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Liverpool are set to open negotiations over new deals for Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Mohamed Salah, according to journalist Paul Joyce.

The Reds suffered a night to forget on Tuesday, losing 3-1 away to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.

It was a sobering evening for Jurgen Klopp’s men, with far too many players performing well below their usual level and the manager also having a bad day at the office.

The hope is that this season is just a one-off poor campaign for Liverpool – it hasn’t yet ended, in fairness – with key players staying put and helping launch a recovery in the coming years.

Joyce gives major update on Reds quartet

The Times‘ Joyce has provided a key update, in that respect, saying the club are looking to nail down Alisson, Van Dijk, Fabinho and Salah to new long-term deals.

It is stated that ‘discussions on a new contract will take place at some point’ for all four Liverpool heroes, in order to keep them at Anfield for the foreseeable future, in what would provide a huge boost to Klopp’s hopes of getting this side back to its best.

Transfer Tavern take

The aforementioned foursome have all been magnificent players for the Reds – modern-day legends, in fact – so this is a hugely positive update, with FSG giving Klopp a big helping hand.

Salah’s future, in particular, has been up in the air, but he scored his 27th goal of the season against Madrid and again showed how priceless he is.

Alisson, Van Dijk and Fabinho are all young enough to remain pivotal figures for four or five years, too, and they are a formidable trio that the rest of the team is built around – it is since the arrival of these three players that Klopp’s side have gone from contenders to winners.

In other news, one Liverpool player has been linked with a move to another Premier League team this summer – find out who it is here.

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that Leigh Griffiths’ future at Parkhead could depend on who the manager is next season.

Griffiths slipped down the pecking order under Neil Lennon, starting just a handful of games in all competitions, and has been given just 39 minutes in John Kennedy’s five matches in the dugout.

The striker still has more than 12 months left on his current deal, but his lack of opportunities has led to speculation surrounding his future, with Aberdeen exploring the possibility of bringing Griffiths to Pittodrie this summer.

Griffiths’ last Premiership start came back in January, with the frontman restricted to mainly late substitute outings in recent weeks, one of which came in the Old Firm Scottish Cup exit at Rangers.

And McAvennie believes that not only have Celtic missed a trick in not playing Griffiths, but he should be involved for Scotland, too.

He told Football FanCast:

“That’s the link [to Aberdeen]. I think he’s the best finisher at the club. I don’t understand why nobody has got hold of Griff as he could have been leading us through this because he’s such a good finisher, but there might be stuff going on behind the scenes that we don’t know about.

“But it’s a shame that Griff isn’t the number one for Scotland because I think he’s that good.”

But does McAvennie believe that Griffiths will still be at Celtic next season?

“It depends who the manager is, it really depends who the manager is,” he added.

As Benji Kimpioka wheeled away after scoring in the 90th minute to rescue a draw with Coventry in 2019, it felt like a landmark moment.

11 months on from when Josh Maja had been sold, a member of Sunderland’s academy was scoring goals again.

Unfortunately for the 21-year-old, he has not scored for the senior team in league action since.

Chances have been hard to come by for Kimpioka, a young talent who swapped Swedish shores for the north-east of England in 2016.

It was in Scandinavia where he learned the game, but it’s at Sunderland where he’s been developed and tailored.

That being said, it has not been an easy ride for the striker, someone who has struggled to make a sufficient impression under both Jack Ross and Phil Parkinson.

Ross was the man to give him his senior debut but he’s not kicked on and has also had his troubles with injury.

Speaking in October 2018, just over a year before he scored his first league goal, Ross commented: “He’s an enigma at times. He’s got really good attributes. It’s just about trying to piece it all together.”

Indeed, not a single manager has been able to piece them together until recently. Kimpioka has been busy making a big impression for Elliott Dickman’s U23s but his season hasn’t been without its setbacks.

The talented forward didn’t even have a club at the beginning of the term. He was out of contract with the Black Cats and even went back to his native Sweden to train with his former club, IK Sirius.

He eventually penned new terms at the Stadium of Light in October and immediately hit the ground running, scoring four goals in five Premier League 2 outings.

A hamstring injury in November proved another setback, but we’re starting to see signs of a revival. He was among the substitutes bench for the EFL Trophy final at Wembley just over a week ago which clearly shows Lee Johnson has him on his radar.

The arrival of Ross Stewart has damaged the potential of further senior minutes but with Will Grigg out on loan, there is a spot in the first-team with Kimpioka’s name on it.

