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According to a report by The Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy could turn to former RB Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick as a managerial option to replace the sacked Jose Mourinho.

There has been no shortage of candidates touted through the media since Mourinho was given his marching orders on Monday, with favourites appearing to be the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Brendan Rodgers.

Tottenham could turn to Rangnick

However, outside names in the race appear to be in no short supply as Fulham boss Scott Parker and Brighton manager Graham Potter also got throw into the mix (The Daily Mail).

Now, yet another name has emerged, with The Athletic claiming Spurs and Levy could turn to Rangnick as an option ahead of next season.

This is because he has an ‘excellent’ track record of developing young players, an aspect of his managerial style which could match Spurs wonderfully.

Oliver Skipp and Dane Scarlett are showing real promise as the next generation of Spurs starlets, and a manager with Rangnick’s skill of nurturing talent is said to be attractive to Levy.

Transfer Tavern take

The 62-year-old has also attracted plenty of praise, with RB striker Yussuf Poulsen calling Rangnick a ‘perfectionist’ (ESPN).

His links to Spurs aren’t entirely new, either, as reliable journalist Miguel Delaney, of the Independent, revealed back in 2019 that he was interested in succeeding Mauricio Pochettino.

As another German candidate enters the fray alongside compatriot Nagelsmann, we feel the latter is still Tottenham’s best bet given he is one of the most exciting coaching talents in Europe.

Those within Tottenham reportedly see him as the perfect candidate (The Daily Mail), and we agree that certainly should be the case.

In other news: Spurs confirmed this ‘amazing’ news, find out more here.

Nabil Bentaleb was once one of the more promising midfielders to breakthrough in the first-team at Tottenham Hotspur.

Then only 19, the young academy gem featured regularly under Tim Sherwood, playing 20 times in all competitions and was touted as a future international.

England, Algeria, and his country of birth, France were in an “arm-wrestle” to tie him down.

“I know Bentaleb, I know what he possesses. He trains like every day is the last day in the world and that’s a great trait to have for a young kid,” once lauded Sherwood.

Unfortunately for him, though, the former midfielder-turned-manager was soon replaced by Mauricio Pochettino, and soon, he found game time hard to come by.

As explained by football.london’s Alasdair Gold to ChronicleLive: “He was a very young player, he was inconsistent and I think that’s what he got it [criticism] more for.”

The 6 foot 2 livewire would go onto make a total of 66 appearances in four years for the north London outfit, largely from the bench, before Schalke 04 came calling.

Bentaleb initially joined the Bundesliga side on a season-long loan, with an option to buy for £17m, as per the Guardian.

That move was indeed made permanent a few months later in February, so he must’ve made a big enough impact for the seven-time league champions to sanction such a deal.

Although for Spurs, it was merely another sign of Daniel Levy’s magic touch in the transfer market.

His struggles have been well-documented since.

Last season saw a return to the Premier League, joining Danny Rose on loan at Newcastle United, where he failed to make much of an impact. One fansite compared his stint to that of Henri Saivet – aka. the bottom of the barrel for Magpies flops.

And now, Bentaleb is enduring a relegation battle in the Bundesliga. Well, he’s been watching from the stands as he cannot get a game for the German strugglers, having been restricted to only nine league appearances all term.

If you’re failing to get game time at 26 for a side desperate for a bit of quality, then what hope is there long-term? It didn’t work out at Spurs, it didn’t work out at Newcastle and it’s not working out at Schalke.

That only makes Levy’s decision in 2016 look even smarter. Indeed, Bentaleb’s value has plummeted rapidly. His worth now sits at just £1.8m as per Transfermarkt – a rather damning indictment of his quality these days.

With his contract due to expire this summer, it’s hard to imagine the “wasted” Algerian international getting another crack at the big time, given his performances over the past few years.

Despite all the potential, make no bones about it, Bentaleb has been a disaster both at Spurs, and ever since. The Lilywhites can count their lucky stars that they received such a hefty amount, what a move.

