Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard could reportedly be eyeing a reunion with Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara, according to journalist Dean Jones.
What’s the word?
Writing in his GIVEMESPORT club guide, the trusted insider hinted that a move to Villa Park could well be on the cards for the Finland international, with a deal ‘possibly’ in the works for a player who worked under the Englishman at Ibrox.
The Midlands side only recently secured the signing of another Kamara – Marseille’s young Frenchman, Boubacar – although it would seem another midfield addition could be in the pipeline, with Jones insisting that he can ‘not totally rule out’ a further acquisition to slot in alongside the recent arrival.
Although Brighton’s Yves Bissouma has been mentioned as one possible incoming, Gerrard’s relationship with the Gers man could well work in his favour, with the Liverpool legend having helped sign the 42-cap gem for just £50k from Dundee back in 2019.
Gerrard’s monster
After a slightly underwhelming end to the 2021-22 campaign, with Villa finishing in just 14th place, the club have already acted quickly to try and improve upon that position, adding three summer signings already despite the transfer window having not yet officially opened.
That speedy business has potentially allowed some breathing room for Gerrard and co to plot their next steps carefully, with the arrival of Kamara from Glasgow potentially a wise move to try and replicate the manager’s success north of the border, prior to his return to the Premier League back in November.
Not just used to the 41-year-old’s style of play, the £30k-per-week maestro is also a player that the Villa boss is clearly fond of, having previously dubbed him a “monster” for his instant impact at the Scottish Premiership outfit.
Also dubbed a “huge talent” by journalist Graeme Bailey, the 26-year-old has gone from strength to strength for his current side, the £5.4m-rated ace notably starting in the Europa League final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.
The midfielder had helped fire Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men to that stunning showpiece affair, scoring in the second-leg semi-final victory over RB Leipzig as the Scottish side pulled off yet another shock in the competition.
The all-action star seemingly has the quality to affect the game at both ends of the pitch, netting three times and registering three assists in his 31 league outings in the 2021/22 campaign, while also averaging a solid 0.7 interceptions and one tackle per game, as well as enjoying an impressive 91% pass accuracy rate.
With a shortage of options in central midfield at present at Villa Park, particularly with Morgan Sanson potentially set to depart, the arrival of the all-round ace would no doubt provide adequate cover and increase competition for places, with his former boss in need of his monster-like presence to ruffle a few feathers.
It just remains to be seen if NSWE will back their man even further…
IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior
A behind-the-scenes Rangers development has emerged regarding one of the Ibrox club’s key staff members…
What’s the talk?
The Telegraph’s John Percy has revealed that the club’s doctor is set to leave the Light Blues to move south of the border.
He tweeted: “Bit of #lcfc transfer news (sort of): Leicester are appointing #Rangers doctor Mark Waller to a similar position after agreeing compensation. Dr Waller has previously worked with the Eng u21s, Liverpool & Villa, and his appointment is regarded as a huge coup ahead of next season.”
Gio van Bronckhorst will be frustrated
Percy’s claim that the move is a ‘huge coup’ for Leicester suggests that losing him is a big blow for the Gers, and head coach Gio van Bronckhorst will therefore be left frustrated with this development.
Waller’s CV proves how highly he is rated within the game, as he has held positions with two Premier League clubs, Rangers and England’s under-21s. The Foxes have now swooped to snap him up and the Light Blues will duly be left scrambling for a doctor to take his place ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
This will be particularly frustrating for Van Bronckhorst as he has a couple of significant players currently out with injury. Whilst the club have other medical staff at the training ground, Waller is clearly held in high regard, and his expertise may have been helpful in helping them get back to fitness as quickly as possible.
Ianis Hagi and Alfredo Morelos are both working their way back from their respective blows and hopefully the loss of the Gers doctor will not impact their recovery.
Having them available will be huge for Van Bronckhorst as they are both proven performers in the Scottish top flight. In the last two Premiership seasons, Morelos produced 24 goals and 12 assists for the Gers, showing that he can both score and set up goals on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, Hagi scored nine goals and set up 13 in that time as he made vital contributions from a variety of midfield positions. The versatile Romanian has the quality to create chances for his team-mates whilst chipping in with goals himself, providing Morelos with attacking support so that the Colombian does not carry the goalscoring burden on his own.
These statistics illustrate how much of an impact both of them can have in the Premiership, and that is why Van Bronckhorst will be frustrated if any staff changes behind the scenes affect their respective recoveries.