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If he continues to score with great regularity for the U23s, there’s no reason he can’t make an impression at first team level. After all, Johnson has already handed minutes to the likes of Dan Neil and Ollie Younger.

Could Kimpioka be the next in line? You should hope so. The forward has proven he can hit the back of the net this season and Sunderland are surely done with Grigg.

Therefore, the youngster should be unleashed next season instead.

AND in other news, Drop him: Sunderland gem who lost 67% of his duels continues to let Johnson down…

According to a report by The Independent, dropping a behind the scenes claim, some close to the Tottenham Hotspur boardroom believe chairman Daniel Levy is ‘enchanted’ by manager Jose Mourinho and is one of the few who still holds belief in this season ending well. 

Daniel Levy sent Tottenham accusation

Levy appointed Mourinho as a high profile successor to previous boss and fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino back in 2019, describing him as ‘one of the two best managers in the world’ alongside Pep Guardiola (The Independent).

Journalist Miguel Delaney, writing for the Independent, claims this is a view entirely out of date and has shared what those close to the board think of Levy behind the scenes in a damning message.

Indeed, per this report, there are those inside the club who believe he is ‘enchanted’ by Mourinho and somewhat under his spell – all while being one of the only few people who still believe the 2020/2021 season can have a happy ending.

Transfer Tavern take

The next three matches could prove pivotal to the Portuguese’ career in north London, with the pressure on to come away with much needed Premier League victories against Burnley, Fulham and Crystal Palace.

Tottenham also have a Carabao Cup final against league leaders Man City in April, and if all goes well, Mourinho could still turn this season around.

However, some around the club already believe this managerial reign should come to an end, and only time will tell whether Levy opts to make the change as he is accused of being under the boss’ spell.

In other news: Tottenham want two new signings in the same position, find out more here.

West Bromwich Albion fans were far from happy with the performance of Darnell Furlong during their 1-0 defeat to Everton in the Premier League on Thursday.

Sam Allardyce will no doubt be gutted his team were unable to get anything from the game against the Toffees. Both sides had three shots on target (SofaScore), and the Baggies even had the ball in the back of the net before the goal was disallowed. The loss now leaves the Midlands outfit nine points adrift of safety with 11 games left to play (Sky Sports).

Furlong was far from his best in this match. He won just four of his 11 duels and lost the ball a worrying 24 times. As the Baggies aim for survival, the £2.88m-valued 25-year-old (Transfermarkt) must do better.

The fans took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Furlong below

“Awful defending, been a headless chicken for last 20 mins”

Credit: @MattW1lkes

“Dreadful Furlong second half.”

Credit: @CHawthorns

“Furlong is a liability”

Credit: @paulgsmith_48

“Furlong is absolutely terrible, get rid”

Credit: @8ub_wba

“Phillips neat and tidy first half, but offered little. Furlong suspect defensively. Ultimately Everton were off the pace today and in tight games at home, you simply have to get something to stay up. #wba”

Credit: @mggriffiths84

“Furlong was worst player on the pitch, can literally not defend to save his life”

Credit: @JoshAtWba

In other news, West Brom fans love this news on one of their defenders.

Southampton goalkeeper Harry Lewis has failed to make a single appearance under Ralph Hasenhuttl thus far and the Austrian should ensure that the 23-year-old leaves the club this summer.

Lewis is an academy graduate at Southampton and made three FA Cup appearances for the senior side in the 2016/17 season, in which he conceded seven goals, and he has not been seen in the first-team since.

His record with the Southampton B team is not overly impressive either, with the shot-stopper having shipped 64 goals in 35 appearances there, keeping just six clean sheets in the process.

Lewis is unfortunate that Hasenhuttl has both Alex McCarthy and Fraser Forster available to him in his squad, meaning that his lack of experience was always likely to mean that he was going to struggle for regular game time.

Although the ‘keeper was a regular for Dundee United in the 2017/18 season, he hasn’t left the club on loan again since then and has been forced to settle for academy football in the three years since.

Considering Southampton also have Angus Gunn out on loan at Stoke City in the Championship, it is difficult to see Lewis ever making it as a regular with the South Coast club.

Fortunately, his contract is set to expire in the summer, so it seems likely that he will depart his boyhood club and, hopefully, find a side that is willing to offer him regular first-team football.

According to Sportrac, Lewis earns more than £20k per week at Southampton, which seems ridiculous when you consider he hasn’t made a single first-team appearance in Hasenhuttl’s two and a half years with the club.

