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According to The Sun, Manchester United are keeping tabs on both Kingsley Coman and Jadon Sancho as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seeks to bolster his wide options.

What’s the word?

Solskjaer’s side already secured the signing of Amad Diallo from Serie A side Atalanta in the January transfer window but now it seems that they want more.

United are currently second-placed in the Premier League, with the Red Devils putting three past Newcastle to move 10 points behind Manchester City.

However, Solskjaer is still keen to add further reinforcements to his squad this summer as he targets a first Premier League title for the club since Sir Alex Ferguson last won one in 2013 and he has identified Coman and Sancho as two of his top targets.

Coman or Sancho?

But the likelihood is it’ll be either-or for Ed Woodward. So, who should be the top target for the Red Devils and why?

In Coman, who is nearly four years older than Sancho, United would land a player with bags of experience at the top level of the game.

Sancho, however, could be the difference-maker to add a spark in their attack which has often been accused of looking rather one-dimensional due to their over-reliance on Bruno Fernandes.

Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, given Fernandes’ excellent goal return for the Red Devils, but if United opt for Sancho and stick him on the right wing, he’ll likely score goals. Lots of goals.

The England international has scored 44 goals and recorded 59 assists across 128 appearances in all competitions. By comparison, Coman has provided fewer goals and assists in over 180 appearances for Bayern Munich.

It’s been an open secret Solskjaer has harboured a long-standing interest in the 20-year-old monster, with the club trying to persuade the highly-rated right winger to move to Old Trafford on more than one occasion, but ultimately to no avail. Reports in recent times have revealed that he could only cost the club £50m in a cut-price deal.

If we compare the attacking duo this term, it’s close but no cigar. Sancho is still edging Coman in almost every area. Coman is averaging just 1.7 key passes per game whereas Sancho has made 2.3 key passes.

Perhaps crucially, the latter also surpasses the 24-year-old in terms of dribbles per match in the Bundesliga (3.2). For context, that’s more than other United player in the Premier League this season thus far, which suggests that he’d offer a greater attacking threat.

It may seem like we’re in danger of repeating ourselves but it’s growing increasingly evident that Woodward must sanction a swoop for Sancho in the summer after he scored against Schalke at the weekend.

AND in other news, Man Utd’s Victor Lindelof let Ole Gunnar Solskjaer down on Sunday…

Look at Celtic’s season and you will notice a whole host of issues. The first, of course, is their performances on the field.
To put things simply, the Hoops have been diabolical. They are 23 points behind Rangers and any chance of securing a tenth title in a row have surely disappeared.
A big reason behind that has not only been Neil Lennon’s management but also his defence. Celtic have conceded 13 more goals than Steven Gerrard’s men, while they also let in a massive haul of 19 strikes during their Europa League campaign.
There is another issue deeper beneath the surface though. Even with the Bhoys in such a rut, their young players are finding it difficult to earn first-team opportunities.
Had 13 players not had to self isolate at the beginning of the year then Cameron Harper and Karamoko Dembele would still be awaiting their first opportunities of the campaign. Attacking midfielder Ewan Henderson would not have been given a chance either.
Lennon seemingly doesn’t like utilising the young players and because of their lack of game time, some of them are now on the verge of leaving. Dembele’s contract expires at the end of the season and with Harper facing the same eventuality, he is set to sign for the New York Red Bulls.
For the striker to conclude that he’d be better off developing his career in the United States should be an insult to Hoops supporters. Though, who can blame him for wanting to return home? He has made just one senior outing in the famous green and white.
Clearly, he is not going to breakthrough any time soon.
If Lennon does indeed get the sack, then one manager could help solve that problem. That happens to be Frank Lampard. Pat Nevin talked up his credentials for the job last week and it was his work with young players at Chelsea that earned him the most praise.
Speaking about Lampard during his first season in the hot seat at Stamford Bridge, former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers said: “I have been really impressed watching the team. Okay, they have lost their first couple of games but the tempo of their game is good. They are obviously going to play at a higher intensity and tempo in their game.”
“Frank understands the policy at the club, how it works and will be looking to bring in some of the young players which he has done. He has given them an opportunity. You have to admire that.”
Lampard had to endure a transfer ban in his first campaign with the Blues and as a result, he brought through the likes of Tammy Abraham, Billy Gilmour, Reece James, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori.
At one stage last season, Lampard fielded an XI of players with an average age of just 24.3 – a statistic that ended up being the fourth most inexperienced side of the whole Premier League campaign.
On top of that, the 42-year-old utilised only four players over the age of 30; Olivier Giroud, Pedro, Willian and goalkeeper Willy Caballero.
Clearly, the way Lampard sets his stall out would be beneficial for Celtic’s youth players. The Bhoys may have fielded a squad with the average age of 24.2 at one point this term but that was made up predominantly of young players they’d signed – rather than academy players.
With individuals like Harper and Dembele looking likely to leave, Celtic really need to start putting more onus on those below first-team level.
Hiring a manager like Lampard would undoubtedly improve that problem.

