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Giovanni van Bronckhorst led Rangers to Scottish Cup glory and came so close to winning the Ibrox club’s first European trophy since 1972 in the Europa League final last season, but he is already planning ahead for next term.

With the Ibrox coffers boosted following the European run, there will surely be a few new faces arriving at the club over the summer.

A couple of players who could immediately improve the first team would be a welcome sight as the Gers aim to win back the Premiership title next season, although extending the contracts of a few key players in Van Bronckhorst’s current squad could be just as important.

Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Joe Aribo, arguably three of the club’s most valuable assets, are all out of contract at the end of next season, and former Rangers boss Alex McLeish has had his say on the situation.

He told Football Insider: “It is a little bit worrying when contracts are running so close to finalising. We all talk about the coming months and it’s something Rangers have to deal with.

“Whether they feel the need to bring some money in and somebody goes for a big fee, Calvin Bassey, there’s been talk about him, that helps Giovanni bring his players in as well… I’m sure there will be talks galore in the coming days, weeks, and months.”

The supporters will likely be concerned that there has been no word on new deals being offered to these players, and Van Bronckhorst needs to sort this out as soon as possible.

Aribo has stated that he isn’t interested in a move to the Premier League, despite the ongoing interest from Crystal Palace. With the midfielder currently valued at £9m, the Rangers boss could surely bring in more than double that for the 25-year-old if he extends his deal beyond 2023.

This summer could see the Rangers squad rejuvenated as Van Bronckhorst will be aiming to bring in his own players in, although keeping the existing core of the first team such as Aribo and Morelos could be every bit as crucial in the chase for glory next season.

AND in other news, “Was told..”: Journalist makes big Rangers transfer claim that’ll leave supporters excited…

Bayern Munich midfielder Marc Roca has said yes to a move to Leeds United, according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Phillips competition

Phil Hay first broke the news regarding Leeds’ interest in Roca last week, claiming the club view the Spaniard as competition for Kalvin Phillips and not a direct replacement. The 6ft midfielder can play in holding or box-to-box roles, and a move has gathered pace in recent days.

Roca now looks set to become another early move for Jesse Marsch after Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, with details of the pending transfer now shared.

The Latest: Plettenberg’s big update

Plettenberg has been on top of the links regarding Leeds and Roca for Sky Sports Germany since the rumour broke last week.

He provided a big ‘update’ on Tuesday evening, revealing details of a medical, contract length and fee involved.

“Update Roca: Medical is scheduled for Friday, probably it will take place on Monday. Contract until 2026, transfer fee €12m guaranteed + €5m bonuses. In principle he said YES to Leeds in the last hours.”

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The Verdict: Good to see

The Whites always seemed to struggle to get transfer business done early in the window under Marcelo Bielsa, so it’s good to see that the club are being proactive this summer following a close shave with relegation last month, with moves for three players who all have Champions League experience.

Roca will be a welcome addition due to the club’s shortage of central midfielders, and should Phillips remain at Elland Road, the pair could well form a partnership in a potential 4-2-2-2 system under Marsch.

The Spaniard will be looking to play a leading role in Yorkshire after struggling for starts at Bayern, and you’d expect he may have been guaranteed regular game time by Marsch in order to say yes to a move.

In other news: Next step now taken on Kalvin Phillips leaving Leeds in big development. 

The sale of Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi would come as a surprise this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to Midlands-based journalist Josh Holland, who stated his belief in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that the Netherlands international still has something to offer to Aston Villa.

As per the report, it is said that the Villans want to sell four players this summer, after bringing in the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos, Boubacar Kamara and Robin Olsen.

The quartet mentioned in the report are Trezeguet, Bertrand Traore, Morgan Sanson and El-Ghazi.

However, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Holland said: “I think all of them are expected. I think the only one I was surprised about would be El Ghazi. I rated him when he was at Ajax and Lille. It’s not really worked for him in England, and his loan move to Everton, I can’t even remember him feature for them at all.”

Gerrard must act

The departure of El Ghazi could well make for a controversial move on Steven Gerrard’s part, considering the fact that he has not been given a chance under the tutelage of the Liverpool legend.

As Holland mentions, the now 27-year-old shone in his first two Eredivisie seasons with Ajax, but did show a case of dramatic inconsistency when he blanked in 12 appearances for the Amsterdam outfit in his third and final season at the club.

His end product also took a hit in Ligue 1 with Lille, with his most prosperous season in France seeing him conjure eight attacking returns in the form of four goals and four assists over 27 appearances.

