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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp ‘really wants’ Karim Adeyemi to join his squad as negotiations with RB Salzburg are ongoing, according to journalist Ekrem Konur.

The Lowdown: Sizzling Salzburg Striker

Adeyemi, 19, has caught the eye of some of the best clubs in Europe with his terrific record at Red Bull Salzburg, with the Germany international scoring 21 goals in 66 appearances, assisting 17 also.

The striker has come on leaps and bounds since making his debut and is now the Austrian club’s main man up-front following the departure of Patson Daka to Leicester City last summer.

With the striker showing his worth in the Champions League this season, the chances of a move elsewhere next summer will increase as his performances continue to stand out.

The Latest: Klopp keen on Adeyemi

According to Konur on Twitter, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp really wants to sign Adeyemi and talks between the two clubs are continuing on financial issues.

Konur also stated that Adeyemi wants to play in the top-level leagues and prove himself, following in the footsteps of Erling Haaland, who now plays for Borussia Dortmund.

Germany head coach Hansi Flick labelled Adeyemi ‘ice-cold’ after the teenager scored on his national debut.

The Verdict: Future move

The signing of Adeyemi would fill the hole that Liverpool have missing in the middle of their front three. With Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota alternating in that role, they lack an out-and-out striker, offering Klopp the chance to rest and rotate his key forwards.

Only 19, the German striker has years to grow and adapt to English football, but his track record in front of goal demonstrates his ability.

Whilst Daka has struggled to adapt to the Premier League, Haaland’s record at Dortmund since joining has placed him as one of the best strikers around and Adeyemi will be hoping to replicate the Norway international’s rise.

In other news, this Liverpool target would prefer a move to this league. Find out more here.

Everton have been dealt a big blow to their festive plans as winger Andros Townsend has suffered an injury to his foot.

According to The Athletic, the ex-Tottenham man sustained the knock whilst playing against his former team Crystal Palace on Sunday and he is now set to be out for a number of weeks – missing the Christmas schedule.

Major issue

This causes a major issue for Blues boss Rafa Benitez as Townsend has been one of his standout players in the Premier League this season. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (7.53) is the only player in the squad with a higher average SofaScore rating than the winger (7.09) and he will need to be replaced in the starting XI over the coming weeks.

The Spaniard could potentially solve this problem by unleashing academy beast Anthony Gordon and giving him a further run of games from the start to prove his worth at senior level.

He has had a smattering of starts in the top-flight this season but it has been difficult for him to find consistency as he has not had a prolonged spell in the XI to build some momentum. Gordon has started six games and made a further seven appearances off the bench, having played three times in the league last season.

The 20-year-old has shown potential whilst playing in the youth sides at Goodison. He scored 24 goals and provided ten assists in 59 games for the U23 and U18 outfits combined, showing that he has the quality to score and assist goals from a wide position – albeit he is yet to prove that he can do it at senior level.

David Unsworth previously backed the youngster to fulfill his potential, saying:

“If chances come along, you want them to come to Anthony Gordon because he is in such a rich vein of form.

“He’s grown in stature as a player. He can still be better physically, in terms of being able to go for 95 minutes – and he will do that. His desire and application is there.

“He is such an explosive player. He’s progressing really well and when he reaches his full potential, he’ll be some player. It’s not a question of if, he will do. He’s got that star quality.”

With Townsend now set to miss a number of matches, Benitez must unleash Gordon from the start over a prolonged period now to allow him to build up his confidence to see if he is able to make a significant impact at first-team level for Everton.

If he is able to do that then he could kick on and become an important player for the club moving forward, which is why the Spanish boss could benefit from selecting him – starting with the clash with Chelsea.

AND in other news, Rafa can kickstart Everton revival by unleashing 65-goal prodigy who “rarely misses”…

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst is going to have a lot to digest on his plate in the summer as he looks to shape his squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He will need to make key decisions on players he wants to bring to Ibrox to bolster the team whilst also deciding on the players he feels will not be useful to him moving forward.

The Dutchman, and Ross Wilson, will be hard at work to plot what they want to do in the next window as rumours have started circulating in recent weeks.

According to Football League World, one player the Gers are interested in is Stoke attacker Jacob Brown as they have joined a clutch of clubs chasing his signature.

The report claims that the Potters may find it difficult to turn an offer down as Rangers, West Ham, Brentford and Burnley all line up swoops for him.

Brown has been sublime in the Championship this season and would be a fantastic addition to van Bronckhorst’s team. He has 13 goals and registered four assists in the second tier as he has been able to make himself a goal threat for Stoke after only finding the back of the net five times in the previous campaign.

