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According to The Sun (print edition, page 53, Friday 11th January 2019), Everton are readying a £15m bid for Southampton’s Cedric Soares, with the south-coastal club willing to sell the Portuguese right back this month – he would surely be an upgrade on Seamus Coleman at Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

Well, The Sun reports that the Toffees are keen on signing the 27-year-old this month and that the Saints will accept £15m for his services – just over twice what they paid Sporting in 2015.

Having brought in some big names from some big clubs such as Barcelona over the summer, Everton looked in a pretty strong position to be challenging for the top six, but there are clearly some weaknesses in the squad that are preventing them from becoming the finished article.

Seamus Coleman is getting on a bit and has looked the weaker of Marco Silva’s four starting defenders – while signing Soares would not be transformative enough to prevent recent drubbings from occurring again, he would be a huge upgrade on the Everton man.

A right-back in his prime

Coleman has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best right-sided defenders in recent years but has gone slightly off the boil this season and, at 30, may not be able to keep up the lung-busting runs that made him so effective at both ends of the pitch for much longer.

Similarly, Soares hasn’t been quite at it this campaign but, in all fairness – until the arrival of Ralph Hassenhuttl – none of the Saints squad had been. However, the diminutive defender has proved his quality over the years and won the Euros with his national side in 2016 – he would undoubtedly be an upgrade on the Irishman.

At 27, the right-footer is in his prime and, for £15m, represents great value for an Everton side who have been largely building for the future rather than finding quality in the present.

What do you think, Evertonians? Would you like to see Marcel Brands bring Cedric Soares to Merseyside this month? Let us known by voting in the poll below…

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”370177″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Accy Show Everton Cardiff and Burnley treble”]

[ad_pod ]According to Bleacher Report Football Insider Dean Jones on his Twitter account, West Brom are hopeful of securing a double deal for Fulham pair Stefan Johansen and Aboubakar Kamara, who both look surplus to requirements at Craven Cottage following the Londoners’ huge summer spending spree.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Dean Jones of Bleacher Report states that the promotion-chasing Baggies are keen to wrap up a deal for Norwegian international midfielder Johansen, who played a huge role in helping Fulham win promotion via the play-offs last season.

The 28-year-old recorded eight goals and nine assists, as per Transfermarkt, as Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham impressed in the second tier last year, with Johansen a huge player in the engine room of the now-departed manager’s team.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

However, since the club spent almost £100m on new faces in the summer (as per the BBC), including huge competition for Johansen in Jean Michael Seri and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, the Norwegian has made just four league starts.

In Kamara’s case, he had been more involved under new boss Claudio Ranieri, scoring three goals in five league games, but his unbelievably poor disciplinary problems have led him to the exit door – he has even been arrested recently, as reported by The Daily Mail.

Would they be good signings for West Brom?

Undoubtedly so. Darren Moore could do with a few new faces this month having lost in-form Harvey Barnes back to his parent club Leicester, as reported by the BBC. The Midlands-based side have also lost Oliver Burke to Celtic on a loan deal (as per the BBC), whilst Bakary Sako looks set to move back to Crystal Palace (as reported by The Guardian’s Dominic Fifield).

The Fulham duo have fantastic Championship experience, and have the know-how of two players who have enjoyed a successful promotion campaign, so their input both on and off the field could be vital to Moore, who could do with some fresh impetus.

Newcastle are yet to make a signing in the January transfer window with less than two weeks until deadline day.

Rafael Benitez must be desperate to strengthen his squad in early January after little investment from owner Mike Ashley in the summer. The Spaniard stated it would be a miracle if he saved the club from relegation to the Championship and their lack of signings will no doubt be concerning for supporters. Defeat to Chelsea last week meant the Magpies slipped into the bottom three of the Premier League.

Reports in the Chronicle suggest that Benitez has no idea how much money is available this month with takeover rumours still persisting. In order to keep the Spaniard at the club, Newcastle simply must back him financially. Adding to his forward line could be vital to avoiding the drop.

