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A big update has emerged on Rangers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s plans to replace Ibrox veteran Allan McGregor this summer…

What’s the talk?

According to the print edition of the Daily Record on 5 April [page 48], via Ibrox News, the Gers have made Schalke shot-stopper Martin Fraisl their number one transfer target heading into the window, with the Scottish giants setting their sights on their first signing.

The report claims that there are doubts over McGregor’s future at the club and the 2. Bundesliga gem is set to be available on a free transfer as his contract with the German outfit expires at the end of the season.

GVB needs him

Gio van Bronckhorst needs the Austrian goalkeeper badly heading into next season because McGregor has made himself a liability in the Premiership this term.

The 40-year-old has cost the club too many times in the Scottish top-flight and it is time for a changing of the guard between the sticks in Glasgow.

SofaScore have him down as making three errors directly leading to goals and one error directly leading to a shot in the Premiership. Whilst these are worrying statistics as it is, they do not take into consideration goals that you would expect a Rangers goalkeeper to stop.

For example, his weak parry straight into the path of Tom Rogic against Celtic last weekend did not go down as a direct error, but it was a mistake from the shot-stopper that got the Hoops level in the match. His failure to stop an effort going through him at the near post against Motherwell in a 2-2 draw also escaped that tag, with these incidents illustrating how costly his blunders have been.

This is why van Bronckhorsst needs a new goalkeeper badly and Fraisl can be the man to take McGregor’s place in goal at Ibrox. Schalke Sporting director Rouven Schroder dubbed his form “excellent” and his statistics in the 2. Bundesliga back that up, with an average SofaScore rating of 6.83.

The 28-year-old has also made zero errors directly leading to goals in the league this season. Whilst it is hard to say whether or not he has made the type of mistakes the Scot has made that do not go down as direct errors, it does show that he drops fewer clangers than the veteran.

The £5.9k-per-week gem is also quoted in the report as saying: “I have made it my aim to play the last 10 years at least of my pro career at the same club.

“I want to play until I’m 42. My body resembles that of an 18-year-old.”

This suggests that he is willing to be loyal to the Gers and will be in it for the long haul if they decide to snap him up this summer. It is an attitude that the fans will surely love as it suggests that he has the potential to enjoy a fantastic spell with the club if he is able to deliver on the pitch.

AND in other news, Smith endured big Rangers howler over “world-class” £7.5m gem who was “admired by all”…

Everton have been rather active in the transfer window over the past few years when it comes to bringing new players to the Merseyside club.

At times, the Toffees have spent significant sums of money on players such as Ben Godfrey, Alex Iwobi and Moise Kean to name a few.

The previous summer transfer window was a different story for the club as they were impacted by Financial Fair Play rules, resulting in them only signing Demarai Gray for a relatively low fee of £1.7m.

Looking ahead to the next summer window, it seems as though the Goodison Park outfit may once again be in danger of being troubled by their financial issues, this time in a much more potentially damaging regard.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Paul Brown had this to say about the future of Everton duo Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.

He said: “It’s inevitable that one of them goes because the financial position the club finds itself in is so dire that they know they have to sell someone to generate some revenue.”

Bad news for Lampard

Having scored a combined total of nine Premier League goals between them this season, it’s safe to say that the duo are two of Everton’s key attacking figures.

The attackers also make up two of Everton’ three highest-rated outfield players currently at the club in terms of their overall performances according to WhoScored.

Also, with the pair being worth a combined fee of £82.8m, they are the club’s two most valuable players, showing why Brown thinks selling one of them could help the Toffees financially.

However, given how vital they both are on the pitch for the Merseyside club, selling either of them anytime soon would be a disaster for Frank Lampard and the fans.

While this could be an issue for the Toffees by the time the upcoming summer transfer window opens for business, their main concern at the moment will surely be on doing all they can to stay in the division.

Moving forward, the best thing that Everton can do is to win as many points as they can from their remaining league games.

Once they potentially manage to do that, the focus can then shift onto their summer business.

In terms of what the financial situation at the Merseyside club will look like at that point, it should be their top priority to keep hold of both Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin.

In other news: Lampard can now axe “desperate” flop as EFC plot bid for “exceptional” £37k-p/w dynamo

Greek football journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has shared Celtic’s proposal regarding an exit for goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas.

The Lowdown: Outcasts still at Parkhead

The Hoops were fairly quiet on deadline day, with youngsters Osaze Urhoghide, Adam Montgomery and Kerr McInroy the only outgoings, each sealing loan moves away.

