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Leeds United defender Ezgjan Alioski could potentially stay put at Elland Road this summer, according to reports which have emerged from Turkey.

The Lowdown: Alioski tipped to leave

The North Macedonia international has been an excellent servant for the Whites, making 171 appearances and proving to be a popular character at the club since his arrival in Yorkshire four years ago.

Alioski’s current Leeds contract expires this summer, though, and he has been strongly linked with a move to Turkish giants Galatasaray, with some even reporting that a pre-contract agreement had been made with the Istanbul club.

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The Latest: Fresh update emerges

There has been a new twist in the saga, though, with Karar reporting [via Sport Witness] that the 29-year-old could now stay at Leeds beyond this season.

Alioski, who has been hailed as ‘brilliant’ by Kevin Phillips, is now thought to be considering signing a new deal which has been offered to him at Elland Road.

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The Verdict: Time to move on?

While the prospect of Alioski remaining a Whites player is no bad thing, it does feel like this summer could be the right time to part ways.

At 29, he isn’t getting any younger, and Leeds signing a more conventional left-back could give the team an even greater balance – the North Macedonian was regarded as an attacker when he first came to the club, only switching to a left-back role in 2019.

If Alioski stays, he may have to accept that he could be reduced to a squad role moving forwards if Marcelo Bielsa brings in reinforcements at left-back, something which has been touted as a distinct possibility.

In other news, Leeds are believed to be interested in signing a central midfielder this summer. Find out who it is here.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has urged Celtic to offer a new deal to keep first-team coach Gavin Strachan at Parkhead. 

The lowdown: Strachan a favourite of Celtic’s board

The 43-year-old survived a coaching staff overhaul and has since continued to impress in the role of first-team coach following the departure of Neil Lennon in February 2021 and the subsequent arrival of Ange Postecoglou.

A recent report from Football Insider claimed that the Parkhead hierarchy were keen to secure Strachan’s long-term future at the club and have duly opened contract talks with him, given his status as as a highly-regarded figure in Glasgow.

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As the Bhoys set their sights on a 52nd Premiership crown to add to their Scottish League Cup success from earlier in the campaign, there could also be positive off-field developments in the near future…

The latest: O’Rourke endorses Strachan extension

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has implored Celtic to persuade Strachan to stay on.

The reporter outlined: “I think it would be a positive move for Celtic. It would just keep that continuity within the coaching group right now.

“If they can agree a new contract, it will just keep things ticking over nicely for everybody involved there.”

The verdict: He’s right

As the summer fast approaches and the managerial merry-go-round begins to fire up, the Hoops should be acting fast to appease the former Doncaster Rovers man after he turned down the opportunity to manage English League Two outfit Hartlepool United back in November.

Postecoglou is clearly onto something with the current setup at Lennoxtown, and retaining the status quo within the coaching ranks is equally as important as keeping hold of key players.

Having endured a torrid 2020/21 campaign, Celtic have been crying out for stability, and as such the club should be doing everything to keep the likes of Strachan, assistant manager John Kennedy and coach Stephen McManus in place at Parkhead.

In other news, an expert has made a key claim regarding the ownership of Celtic. Read more here.

Bundesliga expert Daniel Pinder has told The Transfer Tavern that Jadon Sancho’s future will be inextricably linked with Borussia Dortmund’s bid to qualify for the Champions League amid interest from Manchester United.

United reportedly made a bid for the England international last summer but no move materialised.

United have again been linked this week with the £90m-rated winger amid the news that Ed Woodward is stepping back from his role as executive vice-chairman.

That could open the door for a new pursuit this summer amid Dortmund’s struggles in the Bundesliga.

They are currently fifth, four points behind fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and 19 behind leaders Bayern Munich.

It means they face a fight to qualify for the Champions League and Pinder thinks that both Sancho and striker Erling Haaland could leave the club if they don’t make it.

This season, Sancho has scored six goals and laid on 11 assists in his 22 games.

And Pinder, editor-in-chief of Get German Football News, told TT:  “I think it’s that thing of whether Borussia Dortmund qualify for the Champions League. If they do, then he could stay but if they fail to qualify for the Champions League then Haaland could leave, Sancho could leave, we’re just touching upon his stats for this season.

“While they haven’t been what they were previously, still six goals and 11 assists in 21 games, he’s missed five games through injury, and when he hasn’t been playing for Borussia Dortmund it’s been noticeable.

“They’re a much poorer side without him.”

