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Wolves are seemingly on the brink of finally signing Joao Palhinha, and transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has now shared what he knows about the deal.

The Lowdown: Palhinha constantly linked

Few, if any, players have been linked with a move to Wanderers in recent months than Palhinha, with the Sporting CP man surely the club’s No.1 summer target and recent reports even claiming the deal is as good as done.

The Portuguese colossus looks likely be arrive as Ruben Neves’ natural replacement in midfield, as the Wolves hero looks for his own fresh challenge ahead of next season.

Now, Romano has weighed with on what he’s heard from Molineux, suggesting the deal is not quite done but the parties are down to just the finer details.

The Latest: Romano drops key update

Taking to Twitter on Friday, Romano claimed that talks are ongoing over the structure of the payments:

“Wolves are in talks with Sporting to sign João Palhinha as new midfielder. Negotiations ongoing as reported by @Record_Portugal, price tag €20m. Discussions ongoing about payment terms, Bruno Lage wants Joao. Work in progress.”

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The Verdict: Matter of time?

With each passing day, the more it feels as though Wolves have got their man, in what could be a significant piece of transfer business to kick-start their summer.

It was vital that a player of Neves’ brilliance was replaced both immediately and sufficiently, and Palhinha could be the perfect man to come in.

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He has 14 caps to his name for Portugal, scoring twice, and according to FBRef ranks extremely highly in the defensive numbers, registering in the 99th percentile for pressures, 92nd for blocks and 86th for tackles among midfielders in Europe’s top leagues.

In other news, a fresh Wolves transfer rumour has emerged. Read more here.

Rangers chief Ross Wilson joined the club in 2019 and has overseen a number of transfer windows since arriving at Ibrox.

Not every single sale and signing is going to work out perfectly or be greeted with applause from the fanbase and the Gers sporting director has had his share of successes and mishaps.

One of the latter came last summer when he decided to cash in on central defender George Edmundson, after then-boss Steven Gerrard loaned him out to Derby the previous season.

Wilson sanctioned the sale of Edmundson to English League One outfit Ipswich Town ahead of the 2021/22 campaign. The Tractor Boys reportedly agreed a deal worth £1m in total to sign the defender and he has thrived south of the border.

Ipswich reporter Andy Warren dubbed him “Mr Consistent” earlier this term and his statistics for the club back that tag up. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.04 in League One across 32 games, winning 186 duels at a success rate of 63% as the third tier side have kept 13 clean sheets.

Edmundson has averaged 2.3 tackles and interceptions and 4.0 clearances per game. This shows that he has been sublime at the back for the Blues as he has been consistently winning the ball back and clearing danger for his team throughout the season.

In the 2020/21 campaign, he averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.78 for Derby in the Championship. He won 61% of his duels and he showed that he has the ability to be a reliable option at that level, with the Englishman now proving he can be a standout in the division below.

At the age of 24, he also has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop. He is still very young for a centre-back and has the potential to grow throughout his career, increasing his value further and meaning that Rangers have missed out on a much bigger payday down the line.

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Sending him out on loan to Ipswich, or another club, may have been a better decision from a financial point of view instead of cashing in on him for £1m. That way, the Gers would have been able to watch him improve before either giving him a chance in their first-team or selling him for more than the £1m they got for him – as his current performances are above and beyond what he has shown previously and that may raise his price tag.

Instead, Rangers are now watching him excel at Portman Road on a permanent basis and, therefore, Wilson had a howler with this particular deal…

AND in other news, Major boost: Van Bronckhorst handed big Rangers injury lift, it’ll have Ibrox rocking…

Lurking within Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is an inner child. He is happy when at his most playful but stroppy and dejected when he doesn’t get what he wants.

At the moment, all the Gunners skipper wants is a goal, something that has failed to elude him for the vast majority of his career.

The Gabon international is a ruthless finisher, well so we thought he was anyway. He has found the net on 92 occasions in 162 outings for Arsenal, a record that many will rightfully stand and applaud.

Yet, throughout the current campaign, his level of finishing has been average at best.

He got his account up and running by scoring a hat-trick against West Brom in the Carabao Cup but we’ve not seen the best of him since.

Aubemeyang missed a gilt-edged opportunity from just a matter of yards out in the win over Newcastle last weekend and on Thursday night in the defeat to Manchester United, he was sloppy again.

The striker was fortunate to find himself offside at one moment in the second half, having his blushes spared after missing a tame opportunity when one-on-one with David De Gea following a cross into the area.

There was a sheer lack of conviction to his game and that was typified late on in the match. Gabriel Martinelli drove forward with youthful enthusiasm, taking several United players out of the equation.

