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An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their efforts to secure the long-term future of Robbie Ure…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Light Blues academy striker has rejected the club’s latest attempt to pin him down to a contract extension this summer.

The report claims that the forward has turned down their offer as it would have put him on less money than he is currently earning in the B Team at Ibrox.

His current deal is due to expire at the end of the season and Football Insider state that the gem now has an eye on a departure from Glasgow, which would only earn the Light Blues a compensation fee due to his age.

Billy Gilmour 2.0

Sporting director Ross Wilson must now work hard to avoid a situation where Ure becomes a repeat of the Billy Gilmour disasterclass for Rangers, after the club were forced to watch the young midfielder’s development from afar after he departed as a teenager.

Chelsea only had to pay an initial £500k for the 15-year-old in 2017 and went on to sell him to Premier League side Brighton, after he had established himself as a full international for Scotland, for £7.5m, potentially rising to £10m, last year.

Gilmour’s 16 caps for Scotland and 42 Premier League appearances, along with his £10m transfer to the Seagulls, suggest that Rangers missed out on enjoying a quality player and a big payday, which was a disaster for the club.

Ure’s form for the B Team this season suggests that the gem could be the next Gilmour to go on to achieve great success down south, or elsewhere in Europe, if Rangers do not convince him to stay.

The 18-year-old has plundered six UEFA Youth League outings.

These statistics show that the young marksman has been a regular contributor in the final third for the youth team and this means that the forward could be a match-winner for Michael Beale’s side if he is able to translate that form into the first-team.

Scott Arfield hailed the forward as “magic” after a League Cup win over Queen of the South earlier this season and his performance in that match – scoring on his senior debut – showed that he has the potential to make the step up to senior level.

Therefore, allowing Ure to walk for a compensation fee in the summer would be a significant blow for the club, due to his scope for development and what he could achieve in the future, which is why Wilson must remain locked in talks with the talent in an attempt to change his mind and convince him to stay at Ibrox.

The teenage striker has showcased his talent throughout the season so far, and grasped his first-team opportunity in the cup, and Rangers will not want to look back with regret if Ure ends up following in Gilmour’s footsteps by becoming a success in England.

Leeds United have been drawn into a lengthy transfer saga with regard to Azzedine Ounahi, as the Moroccan has been a reported target of Victor Orta’s for some time now.

The 22-year-old had starred for his national team at the World Cup, thus drawing widespread praise and interest, and yet despite having been reported in the driving seat on numerous occasions they continue to stumble in finalising it.

Jesse Marsch cannot seem to get that midfielder over the line to complete his January dealings, and another saga seems to be sparking up that could set them up for more disappointment.

Having enquired to AS Roma last week about the availability of wantaway attacker Nicolo Zaniolo, they are said to be battling with West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur to now secure a deal for the 23-year-old who is valued at around €40m (£35m).

The addition of the maverick Italian would be a welcome one at Elland Road, especially pairing him with the red-hot form of Rodrigo, who has shouldered plenty of the offensive burden this campaign for the Whites.

The Spaniard already boasts ten goals in the Premier League this season, having finally hit a rich vein of goalscoring form after being questioned upon first joining the club.

To combine this with the Zaniolo of last season, who scored eight and assisted nine times across all competitions, could be the catalyst for sparking a sensational surge up the table.

However, what is most exciting about their potential link-up is the tactical flexibility they would bring given their similar roles.

Should Marsch deploy the Roma midfielder just behind his 31-year-old marksman, the two could interchange in an effort to bamboozle centre-backs and keep opposition defences alert.

Rodrigo’s ability to do this is highlighted in the fact that, when compared to other forwards across Europe, he ranks in the top 10% for passes attempted. Meanwhile, Zaniolo ranks in the top 4% for total shots when compared with attacking midfielders.

Their stats are as interchangeable as their roles could be. His ability to provide for the finisher must not be understated, as he truly is the “lethal playmaker” that journalist Zach Lowy dubbed him.

Whilst it may be a very costly move, given their business so far, attaining a player of such quality would be a sensational coup for the club.

Aston Villa could see Lyon striker Moussa Dembele as the ideal replacement for Danny Ings this month, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Villa linked with Dembele signing

In recent times, the 26-year-old Frenchman has found himself linked with a move to Villa Park, having caught the eye greatly for the Ligue 1 side down the years.

Dembele has an impressive record of 69 goals in 160 appearances for the French giants, not to mention bagging 51 in 94 during his time at Celtic.

It doesn’t look as though Villa’s interest in the striker has gone away yet, following a fresh update.

