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Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish believes that Nicolas Tagliafico is a player who could help take Leeds United up another level.

Marcelo Bielsa may be looking for reinforcements all over the pitch this summer, but left-back would appear to be a priority position. With Ezgjan Alioski expected to move on to pastures new, an experienced campaigner to replace him is of the utmost importance for Leeds.

Tagliafico has emerged as a prime candidate to move to Elland Road, having enjoyed a successful spell at Ajax which has brought with it two Eredivisie titles.

McLeish talks up Leeds’ move for Tagliafico

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish explained why he thinks the 28-year-old would be a shrewd addition if Leeds bring him to Elland Road, saying:

“Alioski has not really done anything wrong. He’s been shifted into left back, he’s usually a forward player and did well in those areas when coming from midfield.

“You have to give him credit but for any team to look at going forward they need to look at which positions they can improve.

“With Alioski not being a natural left back, you think Leeds would be looking at somebody like Tagliafico.

“It makes sense, Leeds want to get to the next level and to do that they need to get more quality in.”

Transfer Tavern take

In truth, it is hard to find too many negatives with regards to Leeds signing Tagliafico, with the left-back possessing a perfect mix of experience and quality. He knows how to win trophies and is an established Champions League competitor, while 27 caps for Argentina also speaks volumes about his pedigree, with four of those coming at the 2018 World Cup.

At 28, he isn’t a player who would be arriving in the twilight of his career either, with several more years at the top to be expected. Plus, his defensive numbers this season are strong, averaging 2.1 successful aerial duels, two successful tackles and 1.9 interceptions per league game – each of those compares quite favourably with the figures posted by Leeds’ current squad.

Therefore, McLeish is right to talk up the Whites’ transfer links with Tagliafico.

In other news, a pundit has made a big claim about one Leeds player’s future. Find out who it is here.

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Graham Roberts has warned Ryan Mason and Chris Powell that they “can’t have mates” in the Spurs squad, and has told Football FanCast that he hopes the club return to their ethos of attacking football.

Mason has been placed in charge of the first-team on an interim basis and is being assisted by Powell.

That decision came on the heels of Jose Mourinho being sacked last Monday.

Roberts is hopeful that the two can help return Spurs to their attacking roots, especially given that he believes that in recent weeks, the side have been appalling.

Indeed, Spurs have won just two of their last eight games, which includes the 3-0 humiliation at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb and a 1-0 Carabao Cup Final defeat to Manchester City, where they didn’t show too much attacking intent.

Roberts believes Mason and Powell will reassess the squad and pick those who deserve to play, while also hoping that the tactics change.

Speaking to FFC, he said: “I think Mason and Powell will have a massive, massive job on their hands now. You can’t have mates, you’ve got to pick the right players. I think every player now should be looked at differently.

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in the team, to be honest the team has played absolute garbage, we haven’t played well for a long, long time, and I’m just hoping that he takes the shackles off of them.”

لا يزال موقف الدولي الفرنسي كريم بنزيما، مُهاجم فريق ريال مدريد، غير واضح بشأن مشاركته من عدمها أمام أتلتيك بلباو في كأس ملك إسبانيا.

ريال مدريد يحل ضيفًا على أتلتيك بلباو، مساء الخميس، على ملعب “سان ماميس”، في تمام الساعة العاشرة والنصف بتوقيت القاهرة، ضمن لقاءات دور الـ16 من مسابقة كأس الملك.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ميندي يغيب عن ريال مدريد أمام أتلتيك بلباو وشكوك حول لحاقه بصدام باريس سان جيرمان

وحسب صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، فإن بنزيما لم يتواجد في الجلسة الجماعية لريال مدريد اليوم الثلاثاء، حيث استأنف المرينجي تدريباته في صالة الألعاب الرياضية (الجيم).

وأوضحت الصحيفة أن بنزيما استمر في أعمال التعافي من إصابته لذا تواجد في صالة الألعاب الرياضية.

