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Pundit Kevin Phillips has been reacting to rumours linking Celtic with a move for Brazilian midfielder Fernando Henrique.

The Lowdown: Henrique rumours

According to reports in Brazil, relayed by The Scottish Sun, the Hoops are plotting a winter window swoop for the versatile 20-year-old, who plies his trade with Gremio.

Parkhead representatives have reached out to find out Henrique’s availability, with his current contract running to 2024.

Henrique can play as a defensive, central or attacking midfielder and is already sponsored by Adidas.

The Latest: Phillips reacts

Phillips, who regularly features for Sky Sports, was asked by Football Insider for his thoughts on a possible January swoop.

This is what he had to say, believing it could be a signing with one eye on the future.

“If they sign him in January it will be with a view to him having an impact the following season.

“It is always a gamble signing a 20-year-old Brazilian. For him to come to Scotland in January, culturally it will be a big shock. How cold will it be in January?

“I don’t know about the kid though. I think it would take him a while to settle but that would be understandable. It would take time to get used to the way of life and the different style of football in Scotland.

“Celtic would not just sign him in the hope he’d be the next best thing, the next Neymar or whatever. He will clearly have ability if they are looking to sign him. It is one to keep an eye on.”

The Verdict: Midfield reinforcements needed?

Ange Postecoglou has relied heavily on the likes of Callum McGregor, Tom Rogic and David Turnbull this season, so bolstering that department with the acquisition of Henrique could be a shrewd move.

He can play in a variety of roles and could possibly, as Phillips mentions, be given time to settle into life in Glasgow for the second half of the season ahead of a breakthrough at the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

Henrique has attracted interest from the City Group recently, so securing his services could prove to be a real coup in the long run.

In other news: Frank McAvennie questions effort levels of 5 G/A Celtic ace who ‘goes missing’. 

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 

Spurs return to action later this evening as they look to salvage their quest for glory in Europe this season.

Nuno Santo’s side need a victory against Primeira Liga outfit Pacos de Ferreira at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium if they are to qualify for the group stages of UEFA’s new competition, the Europa Conference League.

The Lilywhites have got off to the most perfect start in the Premier League, recording back-to-back wins having defeated defending champions Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers but fell to defeat in the first leg of this encounter last week.

It means Spurs must overturn a one-goal deficit or risk missing out on a major European competition for the first time in over a decade.

And their chances of advancing would be aided if Nuno opts for a stronger starting XI than we saw in Porto seven days ago. It was a relatively young lineup and one full of those needing game time on the pitch.

For example, 17-year-old gem Dane Scarlett led the line instead of Spurs’ usual frontline options, whilst Bryan Gil, Pierluigi Gollini and Cristian Romero all made their full debuts.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs team and injury news, transfer rumours, gossip and much, much more!”]

One player that should be given a start is Harry Kane, who this week confirmed his intentions to remain at the club this summer amid interest in his signature from City.

He made his return to the pitch at Molineux on Sunday, replacing Heung-min Son in the 72nd minute for his first appearance of the season but it’s time for Nuno to unleash him from the off for the very first time since taking over.

The £108m-rated talisman is undoubtedly Spurs’ biggest source of goals and that’s what will be required against Pacos, considering the side failed to find the net last week.

Kane directly contributed towards 54.4% of all of their league goals last season, whilst he’s hit 19 or more in every season since 2014/15.

The England skipper, who has been capped 61 times, has been lauded as a “monster” by his teammate Son in the past, whilst City boss Pep Guardiola described him as “exceptional” and “extraordinary” when asked about his interest in signing the striker.

It could be a game-changing decision to start Kane tonight. He’s a level above Pacos de Ferreira and his presence should ultimately see Spurs into the group stages.

AND in other news, Paratici could replace Ndombele in bargain Spurs swoop for £26m-rated “huge talent”…

Lots of Everton fans have been left fuming over some injury news that has emerged.

As per The Times journalist Paul Joyce, Richarlison, Andros Townsend and Seamus Coleman have all now picked up injuries ahead of their game away to Chelsea in the Premier League tomorrow night.

Richarlison has suffered a tear to the muscle in his calf and will be out for a ‘number of weeks’, while Townsend has a small fracture in his foot and will now have to see a specialist.

Coleman has suffered bone bruising and soft tissue damage, meaning that all three players could now be out for a lengthy spell.

On top of the injury to Dominic Cakvert-Lewin, and Abdoulaye Doucoure earlier on in the season, the Goodison Park faithful have been suffering an injury crisis throughout the campaign, and now they could also be without three of their key players for a prolonged period of time.

Everton fans on injury news

These supporters of the Merseyside club fumed as the injury news was shared on Twitter:

“We’re definitely getting relegated like”

Credit: @UpTheToffees_

“It never rains but pours at our club. 1 player back 3 out.”

