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Bayern Munich have not yet expressed an interest in signing Leeds United winger Raphinha in the January transfer window, according to journalist Graham Smyth.

The Lowdown: Bayern linked with Raphinha move

The Whites received a potential blow earlier in the week, with the Brazilian strongly linked with a January switch to Bayern after the European giants saw him as a strong option to sign.

Raphinha has surely been Leeds’ best player so far this season, scoring eight goals in 16 Premier League appearances, so the thought of losing him midway through the campaign is a worrying one.

Fortunately, a more positive update has now emerged regarding the 25-year-old’s future.

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The Latest: Smyth provides encouraging update

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Smyth, the rumour of an imminent move to Germany is wide of the mark, with Bayern ‘yet to make any interest known’ to Leeds regarding a potential transfer for the Brazilian.

It is stated that the Whites may need to sell players in January to generate funds for new signings, but it is also mentioned that selling Raphinha would ‘make next to no sense’.

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The Verdict: Can’t afford to lose him

With key figures such as Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford both plagued by injury this season, Raphinha’s importance to Marcelo Bielsa’s side is going to be greater than ever throughout the rest of the campaign.

Leeds are threatening to become embroiled in a relegation fight in the Premier League, so allowing arguably their best player to leave would be asking for trouble.

It could be that Raphinha demands to move on at the end of the season, but for now, it makes complete sense for the Whites to ignore any other club’s advances and try to persuade the 25-year-old to commit to the Leeds cause for another few months at least, especially when they badly need him.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly still interested in signing one player. Find out who it is here.

Former Everton star Michael Ball is sceptical over the potential appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo as the club’s new manager, amid reports that he may well move to Crystal Palace instead.

The ex-Wolves boss left Molineux at the end of the season after four years at the club and has been heavily linked with the hotseat at Goodison Park, with Sky Sports saying the Merseyside outfit were in talks with the Portuguese.

Now, though, a new report from The Telegraph claims that Palace have made him their No.1 target in the wake of Roy Hodgson’s departure.

Santo guided the club from the Championship into the Premier League and kept them there, bringing in a number of stars, with Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, and Rui Patricio all becoming key members of the squad.

Wolves struggled throughout the 2020/21 season, though, and ultimately finished 13th, winning just 12 games and losing 17 throughout their 38 matches in the Premier League.

They were 14 points behind Everton, who need to replace Carlo Ancelotti following his departure to Real Madrid.

Santo had taken Wolves to seventh the season prior, so this was a particularly disappointing campaign for the club, and Ball does not believe he would instantly make the Toffees better, given that he had a better starting XI at Wolves than he will have at Everton.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “Nuno seems to be the favourite right now, whether that’s a smokescreen to see how the fans will react on social media, I do not know, he brought fantastic players to Wolves and he did well.

“But he had a very, very poor 18 months, so why is that going to be any different at Everton? He probably had a better team, of 11, at Wolves than Everton.”

Ball may well believe this is a bullet dodged.

Wolves are believed to be interested in a summer move for Arsenal ace Ainsley Maitland-Niles, with a host of other clubs also monitoring his situation.

The 23-year-old is currently on loan at West Brom, making nine Premier League appearances for the Baggies during their struggle to remain in the top flight.

Given Arsenal’s willingness to loan him out, it could be that the north London club listen to offers for Maitland-Niles at the end of the season.

Wolves eye up move for Maitland-Niles

The Mirror reported that Wolves are among the clubs weighing up the idea of signing the Englishman this summer as Nuno Espirito Santo eyes up reinforcements for his squad.

The report claimed that there is also interest from the likes of Leeds United, Crystal Palace and Monaco in what could be a frenetic battle for his signature.

Maitland-Niles, who has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by three-time Premier League winner Martin Keown in the past, will see his Arsenal contract expire this summer, so the Gunners risk losing him on a free transfer if they don’t offer him a new deal.

Transfer Tavern take

The England international may not have established himself at the Emirates Stadium in the same vein as Bukayo Saka, for example, but he remains a player with plenty of potential.

