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It has been reported recently in The Athletic that Southampton are willing to let Michael Obafemi leave in the January transfer window, should they agree a deal which suits both parties, meaning he could be allowed to leave on loan or permanently.

The Irishman has struggled for game time for the Saints this season, with Ralph Hasenhuttl rarely deviating from his front two of Che Adams and Danny Ings.

Even when Ings has been sidelined through injury, the Austrian manager has preferred loan signing Theo Walcott up front, whilst it seems as if youngsters Dan N’Lundulu and Nathan Tella have both moved ahead of Obafemi in the Saints pecking order.

As a result, he has made just one substitute appearance in the Premier League so far this season, which will undoubtedly be disappointing for the 20-year-old when you consider that last season saw him make 21 appearances in the top-flight.

Hasenhuttl has criticised the youngster’s professionalism in the past, saying:

“The problem with Michael was always he would play one good game and then fall back a little bit and was not professional enough to force or keep his position in the team or in the squad.”

However, he has still shown himself as capable of being a threat in the Premier League, having contributed four goals and three assists in 29 appearances in the top-flight.

With Ings now sidelined after picking up a hamstring injury, you would hope that Obafemi would be given an opportunity to impress in the Saints’ upcoming fixtures, instead of goal-shy 33-year-old Shane Long, who started the Boxing Day fixture against Fulham.

Unless Obafemi can impress Hasenhuttl with his work rate in training, however, he is unlikely to be selected to replace Ings. The England international has proved to be a constant threat with his pressing in recent seasons, something which Obafemi hasn’t really shown so far in his time with the club.

The Republic of Ireland international is still just 20-years-old though and considering his contract is set to run until 2022, Martin Semmens and the Southampton board shouldn’t rush into a decision on the youngster in January, simply because he isn’t featuring as much in the first-team this season.

A loan move would perhaps be sensible, to ensure that Obafemi’s progress isn’t stifled too much, as they could definitely end up regretting selling the £4.05 million rated forward, as he showed enough last season to prove he can be a part of this Saints squad in the future.

Certainly, with Ings’ future still hanging in the balance, with the former Liverpool man yet to agree a new contract with the club, it would make even less sense to let Obafemi leave permanently, as the youngster could well prove to be the natural successor to Ings, provided he can start to show a bit more professionalism and prove to Hasenhuttl that he deserves to start.

It will be interesting to see whether the 20-year-old gets his chance in the Southampton first-team in the coming weeks but even if he doesn’t, the South Coast club shouldn’t allow him to leave permanently in the January transfer window.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl must make a brutal decision on “unbelievable” ace not good enough for the PL…

Kevin Phillips believes that Glasgow Rangers goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin will be regretting his move to Ibrox in the summer.

McLaughlin regretting switch

The 32-year-old made the move to the Gers from Sunderland during the summer on a free transfer. So far this campaign, he has made ten appearances in all competitions, keeping nine clean sheets. Allan McGregor, though, remains Steven Gerrard’s number one shot-stopper.

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips says he believes McLaughlin will wish he stayed with The Black Cats. He said:

“It is a tough one for McLaughlin.

“When a huge club like Rangers come calling it is very hard to turn them down but any player in his situation will know that he needs to be playing football.

“The Euros are fast approaching and he will think he has got an opportunity of getting into that squad. But he needs to play football to cement his place in Steve Clarke’s plans.

“I think he will have a slight regret because if he was at Sunderland he would of course be playing week in, week out.

“Come January he might try and get a loan move somewhere because he will want to play regular football to keep his place in that Scotland squad.”

Long-term plus

Of course, McLaughlin would rather be playing every week than playing second fiddle to McGregor, who is 38 years old, and the back-up option has proven that he is more than reliable between the sticks. However, in the long-term, he should be happier north of the border than in Sunderland.

McGregor does not have too long left in his career, and you would guess that he may even think about hanging up his gloves if the Gers are successful this campaign in their quest for major silverware. McLaughlin should be in the Scotland squad irregardless of what happens this term, and he was always likely to be second choice for the Tartan Army behind David Marshall anyway. With Rangers, he has a real chance of winning trophies in the future, something that would not be the case in the north-east of England. Called “impressive” by Portsmouth’s Jamal Lowe last season, he certainly has the ability to play a big role for Gerrard.

For McLaughlin, it is about biding his time and remaining patient. For that, he will most likely be rewarded.

In other news, Rangers eye move for this Champions League man.

