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Wolves youngster Ki-Jana Hoever will miss his side’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United through injury, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Wolves head to Newcastle

Bruno Lage’s side are back in league action on Friday evening, making the trip to St James’ Park to take on a Magpies side who have pulled clear of the relegation zone.

It is another important game for Wolves in their quest to qualify for Europe this season, with victory taking them into seventh place ahead of Manchester United, for the time being at least.

With United playing one match fewer and also heading to out-of-sorts Everton on Saturday, it feels like a must-win game for the Wanderers.

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The Latest: Hoever ruled out

Taking to Twitter, Spiers has confirmed that Hoever will be absent at St James’ Park because of injury, despite returning to training:

“Hoever also trained a bit but he’s not available tomorrow.”

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The Verdict: Blow to squad depth

While any injury is a blow, the absence of Hoever shouldn’t be a huge issue to the first XI, with the 20-year-old only starting four Premier League games this season.

However, with Nelson Semedo fit but perhaps not ready to start after such a long lay-off, it means that Jonny will likely continue at right-back rather than his preferred role, where he has scored in his last two appearances, so it is definitely a hit to the depth at Lage’s disposal.

The hope is that Hoever is back in the near future, however, allowing Jonny to switch back to the left and providing competition for Semedo, giving Lage the flexibility he needs to fire Wolves to a European place.

In other news, Wolves are believed to be in a four-way battle to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

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According to the Scottish Sun, Arsenal are planning a £25 million bid for Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney.

The defender has been one of the Hoops’ standout performers this season, and it’s unsurprising that he’s attracting plenty of interest. Losing the 21-year-old would be a major blow for the Bhoys, but they will struggle to retain the Scot’s services should the Gunners come in with such a huge bid.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon should already be planning for life without Tierney at Celtic Park.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

On the chalkboard

Celtic will struggle to buy in a replacement for Tierney of the same quality. However, they may not have to sign anyone at all. 18-year-old Scotland under-19 international Daniel Church may be ready to make the step up to the first team.

The youngster signed a new contract with the club in September and is a highly-rated prospect. It would be a bold move, but bringing Church into the first team, to work alongside veteran full-back Emilio Izaguirre, could pay off. Extending Izaguirre’s current contract so that he is available to compete with Church next season would be a wise move.

A change in style

The loss of Tierney would likely also mean a change in the way Celtic play. The 12-cap Scotland international contributes a lot in an attacking sense. He has already racked up five league assists this season. The Bhoys may struggle to find someone who can replicate his output in the final third. 

Celtic may, then, revert to a more traditional system, with a more defensively-focused left-back. This would increase the pressure on the likes of Scott Sinclair to deliver from the wide areas but would make Tierney much easier to replace.

Even though Aston Villa may have had a fairly impressive January transfer window in terms of the business they completed throughout the month, it seems as though they’ve now been dealt a blow in their apparent chase to sign one of the Premier League’s most promising young talents.

What’s the latest?

After being linked with a move for Manchester City midfielder James McAtee during the recent January transfer window among many other clubs also vying for his signature, Villa and those other clubs have now been dealt a big blow in their future attempts to sign the 19-year-old.

That’s after he recently put pen to paper on a new long-term deal at the Manchester club on Wednesday evening.

Gerrard gutted

In 81 appearances for City’s youth sides, McAtee has managed to rack up 42 goals and 26 assists, highlighting the clear attacking talents he has and presumably why so many clubs were apparently after him last month.

This also shows how disappointed and gutted Villa manager Steven Gerrard will be at missing out on having a young talent like McAtee in his ranks.

Described as an “intelligent” player in the past by City academy coach Brian Barry-Murphy, he could have been the perfect replacement for current Villa teenager Carney Chukwuemeka with the future of his time at Villa Park in doubt.

Now that the midfielder has pledged his future to the reigning league champions and current leaders until 2026, this could put an end to the possibility of the Midlands side or any other team signing him on a permanent basis in the immediate future.

However, with the teenager only making three senior appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side across all competitions so far this season, all coming from the substitutes bench, there’s every chance that a loan move away where he’d be able to play regular senior minutes would be seen as beneficial for the youngster.

With that in mind, when the next summer transfer window opens, if the Englishman doesn’t manage to break into the City team before then and isn’t likely to get much senior game time, it would definitely be worth seeing if they’d be willing to loan him out to a club like Villa.

