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An update has emerged regarding Aston Villa’s interest in Norwich midfielder Todd Cantwell.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, Villa are currently working on a deal to sign the Canaries attacking midfielder. Johan Lange is pushing to sign the England under-21 international for a ‘sizeable’ fee, although no specific figures are mentioned.

It was reported earlier this week that it would take between £40m and £50m for Norwich to part ways with Cantwell this summer, having already sold Emi Buendia to Dean Smith’s side.

Nightmare

Lange must avoid a transfer nightmare with Cantwell this month. It would be a mistake for the club to pay up to £50m for the midfielder this summer, as it would be a significant overpayment for his services.

He is valued at £19.8m by Transfermarkt, whilst his former teammate Buendia’s value is listed as £31.5m following his £34.56m move to Villa earlier in the window. This suggests that he is not worth anywhere near as much as the Argentine, which is why Lange must not pay £15m more for Cantwell than he did for Buendia.

There is also the question of where the 23-year-old would fit in. Dean Smith currently has Anwar El-Ghazi, Bertrand Traore, Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins at his disposal in attack. Watkins, Ings and El Ghazi all hit double figures for goals in the Premier League, whilst Bailey scored nine in the Bundesliga and Buendia managed 15 goals and 16 assists in the Championship.

Meanwhile, Cantwell scored six goals and set up another six in the second tier for the Canaries. This suggests that he may not be a better option than any of the aforementioned players, which means that he could only be a back-up at Villa Park next season.

His former Norwich coach Gary Cockaday called his talent God-given when speaking to The Athletic in October, saying: “Todd looked at one of them in the eye, put his toe under the ball, flicked it back over his head, turned and he was gone. All without looking at the ball.

“He did things every week that were just special. It was God-given. No one taught it. I always believed if you had someone like that, don’t change them or make them conform.”

Whilst Cantwell may have talent and have the potential to improve further, Villa should not be paying £50m for a player who could be sat on their bench for the majority of the campaign. If the price was significantly lower then it may be a different discussion, but that does not appear to be the case here.

AND in other news, “Going nowhere”: Journalist drops big Aston Villa transfer update, fans will be fuming…

A promising update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Lille centre-back Sven Botman in the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Whilst linking to an article from his colleague Simon Jones, Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has provided an update on the situation, tweeting: “Newcastle remain in contact with Lille over defender Sven Botman.”

This comes after The Athletic reported earlier this week that the deal is all but dead and the defender is poised to remain in France until the end of the season.

Excitement for Eddie Howe

This news will surely leave Eddie Howe feeling excited, as it leaves the door open for Newcastle to sign Botman before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month. It shows that the Magpies have not given up on a move for the 22-year-old just yet and are continuing to attempt to change Lille’s stance in order to bring in the centre-back.

Howe will be delighted with this, as the Dutchman could be an excellent addition to his squad in an area where the Magpies are in desperate need of strengthening. Only Norwich (44), who have played an extra game, have conceded more goals than Newcastle (42) in the Premier League this season, so they could need to resolve their defensive issues before they start to think about avoiding relegation.

Federico Fernandez’s SofaScore rating of 6.77 leads the Newcastle squad in terms of centre-backs this season, whereas Botman has averaged a score of 7.02 for Lille in Ligue 1. The former Ajax man also helped his side to win the league title whilst keeping 20 clean sheets in the French top division last term, showing that he can be a part of a successful defence.

This shows that the youngster could come in and improve the team in the short-term by putting in consistently high-quality performances, if he is able to translate his form from France over to England. He could also have a significant impact in the long-term, as he has plenty of potential left in him at the age of just 22.

Howe could get excited about this possible deal as he could have the opportunity to work with Botman on the training pitch in order to help him develop his game. The former Bournemouth boss could enjoy watching the Dutchman improve as a player over time, whilst also enjoying his displays on the pitch in the shorter-term.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Newcastle United transfer update, fans will be buzzing…

With Liverpool wingers Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah contributing to 16 out of the 31 Premier League goals that Jurgen Klopp’s side have managed to score so far this season, there’s no denying that the duo are incredibly important for the Anfield side from an attacking point of view.

Taking this into account, it appears that the Merseyside club could be looking to bring in a familiar face to the squad that could compete with Mane and Salah for a place in the team.

What’s the news?

It has recently been claimed by journalist Ekrem Konur that Liverpool could be set to put in an offer for Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling amidst recent uncertainty around his future at the Manchester club.

