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Aston Villa could land one of the signings of the January transfer window by bringing in Bournemouth striker Josh King.

Johan Lange’s priority

With Ollie Watkins starting life at Villa Park like a house on fire – he’s bagged eight goals in 15 games this season – Dean Smith’s side have seen the kind of success a proven finisher can bring.

And having been linked with a move for him in the summer, Villa could add yet more firepower to their attack with a swoop for King. The Athletic’s Gregg Evans claims that the Norway international “is likely to be considered again”, and if Johan Lange can seal a move for him in the January transfer window, that could set Smith and his team up nicely for the rest of the season.

Imagine him and Ollie Watkins

Whilst King can play through the middle by himself, his ability to play just off the striker (like he did with Callum Wilson), or even out wide on the flanks, means he’s the kind of versatile option that Smith could really come to love.

Described as a “complete package” by former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, King could dovetail with Watkins and build up the kind of partnership and relationship that he did with Wilson at the Vitality Stadium in seasons gone by.

The £45k-a-week ace’s Premier League experience also makes him a perfect January signing as he can come in and hit the ground running at Villa Park, and it’s a move Lange should surely be putting all his eggs into.

Meanwhile, Villa must offload this outcast who’s robbing Sawiris and Edens blind.

Netherlands manager Frank de Boer has revealed when he expects Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk to return to action.

Van Dijk to return?

The 29-year-old was ruled out of action for a significant amount of time after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during his side’s 2-2 draw against Everton in October, following a high challenge from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

Van Dijk was named as the best defender in the world by AC Milan legend Franco Baresi, adding the Dutchman has provided “quality, character and strength” to the Anfield ranks since his £75m move from Southampton in 2018. (cited by Goal).

As a result, Liverpool have sorely missed his leadership at the back, having dropped a significant amount of points during the 2020/21 campaign, with six draws to their name from their first 16 games.

Speaking to De Telegraaf (via Sport Witness), De Boer believes that Van Dijk will be back in time for Holland’s Euro 2020 opener, which is June 13.

“He is busy with so much energy,” he said. “If you see what he’s doing…in my time you were only allowed to kick in the swimming pool [at this point in his recovery].

“If Virgil doesn’t get a kickback and things go a little faster than expected, he should be able to make it to the European Championship opening match on June 13 against Ukraine.

“He is very important for our team, on and off the field.”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

If this is the expected return date, then Liverpool will likely not have Van Dijk back in their team until the start of the 2021/22 campaign, which will be a huge blow to them.

That being said, the supporters and club have been fully aware of the extent of his injury, which could prompt manager Jurgen Klopp and sporting director Michael Edwards to bring in a fresh defensive face this month, with Lille centre-back Sven Botman heavily linked with an Anfield move.

Time will tell how the Reds will continue to cope without Van Dijk’s presence, but the mere fact that a date has been set will at least give supporters something to look forward to.

In other news, James Pearce may have shown his hand regarding Liverpool transfer news on Instagram.

After going away to Chelsea and securing a superb 1-1 draw, Aston Villa take on another one of the Premier League’s big boys when they travel to Manchester United on Friday night.

Dean Smith’s side can deliver a huge statement about their ambitions this season with a result at Old Trafford, and they are also set to be boosted by the returns of a couple of key players.

And with that in mind, below is a look at just how Villa might line up against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.

In front of Emiliano Martinez, Smith will have to make his first major call regarding team selection, with Tyrone Mings back from his one-match ban after picking up a red card against Crystal Palace.

The centre-back should come straight into the team at the expense of Kortney Hause, which is unfortunate given how both he and Ezri Konsa helped earn a point at Stamford Bridge last time out.

That should be the only change to the back-four, with Douglas Luiz and John McGinn continuing their partnership in the middle of the park.

Further forward, the £90k-a-week earning Ross Barkley looks set to return to action, and Smith may well be tempted to throw him straight back into the line-up too, just like Mings.

That would allow Jack Grealish to move over to the left, whilst the in-form Anwar El Ghazi, who struck again in the Premier League against Chelsea, could move over to the right.

Up front, Ollie Watkins will hope get back to his goal-scoring ways after failing to find the back of the net against Frank Lampard’s men.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Luiz, McGinn; El Ghazi, Barkley, Grealish; Watkins.

Aside from the man of the moment Louie Barry, Aston Villa also have another hugely exciting young striker on their books in Cameron Archer.

The 19-year-old has spent the campaign out on loan at National League side Solihull Moors, where he’s shown real promising signs, bagging five goals in 12 appearances, including in the FA Cup.

And after the club confirmed they had extended his spell until the end of the season, the Solihull boss, Jimmy Shan, said: “We are happy to extend the loan of Cameron Archer. Cam has grown and developed in his short time with the club, he gives us a different dimension in the final third and has contributed with goals and assists.”

