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Alex Neil has no choice but to axe on-loan Will Grigg this summer and shouldn’t offer the Northern Irishman a new contract.

Grigg was offered yet another escape from his Sunderland nightmare in January when he joined fellow league one promotion hopefuls Rotherham on loan until the end of the season.

The striker joined Sunderland from Wigan Athletic just over three years ago for £4m and has only scored eight goals in 62 appearances for the Black Cats.

He has previously been on loan at one of his former permanent clubs MK Dons where his record improved scoring eight goals in 20 appearances.

Despite this, it just hasn’t gone to plan for the 30-year old in a Sunderland shirt and the club could save a lot of money by not renewing his contract. So far he has been costing them a whopping £575k per goal he’s scored.

The club are in the hunt for promotion and if they do go up then players will likely demand big wages thanks to the huge player salary gap between League One and the Championship.

In some ways, it’s a shame to see a player who was once one of the best strikers in the division, during his time with Wigan he won the golden boot in the 2015/16 season, dwindle in the way he has.

He is a promotion specialist having gone up from League One three times during his career, but it looks as though he won’t be involved in any promotion celebrations with Sunderland.

Grigg was signed by former Sunderland manager Jack Ross on deadline day in January 2019 to replace Josh Maja who moved to Bordeaux for £1.3m.

He has failed in the task to replicate Maja’s form, who when he left the Stadium of Light was Sunderland’s top scorer with 14 goals in 24 league appearances that term.

The fact it was a deadline day signing may show that signing Grigg wasn’t originally Sunderland’s plan and may not have happened if they kept Maja.

Despite the Northern Ireland international not doing as well as they would have hoped, it looks like they have finally found their talisman with striker Ross Stewart topping the goal-scoring chart for the Black Cats this campaign with 22 in 44.

He moved to Wearside for just £304k and has now seen his value soar to £450k, proving even more why they no longer need Grigg.

IN other news: Speakman masterclass: SAFC sealed dream deal for £10m gem whose talent is “effortless”…

According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, via Sport Witness, some major Man City transfer news has emerged involving Sporting Lisbon star Matheus Nunes.

The Lowdown: Guardiola blown away…

After Pep Guardiola’s side hammered Sporting 5-0 away in the first leg of their Round of 16 Champions League Round tie, one opposition player who seemingly blew away City’s boss was in fact Nunes.

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Speaking to media afterwards, the Sky Blues head coach lavished praise on Sporting’s in-demand midfielder, even going on to claim he is ‘one of the best players in the world today’.

Guardiola’s rave review of the 23-year-old has prompted links to signing him in the summer window with A Bola (via SW) now sharing a promising transfer development out of Eastlands.

The Latest: Man City hold discussions…

According to their sources, City chiefs have apparently held ‘informal’ discussions with Sporting over a transfer for Nunes.

In perhaps the most exciting part of this story, the player himself is very keen on moving to Manchester, with there even being suggestions he ‘dreams’ of signing for Guardiola.

It’s also pointed that both Sporting and City’s ‘privileged relationship’ could boost them further in an attempt to land Nunes.

The Verdict: Make a move?

The Premier League champions already have a wealth of talent at their disposal in midfield, but given they could sign him for just €40 million (£33m), it appears there is little financial risk for City.

Called ‘unbelievable’ by former teammate Goncalo Santos, the player’s WhoScored stats point to someone who could actually be of use in Guardiola’s unique false-nine system.

A superb ball-carrier, Nunes completes more dribbles per 90 on average domestically than any City star has in the Premier League – backing why they’re allegedly interested.

Given his quality and fairly cheap potential sum, the Sky Blues should at the very least consider a transfer this summer.

In other news: Man City officials sent to club as Pep now eyes ‘absolute beast’ alongside Haaland! Find out more here.

Rafael Benitez should be lining up a new left-back when the summer transfer window opens in a few months time.

The Spaniard was desperate to bolster his options on the left flank back in January with Paul Dummett the only recognised left-sided defender at the club. After watching a move for Jordan Lukaku collapse, Newcastle eventually signed Antonio Barreca on loan from Monaco. However, recent reports from the Chronicle suggest the Italian was low on Benitez’s list of potential targets which makes a permanent move in the summer unlikely.

While Matt Ritchie has performed admirably at left wing-back, it’s clear the former Liverpool boss needs to sign a natural left defender in the summer. Staying in the Premier League will be crucial to Newcastle’s summer transfer plans. Benitez will be hoping the sale of the club is also concluded so transfer funds are made available.

