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Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has provided injury updates on Ryan Jack and Ryan Kent ahead of Sunday’s clash with St Mirren.

What’s the latest?

The 41-year-old has revealed that Jack has returned to first team training after recovering from his long-term injury, whilst Kent is expected to be back within the next week.

Gerrard told Rangers’ official Twitter channel: “It’s a big day for Ryan Jack as he is back with the team in training for the first time in months. Ryan Kent, we are hoping to have available in and around the Aberdeen game or just slightly after.”

Gers fans will be buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing with this news as it suggests that two key players are set to return from notable injuries. Kent’s last appearance came against Lyon in the Europa League on 16 September, whilst Jack has not played a single minute of football since February.

The Ibrox faithful will be delighted to see Kent return as he has shown his quality at Premiership level in recent years. Last season, he scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 37 appearances as he averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.23. The fans will be looking forward to seeing him back in action as he can clearly make a difference in the final third for Gerrard’s side.

Former Gers marksman Kris Boyd once lauded the ex-Liverpool winger’s ability with the ball at his feet, hailing him as a player who gets fans off their seats. 

He said: “There’s Ryan Kent who is phenomenal – he gets you off your seat. His numbers have increased season after season. Even if the team are not at the level we saw at the start of the campaign, he is still a threat. He is so comfortable with the ball – it is like has superglue in his boots!”

Meanwhile, Jack was also impressive in the league last season. He averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 in 19 appearances prior to his calf injury, creating one chance per game and winning 56% of his duels as he completed 90% of his attempted passes.

This shows why Gers fans must be happy to see him back in the fold after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. He has proven that he can be a quality central midfield option in the Premiership and his return gives Gerrard another option to utilise as Rangers go in search of back-to-back league titles.

AND in other news, Gerrard could unearth McGregor 2.0 in Rangers gem who has shown “excellent progress”…

Celtic have been encouraged to secure the permanent signing of Jota in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, Pete O’Rourke stated his belief that all Celtic fans would love for Ange Postecoglou to secure the permanent signing of the 22-year-old Benfica loanee in the upcoming winter window.

Previous reports had revealed that the Bhoys do possess an option to buy the Portugal U21 international, with the figure required in order to seal the forward’s permanent switch to Parkhead believed to be around £6.5m.

Speaking about the club’s potential signing of Jota, O’Rourke said: “Yeah, this is a deal all Celtic fans want to get done as soon as possible. They love Jota up there.”

Celtic fans would love it

Considering just how impressive Jota has been since his arrival in Glasgow this summer, it is easy to see why O’Rourke believes that Celtic’s permanent signing of the 22-year-old would be a deal the Parkhead faithful would love.

Indeed, over his 11 Premiership appearances so far this season, the £3.15m-rated winger has bagged five goals, registered four assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of three shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

These returns have seen player who Postecoglou himself dubbed an “unbelievable” talent average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.38, ranking him as the sixth-best player in the entirety of the Scottish top flight.

The £7.1k-per-week winger was also in excellent form over his five Europa League outings, scoring two goals, providing two assists and creating four big chances for his teammates – returns which saw the forward average a SofaScore match rating of 7.40 in the competition.

As such, it is clear for all to see that retaining the services of Jota beyond the end of the current campaign would be something of a major coup for the Bhoys, as the Portuguese youngster very much looks to possess the ability to help take Celtic to the next level both in domestic and European competition.

In other news: Ange can finally axe £900k-rated Celtic “part-timer” with swoop for £3.5k-p/w machine

Leeds United are eyeing a move for Hoffenheim’s versatile star Florian Grillitsch, and that could spell bad news for Robin Koch at Elland Road…

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have claimed that Jesse Marsch’s side have joined fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Newcastle in the race to sign the Austria international this summer.

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It’s been suggested that the midfielder’s representatives have sounded out a move abroad amid his contract at Hoffenheim expiring this summer.

Marsch can axe Koch

Reports earlier last year claimed that former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa actually thought the versatile defender was “too soft” to really succeed at Premier League level, and when you look at how he has fared in general, it’s perhaps understandable to see why.

The German had a injury-hit debut campaign at Elland Road last season, playing just 17 times in the Premier League and missing a number of games with a knee problem between December and March.

