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Alfredo Morelos is still reportedly being chased by a club in the UEFA Champions League after telling Glasgow Rangers that he would like to leave.

The Lowdown: Porto links

FC Porto have been strongly linked with a move for Morelos throughout the whole summer transfer window so far, and it has even been reported that the Colombia international has told his close friends that he would like to move there.

It is now a dilemma for Steven Gerrard if he wants to try and convince Morelos to stay with the Ibrox faithful, or move him on for the best price possible.

The Latest: Morelos update

As per Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), Porto have still not given up hope of signing Morelos, despite the end of the window drawing closer.

The news outlet points out that the striker has already told the Gers that he would like to leave, but he could well make a U-turn if they end up qualifying for the Champions League group stages.

The Verdict: Sell for right price

If Morelos is really desperate to go, then it would benefit the Light Blues more if they can move an unhappy player on, providing that they can get the right price for him.

Dubbed a ‘top class’ player by Gerrard after an impressive performance back in October, the 25-year-old is such a key man for his side, scoring no fewer than 17 goals and making a further 13 assists in 44 games in total over all competitions across the 2020/21 season (Transfermarkt).

However, given his scoring record and age, now might be the best time for RFC to maximise a transfer fee for a sale, which could then be reinvested into a direct replacement.

In other news, find out which confirmed exit has Gers buzzing here!

West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael may not enter the transfer market again this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Alan Nixon, with The Sun journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that the Frenchman is more than happy with the players he currently has at his disposal at The Hawthorns, suggesting the 45-year-old may not be pursuing too many more incoming signings over what remains of the summer transfer window.

Nixon went on to claim in a further post that there are similarities between Ismael and the Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa, in that both coaches prefer to operate with smaller squads than the vast majority of managers.

In response to a fan asking whether Albion’s quiet summer looked set to pick up pace anytime soon, the journalist said: “Coach seems happy enough with what he has.”

Then, in response to another fan stating their belief that the club are in need of a central midfielder, Nixon said: “There’s a bit of the Bielsa about Ismael. Quite happy with small squads and stick with them.”

Fans will be fuming

While it is all very well and good operating with a small squad, with Bielsa proving at Leeds that a manager can be extremely successful with a limited number of players, there nevertheless is a very clear line when a manager not bringing in additions to his squad becomes irresponsible.

Indeed, as the second fan quoted above states, Albion are extremely short of options in the middle of the park, with only Jake Livermore, Alex Mowatt and Romaine Sawyers – who has recently been linked with a move to Stoke City – capable of operating in central midfield naturally.

The Baggies also appear rather thin on the ground on the left-hand side of defence, with only Conor Townsend in the first-team squad as an out and out left-back, while it would also appear as if Ismael could use the addition of a new centre-forward this summer.

As such, if the Frenchman does not go on to bring in reinforcements in the positions stated above, and any of the players who can operate in the respective positions pick up an injury or simply lose form, the potential for West Brom’s promotion hopes to slip away would appear very real indeed – an outcome that would leave fans of the club fuming.

In other news: Steve Madeley reveals major West Brom transfer development, Ismael will be buzzing

After scoring 13 goals in their last three games, Celtic are in a positive place right now.

It’s not often we’ve been able to say that about the Hoops during the last 12 months but they have started life under Ange Postecoglou in fine fettle.

What’s the word?

The Australian hasn’t managed the most convincing of summer transfer windows so far but it’s hard to fault much of his work. Kyogo Furuhashi has four goals in as many games while Liel Abada also has four goal involvements to his name.

However, one area where the new manager still needs to improve the squad is in defence.

Fortunately, the Bhoys are making moves to bolster their ranks in that department. Just a day after being linked with a move for Josip Juranovic, they have been touted with a swoop for Yan Couto.

This isn’t the first time the Brazilian’s name has surfaced in the same conversation as Celtic this summer.

As per Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas, they are still hoping to persuade the Manchester City full-back to join on loan. The defender was even invited to Parkhead to watch the Hoops yesterday evening.

He said: “Celtic still hoping to persuade Yan Couto to join them on loan from Man City. Been trying since window opened but other clubs want him too and Brazilian yet to decide.”

Fans buzzing

With Celtic in conversations to bring Couto to Paradise, it should leave supporters absolutely buzzing.

After all, the one area where they’ve been crying out for reinforcements is at right-back. Anthony Ralston has caught the eye with goals in successive league outings, but against stronger opposition they will need a player of greater quality.

