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Glasgow Rangers reportedly had a £2.7m bid for Steven Gerrard’s long-term target Sekou Gassama rejected by Real Valladolid in the summer.

What was the story?

According to a report from Tuttomercatoweb, Rangers were interested in signing the striker from Real Valladolid but a move never materialised.

Valladolid signed the 25-year-old from UD Almeira at the start of the year, although he immediately left on loan for CF Fuenlabrada until June.

Following a subsequent report from AS Diario (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that the Gers made a move for Gassama but their attempts were ultimately in vain as they were rebuffed by the Spanish La Liga side.

In the end, Ross Wilson signed Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe on four-year-deals for undisclosed fees instead. Since then, Gassama has returned to Fuenlabrada, where he can’t seem to stop scoring at the moment, with five goals in his last three league appearances.

Missed a trick

Whilst Alfredo Morelos has been in impressive form, as the “superb” Colombia international recently broke Ally McCoist’s longstanding European goal record, you can’t help but feel that a player with the Senegalese’s predatory instincts inside the box would have been a useful option for Gerrard to have at his disposal.

As per SofaScore, Gassama is averaging 1.6 shots per game in La Liga 2 this term, and it’s fair to say that he could’ve been able to hit the ground running, given his excellent return for Fuenlabrada so far this season, as he has shown that he can score goals consistently at a decent level of the game.

The one-time Senegal U20 international has scored five goals in eight games in the Spanish second tier this season, via Transfermarkt. To put that into context, that’s more than Itten has managed to score for Rangers in all competitions combined so far.

Meanwhile, Morelos continues to be linked with an Ibrox exit, whilst Rangers outcast Greg Stewart and Jermain Defoe’s contracts will run out in 2021, which could create room in the squad for a new centre-forward.

Whether or not Wilson will return for Gassama in the future remains to be seen but the maestro knows how to find the back of the net, that’s for sure, as 24 goals in 84 games is a pretty impressive return in his club career so far.

AND in other news, Watch out Arfield: Bongani Zungu sends timely reminder to Steven Gerrard with South Africa display…

Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard must give Glenn Middleton his time to shine at the Govan stadium amid reports Leeds United remain interested in Ryan Kent.

What’s the word?

Former England international Danny Mills claims Rangers could insert a colossal new release clause into Kent’s contract as they are prepared to increase his wages in an attempt to convince him to stay at the club.

The Light Blues remain locked in negotiations with the £3.1m-rated winger’s representatives as his current contract will run out in 2023 and they are keen to offer him a contract extension with new and improved terms.

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills said: “Their value will definitely be going up because of their performances in the Europa League.

“Ryan Kent’s release clause previously was £20million and he has a fantastic season do they have the right to say ‘hold on, he’s now worth £30million or £40million’.

“They’ll be lots of negotiations going round with how the deal works and what their valuation is now.”

But, whilst it remains to be seen if Leeds will return for their long-term target in January, such an offer somewhere in that region might prove to be too tempting to ignore. If this is indeed the case, Gerrard must give Middleton the time to shine more often.

Time to shine

The 20-year-old has become something of a forgotten man in recent times, having burst on to the scene as a fresh-faced teenager, but failed to impress during two unsuccessful loan spells at Hibernian and Bradford last season.

He has been hampered by injuries so far this season whilst he has largely been starved of opportunities due to Kent’s emergence on the left wing.

Gerrard has given the current Scotland U21 international just 35 minutes of first-team football so far this season, whilst he has been omitted from the Europa League squad, and has yet to feature in the Scottish Premiership so far.

But, whilst we said just this last month that Rangers should get rid of the versatile player in January, we may have been just a tad too hasty.

The Ibrox boss believes Middleton can still have a part to play as the Gers seek to regain the title for the first time since the 2010-11 season after he was handed a surprise recall as he replaced Borna Barisic at left-back during the 4-0 victory over Falkirk in the Betfred Cup.

When asked about his future, Gerrard offered some words of encouragement, saying: “Glenn has been on loan and had injuries but he has been back within the group for four or five weeks now.

“He has been working hard and playing for an opportunity.

“We think he can do left-back, left-wingback or left-wing and it was a strong cameo from him.”

In 29 games for the Gers, the youngster has scored five goals and supplied five assists in all competitions, including scoring a sensational screamer against Spartak Moscow in the Europa League.

