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Glasgow Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson must prioritise giving Glen Kamara a new contract after Steven Gerrard pleaded with the board to tie him down to a new deal.

What’s the word?

Kamara has been an integral part of Gerrard’s side so far this season, having played six games in the Europa League, whilst he has averaged a solid 7.04 statistical rating, which makes him one of Rangers’ top performers in the European competition, via WhoScored.

The Finland international has become a first-team regular starter since he joined from Dundee in January 2019 after he signed a four-year pre-contract deal with the club, as he has made 77 appearances in Rangers, scoring three goals and supplying three assists in all competitions.

He played a key part as the Light Blues beat Lech Poznan to finish top of Group D in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Speaking after the game, Gerrard said: “I thought Glen Kamara again showed why everybody is talking about him and there’s a lot of fuss about him.

“I thought he was outstanding from start to finish and my advice to the club is to move that situation along as quickly as they can.”

Reports in recent times revealed that Kamara is still of interest to Leeds United, whilst Burnley, Brighton, Newcastle and Sheffield United remain interested in signing the defensive midfielder at the earliest opportunity.

Keep Kamara at all costs

Therefore, it’s imperative that Wilson ensures the 25-year-old is rewarded for his efforts so far this season with new and improved terms to fend off interest from elsewhere.

The Finn is one of several midfield options available to Gerrard, including Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, Ryan Jack and Bongani Zungu, but it’s clear as day that Kamara is a class above the rest, which is precisely why Wilson must keep him at all costs.

In 6 appearances in the Europa League this season, Kamara has scored one goal so far, whilst he is averaging 1.8 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.2 dribbles per game via WhoScored.

Of all of his closest rivals, only Steven Davis has averaged a higher rating in the European competition, as he ranks higher than Arfield, Jack and Zungu as it stands.

Gerrard has made no attempts to disguise his admiration for the midfielder, either, with the Ibrox boss describing him as a “fantastic” player back in October.

It seems obvious that the board must offer him a lucrative contract to persuade him to stay with the 54-time Scottish champions, as Gerrard can’t afford to lose one of his key players with so much still at stake this season.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers winger Ianis Hagi defied the critics against Lech Poznan in the Europa League…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former footballer and current pundit Carlton Palmer has been discussing Liverpool transfer target David Alaba.

It has been suggested recently that the Reds have offered the Austrian international a contract in the hope of signing him on a free transfer in the summer, although it seems as if Real Madrid are currently in pole position to complete a deal for the Bayern Munich ace.

Whilst the 28-year-old wouldn’t be able to fix Liverpool’s current defensive crisis if he arrived in the summer, he could be a great long-term addition to Jurgen Klopp’s side and could become a regular alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of Liverpool’s defence.

In a previous interview with Football FanCast, Palmer suggested that Alaba is “world-class”, so it is no surprise to hear him urging the Merseyside outfit to sign him in the summer, as he exclusively told FFC:

“If you look at Alaba, who’s going to be free in the summer. The fact that he’s going to be free in the summer, he’s 28 years of age. If Liverpool are looking for cover, he’s a very versatile player. He’s one I’d be looking at, because, I’m thinking, any club would be saying ‘well, we’re not going to give you more than £13/14 million for him, because he’s free in the summer.”

Palmer told us that he believes that the Reds should consider a bid for Alaba now, considering the fact Bayern Munich wouldn’t be able to demand a significant fee, as they are almost resigned to losing him for nothing at the end of the season.

Certainly, the Austrian would significantly improve Jurgen Klopp’s current options if he were to join in January and whilst paying a fee for someone who’s free in a few months time may not bee deemed as too smart from a financial perspective, getting Alaba could prove to be the difference between Liverpool retaining the Premier League title or just settling for a top-four spot, as their recent form has been far from good enough.

Unfortunately for Liverpool supporters, Klopp has admitted that January signings are unlikely, so they may have to wait until the summer to see if Alaba opts to join the Anfield outfit.

