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Journalist Alex James has been left ‘pleased’ after West Bromwich Albion complete the signing of another free agent after ex-Celtic star Tom Rogic.

The Lowdown: Pieters signs…

Indeed, following on from the former Hoops midfielder, Steve Bruce’s side have sealed a Bosman deal for ex-Burnley left-back Erik Pieters – coming after the defender had trained with West Brom for weeks.

The 34-year-old moves to the Hawthorns with bags of experience, having played in both the Champions League and Premier League, but he is now on a mission to help Bruce guide his side to a strong Championship campaign.

Pieters has also represented the Netherlands at international level previously and his know-how playing at the top level could prove invaluable to West Brom.

The Latest: James ‘pleased’ by Pieters signing…

Taking to social media, Lancs Live reporter James says he is ‘pleased’ for the Dutchman and insists Pieters still has ‘plenty to offer’.

He explained:

“Last week we reported that Erik Pieters was set to join West Brom having been training with them. Now confirmed. Pleased for him. Still think he has plenty to offer.”

The Verdict: Good move…

If West Brom are to potentially begin a hard road back to promotion contention, experienced figureheads like the ex-Stoke City man will be very useful both on the pitch and inside the dressing room.

Pieters’ quality cannot be understated either with the full-back averaging more tackles per 90 than any Burnley player last season when given the opportunity, even if it was over just eight starts (WhoScored).

Indeed, there is no reason to believe he can’t become a real success under Bruce with his experience, toughness and versatility.

Everton will travel down south this evening to take on Watford and despite the boost that Watford are already relegated from the Premier League, there has been a huge blow to Frank Lampard’s relegation battle.

What’s the latest?

The Toffees boss took to his pre-match press conference to confirm that Yerry Mina will not be available for selection following a small calf injury and will likely not feature until the last game of the season.

When asked about Mina’s availability Lampard told the press (via Liverpool Echo):

“Yerry’s not, he’s got a small injury in his calf so he won’t be playing in this game.

“We’re probably looking towards the last game Yerry could be in contention for.”

Lampard will be gutted

This will surely be hugely frustrating for the team and Lampard will likely be gutted to lose one of his best centre-backs ahead of the final hurdle of their relegation battle considering they have begun to pick up some momentum and crucial points in the Premier League since Mina’s return.

Everton have picked up seven points in the last three games that the defender has been involved in over their last five games, winning two and drawing one, so his return to the team and involvement has clearly had a hugely positive impact, something Lampard will now have to work without.

In fact, the Colombian has been involved in eight of Everton’s ten wins this season further proving that having him in the team makes a massive difference to the side’s ability to take points from their opponents.

On top of this blow to the backline, the former Chelsea boss is also without Ben Godfrey who is working to recover and get his fitness back on track ahead of the end of the season following a thigh injury, so Lampard will need to lean on Michael Keane and Mason Holgate for the foreseeable.

With that being said, there are now only four games to go for the Toffees and four opportunities for the side to pick up as many points as they can ahead of the end of the season to seal their fate and potentially survive in the Premier League.

AND in other news: Everton now plot bid for “red-hot” £17m sensation, just imagine him and Doucoure

Leeds United journalist Beren Cross believes that Rodrigo may have made his last appearance at Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Brighton disaster

Rodrigo, who Victor Orta brought to Yorkshire in 2020 in a club-record deal worth £27m, had another afternoon to forget on Sunday.

The Whites eventually managed to take a point against Brighton after some magic from youngster Joe Gelhardt set up Pascal Struijk in stoppage time to take Jesse Marsch’s team out of the bottom three.

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Leeds had it all to do following an awful first-half display, though, with Rodrigo struggling massively in the opening 45 minutes. Cross labelled Rodrigo’s display as ‘another sorry episode’, with the 30-year-old’s error leading to Brighton’s opening goal and the Elland Road crowd getting on his back after a number of misplaced passes.

The Latest: Summer exit for Rodrigo?

Rodrigo was one of Cross’ five talking points from the draw with Brighton on Sunday in a story for Leeds Live.

