All posts by z3u9t.icu

Rangers are reportedly keen on Manchester United youngster James Garner, and if he were to join Steven Gerrard’s side at Ibrox next season, he could prove to be the ideal man to replace Glen Kamara.

It was suggested in a recent interview by Garner’s agent Steven Beck that Rangers wanted to sign the 20-year-old in January and remain keen on him ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Old Trafford academy graduate spent the first half of the season on loan with Watford in the Championship but has enjoyed a much more profitable time with Nottingham Forest, where he has contributed three goals in 14 appearances thus far, averaging an impressive 7.04 WhoScored rating for his performances.

Despite his indifferent form at Watford, former manager Vladimir Ivic was full of praise for Garner earlier in the season, saying: “He is one of the most talented players in England. He is a quality player with the ball, he knows how to move the ball fast and he thinks fast, which is very important.”

Considering that Kamara has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent weeks, with the likes of Arsenal, Leeds United and Southampton reportedly taking an interest in the Finnish international, Gerrard faces a battle to keep hold of the 25-year-old midfielder this summer.

If the former Dundee man does leave, then it will leave a hole in Rangers’ squad; and whilst Steven Davis could fill that to an extent, the 36-year-old doesn’t possess the energy of Kamara.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-rangers-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read this week’s latest Rangers news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Therefore, someone like Garner, who has impressed in a defensive midfield position with Forest this season, could be the ideal person to replace Kamara at Ibrox should the Finn depart.

In fact, the 20-year-old has arguably outperformed his Gers counterpart at times this season, with the Englishman averaging 1.7 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 0.7 dribbles per game in the Championship, compared with the Rangers midfielder’s averages of one tackle, 0.9 interceptions and 0.6 dribbles per game in the Scottish Premiership.

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776″]

Therefore, it seems clear that if Kamara does leave this summer, then Gerrard will need to seek out a replacement – and the £3.6m-rated Garner could prove to be the ideal man to succeed him, even if he does only join on a loan deal, so Ross Wilson should do everything he can to bring him to Ibrox.

In other news… Forget Assombalonga: Wilson should seal Rangers swoop for “phenomenal” beast

Lots of Wolves supporters have been talking about a potential return for Matt Doherty in the summer transfer window.

Football Insider have recently reported about Doherty, saying that Wolves are open to bringing the Irishman back to the club in the summer but only if Spurs are looking to lower their asking price for the defender in the summer.

The report states that while Nelson Semedo has shown signs of improvement after a slow start, he doesn’t offer the same sort of goal threat as Doherty did during his time at Molineux.

Doherty has made only 15 appearances in the Premier League, getting a couple of assists. He has played seven times in the Europa League too.

The former Molineux favourite is currently valued at £16.20 million, but it was at around £18 million when he arrived at the north London side.

The news about Doherty was relayed on Twitter by Talking Wolves. Lots of Wolves supporters made their views clear about a potential return for the Irishman.

What did Wolves fans make of the news about Doherty?

“Never go back….sends a negative message to the squad.”

Credit: @WV1Wolf

“If the point was to sell him to get someone else, then why are we re-signing him?? Makes no sense. If this is true, it is absolutely ridiculous.”

Credit: @iamrockymstar

“Given the reports of us having limited transfer funds, I don’t see this happening, not a priority.”

Credit: @GavinderPawar

“No thanks. Semedo is better and hoever has a higher ceiling. Never go backwards.”Credit: @k3ym4n6″I think this is bad business I would only play him as a midfielder.”Credit: @SamCl0ver”The buying him basically means a mistake was made selling him. Nuno is too stubborn and obstinate to admit that.”Credit: @Gregvegas67In other news, Wolves are looking to sign a Real Madrid youth graduate – read more here.

Romanian journalist Emanuel Rosu has revealed that Slavia Prague’s claim that a Glasgow Rangers player racially abused Nicolae Stanciu is so far totally unconfirmed.

