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Manchester City fans are livid at Pep Guardiola after it was revealed that up to seven Citizens players could leave the club this summer during a meeting with Barcelona officials Mateu Alemany and Joan Laporta.

It has already been a busy start to the summer transfer window for City, at least in terms of outgoings. Both Sergio Aguero (fcbarcelona.com) and Eric Garcia have completed moves to the Camp Nou, and there have been suggestions Aymeric Laporte could soon join them (Sport).

According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, Guardiola met with Alemany and Laporta last week, and said up to seven players could be available for purchase from the Etihad Stadium, which does not appear to have gone down well with the club’s supporters.

The news was relayed on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the fans. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the matter, and in particular about Guardiola.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Guardiola below

“Sack Pep & his friends..”

Credit: @Reallywasco

“Who is Pep working for these days?”

Credit: @tfbubendorfer

“I swear Pep will be the downfall of City”

Credit: @HerveMugabo

“Yeah, Pep is playing against us”

Credit: @onemilli19

“Pep is a spy, he was actually building a team for Barca while waiting for Laporte return!!”

Credit: @M_Muhairi93

“What is going on?”

Credit: @Harry_MCFC891

In other news, Man City fans rage at news on this striker.

Crystal Palace are now stepping up their interest in Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Aribo profiled

Aribo has been with the Scottish giants since 2019 and is primarily a left-footed central midfielder, attacking midfielder or right-winger.

The Nigeria international, labelled as ‘phenomenal’ by Steven Thompson, will be entering the final 12 months of his Ibrox deal in the summer.

The 25-year-old has played a whopping 50 times this season, scoring eight times and providing ten assists, and it looks as if sporting director Dougie Freedman is keen on Aribo’s services.

The Latest: Source shares update

Football Insider shared a story regarding Aribo on Sunday evening after being informed by a recruitment source.

They claimed that Palace had scouts in attendance at Ibrox last Thursday to watch Aribo in Europa League action, labelling that as the Eagles stepping up their interest.

The Verdict: Impressed…

Rangers ran out 3-1 winners over Braga to book their spot in the Europa League semi-finals, and Palace scouts would have left impressed by Aribo’s display.

Turning out in an attacking midfield role, Aribo was Rangers’ second-best performer, as per SofaScore. He provided two assists, made six key passes, won 15 duels and completed three successful dribbles.

Conor Gallagher looks set to return to Chelsea in the summer following his productive Selhurst Park loan, so Aribo could now be viewed as the ideal replacement heading into Patrick Vieira’s second season in charge.

In other news: Crystal Palace now want to sign ‘Rolls Royce’ who Sir Alex Ferguson loves. 

Tottenham Hotspur could be eyeing a solution to their long-term right-back problem if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, Spurs have registered an interest in signing Norwich City starlet Max Aarons ahead of the summer transfer window.

It’s claimed that, despite a failed move in the past, the North London outfit have reignited their pursuit of the 21-year-old as one of their main priorities ahead of next season.

The Canaries are said to be willing to let their first-choice defender leave for around £30m after he gave the Championship winners another season of service following relegation from the big time.

Finally a solution?

One of Spurs’ recurring problems this season has been defensive mistakes, as noted by The Athletic, and the right side of the backline has been particularly troublesome.

Matt Doherty was signed in the summer with the intention of replacing Serge Aurier, but in reality, neither have been able to cement down a regular spot in the starting XI, with academy prospect Japhet Tanganga and even Moussa Sissoko playing there at times.

The former Wolves man, signed for £15m, has started only 12 league games, whilst recently, the Ivory Coast international was dubbed “one of the biggest liabilities in the Premier League” and was described as a player who would “put you off management” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher.

It’s rather telling that he’s the one to start the most in the role, playing 18 times in the top-flight this term.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-managerial-update-levy-mason-mourinho-sacked” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours, managerial gossip and more!”]

