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Spurs are continuing their bid to bring Joachim Andersen to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), who claim that both Spurs and Manchester United are keeping an eye on the situation of the Olympique Lyon centre-back ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.

Sport Witness report that, as a result of Jules Kounde’s apparent reluctance to make a switch to north London this summer, Fabio Paratici could turn his attention to the Denmark international, for whom Lyon are believed to be demanding a fee of around €30m (£25.6m) in order to part with this summer.

Fans should be buzzing

While missing out on a player of Kounde’s ability is sure to be a disappointment for supporters, the fact that their club are targeting Andersen as a backup option for the Frenchman is something that should have them buzzing.

Indeed, over his 31 Premier League appearances while on loan at Fulham last season, the £19.8m-rated man helped his side keep nine clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, 4.8 clearances and winning five duels per game.

The 25-year-old also impressed in an attacking capacity for Scott Parker’s side, scoring one goal and registering one assist, as well as taking an average of 0.4 shots and making 0.3 key passes per game.

These returns saw the man Tony Gale dubbed a “sensational” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.93, ranking him as the Cottagers’ joint seventh-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, if a move for Kounde really is off of the table for Spurs this summer, the £55k-per-week Dane would very much appear to be a fantastic fallback option for Paratici. The centre-back would represent both a cheaper and more Premier League-ready option than the Sevilla star.

In other news: Spurs dealt big blow over “important” £51.5m target, Levy will be fuming

Glasgow Rangers have now been dealt yet another injury blow before their Europa League game on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: Morelos ruled out

After an injury sustained while on international duty with Colombia, the Ibrox club have revealed that Alfredo Morelos will now be out for the rest of the season. He has had to undergo surgery to his thigh and has now started a rehabilitation programme.

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Morelos will not be able to return to training with the first team until pre-season begins, so the Teddy Bears will have to play the rest of the campaign without him.

The Latest: Lowry also unavailable

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the first leg away to Braga, Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has confirmed that Alex Lowry is ‘also unavailable’ for the clash, along with Morelos and Ianis Hagi.

The youngster has seemingly picked up a late injury which now rules him out of the match in Portugal.

The Verdict: Another blow for Rangers

After the news on Morelos, it is yet another blow for the Light Blues to have Lowry unavailable. With the young striker also out, it now leaves them relatively short in that position, as Kemar Roofe will probably now be expected to lead the line.

Lowry has impressed when he has played for Rangers B this term, and as such he has been rewarded with a number of senior appearances.

Nonetheless, the 18-year-old would have been a handy squad option for Van Bronckhorst to have in Morelos’ absence, but now the Gers will have to play without either of them.

In other news, find out which RFC star would now ‘seriously consider’ leaving here!

A number of Liverpool fans have bemoaned an injury update on Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane, with the pair now doubtful to face Arsenal on Saturday.

The Reds have again been dogged by injury problems so far this season, as was the case in 2020/21. Last time around it was a plethora of defenders that Jurgen Klopp had to make do without and now it is the midfielders’ turn, with Naby Keita, James Milner, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott all currently missing.

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Not only that, but it now appears as though Henderson and Mane could now join the quartet on the sidelines.

According to the Liverpool Echo [via Anfield Edition on Twitter], the pair could both miss Saturday’s visit of Arsenal in the Premier League, having picked up injuries on international duty. They will continue to be assessed this week.

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Liverpool fans fume at injury latest

These Liverpool fans reacted to news of the club’s latest injury setback on Twitter, cursing the Reds’ luck in the fitness department.

“Pain”

Credit: @tjz_6

“Arsenal winning at Anfield will kill me off”

Credit: @Callum__Moran

“Every international duty”

Credit: @mihamiha2323

“Why is it just Liverpool players? I just don’t understand. Every international break… Can we just stop playing stupid international games.”

Credit: @docilecharizard

“Don’t care anymore fed up with it”

Credit: @Royston679

“We’re done”

Credit: @rakamavlana

In other news, some Liverpool fans have shot down an exit rumour involving one player. Read more here.

