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Manchester United have not been making much progress in terms of incoming players during this transfer window so far, but that could all be about to change with a fee reportedly agreed with Ralf Rangnick to bring a star player to Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

The Mirror have reported that interim manager, Rangnick, has verbally agreed a £33m fee with RB Leipzig for Amadou Haidara, who is currently away at AFCON representing Mali.

According to the report, Manchester United are not the only club chasing down the Bundesliga star, with Newcastle United interested in securing his signature by the end of the transfer window.

With that being said, Rangnick is reportedly keen to sign the player from his former club and is high on his wish list, as the German coach remains keen to bolster his midfield options at Old Trafford this month, according to The Mirror.

However, the Premier League giants are yet to make an official bid for Haidara, and as a result run the risk of losing the player to another club.

Fans will be buzzing

The fact that any progress, even a verbal agreement, has been made for new players to join Manchester United this month will come as a huge relief to fans of the club, with the side dropping points in their last two games that has now made their race for a top four spot seem even further out of reach, with West Ham United currently five points ahead in fourth and if they win this afternoon, the Hammers could go eight points clear of them.

Fans have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the potential signing of Haidara, with many desperate to welcome the 23 year old to the club, one fan tweeted: “Haidara is such a beautiful talent man. Man United need him I swear.”

Haidara offers versatility in his position which is something Manchester United desperately need from their players, especially in Rangnick’s 4-2-2-2 formation.

From his defensive midfield position, he offers fantastic offensive attributes, scoring two goals in 13 appearances, and has been successful in 72% of his dribbles this season so far in the Bundesliga, proving that he is effective in being progressive in his play, which is essential for the pressing style Rangnick adopts at Man United.

With Newcastle also reportedly keen to sign the young Malian midfielder, it is imperative that Rangnick moves fast to secure his signature at Old Trafford during this transfer window. Should he move then fans will be delighted.

In other news: Offer rejected for Andreas Pereira from Flamengo

Crystal Palace extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to six games after seeing off Wolves 2-0 at Selhurst Park this afternoon.

The Eagles took a deserved lead just after the hour mark when talisman Wilfried Zaha finished well following a James McArthur through ball. Although it was initially disallowed for offside against the Ivory Coast international, he was eventually awarded his third goal of the season by the video assistant referee (VAR).

Zaha’s effort sparked the game into life, producing an entertaining final half-hour which saw Odsonne Edouard test Jose Sa in the Wolves goal on several occasions before VAR overturned a penalty awarded to the visitors.

Summer signing Conor Gallagher then wrapped up the three points for Vieira’s side 12 minutes from time after his heavily-deflected strike left Sa with no chance of making a save.

The 21-year-old has been in fine form for the Eagles in the opening weeks of the season, netting four league goals already, and today he stole the show once again, catching the eye of Palace reporter Mark Wyatt.

“Had a lively first half and got the ball forward when he got the chance to drive at Wolves,” wrote Wyatt after awarding Gallagher a nine out of 10 in his player ratings for football.london.

“Was rewarded for his hard work in the second half with his goal – his fourth of the campaign. Was fortunate to take a deflection but he won’t care – another excellent display from the loanee.”

The midfielder’s underlying numbers certainly back up Wyatt’s assessment. As per SofaScore, Gallagher produced four key passes for his teammates throughout the 90 minutes, picked out a teammate with four of his five attempted crosses and successfully completed his only attempted dribble.

The England Under-21 international was equally as impressive in his defensive work. As per SofaScore, he made three tackles and two interceptions and won five duels as he dominated the midfield engine room in south London this afternoon.

With a relatively kind run of fixtures coming up for Palace, Vieira will be hoping that his hero against Wolves can reproduce this kind of performance on a regular basis in the weeks ahead and help the Eagles to maintain their splendid autumn form.

In other news… £10.1m in the bank: Parish sealed dream CPFC deal over “quality” £29k-p/w beast

John Hartson has issued a warning to Celtic regarding the permanent transfer of Jota ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by the Daily Record, the former Celtic striker stated his belief that Michael Nicholson and his transfer team at Parkhead must look to secure the €7.5m (£6.5m) permanent signing of the Benfica loanee prior to the opening of the winter window, as a number of Europe’s leading clubs could be plotting a swoop for the 22-year-old.

Speaking about the situation of the Portugal under-21 international, Hartson said: “You do it now, you do it now. In January, you do it. He’s made a great impact and although Celtic have first refusal it doesn’t mean you get him over the line.

“They have an option to get him, but his agent and Jota will have the decision whether it will be Celtic or not. You don’t want Jota to be on 20 goals by February and then a Bayern Munich come in and say to his agent ‘we’ll give you £10m if you get him to us.’

