and it's stated that should the English outfit miss out on securing his services, they have highlighted Spezia Calcio's Bartlomiej Dragowski as a "plan B" option.

How good is Emil Audero?

Due to Sampdoria’s disappointing campaign which saw them get relegated, Audero only managed to keep five clean sheets across all competitions but journalist Josh Bunting believes that he was the club’s “player of the season” for his outstanding personal displays, and he certainly looks like an upgrade on both Dean Henderson and Keylor Navas of 2022/23.

Sponsored by Nike, the £27k-per-week earner made 82 saves from 121 shots on target against, giving him a success rate of 71.9% which was significantly higher than the Paris Saint Germain star’s 66.3% and the Manchester United figure’s 65.9%, not to mention that he kept out two penalties.

The Mataram City native also has an extremely strong range of passing having completed 100% of his short-length attempts and 99.2% of his medium-length passes, so his accuracy is impeccable and it’s obvious he has an eye for picking out balls to his outfield peers.

Finally, Audero was deservedly recognised for indiviual performances during the previous term by being named man-of-the-match on five occassions which highlights just how important and how much of a positive impact that he has on the side. Should he have a change of heart if a second proposal were to be made, it would be a massive boost for Cooper.

Manchester United are ready to compete to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

Is Emiliano Martinez leaving Aston Villa?

The Premier League shot-stopper still has another four years remaining on his contract in the Midlands, but having established himself as Unai Emery’s overall third-best-performing player last season alongside winning the World Cup, he’s been attracting significant interest.

The Argentina international has reportedly emerged as a target for the Red Devils, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, and it’s been claimed that there is a chance he could leave his club in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dean Jones, journalist and transfer expert, revealed that there’s “potential” for the 30-year-old to join a more high-profile suitor should a big enough offer be tabled, and if the following update is to be believed, Erik ten Hag is prepared to seriously pursue his target.

Are Man United signing Martinez?

According to Football Transfers, Man United are “ready to battle” Chelsea to sign Martinez ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Ten Hag “hopes to team him up” with his compatriot Lisandro Martinez and believes that their existing connection will “benefit” his side’s defensive unit.

The Old Trafford boss “sees him as the perfect replacement” for David De Gea whose future still remains uncertain, and they could hold an advantage over the Blues because the goalkeeper “wants a move” to a club in the Champions League.

Should Ten Hag consider a bid for Martinez?

Man United will know that Martinez is a man in-demand off the back of the World Cup where he was dubbed Argentina’s “unsung hero” by journalist Josh Bunting, so should Ten Hag fail in his pursuit of Inter Milan’s Andre Onana, Aston Villa’s £120k-per-week goalkeeper could be the perfect alternative.

In the Premier League, the 6 foot 4 colossus kept 13 clean sheets from 36 appearances last season and ranked in the 99th percentile for most crosses stopped so he isn’t afraid to come out of the sticks, claim the ball and clear the danger from his area. Meanwhile, he has been branded "the best penalty-kick keeper in the world" by teammate John McGinn, who went on to call him a "unique character" when speaking on Sky Sports Premier League (7:25 pm, January 13, 2023).

The Universal Twenty Two client also recorded 97 saves from 132 shots on target against, giving him a save percentage of 74.2%, via FBRef, which was higher than De Gea whose success rate was just 71.1%, so it’s clear that Martinez, who admitted he created "chaos" at Old Trafford when Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty, would be an upgrade on the boss’ current first-choice in the net should he put pen to paper in M16.

Aston Villa have tabled a "lucrative offer" to sign Borussia Dortmund right-back Thomas Meunier this summer, according to a new transfer claim.

Could Meunier leave Dortmund this summer?

The Villans continue to eye up new signings ahead of the 2023/24 season, as they look to kick on from last year's success and keep building as a team. One area that they could look to strengthen in is defence, with Unai Emery no doubt keen to have plenty of options across the back-line, in terms of squad depth and making rotation easier with the addition of European football.

Meunier is a player who could be available in the summer transfer window, with the £165,000-a-week right-back out of contract at Dortmund at the end of next season. That could force the Bundesliga giants to sell him in the coming months, in order to receive a fee for him.

