It’s been a very busy week for Glasgow Rangers as they have brought two new strikers to Ibrox. One was 23 year-old Cedric Itten, and the other was 27 year-old Kemar Roofe.

Supporters might know more about Roofe as he has played in England for clubs like Leeds United and Oxford United before he moved to Belgium side Anderlecht, per Transfermarkt.

When someone new signs, many in the media give their opinions on whether they believe the transfer was a good decision or not and what they think about the player.

One person who has been discussing Roofe signing for the Gers is Paul Heckingbottom, who managed the striker during his spell in charge of Leeds United.

Speaking to The Scottish Sun about Roofe, Heckingbottom said: “It’s a great bit of business for Steven Gerrard. That’s a statement signing from Rangers, very impressive. I’m certain he’ll do well in Scotland, and the Rangers fans will love his approach.

“I wish Kemar well, he’s a good lad and a top professional. He’ll enjoy the size of Rangers. He’s been at Leeds and Anderlecht, so going to Ibrox won’t faze him at all.

“He will relish the pressure and expectation. I’m really pleased for him with this move.”

It’s hard to disagree with Heckingbottom here, Roofe has been at some big football clubs, and therefore he should adjust easily to the pressure and expectations at the Gers.

In Belgium, he played 16 times, and scored seven goals whilst picking up three assists, whilst in the 2018/19 season at Leeds, he managed 15 goals and two assists in 34 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

The fact that in his last two seasons he has nearly scored one goal every two games bodes very well for the Scottish side as it highlights he is very clinical despite the pressure of needing to perform at his last two clubs.

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Hopefully he will be able to continue this good goalscoring record of late at the Ibrox, as fans of the club will be hoping to win the title this campaign.

Being praised by his former boss Heckingbottom, who has also managed Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership, shows the quality the forward has and it will be exciting to see how he does this season.

Glasgow Rangers fans, are your happy with the signing? Let us know down below!

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ season has been quite good overall. But alas, their Europa League run was halted by Sevilla just the other day, putting an end to an excellent run and an excellent campaign as a whole. Still, even with all of that being said, no silverware once again will surely plant a seed of doubt in some of the stars’ minds at Molineux.

One such player is definitely Raul Jimenez and now, he’s been told by ESPN writer Sergio Dipp to leave Wolves for greener pastures where he can achieve much more and more importantly, win titles.

The Mexican football expert believes it’s time for him to move on, especially considering that there is interest from other Premier League titans like Manchester United or even Liverpool. Needless to say, he believes Jimenez would be a much bigger success at Old Trafford or Anfield instead of the Molineux.

Here’s what he wrote for ESPN: “Leave Wolverhampton now, the best thing Raul Jimenez can do is change of scene. The English League has been very good for him, but the team has been too small for him.

He should have a thirst for revenge and a desire to demonstrate at the highest level, because in May he will turn 30 and naturally the window will be closing. So he has to take advantage of the fact that he is coming off the best season of his career”

The coveted striker was signed from Benfica back in 2018 after four years of service under the Portuguese badge and has bagged 44 goals and 18 assists across 99 matches for Wolves ever since.

According to Dipp, now would be the ideal time to leave.

Verdict

There is no denying Jimenez’s quality but he is also slowly but surely heading towards the latter parts of his career and this may indeed be one of his last chances to shine for a top, top team.

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Wolves are also an incredibly exciting squad but will they actually claim some silverware for their efforts in the immediate future? It seems there’s a huge decision ahead of Jimenez and only time will tell what happens next.

Brighton defender Haydon Roberts is reportedly in the club’s long-term plans but could be loaned out for the 2020/21 season.

That’s according to a report from The Athletic, which claimed that the 18-year-old is in contract talks at the Amex Stadium but is likely to spend the next few months out on loan in order to gain experience.

According to The Athletic, the League One trio of Blackpool, AFC Wimbledon and Sunderland are all interested in a loan move for the young centre-back.

Roberts, who has five caps for England at under-18 level, made his senior debut for Brighton in last season’s Carabao Cup and scored in that game against Aston Villa but that remains his only appearance in the first team, while he has not yet been loaned out to gain experience elsewhere.

As a centre-back, he has a lengthy queue of players ahead of him at the Amex, including club captain Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, Shane Duffy, returning loan duo Ben White and Matt Clarke and summer arrival Joel Veltman. Even with Duffy and Clarke touted for moves away, either permanently or on loan, that is still an extensive level of competition for places in Graham Potter’s line-up.

