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Manchester United hold an interest in the Napoli defender Kim Min-jae and it is a potential deal to keep an eye on over the opening days of the market.

What is Kim Min-jae transfer clause?

The Red Devils' season came to an end on Saturday with defeat at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup final against their city rivals.

However, it was a season to remember with Erik ten Hag's arrival at the club bringing about a third-placed finish in the Premier League and the Carabao Cup.

But it is apparent the Dutchman is not looking to settle for that with new signings expected to help bolster his squad going into the new campaign.

The likes of Mason Mount has been linked with a potential move to Old Trafford even though the summer transfer window has not opened yet.

And another name which has been strongly linked with the Red Devils is Kim who has just got his hands on the Serie A trophy with Napoli.

Italian report (via GOAL) suggest the South Korean centre-back has a clause in his contract which would make him available for a potential transfer for a fee in the region of £42m.

Speaking on The Football Terrace YouTube channel, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed this could be a deal which could be concluded quickly given the clause is only active for 15 days:

"Kim's one Manchester United have looked at, for sure. And is one to watch in the first 15 days of the window because that release clause is only active in those 15 days.

"Kim himself has always denied any of the rumours and the links, but I think Luciano Spalletti leaving Napoli for a one-year sabbatical is going to be a big factor in all of this because suddenly players that might have wanted to stay will see one exiting and maybe decide that they want a fresh challenge as well. So that one is a very realistic possibility."

Does Kim Min-jae want to leave Napoli?

The 26-year-old – who has bee hailed a "monster" by some in the media – has only been at Napoli for one season having joined the Italian side last summer from Fenerbahce in a deal believed to be worth around £15m.

However, it could be a summer of multiple departures for the newly-crowned Italian champions with their manager Luciano Spalletti set to take a year away from the game.

On top of this, their star striker Victor Osimhen is also expected to be subject of a lot of transfer interest over the coming months with interest coming from the Premier League.

But the South Korean has held a strong viewpoint when it comes to commenting on the rumours surrounding where his future may lie:

“I can't be bothered by transfer rumours because they aren’t true. Now I’m focusing on the team and on the Champions League, rather than that kind of nonsense,” he said.

However, if a club like United are to come in and pay the clause believed to be in his contract, then he may not have much saw as to whether he is to remain at Napoli or not.

Watch more of The Football Terrace on YouTube now!

Liverpool are interested in OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, with a concrete proposal potentially forthcoming after an initial round of discussion.

What's the latest on Khephren Thuram to Liverpool?

According to RMC Sport (translated courtesy of Caught Offside), Thuram's entourage have already met with Liverpool's recruitment officials to establish ground for a prospective summer transfer, with the Reds in dire need of midfield replenishment after a lacklustre campaign.

L'Equipe (via Sport Witness), reported a day previously that Liverpool have in fact already made moves more concretely than other clubs for his signature.

The necessity for fresh faces has been heightened by the departures of experienced midfield trio James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Thuram, who thrives across multiple central positionings, could provide an exemplary upgrade.

If Liverpool want the rising star they will need to cough up at least €40m (£34m), with Thuram highly regarded by his outfit and attracting attention from the opulent Paris Saint-Germain, though with just two years left on his current deal, Les Aiglons may be inclined to sell.

How good is Khephren Thuram?

Reds gaffer Jurgen Klopp will hope for a swift return to prominence next season after Liverpool failed to reach the top four and subsequently miss out on next year's Champions League edition, and to do so the intensity and verve of the midfield must be rekindled after the former fire waned this term.

The "tenacious" – as he was described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – Thuram is just 22-years-old but is already thriving as one of Ligue 1's most promising talents, having made his debut for France this season and played a pivotal role in Nice's season, forging 48 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals and supplying eight assists.

Hailed for his "tremendous" midfield skill set by one Anfield Wrap podcaster, the 6 foot 4 colossus is an imposing presence but possesses an elegant and fleet-footed gait that belies his stature, lauded by one tactical report for his efficacy as a ball-carrying vehicle and dominance at the centre of the park.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of midfielders plying their trade across Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, which means that he is adept at taking on his man and progressing up the pitch, two elements that have arguably been missing at Anfield this season.

Gini Wijnaldum used to bring this kind of assiduous sheen to the Anfield centre when he plied his trade at the club, playing a composed role and keeping the system ticking, boasting a career average pass completion rate of 88.4% and one of the centrepieces of Klopp's momentous feats since arriving to take the helm of the Reds.

Thuram is hailed as the "perfect profile" – as stated by RMC Sport reporter Alex Jaquin – and indeed embodies the energy and enthusiasm that Klopp demands to whir the cogs of his high-octane philosophy at full throttle, with his manager Didier Digard also remarking him to be "very hard-working".

