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According to Sky Sports, former West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison is nearing a loan move from Lazio to Swedish outfit Ostersunds FK and has joined up with the club at their Marbella training camp.

Morrison made just 24 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers between 2012 and 2015 after joining from Manchester United and was sent out on loan three times.

Once billed as one of England’s upcoming talents, the 26-year-old, according to Phil Neville, even outshone a young Paul Pogba, while Red Devils legend Paddy Crerand said he was the best talent he’d seen since George Best. High praise, indeed.

Who is West Ham’s worst ever signing? Check out the video below for a pretty strong candidate for the dubious honour…

United sold him to the Irons though as his attitude proved problematic and little changed with his new surroundings. Offloaded to Lazio in 2015, the story has very much stayed the same since as he makes just eight appearances for the Italian outfit since.

West Ham fans have had young talents to get behind since, of which Declan Rice is the latest – the defensive midfielder shone against Liverpool on Monday night and has surely garnered interest from the big clubs.

The 20-year-old looks set to only get better, while Morrison’s potential seemed to waste away the longer his attitude persisted to hold him back, however that hasn’t stopped Irons fans on Twitter from dreaming of a reunion. Could Manuel Pellegrini be the man to get the best out of him, finally?

Here’s the best of the reaction to Morrison’s near-completed switch to Ostersunds, who are set to become his eighth club…

The Mesut Ozil show at Arsenal might be coming to a bitter end.

Even after signing a bumper contract with the Gunners, the German hasn’t been able to blend into Unai Emery’s system. Ozil’s lack of improvement forced Emery to bench him for the large part of the season, triggering the German to want to leave.

While Ozil’s departure from the Gunners seems inevitable, they need to work hard to find a suitable replacement. Despite his “lazy” demeanour, the German is still a magician with the ball and can create chances out of nothing, so he’d certainly leave a creative void should he eventually leave the Emirates.

Still, according to reports (via Tuttomercato), Emery is looking to replace him with AC Milan’s creative lynchpin Suso.

The former Liverpool winger is having a prolific season with the Italian giants, having scored five goals and assisted 8 for them this season. Suso’s leading Milan’s resurgence in Serie A, becoming their main attacking component due to his influential ability, so a deal would make an awful lot of sense.

He’s averaged almost 3 key passes per game (stats from Transfermarkt) and floating in from the right wing, can create exceptional goal-scoring chances at will. Suso’s style is somewhat similar to Ozil, but the Spaniard’s much more mobile, which is a trait utterly crucial to Emery’s embryonic system at the Emirates.

He can run with the ball, while often loving to dribble past defenders and score goals.

He’s suited to Arsenal’s fluid style and can become Arsenal’s main source of creation in the final third. It’ll take the Gunnars some doing to bring him to North London, but if they pull it off, Arsenal are getting a new and improved left-footed wizard to replace their German star.

Heung-Min Son is one of the most beloved players currently plying their trade at Tottenham Hotspur.

Many of their fans rarely miss out on an opportunity to shower their star with praise, love and affection on social media.

And now, they’ve gotten a new chance to do so as CIES have reported that Son is, in fact, Spurs’ most valuable player in terms of recent on-pitch contributions, even edging out some of the other big stars in the squad.

Upon seeing the update, many of the fans simply did their thing and made their voices heard once more, smothering the player with their positive reactions, such as stating that this is not really a surprise and that Son has deserves this status.

But interestingly enough, not all of them were in unison on the matter and some were just not buying this update as they think Harry Kane must be Spurs’ most valuable player despite Son’s best efforts.

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Here’s what they said about the duo:

One way or the other, Son is certainly still among the fan favourites at Tottenham Hotspur stadium and will likely continue being just that in the future unless something drastically changes.

Elsewhere, many Spurs fans absolutely loved their star’s gesture during the clash with Wolves…

West Ham United go into their game against Crystal Palace the fresher of the two sides, having not played since the 14th, due to Liverpool’s involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup.

There should also be a positive vibe in their camp, as the last game they played resulted in a 1-0 victory over Southampton – marking their second win from four games.

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However, the manager will have dilemmas to make regarding his team selection for the game at Selhurst Park, due to injury issues, returning players and suspension.

Watch Crystal Palace vs West Ham Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

With that in mind, this is FFC’s predicted XI for their match against Crystal Palace with three changes expected.

