Category Uncategorized

An "extra stage of bidding" has now arrived at Manchester United, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, as talk of a big-money takeover at Old Trafford continues.

What's happening with Man Utd's takeover?

This has been a successful season for the Red Devils to date, following their EFL Cup triumph earlier in the campaign, and it could get even better over the next month or so. United are still in with a good chance of securing both Europa League and FA Cup glory before the end of the season, with a top-four finish in the Premier League also on the cards.

Away from the pitch, rumours continue to emerge regarding the potential takeover of the club, with the Glazers possibly open to selling either a minority stake or 100% of the club to the highest bidder. It looks like a straight shootout between Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, as things stand, with both already seeing initial offers rejected and have since made revised bids.

Now, a new report has emerged regarding the matter, as the saga continues to rumble on.

Could there be another round of bids?

Taking to Twitter, Jacobs provided an update on the situation, claiming things are still 'on track' and that there is expected to be clarity 'this week' after second offers were submitted last month.

"Manchester United suitors expect to hear back from Raine Group this week and get clarity on the next step of the process. Things largely still on track despite the second bids of Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe coming in slightly late."Quick second-bid deadline after meetings at Old Trafford has allowed for an extra stage of bidding, if needed, without altering the timescale significantly."

From a United perspective, the hope is simply that a deal can be struck as soon as possible, with the vast majority of supporters now clearly wanting the Glazer era to come to an end as soon as possible. Most likely won't care too much about who eventually becomes the Red Devils' new owner – Ratcliffe being a boyhood United supporter could appeal to some – as long as they provide more funds for signings and generally steer the club in a positive direction.It will be intriguing to see what the reaction to the next batch of bids is, as the pair try and outdo each other and take control of arguably the biggest football club in the world. Should a takeover goes through, it could feel like a seismic day in United's recent history, representing a much-needed fresh start.

Former Scottish Premiership striker turned pundit Frank McAvennie has slammed the ‘bad’ recruitment and business he has seen at Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Contract crisis

Rangers currently have as many as eight players going out of contract in the summer, as well as Malik Tillman set to return to Bayern Munich after his loan spell at Ibrox ends.

They include the likes of Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield and Allan McGregor, who have all had regular minutes so far this season, and at this moment in time will all be allowed to leave on a free transfer.

In terms of recruitment, the Gers have made valuable additions this term in the likes of Antonio Colak, Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell, but others have failed to impress like injury problems.

With outgoings, the likes of Leon Balogun were allowed to leave on a free transfer last summer, while others like Calin Bassey and Joe Aribo were sold to balance the books.

The Latest: McAvennie slams ‘bad’ business

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie has slammed both the Light Blues’ recruitment and business as ‘bad’, and claims that things could get ‘worse’ for them next year:

“I can’t believe Ross Wilson.

“How would he let all of those players come to the end of their contracts? There is a lot of good players whose contracts are coming up. It is going to be very interesting to see how this goes.

“But it is bad recruitment and a bad bit of business. If you are letting players go for nothing then you don’t have the money to buy new players. So it could be worse for them next year.

“They will need to get loan deals for players which is not always good because players who are not playing are the ones who go on loan.

“It is a strange situation over there but nothing surprises me.“

The Verdict: Wilson must do better

Sporting director Ross Wilson must do better in terms of the business decisions that he is making at the club, after travelling Teddy Bears supporters held up a banner that red ‘time for change’ as well as banners with the faces of Wilson and managing director Stewart Robertson crossed out before kick-off in their 4-2 win at Motherwell on Saturday.

They are still nine points behind Celtic in the title race, and look like they will surrender another trophy to their bitter rivals after losing the Scottish League Cup final 2-1 to them in February.

Nonetheless, with so many first-team players going out of contract, supporters will worry if Rangers will have the money to compete with the Hoops in the next window, as they will be losing a lot in potential transfer fees.

Newcastle United are still interested in potentially signing Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, according to a recent transfer report.

The Lowdown: Gallagher on the periphery at Chelsea

The 22-year-old stayed put at Stamford Bridge last year after a loan spell at Crystal Palace but he has struggled to nail down a regular place in the team in west London.

Gallagher has only started 10 of his side’s Premier League matches in 2022/23 so far, in what was often been a frustrating campaign for him.

It could be that the Englishman moves away for good during the summer transfer window, and Newcastle have been linked with signing him in the recent past.

The Latest: Newcastle keen on signing Gallagher

According to Football Insider, the Magpies’ interest in Gallagher ‘has not diminished’, having wanted to snap him up in January.

A transfer in the summer reportedly feels ‘possible’, and it is believed that Chelsea would be willing to sell the midfielder for a fee of around £30m.

The Verdict: Exit seems likely

At this point, it does feel increasingly likely that Gallagher could jump at the opportunity to leave Chelsea in order to be a regular starter elsewhere.

