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According to the Daily Record, Celtic are close to completing a £1.75 million deal for Karpaty Lviv winger Maryan Shved.

What’s the story?

The Ukrainian right-winger has been in fine form so far this season. According to Transfermarkt’s statistics, the 21-year-old has scored eight goals and racked up three assists in seventeen appearances in the Ukrainian top flight, the Premier Liga.

Shved is clearly a player with plenty of talent and capable of producing end product. With so much of his career still ahead of him too, he could improve a great deal in the future.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The once-capped Ukraine international would face a challenge in making the step up to the Scottish Premiership, but he could also provide the boost of quality and fresh attacking ideas that Brendan Rodgers’ side currently needs.

A much-needed boost

So far this season, the Bhoys have struggled to consistently show their best form. The reigning Scottish champions have at times looked stale and in need of an overhaul of their squad. Too many players have failed to regularly reach the required standard.

The likes of Scott Sinclair and Leigh Griffiths have failed to shine for the most part this season. Shved’s arrival could provide the level of competition that they need in order to get back to their best, or the young Ukrainian could usurp them in the starting XI at Celtic Park altogether.

For such a small fee, the gamble on Shved is one worth taking for the Hoops this month.

A key update has emerged on Rangers left-back Borna Barisic, regarding interest from English outfit Aston Villa…

What’s the talk?

Club media partner Heart & Hand Podcast has claimed that they have been told that there has been no contact between the two clubs at this stage.

Barisic has been linked with a switch to the Midlands, but the Gers insider has called any reports claiming that talks have been held are false.

They Tweeted: “Asked and been told there has been no contact between Rangers and Villa about Barisic. Any reports to the contrary are false.”

Delight

This update will surely delight Rangers fans as it suggests that there is no serious interest from the Premier League side at this stage. There is less than a month to go until the transfer window opens and you can forgive supporters for being concerned that Steven Gerrard may want to come back and raid his former club.

Whilst this claim from Heart & Hand does not entirely rule out the possibility of the Croatian international departing next month, it does show that nothing is in the works right now and there is no need to worry about his future at Ibrox for the moment.

Supporters would be delighted by him staying in Glasgow as he is a crucial player for the club and his exit would be a huge blow for Gio van Bronckhorst. He has proven his quality in Scotland over the last few years, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.28 this season after achieving a score of 7.40 last term.

Barisic has won an impressive 61% of his duels this season whilst also creating 2.0 chances per game and making 2.1 tackles and interceptions. This shows that he is able to merge solid defending with quality on the ball to progress the play from left-back, which is why fans would be gutted by his departure and will be delighted by this update on the lack of concrete interest in his services.

Hopefully, Villa will look elsewhere to strengthen their squad instead of raiding Rangers and Barisic will remain at Ibrox in the long term. His statistics show how important he is to the club moving forward and how difficult it would be to replace him in the transfer window, providing another reason for why the fanbase will be buzzing by this news.

AND in other news, 180 duels won: Wilson sealed masterclass with “important” £14k-p/w Rangers colossus…

Leeds United have been boosted in their attempts to sign Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez, with a January exit potentially on the cards.

The Lowdown: Nandez constantly linked with Leeds

Few players were linked with a move to Leeds in the summer more often than Nandez, who was constantly tipped to head to Elland Road, with Victor Orta even jetting to Sardinia to try and complete a move.

Instead, the 25-year-old ended up staying at Cagliari, for the time being at least, where he has registered two Serie A assists this season.

It appears as though Nandez could still move on in the near future, however, with Leeds receiving a fresh boost this week, in that respect.

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The Latest: January exit could happen

According to CalcioNapoli24 [via Sport Witness], Nandez ‘can leave in January’, with the midfielder on the cusp of winning his 50th cap for Uruguay.

West Ham are mentioned as coming ‘very close’ to signing him in the summer, perhaps suggesting that the Hammers could also make a move in January alongside the Whites.

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The Verdict: Snap him up, Orta

As reports continue to link Kalvin Phillips with a move away from Leeds, it could be that Marcelo Bielsa and Orta have to find a tailor-made replacement for him.