Celtic saw many players make the move to Parkhead during Peter Lawwell’s reign as the club’s chief executive.

As tends to be the case with a lot of clubs across Europe and beyond, not every deal that gets completed ends up being particularly successful.

One example of this happening at Celtic was their 2013 move for striker Teemu Pukki.

Signed during the 2013 summer transfer window on a four-year deal from Schalke worth a reported fee of £3m, the Finnish international ended up making just 38 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions.

Finding the back of the net just nine times, the centre-forward then joined Brondby on loan in 2014 before signing on a permanent deal in 2015.

With 26 league appearances in the 2013/14 season, the centre-forward could only register 13 shots on target, the same number as midfielders Scott Brown and Joe Ledley.

Having started just 14 of these league fixtures, the £15k-per-week attacker failed to really nail down a place in the team, particularly towards the end of the campaign.

Described as being “unplayable” by former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke, Pukki failed to repay the transfer fee that the Hoops shelled out for him.

Speaking about the striker’s time at Celtic Park, former Hoops boss Neil Lennon had this to say on the matter.

He said: “He is a quiet boy. He had a few injury problems as well and at a club like Celtic, when you’re brought in for money, you have to score goals.

“And he wasn’t really an out-and-out goalscorer. He played within himself a little bit, I thought. He didn’t really show his capabilities. He’s very quiet. I don’t know if it was too big for him because he had been at Sevilla and Schalke, so he had been at big clubs. 

“He was never prolific but we felt he had the qualities we wanted but he would maybe say he never got the chance to show that on a consistent basis.”

Taking all of this into account, as well as the fact that the Hoops only got a fraction – £608k, to be exact – of the transfer fee from Brondby that they originally paid to bring him to Celtic Park, it’s safe to say that Lawwell and the club had a nightmare on this particular deal.

AND in other news: Ange must now revive Celtic swoop for £2.7m-rated “rocket”, he’s a “massive talent”

Celtic trio Albian Ajeti, Vasilis Barkas and Boli Bolingoli all look set to leave the club this month, according to The Daily Record’s Gabriel McKay.

The Lowdown: Exits needed

The Hoops have been extremely busy when it comes to incomings this month, with Michael Nicholson finalising five signings for Ange Postecoglou’s squad in January. Midfielder Matt O’Riley was the latest to move to Parkhead, penning a deal until 2026 from MK Dons.

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It seems as if Celtic’s focus now is on moving players out of Glasgow in the final days of the window, with three Neil Lennon acquisitions in line to leave the club.

The Latest: McKay’s claim

McKay shared a transfer news recap on The Daily Record on Saturday evening.

Within his report, he said that Ajeti, Barkas and Bolingoli all ‘look set to go in the opposite direction and follow Leigh Griffiths out of Celtic Park’.

The Verdict: Flops

Celtic paid £4.5m for both Ajeti and Barkas and £3m for Bolingoli. That has proven to be £12m not well spent, with the trio hardly featuring under Postecoglou this season.

Hopefully the Hoops can recoup the majority of the £12m they spent on those three players, but that could be a big ask for CEO Nicholson with only a few days remaining in the transfer window.

If you use Transfermarkt’s valuations, for example, the Hoops could land just £4.95m, as Ajeti’s value has dropped from £4.05m to £2.25m as a Celtic player, Barkas’ going from £4.5m to £1.35m and Bolingoli’s falling from £2.7m to £1.35m.

In other news: ‘Absolute travesty’ – Journalist reacts as Celtic swoop for Jota now in ‘doubt’

German journalist Christian Falk has claimed that Newcastle have ‘seriously discussed’ a move for Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho.

The Lowdown: Coutinho rumours

Spanish outlet Sport claimed last week that the Magpies, under new owners PIF, are eyeing a possible swoop for the Brazilian in January.