Credit: @tonyf_efc

“Does it get any worse?”

Credit: @KinseyEFC

“Cursed”

Credit: @MaxNewby2

“We’re actually getting relegated”

Credit: @Russell_Palmer2

“Rafa is cursed”

Credit: @Bullensblue1

In other news, find out what transfer news has Toffees speculating here!

Southampton have been linked with a move for Nathaniel Phillips recently and the Liverpool ace could be the ideal man to replace Jannik Vestergaard in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, should the Denmark international complete a move away from St Mary’s this summer.

What’s the word?

According to James Pearce of The Athletic, Liverpool are willing to sell Phillips for between £12-15m this summer, and Southampton, Burnley, Brighton and Newcastle United have all been in contact with the Merseyside outfit about a potential deal for the centre-back.

Considering Vestergaard has reportedly expressed his desire for a new challenge amid interest from Leicester City, it seems likely that the Saints will cash in on the Danish defender this summer, rather than potentially losing him for nothing at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

Therefore, a new centre-back signing will likely be necessary to replace the former Borussia Monchengladbach man this summer, and Phillips could be an excellent addition to Hasenhuttl’s squad.

Would Phillips be a good signing for Southampton?

Despite being on the brink of a Liverpool exit in the summer of 2020, Phillips established himself as an important player in Jurgen Klopp’s side last season as they turned their campaign around to secure Champions League football.

The Anfield outfit were left without Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip for much of the season, which paved the way for Phillips to become a regular starter, and he made 17 Premier League appearances in total, averaging a very impressive 7.29 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

However, with Liverpool’s centre-back trio now back fit ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, and Ibrahima Konate having also joined from RB Leipzig, it seems unlikely that the 24-year-old will feature as much for the Reds next season, so an exit could well be on the cards.

After he made his Premier League debut in a 2-1 win against West Ham, Klopp labelled Phillips a “monster” due to his impressive aerial ability.

Last season saw the defender average a superb 5.6 aerials won per game, which suggests that he would be a more than adequate replacement for Vestergaard, who despite his height, managed just 3.3 aerials won per game in the Premier League last season.

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Therefore, Hasenhuttl should definitely look towards the £7.2m-rated Liverpool man this summer if Vestergaard does complete a move away from St Mary’s.

And, in other news… Imagine him and JWP: Semmens should swoop for Euro 2020 star

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Blackburn Rovers ace Ben Brereton this summer, as Marcelo Bielsa eyes up reinforcements.

The Lowdown: Brereton shines for club and country

Brereton enjoyed a good season for Blackburn in the Championship, scoring seven goals and registering four assists overall.

Not only that, but the 22-year-old is now impressing for Chile at Copa America, scoring his first international goal against Bolivia earlier this week.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Leeds linked with move

According to RedGol, Bielsa has been tracking Brereton for two years after coming up against him in the Championship and is interested in signing him this summer.

The forward’s current Blackburn deal expires at the end of next season, so now be the only opportunity they have to receive a fee for him.

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The Verdict: Shrewd signing for Whites?

Brereton often plays in an attacking left-sided role, which means Bielsa may see him as someone who could provide competition for Jack Harrison next season, having been hailed as ‘absolutely fantastic’ by Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray.

It is vital that Leeds improve the depth in their squad, allowing individuals to remain fresh throughout the gruelling campaign and enhancing their hopes of finishing in the European places in 2021/22.

While Brereton remains unproven at the top level, he could be a player who flourishes under Bielsa, and at 22, he has plenty of time to improve and iron out any deficiencies in his game.

In other news, Leeds have reportedly made a bid for a left-back – find out who it is here.

Former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer has told Football FanCast that he expects his old side to make another move for Huddersfield Town star Lewis O’Brien in the future.

O’Brien, 22, was a target for Leeds during the summer transfer window, with the club’s director of football Victor Orta revealing to the Yorkshire Evening Post that the player’s valuation prevented a transfer.

Palmer, however, does not think that is the end of it and believes the Yorkshire club could revisit things when the transfer window is open again.

When asked by FFC if he could see Leeds making a fresh move for O’Brien, the ex-Whites player said:

“Yeah, for sure. You identify a player, but you don’t always get the player at the time. I remember when I signed for Leeds United, Howard Wilkinson told me he was tracking me for nearly three seasons before he was actually able to sign me and that’s the way it goes sometimes.

“You keep your scouts watching him, make sure he’s performing, make sure he’s the player that’s going to fit into the system that you want and then you test the water again at the appropriate time.”

Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds have already shown that they are not afraid to revisit previous targets.