Celtic face AZ Alkmaar in the next round of Europa League qualifying and that will represent their toughest test yet in terms of continental action this term.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-transfer-news-larsson-lovric-thomas-henry-diego-costa-postecoglou” title=”Read the latest Celtic transfer news!”]

Ralston has begun the season in impressive form but there are still questions to be asked of him in the long run. Therefore, providing competition for the full-back in the shape of Couto would be a smart decision from the Hoops hierarchy.

Being compared to Dani Alves, the Brazilian possesses attacking and defensive qualities in abundance.

Described as “extremely dangerous on the counter” by scout Jacek Kulig, the 19-year-old was labelled the Spanish second tier’s best right-back last season during a loan spell with Girona.

He completed one key pass per 90 minutes, as well as making 1.3 tackles and producing 1.8 dribbles over the same metric. In comparison, no player at Celtic managed more dribbles per game last season.

On that evidence, Hoops fans should be elated at the idea of their club signing Couto. He has an immense set of skills and could create a wonderful partnership with Abada on the right.

AND in other news, Celtic close to signing £2.5m “creative monster”, he’s perfect for Postecoglou…

Celtic face competition in their loan pursuit of Manchester City youngster Yan Couto, with Braga said to have joined the race for his signature, as reported by A Bola [via Glasgow Live].

The Lowdown: Celtic look to strengthen in defence

As the transfer window deadline draws closer, Bhoys manager Ange Postecoglou could still be in the market to bolster his squad in key areas which lack adequate depth.

Right-back will no doubt be an area of priority, with Celtic only having one man in this position with first team experience in the form of Anthony Ralston – who had made just 20 senior Hoops appearances prior to this season.

However, they could have a fight on their hands to land Couto following recent developments.

The Latest: Braga also keen on a season-long loan for Couto

Last week, the 19-year-old was present at Parkhead for the Hoops’ Europa League victory over Jablonec, possibly with a view to enticing the full-back to make the switch to Glasgow on loan [City Xtra].

However, there could now be a spanner in the works, with Braga also keen on taking the Brazilian under their wing for the new campaign on a temporary deal [A Bola via Glasgow Live].

Advantageously for Celtic, the Primeira Liga outfit are not believed to be close to an agreement and are unwilling to pay his full wage structure, something the Premier League champions would favour.

The Verdict: Celtic should strive to beat off other suitors for Couto

With the transfer window set to close at the end of the month, this news will come as little surprise to Celtic as other clubs seek to put the finishing touches to their respective squads. Someone as talented as Couto will always be likely to attract attention from other clubs owing to his defensive qualities, alongside his capability to perform as an inverted right-back.

In 2020/21, he excelled in a loan stint at Manchester City affiliates Girona, registering seven goal contributions in 30 appearances with two goals and five assists [Transfermarkt]. Couto also showed his quality in terms of chance creation, delivering 63 crosses across his time in the Segunda Division [FB Ref].

Once labelled as the ‘new Dani Alves’ by the Spanish press [The Sun], Celtic should look to seal a deal for the 19-year-old’s services due to his suitability with Postecoglou’s high-octane style of football.

In other news, Celtic fans react to a transfer update regarding their talisman. Read all about it here.

Ligue 1 expert Adam White insists that midfielder Renato Sanches is unlikely to join Liverpool this summer because of the injury he has recently sustained.

The midfielder has undergone an operation to repair an injured knee, which is likely to rule him out for up to six weeks, per Goal.

They report that both Liverpool and Barcelona have been linked with potential swoops to sign the £27m-rated midfielder, who has enjoyed a return to prominence in recent seasons.

The Portugal international was vaunted as one of the hottest prospects in world football when he made his breakthrough at Benfica but he struggled after a move to Bayern Munich and also flopped in a loan move to Swansea City.

But since the move to Lille, he has developed into one of the finest midfielders in Europe, making 60 appearances for the club in total and also going to Euro 2020 with Portugal in the summer.

But White believes that the injury has all but ruled out any prospect of a transfer this summer.

The journalist, who covers Ligue 1 for The Guardian, said: “It’s an interesting one with Sanches. Obviously the injury isn’t particularly helpful and I think it probably ruins his chances of a move this summer.

“He was actually relatively up and down last season. I thought he was really good last week against Metz when they came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3.”

West Ham United went top of the Premier League table with a resounding victory on Monday night.

David Moyes’ side ran riot against ten-man Leicester City at the London Stadium as a Michail Antonio brace not only steered the Irons to back-to-back wins to kickstart the 2021/22 campaign but also broke Paulo Di Canio’s club record in the process.

