Liverpool have penned Diogo Jota to a new five-year contract and Sky Sports presenter and broadcaster Nubaid Haroon is full of praise for the move.

The Lowdown: Jota signs new deal

The Portuguese star hit the ground running as soon as he joined the Reds from Wolves in 2020, proving to be a potent part of arguably Europe’s best attack.

Jota has scored 34 goals in 85 appearances for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp claiming that he is turning into a ‘world-class’ striker at Anfield.

The 25-year-old still had three years remaining on his current deal, but the club have now confirmed new terms to keep him at the club until 2027.

The Latest: Excellent business

Sky Sports discussed the new deal live on their Transfer Talk show with presenters Haroon and Michael Bridge, and the former had some pretty exciting words about the deal.

“It’s a brilliant way to get players to perform,” the reporter said, calling Jota “absolutely outstanding”.

He continued: “It’s a great way to get players to continually perform over and over again, you always have this incentive. He had three years on his deal, so for most clubs they probably run that to the final year then offer a new contract.

“Liverpool have said ‘you’ve been that good, we’re going to offer you a fresh contract’.

“You’d imagine more money, and you’ll probably have another incentive to get the next one and the next one, that’s how you get the best out of players.”

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Reds

Jota has almost become a forgotten man at Liverpool in some ways, given the signings of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, and the fact that his form tailed off towards the end of last season. His last goal for Klopp’s men came at Manchester City back in April.

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The Portugal international is a top-class footballer who is a killer in the penalty area, however, popping up with so many important goals in tight games for the Reds over the past two years.

It is, therefore, a no-brainer to lock up him for a further five years, and Haroon’s comments exactly how well the club is being run at the moment.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl can seal his dream alternative to Manchester City’s Liam Delap by signing VfB Stuttgart’s Sasa Kalajdzic this summer.

Both players have been on the club’s radar for a while as they look to strengthen their attacking options heading into the new Premier League season.

German outlet Bild reported the club’s interest in Kalajdzic last week, with a recent tweet from journalist Ekrem Konur saying that Saints are planning a £23m bid for Delap after having their first offer rejected.

The club have recently completed the signing of striker Sekou Mara from French side Bordeaux this week, but manager Hasenhuttl has revealed that he doesn’t plan on stopping there.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, he revealed that Mara “is not the only offensive player” that the club want to bring in saying that the strikers are the ones who make the difference.

With both Delap and Kalajdzic on his list, it’s left speculation as to which one he might be targeting next.

Stuttgart are said to want £20m for Kalajdzic so he would be a cheaper alternative to Delap for Hasenhuttl and arguably a better option too.

He’s also Austrian, so Ralph might prefer to link up with his fellow countryman, and with his contract running out next summer they could land a bargain.

The 25-year-old has been dubbed “unbelievable” by Victoria Lopyreva – and with seven direct goal contributions in 15 Bundesliga appearances last season, you can see why.

That compares to Delap who has only ever made two Premier League appearances for City. However, he’s only 19 and has a great goalscoring record at youth level, being directly involved in ten goals across ten games in Premier League 2 last season.

Whilst investing in youth is something Hasenhuttl is looking to do, if Saints are to avoid being in a relegation battle next season then they need attackers who can perform now.

Kalajdzic has proven to be ready so it would make more sense for the club to spend their money on him than take a risk on a player with little experience like Delap.

Time will tell what Ralph’s decision is, but it could have a huge bearing on the level of success Saints achieve next season.

AND in other news, “We want…”: Hasenhuttl reveals huge Southampton transfer update supporters will love…

Liverpool journalist James Pearce has reacted to midfielder Stefan Bajcetic being handed a new long-term contract with the Premier League side.

The Lowdown: Bajcetic profiled

The 17-year-old arrived at Anfield in February 2021 before signing his first professional deal in November of last year.

The maestro was given his chance to shine during pre-season, featuring in five of the club’s six games, with his performances impressing Jurgen Klopp to the extent that he was named as a substitute for the Reds’ curtain-raiser against Fulham last weekend.