In other news: Alan Nixon claims Villa are “going to sign” highly-coveted gem, he’s a “real talent” – opinion

As per Spanish outlet Super Deporte, Manchester City are interested in signing Barcelona central defender Ronald Araujo in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The lowdown: Best laid plans…

Despite the ongoing pursuit of three possible trophies, it would appear that City, and in particular director of football Txiki Begiristain, are already hard at work planning the summer spending.

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The Sky Blues have of course been strongly tipped to sign Erling Haaland and have now become the latest club to be linked with the 23-year-old Barcelona defender as fresh contract talks stutter at Camp Nou.

Out of contract in Spain in 2023 (Transfermarkt), the Catalan giants continue to negotiate with Araujo but interest from City appears to loom large.

The latest: Spanish source shares update…

As per SD, the Citizens ‘want to take advantage’ of the impasse between club and player.

It’s claimed that if no new deal is forthcoming, Barca will be forced to sell the nine-cap Uruguay ace in the summer in order to avoid losing a prized asset for nothing next year.

Whilst there is no mention of a fee for Araujo, the report states that the La Liga club would expect a ‘good amount of money’ for the £36million valued defender.

The verdict: First choice CB partner?

At present, City boss Pep Guardiola boasts impressive strength in depth at centre-back, with one of John Stones or Aymeric Laporte rotating alongside mainstay Ruben Dias.

However, the Spaniard may look to find a settled partner for Dias and having impressed former Etihad favourite Pablo Zabaleta recently, Araujo looks to be a leading candidate for the role.

According to WhoScored, the Uruguayan powerhouse has stacked up impressively when compared to Laporte and Stones this season, winning 1.1 tackles on average per league outing compared to the Frenchman with 1.0 and the Englishman’s lowly 0.3 per match.

At just 23 and already with 117 professional career appearances, adding Araujo to the ranks would be a smart move.

In other news: Man City determined to strengthen one key position …find out more here.

Leeds United could be well-placed to land Sergino Dest from FC Barcelona this summer, sports journalist Pete O’Rourke says. 

The lowdown

TEAMtalk reported at the end of March that Leeds were looking into the possibility of signing Dest.

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The Whites are apparently enthused by the prospect of signing the 21-year-old, confident he would be an ‘excellent addition’ to Jesse Marsch’s squad.

It was only in October 2020 that Dest, who can operate as a right back, right winger and a left back, sealed an £18.9million move from Ajax to Barcelona.

But before he suffered a muscle injury last month, there were signs that he was falling down the pecking order at the Nou Camp.

He’d started 11 of the first 12 La Liga matches under Ronald Koeman, but Xavi had only selected for him for four of the last eight before he sustained the injury (via Transfermarkt).

The latest

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke said Leeds, and by extension Whites director Victor Orta, could tap into their existing relationship with Barcelona after they struck a £13.5million deal for Junior Firpo in 2021.

And having Dest’s fellow countryman Marsch in the dugout could also be a significant factor.

“Leeds do seem to have a decent relationship with Barcelona, having signed Junior Firpo in the summer,” he said.

“You can’t rule this one out, especially with the American links.”

The verdict

Dest, who’s scored three goals and provided four assists in 69 appearances for Barcelona and boasts 31 career G/A (11G, 20A), would be some coup for Leeds.

In 2020, he featured in the IFFHS Under-20 Team of the Year alongside the likes of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Ansu Fati.

And even if Leeds can’t make a satisfactory offer of their own, a swap deal for the £16.2 million-rated ace could be a possibility.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have considered offering Dest to Leeds as part of a move for Raphinha.

Adding a player of the USA international’s ability and potential would surely soften the blow of losing the team’s top goalscorer.

In other news, could Marsch revisit an Orta target Bielsa resisted?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has now dropped a worrying Glasgow Rangers claim on Alfredo Morelos.

The Lowdown: Morelos’ future uncertain

It has been reported that the Ibrox outfit will consider selling the Colombian in the summer, should he not sign a new deal at the club.

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His current contract expires in 2023, but with no signs of renewing at the moment, the board could now look to cash in while the 25-year-old still holds a decent market value.

The Latest: O’Rourke claim on Morelos

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that there is now a ‘real possibility’ that Morelos may have played his last game for Rangers, as it was confirmed that the Colombia international has undergone surgery on a thigh injury and will only come back to training in pre-season.

The journalist stated: “It could be a real possibility that we have seen the last of Morelos in a Rangers shirt. We’ve had speculation about his future every transfer window since he’s been at the club.