However, after finding the club captain and making a darting run into the penalty box, Aubameyang ignored the young Brazilian and instead struck a tame effort right at the goalkeeper.

We are so used to seeing a ruthless finisher inside the 32-year-old but it’s got to a point where if Arsenal are going to have any chance of finishing in the top four, they need to sign a goal scorer. Dusan Vlahovic anyone?

The Fiorentina livewire has been sensational this term and while being linked with a move to the Premier League, has scored 14 goals already in 2021/22.

A devastating finisher like the Serbian would surely go down a treat at the Emirates, especially when you consider the elusive nature of Aubameyang.

He was the very definition of enigmatic on Thursday evening, not only squandering chances to score but failing to press or hold the ball up in a pretty lethargic performance. It was Martin Odegaard who gave away the decisive penalty but it may not have been so crucial had his colleague leading the line turned up at Old Trafford.

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Come full time, the attacker had registered just 28 touches of the football, which was 19 fewer than goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Furthermore, the Gunners talisman only registered 14 passes and won a mere 33% of his physical battles as he was bullied by Harry Maguire and co.

On this evidence, Arsenal need an upgrade, and they need it quick if they are to have a successful season. Aubameyang has offered plenty to this team down the years; he’s won them an FA Cup final and scored some devastating goals but it might just be time to move on.

At the moment, Arteta is clearly being let down by his main man.

West Ham’s arduous search for a new forward may finally be coming to an end…

What’s the word?

According to ExWHUemployee, the Irons are in talks with Lille attacker Jonathan Bamba over a potential late deadline day switch to the London Stadium.

He revealed on his ‘The West Ham Way’ Patreon site:

“We are also in talks with a forward at the moment. Jonathan Bamba is a player I have covered extensively recently on the podcast and it appears discussions are going on with his agents as we speak.”

Last week, the Express first linked the versatile 25-year-old with a move to the Hammers, claiming that the Ligue 1 champions wanted a fee in the region of £25m.

Late, late solution

They’ve left it late but the east Londoners could finally be about to sign the new frontman that they’ve been desperate to recruit.

West Ham have been linked with an array of names throughout the summer, one of which was Tammy Abraham, who was widely believed to be Moyes’ top target before he swapped Chelsea for AS Roma earlier this month.

The Scotsman is in dire need of someone to provide the perfect foil to Michail Antonio, especially as they are set to compete in the Europa League this season, meaning two games per week could quickly become the norm.

Antonio has suffered from injuries throughout his Hammers career, failing to start more than 24 league games in each of the last four seasons. He could not only do with a backup but perhaps another forward opens up the possibility of tactical changes, too.

In Bamba, they’d be getting the perfect solution as he will also be able to provide cover for the likes of Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen on the flanks.

The 5 foot 9 dynamo played an integral role in Lille pipping Paris Saint-Germain to the title last season – as per Transfermarkt, he provided six goals and 11 assists, averaging a direct contribution every 176 minutes.

Bamba also averaged 1.7 key passes, 1.6 shots and 1.4 dribbles per game, via WhoScored, proving to be a massive creative influence, on top of a lethal threat in front of goal.

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Indeed, the £18m-rated forward was dubbed the “creative leader” of Christophe Galtier’s side by journalist Zach Lowy.

If West Ham can secure a move for him before tonight’s 11pm deadline, then there will certainly be a sense of relief around the London Stadium. What a final few hours it could be for the club in this transfer window.

AND in other news, West Ham close in on 2nd deadline day signing, it’s another Moyes transfer masterclass…

Liverpool must revisit their interest in Ajax midfielder Ryan Gravenberch over the summer as they search for Gini Wijnaldum’s replacement.

What’s the story?

Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (as reported by SportWitness), claimed Jurgen Klopp’s charges were among the 19-year-old’s list of suitors back in April, and the Reds would be foolish not to follow their admiration up with a concrete offer.

It’s not often a teenage talent attracts such widespread attention after only one full season in the senior set-up, but such is Gravenberch’s talent, Liverpool may have to move quickly to secure his services.

Liverpool must swoop

The youngster made 47 appearances for the Amsterdam giants last season, bagging five goals and providing six assists in all competitions as Erik ten Hag’s men completed the domestic double.

His outstanding displays have earned Gravenberch many plaudits throughout his short career, including former Netherlands international Wim Kieft.

“He is the greatest talent in the Netherlands. Only 18-years-old, but the prototype of a complete player. You see him grow every week,” Kieft said back in November.

“If someone like this makes his debut at the highest level, the big question is whether he can keep up with the faster pace. Gravenberch picks up on that very quickly.

