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Now that Wolves look set to say goodbye to winger Adama Traore with an initial loan move to Barcelona this month followed by a potential permanent deal being on the table for the Spaniard in the summer, this could pave the way for the Midlands club to spend the remainder of the January transfer window trying to secure a suitable replacement for the 26-year-old.

In terms of who they could look to bring in to fill the void left by Traore’s imminent absence, one figure that has been mentioned with a move to Molineux in recent weeks that may not be too difficult for the Old Gold to secure is Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele.

With Barcelona apparently telling the Frenchman that he must sign a new deal at the club this month or else he’ll have to leave, which has then led to Dembele saying in a public statement that he won’t give in to blackmail, Wolves could step in and work out a deal that would suit all parties and bring the 24-year-old to England and draw a line under his time in Spain.

Labelled as an “exceptional” player by Dani Alves, the winger has proven throughout his career what a capable attacking asset he can be by racking up 53 goals and 50 assists in 208 club appearances across all competitions including La Liga, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

This could make him the perfect replacement for Traore given how he wasn’t much of a regular goalscorer for the Old Gold having found the back of the net on just 11 occasions in 154 appearances.

Having also been labelled as a “phenomenon” by former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi, Dembele could be tempted with a move to Wolves this month to test his game in the Premier League at a club aiming to secure European football.

Moving forward, with the January transfer window set to close on Monday, Wolves will have to move swiftly if they want to have any chance of signing the £27m-rated attacker and hope that their dealings with Barcelona over Traore and Francisco Trincao back in the summer will put them in good stead to secure Dembele’s signature.

In other news: Wolves eyeing transfer swoop for £14k-p/w “man mountain,” Lage would be delighted – opinion

Celtic are set to seal the signings of three players in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Pete O’Rourke, who stated his belief in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that he expects Celtic to sign all three of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi in the winter market.

Speaking about Ange Postecoglou’s reported interest in the Japanese trio, the journalist said: “Postecoglou obviously knows these players from his time in the J1 League and they’ve had success with Kyogo Furuhashi following his arrival in the summer. He’s been a big hit up at Celtic Park as well. I’m not saying these deals are straightforward but they should happen.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering the sheer amount of injuries Celtic have suffered in recent weeks, the news that the club look set to seal deals to bring at least three additional players into the club in the January transfer window is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

And, considering just how impressive each of the Bhoys’ reported targets were in Japan this season, it would appear as if Celtic will not only be bringing more bodies into their first-team squad, but also three incredibly talented players.

Indeed, over his 36 J League appearances this season, the £990k-rated Maeda scored an astonishing 23 goals, provided three assists and created four big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These returns saw the 24-year-old Japan international earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Yokohama F Marinos’ joint sixth-best performer in the league.

Meanwhile, over his 30 J League appearances, the £720k-rated Hatate bagged five goals, registered two assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.1 key passes, 1.5 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 51.7 passes and winning 5.3 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the versatile central midfielder – who can also play at left-back or on the left-wing – earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.16, ranking him as his Kawasaki Frontale’s fifth-best player in the league.

Finally, over his 29 J League outings, the £720k-rated Ideguchi made an average of 1.2 interceptions, 2.3 tackles, 29.1 passes and won 2.7 duels per game, with these returns seeing the central midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.76.

As such, should each of these three deals be completed, as O’Rourke suggests they will be, the arrival of the trio could subsequently allow Postecoglou to clear some of the deadwood out of his current first-team squad.

The £18k-per-week centre-forward Albian Ajeti, the £15k-per-week left-back Boli Bolingoli and the £8k-per-week central midfielder Ismaila Soro looking to be prime candidates for the chop in the January transfer window.

In other news: Major blow: Celtic dealt potentially huge setback pre-Old Firm, fans will be outraged

Wolves have had a positive start to the 2022 January transfer window by recalling Dion Sanderson and Ryan Giles from their loan deals, as well as signing midfielder Hayao Kawabe. In addition to sitting eighth place in the Premier League table and beating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford in their previous match, things are going quite well for Bruno Lage and his side.

However, it seems as though a transfer claim has emerged on one of Wolves’ key players which could worry a lot of fans.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Record (via Sport Witness), Ruben Neves doesn’t think he would be able to achieve his dreams of playing in the Champions League as a Wolves player and would not be interested in signing a new deal at the club, with his current contract set to expire in the summer of 2024.

Labelled a “talented” player by former team-mate Sylvain Deslandes, Neves joined Wolves back in 2017 from FC Porto and has since gone on to make 195 appearances for the Old Gold across all competitions, scoring 21 goals and providing 11 assists, which highlights just how important he has been for the team.

