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Ross Wilson dodged a massive bullet by not signing Manuel Benson in the summer after it emerged that Glasgow Rangers were reportedly eyeing up a move for the Royal Antwerp winger.

According to a report at the time from The Daily Record, Rangers were ‘exploring’ a swoop for the Belgian as Steven Gerrard tried to stop Celtic winning ten titles in a row.

Wilson sought to bolster Gerrard’s firepower last year by plotting a double raid on the Belgian top-flight as it seems the Gers were also considering a bid for former Stoke City and West Brom striker Saido Berahino at the same time.

However, they soon cooled their interest after the arrivals of Ianis Hagi and Kemar Roofe.

It would have been a challenge for Rangers to acquire the services of Benson, anyway, as his boss Ivan Leko was reluctant to sell his prized asset.  Yet it appears they have dodged a bullet in doing so given his struggles this season thus far.

Benson, who is a former teammate of Hagi, has previously been praised by his national coach Johan Walem for being part of a “talented” group of Belgian youngsters before the U21 European Championships last year.

However, it’s fair to say that he has struggled to hit the ground running this season, as goals have been hard to come by during an injury-disrupted campaign. Benson spent a brief spell on the sidelines and has yet to score since the 3-1 win at home to Ludogorets in the Europa League.

The 23-year-old has provided two goals and two assists in 24 appearances across all competitions for Antwerp, via Transfermarkt.

Leko has recently taken to benching the former Belgium U21 international in an attempt to trigger a reaction, with Benson being left on the bench as an unused substitute on seven occasions in the Belgian top-flight so far.

He has even suffered the ignominy of being dropped from the matchday squads as he was left out of the sides to face Waasland-Beveren and RSC Charleroi before the turn of the year, so the Gers can count themselves lucky they decided against signing the misfiring £1.5m-rated ace.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers dealt huge injury blow after Old Firm clash with Celtic…

Glasgow Rangers should consider themselves fortunate after Scott Arfield spared their blushes against Standard Liege in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Steven Gerrard’s side conceded twice before the break before Arfield completed the comeback with a sensational strike in the second half to seal a thrilling 3-2 win at Ibrox.

It’s no secret Gerrard has wanted a box-to-box, all-action central midfielder for some time, with Rangers signing Bongani Zungu from French Ligue 2 side Amiens on an initial loan deal with the option to buy on transfer deadline day.

Such is the strength in depth, it’s fair to say that the Ibrox boss is spoilt for choice in midfield. Gerrard has plenty of options to choose from with Arfield, Joe Aribo, Steven Davis, Glen Kamara, Ryan Jack and Zungu all vying for three central midfield roles.

The Liverpool legend himself was famous for his box-to-box style of play who was an attacking threat as well, having scored 186 goals and supplied 136 assists in 710 appearances for the Reds, before hanging up his boots in 2017.

Whilst it would be a bit of a stretch too far to suggest that Arfield is on the same level, they do share certain similarities in terms of their playing style.

Just like Gerrard, WhoScored lists one of Arfield’s main strengths as his defensive contribution, whilst he is also an indirect threat at set-pieces as well.

You can’t pick many holes in Gerrard’s side, but if there is one area they need to improve, it’s the fact that they have mostly struggled to score goals from the midfield, although the 32-year-old is the joint second-highest scorer so far this season along with Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe as they have all scored seven goals apiece.

Former Scotland striker James McFadden has heaped praise on the 32-year-old for his “sensational” form and if these numbers are anything to go by, it’s easy to see why.

Valued at £1.8m via Transfermarkt, in 15 games in the Scottish Premiership this season, the former Canada international has bagged four goals and five assists so far, whilst he is averaging 1.6 shots and 1 key pass per game, via WhoScored.

With his contract set to run out in 2022, Ross Wilson must start to think about tying him down to a new deal. If the Gers are to secure their first major piece of silverware since the 2010-11 season, we suspect the Canadian may have a part to play.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard must bench Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos for the foreseeable future…

Jose Mourinho delivered a rather interesting take on Japhet Tanganga’s current situation within the club. Speaking in his press conference ahead of Tottenham’s clash with Ludogorets, the boss admitted that he doesn’t view the 21-year-old as a typical centre-back option.

