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Leeds United forward Rodrigo is eyeing up a move to Barcelona in search of more regular playing time, according to a fresh rumour which emerged on Thursday.

The Lowdown: Rodrigo disappoints at Leeds

The 30-year-old arrived at Elland Road in 2020 as the Whites’ most expensive signing all of time, costing £27million from Valencia.

There is no doubt that Rodrigo’s time at Leeds has been disappointing overall, however, with the versatile forward scoring just nine goals in 45 appearances, despite some flashes of his talent.

Still, it would be a big shock to give up on the Spain international so soon, given he is still the club’s most expensive capture and Marcelo Bielsa’s squad is stretched extremely thin due to injuries.

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The Latest: Barca eye up move

According to Mundo Deportivo [via Sport Witness], Rodrigo is one of ‘several names’ being ‘offered’ to Barcelona.

It is noted that he is not an ‘undisputed starter at Leeds’ and is ‘looking for a greater role’ at another club, in order to earn more minutes at a key stage in his career ahead of the World Cup this year.

Bielsa has only started Rodrigo 12 times in the league this season.

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The Verdict: Must wait until the summer

Journalist Phil Hay has described Rodrigo as a ‘class act’ and a ‘huge player’ in the past, so it would be foolish to cash in now with Bielsa’s attacking options already so bare.

The Spain international turns 31 in March however, and there is an argument to say that he is past his best given how much he has struggled to find the back of the net in England, so receiving a fee for him in the summer could be wise if Barcelona are still interested.

It would generate funds for a younger signing, and while there is a risk element in selling a player with such pedigree, he has had long enough to prove himself consistently but has failed to.

Just two goals this season simply isn’t good enough, especially with Patrick Bamford often unavailable – a summer sale could facilitate the arrival of a better replacement going into the 2022/23 campaign.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with a move for one player. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Rangers star Glen Kamara as Steven Gerrard looks for reinforcements in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to TEAMtalk, the Gers are contemplating making a big sale next month after failing to make it out of the Champions League group stages, with Kamara among those players potentially being allowed to go.

And, the report adds that it’s Villa are who are currently at the front of the queue for the Finland international as Gerrard plots to reunite with his former midfielder at Villa Park.

Forget Nakamba

With Marvelous Nakamba ruled out through injury, Villa are in real need of a midfielder who can play that anchorman role, and in Kamara they can find someone who Gerrard knows very well indeed from his time at Ibrox.

The Villa boss dubbed Kamara as a “class act” following an impressive display against in a Scottish Cup win over Kilmarnock, and will be well aware of how to get the best out of him should he sign him for Villa.

And, Neil McCann, Kamara’s former manager at Dundee, said: “He looks small but he’s strong and he’s a playmaker. When Rangers signed Glen, I sat there thinking he would smash it. Glen will end up back in the English Premier League. I’ve no doubts about that.”

McCann added: “He isn’t a big, physical lad but he’s made of iron and really strong. I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect. He’s a special talent.

“He’s lightning-quick but he doesn’t show it. He’s a player who takes instruction well.”

The 40-cap Kamara could be exactly what Villa need in midfield, and with McCann saying that the Finn will end up back in the English top flight – he was once on the books at Arsenal – Villa Park could be an ideal destination for him.

Meanwhile, Villa could sign a new Gareth Barry in this star…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of a new centre-back signing for Eddie Howe’s squad…

What’s the talk?

According to French outlet L’Equipe, the Magpies have prepared a bid to sign West Ham defender Issa Diop this month.

The report claims that the offer is set to be as high as €12m (£10m) and that the Hammers could allow him to leave if he refuses to sign a contract extension.

Howe will be buzzing

Howe will surely be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons. Firstly, he will be pleased with the club being proactive and looking to make serious moves early in the window instead of considering their options for weeks and then trying to do business closer to deadline day.

The later they leave it, the higher chance there is of other clubs snapping them up before they get a chance, or of the selling team raising their price. If Newcastle try to sign a top target late in the month, they may then have to pay a premium, as the selling club would have less time to source a replacement of their own, potentially prompting them to increase their asking price.

This is why Howe will be delighted with how quickly the club appear to be working. He will also be buzzing with the prospect of Diop arriving at St James’ Park this month, as he is a proven Premier League performer who could come in and improve the team.

Newcastle have the joint-worst defensive record in the Premier League and have only kept one clean sheet in 19 matches, suggesting that their backline is in dire need of attention. In the West Ham centre-back, Howe could find a player who is immediately able to strengthen the Magpies’ defence.

