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David Ginola could play a little bit.

The midfielder’s first taste of English football came with Newcastle United between 1995 and 1997, before he made the switch to Tottenham Hotspur.

Ginola played 100 league games for Spurs during his three seasons at the club and it would be fair to say that the supporters enjoyed watching him.

The Frenchman was an extremely talented technician, but also brought personality to the teams that he represented.

Ginola turned 52 on Friday and Tottenham’s official Twitter account was on hand with a special birthday message for the former France international.

As expected, that led to a number of the Spurs supporters lavishing praise on their former hero, with many claiming that they wish they had him now.

Indeed, Tottenham are currently struggling with injuries and Ginola could probably still do a job in the Dele Alli position until the Englishman returns in March (BBC Sport).

Ginola, who also turned out for Aston Villa and Everton, perhaps would not have the pace or fitness – and that is being kind – to compete at this level in his 50s, but his use of the ball would still be very special indeed.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the adoring Tottenham fans can be seen below:

Playmaker FC Exclusive: “Wolves absolutely spanked you” – Jermaine Jenas gives damning verdict of Arsenal’s season. Check out the video below…

Liverpool are plotting a summer move for highly-rated young midfielder Jude Bellingham.

What’s the story?

According to reports in Spain, both the Reds and their rivals Manchester City are interested in signing the English midfielder who is currently playing his trade in Germany at Borussia Dortmund.

The young star has been a target for several top clubs in the past, including Spanish giants Real Madrid, so there should be a huge battle for his signature.

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It’s thought Dortmund may value him at a staggering £101m.

Premier League legend Roy Keane has described Bellingham’s potential as “scary”.

He could be better than Thiago

The 18-year old would be a perfect new addition to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side who need to plan ahead for the future when the likes of Jordan Henderson and Thiago will become too old.

Bellingham could eventually be a natural successor to Thiago and could be a focal point of the club for years to come.

He has made £22.5m in 2020.

When you look at his possession stats you can see just how much he contributes going forward for Dortmund. He is in the top 3% across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for touches in and carries into the attack penalty area.

His passes into the 18-yard box total 27 so far this season compared to Thiago’s 13.

But as with any Klopp side you have to be willing to work hard and trackback defensively. This is something that Bellingham also has in his locker as proven for both club and country.

The Englishman has made more tackles and blocks than Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho this season, and leads the way for his current club in these categories.

He is also in the top 3% across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pressures in the attacking third, clearly showing that he is able to match the high pressing style that is a signature tactic at Anfield.

If Liverpool were to capture him then it would be a major coup and would massively improve their strength in depth.

Soon Bellingham will have a big decision to make, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wanted to move to the Premier League having never played in it before, but which team would he choose?

IN other news: Liverpool linked with Arda Guler transfer swoop…

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has given his reaction to Leeds United transfer news involving Rangers winger Ryan Kent. 

The lowdown: Kent a target for Leeds

This comes following a report from Football Insider which claimed that the Whites are interested in signing the 25-year-old.

The ex-Liverpool academy prospect could be viewed as a potential replacement for Raphinha should the highly sought-after Brazilian move on from Elland Road.

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Kent is believed to have a £20m release clause in his contract at Ibrox – a deal which expires in 2023 (Transfermarkt) – although Campbell has suggested that it would be money well spent by Leeds.

The latest: ‘Very good business’

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Arsenal striker claimed that Kent would be capable of filling the void left by Raphinha if the Brazilian departs.

The 52-year-old said: “He’s done a great job up there under Steven Gerrard and now Giovanni van Bronckhorst, he’s been a real star.

“If Leeds look at him as the one who can come in and take that Raphinha role, with Dan James moving over to the right, then I think that would be very good business.”

The verdict: Time to move?

Since moving north of the border, Kent has been superb for Rangers and has directly contributed to 74 goals in 164 outings for the Scottish Premiership side.

So far this season, the man once hailed as ‘sensational’ by his former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard has scored three times and provided 16 assists despite suffering with a hamstring injury for most of the autumn.

As for replacing Raphinha, the £12.6m-valued Englishman predominantly operates from the left wing and would require the switch for Dan James, as mentioned by Campbell, to work in order to make the move worthwhile.

Given that some of the Welshman’s best performances this season have come when operating on the right on occasion, it could be a reshuffle worth making, therefore adding weight to the theory behind Leeds moving for Kent.

In other news, journalist backs Leeds move for Austrian Bundesliga star. Read more here

Rangers got back to winning ways after two straight defeats in all competitions as they won away from Ibrox at the weekend.

