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Carlo Ancelotti must recall Marcel Brands snubbing FC Barcelona’s approach for Richarlison after Real Madrid were linked with a potential move for Everton’s irresistible striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

What’s the word?

According to TodoFichajes, Madrid have placed Calvert-Lewin on their agenda as Los Blancos begin scouring the market to find Karim Benzema’s replacement at the Santiago Bernabeu having been left unimpressed by Luka Jovic’s form.

The Madrid hierarchy are understood to have no confidence in Jovic being the one to take over from Benzema, just a year after signing the Serbian from Eintracht Frankfurt for around €60million (£53.2m) and awarding the forward a six-year contract on the back of a 27-goal season in Germany.

Los Blancos are expected to attempt moving Jovic on in the upcoming winter market in order to raise funds for his replacement in the Spanish capital, who is thought to be Calvert-Lewin, having only scored twice in 30 games under Zinedine Zidane.

Madrid are said to have already contacted Everton to discuss Calvert-Lewin’s availability, as they are keen to take the lead in any race that may emerge for his services given his form under Ancelotti this term will not have gone unnoticed elsewhere.

Calvert-Lewin is considered one of the great sensations of the new Premier League season after striking seven goals in five games, while stretching his tally to ten for the term thus far across all competitions with a hat-trick against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup.

Real Madrid are preparing a €40m (£36.4m) offer for the 23-year-old and would look to close the deal in June should they fail in offloading Jovic in January.

No need to worry

Despite reports suggesting Madrid consider Calvert-Lewin to be their Benzema successor and that an offer of €40m could be on the cards soon, Ancelotti should have no reason to suspect the striker will be leaving Goodison Park for the Santiago Bernabeu any time soon.

The fee in question alone is reason enough for Ancelotti to scoff at Los Blanco’s alleged interest, as Everton reportedly slapped an £80m asking price on the striker this September amid interest from Manchester United.

That was also before the 23-year-old opened the league season with at least a goal a game, while justifying the Red Devils opting to walk away from their hopes of signing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s attacking target.

Everton refusing to devalue one of their prized assets paid dividends with Calvert-Lewin’s start to the season, and came as the latest signal of intent from the Goodison Park outfit that they wish to strengthen not deplete the options Ancelotti has.

Director of Football Brands immediately snubbed an alleged €100m (£85m) offer for Richarlison back in January as Barcelona’s former Sporting Director Eric Abidal strived to land his long-term target.

Ancelotti had only been at Goodison Park for a month when that offer came through, but will have been buoyed by Brands’ decision and only has to remember those discussions should Madrid come forward with an offer for Calvert-Lewin.

AND in other news, Everton will be in heaven over a 29-year-old whose causing his former side to regret accepting a summer transfer.

It is no secret that Glasgow Rangers are looking to sign a midfielder this transfer window and this has seen them heavily linked with Preston North End player Daniel Johnson.

Negotiations between the two sides are nowhere near completed yet, but it looks like the Gers finally know the sort of fee they will have to pay following the latest news.

According to Football Insider, Championship side Preston want £4million for Johnson. The Glasgow giants have only submitted a £2 million offer for the 27 year-old, so we will have to see if they match the price-tag.

The 27-year-old has a decent goal contribution record as a midfielder as he has scored 65 goals and provided 43 assists in 321 career appearances, per Transfermarkt, and any club would like to have such a creative midfielder. He recorded 12 goals and seven assists in the Championship last season, managing on average 1.4 key passes, 1.3 shots and 1.7 tackles per game, via WhoScored.

These figures suggest that he would be a very good signing for the ‘Gers if they pull it off and it would give Steven Gerrard an injection of talent as well as some much-needed squad depth in midfield.

Hopefully the ‘Gers look to finalise this deal sooner rather than later, even at the price of £4 million, as he definitely looks to have the quality to succeed and with his age, he can definitely have an impact at the Scottish side for many seasons to come.

Glasgow Rangers fans, what are your thoughts on this news? Comment below!

