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Get German Football News editor-in-chief Daniel Pinder believes that RB Leipzig star Marcel Sabitzer would be an excellent signing for Tottenham Hotspur, and has told Football FanCast that he could be a long-term replacement for Christian Eriksen.

Spurs sold Eriksen to Inter Milan in January of last season, banking £16.9m as his contract ran down, but they have yet to truly replace the Denmark international.

The signings of Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele have helped add some guile and hard-running to the midfield but neither of the players are genuine playmakers, as Eriksen was.

Spurs have been heavily linked with a move to sign Sabitzer from RB Leipzig, with the player capable of playing in a wide variety of roles, and Bild, via Sport Witness, report that he’d cost them €42m (£35m).

This season, he has scored seven goals and laid on three assists in 24 appearances in the Bundesliga and Pinder, who is the editor of Get German Football News, thinks he would be a worthy successor to Eriksen.

Indeed, he believes that, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg already in the midfield, he could form an excellent partnership with the Denmark international.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, Pinder said: “I think he’d bring a lot to Tottenham. He’s very similar to Christian Eriksen, he’s that sort of player that Spurs have been missing in midfield.

“During his time at Leipzig, Sabitzer played much further forward but this season he’s played deeper, been creating from deep but with that, he’s very versatile, whether it’s central midfield, attacking midfield, winger, he’s even played striker this season, so I think for Spurs he’d be an excellent signing.

“I think he’d slot straight into that starting XI, and alongside players like Hojbjerg I think that partnership could be a decent pairing in the middle.”

In total, Sabitzer has scored 51 goals and laid on 41 assists in 222 appearances.

Manchester United are reportedly one of several Premier League clubs who have enquired about Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix as the January transfer window fast approaches.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet AS, the Red Devils are interested in securing the highly-rated 22-year-old’s services over the coming months, although there is set to be a four-way tussle for his signature.

The report states that fierce rivals Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle United are also keen to prise Felix away from the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, with the Magpies currently offering the highest fee following their Saudi-backed takeover.

Joao Felix could be outstanding for Man Utd

Felix burst onto the scene during 2018/19 after rising through the ranks at Benfica, scoring 20 goals and providing a further 11 assists in just 43 appearances as he fired the Eagles to the Primeira Liga title.

His outstanding exploits for the capital club saw him claim the Golden Boy award at the end of the year, awarded to the most promising player under the age of 21, seeing off competition from Jadon Sancho and Kai Havertz.

It capped a magnificent year for the Portugal international, who also became the fifth most expensive player in history behind Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele after sealing a €126 million (£113m) switch to Atleti in July 2019.

However, the youngster has struggled to replicate his best form since switching to Spain, replicating his goals and assists output from his Benfica days in over double the number of outings.

Despite his struggles, though, Felix has still shown flashes of his truly world-class potential, with manager Diego Simeone hailing a particularly eye-catching display as “complete”, while Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp dubbed him “outstanding” ahead of a Champions League clash.

But there is no denying the fact that the £63m-rated gem has fallen down Simeone’s pecking order at Los Rojiblancos over the last 18 months.

During Atleti’s title-winning campaign last term, Felix started just 14 La Liga fixtures, and the return of Antoine Greizzman has seen his game time reduced even further this time around, opening the door to an imminent exit.

A fresh start at United under the tutelage of Ralf Rangnick could be the ideal scenario to get Felix’s career back on track then, and there’s no doubt he could flourish once more at Old Trafford due to the German tactician’s reputation with young stars.

And, in other news…Forget Greenwood: Man United beast who won 82% duels took his chance vs Young Boys

Rangers will be looking to quickly wash away the pain of their Old Firm defeat at Ibrox on Sunday as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men return to action tonight.

The Gers are now set to turn their attentions away from the Premiership for now as they face the prospect of a European quarter-final.

They are due to clash with Braga in Portugal in the first leg of the last-eight tie before playing them at Ibrox in the second leg next week.

Rangers will have to do so without their star striker, though, as Alfredo Morelos has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a thigh injury.

Forget Morelos

It is now time to forget about the Colombian, as he will not be playing for a number of months, and thus, they will need to work out how best to replace him.

Kemar Roofe produced a dismal display in his place against Celtic and the ex-Leeds man’s failure at Ibrox should convince van Bronckhorst to start Fashion Sakala through the middle.

The Zambia international has often been deployed out wide but is also capable of playing as a number nine and his physical attributes can make him a match-winning player for the Gers tonight.