Middleton clearly left quite the lasting impression after his brief cameo against Falkirk, so Gerrard must give the young Scotsman more opportunities to prove himself on a regular basis, rather than handing him a few minutes here and there as this will only serve to hinder his development as a player.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard may regret his decision to axe Jermain Defoe from the Europa League squad…

Glasgow Rangers showed they are early favourites to win the Scottish Premiership title as Steven Gerrard’s side beat Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday.

Celtic were comprehensively outplayed from start to finish as the Light Blues cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over their arch-rivals on their home turf which sent them four points clear at the top of the table, having played a game more than Neil Lennon’s men.

A brace from Connor Goldson helped his side claim the spoils in the first Old Firm derby of the season but the Rangers boss will be well aware that there is still a long way to go between now and the end of the season.

The Gers won at Celtic Park last December but their title challenge crumbled before their very eyes after the winter break. Gerrard’s side dropped eight points in five games which left the Bhoys with a ten-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership last season.

History has a habit of repeating itself and as Celtic still have a game in hand and were without first-team regular starters Odsonne Edouard and Ryan Christie at the weekend, the Light Blues must already start to think about the next three points that are on offer.

Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack admitted his side received a reality check last term and vowed that they will not allow such an opportunity slip through their grasp once again. He said: “It’s always a great feeling to win a derby match, the boys are delighted.

“I thought we did very well, but it’s just another three points, a step to where we want to get to.

“The challenge is to put demands on ourselves to keep improving. It’s a big win but it doesn’t stop here. If we want to get to where we want to be then this is only the start.”

TGers registered another clean sheet when Celtic didn’t even manage a single shot on target throughout the entire game. Gerrard’s side have now only conceded three goals in eleven league games, four less than their arch-rivals who have a game in-hand.

Former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan believes the Light Blues “look a lot more defensively sound.” He told Football Insider: “Steven Gerrard has changed that mental strength in that group of defensive players now, that’s what he’s been looking for.

“We’ve seen it from the start of the season, we’ve seen defensively they work hard, they look assured, they’re a lot more gritty at the back, they look a lot more defensively sound.

“That is where they were looking to strengthen and get better and they definitely have with their record this season in Europe and in the league.”

However, Rangers really cannot afford to slip up again and stutter for the second year running after beating their biggest rivals in their own backyard. To lose such a lead once may be regarded as misfortune; to lose both would be carelessness.

Let’s face it, Gers fans shouldn’t get too carried away. If there’s one thing for sure, the title race is far from over just yet.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers’ Glen Kamara dominates midfield battle in Old Firm derby…

According to RMC Sport, Leeds United are attempting to sign PSG star Julian Draxler.

What’s the word?

The Germany international has struggled for first-team football in the last couple of seasons, with the 2019/2020 campaign seeing him make just 22 appearances across all competitions, with only four 90 minutes being completed in the league.

Is it Haaland Snr or David Hopkins? Your Leeds knowledge will be put to the test with this quiz…

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Now, French publication RMC Sport claim that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are exploring the possibility of luring him to the Premier League, although it is suggested Draxler himself isn’t keen on a move to Elland Road.

The report adds that PSG’s sporting director, Leonardo, is desperate to get the £125k-a-week earning star off the books, and it remains to be seen whether he manages to do so over the coming weeks.

Shades of Kevin De Bruyne

Just like Manchester City star De Bruyne, Draxler was also a young starlet who really showcased his potential in the Bundesliga. The former enjoyed a superb time at VfL Wolfsburg before eventually earning a move to the Etihad Stadium, whilst the latter cut his cloth at Schalke before making the switch to PSG.

And it was at Schalke, that Draxler was seen as the next big thing, with former sporting director Horst Heldt, declaring: “Julian is very, very young and his development isn’t over yet. That’s what makes him such an attractive proposition. It’s fantastic to have a player with such extraordinary talent here.”

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Apart from their career paths, Draxler and De Bruyne also have similarities in terms of their styles of play. Capable of playing as the number ten or out wide, the duo are skilled at using both feet, making them a nightmare for opposition defenders.

