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According to The Sun, Man United and Chelsea are set to battle it out for Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen in the summer. 

This comes after Spanish giants Real Madrid have pulled out due to Tottenham’s valuation of the midfielder.

Now the debate surrounding Eriksen at Tottenham will seemingly endure for the rest of the season. On one hand, if the Denmark international is not going to sign a new contract at Tottenham, they will want to sell him at the end of the season. With a year and a half remaining on his contract, they will definitely not want him to leave for free.

Moreover, with the money that comes from the sale of Eriksen, the club could invest in bringing in a number of players to plug holes elsewhere on the field. Seeing as this could be quite a large sum, this means Tottenham could seriously bolster their team.

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However, as the weekend’s result against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup showed, Tottenham seem to be completely lost without Eriksen in attack. Of course, there were a large number of stars absent against The Eagles, but there is a correlation between Eriksen’s absence and how turgid Spurs’ attack looks. His ability to find space and transition play from defence to attack is like no other at Tottenham, and they simply do not have a player like him at all.

Unless they manage to replace such a unique and crucial player, Tottenham could be hurt by his departure. With every game that passes, it looks like Tottenham need Eriksen more and more, and the club should think about giving him the bumper contract that he desires.

Leeds employee Noel Whelan has been reacting to an injury update regarding Jamie Shackleton, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Shackleton close to Thorp Arch return

Jesse Marsch has had a number of injury issues to deal with during his short time as Whites manager, one of which has been with Shackleton.

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The 22-year-old was named on the bench in Marsch’s first three games but hasn’t been involved in the previous three fixtures due to a knock.

Marsch confirmed prior to the win at Watford last weekend that Shackleton was close to making a return to training, whereas Junior Firpo was also set to return on Tuesday.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments on Shackleton

Former Leeds striker Whelan, who is now an employee of the club, labelled Shackleton’s absence as a ‘huge miss’ and described his imminent return to as ‘massive’ due to his versatility.

He told Football Insider:

“A huge miss.

“You mention the word versatility, I think he can play about three or four different roles in that team. Very much like Stuart Dallas. “He definitely gives you options and somebody that is very valuable on the bench. He’s somebody that can play those different roles and can adapt to it very quickly. A right-sided midfield player, right wing-back, central midfield, the left side too.

“He gives you those massive options where you don’t need to change anything around too drastically. If there are any injuries to a certain player, you know you’ve got someone that you can trust.

“He gives you 100 per cent and he’s got that tenacity about his game. Right now, after the couple of seasons that he’s had, he’s one of the more experienced young players that we have.

“He can come into the team. You can throw him in there and know that he can go do a job.”

The Verdict: Good news for Leeds

At the age of just 22, Shackleton has already racked up 78 appearances in a Leeds shirt, making him very much a senior member of the squad, especially when you look at Marsch’s substitutes at Vicarage Road.

Therefore, his return to the squad – along with Firpo – is a timely one ahead of the final six games of the season. He will be able to provide another option for Marsch at right-back and in midfield and hopefully will be able to make the trip to Crystal Palace on April 25.

With that match still nearly a fortnight away, it should give Shackleton ample time to get up to speed after his recent convalescence.

In other news: ‘I know’ – Journalist says Orta now ‘thinking’ of signing 28-goal midfielder alongside Aaronson

Sunderland had to rely on a last-gasp winner from Everton loanee Nathan Broadhead in order to win 1-0 and take all three points against Gillingham.

It was a game that Alex Neil’s team completely dominated at the Stadium of Light, recording 80% possession and 25 shots on goal, but they were pretty wasteful at times going forward, and The Transfer Tavern have used statistical experts SofaScore to analyse who their three worst performers (to have played at least 45 minutes) were on the day.

Could these men be looking over their shoulders regarding their place in the XI?

Corry Evans

Admittedly joint with Anthony Patterson in terms of overall rating (6.9), Evans ranks in third here given the goalkeeper’s clean sheet.

The captain lost out on five of his duels in total, and also failed to record a single shot on target, dribble, clearance, interception or key pass, while he was guilty of giving the ball away on six separate occasions.

Luke O’Nien

With a 6.7 rating, O’Nien was the Wearside club’s second-worst performer.

The central midfield player was subbed off for Elliot Embleton in the 68th minute, after making little impact going forward.

He was guilty of missing a big chance, and was off target with both of his efforts on goal, while he also made no dribbles or key passes, and lost possession a total of 17 times.

Ross Stewart

It certainly was not Stewart’s best game for the Black Cats, as he recorded just a 6.0 rating.

