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Leeds United director of football, Victor Orta, must make a late transfer move for Fiorentina midfielder Erick Pulgar on deadline day.

What’s the story?

Reports over the course of this transfer window have suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side have been keen on signing the Chile international, along with his La Viola teammate Christian Kouame.

However, Italian publication TuttoMercatoWeb have recently claimed that whilst Pulgar’s name does appeal to the Elland Road side, they have “no plans” for a move in this window, instead potentially revisiting it in the summer.

Bielsa will be fuming

Whilst stats aren’t the be all and end all to just how important of a player someone is, Leeds United have won just one of the five games that talisman Kalvin Phillips has missed this season, with the other four all being defeats.

He is the midfield heartbeat for Bielsa, and the side just doesn’t look the same without him, mostly because of how good he is, but also because there simply isn’t anyone else in the Leeds squad to come in and cover for him well enough.

Pascal Struijk has been the man the Leeds boss has turned to, and that was the case when the Whites faced Brighton when Phillips was suspended.

The Yorkshire club ended up losing 1-0 on the day, and it led Noel Whelan to say: “I think Struijk looks out of place, playing Kalvin’s role. I’ve got to say I don’t think there’s anyone that can play Kalvin’s role in the team which is worrying for me. When he’s out we don’t seem to have that flow in our game going forward and the discipline in the defensive role.”

Described as “powerful” by his manager at Fiorentina, Cesare Prandelli, Pulgar is an absolute pitbull in the middle of the park. and would be the perfect man to either partner Phillips or cover for him.  In Serie A this season, he’s won 62% of his duels (higher than Struijk), and is more of a progressive passer than Struijk too – he’s got a better average for key passes, accurate long balls and accurate chipped passes too.

To put it simply, Orta just has to make a dramatic U-turn and bring  the 6 foot 2 Pulgar in. Otherwise, he risks leaving Bielsa completely exposed for the second-half of this campaign, and left hoping that Phillips doesn’t suffer any kind of long-term injury. The Leeds boss will be absolutely fuming if that’s what pans out and his transfer chief had left him high and dry.

Tottenham Hotspur take a break from league action this evening when they head to top-flight rivals Everton for an FA Cup fifth-round clash at Goodison Park.

Jose Mourinho will need to consider rotation with the Europa League set to return next week, meaning fixtures are going to mount up quickly for the north Londoners.

Last time out, the Lilywhites saw off relegation-threatened West Brom with a 2-0 win, which ended a barren run of three straight defeats, whilst Spurs needed a late comeback to find a way past Championship strugglers Wycombe in this very competition.

So, what sort of side could we see in Merseyside tonight? Here’s the XI we’re predicting along with the latest team and injury news from the Spurs camp…

Mourinho is unlikely to have the services of Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon, and it’s claimed by the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick that Serge Aurier is a “major doubt” for this encounter.

It means we could see Matt Doherty come in at right-back in one of three defensive changes – Eric Dier and Joe Rodon are also in line to come back into the lineup, taking the place of the £36m-rated Davinson Sanchez and Belgian international Toby Alderweireld – the latter could be rested with the volume of matches on the horizon.

Ben Davies and Hugo Lloris should keep their places from the win over the Baggies.

In midfield, £15m summer bargain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is another who should remain but we may see a return for Harry Winks to partner him as he started and scored against Wycombe.

It would allow Tanguy Ndombele to be deployed further forward in an advanced role, though it means Mourinho has made a big call over Dele Alli, who returned to training this week as he’ll have to settle for a place on the bench once again.

The Spurs boss handed rare starts to Erik Lamela (seventh of the season) and Lucas Moura (fifth in league) on Sunday but with the quick turnaround, we’re expecting Steven Bergwijn to come back in on the right for the fifth and final change.

Whilst both Heung-min Son and Harry Kane should both start given the importance of the competition, so the likes of Carlos Vinicius and Gareth Bale will have to wait for their opportunity, perhaps from the bench.

AND in other news, Mourinho must ruthlessly axe £85k-p/w Spurs dud tonight, Dier dubbed him a “nightmare”…

Liam Kennedy has dropped a reassuring claim on the potential takeover of Newcastle United after a fan questioned him on Twitter.

The Shields Gazette journalist has claimed that the £300m deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group is ‘still live, and possible’ in what may come as a much welcome relief to some members of the St. James’ Park faithful.

What next for the potential Newcastle takeover?