A profile piece by The Birmingham Mail back in the summer of 2019 described him as “one of Villa’s most highly thought of youngsters alongside Jacob Ramsey”, and that he’s a “livewire forward with excellent footwork and the ability to find the back of the net”.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece said: “Genuine pace. That’s Cameron Archer in a nutshell. He’s short, stocky and jet-heeled. Blink and you’ll miss him.

“Cam, as he’s known, is a natural striker who plays off the shoulder of a defender but, in recent weeks, has been deployed on the right of a three-pronged forward line, such is his ability to beat his man one-on-one. Delaney and Smith could see his long-term future as an electrifying winger.”

And that ability to offer something completely different to what Smith currently has at his disposal, makes him a potentially intriguing rotation option for next season – the likes of Ollie Watkins, Keinan Davis and Barry have all got their own individual strengths, but none can match the sheer pace of Archer.

Davis has often been the man the Villa boss has turned to as a substitute this season, but in Archer, they’ve got someone whose rapid pace and more directness with the ball at his feet could make him a nightmare for tiring opposition defences in the Premier League.

With him spending the rest of the campaign out on loan, Archer should come back to Villa in the summer as a more refined player, looking to knock on the door and challenge for a spot in the squad.

Meanwhile, Villa are still interested in this 6 foot 3 powerhouse…

January is undoubtedly one of the biggest months of the year for speculation and 2021 is no different at Celtic.

The Hoops are in a spot of bother and having won just seven of their last 21 outings heading into their clash with Livingston on Wednesday, they were over 20 points behind Rangers.

Of course, they have games in hand, but it would take a major miracle for the Bhoys to beat their rivals to the SPFL crown.

Consequently, Neil Lennon’s job is under threat with supporters even gathering outside Parkhead in protest.

Eddie Howe has been touted with taking over from the Northern Irishman while former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov threw another of their ex-players into the hat this week, suggesting Roy Keane would be a good move.

The 49-year-old hot-headed pundit led Sunderland to Championship glory in 2006/07 in one of his 16 honours as a player and coach, but he has been out of management since 2011. Keane rejected the chance to return to Glasgow in 2014 and very rarely do second opportunities like that come about.

Though, if majority shareholder Dermot Desmond viewed him as a suitable replacement for Lennon should he be sacked then the Manchester United legend could help to create a fearsome duo.

That’s because the Glaswegians have been linked with making a move for Preston midfielder Ben Pearson, someone available on a free transfer next summer.

Preston boss Alex Neil has already given the green light for him to leave, and if both Keane and Pearson arrive at Celtic, it would be a full-blooded partnership.

In many senses, Pearson embodies the player that Keane was. The 26-year-old is one of the most aggressive around and in the last four and a half years alone, he has picked up 52 yellow cards.

Like the television pundit was during his playing days, the 5 ft 9 Pearson loves to throw in a tackle and nothing sums that up more than his poor disciplinary record. Keane, for instance, picked up an alarming 31 red cards in his career.

His cut-throat nature has continued since he retired and he’s known to be a particularly demanding individual as a coach. Described as “unbelievable” by Michael Chopra for the way he took him under his wing at Sunderland, a similar sort of relationship could be established between these two Celtic targets.

Keane has made a living from being bad-tempered and hostile in the challenge. Pearson is proving exactly the same in the English Championship.

Just imagine how destructive the midfielder could be under a manager who despite being so argumentative, harnessed that to win a plethora of titles in the process.

This could be a dream combination for the Bhoys.

AND in other news, Hammond could deal fatal blow to stalwart’s Celtic career by signing £8.5k-p/w warrior…

All things considered, it’s been rather a promising start to the year for Crystal Palace.

After drawing one and dropping two of their past five, Palace recorded back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since September after they came from behind to beat Newcastle at St James’ Park.

However, it wasn’t all rosy for Roy Hodgson’s side, as Wilfried Zaha limped off the pitch in the 58th minute with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

But, despite the latest setback, all is not lost. After all, new recruit Jean-Philippe Mateta is still eagerly awaiting his Premier League debut for the Eagles, having joined from Bundesliga side Mainz during the January transfer window on an initial 18-month loan deal with the option to buy that could be made permanent if he meets certain criteria.

With the Ivory Coast winger still waiting for the results of a scan at Selhurst Park, this could be the prime time for Hodgson to test his mettle against Leeds United when they take the trip to Elland Road on Monday night.

There’s no doubting the abilities of Christian Benteke. But, rather than handing a start to a player who at one stage seemed destined for the SE25 exit, Hodgson must look at unleashing the talents of the loan signing, who has been left as an unused substitute on the bench in his past two appearances in a row.