AND in other news, Desmond could revolutionise Celtic by replacing Lennon with 62 y/o “architect”…

Aston Villa narrowly avoided defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium on Saturday after the hosts squandered several chances to take the lead.

Dean Smith had a lot to thank his goalkeeper Emi Martinez for at the final whistle after a string of first-class saves (nine to be precise) ensured the Villans extended their unbeaten run to two games in a row after a patchy run of form.

The result means that Villa lie eighth in the table, level on points with Tottenham Hotspur and just four points behind fourth-placed Liverpool with two games in hand over the defending Premier League champions.

Smith singled out praise for his first-choice stopper after the game and said “it was a one-man show at times” following his heroics in the 0-0 draw with Graham Potter’s side on Saturday. However, we feel someone else deserves a special mention as well.

That just so happens to be Tyrone Mings, a player who has gone from playing non-league football for Chippenham Town to earning four England caps since returning to the Premier League with AFC Bournemouth.

The former Cherries star was given the task of keeping the likes of Neil Maupay and Leandro Trossard at bay for most of the game and he managed to keep them in his back pocket for the most part.

Maupay is the Seagulls’ top scorer this season with a tally of seven goals but Mings largely kept him under control as he struggled to have much of an impact – the Frenchman’s tally of 13 total passes was the lowest of any starter for Brighton on the day.

During the full 90′ minutes, Mings made eleven clearances, which was more than any other player including Martinez and at least seven more than his closest rival in the form of Brighton defender Lewis Dunk (4).

Only Matt Targett (2) and Ahmed El-Mohamady (2) made more tackles than Mings in the entire game. In terms of blocking shots, only Ezri Konsa blocked more shots than the 27-year-old. He also wasn’t dribbled past at all, which shows that he was a difficult presence to get back and a testament to how the Seagulls were reluctant to take him on one v one.

Despite their best efforts, Brighton couldn’t break down a determined Villa defence which was well marshalled by the England international. Maupay tried time and time again to break the deadlock, but he couldn’t even manage a single shot on target, which was a testament to Mings’ defensive shift at the back.

The towering colossus, who currently earns around £25,000-per-week at Villa Park, has quietly gone about his business this season but it may no be too long before one of the Premier League’s giants come calling for his signature in the summer.

Manchester United have recently been credited with an interest in the Englishman though whether Villa will be willing to entertain offers for one of their star players remains to be seen.

While Martinez may take home the headlines for his performance, it was Mings who arguably Smith’s unsung hero.

According to The Daily Record, Glasgow Rangers target Jack Simpson has agreed a Bosman move to Steven Gerrard’s side, which could spell bad news for George Edmundson in regards to his future prospects.

What’s the word?