One man he could target is Liverpool outcast – Daniel Sturridge. Valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, the 29-year-old has been largely underused during Jurgen Klopp’s spell as manager with injuries hampering his progress. Sturridge was unsuccessfully loaned to West Brom last season but impressed enough in pre-season to earn a place on the Liverpool bench for the majority of the campaign.

Despite scoring some important goals this season, reports from the Liverpool Echo suggest Sturridge is expected to leave the club with his contract expiring in the summer. While he may not be the player he once was, Sturridge remains one of the top forwards in the division. With expert finishing ability and expert movement, his influence in the final third could help Newcastle win vital points to steer them away from danger.

Liverpool are surely unlikely to command a large fee for the former England international though wages could be a stumbling block. However, regular first-team football at St. James Park would be difficult to reject.

Newcastle fans, thoughts?

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According to West Ham insider, ExWHUemployee, the East London outfit have been knocked back in their attempts to sign Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi – a deal is highly unlikely as the player has made it clear he doesn’t want to become a Hammer.

West Ham have surely been preparing contingency plans this month amid interest in star striker Marko Arnautovic – the club rejected a £35m bid from Chinese outfit Shanghai SIPG earlier in the window (per BBC Sport) – but have yet to sign a new hitman.

The Irons, though, are close to signing Celta Vigo’s Maxi Gomez for a whopping £43.3m (per Sky Sports), but the Uruguayan would be loaned straight back to the La Liga outfit, meaning Manuel Pellegrini is still short of quality up front for now.

A move for Batshuayi, therefore, made sense as the Hammers look to finish the season strongly – Sky Sports reported earlier today that Chelsea had agreed a loan deal in principle with West Ham but the player doesn’t seem too keen.

Having tried to sign the Belgian forward while he was still at Marseille in 2016 (according to The Guardian), the London Stadium outfit were surely elated that they were being given the chance to sign their long-term target – the 25-year-old clearly has other plans though. Gutting.

Here’s how the West Ham faithful reacted to the news on Twitter…

Who is West Ham’s worst ever signing? Check out the video above for a pretty strong candidate for the dubious honour…

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Steve Conroy has broken the great taboo and admitted that Scottish referees have favourite clubs.

For generations the myth has been spread by the media and authorities that match officials have a neutral love of the game, making decisions without fear or favour.

The reality is of course far different – a great number of leading referees come from the West of Scotland where two clubs have an over-reaching influence on the game.

Outside of Glasgow, supporters’ buses pile outside of towns across Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and the Lothians to travel to Parkhead and Ibrox on a fortnightly basis.

Anyone with an interest in football is well aware of the phenomenon – if they aren’t part of it they are certainly aware of it, whether in their social circles or work place.

Conroy came through the same system and broke the great taboo during an interview on Radio Scotland on Monday night

“We are all into refereeing because we like football. And in this part of the world most are going to support Celtic or Rangers,” the Daily Record quoted him as saying.

“Why open yourself up to other possible criticisms – corruption, conspiracy theories – just by saying what team you support. I certainly never minded telling people who I support. It’s out there so nobody can say anything afterwards.”

Tellingly, he added: “Certainly I was openly a Celtic supporter. I’m not sure anyone else at my level was openly a Celtic supporter as well.”

52-year-old Conroy went overboard in the one Glasgow derby he was put in charge of, mysteriously disallowing a ‘goal’ from Marco Fortune and then only booking Kyle Lafferty for an over-the-ball lunge at Andreas Hinkel.

Once he found himself no longer getting picked for the top fixtures, he decided to retire from refereeing.

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Birmingham City are in a rich vein of goalscoring form ahead of their clash against Bolton Wanderers at St Andrew’s on Tuesday.

Garry Monk’s side are beginning to establish themselves as an outside candidate to sneak into the play-offs following their recent run of form.

