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Two Celtic wingers are expected to complete loan moves before the January transfer window closes, according to The Daily Record.

What’s the story?

Brendan Rodgers is expecting more outbound business than incoming as the clock ticks towards Thursday’s midnight deadline.

Maryan Shved – albeit not officially a Celtic player yet – made a flying visit to watch last night’s 2-0 win over St Johnstone and will return to Karpaty Lviv after completing the formalities of his move to Celtic.

And 22-year-old Lewis Morgan is set to complete his loan move to Sunderland, reuniting him with his old manager at St Mirren, Jack Ross.

Winger overload

Celtic are exceptionally well covered for wingers with James Forrest and Scott Sinclair returning from the winter break in top form. Loan signings Oliver Burke and Timo Weah have a nose for goal and are best used coming in off the flanks.

As further back up Mikey Johnston is available while Jonny Hayes can also provide cover.

In short, game-time for Shved and Morgan would be extremely limited although both men could ‘do a Ryan Christie’ and play their way into Rodgers’ future plans.

Arriving in Scotland in mid-season would be a big ask for Shved – returning to Kalpaty and upping his game will give him time to prepare for a big move and to make the best impact when he returns to Celtic.

Morgan certainly has ability, and linking up again with Ross to play in front of large demanding crowds at Sunderland will improve his game and his Celtic prospects.

According to 90min, amid all the noise surrounding pre-summer talks for Paulo Dybala, it appears Tottenham Hotspur have made contact to sign another superstar forward in Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Nunez in demand…

Touted by reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano as one of the ‘big name’ players who could be on the move this summer, Benfica’s star striker is apparently attracting interest from across Europe and the Premier League.

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As well as Spurs, north London rivals Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and West Ham are all harbouring an interest in Nunez, who could leave for £65 million this summer (90min).

This is significantly less than his release clause, which is estimated to be over £100m, and 90min believe that the Lilywhites are already making their first moves for the player before July 1.

The Latest: Spurs in contact…

While the links to Dybala are hotting up, according to 90min’s information, Tottenham are also in contact with Nunez’s representatives to find out what sort of agreement is possible to back manager Antonio Conte with the forward’s signing.

The report adds that Nunez himself is ‘ready to move’ this summer and a switch to England is very much ‘in his sights’.

The Verdict: Promising target…

While it will require a hefty investment on Tottenham’s part, the 22-year-old has been in scintillating form for Benfica this season, leaving little wonder why they are set to demand a hefty fee.

He’s racked up a quite incredible 20 goals in 22 league appearances over 2021/2022 with his young age and versatility across the forward line coming as yet more incentives for Spurs to attempt a move.

As Spurs officials allegedly make contact, this could be an indication that the club have real ambition to satisfy Conte.

In other news: Paratici sets sights on ‘phenomenal’ £100m man who Spurs have been offered before! Find out more here.

With previous reports claiming that Aston Villa’s owners will provide financial backing for Steven Gerrard to make some transfer deals in the current January window to help him make his mark on the squad and improve it where he sees fit, it seems as though the club have identified a player that could help the former Rangers boss do just that.

What’s the word?

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Villa have registered their interest in signing Everton defender Lucas Digne this month with Gerrard apparently wanting to recruit a top-class left-back for his side.

Since joining Everton back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Barcelona in a deal worth a reported fee of £18m, the left-back has gone on to make 127 appearances for the Toffees across all competitions, chipping in with six goals and 20 assists, showing how much of an attacking talent he has been from the left full-back position.

Having been labelled as a player who has a “wand of a left foot” by former Villa loanee Ross Barkley in the past, Digne has found himself in a difficult situation at Goodison Park in recent weeks after a reported behind-the-scenes falling out with manager Rafa Benitez has put his future at the club in jeopardy, with a January exit looking likely for the player.

With this in mind, Digne could be the ideal player for Villa to sign and give Gerrard what he wants this month, especially as a more attack-minded full-back with Targett only managing to score three goals and provide five assists in 88 appearances for the Villans.

Also, with Villa having Matt Targett and 36-year-old Ashley Young as the only two players in their squad that predominantly play in the left-back position, it could be worth the Midlands club adding some extra quality in that position, which would surely leave a lot of Villa fans buzzing.

Taking all of this into account, it’s definitely worth Villa approaching Everton at some point this month to see if they can work out a deal that would see the 28-year-old make the move to Villa Park and potentially get his season back on track and improve Gerrard’s squad at the same time.

However, with fellow Premier League clubs Newcastle United, West Ham United and Chelsea all reportedly interested in signing the £27m-rated Frenchman this month, it could be a challenge for Villa to secure his signature.

