Rangers confirmed they had signed a pre-contract deal for Jack Simpson on Thursday, with the Scottish Premiership league leaders due to get their man to Glasgow in the summer.

The former England U21 international was the subject of interest from Steven Gerrard’s side several years ago.

With Connor Goldson’s future uncertain and Rangers short of options at the back following Nikola Katic’s injury, Gerrard will have been delighted to snap up Simpson by way of a Bosman move from Bournemouth.

After coming through the ranks at Dean Court, Simpson is fast approaching the prime of his career and fans will be hoping he can hit the ground running and play a crucial part in what could be their first title defence for many years next season, whilst he still has room to improve at the age of 24.

A quick look at the statistics suggest that while the Englishman has put in a solid shift at the back over the last few seasons, it is his ball distribution that could be of most benefit to his new employers.

Filip Helander and Leon Balogun have done a decent enough job at the back since the start of this season, but his range of passing could be a game-changer for Gerrard’s Gers.

At Bournemouth, Simpson has been averaging 39 passes per 90 minutes, which is a decent enough return, especially when you consider the fact that half of his appearances have come off the bench. Now, this is still some way off the likes of Helander (56.9) and Balogun (53.2), although it’s hard to draw direct comparisons as they are playing in different leagues with different levels of opposition.

However, Gerrard should be encouraged by Simpson’s highly competent range of passing, which should help to paint the full picture. Simpson has an average of 2.8 long balls per game this season, implying that he isn’t afraid to play long-range passes either in the air or on the ground to split defences and create opportunities for strikers to score goals in one-on-one situations with goalkeepers. For context, both Helander and Balogun have managed just 2.4 and 2.2 long balls in the Premiership respectively.

His former Cherries coach Carl Fletcher also believes he has the diversity to adapt to the rigorous demands of playing in the Scottish Premiership. He told BBC Sportsound: “He’s a very down to earth lad. He’s a really good lad and a good character, so I think whenever you have stepped outside of something you have always know there is always a degree of excitement and stepping out of your comfort zone, but I think it’s something he will adapt to no worries, going to Rangers and the size of the club.

“Players going into that environment there is always a transition period but I think Jack will take it in his stride and want to hit the ground running.”

Not only will Simpson, who was dubbed a “natural-born leader” by his former coach Tim Davis, be able to provide cover and competition for Goldson, Helander and Balogun, but he’ll also be able to offer an alternative threat from the back as well.

AND in other news, Rangers can sign perfect Brandon Barker replacement in Rochdale’s Kwadwo Baah…

MatériaMais Notícias

A CBF apresentou, na manhã desta terça-feira, em seu site, o Relatório DRT 2015, um levantamento inédito, com números que ajudam a entender as atividades do setor e a realidade do futebol brasileiro. Os dados deste documento foram divididos em três partes: registro, transferências e salários.

O trabalho da CBF começou com o intuito de normatizar o mercado de intermediários.Nos números em que são mostrados os valores registrados nos contratos de trabalho dos jogadores de futebol no Brasil, fica provada a grande disparidade que existe entre os salários dos 28.203 jogadores registrados no país. Deste total, 23.238 ganham até R$ 1.000.

Confira os dados da CBF que retratam a realidade dos jogadores de futebol no Brasil.

ATÉ R$ 1.000,00 – 23.238 – 82,40%

R$ 1.000,01 ATÉ R$ 5.000,00 – 3.859 – 13,68%

R$ 5.000,01 ATÉ R$ 10.000,00 – 381 – 1,35%

R$ 10.000,01 ATÉ R$ 50.000,00 – 499 – 1,77%

R$ 50.000,01 ATÉ R$ 100.000,00 – 112 – 0,40%

R$ 100.000,01 ATÉ R$ 200.000,00 – 78 – 0,28%

R$ 200.000,01 ATÉ R$ 500.000,00 – 35 – 0,12%

ACIMA DE R$ 500.000,01 – 1 – 0,00%

TOTAL – 28.203

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Tottenham Hotspur are thought to be keen on signing RB Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, according to talkSPORT.

