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Having not managed to sign a central midfielder in the January transfer window as per Brendan Rodgers’ apparent wish, Leicester City could potentially try again in the summer.

It already appears that the groundwork has been made on a potential deal, with Tuttomercatoweb suggesting that the Foxes hold a “serious” interest in AC Milan’s Tommaso Pobega, who is currently in the midst of a very productive campaign on-loan at Spezia.

So far this term, the Italy under-21 midfielder has played 16 times in all competitions for his adoptive employers, scoring three goals and providing two assists, managing to find the net against the likes of Napoli and Juventus throughout the campaign.

Interestingly, at the age of just 21, Pobega is getting close to the numbers accumulated by current Leicester midfielder Dennis Praet, who is five years his senior.

According to WhoScored, the current Spezia man completes marginally more passes per game than the Belgian with 21.8 compared to 20.4, whilst he also attempts slightly more shots per game with 0.8 versus 0.6 for the Foxes ace.

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Whilst Pobega is narrowly beaten on key passes, he loses possession far less frequently than Praet, being dispossessed on just 0.2 occasions per match in Serie A compared to the Belgian’s 0.6.

Although it could be argued that there is not actually that much difference between the two players, hence Pobega would not actually be adding much to the current Leicester squad, his young age should lend him towards considerable improvement in the future.

In fact, that is a sentiment which is echoed by Spezia’s director Mauro Peluso, who has suggested that Pobega already has an “international profile”.

Rated at just £4.5m by Transfermarkt, his arrival would also be relatively affordable for Leicester; and considering that they would be receiving a player of such promise and potential, they must make a move to try and land his signature.

AND in more news, find out why Danny Ward’s new Leicester contract could be a huge clue for the future…

In an exclusive interview with Transfer Tavern, Steve Bull, who made 561 appearances for Wolves, has claimed that super-agent Jorge Mendes will already be working on summer signings for Wolves but doesn’t want other clubs to be jealous.

Since Mendes became more involved at Wolves, they have seen an influx of top-class Portuguese talents such as Ruben Neves, Rui Patricio, Joao Moutinho and Diogo Jota all join the club, with the latter now at Liverpool.

In recent weeks there have even been rumours of Mendes attempting to orchestrate a deal for Cristiano Ronaldo to make the move to Molineux this summer, with Juventus knocked out of the Champions League and out of the Serie A title race.

Speaking on Mendes already working on a number of deals and why other clubs should not be jealous of Wolves, Bull told The Transfer Tavern:

“There’s no need for other clubs to be jealous and we’ve said this before, but why be jealous? If the club’s got money then spend it wisely which is what he is doing.

“I think Mendes will have a few more players in the pipeline for Wolves over the next few years, don’t worry about that.”

It was reported last week that Wolves spent the eighth-most on agent fees over the last 12 months as they continue to prize top foreign talent to Molineux.

Wolves have experienced an indifferent season this year as they languish in the unfamiliar territory of the bottom half of the Premier League with leading striker Raul Jimenez being out injured since last year.

Over the next few weeks, we could see a number of announcements made at Celtic. The Hoops are on the verge of announcing a new Director of Football while they’re also in the hunt for a new manager.

However, the biggest announcement of the last week was that Scott Brown would be leaving Celtic.

The Bhoys skipper is out of contract at the end of the season and won’t renew his contract at Paradise. Instead, the 35-year-old is off to Aberdeen to become a player-coach.

Brown will be a huge miss in the dressing room. After all, he has led the Hoops to unparalleled domestic success, winning ten league titles and 12 cups.

With his departure, Celtic will need to find a replacement, someone capable of living up to Brown’s legacy in Glasgow.

They’ve already agreed a pre-contract with Sheffield Wednesday’s Liam Shaw but they could look elsewhere in the transfer market.

One such player is Motherwell’s Allan Campbell. Speaking recently, Celtic pundit Colin Watt said: “Someone I’d love to see us pick up – and I believe he’s actually available right now to sign a pre-contract – is Allan Campbell at Motherwell. I think the guy’s got a really big future ahead of him,” he began.

Watt then admitted that he plays in a similar way to Brown, suggesting he could be the Celtic icon’s successor.

“He’s obviously played alongside [David] Turnbull before. And I think he could be the next Scott Brown in that position. He plays a sort of box-to-box the way that Brown did in his younger years,” he commented.

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Campbell is a player who plays with his heart on his sleeve and the statistics tell you that he could bring a great deal to the Hoops midfield.

In 2020/21, the Motherwell midfielder has won two tackles per game. For context, that tally is higher than anyone else in the Celtic squad this term.

A brute in the tackle, he also has plenty of leadership qualities, something that stands out when looking for Brown’s heir.

Speaking about the 23-year-old last month, Motherwell boss Graham Alexander waxed lyrical.

