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After joining West Bromwich Albion in a £6.75m deal back in the summer of 2017, Baggies fans may well have believed Kieran Gibbs would go on to become their club’s first-choice left-back for a fair few seasons.

This proved to be the case initially, with the 32-year-old going on to make 33 Premier League appearances in his debut season at The Hawthorns, helping his side keep seven clean sheets but earning a rather disappointing seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.78 on the way to Albion’s relegation from the top flight.

The former England international’s level of performance picked up somewhat over his 36 Championship appearances in the following campaign, helping the Baggies keep five clean sheets, scoring four goals and registering four assists, in addition to averaging an improved SofaScore match rating of 6.84 – ranking him as the club’s joint 12th-best performer in the second tier.

However, with West Brom having signed fellow left-back Conor Townsend in the summer of 2018, the younger man clearly started to impress at Palm Training Ground, as he limited Gibbs to just 14 Championship appearances in 2019/20 – over which the £30k-per-week defender once again disappointed, receiving a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.76.

Townsend’s usurping of the man who Slaven Bilic once dubbed a “stupid” player came full circle last season, with Gibbs featuring in just ten Premier League fixtures, before being released on a free transfer this summer.

As such, considering the fact that Albion paid a rather hefty fee for the left-back, in addition to him costing the club a whopping £6.24m in wages over his four-year contract at The Hawthorns, the Baggies’ investment in Gibbs looks to have been something of a nightmare for the West Brom board.

Indeed, it would be a difficult argument to make that the former Arsenal defender’s contributions during his time in West Bromwich warranted even half of the club’s total outlay on the defender, let alone the near-£13m he actually cost the Championship side.

In other news: Ismael could save West Brom millions with exciting 20 y/o prodigy with a “big future”

As per TUTTOmercatoWEB, West Ham United boss David Moyes is ‘ready’ to offload another one of his players this summer – but on one condition.

The Lowdown: West Ham exits take shape?

Recent reports out of West Ham suggest that Moyes and co have made their decisions on certain squad members as summer exits begin to shape before July.

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As per Claret & Hugh, defender Ryan Fredericks, whose contract expires at the end of 2021/2022, is almost certain to leave the club as is fellow soon-to-be free agent Andriy Yarmolenko.

GSB are unlikely to offer the latter man fresh terms despite his Aston Villa and Sevilla heroics recently and it appears Moyes could be ready to axe another in loanee midfielder Alex Kral.

The Latest: West Ham open to Kral deal…

Currently on a temporary deal from Spartak Moscow, which contains an option to buy, it is believed that the Czech Republic international ‘could land in Italy this summer’ (TMW).

While West Ham consider Kral a ‘precious’ asset, Moyes and co are ‘ready’ to offload him if they receive an ‘excellent proposal’.

This comes as pre-summer ‘contacts’ emerge with both Bologna and Atalanta reaching out to the Irons.

The Verdict: Time to go?

Unable to get a look-in past Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek, who have been mainstays in the middle of the park under Moyes, it may be time to let Kral leave the London Stadium in search of more game time.

Coming to east London with a fair bit of promise, it clearly hasn’t worked out for the 23-year-old and a move away may be best for both parties.

Perhaps the only scenario which would allow Kral more chances is the departure of Rice, but that is the last thing supporters want to see.

In other news: Sky Sports say West Ham could sign £21.6m-rated star who’s set to leave this summer! Find out more here.

An update has emerged on the African Cup of Nations, that will potentially affect Rangers and what players Gio van Bronckhorst will have at his disposal at Ibrox.

What’s the talk?

Journalist David Lynch has claimed that the competition is set to be postponed, with it currently set to take place in January and February, as the European Club Association has written to CAF with concerns about the wellbeing of players taking part.

He Tweeted: “I understand that CAF are expected to announce an indefinite postponement of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations imminently. Discussions taking place over possible compensation for hosts Cameroon.”

CAF have confirmed that the tournament will not be ‘cancelled’, with Lynch’s claim that it will be postponed potentially being the alternative to cancellation.

Buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing with this news as it hands van Bronckhorst a potentially huge boost heading into some key fixtures over the winter period.

Earlier this month, the club were reportedly waiting on a response from the Nigerian FA regarding whether or not they would allow them to keep Joe Aribo, Leon Balogun and Leon Bassey for the clash with Celtic at the start of January.

This news now appears to suggest that all three of them, injury/fitness pending, will be available for selection against the Hoops. It would also stop them from potentially missing matches on the other side of the winter break at the end of the month, which is why this update will come as great news to those of a Rangers persuasion.