A journalist has revealed that Newcastle United are now in talks to sign Ludovic Blas in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Standout season

The 24-year-old is enjoying a standout season at Nantes at the moment, scoring seven goals and supplying one assist in 19 games in Ligue 1 from midfield and currently ranking as the club’s fourth-best player (WhoScored).

He is averaging more shots and dribbles per match than any of his teammates, and he could be one for France national team coach Didier Deschamps to consider ahead of the World Cup in Qatar next winter.

The Latest: Newcastle talks

As per The Daily Star journalist Jacque Talbot on Friday evening, Newcastle and Watford are both in talks to sign Blas this month, while there is also interest in the player from Lille and from abroad. He revealed on Twitter:

“Understand Newcastle and Watford are in discussions to sign Ligue 1 star Ludovic Blas.

“The 24-year-old is talking to the Premier League relegation rivals who are set to play tomorrow, while there is also interest from Lille and in the Bundesliga.”

Of course, the two English clubs vying for Blas played out a 1-1 draw in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, so talks may now intensify in the coming days.

Intriguingly, the Nantes maestro is represented by the same agency as Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood, both of whom have signed for the Magpies since the start of the month.

The Verdict: Get it done

Newcastle are severely lacking in goals from the middle of the park, and Blas could certainly provide that given his record this season.

Nantes teammate and former Liverpool player Pedro Chirivella has previously described the 24-year-old as a ‘pure talent’, as well as an ‘incredible’ and ‘spectacular’ player. The Spaniard has even compared him to former Anfield teammates Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho (So Foot), which is very high praise indeed.

At 24 years of age, Blas still has such a high ceiling, and he could provide that extra bit of quality that the Tynesiders need in order to avoid relegation to the Championship.

In other news, find out who else is now ‘keen’ on signing for NUFC

Aston Villa confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that youngster Seb Revan has joined National League side Grimsby Town on a season-long loan.

Since then, a number of Villa supporters have been sharing their thoughts on the move on social media.

Revan, who can play anywhere in defence, helped Villa win the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 2002 last season.

He’s now set to gain some valuable senior experience in the fifth tier, with Villa revealing they have the option to recall the 18-year-old in January.

Villa have been proactive when it comes to their academy ranks this summer. They’ve brought in Josh Feeney from Fleetwood Town, Ajani Burchall from Bournemouth and Finn Azaz from West Brom, while also handing out scholarships to ten youngsters.

Revan will be hoping to catch the eye of those tracking his development during the upcoming campaign, one of which you’d expect would be loan coach Mile Jedinak.

Villa fans react

Villa posted the news regarding Revan on their official Twitter page. This is what some had to say in reply, with many seeing it as the right decision for the versatile youngster and one labelling it as an ‘excellent chance’ to shine.

“Excellent chance to gain regular playing time & a step up in quality, all the best you’ll shine in that league”Credit: @robjev73″Baller”Credit: @VillansOpinions”Finally some movement. Great loan for Seb. Go smash it, quality player”Credit: @avfceverything”That is exactly what I wanted. Perfect business from Villa. Now get some of the other lads like Louie Barry and Chuk out too.”Credit: @AVFCJJC”Full season playing pro ball against men will do him the world of good hopefully”Credit: @RichieR77444720″Great our young lads need to get proper league experience”Credit: @AndrewMahon17

In other news: ‘Noooooooo’, ‘Waste’ – Many AVFC fans react as ‘strange’ transfer news emerges.

Celtic’s break of over a week since they last played has been a welcome one.

Following a 4-1 drubbing against their biggest rivals, the last thing the Hoops will have wanted was another humiliation during a catastrophic season.

This will have been a chance for the Bhoys to reflect and evaluate what went wrong last time out, while it will also have done the playing staff some good to get away from the limelight for a while.

On the chalkboard

Celtic now have two games left before their season climaxes but they will be without Callum McGregor when they face St Johnstone on Wednesday evening.

Tipped to become the Celtic captain when Scott Brown departs Paradise, the midfielder was particularly poor in the hammering against Rangers.

He did his side no favours with a succession of poor tackles that eventually led to a red card being shown.

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Already cautioned and in the referee’s notebook, McGregor went sliding in on Glen Kamara and caught him late. The result of which was an early bath and a premature end to his Old Firm derby.

The 27-year-old won’t be available for selection this week but there is a simple solution to John Kennedy’s problems.

