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Leeds United will be aiming to build on what was just their third Premier League victory of the campaign last time out when they welcome Brentford to Elland Road this afternoon.

Raphinha slotted home a 91st-minute penalty against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night to put some daylight between the Whites and the relegation zone. However, Marcelo Bielsa will be desperate for his charges to secure their first consecutive top-flight victories of the campaign when they host the Bees.

In his pre-match press conference, the 66-year-old revealed that Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Patrick Stuijk will be available for selection, providing Leeds with a significant boost as they go in search of a positive result.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects Bielsa to line up to face Brentford, with only one change from the side which featured from the off in midweek…

In goal, Illan Meslier will keep his place between the sticks after making an impressive start to the season, and he’ll be looking to keep just his fourth Premier League clean sheet of 2021/22.

Ahead of the France under-21 international is set to be a back four made up of Stuart Dallas, Liam Cooper, Diego Llorente and Struijk. Summer signing Junior Firpo is yet to settle into life on English shores after arriving from Barcelona back in July, while Robin Koch is still sidelined through injury.

The midfield is likely to feature no alterations after some promising performances of late. Adam Forshaw has made a remarkable return from an extensive injury lay-off, and Kalvin Phillips has slowly been getting back to his best after impressing throughout the European Championship over the summer.

Mateusz Klich should complete the midfield trio, with wingers Dan James and Raphinha supporting lone striker Rodrigo, who comes in for the £5.4m-rated Tyler Roberts after drawing yet another blank against Palace.

In other news… Orta can seal Bielsa’s dream LUFC transfer with “powerful” £9m-rated “real goalscorer” 

Dele Alli and Anwar El Ghazi may not be Everton players next season, if fresh reports are to be believed. 

The lowdown

The Toffees signed Dele from Tottenham on January’s transfer deadline day, while El Ghazi made a loan switch from Aston Villa midway through the month.

Under the terms of the agreement they reached with Spurs, Everton will only have to pay the north Londoners a £10m fee once Dele has made 20 appearances in blue. The fee could rise as high as £40m according to Sky Sports, depending on whether various performance-related add-ons are triggered.

As for El Ghazi, the Toffees negotiated a €10m (£8.4m) purchase option with Villa.

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The latest

Sports journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport that Dele could leave Goodison Park in the summer, stating: “It’s a possibility, if Everton have got that clause in his contract, that they could let him go without having to pay Spurs anything. It would, obviously, save Everton some money if that were to happen.”

Meanwhile, Football Insider reported that the Blues aren’t interested in a permanent deal for El Ghazi, who has ‘struggled to make an impression’ on Frank Lampard and his coaching staff since he joined the Merseyside outfit.

The verdict

This news shouldn’t come as too big a surprise regarding either player.

Dele has yet to start a single game since he arrived at Everton and, if anything, he is falling further down the pecking order. Having come on from the bench in seven straight league matches, he has now been an unused substitute in the last two games.

El Ghazi, who was signed while Rafael Benitez was still in charge at Goodison Park, has barely had a look-in under Lampard. He has played a mere 11 minutes of Premier League football in a blue shirt and may already be considering his next move.

Everton signed five players in January as they looked to turn their season around, but so far it has made little difference – they remain just three points above the relegation zone with 10 matches to play.

In other news, Jonathan Woodgate accuses one Everton star of throwing his toys ‘out the pram’.

Aston Villa have been particularly busy throughout the latest January transfer window in regard to their business deals whether it be bringing new players to the club like Lucas Digne and Philippe Coutinho or moving some of their current ones out on loan such as Wesley and Keinan Davis among others.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent Twitter post from journalist Matt Maher, any incoming transfers at Villa now look “unlikely” to take place before the January transfer window deadline hits.

Now that deadline day has arrived, it seems as though the Midlands club may not need to get any shirts printed for any potential new faces coming through the door.

Maher also added that current Villa players Matt Targett, Jed Steer and Kaine Kesler-Hayden are “set to depart on loan.”

Fans will be gutted

With loan deals made for Coutinho and goalkeeper Robin Olsen, the Villans have also managed to secure permanent deals for Digne on a four-and-a-half-year deal worth a reported fee of £25m, as well as defender Calum Chambers from Arsenal as a free agent on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

This business shows just how much the Villa owners have been willing to back the manager Steven Gerrard as he looks to push the club forward.

Even though their club have been busier than most when it comes to signing new players this month, some Villa fans will be gutted to hear that there may not be a final name through the door on deadline day.

With Villa not managing to sign a central-midfielder as of yet this month after missing out on a deal to sign Rodrigo Bentancur, who has joined fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, it seems as though Steven Gerrard will have to make do with the options he has at his disposal for the time being until the summer transfer window opens.