The KSA’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) still need to come back onto the table if the original bid from the consortium is to be revived.

There is also the issue of a pending arbitration hearing between the North East club and the Premier League in order to settle their legal disputes, which if the Tyneside club were to get the better of could spark a kickstart back into the proposed takeover.

However, there are some fears that relegation from the English top flight could end up scuppering the deal, as the Magpies would surely not be seen as much of an attractive club if they were down in the EFL Championship.

Steve Bruce’s team are currently a mere six points ahead of the dreaded drop zone in 17th spot in the table (BBC Sport), and relegation may dent the Toon Army’s takeover hopes.

In other news, find out what inside claim on Mike Ashley has been dropped by one former NUFC man here!

Carlo Ancelotti could take James Rodriguez to a new level with a slight tactical tweak after he explained why Richarlison never plays in his favoured position for Everton.

That’s according to the Liverpool Echo, who quote the Toffees boss as believing Richarlison is not best suited to playing through the middle of his attack, despite the Brazilian’s desires.

Ancelotti insists the forward has never requested to be played as a centre-forward and that is happy to work from the wing, but the £50m former Watford star prefers a No.9 role and he operates as the focal point for his national side.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is Ancelotti’s go-to striker at Goodison Park, though he has fielded the forward beside Richarlison previously.

But a change in system has seen Richarlison be shifted to the wing, making 17 of his 25 appearances across all competitions this season from the left, and he will continue to be played there in normal circumstances.

“I think he [Richarlison] cannot play centre-forward because he is really good at attacking the line and to play centre-forward, most of the time you have your back to the goal,” Ancelotti said.

“I think for him, better is centre-left. He has more difficulty to find solutions as a winger but centre-left, for me, is the best position.

“He likes to play centre-forward, honestly. But for the fact that he is young, he plays where I tell him to play.

“Maybe when he is older, he is going to ask to play centre-forward but, until now, he didn’t ask.”

Ancelotti building on the idea of Richarlison developing into a centre-left forward rather than a winger or an out-and-out striker could, in turn, see Rodriguez take his performances to another level.

Rodriguez already boasts five goals and four assists in 18 Premier League games, but he has only contributed two of his strikes and created one in his last 13 outings after a blistering start to life in England.

The £90,000-per-week maestro’s latest assist came in Everton’s most recent fixture, last month’s Merseyside derby win over Liverpool, when he picked up possession in a central position before threading a perfectly weighted pass through to Richarlison to fire home.

Ancelotti should comfortably be able to expect a heightened number of assists from Rodriguez if he were to have Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin both making advancing runs from more centralised areas in the future.

Rodriguez consistently impressing in a centre-right role could also help Everton retain the £31.5m-rated Colombian beyond his debut campaign in England, following reports by Defensa Central last month that claimed the midfielder is already unhappy in the Premier League.

It was also noted that the two-time Champions League winner is open to joining Atletico Madrid, as he wishes to return to the Spanish capital and sign for the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium natives he came close to joining two years ago.

With European football at Everton a realistic possibility for next season, the Toffees would surely be loath to lose one of Ancelotti’s biggest stars.

So, the idea of a front three of the Colombian, Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison working more compactly may be worth exploring as the Blues enter the final third of the season.

AND in other news, Everton are tracking a prolific 15-goal winger backed to reach another level…

Celtic interim manager John Kennedy has reacted to reports that Leicester City are set to win the race to sign Hoops striker Odsonne Edouard. 

Kennedy responds

The 23-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from Parkhead after scoring 81 goals and providing 35 assists in 160 appearances (Transfermarkt), with Arsenal being one of those clubs keen to secure his services.

Despite this, the Daily Mail recently revealed that Brendan Rodgers’ side are closing in on a £15m move for Edouard, who was initially purchased from Paris Saint Germain back in 2018.

Edouard, who was recently described as “magnificent” by former boss Neil Lennon, was the subject of conversation from Kennedy ahead of his side’s trip to Dundee United on Sunday.

Cited by the Daily Record, he said: “That’s far too cheap for my liking.” Kennedy went on to say that the club will not be pressured into selling their best players due to financial power and that the same has occurred with star centre-back Kristoffer Ajer in the past 12 months.

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Kennedy is taking a firm stance in terms of protecting his best players – which is something that the supporters will appreciate.

However, because of their disastrous season during 2020/21, missing out on Champions League football could mean that Edouard may push for an exit – depending on where the Foxes finish in the Premier League this season.