Barkas, Albian Ajeti and Boli Bolingoli were all expected to leave the club before the January window slammed shut, but as we know, the three outcasts stayed at the club past the domestic deadline.

The Latest: Chorianopoulos’ post

Greek reporter Chorianopoulos took to Twitter late on Monday night and appeared to indicate that the Hoops have made proposals to a number of Turkish clubs regarding Barkas.

The 27-year-old, who former Celtic manager Neil Lennon once described as ‘excellent’, was linked with a move to the Super Lig during January, but according to Chorianopoulos, there has not been any response to that proposal.

He tweeted: “Celtic Vasilis Barkas was proposed also to several clubs from Turkey. No response yet”.

The Verdict: Still time

Even though the domestic deadline is now shut in the UK, Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson still has time to shift the likes of Ajeti, Barkas and Bolingoli to overseas clubs.

Should the Hoops get a response from a Turkish side regarding Barkas, they still have seven days to finalise a transfer. It would be a miracle if Celtic recoup the £4.5m they paid for the goalkeeper, with his market value plummeting during his time in Glasgow, along with his game-time.

It’s safe to say that the big-money move for Barkas can go down as poor decision, having been culpable for some howling errors for the Bhoys, but at least Celtic still have time to find him a new club in the near future.

In other news: ‘Bad news for Celtic’ – Sky Sports man drops live on-air claim ahead of crucial Glasgow derby

West Bromwich Albion’s star striker this season, Karlan Grant, registered fewer touches than goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in an extremely poor display against Birmingham City.

Grant, who is the top scorer for the Baggies this season was nowhere to be seen as his side lost 1-0 to their local rivals who pick up their first win in four.

The 24-year-old made the move to The Hawthorns for £15m from Huddersfield when West Brom were in the Premier League, but it appears his celling is at this level.

He was substituted in the 68th minute of the game at St Andrew’s and was replaced by Andy Carroll who offered something different but still couldn’t find the back of the net.

To make matters worse for Grant, as well as the rest of his team, he failed to register a shot on target throughout the game.

When it comes to passing he made only three, with only Carroll who came on for him, the one West Brom player to make fewer or less.

Grant’s accuracy rate was also one of the worst on the whole pitch at a dismal 43%.

These stats come as more of a shock for the £7.2m rated forward who has registered at least one shot on target in each of his last four starts -registering 3+ in two of those games.

Throughout the season his ‘unlikely’ partnership with Callum Robinson has been working for the Baggies who have been making a late push for the play offs.

However, defeat now leaves them five points off sixth place, and with tough fixtures still to come it’s looking unlikely they’ll make it.

Manager Steve Bruce will be disappointed with the team’s performance at St Andrew’s against his former side, and the question is will he try something different in their next game or will he stick with Grant?

Carroll had the best chance of the game and is now back from injury, so if he can stay fit perhaps Bruce will look to him further.

This may only be a one-off, but West Brom will be hoping that Grant can get his form back on track if they are to see their slim play-off chances come true.

IN other news: Sold at £13m, now worth £49.5m: WBA will have nightmares over 6ft4 “beast of a man”…

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According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to offer Premier League strugglers Fulham £20 million to sign Ryan and Steven Sessegnon in the upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

Ryan Sessegnon has been in and out of the Cottagers’ starting XI this season. Last year, in the west London club’s promotion campaign from the Championship, the 18-year-old was an integral part of the side, scoring fifteen goals and racking up six assists over the course of the league season.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

The left-sided starlet has failed to truly find his feet in the top flight so far though. However, his efforts to acclimatise to the Premier League have been hampered by Fulham’s wider issues on and off the pitch – which has led them to the their current position in the relegation zone.

Sessegnon’s twin brother, Steven, is also on the books at Craven Cottage. The right-back is highly-rated by the club’s academy staff, but is yet to make his Premier League bow.

A double steal

Whilst Ryan Sessegnon has struggled to really shine this season, the England under-21 international remains a hugely exciting talent. He certainly belongs at the top level, and should Fulham get relegated this season then there ought to be plenty of Premier League clubs interested in his services. 

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has already demonstrated his ability to aid the development of young English talent with Dele Alli and Harry Winks. Ryan Sessegnon could be the next man on the conveyor belt.

What’s more, the Fulham ace could also prove to be the answer to Spurs’ left-back woes. Ben Davies lacks attacking quality whilst Danny Rose is inconsistent and injury prone. If Sessegnon were able to mature defensively then he could become a key weapon in Pochettino’s arsenal.

His brother is also a talent and worth a punt, especially if he helps Ryan settle in north London. All in all, £20 million for the pair would have to be considered an absolute steal.

