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Rangers are looking to get rid of left-back Borna Barisic this summer, according to Football Insider.

What’s the story?

Steven Gerrard knows that in order to challenge Celtic next season, the Gers need a really successful summer transfer window and that process will involve both bringing players in and letting the right ones go.

Football Insider reckon one player the club are preparing to axe is Croatian international Barisic, ready to listen to offers for him and even hoping they can score a profit on the £2.2m it took to sign him from NK Osijek last year.

However, is it the right time to sell him, especially when there is no obvious replacement currently at the club?

Left-back worry

With the long serving Lee Wallace also leaving the club this summer after the expiration of his contract, only Jon Flanagan is available in the position heading into vital summer qualifiers and he is a natural right-back.

There’s no doubt that Barisic had a disappointing debut season at Ibrox, especially since the turn of the year, but he’s a player with obvious talent that shouldn’t be written off so quickly, even if a profit can be made.

Injuries and fitness issues blighted his season and clearly more consistency needs to be found in that regard, but saying goodbye to a current Croatian international who is capped regularly could be something the club later come to regret.

Unless Steven Gerrard has a ready made replacement that can come in early this summer and get up to speed, Barisic is worth keeping around.

With his contract running until 2022, there’s plenty of time to sell him if it doesn’t work out again next season.

Spurs will look towards a big summer as they look to build on getting to the Champions League final.

Despite losing out to Liverpool, there is a big sense around the club that they than more than overachieved with their Champions League showing, and manager Mauricio Pochettino will no doubt be keen take some steps in the transfer market to ensure the club continues to progress.

With the new stadium finally open, Pochettino will be hoping to see some backing from Daniel Levy, and this weekend has seen the club linked with a move for Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake, who continues to impress for the Cherries under Eddie Howe.

While a £40m fee might seem a hefty chunk of change on paper, Ake has been brilliant under Eddie Howe, developing into the one of the finest young defenders in the English game after never quite getting his chance with Chelsea previously.

Ake fits the mould of a player Spurs would buy, given his age and the way he plays out from the back.

His relaxed style should not be seen as lazy though and he is strong in the tackle, as well as being dominant in the air, and with a chance of playing at what is seemed a higher level with Spurs, it looks like a match made in heaven.

Spurs are looking to move forward with young players who want to develop and prove a point under Pochettino, and Ake fits the bill perfectly given his performance in the 2018/19 season.

38 Premier League appearances where he averaged just under two tackles per game while recording over six clearances per game mark him out as an impressive defensive stalwart, and it is these sort of impressive stats which will impress the onlooking Spurs management team.

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After the March internationals and West Ham United’s Declan Rice’s first two England appearances against the Czech Republic and Montenegro respectively, the latter of which he started, it became apparent that the 20-year-old was now a first choice in central defensive midfield for Gareth Southgate.

And that was proved once again on Thursday evening with the Academy of Football product starting for the Three Lions in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals against the Netherlands.

The centre-back turned midfielder was played in a line of three in front of the defence, sandwiched between Fabian Delph of Manchester City and Ross Barkley of Chelsea.

It was Rice who shone the brightest out of the trio in the 3-1 loss, which saw a Matthijs de Ligt header, a Kyle Walker own-goal and Quincy Promes finish cancel out a first-half Marcus Rashford penalty on a calamitous night for England’s defence.

However, the former Republic of Ireland man still found himself on the end of some harsh words from around the footballing world for his display, being accused of starting too slowly, being too negative and not offering enough of an option out for the centre-backs as the centre of the park was dominated by Ronald Koeman’s men.

However, the WhoScored statistics in the above infographic prove that Rice’s critics are wrong to hound his performance against the Dutch in his nation’s second successive major semi-final defeat.

In 106 minutes on the pitch before being replaced by Dele Alli at half-time in extra-time, the number 16 maintained a highly impressive 96% pass success rate.

He also registered two tackles and weighed in with a team-high four interceptions on his Nations League debut.

Rice achieved all of this without giving away one foul, a show of perfect timing from the man tipped to follow in the footsteps of the late great Bobby Moore by none other than Jamie Carragher (Sky Sports via Football.London).

What really makes people who were accusing him of being negative look stupid is the fact the he attempted two dribbles, from the holding midfield role.

These figures prove that Rice was far from poor in the biggest match of his career so far, and in fact he was one of his side’s best performers on the evening and the finger of blame truly deserves to be pointed elsewhere.

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Paul Hartley has backed new Rangers signing Greg Stewart to succeed at Ibrox, as reported by The Daily Record.

What’s he said?

Hartley was the manager who signed Stewart up at Dundee from the Scottish lower leagues, giving him the opportunity to shine in the top-flight and eventually win a move to the English Championship.

