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A lot of the talk around north London this week has been surrounding Tanguy Ndombele’s future at Tottenham Hotspur and just days away from the derby, there is all sorts coming out behind the scenes.

Indeed, the Frenchman has been subject to controversy once again, with reports suggesting that the club are trying to move him on before Deadline Day on January 31st.

He was booed off during their FA Cup third-round victory over Morecambe on Sunday afternoon. He went straight down the tunnel after being substituted in the second half and the more raucous the crowd’s reaction was, the slower he trudged off.

A shocking sign from your club-record signing when the team was 1-0 down at the time. It’s hard to imagine any way back for him now. But we’ve been here before under both Jose Mourinho and Nuno Santo.

In fact, some reports suggest that he isn’t even unhappy at the club and it will be hard enough to find an exit strategy for him when he’s rolling in £200k-per-week.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world if he did stay as he’s certainly been better than his fellow club-record arrival, Giovani Lo Celso, who in his absence delivered another shocking display during their Carabao Cup semi-final exit earlier in the week.

The Argentine playmaker, who also cost Spurs around £55m from Real Betis in August 2019, has shown an inability to beat the first man with his set-pieces – leading to a parody account being made on social media about his mistakes – whilst he has very rarely contributed in front of goal.

As per Transfermarkt, the 25-year-old midfielder has provided only eight goals and six assists across 83 appearances, nearly lower than the total number of yellow cards he’s received (13). That is a direct goal contribution of once every six matches (or once every 327 minutes).

Ndombele by comparison is clear as an attacking option. He has managed a goal or assist once every 4.7 games (or once every 271 minutes), also via Transfermarkt.

As you can see by those figures alone, the disgraced Frenchman is way, way clear of his fellow expensive flop.

Lo Celso does earn less on around £70k-per-week but that doesn’t excuse the fact that he has been absolutely stealing a living from the club, more so than Ndombele.

Now valued at just €30m (£25m) by CIES Football Observatory, perhaps it is the Argentina international who needs to be axed this month. After two-and-a-half years at the club, he is yet to show much promise at all and his stats being worse than Ndombele’s is certainly alarming.

Once dubbed “phenomenal” by Mourinho, Lo Celso’s time at Spurs must be waring thin after another disappointing outing.

AND in other news, Forget Gollini: £74k-p/w Spurs calamity who had only 21 touches failed Conte yet again…

Speaking live on Sky Sports, reporter Dharmesh Sheth has shared some transfer news out of Tottenham Hotspur involving AC Milan star Franck Kessie.

The Lowdown: Top Spurs target…

As reported in recent weeks, the Ivory Coast star is well and truly a target for Spurs and manager Antonio Conte as the Italian seeks to kickstart the N17 rebuild.

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The Telegraph have most recently backed that the Lilywhites and transfer chief Fabio Paratici are considering a move for Kessie before Janaury 31 to avoid a free agent bidding war in the summer.

His San Siro contract expires at the end of this season but Spurs apparently want to get ahead of the competition and sign a player high on Conte’s agenda.

Sharing news on live TV, Sky have now dropped their own update as they back Tottenham’s interest.

The Latest: Sky drop Kessie to Spurs claim…

Sheth, speaking to Sky, reiterates that Tottenham are indeed in the picture in a live-on-air transfer message.

“Another line just reaching us now as well, this was mooted us to by Sky Italy’s Gianluca Di Marzio, you remember, in our Christmas special,” he explained.

“Tottenham manager Antonio Conte a long term admirer of Franck Kessie.

“Tottenham, we’re told, are interested in a deal to sign Kessie in this transfer window, I’ve just messaged Di Marzio just now as well.

“He’s come back very, very quickly – I said ‘look, what’s the latest with Kessie’ and he seems to think there’s a possibility of PSG as well as this Tottenham interest.”

The Verdict: Mixed update…

News of a reliable source backing Tottenham’s interest in the player will come as potentially promising, but the presence of financial powerhouses and Ligue 1 giants PSG in the race could come as a slight blow.

There is little arguing that Kessie’s addition would be a welcome boost for Conte given the midfielder has bagged an impressive 19 goals since the start of 2020/2021 and could leave for much lower than his estimated £43.2 million valuation (Transfermarkt).

Conte’s big name manager status and the pull of the Premier League could be enough to sway the African star as clubs form an orderly queue, but it will be interesting to see if Spurs do in fact win the signing race.

In other news: Spurs allegedly ‘edging closer’ to signing ‘massive’ £15m defender, find out more here.

Celtic pundit Frank McAvennie believes the Hoops will sign a defender after a move for Matt O’Riley is finalised, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: O’Riley move; another forward wanted

The Hoops have already made four signings in 2022 and are closing in on a fifth in O’Riley.

