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Marcelo Bielsa is weighing up the idea of using Raphinha in a number 10 role for Leeds United moving forward, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Raphinha shines for Leeds

The Brazilian has been a superb signing for the Whites, joining from Rennes last year and scoring nine goals in 38 appearances to date.

Raphinha has generally shone as a right winger, cutting inside onto his deadly left foot and wreaking havoc with his dribbling quality.

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The Latest: Number 10 role mooted

It could be that Bielsa looks into using the 24-year-old in a more central number 10 position, however. Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic on Saturday following Leeds’ 1-0 win at home to Watford, Hay outlined the possibility of Raphinha’s role changing.

When asked by a supporter if Bielsa would try Raphinha in a role behind the centre-forward, the journalist replied:

“I’m told that they have been discussing the possibility of Raphinha as a 10 but it’s not something Bielsa wants to rush into without working on. I can see aspects of Raphinha which would suit 10 although a Bielsa 10 needs to do a lot of defensive work too.”

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The Verdict: Interesting move by Bielsa

It would be an ultra-attacking move to play Raphinha as a number 10, allowing both Jack Harrison and Dan James to start out wide, forming a speedy three-pronged attack behind Patrick Bamford or Rodrigo.

As Hay hinted, though, the Brazil international would need to produce a strong work ethic to thrive in that position, with Bielsa simply not accepting a luxury player there.

It still feels like Raphinha is best out wide – he has registered nine assists for Leeds – but it would be intriguing to see how he fares more centrally if the manager considers redeploying him.

In other news, one Leeds transfer target has a £10million release clause in his contract. Read more here.

Southampton have been linked with a move for Nathaniel Phillips recently and the Liverpool ace could be the ideal man to replace Jannik Vestergaard in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, should the Denmark international complete a move away from St Mary’s this summer.

What’s the word?

According to James Pearce of The Athletic, Liverpool are willing to sell Phillips for between £12-15m this summer, and Southampton, Burnley, Brighton and Newcastle United have all been in contact with the Merseyside outfit about a potential deal for the centre-back.

Considering Vestergaard has reportedly expressed his desire for a new challenge amid interest from Leicester City, it seems likely that the Saints will cash in on the Danish defender this summer, rather than potentially losing him for nothing at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

Therefore, a new centre-back signing will likely be necessary to replace the former Borussia Monchengladbach man this summer, and Phillips could be an excellent addition to Hasenhuttl’s squad.

Would Phillips be a good signing for Southampton?

Despite being on the brink of a Liverpool exit in the summer of 2020, Phillips established himself as an important player in Jurgen Klopp’s side last season as they turned their campaign around to secure Champions League football.

The Anfield outfit were left without Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip for much of the season, which paved the way for Phillips to become a regular starter, and he made 17 Premier League appearances in total, averaging a very impressive 7.29 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

However, with Liverpool’s centre-back trio now back fit ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, and Ibrahima Konate having also joined from RB Leipzig, it seems unlikely that the 24-year-old will feature as much for the Reds next season, so an exit could well be on the cards.

After he made his Premier League debut in a 2-1 win against West Ham, Klopp labelled Phillips a “monster” due to his impressive aerial ability.

Last season saw the defender average a superb 5.6 aerials won per game, which suggests that he would be a more than adequate replacement for Vestergaard, who despite his height, managed just 3.3 aerials won per game in the Premier League last season.

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Therefore, Hasenhuttl should definitely look towards the £7.2m-rated Liverpool man this summer if Vestergaard does complete a move away from St Mary’s.

And, in other news… Imagine him and JWP: Semmens should swoop for Euro 2020 star

Manchester United dropped to seventh in the Premier League table after suffering another humiliating defeat at the hands of Watford on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Josh King, Ismaila Sarr, Emmanuel Dennis and Joao Pedro made Donny van de Beek’s first strike of the season a mere consolation, and Harry Maguire’s 69th-minute red card summed up a hugely disappointing outing for the Old Trafford outfit.

But arguably the most underwhelming display from a Red Devils player came from Marcus Rashford.

The 24-year-old had scored three goals in just six games prior after returning from injury prior to his trip to Vicarage Road, providing hope that he could inspire his boyhood club to a much-need victory.

