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Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is on the verge of signing a new long-term deal at Anfield, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Alisson stars for Liverpool

The Brazilian has been sensational for the Reds over the past three years, standing out as one of the best ‘keepers in the world. Indeed, he was named The Best FIFA Goalkeeper at the organisation’s awards ceremony in 2019 for his performances between the sticks at club and international level.

Alisson has made 130 appearances for Liverpool to date, playing a pivotal role in Jurgen Klopp’s side clinching Champions League and Premier League glory. He even popped up with a memorable winning goal of his own in stoppage time against West Brom two months ago when the Reds’ top-four hopes were in peril.

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The Latest: Brazilian set to sign new deal

The 28-year-old’s current deal expires in 2024, but according to Romano on Twitter, he will extend his stay on Merseyside until 2026 imminently. The journalist tweeted:

“Liverpool are set to complete the agreement with Alisson to extend his contract until June 2026. The agreement is at final stages. Final details and clauses expected to be fixed in the next weeks, then Alisson will sign his contract extension with LFC.”

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The Verdict: Huge news for Reds

This is a major boost for Liverpool, with Alisson surely one of the first names on Klopp’s team sheet given his vast influence.

The Brazil international possesses an aura between the sticks, proving to be a daunting proposition for opposing players and making his teammates feel more at ease.

Part of Alisson’s brilliance is that he makes everything look so simple, when in fact the job he is doing is a very difficult one. You only have to look at his 2018/19 Premier League record, when he conceded only one more goal (22) than kept clean sheets (21), to see how reliable a presence he is as the Reds’ last line of defence.

The hope is that he finishes his career at Liverpool, with many years still left in him and hopefully many more trophies and appearances to come.

In other news, some Liverpool fans love some training footage that has emerged involving one player. Find out who it is here.

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri is interested in a deal to appoint Jose Mourinho as the Toffees’ next manager.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Kaveh Solhekol, with the Sky Sports journalist revealing on The Transfer Show that the AS Roma boss is one of the names under consideration for the vacant managerial position at Goodison Park following the sacking of Rafael Benitez last weekend.

Speaking about Everton’s shortlist of candidates, the transfer insider said: “This is a story that has just come in from our North West office. They are saying that Jose Mourinho is now under consideration to become the next Everton manager.

“An official approach has yet to be made to Mourinho’s current club Roma by the Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, but he is contemplating the prospect of bringing the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Spurs manager to Goodison Park.”

Fans will be livid

Considering the fact that Everton have just parted with a manager whose best days are quite clearly behind him, the prospect of appointing a new head coach in exactly the same mould is undoubtedly something that will leave the Goodison Park faithful livid.

Indeed, while Mourinho has enjoyed a remarkable amount of success in the game, winning a plethora of trophies throughout his career – including two Champions Leagues, one UEFA Cup, one Europa League, three Premier League titles, three LaLiga titles and two Serie A titles – it is an unavoidable fact that the last trophy the 58-year-old lifted was back in 2017, five years ago.

Furthermore, while the Portuguese manager has always had something of a reputation for rubbing people up the wrong way, this trait appears to have been exacerbated in recent years – with Tottenham Hotspur sacking Mourinho just 17 months into the job after reports of a players’ revolt against the management style of the former FC Porto boss.

This also appears to have been reflected on the pitch, with Jose only being able to guide Spurs to sixth in his first season in charge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as well as leaving the club languishing down in seventh place after 32 fixtures in 2020/21 – prior to his sacking.

Yet still, another reason against the appointment of Mourinho is the fact he would more than likely demand an extremely hefty wage to take the job at Goodison Park, with the 58-year-old earning around £10m-per-year during his time in North London – a figure which is just shy of £200k-per-week.

As such, while the legendary Portuguese coach may well be a “heavyweight” name, as Hayley McQueen suggests, should Everton wish to build towards a brighter future at Goodison Park, they should not be considering the appointment of a manager whose best days are in the past.

In other news: Everton urged to appoint “unbelievable” Big Dunc alternative, fans would surely fume

Aston Villa look set to formally approach Rangers this week regarding a move for Steven Gerrard, according to The Daily Mail.

As to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been giving their thoughts to the big managerial update on social media.

The Daily Mail suggest that Gerrard is Villa’s number one target, with owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens and chief executive Christian Purslow keen to have him in charge for the first game back following the international break. The latter knows him well from their mutual time at Liverpool just over a decade ago.

Gerrard himself is thought to be interested in the Villa Park vacancy, but the Premier League club will need to agree on terms regarding compensation before a deal can go through.

Should the 41-year-old make the move to the Midlands, it is expected that he would bring his Ibrox backroom staff with him, including assistants Gary McAllister and Tommy Culshaw.

Villa fans react to Gerrard latest

@villareport shared The Daily Mail’s claim regarding an approach for Gerrard on Twitter.

