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Rangers may currently sit at the top of the league table but there is no denying that this has been an inconsistent few weeks for Steven Gerrard’s Gers side.

The Glaswegian outfit have only won one of their last three outings and have clearly struggled with Ryan Kent’s absence through injury.

He has been missing since the middle of September and their clash on Thursday evening will still come too soon for the winger.

His extended spell on the sidelines have led to selection dilemmas for Gerrard but he has another big decision to consider in midweek.

On the chalkboard

Rangers face a difficult task this evening as they face Brondby in the Europa League.

The Danish outfit travel to Scotland with the hosts still searching for their first points of the group stage campaign.

They sit at the foot of their group and face an uphill battle in their bid to reach the knock-out stages.

One problem that won’t help is the form of Alfredo Morelos of late. The Colombian has only found the net twice in eight Premiership outings this term and particularly struggled against Hearts last weekend.

Morelos lost possession 17 times and failed to hit the target with any of his seven shots during the encounter. That has taken his tally of attempts at goal to 29 this term with very little reward.

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gerrard took the decision to axe him from the team.

That’s despite backing the forward in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday. He commented:

“It’s quite obvious he’s not in his best of form but he’s still getting in the right places and his all round game is still okay. It’s only a matter of time before the goals come for Alfredo. He’s sitting on 99 so I’m sure he’ll be desperate to get to 100…”

However, if they really want to give themselves the best opportunity of picking up three points, they must unleash Kemar Roofe.

The striker has found the net on six occasions in 12 outings this term and is the club’s top scorer this term. Consequently, he could strike fear into the eyes of the Brondby defence and terrify their backline.

It’s not just the £26k-per-week earner’s talent in front of goal that stands out, though. His all-round game is eye-catching and his pace could cause the opposition all sorts of problems on Thursday.

Speaking about him last term, Gerrard said: “He’s doesn’t stop, he’s like a Duracell bunny. He’s hitting numbers that you don’t really expect from a forward player.”

Quotes from Eddie Gray back in 2019 also paint a vivid picture of why he needs to replace Morelos this evening. Speaking to LUTV, he remarked: “He’s lead the line well, but he’s got that little bit of pace. It is something we [Leeds] have not got in abundance. Real pace. I’m talking about.”

Roofe has previous in this competition too, scoring a remarkable goal from the halfway line last term. Coincidentally, that was nearly a year ago to the day as he found the net against Standard Liege on 22nd October 2020 with a simply outrageous strike.

Of course, we’re not expecting another miracle like that, but the same sort of potency and desire will be hugely important for his teammates.

AND in other news, Fresh twist emerges on key Rangers figure that’ll leave fans over the moon…

Everton are one of the clubs who are interested in Sassuolo’s Filip Djuricic, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato. 

The lowdown

Significantly, his contract is up at the end of this season, and unless Sassuolo can reach an agreement with the 29-year-old soon, they may come under pressure to sell in January. That may be their only way to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer.

The Serbian has featured in all nine of their Serie A matches so far this season, starting eight (via WhoScored), and he has averaged 1.9 dribbles, 1.8 shots and 1.1 key passes per 90 minutes for Sassuolo this term. For context, no Everton player boasts more than 1.2 dribbles per match up to this point in the season, with only Demarai Gray averaging more than one per game at Goodison Park.

The latest

Calciomercato claimed that there are three Premier League clubs on the trail of Djuricic.

Those are Everton, West Ham United – managed by former Blues boss David Moyes, of course – and struggling Southampton.

The verdict

Djuricic is valued at £8.1m by Transfermarkt, but the interested parties could look to avoid a transfer fee altogether by pursuing a pre-contract agreement.

He would appear better suited to the 4-2-3-1 that West Ham play rather than Rafael Benitez’s 4-4-1-1 given his capacity to play in the three positions behind the striker, but that’s not to say that a move to Merseyside is unrealistic.

