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Liverpool are expected to make the decision to sell out-of-favour centre-back Rhys Williams in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

The Lowdown: Not future for Williams

The 22-year-old has struggled to force his way into the Reds’ plans on a consistent basis, with his best run in the team coming towards the end of the 2020/21 season.

During that period, he and Nat Phillips filled in admirably in the absence of the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, who were all injured, making seven starts in the Premier League.

Williams was out on loan at Championship side Blackpool during the first half of this season, making 17 league appearances, and it seems clear that he has no real future at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp.

Van Dijk, Matip, Gomez and Ibrahima Konate are all superior options to him, while another centre-back may well arrive in the summer.

For that reason, an exit for Williams looks set to be on the cards and an important update has now emerged regarding the Englishman’s future.

The Latest: Summer exit expected

According to Football Insider, the Liverpool youngster’s days at Anfield look numbered, with the club ‘planning to sell’ him permanently this summer.

It is noted that ‘second-tier sides are interested in signing him in the off-season’, seeing him as a strong defensive option to bring in.

The Verdict: Right time to leave

There is no doubt that this summer looks like the perfect time for Liverpool to cash in on Williams and bring an end to his time at the club, as is also the case with Phillips.

The two-cap England Under-21 international isn’t out of contract on Merseyside until 2026, putting the Reds in a strong bargaining position, and given his long-term potential, they could get a nice amount of money for his services.

Williams certainly isn’t a bad player by any means – Klopp himself called his aforementioned efforts in 2020/21 ‘absolutely insane’ – but the standard required to be a success at Liverpool is high and it doesn’t look like he will ever reach that level.

He can still forge an impressive career for himself, however, becoming a key figure for a Championship club and maturing as a player in the coming years.

Williams should improve both physically and in terms of experience, and the fact that he is at Liverpool currently says a lot about what he is capable of achieving.

Newcastle United are still monitoring Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Fresneda to Newcastle?

The Spaniard joined the academy ranks at the Jose Zorrilla Stadium on a free transfer back in 2020 and has since worked his way up to the senior team, having made 11 La Liga starts in his debut season.

Sky Sports reported in January that the Magpies were in talks regarding a deal for the 18-year-old and had even watched him live on several occasions, but they weren’t the only club hovering, with the teenager also being tracked by Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.

As per the same outlet, it was stated that Eddie Howe's target was flattered by the interest from the north-east and would have been open to making a move, and despite a deal failing to materialise before the deadline, it sounds like the Magpies now want to take a second bite of the cherry in the summer.

According to Italian outlet Inter News (via Sport Witness), Fresneda is being “followed” by Newcastle and Manchester United, with Inter Milan the latest to be “testing the waters” ahead of a potential move. The admiration from St James’ Park is claimed to be “nothing new” considering the strong affiliations at the start of the year, while a price tag of €25m (£21m) has now been mentioned.

Should Newcastle cash out on Fresneda?

Fresneda has been lauded for his “beastly ability” by presenter Juan Arroita – and it seems as though he has the potential to be a great player in the future, but he’s perhaps not yet at the required level to step up and join Newcastle.

Whilst the Madrid native is pretty strong defensively, where he’s currently averaging 2.4 tackles and 2.3 clearances per league game (as per WhoScored), he is yet to record a single goal or assist since the start of his career, so is lacking the attacking prowess that Howe may be looking for, considering the contributions of current right-back Kieran Trippier, who has ten to his name this term.

Fresneda also failed to play a single minute of league football throughout the whole of February, where he was benched on four occasions by his manager Juan Jose Rojo Martin, so has been lacking consistent game time.

The youngster could potentially benefit from a loan to develop himself a bit more before thinking about making a permanent move elsewhere, so the Magpies may be better off waiting for a couple of seasons until they need to find a more able successor to Trippier.

A major talking point at Celtic in recent times has been the uncertainty surrounding Liel Abada's future at Parkhead, with the Israel international seemingly in line for an exit from the club at the end of the season.

According to Football Insider, there has reportedly been a falling out between the 21-year-old and manager Ange Postecoglou amid significant Premier League interest in the winger, with a summer departure said to be a real possibility.

As per the same source, the Scottish champions are said to be ready to accept around £7m-£10m if they are to cash in on the youngster in the upcoming transfer window, with the former Maccabi Petah Tikva ace having been signed for around £3.5m back in 2021.