Rosu provides Stanciu update

The fall-out from the Europa League round of 16 clash between the Gers and the Czechia champions continues. Glen Kamara had previously accused Ondrej Kudela of racially abusing him, and recently Slavia revealed their own player had also been discriminated against (eFotbal.cz).

However, on Twitter, Rosu said:

“It’s unconfirmed so far.”

Late

Any allegation of racism or discrimination must be taken seriously. Regardless of Slavia’s total denial of the abuse directed towards midfielder Kamara without so much as an investigation (slavia.cz), any horrific words towards their own player cannot be swept under the carpet.

What is surprising, though, is the delay in the emergence of these claims. The Gers faced Slavia on March 18th, which is now 13 days ago. As soon as Kudela approached Kamara during the match itself, it was quite clear he had said something aggressive towards the Finland international. However, it was first claimed eight days after the fact that £4.05m-valued Stanciu (Transfermarkt) was insulted in some way. Unfortunately, given how defensive Slavia have been throughout the whole saga, it is hard not to ask questions.

Hopefully, UEFA act quickly to sort out this whole sorry chaos.

In other news, Rangers fans react to this billboard vandalism.

In recent comments, the agent of Illan Meslier, Xavier Fleury, discussed potential interest in the Leeds United goalkeeper, as well as hinting at the shot-stopper’s future exit from Elland Road.

Since arriving at Leeds on what was originally a season-long loan deal in the summer of 2019 – with the club making Meslier’s signing permanent in a £5.85 million deal last summer – the 21-year-old has so far gone on to feature 36 times for the Whites, conceding 48 goals and keeping 15 clean sheets along the way.

So far this season, despite his tender age, the £10.8 million-rated Frenchman has highly impressed over his 25 Premier League appearances for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, making an average of four saves and per game, as well as averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.04 – ranking him as the club’s sixth-best performer in the top flight.

And, speaking recently on the LUFC Fan Zone podcast, as cited by Leeds Live, Fleury claimed that a number of big clubs could be interested in signing the France U21 international, as well opening the door to the ‘keepers potential exit from the club.

He said: “When you are so young, the youngest starting goalkeeper in Europe, for sure, big clubs could be interested, following him. Illan is starting at Leeds. He loves the club. Perhaps in one, two seasons, if you have a club like Real Madrid that knock on the door, who knows?”

Transfer Tavern Take

With Leeds not exactly having great strength in depth in the goalkeeper department – Kiko Casilla being Bielsa’s back up shot-stopper, with the club losing all three games the 34-year-old has featured in this season – keeping Meslier at the club is likely to be a priority for the Whites this summer.

However, with Fleury claiming that the 21-year-old is currently loving life at Elland Road, it would appear as if the Frenchman is in no rush to leave any time soon, which is likely to be very pleasing news for both Bielsa as well as fans of the club.

In other news, Phil Hay shed light on this Leeds star’s contract details – find out more here!

As Rangers near their 55th SPFL title after a comfortable 3-0 win over St Mirren at Ibrox, many Gers fans were wowed by the performance of defender Connor Goldson – taking to social media and applauding the Englishman for a fine display. 

The 28-year-old, who partnered centre-back Filip Helander this afternoon, stunned many supporters with his showing at points – with Steven Gerrard’s men now closing in on 55 and only needing arch rivals Celtic to drop points tomorrow against Dundee United.

Goldson helped the Gers to a crucial three points in their quest to clinch a first league triumph since 2010/2011, with their long ten-year wait for a title likely to come to a close soon – if not this weekend depending on how their rivals perform on Sunday.

Flocking to the praise the centre-back for his performance, it’s safe to say the Ibrox faithful were impressed – dropping all of their verdicts on him through social media.

Rangers fans blown away by Goldson

“That was another Connor Goldson masterclass”

Credit: @Pena_Cartel

“Goldson turned into Messi”

Credit: @Stephen32789781

“Goldson unleashing his inner Bougherra”

Credit: @revanite72

“Connor Goldson is spectacular.”

Credit: @RakoTuke

“Connor Goldson. Player of the year.”

