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David Norris reckons that there will be no bigger signing at Leeds this summer than Marcelo Bielsa.

The popular Argentine has entered the final month of his current contract at Elland Road, but is expected to extend his stay in Yorkshire into a fourth season.

Whilst the Leeds faithful will be waiting anxiously until it’s confirmed, Bielsa did a similar thing this time 12 months ago, only penning his new deal on the eve of the start of their Premier League season.

Having guided Leeds to an impressive ninth-place finish in their first campaign back in the top-flight, the 65-year-old is set to sign another one-year contract much to the relief of the Elland Road faithful.

Despite uncertainty surrounding Bielsa’s future, Leeds have already been linked to a host of names this summer, which would suggest that the veteran manager is planning on hanging around.

However, Norris exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that keeping Bielsa is more important than any transfer business Leeds will complete this window:

“I don’t think it was going to be a big deal, Bielsa never said it was, so if he was going to stay, he was going to stay, it just wasn’t on his list of priorities.

“I have heard from inside that he’s agreed his deal, it’s just a matter of time before it comes out, and that’s a massive signing for Leeds.”

Football Insider pundit Paul Robinson has been reacting to Celtic’s reported interest in Tottenham defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers links

A source close to the player informed USA journalist Larry Henry Jr regarding the Hoops’ interest in Carter-Vickers.

Any possible move for the Spurs centre-back would reportedly be a permanent one, despite the 23-year-old having six loan moves during his time in north London.

Reports back in May suggested that Tottenham value Carter-Vickers around the £10m mark.

Celtic may well be in the need of defensive reinforcements, with Kristoffer Ajer unhappy with the Hoops after they rejected two bids for his services.

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The Latest: Robinson reacts

Robinson was talking to Football Insider regarding the links to the American defender.

The 41-year-old was asked if he would be a good addition for Ange Postecoglou, to which he said:

“I was impressed with him at Bournemouth last season. It was a good loan spell.

“He has got a good amount of experience behind him now. He could be a stabilising force at the back for Celtic next year.

“Obviously it did not work out for Shane Duffy last season and everyone expected him to be a big success when he went up there on loan so there are no guarantees.

“Postecoglou has got a lot of building to do up there but I believe he can get them going again. I like the appointment and I think he is a manager who can unite the club once again.

“Signing someone like Carter-Vickers would be a great start because he could sure up the defence. The quicker they get their back four and goalkeeper sorted out the better really.”

The Verdict: £10m way too much

Should Spurs still be wanting £10m for the defender, Celtic would have to make him their club-record signing.

Yes, they may have money to spend if Ajer gets his wish and leaves, but links of a £5m offer for highly-rated teenager Mario Vuskovic and claims they are monitoring £3.5m wonderkid Piero Hincapie could be wiser defensive moves, given their price and age.

Carter-Vickers has over 100 games experience in the Championship but is yet to feature in the Premier League, so £10m for the defender who has never proven himself at the highest level could be a costly decision.

In other news: Alan Nixon provides Aaron Hickey to Celtic update, find out more here. 

Writing on Twitter, Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has shared news coming out of Tottenham Hotspur involving Norwich City star Max Aarons.

The Lowdown: Aarons back on the radar?

Alongside problem positions like centre-half, Spurs have also been touted to move for a new right-back this summer if defender Serge Aurier leaves north London.

Reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold recently explained that Tottenham ‘will’ target a full-back replacement for the Ivorian if he does indeed depart (football.london), with a few names already linked.

Spurs have been touted with possible moves for Brighton starlet Tariq Lamptey (Sky Sports) and Turkey international defender Zeki Celik recently (Evening Standard).

The Latest: Sky Sports reporter backs Aarons interest…

As per Sky reporter Thomas, writing on social media, Tottenham have also reignited their interest in Aarons after the Lilywhites were heavily linked with a move last year.

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“Tottenham have renewed their interest in Max Aarons this summer,” explained Thomas on Twitter.

“Joining the growing list of clubs chasing the Norwich right-back.”

The 21-year-old is seen as a solid alternative to fellow target Lamptey, with Brighton thought to want as much as £50 million for the latter man’s signature.

By comparison, the Canaries are said to value Aarons in the region of £30m.