This is indeed the role Wijnaldum fulfilled on Merseyside during the zenith of Liverpool's illustrious success under Klopp's tutelage, with the industrious Dutch midfielder making 237 appearances for the Reds and leaving Klopp waxing lyrical, dubbing him "perfect" for his central work.

It is imperative that the £15k-per-week Thuram is signed; Liverpool must pull no punches in paving the foundation of their renaissance and the Frenchman would fit into the system like tailor-made boots.

Journalist Patrick Berger has now revealed who Newcastle United’s ‘top target’ is after Sven Botman.

The Lowdown: Botman deal agreed

It has been reported that a deal has now been agreed for Botman to move to St. James’ Park from Lille, making him their third summer signing after Matt Targett and Nick Pope, assuming he agrees personal terms.

With a central defender, left-back and goalkeeper already signed, the North East club can now focus on strengthening in other areas of the pitch ahead of the new season.

The Latest: Diaby the ‘top target’

Taking to Twitter, Berger of SPORT1 has revealed that Diaby is now the ‘top target’ for the Tynesiders after Botman, although he has ‘no intention’ of moving to the Magpies:

“Moussa Diaby is the top target for Newcastle United. NUFC set to pay €35-40m for the Frenchman. Leverkusen demanding way more then €60m. I am told player is open for a move but has no intention to go to Newcastle. The winger is also on the list of Paris Saint-Germain.”

The Verdict: Shame

It is a shame that Diaby does not seem to want to move to the Toon, despite them registering their interest.

In a similar mould to Allan Saint-Maximin, the French winger has been praised by German media for his ‘amazing’ dribbling, ‘irresistible’ pace and ‘astonishing’ speed of thought, and he was even called ‘unstoppable’ after scoring one goal and setting up another in a 4-0 thrashing of Borussia Monchengladbach last season (Bundesliga).

Diaby scored no fewer than 17 goals and supplied a further 14 assists in total over all competitions last term (Transfermarkt), and would give Eddie Howe’s team another dimension in attack, should they be able to persuade him to join.

Liverpool are apparently willing to listen to offers for reported Aston Villa target Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. 

The lowdown

The Daily Mirror’s chief football writer John Cross wrote late in May that Villa are keen to sign Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Villa are said to be on ‘red alert’ as they potentially look to pounce on a player Steven Gerrard has ‘long’ admired.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has won the Premier League and Champions League at Anfield, is out of contract in 2023.

Cross suggested that an offer in excess of £10million may be enough to tempt Liverpool.

The latest

Paul Joyce, Northern Football Correspondent for The Times, shared an update on Oxlade-Chamberlain in an article on Monday.

The Reds will allow the Englishman to depart the club this summer if they receive a suitable bid.

The verdict

Oxlade-Chamberlain will surely be open to departing. His last appearance of the 2021/22 season came in an FA Cup quarterfinal against Nottingham Forest on March 20.

This isn’t doing his hopes of adding to his 35 England caps any good whatsoever.

The 28-year-old is a highly versatile player, having been deployed in central midfield and on both flanks.

Jurgen Klopp even fielded him as a centre-forward when Aston Villa visited Anfield in December 2021.

Gerrard would potentially value this, while he’s also commended the player’s ‘power’, ‘speed’ and ‘class’ during a punditry stint at BT Sport.

Oxlade-Chamberlain even said during his time at Arsenal that he’s ‘always wanted to be Steven Gerrard’, and so he may relish the chance to work with him.

In other news, Steven Gerrard has a left-back target in mind. 

Tottenham Hotspur risk making a disaster amid mooted interest in Clement Lenglet…

What’s the word?

According to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, the FC Barcelona centre-back features on Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici’s defensive shortlist and as a left-footed option, he makes a lot of sense.

Spurs have also targeted Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol but could be priced out of a move for either.

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It’s thought that the Italian sporting director tried to sign the France international on loan during the early days of his tenure last summer but he wanted to remain at the Catalan giants.

However, their financial woes now mean that the 26-year-old could be expendable, though it remains to be seen how much he’d command. CIES Football Observatory value him at €30m (£26m).

Big mistake

Whilst the 6 foot 1 colossus fits the bill as the left-sided centre-back that Conte desperately needs, a move for him could spell disaster as he’s just not good enough to elevate Spurs onto the next level.

Lenglet started only seven LaLiga games during the 2021/22 campaign, often being sat behind the young duo of Eric Garcia and Ronald Araujo, which is a rather damning indictment of his quality.

That’s if his 6.3 average WhoScored rating didn’t tell enough – the worst of any Barca player to feature in over 500 minutes of game time.