The Latest: Possible Ings replacement?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Dembele could be seen as the best replacement for Ings, who has moved to West Ham:

“It’s a really interesting option. He’s one of the names that we floated at the start of the window as an option for somebody when they were desperate for a striking situation to be resolved.

“I think if you’re looking for somebody to replace Ings now in that frontline, Moussa Dembele would certainly be capable of that.”

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The Verdict: Upgrade on Ings?

It is important that Unai Emery brings in a new striker this month, mainly in terms of squad depth, and Dembele would be an exciting addition, with his aforementioned goalscoring record summing up his pedigree.

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In fact, the Lyon man could easily prove to be an upgrade on Ings, considering he is our years his junior and has been described as ‘excellent’ by Brendan Rodgers during their time at Celtic.

Looking at their underlying statistics, Dembele actually scores higher than Ings for every single attacking metric except for assists per 90 minutes, while he also wins out in many of the possession-based numbers, such as dribbles and pass completion.

The £66,000-a-week-earning Dembele could help take Villa up another gear in the second half of the season, at a point where Emery is threatening to build a formidable team, bringing more firepower to a side that has only scored 23 times in 20 Premier League outings this season.

Phil Hay has revealed his concerns over Leeds United allowing Mateusz Klich to depart halfway through the season.

The Lowdown: Midfield not an area to strengthen

Leeds have already been active in the transfer window bringing in Maximilian Wober from RB Salzburg, making him the fourth player from the Red Bull group to join Jesse Marsch at Elland Road.

It’s been reported that Leeds are indeed keen on recruiting a new striker, which could largely be down to the fact they are just one Rodrigo injury away from having to rely on young Joe Gelhardt.

However, it appears as though Leeds are not too eager to bring in a replacement for Klich who was handed an emotional farewell on Wednesday evening as he prepares to join DC United in the MLS.

The Latest: No Klich replacement on the cards

Hay has insisted on The Phil Hay Show that he is concerned by the fact Leeds are seemingly content with their current midfield options and happy for Klich to depart.

He said: (15:10) “So it’s a concern to me that he’s going but I totally understand why he is. As I say, I think there are other players who Marsch would rather have in the team, I think Klich can see that himself and it makes sense that it’s a parting of ways.”

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The Verdict: A new midfielder should be recruited

Leeds are seriously short of options in the midfield department as things stand with Klich having or very close to confirming his arrival at DC United and now Adam Forshaw has picked up another injury which has seen him require small surgery.

Therefore, much like not signing a left-back or striker over the summer, if Leeds and Victor Orta were to not recruit a new midfielder this transfer window it would simply be negligence and leave Marsch hamstrung.

All it takes is for Tyler Adams or Marc Roca to pick up a muscular or another type of serious injury and Marsch could be forced to alter his system and seriously have Leeds up against it when it comes to staying in the division.

Newcastle United are reportedly getting closer to securing a new contract for Bruno Guimaraes. 

The Lowdown: Guimaraes’ time at Newcastle

The Magpies signed the Brazilian from Lyon last January transfer in a deal worth a reported fee of £40m. Since then, the 25-year-old has made 32 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring eight goals and delivering three assists along the way.

With the Premier League set to resume in the coming days, some details have emerged regarding the Magpies’ behind-the-scenes efforts to secure the midfielder’s future.

The Latest: Newcastle getting closer to Guimaraes deal

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Newcastle are making good progress on agreeing a new contract with Guimaraes which would see him earn £200,000 per week.

The report adds that the club have made preliminary contact with the player’s camp and hope that he will put pen to paper on a lucrative contract extension in the coming months which would be worth up to £60m in total and see him become the highest-paid player in Newcastle’s history.

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The Verdict: Great move for Newcastle

In addition to scoring three goals and supplying two assists in his 12 league appearances this season, the midfielder has shown in other areas of his game just how important he is to Eddie Howe’s side.

From a defensive point of view, only two Newcastle players have made a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions than Guimaraes (46). Furthermore, only Kieran Trippier (107) has made more recoveries than the Brazilian (105), which shows how effective he is off the ball as well as in possession in attacking situations.

Guimaraes’ overall performances have earned him a strong season rating of 7.33/10 from WhoScored, making him the second-highest rated player at St James’ Park.

With Howe previously praising the player for his “outstanding” performances, it’s easy to see why PIF are keen to offer the midfielder a new and improved contract, which we feel would be a great move for all parties.

Southampton have been told Ryan Fraser would be a ‘really nice option’ for a January transfer swoop by transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Jones targeting winger

The Northern Echo recently detailed that the Saints are set to make an early January move for the Newcastle United winger, who could potentially become Nathan Jones’ first signing.

