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In terms of incoming transfers this month, things have been rather quiet for Leeds United, who are currently sitting in 15th place in the Premier League table with 22 points from 20 games.

With there being now just two weeks left until the January transfer window closes, the Yorkshire club will have to get a move on if they want to get any new faces through the door at Elland Road to strengthen Marcelo Bielsa’s squad and give Leeds the best chance of finishing as high up the table as possible.

One transfer deal that the Whites could look to complete this month which would surely please Bielsa, is for Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez.

After being linked with a move for the £39k-per-week Uruguayan back in the previous summer transfer window, the next couple of weeks could give Leeds another shot of securing what could be seen as Bielsa’s dream transfer.

With recent reports suggesting that Leeds would have an advantage over any other club that would be interested in making a move for the midfielder this month from a financial point of view, this could pave the way for Victor Orta to work out a deal to bring the midfielder to Elland Road before the January transfer window closes.

Having been labelled as “unstoppable” in the past by journalist Mina Rzouki, Nandez has played in 17 of Cagliari’s 22 Serie A games so far this season, showing how important he is to the team and why it could take a substantial transfer fee, specifically €25m (£21m), to get the Italian club to let him go halfway through the season.

In terms of what sort of fit he would be at Leeds in Bielsa’s side, the fact that Nandez has played in a number of different midfield positions this season shows that he is a versatile figure that could be very useful for the Whites given the small number of central-midfielders in their squad at the moment.

As a result of their injury crisis, which currently sees Kalvin Phillips and Adam Forshaw missing from midfield, it is surely an ambition for the Argentine coach to bring in a central player before the window slams shut at the end of January.

Thus, Leeds should definitely launch a move for Nandez to see whether he’d be willing to play in the Premier League under the guidance of Bielsa in a move that would surely push the team up the table.

The Leeds manager’s dream will be to keep the club in the division and with a midfield titan like the Uruguay international in their ranks, it significantly improves their chances of doing so.

In other news: Phil Hay drops another huge injury blow at Leeds that will leave Bielsa worried – opinion

Fabrizio Romano has delivered a major update on Arsenal’s transfer plans…

What’s the word?

According to the Italian journalist, the Gunners will definitely sign a new striker in 2022, whether they are able to this month or will have to wait until the summer still remains to be seen.

“Arsenal are trying to sign [Dusan] Vlahović since October – but Dusan is still planning to leave in summer, not now. Nothing has changed yet. Really complicated negotiation on player/agents side. Many clubs will be in the race in June,” he revealed on Twitter before adding:

“Arsenal have many names in the list for the new striker now or summer. It’s not only Vlahovic. And they will sign an important striker in 2022, for sure.”

Vlahovic seems increasingly unlikely for the north London outfit this month but it’s not all doom and gloom as Romano claims that the club will land a first-team ready forward before the end of the year.

Several intriguing names have been mooted with a move to the Emirates Stadium in recent weeks, ranging from Lille talisman Jonathan David to Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Much-needed addition

This will surely come as music to the ears of manager Mikel Arteta, who will be hugely concerned about his striker department heading into the summer.

That’s because he could quickly be without a senior centre-forward.

Alexandre Lacazette looks destined to leave Arsenal for nothing at the end of the season as his contract comes to an end. There has been little talk on him extending his deal to remain.

Meanwhile, the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is perhaps the biggest question mark. He was stripped of the captaincy after a disciplinary breach last month and has not started since the defeat to Manchester United at the start of December.

And now the 31-year-old has been sent home from the Gabon camp at the Africa Cup of Nations due to health complications, only further throwing doubt over his chances of playing for the Gunners ever again.

It also seems unlikely that Eddie Nketiah will want to stick around should he continue to find opportunities hard to come by. He has regularly been linked with top-flight rivals Crystal Palace. Just like Lacazatte, the young striker’s contract is up in the summer.

On the above evidence, it is easy to see why Arteta so badly needs a new forward at some point this year. It would be more beneficial to bring one in this month but that will prove a hard task.

Either way, the Spanish head coach must be buzzing over the thought of signing a new talisman to lead this promising Arsenal squad into the future.

AND in other news, Arsenal could secure Arteta’s perfect Vlahovic alternative in £45m-rated “phenomenon”…

Wolverhampton Wanderers look set to retain the services of Francisco Trincao for the remainder of the season.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent claim made by Bruno Lage, with the Wolves manager suggesting in comments made to Birmingham Live that he expects the Barcelona loanee to remain at Molineux until at least the end of the current campaign.

Earlier reports had claimed that, following Xavi’s appointment as Ronald Koeman’s successor at Barcelona, the Spaniard wanted the 22-year-old to return to the Camp Nou ahead of the second half of the Spanish season.

