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Journalist Joshua Barrie has revealed that forgotten midfielder Nnamdi Ofoborh is still a Rangers player amid his latest cryptic social media posts.

What's the latest on Nnamdi Ofoborh and Rangers?

Sadly for the 23-year-old, he is yet to make his debut for the club despite having arrived from Bournemouth back in 2021. Indeed, he has worryingly been sidelined due to a heart issue.

In a new development on the situation, Ofoborh took to social media recently to write (via The Sun): "Two years, two operations, hundreds of appointments."

He then added: "Silent on the situation so I look like the bad guy, all the mistreatment of the last two years will come out."

Clearly, the midfielder is unhappy with how he's been treated at Rangers amid his health issues and this has understandably led to speculation about his future with the club.

However, while speaking about it all on the Rangers Review podcast, Barrie claimed that, "contrary to reports", Ofoborh hasn't left Rangers but insisted that manager Michael Beale must clarify what's going on soon.

He said (3:54): “From what I'm told at the moment, he's still a Rangers player, contrary to reports.

"I think it's something that Michael Beale will have to clear up at the press conference, which will be on Thursday or Friday of this week, to kind of clear up those comments.

"But I think you've got to also obviously give them the kind of benefit of the doubt that it will have been such an emotionally kind of testing couple years for him.”

What happened to Ofoborh at Rangers?

Ofoborh has seen Steven Gerrard, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Beale all take charge of Rangers matches since arriving in Scotland but has been unable to help any manager during their time at Ibrox.

Back in July, former manager Van Bronckhorst spoke about how he felt "really bad" for the midfielder but accepted that his future was pretty uncertain.

It seems as though little behind the scenes has changed for good from Ofoborh's point of view judging from his latest social media posts.

With that in mind, it will be good to learn from manager Beale if the 23-year-old is likely to return to football any time soon and if that will be as a Rangers player.

For now, he remains at Ibrox, but a long-term stay with the Scottish Premiership club seems pretty unlikely.

West Ham centre-back Nayef Aguerd ‘has not gone unnoticed’ at Liverpool ahead of a potential move for him this summer, according to journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Aguerd impresses at World Cup

Morocco had numerous heroes during the 2022 World Cup on their shock path to the semi-finals, with Aguerd undoubtedly one of his country’s most important players.

The 26-year-old started four matches in Qatar but cruelly missed the semi-final defeat to France through injury, with the West Ham man a big loss during the game.

Aguerd has also shone for the Hammers this season, winning an average of two aerial duels per game in the Premier League.

The Latest: Liverpool eyeing up move

According to Goal‘s Jones, the Moroccan is someone who Liverpool are monitoring, as Jurgen Klopp eyes up potential centre-back additions this summer:

“The emergence of Morocco international Nayef Aguerd at West Ham has not gone unnoticed.”

The Verdict: Could be a strong addition

Liverpool simply must sign at least one central defender at the end of the season, with both Joel Matip and Joe Gomez flattering to deceive these days and coming in for criticism.

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Aguerd could therefore be an excellent option to come in and bolster Klopp’s options, having been hailed as an ‘exceptional’ player by Gary Lineker.

His average of four and three clearances per game in the league and World Cup respectively highlight his defensive expertise, and at 26, he is at a good age in his career.

The 30-cap Aguerd also has Premier League experience at this point, albeit limited, which could appeal more to Klopp, in terms of hitting the ground running from the off.

David Ornstein has spoken on Sky Sports about how Liverpool’s owners are staying at the club for the foreseeable future.

The Lowdown: Damning takeover blow

It had been reported that the Reds were up for sale, but it appears that Fenway Sports Group has drawn back on that idea and are now just looking for external investment.

John Henry has come out recently and categorically denied that Liverpool are up for sale, though they are looking for someone else to come on board and inject some money into the six-time European champions.

That will have likely been horrendous news for Liverpool fans to hear, especially those who have protested about the owners in recent times, and while some may have hoped that was just a smokescreen from Henry, Ornstein has issued a reality check.

The Latest: FSG are here to stay at Liverpool

Ornstein has insisted that FSG are indeed set to stay at Liverpool for the long haul amid the recent climbdown surrounding a potential takeover at Anfield.

He said: “Depending on which side of the fence you sit on, if you want FSG for longer, that looks like that’s going to happen; if you don’t, you will be a bit disappointed.

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“FSG did put Liverpool up for sale, we never knew how it was going to end and we stated that in reporting at the time, and it seems that there haven’t been the offers that they might have been hoping.

“I’m sure that’s been influenced by Manchester United going on the market, and also results like tonight [against Real Madrid] don’t help their cause.”

