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Rangers are set to wait until later in the summer to make a move for Hearts defender John Souttar, according to website Football Insider.

What’s the story?

The outlet reckon that while Steven Gerrard and his recruitment team at Ibrox are keen on on the Tynecastle stopper, the player himself is unlikely to make an early summer move away from Edinburgh.

Clubs such as a Derby County are also keen on the defender, according to the report, so it could be a tricky few months when it comes to securing his signature.

Defence is clearly a priority for Gerrard, with reports this week that a third bid will be lodged for Oldham centre-back George Edmundson.

Urgent action

Gerrard’s problem when it comes to a potential Souttar deal is that he badly needs the right personnel in place for upcoming UEFA Europa League qualifiers, which kick off in less than two months’ time.

Check out Keith from C’mon the Hoops’ fascinating video on the origins of the Old Firm derby below…

With Joe Worrall leaving to go back to Nottingham Forest and Gareth McAuley’s contract expiring, it’s crucial that Rangers get the right business done in the defensive line as early as possible. Back-up could be needed in case of injury to Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic.

Ordinarily a player of Souttar’s calibre would be worth waiting on, but the European qualifiers are so important to Rangers’ progression at the club. The run to the group stages of the competition in 2018/19 gave the side great confidence and huge financially.

If the Hearts defender is not up for a move until later in the window, it could be time to move onto other targets.

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Newcastle are keeping tabs on Spain Under-20 left-back Marc Cucurella, claims The Evening Chronicle.

What’s the story?

According to the Chronicle’s report, the Magpies have been tracking the young defender this season.

Cucurella has enjoyed a fabulous breakout campaign with Eibar, starting 26 La Liga games, scoring once and adding two assists.

The 20 year-old was on loan from Barcelona for the season, and the Catalan giants are expected to bring him back before selling him on for a profit.

AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Real Betis are all listed as other potential suitors.

Perfect understudy for Ritchie?

Cucurella looks tailor made for Rafael Benitez’s 5-2-2-1 formation, as the youngster has spent most of this season playing left-midfield.

Naturally a left-back, he has the energy and desire to bomb up and down the wing for 90 minutes week in week out, and his 79% pass success rate and one key pass per game suggest he knows how to create once he gets into dangerous areas.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

His fantastic chance creation isn’t the only appealing stat either. The Spain Under-20 international averages 1.6 tackles per game, and also picked up six yellow cards this season, so he should have no trouble adjusting to the rough and tumble of English football.

With Matt Ritchie seemingly capable of filling in at left-wing-back for the time being, a move for a player like Cucurella makes sense, as the youngster can learn from Benitez and take over from the Scot when the time is right, as opposed to splashing out big cash on a ready-now player who may not even be an upgrade on Ritchie.

Valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, the versatile youngster is easily affordable for the Magpies and would hold significant resale value – Mike Ashley’s eyes are surely lighting up.

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are praying that their poor run of results on Easter Monday can come to an end against Brentford.

The Whites’ promotion chances took a huge hit on Good Friday and they now sit two points off the pace in the race for the top two, with only three games left of the season.

A win on Easter Monday could potentially see their hopes resurrected but their recent record on this day shows that their chances of a win are unlikely.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have apparently lost nine of their last 10 league games on Easter Monday, and are currently on a run of six consecutive losses on this date.

If this poor run is extended, then Leeds’ push for automatic promotion could be all but over so it’s no surprise fans are hoping that the bad luck will end this time.

Wigan finally ended Leeds’ impressive winning streak after scoring first in Championship fixtures and fans of the Yorkshire club are now hoping that they can break another trend for the second time in just three days – albeit with significantly contrasting consequences for their promotion dream.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying about the record on Twitter…

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Jurgen Klopp will be hard pressed to dramatically improve a Liverpool squad which has gone toe-to-toe with Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League table this season.

However, it is the inability of their title rivals to emulate their supremacy from last season which underlines the importance of strengthening every summer.

Pep Guardiola made just one signing as Riyad Mahrez arrived at the Etihad Stadium in a £60 million deal, ignoring major problem areas such as defensive midfield and left-back, potentially to the detriment of their dream of winning the Champions League for the very first time.

What’s the word?

A recent report from Het Nieuwslblad has claimed that Liverpool will not fall into a similar trap as they have already set their sights on Thorgan Hazard, although they face stiff competition from Borussia Dortmund, who the player would prefer to move to.