During last summer’s European Championships, the 26-year-old’s defending was described as being “comically weak” by The Athletic reporter Liam Twomey.

When you factor in his £92k-per-week wages, on top of his current estimated value, this transfer swoop could indeed be something of a disaster from Paratici.

He delivered with Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur but Emerson Royal and Bryan Gil have struggled to make much of an impact, and Lenglet would likely fit into the latter bracket, given his recent performances on both the domestic and international stage.

When you consider the other names on the shortlist, mainly the aforementioned pairing of Bastoni and Gvardiol, then you’d imagine the Frenchman is the weakest choice and Conte shouldn’t settle for that after sealing Champions League qualification.

He’d only hold back their ambition.

AND in other news, Antonio Conte’s centre-back summer wish list revealed…

Leeds United have been dealt a setback in their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that Southampton are now leading the race to sign the Wolverhampton Wanderers attacking midfielder – who is also reported to be a target of Victor Orta – this summer.

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The report goes on to state that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are willing to offer a figure in the region of £20m in order to land the England U21 international, while it is claimed that Wolves could be tempted into a big-money sale of the forward – despite recent reports suggesting that Bruno Lage has offered Gibbs-White a new contract at Molineux.

Imagine him & Aaronson

With Victor Orta having already sealed the extremely exciting signing of Brenden Aaronson this summer, the prospect of the Spaniard pairing the USA international with Gibbs-White in Jesse Marsch’s midfield will certainly be a mouthwatering one for the Elland Road faithful.

Indeed, over his 37 Championship appearances on loan at Sheffield United this season, the £9.9m-rated forward undoubtedly proved he is ready for top-flight football next term, scoring 12 goals, registering ten assists and creating 16 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.5 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £1.5k-per-week talent who Pete Smith dubbed “dangerous” and Chris Basham claimed “glides past players” average a quite extraordinary WhoScore match rating of 7.14, not only ranking him as Paul Heckingbottom’s best performer in the league but also as the joint fifth-best player in the division as a whole.

As such, while it would appear as if Orta will face a tough battle in order to get a deal over the line for Gibbs-White this summer, the struggle would very much look to be worth it, as the 22-year-old would undoubtedly make an excellent addition to the former Red Bull Salzburg starlet in the Whites attack next season.

And, if he is available for a figure in the region of £20m, the England youth international would also represent something of a bargain, leading us to believe that Orta must do everything in his power to land the Wolves starlet in the coming months.

AND in other news: Jesse Marsch could unearth Rice 2.0 with 8-figure Leeds bid for “sensational” target

Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski put on an attacking masterclass as he terrorised Norwich City to secure Champions League football in N17 next season.

The Sweden international bagged two of Spurs’ five goals before he was substituted in the 68th minute but by then, he had long made his mark, allowing Heung-min Son to swoop in and capitalise on a broken Canaries backline.

Indeed, the South Korean sensation also bagged himself a brace, which was enough to see him share the Premier League’s Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah but it was the Juventus loanee who was arguably the clear-cut standout at Carrow Road.

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Earning an 8.9 rating on SofaScore, the 22-year-old dynamo was a constant threat in the final third, not only registering a total of three shots but also managing a whopping five successful dribbles from six attempts, easily bypassing Dimitrios Giannoulis on the right flank.

Kulusevski also provided two key passes, meaning he created a pair of chances for his attacking counterparts, Son and Harry Kane. Furthermore, he amazingly won eight of his nine duels (88%), only further emphasising how he had his way with Dean Smith’s defence.

Elsewhere, the £31.5m-rated marksman also put in one tackle and one interception as he capped off his fine half-season at the club in style.

His contribution took his total tally for Spurs to five goals and eight assists from 20 appearances, averaging a direct contribution once every 97.5 minutes – almost one every game.

It’s no wonder manager Antonio Conte was able to turn things around to guide the north Londoners back into Europe’s top competition.

As The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick wrote in his post-match ratings column, Kulusevski was “decisive again” before going onto praise his selfless nature.

Once lauded as a “monster” by Italian Football expert Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Juventus’ loss has certainly been Tottenham’s gain and we got to witness yet another fine display from the young winger.

Kulusevski absolutely terrorised the Canaries with his attacking exploits as he helped secure a lucrative top-four finish in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt Cristian Romero injury setback…

Former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been left excited by a potentially ‘perfect’ signing for David Moyes at West Ham United.

The Lowdown: West Ham set for busy summer…

The signing of a striker is just one wish for Moyes as he reportedly eyes three major additions.

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West Ham also have their sights on a central defender and midfielder but priority should arguably be given to a new centre-forward, especially since they’re too overly-reliant on Michail Antonio in that position.

