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Liverpool could still sign Fulham youngster Fabio Carvalho in January after they bring in Luis Diaz, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

The Lowdown: Carvalho linked with move

The Reds have been linked with a move for the 19-year-old in recent days, seemingly seeing him as someone who could come in and provide added squad depth and be a part of an eventual rebuild once the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are past their peaks.

Carvalho is enjoying an excellent season for a free-scoring Fulham side riding high at the top of the Championship, scoring seven goals and registering three assists.

While Liverpool are reportedly set to be complete the signing of Diaz from Porto imminently, it doesn’t look as though their interest in the English youngster has gone away.

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The Latest: Key update emerges

According to Bailey in a Twitter post on Friday, a move for Carvalho could still happen before Monday’s transfer deadline, depending on Fulham’s stance:

“They would also take Fabio Carvalho this month if Fulham agreed to deal.”

Bailey has proved to have his finger on the pulse in recent days, calling a halt to proceedings when the media jumped the gun over Newcastle’s move for Bruno Guimarães – Lyon released a statement backing the journalist’s claims shortly after his tweet.

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The Verdict: Perfect squad addition

Much like Harvey Elliott, who also arrived from Fulham back in 2019, Carvalho is a hugely exciting English teenager who could enjoy a similarly meteoric rise.

The attacking midfielder has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by current manager Marco Silva and his average of 1.6 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game in the Championship highlight his ability to break the lines and create chances.

No Liverpool midfielder has averaged more key passes in the Premier League this season, with Elliott and Jordan Henderson (both 1.3) leading the way, showing what the youngster could add to the team if he follows Diaz to Merseyside this month.

In other news, a foreign source has made a claim regarding one rumoured Liverpool target. Find out who it is here.

Joey Veerman ‘could be one’ of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Rangers transfer targets as he scours the Dutch and Belgian markets. 

That’s according to journalist Stuart Hodge, who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT.

The lowdown

Van Bronckhorst, who was appointed Rangers boss in November following the departure of Steven Gerrard, has previous experience in his homeland with Feyenoord, where he was an assistant coach, under-21 boss and eventually the first team manager.

Although he hasn’t managed in Belgium before, there are close links between the countries’ respective top divisions, which may even join up in the future.

Rangers reportedly tried to sign Heerenveen midfielder Veerman, who is valued at £6.3m by Transfermarkt, in the summer, and it seems as if they could revisit that interest.

The latest

Hodge told GIVEMESPORT that Van Bronckhorst may favour players from the Eredivisie or the Jupiler Pro League as he seeks reinforcements in the New Year.

He thinks Veerman may be one of the players who has caught the 46-year-old’s eye, saying: “In terms of where van Bronckhorst will look to strengthen his squad, you can maybe stick the Netherlands and Belgium together in that regard.

“Van Bronckhorst will know those markets and he will know the players he wants. Joey could be one of those.”

The verdict

Veerman, who can play as a defensive midfielder and in a slightly more advanced role, would be a good signing for Van Bronckhorst and Rangers.

As well as his three goals, he has contributed six assists this season and can be considered one of the top creators in his league. Indeed, only five Eredivisie players can better his average of 2.5 key passes per 90 minutes, while just two have set up more goals than him.

Former Rangers man Michael Mols has actually gone as far as to describe him as ‘perfect’ when he’s in possession, so hopefully Hodge’s revelation that Veerman may be a priority for the club in January comes to fruition.

In other news, some Gers fans slammed this man’s performance on Saturday

Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Mehdi Ghayedi to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Hatam Shiralizadeh (via The Scotsman), with the journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that Celtic have made an official offer to Shabab Al Ahli for the 23-year-old, although the UAE side are believed to have rejected this bid as they do not want to part with the versatile winger this month.

However, Shiralizadeh goes on to state that Ange Postecoglou is desperate to seal a deal for the Iran international before the end of the current transfer window, with Celtic thought to be preparing a second offer for the forward.

In his post, the journalist said: “Shabab Al Ahli have turned down an official bid from Celtic for Mehdi Ghayedi. UAE side don’t want to sell the Iranian striker in January, however, Celtic are determined to sign the young talent, so they are planning to offer a new bid for the 23-year-old.”

“Jota-type trickster”

Despite his tender age and diminutive stature – standing at just 5 foot 5 tall – it is easy to see why Postecoglou is so eager to get a deal over the line for Ghayedi this January.

