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Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa could be set for a shock January exit from Elland Road, according to a report from the continent.

The Lowdown: Bielsa a Leeds icon

The Argentine are arguably been the most influential figure at Leeds in the past decade or so, bringing the good days back to the club.

Bielsa has of course guided the Whites back into the Premier League, finishing ninth in their first season back in the division and playing some superb football along the way, endearing himself to those in Yorkshire with his enigmatic personality and obvious passion for the beautiful game, even showing up to coach football-loving local kids out of the blue.

The 66-year-old’s current Leeds deal expires at the end of this season, however, and it remains unknown if he will extend his stay beyond that point.

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The Latest: Shock exit rumour emerges

According to Jeunes Footeux [via Leeds All Over], Bielsa could actually leave Leeds in January, in what Leeds All Over describe as a ‘significant twist’ and ‘big shock’.

A board meeting is rumoured to be taking place next month and his future will be discussed there.

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The Verdict: Surely not?

The thought of Bielsa leaving at any point is a sad one but it seems unfathomable that he would either leave or be sacked in January.

The Leeds hero is a man of his word and has committed his future until at least the summer, so it would be an almighty shock if that suddenly wasn’t the case. It would also feel incredibly harsh for the club to take decisive action even despite the poor form to kick off this campaign, given his role in their promotion back to the big time.

It may be that Bielsa decides he has taken Leeds far enough come the end of the season, but with key men like Patrick Bamford back fit again, the hope is that the Whites rise up the Premier League in the coming months, increasing Bielsa’s chances of staying put even beyond this season, let alone through the winter.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly keen on a January move for one player. Find out who it is here.

A huge Newcastle United transfer claim has been made regarding their pursuit of Diego Carlos…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Magpies will make another move to land the Brazil defender this week as they attempt to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad. Sevilla are said to be working hard to avoid cashing by rejecting the Toon’s interest so far.

Romano tweeted: “Newcastle will push again in the next hours for Diego Carlos. Sevilla are trying to resist in every way as they did for Koundé/Chelsea deal last summer – but Newcastle are willing to insist. Key hours ahead. #NUFC Diego already agreed personal terms days ago. He’s waiting.”

Fans will be delighted

Newcastle fans will be delighted with this update for several reasons. Firstly, the claim that Carlos is ‘waiting’ after agreeing personal terms with the club shows that there is a willingness from the defender to make the switch to St James’ Park.

This shows that he is eager to join the club and is passionate about a transfer to Newcastle, which fans will surely love in comparison to a player who needs to be convinced. The 28-year-old wants the move and the Magpies now need to find an agreement with the Spanish outfit to get it done.

The supporters will also be buzzing with Romano’s tweet as it shows that Nick Hammond, Eddie Howe and PIF are not willing to give up easily. They could have admitted defeat and moved further down their list of targets, potentially lowering the ceiling on the quality of player they can bring to the club, but instead are doing their best to land the man who could be their top target.

Fans will love this as it shows ambition and a desire to sign the best possible players to bolster the squad in the January transfer window. With Newcastle currently sat 19th in the Premier League and on just one win after 20 matches, reinforcements are needed to aid their bid to avoid relegation from the top flight, and this is why working hard to sign a player like Carlos could delight the Toon Army.

The centre-back has averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.16 in La Liga this season, showing that he can perform to a high level on a consistent basis in a top European league. The newly-signed Kieran Trippier is the only Newcastle player (7.30) who has averaged a higher rating than Carlos this term, and that is based on a small sample size, which highlights how big of a potential signing the Sevilla defender could be.

AND in other news, “He is set to join Newcastle”: Insider’s early morning update will leave fans buzzing…

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been handed a late injury setback ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Burnley.

What’s the latest?

In Friday’s press conference, Bruno Lage disclosed Wolves’ injury status heading into Sunday’s affair at Turf Moor.

On the injuries in the camp, Lage told the media: “Ruben’s still out for this game and Daniel and Max – two days ago, the injury in the stadium, and he came out with a little pain so will not be available for the next game.”

Lage will be gutted

Lage began Friday’s press conference by stating his hopes for the Old Gold are to “fight for the right to play European football at Molineux” and wanted to achieve this by continuing to “play the way we play.”

Though, they may struggle at the back without the presence of 24-year-old star Max Kilman, who has been ruled out of the clash at Turf Moor after picking up a knock in Wolves’ last game against Newcastle United.