بنزيما يقدم وعدًا لجماهير ريال مدريد: سنقاتل للفوز بالألقاب https://t.co/nUOOnW8oUm pic.twitter.com/seoDbPcPm4 — Btolat.com (@Btolat) February 1, 2022

وقالت الصحيفة إن تواجد بنزيما في مباراة الخميس لا يزال موضع شك، لذا سيخضع غدًا الأربعاء لفحص طبي، لتحديد موقفه قبل السفر إلى بلباو صباح الخميس.

الفرنسي عانى من إصابة في الساق اليسرى وخضع لتصوير بالرنين المغناطيسي الخميس الماضي، وتبين أنه لا يُعاني من أي إصابة قوية في أوتار الركبة، حيث يُعاني فقط من التهاب في هذه المنطقة؛ ولكن لا ريال مدريد ولا كارلو أنشيلوتي يريدان المخاطرة به بسبب صدام باريس سان جيرمان في دوري أبطال أوروبا، والذي يتبقى عليه 15 يومًا فقط.

يُذكر أن مباراة الذهاب بين ريال مدريد وباريس سان جيرمان، سوف تُقام على ملعب “حديقة الأمراء” يوم الثلاثاء 15 فبراير 2022، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، الحادية عشر بتوقيت السعودية.

Celtic may be without a manager but that isn’t stopping the Hoops hierarchy from considering new arrivals at Parkhead.

Of course, Neil Lennon left the hot seat a number of weeks ago but the transfer rumour mill has been in full swing regardless.

What’s the word?

According to GIVEMESPORT, Celtic are in the race to sign Peterborough forward Siriki Dembele this summer.

They claim that his eye-catching form in England’s third tier has led to interest in a player who may not cost a penny this summer.

That’s because Dembele is out of contract in a few months time and thus, could sign a pre-contract deal similar to the one Liam Shaw has already agreed with Celtic.

Interestingly, the Posh winger is the brother of Karamoko Dembele.

Imagine him & Edouard

Dembele would be a fantastic addition for Celtic, a team that have lacked creativity and goals from a wide area of late.

Moi Elyounoussi may have scored in the Old Firm derby but that was just his first goal in his last 11 matches. As for Ryan Christie, he has netted only twice in his last 26 outings.

Evidently, they need a bit of extra spice in forward areas. They’d certainly find that in Dembele, a player who has registered eight goals and 12 assists in League One this term.

His tally of assists is only bettered by two players in the division, one of which happens to be former Hoops star Aiden McGeady. His goal tally, meanwhile, now stands at 21 in a Peterborough shirt.

It’s not a giant number but he’s come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. As well as playing on the wing, he’s begun to play as a centre-forward, a role he’s been hailed as “absolutely outstanding” in by Darren Ferguson.

It’s in a wide area where he’d be of better use to Celtic, though, especially if Odsonne Edouard stays.

The Frenchman is a goal-scoring phenomenon and even if the team has struggled this term, he’s still scored 20 goals. Therefore, just imagine the tally he could manage playing alongside someone as creative as Dembele.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-boupendza-mcgeady-marsch-mccarthy” title=”Latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]

The 24-year-old has provided 1.7 key passes per match in 2020/21, a tally only bettered by David Turnbull and Ryan Christie at Celtic. His 3.2 dribbles per game this term, however, is more impressive than anyone in the Bhoys team.

With a player as rampant and creative as Dembele down the wings, it could open up further scoring opportunities for Edouard. He should be licking his lips at this development.

AND in other news, Major “investment” claim emerges at Celtic, supporters should be buzzing…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former manager and current director of football Barry Fry believes this summer could be the final chance Harry Kane has to leave Tottenham.

Kane, who is Tottenham’s third-highest goalscorer of all time, is currently being linked with a move away from White Hart Lane, speculation that will worry Spurs fans.