Pellegrini has spoken about the situations regarding David Martin and Lukasz Fabianski, both of whom have suffered from hip injuries. The Chilean may be wary about risking the Poland stopper if he is not ready, so Martin could get another game between the sticks.

Ryan Fredericks is suspended for this one, having accumulated five yellow cards in the current league campaign. Ben Johnson has missed plenty of U23s games through injury this season and was taken off in the 17th minute of a recent win against Newcastle United U23s, so it is likely that Pablo Zabaleta will fill in.

It would be harsh on Fabian Balbuena to be dropped after a game in which he kept a clean sheet, but Pellegrini will surely be keen to get Issa Diop back into the team. That desire will likely be strengthened by the fact that Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been looking at signing the Frenchman.

Aaron Cresswell and Angelo Ogbonna both keep their places in the defence having become key members of the team, as is also the case with Mark Noble and Declan Rice in midfield.

Felipe Anderson comes in for Robert Snodgrass, having recovered from his illness. His inclusion comes with the Scotsman failing to get a goal or assist in any of his last four games, while having the Brazilian would also add an injection of pace.

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Pablo Fornals has looked like a man transformed in recent weeks, getting three assists in his last four games, making him very hard to drop. There may have been a temptation to get Manuel Lanzini into the midfield as he has recovered from a shoulder injury, but he might come on from the bench this time around.

Sebastien Haller and Michail Antonio worked well as a pair against Southampton, with both players being involved in the goal. Therefore they should be given the opportunity to ensure that partnership continues flourishing.

In other news, West Ham have insisted they won’t be rushed into making a decision on their youngster.

It is fair to say that Elias Sorensen’s loan spell at Carlisle simply hasn’t worked out and it is probably a wise decision that Newcastle have decided to bring him back to the club.

The striker joined the Cumbrians in August yet has started just one League Two match, scoring zero goals, which suggests he is unlikely to make it as a player for the Magpies.

Added to this failure, he also struggled in a previous spell at Blackpool, where he appeared just once, and therefore it may be wise for Steve Bruce and Lee Charnley to consider moving him on.

Watch Man Utd vs Newcastle Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

Some fans have taken an opposite view, though, and because of the struggles of the first-team – particularly on a goalscoring front – they are keen to see him being given more game time, even at the expense of Joelinton.

He is still rated highly by a few supporters despite never having proved himself at a professional level, which means their views must be based on the fact that he has done well for the under 23s, with 12 goals in 17 appearances in 2018/19.

In Sorensen’s defence he is still young, and given Newcastle’s four strikers have scored just two goals between them there is a need for fresh energy up-front.

The call from some fans for him to return to the U23s is perhaps the best option, however.

He has clearly struggled to settle elsewhere and the opportunity to get his confidence up and develop into a better forward is what both the player and club should be aiming to achieve, and that means they should heed the advice of the comments below.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are also reportedly paying attenion to Stoke’s Joe Allen, which may not be the best move to make in January.

Manchester City’s chances of winning a third consecutive league title currently reside somewhere between implausible and impossible and that’s before we enter the new year.

After accumulating 198 points across the previous two campaigns, while playing an exceptional standard of innovative football that often astounded, Pep Guardiola’s side now lie 14 points adrift of leaders Liverpool having failed to win more than a third of their fixtures to date. The decline has been startling at times with the swiftness of it as notable as the deterioration itself and this has led some to question whether it’s the beginning of the end for one of the great creations in the modern era.

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Naturally, immersed in the discussions that have arisen from this surprising development have been attempts to identify the root causes and unless you have avoided all media since August you will know who has taken almost the entirely of the blame. It’s the defence, deprived of Vincent Kompany and Aymeric Laporte for very different reasons which has necessitated the conversion of Fernandinho to centre-back, learning as he goes. As regards to the others, John Stones’ fitness issues continue while Nicolas Otamendi is persistently a law unto himself and when all of this congeals together it has resulted in defensive horror-shows against Norwich, Wolves and Manchester United, rife with individual errors and hapless vulnerability.

Where once City were imperious now they have a clear Achilles heel. It is a back-line that is ‘shambolic’ according to the Daily Mirror’s Andy Dunn. It is ‘dangerously slow’ too if you believe Sam Cunningham.

Yet, although a defence of City’s defence would trouble even the finest defence lawyer, what confounds is why it is only the centre-backs and full-backs who are being routinely criticised while the equally culpable midfield gets off scot-free.

