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Glasgow Rangers face a fight to keep the ever-reliable Ryan Kent if recent reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to The Yorkshire Evening Post, Victor Orta said the Scottish giants were difficult to deal with, which is why a move for Kent failed to materialise in the summer. However, he refused to rule out a return for the Rangers star in the future.

It’s claimed that Leeds could come back for Kent in January after the transfer market has re-opened. The 23-year-old has caught the eye at domestic level and has gathered a host of admirers across Europe over the past few years.

Keep Kent at all costs!

The former Liverpool winger, who reportedly earns wages which are worth £20,000-per-week, has been in impressive form this season and is highly rated by Steven Gerrard. The Ibrox boss has heaped plenty of praise on Kent in the past, calling him a “game-changer” following the Europa League victory over Willem II at the start of the season.

Kent has scored 5 goals and supplied 5 assists in 18 games in all competitions so far, whilst he is averaging 2.9 shots, 2.2 key passes and 2.2 dribbles per game in the Scottish Premiership this season, via WhoScored.

By comparison, even Ianis Hagi has only managed 1.8 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per league game in the Scottish top flight, as per WhoScored.

Despite interest from a number of Premier League sides, Kent decided to join the Gers in a £7.5m deal in 2019 after a successful spell on loan in Scotland. He made his debut in the 1-0 win over NK Osijek in the Europa League. Since then, he has bagged 19 times and 18 assists in total, via Transfermarkt.

He recently received praise from former Leeds and Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan, who compared the wizard to Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling, and insisted he’s “got everything” in an interview with Football Insider, which is high praise indeed, especially when you consider the fact that Sterling is arguably one of the best players in the Premier League, winning the FWA Player of the Year award in the 2018/19 season.

These kind of numbers are incredibly hard to come by at the best of times, least of all during a period of such uncertainty. It’s perhaps hardly surprising that Gerrard is desperate for the board to give him new and improved terms as it’s fair to say that finding a suitable replacement for the right price wouldn’t be an easy task. Get it done, Gers, or face serious consequences.

AND in other news, Bassey & Balogun start, no Helander: Glasgow Rangers Predicted XI vs Hamilton…

According to O Jogo, Leeds are interested in signing Torino defender Lyanco this summer.

What’s the word?

With Gaetano Berardi suffering a long-term injury that could keep him out for up to nine months, and Ben White’s return to Elland Road on a permanent basis still up in the air, Leeds are unsurprisingly on the look-out for a new centre-back.

And according to Portuguese publication O Jogo, the Whites are in the running to lure Lyanco to the club. The report claims that Sporting CP failed to match Torino’s asking price for the defender, and that with Marcelo Bielsa’s side being in a stronger financial position, they could yet capitalise.

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It’s further added that Leeds could face added competition from the likes of Lille and Bologna.

Completely dominated Cristiano Ronaldo

Though Torino may have slipped to an agonising 1-0 home defeat to Juventus last season in the Serie A, Lyanco was undoubtedly one of the standout performers for the Italian side.

Coming up against Cristiano Ronaldo, the Brazilian masterminded a superb rearguard performance, foiling the multiple time Ballon d’Or winner on numerous occasions. As per Sofascore, the former Real Madrid superstar had seven total shots in the entire game, but only found the target on three of them, with Lyanco and his teammates not giving him a clean look at goal.

Ronaldo conceded possession 12 times and lost more than 50% of his duels, whilst Lyanco made team-highs of: four clearances, two blocked shots and two tackles. That’s not to mention that he won 75% of the challenges that he contested on the ground.

The 6 foot 2 powerhouse shackled Ronaldo with aplomb, and with Leeds searching for a centre-back to potentially marshal them in both Berardi and potentially even White’s absence next season, Lyanco could well be that man to step up in their shoes.

Ivan Saponjic may be having second thoughts over a move to Celtic.

Sport Witness carries a report from AS claiming that there is interest from the Scottish champions in the Atletico Madrid forward in this transfer window.

A previous report stated that the Spanish club would have happily moved Saponjic on to Neil Lennon’s men as they look to shift some of their fringe players.

The new piece says that, while there is interest from both Celtic and Crystal Palace, the 23-year-old is now keen to stay in Spain.

The single toughest football logo quiz of all time…

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Atletico signed the striker from Benfica in 2019 but he struggled to make an impact last season, playing just four minutes in La Liga and 60 in the Copa del Rey.

However, he wants to prove his worth to boss Diego Simeone and is hopeful of making his presence felt in 2020/21.

It may take something of an act of god for him to work his way into the manager’s pans, though, given the sheer lack of football he was given last term.

Only real Celtic fans will get 100% on the Ultimate Hoops quiz. Test your knowledge below…

Nevertheless, Celtic’s interest appears to remain, in case Saponjic has a late change of heart.