Credit: @Seanboy1872

“Conor Goldson, Rangers Legend. Can’t be anything less surely???”

Credit: @DylxnHxwarth

Goldson has been magnificent today

Credit: @macdonald1872

Connor goldson player of the year, won’t hear any different.

Credit: @RhysS98

In other news: Gers fans also loved these Gerrard comments, find out more here.

David Sullivan can help West Ham United secure European football for next season with a January deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour on loan.

What’s the word?

According to The Mirror, David Moyes is awaiting word on whether Gilmour has an immediate future at Stamford Bridge following the appointment of Thomas Tuchel.

Frank Lampard had admitted prior to his sacking that the 19-year-old could leave south west London on a temporary deal this month, having left the door open for the Blues product to secure more regular first-team football after only being given a peripheral role this season.

Gilmour earned what was only his sixth outing of the campaign in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Luton Town in the FA Cup last weekend, while playing just 34 minutes of Premier League football to date.

Tuchel opted to omit Gilmour from his first matchday squad in charge of the Stamford Bridge natives against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night, potentially offering Moyes hope of being able to seal a late deal for the £7m-rated prospect.

Should West Ham sign Gilmour?

Moyes looking to add depth to his central midfield options would not be the worst idea for the West Ham boss to explore ahead of Monday’s deadline, as the Irons currently only have Mark Noble on hand to provide cover for Declan Rice and man of the moment Tomas Soucek.

Gilmour would perhaps not be expected to displace either of Rice or Soucek in the starting line-up, but he would surely be a great partner for either player and would bring something to the table if needed with the youngster heavily praised for his performances under Lampard.

Lampard threw Gilmour straight in at the deep end when handed only his third Blues start at home to Liverpool in the FA Cup last March, yet he barely looked out of place against Jurgen Klopp’s would-be Premier League champions.

His efforts saw Gilmour named the Man of the Match, having looked to bring play forward rather than shriek into the shadows of his more experienced teammates to earn a wealth of praise from BBC Sport pundits Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Ian Wright.

“A lot of the time I’ve seen Chelsea this season, yes they have good possession in Jorginho and the way he passes it, but he hasn’t done what this young boy has done in terms of getting the ball and passing it forward,” Shearer said, via quotes by the Daily Record.

“That’s been his first thought. Not only that but he’s protected that back-four magnificently. Everything he’s done has been spot on: the tackling, the timing of the tackles, setting Chelsea forward, the confidence.”

Praise continued to flow after Gilmour retained a place in the starting XI to pull the strings as Chelsea beat Everton 4-0 with Roy Keane noting, via quotes by football.london: “We said it’ll be a test for him because sometimes you get the plaudits in the first game but now he’s got to do it week in, week out.

“He makes the game look easy, he looks forward, he’s got his head swivelling, looking over the shoulder, he was very positive with his passing. I bet he’s wondering what the fuss is around him, he makes it look very easy.”

That sort of talent does not disappear overnight so, while he may not have played much this season, there should be no reason why Gilmour could not add something to Moyes’ unit at West Ham.

The Irons would kick themselves if they passed up on signing Gilmour and something befell Rice or Soucek and the chance to qualify for Europe goes away, with the London Stadium natives currently fighting for a potential top-four finish on merit as the third-best team on form since Christmas.

AND in other news, West Ham are working on a deal to sign a £13.5m-rated striker on loan…

Some Liverpool fans reacted to reports that backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher could be offered a new contract.

According to the Irish Examiner, manager Jurgen Klopp is keen to have the 22-year-old stay at the club for the near future having had an impressive season so far.

Kelleher leapfrogged teammate Adrian to the number two spot and put in a sensational performance during his side’s 1-0 win over Ajax during the Champions League Group Stage – he finished with the highest match rating of any player on the pitch with an 8.1, having made four total saves.

From four appearances in all competitions, the Irish youngster has accumulated an average match rating of 7.17, with 3.8 saves per game and 3.5 of those being inside the penalty area (Whoscored).

Because of this, supporters were heavily in favour of Kelleher being offered a new deal in light of his current contract coming to an end in June next year.

