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Manchester United have been linked with a move for Nicolo Barella as they look to add further reinforcements to their engine room.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the recruitment team at Old Trafford are already beginning to plan for the January transfer window and beyond as their troubles on the pitch continue to mount.

They claim that a new central midfielder is high up on the United hierarchy’s wishlist and the Inter Milan midfielder is their priority target after a string of standout displays from the highly-rated 24-year-old for both club and country in recent months.

Fans will be buzzing

With Paul Pogba’s future at Old Trafford far from secure, a large section of the club’s supporters will be excited to learn that the Red Devils are reportedly in the market for Barella.

The Italy international has established himself as one of Serie A’s most influential stars over the last couple of campaigns, playing a pivotal part in Inter’s first league title victory in 11 years last term.

His impressive performances have earned several plaudits in his homeland, including former Juventus star Claudio Marchisio.

Barella then carried his incredible club form onto the international stage during the European Championships, scoring one goal and laying on a further two assists in six outings as the Azzurri claimed the Euro 2020 trophy over England.

Therefore, Red Devils football director John Murtough must consider a swoop for the £58.5m-rated beast over the coming months as he’ll be providing the 20-time English champions with one of the best young central midfielders in Europe right now.

And, in other news…Reliable journo drops big update on Solskjaer’s future, Man Utd fans will be intrigued 

Having been one of the rising talents of Leeds United’s academy, it no doubt would have hurt the club’s fans to see Jack Clarke being prised away by Tottenham.

Reports back in the summer of 2019 claimed that Spurs paid a £10m fee to Leeds to sign Clarke, with further payments scheduled based on whether certain conditions are met.

Sadly for both the north Londoners and more so the player himself, things just haven’t quite panned out for him, with Transfermarkt now citing his value at less than half of that amount at just £4.5m.

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That’s a real indication of just how much of a step backwards his career has taken since Spurs signed him, with the now 21-year-old having made just four senior appearances for the Lilywhites.

Having been unable to break into the senior setup at Spurs, Clarke was shipped out on loan to QPR, who were keen to see him rediscover his potential and help him find his form.

The club’s director of football Les Ferdinand said: “You can see that Jack is quality as we played against him last year when he was at Leeds. He’s a young boy but he has undoubtable talent and I think once he goes back they’ll probably look at him through pre-season, see how he does and then make a judgement on whether it’s another loan or (Jose Mourinho) may see a benefit to the Tottenham team now and the way he wants to play.”

However, Clarke would play just seven times for QPR before returning to Spurs, and it’s safe to say that things haven’t kicked on from then.

Along with spell with the Hoops, Clarke also spent time out on loan at fellow Championship outfit Stoke, and in January he moved to League One side Sunderland.

While he has featured more regularly for the Wearside club – he has played 13 consecutive times in the third tier – he has scored just one goal and provided one assist.

It was no surprise that Sunderland boss Alex Neil admitted that the versatile midfielder’s end product has let him down in his short spell with the club thus far, saying: “He can take people on one-for-one, which is obviously a good strength to have, and he’s been a threat for us. He’s missed a few key chances, and I think that’s the next stage for him. He just needs to be that bit more clinical in front of goal.

“I think there’s been a few games recently – Lincoln, in particular, is one that sticks in the mind – where he had a golden opportunity, and they’re the moments we’ve got to capitalise on. But, in the main, I think his appetite for the work that he needs to do and his willingness to be a threat for us and take us up the pitch, he’s done well.”

For Clarke’s sake, a good end to the season would do him the world of good and help him to find his groove again, but in Leeds’ case, they played an absolute blinder by letting go of the £25k-a-week earner for an eight-figure fee three years ago.

AND in other news – Leeds could strike gold with £42m teenage sensation, he follows Raphinha on Instagram

Celtic have been linked with a winter window move for Stade Brestois striker Jeremy Le Douaron, Homme du Match report.

The Lowdown: Le Douaron profiled

Le Douaron is 23 years of age and is primarily a centre-forward who can also play as a left or right midfielder.

The 6ft 2’ French forward has been with his current employers since July 2020 and has scored seven times in 46 appearances, three of which have come in his last three Ligue 1 appearances.

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He appears to be at the peak of his powers with his career-high £1.08m Transfermarkt valuation, and it seems as if he could be on Ange Postecoglou’s 2022 radar.

The Latest: Hoops links

Homme du Match shared a story on Wednesday, suggesting Celtic are ‘desperate’ to add to their attacking ranks in the January market.

