Despite Chelsea’s Boxing Day win over Watford, the Blues’ problems persist. In particular, Chelsea have a real issue in the attack. Alvaro Morata was not selected once again against the Hornets, and that hints that he’s not a part of Maurizio Sarri’s plans long-term.

So, in January, bringing in a new striker must be a priority for the club, and Argentinian ace Mauro Icardi would surely be the best man for the job.

The Inter Milan ace has enjoyed a couple of stunning seasons over in Serie A, having bagged a whopping 29 goals last term. He’s been in good form this season, too, with 9 league goals already – far more than Alvaro Morata.

It’s not just his goals, though. It’s Icardi’s strength, power and pace that really make his game as good as it is, whilst he’s also very comfortable with the ball at his feet when driving towards goal.

Significantly, at just 25-years-old, Icardi’s a player that is only now getting into the prime of his career, and so the Blues wouldn’t be investing in a talent that is past his best. He’s only going to get better, for a few years at least, and given the long-term plan at Stamford Bridge, that’s important.

Chelsea have yet to replace Diego Costa, and that’s something that will continue to plague them. They can’t rely on Eden Hazard every week, because eventually, he’s going to tire or be unavailable. They need matchwinners. Icardi won’t be cheap, but he’d be a solution – and a fantastic one at that.

Thoughts?

Under Steven Gerrard, Rangers have turned into a side that looks as though they could finally end Celtic’s dominance at the top of the Scottish Premiership. 

Although Rangers crashed out of the Europa League, the club have been superb in the league and currently sit second in the table, one point off Celtic in first. The Gers were beaten by Aberdeen a few weeks ago which halted their rise to the top but thanks to Celtic dropping points to Hibernian, Rangers have remained in the race for the title.

At the back, Rangers have only conceded 14 goals in the league while also scoring 39 – the joint highest in the league.

Steven Gerrard, however, will need to strengthen his squad next month if he wants to keep the pressure on Celtic especially considering how much better Celtic’s squad is overall.

Rangers need a backup striker and they should be looking to add Liverpool man, Dominic Solanke, who Chris Sutton insisted Celtic should sign ahead of their rivals.

The Breakdown

Since leaving Chelsea in search for first-team football, Solanke hasn’t quite managed to replicate the talent and form he showed at youth level. Last season the young forward managed to play 21 games for Jurgen Klopp’s side but only managed to score one goal.

This season he’s only made three appearances for the side as he has lost his backup role to Daniel Sturridge this season. Therefore, a move to Rangers may well provide the forward with a viable option of first-team football and he could be crucial in Rangers’ title challenge.

Thoughts Arsenal fans? 

Rafa Benitez has an ideal opportunity to give highly-rated young midfielder Sean Longstaff the chance to stake a claim for a first-team place this weekend, when they welcome Blackburn Rovers to St James’ Park in the FA Cup third round.

What’s the word?

The Magpies academy graduate made his first-team debut in the recent 4-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield, but impressed after entering the fray as a substitute. Following his cameo against the Reds, many of the club’s fans were calling for him to start the next Premier League game against Watford, but that opportunity never arose for the 21-year-old.

However, after a heavy festive period for Benitez’s thin squad, it is likely that the former Chelsea and Liverpool boss will ring the changes for the game against Rovers.

Additionally, the club from Tyneside are well in the midst of a relegation battle this season, and should be focusing all of their efforts on staying in the Premier League, so the need to rest their key men is huge.

Why should Longstaff start?

The youngster is a terrific talent who has also proved that he can be a goal threat. Longstaff spent last season on loan at Blackpool, where he managed to notch eight goals in 42 League One appearances.

Judging by the fact that Mike Ashley is looking unlikely to get his chequebook out yet again this January, it would be sensible of Benitez to test his fringe players’ credentials against decent opposition – if any of them do perform admirably, it could save the Spaniard a lot of stress in the second half of the season, and would be like a new signing for the St James’ Park faithful to watch.

Out of all the Magpies’ fringe players, Longstaff looks most likely to cause a ripple in the foundations of the first-team – chances are few and far between when you play for a club constantly battling relegation, so the 21-year-old must grab his opportunity with both hands.

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According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are open to letting Malcom leave the Camp Nou in this January transfer window despite having only signed him in the summer.

What’s the word?

Since his €41 million switch from Bordeaux to Barcelona in the summer, the 21-year-old has failed to force his way into Ernesto Valverde’s side with any kind of regularity. With the likes of Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho ahead of him in the pecking order, Malcom has managed just five La Liga appearances so far this season.

Despite their heavy investment in the Brazilian, Barcelona already appear ready to give up on him. However, plenty of other clubs across Europe ought to be prepared to give the attacker a chance to get his career back on track.

Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below…

Everton would be wise to act fast to ensure that they are the ones who get to save Malcom from his Blaugrana frustration.

The next Richarlison?

The Toffees already have a number of wingers in their squad, but many of them will have disappointed Marco Silva with their performance levels this season. Both Theo Walcott and Ademola Lookman have failed to shine at Goodison Park and Everton could be due for an upgrade.