Journalist Steve Madeley has laid into West Brom midfielder Alex Mowatt’s ineffective performance in his side’s 4-0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest.

The Lowdown: Baggies humbled at Forest

Steve Bruce’s side made the trip to the City Ground on Monday evening, looking to pick up a rare positive result in an increasingly disappointing season.

The Baggies were thumped by their promotion-chasing opponents, however, trailing 3-0 at half-time, not helped by Darnell Furlong’s red card.

Forest added a fourth goal after the break, with the defeat leaving Bruce’s languishing 12th in the Championship table and effectively ending their playoff chances.

The Latest: Madeley critical of Mowatt

Mowatt had a bad evening, with Sofascore noting that his total of 23 touches was comfortably fewer than goalkeeper David Button managed (43), and Madeley took to Twitter to criticise his efforts:

“Molumby on for Mowatt, who has had a poor night.”

The Verdict: Can this season end?

After such confidence at the start of the season, when Valerien Ismael arriving as manager and automatic promotion expected by many, this has turned into a dismal campaign.

Mowatt perhaps sums it all up, also coming in with big expectations but not matching the hype, providing just six direct goal involvements and often frustrating fans.

For West Brom to be 12th in the league with the squad they have is simply not good enough and there must be question marks over Bruce’s future moving forward.

The right decisions need to be made in the summer, in terms of the manager and playing personnel, ensuring the Baggies produce a far stronger campaign next time around.

In other news, West Brom have been backed to sign a Premier League midfielder. Read more here.

Karl Darlow could now be the first out of the door at Newcastle United in the summer as some transfer news has emerged.

The Lowdown: Darlow out of favour

The 31-year-old has become out of favour once again at St James’ Park this season, having made just eight appearances in total in the Premier League and none since November (Transfermarkt).

This is in contrast to last term, when he played bench after some impressive performances.

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Sky Sports pundit Matt Murray thought that Darlow was ‘absolutely awesome’ in 2020/21 and even suggested that the goalkeeping spot was ‘his shirt to lose’, while former Tottenham Hotspur and England international goalkeeper Paul Robinson hailed him as ‘exceptional’.

However, he seems to have lost his place again to Dubravka under Eddie Howe.

The Latest: Darlow eyed by Boro

As per The Sun, Middlesbrough are now eyeing Darlow as their new number one ahead of the summer transfer window.

They are also looking at Leicester City shot-stopper Daniel Iversen, but Darlow remains firmly in their radar.

The Verdict: Time up

Unfortunately for Darlow, his time at St James’ Park now appears to be up.

The new owners at Newcastle are likely to go in for a new goalkeeper this summer with their riches, as Keylor Navas has been the latest big name linked with a move to the northeast.

A new arrival would likely push the 6 foot 2 Darlow further down the pecking order, and at 31 years of age, he probably has one more move left in his career which could guarantee him first-team football.

In other news, find out whose Magpies future is also now in doubt

A major update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Barcelona attacker Ousmane Dembele…

What’s the talk?

Express journalist Ryan Taylor has revealed that the Magpies have submitted a contract to the forward ahead of the summer transfer window. The former Rennes winger’s deal with the Spanish giants expires in the summer and he is set to become a free agent, with PIF now looking to pounce on him.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “From what I understand, they’ve already made an offer to his agent for a pre-contract agreement, quite a big one as well. So, there is interest in Dembele.”

Buzzing

Eddie Howe will surely be left buzzing by this update, as the prospect of the French international arriving at St James’ Park is an exciting one.

Dembele has a wealth of experience in top-level football for club and country and still has plenty of time on his side to develop further, which is why he could be an excellent prospective addition to Newcastle’s squad. The winger played 50 games for Borussia Dortmund in Germany and has racked up 129 appearances for Barcelona, whilst also being capped 27 times by France along the way.

In that time, he has won a World Cup, two La Liga titles and two Spanish Cups – all by the age of 24. This highlights the quality and experience he could bring to the club despite his age, which is why he could be an exciting signing for fans to anticipate at the end of the season as he knows what it takes to win major silverware.

Dembele has racked up 31 goals and 23 assists for Barcelona, following on from 32 direct goal contributions in 50 matches in Germany. This shows that he has the ability to score and set up goals at the top level and suggests that he could make an impact in the final third for the Magpies next term, as he has proven it in both the Bundesliga and La Liga.