In other news: Villa could make a move for this Serie A starlet…

A number of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to an official Twitter post from the Eagles regarding the club’s Selhurst Park stadium.

Palace are in the process of redeveloping Selhurst Park, which currently holds a capacity of close to 26,000. Plans to increase that to around 34,000 were given the green light way back in 2018.

Work was set to be completed in time for the 2021/22 season, but as we know, that has failed to materialise due to a number of factors, with recent reports suggesting the redevelopment has been put on hold for a further 12 months.

However, a number of Eagles supporters believe the club may well be hinting at something after they posted a black and white picture on Twitter on Monday afternoon of an old Selhurst Park.

Palace fans react

This is what these Palace fans had to say in reply to the Twitter post, with some thinking the club are dropping a stadium teaser.

“Finally Parish is getting on with it”

Credit: @sxp55555

“Wow”

Credit: @Debbiechops

“NO WAYYYY”

Credit: @CPFCMax9

“It’s a sign”

Credit: @jackstacpfc

“Is this a hint??”

Credit: @CiaranCPFC

“Hold on…. There must be some reason for this…..”

Credit: @jamessinman

In other news: ‘My god’ – Many CPFC fans erupt at ‘unbelievable’ transfer update. 

A key Newcastle transfer claim has been made regarding their pursuit of Reims’ Hugo Ekitike…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Magpies have failed with their first bid to sign the attacker from the Ligue 1 side this month.

He tweeted: “Reims are not intentioned to accept Newcastle opening proposal for talented striker Hugo Ekitike. Deal more than complicated – there’s interest also from West Ham but nothing advanced yet. #NUFC Reims want also a sell on clause included into potential Ekitike deal.”

This comes amid rumours of a move for Burnley attacker Chris Wood, who the Toon are believed to be on the verge of signing.

Infuriation for Hammond

This will surely infuriate Nick Hammond as he goes about looking to improve Eddie Howe’s Newcastle squad in the January transfer window.

The Magpies are in desperate need of reinforcements, and bringing in players as quickly as possible could be vital with big games coming up in the Premier League. They are currently 19th in the table and have only won one of their 19 matches in the division so far this term, whilst also conceding the joint-most goals along with bottom club Norwich.

This shows how desperate their situation is and why signing targets before the final few days of the window could be crucial as every point counts. Newcastle face Watford on Saturday with a chance to move out of the bottom three, and any signings before that clash could improve their chances of winning, which is why failing with this offer for Ekitike will frustrate Hammond.

Callum Wilson is currently out injured and this puts added pressure on those at the top end of the pitch. He is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League with six goals and is one of just two Magpies players to score more than once in the current top-flight campaign. This means that they will be missing his clinical touch in the final third, and the signing of Ekitike could have alleviated some concerns over his absence, although it remains to be seen if a deal for Wood will be completed in time for him to play.

The 19-year-old has eight goals and two assists in ten Ligue 1 starts this season, which suggests that he could have an immediate impact at St James’ Park if he adjusts to English football. Just imagine a talented young player linking up with the more experienced Wood, someone who has already bagged 50 times in the top-flight.

With that in mind, the duo may well have made a difference in the beat to drop.

Furthermore, they could have made the difference against Watford and, unless something dramatic happens in the next couple of days, the club’s failure to sign Ekitike this week could negate Howe’s chances of beating the Hornets in this weekend’s relegation six-pointer.

AND in other news, “Hearing”: Luke Edwards drops exciting Newcastle transfer claim which will delight fans…

Aston Villa’s defence has pretty much picked itself over the last 18 months after some solid results and excellent performances under Dean Smith and now Steven Gerrard.

Emiliano Martinez is the undisputed number one goalkeeper, while Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Matt Targett make up the back-four in front of him when they’re all fit. The likes of Kortney Hause and Axel Tuanzebe make the central defensive positions somewhat competitive, but the full-backs have been pretty much set in stone.

So when Targett suffered a head injury against Manchester City and was forced off, there were instantly worries from Villa fans as to who would fill in and how much of a blow it would turn out to be in the upcoming games.

If the win and performance against Leicester is anything to go by though, they needn’t have worried because Ashley Young is on the scene.

The former Manchester United man made his name as a winger, lighting up the Premier League for Villa before his move to Old Trafford where he won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League. But during his time up north, Young’s game transformed from a flying winger to a reliable full-back. That was solidified when he moved to Italy with Inter Milan and won the Scudetto playing as a left wing-back.

Upon his return to Villa Park in the summer on a free transfer, where he signed a £50k-per-week deal, many lauded his versatility as a big reason why the deal was a good one for the club despite him being 36-years-old these days. His performance against Leicester in the 2-1 win from left-back proved them right.

