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Tottenham Hotspur have been handed an encouraging injury boost ahead of their return to Premier League action this weekend…

What’s the latest?

According to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, versatile winger Ryan Sessegnon has returned to full-time training at Hotspur Way following a pretty lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The 21-year-old, who can play anywhere along the left flank, has been out since the September international break with a hamstring injury.

Spurs face Leeds United on Sunday afternoon where new manager Antonio Conte will be looking to maintain his unbeaten record in charge of the north Londoners.

“Excl. Ryan Sessegnon will return to full training this week from the hamstring problem suffered in September and could be available for #Leeds clash on Sunday,” he tweeted.

“Sessegnon returns to training to hand Conte a selection boost, as he searches for his best #Tottenham team.”

Big boost to Conte

On the face of it, this isn’t so much of a ‘boost’ to the Italian, given the fact that the England U21 international has only played 14 times since his £25m move from Fulham in August 2019.

However, as Thomas goes on to explain in his series of updates on social media, Sessegnon hands Conte a new weapon and one that seems like a perfect fit for his wing-back system.

“Sessegnon has the potential to be just the sort of player that could be rejuvenated by Antonio Conte. His system is set up just right for his profile, off the left of a 3-4-3. Has a way to go to reach the level but still just 21 y/o,” he added.

Indeed, when fit, the young £18m-rated dynamo has bags of potential – something that we are yet to see in N17. His loan stint at Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim was largely a success.

He featured in 29 matches across all competitions, in which he provided two goals and three assists, via Transfermarkt, whilst per WhoScored, he averaged two tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 0.7 key passes per match at an elite level, which suggests he’s capable of contributing at either end of the pitch.

Sessegnon was once dubbed a “big, big talent” with a “very bright” future by former teammate Stefan Johansen. Meanwhile, his pace and acceleration have also been noted by Bundesliga.com, who went as far as comparing him to Alphonso Davies – arguably one of the best in the world at left wing-back.

The rarely-seen Spurs gem could be in line for a career boost under Conte and that’s why this encouraging development from the club’s training ground should leave the Italian and his staff absolutely delighted heading into the weekend.

He could well thrive under his new manager.

AND in other news, 100 touches, 3 shots: “Intelligent” Spurs beast just proved his immense worth to Conte…

After what has been a frustrating start to life at Aston Villa, Leon Bailey now deserves the opportunity to receive a run of regular games in Steven Gerrard’s side.

With nine matches left in the Premier League season, the Villans will be looking to finish the campaign as strongly as possible in order to secure their first top-half finish at this level in 11 years.

Furthermore, Gerrard will be keen to see the season draw to a positive close in order to lay down foundations to build upon for next season, with the West Midlands club possibly investing heavily once again.

Having been one of last summer’s big-money transfers when sealing a £25m move from Bayern Leverkusen, Bailey’s place is by no means secure but, amid injury issues, the Jamaican now deserves the chance to improve his status in the pecking order.

Bailey deserves his chance

The 24-year-old has only made 14 appearances in the Premier League, with just four starts, in which time he has scored once and set up two goals. However, during his time at Leverkusen, the Jamaica international scored 39 goals and set up another 26 in 156 appearances, an average of one goal contribution every 2.4 matches.

At 24, the winger has bags of experience, having played in both the Champions League and Europa League, also racking up 119 Bundesliga appearances, so there is no doubt that he can still be a huge asset for Gerrard’s side.

Indeed, after scoring in a 4-1 win over Hoffenheim in January 2018, his then-manager Heiko Herrlich gushed: “Leon Bailey can do anything at the moment.”

Last summer, the Jamaican wasn’t the only winger to join the West Midlands club, as Emi Buendia became the club’s record-signing when joining from Norwich City for a whopping £38m. Unfortunately for the Argentine, there hasn’t yet been much evidence of that fee being justified, with the 25-year-old scoring just twice and supplying four assists in 28 appearances.

The addition of Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona has made a huge difference, with the Brazilian already doubling Buendia’s goal tally, having scored four goals in just ten Premier League appearances for the club thus far.

Coutinho’s place in the team is guaranteed but Bailey could certainly pip Buendia to a regular starting spot for the remainder of the campaign. However, if the 24-year-old is to succeed in doing so, he must prove to his manager that he’s fit and ready to start matches in order to show him and the Villa fans what he can do.

A strong conclusion to the campaign should certainly get Bailey’s spell in the West Midlands back on track.

In other news: Aston Villa open transfer talks over 105-goal machine, Gerrard will be buzzing

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left flocking to an exit claim involving both Stephen Kelly and Kai Kennedy.