And, in other news… Forget Tsimikas: Liverpool can sign Robertson’s true heir in £10.8m-rated wonderkid

Speaking to Football Insider, Sky Sports pundit Noel Whelan has been wowed by Spurs and how strong they have been without Christian Eriksen – going on to drop a claim that they may not need him after all following rumours of a return. 

The Dane, who left north London for the San Siro last January after a long transfer saga, is struggling for game time under Antonio Conte in Serie A – resulting in reports suggesting he could look to leave.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that Tottenham are interested in taking Eriksen back, with news emerging recently that the transfer is definitely possible.

However, as explained by Romano, Spurs won’t be able to bring him back on loan due to Inter’s unwillingness, but they could in fact secure a permanent deal. 

Eriksen claim dropped by Whelan

Whelan, speaking to Football Insider, has gone against the grain with Eriksen – claiming that Tottenham are in fact stronger without the playmaker and outcast Dele Alli.

“The defence isn’t the best but they are still good players,” explained the Sky pundit.

“This is a team that will score lots of goals. I can’t believe how they can freeze out Dele Alli and sell Christian Eriksen and be even stronger.”

Transfer Tavern take

While manager Jose Mourinho benefitted from a stellar transfer window, securing seven marquee signings including a return for club hero Gareth Bale, landing Eriksen would arguably be the icing on the cake.

Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso have been utilised in a more central attacking midfield role, but having Eriksen back would gift Spurs that extra creative spark.

In other news: Levy could bag this ‘massive signing’ in January, find out more here. 

Writing on Twitter, reliable Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold heaped praise on midfielder Tanguy Ndombele as the one ‘real ray of light’ after his first-half performance against West Brom at the Hawthorns.Â

Ndombele, who impressed during a somewhat lacklustre first 45 minutes, made two key passes over that time whilst standing out above the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Gareth Bale – with that front trio tipped to take the game by storm.

Ndombele praise

However, during the first period, one man who really stood out for Gold was Ndombele – and the journalist called him a ‘real ray of light’ for his brilliant showing after he has seemingly been rejuvenated under Jose Mourinho.

Spurs went through a scare with the star man going down in a lot of pain at one stage, and was substituted soon after, with supporters potentially hoping it isn’t serious.

A report by Get French Football News earlier in the summer claimed both the Frenchman and Mourinho had a behind the scenes bust-up, with his future looking severely in doubt at one stage.

Transfer Tavern take

Signed for a club-record £53.8 million, a significant investment by chairman Daniel Levy, Spurs supporters could now be glad they’re currently seeing the very best of Ndombele after a brief spell of tension at the club.

Indeed, the ‘phenomenal’ 23-year-old has shone in a role more further forward recently in central attacking midfield, arguably a tactical masterclass by Mourinho which has allowed him to express his ability in a less shackled role.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Moussa Sissoko, the enforcers sitting just behind Ndombele, give license for the player to wreak havoc with his boundless energy and creativity.

After his first-half showing, as Gold says, it’s safe to assume Spurs won’t want to lose him.

In other news: Fans were in full reaction after Mourinho’s comments, find out more here.Â

Tottenham Hotspur have signed young centre-back Maksim Paskotsi on a three-year deal according to the official website of the player’s former club FC Flora Tallinn.

According to Estonian outlet soccernet, the 17-year-old had initially travelled to Hotspur Way to complete a trial period with the club in August and it seems he did enough to convince the north London outfit to secure his services.

He will now join up with Spurs’ youth academy and could compete in the U18 Premier League for them in the upcoming campaign. Speaking about the move, Paskotsi said: “I can’t describe how happy I am right now! It’s a very difficult, but also a powerful step in my career.”

Predominantly a centre-back, Paskotsi has played a total of 69 games for FC Flora at various different age levels, including two appearances for their senior team in the Eesti Karikas. In that time he has also shown versatility, having played a variety of other roles including defensive midfield, central midfield and right-back (Transfermarkt).