Up-and-coming Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher is set to join Crystal Palace on loan ahead of the new season.

The Blues have boasted a very successful transfer window so far after welcoming five major targets through the door. But they are also working hard on securing some outgoing deals as well, with one being a loan move for one of their promising young talents.

Gallagher, 20, spent last season away from Chelsea after impressing with his 2018/19 performances with the reserve team. During his double loan stint with Charlton and Swansea, he had a strong season despite the Addicks’ unfortunate relegation into League One.

“Gallagher was really impressive when I watched him last season,” Noel Whelan told Football Insider. “He has great energy, likes to get on the ball and make things happen. He was a player that stuck out for me when Leeds were playing against Swansea. Very, very competitive and he knows his role inside out.”

The England youth international played all but one Championship match last term, making 45 league appearances in total as well as two play-off games under Swansea.

Gallagher tallied an impressive six goals and 11 assists overall, finishing inside the top ten for Championship assists registered (via worldfootball.net).

The versatile midfielder will now look to showcase his abilities on the Premier League stage under Roy Hodgson. Should he impress, he could return to Stamford Bridge and become part of Frank Lampard’s senior squad.

The Chelsea icon has done well in integrating young talent including Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham into the first team, Gallagher could be one of the next in line.

“He gets into very good areas and pockets in between the lines so it does not surprise me that Crystal Palace want him because he looked a different class of player in the Championship last season,” Whelan said. “He was involved in everything.”

 Do you think Conor Gallagher has a big future at Chelsea? Join the conversation in the comments below!

The transfer window is always an exciting time of the year for fans as they hope for the team they support to add some good additions to the squad, and a lot of Sheffield Wednesday fans are reacting to their club’s transfer links with Chey Dunkley.

The Star journalist Dom Howe tweeted: “Led to believe #SWFC are interested in signing former Wigan defender Chey Dunkley. The 28-year-old is available on a free transfer, having left Wigan at the end of last season.”

The centre-back is at a good age to be signed and he has good experience in the Championship. He played 26 times in the division last season, keeping seven clean sheets and averaging 3.9 clearances a game, per WhoScored.

The player is valued at £1.08m by Transfermarkt, so the fact that Sheffield Wednesday could get him on a free transfer would seem an astute piece of business. The only worry, however, is that he is only recently fit again after suffering a double leg break in February, so he would need time to recover in order to get match-fit for the 2020/21 season.

Here is what these Owls fans said following the tweet from Howson:

Owls fans, what are your thoughts on the possible signing of Dunkley? Comment below with your views!

Australian defender Matthew Jurman has reflected on his time with Sunderland and revealed that he would like to return one day.

The 30-year-old has recently seen his contract expire at Western Sydney Wanderers and is available on a free transfer this summer.

Having spent the majority of his career in his homeland winning the A-League title on three occasions, Jurman also had a spell in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ittihad.

With Sunderland now looking to bolster their side ahead of a third spell in League One after failing to gain promotion to the Championship for a second successive season, Jurman has seemingly offered himself to the Wearside club.

Speaking to FTBL, Jurman who had a trial with Sunderland at the age of 18, said: “I’d been in Scotland trialling but after they said they wanted me back in pre-season. So I got a trial at Middlesbrough.

“Then I got a chance to trial with Sunderland. I was at Sunderland for a week. The facilities at the training centre in Sunderland were absolutely unbelievable.

“While I was there I watched one of Sunderland’s Cup games at the Stadium of Light. Honestly, it was incredible.

“I stayed near the water in Roker I think, and they really looked after me. It was a nice place.

“I have good memories. Seeing all the training facilities. Everything was really professional. I met Roy Keane [then Sunderland manager] but I was a bit intimidated by someone like him. I was excited to meet him but I mainly worked with Sunderland’s youth coaches.

“And while I was training at Sunderland, they had another young player called Jordan Henderson. I’m a Liverpool fan and now he’s their captain, so that was pretty amazing and I recall the striker Martyn Waghorn was there, too.