AND in other news, Forget Ings: Spurs should swoop for “model professional” who idolises Kane…

Plenty of Everton fans have been offering polarised verdicts on Alex Iwobi in the wake of Saturday’s setback against Burnley.

The Toffees went down 2-1 against the Clarets at Goodison Park, leaving them five points adrift of the top four.

How did Iwobi fare against Burnley?

With James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucoure ruled out through injury, Iwobi initially lined up as a number 10 behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison. It was his first start this season in what The Athletic journalist Patrick Boyland describes as his ‘preferred position’.

However, with Burnley 2-0 up inside 25 minutes, Ancelotti changed systems and moved Iwobi back onto the right flank. It ended up being a steady performance from the Nigerian – two chances created, but no shots on goal and only one attempted dribble over the course of the 90 minutes (via SofaScore).

According to Boyland, Iwobi ‘paid the price for collective failings’ on Saturday and should not be scapegoated. Signed from Arsenal for £34m in 2019, the 24-year-old has been one of Everton’s most potent dribblers this season, his 1.7 match average eclipsed only by Richarlison, but he fails to stand out among the squad for many other key metrics (WhoScored), while also being criticised by some fans over performances throughout the campaign.

Indeed, lacklustre performances in winnable home games have become something of a habit for this Everton side, who have already been beaten by Fulham and Newcastle on Merseyside this year. While some Toffees feel that Iwobi was among the team’s better players at the weekend, others have dismissed him as ‘bang average’.

These Everton fans defended Iwobi

“It’s a funny game. I thought both him and Gomes looked decent. Allan didnt have his best game. He played a good forward pass for Richarlison’s first chance and combined with Davies to assist the goal. I think he should be an option at 10 moving forward.”

Credit: @toffeetower

“I thought he was one of our better players on Sat…..that speaks volumes”

Credit: @nickgartland

“I thought he was good, the only player making runs and creating chances”

Credit: @YaboiHolo

But these Blues have seemingly written Iwobi off

“He’s bang average and doesn’t seem interested in applying himself. Coasts through games. Can’t shoot or pass and takes too many touches before making his mind up.”

Credit: @DVDWLKNSN

“Bottom line, Iwobi is a poor footballer. Name me one team with European aspirations who would say he’s had a raw deal at Everton & take him off club’s hands even if offered on a free.”

Credit: @colinsmith50

“Lad wasn’t good enough for Arsenal, horrendous buy in a long list of pathetic recruitment”

Credit: @robbie2e

In other news, Everton are reportedly interested in this Premier League midfielder.

According to a report by Fussball Transfers, via Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur have ‘knocked’ on the door for VfB Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic in an enquiry – with the Lilywhites now officially joining the race for his signature. 

Kalajdzic, who stands at a towering 6 foot 6, appears to be on the radar of many clubs as his exploits in the Bundesliga attract attention.

Tottenham enquiry for Kalajdzic emerges

The 23-year-old has scored 15 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions for Stuttgart so far and is apparently valued at £15 million – very reasonable when taking into account his form and age (Eurosport).

This has prompted Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy to launch an enquiry or ‘knock’ at the door – but the Lilywhites may face real competition as the Austrian is in ‘high demand’.

However, the Bundesliga side aren’t prepared to surrender him to interested parties that easily – with Fussball Transfers (via Sport Witness) relaying they will need ‘convincing’ to part ways this summer.

Transfer Tavern take

Given his exploits over 2020/2021, alongside his plethora of plaudits from those in the media, Kalajdzic could be worth the effort.

He has been described as an ‘Ibrahimovic-machine’ as he continues to draw comparisons with some of world football’s most towering and deadly forwards.

Among those names, he has even been compared to Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland (The Daily Express) – and the mooted £15 million fee amid uncertain financial times comes as a real motivator and possible bargain.