The striker was perhaps starved of quality service at times, but he did miss one big chance, and was off target with both of his shots.

He also made no successful dribbles or key passes, and lost the ball six times in total, as Broadhead came on to save the day.

In other news, find out what big SAFC injury blow has now emerged here!

Writing for The Guardian, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has lifted the lid on a fresh bid being prepared as Tottenham Hotspur grow ‘increasingly confident’ of signing Wolves star Adama Traore.

The Lowdown: Spurs getting closer?

After being in negotiations for a while, with Matt Law of The Telegraph even claiming there was an attempt to agree a loan move, Spurs appear to edging closer to the signing of Traore.

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Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte has apparently mapped out a key role for the Spaniard in his squad as he aims to re-mould Traore into a right-wing-back, akin to how he transformed Victor Moses at former club Chelsea (The Athletic).

Reliable reporters Alasdair Gold of football.london and Tim Spiers of The Athletic both believe that Tottenham could strike an agreement for the 25-year-old, and this news is now backed by Romano.

The Latest: Romano shares big Traore update…

According to the Italian journalist for The Guardian, Tottenham are ‘increasingly confident’ of landing Traore and are ‘preparing a new bid’ for one of Conte’s top targets.

This comes after ‘fresh talks were held on Friday’, with Wolves apparently accepting that he will not renew his current Molineux deal, which as it stands is set to expire in 2023.

Discussions are now aimed at a breakthrough after the north Londoners’ initial £15m offer was rejected.

The Verdict: Brilliant potential first signing…

As all signs continue to point to Traore’s arrival in north London before January 31, we believe that he may well be a brilliant potential first acquisition for Conte. Once valued at a sky-high £100m, Spurs could now sign a very exciting player for much less than that, as reports claim that his current club will sell for around £20m.

Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan certainly believes that the 25-year-old is the ideal capture for Tottenham transfer chief Fabio Paratici, claiming that Traore is a ‘game-changer’ and ‘match-winner’ with a real ‘excitement about him’.

Averaging a brilliant 4.2 successful take-ons per game in the Premier League this season, far more than any current Spurs player (WhoScored), it’s hard to disagree with Whelan’s assessment.

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

Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final game against fellow London outfit Chelsea proved to be an interesting tactical encounter.

In order to make the game more difficult for Thomas Tuchel, Patrick Vieira decided to fight fire with fire and matched up in a 3-5-2 set-up to limit the Blues’ attacking threat.

It was a tactic that initially played out for the Eagles, with 34-year-old James McArthur restored into the line-up in place of Conor Gallagher.

What’s the news?

Conor Gallagher will make his return to the Crystal Palace starting XI against Newcastle United, after sitting out Sunday’s FA Cup tie versus Chelsea due to a clause in his loan agreement that forbids him from taking part in fixtures against his parent club.

Palace were hopeful that Chelsea would give Gallagher the green light to feature, having previously made the exception for Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount when they were on loan at Derby County, though this was unfortunately not the case.

Current Champions League champion, Thomas Tuchel, apologised to the 22-year-old Chelsea loanee after bumping into his over the international break and recalled their conversation.

Tuchel said: “I had the chance to speak to Conor, I could also see his frustration. We met some weeks ago, after the national break by coincidence. We ran into each other in a restaurant and we had a chat.

“The subject came up, I apologised because I know how competitive he is and I like him a lot.

“This is the way it is. We play to win the game and the rules were clear when we made the loan.”

Gallagher return is a boost

The midfielder’s return to first-team action will be music to the ears of the Palace faithful and his manager.

His impact for the Eagles this season cannot be underestimated, with his part in Vieira’s set-up this season proving vital in the attacking third.

The £17k-per-week dynamo has produced eight goals and three assists in 27 Premier League appearances for the Selhurst Park side this season.

Though his defensive ability has been a shining light for Palace, with his average of 6.6 pressures in the attacking third per 9o placing him within an astonishingly high percentile of 98 amongst positionally similar places across the top five leagues in Europe through out the last year, as per FB Ref.

Gallagher’s return serves as a major boost for Crystal Palace, who will be making the most of his time with the Eagles, amidst his uncertain future.

In other news: Vieira eyes CPFC move for “sensational” £14k-pw maestro, it could be bye-bye Gallagher

It ‘doesn’t look like’ Aaron Ramsey’s next club will be Crystal Palace, according to BBC Sport football reporter Alex Howell. 