Villa have been linked with a move for the Belgian, and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away, suggesting the 31-year-old is a genuine target.

Are Villa keen on Meunier signing?

According to Bild [via Sport Witness], Villa, and by extension new president of football operations Monchi, have made a "lucrative offer" to Meunier, with Dortmund willing to let him leave before the new campaign gets underway. He is no longer considered a key man and the German side are happy to "get rid" of him.

Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan are all believed to be interested in signing the defender, too, with the player himself wanting to enjoy a fresh challenge "as soon as possible".

Meunier could be an ideal summer addition for Villa, possessing a wealth of experience and pedigree at the top level down the years. He has won 62 caps for a star-studded Belgium side, scoring eight goals for good measure, with three Ligue 1 titles also coming his way during his time with Paris Saint-Germain.

He was once hailed for his "physical presence and charisma" by Michael Zorc, and he is capable of providing both defensive nous and attacking thrust, as highlighted by an average of 3.3 tackles per game in the Champions League last season, as well as 36 goals and 52 assists in his club career.

At 31, Meunier admittedly could be past his absolute best as a player, but he could provide solid competition for Matty Cash, giving Emery two strong options at right-back, and he still has time left in him at the top level.

Everton midfielder Amadou Onana could be the 'most likely' player at Goodison Park to be sold this summer, according to journalist Paul Brown.

What's the latest transfer news involving Amadou Onana?

As per The Guardian, Chelsea have emerged as suitors for Onana this summer as they look to add some steel in the middle of the park at Stamford Bridge.

The report states that the £100k-a-week ace could be a natural replacement for veteran Chelsea anchorman N'Golo Kante, who is set to move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad at the end of the month.

Manchester United have also been monitoring Onana's situation as Erik Ten Hag seeks to add some more power to his options in the engine room and the Dutchman has signalled his intention to bring the Belgium international to Old Trafford, as per Football Insider.

Everton will play hardball with any sides that are keen on Onana and may demand up to £60 million in order to give themselves a platform for Sean Dyche to rebuild his squad this window, according to claims from the same outlet.

Financial difficulties have engulfed the Toffees of late and it is believed that they are 'under pressure' to sell Onana due to being in 'special measures' with the Premier League as a consequence of accumulating losses of over £370 million in a three-year period, as cited by The Daily Mail.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Brown thinks that Onana is one of the 'most likely' players to depart Everton this summer.

Brown said: "We still really haven't heard exactly what the player himself wants to do. I'd like to hear from Onana whether he really is committed to Everton for the long term or whether he does fancy a move to another club. That's the big question mark here. He didn't really pull up any trees the last few weeks of the season.

"You don't really want to be see your club sell any of its regular first team players… but if it comes to it, I think he's probably the most likely one to go."

Would losing Amadou Onana come as a blow to Everton?

In all likelihood, yes it would, seeing as Onana enjoyed a promising debut campaign as an Everton player and helped them to maintain their league status in the English top-flight.

In 2022/23, the 21-year-old made 35 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees, registering one goal and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Onana also stood strong in the tackle across the season and successfully averaged 2.2 successful challenges per match in the Premier League, as per WhoScored.

FBRef show that he also had the capacity to get forward from deeper positions and support his teammates, laying on 45 shot-creating actions in total.

Everton will want to keep hold of Onana this summer; however, it may be difficult given the calibre of side keen on taking him off their hands.

Newcastle United have placed Felix Nmecha on their wanted list for the summer transfer window having sent officials to see him play, according to Sky Germany journalist Philipp Hinze.

Are Newcastle United signing Felix Nmecha?

The player has only really burst onto the scene in the last two campaigns, having spent a lot of time in Manchester City's academy. He never made a league debut for the Premier League outfit before being sold on to Wolfsburg in Germany, where he has finally begun to get first-team football.

Having managed only one start in the Bundesliga for the side during his first season there, he really became a frequent member of the starting eleven in the 2022/23 campaign. Playing 30 times for them over the course of the campaign, he managed three goals and five assists from the centre of the field and ended up being a star member of the squad despite his age.

