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Fulham got one of their toughest Premier League games out of the way on the first day of the season as they drew 2-2 with Liverpool at Craven Cottage.

The home side took the lead on two occasions, only for the visitors to equalise twice and ultimately leave west London with a point.

The one player who not only scored both of Fulham’s goals against the Reds but also played a massive part in getting the Cottagers back into the Premier League is Aleksandar Mitrovic.

In 44 league appearances last season, the striker scored 43 goals, in addition to racking up more shots at goal (198), shots on target (91) and a higher rate for shots per 90 minutes (4.66) than any other player in the Championship.

The Serbian now sits alongside Pascal Gross and Erling Haaland as the Premier League’s top scorers after the first weekend of the campaign.

Despite only being 27 and with his contract not set to expire until 2026, the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window could give the Cottagers the chance to bring in someone who could be an ideal long-term heir for Fulham’s prolific centre-forward.

One man who has been linked with a move to the club and who could fit this criteria is Bayern Munich’s Joshua Zirkzee.

In 98 appearances for the German champions across their senior and youth teams, the 20-year-old has netted 50 times, showing just how prolific he can be in front of goal.

With 32 appearances to his name in the Belgian league last season during a loan spell with Anderlecht, the Dutchman scored 15 goals in total.

To compare the two strikers from their previous league campaigns, the pair racked up an almost identical percentage for shots on target, with Mitrovic having 46% and Zirkzee having 46.9%.

Described as a “powerful” striker by Bayern’s academy manager Holger Seitz, that word is also what the Fulham talisman was labelled by journalist Josh Bunting on Twitter during the Liverpool clash at the weekend.

This further highlights the similarities between the two players and explains why the young Bayern attacker could be the ideal heir for the Craven Cottage hero.

The west London club should do all that they can to get the £13k-per-week youngster to make the move to Fulham and start a new chapter of his career in England.

Liverpool centre-back Sepp van den Berg is ‘set to join’ Bournemouth on loan for the 2022/23 season, according to journalist Hannah Perkins.

The Lowdown: Van den Berg a promising talent

The 20-year-old joined the Reds from PEC Zwolle in 2019, coming in as a highly-rated teenager who could have a big future at Anfield.

Van den Berg has made four first-team appearances for Liverpool thus far, while he spent last season on loan at Preston, starting 43 matches in the Championship and averaging 3.2 clearances per game.

The Dutchman is currently back on Merseyside this summer but another loan move appears to be on the cards.

The Latest: Bournemouth move on the cards

Taking to Twitter, Perkins claimed that Van den Berg is closing in on a season-long switch to Bournemouth as Scott Parker’s side prepare for their return to the Premier League.

She tweeted:

“Sepp van den Berg is set to join #Bournemouth on a season-long loan from #Liverpool. The two clubs remain in talks but #AFCB in pole position to land the defender.”

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The Verdict: Perfect for defender’s development

This is an ideal move for Van den Berg, who will feel that he has a good chance of earning minutes at Bournemouth, even if he may not be a regular starter under Parker. He has been hailed as a ‘beast’ of a player by former team-mate Joe Rafferty and seems to have good potential.

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At Liverpool, the youngster has Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez ahead of him in the centre-back reckoning, and barring the odd domestic cup game, it is hard to see where he would feature.

Another year away from the Reds is therefore the most beneficial option for Van den Berg’s development – at 20, he is still very young, and there is no rush regarding his trajectory into the first team at Anfield.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph has dropped a claim regarding Celtic’s aims for the remainder of the current summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist outlined what the Hoops’ aims have been in the transfer window so far and what they may look to do before it closes.

He said: “Celtic were definitely looking for a central defensive-midfielder to add strength and depth and perhaps for that person to be a starter. I think they would also like another striker.”

Celtic fans will be buzzing

In addition to securing permanent deals for the likes of Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Daizen Maeda following their loan spells at Parkhead last term, the Bhoys have also brought some new faces to the club.

The likes of Benjamin Siegrist, Alexandro Bernabei, Aaron Mooy and Moritz Jenz have all made moves to Glasgow this summer and will be preparing for their debut campaigns as Celtic players.

Despite these new faces being brought in, hearing that the club would like to potentially add a new defensive midfielder and a striker to their ranks will surely be music to the ears of many Hoops supporters.

In terms of signing a new defensive midfielder, as Joseph originally said, the fact that the Bhoys have seen the likes of Tom Rogic, Nir Bitton and Ismaila Soro leave the club in the past few weeks and months shows just why he has said the Premiership champions would like a new player for that position.

