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Celtic’s Mikey Johnston is being targeted for a loan move by their Premiership rivals Aberdeen, The Daily Record’s Scott Burns revealed on Sunday night.

The lowdown

The Hoops have already allowed three players to leave the club temporarily this month. Midfielders Liam Shaw and Ewan Henderson have joined Motherwell and Hibernian respectively, while goalkeeper Conor Hazard has gone to HJK Helsinki in Finland.

Johnston, who came through the youth ranks at Celtic, is valued at £900,000 by Transfermarkt and still has three-and-a-half years remaining on his contract.

The latest

Burns wrote for The Daily Record that Johnston features on Aberdeen’s shortlist of attacking options. The 22-year-old’s former Celtic team-mate Scott Brown is said to be a ‘huge admirer’ and has provided a ‘glowing reference’ to chiefs at Pittodrie.

However, Ange Postecoglou may block the move to preserve the depth of his squad, with ‘a number’ of players currently absent.

The verdict

How important a player is Johnston for Celtic? He has made 18 appearances this season, including four in the Europa League and 12 in the Premiership, but only four of those have been from the start, so you’d think that the Hoops could afford to let him go and play more regularly elsewhere.

However, injuries to Kyogo Furuhashi and Liel Abada, in addition to Daizen Maeda’s international call-up, will rightly have them thinking twice before loaning out the 22-year-old to another Premiership club.

Johnston is a threat, with 21 goals and assists under his belt as a senior player, and he has been called a ‘sensational’ talent with ‘bags of potential’ by Celtic skipper Callum McGregor. Therefore, Postecoglou is rightly reluctant to loan him out to Aberdeen.

In other news, there’s a big update on a Celtic attacking target.

As per Football Insider journalist Wayne Veysey, some news has emerged on West Ham United’s transfer plans for January with a new forward on the agenda in Rubin Kazan forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing January…

The Irons are still competing on all fronts with manager David Moyes aiming to bolster his squad in the January transfer window and cope with the increasingly congested fixture calendar.

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Injuries to Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma have prompted them to also hunt for an emergency centre-half but that hasn’t stopped them being linked to forward options.

Jesse Lingard is thought to be on the agenda, for example, while Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman also seek out a centre-forward as back up for Michail Antonio.

Now, some news has emerged on another attacker West Ham are now eyeing.

The Latest: West Ham ‘plotting’ Kvaratskhelia move…

As per Football Insider’s Veysey, West Ham and Everton are ‘plotting moves’ for Russian Premier League winger Kvaratskhelia as the Irons cast their net far and wide.

It is believed the Georgia international, a very highly rated prospect, now has concrete interest from West Ham as Newman and Moyes eye a swoop.

Kvaratskhelia has apparently caught the eye of Hammers scouts after a stellar performance for the Georgians in their 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Sweden last month.

The Verdict: Exciting option?

Targeted by the likes of Tottenham before, it is clear that the 20-year-old certainly has bags of ability – with journalist Fabrizio Romano taking to his Twitch stream earlier this year and explaining that he is ‘incredible’ (via HITC).

He had many suitors in the summer window also, including Borussia Dortmund, with Sky Sports reporter Max Bielefeld saying that Kvaratskhelia is considered a ‘very interesting, but expensive’ player with a price tag that could reach €20 million (£16.9m).

The Kazan ace has also been dubbed ‘The Georgian Messi’, such is his stellar reputation, but we believe West Ham are better placed prioritising an out-and-out striker right now given Antonio’s poor run of form.

Their central defensive crisis also takes precedent, but a swoop for Kvaratskhelia certainly shouldn’t be ruled out for the future.

In other news: ‘We are back’, ‘What I wanted to hear’…ExWHUemployee’s ‘best news’ has many West Ham fans buzzing, find out more here.

Newcastle United journalist Liam Kennedy, speaking to GiveMeSport, dropped an exciting update involving Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier after talks got underway. 

The lowdown

Links with the England defender date back to the autumn when The Telegraph named him as a realistic January target for the Magpies (via NUFC Blog).

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson has also reported that Newcastle manager Eddie Howe sees right-back as a priority position, with Newcastle willing to stump up £25m for Trippier.

Mark Douglas, a Northern Football Correspondent at the I, says it would be ‘a great move’ for the club, and sports journalist Josh Bunting says it is ‘exactly the sort of signing’ they need.

The latest

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Kennedy revealed that Newcastle have opened discussions with Atletico over a transfer fee for the 31-year-old, who is one of Howe’s leading targets ahead of the January transfer window.

