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Rangers have been hit with a fresh injury concern over Ibrox central midfielder Aaron Ramsey…

What’s the latest?

Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that the Wales international suffered a hamstring setback in the Scottish Cup win on Sunday.

The on-loan gem was forced off in the first half with the score at 0-0 as Scott Wright was pressed into action earlier than he may have expected, with the Gers going on to win 2-1 in extra time to make it to the final of the competition.

However, they could have to play in the showpiece clash without Ramsey if this knock rules him out for a number of weeks.

Journalist Phil Cadden quoted the head coach as saying: “He had a problem with his hamstring. It didn’t look really good. We will have to assess him, but of course it is a blow for us that he will be out. I don’t know for how long. We just have to assess him on Monday and see where he is.”

Van Bronckhorst will be infuriated

This is a huge blow for the Gers and van Bronckhorst will be furious with this latest injury issue for the midfielder as it has been an almost constant problem for him since arriving in January.

Ramsey has only started four matches in the Premiership and Europa League combined for the club as he has been dealing with his own fitness in recent months. The Juventus man has been unable to string a run of matches together and now looks set for another spell on the sidelines.

Until Rangers know the extent of the damage it is impossible to gauge how long he will be out for action for. Hamstring injuries can range from days to months to recover from depending on the grade of the tear and this means that he could be back next week or it could be his season over and done with.

Losing him for any number of matches will be a huge blow as he has shown that he does have the quality to make a big impact when he does play. He has scored two goals in his three Premiership starts, including one against Celtic in the Old Firm, and has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.98 in the division.

Ramsey can score from midfield and has the experience in European competition that can be vital against RB Leipzig in the semi-finals of the Europa League. He has played for Arsenal and Juventus in Europe and this means that he knows what it takes to perform at that level, making his potential absence against the German side a sizeable concern for the head coach and that is another reason why he will be furious with this injury blow.

AND in other news, Forget Arfield: “Superb” £24k-p/w Rangers machine was “out of this world” today…

West Ham will not turn to free agents to solve one of their long-standing issues, according to a very reliable source…

What’s the word?

ExWHUemployee delivered a fresh verdict on whether Irons boss David Moyes would look to bring in a new striker for nothing in a bid to bolster his frontline.

Speaking on this week’s episode of ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, he claimed:

“A couple of people have asked me whether we’re going to sign a forward on a free transfer.

“I don’t think we will because I think [Jarrod] Bowen today [vs Manchester United] whilst it wasn’t the most accomplished of performances, it wasn’t a bad performance so I think he can possibly step in if needed.

“Interestingly [Mipo] Odubeko was on the bench again [for loan club Huddersfield Town] –  [he] hasn’t started.”

A big risk

Clearly, if the reputable club insider is getting a lot of questions on the matter, it is something that the Hammers faithful are worrying about – and they have every right to be concerned.

Since the departure of club-record flop Sebastian Haller to Ajax last January, Moyes has been left with a lack of depth in the attacking department.

In fact, he has only been able to call upon Michail Antonio, 31, who has endured plenty of problems with injuries over the course of his east London career.

Over the last four full seasons, the Premier League’s leading talisman has failed to start more than 24 top-flight matches, and that is largely down to his time on the treatment table.

At the weekend, West Ham were reminded of what it’s like without him as he served a one-game suspension against Manchester United, which left winger Jarrod Bowen playing out of position.

Whilst any old free-agent isn’t necessarily the solution, it would be wise to have someone that is there just in case something horribly unfortunate happens because if it does, the Irons will be in the mud.

There are plenty of strikers that are still without a club, ranging from ex-Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge to former West Ham dud Andy Carroll. Even Carlos Tevez is currently unattached, as per Transfermarkt.

Those around the London Stadium better hope that Antonio gets to January unscathed otherwise there could be a serious problem that hinders the progress they have made in 2021/22.

AND in other news, £60k-p/w West Ham beast who made 97% of passes was Moyes’ one shining light vs United…

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has said that Newcastle United could look to sign a ‘junior’ striker in the remaining weeks of the transfer window.

The lowdown

Newcastle made their first signing of the summer just two days before their season opener against West Ham, capturing former loanee Joe Willock for a fee in excess of £20m (via BBC Sport).