Sublime Soro

Ismaila Soro has had a topsy-turvy campaign at Parkhead but it’s hard to deny he doesn’t deserve more opportunities in the middle of the park.

He may well earn more minutes when Brown heads to Aberdeen but this should represent the ideal time to audition for a permanent role in the starting XI.

A little bit rash and naive at times, he needs to discover more maturity in the near future.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast in April, Frank McAvennie said; “He reminds me of Kante when he was at Leicester and also so much of Scott Brown when he came in the team and caused a lot of fouls and got booked a lot, before the maturity came through.

“I think Soro could be a little tenacious player in there, I think he could do a job.”

Soro has certainly shown promising moments in a Celtic shirt.

In the build-up to the Christmas period, the 5 foot 8 midfielder was nothing short of exceptional. The Hoops endured a horrendous European experience this season but when they surprisingly beat Lille, Soro was the beating heart of the performance.

He completed a mighty ten tackles and also won two interceptions during an impressive win for Neil Lennon’s side.

Dominant in the tackle and capable of bursting forward, it’s surely only a matter of time before he becomes a real star in this team.

Linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur last week, he is a player full of energy. Speaking after his initial transfer to Celtic, his former coach Ori Guttman said he possessed “explosive power.”

It’s not easy to find an individual with that in their locker but that’s why the £11k-per-week earner could become so pivotal to the Bhoys in the coming years.

During the 2020/21 campaign, the Ivorian has won 1.9 tackles per match, the highest number of anyone to play more than once for Celtic this season.

With McGregor’s suspension in mind, Kennedy must hand Soro his first start since February. He may well hold the keys to victory on Wednesday evening.

AND in other news, McKay must wield the axe on 5ft9 Celtic dud, Sutton dubbed him the “new Ryan Christie”…

Speaking in a Q&A for football.london, Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has made an encouraging transfer claim.

The Lowdown: Sell-to-buy…

It is set to be a strange summer at Tottenham, with the club needing to offload players before properly finalising player moves in this window.

Of all the names linked with a summer exit from Spurs, only Juan Foyth has managed to complete a permanent move away so far and help to bolster Tottenham’s transfer kitty.

The other players linked with departures, including potentially Harry Winks, Serge Aurier, Erik Lamela and Moussa Sissoko (football.london), are all still on Spurs’ books.

The Latest: Gold drops encouraging transfer claim…

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, Gold has now explained what Spurs will definitely do if they manage to sell a particular player.

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Indeed, the journalist says that Tottenham will move for a new right-back if wantaway ace Aurier can secure a departure this summer.

“It’s quite simple with Aurier,” Gold says.

“He wants to go, Spurs would be happy for him to go, but they need a reasonable bid (not as high as the 20m euros reported in France last week).

“Tottenham will move for a new right-back if he does head out of the exit door.

“Tottenham like Aarons and they need some homegrown signings but it’s all on Paratici now.”

The Verdict: Encouraging…

Tottenham have long been linked with a new right-back, with reports of interest in Max Aarons dating as far back as last summer.

Spurs were also tracking Turkey international defender Zeki Celik last year and those links have re-emerged over 2021 as well. 

If the Lilywhites are going to initiate a major summer overhaul, supporters may be encouraged by this claim that Spurs will move to immediately replace Aurier if the Ivorian can seal his exit.

In other news: ‘Crazy’ – Fabrizio Romano shares manager update with ‘new name’ now contacted, find out more here.

A number of Liverpool supporters have urged the club to sign Atletico Madrid striker Joao Felix after he was linked with a move to Anfield.

The Reds had a quiet summer in the transfer market, with Ibrahima Konate ending up being the only new player to come in.

While Liverpool are well-stocked in a number of areas, there was a feeling that they were an attacker light, with freshening up needed in the final third. With Roberto Firmino now 30 and arguably past his absolute best, seeing a younger alternative come in would have pleased many.

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According to Fichajes [via Anfield Edition on Twitter], Liverpool could potentially sign Felix on loan in January, but only if Jurgen Klopp has an option to buy him permanently.

The Portuguese has been hailed as a ‘genius’ by Atletico idol Paulo Futre and is believed to be keen on an exit from the La Liga champions. At the tender age of 21, he has already won league titles in two countries, earned 18 senior Portugal caps and commanded a transfer fee of €126m (£113m).

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Liverpool fans react to Felix rumour

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to get behind the rumour linking Felix with a move to Anfield, with some imploring sporting director Michael Edwards to work his magic.