In terms of his overall performances this season, with SofaScore listing him as Wolves’ joint-third highest rated player with an overall rating of 7.09/10 alongside Romain Saiss, this shows how much of a miss he would be if he were to leave Molineux this month or during the summer, which would presumably leave Lage furious and would be a disastrous howler from executive chairman Jeff Shi.

With Manchester United reportedly interested in signing Neves, it seems as though Wolves will have to do all they can to keep him for as long as possible if the midfielder sees an opportunity to join a club which could offer him the chance to play in the Champions League, even though he has previously shared his love for his current employers and the Midlands area.

However, with Wolves firmly in the race to end the current season in a European spot, this could be the first step in persuading the 24-year-old – who is currently earning £58k-per-week according to Salary Sport – to sign a new deal at Molineux and get closer to the Champions League one day.

In other news: Wolves eye swoop for “decisive” £23.4m-rated machine, he’d solve Lage’s big problem

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa could unearth his new Pablo Hernandez at Elland Road by finally signing Feyenoord sensation Orkun Kokcu.

What’s the story?

Sport (via Sport Witness) claimed earlier this year that the Whites had joined the likes of Leicester and Sevilla in the race to sign Kokcu, and that they have the money required to bring him to Elland Road.

Now, according to Feyenoord Transfermarkt (via Sport Witness), the Leeds target was the subject of a bid from Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin, but that the play-maker has made it clear he is only prepared to leave at the end of the season.

Leeds’ new Pablo Hernandez

Following Hernandez’s exit, Leeds have lacked a truly creative midfielder who can operate in that number ten role, with the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Mateusz Klich playing deeper. Kokcu, by comparison, fits the bill to a tee.

In a profile piece by The Evening Standard, they wrote: “While Kokcu is primarily viewed as a central midfielder, the 19-year-old is a gifted technician on the ball and has been tipped to move further up the field as a playmaker.

“The Turkish youngster enjoys dictating play in the central areas of the pitch and has a keen eye for a pass, much like Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas, preferring to control proceedings from deeper positions.”

Speaking to Goal, former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam raved about Kokcu’s quality, saying: “He has the ability. He is a player who has the personality to want to improve, he always wants to do better. He’s never happy with himself, he’s disappointed if he doesn’t score, or his passes aren’t good enough.

“He’s certainly got the ability to make that step to the Premier League. He has creativity, scoring ability, stamina and running ability. He keeps on going. I saw him as a very promising player.”

Kokcu evidently has the “creativity” and ability to be a major threat in the final third of the pitch, and with Hernandez’s departure – someone who registered 41 assists for Leeds – the 20-year-old starlet could help kick-start a new era at Elland Road.

Given they were interested in the £10.8m-rated dynamo earlier this year, and the fact Kokcu is prepared to leave Feyenoord in the summer of 2022, Bielsa may finally be able to get his man.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Bielsa could unearth another gem in this FA Youth Cup star…

Antonio Conte has had an incredibly bumpy start to life as Tottenham manager but when are things ever easy for Spurs?

The Lilywhites have tasted defeat to lowly minnows in NS Mura and are now embroiled in a pandemic related saga.

That’s not to mention Harry Kane’s dismal form in 2021/22 either.

What’s the word?

Fortunately for Tottenham, Conte will have the opportunity to revive the club’s fortunes over the next six weeks with a hefty festive schedule being followed by the January transfer window.

It will be intriguing to see how much Daniel Levy backs the new Spurs manager and whether the Italian had assurances on transfer policy when he joined.

The north London outfit has the opportunity to make a number of statements and they could make one of their loudest yet by luring a player away from Serie A.

That happens to be Dusan Vlahovic, a player they’ve been linked with for a while now.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano delivered an update on their pursuit of the forward.

He said: “Arsenal were interested but Vlahovic at the moment is not interested in a move to Arsenal. Juventus have an interest, but January would be complicated for them. The price is around 70m Euros for Fiorentina. Tottenham are still interested, but keep an eye on potential surprises with Vlahovic.”

Fans buzzing

This is an incredibly exciting update for Spurs supporters and despite the mooted price tag, they should be delighted that the club remain interested in Vlahovic.

It’s not often we can criticise Kane but the biggest issue for Conte right now is how to get a tune out of his start man.

He has scored just one Premier League goal all season and considering we’re now In December, that’s hugely concerning.

However, step forward Vlahovic, a man whose talents could take Spurs closer to the top four, an eventuality that would leave everyone at the club buzzing.

At the age of 21, he seems to possess a level of potential associated with players like Erling Haaland and it’s easy to see why.

In 18 outings this term, the Serbian has rattled the back of the net on 17 occasions, showing a devastating touch in front of goal.

With Heung-min Son arguably not his dangerous self either, the need for Vlahovic in this Spurs team becomes even greater.

A mighty presence in offensive areas, he would be a game-changing signing from Fabio Paratici and Levy this winter.