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The MK Dons midfielder has passed a Celtic medical and looks set to join in a deal worth £1.5m, with the Hoops pipping a number of clubs to the Englishman’s services.

A source recently informed Football Insider that Celtic also want two wide forwards before the end of the month, one of which is expected to be Jota, however, McAvennie thinks Ange Postecoglou should now be looking at defensive reinforcements.

The Latest: McAvennie comments

McAvennie was talking to Football Insider regarding the source’s claim on new attackers.

He urged Postecoglou to look at the club’s defensive ranks and backed the Hoops manager to bring in a defender before the month is out.

“Strikers are great, I just think we’re a bit short at the back.

“Jullien isn’t back from his injury yet and even when he’s back it will take a while for him to get back up to speed.

“If he’s going to be missing, I would like to see the club go out and bring in another centre-back.

“I think the manager is clever enough to know that’s what he needs so, yeah, I think that will happen soon.

“We have such a talented attack and midfield now. I would just like to see a little bit more quality and depth in the defence.

“Take nothing away from Starfelt and Carter-Vickers, I thought they were both good against Hibs.

“But we are one injury away from the defence being a little bit shaky, in my opinion.”

The Verdict: Left-back?

Should Celtic make Cameron Carter-Vickers’ loan move permanent and keep hold of Stephen Welsh, then they will have more than enough when it comes to centre-backs options.

However, if Adam Montgomery leaves on loan, as expected, and Boli Bolingoli finds a new club, then the Hoops could do with a new left-back.

Greg Taylor would be the only recognised left-back remaining if Montgomery and Bolingoli depart, and although Josip Juranovic can provide cover from right-back a new left-back to rival Taylor could be a shrewd move.

In other news: ‘Wolves are…’ – Journalist makes big claim with Celtic gem now wanted at Molineux. 

An update has emerged on Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield, regarding plans for his future at Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

According to the Glasgow Evening Times [29 January, page 47], the Gers are poised to enter contract talks with the Canada international.

His contract is up at the end of the season and the Scottish giants now want to offer him fresh terms in an attempt to keep him at the club moving forward.

GvB needs it

Gio van Bronckhorst will be buzzing with this news as he needs Arfield to put pen to paper on a contract extension before his deal expires in the summer.

The 33-year-old has dipped in and out of form this season and there have been moments where it has looked as if he needs replacing. He has lost 59% of his duels this term and missed a whopping five ‘big chances’ in front of goal, which highlights some of the issues he has had throughout the campaign.

However, just when you may think his time is up at Ibrox he pops up with another moment to show why he needs to stay. He came off the bench against Livingston earlier this week and scored the winning goal with a sublime first-time, improvised, finish into the far corner in a 1-0 win for the Gers, proving that he still has it in him to be a huge player for the club.

Earlier this month, van Bronckhorst admitted that he does not want to see the veteran leave at the end of the campaign, saying: “Scott is an important player to have around. He is definitely someone I want to have longer at Rangers.

“Hopefully we can welcome him next season as well.”

The £16k-per-week beast is still capable of producing moments of magic to win vital points for Rangers and that is why the Dutch head coach needs this key deal to go through. Arfield still has value to offer to the Light Blues and Ross Wilson must ensure that he is able to agree terms with the midfielder over a contract extension in the coming weeks and months.

Hopefully, the ex-Burnley man will continue to provide big goals to help Rangers on their way to another Premiership title and can then celebrate with the trophy and a new contract to head into the 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news, Rangers could replicate Amad masterclass with swoop for “exceptional” £3.1k-p/w gem…

Aston Villa made the surprise signing of Steven Gerrard’s former Liverpool teammate, Philippe Coutinho, from Barcelona in January, and not only will his talent and ability surely have a fantastic impact on the side’s Premier League season, but he could also become hugely influential to the players around him.

The 29-year-old has already scored for the Villans on his debut in the eventful 2-2 draw to Manchester United at Villa Park last month, where he helped the side secure a point after going 1-0 down in the first half, scoring his goal just 13 minutes after coming onto the pitch in the 68th minute.

One player who also shone in the game against Manchester United is Jacob Ramsey, who not only opened the scoring in the second half for his team but also assisted Coutinho in his first Premier League goal in over four years.

Ramsey has been going from strength to strength at Aston Villa, with the current manager at the club being one of his biggest fans.

Gerrard hailed the £15k-per-week gem “outstanding” following his wondergoal scored against Norwich at Carrow Road in a 2-0 victory, and his progression at the club can only enhance with the arrival of Coutinho, something we saw glimpses of against Man United.