Indeed, the left-winger – who can also be deployed on the right flank and at centre-forward – already boasts a quite incredible record of goals scored and assists provided in his short professional career, having bagged 41 goals and registered 27 assists over 154 outings for Esteghlal FC, Iranjavan FC and Shabab Al Ahli – directly contributing to a goal every 159 minutes of football played.

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However, it is not only the number of goals that is impressive about the £1.08m-rated forward, but also the quality of his strikes.

Indeed, Ghayedi appears to have something of a knack for popping up in the dying stages of a match when his side are most in need of a moment of magic, such as his 94th-minute winner against Sharjah FC back in September.

The 23-year-old picked up the ball in the middle of the park before sitting a defender down and curling a shot into the far corner – with the finish being dubbed an “extraordinary killer goal” by ADSportsTV.

As such, it is not difficult to understand why Bhoys Analytics recently dubbed the youngster a “Jota-type trickster,” nor why Navid Molaaghaei described Ghayedi a “magician,” as the Iranian starlet very much seems to be a player in the same mould as the Portugal U21 international, as well as undoubtedly being a talent who has a much higher ceiling than someone like Mikey Johnston, or even James Forrest.

In other news: Postecoglou may be heading for huge Celtic mistake as offer prepared for £1.6m dynamo

Manchester United have potentially been handed a late selection setback ahead of their Premier League clash with Norwich City at Carrow Road this evening.

What’s the story?

In Friday’s press conference, new interim manager Ralf Rangnick addressed the current fitness status of his first-team squad, admitting that there are a handful of doubts going into today’s intriguing encounter.

“Yeah, we have two or three question marks behind players, but since they haven’t shown up as yet, we only train at two o’clock, we have to wait until after the training session, or at least before the training session, and the Doctor and medical department can tell me what the current situation is like,” he said.

Rangnick is unlikely to be able to call upon the services of Aaron Wan-Bissaka after the defender left the Old Trafford pitch on a stretcher in midweek, but it’s the potential absence of Nemanja Matic which will come as a late blow.

“Aaron, as you said, received one or two knocks in the game, there is still a question mark behind Nemanja Matic, he had sort of a cold, I wouldn’t call it a ‘flu, but he was negatively tested with COVID, so I am still hoping he can be available, but we have to wait until we see how he feels today,” the German revealed.

Rangnick will be gutted

News that Matic may not be able to play any part against Norwich will likely leave Rangnick feeling gutted, given the versatility and experience that the Serbian midfielder brings to the side.

The 33-year-old showcased his leadership skills by captaining the team against Young Boys on Wednesday night, putting in a stellar performance in an unusual position after being asked to fill in at centre-back.

The Serbia international has also showcased his usefulness throughout the current campaign in his eight top-flight outings to date. As per WhoScored, he has averaged 1.4 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 0.6 clearances per league game, while achieving a pass completion ratio of 86.2% and providing two assists.

Therefore, Rangnick will be hoping that the 6 foot 3 beast can recover from his illness in time to travel to Norwich, providing United with the know-how they might need in order to overcome a tricky opponent.

In other news… Man United eye move for “unbelievable” £77k-p/w “soldier”, Rangnick needs him

Leeds United have endured an underwhelming campaign in the Premier League thus far with Marcelo Bielsa’s side sitting in 16th place and in need of some life before the season turns even more torrid.

With the January transfer window set to open in under two weeks, the West Yorkshire side will be eyeing additions with Reading midfielder John Swift once again being linked with a move up to the top-flight.

What’s the story?

The 26-year-old midfielder has been in excellent form in what has been a difficult season for the Royals, who sit 21st in the Championship table after a six-point deduction.

Swift has contributed eight goals and nine assists in 21 league appearances for the Berkshire side and is attracting interest from Premier League outfit Leeds.

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa has publicly revealed his admiration for the Englishman back in February 2020, labelling him “a great player” and that “I [he] value a lot.”

However, according to the Reading Chronicle, Swift will opt to remain with the Royals for the remainder of the season as they look to avoid relegation to League One.

A potential move up the English football ladder may be looked at in the summer, but it is believed that Swift has no intention of leaving the club he has been at for over five years mid-campaign.

Leeds should swoop for Swift

With Marcelo Bielsa’s side seriously struggling for form and with a plethora of injuries, the West Yorkshire club will surely be looking to invest in the upcoming transfer window.

Playmaker Raphinha has scored eight of Leeds’ 18 Premier League goals so far and Bielsa could do with extra reinforcements should the Brazilian be unavailable, or worse, sold.