The Latest: Pearce’s praise

Taking to Twitter, Pearce heaped praise on Bajcetic and insisted that a fresh deal is nothing less than he deserves. He wrote:

“Young LFC midfielder Stefan Bajcetic’s eye-catching progress rewarded with a new long-term contract on improved terms.”

Expanding in his column for The Athletic, the reporter wrote that the teenager has made ‘outstanding’ developments since putting pen to paper on his first senior deal last year.

Fellow youngster Harvey Elliott has also penned a new deal with the Reds, extending his stay until

The Verdict: Fully deserved

Bajcetic being offered a new deal at Liverpool seems fully deserved, given the positive impression he’s made in the club’s youth squad.

The Spaniard was naturally a centre-back but managed to score two goals and provide one assist in just nine games for the Reds U18s, via Transfermarkt, and has since progressed into playing more of a number six role in the middle of the park.

This kind of versatility makes him an exciting young prospect and someone who will hopefully go on to become a future face of the Liverpool first team in years to come.

There is a ‘real possibility’ Arnaud Kalimuendo will sign for Leeds United this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Bid tabled

The Whites have been linked with the PSG forward for a number of weeks now, and they appear to have firmed up their interest after missing out on Charles De Ketelaere.

Reports in recent days have claimed that Victor Orta has made a ‘very good’ offer worth €20m (£16.7m) for the 20-year-old, however, PSG could hold out for a fee of around €25m (£21m).

The Latest: Transfer update

French journalist Hadrien Grenier relayed an update from Jacobs regarding Kalimuendo and Leeds on Twitter, with the latter liking the post shared on Tuesday evening.

There is thought to be a ‘real possibility’ that the 20-year-old ‘will join Leeds’, with PSG chief Luis Campo happy to sell at the right price.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Leeds aren’t the only club showing an interest in the West Ham, Newcastle and Everton all thought to be keen.

Therefore, the Whites may want to try and push through a deal as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Reliable reporter Phil Hay has even confirmed in recent days that Leeds have had their eye on Kalimuendo, and following this latest update, it looks as if a transfer could well be on the cards in what would be a big boost with Jesse Marsch relatively short of centre-forward options.

Leeds United have been dealt another kit crisis blow after shipping containers plunged into the sea on their way to England.

The Lowdown: Kit announcements

Supporters got to see the club’s new home shirt worn competitively for the first time on Saturday as Jesse Marsch’s side began the new Premier League campaign with a 2-1 win over Wolves.

However, no fans in attendance could get hold of a home shirt before kick-off, with stock not available until late August. There was limited stock last week for the new away jersey, and it looks as if Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers Enterprises have been dealt another kit supply blow.

The Latest: Kit update

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from The Daily Mail’s Mike Keegan, who shared news of another blow for fans wanting to get their hands on a new Leeds shirt.

He stated in Monday’s print edition of the newspaper that after an initial hold up due to a Covid outbreak in Singapore, the delivery of new Leeds shirts have been delayed after shipping containers which were used to bring them to England plunged into the sea.

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The Verdict: Not ideal

It isn’t just Leeds who have been suffering when it comes to kit sales, with a number of English clubs having their own issues.

Many fans will be eager to get their hands on new club attire, while Leeds will also want to be in a position to sell after making close to £20m in merchandise sales during their first season back in the top flight two years ago.

Hopefully the club are still on track for a late August release of the new home kit despite this latest bizarre update and can once again sell close to 300,000 shirts.

Leeds United have been one of the busiest clubs in the Premier League in terms of the business they have done during the summer transfer window.

Along with bringing in a plethora of new faces such as Tyler Adams, Marc Roca and Luis Sinisterra, among others, the Yorkshire club have also seen some big players make moves away from Elland Road such as Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips.

With a few weeks still left before the transfer window shuts, this would give the Whites the chance to strengthen any area of the squad where it may be necessary.

Taking into account how Andrea Radrizzani recently spoke about the club’s aim to bring in a striker before deadline day, one man who has been linked with a move to Elland Road and who could be just what the Whites need is Bamba Dieng.

Having made 42 senior appearances for Marseille, the 22-year-old – who is reportedly valued at €18m (£15m) – has scored nine goals and delivered three assists in the process.

The majority of those appearances and goals came during the 2021/22 season with Les Olympiens, during which he also showed his versatility by playing with near-equal regularity as a centre-forward and as a left-winger.

