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Leeds United have reportedly reignited their interest in Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez, with Marcelo Bielsa rating him highly.

The Whites are believed to have made an offer for the 25-year-old last September, but he ended up staying put at the Serie A club.

It appears as though Bielsa is still potentially keen on acquiring Nandez’s signature, though, with a fresh report suggesting as such.

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Leeds eye up Nandez move

According to Cento Trentuno [via Sport Witness], Leeds could be willing to trigger Nandez’s €36m (£31.35m) release clause at Cagliari, with Roma also believed to be interested in the midfielder.

Bielsa thinks that the £22.5m-valued Uruguayan (per Transfermarkt) ‘would fit perfectly’ into the Whites’ system, with his agent Pablo Bentancur once describing him as a ‘great player’.

Transfer Tavern take

Nandez seems to be a tailor-made Leeds player given his tenacious style, with the Uruguayan averaging 1.7 tackles per game in Serie A this season. He is also effective on the ball, averaging 1.2 dribbles per match, which is more than Kalvin Phillips (0.8) and bettered only by Raphinha (1.9) among Bielsa’s current squad.

At 25, Nandez is also at a good age, enjoying plenty of experience in Italy with 62 Serie A games under his belt, but still arguably having the best years of his career ahead of him.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly ‘not expecting’ one player to stay at Elland Road beyond this summer. Find out who it is here.

An update has emerged regarding Rangers’ interest in Frank Lampard for the managerial vacancy at Ibrox.

What’s the talk?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Gers could be set to speak with the former Chelsea coach over the weekend as they weigh up their options to replace Steven Gerrard.

The report claims that the 43-year-old has taken himself out of consideration for the job at Premier League side Norwich, opening the door for him to join Rangers.

Fans will be livid

A report earlier this week claimed that Lampard was tempted by the job but had decided to join the Canaries instead of pursuing a move to Scotland. We published an article explaining why Ross Wilson avoided a nightmare scenario because of that decision from the retired England international.

This fresh twist from The Scottish Sun suggests that the situation has changed and Lampard could now be a genuine option for Rangers, which will surely leave fans livid. Wilson is heading for disaster by holding talks with the 43-year-old and must opt against a swoop for the out-of-work coach and go down a different route in regards to Gerrard’s replacement.

Lampard’s managerial CV does not carry much weight, with two jobs and two full seasons under his belt to date at Chelsea and Derby. He finished sixth in the Championship with the Rams, losing the play-off final, and fourth with the Blues in the Premier League, losing the FA Cup final. The one-time midfielder is yet to win a trophy as a coach and that does not bode well for a Rangers side looking to compete for silverware with Celtic in Scotland.

Whilst he may be an up-and-coming manager looking to make his way in the game, it is not a risk that Rangers should take at this moment in time. They are currently top of the Premiership table and an experienced manager who is accustomed to winning trophies as a coach could be needed to get them over the line and pip Celtic to the title.

Fans will surely be fuming if Wilson decides to go with an inexperienced man who has no track record of winning as a manager. This is why the Gers chief could be heading for disaster by holding talks with Lampard over the weekend.

AND in other news, Wilson could get Ibrox rocking by appointing divisive 43 y/o “phenomenon” at Rangers…

Leeds have faced struggles at the top end of the pitch this season as they sit on 11 goals scored in 11 Premier League games.

Patrick Bamford has only played five league matches due to injury, scoring once in those games, and summer signing Dan James is yet to score his first goal for the club since his summer move from Manchester United.

In order to solve this issue, Marcelo Bielsa could look to the younger players in the squad to burst onto the scene and inject some fresh energy and enthusiasm in the final third instead of going into the transfer market to buy a new player.

Forget Gelhardt

One youngster who has been given a taste of Premier League action this season is the talented Joe Gelhardt. He has played twice in the top-flight, winning one penalty, and showed signs of promise. However, forget Gelhardt, there is another young player in the academy who plays in a similar position who could come through and make a big impact on the first-team – Sam Greenwood.

The 19-year-old is capable of playing across the front line, as a striker, second forward and winger, and could be a versatile, energetic, option for Bielsa to call upon.

Ex-Whites forward Noel Whelan once hailed the youngster’s ‘immense’ ability and compared him to Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse. He told Football Insider:

“Free-kicks are his forte. Immediately you think about someone like James Ward-Prowse and what an unbelievable dead ball specialist he is. When you see the goals Greenwood has scored from set pieces you put him up there on that mantle.

