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Rangers are now stumbling eight points behind bitter rivals Celtic after a couple of poor performances and results, and the wheels might well be falling off from within.

Steven Gerrard has never been afraid to voice his concern if he believes something isn’t right.

A relentless worker, leader and role model during his playing career and a tough manager now, Gerrard has been true to form when addressing some of the major concerns he has over the attitude of his squad.

Fans aren’t exactly disagreeing with him either with most echoing his concerns that players have done little to deserve being so complacent at such an important stage of the season.

Gerrard may be right, but by publicly outingÂmembers of his squad he’s playing a very dangerous game.

Indeed, in an age where internal revolts can dictate the future of a manager’s career at a club, we’ve already seen the likes of media shaming pro-Jose Mourinho ousted from both Chelsea and Manchester United after his players took a disliking to his practises.

And that’s someone who’s experienced major success throughout his long and illustrious career.

Gerrard, for all his quality as a player, is unproven as a manager.

There’s a very fine line the current Gers boss would do well not to cross if he wants to make a success of his first big job in coaching.

Celtic are closing in on a deal to bring Cameron Carter-Vickers to Parkhead on a permanent basis this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that, despite the increased interest in the centre-back’s signing – with the likes of Burnley, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City all believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the 24-year-old – Celtic are now in pole position to land the Tottenham Hotspur defender at the end of the season.

The report goes on to state that Ange Postecoglou’s transfer team are currently locked in negotiations with the Premier League side concerning the activation of their £6m option to buy clause for the USA international – a deal which could eventually rise to £10m with add-ons.

Finally, it is claimed that, with Champions League football all but secured ahead of next season, people close to Carter-Vickers believe that Celtic Park is the best place for the American to continue his progression in the game.

Huge coup for Celtic

Considering just how impressive Carter-Vickers have been for Celtic since his season-long loan switch to Glasgow last summer, it is unsurprising to learn that a number of Premier League sides, as well as the Hoops, are keen to secure the centre-back’s signature at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, over his 27 Premiership appearances this season, the £2.7m-rated defender has been flawless in the Celtic backline, helping his side keep 14 clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 4.4 clearances and winning six duels – at a success rate of 68% – per game.

The £22k-per-week American has also chipped in for the Bhoys in an attacking capacity, bagging four goals – one of which was the winner against Rangers on Sunday – and registering one assist, as well as taking an average of 0.6 shots and making 0.3 key passes per fixture.

These returns have seen the 24-year-old average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.36, ranking him as the fifth-best player in the top flight of Scottish football in the current campaign.

As such, it is clear for all to see why there is so much interest in Carter-Vickers this summer, as well as why sealing his permanent switch to Parkhead would be something of a major coup for the runaway Premiership leaders.

AND in other news: Postecoglou drops huge behind the scenes update, it’s great news for Celtic

The sacking of Lee Johnson does not seem to be helping Sunderland as they slumped to another loss in League One, this time away at Cheltenham Town.

Alex Pritchard had given the Stadium of Light faithful the lead in the first half, but Mike Dodds’ team were then pegged back in the second through goals from Elliot Bonds and Alfie May, losing out 2-1 in the end.

Using statistical experts SofaScore, The Transfer Tavern have now analysed who the three worst performers (to have played at least 45 minutes) were for the Black Cats on the night. With a new manager appointment on the horizon, should this trio be worried about their futures in the XI?

Danny Batth

New signing Batth struggled to cope with Cheltenham’s two strikers at times and was subsequently given a 6.5 rating.

The central defender only managed one tackle and one interception throughout the game, and his 59% pass accuracy was the second-lowest in the team.

He also lost possession of the ball on no fewer than on 23 separate occasions in total, the third-most out of his teammates, and found himself booked early on in the second half.

That sort of carelessness in possession is simply inexcusable for a defender.

Callum Doyle

Batth’s partner in crime Doyle was ranked as SAFC’s second-worst player on the night with a 6.4 overall rating, and he wasn’t exactly smooth on the ball himself.

He failed to make any tackles or interceptions or block any shots on his goal, offering virtually zero defensive contribution, and was guilty of giving the ball away 14 times.

One has to think if it is Roy Keane who arrives in the coming days, the heart of his defence may be one of the first places he looks for improvements.

