Romelu Lukaku has told Everton that he will not sign a new contract at the club, despite his agent Mino Raiola indicating that a deal was almost done, according to The Telegraph.

What’s the latest?

The majority of Everton fans have probably been waiting for an official announcement that their star striker has put pen to paper on a new contract given the amount of times that the player’s representative has discussed it.

Raiola recently reiterated to talkSPORT that a long-term deal was 99.9% finalised, but importantly, Lukaku has been rather quiet on the situation.

His only real comment on the speculation was given a few days ago when he replied, “No”, after being asked by Play Sports if he was signing a new deal.

Now, reports The Telegraph, Lukaku has informed Everton that he will not put pen to paper on a £140,000-a-week contract.

It appears as though the Belgium international intends to keep his options open ahead of what could be a busy summer transfer window.

What happens next?

Lukaku still has two years remaining on his current deal, so there is no rush for either party to come to a solution just yet.

Because of this reason, the Toffees are unlikely to give up hope on convincing the 23-year-old to put pen to paper.

However, the latest developments are sure to spark the attention of rival clubs that may be keen on making a move for Lukaku.

The striker’s former club Chelsea have previously been linked with a big-money swoop, while Manchester United have also been touted s a rumoured suitor.

Elite clubs around Europe are also likely to be linked to the forward, who has admitted before that he has a desire to play Champions League football.

If Everton are resigned to losing their key player, then they are expected to demand a huge fee for him.

As it stands, Lukaku is joint top scorer alongside Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane in the Premier League with 19 goals.

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Celtic’s progress under Brendan Rodgers continues to be stellar. Now 36 games unbeaten domestically, a stretch that runs the entire season, the club are now just one win away from a sixth successive league tile.

In recent weeks though performances have gone slightly off the boil. It’s obviously absurd to suggest there are problems at Celtic, especially on the pitch, but the team could do with refocusing on their goals between now and the end of the season.

The big one is of course securing a domestic treble of trophies. The Hoops have a massive semi-final in the Scottish Cup coming up against Rangers, a match that is by far the most important of their upcoming schedule.

If the Hoops play like they did against their city rivals two weeks ago or like they did recently against Dundee then that match is not a foregone conclusion, despite the difference between the two sides on paper.

Step forward Tom Rogic, a man who is edging closer to a return from injury that has seen him ruled out since December.

Here are the THREE reasons why Rogic is the man to come in and deliver the treble for the Hoops…

 The team needs a different option in the final third

Celtic were at their best this season when they had Scott Sinclair rampaging down the flanks, Moussa Dembele battering defences up front and a certain Tom Rogic finding space just behind.

He adds a different dimension to this Celtic side through the middle, a clear and distinct different option to Sinclair’s play on the left.

Sinclair has of course been fantastic this season but if he’s off his game then suddenly Celtic are relying on the likes of James Forrest, who can be inconsistent, or Gary Mackay-Steven, who isn’t getting the job done to great effect.

As teams get increasingly used to the way Celtic play and have started to isolate Sinclair, re-introducing Rogic could be the shot in they arm they need to find their attacking swagger once again.

For the Rangers game in particular this could be big. He’s been missing from the previous two matches so bringing him back in time for that would provide a real tactical headache for new Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha.

His goal contribution is big

Tom Rogic is one of the five Celtic players on doubles figures for the season and he’s been a constant threat to opposition goalkeepers all season. In fact, only Leigh Griffiths and Moussa Dembele have a better goals to minutes played ratio this season, highlighting that Rogic is a level above the rest of the midfield when it comes to finding the back of the net.

Putting that goal threat back into the side could be massive and the difference between going the season unbeaten and not.

If Celtic again have Moussa Dembele, Scott Sinclair, Stuart Armstrong and Rogic back in the starting XI then they’ll be absolutely unstoppable on their march to the treble. Between the four of them they have scored a massive 72 goals so far this season.

He savours the big games

Tom Rogic is a big game player and after netting against Aberdeen in this season’s League Cup Final and against Rangers in last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final, has shown he isn’t afraid of the Hampden stage.

Generally Celtic’s players all manage to raise their game when big occasions come around but the last performance against Rangers at Celtic Park lacked a cutting edge.