Moving forward, with Villa currently sitting in 11th place in the Premier League table with 26 points on the board from 21 games played, Gerrard’s side are still in a good place to use their January recruits and attack the remainder of their campaign to try and finish as high up the table as possible, even without any late incoming transfers.

In other news: John Percy drops big deadline day twist at Villa, it would be Lange’s biggest move yet – opinion

Rangers could accept an offer for Brandon Barker in the remaining days of the January transfer window, according to The Daily Record’s Robbie Copeland. 

The lowdown

The Gers picked up the winger from Manchester City’s under-23s back in August 2019. He spent the end of last season on loan at EFL League One outfit Oxford United, and he has only made one appearance for the Light Blues so far in 2021/22, which came in the 4-0 Scottish Cup fourth round win over Stirling Albion last weekend.

His deal at Ibrox is due to expire at the end of May, and there seems to be no prospect of a renewal under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

The latest

Copeland wrote for The Daily Record that there is ‘little hope’ of Barker resurrecting his Rangers career.

The Premiership champions are ‘likely’ to sanction ‘any deal’ which gets a portion of the 25-year-old’s wages off their books until the end of the campaign, as he is currently costing the Ibrox club more than £10,000 per week.

The verdict

It would be wise for Rangers to get Barker off their books. Ideally, they could offload him on a permanent deal and bank a six-figure fee, but failing that, they could save funds by splitting his salary with a loan club.

His former Rangers team-mate Andy Halliday believes that the 25-year-old is capable of hitting ‘unbelievable’ levels when he gets a run of games, but has Barker really earned that opportunity? In his 27 matches for the club, he has only been able to contribute three goals.

In fairness, his return of seven goals and assists for Oxford was reasonable, so maybe there will be more EFL interest before the transfer window closes next week.

In other news, read what some fans made of Barker’s performance in that recent cup tie.

Aston Villa have not been reluctant in bringing new players to the Midlands during the January transfer window, with Lucas Digne, Robin Olsen, Calum Chambers and Philippe Coutinho all making their way to Villa Park in the past few weeks.

However, it appears as though the Villans have put an end to the possibility of one particular deal being struck before the 11pm deadline arrives.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Villa have “decided against pursuing a deal” for Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma this month.

Having been linked with the Mali international earlier this month, with a reported bid of £25m rejected by the Seagulls for their midfielder, it seems as though the Midlands club will not be making any further attempts to try and lure him to Villa Park before the end of the transfer window.

Furthermore, with Brighton reportedly wanting a fee in the region of £50m for Bissouma, this could be a factor as to why Villa have seemingly given up their attempts to sign the 25-year-old after already splashing out £25m to bring in Digne from Everton.

NSWE are taking a big risk

Even though it would take a club-record transfer fee from Villa to sign Bissouma this month, it would be a big risk in the short-term for the club owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris not to secure the Brighton maestro given how Marvelous Nakamba is out of action through injury, and after missing out on signing Rodrigo Bentancur this month as well.

Thinking on a long-term basis, with Bissouma being young but experienced in the Premier League and recent reports casting speculation over the futures of Douglas Luiz and Carney Chukwuemeka, adding the Brighton star to their ranks could be a great investment for the Villans for the foreseeable future.

With that in mind, depending on how Villa’s midfield situation looks at the end of the season, they should definitely try and make a move to bring Bissouma to the Midlands during the summer transfer window, if Brighton would be willing to negotiate a suitable deal for him.

In other news: Gregg Evans drops big AVFC deadline day update which will surely leave fans thrilled

A big Newcastle United update has emerged on Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has revealed that the Magpies are keen on the Mali international heading into the summer transfer window, although he is not the only player in their sights.

Speaking with Football FanCast, Downie said: “I think Bissouma is a player of interest. I think that’s all it is at the moment.

“I think it’s going to be very much like January where they’re looking at a lot of players… a lot of players.”

Supporters will be delighted

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and the club’s supporters will be delighted by this claim, as they would surely love to have Bissouma in the squad for the 2022/23 campaign.

The 25-year-old has been in fine form this season and Brighton reportedly valued him at £50m in January. This shows how highly his current club rate him and his statistics for the Seagulls this term back it up as he has consistently showcased his quality in the middle of the park.

In the Premier League, he has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.06 across 21 matches, making a whopping 5.1 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 59% of his duels.

This is not a flash in the pan from Bissouma either, as he also caught the eye last season. In 2020/21, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.07 in 36 outings – making 4.7 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 59% of his battles – almost identical to his form in the current campaign.