He won 100% of his tackles on the day and only Emi Buendia completed more dribbles than him in a Villa shirt during the game. Despite being naturally right-footed, he kept the width well to stretch the Leicester defence and was a threat going forward with his crossing ability. His performance meant Villa barely missed Targett in the game and were able to pick up three points without him.

With a trip to Anfield up next, Gerrard will want his strongest defence available to him. But with Young’s experience and winning mentality, that could well include the veteran who the Villans boss dubbed “outstanding” in a wing-back role to provide a threat going forward as well as security defensively against the most potent attack in the country.

As he proved only last weekend, he can be game-changing in that position.

AND in other news, Matty Cash stole the show against Leicester.

Norwich City’s hunt for a man to replace Daniel Farke in the Carrow Road dugout has hardly been a frantic affair.

However, after a few days of talks, it looks as though they’re closing in on a successor.

What’s the word?

Norwich decided to sack their former German boss last weekend, just hours after they picked up their first win of the campaign.

The timing was odd but Stuart Webber and the senior officials in Norfolk had already made up their mind before that match took place.

The likes of Russell Martin and Dean Smith have both been mooted as potential candidates but one name who has consistently been linked is that of Frank Lampard.

He reportedly held conversations with the club earlier this week and according to talkSPORT, he’s even set to be appointed.

Those sentiments were repeated by journalist David Freezer, who took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to issue the following claim:

“Looking increasingly likely that the next NCFC head coach will be a Premier League legend with 106 England caps – but with plenty to prove as a manager. Lampard has seemed to be leading the way from the start, could well provide the inspiration factor for this City squad,” he said.

Fans buzzing

As Freezer states, the former England international is a coach with plenty to prove.

He was sacked from his last job with Chelsea so his stock has fallen somewhat following a promising spell with Derby County in the Championship.

The 43-year-old tactician is yet to win a trophy during his managerial career but there is far more to his methods than generating success like that.

After all, Norwich don’t need a manager capable of winning trophies – that simply isn’t the focus. Instead, they need an individual capable of developing the playing squad and sustaining their Premier League status.

Of course, the Romford-born coach has no experience of a relegation dogfight but as Freezer’s previous claim says, he could be the inspiration factor that the Canaries need.

He is a much-hailed man within the football world with Scott Parker even describing him as “unbelievable.”

Indeed, it’s not difficult to see why that’s the case. Despite under a transfer ban, he took Chelsea to Champions League football in 2019/20 and still played a vital part in the team winning that very competition a season later, albeit Thomas Tuchel did see the job over the line.

But it’s his ability to transform young players – most notably Mason Mount – that should leave Norwich supporters buzzing about his potential appointment in Norfolk.

They only have four players over the age of 30 – two of which are goalkeepers – while they have 13 first-team members under the age of 23.

With that in mind, he could be devastating when armed with the likes of Billy Gilmour, Andrew Omobamidele, Josh Sargent, Max Aarons and Christos Tzolis.

This Norwich side has plenty of potential and if Lampard can inspire those young players, among others, it could be game-changing in their bid to stay in the division. As a result, supporters should be delighted that they appear to be on the verge of hiring him.

AND in other news, Lamps could find his new Tomori at Norwich in gem dubbed the “young Rio Ferdinand”…

After four wins and three defeats in his first seven Premier League games as Aston Villa manager, the upcoming January transfer window will give Steven Gerrard the opportunity to make any changes to the current squad at Villa Park that he may deem necessary.

With the window just a few days away from opening, one current Villa player has been mentioned with a potential move away from the club.

Speaking on Dutch TV (via Birmingham Mail) after the 3-1 defeat against Chelsea on Boxing Day, former Ajax midfielder and FC Twente manager Jan van Halst had his say on Anwar El Ghazi and his immediate future.

He said: “Do I not get the feeling that El Ghazi wants to leave? You would think so, yes. He played for the Dutch national team during a good period last season.

“Then we were all surprised that he was not in the squad (for the Euros). Now he threatens to throw a whole period of his career away. Maybe another competition is best for him. He’s such a technical player who actually belongs in a more technical competition. Spain or Italy maybe?”

Villa originally signed El Ghazi on a loan deal from Lille back in the summer of 2018 before securing him on a permanent basis a year later.

Overall, the 26-year-old – who is currently picking up £38k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has made a total of 118 appearances for the Villans across all competitions, scoring 26 goals and providing 16 assists along the way.