The Gers smashed St. Mirren 4-0 in the Premiership as Kemar Roofe scored a hat-trick and Joe Aribo got in on the act with a stunning finish from distance.

It was a fantastic result for Gio van Bronckhorst’s side and one player who may have enjoyed it more than most was centre-back Leon King.

The academy defender came on to replace Filip Helander in the 45th minute for what was only his second Premiership appearance for Rangers and his first of the 2021/22 campaign.

As per SofaScore, he completed 87% of his attempted passes, including six of his ten long passes, and made three clearances as he helped the side to a clean sheet. It was a solid showing from the 18-year-old and one that may give van Bronckhorst plenty of food for thought heading into the summer.

Just imagine him & Souttar

With Connor Goldson’s contract expiring at the end of the season, King could be the natural heir to his centre-back throne.

John Souttar is set to join on a free transfer from Hearts later this year and the 25-year-old can be the perfect partner for the young Scot at Ibrox. In the Scottish top-flight this season, he has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.33 across 26 appearances.

He has consistently delivered on the pitch as he has won a whopping 71% of his duels whilst making four clearances per game. These statistics prove that he is a defensively dominant tank who can get the better of his opponent more often than not in matches, which makes him the perfect player to pair with a youngster making his way through.

Souttar’s dominance can carry King through matches to aid his development, allowing the teenager to settle into a first-team role before shouldering more responsibility.

After the St. Mirren clash, van Bronckhorst hailed the defender’s potential as he said: “He has so much quality but also a lot of room to improve.

“But that’s because he’s a young player and I’m happy he’s making the progress now.”

This highlights the scope for development King has and why he should be partnered with Souttar to learn from him, as the Hearts man has proven that he can excel in the Premiership.

The 18-year-old can save Ross Wilson millions by replacing Goldson and stepping up to the mark next season, just as he did in his 45 minutes on Sunday.

AND in other news, Big blow: Rangers dealt worrying injury setback that’ll leave Van Bronckhorst gutted…

Leeds United director of football Victor Orta has had his fair share of successes and failures in the transfer market since joining the club in 2017.

The likes of Patrick Bamford, Mateusz Klich and Raphinha are some of the successful additions, whilst the jury is still out on big-money signing Rodrigo.

But what about transfers that Orta failed to get over the line?

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One player that the club were reportedly interested in signing in 2018 was attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia from Spanish side Getafe. However, instead of joining the Lillywhites, he signed for their Championship rivals Norwich for a fee of £1.3m (Transfermarkt).

He made an immediate impact in England as he starred in the Canaries’ promotion to the Premier League in 2019 at the expense of Leeds. Buendia scored eight goals and provided 17 assists in all competitions as Daniel Farke’s team won the Championship title.

The winger was then directly involved in eight Premier League goals as Norwich were relegated from the top flight at the first time of asking. Instead of leaving the Norfolk outfit, though, the Argentine winger stayed on for another year and enjoyed a sensational season in the second tier.

Buendia won the Championship Player of the Year award as he scored 15 goals and set up a further 17 in 39 outings as the Canaries romped their way to another title. His performances led to him being dubbed a “revelation” by former top-flight striker Chris Sutton, with the midfielder dominating the division. 

This form earned him a move to Aston Villa last summer for £33m and he has delivered two goals and four assists in 28 Premier League matches to date for his current club.

At the time of writing (14/04/22), Transfermarkt value him in the region of £31m. This illustrates how far he has come in the last four years, as his value has skyrocketed since he arrived in England from Getafe.

He has proven himself to be far too good for the Championship and he has been a constant threat in the Premier League with his creative passing. Buendia has averaged 1.4 key passes per match this term, having averaging 2.3 for Norwich in his previous top-flight campaign in 2019/20.

Therefore, Orta played a major Leeds disasterclass by missing out on the Argentina international for £1.3m in the summer of 2018. Not only would the Whites have enjoyed his sublime talents on the pitch under Marcelo Bielsa, but they also would have been able to make a huge profit on him – just as Norwich did.

AND in other news, Adam Pope drops 6-word Leeds injury update, Jesse Marsch will be delighted…

Newcastle United are reportedly the latest club to join the race to sign Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic as Eddie Howe looks to bolster his defensive options this window.

What’s the story?

According to The Sun, Newcastle are interested in signing the Serbian centre-back this month, however, it has been reported that PIF would have to pay £37.5m to secure the 24-year-old’s services.