The Blues have claimed seven points from a possible nine and scored nine goals in the process, with Che Adams continuing to thrive at the spearhead of the attack.

But the 22-year-old’s form in recent weeks has been aided by the notable improvement in Jota’s form in midfield. The Spanish playmaker – valued at £4.05 million per Transfermarkt – scored the opener while operating at the tip of the diamond against Nottingham Forest in a 2-0 win recently before he caused further damage when drifting infield at Loftus Road last time out.

He dissected QPR’s defensive line with a delicious through ball into Adam’s path to provide the assist for his team’s second, but his role in the four first-half goals really showcased his huge quality at this level.

Jota rounded off a neat piece of interplay with a curled finish from distance which unfortunately crashed off the post, but the ball eventually found its way into the net on the rebound courtesy of Adams.

There have been times when the Spaniard’s role in the side has been questioned but his recent performances have underlined his importance to Birmingham’s success; when Jota plays well so do his attacking-minded teammates.

It seems that Monk has found a system which allows the 27-year-old’s playmaking expertise to shine through, and that must continue against the Wanderers on Tuesday to ensure City extend their winning run to three games on the bounce.

Olivier Ntcham played the full 90 minutes as Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win over Hibernian on Sunday.

It was a positive afternoon for Neil Lennon’s side, who moved above Rangers courtesy of goals from Jeremie Frimpong and Odsonne Edouard either side of the break.

However, a number of the Scottish club’s supporters were disappointed with what they saw from midfielder Ntcham during the league affair.

Many were not shy in taking to social media to express their opinion, either.

The greatest rivalry in world football: Test your Old Firm derby knowledge below…

Not everyone shared the same opinion when it came to the Frenchman’s display, though, as some of the fans were pleased, or at least content, with his work on the afternoon.

One of the supporters, meanwhile, claimed that whilst the 5 ft 11 ace is capable of excellent moments, he also has a tendency to struggle during spells of matches.

The 23-year-old is currently in his third season with Celtic having arrived from Manchester City in the summer of 2017.

He has only scored once in the Scottish Premiership this season but has contributed four goals and four assists across 24 appearances in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Celtic skipper Scott Brown has recently delivered his verdict on impressive youngster Jeremie Frimpong.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking after Manchester United’s 4-0 triumph over AZ Alkmaar, Ole Gunnar Solskjar has lauded Mason Greenwood after the teenager’s goal-scoring display.

What did he say?

The Red Devils brushed aside their Dutch opponents with ease in a scintillating second-half performance that saw them net all four of their goals. And Greenwood was at the heart of all the action, scoring twice and earning a penalty for Juan Mata to convert.

And after watching his display on Thursday night in the Europa League, Solskjaer delivered a glowing tribute of the enormous potential the 18-year-old possesses, even comparing him to United hero Wayne Rooney.

He said (as quoted by Sky Sports): “He’s a natural footballer but the closer he gets to goal, the more dangerous he is. Right foot, left foot – nightmare probably for defenders. He needs to develop his heading then he can be a proper striker.

“I’ve seen a few good young players. I played with Wayne Rooney, but in terms of natural finishing, Mason is one of the best I’ve seen. I’m not afraid of playing him in the Premier League. Not at all. But it’s about sharing the minutes and finding the right minutes for him. Of course he is ready to play in the Premier League.”

Premier League Ready

Make no mistake about it, the most important part of Solskjaer’s appraisal of his talented forward is his admission that Greenwood is “ready” to play in the Premier League. Up until now, the 18-year-old has been on the side-lines in the top-flight, failing to get a genuine look-in.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Man United Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

The academy graduate has made 12 appearances in the Premier League, but that has only equated to just 217 minutes of football. But after yet another starring display in the Europa League, surely Solskjaer cannot ignore his credentials for any longer. He has shown he can cut it in senior football in the limited time he has been given, and now it’s time for the United boss to unleash him in the place where the stakes are at its highest.

