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A big Rangers transfer update has emerged involving the future of Alfredo Morelos.

The Lowdown: Another top season for Morelos

Morelos has come off the back of yet another great season with the Light Blues, scoring no fewer than 17 goals and making a further 13 assists in 44 games in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Inevitably, he will attract attention from potential suitors in the summer window, especially if he performs well in the Copa America with Colombia.

The Latest: Porto eye Morelos

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), FC Porto are considering Morelos as a potential replacement for exit-bound Moussa Marega.

However, it is claimed that the striker would cost at least €20m (£17.1m), a fee that the Portuguese outfit are unlikely to be able to afford.

The Verdict: More!

£17.1m is simply too little for the Glasgow giants to even be considering selling their top man, given just how important he is to the team and the sorts of prices goalscorer go for around Europe.

There is no doubt that Morelos is capable of mixing it up at sides like Porto, as Steve Gerrard claimed that he was ‘outstanding’ in a UEFA Europa League display against their rivals Benfica back in November, but the Ibrox faithful should be holding out for a lot more money if they were to sell their prized asset.

At just 24 years of age, his value is only going to increase over the next few years, so the Gers will have plenty of other opportunities to cash in.

In other news, find out what worrying RFC transfer claim has been dropped here!

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie believes Celtic have not had to splash the cash in recent years.

Prior to this season, where the Glasgow club handed over their title to their city rivals, they had dominated Scottish football.

Celtic had won nine league titles in a row, also picking up an incredible amount of other domestic trophies on the way.

For Hendrie, that was partly down to the likes of Neil Lennon, Brendan Rodgers and Ronny Deila having a really solid base, one that did not need significant investment put into it every summer.

However, after the season they have had, the Sky Sports pundit feels the club are now in a much different position.

“I just felt that Celtic really haven’t had to do that [spend big] for quite some time,” Hendrie told TT.

“I felt that they’ve had a really solid base in their football squad. You know, they’ve had players that have consistently done it, year in, year out. And that’s probably why they haven’t spent so much money on bringing players in.

“They brought certain players in and added to the squad, whereas I feel now it’s getting to that time where lots of big players are obviously coming to the back end of their careers.”

Finishing 25 points behind Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, it really does look like this Celtic side are at the end of a cycle.

Considering that, they possibly could do with more investment into the squad compared to previous years.

In a recent exclusive interview, Carlton Palmer has suggested that Southampton should look to sign Crystal Palace left-back Jeffrey Schlupp as a replacement for the outgoing Ryan Bertrand this summer.

The former Sheffield Wednesday man was asked by ThisisFutbol about whether or not the Saints should target the former Leicester City man, and replied:

“Yeah, obviously. I mean, there’s no risk, is there? There’s no risk.

“Left-backs are hard to come by, left-footed left-backs who can play are hard to come by. It’s very, very difficult.

“Losing Bertrand, it will be a problem for them.”

Southampton will certainly be in the market for a left-back this summer following the news that the 31-year-old Bertrand would leave on the expiry of his contract, with a move to Leicester City seemingly on the cards for the former Chelsea man.

This leaves just Jake Vokins available as a natural option in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad ahead of next season and considering his lack of game time on loan at Sunderland in the second half of the season, it is difficult to see him being given a chance.

Whilst Mohammed Salisu has done well on occasion at left-back this season, his future should be at centre-back, so the Austrian has to bring in a replacement for Bertrand, and Schlupp could be the ideal man.

The 28-year-old’s contract with Crystal Palace is set to expire later this month, so he could potentially move to St Mary’s on a free transfer if he decides to leave Selhurst Park for good.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-southampton-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Southampton transfer rumours and news!”]

The Ghana international is extremely versatile so could feature in a number of positions for Hasenhuttl next season, and his experience in the top-flight also makes him a very attractive proposition ahead of the summer.

Former Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson was full of praise for Schlupp back in 2019, saying:

“He is a very, very important player. I think he’s one of those underrated players because he’s not spectacular.

“He can be [spectacular] when he gets on a run with the ball. He’s very strong, he’s a very good runner with the ball, a good striker with the ball.”

Therefore, Martin Semmens should definitely look to sign Schlupp this summer as he is cheap, versatile and experienced so could prove to be an extremely valuable member of the Saints squad for the next few seasons.