“For me he’s a full-back,” Mourinho said. “Can he play centre-back? Yes he can, of course he can, and he will if we need and we will need.”

The Spurs manager touches on the idea that he will call upon Tanganga if and when the team require him to play centrally. However, if there was ever a time they might need him, it would be now. But despite Toby Alderweireld’s injury, Mourinho appears happy with the options he has in Eric Dier, Joe Rodon and Davinson Sanchez.

Tanganga is an incredibly versatile defender and can play anywhere across the back four. Being able to play at both left and right-back is a valuable asset for Spurs, but could now put a lot of pressure on Serge Aurier.

The Ivorian continued to be linked with a move away to AC Milan following the closure of the summer transfer window following the arrival of summer signing Matt Doherty. However, between Aurier and a player in the same position who is six years his junior, it’s all but clear where Mourinho will place his focus.

Tanganga has a lot of potential to become a key player for Spurs and with the former first choice right-back already linked to an exit, the cards don’t look good for him. Indeed, Aurier is contracted with the club until 2022, but if he loses his value in the team, Daniel Levy will start weighing up his options.

The defender is currently valued at £14.4million and could bring in a handsome amount if he is to leave in either January or the summer. But if his current deal is left to tick down after this, panic will set in. Spurs will then be scrambling to land a sale before he is eligible to negotiate pre-contract terms. But however they choose to do their business, it looks highly unlikely that there will be much room for Aurier at Spurs once Doherty returns from injury and Tanganga continues to impress.

In other news, Ryan Sessegnon on-loan form could spell trouble for Ben Davies…

Tottenham star Harry Kane is former Spurs man Darren Bent’s top pick for Player of the Month for October.

Kane has helped the Lilywhites climb to third in the Premier League with seven games played.

Bent’s thoughts on Harry Kane

Bent spoke to Give Me Sport, saying: “I’d have to probably go for Harry Kane you know. He’s got a lot of goals as well but the assists is the one. You know what I mean? He’s not been renowned.

“He’s always been technically very good, but his range of passing at the minute. He’s got eyes in the back of his head and other players are benefiting from that, which is probably why Spurs are doing so well.

“He’s dropping into an area where he’s really intelligent. He’s dropping into that number ten role knowing that one of the defenders has to come with him. That’s just leaving space. If you talk about the whole round package goals and assists, I’ll have to go with Harry Kane.”

Does the forward deserve the award?

Kane has had a phenomenal start to the season, picking up the best average rating across the 2020/21 campaign so far with an 8.26 rating (SofaScore). October continued to follow in the same suit as he scored three assists in England’s top flight.

He has really adapted his game in 2020/21, adding a lot of assists to his name and becoming a playmaker while continuing what has always been his finest trait – his goalscoring.

Bent isn’t the first pundit to drool over the striker’s displays so far, as Noel Whelan was in awe of the Englishman too: “He seems like he is coming back into his best form. If Tottenham are going to push that top four they need Harry Kane in that sort of form. He makes a huge difference to that side when he is in the groove.”

Win a shirt of your choice! Vote for your Player of the Month for October here! 

West Ham United have only signed two players so far this transfer window, and with the international window now shut, they will have to look domestically for any late additions.

Due to this, recents reports suggest they are still pursuing a player that they have been interested throughout the summer in the shape of Said Benrahma.

The Mirror has reported that the Hammers are still interested in the Championship winger, but they face competition for his signature. Fellow Premier League sides and London rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Crystal Palace are also monitoring the situation.

The deadline for transfers between Premier League and EFL sides is the 16th October. This means the Irons still have time to make a move for the player.

There is no doubting the terrific campaign Benrahma had last season for the Bees as he scored 17 goals and also picked up eight assists, per WhoScored. He looked a menace for opposition defences as he managed on average 3.8 shots, 2.1 key passes and a whopping 3 dribbles per game.

