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Rangers have been linked with both James Garner and Joey Veerman in recent weeks but who would be the better addition to Steven Gerrard’s side at Ibrox this summer?

Joey Veerman

According to Dutch news outlet Voetbal, Rangers are one of the sides taking an interest in the SC Heerenveen midfielder ahead of the summer, as a result of his superb performances in the Eredivisie this season.

The 22-year-old has contributed seven goals and nine assists in the Dutch top-flight, averaging an excellent 7.47 rating, which ranks him as the sixth-best performer in the Netherlands so far this season.

He is expected to cost around £8.5m this summer, which would rank him as one of the Gers’ most expensive ever signings according to Transfermarkt, although they could well have more money to spend this summer as a result of their return to the Champions League next season.

James Garner

Rangers were reportedly interested in signing the Manchester United youngster in January before his loan move to Nottingham Forest and, according to his agent Steven Beck, they are “really keen” on signing him ahead of next season.

The 20-year-old would likely arrive on loan, having excelled in the second half of the 2020/21 season with Forest, contributing three goals in 19 appearances and averaging a solid 6.93 rating.

Despite a more disappointing loan spell with Watford earlier in the season, their former manager Vladimir Ilic had a lot of praise for him, saying:

“He is one of the most talented players in England.

“Everybody knows a lot of things about him – he’s coming from a big club and from a big academy.

“He is a quality player with the ball, he knows how to move the ball fast and he thinks fast which is very important.”

Who would be better?

Although Veerman has arguably had the better season, he is perhaps out of Rangers’ price range this summer, whereas Garner would represent a cheap option for Rangers if he were to join on loan.

The Englishman is clearly destined for big things, having been likened to former United maestro Michael Carrick, and he could realise that potential at Ibrox next season under the guidance of another one of England’s great midfielders, Steven Gerrard.

The youngster is also more accustomed to the style of football on offer in the UK, which suggests that he might be a better fit than Veerman, who is extremely talented on the ball but might well struggle to cope with the physicality of the Scottish Premiership.

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Therefore, if a choice needs to be made, Ross Wilson should perhaps forget about signing Veerman this summer and instead focus on bringing Garner to Ibrox.

And, in other news… £94k per start: Gerrard made the right call axing Rangers flop, he’ll quickly be forgotten

A number of Manchester United supporters have been left fuming at Bruno Fernandes’ ineffective performance against Newcastle United on Monday night.

Ralf Rangnick’s side returned to Premier League action after 16 days without a game, as they looked to respond to wins for the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham in the race for top four.

It proved to be a hugely disappointing evening at St James’ Park, however, with Newcastle the better team for much of the night and deservedly taking home a point.

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It was a match that saw numerous United players underperform but Fernandes was arguably the worst of the lot, giving the ball away an eye-watering 26 times (Sofascore), by far the most on the pitch.

Gary Neville was unhappy with the former Sporting CP man’s whinging towards the younger players, criticising both Portuguese superstars after a bad night at the office for Cristiano Ronaldo too (Sky Sports).

Man United fans fume at Fernandes display

These United fans took to Twitter to lay into his woeful display.

“Anyway that was a disgrace. We lucky to get a draw. Attack has been abysmal for so long now. Can’t keep relying on Ronaldo. Bruno and Rashford are my favourites players but good lord they’ve been horrendous for so long”

Credit: @MUtdDub

“Bruno Fernandes is a disgrace, take him off”

Credit: @dribblelikebest

“Bruno Fernandes has lost possession 52 times in his last two games vs relegation fodder. I’m a fan of Fernandes however he simply cannot be so careless in possession. There’s a difference between risk-taking and carelessness. 60 yard passes fall in the latter”

Credit: @Utd_Analytics

“These days Bruno Fernandes doesn’t read well before making a long pass he just play it anyhow. Playing silly passes over and over again”

Credit: @Ndubisi941

“I tweeted it before game man Bruno has been woeful glad he’s suspended he needs to see the bench. Rashford has been abysmal also let’s hope for a reaction Thursday”

Credit: @UsmaanTalksUTD

“Lol for real him and Bruno were just absolutely disgraceful. Ronaldo obviously had zero impact either but in his defence he was hardly getting the ball lol”

Credit: @Amonmrk

In other news, United are targeting a Premier League goalkeeper in the summer. Find out who it is here.

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.

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

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Carlton Palmer discussed the counter-attacking tool Marcelo Bielsa has been using at Leeds United this season.

