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A number of Wolves supporters have been showing their love for Joao Moutinho after footage of his superb goal against Brentford was posted by the club on Twitter.

Wanderers carried on their magnificent recent form on Saturday afternoon, battling their way to a 2-1 win against the Bees in west London. A tight game saw Moutinho open the scoring with a great strike early in the second half, before Ivan Toney equalised and Ruben Neves bagged the winner.

It was another impressive day at the office for Moutinho, who is still producing big performances at the age of 35 and received an 8.6 match rating from Sofascore, the highest of any player in the match.

On Saturday night, Wolves’ official Twitter channel shared new footage of the veteran’s strike, further highlighting his evergreen brilliance as a footballer and showing why so many supporters are calling for his contract to be extended beyond its current expiry date of June 2022.

Wolves fans love Moutinho’s goal v Brentford

These Wolves fans took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on Moutinho’s goal, with one supporter hailing him as a “magician”.

“Jeff Shi I hope you’ve got his new contract ready to sign”

Credit: @juzzawwfc

“Magic!”

Credit: @mrwolf91231350

“Pure class today…there’s only one @JoaoMoutinho”

Credit: @NotoriousD0s

“He’s magic you know”

Credit: @shellwwfcsankey

“A massively underrated finish. Unreal from him”

Credit: @TomDudley97

“The greatest. Give him a new deal!”

Credit: @bromWWFC

In other news, Wolves have been boosted in their efforts to sign one player in January. Find out why here.

Liverpool have made an ‘official proposal’ to sign Atletico Madrid attacker Matheus Cunha in January, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Cunha not a key man

The 22-year-old made the move to the La Liga champions last summer after joining from Hertha Berlin, but he has struggled to be a key man under Diego Simeone.

Cunha has been limited to just three starts in La Liga, coming on as a substitute on 14 occasions, while also failing to start a single Champions League match, racking up only 573 minutes across the two major competitions.

Thus, it makes sense that the Brazilian could look for a move elsewhere, and Liverpool have now emerged as possible suitors.

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The Latest: Liverpool make ‘official proposal’

According to AS [via Sport Witness], the Reds want to snap him up before the January transfer window closes on Monday night, despite Luis Diaz looking likely to join over the weekend (BBC).

Liverpool are believed to have shown a ‘strong interest’ in Cunha and Jurgen Klopp sees him as a ‘good reinforcement’ for his squad.

To this point, however, Atletico have refused the interest.

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The Verdict: January move feels unlikely

While Cunha is a talented player who could thrive at Anfield, possessing end product, work rate and strength – he enjoyed 23 goal involvements in 40 appearances for Hertha with 13 goals and ten assists – it would be a surprise to see him join in January.

Assuming Diaz makes the move to Liverpool, Klopp will already have five top-quality attacking options at his disposal, not to mention Takumi Minamino, Divock Origi and Kaide Gordon all on the fringes, too.

A summer move for Cunha would feel more likely, especially if one of Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino were to leave as they enter the final 18 months of their current deals.

While Cunha is apparently a player Klopp rates highly due to his ‘strength and quality’ (Sport Witness), this one feels like a move to keep on the back burner for now.

In other news, Liverpool are also hopeful of signing another player this month. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham rejected the chance to sign Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona after he was offered to the north London club, according to football.london’s Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Barca offloading Dembele

The Frenchman’s current contract expires at the end of the season, and his camp have rejected multiple renewal offers which would keep him at the La Liga club (via The Athletic). Barcelona’s director of football Mateu Alemany has thus declared that the player is ‘not committed to Barca’s future sporting project’ and insisted that the 24-year-old ‘must leave immediately’ as a result.

Many rumours surfaced in the wake of this news, with a variety of European clubs interested in the winger, including the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

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The Latest: Tottenham reject Dembele

In an article for football.london, Gold reported that whilst Barcelona offered Tottenham the chance to sign Dembele, the Lilywhites had no interest in bringing the France international to north London and duly rejected the Catalan club’s proposal.

Taking to Twitter, Gold shared a link to the corresponding article, stating: “It was a polite no from Spurs”.

