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According to a report by Calciomercato, via Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur and by extension chairman Daniel Levy have made out of work boss Maurizio Sarri their ‘first choice’ target after held meetings.

The Lowdown: Sarri linked to Tottenham

The former Chelsea boss has been sporadically linked to Spurs over the last month, with reports first emerging that the Lilywhites and Sarri had held discussions over a meeting in London (La Gazzetta via the Daily Mail).

Alasdair Gold was quick to dismiss those claims in a football.london Q&A but there were no shortage of whispers from Italy in particular touting Sarri with the now vacant managerial role at Tottenham.

There were even suggestions that Napoli star Lorenzo Insigne could ‘follow’ the 62-year-old to Spurs or his next destination (Paolo Bargiggia).

The Latest: Sarri made ‘first choice’ by Spurs and Levy

Now, as per this update by Calciomercato, the Lilywhites have made Sarri their ‘first choice’ (via Sport Witness) target after it was claimed a meeting between the two camps took place right after Jose Mourinho’s sacking last month.

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Indeed, this backs other reports of Tottenham contacting Sarri (Football Italia), with Calciomercato going a step further and claiming the talks are ‘destined to intensify’.

He was, at one point, an overwhelming favourite to take the job at AS Roma – but the surprise announcement of Mourinho’s appointment has left Sarri out in the cold.

This has forced him to consider other options and has now authorised agent Fali Ramadani to ‘listen to important calls’.

The Verdict: Do it now Levy…

While the former Napoli boss doesn’t exactly fit into the ‘young’ and ‘dynamic’ criteria of manager reportedly wanted by technical performance director Steve Hitchen (The Mail), we believe his brand of football more than makes up for it.

He is known for his attacking, high pressing philosophy which even earned it’s own nickname in ‘Sarri-ball’ – with legendary former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi being among his many admirers.

The Italian icon lauded his compatriot as a ‘genius’ (via Planet Football), meanwhile former Man City defender Danilo believes he is ‘very similar’ to Pep Guardiola (Globo Esporte via the Mail).

Indeed, the fact he is out of work comes as another major incentive to make a move given the potentially cheap nature of his appointment with no buyout to pay to a current employer.

For these reasons, we utterly concur with Levy that the former Blues boss should indeed be the ‘first choice’ target for Spurs.

In other news: Sky reporter lifts lid on plan for Spurs this summer, find out more here.

Writing for 90min, reporter Graeme Bailey has shared an update on Declan Rice and his future at West Ham United as clubs eye a move for the 22-year-old.

The Lowdown: Rice thriving…

After an impressive Euro 2020 campaign with England, the Irons midfielder has continued to thrive at club level under David Moyes.

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Indeed, according to WhoScored, no West Ham regular with more than one start has averaged a higher passing accuracy than the 22-year-old (92%), with Rice also making the joint-highest interceptions per 90 in midfield.

This has prompted clubs to sit up and take notice, especially after he rejected two offers of a new deal at the London Stadium over the summer transfer window (The Guardian).

Rice has been a key part of Moyes’ high-flying West Ham side, who currently sit in the top four and are well in contention for a Champions League place, but news has now emerged on his future in the capital.

The Latest: Bailey drops Rice exit claim…

Writing for 90min, Bailey has now claimed that the Three Lions ace is ‘prepared to leave West Ham’ in the ‘summer of 2022’ – regardless of whether they seal a place in the European Cup next season.

Indeed, as written in their headline, West Ham and Moyes ‘could lose’ the player, with their report going on to mention that Premier League champions Manchester City are currently frontrunners for his signature.

Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested and it is believed that GSB ‘will not stand in Rice’s way’ if their £120m valuation is met.

The Verdict: Crunch time?

This news could come as a blow for Moyes and West Ham supporters given Rice’s importance to the team, but much will hinder on the east London club, who are still in full control.

Rice’s current contract runs until 2024 and the Hammers have an option to extend his stay by a further year (Transfermarkt), so GSB have no urgent need to accept an incoming bid for his services.

However, if an interested party comes in with a £120m offer, it would be difficult for West Ham not to at least contemplate selling if the player’s desire to leave escalates between now and then.

Young, homegrown and a standout Premier League performer – the Irons have plenty of reason to demand as much money as possible for their prize asset.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, as transcribed by The Boot Room, Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins even called Rice ‘massively underrated’ and ‘like a Rolls-Royce’, highlighting his obvious quality.

In other news: ‘Talks have taken place’…Journalist shares news as powerhouse now open to joining West Ham, find out more here.

A key Rangers transfer claim has been made ahead of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first window in charge of the Glasgow giants…

What’s the talk?

Retired Scotland international Frank McAvennie has claimed that he would ‘certainly expect’ the Gers to bolster their defence in the January transfer window.