“It’d be a mad experience to play at a club like Sunderland.

“You don’t quite know where you’ll be with the way the world is now, but that’s also quite exciting.”

Aside from Jurman’s comments, the FTBL article also comments on Sunderland reported plans to sign Australian defender Bailey Wright this summer.

Why not have a look at Jurman if you are Sunderland? Linking him up with Bailey Wright could be a good thing.

Indeed, the Black Cats do need new recruits at centre-back given that they have already lost three players in that position this summer, including Alim Ozturk.

One thing that may halt a potential deal for Jurman to Sunderland is the fact that he has never played in English football before, and that could be a gamble in itself. But in the current climate where all walks of life are facing financial restraints, he could be worth a punt on a free.

Do you think Jurman would be a good signing for Sunderland? Let us know in the comments section below…

Newcastle United’s prospective £300m takeover continues to be in the hands of the Premier League with a decision seemingly still some way from being final.

The whole process has been a long and tedious as it fastly descends into a third month of doubts and deliberations. Reports first broke in early April that Mike Ashley had agreed to sell the northeast club to Amanda Staveley’s Saudi Arabian-backed consortium.

But that’s where the PL have been forced into a tight corner as it’s believed that the Middle Eastern state is behind pirate streaming service beoutQ, which illegally broadcasts English top-flight matches.

This week, the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has delivered a fresh verdict over the takeover, but it’s a rather bold and worrying call.

Speaking on the ‘Everything is Black and White‘ podcast, he said:

“My gut feeling – and it’s only a feeling – is that it will be passed but I am now at the point where I am probably reducing myself to 50/50. Now that’s where I am. I think it’s a 50/50 call on which way it will go.”

Edwards has been on the ball throughout the process, so his inclination that it’s going to be a 50/50 decision on the Premier League’s part is cause for concern.

He does state that he thinks it will hinge on the positive side of things, but given how long it has already taken, there is an air of uncertainty floating around the St James’ Park faithful.

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In reality, no one really knows what the PL will decide to do, and it’s fair to argue that they’ve had the ‘Project Restart’ fiasco on their hands, too.

Only time will tell if United will begin a new era in the northeast.

AND in other news, George Caulkin reveals why Newcastle takeover has been delayed…

In order to win three major trophies and have one hand on a Premier League title, the squad must be very well-oiled. This Liverpool side is arguably one of, if not the best fans have ever seen, and everyone has played their part.

The arrival of Alisson has helped solve goalkeeping woes that stretched back years. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané are two of the world’s best attackers and haven’t once took their feet off the gas this season. But what about the others?

There are many other key ingredients that have created this Red masterpiece, here’s a list of just five who have proved themselves invaluable to the team, in more ways than one…

James Milner

Mr Evergreen himself – arguably one of Liverpool’s best free transfers in their history. James Milner arrived from Manchester City in 2015 and claimed the famous No.7 shirt. He might not have 82 goals to his name like Luis Suarez or have a stand named after him like King Kenny, but Milner’s services to this club have been integral.

Despite being 34-years-old, Jurgen Klopp still sees the Englishman as a vital part to Liverpool’s current system. Milner’s versatility is very hard to come by, and it often goes under the radar just how much of a chameleon he can be. This season he has played primarily in a central midfield role but has also dropped into a more defensive position as well as playing at both left and right-back. Not to mention the entire 2016/17 season he spent covering as first choice left full-back without any trouble at all.

Milner’s contract with the Reds runs out this summer and there have been talks of a return to boyhood club Leeds to see out his career. No moves have been made but the loss of such a highly-respected veteran will hit Liverpool hard.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The addition of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017 was one that stirred up a mixed bag of reactions. His time with Arsenal didn’t paint the midfielder as someone who would arrive on Merseyside and set the game alight, but he definitely has.

