Rangers supporters have been pretty downbeat in recent times after seeing their team suffer their first defeat under Steven Gerrard just prior to the current two-week international break.

The Gers had made a very encouraging start to life under the 38-year-old in qualifying for the group stages of the Europa League and embarking on an unbeaten start to the domestic campaign, only for bitter rivals Celtic to somewhat spoil the party. An Olivier Ntcham strike was enough to seal a deserved 1-0 victory for the Bhoys at Parkhead last time out to condemn the Light Blues to their first loss of the campaign, which saw them fall four points behind Brendan Rodgers’ side at this very early stage of the Scottish Premiership season.

Thus, there have been some despondent Rangers fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom have taken to Twitter recently to demand that their club do not land striker Darren Bent, who admitted that he would ‘100%’ sign for Gerrard’s men if offered the chance.

And while the £900,000-rated forward (as per Transfermarkt) hasn’t been at his best for some time now, those Rangers fans are wrong to suggest that he would not benefit the Gers side – in fact, his arrival could prove to be a masterstroke.

Ultimately, the 34-year-old has struggled to produce his best form in recent times, not least last season at Championship side Burton Albion in which he netted just twice in 15 appearances for the Brewers, who eventually lost their second tier status.

And while that disappointment is sure to be fresh in the minds of Rangers supporters, they mustn’t forget that it was only a few years ago in which Bent was banging in the goals for Derby County in the Championship, scoring ten times in just 15 games in the 2014/15 season, before reaching double figures again two seasons later.

Add in his incredible goal-scoring record at Premier League level, with the former England international part of an elite club to have netted in excess of 100 times in the English top-flight, and the 34-year-old could prove to be a huge asset to Gerrard’s side – one does not lose that goal-scoring touch.

And it’s not just on the pitch in which Bent could benefit Rangers, but it’s off the field as well given the striker has 277 Premier League appearances, 138 Championship games, and 12 England caps worth of experience to call upon from his career to date – that could be invaluable in a Rangers team seeking to get back to the top of Scottish football.

Yes, at the age of 34, Bent’s best football is likely to be behind him, but given his prolific goal-scoring form throughout his career, alongside the vast amounts of experience he would bring to Gerrard’s squad, adding the striker to the Gers squad could prove to be a transfer masterstroke by the Rangers hierarchy, as were he to re-discover even some of his best form, he will score plenty of goals at Scottish Premiership level.

Rangers fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Though the transfer window has shut, the insatiable need for the market rumbles on around the footballing globe, such is the crazy amount of interest the proverbial ‘silly season’ brings to fans.

Indeed, like it or not, transfers and everything that goes with them are one of the major strands of the general footballing narrative. Especially in the digital age, where every supporter can be clued up about potential incomings or outgoings very quickly.

However, what about those mega deals that didn’t quite come off? Here, in our The one who got away series, we’ll take a look at perhaps the most surprising transfers to have fallen at the final hurdle.

Tottenham – Samuel Eto’o – 2001

Writing on Bleacher Report back in 2014, former Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle revealed he was keen to bring Cameroonian forward Samuel Eto’o to North London. Indeed, back in 2001, the African superstar hadn’t yet hit the heights he’d soar at during his stints with Barcelona and Inter Milan, though was certainly a hot prospect.

Hoddle reportedly wanted to make Eto’o one of his first signings at White Hart Lane in 2001 when the striker was cutting his teeth with Real Mallorca. A product of the Real Madrid youth academy, the Cameroon star found it hard to break into the first-team at the Santiago Bernabeu, moving to Real Mallorca to get his chance.

By 2001, he was one of the most exciting marksmen in the world but his career-defining move to Barcelona was still three years off, so there was certainly a chance to get him. In fact, as Hoddle wrote, he felt he had ‘lined up’ a swoop for the striker, who would have arrived into an attacking line featuring the likes of Teddy Sheringham and Les Ferdinand.

That kind of grounding and experience would really have helped Eto’o find his feet in England, as well as give Hoddle the kind of hard-working, yet potent, attacker fans would adore.

However, Hoddle writes his attempts to land the future double-treble winner were ‘thwarted’ due to some negative scouting reports he’d heard, though stressed that Daniel Levy wasn’t the problem.

‘Before anyone jumps to conclusions, this is not something to which I am pointing a finger at the chairman Daniel Levy”, he makes a point of writing.

Levy is often either lauded or blamed for the varying success of Tottenham’s transfer activity. When deals work, he’s a genius, when summers don’t go to plan – as the most recent one didn’t – he’s not prepared to back his club. Though perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle, it seems this is a problem Tottenham have suffered for years, pointing to a more systematic issue, rather than an individual one.