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To further highlight his attacking talent, in his 25 Ligue 1 appearances last season, the Senegal attacker took 37 shots at goal, with 18 of those being on target, leaving him with the highest percentage for shots on target (48.6%) at the Stade Velodrome.

Hailed as an “explosive player with great potential,” by his former manager Jorge Sampaoli, Dieng also ended the campaign with the fourth-highest rate of goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.55) at Marseille.

In terms of what sort of player he is or could become in the future, the youngster has been likened to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba by El-Hadji Diouf in terms of his ability to score goals.

Bearing in mind how the Ivorian scored 104 goals in 254 top-flight appearances for the Blues and earned himself a place in the Premier League Hall of Fame, the prospect of seeing Victor Orta unearth what could be Leeds’ own version of Drogba would certainly be a mouth-watering prospect for the Whites and their supporters.

With transfer deadline day coming into view, securing a deal for the young striker could be just what Leeds need in order to top off what has undeniably been a very busy transfer period for the club.

West Ham United could be interested in a deal to bring Ludovic Ajorque to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Kevin Solhekol, with the reporter revealing in a recent update on the Sky Sports Transfer Centre (01/08, 20:56) that West Ham’s scouts were one of a number of Premier League representatives in attendance for RC Strasbourg’s 3-0 pre-season victory over Liverpool on Sunday – with the centre-forward believed to be the focus of the club’s gaze.

The reporter went on to state that Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Leicester City, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United also sent scouts to cast an eye over the 28-year-old – who is said to be available for a figure in the region of £18m this summer.

Regarding the interest in the striker, Solhekol said: “A player who we could be hearing a lot more from in the next couple of weeks played against Liverpool for Strasbourg at the weekend. He’s a striker called Ludovic Ajorque – a 6ft 6in striker with a very good scoring record and is available for £18m.

“I’m told the clubs that watched him yesterday were Wolves, Everton, Leicester, West Ham, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Newcastle. He’s someone we might be hearing a lot more from.”

Imagine him & Scamacca

With West Ham having already secured the £35.5m signing of Gianluca Scamacca this summer, the prospect of Moyes also going on to add Ajorque to his attacking arsenal ahead of the Hammers’ 2022/23 campaign will undoubtedly be an incredibly tantalising thought for all involved with the east London side.

Indeed, the £14.4m-rated Frenchman was in astonishing form over his 36 Ligue 1 appearances for Strasbourg last season, scoring 12 goals, registering eight assists and creating 11 big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.6 shots – 0.8 of which hit the target – making 1.3 key passes and winning 5.9 duels per game.

These returns saw the £14k-per-week talent who Julien Stephan dubbed both “remarkable” and “complete” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking the 6 foot 6 giant as the joint 31st-best player in the entirety of the French top flight last time out.

As such, the prospect of the 28-year-old lining up alongside the 6 foot 5 Italy international – who scored an arguably even more impressive 16 goals over 36 Serie A appearances for US Sassuolo last season – in Moyes’ attack next season is sure to be a terrifying thought for Premier League defenders up and down the country.

This, coupled with Solhekol’s claim that Ajorque is available for an extremely reasonable £18m fee this summer, leads us to believe that Rob Newman must do everything he can to form what would certainly be both a remarkable and incredibly aerially threatening duo at the London Stadium ahead of the new Premier League season.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has now made a fairly promising Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim as he shares news on Leicester City star James Maddison.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye new playmaker?

It is reliably believed that Spurs and sporting director Fabio Paratici remain in the market for a creative midfield player despite sealing a plethora of new signings so far this summer.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence have put pen to paper on move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as manager Antonio Conte prepares for his first full Premier League campaign in charge.

The likes of Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma) could reportedly follow their already-confirmed incomings as Paratici sets his sights on a playmaker.

There have also been some links surrounding Foxes star Maddison amid Newcastle’s attempts bring him to St. James’ Park.

The Latest: Bailey makes promising Maddison claim…

Taking to social media, reporter Bailey of 90min has now made a promising Spurs transfer claim involving the Englishman.