Potters boss Michael O’Neill has dubbed him as a “threat” and “unselfish” this term and his impressive statistics show that he is deserving of praise.

Meanwhile, Cedric Itten is a player on the other end of the scale. The £14k-per-week outcast has failed to score in five matches in the Premiership this season, which highlights both his lack of form in front of goal and his lack of involvement in the team as he has not been deemed good enough for regular minutes in the side.

In the first half of the campaign, he bagged twice in 12 outings for Greuther Furth in the Bundesliga as he averaged an underwhelming SofaScore rating of 6.65. This shows that he has not been able to pull up any trees elsewhere and has not shown any signs that he will come good for the Gers any time soon.

He is not positively contributing to the Glasgow giants on the pitch and must be shifted on in the summer to make way for a new addition – Brown. Rangers must bring the 24-year-old Scot to Ibrox to replace Itten and improve their attacking options, handing more help to the likes of Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos next season.

AND in other news, In talks: Rangers now closing in on 1st summer signing, Van Bronckhorst surely buzzing…

Aston Villa full-back Ashley Young is a doubt for Sunday’s trip to Brentford after the 36-year-old picked up a foot injury.

What’s the latest?

Villa manager Steven Gerrard has stated that Young has an “outside chance” of being available for the trip to West London on Sunday.

The versatile veteran is currently nursing a toe fracture and may struggle to be ready in time for the Villans’ next game, although the 41-year-old claimed that Young is “trying his best to be available.”

Young missed the 3-1 Boxing Day defeat to Chelsea and looks likely to sit out on a second consecutive game for the first time since Gerrard was appointed manager.

Villa fans will be worried

Although not a top performer within the squad, Young has been consistent for the Midlands side since his return to Villa Park last summer, ten years after departing for Manchester United.

The 36-year-old has featured in all but one of Steven Gerrard’s seven Premier League games in charge of Villa, missing the defeat to Chelsea. Moreover, he has contributed two assists under the 41-year-old and also helped his team towards two clean sheets in that time.

Despite being predominantly a right-back, Young’s versatility has proven quite beneficial this term, with the veteran being deployed in a variety of defensive, midfield and attacking positions.

His experience has been of great use all season and arguably deserves more credit and recognition from outsiders than what he’s received since returning to England from Italian outfit Inter Milan. Therefore, Villa fans may be rather worried to hear that he only has an “outside chance” of featuring against Brentford this afternoon, having just started to become a near-constant in the team.

One positive is that the injury doesn’t appear hugely serious and Gerrard should have one of his most reliable assets available for upcoming fixtures as the Villans look to stake a claim and make a serious push for European qualification under the 41-year-old.

In other news – “It’s a goer”: Ashley Preece drops exciting transfer claim which will leave Villa fans ecstatic

Former Leeds United midfielder Ronaldo Vieira has been backed to rejoin the Whites in the January transfer window by journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Vieira struggling Italy

The 23-year-old has had an injury-plagued few months and is yet to make a single appearance for Sampdoria this season.

Vieira has been linked with a return to Leeds in recent weeks, having emerged as an exciting youngster at Elland Road during the Championship days, playing 71 times in total.

A fresh update has now been provided regarding the situation, as the Whites slowly run out of time to make new signings this month.

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The Latest: Reunion on the cards

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that Leeds could welcome the transfer and try to get it over the line this month, given the midfield shortage they are currently experiencing.

He stated: “You would never say never. If he’s readily available, doesn’t fit in at Sampdoria, they’re willing to get rid and he wants to come back to Leeds, I’m sure it’s something Leeds will consider. It would just be an extra body in the building.”

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The Verdict: Good for squad depth

With Kalvin Phillips out until March and Adam Forshaw limping off in the 3-2 win away to West Ham on Sunday, it is vital that Marcelo Bielsa brings in at least one midfielder in January.

Granted, Vieira’s own injury issues mean that he could be a gamble, but it is reaching the stage where desperation is creeping in and almost anyone would be a suitable transfer candidiate.

That doesn’t mean Vieira wouldn’t be a good signing, though – he has been lauded as ‘strong’ and a ‘little dog’ by former Whites team-mate Gaetano Berardi in the past. Also, he could bring defensive excellence to the midfield, having won two aerial duelss and 1.3 tackles per game on loan at Verona last season.

It would seem that Bielsa could do a whole lot worse than bring the Sampdoria ace back for a second spell at Elland Road, and it’s encouraging to hear O’Rourke saying that it is a possibility.

In other news, Leeds have been offered fresh hope of signing one player. Find out who it is here.

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Steven Gerrard’s first experiment with a 4-4-2 diamond formation, as per Transfermarkt, didn’t pay off as Rangers were beaten 2-1 by Kilmarnock on Wednesday, and while the 38-year-old should already be considering ditching it, he should give it one more run-out against Livingston on Sunday.

