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Leeds United should move for Chelsea youngster Ethan Ampadu on loan when the January transfer window opens for business.

What’s the story?

Ampadu made his first-team debut for Exeter City at the age of 15, and went on to appear 13 times for the club before joining Chelsea in the summer of 2017.

The 6ft ace made his Premier League debut for Chelsea against Huddersfield Town last December, and appeared in seven first-team matches for the Blues last term.

A number of clubs were believed to be interested in signing the 17-year-old on loan during the summer window, but Chelsea ultimately decided to keep the teenager.

Ampadu is already too good for Under-23 level, however, and needs first-team football to ensure that his development does not stall in the coming months.

Leeds have started the 2018-19 Championship season in impressive fashion, and Elland Road would be the perfect place for Ampadu to grow as a player in the first half of 2019.

Just how good can Ampadu become?

Well, Ampadu was just a little bit impressive in Wales’ 4-1 win over Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday night.

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The youngster was handed a starting role in the middle of the park, and left the field to a standing ovation in the 67th minute having put in a wonderful performance.

Ampadu set up Aaron Ramsey for his team’s third of the match, and showed throughout his time on the pitch that he has the potential to be an absolute superstar in the game.

Capable of playing in midfield and at the back, Ampadu really is some talent, and regular Championship football would do him the world of good at this stage of his career.

Leeds will face a battle to convince Chelsea to loan out the Welshman, but the Championship leaders would cement themselves as title favourites by securing his signature.

Rangers embarked on a summer rampage in the transfer market with Steven Gerrard leading the revolution at Ibrox, but controversial striker Alfredo Morelos managed to survive the upheaval and he remains the club’s first-choice striker. 

The 22-year-old Colombian is clearly a talented player and has the potential to thrive in the SPFL, but his petulance is beginning to become a problem for the club.

Although his first red card of the season was ultimately overturned, he failed to learn his lesson and was subsequently sent off against FC Ufa in a vital Europa League qualifier.

Possessing ability is one thing in football but without the professional mindset to translate quality into consistent level-headed performances there’s only so much you can achieve.

Morelos should have plenty of opportunity for redemption this season as Umar Sadiq doesn’t appear to be posing a threat to his place in the starting eleven.

However, a recent report from the London Evening Standard suggests his place is not completely secure as Gerrard tried to sign an upgrade on Morelos during the summer window.

According to the report, Rangers were one of a handful of clubs who were interested in signing Dominic Solanke from Liverpool, but each approach was swiftly rejected by the club.

From Gerrard’s perspective, Liverpool’s unwillingness to allow Solanke to move on loan would have been a huge disappointment.

Although Solanke has struggled to break into Liverpool’s first-team amid competition from the sensational Roberto Firmino, his development at youth level and brief cameos for the Reds suggest there is an immense talent simply waiting to be unlocked.

With the physical power and speed to turn SPFL defenders inside out and a clinical finishing instinct to match, Solanke would have been a huge upgrade on Morelos if Rangers had been successful in their pursuit.

Rangers will have to make do with the unpredictable Morelos for now but, if Solanke remains nothing more than a backup player at Liverpool when the January window comes around, Gerrard would be wise to return with a fresh loan offer.

Rangers fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

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George Saville opened his Middlesbrough account on his home debut for the club.

Indeed, the 25-year-old was on the scoresheet in Boro’s 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday night.

Saville joined Boro on loan from Millwall during the summer, and actually managed 10 Championship goals for the Lions last season.

Boro desperately needed to pick up all three points in order to stay in touch with division leaders Leeds United, and that was indeed the case.

There were a number of impressive performers for Tony Pulis’ side on Wednesday night, and there is no question that Saville falls into that category.

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The midfielder was on the scoresheet, but it was his overall display in a central position that impressed the most.

Whilst Saville is enjoying life at the Riverside, the 5ft 10in ace’s parent club Millwall are really struggling.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Boro fans can be seen below:

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Jack Wilshere moved to West Ham United to revive his career after dropping down the pecking order at Arsenal.

However, things have not quite gone to plan as the midfielder is now expected to be on the sidelines for a further five weeks after suffering an ankle injury earlier this month.

The 26-year-old has had terrible luck with injuries for the majority of his senior career.

Before Wilshere was struck down, though, he was not having the most enjoyable time on the pitch.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini started the midfielder in the club’s first four Premier League matches, all of which they lost.

Wilshere was criticised by some fans for his performances alongside Mark Noble, and since Declan Rice has come into the fold during the England international’s absence, results have improved.

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The club are now unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions, and on Saturday earned a 3-1 triumph over Manchester United.

Given the upturn in form, we asked you if Wilshere will fight his way back into the team, and the majority of fans believe that he has no chance.