The Rangers centre-back has struggled for game time this season having fallen out of favour with Gerrard after he served a lengthy suspension for breaching coronavirus restrictions.

Gerrard is currently blessed with great defensive options again, with Leon Balogun and Filip Helander jostling for the position alongside Connor Goldson, so it’s no surprise that Edmundson finds himself at the bottom of the pecking order, as he has made just one substitute appearance in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, averaging a miserable 5.52 rating overall.

Following the news that Rangers have agreed a pre-contract deal with Simpson, it is within the realm of possibility that the 23-year-old could find himself heading for the Ibrox exit, considering the Gers also have Nikola Katic on their books, with Gerrard recently confirming that the Croatian is progressing nicely in his recovery from injury.

When one door opens, another closes

Rangers signed Edmundson from Oldham Athletic on a four-year deal for a fee in the region of £700,000 in 2019.

Since then, he has made 16 appearances for the 54-time Scottish champions, scoring twice and supplying an assist in all competitions.

Gerrard had insisted that Edmundson could still find a way back into the first team in the future, saying:

“I think the important thing here was to get the players out of the isolation period, first and foremost. Then it was about sitting down with the players face-to-face to gauge a reaction to how they feel and where they were at.

“I spoke to them both individually and they were both very sad over the incident, they were remorseful, apologetic and full of regret. They first and foremost wanted to apologise to the supporters and their team-mates for their actions.
“In my position, it was time to support these two players once I saw that reaction. It was the reaction I wanted to see.
“Now it’s about me giving them the support and managing them to come back to top players because they are good players, we need them here to help and support us moving forward.”

However, reports in recent weeks have revealed Rangers will consider a January loan exit for Edmundson as he hasn’t played despite returning from suspension.

Having excelled for Bournemouth, the Scottish giants have taken a gamble on Simpson and it’s fair to say that they could be duly rewarded. He is currently averaging more tackles and clearances per game than Edmundson, which suggests that he could be a significant upgrade on the Rangers outcast. He’s currently valued at £1m but Rangers are getting him for free.

If Edmundson can’t re-establish himself in the first team at all between now and the end of this season, then it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see him leave for pastures new in the near future.

AND in other news, Filip Helander proved a point to Steven Gerrard with his performance against Ross County…

Celtic are ready to open talks to try and sign QPR forward Bright Osayi-Samuel, according to reports.

Osayi-Samuel to Parkhead?

The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Glasgow giants in recent weeks, and suggestions were made that Neil Lennon’s side were making the initial steps to bring Osayi-Samuel to Parkhead at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

During the current campaign, the right-winger has scored twice and provided three assists in 18 appearances in all competitions (TransferMarkt), averaging 2.9 dribbles and 1.3 shots per game (Whoscored).

Oyasi-Samuel’s statistics with the ball are impressive, with Ryan Christie topping the Celtic charts with just two dribbles per game (Whoscored).

According to Football Insider, Lennon is ready to begin negotiations with the winger, who was described as “dangerous” by QPR manager Sam Warburton.

The report added that Celtic are keen to take advantage of cross-border rules, which means that the Hoops could capture Oyasi-Samuel on a free transfer with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Oyasi-Samuel, who is valued at £3.15m, would be a fantastic addition to Lennon’s team. Not only that, but his attacking prowess would be hugely beneficial.

The fact that he has superior attacking statistics than Ryan Christie is impressive – at the age of just 22, he could have a long future at Parkhead.

Celtic must get this deal wrapped up – a pre-contractual agreement in line for a summer move would be very astute business.

In other news, Peter Lawwell gives green light to offer new contract to key Celtic asset.

Very rarely do we end up questioning Celtic.

Over the last ten years, they have been dominant, winning nine SPFL titles in a row.

However, this season looks as though it could pan out differently. That’s because Rangers are currently 11 points clear at the top of the table. There are a host of problems within the Parkhead ranks, but how can they solve them?

