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Leeds United will complete a move for RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson, but he will arrive this summer instead of in January, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Constant Aaronson links

The Whites have been linked with numerous players throughout the January transfer window but none more so than USA international Aaronson.

Leeds are reportedly considering a third bid for the 21-year-old after one was rejected and one was left up in the air.

The attacking midfielder has shone for RB Salzburg, scoring 10 goals and registering 12 assists in 51 appearances for the Austrian side.

A fresh update has now emerged on the matter, with time running out in this window.

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The Latest: Summer move on the cards?

According to TEAMtalk, Victor Orta ‘gets his man’ and Aaronson will end up being a Leeds player, but a move is likely to be completed this summer instead of in January.

Salzburg are reluctant to let the American leave this month, especially with a crucial Champions League last-16 clash with Bayern Munich on the horizon.

Aaronson is keen on the move to Leeds happening, however, and is willing to wait until the summer.

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The Verdict: January signing still needed

Signing Aaronson would be an undoubted plus for the Whites, given his age and the fact that he has already proved himself in the Champions League, starting all six of Salzburg group stage games this season.

That being said, the need for a central midfielder to come in in January remains great, in order to make up for the current absence of Kalvin Phillips.

While money may be tight at Elland Road currently, failure to sign anyone, even if it’s just for a short-term period, could feel negligent come May – Marcelo Bielsa is currently without a single out-and-out attacking midfielder in his squad.

In other news, an on-air Leeds transfer claim has emerged. Read more here.

As per a report by Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, a Tottenham Hotspur transfer update has emerged involving AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie.

The Lowdown: Tottenham eye Kessie move…

The 52-cap Ivory Coast star has been on managing director Fabio Paratici’s agenda for quite a while as Spurs reportedly eye his signing as a free agent next summer.

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The Milan midfielder is currently set to leave on a free as things stand, with his contract running down next summer amid claims that Tottenham are certainly interested in him. Paratici is reportedly eyeing top players for low fees as he aims to boost Antonio Conte’s chances of success at N17.

Now, as per Corriere dello Sport, a fresh update has emerged on Spurs’ interest.

The Latest: Kessie handles Spurs offer…

According to their information, relayed by Sport Witness, Kessie has ‘attractive proposals’ from both Tottenham and Paris-Saint Germain, reportedly a major factor as to why he hasn’t agreed a contract extension at the San Siro.

The 25-year-old is demanding €8m (£6.7m) per year while Milan can only offer €6m (£5.07m), with the Lilywhites’ offer apparently more enticing. It is also stated that both Spurs and PSG are ‘on pole’ for his signature.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Thriving further forward under Stefano Pioli last season, scoring 13 goals and four assists in Serie A, Kessie has continued in that vein of form over 2021/22 so far. With five goals across 13 Italian top-flight starts, that’s far more than any Spurs midfielder has managed by comparison, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg coming closest (two).

Despite being a natural defensive midfielder, the Ivorian could provide an extra degree of threat through the middle for Conte, and his signing on a pre-contract deal would certainly be a bargain.

In other news: Conte personally sets sights on signing £21m ‘top player’ with club now willing to sell, find out more here.

A worrying Rangers transfer claim has been made regarding their efforts to add a new winger to the squad at Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell has poured cold water on the Gers’ chances of landing Andreas Skov Olsen from Bologna, although he has also revealed how much money it would take to prise him away from the Serie A club.

He tweeted: “Olsen unlikely with World Cup starting spot to protect – Bologna open to selling for £7-8m though.”

Campbell replied to a fan in the thread questioning why the deal is unlikely, saying: “It’s not my opinion, I’m just writing the info I have, but I’m not saying he is better staying on the bench. I’m saying he has options and it’s believed a bigger league is more likely as it will help his chances of retaining his place.”

He then added where the other interest in Olsen is coming from: “Italy, Spain the main ones I believe.”

Frustration for Gers fans

Rangers fans will surely be frustrated with this news as it dampens the chances of Olsen arriving in Glasgow this month.

The Denmark international could be a terrific signing for the club, and supporters will not be pleased that it now appears as though Giovanni van Bronckhorst will need to look elsewhere in the market.

The 22-year-old has scored five goals and provided three assists in 10 World Cup qualifying matches for his country, showing the level of impact he can have at the top level from out wide, and this is why he could have been an excellent addition to the Light Blues’ squad.

However, as Campbell says, the allure of remaining in a top European league is the stumbling block for the Gers, and there is nothing they can do about that.

Unfortunately, for now at least, they always be behind the big leagues in Europe who have clubs competing at the very top level in the Champions League, such as the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Rangers and Celtic – the two most successful clubs in Scotland – competed in this season’s Europa League.