AND in other news, “I was told”: Insider drops exciting Rangers transfer update, it’s a big boost for Van Bronckhorst…
Wolves have again made progress in their attempts to sign Joao Palhinha this summer, with a fresh transfer rumour revealing Bruno Lage has green lit the deal.
The Lowdown: Endless Palhinha links
No player has been linked with a move to Molineux more often than Palhinha in recent weeks, with the Sporting CP midfielder endlessly on Wanderers’ radar.
The 26-year-old has shone in the middle of the park this season but it seems likely that he will look for a fresh challenge during the summer transfer window given the amount of suitors from top European leagues, namely Tottenham and Wolves.
Wolves have certainly been at the front of the queue regarding a move and a new update suggests nothing has changed, in that respect.
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The Latest: Fresh rumour emerges
According to Correio da Manha [via Sport Witness], Wolves’ move for Palhinha has been given ‘the approval’ from Lage, who sees him as a perfect replacement for Ruben Neves, whose likely exit is also mentioned in the report.
Any move is ‘pending to the offer’ from Wanderers, with Sporting demanding €30million (£25.4m) for their player’s services.
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The Verdict: Move feels likely
With each passing week, the more it feels as though Palhinha will end up being a Wolves player next season, given the relentlessness of their pursuit.
There has been rumoured interest from others, including an ever-improving Spurs side, which is a worry, but the Portuguese connection at Molineux could sway his thinking.
While Palhinha is known for his class on the ball – he had an 87.8% pass completion rate in the Primeira Liga this season – his average of three tackles per game is greater than any Wolves player, showing what an impressive all-round footballer he is.
In other news, one Wolves hero has been linked with a summer exit. Find out who it is here.
Celtic will be looking to replicate this season’s Premiership success once the 2022/23 campaign gets underway at the end of July.
In addition, Ange Postecoglou will undoubtedly want to see his team win the domestic cups and go as far in Europe as they can.
Before the new season kicks off, the Bhoys will have the chance to improve their squad during the upcoming summer transfer window to put themselves in the best shape for domestic and European success.
As things stand, it seems as though the Parkhead club have one transfer in their sights which would surely have the Celtic fans jumping for joy.
What’s the news?
According to a recent report from A Bola (via Sport Witness) Celtic’s on-loan winger Jota is likely to sign a permanent deal with the Hoops in the coming weeks.
During his season on loan in Scotland from Portuguese club Benfica, the winger made 40 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and delivering 14 assists in the process.
With 10 of those goals and 11 of those assists coming in his 29 league appearances, it’s safe to say that he played a big part in Celtic’s title-winning campaign.
To further highlight his attacking talent, only Liel Abada (81) at Parkhead ended the season with more shots than the 23-year-old (76).
His overall performances earned him a season rating of 7.53/10, making him the second-highest rated player currently in Celtic’s squad behind David Turnbull according to WhoScored.
Labelled a “striker’s dream” by BBC Scotland pundit Marvin Bartley, Jota has shown how much of a dangerous attacking threat he can be for the Hoops and why it would be such a great deal for them to sign him on a permanent basis.
Having also had his performances for the Hoops described as “unbelievable” by Postecoglou, it’s safe to say that the 56-year-old would be over the moon to have the winger in his squad for the foreseeable future.
If Celtic can announce a permanent transfer for the £18.5k-per-week star as their first completed deal for the summer, this will surely get Hoops supporters buzzing and put the club in a good place to move on to other deals that they may want to get done.
In other news – Signed for £4.5m, now worth 70% less: Celtic had a huge howler on £9k-p/w “disaster”
Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã has now shared a major Manchester City transfer update involving Sporting Lisbon star Matheus Nunes.
The Lowdown: Exciting week at Eastlands…
This time last week, Blues were still coming to terms with City’s dramatic Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Real Madrid.
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Fast forward to now and Pep Guardiola’s side have responded in irresistible fashion, swatting aside Newcastle United and Wolves with 10 goals in two games as they take huge strikes towards retaining their domestic crown.
Off field, the Sky Blues confirmed an agreement to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in the summer – putting an end to their long search for Sergio Aguero’s heir.
Conveniently, all of this falls around the 10-year anniversary of Aguero’s iconic 93:20 title-winning goal which clinched City their first ever Premier League crown in the most incredible of ways – a moment which will live long in the hearts of supporters everywhere.
As Etihad Stadium officials look toward the 2022 summer transfer window, after sealing a deal for Haaland, it appears a major update has now come to light on their pursuit of Sporting midfielder and target Nunes.
