According to reports in the Daily Mail, Leeds United scouts have checked on Holstein Kiel striker Marvin Ducksch ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Daily Mail says that Whites boss Thomas Christiansen is looking for a new centre-forward because of fitness doubts over Hamburg loanee Pierre-Michel Lasogga – with Leeds fans speculating that he could be on his way out of Elland Road – and they have scouted Ducksch.

The 23-year-old, who is on loan from St Pauli, has been a prolific performer in the 2. Bundesliga this season, but the Daily Mail suggests that the 6ft 3in striker may not have the attributes that the Yorkshire outfit are looking for.

The report adds that Leeds have also watched Red Bull Salzburg’s Moanes Dabour, who has 13 goals in 18 games this term.

How good has Ducksch been this season?

Well, he is the top scorer in the 2. Bundesliga after netting 10 goals in 14 appearances, while he has a total of 11 in 16 outings in all competitions this term.

[ad_pod ]

The 23-year-old, who began his career with Borussia Dortmund, has also provided a further four assists to show the all-round impact he can have in the attacking third.

Why would Leeds not be keen?

As the Daily Mail mentioned, Ducksch isn’t the quickest and therefore doesn’t have the best movement in and around the penalty area – similar weaknesses to the ones that Lasogga has shown during his time at Elland Road – while according to WhoScored.com one of his weaknesses in winning aerial duels.

Are they likely to sign him?

It’s difficult to say.

While it seems certain that Christiansen will look to sign a new centre-forward during the January transfer window, despite Ducksch’s impressive goal record this term his overall attributes could see the Yorkshire outfit look elsewhere.

Life is looking a tad bit brighter at Goodison Park following Everton’s unbeaten run of four Premier League games.

Sam Allardyce’s arrival as new manager has been a positive change so far given that he has guided the team to wins over Huddersfield and Newcastle United.

The coach also oversaw a 1-1 draw with Merseyside rivals Liverpool at Anfield last weekend.

The club announced some good news on Thursday when youngsters Mason Holgate, Jonjoe Kenny and Dominic Calvert-Lewin signed new contracts.

Understandably, many Everton fans were delighted by the news, but it got some others thinking about a player that is yet to commit his future to the Toffees.

Ross Barkley’s contract expires at the end of this season and so far there have been no indications that he will put pen to paper on a fresh deal.

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have been heavily linked with a swoop for the midfielder, and with the January transfer window around the corner, Everton supporters are desperate for Barkley to make a decision.

[ad_pod ]

Nottingham Forest defender Armand Traore has been linked with a move to Turkish side Antalyaspor according to Turkish newspaper Fanatik as cited in The Nottingham Post.

What’s the story?

The 28-year-old joined Forest in 2016 30 appearances for the club before he was loaned out to Cardiff City for the second half of last season where he only played four times.

The Senegalese international is valued at £1.13million on Transfermarkt but he fell out of favour with Aitor Karanka and he looks set to leave the club this summer and according to the report Antalyaspor are close to sealing a deal for the left-back.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”269905″ player=”12034″ title=”Football’s Coming Home The Myth Behind ‘Three Lions'”]

Time to move on

It’s clear that Traore isn’t in the plans of Karanka and he hasn’t enjoyed the best of times at the City Ground.

[ad_pod ]

If Forest can get something close to his Transfermarkt valuation they will have done well and it’s money they can reinvest to sort the squad out in Karanka’s first summer transfer window for the club.

Arsenal fans have been busy in the Transfer Tavern this summer.

Unai Emery is on the hunt for a few more signings as he looks to beef up his Arsenal squad. The Gunners boss has a few areas to strengthen and although he’s improved three of them, the Gunners still need a few additions.

Recently, Arsenal have been linked with a move for RB Leipzig star Emil Forsberg, who’s rated at £22.5 million by Transfermarkt. The 26-year-old joined the Leipzig resurgence in 2015 from Swedish side Malmo and has since racked up 112 appearances in the Bundesliga. The Swede enjoyed a breakout season two years ago, where he managed to score eight goals and a staggering 22 assists.

The Breakdown

Although the midfielder has admitted in the past that he would love to play in the Premier League, he’s a player should steer well clear of. Yes he managed to register a staggering 22 assists in one season but he hasn’t really done much else. Amid a possible move away, the midfielder only managed two goals and two assists in 21 games in the Bundesliga.