When it comes to goals scored on the counter in the Premier League in the current campaign, Leeds rank among the elite, registering an impressive total of six, and Palmer has put that devastation on the break down to recent signing Raphinha.

The £28,000-a-week Brazilian joined from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes last summer and has managed to make an instant impact in attack. He has been directly involved in 10 league goals and currently averages the most successful dribbles per game in Leeds’ squad (1.7, per WhoScored), and it is that ability to carry the ball that is aiding Bielsa’s side on the counter, according to Palmer.

The former England international told FFC:

“The one thing that happens, and especially when you’re playing away from home, you know, if you’re going to play the way Leeds play, which is on the counter, counter-attacking football, the one thing that breaks the team down is somebody who can dribble with a ball at pace. It really does because a team can set up against you, make it very difficult for you to pass through them, be very solid, very organised. 

“But if you set up that way and you’ve got somebody then who can just dribble past two players, that just breaks that defensive system down. There’s no answer to that and he [Raphinha] gives Leeds United that.”

Leeds have also shown that they are a team capable of taking the game to their opponents, rather than just solely relying on counter-attacks and transitions.

Despite only recently being promoted to the Premier League, the Whites rank in the top five for ball possession, recording an average of 57.2%.

Undoubtedly, thanks to additions such as Raphinha and the brilliance of Bielsa, Leeds have been able to make a seamless transition from the Championship to English football’s top flight.

After another impressive performance at the weekend, which saw him score a superb hattrick in Leicester City’s 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United, Manchester City might well be beginning to regret their decision to sell Kelechi Iheanacho to the Foxes in 2017.

Despite an impressive record for the Citizens, which saw the Nigerian striker contribute 21 goals and eight assists in 64 first-team appearances, most of which came from the bench, he was sold to Leicester for £25 million back in 2017.

Although he struggled in his first few seasons with the Foxes, the 23-year-old looks to be finding his feet under Brendan Rodgers this season and now has six goals in just 16 Premier League appearances this season.

With Rodgers’ side struggling in the absence of key players James Maddison and Harvey Barnes, the young striker has really stepped up to the plate in recent matches, with five goals in his last three top-flight appearances.

His performance against Sheffield United at the weekend was excellent, as he opened the scoring with a tap-in before adding his second with a powerful right-footed finish from a Jamie Vardy cross.

He then completed his first-ever Premier League hat-trick with a powerful drive from range and it seems as if the Nigerian is starting to realise his potential with the Foxes, and could even be an excellent long-term replacement for Vardy at the King Power Stadium.

Following his performance against the Blades, Jamie Redknapp described his partnership with Vardy as “phenomenal” and on his current form, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t at least reach double digits in the Premier League this season.

Pep Guardiola was certainly a big fan of Iheanacho and was full of praise for the young striker ahead of his departure, saying:

“It was an honour to work with him because it was not easy for him because I did not give him a [lot of] opportunities. His behaviour, I’ve never saw a guy like him (before).”

He also confirmed that City do have a buy-back clause for the youngster, so if he does continue to impress, perhaps we will see Txiki Begiristain bring him back to the Etihad in the near future, as based on his recent performances, you could definitely suggest that the sporting director may well regret his decision to let him go.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Mendy: Txiki should swoop for £60m wonderkid this summer

West Ham United and manager David Moyes have been gifted an ‘advantage’ in the race to sign Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyes Lingard move…

The Premier League ace has been on Moyes’ transfer radar for the better part of a year with reports first emerging in 2021 that West Ham wanted to make Lingard’s loan deal a permanent one.

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However, GSB’s efforts to prise away the England international were in vain, with Lingard electing to stay at Old Trafford and fight for his future under ex-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Following his lack of game time, a January exit for Moyes’ long-term target was on the cards and West Ham even made late attempts to seal his London Stadium return in the winter.

The Irons couldn’t finalise his capture yet again, but as they reportedly go for third time lucky, Lingard’s soon-to-be free agent status could make his signing that bit less complicated.

The Latest: O’Rourke makes promising Lingard claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Pete O’Rourke claims that West Ham have one ‘advantage’ in the race for United’s departing ace.

He also believes that Hammers supporters would certainly ‘encourage’ a move for Lingard going by his brilliant spell in east London last year.

When asked if the 29-year-old’s familiarity with Moyes at West Ham will be a factor, O’Rourke explained: “I think you’ve got to say that it gives them an advantage; they both know each other. Jesse Lingard was such a big fans’ favourite during his loan spell at West Ham, so the fans would definitely encourage that move.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

While the Europa League semi-finalists are arguable front-runners for Lingard, does that mean West Ham should be competing for his signature yet again this summer?