Losing the £15k-per-week man – who has been sidelined with injury in recent games – would no doubt be something of a blow, with Abada having scored 12 goals and provided seven assists in all competitions this season.

As such, any potential exit may require Postecoglou to find a replacement or successor to the 5 foot 6 ace ahead of next season, with the Greek-Aussie seemingly already having a dream candidate for the role in the form of 18-year-old, Ben Quinn.

Who is Ben Quinn?

While the teenager is yet to feature for the Old Firm outfit at first-team level, he is clearly a player who the club have high hopes for, having only just been handed a new contract extension at the club until 2025.

As the club's official website stated, that new deal was a just reward for the Irishman's 'breakout season' for the club's 'B' team, with Quinn having had a 'big role' under Stephen McManus and Darren O'Dea of late.

Much like Abada, the Republic of Ireland youth international appears to be at his brilliant best when operating on the right flank, notably being hailed as "very impressive" by journalist Sean Markus Clifford after scoring twice in the win over Bo'ness United back in November.

That deadly double from the exciting youngster came amid a campaign that has seen the youth starlet score 12 goals and provided seven assists in all competitions – an identical record to that of Abada in the first-team.

Of course, it would take a big step up for the £790-per-week sensation to go on to flourish in Postecoglou's side, although his standout form this season should certainly have the 57-year-old keeping a close eye on his progress.

The hope will be that Quinn – who only recently bagged a brace against bitter rivals Rangers in the Lowland League – can go on to prove something of an heir to Abada if the latter man is to move on any time soon, having proven himself a devastating threat from the flanks in the youth set-up.

Tottenham Hotspur managerial candidate Vincent Kompany has a friend at Spurs who'll be 'pushing the merits of him'.

What's the latest on Kompany to Spurs?

The 37-year-old is thought to be a real target for chairman Daniel Levy as he continues the search for a new permanent manager. Antonio Conte left the club last month, with Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason taking charge until the end of this Premier League campaign.

The latter duo are tasked with sealing a top four finish and Champions League qualification, no easy feat, yet it could seriously determine which elite coaches will be attracted by the idea of joining Spurs.

There have already been reports that other candidates, like former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, see Europe as a deal-breaker.

In the event Tottenham cannot tempt names like Nagelsmann, the other solution is hiring a young, exciting project manager to build them from the ground up – and Kompany arguably fits the bill.

His Burnley side have stormed to automatic promotion this season and could still become one of the few Championship teams to reach over 100 points in a single campaign. There have even been some suggestions that Levy views Kompany as a top target after being blown away by his work at Turf Moor.

As per reliable journalist Alasdair Gold, responding in a football.london Q&A to the links with Kompany, Man City's legendary former captain has a colleague at Spurs, Simon Davies, who is head of methodology. The pair worked together at both City and Anderlecht, and Gold believes Davies will be 'pushing the merits' of him at Tottenham.

"Spurs have certainly considered Vincent Kompany and he's someone that Simon Davies, who works at the club's head of coaching methodology, knows well from their time together at City and Anderlecht, and he would be pushing the merits of him," explained the reporter.

"It would also be a gamble, with the 37-year-old having not managed in a major top flight division yet. He may well want to see what he can do with Burnley next season in the Premier League and watching clubs might want to wait to see how he does first. Of course you could miss out via that route.

"I would say the closest thing Spurs have to Arteta is probably Ryan Mason, if you're looking at a young former player who has only had assistant manager experience thus far (other than those seven matches in charge in 2021)."

Should Kompany go to Spurs?

While Kompany has experienced real joy as manager of Burnley this season, taking them back to the big time at their first attempt, he should also weigh his next move carefully.

Serial winners like Jose Mourinho and Conte have gone to Spurs in recent years only too, ultimately, go away trophy-less with a small dent in their reputations.

Kompany's stock is high right now, having been called 'unbelievable' by the media in Lancashire, and we believe he would be better placed remaining at Burnley to help continue their real momentum.

West Ham United were on the wrong end of a 4-3 scoreline in a thrilling clash away at Crystal Palace this afternoon, as they were drawn back into a relegation dogfight with just a few matches of the Premier League season remaining.