There is no denying that the four-cap England international is a very capable player – Thomas Tuchel once called him ‘extraordinary’, while he was Player of the Season during his loan spell at Palace – but he is arguably not quite at the level required to be a star man for the Blues.

There is an abundance of quality ahead of the 22-year-old in the pecking order in Chelsea’s midfield and it is difficult to see that changing, especially with more signings possibly arriving in the summer.

Newcastle could be an ideal place for the £50,000-per-week Gallagher to continue his career, with Eddie Howe more likely to be able to make him a focal point in the team at St James’ Park, one which looks far likelier to be playing Champions League football than Chelsea next season.

Newcastle United have ‘tested the waters’ ahead of a potential move for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot this summer, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Rabiot on the move?

The 27-year-old has continued to be an important player for Juve this season, starting 17 matches in Serie A and five games in the Champions League, ranking as the Old Lady’s best player in domestic action.

Not only that but Rabiot was a regular for France at the 2022 World Cup, helping them reach the final against Argentina and scoring and assisting once apiece.

The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of this season, however, and there is no guarantee that he will sign an extension at his current club.

The Latest: Newcastle keen on signing

According to Calciomercato, Newcastle have ‘tested the waters’ regarding a possible move for Rabiot, with a Premier League switch looking most likely.

Arsenal are also mentioned as a potential suitor to sign the midfielder, who wants €10million (£8.9m) per year but isn’t being offered that currently.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Could be a great option

It would be a huge surprise if Eddie Howe didn’t bolster his midfield options this summer, bringing in someone who can be a great foil for the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

Rabiot could be an ideal candidate to come in and be an upgrade on Sean Longstaff, for example, with Hugo Lloris describing him as a ‘very elegant’ player.

A tally of 35 caps for a strong France team speaks volumes about his quality, while a combined total of 381 appearances for Paris Saint-German and Juve is another indication of his ability.

At 27, the £149,000-a-week-earning Rabiot should remain in and around his peak years for the foreseeable future and he is somebody who could take Newcastle to the next level moving forward.

Gab Marcotti has insisted on The Gabs & Jules podcast that many clubs hold an interest in Tottenham Hotspur ace Matt Doherty.

The Lowdown: Spurs must get players out of the club

Tottenham have only made one signing this month in the form of Arnaut Danjuma and that lack of activity may well be down to the fact they have a very bloated squad as things stand.

Spurs are said to be very keen on landing Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon who they’ll know very well having faced him twice in the Champions League earlier in the season, although it’s not been simple with Sporting wanting his full release clause.

If Antonio Conte wants to bring in a new right back – which he does amid talk with Porro – then at least one of the senior players already at the club must be moved on which could be and may be bad news for someone such as Doherty who’s only started seven league games this season.

The Latest: Doherty could be set for the exit door

Doherty was signed by Jose Mourinho for £15 million but has failed to nail down a regular spot in the starting lineup over the last few seasons, but that hasn’t stopped clubs from liking him, according to Marcotti.

He said: (10:05) “I think Doherty’s contract is winding down, I think he has 18 months left so I don’t think he’s difficult to move, a lot of people like him if that’s the guy you want to move.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-3/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Spurs have got to get busy

Conte has made it no secret that he wishes to get more signings through the door in this transfer window and further ones to come, so Daniel Levy certainly has to get busy and start working his magic to please the Italian boss.

However, Levy will point towards the fact that Conte’s squad is far too big for new players to arrive as it would force first-team players to be left out of the Premier League squad, which wouldn’t be smart from a business perspective.

It’s a tough situation as Doherty is getting on in his career, but that means he has a boatload of experience that Conte will love and he can still turn out a top display when he puts his mind to it as Sky Sports’ Jamie Wier tweeted about claiming the defender was a ‘menace’ against Leicester City last season.

Everton were heavily linked with a move for Conor Gallagher in the summer and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player in the winter transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Mail, Everton are joined by a number of Premier League clubs to have registered their interest in the Chelsea midfielder this month.

As per the report, four other top-flight sides are chasing the England international with Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Southampton joining Everton.

That said, it is claimed that Gallagher would prefer to remain at Stamford Bridge to fight for his place in Graham Potter’s first team.

Imagine him & Onana

Despite Gallagher’s reluctance to leave Stamford Bridge this month, it would be a major coup for Frank Lampard in his pursuit to retain Everton’s Premier League status at the end of the season.

The Toffees have found themselves falling into another challenging relegation scrap ahead of the second half of the season with the side currently 19th in the top-flight table after collecting just 15 points and scoring just 15 goals over their first 19 outings.

As a result, the opportunity to strengthen the team and add quality could not have come soon enough for the former Chelsea boss and Gallagher would be a seismic move in the manager’s efforts to improve performances on the pitch.