However, these Villa supporters weren’t exactly keen on him, possibly due to the fact that he has only had one senior managerial position, along with Rangers’ struggles in Europe this season.

“If this is true I will never forgive Purslow for unfairly sacking Smith and hiring his mate Stevie G to use us as a stepping stone for the Liverpool job”

Credit: @AstonDrilla

“madness”

Credit: @JackHaylor

“Awful decision”

Credit: @JamesFair04

“Wow. We really sacked Smith to get Gerrard huh?”

Credit: @tmavfc

“If this is true then I’m seriously losing faith in the club. That isn’t a step up from Smith and if anything is a massive risk. Gerrard isn’t proven and if (somehow) he does well for us he’ll go as soon as Liverpool come calling.”

Credit: @CalFergie

“No no no. This is not an upgrade. It’s would be a huge gamble with a fledgling manager with no PL management experience. He’s not who we need. We need an elite proven manager – like Brendan Rodgers”

Credit: @dean_orme

In other news: ‘Thank god’ – Lots of Villa fans buzzing as more exit news emerges

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has shared his view on Robin Koch following the 3-0 win over Watford.

The Lowdown: Leeds ready to sell Koch

The 25-year-old made just his 15th appearance of the season at Vicarage Road on Saturday and his 11th in a defensive midfield role.

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The German partnered Mateusz Klich in a crucial victory but struggled throughout, losing possession 23 times and coming off second best in 12 duels, as per SofaScore.

Koch was also dribbled past five times and failed to complete any of his six attempted long balls, with this performance coming just a few days after reports suggested that Leeds are happy to move the 25-year-old on in the summer.

The Latest: Hay reacts

Hay shared a story on The Athletic on Sunday, with one fan in the comment section believing that Adam Forshaw’s presence was missed. This is what Hay had to say in reply, admitting that he ‘is not sold on Koch’ in midfield:

“Agreed, and the sooner Phillips can start the better. I’m not sold on Koch at CDM and Klich is always better further up the pitch. Cooper the stand out player yesterday. Genuinely excellent.”

The Verdict: Unfortunate

Koch has played in his natural centre-back position on just two occasions this season, so it isn’t a surprise that he is one of the club’s worst-performing players in the current campaign, as per WhoScored.

Labelled as ‘horrible’ to watch by Beren Cross in the opening day defeat to Manchester United, the German could be the one to make way over the summer, with the club planning a defensive overhaul.

The Whites have conceded 68 league goals this season, so you could argue that Koch being offloaded is unfortunate due to starting at the back just twice, but it looks as if that may well be the case.

In other news: ‘Outstanding…’ – Sky Sports man stunned at confirmed Leeds news regarding Radrizzani and 49ers 

Tottenham Hotspur announced the loan departure of club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele on deadline day and now further details have emerged surrounding his exit…

What’s the word?

The French midfielder, who cost a whopping £55m back in the summer of 2019, has returned to his former club Lyon on a short-term loan until the end of the season.

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Ligue 1 outfit have an option to buy for €65m (£54m), which could see Spurs recoup a substantial amount back in the summer, whilst they will also pay part of his £200k-per-week salary.

“Official and confirmed. Tanguy Ndombele joins OL on loan from Tottenham, including buy option not mandatory for €65m,” he tweeted. “OL will also cover part of the salary of Ndombele.”

Levy masterclass

This will be something of a masterclass from chairman Daniel Levy, who is known for his tough negotiating ability in the boardroom. To be able to garner much of what they paid for the midfield flop would be pretty remarkable indeed.

You’d just have to hope that the 25-year-old impresses enough at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais for them to sanction such a deal.

Over the past two and a half years, Ndombele has struggled to cement a regular place down in the starting XI. Four different managers ranging from Mauricio Pochettino, who signed him, to Antonio Conte now failed to get a tune out of Tottenham’s most expensive player ever.

As per Transfermarkt, the Frenchman provided only ten goals and nine assists across 91 appearances, which works out to be around one direct contribution every 271.5 minutes (or one every three games).

That’s an awfully disappointing return for someone who has often been dubbed a creative influence within this Spurs squad.

His time at the club will probably be most remembered for the way in which it ended. After two or three reports suggesting that he had demanded an exit, his final appearance for Spurs came during their FA Cup third-round win over Morecambe.

During the encounter with the north Londoners behind by one goal, Ndombele was substituted to a chorus of boos. He trudged off the pitch at a snail’s pace and as the jeers got louder, his walk got slower. Luckily, Spurs went on to win in his absence as he shot straight down the tunnel.

He was never seen again after that. He was even forced to train alone.

Once dubbed “unplayable” by ex-goalkeeper Joe Hart, the £34.2m-rated flop’s nightmare at Spurs has finally come to an end. Levy and co have done very well to shift him on this month and it could be even sweeter if they manage to secure 98% of their initial investment back despite his poor form.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops huge behind-the-scenes Conte claim at Spurs, fans will be ecstatic…

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.

