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Rangers have the chance to draw level at the top of the Premiership table this afternoon if they manage to secure all three points in the latest Old Firm derby at Ibrox.

Prior to the recent international break, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side grabbed a 2-1 win over Dundee away from home, setting them up for a big clash against their Glasgow arch-rivals this weekend.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Van Bronckhorst could select in his starting XI today, one figure who played a big part in their previous league outing and we feel should be in the team on this occasion is Aaron Ramsey.

With 84 minutes under his belt, the Welshman – who is currently valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt – showed everyone at the club just what he’s capable of producing.

From an attacking point of view, the midfielder had five shots at goal in total, three of which were on target and one of which was the equaliser. In a defensive regard, Ramsey won four of his six duels and made one tackle and one clearance, highlighting how much of an all-round figure he can be up and down the pitch.

This display ultimately earned the loanee an overall match rating of 7.6/10 from SofaScore, making him the second-highest rated Gers player on the day behind Connor Goldson, who scored the winning goal.

With the Gers in desperate need of a win this afternoon, it could be the January recruit’s attacking talents which earn him a place in the starting XI in what could be the biggest domestic game of the season for both teams.

Also, with the experience that the 31-year-old has of playing in big games throughout his career in England and Italy, this latest Old Firm clash could be the perfect occasion for Ramsey to flourish and really pull the strings for Van Bronckhorst’s side.

Labelled as a “leader, a quality player and a wonderful character” by Ross Wilson, the Welshman will need to be at the top of his game if his manager picks him to start as Rangers seek to draw level with Celtic at the Premiership summit.

In other news – McLeish howler: Rangers had a nightmare on “outstanding” 362-goal “special player”

Sam Johnstone should not play for West Brom again this season in order to prepare for his inevitable exit, according to reliable journalist Steve Madeley.

The Lowdown: Johnstone set to leave WBA?

The 29-year-old stayed put at the Baggies last summer despite their relegation to the Championship and he has continued to be a key figure in 2021/22, making 36 league appearances.

There does seem to be a potential inevitability about Johnstone moving on, though, with Albion’s promotion hopes effectively over for this season and his contract expiring in June.

The goalkeeper has been strongly linked with a move away in recent months, having been hailed as a ‘wonderful’ player by Micah Richards in the past and winning the WBA Supporters’ Player of the Year award in 2021.

The Latest: Madeley makes big Johnstone claim

Taking to Twitter on Monday as he shared a corresponding article from The Athletic, Madeley claimed that Johnstone should not play for the rest of the season, allowing West Brom to transition and prepare for life without him next term. He claimed:

“Sam Johnstone’s status as a successful Albion player is secure but he should not play again this season – there is no point.”

The Verdict: There’s sense to it

With the Baggies completely out of the promotion picture and with little to play for in the remaining weeks, Madeley’s suggestion does make sense in many ways.

It would give Bruce an opportunity to use others in the role, with those of a West Brom persuasion knowing what Johnstone can offer and also realising that he is coming to the end of his time at the Hawthorns.

In truth, the hope is that a high-quality replacement comes in, given the 29-year-old’s aforementioned influence, but giving David Button a chance to prove himself over the next few weeks shouldn’t do any harm for the time being.

In other news, West Brom reportedly face competition for one player. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United appear to be very active this week after a reliable journalist issued an exciting transfer claim…

What’s the word?

Reports emerged suggesting that the Yorkshire outfit had a £15m offer knocked back for RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson, though the club are said to remain keen on signing him this month.

However, it’s not the only player that they have submitted a bid for.

“Victor Orta is being busy and Leeds have also tabled a bid for a second as of yet unidentified player,” revealed the Daily Mirror’s David Anderson to Twitter on Tuesday night.

It remains to be seen who the second player could be as United have been linked to many names in many different positions throughout the last two to three weeks.

Signings soon?

Whilst we may not know who Orta and co are targeting now, the point that they are now looking to conduct business is hugely exciting and encouraging news for the Elland Road faithful.