Journalist Josh Bunting dubbed him a “danger” and claimed that his energy can make a “real difference” on the pitch for the Gers.

Former Ibrox fullback Alan Hutton has also praised the attacker’s pace and work rate in the past, saying: “He’s like a firework, isn’t he? You just light him and watch him go. He’s one of these players who plays at 100 miles per hour, he takes players on, he’s aggressive, he can get shots off.

“Sometimes you just wish he could slow down, but I think that’ll come with time and experience at a new club. As he plays with these players around him with intelligence – he’ll get on that same page. I like his energy and enthusiasm. He loves playing for Rangers and you can see that when he’s trying hard to score goals.”

These quotes suggest that he has the speed to cause real problems to opposition players. He has the movement to run in-behind and turn defences, which not only creates opportunities for himself but also opens up gaps for the likes of Ryan Kent, Joe Aribo and Aaron Ramsey to exploit.

His seven goals and one assist in nine Premiership starts also shows that he has the quality on the ball to be the difference-maker in the final third. Therefore, he can be a quality option through the middle with his physical and technical attributes.

Van Bronckhorst must axe Roofe and start Sakala to give his team the best chance of coming away from Portugal with a win in Morelos’ absence.

AND in other news, Smith endured big Rangers howler over “world-class” £7.5m gem who was “admired by all”…

Leeds United appear to be closing in on bringing former midfielder Ronaldo Vieira back to Elland Road, according to Italian outlet Club Doria 46.

The Lowdown: Vieira’s injury issues

Marcelo Bielsa has a number of his Leeds United players out through injury at this moment in time, including two of his four midfielders in Kalvin Phillips and Jamie Shackleton.

However, Vieira, once labelled as ‘different class’ by Ian Holloway, has also had his injury issues. The 23-year-old made just four Serie A appearances last season due to hamstring and thigh problems and is yet to turn out for Sampdoria during the 2021/22 season.

Despite this, it seems as if he could be about to move back to the Whites, more than three years after he was sold.

The Latest: Vieira ready to return home

Club Doria 46 provided an update regarding Vieira ahead of the January transfer window, which was relayed by Sports Witness on Wednesday.

They claimed that Vieira is ‘ready to return home’, with a move back to Leeds, owned by Andrea Radrizzani, ‘approaching’.

The report adds that Vieira ‘packs his bags’ ahead of a Sampdoria exit, where Leeds ‘awaits him’.

The Verdict: First January signing?

It seems as if Vieira could well become the club’s first signing of 2022 following this update, but it could well be a risky move due to his injury issues over the last 18 months.

Bielsa needs a midfielder who can come in and hit the ground running in the second half of the season, especially with the Whites short on numbers and flirting with relegation.

Leeds will know all about Vieira’s attributes, however, he’s hardly featured over the last two seasons. Adam Forshaw has proven that you can return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines and become a regular in the Premier League, so should Vieira move back to Yorkshire, the Whites will have everything crossed he can stay fit.

In other news: ‘Unbelievable’ Leeds man may now need an operation after injury and could miss 12 games – expert. 

According to a report by ‘transfer insider’ Dean Jones, writing for Eurosport, West Ham and Southampton have both tentatively enquired over Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham – coming after recent reports suggested that he was on GSB’s radar (ExWHUemployee).

Abraham, who is currently at the centre of a contract debacle at the west London club, with Chelsea apparently unwilling to match his wage requests following recent discussions (ExWHUemployee), could leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

West Ham have made tentative Abraham enquiry

Jones, writing for Eurosport, has followed on from these claims by offering an update – with West Ham having tentatively enquired about his availability along with Southampton.

Building on the reported interest in Abraham, while there has been nothing ‘concrete’ according to Jones, the Hammers are one of only two clubs to enquire over his potential availability.

However, given he is demanding around £120,000-per-week, he could become West Ham’s highest earner if he were to make the move to east London.

Transfer Tavern take

GSB failed to replace Sebastien Haller when he left at the start of January, with the summer window coming as an opportunity to supply much needed strength in depth.

Time will tell who West Ham turn to, but these recent claims indicate Abraham has emerged as a candidate.

Rio Ferdinand once labelled him ‘Drogba-esque’ for a brilliant piece of skill in the Champions League against Lille (BT Sport via the Sun), and if West Ham do end up signing him, Irons supporters may hold hope he can replicate that kind of form.

In other news: West Ham lead the race for this highly rated defender, find out more here.