Howe’s side are currently the Premier League’s second-worst defenders behind Norwich City, having conceded 42 goals in 19 games. Moreover, the Magpies are sat in 19th place and fears of relegation are still very real.

In order to solve this major weakness, it has been reported that the Englishman wants to add two centre-backs to his ranks this window, with Milenkovic the latest defender to be linked with a move to the North-East.

The Serbian is certainly a hot prospect, having received plenty of praise from an array of suitors, most notably being labelled the “new Vidic” by former Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

Moreover, former teammate Pol Lirola, now of Olympique Marseille, stated that Milenkovic “has an extraordinary quality” and is “already ready for a great team.”

The Toon Army have already added to their defence with the acquisition of right-back Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid as well as signing striker Chris Wood from Burnley.

Newcastle must sign Milenkovic

It is no secret that Howe’s defence will need serious improvement this window if the Tyneside club are to significantly boost their survival bid; the 24-year-old could prove to be the perfect option.

Stood at a towering 6’5”, the Serbian is a colossus at the back and would provide a major aerial presence. Moreover, he’s five centimetres taller than Newcastle’s current tallest centre-back in Federico Fernandez.

Milenkovic has missed just three Serie A matches this campaign, keeping three clean sheets in 17 starts as well as scoring one goal.

The 24-year-old is currently averaging 71.7 touches per game as well as boasting an impressive 90% passing accuracy.

From a defensive point of view, the centre-back is making 1.2 interceptions per game, 1.9 tackles, 3 clearances and is also dribbled past once every ten games.

According to SofaScore, Jamaal Lascelles in Newcastle’s current best-performing centre-back with an average score of 6.73/10 per game. However, compared to Milenkovic’s stats, it is clear why Newcastle are interested.

The Englishman is averaging just 40.2 touches per game, whilst making 0.8 interceptions, 0.4 tackles and having a 79% passing accuracy.

However, the 28-year-old is making more clearances per game (5.5) and is dribbled past as frequently as Milenkovic.

The 24-year-old would significantly improve Newcastle United and, should he sign, it would prove a major statement of intent from the North-East club.

AND in other news, Player keen: Howe must seal NUFC deal to land “world-class” maestro, he’s Cabaye 2.0…

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has shared the latest news concerning Declan Rice’s future at West Ham United.

The Lowdown: Rice’s contract

As per reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, the 23-year-old has turned down a third contract offer by the Irons. Consequently, he has revealed that the England international is open to a move away from east London at the end of the season.

However, Romano further claims that David Moyes still insists that his vice-captain is untouchable this summer.

Rice still has two years remaining on his current West Ham deal, and the club have the option to extend this by a further year, putting them in a fairly strong negotiating position.

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The Latest: Ornstein’s news

Taking to Twitter, Ornstein revealed the latest news on Rice’s situation, claiming: “West Ham expect to keep Rice now but sell in 2023.”

In the adjacent article, Ornstein shared the details reported by West Ham correspondent Roshane Thomas.

Thomas reported that the Irons are determined to keep their star player this summer, but they have conceded to the idea that they will have to sell him in 12 months time.

The Hammers will extend the midfielder’s contract by a further year and will then look to sell him for at least £150m in 2023, when he has two years remaining on his current deal.

The Verdict: Big dilemma for Moyes

Whilst Moyes insists that Rice is not for sale, £150m seems like a fair price for a player looking to compete at the next level. If a bid is received totalling this fee, GSB will likely be eager to accept, even though it appears Moyes will be reluctant to do so.

This will present the boss with a big dilemma; with the aim of Champions League qualification, he may be thinking that this goal isn’t possible if the club is willing to sell their best player.

Thus, Rice’s transfer saga could prove to be a majorly divisive point between the now beloved gaffer and much-maligned owners.

In other news: West Ham United: Declan Rice at centre of transfer tug-of-war

According to Football Insider, a new target for Tottenham Hotspur has emerged in the last week of the transfer window as they now set their sights on Sevilla defender Diego Carlos.

The Lowdown: Tottenham eye centre-half…

As reported by reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold, Spurs have a central defender on their agenda as manager Antonio Conte sets out four priority positions to strengthen in his squad.

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Alongside a new defender, it is believed that Spurs are after a right-wing-back, midfielder and striker as they seek to back Conte (football.london) – with transfer chief Fabio Paratici apparently set for a busy final week.