“It took him a couple of attempts but he got his range right in the end yesterday.

“Another player who possesses an immense amount of ability. To have a weapon like that in your side is great.

“You can see the ability he has but the free-kicks are about the hard work he puts in on the training ground and for that he deserves to be praised.”

In the Premier League 2 this season, Greenwood has five goals and three assists in 10 matches. He also scored in his one EFL Trophy appearance, showing that he can do it against senior opposition. This, along with Whelan’s comments, suggests that he could have the potential to make the step up to first-team football.

If Bielsa unleashes him and he shows a similar run of form in the Premier League and is able to find the back of the net then it could save Orta millions ahead of the January transfer window. That is why the Argentine should unleash Greenwood in the coming weeks and offer him the chance to show that he can make a difference in the top-flight to reward him for his form in the academy.

AND in other news, Possession lost 103x: “Headless” Leeds flop who’s lost 62% duels has let Bielsa down…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United target Ousmane Dembele regarding interest from elsewhere in the Premier League…

What’s the talk?

According to Mundo Deportivo, Manchester United and Tottenham have both joined the Magpies in the race to land the French international.

The report claims that Barcelona want to keep hold of the 24-year-old and will offer him a contract extension to avoid losing him for nothing.

ASM 2.0

Eddie Howe could find Newcastle’s new Allan Saint-Maximin by sealing a deal for Dembele either in January or at the end of the season. He is out of contract in 2022 and the Magpies could land him on a pre-contract in the winter window to sign him on a free next summer or they could look to strike a cut-price deal to have him for the second-half of the campaign.

Like Saint-Maximin, Dembele is a tricky winger who can use both feet and likes to dribble with the ball to create openings for himself and his teammates. He has a career average of 2.5 dribbles completed per game, whilst the Magpies forward has a career average of 3.6 per game.

The Frenchman has also shown that he has the quality to provide end product at the top level, with 51 goals and assists in 121 games for the Spanish giants.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta claimed last year that the forward is a better player than PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, saying: “I like Ousmane Dembélé, for me it’s clear: he’s better than Kylian Mbappé. He wants to stay and we want him to stay here”

This is high praise from Laporta and highlights the natural talent of the £45m-rated beast. Mbappe has 141 goals and 74 assists in 192 games for PSG, showing his immense quality in the final third, with more than a goal contribution per match.

If the Barcelona president feels that Dembele has the ability to be better than the 22-year-old, then Newcastle could be landing a sensational player. However, at his current level he could still be a fantastic addition and excite supporters with his dribbling skills.

He has shown that he can pop up with goals and assists for Barcelona whilst regularly taking players on with the ball at his feet, much like Saint-Maximin does for Newcastle, and Dembele could get fans off their seats by committing defenders and opening up space to drive forward at the top end of the pitch. It is now over to Howe to ensure that he can get a deal over the line…

AND in other news, “Among leading NUFC targets”: David Ornstein drops transfer update which will excite fans…

Ex-Liverpool defender Jose Enrique wants to see Curtis Jones line-up alongside Fabinho and Jordan Henderson at the back-end of this season, with Thiago dropping to the bench.

Jones netted his fourth goal of the season to give Liverpool the lead at Sheffield United on Sunday and his overall performance was hailed as ‘outstanding’ by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher (via The Boot Room).

The local midfielder has made a meaningful first-team breakthrough this season, grabbing the opportunity presented to him by injuries with both hands.

He has started 11 Premier League matches and four of Liverpool’s six Champions League ties (via Transfermarkt).

Enrique explains his bold Jones call

“In our current formation, I like him on the left of the midfield three,” he wrote in his Empire of the Kop column.

“This way he can cut in and shoot with his right-foot. He also helps out Robbo defensively and opens spaces for other players.

“I’d love to see him with Fabinho holding and Hendo on the right at the end of the season – even though I also love Thiago – who I still think is better at no.6.”

Transfer Tavern verdict

There is no doubt that Jones has made enormous strides this season, but there is much more to come from Thiago.

In fact, when he played alongside Fabinho and Henderson away to Everton – in close to a full-strength Liverpool side – he was man of the match. This was a glimpse of what he will be able to do when the team regains its balance.

Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago will likely be the first-choice trio going forward, but Jones has climbed high enough in the pecking order to ensure he will still get plenty of minutes.