And, when he has played, he has shown signs of really struggling to get to grips with the pace and intensity of the English game – you only have to look at his performance against Spurs recently to see that.

Writing in his post-match player ratings against Spurs, Leeds Live’s Beren Cross gave him a four, saying: “No protection for the defence or any presence in the middle of the park as Adam Forshaw was left isolated and alone.”

The £50k-a-week earning ace just isn’t a natural fit when deployed in midfield, while at centre-back, he already has a significant amount of competition to battle against with the recently returned Liam Cooper, Diego Llorente and Pascal Struijk all ahead of him in the pecking order.

But in Grillitsch, they could find someone who is equally comfortable of playing in the middle of the park, and also being trusted with playing at the back too – in the 18 games he has played in the Bundesliga this season, 12 of them have come in central defence, while the rest have seen him used as either a holding midfielder or in a more box-to-box role.

Indeed, Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann raved about the kind of under-rated nature of the Austrian ace, saying: “In my opinion, Flo Grillitsch is one of the best six in the Bundesliga who is already a little under the radar. At least you rarely read anything about him.

“He still has a few construction sites, he knows that, I’ve told him that often enough. But he is an extraordinary footballer and has an incredible ability to determine the rhythm of the game.”

The 6 foot 2 Grillitsch could be a superb addition to this Leeds side, and could see Marsch finally axe one of his side’s poorer players.

AND in other news – Leeds facing major nightmare as worrying news emerges, Elland Road would be devastated

Leeds United have long lacked a Samuel Saiz-like presence in midfield, but that could soon change.

Last month, the Sunday People reported that the Yorkshire outfit were tracking RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson ahead of a potential move this January transfer window.

It’s thought that the USMNT international fits the athletic profile required to play under Marcelo Bielsa and he has impressed throughout his breakthrough in Austria.

Since then, further fuel has been added to the fire by journalist Pete O’Rourke, who delivered a fresh update to GIVEMESPORT this very week.

“With Aaronson at RB Salzburg, I know Leeds scouts have been watching him,” he revealed.

Of course, the priority at Elland Road appears to be in finding a new central midfielder before deadline day, and there’s a lot to like about the American dynamo.

Signed by Victor Orta in 2017, Saiz soon became a hit with supporters after scoring a hat-trick on his debut for the club. His tenacity and creativity in the engine room made him a very exciting talent but things just did not pan out.

He left after ten goals and 12 assists across 58 appearances (via Transfermarkt) and has never truly been replaced.

Enter Aaronson.

The Salzburg sensation, who former USA legend DeMarcus Beasley dubbed “silky”, has proven to be a major influence for both club and country. From midfield, he’s bagged five goals in only 15 caps, whilst in 51 appearances for the Austrian champions, he has delivered ten goals and 12 assists.

Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, Aaronson has also been lauded as “young” and “exciting” by O’Rourke, and he could offer Leeds some valuable experience in the engine room, having featured in the Champions League numerous times now.

In his six appearances in the competition this season, the 21-year-old averaged two tackles, 1.3 dribbles, 1.2 shots and one key pass per game (via WhoScored), proving to be a major influence at either end of the pitch.

Also likened to Lionel Messi, Aaronsen has been dubbed the “future” of the American game by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also touted him as “highly talented”.

On the above evidence, Orta could well discover his next Saiz with a move for the Salzburg sensation this month. It’s surely a deal that many around Elland Road would love to see happen, so he must get it done sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, Beren Cross drops positive Raphinha contract update…

West Ham United have been handed a boost in their chase to sign Liverpool defender Nat Phillips in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days and weeks have suggested that the Hammers have got their sights set on the centre-back, and ExWHUEmployee has now revealed that David Moyes’ side are “weighing up” a move in this final week of the window.

He said: “Nathan Philips has reportedly told Liverpool that he would like to leave this window and his price is expected to be around £14m. He is another target and someone whose dad shares a good relationship with David Moyes. The club will be weighing up this option against other targets.”

Big boost for Moyes

For all the success West Ham have enjoyed this season in the Premier League – they currently lie in fifth place in the table and just one point off fourth-placed Manchester United – injuries have already played a big part in decimating Moyes’ side.

Centre-back has been the area most impacted through injuries with Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma in particular suffering extended spells out, leaving the Hammers desperately short of options in the middle, so much so that Craig Dawson has had to play through issues of his own.