His performance metrics certainly suggest that he could add plenty of verve to Everton’s attack, not least in terms of beating opponents one-on-one.

In other news, some Everton fans fumed over these Benitez comments

Patrick Boyland has said that Everton’s recruitment team have ‘liked’ Tanguy Ndombele ‘before’ but is unsure whether a move for the 24-year-old is feasible. 

The lowdown

The Frenchman – who has been hailed as a ‘rare talent’ by football coach and analyst Harry Brooks – has told Tottenham Hotspur that he’s open to leaving before the end of the transfer window (via The Athletic).

The midfielder has effectively been frozen out by new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, sidelined for the entirety of pre-season and all 270 minutes of competitive action so far. If he were to leave the north London outfit, his preference would apparently be a move to ‘one of the biggest clubs in Spain or Germany’.

Everton, for their part, have been assessing potential midfield signings such as Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff.

The latest

In a Q&A for The Athletic, Boyland was asked whether signing Ndombele on loan is a realistic option for the Toffees.

He replied: “Not sure. They’ve liked him before (they being the recruitment side) but he was obviously out of reach then. The reporting from London seems to suggest he’s available but that Spurs would prefer to recoup some/most of the sizeable transfer fee. Everton have looked at midfielders (Longstaff etc) but there’s not much money atm. Maybe a loan or two”.

The verdict

Considering that Ndombele’s ‘sizeable transfer fee’ was £55m and that there seems to be ‘not much money’ available at Goodison Park, Everton may well be priced out of the equation. Also, another potential stumbling block in the way of a permanent deal is the player’s £200,000-per-week wages.

A loan arrangement could perhaps see his salary divided between the clubs, and while that wouldn’t be ideal for Spurs, it would clearly be better than paying the full amount for a player who may barely feature. If no permanent offer is on the table, perhaps they would be receptive to that idea.

This would be a coup for Everton if they pull it off. Ndombele isn’t perfect but his ability to weave through opposition challenges and evade their press is very impressive, and Rafael Benitez would surely welcome those traits within his squad.

In other news, many Everton fans were left fuming over this transfer update.

Joseph Masi has dropped an update on the future of West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

What’s the talk?

Speaking recently on the Baggies Broadcast podcast (via This Is Futbol), the Express & Star journalist stated his belief that, while the 28-year-old shot-stopper could leave the club in January if he were to receive an extraordinary offer, the England international will more than likely remain at The Hawthorns until the end of the current campaign.

Regarding the goalkeeper’s future, Masi said: “The situation with Johnstone obviously is that if he becomes a free agent [next summer], he will basically get a massive signing-on fee.

“I think Johnstone could definitely leave in January if something unbelievable emerges, and of course, he’ll take it – but I thoroughly, thoroughly expect him to see out the season with Albion and assess his options in the summer.”

Music to the ears of fans

Considering just how important a part of the West Brom side Johnstone has proven himself to be in recent years, the news that the ‘keeper does indeed look set to remain with the Baggies for the duration of their 2021/22 campaign is sure to come as music to the ears of fans.

Indeed, over his 20 Championship appearances this season, the £7.2m-rated man has kept nine clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.6 saves and 1.9 runs out per game, with these returns seeing the shot-stopper average a SofaScore match rating of 6.88.

However, it was over the 28-year-old’s 37 Premier League outings last season in which he demonstrated his ability at the highest level of the English game, keeping six clean sheets and making an average of 4.5 saves per fixture – the most of any ‘keeper in the top flight.

These metrics saw the £18k-per-week England international earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as West Brom’s second-best performer in the league.

As such, keeping hold of Johnstone beyond the closure of the winter transfer window will undoubtedly provide Valerien Ismael’s chances of securing promotion back to the Premier League with a major boost, while losing the ‘keeper could well prove to be the final nail in the coffin for the Baggies’ hopes of a top-two finish this season.