Draxler has an impressive career average of 2.1 dribbles, 1.4 shots and 1.3 key passes per game, and with him still being only 26, has got the potential to grown even more. And with Pablo Hernandez already at Elland Road, Leeds could have a tantalising partnership between two creative talents who can unlock even the meanest of defences on their day.

This article forms part of our Total Duds feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how bad a deal the club got.

Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope may have just missed out on the Premier League Golden Glove in 2019/20, his 15 clean sheets one short of Manchester City’s Ederson, but that hasn’t stopped Chelsea from taking a rather keen interest in the England international (as per 90min.com).

Just as he made his country’s World Cup squad two years ago, fellow ‘keeper Tom Heaton also earned a major tournament call-up as a Clarets player when he was selected by Roy Hodgson for the Three Lions’ Euro 2016 squad.

Burnley haven’t always had such glittering luck with the goalkeeping position, though. In 2008, Owen Coyle landed Peruvian number one Diego Penny from Coronel Bolognesi in his homeland and was thrown straight into the team on the opening day of the Championship season, when the Clarets travelled to Sheffield Wednesday.

Burnley’s signing of Diego Penny went wrong from the start

Inside the first five minutes of his debut in England, he conceded twice and Burnley were hammered 4-1 at Hillsborough (as per BBC). Despite Coyle being hugely determined to land the giant goalkeeper, who is just under two metres tall, he was benched for the next game and did not make another appearance all season, with Brian Jensen instead the Clarets’ number one as they ended the campaign with a first promotion to the Premier League.

To Penny’s credit, though, he did not kick up a fuss, instead proving to be a very popular figure away from the football pitch with his Turf Moor team-mates (as per The Athletic). His patience paid off as he was given a couple of League Cup appearances in 2009/10, a 2-1 extra time win over Hartlepool and a 3-2 defeat to Barnsley. Four goal conceded in two games against lower-league opposition wasn’t the strongest case to make in terms of displacing Jensen.

The Peruvian can always claim to be a Premier League player, though, replacing ‘The Beast’ after the Clarets’ first choice went off injured against Wigan in October 2009. It was 1-1 when Penny took to the pitch…and 3-1 to the Latics at full-time (as per The Athletic).

The end of Diego Penny’s time at Burnley

Coyle’s contentious departure for Bolton midway through that season and the subsequent appointment of Brian Laws proved a fateful moment in the giant goalkeeper’s career in Lancashire. The new manager signed Lee Grant and banished Penny to train with the reserve team (as per The Athletic).

That was the trigger for the Peruvian to call time on his stay at Burnley, returning home to join Juan Aurich in August 2010 on a free transfer. In two years at Turf Moor, he only made four appearances, failed to keep a clean sheet and conceded nine goals (as per TransferMarkt).

Penny’s attitude may have been commendable – he even managed to be circumspect about his treatment from Laws – but on the rare occasions that he got his chance, he wasn’t able to make the most of it, hence a low-key departure after two underwhelming years in England.

Burnley fans, do you feel that Penny simply wasn’t good enough for the Clarets? Have your say by commenting below!

Chelsea have made a number of players available on the transfer market this summer, including senior left-back Marcos Alonso. 

Frank Lampard is looking to completely revamp his team as he leads them into what promises to be a thrilling 2020/21 season. FCInterNews have reported that both Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan are eyeing up a potential move for the Spaniard (via Sport Witness).

Chelsea are eager to bolster their backline as well as their options in goal. Last campaign saw them concede the most goals out of the top 10 in the Premier League, with a worrying 54. However, Lampard has acknowledged these issues and wants to make the appropriate changes, starting with a left-back and a goalkeeper.

Ben Chilwell is one of the club’s main priorities this transfer window, with talks ongoing over whether they will land a deal for the England international. However, Leicester aren’t willing to let him go on the cheap and reportedly value him higher than record outgoing Harry Maguire, who joined Manchester United for a staggering £80m last year (via BBC Sport).

The report claims that Chelsea will only recruit a new left-back if either Alonso or Emerson Palmieri leave the club this summer. Fortunately for the Blues, they may be in luck as Emerson could depart for Inter Milan in the coming weeks.

According to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), the two parties have agreed on a five-year contract but no transfer fee has been decided. However, a move could be likely, with the Italian defender appearing just 16 times in the Premier League last term (via Transfermarkt).

