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Adama Traore had a poor first half of the season as he struggled to turn his build-up play into anything meaningful, but Wolves Hall of Famer Steve Bull has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that he would like to see Wolves keep the speedy winger.

Earlier in the season, there had been rumours linking Traore with a move away to Liverpool as Wolves are apparently willing to listen to cut-price offers for the Spain international, but following an upturn in form that may have changed.

Traore is still just 25-years-old and it appears that now could be a turning point in his career as he fully comes to grip with life in the Premier League, after arriving in the country back in 2015 with Aston Villa who signed him from Barcelona.

Before April, Traore had failed to score a goal in the Premier League but despite his often frustrating nature in the final third Wolves should keep him – that is according to Bull who spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern:

“I think Nuno has taken him under his wing over the last six months and he has progressed but he hasn’t done it over 90 minutes which is frustrating because he’s got so much power in his body.

“He is a talented player and I would keep him as a wildcard to bring him on off the bench after 60 minutes, and tell him to go and get after the defenders.”

Wolves signed Traore after he spent one season in the Championship with Middlesbrough in 2018, and the Spaniard made his international debut at the back end of last year in a 0-0 draw against Portugal.

Wolves will be looking to kick on next season when they get all their attacking players back on the pitch at the same time, with Raul Jimenez and Pedro Neto spending extended periods of time on the sidelines.

Sunderland’s make-shift right-back Lynden Gooch endured a torrid afternoon on Saturday afternoon as Lee Johnson’s side failed in their bid to reach the play-off final.

After losing the first leg of their semi-final clash with Lincoln City 2-0, the Black Cats had a monumental job on their hands in the return fixture in order to secure a spot in the play-off final at Wembley.

Despite the task at hand, a blistering start by Johnson’s side appeared to get them back on track, as first-half goals from Ross Stewart and Charlie Wyke immediately wiped out the Imps’ advantage, with Sunderland appearing to have all the momentum heading into halftime.

However, this momentum didn’t last long, as Tom Hooper put Michael Appleton’s side back ahead on aggregate shortly after the restart, a blow which, ultimately, Sunderland failed to recover from – with the tie finishing 3-2 to Lincoln over the two legs.

Despite the loss, a number of Johnson’s men put in admirable performances in the fixture, with Aiden McGeady earning a SofaScore match rating of 9.0, while Wyke earned an 8.5 rating and Stewart a 7.8 rating.

Although, other players did not fare anywhere near as well, none more so than Sunderland’s make-shift right-back Lynden Gooch.

Having been one of the Black Cats’ worst players in the first leg, the 25-year-old once again let his side down on Saturday, albeit while playing in an unfamiliar position.

Over the course of his 89 minutes on the pitch, the £5k-per-week midfielder was extremely sloppy with the ball, completing just 24 of his 40 attempted passes, none of his three attempted crosses, and six of his 14 attempted long balls.

The USA international also lost possession of the ball an extraordinary 28 times in the match, a figure greater than any other player on the pitch, from either side, on the day.

From a defensive standpoint, Gooch also lost 10 of his 14 duels, was dribbled past once and committed three fouls.

Indeed, the Sunderland academy graduate’s SofaScore match rating of 5.8 ranked him as the club’s worst player in the fixture, and it could easily be argued that his performance played a huge part in Sunderland’s failure to reach the play-off final.

As such, Gooch now has a long summer ahead of him to reflect on his displays over the two legs against Lincoln City, with the midfielder very much appearing to have badly let his team and manager down. His manager trusted him to do a job, but Gooch betrayed that trust with a terrible display.

In other news: SAFC gain transfer boost over “fantastic” £8m machine that’ll surely have fans buzzing – opinion

Queens Park Rangers defender Rob Dickie is attracting significant interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Shields Gazette, who claim that the QPR centre-back is on Newcastle United’s list of potential summer targets, with a number of the Magpies’ current options in the heart of defence looking likely to depart St. James’ Park in the coming weeks.

Warburton will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Dickie has been in the QPR backline this season, the news of interest from a Premier League side is likely to come as gutting news for Mark Warburton, as losing the defender this summer would seriously damage his side’s chances of a promotion push next term.

Over his 43 Championship appearances for the Rs this year, the £2.25m-rated centre-back scored three goals and provided one assist, as well as making an average of 1.3 tackles, 1.8 interceptions and four clearances per game.