Though the Netherlands winger has demonstrated his effectiveness in England’s top-flight, finishing as the club’s second-highest goalscorer in the 20/21 season with ten goals.

As such, at the age of 27, entering his prime years, he is an asset who could have great effect as a squad player and is of course proven from the penalty spot.

A tough spell at Everton has certainly lowered his stock, but the relegation fight that the Toffees found themselves in was never going to bring the best out of flair players like the Dutchman.

He may be inconsistent, but when he is in form, he is unplayable, leading us to believe that Gerrard should keep El Ghazi around for at least another season.

AND in other news: Gerrard could form scary duo as AVFC now plot bid for £9m-rated gem who is “on fire”

Leeds United have been tipped to launch a bid to secure a permanent move for Manchester City midfielder James McAtee.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Ryan Taylor had this to say on the matter.

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He said: “I think McAtee is one that Leeds will look at permanently. They’re partial to that kind of deal. We saw them sign Lewis Bate from Chelsea, that kind of high potential youngster that they’re willing to invest in, although it hasn’t quite worked out yet.”

As a product of City’s youth academy, which has produced players such as Phil Foden, McAtee has made 93 appearances for the club across their senior and youth sides.

Over those appearances, the 19-year-old has scored 44 goals and delivered 27 assists in the process.

His latest campaign saw the midfielder score 18 goals and provide seven assists in 23 league appearances for City’s U23s.

He also made six senior appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, showing that he is on the fringes of breaking into the first team.

Leeds supporters will be buzzing

Should the Manchester club not be able to guarantee regular senior minutes for the teenager next season, perhaps a move away from the Etihad Stadium could be the best next step for him and his development.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to suggest that the Englishman would be an exciting signing for the Yorkshire club and have a lot of Leeds supporters buzzing to have such a promising young player in their ranks.

As Taylor also mentioned, the Whites have not been shy when it comes to signing young players from clubs across England.

In addition to Bate, figures such as Joe Gelhardt and Sean McGurk have made moves to Elland Road in recent years, highlighting just how eager the club can be when it comes to securing deals for young talents and developing them for the future.

Moving forward, if the Whites see an opportunity to potentially secure a loan, or even a permanent deal for the City starlet, this is definitely something that they should look to explore, as the possible long-term benefits could be huge for the club.

AND in other news: Marsch could seal the next £142m talent in Leeds bid for “magnificent” £16k-p/w target

Liverpool youngster Owen Beck is attracting ‘plenty of interest’ this summer, according to Liverpool Echo journalist Keifer MacDonald. 

The lowdown: Family ties

A product of the thriving youth system at Kirkby, Beck – the great-nephew of Kop icon Ian Rush – has made 63 appearances for the Reds at various age levels as well as two senior outings.

The 19-year-old Wrexham-born left-back, a favourite of Jurgen Klopp, has also represented Wales at Under 21 level and signed a new contract in July last year to keep him at Anfield until 2026.

Now, as the squad begins to take shape ahead of a new campaign, Beck could be about to head out on loan to continue his development as a first-team operator…

The latest: ‘Plenty of interest’

Taking to Twitter, MacDonald has claimed that a host of suitors are lining up to sign the Welshman in the ongoing window.

He stated: “UPDATE: Understand Owen Beck has now received loan offers from Serie A, Primeira Liga & Ligue 1. Believe a move to Europe is preferred because of his style & gives him the chance to play against Europa League and Champions League teams. Plenty of interest from EFL sides too.”

The journalist then went on to say: “Portugal, obviously, makes the most sense because of the increasing profile of the Primeira Liga, coupled with #LFC’s strong Portuguese ties. Beck started pre-season on Monday with the rest of his academy teammates and the final decision regarding next season will be his.”

The verdict: Quiet exodus

Quietly, Liverpool are undergoing somewhat of a minor squad overhaul, albeit many of the departures have been on a temporary basis with Conor Bradley, James Balagizi, Jakub Ojrzynski, Billy Koumetio and Adam Lewis all sealing loan moves away from Anfield so far.

Awash with young talent, the Reds have utilised the loan system to their advantage in recent times, particularly in the case of Harvey Elliott, who returned from a spell at Blackburn Rovers ready to make an impact in Klopp’s side.

Unlikely to usurp Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas in the near future, Liverpool will hope Beck – who was hailed as a ‘real prospect’ by Klopp when discussing the left-back options at his disposal – with the help of Sporting Director and former loans manager Julian Ward will choose wisely and enjoy a fulfilling time away next season.

