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Manchester City have been linked with a move for Red Star Belgrade winger Andrija Radulovic recently and the 18-year-old could prove to be an excellent addition to Pep Guardiola’s side in the future.

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, the Citizens are interested in signing Radulovic and have opened talks with the Serbian side about signing him, having already tracked the youngster for over a year.

It is suggested that City have been keeping an eye on him since he scored against Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-0 win in the UEFA Youth League, which has also seen Spurs track the teenager, although City are the favourites to sign him.

They also report that Radunovic is unlikely to challenge in Guardiola’s side at first, so would likely be sent back to Red Star on loan, or to one of City’s affiliate clubs from around the globe.

Would he be a good signing?

In 13 appearances for Red Star’s senior side, Radulovic has managed an impressive two goals and two assists, so he is clearly a promising youngster and he looks to have a big future in the game.

Barcelona, Benfica, Inter and AC Milan have all also been linked with him in the past, so it seems clear that he is a man in demand and that plenty of the top scouts around the world feel that he has what it takes to make it at the top.

The Serbian U19 international has been also been compared to current Liverpool winger Xherdan Shaqiri, who has won two Champions League titles with Bayern Munich and Liverpool in his career, so if Radulovic could have a career similar to his, then he would surely prove to be a solid addition at the Etihad.

Given that he is valued at just £1.17m by Transfermarkt, it seems as if the 18-year-old could be a bargain signing for City this summer, especially if he goes on to realise his obvious potential with Guardiola’s side in the future.

Therefore, sporting director Txiki Begiristain should definitely look to bring Radulovic to the Etihad ahead of next season.

And, in other news… Txiki must avoid transfer disaster over 25-goal “winner”, Pep would be fuming

Many West Brom fans have been left slamming the display of Robert Snodgrass despite their 1-0 win over Hull City in the Championship on Wednesday night.

Karlan Grant was the man that turned up with the winning goal at the Hawthorns after he was assisted by Callum Robinson with around 20 minutes left to play in the game, to give the Baggies all three points.

There were some good performances from the home team, but Snodgrass was one who seemed to struggle, as he lost out on five of his duels in total, the most out of any of his teammates, while he also failed to record a single shot on target, dribble or accurate cross in the entire match (SofaScore).

He was also guilty of losing possession of the ball on no fewer than on 13 separate occasions, the fifth-most out of any Albion player (SofaScore), as WBA supporters were particularly critical of his ability to hold onto the ball.

West Brom fans on Snodgrass display

These West Brom fans slammed his performance on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that he is a ‘pound shop Chris Brunt’, a player who made over 400 appearances for Albion and moved to central midfield late on in his career (Transfermarkt):

“Livermore made that goal and still gets slated by fans who seem blind to the fact that Snodgrass has no legs whatsoever and lost possession multiple times….again. Saturday has to be Livermore and Molumby in the middle.”

Credit: @DJAndyMole

“Snodgrass is a pound shop Chris Brunt”

Credit: @LastBlairite

“Livermore and Snodgrass get pushed off the ball so easy, no energy at all”

Credit: @BromBreakdown

“Snodgrass is awful…”

Credit: @BlakeCalum

“Snodgrass and Livermore both dreadful too. It all is.”

Credit: @DickLaurent96

“Robinson, Grant and Snodgrass non-existent not that any of them haven’t they’ve just been the worst of the bunch”

Credit: @Leighwbafc1

In other news, find out what transfer news has Baggies raging here!

As per Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on England international Sam Johnstone, with one mainstay’s future now in ‘major doubt’.

The Lowdown: Lloris’ future up in the air

Hugo Lloris, signed by chairman Daniel Levy in the summer of 2012, has been a long-standing Tottenham servant and fixture in the starting line up, playing every single Premier League match so far this season.

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However, with the 34-year-old Frenchman’s deal due to expire next year, it now remains to be seen whether this season is indeed his last in a Spurs shirt.

As such, the club and its managing director Fabio Paratici are keeping their eyes peeled for worthy replacements, with fresh reports about Johnstone coming to the fore.

