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According to Football Insider, Glasgow Rangers are still interested in Jacob Murphy – but Newcastle may not let him go until very close to the end of the transfer window.

The Gers have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old, who cost the Toon £12m in 2017.

Now, this latest report says the Ibrox outfit are still interested – but the Magpies may not let him leave until the end of the window.

After eight goals and eight assists for Norwich in 37 games in the Championship, Newcastle decided to take him to St. James’ Park, but he has so far managed just one strike in 41 games for the north-east outside. He did manage nine goals in 39 games on loan at Sheffield Wednesday last term, but again, that is far from eye-catching.

The case for Murphy, though, is squad depth and versatility. He can play on both the right-wing and the left-wing, meaning that his presence in the side could allow Ianis Hagi to move into attacking midfield, whilst he could also provide cover for Ryan Kent.

Currently valued at £3.15m by Transfermarkt, the Gers need to be careful they do not overstretch themselves financially – it is reported that Steve Bruce and co want a £1m loan fee for the campaign, whilst they also want any club that signs him to cover his £40,000-a-week wages. Having said that, Murphy could be an important addition in the Gers’ quest for the title.

Let us know what you think below!

Leeds United may be on the verge of signing Illan Meslier to a long-term deal, but they appear to have their eyes on another goalkeeping option, according to emerging reports.

What’s the word?

AlAireLibre claim that Marcelo Bielsa is lining up a move for Manchester City veteran Claudio Bravo, who is out of contract at the end of the current campaign.

The 37-year-old has won the Premier League, two League Cups and two Community Shields since he joined the Citizens in 2016.

His deal at the Etihad Stadium is reportedly a whopping £80k-per-week, which puts him earning more than first-choice stopper Edersonm Phil Foden and the same as Joao Cancelo, as per Spotrac.

Repeat mistake

Leeds and overpaid veteran goalkeepers, we’ve been here before right?

This feels all too similar to the swoop for former Real Madrid man Kiko Casilla, in the end, it has cost the club £40k-a-week in wages and it probably hasn’t been worth it.

Throughout the season he was lambasted for mistakes before it culminated in an eight-match ban for racial abuse, leaving many, including The Athletic’s Phil Hay, believing his time is done at Elland Road.

During his absence, Meslier stepped up and proved worthy of the number one jersey, managing to keep six clean sheets in nine appearances, per Transfermarkt.

Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta must be smart with their transfer business this summer as Leeds simply cannot afford to follow the same path of the likes of Fulham and Norwich in recent seasons.

Their move for Casilla was a financial gamble, just the same as it was with Jean-Kevin Augustin and his obligatory £19m fee.

A move for Bravo just doesn’t make any financial or footballing sense whatsoever.

AND in other news, Phil Hay reveals how many players Leeds CEO thinks they’ll sign this summer…

The proposed takeover of Newcastle United has been put into doubt by David Sugden, director of corporate affairs at the beIN Media Group, after he claimed that if Saudi Arabia secured a place in English football’s top table, it would be like “letting the fox into the hen house”.

The company’s response to the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) report on the Middle Eastern country’s protection of intellectual property rights was published by the Financial Times as the outlet explained why the piracy ruling from the body raised a new doubt over whether the prospective deal between Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-led group and current club owner Mike Ashley would still be approved by the Premier League.

Sophie Jordan, general counsel at beIN Media Group, also added her tuppence worth into the ruling by claiming that Qatar’s accusations of the Kingdom were “not allegations” and she described the WTO as “one of the most important international tribunals” as they made their decision on the accusations against the Saudis.

Indeed, the crown prince of the country and head of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is one of the main front runners in trying to get the £300m bid over the line alongside businesswoman and head of PCP Capital Partners Staveley as well as the billionaire Reuben brothers, who are based in London.

However, due to MBS’s associations with Saudi Arabia, in addition to the pirate television channel beoutQ – which broadcasts and streams English top flight games illegally – also being accused of being associated with the country, the Premier League now have a big decision to make as to whether they should approve of the takeover at St. James’ Park given the findings.

Geordies, are you worried that the takeover won’t go through? Comment below with your views!

Celtic are officially the Scottish Premiership champions after the SPFL cut short the season.

The decision was taken at a board meeting earlier today after all 12 top-flight teams agreed last week that ending the current campaign was unfeasible.

Average points-per-game has been used to decide the final standings, which sees Hearts relegated to the Championship and Rangers finish some 13 points behind the Hoops.

SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan congratulated Celtic and sent considerations to the Jam Tarts, claiming there was “no realistic option but to call [the season]”.

Bhoys skipper Scott Brown has been celebrating the triumph on social media after he posted a 12-word message to Twitter – and much of the Celtic Park faithful have been going nuts in his replies.