Graham Roberts has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that he expects both Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier to remain at Tottenham.

The centre-back pairing, worth £48.6m combined, according to Transfermarkt, have both been linked away from the club at various points this summer – with the Colombian a certainty to leave at one stage.

However, the duo have started the opening two Premier League games, plus the final pre-season friendly against Arsenal and have helped Spurs keep clean sheets in each of those.

talkSPORT reported last month that sporting director Fabio Paratici was set to listen to offers for the two defenders, who were both guilty of making costly errors under Jose Mourinho last season, but appear to have turned over a new leaf and are now firmly in the plans of Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Spurs boss has only managed to add one centre-back to his squad in Cristian Romero, which means both Dier and Sanchez will definitely be needed should he fail to bring in another before the window closes on Tuesday.

And Roberts told The Transfer Tavern that he doesn’t expect either to leave:

“They’re not going to go anywhere. You need three or four centre-halves for the season anyway. It’s up to the manager to keep them happy and keep them working hard.

An insider at Tottenham Hotspur has now dropped some insight on their new signing Charlie Sayers.

The Lowdown: Sayers signs

As confirmed on Tuesday afternoon on the official website of the Spurs faithful, Sayers has now joined the Academy from Southend United on a scholarship programme.

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The North London club were reportedly ‘impressed’ with the young left-back, who has spent the last few weeks on trial with them, as per Lilywhites insider John Wenham.

He had played in six matches for Southend in the National League earlier this season, before making his debut for THFC’s U18s (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Wenham on Sayers

Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham has now given some insight into Sayers, and claims that he could be promoted to the U23s soon:

“I knew he was going to sign as soon as he captained the Under 18s last week.

“We wouldn’t have given him the armband if he was still on trial.

“From what I understand he’s already trained with the Under 23s as well.

“Everything else I have heard about him is really exciting. He’s already played for Southend’s senior side.

“He can carry that experience into the Under 18s and he will be looking at a space in the Under 23s too.

“Dennis Cirkin left and joined Sunderland in the summer and we haven’t replaced him.

“So, is there a chance for him to go even further straight away? I wouldn’t rule it out.

“This is a really exciting move and I can’t wait to follow Sayers’ development.”

The Verdict: Bright future

The fact that he is only 17 years of age and could be promoted to the U23s already suggests that Sayers has a bright future on his hands.

Having already played senior football with Southend, he would have learned a lot from his experience, and playing in those physical games will only speed up his development.

If the Englishman can now impress with the U23s as well as the U18s, he should certainly catch the eye of Antonio Conte, who could use some cover for Sergio Reguilon at left-back, given that Ben Davies has been playing as a central defender in his new system.

Nonetheless, Sayers is a player that you can see coming through the Academy and into the senior squad at a later date.

In other news, find out which ‘unique’ ace could be leaving Tottenham in January here!

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

Sunderland are reportedly interested in a deal to sign Dundee United defender Jamie Robson, according to The Daily Record. 

The lowdown

Robson has been with Dundee United since 2011, and has made 170 appearances for the club’s senior team, which includes their season opener against Aberdeen last weekend.

The defender has one year remaining on his contract with the Scottish side, although it remains to be seen as to whether he’ll see out that deal with Dundee United, amid interest from other clubs.

League One side Lincoln City had previously been keen on striking a deal to sign Robson this summer, with the Imps having a six-figure bid rejected for Robson’s services.

The latest

Sunderland are rumoured to have joined Lincoln City in the race to sign Robson this summer, as Lee Johnson looks to strengthen his defensive options ahead of the new League One campaign.

The Black Cats are yet to make a formal offer for Robson’s services, but they’re keeping a close eye on the defender, with under a month to go in the summer transfer window.

The Daily Record reports that Lincoln City are attempting to raise additional funds to sign Robson, but they’re likely to be hassled by Sunderland’s interest in signing the 23-year-old.

The verdict

This is a smart move by Sunderland this summer – defensive reinforcements are certainly needed in the near future as their season opener against Wigan Athletic edges closer.

With Callum McFadzean departing the club at the end of the 2020/21 season, additional strength in depth is needed at left-back, and Robson would provide Johnson’s side with just that.

Robson has been a useful option for Dundee United, and has seemingly adjusted well to the demands of senior football with the Scottish side.

Dundee United head coach Thomas Courts is clearly keen to keep hold of Robson for the foreseeable future, with the 39-year-old labelling his performances as ‘outstanding’, whilst also admitting that there was interest from other clubs in the defender’s services.

“There was some talk about Robson at the tail end of last week and there wasn’t a lot of detail because we were preparing for this game.

“He’s attracting interest and don’t know where we’re up to from club perspective but he was outstanding and he showed up well.

“It’s frustrating because when the window is open things don’t happen as quickly as you’d like. I’ve got total respect for the quality we have and I leave here feeling that. But within our dressing room there’s interest from other clubs. I still feel optimistic.”