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Tottenham Hotspur youngster Pape Matar Sarr is ‘ready’ to be used regularly by Antonio Conte this season, according to The Guardian journalist Ed Aarons.

The Lowdown: No minutes for Sarr

The 20-year-old spent last season on loan at Metz, with Conte unable to promise him regular playing time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Sarr is now back in north London, but he is still waiting to make his first appearance in 2022/23, not featuring at all for the first team despite making several matchday squads.

With Spurs’ midfield sometimes cited as an area of concern, though, could it be that the young Senegalese is given a chance to shine soon?

The Latest: Aarons makes new claim

That’s certainly something that Aarons wants to see, as he told GiveMeSport that he believes Sarr can make an impact in N17 in the coming weeks and months.

The reporter said of the 20-year-old:

“He’s a very exciting player in terms of the progression he’s made at such a young age.

“It’s a shame that Tottenham haven’t given him a chance because he’s probably ready, I think. He’s been on the bench a few times this season, but he is a holding midfielder, which they have plenty of.

“He dictates the play and that is the sort of role for someone who is a bit older, normally.”

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The Verdict: Is he ready?

There would be an element of risk in taking a punt on Sarr, given his lack of experience at this level. However, sometimes such gambles can pay off in the long run, and he has been hailed as a ‘really good prospect’ by Conte himself.

Giving the midfielder an opportunity would also allow the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur a breather, with the duo having started 23 games between them in the Premier League already this season.

It would be unadvisable for Sarr to be overused in Spurs’ upcoming fixtures, but handing him a first-team debut from the substitutes’ bench and gradually giving him more minutes would appear to be shrewd management by Conte.

Glasgow Rangers’ European nightmare finally came to an end on Tuesday night as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side were beaten 3-1 by Ajax at Ibrox.

The Gers ended the group stage with zero points from six games as the Dutchman’s men were outscored 22 goals to two against Liverpool, Napoli and the Dutch giants – becoming the worst team in the history of the competition in doing so.

Steven Berghuis opened the scoring as a brilliant team move from the away side ended in him inadvertently chipping the ball into the left corner, with Leon King leaving it as he appeared to think the shot was going wide.

Mohammed Kudus made it 2-0 before the half-hour mark as James Sands allowed him too much space in the box and the forward’s shot deflected off King to beat McGregor.

Rangers huffed and puffed in the second half and finally got themselves on the scoresheet in the 87th minute as James Tavernier converted from the spot after substitute Rabbi Matondo was fouled.

That only turned out to be a consolation, though, as Francisco Conceicao ran off the back of King and sent Borna Barisic away before rolling the ball into the back of the net.

Whilst King gave a helping hand to Ajax in all of their goals, the real villain for the head coach on the night was starting number nine Antonio Colak.

The Croatian striker has been in phenomenal form in the Premiership this season, scoring 11 goals in 12 appearances so far, but he ended the group stage of the Champions League without a goal contribution to his name.

He had the unenviable task of leading the line for a struggling Rangers team but did not do himself justice with his performance as he allowed himself to be dominated with ease by the Ajax defenders.

Colak needed to offer his team an out ball at the top end of the pitch to allow the rest of his teammates to get up the pitch, to create worthwhile attacks, and he was unable to do that.

As per SofaScore, he lost 80% (4/5) of his individual duels and was dribbled past once, whilst failing to make a single tackle in his 60 minutes on the pitch.

These statistics show that he was bullied by former Light Blues man Calvin Bassey and the rest of the Ajax defence, which meant that the ball kept coming back at the Gers backline – putting them under pressure.

He offered very little in possession when he did have the chance to control the ball. The former PAOK man completed only five passes and lost the ball five times from 12 touches – failing to register an effort on goal or a key pass.

Therefore, the Gers lightweight was the real villain for van Bronckhorst’s side as his failure to hold the ball up, or offer quality when he did get the chance to attack the Ajax defence, was a huge hindrance to the team as it affected the overall performance by allowing the Dutch side to pile the pressure on the likes of King and Sands.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has been reacting to Leeds United’s reported interest in Eintracht Frankfurt attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada.

The Lowdown: Leeds links

The Whites signed six players over the age of 20 in the summer, with teenagers Sonny Perkins, Darko Gyabi and Wilfried Gnonto also making the move to Elland Road.

