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Leeds could be set for a huge boost with the news that Stuart Dallas is set for a new contract at Elland Road.

What’s the story?

The Northern Ireland international has been a revelation all season, and since moving into central midfield in recent weeks, has added a goal-scoring touch to his game too, including a match-winning brace against Manchester City.

Now, Football Insider claim that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are set to enter into negotiations with Dallas’ representatives at the end of the Premier League season about a new deal as they look to reward him for his fine form.

Dallas’ current contract has another two years to run, but “United are keen to reward him with an extension and pay hike”.

Bielsa will be buzzing

Given just how consistent Dallas has been all season, news that he’s set to be rewarded with a new contract at the end of the season will be music to the ears of both Bielsa and the club’s supporters.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay made it clear just how good he has been, saying: “I went for Dallas as Player of the Year last season as well. I’ve almost run out of things to say about him. He’s like the T-1000 from Terminator. Tell him to be a goalkeeper and he turns himself into one (without indiscriminately killing people at the same time).”

With his ability to play virtually anywhere across the pitch, Dallas is an absolute manager’s dream, and it’s no surprise that Bielsa himself has made it clear just how much he rates him.

He said: “I had a player like Dallas before in Javier Zanetti, and Julio Saldana when I had my first experience of management at Newell’s Old Boys. Those two players are very like Dallas in terms of their versatility.

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“Dallas is a very potent, powerful player and can play with either foot. In the majority of the games that the team has played, he has been one of our best players.”

A new deal for Leeds’ footballing version of a Swiss Army knife will have Bielsa absolutely buzzing.

Meanwhile, Leeds could finally wave goodbye to this £9m-rated “massive flop”…

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.

PIF completed their takeover of Newcastle United last month to bring Mike Ashley’s 14-year reign on Tyneside to an end.

Ashley left St James’ Park after years of mediocrity on the pitch, with only one season of finishing higher than 10th in the Premier League in that time and 10 bottom-half finishes.

Ashley’s legacy

The lack of quality work in the transfer market was one of the factors behind these lacklustre seasons, with Ashley leaving behind a legacy of poor recruits for PIF to come in and clear up. One of those was the addition of Miguel Almiron in 2019.

The Paraguayan joined the Tyneside club from MLS outfit Atlanta United for a reported £21m fee in January 2019, which was a club-record deal at the time.

In 103 matches for the Magpies, he has scored 13 goals and produced five assists, which works out at one goal contribution every 5.7 games for the club. In the Premier League, he has eight goals and three assists in 91 games, averaging out at a goal contribution every 8.27 games. This is a poor return for a player who came in as an attacking midfielder for a club-record fee and it typifies the recruitment that Ashley oversaw in his tenure at Newcastle.

The midfielder also came out in March and publicly stated he would like to play for a team which ‘fights more’. Former Premier League player Carlton Palmer reacted to those comments by claiming that Almiron would create problems in the dressing room, telling Football FanCast:

“If I was Steve Bruce, I would be absolutely annoyed and angry. There’s too much, there’s too much coming out of Newcastle at the moment. I mean, the manager’s had a flare-up with one of the players, which is an everyday occurrence at football clubs up and down the country.

“Whether it’s between player and player or between player and manager, whether it’s a big player and a coach, there’s always a disagreement, but why that gets into the public domain… Him making that comment now is going to create more problems within the dressing room because players are going to turn around and say, ‘well you’re accusing me of not fighting then for the club?’”

This suggests that the 27-year-old is causing problems on and off the pitch with his displays and his comments, which is why he has been a disaster of a signing for the club.

At the time of writing (29/11/21), Transfermarkt value him at £15.75m. This is considerably less than the £21m that Newcastle paid for him and shows that he has gone downhill since arriving in England, rather than impressing and increasing his value by putting in strong performances. Therefore, the Magpies had a bit of a howler with his arrival from the MLS in 2019…

AND in other news, Howe could save NUFC’s season with “beautiful” 27-goal beast, he loves St James’ Park…

Celtic have reached a ‘general agreement’ with Kawasaki Frontale for Reo Hatate, according to Japanese outlet Hochi.