In addition, his showings have also led to him becoming one of the best statistically in his favoured position. When compared to other midfielders in the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues for example, he stands out as one of the very best at setting up his teammates. That's because his assist rate of 0.25 per 90 puts him within the top four percent in that area compared to other central players. It means that he clearly has excellent vision and a good eye for a pass to be able to tee up his teammates so often.

Now, according to a report from Sky Sports journalist Philipp Hinze, Nmecha may have the chance to return to England and prove himself in a first-team.

That's because Newcastle have reportedly been keeping tabs on his situation with Wolfsburg and have spent the last season sending club officials to watch him in action. He is "also" on their list alongside James Maddison and Dominik Szoboszlai.

How much is Felix Nmecha worth?

Hinze reports a potential asking price of up to 30 million Euros (or about £26m). No bid has been made yet but it does seem as if he is certainly on the Magpies' radar, and that price would surely fall within their transfer structure, having been a bit more shrewd than many would have expected since the takeover.

He's already been praised highly for his performances in Germany, with football journalist Josh Bunting stating that Nmecha has an "intelligent eye" and that also his "technical ability is good".

Despite being just 22-years-old, he already seems to possess the qualities to add some guile and playmaking ability to the Newcastle side – and considering his age, the potential is there for him to get even better for them under Howe's guidance.

West Ham United have been linked with a surprise move for Kyle Walker this week.

The England international played a huge part in Manchester City's famous treble-winning campaign, but the versatile defender could be about to leave the Etihad Stadium.

Having won 12 major honours across six years at City, it has been reported the 33-year-old will be allowed to leave by Pep Guardiola this summer.

Big-spending clubs from Saudi Arabia are inevitably interested in signing Walker, who is capable of playing on the right side of defence or in the middle, while 90min reports that the Hammers are also keeping tabs on the situation.

Signing the Sheffield-born star would be a huge coup for the Hammers, who recently ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy and are about to balance another season of European and domestic football.

What can Kyle Walker bring to West Ham United?

West Ham are no strangers to bringing in an experienced full-back from City, having recruited Pablo Zabaleta on a free transfer during the same summer that Walker arrived in Manchester.

Zabaleta would go on to play 80 times for West Ham over three seasons, before announcing his retirement in an emotional open letter on the club's official website in 2020.

At an almost identical age as Zabaleta was at the time, West Ham will hope Walker can have an even bigger impact than the Argentinian should he arrive at the London Stadium.

Walker was used 39 times in all competitions by City this past season, which ended last week with the Citizens adding the Champions League to the Premier League and FA Cup trophies collected over the previous fortnight.

The 33-year-old was called out by Guardiola in March for his "stupid" off-field antics, but arguably a more damning verdict came the following month when the Catalonia-born boss admitted Walker could no longer play in his tactical system.

That came at a point when Walker had lost his place in the side, but he soon returned – as John Stones was used in a hybrid role between centre-back and holding midfield – with the Sheffield United academy product's quality shining through in the end.

While boasting quality in many different areas, Walker's ability to prevent players running in behind – just ask Real Madrid's attackers – particularly stands out, with his pace not being impacted despite now being 33.

"I'm convinced that Kyle Walker could beat a cheetah over 30m. He's absolutely rapid," football writer Tom Young said last year. Indeed, with a top speed of 21.13mph recorded by Speedsdb, Walker is one of the swiftest defenders around.

Walker, unsurprisingly for a player moulded by Guardiola, is also strong with the ball at his feet. This is reflected by his 83.69 attempted passes per 90 minutes over the past 12 months, as per FBref, which places him in the top 3% of his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues.

The former Tottenham Hotspur dynamo also ranks highly for passes completed percentage (87) and progressive passes per 90 (6.95). To put that into some context, Declan Rice was West Ham's best performer last season in terms of passes attempted with just 58.7 per 90.

Walker, who is currently valued at around £17m by FootballTransfers, would invariably be an upgrade on Vladimir Coufal, West Ham's most used player at right-back last season.

It would also give Irons supporters a new hero to worship, much like Zabaleta, as they look to push on from their European joy last season.

Sergio Aguero has revealed that he has already trolled Lionel Messi about Inter Miami’s lowly position in the league.

What position are Inter Miami in MLS?