The Latest: City ready to ‘advance’…
According to newspaper Correio da Manhã (via Sport Witness), City are now waiting to ‘advance’ with €40 million (£34m) for the exciting 23-year-old.
It is believed they are waiting until the end of the Liga Bwin season before coming to the table with Guardiola’s side currently favourites and having ‘preference’ in a potential deal for Nunes.
Correio say that Nunes may well play his last game for Sporting against Santa Clara later this evening, coming as City’s boss is ‘already convinced’ by the player who’s turned his head.
The Verdict: Get it done…
As City search for a new midfield signing after Haaland, there are few candidates who could seamlessly slot into Guardiola’s side as brilliantly as Nunes.
According to WhoScored, the gem completes more dribbles per 90 (2.5) than any of his teammates and may well come as an expert ball-carrier who can help to transition Guardiola’s side from defence to attack.
Goncalo Santos, an ex-teammate of Nunes, backs just how good he is on the ball – calling him an ‘unbelievable’ dribbler who’s ‘impossible’ to catch (via Liverpool Echo).
For just £34m, he would truly be a snip.
In other news: Pep dealt behind-scenes Man City blow after major development this week! Find out more here.
Newcastle United are reportedly ‘chasing’ Eddie Nketiah ahead of a potential move in the summer.
The Lowdown: On form
The 22-year-old is a man on form, having scored four goals in his last five Premier League games, earning a starting place for Arsenal ahead of club captain Alex Lacazette in the process (Transfermarkt).
He is out of contract at the Emirates Stadium in the summer and can therefore leave as a free agent once the season ends.
The Latest: Newcastle ‘chasing’
Taking to Twitter, transfer expert Toby Cudworth – who contributes to the Talking Transfers podcast – has revealed that Newcastle are now among a number of clubs in the top flight who are ‘chasing’ Nketiah this summer, as it is ‘increasingly unlikely’ that the striker will stay in north London.
The 90min reporter outlined: “It’s increasingly unlikely Eddie Nketiah will stay at Arsenal – #WHUFC, #NUFC, #EFC and #CPFC all chasing. Liverpool and Chelsea also monitoring situation – 22 y/o could provide attractive squad depth option.”
The Verdict: No-brainer
To get a player of Nketiah’s quality and potential on a free transfer is surely a no-brainer for the Tyneside club.
Hailed as a player who has an ‘incredible work-rate’, ‘pace’ and a ‘smell for goals’ by his manager Mikel Arteta (Sportskeeda), the striker would offer a great squad option for Eddie Howe, given that Callum Wilson has suffered from injuries this season.
He is just 22 years of age, and given that he is English as well, he should provide a nice sell-on value should it not work out at St James’ Park.
Given his current form, though, there is no reason why Nketiah would not be a success at the Magpies next term if he swaps north London for the northeast of England.
In other news, find out who is now expected to sign for NUFC here!
David Moyes is now fighting his old club Everton to sign James Tarkowski for West Ham United in the summer.
The Lowdown: Thelwell favourite
Kevin Thelwell is thought to be a big admirer of Tarkowski, after watching him in Burnley’s 1-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League earlier this season.
He is out of contract at Turf Moor in the summer, and so can be signed as a free agent.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is leading to a big fight for his signature, with Moyes now joining Frank Lampard in pursuit of the colossal tough-tackling defender.
The Latest: Moyes fighting
As per Football Insider, a source from the Hammers has revealed that Moyes has now ‘signalled his intent’ to fight the Goodison Park faithful for Tarkowski, and he is seen as a ‘perfect Moyes player’.
The central defender has rejected a number of offers to extend his contract from the Clarets, and so is destined to leave on a free transfer with Everton and West Ham now set to battle it out.
The Verdict: Bargain
If the Merseyside club are able to land Tarkowski ahead of the Hammers, then they would certainly be getting a bargain for no initial transfer fee.
Once dubbed as ‘outstanding’ by his former manager Sean Dyche, he would clearly be an upgrade on who they already have, as he wins more aerial duels and averages more clearances and blocks per match than all of Ben Godfrey, Mason Holgate and Michael Keane in the top flight (WhoScored).
Nonetheless, providing that they can stay up, Tarkowski offers the added Premier League experience and know-how that the Toffees would not be able to get by buying abroad.
In other news, find out which Blues trio could now move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer here!
Manchester United signed high-flying midfielder Christian Eriksen from Brentford during the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils have been in a slump for the past two seasons and Erik ten Hag was brought in as manager this summer to re-invent them. Hailed as one of the key players for the rebuild of ManUnited, Eriksen is yet to live up to his full potential. But what is holding Eriksen back and how can Ten Hag unleash him?
