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Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac revealed that his players feigned injury in order to waste time in the Champions League last 16 tie at Anfield.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt manager led his side to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the tie at Anfield, but decided against pursuing a potentially crucial away goal in favour of running the clock down with some crafty game management.

As quoted by This Is Anfield, Kovac said to Sky Sports: “We all know the drill: it’s close to the final whistle and you try to waste a bit of time.

“Javi (Martinez) has good performance data, meaning he couldn’t have even had a cramp. That’s all a bit of acting.”

Whilst his comments could quite rightly infuriate Liverpool fans, they must realise that the Croatian was obviously fearful of the Reds’ attacking threat, and subsequently decided to stick with what he had and take it back to Bavaria.

Kovac clearly respects Liverpool as being a serious threat to his side. He also admitted that Kingsley Coman pretended to have cramp in the recent 3-2 win over Hertha Berlin, so this tactic is one that Kovac clearly uses quite often and that Jurgen Klopp may even need to develop into his management style if his side are to become ruthless winners.

Let’s see how Liverpool fans on Twitter reacted to the news…

Arsenal and Barcelona are both interested in signing Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves this summer, according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

The Lowdown: Neves’ Wolves future in doubt

The 24-year-old has returned to top form for Wanderers this season, standing out as one of the team’s most influential performers throughout the campaign.

Neves has helped Wolves to boss numerous midfield battles in the Premier League, averaging 2.3 tackles per game and registering four goals and two assists.

A plethora of recent links have suggested that the Portuguese midfielder could depart Molineux this summer, with Manchester United among the leading suitors, and a new claim isn’t likely to alter that thought process.

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The Latest: Neves a man in demand

According to Manchester Evening News journalist Luckhurst, Arsenal and Barcelona are both eyeing up summer moves for Neves as they look to strengthen in the middle of the park.

It is stated that Wolves ‘could cash in’ on the Portugal international if he is unwilling his extend his stay at Molineux, with his current deal expiring in 2024.

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The Verdict: Matter of time?

Sadly, it does feel inevitable that Neves will be plying his trade elsewhere next season, with a top-four finish arguably the only thing which would have kept him at Wolves.

He may simply feel that he has outgrown Bruno Lage’s side at this point, giving five years of excellent services to the club, including taking home numerous end-of-season awards back in 2017/18 as they regained their top-flight status.

It is hard to begrudge him a move elsewhere, though, especially if Barcelona come calling, with the La Liga giants making impressive strides under new manager Xavi.

There is no absolute guarantee that Neves will leave the Black Country, and it would be an enormous bonus if he stays put, but there seems plenty of evidence to point towards him exiting at the end of the season.

In other news, Tim Spiers has given a double Wolves injury update. Read more here.

Wolves are reportedly eyeing up moves for Matheus Luiz Nunes and Joao Palhinha, amid doubts surrounding the futures of Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho.

The Lowdown: Influential pair could leave

Many Wanderers players have impressed throughout what has been a positive season, with Neves and Moutinho undoubtedly two of the key figures.

The Portuguese duo have been superb in the middle of the park, often dovetailing beautifully and starting 53 Premier League matches between them.

It could be that both move on this summer however with Neves linked with an exit and Moutinho’s contract ticking down, which would of course leave a gaping void in Wolves’ midfield.

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The Latest: Ornstein makes key claim

According to The Athletic‘s ever-reliable David Ornstein, Sporting CP duo Nunes and Palhinha are being looked at as possible replacements to Neves and Moutinho, with the pair valued at £50.4million combined by Transfermarkt.

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The Verdict: Key summer at Molineux

Losing both Neves and Moutinho would be a bitter pill to swallow for Wolves, but sadly, it does feel increasingly as though that could be the case.

Bruno Lage would then face the unenviable task of plugging the gap this summer, with those brought in simply having to provide a similarly positive influence for the manager’s success to continue.

Nunes and Palhinha could be those figures, with the pair both still young 23 and 26, respectively, and their Portuguese roots meaning they could fit in seamlessly at Molineux.

Palhinha has shone in a No.6 role for Sporting this season, averaging an 86.5% pass completion rate, while Nunes is more attack-minded, averaging 3.3 dribbles per game in the Champions League.

