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Many Everton fans have been left buzzing over some international news involving Yerry Mina.

As shared by Toffee TV on their Twitter page, the central defender will now miss Colombia’s FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Argentina on Tuesday due to suspension, after he picked up a yellow card in their most recent qualifier in the 1-0 loss against Peru.

It means that Mina should now be able to return to Goodison Park, with their next league fixture not coming until Tuesday 8th February away to Newcastle United, three days after an FA Cup clash with Brentford next weekend.

This should give the the 27-year-old enough time to complete any necessary health protocols and recover for the clash, which would have been a doubt had he been able to face Argentina.

The Toffees have only lost three games in the top flight so far this term when he has played, and so having him back would be a big boost.

Everton fans on Mina news

These supporters of the Merseyside club buzzed as the news was shared on Twitter, with one calling it ‘great’:

“The news just gets better and better this late Friday evening”

Credit: @maynard_hanna

“God is an @Everton supporter and knows we need him!”

Credit: @MistopherGuy

“That’s great news for us may come back fresher”

Credit: @ruben_holman

“Yessssss healthy for Brentford”

Credit: @SilentBlueGiant

“What a day.”

Credit: @lewissefc

“Praise the lord”

Credit: @dh_2__

In other news, find out what transfer update has Blues fuming here!

Many Glasgow Rangers fans were left fuming as some news emerged before their game at home to St. Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Boxing Day.

As per the official website of the Teddy Bears, there will now be a reduced capacity at Ibrox following an announcement from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The game will still go ahead despite concerns over rising Covid-19 cases, which has already seen two matches in the English Premier League in Liverpool versus Leeds United and Wolves versus Watford already being called off.

Nonetheless, there will now be a reduced amount of tickets available for the fixture against St. Mirren, much to the dismay of the Light Blues faithful, in what has put a damper on an otherwise celebrated football tradition.

Rangers fans on Ibrox restrictions

These Gers were left fuming as the news was shared on the club’s official Twitter page, with one RFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it was ‘disgraceful’:

“The bemusement surely must be sarcasm, the restrictions being imposed on everyone here has NO place in SCIENCE. Sturgeon has gone too far.”

Credit: @1rskl

“Is that it? Where is Stewart Robertson? As an @spfl board member he needs to explain to fans why the decision to move the winter break didn’t follow the 11/1 vote when curtailing the season 2 seasons ago did. From the outside it looks like corruption to benefit 1 club.”

Credit: @Northernger

“Limiting capacity to less than 1%, with absolutely NO DATA to support this action, DISGRACEFUL! And what happens if ALL of those with a ST or match ticket turn up??? The police will be forced to let the fans IN to avoid a public disturbance outside …. Just saying…”

Credit: @KenM_inCzechRep

“Not a word of anger about bringing the shutdown forward. Just new dates with times. This is detrimental and disadvantageous to Rangers going forward successfully this season.”

Credit: @ultrateque

“Is that it? Why are we not kicking up a fuss at the fact the break was brought forward so fans could have chance to see games yet now our fans won’t get that at all on Sunday! Absolute farce! We should be asking for compensation”

Credit: @crawford_hume

“Joke”

Credit: @JoshMcsorley72

In other news, find out what claim from this Rangers player’s father has fans talking here!

The start of Ralf Ragnicks reign as Manchester United boss has been a pretty poor one. United looked poor despite positive results against Norwich and Newcastle, but their inability to threaten against Wolves showed the team needs improvements despite the quality of the squad.

The major hole in the starting team is the same as it was under Ole, in the centre of midfield. It seems like some combination of Scott Mctominay, Fred, Nemanja Matic and Donny Van de Beek cannot be the midfield pairing for a Ragnick 4-2-2-2 system. So United should look in the market for another midfield option. While they may not be able to get players like Declan Rice or Frenkie De Jong in January, there are some excellent options that are realistic signings in January.

Denis Zakaria- Borussia Monchengladbach

Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria has been linked to both sides of Manchester for a couple of years now and seems like the perfect option for United and Ragnick. Zakaria started to bring rumours of a big move in 2019 when his defensive numbers began to explode. Zakaria emerged as one of the best destroyers in midfield, getting close to 6 tackles and interceptions a game, similar numbers to Wilfred Ndidi. Since then, Zakaria has also developed his passing massively.