What’s more, with Lookman being linked with a switch to Southampton, as reported by the Daily Star (January 8th, page 47) via HITC, Silva may soon have a gap to fill on the right flank anyway.

Having already taken Malcom’s fellow Brazilian, Richarlison, to new heights, Silva would likely relish the challenge of repeating the trick with the Barcelona outcast. 

According to a recent report from Sky Sports, West Ham are eyeing up a move for Maxi Gomez were Marko Arnautovic to leave the club this month. 22-year-old Gomez currently plays his football in Spain with Celta Vigo and has done so since leaving Defensor Sporting back in 2017, with his impressive goal-scoring exploits in La Liga seemingly attracting the interest of Hammers manager Manuel Pellegrini.

And that’s because reports suggest that the striker, valued at £31.5 million by Transfermarkt, is the man the Chilean wants to replace linked-away Arnautovic at the London Stadium, whose arrival would leave West Ham fans soon forgetting about the 29-year-old Austrian.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, there is little doubting that Arnautovic has become a vital player at the East London outfit in the last 12 months or so, as although he didn’t make a particularly great start to life at the London Stadium upon arrival from Stoke City in 2017, he has since been an absolute revelation.

The 29-year-old netted 11 goals and laid on six assists for the Hammers last term to help David Moyes’ side comfortably stave off relegation by finishing 13th, and he has produced the goods this time round as well with seven goals in just 16 Premier League appearances under new boss Pellegrini.

Unsurprisingly, Arnautovic’s fine form has attracted interest this month with Shanghai SIPG reportedly seeking to lure him to the Chinese Super League, although West Ham fans needn’t worry about his departure were Pellegrini to seal a deal for Gomez as his replacement.

And that’s because the 22-year-old has proven to be one of La Liga’s most deadly striking hotshots in the last two years upon arrival at Celta Vigo in the summer of 2017, with the Uruguay international netting a staggering 19 goals in just 36 league appearances last term, helping the club to a 13th place finish in the Spanish top-flight.

And Gomez has continued his rich vein of form in front of goal this time round too with nine goals in just 17 league games, while his tally of five assists, matching his effort from last season, underlines that not only is he a predatory goal-scorer, but he’s also a creator as well.

As such, there are clear parallels between the huge influence he has on the Celta Vigo team and the huge influence Arnautovic has at West Ham – and at the tender age of 22, Gomez is only likely to get better under an excellent manager like Pellegrini.

Yes, losing Arnautovic, if that does indeed come to pass this month, is sure to come as a huge blow to West Ham in their quest to move up the Premier League table, but it would certainly not be the end of the world given they have won three and lost just one of the six league games he hasn’t featured in this season – he’s important to the team, but not indispensable.

And were the supremely talented Gomez to make the move to the London Stadium this month, West Ham would soon forget about the Austrian.

West Ham fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Man Utd’s season has had some incredible highs so far this season, though admittedly, most of them have come over the last few weeks following the departure of Jose Mourinho.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has really helped usher in a new era at Old Trafford, and with every passing week, the Red Devils look to be moving forward and getting away from the past.

Perhaps the biggest individual change has come in the form of Paul Pogba’s improved form. The Frenchman was one of Man Utd’s most underperforming players during the course of the first few months, and Jose Mourinho regularly opted to bench him. Unsurprisingly, then, according to the Sun, he was considering a January exit.

Now, though, it’s really turned around for him.

Pogba is now outperforming most of his teammates, with the Frenchman impressing in the heart of the Man Utd midfield. He’s been involved in 9 goals in his last 6 games, and that’s a testament to the influence that he’s having under Solskjaer.

He’s also, reportedly, according to the Sun, eager to hold talks over a new contract at Man Utd, and that just goes to show the turnaround that he’s enjoyed at the club. From the verge of an exit to looking to secure his long-term future, it’s fair to say that Pogba is enjoying himself again.

That, perhaps even more so than Man Utd’s overall form, is the greatest indicator of change at Man Utd, and it would represent a major contrast between the Man Utd of today and the Man Utd of a couple of months ago. It would be a huge moment.

Thoughts?

According to a recent report from The Sun, Asmir Begovic’s future looks far from certain heading into the remainder of the January transfer window. The 31-year-old currently plays his football at Premier League outfit Bournemouth and has done so since leaving Chelsea back in 2017, although his recent exclusion from Eddie Howe’s starting eleven has plunged his future at the Vitality Stadium into doubt.

And a recent report from The Sun suggests that the Bosnia and Herzegovina international could look to leave the South Coast outfit this month in a bid for regular first team football, and while the report outlines the possibility of Premier League clubs signing the shot-stopper, the door could well be ajar for Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers to sign the £7.2 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt).

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the Bhoys have been pretty busy in this month’s transfer window as they seek to go toe-to-toe with Kilmarnock and Old Firm rivals Rangers in pursuit of the Scottish Premiership title this season, which would be their eighth in a row were they to finish top of the pile.