They will be waiting…

Manchester United will be desperate to bounce back from their FA Cup semi-final exit when they welcome West Ham to Old Trafford.

Man United slumped to a disappointing defeat to Chelsea at Wembley, which ended their chances of a first final under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Red Devils had enjoyed a 19-game unbeaten run up until that point, although they will get another shot at silverware this season when the Europa League returns in August.

United will want to make swift amends, although they won’t have an easy task on their hands, as West Ham have pulled off some remarkable results in recent weeks, including a 3-2 victory over the Blues at the London Stadium at the start of the month.

Transfer Tavern has put together a predicted starting lineup, which sees Solskjaer make five changes to the side that lost to the Blues last weekend.

Solskjaer admitted his team selection in the FA Cup defeat “didn’t work” and he will want to rectify that mistake.

The Red Devils are firmly in the race for a top four finish, although they face stiff competition from Chelsea and Leicester City.

Solskjaer’s side are currently fifth in the table, tied with the Foxes on 62 points, with two games left to play in the campaign.

United’s main attacking quartet had earned rave reviews until they started without Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood, as Solskjaer made four changes to the side that beat Crystal Palace, and he will surely return to the team that had performed so well since the Premier League restart.

He switched to playing three at the back which turned out to be a terrible decision as the Blues ran riot on Sunday.

Solskjaer will likely revert back to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, as Martial resumes his fine form at the top of the pitch.

Meanwhile, Greenwood will regain his place in the starting lineup, meaning Daniel James will make way as a result.

After his decision to give Pogba a rest proved costly, the Frenchman will resume his partnership with Bruno Fernandes in the midfield, and Fred will drop to the bench instead.

Eric Bailly is expected to miss the match with West Ham after sustaining a head injury, allowing Victor Lindelof to slot into place next to Harry Maguire.

On the other hand, Solskjaer has a fully fit squad to choose from, and Luke Shaw could earn his first start for the club since the 2-2 draw with his old side Southampton, replacing Brandon Williams at left-back.

David de Gea’s performances have come under scrutiny this season and the Spaniard did himself no favours after being at fault for two of Chelsea’s goals. The Spaniard looks short of confidence and Sergio Romero could earn a surprise call-up from the bench to deputise for the erratic goalkeeper.

United will most likely start the game as favourites, but they must be at their very best if they want to turn things around. There is no room for error in the race for the top four.

United fans, do you think this is how Solskjaer will lineup against West Ham? Let us know your views by commenting below!

Burnley are reportedly keen on signing Joe Worrall from Nottingham Forest in the summer transfer window.

Journalist Alan Nixon tweeted (via @reluctantnicko) that the Clarets would make a move for the centre-back if they can table a high enough offer to lure him from the City Ground, with Sheffield United also keen on the 23-year-old.

According to Lancashire Live, the Midlands outfit could realistically demand at least £10m for the defender, given that they value another Burnley target in Matty Cash in the region of £12m-£15m.

Worrall was an integral part of the Nottingham Forest side that just missed out on the Championship play-offs, featuring in every single minute of their league campaign under Sabri Lamouchi and providing a goal and four assists from centre-back (as per TransferMarkt).

The 23-year-old is generally composed in possession, with a passing success rate of 80.9%, while match averages of 3.2 successful headers and 5.2 clearances show that he is also capable of carrying out essential defensive duties with regularity.

Burnley are in the market for a centre-back in the current transfer window, given that they currently have just four senior players in that position – one of whom is Ben Gibson, who has essentially been exiled from the club and, according to Nixon, could be loaned out to Middlesbrough or Norwich.

Worrall’s match averages for headers, tackles and interceptions are noticeably lower than the figures posted by the Clarets’ two main centre-backs James Tarkowski (5.2 headers, 1.7 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game) and Ben Mee (4.1 headers, 1.3 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game).

However, the Nottingham Forest defender is far more economical with his use of the ball, his passing success rate substantially higher than those of Tarkowski and Mee, with 70.8% and 71.4% respectively. Indeed, Josh Brownhill (82.5%) was the only Burnley player to record a higher passing accuracy rate than Worrall during the 2019/20 season. [via WhoScored]

When looking at Worrall’s statistics in comparison to Mee and Tarkowski, there may be a temptation to think that he might not be a great fit for Burnley.

However, his vastly superior passing success rate indicates that he could offer the Clarets a different skill set defensively and a useful alternative to their conventional game-plan if Sean Dyche feels the need to mix things up.

Therefore, the Nottingham Forest man could offer Burnley a different dimension and they should put a concerted effort into their attempts to lure him from the City Ground.