Before joining City back in the 2015 summer transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £49m from Liverpool, the winger racked up a total of 129 senior appearances for the Reds across all competitions in which he managed to score 23 goals and provide 25 assists in the process.

During his time with Pep Guardiola’s side, the 26-year-old, who is currently valued at £81m according to Transfermarkt, has scored 116 goals and provided 89 assists in 307 appearances across all competitions, winning 11 trophies along the way.

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So far this season, Sterling, who been labelled as an “exceptional” player by Guardiola, has only started six of the 13 appearances he’s made for City across all competitions, which has led to speculation over his future with the Citizens.

In terms of a potential move back to Liverpool, if current sporting director Michael Edwards could secure Sterling’s signature for a transfer fee around or below the fee that the Reds picked up for him back in 2015, this could be his final transfer masterclass at the Merseyside club before leaving his position in the summer.

After all, if you consider the goals, assists and trophies that Sterling has racked up during his time away from Anfield, he would be an incredibly valuable asset to have.

However, if Sterling does end up back at Liverpool in a few months time, it would be hard to see him starting ahead of the likes of Mane and Salah on a regular basis given how important the pair have proven themselves to be in recent years. That said, Sterling would provide some useful attacking depth given his experience and skill set, attributes that could take the Reds towards another domestic title.

In other news: Edwards must seal dream Liverpool swoop for 41-cap demon who’s “got everything” – opinion

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes that Leeds United winger Jack Harrison could play as a wing-back for the north London club.

The Lowdown: Good season for Harrison

The 25-year-old has enjoyed a decent campaign since being unveiled as a permanent Leeds player, having initially joined the club on loan in 2018.

The winger has gone on to establish himself as a mainstay in Jesse Marsch’s team, having featured in the starting XI in five of the new manager’s six games in charge. Moreover, he has made a telling impact under the American at Elland Road, netting three goals in his last three matches.

As a result, The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath has reported that Tottenham are interested in signing Harrison in the summer transfer window.

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The Latest: Robinson’s claim on Harrison…

Robinson, who regularly features as a pundit for Sky Sports, believes that whilst Harrison could perform as a wing-back for Antonio Conte at Tottenham, the 25-year-old would be better off remaining at Elland Road.

Speaking with Football Insider, the ex-Spurs goalkeeper claimed: “He is capable of playing that role, 100 per cent.

“The question is, would he want to? I’m sure he sees himself more as a goalscoring winger or midfielder.

“When you look at him, you ask the question – is he of the level required for Spurs? They want to push on and compete with the top four. Would Jack fit into that?

“Would he play week in, week out? I don’t think so. He is better off where he is if you ask me. He is building his career at Leeds and is playing every week. I question whether he would be a starter at Spurs.”

The Verdict: Difficult decision

If Harrison is offered the chance to join Tottenham, this could prove a difficult decision to make. With Spurs making a strong late push for a top-four finish, the Englishman could see himself playing in the Champions League next season with a move to north London.

Everton manager Frank Lampard clearly believes that the 25-year-old is up to the task, having hailed him as “one of the best wingers in the league”.

However, whether he can perform at the same level as a wing-back is yet to be seen. In 225 career club appearances, Harrison has only played in defence once, so this prospective transfer could be a gamble for both him and Spurs.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops Dejan Kulusevski transfer claim

Paul Joyce has now revealed some exciting Everton news involving Ashley Cole.

The Lowdown: Cole talks

Sky Sports have reported (via Football Daily) that the Goodison Park faithful have now started talks to reunite Frank Lampard with his former Chelsea and England international teammate Cole as part of his backroom staff, with a decision set to be made soon.

Of course, the retired left-back also played under Lampard at Derby County, and so it is no surprise that the new Toffees manager is looking for Cole to join him on Merseyside.

The Latest: Everton ‘confident’

Taking to Twitter, The Times journalist Joyce has revealed that the Blues are now ‘confident’ that Cole will join Lampard as part of his backroom team:

“Everton confident Ashley Cole will join Frank Lampard’s backroom team.”

The Verdict: Exciting

These are certainly exciting times ahead for Evertonians, as with the deadline day signings of Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United respectively, they now look set to bring in Cole to work alongside Lampard.