In other news: Tottenham are still in the race for this 6 foot 2 ‘phenomenon’, find out more here.

Wrexham issued a savage response to MK Dons boss Mike Williamson's remarks on a contentious goal incident involving goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.

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• Okonkwo in spotlight after goal-line incident
• Williamson cries foul over refereeing decision
• Wrexham hits back at the manager

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Despite James McClean's goal giving Wrexham hope of a victory, the game ended in a 1-1 draw, with both teams finishing with 10 men. The pivotal moment came when Okonkwo fumbled a ball near the goal line, with MK Dons players certain they had scored. However, the referee did not award the goal, leading to protests from the home team, including a red card for veteran player Dean Lewington.

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• WHAT WILLIAMSON SAID

  In the aftermath of the match, MK Dons boss, Williamson, expressed his frustration, suggesting that referees may be unconsciously favouring Wrexham due to the club's momentum, thanks to their Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

  "I’ve got a lot of respect for the manager, the club, their fantastic team, but it’s really frustrating," he told reporters after the match.

  "There have been legitimate goals for Mansfield and Notts County (ruled out), so I don’t know if it’s the momentum the club bring if it’s unconsciously playing on their minds. But I’m taken aback. I’m really gutted for the boys because they did exactly what we asked them to do. They deserved it. I’ve never seen anything like it. Everybody in the stadium knew it was a clear goal. The reaction of their players was to just turn around, they all thought it was a goal. Everyone did apart from the officials.

  “I’m going to speak to him. If I don’t speak to the referee now, nothing will come of it. I want to hear him out and see what will happen moving forward. I think the rules are that I’m not allowed to show him footage, but as men, you need to look at it and hold your hands up. We as players and managers have to. I’d like to have an interaction with him once he has seen it.”

• WREXHAM'S RESPONSE TO WILLIAMSON

  Williamson's comments sparked a reaction from Wrexham, with the club's official social media account posting a video of the incident with a voice clip of Mark Goldbridge overlaid with the message "look at the white bit", in reference to the goal-line technology used in professional football.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  The exchange highlights the intense controversy surrounding the disputed goal incident and the differing perspectives of the two clubs involved. While MK Dons feel aggrieved by the decision, Wrexham have responded assertively, indicating their stance on the matter.

  As the debate rages on, both clubs will be eager to move forward and focus on their upcoming fixtures – but the fallout from this contentious moment is likely to be a hot talking point in the next few weeks.

Neco Williams was handed a rare chance to impress when Liverpool faced Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

It was his first start since Wolves came to Anfield way back in December (via Transfermarkt).

Difficult afternoon for Williams

However, the Welshman found the going tricky against the Cottagers as Ademola Lookman was able to torment the Reds down his side of the pitch, while going forward he struggled to create chances for Liverpool’s attackers.

One hopeful ball did tee up Diogo Jota, but that proved a flash in the pan for a player who lost possession no fewer than 26 times – the most of any Liverpool player (via SofaScore) as he was replaced by Trent Alexander-Arnold for the final 15 minutes.

After the game, Williams took to Instagram with a rallying call, writing: “We have to stay together and keep pushing, no excuses.” A screenshot of the post was later shared on Twitter by Anfield Watch.

Liverpool have fallen to six consecutive home defeats, slipping from title contenders to European outsiders.

Some supporters have grown tired of Williams’ social media messaging, demanding evidence of his commitment on the pitch instead.

Williams post offers Reds fans little consolation

“Hearing the exact same thing from the players after every loss, it’s ridiculous. Nothing is changing, they need to be better not just on the field, they’ve lost their desire to win.”

Credit: @AymonBertah

“Not gonna lie. Getting a tad annoying hearing this from the players. Every week now with no change”

Credit: @GavinDoyle18

“All our players should just keep quiet. Every time, same story…”

Credit: @IreOluwadiran

“Takes him 10 minutes to put in a cross.”