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New Arsenal signing Bernd Leno made his Premier League debut on Sunday when he replaced the injured Petr Cech on the stroker of half-time. The German looked solid in goal and made some good saves to keep Watford out as Arsenal beat the Hornets 2-0.

Cech has since been ruled out for up to four weeks which means that Leno will now be the first-choice goalkeeper for the Premier League matches, but does that mean that he should play against Qarabag in the Europa League on Thursday?

What’s the story?

Leno made his Arsenal debut last month in the opening round match of the European competition against Vorskla, before also starting in the Carabao Cup match against Brentford last week. In both of those matches manager Unai Emery gave Cech a rest as he is the current first-choice keeper at the club, having played all of the Premier League matches until his injury on Sunday.

That meant that aside from the Premier League, Emery used his second-choice keeper Leno for the smaller cup games but now that he is first pick in Cech’s absence, doesn’t that present an opportunity for the manager to rather let Emiliano Martinez start on Thursday instead of Leno?

Arsenal have had a good recovery to their season after a slow start following defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea in their first two matches. Since then the Gunners have gone on a seven-match winning streak with five of those victories coming in the Premier League.

Arsenal travel to Craven Cottage on Sunday for another important match before they host Leicester City later this month.

Why not Leno?

Arsenal are in the process of restoring their away record and apart from wins at Cardiff City and Newcastle United last month, the Gunners only have one other win on the road in 2018, at Huddersfield in the final match of last season.

Although Emery’s men are expected to easily beat Fulham on Sunday, risking Leno on Thursday could end badly should the 26-year-old suffer any sort of injury. Giving Martinez a start instead should seem like the sensible thing to do for Emery.

The Argentinian has been at the Emirates since 2012 but has been out on loan almost every season. A start against Qarabag could only do him good in a match that Arsenal shouldn’t have any problem with.

Emery named a strong squad for the clash with the likes of Lucas Torreira, Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette all having travelled to Baku.

Rangers supporters have been making a lot of noise in recent times after seeing their side return to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Steven Gerrard’s men went into their encounter with table-toppers Hearts having lost their previous league match at Livingston the week before, although victory over Rapid Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday night gave them much confidence for the visit of Craig Levein’s pace-setters. And the Light Blues produced a fine display to sweep the Edinburgh-based outfit aside, with goals from Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, and Scott Arfield inspiring the Gers to a 3-1 win at Ibrox.

As such, there have been many thrilled Rangers fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom have been taking to Twitter in recent times to heap praise on defender James Tavernier, with many hoping that their side keep hold of highly-rated Englishman amid reported interest from Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion.

And given just how integral and influential the £765,000-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt) has been to the Scottish giants in recent times, manager Gerrard has to retain the 26-year-old at all costs if he is to build something special at Ibrox.

Ultimately, Tavernier made the move north of the border back in 2015 after a short stint at Wigan Athletic having previously made his senior bow at North East giants Newcastle United, yet he has since, somewhat surprisingly, gone on to be an absolute revelation at Ibrox.

The defender has scored 32 goals and laid on 47 assists in just 159 appearances for the Light Blues during his time in Scotland, nine goals and nine assists of which coming last term in their run to third place in the Scottish Premiership, and indeed the last four of the Scottish Cup.

And with six goals and eight assists already this term for Gerrard’s side, the Englishman continues to produce the goods – those numbers would be welcomed by any attacker in the division, let alone someone who has played 149 of his 159 games for Rangers at right back.

Thus, it’s pretty clear that the Gers have a very special talent in their ranks in the form of 26-year-old Tavernier, and given the rebuilding job Gerrard is undertaking at Ibrox at present, they simply cannot be in the business of selling their best players.

The Liverpool legend has certainly brought some excitement back to the club after many years of frustration, and while it may take some time to reach the summit of Scottish football once again, these early steps are significant in laying the foundations for the future – selling Tavernier is thus unthinkable.

As such, those Rangers fans calling for the 26-year-old to stay at the club are absolutely right, with manager Gerrard needing to retain the right back at all costs come the January window.

Rangers fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Marko Arnautovic has established himself as the focal point of West Ham United’s attack in the past twelve months, with alternative options falling well below the standard he has set at centre-forward.

The aggressive Austrian may well have arrived at the London Stadium due to his menacing performances as an inside forward, but his form through the middle would suggest the full extent of his ability remained a mystery until he joined West Ham.

But an over-reliance on Arnautovic’s flair in the final-third simply cannot persist for the entirety of the current campaign considering his recent injury problems.

Indeed, Arnautovic has returned early from international duty after scoring the winner against Northern Ireland on Friday, according to the London Evening Standard.

The same report claims that the Austrian powerhouse has been playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks, and his battle against pain may well explain West Ham’s reported interest in Jermaine Defoe.