Although the Ox isn’t as prolific as some of Liverpool’s past midfielders, he has established himself as a very important cog in this machine. In this campaign alone, Chamberlain has played in six different positions, including both the left and right-wings. His strength and creativity was sorely missed when he was ruled out with an ACL injury, and since his return, he’s bagged seven goals this season.

Not only does he influence the engine room when he’s on the pitch, but his personality is incredibly infectious. Chamberlain’s light-hearted outlook has a positive impact on the rest of his teammates, which you can see in the number of videos he posts on his social media. The Reds have needed a big personality in the dressing room and the 26-year-old fits the bill nicely.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

It was fair to say there was some uncertainty surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold when Klopp initially promoted him to takeover from Nathaniel Clyne. But since he was trusted with being one of the first names on the team sheet, he hasn’t looked back.

Alexander-Arnold’s piece of genius to set up Divock Origi against Barcelona last season will live on forever, but the young Scouser is much more than his quick corner-kick. At just 21-years-old, the England international has won the Champions League with his boyhood club and could soon lift the Premier League trophy too. Not to mention being nominated for the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

In a recent interview, Alexander-Arnold said: “Captaining Liverpool is something I have always dreamed of and it is something that motivates me. I have always been a Liverpool player, Liverpool has always been my home. I have never thought about changing clubs.”

The Reds have been crying out for another passionate Liverpool-born leader, and they might just have their next one in Alexander-Arnold.

Jordan Henderson

The man who has dealt with so many negative comments over the years has shown the world why he was chosen to be Steven Gerrard’s successor. He might not have the same 40-yard screamers in his locker, but Jordan Henderson’s leadership abilities cannot be doubted.

The former Sunderland man has been with the club during their dark days and has helped drive them to become European royalty once more. His reaction to winning last season’s Champions League showed the fans just how much it meant to win a trophy with this club – the club he has devoted everything to since he was 21.

As their first Premier League title looms in the distance, Liverpool fans must look back on the 29-year-old’s journey and be thankful for the passionate, caring, no-nonsense captain they have in Henderson.

Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk is undeniably a club icon, but not because of his record transfer from Southampton. Of course his price tag has paid off in his individual performances on the pitch but the Dutchman has brought so much more to Anfield.

Before the arrival of van Dijk, Liverpool were struggling massively with their back-line, leaking goals far too easily. Whilst he’s helped plug a hole, he’s also transformed Joe Gomez and Joel Matip. Both centre-backs have played toe-to-toe with their Dutch mentor whenever they’ve been partnered up, which has done wonders for the club’s back four.

Van Dijk is also not just a fan favourite, but a favourite in the dressing room as well. His leadership abilities plus his calm and composed nature must create a real sense of admiration amongst him teammates. Just look at this video for proof…

This article forms part of our Total Duds feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how bad a deal the club got.

Glasgow Rangers are still looking to catch up to their fierce rivals Celtic.

The previous decade was not a good one for the Gers. In 2012, they were demoted to the fourth tier of Scottish football after encountering financial problems, and they had to battle to drag themselves up to the top flight once more. Now there, they have found it easy enough to establish themselves once again in the top two, but they have failed to give the Bhoys a real fight so far – they are currently 13 points behind in the league table.

Some of their transfer business has made their task an awful lot harder – the signing of Carlos Pena, for example, is one they will rather forget. Before making the move to Ibrox, he previously plied his trade at Club Leon and Deportivo Guadalajara – he had scored 52 goals in 188 games for the former despite being a central/attacking midfielder, with him costing £6.75m when he moved to the latter. Rangers themselves paid £2.2m for his services in 2017.

On paper, his spell in Scotland was not a disaster – he managed to hit the back of the net five times in just 14 matches – but off the field, he was a loose canon. His main struggles were with alcohol, and the problem was that he was never fit enough to show his true ability often enough.

After just six months, he was shipped out on loan to Cruz Azul and, although he was still on the books of the Gers until March 2019, he never played for the Gers again. When he departed, it was on a free transfer, meaning that a considerable fee had been thrown down the drain. Even now, questions must be asked of Pedro Caixinha – why did he sanction this transfer?