In Nandez, the Whites could have exactly that, with the Uruguayan a force both in and out of possession, as is the case with Phillips.

The Cagliari man is averaging 1.1 key passes per game in the league this season, which is almost double what the Leeds hero has managed (0.6), as well as making the same number of clearances (1.0).

A tenacious midfielder, tough in the tackle and composed on the ball, Orta and co couldn’t ask for a much better Phillips replacement if one is needed.

In other news, Liverpool have again been linked with a move for a Premier League player. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United are reportedly now the ‘most interested’ in signing Seko Fofana in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Standout season

Fofana is having a standout season in Ligue 1, starting off by winning their Player of the Month Award (POTM) in September.

He ranks as one of the best central midfield players in the division to have made 10 or appearances this season, and the second-best player at Lens, scoring five goals and averaging the most shots and dribbles per game out of his teammates (WhoScored).

Described as the ‘heartbeat’ of the team by journalist Josh Bunting, it is not a surprise at all to see the St. James’ Park faithful now linked with a move for Fofana this month.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘most interested’

As per Foot Mercato journalist and transfer expert Santi Aouna, the North East club are now the ‘most interested’ in signing Fofana, but there is also ‘real interest’ from both Leeds United and Burnley for his signature.

However, Lens have not received any offers for the Ivory Coast international as of yet.

The Verdict: Sign him up

With Fofana thriving in Ligue 1, he is surely ready to make the step up to the Premier League.

Dubbed a ‘phenom’ by journalist Zach Lowy after a dominating performance against PSG’s midfield last month, the six-foot-one star would really freshen things up in the middle of the park for Eddie Howe’s team, and at 26 years of age, he has likely not yet hit his prime.

Nonetheless, if there is a deal that can be done within the next few weeks, especially with the competition that they face, surely it is a no-brainer to bring him to Tyneside.

In other news, find out who Howe is now ‘pushing’ to sign here!

After succumbing to a disheartening 2-0 defeat against Preston North End in their latest Championship clash, West Brom are back in action again this afternoon with an away game against Millwall, who are currently ten places and 12 points below the Baggies in the league table. 

With Valerien Ismael revealing that Sam Johnstone will not be in the squad this afternoon but that Andy Carroll should be available, here’s how we feel West Brom will line up for today’s clash against Millwall with the likes of Kean Bryan, Dara O’Shea and Daryl Dike out injured and Semi Ajayi still away on international duty. 

In goal, with Johnstone still not involved, it seems likely that David Button will keep his place in the team to try and keep a clean sheet for the Baggies. 

In a back three, we think Ismael will keep Kyle Bartley and Cedric Kipre in the side but put Conor Townsend in the left wing-back position with Adam Reach, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £23k-per-week according to Salary Sport, dropping out and Matt Clarke coming back in. 

For the right wing-back position, we can see Darnell Furlong keeping his place in the team to see if he can have any attacking impact on the team after providing an assist in their recent 3-0 win over Peterborough United.

In the two central-midfield positions, we predict Ismael will stick with the duo of club captain Jake Livermore and Alex Mowatt.

Then for the front three, we could see the duo of Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana keeping their places in the team on the wings but see Matt Phillips drop out in place of Callum Robinson, with Carroll on the bench to come on as a substitute to make his debut if needed. 

Whether Ismael goes with this exact starting XI that we have suggested or not, this is still an important game for the Baggies to secure all three points, climb a step closer to promotion and put their spotty run of form in recent weeks behind them. 

Also, with West Brom unable to make even one shot on target in their defeat against Preston, they will certainly need to show a bit more attacking intent this time around if they want to have any chance of securing a win.

In other news: Ismael must unleash £18k-p/w WBA gem who “gives his all”, his job could depend on it – opinion

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has won six of his first seven matches in charge of the Ibrox giants and is yet to taste defeat.

The ex-Feyenoord boss came in after the 3-1 loss to Hibernian in the League Cup and has gone on to win all five of his Premiership outings, whilst winning one and drawing one in the group stages of the Europa League.

They now play host to Dundee United in Glasgow as they look to extend that run, having beaten St Johnstone 2-0 in midweek.

