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Last night saw Manchester City somehow scrape past Schalke in their round of 16 first leg clash in Germany. The Citizens were saved at the death by goals from Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, but when they were 2-1 down to a Nabil Bentaleb double and saw Nicolas Otamendi sent off for a second yellow card things were looking bleak.

At the time of Nicolas Otamendi’s dismissal, a lot of the fans were starting to turn on Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard very rarely gets it wrong when he’s setting up his side, although the fans were more than happy to stick the knife in when they saw that Otamendi had been shown a red card, as they’d never have started the 31-year-old Argentine from the get-go in such a big game.

Otamendi has appeared in the Champions League four times this season and was even given the captain’s armband by Guardiola in the club’s final group stage game, a 2-1 home win against Hoffenheim. However, this season has seen Otamendi drop down the pecking order at the club, with John Stones and Aymeric Laporte the two first-choice options for Guardiola, so to see him mix things up and use his unreliable Argentine was a shock to the fans.

You can read the Citizens’ thoughts on Otamendi’s dismissal here:

The Citizens were far from happy with Guardiola as his side limped over the line yesterday and will be keen for swift improvements when they meet Schalke at The Etihad.

Aston Villa have seen many players move in and out of the club over recent years on loan and permanent deals, highlighting how active the Midlands club have been in the transfer market.

With the next summer window in mind, it seems as though the Villans could have the chance to get rid of one of their current outcasts and replace him with a new fresh-faced talent.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from 90min, Villa are one of the clubs interested in signing Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.

The report claims that fellow Premier League sides Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle United have been in contact with Nunez’s representatives to check on the sort of deal it will take to land him.

The striker apparently has a release clause of more than £100m, but a deal worth around £65m is set to be enough to land his signature.

Time to axe Wesley

With Wesley spending the season on loan at Club Brugge and then Internacional in his homeland, it seems unlikely that he will have a future at Villa Park under Steven Gerrard.

With just one goal scored in 14 appearances in this campaign across three different clubs, it would be hard to see the £46k-per-week striker being able to make a name for himself back at the Midlands club.

This, therefore, could present the Villans with a chance to strengthen their attacking force by signing Nunez, who has racked up 40 goals and 14 appearances with Benfica, showing just what a capable striker he is at just 22.

To further highlight the youngster’s offensive prowess, he has managed to register more shots on target (35) than any other player in the top-flight of Portuguese football this season.

Labelled as a “predator in front of goal” who “holds the ball up well,” as well as being “tenacious” on the pitch with a “superb” work ethic by journalist James Dodd, Nunez could be an ideal replacement for Villa’s Brazilian outcast and really give some competition to the likes of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings.

In other news: AVFC can land Gerrard’s own Grealish in “super-talented” gem who won’t cost a penny 

Having gone unbeaten in their five previous Premier League games, Wolves are currently eighth in the Premier League table with 34 points on the board, just four behind Manchester United in fourth place.

In addition to their good run of form and positive league position, it seems as though the Old Gold could be set to welcome one of their rarely-seen players back to action in the coming weeks to help Bruno Lage’s side make a push for European football.

What’s the news?

Wolves centre-back Yerson Mosquera has been recovering from a serious hamstring injury which he picked up back in September and has kept him out of action for a large period of the season,

Lage has been discussing the matter and have a hint as to when the Colombian could make a return, saying: “Maybe another month, I don’t know exactly, but he’s working hard in the gym. He feels better and doesn’t have any pain, he can do a lot of things in the gym.

“I have seen him outside running. It was a hard injury and he needs time to recover.”

Wolves signed the 20-year-old last summer from Atletico Nacional but he has only played nine minutes for the Old Gold in their Carabao Cup defeat against Tottenham early in the season, when he was unfortunately struck with his hamstring injury.

Fans will be thrilled

While the defender has yet to enjoy the chance to prove himself to the Molineux faithful, they will undoubtedly be happy to hear that he has been making steps towards a full recovery and could be back with the rest of his team-mates in the next few weeks.

With Lage also revealing his need for another centre-back in his squad earlier in the month but then saying that it will be unlikely for the club to sign one before deadline day, Mosquera’s return to full fitness could be just what the Wolves boss needs to make sure he ends his first season in charge at Molineux on a high note.