The Whites reporter said it could have been Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha’s final Elland Road outing at the weekend, but for all the speculation regarding that pair, Cross added that ‘there’s every reason to believe this was Rodrigo’s last appearance at Elland Road’.

The Verdict: Makes sense

Rodrigo has been a regular under Marsch, who described the attacker as ‘incredible’, but things haven’t really worked out for the Spaniard in Yorkshire.

He was valued at £36m by Transfermarkt before leaving Valencia two years ago but that figure is now just £13.5m, showing how his career has declined since moving to the Premier League.

The 31-year-old has scored just 13 times in 61 Leeds appearances and is the top earner at Elland Road, so if the Whites are relegated on Sunday, you’d expect that it would make sense for all involved if Rodrigo followed Phillips and Raphinha out the door.

In other news: Reliable journalist shares news of another possible Leeds exit this summer; talks already ‘very advanced’

Celtic have their final Premiership game of the season this afternoon as the newly-crowned league champions welcome Motherwell to Parkhead.

Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Dundee United was enough to confirm Ange Postecoglou’s side as the top dogs in Scotland and reclaim the league title.

Looking ahead to today’s showdown against Motherwell, it gives the home supporters one more chance to see their heroes in action before the season ends and celebrate the Premiership triumph.

On the chalkboard

Before the full celebrations can begin, the Hoops and Postecoglou will want to finish the season with another victory.

In terms of the starting XI, one man who didn’t start in midweek but should be in the team on this occasion is Jota.

After replacing James Forrest just after the hour mark at Tannadice, the Portuguese wizard – who was praised by Postecoglou for his “unbelievable” performances earlier in the season – had 25 touches of the ball.

With those touches, the winger completed 10 passes, had two shots at goal and won four of his five duels. This shows just how much of an attacking nuisance he can be for the Bhoys.

Since arriving at the Parkhead club on loan from Benfica, the 23-year-old has scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists in 39 games across all competitions.

To further highlight how deadly he has been for the Hoops, David Turnbull is the only player currently in the Celtic squad with a higher average for shots and crosses per game in the league this season than the Portuguese winger.

In terms of who the forward could replace, the fact that Liel Abada went off with an injury in midweek could pave the way for the 23-year-old to come back in if the Israel winger isn’t fit enough to play.

Also, in addition to being able to terrify Motherwell with his attacking prowess, another reason for Postecoglou to start Jota this afternoon is to give him what could potentially be his final game for the Hoops before he returns to his parent club in Lisbon.

However, this chance to end the season playing in front of the celebrating home fans could also sway the loan star into wanting to stay at the club and sign for Celtic on a permanent basis should Benfica allow it, which would be something extra for the fans to savour at Parkhead.

In other news: Postecoglou must axe wasteful £14.5k-p/w Celtic ace, he’s holding the team back

Rangers must wipe away the tears after the heartbreak in Seville earlier this week, as they have the chance to end the season on a high in the Scottish Cup today.

The Gers can win a trophy in their final match of a gruelling campaign to give the club a much-needed lift after the loss on penalties in the final of the Europa League on Wednesday night.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men were held to a 1-1 draw by Eintracht Frankfurt over 120 minutes after Joe Aribo opened the scoring in that game, losing in the penalty shoot-out as Aaron Ramsey failed to score from 12 yards.

They now come up against Hearts in the final of the Scottish Cup, and one player that Van Bronckhorst must bring into the starting XI is academy midfielder Alex Lowry.

Gio must unleash Lowry for Rangers

He was an unused substitute in Seville but has the potential to be Rangers’ big cup hero today. Lowry can put down a marker ahead of next season by making the difference for the Glasgow giants on this occasion.

The 18-year-old played against Hearts on the final day of the Premiership season and was absolutely outstanding throughout the match. As per SofaScore, he completed 33 of his 38 passes, created one ‘big chance’ and made two tackles whilst playing on the left of the front three.

He ended the match with a goal and an assist to his name, brilliantly rolling the ball into the corner for his goal and setting up Cedric Itten to score with a precise corner.