However, Rashford look way below his best when coming up against the Hornets and was substituted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at half-time following his shocking showing in the opening period.

As per SofaScore, the England international was awarded a match rating of just 6.2 out of 10, the second-lowest total out of any player on the pitch. And when taking a look at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why.

Rashford touched the ball just 32 times against Watford, only one more than goalkeeper David de Gea, lost possession a whopping 16 times and achieved a passing accuracy of just 50% as he completed fewer passes (11) than his teammate between the posts. That highlighted what was an extremely ineffective display.

The youngster was also only able to pick out a teammate with one of his three attempted crosses, missed one big chance and won just 50% of his duels.

With tough fixtures against Villarreal, Chelsea and Arsenal coming up for United, the Red Devils will need Rashford to return to form as soon as possible in order to address their alarming slump in results and performances.

Fortunately, however, it would appear that Rashford has let down Solskjaer for the final time with the Norwegian reportedly on the verge of being sacked.

While West Brom may not have had a perfect start to their Championship campaign with 17 games played, the Baggies are still very much in the mix to secure a promotion place by the end of the season, currently sat in third place in the league table with 32 points from nine wins, five draws and three defeats under their belt.

One player that has played a big part in West Brom’s season so far is defender Conor Townsend, who has started all 17 of their league games and ultimately played more minutes than any other Baggies player, showing just how important he is for Valerien Ismael.

In addition to this, the 28-year-old has also highlighted his versatility on the pitch by playing as a centre-back, left-back and left-midfielder at times this season, which is a big sign as to why Ismael has picked him to start so many times.

Regarding his performances, from a defensive point of view, Townsend has racked up an average of 2.8 aerials won (47 in total), 1.8 tackles, 1.5 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per game in the Championship, proving himself as a vital part of West Brom’s back line.

As well as his defensive contributions, Townsend has also proven himself to be a useful attacking outlet for the team, contributing an average of 1.5 key passes per match, with the Englishman securing two assists for the team which came during their 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth on the opening day of the season followed by their 1-1 draw against Millwall back in September.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that Townsend, who has been described as a “confident” player on the ball by Baggies journalist Steve Madeley, has been a real hero for Ismael this season given his versatility, reliability and all-round ability up and down the pitch.

Moving forward, with Dara O’Shea still out injured for the next few months and the fact that Kean Bryan has now been ruled out for the remainder of the season through injury, Ismael will undoubtedly be hoping that Townsend will be able to keep fit for the rest of the campaign.

He’ll need to keep delivering the sort of performances that he has been doing, as he could give the Baggies a great chance of securing a place back in the Premier League.

In other news: WBA must secure deal for “wonderful” 6ft4 beast, it may be season-defining for Ismael – opinion

German outfit Bayer Leverkusen have reportedly stated their interest in a possible move for Liverpool defender Nat Phillips.

What’s the story?

According to Sky Sports (as reported by the ECHO), Leverkusen have contacted the 24-year-old’s agent over a potential transfer, although several Premier League clubs have also been credited with an interest.

The report claims that Brighton and Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Burnley and West Ham United are also keen on signing Phillips this summer after he impressed last season.

He’s not good enough

After an injury crisis left Liverpool unable to call upon Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, Phillips came to the Anfield outfit’s rescue, putting in a string of solid performances.

The 6 ft 2 beast made 15 top-flight appearances for the Reds last term, helping Jurgen Klopp’s charges to a third-place finish, something which looked well out of their reach at the midway point of the campaign.

However, despite his admirable showing, serious doubts remain over Phillips’ long-term suitability for a club as ambitious as Liverpool.

He made a few costly errors during his run in the first-team, with Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United full-back Gary Neville highlighting a mistake the youngster made against his old team.

“Why is a centre-back back in there? Why does he go back so deep? He is playing them onside, he is unlikely to block the shot. It’s difficult for him,” Neville said on Sky Sports Premier League (8:25pm, May 13, 2021):

“I think Alisson would have saved that. Lack of composure from Nat Phillips. A disappointing moment for him, but a great moment for United.”

With Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip all set to return to full fitness ahead of the upcoming campaign, alongside the acquisition of Ibrahima Konate, Phillips is expected to find himself well down the Liverpool pecking order.

And while he excels at the traditional aspects of defending, he evidently struggles with some of the modern demands placed upon a centre-back.

