As reported in an exclusive by Sport Witness, there is no deal in place between Rangers and talented winger Paulinho, currently lighting up the Portuguese second tier with Gil Vicente.

What’s the story?

Paulinho had been linked with a move to Rangers earlier this week as speculation grew around Pedro Caixinha perhaps finding prospective Gers players in his homeland.

However, his agent, former Rangers player Pedro Mendes has confirmed to Sport Witness no contact has been made.

As quoted by the outlet, Mendes said:

I’m not going to feed speculation of course but at the moment it was not even talked about! It’s just speculation. There’s nothing that links Paulinho to Rangers at the moment.

That certainly seems to put an end to that one, although is there something there that the Light Blues should pursue?

What’s he all about?

It certainly appears as if Paulinho has the skills required to be a success at Rangers. He’s currently in storming form in the Portuguese second tier, scoring 14 goals in 29 games.

The Gers need more creativity and more options, especially in the wide areas. Given Paulinho’s contract is up at the end of the season then maybe this is a player they should be pursuing, especially since Pedro Caixinha and Pedro Mendes clearly have a good relationship having both taken in the recent derby at Celtic Park together.

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Jose Mourinho will no doubt wonder what could have been when Chelsea come to Old Trafford on Sunday – in Football FanCast’s Fixture in Focus.

Antonio Conte has made significant changes since taking the Stamford Bridge hot seat in the summer, the most obvious being a switch to a 3-4-3 formation and the consequential success of three of his summer signings – Marcos Alonso, David Luiz and N’Golo Kante.

Yet, the majority of the squad hasn’t changed since Mourinho lead Chelsea to their fourth Premier League title during 2014/15 – back when some were tipping the west London club to create a dynasty under the Portuguese.

Much of that team was brought to Stamford Bridge by Mourinho himself, so it’s likely the now-United boss would be incredibly keen to work with some of the Chelsea cast again at Old Trafford.

With that in mind, we have a curious question for United fans: which Chelsea stars would you like to see Mourinho try and sign this summer? Let us know by voting below…

It’s no secret that Manchester City’s biggest problem this season has been an area where modern football has begun to place greater and greater importance.For the last few seasons, City have been using a pair of ageing full-backs picked up from Arsenal for minimal fees, charity shop finds that directly contradict both City’s ambition and wealth.To lavish £150m worth of talent upon Pep Guardiola just a season after bringing the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling to the club with the Catalan in mind seems a strange thing to do when your biggest problem is left completely untouched.As if to illustrate the point, Guardiola has played with Sterling and Leroy Sane as wing-backs at points this season; he has utilised Fernandinho as a full-back; and most strangely, he has converted Jesus Navas into a right-back.The Spaniard’s biggest quality is his work-rate and his willingness to carry out instructions: in a modern full-back – a position that has become more metronomic and athletic over the years – that’s no bad thing.There is no question, though, that if Guardiola sees Navas as a Manchester City right-back next season, it’s as back-up and not as first-choice.

Some around the club might be unhappy at the idea of the former Sevilla winger being given a new contract at the club. Journalists have mocked his goalscoring and assist record (there’s no doubt it is both comical and ill-befitting of a Premier League winger) but Navas is no winger, it appears. Not anymore.

There’s a bigger issue at stake, though. Whilst City may well have the money to buy four new full-backs next season, there is a hitch: buying four entails buying at least two who are second-choice. Not only is there the possibility of finding duds, or even players who can’t settle in their new environment, there’s also the very real possibility that the kind of full-back needed won’t be willing to come to City to sit on the bench. It’s a problem even Barcelona have faced this season – after stupidly getting rid of Dani Alves, they’ve been unable to replace him adequately.

Presumably that’s where Navas comes in: a willing runner who will carry out instructions to the letter and – despite his non-existent end product – is comfortable enough on the ball in advanced positions to support his wingers and give an extra option to his team when in possession.

The other, better full-backs with that skill-set are either unobtainable or they’re unwilling to sit on the bench. But that means when City do finally make a purchase in the right-back position this summer, they’ll need to make sure it’s a good one.

Last summer, Guardiola bought Claudio Bravo and loaned-out Joe Hart. Clearly, you don’t buy a goalkeeper with the idea that he might be bad enough to be dropped, but given the only replacement was Willy Caballero, City were in trouble. The Argentine keeper, like Navas, is fine to have as backup, as a player you can call on for a few games in a row because of muscle injuries and suspensions, but you don’t want him to become first choice – even if he did a mostly solid job when called upon. That experience might burn a little.

What that means for City next season is that they can’t afford to buy a right-back who won’t perform, either because of adjustment to a new league or because they simply weren’t as good as expected.

Kyle Walker has been linked with City – and also Barcelona, who are in need of that Dani Alves replacement – and that seems like the perfect option in some ways. Because not only can he do the job adequately, the risk of acclimatisation problems is minimal. After all, this is a boy from Sheffield who is considered one of the best in his position in England.

He has five Premier League assists this season – more than any other defender – he is athletic and attacking, and he has the stamina to do the two jobs a modern full-back needs to do: provide attacking width and chase back to prevent counter-attacks.