This morning they have been linked with a move for Schalke 04’s 20-year-old frontman Matthew Hoppe. The player’s agents are due to fly to the UK for talks with interested parties, and the cash-strapped German club may be forced to sell.

Callum Wilson, who scored in the defeat against the Hammers, is currently supported by Joelinton and Dwight Gayle. Two other strikers – Yoshinori Muto and Andy Carroll – have left the club on free transfers this summer.

The latest

In a Q&A for The Athletic, Waugh was asked by a supporter whether Newcastle are looking to bolster their striking ranks. He replied that a centre-back and a midfielder, ‘potentially a no 6 type’, are currently the ‘priorities’.

The journalist added that a senior striker ‘isn’t necessarily near the top’ of the Magpies’ list, but a ‘more junior type may arrive’ before the end of the month.

The verdict

At 20, Hoppe may well fit the ‘junior’ bill, and while some Newcastle fans might find it hard to believe the club will make three further signings with a ‘meagre’ transfer budget, a ‘financially stricken’ Schalke may have to sell on the cheap.

Beyond that, the Magpies have yet to use either of their available domestic loan slots, so they may look towards young Premier League talents with limited short-term prospects.

There are also whispers that the deal for Willock was independently-funded, so the club’s budget may still be intact. Waugh’s suggestion of a new centre-forward coming in could indeed bear fruit over the next couple of weeks.

In other news, does Joe Willock have a buyout clause?

West Bromwich Albion have been handed a quadruple injury boost ahead of their upcoming Championship clash.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by Birmingham Live, all of David Button, Callum Robinson, Cedric Kipre and Kyle Bartley could be in line for a return to first-team action in Albion’s clash with Millwall this Saturday.

All three of Button, Robinson and Bartley had previously been ruled out of action due to illness, while Kipre picked up a knock in the Carabao Cup loss to Arsenal and subsequently missed the Peterborough United victory.

Meanwhile, centre-back duo Matt Clarke and Dara O’Shea are definitely out of contention for the fixture this weekend, while the progress of Rayhaan Tulloch’s recovery from a groin injury is likely to be assessed by the Baggies on Friday.

Ismael will be buzzing

While the ongoing absence of Clarke and the recent long-term loss of O’Shea are sure to come as a blow to Valerien Ismael, the likely returns of the quartet of Button, Robinson, Kipre and Bartley will undoubtedly have the Frenchman buzzing.

Indeed, Kipre’s return to fitness is perhaps the most timely for the Albion boss, as the 24-year-old will be a candidate to replace the injured O’Shea, although 18-year-old Caleb Taylor is believed to be in contention for the Millwall game, as is new signing Kean Bryan.

The return of Robinson will also be a major boost for the 45-year-old manager, as the forward has been in electric form for the Baggies so far this season, scoring three goals, registering one assist and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.42 over his four Championship appearances.

As such, aside from the stricken centre-back duo, Ismael very nearly has a full squad to chose from, something that bodes incredibly well for the club’s chances of continuing their fantastic early season form this weekend.

In other news: Masi reveals West Brom transfer development which is sure to delight Valerien Ismael

Manchester City fans want to sign Dusan Vlahovic after it was revealed the Fiorentina striker’s contract talks with the Serie A club have collapsed.

The Citizens have so far had a relatively good start to the campaign – they are just two points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea after a momentous win over the Blues last weekend (Sky Sports).

However, results such as the 0-0 draw with Southampton indicate the Citizens are struggling to convert chances without a reliable centre-forward after failing to capture Harry Kane during the summer.

They were also linked with Vlahovic during the transfer window, but he ended up staying in Italy. As per Fabrizio Romano, the Serbia international’s contract talks have now fallen apart.

His current contract is set to run out in 2023, meaning Fiorentina could be open to selling him the next year rather than lose him for free the following term.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Vlahovic news

“January and we’ll win the Champions League.”

Credit: @jofer_ms

“Get him in!!”

Credit: @MCFCYoungboy

“January”

Credit: @shaunyb3000

“Get him in jan”

Credit: @_KawaiiKayky

“Yes. Sign him.”

Credit: @WayneJa01355301

“Sign him in January!”

Credit: @King_Kevin100

In other news, Man City fans have been reacting to this transfer news.

Sunderland have kicked off their season in style with back-to-back wins in the 2021/22 campaign, beating both Wigan and Port Vale.