If the Colombian can make a full recovery as soon as possible, get into the Wolves team and show what he can do on the pitch, that would be the perfect way for the defender to put his nightmare start to life in England behind him. It is a huge boost for him and for his manager to hear Lage putting a not-too-distant timeframe on a possible return date for the 20-year-old.

In other news – Forget Traore: Lage can fix big Wolves issue with swoop for “fabulous” £4.5m-rated gem

Many Wolves fans were critical of Leander Dendoncker during their clash with Southampton on Saturday afternoon. 

Wolves, who started the day ninth in the Premier League, were looking to make it three straight wins in all competitions. They followed up their first Old Trafford victory since 1980 with a 3-0 FA Cup win over Championship Sheffield United.

Southampton were also carrying momentum into the game however, having thrashed Brentford 4-1 in midweek. Ralph Hassenhuttl’s Saints had lost only one of their last seven PL matches.

Bruno Lage made three changes from the side that won at United, with Romain Saiss (AFCON), Ruben Neves (Covid-19) and Marcal dropping out. In came 22-year-old Toti Gomes for his debut, Dendoncker and Rayan Ait-Nouri.

Dendoncker’s struggle vs Saints

The Belgian’s SofaScore rating of 6.3/10 was the lowest in the Wolves side.

He won just one of his ten duels, a success rate of 10%, and was dribbled past four times in total (the most of any player on the field).

Dendoncker tried his luck from the distance in the first half, but The Athletic’s Tim Spiers remarked that it nearly hit the top tier of the stand behind the goal.

And another journalist, Joe Prince-Wright, said he was fortunate to avoid giving away a penalty after a challenge on Oriol Romeu around an hour into the game.

Many WWFC fans slam Dendoncker

“Dendoncker has been atrocious again. Complete ghost in the middle. Moutinho having to do it all himself.”

Credit: @parker_bradley

“That was a rough attempt by Dendoncker”

Credit: @OldGoldAmerica

“Neves and Moutinho work but Dendoncker can’t control the game”

Credit: @WolvesNumber37

“Yeah, let’s never tell Dendoncker to shoot again lol”

Credit: @kcb92

“As much as I was fan of Dendoncker in previous seasons, he’s not the same player anymore. I think it’s time to sell him this window and user the funds towards a decent centre midfielder, as Moutinho’s legs won’t last forever! Get your finger out”

Credit: @spena2k10

“Get him off the pitch he’s been useless again.”

Credit: @Jim96925627

In other news, fans weren’t happy with this transfer news.

Many Liverpool fans have erupted at the news that midfielder Thiago Alcantara could be back for their next match. 

According to The Liverpool Echo, the 30-year-old should return to full team training ahead of the FA Cup fourth round clash with Cardiff City at Anfield next Sunday. He may well be in contention to start at the weekend, or at least make an appearance from the bench.

Elsewhere, Divock Origi should return to the fold before the end of February as he recovers from a knee problem, while Harvey Elliott is building up his ‘general fitness’ at the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby after missing more than four months with a serious ankle injury.

Why is this a big deal?

Thiago hasn’t played a Premier League match since the 3-1 victory over Newcastle United nine days before Christmas.

Significantly, Liverpool have won all eight top-flight games that the Spaniard has started this season, so his comeback is a welcome boost as the Reds try to reel in Manchester City at the top of the table.

Fan feed Anfield Watch relayed The Liverpool Echo’s report, and here’s what some supporters had to say about the Spain midfielder’s impending return to action. For some Kopites, it adds to the positive vibes around Anfield after the signing of Luis Diaz in recent days.

These Liverpool fans buzzing over Thiago news

“Omg what a dayyyyy”

Credit: @97HassanM

“Honestly what a week”

Credit: @LFCVik2

“This day gets better and better”

Credit: @moe_y11

“GOAAATTTT”

Credit: @amaadcx

“Things I love to see”

Credit: @mmawuli27

“Wow, welcome Thiago”

Credit: @frankymavhura

In other news, there’s a big update on Neco Williams from The Athletic

Leeds United want Raphinha to sign a new contract, amid rumours of a January move to Bayern Munich, Phil Hay reports.

The Lowdown: Bayern links

Raphinha, described as an ‘unbelievable player’ by Illan Meslier, has been the club’s top performer this season. The winger has scored eight of Leeds’ 18 goals this season and has missed just two Premier League fixtures.

As a result of his impressive form, Bayern Munich have been linked with a January move for the 24-year-old, who is under contract at Elland Road until 2024.