Mateta has proven to be devastating in the final third, particularly for Mainz, as he has scored 10 goals in 17 games in all competitions this season, including seven in the Bundesliga and bagging a hat-trick in a win at Freiburg back in November.

For whatever reason, he hasn’t been given a chance in the Premier League, or any competition for that matter, but we reckon that should change as Palace approach the crunch stage of the competition. After all, he has a penchant for finding the back of the net, which is more than can be said for the likes of Jordan Ayew and Michy Batshuayi – both of whom have combined for a measly two goals in 36 games this campaign. Say no more.

When talking about Mateta, Hodgson said: “We’re very pleased to have him here, we’ve chased him for a period of time and luckily the club have been able to strike a deal with Mainz and we have him now for the next 18 months on loan at least, which is fantastic.”

If Zaha is ruled out due to injury, then playing Ayew on the right and Batshuayi on the left with Mateta as the target man at the top of the pitch could prove to be a tempting option for Hodgson. The Frenchman is evidently still at the fledgling stage of his career but possesses bags of raw, untapped potential and with ten goals and one assist, is improving all the time.

Leeds have looked nothing short of shaky at the back since the start of this season, having conceded 38 goals in 21 games, and the 23-year-old centre-forward should be called upon to lead the line in Zaha’s absence.

Given the struggles of Benteke, Ayew and Batshuayi, the £13.5m-rated Mateta’s inclusion in the starting eleven could prove to be Hodgson’s saviour against the Whites.

AND in other news, Vicente Guaita’s new contract could be bad news for Jack Butland…

Manchester United could sign their next Ruud van Nistelrooy in Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Braut Haaland.

What’s the word?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that he is keeping tabs on fellow Norwegian striker Haaland, who has been in prolific form for the Bundesliga giants, providing 22 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The 20-year-old, who is currently valued at €150m (£131m) via CIES Football Observatory, has been heavily linked to Old Trafford amid interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City and the pair previously worked together during his time at Molde.

Shades of Ruud van Nistelrooy

Haaland has been in scintillating form for Dortmund this season, scoring 14 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances, including an eye-catching brace against RB Leipzig.

He netted twice in both games against bitter rivals Borussia Monchengladbach but despite his best efforts, last season’s runners-up have struggled to replicate the form that saw them mount a second successive title challenge last term, with interim manager Edin Terzic’s side lying sixth in the table at the time of writing.

However, his heroics are reminiscent of the kind of performances United fans became accustomed to when Ruud van Nistelrooy was in his heyday at Old Trafford.

Van Nistelrooy nearly always put on a show for the Red Devils. In 219 appearances for the club, the former Netherlands international scored 150 goals and provided a further 21 assists in all competitions – he famously scored twice in United’s 3-0 win over Millwall in the FA Cup.

And in Haaland, United could find their next Van Nistelrooy. Not only does the Norwegian deliver when it counts, but he also shares some similar characteristics with the club legend.

Previously described as “unstoppable” by his former boss Lucien Favre, Haaland is also a goal machine, as he has proven to be both a potent finisher and dangerous counter-attacking threat.

The centre-forward is also adept at holding on to the ball, in a similar way to Van Nistelrooy, and he is averaging a staggering 4.8 shots per 90 in the Champions League this season. A return of six goals in the European competition ranks him joint-top of the charts together with the likes of Neymar and Marcus Rashford.

If Solskjaer is legitimately interested in adding to his attacking options in the summer, Haaland simply has to be his first port of call.

AND in other news, Sevilla star Jules Kounde is perfect for Manchester United…

Glasgow Rangers are far from happy after the Scottish FA confirmed that Andrew Phillips will take over as the organisation’s new compliance officer.

As the Gers sit top of the Premiership by 15 points (BBC), it is fair to say it has been a fantastic campaign for the Gers so far. However, that does not mean they have not had their problems with the SFA this term – both Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe has received bans for challenges made during games, while Jordan Jones and George Edmundson picked up seven-game suspensions for breaking coronavirus regulations towards the end of 2021.

Now, the authority have confirmed Phillips will take over the role previously held by Claire Whyte (scottishfa.co.uk). While little is known about Phillips, it appears he has little background in football – his appointment has therefore gone down like a lead balloon.

The fans took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the appointment of Phillips below

“The @ScottishFA are an absolute joke!!! I doubt this guy has had any football experience apart from being a fan of a club!!! You have basically appointed a fan to this position who does not know the game!!!”

Credit: @james248602

“Ridiculous appointment. Should have been an ex referee”

Credit: @andythephotoDr

“They’d do well to get rid of the role altogether, what an absolute shambles, but we expect nothing else”

Credit: @DelSmithRFC

“Consider me confused. Should this role not go to someone with a background in football? I mean there’s millions of people in Scotland with a passion for football too.”