This season has seen El Ghazi make nine Premier League appearances for Villa, scoring one goal and providing one assist in the process, but only three of those games have come under Gerrard since his first match at the club in their 2-0 win over Brighton, with the winger coming off the bench each time under the incumbent manager.

With his lack of starts under Gerrard in mind, it’s easy to see why El Ghazi has been tipped with a move away from Villa if he’s hoping for regular game-time.

Labelled a “nightmare” to come up against in training by former Villa defender Alan Hutton, El Ghazi has failed to show much of that on the pitch this season by racking up an overall performance rating of 6.33/10, making him one of Villa’s lowest-rated players in the current campaign according to WhoScored.

Taking this into account, it’s safe to say that a lot of Villa fans could be happy to see the Dutchman leave in January if the club receives a decent offer for him and are able to bring in a quality replacement at the same time.

In other news: Gregg Evans drops injury update at Aston Villa which will leave fans delighted

Newcastle United could offer Miguel Almiron to Villarreal as part of a deal for Arnaut Danjuma, according to The Sunday Mirror. 

The lowdown

Eddie Howe was in charge at Bournemouth when the Cherries paid Club Brugge £14.8million to sign Danjuma in 2019.

Amid injury problems, he made only 14 Premier League appearances (six starts) in his first season on the south coast.

Howe subsequently resigned, but Danjuma exploded into life in the Championship, scoring 17 goals and providing eight assists in 2020/21.

That earned him a move back to the top level with Villarreal, for whom he’s made 28 appearances this season.

The latest

Howe has already been reunited with Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie and Ryan Fraser on Tyneside and, in addition to Danjuma, he’s also said to be keen on bringing Lloyd Kelly to St James’ Park.

Reliable reports on the south coast say Kelly will be the subject of a summer bid from the Magpies, with scouts allegedly attending all his games, and it appears he’s not the only former Howe student catching the eye.

The latest reports (via The Boot Room) state that Newcastle have identified Danjuma as a target ahead of the summer transfer window.

Almiron is one of the players the club are willing to sell this summer, and they could attempt a part-exchange with The Yellow Submarine.

The verdict

What would this deal look like? Well, there’s about a £30million difference in the two players’ Transfermarkt valuations (Danjuma £45million, Almiron £14.4million) and so, assuming Villarreal are interested in the Paraguayan, there may still need to be a negotiation over the fee.

It’s easy to understand why Newcastle are keen on Danjuma though, his team’s top scorer this season with 13 goals in all competitions.

Five of those goals have come in the Champions League, and the Dutchman is currently preparing for a quarterfinal meeting with Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Villarreal vice-president Jose Manuel Llaneza has dubbed him a ‘Rolex player’, while talent scout Jacek Kulig considers him ‘one of Europe’s best dribblers’.

It’s certainly a signing, then, that the Toon could get excited about.

In other news, Keith Downie shares an update on Shelvey.

Crystal Palace’s positive start to the season means that they’re unlikely to ‘go all out’ in January, according to Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge.

The lowdown

Back-to-back victories over Manchester City and Wolves saw Palace climb into the top half of the Premier League table prior to the international break. Patrick Vieira has lost only two of his first 11 league matches in charge, and those were away to Chelsea and Liverpool, both of whom currently reside in the top four.

The start of the Vieira era was greeted with a £66m summer spend, and Palace didn’t sell any players to fund that spree (via Transfermarkt).

There have been some rumours of further activity in January, with Transfer Market Web reporting that £10.2m-valued Eddie Nketiah is a target for the Eagles. The Arsenal striker is England under-21s’ all-time record goalscorer with 16 in just 17 caps at that level.

The latest

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Bridge suggested that Palace chairman Steve Parish would be far more likely to invest if the club were nervously looking over their shoulder in the Premier League table.

He said: “Knowing Steve Parish like I do, I don’t think he will go all out in January when things have gone well.

“It’s usually when they’re a bit worried and looking behind them that they would spend but I don’t think they’re looking behind at the moment. They’re looking at what’s in front of them in a positive sense.”

The verdict

This is an entirely understandable stance from Parish if true. Palace’s current squad are motoring quite nicely and you wonder if they might try to keep some cash in reserve so that they can make a bid to sign Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher permanently.

The 21-year-old, who has scored four goals and set up two more, is comfortably Palace’s top-rated player for 2021/22 on WhoScored with an average of 7.5/10. However, based on those displays, his value is rising all the time, so it may become increasingly difficult for the Eagles to keep hold of him beyond the end of the current campaign.

It seems that if Palace don’t plan to spend in January, that’s a good sign as it suggests that their trajectory is very positive.

In other news, Palace have taken a keen interest in this rising talent