Credit: @moosavarachia09

“Need to sell him this summer”

Credit: @BPangsatabam

“The chronic lack of effort chasing back made him stick out like a sore thumb. He’s got a future, but not at Anfield.”

Credit: @jamesm_s

In other news, James Pearce reacts to the dismal Fulham defeat.

England went 1-0 down to North Macedonia after VAR awarded the hosts a penalty for a Rico Lewis foul on Bojan Miovski.

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• North Macedonia take 1-0 lead
• Macedonia given penalty for Lewis's foul
• Lineker ridicules VAR decision

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rico Lewis' England debut was marred on Tuesday night by a contentious penalty awarded by referee Filip Glova against the Manchester City defender. The full-back grabbed a North Macedonia player with a flailing hand while leaping to head away from a long ball, causing VAR to step in and request that the incident be examined at the pitch-side monitor.

  Gary Lineker reacted to the contentious call on Twitter:

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  During the international break, Lewis was a last-minute addition to Gareth Southgate's squad after a number of players were forced to withdraw due to injury, giving the starting lineup many opportunities. Then, when the Three Lions faced North Macedonia at the Tose Proeski Arena, Southgate gave the 18-year-old his time to shine on the international scene by starting him at left-back.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  The Three Lions are currently trailing North Macedonia by a goal as they look to end their European Championship qualifiers.

Leeds United may not have much to play for between now and the end of the season but it’s hard to deny they haven’t brought great enjoyment to the Premier League.

They press from the front with relentless energy and are swashbuckling in the final third. Strengthening this team, therefore, will be difficult.

What’s the word?

It’s not known how much money Leeds will have to spend during the summer window but one of their first acquisitions could be on a free transfer.

According to The Mirror, the Whites have made Crystal Palace’s Patrick van Aanholt a target.

The left-back was linked with Arsenal during the January transfer window with the defender running down his contract at Selhurst Park.

He is still yet to sign a new deal in the capital and as a result, could move on a free transfer in a few months time.

Van Aanholt currently earns a wage of £54k-per-week at Palace, a pretty considerable amount given Leeds’ wage structure.

Bye-bye Alioski

Reports over the last few months have made it pretty clear that Leeds are in the mood to strengthen their left-sided options.

Gjanni Alioski has been linked with the exit door and could move to Turkish shores if his contract runs out in the summer.

With that in mind, they’d be left rather short at left-back. Stuart Dallas has played there but beyond that, they’d have to choose either Niall Huggins or Leif Davis; two young players still making their way in the game.

Brest full-back Romain Perraud has been linked, someone Phil Hay rates highly, but if they’re looking for a cheaper alternative, Van Aanholt fits the bill.

The Dutchman is the definition of an attacking full-back and that would suit Marcelo Bielsa perfectly. In the last three seasons, the 30-year-old has scored 11 goals and contributed five assists in the top-flight alone.

Crucially, he possesses plenty of Premier League experience and has the work ethic to suit Bielsa’s plans.

Talking to The Athletic, his former manager at Sunderland, Gus Poyet, once said: “He’s a very offensive full-back. He has an explosive ability to go forward and help the team to create chances.”

During the course of his career, Van Aanholt has provided 1.2 shots and one key pass per match. For a full-back, those are eye-catching numbers.

If Alioski does leave, signing a left-back becomes a necessity. They could do far worse than the Palace defender in the summer.

AND in other news, Leeds have their perfect Pablo heir in rarely-seen 19 y/o, he’s a “great talent”…

According to a recent report from Sky Sports, Tottenham are interested in a move for defender Matthias Ginter. The 25-year-old currently plays his football at Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach and has done so since leaving Borussia Dortmund back in 2017, with the centre back’s impressive efforts in the German top-flight seemingly attracting the interest of Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.

