Liverpool fans react to Vlahovic rumour

Some Liverpool fans have been reacting positively to rumours linking the Reds with a move for striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer.

Jurgen Klopp may be eyeing up reinforcements ahead of next season, following a campaign to forget so far in 2020/21, and a new name has now emerged.

It is imperative that the Liverpool manager doesn’t allow things to grow stagnant within his squad, bringing in fresh faces and creating a healthy competition for places.

The attack is an area of the pitch Klopp may well look to make an addition to, especially with Roberto Firmino’s struggles well-documented recently.

The Brazilian has been well short of his best for an extended period now and his place in the team is under genuine threat, especially with Diogo Jota now back from injury.

According to Corriere dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are interested in signing Fiorentina marksman Vlahovic, with Manchester United also believed to be tracking his progress.

The 21-year-old Serbian has scored 12 goals in 24 starts in Serie A this season and looks like a player with huge potential in the coming years.

Liverpool fans excited by Vlahovic rumour

These Liverpool supporters provided their thoughts on a possible move for Vlahovic on Twitter.

“Watched him three times now and he’s got something about him, Lewandowski like”

Credit: @Anthony29624583

“Gotta be worth a gamble!”

Credit: @9597H

“Would be a player perfect for Klopp”

Credit: @karthik_the_red

“Nice to hear we are targeting players who can actually benefit from the service from our full backs”

Credit: @Chapperz_7

“He’s brilliant”

Credit: @BCarauleanu

“Good to hear”

Credit: @atohenry50

In other news, some Liverpool fans have reacting to a potential shock transfer at Anfield this summer. Find out the player in question here.

Howey surprised by Steve Bruce’s approach

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Newcastle defender Steve Howey was shocked to see Steve Bruce’s defensive approach to the game against West Bromwich Albion.

Howey did try to look at the 0-0 draw in a positive way and acknowledged that the Magpies didn’t get beaten, which saw them keep their heads above the bottom three despite Fulham’s win at Anfield.

Despite being without his two top scorers in Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron, Bruce opted for going without a recognised striker. Instead, he opted to play Joe Willock as a false nine.

Newcastle had both Dwight Gayle and Andy Carroll on the bench, with the latter coming on for a cameo that lasted less than one minute when the team were locked at 0-0 with the 19th-placed Baggies.

Howey admits he was surprised by Bruce’s decision but was pleasantly proved wrong for the first 15 minutes when Newcastle had a number of chances via Ryan Fraser and Joelinton.

The former defender told FFC how he expected Bruce to set up differently against a bottom three side.

He said: “I was kind of surprised by the way the manager set up, but that’s his prerogative.

“In all fairness, it kind of semi worked for the first 15 minutes. I was covering the game for sky yesterday, and Newcastle had chances, they had chances.

“Obviously, you didn’t want to get beat but at the same time, I think they’ve only won three games and they’ve struggled to score goals.

“So, whilst on social media, I kind of put the positive spin that I can put on which was the fact that we didn’t get three points, but neither did they.”

It appeared to be a must-win game for Newcastle, however, Bruce’s pragmatic approach earned the Magpies a point which kept them out of the bottom three.

Newcastle now face Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break which could turn out to be a crucial period for both manager and club.

Crystal Palace: Fans react to Dragusin news

Many Crystal Palace fans are reacting to the latest update surrounding the possible transfer of Radu Dragusin, which suggests that the club might have to look elsewhere.

According to DigiSport, via @CPFCtransfersHQ, Dragusin is signing a new contract at Juventus with his agent believing that the defender will be rewarded with a big pay rise.

The 6 ft 3 centre-back is certainly a prospect with plenty of admirers in Turin, but has only played 22 minutes of football this season (WhoScored). However, with him only being 19 years-old, his lack of game-time is understandable, and the mere fact he is involved in the senior squad at such a big club suggests that he could be a serious player in the future.

He has four appearances for the U19 Romanian side (Transfermarkt) and he could be an ideal acquisition for Palace. It might be a risk due to his lack of football this campaign, but the Eagles have some issues at the club, one of these being a very ageing defence. It is starting to show too, as they have conceded the third-most goals in the division.

A revamp is needed at the back, and Dragusin could help start the rebuild, leaving these fans frustrated by the reports of a new deal at Juventus.

Here is how Palace fans reacted to the news:

“Ah bugger!”

Credit: @TheGoverner99

“Was he suppose to turn down Juventus for a club that doesn’t even know who’s gonna be in charge next season”

Credit: @Sumo08112

“What a surprise”

Credit: @cpfc_fpage_se25

“SHOCK……not……”

Credit: @Jonno55ng

“He defo just laughed at parish, probably offered him a Fredo and a free Morley’s”

Credit: @Kevbartleyy

“Must have heard that we’re interested”

Credit: @TheEagleDC

In other news, Palace fans reacted to this update on Eddie Howe!