The questions Ten Hag needs to answer…
What is Christian Eriksen’s best position?
In the first game of the season, Ten Hag deployed Eriksen as a centre forward, having him drop deep and play balls over the top. This didn’t work well for a few reasons. With the Dane dropping deep, the other Man United midfielders had to push forward. However, lots of Eriksen’s passes were cut out and Brighton used the space left by the United midfielders to attack. The Dane’s passes were too ambitious for the nervy Man United squad to use to their advantage.
Later in the Brighton game, Ten Hag could see the centre-forward position wasn’t working. He moved Eriksen to central midfield and replaced him with Ronaldo, after which they were a lot more threatening and managed to score. Eriksen looked much more comfortable in the deep-lying playmaker role, although his natural position is attacking midfielder.
How do you accommodate two star quality midfielders?
Ten Hag has two splendid choices for creative midfielders. Bruno Fernandes is an amazing passer as well as a clinical finisher. Eriksen is a superb passer with great on-the-ball skills. However, Ten Hag is yet to work out his formation and tactics to get the best out of both of these players.
Ten Hag’s options for playing Eriksen and Fernandes Eriksen as a No.8 (central midfielder)
So far, ten Hag has played Eriksen as a left-sided, central midfielder. The Dane’s role has been as a deep-lying playmaker – dictating the play and spraying passes. In this role, Eriksen can be the heartbeat of a now exceptional Man United midfield. The arrival of Casemiro will complete the picture by giving Eriksen the defensive cover he needs, allowing him the freedom to roam around the middle of the park, creating chances. In this arrangement, Fernandes would play as a No.10.
Play both Fernandes and Eriksen as No.10’s
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Both players are natural attacking midfielders, but I don’t think this option would work. Mainly because I think that Man United would not cope defensively with both of them in an advanced role. This arrangement would look similar to the way Man City played David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne a couple of years ago.
Bruno Fernandes as a No.8
Bruno Fernandes used to play as a central midfielder for Sporting Lisbon. He is also a better defender than Eriksen, which could help Casemiro. In this arrangement, Eriksen would play as a No.10.
Which option is best? I think it would be best if Bruno Fernandes played in the deeper role because he could be integral in helping a shaky Man United defence. I think Eriksen could be really effective in playing the ball over the top or in behind for Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho to chase. Eriksen has also looked good as a central midfielder, so Ten Hag could interchange their positions, increasing their versatility.
How should the other players interact with Eriksen? Striker
I think there needs to be a real target man to aim for in the box who can make good use of Eriksen’s passes. As a Brentford fan, it pains me to say this but Ivan Toney is the perfect player for Man United due to his dominance in the box. We saw how well the play between Ivan Toney and Eriksen worked at Brentford last season. Toney’s hold-up play would also benefit Rashford, Sancho, Anthony Elanga and new signing Antony, bringing them into effect by giving them more involvement with the ball.
We know that Ten Hag likes to line-up with a big, physical striker. Toney’s physicality makes him a real handful for defenders and he often draws fouls, which is ideally complemented by Eriksen’s specialism at set pieces. Toney also has a great work rate and contributes a lot defensively. While at Brentford we saw Eriksen favour the left corner of the box.
Defensive Midfielder
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The signing of Casemiro will allow Eriksen to enjoy the creative freedom he had at Brentford. While in West London the Dane had Christian Norgaard to hold down the midfield. Casemiro is a better player than Norgaard, with a winner’s mentality; he’s both a better passer and he’s faster. Casemiro will make the Man United defence look a lot more solid and provide a welcome morale boost for the whole squad.
Putting it together to win
Man United showed real class winning against an unbeaten Arsenal side recently. Eriksen’s performance drew these words from Ten Hag: “I think he can make a game for you, he can also switch the play when needed. I think he played a magnificent game.”
In this particular match, Eriksen picked up his first assist of the season, unselfishly squaring it to Marcus Rashford for a simple goal. This assist involved the Dane making a lung-busting run when he spotted a gap in the Arsenal defence and capitalised, running from inside his own half into the opposition’s box. The 30-year-old had the most touches, passes and chances created of any player in his team and also covered the second most distance during the game. Eriksen really pulled the strings in this amazing show at the so-called Theatre of Dreams.