Reports suggested that Barcelona would want at least €50m (£42.5m) for his services, with the 29-year-old happy about the possibility of returning to England.

Coutinho, on £383,000-a-week last year, has just over 18 months remaining on his Nou Camp deal, and Falk has weighed in with his knowledge of a potential New Year transfer.

The Latest: Falk’s tweet

Falk, head of football at Bild, took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to address the rumours of Coutinho moving to St James’ Park.

He labelled them ‘true’, adding that a transfer has been ‘seriously discussed’.

The Verdict: Look elsewhere

Even though money appears to be the least of the worries for Newcastle’s new owners, they still need to spend it wisely.

Coughing up a fee over £40m for a player whose market valuation has plummeted from £135m to £18m in three years might not be the best idea to kick off their tenure in charge.

Coutinho has also contributed to just four league goals since the start of the 2020/21 season, so Newcastle might be better off looking elsewhere for a marquee signing.

In other news: Offer pending: Newcastle now make contact to sign £36m-rated beast Rodgers dubbed ‘colossal’. 

Marco Silva’s reign at Craven Cottage has so far got off to a fine start, with the 44-year-old’s Fulham side remaining unbeaten in the Championship after three games played and the Cottagers having secured a number of impressive signings in the summer transfer window.

Having said that, it would be naive to ignore the fact that there is still a considerable amount of interest reported in a couple of Fulham’s biggest stars – none more so than Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who was absent from the Portuguese manager’s matchday squad on the first day of the season as a result of his reported desire to leave west London.

However, with Silva revealing that he has no intention of sanctioning the sale of the 25-year-old this summer, and subsequently reintroducing the midfielder to his side in the form of two substitute appearances against Huddersfield Town and Millwall, today’s clash with Hull City would appear to be the perfect opportunity for the 44-year-old to unleash the Cameroon international from the off.

With Josh Onomah picking up an injury in Tuesday’s win at The Den, there is a spot which needs filling in Fulham’s midfield. Considering how well Anguissa performed in place of the 24-year-old, it would seem advisable for Silva to stick with the 25-year-old against Hull.

Indeed, over his 45 minutes on the pitch last time out, the £22.5m-rated man completed 95% of his attempted passes, created one big chance, completed five of his seven attempted dribbles, made one key pass and won six of his nine duels.

These returns saw the man who Scott Parker dubbed a “superb” talent earn a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.4, ranking him as Silva’s third-best player to feature in the match.

As such, from this performance it would certainly appear as if Anguissa’s focus is back on doing all he can to ensure that Fulham have the best chance of securing an immediate return to the Premier League this season, with the midfielder’s commitment to the cause potentially being a real game-changer not only in the Hull clash but also for the Cottagers’ campaign as a whole.

In other news: Peter Rutzler drops major Fulham development which will leave fans absolutely buzzing

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Newcastle United have now ‘started’ contacts over a potential move for Jesse Lingard in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Developing story…

The Times claimed last week that the St James’ Park club have offered a record deal to the 28-year-old would make him the highest earner in their history and have duly made the Manchester United midfielder their priority signing next month.

His current contract at Old Trafford is set to expire in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent in just a few months’ time.

As such, January may present the perfect opportunity for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium to pounce, as the Red Devils will surely want to cash in at the risk of losing him for nothing.

The Latest: Contacts have ‘started’

As per Italian football journalist and transfer expert Romano, contacts have now ‘started’ with Newcastle over a potential move for Lingard, although ‘nothing’ has been agreed as of yet.

They are ‘seriously interested’ in bringing him to Tyneside, although it is an ‘open race’ for his signature.

The Verdict: Get it done

The fact that Lingard can leave for free in the summer means that the Magpies could get him on the cheap in the winter window, and he could seriously help in their push to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Described in complimentary fashion as a ‘joke’ and a player who ‘has four lungs’ by former United youngster Angel Gomes recently, his energy and work rate would be much appreciated among the Toon Army as they bid to avoid the drop. The 28-year-old has also shown his quality on the ball, with nine goals and a further five assists during a very successful loan spell at West Ham United last season (Transfermarkt).

