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It’s been a promising month for West Brom’s goalkeepers, as both Sam Johnstone and Josh Griffiths have been called up for their respective England squads.

The Baggies no.1 was an injury replacement for Jordan Pickford in Gareth Southgate’s latest squad, whilst the 19-year-old starlet has been named alongside Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher for the U21 squad.

Both could lead a different path at the Hawthorns this summer.

Given Albion’s likely relegation to the Championship – only a shock turnaround will stop that from happening – the 27-year-old has been linked with several top-flight teams after a string of impressive performances between the sticks.

That has clearly culminated in international recognition.

Recent reports have surfaced linking Tottenham Hotspur with a move for the former Manchester United graduate ahead of the summer transfer window, as per The Sun.

Indeed, it will likely be hard for West Brom to keep hold of him.

Perhaps, then, his successor can be found in Griffiths.

The teenage glovesman has been impressing on-loan to League Two promotion hopefuls Cheltenham Town, undoubtedly helping them towards having the third-best defensive record in the division with 17 clean sheets in 35 starts.

Griffiths was only part of the Three Lions’ U19 set-up as recently as November so that only shows how quickly he has progressed this campaign.

Ex-Albion star Boaz Myhill, now development coach at the club, has spoken glowingly about the 19-year-old shot-stopper. He told BirminghamLive:

“One of his biggest strengths, not just that he’s a good player, is that he’s the kind of boy and man that people will do things for. Everybody likes Josh. It’s all credit to him that he’s having the season that he is,” before adding: “He’s got undoubted ability. I saw that when he was training with me as a player, when he was 16. He’s just continued to grow.”

It says a lot that he’s managed to push out a seasoned veteran in Scott Flinders, who has played over 550 times in his career and given the uncertainty between the sticks heading into the summer, Luke Dowling could save the club millions by pushing the manager to promote Griffiths next season.

He’s doing exactly what’s asked of him, and that’s all he can do for now. If Johnstone leaves, then the Baggies already have his long-term heir at the club.

AND in other news, West Brom must secure “dangerous” £6m-rated beast, he could be unstoppable next season…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Tottenham Hotspur captain Gary Mabbutt has hailed the job being done by ex-Spurs coach Scott Parker at Fulham, but maintains that Jose Mourinho’s side must beat them on Thursday.

The Cottagers are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the Premier League table and lie 18th ahead of a meeting with Mourinho’s men in midweek.

Fulham have actually been in fine form in recent weeks, particularly given their spot in the table.

They have not lost any of their last five games, drawing with West Ham United, Crystal Palace, and Burnley, and beating Everton and Sheffield United.

Those results have moved the club within three points of Newcastle United in 17th and given them a genuine chance of survival, and Mabbutt has been impressed with the job Parker is doing.

Of course, with Spurs struggling for form, they have only taken six points from the last five games, compared to Fulham’s nine.

The ex-midfielder spent two years at Spurs between 2011 and 2013 and went on to coach the club’s Under-18 team before his move to Craven Cottage.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Mabbutt said: “Scott’s job is clear, it’s to keep Fulham in the Premier League. Scott’s a great lad. I know him well from his time at Spurs, and he was on the coaching staff at Spurs. Fantastic lad. Great character.

“He’s working hard at Fulham to try to get the best out of them. As far as the results have gone, I think in the last five games, they’ve got more points than Spurs have, which is a quite incredible stat. But they have.”

Mabbutt is clear, though, that there can be no sympathy shown for Parker or Fulham on Thursday when the two teams meet.

He has told Spurs that it is a must-win game as they look to claw their way back into the race to qualify for the Champions League, and has pointed to Fulham’s woes at home – they have lost seven games at home this season.

He added: “He’s got to keep building on that. You know, they’ve thrown away some silly points, made some silly mistakes, but as far as we’re concerned, this is a game we have to win. Fulham are fighting for their lives the bottom of the table.

“Quite amazingly, they’ve only lost four away from home and they’ve lost seven at home. So their home form is obviously a real problem for them. And we want to make sure that we realise that.”

This summer will witness a changing of the guard at Parkhead. Celtic will have a new manager, a new CEO and they may also have a director of football on their hands.