Kilman has thoroughly asserted himself as a Premier League mainstay under Bruno Lage this season. The England-Ukraine star has featured in 94% of Wolves’ Premier League campaign, building on from what was a breakout the season prior under former boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

The former Maidenhead United player has taken to Premier League football like a duck to water, with his 3.5 clearances per match matching Old Gold captain Conor Coady, ranking him second out of the Wolves squad in this metric.

His fitness status comes as a late blow for Wolves, as well as being something that will leave Lage gutted, with the £14.4m-rated talent playing a big part in Wolves’ watertight defence that has seen only Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City concede fewer goals than the Molineux outfit this season.

Supporters will be hoping for the return of Kilman in their fixture against Brighton on the 30th of April, with his importance valued highly under Bruno Lage.

AND in other news: “Willing to make proposal”: Source drops huge update that Wolves supporters will love

Manchester United were frustrated against AC Milan in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening with a late goal pegging the Red Devils back.

The hosts looked like they were going to seal a 1-0 victory thanks to Amad Diallo’s first goal for the club, only for Simon Kjaer’s header to deny them in the final moments. It was a frustrating night in all with a host of chances being missed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s troops.

It wasn’t all bad news, however, with a few eye-catching displays – one of those coming from 31-year-old Nemanja Matic.

The Serbian destroyer was deployed alongside Scott McTominay in the centre of the park for the hosts and arguably echoed back to his peak with a thoroughly dominant performance against the Italian giants.

According to WhoScored, the £10.8m-rated former Chelsea man produced no fewer than five tackles, with no player on either side contributing more. It was a brilliant defensive performance from Matic throughout the 90 minutes as he also contributed a further three interceptions and two blocks.

His contributions were not just limited to reclaiming the ball for the Red Devils, either. Matic actually made more passes than any of his team-mates with 67, whilst he also had a better pass success rate (86.6%) than the inspirational Bruno Fernandes (84%), per WhoScored.

The Serbian’s performance was all the more impressive then considering that he was making just his seventh start in all competitions since the turn of the year.

With Matic confirming to O Jogo before the match that he had no intention of departing Old Trafford for the foreseeable future, he could potentially be a crucial player for United as they continue their challenges in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup, especially if he continues to be a dominant figure in midfield.

AND in more news, take a look at why it is crucial for Ed Woodward and Manchester United to convince Edinson Cavani to stay at Old Trafford…

Southampton are reportedly interested in signing Hatayspor forward Aaron Boupendza this summer and, if he makes the move to the south coast club, he could prove to be their next Sadio Mane.

According to a report from 90min, a host of Premier League clubs including Southampton, Spurs, Leicester City, West Ham, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Wolves are interested in signing the 24-year-old this summer, whilst Rangers and Celtic are also said to be keen.

The report suggests that Boupendza’s priority is to move to the Premier League and that the Turkish club would be willing to sell if anyone meets their asking price of £8.5m.

The Gabon international is a relatively new arrival at Hatayspor, having joined on a free transfer from Bordeaux last summer, but it appears as if he could be on the move again this year after an impressive debut campaign in Turkey.

In 26 league appearances, the forward – who can play as both a left-winger and a striker – has managed an impressive 18 goals, so it is no surprise that he is attracting interest from across Europe.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have been extremely reliant on the goals of Danny Ings and Che Adams for the past two seasons, and although James Ward-Prowse steps up with the occasional goal from midfield, the goal contributions from the wingers are far from good enough.

The two main culprits here are arguably Nathan Redmond and Moussa Djenepo, with the two left-wingers having scored just two Premier League goals between them this season.

A prolific winger is something Southampton have arguably lacked since Mane was sold to Liverpool in 2016, with the Senegalese forward having contributed 25 goals and 14 assists in 75 appearances during his time at St Mary’s.

There are a lot of similarities between the transfer which saw Southampton sign Mane and the potential deal for Boupendza, as the Liverpool man moved to RB Salzburg after a disappointing spell in France before completing a £20m move to the Saints after impressing in a fairly obscure footballing league.

Like Mane, Boupendza likes to cut in from the left, with WhoScored suggesting that his dribbling and finishing are two of his main strengths, so again it is easy to see the likeness to Mane.