If Alonso is also moved on in this transfer window, Lampard will be free in his mission to sign Chilwell. With Roman Abramovich providing a £120m budget, the Blues certainly have enough in the bank to tempt Leicester into selling their left-back.

Would you sell Marcos Alonso in order to sign Ben Chilwell? Join the discussion in the comments below…

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has admitted that Tottenham were close to signing him but revealed that Daniel Levy was reluctant to meet Sporting Libson’s valuation.

Fernandes moved to Old Trafford for £47m in January, a figure which eventually rose to £68m. It is fair to say the 25-year-old has been a total revelation ever since, as he has scored two goals and supplied three assists in only five Premier League appearances. He is currently valued at £43m via Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese midfielder revealed that things might have been very different if former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino had got his way last summer. Taking part in a fan Q&A on Instagram (as relayed by The Metro), Fernandes said: “The first club that was close to signing me was Tottenham with (Mauricio) Pochettino.

“But I don’t know, maybe they thought the amount Sporting wanted was too much so in that moment Sporting decided they don’t want to sell.

“Tottenham came in the summer but Manchester (United) was in January. Maybe Tottenham came again in January, but when I knew Manchester was interested I just wanted to talk to Manchester.”

Pochettino was unceremoniously sacked in November after five years in charge of the club. After their Champions League final heartbreak last year, Spurs made a disappointing start to the season and were 14th in the Premier League when he left north London (BBC).

Club legend Harry Redknapp was adamant at the time that players had under-performed. He told Sky Sports News: “They’ve got him the sack, at the end of the day. They haven’t performed well enough, that’s why he’s lost his job. If they all loved him so much, perhaps they should have done a bit better for him.”

Before he arrived in England, Fernandes had bagged 63 goals and provided 52 assists in 137 games for the Green and Whites (Transfermarkt). As it stands, he has made a huge difference on the pitch for the Red Devils. Indeed, he has also bagged a goal and an assist in three games in the Europa League, taking 3.7 shots per game and making three key passes on average (via WhoScored).

In comparison, Tottenham’s record signing Tanguy Ndombele has registered two goals but has produced fewer assists than the Portugal international in the Premier League, despite the fact he has made more appearances this season. Moreover, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are unbeaten since Fernandes’ arrival.

Given his performances so far, it is hard to argue that Fernandes wouldn’t have had a similar impact if he had joined Tottenham instead.

Tottenham fans, do you regret missing out on Bruno Fernandes? Let us know by commenting below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to the new report coming from Corriere dello Sport, Juventus are planning on bidding for Valencia’s youngster Ferran Torres as they are looking to add more young players into their squad. Interestingly, the 19-year-old, who has also been linked with Premier League side Liverpool in recent weeks, could actually solve the problem they have with their ageing flanks.

What’s the word, then?

Torres is one of the players the Bianconeri have been scouting for a while.

As per the same source the last time they’ve seen him in action was during his international display vs Macedonia, and they seem to like what the youngster has to offer.

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Of course, with his release clause set to €100m (£86m), he might not be a cheap option for the Italian giants.

That is especially apparent considering that both Liverpool and Barcelona have been prowling around the Spanish winger themselves, according to SportBild (via SportWitness) and Juventus might face some stern competition along the way.

But looking at what the talent can do and what the Bianconeri actually need, he might be worth the hassle after all.

Refreshing the squad

We’ve already discussed how targeting players like Tahith Chong would not really be beneficial for Juventus as they need to maximise their veterans’ last years at the top in order to finally make that push for European glory.

But this case is a bit different even though we’re talking about players of similar age who play in similar positions.

Torres is very much one of the next big things in the world of football and more developed than his Manchester United counterpart.

At the age of just 19, he has already played a total of 67 games for Valencia, bagging five goals and five assists in the process, and was the only Spanish player to be named in the 20-player shortlist for the Golden Boy award.

But even if we go beyond that, Juventus have an ageing problem with their flanks.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo – when he plays there – Douglas Costa and Juan Cuadrado are not getting any younger and Marko Pjaca and Federico Bernardeschi are not really of the calibre to successfully take over the mantle, at least not yet.

Torres is young but already has what it takes to play at the top level, which was evident from his stint with Valencia so far, and even has Champions League experience, scoring once in the two games he’s played in Europe in 2019/20.