As per WhoScored, Phillips recorded 0.8 blocks per league game in 2020/21 and 4.8 clearances, the highest tallies compared to his teammates.

But it was a different story with the ball at his feet. He completed just 87.2% of his passes, made only 2.90 progressive carries per 90, and attempted a single dribble.

Several reports have indicated Liverpool are set to demand £15m for the English defender, a fee which would make a significant difference to the Anfield outfit’s relatively limited transfer budget.

Achieving such a healthy fee for a player who was plying his trade in the second-tier of German football as recently as 2019/20 would represent a good piece of business by director of football Michael Edwards and would potentially allow Klopp to bring in one of his key targets this summer.

And, in other news…Get it done: Edwards must seal Liverpool swoop for “explosive” £27m-rated “revelation” 

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard must do all he can to try to entice his “very good” friend to Ibrox after one pundit’s recent transfer claim.

What’s the talk?

Former Premier League midfielder Dean Windass has urged Steven Gerrard to do everything he can to seal a deal for his “very good” friend Luis Suarez this summer. Windass believes that Suarez is an achievable target and has said that Rangers fans would be delighted with the deal.

The ex-Hull man has claimed that being in the Champions League could be enough to entice Suarez into making the switch. He told This is Futbol:

“Could Steven Gerrard entice Luis Suarez to go to Glasgow Rangers? I can see it. Who wouldn’t want to sign for Glasgow Rangers to be quite honest with you?

“That could entice him [being in the Champions League]. Steven is very good friends with him and quoted him as one of the best strikers that he’s played with.

“Rangers fans would be delighted if that happened. He would get you goals, and the affinity he’s got with Steven, I’m sure he’ll be asking the question.”

Gerrard must try

If there is even a 1% chance of Rangers being able to sign Suarez from Atletico Madrid this summer, Gerrard must try to get a deal done. Suarez proved that he is still a world-class striker by leading Atletico to the La Liga title with 21 goals in 32 games in the 2020/21 campaign. The Uruguayan forward joined Atletico last summer after leaving Barcelona with a wonderful record; scoring 195 and assisting 113 in 283 competitive games for the Spanish giants, proving himself to be one of the best forwards in the world over the past decade.

This highlights the standard of player Windass is urging Gerrard to bring in. With a record like that, Suarez could rip up the Scottish Premiership and give Rangers a brilliant chance of securing back-to-back titles to keep Celtic at bay next term. However, as previously mentioned, there may only be a 1% chance of this deal being possible. Windass mentions Champions League football as a way of enticing Suarez, but he already has that at Atletico whilst playing in a major European league.

Gerrard being, as Windass puts it, “very good friends” with Suarez might not be enough to convince him to join Rangers if he still has ambitions of playing at the very top level. Atletico could be competing to win the Champions League next season and that is not a realistic ambition for Rangers at this moment in time, which means that Suarez may not be interested in joining the club this summer.

You never know, though, in football, Gerrard may as well pose the question and see what happens…

AND in other news, Bye-bye Kamara: Rangers must seal swoop for £3.15m-rated ace, Gerrard would love him…

Tottenham would only consider an initial loan move for Aston Villa target Weston McKennie.

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who admitted there are other Premier League clubs keen on the Juventus midfielder, which had a number of Villa fans talking on social media.

McKennie emerged as a player of interest to Villa earlier in the week, with reports suggesting both Villa and Crystal Palace had joined Spurs in the race for the 22-year-old.

Romano revealed on Thursday that Tottenham aren’t considering any swap deal and would ideally want to sign the USA international on loan.

Reports elsewhere have claimed that the Italian giants would want cash offers only for McKennie.

Villa have already made three big-money signings in Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings, so McKennie could well be the fourth in a late swoop, should Villa firm up their interest.

Villa fans react

Romano’s post regarding Spurs, McKennie and other interested Premier League clubs on Thursday had these Villa supporters talking.

“Villa and Everton are looking like the other contenders, Lange do ur thing”

Credit: @Avfc_Barry

“GET IT DONE VILLA”

Credit: @ConnorFlynn719

“Gotta be us”

Credit: @Avfc_Barry

“Come on Villa”

Credit: @JackAVFC__

“Who else want him and are they negotiating? Villa please!”

