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According to Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic, Ajax were ‘priced out of a potential deal’ by Tottenham for Steven Bergwijn as Antonio Conte considers him ‘an important member of his squad’.

The Lowdown: Bergwijn’s transfer saga

The Dutch winger was at the centre of a fluctuating transfer saga during the January window. One moment he was seemingly off from N17, the next Conte wanted him to stay.

On 9 January, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed that Tottenham had ‘decided to sell’ the 24-year-old amid interest from a number of clubs.

Two days later, the Evening Standard reported that Spurs had rejected an opening £15m bid from Ajax. It was said that Daniel Levy was holding out on the deal as he was looking to recoup as much of the £27m that they paid for the player in 2020 as they could.

However, Bergwijn seemingly threw his Spurs future into the air as he fired in two stoppage-time goals in 80 seconds to snatch Conte’s side three points in a thrilling 3-2 win over Leicester City two weeks ago.

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The Latest: Ajax ‘priced out’ of Bergwijn deal

According to Eccleshare on Twitter, the Dutch champions were priced out of a possible deal for Bergwijn, a player who Conte feels is an integral member of the Tottenham squad.

He outlined: “It’s been a busy day for #THFC departures, but Steven Bergwijn is staying put. Ajax priced out of a potential deal for someone Antonio Conte considers an important member of his squad.”

Eccleshare also revealed for The Athletic that Spurs were not actively looking to offload the attacker, but Ajax’s interest had tested their resolve. This ultimately ended as the Dutch giants could not afford to meet Tottenham’s asking price.

The Verdict: Good choice

Bergwijn has not enjoyed an easy period since he arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but in recent weeks, it seems that the Netherlands international’s fortunes may have changed.

With the 24-year-old having secured Spurs that dramatic win against Leicester and with Alasdair Gold hailing him as a ‘rare bright spot’ in the recent defeat at Chelsea, this begged the question as to whether Conte and Fabio Paratici were silly to consider allowing the player to leave.

Considering the failed pursuit for now-Barcelona winger Adama Traore, Tottenham have made the right call to keep hold of the Dutchman, whose ‘quality’ has been hailed by Conte himself.

In other news: Tottenham: Late Ousmane Dembele attempt fails

Liverpool will take on Porto at Anfield this evening, and the side is expected to rest players due to an early qualification to the last sixteen thanks to going unbeaten in Europe this season so far.

The reds have taken maximum points from their first four games in their group, currently seven points ahead of their opponents on Wednesday evening.

Klopp has hinted in his press conference that he will be resting players in the fixture that has no effect on the side’s qualification in the tournament whether they win, lose or draw.

The German coach told the press;

“We always respect the competition but we have to think about ourselves, our schedule and the situation of our players first.”

With Liverpool’s injury crisis in mind – they are missing Curtis Jones and Naby Keita – there is one player that has been a hot favourite with fans for a start tonight in the European fixture. At just 19 years old, Tyler Morton is predicted to make his Champions League debut for the side ahead of the likes of Thiago and Fabinho.

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Hailing him as “brilliant”, Klopp heaped praise on the teenager a few weeks ago and talked about getting him ready for first-team football;

“You can see Tyler Morton, I told him now we pretty much have to send him directly to the gym now. Because if he gets a body, he’s a brilliant footballer.

“There’s obviously some things to come physique-wise, but the football brain is outstanding.”

Morton is no stranger to the first team this season, putting in a confident performance against Norwich in the Carabao Cup when he came on in the second half, and more recently made his Premier League debut, when he was subbed on for Thiago Alcantara in the final six minutes of the game against Arsenal in which the side ran away with a 4-0 win.

The youngster is set to get his first opportunity in the starting line up against Porto tonight and will be hoping to prove to Klopp that he made the right choice in introducing him into the first team, which he can achieve with a measured display

Liverpool will be hoping to remain unbeaten in Europe with a win over Porto tonight, where the Portuguese side will be hoping to steal a win at Anfield to widen the gap in second place holding back AC Milan and Atletico Madrid from qualification.