In other news: Journo delivers exciting update on WBA transfer window plans, fans will be buzzing

West Ham have opened talks with Liverpool for Divock Origi, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: A new striker needed

David Moyes appears to be in desperate need of a new striker before the window closes, with Michail Antonio the club’s only recognised senior centre-forward on the books.

The Hammers are yet to make a big-money signing this summer and have just over three weeks left to do so.

Origi, who is on £60,000 per week at Anfield, was linked with a move to the London Stadium last month, and it seems as if West Ham have now firmed up their interest.

The Latest: Origi talks

According to Football Insider, who were informed by a recruitment source, West Ham have opened preliminary talks to sign the Belgium international.

A bid of just £15m could be enough to tempt the Reds to sell the 26-year-old, with the Irons thought to be leading the way for him.

Origi, who was described as ‘unreal’ by Liverpool teammate Caoimhin Kelleher back in the 2019/20 season, has just 12 months left on his current Anfield deal.

The Verdict: A gamble?

Origi has started just nine Premier League games across the last two seasons, with only two coming during the most recent campaign. He’s netted just four goals in that time, so bringing him to the London Stadium in a £15m deal could be a bit of a gamble from West Ham.

He does have plenty of experience for club and country, though, and is also capable of playing on the wing, so his versatility could come in handy. Also, he has garnered a reputation for scoring in big games for Liverpool.

It’ll be interesting to see if rumours of a move to London continue to gather pace, but it seems as if the Hammers are testing the water at this moment in time.

In other news: Many West Ham fans flock to official club announcement, find out more

Noel Whelan is enthused by the prospect of Leeds United acquiring young Celtic defender Leo Hjelde [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Leeds United get ready for the 2021/22 campaign

Bringing in ready-made first-team talent will be key for Leeds to kick on and look even further up the Premier League table this term, but unearthing starlets with considerable potential may also be high up on Marcelo Bielsa’s priority list.

One prodigy who has been reported as a Whites target has been Norwegian Under-18 international Hjelde, who is in talks about a move to Bielsa’s side – he was previously labelled as ‘the next (Virgil) van Dijk’ by former coach John Hughes [Football Insider].

At 17-years-old, he has already been predisposed to first-team football on loan at Scottish Premiership side Ross County in 2020/21 [Transfermarkt].

The Latest: Whelan waxes lyrical over Hjelde’s potential capture

Inspiring Whelan to have his input, the BBC Radio Leeds pundit waxed lyrical over Hjelde’s potential arrival in Yorkshire in an interview with Football Insider, stating:

“When someone is coming out and saying he’s the next Van Dijk, wow, people will take notice.

“The fact that he’s already played first team football at such a young age is a testament to his ability.

“The scouts aren’t just looking abroad at £30million players. In this day and age, you can find some real rough diamonds.”

The Verdict: Hjelde would be an excellent Leeds signing

Pointing to the modern methodologies of recruiting talented youngsters, Whelan makes some credible arguments regarding talent spotting at elite clubs.

In terms of long-term progress, Hjelde could develop into an established Premier League player should an alleged move to Elland Road materialise, even if it takes a while before we see him make a real impact.

Within his temporary stint in the Highlands, the former Rosenborg man made 12 appearances [Transfermarkt], netting a crucial solitary goal for the Staggies in a crunch relegation fixture against Kilmarnock [BBC].

His Celtic future hangs in the balance, owing to the fact he only has 12 months left on his deal at Parkhead [Sportslens].

A rising star, Leeds United will be doing all they can to get the deal over the line, whilst they are said to be confident of landing his signature to boot [Sportslens].

In other news, Leeds United have been linked with a surprise swoop for a 17-goal striker.

A journalist has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur could now sign Kristian Thorstvedt.

The Lowdown: Midfielder wanted

Given that there have been a number of reports linking Spurs with the likes of Nahitan Nandez and Franck Kessie, it is clear that Nuno Espirito Santo would like to bring in a new central midfield player.