Van Bronckhorst has now handed the youngster four appearances in the top flight this season and Lowry has averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.05 in those matches. The Scottish starlet is showing that he can perform at first-team level in spite of his tender age, and he has the quality to be the hero of today’s final.

Scottish coach Andy Goldie hailed the youngster as “care free and gallus” in an interview with The Athletic, whilst he also said that the midfielder is a “master” of the ball in a way unlike many young players in the country.

These quotes suggest that Lowry has the playing style to make him standout in a cup final. He has the magic touch in possession to make things happen, as proven in the team’s last clash against Hearts, and that is why Van Bronckhorst must place him in the starting XI for this game.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst eyeing Rangers swoop for “phenomenal” £1m destroyer, supporters would love him…

Aston Villa are believed to be plotting a move for England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as Liverpool name their price for the midfielder.

What’s the word?

As per the Mirror, the Midlands side have been put on ‘red alert’ with the Merseyside outfit seemingly ready to cash in on the 28-year-old, with just a year remaining on his existing deal at Anfield.

The report suggests that the FA Cup winners are set to demand a fee of around £10m this summer, having initially signed the 35-cap international on a £35m deal from Premier League rivals Arsenal back in 2017.

The report goes on to add that Villa boss Steven Gerrard is an ‘admirer’ of the £125k-per-week playmaker, albeit with West Ham United also keeping tabs on the situation as David Moyes looks to bolster his squad ahead of another European adventure next term.

Coutinho 2.0

It would appear that Gerrard is once again set to try and use his Reds connections to try and strike a deal this summer, having already plucked former teammate Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona in January – with the Brazilian having since signed on a permanent deal.

Although the possible arrival of Oxlade-Chamberlain may not appear quite as high profile as that of the former £142m man, it would certainly be another illustration of the remarkable pulling power that the Villa Park outfit possesses at present.

Aside from Coutinho, the club have already snapped up highly-rated youngster Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer from Marseille, while the latest indication is that they are also plotting an ambitious move for Sevilla’s Diego Carlos.

In what could be a significant summer for a side that only three years ago were plying their trade in the second tier, a ready-made Premier League arrival such as Oxlade-Chamberlain could prove to be a low-key masterstroke.

The former Gunners man has been hampered by injuries in recent times, although in full flow he is undoubtedly a real asset, having previously been dubbed “unreal” by football writer Joel Rabinowitz.

Pundit Rio Ferdinand has also previously suggested that the £16.2m-rated midfielder “offers something totally different” in the centre of the park, with his ability to “dribble past people” making him a real, valuable commodity.

Despite previously admitting his desire to play regularly in midfield, the Portsmouth-born monster also offers invaluable versatility to any potential new club, having wing-back role on occasion during his time at the Emirates.

Like Coutinho, he also provides a wealth of experience at the elite level having tasted glory both domestically and in Europe, while he could well add a second Champions League winner’s medal this weekend.

Gerrard has already seen the benefit of bringing in one former Liverpool man, he could well be about to enjoy a similar success story again.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

A huge development has emerged in Manchester United’s ploy to bring Frenkie de Jong to Old Trafford this summer.

What’s the word?

De Jong has emerged as a target for new manager Erik ten Hag over the last few weeks as the former Ajax boss aims to reunite himself with the Dutch maestro.

No official bid has been submitted yet but the club are now in contact to sign the 25-year-old this summer.

Speaking on YouTube channel, Romano said:

“I have an update for you after a check I had in the last few hours. Frenkie de Jong spoke in public in the last 24 hours and said again that he has no intention to leave Barcelona. But what I can tell you is that after some checks, Barcelona and Manchester United are in direct contact for Frenkie de Jong.

“There is still no official bid from Manchester United. They are still discussing, speaking, there is no official proposal yet. It could happen in the coming hours or days. For sure, Manchester United have intention to act soon for Frenkie de Jong. They really want to complete this transfer this summer. The fee, from what I’m told is around €85m (72.4m). This could be the price tag to sign the Dutch midfielder.”