In other news: Liverpool predicted Champions League XI vs Porto

West Ham United were denied a victory by Brighton and Hove Albion late on at the London Stadium on Wednesday night, making it three games without a win in the Premier League.

The Irons took an early lead through Tomas Soucek after the towering Czech colossus headed home an inswinging corner from Pablo Fornals and they looked to be heading towards all three points until Neal Maupay bagged a sensational bicycle kick in the 89th minute.

David Moyes must now be concerned by his side’s form, having not picked up a win since their stunning 3-2 triumph of Liverpool before the international break.

Several members of his starting XI have underperformed substantially across their last three outings and it could well be time for a shake-up, and one player who has looked rather poor, particularly against the Seagulls is veteran Craig Dawson.

The 31-year-old has only been brought in due to Angelo Ogbonna’s season-ending injury blow, so it can’t be too much of a coincidence that the Hammers are winless in the Italian’s absence.

Dawson just isn’t good enough to replace him long-term and he once again proved that in front of Moyes this week.

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Per SofaScore, the former West Brom and Watford colossus was West Ham’s second lowest-rated player (6.4) and that’s hardly a surprise considering he lost a whopping 84% of his six duels. To lose four of five aerial battles is certainly shocking for a 6 foot 2 central defender.

He was at fault for the visitor’s equaliser, being too soft in allowing Maupay the time and space to pull off the spectacular, and he was lucky to have not allowed Adam Lallana to score earlier in the second half.

‘Poor on the ball,’ is how the Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser went on to describe Dawson before mentioning his two mistakes. Indeed, he made just seven passes all game, losing possession four times from his 19 touches.

The vastly-experienced defender, thought to be earning around £52k-per-week in east London, just isn’t good enough to be Moyes’ no.1 choice alongside Kurt Zouma.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that a new centre-back is said to be on the agenda this January.

AND in other news, Newman could seal bargain West Ham swoop for £12m-rated “monster” who silenced Antonio…

An update has emerged on Lille gem Renato Sanches, regarding Wolves’ plans to sign him in 2022…

What’s the talk?

Midlands reporter Luke Hatfield has named the midfielder as a player the club are more likely to pursue ahead of Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek.

He told GIVEMESPORT when asked about a possible move for the Dutchman:

“I still think someone like Renato Sanches is going to be probably higher on the list for Wolves this winter or next summer.

“He offers a little bit more of an all-round game. But, I suppose, if they miss out on him or decide to look elsewhere then van de Beek could be a really good option for them.”

Neves 2.0

Bruno Lage must ensure that he can get a deal over the line for Sanches in January as he could land Ruben Neves 2.0 for the club.

Neves joined Wolves whilst they were in the Championship and immediately helped them to win promotion back to the top-flight, scoring six goals in 42 second-tier appearances. He has since gone on to play 126 times in the Premier League as the side have consolidated their place at the top table.

The Portugal international average a sublime WhoScored rating of 7.20 in the Championship, showing that he was consistently putting in quality performances at that level to push Wolves to the next stage. His ability, therefore, played a major role in the club taking the next step and achieving promotion.

In Sanches, Lage could be repeating that masterclass for Wolves in his own way by improving the midfield to help the team push on again, this time into Europe. The 24-year-old has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.96 in Ligue 1 for Lille, whilst making 1.7 tackles and interceptions, along with 1.4 key passes and 2.6 dribbles, per game.

The £27m-rated destroyer was previously lauded for his physical strength by former Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac, with the Croatian saying:

“Renato has an exceptionally good technique, very good speed and a great body. It’s true that people fly off him left and right – just like they used to do with Lothar Matthaus. I’m delighted for Renato – I said yesterday that he was excellent in pre-season and it wouldn’t be long before he plays.”

This shows that he has the defensive and physical attributes to adapt well to playing in the Premier League, whilst his dribbling and creative statistics for Lille suggest that he also has an attacking edge that could drive Wolves forward in games.