His ability to thrive in several roles, from right wing-back to central midfield, could be something which appeals to Wolves, and at 23, he would likely be a long-term acquisition rather than a quick fix.

It seems unlikely that he is going to become a regular for a ‘big six’ club like Arsenal, but it is easier to envisage him featuring regularly at Molineux, especially with Joao Moutinho ageing in midfield and Nelson Semedo not consistently impressing at right-back.

The fact that he would cost nothing is also an added bonus for Wolves if they can see off the reported competition for his signature.

In other news, some Wolves fans have slammed one player’s performance against Sheffield United. Read more here.

West Ham United’s European quest gets back underway this evening as they welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to the London Stadium for a tricky – but historic – Europa League semi-final clash.

The first of two legs takes place in east London, likely to be in front of a near sell-out crowd with a place in the final in Seville the reward.

Irons boss David Moyes is left with plenty of selection decisions to make – last time out, he rested several key stars against Chelsea in what was a bold call indeed, whilst the Hammers breezed past Lyon by a 4-1 aggregate to make it to this stage of the tournament.

Among the surprise names on the bench at the weekend was Jarrod Bowen and he’s surely a shoo-in to start against Die Adler tonight.

The 25-year-old dynamo, who is currently valued at £31.5m, has been one of West Ham’s standout stars in this exciting campaign, where he has provided a whopping 15 goals and 11 assists across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

These include a pair of strikes against the Ligue 1 outfit in the last round and his importance is signified by the fact that Moyes’ side lost three of five games without him in the squad due to injury.

Bowen is also the Hammers’ highest-rated player in the Premier League, as per WhoScored figures, and has proven to be more than just a creative and goalscoring threat in the final third.

An average of one tackle per game suggests he can trackback and do his defensive duties, something that he may well need to do against the Bundesliga outfit in the absence of a few out-and-out senior centre-backs – Moyes is going to have to do some shifting around indeed.

Meanwhile, no other Irons star has managed more successful dribbles per game in the league (1.4) than Bowen, suggesting that he’s capable of taking on his man, beating him and then delivering with a goal or assist.

This sort of threat is going to be needed against a side that knocked FC Barcelona out in the last round.

The 5 foot 9 machine, previously lauded as “unplayable” by his former Hull City boss Grant McCann and as an “absolute manager’s dream” by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, evidently has all the skills to hurt and terrify Frankfurt, who have leaked more goals than they have scored, at the London Stadium.

As such, Moyes must let Bowen off the leash this evening.

AND in other news, Sources: West Ham eye swoop for “brilliant” 21 y/o, he’s “similar to Eden Hazard”…

Former Premier League striker Marlon Harewood has given his backing to Crystal Palace forward Christian Benteke in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

Benteke has had some difficult spells during his time at Selhurst Park, enduring campaigns where finding the back of the net proved to be a huge challenge.

Last season, the 30-year-old only managed to score two goals in the Premier League as Palace went on to finish in 14th place. His numbers the season prior do not make for good reading either, with Benteke only managing to score once.

Despite his struggles, Harewood has hailed the Belgium international, stressing just how difficult it can be to lead the line. Speaking exclusively to FFC, the ex-West Ham and Aston Villa No.9 said:

“As a striker it’s so hard really because you’re there to score goals. And if you’re not getting that, that’s what you’re judged on. Benteke is a very, very good player when he gets given the service, so it’s just very hard for him as a striker.”

Speaking on Benteke further, Harewood added: “I think he’s a top-class player and hopefully he gets back to his [old] form.”

It has been quite the decline since the 2016/17 Premier League campaign, where Benteke was excellent. He scored 15 goals that term as he reminded English football of his ability after enduring a hard time at Liverpool.

Benteke’s £120,000-a-week contract expires in the summer, so it will be interesting to see what happens regarding his future at Selhurst Park, especially if manager Roy Hodgson, whose contract is also set to expire, ends up departing. The 73-year-old has constantly backed the former Villa striker during his time in south London.