The 31-year-old ran the show upfront for the Hammers as he notched his 48th and 49th Premier League goals for the club and whilst the winger-turned-talismanic striker was clearly influential to the result, there was another name who deserves to reap the rewards.

Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma, who also assisted the Spaniard’s opener, were other candidates for the ‘Man of the Match’ award, which understandably went to the powerhouse up top after his late brace.

However, vice-captain Declan Rice, who took the armband on the night, pulled the strings from midfield against a very impressive Foxes outfit propelled by the likes of James Maddison, Wilfred Ndidi and Youri Tielemans in the engine room.

The 22-year-old has continued a fine summer with England at Euro 2020 as he controlled the Hammers’ tempo throughout the 90 minutes. As such, the 24-time Three Lions international recorded the second-most touches (83) of any West Ham player, as per SofaScore.

That resulted in a phenomenal 95% passing accuracy from a squad-high 66 passes, including two key chances, only further proving that everything ran through the deep-lying monster in midfield.

Furthermore, his 8.1 match rating was only bettered by the brace-scoring Antonio – not even the two other goalscorers received a higher rating (7.8), which speaks volumes to just how pivotal Rice is in this system under Moyes.

Rice earned high praise from the press, too. The Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser claimed that the £63m-rated star “ran the midfield” and was “sharper than anyone on the pitch” in his attempt to get the Irons going.

The young skipper also did his duty defensively, managing to register four tackles (joint-most in game), three interceptions (most of any West Ham player) and two clearances, as well as winning 100% of his aerial duels and seven of ten ground duels, as per SofaScore.

On the above evidence, Rice played an instrumental and perhaps underrated role in their win over Leicester City in east London on Monday night. The £60k-per-week beast was surely the unsung hero for Moyes.

AND in other news, West Ham handed huge transfer boost over “special” 29-cap beast, fans surely buzzing…

Tottenham Hotspur legend Graham Roberts insists that Tanguy Ndombele simply does not have the ability to make an impact in the Premier League.

The midfielder is reported to have informed Spurs that he would be open to an exit from the club in this transfer window.

He has subsequently been linked with a potential move to Bayern Munich, and noted transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the club are trying to find a way to move the France international out before the transfer deadline.

Ndombele has struggled for consistency during his time at Spurs and has yet to play for the club this season.

The 24-year-old made 33 Premier League appearances last term but he completed the 90 minutes just six times.

In total, he scored three goals and registered two assists, and Roberts believes that Ndombele needs to move to a club in a European league, as he does not have the required attributes to succeed in England.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I think the way he plays the game, I think he has a lot of talent, but he can’t cover the ground. The Premier League is too powerful for him, it’s too physical and quick.

“You have to play every game to a high standard and I just feel that when you see midfield players running past him, that can’t happen, and for me he would be better off in the Italian league or the Spanish league or the French league.”

Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva was denied a late move in the transfer window after the club rejected a bid from Atletico Madrid for the Portuguese international. 

The Lowdown: Key member of Guardiola’s squad

The 27-year-old was a key member of Guardiola’s side last term as they regained the Premier League title, appearing 45 times in all competitions. However, after contributing to 18 goals in the previous campaign, he only managed five goals and nine assists during the 2020/21 season. 

After appearing in every game for Portugal in Euro 2020, Silva’s future at the club seemed uncertain after it was rumoured that he was keen on a departure and that the club wouldn’t stand in his way. 

However, after being an unused substitute in the opening day defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, Silva has started in the subsequent two 5-0 wins over Norwich City and Arsenal and remained at the club as the transfer window came to an end. 

The Latest: Staying put for now, but there is a price

As per a report by The Mirror, City rejected a cash-plus-player offer for the midfielder from Spanish champions Atletico Madrid involving Saul Niguez, who the La Liga club were offering to Guardiola’s side in their attempts to lure Silva to Spain.

The article states that Guardiola wasn’t interested in adding the Spanish midfielder to his squad, turning down a potential late-window coup, and he was eventually loaned to Chelsea with an option to buy for £30m. 

It is believed that the move to Stamford Bridge only came about after Atletico’s offer for Silva was swiftly rejected, as the Premier League champions were demanding £40m outright to part with the 27-year-old. 

The Verdict: Good to keep ‘unstoppable’ Silva around

Silva’s influence and versatility are one of the most important aspects of Manchester City’s squad. His current manager named him ‘unstoppable’ last season as his performances helped City win their fifth Premier League title. 

With the ability to play out wide, where he isn’t used as often due to the quality of Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden, and through the middle, Silva offers more versatility to Guardiola than Saul would, with the Chelsea loanee almost exclusively a central midfielder.