The final standings of both leagues come May will paint a better picture of the situation.

In other news, Alan Hutton predicts Celtic boardroom chief will ‘lose his job.’

Ralph Hasenhuttl named a much-changed side for Southampton’s trip to league leaders Manchester City on Wednesday night and saw his side emphatically beaten 5-2.

The Saints started well at the Etihad before Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring, although James Ward-Prowse equalised soon after with a penalty.

Goals from Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan put the Citizens 3-1 up at half-time before Mahrez added another in the second half.

Che Adams then immediately grabbed a goal back but it would only be a consolation as De Bruyne scored a fifth for City, and Pep Guardiola’s side could and perhaps should, have scored more against a worryingly open Southampton defence.

One man who disappointed with his performance at the Etihad was Ryan Bertrand.

The 31-year-old featured as a right-back against City but struggled in an unorthodox position, with SofaScore rating him a 5.7/10 for his performance – the worst of any player on the pitch.

The former Chelsea man was constantly tormented by Phil Foden down the left-hand side, as the youngster picked up an 8.1 rating for his display; playing three key passes, completing four dribbles and registering two assists during his time on the pitch.

Bertrand, who reportedly earns £70k per week at Southampton, would make just one tackle and two interceptions during the 90 minutes, whereas Mohammed Salisu, who was playing at left-back, would make five tackles and two interceptions, which emphasises how much the Englishman struggled.

The defender would also manage to win just 3/8 of his duels during the game, resulting in a less than impressive 38% success rate, which was comfortably the worst of any Southampton defender on the night.

Bertrand was also wasteful when he had the ball, as none of his three attempted long balls were accurate, whilst he wouldn’t attempt a single cross in the 90 minutes.

Hasenhuttl put his faith in the experienced defender to perform at right-back in the absence of Kyle Walker-Peters, who was rested after only returning from injury at the weekend, but he clearly failed to repay the Austrian manager’s faith in him, as he produced a woeful display at the Etihad.

And, in other news… Deadwood: Hasenhuttl should axe £10.8m-rated flop if he wants to rebuild this summer

Southampton can ease their relegation fears with three points against Brighton at St Mary’s on Sunday but it appears as if Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side will be without Moussa Djenepo for the game against Graham Potter’s side.

The Malian has unfortunately endured a number of injury issues during his time on the south coast and picked up another groin injury during the 5-2 defeat against Manchester City in midweek.

Hasenhuttl suggested earlier this week that they are hopeful he will return to training this week and provide an alternative option against Brighton, so it seems clear that he won’t be fit enough to start, and therefore he might not be risked against the Seagulls.

Although the winger hasn’t had too much impact for Southampton in the final third this season, with one goal and no assists in 21 Premier League appearances, his overall contribution is clearly appreciated by the Austrian manager given his regularity of selection, and he has performed well in recent fixtures against Chelsea and Everton.

It is a shame that he looks unlikely to feature against Brighton in what is an important fixture for the Saints, but thankfully for Hasenhuttl, their injury woes have eased in recent weeks, and they still have the likes of Takumi Minamino, Stuart Armstrong and Nathan Redmond available to play on the wing.

Incidentally, Djenepo’s first goal for the club came in a win against Brighton last season, and Hasenhuttl was full of praise for him after that game, saying: “He wasn’t on the pitch very long before he made the first goal – it’s fantastic for him.

“The fans will love him immediately, but don’t put too much pressure on him. He must learn a lot, especially against the ball, but I like this guy – he’s very positive.”

Hopefully Hasenhuttl doesn’t feel the need to risk Djenepo after he was forced off against the Citizens in midweek, as he could prove to be an important player for the rest of the season if he can stay fit, and rushing him back too early could lead to another setback for the Malian.

And, in other news… Saints’ 4-year nightmare looks set to continue after update on £5.4m-rated disaster

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that he believes Steven Gerrard will replace Jurgen Klopp as the next Liverpool manager.

The Reds legend, who added to his growing reputation in management by securing Rangers’ first Scottish Premiership title for a decade earlier this month, has been strongly linked with a return to Anfield.

Gerrard’s men have dropped eight points in the league, and are just six games away from going the entire league season unbeaten.

His outstanding job at Ibrox – which sees the 40-year-old hold a 67% win percentage – has led to him being touted as the man to replace Klopp in the Anfield hot seat, although the former Reds midfielder recently admitted that he wants the German to remain on Merseyside for “many years”.