In other news, fans rule out Oxlade-Chamberlain turnaround!

According to a report by journalist Jonathan Shrager, Tottenham Hotspur entered talks with representatives over Bundesliga sensation Leon Bailey in January – with Manchester United and AC Milan also credited with approaches. 

Bailey, who has started 20 matches for Bayer Leverkusen this season, scoring six goals and assisting six others in that time, has averaged a threatening 2.2 shots per 90 minutes under head coach Peter Bosz (WhoScored).

Journalist lifts lid on recent Tottenham talks for Bailey

Indeed, the Jamaica international enjoyed a scintillating start to the season also, with Leverkusen’s manager lauding him as an ‘immense’ talent after his brace against Hoffenheim on Matchday 11 (Bundesliga).

He apparently caught the eye of Spurs, according to Shrager, who has lifted the lid on Tottenham’s talks with the player’s representatives during the last January transfer window.

Man United, AC Milan and Spurs all reportedly approached the player’s agents, but Bailey is apparently ‘fully focused’ on his current club and ‘giving his all’ for Leverkusen.

Transfer Tavern take

He has been praised by the media for emerging from the shadows of Kai Havertz following his departure to Chelsea last year, but chairman Daniel Levy may have to spend big to land Bailey if they make another approach in the summer.

The Daily Mail claim Bailey is valued at around £36 million by the Bundesliga club, and a report from the same outlet back in 2018 revealed former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino’s interest in the player.

Time will tell whether Tottenham approach again, but it could certainly be interesting.

In other news: Tottenham expected to offload this ace, find out more here.

Dermot Desmond’s self-sustaining ownership model at Celtic is a perfect example for other clubs to use, according to financial expert Dr. Dan Plumley.

The Lowdown: Desmond’s successful era

The Irishman is the majority shareholder at Parkhead, fulfilling a lifelong dream by owning the club he has supported since childhood.

During Desmond’s tenure, Celtic have racked up Scottish Premiership titles galore, among numerous other domestic trophies, and another league crown looks to be coming their way this season.

The 71-year-old has run the club in shrewd fashion too, ensuring they are in a healthy financial situation and not getting themselves into worrying amounts of debt.

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The Latest: Expert hails Celtic owner

Speaking to Football Insider, Plumley praised Desmond’s model at Celtic, saying other clubs should take a leaf out of his book:

“It’s always a plus if you can stand on your own two feet. They are set up so they can manage themselves in their own right. We see it too often where a club is solely dependent on one owner.

“If the owner is in trouble, the club’s in trouble. It’s very different at Celtic. You have to class that as a benefit that they aren’t too worried about the owner’s finances.

“This is a blueprint for all clubs. Make them more self-reliant so when the owner does take a hit, they aren’t collateral damage.”

The Verdict: Credit where it’s due

Desmond deserves undoubted credit for the manner in which he has kept Celtic afloat, running the Hoops far more intelligently than some of the more reckless owners elsewhere.

Liverpool owners FSG are a good comparison to use in some ways, with their supporters not always enamoured by a lack of mega-money transfers but the Reds in a strong financial position compared to some of their rivals.

Supporters will always be critical of Desmond – it is the nature of a football fan to never be happy – but he may only be fully appreciated when he eventually sells up.

In other news, Frank McAvennie is in awe of one Celtic player’s development. Find out who it is here.

According to reports, Aston Villa defender Bjorn Engels could be set for an exit from the club in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

The centre-back has yet to play a single minute of competitive football this season for Dean Smith’s side, with injuries takings its toll on the 26-year-old.

Now, Belgian publication Voetbalkrant claim that he is likely to depart this month, and that he could potentially return to boyhood club Club Brugge in his native Belgium.

Villa have to sell him

With the likes of Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Kortney Hause all ahead of him in the pecking order, it just seems the smart move on Villa’s part to cut their losses on Engels.

The £55k-a-week wages he is on is a lot of money for a side like Villa to be paying, especially when you consider he isn’t anywhere near the first-team picture at the moment.

Smith appears to have found his favoured central defensive partnership in Mings and Konsa, and when the former was injured, Hause stepped in and didn’t miss a beat.

Villa certainly could do with a bit more depth in the position, especially if they suffer any more injuries. But Engels isn’t someone who they should be looking to rely upon, and if Brugge’s interest is firmed up with a bid this January, then Johan Lange simply has to take it.