Transfer expert Alex Crook told the ‘White and Jordan’ show that there has been interest in the 26-year-old from both Spurs and Arsenal, he said:

“Tottenham were keen to bring this player to north London in the last transfer window, and Arsenal are also monitoring his situation closely.

“They will both be encouraged by what we’re hearing over in Germany that he’s turned down a new contract at RB Leipzig, so he’s clearly someone who is looking for pastures new.”

Sky (via Fussball Transfers) have claimed that the Leipzig skipper has rejected talks over a new deal, meaning if he doesn’t leave this window, he could well depart in the summer due to him entering the final 18 months of his current €110k-per-week (£98k-per-week) contract.

The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare believes Sabitzer could be available for only £30m, which would be well in Daniel Levy’s budget.

And he’d be quite the addition…

On the Chalkboard

As we’ve been told by The Times’ Duncan Castles before, Jose Mourinho is after a box-to-box midfielder to help steer Spurs to their first piece of silverware in over 12 years, and that’s where Sabitzer fits the bill.

Since the start of the 2019/20 season, the 46-time Austria international has delivered 19 goals and 14 assists across all competitions – in the same timeframe, Spurs’ current options namely Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele haven’t even passed 13 goal contributions.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/20-01-spurs-stories” title=”Latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

But it is Moussa Sissoko who could be most in danger as the defensively-astute Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has cemented his place down as the anchorman of this side, whilst the aforementioned Frenchman and Argentinan are likely to rotate as no.10s, especially if Dele Alli moves on.

The £30m ace, signed by Mauricio Pochettino in 2016, has been nothing more than a mere passenger at times this season – neither outstanding nor hugely disappointing.

That much is seen by his mediocre returns as Spurs’ 12th ranked player per WhoScored ratings – indeed, he’s tied with the attack-minded Ndombele for tackles per game (1.4) and has only averaged 0.1 key passes and 0.1 shots per game, the worst of any midfielder at the club.

Even Hojbjerg is doing more going forward, which speaks volumes and clearly doesn’t match up with Mourinho’s desire for a box-to-box maestro.

Which is where Sabitzer comes in, meaning the 30-year-old could finally be axed from the starting XI, should Levy be able to push through this deal.

Aside from his impressive goal and assist returns mentioned above, the Leipzig star has averaged 1.55 tackles per game across both the Bundesliga and Champions League, showing that defensive side of his game.

But he also has proven to be a lethal creative outlet, as he’s managed 1.65 shots and 0.8 key passes per game across the same competitions, which is evidently a stark upgrade to that of Sissoko.

It’s no wonder the Austrian sensation has been lauded a “goal threat” by Red Bulls boss Julian Naglesmann, as well as his predecessor Ralf Rangnick calling his personality “remarkable.”

Valued at €40m (£36m) by CIES Football Observatory, Sabitzer would be one hell of an addition to bolster Spurs’ trophy hopes – a far better option to the starting XI than Sissoko.

Not to mention that he wants the move too, as per Ekrem Konur.

AND in other news, Spurs must strike on £18m-rated “monster” amid fresh transfer development

The Athletic have recently issued an update about the situation of Aston Villa’s young midfielder Jacob Ramsey.

Ramsey, currently 19, is a product of Villa’s youth academy and broke into the club’s first-team only earlier this year, but there seems to be interest in the young midfielder.

Championship interest in Ramsey

The Athletic released an update on Keinan Davis, but the piece also carried some bits of information about Ramsey’s situation at Villa Park. The article revealed that Ramsey is on the target list of many Championship clubs right now but as things stand, Villa expect the youngster to stick around.

Ramsey was loaned out to Doncaster in January 2020 earlier this year but returned to Villa Park in the summer of 2020 (as per Transfermarkt).

Birmingham Mail had reported about Ramsey last month, saying that Championship clubs are indeed interested in him. The report from the Athletic though, could be a positive considering how Villa expect the 19-year-old to stay.