Ramsey has the world at his feet, being described as a “big talent” by scout Jacek Kulig, and as a midfielder, not only having one of the greatest central players to grace the game as his manager, but the opportunity of playing alongside Coutinho who has experience on the left wing and in attacking midfield positions, racking up 102 goals and 75 assists in his career so far.

The £13.5m-rated Birmingham born youngster was instantly put into Gerrard’s Villa first team when he took over in November, with the side now picking up 16 points from just ten games in the league since the Liverpudlian took the reigns.

Ramsey has also offered an attacking output from his position that puts him in the top 18% of Premier League goal scoring midfielders, with 0.23 goals per 90 and an xG of 0.14 per 90 minutes.

Evidently, Gerrard now has a scary duo for Aston Villa going forward, with the 20-year-old being given the best opportunity to develop into a fantastic player working with Coutinho’s influence and experience.

He can learn a lot and become part of a formidable attacking threat with the Brazilian by his side to lead the team to greater things in the future.

It will be interesting to see how the pair progress over the remaining months of the season, and how far the former Rangers boss can take his players in the future with new additions being integrated into the existing Villa squad and the continued development of young players like Ramsey.

In other news: Gerrard already planning to pounce for Bissouma

Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes there will be “serious question marks” over the future of Morgan Sanson if Aston Villa choose to sign a midfielder in the summer transfer window, as per GiveMeSport.

The Lowdown: Disappointing start

Since arriving at Villa Park in last year’s January window from Marseille, the central midfielder is yet to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

This season, the Frenchman has started just two top-flight games, coming off the bench in another four.

Although he has suffered a number of hamstring and knee injuries, Sanson has been overlooked as a midfield option when fit, with manager Steven Gerrard opting to pick the likes of John McGinn and Douglas Luiz.

This is demonstrated by the 27-year-old’s failure to feature in Villa’s last three games, despite reckoning full fitness.

The Latest: O’Rourke makes Sanson claim

O’Rourke has questioned the Frenchman’s future with Villa, with doubts significantly rising with the possibility of the club signing a new midfielder.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, he claimed:

“It’s going to be an interesting summer ahead for Sanson if he’s not able to break into the team between now and the end of the season.

“There will be serious question marks over his long-term future if Villa do bring in another midfielder, which I would fully expect them to do.”

The Verdict: Possibility he leaves…

It was well documented that Aston Villa were attempting to sign Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma in January.

Steven Gerrard recently confirmed that the club had a bid turned down for the Mali international and said that he will assess the situation again ahead of the summer.

This throws serious doubts in over Sanson’s future with Villa.

When Dean Smith brought him to the Midlands club, the former boss thought very highly of the midfielder, claiming that “he has got a big game mentality” and that “he is a great technician”.

However, Sanson may have only now until the end of the season to show why he should play a part in Gerrard’s first-team plans. With the opportunity evading him so far, a potential departure could well be on the way.

In other news: Aston Villa injury claim emerges

As per football.london, yet more contract news has come out of West Ham United with midfielder Tomas Soucek now also due to begin talks.

The Lowdown: Rush Green contract flurry…

A plethora of West Ham first-teamers have been rumoured to have new deal offers either incoming or on the table already in these last few months.

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Reports have suggested that the likes of Declan Rice and Angelo Ogbonna could be handed fresh terms with the club, whilst more recently there has also been murmurs of a bumper contract for in-form star Jarrod Bowen.

In another update out of the club, it appears they aren’t the only ones.  How this will impact the betting for the Hammers prospects in both leagues and cups next season remains to be seen, they are already finding their odds shorten for a top four finish this season.

The Latest: Soucek news emerges…

As relayed by football.london, Soucek is another name who is due to begin new deal talks with West Ham as manager David Moyes seeks to tie down his mainstays.

The Czech Republic international will have to wait until the summer for this contract offer, though, as the Irons apparently wait for confirmation of their European status next season.

The Verdict: Surprise development?

The 2021 Hammer of the Year winner has arguably been a downward trajectory since enjoying a brilliant first full campaign in east London.

His worrying run of form under Moyes this season has even drawn some comparisons with ex-Irons winger Felipe Anderson (Dave Walker, West Ham Way Podcast, via This is Futbol), but going by his plaudits from top pundits, tying him down to improved terms could still be a wise decision.

Premier League midfield legend Paul Scholes has been left in awe of the ‘sensational’ Soucek at points and we believe class is permanent when it comes to the 26-year-old, so this is a no brainer.

In other news: West Ham officials spotted in Europe as GSB eye move for ‘very special’ striker, find out more here.

Photo by Unsplash

Wolves trio Max Kilman, Joao Moutinho and Raul Jimenez struggled in the team’s agonising 2-1 defeat away to Arsenal on Thursday night.