The Verdict: Liverpool need external money and voices

The Reds have long had to be performing at their very maximum to compete with the financial powerhouse of Manchester City, but this season looks to have taken its toll and is perhaps a sign of how investment is desperately needed.

However, the fact that FSG put Liverpool up for sale not too long ago may raise questions over their commitment to the club, and if they don’t attract external investment, there may well be another frustrating transfer window to come this summer.

If Liverpool want to keep up with big spenders such as Man City, Chelsea and Newcastle United, they need FSG to showcase why this is the club they need to be investing in to any potentially interested parties, but this season could easily have put some people off.

Tottenham winger Lucas Moura’s possible exit ‘could still happen’ out-of-window, says ‘expert’ John Wenham.

The Lowdown: Lucas linked with departure…

The Brazilian, who has entered the final few months of his Spurs contract, was linked with a departure in the last transfer window as clubs displayed an interest in January.

Reports claim Lucas was even offered to Premier League strugglers Everton as Tottenham potentially aimed to make a small profit on the player before his deal expires.

The 30-year-old has been severely limited for playing time under Antonio Conte this season, playing just 93 minutes in total, with Wenham claiming Spurs can still facilitate his exit.

The Latest: Lucas exit ‘could still happen’…

Speaking to Football Insider, the expert suggests that Tottenham could still sell Lucas as other transfer windows remain open outside of the UK’s.

He explained:

“The thing to consider is that other transfer windows are still open.

“In the past, we have actually moved players on after our own window has shut. That could still happen soon.

“Alternatively, he is a good bench option. Is he better than Bryan Gil? Yes, he is. Suddenly now we could be starting games with Rciharlison, Danjuma and Lucas as bench options.”

The Verdict: Do it?

The South American winger has been praised for his contribution by Conte before, especially last season when Lucas even managed better stats than any Spurs player in one regard. According to WhoScored, no Tottenham man averaged more successful take-ons per 90 than the former Paris-Saint Germain star over 2021/2022.

He often put in good displays when given a chance and we believe Lucas could still have a role to play under Conte before the conclusion of this season.

Called a ‘team player’ by former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, that is certainly what Spurs need right now as they chase a second-consecutive top four finish.

The attacker has already etched himself into Spurs history with a stunning Champions League semi-final hat-trick in 2019, but perhaps it could be time for one last hurrah before his departure on a Bosman.

Aston Villa have been deemed the perfect location for Borussia Monchengladbach’s want-away talisman Marcus Thuram, who is approaching the final months of his contract with the German Bundesliga outfit and could be available for as little as £10m.

This is according to Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor, who told GIVEMESPORT that the Claret & Blue do indeed hold an “interest” in a lightning-hot striker linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.

Taylor continued by explaining he “could be really good for Villa” and that’s certainly an assessment we agree with.

Emery’s catalyst

Villa have seen an upswing in form and fluidity since the arrival of Emery in October, with his four victories from six Premier League outings an indication that his blueprint is both a success and being adhered to.

However, in order to ride the trajectory that the 51-year-old Spaniard desires, fresh faces are indeed paramount, and the acquisitions of Alex Moreno from Real Betis and Jhon Duran from Colorado Rapids are moulding the clay to Emery’s shaping; the signing of Thuram, however, would be the gleaming spearhead to lead the ascension.

This season, the nine-cap Frace international has been in blistering offensive form, scoring 13 goals and providing four assists from 17 appearances, and his cutting edge in front of the opposing net could pay dividends for Villa as the key to the outfit’s success.

Hailed as “clinical” by Raj Chohan, the 25-year-old is a fearsome forward boasting both physicality and electric pace, with trademark flicks and enigmatic movement dumbfounding hapless defenders left tasting dust in his wake. 

As per FBref, the “beast”, as once labelled by Atul Kasbekar, ranks within the top 6% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 6% for dribbles completed and the top 9% for total shots – illustrating an innate goalscoring knack that will only enhance the Villa ranks.

And with the statistical site also comparing his attributes to those of Robert Lewandowski and Victor Osimhen, to name a few, it is crystal clear that Villa Park would be rocking with his inclusion.

His arrival could also signal the end for Danny Ings, who signed for the Midlands outfit for £25m in 2021 and has scored only 14 goals across 52 appearances.

Ings is a reliable goalscorer, having netted seven times from 21 outings this season, however, he has not quite reached the heights at previous outfit Southampton and consequently could lose his place in the squad having been linked with a move away already this year.

Amidst Thuram’s potential arrival, the ex-Liverpool man has only started twice in the Premier League since Emery took the reins of the club for the first time in a 3-1 victory over Man United.