The Lowdown: Hatate profiled

Hatate has recently just helped Kawasaki Frontale win a second consecutive J1 League title, making 38 appearances in 2020/21.

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He turned out in a number of positions, mainly in midfield and at left-back, with Celtic reportedly seeing Hatate as a midfield addition, with his current contract set to expire at the end of January.

The 24-year-old is on €38,000-a-year (around £625-a-week) with his current employers, but it seems as if a move to Glasgow to join countryman Kyogo Furuhashi is on the cards.

The Latest: Agreement reached

Japanese outlet Hochi posted on Twitter on Sunday evening, shortly after Celtic’s 1-0 win over Motherwell, claiming Hatate is set to ‘move’ to Scotland.

A ‘general agreement’ has been reached between the two clubs, so it seems as if the Hoops will pay a small fee to the J1 League side for Hatate’s services.

The Verdict: More good news

The Hoops have also agreed on a fee with Gamba Osaka for midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, so Celtic are now closing in on two January signings already.

That can only be good news, especially with the number of injuries Ange Postecoglou has had to deal with in recent weeks, while the fact everything is in place so soon shows impressive planning from a club who have often been lacking in the boardroom in recent years.

Postecoglou will know just what Hatate and Ideguchi will bring to Scotland following his time as a manager in Japan, and the quicker Celtic can complete their January business, the better, with Japanese forward Daizen Maeda another on the club’s winter window wishlist.

In other news: Devlin claims ‘special’ Celtic ace may have broken bone amid ‘conflicting’ info. 

It might not have been the announcement that everyone was hoping and praying for on Wednesday, but it’s been revealed that Conor Hazard will be a Celtic player for a few more years.

Of course, the Green Brigade are currently eagerly awaiting news of who their new manager could be. They are also hoping for promising updates on the futures of Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer.

They are yet to sign new contracts with the Hoops and are regularly being linked with a move away to the Premier League and other shores across Europe.

However, one man who will be staying put beyond the summer is Hazard. The goalkeeper has penned new terms until 2023 putting to bed speculation surrounding his future.

Earlier this term it looked as though the 22-year-old wouldn’t sign a new contract and thus, leave on a free transfer. The stopper had a loan move to Dundee United blocked and was waiting to be given more consistent game time before deciding to agree to new terms.

Clearly, the Northern Irishman is now happy with his place in the team and is excited about the future. It might be a mere coincidence that he’s signed on now Neil Lennon has left, but either way, he could play a major part in the club’s plans going forward.

Nick Hammond has been rather poor with his recruitment lately and nothing typifies that more than the £4.5m they forked out for the error-prone Vasilis Barkas last summer. Scott Bain has also made mistakes but after becoming the hero of Celtic’s Scottish Cup final win, Hazard is surely set for a brighter future.

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He may have been at fault in normal time during their win over Hearts back in December but the youngster stood up when it mattered in the shoot-out, saving a succession of penalties.

The 22-year-old is still vastly inexperienced but with the number one spot so uncertain, signing on talent with potential like Hazard’s is incredibly promising news. It’s especially positive when you consider both Cameron Harper and Karomoko Dembele could leave in the summer on free transfers.

Hazard hasn’t featured since the 0-0 draw with Livingston in January but has kept three clean sheets in his six outings between the sticks this term. Considering how ropey Celtic’s defence has been of late, that’s a decent record.

He needs to work on being more commanding but at just 22, the ‘keeper has a big part to play in their rebuild going forward.

AND in other news, Hammond could end Christie’s Celtic stay by landing 27-goal ace that Strachan rates…

Fans of Aston Villa have been reacting to a post on Twitter, which relayed the ‘significant’ news that Jaden Philogene-Bidace has put pen to paper on a new deal with the club.

According to a statement on the club website, Philogene-Bidace has signed a new deal with Dean Smith’s side that will see him remain at Villa Park until the summer of 2024.

The 19-year-old forward, who is yet to make a senior appearance for Villa, is said to have highly impressed for the club’s U23 side this season, bagging five goals and providing two assists over his 11 appearances.

And, after the club relayed the news of the England U19 international’s new contract on Twitter, fans of Villa flocked to have their say on the matter, with many appearing delighted at the prospect of  Philogene-Bidace remaining at their club for the foreseeable future.