But what is pertinent to the report is that Liverpool are apparently willing to part with a fee which exceeds the 42 million euros (£36.2 million) Dortmund have already bid.

Meanwhile, according to O Jogo (via Daily Mail), Liverpool coach Pepjin Lijnders has revealed that the Reds are interested in Wolverhampton Wanderers lynchpin Ruben Neves.

“I know him very well, his ambition, his passion for the game, his professionalism. I know what he gives to the team and this type of player always interests us. I recognised him when I saw him at Wolves. I saw technique, professionalism; I saw the 2013-14 player I knew.”

While interest in Neves is certainly well placed his reported £100 million price-tag, per The Times, seems a real stretch if Liverpool’s hierarchy are willing to splash out on Hazard, as well as other recruits during the summer.

Wilson the solution

There is, however, a solution: trust in Harry Wilson instead.

Like Hazard, the 22-year-old has enjoyed huge success this season on both the left and right wing, making defenders look foolish with his tantalising dribbling ability and finding the back of the net on a consistent basis.

The Wales international may not possess the same level of experience as Hazard but the fact he has excelled in two separate loan spells in the Championship suggests everything is in place for him to make the step up to top-flight football.

A transition period is likely to be defined by frustration and inconsistency, but that is a given for any promising flair player looking to showcase their talent at the elite level. And if Klopp is willing to pursue with Wilson it would help facilitate a stunning club-record deal for Neves.

Neves swoop

The former Porto star has the potential to blossom into one of the world’s most coveted holding midfielders, making Jordan Henderson look like a Sunday league player with his inventive passing and intelligence both with and without the ball.

At this moment in time Liverpool have plenty of quality central midfield players but Neves would be a progressive one-off transfer splurge to lay a foundation for the next decade, ensuring that Georginio Wijnaldum and Henderson are replaced with a superior orchestrator.

With a player of Wilson’s talent making a strong claim for a place in the senior squad next season and Neves likely to join a European rival if Michael Edwards fails to act in time, Liverpool ought to trust in their academy product to free up enough funds to seal a club-record £100 million swoop.

[ad_pod ]It appears as though Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel can do no wrong. He’s guided the club to the verge of promotion back to the Championship but even the little things are being hailed by club supporters.The club’s official Twitter account posted intriguing video footage of the German at Alton Towers as he was being interviewed by a Sky Sports reporter and Tykes fans were full of praise for him once again.

Supporters of the Yorkshire club have been raving about Stendel for most of the season and one fan was quick to utter that he was about to receive legendary status. Another individual thought he was at that stage already.

The footage shows the Tykes manager walking around the theme park, provoking one supporter to say it was bizarre but brilliant.

Barnsley are currently second in League One, five points ahead of third-placed Portsmouth who have a game in hand and six ahead of Sunderland who have played three fewer.

The Reds are targetting an instant return to the Championship after being relegated last term.

Here’s what supporters had to say.

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Some West Bromwich Albion fans booed when Kyle Bartley came on to the pitch as a substitute during the 3-0 win against Swansea City at The Hawthorns on Wednesday night, and those that did have gone too far this time.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Baggies were playing their first match since Darren Moore was sacked following the 1-1 draw with bottom-of-the-table Ipswich Town on Saturday.

After playing the full 90 minutes against the Tractor Boys, Bartley was back on the substitutes’ bench for the visit of the Welsh side following a less than convincing display at the weekend.

While he was a regular in the starting XI earlier in the campaign he has struggled in more recent months following a mid-season injury, and more often than not has failed to be named on the Championship club’s team-sheet.

The 27-year-old replaced Craig Dawson on the hour-mark on Wednesday, but there were more than a few boos and jeers as he entered proceedings.

West Brom fans will want to cover their ears for the video below…

The supporters have gone too far

Yes, Bartley may not have been at his best in recent months, but the west Midlands outfit are at a stage of the campaign – also currently with no manager – where they need to be getting behind their players.

The centre-back is probably one of the individuals who suffered most from the style of play that Moore and Graeme Jones tried to implement, and his confidence appears to have suffered as a consequence.

Booing him certainly isn’t going to help, and given West Brom need some momentum for a play-off finish that is looking more and more likely, the players need a positive atmosphere right now – even those underperforming ones.