Why Man Utd should swoop for Ramos

According to The Mirror, Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos is reportedly pushing for a move to the Premier League amid interest from Manchester United.

What’s the word?

The centre-back has been heavily linked with the Red Devils for much of the window, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seemingly keen to bolster his defensive reinforcements.

Boss Solskjaer is reportedly looking to bring in a new centre-back to provide cover and competition for the likes of Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof and Axel Tuanzebe.

And now, it seems that Ramos is so desperate to move to the Premier League, he is getting his agent and brother Rene to pull out all the stops to get a deal done.

It’s claimed contract talks between Madrid and the defender have collapsed, with the Spain international likely to leave the defending Spanish champions in the summer.

Solskjaer’s plan B

Maguire is pretty much guaranteed to start but Solskjaer has struggled to find consistency alongside the club captain, as Bailly and Lindelof are battling to bag the unreserved spot, though there are still question marks over both.

But if United nip and snap up the 34-year-old, who earns around £312,000-per-week at the Bernabeu, they could find the ideal partner for captain Maguire.

Signing Ramos would be a significant upgrade on Lindelof, who has struggled for consistency so far this season – against Liverpool, he was rated as the joint-worst player on the pitch for the Red Devils, along with Edinson Cavani in the 3-2 win at Old Trafford.

Despite his age, the veteran Ramos has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon, as he currently averages more tackles (1.1) and more interceptions (1.5) per match across all competitions than Lindelof, per WhoScored.

Ramos is widely regarded as one of the finest defenders of his generation, with current Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane calling the Spanish international “a complete player” in an interview with SPORTbible.

Ed Woodward, therefore, would be wise to sanction a move for the experienced colossus in the summer as not only would he provide cover and competition for the likes of Maguire, Lindelof and Bailly, but he’d also offer an alternative threat in attack as well, having scored two goals in 14 top-flight appearances this season thus far.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Carlton Palmer rubbishes talk of Donny van de Beek leaving Man Utd on loan…

Leeds’ Nkoulou swoop is bad news for Berardi

With the Premier League firmly heading towards the business end of its campaign, time is running out for Leeds United’s Gaetano Berardi to make his long-awaited comeback from injury and finally taste a bit of top-flight football.

The Switzerland international has been out of action since last summer after picking up an ACL injury versus Derby County in the Championship, with the Whites making the incredibly classy gesture of handing him a one-year contract extension to provide him with a bit of support while he recovers.

Berardi is the club’s longest-serving first-team player since initially arriving from Serie A side Sampdoria back in 2014 and has played 155 games, but given recent reports linking the club with a move for Nicolas Nkoulou this summer, it appears his time at Elland Road may be coming to an end.

It’s been suggested that Nkoulou – who played under Marcelo Bielsa at Marseille – is a target the Leeds boss personally wants, with the Cameroon international set to be available on a free transfer once his own contract comes to an end.

The 30-year-old’s arrival would further add to the Whites’ centre-back ranks, and it’s certainly an area where Bielsa has a number of different options at his disposal when everybody is fully fit and firing.

He can call upon the likes of: Liam Cooper, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Luke Ayling, Pascal Struijk and even Leif Davis, and so Nkoulou’s arrival would further push Berardi onto the side-lines.

At 32, Berardi is in the twilight of his career, and given the seriousness of his knee injury, it’s difficult to see how he will ever get back to his powerful best for Leeds.

Clearly, the Swiss ace is still a major presence in the squad, with Bielsa himself declaring that “his opinion is one the changing room listens to, and also the staff.”

Indeed, The Athletic’s Phil Hay delivered an insight into Berardi’s influence at Elland Road, revealing: “People at Leeds try to make the point that Bielsa sees Berardi as a fundamentally good footballer who is easy to coach and easy to direct. Bielsa admires his discipline.”

But with Nkoulou’s possible arrival, the writing may well be on the wall for Berardi when his current contract comes to an end.

Hasenhuttl dealt huge KWP injury blow

Southampton look to have been handed another big injury blow, with Kyle Walker-Peters expected to miss Tuesday’s game with Arsenal after picking up an injury.

The club confirmed earlier this week that the right-back would miss the game against the Gunners after he picked up a muscle injury in training.

It comes as a huge blow to Ralph Hasenhuttl, as the 23-year-old has played every single minute in the Premier League so far this season, having established himself as a key player in the Austrian’s squad following his permanent move from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer.

The young defender has been one of the Saints’ star performers so far this season, having averaged a strong 7.03 rating across his 18 appearances in the top-flight, which is enough to see him ranked as the fifth-best performer in the Premier League.

He has certainly had a big impact on Southampton’s defensive performance since joining, as they have already earned eight clean sheets in the Premier League this season, the third-most in the division, meaning they are just one away from the total they managed in the entirety of the 2019/20 season.