It’s been a rough first half of the season for Arsenal, and speculation over Mikel Arteta’s future as manager is mounting.

The Gunners are in the midst of their worst start to a league campaign for a number of decades, and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup in mid-week with ease by Manchester City.

And with Chelsea next up for them in the Premier League on Boxing Day, the north London side could be staring at yet more festive disappointment.

Arteta will surely have to make some big calls and key changes to liven up his team, and with that in mind, below is a look at how they might line up against Frank Lampard’s Blues.

After making the controversial call to leave him out of the quarter-final against City, Arteta will no doubt bring Bernd Leno back into the starting line-up, and hope that the German can bring a bit more calmness to the Gunners back-line.

The likes of Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney should also all return to the first-team, with the trio among those names rested in mid-week – only Gabriel should keep his place, having served his one-match suspension against Everton last weekend.

In midfield, Mohamed Elneny hasn’t quite the heights like he did against Manchester United in Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Old Trafford, and the Egyptian could make way for Granit Xhaka.

One of the more surprising omissions from Tuesday night was Reiss Nelson, and the England U21 international will surely be hoping that was because Arteta sees him as a potential starter against Chelsea.

And having made his comeback against City, Gabriel Martinelli will look to give Arsenal an extra edge in attack as long as he shakes off the knock he picked up in the Carabao Cup.

Predicted XI: Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Xhaka, Ceballos, Saka; Nelson, Lacazette, Martinelli.

Celtic’s year has been an absolute whirlwind.

Because of the current pandemic surrounding us, the Scottish season was curtailed early. Thus, the Hoops took home the league title because of their emphatic lead at the top of the table.

Since then, they’ve had aspirations of winning a tenth-successive domestic crown. That, however, looks a far-fetched dream, mainly because Rangers have gone 11 points clear.

To be that far behind their rivals has been unthinkable in the last decade but it’s clear that not everything has been done right in 2020.

On the transfer front, things have also been largely unimpressive. The Hoops missed out on the likes of Joe Hart, Ivan Toney and Fraser Forster in the summer but we want to focus on someone they failed to sign in January.

Nearly 12 months ago it was reported that Celtic had been offered the chance to sign Ian Poveda at Manchester City. Lo and behold, Nick Hammond failed to get his cheque book out and he signed for Leeds United instead.

The pacey prodigy started just once last season so initially, it didn’t look like a loss. However, Poveda’s vibrant cameos from the substitutes bench in 2020/21 lead us to believe he would have added a great deal to Celtic’s side.

Of course, the vast majority of their problems lie in defence but Celtic aren’t exactly as free-scoring as they were last year, failing to find the net against Ross County last weekend.

Although Poveda is yet to score a goal for Leeds, he resembles the qualities that Daniel Arzani showed for Celtic. Both diminutive wingers with tricky abilities, the Australian unfortunately had an injury-hit spell in Glasgow and played just twice.

Hoops supporters didn’t get a clear inkling of his ability but he is a superb dribbler, just like Poveda, someone who could have made up for the loss of Arzani when he returned to Manchester City.

Both have come through the academy at City and given the technical attributes they possess, it’s clear to see why.

According to Twenty3, Arzani has managed 13.85 successful dribbles per 90 minutes for FC Utrecht in the Netherlands. On the other hand, Poveda has registered 9.61 over the same metric.

In terms of touches in the opposing penalty area, the Leeds winger is ahead by quite the distance – 5.56 v 1.15. Coincidentally, they are vastly similar when it comes to the number of accelerations they make over an average of 90 minutes. Arzani has 3.46 compared to Poveda’s haul of 3.03.

Considering Poveda was acquired on a free transfer, you can’t help but feel as though Hammond and Celtic missed a trick here.

After all, Pep Guardiola once said the 20-year-old had an “incredible power to develop.”

He is one that undoubtedly got away.

Meanwhile, Celtic could fix their HUGE Scott Brown problem in the following way…

Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani has claimed that Celtic submitted a second bid before he decided to stay in Italy.

Rrahmani snubs Paradise

The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Parkhead for the past 18 months, dating back to the summer of 2019 before he moved to the Serie A side for £12.6m from Hellas Verona, but was loaned back to Gli Scaligeri for the 2019/20 campaign (via TransferMarkt).

Rrahmani made 35 appearances in his debut season in Italy and is yet to make a first-team outing for his new club. But the Hoops ultimately missed out, not just on one occasion.

Cited by the Daily Record, Rrahmani revealed that Lennon was interested in his services, but explained why he decided to stay in Naples as opposed to joining up with Celtic and the Irish tactician.