Zakaria’s contract expires in the summer and so United could get him at a cut price. He is gettable in January and would suit the Ragnick system. It might suit you to check out some of the excellent betting options you have, which could be any of these online gambling sites.

Amadou Haidara- RB Leipzig

Haidara was heavily linked to United when Ragnick joined, due to Ragnicks history with the Red Bull group. But Haidara is an exceptional player who would be very useful for Manchester United’s midfield. Haidara is much more of a progressive player than Zakaria, creating 2.8 shots per game and being in the top 8% for progressive passes in his position.

In terms of getting him in January, it may be tough. Haidara has a contract with Leipzig that runs until 2025. There are some rumours about a release clause but it is difficult to tell exactly how much it would cost to get him out of Germany. Haidara would be a great progressive option for Manchester United, who have struggled to progress the ball at the start of the season.

Sergej Milinkovic Savic- Lazio

Another midfielder who has been linked to English clubs for years, Milinkovcic Savic seems to be one of United’s preferred options. The 26 year old Serbian midfielder is another midfielder who does not offer much defensively, with about three tackles an interceptions per game this season. But his attacking numbers are outstanding.

Milinkovic Savic is in the top three percent for non-penalty goals, assists, shots, touches in the oppositions box and progressive passes. Milinkovic Savic has 14 goals and assists in just 1600 league minutes this season. While he would cost a lot to United in January, he would be a great addition to this team.

Image from: unsplash.com

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for wantaway Paris Saint-Germain defender Layvin Kurzawa, with the January transfer window fast approaching.

What’s the story?

According to French outlet Jeunes Footeux (as relayed by The Hard Tackle), the Eagles have been offered the opportunity to sign the 29-year-old over the coming months as he searches for regular game-time.

The report doesn’t mention an expected asking price for Kurzawa, but the left-back only signed a new four-year deal in June 2020, so he’s unlikely to come cheaply.

Patrick Vieira must swoop

Palace manager Patrick Vieira embarked on a successful spending spree over the summer, replacing several ageing campaigners with multiple exciting, young acquisitions.

However, he failed to replace Dutch international Patrick van Aanholt on the left-hand side of defence, leaving academy graduate Tyrick Mitchell as the only natural option in that position.

Therefore, Kurzawa may be the ideal addition, providing an experienced alternative to the 22-year-old after proving his capability at the highest level following six-and-a-half successful years at the Parc des Princes.

Since arriving in Paris from Monaco in 2015, the £10.8m-rated full-back has made 153 appearances for the capital club, scoring 14 goals and providing 23 assists, winning 13 major trophies along the way.

After putting pen to paper on fresh terms last year, Kurzawa labelled his younger self as “a little more crazy” before claiming his improved form was down to his new level of maturity, while also revealing he admires basketball star “Lebron James” after copying his celebration.

However, things have not gone to plan for the attack-minded defender in recent months.

The arrival of wonderkid Nuno Mendes and Juan Bernat’s return from a long-term injury has forced Kurzawa down Pochettino’s pecking order significantly, limiting him to just nine minutes of first-team action throughout 2021/22.

As a result, Vieira must pounce for the 5 foot 10 gem during the winter window, continuing his Palace revolution by adding some much-needed cover and competition for Mitchell.

In other news… Vieira can continue his Selhurst Park revolution with move for £25m “warrior” with “outstanding quality”

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Micheal Bridge of Sky Sports has made a claim involving Tottenham Hotspur target Dusan Vlahovic as they eye a January swoop.

The Lowdown: Tottenham in Vlahovic hunt…

The links to Fiorentina’s prize asset have seemingly been never-ending since he was a known target for managing director Fabio Paratici in the summer transfer window.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-5/” title=”Spurs latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Indeed, the arrival of manager Antonio Conte has only increased rumours of Vlahovic potentially joining Tottenham with La Gazzetta (via Sport Witness) even lifting the lid on a transfer meeting in London.

The Serbia international is very much still a target for Tottenham with reliable reporter Matt Law of The Telegraph explaining earlier this week that the club are eyeing a January move alongside Wolves star Adama Traore.

As the Lilywhites set their sights on Vlahovic as a striking alternative to superstar Harry Kane, Sky reporter Bridge has now made his own claim on the situation.