Signing number one is already through the door for Celtic. On Wednesday afternoon it was confirmed that Liam Shaw would be a Hoops player next term after agreeing on a pre-contract.

Though, they cannot rest on their laurels now.

What’s the word?

This week Airdrie boss Ian Murray had some exciting news for Celtic supporters, confirming that young winger Thomas Robert had spent the last two weeks undergoing a trial at Lennoxtown.

Son of former Newcastle hero, Thomas Robert, the 20-year-old’s stint in Glasgow was a successful one.

In quotes supplied by the Daily Record, Murray said: “I can provide clarity on Thomas being in with Celtic and training with them.

“It’s brilliant for him personally and brilliant for the club because it shows that we are doing something right. It was a no-brainer to let him go on trial with Celtic. It was a chance for Thomas to showcase himself and train with top level players and coaches.”

The Bhoys were first linked with a move for Robert back in December. He has since attracted admirers from Rangers, Aberdeen and Dundee United too.

The youngster is out of contract in the summer so Nick Hammond has a great chance of securing his signature permanently.

Bye-bye Christie

Celtic have made a phenomenal effort in the last few weeks to snap up young talent. Shaw’s imminent arrival testifies that, while attempts are being made to tie down Wigan forward Kyle Joseph.

Robert is the latest player in a long list of potential arrivals, therefore.

However, as exciting as this move would be, it could be bad news for a certain Ryan Christie.

The winger has had a disastrous season at Parkhead, scoring just five times compared to the 20 he netted last term. His performances have been dwindling for a while now; scoring just two goals in his last 25 matches.

He’s had pundits on his way and it wouldn’t be a great surprise if he leaves. Frank McAvennie thinks an exit is on the cards and with Leeds and Arsenal interested during the winter window, he certainly has suitors.

Christie’s performances are only getting worse, putting in a diabolical display at Ross County. He had four attempts on goal that night but failed to convert any of them. The Scotland international even missed a sitter from a matter of yards out.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-hunt-stories-wagner-marsch-martinez-lennon-news” title=”The last stories on Celtic’s hunt for a new manager!”]

Robert might not be too clinical yet either but he’s a promising talent that plays in the same position as the Celtic forward. His four goals this term prove he can find the net and he certainly possesses plenty of energy too.

Murray commented back in December: “He [Robert] showed his class again against Clyde with the corner kick, but it wasn’t just that, in the first half he was excellent, his touches on the ball, his movement, his timing in the releasing of the ball, the way he picked up space, was excellent.”

If you’re looking at the perfect model to replace Christie, that would be it. Robert is a talented forward who is capable of not only playing on the right, but also on the left and in central areas.

On a free transfer, Robert would be a no-brainer for the Bhoys. He may even force Christie out too.

AND in other news, Celtic manager search takes fresh twist; it should be good news for Hoops supporters…

Liverpool will be among the clubs interested in signing West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice when the summer transfer window opens, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown: Contract rebel

A recent report from The Guardian has claimed that the 23-year-old has rejected a third offer a new deal at the London Stadium and is ‘open’ to a move away at the end of the season.

With Rice under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), Hammers boss David Moyes has previously placed a £150m price tag on the England international, who previously came through the Chelsea academy.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-29/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Amidst growing interest from Manchester City and Manchester United, the Reds have now been tipped to show their own admiration for Rice…

The latest: Jones makes Rice transfer claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Liverpool will be weighing up a possible swoop for the 29-cap England ace.

The journalist stated: “Of course, they’re going to be interested in Declan Rice because if Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have had that player on their radar, then you kind of at least have got to consider whether you’re going to need him.”

The verdict: An unnecessary expenditure

Currently, Jurgen Klopp has Fabinho as the only recognised senior defensive midfielder within the Anfield squad, although Jordan Henderson, James Milner and youngster Tyler Morton have all deputised in the role at times this season.

Nonetheless, the powerful Brazilian midfield general has enjoyed a stellar campaign, with five goals and four assists in 44 appearances across all competitions; and despite the lack of natural options in that position, spending anything like the mooted £150m on Rice simply isn’t a realistic prospect for the Reds.

Instead, as the two Manchester clubs potentially do battle for the 23-year-old’s signature, Klopp and incoming Anfield sporting director Julian Ward are more likely to set about pursuing an affordable alternative.

Using the FBRef comparison tool, statistically this term, 21-year-old Nice starlet Khephren Thuram-Ulien is the closest match to Rice, whilst Liverpool’s own Fabinho also appears in the top 10.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a shock move for one player. Find out who it is here.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Celtic look set to miss out on centre-back target Mark McKenzie.