It was revealed this week that the former Paris Saint-Germain star would be swapping Ligue 1 for MLS after two seasons in France.

There had been reports that he was wanted by both Barcelona as well as teams in Saudi Arabia, but – perhaps surprisingly – Messi will be going to America instead.

However, Inter Miami aren’t exactly in the best shape right now having just fired head coach Phill Neville amid an awful run of just two wins in their last 13 games.

As a result, Messi’s new team are dead last in the Eastern Conference and Aguero wasted no time in ribbing his close friend about this.

Indeed, speaking to ESPN Argentina (via Felipe Cardenas), the retired striker claimed that he chatted with the 35-year-old recently and sent him a screenshot of the Eastern Conference standings.

Aguero explained his conversation with Messi saying: “Your team is behind! You have to move up to 8th/9th.”

He then revealed the 35-year-old attacker’s response: “Messi cracked up. He said we have to make the playoffs.”

On top of this, as reported in a follow-up Tweet, Aguero was also asked if he’ll watch Messi’s games in Miami in person.

He replied: “They are no tickets! It’s sold out. But I think he arrives in mid-July.”

Who is Messi’s godson?

Messi and Aguero of course played together for Argentina and appear to be pretty close. After all, the new MLS star is actually godfather to Sergio’s son.

What’s more, Benjamin appears to be quite happy to defend the World Cup winner too. Indeed, he recently

trolled PSG when they announced Messi’s departure, saying: “He was too big for you.”

Well, if the 35-year-old was too big for the Ligue 1 champions, one can only imagine the sort of impact he’ll have in America. He’s already helping grow Inter Miami’s social media brand.

For instance, since his transfer was announced, the club’s Instagram account has gone from one million followers to over 6.5 million.

Glasgow Rangers will certainly miss Alfredo Morelos, despite his sharp drop-off in the previous few seasons. The Colombian striker scored 124 goals across just 269 games for the Ibrox side, yet his final two campaigns saw him net only 30 times, looking like a shadow of his former self at times.

Michael Beale decided not to offer him an extended contract, along with Ryan Kent and three others, and in time, it could perhaps be looked upon as the best choice for both parties.

With his departure, the Light Blues will require some attacking reinforcements ahead of next term, especially with Celtic racing away with the Premiership title last season, scoring 21 more goals than the Gers, an area which needs vast improvement.

The club have been linked with a move for West Bromwich Albion striker Karlan Grant according to Mirror journalist Darren Witcoop, who tweeted: “West Brom will listen to offers for striker Karlan Grant this summer. Grant has Championship admirers while Scottish side Rangers have registered an interest. Grant signed a six-year deal when he joined the Baggies for £15m in 2020 but he can now leave Albion.”

The forward is now valued at €4.5m (£4m) by Football Transfers and with three years left on his current deal, Beale may have to pay this sort of fee to secure his signature.

Could Karlan Grant replace Alfredo Morelos at Rangers?

Like Morelos, Grant had a fairly underwhelming 2022/2023 season, scoring just five times for the Baggies across all competitions, however, this shouldn’t put Beale off a potential move.

During 2021/2022, Grant netted 18 goals and grabbed six assists across 44 Championship matches, demonstrating how effective he can be in front of goal, while ranking first in the West Brom squad for goals, scoring frequency and big chances created as well as ranking second for shots per game, clearly suggesting his attacking talents were the best in the squad and if he could replicate this sort of form in Scotland, Grant could cause havoc for opposition defenders.

Presenter Colin Murray lauded the striker for being “clutch”, such is his talent for scoring vital goals and Beale would love a forward who could arrive at Ibrox and hit the ground running straight away.

77 goals and 22 assists in 274 matches isn’t the most prolific strike rate in the world, however his ability to float between a centre-forward role and coming just off the left wing means he can offer more than just goals for this Rangers side next season, with one of his key strengths being his ability to cut inside effectively as per WhoScored.

There will likely be more than one attacking option joining the club this summer, however, signing Grant, should remain top of the priority list, especially considering Beale lured Todd Cantwell to Ibrox following a disappointing six-month spell for Norwich in the Championship and he has already shone – bagging six goals and four assists in just 16 Premiership appearances.

