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Marko Grujic has been absolutely phenomenal on loan at Hertha Berlin this season, so much so that he could be the perfect replacement for utility man James Milner.

On the chalkboard

Liverpool spent big in midfield last summer, splashing out over £100m to bring Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri to the club, per Transfermarkt.

They will likely need to add to that department again in 2019 though, as Milner has finally begun to show signs of ageing and Adam Lallana could well leave in search of regular playing time – the latter has played just 205 Premier League minutes this season, per Whoscored.

Despite the constant fan obsession with new signings however, Klopp may just find his new midfield maestro right under his nose, as the German’s very first Liverpool signing is setting the Bundesliga alight.

FFC’s James Jones has identified the one thing that could cost Liverpool the title. Find out what it is in the video below…

The perfect all-rounder?

Grujic joined the Reds in January 2016 for a fee of around £5m, per BBC, but has spent most of his Liverpool career out on loan.

After a brief spell with former club Red Star Belgrade he went on to play a huge part in Cardiff City’s promotion last season, using his size and steel to good effect in the Championship.

He has now shown a different side to his game in Germany, excelling as a box-to-box midfielder in Berlin, even prompting Hertha manager and legend Pal Dardai to anoint him “the best midfielder we have had in the last 20 years”.

The 22 year-old finished off a beautiful team goal in a 2-2 draw with Schalke on Friday to grab his second Bundesliga strike of the season, per Whoscored, but his all-round performance will have impressed Klopp even more than the goal.

The 6 ft 3 in colossus won three aerial duels and registered one key pass, one dribble and two shots, per Whoscored, bossing the match with smart passing, good reading of the game and sheer physical dominance.

After excelling as a defensive midfielder in Cardiff and marauding from box to box in Berlin, Grujic is more than ready to step in and play a pivotal role in Klopp’s squad next season, and his versatility could even see him become the gaffer’s new utility man.

So, Liverpool fans, do you want to see Grujic in the first team next year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below…

Leeds United are expected to bring in a new centre forward this summer, with a meeting between Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta scheduled in the next seven days, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Bamford’s injury woes

The Whites have been troubled by injury problems throughout this season, with key players missing important chunks of action.

That particularly applies to Patrick Bamford, who shone last term but has only started seven Premier League matches in 2021/22, with his season now over with a foot problem.

Leeds have felt short in central attacking areas, with too much onus on youngsters such as Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood, and it is an area that needs to be addressed.

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The Latest: New centre forward incoming?

According to Hay on Twitter, that is exactly what is going to happen, with Marsch and Orta expected to agree on bringing in a striker in the summer transfer window:

“Marsch and Orta are due to have a scouting meeting next week to plan ahead. On whether Leeds need more resources at centre forward, Marsch says it’s possible that they’ll look for more attackers and an extra number nine.”

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The Verdict: Makes complete sense

A lack of depth has been Leeds’ problem this season, especially up front, so it makes perfect sense to spend time looking at potential striking options.

Bamford also turns 29 later this year and will eventually need replacing, too, not to mention a healthy competition for playing time should also bring out the best in him.

Someone like Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton-Diaz, who is apparently a target, could be an ideal signing, having scored 20 goals in 28 Championship starts in 2021/22 to date, as well as netting four times in 11 caps for Chile.

In other news, a transfer expert has made a key Leeds claim. Read more here. 

The Athletic’s Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans has described a new deal for right-back Matty Cash as ‘great news’.

The Lowdown: Five-year contract for Cash

The 24-year-old has been a regular at Villa Park after arriving from Nottingham Forest in 2020, making 60 appearances in all competitions.

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Now a full Poland international, he has been heavily linked with a move to Atletico Madrid in recent months.

However, he appears to have put to bed any speculation over his future by signing a new five-year contract in the Midlands, as confirmed by the club on their official website.

The Latest: Evans reacts to Cash’s new contract

Evans took to Twitter on Monday evening to react to the news of the full-back’s fresh deal, about which he reported for The Athletic.

He labelled it as ‘great news’ and added that Cash’s target for Villa now will be to start registering more goals and assists.

The Verdict: Huge news for Villa

This just goes to show that Villa are capable of keeping hold of their best players and are willing to back Steven Gerrard ahead of his first full season in charge.

Cash – who has been the squad’s third-best performer this season according to WhoScored – is the only senior right-back that Gerrard has available at this moment in time, so it would have been a big loss if he departed for Atletico in the summer.

You’d expect that won’t be the case after penning a new deal at Villa, though, and youngster Kaine Kesler-Hayden, who is currently on loan at MK Dons, could serve as backup next season, with the right-back position now looking much more secure for the Villans.