Mark Douglas has dropped an update about what Mike Ashley has told the Newcastle United takeover consortium about his arbitration case against the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Arbitration soon

The arbitration case between the St. James’ Park faithful and the English top flight is seemingly not far away at all, as Sky Sports and North-East based journalist Keith Downie has reported that it is expected to start at the end of June.

Ashley has also launched a separate anti-competition claim against the Premier League over their decision-making process in the failed deal between himself and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group, which he is thought to be keeping in his back pocket in case the results of the arbitration hearing do not go in his favour.

The Latest: Ashley briefs consortium

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, Tyneside club journalist, and takeover follower Douglas, has shared that Ashley has briefed the consortium to ‘have their ducks in a row’ in case a quick resolution can be reached as a result of arbitration.

The chief executive of Sports Direct feels as if he has a ‘good chance’ of winning the case, and so he wants the consortium to be ready in case the takeover process can be accelerated if the result goes his way.

The Verdict: Arbitration vital

The result of arbitration is vital if there is any hope of the original takeover bid being revived.

If results go in Ashley’s favour, then his separate anti-competition lawsuit would not be needed, and he can fully concentrate on getting his deal with the consortium back on track.

The timing is certainly not ideal, as the summer transfer window has already opened and the new 2021/22 season is set to begin in August, but in theory, a takeover could still be completed not long after arbitration, which would give the Magpies the best possible preparation going into the new campaign.

Nonetheless, the Toon will ideally not want to go into the new term with uncertainty, and so it is vital for them that the arbitration is completed as quickly as possible, with the results hopefully going their way.

In other news, find out the promising insight an arbitration expert has dropped on the potential takeover here!

Manchester United have had a bid rejected for Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane as the race for his signature hots up this summer.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils have been strongly linked with a move for the 28-year-old in recent weeks as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to bolster his first-team squad, and now they’ve made their first move.

A £50m offer was tabled for Varane, but Los Blancos are holding out for closer to £80m despite the World Cup winner only having one year remaining on his current contract, according to the Manchester Evening News.

United must swoop

United are reportedly still in contact with the Spanish giants over a potential deal, as they hope to reach a compromise over Madrid’s asking price.

However, they remain reluctant to match the capital club’s £80m valuation, with Varane set to become a free agent next summer.

The France international has been courted by United for many years now, and it seems as though a transfer could finally be on the cards for the 6 ft 2 centre-back.

David Alaba’s arrival at the Bernabeu means a replacement is already in place, and Madrid’s spiralling debts mean the club’s hierarchy are willing to sell one of their prized assets.

A new partner for Harry Maguire at the heart of defence is thought to be high up on Solskjaer’s wish list for this summer’s transfer window.

Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly have failed to prove their long-term suitability as United aim to challenge for football’s top prizes, meaning Ed Woodward and co. must swoop for Varane this summer.

During his decade-long stint in Spain, the former Lens ace has won four Champions League crowns, three La Liga titles, and one Copa del Rey.

His formidable partnership alongside Sergio Ramos led to ex-Real manager Zinedine Zidane hailing Varane as a “leader”, while Gary Neville labeled him an “amazing player.”

It’s clear that Varane’s addition would strengthen United considerably and edge them closer to an elusive 21st top-flight title, and the supporters will surely be hoping that the club’s hierarchy can get this deal over the line.

The club’s hierarchy simply cannot allow a transfer saga to develop and after failing to secure Jadon Sancho last year, they would risk upsetting the Old Trafford faithful even more.

And, in other news…Woodward heading for huge MUFC transfer mistake over £500k-p/w monster, Ole must avoid 

Some Glasgow Rangers fans have been reacting to a video of a goal scored by Martyn Waghorn as part of their Goal of the Day series on Twitter.

Waghorn played for the Gers during one of their more challenging times when they were out of the Premiership. However, he proved instrumental in getting them back to the elite, scoring 20 goals in 25 Championship games during the 2015/16 season as the Gers earned promotion back to the top flight (Transfermarkt). He was unable to reproduce that form in the top flight – he managed just seven strikes in 32 Premiership matches – but he played his part all the same.