Some promising reports have emerged in recent days, particularly surrounding Arsenal striker and soon-to-be free agent Eddie Nketiah.

The Daily Mail claim West Ham are in pole position and seen as favourites to sign the 22-year-old on a Bosman deal, prompting Kenny to give his excited verdict.

The Latest: Kenny reacts…

The 43-year-old, excited by this development, has told Football Insider this would be a ‘perfect’ signing for Moyes and ‘brilliant piece of business’.

He explained:

“West Ham have needed a backup striker since January.

“I think it has cost them in the end because Antonio has dried up and his fitness is always in question anyway.

“If they have the opportunity to sign Nketiah on a free, well, he’s already in London. I imagine they are favourites.

“West Ham is a massive club as well, with a massive fan base. Any player would be lucky to go there.

“For me, it’s a great signing and it would be a brilliant piece of business if he comes on a free.

“I think he’s perfect for what they are looking for.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

The Englishman arguably fits Moyes’ idea of a top striker – young, hungry, homegrown and can find the net.

He’s been in fine recent form, scoring four goals in his last five top flight games under Mikel Arteta, and pundit Noel Whelan has also claimed in the past that he would be a ‘fantastic signing’ for West Ham – even likening Nketiah to Jermain Defoe (Football Insider).

As this many ex-professionals urge the Irons to do a deal, we believe this summer is better time as any given the forward’s pending exit.

In other news: West Ham ‘monster’ set to leave as golden opportunity emerges for summer transfer, find out more here.

Steve Bruce is reportedly now ready to raid Newcastle United in the summer by signing Karl Darlow for West Brom.

The Lowdown: Darlow out of favour

The goalkeeper has largely been out of favour at St James’ Park this term, having played just eight times in the Premier League and not featuring since November (Transfermarkt).

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This is in contrast to last season, when he played 26 times in the top flight, and he even kept current number one Martin Dubravka on the bench after some impressive displays.

Former Tottenham and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson even went as far as to call the 31-year-old “exceptional”, but it seems as if the Slovakian is firmly the number one now under Eddie Howe.

The Latest: Darlow wanted by Albion

As per The Sun, Bruce is now ready to raid his former club for Darlow this summer, and West Brom could get him on loan should Newcastle bring in another goalkeeper.

However, the Magpies would prefer to sell him on a permanent deal in order to help raise funds for new arrivals.

The Verdict: Time to sell

Given that he is now 31 years of age and is clearly not first choice under Howe, it is perhaps the right time for Newcastle to sell Darlow.

The 6 foot 3 colossus was impressive when called upon last term, but the board may want to bring in a new and established goalkeeper to replace Dubravka, with Manchester United ace Dean Henderson the latest such name to be linked with a move to Tyneside.

Nonetheless, Darlow needs to be playing more regularly, and he will probably not get much game-time if he stays at St James’ Park.

In other news, find out who NUFC are now ‘confident’ of signing this summer

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho will leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season.

The Lowdown: End of an era

The 37-year-old joined the Cityzens in a £30m move from Shakhtar Donetsk back in 2013 and has enjoyed plenty of success during his time in Manchester, winning 13 trophies including the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup on multiple occasions.

The Brazil veteran revealed during a press conference with the media last month that he had decided that this would be his final campaign playing for City, but with Guardiola admitting that he would love the midfielder to remain at the club, there was a possibility that he might have had a change of heart.

However, it appears as though that’s not the case…

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The Latest: Fernandinho returning to Brazil

Taking to Twitter to deliver a fresh update on Fernandinho’s future, Romano shot down any lingering hope that there may have been of a U-turn from the 37-year-old.

The journalist outlined: “Fernandinho hasn’t changed his mind and he’ll leave Manchester City in the summer, as already announced. His priority is to go back to Brazil.

“Pep wanted Fernandinho to stay but it’s a personal decision… and Man City will go a new midfielder this summer.”

The Verdict: He’ll be a massive loss

The departure of the 53-cap Brazil international will come as a huge loss not only to Guardiola but the club as a whole, with Fernandinho making an astonishing 380 appearances, scoring 26 goals and registering 33 assists across all competitions during that time, via Transfermarkt.

The City skipper was once dubbed a “sensational” player by Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, and he has been a massively influential player in the middle of the park where there will be huge boots to fill, no matter who City end up signing as his replacement.

If Fernandinho is to return to his homeland, this would more than likely take him to the end of his playing career given his age, and it’s fair to say that his time in English football is something that he will be able to look back upon as a very successful one in years to come.

In other news… a talkSPORT pundit has defended Guardiola over this recent decision