Therefore, CEO Martin Semmens should definitely push for Southampton to sign the Gabon international this summer, as it could prove to be a masterstroke if they end up with a player similar to Mane on their books.

In other news… Southampton potentially signing 11-goal beast could be bad news for 22 y/o Ralph loves.

Ange Postecoglou has been sat in the Celtic hot seat for over a week now but they’re yet to invest in any senior options for the first team.

The Bhoys have welcomed Liam Shaw to the club but at the age of just 20, he is one for the future, as opposed to somebody who can come in and make an instant impact.

What’s the word?

One of Celtic’s biggest priorities this summer has to be in defence.

Kristoffer Ajer has caught the eye of clubs in the Premier League and in the Bundesliga while Shane Duffy, Diego Laxalt and Jonjoe Kenny have all headed back to their parent clubs.

Christopher Jullien is also out injured for a considerable period of time. Fortunately, Postecoglou and Dominic McKay have set their sights on improving the backline.

According to an exclusive report from Celtic Now and Forever, the Hoops have made an enquiry to sign Riccieli, a centre-back currently plying his trade for Famalicao in Portugal.

Celtic have sent scouts to watch him in action and they have been left impressed enough to open talks with the player’s agent and his club over a possible deal.

An upgrade

With Ajer set to leave Paradise behind this summer, it is of utmost importance that Celtic sign a new central defender.

Riccieli might be unknown to a British audience but he’d be a welcome addition at the heart of the defence.

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For starters, the 22-year-old is a ball-playing centre-half, something that immediately lends itself to Celtic’s and Postecoglou’s style of play.

The youngster completed 87.1% of his passes last term, a number that usurps every central defender at Celtic barring Ajer.

His 2.1 aerial duels won per match also indicate that he’s a threat in the air, something that Celtic will evidently need if the tall figure of their Norwegian defender leaves them behind this summer.

On top of that, he makes 1.6 interceptions an outing. A wonderful reader of the game, Riccieli’s numbers in that department are higher than any other player in the Hoops squad last term.

As for his 1.3 tackles a match, those replicate Ajer’s numbers and top every centre half in Postecoglou’s squad.

Crucially, he also possesses the mentality to thrive at the top of the game. After signing a new contract last November Famalicao president Miguel Ribeiro, said he was a player of “quality, work capacity and a remarkable competitive spirit.”

On top of that, he revealed that Riccieli was one of the team’s captains, leading from the front and proving to be an example for others. If Celtic want to replace Ajer adequately, that attribute will be imperative.

AND in other news, Forget Sviatchenko: Postecoglou must sign “robust” £60k-p/w beast for Celtic instead…

Some Liverpool supporters believe that Ibrahima Konate will be a Reds player this summer, reacting to his latest social media post.

The Reds look likely to make at least one centre-back signing in the summer transfer window, following major issues in that area this season. Jurgen Klopp is currently having to make do without Virgil van Dijk. Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, all of whom are out injured for the remainder of the campaign.

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It means that Nathaniel Phillips and Ozan Kabak have become an improbable centre-back pairing, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson also having to fill in there at times.

One of the players linked with solving Liverpool’s problems at the back is Konate, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein recently reporting that a deal looks on the cards, claiming that the Reds “are in the process of finalising a deal” for the 21-year-old.

On Saturday night, the Frenchman took to Twitter to post about RB Leipzig’s 0-0 draw with Hoffenheim the previous night, but a number of Reds supporters hijacked it by talking up his potential move to Anfield.

Liverpool fans talk up Konate move

Here are some of the best reactions from Liverpool supporters on Twitter as they were unable to contain their excitement about the increasing possibility of Konate coming to Anfield.

“Enough. Pack your bags. Merseyside awaits”

Credit: @michaelosasu

“We can’t wait”

Credit: @Rayan_LFC

“Come to pool you beautiful man”

Credit: @LFCDGSx

“Come home we’re waiting”

Credit: @footballlfc3690

“Can’t wait to see you partner VVD next season”

Credit: @ryangreeno33

“Welcome to Liverpool! YNWA”

Credit: @Boromir_FR

In other news, Liverpool are reportedly keen on signing an exciting wide player this summer. Find out who it is here.

A number of Celtic supporters have hit out at Jonjoe Kenny on social media for his first half display against Hibernian on Saturday lunchtime.

