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Burnley have been eager to try and sign Jack Clarke this summer, and Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray has spoken to The Sunderland Echo about the winger's future with Sunderland.

Is Jack Clarke staying at Sunderland?

The forward has had plenty of interest in his services this summer after an excellent 2022/23 campaign for the Black Cats. Having bagged nine goals with eleven assists in 44 league starts for the club, and it represented his best ever goal contribution haul over the course of his career.

Having arrived at the Stadium of Light on an initial loan deal whilst they were in League One, he then made the switch permanent as they sealed a spot in the second tier. That campaign in the third tier, he could manage only one goal and two assists, but was also started on just nine occasions. It was enough to convince Sunderland though to bring him in full-time – and that gamble has since paid off as his end product has skyrocketed to match his obvious talent on the ball.

It's led to Burnley, amongst other sides, trying to snap up the attacker on a deal this summer. Reports have suggested that the Clarets are currently the only club making official bids for the star and whilst those have been snubbed so far, it doesn't mean that the newly-promoted Premier League side won't come back in with more bids.

Are Burnley signing Jack Clarke?

Now though, speaking to The Sunderland Echo, who confirmed the Clarets have bid, Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray has spoken out about the player after a pre-season game and has declared that Clarke is happy to stay at Sunderland for now – but refused to rule out a definite stay at the club for the winger this summer.

He mentioned that the forward is currently "working hard" and is happy to stay with the Championship side but also added that "if he moves, he moves".

Mowbray said: "My conversation with him – and again, I don't get overly involved with what goes on behind the scenes. He said to me he loves playing here, he's in no rush to leave but if that's what pans out, he's a footballer, if he moves he moves. He's not stamping his feet or being petulant or creating a problem in training. He's working hard and enjoys his football."

Whilst Burnley are keen to try and sort out an agreement, Clarke has actually yet to try his luck in the Premier League. His only first-team football so far has come in the Championship, with the 22-year-old relying on stints with Leeds, Stoke, QPR and now Sunderland for gametime.

Anyone who has watched Clarke in action though has praised his ability, especially for Sunderland in the last campaign. Journalist and Black Cats fan Josh Bunting stated that the winger was "dynamite" during a performance for the Black Cats and it shows how highly he is viewed and how important he is for the second tier outfit.

Losing the attacker this summer would be a blow to their play-off chances then – but it would be a huge boost to Burnley if they could sign him and help him make the step up to the top tier.

Football is a forever-changing game, whether we like it or not. There are still some fans that will remember a life without the back pass rule, whilst the rest of us have to suffer what it must have been like at five-aside every week. And who could forget away goals? Oh, how we miss the drama of those so dearly.Arsene Wenger and FIFA’s offside rule is one of the most extreme changes that could occur yet, however, with attacking players handed a huge advantage compared to the microscopic detail that VAR has given us recently.It doesn’t surprise us that Wenger is focusing on the attacking play, though, given how electric his Arsenal sides were going forward in their prime. And, now, he’s looking to see even more goals.

What is Arsene Wenger’s proposed offside rule?

Wenger’s offside rule, which is set to go through a trial run, according to DirecTV Sports, via Sports Joe. The trial run will take place in Sweden’s U21 men’s league and U19 women’s league.

Meanwhile, trials will also eventually take place in both the Netherlands and Italy. But, what does the rule entail?

As quoted by ESPN, Wenger explained: “You will be not offside if any part of the body that can score a goal is in line with the last defender, even if other parts of the attacker’s body are in front.”

Indeed, the new rule changes the scope of when a player is considered offside. As of right now, when any part of a player’s body, excluding hands and arms, are ahead of the final defender, they are considered offside.

Wenger’s new rule would hand the advantage to attacking players, however, which will see any part of an attacker’s body that they can legally score with ruled onside if in line with the last defender even if other parts of an attacker’s body are behind the defender.

This would give attacking players an extra yard away from the backline in a new rule which would give extra benefit to some of the quickest players in world football – although it could force defenders to abandon the popular high-lines used these days, and see them sit much deeper.

How fans have reacted to FIFA’s new potential offside rule?

The news hasn’t exactly gone down well with fans across the football world, with many quick to shut the idea down. After all, the question comes to the fore once again in football, why fix what is not broken?

It will certainly be interesting to see how the trial runs go. Here’s how fans reacted to the news:

Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane is "determined to leave" Spurs this summer and his time at the club is "definitely over", according to reports.

Will Kane leave Spurs?