As per Football Scotland, Kilmarnock are now interested in taking both players on loan in the January transfer window.

Kelly has only made once ever, and so both could do with moves away in order to get some more game time.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst already has plenty of central midfielders and wingers in his squad anyway, and so sending both out on loan would be a good move for all parties.

One concern may be the artificial pitch at Kilmarnock, which could leave them more susceptible to injury, but nonetheless they would be playing more regular football in the Scottish Championship.

Rangers fans on transfer news

These Teddy Bears flocked to the transfer news as it was shared on Twitter, with one Light Blues supporter even going as far as to claim that Kelly is a ‘smashing’ player:

“Great move for all parties.”

Credit: @dbr1872

“Be good to see them both go out on loan to gain more experience. Stephen Kelly is a smashing young player.”

Credit: @stef5512

“Would be a good move for the pair to get more game time”

Credit: @alfie_west_55

“Good move for both, will get game time under McInnes”

Credit: @Ronnieislip1

“Let them go, will be good for them both and can only help in their progress”

Credit: @macdaddy1690

“No-brainer, great for the boys”

Credit: @rfcscube

In other news, find out what transfer update has been bemoaned by Gers here!

A key claim has been made over Rangers central midfielder Ryan Jack, regarding his latest injury…

What’s the latest?

Glasgow Times senior writer Chris Jack has claimed that it could be a while before the Gers have him back in action due to what he will need to go through before being back to 100%.

The reliable journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “He’s had this latest setback and it seems a bit of a long road.

“Another couple of weeks before he’s back in the fold, another couple of weeks to get him back up to speed and then another couple of weeks for him to establish himself in the team again. So, it’s looking like a frustrating start to the year for Ryan.”

Fuming

Rangers fans will surely be fuming with this update as it could now be a number of weeks before Jack is a viable first-team option for Gio van Bronckhorst to call upon as he recovers from injury.

His previous form in the Premiership shows that he has the quality to make a big impact at this level and that is why fans will be wanting to see him back as soon as possible. Last season, he averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.14 in 19 appearances, scoring two goals and providing one assist, which shows that he can perform consistently in the league.

Joe Aribo (7.20) is the only Rangers midfielder who has averaged a higher rating this term for the club in the Premiership. This suggests that Jack, if he can recapture his form from the 2020/21 campaign, could be one of the side’s top performers when he returns from injury.

Former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard previously lauded the midfield gem, saying: “Ryan is an example for the rest of the squad because he never drops his standards, whether it’s a training session or a game.

“He knits everything together, he drives the team on, he demands from everyone else around him.”

This highlights why fans will be fuming with this latest claim on Jack. It appears as though they will need to wait a considerable chunk of time before he is back in all of his glory, which is a shame for the club – as they miss out on his talents – and the player – as he will surely be left frustrated sitting in the injury room.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Goldson: Rangers can seal dream replacement with “proven” 6 ft 3 powerhouse…

Jordan Campbell has dropped an update on Glasgow Rangers’ bid to bring Danilho Doekhi to Ibrox in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

In a recent article for The Athletic, the journalist revealed that, following the pre-contract signing of John Souttar, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side are also in a strong position to secure a deal for the Vitesse Arnhem centre-back this month, with the Gers manager keen to bolster his numbers in the heart of defence prior to the closure of the transfer market.

In his piece, Campbell wrote: “Rangers are also keen on Vitesse captain Danilho Doekhi and are in a strong position to land the Dutch defender.”

Fans will be buzzing

Doekhi has been impressive in the Netherlands this season, and Van Bronckhorst is in rather desperate need of defensive reinforcements ahead of the restart of the Premiership season given the injuries to Filip Helander and Leon Balogun out, as well as the latter and Connor Goldson being out of contract at the end of the current campaign. Therefore, the news that Gers appear to be closing in on a deal for the 23-year-old is sure to have left the Ibrox faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 14 Eredivisie appearances this term, the £2.7m-rated Vitesse defender has helped his side to keep three clean sheets and scored one goal, as well as making 1.6 interceptions, two tackles, 3.6 clearances and 39.1 passes per game and winning 65% of his duels.

These returns have seen the £3.4k-per-week centre-back average a SofaScore match rating of 7.01, ranking him as Vitesse’s joint-seventh best performer in the Dutch top flight.

