You get the feeling that this summer will be one of upheaval at Manchester United. In the wake of sacrificing their Premier League crown to noisy neighbours City the rumours have cultivated that Sir Alex Ferguson is planning a major overhaul in an effort to wrestle the title away from their rivals next season. Some of the names being linked with transfer to Old Trafford are enough to make any football fan salivate and if theres anyone that can persuaded them to leave their respective clubs to join the club then it’s Ferguson. As the Eden Hazard saga begins to pick up speed the 70-year-old has turned his attentions to other targets as the highly-rated Belgian mulls over which English side he’ll eventually pitch up at. In the meantime the United chief has set his signs on midfielders Shinji Kagawa and  Kevin Strootman along with Leighton Baines. Both positions let the Red Devils down last season and Ferguson knows strengthening them will give his side a fighting chance of knocking City off their perch next season.

This week on FFC is United’s resident Bulgarian set to quit the club and is the pursuit of Hazard even worth the time and effort for Sir Alex?

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Best of FFC

One last hurrah For Michael Owen?

Has Eden Become a Hazard Warning for Premier League clubs?

Can Neville Stay Neutral for the cause?

Who cares about whether the players get along

Fast becoming a ‘must have transfer’ within the Premier League

Caption Competition: England quartet get a surprise visitor

City Domination or United Transition?

Manchester United to make improved £13m bid

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Best of WEB

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Is Eden Hazard Worth The Wait? – Red Flag Flying High

VIDEO: Interview With Director Of Youth Football Jimmy Ryan – The Busby Way

Footballing Heartbreak? Pass The Footballing Chocolate… – 7Cantonas

Jaap Stam interview – Beyond the Pitch

Berba’s long goodbye – United Rant

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United Need To Move Quickly For Shinji Kagawa – Red Flag Flying High

Lessons To Be Learned From The Heartache – The Busby Way

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Quote of the Week

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“We talked 10 times, he told me there would be a place for me but I stayed on the bench. My time at Manchester United is running out. I no longer feel like a valuable part of this team.”I think I did well in the few opportunities that I received. I am a little frustrated by the way this happened, I do not think I deserved it. But I have dignity and I stopped going to such meetings, it is clear that I’m leaving United. It’s obvious that I have to leave.”I’m looking for a new place now. I know I can still play at the highest level.” Dimitar Berbatov admits he is looking to leave Manchester United in the summer 

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Manchester United compilation 2011/12

Andrew Dickson has now given his reaction to the news that Erling Haaland has not travelled with Borussia Dortmund for their game at Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Still missing

Haaland has been missing for Dortmund for just over a month now with muscular problems, and so missed the first leg of their match against the Ibrox faithful, to which the latter won 4-2 (Transfermarkt).

It is clear how key he is to the Bundesliga team, having averaged more than a goal a game in all competitions so far this season, and with a two-goal deficit, Dortmund could have done with his firepower in the second leg on Thursday night.

The Latest: Dickson reacts

Taking to Twitter, journalist Dickson has since reacted to the fact that Haaland is not with the Dortmund squad once more as they prepare to face the Teddy Bears:

“Good news for Rangers fans, Erling Haaland has not travelled to Glasgow with Borussia Dortmund for tomorrow’s Europa League tie at Ibrox…”

The Verdict: Another boost

After Leon Balogun revealed in the pre-game press conference earlier this afternoon that he is back fit and available for the match, having him back and not having to face Haaland will come as a welcome boost.

The Norway international’s numbers speak for themselves, and the fact that Dortmund only managed a mere three shots on target from 13 in the reverse fixture implies that they are not as clinical without him.

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Nonetheless, Giovanni van Bronckhorst should now be more confident than ever that his side can get through the second leg and make further progress in the UEFA Europa League.

In other news, find out what Gers concern this Sky Sports pundit has raised amid a club reveal here!

Former BBC radio pundit Noel Whelan has given reaction to some big news that has now emerged involving Wolves central defender Max Kilman.