This window was quickly heading down the same path – a bleak one with no signings, nothing to help manager Marcelo Bielsa and the problems within his squad.

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Often, his side have been decimated by injuries and that was epitomised by the fact that he could only name one senior professional on the bench during Sunday’s 3-2 win over West Ham United. That being Rodrigo, who has only just returned from injury himself.

Leeds have long been on the lookout for a midfielder, with the last signing in the role being Adam Forshaw nearly four years ago. It has left the head coach awfully short on options.

With Kalvin Phillips on the treatment table, it is only Forshaw and Mateusz Klich available as clear-cut central midfielders. The likes of Stuart Dallas and Jamie Shackleton, who often play anywhere they are asked to, can fill in but they have largely been utilised at full-back.

It certainly seems as if Orta is trying his best to find solutions, having submitted two offers for two different players this week, and that should leave many supporters buzzing heading into the rest of the window.

With less than two weeks to go, the Yorkshire giants must accelerate plans to get at least one deal over the line.

AND in other news, Enquiry made: Leeds now eye £10m gem with “enormous ability”, Bielsa badly needs him…

Celtic goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas looks set to seal a move away from Parkhead in what remains of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claimed that IFK Goteborg are on the lookout for a new number one and have identified the 27-year-old as one of their primary targets for the position.

However, the report also suggested that, despite the two clubs being in talks regarding a deal for the Greece international, Celtic would require the Swedish side to pay a loan fee in any deal for the shot-stopper in order for to sanction his departure this month.

Fans will be elated

Considering just how poor Barkas has been for Celtic since his £5m move to Glasgow in 2020, in addition to him currently earning a whopping £20k-per-week at Parkhead, the news that the Bhoys could finally be set to see the back of the 27-year-old is sure to have left fans elated.

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Indeed, over his 15 Premiership outings last season, the £1.35m-rated ‘keeper well and truly failed to live up to expectations at Celtic Park, averaging just one save and conceding 0.7 goals per game.

These returns saw the former AEK Athens stopper earn a disappointing seasonal SofaScore rating of just 6.79, ranking him as the club’s joint ninth-worst player in the top flight.

Furthermore, since Postecoglou’s arrival at Celtic last year, Barkas has featured just twice for the current manager, which demonstrates just how limited a future the 27-year-old would appear to have in Glasgow.

As such, it would very much seem as if a move away from Parkhead this month would suit all parties. However, considering that the Bhoys will be offloading one of their highest-earning players in getting Barkas off the books, it will probably suit the Hoops much more than the ‘keeper himself.

In other news – Forget Bitton: £8.2k-p/w Celtic flop who made just 3 passes today will be giving Postecoglou nightmares

Arsenal made just one signing on deadline day – bringing in Denis Suarez on loan from Barcelona.

The cash-strapped Gunners were forced to look for temporary deals given the lack of funds at Unai Emery’s disposal. Having managed to secure Suarez’s services, Arsenal also targeted Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco and Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic; Arsenal also attempted to sign Christopher Nkunku from Paris St Germain. However, the London club were unable to get the deals across the line in time.

Instead, their attention will now turn to the summer window where a larger budget should be available for new recruits. Finishing the season in a Champions League place would make their summer recruitment drive a lot easier. Given their recent injury problems, adding defensive reinforcements should be a priority for Emery.

One man he could target is Borussia Monchengladbach starlet – Nico Elvedi. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the Switzerland international has blossomed into a key player for the Bundesliga side since joining from FC Zurich back in 2015. Elvedi has made 17 appearances in all competitions this season and has been one of the club’s most impressive performers.

The 22-year-old primarily operates as a centre-back but his versatility means he is also comfortable at both right and left back making him the ideal summer recruit. Elvedi is excellent on the ball and displays a wonderful range of passing, completing 92% of his passes in the Bundesliga this season. The youngster is also a dominant force in the air, winning 2.4 aerial duels per game this season, meaning he will have no issues adapting to the physicality of the Premier League (WhoScored).

