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Rangers have been handed a positive injury lift as their Ibrox stars have returned back from friendlies and World Cup qualifiers this week…

What’s the talk?

Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that Alfredo Morelos and Ianis Hagi are the only injury concerns for the Gers heading into the weekend’s Old Firm clash.

No other players have come back with knocks from representing their countries, and they are all set to be available for selection on Sunday.

The club’s official Twitter account quote Van Bronckhorst as saying: “All the players returned fit, only Hagi & Morelos are missing.”

Delight

The Ibrox faithful will be delighted with this news, as it means the vast majority of the players came back from international duty without any setbacks, providing the Dutchman with a big boost as he has not lost multiple first-team assets.

For instance, Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun started both of Nigeria’s clashes with Ghana. They lost on away goals after drawing 0-0 and 1-1 in their World Cup qualifying play-off, which means that they will not be heading to the tournament later this year. Thankfully for Rangers, they did not sustain any knocks from these matches and will be fit to face Celtic this week.

Aaron Ramsey coming back without any issues will leave supporters particularly buzzing given how bleak his situation looked halfway through the international break.

Wales manager Rob Page revealed that the midfielder was dealing with a knock after their 2-1 win over Austria in their play-off. The 47-year-old told Sky Sports, via STV: “They both (Ramsey & Bale) struggled towards the end of the game. You could see both of them were holding their groins and hamstrings.”

He was then left out against the Czech Republic earlier this week, potentially leaving Gers fans worrying about his fitness. However, Van Bronckhorst’s comments suggest that the 31-year-old will be fit enough to play in the Old Firm clash.

Ramsey has the quality to have a major impact against Celtic after missing out on the teams’ last meeting two months ago. He made his first Premiership start against Dundee last time out and scored the equaliser in the 2-1 win, showing off his predatory instinct in the penalty area as he was perfectly positioned to follow up into an empty net after Kemar Roofe’s header was saved.

Supporters will therefore be excited to see what the Welshman can do against the Hoops, as his goalscoring touch from midfield could be key to picking up the three points. He produced 130 goal contributions throughout his time at Arsenal in England and managed 12 goals and assists combined in 65 outings for Juventus in Italy, which shows that he knows how to be a difference-maker at the top level, and his availability for Sunday will be a big boost for the Gers.

AND in other news, Rangers had a major disaster on “complete” 243 G/A ace who’s “like Harry Potter”…

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Everton failed to improve on a poor run of results as they slumped to a 3-1 loss at the hands of Wolves and, while nobody kitted in blue covered themselves in glory, there was one man in particular who is surely disappointed by what he offered to the game, especially considering the influence he usually has on proceedings.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s are tough to beat – they are organised in defence, dangerous on the break and their consistency has seen them rise to seventh in the standings – however, considering their expenditure in recent years, the Toffees should really be giving them a game and, had their star man been at the races, they may have.

Richarlison followed Marco Silva to Everton from Watford in the summer as the Portuguese brought his 2017 signing to Goodison Park and the forward got off to a flying start, netting twice against none other than Wolves on the opening day as the Toffees held the newly-promoted side to a 2-2 draw.

The absence of a goalscoring striker has often seen the Brazilian deployed up front – he is naturally a winger – and he usually puts in a decent shift, as five goals from 12 appearances at centre-stage will tell you. The 21-year-old was surely hoping he would be able to have the kind of impact he had at Molineux as Everton hosted the return fixture on Saturday, but it wasn’t to be.

Richardson’s silky, South-American close control was absent as he uncharacteristically struggled to get a foot on the ball and drive at the defence – the number 30 took 6 unsuccessful touches, as Wolves hunted him down effectively and bullied him out of the game.

Blessed with pace, the forward can usually be relied upon to get in behind the opposition and cause problems with his trickery, but he completed zero dribbles and thus gave the Wolves back four little to worry about all game.

Being deployed as a central striker, the Everton ace showed his instinct as a wide man to drift out to the wing and whip in a cross – he did this twice, but neither were accurate – and, while his new role offers him more opportunities to have a pop at goal, he took zero shots and so failed to trouble Rui Patricio.

Offering little to his team on the front foot, the attacker did still work his socks off as he chased down every ball and made four tackles – the most in his side.

The pressure is rising on Silva to start delivering results more consistently – the Merseyside outfit sit ninth in the table but have lost five of their last eight in all competitions.

There is no doubt that the winger is far more effective on, well, the wing, and Director of Football Marcel Brands’ failure to bring in a competent striker to relieve him of his centre-forward duties is really starting to cost both Richarlison and Silva.

Who is West Ham’s worst ever signing? Check out the video below for a pretty strong candidate for the dubious honour…

West Ham United have been dealt a huge setback in their bid to secure a deal to bring Mohamed Bayo to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Alan Nixon, with The Sun journalist revealing on Twitter that Clermont Foot will not be sanctioning the sale of the centre-forward this month, as the French club require the 23-year-old’s services in their battle to avoid relegation from Ligue 1.