However, with a matter of days now remaining in the January transfer window, and, at present, the LaLiga side having not acted upon Xavi’s apparent desire for the return of the Portugal international, it would seem as if Trincao will remain with Lage’s side beyond the end of the month.

Speaking about the future of the winger, the 45-year-old manager said: “I’m thinking about him until the end of the season.”

Fans will be buzzing

While Trincao has not exactly been in the most prolific form in front of goal this season, having so far failed to find the back of the net or provide a single assist over his 17 Premier League appearances, the fact that Barcelona look as if they will not be recalling the winger in January is nevertheless sure to leave Wolves fans buzzing.

Indeed, with Adama Traore being heavily linked with a move away from Molineux this month, the £19.8m-rated Trincao will undoubtedly be handed a much more prominent role in Lage’s first-team squad – should the Spaniard go on to seal his switch to Tottenham Hotspur.

While it is true that the £131k-per-week winger has featured regularly for Wolves since his move to the club last summer, only 12 of his total league outings have come as starts, while the 22-year-old has also completed 90 minutes of a Premier League match just once.

As such, with Traore out of the picture, Trincao will likely be handed a greater share of minutes in the Wolves side, something which should, in theory, see the forward begin to make his mark with both goals and assists for the club – something that will undoubtedly be an outcome both Lage and fans would love.

In other news: Wolves now eyeing late swoop for “special” £23.4m-rated beast, Lage would love him

Newcastle United are back in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over signing Mitchel Bakker in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

While the Magpies continue to work on a deal to sign Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, it appears they still have their irons in several fires, with Bakker now well and truly back in the equation.

Writing on Twitter, journalist Ryan Taylor said: “Newcastle have revived talks with Bayer Leverkusen for Mitchel Bakker. Deal looked dead in water. Personal terms have already been discussed. #NUFC”

Fans will be buzzing

After clinching deals for Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood earlier this month, Newcastle’s recruitment team are ramping into overdrive heading into this final week of the January transfer window.

They seem to have pipped Arsenal in the race to sign Bruno, and have now come back to the table for Bakker.

The latter has had extensive experience of playing for some big clubs in Europe, with stints at Ajax, PSG and Leverkusen to his name.

Able to play at left-back, but also further forward or even in central defence as he has done in his career before, Bakker looks like the perfect versatile player who Newcastle could really do with in the second-half of this campaign.

With injuries and the virus wreaking havoc across the Premier League, having players like Bakker who can fill multiple positions when required gives managers a welcome option if and when things begin to get tough with their squad.

The £9m-rated star would be another fine signing for the Magpies, and have fans buzzing.

Meanwhile, Craig Hope has dropped an exciting Newcastle United transfer update on Bruno Guimaraes…

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist Ryan Taylor of The Daily Express has made a West Ham United summer transfer claim involving Burnley defender James Tarkowski.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye January move…

A plethora of central defenders were tipped with a potential move to the London Stadium last month as manager David Moyes saw it as a transfer priority alongside the need for another striker (The Daily Mail).

The likes of Duje Caleta-Car were mentioned, with late window talks apparently held for the Croatian, while Manchester City’s Nathan Ake and Bournemouth loanee Nathaniel Phillips had also been linked (The Evening Standard).

Tarkowski, whose contract at current club Burnley expires later this year, was another name on the target list for Moyes with Express reporter Taylor now sharing an update on their interest.

The Latest: Taylor expects summer move

Speaking to GMS, the reporter says West Ham could in fact ‘enter the fray’ for Tarkowski again in the summer.

He explained: “All signs pointed towards him staying to the end of the season, then West Ham could enter the fray.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

While the Hammers couldn’t seal a central defensive signing for Moyes last month, recruitment chief Rob Newman would be remiss if he didn’t at least consider Tarkowski on a free.

The 29-year-old, who was once valued at his £50 million release clause by Burnley, looks set to leave for nothing in the summer and West Ham could secure a short term centre-back option at the very least.

Described as one of Sean Dyche’s ‘talismans’ and a ‘real leader’ by pundit Noel Whelan, Moyes’ side could benefit from a figure like this in the heart of West Ham’s defence – especially for no transfer fee.

In other news: ExWHUemployee: Moyes now personally wants ‘unreal’ international who’s also a Salthouse client, find out more here.

Under the new ownership of Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Newcastle United were not shy in splashing the cash during the recent January transfer window to strengthen Eddie Howe’s squad and give themselves the best possible chance of avoiding relegation this season.

Despite new faces coming in such as Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Matt Targett, Howe has had to work with a variety of players who were already at the club and brought in during the previous ownership of Mike Ashley.