However, Victor Orta already appears to be looking at future moves in 2023, with Kamada a player who has been linked with the Whites. Reports have suggested that Leeds could be tempted to make a pre-contract move in the New Year, with the Japan international’s current deal with Frankfurt set to expire in the summer.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Talking to The Transfer Tavern regarding Leeds’ reported interest in Kamada, O’Rourke labelled the player as a ‘top player’ and ‘talented playmaker’, claiming plenty of Premier League clubs have been looking at a potential move.

“He’s a top player and I think he proved that last season in the Europa League when he helped Eintracht Frankfurt win that competition. A lot of Premier League clubs have looked at him in the past and he is a talented playmaker who I think has done well and we’ll see him at the World Cup for Japan.”

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The Verdict: One to watch?

Kamada is 26 years of age and has begun the campaign in fine form, contributing to seven Bundesliga goals in six games. Therefore, you could argue that the player is entering the prime of his career, so you can see why a free transfer may well tempt Orta.

Kamada can play in a variety of midfield and attacking roles, so should be able to slot in perfectly in Jesse Marsch’s plans. He also ranks above the average when it comes to pressures, tackles and progressive passes, as per FBref, so this could well be one to keep an eye on heading into January.

West Ham United may have a long-term heir to Aaron Cresswell waiting in the wings, as Emmanuel Longelo could become a top talent in David Moyes’ side.

The Irons manager brought in Emerson Palmieri during the summer transfer window and the Italian has started two of the last three fixtures against Aston Villa and his former club Chelsea. However, he is yet to really impress, averaging a disappointing 6.07 rating from WhoScored for his performances so far this season.

Meanwhile, Cresswell has made 299 West Ham appearances in his career but showed his vulnerabilities towards the end of last season as he picked up red cards in important Europa League games against Lyon and eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 32-year-old could be set to play more of a bit-part role in Moyes’ side this season; and with his contract set to expire at the end of the campaign, the West Ham manager may have to consider a long-term replacement for the Englishman in his squad, as someone will be needed to compete with Emerson.

Longelo could be the ideal candidate for Moyes, having impressed in the Premier League 2 last season, contributing one goal and five assists in 18 appearances.

The 21-year-old joined Birmingham City on loan for the 2022/23 season and spoke about his key attributes upon joining the club, saying: “I have got pace and a bit of flair, I can also defend, so I have a bit of everything. I have come here to prove myself.”

The youngster will be hoping to play a key role for the Blues this season and come back to West Ham a more experienced player, in the hope that he can challenge for a starting spot with the Hammers next term.

Longelo made his full first-team debut against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League group stage, with his performance being lauded as “very impressive” by Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser, while Nottingham Forest were said to be interested during last January’s transfer window.

If Longelo can impress at Birmingham, then he could be the ideal man for Moyes to unleash as Cresswell’s replacement should the 32-year-old leave the London Stadium at the end of his contract.

West Ham United are in ‘ongoing’ talks to sign South American starlet Lazaro for manager David Moyes, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Moyes keeping busy…

Signing from Chelsea, left-back and Italy international Emerson Palmieri has become the Premier League side’s latest summer acquisition.

The 28-year-old becomes West Ham’s seventh summer capture after the east Londoners also completed deals for Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Alphonse Areola, Gianluca Scamcca, Maxwel Cornet and Thilo Kehrer.

These may not be the sum of their business, either, with reports suggesting West Ham could be set for a late ‘flurry’ after sealing a move for Emerson.

Club Brugge attacker Hans Vanaken is thought to be on the agenda with news now emerging on another target in Lazaro.

The Latest: West Ham in ‘ongoing’ Lazaro talks…

According to reports, West Ham are still trying to sign the 20-year-old from Flamengo.

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UOL claim the Irons ‘try to hire’ Lazaro and ‘conversations are ongoing’ over his signature – coming after West Ham tabled a £5 million bid for the attacking midfielder.

It’s added that the player is contracted until 2025, potentially gifting Flamengo plenty of breathing room in terms of negotiation and relieving them of pressure to sell.

The Verdict: Seal a move?

For the right price, Lazaro could be a very astute purchase as one to watch for the future.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig has called the Brazilian ‘versatile’ and ‘creative’, not to mention in a ‘similar’ ilk to Borussia Dortmund legend Marco Reus (Twitter).

Lazaro would come to the London Stadium with a glowing reputation, and in the next few seasons, could inject a real degree of class if the player keeps improving.

Sunderland are back in Championship action this afternoon with a home clash against Queens Park Rangers.

The Black Cats suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, after managing to pick up their first league win of the season last weekend.