As for a new striker, while that may not be particularly crucial in order for the club to strengthen, it could still be an important area to focus upon before the transfer window closes.

Despite having the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis – who ended the previous campaign with 25 league goals between them – in the squad, the arrival of a new striker this summer could be dependent on the immediate future of another one of Celtic’s current attacking options in Albian Ajeti.

Having started just three league games last term, it’s safe to suggest that he is behind the likes of Furuhashi and Giakoumakis in the pecking order.

Should the 25-year-old find himself leaving Celtic this summer, securing a new striker who could have a better chance of forcing his way into Ange Postecoglou’s side could be beneficial for the team.

AND in other news: Postecoglou can land big Giakoumakis upgrade if Celtic sign £3.5k-p/w “piledriver”

Aston Villa have entered the race for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare. 

What’s the word?

That’s according to sources at Football Insider, who claim that the Ivory Coast international is on the radar of several Premier League clubs.

Other than Villa, Leicester are another standout candidate vying for his signature. Both clubs have made contact with PSV over the 24-year-old.

A great signing for Gerrard

Although Steven Gerrard and NSWE have already invested heavily into the Villa squad this summer, one more addition would certainly not hurt their chances of advancing up the league table.

This tough-tackling brute has been linked with many high-level clubs over the years, earning particular praise for his most recent campaign with PSV as he helped his team to finish second in the Eredivisie, just two points behind champions Ajax.

He featured in 29 league games last season for the Eindhoven outfit, even managing five goal contributions from a defensive midfield role.

He could perhaps pair well with Villa’s other new signing Boubacar Kamara, as the two fit similar profiles and could form a powerhouse midfield partnership.

Sangare boasted a phenomenal average SofaScore rating last season too, with his 7.38 only beaten by two of his teammates to have played more than five games.

It is this form which led Dutch football analyst Aad de Mos to label the midfielder “exceptional” upon his initial links with Leicester.

He continued: “Ibrahim Sangaré is better on one leg than Leicester’s midfield. He has been the king of PSV. You only miss Sangeré when he’s not playing.”

The deep-lying midfielder has earned praise for his ability to dictate play for his team, whilst his dynamism has allowed him to also threaten in the opposition’s penalty box.

He averaged 0.8 key passes in the Eredivisie, increasing this to 2.3 per game during the Africa Cup of Nations. His pass completion rate of 86.1% further outlines him as a reliable set of legs in midfield.

Reportedly valued at just over £20m, he could prove a huge coup for whoever signs him. Gerrard should act quickly to get in another highly-rated midfielder to add a touch of class and another hard-working set of legs to help take his team to the next level.

AND in other news: “Pacey” £30m machine would give “serious thought” to Villa move, imagine him & Watkins.

Aston Villa have once again been rather active in the transfer market when it comes to securing deals for new players arriving at the Midlands club.

With there still being a few weeks left before the summer transfer window closes, this could give the Villans the opportunity to add some more players to their ranks ahead of their latest Premier League season.

One man who has been mentioned with a move to Villa Park and who could be a great long-term option for the team given his age, considering how Boubacar Kamara is the only new player to arrive at the club this summer under the age of 25, is Anderlecht defender Sergio Gomez.

After working his way through Barcelona’s youth ranks, the 21-year-old joined Borussia Dortmund in 2018 before leaving Germany last summer to sign for his current club.

Hailed as “one of the best players of his age in the world” a few years ago according to Dortmund’s former sporting director Michael Zorc, the former Barcelona youth star has 37 goal contributions to his name in 148 senior and youth appearances.

In 34 league appearances last season, the left-back scored five goals and delivered 11 assists in the process.

He also racked up 43 shots at goal and delivered far more crosses (284) than any other player at the Belgian club, highlighting his clear attacking presence.

From a defensive point of view, Gomez made 53 interceptions and won 32 tackles, showing just how well-rounded a player he is up and down the pitch.

These sort of figures put him in the same light as former Real Madrid left-back Marcelo, who is included on a list of similar players to the Anderlecht full-back according to Football Transfers.

With 545 appearances to his name for the Spanish giants, the 34-year-old racked up 38 goals and 103 assists along the way, highlighting the clear attacking talent that he has shown throughout his long and illustrious career.

Given the age difference between the two players, it could be said that securing a deal for Gomez at Villa this summer would give Steven Gerrard the chance to unearth his own version of Marcelo, something which would surely appeal to a lot of Villa fans.