One of those players, who has seen his market value drop significantly since arriving at St James’ Park, is Jacob Murphy.

Newcastle signed the 26-year-old back in 2017 from Norwich City in a deal worth a reported fee of £12m, almost twice his then-Transfermarkt valuation of £6.3m.

Since then, after two loan spells away from Tyneside with West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday, the winger has racked up 91 appearances for the Toon across all competitions, scoring just five goals and providing eight assists along the way.

Murphy’s current market value stands at £3.6m according to Transfermarkt, which is significantly lower than the fee Newcastle paid for him in the first place.

Despite making 18 appearances in the league this season, the former Norwich man has only scored one goal and provided one assist, with an underwhelming overall performance rating of 6.39/10 according to WhoScored.

Taking all that into account, Newcastle’s move for the Englishman, who is currently picking up £35k-per-week according to Salary Sport, did not turn out to be one of the best acquisitions under Ashley’s reign.

Moving forward, if Newcastle can avoid relegation this season, they should consider letting Murphy go when the summer transfer window opens and look to bring in a better quality replacement so they can progress as a team under the new ownership, even though he signed a six-year contract last summer.

However, it seems unlikely that the Tyneside club would be able to reap a transfer fee in a similar range to what they paid for him originally if they decide to sell him later this year.

In other news – “Big” offer made: PIF plotting exciting NUFC swoop which will leave Eddie Howe buzzing…

Glasgow Rangers have been handed a major injury boost ahead of their upcoming Scottish Premiership clash.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by The Scotsman, Giovanni van Bronckhorst revealed that he is confident Alfredo Morelos will be fit for Gers’ visit to Dundee United on Sunday, despite the fact the 25-year-old was rumoured to have taken a knock in the 4-2 Europa League win over Borussia Dortmund in midweek.

Speaking about the current condition of the centre-forward, the Dutchman said: “No, he wasn’t injured. I think he was just exhausted and tired because of the performance he put in – not only with the ball but also his defensive responsibilities which he did really well together with the others. So I don’t think he will be a doubt for Sunday. I think he will be fit.”

Major boost

Considering just how important a player Morelos has been for Rangers since Van Bronckhorst took over from Steven Gerrard back in November, the fact that the Colombia international will be fit to face The Tangerines this weekend will undoubtedly have left the 47-year-old manager buzzing.

Indeed, in the 12 fixtures in which the £11.7m-rated hitman has played under the Dutch coach, Morelos has bagged a quite astonishing 10 goals and provided his teammates with four assists – directly contributing to a goal every 74 minutes of football played since Van Bronckhorst’s arrival.

More generally, the £33k-per-week striker has also highly impressed over his 21 Premiership outings this season, scoring 11 goals, registering five assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 4.6 shots and making 1.9 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the 25-year-old average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.37, ranking him as the sixth-best player in the Scottish top flight.

As such, it is clear for all to see that the availability of the centre-forward for the trip to the fourth-placed Dundee United on Sunday will undoubtedly provide Rangers’ chances of taking all three points back to Ibrox with a major boost – with a victory being all but essential in Gers’ bid to retain their Premiership title this season.

In other news: “Gers will be keen”: Update emerges on “dynamic” £14k-p/w RFC ace, GvB would be fuming

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has delivered an injury update on Thiago ahead of the FA Cup fifth round clash against Norwich City on Wednesday night.

What’s the story?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against the Canaries, the Reds boss said: “It was a very emotional moment. We were all surprised. I watched the warm-up and didn’t see anything – then I came back into the dressing room and saw him on the bed saying he felt his hamstring. It wasn’t a good moment.

“We had to make the decision he cannot start. I didn’t like that he didn’t feel good, but the desire to play a final I liked a lot. He’s fine again. But not fit (yet). We don’t know exactly how long (he will be out). For the weekend, not sure. Maybe Milan? But after that, definitely.”

Major blow for Liverpool

The Spaniard has had his fair share of injury problems this season for Liverpool as he struggles to get consistent game-time under his belt – his longest run of action saw him make seven appearances in the Premier League consecutively between November and December.

However, that run illustrated signs of Thiago being back to his absolute best, with the midfielder starting in six successive games and seeing the Reds rattle off win after win – Klopp’s side scored 17 goals and conceded just twice in that time.

The former Bayern Munich star just seemed to be getting back into the swing of things recently with four back-to-back appearances in the Premier League following a hip injury, and after an impressive cameo against Norwich, Klopp was quick to praise his midfield orchestrator.

He said: “Thiago with his passing, really fresh, really relaxed, full of confidence, that helped as well. He is a good player, we just have to make sure we can keep him fit.”