Only Oriol Romeu has averaged more tackles than the right-back this season, whilst he also scores highly on the number of interceptions, blocks and clearances, emphasising how important he has become in this Southampton side.

Walker-Peters was excellent in Southampton’s 1-0 win against Arsenal in the FA Cup on Saturday, providing the assist for the only goal of the game, so it is undoubtedly going to cause Hasenhuttl some frustration that he is unavailable for Tuesday’s Premier League fixture, especially in a time where the Saints are going through an injury crisis.

It looks as if Yan Valery is likely to step up in his place, and considering his lack of game time this season, he could well be exposed by Arsenal’s in-form youngsters Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe on the Southampton right-hand side.

Therefore, Hasenhuttl will be praying that Walker-Peters’ injury is only a minor one and that he will be back in time for the home game against Aston Villa at the weekend.

And, in other news… “What a player” – Exclusive: Pundit claims he is “surprised” Hasenhuttl fave is still at Southampton, and it isn’t Ings…

West Ham eye Blackburn ace Adam Armstrong

David Moyes can boast a “devastating effect” at West Ham United by targeting Blackburn Rovers striker Adam Armstrong in the January transfer window, following the sale of Sebastien Haller to AFC Ajax.

What’s the word?

According to The Telegraph, Armstrong is on a long list of candidates the Hammers are considering as they look to secure attacking reinforcements following Haller’s departure.

The east London outfit are willing to dip back into the Championship to bolster Moyes’ offensive weaponry following the successful adaptation of Jarrod Bowen over the past year, but are yet to open talks with AFC Bournemouth over a renewed approach for Joshua King.

West Ham also have Stade Reims forward Boulaye Dia on their radar and could consider a return for Marko Arnautovic, with Shanghai SIPG potentially open to a loan departure for the Austrian should a Premier League side cover his salary.

The Irons’ interest in Armstrong has also been supported by ExWHUemployee, who understands the claret and blue side are ‘especially keen’ on the 23-year-old as Blackburn may reluctantly cash-in this month with his £17,000-per-week contract set to expire next summer.

Armstrong has been in stellar form at Ewood Park this season, netting 17 goals and providing three assists in all competitions, including 16 in 22 Championship appearances to make him the second-tier’s joint-top scorer with 42% of Rovers’ total haul of 38.

Should West Ham target Armstrong?

Armstrong’s success in the Championship this term has not been a flash in the pan story, as he netted 16 times last season for the division’s joint-sixth best record with Bowen and Leeds United’s Patrick Bamford.

Armstrong has only served to take his game to another level in the current campaign, so it is no surprise that he is now being linked with a potential move to the Premier League even after scoring just twice in his last eight league appearances.

His performances have earned him a wash of praise from Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray, who would certainly be reluctant to lose his best weapon in the mid-season market if West Ham opt to step forward with an enticing offer.

“Adam does [make a difference], as he has done all season. I think Adam has matured and he’s only 23,” Mowbray said in November, via quotes by FourFourTwo.

“His explosive pace at the top end of the pitch allows you to play both ways, to not be overly concerned if you’re pinned back around the edge of your box because one pass releases pressure to someone like [Harvey] Elliott to play the pass that he can hit just leaving it in the space for the speed and dynamic movement of Armstrong – it’s a devastating effect for the team.”

Armstrong’s dynamism also allows the former England U21 international to play on either wing if the need arises, while helping to record 3.4 shots, 0.9 key passes, 1.2 successful dribbles and win 2.9 duels per Championship game this season, per SofaScore.

He has also been in a position to score well beyond his tally, having missed 12 big chances to date, and boasts a willingness to shoot from distance, something West Ham are not with Moyes’ side averaging the lowest per cent (29%) of efforts taken outside the box in Premier League games this term.

AND in other news, West Ham risk signing another Sebastien Haller with a £25m January raid for a 6ft potential target

Predicted Leicester XI vs Fulham – preview, team and injury news

Leicester will be looking to correct their Premier League form after Liverpool put an end to their three-game win streak.

They have since played Sporting Braga in the Europa League, where they clawed back a draw thanks to goals from Harvey Barnes, Luke Thomas and Jamie Vardy.

The Foxes will play host to Fulham, who are currently in the relegation zone with just four points to their name. Leicester remain in the top four despite their frustrating 3-0 loss to Liverpool last weekend.

But Brendan Rodgers won’t want to settle for where they are at the moment and will hope for an important three points to boost their title chances.

The boss reported that Wilfred Ndidi could make his return from a groin injury in his press conference ahead of their Braga fixture.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast has predicted Leicester to line up against the Cottagers this afternoon…

Rodgers has his preferred structure of defence and it’s unlikely he will stray away from this. All but Wesley Fofana started in the Europa League, so he will return to the backline to support Jonny Evans and Christian Fuchs.