These statistics show that he is a proven Premier League performer, as he has been able to consistently deliver quality displays on the pitch over the past 18 months or so.

Meanwhile, no central midfielder for Newcastle has averaged a Sofascore rating of higher than 6.95 (Bruno Guimaraes) this season in the top flight, while Jonjo Shelvey’s score of 7.04 was the highest in 2020/21.

Therefore, Howe will be delighted by PIF’s interest in signing Bissouma, who would be an upgrade on what the Toon boss currently has at his disposal. The Malian has been able to perform at a higher standard than the likes of Shelvey, Joe Willock and Joelinton, although it is hard to judge Guimaraes considering that he has only been at the Tyneside club for a few months.

At the age of 25, Bissouma also has room to grow and develop even further, and Howe may be eager to help the midfielder fulfill his potential. It is now down to PIF to work their magic…

AND in other news, “I’m hearing..”: Keith Downie drops big Newcastle claim which will infuriate Howe…

Dundee United’s Jeando Fuchs has revealed that he’s been approached by Rangers over a possible transfer.

The lowdown

Fuchs joined United from La Liga club Alaves in October 2020 and has gone on to make 45 appearances to date.

He’s virtually been an ever-present in the line-up this season and boasts averages of 2.3 tackles, two interceptions and 1.4 accurate long balls per 90 minutes – the former of which is more than any Rangers player.

His manager Tam Courts accepts that interest is inevitable given that Fuchs is a ‘top player, not just for us but in this league’ (via The Courier).

The latest

In an interview with Foot Mercato, Fuchs was asked if he’d been the subject of any ‘concrete’ interest.

He replied that ‘there have been contacts from Rangers’ as well as their arch-rivals Celtic, ‘but nothing more’.

The 24-year-old also revealed that there was interest from three EFL teams (Blackpool, Peterborough United and Wigan Athletic), an unnamed Premier League side and Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart.

The verdict: Gerrard plot to inadvertently sink Gers?

One particular name stands out from that lengthy list of interested parties – Stuttgart.

That’s because Steven Gerrard, the former Rangers manager, reportedly has his eyes on their incumbent left-back Borna Sosa.

If Gerrard is successful in efforts to bring Sosa to Villa Park, Stuttgart could in theory move for the £720,000-rated Fuchs as his replacement.

Perhaps when Rangers face Dundee United in less than a fortnight’s time, Giovanni van Bronckhorst will seek to pull Fuchs aside and win him over, but the sheer amount of teams interested in his services could make this a difficult one for the new Gers boss to pull off.

In other news, fans slammed this man’s performance against Dundee FC.

Liverpool trio Trent Alexander-Arnold, Naby Keita and Luis Diaz stole the show as the Reds overcame Benfica 3-1 at the Estadio da Luz in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. 

Jurgen Klopp’s side came away from Portugal with an all-important two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg at Anfield in a week’s time.

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Despite it being far from a vintage Liverpool display, the quadruple-chasing men in yellow were clinical at pivotal moments as the hosts afforded their visitors plenty of opportunities in front of goal. Ultimately goals from Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz and a first for the club for Ibrahima Konate saw Klopp’s side leave Lisbon with a healthy scoreline.

As per stats from Sofascore, whilst some of the usually exemplary stars fell below their best, three players in particular stood out on the night.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.6)

Back in the team following a minor hamstring niggle which ruled the 23-year-old out of contention for England recently, the marauding right-back was certainly back up to speed in Portugal.

Showcasing a sublime range of passing once again, the Liverpudlian completed 55 of his 64 passes (86%) on the night and was so often the man to unlock a well-drilled Benfica backline. Alexander-Arnold provided two key passes –  including one raking ball which led to the second goal – and completed 11 of his 13 long balls.

Not content with an attacking masterclass from full-back, the young defender also proved his defensive acumen with three clearances, one tackle and one interception. While Mane matched his overall rating, the right-back comes third on our list as, unlike the Senegal star who was substituted on the hour, he played almost the entire match.

Naby Keita (7.9)

So often the man to be replaced on the hour mark by Klopp, it was telling that the Guinean was left on the pitch on this occasion as Thiago was instead sacrificed.

The 27-year-old was a pivotal cog in the engine room for the Reds and an impressive all-around display was underpinned by a 102-touch tally for the energetic midfielder – the most by any Liverpool player.

Keita ended the evening with one assist and two key passes to add to a 55.5% ground duel success rate (won 10 out of 18).

Luis Diaz (8.1)

Diaz received the highest rating at the Estadio da Luz from both sides as the Colombian yet again proved to be a superb January transfer window capture.