That said, he’d be a pretty huge upgrade on Mateusz Klich. The Pole has found life difficult this term with just a solitary goal and assist in the Premier League.

Swift, by comparison, has already racked up double figures in the second tier this term and with 31 goals for Reading to his name, would prove to be an incredibly shrewd addition by Victor Orta and co.

An eye-catching review from One Leeds Fan YouTuber Conor McGilligan tells you all you need to know about the Royals man, and why he could be such an exciting signing for supporters.

“[He’s] an absolute grafter, someone who’s worked his way up the football pyramid, someone who, for me, has the technical ability that would sort of replicate a Pablo Hernandez, a Samuel Saiz in tight pockets,” McGilligan said.

Swift would prove a clever signing and his signature would certainly please Leeds fans as it would add depth to a squad that is significantly suffering.

However, the midfielder is out of contract in the summer and therefore the Whites may have to be patient to secure the services of the 26-year-old who is clearly prioritising loyalty over a big move to the Premier League.

Aston Villa are plotting a move to bring Glen Kamara to the club ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claimed that the Premier League side have been tracking the Rangers midfielder closely over the past 12 months, with Johan Lange believed to be a big fan of the Finland international.

The report added that the recent appointment of former Gers manager Steven Gerrard in the Villa Park dugout has ramped up the Midlanders’ interest in the 26-year-old, who is thought to be one of Villa’s top transfer targets ahead of the winter window.

Gerrard’s dream signing

Considering just how important a part of the Rangers side Kamara proved to be during Gerrard’s tenure at Ibrox, it is easy to argue that the midfielder would be something of a dream signing for the 41-year-old in January.

Indeed, over his 33 Scottish Premiership appearances in the Gers’ unbeaten title-winning 2020/21 campaign, the £5.4m-rated midfielder scored one goal, registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as making 0.8 key passes per game.

The man who Finnish journalist Janne Oivio dubbed as “the best” player within his international side also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making 60.6 passes, 1.1 tackles and 0.9 interceptions and winning 4.1 duels per match.

These returns saw Kamara average a SofaScore match rating of 6.99, something which clearly demonstrates his importance within the Rangers squad.

With it being reported that the Light Blues will need to sell players in order to find moves for their own transfer targets in the coming months, a deal for the 26-year-old very much seems to be on the cards for Villa in January – something which would undoubtedly delight Gerrard.

In other news: Aston Villa confirm big development which is sure to have fans over the moon

Paul Robinson has confessed he is ‘so surprised’ that Frank Lampard has been overlooked for the Rangers job.

The lowdown

According to The Daily Record’s Robbie Copeland, the Rangers hierarchy held ‘brief talks’ with Lampard, but he didn’t make their final three-man shortlist for the position vacated by Steven Gerrard.

Lampard has been out of work since January when he was sacked by Chelsea after a run of one win in five (via BBC Sport).

The former England international previously had a spell at Derby County, during which he led the Rams to the Championship playoff final at Wembley.

Norwich City showed an interest following the recent sacking of Daniel Farke, but Lampard ultimately withdrew himself from contention (via BBC Sport).

The latest

Robinson, one of Lampard’s England team-mates, assumed Lampard was Ibrox-bound after the Norwich move didn’t materialise.

He thinks the 43-year-old has the credentials to be a success in Glasgow, drawing particular attention to his track record with young players.

“I’m so surprised Frank Lampard is not being heavily backed for the job,” he told Football Insider.

“He had talks with Norwich and pulled himself out. Surely everything points to Rangers.

“The job Lampard did at Chelsea was a decent one. I think people forget that.

“He is a good manager who can develop young players in the same way Steven has done. I’m sure Frank could go in and do a job.

“I’m surprised he is not one of the favourites to take the job. I think he’d be a great appointment for them.”

The verdict

How good a job did Lampard do at Chelsea? Well, in his first season he creditably navigated a transfer ban and led the Blues to Champions League qualification.

But then, with the shackles off, the club invested in £222million worth of new talent, and they seemed to go backwards. They were ninth in the table when Lampard was shown the door.

So it’s a mixed CV, but in fairness the same applies to a firm candidate in Giovanni von Bronckhorst. For all his success at Feyenoord between 2015 and 2019, he ended his tenure at Guangzhou R&F after just eight wins in 23 matches.

It’s all about establishing the relevance of prior successes and failures, and perhaps Lampard’s early time at Stamford Bridge suggests he would have been perfect under a tighter budget.

In other news, an announcement may be imminent.

