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Liverpool fans love Youri Tielemans update

A number of Liverpool supporters have been reacting positively to an update claiming the Reds are front-runners to sign Youri Tielemans.

It could be a relatively busy summer transfer window for Jurgen Klopp, as he looks to perfect his squad ahead of next season.

Liverpool have already brought in Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, but it is important that other new faces also arrive at Anfield in the next few months.

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One player who has been linked with the Reds is Tielemans, who was excellent for Leicester City last season, proving to be an influential figure in the middle of the park.

The Belgium international also famously scored a brilliant winning goal in the FA Cup final win over Chelsea, in what will go down in Foxes folklore.

Now, in a fresh update from Corriere dello Sport [via LFC Transfer Room on Twitter], Liverpool allegedly lead the race to sign Tielemans this summer, with his future potentially lying away from Leicester.

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Liverpool fans react positively to Tielamans update

These Reds fans provided their thoughts on the matter on Twitter.

“Nice one if it’s true”

Credit: @Sekaa_YNWA

“Do anything to sign him. What a player”

Credit: @nstephenson98

“Oh yes”

Credit: @LFCameron8

“The Belgian won’t come cheap, but Tielemans would be worth every penny. Jurgen Klopp’s midfield revolution”

Credit: @MattThielen

“Hope this happens”

Credit: @erhanlfc10

“I think Tielemans would be a great signing for us, McGinn for £50 mil is obviously a joke. Rice would be good for us in number 6”

Credit: @kyle_turner92

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to a Reds transfer snub. Read more here.

Newcastle heading for Matty Longstaff mistake

Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce is heading for a major Matty Longstaff transfer mistake as fresh news emerges about his situation at the club.

What’s the story?

According to Football Insider, the 21-year-old will tell the Magpies that he wants to leave St James’ Park this summer, and a Newcastle source has told them that “Longstaff is frustrated at how he has been used by the club this season”.

The report adds that while the midfielder won’t put in an official transfer request, “he will ask United to move aside and let him go if an acceptable offer comes in this summer”.

Fans will be fuming

After putting pen to paper on a new deal last summer, things have just gone downhill for Longstaff, playing just five games in the Premier League all season and not featuring at all since mid-January.

It has raised a few eyebrows, to put it mildly, not least from his Newcastle teammates.

In fact, The Athletic’s Chris Waugh revealed: “Steve Bruce, the head coach, has simply opted to exclude the academy graduate, much to the bemusement of team-mates and the player himself.

“There have been some suggestions that his naivety at Premier League level is part of the reason, yet that does not tally with the decision to field Longstaff against three of the very best sides in the division over the Christmas period.

“This season really needed to be one during which Longstaff was given opportunities. The club, Bruce and the player all recognised that. So, if those chances were not going to arrive on Tyneside, then surely a loan deal would have been in the player’s best interests.”

While things haven’t quite kicked on from that goal against Manchester United, there’s no questioning that fans would be furious at seeing one of the club’s brightest young talents in recent years heading out the door because of a lack of first-team opportunities.

It would be a damning statement on Bruce and his management of the club’s academy talents, and would drive another wedge between himself and the fans.

The Magpies were given a glimpse of this exact potential nightmare last year when Serie A side Udinese came in for him, and they managed to convince him that he could have a real future on Tyneside.

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Instead, they’ve wasted an entire year of his career by failing to keep up their end of the bargain, and Bruce will need to take his fair share of the blame.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are eyeing a move for this powerhouse…

United dealt transfer blow over Bryan

Sheffield United have been dealt a blow in their bid to keep Kean Bryan at Bramall Lane this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who revealed in a post on Twitter that Bundesliga side Schalke have taken an interest in the 24-year-old centre-back ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

The Blades confirmed in a statement on their club website last week that the £1.8m-rated defender has been offered a new deal to extend his stay at the club, as his current contract is set to expire at the end of the month.

Jokanovic will be gutted

It would be a fair statement to make that Sheffield United have not quite seen the best of Bryan since he made a move to the club from Manchester City back in 2018, however, the centre-back began to show glimpses of his best towards the back end of last season.

Over his 13 Premier League appearances, the £3k-per-week man helped his side keep two clean sheets, in addition to making an average of one interception, 1.5 tackles, winning 4.3 duels and making 2.7 clearances per game.

The former England U20 international was also dangerous at times going forwards, scoring one goal and creating one big chance, with these returns seeing him earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.74 – ranking him as the club’s 10th-best performer in the top flight.

