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Virgil van Dijk is in contention to play against Leicester City on Wednesday after an injury scare, according to a fitness update from Jurgen Klopp posted on Liverpool’s official website.

Van Dijk picked up an illness during the Reds’ trip to Dubai last week.

However, Klopp revealed on Tuesday that he has taken part in training this week, raising the possibility that he could be involved on Wednesday.

FFC’s James Jones has identified the one thing that could cost Liverpool the title. Find out what it is in the video below…

Van Dijk has not missed a Premier League game for Liverpool since last January, per Transfermarkt, when the Reds faced Huddersfield Town, and will likely partner either Joel Matip or Dejan Lovren at Anfield.

Indeed, the Netherlands international has been a colossus at the centre of the defence this season, even captaining the club on five occasions, donning the armband in the Merseyside derby against Everton and in wins over Cardiff City, Fulham, Manchester United and Arsenal. He also wore the armband in the Champions League victory over Red Star.

And fans have expressed their delight at the news that Van Dijk is set to continue in the heart of defence.

Rangers winger Ryan Kent made an ‘inexcusable’ error in the first half of Sunday’s Old Firm derby defeat, Ally McCoist has said. 

The lowdown

Rangers had the opportunity to go level points with their Glasgow arch-rivals at the top of the Premiership, but instead wound up falling six points back after a 2-1 defeat.

Aaron Ramsey had given them an early lead, but Tom Rogic quickly equalised and Cameron Carter-Vickers completed the turnaround shortly before half-time. With just six games to go, the Gers’ title hopes are now looking somewhat slim.

Kent formed part of an attacking midfield trio in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s 4-2-3-1 shape, starting alongside Ramsey and Joe Aribo, and he completed the full 90 minutes.

The latest

With the score locked at 1-1, Kent was caught offside 29 minutes into the game after John Lundstram had tried to slip him through on goal, and McCoist, who is , was left deeply frustrated by that lapse in concentration.

On commentary for Sky Sports Football on Sunday [3 April, 12:30pm], as quoted by Ibrox News, Rangers’ all-time top scorer fumed: “It’s inexcusable. Goldson’s done the exact same thing – you must look along the line.

“It’s a brilliant ball from Lundstram. I thought, initially, the pass was for Bassey. You’ve got absolutely no need to be offside there.”

The verdict

Kent is one of Rangers’ star players. He ranks fourth in the squad for overall goal involvements (11) and second for assists (eight), and Transfermarkt rate him as the club’s most valuable asset at £12.6m.

However, after he set up Ramsey for the opener in the third minute, it proved to be a frustrating day for the 25-year-old at Ibrox. He only completed two of the six dribbles he attempted, none of his five crosses found a team-mate and two of his three shots were blocked (via SofaScore).

He and his Rangers team-mates will now look to take out that frustration on Braga in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final on Thursday.

In other news, the stats show that this Rangers trio struggled most against the Hoops

West Bromwich Albion are back in action tomorrow evening with a clash against promotion hopefuls AFC Bournemouth at the Hawthorns.

The Baggies’ previous league outing saw them fall to a disheartening 1-0 defeat against their Midlands rivals Birmingham City thanks to a goal from Lyle Taylor.

With that in mind, Steve Bruce’s side will undoubtedly be wanting to put that loss behind them and pick up a positive result on Wednesday against the Cherries, who are currently 18 points ahead of them in the league table.

On the chalkboard

One figure that completed the full 90 minutes against Birmingham that shouldn’t be in the team on this occasion is Callum Robinson.

With just 36 touches in total last weekend, the Irishman could only accurately complete 15 of the 26 passes he attempted.

From an attacking point of view, the £18k-per-week earner failed to register even one clear shot at goal and only completed one of the two dribbles he made.

In comparison, fellow West Brom attacker Karlan Grant at least managed to have one attempt at goal before he was taken off after 68 minutes.

Even without the ball, the striker didn’t have much of an impact for his side, having lost six of the eight duels he was involved in and getting dribbled past on one occasion according to SofaScore.

This display didn’t escape the attention of Baggies journalist Joe Masi, who said that the attacker had a “dreadful” afternoon and delivered a “woeful” performance.

Taking this into account and the fact that Robinson has only managed to score one goal in his past 14 league appearances, keeping the Irishman in the side to take on the Cherries should not be in Bruce’s mind when putting his XI together.

If the Baggies want to have any chance of picking up all three points against Bournemouth, who have found the back of the net 20 more times than West Brom in this campaign, they will need their players to be in top form and in a clinical mood.