In other news: Newcastle now keen on signing another Villa player as advanced update emerges

Many Glasgow Rangers fans criticised the performance of Scott Wright in their 1-0 win against Livingston in the Premiership on Wednesday night.

It was a game in which the hosts were certainly not at their best at Ibrox but managed to scrape all three points courtesy of a late goal from Scott Arfield.

There were a few disappointing performances for Rangers, but Wright stood out among a bad pack.

The former Aberdeen winger lost out on five of his duels in total and failed to record a single successful dribble, also being unsuccessful with three of his four crosses (SofaScore).

Wright also lost possession of the ball 13 times, the joint-sixth most out of his teammates, and he was hauled off for Ryan Jack shortly after the goal was scored.

Rangers fans slam Wright

These Rangers fans slammed the 24-year-old’s display on Twitter, with one Light Blues supporter going as far as to claim that he was ‘shocking’ last night:

“Woke up still raging at Scott Wright”

Credit: @Converyg1

“Scott Wright another Glenn Middleton nowhere near good enough”

Credit: @RossThomson12

“Scott Wright horrendous”

Credit: @GregThomson72

“Add Scott Wright in, hopeless out on the right.”

Credit: @AndyFirthRSC

“Scott Wright is so far off of what we need. Shocking player”

Credit: @jamie__rangers

“Scott Wright. Hide and seek champion.”

Credit: @VaticanRSC

In other news, find out what team news was lauded by these Gers fans

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has led his side to fourth in the Premier League, as it stands, and is on the verge of sealing a place in Europe’s premier cup competition for 2022/23.

Finishing in the top four could have a major impact on their business in the summer as it could help their efforts to land a certain Lazio gem.

It was recently reported that Spurs will make a move for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, with Fabio Paratici plotting a swoop for the midfielder if the club can secure Champions League qualification this season.

He is reportedly valued at €80m (£66m) by the Italian outfit and he is attracting interest from other teams, with PSG and Juventus said to be keen on him.

Antonio Conte would love him

The Spurs head coach needs him at the club as he would offer something different to the current crop of Spurs midfielders.

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Tottenham do not currently have any central midfielders who offer a big goal threat in the Premier League. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is the club’s top-scoring player from that position with just two goals to his name, which suggests that they lack a player like Milinkovic-Savic.

In Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the Serbian international ranks in the 93rd percentile or higher for non-penalty goals, assists, expected assists, non-penalty expected goals, and shots per 90 – as per FBRef. He is also in the 80th percentile for shot-creating actions and in the 97th percentile for progressive passes, proving that he is an elite attack-minded midfielder.

Parma’s sporting director Demetrio Albertini previously lauded his talent, saying: “Milinković-Savić has the characteristics of a great champion; he has extraordinary elegance.”

This high praise is backed up by his incredible attacking statistics for Lazio. He has nine goals and nine assists in the Serie A this term, after producing eight goals and nine assists last season – proving his consistency in the final third.

At the age of 27, he is also now heading into his prime years and this means that Conte will not need to worry about him reaching his potential. Spurs have a number of young players in their squad, including Ollie Skipp in the same position, and it will be a relief for the head coach to have another experienced option to choose from in the middle of the park.

This, along with his attacking quality, is why the Italian boss needs him in North London next season. He can bring goals and to the side from midfield and take some of the pressure off Heung-Min Son, Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski, whilst also providing them with chances to score with his progressive passing.

AND in other news, Conte can finally axe “terrible” £91k-p/w dud as THFC plot bid for £58m-rated “leader”…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes Leeds could make a January swoop for Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez, Give Me Sport report.

The Lowdown: Nandez a long-term target

Leeds are yet to sign a central midfielder on a permanent basis under Marcelo Bielsa but are thought to be after a defensive and attacking midfielder this month due to the club’s injury woes.

One player who was linked with a move to Elland Road back in the summer was Nandez, with rumours resurfacing in recent weeks.

The 26-year-old is valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt and has made 16 appearances in four different positions in 2021/22, perhaps suggesting he could solve Victor Orta’s quest for a number six and number eight in one swoop.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

O’Rourke was talking to Give Me Sport regarding Nandez and a possible move to Yorkshire this month.

He labelled a winter window transfer as ‘a real possibility’, with reports suggesting he could be available for half the price compared to last summer.

“I think they tried to sign him from Cagliari in the summer but weren’t able to. So, if they think they can get him on a cheaper deal this January, there’s a real possibility that they maybe could come back in for him.”

The Verdict: Time to swoop?