The Latest: Spurs eye Lloris replacement…

Despite signing Atalanta shot stopper Pierluigi Gollini on a season-long loan with the option to buy, it appears that Spurs have a contingency plan as they set their sights on Johnstone.

Having recently established himself both at club level and with England, the 28-year-old is firmly on Tottenham’s watchlist. A senior Lilywhites scout is even said to have watched him in action as recently as last week when his West Brom side took on Preston North End.

Spurs are now believed to be compiling a dossier on Johnstone with the view to making a move, according to Football Insider.

The Verdict: Ideal?

Even though Gollini hasn’t really been given his chance to prove whether he is worthy of taking the mantle from Lloris, you could argue that signing Johnstone is a no-brainer going by his homegrown status.

West Brom were also apparently willing to accept around £15m for the goalkeeper last summer, arguably a bargain price given his status as a Three Lions international and his concession rate of just 0.66 goals per game in the Championship so far this term (six in nine games).

He has also been called ‘world class’ by Wolverhampton Wanderers legend Steve Bull (This is Futbol), so could he be the perfect Lloris replacement in N17? They could probably do a lot worse.

In other news: Levy plan to offload big name Spurs player emerges as source leaks damning Hotspur Way behaviour, find out more here.

Celtic winger Jota is set to be missing for ‘a few weeks’ with a hamstring issue, Ange Postecoglou has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Jota’s form

Jota has been in brilliant form in recent months after settling into Parkhead life following a summer switch from Benfica.

The 22-year-old, who the Hoops have the option to sign permanently, has been involved in 14 goals in 18 appearances in green and white.

However, he went off injured against Hearts at the beginning of the month and missed the 3-0 win over Dundee United on Sunday.

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The Latest: Four-game absence?

As reported by John McGinley, Postecoglou – who has called Jota ‘outstanding’ – revealed prior to the win at Tannadice that the Portuguese winger will ‘miss a few weeks’ with his hamstring problem.

Should that prove to be two weeks, the 22-year-old could miss up to four games for the Hoops, including the League Cup final against Hibernian on December 19.

The Verdict: Injury issues continue…

Jota wasn’t the only absentee against Dundee United on Sunday. Anthony Ralston and Stephen Welsh also picked up injuries against Hearts and missed the game, while Christopher Jullien is still yet to feature under Postecoglou.

Giorgos Giakoumakis is out with a knee issue and youngster Karamoko Dembele has also been missing since pre-season, and even though Greg Taylor made a return on the weekend, Postecoglou can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries.

Hopefully the New Year will bring better luck on the injury front, but Postecoglou will be without Jota for a while and may have to rely on Mikey Johnston against Real Betis on Thursday.

In other news: Devlin claims Celtic may now seal move for 12-goal beast before 2022 training camp

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Dean Windass analysed the thinking behind Celtic potentially hiring Frank Lampard or John Terry as their next manager.

The Hoops are currently without a boss after Neil Lennon departed the club, handing in his resignation last Wednesday.

That came following the club’s 1-0 defeat to Ross County. They’re considerably off the pace in the race for the SPFL title and their fierce rivals, Rangers, now need a very minimal number of points to win the league.

It will be the first time in over nine years that the Gers have managed to do so. Thus, whoever walks into the job will have an almighty battle on their hands to reclaim Celtic’s dominance of Scottish football.

Football FanCast quizzed Windass this week over potential candidates for the job and he thought that the likes of Lampard or Terry could mean that the Bhoys are thinking of following Rangers and making a Steven Gerrard-liked appointment.

He began: “You know, it’s like the domino effect. I think that Frank’s on the same par as Stevie and so is John Terry. He’s a big name in the game and just starting out his managerial career, which obviously Stevie was. In his first job in charge, he’s being successful, so Celtic are probably thinking on those lines.”

Windass concluded: “I think the supporters will wish Lenny all the best, they’ve gone through a tough time this season, not just with results but also with Covid, and he’s obviously found he can take the club as far as he can go now and let somebody else have a bash at it. So if it’s John or Frank or anybody, it’s a massive football club, so they won’t be short of applicants, I know that for a fact.”