Concentrating on Manchester City’s derby loss – a defeat brought about by swift counter-attacks by the visitors that too easily exposed a rear-guard all at sea and the same game pertinently that prompted the brutal Mirror and i evaluations – Rafa Benitez said this: “City were trying to press but they were too long, they were going late, and with the pace that United have, they found the space and they could run.”

In the view of one of the shrewdest minds in football it was the midfield that let the champions down not the scrambling individuals so often faced by multiple attackers bearing down on them in acres of unprotected space. He is right too.

Because while the majestic Laporte has been a seismic loss for Guardiola’s side this term a bigger loss for them has been Fernandinho in midfield, relocated as he is to Laporte’s position. The Brazilian in recent seasons has been a one-man army in the holding role, averaging between 1.8 to 2.5 tackles won per game since 2016. In comparison, Ilkay Gundogan has made 0.6 tackles.

When Rodri’s acclimatisation to English football is factored in too – not to mention his distinct lack of pace – along with David Silva’s wearying legs it is little wonder that the intensity of City’s engine room has dipped substantially this term.

As we have witnessed, the ramifications of this have been huge as a midfield that used to fiercely protect what lay behind them now deals with its own set of problems. And this has left a defence not only exposed to breaking opponents but perhaps to unfair criticism also.

The Athletic’s Everton correspondent Patrick Boyland has claimed that it would be a “monumental ask” for the club to sign Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly in his latest Q&A with fans.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Corriere della Sera, via Inside Futbol, reported last month that new Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti was keen to sign the Senegal international, who is rated at £67.5m by Transfermarkt.

Boyland was asked about transfer links with Napoli players and whether any moves were likely during a Q&A with fans on The Athletic on Friday, and Koulibaly was one of the players he name-checked.

He responded: “Feel a lot of it is 2+2=5 stuff. Zielinski unlikely as Napoli see him as someone with real potential, and Koulibaly would be a monumental ask.”

How much do you remember about football in 2019? Our quiz will test your knowledge…

He’s not wrong

The 28-year-old has established himself as one of the top centre-backs in European football during his time with Napoli, with teammate Lorenzo Insigne even claiming last year that he is the very best – a big statement given how well Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is performing and after he finished second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

He was also voted as the best defender in Serie A last season, and you would think that if he was to leave Naples anytime soon, he would have his fair share of suitors among some of the top clubs in Europe.

Everton then would likely find it hard to compete with them in that case, as well as splashing the cash in terms of transfer fees and wages on a player who turns 29 years of age in six months’ time.

WhoScored list the African’s strengths as his passing and his tackling, and it would be difficult to argue that he would be a huge upgrade on the likes of Mason Holgate and Michael Keane – the latter in particular has come under criticism from supporters for his displays this term.

A deal looks unlikely though according to Boyland, so Toffees fans may have to write that rumour off for now at least.

In other Everton news, Patrick Boyland has picked out a “false” claim in The Financial Times report about Alisher Usmanov and the Merseyside club…

Having made well over 100 appearances for the club now, Ezgjan Alioski has established himself as a key part of the Leeds United first-team squad. This season has seen Marcelo Bielsa alternate between using him as a left-midfielder and at left-back, with even one game as a right-midfielder too.

Against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon, Alioski found himself on the bench as Leeds looked to strengthen their position at the top of the Championship.

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But after being brought on in the second-half for Barry Douglas, the Macedonian delivered a cameo that was as bad as anyone could have imagined.

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As per Sofascore, his 6.1 match rating was the worst of any player on the pitch, and when looking at his underlying numbers, it is easy to see why.

He won just one of his five total duels, made no tackles or interceptions, was dribbled past twice, and lost possession nine times. After seeing his performance, Leeds fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the 27-year-old.

A few Leeds fans were particularly critical of his positioning, claiming that his tendencies as a winger seemed to have him go too far up the pitch despite being needed to play at left-back.

A couple of supporters even labelled Alisoki as a “liability” to their team following his performance.

Despite only coming on mid-way through the second half, Alisoki certainly seemed to draw the ire of the Leeds faithful. The 27-year-old effectively made his side worse once he was introduced, the complete opposite of what substitutes are supposed to do. In games going forward, Bielsa may just think twice before opting to bring the Macedonian into the team.

Meanwhile, this Premier League striker could be Patrick Bamford’s ideal back-up.