After missing out on Dan James back in 2019, the Premier League outfit finally managed to land him last month. Perhaps a similar thing could happen with O’Brien in the new year.

Some Liverpool supporters are fuming with the fact that Jurgen Klopp has named four goalkeepers in his 2021/22 Premier League squad.

Following a quiet summer at Anfield, Liverpool only brought in defender Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig and failed to add further depth to their squad over the course of the transfer window.

With Xherdan Shaqiri departing for French side Lyon, Klopp confirmed his 24-man Premier League squad earlier this week, naming four goalkeepers.

Alisson and Adrian were joined by Caoimhin Kelleher and Loris Karius as the four, and some Liverpool fans aren’t happy with the German’s inclusion in particular.

The 28-year-old hasn’t appeared in a competitive fixture for the club since his nightmare Champions League final against Real Madrid, whilst Kelleher played in Premier League games with Wolves and Brighton last season.

That leaves only 20 outfield players and demonstrates Liverpool’s issues going forward with their lack of depth, although the likes of Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones can feature without being registered due to being under 21.

Liverpool fans fume over squad

Responding to a tweet from Anfield Edition, these Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to share their feelings on the matter, with one fan stating he would ‘tear up’ Karius’ contract.

“That looks bang average apart from the starting 11”

Credit: @TD_Tishen

“I really don’t think we need 4 GKs”

Credit: @juliabuzniak

“Why the hell is Karius still here, I’d tear up his contract. Cost us the champions league”

Credit: @frankfrance12

“We have the same amount of goalkeepers as usable attackers…..”

Credit: @LFC_James

“4 keepers? I am done with this club”

Credit: @arun_sarai

“Just sad”

Credit: @Ybr_Manu

In other news, some Liverpool fans don’t want this player to be signed. Find out more here.

Liverpool may have suffered a blow in their quest to sign Ryan Gravenberch next summer, with Manchester United linked with snapping him up.

The Lowdown: Reds linked with Gravenberch move

The Reds are eyeing up new signings ahead of next season, with exciting centre-back Ibrahima Konate already joining from RB Leipzig.

One player who has been linked with a move after the 2021/22 campaign is Gravenberch, with the 19-year-old catching the eye for Ajax and being seen as one of Europe’s most exciting young players.

The £29.7million-rated midfielder scored three goals and chipped in with five assists in the Eredivisie last season, making 32 appearances in the competition.

The Latest: Man United could scupper deal

According to Anfield Central, United are also interested in signing Gravenberch, with Liverpool’s bitter rivals keen to talk to his agent, Mino Raiola.

It is stated that the youngster would hopefully prefer working under Jurgen Klopp than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, though.

The Verdict: Potential big blow

Gravenberch is a player of immense potential, so Liverpool should do all they can to pip United to the Dutchman’s signature.

With Jordan Henderson and Thiago both 30, and Fabinho also not getting any younger at 27, Klopp needs to plan for the long-term in midfield.

Curtis Jones looks a likely regular well into the future and Gravenberch could be a great foil for him, averaging 2.2 tackles and interceptions apiece in the Europa League last season, showing how effective he is off the ball.

To lose such a prospect, and to a direct rival no less, would be a big blow to the Reds.

In other news, some Liverpool fans are unhappy after an update on the Reds’ transfer business. Read more here.

Journalist Phil Hay believes that Dan James will lead the line for Leeds United in their Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Monday night.

The Lowdown: James’ resurgence under Marsch

Jesse Marsch’s men face another crucial game in their top-flight survival battle as they head south to take on the Eagles at Selhurst Park.

James has been used regularly by the Leeds manager since the American replaced Marcelo Bielsa, admittedly not yet scoring under the 48-year-old but providing lots of endeavour and registering two assists.

The former Manchester United man has often been used centrally by Marsch in the absence of Patrick Bamford, and that could be the case again when Leeds take on Palace.

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The Latest: Hay makes team news claim

Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic leading up to kick-off, Hay has backed James to lead the line for Leeds at Selhurst Park, on what feels like a crucial night in the relegation tussle. The journalist wrote:

“My gut feeling is it will be James up front again this evening – but maybe Marsch will surprise us.”

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The Verdict: Big night for James

In truth, James has had a disappointing first season in a Leeds shirt, having become the club’s second-most expensive signing in history when he joined from their Mancunian rivals.

Four goals and four assists is still a reasonable effort in a struggling team, though, and it makes sense for him to continue in a central role on Monday night in the absence of Bamford.

If James could find the net decisively at Selhurst Park, it would be perhaps his biggest contribution yet in a Whites shirt as he looks to justify the £25m that Leeds paid for him last year.

In other news, Marsch is reportedly trying to bring one player to Leeds. Find out who it is here.