Not since Kyle Walker have Spurs had a solid and long-term option. He left for Manchester City nearly four years ago, earning Daniel Levy a cool £45m plus add-ons.

His replacement Kieran Trippier, who was already at the club, stepped up but within two seasons, he had swapped North London for Madrid in a deal worth around £20m.

Since then, it’s clear that Aurier and now Doherty, who may well have been sold this summer had Jose Mourinho remained (as per ESPN), have failed to step up to the mark, so enter Aarons.

After an impressive maiden campaign in the Premier League, it was a surprise to see the England U21 international remain at Carrow Road and not follow his ex-teammate, Ben Godfrey, into the top-flight following Norwich’s relegation.

But it may well have worked in his favour as he’s elevated his game to a new level.

No player has played more minutes for the Canaries this season than Aarons (3,959) and in the last year, his average WhoScored rating has risen from 6.55 to 6.92.

He has added more goal contributions (two goals, one assist) and is proving to be a valuable part of Daniel Farke’s attack, averaging 1.4 key passes (vs 0.6 last term) and 1.3 dribbles per game.

Back in December, Farke waxed lyrical about his trusted youngster, telling reporters: “In my eyes, he is not the young Max Aarons, he is just a special player and he has an unbelievable future. I know he has been labelled as one of the best young players in this league. Well, I told him we can reject this label now because he is no longer one of the best young players, he is one of the best players.”

Whilst his former England U21 coach Aidy Boothroyd claimed he “gives 100% in training and matches” and offers “real energy” to the side.

On all the evidence above, and considering he’s only 21, Levy could secure Spurs their long-term solution in he problem right-back position with a swoop for the £18m-rated Championship dynamo.

AND in other news, Levy could pile more misery on Spurs by hiring 47 y/o with a 30% PL win rate…

Steven Gerrard has revealed Ianis Hagi is now a doubt for Glasgow Rangers’ Champions League clash with Malmo on Tuesday.

The Lowdown: Hagi injured vs Livingston

Hagi started the Gers’ opening Premiership match of the season on Saturday, and he even scored the first goal of the game to give his side the lead.

However, he was the subject of a hefty tackle soon after that strike, and was forced off within the first 30 minutes as a result.

The Latest: Hagi a doubt for Malmo

Speaking to the press after the match, Gerrard suggested Hagi will miss that all-important European clash. He said (via Glasgow Live):

“It’s never helpful to lose a player that early, especially when you only have three subs. Last year you probably get away with that a bit more because you have the extra couple of subs.

“He scored a massive goal for us to get us up-and-running and hopefully the kick isn’t too serious. He’s a bit sore now but it shouldn’t keep him out for too long.

“Potentially, but we’ve got good physios here and good doctors so hopefully they can pull a rabbit out of the hat and get him ready because he’s going to be important for us.”

Then, speaking about Scott Wright, he said:

“Scott could have started today. His performances in pre-season have been outstanding, we’re walking on him a lot in the final third in terms of getting numbers into his game.

“He came on today and was a right bright spark, he was full of energy and sees a pass. He’s always looking forward and looking to penetrate. He’s quick and he got his rewards from another strong performance. He’s in my thinking for Tuesday night now.”

The Verdict: A blow

This will no doubt be a blow for Gerrard and his staff. Hagi, of course, was prevented from travelling to the Olympic Games in Tokyo to represent Romania as he was needed for the start of the Gers’ Champions League campaign (via The Scottish Sun) – for now, at least, the discussion surrounding whether that was the right decision is no longer important.

In the first 30 minutes against Livingston, as well, he impressed, and his strike – his 12th for the club (Transfermarkt) – was well-taken. The good news for Gerrard, at least, is that Wright took his chance when he was introduced, also finding the back of the net. The Gers’ squad depth gives them a good chance of success.

In other news, Rangers fans were livid at this article.

This has been a topsy-turvy campaign for Celtic after appointing the bullish Australian; Ange Postecoglou.