The Lowdown: In Southgate’s thoughts

As per The Daily Mirror, Gareth Southgate is now considering calling up Kilman to the England squad for their upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast.

The Three Lions manager was in attendance for the Midlands club’s 1-0 loss away at West Ham United in the Premier League over the weekend, in which despite the defeat, Kilman had some good moments, winning four of his duels and making two tackles and accurate long balls apiece, achieving an 89% pass accuracy overall (SofaScore).

The Latest: Whelan reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, former top-flight striker Whelan has now given his reaction to the news of Kilman’s potential call-up, saying it is deserved given his impressive performances so far this season:

“Absolutely, he’s been sensational.

“The thing about Wolves is that they’ve been going well under the radar this season – their defensive record has been nothing short of incredible.

“Other teams have only started to sit up and take notice recently – but they’re not too far off those top spots.

“It just goes to show the job that Bruno Lage has done and the consistency they’ve shown.

“Kilman has been so solid and has quietly been one of the best defenders in the league – and quite rightly, he’s caught the eye of Gareth Southgate.

“When you look at the abundance of quality we’ve got in that position, not many would think about him – but I really do believe he deserves that opportunity this month.”

The Verdict: Deserved

If Kilman were to receive an England call-up, then it would be nothing short of justice.

He currently ranks as the country’s third-best centre-back in the Premier League (to have made ten or more appearances) so far this season, above regulars Harry Maguire, John Stones, Tyrone Mings and fellow Molineux teammate Conor Coady.

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He is ranking highly among his Wanderers teammates in terms of aerial duels won, interceptions, clearances and blocks per game in the division (WhoScored), and has been vital in helping them concede just 21 goals this term, the fourth-fewest behind table-toppers Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Nonetheless, at 24 years of age, now is the perfect opportunity for Southgate to throw him in.

In other news, find out which ‘sensational’ artist WWFC are the ‘most likely’ to sign here!

Everton’s financial troubles have put them on the lookout for potential bargain signings this summer – and in the near future too with Pedrinho and Guus Til having been linked with free transfers to Goodison Park due to the foreign players in the recently opened Ukraine and Russia transfer window.

One player though that could have joined the Toffees on a free transfer a few years ago was legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who came close to joining Carlo Ancelotti at the club.

According to the Telegraph in December 2019, the 40-year-old – who is still worth £3.6m according to Transfermarkt, was “interested” in a move to Merseyside to play in blue, but the move never materialised.

Instead, the Swede moved from LA Galaxy just a couple weeks later on a free transfer to Italian giants AC Milan for his second stint there, scoring 36 goals in all competitions since.

In comparison, Richarlison has just 25 goals in that time period in all competitions, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin bettering the Brazilians total by just four.

While the Premier League is arguably a more difficult league to score in than the Italian Serie A, Ibrahimovic, who has proclaimed himself a “lion”, was a success in the English top flight, scoring 17 goals in 33 games for Manchester United, as well as netting a total of 29 in all competitions.

If his age was a concern at the time, it is clear that Marcel Brands made a misjudgement on the longevity of the striker’s career. This season, the titan who Mino Raiola said has “the strength of Mike Tyson” has still managed eight league goals for Milan, despite having started just 11 times – with the club leading the Serie A standings.

Once upon a time a Malmo youth academy prospect, the forward is still as active as ever – ranking in the top 7% among strikers in Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions for shots per 90 (3.84), top 9% for shot creating actions per 90 (3.48), as well as top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (7.56).

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With the club currently fighting in a relegation battle, a leader with a wealth of experience like the £175k-per-week Ibrahimovic would have not only been crucial in steering the club away from the drop – but it would have also been unlikely they would be in the situation in the first place due to his elite serial-winning mentality.

In other news: “I’m told..” – Journo drops big Everton transfer news that will surprise supporters

West Ham United have been handed a potentially huge boost ahead of their upcoming Europa League fixture.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a claim made by Claret & Hugh, who revealed in a recent post that Declan Rice – who missed the Liverpool defeat due to a virus – has travelled with David Moyes and the rest of the West Ham squad to Sevilla.