His price tag and the competition by Liverpool and Barcelona might make it more difficult for Sarri to land his target, but he’s very much worth the trouble.

Which is exactly why the interest from the Reds, or the Blaugrana for that matter, doesn’t really come as a surprise.

Jurgen Klopp’s troops have an abundance of attacking firepower in their Mane – Firmino – Salah forward line, but even though it’s fairly early to make any big assumptions Torres very much looks like a player capable of providing competition – and perhaps even taking over the mantle – should he rock up at Anfield.

Despite their strength they don’t have a plethora of options or depth in attack, with the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Adam Lallana and Divock Origi the main back-up players should one of the brilliant trio of starting XI regulars miss out.

And with Torres’ rapid development and big-stage experience already in the bag he could be a welcoming addition to their squad, even at this point in his career, as his profile seems to match Klopp’s requirements – at least if we compare him to his current wingers who both possess pace and the finishing product.

On paper, Liverpool just might be an even better choice than Turin for a surname the fans will have fond memories of having seen Fernando score 81 goals in 142 games for them previously, but we’ll have to wait and see who ends up sealing the deal should the Reds and Juve both make their move.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Andriy Yarmolenko started up-front for Ukraine against Serbia on Sunday, and proved that he can be effective playing through the middle.

On the chalkboard

The 27-year-old naturally plays right-wing and he has started to prove his effectiveness there for the Hammers, though recent poor results have seen the whole squad suffer somewhat.

That means he hasn’t scored for his club since September, but if given a different role it could freshen up the squad and allow the Ukrainian to rediscover some of his best form.

It is unlikely that he would play up-front due to the form of Sebastien Haller, but operating in the number 10 role, close to the Frenchman, could allow his best attributes to shine.

Given the injury to Manuel Lanzini and the lack of form of Pablo Fornals, who is still without a league goal or assist, attacking midfield is somewhat of a problem position for West Ham, and with Michail Antonio set to return from injury at some stage it makes sense to move the Ukranian into the middle.

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Suited to attacking midfield

Considering Yarmolenko is not all used to playing as a forward, his performance for his country on Sunday was an impressive one.

He made three key passes and three long balls, which shows how useful he could be for his club in the final third, as the Hammers have lacked players who can provide that cutting edge in attack, with no player averaging more than two key passes per game.

That is one of the reasons why Pellegrini’s side have scored just 14 goals in 12 league games, and why Haller has often been isolated in the lone striker role, with Yarmolenko often too busy helping out in defence.

The midfielder has shown he has an eye for goal too, and by playing in the middle he may be more likely to get onto the end of chances, as Robert Snodgrass’ recent goals attest too.

Against Serbia Yarmolenko also managed a pass accuracy of 88%, while the fact he won a tackle and took part in 15 total duels shows how hardworking he is, and that could come into great effect for West Ham in defending from the front.

Lots of Manchester City fans were left irate by the decision not to award the Sky Blues a penalty for handball before Fabinho opened the scoring for Liverpool early in their top-of-the-table clash at Anfield on Sunday.

City thought they deserved a spot-kick in the opening stages after the ball flicked off Trent Alexander-Arnold’s thigh and into his arm, but referee Michael Oliver waved play on as the Reds stormed down the left-flank.

Sadio Mane eventually whipped the ball into the box only to see his delivery cleared, although the ball fell to the feet of Fabinho who rushed onto it, took a touch, and blasted home from 25-yards out.

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The Video Assistant Referee checked the incident for a potential handball, with Paul Tierney deciding at Stockley Park that it did not meet the considerations for a deliberate handball and allowed Fabinho’s goal to stand.

Replays of the incident also showed that the ball had actually hit Bernardo Silva’s arm before Alexander-Arnold’s, but opinions from the Etihad Stadium camp were strong in thinking that the Reds got off lightly in the key moment.

Former Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton is also in the camp of those thinking the key moment should have resulted in a Manchester City penalty, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: ” There will be controversy, Manchester City are convinced they should have had a penalty.

“It did look like Trent Alexander Arnold’s arm was in an unnatural position. I think Alexander Arnold is a lucky, lucky boy, it should have been a penalty.”

Here are some of the messages shared from irate Manchester City fans after they saw Liverpool take the lead following a strong shout for a penalty…