The Verdict: Do it Paratici…

Club managing director Fabio Paratici, who has now been charged with developing the club’s sporting operations, simply must target Aarons if Aurier does leave this summer.

He played a key role under Daniel Farke, helping Norwich bounce straight back to the Premier League whilst starting 45 Championship matches and providing a real threat going forward.

The youngster even averaged the same amount of key passes per 90 at Carrow Road last season (1.4) as superstar Harry Kane did in the Premier League (WhoScored).

At £30m compared to Lamptey’s possible £50m tag, it’s clear who the better option would be for Tottenham.

In other news: ‘Tottenham will’…Alasdair Gold makes encouraging N17 transfer claim, find out more here.

A major update has emerged on Rangers target Billy Gilmour, regarding where he will be playing his football next season and it looks like he won’t be heading to Glasgow to play at Ibrox.

What’s the talk?

According to Sky Sports, Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour has agreed to sign for Premier League side Norwich on loan for the 2021/22 campaign. The Scotland international is currently in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 and will complete his medical in Norfolk later this week when he is cleared to end his exile.

This comes after the EDP reported earlier this month that Gilmour was attracted to the prospect of working under Steven Gerrard at Ibrox. At the time, it was said to be a shootout between Rangers and Norwich for his signature, with the English side now poised to win the battle.

Fans will be gutted

Rangers fans will be left gutted by this latest update. The news that Gilmour was interested in joining the club due to the allure of being coached by Gerrard was encouraging and you could excuse fans for thinking that it would have tipped the balance in their favour. However, the youngster has now chosen to sign for Norwich and ply his trade in the Premier League for a season.

From his perspective, it is an understandable decision. Whilst Rangers have the chance to qualify for the Champions League, he could now play in the English top-flight week-in-week-out and impress against the teams that Chelsea compete with every year.

This means that Thomas Tuchel will be able to see how he fares playing regularly at that level and it could give him a gauge of exactly how far away he is from competing in the first-team at Stamford Bridge. Whereas, it would be harder to ascertain that if Gilmour is playing for Rangers against teams in Scotland, who may not be on the same level as Premier League outfits.

The £43k-per-week dynamo could have been an exciting addition to Gerrard’s squad ahead of next season. Former Scotland youth coach Malky Mackay lauded him as “special” and pointed out that he captained Scotland at the Toulon tournament at the age of 17, highlighting his maturity and quality at such a young age for the under-21 side at international level.

He told the Scotsman, as transcribed by the EDP:

“Billy is someone I’ve been impatient about for a number of years now.

“We took him to the Toulon tournament with Scotland under-21s when he was 17 because I had a firm belief this kid is something special.

“He ended up playing, becoming the breakthrough player at a tournament of that esteem, scoring a goal and captaining the team.”

This shows how highly rated he is and why he could have the potential to become an excellent player. Rangers fans will be disappointed that they will not get the chance to watch him flourish and perhaps fulfil his potential at Ibrox on loan next season, which is why this news is a blow for the club and the supporters.

AND in other news, Major development emerges over “wonderful” 5ft 8 Rangers gem, Gerrard will be fuming…

Nottingham Forest have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Jerry Yates to The City Ground this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that Blackpool have entered into fresh contract talks with the 24-year-old, offering the centre-forward improved terms in a bid to fend off interest in his services in the summer transfer window.

It has been reported that a number of Championship clubs, including the likes of Nottingham Forest and Blackburn Rovers, are considering a move for the prolific forward, in a bid to improve their attacking options ahead of next season.

Hughton will be fuming

Considering just how impressive Yates was for Blackpool last season, if Nottingham Forest end up missing out on his signing as a result of the forward putting pen to paper on a new deal at Bloomfield Road, Chris Hughton will undoubtedly be fuming at the opportunity missed.

Indeed, over his 47 League One appearances for Blackpool last term, the £2.1k-per-week man scored 21 goals, registered eight assists and created six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making one key pass per game.

These metrics saw the centre-forward earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.99, ranking him as Neil Critchley’s sixth-best performer in the third tier of English football, playing a key role in his side securing promotion to the Championship.

Yates also scored a further two goals and registered one assist in the club’s FA Cup run, taking his haul to 23 goals and nine assists for the season.

And, with only Derby County scoring fewer Championship goals than Forest’s 37 last time out, it is evident that Hughton is in rather desperate need of reinforcements in the position this summer.