One man the ex-Real Madrid manager should be keeping tabs on is Banfield wonderkid – Claudio Bravo. Valued at just £525k by Transfermarkt, the left-back has been one of the most consistent performers in the Argentina Primera Division this season after breaking into the first-team. Bravo has been ever-present during his 12 appearances this season, earning plenty of praise for his excellent showings.

First and foremost, the 21-year-old is an excellent defender who would add some much-needed stability to the Magpies’ back four. Remarkably, Bravo has averaged an incredible 5.9 tackles per game in Argentina – more than any other player in all of Europe’s top five leagues this season.

Despite his young age, Bravo also reads the game superbly, making 3.7 interceptions per game, again no player in Europe’s top five leagues has averaged more. Not only does the youngster excel defensively, he also loves to get forward to help out the attack, averaging an impressive 2.2 successful dribbles and 1.3 key passes per game (WhoScored).

Bravo has the potential to be special and could be Newcastle’s long-term solution to their left-back dilemma.

Newcastle fans, thoughts?

Manchester United are leading Everton and two other Premier League clubs in the race to sign Blackburn Rovers centre-back Ashley Phillips, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Phillips profiled

Phillips is just 16 years of age and has been labelled as ‘phenomenal’ and ‘the future’ by Rovers boss Tony Mowbray.

Already standing at 6 foot 4, Phillips is an England Under-17 international and is under contract at Ewood Park until 2023.

He was recently included on the bench for Blackburn in an FA Cup defeat to Wigan Athletic, and it seems as if United officials are keeping a close eye on the teenager.

The Latest: Source shares update

As reported by Football Insider on Thursday evening, United are in pole position to sign Phillips ahead of Chelsea, Everton and Tottenham.

A recruitment source informed the site that United are desperate to win the race for Phillips as they see the defender as a star of the future.

It is no surprise to see the Toffees in the race too, with Frank Lampard no doubt keen to keep up his reputation of developing young English players.

The Verdict: Smart move

Although United failed to make a senior signing during the January transfer window, it is good to see that they are looking to bolster their academy ranks ahead of the summer.

The club were poised to sign young centre-back Josh Feeney back in the summer but were pipped by Aston Villa to his services.

United officials may well be fearing a repeat of that move when it comes to Phillips, especially with three other clubs keen and Everton no doubt desperate to add depth at centre-back given their injury crisis in that position.

Hopefully, the Red Devils can land the Blackburn man and develop him in the club’s academy over the coming years.

In other news: Man Utd may now launch move for ‘fantastic’ Pochettino favourite who’s just left Spurs. 

Journalist James Pearce has described Liverpool superstar Sadio Mane as a ‘transformed’ figure after his match-winning performance against Manchester City.

The Lowdown: Mane superb against City

The Reds picked up a memorable 3-2 win over City on Saturday afternoon, as they reached the FA Cup final and kept their quadruple dream alive.

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It was Mane who was Liverpool’s biggest hero on the day, scoring twice for Jurgen Klopp’s side and excelling in his all-round game at Wembley.

The Senegalese has come in for lots of praise in the days since the win over City and it doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon.

The Latest: Pearce hails Reds hero

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, The Athletic‘s Pearce waxed lyrical over Mane, claiming he has gone up a gear after a drop off in form:

“Some believed the arrival of Luis Diaz would spell the beginning of the end for Sadio Mane at #LFC. In fact it has helped give him a new lease of life. A look at how his fortunes have been transformed and the belief he took from his heroics for Senegal.”

The Verdict: Genuine Liverpool legend

The term legend can be banded around too easily these days, but in Mane’s case, he most certainly falls into that bracket at Liverpool.

The 30-year-old has been one of the star men of the Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield, not only winning the Champions League and Premier League but also scoring 115 goals in 259 appearances.

Mane has inspired Senegal to Africa Cup of Nations glory and World Cup qualification recently, too, and as Pearce alludes to, it looks to have given him a huge confidence boost. What a stunning, humble footballer he is.

In other news, Pearce has also heaped praise on one ‘special’ Liverpool player. Find out who it is here.

Jordan Campbell has now revealed the latest on a potential Glasgow Rangers exit for Jack Simpson.

The Lowdown: Simpson rumours

There have been rumours going around that the Ibrox faithful have accepted a bid from QPR for Simpson, while both Middlesbrough and Swansea City have also been linked with a move for the former Bournemouth man.