It seems as if Nandez is a player who has been on Orta’s shortlist for a while, so now could be the ideal time to bring him to Yorkshire.

Described as a ‘powerful’ midfielder by Serie A expert Conor Clancy, Nandez fits the Bielsa profile when it comes to being versatile.

He’d bolster the club’s wide ranks, while also being able to play in a defensive or central midfield role. That could be needed straight away, should he arrive at Elland Road, especially as Kalvin Phillips has been ruled out until March.

More updates on Nandez will more than likely emerge before the end of the month, but as like in the summer, it could be one to keep a close eye on.

In other news: ‘This is huge’ – BBC pundit reacts to ‘massive’ Leeds news he’s heard from Elland Road. 

Newcastle United moved on to 43 points on Saturday as they beat Norwich 3-0 in a Premier League encounter at Carrow Road.

The Magpies are well clear of relegation and are on course to avoid the drop down to the Championship after an impressive resurgence under Eddie Howe.

They can now start to think about what they are going to do in the summer transfer window as attention turns to 2022/23 and their ambitions to compete higher up in the table.

One player the club are reportedly in the running for is Napoli centre-forward Victor Osimhen, who has been thriving in the Serie A this season.

Speaking about a potential transfer, his agent – Andrea D’Amico – said: “If a very important offer arrives, it goes away. But this is true for every player who plays in Italy.”

“At the moment I have no requests from the Premier, but it is early, it is a situation that remains evolving. England remains a top-tier market. When I speak of an important and indispensable offer for Osimhen, I mean offers of 150 million.”

Imagine him & Bruno

If the Magpies can bring the £126m (€150m) attacker to St. James’ Park then he would be able to form an exciting partnership with Bruno Guimaraes.

Osimhen has scored 12 goals in 19 Serie A starts this season and averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.12 for Napoli. The dynamo also scored four goals in five Europa League matches earlier in the campaign and this shows that he has been a reliable scorer, and performer, for the Italian side.

He is finally fulfilling the potential that he showed earlier in his career. Whilst in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg, his then-manager Andries Jonker outlined his talent, saying: “He has great potential in him. He is ambitious, quick and highly unpredictable, he will be a star in the future if he maintains his focus.”

Guimaraes, meanwhile, has four goals and one assist in 13 games in the Premier League since arriving in England in January. He has averaged a fantastic SofaScore rating of 7.25 as he has been able to hit the ground running in the top-flight under Howe.

The Brazilian has proven that he can make an impact in the division and now you can imagine what his link-up with a striker as clinical as Osimhen would look like. Imagine both of them exchanging passes and running at opposition defences next season; it’s an exciting thought and a dream that PIF can, hopefully, realise in the coming months.

AND in other news, “Newcastle want..”: Journo drops exciting claim on £109m duo, it’ll delight supporters…

West Bromwich Albion have made a late offer in a bid to secure a deal to bring Matt O’Riley to The Hawthorns in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that Valerien Ismael’s Albion side have attempted to hijack Celtic’s move for the Milton Keynes Dons central midfielder with an 11th-hour bid for the 21-year-old.

However, the report goes on to state that, at present, it appears as if the former England U18 international is still set to make a £1.5m switch to Glasgow, with O’Riley having already undergone a medical with the Premiership side on Wednesday.

Finally, it is also believed that the likes of Swansea City, Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield Town were also keen on a move for the midfielder, although it would appear as if West Brom and Celtic are the only two sides who lodged a concrete bid.

Ismael’s next Mowatt

While, at this stage, it seems as if a move to West Brom does not look overly likely, considering just how impressive O’Riley has been for MK Dons this season, it would appear highly advisable for Ismael to return with an improved offer in a bid to steal the 21-year-old away from Celtic’s clutches.

Indeed, over his 26 League One outings in the current campaign, the £405k-rated man has been in astonishing form, having already bagged seven goals, provided five assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 2.1 key passes and taking 1.5 shots per game.

The £900-per-week midfielder – who is also adept at playing in both a more defensive and attacking midfield role – has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.5 interceptions, two tackles, 48.2 passes, one clearance and winning 4.6 duels per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who FLW founder Sam Rourke dubbed a “star” average a quite incredible SofaScore match rating of 7.37, not only ranking him as his club’s second-best performer in the league but also as the joint seventh-best player in the entirety of the division.

The editor then went on to heap a great deal more praise on the midfielder, stating in a post on Twitter: “[He is an] elegant central attacking midfielder who is comfortable with both feet. Seven goals, five assists in L1 so far. Strong dribbling ability with a real eye for a killer pass. Not afraid to shoot from distance too.”