The 34-year-old has captained the squad to each of their nine titles in the historic run and many would love to see him make it ten next season.

He had featured in a whopping 50 matches this season, potentially showing that he’s still got plenty in his locker.

The greatest rivalry in world football: Test your Old Firm derby knowledge below…

Here’s how fans reacted to his tweet…

AND in other news, Celtic fans are missing this former Parkhead star…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Paul Robinson has told Football Insider that Joe Gomez is “struggling” to deal with being a bit-part player at Anfield this season.

What did he say?

Gomez was included in the starting line-up for Liverpool against Napoli on Wednesday night, but he looked far from his best against the Italian side, managing a SofaScore rating of just 6.7.

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Former England goalkeeper Robinson has been speaking about the 22-year-old, and he believes he is finding it difficult on Merseyside considering the lack of playing time he is receiving. He said: “I think it’s due to him not playing. I think it’s because he played so much last year, I don’t think he’s coped well with being out of the team, I don’t think he’s coped well with bit-parts.

“Joe Gomez has found it hard to get back in the team and because he’s such a young lad, it’s the first time he’s probably had this in his career, I think he’s struggling with being a bit-part player.

“When he was playing last season, he was consistent, playing week in, week out. This year when he’s come in, he’s having to play right-back at times, centre-half, then he’s on the bench again for two or three games. I don’t think it’s suited him.”

A move could benefit him

Indeed, Gomez has had a difficult time of it so far this campaign.

The incident with Raheem Sterling on international duty, which led to him being booed at Wembley despite him doing nothing wrong, is unlikely to have helped him, but the lack of action he has seen with his club should be the bigger blow.

This campaign, he has started just eight matches in all competitions.

Check out footballers’ biggest fashion disasters in the video below…

He has been linked with a move to Arsenal in the past few months, and with the transfer window just around the corner, a move away from Anfield could benefit him.

As Robinson said, the constant switching between centre-back and right-back is not giving him much chance of developing into the defender he could be. At 22 years of age, it is about time he became a specialist in one position rather than being used as something of a utility man.

Not only that, but his prospects of playing an important role for the Three Lions at Euro 2020 rely on him playing on a regular basis. During the UEFA Nations League run, in which England finished third, Gomez played a part in four of the six matches, but he played just 20 minutes during qualifying for next year’s continental tournament.

Given there is uncertainty at the heart of the back-line – four centre-backs were used during the qualification process – a spot in the starting XI could be up for grabs. Gomez, though, has no chance if he continues to spend so much time on the bench.

Whether Liverpool would be willing to sell him is up for debate, especially considering that Joel Matip is currently out injured, but a move away from Anfield could be the best thing for the £31.5m-rated former Charlton man’s career – as per Transfermarkt.

In January, we will see what the future holds for him.

Meanwhile, John Aldridge expects one Liverpool man to embark on an impressive run.

Leeds United made it a sixth game unbeaten as they defeated Luton Town 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.

Marcelo Bielsa needed a 90th-minute own goal from Matty Pearson to ensure all three points returned to west Yorkshire.

The Whites overtook Preston North End to move into second place, two points behind league leaders West Bromwich Albion, who also won 2-1 at the weekend.

Patrick Bamford opened the scoring with his sixth goal of the season before James Collins headed home an Izzy Brown cross just a few minutes later to tie things up.

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The 26-year-old then got the final touch before the Luton defender put the ball into his own net.

Despite the victory, some members of the travelling support weren’t thrilled, with centre-back Gaetano Berardi coming in for quite a bit of flak.

His lack of pace in defence was the main issue pointed out as one fan claimed that the club would not gain promotion this season if the 31-year-old is playing regularly.

Another member of the Elland Road faithful believes that Berardi’s legs have gone while one more supporter said the defender looked like he was playing in treacle.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

Leicester City are trying to secure the services of Habib Diallo but according to TeamTalk’s exclusive report, both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have now joined the race and will compete with the Foxes for the signature of the coveted forward.

Diallo has already bagged eight goals in 13 appearances in Ligue 1 and would definitely be a big scoop for any of the three big Premier League teams. But just in case Leicester City were to come out short in this transfer bout with their divisional heavyweights, here are three alternatives from across Europe they should consider that would still do more than just a decent job for them.

Moise Kean – Everton

Kean is a familiar name that already has some slight experience in the Premier League.

Even though his transfer to Everton didn’t really go according to plan, the young forward is very much a capable player who could offer some much-needed goal-scoring to this Leicester City side in order to push it one step further.

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Of course, his recent outings with the Toffees wouldn’t really suggest as much but what way to prove his brilliant 2018/19 season with Juventus, during which he scored eight goals in 21 games, was not a fluke than to repeat it at a different club in the Premier League, one that is looking like the real deal under Brendan Rodgers once again?