As such, a move to bring the man Critchley dubbed an “outstanding” player to The City Ground this summer would have appeared to be a fantastic piece of business for Forest, however, following the latest update on his current situation at Bloomfield Road, the Garibaldi could well have missed their chance.

In other news: Nixon drops transfer claim on “important” £1.2k-p/w gem, Forest fans would be fuming

Celtic teenager Adam Montgomery has been catching the eye at Parkhead since the start of 2021, according to Kieran Devlin for The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Ange gets off to a winning start

Ange Postecoglou took charge of Celtic for the first time during the week – the Hoops are on a pre-season tour in Wales and defeated Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 thanks to goals from Albian Ajeti, Owen Moffat and Odsonne Edouard.

Left-back Montgomery was one of seven teenagers involved across two starting line-ups, and it appears as if the teenager has been impressing at Parkhead since January.

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The Latest: Devlin’s claim

Devlin, Celtic’s writer for The Athletic, shared a story on Thursday following the Hoops’ first pre-season clash. In the piece, claimed that club sources indicate that Montgomery ‘has looked bright’ since the start of 2021.

The 18-year-old is under contract at Celtic Park until 2025 and has made two senior competitive appearances for the Hoops to date.

The Verdict: The next Tierney?

Former Hoops left-back Kieran Tierney recently hailed Montgomery as “a good talent and a decent boy”, and it seems as if he has been making a positive impact at Lennoxtown over the last seven months.

Celtic have just Greg Taylor and Boli Bolingoli as senior options at left-back, with the Belgian linked with a permanent move to Turkey.

Should that materialise, Montgomery may well get the nod from Postecoglou to feature more regularly during the 2021/22 season, and who knows, the youngster could end up becoming the next Tierney in years to come.

In other news: Well-placed source claims ‘outstanding‘ ace is now keen on Celtic move; contact has been made, find out more here. 

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills has tipped new Whites signing Junior Firpo to be a success at Elland Road immediately.

The Lowdown: Leeds snap up Firpo

With Ezgjan Alioski always looking like moving on this summer, Marcelo Bielsa needed to bring in a new left-back.

He did just that, signing Firpo from Barcelona earlier this month after the Brazilian struggled for playing time behind first-choice starter Jordi Alba.

The hope is of course that the 24-year-old is a huge success story at Elland Road, proving to be a long-term acquisition.

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The Latest: Left-back tipped to shine

Someone who believes that will be the case is Mills, who told Football Insider that he believes Firpo has the quality to slot into the team straight away:

“I think it is exciting for Leeds fans.

“He’s obviously a player of quality and now he has to fit into Marcelo Bielsa’s system and get used to the high-intensity training regime that they have and go from there.

“He’s a player who you’d expect to come in and be comfortable on the ball. He should be able to handle the way Leeds play.”

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The Verdict: Exciting signing by Whites

Firpo looks tailor-made to thrive in this current Leeds side, having the attacking game required to flourish in Bielsa’s system.

He averaged a hugely impressive 92.9 percent pass completion rate in the Champions League last season, highlighting his quality on the ball, also scoring and assisting once apiece in seven La Liga appearances.

The fact that Firpo is also a genuine left-back means Leeds could be even more balanced, with all due respect to Alioski, who did an excellent job in general, but the North Macedonia international was never a natural in the position.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly interested in signing a Premier League winger this summer. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace are interested in a move to bring in Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher on loan for the 2021/22 season, according to the Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Crystal Palace set for busy summer ahead of 2021/22

Facing an enormous rebuild following the departure of 22 first team players at the end of last season, new Eagles manager Patrick Vieira will be desperate to acquire the numbers necessary to bolster his squad.

Starting this process, the south Londoners have moved to bring in Michael Olise, Remi Matthews and Jacob Montes in recent days [Transfermarkt].

Now looking to strengthen in central areas, Palace look set to pursue 21-year-old Gallagher following recent reports.

The Latest: Palace in for Gallagher as potential loan switch gathers pace

Chelsea are set to let Gallagher leave on loan for the campaign, but they see his long-term future at Stamford Bridge.

Crystal Palace are said to be happy to bring in the Epsom-born midfielder, although Newcastle United are also keen on his services [Daily Mail].