These returns saw the 25-year-old earn a seasonal WhoScored match rating of 7.17, ranking him as QPR’s second-best performer in the league, as well as the joint seventh-best player in the Championship as a whole.

And, with Warburton having already confirmed the signing of Jordy de Wijs this summer – Dickie’s centre-back partner in the second half of the season, with the 26-year-old being the only Rs player to better the Englishman’s average WhoScored match rating – losing half of this fantastic partnership in the upcoming transfer would undoubtedly come as a gutting blow for the 58-year-old.

However, with the man Karl Robinson dubbed a “magnificent” defender under contract until 2024 at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, QPR are certainly under no pressure to sell this summer – unless, that is, Dickie himself begins to push for a move.

In other news: Fresh transfer update emerges on “outstanding” £6m beast that’ll have QPR fans buzzing – opinion

Rotherham United have received a big boost in their bid to sign 21-year-old defender Jacob Bedeau as it has been revealed that Portsmouth are not interested in signing him this summer.

What’s the talk?

Earlier this season, The Athletic claimed that Rotherham, Luton, Barnsley and Huddersfield were all monitoring Bedeau’s situation at Scunthorpe. Bedeau is out of contract this summer and all four clubs have been looking at the defender as a possible target as they all ponder defensive reinforcements heading into the 2021/22 campaign.

Football Insider then added Portsmouth’s name to the list of clubs chasing Bedeau on a free transfer, which could have added more competition for Rotherham in the race for his signature.

However, Hampshire Live have provided a response to the report and stated that Bedeau is not a player Portsmouth want to add to their squad this summer, leaving Rotherham and the aforementioned Championship clubs as the only teams left gunning for his services.

Huge boost

This could be a huge boost to Rotherham’s chances of landing the 21-year-old centre-back this summer. Portsmouth could be a promotion rival to Rotherham in League One next year, given that the Hampshire-based club finished 8th in the table and Paul Warne’s side were relegated from the Championship.

The two clubs could be fighting against each other to secure promotion to the second tier, which means that interest from Portsmouth in Bedeau could have been a genuine challenge to Rotherham, given how similar the two clubs are in terms of thier potential ambitions and targets.

Despite only being 21, Bedeau proved to be a beast at League Two level for Scunthorpe. He averaged 3.2 aerial battles won, 3.8 clearances made and one block per game across 34 appearances.

Bedeau was adept at winning headers and putting his body on the line to defend his goal, showing great instincts for a young defender at a physical level of football.

Warne could integrate him into his squad to inject some freshness into his defence. Richard Wood, 35, Angus MacDonald, 28, and Michael Ihiekwe, 28, were his first-choice centre-back trio in the Championship, suggesting that there could be an opening for a younger player to come in and play a part in League One.

At the age of 21, Bedeau could learn from MacDonald, Ihiekwe and Wood to improve his game, whilst also being coached by Warne, in order to add to the strong qualities he has already shown in the fourth tier of English football.

Therefore, Portsmouth’s lack of interest in Bedeau could come as a big boost to Warne and Rotherham. Not only could Bedeau make an instant impact at Rotherham, as shown by his defending statistics from Scunthorpe’s season, but he could also have the potential to improve further and be a long-term asset for the club.

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa must surely be buzzing after director of football Victor Orta delivered an exciting update from Thorp Arch on the club’s transfer plans for this summer.

What’s the story?

With the Premier League campaign now over, the Whites can focus squarely on strengthening Bielsa’s squad ahead of the new season throughout the summer, and Orta has indicated that he is keen on getting the club’s transfer business done early.

Speaking on The Phil Hay Show, he said: “It’s a strange market, I think obviously I want all the new players to start pre-season. I still have a long month of June and obviously I hope that the month of June we can finish the job.

“We can put our effort but it is not always just our side. Perhaps from our side, it is all done but there are a lot of people involved and it is out of our control.”

Fans will be buzzing

Whether Orta can get all of Leeds’ transfers done and through the door is unknown, but his comments about wanting to tie everything up quickly must be music to the ears of Bielsa and the club’s fans.

As the director himself says, having those new players in to start pre-season could be crucial in ensuring that they can hit the ground running at Elland Road come August, and it will be of major benefit to Bielsa to have them ready for the start of the 2021/22 Premier League.

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The Leeds manager places unique demands on his players, so having those new signings in through the door to get acclimatised to his methods could be crucial.

The latest news will surely have the fans buzzing at potentially seeing Leeds making some big moves in the transfer market by the end of this month. If they can pull it off, it should lead to a very exciting start to the Premier League next season for the Whites .

