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Rangers have missed out on transfer target Alhassan Yusuf after it was revealed that he is set to join Belgian Pro League side Royal Antwerp, which is undoubtedly a blow to Steven Gerrard at Ibrox given his obvious potential.

What’s the word?

Rangers were linked with a move for the 20-year-old midfielder recently, with his impressive performances at IFK Goteborg in Sweden attracting the interest of sides across Europe.

However, it was revealed last week that Goteborg have reached an agreement with Royal Antwerp for his transfer, with The Athletic’s Rangers correspondent Jordan Campbell suggesting that they paid just €1.5m (£1.3m) for his services. That means that he could have been a bargain option for Gerrard at Ibrox.

Campbell wrote about the Nigerian youngster on Twitter, saying:

“An absolute steal at around €1.5m. He was someone I profiled as being a good fit for Rangers in our Sensible Transfers series last summer. No doubt he’ll be in a top 5 league in a couple of years.”

Should Rangers have signed Yusuf?

Although Rangers are well-stocked in central-midfield, Glen Kamara has been heavily linked with a move away from Ibrox this summer, whilst Steven Davis will turn 37 next season, which suggests that a young midfielder in the mould of Yusuf could have been a sensible addition for the Gers to make.

Yusuf was certainly highly rated by those at Goteborg, with chief scout Olle Sultan singing his praises last year, saying:

“I have believed in him very much all the time. He has learned on the way to becoming less naive. The touch is very nice and he is always so oriented and has such control on the ball. The press game is good and he is aggressive. When he eventually gets a little more power, he will be a good ball winner as well. In addition, he is a great guy who flows into the group nicely.

“A ball winner and game genius in one. There’s a bit to learn, that’s it, but he can really be great.”

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Therefore, it seems clear that Yusuf would have been an excellent, affordable option for the future at Rangers, and Gerrard should be disappointed that Ross Wilson didn’t act sooner in order to bring him to Ibrox.

And, in other news… Wilson should seal Rangers swoop for £10.8m-rated gem with a “taste for the big games”

Aston Villa have joined Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal in the race for Rangers full-back Borna Barisic, as reported by Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Aston Villa moving swiftly in the summer transfer window

Preparing the for 2021/22, the Villans have been one of the most active teams in English football as they aim to improve on a solid 11th Premier League finish last campaign.

Already acquiring former Norwich City talisman Emiliano Buendia for a club-record fee [Sky Sports], Villa have also been linked with a move for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse [365 Football].

Wasting no time in identifying potential recruits, the Midlands side now look set to turn their attention towards 28-year-old Barisic.

The Latest: Villa, Arsenal, Wolves and Leeds all keen on the Croatia international

In the market for a new left-sided defender, Aston Villa have registered an interest in the Rangers talisman alongside Arsenal and Wolves [Football Insider].

He is currently on international duty with Croatia at EURO 2020. The Clarets have begun to plan a potential detailed scouting mission throughout his involvement within the tournament, to assess his capabilities as a potential acquisition [Football Insider].

Leeds United are also said to be monitoring the former Osijek left-back as a potential Ezgjan Alioski replacement [GIVEMESPORT].

The Verdict: Barisic won’t come cheap for Aston Villa; his contract runs until 2024

As the transfer merry-go-round escalates, Aston Villa will be desperate to build a side capable of pushing on next season,.

Undoubtedly, the Croat would represent a solid addition to the Villa Park fold following a season in Glasgow where he registered 19 goal contributions; five goals and 14 assists [Transfermarkt].

With pre-season firmly around the corner, Aston Villa will be looking to conclude any transfer dealings as swiftly as possible.

Rangers are unlikely to let Barisic go inexpensively due to his contract not expiring until 2024, meaning Villa may have to stump up a considerable sum in order to secure his signature [Transfermarkt], but for a player who influences games like the Croatian, it could be a wise investment.

In other news, Gabriel Agbonlahor calls for Aston Villa to swoop for a 22-goal striker.

Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips believes that Tyler Roberts could leave Leeds United this summer in order to find regular first-team football.