Let us know what you think below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Sun (print version, 15th November, page 74), Southampton have flocked to the City Ground to take a look at Nottingham Forest right-back Matty Cash, along with Crystal Palace and Everton.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Cash has enjoyed an excellent campaign so far since Sabri Lamouchi took over back in the summer.

Lamouchi cleverly decided to transform Cash – who was an energetic right-midfielder in the 2018/19 campaign – into a right-back upon being appointed as the Forest manager, and it has been an inspired decision from the 48-year-old.

Cash has scored two goals and grabbed two assists in his new role across 14 Championship appearances, winning an impressive 2.8 tackles per game as well as making 3.5 clearances per game.

The Daily Mail’s secret scout had this to say about Cash when going to watch him:

“I wondered what prompted Nottingham Forest head coach Sabri Lamouchi to convert him from an energetic midfielder to a comfortable right back with a lot of responsibility within the team.

“From the start of the game, Matty Cash was positioning himself to cover others. He kept a sensible distance from his centre back but also got out quickly to challenge his opposing winger when threatened by a cross-field pass.”

The 22-year-old has also displayed efficiency at the other end of the pitch with his four goal involvements.

A move for Cash would see 50% of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s January plans complete

If the Saints did manage to get Cash to put pen to paper this winter, then half of Hasenhuttl’s reported transfer plans for this January would come true.

The Mirror (print version, 12th November, page 53) reported that the former RB Leipzig boss wants to sign a ‘top quality’ centre-back as well as a new right-back this winter as he looks to help Southampton avoid relegation.

The south coast side are currently the worst defensive outfit in the Premier League, with 29 goals conceded in just 12 games, so it makes sense for Hasenhuttl to target reinforcements for his backline.

Just days after that report emerged, to see another that identifies Cash as a target is encouraging.

The need for another right-back at St Mary’s is a pressing one given Cedric Soares’ interview, in which he revealed that he wants to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Cash seems like he would be a good signing due to his form so far and his young age – if Hasenhuttl can get this one done, half of his reported desires for January will be complete.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

West Bromwich Albion find themselves in a very similar situation, and it may well have come at the worst possible time as they currently occupy the top spot in the Championship going into a hectic festive period, which could well decide their true potential this season.

Just like Izzy Brown, just like Louie Barry and very nearly just like Rekeem Harper, the Baggies have faced a long battle to keep hold of their promising young talents.

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So why would this season be any different?

Nathan Ferguson is the next player mooted for an exit, one that in any situation is entirely out of their hands.

The 19-year-old is yet to accept the five-year contract offered to him a couple of months ago, and the Express & Star have since revealed that if there is no change come January, then he is likely to be sold.

His contract expires at the end of the season, meaning he is able to effectively leave the club for free in the summer.

Premier League duo Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace have shown interest in the versatile defender as too have European giants Juventus and Atletico Madrid.

Earlier in the season, Albion were reportedly keen on young Coventry City left-back Sam McCallum, which has only been strengthened since the appointment of ex-Sky Blues academy boss Richard Stevens.

Speaking in an interview more recently, the 19-year-old said: “I have been aware of it but the gaffer has been keeping my feet on the ground and keeping my head at Coventry. He just wants to keep my head down and progress at Coventry. It’s flattering and shows I must be doing something right. It’s always nice to hear but I just want to do well for Coventry.”

McCallum would offer more of a physical presence to the team as he averages 3.2 aerial duels won and 2.3 clearances per game, which is more than Ferguson.

He also provides more crosses per match at 0.9 compared to the Albion starlet’s 0.2, which suggests he could be even more of a threat going forward.

There’s plenty to like about the Coventry man as he’s a more natural left-back, and at the same age, he could be absolutely ideal in ensuring that any departure in January does little to impact their promotion hopes.

They’ll just have to find a way to cough up a “hell of a lot of money.”