Rogic provides that and has a ruthlessness to his game on these occasions that can be undeniable. It’s made him a fan favourite with Australian national team supporters and now he’s starting to show it at club level too.

Starting him in the games at Hampden could be the difference between winning the treble and this season becoming one of missed opportunity.

Fulham’s teenage wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon will surely be the Football League’s most sought-after commodity this summer.

The left-back is just 16 years of age but has already represented England at U19 level, scored against Premier League opposition in the form of FA Cup opponents Hull City and made 26 Championship appearances, playing a hand in six goals, amid the Cottagers’ incredibly convincing late promotion push.

Accordingly, Sessegnon is by no means short of suitors, with The Daily Mail claiming Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched him in action this season.

However, the British newspaper report that Liverpool hope to beat Tottenham and Manchester City particularly to Sessegnon’s signature and according to the results of our exclusive poll, this is a transfer battle Reds supporters desperately want to see their club win.

Indeed, we asked Liverpool fans earlier this week whether they’d back a summer swoop for Sessegnon and the result was a resounding yes, with 96% of the vote. We’re not convinced he’s quite ready to take over James Milner at left-back just yet, but the teenager looks a fantastic prospect for the future.

According to reports in the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are said to be eyeing a summer move for Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez following their return to the Premier League.

The Magpies promotion from the Championship was confirmed on Monday night when they beat Preston North End 4-1 at St James’ Park, and manager Rafa Benitez is already looking at the players he could bring to the club at the end of the season.

One of those individuals is said to be Rodriguez, who has been finding first team starts hard to come by under Saints boss Claude Puel as he struggles to recapture the form he showed before he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in 2014.

The Toon Army’s new top flight rivals West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace have also registered an interest in the 27-year-old who looks increasingly likely to leave St Mary’s.

Here are three reasons Newcastle should take a punt on Rodriguez…

He still has something to offer

Prior to his injury in 2014, Rodriguez was in brilliant form for Southampton and was in contention to be named in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the 2014 World Cup having made his Three Lions debut shortly before.

Even though he has struggled since to get a consistent run in the team since then, he has shown glimpses even this season that he still has plenty to offer in the Premier League, and it could turn out to be a good move for both parties.

He’s a goalscorer

While Newcastle have scored plenty of goals in the Championship this season, they have sometimes relied too much on top goalscorer Dwight Gayle to find the back of the net.

Rafa Benitez will want to take some of the burden off of the former Crystal Palace man next term, and having scored 15 goals in 33 Premier League appearances in the 2013/14 campaign, Rodriguez has shown that he can be a regular scorer at this level.

He suits the counter attack

When Newcastle come up against some of the bigger sides in the Premier League next season, Rafa Benitez could choose to set his team up for the counter attack and it is something that would suit Rodriguez.

While he may not have the sharpness he had a few years ago, that could come with a consistent run in the starting line-up and that pace and incisiveness on the break could be crucial to helping the Magpies get results.

Do you agree, Magpies fans? Let us know below.

Tottenham Hotspur’s number one summer transfer target is Everton midfielder Ross Barkley and the north London outfit will make a bid for him this summer, according to the Daily Telegraph.

What’s the word?

According to the report, the England international has emerged as Spurs’ priority over the next few months, despite an inconsitent campaign. Despite some decent form of late, the 23-year-old has been publicly criticised by Ronald Koeman on a few occassions this term and is entering the final year on his deal at Goodison Park.

There’s also thought to be interest in Barkley from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, though those from Hotspur Way are said to be at ‘the front of the queue’ to land the midfielder.

An improvement?

Well, it’s hard to see Barkley replacing either Dele Alli or Christian Eriksen in attacking midfield positions right now, though he’d certainly provide strength in depth.

With Tottenham gearing up for another European campaign, he’d certainly give Mauricio Pochettino more options in attacking berths and could perhaps replace Erik Lamela as Spurs’ marauding midfielder to bring the ball forward from deep at pace.

Furthermore, Pochettino’s track record when working with young English talent would suggest he could be the man to finally coax the best out of Barkley, who has seen his progress stall of late.

This time last month, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared to be edging towards the Arsenal exit door, with little but a recurring cameo role from the bench and constant jostling around a variety of midfield positions on offer at the Emirates Stadium.