The fact that sides like Chelsea and Arsenal are interested in the 25 year-old highlights his huge potential. Therefore supporters should be excited that West Ham are also tracking him. His manager Thomas Frank clearly loves having the player at his club too, as he called him ‘magnificent’ earlier this year.

For now no bid has been made, but Felipe Anderson moved to FC Porto on loan, whilst academy prospect Grady Diangana’s departure to West Bromwich Albion left many annoyed, including captain Mark Noble.

This means the winger position is lacking depth, and the signing of Benrahma would both improve that position and also please the Irons fan base following their frustrations throughout the summer.

West Ham fans, what are your thoughts on this news? Let us know down below!

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Callum Wilson from Bournemouth this summer, according to Sky Sports as relayed by Ricky Sacks. 

Recent reports revealed Tottenham are leading the race to sign the Cherries ace, although Daniel Levy will face a transfer battle with Premier League rivals Newcastle United and West Ham if he wishes to secure his signature.

After his side finished in the top six on the final day of the campaign, Jose Mourinho is preparing for his first summer window in charge of Spurs as he turns his attention to next season.

Levy has insisted he will not be spending “rivers of money” in the summer so Mourinho has a tough task on his hands as he will have to hunt for bargains, look for free agents and sort out swap deals to improve his squad.

Wilson was widely tipped to move to north London last year as reports suggested Mauricio Pochettino was preparing an £80m swoop for two Bournemouth players. As a move failed to materialise, Mourinho wants to succeed where his predecessor could not, as he is determined to get his man before the start of next season.

The Cherries have rejected any attempts to sign their star striker in the past but they are now in a precarious position as they have been relegated to the Championship.

The England international earns wages worth £110,000-a-week and he may have to take a considerable pay cut if he wants to remain in the Premier League. In comparison, Harry Kane is one of the club’s highest-paid earners with his latest contract earning him £200,000 per week.

Wilson, 28, has struggled for goals this season, as he has only scored eight times in the English top flight, having managed nearly double that total last year.

Will he want to play second fiddle to Kane? That remains to be seen, as this is a problem that has plagued Spurs for several years. Eddie Howe’s side will sell the forward for £20m as they seek to get rid of his salary as soon as possible.

The 26-year-old’s absence showed the Lilywhites lack real depth in the striking department and they must find suitable cover and competition for their talisman at all costs.

Tottenham fans, should Levy sign Wilson in the summer? Let us know down below!

After rejoining his hometown club last summer, Andy Carroll has endured a rather expected injury-riddled campaign at Newcastle this season.

The striker has managed just 17 appearances across all competitions, with various little knocks keeping him out first-team action for weeks and weeks.

But with his contract coming to an end soon, there was real talk of him potentially having played his last game for the club. However, according to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder, Mike Ashley stepped in and sanctioned a new one-year extension to keep the 31-year-old at the club.

Can you name every one of the Magpies’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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And judging by his latest performance against Manchester City, it does raise some serious eyebrows whether he represents the future at St James’ Park.

A real throwback striker, Carroll hardly had a sniff against Pep Guardiola’s side in their FA Cup quarter-final clash on Sunday evening, and whilst he did his best to charge around and make his presence known – Aymeric Laporte certainly won’t be waking up feeling great – he just didn’t have anything like the kind of impact to worry the away team.

Getting a hold of the ball against a side like City was always going to be a tall order, but with Carroll in the team, the Magpies resorted to pumping balls forward to him and expecting him to bring it down in the air.

To his credit, he won six of his 11 aerial duels, but the fact he only had 20 touches of the ball and only made seven successful passes shows just how anonymous he was.

Having started with both Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron – both quick and direct players capable of travelling with the ball for long distances – surely having a more pacier striker to complement them would have been the best bet?

A counter-attacking style would have gotten a lot more joy for Newcastle’s game-plan of sitting back and trying to soak up pressure. But instead, Carroll invariably didn’t have the pace to keep up with any of Saint-Maximin’s dribbles forwards. It felt like an old-school game-plan not fit to modern times.