Aside from his playing career, the 41-year-old has earned his coaching merits with Chelsea’s youth side and England’s U21s. Sky Sports pundit Jamie O’Hara, who did his UEFA coaching badges with Cole, claimed that he was ‘fantastic’.

Nonetheless, if Lampard was not a big name to get excited about already, EFC fans can now add Cole into that mix.

In other news, find out what big Everton transfer update Fabrizio Romano has revealed here!

An update has emerged on Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, regarding Newcastle’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are lining up a January swoop to sign the midfielder as they look to strengthen their options in the middle of the park.

The report claims that he could cost a fee in the region of £15m, with Newcastle believing that he can add energy to their team.

Fans would love him

PIF must ensure that they are able to secure a deal for Nakamba in the January transfer window. They must splash out the £15m required to sign him in order to strengthen the squad, with the defensive midfielder a potentially excellent addition to the side.

Nakamba is a hard-working player who the Newcastle fans would love to watch in action in their midfield. He puts himself about and chips in with important defensive interventions, averaging an impressive 4.5 tackles and interceptions combined per match throughout his career.

Along with his fine defensive statistics, he has also completed 90% of his passes in the Premier League this season after averaging a success rate of 84.2% across his first two campaigns in the division. This shows that he is able to retain the ball after winning it back off the opposition.

Dean Smith’s comments on Nakamba upon his arrival at Villa Park highlight this. The manager hailed him being impressive with the ball at his feet, saying:

“Marvelous fits the criteria of the type of player we were looking for.

“He’s very mobile, he’s very good in possession and he will fit in with our style of play.”

Therefore, supporters would love the £34k-per-week beast as he has shown that he can play to a decent level in the top-flight and be a reliable operator. At £15m, he could be a bargain addition to the team and add some steel to the midfield, improving Newcastle’s defence whilst still having a player in the engine room who is capable of passing the ball efficiently.

This is why PIF must secure a swoop for the midfielder in January. The fans could be buzzing with this shrewd piece of business, with this deal potentially getting the ball rolling as the new owners attempt to bolster the entire squad in the next window.

AND in other news,  PIF must avoid first NUFC blunder over £20m “mentality monster”, fans would be fuming…

JustJoe Football Show host Joe Wainman believes Leeds United have found their Conor Gallagher alternative in Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill.

Leeds had been interested in signing Gallagher on loan from Chelsea but were beaten to the punch by Crystal Palace.

It leaves manager Marcelo Bielsa needing to look elsewhere if he still wants to bring in a new midfielder before the transfer window closes.

And according to TEAMtalk, that elsewhere could be Burnley and Brownhill, with the outlet recently claiming that Leeds have made an enquiry about the player.

On the Yorkshire club’s reported interest in Brownhill, Wainman told TT:

“I think he’s very much in the mould of someone who can get up and down the pitch, box to box, a bit like Conor Gallagher, a bit like Lewis O’Brien.

“When I initially saw the Brownhill link, I thought maybe it was a bit of a ploy to push through the Lewis O’Brien deal at Huddersfield, but we’re still no further along with that. But it’s clear that Leeds are looking at that type of midfielder.”

Certainly, with links to Gallagher, O’Brien and now Brownhill, it does look like Bielsa is keen to add another midfielder to his squad.

Brownhill, though, is such an important player for Burnley, featuring in just over 35 appearances in all competitions for them last season. Will they be willing to sell him so late in the window?

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Glasgow Rangers head into Thursday evening’s Europa League tie safe in the knowledge that they have already secured a place for the Ibrox side in the knockout stages of the competition.

As such, with nothing at stake aside from pride, the fixture against Olympique Lyonnais presents the 46-year-old Gers manager with a perfect opportunity to heavily rotate his side, allowing a number of his peripheral squad members some much-needed game time.

Subsequently, this means that a plethora of Rangers’ regular starters must make way, with centre-forward Alfredo Morelos appearing to be a prime candidate for the chop on Thursday evening.

Van Bronckhorst must axe Morelos

Since making the move to Ibrox back in 2017, Morelos has gone on to become an incredibly important part of the Rangers first-team setup, scoring a highly impressive 104 goals and registering 46 assists over his 207 appearances for the club.

This season has been no different, with the £10.8m-rated striker having already bagged five goals, provided three assists and created two big chances over his 14 Premiership appearances, as well as taking an average of 4.1 shots – the highest number of any player in the top flight – and making 1.6 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the 25-year-old who Willy Irwin dubbed an “incredible” talent average a SofaScore match rating of 7.14, ranking him as Gers’ sixth-best performer in the league.