As such, following United’s relegation, it would be expected that Bryan could truly come into his own in the Championship next season, with the defender appearing to have the potential to play a key role in Slavisa Jokanovic’s side’s push for an immediate return to the Premier League.

And, it would appear that, from the offer of a new deal, this is an opinion shared by the 52-year-old manager himself, meaning that news of interest in Bryan – and with it, the possibility of losing the “versatile” player – is likely to leave the Serbian gutted.

In other news: Transfer news emerges on in-demand £2.7m-rated gem that’ll leave Sheff Utd fans gutted

Liverpool fans slam Nathaniel Phillips

Many Liverpool fans were fuming with the performance of Nathaniel Phillips during the first half of their Premier League clash with West Bromwich Albion.

Going in to the match, the Reds knew that three more wins could secure Champions League football next year, and in already relegated West Brom, they could hardly have asked for better opponents. However, things didn’t quite go to plan as they find themselves drawing 1-1 after Mohamed Salah cancelled out Hal Robson-Kanu’s opener.

Phillips was selected to play at the heart of the back four and he struggled during the first 45 minutes. The strike which put Jurgen Klopp’s men behind was partly down to him as he was unable to hold the offside trap, and he overall struggled to deal with the Baggies’ forwards.

Some Liverpool fans were far from happy with the former Stuttgart loanee, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts on his display, with one angry Kopite even calling him a “joke”.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Phillips

“Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips defensive partnership isn’t even Championship standard”

Credit: @virgil001x

“Williams overcommits and Phillips doesn’t cover. 2 useless players”

Credit: @archielfc

“Phillips is a joke”

Credit: @BassamLFC

“Williams and Phillips are not good enough, people need to wake up and realize we need Konate and Matip instead”

Credit: @Diogoal9

Shocking defending, Phillips playing him on as well

Credit: @strickyfootball

“Shock as Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams cost us another goal”

Credit: @BENditlikeLAKE

In other news, many Liverpool fans are livid over an update on this defender.

Ex-Rangers star tips ace for exit

Former Rangers star Michael Ball believes that Steven Gerrard could sanction Alfredo Morelos’ departure this summer as he looks to bolster his transfer war chest this summer.

Morelos has enjoyed another productive season, scoring 17 goals in all competitions, in 44 outings.

He has confirmed that he could depart this summer, giving an interview in March admitting that he could move to a bigger club if a bid is tabled.

Ball accepts that selling players such as Morelos can be hard for supporters to stomach at times but he believes that Rangers could well cash in as Gerrard looks to improve a squad that did not suffer a single defeat in the league this season.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Ball said: “It’s a difficult one, you don’t like seeing your good players or your key players leave a football club, no matter what level, but unfortunately when they start getting in the limelight and doing the business worldwide, clubs do want to come in for these players.

“It’s down to Rangers to accept the figure that they demand and if a club want to come in and stump up that fee, I think Steven will be happy for him to move on and wish him well. But then give Steven the treasure chest to go and bring in the new players to keep the club moving forward for the next couple of years.”

Morelos has been a real success story for Rangers since his arrival from HJK Helsinki and has scored 94 goals in 182 games in total for the club.

He is valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt and his contract runs until 2023, meaning that there will have to be an acceptable bid for Rangers to cash in this summer.

Pellegrini wants Everton’s Bernard

Marcel Brands can slash the £17.4m deficit wasted on Bernard by agreeing to sell the outcast Everton midfielder to Real Betis this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish reports, former Manchester City and West Ham United boss Manuel Pellegrini is keen to see Bernard secure a move to La Liga.

The Chilean tactician is eager to strengthen his wide-left options at the Benito Villamarin Stadium with a player capable of extracting the most from Sergio Canales and Nabil Fekir.

Bernard is understood to be a high priority target for Pellegrini after he brought up the 28-year-old in discussions with the Verdiblancos hierarchy.

Pellegrini feels Bernard has the ability to help raise the quality of his squad and make Real Betis one of the best sides in Spain’s top-flight, while Everton’s €12m (£10.5m) asking price is not expected to be a challenge.

Bernard would consider accepting a lesser salary to complete a move to the Andalusian side if the Verdiblancos can secure European football for next season.

Real Betis are currently competing with Real Sociedad and Villarreal for a spot in the Europa League, with a 14-point gap to the Champions League places with eight games remaining.

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Everton are reportedly planning to sell Bernard at the end of the season, having failed to find a suitor willing to match their asking price during the winter window.

Should Everton let Bernard join Real Betis?

Everton’s Director of Football Brands should jump at the chance to sell Bernard to Real Betis if Pellegrini’s side have no issue paying close to £10m for the Brazilian, as it would allow the Dutchman to slash the deficit wasted on his signing.