Exciting times for Man United

Manchester United now have the price they need to bring De Jong to the Premier League this summer.

Although not necessarily a breakthrough in proceedings, it should excite the Old Trafford faithful considerably that the two teams are now in talks regarding a potential deal.

With confirmation arriving on Wednesday that Paul Pogba is set to depart, bringing in a new central midfielder is simply of utmost importance.

A player as good as De Jong would be a fine way to replace him too.

A quick look at FB Ref’s similar player model puts the Dutch dynamo in fine company, with the player comparable in playstyle to the likes of Luka Modric, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva.

He is blessed with a wonderful range of passing, with de Jong registering a success rate of 91.3% for Barca in La Liga this season.

To compare that to the United squad throughout 2021/22, he ranks higher than any player to start a game for the Red Devils in the Premier League.

A safe pair of hands in the middle of the park is exactly what ten Hag needs to start his rebuild and it’s evident he’d be an upgrade on the likes of Scott McTominay and Fred.

He makes more key passes per match (1.3) than the pair of them – a statistic that would place him fourth in the United side – and he also completes 1.6 dribbles a game. Once more that’s a number that betters United’s midfield options and again places him fourth compared to ten Hag’s squad.

With that in mind, it’s clear to see that he’d offer a great deal more in the centre for the Premier League side, an eventuality that should leave fans excited at the prospect of him arriving in England this summer.

AND in other news, MUFC can sign their answer to Haaland in “magical” £222k-p/w gem who’s “like Maradona”…

Liverpool enjoyed a remarkable campaign which ended with two trophies, a runners-up finish in the Champions League and narrowly missing out on another Premier League title.

All in all, the supporters will be happy that Jurgen Klopp managed to secure the two pieces of silverware which had eluded him at Anfield up until this season, but there will be lingering thoughts of what might have been.

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Klopp could spend the summer looking to bolster his squad and continue the diligent recruitment strategy which has served the club well in the previous few years; and with Sadio Mane expressing his decision to leave, the German could well be under pressure to pull off a masterstroke signing yet again.

Signing a centre-forward will likely be one of the club’s priorities this summer, with Roberto Firmino having a season disrupted by injury and poor form which has yielded just 11 goals.

Diogo Jota has contributed heavily with 21 goals, but Liverpool simply can’t afford to keep relying heavily on wide men such as Mohamed Salah and Mane to get their goals, so a new striker should be high on the summer wish list.

Last month, The Mirror reported that the Reds were interested in signing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, although he could cost £80m.

The Nigeria international will guarantee goals, that’s for sure. This season he netted 18 goals across Serie A and the Europa League (the fourth successive league campaign in which he has hit double figures) while also contributing two assists for the Azzurri.

Compared to positional peers in the big five European leagues, Osimhen ranks in the top 4% in both non-penalty goals (0.70 per 90) and in total shots per 90 (4.02). The 23-year-old also takes 7.11 touches per game in the attacking penalty area, which ranks him in the top 10%.

These figures show that he has an incredible eye for goal, with Zach Lowy stating that the 23-year-old could be “one of the best strikers of his generation” and Emmet Gates describing his potential as “frightening”.

This is high praise for the striker and Klopp should seriously consider a move for Osimhen, would could well be a significant upgrade on Firmino ahead of next season.

AND in other news, Klopp can unearth his own Lewandowski for LFC with bid for “exceptional” £34m maestro

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Kristjan Asllani heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

TV Dello Sport reporter Alfredo Pedulla has claimed that the Magpies have made an enquiry to Empoli in an attempt to snap the midfielder up.

The player would prefer to remain in the Serie A and Milan are said to be waiting in the wings and this leaves the Toon with plenty of work to do to get a deal over the line.

Pedulla Tweeted: “Asllani would like to stay in Italia, but Newcastle asked for a meeting. Milanese waiting.”

Eddie Howe will be excited

The Newcastle head coach will be excited by this update as Asllani would be an excellent prospect to add to the group next season.