As such, it is clear for all to see that Doekhi would make a fantastic addition to Van Bronckhorst’s current options in the heart of his defence at Ibrox. The prospective arrival of the 23-year-old would undoubtedly provide Rangers’ chances of going on to retain the Premiership title with a considerable boost, an outcome which would delight everyone involved with the club.

In other news: Rangers dealt fresh transfer setback on “crazy” January transfer, Van Bronckhorst will be fuming

Lots of Everton fans have been left raging over some off-field news involving Dave Harrison.

According to The Athletic, it is now expected that the Goodison Park faithful’s Head of Football Operations will fill part of the void left by Marcel Brands, as long as the strategic review of the football structure takes place.

He is reportedly ‘well-respected’ at the Merseyside club and is seen as a ‘safe pair of hands’.

However, it seems like a lot of Toffees supporters have not taken a liking to the fact that the appointment is being made internally, and would much rather they go out and scout a direct replacement.

Harrison could be in danger of becoming a yes-man given his close ties within the club, and so the Blues would benefit more from someone coming in externally to give a more unbiased view of their operations.

Everton fans on Harrison news

These EFC fans raged as the news was shared on Twitter:

“Everything that is wrong with Everton FC. Another internal appointment #CushyFC”

Credit: @beav1967

“This club is nothing but a joke handing out jobs to the boys”

Credit: @richythepigeon

“Give up.”

Credit: @Rochey1878

“This club never fails to surprise, amateurs.”

Credit: @james_gavo3

“Shambles”

Credit: @AdamFunston

“We never learn”

Credit: @toffeetommy79

In other news, find out what transfer news has Evertonians gushing here!

Tottenham Hotspur coach Antonio Conte has been dealt bad injury news ahead of their clash with Aston Villa in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites in form…

In recent weeks, Spurs have managed to build a consistent run of form under Conte following a mediocre start to the New Year.

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The Lilywhites have won five out of their last six Premier League games, including impressive wins against the likes of Man City, Newcastle and Everton.

Tottenham are aiming to qualify for the Champions League ahead of 2022/2023, a feat which could majorly boost Conte’s chances of staying in north London and increase their pull in this summer’s transfer market.

As they take on Aston Villa today, though, it appears Conte and co will remain without a key midfield in Oliver Skipp despite reports earlier this week he was set to return to the grass.

The Latest: BBC relay team news…

As relayed by the BBC and confirmed by Tottenham’s head coach, the English capital giants have been dealt some bad news as Skipp suffers a setback in his recovery from a hip problem.

The relapsed physical issue extends his spell on the sidelines with Spurs’ academy starlet now missing Villa today alongside Japhet Tanganga – who is out for the season.

The Verdict: Blow for Conte…

While both Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have proved a capable partnership in Skipp’s absence, his unavailability remains a blow for Conte.

The 21-year-old hasn’t featured since a defeat to Chelsea in late January and Spurs must surely be getting worried given the long-delayed return to full fitness.

Former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke described his 2020/2021 loanee as a ‘perfect’ player and it’s safe to say Tottenham could really use his presence in the final run of crunch matches.

According to WhoScored, he’s averaged a higher pass accuracy than any Spurs starter in the English top flight this season, backing his real composure and class at such a young age.

Indeed, a setback in his recovery may come as a big blow for Conte.

In other news: Tottenham eye agreement ‘in the coming weeks’ as they make offer for exciting midfielder! Find out more here.

Liverpool have had a solid start to their Premier League season with 28 points on the board from their opening 13 games, firmly placing them in the title race alongside Chelsea and Manchester City.

One figure in Jurgen Klopp’s side that has played a big part in their season so far is Fabinho, who has a total of 14 appearances under his belt, with nine coming in the Premier League and five in the Champions League.

Playing all of those appearances in the defensive-midfield role, it’s no surprise that he has managed to rack up an average of 1.4 interceptions per game, 1.3 tackles per game and 1.1 clearances per game, proving himself once again as a vital figure for the Reds after his heroics last season of playing as a makeshift centre-back at times.

Even though Fabinho is still only 28 years of age and has until 2026 before his current deal expires at the Merseyside club, Liverpool could already have a player in the youth ranks that could potentially go on to have a similar impact at Anfield as their imposing Brazilian.

After scouting him from late 2019, Liverpool signed young defender Stefan Bajcetic from Spanish club Celta Vigo back in  December last year for a reported fee of €250,000 (£224,000) according to The Athletic.

Since then, the 17-year-old has made 12 appearances for Liverpool’s U18 side, scoring one goal and providing one assist, as well as three appearances for their U23 side.

Bajcetic has also made three appearances in the UEFA Youth League this season.