Meanwhile, Manchester United fans have hailed this ace after his impressive display against AZ Alkmaar.

Isco’s Real Madrid career has been a true roller coaster ride from the very beginning.

Once, of course, the now 27-year-old Spaniard was a pretty important piece of Los Blancos’ jigsaw, one that played an important role in giving the team that extra spice up front.

That much was visible in both his game time and his contribution as he managed to net nine goals and tally ten assists in 2017/18 – the last time he was playing regular football – and in the season prior to that one with 11 goals and nine assists in a similar number of minutes.

But fast forward to 2019/20 and he’s struggling immensely, having been frozen out of the squad and scraping just 637 minutes across 13 games in all competitions.

And now, El Desmarque have come out with a report stating Frank Lampard’s Chelsea would be willing to take the 27-year-old off Zinedine Zidane’s hands for around €52m (£44.4m), and Florentino Perez, Los Blancos’ president, is considering the offer which seems to be satisfactory.

The most interesting thing about the Blues’ interest is the fact that Isco may well rediscover his fire at Stamford Bridge and the reason for that is rather simple – Lampard’s system could potentially offer him the freedom of expression he seeks.

Even though he’s been played all across the pitch in 2019/20 – as evidenced by Transfermarkt’s games they have in their database – the Spaniard is usually an attacking midfielder that loves to slot just behind the striker and wreak havoc across the final third.

This season, Chelsea have used systems that could accommodate Isco’s movements, namely the 4-2-3-1 formation in which the likes of Mason Mount can be deployed as the team’s No.10.

If Lampard is looking for a new and versatile playmaker, the 27-year-old could be exactly what he needs.

For true Chelsea fans only: How much do you really know about the Blues’ famous 2004/05 season? Test your knowledge now…

After all, despite not getting regular minutes this season, he can still boast one shot, one key pass and 1.3 dribbles per game in La Liga and two shots, 0.7 key passes and 1.7 dribbles per game in the Champions League.

This suggests he is a pretty capable creator that might help Tammy Abraham and co. bag even more goals.

But the same could be said for Real, albeit Zidane rarely uses a system that would allow Isco to thrive.

Their usual 4-4-3 would see him deployed as a winger, as we have seen from his current tally of games in 2019/20, but whenever they swapped to a 4-4-2 diamond or 4-2-3-1, the true Isco – the one from 2016/17 – can re-emerge to the scene.

Probably the best example of that arrived against Club Brugge in the Champions League when he tallied two shots, one key pass and four dribbles along with 93% passing accuracy on the night while playing as an attacking midfielder.

This proved that he can be extremely effective when used properly and given a chance to play in his favoured role.

For that reason, parting ways with him now could be detrimental for the club, especially considering he can offer so much more.

In other news, many Spurs fans react to a huge revelation regarding their star who signed a brand new contract…

Tottenham Hotspur fans have reacted to a statistic that places their total points tally for the decade above that of Arsenal.

A Fox Sports graphic shows that Spurs took 703 points across the last 10 years.

Arsenal were, reportedly, ahead of their north London rivals for 3,648 accumulated days, but their defeat to Chelsea at the weekend means they have taken 702 points.

Both are significantly ahead of seventh-placed Everton, with 567 points, while Liverpool were in fourth with 710. Manchester City lead the pack with 818 points; Manchester United are second with 747, while Chelsea, in third, took 740.

And fans have relished the fact that they have the bragging rights over their north London rivals.

Ultimately, this doesn’t really matter.

Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?

Spurs have made immense strides on the pitch and are perhaps now a significantly better team than Arsenal.

They have finished above the Gunners in each of the last three seasons.

But the trophies for Arsenal, which Spurs fans are unlikely to want to admit, are where it really matters.

Since 2010, Spurs haven’t won a thing. Arsenal have won three FA Cups.

That, unfortunately, is the real quiz.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans have reacted to a major update on Christian Eriksen.