“He’s everything that a professional footballer should be,” he started. “His dedication to the game, to his team, what he puts in, he gets out, and he should be a shining example for every pro that sees him work, really,” Alexander added.

A player with plenty of hustle and bustle, it’s clear to see why he’d be the perfect Brown replacement.

He already has a history of upsetting Celtic players too. During the 2018 Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park, Campbell and Callum McGregor clashed, shoving each other as a little tiff emerged.

Evidently, the midfielder isn’t afraid to get stuck in. Campbell is like Brown in more ways than one.

AND in other news, How Celtic’s starting XI could look under Roy Keane; 7 potential new signings feature…

Former England striker Kevin Phillips has described Luke Ayling as ‘outstanding’ as he continues to excel for Leeds United.

The 29-year-old has been a superb servant for the Whites since arriving from Bristol City back in 2016, bringing quality and energy from right-back.

Ayling was a key man as Leeds made their way back into the Premier League, with four goals and 37 appearances in last year’s Championship triumph, but if there were doubts about him making the step up to the top flight, he has proved the naysayers wrong.

The Englishman has again been a model of consistency, starting all 29 of his team’s top-flight matches and rarely letting the side down at any point.

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Phillips heaps praise on Ayling

That’s certainly the opinion of Phillips, who gave his thoughts on Ayling to Football Insider, heaping praise on the defender in the process and comparing him to a current Premier League ace who was once a fledgling talent at Liverpool:

“I wouldn’t say I’ve been surprised. Some players can come into the Premier League and get six or six and a half out of ten, he’s been a seven and a half or an eight in every game

“He’s a bit like Conor Coady in the way he’s adapted to the Premier League, he looks solid.

“Luke is fortunate that he plays in a team that allows him to express himself though he has the ability to do that in any team.

“That’s a credit to him as a player and his development. It looks like he’s taken on board everything his manager tells him but ultimately the player has to go and do that, he’s been outstanding for them.”

Transfer Tavern take

Ayling deserves all the plaudits he receives, considering the job he does for Leeds, offering constant energy down the right flank and also defending doggedly. Just two Whites players have won more headers per game than the 29-year-old, while only Liam Cooper exceeds his match average of 2.7 tackles. Also, his dribbling per game average of 1.2 is second only to Raphinha. [WhoScored]

He is unfortunate that there are a plethora of top-class options at right-back for England, or else he may have earned a call-up by now.

In other news: Adam Forshaw has hailed one exciting Leeds prospect, comparing him to two past greats of the game. Read more here.

Gary Mabbutt has told Football FanCast that he would welcome Luka Modric back to Tottenham Hotspur with “open arms”.

The Real Madrid midfielder has gone from strength to strength since leaving Spurs in 2012.

Since then, he has won La Liga twice, the Champions League four times, and captained Croatia to the World Cup final in 2018. He also became the first player to break the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly on the Ballon d’Or, winning the individual award in the same tournament as his country’s appearance in the final.

He has been with Real for nine years at this point, but Spurs still hold an affection for their former player.

They signed Modric for £16.5m in 2008 from Dinamo Zagreb, the team they play in the Europa League last-16, and Spurs’ official Twitter account posted a tweet with Modric’s best bits ahead of the game.

Gareth Bale, of course, made a sensational return to Spurs from Real in the summer, joining on loan, and Mabbutt would love to see the same happen with Modric, who earns £210,000-a-week.

Sport Witness carried a report from Spain in December claiming that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho had been in contact with Modric over a possible return.

And while Mabbutt is unsure if it will actually happen, he admits he would love to see the midfielder back in north London.

He said: “I’d welcome him back with open arms.

“I don’t think that is the current situation of where he is though. He was with us before Christian Eriksen and I thought Christian was a great player for us.

“At Spurs, we’ve always been a club that if we see a player that’s available, that we believe could actually enhance the good players that we have, then we will be interested in those players.

“Whether, when push comes to shove, we can actually get those players remains to be seen.”

Modric has a contract that expires at the end of the season so he could well be available if he does not put pen to paper.

It remains to be seen if Spurs will try to bring the 35-year-old back, but he can certainly play!

Aston Villa have suffered a major blow ahead of their Premier League clash against Newcastle on Friday night, with Jack Grealish once again ruled out of action.

The England international has missed the last four Premier League games for Villa after picking up a lower leg injury last month, with the club picking up just four points in those matches in his absence.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against the Magpies, Villa boss Dean Smith said: “Jack has been making really good progress and we are happy at where he’s at but, unfortunately, he won’t make it (Friday’s game).

“He has been ill this week so he’s been off for a couple of days as well, but we’re hopeful for the Tottenham game now, that’s for sure. Jack is still in and around the training ground. He takes part in the meetings. He’s got a voice and an opinion, which is good.”