On the chalkboard

Now that Alex Neil’s side are back in league action in front of their home fans, this will be the best way for them to put their midweek defeat behind them and continue picking up points in the Championship.

In terms of what Neil’s starting XI could look like, one figure that was involved in the defeat against Wednesday that we feel should be in from the beginning on this occasion is Luke O’Nien.

After coming on as a second-half substitute in Sunderland’s 1-1 draw against Coventry City, the midfielder was an unused substitute in last weekend’s win over Bristol City.

The 27-year-old then completed the full 90 minutes against Wednesday in midweek and put in a performance that will have given his manager a question to ask over whether he keeps his place in the team this time around for his first league start of the campaign.

Against the Yorkshire club, the Englishman, who has been hailed as a “revelation” in the past by Jack Ross, had 81 touches of the ball in total and completed 50 of the 55 passes he attempted, with two key passes and one shot on target under his belt.

From a defensive point of view, O’Nien won 14 of the 16 duels he was involved in, as well as making one clearance, three interceptions and seven tackles, which is more tackles than any other Black Cats player managed to make on the day.

This display ultimately earned him an impressive overall match rating of 7.9/10 from SofaScore, making him the highest-rated Sunderland player on the day, even higher than the likes of Elliot Embleton, who has appeared in both of the Black Cats’ opening two league games of the season.

Moving forward, with today’s opponents boasting the third-best rate for goals per shot (0.21) in the division, having someone with O’Nien’s defensive attributes in the team could be the best way for Sunderland to pick up a positive result.

Joe Donnohue has dropped an update on Leeds United’s bid to sign a new left-back this summer.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Yorkshire Evening Post journalist revealed that, following Monday’s confirmation that Leif Davis has secured a £1m move to League One side Ipswich Town, it is now expected that Victor Orta brings a new left-back into Elland Road over the remainder of the summer transfer window.

In his tweet, Donnohue said: “Leif Davis joins Ipswich Town on a permanent deal. Fee in the region of £1m. Left-back expected to come in at LUFC now.”

Supporters will love Donnohue’s update

Considering just how underwhelming Junior Firpo was throughout his debut campaign at Elland Road last season, and with both the former Barcelona left-back and Stuart Dallas missing the start of 2022/23 due to injury, Donnohue’s update suggesting that Orta will now make a move for a new player in the position this summer is sure to have left Leeds supporters buzzing.

Indeed, over Firpo’s 24 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £12.8m signing failed to convince on the left of the Whites’ backline, being beaten by an opponent 1.2 times, losing possession 9.2 times and committing 1.6 fouls per game.

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These metrics contributed towards the £55k-per-week defender averaging a disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.60, ranking the 25-year-old as Jesse Marsch’s seventh-worst performer in the league last time out.

As such, when taking into account Davis’ recent departure, coupled with Dallas being ruled out until roughly the turn of the year, it is clear to see that Leeds are in rather desperate need of reinforcements at left-back if they are to improve upon last season’s disastrous total of 79 goals conceded.

With Orta recently being linked with moves for a number of impressive talents – such as Stoke City’s Josh Tymon and Anderlecht’s Sergio Gomez – it would seem as if the Spaniard does have a few potential options to pursue in the position over the remainder of the transfer window.

That is sure to delight both the Elland Road faithful and Marsch alike.

AND in other news – “Talks still ongoing…”: Journalist reveals latest Leeds transfer twist, Orta must now act

Newcastle United have a track record when it comes to signing players from fellow English clubs during previous summer and winter transfer windows.

One player that made a move to St. James Park from a side that Newcastle will be facing off against in their upcoming Premier League campaign is Callum Wilson.

Back in the 2020 summer transfer window, the Magpies struck a deal with AFC Bournemouth worth £20m for Callum Wilson.

Since then, the Englishman has gone on to score 20 goals in 46 appearances for the Tyneside club, highlighting how useful he can be in front of goal.

With there still being some time left before the current transfer window closes, this period could give the Toon the chance to bring in what could be their next version of the former Bournemouth star.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Magpies have set their eyes on securing a transfer deal for Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Having made 190 senior appearances for the Toffees, the centre-forward has found the net 58 times in addition to providing 18 assists as well.

With 86 Premier League appearances across his previous three campaigns, the Englishman has found the net 34 times, highlighting the goalscoring credentials he has in the top division.

This backs up why he was praised for his “fabulous” goalscoring efforts by Graeme Souness back in November 2020 as well as being described as a “cold” finisher by former Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti.