“That could happen – a Bayern Munich or a PSG might come in and say, ‘we want this kid, he’s 22, he’s lit the place up at Celtic, he looks dynamite.’ I would recommend Celtic to it as swiftly as they can because he is a very special player.”

Nicholson must act

It is easy to understand Hartson’s concern regarding the future of Jota, as the winger has already proven to be a remarkable addition to Ange Postecoglou’s first team squad since his arrival on loan back in August.

Indeed, over his nine Premiership appearances so far this season, the £3.15m-rated forward has scored four goals, provided four assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 2.9 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These metrics have seen the man who Postecoglou dubbed an “unbelievable” player average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.40, ranking the winger as the eighth-best performer in the Scottish top flight.

The £7.1k-per-week 22-year-old has also hugely impressed over his four Europa League games for Celtic, bagging one goal, registering two assists and creating four big chances for his teammates – returns which have seen him average an even more astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.55 in Europe.

As such, it would indeed seem advisable for Nicholson to tie up the winger’s permanent switch to Parkhead at the earliest possible opportunity, as Jota’s performances will more than likely be attracting a significant amount of attention, just as Hartson suggests.

In other news: Celtic could land Ange’s dream deal with 19 y/o sensation who “nothing seems to faze”

A number of Manchester United supporters are pleased after Dean Henderson was linked with a loan move to Eredivisie giants Ajax in January.

A new era has got underway at Old Trafford, with Ralf Rangnick winning his first game in charge against Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.

With a winnable run of fixtures coming up, there is a feeling that United could build some momentum and get themselves back in the Premier League top four.

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One player who hasn’t featured much at all this season is Henderson, with the goalkeeper finding himself behind David De Gea in the pecking order and making just one solitary Carabao Cup appearance.

According to Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst on Twitter, the Englishman could move to Ajax on loan next month in order to enjoy more playing time.

Man United fans react to Henderson rumour

These United fans have been reacting positively to the rumour on Twitter.

“This would be class for Deano, he needs it”

Credit: @MufcKeaneo

“Would be very good for him”

Credit: @Fergie1boy

“This is perfect for him”

Credit: @ezxreal_

“Will be a good move for him imo”

Credit: @UtdSwizz

“Then we can get Ten Hag next year”

Credit: @Abhishek_Utd31

“YESSSSS! Very good for his development. Just on loan please. He can definitely at some point become the United number 1.”

Credit: @nerdz_am

In other news, one United player could reportedly remain at Old Trafford. Find out who it is here.

Celtic may be without a manager but transfer preparations at Parkhead are well and truly underway.

What’s the word?

The Hoops have already wrapped up a deal to bring Liam Shaw to Glasgow but two other players who could join are more youngsters from the EFL; Kyle Joseph and Kwadwo Baah.

However, they’re now looking to sign an explosive winger in the shape of Aaron-Salem Boupendza.

That’s according to 90min, who suggest that Celtic are one of a number of teams vying for the winger’s signature.

Boupendza currently plays in Turkey for Hatayspor where he’s been seriously impressive. Arsenal are one of the sides chasing his signature with the Bhoys facing plenty of competition from south of the border.

Southampton, Tottenham, Leicester, West Ham, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Wolves are all monitoring his development while Rangers are also an interested party.

Christie upgrade

This will be music to the ears of Hoops supporters; Boupendza should be an upgrade on the much-maligned Ryan Christie.

The Scot has been in shocking form lately, scoring just twice in his last 25 outings for Celtic. For someone who found the net on 20 occasions last term, he has been abject at best.

Christie’s end product has often been left wanting and that has never been more evident than in the 1-0 defeat to Ross County.

He played as a striker next to Odsonne Edouard but spurned four chances, including an opportunity from just a matter of yards out that not only cleared the crossbar, but also the stand behind the goal.

With that in mind, signing someone like Boupendza would undoubtedly help Celtic. He is capable of playing on either flank, as well as through the middle as a central striker.

He has been electrifying for Hatayspor this season, scoring 18 times in just 28 outings. He’s failed to register an assist but with players like David Turnbull and James Forrest in the side, that should be of no concern.

Vital to the 24-year-old’s style of play is his dribbling. When one-on-one with the defender, Boupendza often gets the better of them. He has attempted 109 dribbles this season, completing 69 at a rate of 2.7 per match.

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For context, no player at Celtic has recorded more than the 1.6 dribbles amassed by Tom Rogic and Edouard.