Therefore, you can definitely argue that he is stealing a living with the Saints at this moment in time, and the club should make sure that he leaves when his current contract expires in the summer.

And, in other news… Southampton signing £7.2m-rated beast could be bad news for £55k-p/w Saints regular

Celtic’s next hurdle in their turbulent 2020/21 season will see them take on Hamilton in the Scottish Premiership at Celtic Park.

Due to their inconsistent form, the Hoops must begrudgingly give up the fight to bank their tenth consecutive league title. Arch rivals Rangers currently top the table by a mammoth 20 points, having yet to lose a single game. Celtic on the other hand, have struggled enormously.

Even their Europa League run left a lot to be desired. Neil Lennon’s men were left at the bottom of the group table having banked just four points with 19 goals scored against them. Naturally, they crashed out of the competition and will likely be forced to settle for second place in this season’s Premiership.

Focus for Nick Hammond and co must now shift to the January transfer window. Celtic are in desperate need of new recruits across all areas of the pitch – particularly in their defence. However, their attack is also missing a few vitals components and the Hoops are struggling to find the back of the net as of late.

Lennon has managed to bank just the one win in his last five matches, which is extremely unnatural for a side so dominant in this league. When Celtic take on Hamilton, the boss must consider his options in attack and consider utilising the likes of Patryk Klimala during his hour of need.

The Irishman isn’t opposed to taking chances on lesser-seen personnel. His faith in Ismaila Soro and David Turnbull has been repaid in dividends, with the latter tallying seven goal contributions in his last ten appearances for the Bhoys, as per Sofascore.

Star striker Odsonne Edouard has been out of sorts lately and has also been linked with a move away from Parkhead. The Frenchman was dropped from Lennon’s squad last time out and has scored just three goals in his last ten appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Arsenal are keen admirers of Edouard and if he is to leave the club, the boss will be forced to rely on players like Klimala. Particularly with his on-and-off relationship with Leigh Griffiths, the £1.8million-rated Polish forward can be a saving grace for Lennon and Celtic.

Klimala has made just 13 league appearances this season, with a mere two of those coming as starts. It’s high time the striker was given some more room to flex his muscles and show what he can do.

In other news, Celtic will be faced with huge problems if Kristoffer Ajer leaves the club…

David Sullivan must sanction a new contract for Lukasz Fabianski after the West Ham United goalkeeper revealed that talks are ongoing.

What’s the word?

Fabianski has entered into the final six months of his current deal at the London Stadium, where Irons chiefs are facing decisions over the futures of several senior players whose contracts are due to expire at the end of the season.

David Martin, Robert Snodgrass and even Mr West Ham Mark Noble could find it hard to argue their case over new terms, having struggled to feature under David Moyes thus far this term, but Fabianski’s situation is one the Hammers simply must attend to.

Fabianski recently revealed to Polish outlet WeszloFM that he is in discussions over new terms, noting: “Talks are underway. I’d like to stay at West Ham. Extend the contract, because I feel good here.”

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Michael Brown believes it is a “no brainer” that West Ham offer Fabianski a new deal, as the 55-cap Poland international brings a safe pair of hands to the goal line in east London.

Fabianski has kept four clean sheets in 12 Premier League fixtures this season and initially atoned for his error by saving Mateusz Klich’s penalty, which he gave away, before VAR intervention allowed Leeds United the chance to score on the second attempt.

Get it done

Sullivan would be naïve not to retain Fabianski beyond the £2.25million-rated shot-stopper’s current deal, as the £65,000-per-week ‘keeper has shown himself to be among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League since joining West Ham in 2018.

Irons co-owner Sullivan even admits he “bullied” Manuel Pellegrini to welcome Fabianski to the London Stadium during the Chilean’s first window in charge, as the ex-Arsenal goalie and defender Issa Diop were the only players he chose to sign.

Time and time again Fabianski is able to pull out a high-level stop to save West Ham’s blushes, and his importance to the line-up is only highlighted further whenever the 35-year-old is on the sidelines.

Roberto lasted just a season at the London Stadium having flopped massively upon his arrival from Espanyol in 2019, with the Spaniard conceding 21 goals in 10 appearances across all competitions before leaving on an initial loan in January.

He eventually left in the summer to join Real Valladolid and put a disappointing stint behind him, with Roberto showing himself as being as far from Premier League standard as possible with a string of blunders that saw the Irons fall into a relegation fight.