The 25-year-old was at the heart of everything in an attacking sense from Klopp’s charges and the ex-FC Porto forward marked his return to Portugal with a goal and an assist. Completing three of his six dribble attempts and creating one big chance on a plate delivery for Mane, this was yet another stellar outing from the flying winger.

In truth, it could’ve been even better for Diaz as the newest Kop icon squandered a big chance to further cement a nigh-on perfect European night for Liverpool.

In other news, Liverpool target could be set for summer exit. Read more here.

Rangers have enjoyed a strong first transfer window under manager Gio van Bronckhorst as they have made two additions to their ranks at Ibrox.

James Sands has arrived on an 18-month loan from New York City FC and John Souttar is poised to arrive in the summer after penning a pre-contract agreement with the central defender.

Football Scotland reporter Mark Hendry has claimed that the Dutch head coach is now eyeing up a deal for a Scottish youth international this month.

He Tweeted: “EXCLUSIVE! Rangers interested in Motherwell and Scotland prospect Bailey Rice as Manchester City also weigh up move.”

Patterson 2.0

Van Bronckhorst could land the club’s next Nathan Patterson by securing a swoop for Rice this month as he is a promising young player with the potential to break into the first team down the line.

The right-back made the breakthrough at Ibrox and went on to play 27 times in the senior side before being sold to Premier League side Everton for a club-record transfer fee this month.

Managing director Stewart Robertson explained the thinking behind the sale, saying: 

“This is a deal which fits with our long-term, strategic vision for the club. We have been very clear that player trading is an important element of our business model but only when the circumstances suit Rangers.

“We are delighted for Nathan and his family, wish them all the best for the future and they will always be welcome back at Ibrox.”

This shows that the club are looking to bleed through youngsters from the academy and into the first-team in the hope of developing them into a player who can make them a large profit in the future.

Therefore, the signing of Rice could be a shrewd deal as he could follow in the footsteps of Patterson by impressing in the youth teams before breaking into van Bronckhorst’s side in the years to come.

Rice has captained Scotland at youth level and is said to be one of Motherwell’s most talented prospects, which suggests that he has the potential to grow into a top player.

The fact that Rangers and Manchester City have become alerted to his possible availability also indicates that they have seen enough from him at such a young age to believe that he could be a valuable asset moving forward.

This means that he could be the next Patterson for Rangers and Scotland in the future and that is why van Bronckhorst and Ross Wilson must work hard to pip Pep Guardiola’s side to his signature.

AND in other news, Major development emerges in “groundbreaking” Rangers move, GvB will be buzzing…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli…

What’s the talk?

According to the Northern Echo, the Magpies’ chances of landing the England international in January have diminished, with there now being an expectation that he will remain at Spurs until next summer.

The report claims that Newcastle previously viewed him as a realistic transfer target due to his lack of game time, but they could now abort their plans to sign him.

Save NUFC’s season

Nick Hammond has been appointed as a short-term transfer consultant for the club and he must now use his expertise to secure a deal for Alli in January.

He needs to convince Tottenham to part ways with him and then make sure that he is able to offer him a suitable package to go along with whatever pitch Eddie Howe produces to tempt him into making the switch.

The former Reading chief could save Newcastle’s season by doing this, as Alli has previously shown that he has the quality to be a difference-maker at this level.

In 266 games for Spurs, he has produced 67 goals and 61 assists. This includes 51 strikes and 37 assists in 180 Premier League matches. The 25-year-old has proven himself in the top-flight of English football and, therefore, would surely come in and provide a lift to the Magpies.

Ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino previously handed him high praise by comparing him to two footballing icons. He said:

“You smell Maradona’s energy, his charisma is amazing.”Ronaldinho at Paris Saint-Germain was similar. And it’s similar with Dele. People love him in this way. When you add the charisma to the talent, that’s what makes a special player. When he was scoring goals, kids loved him like he was Ronaldinho.”Kids feel this charisma, this energy, and with Dele it’s the same; he has this charisma that kids love and follow.”The £100k-per-week dynamo, who was previously dubbed a “freak” of a talent by Darren Anderton, has enjoyed four seasons scoring eight or more goals in the Premier League in his career. Last term, Callum Wilson (12) was the only Newcastle player to find the back of the net more than eight times.Howe’s side are 19th in the table after 18 matches and have only picked up one win all season. This shows how dire the situation is and why Alli’s goals and assists could be crucial for them, as he could come in and pop up with match-winning contributions that win vital points in the battle against relegation.That is why Hammond can save Newcastle’s Premier League season by working hard to complete a deal for Dele, whether that is by getting Spurs or the player himself to push for it to happen.

AND in other news, Sissoko 2.0: Howe could unearth a new beast for NUFC in “extraordinary” 6ft1 machine…