The club insider went on to state that, while the midfielder is still a doubt for the Europa League round of 16 clash tomorrow evening, it is understood that the 23-year-old is feeling better than he was on Tuesday.

In the update, Claret & Hugh said: “Declan Rice travelled with the lads but there is no certainty at this stage he will play. Although, we understand he is feeling better than yesterday when he was still under the weather with a mystery bug.

“However, no decision on his involvement can be taken until the squad has been in the country for another 24 hours given the importance of the round of 16 game.”

Hammers will be buzzing

Considering just how vital Rice is within the West Ham side, the news that the England international has travelled to Spain with the rest of the squad – something which leaves open the possibility of the midfielder playing some sort of role in Sevilla – is sure to have left Hammers supporters buzzing.

Indeed, over his 26 Premier League outings in the current campaign, the £75m-rated dynamo has been in the form of his life, scoring one goal, providing four assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.7 interceptions, 2.4 tackles, 51.9 passes and winning 5.4 duels per game.

These metrics have seen the £62k-per-week star average a breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.20, ranking him by far and away as Moyes’ best performer in the top flight of English football.

Furthermore, the 23-year-old has also been in exceptional form over his four Europa League appearances, bagging a further two goals, in addition to making an average of one interception, 2.8 tackles, 57.3 passes and winning five duels per fixture – with these returns seeing the midfielder average an even more remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.30.

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As such, it is clear to see that even a half-fit Declan Rice would provide a huge boost to West Ham’s chances of leaving the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium with a positive result tomorrow evening – with both Moyes and supporters of the club undoubtedly praying the England ace will be available for selection.

AND in other news: Huge blow: West Ham dealt fresh setback ahead of Sevilla clash, Moyes will be fuming

Newcastle United’s January business looks set to save the club from relegation as their terrific recent form has sent them flying away from the drop.

The Magpies have only lost one of their last ten Premier League matches and have gone from being in the bottom three to nine points clear of Watford in 18th place in the table.

Chris Wood, Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes all scored on this run, whilst Dan Burn and Matt Targett played their part at the back. All of these players arrived through the door in January and look poised to secure top-flight survival.

Staying in the division will then offer PIF the chance to make the next step and attempt to make signings to push further up the table next season.

Forget Fraser

One area in which they could look to strengthen is out wide. Ryan Fraser has one goal and two assists in his last four matches but is yet to show that he can consistently deliver quality performances over the course of a campaign.

He has two goals and three assists in 23 league games this term, after managing zero goals and two assists in 19 matches under Steve Burce last term. This means that he is yet to prove his long-term value to the Magpies and that is why reported target Moses Simon would be an excellent signing in the summer.

PIF can light up the wings at St. James’ Park by bringing the Nigerian international to Tyneside as he has been in fantastic form for Nantes in recent campaigns.

Since the start of the 2020/21 season, Simon has produced nine goals and 12 assists in Ligue 1, taking his tally to 18 for the club. This term, he has averaged a brilliant SofaScore rating of 7.07 as he has created a whopping ten ‘big chances’ and averaged 2.4 key passes per game for his side – picking up seven assists for his efforts.

Former Nigeria head coach Gernot Rohr previously heaped praise on the winger, saying: “I really like this player, he has a foolproof mind.

“He is small (1m68) but he has a big heart. He is very talented technically, physically with his speed, despite his size. With me he can play right back, and he does! He has a lot of strings to his bow.”

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One of those strings appears to be the ability to frighten defenders to death, with the Nigerian described as “unstoppable” for his performances at AFCON by journalist Oma Akatugba and as a “menace” after scoring in Ligue 1.

The flyer is consistently stepping up and putting in top-quality displays and creating openings for his teammates to score and this level of consistency is why PIF must sign him. His statistics suggest that he will be a better option than Fraser out wide over the course of an entire season and light up the wing with his ability to score goals whilst delivering chance after chance for the side to get fans off their seats in excitement.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than Dubravka: NUFC liability with 45% passing should never start again…

Celtic have seen numerous players leave the Parkhead club for substantial amounts of money over the past few years such as Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer, Jeremie Frimpong and Kieran Tierney to name a few.