The Verdict: Sensible choice

When Barcelona signed the promising youngster in 2017 for a sensational £97m, the Frenchman’s career looked set to explode.

However, despite once being dubbed a ‘phenomenon’ by former team-mate Lionel Messi, numerous injuries and apparent attitude problems have plagued his Barcelona career, and his Transfermarkt value has now dropped to £27m. Consequently, it seems that the La Liga outfit are keen to offload the player as soon as feasibly possible.

With that in mind, Spurs seem to have made the right decision to avoid signing the injury-prone Dembele, even though they could possibly have dictated the terms of a deal given Barcelona’s eagerness to offload him.

In other news: Spurs ‘price out’ European club to keep hold of this player

Alan Hutton has become the latest pundit to give his thoughts on Aston Villa’s recent move for Calum Chambers, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Chambers deal

The defender was Steven Gerrard’s fourth and final January arrival alongside Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne and Robin Olsen.

There were no rumours regarding the 27-year-old leaving Arsenal for Villa Park, with the defender penning a three-and-a-half-year deal in the Midlands.

It has since been reported that the Gunners failed to activate a clause in Chambers’ deal before the end of 2021 which would have kept him at the club for a further year, a mistake which ultimately placed his future in his own hands.

The Latest: Hutton’s comments

Former Villa defender Hutton, who features on BBC Radio 5 Live, was talking to Football Insider regarding the move for Chambers.

The ex-Scotland international described it as a ‘total shock’ and labelled Villa’s January business as ‘one of the best’ in the Premier League, saying:

“They have been one of the best in terms of their overall window.

“They have identified who they wanted and gone out and got the business done quietly. There hasn’t been a big noise about it.

“The Chambers one, I don’t think anyone saw that coming. It was a total shock.

“It was an area that Gerrard felt he needed some depth. He can play in various different positions.

“He can do a job at full-back, centre-half etcetera. He’s very versatile and a good age too.

“He will want to kick on and show he has what it takes to be a regular starter.”

The Verdict: Smart signing

Villa were in need of a defender who could play at both centre-back and right-back, so bringing in Chambers, who has plenty of experience in that regard, seems to be a smart move.

Axel Tuanzebe cut short his loan spell in the Midlands to join Napoli, while Matty Cash is the only senior right-back at the club.

Chambers will now be able to provide important cover in both positions, and who knows, he could make his debut against Leeds tomorrow after Ezri Konsa missed the friendly with Molde at the weekend.

In other news: Villa man once dubbed a ‘scapegoat’ may leave; Gerrard called it a ‘unique situation’

Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is likely to sign a new contract at Elland Road, according to The Daily Star’s chief sports reporter Jeremy Cross.

The Lowdown: Source drops worrying news

Phillips, who hasn’t featured since December, returned to training last week and is now in the final stages of his recovery from a hamstring injury.

The 26-year-old was the subject of a big-money bid from West Ham late in the January window, with the Whites rebuffing any interest in the holding midfielder along with wide man Raphinha.

A Leeds source then informed Football Insider that the club are expecting to receive major offers for Phillips in the summer which are likely to exceed the Hammers’ £50m offer last month.

The Latest: New deal imminent

Cross shared a story on The Daily Star on Tuesday afternoon in regards to Manchester United’s search for a new midfielder.

Phillips was a name mentioned, however, Cross revealed that Phillips has made it clear he doesn’t want to move to Old Trafford and is ‘poised’ to sign a new deal in Yorkshire.

The Verdict: Massive boost

Phillips has starred under Marcelo Bielsa over the last four years, with the Argentine transforming the player into a brilliant defensive midfielder. He has gone on to star on the international stage as well and was even named England’s Player of the Year for 2020/21.

His Transfermarkt valuation has also rocketed from £4.5m to £36m under Bielsa, so keeping hold of the club’s most valuable player can only be good news.

Hopefully, that will put off any interested parties for the time being, and you’d expect Leeds are willing to hand the midfielder a bumper pay rise on his current £25,000-a-week deal, especially when you consider Rodrigo is on four times that amount.

