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Ralf Rangnick is now reportedly interested in taking the manager’s job at Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Bruce to speak to media

It has been reported that Steve Bruce will be speaking to the media ahead of his team’s game at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, despite claims that the new owners will sack him before the match (The Daily Mail).

It means that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium are likely still on the hunt for a new manager to take them into the new post-takeover era.

The Latest: Rangnick interested

According to Christian Falk, Rangnick is now ‘interested’ in taking over from Bruce at St. James’ Park.

The Bundesliga journalist also claims that he tried to become the manager of Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, and that to work in the English top flight is his ‘big dream’.

The Verdict: Bring him in

Rangnick is certainly a manager that is capable of bringing trophies back to the North East after so long, with eight already to his name with three different clubs (Transfermarkt).

His style of play is certainly more energetic than what the Toon Army have been used to under Bruce, as he is famous for his gegenpressing, an attack-minded tactic based on creating chances by winning the ball back high up the pitch (ESPN).

Jurgen Klopp, who of course has won both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League during his time at Liverpool, claimed that Rangnick is ‘one of the best, if not the best German coach’ (ESPN), which is very high praise indeed considering that the likes of him, Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea) and Julian Nagelsmann (Bayern Munich) are all managing at the highest level.

Nonetheless, he would certainly be a breath of fresh air should he go on to succeed Bruce on Tyneside.

In other news, find out what big Erling Haaland to NUFC update Falk has dropped here!

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Reading midfielder John Swift, Football League World report.

The Lowdown: 2020 links

This isn’t the first time Villa have been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old.

Villa were set to launch a £6-8m offer for Swift’s services last summer, however, as we know, he remained with the Royals despite links to Sheffield United as well.

At this moment in time, the £25,000-a-week midfielder is out of contract next summer, meaning he could be available in a cut-price January move, should his situation remain the same.

And it seems as if Villa still have their eye on Swift’s signature.

The Latest: Source shares update

A source informed Football League World of Sheffield United’s interest in Swift on Friday.

Within their report, they claimed that Villa, along with Premier League rivals Brentford and Newcastle United, are also keeping tabs on Swift’s situation.

The Verdict: Sign

Should Villa firm up their interest in Swift, it could be a shrewd acquisition, especially as they didn’t land an out-and-out central attacking midfielder following Jack Grealish’s exit in the summer.

Swift is clearly a player Villa have had on their radar for some time, and by the looks of it, could be available for a bargain price due to his contract situation.

He’s also netted seven Championship goals in as many appearances this season, taking his senior club tally to 39, plus one for England at Under-21 level, so it could be a wise move by Johan Lange.

In other news: ‘What a mess’ – Matt Maher’s Aston Villa update has lots of fans fuming.  

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma despite intense interest in the player’s services.

What’s the story?

According to the Daily Star, the Reds are set to battle it out with fellow Premier League outfit Arsenal for the highly-rated 25-year-old’s signature in January.

The report states that: “Bissouma is one of their top targets, though they will have to fend off competition from Mikel Arteta’s Gunners if they are to bring him to Anfield.”

Bissouma has entered the final two years of his current contract the Amex Stadium, meaning the winter window is likely to be the last chance for Brighton to secure a high price for their prized asset.

Jurgen Klopp needs him

After arriving on English shores back in 2018, the combative dynamo has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the top-flight, racking up 101 appearances for the Seagulls in all competitions.

He featured in all but two of Brighton’s league games last season, highlighting his importance to Graham Potter’s side, and when looking at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why.

As per WhoScored, Bissouma recorded an average of 2.9 tackles per game, the highest total amongst his teammates who made over three appearances in 2020/21.

The Mali international also outperformed his colleagues when it came to interceptions, making 1.8 per Premier League fixture, but it wasn’t just his off-the-ball work where he excelled.

Bissouma achieved a passing accuracy of 87.4%, the third-highest tally in the whole of the Brighton squad, showcasing his adeptness at kickstarting attacks as well as breaking up the opponent’s play.

They’re all attributes that led to Gary Lineker labelling him an “exceptional footballer” on Twitter and would serve him well should he make the step up and join Liverpool over the coming months, and Reds manager Jurgen Klopp needs further reinforcements in his engine room.