Manchester United have been handed a boost in their long-running pursuit of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who has detailed every step of this courtship that has spanned almost all of Erik ten Hag’s current tenure.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Italian journalist spoke of how Barcelona’s financial troubles could provide a boost for the Red Devils: “For Frenkie de Jong, I think the situation is a peculiar one.

“The president of Barcelona, Laporta, has said that he will try to keep the player, but he wants Frenkie to reduce his salary. From what I’m told, Frenkie is not reducing his salary. At the moment, this is not the case.”

Supporters will be buzzing

At last it appears another breakthrough has been made in this never-ending transfer saga, as United’s financial muscle will prove too much for Barcelona.

Supporters will be both excited and relieved in equal measure as it appeared the deal was stagnating somewhat, but Erik ten Hag seems to be one step closer to reuniting himself with the mercurial maestro.

Xavi will be frustrated to lose him, as he only recently spoke so highly of the Netherlands international.

He had the following to say: “For me, Frenkie is a great player, he’s a beast – I like him and I think he can be part of an important era of the club. We will see the economic situation of the club… but I like de Jong.”

To receive that sort of praise from one of the greatest midfielders ever should go a long way in proving what all the hype is about, but his stats only solifidy Xavi’s statement.

De Jong ranks in the 94th percentile for progressive carries, the 92nd percentile for pass completion and averages 2.79 shot-creating actions per 90. He is a constant creative threat from central midfield, and bagged six goal contributions this season.

It is no surprise to see his average SofaScore rating at such a level, boasting a 7.08 across 32 league appearances.

Supporters can finally start to get excited at the prospect of seeing him in a United shirt and spraying balls across the Old Trafford turf, as Ten Hag closes in on his number one target.

AND, in other news: Huge terms offered: Man United submit bid to sign £60m “magician”, he “oozes quality”.

West Ham United could land an exceptional summer signing by launching a bid for Youri Tielemans.

Despite the Leicester City midfielder being heavily linked with a move to Arsenal this summer, following Mikel Arteta’s acquisitions of Fabio Vieira (£30m) and Gabriel Jesus (£45m), whether or not the Gunners will end up sanctioning a £40m move for the Belgium international appears unclear at present.

Indeed, according to ExWHUemployee – speaking on The West Ham Way podcast in June – the north Londoners’ hesitation over a move for the 25-year-old could open up the door for David Moyes and his West Ham transfer team to swoop in for the former AS Monaco starlet.

Regarding the Irons’ potential interest in Tielemans, the club insider said: “Another interesting midfielder – his situation is a bit in the air but could tempt us to make a move if other clubs don’t soon – is Youri Tielemans of Leicester.

“He was meant to be joining Arsenal, but they have signed Vieira. They’re slightly different players and I think they may still be in for Tielemans, but it would be interesting to see – if they don’t – what would happen to him because he’s only got a year left on his contract. It would be a bargain there to potentially have – keep your eyes on that one.”

Considering just how impressive Tielemans was for the Foxes last season, it is not difficult to understand why Moyes could be tempted into a move for the Belgian sensation ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Indeed, over his 32 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £60m-rated midfielder was in electric form, bagging six goals, providing four assists and creating six big chances for his team-mates, along with taking 1.8 shots, making 1.2 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

The £120k-per-week talent – who Jaquob Crooke dubbed both “exceptional” and “divine” – also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making 2.3 tackles and 0.7 interceptions, playing 44.6 passes and 2.3 long balls, and winning five duels (at a success rate of 51%) per outing.

These metrics saw the 25-year-old average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.08, ranking him as Rodgers’ third-best outfielder in the 2021/22 Premier League.

As such, with Mark Noble having retired at the end of last season, it would very much appear as if Tielemans would be a perfect replacement for the West Ham legend in Moyes’ squad next term. That lead us to believe that the Hammers must do everything in their power to seal a move for the 52-cap Belgium international this summer.

AND in other news: Moyes given green light for “indispensable” £12m West Ham signing, it would be a huge coup

Leeds United and Victor Orta look set to win the race for free agent Juan Mata.

The Lowdown: Mata and a new forward

The Whites have been linked with a move for the Spaniard, who Gary Lineker called an ‘intelligent’ player, in recent days, with Orta thought to be in conversation with the player’s father.

Reports have even suggested that the 34-year-old is willing to lower his previous Manchester United salary in order to move to Yorkshire.

A new forward is also on the agenda at Elland Road, with a deal for Arnaud Kalimuendo seemingly getting closer, and it looks as if Mata will also be heading to work under Jesse Marsch.