All three of the players who could now be available for the Gers have been in fine form this season. They rank fourth (Aribo), eighth (Bassey) and ninth (Balogun) in the squad for average SofaScore ratings when it comes to outfield players, with all of them averaging a score of 7.05 or higher.

This shows that they have all been able to perform to a high standard on a consistent basis in the Premiership this term. They have been able to turn up week-in-week-out and impress on the pitch, which is why fans will be buzzing to read that they could be set to remain at Ibrox instead of jetting away to play for their country.

Aribo, in particular, being available should leave fans delighted.

The midfielder has produced six goals and two assists in 16 matches this season, averaging an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.18. He has shown that he has the quality to make a big impact in the final third and having his quality on the ball could be a fantastic benefit of AFCON being postponed.

AND in other news, Wilson masterclass: £8.3k-p/w Rangers “firework” who “plays at 100mph” is GVB’s dream…

Leeds United pundit Noel Whelan has been reacting to Joe Gelhardt’s recent injury, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Gelhardt sidelined

The 19-year-old has featured heavily in recent months with the likes of Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo out through injury.

Gelhardt has provided three assists in just 301 minutes of Premier League action, while also scoring his first Leeds goal against Chelsea.

His last appearance came against Burnley in a 3-1 win at Elland Road, with the forward becoming a firm fan favourite at Elland Road.

However, as revealed by Marcelo Bielsa, Gelhardt is now set for a spell on the sidelines following a training ground injury which looks set to keep him out for ‘three to four weeks’.

The Latest: Whelan reacts

Whelan, who reports for BBC Radio Leeds, was talking to Football Insider about Gelhardt’s ankle issue.

He labelled the teenager as Leeds’ ‘surprise package’ and described the update as ‘huge’ and tipped the youngster to be a ‘massive miss’.

“This is huge.

“He’ll be a massive miss for Leeds United because he’s playing with no fear. He’s a player who can really drive and take the game to opposition defensives.

“We’ve seen him do it a couple of times before, winning penalties at important times through really positive running.

“He’s a player that the opposition don’t know too much about, as well. He’s been a real surprise package for us.

“We’re lacking options when it comes to that central figure leading the line, especially with Patrick Bamford also out yet again. We’re down to the bare bones.”

The Verdict: No signs of slowing up

We’re now into the second half of the season, and the club’s injury list is showing no signs of slowing up, so a signing or two could come in handy before the end of the month.

The Whites may well be without a whopping 11 players against West Ham on Sunday, with question marks over all of their senior attacking options alongside youngsters Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood.

It would be remarkable if Leeds’ injury issues last the whole 2021/22 campaign, but at this moment in time and following Gelhardt’s injury, you wouldn’t bet against it.

If Bielsa can keep the Whites in the Premier League for a third season, you could argue that it would be just as good an achievement as the club’s ninth-placed finish last term.

In other news: ‘We’re told’ – Graham Smyth shares key update as Orta and Leeds finally step up January business. 

Having secured a 1-0 victory in their previous SPFL match against Livingston, Rangers are back in action this afternoon with an away clash against Ross County next up for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side in their latest attempt at moving a step closer to securing the league title.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Van Bronckhorst could select to be in his starting XI to take on County this afternoon, one figure that didn’t start against Livingston but ended playing a big part in the win that we feel should be in the team from the beginning on this occasion is Scott Arfield. 

After replacing James Sands in the 59th minute in midweek, Arfield managed to get his name on the scoresheet and score the vital goal that earned Rangers the three points on the day. 

With that in mind, it would be a good option to give Arfield, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £16k-per-week according to Salary Sport, the chance to potentially add another goal to his tally for the season from the start rather than the substitutes bench again. 

Also, with Van Bronckhorst recently sharing his wishes at seeing the Canadian stay at the club for the foreseeable future after his current contract at Ibrox expires at the end of the season, starting him this afternoon would be a good way of proving just how important he is for the team.

Labelled as a “reliable” player for Rangers by Kenny Miller, Arfield has racked up 165 appearances for the Scottish champions across all competitions with 32 goals and 18 assists under his belt, showing not only how experienced he is but also how capable he is in front of goal.

Taking into account how the 33-year-old has already scored against County this season back in August during Rangers’ 4-2 win, he now has the chance to haunt them again this time around and terrify them with his goalscoring ability.

Moving forward, while the midfielder proved in the game against Livingston how much of a useful impact player he can be for Rangers off the substitutes bench, it could be worth starting him this time to see if he can help his side have a more comfortable game this time around.