The Lowdown: Limited playing time

The Whites may have enjoyed a memorable season back in the Premier League, securing a ninth-place finish, but Roberts hasn’t been a key presence in Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

The Welsh forward started just 14 of Leeds’ 38 league games, often having to play second fiddle to more important attackers, such as Raphinha and Jack Harrison.

Roberts has been linked with a summer exit from Elland Road as he potentially seeks to move to a club where he will start most weeks.

The Latest: Pundit tips Roberts to leave

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips admitted that he could see the £4.5m-rated talent moving on to pastures new in the next transfer window. He said of the 22-year-old:

“I want to see young players playing. I’ve said that all along. He’s had some minutes this year but when you’ve had that, you want to be playing first team football.

“Once you’ve had that taste. If you aren’t guaranteed that at your club then you want to go somewhere else.  Naturally, when know you can perform at the Premier League level you want to play every week and develop.

“That’s one we’ll be reading about over summer whether he goes out on loan or whatever. Him going would not be a surprise.”

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The Verdict: Keep hold of him, Leeds

While Robertson may not be an indispensable figure at Leeds, he is still a valuable squad member, with his former West Brom boss Tony Pulis once describing him as ‘very talented’.

At 22, he is at an age where he is still maturing, and under the tutelage of Bielsa, there is no reason why he can’t become a regular starter for the Whites over time.

That being said, if Roberts is already desperate to be a vital presence elsewhere, it will be hard to begrudge him a summer move, with Leeds receiving a fee for his services rather than risking losing him for free when his contract expires next year.

In other news, one Leeds player has received huge praise from a former Whites favourite. Read more here.

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Arsenal ace Emile Smith Rowe in recent days.

And, as to be expected, a number of Aston Villa fans have been reacting to the transfer news on social media.

According to Mike McGrath of The Telegraph, Villa hold an interest in the 20-year-old while his new deal with the Gunners is yet to be tied up.

Smith Rowe established himself as a regular in Mikel Arteta’s side in the second half of the 2020/21 campaign, making 33 senior appearances in all competitions.

His current contract at the Emirates runs until 2023, and it seems as if Villa are looking at the attacking midfielder as a possible summer addition.

McGrath adds that Villa have also considered Norwich’s Emi Buendia, but Smith Rowe appears to be a new name on the club’s summer wishlist.

Villa fans react

@villareport shared the news on Twitter on Tuesday evening. This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with one describing Smith Rowe as ‘class’.

“After what Arsenal fans have been saying about Grealish, this would be absolutely hilarious get him in”Credit: @tomlxnee”INJECT IT”Credit: @TheChillVillan”no way…”Credit: @M10Packed”This would be hilarious for so many reasons.”Credit: @JonahB90″oh my god”Credit: @fokkos2″LOOOOOOOOOOL”Credit: @1874adam

In other news: Villa considering shock move for Burnley striker, find out more here. 

Wolves are reportedly eyeing a move for Joao Palhinha in the summer transfer window, and Ruben Vinagre may be used as part of a deal.

The Lowdown: Vinagre not needed

Vinagre is clearly surplus to requirements at the Midlands club, given that he was shipped out on loan to two different teams in the 2020/21 season.

At just 22 years of age, the left-back still holds some market value, and so the Molineux faithful may be able to use this to their advantage.

The Latest: Palhinha priority

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), Palhinha is reportedly a ‘priority target’ for the Wanderers, but his price may be a problem, as Sporting Lisbon want €30m (£25.8m) to prize him away.

However, Vinagre could be used as part of a deal to sign Palhinha, as Sporting are interested in his signature, but WWFC will face competition from Napoli for Palhinha.

The Verdict: Sign him

Bruno Lage will need all the help that he can get in his first season with Wolves and in the Premier League in general, and Palhinha would certainly be a welcome addition to his squad.

He was such a key man in his team’s domestic title win, winning no fewer than 9.1 duels per game, while also averaging a whopping 3.3 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.2 clearances a match (Sofascore).

At 25 years of age, Palhinha has not entered his peak yet either, and by adding Vinagre as part of a potential deal, it could turn out to be a real bargain for a truly destructive player to sit just in front of the defence.

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Wanderers buzzing here!

