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A teasing update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their chances of bringing a goalkeeper to Ibrox in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Alan Nixon – in response to a fan asking for an update on the club’s business – has claimed Rangers have a realistic chance to land goalkeeper Jack Butland ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He Tweeted: “Rangers maybe need an exit to do Tymon… Butland is there to be done if they figure out how to do it…”

This comes after The Sun claimed that the Gers and Bournemouth are both interested in signing the former England international shot-stopper.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be excited

The Ibrox head coach will be left feeling excited by this claim as Nixon has made it sound like Crystal Palace are open to selling him to Rangers.

This teasing update suggests that the Premier League team will not go all out to keep Butland at Selhurst Park and the Gers can take advantage of his situation by snapping him up.

With Allan McGregor out of contract and the club yet to confirm whether he’s leaving or signing a contract extension, the Light Blues are in need of reinforcements in the goalkeeping department. They need a shot-stopper to either replace or compete with the veteran Scot and that is exactly what Butland can do.

The Englishman is experienced at the very top level as he has played in five separate Premier League campaigns for Stoke and Palace combined.

He played nine times in the top-flight for the Eagles last term and did not make a single error leading to a shot or goal. In fact, he has only made one error directly leading to a goal in his Premier League career, which suggests that he is a reliable figure between the sticks.

McGregor, meanwhile, made three errors directly leading to goals in the 2021/22 Premiership season. The 40-year-old allowed mistakes to creep into his game and that is why van Bronckhorst will be excited by the prospect of bringing in Butland to potentially be his new number one.

The Palace man is 11 years younger than the Scot and this means that he can be the Dutch head coach’s go-to option in goal for many more years to come, which is another reason why he will be delighted with the club’s pursuit of the Englishman.

AND in other news, “Rangers will…”: Jordan Campbell drops big transfer update, supporters will be livid…

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans for the upcoming transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Sunday Mirror (5/6, page 69), the Black Cats are considering a swoop to sign out-of-contract shot-stopper John Ruddy in the coming weeks.

The report claims that they are weighing up a move for the Englishman after Premier League side Wolves decided to release the veteran instead of offering him a new deal.

Alex Neil would love him

Kristjaan Speakman is plotting a move for the one-cap England international and must bring the experienced goalkeeper to the Stadium of Light as Neil would love him next season.

Ruddy is vastly experienced in the top two divisions of English football and knows exactly what it takes to win promotion out of the Championship.

He has been promoted to the Premier League as a title-winner (with Wolves) and twice with Norwich as a runner-up and then a play-off winner. This shows that he is no stranger to getting out of the second tier and he can bring invaluable experience to the younger members of the squad.

In his career to date, the 35-year-old has played 163 Championship matches and kept 58 clean sheets. He has also featured in 122 top-flight games and kept 27 shutouts, playing in both divisions for Wolves and the Canaries.

Upon the confirmation of his exit from the Molineux stadium, Wolves reporter Tim Spiers heaped praise on Ruddy as he tweeted: “A model professional, a massive character in the dressing room and an excellent goalkeeper.”

This highlights what he can offer to Sunderland off the pitch as he can be a huge influence on young Anthony Patterson next season. It would be an excellent opportunity for the Black Cats youngster to have a player of Ruddy’s professionalism, experience, and quality in the building as he can learn from him in training.

The 6 foot 3 colossus is also no stranger to Neil as they worked together at Carrow Road. Ruddy played 76 times for the Scot in Norfolk, including in a 2-0 play-off final win over Middlesbrough at Wembley in 2015, and this means that they already have a pre-existing relationship.

Sunderland’s head coach would, therefore, love to have him at the Stadium of Light next season for the reasons stated above and because he already knows what he would be getting from the shot-stopper.

AND in other news, Speakman plotting Sunderland bid for 6 ft 3 “Rolls-Royce”, he can get SoL rocking…

Crystal Palace are in the mix to pip Leeds United to the signing of midfielder Lewis O’Brien, according to TEAMtalk.

The Lowdown: O’Brien’s impressive campaign

O’Brien, described as ‘sensational’ by teammate Jonathan Hogg, was an ever-present figure for Huddersfield Town last season.

Primarily a central midfielder, the 23-year-old made 50 appearances in all competitions, turning out in seven different positions ranging from a defensive midfielder to a centre-forward.

O’Brien helped The Terriers to the Championship playoff final at Wembley, but Carlos Corberan’s side fell at the final hurdle. Now, it looks as if O’Brien could still make a move to the Premier League regardless.

The Latest: Palace in the mix

According to TEAMtalk journalist Graeme Bailey, O’Brien is destined to leave Huddersfield this summer and reportedly has a releasee clause in the region of £12m.