We could also see plenty of players leave. Diego Laxalt, Jonjoe Kenny and Moi Elyounoussi will all depart at the conclusion of their loan deals while Scott Brown is also out of contract.

Odsonne Edouard has regularly been linked with a move to the Premier League but there is a rarely-seen player who could walk through the exit door; Jack Hendry.

The 25-year-old has only ever been a bit part of Celtic’s plans and as such, was loaned to Belgian side Oostende this season. His performances have been eye-catching, however, so much so that he’s now also being linked with a move to England.

It’s been reported that Burnley, Brighton and Sheffield United are all chasing his signature. That’s without forgetting about Oostende’s option to buy the centre-half once his loan deal expires.

Though, Celtic would be rather foolish to bin Hendry without handing him a second opportunity at Paradise.

One of the Bhoys’ biggest problems this season has been defensively. They’ve shipped 14 more goals than Rangers in the league and conceded 19 strikes in six Europa League games.

Shane Duffy and their goalkeepers have been particularly error-stricken. Consider that Kristoffer Ajer could also leave this summer and it only adds further worries.

He has been one of a few players actually binding this team together in 2020/21. Hendry, however, could be an immense replacement for the Norwegian.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-transfer-news-onuachu-edouard-dembele-turnbull” title=”The latest Celtic news and views!”]

Speaking about the defender this term, his manager at Oostende, Alexander Blessin said: “He’s a great talker in defence. He makes the people he’s playing with better. You can see them listening to him. He’s been a tower of experience for us.”

Blessin continued: “Jack’s the most important member of the team this season and he’s one of the best defenders in the league. He can defend, he’s fast and he’s also a useful weapon at attacks because of his height.”

A player with great height, a weapon from offensive situations and a leader of men; Hendry possesses all of the traits that make Ajer such a useful asset for Celtic.

You only need to look at the statistics for a clearer indication of what he can bring. In the Belgium Pro League this season, the centre-back has won an imperious 2.9 aerial duels per game. For comparison, Ajer has won 3.2 aerial battles per match. Evidently, there is little between them.

Like Celtic’s Norwegian colossus, Hendry is also adept at playing out from the back, amassing a pass success rate of 84.5% this term.

With all of this in mind, selling the centre-back during the summer would be madness. He has developed significantly this season and would fit seamlessly into the Bhoys’ backline. He must be unleashed next season.

AND in other news, Celtic could find their Brown heir in £50k-p/w gem, he’d be a “really good signing”…

Manchester United will want to get back to winning ways when they travel to the Emirates to take on Arsenal on Saturday.

The Red Devils endured a frustrating night against Sheffield United at Old Trafford after they suffered a significant blow to their chances of winning the Premier League this season following the midweek defeat.

With an in-form Arsenal next on the agenda, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be well aware his side will have to be at their very best if they are to pick up all three points at the Emirates. Mikel Arteta’s side are well-drilled and pose several threats of their own in the form of Alexandre Lacazette and the freescoring Bukayo Saka.

Here is Football FanCast’s predicted starting line-up, which sees Solskjaer make three changes from the midweek defeat.

Despite conceding two goals against Sheffield United, David de Gea will resume his rightful place between the sticks behind a back four consisting of Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Solskjaer could recall the fit-again Eric Bailly but Lindelof will most likely to come in for Axel Tuanzebe at the heart of the defence – though we wouldn’t be surprised to see him come off the bench at some point in the second half.

Scott McTominay was left out on Wednesday but may reprise his role at the base of the midfield alongside Fred.

Midfielder Paul Pogba has been used in more of a wide role in recent weeks and Marcus Rashford is also expected to keep his place on the opposite right wing.

Upfront, Edinson Cavani is in contention to start with the struggling Anthony Martial still seeking his best form. The Frenchman has made 16 top-flight appearances this season with just two goals and three assists to show for his 14 starts.

AND in other news, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handed Manchester United transfer blow with Sergio Ramos…

Southampton are reportedly taking an interest in former Celtic centre-back Jozo Simunovic, with the Croatian available on a free transfer and if he were to sign, it could be bad news for Mohammed Salisu.

According to Goal, Southampton, VFB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg are all vying for the 26-year-old’s signature after his release from Celtic last summer.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have struggled from a defensive point of view in recent weeks, conceding 18 goals in their last five Premier League fixtures, including that heavy 9-0 defeat against Manchester United.