Also, the club have seen several players leave on free transfers after running their contracts down, namely Oliver Ntcham and Scott Brown from the previous summer window.

In terms of their current players, it seems as though the Hoops could be in danger of losing one figure, in particular, as a free agent this summer which would surely be a massive blow for the club.

According to a recent article from the Daily Record, Celtic’s 19-year-old winger Karamoko Dembele could be in danger of leaving the club at the end of the season when his current contract runs out.

They said: “Out of sight, out of mind? That could be the case for Karamoko Dembele. The highly-rated winger has been expected to enjoy a breakout campaign this season but has been plagued by injuries as he enters the final months of his contract.

“We are in the final run-in and it’s the last chance for Dembele to catch the eye of Ange Postecoglou. However, he has spent most of the season with the B team.

However, the following 11 words seemed to imply that the teenager is doomed: “It could be time up for the forward at Celtic Park.”

As a product of Celtic’s youth system, the winger has only made ten senior appearances for the Hoops, the first of which came back in May 2019.

Praised for being “exceptional at every age group he’s played in” by journalist Alison McConnell, Dembele may not have had the easiest of seasons this time around due to an ankle injury that has kept him out of action for the majority of it.

However, given his young age and the previous experience he has of working his way through the youth ranks at Celtic, the club should definitely try and tie the attacker down to a new contract and keep developing him into a potential regular first-team star for Ange Postecoglou.

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After all, this is someone who is one of the most vibrant young graduates the club have ever had; to see him leave for nothing would be an unforgivable sequence of events given the way he’s been talked about since bursting onto the scene.

If the Hoops were to see the young winger leave as a free agent in the summer and then see him really blossom into a senior superstar at another club, the club and Postecoglou would have shot themselves in the foot and very much live to regret not offering him a new deal.

In other news: Celtic now handed major boost ahead of Old Firm clash, Postecoglou surely buzzing…

Rangers have been handed a positive injury lift as their Ibrox stars have returned back from friendlies and World Cup qualifiers this week…

What’s the talk?

Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that Alfredo Morelos and Ianis Hagi are the only injury concerns for the Gers heading into the weekend’s Old Firm clash.

No other players have come back with knocks from representing their countries, and they are all set to be available for selection on Sunday.

The club’s official Twitter account quote Van Bronckhorst as saying: “All the players returned fit, only Hagi & Morelos are missing.”

Delight

The Ibrox faithful will be delighted with this news, as it means the vast majority of the players came back from international duty without any setbacks, providing the Dutchman with a big boost as he has not lost multiple first-team assets.

For instance, Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun started both of Nigeria’s clashes with Ghana. They lost on away goals after drawing 0-0 and 1-1 in their World Cup qualifying play-off, which means that they will not be heading to the tournament later this year. Thankfully for Rangers, they did not sustain any knocks from these matches and will be fit to face Celtic this week.

Aaron Ramsey coming back without any issues will leave supporters particularly buzzing given how bleak his situation looked halfway through the international break.

Wales manager Rob Page revealed that the midfielder was dealing with a knock after their 2-1 win over Austria in their play-off. The 47-year-old told Sky Sports, via STV: “They both (Ramsey & Bale) struggled towards the end of the game. You could see both of them were holding their groins and hamstrings.”

He was then left out against the Czech Republic earlier this week, potentially leaving Gers fans worrying about his fitness. However, Van Bronckhorst’s comments suggest that the 31-year-old will be fit enough to play in the Old Firm clash.

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Ramsey has the quality to have a major impact against Celtic after missing out on the teams’ last meeting two months ago. He made his first Premiership start against Dundee last time out and scored the equaliser in the 2-1 win, showing off his predatory instinct in the penalty area as he was perfectly positioned to follow up into an empty net after Kemar Roofe’s header was saved.