Talk about making a statement of intent.

AND in other news, Spurs could find another Skipp in “top young talent” who’s already caught Conte’s eye…

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is interested in taking over at Aston Villa, according to The Telegraph.

And, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the update on social media.

Villa are on the hunt for a new manager after parting ways with Dean Smith on Sunday, and it seems as if the next man in the Villa Park dugout could well be Gerrard.

The Telegraph shared a story on Tuesday evening, suggesting that Villa are now set to make an official approach to Rangers for the 41-year-old, who is reportedly keen to move to the Midlands.

Christian Purslow reportedly addressed the Villa players who have not gone away on international duty on Monday, stating a new boss would be in place in seven days.

The recent report also adds that Villa look set to move for Gerrard’s assistants Gary McAllister and Michael Beale, should discussions with the Scottish giants prove to be successful. Ashley Preece has since claimed that Gerrard to Villa is all but done.

As such, there has been a debate among AVFC supporters over whether Gerrard would be a good appointment, having taken the Scottish Premiership title off of the hands of Celtic last season, but with no prior experience in senior management.

Villa fans react

Well-known Villa fan page @villareport shared The Telegraph’s claim on Twitter on Tuesday evening. This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with some sharing their positive and negative thoughts and one labelling it as ‘ludicrous’.

“I don’t get it. Sack a man who’s got years of experience including the Premier League and well thought of as a coach. Have someone who’s managing a team in a second rate league has limited experience of coaching. Villa need to set their sights higher.”

Credit: @mickstan63

“Yeah I might as well just deactivate again”

Credit: @MasonUTFV

“Oh no”

Credit: @Jannetts_

“This is absolutely ludicrous. We’ll be going down if this happens.”

Credit: @thepostmaterial

“GET INNNNNNN”

Credit: @DG_Villa1

“High ceiling. Let’s do this. UTV”

Credit: @myburneraccou11

“SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON WE’RE GOING FOR THE TITLE CHARGE”

Credit: @catrinavfc

In other news: Reps of 9-honour boss now contact Villa in late-night update; Ranieri called him ‘intelligent’. 

An update has emerged regarding interest from Newcastle United in RC Lens beast Seko Fofana.

What’s the talk?

According to Foot Mercato, via Get French Football News, the Magpies are showing an interest in the Ivorian as they consider their options ahead of the January transfer window.

The report claims AC Milan and Marseille are among the other clubs keen on the midfielder, whilst Lens will only cash in on him if they receive a huge offer.

Sissoko 2.0

Eddie Howe could land Moussa Sissoko 2.0 for Newcastle by securing a deal for Fofana, whilst solving a major issue for the club.

Isaac Hayden’s average WhoScored rating of 6.53 is the highest out of all of Newcastle’s midfielders in the Premier League this season, whilst Jonjoe Shelvey topped the list with 6.80 last term. This suggests that the Magpies are desperately lacking in quality options in the middle of the park, and Howe could solve that problem by signing Fofana as he has shown his class for Lens.

Foot Mercato claims that he is fourth in Ligue 1 for distance covered this season, on 143.5 kilometres; whilst it was revealed in 2015 that Sissoko was the fastest player in the Premier League for Newcastle, clocking in at 35.3 kilometres per hour as his top speed.

The 6 foot 1 Sissoko averaged an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.04 in his final season on Tyneside, playing 37 of their 38 league matches in 2015/16. Fofana, who stands at 6 foot tall, is a rangey midfielder in a similar style to the 32-year-old and has averaged a sublime rating of 7.22 for Lens in Ligue 1 this term.

Fofana previously admitted that Manchester City legend Yaya Toure inspired him, admitting that the Ivory Coast legend was one of his role models whilst at the Etihad Stadium.

The 26-year-old said: “He inspired me a lot. When we went on tour, we spoke about everything and nothing. I had some times that I will never forget. And on the pitch, he was a role model for me, with his long runs forward, his assists, his goals. He was able to do almost everything, he was complete.”

Fofana’s form for Lens this season shows that he has the quality to impress at the top level, averaging 3.9 key passes and dribbles per game, along with 1.7 tackles and interceptions. Much like Sissoko was for Newcastle, he has proven that he can make an impact as a box-to-box midfielder and perform consistently, which is why Howe must ensure that he can get a deal over the line for him in January.

AND in other news, Offer on the table: PIF working to land NUFC deal for beast which will leave fans buzzing…

Plenty of West Ham United fans have been reacting to Jesse Lingard’s tweet following Manchester United’s 5-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

Sunday witnessed contrasting fortunes for the Hammers and the Red Devils. The Irons won 1-0 against Tottenham thanks to a goal from Michail Antonio to move into fourth place in the Premier League, while the Red Devils were hammered by their fiercest rivals as they were humiliated for 90 minutes.