With Newcastle needing to get out of trouble and Lingard not getting much of a look-in at Old Trafford, failing to start a Premier League game this season, it seems like a move which would suit all parties involved.

In other news, find out which Premier League ‘huge talent’ NUFC are eyeing

Aston Villa have been dealt a huge injury setback ahead of their upcoming Premier League fixture.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Steven Gerrard revealed that Danny Ings, who has played just 66 minutes of Premier League football over Villa’s last four fixtures due to a hamstring strain, will once again be unavailable for selection for the visit of Manchester City on Wednesday evening.

Speaking about the current condition of the centre-forward, the 41-year-old said: “Danny Ings unfortunately won’t make tomorrow – he’s had a setback.”

Gerrard will be gutted

Considering that Aston Villa spent a substantial £25m on bringing Danny Ings to Villa Park this summer, the fact that the striker will have hardly featured over Steven Gerrard’s first three games in charge of the club will undoubtedly leave fans gutted.

Indeed, while the 29-year-old is undoubtedly yet to truly find his feet for his new side, he has nevertheless impressed over his 10 Premier League appearances for Villa, scoring three goals and providing his teammates with two assists, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots and making 0.2 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £120k-per-week England international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.82, ranking him as Aston Villa’s joint 10th-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, being without Ings – who has scored one goal and registered two assists over his seven fixtures against City – for the visit of Pep Guardiola’s side on Wednesday will undoubtedly come as a huge blow to Gerrard’s chances of continuing his 100% record as Aston Villa manager – with the breaking of this record being something that would leave the 41-year-old gutted.

In other news: “I’m sure”: Journo drops Jan update on 24 G/A “phenomenon”, Villa fans will be buzzing

A significant update has emerged regarding Crystal Palace’s prolonged pursuit of Schalke 04 defender Ozan Kabak.

What’s the story?

According to German outlet Bild (as relayed by Sport Witness), the Eagles have ‘offered €8m so far’ for the Turkey international, although fellow Premier League side Leicester City have reportedly matched their £6.78m bid.

Schalke are desperate to offload Kabak this summer after suffering relegation from the German top flight in 2020/21 and are said to be demanding a ‘double-digit million amount’ for their prized asset.

The report added that Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig have turned their attention to the 21-year-old after being priced out of a move for Maxence Lacroix, so Palace chairman Steve Parish may need to move quickly in order to secure the youngster’s services.

Steve Parish must swoop

Kabak enjoyed a relatively successful loan spell at Liverpool in the second half of last season, helping Jurgen Klopp’s charges to a third-place finish in the Premier League after they suffered an injury crisis.

He achieved a respectable 6.72 WhoScored rating from his nine top-flight appearances and impressed Reds assistant manager Pep Lijnders with his solid performances.

“Ozan is a big talent, so much progression is still possible. He adapted fantastically inside our club from a context like Schalke and had an immediate impact with Liverpool FC,” Lijnders told the Merseysiders’ official website.

However, the Anfield outfit decided not to make Kabak’s stay on Merseyside a permanent one, turning down the opportunity to buy the youngster for £18m earlier in the window.

That has left the door open for other clubs to swoop for the 6 foot 1 centre-back, and Parish must attempt to complete a deal for Kabak this summer.

Although Palace have already significantly strengthened their central defensive options following the arrivals of Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen, the 21-year-old’s price tag makes him a very attractive option.

While signing a striker and right-winger should arguably take priority over another centre-back, the south Londoners could rue missing out on the Schalke ace should he move to another suitor.

His arrival at Selhurst Park would add genuine strength in depth to Patrick Vieira’s squad and provide the new manager with a selection headache that all bosses crave.

In other news… Parish eyes Crystal Palace move for “top class” 14-cap dynamo, Vieira needs him