Kelleher set for lucrative reward

“Boy does this kid deserve it”

Credit: @PhilPhenom

“Nice! Our future young lad”

Credit: @muhdkhairulnidz

“Deserved”

Credit: @danyoung91

“Good fantastic talent… Hopefully, he gets more games”

Credit: @lathamphil1

“Good he’s a good back up and if he leaves FSG would probably go get Andy Lonergan as back up again”

Credit: @tartanmarvel89

“Could well end up as No.1 in the future”

Credit: @johnsimmonds13

In other news, Liverpool fans react as FSG refuse to sanction £35m fee for January deadline day deal.

Despite Timothy Fosu-Mensah’s recent departure to Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester United still have a lot of work to do over the course of the January transfer window.

The Red Devils find themselves in the Premier League title race this season, and if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side do intend to get their hands on the elusive trophy then they should also look to offload a large chunk of the deadwood that is bogging them down.

What’s the word?

According to Argentine journalist Nahuel Ferreira, via Sport Witness, £16m man Marcos Rojo ‘seeks to terminate his contract’ with the Red Devils.

Whilst several reports have suggested Boca Juniors are leading the race to sign the former Argentina international on a free transfer, it’s claimed Mexican side Cruz Azul have held initial discussions with his representatives over a possible move.

However, Ferreira suggested United have still yet to decide whether or not they will allow Rojo to leave in this transfer window, although the club have apparently confirmed his current deal will not be renewed.

What are they waiting for?

Ed Woodward has done a pretty decent job when it comes to shifting some of the deadwood with the likes of Fosu-Mensah, Alexis Sanchez and Chris Smalling all heading for the Old Trafford exit in recent times.

However, much of the same old mediocrity still remains to this day, none more so than the out of favour defender Rojo, who has fallen down the pecking order under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is quite frankly a waste of time, energy and resources.

Once tipped for greatness by Louis van Gaal – say no more – it’s fair to say that Rojo’s career hasn’t quite panned out as he might have expected.

The 30-year-old, who has to be seen as wasting the Glazers’ money considering he earns around £80,000-per-week at Old Trafford, has not made a first-team appearance for more than a year and has been deemed surplus to requirements by Solskjaer with his last outing coming by way of the 3-1 victory over Brighton back in November 2019.

Solskjaer could look to offload the £5.4m-rated outcast and use his excessive wages to sign another big-name defender, with Dayot Upamecano reportedly at the top of his list of transfer targets.

It’s sad to say it, but the stats don’t lie and it seems like he’s served his purpose at Old Trafford. He hasn’t played a Premier League game in over a year and has made just one appearance in the Super Liga this season during an injury-stricken campaign in his homeland.

Just last season, he only averaged two clearances per game in three top-flight appearances, which is way below the six he was averaging in the 2017-18 season and the 6.8 he was producing the season prior to that, which seems to suggest he is well past his prime.

With Upamecano and Nikola Milenkovic two long-term targets, it’s almost certain Rojo will be forced to make room, particularly following the rise to prominence of Axel Tuanzebe this season.

United should just rid themselves of Rojo once and for all, even if they have to take a substantial hit.

AND in other news, Manchester United must offload Jesse Lingard in January…

Manchester United came from behind to secure a dramatic comeback victory over Southampton as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side stunned the Saints at St Mary’s.

Ralph Hassenhuttl’s men went ahead with a bullet header from Jan Bendarek before James Ward-Prowse scored a stunning free kick to extend the lead.

But United bounced back after the break as Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani combined to halve the deficit. The Uruguayan striker was a constant thorn in Hasenhuttl’s side, teeing up Fernandes for the first goal and he followed this up with a well-timed header to tie the game.

The 33-year-old then scored in stoppage time to secure what could prove to be a vital three points as the Red Devils moved into the top half of the table, five points behind Premier League leaders Tottenham with a game in hand.

Cavani may have turned the tide and Fernandes certainly pulled the strings, but Nemanja Matic was the surprise standout as Solskjaer’s side staged a remarkable comeback to break the Saints’ hearts.