To many, keeping Jesus Navas as backup looks like a big risk. The reality is, this is the conservative play. City need to change their full-backs, that much is obvious. But if they’re to do any better than they have done this season, they simply can’t afford to take any chances with their full-backs. The likes of Serge Aurier – who, in his apparent dislike of authority, is the exact antithesis of Navas or the kind of character Guardiola likes in his team – or Djibril Sidibe are risks for City at this point.

Walker, with Navas as backup, represents the safe option for Guardiola. And that in itself shows you how high the stakes are with this decision, Pep doesn’t often make the safe call.

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Recent reports from London Evening Standard hint that Slaven Bilic might be running out of patience with West Ham’s star striker Andy Carroll.

At this point, we’re all well aware of the dilemma surrounding the former England international. When fully fit and in top form, he borders upon unplayable for opposition defences through his height, power and netting prowess; but the frequency of such occasions is always limited by his recurring injury problems.

Indeed, Carroll’s managed just 15 Premier League starts this term, scoring seven goals, and that’s had a massive impact on West Ham’s results; their win-rate drops to just 24% when he’s not in the starting XI. Intriguingly, Bilic has now revealed he’ll hold talks with the 28-year-old about his injury record at the end of the season.

“I don’t like to moan but I would be very disappointed if [Carroll] is not involved in our next game. You don’t have to play 90 minutes but if he is on the bench it gives you a lift because we are lacking that power at the moment. We will talk about [his injury record] after the season. It is not his way of life or that he is not professional. As far as I know he is very settled, he is very up for training. It looked at one stage of the season that he was okay. It was no coincidence that in that period we won six of nine. And then suddenly you are without him.”

The resulting question is whether Bilic may already be considering cashing in on Carroll this summer – but how would you handle the situation, West Ham fans? Let us know whether the east London outfit should sell by voting below…

West Ham United are considering making a move for Napoli striker Leonardo Pavoletti this summer, reports Tuttomercato.

What’s the story?

The Hammers seem to be keen to strengthen their attacking options next season, and the Italian is believed to be a target.

Tuttomercato claim that West Ham will have to battle Marseille, whom they sold Dimitri Payet to in January, for Pavoletti’s signature.

It is believed that the 28-year-old would consider a move away from Napoli given that he has struggled for regular game time.

Pavoletti only joined the Serie A outfit in January from Genoa, but he has only made nine appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals.

Any suitor would have to fork out a relatively large fee given that the forward still has four years remaining on his contract.

Does he suit West Ham?

Pavoletti could fit into Slaven Bilic’s system as he is strong in the air yet also slick on the ball, but he may need time to settle.

The forward has failed to cement a regular starting spot at Napoli, but he proved at Genoa that he can be fruitful in front of goal.

In 46 appearances for his former club, he netted 25 goals and also made six others, so if he can carry that form with him to the London Stadium, he will be a positive addition to the team.

It is clear that the Hammers are in need of some firepower given that the likes of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho have struggled with injuries, while Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri have failed to make an impact.

As reported by The Sun, Manchester United have joined the race to buy teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe from Monaco, potentially beating the likes of Arsenal to the punch.

What’s the story?

After last summer’s world record move for Paul Pogba, Jose Mourinho is again on the hunt for marquee signings that he believes can turn United into a force both domestically and in the UEFA Champions League.

One such player catching his eye is Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe, according to The Sun, who say that the likes of Real Madrid and Arsenal are still major contenders for his signature.

Can the Old Trafford side put together a bid that again sends shockwaves around Europe?

How good is he?

Kylian Mbappe may be the teenager with most potential across the entirety of European football right now, blowing away Monaco fans and neutrals alike with outstanding performances both in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League over the last season.

Scoring an incredible 26 goals and creating 8 assists in 44 appearances in all competitions, he’s taken French football by storm, apparently having all the attributes to be a massive success in the English Premier League.

With United hunting a potential successor to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contribution this season, Mbappe could be the perfect option. At just 18 years of age, he has the potential to become one of the best players in world football if he continues to develop at the current rate.

As reported by The Daily Mail, Chelsea have made their first significant transfer move of the summer with a massive bid for a UEFA Champions League finalist.

What’s the story?

After taking the English Premier League crown last season, this summer is one of tweaking at Stamford Bridge rather than revolution. Still, the club need to make elite signings in key positions in order to enhance the squad and build the depth required to fight on domestic and European fronts.

In one of their first big transfer moves of the summer, The Daily Mail reckon they lodged a £55m bid with Juventus for their star left-back Alex Sandro.

While that has been rejected, according to the report Juventus are not closed to the idea of selling the Brazilian if he wishes to test himself elsewhere.

Is he worth returning for?

Worth £55m?

With that price tag comes a player at the peak of his game currently getting the job done at the highest level of club football.

He was a stand out for Juventus this season on their way to the UEFA Champions League final, making 11 appearances in the competition and featuring in the match against Real Madrid itself.

In total he made 43 appearances for the Italian giants last season, showing versatility valuable to Chelsea by appearing up and down the left flank whether in defence or attack, shining on the majority of occasions.