Supporters will therefore be excited to see what the Welshman can do against the Hoops, as his goalscoring touch from midfield could be key to picking up the three points. He produced 130 goal contributions throughout his time at Arsenal in England and managed 12 goals and assists combined in 65 outings for Juventus in Italy, which shows that he knows how to be a difference-maker at the top level, and his availability for Sunday will be a big boost for the Gers.

AND in other news, Rangers had a major disaster on “complete” 243 G/A ace who’s “like Harry Potter”…

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has no intention of leaving the Premier League this summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Another stunning season for Salah

The 29-year-old has enjoyed a magnificent 2021/22 season, proving to be the Reds’ best player as they hunt for an unprecedented quadruple.

However, Salah’s future has been up in the air in recent months, with a new deal not yet agreed and links to other clubs emerging at the same time.

Recent claims have suggested that a new contract could be agreed imminently, though, and another positive update has now emerged.

The Latest: Romano makes big claim about Salah

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Romano was adamant that Salah would not move countries this summer, which may suggest that he is likely to stay put at Anfield.

The journalist tweeted: “The situation hasn’t changed. Mo Salah doesn’t consider La Liga move a priority – he’s not planning to leave the Premier League.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-26/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Would he join a Premier League rival?

This suggests that Salah would only move to a fellow Premier League club this summer, which surely isn’t on the cards.

Only Manchester City would likely be able to both afford him and promise him trophies, and the Egyptian would surely never even consider a move to the Etihad Stadium given the affection he has been shown by the Anfield faithful during his five years on Merseyside.

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It does feel as though Salah is edging towards signing that precious new deal – should it happen, it would feel like the biggest off-field moment of Liverpool’s season, given the Egyptian’s never-ending heroics in a red shirt.

In other news, Liverpool reportedly want to sign an England international this summer. Find out who it is here.

Celtic are now working on a deal to welcome Wilfried Nancy’s first signing in the form of a much-needed goalscorer, according to recent reports.

O'Neil urges Celtic to give Nancy time

Celtic were back on track thanks to Martin O’Neil’s excellent interim spell. The 73-year-old rolled back the years and got the Bhoys firing on all cylinders again. Ultimately, though, he was simply just there on an interim basis. It was never a permanent job and when the time came, he passed the torch to Nancy.

So far, however, the Frenchman has failed to take that torch and has instead been burned by the heavy weight of the flame – becoming the first manager in Celtic history to lose his first three games in charge. In short, it has been the most disastrous start possible for Nancy, whose worst moment has undoubtedly been the Scottish Cup final defeat against underdogs St. Mirren.

The pressure is already increasing on the new manager to turn things around at Celtic Park, but O’Neil has urged for patience. The former interim boss told talkSPORT earlier this week: “I had the time of my life there and I feel about 26 or 27 now at the minute.

“You’ve got to give the man a chance, please. I know in this day and age that results are important in the off but if I go back to my own experience, I never won until my tenth game at Leicester. The crowd were baying for blood.

“So I know the feeling but give it a chance. I know it’s disappointing to lose a cup final. You cannot make a judgement on anybody over three games.”

What should certainly help Nancy is the January transfer window and the chance to mark his own stamp on the Hoops, who could sign Younnes Ebnoutalib.

Celtic working on Ebnoutalib deal

According to Bild in Germany, as relayed by Sport Witness, Celtic are now working on a deal to sign Ebnoutalib from SV Elversberg. The forward is currently the top scorer in the 2. Bundesliga and has attracted the Scottish giants as well as Eintracht Frankfurt as a result.

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Unsurprisingly, however, Ebnoutalib is unlikely to come cheap. Reports are claiming that Elversberg have set their price at as much as €10m (£9m) ahead of the January transfer window. Whether Celtic are willing to pay such a price as soon as next month remains to be seen.

After scoring nine games in his opening nine league games – a record which now stands at 11 in 16 – Ebnoutalib earned deserved praise from Antonio Mango. The U23 scout claimed that the 22-year-old is “prolific” and that should be music to Celtic’s ears ahead of January.

Fabrizio Romano drops blunt 15-word update on Wilfried Nancy's Celtic future