In other news: Lost the ball 65 times, 76% of duels lost, just 2 tackles: Leeds’ 3 worst players against Villa. 

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is keen on bringing West Ham midfielder Declan Rice to Anfield this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

The Lowdown: Rice superb for Hammers

The 23-year-old has matured into a formidable footballer in recent times, becoming one of the first names on the team sheet for both the Hammers and England.

Rice has been magnificent for West Ham this season, starting 28 Premier League games and even being hailed as ‘world-class’ by former head of academy recruitment David Hunt, while David Moyes has suggested he will cost any interested parties a whopping £150m.

Even still, the Englishman has of course been linked with a move away this summer, and it now appears Liverpool could be in the hunt.

The Latest: Liverpool keen on move

According to Football Insider, a Reds recruitment source has claimed that Rice is Klopp’s ‘number one target’ in the summer transfer window.

This is quite the twist from reports just last week which suggested the Anfield outfit will not be involved in the race for Rice.

Football Insider’s report does say that there is ‘little chance’ of a move coming to fruition, however, due to the likely astronomical transfer fee that West Ham would demand.

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The Verdict: Not the right fit

While Rice is a superb player, it is hard to imagine Liverpool signing him this summer, both in terms of his price tag and the fact that he isn’t necessarily needed.

In Fabinho, the Reds have one of the world’s best holding midfielders and it is difficult to see how Klopp would fit both players into his starting lineup, with the German generally only playing with one No.6.

It feels more likely that Rice will end up at one of Liverpool’s rivals – Chelsea or Manchester United, for example – with the Reds eyeing up more of an advanced No.8 instead.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has dropped a key Liverpool transfer update. Read more here.

Leeds United winger Ian Poveda was at Ewood Park on Saturday to watch Blackburn Rovers.

The Lowdown: Poveda’s absence

Poveda signed for Rovers over the summer on a season-long loan deal but has been out of action since November after requiring ankle surgery.

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The 22-year-old, who Noel Whelan labelled as ‘exciting’, made just eight appearances for Tony Mowbray’s side, scoring once and providing two assists.

Blackburn are still in with a chance of securing a playoff spot in the second tier, and Poveda was present to watch the club in action on Saturday afternoon.

The Latest: Social media post

Poveda shared a video on his Instagram story on Saturday afternoon in the stands at Ewood Park for Blackburn’s 1-1 draw with Blackpool.

He also posted a picture of himself at Thorp Arch on Friday, revealing he is ‘getting real close’ to a return.

The Verdict: Return imminent?

It remains to be seen if Poveda will return to Rovers before the end of the season, with both clubs in contact in recent weeks regarding the winger’s situation.

However, following his trip to watch Blackburn in action yesterday, it looks as if he may well be linking up with them for the final games of the season.

Leeds will want to ensure he is back to full fitness before sending him back to Ewood Park, though, so it could be one to keep an eye on over the next week or two.

In other news: Offer ready: Orta now ‘very likely to sign’ star whose agent knows Radz as Leeds claim emerges. 

Giorgos Giakoumakis is expected to miss Celtic’s Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Rangers through injury, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Celtic face huge game

The Hoops take on their biggest rivals at lunchtime, with the pair meeting at Hampden Park for a place in next month’s Scottish Cup final.

Ange Postecoglou’s side earned the bragging rights in a Scottish Premiership clash recently, winning 2-1 at Ibrox to move six points clear at the top of the table.

Victory today would keep Celtic’s treble chances alive, but Postecoglou will be well aware that Rangers will be eyeing up revenge.

The Latest: Giakoumakis to miss out

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that Giakoumakis would miss out with a hamstring injury, having picked it up in the 7-0 win at home to St Johnstone last weekend:

“Giakoumakis came off injured against St Johnstone at the weekend with a hamstring injury, which looks like it’s going to rule him out of the Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers, which is a big blow for Celtic because he’s been in good form.”

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The Verdict: Undoubted blow for Hoops

This is a clear blow for Celtic ahead of one of their biggest games of the season, with Giakoumakis a key figure for the Hoops throughout the campaign.