Brazilian outlet TNT Sports even went as far as to say Raphinha would join Bayern in a deal worth €50m, however, The Yorkshire Evening Post rebuffed claims by stating the German giants are yet to express an interest.

The Latest: Hay’s claim

Hay posted a link to a story on Twitter on Wednesday lunchtime, claiming ‘Leeds United want Raphinha’s next move to be the agreement of a new contract at Elland Road’.

Within his story, Hay claimed that the Brazilian likes Leeds and what his move to Yorkshire has done for him. Raphinha doesn’t feel as if the club are holding him back, with discussions underway over an improved deal.

The Verdict: New contract needed

Hay revealed that Raphinha’s current salary is a ‘fairly modest’ one by Premier League standards and behind Leeds’ biggest earners.

So, even if the Whites extend Raphinha’s contract by a further 12 months to 2025, a pay rise to make him one of the club’s biggest earners could be a wise move.

That would reflect his displays on the pitch and should keep him content in Yorkshire for the time being. A new deal would also allow Leeds to insert a release clause, meaning all parties involved could come out of discussions happy.

In other news: BBC man reacts as Leeds and Bielsa may now get ‘massive’ injury boost ‘for the Burnley game’. 

Leeds United’s latest Premier League outing saw them scrape a 2-2 draw at Elland Road against Brentford thanks to a last-gasp goal from striker Patrick Bamford from the substitutes bench.

Despite managing to rescue a point from the game right at the death, Leeds were unfortunately struck with two concerning injury worries that forced a couple of their key players off the pitch.

What’s the news?

With defender Liam Cooper and midfielder Kalvin Phillips both picking up injuries in the match against Thomas Frank’s side, Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa said after the game that he doesn’t know “what type of injuries they have nor how long they’re going to take to recover.”

Given the lack of clarity at the moment it would presumably be rather concerning for the Leeds fans at the moment regarding the injured duo, however, with details likely to follow at some point this week, it’s safe to say that many supporters will have their fingers crossed that their fitness issues aren’t severe.

Taking into account how Leeds have only just welcomed back Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford back to action after being out for a significant period with injuries, Bielsa will surely be fuming if he has to deal with the prospect of having Phillips and Cooper now out on the sidelines too,

With Phillips and Cooper being two of the four outfield Leeds players that have racked up more than 1000 minutes of Premier League action so far this season alongside Raphinha and Stuart Dallas, this shows not only how important they are to the team but how much of a blow it would be to have them out injured.

After all, Cooper is the club captain and his midfield colleague is now a successful England international.

Additionally, with Leeds having conceded 22 goals in 15 league games so far this season and the fact that after the Chelsea match at the weekend, they have Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool to deal with before January, it’s safe to say that they could really do with having the spine of their team available for these games to give the Yorkshire club the best chance of picking up some points to stay away from the relegation zone.

In other news: Forget Bamford: Leeds “magician” with 5 key passes was Bielsa’s true hero v Brentford – opinion

Glasgow Rangers are back in action tomorrow with another Old Firm clash on the cards for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Ibrox outfit.

This time, the Glasgow rivals will be battling it out for a place in the Scottish Cup final.

The Gers head into the showdown riding a wave of confidence after securing their place in the semi-finals of the Europa League thanks to a 3-1 midweek win against Braga in front of a rocking Ibrox.

In addition to this, it seems as though the Dutchman’s side have been handed a huge injury boost that will surely be a massive weight off the shoulders of everyone involved with the Light Blues.

What’s the news?

Speaking after the win on Thursday (via The Herald), Gers left-back Borna Barisic revealed that it was cramp that led to him leaving the pitch just before the end of regular time, rather than any serious injury.

Assuming that this cramp is no longer an issue for the player, having him available to feature against Celtic will be great news for Van Bronckhorst.

With 19 league appearances to his name in this campaign, the 29-year-old has managed to deliver three assists for his side.

Also, only James Tavernier (3.2) and Alfredo Morelos (2) have racked up a higher average of key passes per game than the Croatian – who makes 1.9 per 90.

From a defensive point of view, the full-back has also made 27 tackles in the league this season, leaving only Tavernier (41) and Joe Aribo (32) with more.

These metrics highlight how important Barisic is for his side in both an attacking and defensive regard, as well as how much of a nuisance he could be for Celtic to play against tomorrow.