The 62-year-old has pointed to their struggles against Martin Boyle, who scored a hat-trick in Hibernian’s 3-1 win over Rangers last weekend, as evidence as to why they need to dip into the market.

He told Football Insider: “I should think there will be deals.

“Martin Boyle is a very good player but if one player is running rings around your entire defence, you have a problem. The same quality hasn’t been there this season and sometimes the best way to amend that is with fresh blood.

“Maybe things have gone stale but look at the number of times they have conceded first this season.

“It’s a shocking drop off from last season. I don’t know if Van Bronckhorst will have taken the job if he wasn’t going to be backed. Let’s see what happens in January but I would certainly expect some movement to fix that defence out.”

Fans will be buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing with this claim from McAvennie as the team’s defence has faltered at times this season, so bringing in defensive reinforcements in January could delight those who want to see the backline improved.

So far this season, the Gers have only kept three clean sheets in their 13 Premiership matches. In the 2020/21 campaign, Steven Gerrard’s side managed 26 shutouts in 38 games on their way to the title, but the 41-year-old was unable to carry the impressive defensive record into the current season prior to his departure for Aston Villa earlier this month, with Van Bronckhorst tasked with improving that statistic.

The Dutchman also has to deal with Leon Balogun and Connor Goldson both being out of contract at the end of the season, although the former has an option to extend by a further 12 months. This means that Goldson could be on his way out the door next summer, so signing a replacement for him in January could be an ideal situation for the club and would surely please the fans.

Rangers could bring in a centre-back during the January transfer window to slowly take over from Goldson throughout the second half of the campaign. The former Brighton man could then leave next summer, with his replacement already in the door and accustomed to Van Bronckhorst’s tactics and his teammates.

AND in other news, Forget Morelos: “Special” Rangers beast with 91.6% duels won stole the show vs Sparta…

Celtic winger Jota will miss the League Cup final against Hibernian later this month through injury, Sky Sports’ Alison Conroy reports.

The Lowdown: Permanent deal on the cards

The 22-year-old has proven to be an excellent addition under Ange Postecoglou, becoming a regular in Celtic’s front three.

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Jota has been involved in 14 goals in his 18 appearances for the club, with the manager wanting to exercise their option-to-buy clause for the winger before the end of the season.

It would cost Celtic £6.5m to secure Jota’s services on a permanent basis, but he’ll miss his first final as a Hoops player through injury.

The Latest: Hampden Park absence

Jota suffered a hamstring issue against Hearts earlier this month, which is expected to keep him out for ‘a few weeks’.

Conroy reported Postecoglou’s pre-Real Betis press conference on Twitter on Wednesday, with the manager confirming Jota won’t be available against Hibs.

The Verdict: Hammer blow

Jota has proven to be a big player for Celtic with his reliable and consistent production in the final third, racking up eight goals and six assists so far this season.

You always want your best players ready to go for big games, so his absence will be a blow for Postecoglou, who may have to rely on youngsters Mikey Johnston and Liel Abada to fill in for the time being.

Described as ‘brilliant’ by Frank McAvennie, Jota may well return to the side before the winter break, but if he doesn’t, the next time fans see him, he could be a Celtic player on a permanent basis.

In other news: Celtic closing in on possible loan-to-buy move for ‘tireless worker’; Ange isn’t hanging around. 

Newly-crowned Premiership champions Rangers have been tipped to offer new contracts to three key players ahead of their clash with Slavia Prague.

The Gers have already been crowned the Champions of Scotland, but they are still very much in the Europa League race as well. Gabriel Agbonlahor believes that progress in Europe could lead to extra wage demands from three key players.

Rangers urged to extend contracts within the next week

Agbonlahor was recently talking to Football Insider and he talked about the contractual situations of Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and right-back James Tavernier. He believes that if the Gers keep playing like they are, they can go further in Europe and because of that, players could be demanding figures closer to what the Premier League sides can afford. To avoid a situation like that, Agbonlahor believes that Steven Gerrard and Ross Wilson should look to tie these three players down to new contracts by next week.

The former Aston Villa man said: “If I’m Rangers now, I’m trying to tie down my biggest players to contracts within the next week.

“If Rangers can play like they have been they can go to the latter stages of the Europa League and the players will be looking at it and thinking ‘Ok, maybe we can get wages like the Premier League boys in England.’

“It’s a good chance for Steven Gerrard to sit down with the board and say ‘Can I tie down Tavernier? Can I tie down Kent? Can I tie down Morelos?’

“The team that has won this title they have to keep together, they can’t afford to lose too many of them because you’re losing the initiative. They need to build on this squad, give the players that have done really well for him new contracts.”

Morelos’ current contract at Rangers runs out in the summer of 2023. In the summer transfer window, the striker was linked with a move to Lille. Kent’s contract also runs out in the summer of 2023 and Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds were interested in signing him in the summer.