Having also experienced the pressure of playing for one of Glasgow’s big clubs, the former Scotland international is well placed to offer an insight into how Stewart might perform for the Gers next season.

His verdict is positive, believing that the attacker can become a big part of Steven Gerrard’s team.

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

As quoted by The Daily Record, Hartley said:

“Greg showed his quality at Kilmarnock and against Rangers he scored a magnificent goal.

“He was on top of his game in the first half of the season and then it didn’t quite work out for him in the second half of the season for whatever reason.

“It’s a great opportunity for Greg and I don’t think anyone can begrudge him it. People might question him but it’s up to Greg to go and prove people wrong and I’m sure he will.

“He knows he will need to work hard because it won’t be easy for him. At 29 he has to grasp the opportunity to go there and not be a squad player. I don’t think he will be. He has to go impress, be as fit as he can be and be ready.”

Can Stewart rise to the challenge?

Hartley is right to point to Stewart’s form for Kilmarnock in the first half of last season as a sign he can produce for Rangers next term.

The 29-year-old was scoring and assisting regularly before his season was disrupted with a loan move to Aberdeen in January.

If he can capture that kind of form, and the kind of contribution he produced for Hartley in the past, then he’s going to be a better Rangers signing than some expect.

Also possessing versatility, he can slot into a number of attacking positions for Gerrard.

As squad players go, arriving on a free transfer, the Ibrox club could have done a lot worse.

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are already moaning about Sky Sports’ interference in their matches after their opening day fixture against Bristol City was moved for television coverage.

United supporters have often taken issue with the broadcaster due to how their scheduling affects fans’ abilities to watch games live.

If you venture down to any Leeds home game, then you will likely hear the fanbase express their thoughts about Sky. Unsurprisingly, they aren’t their biggest fans.

A Saturday 3:00pm slot would be perfect for most spectators as it allows adequate time to travel to and from the match while enjoying the festivities of the day. Instead, Leeds’ faithful have often found themselves making long trips back to Yorkshire late at night on a Sunday due to matches being moved to suit Sky Sports, such is the pull of their club.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side will now face Bristol City at 4:30pm on Sunday, and supporters aren’t happy.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…

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Some Southampton fans on Twitter have reacted to the news that there has been a board reshuffle at the club.

Jisheng Gao, who is the majority shareholder of the club, has taken the position of chairman of the club and of the St Mary’s Football Group.

This comes following Ralph Krueger stepping down from the position after six years in the role.

The 59-year-old was originally employed by former owner Katharina Liebherr, who has re-joined the St Mary’s Football Group, but it is thought his influence on key decisions was limited when Gao took over.

Krueger guided the club through to the Premier League despite troubles back in 2014 when the former executive chairman Nicola Cortese and ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino both left.

Southampton’s new man Moussa Djenepo divides opinion amongst fans in the video below…

Vice chairman Martin Semmens is expected to conduct the day-to-day running of the club following the Canadian’s departure.

It was Semmens and Ross Wilson, who is the director of football at St Mary’s, who made the decision to replace Mark Hughes with Ralph Hasenhuttl last season.

Here is just a selection of the reaction from Saints supporters…

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Celtic fans are not keen on signing versatile Middlesbrough man Paddy McNair this summer.

It was reported last week that the Hoops were keen on making a move for the player, said to be valued at around £5m, with manager Neil Lennon later confirming to reporters that there is an interest in signing him.

The 24-year-old played 23 times for Boro last season and can perform a variety of roles, able to play in midfield, the centre of defence and even at right-back.

Celtic fans aren’t happy about Arsenal’s bid for one of their key players…

A product of the Manchester United academy, the 24-cap Northern Ireland man could be an effective squad option for the Hoops, who require competent back-up in the positions McNair is comfortable with.

It’s certainly debatable whether McNair is a direct improvement on any of the players currently at Celtic though, considering he’s never really held down a regular starting role, and as a result supporters have their misgivings about making a move for the player.

These fans took to Twitter over the weekend to share their thoughts…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Mirror (June 27, page 65), Aston Villa are set to make an improved bid for defender Adam Webster.

What’s the word?

Last season’s transfer saga at Villa revolved around Jack Grealish who eventually committed his future to the club after initially attracting a bid from Tottenham.

However, this summer’s saga seems to be forming around a potential incoming, rather than a possible departure.

The Sun reported Villa’s interest in Webster at the start of the month before the club followed that up with a £12m bid, only for it to be rejected.

Yet, the print version of The Mirror has now reported that they’re looking to make an improved bid for the Bristol City man.

Purslow’s comments could come back to bite him

Bristol Live reported earlier this week that Bristol City were looking for a massive £30m for the 24-year-old.

On the face of it, paying that fee for a player who has never played in the Premier League would be particularly strange.