In other news: Irvine disaster: West Brom had a howler on “dangerous” flop who cost £1.4m-per-goal

According to 90min, Paris Saint-Germain midfielders Georginio Wijnaldum and Julian Draxler are open to being part of a loan swap deal which would involve Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele or Dele Alli heading in the opposite direction.

The Lowdown: Ndombele and Alli exiled at Spurs

According to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Spurs and PSG are still in talks over a loan move for club-record signing Ndombele, and the Lilywhites are considering various options as a direct replacement for the midfielder.

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Lilywhites manager Antonio Conte has exiled the 25-year-old at N17, leaving the Frenchman out of the matchday squads for their previous two Premier League games, and he has even forced him into training alone at Hotspur Way.

Dele Alli has also faced a similar situation under the 52-year-old, having been excluded from Spurs’ matchday squad for the London derby against Chelsea and making the starting XI just four times in all competitions during the Italian’s reign at the club.

The Latest: Wijnaldum and Draxler open to Spurs loans

90min editor Sean Walsh reported of Wijnaldum and Draxler’s interest in a possible loan switch to Tottenham, sharing a link to his article via Twitter.

In the tweet, he summarised: “Georginio Wijnaldum and Julian Draxler are open to joining #THFC on loan, potentially as part of deal to send Tanguy Ndombele or Dele Alli to PSG.”

This news arises as the Ligue 1 club have been deciding on which players they could include as part of a swap deal to lure Ndombele or Dele away from Spurs.

Wijnaldum would be open to a return to the Premier League and his representatives have informed Tottenham of his willingness to move back to England. Draxler is said to also be an option for Spurs, as the German has been on the fringe of the PSG squad for several years, so it seems likely that the club would be willing to let him leave on loan.

The Verdict: Good deal for all parties

With the details of the deal yet to be determined, it is hard to determine the plausibility of a complex swap deal. However, looking at the players involved on paper, Spurs are seemingly getting a good deal, especially when you consider that the two potentially outgoing midfielders have both been effectively exiled by Conte.

Having made 217 Premier League appearances and won some of football’s biggest competitions, Wijnaldum is a proven player who could make an instant impact in Spurs’ midfield.

Draxler could also prove to be a shrewd signing who could provide Conte with depth in the attacking positions. He has excelled in the Bundesliga in previous years, and squad rotation may be crucial if Tottenham are to achieve Champions League qualification, so they could do a lot worse than bringing in the Germany international too.

In other news – “Still in talks”: Fabrizio Romano provides the latest on exit-linked Spurs colossus

Reported Leeds United transfer target John Swift may already have played his final game for Reading.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by Leeds Live, who claim that the 26-year-old now looks to be one step closer to a summer move, as the central midfielder has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to injury.

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The report goes on to mention the fact that the Whites have continuously been linked with a swoop for the former Chelsea starlet, while the same outlet recently revealed that Reading have failed to make any progress in convincing the playmaker to sign a new deal at Select Car Leasing Stadium – meaning he looks set to end his six-year stay at the Championship side at the end of the current campaign.

Marsch can axe Roberts with Swift

Considering just how impressive Swift has been for Reading this season, the fact that Leeds look as if they will be able to sign the 26-year-old on a free transfer is undoubtedly fantastic news for Victor Orta.

Indeed, over his 38 Championship appearances this term, the £5.4m-rated midfield maestro has almost single-handily kept the Royals out of the relegation zone, scoring 11 goals, registering 13 assists and creating 10 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots and making 2.7 key passes per game – metrics that are not bettered by any Reading player.

These returns have seen the £25k-per-week man who Steve Madeley dubbed “stylish” and Charles Watts claimed “glides across the pitch” average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.26, ranking him as the third-best player in the English second tier – a quite extraordinary feat while playing for a team who are just one place above the drop zone.

In contrast, over Tyler Roberts’ 23 Premier League appearances this season, the £7.2m-rated Wales international was in rather less sensational form, scoring one goal, providing one assist and creating two big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.3 shots and making 0.7 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the 23-year-old who Gabby Agbonlahor dubbed “shocking” average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.74 – something that would appear to lend weight to the claims that Jesse Marsch may well look to move the £45k-per-week midfielder on this summer.

And, should Marsch be in need of a new attacking threat in the middle of the park, the American should look no further than Swift, as the 26-year-old would not only be a huge upgrade on Roberts, he would also be one of the bargains of the summer.

AND in other news: Orta can unearth Leeds’ next White with swoop for “really exciting” £4.2k-p/w “talent”

Tottenham Hotspur’s central defensive search could take them back to Pau Torres this month…

What’s the word?