Anthony Patterson

Perhaps unlucky to be given the lowest rating (6.1) given some of the performances in front of him, goalkeeper Patterson was ranked as the Wearside club’s worst player.

The Englishman did however only manage to muster a 65% pass accuracy, giving possession away 11 times, which is extremely worrying from the man between the sticks.

He also only managed to make one save in the entire match, conceding twice as many.

In other news, find out who Scott Wilson has taken aim at amid Sunderland manager noises here!

Newcastle United have seen many players join the Tyneside club over the years on permanent transfers or loan deals.

The previous January transfer window showed just how capable the Magpies and their new owners are when it comes to spending significant amounts of money to bring in new faces to try and strengthen their squad and push the team forward.

Taking a look back down the years, one figure that the club were supposedly pursuing on two different occasions that they will undoubtedly regret not buying is Luka Modric.

According to Planet Football, former Toon boss Kevin Keegan was eager to sign the midfielder back in 2008 when Modric was at Dinamo Zagreb. They also claimed that Sam Allardyce wanted to sign the Croatian a year prior during his tenure at St James’ Park.

The former Magpies and Everton manager said: “I was then on the way to getting Luka Modric from Dinamo Zagreb, but by then, Mike saw the scale of the full debut and put the clamps on, so I had to make do with Geremi from Chelsea.”

After scoring 22 goals and providing 21 assists in 73 appearances for Dinamo Zagreb, the midfielder did end up making a move to England, but it was Tottenham Hotspur who secured his signature in the summer of 2008 rather than Newcastle for a fee of around £20m.

Having played in 160 games for the Lilywhites across all competitions, finding the net 17 times and delivering 26 assists, the midfielder found himself on the move again, this time to his current club Real Madrid in 2012.

During his time in Spain, the 36-year-old has scored 31 goals and provided 69 assists in 427 appearances, winning four Champions League titles among many other trophies including numerous individual awards such as the Ballon d’Or and UEFA’s Best Player in Europe, both in 2018.

Labelled an “extraordinary” player by Carlo Ancelotti and a “mental monster” by journalist Dermot Corrigan, Modric has been sold for a combined total of just over £51m throughout his time in football according to Transfermarkt and racked up 186 goals and assists throughout what has been a shining career.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that Keegan and Allardyce both had howlers over not convincing the hierarchy at Newcastle to launch a substantial move for the midfield maestro when they were pursuing him before his move to Spurs.

In other news – NUFC dealt yet another crushing injury setback; it’s bad news for Howe

Everton had many players feature for the Merseyside club during David Moyes’ lengthy period in charge of the Toffees, with some even making over 300 appearances.

One player that was linked with a move to Goodison Park during the middle stages of Moyes’ reign that the club will have undoubtedly had nightmares over not signing is midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

Back in the summer of 2008, it was reported that Everton had tabled a £5m bid to Cardiff City for the Welshman after Arsenal and Manchester United had done the same.

The midfielder, who is now picking up a weekly wage of £175k-per-week, ended up choosing the north London club as his next destination after leaving the Welsh side.

With 11 years and 371 appearances to his name in an Arsenal shirt, the midfielder left in 2019 for a move to Juventus after scoring 65 goals and providing 65 assists across all competitions, winning three FA Cups along the way.

During his time in Italy, the 31-year-old found the back of the net six times and delivered six assists in 70 appearances before joining Rangers on loan back in January, where he was called “world-class” by their transfer chief, Ross Wilson.

Since arriving at Ibrox, the former Gooner has scored two goals and provided one assist in just eight appearances, showing how capable he is of being an attacking threat from midfield.

Further labelled as a “leader, a quality player and a wonderful character” by Wilson, Ramsey has racked up a total of 151 goals and assists combined in 482 senior club appearances.

On the international stage, with 72 appearances under his belt, the midfield maestro has scored 20 times, showing how important he has been for his country over the years.

Taking into account what the Wales international has done throughout his club career, particularly at Arsenal, it can now be seen as a big blow that Everton weren’t able to convince the midfielder to make a move to Goodison.

Had the Toffees and Moyes been able to snatch Ramsey from Cardiff ahead of other top-flight sides in the mix to sign him back in 2008, there’s every chance that, through his talent, he could have become a massive player for the club.

In other news: “I know for a fact..”: Insider drops big Finch Farm claim, it’s bad news for Everton

Trezeguet may leave Aston Villa on loan before the end of the transfer window, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans. 