Whilst someone such as Simunovic could steady the ship, the Saints have welcomed back both Jannik Vestergaard and Salisu from injury recently, with the Ghanaian still yet to make an appearance for the South Coast club since his arrival from Real Valladolid in the summer of 2020.

It would be a blow for the 21-year-old’s chances if the 6 ft 3 Simunovic were to arrive, as it could potentially make him fifth-choice centre-back under Hasenhuttl – the likes of Jan Bednarek, Vestergaard and Jack Stephens have all been regulars at the heart of the Southampton defence this term.

Simunovic was solid at Celtic and helped them to five league titles in a row, making 126 appearances in that time, but was released last summer, most likely due to the injury issues that kept him out for large periods during his time with the Hoops.

Signing another injury-prone defender is the last thing Hasenhuttl needs when you consider the number of issues he has had to deal with this season, with Salisu having struggled with fitness and injury problems throughout his time with the Saints.

Therefore, Southampton may be best served by avoiding the six foot three Simunovic due to his injury concerns, as well as the fact that it could seriously harm Salisu’s chances of ever establishing himself in the first-team under Hasenhuttl.

And, in other news… Ruthless Ralph: Hasenhuttl must bench Saints “hero” who is bereft of confidence

West Ham United visit Chelsea tonight looking to record back-to-back victories at Stamford Bridge for the first time since February 1996.

The Blues have only lost once in their last 14 Premier League home meetings with the Hammers but they tasted defeat in this exact fixture last season as the Irons did the double over Frank Lampard’s side.

West Ham have not beaten Chelsea in three-straight top-flight games since March 1974, and any hopes of David Moyes resetting the clock may be hindered with the Scottish coach confirming that both Michail Antonio and Fabian Balbuena are doubts for the clash.

Not everyone shone in claret and blue as the London Stadium natives settled for a point against Crystal Palace during the week, either. So, with changes on the cards, here’s a line-up Moyes could name on Monday night…

Lukasz Fabianski conceded a goal for the 16th time in the Premier League this season when he was beaten by Christian Benteke on Wednesday night, yet he will be expected to remain between the sticks for the London Derby with Chelsea, having opened West Ham’s last 28 games.

The Poland international would have been disappointed by Issa Diop’s efforts to thwart Benteke on a poor night for the Frenchman, which may see Moyes opt to hand Craig Dawson his Irons debut at Stamford Bridge in place of the 23-year-old should Balbuena not be passed fit after missing the Eagles draw with a groin injury.

Dawson joined on a season-long loan from Watford in the summer but is yet to play a single minute under Moyes and he has been often criticised by supporters as an underwhelming addition and one who some had forgotten even plays for their club.

Aaron Cresswell will expect to start in defence alongside Angelo Ogbonna and Vladimir Coufal with Arthur Masuaku sidelined after knee surgery, with Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice again locking down the engine room.

Midfielder Pablo Fornals offered a dire display in the midweek clash with Crystal Palace and was hauled off at the break for Manuel Lanzini, who lit up the stage in the second-half and as such, he will anticipate starting over the Spaniard at Stamford Bridge.

Lanzini earning his first start of the league season will allow for Benrahma to open the action at left-wing after moving from the centre against Roy Hodgson’s Eagles, where he can offer width with Jarrod Bowen in support of Sebastien Haller.

Moyes will likely not risk Antonio after sharing doubts about the striker overcoming the hamstring injury which has prevented his involvement in recent weeks.

“Michail Antonio’s back on the grass so we’re pleased to see him back. Whether it is too quick for him, we’ll need to assess,” the former Manchester United boss said.

AND in other news, David Sullivan can land David Moyes his next Declan Rice in a £5.5m teen brute West Ham are tracking.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a new name this week…

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, Spurs are interested in signing Inter Milan hotshot Nicolo Barella, though they reportedly face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool.

The Serie A outfit broke a club-record to sign him for €49m (£44m) only 18 months ago but clearly, his form has caught the attention of Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp alike.

Christian Eriksen replacement

Barella has emerged as one of the stars of the season so over in Italy, he’s contributed towards seven goals in just 15 league starts, via WhoScored.