Clearly, he could offer something different to the new manager at Paradise. On top of that, he could even be a more potent goal threat than someone like Christie.

As Celtic try to reclaim their dominance of the SPFL, finding more goals will be of utmost importance. Boupendza would offer than in abundance.

AND in other news, Forget Christie: Celtic must unleash rarely-seen 23 y/o next term, he’s “outstanding”…

Glasgow Rangers have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to bring goalkeeper Sam Johnstone to Ibrox this summer.

What’s the Word?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that sources close to Johnstone have revealed that the shot-stopper wants to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on the expiration of his West Bromwich Albion contract at the end of the current campaign.

This is sure to come as a huge blow to Rangers, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst is looking at a replacement for Allan McGregor – who himself looks increasingly likely to be leaving Ibrox this summer.

The Light Blues have shown interest in the England international who has kept 15 clean sheets in 36 Championship matches so far this season as West Brom has struggled.

With the likes of Newcastle United, West Ham United, and Southampton all linked with the highly-rated stopper in recent weeks, it’s clear to see why missing out on Johnstone could send Rangers into panic mode.

A potential replacement for McGregor?

Allan McGregor has so often been the saviour for Rangers over the years, producing big moments and penalty saves exactly when the side needs them, but this campaign has looked like a step too far.

There have been far too many mistakes as the Ibrox side has slipped behind in the title race, and the keeper has cost the club a fair few points since January.

As such, signing Johnstone on a pre-contract would be an excellent move. With three caps for England and still just 29 years of age, Giovanni van Bronckhorst could do no wrong in making a move for the shot-stopper.

Indeed, with the ‘keeper having been omitted from West Brom’s previous two matchday squads due to his contract running down, Rangers are in as good of a position as any to offer him terms.

With a market value of £7.2m, any side that secures the services of the 29-year-old could also make a solid profit in the future if they decide to sell him on, making this move an absolute no-brainer.

AND in other News: Wilson could land new £13m talent as Rangers plot bid for £180k-rated sensation

According to a recent report, Tottenham Hotspur are keen on a move for Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, should they part with Dele Alli this January.

The report by Calcio Mercato (via Sport Witness) claims that McKennie, who only recently joined Juventus on a season-long loan deal that can become a permanent move if the Old Lady pay another €18.5 million (£16.8 million) to Schalke at the end of the season, is a target for Spurs, should the north London side part with Dele Alli.

So far in his time at Juventus, the £22.5 million-rated central midfielder has made 10 appearances in Serie A, scoring one goal and providing two assists, as well as averaging a WhoScored match rating of 6.84 – ranking him as the club’s 12th-best performer in the Italian top flight.

And, as well as Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea are also reportedly keeping an eye on the midfielder, who Juve’s chief football officer, Fabio Paratici, has described as ‘exuberant’ and ‘intelligent’.

Transfer Tavern Take

Considering the fact that McKennie’s deal at Juventus is slightly complicated, as he is still only currently on loan from Schalke, it would seem unlikely that Tottenham would be able to make a move for the American international until the summer, at the very least.

As such, should Spurs let Alli leave in the January transfer window, it would seem, if they do indeed believe that McKennie is the player they would like to replace the 24-year-old, that they will have to make do without the extra body in midfield for the second half of the season.

In other Spurs news, Tottenham have received a boost in their pursuit of this ‘dream’ signing, find out more here!

Sheffield Wednesday are among the teams chasing a loan move for Jarrad Branthwaite this month, according to reports…

What’s the word?

The Owls are said to be one of several Championship sides lining up a temporary spell for the promising Everton centre-back, as per the ECHO.

The 18-year-old is thought to be open to the idea of a short stint away from his parent club to gain some valuable first-team minutes under his belt after a frustrating campaign.

League rivals Blackburn Rovers are the only other side mentioned in the report.

Shades of Michael Hector

With the Toffees teen down the pecking order, behind the likes of Michael Keane, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey, a move to Hillsborough Stadium would certainly prove beneficial.

In recent weeks, Wednesday have suffered injuries to their backline, notably Chey Dunkley and Julian Borner, whilst last season’s Player of the Year, Dominic Iorfa, has been ruled out for the entire season.

The Owls have even lost central defensive loanee Aden Flint back to parent club Cardiff City, so there is a need for additions at the back.

Since his debut last season, Branthwaite has been restricted to a total of only five senior appearances and requires game time, and Wednesday know all too well how loans like this can turn out as Michael Hector was a massive hit in south Yorkshire only two seasons ago.

Many fans wanted his return after a successful loan spell from Chelsea, though he went on to sign for Fulham for £8m.