His 1.4 key passes per game rank him level with Raul Jimenez for the number one spot at Wolves, whilst he is only behind Adama Traore (4.7) in dribbles per match. Therefore, he would be the best midfield at the club in both statistics if he is able to translate his form over to the Molineux, which is why he could elevate the team’s attacking potential without taking away any defensive aspects.

This is why Lage could repeat a Neves masterstroke with the former Bayern man as he could be the signing, just as his compatriot was in 2017, that pushes Wolves on to the next level and gets them challenging for European football.

AND in other news, Lage may already be heading for a major January disaster at Wolves, fans would fume…

Plenty of Aston Villa fans have been giving their thoughts on social media regarding an injury update on Jack Grealish.

According to the Birmingham Mail, the 25-year-old will miss this evening’s clash with Tottenham due to shin problems which have seen him miss the club’s last five Premier League fixtures.

Grealish touch and go for Fulham?

With Grealish not selected for England duty, the club captain will have time during the upcoming international break to regain fitness.

The Birmingham Mail claimed that the attacking midfielder remains touch and go for the home match against Fulham on Saturday April 3.

Villa have struggled without Grealish during the last five games, picking up just five points from a possible 15, scoring just three goals in that period (Transfermarkt).

Dean Smith’s side host Jose Mourinho’s men this evening knowing that a win would take them just a point behind their visitors.

Villa fans react

@AVFC_News shared the update regarding Grealish on Twitter, which led to these supporters replying:

“Another game wrote off if he doesn’t play, I’ve got no confidence at all when he’s absent, really hope I’m proved wrong but we are so bang average when he’s missing…”

Credit: @Mrb47016877

“Shock”

Credit: @qc1874

“So now he’s not even likely to play against Fulham? yesterday he was pain free and running and could feature against Tottenham”

Credit: @edwards2779

“Dean Smith said in the Presser he would leave it until Sunday morning and would be guided by Jack.. Just another non story from the Birmingham Mail.”

Credit: @clarkemark7

“So Jack might not be fit for Fulham now?”

Credit: @yorkshirevilla1

“If the Club didn’t treat every Jack Grealish injury like a soap opera you wouldn’t get all this speculation. If Mat’s bang on with “touch & go even for Fulham” dear oh, how much more spin can Smith feed us on Jack”

Credit: @Rog_FootyMad

In other news: Plenty of Villa fans have been reacting to a transfer update on Grealish, find out more here. 

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has shared his concerns over the club’s planned move for Motherwell’s Declan Gallagher.

According to an exclusive report from TEAMtalk last week, the Hoops are ready to make a move for the 30-year-old. Aberdeen, Hearts and Dundee are also keen, along with English Championship duo Cardiff City and Barnsley.

Gallagher’s Fir Park deal expires in the summer, with the player’s head reportedly being turned by Celtic’s interest.

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie was asked about Celtic’s interest in the Scotland international, to which he replied:

“No, no, no, not for me.

“Has he played well this season? Listen, he is in the Scotland team so he is a decent player but I want a defender who wants to defend first and foremost.

“Celtic need players who will not just win them the league, but will take them far in Europe. They need to sign players that will take them to the next level.

“Gallagher and Welsh? That would not frighten me if I was a centre-forward. They need to sign an out-and-out centre-half, we need someone who loves defending, big time.

“I want somebody like Bobo Balde, he just went in and won the ball. That is what he was all about. No disrespect to the boy Gallagher but he is not that kind of player.”

Transfer Tavern take

We can see where McAvennie is coming from regarding a deal for Gallagher, but the Motherwell man could prove to be a handy addition at Celtic Park. He may not be at the standard required to be one of the first names on the team sheet, but he could be a useful squad member.

Kristoffer Ajer has been linked with a move to the English Premier League, Christopher Jullien is out injured and the much-maligned Shane Duffy is set to return to Brighton at the end of the season, possibly leaving them with youngster Stephen Welsh as the only centre-back on their books.