In the Europa League this season, Diop has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.26, with West Ham keeping four clean sheets in his five starts. Last term in the Premier League, the Frenchman averaged a score of 6.92 as he won 57% of his duels overall.

This shows that he is capable of performing consistently at the top level and Howe could love to work with him on Tyneside to get him playing at his best. That is why the ex-Bournemouth coach will be buzzing with this news and praying that Nick Hammond is able to clinch a deal as soon as possible.

AND in other news, “I’m told”: Craig Hope issues key Newcastle transfer claim which will get fans excited…

West Ham United could seal their biggest signing since Dimitri Payet amid emerging reports ahead of the January transfer window.

In some ways, it shows the substantial progress the east London outfit have made under David Moyes, going from relegation contenders to competing for a place in the Champions League – and more than holding their own.

There has been a lack of ‘marquee’ signings in recent years but that’s not a bad thing as their recruitment has been pretty spot-on, with relatively unknown names like Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal becoming crucial influences on the pitch.

Having Jesse Lingard on loan and splashing £30m on Champions League winner Kurt Zouma is certainly a step in the right direction, but everything could be eclipsed by the prospective arrival of Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria.

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Irons are among the teams interested in signing the 25-year-old this winter as he attracts interest from across Europe, though they’ll be battling Premier League rivals Everton, as well as Serie A giants Juventus, for his signature.

Gladbach head coach Adi Hutter is desperate to bolster his playing squad next month but he’ll only be able to do so if he garners some more income, so selling the Switzerland international could be in his best interests, especially as the player is out of contract in the summer and is currently valued at £24.3m.

A new central option in the midfield engine room may be the least of the Hammers’ concerns but they simply cannot turn their nose up at sealing a player of Zakaria’s calibre for a bargain price in January.

Of course, club captain Mark Noble is retiring, plus there may be some doubts over loanee Alex Kral’s credentials. Meanwhile, there are always doubts and reports on the future of Declan Rice at the London Stadium.

He is a player who has earned comparisons to a whole host of midfield greats, ranging from Patrick Vieira and Zinedine Zidane, to Paul Pogba and Toni Kroos.

“It’s not easy to compare him to the greats of the past, but he combines many qualities that were really defined by Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane,” claimed international and domestic teammate Yan Sommer.

German football legend Lothar Matthaus once stated: “I’m glad that Gladbach have found another pearl. At his age I was earning my first stripes for Borussia. He reminds me of Toni Kroos at that age.”

The 40-cap beast has consistently put up impressive numbers in the Bundesliga and for his country – as per WhoScored, Zakaria has averaged 2.3 successful tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.4 dribbles and 1.1 shots per 90 minutes over the course of his career.

By no means would he be a flair player like Payet once was, but the box-to-box dynamo would be a major coup for the club, one which would shock many around the continent, just as it did with the silky Frenchman all those years ago.

Zakaria, who has been dubbed a “very complete footballer” his former manager Marco Rose, would be a sublime addition for head of recruitment Rob Newman to secure. He must do all he can to win the race to sign him this winter.

AND in other news, 87 touches, 100% dribbles: West Ham gem who “caught the eye” has given Moyes a dilemma…

Rangers have decided not to exercise their recall option on defender Nikola Katic, according to Football Scotland’s Mark McDougall. 

The lowdown

Katic joined Croatian side Hadjuk Split on loan in the summer, having missed the entirety of the title-winning campaign after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture.

The deal included a January recall clause as well as a £3million option to buy.

Rangers are set to be down a centre-back next month with Leon Balogun named in the Nigeria squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

£1.44million-rated Katic could have offered an experienced option in his absence, having made 59 appearances for The Gers. Indeed, former manager Steven Gerrard described him as a ‘winner and a warrior’.

The latest

“[I] understand Rangers have no plans to recall Nikola Katic in the January transfer window,” McDougall wrote.

The player is expecting to remain in Croatia until the end of the campaign, though he hopes to return to Ibrox thereafter.

Rangers have been so impressed with the performances of Calvin Bassey at centre-back that they don’t see a need to bring Katic back mid-season.

The verdict

Rangers could perhaps come to regret their decision if they’re hit by injuries next month, but it’s an understandable call.

Bassey has now started the last seven Premiership games as a centre-half, and Rangers are on a run of six without conceding a single goal.

He’s been a key part of that, consistently delivering performances that earn a seven out of 10 or better from statistical experts SofaScore.