It has been a similar case over the Colombia international’s five outings in the Europa League this term, with the £33k-per-week hitman notching two goals and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.16, ranking him as his side’s second-best player in Europe.

However, it is exactly because of Morelos’ fine form that Van Bronckhorst must ruthlessly axe the centre-forward against Lyon.

With the striker being just one yellow card away from suspension in the Europa League, it is not worth running the risk of fielding the player who the Dutch manager claimed can always “create danger” in the dead rubber on Thursday, as he could subsequently miss the much more important first-leg of Rangers’ knockout tie next February.

In other news: GVB must unleash Rangers’ “powerful” £17k-p/w “big talent” v Lyon, he’s a game-changer

Flocking to Twitter, many Crystal Palace fans bemoaned the performance of star Wilfried Zaha as their side succumbed to a 1-0 loss against Leeds United on Tuesday evening.

Patrick Vieira’s men, looking to record a first win since back-to-back victories against Man City and Wolves a month ago, left Elland Road disappointed thanks to some late drama.

The Eagles had chances to take control with striker Christian Benteke missing two big opportunities – first heading wide of the mark from close range and then seeing another late effort gathered by keeper Illan Meslier just before it crossed the goal line.

Palace were made to pay for their lack of ruthlessness when defender Marc Guehi’s handball gifted Leeds a penalty in added-time, with star man Raphinha going on to coolly slot home the eventual winner.

Palace fans slam Zaha…

As such, Vieira’s side remain just six points off the drop zone as fans took to social media with criticism, sharing their verdicts on winger Zaha in particular.

Some Eagles fans cited what they believe is a lack of form over the last few games whilst others even call for their highest-paid player to be dropped.

According to SofaScore, Zaha ranked in among the lowest-rated Palace players against Leeds with a 6.7/10 – and it appears he endured a tough afternoon against Marcelo Bielsa’s defence.

The 29-year-old won just seven of his 20 ground duels in Yorkshire whilst managing zero shots on target for the whole 90 minutes (SofaScore).

Zaha also gave away possession a seismic 24 times, leaving little wonder why many fans shown their frustration on Twitter.

Find their verdicts down below:

“Time to sell Zaha”

Credit: @SidViscous9

“Zaha hasn’t looked up for it the past 3 games”

Credit: @alfie22345

“He does nothing. Needs to be dropped.”

Credit: @stevebrookstein

“If it was any other player they would be calling for him to be dropped”

Credit: @cam_cpfc

“We have some players who makes stupid decisions at the final third. Ayew ball sense in the box is shocking, Benteke is unreliable and Zaha, slows the game. Sooo frustrating sometimes”

Credit: @ghanaplaylist

“As a Palace fan he’s been poor the last 2 games, earlier in the season he looked like his old self but this week looked like he’s playing for Roy again. Moaning more than looking to play. Hasn’t beat a player in the last games”

Credit: @kenroyben

“Zaha has been poor the last few games, like droppable don’t care if you come for me, it’s just facts”

Credit: @CTuckey99

“Sell Zaha”

Credit: @yeetusse

In other news, find out which injury news had Eagles fuming here!

Steve Howey feels Steve Bruce will have to be frugal in the transfer market due to Newcastle United potentially having a budget of just £15million.

The Magpies’s arbitration case is set to go ahead later this month, although the Premier League have failed to give the club a date.

Should the proposed takeover by the Public Investment Fund be pushed through, having initially been rejected by the Premier League last year, Newcastle would become the country’s richest club with assets worth a reported £320billion.

However, with the case yet to be heard, the Magpies remain under Mike Ashley’s ownership and Bruce does not have quite such extensive sums to play with ahead of the transfer window slamming shut at the end of next month.

While Newcastle were initially looking to secure Joe Willock’s services on a permanent basis following a fruitful temporary spell at the end of last season, the club have now entered talks with Arsenal over another potential loan deal.

Ex-Magpies defender Howey believes Bruce will have to be shrewd.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “Apparently the budget is something like £12-15million. That doesn’t buy you one decent player. Whether it’s in instalments or other ways they can structure deals, I don’t know.

“Without a doubt, there has to be some dealings going on. Ultimately, whoever they get in, they need to do their due diligence on the player because Newcastle just can’t afford to take a punt.”