Leeds remain the big admirers of the midfielder, however, Palace have been name-checked as another side in the mix to secure O’Brien’s signature.

The Verdict: Needed?

Palace look fairly short of midfield options heading into Patrick Vieira’s second season in charge, so it shouldn’t come as a shock to see Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman eyeing possible additions in that area. The Eagles currently have five defensive and central midfielders on the books, two of which are out of contract at the end of June.

A replacement for Conor Gallagher may also be needed if the club can’t bring him back to Selhurst Park, so going after a player like O’Brien could be another wise move from a Championship club after deals for Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.

In other news: Palace and Vieira eyeing ambitious move for rapid defender. 

Liverpool are set for an interesting summer transfer window with reports linking Sadio Mane to a move away, and now a new transfer target has emerged that could potentially replace the Senegalese winger’s outstanding output.

What’s the latest?

According to Mirror Football, Liverpool are tracking Rennes forward Martin Terrier as a potential replacement for Mane this summer.

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As per the report, the Reds were hoping to confirm an extension on their winger’s contract but with speculation mounting on his desire to leave the club are intending to identify players who can provide a similar attacking output.

Previous reports indicate Terrier could cost as much as €40m (£34m).

Mane replacement

With the Liverpool winger scoring 120 goals and contributing 48 assists over the last six years at the club, his boots will be hard to fill and FSG will need to work hard to identify a player that can seamlessly fit into the team, offering a similar goal threat if Mane does leave this summer.

In Ligue 1, Terrier who was hailed “quality” by Bruno Genesio, and hailed for an “astonishing” goal by the BT Sport commentary team, has had a phenomenal season in terms of his attacking output with the attacker the top-goalscorer for Rennes this season.

The £22.5m-rated star has scored 21 goals, more than Lionel Messi and Neymar combined, contributed three assists and created five big chances.

On top of that, he’s made 1.1 key passes, 1.5 tackles and taken 2.4 shots on average per game, as well as winning the majority of both his ground and aerial duels (53%), proving that he has been a solid and prolific attacking threat in his 37 appearances.

Terrier impressively ranks second for shots on target, is the third highest scoring player and created the sixth most big chances in Ligue 1 this season.

In terms of replacing Mane, Terrier not only offers high levels of goal contributions but offers diversity in his positioning which will be a huge benefit to Jurgen Klopp if they can secure a deal for the Frenchman, with the player confident playing in attacking midfield, left wing and as a striker.

Ultimately, FSG will need to carefully prepare for the likely departure of Mane going forward and identifying players like Terrier as potential replacements put them in good stead to be able to soften the blow if the worst case scenario happens this summer.

AND in other news: Liverpool can land dream Mane heir in £43m deal for “exceptional” 25 y/o “nightmare”

West Bromwich Albion failed to secure promotion back into the Premier League next season so it will now be up to Steve Bruce to put them in a better position to challenge again and now another transfer target has been linked with a move to The Hawthorns.

What’s the latest?

Football League World reported on Tuesday that West Brom were competing with Watford to secure the signature of Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff who was initially out of contract at the end of the season.

The report suggested that his current club on Tyneside had offered him a new contract with the player facing many for next season with opportunities to gain extra game time.

However, with the midfielder now signing a new contract on Wednesday afternoon, it seems unlikely a deal will be forced through.

Should a move ever occur though, they could land a big upgrade.

Better than Livermore

Bruce is no stranger to Longstaff after managing him during his days at Newcastle United so will be more than knowledgeable on how to deploy him.

Although Longstaff’s game time has been limited in the Premier League this season, he still offers more on the pitch than Jake Livermore in the glimpses he has given for this current club.

According to SofaScore, has scored one goal and contributed one assist, was successful in the majority of his dribbles (55%) and made 2.3 tackles on average per game in 24 appearances.

The Magpies midfielder scored more goals, won more ground and aerial duels combined (50%), made more tackles and has a better pass accuracy (81%) on average per game in 13 fewer appearances than Livermore at West Brom this season.

The £23k-per-week ace who was hailed “immense” by Chronicle Live journalist Charlie Bennett, was chased in January by Everton but the bid was rejected ahead of contract talks with Newcastle after the negotiations broke down when Bruce was in charge almost two years ago.

Ultimately, if Bruce could secure the signing of Longstaff it would be a major coup for West Brom and add a fresh perspective in their midfield set up.

AND in other news: In talks: West Brom on the verge of landing 1st summer signing, Bruce will love him

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly plotting a move for Racing Club midfielder Charly Alcaraz.