Previous reports had claimed that Clermont were demanding a figure in the region of €20m (£17m) in order to part with the Guinea international this month, with a number of English clubs – including West Ham – believed to have made contact with the French outfit regarding a deal for the striker.

However, according to Nixon’s latest update, a move for the player now appears to be off the table in January, with the journalist stating: “West Ham. Brighton. Southampton. Won’t get striker Bayo from Clermont this season. Now needed to avoid relegation.”

Moyes will be fuming

Considering just how impressive Bayo has been in France this season, and with West Ham desperately lacking any real strength in depth at centre-forward, the news that Clermont are no longer considering cashing in on the 23-year-old this month is sure to have left David Moyes fuming.

Indeed, over his 17 Ligue 1 appearances so far this season, the £9m-rated forward has been in remarkable form, having already scored nine goals, registered two assists and created three big chances for his team-mates, as well as taking 2.3 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £5.2k-per-week hitman average a superb SofaScore match rating of 7.00, ranking him as his club’s second-best performer in the French top flight, while his nine goals rank him as the joint-seventh highest scorer in the division overall.

As such, when taking into account that Moyes only has the injury-prone Michail Antonio as an option at centre-forward, Bayo would very much have seemed to be a welcome addition to the 58-year-old’s attacking arsenal at the London Stadium.

However, following Nixon’s latest update, it would now look as if the Scot will need to turn his attention elsewhere in the transfer market in his bid to secure attacking reinforcements, something which will undoubtedly come as a gutting blow to the West Ham manager.

In other news: Transfer insider reveals West Ham have “looked at” signing £25m beast, fans surely buzzing

As per a report in the paper edition of The Mirror (28.01.21, pg. 58, via The 72), there has been an update on West Ham United’s search for a goalkeeper involving England international Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: West Ham make summer bid…

According to reliable sources, the Irons and manager David Moyes actually made an offer to sign Johnstone in the summer window.

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However, as backed by The Athletic, their attempt was swiftly turned down by The Baggies as West Ham then turned their attention to signing Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan.

Johnstone is set to leave the Hawthorns at the end of this campaign with his deal expiring this summer, and after his manager Valerien Ismael left him out of the squad to face Preston North End on Wednesday due to an ‘internal’ issue (Birmingham Live), as well as Millwall today, it appears the Irons could be back in for him.

The Latest: West Ham ‘could make a last minute move’…

As per The Mirror (via The 72), West Ham ‘could make a last minute move’ for Johnstone before the transfer window’s closure.

However, Moyes and head of recruitment Rob Newman aren’t the only parties interested, with both Spurs and Southampton also apparently in the picture.

The Verdict: Priority?

Given first team shot stopper Lukasz Fabianski is reportedly close to signing a new deal, not to mention West Ham’s option to buy for Areola, we believe signing a keeper should be at the bottom of Moyes’ list of priorities this month.

As the window draws to a close, it is imperative that the Irons make headway in signing a potential new forward or centre-half with Newman apparently given these tasks as priorities.

Johnstone, despite being called ‘world class’ by Wolves legend Steve Bull, should definitely be put on the back burner until summer if he is indeed still available by then.

In other news: ‘Another new one emerging’ – Sky Sports journalist breaks transfer news out of West Ham, find out more here.

Newcastle United haven’t always found goalscoring particularly easy at times this season, with the Magpies going through 31 Premier League games with just 34 scored.

One player in Newcastle’s squad who has had a particularly dry season in front of goal is Miguel Almiron.

With 25 appearances to his name across all competitions, the 28-year-old – who has been described as a “popular” figure at the club by Don Goodman – has failed to score a goal or provide an assist for his team.

In addition to his lack of goal contributions, the Paraguayan’s overall performances have been rather lacklustre, with WhoScored giving him a season rating of 6.34/10, making him one of the lowest-rated players currently in Eddie Howe’s squad.

With the summer transfer window on the horizon once the current season ends, it seems as though the Toon could be looking at signing one man who could perhaps be a replacement for the misfiring Almiron.

According to UOL (via Sport Witness) Newcastle are interested in signing Everton attacker Richarlison during the upcoming transfer window.

They also claimed that the Toffees would be looking to recoup a transfer fee of €80m (£67m) for their Brazilian star.

In 145 appearances for the Merseyside club across all competitions, the 24-year-old has scored 49 goals and provided 13 assists along the way, showing how deadly he can be in front of goal.

This is backed up by what former Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti had to say about the attacker when he claimed that Richarlison “rarely misses a chance” and is a “complete” player.

With the Brazilian having made three times as many key passes as the Newcastle dud in this campaign, also creating more chances and making more passes into the final third, the Toffees maestro has proved himself to be a much more creative player than Almiron.