With Chelsea and United indeed among the suitors, the “world-class” Thuram’s pedigree is without question, as once lauded by Wolfsburg director Marcel Schafer, and should Villa pull off the monumental signing, it would signify a huge leap in the right direction, a destructive frontal catalyst to ensure the tip of the club’s sword is razor-sharp for seasons to come.

Leeds United suffered a potential blow in their battle against the drop this season as they lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Friday night.

The Whites are now two points off the bottom of the table, despite sitting in 14th place as it stands, and are facing the real possibility of dropping down to the Championship unless they can turn their form around in the coming weeks.

Jesse Marsch’s team have gone seven matches without a win in all competitions and Victor Orta may look to utilise the January transfer window to bolster the team’s chances of avoiding relegation.

The Leeds chief has already brought in Georginio Rutter and Maximilian Wober to improve the squad but the club have also been linked with adding another option to their ranks in the number nine position.

It was recently reported that the Whites, alongside Rangers, Celtic, Southampton, and Everton, are interested in a deal to sign Gue-sung Cho from Jeonbuk Hyundai this month.

Marsch and Orta could now land the dream heir to Rodrigo’s place in the squad by bringing the South Korean international to Elland Road in the next couple of weeks.

Leeds’ current first-choice striker has been in fine form in the Premier League this season and is showing no signs of slowing down. The Spaniard has plundered 10 goals and one assist in 16 top-flight appearances for the club – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.06.

However, he will be 33 by the end of his contract in the summer of 2024 and the Whites may already be thinking about what life may look like after the ex-Valencia man departs.

Signing Cho to initially come in as the forward’s understudy before taking over during, or after, the next 18 months could be an astute move by Leeds as it would be a proactive signing, rather than waiting for Rodrigo to depart and then attempting to replace him.

The South Korean international, who was dubbed an “internet sensation” by The Athletic’s Daniel Taylor earlier this season, has shown plenty of promise in his home country as he smashed in 17 goals and provided five assists in 26 K League outings throughout 2022 – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.33.

Cho is also seven years younger than Rodrigo and this means that the signing would offer long-term value to Leeds if the gem can adapt to the Premier League and prove himself to be a reliable goalscorer in England.

Therefore, the 24-year-old, who scored two goals in three World Cup starts in Qatar, could be the dream heir to the Spaniard for Marsch due to his age and the goalscoring potential he has shown at both club and international level.

Renowned Glasgow Rangers bloggers Four Lads Had A Dream claimed that James Sands was ‘diabolical’ for one of the goals conceded on Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Late escape

The Ibrox outfit left it late to snatch all three points away at Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership, thanks to two injury-time strikes from Scott Arfield.

Duk and Leighton Clarkson had given the hosts the lead, after Fashion Sakala opened the scoring for the visitors early in the first half.

Nonetheless, the win would have come as a relief for Michael Beale, as his side were certainly not at their best at times during the game.

The Latest: Sands criticised

Taking to Twitter, Four Lads Had A Dream claimed that Sands was ‘poor’ for the first goal conceded, and was partly at fault for giving away a ‘gift’ to Aberdeen:

“Poor from Sands and then poor from McGregor. Looked like we had settled but given away a gift with that. 1-1.”

The bloggers thought that Sands was at fault again for the second goal conceded, even going as far as to claim that he was ‘diabolical’ in the build-up:

“2-1 down. Just haven’t started second half & it’s diabolical from Sands again, sets him up to finish. But we have barely strung a pass together this half Really poor.”

The Verdict: Not his best

Sands was certainly not at his best throughout the match, and was rightfully hooked off by Beale before the hour mark.

The central defender was given a yellow card in the first half, as he lost out on six of his duels in total, the joint-most of any player on the pitch, and only managed to make one interception and one tackle, making two fouls in the process (SofaScore).

On the ball, he only managed an 80% pass accuracy, with eight other players in the squad achieving a higher number, and was guilty of giving possession away nine times (SofaScore).

Nonetheless, Sands will know that he will have to perform better if he is to keep his starting place in the Gers team.

Following on from what was a poor Nations League campaign as England’s preparations for the first ever winter World Cup out in Qatar continued, manager Gareth Southgate’s side sort of got their act together as we went into the Group Stage battles.

Having been drawn in Group B in our search to progress through to the knockout stage of the tournament, England opened with a 6-2 victory over Iran, but the second clash against the United States was an incredibly dull affair, and in playing out a scoreless bore draw, England knew they absolutely had to beat Wales in the home nations clash to qualify through. Eventually we took a 3-0 victory to do just that, and gave ourselves a Round of 16 tie against African champions Senegal where we saw our world cup odds increase.