Katic, who was once compared to Cristiano Ronaldo after an ‘unbelievable leap and an unbelievable header’ in the Old Firm in December 2019, may even find that Bassey’s form shuts the door on the long-term Rangers future he craves.

In other news, could Rangers possibly sign a new CB?

Crystal Palace shared footage on their official Twitter channel of defender Joachim Andersen from Saturday’s win over Wolves, with numerous Eagles fans duly reacting to the tweet.

The Danish defender has been a regular under Patrick Vieira this season following his £15.75m move from Lyon over the summer.

He made his 11th Premier League appearance of the campaign prior to the international break, helping Palace to a fourth clean sheet of the season and three points at Selhurst Park.

The 25-year-old, who recently withdrew from Denmark’s squad due to a minor injury, was Palace’s best-rated defender against Wolves, completing 11 of his 15 attempted long balls, as per SofaScore.

One of the most impressive of those came in the first half when he received the ball from Vicente Guaita before switching the play with an inch-perfect pass to Odsonne Edouard.

Palace fans react

Palace posted the clip of that long ball on their Twitter channel Wednesday morning, and here is what these Eagles supporters had to say in reply…

“Ridiculous”

Credit: @Hey_Eurydice

“That is just so ridiculous, I audibly gasped while watching.”

Credit: @Nick_CPFC

“Between the turn and the ping there was 0.1 seconds, that is unreal vision/passing”

Credit: @CPFC_WH

“This is absolutely incredible btw. Couldn’t quite believe the ease he did it when I saw this live”

Credit: @SamuelMargo

“I remember this passage of play, from the other day, and just thought wow, this really encapsulates what this team is capable of now”

Credit: @tashkat81

“His best moment from his best game for us so far. Was absolutely brilliant”

Credit: @Jackpierce88

Loads of Everton fans have been left raging over comments made by Rafael Benitez ahead of their game away at Brentford on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match against the Bees, the Spaniard claimed with regards to youth development at Goodison Park (via Toffee TV): “When we talk about young players, it seems to be young is to be good enough. Anthony Gordon is a young player & people were asking him to play. After 2-3 weeks, he was mentally ready…Not too many players can play when they are still young players”.

Speaking of Gordon, the 20-year-old has started in four of the Toffees’ last six games in the top flight (Transfermarkt), and his performances on the pitch so far have kept him in the team.

However, it should not matter how old you are so long as you can perform, and Benitez is seemingly suggesting that he would rather play more experienced players in match situations.

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Salomon Rondon (32) and Cenk Tosun (30) are examples of experienced players at Everton, but have not yet scored a goal between them this season, showing that in some cases youth need to be given more opportunities.

Everton fans slam Benitez comments

These Toffees supporters raged as the comments from Benitez were shared on Twitter, with one going as far as to claim that they were ‘garbage’:

“Oh what total garbage, great boost for our kids.”

Credit: @Evertongezza

“So let’s keep playing experienced players who offer nothing”

Credit: @tjdoyle84

“What a nonsense statement, give the youth a chance, looking what we have in our first 11”

Credit: @beaney1966

“Such a poor view. Young, talented and hungry players are what fans want to see!”

Credit: @Gre9oryPeck

“Utter nonsense! That might be an argument if you’re sitting top of the table with an abundance of talent available! We have Rondon!?”

Credit: @RingKilcronan

“There are so many examples of young players playing well in the Premier that his comments make him look a fool. We’re not asking for a team of teenagers to play, but where we have good young players in positions that we are struggling in, you’d try it.”

Credit: @MDub700

In other news, find out what Marcel Brands has done to leave these Everton fans fuming

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Nicolo Barella as they look to add further reinforcements to their engine room.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the recruitment team at Old Trafford are already beginning to plan for the January transfer window and beyond as their troubles on the pitch continue to mount.

They claim that a new central midfielder is high up on the United hierarchy’s wishlist and the Inter Milan midfielder is their priority target after a string of standout displays from the highly-rated 24-year-old for both club and country in recent months.

Fans will be buzzing

With Paul Pogba’s future at Old Trafford far from secure, a large section of the club’s supporters will be excited to learn that the Red Devils are reportedly in the market for Barella.

The Italy international has established himself as one of Serie A’s most influential stars over the last couple of campaigns, playing a pivotal part in Inter’s first league title victory in 11 years last term.

His impressive performances have earned several plaudits in his homeland, including former Juventus star Claudio Marchisio.

Barella then carried his incredible club form onto the international stage during the European Championships, scoring one goal and laying on a further two assists in six outings as the Azzurri claimed the Euro 2020 trophy over England.