In other news, Wolves are reportedly ‘planning for life’ without one player. Find out who it is here.

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has broken an ‘update’ on Leeds United’s quest to sign RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson this summer.

The Lowdown: Aaronson a primary target

Few players have been more regularly linked with a move to Elland Road in recent months than Aaronson, who was tipped to head there during the January transfer window.

Instead, the 21-year-old ended up remaining at Salzburg for the time being, where he has started all eight of his side’s Champions League games this season.

It seems almost inevitable that Leeds will return for Aaronson this summer after making two bids and considering a third under Marcelo Bielsa, and a fresh update has emerged in that respect.

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The Latest: Leeds ‘favourites’ to sign midfielder

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Sky Sports Germany’s Plettenberg claimed that the Whites are the front-runners to snap up the American:

“Update Aaronson: He still wants to leave Salzburg in summer. Negotiations with Leeds are still ongoing. RB rejected offers from LUFC in winter. But they still want him! It is said that Leeds is the favourite. Price tag: €25-30m. No release clause. Big talent!”

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The Verdict: Everything makes sense

There really are only positives when it comes to Leeds signing Aaronson this summer, with so many things working in his favour.

He has played under Jesse Marsch in the past, taking out the risk element of a manager signing someone he doesn’t know, while his style of play fits perfectly into what the Whites’ boss is looking for.

Fully of energy and quality, Aaronson has averaged 1.8 tackles per game in the Champions League this season, showing that he is a hard-working player, and 1.6 key passes per match also prove that he can be a creative force in an attacking midfield role. Only Raphinha (2.1) has averaged more for Leeds in the Premier League in 2021/22.

In other news, Adam Pope has dropped a key Leeds injury claim ahead of the weekend. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur manager and big name Antonio Conte is now eyeing an unceremonious exit at the end of the season, according to reports.

The lowdown: Conte’s tenure so far

Appointed in November 2021 following the dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo, Spurs fans had cause for optimism when the 52-year-old taskmaster arrived in north London.

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Conte arrived with Tottenham in ninth place and some five points adrift of the Premier League top-four pacesetters. Since then the Lilywhites’ have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes and the January arrivals of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur have provided a much-needed boost to the ranks.

However, currently sitting fifth and with UEFA Champions League qualification still in the balance, the ex-Italian national team boss could already be debating his options.

The latest: A worrying claim…

As per Grenier on Twitter, relaying a report from Le Parisien, Conte is believed to harbour a desire to take over the hot seat at Paris Saint Germain should Mauricio Pochettino be relieved of his duties in the French capital.

Former Spurs boss Pochettino has come under fire in recent weeks after PSG were eliminated from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid and it appears that potential replacements could already be lining up.

Le Parisien go as far to state that Conte has set his sights on a move to Paris, speaking about it to their club chiefs and becoming confident he can take over from Pochettino.

As shared by Grenier, the outlet claim: “Antonio Conte dreams of coaching PSG next season. He spoke about it to employees, showing himself confident about the feasibility of a transfer. He has let emissaries from Qatar know he is interested, but he is not the first choice. (The Parisian).”

The verdict: Big blow

Given Conte’s track record of only spending small periods of time in any one job and an initial 18-month deal, it was only ever likely to be a short term love affair at N17 but having all but won the managerial lottery with the appointment of the decorated Italian, Tottenham will no doubt be reluctant to cut ties with Conte so prematurely.

Albeit Spurs haven’t pulled up any trees just yet with the new man at the helm, there has been incremental improvement in recent months and with a full summer transfer window under his belt, it appears to be an exciting proposition moving forwards.

Whilst the club would be steadfast against the idea, should the PSG interest from all parties materialise then it may not be out of the realms of possibility that the eternally linked Pochettino finally makes an eagerly anticipated return to north London.

In other news: Tottenham officials dispatched to club as they allegedly eye ‘unbelievable’ £33m man for Conte! Find out more here.

Celtic have been linked with a summer move for Nimes Olympique ace Zinedine Ferhat, who is available for pre-contract agreements immediately.

The Lowdown: Ferhat profiled

Ferhat, an Algerian international, is primarily a right-midfielder but has already played as a centre-forward and a left winger this season in the French second tier.

The 28-year-old has made 311 club appearances during his career, contributing to a hugely impressive 111 goals.