Burnley romped their way to the Championship title in exciting fashion as they accumulated 101 points to secure their promotion to the Premier League.

Vincent Kompany must now use the upcoming summer transfer window to build a squad that is capable of surviving, and thriving, in the top-flight, instead of suffering an instant relegation back down to the second tier.

One area in which he is reportedly looking to strengthen is the centre-forward position following the departure of Ashley Barnes on a free transfer to Norwich City.

It was recently reported that the Clarets are one of the teams interested in signing Metz number nine Georges Mikautadze, who has been the subject of a €10m (£8.7m) offer from Italian giants AC Milan.

Who is Georges Mikautadze?

He is a 22-year-old Georgian international who has caught the eye with his impressive performances in the second tier of French football this season and the ace could come in as a big upgrade on current Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez.

In the Championship this term, the ex-Southampton man averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 and contributed with ten goals and two assists in 28 appearances – a strike every 2.8 outings on average.

Mikautadze, however, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.25 and plundered 23 goals and eight assists in 36 clashes in Ligue 2 for Metz – a goal every 1.56 matches on average.

This shows that the marksman has been lethal in front of goal as the gem has been able to score more than once every other game, which is far more impressive than Rodriguez's return.

The dynamo also produced 1.5 key passes per appearance and delivered seven 'big chances' on a plate for his teammates throughout the campaign, which shows that the young whiz has the vision and passing range to regularly open up the opposition's defence.

Meanwhile, the Englishman created 0.5 chances per game for his teammates in the second division and this indicates that the Metz star would provide far more creativity in the number nine role, as Rodriguez does not set up his fellow attackers on a regular basis.

Mikautadze, who writer Andres Ramos claimed is "shining" in Ligue 2, could, therefore, come in and provide Kompany's side with far more quality in the final third.

Their respective statistics this season suggest that the Georgian has the quality to score more goals and create more chances for others in comparison to Rodriguez, which is why he would come in as a big upgrade on the English veteran.

Tottenham Hotspur managerial target Ange Postecoglou "may be tempted" to accept the job in the Premier League, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

What's the latest news on Ange Postecoglou to Spurs?

The Greek-Australian has reportedly “always” been one of the main candidates on Daniel Levy’s shortlist to replace interim coach Ryan Mason heading into the new season and his future north of the border is uncertain as a result of him being on a 12-month rolling contract, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign due to him not yet signing an extension.

Football Insider claim that Celtic are preparing to table the 57-year-old a record-breaking offer that would make him the club’s best ever paid manager in their history to try and fend off interest from N17, but that doesn’t seem to have stopped the chairman from wanting to take a bite at the cherry.

The Daily Record state that the Lilywhites are readying an official approach for the Parkhead boss, with Levy holding a “concrete” interest in his target, and he’s now been backed to successfully secure his services in the weeks ahead.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Crook claimed that Postecoglou could listen to any offers that come his way from Tottenham as a result of already achieving pretty much everything possible at Celtic. He said:

“Yeah, I’ve been down their list, and I think Postecoglou may be tempted. He would be giving up Champions League football at Celtic, but he might just feel he’s done all he can.”

Is Postecoglou the right candidate for Spurs?

Since Celtic appointed Postecoglou back in 2021, he’s completely transformed the squad and has even been dubbed “mental” for his front-foot approach by compatriot Jackson Irvine, so should Tottenham be able to secure his services in the dugout, it would be a massive coup for Levy and the rest of the hierarchy.

The Hoops coach, whose preferred formation is a 4-3-3 attacking, has so far taken charge of 112 games with the green and whites, winning 82, drawing 12 and losing just 18 of those fixtures whilst averaging 2.30 points per match, via Transfermarkt.

The Champions League manager has seen this form turn into silverware having secured four titles in Glasgow which are part of the 17 trophies that he’s collected at both club and international level since the beginning of his career on the sidelines.

Finally, Postecoglou shares the same agent, CAA Base Ltd, as Son Heung-Min, Pedro Porro and Richarlison, so this existing connection his representative has to the club could potentially give them a small advantage when it comes to the two parties trying to reach an agreement.