Gabriel Agbonlahor has previously praised Ramsey and said: “As an Aston Villa player who went through the academy and made my debut at the same age, it’s amazing to see.

“Hopefully the rest of the Under-18s and Under-23s can see him as someone to look up to and try and get into that first-team as well because Dean Smith has proved if you’re good enough, he’ll play you.”

Loan move might benefit Ramsey

In the Premier League this season, Ramsey has made five appearances and he has played only 122 minutes of football in the competition. He has played more in the League Cup and keeping that in mind, the upcoming FA Cup may allow him more game time (as per Transfermarkt).

Having said that, the 19-year-old might need more game time to develop and because of how well the first XI are playing, Villa may not give him that. So it might make more sense for the club to loan Ramsey out – especially considering how well he had done at Doncaster last season.

In other news, Villa fans have been delighted about the news about a potential exit of a player – read more about it here.

Speaking exclusively with Football FanCast, former Newcastle United midfielder Rob Lee slammed the club’s “laughable” decision to bar journalists from quizzing Steve Bruce.

The St. James’ Park outfit cut short Bruce’s pre-game press conference ahead of their 2-1 midweek defeat to Leeds United, which saw the Toon endure a sixth loss on the bounce as part of an 11-game winless run across all competitions that came to an end with a 2-0 win at Everton on Saturday.

Reporters were informed there would be no separate section for the written media as normal, with broadcast rights holders – Sky Sports, Premier League Productions, BBC Sport and BBC Look North – the only outlets allowed to ask questions.

The Daily Mail’s football correspondent Craig Hope noted on Twitter that the decision was a shared move by the Newcastle hierarchy and manager, Bruce, who has been faced with increasing calls from supporters to be fired as the Toon creep closer to the relegation zone.

Newcastle have previously barred journalists from asking questions of the club’s manager, after Alan Pardew banned local reporters from quizzing him following a 2-1 defeat at rivals Sunderland in October 2013.

Lee, who played 331 games for the Magpies, believes the issue stems from the top in owner Mike Ashley, and does not expect anything to change until the club is under new ownership.

Asked about the development involving the journalists, Lee told FFC:

“Well, nothing surprises me at Newcastle. It’s farcical now, it’s laughable, and I think even their own fans are laughing at the club.

“It’s happened before. Mike Ashley’s the instigator. People blame Steve Bruce and people want Steve Bruce out, but the bottom line is until Newcastle, until we get a better owner, nothing is going to change.

“I don’t care who they bring in. I don’t care if they bring in the best manager in the world. He is still going to have to work under Mike Ashley. And that’s the problem.”

Newcastle banned journalists of quizzing Pardew in 2013 during an ongoing standoff with local media, after blocking the Journal, Evening Chronicle and Sunday Sun in response to their coverage of protests by supporters against Ashley that saw around 500 fans attend.

The Magpies were said to have been furious with the papers offering publicity to the fan-led movement, and stepped in to prevent questions being directed at Pardew after the former United head coach attended his post-match media duties, which the journalists were not banned from, at the Stadium of Light.

Bruce is now the focus of supporters’ angst following a dire run of form that saw the Magpies eliminated from the Carabao and FA Cups in the space of 18 days, while a ‘Bruce out’ banner was recently unveiled outside St. James’ Park.

AND in other news, Newcastle could part with a £30k-p/w dynamo before the end of the month…

Joelinton badly betrayed Steve Bruce by producing a horror show performance as Newcastle United’s sole centre-forward in his side’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on Boxing Day.

Bruce was forced into facing Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues without the Toon’s leading goalscorer Callum Wilson after the eight-goal striker sustained a knock that prevented his involvement.

Wilson was sorely missed by the visiting Magpies side throughout Joelinton’s time on the field, which ended whilst when he was replaced midway through the second half by Andy Carroll, with Bruce seeing United’s record-signing forced off after sustaining an apparent hip injury.