More work to do
With Man United’s form on the up, there are signs that Eriksen is settling in and that Ten Hag is understanding how to use him. With some decisions taken about how to use Eriksen in midfield, we should see him dictating play and becoming the one to make the Red Devils tick. He is a player that can help develop other players and set the tempo of a match. Fernandes will also benefit from Eriksen, as now he won’t have to drop deep for the ball.
However, there is more work to do to unleash Eriksen’s full potential. Ten Hag needs to surround him with the right players. A big, physical striker is needed for Man United. Rashford is naturally a winger and not the best choice to play as a striker, as he does not have the aerial dominance to win headers and he doesn’t reliably put
penalties away.
Signing Casemiro was a good, albeit expensive, decision but now Ten Hag needs to play him. So far Casemiro has only played 51 Premier League minutes this season. Scott McTominay and Fred, who currently play in defensive midfield roles for Man United, do not provide the quality of defensive cover that Eriksen needs. McTominay also gets a lot of fouls.
Building the Man United team around Eriksen is what’s needed to unleash his full potential – watch this space and the January transfer window to see what happens.
An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Leicester City’s James Maddison ahead of the January transfer window…
What’s the talk?
Journalist Dean Jones has revealed that the Magpies will continue to keep tabs on the English midfielder and his situation at the King Power, although they face a battle to land him.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “They’ll definitely be keeping an eye on it, but Leicester’s situation will determine whether he becomes available.
“It’s hard to imagine that they’re going to let anyone leave halfway through a season when they’re fighting for their Premier League status.
“They’ve already had players ripped out and they’re struggling to bounce back from that.”
Howe’s next Guimaraes
At the halfway point in the 2021/22 campaign, Newcastle were 19th in the Premier League table and in desperate need of a magic touch on the pitch.
The signing of Bruno Guimaraes, with help from the likes of Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn, provided that spark as he hit the ground running in England.
He averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.25 in the top-flight – higher than any other Toon player with 10+ appearances – and scored five goals in 11 starts as he led the club to an 11th-placed finish – 14 points clear of 18th.
Whilst Newcastle may not be sitting in such a precarious position come January this time around, Maddison could come in and push the team further up the table by injecting more quality into Howe’s attack.
The gem, who is valued at £60m by his current club, has proven that he can score and assist goals at an impressive rate in the Premier League and would be a major upgrade on the Magpies’ current options.
Since the start of the 2020/21 season, Maddison has scored 22 goals and provided 16 assists in the top-flight for Leicester – including 12 goals and eight assists last term.
Meanwhile, no Newcastle player managed more than eight goals or five assists in 2021/22, with Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin leading the way.
These statistics suggest that Maddison, who was once dubbed a “magician” by Statman Dave, would improve Eddie Howe’s options both in terms of scoring goals and creating them.
Therefore, he could come in and hit the ground running – given he has already proven himself in the Premier League – just like Guimaraes did in January 2021. He could make an instant impact on the side, by elevating the attack, and give them a lift in the second half of the season – if the club can convince Leicester to part ways with him.
Former Premier League striker now Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has backed Liverpool to sign Gavi after hearing some transfer news on the midfielder.
The Lowdown: Gavi interest
It has recently been reported that Jurgen Klopp’s team are still showing an interest in Gavi ahead of the January transfer window, with the player yet to pen new terms at Barcelona before his deal expires next year.
It seems unlikely that they would go all out for a new central midfielder in the winter having signed Arthur on loan from Juventus, but next summer it will surely be a priority, with links to Jude Bellingham already heating up.
The Latest: Campbell reacts
Speaking to Football Insider, Campbell has claimed that Gavi is a ‘brilliant’ player, and has backed the Anfield outfit in their pursuit of the FC Barcelona talent:
“Gavi is a really good young player.
“He is technically gifted and knows where the back of the net is. If he comes onto the market, there will be quite a few clubs coveting him.
“He is a brilliant player and is one who would definitely improve that Liverpool team. He could be at the club for five to ten years as well.
“I would expect Liverpool to be knocking on the door if he was to become available.”
The Verdict: Needed
Given the sheer number of injuries to first-team midfielders the Merseyside club have suffered over recent weeks, it is clear that they need to strengthen in that area of the pitch, and perhaps move one or two on.
First and foremost, Gavi is a player who does not have a significant injury history, and at just 18 years of age, should have the energy to be able to play week in and week out in Klopp’s system.
He is clearly very talented having broken into Barca’s first team at his age, with 52 appearances for the Catalans already, scoring two goals and making six assists, while he also has ten caps for Spain (Transfermarkt).
If Bellingham suddenly becomes unattainable, then Gavi is surely the midfielder to go for.