In other news: “Monitoring”: Journalist delivers key Rangers transfer update which Van Bronckhorst will love…

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Nottingham Forest legend Garry Birtles has written in his Nottingham Post column that striker Daryl Murphy can be an important player for the club over the remainder of the season, but he has got it completely wrong.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Murphy has become more of a prominent feature in the starting XI following Aitor Karanka’s departure and Martin O’Neill’s arrival at The City Ground last month, starting four of the six Championship fixtures the Irishman has been in charge for to date.

Prior to that he had only made the XI on six occasions this term when the Spaniard was at the helm, and he started with fellow striker Lewis Grabban in the goalless draw against Preston North End at Deepdale last weekend.

Birtles obviously feels that the Republic of Ireland international has big role to play, writing in the Nottingham Post: “Daryl Murphy can sometimes get a bit of stick from some Nottingham Forest fans, but he has shown how important he can be.

“Daryl can be a great outlet for us. He can take the pressure off Lewis a little bit. We can direct the ball towards Daryl, and Lewis can play off him.

“Before, when we just had Lewis up front, the ball was coming back a little bit too often. He’s not the greatest in the air, but Daryl is.

“Daryl will win you plenty of headers and can hold the ball up. That can be a big help for Lewis.

“And having Daryl in the team can give an extra bit of height for set-pieces against us. It’s not always appreciated just how important strikers can be in that sense; in your own box.”

Birtles is wrong

While the 62-year-old is right in some aspects such as the centre-forward being useful in terms of holding the ball up and his presence in both penalty boxes because of his height, he is completely wrong in others.

Basically saying the 35-year-old should be starting alongside Grabban is living in the past and something of a throwback to yesteryear, and football has moved on from a 4-4-2 even if it is a formation O’Neill has sometimes opted for since his return to the club.

Check out Matchday With Max’s verdict on Preston 0-0 Forest in the video below…

Instead of making a veteran striker a key player in the coming weeks and months, they should be doing everything they can to find a role for record signing Joao Carvalho, who has barely featured under the experienced manager to date.

He is the future of Nottingham Forest, and O’Neill needs to adopt some modern-day tactics based around arguably their best player to get the team fighting at the top of the Championship – just look at Leeds United and Norwich City.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been handed a major boost regarding the return of Pedro Neto.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by Birmingham Live, Bruno Lage revealed that the winger, who has not featured for Wolves since cracking his knee cap back in April, could be set to make a return to first-team training in around a month’s time, before potentially becoming available for selection once again in January.

Speaking about the current condition of the 21-year-old, Lage said: “The good news is that everything is OK with his injury and now he will start to work harder than he has until this day.

“Maybe he can start working with the team in one month and, after that, he needs to do the normal pre-season for two or three weeks to be fit to play in this competition, which you know is very hard. Maybe in the middle of January we can have him at the stadium to start playing with us.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Neto had been for Wolves prior to picking up his injury last season, the news that the Portugal international could be back in action for the club in the coming months is sure to have fans buzzing.

Indeed, over his 31 Premier League appearances last term, the £31.5m-rated forward had bagged five goals, registered six assists and had created nine big chances – ranking him first in each of Wolves’ respective charts for these particular metrics – in addition to taking an average of two shots and making two key passes per game.

These returns saw the man who Nuno Espirito Santo dubbed an “unpredictable” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as the club’s second-best performer in the league.

As such, while it will undoubtedly take the £39k-per-week winger a while to refind this form upon his return to first-team action, the availability of Neto will nevertheless provide Lage with a huge boost to his chances of securing a top ten finish with Wolves this season.

In other news: Shi initiates talks for “unselfish” £120k-p/w beast, he’s just what Wolves are missing

Wolves have seen numerous key figures move away from the club over recent years such as Adama Traore, Rui Patricio and Diogo Jota to name a few.

With the upcoming summer transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though the Old Gold could be in danger of seeing another one of their pivotal players pack their bags and wave goodbye to Molineux.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent report from The Sun, proposed Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will apparently look to make Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves his number one transfer target if he is appointed at Old Trafford.

Neves has been the talk of constant speculation surrounding his future so this update is not a promising one for Wolves.

Fosun disaster

Since joining the Midlands club back in the 2017 summer transfer window from Porto, the midfielder has gone on to make 207 appearances for Wolves across all competitions.

In those appearances, the 25-year-old has found the back of the net 24 times and delivered 12 assists in the process, highlighting how dangerous he can be in front of goal.

Back in October 2018, Wolves journalist Tim Spiers described one particular half-volleyed attempt at goal the former Porto ace had as “cheeky”, an assessment that rather sums up the midfielder’s overall nature.