Contract extensions will only help Rangers

Morelos has impressed for the Gers this season, scoring 15 times in all competitions and picking up 12 assists for the side. In the Premiership, he has ten goals and four assists (As per Transfermarkt).

Kent has also made an impact for Gerrard’s men, scoring 11 times in all competitions. The former Leeds target has contributed to 17 goals in the Premiership and he has been the club’s third-highest rated player in the campaign.

Tavernier though, has been Rangers’ highest-rated player, while contributing to 20 goals from right-back. Considering those impressive numbers, the Gers should certainly considering handing these three players new contracts. Even if they do decide to cash in on any of the above, a longer deal will give them more negotiating power.

In other news, a former Rangers star has praised Steven Gerrard – read more here.

Rangers’ run in the Europa League came to an end at Ibrox on Thursday as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Slavia Prague, with both Kemar Roofe and Leon Balogun seeing red for Steven Gerrard’s side in the second half.

The Liverpool legend took a big risk in selecting the Nigerian international ahead of Filip Helander at centre-back for the tie and unfortunately it did not pay off as the former Wigan Athletic man endured a nightmare display even before his early bath.

As per SofaScore, the 32-year-old earned a 5.9 rating for his performance, which was the worst of any player who started the game.

The centre-back was on tenterhooks for almost the entire match after picking up an early booking, which makes it even more baffling as to why he wasn’t replaced by Gerrard at half-time.

Many Rangers fans were confused as to why Helander didn’t start the game when replying to the team news on Twitter, especially after the Swedish international scored the equaliser in the first leg last week, with many disappointed to see Balogun start.

The Nigerian was perhaps fortunate not to concede a first half penalty when he gave the ball away before finding himself the wrong side of the Slavia attacker but was given the benefit of the doubt by the referee on that occasion.

However, the man in the middle was left with no choice when Balogun made a ridiculous challenge in the second half when Rangers were already down to ten men, as he compounded an awful display by getting himself sent off.

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Although Balogun has performed well for Rangers in the Premiership this season, averaging a 7.09 rating, this still rates him below both Helander and Conor Goldson, so it was a surprise to see him start.

The Nigerian international has averaged a less impressive 6.76 rating in the Europa League and was very poor in the 5-2 win against Royal Antwerp recently when he was substituted at half-time by Gerrard.

Therefore, it was something of a tactical disasterclass from Gerrard to select him ahead of Helander for such an important game, but perhaps even more baffling that he kept him on at half-time when it was clear that he was struggling and susceptible to pick up a red card.

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Of course, it’s easy to criticise in retrospect and, if Balogun had performed superbly in a Rangers win, then we would probably be talking about how it was such a good decision by Gerrard to start him. However, the reality is that the Gers were let down by Gerrard’s decision to select the Nigerian ahead of Helander on Thursday.

And, in other news… Forget Sakala: Wilson should seal Rangers swoop for £2.7m-rated beast, he won’t cost a penny

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in Nicolo Zaniolo with sporting director Fabio Paratici eyeing up a swoop this summer…

What’s the word?

Calciomercato.it have once again linked Spurs with interest in the AS Roma midfielder but they face competition from Serie A rivals Juventus and AC Milan, as well as from Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.

It’s believed that the Rome outfit are looking for a fee in the region of €60m (£50m) to €70m (£58m) but they are said to be more likely to receive between €40m (£33m) to €50m (£41.5m).

It also remains to be seen whether manager Jose Mourinho would accept a sale or push for the board to try and renew the 22-year-old’s contract.

Bye-bye Ndombele

Lilywhites manager Antonio Conte recently hinted of his intentions to sign a new no.10-like player during the off-season to help the likes of Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski, so it’s no surprise to see the north Londoners mooted with a move for Zaniolo.

You’d have to then wonder what the future holds for Tanguy Ndombele – Spurs’ disappointing £55m club-record signing – as he is currently on loan to former club Lyon.

During his time at Hotspur Way, the Frenchman has been lambasted as being “very lazy” and as having a “bad attitude” by pundit Alan Hutton, as well as “disgraceful” by Sky Sports man Jamie Carragher last season.

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Meanwhile, despite persistent injury troubles, the Italy international remains one of the hottest prospects in his age bracket with Transfermarkt valuing him at £29.7m, which was higher than Kulusevski, 21, at the time of his departure from Juventus this winter.

The versatile attacking midfielder, who can also play on the wing, has featured in 36 matches this term, where he has delivered seven goals and eight assists, including a recent hat-trick in their Europa Conference League quarter-final win over Bodo/Glimt.

In terms of attacking output, Zaniolo is only tracking 0.1 shots per game behind top goalscorer Tammy Abraham at the Stadio Olimpico, whilst he leads the squad for dribbles (2.2 successive attempts per outing), as per WhoScored.