“Napoli have invested a lot in me,” he said. “I had offers from Celtic and Standard Liege but in the end, I chose to sign for Napoli. This is the most important step of my career.

“They had a strategy to sell (Kalidou) Koulibaly but the coronavirus changed the scenario. I’ve been told that I’m still an important member of the squad and that my time will come soon.”

Transfer Tavern take

Rrahmani would have definitely bolstered Lennon’s defensive assets, and certainly looks the part. Winning two league titles in Croatia and gaining experience in the Europa League shows why Celtic were interested in him.

In the end, Shane Duffy made the move on loan from Brighton and had started well before some recent bad form, scoring twice from his first seven league games (Whoscored).

If the Irishman can perform at a consistent level for the Bhoys, Rrahmani will not be missed by the Parkhead faithful.

In other news, pundit warns ‘disinterested’ Celtic star who could be doing a Ntcham.

After making his return from injury on Sunday afternoon, Sean Longstaff showed exactly why he simply has to be one of the first names on the team-sheet for Newcastle.

It was only just a couple of months ago that Steve Bruce laid down the gauntlet to his midfielder, insisting that he’s still got some way to go to recapture his best form.

He said: “Sean is in the last two years of his contract – we all know what capabilities he’s got he’s got to show it more often and more regularly. He’s got a lot of work to do, but he’s got healthy competition around him.”

But with his return to fitness, and Jonjo Shelvey being ruled out with injury, Longstaff had his opportunity to impress against Everton. And he didn’t disappoint in their Premier League clash.

Whilst Callum Wilson was the Magpies’ match-winner with two goals to secure all three points at St James’ Park, it was Longstaff’s midfield display that really set the tone for Bruce’s side.

As per Sofascore, his 7.3 match rating was the joint-second highest of any Newcastle player, only behind Wilson. And when you look at the underlying numbers behind his performance, it’s no surprise to see why.

Defensively, he stuck to his task well, making two tackles, one clearance and winning three duels. But it was his work on the ball that really caught the eye for Newcastle.

He boasted an impressive 88% pass accuracy, whilst he was also one of their most creative forces on the day as well, providing a team-high two key passes.

Not to mention the fact that he also completed three of his four attempted crosses, and found the mark with five of his seven long balls. That all led to The Chronicle journalist, Mark Douglas, to rave that Longstaff was enjoying his “best game for a while” on Twitter.

With Shelvey out of action for the foreseeable future, Longstaff surely has to keep his place in the starting line-up for the weeks ahead.

Overall, Celtic enjoyed a rather fruitful summer transfer window as Neil Lennon brought in no fewer than six new additions.

The likes of Vasilis Barkas, David Turnbull, Alban Ajeti, Shane Duffy, Diego Laxalt and the returning Mohamed Elyounoussi all walked through the door at Parkhead.

However, the Hoops chief did fail to clinch one of his mooted targets with Hammers winger Robert Snodgrass nearly joining the club on deadline day.

The Glasgow Times claimed that a move for the 33-year-old, who is a Bhoys supporter himself, hinged on whether or not the defending Scottish champions could ship out “one or two” players.

In reality, Lennon could probably have done with another wing option, especially if he ever wants to revert back to the 4-2-3-1 he sometimes deploys as the squad depth out there is particularly poor.

On the left, it’s only really Elyounoussi with Mikey Johnston still out through injury whilst on the right, it’s James Forrest’s position to lose with Ryan Christie being able to play wide on the odd occasion.

So it’s not really a surprise to see Lennon opt for a 3-5-2 recently and even less of a surprise to see he wanted Snodgrass.

But now that’s out of the question – until January at least – perhaps the 49-year-old should look to the academy setup and he may well stumble across Cameron Harper, who could be worth unleashing as a back-up choice.

Karamoko Dembele isn’t the only generational talent hiding amongst the Parkhead ranks.

Speaking to Celtic TV last year, the 18-year-old American said: “I feel like I’m quite dangerous, I feel like I’m an exciting player. If I get the ball I can make things happen. So I like to get the ball in dangerous areas and I feel like something in the front three is where I am going to make the most impact.”

Capped at U20 level for USA, Harper could continue his upward trajectory if he’s handed the opportunity to do so by Lennon.

Given the injuries suffered to Ajeti and Odsonne Edouard, his versatility to play all three positions in attack as well at wingback, which could be a valuable threat as the congested campaign rumbles on.