So, what exactly did these Aston Villa fans have to say in reaction to the news regarding Jaden Philogene-Bidace?

“Our club is doing all the right things. This kid is special.”

@hill_hilly18

“Fantastic news!! I love the approach our club is taking to promoting youth and building for our future!”

@jamesupnorth

“YESSSSSSSSS UTVVVVV.”

@Finleydb10

“Fantastic news! A lot of big clubs been sniffing round him, one to watch for sure.”

@TheWillRoss

“This is great news. Chukwuemeka next, hopefully.”

@SimonLRead

“Class news.”

@vill1874

“Outstanding. This club is amassing all the best young talent out there. Well done Jaden. Great choice.”

@EvoflashUK

“This is super, super news and shows the ambition and pull of the club – up the villa!!! Aaron Ramsey next!!”

@StephenArnold78

“Superb Jaden.”

@gazswain

“Excellent news. Future star! Massive statement on intent by Villa.”

@tonywoots69

“Incredible.”

@DOUGLASLUlZ

“This is significant. Congratulations.”

@richallen10

In other news, these Villa fans are loving this crazy statistic – find out more here!

There has been mounting speculation on the future of Brighton and Hove Albion loanee Matt Clarke at West Bromwich Albion, and there has now been an update on the situation.

What’s the latest?

According to West Brom reporter Steve Madeley (via The Athletic), the 25-year-old centre-back “would be keen” to stay at The Hawthorns this summer.

Madeley wrote:

“Clarke would be keen on a permanent move to The Hawthorns and there are reasons for which a deal would appeal to West Brom as it is likely that any deal would include a low up-front fee and would be weighted towards performance-related add-ons and sell-on clauses.”

Bruce will be buzzing

There is no doubt that Steve Bruce would be buzzing at the idea of the defender wanting to stay at the club after his comments about Clarke in an interview a few weeks ago.

Bruce told Express and Star:

“He has been, arguably, since I’ve walked through the door – he’s been our best player so I’m really, really, happy for him.

“All those conversations – it’s all about the future. What is going to happen in the future is the big thing and we’ll have those talks.”

The Baggies centre-back has featured 32 times in the Championship this season, with his effectiveness and influence in the backline a clear indicator as to why Bruce holds him in such high regard.

Clarke has made 1.9 interceptions, 3.2 clearances and 1.5 tackles on average per game, kept ten clean sheets, won the majority of his duels combined (63%) and has been successful in the majority of his dribbles (63%), proving to be a consistent force for West Brom throughout the season.

West Brom have now squandered their chances of picking up a playoff spot in the Championship this season, but will now need to focus on rebuilding and reflecting on the issues that have presented themselves this season to improve and hit the ground running to earn a place back in the Premier League next season.

Permanently signing Clarke could be a great step in their pursuit to return to top-flight football as he has proven he has what it takes to offer reliability and good fitness in the Championship for them, something many players in the team have struggled with throughout the current campaign.

AND in other news: In talks: WBA must brutally axe “powerful” £720k-rated gem after “important” update

This season has been a brutal affair for Celtic. They are currently 13 points off the pace in the SPFL and were knocked out of both the Champions League and Europa League in the same season.

If that wasn’t enough, they were also knocked out of the Scottish League Cup too.

Fortunately, their campaign could embark on a period of rejuvenation very soon.

On the chalkboard

This Sunday Celtic have an ideal opportunity to wipe away the negativity that has intoxicated their term so far.

2020/21 was supposed to be all about their quest for ten league crowns in a row. However, while that now looks unlikely, silverware is within their sight.

This weekend they take on Hearts in the Scottish Cup final and fortunately, they have found form at just the right time.

They beat Lille in the Europa League and then Neil Lennon laid down another marker when the Hoops defeated Kilmarnock last weekend.

The Bhoys might be some way behind in the league but this offers a timely distraction, one that if they win, may spark a revival in the league.

So, how can Celtic improve their chances of winning the final?

The solution

Celtic’s defence has been absolutely horrific this season and that’s putting it kinder than we could have.

They conceded eight in two matches against Sparta Prague and have shipped ten more goals than rivals Rangers in the league.