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During his time with the Reds, Bajcetic has predominantly played as a centre-back but has tried his hand in the defensive-midfield role and at right-back, three positions that Fabinho has played in at some stage of his career.

Speaking after Liverpool U19s recent 4-0 win over Porto in the UEFA Youth League, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson said: “[Bajcetic] is doing really well. He is playing a little bit different in midfield at the minute but he is good enough to play there. He is good enough to play the game in and out of possession in that position as well as at centre-back.”

With Klopp previously praising Fabinho’s centre-back performance away at Chelsea last season saying that he helped the team a lot “with the ball and in defending as well,” this shows how similar the pair are in terms of their capabilities of playing in different defensive positions.

Also, with Bajcetic recently signing his first professional contract with Liverpool, this shows that they see enough in him that he could potentially grow and develop his game even further at the club, which could allow Klopp to unearth yet another young talent in his senior squad in the future and potentially save the club millions in doing so.

In other news: Klopp could save Liverpool millions by unleashing rarely-seen £7.2m-rated “monster” – opinion

Leeds United ambassador Noel Whelan has bemoaned the hamstring injuries picked up by Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips, describing it as ‘really bad news’ for the club.

The Lowdown: Leeds pair out injured

The Whites have been plagued by injuries throughout the season, which has no doubt played a part in what has been a disappointing campaign to date.

Cooper and Phillips are two of the most high-profile current absentees and, as revealed by Marcelo Bielsa on Friday, the duo are not expected to be back in action until March, which comes as a huge blow to Leeds.

While relegation should still be avoided, not having those two key figures available could make life difficult, and results must start improving in the coming weeks if they are to avoid an uncomfortable run-in to the campaign.

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The Latest: Whelan reacts to news

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan couldn’t hide his frustration at the news that Cooper and Phillips face another couple of months on the sidelines. He rued:

“The injuries looked so innocuous. Usually with a hamstring if you’re not jumping in the air and hitting the clouds, it could just be a tiny tear which could take as little as four weeks.

“But this is really bad news for Leeds United because they are two big players. Phillips, who is one of the best defensive midfield players in the Premier League and is vitally important to how we play. He’s irreplaceable in there.

“And then Cooper is the club captain, and that presence will be missed sorely in the dressing room. You can’t take away the importance of what he gives you in there. It’s like Jordan Henderson at Liverpool – you miss those types of voices.”

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The Verdict: Big battle without them

This is a massive couple of months for Leeds, with fringe players simply having to step up to the plate without Cooper and Phillips around. The former has been the Whites’ second-best performer this term as per WhoScored, while the latter boasts one of the highest tackling averages (2.3 per game) within the squad.

Phillips is going to be a particular miss, considering the sparsity of midfield alternatives and the fact that he is England’s reigning Player of the Year, highlighting how talented player he has become.

A new midfielder may well be needed to be brought in this month to help fill the void, whereas fit-again Diego Llorente and Robin Koch will hopefully forge a strong centre-back pairing without club captain Cooper around. For now, it’s easy to see why Whelan is so worried.

In other news, one Leeds player is set to leave the club this summer. Find out who it is here.

Some Everton fans have been left fuming over some manager news that has emerged involving Jose Mourinho.

As per The Daily Mirror, the AS Roma manager has emerged as a potential candidate to take over from Rafa Benitez, should he be sacked at Goodison Park.

Supporters of the Merseyside club vented their anger towards the Spaniard as well as the board after their 4-1 defeat at home to Liverpool in midweek, and Benitez is now under pressure following a run of eight matches in the Premier League without a win.

Now, the board could turn to Mourinho should they wish to pull the plug on his reign.

Of course, Mourinho’s success in English football, in where he has won the top-flight title three times with Chelsea, is a factor as to why the board are looking at him as a potential successor, but he has tailored off in recent years, having left both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United midway through the season outside of the UEFA Champions League spots.

Toffees supporters may not be a fan of his pragmatic approach to games either, and so it is understandable to see why a fair few fumed when they read the news.

Everton fans on Mourinho news

These Blues fumed as the manager news was shared on Twitter:

“Rather liquidate”

Credit: @mcnallyc95

“This is worse then Benitez.”

Credit: @thomas41448377

“From one mess to another. This is an an awful idea”

Credit: @toffee5000

“This is comical”

Credit: @Andy25787904

“And this is why they’re clueless.”

Credit: @glioriginali_

“Another dinosaur, no thank you”

Credit: @ToffeeTosh1878

In other news, find out what manager news has Evertonians talking here!