And, in other news… Southampton missed out on “incredible” £45m-rated PL beast, Saints fans should be fuming

Manchester City are unlikely to trigger their buy-back clause on Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz this summer with Fernandinho set to remain part of the squad, according to a report from the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath.

City have the option until June to bring Luiz back to the Etihad for a fee of £25million.

Luiz was guilty of making what former Premier League star David Meyler called a ‘stupid tackle’ as Villa surrendered the lead in a 3-1 defeat against Manchester United last Sunday.

But that was a difficult moment in what’s largely been an ‘outstanding season’, in the words of Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson.

How has Villa’s Luiz performed in 2020/21?

Luiz has made 30 appearances for the Villans this season.

The defensive midfielder has averaged 1.5 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 1.3 clearances and 1.4 successful aerial duels per 90 minutes (via WhoScored).

He’s helped Villa progress from relegation candidates to a side with top-half ambitions.

Fan feed Villa Report relayed the detail from McGrath’s aforementioned report, and here’s how fans reacted.

Villa fans pleased by Douglas Luiz news

“Good. Time on his side to develop into a top top CDM with us, would’ve been so stupid if we’d let him go.”

Credit: @tom_avfc1

“Delighted if he stays. We’ve seen on his day he is immense, and he’s only 23”

Credit: @socraleese

“Having finally calmed down from Sunday I’m now quite happy with this, he needs to buckle down now and mature alongside a proper CDM”

Credit: @avfc4_alex

“He’s still very young for that position. He’s been immense for us at times and still developing at other times. We are better with him than without him.”

Credit: @thisisrichlord

“His dip in form was his plan all along, what a genius”

Credit: @catrinedwards18

“Wwwwwww”

Credit: @brazilianwizard

“LETS GOOOOOO”

Credit: @chanceeraps

In other news, Marcus Bent has urged this player to consider a move to Villa

Manchester United are targeting a new defensive midfielder ahead of the upcoming transfer window, according to reports.

What’s the story?

Well-known journalist James Cooper recently made a huge claim on a Sky Sports News broadcast, linking Man United with a signing that would dramatically alter how their team sets up. He said (as posted on Twitter by United Journal):

“United could be in the market for a player that lessens the need for a double-pivot and frees up Paul Pogba to express himself.” 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has often opted for a combination of Fred and Scott McTominay, aka McFred, for added protection in big games, but it appears as though the Red Devils boss is hoping to move away from that safety-first approach in the future.

Fans will be buzzing

The Old Trafford outfit made good progress in 2020/21, achieving a consecutive top-four finish in the Premier League for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

Winning the Europa League on Wednesday night in their first European cup final in four years would be the ideal way to end an impressive campaign for the English giants.

However, there is still a lot of work to be done to restore United to their former glory, with a 12-point gap to table-toppers Manchester City evidence of the distance between themselves and league title success.

Several star names have been linked with a move to Solskjaer’s charges in recent weeks. The likes of Jadon Sancho, Harry Kane and Raphael Varane are all reportedly attracting admiring glances from the club’s hierarchy, but it’s a less attractive position that appears to be taking priority.

In the modern era, a lot of Europe’s top teams, such as City and Liverpool, play with a single holding midfielder, allowing the other midfielders freedom to join the forwards in attack, creating a far more dangerous attacking unit.

City have had Fernandinho and then Rodri in that particular role, Liverpool have Fabinho and Real Madrid use Casemiro, but Solskjaer has very rarely felt comfortable enough to entrust that responsibility upon one man, instead opting to double up in the centre of the park.

What United gain in the defensive third, they lose at the top end of the pitch, and therefore, the club’s supporters will surely be buzzing at Cooper’s latest revelation that the manager plans to be a bit more attacking next year.

If Solskjaer can find the right man for the job, it will allow the likes of Paul Pogba license to roam forward and showcase their world-class creative talent much closer to the opposition goal, potentially causing havoc for opponents.

And, in other news…Forget Lindelof: Man United must swoop for “quality” £50m prodigy

Liverpool could be set to make a costly transfer error this summer with the signing of Barcelona’s Pedri.

According to The Mirror, FSG have made their interest in the young Spaniard clear, with Barcelona set to hand him a new contract in an effort to ward off any overtures.

Whilst the 18-year-old is of course a promising talent, bringing him to Anfield would be a mistake.