Key issue

One change that could be enforced upon the head coach is axing Borna Barisic from the XI. Van Bronckhorst provided an update on the defender after the win on Wednesday, saying:

“He’s okay. He was just not feeling well. He’s not injured.”

Whilst he did not pick up a physical knock during the match, the news that he was feeling unwell is concerning ahead of this weekend. There is no need for the Gers to make him play through poor health, assuming he is still not 100% at the moment, and that means that he could be taken out of the team to give him a rest ahead of Christmas.

Van Bronckhorst could solve this key issue by unleashing the player who replaced him against St Johnstone. He was withdrawn from the match in the 79th minute and right-back Nathan Patterson came on to see out the game in an unnatural position. However, he was quickly able to adapt to his surroundings and won all three of his ground duels during his cameo, whilst completing 89% of his passes and making three tackles.

Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor previously lauded the young defender whilst on international duty with him for Scotland, saying:

“He’s been absolutely first class. You can tell he’s a real talent – even from the first day he trained with us in the summer.

“You could see his quality, his athleticism. And it’s great to see him make such a big impact, getting off the mark with a goal. He needs to just keep his head down and keep working hard. Other experienced boys will keep him on the right track, keep him honest.”

Patterson, who Che Adams once dubbed as “amazing”, scored and provided an assist in his last outing for Scotland as they beat Moldova 2-0 in a World Cup Qualifier. He also has one assist in five Premiership appearances, having started once, this season – showing off the attacking threat he can provide from full-back.

The £4.9k-per-week gem could, therefore, be an ideal choice to come in and replace Barisic at left-back for a game if he is not well enough to start. He showed great promise with his cameo in the week and he has proven his quality at right-back in his aforementioned games for club and country, which is why van Bronckhorst must unleash him this weekend.

AND in other news, 86% duels won: Rangers beast who made 5 tackles vs St Johnstone surely had Gio purring…

Mauricio Pochettino is the front-runner to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United manager, according to journalist Peter O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: United on the search for new manager

Solskjaer’s reign as United manager came to an end on Sunday morning following the 4-1 defeat away to Watford the previous day. The Norwegian had reached the point of no return after a run of just one win in seven Premier League matches, with a change being essential.

United are now on the lookout for a new manager and a number of candidates are believed to be in the race to take charge at Old Trafford.

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The Latest: Journalist makes Pochettino managerial claim

One of those is reportedly Pochettino, who is currently manager of Paris Saint-Germain but whose family remains in England.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke talked up the chances of the Argentine taking over at United, saying it looks the most likely outcome:

“All signs seem to point towards Pochettino being their top target right now. He’s been a long-term target for the United hierarchy in the past.”

The Verdict: Right man for the job?

The main thing working against Pochettino is his lack of silverware, with the 49-year-old only winning a French Cup and French Super Cup during his time as a manager. In five years at Tottenham, he failed to win any trophies, but he also turned Spurs into a formidable side who reached the 2019 Champions League final.

Pochettino plays an attacking brand of football, which is sure to appeal at United – he has labelled Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel a ‘defensive’ coach – and he could perhaps get far more out of a hugely talented squad than Solskjaer, as was the case with players such as Dele Alli, Son Heung-min and Harry Kane.

The pressure would clearly be on Pochettino to win trophies at Old Trafford, but he is still at an age where he is learning as a manager and he could be the man to bring back more successful times to the red half of Manchester.

In other news, some United fans have been responding negatively to a managerial rumour. Read more here.

Taking to Twitter, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has backed a development in West Ham United’s pursuit of Manchester United star and top target Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: West Ham ready to pay fee…

It is no secret that the 29-year-old is on manager David Moyes’ radar as he seeks to bolster his side’s options and give them a fighting chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

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After his sensational spell on loan in east London over the second half of 2020/2021, West Ham, Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman have been targeting Lingard as his current deal at Old Trafford looks set to expire at the end of this season.

The England international, as a result, can either wait until the summer and leave for free or opt to join a new club in January if any suitors table a bid before deadline day.

Recent reports say West Ham are indeed willing to do just that with the Irons now apparently ready to pay a £3million fee to seal Lingard’s signing.

The Latest: ExWHUemployee backs Lingard development…

Taking to social media, reliable Hammers source Ex backed this development in the Lingard transfer saga.