The departure of Gini Wijnaldum has left the Anfield outfit short of options in the middle of the park after no replacement was signed over the meaning, especially after Harvey Elliott suffered a dislocated ankle in the opening weeks of the new campaign.

It remains to be seen whether the teenager’s injury forces Liverpool into the transfer market in January, although the arrival of the £22.5m-rated Bissouma would be a significant boost to their chances of success.

And, in other news…Edwards must secure Liverpool swoop for £28.8m-rated wizard, Klopp would love him 

In the early stages of the season, it looked as though Celtic midfielder David Turnbull was already running on empty.

The Hoops star was a near ever-present figure in the side after signing last season and then didn’t have much time off during the summer after travelling to Euro 2020 with Scotland.

Turnbull didn’t play a single minute for Steve Clarke’s side but his form in recent weeks is proving that he’s surely not far off a regular place in the national team.

He has gone from a tired and lapse figure to the heartbeat of the team again in a matter of weeks. Pundits and supporters are running out of superlatives for the magician who is scoring goals and assisting them on a regular basis.

The Scot found the net ten times last term but he’s already closing in on that number after just nine games of the new campaign.

His form has been simply mesmeric and a first senior hat-trick against St Mirren last weekend capped things off.

That means that Turnbull now has five goals and an assist in his last four appearances.

At the age of just 22, the attacking midfielder has a rather large ceiling and if he keeps performing like this, teams from south of the border will no doubt start dialling the phone.

Fortunately, Celtic have a like-minded player in their Colts team at the moment.

That happens to be 19-year-old Owen Moffat, a teenager who earned minutes in pre-season and is now starring in the Lowland League for Celtic B.

Like Turnbull, Moffat is a tricky goalscoring midfielder. He caught the eye during Ange Postecoglou’s first few weeks in charge and the Australian will no doubt be keeping a close watch on the youngster.

After all, Hoops skipper Callum McGregor already loves what he sees from the curly-haired assassin.

Speaking a few months back after he scored in a friendly, McGregor said: “A mention for young Moffat – his attitude has been first class. I remember watching him at the end of last season, training on the astro himself. Every day they would do finishing and I remember thinking: ‘He’s got a finish on him’.

“I wasn’t surprised when the ball dropped and he half-volleyed it into the net.”

His confidence has soared this season and he’s been finding the net on a regular basis for the B team. The midfielder has performed to such a high level that he bagged five goals in one game when they defeated Vale of Leithen 10-0.

He started the clash on the left-hand side where he scored once but was then moved into a central role and scored four more, dominating the defence in remarkable fashion.

“It was a good performance from the team. In the first half, it was a good five goals and when we went in at half-time Tommy and Darren just told us to keep going, we had to be relentless, and that’s what we did,” Moffat remarked at full-time.

That kind of relentless attitude is bound to fit in with Postecoglou’s style of play. After all, the senior side have been keen to score as many as possible in recent weeks.

They’ve beaten the goalkeeper on 24 occasions in their last six matches and have had a mighty 72 attempts at goal in their last two domestic ties.

Therefore, Moffat would surely make a seamless transition to first-team life once the manager decides to unleash him.

Like Turnbull, the teen has wonderful technical ability and he knows where the back of the net is. He’s certainly one to watch out for in the next few years.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano delivers 10-word Celtic transfer update, fans surely concerned…

An update has emerged on the fitness of Liverpool centre-forward Roberto Firmino, following his latest injury issue.

What’s the latest?

According to The Times journalist Paul Joyce, Roberto Firmino is set to be assessed after suffering a hamstring injury this week.

Joyce has said that the initial diagnosis is promising, with the Brazil international not expecting to be out for a significant period of time as the injury is thought to be ‘not serious.’

Delight

Liverpool fans will surely be delighted by this update on Firmino’s hamstring injury as it suggests that he will not miss too many games, if any at all. He featured in all of the club’s first three Premier League games and now has two weeks to get himself ready for the next outing, with the Reds facing Leeds in early September.

Diogo Jota has had a strong start to the campaign, scoring two goals in two starts and coming off the bench in the third game. He has averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.15 after scoring goals against Norwich and Burnley to kickstart the 2021/22 season.