Everton’s Moise Kean, currently on loan at PSG, has made his ambitions clear in an Instagram post, leading fans to crucify what one Toffee called a ‘shocking’ development.

Kean scored in the 89th minute to round off a 4-0 rout in Reims in the Parisians’ final home game of the season.

The victory moved them within a point of leaders Lille and teed-up a final-day battle for the title.

The Italian signed off his post after the match by telling supporters in the French capital he hopes to see them next season.

Kean edging Neymar at PSG

The 21-year-old has made a success of his time in Pairs, scoring 16 goals in all competitions.

That’s the second-highest in the PSG squad, behind only Kylian Mbappe (34), and his minutes per goal record actually betters that of Neymar (via BBC Sport).

Unsurprisingly then, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are working on a permanent deal, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Everton are said to be ‘keen’ to sell the player, but will still demand a big fee.

Fan feed The Toffee Blues relayed Kean’s post, and here’s what supporters made of it.

Everton fans react as Kean sends message to PSG faithful

“Absolute waste of a wage. Hope never to see him in Blue again.”

Credit: @combertoffee70

“Get him out of the club then”

Credit: @you_owen

“Very professional of him”

Credit: @Jord_Thom00

“Goodbye”

Credit: @efcstatto

“Shocking that”

Credit: @HedderickConnor

“We are such a banter club”

Credit: @carr_ry

In other news, fans were lived at this player’s performance in the defeat against Sheffield United.

Southampton have been linked with a move for Metz centre-back Boubakar Kouyate recently and if Martin Semmens can bring him to St Mary’s this summer, he could help to solve a key issue in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

According to French news outlet L’Equipe (via Pink Un), both Southampton and Norwich City are keen on signing the 24-year-old defender after his impressive debut campaign with Les Grenats.

In 23 appearances, the six-foot-four centre-back has contributed one goal and averaged a superb 7.14 rating for his displays, if he were to have replicated those performances with Southampton in the Premier League this season, he would be rated as the best performer in Hasenhuttl’s squad.

This immediately marks him out as someone who could be a good addition to the Austrian’s squad this summer, and he could be one of several additions ahead of next season, which will help address the serious lack of strength in depth at the South Coast club.

Earlier in the season, when both Jannik Vestergaard and Mohammed Salisu were out injured, Hasenhuttl was left with just two fit centre-backs in Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens, and this run of games with the Englishman at the back saw the Saints win one and lose six in the Premier League in 2021, including the embarrassing 9-0 defeat against Manchester United.

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The 27-year-old has averaged a disappointing 6.54 rating across his 13 appearances in the Premier League this season, and has won on average 1.4 aerials, 1.8 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game.

Kouyate meanwhile, averages 3.8 aerials won per game, 2.4 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, so clearly seems to have the edge over Stephens.

His passing is also impressive, as he has averaged an 80.4% pass success rate this season, which again is more impressive than Stephens’ 74.1% average, which suggests that he would be a huge upgrade on the Englishman in Southampton’s side and that he would fit in well with Hasenhuttl’s style of play.

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Therefore, Kouyate’s signing would help to solve the key issue of depth in Hasenhuttl’s side this season and give the Saints a good chance of a more impressive 2021/22 campaign. Semmens must push to get a deal done.

And, in other news… Gao handed huge Southampton boost over “exceptional” gem, Saints fans will be buzzing

Daniel Farke’s Norwich City side look set to face intense competition for the signing of Ozan Tufan this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Turkish outlet Fanatik (via Sport Witness), who claim that Crystal Palace are determined to get a deal over the line for the Fenerbahce midfielder this summer, while Leeds United have also emerged as a potential destination for the Norwich-linked man.

It is reported that Tufan has a release clause in his contract of around €20 million (£17.5 million) and that Palace are intending to pay this figure at the earliest possible opportunity, meaning the Canaries will have to act fast if they wish to be in with a chance of landing the 58-time-capped Turkey international.

Webber must move

So far this season, Tufan has been in excellent form over his 34 Super Lig appearances for Emre Belozoglu’s side, scoring five goals, registering eight assists and creating nine big chances, as well as making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and one key pass per game, culminating in a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.14 – ranking him as the club’s fifth-best performer in the Turkish top flight.