Rewind two years ago, the last time Kane was heavily linked with a move away, and it was Premier League champions Man City who were seriously chasing the Englishman's signature.

However, despite a rumoured "gentleman's agreement" with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, a move did not come to fruition and City instead ended up signing superstar Erling Haaland one year later.

At the time, Tottenham had a lot of leverage in regards to keeping Kane with many years left on his contract, but right now, the 29-year-old is fast entering the final 12 months of his deal.

The Three Lions star could depart north London as a free agent next year, putting a host of clubs on alert, including Bayern Munich, PSG, Man United and Chelsea.

There is a decision to be made by Spurs if Kane doesn't agree fresh terms, and that is whether to sell for a handsome profit this window or keep him for another season and let him depart for nothing in 2024.

However, as per reports out of Spain, there has been a worrying development on that front as it appears Kane is "determined to leave Tottenham this summer".

That information comes courtesy of Sport, who also believe "everything indicates" his time at the club is "definitely over".

Bayern and PSG are apparently the two sides in pole position to sign Kane, with the former especially pushing given Thomas Tuchel's desire to sign a star striker.

The Bavarians have already seen a verbal offer of around £60 million rejected, and despite Kane's contract situation, it appears Levy is set to dig his heels in.

What's been said about Kane?

The former Leyton Orient loanee is, without question, Spurs' superstar player and losing him would be an almighty blow – no matter the marquee transfer fee.

Kane scored a sensational 30 goals in 38 league appearances last season, and if it wasn't for the ridiculous form of Haaland, he would've clinched another Golden Boot.

Spurs legend Jurgen Klinsmann has also heaped praise on the player for his character and leadership.

"For Tottenham he is very important, he can energise the team, keep the spirit up in the changing rooms," said Klinsmann.

"Always. He has character and dedication to his club."

With outgoings aplenty and reports of replacements on their way, Chelsea could field a much-changed line-up on the opening day of the Premier League season against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

It will be the start of what will be a crucial first season for Mauricio Pochettino and the Blues, who will be looking to make an instant return to the Champions League. It may take time for a new-look squad to gel, however, as the new boss attempts to find his strongest starting line-up.

With that said, we've taken a look at the potential new additions to Pochettino's line-up after the summer transfer window.

4 GK: Mike Maignan

Following the pending departure of Edouard Mendy, Chelsea are short on a goalkeeper to compete with Kepa Arrizabalaga next season. And that's where Mike Maignan could come in, with the shot-stopper valued at £30m (via Yahoo).

According to The Telegraph, the Blues are considering making a move for the AC Milan shot-stopper this summer with Kepa's number-one spot in doubt under Pochettino.

3 CB: Levi Colwill

Not exactly a new signing, but Levi Colwill more than showed that he's capable of stepping into Chelsea's side next season after playing a key role at Brighton under Roberto de Zerbi in the last campaign.

The young defender can form a solid partnership with Wesley Fofana next season, finally adding some much-needed stability to the backline at Stamford Bridge.

It makes sense for Chelsea to keep hold of Colwill after letting Kalidou Koulibaly leave to Saudi Arabia this summer, too. The last thing they want is to be short on options.

2 CM: Moises Caicedo

After playing a pivotal role in Brighton & Hove Albion's Europa League qualification last season, Moises Caicedo is unsurprisingly a man in demand this summer. And, according to reports, it is Chelsea who lead the way.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are set to open talks with Brighton for the midfielder and personal terms are not an issue as the London club prepare to go full steam ahead for a deal – though a fee will reportedly cost over £80m.

Caicedo would likely replace N'Golo Kante in Chelsea's side after the Frenchman swapped London for Saudi Arabia this summer.

1 ST: Nicolas Jackson

According to Romano and Will Unwin of The Guardian, Chelsea have completed the signing of Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson for £31.8m, as they look to solve their goal-scoring issues.

Scoring just 38 goals last season, the London club are in desperate need of a capable goalscorer, especially with Kai Havertz on the verge of joining Arsenal.

The hope will be that Jackson, who scored 12 La Liga goals last season, can take things up a level or two under Pochettino and become the striker that's needed at Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino's potential line-up: Mike Maignan; Reece James; Levi Colewill; Wesley Fofana; Ben Chilwell; Moises Caicedo; Enzo Fernandes; Conor Gallagher; Noni Madueke; Nicolas Jackson; Raheem Sterling

Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke is hoping to bolster their midfield with Bayern Munich ace Ryan Gravenberch this summer after failing in their seasonal goals and missing out on Champions League qualification.