Rangers may need to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League and potentially go further in order to show players that the standard is good enough for them to flourish in Glasgow. When that happens, they may be able to tempt players into rejecting an elite La Liga or Serie A club to join them.

This is why fans will be frustrated by this update and hoping that the situation will change in the coming years, and that Van Bronckhorst will lead the club into a position where they can attract top-tier talent.

AND in other news, Jordan Campbell drops key Rangers transfer claim, Van Bronckhorst will be buzzing…

As per Calciomercato, there has been a development in the chase for a long-time Tottenham Hotspur target as the Lilywhites continue to eye a move Norwich City defender Max Aarons.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Max Aarons move…

The 21-year-old has been on Tottenham’s radar for quite some time now and links can be traced back all the way to the beginning of Jose Mourinho’s tenure in charge in N17.

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Indeed, Football Insider claimed back in April 2020 that Spurs and Mourinho were primed for talks to sign Aarons as they made the youngster their top defensive target.

Spurs maintained that interest through to 2021, with Sky Sports revealing that transfer chief Fabio Paratici had renewed their interest amid their summer search for a right-back.

Now, despite the signing of Emerson Royal in that position, it appears that they haven’t quite abandoned their chase for the Canaries player.

The Latest: Spurs in pole…

As per Calciomercato, it appears that Tottenham are in pole position to sign Aarons, with Antonio Conte’s side apparently having the ‘greatest chance’ of signing him above the likes of Roma, Borussia Dortmund and Everton.

Norwich value the young ace at around €22m (£18.7m), almost half of what they were demanding for his services earlier this year when Bayern Munich came knocking. As per Sky Sports, the Canaries slapped a £35m price tag on Aarons’ head earlier this year, but it now appears that they are willing to let him go for a much lesser amount.

However, that still doesn’t mean they are willing to part ways easily, with Norwich apparently rejecting Roma’s proposal to sign him on loan with an obligation to buy.

The Verdict: Needed addition?

Given the presence of Emerson, along with versatile defensive youngster Japhet Tanganga and Matt Doherty, we believe that Tottenham have bigger priorities than the right-back position.

For instance, the Lilywhites would be better placed prioritising a swoop for a senior centre-forward alternative to Harry Kane, with Fiorentina star Dusan Vlahovic apparently on the agenda.

A top-class centre-half to come in as an option to partner the in-form Eric Dier or Cristian Romero (when he returns from injury) wouldn’t go amiss either, especially either one of Matthijs de Ligt or Stefan de Vrij, who are both said to be targets (Football Insider).

Tottenham’s need to spend money wisely cannot be overstated, especially given that they recently announced an £80.2m pre-tax loss for the last financial year, taking their overall club debt to £706m (The Guardian).

Despite Aarons being lauded as the ‘the perfect right-back’ by pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor (Football Insider), his signing is simply a luxury given other pressing positions.

Indeed, Paratici needs to weigh up more important targets with the transfer kitty he is granted by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

In other news: Talks ongoing: Spurs in contact to sign ‘incredible’ £29.9m man, club open to temporary move…find out more here.

The Saudis’ dream signing for Newcastle United has now been revealed as Sven Botman.

The Lowdown: Interest there

Fabrizio Romano reported just a couple of days ago that the St. James’ Park faithful are ‘seriously interested’ in a deal to sign Botman, in a rumour that seems to be gathering pace.

Given that Eddie Howe’s team shipped four goals away at Leicester City in the Premier League last time out, it is clear that defensive reinforcements are needed, and a new dominating central defender would certainly help their cause in their battle to beat the drop.

The Latest: Dream signing

As per Grand Hotel Calciomercato, ‘it is one of the dreams’ of the new Saudi ownership to sign Botman, however, their current position in the Premier League table does not favour their chances.

Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Atalanta, Roma and Napoli are also all interested in his signature, and he would be allowed to leave Lille in the January transfer window for an offer of between €30-40m (£25.5-34m).

The Verdict: Difficult

Given that Lille are still in the UEFA Champions League, it may be too difficult to attract Botman to the North East, especially in January.

Tipped to be ‘the next van Dijk’ by statistical experts WhoScored, fellow Dutchman Botman has a six-foot-four frame as well, and has averaged a similar number of interceptions and blocks per game in their respective domestic leagues so far this season (WhoScored).

Van Dijk is widely thought of as the best centre-back in the Premier League, and given that Botman is only 21 years of age and drawing such comparisons, his potential is scary.

He was a won the Ligue 1 title ahead of PSG last season, as teammate Jose Fonte dubbed him a ‘machine’ midway through the campaign.