The journalist said: “There have been some talks with fees with Atletico and I think it’s a deal that can get done. He is top of Eddie Howe’s priority list, along with a couple of others.”

The verdict

It seems that Newcastle might be able to convince Atletico, even though Trippier is a mainstay in Diego Simeone’s team, but can they persuade the player to swap Madrid for Tyneside when the La Liga side have qualified for the Champions League knockout stages and Newcastle face a relegation battle?

Wilson has written that the player could view the move as a means of strengthening his 2022 World Cup prospects, and perhaps his camp will also insist upon a relegation clause being included in his contract, allowing him to exit on the cheap if Newcastle do go down.

On top of this, Kennedy’s update suggests that the Magpies have more than a fighting chance of bringing Trippier back to England.

In other news, has an opportunity emerged for Newcastle to sign this Premier League player?

Leeds United must bring in new signings in the January transfer window after a poor start to the season, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Another defeat for Leeds

The Whites had another disappointing Premier League outing on Sunday, losing 2-1 to Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Dan James’ opener wasn’t enough to get Marcelo Bielsa’s side a positive result and they now sit 17th in the table, just one place above the relegation zone.

Leeds’ squad has felt stretched at times this season, with key players such as Luke Ayling and Partrick Bamford injured, so January signings wouldn’t go amiss.

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The Latest: Hay calls for January signings

Taking to Twitter on Monday afternoon in sharing an accompanying article for The Athletic, Hay delivered a 13-word verdict calling for the Whites to make mid-season reinforcements.

He said that it “no longer feels like they have the luxury of sitting this window out”, adding that “Full-strength Leeds have ample quality but they rarely are full strength, to the point where it seems as if they are being compromised.”

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The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

While there is no need for Leeds to go overboard in January – the return of key figures will bolster Bielsa’s options – it is important that a new face or two comes in to supplement the existing squad, as Hay has understandably pleaded.

It would bring a much-needed freshness to the playing pick at a time when a relegation fight is becoming increasingly likely, allowing for rotation between January and May and hopefully leading to a rise up the table.

Failure to make any signings could threaten to make things become even more stagnant, potentially leading to the threat of a return to the Championship, at a time when the expansion of Elland Road could be impacted negatively.

In other news, three Leeds players struggled in the defeat to Spurs. Find out who they are here.

With Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United side heading back to Yorkshire empty-handed despite a spirited display on Saturday afternoon, the 66-year-old will undoubtedly be questioning whether or not the decisions he made against Chelsea were correct.

One such call was the choice to leave 19-year-old Joe Gelhardt out of the Leeds starting XI, despite the centre-forward appearing to have more than done enough in recent games to suggest that he was more than worthy of a place in the manager’s initial line-up at Stamford Bridge.

Despite only being handed eight minutes to make his mark on the match, the £1.17m-rated youngster went a long way to proving that Bielsa’s call to leave him on the bench initially was in fact the wrong one.

Won 100% duels

Indeed, after being brought on for the talismanic Raphinha in the final 10 minutes, Gelhardt scored with what was his first touch of the game, sliding home Tyler Roberts’ teasing ball across the penalty area in fantastic fashion, and subsequently drawing his side level.

Aside from his immediate goalscoring impact, the £16.5k-per-week forward also won 100% of his duels, made one key pass and received a SofaScore match rating of 7.5 for his efforts against the Blues, ranking him as United’s best performer in the match despite his fleeting appearance.

As such, it is not difficult to see why The Athletic’s Phil Hay tweeted of the 19-year-old after the match that “everything about him screams class,” nor is it hard to understand why Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross dubbed the striker’s performance as “amazing” in his player ratings.

In fact, the only thing that is somewhat confusing is why Bielsa did not start Gelhardt from the off, as it is clear that the teenager is a player who can change the course of a game for the Whites. That’s a trait which, would have seen his side take a point back to Yorkshire were it not for Mateusz Klich’s silly late challenge which led to Jorginho’s match-winning penalty in the 94th minute.

In other news – Forget Llorente: “Ineffective” Leeds flop who made just 11 passes cost Bielsa dearly

Everton’s fast start to the season may have been undermined by a string of injuries to key players, but there could yet be a significant silver lining to their recent fitness woes.

Midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure joined the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Yerry Mina on the sidelines after picking up a foot injury against West Ham United, leaving a sizeable gap in the Toffees’ engine room.

Rafael Benitez attempted to plug the gap in the centre of the pitch with Tom Davies and Allan last time out against Watford, but with disastrous consequences.