The £19.8m-valued Lingard (Transfermarkt), who has started just one of his club’s 13 matches so far this season, was an unused substitute for the Old Trafford clash, and he was warming up towards the end of the match. A video has emerged of him being told to work harder by a Manchester United fan even though he was not on the pitch, something which was pointed out by the England international himself.

The 28-year-old then doubled down on Twitter by addressing the situation, although he did make it clear that it wasn’t abuse.

Plenty of Hammers fans saw the post and implored Lingard to return to the London Stadium, where he spent the second half of last season on loan and excelled by scoring nine goals in 16 games under David Moyes.

Let’s see what these fans had to say to Lingard

“Get yourself back to West Ham kid . There is a manager at that club that appreciate you”

Credit: @IANLAT82

“I know every West ham fan has said it already. But come back. Club that respects you & gives you every opportunity to make the English squad for the World Cup. If you stay there with no game time, you gotta feel like you’ll be overlooked. Despite stellar games for England.”

Credit: @WestHamInOz

“You would be top 4 if you stayed at West Ham. Playing week in week out.”

Credit: @thegarybarnett

“come back to the club who’ll support you week in week out”

Credit: @whubenbagged

“Come to West Ham, a good club.”

Credit: @Nando_RBB_RM

“Come home where your appreciated”

Credit: @reecetranter

In other news, some West Ham fans were unhappy with this man’s comments on Declan Rice

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left slamming the display of James Tavernier in their 1-1 draw away at Brondby in the UEFA Europa League.

It was a disappointing draw in Denmark in the end, despite Ianis Hagi saving the Ibrox faithful’s blushes after going behind in the first half to an own goal from Leon Balogun.

Tavernier did not seem quite at the same level as he was on the weekend – he scored one and made another two assists in their 6-1 demolition of Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership (SofaScore).

The right-back lost out on two of his duels on Thursday, and was also unsuccessful in two of his dribble attempts, while he failed to make a single interception, and lost possession of the ball on no fewer than 29 separate occasions in the game, by far the most out of any player on the pitch (SofaScore).

Light Blues supporters were particularly critical of his crossing – he was inaccurate with seven of them, again the most out of any player (SofaScore).

Rangers fans on Tavernier display

These Light Blues slammed his performance on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that he was ‘woeful’:

“Tavernier looks clueless when he can’t cross it tonight..”

Credit: @lnheritant

“Does Tavernier know he’s allowed to shoot?? So many times where it would be easier to shoot than cross.”

Credit: @Kerr72_

“Tavernier CANNOT cross a ball! Rarely finds a teammate! Can argue all you want… but if any player got 10 attempts a match to put in a good cross, they would get one right.”

Credit: @stu__1873

“Has Tavernier completed a cross all night?”

Credit: @GaryA92

“Patterson on, Tavernier off. He’s not at the races tonight.”

Credit: @slstrm_dsgn

“Is Tavernier woeful tonight? Cue a goal from him…”

Credit: @djsteeley

In other news, find out which incident in the match had Gers fuming here!

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his attacker options.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Reds are one of three Premier League sides interested in securing the highly-rated 24-year-old’s signature, with Chelsea and fierce rivals Everton also listed as potential suitors.

The report states that Newcastle will not consider selling their prized asset in the January transfer window, but there is said to be growing optimism from Saint-Maximin’s camp that an exit from St. James’ Park can occur next summer.

Liverpool fans will be absolutely buzzing

Saint-Maximin has proven to be a real fans favourite since arriving on Tyneside back in August 2019, thanks to his incredible skills, blistering pace and entertaining style.

The former France Under-21 international has become the main man for Steve Bruce’s struggling side since he arrived, bagging nine goals and providing 14 assists in 63 appearances for the North-East outfit.

However, Saint-Maximin appears to have taken his game to another level in the opening weeks of 2021/22. In just six top-flight fixtures, the flying forward has scored two goals and laid on another three assists for his teammates.

His impressive performances have caught the eye of a host of the Premier League’s heavyweights, although, with five years left to run on his current contract, it will take a sizeable fee to prize the player away from Newcastle’s clutches.

Nevertheless, Liverpool supporters will surely be buzzing to learn of their club’s interest in Saint-Maximin.

The Reds were heavily linked with a new wide man in the previous transfer window following the departure of Xherdan Shaqiri, but no new arrival materialised for the 19-time English champions, leaving Klopp short of options in the final third.

With Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino approaching their 30th birthdays, bringing in Saint-Maximin could be a good way for Klopp to refresh his forward line, ensuring Liverpool continue to challenge at the top end of the table for many years to come.

And, in other news…Reliable journalist drops exciting Liverpool transfer update, Klopp would love him