The Latest: Transfer update

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from Friday’s edition of Spanish newspaper La Nueva Espana regarding Leeds and Mata.

They claim that the Whites are set to pip Real Betis and Real Oviedo to Mata’s services, saying he “would arrive for free and with a significant salary reduction”.

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The Verdict: Smart move?

Mata, who has a 100% win record against Leeds with a goal and assist against the Whites, will provide plenty of experience to what is a fairly young first-team squad at Thorp Arch, with just one attacking midfielder or forward over the age of 30.

It looks as if a move to Yorkshire is well and truly on the cards, where Mata will be able to provide Marsch with an option in attacking midfield or out wide.

Marsch may decide to use Mata from the bench in a similar way to how Marcelo Bielsa used Pablo Hernandez in the Championship title-winning run-in, and with sides able to use five substitutions next season, it could prove to be a wise move if he can stay fit.

Wolves have been credited with an interest in Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke recently and the Belgian could be Bruno Lage’s own version of Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic at Molineux.

According to The Sun, Wolves are considering a move for the former Liverpool man as they look to ease their attacking woes from last season.

Lage is currently extremely low on attacking options ahead of the new season following the loan exit of Fabio Silva, and it seems as if the Old Gold are desperate for some reinforcements before their season opener against Leeds United.

While Benteke’s goal-scoring record with Palace has been far from impressive, previous spells with Aston Villa and, to an extent, Liverpool, have emphasised that he can be a real threat in the top flight.

His aerial ability would certainly offer Lage something different in attack, as Raul Jimenez is understandably not as well-equipped to be a target man following his fractured skull, and the Mexican would certainly have a lot of pressure taken off his shoulders if Benteke arrived at Molineux.

Vieira was full of praise for the 31-year-old striker last season, saying:

“It is a plus to have Christian in our team because in the air he is one of the best if not the best in the league. This is a powerful weapon to have in the squad.”

Should Wolves sign the experienced frontman, he could even prove to be as effective as Serbian sensation Vlahovic.

According to FbRef, the former Fiorentina man is the most similar player to the Wolves target in terms of style of play, while WhoScored suggests that both Benteke and Vlahovic excel at finishing and like to do flick-ons and offer an indirect set-piece threat.

The 22-year-old joined Juventus in a £67m deal in January and has scored nine goals in his first 21 appearances for the club, and if the £120k-per-week Benteke were to offer anywhere near that goal ratio, he would surely be a quality addition.

Therefore, Lage should definitely consider bringing Benteke in this summer, as he could offer the Portuguese manager a very different option in his attack next season.

AND, in other news: “Wolves have…”: Journo drops big Molineux transfer claim, supporters surely buzzing

Journalist Charlie Gordon of The Daily Express has now shared a significant overnight update on West Ham United’s bid to sign Chelsea striker Armando Broja.

The Lowdown: Moyes pushing…

As reported elsewhere, it is believed that the Albania international is a ‘priority’ transfer target for manager David Moyes amid his long and drawn out search for a new striker.

The Irons were heavily reliant on Michail Antonio again over the 2021/2022 Premier League season but they’re seemingly determined to fix their glaring lack of options going forward this window.

Talks have been held over signing Sassuolo forward Gianluca Scamacca alongside Broja but it is the latter man who is seemingly attracting Moyes’ undivided attention.

The Latest: Gordon shared Broja update…

The latest update on Chelsea’s forward is a slightly mixed bag for Hammers supporters.

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Gordon, taking to Twitter, claims the 20-year-old is ‘keen’ to join West Ham after they made an ‘improved £30m bid’ on Tuesday.

However, his club are ‘delaying’ Broja’s transfer after manager Thomas Tuchel publicly called for him to remain at Stamford Bridge.

The Express reporter explained on Wednesday evening:

“Told that Chelsea are delaying Armando Broja’s move to West Ham. Striker still keen, Tuchel publicly calling for him to stay today hasn’t changed anything.

Improved £30m bid from Hammers made yesterday.”

The Verdict: Keep pushing?

An arguably proven player in the top flight, having even been called a ‘battle-hardened’ striker by Alan Hutton during his first proper season in the Premier League, Broja would be a shrewd capture for the right price.

However, with just over a month of the window remaining, Moyes cannot afford to wait too long on Chelsea and must move for other targets if they continue to drag their feet.

Regardless of the starlet’s real potential, this week may be crucial in determining whether West Ham should keep pushing or swiftly exit talks.