AND in other news: Lange plotting Villa swoop for “relentless” £50m “monster”, he’d be a “huge signing”

Manchester United chiefs John Murtough and Richard Arnold have been spotted in Barcelona to seemingly continue talks regarding a move for Frenkie de Jong.

The Lowdown: First signing done

It took longer than many may have hoped and expected, but the Red Devils have finally secured their first signing under Erik ten Hag.

Left-back Tyrell Malacia penned a four-year deal at Old Trafford from Feyenoord last week, with Murtough labelling the defender ‘exciting’.

The 22-year-old could be joined by fellow countryman De Jong, who was called a ‘genius’ by his Barcelona manager Xavi, with rumours regarding a move to Manchester ongoing.

The Latest: Murtough and Arnold spotted

Sport Witness relayed an update from journalist Gerard Romero, who shared a video of Murtough and Arnold in Barcelona in the last 24 hours, meeting Catalan chiefs Mateu Alemany, Rafa Yuste and Jordi Cruyff.

Sport Witness said that it appears that the United officials have jetted out in order to try and reach an agreement for De Jong.

The Verdict: Final straw?

A move for De Jong was first thought to be in the pipeline towards the end of April after Ten Hag was announced as United manager.

There hasn’t been a major breakthrough since then, which has resulted in Murtough and Arnold heading to Spain for what could be showdown talks with Barcelona officials.

If a deal still can’t be agreed over the coming weeks, United may well be better off moving on to alternative midfield targets, especially with the new season fast approaching and the club’s shortage of central midfield options.

90min journalist Toby Cudworth has now revealed some significant Newcastle United transfer news on Arnaut Danjuma.

The Lowdown: West Ham interest

West Ham United have been strongly linked with a move for Danjuma over the last few days, although it is proving difficult for the Hammers to sign the Villarreal winger.

They, alongside the Magpies, have reportedly ‘bid the strongest’ for him and he is thought to cost in the region of €40m (£34.6m).

The Irons have been struggling to agree personal terms with the player, reports Fabrizio Romano, potentially opening the door for the Tyneside outfit.

The Latest: Danjuma update

Taking to Twitter, Cudworth has now revealed that although Eddie Howe would like to sign a winger, Danjuma ‘won’t’ be coming to St. James’ Park despite the struggles in east London:

“A lot of people wondering if NUFC will move for Arnaut Danjuma with WHUFC backing off. Understanding is that Eddie Howe wants a winger, yes, but it won’t be him.”

The Verdict: Mistake

We feel it will be a blow if the North East club miss out on the signing of Danjuma.

A player that has played under Howe before, he has come on leaps and bounds since leaving AFC Bournemouth, managing 16 goals and a further four assists in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League combined last season (Transfermarkt).

His impressive performances abroad have caught the eye of former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips, who has branded him a ‘nightmare for defenders’.

Nonetheless, it seems as if the Tynesiders will now have to move on to other targets, with Noni Madueke and Moussa Diaby the latest names to be mentioned as potential wide signings.

Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola have now made a move for in-demand Juventus star Matthijs de Ligt, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Sky Blues swoop expected…

The Premier League champions, as per recent claims from Italy, have been expected to swoop for Man United’s transfer target who is also wanted by Chelsea.

De Ligt, an absolute mainstay for Juve last season, has attracted plenty of attention with Guardiola’s side now firmly entering contention to sign the Netherlands international.

This comes amid a potentially huge summer of change at Eastlands as many first team players are either close to leaving or linked with a possible exit.

To counteract the flurry of possible outgoings, sporting director Txiki Begiristain and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak have sealed the signings of Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez and Stefan Ortega with Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips also on the way.

The Latest: City move for de Ligt…

According to Calciomercato Web, the Blues have already ‘proposed’ some players in part-exchange to sign de Ligt from Juve.

However, the Old Lady are thought to not be entertaining that approach – with names like 21/22 final day hero Ilkay Gundogan and Ukraine international Oleksandr Zinchenko now floated as potential makeweights.

The Serie A giants, on on top of these players, would also request €40-50 million (£34m-£43m) as City are allegedly ‘notified’ of their demands.

The Verdict: Too much?

The presence of Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Nathan Ake as things stand make City’s need for a central defender extremely minimal.

Of course, as the latter man attracts interest from Chelsea, it’s safe to say de Ligt would be a more-than phenomenal replacement in terms of quality.