Speaking earlier this month, Ex said: “Craig Dawson has had some unfair stick in our minds these last few weeks – especially when he has been struggling with injury himself in recent weeks but has played due to our lack of other options (this has not been widely reported elsewhere).”

The fact it’s now being claimed that one of the club’s main targets to improve their options in Phillips, is keen to leave Liverpool and that the Hammers have the added advantage of his dad having a “good relationship” with Moyes, leaves them in good stead in this final week of the transfer window.

If they can get a deal over the line for the centre-back, West Ham fans will surely be buzzing.

Meanwhile, West Ham have made their “first offer” for this Ligue 1 striker…

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According to The Telegraph, Everton have agreed a £4m compensation fee with Watford for Marco Silva, whom the Toffees appointed as their manager in the summer.

Hertfordshire outfit Watford were furious with their fellow Premier League club after attempts were made to bring the Portuguese north in November 2017 following the sacking of then-boss Ronald Koeman, although, now that an agreement has been reached, this is surely the end of the matter.

The former Hornets boss filled the vacant role left by Sam Allardyce at the Goodison Park helm prior to the start of the 18/19 season but has had far from an enjoyable time on Merseyside so far.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

Silva’s side have largely underperformed and, despite their respectable position in the standings, will surely feel that they should be doing better. They have lost five of their last six games in all competitions and are in desperate need of a result against Cardiff, who they face on Tuesday.

Here’s how the Evertonians reacted on Twitter…

With Valerien Ismael’s West Bromwich Albion side heading into Wednesday evening’s Championship clash on the back of a resounding 3-0 defeat last time out, the 46-year-old Albion manager will undoubtedly be hoping for a much-improved result and performance when Hull City visit The Hawthorns in midweek.

However, with Darnell Furlong’s sending off against Fulham meaning that the right-back will miss Wednesday’s game due to suspension, the Frenchman has been left with something of a selection headache on the right-hand side of his defence.

Having said that, when Ismael arrived at West Brom this summer, he came with the promise of being a manager with a reputation for developing a club’s younger talents – something that Furlong’s suspension could allow him to put into practice once again.

Indeed, with the 46-year-old not having another senior right-back in his first-team squad, it would appear to be a choice between playing either a midfielder or attacker out of position at wing-back or handing 19-year-old right-back Taylor Gardner-Hickman his league debut for the club.

And, considering just how impressive the youngster has been in the club’s youth sides, as well as the fact that Ismael is known to rate the versatile defender extremely highly, it would seem an obvious choice for the Frenchman to finally unleash the teenager against a struggling Hull City side on Wednesday.

Over Gardner-Hickman’s 30 appearances for West Brom’s U18 side, the 19-year-old scored three goals and registered four assists, playing a variety of positions along the right-hand side of the youth team.

The youngster has also continued this fine attacking form over his 34 appearances for Albion’s U23 side, bagging six goals and providing four assists for Deon Burton’s outfit.

And, with Joseph Masi revealing that the man who Sam Allardyce suggested could become an “important” player for West Brom was the reason Ismael did not sign a backup right-back this summer, it would only seem natural for the Frenchman to finally give the youngster a shot in the position on Wednesday evening.

In other news: Journo drops fresh West Brom January transfer claim that will devastate Albion fans

Rangers defender Connor Goldson ‘seems galvanised’ by the arrival of Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Ibrox amid the uncertainty over his future, according to sports journalist Andrew Dickson. 

The lowdown

The Daily Record’s Keith Jackson wrote at the end of October that it was ‘getting hard to see’ Goldson, who has ‘been a rock for Rangers’, remaining at Ibrox amid a ‘contractual stand-off’. The defender’s £27,000-per-week deal is due to expire at the end of this season.

Football Insider reported earlier this month that the Englishman, who has been selected for all but one Premiership game so far this term, was intent upon returning to the English Premier League.

The latest

Dickson took to Twitter to admit that, after the Scottish League Cup semi-final defeat to Hibernian last month, he thought it was clear that Goldson was clamouring for an exit, but he has hailed the 28-year-old’s resurgence since the arrival of Van Bronckforst at Ibrox.