Credit: @bferguson4

“Bizarre CV for a footballing role.”

Credit: @RoyalBlue1872

“What part of Parkhead is his Season Ticket for?”

Credit: @Broxburngers

In other news, Rangers fans react to these Steven Gerrard comments.

David Moyes can land an important part of his West Ham United squad with a summer swoop to sign Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Star, Abraham features on a three-man shortlist of homegrown talents who Moyes is considering bringing to the London Stadium at the end of the season.

The Irons boss is keen to land the services of a young and hungry option to fill the void created by Sebastien Haller’s £20m January transfer to AFC Ajax, as he chases competition for Michail Antonio.

Moyes also has his eyes on Brentford sensation Ivan Toney, who has more goals (25) in the Championship this season than any other player, as well as Arsenal outcast Eddie Nketiah.

Abraham is presently Chelsea’s top-scorer across all competitions with 12 goals in 30 games, including finding the back of the net six times in 20 Premier League appearances this term.

But the £36m-rated talent was omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s last squad as the Blues drew 0-0 with Manchester United on Sunday due to tactical reasons, and he is yet to hold discussions with the Stamford Bridge natives over a new contract.

The 23-year-old is waiting to see if Chelsea formalise their interest in Borussia Dortmund start Erling Braut Haaland, while the south west London outfit are yet to make clear their intentions over Abraham’s long-term future, with his £58,000-per-week deal running to 2023.

Aston Villa are also among what is expected to be a long list of admirers should Abraham hit the transfer market this summer, with the striker having scored 26 goals in 40 games with the Birmingham-based outfit during a season-long loan spell in 2018/19.

Should West Ham sign Abraham?

West Ham will certainly need to sign a striker in the summer transfer window after they opted to keep the £20m made from Haller’s departure, and they could do far worse than using those funds to invest in a move to take Abraham from Chelsea.

Owen Hargreaves had no doubt that Abraham would fall from the Blues first-string earlier in the season while Frank Lampard was still at the helm, and his comments still ring true today.

Yet the ex-Manchester United midfielder’s opinion shared following Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Newcastle in November, in which the six-cap England international scored, offer Moyes reason to pursue a deal for Abraham if a deal is there to be had.

“I think he’s making himself a really good squad player,” Hargreaves said, via quotes by the Metro. “I think he got 15 [goals] last season, I don’t think he gets enough credit for his overall game.

“I love the fact of his size, technically I think he’s better than people give him credit for. Tammy is going to be really important as a squad player.”

Abraham ended last season as Chelsea’s top-scorer across all competitions with 18 goals in 47 games, including hitting home 15 in 34 Premier League games – the only one of Lampard’s players to score double-digits in the top-flight.

And when the goals are not there to be had at first, Abraham still puts in a performance of merit to earn West Ham product and ex-Blues midfielder Joe Cole’s praise.

“Tammy has given Frank something to think about. He kept at it and his movement was good. He didn’t do it in the first half, but his goal was not easy to take,” Cole said, via quotes by Goal, following a 3-0 Champions League win over Stade Rennais in November.

Moyes would surely love to have the headache of deciding between an in-form Abraham and Antonio at the London Stadium, and as such, he should push to land the England international.

AND in other news, West Ham have been slapped with a £20m asking price to sign an “outstanding” talent this summer…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee has backed Steve Bruce to keep Newcastle United in the Premier League, believing that staying up would have been the target when he took the job.

Bruce has been under immense pressure and criticism since taking the job in 2019 and has to work under an owner who clearly does not want to be at the club anymore.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/rob-lee-exclusive-newcastle-united-premier-league-steve-bruce” title=”Exclusive! Rob Lee’s thoughts on Newcastle”]

Newcastle have been deprived of attractive football and money being put into the club on a consistent base for years now and Lee blames the regression of the Magpies on Mike Ashley rather than Steve Bruce.

Lee told Football Fancast that he wants fans to remember Ashley has forced Newcastle to progressively get worse under his tenure.

He said: “Listen, it’s not a regression in 12 months. I’m not having this blaming Steve Bruce for the last 12 months.

“I think it’s been regressing for a long, long time. We all know the reason why, we all know the reason is the owner.

“He puts enough money in to keep it in the Premier League and I’m sure when Steve Bruce went in his remit would have been to stay in the Premier League.

“I think he’ll do that. I genuinely think he’ll do that.”

With an owner who is seemingly happy for Newcastle to finish 17th every season and a manager who has a record of keeping teams in the league, there may be room for optimism about the Magpies staying up.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/rob-lee-exclusive-newcastle-united-premier-league-steve-bruce “title=”Rob Lee exclusives!”]

Bruce will not be every Newcastle fans’ cup of tea but if he keeps them in the Premier League, it will seem like a job well done to the hierarchy.