“Also in the Champions League. When you see how, despite his height and physically, he easily turns away in the crowds and accelerates, you don’t see that much.”

The youngster has passed every test thrown at him so far and his 1.2 key passes per league game in 2020/21 – the joint-fifth highest in the Ajax squad, 68.4% pass accuracy and 1.6 dribbles per league game – both the second-highest amongst his teammates – illustrate the pivotal part he played in his side’s success.

While Gravenberch excels with the ball at his feet, he’s also blessed with enviable natural attributes.

Standing at 6 ft 3, the Dutch international would have no issue adapting to the physical demands of the Premier League and he could easily slot into the role left behind by his Dutch compatriot at Liverpool.

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Wijnaldum was often charged with recycling possession, easing the pressure and keeping things simple in the Anfield outfit’s engine room, all things that Gravenberch excels at.

Therefore, the Reds must revisit their interest in the Ajax prodigy and make a swoop before one of Europe’s other big guns show their hand.

Gravenberch has everything it takes to become Wijanldum 2.0, Liverpool must act to make sure he becomes that at Anfield and not elsewhere.

And, in other news…Imagine him and Thiago: Edwards must sanction LFC swoop for “technically gifted” gem 

Glasgow Rangers fans are loving comments from Steven Gerrard on the bans the SFA dished out to the five Gers players who broke health protocols.

Earlier this year, Calvin Bassey, Bongani Zungu, Nathan Patterson, Dapo Mebude and Brian Kinnear all broke coronavirus regulations to attend a house gathering. In the aftermath, they have since been banned for six games – although, following an appeal from the 55-time Scottish champions, the players will be able to play against Celtic in the Scottish Cup fourth round later this month (Sky Sports).

Rangers face Hibernian on Sunday, and Gerrard was speaking at his pre-match press conference. He was asked about the reason behind the appeal, and he revealed the Gers do not believe the punishment dished out was consistent with sanctions they have given in other cases – he also specifically cited Celtic’s trip to Dubai as an example.

The comments were shared on Rangers’ official Twitter account, and the fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the comments from Gerrard below

“Kennedy with the assist and Gerrard fires it into the top bin..”

Credit: @Walker_2603

“Great from the Gaffer”

Credit: @bigdibs89

“Outstanding, Gaffer. Simply outstanding.”

Credit: @55titles2021

“Superb for Gerrard”

Credit: @chr1s_g1llen

“Savage but well put.”

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Credit: @KeyWorkerGav

“Can’t be underestimated how much the manager has developed as a political operator in his time with the club. 3 years ago he’d have been sucked into providing a tabloid soundbite. Now he’s swatting these drafties away with a swift, concise and witty response. Delicious.”

Credit: @AuldBaldAaron

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this broadcaster’s comments.

Pundit Kevin Phillips has tipped Premier League side West Ham to sign Rangers left-back Borna Barisic soon.

The Croatian left-back was linked with a move to Leeds United in the summer transfer window and it was reported that the Gers were going to demand more than £8million to part ways with the defender – they are now well-placed to earn a big fee from his potential sale.

Barisic could be a ‘good signing’ for West Ham

Phillips believes that it could actually be the Hammers who sign Barisic from Rangers  – they would have adequate cover for Aaron Cresswell and as a result, they would have some good competition for the left-back spot. The pundit feels that the 28-year-old could be a ‘good move’ for David Moyes’ men.

In an interview with Football Insider, Phillips talked about Rangers’ Barisic and said:

“Cresswell has done pretty well. I think it would be a good signing – obviously you need two good players for every position.

“There’s going to be suspensions, injuries etc. so you need someone capable to come in. He’s younger so it could be a really good move.”

This comes after Football Insider had linked Barisic with a move to the London Stadium and he is one of the left-back options that the Hammers are looking at.

Losing Barisic could be a disaster for Rangers

Barisic has made 15 Premiership appearances this season, picking up four assists and scoring one goal so far. In the group stage of the Europa League, the Croatian had contributed with three assists in six appearances, also adding an assist in the League Cup to take his total to eight. (as per Transfermarkt).

In the 2019/20 league season, Barisic made 22 appearances for the Gers under Steven Gerrard. During that time, he scored twice and assisted eight times.

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This clearly shows that the 28-year-old is an important contributor to goals even from left-back and losing him wouldn’t be a good thing for the Gers at all.

In other news, a Rangers target has talked about links with a move to Ibrox – read more about it here.

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from a draw with Manchester United by beating West Ham last week, but one issue continues to cloud their recent success.