Arsenal do need some midfield options but with Ozil in the 10 role, Xhaka at the base of the midfield, potentially with Uraguyan, Lucas Torreira, there seems to be no clear spot for Forsberg, especially as he doesn’t really have the pace required to play on the wing.

In an interview with BetStars, former Celtic defender, Johan Mjalby spoke of his doubt over Forsberg playing for a top English side.

“He’s a very good player, but I’m not sure if he would be able to break into one of the top sides in England.”

“He’s done well in Germany, but the top four in England are very good sides.”

According to a report from The Sun, Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof is attracting interest this summer after a fine World Cup. The 23-year-old may well have struggled in his debut season at Old Trafford last time round but he certainly did his bit to help Sweden reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Russia, where they lost 2-0 to England.

And news that interest is mounting in the £22.5 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt) should seriously interest Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez, who must seek to join and indeed win the race for the defender in a bid to potentially replace Jamaal Lascelles.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, there has been much talk throughout the summer regarding the future of Magpies captain Lascelles, who enjoyed a magnificent campaign at the heart of the Newcastle backline last term to help them finish tenth in the Premier League.

West Ham have reportedly made a bid for the 24-year-old in a bid to bolster their own defensive ranks, which has been turned down by Benitez’s side, but it’s plausible that further interest and maybe even more offers could come in for Lascelles between now and the deadline.

Thus, Benitez simply must be making plans to replace the centre back if Newcastle do indeed accept an offer this summer, and he should look no further than United’s Lindelof who, after a tough first season in England, more than proved his worth at the World Cup this summer.

Who do you think will win the World Cup? Let us know here

The 23-year-old only made the move to Old Trafford last summer but only went on to make 29 first team appearances for Jose Mourinho’s side last season, just 17 of which came in the Premier League in their run to second place.

However, Lindelof performed for Sweden in this summer’s World Cup like the defender United spent £31 million on 12 months ago in helping his country win their group, which consisted of Germany, and indeed reach the last eight only to lose to England last weekend.

And with two clean sheets in the four games he appeared in, the 23-year-old certainly played a part in the resilience and resolve shown by the Swedes throughout the competition, thus suggesting that he has rebuilt his confidence and as such is ready to produce the goods in England this time round.

And at the tender age of 23, the centre back is certain to improve in the coming years the more football he plays in the Premier League, and with Lascelles potentially on his way out of Newcastle this summer, he could be the ideal replacement for the Englishman.

Thus, with Lindelof linked with a move away from Old Trafford this summer, Newcastle must seek to join and indeed win the race for the Swedish star in a bid to replace the linked-away Lascelles.

Newcastle fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Unai Emery has a huge job on his hands at Arsenal this season; tasked with leading the club in the post-Arsene Wenger era and restoring them to the Champions League places.

As he embarks on the major challenge, he has acted swiftly and decisively in the transfer market, securing arrivals in the three positions in which Arsenal needed upgrades; goalkeeper, central defender and holding midfield.

However, with the contract situation of Welshman Aaron Ramsey still unresolved, raising the prospect that he may follow Jack Wilshere out of the Emirates exit door, Emery has reportedly had his eye on Barcelona outcast Andre Gomes.

The Portuguese playmaker has talent but has lost his way and fallen down the pecking order at the Nou Camp, so we asked Gunners fans whether the man reportedly valued at £30m would be a better option than Ramsey.

It was a close call but 54 per cent of those who responded said that Ramsey was the better option as you can see from the full results below…

The Tottenham fans in and around the Transfer Tavern are becoming increasingly worried about the lack of activity in and out of the club this summer, questioning the ambition of those with great power at the club. 

Having reached the Champions League stages once again and the club being on the verge of moving into their new stadium, this was supposed to be an exciting summer for all concerned as Spurs looked to become bigger and stronger. However with no signings thus far, Daniel Levy really needs to get his chequebook out and look at the talent available.

Croatia’s Ante Rebic was one of many standout players within their side this summer and someone who could really improve Tottenham’s offensive power. Valued at £27 million on Transfermarkt, Rebic is currently with German side Frankfurt and after scoring 9 goals in 28 appearances last season should be seen as a real attacking threat as he presented during the World Cup.

After impressing throughout the tournament, interest around Rebic comes from fellow English side Manchester United also as all have seen the talent and potential of Ante Rebic. Predominantly he plays out on the left but he can also operate as a second striker, giving support or competition to Harry Kane, a player he helped his country knock out of the World Cup in the semi-final.