Whilst stating ‘yes’ in reply to a supporter who asked if there is any truth to the £3m bid rumours, the insider did also provide a degree of caution – going on to claim West Ham’s willingness to pay doesn’t necessarily mean the player wants to make the move.

The Verdict: Get it done…

While the £75,000-per-week ace’s current stance on a move to West Ham remains the last major hurdle, if his mind is swayed, signing him would be a big boost for Moyes.

Scoring nine goals and assisting four others in 16 Premier League starts last season on a temporary spell, Lingard is a proven player under the Irons boss and could gift the club a different dimension going forward.

Taking into account his 2021 numbers at West Ham, with talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham calling him ‘absolutely phenomenal’, £3m seems like a real bargain.

Hammers supporters may be hoping that there is a development on Lingard’s side that favours him joining West Ham permanently before January 31.

In other news: ‘Please please please’, ‘Baller’, ‘Perfect’ – Many West Ham fans rave as GSB eye ‘fantastic signing’…find out more here.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has expressed his shock whilst sharing what he knows as some Tottenham Hotspur transfer news comes out of N17 involving Leicester City star James Maddison.

The lowdown: Spurs linked

This comes following reports linking Spurs with a move for the 25-year-old when the market reopens at the end of the season.

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As manager Antonio Conte and recruitment chief Fabio Paratici attempt to strengthen the squad at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, speculation is going to be rife with multiple names linked with a move to north London.

However, it would appear that Maddison is unlikely to be making the move anytime soon…

The latest: Jones rules out Spurs switch

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones was quick to dismiss the idea of the English attacking midfielder joining the Lilywhites, whilst also expressing his surprise at the development.

He explained:

“I don’t really know where that one’s come from, it seems a bit left-field that report.

“I’ve texted two people, and they basically said there’s no chance that Tottenham are going to sign James Maddison. So, it’s pretty much as we would expect.”

The verdict: An early blow

Although the deal was far from at an advanced stage, adding a player of Maddison’s quality to the Tottenham ranks was an exciting proposition.

So far this season the once-capped England ace has scored 14 times and provided nine assists in 45 appearances across all competitions and would’ve provided much-needed creativity to an otherwise workmanlike midfield department.

Should the interest in Maddison indeed be fanciful, Spurs supporters may be hoping Paratici and Conte have a signing of a similar ilk lined up.

In other news: Tottenham ‘insider’ urges club to target Premier League striker,  find out more here.

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has hailed Tom Rogic’s performance in the Hoops’ massive 2-1 derby victory on Sunday, describing him as a ‘magician’.

The Lowdown: Famous win for Hoops

Ange Postecoglou’s side went into the trip to Ibrox three points clear of their arch-rivals at the top of the Premiership, highlighting how big a win would be.

Celtic achieved exactly that, going 1-0 down to Aaron Ramsey’s early strike but responding through goals from Rogic and Cameron Carter-Vickers, putting them firmly in pole position to win the title.

The Latest: Sutton lauds Rogic

Rogic’s all-round performance was superb even aside from his goal – as per Sofascore, he won five ground duels, made one tackle and completed 76% of his passes, ranking as Celtic’s second-best performer overall.

Taking to Twitter after the match, Sutton waxed lyrical over the Australian’s display, stating: “Nothing won yet. Daizen Maeda is a one man closing down machine. Rogic really is a magician. Carter Vickers and Starfelt immense.”

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The Verdict: Magnificent servant

On a day of outstanding individual performances in green and white, Rogic was undoubtedly a standout figure, taking his goal with aplomb and helping Celtic to dominate the midfield battle.

The 29-year-old has been a great servant for the Hoops down the years, making a total of 265 appearances for the club, and he continues to be a key figure judging by the standards he set in such as crucial encounter on Sunday.

Rogic’s current Celtic deal expires at the end of next season and the Hoops should be looking to tie him down to a new contract in the near future or risk losing him on a free transfer eventually. He showed against Rangers just how important he is to Postecoglou’s team.

In other news, Kieran Devlin has hailed a key aspect of Celtic’s win over Rangers. Read more here.