Clearly, Lennon’s backline needs to improve but it’s no coincidence that since Ismaila Soro’s energetic legs were brought into the side for the first time, Celtic have enhanced their play.

They conceded twice against a fierce Lille team but kept a clean sheet against Killie. Soro has been a huge part of their recent solidity and he simply has to start against Hearts in a few days time.

This is someone who brings boundless vigour to the midfield and can dominate the play, taking the ball from defence to attack in the blink of an eye.

His former coach, Ori Guttman said in January: “When I saw Soro I was immediately excited. From the first second I noticed his explosive power. His tackling and dribbling skills were incredible. He looked like he had good potential.”

And indeed, we’re now seeing that potential emerge at Celtic. It’s remarkable to think he’s started just twice in 2020 for the Hoops given his impressive displays.

In the Europa League this term, he’s made a phenomenal amount of tackles – 3.7 per game – while he’s also completed over 90% of his passes.

This is someone who keeps things calm and composed in the middle of the park, being described as a “wonderful player” by Frankie McAvennie.

Considering how non-existent Celtic’s midfield has been for the best part of this season, Soro has been a game-changer.

He could well determine whether the Scottish Cup goes back to Glasgow or Edinburgh.

In other news, Lawwell must sign ex-PL gem who once performed “a miracle”…

A reliable journalist has dropped an exciting transfer claim on Leeds United’s pursuit of Nicolas Tagliafico.

Speaking on the Kick-off podcast (via Voetbalprimeur), De Telegraaf reporter Mike Verweij has claimed that the Elland Road club’s interest in the Ajax defender seems to be ‘more serious than anyone assumed’, adding that Inter Milan also appear to be in the market for him.

Leeds must sign Tagliafico

Marcelo Bielsa’s team must do all that they can to try and sign Tagliafico once the summer transfer window opens.

The left-back would certainly be an upgrade on Ezgjan Alioski, as he has averaged more interceptions (1.8), clearances (1.3), shots (1.6), key passes (one), dribbles (0.4), crosses (0.7) and long balls (1.3) than the Leeds man so far in their respective domestic leagues this season.

One may argue that the Eredivisie is not at as high of a standard than the Premier League, but these figures show that Tagliafico is a more than capable player both in attacking and defensive areas.

At 28 years of age, the Argentina international is only just reaching the peak of his powers, and so now may be the best time for Leeds to capitalise on that by trying to bring him to Elland Road.

He would certainly seem a shrewd addition by the Whites should they be able to secure his signature.

In other news, Leeds are prepared to pay a club-record fee for this maestro!

Writing on Patreon, disclosing exactly why Mark Noble missed West Ham United’s 2-1 win at Burnley, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has lifted the lid on details surrounding the club legend’s absence – with the Englishman looking set to be out for two weeks after picking up a calf injury.

Noble has been a regular under manager David Moyes since star man Declan Rice picked up his own knock, and the 33-year-old being sidelined comes as another injury blow for the Hammers as their Champions League qualification dream remains alive.

ExWHUemployee sheds light on Noble injury

West Ham have had no shortage of fitness issues recently with the likes of Rice, Arthur Masuaku, Aaron Cresswell and Michail Antonio having been sidelined for a period of time over the last few weeks.

The latter pair returned to action at Turf Moor on Monday evening in a big boost for Moyes and Antonio even bagged two goals and put in a man of the match performance.

However, ExWHUemployee has shed light on Noble’s absence in another injury blow for West Ham and reveals that he will be sidelined for a fortnight after picking up a calf problem.

Angelo Ogbonna also missed the match with a hamstring strain, but ExWHUemployee later provided some good news on the Italian and claimed it should not be too serious (Patreon).

Transfer Tavern take

Possibly losing Noble for the next two weeks does come as a blow for Moyes given his influence in the dressing room and the notion he has arguably performed when required in place of Rice.

Hammers first team coach Stuart Pearce, for example, recently heralded the midfielder for his displays this season, calling him ‘outstanding’ and ‘fantastic’ when called upon (talkSPORT via West Ham Zone).

Luckily, however, it should only be a matter of time before crucial asset Rice returns to the side and counteracts the loss of Noble.

In other news: West Ham fans shocked by this stat, find out more here.