The game at Selhurst Park was delayed by 15 minutes due to a technical decision, however, when it finally did start, West Ham took just minutes to score through Tomas Soucek. David Moyes’ side were then hit with three goals in quick succession and despite a Michail Antonio goal just before the break, they were losing 3-2.

Eberechi Eze scored a penalty to extend their lead before Nayef Aguerd set up a tense finish, however West Ham couldn’t score an equaliser, and they had a lot of poor performers throughout.

Pablo Fornals was given a start yet clearly didn’t take his opportunity, playing just 45 minutes while taking only 22 touches, completing 12 passes, winning one duel and losing possession seven times and not having the desired effect that Moyes was expecting, especially following his Scorpion kick heroics last weekend.

His replacement, Said Benrahma, wasn’t exactly much better, in fact, his performance was probably the most disappointing out of the whole squad during their defeat.

How did Said Benrahma perform for West Ham United against Crystal Palace?

Guardian reporter Jacob Steinberg wasn’t enthralled by the Algerian’s performance, tweeting: “A special mention for Benrahma. That miscontrol on the edge of the Palace area in the 93rd sums him up. It’s just a constant lack of discipline and focus. Such an underwhelming player, not worthy of the hype he gets.”

Scathing criticism indeed, although his performance was woeful against Palace as he received a Sofascore rating of 6.2/10 while he completed only four passes during his 45 minutes on the pitch, a shocking statistic.

His attacking contribution didn’t exactly mount to much either, succeeding with zero of his three dribble attempts, having no shots on target and failing to deliver either of his two crosses, proving that he was a passenger throughout the match.

Winning just two duels from nine suggests he was far from in the mood to make an impression on the game, with Palace easily able to nullify anything that he did, and his terrible display will ensure he likely won't be starting a match for the foreseeable future.

With a European semi-final tie coming up shortly, Moyes will need to manage his squad if he looks at achieving both success on the continent and retaining West Ham’s place in the Premier League.

Sheikh Jassim will make his third bid for Manchester United on Friday and is confident of completing a takeover, Ben Jacobs reports.

What’s the latest Man United takeover news involving Jassim?

Jassim has been heavily linked with buying out the Glazers in recent months and has made two bids to take control of the Premier League giants so far.

The Qatar investors and Sir Jim Ratcliffe initially missed the deadline for second offers last month and required an extension in what was described as an incredible development. Jassim’s most recent offer was thought to be a world-record fee at more than £5bn, but another deadline has been set for this Friday for parties to make their final bids.

Jacobs provided an in-depth update on Twitter regarding the Red Devils takeover process, describing it as a “big week” at Old Trafford.

He said that “Jassim will bid again on Friday and remains confident”, whereas “sources close to Ratcliffe are a little more coy”, although “those close” to both have insisted they won’t bid recklessly. Jacobs added that “there is definitely still competitive tension between bidders”, with a full sale “more likely than a minority investor at this stage”.

Key week for Jassim and Man United?

Jassim is seemingly desperate to get going at Old Trafford and has already been making transfer plans to bolster Erik ten Hag’s squad.

A move for Borussia Dortmund and England international Jude Bellingham was previously mooted, with Jassim a “huge fan” of the midfielder. More recently, reports have suggested that the Red Devils are preparing to make a number of big-money signings under Jassim, with Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar linked with a move to Manchester.

Jacobs has claimed that “the point of the third stage is to get a deal quite close to signing”, so it could be an extremely important few days in the takeover process, and by the looks of it, Jassim’s offer will be made in 48 hours time in an exciting update.

Liverpool will be fully aware of the fragile state this Tottenham Hotspur side is in. The Lilywhites may well have battled back from two goals down against Manchester United, but they remain with just one win since early March.

With Ryan Mason now in the dugout, there are sure to be tactical limitations to his ability given his youth and inexperience in such a role. Jurgen Klopp will seek to exploit this today, in a clash where anything less than a win could hand further impetus back to Spurs as they enter the run-in.

The defensive failures of today's visitors will be a particular point of interest, as somewhere that the German can exploit in front of a raucous Anfield atmosphere.

The support from the stands will likely play a big role not only to boost the hosts but to unnerve the visitors. Cristian Romero, in particular, is someone who could well feel the effects, should this famous stadium reach the levels it has shown it can do.

If so, it would help to employ an agent of chaos on the field to disrupt the centre back further. From within the Reds' squad, few fit that bill as perfectly as Darwin Nunez.