That is according to a report from Marca who claim that the Old Gold are plotting a raid that would see the 19-year-old South American make the switch to Molineux.

It is said that the likes of Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Juventus, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan and Inter Milan are interested in signing the starlet.

And it could prove tempting for the aforementioned, with Alcaraz possessing a £20m release clause, with the possibility of leaving for as little as £16m.

With the level of competition surrounding the young Argentinian, Wolves will need to move fast if they’re serious about signing him.

Heir to Moutinho’s throne

At the age of 19, Alcaraz has been a professional since 60% of their games in the Argentinian Copa de la Liga Professional.

Having contributed a respectable one assist) in all competitions.

This further highlights Alcaraz’s intent on achieving attacking returns for his side. And the fact that his stats are superior than the entire Wolves squad, with a striker coming the closest, just emphasises the type of player that he is.

Whilst his game revolves more around the attacking side of the game, the starlet, whose displays been described as “flourishing” in Argentina, could offer Wolves an upgrade, not just on Moutinho, but in general.

His average of 3.2 shots and 1.2 shots on target per 90 are the most out of the entire Wolves squad. In fact, Fabio Silva, a forward, comes closest to Alcaraz’s attacking threat, registering an average of 3.0 shots, with 1.0 shot on target per 90.

Wolves currently lack this option and since their promotion back to the Premier League in 2018 have not had an attacking central midfield option in their ranks – especially in the form factor of a high potential prospect who has the versatility to play anywhere in the midfield.

With his release clause at around £20m, Wolves are right to be looking at a young Argentinian midfield who could bolster their attacking threat and provide an astute replacement for the potentially departing Moutinho.

In other news: Wolves can finally wave farewell to Neves by signing 22y/o “rare bright spark” 

A big Newcastle United update has emerged regarding their pursuit of Atletico Madrid defender Renan Lodi heading into the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Speaking on his YouTube channel (via Sport Witness), Brazilian journalist André Hernan has revealed that the Magpies ‘should’ sign the left-back ahead of next season.

He has claimed that talks are ongoing and at an advanced stage between PIF and Atletico Madrid, with the Tyneside club in a ‘strong’ position to make him one of their first signings of the summer.

This comes after a report last month claiming that the Magpies will present an offer in the region €25m (£21m) for the full-back.

Howe will be buzzing

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe will surely be buzzing with this news, as it strongly suggests that he will have the chance to work with Lodi at Darsley Park next season.

The left-back is a young player with potential who has also experienced plenty of football at the top level, which would make him an exciting addition for the club if they can get a deal for him over the line.

At the age of 24, he is still a few years away from the peak of his career, so the Toon would be bringing in a player with scope for development. He is someone with whom Howe could work on the training pitch to improve his performances and, in turn, increase his value for a possible sale in the future.

Lodi also has plenty of experience under his belt. The full-back has played 39 times across La Liga and the Champions League this season, after featuring on 31 occasions in those competitions last term. This shows that he knows what it takes to perform at the very top level in Europe, which should stand him in good stead with adapting to the Premier League.

Howe would also love what the 24-year-old would offer in the final third. Among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Lodi ranks in the 90th percentile or higher for assists, attacking touches, progressive passes received and non-penalty goals per 90, as per FBRef.

He has shown that he can provide a big threat in the final third whilst playing at left-back, and the Newcastle head coach would surely love to have a defender who can help turn his team into a progressive, forward-thinking side. Therefore, the ex-Cherries boss will be buzzing with PIF’s work on closing in on a deal for the Brazilian.

AND in other news, Howe can land the next Shearer as Newcastle “prepares” £59m bid for 68-goal “diamond”…

Leeds United were unable to recover from a disastrous start as they were beaten by Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, putting their place in the Premier League next season in serious jeopardy.

Whites boss Jesse Marsch witnessed a cataclysm of errors in the opening 24 minutes.

Former loanee Eddie Nketiah pounced on a loose touch from goalkeeper Illan Meslier to open proceedings in the fifth minute before he doubled his and the Gunners’ advantage five minutes later, firing home after good work from Bukayo Saka.

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And then catastrophe struck as captain for the day Luke Ayling saw red for a rash and needless challenge on Gabriel Martinelli, leaving the Yorkshiremen with ten men for the remainder of the game.

The visitors scrambled a goal back through Diego Llorente but the damage had already been done.

Leeds applied plenty of late pressure but their end product faltered in the final third, as it has done for the majority of the season. One fine example of that was Jack Harrison, who dropped yet another stinker of a display.

After hitting some form, the 25-year-old’s woes returned as it’s now three straight league games without a goal or assist to his name.