Fortunately for the north London club, the striker’s contract runs until 2024, so they are under no immediate pressure to sell their star player, and Fry thinks he would like to stay at White Hart Lane for the rest of his career.

The Peterborough director of football, however, believes an exit is still a possibility, highlighting this summer’s transfer window as his best shot of securing a move. He told FFC:

“I think Harry’s about 27 now, so it’s a vital stage in his career, whether he is going to sign a contract that will keep him at Tottenham for life, which I think he’d really want to do. But I think this summer is probably the last [chance] he’d probably get to [move to] a big club.”

Discussing Kane’s future further, Fry added: “I think if they do win a trophy this year, then that will help enormously for him to sign a long-term contract at Tottenham.”

Now 27, it is not hard to see why Kane would contemplate leaving Tottenham before the start of next season. Spurs have not put in a serious challenge for the Premier League title since 2017 and have gone from competing in the Champions League final to getting knocked out of the Europa League.

That being said, getting the England captain out of White Hart Lane will surely be no easy feat, while chasing down Jimmy Greaves’ record may also be at the back of his mind.

This summer will be one of change for Celtic. No longer is Neil Lennon in charge and Peter Lawwell will also be gone.

The club’s maligned CEO is set to retire and be replaced by Dominic McKay in a few months time.

One of his first priorities must be to address the playing squad. It’s set to be a hectic period for the Bhoys with as many as 12 players potentially facing the exit door.

Scott Brown is one player out of contract while the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Tom Rogic have been linked with moves to other clubs.

Considering the importance of top scorer Edouard and the defensive rock Ajer, Celtic will be desperate to hold onto them.

One area of the squad they may need to improve is at left-back. When Diego Laxalt heads back to AC Milan following the conclusion of his loan spell, it will leave Greg Taylor and Boli Bolingoli as their options.

The Hoops have been linked with a switch for French full-back Romain Perraud and if he joins, it will surely be the end of the road for Bolingoli.

Regardless of whether Perraud joins, though, the Belgian must face the exit door. The 25-year-old had one campaign at Paradise before being shipped out to Istanbul Basaksehir last summer.

It was a moment of madness from the left-back that cost him his place in the side, and arguably, should cost him his future at the club as a whole.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-transfer-news-onuachu-edouard-dembele-turnbull” title=”The latest Celtic news and views!”]

During the height of the pandemic last summer, Bolingoli took the decision to go on an unsanctioned trip to Spain. When the left-back returned, he failed to quarantine, trained with the squad, and even appeared off the substitute’s bench against Kilmarnock days later.

Unbeknown to Lennon until after the game, he had spent 24 hours in Spain, ultimately putting not only the entire Celtic squad and coaching staff at risk, but also the Killie players and staff. It was a moment that put the entire of the SPFL in grave danger too.

The former Celtic boss called him “stupid” and then added: “This has been premeditated. You don’t book a flight to Spain on a whim. He knew exactly what he was doing. So this has been quite calculated. It’s been total disregarding of the outcome and the risks involved, so he will be dealt with in the strongest possible way by the club.”

Celtic were quick to condemn the player’s actions with a statement at the time reading: “All of our playing and backroom staff have been tested twice for Covid-19 since this incident and all, including the player in question, have tested negative. While this comes as a relief to all concerned, it in no way diminishes the seriousness or stupidity of the player’s actions.”

Bolingoli was rightfully sent on his way but he is still technically a Celtic player. This may come as a shock to see that the £15k-per-week defender wasn’t ousted completely but the time for that will surely come next summer. It’s not as though he provided the Hoops with many game-changing moments on the pitch either.

He has featured in just 14 matches since signing from Rapid Vienna in 2019. With Taylor improving on a regular basis, it makes it even harder to picture a future for Bolingoli in Glasgow. The former has amassed 16 tackles at a rate of 2.2 per game in his last seven starts for instance.

Taylor has to be the number one left-back over Bolingoli; there is no future for him at Parkhead.