Tottenham are in talks to offload Tanguy Ndombele with sights set on his replacement in Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat (Fabrizio Romano), with FI now sharing news on a new name being targeted.

The Latest: Spurs open Carlos talks…

According to FI, Tottenham have ‘opened preliminary talks’ to sign the Brazil international and are interested in a swap deal to bring down his £50 million asking price.

It is believed that the Lilywhites could allow midfielder Giovani Lo Celso to go the other way to ‘sweeten the deal’.

Spurs have ‘turned their attention’ to the colossal defender as they enter the market for a centre-half in this final week transfer push.

The Verdict: Unlikely?

Depending on whether the La Liga side are open to a swap deal, it will be interesting to see how this develops, but our thoughts are this move will be rather unlikely.

Newcastle submitted a series of £30 million bids for the South American star, all of which were knocked back, perhaps highlighting just how challenging it will be to negotiate a last minute deal with Sevilla.

Given their current attempts to sign Wolves star Traore, Amrabat and FC Porto forward Luis Diaz, signing a new defender may have to wait until the summer window.

In other news: Sky Sports: Conte ‘very, very close’ to signing which ‘could excite the Tottenham fans’, find out more here.

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have reacted with their opinions as the club now confirm some player news involving bright young midfielder Conor Coventry.

In terms of their young prospects, the Hammers have been active in their decisions so far in January with the board also re-calling defender Frederik Alves from his originally intended season-long loan at Sunderland.

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West Ham did the same with Coventry amid his previous lack of game time at Peterborough United, with the 21-year-old starting just four Championship matches before being brought back to Rush Green this month.

It wasn’t long before he became linked with another loan move away, as first revealed by ExWHUemployee, with the Irons now confirming he has gone out on a temporary spell with MK Dons for the second half of 2021/2022 (Twitter).

West Ham fans react…

There has been no shortage of opinions on Twitter in regards to this decision, with one fan even calling it a ‘strange’ one, potentially due to the notion he could be better served staying at West Ham, learning from stars such as Declan Rice and fighting for a place in the side.

Coventry impressed in pre-season, with the youngster even drawing comparisons to Rice, and some Irons supporters have suggested that their club could have used him as needed cover in that position.

Alas, with the starlet now on his way out again, many West Ham fans have plenty to say – with some also worried he may never get a chance under Moyes in the senior squad.

Find all of their reactions down below:

“All we ever hear is players going out.

If it isn’t clear we need at least 3 in then I give up”

Credit: @regdoow1

“Hopefully he gets game time now”

Credit: @StefGoodridge

“Always thought he impressed whenever I saw him and it’s not exactly we are too well off in the middle of the park”

Credit: @mickyginn

“Hopefully they’ll acc play him this time”

Credit: @CNHD_

“I’m scared he may end up like Cullen, always looks decent in pre season then never gets a chance in the first team”

Credit: @antoni_dad

“Noooooooooooooooooooo!!! I’m going to go cry profusely now excuse me”

Credit: @whueamon

“Strange move imo”

Credit: @smithy_jack1

“We should just sell now, had more loans than Wonga. Good luck Conor”

Credit: @dan31604340

In other news: ‘Yes’ – ExWHUemployee backs reports with West Ham now ready to bid for ‘phenomenal’ player, find out more here.

Loads of Glasgow Rangers fans have been left confused by some exit news that ahs emerged involving Stephen Kelly.

As per the official Twitter page of the Ibrox faithful, the central midfield player has now joined English League Two club Salford City on a loan deal for the rest of the season.

He had only made two senior appearances for the Light Blues all campaign, and so has moved in search of more regular game time.

While a loan move is good for the 21-year-old’s development, a lot of Teddy Bears are confused over his move to Salford, claiming that he can play at a better level.

He has played for Scotland many times at youth level, including nine caps with the U21s, and perhaps a move to another team in the Scottish Premiership would have benefitted him better, if another offer came through.

Rangers fans on Kelly loan

These Gers were confused as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one RFC supporter claiming that they were ‘baffled’, while another even went as far as to say that it was an ‘awful’ move:

“Makes no sense he’s at a miles higher level than that”

Credit: @ggh1992

“Why?”

Credit: @mrmorton_man

“I’m baffled by this”

Credit: @kennyd9

“So much better than the 4th tier of English football.”

Credit: @cccc18721972

“League 2?!!!”

Credit: @WilliamGrimes_

“That’s an absolutely awful loan move for him.”

Credit: @Newcoinvestor

In other news, find out what other club update has Gers buzzing here!