And the two bear some similarities – both are at least 6 foot 4 inches in height and have pacey attributes despite their towering presence.

Indeed, Branthwaite has been dubbed one of the fastest players at Goodison Park (Sky Sports, via the News and Star) whilst Hector was lauded for his speed by the Premier League’s official website after transforming Fulham’s backline.

The teenager’s former manager at Carlisle has previously waxed lyrical over his potential, claiming: “The truth is, I think he has got everything. He can pass the ball almost equally as good with both feet. He’s a terrific footballer.”

Considering he’s only on a reported £15k-per-week, he could fit into the Owls’ wage bill nicely as Flint was thought to be on the same amount and he’s no longer at the club.

Dejphon Chansiri must swoop for Branthwaite before one of their rivals get to him this month.

AND in other news, How Sheffield Wednesday could look under managerial front-runner Paul Cook…

According to a report by 90min, sharing news on the Tottenham Hotspur manager search, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy remains ‘infatuated’ by Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers.

The Lowdown: Rodgers heavily linked to Spurs…

The 48-year-old has attracted major interest from Tottenham since Jose Mourinho was starting to feel the pressure, with reports from as far back as February detailing Levy’s interest in Rodgers (Football Insider).

He was quick to play down the reports linking him with Spurs recently whilst openly committing his future to Leicester, but that still didn’t stop speculation in the media. The Daily Mail recently claimed, despite Rodgers’ stance on the Tottenham job, that Levy has no intention of giving up in pursuit of the Northern Irishman.

The Latest: Levy still ‘infatuated’ by Rodgers…

90min disclosed that Levy and Spurs very much remain interested in the former Celtic boss as a top target to replace Mourinho in north London. The report went as far as to say the Lilywhites chairman is ‘infatuated’ by Rodgers and sees him as the ‘perfect’ managerial candidate for Spurs.

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He is also prepared to hand the Foxes boss a huge salary and make him the second-highest earner of any manager in the Premier League bar Pep Guardiola.

However, regardless of his intent, Levy is fully aware that he faces a fight to appoint Rodgers at Tottenham given his public admission over the role.

The Verdict: Rodgers should be number one…

We’re inclined to agree with the Tottenham head honcho on this one, especially given Rodgers’ record of superb man management (Leicestershire Live). The former Liverpool boss apparently has an ‘open door’ policy, with his players free to chat one-to-one at any time.

Rodgers has also been revered by sections of the press for making fringe players feel like they’re more involved, as opposed to a Dele Alli-style shun from the likes of Mourinho.

Five Leicester youngsters have made their debuts under the current manager, with Tottenham said to want someone who has proven experience in developing talent from the academy (The Athletic).

With Rodgers described as one of the Premier League’s ‘outstanding’ manager (Sky Sports), if Levy can pull off this appointment, it could be a real no-brainer.

In other news: many Tottenham fans flocked to this development, find out more here.

Premier League giants Arsenal are reportedly eyeing up a move for former Aston Villa player Jordan Amavi.

French outlet Le10Sport have released a report about the situation of Amavi, mentioning interest from Arsenal and Italian juggernauts AC Milan.

Amavi could reject Arsenal interest and stay at Marseille

Le10Sport have stated that, while Amavi’s contract at Marseille runs out this summer of, Arsenal are monitoring his situation and the player is being courted in Serie A too. Stefano Pioli’s AC Milan are also cited as one of the interested parties.

The report added that Amavi and Marseille could soon reach an agreement for the left-back to sign a new contract. A new three-year deal could be penned by the defender so that he can continue his adventure at the Stade Velodrome.

That will come as a blow to Milan and Arsenal, who were following the defender’s progress in Ligue 1 recently. The 26-year-old has previously plied his trade with Aston Villa, who sold him to Marseille  in the summer of 2018 after an initial loan deal in France.

This season, Amavi has made 16 appearances in all competitions, scoring once. Andre Villas-Boas, who had managed him at Marseille earlier in the campaign, hailed the Frenchman as “amazing” and spoke highly of his defending, aerial ability and pace.

Signing Amavi could be a good move for Arsenal

Since Amavi’s contract runs out in the summer, he could be available on a free transfer for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s side currently have just one out-and-out left-back option in the squad in Kieran Tierney. They loaned out Ainsley-Maitland Niles to West Brom over the winter and that move left them threadbare in the left-back department.

They need depth in that position and Amavi, still just 26, would offer them that. The £9m-rated defender could also offer some re-sale value further down the line, so it seems to make plenty of sense for Arsenal to pursue him.

In other news, Tony Cascarino believes one Arsenal player’s future is sealed – read more here.