Credit: @TheVillaDecree

“McKennie to villa here-we-go”

Credit: @KONSAISTHEGOAT

In other news: Aston Villa source: Talks opened for ‘brilliant’ ace to leave; Smith already given his blessing. 

Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser has told The Transfer Tavern that Jesse Lingard is adamant that he wants to remain at Manchester United – making a late move to West ham extremely unlikely.

Following his outstanding loan spell in the second half of last season, David Moyes has been desperate to bring Lingard back to the London Stadium on a permanent basis this summer.

However, Lingard, who made his first Premier League appearance for United for 12 months against Southampton last weekend, wants to fight for his place under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Despite only being introduced for the final few minutes at St Mary’s, Lingard was called up for the England squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers by Gareth Southgate, which would appear a blow to West Ham’s chances of signing him.

Rosser didn’t completely rule out one last-ditch attempt from West Ham to try and re-sign Lingard, but told The Transfer Tavern that his love for his boyhood club United has dampened the Hammers’ chances:

“I think he wants to keep Manchester United – he’s adamant he wants to stay there. Him being in the England squad won’t help West Ham.

“If you can get in the England squad from playing 10 minutes against Southampton, then I think he’ll be fairly confident he can stay at United.

“You wonder whether that you could change over the weekend, but he’s been at the club a long time and loves the club.”

Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that Ross Barkley should snap up the chance to return to Everton should the opportunity present itself this summer.

The England midfielder, who’s currently on loan at Aston Villa, left Goodison Park for Chelsea back in 2017, but has never been seen as a key player during his time in the capital.

He was favoured by Maurizio Sarri, but then restricted to a bit-part role under Frank Lampard, with a move to Villa Park used as a chance to help the midfielder rediscover his best form.

But besides an impressive run, which included goals against Liverpool and Leicester during the early stages of his loan spell, Barkley has found himself out of Dean Smith’s team.

Barkley will return to Chelsea this summer in a bid to try and impress Thomas Tuchel, but his Stamford Bridge career would appear to be hanging in the balance.

And former Everton striker Bent told Football FanCast that the 27-year-old could make a huge difference to the Toffees squad:

“Ross Barkley, for me, when he came through, and still is, an absolute talent, the problem being is that he hasn’t stabilised a spot at any team.

“If he were to go back to Everton, and I’ve spoken to Everton and they’re lacking that in midfield. He’s got skill on the ball, he’s like a Stevie G.

“He went to Chelsea at a young age and hasn’t done it, so going back to Everton, this is a chance to go home and get at a club that he knows well. The fans love him.”

John Beaton has been confirmed as the referee for Sunday’s crucial Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead.

The Lowdown: Massive game at Parkhead

Ange Postecoglou’s side kept up their six-point lead over their rivals on Sunday afternoon, picking up a precious 2-0 victory away to Ross County.

Next up for the Hoops is this weekend’s critical Old Firm derby meeting at Parkhead, with a win for the hosts all but securing title glory after missing out last year.

It is a game that can sometimes be defined by the refereeing performance – Bobby Madden’s display drew plenty of conversation in the cup semi-final – and the man in the middle has now been confirmed for Sunday’s meeting.

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The Latest: Beaton takes charge

It is Beaton who will take charge of proceedings at Parkhead, reports The Scotsman, and based on his own judgement, Hoops fans may not be particularly pleased to see him with the whistle.

Back in 2020, Beaton himself admitted that Celtic supporters would ‘absolutely love’ to get rid of Scottish referees for this fixture, claiming ‘everybody’ except the officials themselves want them replaced.

The Verdict: Unpopular choice

The appointment of Beaton will not go down well with Postecoglou and his players, or the fans for that matter – he has even hinted at preferring refereeing behind closed doors, saying in those comments back in 2020 life was easier without the intensity from the fans.

That said, Celtic need to focus on the task at hand and ignore any controversy – if the Hoops allow the referee to get to them, the only people it is going to affect is themselves, on what is a potentially defining afternoon in the title race.

Essentially, all the pressure is on Rangers, who really have to win the match – the only hope is that Beaton doesn’t end up having a negative say on matters.

In other news, an ex-Celtic hero has taken a dig at Rangers ahead of Sunday’s game. Read more here.