The Hoops were knocked out of Europe’s premier competition but they have bounced back well, securing a win in the Europa League and then smacking their opponents for six in the league last weekend.

On the chalkboard

Celtic’s triumphant 6-0 demolition of Dundee in front of the home supporters brought the good times back.

For a brief period of 90 minutes, everything from the last 12 months was forgotten about as the Bhoys welcomed supporters back to Paradise in perfect fashion.

Kyogo Furuhashi scored a hat-trick while the likes of Ryan Christie and Callum McGregor were back to their best behind him.

It was difficult to find fault with anyone in green and white last Sunday but after beating Jablonec 4-2 just a few days before, it has now given them the license to rest players on Thursday night.

Celtic face the Czech opposition again this week as they entertain them in Glasgow during the second leg of their Europa League third-round qualifying tie.

However, one player who has let them down over the last 12 months and under Postecoglou too is Greg Taylor.

If there was one area where there is still a concern during the transfer window, it would be at full-back.

Taylor came into the campaign with criticism under his belt. Tony McLaughlin from Celtic Trends described him as “very limited” player last term while this week About Celtic said on Twitter that he “clearly” wasn’t the answer at left-back.

Therefore, with a healthy first-leg lead, now feels like a good a time as any to give someone else a chance in the side; potentially Adam Montgomery.

The Scottish defender has never been the best from a defensive point of view but his attacking qualities have also been questionable in 2021/22 so far.

He has lost possession 57 times across four Champions League and Premiership outings, a statistic that showcases one of the £8.2k-per-week earner’s biggest weaknesses.

Taylor isn’t strong enough on the ball and despite playing 2.5 key passes per match in the league this term, is yet to register an assist in any competition.

For a team who have scored ten goals in their last two matches, that speaks volumes about his end product and desire to get down the left.

Outshone by Christie down that flank last weekend, now might be a good time for Postecoglou to axe Taylor from his starting XI.

A solid and reliable performance from Montgomery on Thursday could take a lot of pressure away from the manager in the final weeks of the transfer window.

AND in other news, Celtic must sign 25-goal “great talent” who could become “better” than Henrik Larsson…

Following Sunderland’s demise in the play-off semi-finals on Saturday, Lee Johnson will now be turning his attention to building a team capable of going on to secure promotion from League One next season.

With a large number of the Black Cats’ first team playing squad being out of contract this summer – including the likes of Lee Burge, Luke O’Nien, Conor McLaughlin, Denver Hume, Callum McFadzean, Max Power, Grant Leadbitter, Chris Maguire, Aiden McGeady and Charlie Wyke – Johnson and Kristjaan Speakman appear to have a busy transfer window ahead of them in rebuilding the Sunderland squad.

However, one player who it would seem essential for the pair to bring back to the Stadium of Light prior to next season is not mentioned above – Rangers loanee Jordan Jones.

Having joined Sunderland on a temporary deal back in January, the 26-year-old winger impressed over his 20 League One appearances for Johnson’s side, scoring three goals, registering four assists and creating two big chances for his teammates.

Furthermore, Jones also took an average of 1.6 shots and made 1.9 key passes per game, with these metrics culminating in a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.08 – ranking him as the club’s fifth-best performer in the third tier.

With it being reported back in February that Jones would be keen on a switch to England permanently this summer, as well as Rangers thought to be willing to discuss a deal regarding the winger for a fee of around £600,000, the door would very much appear to be wide open for Johnson to make a move for the Northern Ireland international.

However, whether or not Sunderland’s failure to secure promotion to the Championship has an impact on Jones’ decision over a return to the Stadium of Light remains unclear at present, but this should not stop the Black Cats doing all they can to secure the services of one of their stand out players this season – one whom Kris Boyd claimed is a “nightmare” for defenders to play against.

In other news: Kyril Louis-Dreyfus could be on the verge of making his biggest Sunderland mistake yet – opinion

Noel Whelan believes that new Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou could be gone before the turn of the year, saying that handing him a 12-month contract signifies that the Parkhead hierarchy do not fully trust the 55-year-old.