Webster is hugely impressive in the air, better than Tyrone Mings, in fact, which is something we’ve already detailed. But if Villa are to sustain themselves in the top-flight it would be a mistake to ramp up their efforts after having an initial £12m bid knocked back.

CEO Christian Purslow told BBC Sport last month when speaking about transfers: “This is when poorly run businesses and clubs make mistakes. This is the time to pause, apply a cold towel and contemplate carefully exactly what we need to do.”

The centre-back may well be a top target but you can’t help but feel like improving their bid would be a mistake and would go against what Purslow has said.

In this situation, Villa must pause and contemplate carefully whether they need to spend that much on a central defender.

The club does need to add bodies in that area of the pitch but by improving on their previous bid, it would be questionable decision making.

You only need to look at what happened to Fulham last season. They spent over £100m, mostly on unproven Premier League talent, and they ended up getting relegated.

Villa, therefore, must be careful in their approach and ensure they don’t make a mistake on this transfer.

If they do, it could come back to bite Purslow and the club.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Football League World, West Ham are once again set to include Sam Byram in their latest offer for West Brom’s Salomon Rondon.

What’s the word?

According to technical director Luke Dowling, Albion are willing to see Rondon leave the club this summer.

The Venezuelan striker has a £16.5m release clause in his contract as Newcastle remain interested in the player. Wolves have also been sniffing around the forward but West Ham seem to be at the front of the queue at the moment.

They previously had a bid rejected involving Byram and Jordan Hugill but Football Insider claim that they’re set to return with a renewed £14m offer.

And a part of that, per Football League World, is Byram once again.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

West Brom have to accept

With the Baggies happy to lose Rondon this summer, they should arguably be looking to just cut their losses, especially after a reduction in parachute payments.

A first offer involving Hugill was quite rightfully rejected given the £10m fee and his record at Middlesbrough last season where he only scored six.

However, if a renewed bid of £14m plus the 25-year-old right-back comes in, they simply have to accept.

Why? Because the Hammers man could be imperative next season.

The fact of the matter is that Rondon doesn’t fit in at West Brom anymore.

What the club do need, though, is a right-back.

The fans in the video below had some very strong words for Michel Platini who was detained over alleged corruption this week…

In their squad at the time being, the only player they have capable of playing in that position is Allan Nyom.

The former Watford man spent the 2018/19 season on loan in La Liga which was arguably evidence that they don’t exactly trust him.

As a result, bringing in Byram is a necessity.

He’s shown in the past just what he can do at Championship level, and as documented with previous target Famara Diedhiou, signing proven players who have cut it in the second tier could be key.

He spent a period out through injury but when he was at Leeds, he was hugely promising, making 1.7 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game during his final full term with the Whites.

Not agreeing to the reported new terms for the 6 foot 1 forward, therefore, would be a mistake.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking to Football Insider, Noel Whelan has urged Leeds to experiment with two of their forward players heading into the new season.

What’s he said?

As Leeds embark on their mini pre-season tour of Australia, two members of the squad who could find themselves vying for the same spot in Marcelo Bielsa’s side are Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford.

The former has been linked with a move away but is among the travelling party for pre-season despite the likes of Helder Costa and Jack Clarke missing out.

Both Roofe and Bamford started together against York in the Whites’ friendly last week and it’s a tactic that has sparked Whelan into urging Leeds to experiment with the pair.

Talking to Football Insider, he revealed how they could do it, commenting:

“This is where you experiment, isn’t it? We didn’t see it much last season because of injuries to the two of them.

“This is where you figure out what you’re going to play, what formation. I very much doubt he’s going to change his thinking but can you put Kemar Roofe in a number 10? That’s something worth thinking about, can he play behind Bamford and play off him?”

Can they do it?

Last season Leeds were extremely unfortunate to lose Bamford for such a lengthy period of time. Per Transfermarkt, he missed 22 games through injury whilst Roofe was forced to sit on the treatment table for six matches too.

As a result, the pair of them failed to actually play alongside each other on too many occasions.

Yet, if Leeds can get both of them fit and firing properly next term it will without a doubt ensure they have a better chance of achieving promotion.

In 2018/19, Tyler Roberts and Mateusz Klich were preferred behind the striker but, as Whelan says, this is the ideal time to now experiment with what they’ve got.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The fact only 16 squad members have travelled to Australia means there should be a greater license to play the pair of them together, and experimenting with Roofe in behind Bamford could be on the cards given Klich hasn’t travelled.

It could also prepare them for a potential departure if the Pole joins Burnley, a club he was the subject of interest from over the weekend.

Roofe scored 15 goals last term, cementing himself as one of the biggest threats in the side.

Moving him from his favoured position up front could seem foolish on paper, but if it gets both him and Bamford scoring at the same time, it could be game-changing for Bielsa.