He would be a very difficult player to bring to Tyneside, but what a coup it would be if the Saudis’ dream came to fruition.

In other news, find out which ‘gladiator’ who ‘can produce magic’ NUFC are interested in here!

Leeds United are reportedly interested in making a move for Reading midfielder John Swift, with a host of other clubs also in the mix.

The Lowdown: Swift impresses for Reading

The 26-year-old has arguably been one of the standout players in the Championship so far this season, despite the Royals sitting 16th in the table. He has scored eight goals and registered seven assists in 17 appearances, bringing a huge amount of end product from the middle of the park.

His performances may soon lead to him getting a move to the Premier League, if a fresh report is to be believed.

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The Latest: Leeds linked with move

According to The Sheffield Star, Leeds are one of the clubs who are ‘considering bids’ for Swift, who won 13 caps for England’s under-21s in the past.

Burnley and Wolves are also credited with interest, but Sheffield United have pulled out of the race, acknowledging that interest from the Premier League trio would make it near-impossible for the Blades to capture him.

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The Verdict: Good squad addition

It can be easy to turn your nose up at the thought of Leeds signing a Championship player, but Swift is in a rich vein of form and he could provide Marcelo Bielsa with greater squad depth.

His aforementioned goal and assist contribution is highly impressive and could give the Whites an added threat in the final third, something they have perhaps lacked this season with 2020/21 top scorer Patrick Bamford being laid low with injury. Also, at the age 26, the Reading maestro still has time to improve even further.

Much like Leeds-linked winger Lewis O’Brien, Swift might not necessarily come in as a key player straight away but he could be a handy addition in January, being described as ‘fantastic’ by Veljko Paunovic recently.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly keen on signing a striker – find out who it is here.

According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, it appears one player already has a ‘formal proposal’ to join West Ham United despite the transfer window not opening yet – colossal Barcelona goalkeeper Neto.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye new keepers…

Despite the summer signing of Paris-Saint Germain keeper Alphonse Areola on loan with an option to buy, West Ham have still been linked with other new goalkeepers as Lukasz Fabianski’s deal slowly winds down.

The former Poland international recently confirmed in an interview that talks have been going on over another new deal, coming after he put pen to paper on a one-year extension in March.

However, depending on those contract developments and whether the club opt to sign Areola permanently, new head of recruitment Rob Newman may have to keep one eye on the goalkeeping situation.

Sam Johnstone of West Bromwich Albion is one player repeatedly linked with a move to east London amid his precarious contract situation, which expires in 2022, but it now appears more news has emerged on fellow target Neto.

The Latest: Neto has ‘formal proposal’ from Irons…

According to information collected by Fichajes, the 6 foot 2 shot-stopping powerhouse has a ‘formal proposal’ on the table to join West Ham.

Neto is apparently certain to leave Barcelona among eight listed players who new Catalans boss Xavi will ship out as part of a huge Camp Nou overhaul.

They say the Brazilian’s need for more minutes ‘takes him away’ from Barca as West Ham wait in the wings.

The Verdict: Wrong target?

Given his lack of playing time when compared to other goalkeeping targets like Johnstone, who West Ham could also sign as free agent next summer, it’s safe to say the England international comes as a far more attractive proposition than Neto.

Barca’s outcast has a shorter shelf life between the sticks going by his age (32), with West Brom’s mainstay in his prime at 28 by comparison.

The Irons are also in a weaker negotiating position with Barca given Neto’s deal doesn’t expire until 2023, meaning West Ham may have to pay more money than they would desire for his services – depending on their intended offer of course.

Signing Johnstone on a free deal next year, meanwhile, stands out as far more shrewd business given his proven Premier League pedigree, international status and acclaim by figures in the media.

In other news: West Ham ready offer to sign 33-cap World Cup ace as Newman sets sights on brand new target, find out more here.

Rangers will look to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership as they travel to face St Mirren on Sunday.

Heading into the weekend, the Gers sat at the summit of the table on 20 points, whilst tomorrow’s opponent’s were seventh and have only lost two of their opening nine matches.

Steven Gerrard’s team come into the game off the back of a 2-0 win over Danish side Brondby in the Europa League on Thursday night, so will he make any changes to the starting XI? We believe that one player he should bring into the fold is central midfielder Scott Arfield.

The experienced Scottish-born Canadian impressed during his cameo off the bench on Thursday, recording a SofaScore rating of 7.00 in 12 minutes. As per SofaScore, he won both of his duels, made one tackle and one interception, and provided one key pass as well as hitting the post with a good effort on goal.