Celtic have ‘ticked’ Le Douaron’s name when it comes to attacking targets, with the forward valued at €2m (£1.7m).

The Verdict: Avoid?

Even though Le Douaron could cost less than Josip Juranovic’s £2.7m move in the summer, it could make sense for the Hoops to look elsewhere.

He hasn’t exactly been prolific in France, with Giorgos Giakoumakis 26 Eredivisie goals last season.

A player like Daizen Maeda, who Celtic are thought to be confident of signing, could be a smarter option in January as he is a player who Postecoglou will know from his time in Japan.

Maeda has netted 22 times in 2021, considerably more than Le Douaron, so perhaps Michael Nicholson should avoid moving for the Stade Brestois man.

In other news: Possession lost 43x, 70% of duels lost, only 3 tackles: Celtic’s worst 3 players in Hearts win. 

Rangers are battling a number of Premier League sides in the race to sign West Brom star Sam Johnstone in the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to TEAMtalk, Giovanni van Bronckhorst has got his sights set on the England international as the man to bolster his goalkeeping options, but he won’t be an easy target to get.

It’s claimed that Spurs, Newcastle and West Ham are all also interested in the 6 foot 3 shot-stopper, whose contract at the Hawthorns comes to an end in the summer.

The report adds that Rangers “could even offer a pre-contract in January in view of next season and beyond.”

A new era at Rangers

While Allan McGregor has served Rangers incredibly well with a whopping 416 games to his name, his performances this campaign have just reinforced the idea that his best days are well and truly behind him.

In fact, McGregor has a save percentage of just 50% in the Scottish Premiership for the Gers, which is the joint-lowest in the division, and at 39, should surely be out of Van Bronckhorst’s plans at Ibrox.

And, the Dutchman could kickstart that new era by making a swoop for the 28-year-old Johnstone.

His former boss Steve Bruce labelled the shot-stopper a “diamond”, and given the kind of shift he has had to put in last season at The Hawthorns, it’s no surprise why he has earned such praise.

No goalkeeper in the Premier League faced more shots on target (228) than Johnstone, while no goalkeeper has made as many saves as him either (161) – it was no surprise then that he earned rave reviews for his performances, with Micah Richards hailing his former teammate as “exceptional” last year.

Despite the fact the Baggies were relegated from the Premier League, Gareth Southgate called Johnstone up for the England squad back in September for the Three Lions’ World Cup qualifiers – an indication that the level he’s playing at right now isn’t quite where his actual ability lies.

If Van Bronckhorst is keen to go with the whole ‘out with the old, and in with the new’, then swapping an ageing and declining veteran in McGregor, for someone much younger and skilled in Johnstone, could well be the way to go.

Meanwhile, Rangers are battling to sign this star…

Crystal Palace have joined Brentford in the race to sign free agent Christian Eriksen.

That’s according to 90min, and their claim has had a number of Eagles fans talking on social media.

Eriksen is currently without a club after leaving Inter Milan last month and has been offered a return to the Premier League with Brentford.

The Bees have tabled an initial six-month contract with the option of a further year for the 29-year-old, however, Palace are also circling.

90min suggest that the Eagles and Championship leaders Fulham have also made contact with the attacking midfielder, who has made 226 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 51 times and providing 67 assists.

Eriksen left Tottenham in 2020, but it seems as if a return to England is on the cards with multiple clubs keen on his services.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the update regarding Palace’s interest in Eriksen on Twitter. This is what these Eagles supporters have had to say in reply, with many surprised at the links.

“Please @CPFC”

Credit: @joshstoneham03

“Maybe Eriksen is coming? Seems interesting”

Credit: @byson_matrix

“I’m going to pretend this is happening and have a fantastic Monday night”

Credit: @erictwigs

“Let’s get him!”

Credit: @SidViscous9

“Beautiful player, who I would LOVE to see in red n blue, BUT – can he really be allowed on a pitch after his last appearance? There’s a reason why his last contract was annulled…”

Credit: @Promo_man

“Erm”

Credit: @matthew_poole30

In other news: Crystal Palace now move for Celtic defender with transfer on the cards – journalist. 

Transfer insider Dean Jones has been reacting to some transfer news from Everton involving Jannik Vestergaard.

The Lowdown: Vestergaard swoop?

It has previously been reported from a Football Insider source that managing director Kevin Thelwell is now plotting a move to bring Vestergaard to Goodison Park in the summer.