To have a player of the Everton star’s attacking quality and calibre in their squad would surely give the Magpies some much-needed creative and attacking strength on the pitch.

If the club decides to call an end to Almiron’s time at St James’ Park in the summer, then launching a move to sign the Everton attacker should very much be in their thinking if they want to land an upgrade.

In other news – Possession lost 20 times: “Huge” Newcastle flop was Howe’s glaring liability against Wolves

Ibrox giants Rangers are reportedly closing in on their first signing of the upcoming transfer window as Giovanni van Bronckhorst already gets to work…

What’s the talk?

According to DH Les Sports, the Gers are in ‘notable’ talks to sign Zulte Waregem defensive midfielder Abdoulaye Sissako this summer.

The report claims that the Belgian outfit want to extend his contract by another year but the player is keen to leave and is now engaging in discussions with the Scottish giants as he looks to make the switch to Glasgow.

Gio will surely be buzzing

Gio van Bronckhorst will surely be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it shows that Ross Wilson is already hard at work at trying to improve the Dutchman’s squad heading into next season. Despite there being plenty still to play for this term, the Gers chief is making calls and planning ahead to ensure that business is done as quickly as possible once the window opens.

This will, hopefully, give Rangers the best chance of having a successful summer as it will prevent them from rushing around at the end of August and panic-buying players. Van Bronckhorst will, therefore, be delighted with the proactive approach from his sporting director.

He will also be buzzing with the prospect of a promising addition to the team. Sissako has made 2.5 tackles and interceptions and won 4.4 duels per game for Waregem, whilst also completing 81% of his passes. This suggests that he is reliable in possession and is a battler in the middle of the park as he attempts to win the ball back on a regular basis.

The gem has been capped 14 times by France at U19 level and racked up 58 matches in the top-flight of Belgian football, after playing 36 matches in Ligue 2 for Auxerre. This shows that he has a wealth of experience at a decent standard of football.

At the age of 23, he also has the potential to improve as a player. Van Bronckhorst can get excited by the prospect of working with the Frenchman to develop his game over the course of the season, and future campaigns, whilst having him compete with the likes of James Sands, Ryan Jack and John Lundstram for a spot in the starting XI.

He appears on course to be the club’s first signing of the summer window and van Bronckhorst will surely be delighted if that is the case…

AND in other news, Body blow: Van Bronckhorst now set for huge Rangers disaster over £27k-p/w “rock”…

Former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips believes Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff could be a good summer signing by the Baggies.

The Lowdown: Longstaff a bit-part player

The 24-year-old has struggled to be a key man for the Magpies this season, making just 11 starts in the Premier League and only playing one full 90 minutes since January.

It could be that Eddie Howe is happy for Longstaff to leave in the summer transfer window when his current deal expires, especially with Newcastle newly rich after their big-money takeover, allowing for high-profile signings to come in.

West Brom have been linked with a move for the defensive midfielder in the recent past, as they look to bounce next season after a hugely disappointing Championship campaign.

The Latest: Phillips wants move to happen

Speaking to West Brom News, Phillips claimed Longstaff could be an ideal summer addition at the Hawthorns, with the Englishman available on a free transfer:

“I think he’s shown that he can play in the Premier League.

“So there will be no doubt he would be able to perform in the Championship, and a side like West Brom could really suit him. If whoever is in charge can get them playing that silky football that has been played there over the years then he is a player who would suit that style.

“For me, I think he needs to go somewhere that suits him where he can go and play week in, week out because there’s no doubt he has the qualities and he has the experience of the Premier League.

“It would be a good move for him and the club.”

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The Verdict: Good summer signing

The biggest stumbling block against Longstaff joining the Baggies is whether or not he is happy to drop down to the Championship, having got 73 Premier League appearances to his name now.

If he is content with dropping down a division, though, he could be a great signing, having once been praised by Pep Guardiola after Newcastle beat Manchester City 2-1 back in 2019.

Longstaff has averaged 2.3 tackles per game in the league this season – no West Brom player has averaged more in the Championship – and his top-flight experience could be invaluable, not to mention already working with Steve Bruce during his time in charge at St James’ Park.

In other news, West Brom are reportedly set for talks over the signing of one player. Find out who it is here.

Wolves are looking to sign a new striker before the end of the January transfer window, according to reliable journalist Sami Mokbel.

The Lowdown: Wolves continue impressive form

Wanderers picked up yet another impressive Premier League win on Saturday afternoon, battling their way to a 2-1 victory away to Brentford. Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves were the goalscoring heroes for Wolves, who have now won four games in a row in all competitions.

Despite Bruno Lage’s side excelling at the moment, there could still be a need to bring in new players, ensuring that they keep improving the squad and move in the right direction.