His ability and form in the Italian capital once caught the eye of legendary Roma striker Francesco Totti, who lauded the young maestro as “explosive” before also suggesting that he “plays like a veteran,” via the BBC.

Some have even likened him to Premier League greats Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, suggesting that he’s a more box-to-box beast that can contribute in the opposition’s penalty box, too.

As such, any Zaniolo arrival could finally force Ndombele out of the exit door at long last – at least, Conte would then have a valid reason to cash in on Spurs’ club-record disaster.

Paratici and co must look to sign the Italian this off-season.

AND in other news, Spurs “keeping tabs” on PL star that would excite the Lilywhites faithful…

According to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest have submitted a loan-to-buy offer for Celtic transfer target Siriki Dembele, and it could have big consequences for the linked-away Odsonne Edouard.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have claimed that Neil Lennon’s side are interested in signing the Peterborough forward, but it appears Championship side Forest have made the first move in the race to sign him.

Football Insider claim that Dembele wants to leave Peterborough this month, and that Forest have made a proposal that would see the 24-year-old join them on a more permanent basis at the end of the season.

The report adds that the bid is worth around £250k for a player who is out of contract in the summer.

Bye-bye Edouard

With Odsonne Edouard’s long-term future at Celtic still very much unclear – reports have claimed the club have slashed his asking price in this January transfer window – Nick Hammond will surely be on the look-out for a potential replacement for the club’s striker.

And in Dembele – the older brother of the Hoops’ very own Karamoko – they could find someone who could well fill the boots of the Frenchman.

Dembele had spent a lot of time playing out wide on the flanks, before Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson made the tweak of moving him infield into the number nine role.

And since then, it’s safe to say he’s been very impressive. This season in League One, he’s played 22 games in total, but 15 of them have come up front. In those games as the Posh’s starting striker, he’s managed five goals and five assists, including a dazzling hat-trick against Shrewsbury.

The tactical switch is something Ferguson has talked up too, saying: “But the boy has been absolutely outstanding since realising he can play as a central striker. He destroyed Ipswich last weekend with a goal and two assists.”

The 5 foot 8 ace would offer Celtic some versatility up front given he can play anywhere across the line, and it’s now up to Hammond as to whether he can get a deal done.

A man who has previously been linked with a potential takeover of Newcastle United has dropped an enticing claim involving the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Irarragorri once linked with takeover

Alejandro Irarragorri was the leader of The Orlegi Sports group, a Mexican consortium who were reportedly looking to take over at St. James’ Park back in 2019.

A multi-millionaire, he has since been speaking about the opportunity of investing in a club in the English top flight, and given his previous links to the Magpies, it is certainly interesting what he has had to say.

The Latest: Irarragorri talks up Premier League move

Speaking to Sky Sports, Irarragorri has since been talking up potential investment in the division, claiming: “Are we looking to the Premier League? Yes, constantly. We are heading towards that. Let’s see how it goes.”

He did not specifically mention the Toon, but given his previous links to the North East club, one may question whether he would take the opportunity to invest on Tyneside should it come up.

The Verdict: Irarragorri one to watch

If the proposed deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group does not end up going through, then Irarragorri may certainly be one to watch in terms of a potential new investor.

Whether he would still be interested in taking over NUFC is another question, but the chance may come to him once more if the KSA bid falls flat on its face.

The 50 year-old is the chairman of Liga MX side Santos Laguna, who have six top flight trophies to their name, so perhaps he could be the man to finally lift the Magpies out of their slumber.

In other news, find out what transfer approach Newcastle have made for this forgotten Premier League winner here!

A number of Liverpool supporters have been reacting with glee to footage of Jordan Henderson continuing his injury recovery.

The Reds have had a disastrous season in the injury department, with the centre-back situation particularly dire. Jurgen Klopp has had to make do without Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip for many months, which has played a big part in their struggles during the campaign.

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Henderson has also been a noticeable absentee, with the captain not featuring since the 2-0 defeat at home to Everton back in February. The 30-year-old has been a huge loss, both in terms of quality and leadership, and he faces a race against time to be fit for Euro 2020 this summer.

However, footage has emerged of Henderson stepping up his recovery from his groin problem [via Watch LFC], working in the gym and returning to the training pitch.

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Liverpool fans love Henderson video

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the video, with much positivity in the air at seeing the captain step up his recovery.

“Missed this earlier! So excited to see Hendo again!!!”

Credit: @lfccxt

“Ahhhhh yeahhhhh”

Credit: @LFCSai7

“Captain fantastic”

Credit: @satriafaisal

“My idol”

Credit: @Cellextine72

“Nice to see the Cap on the road to recovery”

Credit: @red_klopp

“My captain”

Credit: @OJITRIPUOJI

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a move for a world-renowned player with endless trophies. Find out who it is here.