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A senior scout from the Merseyside club watched the Leicester City central defender play for Denmark during the international break, and the recruitment team want to prioritise signing a ‘dominating’ centre-back like him.

The Latest: Jones reacts

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has now given his reaction to the news, claiming that the potential deal is ‘not one that’s been mentioned’ to him as being ‘likely’ to happen:

“It’s not one that I’ve heard. He’s not one that’s been mentioned to me as one that is likely.”

The Verdict: Needed

The Toffees certainly need a new presence in the backline, and Vestergaard could be just that.

Described as a ‘real threat‘ in both boxes by journalist Luke Hatfield, the 29-year-old stands at a mammoth six-foot-six-inches tall, winning 2.1 of his aerial duels per match on average this season.

Jamie Carragher previously called the Blues’ defence a ‘Championship back four’ just last month, and given his Premier League experience, Vestergaard could be an ideal signing should they avoid relegation.

Nonetheless, Frank Lampard will have to make-do with what he has got for now, and could look to the big Dane this summer.

In other news, find out the latest on Lampard’s future here!

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani must avoid making a massive mistake by selling Raphinha amid a recent transfer claim.

What’s the story?

The Brazil star has been in scintillating form for his country during the international break, including a game-changing performance against Venezuela when he came on as a substitute and helped set up two goals in a 3-1 win.

That has since seen former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor drop a major claim that Marcelo Bielsa’s side will find it difficult to keep hold of Raphinha in the long-term, and that he could look to push for a move away sooner rather than later.

He said: “I think it’s going to be very hard. Leeds need more investment in their squad, they need to start buying players that can keep them fighting even further up the table.

“Over the next year, year and a half, people like Raphinha will leave, his head will get turned by other clubs. Raphinha is getting into Brazil squads, he’s playing for Brazil now. He’s not going to want to play for Leeds, he’s going to want to move and play for a bigger club that’s playing in the Champions League. Someone of Raphinha’s quality should be playing in the Champions League.

“It’s just the reality of football. If Leeds can’t invest and get a better squad that’s challenging to get into Europe he will want to leave. That’s just normal.”

Time for Radrizzani to act

After embarking on a spending spree in their first transfer window after clinching promotion to the Premier League – the club broke their transfer record to sign Rodrigo and also snapped up the likes of Robin Koch and Diego Llorente among others for decent amounts too – they were far quieter this summer.

The Whites spent almost half of what they did last year, bringing in Jack Harrison on a permanent basis from Manchester City, signing Barcelona ace Junior Firpo, and clinching a late deal for Manchester United’s Dan James.

With The Athletic’s Phil Hay already admitting that some of European football’s heavyweights could make a big bid for Kalvin Phillips sometime soon, losing him and/or Raphinha would be a monumental blow for Leeds.

If the Yorkshire club are intent on making progress and eventually closing the gap to the Premier League’s ‘big six’, and pushing for a potential European spot too, then continuing to spend money on reinforcing the squad is key to convincing the likes of Raphinha and Phillips that they can achieve their goals here at Elland Road.

It’s now become imperative for Radrizzani to put his money where his mouth is over these next couple of transfer windows, and show his star players and the fans as a whole that he wants this club to take that all important next step.

Selling Raphinha would leave fans absolutely fuming. It would be an unforgivable mistake on the part of the Leeds supremo to do so. He is too good a player to lose.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has delivered his take on Kalvin Phillips’ future…

Richarlison was ‘hugely disrespectful’ to the travelling Everton supporters following Sunday’s defeat against West Ham United.

That’s according to BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Jonathan Woodgate, speaking live on air.

The lowdown

Everton lost 2-1 at the London Stadium to deepen their relegation fears ahead of Wednesday’s crunch encounter with Burnley.

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Aaron Cresswell and Jarrod Bowen scored either side of a deflected Mason Holgate effort to give the Hammers victory against Frank Lampard’s side, who were reduced to 10 men with 25 minutes left when Michael Keane picked up a second yellow card.

Richarlison started on the left of Frank Lampard’s front three, joining Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Demarai Gray in the attack, and completed the full 90 minutes.

However, Woodgate spotted the Brazilian walking straight down the tunnel following the full-time whistle rather than going over to acknowledge the travelling fans.

The latest

Woodgate said that Richarlison really ought to ‘go and clap’ the fans after the game, many of whom would have made a 200+ mile journey from Merseyside.