He is out of contract at the end of June, meaning CEO Michael Nicholson can tie up a pre-contract agreement right now ahead of a summer move.

The Hoops were linked with Ferhat at the beginning of the year, and it seems as if they could still be keen despite making five January signings.

The Latest: Foot Mercato claim

Foot Mercato shared multiple transfer updates in a story on Wednesday evening, one of which was on Ferhat.

They claimed that Ligue 1 side Brest tried and failed to sign the Algerian last month. The report added that Ferhat decided to stay with Nimes until the end of the season when he will be able to negotiate with other clubs for a free move, with Celtic and Trabzonspor name-checked as possible destinations.

The Verdict: Needed?

Ange Postecoglou has reaped the rewards of bringing a versatile player to Parkhead in Reo Hatate, and who knows, Ferhat could be the next.

Ferhat has played in nine different positions during his career in defence, midfield and attack and is valued at £4.05m.

The Hoops wouldn’t have to pay a penny to Nimes either in a pre-contract agreement, so it could be wise to test the water with a contract offer.

He’s been described as a ‘very graceful’ player by journalist Adam White and could be handy under Postecoglou, who had limited attacking options from the bench last weekend against Dundee United.

In other news: Kieran Devlin drops scary Reo Hatate claim from sources close to Celtic dressing room. 

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah is likely to remain at Anfield, partly because other clubs can’t afford him, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Salah’s future still unknown

The Egyptian’s future is a major talking point at the moment, with the Reds desperately hoping that their most prized asset extends his stay at the club.

It appears as though Salah and Liverpool can’t quite agree on certain aspects of a new deal and there is a stubbornness from both sides regarding the situation.

The 29-year-old’s current deal expires at the end of the season, hence the concern surrounding a new contract being signed.

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The Latest: Jones drops positive Salah claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones backed Salah to stay at Liverpool moving forward, due in part to some of Europe’s other huge clubs not being in a good moment currently. The journalist said:

“I think the circumstances have really suited Liverpool up to this point.  Salah has definitely been wavering over this deal but, ultimately, Real Madrid and Barcelona can’t get him right now. That plays into Liverpool’s hands.

“There has been talk of Juventus and stuff, but that is not really what he had in mind.”

The Verdict: Surely he stays now?

Jones makes a fair point, with Salah surely more likely to leave if the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid were the unrivalled forces that they were a decade or so ago.

That isn’t the case, however, and Liverpool are arguably the most exciting proposition in Europe and the Premier League currently, which acts as a huge positive in their quest to extend the Egyptian’s time at Anfield.

It still feels more likely that Salah will eventually sign a new deal – if that happens, it would feel absolutely massive, given his astonishing record of 155 goals in 246 appearances for the Reds, and the fact that he should still have several years left at the very top given that he is yet to reach his 30th birthday.

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

Now that the dust has settled on another January transfer window, Wolves can focus on getting ready to tackle the remainder of their Premier League campaign as new manager Bruno Lage looks to end his debut season at Molineux with a place in Europe.

In terms of their business throughout the recent winter market, the Midlands club saw some new faces come in and some of their current players move elsewhere.

One particular deal that took place towards the end of the window that had a lot of coverage was on Adama Traore’s loan move back to his previous club Barcelona after being at Wolves since the summer of 2018.

Now that Lage will have to make do without the Spaniard for the remainder of the season, this could pave the way for one of their incoming January signings to make a name for himself at the club and potentially fix Lage’s issue of not having Traore in his squad.

On the chalkboard

Wolves secured the £3m signing of 21-year-old winger Chiquinho from Estoril earlier in the window before Traore left.

In 84 combined appearances for Estoril’s youth and senior sides, the attacker managed to rack up a total of 20 goals and ten assists, highlighting the attacking talent he has.

Now that Traore has departed and the fact that Pedro Neto is still out injured, the next few weeks could be a pivotal time for Chiquinho, especially if Lage gives him a chance to shine in the Premier League and he’s able to make the most out of any opportunities he gets.

However, given how young he is and the fact that he has only just joined the Midlands club, moving away from Portugal for the first time in his career, it could take him longer to settle in, not just at Wolves but in England and the Premier League. Fortunately, though, he does have time on his side.