That has been the shape of the stocky midfielder’s six-year Gunners career thus far – he’d made just eleven Premier League starts in the league before mid-April whilst featuring in five different roles – and it has inevitably impacted his involvement with the England national team, making just one appearance for the Three Lions since October 2015.

Consequentially, and with his contract due to reach that all-important two years remaining mark this summer, the 23-year-old’s name has circulated the transfer rumour columns throughout the season, Manchester United and Liverpool being amongst the clubs linked since late March.

But a month can be a long time in football, especially when your club is in as much turmoil as Arsenal, and during that period, Oxlade-Chamberlain has unexpectedly been reborn as his side’s right wing-back – something nobody have predicted during the Gunners’ 20-year run of exclusively playing four at the back, or when he was deployed almost as a No.10 against Bayern Munich back in March.

Indeed, a run of just seven points gained in eight Premier League fixtures compelled Arsene Wenger to adopt the 3-4-3 trend that has taken the English game by storm this season for a clash against Middlesbrough and it’s certainly provided the required shock to the system, Arsenal’s only non-win using the system coming in an (admittedly humiliating) 2-0 defeat in the north London derby.

And although right-back Hector Bellerin might seem the natural candidate for the right wing-back role, as a one-time winger converted into a No.2, it’s Oxlade-Chamberlain who has adopted it and arguably benefited most from Arsenal’s change in system – as shown by our infographic.

Being deployed deeper has allowed Oxlade-Chamberlain the space to gallop into, evident through his 2.5 successful dribbles per match, and a few yards extra room to unleash crosses into the box from deeper positions. He’s flung in a staggering 29 over his last four appearances, with seven hitting their target and two directly resulting in assists.

Of course, we all know how effective the 25-cap international can be going forward, but defensively too, he’s managed to hold his own – making nine tackles and chipping in at the back with eight clearances. Not all of his returns have been quite so impressive in that regard, however; in his last four appearances, Oxlade-Chamberlain has won just three headers and failed to make a single interception.

Nonetheless, Wenger may have inadvertently stumbled upon Oxlade-Chamberlain’s best role, one that highlights his physicality without putting too much pressure on him offensively – much like Victor Moses at Chelsea – and one that may convince him to sign a new contract this summer rather than look for first-team football elsewhere, at Liverpool for example.

If 3-4-3 continues to impact English football in the way it has this season over the next few years, the change in setup could well be the making of an Arsenal player who has often demonstrated his talent but never quite felt like the right fit anywhere else on the pitch.

A lot can change in just one month.

According to the Daily Mirror, Marco Asensio is keen to join Liverpool, if Real Madrid cannot guarantee him first team football next season.

What’s the Word?

According to the latest reports from Spain, Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio has told Zinedine Zidane he wants to leave the Bernabeu this summer, if the club cannot offer him first team football.

The 21-year-old has seen his playing time restricted this season, with both Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and others about Asensio in the pecking order.

Asensio has reportedly told the Madrid hierarchy that he would be happy to join Liverpool if his playing time fails to extend next season. The attacker is valued at £12.75m by transfermarkt.com.

How good has Asensio been this season?

Having only been restricted to 18 starts in his three years since joining Madrid from Mallorca, it has been hard to gauge exactly how good Marco Asensio is.

However, considering how young he is, Asensio has shown glimpses of deft skill and technique that demonstrates just how talented he is.

Is Asensio a good fit for Liverpool?

With great pace, incomparable stamina and phenomenal technique, there is no doubt that Asensio could flourish immensely at Anfield.

If he were to join Liverpool, Asensio would need a solid run of games to reach his immense potential. His career to date at Real Madrid has been marred with spells in and out of the team. If that continues at Anfield, the 21-year-old could once again cut a frustrated figure on the side line.

As reported by The Daily Record, Pedro Caixinha is planning a Rangers raid on Mexico for one of his former players, Eduardo Herrera.

What’s the story?

One of the most exciting aspects of Caixinha’s appointment for Rangers fans was the possibility of him tapping into his global network of footballers that could make a genuine difference in Scottish football.

That at least appears to be the Portuguese’s intention according to latest reports in The Daily Record. They say that the Ibrox boss is planning a seven-figure move for Mexican international Eduardo Herrera, who is currently on loan at Veracruz.

He played under Caixinha when he was manager of Santos Laguna and has since expressed regret that he did not sign the striker permanently after his loan finished.