AND in other news, Forget Brown: Celtic must unleash never-seen 19 y/o, he’s a “breath of fresh air”…

كشفت تقارير صحفية، أن نادي ليفربول يسعى للتعاقد مع الدولي الإنجليزي بوكايو ساكا نجم فريق آرسنال، خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المقبلة.

ساكا لديه عقد مع آرسنال حتى 2024 ويقدم مستويات مميزة، وأصبح أحد أفضل اللاعبين في الفريق منذ الموسم الماضي.

طالع أيضًا | ديلي ميل: محمد صلاح يتصدر.. 32 لاعبًا يغيبون عن الدوري الإنجليزي خلال أمم إفريقيا

صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، نقلت التقارير البريطانية التي تشير إلى أن صاحب الـ20 عامًا منفتح على الانضمام إلى ليفربول، وسط اهتمام الريدز بالتعاقد معه لتعزيز الجانب الهجومي في الفريق.

ليفربول يسعى لضم ساكا من آرسنال، ومنحه فرصة اللعب في أعلى المنافسات، في ظل عدم قدرة الجانرز على التأهل للبطولات الأوروبية والمنافسة على بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي.

ويأمل ليفربول في إقناع آرسنال بالتخلي عن ساكا، ولكن حتى الآن لم تبدأ أي مفاوضات رسمية بين الناديين.

According to Sky Sports, Arsenal are interested in signing Real Madrid starlet Martin Odegaard on loan in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

After making significant moves already in trying to reduce the club’s bloated wage bill – the likes of Sokratis and Sead Kolasinac have left, and Mesut Ozil is set to follow – Mikel Arteta’s side have turned their attentions towards reinforcing their squad.

And, as per Sky Sports, the Gunners have made an approach to bring Odegaard on a loan deal until the end of the Premier League season, and that the Madrid board are considering their proposal right now.

The report adds that the Norway international expects to be able to leave the Bernabeu this month in a bid to get more first-team football, but that Arsenal are likely to face strong competition from Real Sociedad.

Perfect replacement for Ozil

The January transfer window is always a difficult one to do major business, with clubs understandably reluctant to let some of their most important players go mid-way through a campaign.

It’s one of the reported difficulties Arsenal have faced in trying to sign Norwich City’s Emiliano Buendia, with the Canaries of course battling for automatic promotion back to the Premier League this season.

It’s exactly why a short-term deal for Odegaard would be an Edu masterclass. It would give the Gunners an extra option in that number ten role and ease some of the creative burden on Emile Smith Rowe, whilst also making sure that if it doesn’t work out, they can just wave goodbye to him in the summer and focus on their priority transfer targets.

Described as a “phenomenon” by Norwegian football writer, Lars Sivertsen, Odegaard is a creative play-maker who appears to be tailor-made to come in and replace Ozil.

Spanish football journalist, Alvaro Montero, said: “He’s an extremely good player. He’s very similar to Mesut Ozil, he’s left-footed, he plays extremely well between the lines and between the striker and the midfielders. Maybe he even has more goal threat than Mesut Ozil, but he travels a little less. He’s an amazing player and I think he’ll be an amazing player for Arsenal and for Mikel Arteta.”

The Gunners must surely try and get this deal done.

Meanwhile, Arsenal must sell this £90k-p/w disaster…

We are now 20 days into the transfer window and Jeff Shi is yet to bring any new faces to Wolves.

With the Molineux outfit failing to win eight of their last ten games, it doesn’t bode particularly well that they’ve not tried to strengthen.

What’s the word?

One way Wolves have looked at improving their ranks is by recalling Patrick Cutrone and Morgan Gibbs-White from their respective loan spells at Fiorentina and Swansea.

Cutrone, however, could exit the club again after just a matter of weeks of returning to the fray.

That’s according to journalist Gianluigi Longari on Twitter who claims that Parma have approached the Premier League side in a bid to bring him back to Italy.

They have other targets in mind but if all else fails they will supposedly pursue Cutrone.