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano on the ‘Last Word on Spurs’ podcast, the north London outfit are still interested in the Villarreal star and he is one to “keep an eye on” before the January 31st deadline.

Spurs were first linked with a move for the 24-year-old in the summer, with The Times claiming that they were ready to submit an offer for him. He is thought to have a €65m (£55m) release clause in his contract.

It remains to be seen how much Torres would command in the winter transfer window, though Transfermarkt value him at a slightly lower £45m.

Imagine him and Romero

Given Antonio Conte’s arrival and subsequent change in system, it is no wonder the Lilywhites are targeting the addition of a new centre-back and ultimately, they should look no further than the Spaniard.

As a left-footer, he is exactly what the Italian is looking for as he lacks that option in the current squad. Every single one of his other central defenders are right-footed, meaning he has often deployed left-back Ben Davies in the back three.

The long-serving Welshman has done a fine job but if Conte is to elevate Spurs to their former level – regularly challenging the top four – then an upgrade must still be made.

Spurs signed Cristian Romero in the summer and he looks every bit like a typical Conte defender, so pairing him alongside Torres could hand the north Londoners with a very impressive backline, with either of Eric Dier or Davinson Sanchez to make up the trio.

The 24-year-old colossus, who stands at 6 foot 3, played an integral role in the Yellow Submarines’ Europa League triumph last season.

As per WhoScored, he rated as Unai Emery’s fourth-best player (6.76) in La Liga last season. Across 33 starts, he proved to be an excellent ball-playing option by averaging an 87.8% passing accuracy and 0.8 dribbles per game.

The 16-time Spain international’s former youth coach, ex-Villarreal midfielder Javi Calleja described him as having “an extraordinary talent” to The Athletic.

Torres and Romero could be Spurs’ defence of the future and the two complement each other perfectly, as such, sporting director Fabio Paratici must do all in his power to secure the defender this month.

AND in other news, Spurs plotting move for “phenomenal” £16.2m-rated speed demon, he’s perfect for Conte…

Liverpool potentially have another Michael Owen within their ranks.

17-year-old Oakley Cannonier has been on fire for Liverpool’s U18 side this season, having surpassed the 40-goal mark this campaign.

Cannonier has been firing all season which has earned him mass plaudits from U18’s manager Marc Bridge-Wilkinson as he told The Athletic:

“Oakley is really bright. He’s a good little footballer. His instincts for the game are very natural. It’s something we have to make sure he retains.”

Cannonier previously earned acclaim for his alertness as a ball-boy – giving Trent Alexander-Arnold the ball for the right-back’s quickly-taken corner which created the winner for Divock Origi in the Reds’ sensational Champions League comeback against Barcelona.

It was this act that bagged him an invitation to train with the Liverpool first-team, with Klopp telling the youngster: “I just need to thank you for what you did!”

Cannonier, who trained with the first team solely on merit, impressed Klopp during those sessions, with the German keeping tabs on his development with the U18’s ever since.

His goalscoring touch has earned him comparisons to Roberto Firmino, with many believing he is the future of Liverpool’s front line.

Whilst the latter is highly likely if he can keep up this form, his presence as a feared out-and-out forward is more reminiscent of Michael Owen, who also enjoyed a rise to fame via the Liverpool youth system.

Cannonier bagged his 39th and 40th goals of the season during Liverpool U18’s 5-1 victory over Wolves, which will have felt sweet for the lifelong Liverpool fan who told The Athletic: “I just always wanted to play for Liverpool. It was a no-brainer.”

The young Englishman’s rise to success is gaining traction and with the 17-year-old tipped to be moving up to the Liverpool U23s next season, we could well see the new Michael Owen donning the Liverpool shirt come next season.

AND in other news: Liverpool now plot £67m bid for “sensational” £76k-p/w “winner”, imagine him and Salah

Leeds United would be wise to complete the signing of Blackburn Rovers midfielder John Buckley, according to former England striker Kevin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Buckley shining at Blackburn

The 22-year-old has been an impressive performer at Ewood Park this season, playing a key role in Tony Mowbray’s side mounting a genuine Premier League promotion push.

Buckley has scored once and registered six assists in 24 Championship starts in 2021/22, and the midfielder has been linked with a move to Leeds (as per Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre, 14 January, 11:24am) as Marcelo Bielsa continues to look at possible January signings.