The Lowdown: Celtic building towards 2021/22

Moving into 2021/22, Celtic fans will be delighted to have finally received some much-needed managerial clarity after going more than 100 days without a permanent head coach before appointing Ange Postecoglou.

Rebuilding the squad has began in earnest, with the Hoops being linked with moves for Ko Ikatura and George Baldock.

The Latest: Whelan believes Postecoglou could be gone by the turn of 2021

However, BBC pundit Whelan has taken a rather dim view of the former Yokohama F. Marinos manager’s prospects at Celtic in a recent interview with Football Insider, stating:

“If he does not hit the ground running he is going to come in for it, simple. That is what happens when you take over at a club like Celtic.

“The fact that the club only gave him a rolling one-year contract speaks volumes. They are not clearly convinced either. If Postecoglou had the full backing of the board he would have been given a three-year contract.

“He has got a lot of work to do to convince the players and to convince the fans.

“If there is a sizeable gap between themselves and Rangers at Christmas time you could see the club start looking for a replacement. It would not surprise me.”

The Verdict: Whelan’s comments are harsh

The former Aberdeen forward rightly points out the expectation levels and immense pressure to succeed at an enormous club like Celtic, but his scathing criticism of Postecoglou, and in particular his contract situation, is a tad harsh.

This is standard practice at Parkhead – they operate with almost every manager on an initial 12-month rolling contract basis; recent examples include Brendan Rodgers, Neil Lennon and Ronny Deila.

Three-year deals may provide extended continuity in football, but they don’t necessarily guarantee success. Only time will tell with regards to whether Whelan is proved right or wrong about Postecoglou, but the manager at least deserves to have some chance to prove himself rather than being judged before a competitive ball is kicked in his Celtic tenure.

In other news, Celtic are considering a move for this Manchester City defender.

An update has emerged on Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley, regarding Leeds’ interest in his services…

What’s the talk?

According to 90min, the Whites are eyeing up a potential January swoop for the England international to bolster their squad.

The report claims Burnley and Newcastle are also looking at the ex-Everton midfielder, with Chelsea set to allow him to leave Stamford Bridge.

Hernandez 2.0

Leeds chief Victor Orta could find the new Pablo Hernandez by securing a deal to sign Barkley in January, finding a creative magician to open up doors for Marcelo Bielsa’s side in the Premier League.

Hernandez, who left Leeds in the summer, has a career average of 2.9 key passes and dribbles completed per game, showing how he is consistently able to be a creative force in the final third. He has the ability to dribble past players and set up chances for his teammates, which is something Barkley could also bring to Elland Road.

The 27-year-old Chelsea midfielder has a career average of 3.1 key passes and dribbles per game, which is particularly impressive given these statistics are taken from his performances for Chelsea, Everton and England in the top-flight and in Europe.

Premier League legend Alan Shearer lauded the £100k-per-week wizard’s talents whilst he was on loan at Aston Villa last season. He told The BBC:

“Ross seems to have found a system that suits him and a manager who wants to play him. This is exactly what he needs.

“He now needs to find the consistency that has been lacking in his game because this is a crucial stage of his career. Ross has been spoken about in glowing terms since he was very young but he is 27 now and needs to deliver on that potential.

“At his best he is match-winner and Villa is a great platform for him.”

This highlights the quality he could provide Leeds on the pitch, with one of the league’s greats hailing him as a match-winner at his best. Barkley could come in and add some extra creativity to Bielsa’s side and offer him the chance to change formation to accommodate a number 10, or mould him into a central midfielder who will work hard for the side whilst also offering quality on the ball.

Orta must now ensure that he can beat the likes of Burnley and Newcastle to win Barkley’s signature in the winter market. If he can then Leeds could have another diminutive creator to enjoy watching week-in-week-out, just as they did with Hernandez.