Joelinton often lacked any clear intelligence with his forward runs and hardly displayed any serious threat to Ederson’s net, as he rarely acted as Newcastle’s main goal threat whilst the now-£18m-rated man earned his 13th outing of the Premier League season.

The 24-year-old had struck just one goal in his prior 12 appearances this term and Bruce will be hoping for positive news on Wilson’s fitness ahead of the game against champions Liverpool on Wednesday night.

Joelinton was far worse than Matt Ritchie against Manchester City, despite Bruce feeling the need to haul the former AFC Bournemouth maestro off after 66 minutes having seen the winger lose all five of his ground duels and possession 14 times, per SofaScore.

Joelinton was by far the worst-performing Newcastle player at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day, where he lost four of his five ground duels, five of 11 aerial contests and possession 11 times while failing to direct his sole shot of the night on target.

Bruce never saw Joelinton attempt, let alone complete, a dribble, either, as he sought to palm off possession with 11 accurate passes despite taking 30 touches of which, a majority came in the middle third of the pitch.

The Brazilian attacker was additionally caught offside once, committed two fouls and offered zero key passes, and will now be fearing for his place in the starting line-up regardless of the extent of his potential hip injury.

Should Wilson not be passed fit to face Liverpool, Bruce will be able to call on Andy Carroll or Dwight Gayle after the pair entered the action as late substitutes on Saturday night.

AND in other news, a Newcastle gem with his “best years ahead” was Steve Bruce’s sole positive at Brentford.

Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw is still not ready for action after a horrible 15-month lay-off.

In response to supporters on Monday, The Athletic’s Phil Hay claimed the 29-year-old “has been trying to get over the last hurdle for a long time”

A hip problem has seen Forshaw sidelined since September 2019 with his final appearance in a Whites shirt being a 45-minute stint against Charlton.

The former Brentford and Middlesbrough man has played a total of seven matches since the start of the 2019/20 season and underwent surgery nearly a year ago in the United States.

With the emergence of Jamie Shackleton, the signing of Rodrigo and Stuart Dallas a natural central midfielder, it’s hard to imagine Forshaw ever playing for the Yorkshire giants ever again.

And because of that, it would be wise for Victor Orta to look to move him on at the earliest convenience, as ruthless as that would be.

Leeds are merely wasting financial resources keeping players like this at the club.

Between Forshaw (£60k-per-week) and Gaetano Berardi (£35k-per-week) alone, they are spending nearly £100k-per-week on a pair of players who aren’t going to contribute one minute to their cause this term.

Those wages could be spent elsewhere – on a central defender who is going to help shut up shop, perhaps?

Indeed, the 5 foot 9 maestro has cost the club around £500k-per-game since the start of their Championship-winning season and overall, around £265k-per-match since his £4.5m arrival in 2018.

It would be a brutal call to sack him off, but United need to look at the bigger picture to help their chances of remaining in the top-flight.

Noel Whelan believes Forshaw would even welcome fresh start elsewhere, he told Football Insider: “The January window has obviously just opened and I’m sure he wants to go and get settled in a team where he can play football. He’s a good footballer, so I’m sure that will be on his mind.”

Orta must show no mercy over the “exceptional” and long-serving midfielder this month.

AND in other news, Orta can find Bielsa his next Kalvin Phillips in £13m BRUTE…

يشعر رئيس نادي برشلونة، خوان لابورتا، بحالة من التفاؤل قبل معركة بايرن ميونخ في الجولة السادسة والأخيرة من دور المجموعات في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا موسم 2021/2022.

ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على ملعب “أليانز أرينا” مساء اليوم الأربعاء، في تمام الساعة العاشرة بتوقيت “القاهرة” بقيادة الحكم الروماني أوفيديو هاتيجان.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تشافي: برشلونة لم يفز في ميونخ لكنني أتطلع لتغيير التاريخ

ووجه لابورتا رسالة متفائلة لجماهير برشلونة نقلتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية، وقال: “فخور بأداء برشلونة، ومتأكد من أن اللاعبين سيقدمون كل ما لديهم رغم هذا الطقس (ثلوج في ميونخ)”.