Klopp’s position has come under pressure in recent months following Liverpool’s wretched Premier League form which has put their chances of playing in the Champions League next season in serious doubt.

And whilst Windass doesn’t believe that Klopp won’t leave this summer, he thinks that Gerrard will eventually replace the former Borussia Dortmund boss.

He told Football FanCast:

“All day long. I think he’s battening it down a little bit, and rightly so, he’s won his first title with Rangers and he has absolutely turned it around. What an achievement for Steven Gerrard. Steven says that him being a Liverpool fan, he wants Jurgen Klopp to be the manager of Liverpool, and the Liverpool fans to be there next year.

“If Jurgen Klopp leaves, you ask every Liverpool fan in the country who do they want as manager? Without a doubt. I’m not saying he is the right one, everyone on the lips of Liverpool supporters if Jurgen decides to leave, the only man that will come calling is Steven.” 

Alfredo Morelos fittingly scored his 55th Rangers league goal in the 1-1 Old Firm derby draw at the weekend and in order to keep him at Ibrox this summer, Steven Gerrard and Ross Wilson should offer him a new deal.

The Colombian international has impressed for the Ibrox outfit since joining from HJK Helsinki in 2017, having made 176 appearances for the Gers, in which he has contributed a superb 93 goals and 46 assists.

The 24-year-old has played a huge part in Rangers’ title success this season, with 11 goals and three assists to his name in the Premiership so far this season.

Across his 25 appearances in the Scottish top-flight, he has averaged an excellent 7.20 rating, which is enough to see him rated as the sixth-best player across the league campaign thus far.

He was also one of Rangers’ star performers in their impressive Europa League run, as he managed three goals and five assists in just 10 appearances, averaging a 7.17 rating.

These goals were enough to see him overtake Ally McCoist as Rangers’ top scorer in European competitions with his goal against Benfica his 22nd in Europe for the Gers, although he has now extended that tally to 23 with his goal against Royal Antwerp in the 5-2 win earlier in the season.

If Rangers want him to continue scoring goals in Europe in the Champions League next season, then they should be looking to tie him down to a new deal in order to fend off some of the interest that will undoubtedly be shown in him during the summer after another successful season at Ibrox.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-rangers-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read this week’s latest Rangers news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Morelos’ current deal is set to expire in 2023 and with him valued at £10.8 million by Transfermarkt, interested clubs may well see the potential fee they’d have to pay as a bargain when considering his excellent goalscoring record both domestically and in Europe.

Gerrard was full of praise for Morelos back in 2019, saying:

“He deserves to be praised. I’ll never get bored of talking about him. He’s a fantastic player.”

Although the Colombian is already reportedly the highest earner at Rangers, the club should be boosted by Champions League revenue next season and will want to keep hold of their best players as they look to retain the title and challenge in Europe again next season.

[freshpress-quiz id=“588789″]

Therefore, although it could be an expensive deal for Rangers to complete, Gerrard will undoubtedly want to keep him around his squad ahead of next season, so Wilson should consider offering him a new deal.

And, in other news… Forget Boupendza: Wilson can save millions with Rangers swoop for 28 y/o international

Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that Scott Brown’s departure is going to leave the Celtic dressing room “empty”.

Following more than 14 years of service in Paradise, the legendary Hoops midfielder’s exit from Celtic Park was confirmed last Thursday – with the Celtic captain set to join Aberdeen as a player/manager at the end of the campaign.

Brown led the Glasgow outfit to 22 major trophies, including 20 Scottish Premiership titles, and played a major part in Celtic winning an unprecedented quadruple treble following their Scottish Cup victory over Hearts back in December.

Having turned out more than 600 times for the Hoops, the 35-year-old sits seventh on the club’s all-time appearance list, and has a maximum of six more outings in a Celtic shirt, including one final Old Firm derby at Rangers in early-May.

Celtic are yet to name a replacement skipper, but McAvennie, whom himself spent four years with the Scottish giants across two spells, was disappointed to hear of Brown’s departure, and said their dressing room simply won’t be the same without him.

He told Football FanCast:

“I’m disappointed, although I’m delighted for Scott. He’s going somewhere where he will get a chance. Youngsters like Lewis Ferguson will learn so much from Scott just in that year. Just the dressing room will be empty without Scott, I would imagine!”