Given how badly have Villa struggled without him in terms of their results, Smith will no doubt be gutted that the 25-year-old will once again be missing from first team action.

Grealish has been one of the shining lights of what has been an impressive Premier League campaign for Villa, scoring six goals and providing 12 assists.

It’s no surprise that, in the games that he has missed, Villa have lacked creativity and an eye for goal, finding the back of the net just twice in his absence.

The rest of his teammates will have to try and step up once more when they visit St James’ Park to take on Newcastle on Friday night.

Meanwhile, Villa could land a new Tyrone Mings in this ace…

With everything that Marcelo Bielsa has done at Leeds United since he was appointed as the club’s manager back in the summer of 2018, it’s no surprise that fans of the Elland Road side absolutely adore him.

‘El Loco’ brought the Yorkshire club back to the big-time of the Premier League after winning the Championship last season, and the Whites have more than just held their own in their return to the top-flight – even after the weekend defeat to Aston Villa, they remain just ten points off the top four.

But, with Bielsa still yet to put pen to paper on a new deal – his existing contract comes to an end this summer – reports are suggesting that Leeds have got their eyes on potential replacements.

According to journalist Bruno Andrade, Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim is a name that is being “closely followed” by both Leeds and Leicester, with his impressive work at the Portuguese side being noted.

The 36-year-old is still very much a newcomer to management, having taken his first job as third-tier side, Casa Pia AC’s boss in the 2018/2019 campaign after retiring as a player.

The former Portugal international appears to be a bit of a maverick in the mould of a Bielsa, with Amorim already in his fourth stint as boss.

He helped Braga to the domestic cup in his first season in charge there, before retaining the trophy with Sporting a couple of months ago – the final of that game came against his former club, with both he and Braga boss Carlos Carvalhal, formerly of Sheffield Wednesday, being sent to the stands for arguing on the touch-line.

Aside from being a manic presence on the touch-line, just like the Leeds boss, it appears Amorim’s style of play is all about intensity and desire, with Portugal legend Jesualdo Ferreira, saying: “They all laughed when Braga announced it was promoting Ruben Amorim to manager. No one’s laughing now.

“Everyone who doubted him has been silenced. Ruben Amorim has injected aggression into Braga and maybe that was something they lacked. They lacked the mentality needed to go and win against big clubs in the league and he’s changed that.”

As a former top player for both Benfica and Portugal, Amorim could also bring a bit of credibility in terms of potential new signings at Elland Road who may have watched him play even quite recently, a la Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.

If Andrea Radrizzani does eventually find that Leeds have to appoint someone to succeed Bielsa, then he could find a dream replacement in the young and hungry Amorim.

Just like Bielsa has done in terms of bringing a bit of stability back to Leeds by staying longer than for just one season at the club, Amorim’s age could see him develop a real project in Yorkshire for a number of years if things work out.

Meanwhile, Leeds must get rid of this Bielsa favourite this summer…

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa favoured Helder Costa over Jack Harrison against Aston Villa last week and Noel Whelan has been discussing both the players ahead of their next match.

Whelan comments on Leeds duo

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan was asked whether Harrison would could back into the starting XI and said: “Absolutely. Look, people are given an open door to come in and take your opportunity as Helder Costa was. I think Jack Harrison had been quiet for three games prior. Helder Costa’s come on and made some influence on a game from the substitutes’ bench.”

“I felt he deserved the opportunity. However, I was very, very disappointed once again with his contribution from the start to the time he came off.

Costa needs to start impressing

Harrison has had a good season as he managed six goals and four assists, whilst also managing 1.3 shots and 1.7 key passes per game (WhoScored).

However, Costa has failed to set the division alight this campaign. He has managed three goals and three assists, but has only averaged 0.8 shots and 0.5 key passes a game (WhoScored). The £10.8m-rated ace has made 64 appearances for the club throughout his career, but only has seven goals and 11 assists to his name (Transfermarkt), so it is obvious to see why he has only started nine games in 2020/21. He was hauled off after 64 minutes against Villa last week, having played just 18 passes in that time (WhoScored).

His former manager Nuno Espirito Santo heaped praise on him in recent months as he said: “So that season was not the best for him, but in the first season we were in the Premier League, Helder was immense and had a huge impact on the team.

“He’s a very talented player, but things happen naturally, players move from here to another place. It happens in football. Honestly, I’m delighted he’s showing his quality and enjoying his football.”

Hopefully we can see Costa’s quality start to shine more as he tries to help Leeds finish in the top half of the table.

In other news, a Leeds transfer target could be available in the summer!

Jordan Pickford was Carlo Ancelotti’s real hero as Everton recorded the first away win over Liverpool in 22-years during Saturday’s 2-0 Merseyside derby triumph at Anfield.