Additionally, he’s a hugely exciting player, something that Estoril U23s head coach Vasco Botelho da Costa explained: “As a player, he’s the same as his personality. You don’t see players like him a lot these days. That magic, that improvisation, he has a lot of it.”

Having been an unused substitute in Wolves’ 2-1 win over Brentford last month, this is a sign that Lage sees the £900k-rated winger as a squad option for the first team, which will be positive for the player, especially if he can get some minutes under his belt before the end of the season and then gets his first pre-season with the club underway.

In other news: “I’d expect..”: Spiers drops behind-the-scenes Wolves claim, fans surely delighted – opinion

Everton haven’t had much to shout about throughout their latest Premier League season, having won just eight of the 30 games that they’ve played.

They have only scored 33 goals along the way and conceded 52, with far from ideal tallies for either metric.

Even though there are still some critical games left to play for the Toffees until the season ends and the summer transfer window opens, it seems as though an update has emerged which will have everyone at Finch Farm concerned.

What’s the news?

According to a recent tweet from an Italian journalist, Richarlison’s new agent Frank Trimboli will look to secure a move away from Everton for the Brazilian in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Since arriving at Goodison Park back in 2018 in a deal worth a reported £50m, the Brazilian has gone on to make 145 appearances across all competitions for the Toffees. In that time, the 24-year-old has scored 49 goals and provided 13 assists along the way, showing just how important he is to the team in the final third of the pitch.

Fans will be sweating

With 23 league appearances made in the current campaign, the Brazilian has provided more goal contributions than any other Everton player, with six goals and four assists to his name.

In addition to his incredibly useful goals and assists, Richarlison’s overall performances have earned him a season rating of 6.87/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player in Frank Lampard’s squad.

To highlight how much of a nuisance the Brazil international is for opponents, no other Everton player has enjoyed as many touches in the attacking penalty area (110) or drawn as many fouls (65) as Richarlison.

Taking all this into account, having the attacker’s agent reportedly looking to move him out of the Merseyside club in the summer will be a massive issue for the Toffees, especially if they end up waving goodbye to him when the transfer window opens.

This could surely have a number of Everton supporters sweating, and given how they will already be worried about whether or not their team will avoid relegation, it will only be another concern for them in this difficult period for the club.

In other news: Everton must launch move for “outstanding” 25-year-old “Wolverine” as insider claim emerges

According to Le10 Sport, there has been a West Ham United update on their bid to sign Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, with an improved offer apparently made.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye last minute striker swoops?

As reliable reported by ExWHUemployee, the Irons and David Moyes see the French market as a real pool of talent, with the club eager to potentially take advantage.

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This has led to links with the likes of Mohamed Bayo of Clermont Foot and Bamba Dieng of Marseille in this last week of the transfer window with recruitment chief Rob Newman fast running out of time to make moves.

In a fresh update, it appears that West Ham have set their sights on signing Ekitike before January 31 as news emerges of an offer.

The Latest: Hammers table bid for Ekitike…

According to Le10 Sport, the Hammers have tabled a €25m (£20.8m) bid, plus bonuses, to sign the 19-year-old wonderkid this month.

This is an improvement on their original offer of around €15m (£12.5m) to Reims, but despite their revised proposal, the Ligue 1 outfit have rebuffed West Ham’s newest approach.

It is believed that Reims think they can get even more money for Ekitike as the clock runs down on this transfer window.

The Verdict: Come back again?

As already confirmed by Reims’ sporting director Jean-Pierre Caillot, speaking to Le Quotidien du Sport (via Get French Football News), it could take a grand total of €40m (£33.3m) to actually sign Ekitike. The club chief told French media earlier this month that his club will demand ‘€30m (£25m) flat and €10m (£8.3m) achievable bonuses’ to sell the teenager before transfer deadline day.

Taking this into account, we believe that West Ham should move on, even despite Ekitike being called an ‘outstanding talent’ whilst drawing comparisons to Kylian Mbappe (Graeme Bailey via Twitter).

The teenager has no Premier League experience, and any fee over £30m for such a young prospect could prove to be a gamble.

In other news: ExWHUemployee: West Ham set for talks as they chase last minute agreement to sign ‘quality’ 25 y/o, find out more here.