“He’s scored goals again in Europe, which is going to attract interest from teams in the Premier League and across Europe, and he will not be short of offers in the summer because of his goalscoring record.”

The Verdict: Worrying

The possibility of Morelos being sold this summer is certainly worrying for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Rangers.

Despite his injury, the 25-year-old still remains the Gers’ top scorer this season with 19 goals in total across all competitions, so he would be a very difficult man to replace.

It looks as if Celtic are going to wrestle the Premiership title back off of the Light Blues, so to give Rangers the best possible chance of winning it next term, they will almost certainly need Morelos to stay, given his proven status as a regular scorer in Scotland.

In other news, find out what ‘brilliant’ Ibrox update has now emerged

Manchester United have appointed Erik ten Hag as their new manager to join Old Trafford this summer, and it is now reported he has his eye on a Premier League player he would like to join with him.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Star, Manchester United are plotting a move for former Spurs star, Christian Eriksen, who is currently on a six-month contract with Brentford and is set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

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The report suggests that it is the new manager who has identified the player as a target, with Ten Hag believing that the 30-year-old would be the perfect signing to launch his revolution at the club after working with him at Ajax when he joined their training outfit following his cardiac arrest last summer.

Instant masterclass

There is no doubt that Ten Hag could make an instant impact and get Old Trafford rocking if he can convince Christian Eriksen to join the side, following his impressive performances in Thomas Frank’s side since his return to professional football and the Premier League.

The £13.5m-rated ace who was hailed “top class” by teammate Pontus Jansson, has made a huge improvement to Brentford’s form after the side went into freefall when they lost seven out of nine league games in January and February.

Since his first Premier League start this season against Norwich City on the 5th of March, Brentford have not lost a single game the Danish star has played in, picking up five wins and one draw when he has played the full 90 minutes in the team, scoring one goal already in seven appearances from his central midfield position.

That has taken his top-flight goal tally in England to a whopping 52, something that provides evidence of his important knowledge of the division.

There is no coincidence that the side have regained their winning form and saved themselves from a relegation fight this season following Eriksen’s influence and inclusion in the team, and that kind of positive influence and presence on the pitch is exactly what Ten Hag will be looking to bring to Old Trafford next season.

Described as “special” by Mauricio Pochettino and as a “wizard” by reporter Josh Wright, he’d certainly be a fantastic first acquisition in the new era at Old Trafford.

Manchester United are not the only ones desperate to snap up the phenomenal free agent this summer with Antonio Conte also planning to make a move to bring him back to Tottenham Hotspur, so Ten Hag will have to offer Eriksen a role in his new-look team that he won’t be able to refuse this summer if he stands any chance of signing him.

AND in other news: Forget Varane: “Embarrassing” 22-pass passenger cost Man United dearly vs Arsenal

West Ham United still have a few months left of the season to finish as high in the Premier League table as possible, while also progress as far into the Europa League as they can.

Once the season comes to an end, the summer transfer window will open and give the Hammers a chance to once again make some changes to their squad, either by bringing in new faces or moving some current players out.

With that in mind, it seems as though a clue has emerged over one particular deal which could finally see the east London club get rid of one player who has failed to prove his worth in recent months.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from French media outlet L’Equipe, Ligue 1 club Lyon have set their sights on signing West Ham centre-back Issa Diop during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Since arriving at West Ham in 2018 from French club Toulouse in a then-club record deal of £22m, the defender has gone on to make 118 appearances for the Irons across all competitions, chipping in with eight goals and three assists along the way.

With just 11 appearances in the Premier League this season, the Frenchman has earned a rather uninspiring overall performance rating of 6.44/10 from WhoScored, making him the second-lowest rated Hammers player to start more than one league game in the current campaign.

Even when the 25-year-old has been given the chance to play in the league this season, he hasn’t shown Moyes why he deserves to be in the conversation to be a first-choice pick, winning just three of the nine tackles that he has attempted.

Also, the defender has lost more aerial duels (15) than he has won (14), showing that he has not been the most reliable option for the team.

Even away from the Premier League, Diop hasn’t been that impressive, with journalist Jack Rosser slamming the defender for having a “shocking” start to West Ham’s FA Cup win over Kidderminster Harriers in February.

Taking all this into account, it could certainly please a lot of Hammers fans to see Moyes and the club cash in on the centre-back this summer, especially if they can pick up a decent transfer fee for him and use it to secure a suitable replacement.