However, with the summer transfer window shut now, the former Wolves manager will now have to look at January to make any more signings.

The Latest: Thorstvedt possibility

As per Rogalands Avis journalist Espen Iversen (via Sport Witness), the north London club could now sign Thorstvedt if they ever needed a ‘different midfielder’.

He mentions that the Lilywhites are the Norway international’s ‘favourite club’, and that he has even been dubbed the ‘Lampard from Valand’.

According to Iversen, the player’s agent, Jim Solbakken, is just a phone call away for Spurs.

The Verdict: Worth the punt

Thorstvedt is certainly a player that Nuno could do with in his squad at the moment, especially given that Moussa Sissoko has now left to join Watford.

The likening to Chelsea and England legend Frank Lampard suggests that he has an eye for a goal from the middle of the park, and that has certainly shown in his club career so far, in which he has managed to score 33 goals in total in 105 games over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

At just 22 years of age, he still has a lot of potential, and given that THFC are his ‘favourite club’ as well, they should be jumping on the opportunity to sign the son of former Lilywhite Erik Thorstvedt.

In other news, find out what Tottenham talent has suffered a bad injury here!

Although Rangers would’ve preferred a better start to the season, with their Premiership unbeaten run over and an embarrassing defeat to Malmo ending their Champions League hopes, James Tavernier has been superb at times for Steven Gerrard’s side.

The captain led the way last season as they stormed to the Premiership title, contributing a remarkable 12 goals and 11 assists from right-back in the league for the Bears.

Despite the team’s dip in form, the former Wigan Athletic man looks set to be a star performer for Gerrard’s side once again this season, with three assists in three league appearances for the Gers so far this term.

The 29-year-old has been one of the key attacking threats in Rangers’ side in recent weeks, with only Alfredo Morelos (3.7) and Ryan Kent (2.8) averaging more than Tavernier’s 2.7 shots per game in the 2021/22 Premiership.

He also looks to be the chief creator, as no Rangers player comes close to the 4.3 key passes he has averaged per game so far this season, with fellow full-back Borna Barisic in joint-second with just 1.5 key passes per game.

This emphasises just how important the 29-year-old is in this Rangers team and he will surely be key if the Gers are to retain their title this season, although they are currently playing catch-up to Hibernian and Hearts, who have both enjoyed unbeaten starts to the 2021/22 campaign.

Tavernier is also the highest-rated player in Rangers’ side so far this season according to WhoScored, with his 7.69 average rating in the Premiership comfortably the best of any player in Gerrard’s side. That matches his rating from 2020/21, when he was also the squad’s best performer.

The 41-year-old was full of praise for his captain last season, saying: “I think Tav is someone who, when he goes through the gears, is unstoppable, and we have seen that, or flashes of that so far this season. I think he is really close to being at his best.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776”]

Judging from these statistics and his performances this season, it is easy to see why Gerrard dubbed him “unstoppable”, and he will be hoping to maintain this strong early-season form throughout the whole campaign.

In other news… Rangers missed out on 36 G/A beast who Gerrard would’ve loved

With Ange Postecoglou the front runner and undoubted favourite to become the new Celtic manager, all hands are needed on the recruitment front.

The Hoops will have a busy summer ahead of them but as well as improving their first-team options, they can’t afford to hinder the opportunities for young players coming through.

On the chalkboard

One of the biggest sources of criticism for Celtic over the last 12 months has been a reluctance to hand chances to their reserve players.

This was a terrible campaign for the Bhoys, one which ended without a single trophy in their cabinet.

They had lost the league in March but still refused to give regular minutes to those waiting in the wings.

Adam Montgomery earned his first taste of senior football but was restricted to one start while Karamoko Dembele is still waiting for his full debut.