The Latest: Bridge makes Vlahovic claim…

Speaking to GMS, the journalist believes the target man is ‘the real deal’ but also shares his worrying theory that Spurs may have missed the boat.

“He’s proved to people this guy that he’s the real deal. I just worry with Vlahovic that Spurs might have missed the boat there.”

The Verdict: Hope he’s wrong…

Given the 21-year-old’s scintillating form which has even earned him comparisons to Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Braut Haaland, Spurs supporters will be hoping Bridge is incorrect in his belief and Conte still has a chance of seeing him make the north London move.

As confirmed by Fiorentina CEO Joe Barone (Repubblica via Fabrizio Romano), Vlahovic has down ‘several’ contract offers from La Viola to make him the highest paid player in the club’s history.

This is a clear as crystal indication he is eyeing a move away from the club and we believe Tottenham have a real chance of signing him, especially considering the pull of the Premier League.

Racking up 15 goals and two assists in just 17 top flight matches this campaign, Vlahovic would undoubtedly strengthen Conte’s options either in January or next summer.

Lauded as a ‘force of nature like Romelu Lukaku and Haaland’ by Italian media, the sensational young striker would come as Paratici’s biggest coup yet after 2020/2021 Serie A MVP Cristian Romero.

In other news: Spurs in pole position to sign ‘perfect’ player for Conte after price tag drops by nearly half, find out more here.

Flocking to Twitter, it’s safe to say that many Manchester City supporters have been left excited after an update involving RB Leipzig sensation Christopher Nkunku.

The 23-year-old, currently in red-hot form for the Bundesliga club, is now apparently attracting serious attention from City and sporting director Txiki Begiristain by extension.

Sky Blues supporters may recognise Nkunku after watching Pep Guardiola’s side dismantle Leipzig 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium in their opening Champions League group stage match of the current campaign.

The striker netted a hat-trick against City that evening and seriously impressed with an 8.8 match rating on SofaScore, standing out as his team’s best player by a country mile.

In an interesting development, Begiristain and the Manchester club have apparently enquired about signing him for Guardiola as Sport Bild (via Sport Witness) share news.

It is believed that City have approached intermediaries over signing Nkunku, with requests across Europe ‘piling up’. However, Begiristain will have to negotiate a fee with Leipzig considering that he is one of their few players not to have a release clause in his contract.

The forward has been shining both domestically and in Europe, bagging five goals and three assists in just 11 Bundesliga starts so far this term, whilst also scoring a noteworthy five goals in four Champions League outings (WhoScored).

Flocking to this news, it’s little wonder that lots of City fans have absolutely raved about the prospect of signing him on social media given that he stands out as one of Europe’s most in-form talents. Indeed, one Citizen even called him a would-be ‘massive signing’.

Check out some of their verdicts on the development below.

Man City fans erupt over Nkunku claim…

“The PSG product can be a massive signing for us. He’s a complete player”

Credit: @nathanroznan

“He is an incredible player”

Credit: @KDBallondor

“Bring him home”

Credit: @MartinAsajile

“This guy is the perfect Pep player”

Credit: @mcfcvm

“I would take him in a heartbeat, that kid is special”

Credit: @Thatguy_Sammie

“Perfect Sterling replacement”

Credit: @Kofiayababako

“Make it happen, he’s wavy”

Credit: @sidmci

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘No way’, ‘This cannot happen’…Man City fans also flocked to this ‘depressing’ managerial update, find out more here.

Wolves are having a good start to their Premier League season so far, currently sitting eighth in the table and hoping to take three points today from West Ham which could see them moving above Manchester United.

Bruno Lage has many attacking options at Molineux, all with individual qualities which have helped the team to take five wins from their first 11 games of the season. However with the sheer amount of attackers at his disposal, it’s impossible to play everyone at once.

Adama Traore is one player who has taken a hit when it comes to game-time in Lage’s side, benched for four of the last six fixtures. The 25-year-old winger has had to share his place with Francisco Trincao and Daniel Podence this season.

The £27m-rated Spain international spoke out this week after he was ranked the number one dribbler in Europe in a study by CIES Football Observatory. He said: “I’m proud of that. If I’m the number one dribbler in Europe, it’s because I’m having chances too. I have to be the best that I can be, and if I take the chances I have, I can be the player I want to be in the future.