What's the latest on Ryan Gravenberch to Liverpool?

That's according to prominent German outlet BILD, who claim that reports of the Reds' interest indeed ring true and manager Jurgen Klopp has maintained his interest with the summer transfer window now officially open.

There are reports that the ace is available for just £25m after failing to cement a regular starting berth with the German champions this season, signing from Ajax for €24m (£20m) one year ago.

A prospective transfer is complicated by Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel's unwillingness to allow his budding midfield machine to leave despite his lack of minutes, but if the Reds can put forth a compelling offer he could yet leave the Allianz Arena to play a central role in Liverpool's revival.

Should Liverpool sign Ryan Gravenberch?

As the adage goes: if it rains at eleven it will last til seven. Liverpool's spluttering season resulted in a failure to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons, and was exacerbated by the unwanted news of Jude Bellingham's magnetising to Real Madrid after heavy speculation surrounding his future at Borussia Dortmund – speculation that pointed largely towards Merseyside.

It wasn't to be and the Kop have made a shrewd early move to rectify the woes by signing Alexis Mac Allister for a bargain £35m earlier this month, and considering the fact that Gravenberch has been described to be "better than Jude Bellingham" by ex-Tottenham Hotspur gem Rafael van der Vaart, Liverpool could be plying the astute work necessary to return to the top.

Having also been praised as "dominant" by his former coach, Gravenberch only started three times in the German top flight and will expect an upturn in playing time next term if he does remain with Bayern.

The 11-cap star, despite his inactivity, still ranks among the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 23% for progressive passes, the top 26% for progressive carries and the top 19% for successful take-ons per 90 as per FBref.

And provided the platform to cement a position of salience at Anfield, Gravenberch would surely only see such metrics skyrocket, becoming the club's saviour after a lacklustre year for Klopp's side.

He could be the dream alternative to Khephren Thuram, who has been of heavy attention to the Anfield side this summer, with the likes of Fabrizio Romano confirming that the Nice ace is on the shortlist as a physical presence to strengthen the robustness of the club.

Comparatively, the Frenchman ranks among the top 6% of positional peers for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, which is unequivocally impressive.

Thuram is indeed a "monster" of a midfielder – as stated by Sam McGuire – but he is allegedly available for around €60m (£51m), and considering this, Gravenberch is surely the more auspicious option.

Evidently just as talented and available at a far cheaper rate, Schmadtke and co must consider such a player to bolster their ranks.

Manchester United are eyeing a swoop for Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen as Erik Ten Hag aims to bolster his defensive options next season.

What’s the latest on Andreas Christensen to Manchester United?

According to sources in Spain, Man United are willing to pay €40m (£34m) in order to sign Christensen from Barcelona this summer.

Ten Hag is aiming to sign an experienced centre-back and Christensen has plenty of Premier League experience having spent five seasons at Chelsea before joining the La Liga giants on a free transfer last summer.

The Dutchman could be set to sell Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof this summer in order to generate funds for better signings, and the Danish defender would certainly be a big upgrade on Maguire as Champions League football returns to Old Trafford.

Could Manchester United sign Andreas Christensen?

The 27-year-old still has three years remaining on his current contract, and as he enjoyed a successful debut campaign in Spain, Xavi won't be keen on getting rid of him anytime soon, making a move potentially problematic for Ten Hag.

He ranked 11th in the squad for overall rating as per Sofascore while also ranking second for accurate passes per game (61.1) and clearances (2), while coming third for interceptions (0.9), underlining just how effective he was during his maiden season for the club.

Maguire ranked seventh throughout the United squad for his overall rating (6.95/10), yet this was lower than the 7.05/10 that Christensen averaged in the Spanish top flight.

Meanwhile, the Englishman also ranked in a lowly eighth position for interceptions per game (0.8), fourth for clearances (2.6) and tenth for accurate passes (30.6), with Christensen making nearly double the number of passes per match.

Indeed, it’s evident that the Dane is a far superior passer of the ball compared to Maguire, as he ranks in the top 1% across Europe’s big five leagues for pass completion rate (93.7%) and also ranks in the top 10% for progressive passes per 90 (4.95), suggesting that he is excellent at starting attacks from the defence on a regular basis.

Maguire, on the other hand, only ranks in the top 48% across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion rate (85.2%) and in the top 53% for progressive passes per 90 (3.09), which indicates that Christensen could be a major upgrade that would fit Ten Hag’s style of play.