And just this week, The Athletic’s James Horncastle waxed lyrical over his commanding display against defending champions Juventus as he proved to be a major creative outlet for Antonio Conte’s side. Indeed, this is a role that he’s thrived in throughout the campaign.

Per WhoScored, the 23-year-old Italian international has averaged 1.4 key passes per game, which ranks him above Christian Eriksen and only just behind Alexis Sanchez.

Whilst if you were to compare that to the Spurs squad, Barella would only be behind Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, who Mourinho has a major reliance on for goals right now.

Only one other Spurs player has scored more than two times in the Premier League this season, that being Tanguy Ndombele, so you could say that the north London outfit are still feeling the void left behind by the aforementioned Eriksen.

Interestingly, the Dane has been linked with a return to N17, but perhaps it is his teammate that Spurs should be eyeing up.

Ndombele has now contributed towards 13 goals in 53 appearances, whilst Giovani Lo Celso has managed seven goals and four assists in 56 appearances. It means a total of 24 goals in 99 matches have had the influence of either 2019 summer signing, which isn’t actually that good when you consider the impact Eriksen once had at the club.

In six straight seasons, the playmaker managed to find the net at least six times, whilst in four of six Premier League seasons, he delivered at least 11 assists, via Transfermarkt.

Lo Celso and Ndombele contribute a goal once every four matches in the top-flight, but Eriksen managed a goal contribution once every 1.9 games.

That cannot be understated and shows that both Ndombele or Lo Celso have a long way to go to hit similar numbers.

Which is why Spurs chairman Daniel Levy could finally find his perfect Eriksen replacement in Barella, who clearly is closer to being that kind go creative threat from, midfield more so than either of the above duo.

The 18-cap star, who is currently valued at £49.5m by Transfermarkt, is managing a goal contribution once every 2.75 matches for Inter, which only reinforces such a perspective.

Cagliari coach Rolando Maran once dubbed Barella “extraordinary” whilst he’s even drawn comparison to both Steven Gerrard and Xavi in the past too.

Evidently, the young midfield maestro is likely the closest thing Spurs could possibly get to a prime Eriksen and given that Son and Kane have contributed towards 73% of all their goals scored in the league, a new dimension may be needed in attack.

Barella, whilst costly, would be an ideal addition this January.

AND in other news, Worse than Dier: £1o0k-p/w “liability” was shocking against the Blades…

Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard got what he wanted when Ross Wilson signed Bongani Zungu from French Ligue 2 side Amiens on an initial loan deal with an option to buy before the close of play on transfer deadline day.

What’s the word?

After impressing on his Premiership debut in the 8-0 victory over Hamilton Academical, Zungu showed his credentials once again with another strong performance earlier this week.

South Africa returned to winning ways after suffering a shock defeat to Zambia last month by beating Sao Tome and Principe 2-0. A goal from Percy Tau broke the deadlock after the break before the Rangers star came off the bench to secure the victory in the closing stages of the game with a well-timed header.

Coach Molefi Ntseki replaced Kamohelo Mokotjo with Zungu in the second half and he made an immediate impact, popping up in possession and marshalling the midfield. He then put the game to bed by heading home a corner kick from Keagan Dolly. Imbued with new belief, Bafana Bafana bounced back with what turned out to be a comfortable 2-0 win in the end.

Watch out Arfield!

Zungu has recently returned from a self-isolation period and has already been able to hit the ground running for his new club and for his country, having made his first-team debut after replacing Ryan Jack at half-time in the win at home against Hamilton.

Let’s face it, Rangers are blessed with a wealth of midfield options consisting of Scott Arfield, Joe Aribo, Steven Davis, Glen Kamara and Ryan Jack,  but if there’s one underlying weakness, it’s that Gerrard has lacked a genuine goal-scoring, box-to-box midfielder who can put the pressure on the opposition for some time. At least, that’s until Zungu arrived at Ibrox.

Only Arfield and Aribo have managed to score more than once in all competitions so far this season and the goals from the midfield have once again started to dry up, as Arfield has only scored one goal in the past six games, whilst Aribo has been shifted to the right-wing in recent weeks.

Once lauded as a “special” player by Vitoria de Guimaraes sporting director Flavio Meireles, Zungu played 21 games in Ligue 1 last season, whilst he made one clearance and more than one tackle per game, via WhoScored. Ultimately, it came to nothing, but the well-rounded, all-action powerhouse did enough to pique the Gers’ interest.