Get rid

It was wise of Wolves to bring the striker back to England this month. After all, he wasn’t getting sufficient game time in Florence and Nuno Santo needed another forward with Raul Jimenez injured.

Cutrone hasn’t scored all season but added depth was vitally important for a side in such a big rut. That being said, it was unfathomable that he’d be the only arrival at Molineux this month. Such is their plight that they need to heavily invest in forward areas.

That, however, could be tough for Nuno after he was told to forget about spending a large sum of cash in January.

That being said, if a suitable offer for the Italy international does arrives this month, they must wield the axe on him and get rid once and for all. This might be ruthless given he’s only just returned but it could provide Wolves with the extra cash they need to bring in someone more qualified to play second fiddle to Jimenez.

Cutrone has scored just three goals in 27 appearances for Wolves, a tally that doesn’t even come close to replicating the exploits of Jimenez in recent years.

Since being signed by Fosun, the attacker has bled the owner dry for a sum of £62.9k-per-week. With just a trio of goals to his name in the Old Gold shirt, he hasn’t even come close to being worth the £16m they paid for him in the summer of 2019.

To brutally sum things up, the 23-year-old has cost the club £5.3m for every goal he’s scored during his time in the Midlands.

That simply isn’t good enough and with players like Olivier Giroud and Diego Costa being linked to the club – proven Premier League goalscorers – they need to sacrifice both Cutrone’s talents and his wage.

Providing a bid is received, Wolves need to forget about handing out a second chance and dismiss him from their plans.

AND in other news, Wolves can finally replace Jota by swooping for “ruthless” gem with “explosive pace”…

If emerging reports are to be believed, Tottenham Hotspur outcast Dele Alli could be in further trouble as Jose Mourinho targets a new attacking midfielder this January…

What’s the word?

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Spurs are eyeing a move for RB Leipzig talisman Marcel Sabitzer next month.

It’s claimed that the ‘Special One’ is willing to pay £45m for his signature, and whilst they suggest that it would be to replace Tangy Ndombele, who is wanted by La Liga giants Barcelona, it seems more likely that the outcasted Alli is heading for the exit door.

90min claimed earlier in the month that the Englishman was eyeing an 18-month loan exit from the north London outfit with the likes of Monaco, Inter and AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain all keen.

Bye-bye Dele Alli?

The writing appears to be on the wall for the 24-year-old midfielder as despite the increase in numbers from seven to nine on the substitutes bench, he was still snubbed by Mourinho in their matchday squad against Leicester City on Sunday.

Indeed, Alli has only featured four times in their 14 Premier League outings this term, playing a total of 74 minutes, via Transfermarkt.

Bringing in Sabitzer, who plays a similar role to him would undoubtedly push him closer to an exit.

Spurs fans will recognise him all too well as he spearheaded Leipzig’s knockout victory in the Champions League last term, whilst this season, the £31.5m-rated Austrian sensation has continued his fine form by delivering three goals and three assists in all competitions.

Adding to his whopping 16 goals and 11 assists last year.

Per WhoScored, the 26-year-old has averaged at least one key pass per game across his last three seasons in Leipzig, so perhaps he can take the role that Christian Eriksen left behind as clearly neither Tanguy Ndombele nor Giovani Lo Celso have taken the bull by the horns yet.

Sabitzer has been likened to David Beckham for his set-piece ability, which would bear further similarities to the Danish maestro.

He’s also been described as a player who “gives everything for 90 minutes” and as a “goal threat” by both his international boss, Franco Foda, and domestic head coach, Julian Naglesmann, respectively.

According to journalist Alasdair Gold at football.london, he’s a player that Spurs “absolutely love,” so there’s a very good chance these reports somewhat leaning on the truth.

It could be bye-bye Alli and Guten Tag Sabitzer come to the end of next month.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Gary Mabbutt reacts to what Serge Aurier did after being subbed vs Leicester…