The lowdown

The Egyptian joined Aston Villa ahead of the 2019/20 season in an £8.75m move from Kasimpasa. He has since made 64 appearances for the club, although he spent much of 2021 sidelined by a serious knee injury and has played just 10 top-flight minutes since recovering from that setback.

His current goal tally stands at nine, while he has also served up five assists during his time with the Midlands outfit. His £32.5k-per-week contract still has 18 months left to run.

Trezeguet is currently away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), and it’s unclear if that will complicate any potential transfer. They are due to meet Ivory Coast for a round of 16 tie on Wednesday, just five days before the January deadline.

The latest

During The Athletic’s matchday discussion on Saturday, Evans was asked whether time was ‘up’ for wingers Bertrand Traore or Trezeguet given Gerrard’s preference for a narrow 4-3-2-1 formation.

The journalist replied: “Traore, I feel, will be back up now. Maybe an impact player? Trezeguet is going to struggle for minutes so he may go on loan.”

The verdict

Where might Trezeguet end up?

It was reported earlier this month that Galatasaray were keen to take him back to the Turkish Super Lig and had initiated talks with Villa.

Steven Gerrard has already allowed Anwar El-Ghazi to leave this month, but in Philippe Coutinho, Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore, he will have ample options in the wide attacking areas even if he lets Trezeguet go too.

Some Villa fans may be sad to see the 27-year-old go, because his commitment has never really been in doubt. For instance, his former manager Dean Smith described his ‘running numbers’ as ‘incredible’; while former Villa defender Alan Hutton hailed his willingness to close people down, even if he did look like a ‘headless chicken’ at times.

At least a loan move could enable Trezeguet to reinvigorate his career while still maintaining ties with the club so that they aren’t just barging him out the door unceremoniously.

In other news, lots of Villa fans flock to links with this Serie A maestro

Manchester City have agreed terms with the representatives of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, The Daily Mail’s Mike Keegan reports. 

The lowdown

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported in March that the battle for Haaland had become a two-horse race between City and their UEFA Champions League semifinal opponents, Real Madrid.

Given that the player possesses a €75million (£62.2million) release clause that becomes active in the summer, it was always likely to come down to who offered him the most attractive package.

And it appears City have won out, securing a striker who featured in the 2021 FIFPro World XI.

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The latest

Keegan revealed late on Monday night that City have agreed a £500,000-per-week plus contract with Haaland’s camp, making him the highest-paid player in English football.

The reigning Premier League champions will now move to trigger the player’s release clause following a ‘significant step forward’.

As a result, the move is expected to go through in the ‘next week or so’, with Ornstein following with similar reports that the player has ‘approved’ the deal.

The verdict

This is undoubtedly a monumental signing for City. Haaland boasts a staggering goal record, netting 131 times in his first 179 senior appearances.

This season, he’s bagged 25 strikes, at least three more than any City player, despite only playing 26 matches. In fact, he’s averaged better than a goal per game since he moved to the Westfalenstadion (one every 86 minutes).

City failed in their attempts to sign Harry Kane last summer and have largely operated without a recognised no. 9 this season.

But now they’ve seemingly signed another striker in the elite bracket, for a fraction of the money Daniel Levy demanded, and with many more years ahead of him at the top of the European game.

In other news, a City source has shared a Jack Grealish revelation.  

Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold has shared ‘more’ news on Steve Hitchen’s departure from the club.

The Lowdown: Busy few days

Spurs have moved on a number of players this week, and Hitchen has now joined the list of departures, with Gold revealing the impact of Fabio Paratici’s arrival has played a part.

Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso sealed late loan moves to Lyon, Valencia and Villarreal respectively, while Dele Alli ended his seven-year stay with the club for good to join Frank Lampard’s Everton. [Transfermarkt]

Technical Performance Director Hitchen had returned to north London in 2017 but left the club on Wednesday, with Spurs announcing the exit on Wednesday evening.

The Latest: Gold’s info

Reliable reporter Gold took to Twitter on Thursday lunchtime, sharing a link to a football.london story on Hitchen. He said:

“Understand he sent a heartfelt email to club staff yesterday to explain his exit. Here’s more on that, his successes and mistakes at the club, that new manager search, that Amazon moment and more.”

Within his report, Gold revealed that Hitchen had been considering his future at Spurs since last summer following Paratici’s arrival.