The £13.5m-rated dynamo went missing against his former club Manchester City, where he failed to land a shot or create a single key chance, nor could he provide an accurate cross.

It was a similar story down at the Emirates Stadium. Besides the sent-off right-back, Harrison was SofaScore’s lowest-rated player in the match (5.8). From 48 touches across the 90 minutes, he lost possession a whopping match-high 24 times – once every other touch.

Again, he struggled to deliver an accurate cross from three attempts, didn’t fire a single shot at goal and made only 57% of his 23 passing attempts, which is pretty abysmal, so it’s no wonder the Whites couldn’t salvage something late on even with the one-man disadvantage.

The winger also won only eight of his 18 duels (44%).

Lacking end product, Harrison was one of many Leeds stars to drop a nightmare-like display in the capital on Sunday afternoon. He’ll need to vastly improve if he’s to turn their attacking fortunes around ahead of another tricky encounter, hosting Chelsea in midweek.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than Meslier: “Disgraceful” Leeds “idiot” badly betrayed Marsch at Arsenal…

Everton reporter Tony Scott has been left in ‘disbelief’ by a video of the club’s travelling supporters at the weekend. 

The lowdown

Everton beat Leicester City 2-1 on Sunday to further boost their Premier League survival hopes.

Since a 3-2 defeat to relegation rivals Burnley on 6 April, The Toffees have picked up 10 points from a possible 15. The run includes unlikely victories against two top-six sides in Manchester United and Chelsea.

Frank Lampard’s side have now lifted themselves out of the relegation zone and up to 16th, a point ahead of Leeds United and Burnley. They travel to Watford on Wednesday night with the opportunity to extend that gap to four by winning what is a game in hand.

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The latest

The Liverpool Echo’s Scott reacted to footage of the Blues faithful celebrating their win at The King Power Stadium. The fans can be heard chanting in unison in an otherwise empty ground after the final whistle.

“I’ve watched this video on repeat and shook my head in disbelief at the support we get,” he tweeted. “It’s staggering!

“The fans have dragged this team up off the floor. Seeing parents with their kids in the away end belting out ‘Spirit of the Blues’ is absolutely priceless.”

The verdict

The atmosphere at Everton could be very different right now. They shouldn’t be battling to stay in the division, having finished in 10th place last season.

In these circumstances, the fanbase could easily have turned against the players and the manager, but instead, they’ve rallied behind them and proven to be the driving force behind this potentially season-saving run of form.

Take the win against Chelsea: Lampard called their contribution ‘massive’, The Echo’s Joe Thomas marvelled at the ‘incredible show of unity and passion’ as thousands lined the streets to welcome the team coach and BBC Sport commentator Guy Mowbray said the atmosphere inside the stadium was unparalleled.

There’s no doubt that this has made a difference.

In other news, a Spanish source names a potential defensive target.

Manchester City have been one of the most successful teams in England for over a decade now, racking up five Premier League titles since the 2011/12 season as well as numerous other domestic trophies.

One figure that played a massive part in the Manchester club’s success throughout that period is Sergio Aguero.

Signed from Atletico Madrid back in the summer of 2011 in a deal worth £38m, the Argentine went on to make 390 appearances for the Citizens across all competitions.

In those appearances, the striker racked up a total of 260 goals and 73 assists along the way, easily making himself a club legend and one of the best foreign players to ever grace the Premier League.

After leaving Pep Guardiola’s side last summer, the 33-year-old unfortunately had to call his playing career to an end shortly into his time at Barcelona after being diagnosed with a heart condition.

With the reigning Premier League champions going through this current season without the Argentine, it seems as though they have their eye on signing a player during the upcoming summer transfer window that could be their next version of Aguero.

Last month, it was reported that the Etihad Stadium outfit were interested in signing Stade Reims striker Hugo Ekitike.

In 25 senior appearances for the French club, the 19-year-old has found the net ten times, showing that he has a knack for scoring at such a young age, as Aguero had before he fully blossomed in Manchester.

He also has the highest number of shots on target (15) at his club in Ligue 1 this season as well as the joint-highest number of successful nutmegs, making him an absolute nuisance to play against for defenders in French football.

Labelled as an “outstanding talent” by journalist Graeme Bailey, Ekitike has a reported price tag of £17m, which is a snip compared to some of the transfer fees that City have shelled out in the past.

Moving forward, should the Manchester club feel the need to make a potential investment in a player that could well grow into being a long-term attacking star for the team, then launching a swoop for the Frenchman should be in their thinking once the summer window opens.

In other news: Man City eye move for “explosive” £52m machine who “has no weaknesses”, he’s KDB 2.0