The industrious pair were unable to cope with the pace and physicality that every Premier League game now produces and were overrun in the midfield, heavily contributing to the 5-2 mauling that the Hornets handed out at Goodison Park.

However, Benitez may not have to search too long and hard to discover the solution to his latest managerial conundrum.

Academy starlet Tyler Onyango has caught the eye with a string of impressive performances in recent years, and the timing of Doucoure’s recent setback could hardly have come at a better time for the 18-year-old.

The former England under-17 international scored two goals and provided a further two assists in 17 Premier League 2 outings last season but suffered a serious injury of his own towards the end of the campaign, ruling him out for six months.

Onyango made a successful return to action in the under-23s’ game against Leeds United on 18 October – just a day after Doucoure picked up his foot problem – before featuring against Arsenal’s and Burnley’s youth sides respectively.

It has led to speculation that the box-to-box dynamo could make the leap to the first team over the coming weeks, with his playing style deemed most similar to that of the absent Doucoure.

The Athletic’s Everton reporter Patrick Boyland tweeted: “In Doucoure’s absence, Tyler Onyango was close to making the Everton squad on Saturday. The teenager has impressed since returning from injury & is seen by some as the natural successor to the Frenchman”.

It seems as though the talented teenager is making a strong case for his inclusion in Benitez’s matchday squad for the upcoming trip to Molineux on Monday night after some standout displays following his return to fitness.

“He looks sharp and has come back really well,” said under-23s coach Jose Baxter recently (as relayed by The Athletic).

“It shows his professionalism returning earlier than expected, right in at the deep end. He’s a great lad and a great professional. You’re seeing it now with his performances.”

Only time will tell if Benitez is brave enough to select Onyango from the off as the Toffees attempt to get back to winning ways on Monday night, but reports that the midfielder is so highly-rated and thriving once again will surely have Everton supporters buzzing with excitement, especially with Doucoure out of action.

In other news… Brands must sanction Everton swoop for 23-goal “predator” lauded by Kaka

With Aston Villa recently confirming that Steven Gerrard has been appointed as the new manager at Villa Park, speculation surrounding the 41-year-old’s January transfer business has already begun.

Indeed, it has been suggested that the former Rangers boss could look to raid his old side for a number of their top talents in the winter market, with players such as Alfredo Morelos, Joe Aribo, Ryan Kent and James Tavernier having been touted as potential targets.

However, with Villa having already spent a rather substantial £89.84m in the summer transfer window, before Gerrard brings any fresh faces into Villa Park this January, the 41-year-old may well have to shift a couple of his current squad in order to raise funds.

If this does prove to be the case for the former Liverpool captain, then Anwar El Ghazi should undoubtedly be one of the players who Gerrard considers moving on, as the winger has proven this season that he is not of the standard required for Villa.

Indeed, over his six Premier League appearances this term, the £11.7m-rated man has scored just one goal and registered no assists, as well as hitting the target with a mere 0.3 shots and making 0.7 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the player who Alan Hutton claimed can be “unstoppable” earn an extremely disappointing average SofaScore match rating of just 6.50, ranking him as Villa’s joint fifth-worst player in the league.

As a result of these poor performances, ex-Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny recent stated his belief that Villa should look to move the 26-year-old in January, claiming: “He’s not been in their plans for a while now, so I don’t think [El Ghazi leaving] would be a bad move at all. If it frees money and wages up to maybe bring someone in January in, get it done.”

Furthermore, in a recent poll ran on Football FanCast, an overwhelming majority of Villa fans voted in favour of their side moving the Netherlands international on this winter, proving that, should Gerrard indeed decide to part ways with the forward, it would be a popular decision amongst fans.

As such, considering his poor returns and lack of support within the Villa fanbase, the 41-year-old Villa boss simply must axe El Ghazi in January, as the money raised from his sale, in addition to freeing up his £38k-per-week wages, could be put to very good use by Gerrard.

In other news: Gerrard must seal first AVFC signing with swoop for “dangerous” £12.6m-rated machine

Following Manchester City’s 6-1 win over Wycombe Wanderers in the Carabao Cup which saw a number of youth players make their senior debuts for the club and ultimately earn praise from manager Pep Guardiola, who also praised the entire youth academy at the club for the players they have and how they have developed over the years, it’s safe to say that it’s a good time to be a young player there.

One young player who has risen through the ranks at City is Phil Foden, who worked his way through the youth system before making his senior debut in November 2017 in a Champions League match against Feyenoord.

Since then, the 21-year-old, who has been described as “fearless” by Harry Kane, has gone on to make 130 appearances for City across all competitions, scoring 33 goals and providing 24 assists along the way.