The likes of Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens won’t want to be paying good for a money who isn’t part of the plan. And given Engels cost £9m to sign, and has been on £55k-a-week since, he’s cost the club a whopping £13.1m in total fees. Villa simply have to get rid.

Tanguy Ndombele has endured a mixed second season at Tottenham Hotspur to say the least, but he must return to the starting XI when the north Londoners host Sheffield United on Sunday evening.

One of the Frenchman’s best performances of the year came against the Blades back in mid-January and it was capped off by a sublime finish from a tight angle to seal all three points.

He arguably ran the show that day and, in his surprising absence for last Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, Spurs looked completely devoid of any ideas in attack.

Ryan Mason was bolstered by the return of Harry Kane but, even with the England talisman, the Lilywhites fired just one shot on target and that was one of only two attempts at goal all afternoon as Man City clinched the trophy.

Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura were the only Spurs players to provide a key pass on the day – by comparison, Pep Guardiola’s men created 18 key chances between them and had a whopping 21 shots, as per SofaScore.

The midfield three of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Harry Winks and Giovani Lo Celso just did not work and, as a result, they could do with a real spark against the Premier League’s rock-bottom strugglers to ensure they do not slip up and ruin their season further.

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Ndombele has directly contributed towards ten goals in all competitions this term, four more than in his maiden season at the club, and he ranks amongst their best performers (6.93), as per WhoScored ratings.

The 24-year-old’s ability on the ball is clear, averaging 2.4 dribbles per game, some 0.9 more than any other Spurs player, which only goes to show that they miss his drive in midfield when he isn’t on the park.

Furthermore, Ndombele manages 6.4 progressive runs every 90 minutes, meaning he is the most productive in moving the ball towards the opposition’s goal or into the penalty box – no other Spurs regular is better, not even Son, via FBRef.

Earlier this year, back-up goalkeeper Joe Hart lauded his £45m-rated teammate to BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand in the middle of their FA Cup encounter with Wycombe Wanderers.

“I said to Joe, how good is he? And he said ‘this kid is a world-beater, he can do anything.’ He just turned around during the game and said ‘this kid is unplayable’,” Ferdinand revealed (via football.london).

This echoed the thoughts of former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas, who said on BT Sport’s coverage (January 28th 2021, 19:35): “You don’t want to play against him because he can do everything. He is quicker than you, he is stronger than you, he is more skilful than you. It can be a nightmare kind of night for you.”

If Mason wants to get Spurs back on track this weekend and respond to their recent heartbreak, then Ndombele absolutely has to start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He’s a game-changer, and he can impact their fortunes tenfold this weekend.

AND in other news, Levy could seal Spurs their next Dembele in bargain swoop for “explosive” 22 y/o beast…

Glasgow Rangers are interested in Coventry City midfielder Gustavo Hamer according to Football League World.

The Lowdown: Gers plan for the future

With the Premiership title already wrapped up, the Gers can plan ahead for the future. As they prepare for a Champions League campaign next season, there are likely to be upgrades made to the playing squad.

In midfield, the likes of Glen Kamara are being linked with a move away (via The Daily Mail), while Ryan Jack is recovering from surgery (via Sky Sports). As such, a new midfielder could be on the radar.

The Latest: Gerrard eyes Hamer

It has therefore been reported that the 55-time Scottish champions are interested in signing Coventry’s Hamer.

They are one of a number of clubs said to be in pursuit, with Norwich, Brentford and even Premier League side Brighton also mentioned.

The Verdict: Plenty of talent

Hamer has enjoyed a good season with the Sky Blues this campaign, managing five goals and three assists in 43 games in all competitions (Transfermarkt). With 1.5 key passes and 1.4 tackles per game (WhoScored), he has proven to be a versatile midfielder and has even been compared to Steven Gerrard’s assistant manager Gary McAllister thanks to the quality of his deliveries (via The League Paper).

Currently valued at £1.8m (Transfermarkt) and with two years left on his contract, it could take a substantial bid for the Gers to prise him away from the Ricoh Arena. If they were able to capture him, though, they will be getting a player with plenty of ability – Ali Maxwell said on the EFL on Quest highlights show that Hamer is a ‘class act’ (via The Coventry Telegraph) – and who has plenty of years ahead of him at just 23 years of age.

In other news, this pundit believes Steven Gerrard will be delighted at transfer interest in one Rangers man.