While Bernard moved to Goodison Park as a free agent after he was released by Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018, the Toffees handed him a £120,000-per-week contract that saw the 14-cap international become the club’s joint-highest earner, per Spotrac figures.

Those terms will see that Bernard will have earned £17.4m by the end of the current Premier League campaign, having been on Merseyside for 145 weeks, but his performances have hardly befitted the wage given to him.

To date in his Everton career, Bernard has only offered eight goals and seven assists over 81 appearances in all competitions, with only nine of those outings coming in this term’s top-flight campaign.

Carlo Ancelotti has only started the Belo Horizonte-born playmaker for three of those league appearances, too, while leaving him on the bench 17 times as an unused substitute.

It would presumably be impossible for Everton to recoup all of the funds wasted on Bernard in any transfer, with the midfielder out of contract in 2022, but making back more than half will be seen as a best-case scenario for Brands.

AND in other news, an “outstanding” talent is keen to join Everton this summer, but there’s a hitch

Man City fans adore Stones contract claim

According to a report by The Sun, via City Xtra, star Manchester City defender John Stones is in advanced talks over a new five-year contract worth £150,000-per-week – prompting plenty of Sky Blues to erupt over this ‘great news’.

The Englishman has, arguably, been City’s most improved player this season and a mainstay in Pep Guardiola’s side – having started 20 Premier League matches whilst partnering summer acquisition Ruben Dias to devastating effect. 

Indeed, Stones has been a revelation for the league leaders this campaign after Guardiola played him far less over 2019/2020 – with the Spaniard even opting to utilise Fernandinho as a makeshift centre-half at one point.

Now, due to his impressive performances, the Sun report he is in talks over a bumper new £150,000-per-week deal which includes incentives/bonuses for trophies, appearances and clean sheets.

It is said that he is also desperate to secure his future with the club and has never wanted to depart the Etihad Stadium, coming after he was linked with a move away last summer.

Given his influence this season, it’s little wonder plenty of Sky Blues have erupted over the ‘great news’ – find a taste of their best verdicts down below.

Man City fans erupt over Stones contract claim

“yessss”

Credit: @Thebigkun

“Great get it done then”

Credit: @tottimcfc27

“Omg he deserved so much”

Credit: @martha2144

“Give him the contract”

Credit: @portmore_15

“CMOOONNN”

Credit: @CitehTy

“Great news.”

Credit: @ruiningfootball

“I love city for adding value to players they bring. They pay good money for the Player they want and they give them more money to keep them”

Credit: @mtambudze

“Genuinely can’t think of a single player who’s had such a quick revival like Stones. From being on the brink of being sold last summer to becoming one of the most important defensive assets for City – he deserves a new deal without question”

Credit: @sampuddephatt1

In other news: Man City fans also went wild for this club announcement, find out more here.

Liverpool fans react to Koopmeiners rumour

A number of Liverpool fans have been reacting positively to rumours linking the Reds with a move for midfielder Teun Koopmeiners.

This summer could see some new faces arrive at Anfield as Jurgen Klopp looks to freshen up his squad and continue to build for the future. Wholesale changes aren’t required, but there are a nucleus of players in and around 30 years of age, so the Liverpool manager can’t afford things to grow stagnant.

Midfield is arguably the Reds’ most congested area of the pitch, with the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum, Thiago, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and James Milner all excellent options.

It could be that Wijnaldum moves on at the end of the season, however, as he continues to be linked with a summer move to Barcelona.

According to Calciomercato, Koopmeiners is being viewed as a possible replacement for the 30-year-old, with the AZ Alkmaar captain scoring 15 goals in 28 Eredivisie games this season.

The 23-year-old seems to be an exciting option and it may be a story worth keeping an eye on, especially if Wijnaldum eventually decides to leave Anfield.

Liverpool fans react to Koopmeiners rumour

These Liverpool supporters have been providing their thoughts on the news on Twitter, with many approving of Koopmeiners as a possible successor to his fellow Dutch midfielder on Merseyside.

“Yes please, Dutch De Bruyne”

Credit: @WOmaticus

“Can also play as a 6. Fabby backup”

Credit: @pg_Kenny

“The dude has been a monster this year, but didn’t know anything about him until this season”

Credit: @PopcodLFC

“A monster of a midfielder”

Credit: @babs17GRTS

“Yesssss please!”

Credit: @EmreNebioglu

“OMG yes”

Credit: @Youssef_Mo28920

In other news, some Liverpool fans criticised one player’s performance against Arsenal, despite the Reds’ 3-0 win. Find out who it is here.