“This is my mentality, fulfilling that. If you see last season, I was not having the chances that I’ve had this season. But this is my mentality, to grow as a player each day, and then this season now, I’m having more chances close to the goalie and I hope, soon, the ball is going to be hitting the net.”

Lage must unleash the winger, who was once dubbed “unplayable” by Jurgen Klopp, against West Ham today as he would terrify their defenders with not only his proven dribbling abilities, but his forceful and direct attacking approach which sets him apart from many wingers in the Premier League.

These attacking qualities are obviously the reason that many top clubs have taken an interest in the winger, including Liverpool and Barcelona. Lage will need to give Traore game-time and convince him that he is in the 45-year-old’s plans to hold onto him next season.

Wolves will host an impressive and in-form West Ham side at Molineux today and it could be the perfect challenge for Traore to make an impact and try to secure a regular starting place in the team.

In other news: Here is our predicted XI for the West Ham clash

Manchester United suffered one of the most humiliating defeats in their history over the weekend after fierce rivals Liverpool handed out a 5-0 thrashing at Old Trafford.

A clinical Mohamed Salah hat-trick, plus goals from Naby Keita and Diogo Jota piled even more pressure on under-fire manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as the gulf in class between the two sides was ruthlessly exposed.

It was a humiliating afternoon for everyone associated with United, but one that had been coming since the second game of the season.

Performances have been hugely underwhelming following the opening-day victory over Leeds United and now Solskjaer must find the answers to the Red Devils’ struggles or face an unbearable onslaught for his departure from all angles.

However, the Norwegian manager wasn’t solely to blame for one of the darkest days in the 20-time Engling champions’ history.

No United player left the Theatre of Dreams with any pride on Sunday afternoon after they were all left hopelessly chasing shadows for the entire 90 minutes, yet left-back Luke Shaw arguably endured the biggest nightmare of them all.

The England international was left exposed for Liverpool’s first goal, clumsily collided with Harry Maguire in the build-up to their second, was far too slow to react to a rebounded ball for the third, got dragged across the pitch for the fourth, and was nowhere near Salah for the fifth and final nail in the coffin.

Shaw has looked a shadow of the player that lit up 2020/21 in recent weeks, but his performance against the Reds was shocking, to say the least.

As per SofaScore, the left-back was awarded a match rating of just 6.1 out of 10 after he made just one tackle, two clearances and no interceptions throughout the 90 minutes.

Although goalkeeper David de Gea conceded five goals, it’s clear he got no protection from his porous backline, and it’s the men in front of the Spanish shot-stopper who are really to blame for the chastising defeat.

Shaw was not only underwhelming in his defensive duties, though. The 26-year-old lost possession a whopping 13 times, was unable to find a teammate with four of his six crosses and achieved a passing accuracy of just 78%.

It was a day to forget for the stocky defender, and with fixtures against Atalanta, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City to come, there could be some desperate weeks ahead for Shaw and his United colleagues.

And, in other news…0 duels won: Man Utd lightweight who always gets “bullied” let Ole down v Atalanta

Fabio Paratici could transform Tottenham Hotspur under new manager Antonio Conte by signing one of his mooted transfer targets…

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato.it, the recently-appointed 52-year-old has already a long list of targets ahead of the January transfer window as he looks to improve Spurs’ fortunes on the pitch.

Among the names listed by the report is Juventus attacker Federico Chiesa, who is valued in the region of €80m (£68m) to €90m (£76.5m) and could be eyed as a secondary striker or a winger in his three-at-the-back formation.

The Serie A giants only signed the 34-cap Italian winger in October 2020 on a two-year loan deal with an obligation to buy worth €40m (£36m) plus €10m (£8.5m) in add-ons. The initial loan is thought to cost around €10m (£8.5m), as per Juventus.com.

A major coup

If Paratici could deliver a player of this calibre, then Conte stands a very good chance at achieving success in north London. In fact, this sort of signing could genuinely transform the club on the pitch, tenfold.

The former Chelsea boss is walking into a complete mess at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one of their biggest problems has been in attack, where they have looked uninspiring, unimaginative and quite frankly, appalling.