This shows that Firmino could have some serious competition for his place in the starting XI. The attacker scored nine goals in 33 Premier League starts last season, which was matched by Jota in just 12 starts for the Reds following his move from Wolves.

The competition between the two is healthy, though, and adds a healthy dynamic on and off the pitch for Jurgen Klopp’s squad. Firmino and Jota both know if they do not perform then a top-quality player is there to take their place in the XI and this keeps them both on their toes and putting in maximum effort in training and in matches this season.

Therefore, Firmino’s injury not being serious will leave fans delighted as it keeps that competition going as a busy period of fixtures approaches.

Hopefully, the 29-year-old will be able to return to training before the end of the international break and Klopp will have a fully fit squad to pick from when they face Leeds. It will be interesting to see if he goes with the Brazilian if he is fit, or gives Jota the chance to build on his two goals.

In other Liverpool news; The Reds are expecting deadline offers for 24-year-old…

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has claimed that Aston Villa striker Wesley could leave the club this summer.

What’s the story?

Following the arrival of Danny Ings from Southampton in recent weeks, Dean Smith’s side have bolstered their options going forward, and Preece has now indicated that this could have an impact on Wesley’s future at the club.

He said: “Yep, there’s a realistic possibility of Wesley heading out. I must be in the minority here but I’d like to see him do well at Villa. I was hard on him when he first joined but he was showing signs before he got injured. I think he’ll be loaned out now though; Ings and Watkins will start pretty much every game.

“Interesting to hear Smith say Watkins will be a central striker and nothing else this season. I can see Ings as a No.10 at times. There is a need for a striker on the bench, though, knowing Traore/Ghazi played there last week vs Salernitana.”

Dean Smith’s making a mistake

While Ings’ arrival certainly puts Wesley down the pecking order at Villa Park, it’s a bit of a hasty mistake from Smith to let the Brazilian go this summer, even on a temporary basis.

Watkins was a man of steel last season in the Premier League, only missing the one match all campaign, but whether that level of fitness can hold up for a second successive campaign remains to be seen.

Add to that the fact Ings missed several games last season for Southampton with a knee injury, and of course has ruptured his ACL previously, and Villa could be left really short up front if they suffer some misfortune.

A report from The Birmingham Mail recently said: “It has been rumoured that Ings’ arrival from Southampton could see Villa operating with two strikers up front in a 3-5-2 or a 4-4-2 formation this term as the new man plays alongside last season’s great transfer success, Ollie Watkins.

“Playing two up top was used in just 2% of Villa’s games last season, but proved to be effective in games such as the 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion, the 3-0 win over Arsenal and the 3-1 victory over Fulham. The 4-4-2 has been trialled on several occasions in pre-season, most recently in the 3-1 win against Salernitana.”

If Smith does intend to operate with a two-man strike force, he surely needs a back-up centre-forward either as an option off the bench, or as someone he could rotate his main pairing with.

Letting Wesley go without first bringing in another striker would be a massive oversight and mistake on the part of the Villa boss.

Meanwhile, Gregg Evans has dropped an Aston Villa transfer update…

Crystal Palace are involved in a three-way transfer battle for Liverpool striker Divock Origi, with Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United also in the running for his signature, according to The Telegraph.

Over the course of his time on Merseyside, the Belgian has contributed some important goals to the Reds’ cause; none more so than his Champions League-winning strike against Tottenham Hotspur in 2019 [BBC].

However, he could now be set for a switch to either London or the Midlands if recent reports are to be believed. The 26-year-old has seen his stock plummet at Anfield, making just two league starts last season and netting only once in all competitions in 2020/21.

Crystal Palace are keen on taking him to Selhurst Park alongside Wolves and West Ham, with Liverpool open to offloading the striker, who has two years left on his Anfield contract [The Telegraph].

In light of these developments, plenty of Crystal Palace diehards took to social media to vent their frustration at the links with an out-of-sorts Origi.