The former Chelsea defender has been lauded as being “underrated” by his former teammate at Stamford Bridge, Cesc Fabregas, and should the Red Devils lure him to Manchester this summer, they would be able to ditch Maguire in the process, vastly improving their options at the back.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to find a replacement for recently-departed manager Ange Postecoglou this summer…

What's the latest on Rik de Mil to Celtic?

According to Football Scotland, the Hoops have added Rik de Mil to their list of targets as they attempt to draw up a shortlist of coaches to take over at Parkhead.

The report claims that the club have been keeping tabs on the Club Brugge assistant manager and are joined by a number of European and Belgian teams in doing so.

It states that the 41-year-old is one of a number of candidates being considered by the Scottish giants with Brendan Rodgers, Enzo Maresca and Graham Potter named as other possible contenders for the job.

Would Rik de Mil be a success at Celtic?

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond could uncover a dream replacement for Postecoglou by swooping for De Mil as could be a big success in Scotland.

The Club Brugge assistant, who Football Scotland claim is a "serious prospect with a top coaching career ahead of him", was given an opportunity to shine as the first-team manager for the first time earlier this year after Scott Parker was relieved of his duties and made an instant impact.

He won four of his six regular season games in the Pro League after the English head coach won two of his ten matches in the Belgian top-flight, but that was not enough to stop the club from appointing ex-Hoops boss Ronny Deila.

De Mil, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, described his Brugge side as a "team putting forward pressure, trying to pin back its opponent high upfield."

He added: "There's still room for improvement when it comes to transition. Play it out a bit better at some moments, would have resulted in more goals. Those are some working points, absolutely, but I did see a dominant team in possession, finding space more easily."

These comments suggest that the Belgian tactician wants his team to dominate games and press high up the pitch to push the opposition's defence back and prevent them from building attacks of their own, which is akin to the way that Postecoglou set up his Celtic side with his high-pressing attacking style.

De Mil's limited experience as a senior manager means that it would be a gamble for Desmond to appoint him but the same could have been said about the club's last boss as the Australian had never managed in Europe but the 57-year-old ended up winning five trophies in two seasons at Parkhead.

Therefore, this could be a risk worth taking for Celtic as the talented Belgian has shown promise in his short managerial career to date and has a style of play that the supporters could connect with given the similarities to Postecoglou's philosophy of dominating with a high press.

Celtic will round off their season with the Scottish Cup final against Inverness on Saturday and can complete the domestic treble with a victory.

The Hoops have enjoyed an excellent campaign under Ange Postecoglou, as they have already wrapped up the Scottish Premiership and League Cup trophies, and they may now have one eye on 23/24.

Whilst the head coach could improve his squad by dipping into the transfer market to add fresh faces to the group, the Australian boss could delve into the academy to add competition for places.

One young gem who could be ready to make the step up to playing regular football for Celtic is youngster Adam Montgomery following his impressive loan spell with St Johnstone.

He is a 20-year-old defender who can play as a left-back or as a left-midfielder and the dynamo could be the long-term heir to Greg Taylor's position in the side.

How did Adam Montgomery perform this season?

Montgomery had already played 20 first-team games for the Hoops prior to going out on loan this season and racked up one goal and four assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Saints.

He showcased his defensive ability alongside his attacking prowess as the battler made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and won 53% of his physical duels.

Taylor, meanwhile, made featured in 31 Premiership games for Celtic and won 51% of his contests and made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per outing. The Scotland international also assisted four goals from left-back, which shows that both players are attack-minded defenders who can also put their foot in to win possession back for their sides.

Montgomery's performances in the Scottish top-flight suggest that the youngster, who is five years younger than Taylor, could be the long-term heir to the current Hoops star's position in the team, based on their similar attacking and defensive outputs.

The talented youngster was rewarded for his efforts by being named on the shortlist for the Scottish Football Writers' Young Player of the Year, which was ultimately won by Motherwell's Max Johnston.

St Johnstone boss Steven MacLean hailed the gem as "outstanding" and his former manager Callum Davidson claimed that the ace has a "big future" ahead of him, which shows that the defender impressed both of his coaches during his loan spell.

The 20-year-old still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and grow and being the back-up to Taylor for another season could provide the seasoned Hoops defender with competition and allow Montgomery to learn from him before eventually taking over the starting berth in the future.