He is not getting much game time at all for the Gers, having only played in five matches across all competitions so far this season, so an exit on Transfer Deadline Day does look likely at this stage.

The Latest: Campbell update

As per The Athletic journalist Campbell, reports linking Simpson with a move to QPR are ‘untrue’, and while both Swansea and Middlesbrough have made enquiries over a potential loan deal, Rangers would prefer to sell him on a permanent transfer. Campbell revealed:

“Understand that reports Jack Simpson is heading to QPR are untrue. “Swansea and Middlesbrough among the teams to have enquired about a loan deal but it’s believed Rangers will only consider a permanent transfer.” The Verdict: Sell

If the Gers can negotiate a permanent exit for Simpson, then they must do at all costs. He is simply not playing enough and would not be a big loss to Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his squad.

When he has played, he has often been criticised by both journalists and fans alike, and in truth, his move to Scottish football has not quite worked out.

Thus, given that he is 25 years of age, they could still get a decent transfer fee for him should they be able to sell.

In other news, find out what contract update has RFC supporters buzzing here!

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was left in awe of Liverpool star Thiago during the Premier League clash with Manchester United. 

The lowdown: Liverpool run riot

It was a night to remember for the Reds as Jurgen Klopp’s men put four past their arch-rivals, Manchester United, at Anfield.

Luis Diaz opened the scoring following a decisive move before Mohamed Salah ended a mini goal drought with a brace on either side of a Sadio Mane strike.

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However, one man outside of the goalscorers, in particular, caught the eye as Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League…

The latest: ‘A joy to watch’

Speaking during Sky Sports’ live coverage (20:30, April 19) at Anfield, ex-Old Trafford stalwart Neville, who was co-commentating on the match, eulogised over a moment on 30 minutes as Thiago found Mohamed Salah with pinpoint precision.

“Absolutely sensational, this pass, a joy to watch,” the former Red Devil gushed.

That pass was one of 108 out of 113 (96%) accurate passes from the 46-cap Spaniard as Thiago earned an 8.20 Sofascore rating on the night – bettered only by Salah, whose two goals helped the Egyptian to an 8.40 rating.

To put those numbers into perspective, the visitors’ entire starting midfield four – Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba and Diogo Dalot – complete just just 83 passes.

The verdict: First class

Signed for £20million from Bayern Munich (BBC), Thiago arrived on Merseyside having already tasted success on the biggest stage. The 31-year-old is a four-time La Liga champion with Barcelona and has lifted the UEFA Champions League with both Bayern and the Spanish giants.

Since becoming a Red the cultured ace has gone from strength to strength and there can be no doubt that the ex-Barca man’s influence on Klopp’s side has been ever-increasing throughout this season – this was a performance right out of the top drawer, full of moments of sheer quality that clearly impressed even the most staunch Manchester United supporter.

Having had his fitness issues throughout his time on Merseyside, Liverpool’s chances of adding more trophies to the Carabao Cup won earlier this term will depend on the midfielder’s availability and potentially more displays such as this.

In other news, the race for one Liverpool target is heating up. Read more here.

According journalist Dean Jones of Eurosport, speaking to GiveMeSport, West Ham are firmly in the hunt to sign Middlesbrough defender Dael Fry.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye defensive back-up…

In the build up to January, the Hammers and recruitment chief Rob Newman were heavily linked with a number of central defensive additions amid West Ham’s previous emergency.

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90min claimed they could even turn to the Championship as they became linked to Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly, QPR mainstay Rob Dickie and Boro’s Fry.

According to Jones, speaking to GMS, that interest has remained as Moyes, West Ham and Newman remain in the picture to sign Chris Wilder’s star defender.

The Latest: West Ham in the mix…

Indeed, as per the ‘transfer insider’, the Hammers are very much in contention alongside a number of Premier League clubs.

“Dael Fry and [Marcus] Tavernier are obviously making headlines at the moment following Middlesbrough’s great win,” he explained.

“Both of those players will be available in the summer if Middlesbrough don’t manage to win promotion. So, there are a lot of Premier League clubs looking at these two players, Dael Fry, in particular, Wolves, Brighton, West Ham and Southampton are all very interested in him.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

He is estimated by Jones to cost around £20 million, but for this amount, is Fry worth the plunge?

Likened to England international and Man City defender John Stones (90min), the 24-year-old has been a crucial player for Boro over these past few seasons with former boss Neil Warnock even claiming last year they ‘cannot replace’ him.