AND in other news, Phil Hay drops key update on “top-class” Leeds wizard that’ll delight supporters…

Celtic are closing in on a deal to bring Daizen Maeda to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Times (via Daily Record), who claimed that well-placed sources in Japan expect Ange Postecoglou to complete a deal for the Yokohama F Marinos centre-forward in the winter transfer window.

The 56-year-old had previously claimed that he will be looking to re-enter the J League market in order to make further additions to his squad in January, stating: “That is one of the markets we will be looking at. Obviously, I know it well and they will get to the end of their season which is a good time if there’s anyone who will fit into our set-up.

“We will be looking everywhere. The last window was frantic. This time we want to make sure that we are planning well in advance. We have already identified targets and begun discussions before we get to January so that we can conclude deals a lot quicker than we did in the previous window.”

Kyogo 2.0

Considering the success that Kyogo Furuhashi has had since his £4.86m move from Vissel Kobe to Parkhead this summer, in addition to Maeda’s rather extraordinary returns in Japan’s top flight this season, it is easy to see why Postecoglou is keen to secure a deal for the 24-year-old this January, as he certainly seems like a player that the Celtic manager would love to have in his squad.

Indeed, over Maeda’s 30 J-League appearances in the current campaign, the £990k-rated marksman has scored 18 goals, registered three assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 2.4 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the striker average a SofaScore match rating of 7.06, ranking him as Kevin Muscat’s ninth-best performer in the Japanese top flight.

However, it is not only his keen eye for goal which has made the Japan international stand out this season, with The Times claiming that the 24-year-old has earned rave reviews for his “speed, movement and work-rate” – all three of which are characteristics of Postecoglou’s brand of football.

Furthermore, the Celtic boss will already be well aware of Maeda’s ability, with the forward having featured 50 times – scoring 12 goals and registering four assists in this period – under the 56-year-old during his time in charge of Yokohama F Marinos, returns which suggest that Postecoglou is a manager who will be able to get the best out of the striker.

With reports suggesting that a deal for the Japanese hitman is close to being completed, Celtic fans can very much begin to get excited about Maeda’s arrival, as the forward could well prove to be another Kyogo at Parkhead.

In other news: Ange must unleash “extraordinary” £800-p/w prodigy, he could revolutionise Celtic

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United supporters have been left overjoyed by ExWHUemployee’s latest update involving winger Said Benrahma.

The Algerian, signed on a permanent deal in January after the club triggered a buy option (whufc.com), hasn’t exactly been a key player for manager David Moyes since his arrival from Brentford at the start of 2020/2021, originally on loan.

Benrahma started just 14 Premier League games all season, making the majority of his appearances as a substitute, but he still managed a goal and six assists in that time (WhoScored).

Now, ExWHUemployee has shared an update on manager David Moyes’ plans for the attacker over 2021/2022.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-news/” title=”West Ham news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

As explained by the reliable club insider (via Patreon Q&A), West Ham’s boss is likely to hand Benrahma a bigger role in the first team – with his inclusion now also about to be an interesting topic of conversation among the fanbase.

Flocking to this Ex claim, many Irons supporters have raved over this update, with one even calling it ‘beautiful news’.

West Ham fans arguably haven’t seen the very best of Benrahma, so it’s little wonder they are enticed by the prospect of him getting more of a chance to showcase his skills.

Find all of their best verdicts on this development down, in reply to West Ham Central, West Ham News & Views and West Ham Transfers, down below.

West Ham fans rave over Benrahama news

“We cooking”

Credit: @JackkWHU

“Beautiful news”

Credit: @dantweetr

“Greatness will follow. Mark my words”

Credit: @hammersline

“Sensational”

Credit: @_ghszt

“Finally”

Credit: @Charlie_Fry_

“Best news to wake up to”

Credit: @WHUNath8

“YES”

Credit: @ShumikaWHU

“Let’s go”

Credit: @JR_WHUFC

In other news: West Ham in contact to sign 23 y/o, lucrative five-year contract already discussed…find out more here.