Thankfully for Moyes, Fabianski is yet to miss a minute of Premier League action this term and as a result, sits sixth in the division for total saves (39), eighth for high claims (6) and 13th for goals conceded inside the penalty area (12), per SofaScore.

Only Liverpool duo Adrian (7) and Allison (9), plus Manchester City’s Ederson (9), Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris (9), Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez (9), Everton’s Jordan Pickford (11) and Burnley’s Nick Pope (11) have allowed fewer goals from shots taken inside the box.

AND in other news, West Ham have been dealt a massive blow in pursuit of the January answer to David Moyes’ “worst nightmare”.

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has endured quite the defensive injury crisis this season.

Currently, the Yorkshire giants have no senior central defender available for selection, which is partly why we have seen Spurs score three, Manchester United score six. Even goal-shy Newcastle United find the net twice against them in recent encounters.

It’s led to the Argentine having to shift right-back Luke Ayling into the middle, and then subsequently having to force square pegs to fit round holes.

This is especially the case for the other full-back spot as technically, following the departure of Barry Douglas, the Whites do not have a proper left-back.

Bielsa has turned to Gjanni Alioski in these times, a winger by trade, though he should probably reconsider – don’t let that strike against West Brom fool you, he’s been holding Leeds back lately.

In terms of average rating for the season, the Macedonian livewire ranks as the worst player (6.61) of anyone who has started nine or more matches, per WhoScored.

Against Spurs and United, the 28-year-old failed to manage higher than a 5.63 rating too.

In the last two matches alone, Alioski has also committed five fouls and has delivered only one cross in his last four outings, via WhoScored.

Only Mateusz Klich manages more fouls per game than the long-serving winger, so clearly, there is work to be done here defensively.

Beren Cross at LeedsLive wrote similarly in a column this week. He said: “Steven Bergwijn and Son Heung-min had their way with Alioski. He did not seem able to stick with them or read their movements, which can be fatal at this level.”

Indeed, Bielsa cannot afford to continue risking Alioski in defence – it is no wonder that he’s been dubbed a “liability” by respected former player Noel Whelan in the past too, he told Football Insider:

“His defending at time is very lacking in quality, he can be a liability.  It’s a big worry for Leeds if he doesn’t learn from his mistakes.”

It’s time for the £55k-per-week enigma to sit a few matches out unless there is a place for him further up the field. It’s a ruthless but necessary call to make.

Jamie Shackleton’s emergence could allow Stuart Dallas to return to his left-back position and there can surely be no harm in giving Leif Davis a runout either.

All are more viable defensive options in the role than Alioksi. Only the Baggies have leaked more goals than United this term. That issue has to be fixed.

AND in other news, 9 dribbles, 16 duels won: Leeds must move for “unplayable” £40m gem outshining Rodrigo…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Newcastle United midfielder Rob Lee has been discussing the situation of Dele Alli at Tottenham Hotspur.

The former MK Dons man has found himself on the fringes of Jose Mourinho’s squad this season, having made just one start in the Premier League this season, featuring for just 75 minutes in the top-flight.

As a result, the England international has been heavily linked with a move to PSG during the winter transfer window, where he could link up with his old manager Mauricio Pochettino, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

However, with the transfer deadline day set to close on the 1st February, no deal has been agreed, which could result in the £100k-per-week 24-year-old spending the rest of the season warming the bench at Spurs.

Here’s what Lee had to say about Alli when speaking exclusively to FFC:

“I don’t see the point in him staying at Spurs. I think it’s pointless. I think there will be lots of clubs after him but you have to play a certain way to play with a 10. Jose Mourinho just doesn’t play that way. Dele Alli – you have to allow him to do what he wants to do.”

Lee clearly feels that there isn’t much point in Alli staying with Spurs and that unless Mourinho drastically alters the way his side plays, then the attacking-midfielder is unlikely to see his game time with the Lilywhites increase.

Unfortunately for Alli, the latest reports are suggesting that Daniel Levy is not willing to let him leave until a replacement is brought in, and with time running out, it is looking more and more likely that the out-of-favour midfielder will be stuck at Spurs for the rest of the season.

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If he doesn’t leave during the winter transfer window, then it may not be a surprise to see the €40m-rated (£36m) ace depart in the summer, as he clearly isn’t held in the same regard by Mourinho as he was by Pochettino, who dubbed him an “unbelievable player” during his time in charge of the Lilywhites.

And, in other news… Levy can finally sign Spurs’ Vertonghen heir with swoop for £36m beast who’s “on the same level” as Upamecano