Roberts has shown at underage level for Brighton that he is flexible, having also played at left-back and in defensive midfield on a few occasions, while a return of six goals in 59 appearances between the Seagulls’ first team and youth sides is respectable for a defender (as per TransferMarkt).

The 18-year-old seems a talented prospect judging by those figures and Brighton’s desire to extend his contract but, with such frenetic competition for just two centre-back berths in Potter’s line-up, he cannot realistically expect to be in first team contention at the Amex any time soon.

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Therefore, a loan spell to a League One side should be beneficial for him in terms of giving him exposure at senior level before coming back to his parent club as a more mature and developed player who still has his whole career ahead of him.

Brighton fans, where do you think would be an ideal loan club for Roberts? Join in the discussion by commenting below!

Everton could be about to sleepwalk into another winger nightmare if fresh reports emerging from Spain are to be believed this week…

What’s the word?

According to AS, the Toffees are closely monitoring Atletico Madrid’s expensive flop Thomas Lemar over a potential summer switch to Goodison Park and they also face competition from Wolves.

That should hardly be a surprise given his agent is Jorge Mendes, who has deep ties to their Premier League rivals.

It’s claimed that the 24-year-old wants a move to the English top-flight and he could cost between €25m (£22.5m) and €30m (£26.5m).

Winger woes

This would be quite a surprising move to make considering the width problems Carlo Ancelotti has faced at the club already.

£34m summer signing Alex Iwobi delivered one goal all season whilst the rest of his options out wide only mustered up five goals and six assists in total.

Lemar has struggled to make any impact of sorts this season, failing to register a single goal or assist for Atletico which has led to Diego Simeone claiming that the winger has not lived up to expectations following a whopping £52.7m move.

It’s been quite the fall from grace for a player once likened to Andres Iniesta due to his ‘vision and footwork.’

The 24-year-old has also received plenty of glowing endorsements in the past, ranging from former Arsenal star Robert Pires suggesting that he’s someone “who can make a difference” to Spurs skipper Hugo Lloris describing him as “extremely talented and lethal in front of goal.”

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Clearly, he’s not been able to replicate such comments in La Liga in the past two seasons.

Lemar is unlikely to be much of an upgrade on what Ancelotti currently has at his disposal, so Marcel Brands could be sleepwalking into a nightmare if he decides to splash £26.5m plus €120k-per week (£107k-per-week) in wages on a total flop.

AND in other news, Everton move for La Liga misfit would be worrying shades of 2017…

West Bromwich Albion are closing in on another summer signing and it’s one that many at the Hawthorns will recognise…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s Steve Madeley, the Baggies are poised to re-sign attacking midfielder Filip Krovinovic on loan from Benfica for a second spell.

They claim that an agreement is increasingly likely after a significant breakthrough in discussions this week.

Slaven Bilic is a big fan as he can play a multitude of midfield positions, and he’s thought to be a very popular member of the dressing room too.

Although the temporary switch is ‘heading towards’ a straight loan without any obligation to buy despite being linked with a £6m move earlier this year.

Risky business

And that could be the greatest risk that Luke Dowling makes this summer.

Albion have seen exactly what Krovinovic has to offer after he provided three goals and two assists whilst averaging 1.4 shots, 1.1 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

It took until after Christmas to see him regularly, but he soon became an integral part of the promotion winners and if he has another good season in the Midlands, the Baggies will be stuffed as he’ll be free to join any other interested team or maybe even return to Portugal.

If he takes to the Premier League like lightening, then Bilic has no advantage when it comes to next summer.

The Croatian’s assistant Danilo Butorovic believes the 25-year-old “is going places,” calling him “underrated” as well as a “great talent.”

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Whilst earlier this summer Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan claimed getting Krovinovic back at the Hawthorns would be an “absolute bargain” and Bilic is very desperate to land him.

As good as this move it, it could well be tarnished by the fact that the Baggies will be left without any obligation – or even an option – to buy. That’s something that could come back to haunt them this time next year.

AND in other news, WBA could upgrade Sawyers with £12m swoop…

In our Transfers that shook the club feature, Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at deals that had many may not have seen coming and the impact that they had during their time by using statistical data and pundit remarks.

Brighton’s clash with Manchester United yesterday could have caused some conflicting emotions in a certain Glenn Murray, who is currently on loan at Watford from the Seagulls but is a boyhood fan of the Red Devils.