Therefore, Howe will be buzzing with the prospect of having him in his squad for the 2022/23 campaign. The ex-Bournemouth boss will also be delighted with PIF’s attempts to sign Dembele, as Taylor’s comments suggest that they are making a huge effort to bring in the Frenchman and are sparing no expense. He will now be hoping that they are able to pull a deal over the line in the coming months to lure the 24-year-old to Tyneside in July.

AND in other news, Huge blow: Newcastle facing major setback before Aston Villa, Howe will be worried…

David Moyes has been promised a number of summer signings by the West Ham United hierarchy.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Dean Jones, with the transfer insider revealing in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that, after failing to land a single target in the January transfer window, David Gold, David Sullivan, Karren Brady and Daniel Kretinsky have promised the 58-year-old manager that he will be backed to land his priority transfer targets this summer.

Speaking about West Ham’s summer business, Jones said: “I think, from what I understand, that there’s an absolute promise that, in the summer, they attack the market properly and they really do give [Moyes] what he wants, and they work closely together to make sure it happens.”

Too little too late

If there is one thing West Ham fans learned during the January transfer window, it is that words are cheap.

Indeed, Moyes continually stated throughout the month that he was hoping to land a new centre-back following the season-ending ACL injury sustained by Angelo Ogbonna, a new centre-forward to provide backup and competition for the injury-prone Michail Antonio and a new left-back in order to bring greater depth behind Aaron Cresswell in the position.

Furthermore, the Scotsman also made it clear that the West Ham board would be willing to heavily back him in the winter market, in order for the 58-year-old to attract the calibre of player that would not only plug the gaps in his first-team squad but either improve upon or severely strengthen his current options in a particular position.

However, despite all of the above, the Irons appeared to leave the vast majority of their January business until the final days of the market, seeing late £50m offers for both Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips rejected by Leeds United, making Benfica an offer totalling £58m for Darwin Nunez – despite the fact the centre-forward had no interest in joining the club – failing to stump up the fee required to get a deal for Marseille centre-back Duje Caleta-Car over the line and missing out on the 11th-hour signing of Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata as the required paperwork was not completed before the transfer deadline.

As a result of these failed bids – many of which could well be perceived as being token offers to appease a concerned West Ham fanbase – Moyes’ squad remains seriously short in a number of key areas, something which very much damages the Irons’ chances of securing a top-four finish this season – with failing to do so being an outcome that would all but confirm the likes of Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen pushing for a move away this summer.

As such, while it is all well and good for the West Ham board to come out in February stating their ambitions for the summer transfer window, their failures in January mean their latest transfer promise will come as being too little too late for the London Stadium faithful.

In other news: Bye-bye Diop: Moyes can finally solve major WHU problem with “powerful” £6.4k-p/w ace

Taking to Twitter, reliable German journalist Christian Falk has confirmed that West Ham are interested in signing Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi. 

The lowdown: Unconventional path

Signed by Liverpool for £990,000 from Imperial Academy based in Nigeria in 2015 (Transfermarkt), Awoniyi appeared to have made a dream move to the Premier League.

However, some seven loan spells and multiple failed work permit attempts later and the powerful frontman was no nearer to making a debut for the Merseyside club.

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Now eligible to play in the United Kingdom, having joined Bundesliga side Union Berlin in 2021, the 24 year old seems to be a target for several top flight teams.

The latest: Falk confirms Hammers’ interest

According to Falk, the Head of Football at SportBILD, West Ham, Newcastle United and Southampton are all keen on acquiring Awoniyi’s services.

“TRUE. WestHam, NUFC and SouthamptonFC are interested in Taiwo Awoniyi. The striker has a release clause of 20m€.”

That suggested €20m (£16.7million) would see Berlin make slightly over £10million in profit on the nomadic centre-forward once praised for his ‘selfless’ hard work by compatriot and Bolton Wanderers legend Jay-Jay Okocha.

The verdict: Get it done

Despite enduring a difficult start to a professional career due to circumstances beyond his control, the three-cap Nigerian striker has now amassed 52 goals from 178 appearances across stints in Germany, Holland and Belgium.

This season Awoniyi has netted 18 times and provided another four assists in 39 outings across all competitions, successfully completing 1.2 (55%) of dribble attempts, winning 1.7 (35%) of his aerial duels and taking 2.1 shots per game (Sofascore), all evidence of a well-rounded forward.

He also shouldn’t struggle whatsoever in transitioning back to England, given his immense physical stature.

As Irons’ boss David Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman prioritise a striker to support Michail Antonio next term, those in charge at the London Stadium would be wise to make an attempt to sign the Nigeria ace at the mooted fee.

In other news: ‘That’s for sure’ – Sky Sports reporter backs big transfer news out of Tottenham, find out more here.