Eto’o would ultimately move to England with Chelsea and Everton in the autumn of his career before continuing his seemingly never-ending, world-touring, extended retirement party rolled on but things could have been so different.

Everton could send Fraser Hornby out on loan in January after a handful of clubs expressed an interest in signing the 18-year-old, according to The Sun on Sunday (September 16, page 63).

What’s the word?

The teenager has been at the Merseyside outfit since 2014 when he joined the club’s academy from Northampton Town.

Over the last few weeks, the striker has impressed on the international stage by scoring five goals across two games for the Scotland Under-21s.

The Sun on Sunday (September 16, page 63) reports that a number of clubs are keen to sign Hornby on loan in January.

However, Everton should consider giving the youngster a chance in the first team this season to help his development.

Why hold back on a loan arrangement?

Hornby is in a rich vein of form at the moment, so it could be beneficial for manager Marco Silva to include him in the first-team squad.

The teenager has only made one appearance for the senior side – in the Europa League – but he could learn some valuable experience playing in cup competitions this season.

Depending on how he progresses in the 2018-19 campaign, Everton should revisit a possible loan move next summer.

Hornby should at least get a taste of the Toffees’ first team before going to another club and trying to break through elsewhere.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”297163″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts MythBusting Rashford & Spurs Headache”]

Arsenal fans are hoping manager Unai Emery’s impressive record in the Europa League could lead the Gunners to their first ever European trophy this season.

Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Vorskla on Thursday evening was the Spaniard’s 32nd win in the competition since its original inception in 1971.

Emery won the Europa League for three consecutive years between 2013 and 2016 during his tenure at Spanish club Sevilla.

And Arsenal fans are now hoping Emery can give them what Wenger never could, a big European trophy. After beating Vorskla the Gunners still have to face off with Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon and Qarabag from Azerbaijan.

The Gunners managed to make it to the competition’s semi-final last season before losing out on a place in the final to Atletico Madrid.

Here are some Twitter reactions by Arsenal fans to Emery’s record:

According to The Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds midfielder Adam Forshaw is poised to start against Sheffield Wednesday on Friday. 

The midfielder is racing back to fitness after a broken foot, but manager Marcelo Bielsa obviously deems him ready to start for The Peacocks.

Leeds suffered their first loss in the Championship last Saturday at the hands of Birmingham, and there were some worrying signs in that game. For the second time this season, 22-year-old central midfielder Kalvin Phillips was substituted before half time, which must be a major concern for fans.

His manager has refused to place any blame on a particular player, but there is the sense that Phillips may have a spell on the sidelines, with Forshaw to fill in. But rushing a player back so soon is surely another worrying sign for Leeds supporters as it is showing how limited their choices are.

The team have been dealt some tough injuries so far this season, and are running thin on the ground in some positions. Turning to Forshaw shows Bielsa’s hand to opposing teams, that he is low on ideas and needs to shake his team up.

One of the main criticisms of Leeds from the beginning of the season was their lack of depth in some places, and that has already come to haunt them. However, with other options like Lewis Baker to fill in, Bielsa certainly doesn’t need to enter desperation mode just yet.

Leeds travel across Yorkshire on Friday to face The Owls, knowing that a loss could see them slump potentially into sixth place, and would pile on the misery for Bielsa.

[ad_pod ]

Aston Villa are on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Steve Bruce on Wednesday and there is already plenty of speculation regarding potential replacements.

The Championship promotion hopefuls have seen their top-six ambitions come under threat following a run of just one victory in their last ten matches in all competitions, raising the importance of needing to come to the right decision.

Headlines have already been grabbed by Villa’s reported interest in Shakhtar Donetsk boss Paulo Fonseca, who has earned plenty of plaudits for his success with the Ukrainian side and the style of football he has adopted.

Luring Fonseca away from Champions League football to the second-tier of English football is a tough ask but would certainly send a statement of intent to the rest of the division, and the reports have gone down well with Villa fans.

We have gathered some of the best reactions to Villa’s Fonseca interest below.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”301458″ player=”12034″ title=”The Problem With Paul Pogba”]

[ad_pod ]

West Ham are poised to hand Pablo Zabaleta a one-year contract extension and he could now end his career at the club, Claret & Hugh reports. 

What’s the word?

Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham side have shown plenty of improvements in recent weeks to get back on track after a poor start to the season, and one of the best performers for the Hammers has been veteran full-back Pablo Zabaleta.

The Argentina international has retained his first-team spot ahead of summer signing Ryan Fredericks, who has been slightly naive when he has been on the field, rekindling the fine reputation he enjoyed with Pellegrini during the pair’s time at Manchester City – and a contract extension is on the horizon.

Claret & Hugh reports that Zabaleta will earn a one-year extension to his contract, which expires at the end of the season, if he makes 25 appearances this term – and it seems highly likely that the 33-year-old will not lose his spot in the side on current form.