To compare his previous league campaign with Wilson’s, the pair racked up an almost identical rate for shots on target per 90 minutes, highlighting the attacking similarities between the two and why Calvert-Lewin would be a suitable next version of the current Toon striker.

Despite having a rather hefty reported price tag of £60m, this would be an investment worth making for PIF as not only does the Everton striker have the experience to immediately hit the ground running at Newcastle, but he also has the time ahead of him to a long-term fixture in the squad.

Moving forward, with the Merseyside club having already cashed in on Richarlison this summer, if they could be tempted with a big-money offer for Calvert-Lewin, Newcastle should definitely put themselves at the front of the queue to land him.

AND in other news: Howe can land huge Almiron upgrade with Newcastle bid for “fearless” £18m-rated target

Aston Villa are preparing to strengthen their squad this summer ahead of the 2022/23 Premier League season, and an important transfer update has now been revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to Birmingham Live, Steven Gerrard has made it clear that Cameron Archer will not be made available for loan this summer.

As per the report, there are 14 clubs interested in signing the forward during the current transfer window following his impressive loan stint at Preston North End, but the 42-year-old will now give the youngster a full assessment in pre-season to determine his role in Villa’s team next season.

Supporters will be delighted

Villa supporters will surely be delighted that Gerrard will be looking more closely at Archer’s potential to be given an opportunity in the first team, especially when you consider his output over the last 12 months.

In the first half of the 2021/22 campaign, Archer remained at Villa Park, scoring six goals and contributing two assists in the EFL Trophy for the under-23s. He also netted four goals in the Carabao Cup for the senior team, with a hat-trick against Barrow in the second round.

The 20-year-old joined Preston in the second half of the season on a short-term loan spell and duly lit up the Championship, with seven goals and one assist in his 20 appearances for the Lilywhites.

Across all competitions in which he featured, Archer ended the season on 20 goals and five assists from 33 appearances, with one goal contribution for every 100 minutes played, which will surely catch Gerrard’s eye when making his decision on the youngster’s future at Villa.

Preston manager Ryan Lowe sang the praises of the talented youngster, saying (via Lancashire Post): “Cameron has got an abundance of talent. His quality levels are fantastic, he’s bullish, strong, he can roll, he has got that little burst of pace too.”

As a result of Archer’s impressive form last season, Gerrard has a huge decision to make on the 20-year-old’s future. The youngster has clearly made the most of his opportunities to play first-team football, and the Villa boss will need to see if he can fit the talented striker into his already competitive forward line next season.

AND in other news: “Villa will..”: Fabrizio Romano drops transfer news that’ll leave Gerrard buzzing

Rangers insider the 4th Official has dropped a transfer update regarding Ibrox left-back Borna Barisic amid interest from abroad.

What’s the word?

The 4th Official have stated that “as of right now, Rangers have not received any official bid for Borna Barisic.”

This follows news that Trabzonspor are keen on bringing the defender to Turkey ahead of the new season, in which the club will be playing in the Champions League.

The Ibrox side will be aiming to maximise any fee for the Croatian and won’t be willing to sell on the cheap.

Wilson will be gutted

Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be determined to build on the momentum from winning the Scottish Cup last season and enjoy a productive transfer window.

Unfortunately, unlike the majority of the clubs down south, the Ibrox side simply can’t go and spend massive sums of money without selling a few players first in order to generate funds.

This is despite having a lucrative season on the field, especially with the Europa League prize money boosting the coffers.

Ross Wilson will surely be hoping that a bid arrives for Barisic and because of his displays last term, may well be gutted that nothing has been forthcoming yet. The Croatia international has had an up and down season, he ranks 13th in the Gers squad with a SofaScore ranking of 6.81 and the stats tell the full story of his campaign.

The 29-year-old didn’t score at all last season, while only registering three assists in all competitions, which in contrast to 2020/2021 (five goals and 14 assists) signifies a player who has massively regressed.

With just two years left on his current contract, Wilson will be hoping to attract a fee close to his valuation of £5.4m which could be spent on other areas of the side or simply reinvest in a younger and more profitable player.

Following the poor season he has just had, this may prove to be unrealistic, but the club should make a profit on the £2.2m they splashed out to sign him from NK Osijek in 2018.

The Ibrox side faces an interesting few weeks ahead.

AND in other news, Offer made: Major Rangers transfer development emerges that’ll leave Gvb buzzing…