Crystal Palace fans react

Replying to popular Crystal Palace fan outlet CPFC Transfers HQ, here is what some fans have had to say about the rumour:

“No, doesn’t score enough”

Credit: @deanham64

“please no”

Credit: @Ztrats1″No no no no no no no”Credit: @IocaIpIa999tic”Please no”Credit: @Mark_CPFC”lol”Credit: @CPFC_Ollie_”literally anyone else would be better”Credit: @localpla8ticIn other news, many Crystal Palace fans react to interest in this £16.2m-rated ace

Newcastle United reportedly want to sign Boubacar Kamara in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Kamara impresses

Kamara impressed while playing for Marseille in the 2020/21 season, helping them reach fifth spot in the Ligue 1 table.

He played in 35 matches in total in the division, winning 6.9 of his duels per game while also averaging 2.5 tackles, 1.3 clearances and one interception per match (Sofascore).

The Latest: Cut-price move?

As per The Daily Mail, the St. James’ Park faithful are hoping that they can sign Kamara for a fee in the region of £12m, given that he only has a year left on his current deal in France.

This would certainly be a bargain for the North East club, given that he is currently valued at £33.3m by Transfermarkt.

The Verdict: Sign

If the Tyneside club can end up signing Kamara for £12m, then it would certainly be some shrewd business considering his age and market value.

Once dubbed a ‘phenomenon’ by his former teammate Rolando back in May 2020, the 21-year-old clearly has a lot of potential, and has shown maturity at such a young age by being able to play in a number of different positions (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, he will be full of confidence coming off the back of such a good individual season, and is certainly a player that Steve Bruce should be finding room in his squad for.

In other news, find out what Mike Ashley has recently told the takeover consortium here!

Rangers begin their Scottish Premiership title defence on Saturday afternoon as they take on Livingston at Ibrox, with Steven Gerrard’s side fresh off the back of an impressive pre-season.

The Gers picked up positive results against tough opposition in the shape of Brighton, Arsenal and Real Madrid, with new signings John Lundstram and Fashion Sakala both featuring for Gerrard’s side.

After finishing last year’s league season unbeaten, conceding just 13 goals in 38 top-flight games, Gerrard’s side go into the new campaign as favourites to win the title, especially with their Old Firm rivals showing little sign of improvement after they crashed out of the Champions League qualification stages in midweek.

Although Gerrard will be missing the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Jack and new signing Nnamdi Ofoborh for the game against David Martindale’s side on Saturday, the Gers will still be strong favourites to pick up three points to kick off the campaign.

Here’s how we think Gerrard will line his team up for the season opener at Ibrox…

After an impressive season which saw him earn a new one-year deal at Ibrox, Allan McGregor unsurprisingly starts in goal for Gerrard’s side.

There will be plenty of competition at right-back this term after Nathan Patterson’s breakthrough in 2020/21, but captain James Tavernier is likely to start the majority. He is joined by the crux of last season’s impressive defence as Connor Goldson partners Filip Helander at centre-back, with Borna Barisic on the left.

In midfield, new signing John Lundstram starts alongside Glen Kamara and Steven Davis, with Joe Aribo’s absence in recent pre-season games suggesting that he may be forced to settle for a place on the bench in this one.

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776”]

Finally, Ryan Kent and Ianis Hagi seem likely to start on the wings after their superb performances last season, and they support new signing Fashion Sakala up front, with the Zambian getting his competitive Gers debut ahead of Kemar Roofe after the former Leeds man missed the games against Brighton and Real Madrid.

In other news… The Athletic journalist drops exciting Rangers transfer claim, fans will be buzzing

Former Sheffield United striker Dean Windass is confident that legendary Blade Billy Sharp will be an important player for the club next season.

The Sheffield-born frontman has scored more than 150 goals across three separate spells, although he struggled to stamp his authority on Sheffield United’s two-year stay in the Premier League and was unable to save them from relegation.

The previous two seasons were Sharp’s first two in England’s top-flight, and the 35-year-old managed to score just six times in 41 outings, having been mainly used as a bit-part player behind the likes of David McGoldrick and Oli McBurnie, featuring for just 728 minutes across the 2020/21 Premier League campaign.

However, Sharp is proven at Championship level, and scored 23 league goals when Sheffield United won promotion back in 2018-2019.

By the end of next season, Sharp will be 36, and despite being one of six first-team strikers currently at Bramall Lane, Windass believes he could still prove the difference for Slavisa Jokanovic’s team.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“Billy Sharp will be a big player for them next year. I know he’s getting on a little bit, but he’ll still get you goals in the Championship.”