Interim boss John Kennedy made two changes from the side which beat St Johnstone 4-0 on Wednesday, with Greg Taylor and Callum McGregor coming in for Adam Montgomery and James Forrest respectively.

It looks set to be Kennedy’s final game in temporary charge, with recent reports suggesting that Eddie Howe is in line to take over as manager for the 2021/22 season.

However, it was Kenny‘s performance in the opening stages at Easter Road which had a number of Celtic fans talking online, and not for the right reasons. The 24-year-old was making his 10th Scottish Premiership start since joining on loan from Everton and 16th appearance in all competitions.

He was coming up against Hibs winger Jamie Murphy in Edinburgh, but some fans clearly think he is struggling on what is his final appearance of his temporary Parkhead stay. He went into the referee’s notebook after just 10 minutes, being yellow-carded for an early foul on Murphy, and failed to win a first half duel.

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Celtic fans react

Here is what these Hoops supporters had to say about Kenny, with one describing his display as ‘so bad’ and another calling him a ‘donkey’, with this not being the first time that he has come under fire from the Parkhead faithful:

“Kenny has got to be one of the worst right-backs I’ve ever seen”

Credit: @NorthKoreaCSC

“JJ Kenny is still the worst player I’ve saw in a Celtic top”

Credit: @BrianMc81

“Man Jonjoe Kenny is a terrible player”

Credit: @paulandrewmart2

“Jonjoe Kenny is so bad”

Credit: @GlasgowFIFA_

“He’s had less impact than Marvin Compper.”

Credit: @KierenLaverty

“Get him out my club”

Credit: @DylanIsOnFire

In other news: Celtic looking at two big-money transfers; presented targets to Howe, find out more here. 

According to The Daily Telegraph (via The Scotsman), Glasgow Rangers are interested in signing Santiago Moreno from Colombia outfit America de Cali.

The Lowdown: Rangers planning for the new season

With the 2020/21 season now over, Rangers can fully concentrate on next season and beyond as they look to defend their Premiership title and build a squad capable of competing with the best of the best in the Champions League.

They have already brought in Fashion Sakala from Oostende (rangers.co.uk), while Nnamdi Ofoborh will also join up with the Gers after signing for the club in January.

The Latest: Gers want Moreno

Now, it has been reported the Gers are interested in signing winger Moreno.

Leeds United and Southampton are two other sides mentioned as potential suitors for the Colombian, following previous links suggesting the Whites and Gers would battle it out this summer.

The Verdict: Up-and-coming talent

Moreno has broken into the America de Cali side this year, scoring six goals and providing four assists in 22 matches in all competitions (Transfermarkt) – he has 10 strikes throughout his career. He has even been likened to Sadio Mane (Glasgow Live), displaying the ability he has and what he could bring to the 55-time Scottish champions.

Of course, given he has played his football in South America, he is somewhat of an unknown quantity, and he would need time to adapt to European football. However, with him valued at just £585,000 (Transfermarkt), he could be available for a bargain price for the Gers, and at the age of just 21, he has plenty of years ahead of him to improve.

The youngster could be an inspired signing for Ross Wilson and co. It would be sweet for them to capture his services ahead of Leeds, who have been a thorn in Rangers’ side in recent transfer windows as they have targetted the likes of Ryan Kent (RTE), Glen Kamara and Borna Barisic (Sportske Novosti).

In other news, Rangers fans were livid at this article.

Dean Windass has urged Marcelo Bielsa to sign a striker to help Patrick Bamford with the workload before the window shuts at 11pm, following the deadline day addition of Dan James from Manchester United.

Bamford, who scored his first Premier League goal of the season to rescue a point at Burnley on Sunday, has started all of Leeds’ 41 league fixtures since their promotion back to the top-flight.

But should the former Chelsea youngster get injured, it would leave Rodrigo as Bielsa’s only senior striker – and he’s scored just seven times in 31 appearances across all competitions since making the big-money switch from Valencia last summer, three of which have come this season.

Leeds are winless from their opening three matches this term, collecting just two points from a possible nine available, but aren’t short of goals having scored four times.

However, after predicting a more difficult second season for Bamford, Windass exclusively told Football FanCast that another frontman is badly needed for the Elland Road outfit:

“I would like to see Leeds sign a big striker or a goalscorer, no disrespect to Bamford, but it’ll be a tough season for him if he’s up there on his own, because he works his socks off.”