He played the whole 90 minutes in the aforementioned win at Ibrox and has scored nine goals in just 10 league starts in 2021/22, not to mention four in two Scottish Cup outings.

It means the likes of Jota and Liel Abada will be tasked with providing the firepower in Giakoumakis’s absence, as Celtic look to get one over Rangers once again.

In other news, a key on-air Celtic claim has emerged. Read more here.

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has reacted to a claim made by Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou regarding loan stars Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota. 

The lowdown: What’s been said…

The Hoops boss recently suggested that neither the 24-year-old defender on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, nor the 23-year-old attacker spending the season in Glasgow from Benfica, were concerned over their futures.

Both players are set to head back to their parent clubs at the end of the current campaign unless Celtic trigger the options to make their deals permanent.

Despite Postecoglou playing down the urgent need to address the situation, Hutton has suggested that the club need to act swiftly…

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The latest: Resolution required

Speaking to Football Insider, the 37-year-old claimed that both Jota and Carter-Vickers would be considering what happens next in private.

Hutton stated: “You have to say the right things when you’re talking to the press and that sort of thing.

“Carter-Vickers and Jota will be saying the same things: ‘I love being here. I’ve loved my time here. I’m just concentrating on the next game.’

“That’s all footballers are programmed to say, the same stuff in interviews. That’s how it goes, but they’ll want their futures tied up as soon as possible. Whether it be Celtic or whether it be somebody else, somewhere else.

“They’ve had amazing seasons. Carter-Vickers has come up and made such a big difference, as has Jota. There’ll be other suitors watching from afar, I would have thought.

“But they’ll want a future sorted as soon as possible. Whether that be towards the end of the season, we’ll find out. Any player wants that security of having a contract.”

The verdict: Get it done

Whilst all parties would appear to be relaxed about the situation, there is nothing quite like having that assurance of a done deal.

That’s especially the case in this instance, as interest in Carter-Vickers from the Premier League has recently surfaced.

At a reported £6m fee for both Jota and the eight-cap USA international, Celtic should be desperate to secure the duo as permanent Hoops players beyond this season, particularly in light of a financial windfall following potential automatic qualification for the Champions League group stage.

Therefore, Hutton is right to call for urgency on Celtic’s part to get this particular matter resolved.

In other news, financial expert discusses Celtic plan. Find out who it is here.

Manchester United have appointed Erik ten Hag as their new manager to join the club this summer, and with a new manager, there will likely be new signings with speculation already mounting on who the Dutch coach will bring in to start his revolution at the Premier League club.

The Red Devils have struggled this season and become the centre of a media frenzy with the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and reported dressing room leaks constantly hitting the headlines amongst poor form in all competitions on the pitch with the side entering their longest trophy drought in 40 years and looking unlikely to secure a top-four finish in the few remaining games.

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With that being said, Ten Hag has clearly been brought into the club to reinstate the identity and to improve the mentality amongst the players, something he can achieve by bringing in new players to begin a new era and a fresh start at Man United.

The midfield is one of the key areas that has been targeted for desperate improvement, and one player who has been linked to the club this week that would drastically improve the centre of the pitch is Frenkie de Jong.

The £164k-per-week ace who was hailed “amazing” and a “genius” by his manager Xavi, would be a huge upgrade in Man United’s midfield next season to replace Scott McTominay when you compare the pair on effectiveness for their respective teams.

For Barcelona, De Jong has scored two more goals and assists, completed over 300 more passes, has a better pass accuracy, completes more take-ons and has a higher ground duel success rate (64.2%) compared to Scott McTominay at United in the Premier League this season, per Squawka.

Manchester United will reportedly (via Sport) give ten Hag £210m to spend this summer, and the 24-year-old has become a prime target for the Ajax boss who will have full involvement in the transfer dealings at Old Trafford during his three-year contract.

Ultimately, the Dutch tactician will have a large workload when it comes to reviving the club from its current state, and along with identifying new signings will also need to make the right decisions when it comes to replacing and moving on players this summer to give Manchester United the best chance next season.

AND in other news: Man Utd plot bid for “special” 52-goal “wizard”, it’s an instant ten Hag masterclass