On Monday, the Gers shared a video of him scoring against Raith Rovers. He netted from the penalty spot after Nathan Oduwa was fouled following an amazing run.

The clip was shared on the club’s official Twitter page, and many fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts. Some were unhappy that a video of a goal in the second tier had been posted, while some took the opportunity to praise Oduwa.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the goal from Waghorn below

“Forgot about this. Nathan Oduwa channeling his inner Ronaldinho what strange player”

Credit: @finlayxpeterson

“Nathan Oduwa walked so Aribo could run”

Credit: @BenFinlay10

“Can yous gee it a bye with the Morning PTSD please. I don’t like it.”

Credit: @KieranG241220

“Still blows my mind sometimes when you think Tav played in this team”

Credit: @Jamie_1886

“Delete this before anyone sees”

Credit: @BenYetton_

“Waghorn. Raith Rovers. Please Mr Rangers. No.”

Credit: @chris_daniels9

In other news, many Rangers fans rage at this club release.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League midfielder and current Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie believes Celtic only want Eddie Howe.

While Howe is now said to be close to being named Celtic manager, the ex-Bournemouth boss had left the Glasgow giants waiting for a while.

It had seen Celtic consider other options, with Football Insider recently reporting that the Bhoys have interviewed former Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre and Roy Keane.

Hendrie, though, is convinced that Howe is the only real candidate that the Celtic hierarchy are desperate to bring to the club.

Speaking exclusively to TT about Howe and Celtic’s search for a new permanent manager, the ex-Aston Villa star said:

“I’m pretty sure that Celtic want him there for sure because he just seems to be the prime suspect that they want at the football club just for the way he plays and his style of football, which is certainly attractive.

“It just seems like he’s dragging his feet a little bit and that’s my only concern.”

If reports are to believed, then this long saga could be about to come to an end, which would be great news for Celtic.

After an extremely disappointing season, the Bhoys will be desperate to start planning for the next campaign where the aim will be to wrestle their title back from rivals Rangers – something they cannot do properly without having a manager.

Celtic are now just one game away from qualifying for the Europa League group stages.

It’s been a long-winded qualification phase for Ange Postecoglou and the Hoops but they are now on the verge of earning a deserved place in the official stages of the competition.

The Bhoys played well to dismiss AZ Alkmaar 2-0 in the first leg last week but plenty of hard work lies ahead if they are to secure their path.

On the chalkboard

It’s unlikely that Postecoglou will make too many changes to his side from games gone by. After all, Celtic are on a six-game winning streak where they’ve scored 24 times.

Their attacking play has been a class above this season with the Australian coach taking the likes of Liel Abada and Kyogo Furuhashi under his wing to make them instant hits at Parkhead.

One man who hasn’t quite seen his career take off under the new boss is Odsonne Edouard.

Regularly linked with a move away, he has been reduced to substitute appearances for large parts of the season.

We think the same eventuality should happen to the Frenchman on Thursday evening for the second leg.

With Furuhashi not suiting a role on the left-hand side, we’re urging Postecoglou to bring him centrally and then shift Ryan Christie out wide again.

All of that would mean a return for Tom Rogic.

The attacking midfielder’s Celtic career looked done and dusted when the summer rolled around and if it wasn’t for the hiring of a manager who knows him well from international duty, he may have been out the door.

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Though, Rogic has revived his fortunes in quite stunning fashion, playing a key part in the Hoops’ early season form.

The 16k-per-week earner has been playing just behind the striker and has starred, particularly against Dundee a few weeks ago.

As Celtic romped home to a 6-0 victory, Rogic found himself on the score sheet, tucking away a neat finish.

He then stood out in a win over Jablonec in Europe. Speaking at full-time, the cast of ACSOM waxed lyrical about his display.

Pundit Kevin Graham said: “He’s like a ballet dancer, he’s majestic to watch. He looks like he’s wanting to put a shift in.”

A consistent and reliable performer, Postecoglou could do far worse than turn to the Aussie in such an important clash.

AND in other news, Journalist delivers eye-catching Celtic transfer update, fans should be excited…