Will Darwin Nunez start vs Spurs?

Lauded as a "handful" by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, the Uruguayan striker has endured a mixed debut season on Merseyside, filled with goals, cards and everything in between.

However, amongst all the unpredictability, he has actually become something of a fan favourite for his wacky yet often effective exploits; even without mentioning the 15 goals in all competitions that the £140k-per-week maverick already boasts.

Although the £85m paid in the summer might have been far too much money, the potential is clearly there that suggests one day this might not seem like such a ludicrous fee.

Willing to run all day and shoot whenever the opportunity presents itself, when compared to other strikers across Europe, the "insane" Nunez – as dubbed by journalist Casey Evans – actually stands up quite well. He ranks in the top 1% for total shots and non-penalty goals, as well as the top 6% for progressive carries, via FBref.

Given the rivalry he will seek to spark up with Spurs' fellow South American defender, the 23-year-old could terrorise Romero with or without the ball at his feet.

Against Newcastle United, the Argentine failed to deal with numerous lofted balls in behind, scrambling to thwart the threat that Alexander Isak posed with little success. Now, with the improved quality of delivery from Virgil van Djik or Trent Alexander-Arnold to feed Nunez, this could be further exacerbated.

Although the former Benfica striker might have been relegated more recently to cameo appearances from the bench, there is arguably no better time to reinstate him into the starting lineup when his pace and physicality can prove so devastating for Spurs' star centre-back.

Glasgow Rangers bounced back from their disappointing performance at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final last weekend as the Ibrox side recorded a 1-0 victory in the Premiership yesterday.

It wasn’t the most enthralling of wins, but a nice finish from Todd Cantwell with just under half an hour remaining secured the Gers all three points against Aberdeen.

Michael Beale fielded a slightly different line up this week compared to the Celtic loss with Robby McCrorie, Ridvan Yilmaz, Rabbi Matondo and Ianis Hagi coming in to the starting XI as the manager gave them some minutes to try and impress.

McCrorie was excellent between the posts, securing his third clean sheet in three first-team appearances for the Light Blues as he made four saves, completed 15 passes and took 31 touches throughout, showing no signs of rustiness whatsoever.

Not everyone had a similar impact, however, with Matondo failing to take his chance during a rare start for the club.

How did Rabbi Matondo perform against Aberdeen?

The Welsh winger was brought in to replace Ryan Kent on the left wing, and it was his first start for the club since November.

The £2m signing has failed to hit the ground running at Ibrox, registering just five assists across 25 matches and with Kent all but leaving this summer, Beale gave him an ideal chance to shine against the Dons.

Unfortunately, Matondo couldn’t quite get into the match. Despite making four key passes during his spell on the pitch, his 12 passes in total were three fewer than McCrorie.

The speedster managed only 31 touches all game, which represents a disappointing return for someone who should have demanded the ball and looked to make things happen.

Sadly, by losing possession 11 times, the 22-year-old surrendered his grasp of the ball on average every 2.8 touches.

The player did attempt seven dribbles yet was successful with just two, and he won only four duels from 12 in a wasteful display.

Indeed, it perhaps suggests that Matondo is still a bit lightweight for the demands of Scottish football, although this can be worked on during the summer.

It was an uninspiring performance for someone who should have made a statement of intent to Beale, but with little to play for now, he should get more chances during the final few weeks of the campaign.

With a home tie against Celtic on Saturday, there is no better stage to showcase his abilities than an Old Firm clash.

Everton manager Sean Dyche has two more games to preserve the Merseyside outfit's coveted top-flight status, having taken the reins at the Premier League season's midpoint and keeping within touching distance of safety.

Everton have fallen by the wayside over the past few years and narrowly staved off the threat of relegation last year, but jubilation was short-lived following the sale of endeared forward Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur for £60m and subsequent purchase of £15m Brighton & Hove Albion talisman Neal Maupay, who has scored one solitary goal this season.

Indeed, the Goodison Park side have failed to avoid the terror of a relegation dogfight this time around too, though a recent 5-1 demolition of the Seagulls lifted the club from immediate danger, now perched in 17th place with two fixtures to play, one place and one point above 18th-placed Leeds United.

Should survival be secured, Dyche will swiftly turn his attention to bolstering the offensive ranks, his outfit boasting just 32 goals from 36 matches in the top-flight this term and with key talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin missing large portions of the campaign due to his injury woes.