Now 36, the striker joined Brighton in 2008 when they were a League One club and spent three-and-a-half years in Sussex, scoring 22 league goals in 2010/11 as he fired them into the Championship. However, after rejecting multiple offers of a new contract from Albion at the end of that season, he was released by the club and left on a free transfer…to A23 rivals Crystal Palace.

Fate would decree that Murray was in the Palace team that met Brighton in the Championship play-off semi-finals two years later and, inevitably, he attracted headlines following the first leg. Sadly for him, it was because he suffered a serious knee injury, much to the mocking derision of some travelling supporters at Selhurst Park that night.

Murray eventually moved on to Bournemouth in 2015 in the early weeks of their first Premier League season but, a year later, he dropped back to the second tier in a move as sensational as his switch to the Eagles in 2011.

On 3 July 2016, Brighton announced that Murray was back at the club on a season-long loan. Naturally there may have been some opposition to his return given how he left for Palace, but just as he scored 30 goals in helping the south Londonders into the Premier League in 2013, he performed a similar feat upon his return to Sussex.

The striker’s 23 league goals in 2016/17 were crucial to Brighton winning promotion to the top flight, with Murray making his loan move permanent midway through the season in a £3.15m deal (as per TransferMarkt). The redemption act had well and truly been completed.

It’s one thing to score a bundle of goals to get a team into the Premier League. It’s another to find the net often enough to then keep the team there, yet that is what he did in the memorable 2017/18 campaign. Murray’s 12-goal haul was crucial to keeping Albion in the top flight at the first time of asking, and his 13 goals the following season perhaps proved even more priceless as the Seagulls very narrowly beat the drop.

Having struggled to hold down a place in Graham Potter’s first XI last season, though, he decided to join Watford on loan over the summer, a move he made with 111 Brighton goals to his name, making him the second-highest scorer in the club’s history behind Tommy Cook.

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The We Are Brighton blog recently made cogent arguments for Murray to be considered the greatest striker in Albion history, with the summary that: “Not many players could win over the fans of a club once in 2009, leave for their bitter rivals in 2011, return in 2016 and go onto achieve legendary status by 2020. Murray did though.”

That is a sign of how highly he is regarded at the Amex Stadium despite the circumstances of his move to Crystal Palace, and Brighton can be glad that the 36-year-old gladly took up the role of the prodigal son back in 2016.

Brighton fans, were you shocked when Murray returned to the Seagulls four years ago? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!

Many Liverpool fans have been hailing “genius” manager Jurgen Klopp on the five-year anniversary of his appointment to the job.

The German tactician has taken the club from Europa League participants to Premier League and European champions during that time, completely transforming the squad into a world-class outfit in the process.

Klopp has managed to average a points-per-game average of 2.04 from 270 matches in charge, the best of his career (as per TransferMarkt), and captured the club’s first league title in 30 years, just as he promised during his first press conference.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that he possesses the same aura as ex-Reds boss Bill Shankly, arguably the greatest manager that ever sat in the Anfield dugout.

Understandably, waves of supporters came far and wide as they flocked to the club’s official Twitter account, who commemorated the significant day.

Liverpool fans hail Klopp

Liverpool fans, what are your thoughts on Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield reign? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Leeds United could be busy on this domestic deadline day.

Links to Todd Cantwell and Louie Sibley have been rife for the past two weeks, but the reality is that United don’t really need these new players.

We’ve spoken about how Sibley could be another Jack Clarke and how Cantwell’s insane asking price could undo all of the good work Leeds have done so far this season, and all logic points towards United having all the tools they need to go forward this season.

However, that doesn’t mean that Andrea Radrizzani doesn’t still have a big job on his hands.

The Italian has been working on a much bigger deal in recent weeks as he’s looked into the possibility of purchasing La Liga outfit Valencia, and that is a deal that could benefit Leeds much more than buying Cantwell or Sibley.

Radrizzani reportedly wants to build a European empire of clubs that can act as feeders for Leeds, and Valencia seem like the perfect team to get that network started.

The La Liga outfit are in the midst of hefty financial issues that saw them sell a number of their first-team players and these problems could lead to the Spanish outfit being available on the cheap.

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Add into this the fact that their academy is one of the best in Spain, producing stars such as David Silva, Isco, Paco Alcacer and Ferran Torres in recent years, and their potential as a feeder club to Leeds is seemingly massive.