What is known is that Tottenham need to buy quality players and fast with the window now closing in less than a month. This is the club’s chance to show their ambition for the season ahead or willingness to stick to being the challengers.

Thoughts… Let us know!

When Sandro Ramirez joined Everton following the departure of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United, pressure was on his shoulders to fill the void.

Unfortunately for the Spaniard, he was unable to make an impact, making just eight Premier League outings before being shipped off to Sevilla on loan in January.

Ramirez failed to find the back of the net while playing for the Toffees, and it is unclear whether he will have a role in the 2018-19 campaign.

Manager Marco Silva has been positioning the attacker on the wing during pre-season friendlies.

However, if the Portuguese coach wants Ramirez as a wide option, the Spaniard is unlikely to get much game time.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”271323″ player=”12034″ title=”Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus on Football Manager”]

Richarlison recently joined the club for a hefty fee, which suggests that he will be first choice, while Ademola Lookman is also vying for the position.

With this in mind, we asked you if Ramirez should move on from Everton, and the majority of fans think that it is time to cut ties.

Newcastle’s business has been minimal in many senses of the word. 

For a club that needed large investment in multiple areas, particularly up front, Newcastle have only brought in three players. The most expensive of the trio being Martin Dubravka who joined for a £3.6 million fee according to Transfermarkt following his loan spell with the club.

Mike Ashley has been operating on a very tight budget and has informed Rafa Benitez that the club must sell before they buy. Recently the club completed a deal to send Chancel Mbemba to Porto and as per their transfer strategy, the club will reinvest his fee back into finding a replacement.

This week the club had been linked with a move for Swiss international, Fabian Schar and former Porto man Diego Reyes.

According to multiple reports, Schar is due for his medical at Tyneside this week while the Magpies have lost out to Bordeaux in the race for Diego Reyes according to L’Equipe.

The Breakdown

While it seems Mike Ashley is up to his wheeler-dealer ways, a £3 million fee for Fabian Schar may just prove excellent business.

The 26-year-old has plenty of experiences, is a physical presence and just about to enter his prime years.

While many may see the move for Schar as an alternative to Reyes, Newcastle seemed to have picked the better player. Moreover, considering Reyes is currently a free agent, while Schar will cost £3 million, that tells you what the penny-pinching Mike Ashley thinks of the two players.

So what do you think Newcastle fans? 

An exciting season awaits for the Champions League finalists in the coming campaign, as Jurgen Klopp looks to continue his successes on Merseyside.

After the disappointment of losing the Champions League final, the club have shown a real ambition in the transfer market this summer. Liverpool are looking like a club hungry for silverware. Mohamed Salah was in lethal touch for the Anfield outfit last season, and was the star quality Liverpool had been missing since the departure of Luis Suarez.

One key area of strengthening has been between the sticks. The record signing for a goalkeeper, the signing of Alisson from AS Roma could be the key to take Liverpool to the next level. Loris Karius was clearly the weak link in a free-scoring Liverpool side last season. Often, Liverpool relied on out-scoring opponents rather than defensive solidity.

Currently, it seems Liverpool are the best placed side to challenge Pep Guardiola’s extremely strong Manchester City side, a couple more additions could perhaps put the Liverpool squad on a par with that of the Premier League champions.

With that in mind, here are two signings FSG surely have to make ASAP to help Klopp achieve his ambitions…

According to reports on the Daily Record podcast via the Express, Liverpool are keen to bring the Arsenal midfielder to Anfield.

The Welsh international is nearing the last 12 months of his contract at the Emirates. With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain injured, Aaron Ramsey might just be the perfect player for Klopp. Ramsey could add depth to an already strong Liverpool midfield.

Although he has had injury problems in his career, when fit Ramsey is undoubtedly one of the Premier League’s best midfielders. As well as being an intelligent and technically astute player, the Welshman adds crucial goals from midfield.

This deal should be a no-brainer for FSG.

The 6ft 5 non-league star is just 20-years-old, currently playing for Barnet FC of the National League. McKenzie-Lyle could come to the club ready to take up the third choice stopper role. It would be a move against the norm from Liverpool, with Chelsea and Manchester United signing players aged 35 and over to take up the role.

Signing McKenzie-Lyle would allow the Anfield outfit to move Loris Karius or Simon Mignolet on, who would both command relatively large transfer fees. These fees could be spent reinforcing other areas of the squad.