He accused the 24-year-old of immaturity, claiming that he was effectively throwing his ‘toys out the pram’.

The verdict

Perhaps Richarlison’s frustration got the better of him. He had chances to score what could have been a crucial goal, but two of shots were off target, and the other three were blocked.

Journalist James Nalton wrote that the 24-year-old ‘should have done better’ with the opportunities he was given, picking out instances where he could have teed up Vitaliy Mykolenko or finished a chance created for him by Alex Iwobi.

It has been a difficult season for the £90,000-per-week forward in general, as reflected by his tally of just four goals. For comparison, in each of his first two years at Everton, he struck 13 times in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

If some Toffees supporters are upset with Richarlison, then maybe he will be able to redeem himself by tucking a chance away at Turf Moor in midweek.

In other news, Everton are ready to axe this midfielder in the summer

Arsenal may have felt very aggrieved to have lost 2-1 at home to Manchester City in Saturday’s Premier League encounter.

They were playing so well against the reigning champions at the Emirates Stadium – going a goal up through Bukayo Saka before Granit Xhaka gave away a penalty for Riyad Mahrez to equalise – until Gabriel found himself sent off for two quick yellow cards which turned the game on its head, as Rodri bundled in the winner in injury time.

Using statistical experts SofaScore, The Transfer Tavern have now analysed who the three worst performers (to have played at least 45 minutes) for the Gunners were on the day:

Aaron Ramsdale (6.0)

Perhaps unlucky to come in third-worst, as he could do nothing really for both goals, Ramsdale was given a overall rating of 6.0 by SofaScore.

Admittedly, the goalkeeper failed to make any saves and also gave the ball away on 22 separate occasions from his 38 touches, the most out of any player on the pitch.

Granit Xhaka (5.8)

While given the joint-worst rating (5.8) among the Arsenal line-up by SofaScore, Xhaka is second on our list through other factors.

Although he gave away the penalty for a foul on Bernardo Silva, he looked fairly solid up until that point.

However, the Switzerland international lost out on seven of his duels in total and failed to register a shot, successful dribble, key pass, cross or accurate long ball. He actually recorded fewer touches than Ramsdale (35) and also lost possession twice.

Gabriel (5.8)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Gabriel was rated as the Gunners’ joint-worst player as SofaScore gave him a 5.8 rating along with Xhaka.

His two yellow cards were silly to say the least, and it ended up swinging the match in City’s favour. The 24-year-old also lost two duels and failed to block any shots or make any interceptions, losing the ball three times.

In addition, he only had 19 touches in total, the fewest out of any Arsenal player to have started the match.

In other news, find out whose display against City was slammed by many Gooners

Manchester United’s contact with former Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde may have just hampered their chances of landing Mauricio Pochettino on an immediate basis…

What’s the story?

According to a BBC Sport report by Simon Stone, the Red Devils’ hierarchy have been in touch with the 57-year-old Spanish manager regarding the role of interim manager until the end of the current campaign.

Yet, in a big twist to what had originally been reported, BBC followed that up with the following claim: “They [Man United] feel recruiting Paris St-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino immediately may not be as straightforward as has been suggested.” Man Utd fans will be concerned

The Spanish tactician is a proven winner who boasts an impressive CV, including two La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey during his two-and-a-half-year spell at the Camp Nou, as well as three Greek titles and two Greek Cup victories with Olympiacos.

However, despite Valverde’s credentials, large sections of the United fanbase are likely to be concerned that the Glazers and co. are pressing ahead with their plans for an interim manager instead of chasing hard for a certain Pochettino who looks less likely to exit PSG now.

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By doing that, it may be seen as essentially writing a season off by many associated with the 20-time English champions, and with a squad as stacked with talent as theirs is, that is a bold call to make.

Previous reports indicated that Pochettino would be available after becoming unhappy with life in Paris, providing hope that the former Tottenham Hotspur boss would fill the Old Trafford hot seat at the second time of asking.

But now in a fresh twist, it seems as though United may have to wait until the summer to get their man, with the delay potentially causing their season to fall into disarray. Considering the Argentine’s expertise of getting into the top four with Spurs, not being able to prise him away from Paris is a significant blow to the rest of their chances this term.

It remains to be seen who replaces Solskjaer in both the short and long-term, but United fans will want a quick solution to what could easily become a rather messy and embarrassing situation. Sadly, this doesn’t look like the case.

And, in other news…Forget Sancho: Man United tank who won 100% duels already looks reborn under Carrick