Goals from Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson in either half dealt Jurgen Klopp’s defending Premier League champions their fourth-straight home defeat, having gone almost four years without losing a top-flight fixture on Reds soil before Burnley’s 1-0 win last month.

You had to go back even further for the last time that the Toffees had won on their travels across Stanley Park, with Walter Smith’s Blues running out 1-0 victors in September 1999 for the Goodison Park natives’ last win away to their rivals.

The clock has now been reset on Everton’s unwanted record, and Ancelotti’s men’s rare win was enough for the Toffees to move level with Liverpool in sixth-place while closing the gap to the top-four to just three points after Southampton held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw.

But Everton still have a game in hand over Thomas Tuchel’s Blues and can look to further solidify their challenge for a European qualifying berth thanks to Pickford’s exploits between the posts on Saturday.

In challenging conditions with the wind swirling around Anfield, Pickford frequently provided pivotal saves to keep his side a goal to the good. The England number one proved a particular bane for Jordan Henderson in the first half and Mohamed Salah in the second.

Henderson had appeared on course to pull Liverpool level in the 20th minute with a beautiful outside-foot volley, only for Pickford to fly down to his right-hand side and fingertip his compatriot’s effort round the post.

Pickford had already punched away a dangerous cross from Sadio Mane in the opening stages to deny Curtis Jones, as the midfielder waited at the back post with an open goal in front of him. He would again deny Mane after the break and confidently collected another delivery when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross floated into the £100,000-per-week shot-stopper’s box.

Salah again forced a vital save from the £23.5m-rated ace in the 69th-minute, with Pickford decisively smothering the Egypt winger’s attempt on goal after a nice piece of interplay between Roberto Firmino and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Pickford’s performance was a showcase of the best the 26-year-old can be and the perfect retort to his critics after the slating received for his challenge on Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk in the reverse fixture in October.

The 30-cap ‘keeper, who made six saves in total – above the Premier League-high average of 4.13 a game recorded by West Bromwich Albion’s Sam Johnstone – further took 47 touches on Saturday, only Mason Holgate (48) and Lucas Digne (51) registered more for Everton, per WhoScored.

Pickford also registered his best SofaScore match rating across all competitions for club and country since January 2019 when he achieved an 8.7 out of ten against AFC Bournemouth, with the former Sunderland ace earning an 8.3 despite averaging a 6.6 over his last three Premier League appearances.

His display ensured Pickford emerged as Ancelotti’s real hero at Anfield, despite Michael Keane providing two fantastic moments to keep the Reds without a goal by blocking Firmino in the first half and pulling off a crucial last-man tackle on Mane in the second period.

AND in other news, Everton face a £35m asking price to land Carlo Ancelotti’s 21-year-old target…

According to Wigan Today, Glasgow Rangers have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of bringing Kyle Joseph to Ibrox after Wigan Athletic administrator Paul Stanley insisted nothing would change before deadline day.

What’s the word?

Steven Gerrard’s side have enjoyed a superb Scottish Premiership season thus far as they find themselves far ahead of Celtic in the title race.

Reports have emerged over the past few weeks that Rangers are interested in signing the 19-year-old, who has made 14 League One appearances with five goals and one assist to show for his 12 starts.

Gers chiefs believed Wigan would panic as the deadline drew ever closer and would be forced into accepting a cut-price bid.

But the League One strugglers are refusing to budge, which is precisely why Ross Wilson must renew their efforts to sign the highly-rated teenager before the transfer window closes this week.

Wilson must act now

After former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor suggested that Rangers could be forced to sell Alfredo Morelos after his reckless behaviour in recent weeks, Joseph – who has been tipped for greatness by Leam Richardson – could be just the man to complete Gerrard’s dream attack for years to come with an eye on the future.

Whilst Cedric Itten is also predominantly right-footed and plays upfront, the Scotland U19 international offers far more of a threat in attack, as he has shown his all-round game is solid and he can create chances for his teammates whilst scoring himself. As per WhoScored, he currently averages more shots (2.1) per game and is caught offside on fewer occasions than Itten.

Former Rangers youth academy graduate Kal Naismith recently heaped praise on his young strike partner following his return from injury.

“I really enjoyed it up there with young Kyle Joseph,” said Naismith. “He’ll be a top player, a really, really good player and he works his nuts off not just in the games but all week in training as well, he has a great appetite for the game and a great attitude – I enjoy playing with him, he did a lot of work for me in what was my first game back after not having a lot of training.”

Ianis Hagi, on the other hand, has managed the same amount of shots (2.1) and more key passes (1.2) in the Scottish Premiership, picking up a whopping nine assists so far, via WhoScored.

Signing Joseph could turn out to be a shrewd investment for the future, as having the two of them in the same team and starting alongside each other could cause havoc for any opposition, with Ryan Kent lining up on the opposite flank.

AND in other news, the stats that show why Rangers signed Jack Simpson…