The right move?

Signing Fredericks on a free transfer from Fulham in the summer has given West Ham added depth in defence and hands the Hammers a long-term successor to Zabaleta, but it has been clear in recent weeks that the veteran full-back still has plenty left in his tank.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”303880″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Fixture in Focus Liverpool v Man City”]

Securing the 33-year-old to a new deal would be a wise move for Pellegrini’s side, as Zabaleta has established himself as an important member of the squad and a fan favourite following his fine defensive displays.

His experience at the back is vital, particularly for younger players like Declan Rice, and his performances this season show there is no reason why West Ham should allow him to leave the London Stadium for nothing at the end of the campaign.

[ad_pod ]Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas confirmed on his Twitter account on Monday evening that Southampton had appointed Cherif Oudjani as their new head of scouting in France.

What’s the word, then?

Well, reports emerged at the end of September that the Algerian was set to arrive at St Mary’s in a scouting role having impressed the club’s hierarchy, with a suggestion that he could become their ‘head of scouting’.

However, in his tweet Thomas has moved to dismiss those suggestions and instead says he will spearhead their search for talent in France, where they haven’t had the best of luck when it comes to signing players from Ligue 1 clubs in recent years.

The 53-year-old certainly comes with great pedigree for the job seeing as he played there between 1983 and 2002, as well as working in a similar position for RC Lens.

What will happen next?

Following the disappointing additions of the likes of Jeremy Pied, Sofiane Boufal and Guido Carrillo from over the English Channel in recent years, it is clear to see that Southampton need some work on their scouting in the country of the World Cup holders, and Oudjani looks to be a positive appointment.

Of course, not all of the south coast outfit’s purchases from France have been a disaster, and they had a successful seven seasons from Morgan Schneiderlin following his move from Strasbourg, before he was sold on to Manchester United.

With their academy graduates drying up and following many questionable acquisitions in the last couple of years, Saints will be hoping that Oudjani can help them discover some talent that can make a difference in their first-team, and perhaps even discover the next Schneiderlin for them and the fans, who have reacted to a loaned-out star shining for his club with one saying they would be “more than happy to see him come back”.

It’s been a fairly inconsistent start to the season for Tottenham, as after a summer where they failed to bring in any new players, Pochettino’s side started well but over recent weeks, Spurs haven’t played incredibly well, most recently only beating Cardiff 1-0. 

They face a tough game against West Ham this weekend, who have recently seen their form improve following a tough start to the season. With Marko Arnautovic and Felipe Anderson, West Ham have a duo that could cause Spurs some serious problems. According to the Evening Standard, Robert Snodgrass could beat an ankle injury to return for this weekend’s game.

While he may not have scored in the league this year, Snodgrass is still an important player for the side and has played eight games for Pellegrini this year.

The Breakdown

Spurs travel to the Olympic Stadium without Jan Vertonghen and with Christian Eriksen still struggling with a stomach injury. The injury will come as a worry to Pochettino as the Dane has been out since September 22nd and with Harry Kane struggling for form, the Argentinian needs as much as help as he can get.

Despite beating Huddersfield and Cardiff, Spurs are about to enter an incredibly tough stage of their season as they face Man City, Wolves, Inter Milan and Arsenal over the next month or so.

With Snodgrass returning to the side and with the troublesome duo of Felipe Anderson and Marko Arnautovic up front, Tottenham could well be in for a scare this weekend.

Spurs fans, what do you think? 

According to The Birmingham Mail, Tottenham’s Josh Onomah has received scathing criticism from fans while on loan at Sheffield Wednesday. 

The attacker has been described by fans as lazy and anonymous, although manager Jos Luhukay has said he is “very happy with him”.

However, this is the sort of response that The Lilywhites do not want to receive from their loan stars. The 21-year-old was sent on loan to increase his playing time, but he has only started five games so far this season for The Owls.

Not only will this criticism not reflect well upon the player, but it throws his Tottenham future into jeopardy. He has struggled to take his chance under Mauricio Pochettino, and this will only dent his chances of making a good impression.

Furthermore, Tottenham certainly appear to be thin on the ground in terms of players this season, apart from Onomah’s position. Spurs are blessed with a number of attacking midfielders who are playing particularly well. With the likes of Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Érik Lamela, Lucas Moura and Heung-min Son all battling it out to occupy those positions, Onomah would find it almost impossible to break into Pochettino’s starting XI.

Although it is likely that the 21-year-old will return to Tottenham at the end of the season, his long term future with The Lilywhites remains much less clear. There have been a number of players in recent years that haven’t quite made the grade after going out on loan, and Onomah may be one of them. This recent criticism will certainly not help his cause.