As quoted by The Daily Record, the Rangers manager said:

I think it was a mistake by me not to try and sign him. He was a player who contributed a lot at the time at Santos. He’s improved every year and is now a complete striker. He’s Mexican, he’s very professional and he scores goals. He was a great player for me.

Is he the answer in Rangers’ search for a consistent goalscorer in the Scottish Premiership?

A better alternative

A nine-cap Mexico international, for who he has scored three goals, Herrera presents an exciting, unknown quantity for Rangers fans to get behind. The likes of Martyn Waghorn and Joe Garner haven’t exactly excited the Ibrox loyal this season and bringing in a player with a bit of pedigree on another continent would certainly attract interest.

Overall in domestic football in Mexico he has scored 57 goals in 207 appearances, also netting nine times in continental competition.

Perhaps most importantly of all he is respected by Caixinha and that could be a key factor in becoming a success at Ibrox. While he may cost a bit of cash, Transfermarkt currently rate him at £1.5m, it could be the kind of ambitious move that Rangers need.

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are exploring the possibility of signing Southampton forward Jay Rodriguez in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the story?

Rodriguez, 27, has made over 100 Premier League appearances for Southampton since a 2012 move from Burnley, but it is thought that the forward will leave the Saints this summer.

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle are eyeing a swoop for the one-time England international, and have learned that they would have to pay £15m to sign him.

Newcastle have been strongly linked with a move for Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham, but the England Under-21 international is said to be on the wish-list of a number of clubs, which has left Newcastle needing to put a contingency plan in place.

It is understood that West Bromwich Albion and Burnley are also considering a move ahead of the 2017-18 campaign, although Newcastle are believed to be in the driving seat.

What has happened to Rodriguez?

Rodriguez scored 41 times in 128 appearances for Burnley between 2007 and 2012, which led to Southampton signing the forward in a £7m deal.

The attacker enjoyed a spectacular 2013-14 campaign, hitting 17 goals in all competitions, including 15 in 33 Premier League matches. Indeed, it was thought that Rodriguez’s form would see him make the England squad for the 2014 World Cup.

The now 27-year-old ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in April 2014, however, which would see him miss the entire 2014-15 campaign.

Rodriguez signed a new four-year contract at Southampton in May 2015, but he has only scored five times in his last 36 Premier League appearances after struggling to rediscover his best form.

Last term, he only managed nine Premier League starts, and it is understood that the forward wants a fresh start away from Southampton as he bids to fully overcome his injury troubles.

Newcastle might be reluctant to spend £15m on a player that has struggled in recent years, but the newly-promoted outfit could well help Rodriguez find the type of form that saw him represent England in the latter stages of 2013.

According to reports in the Daily Mirror, Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is ready to step up his interest in signing AC Milan winger Suso.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Daily Mirror says that Pochettino is looking to add more creativity to his team’s attack before next season to ensure that they are once again contenders for the Premier League title and can have a crack at the Champions League, and he is a big fan of the 23-year-old who has two years left on his contract with Milan.

The report adds that the Serie A giants have offered the Spaniard a new deal, but he is keeping his options open following interest from the north London outfit, AS Roma and Napoli.

However, Milan aren’t keen to sell him to an Italian rival, and that could put Tottenham in the box seat to win the race for his signature.

How did Suso do last season?

The former Liverpool man – who played 20 times for the Reds in the 2012/13 campaign – was an impressive performer for Milan last season and he ended the season with seven goals and 11 assists in 37 appearances in all competitions, with the majority of those outings coming on the right wing.

It really was a breakthrough campaign for the 23-year-old, who is starting to make an impact for one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Would he be a good signing for Spurs?

He could well be, yes.

Tottenham love to sign a player with potential that they can develop and improve – as they have done with the likes of Dele Alli and Victor Wanyama – and Suso certainly fits under that category.

Whether he would be a regular starter remains to be seen, but it is certainly a position that Spurs might need cover in at the start of next season considering both Erik Lamela and Son Heung-Min could be missing as they recover from hip and arm surgery respectively.

What’s the verdict, then?

Well, it is clear that Spurs need attacking reinforcements this summer if they are to compete with their Premier League rivals and in the Champions League next season, and Suso looks to be a player with great potential and the added advantage that he already knows about the English game.