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The Latest: Leeds urged to seal move for Buckley

Phillips believes that Buckley would be an excellent addition for Leeds, telling Football Insider about the Blackburn gem’s quality despite playing in the Championship. The 48-year-old gushed:

“Blackburn have been in great form this season and he’s been a big part of that. If you get a good player from a club that is flying in the Championship midway through the season you’ve done well.

“He’s a centre-midfielder which is a position Leeds desperately need to strengthen in. He’s versatile as well which is a bonus, so it’s a big signing if they can do it.

“At the end of the day though, it’s always a gamble signing a player from the Championship. It’s a jump to the Premier League. It could be a signing that pays off though.

“From Blackburn’s point of view, there is no way [Tony] Mowbray will let any of those players go on the cheap.”

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The Verdict: Is he good enough?

There is a potential snobbery surrounding bringing in players from the Championship, but much like fellow Leeds target Lewis O’Brien at Huddersfield, Buckley looks capable of making the step up to the Premier League, given the quality he has shown this season.

The 22-year-old has been described as ‘wonderful’ by his manager Mowbray, who also claimed that the player possesses ‘snake hips’, which suggests that Buckley would add guile in the middle of the park at Elland Road.

A tenacious presence in the middle of the park, he has won 2.5 tackles per game this season (second only to Stuart Dallas among Leeds’ squad), while just four Whites players can better his match average of 1.2 key passes. These figures show that the Blackburn ace has plenty of string to his midfield bow.

With Kalvin Phillips out injured and Adam Forshaw also picking up a minor hamstring issue, Buckley could be someone who helps fill the void this month, preferably with another midfield signing on top of that.

In other news, a journalist has talked up a potential Leeds reunion with one player. Find out who it is here.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter to make a huge claim regarding the potential permanent signing of current Tottenham loanee Dejan Kulusevski.

The Lowdown: Kulusevski’s instant impact

Since his arrival at Hotspur Way, the 21-year-old has gone on to make a fantastic impression at the club, demonstrated on the pitch by his instant impact. In 11 Premier League games this year, the winger has netted three goals and produced six assists, in the process becoming crucial to Antonio Conte’s starting XI.

Pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has since claimed that “he’s been outstanding the whole time he’s been at Spurs”.

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The Latest: Romano’s update on Kulusevski

Taking to Twitter, Fabrizio Romano shared an update on the possibility of Spurs completing the permanent signing of Kulusevski, claiming that Tottenham sources believe it is only a ‘matter of time’ until the Sweden international is confirmed on a permanent deal which could be in the region of £29.3m.

Romano said: “Dejan Kulusevski’s impact has been something incredible. Tottenham sources considers his permanent signing ‘matter of time’, €35m fee is not gonna be an issue. #THFC”

The Verdict: Great move for Spurs

Following his electric start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the 21-year-old has proven to be a fantastic deadline day coup for Fabio Paratici.

Having ranked in the 98th percentile for assists among players in Europe’s top five leagues (via FBRef), Kulusevski could be the perfect accomplice to Harry Kane with the number of chances that he creates in the final third.

As a result, it seems that the £29.3m price tag could prove to be an absolute bargain for the club’s long-term future, if indeed Tottenham sign the Sweden international permanently.

In other news: Tottenham source shares big exit update

A number of Liverpool supporters are in positive spirits after the Reds were linked with an exciting move for Arsenal and England star Bukayo Saka.

Jurgen Klopp has had a quiet time of things in the transfer market of late, with Ibrahima Konate the only signing made by the club last summer.

That doesn’t mean a number of players haven’t been linked with moves to Liverpool, however, as the Reds look to remain a huge force with Klopp at the helm.

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According to The Transfer Window Podcast [via LFC Transfer Room on Twitter], Liverpool are open to the idea of bringing Arsenal forward Saka to the club, and the Gunners talent was pictured sharing a chat with Klopp on Thursday evening.

The 20-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting young players in Britain, scoring 18 goals and registering 25 assists for the north London outfit already.

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Liverpool fans keen on Saka signing

These Liverpool fans have reacted positively to the claim on Twitter.

“This would be the best thing that could happen for him going from a pretender club to a real club with ambition”

Credit: @Tronicssystem

“Cool!”

Credit: @RedMan4Lyfe

“Absolutely, yes”

Credit: @lucyinussr

“I would take him. Realistically I doubt we would sign him”

Credit: @agentdixon

“Get him and he’ll thrive under Klopp and co”

Credit: @AdeAllmark

“I think Jurgen would get the best out of him and he would be playing in a more attack-minded team”

Credit: @LeeDavi1010

In other news, some Liverpool fans have flocked to a Reds transfer update. Read more here.