On the chalkboard

It’s not often we ask where the goals have gone in this Celtic team but beyond Odsonne Edouard this season, there appears to be a concerning lack.

Of course, Mohamed Elyounoussi has found form and scored a hat-trick recently, but the performances of Albian Ajeti are becoming a colossal concern.

The £4.5m summer signing scored five goals in his opening six games for the Hoops, but his displays have dropped off at an alarming rate.

He has now failed to score in his last eight outings and against Hibernian last weekend he was isolated and afforded few goal-scoring chances.

With Neil Lennon’s job under pressure, he needs to find a remedy soon.

Klimala at the ready

It’s taken a long time for the Polish striker to be ready but there is now no better excuse than to give him regular match action for the first time in Glasgow.

Patryk Klimala looked sloppy and wasn’t really up to scratch with the British game when he joined in January but he’s shown some strong signs in 2020/21, so much so that he simply has to be considered over the out of form Ajeti.

Why? Because he’s bulked up in terms of his stature and has three goals from just two starts all season. Remarkably, Klimala has played only 13 minutes in the Europa League this season, but that’s the competition where Lennon has to utilise him first.

The Pole must use Thursday as an audition to put himself right at the forefront of the manager’s plans, because in his minimal game time this season, he has been impressive.

Speaking about Klimala at the beginning of the season, Lennon said: “Patryk worked hard again. There are aspects of his game he needs to improve on.”

He continued: “It can be difficult coming to a new environment but he’s made his point and he’s headstrong. He wants to be part of it and wants to bulldoze in and make a contribution, so we are happy with that.”

So, what better occasion to throw him into the starting XI than in Europe?

It surely can’t get any worse than Ajeti showed last Saturday. Celtic need change in attack.

In other news, Celtic may be about to FINALLY replace Scott Sinclair…

Carlo Ancelotti must afford Anthony Gordon his time to shine at Goodison Park amid reports Everton will not sanction a mid-season loan for the “quality” midfielder.

What’s the word?

According to the Liverpool Echo, Gordon has attracted keen admirers from both at home and abroad but will be denied a potential temporary switch away from Merseyside in the January window.

Everton chiefs held firm in rejecting loan approaches for the 19-year-old talent throughout the summer and are expected to similarly rebuff any inquires at the turn of the year, despite chances to feature being few and far between under Ancelotti thus far this term.

The Italian has afforded Gordon just 32 minutes of Premier League football and been omitted from five of his 18-man squads, while also left out of the matchday plans for October’s 4-1 Carabao Cup rout of West Ham United after recording three assists in the prior two rounds.

Gordon is said to be relaxed over his situation at present and confident that he will regain a spot in Ancelotti’s thinking, providing he maintains high standards in training with the ex-Real Madrid boss placing a great deal of importance on the sessions at Finch Farm.

Time to shine

It is noted that Gordon did not hesitate to accept an offer to feature in David Unsworth’s Under 23s as they beat Chelsea last Sunday, having struggled to regain a spot in Ancelotti’s plans, but his exceptional display showed the teen star to now be performing at a higher level than the Premier League 2.

If Everton chiefs are thinking along the same lines, Ancelotti must realise that it is time to see Gordon shine in the senior side on a regular basis rather than drip-feeding him minutes on a here-and-there basis that will not allow the Liverpool-born prospect to settle.

Ancelotti has spoken admirably of Gordon’s potential when the academy graduate has featured for the first-team previously, noting in July via the official Everton website: “Anthony is doing well. He is young but showing good personality and character, when he plays from the start or goes on as a substitute.

“I have a lot of confidence in him. He is a player for now and for the future. He just needs to play to increase his confidence. He has quality. He can improve his knowledge, but he is ready to play in the Premier League without a problem.”

Ancelotti again spoke highly of Gordon in September, when the wide midfielder knocked on his door seeking answers to why he had been overlooked on the opening weekend of the season.