As it stands, Liverpool do not need any more midfield recruits. Competition for starting berths on Merseyside is incredibly fierce with the likes of Fabinho, Georginio Wijnaldum, Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, James Milner, Curtis Jones and Jordan Henderson all options.

Judging from just that, it is clear that Klopp does not need any more additions in that department even if Georginio Wijnaldum departs as is expected.

Should Pedri be considered as the Dutchman’s potential replacement at Anfield, it would be somewhat baffling.

According to WhoScored, the current Reds’ midfielder attempts more shots, dribbles and loses the ball on fewer occasions per game this season.

Wijnaldum also has a far better pass completion rate of 92.3% compared to Pedri’s 87.7%.

Whilst it could be argued that the Spaniard will improve being only 18, he is simply not the immediate option that Liverpool require should they harbour ambitions of replacing Wijnaldum in the summer.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more-gravenberch-keita-mane-williams-kabak” title=”Read the latest Liverpool news, transfer rumours and more…”]

The price that it would take to bring Pedri to Anfield should also be enough for FSG to walk away from any potential deal.

At his young age, he is already rated at £63m so it is likely to take a similar fee to be able to prise him out of Barcelona. Considering there are departments that need far more pressing investment in Jurgen Klopp’s squad, spending that amount on a player who is unlikely to be first choice seems unfeasible.

Liverpool then should move on and leave Pedri to sign his new Barca contract instead of pursuing a transfer.

AND in more news, take a look at who was the real hero in Liverpool’s win against Aston Villa…

Making an official announcement on Twitter, Manchester City confirmed that they have reached an agreement regarding the future transfer of Brazilian gem Kayky, with plenty of Sky Blues supporters buzzing over this ‘huge news’.

Kayky, who has drawn comparisons with South American superstar and compatriot Neymar, will remain at Fluminense until the end of the Brazilian domestic season. Thereafter, he will either link up with City or go out on loan, with the fee agreed for his transfer believed to be around £9m ($12m) plus add-ons (Goal).

The 17-year-old is arguably one of the most exciting youngsters in world football and will join the contingent of Brazilian starlets on City’s books, with the Sky Blues having previously acquired Gabriel Jesus, Yan Couto and Diego Rosa.

Flocking to the ‘huge news’ that City have acquired yet another gem from the American continent, it’s little wonder that Sky Blues supporters have been buzzing.

Take a read of some of their verdicts below.

Man City fans buzzing over Kayky announcement

“YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS”

Credit: @SilkyCyrus_74

“I LOVE THIS CLUB MAN”

Credit: @tacticalfoul47

“Huge huge huge news!”

Credit: @gabejones24_

“Let’s go!”

Credit: @Fodennnnn47

“We’re so set for the future man”

Credit: @JustTaylor10

“great talent, I can easily see him making the first team! Brazil produces phenomenal talent time and time again”

Credit: @wavycreations_

“The official club account tweeting this means he’s in the first team plans I think. Really exciting transfer”

Credit: @BernardoControl

In other news: Man City fans also erupted over this ESL claim, find out more here.

According to a report by Italian outlet Corriere Granata, GSB and West Ham United are eyeing Torino star Andrea Belotti as the striker search brings up a new name – coming as the Serie A side wish to make a new contract offer to keep their captain.

GSB eyeing Belotti

The 27-year-old, who has amassed 32 caps at international level, is attracting interest from a plethora of Premier League sides with West Ham mentioned as one of the teams who are monitoring his situation in Turin.

Belotti has bagged 27 goals and 8 assists over the last two league seasons (WhoScored), with manager David Moyes said to be prioritising a permanent deal for Jesse Lingard alongside a new striker this summer.

The Irons have been most recently linked with the likes of Ivan Toney, Adam Armstrong, Tammy Abraham and Youssef En-Nesyri (ExWHUemployee), but according to Corriere Granta, Belotti has now entered the fray as the striker hunt takes another twist.

Transfer Tavern take

A proficient goal scorer and threat in the final third, averaging more shots per 90 (3.4) than any West Ham player in the league this season (WhoScored), it is understandable why GSB and co are monitoring his situation.

Moreno Longo, who briefly took charge of Torino last season, lauded Belotti as an ‘extraordinary striker’ (via Football Italia), but only time will tell whether West Ham can realistically land him in the summer as his club prepare a new deal offer.