He has some international pedigree too, having represented Estonia’s under-16 team on five occasions before going on to play a further 12 games for the under-17’s.

Whilst this isn’t a signing that will immediately have an impact on the first team, there is clearly some potential there given his 17 youth caps and the fact that he also went on trial with Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.

Tottenham will hope that he now knuckles down and impresses in their academy. If he does that then who knows, he could be another talented prospect to emerge from the Spurs youth into the senior team, following in the footsteps of the likes of Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Ledley King.

Spurs fans, what do you make of this signing? Let us know in the comments below…

Tottenham Hotspur are not interested in signing Jesse Lingard or Wout Weghorst in the current transfer window, that is according to reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold.

It has been a busy few weeks for Spurs who have moved to bolster their squad for the 2020/21 campaign. Joe Hart, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Matt Doherty were all brought in prior to the season kicking off, whilst Sergio Reguilon and Gareth Bale have now also arrived.

However, it seems that the spending won’t stop there as Jose Mourinho has admitted that he still wants another two additions before the window closes in early October.

Two names who have been linked with moves to north London are Lingard and Weghorst. The Times suggested that Mourinho was keen to reunite with the £15.75m-valued Manchester United midfielder, with The Mirror then claiming that any move hinged on Dele Alli’s future.

Meanwhile Weghorst, who is valued at £27m, has been touted to join Spurs by De Telegraaf, who suggest that he is seen as an ideal back-up option to star striker Harry Kane.

But links to both players have now been downplayed by Gold, who has suggested that “links with Spurs looking to sign Jesse Lingard and/or Wout Weghorst are wide of the mark.”

Lingard has struggled for game time at Old Trafford recently under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, making just five Premier League appearances for the Red Devils during 2020, just one of which was a start (Transfermarkt).

Weghorst on the other hand has been a regular for Wolfsburg and was prolific in the Bundesliga last season, netting 16 goals in 32 appearances whilst also chipping in with three assists.

However, whilst it seems that Mourinho is keen on a couple more additions in the next few weeks, including a back-up striker, it looks as though these two players will not be following Bale and co through the door at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs fans, do you think that the club should sign Weghorst and Lingard? Let us know below…

Tottenham ace Tanguy Ndombele has split opinion over the past couple of weeks.

Ndombele has apparently informed Jose Mourinho he has no intentions of playing for him again anytime soon, via ESPN.

According to ESPN, a row spilled out in a training session last week which culminated in Mourinho’s office at Enfield. The Frenchman, who is the club’s record signing, is fed up with Mourinho’s constant digs and finally lashed out.

The pair were forced to apologise after they were caught breaking the government guidelines to train together during the nationwide lockdown.

Now, Kieran Trippier has shed new light on Ndombele’s work ethic at Hotspur Way.

Speaking to The Beautiful Game podcast, Trippier revealed “from what I hear he’s unbelievable, and supposedly he’s frightening.”

While the former Spurs star has praised his efforts on the training ground, there has been little evidence of anything like that on the pitch. Moreover, this may not be enough to save Ndombele’s career in north London.

Their strained relationship is reportedly at breaking point as Mourinho is disappointed by his attitude in training. Indeed, his representatives are trying to find a solution to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

The Independent reported earlier this month that Barcelona are keen to solve two problems by using Philippe Coutinho as part of a swap-deal for Ndombele.

While he has struggled for consistency this season, he has still attracted attention from Barca, who are looking to offload Coutinho this summer.

Although Mourinho has tried to deny the rumours, it seems obvious the Spurs duo are not on good terms.

Despite the fact Daniel Levy has insisted Ndombele is not for sale, Mourinho may be unable to resist such a tempting offer, considering his budget has been restricted as a consequence of the coronavirus crisis.

Tottenham fans, do you think Mourinho should give Tanguy Ndombele another chance? Let us know in the comments below!