Meanwhile, Leeds must finally unleash this talented starlet next season…

According to The Sunday Mirror (06/06, p77) [via HITC], Tottenham are prepared to give Real Madrid’s Isco a three-year contract, although there has been a slight complication.

The Lowdown: Spurs looking for new signings

Although Spurs remain without a permanent manager after Jose Mourinho was relieved of his duties in April, the club are still planning ahead towards the new campaign.

That is likely to mean new arrivals, and one well-known name has popped up.

The Latest: Spurs eye Isco

It has been reported that Tottenham are ready to offer a three-year deal to Isco which would be worth £14m.

However, the return of Carlo Ancelotti to the Santiago Bernabeu could make a deal more complicated, as per The Sunday Mirror (06/06, p77) [via HITC]

The Verdict: Worth a punt

At times, Isco has been an absolute joy to behold. Throughout his career, he has managed 70 goals and 67 assists (Transfermarkt) and has won the Champions League four times. Previously hailed for his “magic” by Mauricio Pochettino (Marca), he has even been compared to Spain legend Andres Iniesta in the past due to his style of play (Goal.com).

The last few seasons have been difficult for the 29-year-old. Over the last three La Liga campaigns, he has managed just 34 starts, appearing to fall out of favour under Zinedine Zidane. However, his talent and ability is clear for all to see given his achievements at the Bernabeu, and a new start at Tottenham could be the best move for all involved.

In other news, Spurs have been offered the chance to sign this Premier League star.

Nuno Espirito Santo is interested in bringing Wolves pair Pedro Neto and Conor Coady to Goodison Park, should he take the Everton hotseat [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Everton still technically without a manager with pre-season around the corner

Technically, the Toffees are still managerless since the shock exit of former boss Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid at the start of this month [BBC].

Despite this, the Merseyside outfit have still been linked with the likes of Matheus Nunes and Danilo D’Ambrosio as they look to prepare for the 2021/22 season. However, attention now seems to have turned towards Neto and Coady as they step up their summer recruitment drive in the North-West.

The Latest: Toffees size up a triple deal of Espirito Santo, Coady and Neto

As it stands, the Portuguese manager is in ‘advanced talks’ to take the reigns at Everton ahead of pre-season [Guardian].

Subsequently, he is rumoured to view his two former players as figures who could improve the quality of an Everton side that narrowly missed out on European football in 2020/21 [Football Insider], after keeping pace for most of the campaign [Sky Sports].

However, the Blues may face some hurdles in order to obtain their desired pair. Rumoured to be paying considerable wages to select first-teamers, they may have to move a few players on in order to access funds for Neto and Coady.

The Verdict: Neto and Coady would be quality additions to the Goodison Park fold

There is little doubt that the two internationals would improve an Everton squad that is in need of fresh impetus. Last season, Wolves captain Coady made 40 appearances for the West Midlands side; registering a solitary goal [Transfermarkt].

More impressively, the defender showed his domineering nature as a centre-back regularly for Wolves, making an average of 3.5 clearances every 90 minutes for the Wanderers [WhoScored].

On the other hand, £16 million signing Neto managed 11 goal contributions across 36 games for his current employers; five goals and six assists [Transfermarkt]. Whilst across the year, he obtained a consistently higher matchday rating than anyone else in the Wolves squad, equating to 7.11 out of 10 across the 2020/21 campaign [WhoScored].

As Everton look ahead, Neto and Coady could bring familiarity and quality for their prospective manager to utilise. The Blues should look to try everything they can to get the deals over the line.

In other news, Barry Fry discusses a potential Everton managerial appointment.

Newcastle United cannot take a gamble on a player like Jack Wilshere, former Premier League striker Dean Windass has warned.

While there is nothing currently to suggest that the Tyneside club will move for the 29-year-old this summer, he could quickly become an appealing option.

Wilshere is, of course, an experienced Premier League player who would be available for free following his release from Bournemouth, while some reports earlier claimed Steve Bruce would not have that much money to play with this transfer window.

Taking that into account, Wilshere is arguably an attractive proposition, with some Newcastle fans calling for his signing only last year.

That is not a sentiment that Windass shares, however. He told TT in an exclusive interview:

“Couldn’t take a gamble on that, you just couldn’t take a gamble. Listen, I’m not saying Jack’s… you know, he’s a great footballer, but I just can’t see Steve playing that sort of player.