Burnley fans, would Worrall get into the Clarets’ starting XI? Have your say by commenting below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking on talkSPORT, Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has urged the club to move for Carlo Ancelotti as soon as possible.

What did he say?

Having sacked Unai Emery following a miserable start to the campaign, the Gunners are on the look-out for a permanent successor to the Spaniard. Freddie Ljungberg has taken charge on an interim basis, but reports in recent weeks have suggested the club have drawn up a 12-man shortlist to find out who would be best suited to taking on the role full-time.

One man who is said to be in the frame, is Ancelotti. The Italian was relieved of his duties by Napoli after their Champions League win earlier this week, and Parlour has urged the Gunners to move for him as quickly as they can.

He said: “You can’t knock his record. I think they need a bit of experience to shake this squad up and try and get them defending better as a team and get them organised. He’s available and he knows the Premier League very well. Sometimes you’ve got to move quickly with managers.

“He’s a bit like (Jose) Mourinho; the trophies he’s won, 20 trophies! Obviously he’s been at big clubs and has had the opportunity to play in big tournaments and have good players, but he’s still got to manage big players and he’s done that so well over the years. That’s why you say he could be the right man for Arsenal.”

The right fit?

Whilst as Parlour says, Ancelotti’s record, particularly in the Champions League, is unparalleled, is he the right fit for what Arsenal desperately need at the moment? The Gunners are in disarray at the moment, several places outside of the top four, and were on a dismal run of nine games without a win just last week.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Arsenal Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

Ancelotti’s penchant for getting the best out of big players as he did at Real Madrid and Chelsea perhaps isn’t the necessary quality needed at the Emirates, despite his truly incredible trophy haul that includes three Champions League titles. The north London side could do with a coach who is either progressive and looking towards the future, or someone who can tighten things up at the back. And the Italian’s way of managing doesn’t quite fit those requirement.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans hammer this ace for his disappointing display against Standard Liege.

Former Premier League player Danny Mills has claimed Tottenham could face a shock departure in the summer. 

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Mills believes veteran defenders Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld could leave the club in the upcoming transfer window.

While Vertonghen has long been linked with a summer exit, the pundit’s prediction for Alderweireld might come as a bit of a surprise to Spurs fans.

Last week, Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports that Tottenham “are not going to spend rivers of money” in the transfer market due to the economic uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.

Indeed, Daniel Levy has told the Portuguese he will have to offload players to fund a move for stars like free agent Willian, and Mourinho will have to rely on reduced fees and loan deals as he looks to overhaul his squad.

Mills told football writer Dylan Childs “It is going to be very, very difficult. Spurs’ biggest problem is who they lose. Vertonghen, Alderweireld could well go and they have already lost Eriksen.

“It is going to be interesting to see what happens in the transfer market and who is prepared to spend money with everything that is going on.

“There is always a spin and an argument to justify spending but it will interesting to see how that dynamic fits with fans.”

As it stands, it is hard to argue with the pundit here, as Vertonghen is likely to leave as he has already rejected an offer on the table.

The Belgian duo were favourites of Mauricio Pochettino, yet the 33-year-old has lost his place in the starting lineup under the Argentine’s successor.

Although Vertonghen has only played 19 games in the Premier League this season, he has shown no signs of slowing down, making 2.1 tackles per game, averaging 1.6 interceptions and completing a staggering five clearances on average (WhoScored).

He is reportedly considering an offer from Real Betis, amid interest from former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, who is now in charge of Serie A giants Inter Milan.

On the other hand, Alderweireld signed a contract extension in December, keeping him at the club until June 2023.

Furthermore, he recently revealed the appointment of Jose Mourinho had a major influence on his decision to extend his contract.

However, Alasdair Gold has highlighted the importance of Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez at the back over the course of the season.

Moreover, Mourinho is well aware he will have to work with a limited budget, and he may be tempted to sell the £21.6m-valued veteran if an offer arrives to spend the profits elsewhere.

Tottenham fans, do you think Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld will leave the Lilywhites in the near future? Let us know down below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Troy Parrott has been told to make a loan move away from Tottenham Hotspur for the good of his career by Arsenal legend Liam Brady, per RTE.

What’s the word?

The 17-year-old has been in exceptional form for Spurs’ youth teams in recent months.

He has scored 15 goals in 13 appearances for the U18s and netted nine in nine for the U19s, along with four in 13 for the U23s.

The teenager has already made his senior debut for Spurs, playing in the Carabao Cup tie with Colchester United, and has even been capped at senior level by the Republic of Ireland, making his debut in a friendly against New Zealand.

Brady won over 70 caps for Ireland during a storied playing career and he believes that his young compatriot should be afforded a short-term move away in order to play regularly.

He said: “I think he needs to go somewhere where he is going to play.