The Black Cats beat the Latics 2-1 on the opening day of the League One season, before progressing through to the second round of the Carabao Cup by defeating Port Vale by the same score.

They now travel away to face an MK Dons side who recently lost their manager Russell Martin to Swansea and have conceded eight goals in their first two matches – five to Bournemouth in a 5-0 Carabao Cup loss and three to Bolton in a draw in their first league outing.

On the Chalkboard

Despite Sunderland’s strong start to the season, Lee Johnson has a major issue within his side. Young central midfielder Dan Neil has been deployed as a left-back and struggled against Wigan last weekend whilst playing out of position.

Neil received a tame WhoScored rating of 6.40 as he failed to win a single tackle and only made one clearance in the 90 minutes. He also completed 62% of his passes – the third-lowest in the team – and did not create any chances going forward from the back.

This suggests that the experiment of playing him at full-back has not been successful for Johnson, which means that a natural defender should take his place in the team against MK Dons. Prior to this week, Sunderland did not have a natural full-back option to slot in, but they have since announced the signing of Dennis Cirkin on a permanent deal from Premier League side Tottenham.

Johnson hailed the 19-year-old as a top talent upon his arrival at the club. He told Sunderland’s official website: “To get a player of Dennis’ quality at 19 speaks wonders in terms of what we’re trying to do because he is a top talent and he’s very highly regarded within the game.

“We have been really happy with the signings we have made so far and we will bank this one, but we will continue our work quietly and efficiently to try and get a couple more over the line.”

This shows that Johnson rates the defender highly and that is why he should be thrown straight in at the deep end against MK Dons. Whilst there is not much evidence to prove that he will be a quality option immediately, as he has not made his debut in senior football as of yet, it is worth the gamble as Neil has shown that he is not up to the task of playing out of position.

Therefore, Johnson may not have any other choice but to risk it and hand Cirkin his debut on Saturday. Hopefully, the exciting young full-back will be able to repay the faith shown in him by the club and demonstrate why he is so highly-rated, as it would give the former Bristol City coach a specialist left-back option instead of having to put square pegs in round holes.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops claim on £13k-p/w Sunderland “leader”, Lee Johnson will be relieved…

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Atletico Madrid right-back Kieran Trippier…

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, the Magpies are confident of being able to agree a deal to sign the former Tottenham full-back next month.

The report claims that the player is keen on a return to England and is open to arriving at St James’ Park in the January window.

Fans will be delighted

Newcastle fans will be delighted with this update from Waugh for several reasons. Firstly, it indicates that the player is interested in a move, which surely improves their chances of being able to sign him. This does not appear to be a situation where the club are desperately trying to convince him to join.

Supporters will also be buzzing that the club are confident of sealing a deal, as it suggests that they believe they can tempt Atletico into parting ways with the 31-year-old. This could duly allow them to bring him in early in the month instead of it dragging out through to deadline day, which means that he can potentially play a part in some of Newcastle’s Premier League games in January.

Finally, the Toon Army will surely be delighted as he could be a terrific addition to the squad. England manager Gareth Southgate once lauded the defender for his form in Spain since leaving his home country, saying: “What Kieran has, firstly, is hugely underestimated. People are still seeing the lad that was at Spurs a couple of years ago and not the defensive animal that has grown at Atlético Madrid, trusted by one of the best and most successful coaches in the world.

“He gets his distances right on cover, he’s good one-v-one to stop crosses and his talking is really good. There was always going to be changes to our back four and we felt that communication and organisation was an important part.”

Trippier averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 7.20 last season in La Liga. He made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game, also chipping in with six assists.

This suggests that he could come in at Newcastle and offer a balance between defence and attack at right-back, bolstering Eddie Howe’s squad and possibly improving their chances of avoiding relegation.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Lewis: PIF can seal dream NUFC signing with £25m “monster” who can “win games”…

Leeds United will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing draw at home to Wolves at the weekend as they face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup tonight.

The Whites travel to the Emirates Stadium after drawing 1-1 at home to Wolves, which followed on from a 1-0 defeat to Southampton the previous weekend.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side scored a last-minute penalty on Saturday to secure a point, and a win against the Gunners in the cup competition could provide some much-needed positive momentum.

How many changes will Bielsa make to his side? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make five changes to the team from Saturday, with Charlie Cresswell, Crysencio Summerville, Kalvin Phillips, Joe Gelhardt and Tyler Roberts all coming in.