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Tony Cascarino has ripped into Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge in his latest The Times column following the striker’s cameo against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Reds missed the opportunity to extend their lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League standings as they were held to a goalless draw against the Red Devils.

Sturridge wasn’t actually named in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI but he replaced the injured Roberto Firmino just after the half-hour mark against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men, but failed to make much of an impact in the final third.

Speaking to The Times, Cascarino said: “Daniel Sturridge was shocking when he came on and Mohamed Salah looked out of sorts.”

The 29-year-old was making his 21st appearance of the season for the Merseyside outfit, and he has scored four goals and provided a further assist.

Is he right?

While in some ways he may well have been right, it’s not exactly as though Liverpool were at their attacking best against United and Sturridge was simply the weak link.

The usually reliable duo of Sadio Mane and Salah also struggled to do what we have all seen them do so often before, and therefore it seems harsh to blame the England striker on this particular occasion.

It is never easy to come on in a game of this magnitude where both sides are largely cancelling each other out, and Cascarino should cut the former Chelsea and Manchester City man some slack.

Sturridge is still one of the best back-up centre-forwards in the Premier League, and he can still have a big part to play during the title run-in.

The West Brom manager situation is an utter mess, and one that could, and should, have been, handled much better.

Sacking a manager in March, while your team is still comfortably in the play-off positions, and having only appointed him on a permanent basis in the summer, seems like a strange decision.

But to do it, seemingly without a contingency plan is unfathomable.

Rumours have been rife about Slavisa Jokanovic being spoken to, or Alex Neil being considered, but the fact is, no one really knows.

We now sit 10 days on from Darren Moore’s sacking, and the Albion fans are no nearer knowing the next man in charge than they were when the announcement of his departure was made.

To make the best of a poorly handled situation, would have been to have the next boss in place prior to this international break, giving him time with the majority of his squad, allowing them all to get to know each other and have two weeks to work on what is expected.

But that is not the Albion way.

An interim boss was mooted, to the dismay of many fans, who must have been united in the ‘been there, done that’ mindset.

With time running down on the season, fans now seem resigned to a short-term appointment, with a consensus agreeing that there is simply not enough time for a new regime to get his staff in place and influence the remainder of the season.

It’s a sorry state of affairs for the loyal fans, who show up week in, week out, and deserve an appointment that can match their commitment and ambition.

A Baggies fans’ Twitter account asked the simple question “who does everyone want as the next Albion manager?”.

Here are some of the replies:

Interestingly, a new name cropped up in the replies, Swansea City manager Graham Potter. His style of play would certainly suit Albion, and it is surprising that he has not been rumoured as someone under consideration.

What are your thoughts on the situation West Brom fans? Who would you like to see replace Moore? Let us know below…

[ad_pod ]Liverpool fans have slated Mohamed Salah after another anonymous performance in the Merseyside derby against Everton.The 62-cap Egypt international struggled to impact the game in the final third and, per WhoScored, had just two shots on goal throughout the 90 minutes.Both of those efforts were well saved by England international Jordan Pickford as the Toffees held onto a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park.

The result means that Liverpool are now second to Manchester City in the Premier League title race, having played the same amount of games.

Salah’s latest dismal performance is his second in a week after he also endured a poor display against Manchester United.

Liverpool have failed to win both games, and are now relying on a City slip up if they are to win their first title in a generation.

And fans have savaged Salah on Twitter, insisting that he needs to start delivering if Jurgen Klopp’s side are to make up the gap to Pep Guardiola’s champions.

According to an update by Leeds United’s official account, the top of the table home clash against Fulham next week at Elland Road will be played in front of away fans that could only sell a portion of their away ticket allocation – resulting in swathes of Whites fans laying into the London club given the significance of their bout. 

Fulham, who are seven points behind Marcelo Bielsa’s league leaders, currently lying third in the Championship table, prepare for one of their biggest games of the season in the hopes of making a return to the Premier League – with a win at Elland Road potentially helping them catch up to second-placed West Bromwich Albion who currently occupy the last automatic spot.

However, as per this club update, the Cottagers have seemingly failed to sell out their away allocation for the bout next week – resulting in many supporters roasting their promotion rivals.

One fan even blasted the news as ‘tinpot of the highest order’ and ’embarrassing’ – find all of their best comments down below.

What do you make of the attendance update? Join the discussion by commenting below…