This article forms part of our Total Duds feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how bad a deal the club got.

By Scottish football standards, even now, Glasgow Rangers spending £21.29m during the 2008/09 season was eye-catching.

The Gers, of course, had just reached the UEFA Cup final and had won both domestic cup competitions – clearly, they were looking to build on that. As such, they splashed seven figures on no less than seven different players, with the likes of Kyle Lafferty and Kenny Miller being added to the forward line.

Lithuania international Andrius Velicka was also added to the Ibrox outfit’s squad, with the Gers spending £1.26m on his services. He had already played in Scotland, scoring a respectable 17 goals in 44 matches for Hearts, and it was hoped that he would be able to score on a regular basis for the 54-time Scottish champions as well.

In the nine games he did eventually play for the Gers, he was far from disappointing, scoring four goals. However, he was unable to break into the side on a regular basis, and was loaned out to Bristol City for the 2009/10 campaign. In a cruel blow, he managed just one game before rupturing his cruciate ligament, and that was to be the beginning of the end for him with the Gers.

In fact, he never played for them again. After one further loan spell, with Aberdeen, he left on a free transfer and returned to his homeland. After just nine games, the Gers made a 100% loss on his signature, with each goal scored costing the club £315,000. It is a switch the blue side of Glasgow will likely want to forget.

Let us know what you think below!

Glasgow Rangers and the rest of Scottish football will not be undergoing any system change, it has been revealed.

Following the premature end to the season, and therefore Hearts’ relegation, Jam Tarts owner Ann Budge pushed for a reconstruction to the pyramid north of the border – a fresh 14-10-10-10 structure was on the table instead of the 12-10-10-10 currently place. However, in the end, the vote failed, with only a paltry 16 sides backing the proposal.

What happens now in regards to the Edinburgh outfit remains to be seen, but Hamilton Academical vice-chairman and SPFL board member Les Gray has told BBC Sport he believes that their attempts to change the make-up of Scottish football could well hamper the preparations for the new campaign.

This has attracted the attention of the Ibrox outfit’s fans, and they are far from happy with his comments. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Let us know what you think!

Former Liverpool central defender turned Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher claims that Harry Kane ‘has reached the crossroads of his career’ at Tottenham Hotspur.

‘Carra’ was speaking in his column for the Telegraph as he debated if Kane should leave the north London club and whether Spurs should sell him given certain factors.

The comments were relayed by Sky Sports and this is what Carragher had to say on the 26-year old:

“Harry Kane has reached the crossroads of his career at the worst time possible. In other circumstances, the Tottenham striker’s comments suggesting he would consider a move in the near future would be reasonable.

“These are far from normal times, with clubs losing money and needing to cut costs rather than plan major investments in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

“That means if players in the highest price bracket want out of their clubs, there is less chance they will get their wish.

“Kane is in that category. A limited number of clubs can afford him, and I am not sure how many have the appetite to engage in a fractious negotiation with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy in the current climate.

“Kane turns 27 in July. We have no idea when the next transfer window will open or next season start. If Kane does not leave soon, the situation gets trickier for him.

“When players hit 28, psychologically it makes a big difference to clubs. They see him as nearer 30, recognise there is no resale value and baulk at high valuations.”

Reports from the likes of the Telegraph have stated that Kane is indeed considering his future with Spurs, but Carragher believes that because of circumstances at the moment, it may not be the best time for the English international captain to ponder.

The star is rated at £135 million according to Transfermarkt and will likely not come cheap given his status in North London, as well as being the England captain and the top-scorer at the 2018 World Cup to boot.

Furthermore, the 26-year old is arguably in the prime of his career given his age and his stats over the years for the Lilywhites are very impressive. As per Transfermarkt, Kane has scored 181 goals and provided 30 assists in 278 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham.

The central forward may feel that he has done all he can at the club and as Carragher believes, Kane ‘has reached the crossroads of his career’, meaning that he may be dwelling on a move.

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