Lampard has just recently left his post with Chelsea after being sacked following a run of poor results. His former Blues teammate, Terry, is meanwhile assistant manager to Dean Smith at Aston Villa.

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The former has previously been hailed for his amazing connections when Pat Nevin spoke about the possibility of the 42-year-old joining. Whether or not Lampard or Terry would like to cross the border, however, is another matter.

AND in other news, “Very good fit” – Exclusive: Pundit claims Celtic job “would appeal” to 2018 FIFA MOTY nominee

Crystal Palace are trying to revolutionise their squad as they have a number of players with contracts expiring in the summer. One of the players they are keen on bringing in is Dion Sanderson.

The latest on Sanderson

According to the Daily Mail, the Wolves defender is attracting interest from Palace as well as fellow Premier League sides Brighton and Sheffield United.

This would be an interesting signing for Palace

The defender is currently on loan at League One side Sunderland and is clearly impressing. He has played 18 times (seven from the bench) and has been a rock at the back as he has averaged 1.1 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game (WhoScored).

He has received a lot of praise in recent times. Sunderland manager Lee Johnson said: “He’s a centre-half and at his age level he is an absolute Rolls-Royce”, whilst former Wolves striker Stephen Elliott claimed that “Sanderson has a huge future in the game”.

With the centre-back only 21, he looks to have bags of potential to succeed at a top level. A young defender is just what Palace need, as all their centre-backs who have featured in the league this season are over the age of 30, with Cahill the oldest at 35 (Transfermarkt). Therefore, if they could manage to tempt Wolves to let him go, then it could be a very good acquisition.

In other news, many Palace fans reacted to this update!

Journalist Phil Hay believes that Dan James will lead the line for Leeds United in their Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Monday night.

The Lowdown: James’ resurgence under Marsch

Jesse Marsch’s men face another crucial game in their top-flight survival battle as they head south to take on the Eagles at Selhurst Park.

James has been used regularly by the Leeds manager since the American replaced Marcelo Bielsa, admittedly not yet scoring under the 48-year-old but providing lots of endeavour and registering two assists.

The former Manchester United man has often been used centrally by Marsch in the absence of Patrick Bamford, and that could be the case again when Leeds take on Palace.

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The Latest: Hay makes team news claim

Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic leading up to kick-off, Hay has backed James to lead the line for Leeds at Selhurst Park, on what feels like a crucial night in the relegation tussle. The journalist wrote:

“My gut feeling is it will be James up front again this evening – but maybe Marsch will surprise us.”

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The Verdict: Big night for James

In truth, James has had a disappointing first season in a Leeds shirt, having become the club’s second-most expensive signing in history when he joined from their Mancunian rivals.

Four goals and four assists is still a reasonable effort in a struggling team, though, and it makes sense for him to continue in a central role on Monday night in the absence of Bamford.

If James could find the net decisively at Selhurst Park, it would be perhaps his biggest contribution yet in a Whites shirt as he looks to justify the £25m that Leeds paid for him last year.

In other news, Marsch is reportedly trying to bring one player to Leeds. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace will be under no illusion of the scale of the task at hand after the humiliating 7-0 defeat to Liverpool at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon.

It was a sorry sight as Jurgen Klopp’s side put the Eagles to the sword after Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah both scored twice to leave Roy Hodgson with an awful lot of work to do.

The Eagles have conceded 25 goals in the Premier League this season, the third worst total behind newly-promoted sides Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion, and find themselves 13th in the table, level on points with Newcastle United, although Steve Bruce’s side has a game in-hand.

If that weren’t bad enough, Palace have several players who will be out of contract at the end of the season, including first-team regular starters Christian Benteke and Gary Cahill as well as Scott Dann.

With the January transfer window only a matter of days away, it’s time for Steve Parish to shift some of the deadwood, and you’d have to imagine that Max Meyer will be one of the first names on the list.

However, Hodgson must also urge the Palace chairman to cash in on former West Ham defender James Tomkins, who has made just one appearance during an injury-disrupted campaign despite earning around £50,000-per-week.