The 22-year-old midfielder – who boasted a £50m price tag last summer – saw a rapid rise to fame in English football over the last 18 months after his influential loan spell at Crystal Palace earned him an opportunity to impress Gareth Southgate in the senior England team ahead of the World Cup which led to the manager selecting Gallagher in his squad at the prestigious international tournament back in November.

However, since returning to his parent club in London last summer it seems the success has stagnated with the player being given inconsistent game time this season, averaging just 39 minutes per league game, which has hindered his chances to build up some form in the team to prove his worth.

Lampard could give Gallagher – who was dubbed “Kante with goals” by Tony Cascarino – an opportunity to thrive at Goodison Park over the second half of the season by pairing him up with fellow progressive midfielder Amadou Onana in the centre of the pitch.

It’s a pairing that could just give Everton the opportunity to climb out of their perilous position.

Indeed, both players have the same number of goal contributions (2 v 2) this term and a similar pass completion rate (79.1% v 82.7%) with Onana outperforming Gallagher in a number of defensive attributes including aerial duels won (50% v 39.1%), interceptions (16 v 8) and tackles won (3o v 19).

However, the Chelsea ace makes up for what he lacks in defensive qualities outshining Onana with his attacking and progressive play including shots on target rate (44.4% v 10.5%), shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.32 v 1.17) and goal-creating actions (3 v 1), so combining the pair to balance out each other’s strengths and weakness could form an incredible midfield partnership.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Everton to push for the signing of Gallagher this month as his creativity and attack-minded approach could significantly improve the displays at the heart of the team, ultimately saving the side from a dreaded relegation to the Championship.

Newcastle United were dumped out of the FA Cup last night by Sheffield Wednesday amid a costly mistake from the linesman.

The Lowdown: Cup upset

The magic of the cup saying runs true for Wednesday right now as they dumped Premier League side Newcastle out in the third round following a 2-1 victory at Hillsborough.

Josh Windass’s double either side of the hour mark was enough as the Yorkshire outfit survived a late onslaught from the visitors who were searching for an equaliser after Bruno Guimaraes had got a goal back with 20 minutes to go.

The six-time winners of the competition were knocked out at the first hurdle for the third time running and the second time consecutively to a League One side following Cambridge United’s shock last season.

The Latest: Newcastle aggrieved

Newcastle will be lumped with the disappointment of heading out of the competition but more so with the manner of it.

Windass’ opening goal in the 52nd minute was allowed to stand through a huge error from the linesman who incorrectly ruled him onside, and with no VAR available in a League One ground, the goal stood.

With NUFC Gallowgate’s Twitter account posting an image of the incident with the caption: “miles offside #NUFC”.

The Verdict: Incorrect call

There’s no denying that VAR would’ve had a huge impact on the game with not only Wednesday’s opener but also Guimaraes’ goal both clearly offside and both would’ve been overruled.

Despite this, the Magpies’ relatively strong side still containing Sven Botman, Joelinton and a returning Alexander Isak from the off were often left fruitless in their play despite dominating 75.3% of the possession.

It’s the first defeat for Eddie Howe’s side since August but with it now three games and no wins alongside just the one goal in that time, the St James’ Park outfit need to shake themselves down and get back on form against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

David Moyes is undoubtedly on thin ice at West Ham United but the Scottish manager could save his job by unleashing Flynn Downes in upcoming fixtures.

A 3-1 defeat against league leaders Arsenal on Boxing Day has left the Hammers precariously above the relegation zone in the Premier League, with last season’s flirtation with a top-four finish now a distant memory for the Irons.

While the east London side have had to deal with injury problems throughout the season, with new signings also flattering to deceive, the recent performances have been far from good enough, with Tomas Soucek among the guilty parties.

The 27-year-old midfielder would highlight his inefficiencies at the Emirates once again on Monday evening, completing just eight passes in his 78 minutes on the pitch, registering a woeful pass accuracy rate of 42%.

For a midfielder, this is absolutely criminal, and it seems clear that Moyes needs a partner for Declan Rice who is far more reliable in possession, otherwise the Hammers have no hope of keeping the ball and progressing things from midfield to attack.

Since arriving at the club from Swansea City in the summer, Downes has made just three starts in the Premier League but has averaged a far more impressive pass success rate of 87%, completing on average 16.7 passes per game, despite spending far fewer minutes on the pitch than his Czech teammate.

The Englishman has also caught the eye for Moyes’ side in the UEFA Conference League, with Joe Cole singing his praises on BT Sport after a win against FCSB earlier in the season.

He said: “(He’s been) outstanding. He’s been the bright spark for West Ham in the whole campaign.

“The one big positive that will have come out of this for David Moyes is Flynn Downes. He’s proven that he’s ready, he’s been like a senior player at (23) years of age.