Sheff Wed team & injury news vs Swansea

Returning to the dugout this evening, Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore will certainly be looking for a strong response to their embarrassing defeat at the weekend.

After an emphatic victory against Cardiff in front of the TV cameras on Easter Monday, the Owls were then thrashed 4-1 by QPR to put their Championship survival hopes hanging by a thread.

The 46-year-old is now left with plenty to consider by way of team selection at Hillsborough tonight, as his side welcome promotion chasers Swansea City, who have the firepower to deal further damage to Wednesday’s plight.

It would be a surprise to see an unchanged lineup, so here’s our predicted XI as well as the latest team and injury news from south Yorkshire…

The nature of their defeat on Saturday will surely signal some alterations and we’re predicting three changes from the QPR defeat.

After a trio of goals in the second half, we could well see Keiren Westwood finally return between the sticks, as his leadership and experience should be crucial in these final six matches. He replaces Joe Wildsmith.

There could be a tweak to the backline, too, as Moore makes the big decision to drop Sam Hutchinson back into defence alongside Tom Lees and Osaze Urhoghide. It means that Julian Borner makes way after a difficult afternoon against the R’s.

Given the lack of wide options, both Adam Reach and Liam Palmer are likely to remain in their wing-back roles, whilst Joey Pelupessy is an obvious candidate to move into midfield to fill the vacancy left by Hutchinson’s redeployment.

The Dutch defensive midfielder could well be needed against a team which is expected to dominate possession. He would free up Barry Bannan and Josh Windass to be the dangermen for the Owls slightly further up the pitch.

Moore could stick with Jordan Rhodes up top as the forward has bagged four times since his arrival from Doncaster, but in a bid to spark a reaction, Andre Green may be handed his second start since joining on a free transfer in January. That’s a move which would see Callum Paterson revert to the bench.

Joost van Aken and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru have both returned from injury, but as they featured for the under-23s earlier this week, they shouldn’t be involved at Hillsborough tonight; whilst the likes of Moses Odubajo, Massimo Luongo and Chey Dunkley are all still on the treatment table.

AND in other news, Forget Wildsmith: Sheff Wed lightweight who lost 89% of duels badly let Moore down on Saturday…

Celtic: Is Ajeti heading for the exit door?

To suggest Albian Ajeti has had a torrid few years would be putting it lightly. The Celtic striker was a hero in Switzerland but he has been nothing short of abject for nearly two years now.

After signing for West Ham from Basel, he played on just 12 occasions and failed to score a solitary goal.

For a forward who had managed 21 strikes in 43 outings during the 2018/19 season, it was rather remarkable that he’d failed so badly.

However, since a £5m move to Parkhead, he has also been pretty dismal. Ajeti initially hit the ground running with five goals in his first ten outings but he has only found the net once since September.

A mini-revival looked as though it may take place towards the back end of Neil Lennon’s tenure. He fielded the Swiss attacker against Kilmarnock and not only did he win a penalty, but he also scored a quite brilliant strike after turning and then firing past the goalkeeper.

Unfortunately, Ajeti hasn’t been able to capitalise on that moment. In fact, he’s not played a single minute of football since John Kennedy was placed in interim charge and then he was left out of the entire matchday squad for the Old Firm derby.

It would appear that the writing is on the wall for Ajeti, a player who Alan Hutton described as “anonymous” a few months ago.

If there was ever a word to describe the 24-year-old’s last few years, it would be that. He has been hung out to dry by a number of managers now and clearly isn’t good enough.

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With his absence in mind, the £16k-per-week earner is now surely heading for the exit door. Lennon didn’t give him many opportunities and now he can’t even get in the squad.

We shouldn’t be too surprised though. After being an unused substitute against Aberdeen a few weeks ago, Noel Whelan claimed he could be leaving: “It is damning for Ajeti’s future”, he told Football Insider. “It seems as if he won’t be at the club next year,” Whelan concluded.

Ajeti has unfortunately been attracting criticism all season. Frank McAvennie suggested the striker doesn’t look as though he cares whether he plays after unleashing the following attack:

“I would love to have been in the room with whoever justified paying £5m for him. How can you justify spending £5m on a player like that, a player who strolled about at West Ham and is now doing the same at Celtic?”

Indeed, with just the six Celtic strikes to his name, he has nearly cost the Bhoys £1m per goal. On that evidence, you can certainly see why the hierarchy may look to cash in.

AND in other news, Better than Christie: Celtic made error selling “quick” Rodgers gem with 65 key passes…

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