Indeed, this description could quite easily fit one of Albion’s current options in the middle of the park, Alex Mowatt, who scored eight goals, registered seven assists and created nine big chances over his 44 Championship appearances for Barnsley last season, as well as making an average of 1.5 key passes and taking 1.8 shots per fixture.

As such, should Ismael manage to somehow get a deal over the line for O’Riley this month, the Frenchman could well have landed his next Mowatt, not to mention a significant upgrade on a number of the Baggies’ current central midfield options.

In other news: Sky Sports pundit drops worrying WBA January claim, it’d be a “huge blow” for Ismael

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a transfer claim linking Benfica striker Darwin Nunez with a move to a whole host of Premier League clubs, including West Ham United.

The Lowdown: Failed January move

The Uruguay international was at the centre of numerous transfer rumours in the January transfer window, one of the most prominent of which came with West Ham making a move towards the end of the month.

Whilst it was said that the transfer attempt was in the pipeline for weeks, Jack Rosser of the Evening Standard has claimed that the Irons submitted a club-record £60m bid for the 22-year-old on deadline day.

Nunez reportedly said that he preferred a move to a Champions League side, so Benfica rejected the east London club’s bid.

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The Latest: Romano’s news on Nunez…

Fabrizio Romano has now shared the latest news regarding a potential £66.6m summer move for Nunez.

Taking to Twitter, he claimed: “Darwin Núñez will leave Benfica in the summer, fee around €80m. His new agent will now meet with many top clubs to explore opportunities. #transfers

“Man United already discussed his name internally – Arsenal wanted him last January as West Ham but Darwin was not for sale.”

Whilst the Irons aren’t explicitly said to be planning on making an imminent move, it is implied that Nunez’s agents will meet with the club over a potential sale.

The Verdict: Would be a fantastic signing

Former Benfica manager Jorge Jesus has hailed the 22-year-old as one of the brightest prospects in world football, saying: “He was the most expensive player in the history of the Benfica and, with the pandemic I don’t know, but he could also be the most expensive player to leave the Benfica. This boy will be the best in the world and, unfortunately for me, I will lose him in no time.”

With such high praise, and with a return of 31 goals in 36 matches this season (including five in the Champions League), it is no wonder that a whole host of Premier League clubs are interested in the Uruguayan striker.

However, with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United now reportedly interested, a move to West Ham seems far less likely to come to fruition, particularly if they miss out on qualification for Europe next term.

In other news: ExWHUemployee drops triple transfer claim

Crystal Palace are having a quiet transfer window so far, as Patrick Vieira’s side have enjoyed a comfortable start to their season, currently 11th in the Premier League, but with three weeks to go there is one player that has been repeatedly linked to signing for the side in January.

What’s the word?

Journalist, Pete O’Rourke, added new claims to the ongoing speculation surrounding the potential signing of Eddie Nketiah, confirming that other clubs are interested in the Gunners forward.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT:

“There’s other clubs interested in Nketiah,” he began.

“The likes of Brighton have been mentioned but Crystal Palace have held a long-term interest in Nketiah. They tried to get him in the summer but it didn’t happen in the end.”

With Brighton speculated to be in hot pursuit of the 22-year-old too, Vieira will need to make a decision on whether he wants to sign the player or not, as he could be beaten to securing his signature by another Premier League club, especially now that he is in the final six months of his contract with Arsenal.

Fans will be buzzing

Nketiah would be a great addition to the youth revolution that Patrick Vieira has imposed since being appointed by the London club in summer last year, and has the potential to become a fantastic player if his current form is anything to go by.

As a result, fans will surely be elated to see another young player in Nketiah becoming part of the future that the Palace manager is already building, with many taking to social media to discuss the potential signing.

One fan Tweeted: “Palace need to bag Nketiah, imagine the front 4 of Nketiah, Olise, Eze and Gallagher.”

The Arsenal striker has not been in Mikel Arteta’s favour for too many Premier League starts, with just three appearances so far, but has been able to prove his worth and showcase his talents in the EFL Cup.

In that competition, he has scored five goals in three games, leading the Gunners to a semi final that is important for the club this season, as they can only compete in domestic competitions due to failing to qualify for European football for the first time since 1995.

Crystal Palace could lose one of their strikers this January, as Jean-Philippe Mateta is strongly linked to a move away from the club, ending his loan and joining Saint Etienne, and if this was the case, Vieira could swoop to secure the signing of Nketiah in the next few weeks to fill the hole that his current striker would leave.

In other news: Mateta likely to leave the club in January