The teenager scored his opening first-team goal against St Johnstone but was bizarrely kept to a place on the bench on the final day.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-news-faria-postecoglou-howe-elyounoussi” title= “Read the latest Celtic news!”]

They both impressed, however, and should be given larger roles next term.

What’s the recruitment policy?

Celtic are set to welcome young midfielder Liam Shaw to Paradise this summer but a number of other up and coming rising stars from the English Football League could join him.

Peterborough’s Siriki Dembele and Wigan’s Kyle Joseph have both been linked with a switch to Parkhead but there is work to be done before they become realistic targets.

Celtic are at the stage now where they need to move away from experienced campaigners. If this season told us anything it’s that the Bhoys need fresher and more vibrant faces in their squad.

Therefore, the idea of Barry Douglas arriving this summer should be forgotten about.

Neil Lennon wanted to bring the left-back to Glasgow last year but they ultimately decided to sign Diego Laxalt instead.

The Uruguayan has now headed back to Milan so they could revive their chase. The Lancashire Telegraph report this week that Celtic still have Douglas on their radar.

He spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Blackburn from parent club Leeds but the Yorkshire side will release him at the end of June.

As a consequence, the 31-year-old will be available to snap up on a free transfer. That’s a tempting offer for Celtic but given his age, they must avoid it.

After all, Postecoglou will have Greg Taylor at his disposal and will also have Montgomery primed and ready for more first-team action.

Douglas would not only put a halt to the teenager’s development but his best qualities would be limited at Celtic.

Described as “fantastic” by Gordon Strachan, the former Wolves defender has become known as a set-piece wizard.

He’s created a vast number of goals down the years, supplying 15 in one season for the Old Gold. Though, with David Turnbull such an impressive exponent of set-play deliveries, Douglas wouldn’t be needed in that area.

Therefore, the positives of signing him are incredibly limited. Dominic McKay is wasting his time and should ensure Celtic stick with what they have on the left-hand side of defence.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Postecoglou: Celtic can forge dream duo by signing “breathtaking” 29 y/o…

Lautaro Martinez ‘would take Spurs to a different level’, former Lilywhites goalkeeper Paul Robinson says. 

The lowdown

Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sempre Inter) named Spurs alongside Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona as one of the main candidates to sign Inter Milan striker Martinez this summer.

They claim that the North London outfit have expressed a concrete interest in the 24-year-old in recent weeks. Inter have apparently set an asking price of between €60million (£49.7million) and €70million (£58million) for the Argentine.

Spurs, then, could break their existing transfer record – the £54million they paid to sign Tanguy Ndombele in 2019 – in order to land Martinez.

Antonio Conte worked with the forward at the San Siro between 2019 and 2021.

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The latest

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson, a regular pundit on Sky Sports who played for Tottenham between 2004 and 2008, expressed at his excitement at the prospect of landing the ‘amazing’ Martinez.

He believes it could give Antonio Conte a similar luxury to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

“I think he would take Spurs to a different level,” he said. “He’s an amazing player.”

“Spurs have a great front three but they cannot play every week. Jurgen Klopp has found that out with his front three. He has five players in rotation for those positions.

“As well as Spurs’ front three are doing at the moment they cannot play every game. It is a squad game now more than ever.”

The verdict

Conte will surely have fond memories of Martinez, whose 17 league goals helped propel Inter to the Serie A title last season – the player himself has credited Conte with changing his ‘mentality’ and helping him to ‘grow’.

Off the back of their success, Martinez finished joint-21st in the 2021 Ballon D’Or voting, alongside Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.

There’s no doubt, then, that he’s an elite forward and potentially a blockbuster addition to the Spurs squad.

Conte used a 3-5-2 shape at Inter to accommodate both Martinez and Romelu Lukaku, but doing the same at Spurs could see Heung-min Son left out. It would be a dilemma for the manager, but as Robinson notes, the level of depth would be enviable.

In other news, Dean Jones shares a left-field James Maddison development concerning THFC.