“Just this”

Credit: @SalahFanV1

“Michael Edwards please”

Credit: @sethmensa_

“BRING HIM TO ANFIELD”

Credit: @starwart1

“I can’t think of a better replacement for Firmino. Literally a like for like replacement”

Credit: @NiHADlfc

“YES PLS”

Credit: @Wiogo21

“I hope this happens”

Credit: @yUNg_KellA

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to another transfer claim. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly opened talks with Southampton over defender Jannik Vestergaard after an impressive 2020/21 campaign.

What’s the story?

According to Gary Jacobs of The Times, Spurs have begun negotiations with the south coast club ahead of a potential move for the highly-rated 28-year-old.

Nuno Espirito Santo is believed to want to add two new centre-back’s to his first-team squad, and Vestergaard has been outlined as a top target after he entered the final year of his contract.

He’s a big upgrade

The Denmark international was a standout performer for Ralph Hassenhuttl’s men last season and has carried his good form into Euro 2020.

His impressive displays for club and country have caught the eye of the Spurs hierarchy, and it’s easy to understand why they believe the 6 ft 5 beast could be the answer to their defensive woes.

Tottenham’s backline came under significant scrutiny last term, with Eric Dier often receiving criticism.

Compared to the England international, Vestergaard’s underlying numbers are favourably in several key aspects, highlighting the upgrade he would provide, should he make the switch to north London.

As per fbref.com, the Saints man completed 57.4% of his dribbles in 2020/21, outperforming Dier’s 54.5%.

Although Dier proved to be the more successful passer, finding a teammate on 84.6% of occasions compared to Vestergaard’s tally of 84.3%, the Scandinavian defender was superior in other key areas.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach centre-half completed 20 carries into the final third and won 70.1% of his aerial duels, bettering Dier’s totals of 11 and 65.2% in these metrics.

His dominant displays at St. Mary’s led to Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer describing Vestergaard as “outstanding” back in December, and he’s gone from strength to strength since.

While he may not be the most glamourous or exciting potential addition, he would be an improvement on the current options at Spurs and would be a signing one that wouldn’t break the bank.

At a time where funds are expected to be limited at the capital club, it’s a transfer that makes sense for multiple reasons, and Espirito Santo would surely welcome Vestergaard’s arrival.

And, in other news…Nuno could find his next Jimenez with Spurs swoop for £25m beast who lit up Euro 2020 

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a crushing blow in their pursuit of Porto winger Luis Diaz, with the Colombian looking likely to join Everton [Football London].

The Lowdown: Tottenham eye reinforcements out wide before the window closes

With 2021/22 well underway, Lilywhites boss Nuno Espirito Santo will no doubt be desperate to strengthen up any remaining weak areas as he sculpts a squad capable of challenging for Champions League qualification this campaign.

In particular, the north Londoners look to be in the market for a wide-man, with Jeremy Doku and Adama Traore linked with a switch to N17 in recent times.

However, one man who looks unlikely to pitch up at Spurs this summer is 24-year-old Diaz, owing to recent reports.

The Latest: Diaz looks set for Merseyside; Spurs and Chelsea miss out

Divisional rivals Everton are in talks to sign Diaz in what is a blow for Tottenham, with Toffees attacking midfielder James Rodriguez looking set to go the other way on loan to complete the deal [Football London].

Jose Mourinho was said to be interested in in bringing the Colombia international to Spurs last season, with the report from Football.London calling him a ‘long time’ target.

Chelsea were also mooted to be monitoring his situation heavily, nevertheless Diaz now looks to be on his way to Merseyside over London to work with newly crowned Blues manager Rafael Benitez.

The Verdict: Losing out on Diaz will leave a bitter taste

Held in extremely high regard after his four-goal haul at the 2021 Copa America, losing out on Diaz will come as a bitter blow to the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy.

In 2020/21, Barrancas-born Diaz starred for his current employers, registering 17 goal contributions in 46 appearances; 11 goals and six assists [Transfermarkt].

Furthermore, his individual quality was on show for everyone to see last term, picking up four man of the match awards in the Liga NOS due to his attacking flair [WhoScored].

Once labelled as ‘excellent’ by Colombia teammate Juan Cuadrado, who said he will achieve ‘great things’, the news that he will not be linking up with Tottenham will undoubtedly leave a bitter taste in the mouths of Spurs supporters, especially if he shines in the top flight with Everton.

In other news, Spurs have gained a huge boost in a transfer chase. Find out more here.