And that’s because a recent report from Sky Sports suggests that Tottenham, as well as North London rivals Arsenal, are keen on a move for the £31.5 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt), and with Davinson Sanchez making a decent start to life at Spurs as well, Pochettino’s side could be set for a bright future were chairman Daniel Levy to equip the Argentine with Ginter.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the combination of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld have served Tottenham extremely well over the years, with the Belgian duo striking up arguably the best centre back partnership in the Premier League during their respective stints in North London.

But with the former to turn 32 in April, and Alderweireld’s future uncertain after penning a new deal to thus bring a £25 million release clause into play, there could be some change in the centre back department at Spurs in the not-too-distant future – however, in 21-year-old Sanchez, they indeed have a man for the future.

And that’s because the Colombia international has seamlessly adapted to English football following his move from Dutch heavyweights Ajax back in the summer of 2017, with the defender since then appearing 65 times in all competitions for Pochettino’s side, 41 of which came last term in their run to third place in the Premier League.

Yes, injuries have thwarted his progress this time round, mustering just 14 Premier League appearances for the North Londoners, but it’s pretty clear from his first 18 months in English football that he is the man to lead Spurs in the post-Vertonghen and Alderweireld era – and in Germany international Ginter, Pochettino’s centre back ranks would almost certainly be set for the future.

The 25-year-old has proven his worth in the heart of the Monchengladbach backline pretty much ever since making the move from Dortmund back in 2017, what with the defender since then appearing 54 times in all competitions, 37 of which coming last term as they finished ninth in the Bundesliga.

And with 17 appearances already this season, 15 of which coming in the German top-flight, the German ace looks set to continue playing a key part in what success Monchengladbach have going forward – in fact, they have only lost four league games all season, and Ginter was injured for two of those losses.

Clearly then, the 25-year-old is a hugely adept defender who has delivered the goods at a high level at both Dortmund and now Monchengladbach – and with 23 caps for Germany, it’s pretty evident just how highly-rated he is in his homeland.

And at the tender age of 25, and with Sanchez only 21, the duo could strike up the next great Premier League centre back partnership, much like Vertonghen and Alderweireld have done throughout their time in North London.

In fact, Pochettino’s side would be set for the future were Levy to equip the Spurs manager with the Germany international.

Tottenham fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Queens Park Rangers centre-forward Lyndon Dykes is good enough to play at the highest levels of the game.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to QPR boss Mark Warburton, who recently told the Daily Mail (via Not The Old Firm) that the 25-year-old can play at a much higher level than he currently is with the Championship side.

And, if recent a report by TEAMtalk is to be believed, this could happen sooner rather than later, with all three of West Bromwich Albion, Fulham and Burnley thought to be considering a move for the £1.8 million-rated forward in the summer transfer window.

Warburton said: “For me, there is no doubt about what Lyndon can achieve. He can go and play at a much higher level — at the highest level… he has shown the outstanding work ethic that will get him there.”

Awkward timing

After joining QPR from Livingston in what was a £1.98 million deal last summer, life got off to a relatively slow start for Dykes at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, as, despite scoring two goals in his first two league matches for the club, the striker scored a mere three goals over his next 30 Championship appearances.

However, the £8,000-per-week ace has burst back into life in recent weeks, scoring seven goals over his last eight league fixtures, in addition to registering three assists in the same period of time.

This form is what seems to have piqued a number of clubs’ interest in a potential move the 25-year-old, although fans of QPR will undoubtedly hope Dykes remains in west London over the summer in order to help the Rs mount a promotion push next season.

As such, Warburton’s remarks regarding the striker appear to have come at a rather awkward time, as, although they were obviously intended in a complimentary manner to the Scotland international, they also appear to reveal that the 58-year-old believes Dykes can play at a much higher level than he is currently – something which may come as slightly concerning news to the Hoops faithful, particularly amid the reports of interest from Premier League sides.

In other news: Get it done: Bhatia must seal QPR swoop for “brilliant” £630k-rated ace this summer – opinion