James Justin and Marc Albrighton will take to their more forward roles to contribute to the Foxes defence and attack.

Youri Tielemans missed out against Braga and will more than likely return to the team alongside Ndidi, if Rodgers deems him fit enough to do so.

The midfielder last played in blue back in September against Burnley and will take the place of £55,000 per week Nampalys Mendy, who has been filling in for the Nigerian.

Further forward, Harvey Barnes will accompany James Maddison who will support the ever-impressive Jamie Vardy as Leicester’s front three.

The England international has eight goals to his name so far this season and is the third top scorer in the Premier League thanks to his fiery form.

Vardy will be hoping that he can net a couple of more goals against Fulham as the Foxes hunt down their next win.

In other news, Ricardo Pereira’s U23 appearance is exactly what Rodgers needed…

Exclusive: Pundit drops West Brom takeover hint after Sam Allardyce appointment

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former West Brom and England midfielder Carlton Palmer has dropped an interesting takeover claim amid the club’s change of manager.

Slaven Bilic was sacked on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after earning a well-fought point at Manchester City and he was quickly replaced by veteran boss Sam Allardyce before the day was out.

The 66-year-old has signed an 18-month contract at the Hawthorns, one that is thought to include a break clause should the Baggies be relegated from the Premier League.

And Palmer believes it has something to do with their prospective new owners.

According to the ever-reliable Telegraph reporter John Percy, current Albion chairman Guochuan Lai has held talks with an unnamed American consortium over purchasing the club for £150m.

He claims that negotiations are still ongoing over either a potential full takeover of the club or a minority stake of up to 15 per cent.

The Baggies great told FFC:

“So whether there’s a takeover happening, and the new owners have already been in conversations with Sam, and that’s the person they want to bring in.

“There’s something happening behind the scenes and obviously, it’ll all be revealed in the next few weeks.

“There’s something going on, I think a takeover is imminent, and the new owners wanted Big Sam.”

West Brom are only one victory away from moving out of the drop zone, so the decision to sack Bilic – especially after their disappointment in the transfer window – appears to be a little harsh.

The Croatian also had a player sold behind his back, so tensions understandably grew off the pitch alongside their poor results on it.

Whether Big Sam’s hiring has anything to do with a change in the boardroom still very much remains to be seen, but Palmer’s claim isn’t out of the realms of possibility.

The Baggies will need serious investment in January if they are to remain a top-flight team going forward.

AND in other news, How West Brom’s starting XI may look under Sam Allardyce…

Lesson for Gerrard: Glasgow Rangers star striker Alfredo Morelos must not be benched again

Glasgow Rangers suffered from a lapse of concentration as Steven Gerrard’s side conceded two late goals against Benfica in the Europa League. The ten-man Portuguese giants saved a point and their precious home record, leaving Gerrard to lament that the Gers have “got ourselves to blame.”

But Alfredo Morelos repeated his heroics in Lisbon after scoring against Lech Poznan last week by breaking Ally McCoist’s goal record in European competitions with a simple tap-in in the second half.

Whilst his effort wasn’t enough to win Rangers the game this time, it was his 22nd goal in 38 Europa League games for the Gers. Speaking on BT Sport, as quoted by The Sun, McCoist singled out the 6-cap Colombia international for his “superb” performance.

He said: “James Tavernier picked Alfredo Morelos out at the far post and when he arrived, he had the simplest of goals.

“Some of the goals he’s scored and some of the finishes have been absolutely superb.

“I hope he hangs around and continues his goal-scoring form.

“No one is happier than me that Morelos has scored again tonight. I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Rangers once again showed that they can’t cope without Morelos after they struggled to break down a stubborn Lech Poznan in the Europa League last week before he came off the bench to head in a cross from Borna Barisic.

If anything, it just goes to show that there is an obvious gulf in quality between the Colombian and his closest rivals. Kemar Roofe is simply too inconsistent to start regularly, and we actually feel Gerrard would be better served starting Cedric Itten on the right wing, whilst Jermain Defoe was axed from the Europa League squad altogether which has cast considerable doubts over his future at the club.

The 24-year-old has bagged 7 goals and 5 assists in 16 games in all competitions this season so far, via Transfermarkt. By comparison, Roofe has only scored three times and failed to register a single assist so far, as per Transfermarkt.

Morelos has been in fine form since finding himself back in the first team after being dropped for the home game against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership, having scored twice since then in the past three games.

His performances in recent weeks will have taught Gerrard a painful lesson that he won’t forget, that’s for sure. Given his current form, it’s hard to imagine he will be benched again anytime soon.

AND in other news, Forget Alfredo Morelos: Steven Davis shines in Glasgow Rangers thriller with Benfica….

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