On the chalkboard

The Glasgow giants would have been full of confidence coming out of the winter break considering they’d beaten arch-rivals Celtic in the Old Firm derby to draw level with them at the table’s summit, but Gerrard had an added selection headache following the January addition of Jermain Defoe on an 18-month loan deal from Bournemouth, as per rangers.co.uk.

He may be in the latter stages of his career but the 36-year-old hasn’t moved north of the border to play a bit-part role, and with Alfredo Morelos being such an important player for Rangers it was no surprise that both made the starting XI against Kilmarnock.

The early signs were positive and especially when Defoe netted a 12th-minute opener, but things went downhill after that as they slipped to what could prove to be a costly defeat in the Scottish Premiership title race.

Stick or twist?

It may be very early days, but Rangers clearly lacked the width they had become accustomed to in Gerrard’s preferred 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 systems in recent weeks, and instead of having the quality of Ryan Kent out on the wing he was instead deployed in more of a No.10 role behind the aforementioned strike duo.

While the Liverpool legend may be tempted to twist against Livingston, he should stick with the formation for at least one more game. It may not have worked out completely at Rugby Park, but the chance to have a formation in which Defoe and Morelos can thrive in alongside each other is too good an opportunity to throw away during the season run-in.

Gerrard needs to ensure that his full-backs provide some much-needed attacking threat from the flanks on Sunday, but ultimately if the match does end in disappointment again then it should be the end of the experiment once and for all.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

West Brom’s correspondent for The Athletic, Steve Madeley, shared a story on Valerien Ismael’s midfield options on Monday.

And a number of West Brom fans were quick to react to his Twitter post as a result.

The Baggies ran out 3-0 winners against Bristol City on Saturday but were without central midfield regulars Jake Livermore and Alex Mowatt.

Livermore was suspended and Mowatt injured, which meant Ismael used Robert Snodgrass and Jayson Molumby. The pair impressed against The Robins, with Ismael labelling Snodgrass as man of the match.

Madeley looked into the possibility of Snodgrass and Molumby starting alongside each other again when West Brom travel to promotion rivals Fulham this weekend.

He labelled the idea of Albion going into a game without Livermore and Mowatt as ‘unthinkable’ prior to the weekend.

However, it now feels as if that might happen after the positive displays from Snodgrass and Molumby.

Baggies fans react

This is what these West Brom supporters had to say in reply to Madeley, with many hoping Livermore doesn’t return to the side.

“Livermore’s suspension was the best thing that could have happened. He doesn’t offer anything and can’t pass. Mowatt would relish playing with Molumby/Snoddy next to him.”

Credit: @Jackk_Ross

“Was only unthinkable if you hadn’t got eyes. The fact that this pairing only happened by chance and not by choice is somewhat baffling and maybe even scary.”

Credit: @wezzaboing74

“About time Livermore is phased out of the starting XI. All he does is fall to his knees when other players score. How got like 10 games for England is completely beyond me”

Credit: @JoelDMendez

“Only unthinkable to fans who don’t understand football. Its been obvious all season Livermore doesn’t offer anywhere near enough in a 2 man midfield. The fact he is constantly diving in is enough to demonstrate that.”

Credit: @AdKido44

“Always look better without Livermore”

Credit: @Jaywba1982

“I don’t know what Livermore brings to the side and can’t tell you what sort of player he is, about time he was dislodged from the side”

Credit: @RyanPGlasgow

Valerien Ismael is under pressure to bring West Brom back from a run of poor form which has seen them fall further from the automatic promotion spots in the Championship, and he could be in with a golden chance to improve their fortunes in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

The Albion manager has spoken out ahead of the imminent transfer window claiming that “it’s a process”, with mounting pressure on the former Barnsley manager to revive West Brom from a slump in performances and lack of goals in the Championship as they challenge to get back into the Premier League in the second half of the season.

Speaking to Birmingham Live, the 46-year-old said: “Generally (with the squad) I am not where I want to be – it’s clear, but it can’t be from the start you have everything you want. It’s a process, you need two or three transfer windows.

“Now we come to the second window and we will see what we can do, how many players we can pick. The important thing is getting the right player. If it’s one, it’s one. If it’s two, it’s two. If it’s three, it’s three.”

Injuries and suspensions have all had their part to play in the declining form, with midfielders Jayson Molumby and Jake Livermore both getting sent off in the space of a week recently and the likes of Kenneth Zohore and Dara O’Shea sustaining injuries during the season so far.