It took £23.5m to get him to Everton but seeing how he’s been mostly a “flop” during his stay in England, that value could very well go down, which would be ideal for Leicester.

Alfredo Morelos – Rangers FC

Morelos has previously been linked with Leicester City as well so this is nothing particularly new but it is definitely a signing that would make sense for Rodgers’ team.

The 23-year-old forward is as lethal as they come, having bagged 22 goals in 26 games across all competitions in the 2019/20 season, and coming from the Premiership, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say he wouldn’t cost as much as some other big-name European strikers.

The Foxes’ budget should allow it and the quality of the player is not in question. He could definitely represent a worthy alternative to Diallo.

Eldor Shomurodov – Rostov FC

How’s that for a pick you’ve (probably) never heard of?

Shomurodov is a 24-year-old Uzbekistan striker who simply exploded onto the scene over in the Russian Premier League. Of course, plying his trade for Rostov FC, he is not that known to the outside world but that also comes with certain benefits.

If we presume that Leicester would not be willing to fork out extreme sums of money but would still want quality, Shomurodov is actually their guy.

With ten goals in 18 games so far in 2019/20, the 24-year-old forward is lethal enough to shake the Premier League and the Foxes could get an unconventional solution for their attacking line.

Tuesday night provided a game to forget for Sunderland in the EFL Trophy as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Leicester City’s U21 side.

The Black Cats have had an okay at best season so far in Sky Bet League One with them hoping to be challenging for the top two in all honesty.

They’ve not really threatened to do so right now, though, and Jack Ross has lost his job because of that, with Phil Parkinson coming in to replace him.

Parkinson has seen a run of indifferent-at-best results so far, though, and Black Cats fans are evidently concerned that a bit of a shake-up is needed with the squad to get them back in the Championship.

Indeed, last night the manager cut a very frustrated figure as he reflected on the loss, clearly furious at the way his team allowed the young Foxes side to create so many chances.

This certainly got a reaction from the Black Cats’ fan base on Twitter, then, so let’s take a look at some of the best of what has been said:

Tottenham Hotspur fans have backed Dele Alli to get back to his best self as he continues to undergo a poor run of form.

The England international has made seven appearances in all competitions thus far this season and has scored just once, in the 1-1 draw with Watford.

Of course, Spurs have been struggling at the start of the 2019/20 season, winning a mere three games in the league, while they were also thumped 7-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Alli burst onto the scene after his move to Spurs in 2015, scoring 10 goals in the 15/16 season, 22 in 16/17 and 14 in 17/18.

Last season marked a change, however, as he netted just seven times and his struggles have continued into this term.

However, supporters believe that he has the ability to turn it around and have backed him to get back to his best as Mauricio Pochettino’s men look to get back to winning ways.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

After getting rid of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez in the summer, Manchester United have left themselves incredibly short of options up front. Reports in recent weeks have claimed the Red Devils are keen on bringing in reinforcements in the upcoming January transfer window, with suggestions Mario Mandzukic and Callum Wilson are high up on the shortlist.

How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…

The latest man linked with a move to Old Trafford? Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller. The former Germany international who appears to have a long-running arrangement with the Red Devils to have his name consistently linked with a transfer. A deal has failed to materialise before, but with United’s current goal-scoring struggles – they have scored just ten times in the league this season – an approach for the 30-year-old makes all the sense in the world.

On the chalkboard

As Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to implement a fast-paced approach, with an intent on pressing the ball, Muller would be the perfect embodiment of the Norwegian’s vision. The versatile attacker is a work-horse, and has an engine to rival anyone in the world.

His former manager at international level, Jurgen Klinsmann, paid a glowing tribute to the German’s work ethic. He said: “There’s isn’t a team in the world that wouldn’t like to have Thomas Muller on its side. He is mentally strong, a very smart player who always seems able to find space, but physically he is in great shape as well. He is the one who runs the most kilometres but he makes it look easy, even the heat doesn’t seem to affect him.”

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His current boss at Bayern, Niko Kovac, even described him as “intangible” and that “he helps everywhere, which makes him so valuable”. And that’s exactly the kind of player Solskjaer would undoubtedly appreciate. Working hard for the team, committed to the cause, and never one to let the team down. After all the drama surrounding Lukaku and Sanchez, Muller would be a welcome breath of fresh air.

He would hustle and harry the opposition defence, and his movement is unparalleled. Joachim Low remarked that the 6 foot 1 man is a “very unorthodox player” and that his unpredictable lines of running made him a particularly dangerous striker. Solskjaer has made it publicly known he wants both Rashford and Martial to score more scrappy goals like he did. Muller does exactly that.

So despite being in his thirties, Muller’s actual style of play makes him the ultimate fit for Solskjaer’s side.