Tavernier has waxed lyrical over the ‘unbelievable’ Fry before but his lack of experience in the Premier League makes a £20m bid potentially risky business.

In other news: West Ham source: Moyes back in to sign ‘explosive’ 2020 target who’s ‘as quick as anything’, find out more here.

After Manchester City officially announced a new deal for exciting youngster James McAtee, numerous members of the media have shown no hesitation in heaping praise on the club.

The Lowdown: McAtee new deal concerns…

Before the talented teenager eventually put pen to paper on a three-year extension at Eastlands, duly keeping him at the club until 2026, there were concerns that McAtee would leave on a Bosman in 2023, when his previous contract expired.

Murmurs of interest from the Premier League only heightened these worries, especially since the 19-year-old has a glowing reputation from the City academy and has even drawn comparisons with club legend David Silva.

The Sky Blues and sporting director Txiki Begiristain have been tying down many big-name stars to new deals recently, including defender Joao Cancelo, with reports suggesting they are also in talks over fresh terms for Bernardo Silva (Pol Ballus).

As City confirm yet another fresh contract, numerous members of the media have raved over this McAtee development, praising the club for getting it done.

The Latest: Media rave…

Here’s what some journalist had to say on this “great news” out of Eastlands, sharing a variety of takes on this exciting announcement.

“Highly-rated Manchester City midfielder James McAtee signs a new deal keeping him at the club until 2026. Fantastic news, a young player with massive talent and huge potential” – Jonathan Smith, Man City correspondent for Goal (Twitter).

“Cancelo signs a new contract yesterday. Bernardo extension rumours kick in. Haaland rumours go into overdrive and McAtee extends. Bert heaven today.” – Steven McInerney, Man City personality and YouTuber with nearly 60,000 subscribers (Twitter).

“Meant to tweet earlier but good to see James McAtee signing a new deal to 2026 with #mcfc. Got talent in abundance that lad.” – James Ducker, The Telegraph (Twitter).

“Great news for Manchester City.” – Pol Ballus, The Times (Twitter).

The Verdict: Huge…

As Pep Guardiola’s side tie McAtee down with no risk of losing the talented attacking midfielder in 18 months’ time, this certainly comes as huge news.

He has already attracted praise from City’s manager after just three senior outings this season, while McAtee’s performances at youth level have been nothing short of exceptional.

Scoring 14 goals and setting up seven others over 15 Premier League 2 appearances for City’s Elite Development Squad, the sky appears to be the limit for McAtee, and it’s little wonder Begiristain has moved quickly to get this deal wrapped up well before the summer.

In other news: Pep now ‘offered’ post-January chance to sign ‘world class’ £220,000-per-week star for Man City…find out more here.

Tottenham are confident of securing a deal to bring Sam Johnstone to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claim that sources have revealed Fabio Paratici and his Tottenham transfer team are now “very confident” of landing the England international, who is set to become available on a free transfer upon the expiry of his current deal with West Bromwich Albion at the end of the season.

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A further report by Sky Sports suggested that both Manchester United and Southampton, along with a host of other clubs, are also interested in a move for the 29-year-old shot-stopper this summer, while Johnstone himself is reportedly desperate to secure a move back to the Premier League.

Paratici’s next Pirlo

Considering that Antonio Conte’s current first-choice number one Hugo Lloris will turn 36 later this year, and with it being reported that Tottenham are not planning to activate their £13m purchase option for Atalanta loanee Pierluigi Gollini this summer, it is not difficult to see why Paratici would be interested in a move for Johnstone.

While it is true that West Brom have struggled following their return to the second tier of English football after their relegation from the top flight last season – currently sitting in 12th place, eight points behind Sheffield United in sixth – Johnstone nevertheless proved his quality during the Baggies’ latest Premier League jaunt.

Indeed, over his 37 league outings last term, the £7.2m-rated stopper – who Steve Bruce dubbed a “diamond” – was one of West Brom’s standout performers, keeping six clean sheets and making 4.5 saves per match, the most of any goalkeeper in the top flight. These returns saw the £32.5k-per-week stopper average a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Albion’s second-best player in the division.

As such, it is clear to see that Paratici’s capture of Johnstone on a free transfer would be something of a masterclass by the Spurs managing director. In terms of its impact on the club, it could even go on to top his Bosman signing of Andrea Pirlo for Juventus back in 2011.

AND in other news: “I can say…”: Italian journo drops huge Spurs transfer claim, Conte will be fuming