Celtic could turn to Manchester City assistant coach Enzo Maresca as an alternative to Ange Postecoglou if the latter is appointed as Tottenham Hotspur manager amid speculation over his future, journalist Dean Jones has suggested.

What's the latest on the manager situation at Celtic?

As per The Independent, Postecoglou is said to be under 'strong' consideration for the vacant managerial position at Tottenham following the Lilywhites' failure to land Feyenoord's Arne Slot as their new manager.

Sky Sports cite that Postecoglou has commented on speculation linking him with a move to N17, stating: "I think anyone who knows me – and I've been asked about this kind of things plenty of times – knows that what's important for me is the here and now."

Celtic have just sealed back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles under the Australian boss and have the chance to secure a historic eighth treble in their history against Inverness Caledonian Thistle this weekend, something that the 57-year-old has indicated he is fully focused on, saying: "It's not every year you get the opportunity to win a treble and if anyone thinks I'm thinking anything other than that, they don't know me."

Football Insider have claimed that Celtic are 'keeping tabs' on Manchester City assistant manager Enzo Maresca in case Postecoglou does choose to seek a new challenge south of the border.

The 43-year-old Italian was previously linked to the managerial role at Celtic back in 2021 before Postecoglou was eventually appointed later in the year while both men have well-publicised links to the City Football Group.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones reacted to the rumours involving the Man City man and thinks that Maresca may be a rout that Celtic would consider going down if they were faced with the challenge of having to replace Postecoglou.

Jones told FFC: "Maresca is definitely an interesting option for them to look at and I think from a fan point of view, they'll be keen to explore more of that profile of manager."

Will Celtic be able to keep hold of Ange Postecoglou?

Celtic will hope they can keep Postecoglou at Parkhead for as long as possible and will take hope from his words following their 2-1 Viaplay Cup final victory over Rangers earlier this year.

As per KeepUp AU, the former Australia boss stated: “I am still here even though people have been getting me out the door and I think you will be surprised how long I am here. All that I do when I am here is just be consumed by what I do and try to make this football club the best it can be and enjoy every minute of it."

Nevertheless, Hoops fans will be aware that the lure of the Premier League is always there when managers succeed in Scotland, which is a path that Brendan Rodgers chose to go down in 2019 when he swapped the Glasgow giants for Leicester City.

Postecoglou will have a big choice to make if he is earmarked as the man to take Tottenham forward by Daniel Levy; however, it doesn't look like too much will be given away surrounding his future until after the Scottish Cup final this weekend.

Liverpool will not be panicking despite the fact that Roberto Firmino appears to have suffered a setback ahead of the clash with Tottenham, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Big concerns

The Brazilian has been ruled out of action ever since he sustained a foot injury during the Reds’ 3-2 FA Cup semi-final victory over Manchester City last month, but Jurgen Klopp had previously claimed that the 30-year-old was ready to come back into contention for the Merseyside derby against Everton in April.

However, the German boss has since revealed that Firmino will be out for longer than he initially thought, and Dinnery, who runs the popular Premier Injuries site, has suggested that it would be wise to not rush the forward back as he continues his recovery.

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The Latest: Reaction to treatment

When asked about why he thinks the 55-cap international has suffered a bigger reaction than normal, Dinnery told Football Insider’s Adam Williams: “Sometimes things can take longer than expected.

“He might have been expected to respond in a certain way and it hasn’t worked out like that.

“It is a science but not an exact science. Individuals respond to treatment in different ways.

“If you suffer a setback or reaction, you need to make sure you return pain-free.

“They aren’t just thinking about the next game. They have got the rest of the league campaign and possibly a Champions League final.

“It is better to take that additional recovery time than rush him back. They are well-stocked in those positions now anyway.”

The Verdict: UCL final return?

Firmino has been a key player for Liverpool ever since joining the club in a £25m move from Hoffenheim in 2015, going on to make an outstanding 171 goal contributions in just 323 outings during that time.

Whilst the £34.2m-rated talisman has been a huge miss in recent weeks, the Reds have got plenty of cover in that department in the form of Diogo Jota, with Sadio Mane also thriving in a centre-forward role of late.

Hailed as being an “unsung hero” by BBC pundit Noel Whelan, the club will be hoping that Firmino will be available for selection again in time for the Champions League final on May 28th, where the Anfield outfit will be looking to get their hands on another piece of silverware in the hunt to achieve that unprecedented quadruple.

In other news… the Reds are set to battle it out against some European giants to secure the signing of a new target this summer.