“He wanted an explanation and so I explained to him the squad is really competitive and sometimes it can happen that the players are not involved,” Ancelotti said, via quotes by the Liverpool Echo.

“But this doesn’t mean I don’t believe in them. I believe and so he had the opportunity against Salford to show us his quality, he took the opportunity because he played really well.”

Chances have continued to be scarce since those comments and if Everton are to reject loan approaches for Gordon in January, then Ancelotti must afford the £4.5m-rated prospect far more chances than he has currently offered.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti is set for a major £18m boost over Everton’s “courageous” dynamo.

Theo Walcott may have played his final Everton game already, having hinted at a move into coaching during his spell on loan with boyhood club Southampton.

The attacker returned to St. Mary’s on Deadline Day after the Saints struck a deal with Everton that sees the Goodison Park natives continue to pay £45,000 of the 31-year-old’s £100,000-per-week contract.

His terms are set to expire at the end of the season, though, and it is unlikely that a new deal is tabled having fallen down the pecking order under Carlo Ancelotti, with just 950 minutes of action handed to the former Arsenal star since the Italian’s appointment.

Walcott is yet to fully establish himself in the first-team fold at Southampton following his return to the south coast, with Ralph Hasenhuttl starting the attacker against Chelsea and seeing him assist in the 3-3 draw only to then be without the ex-England ace in victory over Everton.

But Walcott has revealed that he has been working closely with Hasenhuttl off the pitch since his homecoming, and could continue working with the Saints boss beyond his one-season loan.

“The manager has pulled me to one side a few times and put me in a room to go through a lot of tactics, which is nice to see, just to get my coaching head on, because that’s something in the future I might want to look at,” Walcott told the Saints’ website.

“It’s very interesting. I’m really enjoying my short time working with the manager at the moment and hopefully it can be a long-term thing.”

Along with working with Hasenhuttl, Walcott has been working with Southampton’s young talents and, given his comments, could look to move into a coaching position at the end of the season.

“I want to help the academy graduates coming through now,” Walcott added. “I’m sure they’ve got a lot of questions to ask – quite a few of them have already been asking me things.

“A lot of them have been saying, ‘I watched you at Arsenal and now I’m playing with you’, so that’s a nice touch. I feel like everyone’s a really hard worker.”

Should Walcott not be offered a new contract for next season and leaves Everton, his record at Goodison Park will not be as fruitful as he would have liked when signed for more than £20million by Sam Allardyce in 2018, having scored just 11 times and offered nine assists in 85 games.

He is clearly now looking at the bigger picture, though, and the forward maestro would be a superb addition for Southampton in a player-coach type role given his 47-caps for England, experience competing in the Champions League and 348 career Premier League appearances.

Walcott also has a superb footballing brain, and was hailed by Arsene Wenger during their time at the Emirates Stadium with the former Arsenal boss once noting via Sky Sports: “He has all the ingredients to be a great striker, because of the quality of his runs. He is an intelligent player, a good finisher.”

AND in other news, Marcel Brands can repeat his summer masterclass by landing an Everton-linked £76k-p/w powerhouse.

Glasgow Rangers boss Steven Gerrard believes the club are not “totally through the woods” when it comes to Alfredo Morelos’ future, but the Gers must keep him at all costs.

What’s the word? 

According to The Glasgow Times, Gerrard admitted the ordeal is far from over. He said: “On many occasions, it was a thing I had to manage from day to day because I didn’t know myself whether there was going to be a bid for him or whether he was going to be sold.

“He’s a fantastic player and he’s still in the door. So we will use that to our benefit. How long he is going to be here for I don’t know. There are still certain windows open so I don’t think we are totally out of the woods just yet.

“But from a selfish point of view, I want as many good players available to me from now till the end of the season as I can because it will give me a better chance of being successful. Selfishly, I am happy.”