As such, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has reported that West Ham United striker Michail Antonio is 'in their sights', should they indeed secure a Premier League spot next term.

Should Everton sign Michail Antonio?

Antonio has been an admirable stalwart in east London, scoring 75 goals and providing 43 assists from 273 appearances since signing for the Hammers for £7m from Nottingham Forest in 2015.

And while the forward boasts 14 goals across all competitions this term, having plundered six strikes in the Europa Conference League, at 33-years-old clinching his signature would not be an auspicious move for Dyche and co as they seek to navigate away from danger and push for a place higher up the table next year.

The seven-cap Jamaica international has recorded a lowly 6.67 rating in the Premier League this year, starting just 20 times, and while he has plundered five goals and supplied three assists, he is only averaging 1.2 shots and 0.5 key passes per match, having also missed seven big chances this term and branded "shocking" by West Ham TV's Dan Lawless.

Candidly, while Antonio has enjoyed fruitful fortunes in Europe, against an ostensibly easier crop of opposition than the Premier League, should he switch to Everton he would not be competing in such a competition, rather, potentially embroiled in a scrap for survival again next season.

If Calvert-Lewin's fitness doesn't hold up, it could well be Antonio who ranks among the bottom 35% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for rate of non-penalty goals, as per FBref, and Maupay competing for the spot as the club's offensive focal point, which does not bode well for the performance of the team.

If owner Farhad Moshiri was to sign the £85k-per-week veteran, it could replicate the misfiring deal for Salomon Rondon, who joined the fray on Merseyside at 31-years-old in 2021 from Chinese outfit Dalian Professional.

Another ageing forward, Rondon would score just three times – twice against lowly Boreham Wood – across two campaigns for Everton and offer measly assistance in the final third. Another brutish offensive threat cut from the same cloth as Antonio, there was, unfortunately, a stark lack of end product during his time at Goodison.

With the Irons ace approaching the twilight phase of his career and noticeably waning in the Premier League, it would be a move best left on the rumour mill.

Chelsea will have to face Manchester City this weekend without seven players on Sunday, with Benoit Badiashile the latest to join the injury list.

What is the Chelsea team news?

The Blues have only three games left this season to try and seal a spot in the top half of the Premier League table. Prior to the weekend's fixtures, the Blues were currently sat 11th and need as many points as they can from their remaining three fixtures if they want to break into the top ten. That is still possible but any higher is mathematically out of the equation for the side this season.

It means that Chelsea are set for their lowest league finish since the 1995/96 season. It's been a torrid campaign for the club, which resulted in both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter being relieved of their duties. Frank Lampard has since taken interim charge of the Stamford Bridge outfit until the end of the season, and it is largely expected that Mauricio Pochettino will then be unveiled as their next boss in the summer.

Their next fixture will see them come face-to-face with high-flying Manchester City, who can seal the league title with a victory over the Blues this weekend, provided Arsenal don't lose to Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.

However, speaking ahead of the clash, via Absolute Chelsea, Lampard revealed that there are seven players who will miss out on the game. One such name, Kalidou Koulibaly, has made strides and returned to training, but the boss revealed he is still "not really ready" for a fixture such as this one. In addition, there is a fresh name sidelined, with Badiashile, who played last time out against Nottingham Forest, now added to the injury list.

Lampard said:

"Mason [Mount], Reece [James], Chilly [Ben Chilwell], N’Golo [Kante], [Marc] Cucurella not fit. Kouli [Kalidou Koulibaly] has been training this week, but not really ready for a game like this. He’s ahead of schedule to be fair. Benoit [Badiashile] has injured himself in training, so will miss the game."

Who are Chelsea playing in their last three fixtures?

The Blues will have to hope that their fixture against Pep Guardiola's side goes a lot better than it did last time out, with the club suffering a 4-0 defeat in the FA Cup at the Etihad. They also lost 1-0 the last time the two faced in the Premier League. Once they have dealt with City, they then have another tough fixture against Man United and then a final-day clash against Newcastle.

However, in the short term, Lampard will be without Badiashile, labelled as a "complete" defender by a former Monaco coach, so he may need to look towards the likes of Wesley Fofana or Cesar Azpilicueta, both of who were unused substitutes last weekend, or even revert to a back three.