Gallagher has more than 100 Premiership appearances under his belt, with 26 of those coming this season. He has been Motherwell’s third-best performer during the current campaign when counting players who have featured on six or more occasions. [WhoScored]

No transfer fee is required, and Gallagher’s £1,400-a-week wage wouldn’t be an issue for the Hoops. Therefore, despite McAvennie’s misgivings, he seems a quite worthy target to pursue.

In other news: Celtic looking to sell summer signing over the coming months, find out more here. 

Tottenham Hotspur could also sell an ‘important’ player who manager Antonio Conte ‘raves about’, according to journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites exodus?

This upcoming Spurs transfer window looks set to be the most interesting one in quite some time.

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Lilywhites transfer chief Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy, tasked with backing Conte ahead of the 2022/2023 Premier League season, are reportedly going to sit down with the Italian as he eyes six major signings (The Telegraph).

However, amid their financial complications off the pitch, with club debt mounting to around £706 million, it is imperative that the club offload surplus players to balance the books and bolster Conte’s transfer kitty.

Their homegrown quota also presents a complication with reliable journalist Matt Law recently claiming that, if Spurs want to sign an overseas forward this summer, one of Steven Bergwijn or Lucas Moura may have to be offloaded.

The Latest: Gold backs possible Bergwijn exit…

Writing for football.london in the last 24 hours, another credible source in Tottenham correspondent Gold has now backed that Bergwijn could also leave north London amid consistent exit links surrounding other players.

This is despite the fact Conte ‘raves about’ his Dutch winger, even calling him an ‘important’ player, with Gold adding that Bergwijn is unlikely to want to stay for 22/23 amid his lack of minutes.

The Verdict: Stick or twist?

The Netherlands international has proven to be a useful option for Conte over this campaign.

His added time brace to clinch a dramatic 3-2 win at Leicester City in late January is evidence of the player’s impact and quality when given an opportunity, and could even be the moment that secures Champions League football come the end of the campaign.

Bergwijn’s versatility as an attacking outlet from the wide positions and further forward is another incentive for Spurs to keep hold of the former PSV Eindhoven star.

Despite his quality, though, a mooted move back to the Eredivisie with footballing giants Ajax could be too enticing to ignore – and if the 24-year-old pushes for a move – Spurs may well need to consider a sale depending on their possible offer.

In other news: Source: Tottenham edge closer to ‘top signing’, he really wants to join Conte! Find out more here.

Manchester United striker Anthony Martial had a shocker in what was a rare defeat for the Red Devils at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were previously unbeaten in their past 13 Premier League games but suffered defeat at the hands of a spirited Sheffield United to put a major dent in their title challenge.

United had the chance to overtake Manchester City in the title race but now find themselves a point behind their arch rivals after a damaging 2-1 defeat at home.

Kean Bryan put the visitors ahead with a fine header from John Fleck’s corner but Harry Maguire scored his first goal at Old Trafford to bring both sides level before Oliver Burke’s strike careered off the underside of the bar after taking a deflection off the unfortunate Axel Tuanzebe.

Despite the level of opposition, Solskjaer fielded arguably his strongest starting line-up with David de Gea returning between the sticks and both Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes earning a recall after their brief cameos against Liverpool as well.

Martial’s struggles have been well-documented this season – the 25-year-old has scored just twice in 16 top-flight appearances – and his woes continued as these frankly astonishing numbers help to paint the full picture.

Unless you live under a rock, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Frenchman has been out of form since the start of this season. He had bagged just three goals across all competitions for the club before the winter break, including a goal against the Blades at Bramall Lane, and the stats show just how far his form has continued to freefall since returning to the starting line-up.

It’s not like he’s not getting the chances, United had 16 shots on target and enjoyed the majority of the possession.

The problem is, he just can’t seem to find the back of the net as much as he was before, if at all.