“He nearly scored, he’s been involved in everything, an outstanding find for West Ham.”

Moyes clearly has to change something if he wants to turn West Ham’s fortunes around and with vital games to come against fellow relegation candidates Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton to come in January, he might consider finally giving Downes more regular game time in the top flight.

If he can keep the ball and allow West Ham’s attackers to flourish against struggling defences, then the Hammers could pick up enough points to keep Moyes in a job.

Much of the talk surrounding Celtic at present has been centred on the future of defender Josip Juranovic, with the Croatia international looking likely to be moving on from Parkhead next month when the market re-opens.

The 27-year-old has notably been linked with a move to West Ham United in recent times as well as fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea, while reports in Spain have even suggested that La Liga giants Barcelona could be eyeing a swoop for the World Cup star.

This rampant speculation comes following reports that the Old Firm outfit are open to a sale for the former Legia Warsaw man in the New Year, with negotiations regarding a new contract having seemingly hit an impasse.

Although Ange Postecoglou and co are likely not attempting to push the “immense” asset out the door – as described by writer Zach Lowy – there may well be a general acceptance that a departure is in the best interests of all parties, particularly if the Hoops can seal a sizeable profit on their initial £2.5m investment.

One man who the Glasgow side should be more actively looking to sell, however, is Republic of Ireland international, James McCarthy, with the 32-year-old having become something of a forgotten figure at Celtic Park of late.

Reports back in October suggested that the Scottish champions would be open to offers for the former Crystal Palace midfielder in the New Year, with the club likely looking to get his £14k-per-week salary off the wage bill.

There has as yet been no noise with regards to where the 43-cap dud could end up, however, with the Bhoys hierarchy potentially rueing their “strange” decision – in the words of pundit Alan Hutton – to give the Glasgow-born playmaker a four-year deal at the time of his arrival back in the summer of 2021.

That lengthy contract may well ensure that the one-time Everton man proves difficult to shift, although Postecoglou must surely do all he can to ditch an asset who simply appears to have no place in his plans.

The experienced figure has been restricted to just free transfer 18 months ago, having notably made just five substitute outings totalling only 62 minutes so far this season.

For the 5 foot 11 man to not even earn a start in the League Cup is a sign of his standings in the squad at present, with the recent absence of fellow midfielder and club captain Callum McGregor having also not afforded McCarthy a greater role in the side.

Amid talk that a new addition could be on the cards to help strengthen the midfield ranks – with Tunisia’s Aissa Laidoini a reported target – it does appear that the former Wigan Athletic star will only be shunted further down the pecking order.

As such, the best solution would be to seal a swift exit next month – be it permanently or on loan – with it seemingly no good to anyone to have McCarthy merely languishing on the periphery.

Everton have not had the start to their Premier League campaign that Frank Lampard would have been hoping for after surviving relegation only in their penultimate game of last season.

The Toffees are currently 17th after losing four of their last five league games ahead of the World Cup break which has now left them one point clear of the relegation zone and the Everton manager will be scrambling for solutions to improve his side when they return to action after Christmas.

Everton suffered the worst injury record in the entire Premier League last season and the team is yet again struggling with a similar situation this time around with a number of key players picking up fitness problems over the campaign so far.

Currently, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Garner, Tom Davies, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andros Townsend are out of action, with not only the attacking threat weakened but a number of midfielders, in particular, picking up issues.

As a result, Lampard will be hoping that he can add quality depth to his squad in the January transfer window which will open just a few days after the Premier League resumes.

One midfielder who has been linked with a move to Goodison Park is Serbia and Torino ace Sasa Lukic and could be just the profile of player needed to inject some quality into the centre of the pitch.

Over 12 Serie A appearances, the 26-year-old ace has scored two goals and created two big chances, demonstrating his efficiency in the final third. He has tallied up an 89% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.4 tackles and winning 3.2 duels per game, proving that he is a solid all-round threat in his central role.

The midfielder, who could cost €15m (£12.8m), has been the recipient of high praise for his performances in the Italian side with former Torino team-mate Gleison Bremer commenting:

“I know some players from Serie A, such as Saša Lukić, I was with him in Turin, he’s an excellent midfielder.”

In fact, Lampard could land his very own Koke with the Atletico Madrid star named as the third most comparable positional peer to Lukic according to FBref.

The Spanish and Serbian midfielders have shared many similarities in their output this season so far including goal contributions (2 v 2), pass completion (86.3% v 82.1%), tackles won (12 v 13) and clearances (9 v 9).

That shows that they are both aggressive central fixtures for their team with an element of composure sprinkled into their passing play.

Lukic is currently representing his national team at the World Cup in Qatar and the powers at Goodison Park will surely be keeping a close eye on the player’s progress during the prestigious international tournament with Serbia set to take on Cameroon this morning.