It is time to forget about Steven Davis starting against St Mirren and Gerrard to unleash Arfield in midfield for the Gers. We published an article explaining why the 36-year-old should be axed from the starting XI after his disappointing performance against Brondby.

Arfield is a proven performer for Rangers and could come in to give the Northern Irishman a rest. Last season, the 32-year-old averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.85 in 28 games as he chipped in with four goals and five assists in the Premiership

During the campaign, Gerrard lauded the midfielder for what he offers in and out of position in the middle of the park, which hints at what he could bring to the side this weekend against St Mirren.

The Gers boss said: “Scott epitomises what we want. Out of possession he shows grit, he shows fight, he’s there for you and in possession, he’s always available. He stands up to be counted at important times, so we’re extremely happy with Scott at the moment.”

This highlights why Gerrard must unleash the £16k-per-week beast on Sunday to show what he can do with a first league start of the season. It would allow an underperforming Davis to have a rest and focus on getting back to his best in training, whilst also throwing a bone to Arfield to see if he can stake a claim for a regular starting berth for the Gers.

AND in other news, Gerrard could unearth McGregor 2.0 in Rangers gem who has shown “excellent progress”…

Flocking to Twitter, these West Ham United fans have absolutely erupted over news involving their promising young defender Ben Johnson.

The 21-year-old has come on leaps and bounds since manager David Moyes was forced to turn to him in the absence of usual mainstay Vladimir Coufal through injury.

Enjoying solid performances against the likes of Man City, bitter rivals Tottenham and Aston Villa, even scoring in the latter game, Johnson has now been tipped to pen a new deal at the London Stadium as his current contract expires in 2022.

Lauded as a ‘really important player’ by Moyes for his recent showings, you could be forgiven for thinking his call-up to the England Under-21s squad was a given.

Alas, it wasn’t, with the right-back officially missing out on Lee Carsley’s final selection as per West Ham correspondent Tom Clark.

Flocking to this news, these Irons supporters simply can’t quite believe it – with some calling it ‘ridiculous’ and ‘insane’.

Going by his recent form at club level, you can see why West Ham fans are a bit perplexed at this development.

Find all of their best takes down below.

West Ham fans erupt over Johnson news…

“How does Max Aarons get in before Johnson? Absolute joke of a selection that. Same with Bowen not getting picked for the full squad”

Credit: @robpatterson24

“Madness”

Credit: @SteveBarry10

“Insane”

Credit: @Grobabbio

“This is ridiculous….”

Credit: @paul_bass10

“Max Aaron’s gets in squad though, how many goals have been put past him this season, absolute joke.”

Credit: @billysollock

“Tututut”

Credit: @lukeowen92

In other news: ‘Woohoo’, ‘Going for the title’…ExWHUemployee’s transfer claim has many West Ham fans buzzing, find out more here.

The Sunderland manager has provided a fresh update on the status of winger Aiden McGeady… 

What’s the latest?

Lee Johnson has confirmed that McGeady missed the 4-0 defeat to Portsmouth with an ankle injury.

The Black Cats head coach, via The Chronicle’s James Hunter, cited an ‘ankle problem’ for his absence and did not specify how long he will be out of action.

Fans will be gutted

Sunderland fans will surely be gutted by this news. For starters, they missed his quality against Pompey as Leon Dajaku and Aiden O’Brien struggled at Fratton Park, recording SofaScore ratings of 6.4 and 6.1 respectively – managing one key pass between them.

McGeady, at the age of 35, has been one of the club’s standouts in League One this season. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.21, producing two goals and three assists in nine starts, whilst averaging an impressive 2.6 key passes per game. This highlights his ability on the ball and outlines why he could have made a difference against Portsmouth.

Speaking after a game in 2019, ex-Black Cats boss Jack Ross lauded the Irishman’s quality.  He told the Chronicle Live: 

“I thought he was bright today. He is the type of player who responds well to other players coming into the club and the challenge of proving the quality he has.

“In the first half I thought we were too short and too narrow in terms of how we made the pitch, so in the second half we widened and lengthened it a bit and that’s where the goal comes from. You had the execution of the pass from Grant [Leadbitter], but then you need that bit of special quality and Aiden has done that a lot for us this season.”

This aligns with his form this campaign and illustrates why fans will be gutted at this injury update from Johnson.

The fact that no timeline has been given on his return could also cause them to worry as it remains to be seen how long he will be out for. Although, after their clash with Gillingham in midweek, Sunderland will have two weeks off because of the international break.

That could give the Irishman time to get himself fit and ready for action.

AND in other news, Possession lost 21x: Sunderland dud with zero key passes let Johnson down vs Pompey…