By comparison, Arfield only managed fewer than one clearance per game in the Scottish Premiership last term, as per WhoScored.

Steven Davis and Ryan Jack have performed admirably in recent weeks, so the 32-year-old may find himself nervously looking over his shoulder as the South African continues to stake a claim for a place in the starting line-up in the not too distant future. Zungu has scored 14 goals and supplied 9 assists in all competitions in his club career so far and Gers fans will be hoping he will be able to find the back of the net after the international break.

AND in other news, Rangers handed huge boost after Steven Davis returns to Northern Ireland training…

For the first time in over 16 years, Leeds United and Manchester United will go toe to toe in the Premier League.

It feels like an eternity since they last met, but here we are, presented with arguably the fixture of the weekend.

On the chalkboard

One thing is for certain when Leeds play United this weekend, it will be an exhilarating game of lung-busting football.

Bielsa’s teams always take the game to the opposition and that has been no different against the top sides this season.

They scored three goals at Anfield and very nearly beat Arsenal, drawing 0-0 at Elland Road. Leeds also held Manchester City to a draw at home but they would love nothing more than to get one over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side on Sunday.

So who will be the key to victory? The likes of Patrick Bamford and Jack Harrison will have a big say but the end result could come down to who the teams can bring off the bench.

The solution

Pablo Hernandez has been a shadow of his former self this season and the £19k-a-week magician has started just twice for Bielsa.

The multiple Leeds Player of the Year simply has to be unleashed on United, though, whether it be as a starter or as a replacement.

All of the talk has been about Rodrigo this season and deservedly so – he is the club’s record signing. That being said, the elder statesman in Hernandez still has an enormous role to play in the Leeds side.

He was absolutely phenomenal in an eight-minute cameo against Newcastle in midweek. The Spaniard was at the top of his game and proved what he can do in such a short space of time.

Hernandez managed only 13 touches of the football but in doing so, assisted two goals for his teammates.

This was the Hernandez of old running riot, and to quote Phil Hay, he was playing like the “demon” we all know he can be.

Of course, the 35-year-old’s best days are behind him but against a United defence who are far from sturdy, he could be key to unlocking the door.

Even if Hernandez is brought on as a substitute, he has all the ingredients to trouble Leeds’ fierce rivals.

AND in other news, a £240m report may allow Leeds to sign a “powerful shooter” who “lacks absolutely nothing”…

According to Football Insider, Tottenham have offered Son Heung-min a new blockbuster contract worth £200,000-a-week, prompting Sky Sports pundit and former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson to welcome the ‘amazing news’. 

Son, who has struck up a devastating partnership with striker Harry Kane so far this season, with the South Korean international currently sitting top of the Premier League scoring charts, is reportedly being offered a new deal worth far more than his current wages.

Spurs look to tie down Son

According to Spotrac, the 28-year-old is currently on £140,000-a-week, and this new offer will increase the winger’s weekly earnings by around £60,000.

In an effort to tie him down and warn off any potential interest, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is now looking to make sure the new deal is an offer Son cannot refuse, with Robinson going on to claim that this could be ‘amazing news for Spurs’.

Lauding Son’s ‘outstanding’ form from the very first day, the ex-England ‘keeper believes that the attacker’s presence in the dressing room and on the training pitch is reason enough to hand him a new contract.

“It’s amazing news for Spurs if he signs a new deal,” explained Robinson to Football Insider.

“He has been outstanding from the first day he walked into the building.

“He brightens up the place when he comes through the door and his performances on the pitch match his attitude off it. He is brilliant to have around the club. Son is always happy, always smiling and always has time for people.

“He has been as good if not better at times than Harry Kane.

“Over the years he has made himself one of the first names on the team sheet because he is so consistent. He deserves every single penny of his new contract.”

Transfer Tavern take

Judging by his brilliant run of form so far this season, Son appears to be most deserving of a fresh deal – and according to recent reports, Spurs may not be done there.

As per The Athletic, Lloris is next in line for a bumper contract; and if Levy can tie up all these loose ends, it’s safe to say this has been quite the year of business for Tottenham.

In other news: Dele Alli’s situation at Spurs has just taken a positive turn, find out more here.