At the end of the day, Radrizzani forking out for Sibley or Cantwell won’t add too much to the club, especially when you look at the options United already have in the attacking midfield positions. However, acquiring Valencia could help Leeds for years to come, especially if the Italian’s European empire idea comes to fruition.

After starting off the Premier League campaign like a house on fire, Aston Villa suffered their first defeat of the season with a 3-0 reverse to Leeds United.

On Sunday, Dean Smith’s side will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways and ensure that the result against the Yorkshire club was merely just a blip.

Standing in their way is Southampton, who have picked up their form recently, and whilst England international Danny Ings looks set to be their main threat, Villa may want to pay close attention to his strike partner, Che Adams.

Villa fans may be familiar with Adams, after seeing him turn out for rivals Birmingham City, and unless they keep him in check at the weekend, he could really deliver a painful blow to their side and leave them fuming.

The 24-year-old appears to finally be finding his feet at St Mary’s, netting two goals and providing a further two assists in his last four Premier League games, including a pair of goal contributions in a thrilling 3-3 draw away at Chelsea.

Adams’ ability to link up well with his strike partner but also pull defences out of shape with his clever running could bright yet more nightmares for a Villa defence that struggled to cope with Leeds’ intensity last time out.

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

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Speaking earlier this year, Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl opened up on his attacking style of play, and why someone like Adams is crucial to his side’s success.

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He said: “They are the guys who have to sprint the most, press the most, they have to cover the highest intense runs and the most distance and this is why they are normally the first guys substituted.”

If Villa focus too much on stopping Ings, then they could well be burned by a man signed from Birmingham for £15m. And that really wouldn’t go down too well with the Villa Park faithful.

Carlo Ancelotti must afford Anthony Gordon his time to shine at Goodison Park amid reports Everton will not sanction a mid-season loan for the “quality” midfielder.

What’s the word?

According to the Liverpool Echo, Gordon has attracted keen admirers from both at home and abroad but will be denied a potential temporary switch away from Merseyside in the January window.

Everton chiefs held firm in rejecting loan approaches for the 19-year-old talent throughout the summer and are expected to similarly rebuff any inquires at the turn of the year, despite chances to feature being few and far between under Ancelotti thus far this term.

The Italian has afforded Gordon just 32 minutes of Premier League football and been omitted from five of his 18-man squads, while also left out of the matchday plans for October’s 4-1 Carabao Cup rout of West Ham United after recording three assists in the prior two rounds.

Gordon is said to be relaxed over his situation at present and confident that he will regain a spot in Ancelotti’s thinking, providing he maintains high standards in training with the ex-Real Madrid boss placing a great deal of importance on the sessions at Finch Farm.

Time to shine

It is noted that Gordon did not hesitate to accept an offer to feature in David Unsworth’s Under 23s as they beat Chelsea last Sunday, having struggled to regain a spot in Ancelotti’s plans, but his exceptional display showed the teen star to now be performing at a higher level than the Premier League 2.

If Everton chiefs are thinking along the same lines, Ancelotti must realise that it is time to see Gordon shine in the senior side on a regular basis rather than drip-feeding him minutes on a here-and-there basis that will not allow the Liverpool-born prospect to settle.

Ancelotti has spoken admirably of Gordon’s potential when the academy graduate has featured for the first-team previously, noting in July via the official Everton website: “Anthony is doing well. He is young but showing good personality and character, when he plays from the start or goes on as a substitute.

“I have a lot of confidence in him. He is a player for now and for the future. He just needs to play to increase his confidence. He has quality. He can improve his knowledge, but he is ready to play in the Premier League without a problem.”

Ancelotti again spoke highly of Gordon in September, when the wide midfielder knocked on his door seeking answers to why he had been overlooked on the opening weekend of the season.

“He wanted an explanation and so I explained to him the squad is really competitive and sometimes it can happen that the players are not involved,” Ancelotti said, via quotes by the Liverpool Echo.

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“But this doesn’t mean I don’t believe in them. I believe and so he had the opportunity against Salford to show us his quality, he took the opportunity because he played really well.”

Chances have continued to be scarce since those comments and if Everton are to reject loan approaches for Gordon in January, then Ancelotti must afford the £4.5m-rated prospect far more chances than he has currently offered.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti is set for a major £18m boost over Everton’s “courageous” dynamo.