Although former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane had been ruled out with injury, Senegal would be a completely different type of test, but Southgate watched his side notch up a reasonably comfortable 3-0 victory again with goals coming from Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka.

Then the fun really began, as England were drawn against reining World Cup holders France at the Quarter Final stage of the competition.

Confidence was certainly high ahead of the game and a number of Three Lions fans believed it was again ‘Coming Home’ and few would doubt that England were the better side on the night at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. Sadly for Southgate and the team, being the better side over 90 minutes does not guarantee victory – 16 efforts overall with eight on target gave England absolutely nothing – yet France’s own eight shots with five on target rewarded them with goals in the 17th and 78th minutes of the game.

It is England though, and penalties predictably had to apply at some stage. Tottenham Hotspur striker and England skipper, Harry Kane, had two chances to convert from the spot and both opportunities came when the French had their small advantage.

The 29 year old’s first opportunity came in the 54th minute and he beat team mate Hugo Lloris to tie matters up. Sadly the second attempt was not so clinical and when his next chance from the spot came, with six minutes left in the game, he could not convert and blazed his attempt over the bar.

Making the second effort even more disappointing was the fact that Kane had already equalled Wayne Rooney’s record of 53 goals, and as well as getting us back in the game, it was also his chance to make history and put himself into the record books.

Southgate was understandably down after the final whistle, telling the media.

“The performance did deserve more but of course goals are decisive. I’ve just said to the players they couldn’t have given any more, they played really well against a top team. It is fine margins. The way they have progressed as a team through the tournament has been marvellous.”

Kane’s missed obviously featured in the questioning.

“We win and lose as a team, we let a couple of goals in and missed a few chances. He’s been incredible for us and reliable in those situations, we wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for him.”

Now we see what the future holds for Southgate as the frustration and disappointment passes.

Photo by Unsplash

Graham Potter is going through a rough patch as Chelsea manager at the moment, not winning in the Premier League since a 2-0 victory against Aston Villa on 16 October.

With today’s match against Newcastle United being the last before the World Cup halts the domestic season, Potter will be aiming for all three points before turning his thoughts to the January transfer window.

Chelsea already look like they have made a head start, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that the club are “frontrunners” along with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain to sign Brazilian sensation Endrick.

The 16-year-old has a release clause of €60m (£52m) and while this may seem expensive considering his age, the youngster’s potential is frightening.

In fact, his prodigious talent has been enough for Chelsea to host his family at their training ground, even enlisting the help of fellow Brazilian Thiago Silva in the hope that he can persuade Endrick to sign for the London club.

He became the youngest ever player to feature in the first team for Palmeiras at just 16 years two months and 16 days old, while he has gone on to score three goals in just six senior appearances.

Journalist Renato Maurício Prado described him as a “phenomenon” while speaking to News.TVS.24 (via Football London) and also that he could be “like Neymar” which would be massive for Potter.

Indeed, the Englishman might just unearth a new £200m talent – the fee that Neymar was sold to PSG for in 2017 – in Endrick, but he faces some serious competition for his signature.

Despite his tender age, it already looks like he has settled into professional football with ease, although, Chelsea supporters should not expect an instant impact from the forward.

When Real Madrid signed Vinicius Jr from Flamengo in 2017 when he was just 16, it took the winger four seasons before he scored more than ten goals in a season for the LaLiga side, proving that it takes time for even the most talented of players to adapt.

With Potter inheriting a side that the previous manager Thomas Tuchel had built, there is no doubt he will be given money to spend in January, with Endrick potentially being one of the 47-year-old’s first and most exciting signings in west London.

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up a potential cut-price move for Naby Keita.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

Keita is out of contract at Liverpool in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent, or sign for another club for a cut-price in the January transfer window.

The central midfielder has been limited to just hamstring injury.

The Latest: Newcastle interest

As per Milan Live, the St. James’ Park outfit are eyeing a potential move for Keita, but will face competition from a number of clubs for his signature.

AC Milan, West Ham United and Borussia Dortmund are also thought to be interested in signing him, so there could be a four-way tussle come January or next summer.

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The Verdict: Avoid

Once dubbed ‘world-class’ by Reds team-mate Virgil van Dijk, and ‘one of the best’ midfielders that he has ever seen by manager Jurgen Klopp, Keita has been a good servant to the Anfield outfit, winning both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League with them.

However, his career has been plagued by injury, and judging by this season, his record does not look like it will get any better.

Currently earning £120,000-per-week on Merseyside, it is just not worth the risk for the Magpies, who can already call upon the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in the middle of the park.