Against the Blades, the £49m-rated ace offered little more than a damp squib. In fact, it’s fair to say that he was largely anonymous, evidenced by the fact he only won four out of his ten duels overall (40%).

His confidence is clearly at an all-time low as he managed just one shot in the entire game, which is far below his season average of 1.8 last year.

Though, just like Fernandes, he was careless in possession too, losing control of the ball 11 times – more than his teammates Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani.

On top of this, the France international took just 54 touches, which was the worst of any United starter besides Greenwood, and fewer than Marcus Rashford, as per SofaScore.

He even committed two fouls and was lucky to escape without a booking to sum up his frustrations on the night.

Valued at £49m via Transfermarkt, Martial simply can’t afford too many more displays like this with Cavani breathing down his neck. He let Solskjaer down badly after the club legend trusted him to start against Chris Wilder’s side and it may be quite a while before he’s given another opportunity to lead the line in the top flight after such a stinker.

AND in other news, Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes let Ole Gunnar Solskjaer down in 2-1 defeat…

Southampton have been linked with Borussia Dortmund ace Thomas Delaney recently and he could be a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s midfield next season should he make the switch to St Mary’s this summer.

According to ESPN, Southampton are set to make a move for the 29-year-old, who has become a fringe player at the Bundesliga club due to the rise of Jude Bellingham this season.

The Denmark international has just one year left on his contract at Signal Iduna Park and the report suggests that he would cost somewhere in the region of €10m (£8.6m), which marks him out as a viable option for the Saints this summer after Hasenhuttl confirmed that they would target players under £10m.

Since signing for Dortmund from Werder Bremen in 2018, Delaney has gone on to make 85 appearances for BVB, contributing four goals and 11 assists.

After a superb debut campaign which saw him contribute three goals and five assists in the German top flight, earning an impressive 7.13 rating for his performances from WhoScored, he has lost his regular starting spot at the club in recent seasons.

He has managed just 19 appearances in the Bundesliga this term, six of which have come from the bench, whilst his performances have earned him a subdued 6.69 average match rating from WhoScored.

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However, he has still shown his worth at times, earning the praise of BVB’s sporting director Michael Zorc after he produced an “outstanding” performance as a centre-back earlier this season.

The fact that the Danish midfielder can fill in at centre-back and in multiple positions across the midfield immediately suggests that he is the sort of player who would be greatly appreciated by Hasenhuttl at Southampton, as the Austrian has definitely shown a preference for versatile players during his time at St Mary’s.

Delaney would add plenty of experience and versatility to Southampton’s side ahead of next season, and whilst he might find it tricky to oust a midfield duo of James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu, his relatively cheap asking price definitely suggests that this is a deal worth doing. Therefore, Martin Semmens should definitely look to bring him in.

In other news… Southampton could sign their dream Bertrand heir with summer swoop for £5.1m beast

Many Everton fans have been left to buzz as an update emerged on their new away kit for next season.

As per the official website of the Goodison Park faithful, supporters can now order the new away strip, which features a burnt orange belt cutting through the black jersey, with the Cazoo sponsor in the middle and the Toffees badge placed within the belt.

The kit has been made and designed by Hummel and has certainly got a lot of tails of Blues fans wagging to buy it.

It goes away from the traditional blue and white colours of the home shirt, but several EFC supporters seem to love the colour combinations and overall design, as they look forward to going into the next campaign with just one game left to go, away at Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, in the 2020/21 term.

Everton fans on new away kit

These Everton fans buzzed as the new away kit was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was ‘magnificent’:

“Wow, this is beautiful”

Credit: @N00rKi

“Absolutely love it #Everton #Hummel”

Credit: @NewMozDivision

“At last!”

Credit: @LeeCJ1982

“Beautiful”

Credit: @hughes_jagger

“This kit is magnificent and I won’t have anyone tell me otherwise.”Credit: @jamesiwanj”Oh my”Credit: @WilliamsLewyIn other news, find out what transfer update has left Toffees fuming here!