The 36-year-old Bournemouth striker and former Hammer was once one of the most clinical poachers in English footbll, but he is well past his best and a player who Pellegrini would be foolish to consider signing.

Pellegrini may not be blessed with a strong contingent of attacking players, but with Javier Hernandez and Lucas Perez at his disposal and Andy Carroll still to return from injury, he has absolutely no reason to pursue the English veteran.

Hernandez (valued at £13 million by Transfermarkt) has been missing in recent weeks due to glandular fever and his absence has left Pellegrini with Perez as his only alternative at centre-forward.

But Hernandez scored in a practice match against QPR over the weekend ahead of the visit of Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday and he should be back in the squad for the clash.

Whilst the temptation to sign a player of Defoe’s calibre naturally carries a weight of appeal, the West Ham hierarchy need to focus on the long-term future and trust in Hernandez in the event of Arnautovic’s absence, despite the fact he has underachieved since returning to English football.

Pellegrini may well have his eye on a short-term deal for Defoe but Hernandez’s return suggests his interest is misplaced.

West Ham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

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Loads of Liverpool fans have been reacting to a shock transfer rumour, as reports in Spain claim Barcelona are eyeing Roberto Firmino.

According to Okdiario, Barcelona have set their sights on Firmino amidst growing concerns that Luis Suarez is slowing down.

Suarez was in ferocious form when he left Anfield to join the Spanish giants, scoring a ridiculous 40 La Liga goals in 35 games in his second season in Catalonia.

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Although he has grabbed three league goals already this campaign, he has been heavily criticised by Barcelona fans for his recent performances, and the report claims Firmino is the number one target to replace him.

The report even states the club is willing to try the same tactics they used to sign Philippe Coutinho, something Liverpool fans certainly won’t want to hear.

Firmino has scored 53 goals and added 41 assists since joining Liverpool in 2015, and the 27-year-old is the glue that holds the Reds attack together.

Fans are unsurprisingly not happy with the rumours, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

It’s been a turbulent start to the season for Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris since he captained his country France to become World Cup champions in the summer.

In August, the Tottenham club-captain was arrested and charged with drink-driving before he picked up a thigh strain, causing him to miss six matches across all competitions.

The 31-year-old has been back in the side for the last few matches but in the Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven in the week he was sent off for a rash challenge on Hirving Lozano.

Mauricio Pochettino then should drop the Frenchman and play Paulo Gazzaniga in his place against the current Premier League champions.

Dutchman Michel Vorm has generally been considered as Lloris’ number two, but in his four games so far this season he has made a number of high-profile errors, and Gazzaniga impressed when called upon last season.

So, Tottenham fans, who do you think should start in goal against Manchester City? Have your say by voting in the poll below.

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Sven Mislintat has made quite the impact at Arsenal since he took over as the club’s head of recruitment last year, but neither he nor Unai Emery can afford to rest on their laurels in their effort to restore Arsenal’s credentials as a potential Premier League title winner.

With the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sokratis and Lucas Torreira all now residing with the Arsenal squad, Emery has the foundations of a solid spine to work with.

The latter, in particular, has been an intriguing player to watch since he arrived in north London. A midfield anchor by trade who started his career as an attacking midfielder, Torreira cuts a bullish figure on the field of play with a finesse in his technique which points towards his footballing roots.

On the evidence of his well-balanced performances thus far, it’s fair to say that the Uruguayan lynchpin could establish himself as an integral component of a new dawn at Arsenal, but who exactly will play alongside him?

Well, as a defensive minded midfielder who seldom bursts into the final-third, Arsenal would be wise to partner him with a box-to-box midfielder whose late runs into the penalty area are both elusive and decisive.

Emery has a dream candidate for the aforementioned role in Aaron Ramsey, but the Spaniard will need to source an alternative after his 2019 departure was confirmed earlier this week.

And according to a recent report from French media outlet RMC Sport, Emery has already identified a replacement in Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure, although he will face competition from Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature.

The report claims that the Hornets have slapped a 40 million euro (£35 million) price tag on his head, which actually represents an attractive price in the current market.

With a proven track record of delivering high quality performances in the Premier League – against opposition at both ends of the table – it’s easy to understand why the Gunners are monitoring his situation.

A return of 7 goals and 4 assists from 37 league appearances last season serves to validate common perception that the Frenchman is a threat to be feared in the final-third and, with a further 4 assists from 10 fixtures already this season, there is no disputing his naturally potency.

If Doucoure continues to perform at the level he has consistently produced since the start of the previous campaign, Mislintat should be recommending the 25-year-old to Emery as the perfect candidate to partner Torreira next summer.

Arsenal fans – thoughts? Let us know below!