As per WhoScored, Spurs rank joint-last for average number of shots per game (10.3) alongside rock-bottom and winless Norwich City and second-last for key chances created per game (7.1).

Similarly, the Lilywhites have the fourth-worst expected goals ratio in the English top-flight (10.63 xG), with three relegation contenders ranking below them, via Understat.

Harry Kane has scored just once in eight league starts, so he is clearly struggling and a player like Chiesa could hold the keys to not only help him out in the final third but also carry the burden and pressure of finding the net.

Last season, the 24-year-old dynamo contributed a whopping 15 goals and 11 assists across 46 appearances, meaning he averaged a direct contribution once every 121.8 minutes, via Transfermarkt.

Furthermore, he has averaged at least 1.8 key passes every 90 minutes since his arrival at the Allianz Stadium, as per WhoScored, only bolstering his creative claims.

He continued that electric form into Euro 2020, where he played a starring role in Italy’s triumph, defeating England in the final.

Speaking about his performances on the biggest stage, BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand waxed lyrical, he said: “He’s a huge player and he’s been linked with a few clubs in England. I’m sure they’re thinking ‘why didn’t we get him?’. He’s just a fantastic footballer.

“The intensity with which he plays with, we saw in the Euros he was the main goal threat for the Italians who went on to win the tournament. It’s his pace, his drive. He’s the one who is the threat, he’s potent, he wants to run in behind.”

The £63m-rated Juventus beast has also been dubbed a “special talent” by BBC Sport contributor Premier League Panel, as well as a “big game player” and an “absolute gem” by BT Sport commentator Adam Summerton.

Paratici must look to seal a move for him at all costs heading into 2022. If Conte is to elevate Spurs back to where they used to be, then he needs players like Chiesa at his disposal.

AND in other news, No Skipp, Dier and Lo Celso start: Spurs’ predicted XI under Antonio Conte…

James Tavernier joined Rangers from Wigan in 2015 for a reported fee of just £225,000 and has gone on to enjoy a sublime career in Scotland to date.

The right-back began his career in England with Newcastle and spent time with Bristol City, Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan, amongst others, before finally settling down and finding a home at Ibrox.

As of today (2 October), Tavernier has amassed 301 appearances for Rangers, scoring 66 goals and setting up a further 94.

Players experience peaks and troughs throughout their careers and Tavernier was no exception. His market value on Transfermarkt rose from £360k in 2015 to £5.4m in February 2020, steadily climbing over the five years in between as he became a regular at Rangers.

He then experienced a low point as his form dipped and his value followed. In April 2020, his price dropped down to £4.35m – the lowest it had been since January 2019 (£1.80m).

In the 2019/20 campaign, Tavernier played 10 games in the Europa League for Rangers and was only able to provide one assist, with zero goals, from right-back. He was also dribbled past once per game, whilst only making 0.5 interceptions per match, and lost 50% of his duels. This suggests that he was not strong enough to dominate opposition players, whilst he also gave the ball away 240 times in those 10 matches, which may have contributed to his value dropping to £4.35m that season.

His form in the competition improved in the following season. He played seven times in the 2020/21 Europa League and provided two goals and one assist. Tavernier won 54% of his duels and made 1.3 interceptions per game, whilst only being dribbled past 0.6 times per match, losing the ball 17.6 times per game instead of 24.

Meanwhile, Tavernier’s Premiership form was outstanding in the 2020/21 campaign. He averaged a sensational SofaScore rating of 7.70 as he managed 12 goals and nine assists from right-back, showcasing the quality he can provide from defence.

Steven Gerrard was able to use his man management skills and coaching to improve Tavernier’s game and get him playing his best football after a difficult period. It could have been easy for the head coach to discard the defender after that rough patch in 2020 and sign a replacement in the summer transfer window to take his spot.

Instead, he kept faith in Tavernier and now he is being rewarded by the 29-year-old. As of the start of October, Transfermarkt value him at £7.2m. This is a 33.3% increase from February 2020, showing how Gerrard has been able to help the right-back soar in the space of less than two years, bouncing back quickly from his poor form. It has been a masterclass in management from Gerrard, and hopefully Tavernier will continue to perform on the pitch.

In other news: Concerning claim made on “lightning-quick” Rangers gem, fans would be worried