The Latest: Journalist talks up striker move

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Mokbel claimed Wolves are after a striker this month in order to add more firepower in the final third.

He said: “A striker for them, I’m sure, would be at the forefront of Bruno Lage’s mind. Jimenez is back, but they certainly want more goals and more of a different kind of threat than he would offer, as good as a player he is.”

The Verdict: Makes complete sense

While Wolves have been increasingly strong as the season has progressed, they certainly haven’t been renowned for their goalscoring prowess.

They have only scored 19 times in 21 league games – 19th-placed Watford have four more – and both Hwang Hee-chan and Raul Jimenez lead the way with just four goals apiece, highlighting the need for more ammunition in attack.

With Adama Traore seeming likely to join Tottenham, the money should hopefully be there to spend on a striker in January if that deal goes through during the week, hopefully making Wolves even more potent in the process.

In other news, some Wolves fans love footage that has emerged from the win over Brentford. Read more here.

Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol has dropped some big Everton transfer news on Tanguy Ndombele while speaking live on TV.

The Lowdown: On his way out

There have been a number of reports linking Ndombele with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur before the January transfer window shuts, but there is still a question over where he is going to end up.

He has The Sun).

Nonetheless, it looks as if he will certainly leave North London before the window closes, and the Goodison Park faithful now seem to be in with a shout.

The Latest: Solhekol update

Speaking live on Sky Sports’ The Transfer Show (via The Transfer Centre – 17:24pm), Solhekol has revealed that the Merseyside club are now among the clubs interested in taking Ndombele on loan for the rest of the season, although he is more likely to return to France, with PSG lurking:

“Tanguy Ndombele has been told he can move on loan. PSG have been in talks to sign him. 

“I was told this afternoon that Everton are also one of the clubs that are interested in taking him on loan. 

“But I think, as far as the player is concerned, it’s much more likely that he would want to return to France. So PSG I think are in pole position if he is to leave Spurs.”

The Verdict: Avoid

Of course, it is big for the Toffees that they are even mentioned in the same conversation as PSG in terms of Ndombele’s potential next destination, but he is a player that they should avoid signing, even on loan.

The Frenchman earns over £200,000-per-week at Hotspur Way, and the Blues would likely be asked to pay a large proportion of that from now until the end of the season, which is simply too much money and would break their wage structure – Yerry Mina is currently their highest earner on only £120,000-per-week.

Nonetheless, the fact that the Lilywhites would be willing to let their record signing go out on loan is not a good sign, and is testament to Ndombele’s poor form and attitude at THFC, where he has only managed to score six goals and make five assists in total in the Premier League since his arrival (Transfermarkt).

Thus, especially without a permanent manager being put in place as of now, the EFC board must look elsewhere for more reliable options.

In other news, find out what big Everton manager update Sky Sports dropped here!

Newcastle United moved 12 points clear of the bottom three in the Premier League with a dramatic win against Leicester on Sunday.

Bruno Guimaraes’ last-minute winner sealed the three points for the Toon as his double turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win for Eddie Howe.

They are now all but safe from relegation as they have given themselves a huge gap to the bottom three with six games left to play.

This means that Howe can begin to plot what he wants to do in the transfer market this summer in order to push on in 2022/23 to compete higher up in the table instead of battling against the drop.

One player who has recently been touted with the Magpies is RC Lens central midfielder Seko Fofana as PIF look to bolster the club’s options in the middle of the park.

Imagine him & Wilson

Newcastle must secure a deal to sign the Ivorian because he can form a dream partnership with Callum Wilson in black and white next term.

Fofana, who is reportedly valued at £25m, has shown off his attacking quality in Ligue 1 this season and the prospect of him and Wilson linking up with each other through the middle of the pitch is an exciting one.

Journalist Said Amdaa recently lauded the gem. He Tweeted: “Seko Fofana. Unplayable in midfield with monster activity. Recoverer/scorer. Very reliable, the captain did not miss any match with Lens. His absence from the CAN with the (Ivory Coast) cost him 1st place for this title of best AFRICAN player in L1.”

In Ligue 1, he has scored seven goals and created 1.1 chances per match for Lens, whilst also completing 1.9 dribbles per game. This shows that he has the ability to break forward from midfield to make things happen in the final third and

Wilson, meanwhile, is Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with six goals to his name in just 14 appearances. This is after he managed 12 goals and five assists in 23 starts in 2020/21 for the Toon, showing that he can be a deadly option at this level.

Now, imagine Fofana playing as a number eight or as a 10 behind Wilson up front with both of the breaking forward on the counter-attack to punish teams next season. They have both proven that they are dangerous in the final third and teams will surely be worried about facing the Magpies if they have that level of firepower in their XI.

AND in other news, NUFC could finally axe shocking £80k-p/w flop with “insane” £40m “star in the making”…