Reports in recent times revealed that West Bromwich Albion manager Sam Allardyce is keen to reunite with the 31-year-old after working with the centre-back at Selhurst Park and West Ham, and Parish could kill two birds with one stone by cutting his losses once and for all.

It sounds harsh, but the stats don’t lie, and Tomkins simply isn’t up to scratch anymore. The £3.6m-rated defensive stalwart came off the bench to replace Cheikou Kouyate in the second half to mark his first appearance of the season but he couldn’t prevent Palace from capitulating against Liverpool at Selhurst Park, although most of the damage had already been done.

Per SofaScore, he received a low rating of 6 out of ten for his efforts – despite playing just 27′ minutes of first-team football – as he failed to record a single tackle and he also managed to lose possession of the ball three times.

It’s fair to say that Tomkins has been an ever-loyal servant of the club but he has arguably entered the twilight of his career and as such, seems destined for the Selhurst Park exit.

When push comes to shove, Parish must be ruthless and push him out the door, as he’s certainly bled him dry over the past few months, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Forget Sarr: Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish must secure Michael Olise as a Townsend alternative…

Manchester City have entered the race for Leeds United star Raphinha.

That’s according to Italian transfer journalist Gianluigi Longari, who claims Manchester United and Liverpool are still interested, but they now face fresh competition from the champions elect.

City can win the Premier League title this weekend if they beat Crystal Palace and Liverpool beat Manchester United, so can soon start looking to next season’s transfer plans.

And Pep Guardiola is looking to beat Jurgen Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to the coveted signature of the Leeds winger.

Longari adds that ‘nothing is decided yet’ and that ‘LUFC want to keep him’, having signed the youngster from Rennes for £17million last summer.

Raphinha a revelation at Elland Road

Raphinha has been directly involved in 12 goals in his first season in the top-flight (six goals, six assists), an impressive return for a young winger on his first crack at the Premier League.

The Brazilian is in the league’s top six for chances created per 90 minutes, edged only by Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish. He’s also in the top 15 for successful dribbles per game with 1.9.

Such performances have even seen him labelled a ‘monster’ by his compatriot Lucas Moura.

Transfer Tavern verdict

Raphinha still has three years left on the contract he signed on arrival, so expect Leeds to demand a huge profit if they are to sell.

Intriguingly, though, this development comes shortly after a new winger emerged as a target for the Yorkshire outfit.

Football FanCast revealed this week that Director of Football Victor Orta had held talks with the agent of Rubin Kazan’s Khvicha Kvaratskheila.

The four-goal, eight-assist Georgian has predominantly been used on the left this season, rather than the right, but Transfermarkt list him as two-footed, so perhaps the Whites are plotting a contingency plan in case an offer for Raphinha is too good to turn down.

In other news, Leeds have been backed to pull off a mighty coup.

Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard has rejected a move to Liverpool, who would have paid him more than three times the amount of his Hoops deal.

That’s according to a report from Anfield Central, who suggested that the French forward turned down a Merseyside move following a phone call with Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.

Edouard, who earns £19,000 per week at Celtic Park, would have been on a contract worth £60,000-a-week at Anfield.

The 23-year-old’s Parkhead deal expires in just over 12 months’ time and he wants to leave the Hoops this summer regardless of who comes in as Neil Lennon’s successor.

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Transfer Tavern take

To us, this latest update may spell trouble for new Celtic CEO Dominic McKay. If Edouard were keen on a move to Liverpool, they may have been willing to fork out a substantial fee for the striker, whose contract is running down.

However, with a move to Anfield no longer on the cards, that is one less club now in the running for the Frenchman. That may prove to be bad news for the Hoops, as it could tempt other interested suitors into offering a lower fee, or worse still, happy to wait until January 2022 when they could discuss a possible free transfer.

Celtic also owe Paris Saint-Germain 40% of any deal involving Edouard, so to us, it’s crucial that the Hoops receive as much as possible in seeling him, or they could make a loss on the striker for whom they paid a club-record £9.27m fee back in 2018.

In other news: Hoops keen on £50,000-a-week midfielder, find out more here.