Still developing and improving, this would be an astute piece of business from the Gunners.

Arsenal fans, thoughts?

Everton have now been gifted a big injury boost before they play Leicester City at home in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

The Lowdown: Missing in action

Yerry Mina has not played at Goodison Park since February, and since then, they have lost six games in the Premier League and have been knocked out of the FA Cup (Transfermarkt).

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They have clearly missed the colossal Colombia international, and Frank Lampard will want him back and available as soon as possible.

The Latest: Back in training

Taking to Twitter, the Merseyside club have now posted a video of some of the players walking onto the training ground at Finch Farm, including Mina.

They revealed that the Colombia international is now ‘back in training’, but did not confirm whether he would be available against Leicester.

The Verdict: Big boost

Of course, having Mina back in training after so long out is a big boost for Lampard and the Toffees.

His presence is key for the backline, as he has ranked highly among his teammates in terms of average aerial duels won, clearances and blocks made per match in the top flight so far this season (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, Mina will be hungry to get back into action, and will want to help his team get the results needed in order to avoid relegation down to the Championship.

In other news, find out who is now in talks over a new deal at the Blues here!

BBC Scotland pundit Marvin Bartley has been full of praise for the performance of Celtic forward Jota over the weekend. 

The lowdown: Celtic one step closer

The Hoops took another significant stride toward the Premiership title with a 2-0 victory over Ross County at Victoria Park on Sunday.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are now six points clear at the top of the table with four matches remaining after an opening goal from Kyogo Furuhashi and a late strike from Jota sealed the points in Dingwall.

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After the match, there were plenty of plaudits for the Portuguese ace in particular…

The latest: Bartley praises Jota

Speaking to BBC Sportscene (April 24, 19:31), Bartley was full of praise for the display of the 23-year-old on loan from Benfica.

The Livingston defender gushed: “His all-around game is absolutely brilliant. If you’re a Celtic fan you want him signed up as soon as possible. He’s a striker’s dream, isn’t he? If you go in the right areas, he’ll find you. His head is up all the time.

“He can play left, he can play right, he’s pro-active, he’s constantly on the move. He’s got that belief he can go past anyone.”

The verdict: Top-drawer display from Jota

This was a performance right out of the top drawer from Jota as the Portugal under-21 starlet took his tally for the season to 11 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

Overall, the youngster earned a standout 8.90 rating for his display, which contained four key passes and two further big chances created, along with the goal and assist (Sofascore).

Performances such as this will only further increase the clamour for the club to pay the reported £6m required to make the loan sensation a Celtic player on a permanent basis over the summer.

In other news, an expert has made a key claim regarding the ownership of Celtic. Read more here.

As per The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte is set for major backing by chairman Daniel Levy as the Lilywhites eye a £50 million double swoop before January 31.

The Lowdown: Conte makes transfer demands…

According to reliable reports, Spurs’ head coach has his sights set on improving the squad and has earmarked a list of positions to prioritise – specifically four.

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Alasdair Gold claims that the Italian wants to reinforce Tottenham with a right-wing-back, left-sided central defender, midfielder and striker if he wishes to transform the club.

The question with Spurs is arguably whether they can afford to grant his wishes, especially since they recently announced total club debts of £706m, but The Sun have just shared some very encouraging news.

The Latest: Conte set for Levy backing…

As per their information, Levy is ‘ready to back’ Conte with a ‘£50 million’ double swoop for both Wolves star Adama Traore and Sevilla defender Diego Carlos.

The Lilywhites are ‘set’ to make an improved offer for the former, while they have also joined the chase for Carlos in what could be a blow to Newcastle United’s chances of signing him.

The Verdict: Exciting claim…

Bolstering Conte’s options with the duo would certainly come as a very exciting piece of business and transfer chief Fabio Paratici may have to pull out all the stops to make it happen.