With the Tyneside club on the verge of a potential takeover and a fresh new era, this would have been the perfect time to bring an end to Carroll’s second spell at St James’ Park.

Instead, Ashley rewarded the barely-ever fit centre-forward with a new deal, and just the latest mistake in his long reign at the club.

A lot of Crystal Palace fans are loving the latest news from journalist Matthew Law, who has tweeted that the Eagles will face rivals Charlton in a friendly match to prepare for the return of the Premier League.

There is a big history between the two sides, stemming from the fact that they are local rivals, and moments like Ian Dowie leaving Palace to manage Charlton are one of many which heat up the London rivalry between the two sides.

It is the Eagles who currently boast bragging rights, as they are now an established Premier League side whilst Charlton fight for survival in the Championship. The Selhurst Park side also have a good record against their upcoming opponents as they have won 34, drawn 15 and lost only 19 against the Addicks, via 11vs11.

This could be the ideal type of friendly to get the Palace squad match fit for the Premier League, which is finally due to return in June after three months of postponement.

Here is what these Crystal Palace fans said following the tweet from Law:

Palace fans, are you excited for the friendly against Charlton? Comment below with your views!

Newcastle United may have had a lucky escape as former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager André Villas-Boas has reportedly turned the Tyneside club down, according to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness).

As per the outlet, the Marseille boss has turned down an approach from the North East, despite an offer to ‘significantly’ increase his wages.

The Magpies are believed to be on the hunt for a big-name manager to replace Steve Bruce should their prospective takeover by the Saudi Arabian investment group go through at St. James’ Park.

Villas-Boas is one of the names who is on their list, and it has been widely rumoured he could be leaving Marseille after the departure of director of football Andoni Zubizarreta, as the Toon was touted as a possible destination.

However, a move to NUFC will not be happening as he has already turned down their advances.

Perhaps they are rather lucky that Villas-Boas has said no given his failings in the Premier League. Taking charge of Chelsea in the 2011/12 season, the Portuguese man was sacked in March after some poor results which eventually saw the Blues finish in sixth place in the league table.

AVB switched to bitter rivals Spurs the following campaign, but was eventually sacked again in December 2013. His overall winning percentage in the top flight arguably does not bode well, as he won 42 out of 81 games, giving him a win ratio of 51.9 per cent, according to Transfermarkt. This is relatively low for two big clubs hoping to continuously finish in the Champions League places.

If the would-be owners are ambitious about where Newcastle could finish under them, then not having Villas-Boas at the helm may be a blessing in disguise given he has already failed twice in England.

Geordies, what do you think of AVB? Comment below!

So the Timo Werner transfer saga continues to take its twists and turn. And judging by the latest update, it appears Liverpool may finally have pulled the plug on bringing the Germany international to Anfield this summer.

According to The Daily Mirror’s David Maddock, the Reds have withdrawn from talks to sign the striker after refusing “point-blank” to pay his release clause.

Can you spot your Xabi Alonso from your Bruno Cheyrou? This Liverpool quiz will have you questioning your knowledge…

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It’s suggested that with the current situation taking its toll on clubs’ finances, Liverpool value Werner at significantly less than £30m, and that with Leipzig insisting they will not negotiate a price below £50m, the Merseyside club have simply walked away.

And after hearing about the fresh development on their chase for Werner, Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

A couple of Liverpool fans aimed their criticism at the club’s owners, insisting that they are simply being frugal with their money again – this entire 2019/2020 campaign has seen the Reds spend a total of just £9.36m according to Transfermarkt.

One Reds fan meanwhile appeared to be far more optimistic, instead suggesting that this is potentially mind games from Michael Edwards, and it could perhaps get Werner to push for a move himself.

Werner’s situation at Leipzig is unlikely to get resolved anytime soon.

Understandably, both Liverpool and Leipzig are trying to get the best possible deal for themselves, particularly in light of the current climate, where every penny will absolutely count.

So whilst for now the move may be dead in the water, don’t rule it out definitively just yet.