وتابع: “في الحقيقة رأيت تركيزًا كبيرًا من جانب جميع اللاعبين قبل المباراة وهناك حافز لدى كل لاعب، لأننا نريد التأهل وفقًا لتاريخنا في تلك البطولة”.

وأضاف: “هناك ثقة في جميع اللاعبين لأن لديهم إرادة كبيرة ويرغبون في التأهل، والطقس البارد لن يكون مبررًا لأي شيء”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “أتمنى أن يكون اللاعبون فخورين بوجودهم في برشلونة، نحن في مرحلة تعلمها الجماهير جيدًا، نعلم أنها قد تستغرق بعض الوقت ولكننا مستعدون لكافة المواقف التي قد تواجهنا”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O zagueiro Rodrigo Caio reagiu às ofensas publicadas no Twitter por Rodrigo Gaspar, assessor da presidência do São Paulo, logo após a derrota por 1 a 0 para o The Strongest, no Pacaembu, pela abertura da fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores. Neste domingo, na chegada da delegação ao mesmo estádio, agora palco do compromisso da quinta rodada do Paulistão, o jogador de 22 anos mostrou chateação por ter sido chamado de “jogador de condomínio,bonzinho, mas fraco, fraco de futebol e de personalidade”.

– Nunca é bom ouvir isso, ainda mais por rede social. Não acho certo uma pessoa usar isso. Quando tem de falar algo, fala na cara. Eu sou assim – desabafou Rodrigo Caio, menos de uma semana após ser ofendido pelo assessor da presidência da Tricolor, assim como Centurión, Michel Bastos e até Milton Cruz, hoje coordenador do núcleo de análise e desempenho do clube.

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Neste domingo, pouco antes de a bola rolar para o jogo contra o Rio Claro pelo Estadual,a torcida do Tricolor se reuniu em frente ao estádio do Pacaembu, local do jogo, para protestar contra a má fase do time, dentro e fora de campo, especialmente contra Michel Bastos. O movimento durou mais de uma hora e os torcedores deram a volta no estádio com os insultos, porém de forma pacífica.

Rodrigo Caio está no elenco profissional do São Paulo desde 2011 e está próximo da marca de 200 jogos pelo clube.

As Leeds search for reinforcements in this January transfer window, one player who may be looking over his shoulder, is Pascal Struijk.

Hailed as “very influential” by Marcelo Bielsa, who handed him his senior debut for the club in the Championship last season, Struijk has grown into a regular in Leeds’ first-team squad over the past twelve months.

Speaking to Football Insider, former Leeds ace Noel Whelan said earlier this month: “You can see what a great player he will be, he likes that aggression side, he’s very competitive in the air, he’s got that little bit of a nasty streak but he’s also very good on the ball.

“His ball distribution, his choices of passes but I think his overall intelligence of playing that centre position, he looks a lot more comfortable. Again, I was impressed with lots of people but to see him back in that position where he’s natural, you really can see a player in him.”

But with Erick Pulgar’s potential arrival at Elland Road, Struijk is likely to see game-time harder to come by in that holding midfield role, with talisman Kalvin Phillips already ahead of him in the pecking order.

And then when you consider that both club captain Liam Cooper, and summer signing Diego Llorente, have returned to fitness in the past couple of weeks, it becomes that much more difficult to see where Struijk really fits into this Leeds set-up unless injuries or suspensions occur.

After making 11 appearances this season in all competitions, and starting and completing the full 90 minutes in the past four Premier League games too, the 21-year-old is in real danger of being dropped from the line-up and going back to a place on the bench.

Bielsa described him as someone who “gives everything and asks for nothing in return”. But unless he really steps up his performances, that effort may not mean much given Pulgar’s potential signing and the return to fitness of the likes of Cooper and Llorente.

Meanwhile, Leeds must unleash this starlet in the Premier League…