Despite Fabrizio Romano’s claim that the Portugal playmaker wanted out of Manchester, Silva still has plenty of faith from his manager and will be keen to ensure that the club’s transfer stance ends up being wholly justified.

In other news, lots of Man City fans are excited to see one youngster included in their European squad. Find out more here.

Sunderland’s traversal of the Premier League, Championship and League One in recent times has seen their transfer strategy change immeasurably.

This has seen them go from spending £18m on Didier Ndong whilst in the Premier League to landing Aiden McGeady for just over £250k in the Championship and the current iteration of signings in League One under Lee Johnson, such as Callum Doyle and Leon Dajaku, on loan.

Along with their signings, the Black Cats have also made plenty of sales along the way. An unfortunate side-effect (beyond the obvious) of being relegated is that a club’s promising young talents may get snapped up by those further up the footballing ladder.

This was the case in 2018 when Joel Asoro was sold to Swansea following the Wearsiders’ relegation to League One. The Swedish attacker recouped the club a reported £2.07m through his move to Wales at the age of 19, but was it the right call?

From Sunderland’s perspective, they will be over the moon with the deal in hindsight due to what he has gone on to do since leaving the Stadium of Light. As per Transfermarkt’s valuation system, he is currently valued at a paltry £405k and is playing in Sweden for Djurgarden.

This means that his value has dropped £1.66m from £2.07m upon his sale in 2018 to £405k currently. His valuation would need to increase by over 500% for him to reach the level he was at when he joined Swansea, which highlights how far he has plummeted as a player since departing Sunderland.

At the time of the sale, Asoro had built a decent reputation after scoring three goals and setting up two in 26 Championship appearances for the Black Cats. This was a solid return for a teenager making his first foray into professional football, suggesting that he had the potential to go on to greater things.

However, it clearly has not worked out that way for him. He failed to score in 18 senior appearances for Swansea and now finds himself plying his trade in Sweden at the age of 22. This shows that Sunderland struck gold by selling him when they did.

Given his form since leaving the club, Asoro may have gone on to flop with the Black Cats, and then they would never have been able to sell him for as much as they did. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course, but Sunderland will surely be looking at his current situation and feel thankful that they decided to cash in on him when Swansea came knocking for £2.07m.

They managed to strike gold at the perfect time and, unfortunately for Asoro, it has been all downhill for the player since then. It is a shame that he has not been able to live up to his early potential, but purely from his former club’s perspective, they will be delighted that they made the most of his value in 2018 given what has happened since.

AND in other news, Phil Smith drops claim on £1.6m-rated “top prospect” which will excite Sunderland fans…

Aston Villa must avoid a major transfer disaster over Emi Martinez amid suggestions Atletico Madrid are now interested in signing him.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent from Football Insider initially suggested that Manchester United had set their sights on the Argentina international after having been impressed with his performances in his first season with Dean Smith’s side.

Now, Spanish publication La Razon (via Sport Witness) claim that Atletico have their eye on signing Martinez as a potential replacement for current number one shot-stopper Jan Oblak, whose contract with the Spanish side comes to an end in the summer of 2023.

The report adds that the fee for Martinez would likely be less than what they would recoup for Oblak, which would ease the strain on their finances.

Fans would be livid

The Argentine has been an absolute revelation for Dean Smith since joining from fellow Premier League side Arsenal last summer, keeping the third most clean sheets in the division with 15.

Described as a “phenomenon” and someone who “guarantees ten points per season” by Argentinian World Cup winner Daniel Bertoni, Martinez has been nothing short of outstanding for the Midlands club, so much so that he’s now a permanent fixture in his country’s squad too.

It’s no surprise then that rival clubs have sat up and taken notice of his performances, and Atletico’s latest interest is a massive compliment to just how well he has done.

As well as being one of the Premier League’s elite goalkeepers as shown by the number of clean sheets he kept last season, he represents the kind of signing that shows the state of NSWE’s ambition.

Villa are moving forward and are trying to push for that European spot and break into top seven, but they simply cannot do that by letting Martinez go – in fact, it would be a major backwards step and a telling sign that they aren’t able to crack into the elite.

It’s exactly why fans will be absolutely livid if Villa were to cash in on the £31.5m-rated Martinez.

Not only would they be losing a top-class goalkeeper and giving them an absolute headache in trying to replace him, but they would also lose some of the significant progress they have made in the past couple of years to catch up to the division’s best clubs.

Meanwhile, Villa are eyeing a fresh move for this midfielder…