The fact that Thiago once again will be out for the foreseeable future just so soon after making his return is a rather galling summary of his time at Anfield.

Soon to be 31 next month, the Spaniard’s injury troubles may just continue, and these niggling issues that he’s been picking up will surely leave Liverpool fans worried.

Meanwhile, Liverpool must drop this star vs Norwich…

After securing their place in the Europa League round of 16 stage in midweek against Borussia Dortmund, Rangers are back in SPFL action today with a home clash against Motherwell.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Giovanni van Bronckhorst could pick to be in his starting XI this afternoon, one figure that didn’t start in midweek that we feel should be in from the beginning on this occasion is Leon Balogun.

Having replaced Borna Barisic at halftime in their midweek 2-2 draw against Dortmund, the 33-year-old managed to win two tackles, make two clearances and one interception as well as win two duels, showing that he did his bit to help the team progress through to the next round.

As well as this, the defender has also shown in the league just how much of a capable defender he is by racking up 25 tackles, 21 interceptions and 42 clearances across the 14 league appearances he’s made so far this season.

This shows just how much he could dominate Motherwell’s attacking players and give them a really tough time if he does get to start.

Praised for his “outstanding” performances in the past by former Gers boss Steven Gerrard, Balogun has the chance today to really get back into rhythm after missing the club’s previous league game against Dundee United.

Also, with the Dutchman describing their midweek draw against the Bundesliga side as a “demanding game” for his players in his latest press conference, this could also work in the Nigerian’s favour if Van Bronckhorst feels the need to give the likes of Calvin Bassey or Connor Goldson a rest after they both played through the entire 90 minutes against Dortmund.

Moving forward, now that they have secured their place in the Europa League last 16, Rangers must now focus on picking up all three points in today’s match so they don’t potentially fall further behind current league leaders Celtic and make it harder for themselves to regain the title.

If that means giving Balogun a place in the starting XI this afternoon based on his defensive capabilities, Van Bronckhorst must consider it.

In other news: Wilson masterclass: Rangers hit the jackpot on “frightening” 29-goal “big-game player” – opinion

Rangers head coach Gio van Bronckhorst is set to make a number of difficult decisions over who stays and who goes at Ibrox this summer.

The Dutchman has a group of current first-team players who are out of contract at the end of the season and poised to leave the Glasgow giants for nothing.

Steven Davis, Connor Goldson, Allan McGregor, Leon Balogun and Scott Arfield are all on the verge of becoming free agents, so Van Bronckhorst will need to either wield his axe or attempt to keep them at the club.

One player who he ought to jettison is Northern Ireland veteran Davis. The experienced midfielder’s importance has dwindled this season and it is the perfect time to part ways with him as new players come through.

He played 35 times and started 29 games in the Premiership last term under Steven Gerrard as a regular member of the side which won the title. However, he has not enjoyed as much success this time around, featuring in only 12 of the club’s 30 league outings and starting nine. Frank McAvennie dubbed him “permanently benched” earlier this year, and those statistics back up the 61-year-old’s damning description.

Davis turned 37 in January and it seems unlikely that, at his age, he will be able to revive his fortunes and become a first-choice option for Rangers in the middle of the park again. Therefore, Van Bronckhorst must allow the dud to depart at the end of his contract this summer.

The Gers have been linked with a swoop for Coventry gem Gustavo Hamer, who must be brought in to replace the ex-Southampton midfielder.

Hamer’s team-mate Marko Marosi dubbed him “unbelievable”, and the 24-year-old’s statistics in the Championship for the Sky Blues this season back up that claim. He has been in sensational form in a central midfield role and would be the ideal replacement for Davis –  who has not been playing regularly – in terms of providing competition in the middle of the park for Van Bronckhorst heading into next season.

Hamer has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.11 across 28 appearances in the second tier of English football despite Coventry sitting 11th in the table. This shows that he has been able to consistently deliver brilliant displays in midfield whilst the rest of his team-mates have been unable to lift the Sky Blues into play-off contention.

He has produced three goals and six assists whilst providing 1.4 key passes per game. His creative threat from a defensive or central midfield role could help the Gers to unlock stubborn defences, whilst he has also shown that he has bite to his game, averaging 2.6 tackles and interceptions per match.

At the age of 24, he is also 13 years younger than Davis, so he could be an upgrade on the veteran Ulsterman in terms of performances and would also hold more long-term value to the club. He could improve over time and be sold on for profit further down the line, whereas the current Gers player has little resale value, which is why Van Bronckhorst must get this deal done.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst can brutally axe “shaky” Rangers dud in deal for “annoyingly brilliant” £0 machine…