Solskjaer has often been criticised for playing two holding midfielders so far this season but Matic played a pivotal role in rescuing what looked like an unlikely three points for United.

Speaking after the game, Fernandes praised the performance of his teammate, as he said: “Donny played a really good game but Fred and Nema were really important to us. They worked and they worked and they were two players who calmed down the game and moved the ball. In the second half, that was crucial, they recovered a lot of balls and they ran a lot.”

Per SofaScore, Matic received a high rating of 7.3 out of ten for his efforts – the highest out of any United player in the starting line-up – as he made three tackles, five interceptions and won seven out of his nine duels overall (77%), whilst he completed two out of three successful dribble attempts, produced 61 out of 72 passes (85%), took 87 touches of the ball and was fouled once, which suggests that he was a useful attacking asset too.

Likewise, The Daily Express gave the colossus a similar score, claiming he ‘played an increasing role in giving United platform to attack without so much fear of a counter.’

Whilst Cavani is the centre of attention, the 32-year-old’s contributions cannot go unnoticed. He acted as an anchor to the defence and formed a part of the supply chain for the front three, and didn’t stray too far from his position either.

Paul Pogba was once again conspicuous by his absence from the squad which has cast fresh doubts over his future at Old Trafford but when Matic puts in a defensive shift like this, you do have to ask the question, is it any wonder?

AND in other news, Manchester United must cash in on Timothy Fosu-Mensah in January…

West Ham United have been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of Omar Richards after the Reading full-back sustained an injury at the worst possible moment for David Moyes.

What’s the word?

According to Berkshire Live, the Royals have been hit by a triple injury setback with Richards and top-scorers Lucas Joao and Yakou Meite set for a spell on the sidelines over the festive period.

Reading maintained their push for Premier League promotion with a 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, but lost Richards when the 22-year-old was forced off with a hamstring injury just 27 minutes into his 18th appearance of the second-tier season.

News of Richards’ issue will be irksome at the London Stadium, where club chiefs are reportedly paying close attention to the £1.35m-rated left-back’s situation with Reading considering cashing in on their rising star, whose contract is due to expire in the summer.

Richards is in discussions over penning a new four-year deal, but if terms are not agreed by late January, it is said Reading will look to offload the rumoured West Ham and Crystal Palace target tracked by several Premier League sides including Wolves, Newcastle and Southampton.

Moyes will be particularly dismayed to hear of Richards’ injury as he weighs up a winter pursuit, having lost Arthur Masuaku for the foreseeable future after the DR Congo international underwent career-saving surgery on a knee injury.

Former Leeds United forward Noel Whelan believes Masuaku’s operation comes as a “worst nightmare” scenario for Moyes, having called on the 27-year-old to start 10 Premier League games this season.

Injured at the worst possible time

An impressive showing from Richards over the festive period could have sealed the London-born left-back a move to West Ham in January, but he may now find his route back to the capital blocked through no fault of his own.

Richards has impressed in the Championship this season as an integral aspect of Veljko Paunovic’s promotion-chasing plans, having missed just four minutes of action over his first 17 appearances before limping off in game 18.

The 22-year-old is yet to score or assist but has created three big chances for the Royals to find the back of the net while averaging 0.6 key balls and 0.3 shots a match. He has also averaged 77.7 touches a game, plus 38 accurate passes and 0.8 accurate crosses, per SofaScore.

His defensive efforts of 2.7 successful tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.5 clearances a game have further helped to six clean sheets while winning a mammoth 7.4 duels shared between 6.6 on the ground and 0.8 in the air with 66% and 50% success rates respectively.

His career trajectory was certainly on the up before the injury, and a Premier League future is almost guaranteed for Richards, regardless of Reading’s promotion hopes, but it remains to be seen if West Ham will be the destination for the man former Royals boss Mark Bowen once lauded for being “outstanding”.

AND in other news, a £27m-rated West Ham dud is playing on borrowed time after a shocking showing at Leeds United.