And with the likes of Timothy Weah, Oliver Burke, and Vakoun Issouf Bayo coming in to bolster the attacking ranks in Rodgers’ squad, the Northern Irishman may also be thinking about a long-term replacement and upgrade for goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who turned 36 at the end of last year.

The Scotland international has been an outstanding servant to the Bhoys ever since joining the club back in 2014, helping them win four straight league titles as well as a whole host of domestic honours in their quest to completely dominate football north of the border.

However, there have been instances in the last 12 months which have called into question just how reliable the shot-stopper can continue to be, with some high-profile errors sometimes coming back to haunt Celtic – he was fortunate that his mistake against Red Bull Salzburg didn’t cost Rodgers’ side their place in the last-32 of the Europa League.

Clearly though, Gordon is reaching the twilight of his career and it remains to be seen just how much longer he has got at the top of the game in Scotland, with Bournemouth’s Begovic the ideal long-term replacement and upgrade for the 36-year-old.

The Bosnian star may have lost his place to Artur Boruc in the Cherries first team last time out, but he has on the whole performed well throughout his time in the Premier League, be it at Stoke City, Chelsea, or indeed Bournemouth.

In fact, his impressive efforts for Stoke between 2010 and 2015, in which time the goalkeeper kept 50 clean sheets and shipped only 210 goals in 173 appearances for the Potters, earned him a move to Premier League giants Chelsea to emphasise what a fine job he did at the bet365 Stadium – he more than proved his worth to the club in his five-year stint.

Yes, he didn’t get much game time at Chelsea, but a move to Bournemouth has reminded us all what a great shot-stopper Begovic is at Premier League level – the sort of goalkeeper Celtic are crying out for post-Gordon.

And with Scott Bain unlikely to be the heir to the 36-year-old at Parkhead, Rodgers must be thinking about his next long-term option between the sticks – and the door might well be ajar for the Bhoys manager to make a move for linked-away Begovic, who would represent the ideal upgrade for Gordon at Celtic Park.

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

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Loads of Rangers fans have been reacting to a fitness update form Steven Gerrard, who confirmed Connor Goldson will not play against St Mirren.

After the emphatic win over Celtic, Rangers’ recent defeat to Kilmarnock was a real punch in the gut, and their arch-rivals have now opened up six-point gap at the summit of the table.

While the Gers did get things back on track with a 3-0 win over Livingston before a relatively easy cup victory over Cowdenbeath, fans are fearing the worst with Goldson still out.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

It’s no coincidence that the defeat at Kilmarnock came in the defender’s absence, as he is the one individual in Gerrard’s young core of defenders that really leads and organises the group.

The boss confirmed he will miss out against St Mirren, though he did not give an indication about his status for the Aberdeen match next week.

Fans are fearing the worst about a Goldson-less future after Joe Worrall’s catastrophic mistake at Kilmarnock, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Liverpool are threatening to chuck away their hopes of winning a first Premier League title, with a succession of dropped points ensuring the nerves will be kicking in at Anfield.

The Reds though do still hold the aces, and a win this weekend and in their game in hand on Man City would still see them top of the pile for the time being at least.

However, there are cracks appearing in the squad, and especially in the first XI, and we here in the Tavern feel the club might have missed a trick in January by not going out to add someone with real quality to the ranks.

We feel the summer then will be a big period for the Reds, and we feel they should be looking to make a move for Lyon and France midfielder, Tanguy Ndombele.

The young midfielder has been in fine form for Lyon this past 12 months, and has made himself a regular fixture in the national squad.

However, a move to England is always going to appeal to those playing in the French league, and with Liverpool looking light in the middle of the park, Ndombele might be the perfect tonic to rectify that such problem.

Powerful, quick, and full of energy, Ndombele would give the Reds a new dynamic in the middle of the park, and with the midfielder only being 22-years-old, Liverpool could well have their central midfield presence for the next decade.

Liverpool fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of a weakened Paris Saint Germain side showed just how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tactics of blind freedom won’t work in big games.

As much as José Mourinho’s pragmatic style produced groans around Old Trafford, you’d bet his organisation would make this Champions League tie closer than it might be after the second leg. Although José clearly fell out with much of the dressing room, it’s important to realise that his tactics have won titles.

It seems United have gone from Jose’s shackles to Ole’s freedom, and in games against lesser opposition, this is all well and good. It gives United fans the fast, attacking football they’ve missed since Sir Alex Ferguson, but, against more talented teams, organisation to that style is required to win ties.

Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t all attack, attack, attack. There were times when he had to defend well to grind out results, and Ole must understand a middle ground needs to be found between blind attack and sitting back.

Look across the north west and both Liverpool and City play quick, exciting football but they also have organisation to their play. Every player knows their role and sticks to it, and that seemed to be something that was missing against PSG.

It is important to note that United’s midfield and backline is nowhere near up to scratch, and so the manager can’t be blamed for the situation he inherited. But he must learn to play the way that gets the most from these players and adapt in games against top European opposition.

If Solskjaer is to get the job at the end of the season, he must learn to develop a more organised style of attacking. Blind freedom at United is exciting for the fans, but that’ll wear off if the club don’t win enough big games because of it.