“You’ve got to be very fit now to play in the Premier League and I don’t think Jack’s Newcastle’s sort of type.”

As far as midfielders go, it is another man with Arsenal connections that Bruce will surely be focusing on.

Joe Willock has already proven himself in a Newcastle shirt, bagging an impressive eight goals in 14 appearances last season.

Manchester City will reportedly consider a move for Joao Felix this summer if Harry Kane proves to be too expensive. the Portuguese international could be a superb addition to Pep Guardiola’s squad at the Etihad.

According to EuroSport, Tottenham Hotspur will demand a fee in the region of £150m for Kane this summer which is forcing the Citizens to consider alternative options as they look to bolster their attack ahead of next season.

The report claims that City have a long-held interest in the Atletico Madrid man which stretches back to his time with Benfica, with whom he seriously impressed before completing an eye-watering £113m move to Diego Simeone’s side in 2019.

After struggling in his first season with the club, the 21-year-old certainly played his part last season as Atletico won the La Liga title, as he contributed seven goals and five assists in 31 La Liga appearances, averaging a solid 6.73 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Although the Portugal international doesn’t boast the goalscoring record of a striker such as Kane, Romelu Lukaku or Erling Haaland, he would arguably be an excellent fit in Guardiola’s side next season due to his ability to play as a false nine or deeper in an attacking midfield role.

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Last season we saw City regularly set themselves up without a natural striker on the pitch, with Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva all regularly playing as the furthest forward attacker and linking the play up, which Felix could be ideally suited for.

The youngster won a lot of plaudits during his time with Benfica, with Portuguese manager Carlos Carvahal singing his praises in 2019, saying:

“He knows how to find space well in the last line of defence, that is why he scores a lot and he shoots well with both feet. When he must connect the game between attack and midfield he does so very well. He’s a very good technical player.

“His characteristics are more near Kaka in my opinion, the way he drives the ball, connects play and his goals.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“577936″]

He certainly seems like the sort of player that Guardiola would love to have in his squad next season, so sporting director Txiki Begiristain should definitely consider a move for the Atletico man this summer.

And, in other news… Man City may already have their next Cancelo in “superb” teen rated “one of the best”

A major update has emerged on Amari Miller, regarding Leeds United’s pursuit of his signature this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, Leeds are confident that they will be able to secure a deal to sign Birmingham midfielder Amari Miller on a free transfer next month.

Leeds believe that they will be able to get Miller to ditch Birmingham to move to Elland Road upon the expiry of his deal with the Championship side at the end of June.

The report claims Leeds’ Premier League rivals Everton have also been interested in the youngster, who Birmingham have been attempted to pin down to an extended contract.

Earlier this year, Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer lavished praise on the “fearless” youngster. Bowyer lauded his personality off the pitch as well as his quality on it, predicting that he will become a good player. He told Birmingham Live:

“[He adds] Goals, assists, pace, something that we probably lack a bit is pace. He’s at that age where he is fearless. When he came on against Stoke, he got himself into an area and wasn’t afraid to go at the defender.”

“I think he will be a good player. He just needs to keep working hard. Hopefully, this taste that he’s having will drive him on for next season,” Bowyer said.

“I like him as a person, his manners and he’s respectful. The senior players love him as well. He’s going to make mistakes, but he keeps going. He’s fitted into the group well.”

Bielsa would love him

Victor Orta could strike gold with a swoop for Miller this summer. Not every signing has to be made with the next season in mind and Miller could be a player who has the potential to become a key player for Leeds in the future, rather than making an immediate impact in the Premier League.

At the age of 18, he still has an entire career ahead of him and Leeds can afford to take their time with his development at the club.

This means that he could be a player Bielsa is able to work closely with over a number of years, providing the Argentine boss remains at Elland Road in the long term. As Bowyer said earlier this year, Miller has the quality to become an impressive player and the attitude to make his way to the top, which Bielsa would love as it suggests the teenager is willing to learn and ready to do what it takes to improve himself.

Miller has already made five Championship appearances for Birmingham despite his young age. Given that he has already been exposed to first-team football, he could be a player Leeds sign and then loan back out to the Championship or another league where they feel he could play regular football and continue his development.

Bielsa could then monitor his progress and keep in touch with the youngster ahead of potentially bringing him into the first-team at Leeds in the future.

AND in other news, Promising update emerges on £13m Leeds-linked dynamo that will leave Bielsa buzzing…