In other news: West Ham are also keeping tabs on this ‘relentless’ 6 ft 2 man, find out more here.

Peterborough Director of Football Barry Fry has exclusively dropped a sensational claim to Football FanCast that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Mauricio Pochettino return to manage Tottenham again in the future.

In just more than five years in north London, the Argentine transformed the club by turning them into top four regulars, whilst memorably reaching the Champions League final in his final full season.

However, following a wretched start to last season, with Spurs sitting 14th in the Premier League table, Pochettino was sacked in November and replaced by Jose Mourinho.

A little more than 12 months after his Tottenham departure, and following months of speculation regarding his next job, Pochettino was appointed as the PSG boss, and won the first trophy of his managerial in his third match after beating Marseille in the Trophee des Champions.

Pochettino signed an 18-month deal in the French capital, but with the option for an additional year, although Fry told Football FanCast that he expects the 49-year-old to one day return to N17:

“I wouldn’t be surprised if at some time in the future he comes back to Tottenham. The fans loved him, the players loved him, he was successful up to a point, he just needed to jump that final hurdle, which he didn’t do.

“There was a lot of good and I think Daniel and him had a good relationship, but obviously felt at the time Tottenham weren’t going in the right direction, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Poch back at Tottenham in years to come.”

Steve Bruce must look to let Elliot Anderson off the leash after Newcastle United’s hopes of signing Cardiff City talent Kieron Evans took a huge blow.

What’s the word?

Reports by Wales Online last month claimed that the Toon were one of a small group of Premier League clubs eying Evans’ situation at the Cardiff City Stadium with a view to a potential summer swoop.

However, the Bluebirds announced on Wednesday that the 19-year-old has now agreed on a new, two-year contract with the Championship side, he’d have been a free agent at the end of the season if he didn’t put pen-to-paper.

Evans is on the cusp of making his first-team breakthrough in south Wales after being listed in five senior squads so far this term, but is yet to step foot onto the field for his debut.

Cardiff rate the Wales U19 international’s potential highly and have now moved to avoid losing his services for nothing more than a compensatory sum, amid the alleged interest from Newcastle, West Bromwich Albion, Burnley and Sheffield United.

“Kieron Evans has been a standout performer since I’ve come in,” Cardiff’s U23 coach Steve Morison said following the attacking midfielder’s new contract. “He’s been excellent.

“To top it all off, he’s now adding assists and goals in every game alongside his performances, which have got him really noticed. He deserves it.”

Evans was noted to have attracted attentive glares from top-flight clubs last month after scoring and assisting as the Bluebirds U23s beat Millwall, while also finding the back of the net against Severnside rivals Bristol City.

Should Newcastle test Cardiff’s resolve?

Cardiff moving to tie Evans down to a two-year contract just goes to show how highly he is rated in south Wales, likely making any attempt by Newcastle to prise him away in the off-season a futile pursuit.

But United should not be overly concerned by missing out on the attacking midfielder, who can also operate on the wing, as the Magpies already have a promising rising star in their ranks in Anderson.

Bruce has previously stated that he has been “very pleased” by how Anderson has progressed and settled into the Toon senior fold, after coming on in the closing stages of regular time for his first-team debut against Arsenal in the FA Cup in January.

The 18-year-old did not look out of place among his more experienced teammates in north London, and was expected to force his way into Bruce’s plans more often before the Toon’s form derailed and were engulfed in a relegation battle.

“As soon as he comes on to the pitch, he accepts the ball and receives the ball,” Bruce said following the FA Cup clash, via quotes by Chronicle Live. “He never looks rushed. Everything is effortless to him and easy. We hope he’s got a big future.

“He’ll remember his debut. He could have scored in the last minute, couldn’t he? What a wonderful debut that would have been. I’m very pleased with his progress and he’s one that we hope can do us a good turn over the season.”

More recently, Bruce has shared that Anderson must wait for more opportunities despite the injuries for Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson, as he needs experienced heads to help with a relegation fight.

But that should not be the case, and Bruce should be looking to unleash Anderson and let him prove that he is ready, while his age is just the number currently being used to hold him back.

AND in other news, Newcastle face a global battle to land a £8.5m striker with 18 goals in 26 league games this term…