Traore, lauded as the ‘perfect fit’ for Spurs and someone who could ‘really excite’ the fans by pundit Noel Whelan, simply must be followed by Carlos who is a proven La Liga defender.

According to WhoScored, out of Tottenham’s current crop of players, only top-performing Lilywhites centre-back Eric Dier has averaged more clearances per 90 (3.8) compared to the 28-year-old (3.6).

If Paratici, Levy and Conte can make this double move happen, it would surely boost Spurs’ chances of a top four finish.

In other news: Spurs allegedly ‘edging closer’ to signing ‘massive’ £15 million defender, find out more here.

Wolves have suffered a potential blow in their quest to sign Marseille centre-back Duje Caleta-Car, with West Ham eyeing up a late January move for him.

The Lowdown: Wolves keen on Caleta-Car

Wanderers have been exceptional at the back this season, conceding just 16 times in 21 Premier League matches, with Max Kilman, Conor Coady and Romain Saiss excelling as a back-three.

However, there is still a need for defensive depth should any of that trio face a prolonged absence, and Caleta-Car has been linked with coming into the club during the January transfer window.

The 20-cap Croatia international has started 12 Ligue 1 matches for Marseille this season, enjoying a 92.1% pass completion rate. That is distinctly better than anyone in Bruno Lage’s current squad, so he could greatly improve their ability to play out from the back.

The Latest: West Ham ready to swoop

It looks as though Wolves could now miss out on signing the 25-year-old, though, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein claiming that West Ham want to sign Caleta-Car this month.

His current Marseille deal expires in the summer of 2023, so the French club only have two transfer windows left to receive a healthy fee for his services before they risk losing him for nothing.

The Verdict: Potential blow for Wolves

While Wolves don’t have defensive problems of any kind at the moment, missing out on Caleta-Car could be a blow, especially if it makes a Premier League rival stronger. West Ham would also have the advantage of being able to offer him Europa League football in the spring, a competition from which Marseille were eliminated last month.

His aforementioned pass completion rate is highly impressive – Coady tops the pile for Wolves in that respect with 88% this season – and he also averaged 2.5 tackles and 3.5 clearances per game at Euro 2020 last summer, displaying his no-nonsense defensive prowess.

Wolves are running out of time to find an alternative target and it would be a risk not to sign anyone, with an injury to any of the first-choice centre-backs potentially leaving Lage short of options.

In other news, another Wolves target has also been linked with another Premier League team. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United have reportedly now sent a scout to watch centre-back Goncalo Inacio, and even made a bid for the player in January, according to reports in Portugal.

The Lowdown: Solid season

Inacio is having another solid season in Lisbon with Sporting CP, having won the title last campaign.

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His performances attracted praise from Portuguese media, and he was even nicknamed the ‘Portuguese boss’ despite only being 19 years of age at the time.

Now 20, Inacio has also been a second place in the Primeira Liga table, where they will be hoping to catch FC Porto in first.

The Latest: Official sent, bid revealed

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), the St. James’ Park faithful sent an official to watch Inacio play in a 3-1 win at Tondela on Saturday, as he found the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

They apparently had a €30m (£24.9m) bid rejected by Sporting in the January transfer window, but the player does have a €45m (£37.4m) release clause.

The news outlet hints that the North East club must be ‘really interested’ in Inacio, as usually teams from the Premier League send their scouts over to Lisbon or Porto to watch players from the top flight, but the Tyneside outfit sent theirs to Tondela.

The Verdict: Get it done

The fact that Inacio has a release clause should encourage the Magpies to get a deal done.

Having had a £33m bid rejected by Lille for Sven Botman, added to talk of an increased £67m release clause for January target Diego Carlos, £37.4m may be the sweet spot for the Toon to sign a central defender in Inacio who may well have a higher ceiling at just 20 years of age.

Nonetheless, Sporting have a history of selling players to Premier League clubs for big money, and so this is a move that is very possible.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ ace NUFC have now held talks over signing for free here!