Winning a 2019 Kopa Award, the £200,000-per-week star has also been called a ‘monster’ by Barcelona star Pedri and finished last season as one of Juve’s best performers by average match rating (WhoScored).

De Ligt also averaged more successful aerial duels per 90 than any of his teammates and completed around 89% of his passes out from the back – highlighting his status as a world class, ball-playing centre-half.

That being said, despite the 22-year-old’s obvious ability, City shouldn’t be pushed into making ludicrous offers.

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has now shared a promising update out of Tottenham Hotspur involving Premier League star and Everton striker Richarlison.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye new forward…

As widely reported, one of the items next on sporting director Fabio Paratici’s to-do list is the signing of a forward and alternative to superstar Harry Kane in the Spurs attacking areas.

The club have been linked with a host of names, including sensation Darwin Nunez before he joined Liverpool, with it now looking likely they will also miss out on Man City star Gabriel Jesus.

It appears manager Antonio Conte’s list of targets is growing thin but luckily, as per Thomas of Sky, a promising update has come to light involving Toffees mainstay Richarlison.

The Latest: Thomas shares Richarlison update…

According to his sources, Spurs and Paratici are now pushing to sign the Brazil international.

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Indeed, he claims ‘this past week’ Tottenham have ‘stepped up’ their inquiries for Richarlison and Everton are now ‘bracing themselves’ for a bid (Twitter).

He adds this is the same for fellow target Leeds United of Leeds as Paratici spins ‘many plates’.

The Verdict: Get it done…

As per WhoScored, the 25-year-old finished 21/22 as Everton’s statistical best player and most potent attacking threat in the final third.

Richarlison averaged their highest rate of attempts at goal per 90 and also attracted the most fouls with Frank Lampard’s handful striker, on top of all this, raking in more goals and assists than any of his teammates (WhoScored).

Noel Whelan summed it up best by branding the South American one of Goodison Park’s ‘big name’ players and we believe he would be an ideal striker signing for Conte.

Arsenal are believed to have seen an initial offer rebuffed by Leeds United for winger Raphinha, with the Brazilian ace having emerged as a top target this summer.

What’s the word?

As per journalist David Ornstein, the Gunners made their first offer for the 25-year-old on Tuesday evening, although it was swiftly dismissed by the Elland Road outfit having fallen well below their valuation.

Writing on Twitter about that revelation, the transfer guru hinted that Mikel Arteta and co will be unperturbed by that initial setback: “Arsenal made 1st formal offer to Leeds for Raphinha last night. While it fell well below #LUFC valuation & has now been rejected, interest remains strong. May be a long/difficult process due to competition but #AFC determined to sign 25yo”.

In his attached piece for The Athletic, Ornstein stated that while Arteta is “extremely keen” on the former Stade Rennais man, it is believed that Barcelona remains the nine-cap gem’s ideal choice, albeit with the La Liga side currently managing an ongoing financial crisis.

Should a move to the Nou Camp not go ahead, the report suggests that Chelsea are the player’s next ‘preferred destination’ ahead of the north London side, with Jesse Marsch and co not expected to stand in his way if their valuation is met.

Supporters fuming

While it is still days in negotiations, the Emirates faithful will no doubt be concerned to see the pursuit of the £40.5m-rated man develop into something of a saga, as the longer the transfer drags on the more likely it is that competition could build.

Equally, there will also be eyebrows raised at the suggestion that the player in fact favours a move to Stamford Bridge were he to remain in the Premier League, with Gunners supporters unlikely to be too pleased with their club not being the first-choice pick.

Amid the Blues’ reported interest in the likes of Raheem Sterling and Ousmane Dembele, the hope will be that Thomas Tuchel’s side are prioritising other targets, allowing Arsenal to sign the £63k-per star relatively unchallenged.

The clamour for the one-time Sporting CP man’s signature has no doubt been warranted due to his sparkling form in recent seasons, the fleet-footed forward having netted 17 goals and provided a further 12 assists across the last two campaigns combined in the top-flight, having signed from Rennes in a £17m deal in the summer of 2020.

That tally includes a haul of 11 goals and three assists in the most recent campaign, with Raphinha proving instrumental in keeping his side in the division, preventing the Whites from losing their prized gem for a potential bargain fee, amid reports of a relegation clause in his contract.

As it is, the Gunners will seemingly have to pay a sizeable fee if they are to get a deal over the line, although at present it seems they are some way off matching the asking price.

IN other news, Arsenal now plotting record-breaking bid for £100m gem, he’d be a “superstar” signing