In other news: GSB heading for disaster on “sensational” West Ham ace that’ll have supporters raging

West Ham target Nikola Milenkovic has a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in place with Fiorentina to leave the club if a good offer arrives.

The Lowdown: Milenkovic impressing for Fiorentina

The 24-year-old has matured into a formidable defender in recent years, standing as out as a key man for Fiorentina and being hailed as ‘extraordinary’ by teammate Pol Lirola.

Milenkovic has made 25 starts in Serie A so far this season, enjoying a hugely impressive 90.2% pass completion rate and averaging 1.6 tackles per game, proving his effectiveness on both sides of the ball.

West Ham were linked with a move for the Serb in January and a key update has now emerged regarding his future.

The Latest: West Ham boosted

According to via Corriere Fiorentino [via Sport Witness], I Viola agreed when Milenkovic signed his new contract that he would be allowed to leave for a ‘reasonable’ price.

The defender’s Fiorentina deal expires at the end of next season, and both West Ham and Inter Milan have ‘set their sights’ on the player, while another unnamed Premier League club is interested too.

The Verdict: Ideal Ogbonna replacement

Centre-back looks like an area that David Moyes could do with strengthening in this summer – Angelo Ogbonna is expected to leave when his contract runs out at the end of the campaign, with Serie A outfit Lazio circling.

Milenkovic could be a perfect signing in that respect, with his displays for Fiorentina outlining his class and the peak years of his career still likely to be ahead of him.

The 32-time capped Serbia international would bring aerial dominance to the heart of West Ham’s defence – he has averaged 3.2 aerial duel wins in the league this season – and provide strong competition for the likes of Kurt Zouma, Issa Diop and Craig Dawson.

In other news, West Ham are reportedly going to ‘battle’ to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United side extended their undefeated run to five Premier League games on Monday night, with the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace seeing the Whites keep their second consecutive clean sheet away from home, as well as securing what could prove to be an all-important point in their fight for survival.

Indeed, the result sees Leeds pull five points clear of 18th-placed Everton – although the Toffees do have a game in hand – something which, with just five and six league fixtures left to play for the respective teams this season, would appear to give the Whites a fantastic chance of enjoying top-flight football once again in 2022/23.

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However, that is not to say the job is done for Marsch and his side, and, with the Whites’ next three fixtures consisting of Manchester City at Elland Road, Arsenal at The Emirates and Chelsea at home, should the 48-year-old manager wish to give his side a chance of securing safety during this run of fixtures, he must address a glaring issue in his lineup.

Lost possession every two touches

With Patrick Bamford remaining sidelined due to injury on Monday night, one of the biggest challenges the American faced when putting his starting XI together was who to deploy through the middle of his attack – Dan James, Joe Gelhardt or Sam Greenwood.

And, despite being on a run of seven games without a goal when played up top, Marsch once again decided to go for James – a decision which, not for the first time in the manager’s reign at Leeds, did not pay off.

Indeed, while the 24-year-old’s work rate in running the channels cannot be questioned, anyone with two functioning eyes can see that the £25m summer signing is simply not suited to playing as a lone centre-forward – something Marsch must realise.

Over the course of his 59 minutes on the pitch, the £50k-per-week attacker enjoyed just 14 touches of the ball, completed a mere seven passes, managed no shots at the Palace goal, failed to find his man with his one attempted cross and ceded possession for his side on seven separate occasions – meaning he gave the ball away with every other touch.

The Wales international also offered little from a defensive point of view, losing all of his two ground duels and one aerial duel, as well as committing one foul – a rather cynical challenge on Joel Ward, for which the winger received a yellow card and was dubbed “pathetic” by Chris Sutton.

These returns saw James receive a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.6, ranking him as the Whites’ joint-worst starter on the night, while Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross also appeared unimpressed with the performance of the forward, awarding him a three in his own player ratings, as well as stating:

“Still hard to see what the gameplan is with the diminutive forward in the frontline. Whatever it is, it’s not getting the best out of him. Another hour of chasing shadows.”

As such, while it is true that none of the Whites’ attacking cast particularly impressed on Monday evening – with Jack Harrison, Rodrigo and Raphinha being awarded a three, a three, and a five in Cross’ ratings respectively – it is evident that playing James as a lone striker does not benefit the player himself or his team, as the Welshman failed his manager once again at Selhurst Park.

AND in other news: Orta given green light for “superb” £8.5m-rated signing, it’d be a huge coup for Leeds