Across the goalkeeper and back four, we are predicting one change to the team as Cresswell comes in to give Diego Llorente a rest. We published this piece explaining why the young defender deserves to start, with this potentially being a huge opportunity for him to catch the eye and work his way into the Premier League setup.

In midfield, Kalvin Phillips could make his return from injury. He was named on the bench against Wolves and he could line up in the holding midfield position, allowing Bielsa to revert back to his favoured 4-1-4-1 formation against the Gunners.

Ahead of the England international, Pascal Struijk could retain his position and find a new partner in the form of Rodrigo. The Spaniard might drop back from his centre-forward role to play in central midfield, a position where he played for Leeds on 13 occasions last season.

Out wide, Summerville and Roberts could play ahead of Jack Harrison and Raphinha. We published an article explaining why the former should be axed from the team, as the £40k-per-week ex-Man City dud struggled at the weekend. The latter suffered an injury against Wolves and we expect that he will be rested ahead of the Premier League clash with Norwich on Sunday.

The final change we are predicting comes in the number nine position. We ran this piece stating that Bielsa must unleash Gelhardt against Arsenal after his impressive cameo against Wolves. The teenage attacker could provide energy and enthusiasm in the final third and should be motivated to work his socks off in an attempt to catch the manager’s eye with a view to further first team outings.

AND in other news, It’s time: Bielsa must unleash 19 y/o Leeds colossus, he’s a “leader”…

According to reliable journalist Gianluca Di Marzio (via City Xtra), Manchester City have made a sensational offer to Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Haaland’s career

Whilst the season may not have gone exactly as the Norway international had planned due to a number of injuries which forced him to the sidelines for ten of Dortmund’s league games, the 21-year-old has remained lethal in front of goal, having scored an incredible 16 goals in 19 Bundesliga matches.

When combined with his staggering overall record of 56 goals in 62 German top-flight games, Haaland has become one of the most sought-after players across the whole of Europe.

As a result, Manchester City and Real Madrid have emerged as the frontrunners in the race for his signature.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-developments-2/” title=”Man City latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: City’s offer

According to Di Marzio, as relayed by City Xtra, the Sky Blues have proposed an offer to Haaland. Taking to Twitter, City Xtra shared:

“Man City have presented an offer to Erling Haaland: An annual salary of around €30M per season for five years. The offer presented by the Man City also includes the release clause of €75M plus agent commissions equal €70M. [via @DiMarzio]”

The Verdict: Would be a magnificent signing

City boss Pep Guardiola is a keen admirer of Haaland, having hailed the 21-year-old as an “exceptional striker”.

As a result, director of football Txiki Begiristain has seemingly been doing anything he can to secure the Norwegian, given his side’s failure to secure Harry Kane last summer.

With such an efficient goalscorer in Guardiola’s side, City’s attacking threat could dominate Premier League defences.

Therefore, Haaland’s arrival at the Etihad could prove to be a magnificent bit of business if Txiki can get the deal over the line.

In other news: Manchester City: Guardiola without another player alongside Ruben Dias for Liverpool clash

Many Everton fans have been left lauding some footage that has emerged involving their Academy player Francis Okoronkwo.

As shared by Everton Academy’s official Twitter page, the winger cut inside the defender neatly before unleashing a curling effort into the opposite corner past the goalkeeper from outside of the box.

The Merseyside club’s U18 team were playing Sheffield United at Goodison Park in the FA Youth Cup on Friday night, and that goal put them 1-0 up.

The game finished 2-1 in the end, and so the U18’s went through into the round of 16, where they will now play Manchester United away from home.

Nonetheless, a lot of Toffees supporters were left in admiration of Okoronkwo’s strike in particular, and gave their reactions.

Everton fans on Okoronkwo goal

These Blues were left lauding the footage as it was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was a ‘sublime’ goal:

“The way he set himself up for that. Sublime!”

Credit: @MontagueStreet

“What a baller this kid is”

Credit: @EFCFrostyy2

“What a finish!”

Credit: @the_street_end

“Gerrrin”

Credit: @edgyt10

“This kid will go right to the top, right to the very top”

Credit: @BillEvram

“Massive massive potential this lad, could be an absolute cracker”

Credit: @danny1878c

In other news, find out what fresh injury blow EFC have suffered here!