Much has been made of Morelos’ future at the Ibrox outfit after Rangers rejected an approach from an unnamed Serie A side for the 6-cap Colombia international in the summer. It’s claimed that he wants a brand new contract in return for his loyalty, and Ross Wilson must offer him a bumper new deal to fend off interest from elsewhere.

McCoist 2.0?

Morelos, who is rated at £20m according to The Daily Record, may have been unable to get rid of his derby duck but this didn’t stop him from finishing on the winning side on Saturday. He somehow evaded even a caution after four fouls in the first half.

Speaking to The Sunday Post, Fabio Capello called him an “excellent” player amid interest from AC Milan. The former England manager said “From what I have seen of Morelos myself, I think he is a very strong player, both physically and technically.

“I know the club very well. Ricky Massara and Paolo Maldini (the club’s sporting and technical directors) are very good at their jobs, and if they are following him, then I am sure they consider him to be an excellent player.”

Standing at 1.77m tall, the Colombian is hardly an imposing figure, but he has shown that he is more than capable of holding his own. In fact, Ally McCoist, who is the club’s top goalscorer, was also famous for his aggressive style of play. The legendary Scotsman, who is only slightly taller at 1.78m tall, scored 21 goals in 56 games in Europe.

It’d be a bit of a stretch to say that Morelos is on the same level as McCoist, but he certainly seems to be on the right track. He scored a double in the 5-0 second qualifying round win over Lincoln Red Imps, which means that he has now scored 20 goals in the Europa League over the last three seasons.

Every great forward needs confidence, that’s for sure. The confidence to score goals, the confidence to challenge for the ball, the confidence to confront defenders – these are all of the key ingredients for a successful centre forward. Morelos isn’t exactly of short of confidence, as he has shown on multiple occasions so far.

It’s hard to remember the last time Rangers had a truly world-class player within their ranks. Morelos might not be there just yet, as he still has to work on some aspects of his game. But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t all that far away from being considered to be one of the best centre-forwards in the world.

At any rate, if the Gers are to regain their title, we suspect the Colombian will play his part. Get it done, Gers!

AND in other news, Rangers must keep James Tavernier after Celtic masterclass…

West Ham United could be on the verge of ending their centre-back pursuit as they enter the race for an experienced Premier League colossus…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, the Irons are keen on poaching Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea as he faces uncertainty over his future at the club having been left out by Frank Lampard in recent weeks.

The Telegraph’s reliable Blues correspondent Matt Law claims the 27-year-old is now effectively their fifth-choice centre-back and has been frozen out since the arrival of free-agent Thiago Silva.

Moyes is in the market for a new central defender and he could swoop in for the £36m-rated German on loan.

Ferdinand-like colossus

Ever since the likes of James Tomkins and James Collins departed east London, the centre-back position has been a rather troubling conundrum, even more so with Winston Reid perpetually on the treatment table.

You could argue that the club lack the presence of a Rio Ferdinand-type, someone who can influence from the back in an imposing nature and there were none better than the former fan-favourite.

Rudiger can give the Hammers that and more – ESPN describe the 31-cap international as a “tall, quick and athletic defender who is capable of turning out at centre-back or full-back” who is “comfortable with the ball at his feet and has all the necessary physical attributes to become a top-level centre-back.”

Perhaps the 27-year-old has been unfairly treated across the river as last season he averaged 2.9 aerials won, 2.8 clearances, 1.4 tackles per game, and even managed a passing accuracy of 86.8% from over 70 passes per match too, via WhoScored.

The 6 foot 3 monster has even been likened to Ricardo Carvalho by Garth Crooks, which isn’t a bad one to make given his influence in Chelsea’s title-winning sides.

Although Ferdinand himself isn’t a huge fan of Rudiger having slammed him for “appalling defending” in the past, though Moyes needs a quick solution and bringing him in on loan could provide that.

AND in other news, Hammers could find their new Payet in Serie A wizard…