Therefore, Red Devils football director John Murtough must consider a swoop for the £58.5m-rated beast over the coming months as he’ll be providing the 20-time English champions with one of the best young central midfielders in Europe right now.

And, in other news…Reliable journo drops big update on Solskjaer’s future, Man Utd fans will be intrigued 

Speaking on the Calciomercato Show, as broadcast live on CMIT TV, Italian reporter Furio Focolari has made a Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Spurs chase Serb…

Even long before the arrival of new manager Antonio Conte in what has been a whirlwind few days for the club, Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici was allegedly trying to bring Vlahovic through the doors at N17.

Indeed, Spurs were linked with a move for the free-scoring Serbia international through the summer transfer window with reports from Italy even suggesting that they failed with a multi-million pound bid for his services (Fanta Calcio).

However, following on from the huge update recently that Vlahovic refused a new Fiorentina contract which would have made him the highest paid player in the club’s history (La Viola owner Rocco Commisso via Sky), Spurs may be in a better position to negotiate his signing.

Conte’s appointment at Spurs has only intensified reports linking the Lilywhites with another attempt to sign Vlahovic as reporter Focolari drops a live TV transfer claim.

The Latest: Vlahovic claim dropped…

Speaking to the Calciomercato Show, as broadcast live on CMIT TV, Focolari thinks the £45 million-valued star will now join Spurs instead of fellow competitors for his signature, Juventus.

“I don’t think Vlahovic will go to Juventus. I think he will go to Tottenham, given the arrival of Conte. Vlahovic is a top player. ”

The Verdict: Spurs fans wouldn’t be disappointed…

Going by his numbers and praise from Italian football critics over this season and last, it’s safe to say Spurs supporters certainly wouldn’t be disappointed by his arrival at the club.

The 21-year-old, who would come with huge sell-on value given his age and potential, has already racked up ten goals and an assist in just 12 appearances across all competitions (Transfermarkt) – he scored a stunning hat-trick just this past weekend against Spezia.

Highlighting his proficiency in front of goal, Vlahovic has averaged more shots on goal per 90 domestically this season (3.3) than any Spurs player – even last season’s PFA Team of the Year members Son Heung-min and Harry Kane (WhoScored).

He has also attracted more fouls per 90 (2.5) than any Tottenham star, indicating he is an absolute nightmare to play against and could be a real asset for Conte at Spurs with his physicality up front.

Lilywhites fans are surely hoping that Focolari is right and Vlahovic does indeed choose north London over Turin.

On-loan Aston Villa starlet Brad Young told Carlisle United assistant manager Gavin Skelton that he was disappointed not to score more goals after netting in the EFL Trophy.

The Lowdown: Academy goal machine

The 18-year-old has made 43 appearances for the Villa under-18s and 11 for the under-23s, scoring 28 goals in the process, before being loaned out to League Two side Carlisle over the summer.

So far this season, the forward has appeared off the bench in five league outings and started in yesterday’s 2-0 defeat to league leaders Forest Green Rovers. He also started both of the EFL Trophy games against Hartlepool and Everton under-23s, scoring a brace against the latter last week.

With an eye-catching goalscoring record for the Villa academy at Bodymoor Heath, it will be no surprise when he starts contributing regularly to goals for Chris Beech’s side.

The Latest: Young wanted more goals

As per the News & Star, Young told Skelton that he should have scored more goals despite netting twice in 68 minutes.

The Carlisle assistant boss revealed: “That’s the first thing [he] said after the game – he was delighted, but should have scored more.

“He mentioned the header and the rebound in the first half. It shows the type of lad he is and how hungry he is to score.

“He’ll be pleased to get his first goals for the club under his belt – it was a good night’s work for him, and he’s greedy for more.

“As a forward you’re critical of yourself and you want those chances to go in, but he’s here to score goals and he’s done that for us.”

The Verdict: On the right path

As mentioned above, Young’s terrific scoring record for Villa’s youth squads puts him in good stead to impress. If he can manage to find the net in the Football League regularly, that should help him to possibly follow in the footsteps of fellow Bodymoor Heath starlets Carney Chukwuemeka and Jacob Ramsey.

As Skelton has said, the 18-year-old’s dissatisfaction with his goal return despite netting twice in midweek hints at a thoroughly professional and hungry mindset. Young certainly appears to be on the right path to making it at Villa with that sort of attitude.

In other news, a permanent move involving Aston Villa could be on the cards. Find out more here.