A number of Aston Villa supporters have laid into Tyrone Mings’ erratic performance in the first half away to Arsenal.

Dean Smith’s side have had a week to reflect on their shock 3-2 defeat at home to Wolves last Saturday, on a day when it looked as though three points were in the bag.

Instead, Villa suffered one of their most disappointing Premier League losses in recent memory.

Smith’s men are back in league action this evening, making the trip to north London to face an Arsenal side still flattering to deceive under Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners were the better team from the off however, and one player who struggled to impress in the opening 45 minutes at the Emirates was Mings.

The England international was diving into tackles, completed a poor 71 per cent of his passes and was eventually booked for a mistimed challenge on Alexandre Lacazette.

Aston Villa fans react to Mings’ first half

These Villa supporters gave their thoughts on Mings’ display on Twitter.

“Mings carries on just like he finished last week”

Credit: @brian_seadon

“Mings try not to hoof the ball challenge!”

Credit: @YoungArevalo

“Mings is struggling”

Credit: @jimmydoris1986

“I love Tyrone Mings but he is TRASH in a back 3”

Credit: @avfcPJR

“Omg Mings no”

Credit: @JamieeAVFC

“Mings is so reckless. Incredibly naive at times “

Credit: @SandbrookNick

In other news, some Villa fans have slammed a piece of Premier League news that has emerged. Read more here.

Leeds United drew 1-1 with Leicester City on Sunday in an end-to-end Premier League encounter. 

The Whites took the lead through Raphinha’s free kick after an entertaining start at Elland Road, but then conceded 10 seconds following the restart with Harvey Barnes curling the ball past Illan Meslier.

Ademola Lookman had the ball in the hosts’ net in the second half but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review, meaning that the teams ended all-square.

Some Leeds players struggled in a frantic encounter, as The Transfer Tavern looks at the three worst-rated outfield starters as per statistical specialists SofaScore…

Jack Harrison – 6.2/10

Leeds’ worst-rated starter was Harrison, losing possession a whopping 21 times. The 24-year-old was making his eighth Premier League start of the campaign but is still awaiting his first goal involvement.

Harrison lost 12 of his 18 duels, failed to complete an accurate cross and missed a big chance to put the Whites back in front during the second half.

Kalvin Phillips – 6.4/10

Phillips is next on the list, ending with an average rating of 6.4/10. He lost the ball on 16 occasions, was second best in 12 of his 15 duels and didn’t complete a cross or tackle.

The England international also committed five fouls and ended with a pass completion rate of 76% as he fell well below his best at Elland Road this afternoon.

Rodrigo – 6.5/10

Along with Adam Forshaw, who was substituted and therefore had slightly less time to prove his worth this afternoon, Rodrigo was Leeds’ joint-third worst performer today.

He gave the ball away on 18 occasions, lost four duels and failed to make a tackle all afternoon. The forward also struggled offensively, not registering a cross throughout the game.

In other news: Orta now set to bring in ‘quality’ midfielder; lots of clubs are ‘pushing’ to sign him.  

West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael has dropped a promising injury update on Alex Mowatt.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Birmingham Live, the Frenchman revealed that, despite the central midfielder requiring a substitution midway through the second half of the 1-0 win over Birmingham City on Friday evening, the 26-year-old should be available for Albion’s trip to Swansea City on Wednesday.

Mowatt was already a serious doubt for the fixture against the Blues, after suffering what was initially feared to be a broken foot in the Baggies’ 1-0 loss to Stoke City before the international break, however, the former England U20 international was deemed fit enough to feature in the West Midlands derby.

Speaking about the midfielder’s latest knock, Ismael said: “Alex is the same injury, a bruise on his toe. He took the right decision to come off, we need to manage him for the next game.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Mowatt has been for West Brom since joining the club in the summer transfer window, the news that the 26-year-old’s injury does not appear to be too serious is sure to have left Albion fans buzzing.

Indeed, over his 12 Championship appearances this season, the £6.3m-rated man has scored three goals, registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of one shot and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £6.5k-per-week midfielder earn a rather remarkable average SofaScore match rating of 7.19, ranking him as Ismael’s second-best performer in the league.

As such, Mowatt’s apparent availability for the trip to Wales in midweek will undoubtedly provide the 46-year-old manager’s chances of picking up a positive result against the Swans with a major boost – something that the Frenchman will be desperate for in order to maintain West Brom’s push for a top-two finish in the second tier this season.

In other news: Signed for £750k, now worth £1.8m: West Brom struck gold on “amazing” £14k-p/w dynamo