While Harry Kane earned all of the attention for scoring his 18th goal of the season, Tanguy Ndombele was visibly frustrated on the bench. He was left out of the team that lined up against Manchester United and suffered the same fate against West Ham.

Spurs are unbeaten since the Premier League restart but the focus seems to be on the ongoing feud between the Frenchman and Jose Mourinho. Ndombele, who was previously compared to Chelsea star N’Golo Kante, has been benched for three games in a row and struggled for consistency this season.

According to The Guardian, Mourinho has backed the 23-year-old to succeed at Spurs. Although the manager has been critical of his work ethic, with concerns over his fitness, he has moved to defend the club’s record signing.

Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Sheffield United earlier today, Mourinho believes that the midfielder can salvage his Spurs career. He told a virtual news conference: “I believe Ndombele can turn it around.

“Football is full of players who have made difficult starts and then ended well. When Modric arrived at Real Madrid, after six months he was labelled the worst signing in their history. So when the talent is there many things can happen with adaptation.”

While Mourinho has tried to squash the rumours circulating online, there’s no smoke without fire. The Spurs duo share a rocky relationship, as the head coach is annoyed by Ndombele’s lack of effort in training. The French international is still a top-class player which makes the situation even more frustrating.

Indeed, he has saved his best performances for the Champions League, supplying two assists, making 1.7 tackles per game, averaging one interception and completing 1.3 key passes on average (via WhoScored).

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Despite his struggles, the midfielder has attracted attention from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Barca are keen to offload Philippe Coutinho in the summer and are eager to use him in exchange for Ndombele.

Although Daniel Levy has insisted the French international will not be sold this summer, Mourinho may find the offer too tempting to ignore, as he is acutely aware that his budget has been slashed as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

Tottenham fans, do you think Mourinho should give Tanguy Ndombele another chance? Let us know your views in the comments below!

Sunderland have picked up their form in recent weeks and now have a very realistic shot at promotion but it will be far from easy until the end of the season.

As the team has already shown this term, many sides in League One are capable of beating each other, with the Black Cats experiencing seven league defeats so far. Phil Parkinson has fixed the defence in recent weeks, however, with five goals conceded in 10 league games, and that means the north-east outfit should be feeling confident ahead of games against Rochdale and Oxford this week.

Former player Gary Rowell, who scored 103 goals for the club, believes Sunderland ought to be brushing aside lower-placed sides like Rochdale at the Stadium of Light, though he did admit that such opponents are a bit of a “banana skin”.

Writing for the Sunderland Echo, Rowell said of the upcoming fixtures:

“I can’t accept and more importantly the players shouldn’t accept losing at home to Burton or drawing at home to Bolton and many others, these are the points dropped that are so damaging. Sunderland can’t afford any slip-ups, it is win or pay the price.

“The Oxford away game on paper looks a lot harder [than Rochdale]. They might currently be only 10th but they are a better team than that position indicates and I wouldn’t be surprised if they rally a challenge for a play-off position so they can’t be taken lightly.

“Sunderland need the grit and resilience they showed in the two away games before Portsmouth, both 1-0 wins at MK Dons and Tranmere where both fixtures weren’t easy on the eye but I will gladly take the same outcome on Saturday.”

As Rowell has said, any match could prove troublesome for Sunderland in League One, particularly at home where the visitors may look to raise their game, but the next four matches are against opponents placed outside of the play-offs and therefore present a great chance to accumulate points.

March 1st then sees the Black Cats visit promotion rivals Coventry in what could be a decisive game but if Parkinson gets a run going and confidence flowing through his players, then it could be a great opportunity for Sunderland to position themselves in line for promotion.

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Parkinson has got one area of the squad performing at maximum with the defence, and if he can do the same with the attack and show invention like he did against Ipswich to get the winner, then the north-east outfit may make a return to the Championship.

What do you make of Rowell’s comments? Is he right that Sunderland can’t afford any more poor results? Feel free to discuss below…

It must be pretty great behind a Liverpool fan right now.

They are the current European champions, after two finals in a row in the tournament. Not only that, they top the Premier League by eight points from Leicester City and Chelsea, whilst Manchester City, the current holders, are a further point back and currently sit in fourth place.

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As such, a place at Anfield to watch the Reds in action is amongst the hottest tickets in town. The Merseyside outfit are currently planning an extension to the current stadium, and are even said to be consulting both fans and local residents to get their thoughts on the future renovation.

However, it seems they may want to look at sorting out the club’s ticketing system, which is the cause of much debate amongst the team’s supporters.

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Several members have been complaining about the difficulties to get their hands on tickets, and they have taken to Twitter to do so. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.