He took to Twitter on Sunday to pour cold water over any realistic chance of the 31-year-old moving to Selhurst Park, claiming: “I understand that there aren’t any talks happening with Aaron Ramsey and Crystal Palace. Juventus manager Allegri said ‘he’s an outgoing player’ but doesn’t look like it will be to #CPFC”

This contrasts substantially with a previous report from Italian outlet Calciomercato which suggested that Palace were in ‘pole position’ to land the Welshman and that negotiations were ongoing.

While Ramsey does look set to move on during the January transfer window, it now seems a near-certainty that Selhurst Park won’t be his next destination.

What could Ramsey have offered to Palace?

Amidst a succession of injuries, Ramsey has been limited to just 97 minutes of Serie A action this season.

However, he did showcase his quality at last summer’s European Championship, with Wales team-mate Joe Allen hailing him as ‘world-class’ and ‘incredible’ after his goal in a crucial group stage victory over Turkey.

Ramsey also played for Arsenal before joining Juventus, and he commendably racked up 130 direct goal contributions (65 goals, 65 assists) in 371 appearances for the Gunners.

Here’s how some Palace fans reacted to Howell’s tweet, with opinion divided as to whether or not the latest development is a good thing.

Crystal Palace fans split on Ramsey news

“Could cry, there’s a weird idea that he’s washed and average. The guy would walk into our team so easily it’s embarrassing. Injuries and wages are the issues”

Credit: @cpfc_samh

“And just like that our hopes and dreams were dashed”

Credit: @pnm1979

“Disappointed”

Credit: @cpfc_sean

“Could cry”

Credit: @callum_cpfc_

“Thank god for that”

Credit: @cemtuna88

“Great news”

Credit: @PatrickEagles15

In other news, Jamie Carragher ripped into this Palace player against Brighton

Reported Manchester United target Declan Rice is not for sale this summer, according to Sky Sports News.

The lowdown

The Telegraph’s Northern Football Correspondent James Ducker reported earlier this month that United would target West Ham midfielder Rice this summer, with incoming manager Erik ten Hag set to be given access to a transfer ‘war chest’.

Irons manager David Moyes said recently that the Englishman was worth £150million at a ‘minimum’.

That would be the biggest transfer in Premier League history, smashing the £105.75milllion record set by Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City.

Rice is under contract until the summer of 2024, but West Ham crucially have the option to extend that deal by a further year. He’s believed to have turn down three offers of an extension, one of which was worth around £200,000 per week (via The Guardian).

The latest

Live on air on Friday evening, presenter Mike Wedderburn relayed an update on Rice.

While West Ham won’t countenance a sale this summer, their stance could change at the end of next season, he told Sky.

“Our chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol has spoken to West Ham today. West Ham have said this: they will not sell Declan Rice this summer, even if he doesn’t sign a new contract.

“The Hammers would be prepared to sell Rice in the summer of 2023 if he doesn’t sign a new contract.”

The verdict

This presents Man. United with an interesting dilemma. They can either bide their time for Rice, who will only be 24 years old come the 2023 window. If he’s their no. 1 target, they may be patient.

Or they may decide that they simply have to furnish Ten Hag with a marquee midfield addition this summer, particularly with Paul Pogba set to leave on a free transfer.

They’ve been linked with Rice’s England team-mate, Kalvin Phillips, who is available for a fee of £60million (according to The I’s Mark Douglas). This cheaper, swifter deal could prove to be more desirable.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano drops a key update concerning Ten Hag. 

This hasn’t exactly been a mind-blowing transfer window for Rangers but when the Gers are undoubtedly the best side in Scottish football right now, what exactly can Gio van Bronckhorst add to Ibrox that the club doesn’t already have?

Of course, Nathan Patterson has left while there is still the threat of Alfredo Morelos leaving Glasgow behind but they have done some business, adding James Sands has been added to their ranks.

Further arrivals seem unlikely in the grand scheme of things but one player at van Bronckhorst simply has to lure to Ibrox is Andreas Skov Olsen.

The Danish winger has electrifying qualities and it’s thought the club are interested in a deal to bring him to Scotland this month.

However, they could be beaten to the 22-year-old signature by Club Brugge who are understood to be closing on a £5m deal for the attacker.

This is disappointing news for the Gers but if Ross Wilson and the club’s manager can still convince him to join then he’d be a terrific signing.

In fact, not only would it be an eye-catching signing for the Glasgow giants but the league as a whole.