“Going to Dortmund or Bayern at 17, I don’t think it guarantees him playing time.

“I remember when Jermain Defoe was a young player at West Ham United, he was only 17, he went on loan to Bournemouth and they were two leagues below the Premier League, but he was scoring goals and playing against men and I think that’s what Parrott has to do now.

“I’d like to see him get a loan move, I don’t think he needs to leave Tottenham. There is plenty of time for him to get experience elsewhere and come back and get into the Spurs team.”

Nailed it

It remains to be seen whether Jose Mourinho is likely to give Parrott the same chances that Mauricio Pochettino may have done.

But whether he will or not, Brady is right to question whether or not the striker will develop in north London.

Thus far, he has played just 65 minutes of senior football for the club and one has to imagine that lower-league clubs would be queuing up to take him away from Tottenham.

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After all, Parrott is currently the top scorer in the UEFA Youth League after scoring an excellent goal against Olympiacos earlier this term, and has to be seen as a low-risk high-reward acquisition.

It’s a win-win for Spurs, too; he will be able to play regularly, perhaps score a hatful of goals, and return with some genuine experience under his belt.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans have been left drooling over a rival star’s performance. 

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Wolverhampton Wanderers could be set for a busy January after manager Nuno Santo revealed his intentions to strengthen his squad this week.

What’s he said?

In his pre-match press conference for their Premier League tie with West Ham, the 45-year-old was clear on his plans to make additions in the winter transfer window but remained coy on any potential targets or even which position he’d like to add to.

Wolves have been running with one of the smallest squads in the division, having deployed only 19 players so far this campaign and with the FA Cup soon on the horizon and their advancement in the Europa League, strength in depth could be vital.

Nuno said:

“Yes, for sure [we will strengthen].

“[I want] players. Today is December 3, we still have a long way to go – one month.

“When you have a fantastic group of players who really admire themselves, respect themselves and work like a unit, we want to bring someone to increase that and to help, and we try.”

Seems likely

There still may be a month to go, as the Portuguese chief states himself, but that hasn’t stopped the club from being linked to a whole host of names since the summer window slammed shut.

Earlier in the season, BirminghamLive revealed that the club would pursue central options in defence and in midfield, and these positions have been where much of the speculation lies.

With Willy Boly getting injured and the prospect of Jesus Vallejo being recalled, a centre-back must surely be high on Nuno’s wishlist.

Freiburg’s Robin Koch, Lille’s Gabriel Magalhaes and Preston North End’s Ben Davies have all been linked with a switch to Molineux for instance.

We’ll soon be able to find out exactly what Nuno, Fosun and maybe even Jorge Mendes have up their sleeve for the west Midlanders in 2020.

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Meanwhile, could Wolves clinch the next Paul Pogba in January?

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

West Bromwich Albion face a trip to Hull City this afternoon as they look to continue their spell at the top of the Championship table.

Slaven Bilic’s men currently have a two-point cushion over a trio of teams in second place, including Leeds United, who are the only team to put a loss on the Croatian’s record this season.

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The Baggies will want to extend the gap at every opportunity, and on Monday, they showed they are more than capable of thriving despite the pressure of needing three points.

Goals from Matty Phillips and Hal Robson-Kanu secured a 2-0 win at managerless Stoke City, and one man highlighted his increasing worth to the team.

On the Chalkboard

Conor Townsend has been very much a forgotten man in the west Midlands at times this season.

Former Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs began the season as Bilic’s first choice in the role before his injury saw versatile starlet Nathan Ferguson switch from the right-hand side.

He has impressed since breaking through into the first-team from the academy, so much so that he’s been linked with moves to Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur.

Against Charlton Athletic, he showed signs that he still has a lot of maturing to do as his horror challenge on Chris Solly saw him pick up a red card and a subsequent three-match ban.

In his absence, Townsend has quite remarkably stepped up to the mark, as seen on Monday night.

Per SofaScore, the 26-year-old recorded two interceptions, one tackle, and one successful dribble while contributing to only their third clean sheet of the season.

As the more natural left-back, it would make perfect sense for him to continue to operate in the role until anything significant happens – even on Ferguson’s return.

Townsend hasn’t just impressed against the Potters, as fans noticed with his game-changing impact in Albion’s draw over Barnsley a few weeks ago.

Ferguson should have to fight to regain his place amongst the Croatian’s starting line up as a lesson for such recklessness, especially as summer signing Darnell Furlong has been more than astute at right-back.

He has averaged 1.7 tackles and 1.6 clearances per game, where he ranks third in the Baggies squad for both metrics.

It would just be too harsh to drop Towsend after his surprise rich vein of form – he had only played for 19 minutes on the opening day until featuring in three straight matches, per Transfermarkt.