AND in other news, Celtic must secure £5m speed demon who’s a nightmare for defenders in January…

Celtic skipper Scott Brown is on the wrong side of 30 and won’t be around forever, but their reported move to find his successor could have Neil Lennon on the verge of one major mistake…

What’s the word?

According to 90min, the Scottish giants have set their sights on Crystal Palace midfielder James McCarthy as the heir to the captain’s throne.

It’s claimed that the Hoops have concerns over the 35-year-old’s ability to see out the season and would like to recruit a replacement sooner rather than later.

McCarthy is their primary target with Brown’s contract set to expire in a year’s time.

Brown heir

Whilst it is a rather smart decision to try and find a new midfielder to take the legend’s reins, Nick Hammond could be on the wrong path with the 29-year-old Eagles ace.

Celtic are staring down at a historic season as they attempt to retain the Scottish Premiership for a tenth successive season and despite starting every match, Brown’s lack of mobility and pace has been a cause for concern.

But McCarthy shouldn’t be the man to take his position as he’s a pretty average midfielder. This season, the Irishman averaged 2.5 tackles, 0.5 key passes and 0.2 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

Since 2014 in the Premier League, he’s only provided a total of three assists, so it would be a rather baffling move. McCarthy only joined Selhurst Park last summer for £8.5m and is known to be a boyhood Celtic supporter.

Maybe the club should put more faith in Olivier Ntcham instead and save themselves a substantial eight-figure fee. The Bhoys midfielder is a wanted man in the PL, but at just 24, he would be the better long-term option in the role.

Dubbed a “class act” by Roy Hodgson, McCarthy must be avoided at least until the Frenchman is given a proper chance to impress at Celtic Park.

It could save the club millions in the transfer market, something that would be wise given the report claims the champions would need to sell before they buy.

AND in other news, Celtic could be planning for life after Ajer with swoop for 6 foot 4 colossus…

Leighton Clarkson has put pen to paper and committed his future to Liverpool Football Club.

As reported by the club, the 18-year-old has signed a new long-term contract after coming through the ranks of the academy. Clarkson has been a product of Liverpool since he was just seven and finally went on to make his senior debut earlier this season.

The defensive midfielder has played for both the U18s and U23s this campaign, as well as notching two appearances for the first team. Clarkson has four assists to his name this season and has no doubt added himself to the list of youngsters looking to their chance to impress Jurgen Klopp next term (via Transfermarkt).

Loads of Liverpool fans have flocked to the club’s post to show their support for the teenager’s big announcement. One supporter has sarcastically deemed Clarkson as ‘better than [Mason] Greenwood’ whilst another has replied with ‘FSG in’ as a tongue-in-cheek jibe towards the fans who have been slamming Fenway Sports Group recently over the lack of transfer action.

Read more replies from the Anfield faithful here:

Do you think Leighton Clarkson should be given more senior game time next season? Join the discussion in the comments below!

Jose Mourinho is growing increasingly confident that Tottenham Hotspur can sign Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma this summer, according to the Daily Express. 

While Zouma has fought his way back into contention at Stamford Bridge, Frank Lampard is still looking to sign a new centre-back in the summer. He has pinned all of his hopes on signing West Ham’s Declan Rice and, if the former Chelsea academy player arrives at Stamford Bridge, Zouma could be sacrificed in his place.

Both Spurs and the Blues have obvious problems at the back, as they have conceded more goals than Arsenal, Premier League newcomers Sheffield United and newly-crowned champions Liverpool this season.

Mourinho is a massive fan of the Frenchman and has made no attempt to hide his open admiration (Sky Sports). He brought Zouma to the Premier League in the first place after signing him from Saint-Etienne back in 2014 (BBC Sport).

The Portuguese has made it clear that the 25-year-old is one of his top priorities in the summer. However, Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, who has previously managed Chelsea, has tagged Zouma as a possible target. The Daily Express claimed that Spurs and the Toffees have hit a stumbling block, as the Blues value the Frenchman at £25m.

Zouma enjoyed a loan spell at Everton in 2018/19, but Mourinho’s relationship with the French international could still play a part in negotiations. As it stands, he could certainly be an upgrade on the Tottenham defence at the moment, as he has earned a higher WhoScored rating than any of Spurs’ defensive options so far this season.

While Daniel Levy has made it clear that he will not be spending ‘rivers of money’ in the summer, Zouma could be a shrewd signing to make as, given his young age of 25, he surely has plenty of time left in his career to continue to learn and develop.

Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sign Kurt Zouma in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!