In terms of his market value, in January 2018, not long after making his senior debut for the club, Transfermarkt had it listed as £4.5m, whereas it now stands at a massive £72m, highlighting a massive increase and how much he has grown, developed and progressed in his career at the Etihad Stadium.

Foden also won the PFA Young Player of the Year award for his efforts for City last season, while on the international stage, he has made 11 appearances for England’s senior team, scoring two goals and providing three assists in the process.

With recent reports claiming that he is on the brink of putting pen to paper on a new six-year contract, this says to us just how important he has been for the club since making his debut and how much they want him to continue with them for the foreseeable future.

Looking ahead to the future, we feel that if Foden can continue playing regularly for the Premier League champions, picking up more goals, assists and trophies, he has the capability to achieve great things in the game and become a club legend at City, possibly seeing his market value rise even further.

The Englishman could also be seen as a shining example of a young talent making his way through the youth ranks at an elite club and becoming an integral part of their first team at such a young age.

In other news: Guardiola could unearth next KDB at Man City with “intelligent” 18 y/o, he’s a star in waiting

Journalist Craig Hope has dropped a fresh Newcastle managerial update regarding Belgium coach Roberto Martinez.

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail reporter, the Magpies are looking at the Spaniard as a potential option, with talks set to take place with candidates throughout the coming week.

On Martinez, Hope tweeted: “Understand Belgium boss is on shortlist & would cost less than £2m in compo.”

Frustration for Newcastle fans

Newcastle fans may well be left frustrated by this latest update from Hope as Martinez would be an uninspiring appointment when considering some of the other names linked with the vacancy. The likes of Erik ten Hag and Antonio Conte have been touted with the role and supporters could be gutted if it ends up being the Belgium head coach instead.

In nearly 15 years as a manager, his FA Cup success with Wigan remains the only trophy he has won in his coaching career. He has had 66 games in charge of Belgium and is yet to win an international tournament, whilst he was also unable to lift silverware in a three-year spell with Everton.

Martinez led to the Toffees to two bottom-half finishes in the Premier League in his three seasons, having finished between 15th and 18th in all four of his campaigns in charge of Wigan, leading them to relegation and an FA Cup victory in his final year at the club. This suggests that he does not have the talent required to lead the Magpies into the top half of the table.

Ten Hag, on the other hand, has won five trophies in nine years as a manager at senior level. He has earned 2.34 points per game in 181 matches in charge of Ajax, winning two league titles along the way. Conte has also enjoyed success throughout his career, winning nine trophies in 15 years as a manager, including a Premier League title with Chelsea and four Serie A crowns.

This suggests that they would both be better appointments for Newcastle than Martinez if PIF want a head coach who can lead them to glory in the coming years. Supporters would surely love to see the club win a trophy after many barren decades and that is why they could be frustrated to hear that the former Everton boss is on the shortlist to replace Steve Bruce.

AND in other news, Jones must unleash £15.75m-rated Newcastle beast against Chelsea, he’s a “manager’s dream”…

Many Wolves fans have been left fuming at Wednesday night’s EFL Cup exit on penalties to Tottenham Hotspur at Molineux.

In Nuno Espirito Santo’s second return to Molineux since leaving the Wanderers in May, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane stormed Spurs into a 2-0 lead in the first half, in which they dominated.

Leander Dendoncker and Daniel Podence scored either side of half time to level the scoring though and Bruno Lage’s side were the better team in the final stages of the cup tie, but they were defeated on penalties after Ruben Neves, Dendoncker and Conor Coady all missed their spot-kicks.

The defeat now wipes out a possible route to European football for Wolves next season and rubbishes any chances of them winning the trophy for the first time since 1980.

It also means Wolves have still only won two of Lage’s seven opening games in charge of the club, with Southampton coming up on Sunday evening.

Wolves fans react to EFL Cup exit

These Wolves fans took to Twitter to vent their anger at the Wanderers’ early cup exit, with one fan even claiming ‘Lage Out’ following the defeat.

“They are a complete bunch of bottle jobs.”

Credit: @cpj93070

“Frustrating but expected tbh”

Credit: @bgreenpl

“Another loss!! Lage out!!”

Credit: @W4768721431

“We can’t even score from 12 yards from the penalty spot. Only positive we scored 2 goals and our defence is diabolical”

Credit: @satsomboon

“whats new?”

Credit: @TooRiskyIam

“What a surprise!”

Credit: @inlandtaipan1

In other news, many Wolves fans have been left fuming over this emerging news revolving their players. Find out more here.