In terms of his overall performances, the left-back is currently listed as the joint-fourth highest rated player at the Ibrox club with a WhoScored rating of 7.24.

With the Hoops having scored more and conceded fewer goals than any other side in the SPFL, having Barisic on the pitch will certainly give Rangers’ chances of beating their rivals a huge boost – a result that would delight everyone involved with the Light Blues.

AND in other news: £10.1m in the bank: Rangers hit the jackpot on “brutally ruthless” £31.5k-p/w machine

Leeds United are struggling to complete a move for RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson in January, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Strong Aaronson interest

The Whites suffered a demoralising 1-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United on Saturday, with Jonjo Shelvey’s goal the difference between the two teams at Elland Road.

With Kalvin Phillips and Adam Forshaw out injured, the need for a midfielder to come in this month is clear, and Leeds have made a number of bids for Aaronson.

The 21-year-old has shone for Salzburg this season, starting 14 Austrian Bundesliga games and all six of their Champions League group stage matches.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Latest: Journalist doubts Leeds’ chances of signing Aaronson

However, a fresh update has emerged regarding Leeds’ pursuit of Aaronson, with Jones telling GiveMeSport that the deal may not happen in January.

He outlined: “Leeds are definitely struggling with this Brenden Aaronson deal as I understand it for this window. They don’t have fortunes to throw around at the moment.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-32/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Big blow for Leeds

Should the Whites fail to get a deal for the American over the line, it would be a big blow, especially as a move for him has felt genuinely close in recent days.

Aaronson ticks so many boxes in terms of what Leeds are looking for, whether it be his long-term potential or his current quality, having averaged two tackles and 1.8 dribbles per game in the Champions League this season.

It is imperative that a midfielder of some kind comes in this month, or else Marcelo Bielsa’s side could find themselves incredibly light in this position and potentially getting dragged back into a relegation scrap.

In other news, Newcastle have reportedly enterted the race to sign a Leeds transfer target. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur have been told that it would be ‘massive’ to tie down skipper Hugo Lloris to a new contract. 

Former Leeds United forward Noel Whelan was discussing the goalkeeper’s future with Football Insider.

The lowdown

Lloris’ Tottenham contract is due to expire at the end of the current season, but the publication have reported that talks are now underway over an extension.

The 34-year-old wants to pen a new multi-year agreement, and Spurs are keen to keep him. The Frenchman’s present deal sees him take home £100,000 per week, making him one of the six highest earners at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

His contract may be the club’s immediate priority, with every other senior star committed until at least 2023 aside from initial loan signings Cristian Romero and Pierluigi Gollini.

The latest

Whelan confessed himself surprised at the news from a Spurs source that talks were underway, having been under the impression that Spurs were looking for a replacement. However, he feels that it’s the right move, given that Lloris is still ‘one of the best goalkeepers in the world’ in his view.

The BBC pundit told Football Insider: “I think it’d be a huge plus, it really would be. For the past year and a half, we’ve been thinking that he’s going to go on a free, is he going to go to another club? Are they looking for successors to take his place?

“Wherever you mention Hugo Lloris’ name, he stands out as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. To tie him down would be a massive signing. Good goalkeepers like that are very hard to come by, they really are.”

Whelan also feels that agreeing a new deal with Lloris would send a message to the club’s other star players. He said: “The fact that he loves the club, has been there such a long time. It would just be a sign to the other players that they’ll do anything to keep the best players at the club.

“There’s no doubt about it. He’s a leader, he’s been the captain for Tottenham Hotspur as well. That to me is crucial.

“If they can manage to do that, that would show massive progress and an indication that they mean business.”

The verdict

Whelan may have seen a report from The Telegraph last month suggesting that Spurs were lining up an heir to Lloris in the form of Everton’s Jordan Pickford.

Could that be considered a downgrade? The Frenchman is comfortably out-performing his English peer in the shot-stopping metrics this season, having ‘prevented’ 0.8 expected goals while Pickford has conceded three more than he ‘should’ have (via FBRef).

What’s more, the Toffees netminder has an averaged one error leading to an opposition goal every 12.6 games in his Premier League career, compared to every 16.5 games for Lloris.

Perhaps Spurs have recognised that, as long as Lloris continues to deliver, it’s wise to stick by him. It’s little wonder that Whelan has talked him up so enthusiastically.

In other news, Kevin Campbell was thrilled by this transfer claim involving Conte