He is not a big-name player who will come in and be expected to perform week-in-week-out, but he can be a useful squad member in the short term to develop into a key performer.

Asllani is a promising young player who has shown that he has the potential to be a big player in the future. At the age of 20, he has already racked up 23 Serie A appearances for Empoli and averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.76, starting 14 games.

The Albanian midfielder ended the campaign with one goal and one assist to his name, creating two ‘big chances’ as he showed flashes of creativity. He also proved that he is reliable in possession as he completed 93% of his passes in his own half and 84% overall.

Off the ball, he held his own as he won 53% of his individual duels and made 1.6 tackles and interceptions per game in the Serie A. Whilst these are not outstanding statistics, Asllani has given himself a solid base to work on moving forward after his first professional season.

Given his age, he enjoyed an impressive debut campaign and that is why he can be an exciting addition to Newcastle’s squad as he is a player with the potential to get better.

He can be a rotation option initially and learn from the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton whilst adapting to the Premier League.

Howe will surely be excited to work with him on the training pitch to help him fulfil his potential and that is why he will be buzzing with the club’s efforts to bring the youngster to Tyneside.

AND in other news, Howe can axe £25m NUFC flop by signing “frightening” £94m predator who’s “the future”…

Aston Villa are likely to be watching Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher closely this summer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider suggested that the Midlands outfit will be “keeping tabs” on the Englishman in the current window, should it become clear that he won’t feature under Thomas Tuchel next term.

After a positive loan stint at Crystal Palace last term, the 22-year-old is set to return to Stamford Bridge for pre-season, although O’Rourke admitted that Villa will be in the mix in case his situation changes: “I think Villa and a number of Premier League clubs will be potentially looking at Conor Gallagher this summer.

“He was a massive success at Crystal Palace last year, he’s broken into the England squad, but if he’s not going to play for Chelsea, I’m sure most of the Premier League would probably sign Conor Gallagher if he became available.

“So, I’m sure Aston Villa will be no different. I’m sure they’ll be keeping tabs on his situation at Stamford Bridge just like most of the Premier League will be.”

A return to Selhurst Park has been teased by Eagles chairman Steve Parish, while Everton boss Frank Lampard is also said to be keen on the youngster, although any interested party is likely to have to fork out around £50m to secure a permanent swoop.

Villa’s own Bellingham

With the Villans seemingly on the hunt for further midfield additions – despite having already signed Boubacar Kamara – Gallagher would no doubt be an ideal fit, having proven his worth following an eye-catching season with Palace.

The one-time Swansea loanee bagged eight goals and provided a further three assists from his 34 Premier League outings, with such form even attracting the interest of England boss Gareth Southgate, who has since welcomed him into the international fold.

His displays have also drawn comparisons to compatriot Jude Bellingham, with the pair sharing a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, according to FBref.

The fact that the teenager is a former Birmingham City man may not go down too well with the Villa support, although it is hard to deny just what a special talent he is, having belied his years with a string of impressive and mature displays for both club and country in recent times.

Already a “leader” at Borussia Dortmund – according to veteran teammate Mats Hummels – the 18-year-old has been instrumental over the past few seasons since his £25m move from St Andrews in 2020, notably scoring six goals and registering 14 assists in all competitions last term for the Bundesliga side.

The £49k-per-week starlet also compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 3% for dribbles completed, progressive passes received and touches in the attacking penalty area, showcasing his undoubted knack for surging forward from his midfield berth.

Gallagher clearly has similar attributes as he ranks highly in the same metrics, ranking in the top 8% for dribbles completed, the top 11% for progressive passes received and the top 7% for touches in the attacking penalty area, with the all-action gem proving a relentless presence in the centre of the park.

He too has also been dubbed a “leader” by Ashley Cole, despite his youth, with the former West Brom appearing unfazed by the transition to life at the top level – much like the Dortmund ace.

With Bellingham clearly out of reach for even the most elite clubs, Gerrard can capture an ideal alternative in the form of Gallagher.

IN other news, Deal Imminent: AVFC now “set to sign” fifth summer addition, Gerrard will be buzzing