Journalist Josh Bunting told his Twitter followers: “If because I don’t know the details and if it’s true Rangers sign Andreas Skov Olsen then wow, that’s actually groundbreaking for Scottish football. Shows that players really respect that league, beautiful footballer, would fit the side and the way that they want to play so well.”

Indeed, it’s incredibly hard to argue with those sentiments. The Dane may have failed to score in Serie A this term but you can’t ignore the rate at which he scored goals for Nordsjaelland, finding the net on 27 occasions in 51 outings.

Blessed with a lethal left foot, it’s easy to see why he’s modelled his play style on Netherlands great Arjen Robben.

Yet, under van Bronckhorst, it’s another Dutchman that he could replicate, that of Robin van Persie.

The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker played under the current Rangers boss at Feyenoord, where he was a revelation, bagging 25 times in 45 matches.

Therefore, with Skov Olsen possessing a similarly dangerous left foot and the ability to score goals on a regular basis, the club’s head coach could well find his next van Persie this winter.

The Scottish champions may already have the likes of Ryan Kent and Morelos in their ranks but Skov Olsen could take their attack to the next level. Rangers must complete a deal if one is still there to be done.

AND in other news, Rangers can finally replace Gilmour by signing “phenomenal” 18y/o who “has everything”…

Liverpool will announce the signing of Fulham midfielder Fabio Carvalho in the ‘coming weeks’, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Liverpool agree Carvalho deal

The Reds came close to snapping up the 19-year-old in January but they failed to get a deal over the line in the final hours of the transfer window.

It was widely expected that Liverpool would go back in for Carvalho, though, and recent reports suggest that a deal is agreed to bring him to Anfield this summer.

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The youngster has chipped in with seven goals and seven assists in the Championship this season, helping Fulham to top the table by a distance.

The Latest: Romano provides Carvalho update

Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, Romano provided a fresh update, saying that Liverpool would wait to announce Carvalho’s arrival out of respect for the Cottagers:

“Liverpool have decided to announce Fabio Carvalho’s signing in the coming weeks to respect Fulham, their fans and player still focused on Championship.

“The negotiation is 100% completed, as exclusively reported last Thursday. No chance for other clubs to hijack the deal.”

The Verdict: Brilliant long-term addition

Harvey Elliott was a hugely exciting capture from Fulham back in 2019, already becoming a fixture in Liverpool’s senior squad, and the hope is that Carvalho could do exactly the same.

He has caught the eye in the notoriously difficult Championship and he is someone who will be viewed as long-term capture, hopefully ensuring that the Reds remain a force well into the future.

It could be that Carvalho comes in as a like-for-like replacement for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with the ex-Arsenal midfielder potentially leaving this summer and the Fulham starlet similarly capable of playing in a number eight role or out wide.

In other news, another Liverpool transfer is also thought to be nearly complete. Read more here.

Fabrizio Romano has raised the possibility that Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi could be included in a deal to sign Lucas Digne. 

The lowdown

According to the Italian journalist via Twitter, the Villans have been ‘working for days’ to agree a deal for the Everton left-back, whose future appears to lie away from Goodison Park after he had a row with Rafael Benitez and the Toffees went into the market to sign a £17m left-back in Vitaliy Mykolenko.

Meanwhile, El Ghazi – who joined Aston Villa permanently from Lille in 2019 after an initial loan spell – is into the final 18 months of his £31k-a-week contract. Transfermarkt value the Dutch winger at £9m.

The latest

Taking to Twitter to reveal the latest on the future of the two players, Romano outlined: “Aston Villa have been working for days to sign Lucas Digne. They’ve always been frontrunners – Chelsea out of the race.

“Talks on, not 100% agreed yet between clubs. El Ghazi also been discussed – nothing agreed on this point as Everton want cash. Next week will be key.”

The verdict

Is it a surprise that Villa are considering parting with El Ghazi?

Based on last season, yes. He was the club’s second-top goalscorer with an impressive 13 strikes in all competitions, inferior only to Ollie Watkins (17). Such form led to ex-Villa defender Alan Hutton praising him as “unstoppable”.

Steven Gerrard doesn’t seem to be convinced, though. Since the 41-year-old took over from Dean Smith in November, El Ghazi has only played 33 minutes of Premier League football.

On another note, having signed two wide attacking players last summer in Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray, will Benitez really want another at Everton in January? According to The Daily Mail, he’s more focused on strengthening in central midfield and up front.

In truth, El Ghazi may not be an effective bargaining chip from Villa if they want to execute a deal to sign Digne.

In other news, many Villa fans reacted to this move from Gerrard over the weekend