With four goals and two assists under his belt in this campaign, Neves has also earned himself an overall performance rating of 6.95, making him the second-highest rated Wolves player to start more than four league games according to WhoScored.

To further highlight how important he is to the team in the middle of the pitch off the ball, only Joao Moutinho (274) has managed to rack up more recoveries in the league than his Portuguese compatriot (273).

With Bruno Lage saying that it’s a “big loss” for the team to have Neves out of action through injury at this stage of the season, it’s safe to say that it would be a much bigger loss for the team and club as a whole if the midfielder left in the summer.

Taking all of this into account, Fosun will have to do all they can to avoid disaster and convince the £58k-per-week talent to stay where he is and not join the Manchester club if they come calling.

A good step towards doing this could be to see the team finish above the Red Devils in the league table, which, as things stand, isn’t out of the question by the time the campaign draws to an end.

In other news: Lage can axe “toothless” Wolves flop with swoop for “breathtaking” £28.8m-rated star

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side finally return to Premiership action this evening, with Hibernian first up for the Bhoys in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign following the rearranged winter break.

And, with the 56-year-old Hoops boss having already made four signings in the January transfer window, with Reo Hatate, Yosuke Ideguchi, Daizen Maeda and Johnny Kenny all having arrived at Parkhead this month, there is the very real possibility of Postecoglou handing a number of debuts to his new additions against Shaun Maloney’s men tonight.

Of these players, undoubtedly the most exciting signing is that of versatile centre-forward Maeda, as the 24-year-old who Kevin Muscat dubbed a “dream” to manage was in astonishing form for Yokohama F. Marinos last year.

Maeda will give Maloney nightmares

Indeed, over his 36 J1 League outings in 2021, the £1.44m-rated man scored a remarkable 23 goals, registered five assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These returns saw the Japan international earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as his club’s joint sixth-best performer in the league, as well as the joint top scorer in the division.

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And, while it is true that Celtic have already scored a whopping 42 goals over their 20 Premiership fixtures so far this season – just one behind the highest scorers in the league – Postecoglou’s side have nevertheless struggled to break teams down on occasion this term – such as in the 0-0 draw with St. Mirren, the 0-0 draw with 10-man Livingston and the 1-0 loss against the same outfit back in September.

As such, with Hibs’ players sure to be eager to impress their new manager with a high-energy and battling performance against Celtic at Parkhead this evening, it would appear a must for Postecoglou to unleash Maeda against Maloney’s men, as the Japanese hitman undoubtedly possesses the goalscoring capability to give the 38-year-old Hibs manager nightmares.

In other news: Ange Postecoglou drops teasing transfer hint that will have Celtic fans buzzing

Wolves are having a fantastic start to their season, with a win over West Ham putting them sixth in the Premier League ahead of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United.

One loan signing has consistently impressed in Bruno Lage’s side since joining in the summer, though.

What’s the talk?

Hwang joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan deal from RB Leipzig, and after an impressive start, the club are now keen to secure the South Korean star’s signature long term.

The loan deal has the option to sign the forward in a permanent contract with Wolves, for an absolute steal of £13 million from the Bundesliga side.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Express & Star journalist, Luke Hatfield, confirmed the intentions of the club when it comes to Hwang Hee-chan.

“I think they can still pull the deal off.

“The fact that he’s there now is obviously massively beneficial to Wolves’ chances.

“Given that he’s getting game time and enjoys the style of play, his team-mates, the training ground and management, it puts them in prime position to sign him on a permanent basis.”

Fans buzzing

Fans would surely be delighted if the South Korean arrives permanently in the Midlands because Hwang has been nothing short of an instant success story for the Premier League side. He’s grabbed four goals already this season, which has definitely played a part in the success Wolves are enjoying in the league so far.

The attacker’s goals scored so far have mostly been those that have won the game, with Hwang’s brace sealing Wolves’ first victory of the season against Watford.

Lage has previously sung the praises of the 25-year-old attacker, demonstrating how big his influence has been at Molineux.

“I think he has adapted to the Premier League. He is fit and fits our way to play because we need a player like him.

“Top players can enjoy our game and I think he is a top player like the other guys.”

The permanent signing of Hwang could be a blessing in disguise for Wolves, as speculation continues to build around Adama Traore’s contract and links with a move away from the club. Although the Spaniard departing would be a blow to Wolves, it could be softened by the signing of Hwang, someone who has got fans off their seats plenty of times this term.

Wolves will be hoping to continue their winning ways and pick up points at every opportunity in their Premier League campaign that could see the side secure European football if they can be consistent.

In other news: Daniel Podence puts on an attacking masterclass against West Ham