Bruno Lage’s side faced a huge trip to the Emirates Stadium in what had the potential to be a crucial encounter in the top-four battle in the Premier League.

Hwang Hee-chang opened the scoring in the first half but Arsenal turned the game on its head late in the day, with Nicolas Pepe equalising and Jose Sa unluckily scoring a stoppage-time own goal.

According to Sofascore, these were Wolves’ three worst performers on the night, of those to have played at least 45 minutes of action.

Max Kilman – 6.4

Kilman has enjoyed an outstanding season for Wanderers but this proved to be one of his more disappointing matches of the campaign.

The 24-year-old failed to make a single tackle or interception throughout the game and he also lost possession 13 times at the Emirates.

The centre-back played no key passes either as he struggled to dictate matters at the heart of the defence.

Raul Jimenez – 6.4

Jimenez also struggled against the Gunners, as he often found himself isolated with Wolves looking to cling onto their lead.

The striker missed one big chance – a moment which ultimately proved costly – and he only won four out of his 10 ground duels, and five out of 11 aerial duels. He also picked up a late yellow card, lost possession 13 times and failed to record a key pass.

There will be better matches for the Mexican between now and the end of the season.

Joao Moutinho – 6.2

Moutinho is another player who has shone for Lage’s team in 2021/22, but his usual vast influence wasn’t on show in the middle of the park last night.

The Portuguese veteran played no accurate crosses out of three attempted and also completed just one out of three long balls, while he did not record a single key pass at the Emirates.

The 36-year-old struggled in possession throughout the night, losing the ball on 17 occasions as he ended the match as Wolves’ lowest-rated starter.

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In other news, Wolves are reportedly eyeing a summer move for one player. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United have been dealt a huge blow ahead of their upcoming Europa League round of 16 clash.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by Spanish media outlet Diario de Sevilla, who claim that, after missing Sevilla’s last two fixtures due to a muscle injury, Anthony Martial could now be in line for a return to action against David Moyes’ side on Thursday.

Speaking about the current state of the Sevilla squad, the club’s director of football, Monchi, said: “I am optimistic that between now and Thursday some of them can recover. And before the break, almost all of them.”

Moyes will be fuming

While Martial has endured something of a turbulent start to life in Spain following his loan move from Manchester United in the January transfer window – scoring one goal and registering one assist over his four appearances for Los Nervionenses before picking up an injury – should the 26-year-old indeed make it back in time for Thursday, it will undoubtedly be an outcome that will leave David Moyes fuming.

Indeed, the France international has proven to be something of a rather large thorn in West Ham’s side since his move to the Premier League back in 2015, scoring six goals – the second-most he has managed against any side – and registering five assists – the most he has provided against any team – over his 13 appearances against the East Londoners.

As such, while the current Hammers side are certainly a much better outfit than the ones Martial will have faced throughout the vast majority of his six and a half year spell at Old Trafford, the return of the £28.8m-rated forward will nevertheless come as a huge blow to West Ham’s chances of leaving the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium will a positive result on Thursday – something that is sure to have Moyes concerned in his pre-match planning.

In other news: West Ham dealt yet another huge injury blow ahead of Sevilla, Moyes will be devastated

Giovanni van Bronckhorst must unleash Fashion Sakala for Rangers against RB Leipzig in their monumental Europa League semi-final clash on Thursday evening.

On the chalkboard

Sakala arrived at the Ibrox side on a free transfer from Belgian club KV Oostende last summer under the previous manager.

Whilst it has been a period of adjustment and bedding into the Rangers ethos for the talented Zambian, whenever he has been called up to action, he has impressed.

In 43 appearances in all competitions, Sakala has scored ten times and notched five assists. This may not look eye-catching, yet he has only started for the Gers on 16 occasions, making his impact as a sub.

The highlight came against Motherwell in October where he netted a hattrick and really introduced himself to the Ibrox faithful.

Can Sakala take his opportunity?

With the news that Alfredo Morelos will miss the rest of the season due to injury, the onus is for Sakala to really step up and show Giovanni van Bronckhorst what he can do.

Following the hattrick against the Steelmen, former Rangers defender Alan Hutton expressed his delight at his performance and stated that “he’s like a firework, isn’t he? You just light him and watch him go. He’s one of these players who play at 100mph” in what was a glowing compliment to the forward.

With a major European semi-final approaching, Sakala should be let loose to run riot against Leipzig. His unpredictable nature isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing, but it works to great effect.

In the Ibrox side’s recent match against Motherwell, the forward received a SofaScore rating of 7.6, the highest of any Rangers player. He also won nine duels throughout and made two key passes, whilst also winning the penalty which secured all three points for the club.

Hopefully, van Bronckhorst starts him against the German side as history beckons for the Gers.

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