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Indeed, the journalist refuses to rule out Conte’s side in the race for Maddison and implores supporters to ‘keep a close eye’.

He explained (via Twitter):

“Keep a close eye on Tottenham…they are long-term admirers of James Maddison and are keeping abreast of the situation.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Reportedly valued at around £60 million, Maddison would come as another marquee signing after Richarlison and a serious investment on behalf of chairman Daniel Levy.

That being said, the star Leicester midfielder is homegrown and would help balance their worrying quota, not to mention a brilliant player.

As per WhoScored, the 25-year-old was Brendan Rodgers’ best-performing regular last campaign – finishing 21/22 with their highest match rating per 90.

Maddison also racked up their most goals and assists combined (12G, 8A), backing what a real threat he is in the final third and leaving little surprise pundits like Owen Hargreaves have called him ‘unplayable’ on his day.

Indeed, the £110,000-per-week star would really be the cherry on top of a superb Spurs transfer window.

Leeds United have only occasionally signed players from fellow English clubs over the past few transfer windows, with most of their new recruits coming from overseas.

One player who was brought in from another Premier League club, though, is Dan James, who arrived from Manchester United last summer for a reported fee of £25m.

In 32 league appearances throughout his debut season at Elland Road, the Welshman ended up scoring just four goals and delivering four assists along the way.

Bearing in mind how Leeds only scored 42 goals in the league last term, leaving just four other teams with fewer, the Whites could use the remainder of the summer transfer window to add some extra firepower to Jesse Marsch’s squad.

One man who has been mentioned with a move to Leeds and who could help them in that department and potentially be an upgrade on James is Watford winger Ismaila Sarr.

The Hornets signed the winger from French club Rennes for a reported fee of £40m three years ago.

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To compare his previous season with James’, the Watford star racked up a higher percentage for shots on target than the Wales international, also recording a greater number of successful dribbles and a higher distance in terms of carrying the ball towards the opponents’ goal.

Even though James played 12 more league games than Sarr, the latter only delivered one fewer cross than the Leeds winger, which just goes to show how much of a consistent attacking threat the Senegalese wizard is, and can be for the Whites if he comes to Elland Road.

Hailed as a “scary” player by Ben Foster in terms of his attacking ability, the Watford winger certainly has the credentials to be a useful asset for Leeds and provide them with a greater threat in front of goal throughout the new season.

Despite having a steep reported price tag of £40m, it could be worth making an approach to Watford to see if they would be willing to cash in on their attacking star and allow him to return to the Premier League over the next few weeks.

If Leeds are able to secure Sarr’s signature, it would not only top off what has been an impressive summer window from the Whites, but also provide them with what would appear to be an upgrade on James.

Wolves captain Conor Coady is ‘set to finalise’ his loan move to Premier League rivals Everton later today, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Seven-year tenure

After arriving at Molineux in 2015 in a £2m deal, Coady has gone on to play a huge role in the Old Gold’s recent success in the English top flight.

During his seven-year stay in the west Midlands, the 29-year-old has made a staggering 317 appearances in a Wolves shirt, with 152 of these coming in the Premier League.

The club captain remained instrumental in Bruno Lage’s defence last season, having demonstrated his reliability as a leader by skippering them in all 38 league games.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s news

With news having emerged of Everton making a move for the Wolves defender, O’Rourke has provided an update on the status of Coady’s seemingly imminent Molineux departure.

Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, the journalist claimed: “Conor Coady had his medical at Everton on Sunday and is set to finalise his loan move from Wolves later today. #EFC #wwfc”

The Verdict: Huge loss

Coady’s statistics alone demonstrate his importance to Wolves’ defence. During the 2021/22 season, the centre-back averaged 3.7 clearances and 1.1 blocks per game (via WhoScored), placing him second and first respectively for those metrics among Lage’s squad.

However, his absence will be most felt in the Molineux dressing room and on the training pitch. The Wolves manager has always spoken highly of the club captain and his ability to lead the team, having hailed him as ‘one of the best’ skippers around.

Therefore, whilst Coady’s presence will certainly be missed on the pitch, his leadership at the club means that his absence will leave a large void in Lage’s squad, with the 29-year-old’s successor as captain having a tough act to follow.