As such, it would appear that the midfielder – who has previously been likened to Yaya Toure by his former manager Vitor Pereira – would be a fine addition to Daniel Farke’s midfield ahead of their Premier League campaign, particularly as the German coach is losing two of his central midfielders this summer.

Both Alexander Tettey – who has made 18 appearances in the Championship this season – and Mario Vrancic – who has featured 31 times in the second tier this term – look set to leave Carrow Road upon the expiry of their contracts at the end of the season, meaning that Stuart Webber will undoubtedly be on the hunt for their replacements in the upcoming transfer market.

And, considering just how well the £37,000-per-week Tufan has performed for Fenerbahce so far this season, in addition to the 26-year-old’s impressive versatility – being comfortable in operating from defensive, central and attacking midfield – it would be highly advisable for Webber to match Palace in their early interest for the Turkish star – or else City risk losing out on a highly talented player to a side who could well be a direct rival in the Premier League next season.

In other news: Get it done: Webber must seal NCFC deal for £12k-p/w star who’s “on a different level” – opinion

Lee Ryder has shared some promising insight from observers of the potential takeover of Newcastle United on arbitration.

The Lowdown: Arbitration date set

A date has now been set for the pending arbitration case between the St. James’ Park faithful and the Premier League over the failed deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group.

The arbitration hearing has been set for July on an expedited basis, with the top flight been granted an extension to respond to the North East club’s separate anti-competition case against them.

The Latest: Ryder shares arbitration insight

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, Ryder has shared that some observers of the bid believe that the arbitration decision will come much sooner than the one on the anti-competition claim, and that the result of arbitration could mean that the PL would be told that their original takeover decision would have to be reversed.

Given that the original decision was to fail the takeover, this would give it another chance to be completed.

The Verdict: Promising for takeover

The fact that the league could be told to reverse their original decision can only be seen as promising for the potential takeover, as it means that there is still a possibility for it to be completed.

Although the timing of the arbitration case is not ideal, given that it falls in the middle of the summer transfer window, a positive result would be a big step in its potential revival.

Nonetheless, at least there is now a date set in stone for that hearing, meaning that the Tyneside club can now prepare fully for it once the 2020/21 season ends, with the hope that it will be resolved at least before the end of the transfer window so that they know what kind of calibre of player they may be able to bring in.

In other news, find out whose display versus Sheffield United was slammed here!

Many Wolves fans have been left to slam the display of Daniel Podence despite their 1-0 away win at Fulham in the Premier League on Friday night.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men grabbed themselves a very late winner through Adama Traore to ease off any potential fears of being relegated from the top flight down to the EFL Championship.

However, while there were some very good performances for the Midlands club, Podence flattered to deceive.

The Portugal international lost out on seven of his duels in the game, and also failed to record a single shot on goal, key pass, accurate cross or long ball (Sofascore).

He also lost possession of the ball no fewer than on 11 different occasions, and given that he had a mere 35 touches in total (Sofascore), that means the 25-year-old lost it roughly every 3.2 touches on average.

Wolves fans on Podence display

These members of the Molineux faithful slammed his performance on Twitter, with one WWFC supporter even going as far as to claim that he was ‘poor’:

“Tbh not sure what Podence brings to the side long term, just seems his career will always be stop and start. Injured, builds up fitness, takes how long to get sharpness, takes a knock, back to square one and repeat. Another area to look at with competition to Neto/Traore #wwfc”

Credit: @DannyPowers82

“Podence has had a poor game. MGW surely has to do something for us eventually, let it be tonight. #FULWOL #wwfc”

Credit: @wolveslad27

“Get Podence and Jose off! #wwfc”

Credit: @FW90

“Podence shouldn’t be playing for me, doesn’t look at the races for me #wwfc”

Credit: @ZionistWolf

“Podence and Neto are taking it in turns to hang Semedo out to dry and that’s where all our problems are coming from. #wwfc poor very poor”

Credit: @JasonTromans

“How many times has Podence lost the ball already? Asking for a friend #wwfc”

Credit: @Slothmonkey1985

In other news, find out what Raul Jimenez update has been bemoaned by fans here!