The Brazilian is entering the peak of his career at 26 years of age and would certainly be a signing that excites supporters at Stamford Bridge, who will welcome big money signings that boost their chances of retaining the Premier League title and making progress in Europe.

The footballing world is focused on the Confederations Cup this summer with the world’s biggest tournament just under a year away.

South American Champions Chile took on European champs Portugal in the first semi final. Stars Alexis Sanchez and Cristiano Ronaldo led their squads in an entertaining match despite the 0-0 scoreline at the end of normal time.

The South Americans kept the entertainment going in extra time as Arturo Vidal rocked the post and Martin Rodriguez rang the bar on the open-net rebound.

The sides were unable to break the deadlock in extra time so penalties were needed to decide one finalist. To the shock of Manchester City fans everywhere, Claudio Bravo became the hero of the penalty shootout, saving all three Portuguese penalties to send nation to their third major final in three summers.

The lads at 442oons recap the shootout alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn’t even get the chance to take a penalty.

We’re only just leaving the month of June and already Rangers have hosted a close to sold-out European fixture. While the fans invested their time in the team on Thursday night, they weren’t exactly rewarded with a blistering performance.

Struggling to 1-0 win over Luxembourg side Progres Niederkorn, they now face a very tricky away trip on the continent as early as next Tuesday.

With a number of new players making their debut, the showing on Thursday night was surprisingly reminiscent of last season with Rangers having the vast majority of possession but just unable to really tear their visitors apart in the way supporters were hoping for.

There were some positives to take and the win will be hugely important in the second leg, but Pedro Caixinha’s really should have won the match by more goals.

What do they need to do to avoid an early European exit then?

Follow these THREE steps and the Light Blues will be in the next round…

Stop relying on Martyn Waghorn

On a night when five Rangers players made their competitive debut for the club, it was a reliance on some Mark Warburton acquisitions that generally saw the performance fall flat.

Martyn Waghorn was ineffectual for the majority of his time on the pitch, eventually being hooked in the 77th minute for Alfredo Morelos. Playing Waghorn again in Luxumbourg on Tuesday would be a big mistake. He may have been the Light Blues’ top scorer last season but we can’t see him having much of a future at the club.

Fans have mostly lost patience with him and with the likes of Morelos able to come in and offer supporters a bit of hope, he should spend the next few matches on the bench.

Jason Holt was another who underperformed on the night. Replace these two with some of his summer buys and Rangers should have enough about them to see through the tie next week.

Stick Eduardo Herrera through the middle

Rangers’ play often felt one-dimensional in the final third and while they found good width and plenty of opportunities to cross the ball into the box, they didn’t really have a target for wide-men to aim at and no-one to get onto the end of crosses that were effective.

Eduardo Herrera was registered for these ties for a reason before he was officially unveiled and it was to give Rangers a different option should they need it in the final third.

At 6ft 2in tall, he has the physical presence to change the make-up of Rangers’ play in the final third and could be an excellent option playing through the middle to support quicker players running off him or for the full-backs to deliver balls into the box for.

With nine goals in the Copa Libertadores and CONCACAF Champions League, he has a bit of continental pedigree already in his career and will at the very least change things up on Tuesday night.

Offer more options to Niko Krancjar

One of the undoubted positives of Thursday night’s match was the return of Niko Kranjcar to the fold. The Croatian veteran was a sparkling for the majority of his time on the pitch, at the heart of everything the Light Blues were doing well.

His set-pieces were mostly a danger and it was through him that Kenny Miller found the chance to net the vital goal that gives them a 1-0 aggregate lead.

With the ball at his feet he looked capable of unlocking the Progres defence but there weren’t many willing runners in behind the defence for him to try and pick out.

Perhaps player Alfredo Morelos out wide would be the perfect outlet for Kranjcar to deliver a key pass or two and really punish the opposition. There’s also the option of starting Jordan Rossiter in support of him, a player who isn’t afraid to commit himself into the final third.

According to the The Independent, Manchester United could tie up a £50million deal for Ivan Perisic as early as next week.

What’s the Story?

Having agreed personal terms on a move to Old Trafford, Ivan Perisic is set complete his transfer to Manchester as early as next week, providing that the Red Devils stump a few extra million pounds.

Luciano Spalletti, who has recently taken the hot seat at the San Siro, believes that he has a chance of keeping the want away Croatian. However, it seems that Perisic has already made up his mind and will join United once a transfer fee has been agreed.

How good was Perisic last season?

Sensational. Arguably the best player in an Inter shirt last season, Perisic was truly dominant on the left flank and netted 13 times in 42 appearances. The 28-year-old demonstrated his marvellous ability to cut inside and take on the role of an inside forward.

While Inter once again failed to have an impressive season domestically, Perisic stood out for his determination and willing, which is evident in many Croatian players.

Is Perisic worth £50million?

In today’s market, it is difficult to find a player of Premier League quality who is valued under £30 million. While some may see the transfer figure being touted for Perisic as immensely over-valued, players of comparative quality are likely to be priced similarly.

The Croatian will get to prove many wrong if, or perhaps when, he takes to the field at Old Trafford. If he makes a flying start, this inflated fee would soon be forgotten.

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