The Verdict: Gallagher would be an astute signing

Bringing in England under-21 international Gallagher would be an astute piece of business by the Selhurst Park hierarchy.

He made 32 appearances on loan at West Bromwich Albion last season, registering four goal contributions with two goals and two assists [Transfermarkt]. Furthermore, his ability to win midfield battles and compete in the middle of the park resulted in Gallagher making 185 ball recoveries across the year [Premier League].

Recording 2.3 defensive dribbles per match also within this timeframe, this was the highest rate within the West Brom squad [WhoScored].

Once labelled as having ‘so much quality’ by former Baggies manager Slaven Bilic [Express and Star], Gallagher is an exciting prospect who could thrive at Selhurst Park should a prospective move occur.

Crystal Palace should be doing all they can to capture the prodigious 21-year-old ahead of the new season, especially if it means not having to make the financial commitment of a permanent move.

In other news, Crystal Palace are interested in this La Liga ace.

Brentford and Swansea City are reportedly interested in signing Sheffield Wednesday star Barry Bannan this summer, acting as a blow to the Owls.

The Lowdown: Bannan stars for Sheff Wed

Wednesday may be facing up to life in League One next season, but one player who cannot be blamed for their struggles is Bannan.

The midfielder has been an exceptional performer for the Owls over a sustained period, making 258 appearances for the club along the way.

Given Bannan’s quality, it could be difficult to keep hold of him this summer, especially as he is allowed to leave if a £1million offer arrives.

The Latest: Two clubs linked with move

According to Sky Sports [via The 72], Brentford and Swansea have emerged as the front-runners to sign the 31-year-old in the summer transfer window.

Banna’s current Owls contract expires at the end of the 2022/23 season.

The Verdict: Potential big blow for Owls

Bannan has arguably been Wednesday’s best player over the past five years or so, producing quality on the ball – he registered five Championship assists last season – but also an admirable work ethic.

With Darren Moore’s side now in the third tier of English football, however, it could be difficult to keep hold of someone with 27 Scotland caps to his name.

Brentford could be an especially appealing proposition for Bannan, following their promotion to the Premier League, and it would be hard to begrudge him leaving if the Bees follow up their interest with a concrete offer.

In other news, Sheff Wed are reportedly keen on signing one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

An update has emerged on Celtic target Kristijan Lovric, regarding how much Gorica want for his services.

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, Celtic have enquired about a potential deal to sign Kristijan Lovric this summer to bolster their wide options.

The report claims that Gorica have told Celtic they want £4.2m (€5m) for the forward, with Serie A side Hellas Verona also showing an interest in his services.

Elyounoussi replacement

Celtic must sanction a swoop for Lovric this summer as he could be the perfect replacement for Mo Elyounoussi, who has returned to Southampton following his loan spell with the club. The Norweigan enjoyed a solid season at Celtic Park and now needs to be replaced ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, with Lovric potentially ready to come in and take up that spot on the left side of the attack.

Elyounoussi provided 10 goals and four assists in 34 Scottish Premiership appearances last term. He averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.94, showing himself to be a reliable, consistent, part of Celtic’s attacking lineup.

This means that the club must bring in a suitable replacement who is capable of replicating his successes or bettering it, by coming in and scoring and assisting plenty of goals.

Lovric could have the quality to do that. In the Croatian league last season, the 25-year-old scored 15 goals and created a further five, averaging a phenomenal score of 7.33 over the course of 29 matches. This suggests that he has the ability to consistently provide brilliant end product and, therefore, could be the replacement for Elyounoussi that Ange Postecoglou needs this summer.

HNTV commentator Damir Petravic once compared him to Arjen Robben, Andrea Pirlo, Miralem Pjanic and said he sprints “like Mbappe”. He said: “He dribbles and scores in the style of Robben, shoots free kicks like Pirlo or Pjanic, and knows how to sprint like Mbappe.”

This is high praise indeed for the Croatian attacker and is another reason why the club must ensure that they get a £4.2m deal over the line for him.

His statistics are superb and he must be doing something right to be compared with some of the legends of the game mentioned above. Hopefully, Postecoglou can push for this deal to be done in the coming weeks and have the forward as part of his squad before the end of the window.

AND in other news, Celtic must seal deal for 6ft 2 gem who made one error last season, fans would love it…