Jordan Hugill is also expected to return to Norwich in January, meaning that Ismael will have a number of key positions to fill during the January transfer window going into the second half of the season.

Fans should be pleased

There have been rumours circulating that Ismael could be sacked by Christmas if performances don’t improve in the short term to keep the Baggies in contention for an automatic promotion spot.

Understandably, he and the club have work to do in January, but football can be unforgiving to managers who are underachieving when expectations are not being met.

These words of reassurance from the manager that he is open to adding more players in January could well leave fans buzzing not only for the transfer window ahead, but for the rest of the season. Ismael clearly isn’t content with what he’s got at the moment and has a vision in mind of the direction in which he wants to take the team and the club to go in, while also being considerate of fans’ expectations amid calls for key positions to be strengthened.

It would seem unfair for him to be sacked before he can revive the squad with a decent transfer window, but it would be essential for any new signings to make an instant impact and improve the team rapidly to ensure that West Brom can keep their involvement in the promotion race for as long as possible. Still, at least the manager’s proclamation that he wants to strengthen with “the right player” next month should please The Hawthorns faithful.

In other news: Ismael delivered a masterstroke by unleashing this Baggies gem

Manchester United have been in the process of appointing their next manager to take charge at Old Trafford this summer, and with Erik ten Hag the favoured manager to take the role new information has emerged about his potential coaching team that will work with him at the club.

What’s the word?

According to Chief Football Writer for The Mail on Sunday, Rob Draper, ten Hag is lining up Robin van Persie to join his management team at Man United this summer.

Draper tweeted late on Saturday night:

“Van Persie being lined up as Man Utd asst – but ten Hag still in talks, no deal yet.

“Ten Hag still wants assurances over how club will be run…”

Supporters will adore him

Van Persie provided a fairy-tale during his first season at Old Trafford, with the Dutch striker scoring “goal of the century” as claimed by Sir Alex Ferguson, to guide Manchester United to their 20th Premier League title victory in 2013.

The star forward scored 58 goals and provided 21 assists during his three-year tenure with the Red Devils, so the idea that he could come back and become part of the management team to guide United back to the glory days that once were will surely delight supporters who adore him.

The two time Premier League golden boot winner has the invaluable experience earned with Arsenal and Man United that could give ten Hag a real insight into the challenges of the league and can certainly help the current squad understand what it means to win trophies at the club.

Van Persie retired from playing football in 2019 hanging up his boots at 35 years old, and has since been making an impact in his assistant manager role at Feyenoord Rotterdam after being promoted from his technical coach role last summer. Coming back to the Premier League to work alongside ten Hag would be a huge next step in his career on the sideline.

With that being said, Manchester United have not even officially reached an agreement with the Ajax boss, and until ten Hag is confirmed we don’t expect other members of the coaching team to be decided until the deal is done, but the idea of Van Persie returning to the club will surely have supporters very excited.

In other news: MUFC make “shock approach” for “cold” £50m “warrior”, it’s bye-bye Rashford

Celtic are closing in on a deal to bring Cameron Carter-Vickers to Parkhead on a permanent basis this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that, despite the increased interest in the centre-back’s signing – with the likes of Burnley, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City all believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the 24-year-old – Celtic are now in pole position to land the Tottenham Hotspur defender at the end of the season.

The report goes on to state that Ange Postecoglou’s transfer team are currently locked in negotiations with the Premier League side concerning the activation of their £6m option to buy clause for the USA international – a deal which could eventually rise to £10m with add-ons.

Finally, it is claimed that, with Champions League football all but secured ahead of next season, people close to Carter-Vickers believe that Celtic Park is the best place for the American to continue his progression in the game.

Huge coup for Celtic

Considering just how impressive Carter-Vickers have been for Celtic since his season-long loan switch to Glasgow last summer, it is unsurprising to learn that a number of Premier League sides, as well as the Hoops, are keen to secure the centre-back’s signature at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, over his 27 Premiership appearances this season, the £2.7m-rated defender has been flawless in the Celtic backline, helping his side keep 14 clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 4.4 clearances and winning six duels – at a success rate of 68% – per game.

The £22k-per-week American has also chipped in for the Bhoys in an attacking capacity, bagging four goals – one of which was the winner against Rangers on Sunday – and registering one assist, as well as taking an average of 0.6 shots and making 0.3 key passes per fixture.

These returns have seen the 24-year-old average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.36, ranking him as the fifth-best player in the top flight of Scottish football in the current campaign.

As such, it is clear for all to see why there is so much interest in Carter-Vickers this summer, as well as why sealing his permanent switch to Parkhead would be something of a major coup for the runaway Premiership leaders.

AND in other news: Postecoglou drops huge behind the scenes update, it’s great news for Celtic