The journalist tweeted: “Six games into the Gio reign, where is everyone sitting now on Goldson? I thought after the Hibs semi that he was almost certainly wanting out… but his response to the new manager has been excellent and I feel he’s looked much more like himself. Seems galvanised by the manager.”

The verdict

It’s understandable that Dickson feels there has been a marked improvement in Goldson’s form since Van Bronckhorst came to the club last month. Since the Dutchman’s first Premiership game in charge against Livingston, the ex-Brighton defender has posted markedly better performance ratings from renowned website WhoScored.

The departure of a figure like Steven Gerrard, a Champions League winner and former Premier League player of the year, might have had Rangers fans fearing the worst, but could Van Bronckhorst inspire a change of heart from Goldson?

It’s not out of the question, and prolonging their European campaign by finishing second in their Europa League group should only have helped their case as the January transfer window looms.

But what if rumoured suitors West Ham United come knocking? They’ve been hit with two serious injuries in the heart of defence, and an offer from the Londoners may be too good for Goldson to turn down, if indeed he is still clamouring to return to England when the window opens.

In other news, many Rangers fans bemoaned this injury update

This forms part of our Transfer Watch series, where The Transfer Tavern analyse whether a club should sign a transfer target based on a recent performance.

The Lowdown: Newcastle lurking for Osimhen

It has been widely reported that Newcastle will now look to battle a number of big European clubs to try and sign Victor Osimhen from Napoli in the summer.

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However, St James’ Park is not thought to be his preferred destination in the Premier League, and with the likes of top-four chasers Tottenham Hotspur reportedly joining the race, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) may face an uphill battle to try and bring the Nigeria striker to Tyneside.

The Latest: Great individual performance from Osimhen

Even though Napoli lost 3-2 at home to Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday afternoon, Osimhen put in a great individual performance, scoring one goal and supplying an assist as he ranked as their best player on SofaScore.

The Nigeria international won five of his individual duels, bettered only by two of his team-mates, while he also completed one successful dribble and a team-high three key passes (SofaScore).

The Verdict: Sign him

Given Callum Wilson’s injury problems this season, and the fact that Chris Wood has only managed two goals since arriving from Burnley in the January transfer window, the Magpies should be looking to bring in an elite forward to complete their attack for next term.

Described as a ‘perfect’ striker by journalist Aaron West after Sunday’s display, Osimhen would bring Newcastle’s attack to another level. After all, he has now scored 16 goals and provided five assists in total so far this season (Transfermarkt).

Also, he is still only 23 years of age, so he coukd spearhead Eddie Howe’s side for many years to come.

In other news, NUFC are now eyeing this shock transfer

Everton are having a nightmare season currently embroiled in a difficult relegation battle with manager Frank Lampard hoping his team can pull themselves into safety and secure Premier League football next season by picking up points over the next few months, but it could be too little too late for some of the players who may have had enough.

What’s the word?

Speaking to Football FanCast, popular transfer insider, Dean Jones, has revealed three players that could potentially leave the club this summer, with one player in particular nailed on to leave Goodison Park when the season ends.

“I think Richarlison is certain to go, Calvert-Lewin might follow him out the door, we’ll have to see about Pickford.”

Richarlison has already been linked over the last week with a move to Manchester United according to Goal.

Another Everton disaster

Everton have been out of luck all season, with injury problems plaguing the team, a managerial sacking and experienced players like Lucas Digne and James Rodriguez leaving the club during the campaign, so the idea that three of the most important players at the club could leave this summer would be a further daunting prospect for the Toffees.

Richarlison has become a key component in the attacking threat for Everton, scoring 47 goals and supplying 12 assists to his team-mates during his time at the club, and losing a player who has become a fan favourite at the club, would not put the owners or the board in the good books at Goodison Park as the relationship between Moshiri and the fans is already extremely fragile.

The pressure is on for Frank Lampard to deliver and secure top-flight football next season for the Merseyside club, and it seems that the pressure could intensify further if the rumours that Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin could follow the £110k-per-week Brazilian striker out of the door should he choose to leave this summer.

Everton are now three points clear of the relegation zone but they are not out of the woods yet, and the former Chelsea boss will be hoping that his team will be fresh, well-rested and ready to go as they make the final push over the next few weeks to avoid relegation this season from the Premier League.

In other news: Insider drops claim on “big” Moshiri “decision” that’ll leave Everton supporters livid