The Verdict: Makes sense

Gold claims that Hitchen had little involvement in the past two transfer windows, taking a back seat to Paratici, so you can see why he decided to leave the club.

Unfortunately, he may be remembered for more failures than successes when it comes to transfers in recent years, with Ndombele and Lo Celso brought for big money under Hitchen’s leadership.

It will be interesting to see where he goes next, though, with reports suggesting he is under consideration for a similar role at Everton. Newcastle have also been linked, so following his Tottenham exit, it seems he may be back in work relatively quickly.

In other news: Paratici refuses to quit on signing ‘exceptional’ £29.7m-rated star as Spurs opportunity opens, find out more here.

Sharing a Tottenham Hotspur transfer development on Twitter, journalist Marco Conterio of TUTTOmercatoWEB has made an exciting claim involving Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye move…

As club record signing Tanguy Ndombele’s future continues to be the subject of much speculation, with reports indicating he is in talks over an exit from Spurs, reporter Fabrizio Romano backs that the Lilywhites have a replacement in mind.

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According to the reliable source, the Morocco international is being targeted by Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici but the move hinders on Ndombele’s exit out of the club before January 31.

Sharing an update, another Italian journalist in Conterio has relayed what he knows.

The Latest: Amrabat signing ‘about to materialize’…

The TMW chief editor, taking to Twitter, says that Amrabat’s ‘farewell’ from La Viola to Spurs is ‘about to materialise’ with both clubs currently working to agree a loan with the obligation to buy.

In the TMW piece, it is claimed that the player has said ‘yes’ to a move with a deal now ‘close’.

The Verdict: Exciting news…

As Conte seeks to guide Spurs into a top four place, news of Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy backing him with multiple transfers comes as really encouraging.

Many names, like Ndombele, Dele Alli and Matt Doherty, are linked to leaving whilst the club have also set their sights on the likes of Adama Traore and Amrabat.

It appears that Tottenham are working towards a long-needed overhaul, perhaps indicating they are ready to try and back Conte and finally get back to the heights achieved under former coach Mauricio Pochettino.

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

Manchester United have not made any moves in the transfer window so far in terms of new additions but have been linked with a host of players in various positions, with the appointment of Ralf Rangnick building hope of a change in direction for the club as they seek their first trophy since 2017.

The club have had another disappointing season, struggling to get comfortable in the top four, winning just nine of their first 19 league games, but they have had a good run so far under Rangnick since he joined the club in November.

The German went unbeaten in his first five Premier League games and the team picked up 10 points out of a possible 15 in their last five games prior to this evening’s clash at Aston Villa. That has put them in a more competitive position for the remainder of the season as they chase a Champions League qualifying place.

The squad has shown weaknesses during disappointing performances this season, most recently in their 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier this month, and Rangnick will need to identify the areas which can be improved over the coming months within his squad.

One player who has been linked with the Red Devils during this transfer window is Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger, who has been an outstanding performer for the Champions League holders this season, and now it seems that he has attracted the attention of the Manchester club.

Rio Ferdinand 2.o

The German defender, who is out of contract in the summer, has won 78% of his aerial duels and helped Chelsea to keep eight clean sheets this season, with the 6 foot 2 beast also scoring three goals and providing four assists in all competitions so far, proving he is effective both defensively and offensively.

This diversity in his play from the centre-back position is similar to that of United legend Rio Ferdinand, who also used his pace and ability to read games and dictate play both in his defensive and progressive actions, as well as leadership qualities in the backline which earned him legendary status at Old Trafford.

If the £31.5m-rated Chelsea gem were to join the Red Devils, Ferdinand would definitely approve too, as the ex-United star claimed that Rudiger “isn’t getting beaten” in his position. Speaking on his podcast last year, the 43-year-old gushed: ‘He isn’t getting beaten by no one at the moment the way that he’s on it and he’s concentrating.’

Rangnick will have a challenge on his hands if he plans to sign the defender from Stamford Bridge this summer, as many other clubs are interested in securing his signature – including Chelsea themselves, who have also opened contract talks with the player and his agent over the last few days.

It’s clear from the praise and statistics above that Rudiger is a sublime defender, so the United boss must do everything he can to bring the 28-year-old to Old Trafford.

In other news: Alex Crook gives an update on this potential Man Utd signing