According to the ever-reliable Fabrizio Romano, AS Roma have tried to snatch away Liverpool’s 28-year-old playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri with a cheeky bid, but their approach has been refused.

What’s the word, then?

Even though he’s mostly been a bit-part player for Liverpool in the 2019/20 campaign – seeing how he’s only managed to feature in 256 minutes of football across ten appearances in all competitions – Shaqiri has attracted some interest from Italy.

Roma reportedly asked for his availability on loan, with the Gladiators looking for someone who could potentially replace the injured Nicolo Zaniolo.

The big fat Liverpool quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Anfield?

With the 20-year-old prodigy out with a fitness issue, the Italian outfit need someone to fill his void and supply them with goals.

But with Romano concluding his tweet by simply saying “no chance”, it appears Roma will have to look elsewhere.

Verdict

Even though Shaqiri has been plagued with injuries in the ongoing campaign, already missing out on 11 games in total, he still sounds like a good option for Roma.

After all, we’re talking about a player who scored 15 goals and assisted a further 15 for Stoke prior to his move to Anfield and also has some Serie A experience from his spell at Inter Milan.

However, Klopp appears to think Shaqiri still has something to offer to the Reds as they continue their march towards the Premier League title.

Currently, they are 14 points clear and are enjoying the view from the top of the mountain.

It still remains to be seen whether the 28-year-old winger will have any kind of role to play in the remainder of the season.

It’s difficult not to think, however, that he could’ve been a more important part of Roma’s squad had the transfer gone through.

Elsewhere, one of Liverpool’s players truly showed his worth with an excellent off-the-bench performance vs Tottenham Hotspur…

According to a recent report from The Mirror, Manchester United want to sign Birmingham City’s 16-year-old prodigy Jude Bellingham.

The same source states that the Red Devils are even willing to fork out around £12.5m, which is simply an eye-watering sum for a kid of his age.

But who exactly is this young, up and coming player and why would Ole Gunnar Solskjaer want to add him to his current crop of players?

Let’s find out…

Who is he?

Bellingham is a product of Birmingham City’s academy. Some of his first steps as a footballer were made when he was just eight years old, playing for the Blues and rising through their ranks quickly and effortlessly.

Fast forward into the future, and the now 16-year-old prodigy is already making strides in his career, having been named EFL Young Player of the Month award for November 2019.

The big fat United quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Man Utd?

He also became the club’s youngster ever goalscorer at just 16 years and 38 days, breaking the record set by club legend Trevor Francis in 1970.

By the looks of things, he could definitely be someone Man United could mould into a superstar.

How does he play?

Bellingham is a highly technical and explosive type of player. Even though he is a natural centre-midfielder, we can actually see him in various different positions depending on the needs of the team, as evidenced by the games Transfermarkt have in their database.

But even though he could be characterised as an aggressive and attacking-minded player, he is also able to drop deeper when necessary and assist the build-up of his team.

We can actually see that tendency in his heatmap for the 2019/20 season across all competitions, as provided by Wyscout.

Bellingham is extremely composed and mature for his age, and represents a rather safe option for his teammates in possession. He is also most dangerous when actually on the ball and when given the licence to wreak havoc in the opposition’s lines. The technical side of this 16-year-old midfielder is best seen in his dribbling stats as Wyscout register 4.18 per game with 58.9% success rate.

His control is also really good as he has only averaged only 1.2 unsuccessful first touches per game in the Championship this season.

Prior to the Birmingham’s weekend clash with Cardiff, the 16-year-old has tallied 23 games for his club in the ongoing campaign in the domestic league, starting an impressive 17 out of those games and scoring three goals while adding one assist to that tally as well, proving that he has an eye for goal and a lethal strike.

One other notable trait that describes this youngster quite well is his maturity in defence. He partakes in 9.33 defensive duels per game with a success rate of 62.6%. He also averaged an incredible 4.52 interceptions and 6.47 recoveries per game, with 56.6% happening in the opposition’s half, proving his aggressive nature and hefty defensive contribution.

Continuing the trend

If he is truly to be incorporated into Solskjaer’s squad, Bellingham would be another young talent defending the colours of the Red Devils.

With the likes of Daniel James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood already at the club, Man United’s future certainly looks extremely bright and the coach’s intentions are crystal clear – a young revolution and rejuvenation of the team.

Bellingham is only 16 years of age but his potential is already out there for everyone to see.

For that reason, the reported interest from United and other big European clubs doesn’t come as a surprise.