What’s the story?

Reports over the summer had suggested that Neil Lennon’s side were very much interested in signing the USA international, and now, The Philadelphia Inquirer have revealed that the Hoops had a bid rejected for the 21-year-old.

It’s added that McKenzie’s side, Philadelphia Union, have agreed a fee with Belgian top-flight outfit Genk, and a move could be on the cards for next month.

The report states the transfer fee isn’t known yet “but since the Union turned down Celtic’s bid, it’s a safe bet that they’re going to make more money from Genk.”

Lawwell has to intervene

Despite only being 21, McKenzie is already earning rave reviews for his performances, and appears set to enjoy a fine career.

Speaking on The Athletic’s Total Soccer Show, Daryl Grove said: “I love the idea of Mark McKenzie going to Celtic. If you’re not familiar with Mark McKenzie, he really is a great centre-back.

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“He is so good at getting around the other side of you and just getting to the ball first. He’s also really good with the ball, some really nice passing out of the back, and I think, maybe most importantly, he appears to be one of those natural leader-types.”

Described as a “Rolls-Royce of a player”, McKenzie could come straight into Lennon’s starting eleven at Celtic Park and nail down a spot.

Make no mistake about it, Lawwell just has to come back in with an improved bid and pip Genk at the finishing post.

Many West Ham United fans want the club to sign Emiliano Buendia this summer after the Irons were linked with his signature.

This campaign has been a magnificent one for the Hammers. As it stands, they are sixth in the Premier League table and are well in with a chance of clinching a spot in Europe. If they do qualify for European competition, it promises to be a busy summer as David Moyes prepares his squad for the step up in quality.

As such, it is being reported the Irons are interested in Norwich winger Buendia (Sunday Mirror, via HITC). The Argentine has been in terrific form in the Championship so far this term, scoring 14 goals and providing 17 assists in 38 matches (Transfermarkt) – that even saw him named as the league’s best player for 2020/21 (BBC).

Given his displays in the second tier this season, many West Ham fans are eager for him to move to the London Stadium. These supporters took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts, with one calling for the underwhelming Felipe Anderson to be used as a sweetener in any prospective deal.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the Buendia links

“Would love this. Absolute baller”

Credit: @MattDay97

“Come on”

Credit: @oliver90820149

“Give them Felipe Anderson + cash I beg”

Credit: @Jackcoyi

“Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes please”

Credit: @WHUNath8

“YES”

Credit: @Mertins1801

“Agent Lanzini do y’all thang”

Credit: @WestHamUtdFC2

In other news, Frank McAvennie wants the Irons to sign this striker.

Derby County have been handed a huge financial blow following the EFL’s verdict regarding Richard Keogh’s compensation claim.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by The Guardian, Derby will have to pay their former defender £2.3 million after the 34-year-old won both of his appeals to the EFL’s Player Related Dispute Commission and the League Appeals’ Committee regarding his unfair dismissal by Derby for gross misconduct.

An EFL statement read: “The LAC has heard and dismissed an appeal under the regulations of the EFL by Derby against the decision of the PRDC in the case of Richard Keogh. The PDRC held that Mr Keogh had not committed gross misconduct, that he had not brought the club into serious disrepute and that he had been wrongly dismissed by the club.”

Morris disaster

The news regarding Keogh is the latest in a series of blows that fans of Derby have seen their side endure this season, with the club having a miserable Championship campaign on the pitch, seeing the proposed takeover by the Bin Zayed International group fall through and witnessing a second takeover attempt, this time by Spanish football agent Erik Alonso, appearing to also be on the brink of collapse.

Furthermore, it has also been reported that Mel Morris is personally paying the Derby County playing staff’s £1.2 million monthly wages as a result of the club’s dire financial situation.

As such, the fact that the club now owe Keogh a further £2.3 million due to his unfair dismissal is only going to cause more disruption to the running of the Rams – and is something that is likely to leave Wayne Rooney livid, as the money paid to the defender – which is due to a direct result of Morris’ error of judgement – could have been spent on improving the 35-year-old’s squad in the summer transfer window.

All in all, it really has been a miserable season for the Pride Park faithful, who will surely be hoping that their club can sort themselves out in the boardroom, which, in turn, could help the side get back on track on the pitch – although this seems a long way off as things currently stand.

In other news: Alan Nixon delivers encouraging Derby County update, fans will surely be buzzing – opinion