Moyes, as per reliable reports, is targeting a central defender, new midfielder, striker and potential reserve keeper to boost his 2022/2023 ranks.

Lingard is a player of proven top flight quality and experienced England international who has already shined under the Scotsman at West Ham.

The fact he could join for zero cost makes this an arguable no-brainer, even despite the frustrating sagas of West Ham’s last two efforts to sign him.

Moyes, by saving transfer funds on a swoop for Lingard, could then spend big on trying to seal world class central defensive and forward signings.

Called a would-be ‘massive signing’ for West Ham by former England keeper Paul Robinson, we believe that remains the case.

In other news: As of now: ExWHUemployeee shares fresh West Ham player update after agreement reached…find out more here.

Has there been a more disappointing signing in the Premier League than Willian?

The Brazil international crossed the London divide to join Arsenal from Chelsea, and after picking up two assists on his debut against Fulham, has been nothing short of disastrous since.

He hasn’t scored a single goal in 18 total appearances, and on Saturday night against Newcastle in the FA Cup third round, produced yet another shocking display for Mikel Arteta’s side.

As per Sofascore, his 6.5 match rating was the joint-worst of any Arsenal player on the pitch, and when you look at the stats, it’s easy to see why.

He won just two of the eight duels that he was involved in, didn’t hit the target with either of his shots (including one that he blazed over with his left foot from well inside the penalty box), completed no dribbles, and sent just one accurate cross in.

Eventually, Arteta decided to end his misery and took him off mid-way through the second-half, with his replacement, Bukayo Saka, playing a part in the Gunners’ opening goal.

And speaking after the game, Goal journalist Charles Watts slammed the Brazilian as “dreadful” and someone who is “becoming a real, real problem”.

With the north London side’s youngsters doing the job for Arteta, the Arsenal boss must surely axe the £13.5m-rated Willian from his team for the foreseeable future.

Whilst he’s on a three-year contract and on big wages, the Gunners will struggle to get rid of him on a permanent basis anytime soon, but one thing Arteta can do is just keep him away from the starting eleven.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has suggested Ryan Bertrand’s Southampton career may soon be over.

The Lowdown: Bertrand’s contract is running out

Bertrand has been at St. Mary’s Stadium since 2014, but his contract is set to run out at the end of this current campaign (Transfermarkt).

As of yet, it remains unclear whether the 31-year-old will put pen to paper on a new deal, even though he did say in December that he would like to stay on the south coast for the foreseeable future (via The Daily Echo).

The Latest: Hasenhuttl shares thoughts

Ahead of Southampton’s clash with Liverpool this weekend, Hasenhuttl was discussing the future of the left-back. He said (via Hampshire Live):

“We are looking at other targets because the offer we have made has not been accepted from his side.

“When this happens, when there is no solution for the future in this position, we will have to look at other options.”

The Verdict: On the way out

These latest comments do not indicate that Bertrand has a long-term future at the club, and it appears to be of his own doing. If the £9m-valued former Chelsea defender (Transfermarkt) will not sign a new contract, there is very little Hasenhuttl can do – as such, he must look for alternatives.

The reasons behind Bertrand’s desire to leave are uncertain. At 31, he is approaching the end of his career, and a move to a top club may have already sailed. Unfortunately, if he does leave this summer, it will mean Southampton will not receive a transfer fee, but after 240 matches for the Saints, they may have already had their money’s worth.

In other news, Southampton are interested in this 21-year-old.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer believes Tony Pulis has been silent following his sacking from the Yorkshire club likely because of some sort of financial agreement.

Pulis was appointed as Wednesday manager last November, brought in as a replacement for Garry Monk, but was dismissed just 10 games later as the Owls continued to struggle in the Championship.

Following his Hillsborough exit, the 63-year-old has not said too much despite all of the drama that went on during his time at the club, which included the threat of a transfer embargo.

And Palmer has suggested that the above is probably due to an agreement he made with owner Dejphon Chansiri. On Pulis’ silence, the ex-Wednesday player told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“It’s interesting that Tony’s never come out and said anything. And I’m assuming that’s due to the money that they paid him, that he’s not allowed to say anything.

“But it’d be interesting to know what he agreed with the chairman, why he went in there and why he left so quickly.”

In contrast, Monk has been very outspoken since his axing from the Hillsborough dugout, telling The Athletic (via The Star) that it was a “mistake” to join Wednesday and that he knew it was a club that had a lot of problems.