With the club in the midst of a relegation battle, another attacking option may be required to fire them to safety, and with the Magpies reportedly willing to field offers for Fraser, the door could be open for a switch to St Mary’s.

The Latest: Jones reacts

Jones told GIVEMESPORT that the 28-year-old would be well-suited to a Southampton move, due to his age and his desire to leave his current club:

“I think it would be a really nice option, actually. Fraser has clearly got his mind open at the moment to a transfer.

“He’s very hungry, and he’s at an age where he still has a lot to offer. I think Southampton can definitely do worse than to be pursuing a transfer like this.”

The Verdict: Make it happen

Newcastle reporter Miles Starforth has hailed the £42k-per-week earner as being ‘superb’ in a black and white shirt, and although he has largely been a bit-part player for the Magpies this season, he could have a new lease of life with the Saints.

Most well-known for his pace, which reporter Keith Downie claimed the Republic of Ireland ‘couldn’t handle’ during a fine display for Scotland back in September, the speedster would inject new life into the Southampton attack, which has only mustered up a disappointing 13 goals this season.

The Scot has had previous success on the South Coast with AFC Bournemouth, most notably in the 2018-19 season, in which he registered seven goals and 14 assists in the Premier League, the latter tally being the second-highest of any player in the division.

Fraser is a proven performer in the Premier League, and exactly what Jones needs in his squad if he is able to instigate a change of fortunes and avoid relegation to the Championship.

With the World Cup break now in effect, and the last Premier League games having been played, only a handful of Southampton players will depart for Qatar this winter.

That leaves Nathan Jones with a relatively full squad with which he can begin instilling his philosophy.

However, as is always the way with this competition, the platform to announce one’s self on the greatest stage of all often draws up some sensational stories and transfer rumours to branch off them too.

With the Saints, it seems one of their targets is set to travel with Morocco in Zakaria Aboukhlal, and should he star, it could increase the price tag on the already £8.7m-rated star.

The tricky 22-year-old has only freshly moved to France, where he has enjoyed a fine start to life in Toulouse. He boasts three goals and three assists in Ligue 1, where he has featured on both wings and as a centre forward.

Traditionally a right winger, however, he could offer a fine alternative to the underperforming Mohamed Elyounoussi, who is yet to score this campaign.

It seems, given reports, that the south coast club will battle with Leicester City to gain the 5 foot 10 speedster’s signature. Both clubs plan to watch him over the upcoming international tournament.

Given his youth, 13 caps mark an impressive return thus far, having grown up playing for the Netherlands youth teams until the U20 level.

Now travelling to face Belgium, Croatia and Canada in Group F of the World Cup, he has been handed a tough but massive stage to really showcase his credentials.

What would likely help him translate his experience and clear goalscoring prowess to English football is his physicality, which Hanif Ben Berkane praised in a Tweet about the forward where he labelled him a “physical monster” who is “hyper combative.”

Jones will want to get this deal sealed as soon as possible with not only the Foxes but likely many more suitors to join in the pursuit of Aboukhlal.

He seems to be slowly improving with each season, and could now explode in Qatar.

Although David Moyes may have fallen to another defeat in the Premier League with West Ham United, there is still a huge amount of confidence in his ability to continue leading this side forward.

Having vastly overperformed in recent years, and cruised through the European stages this campaign, the Scotsman has a lot of credit in the bank even if the Hammers do sit just two points from the relegation zone.

Having continued with his tried and tested 4-2-3-1 formation, once again Tomas Soucek disappointed beside their captain Declan Rice.

His SofaScore rating of 6.8 denoted yet another underwhelming performance from the man who earned notoriety in his debut season for being a goal-scoring midfielder.

Having scored ten in his first full campaign in claret and blue, since then his performances have dwindled with just the two goal involvements throughout 2022/23 so far.

It could, therefore, be time for Moyes to look for his replacement, and in his academy, he arguably boasts a perfect one.

If this dismal season so far has shown anything, it’s that the 59-year-old is more than willing to give youth a chance. In their most recent clash with FCSB, he started four academy graduates.

Now, it must soon be the turn of Lewis Orford, who cannot stop scoring for the Irons’ U18s setup.

The 16-year-old already boasts four goals and three assists this season from just six league games, having featured both as a classic central midfielder and in a slightly deeper role.

The teenager also featured on the bench in the aforementioned European clash, offering him an experience few others of his age will have.

This is not his first impressive season though, as even last year he scored three and assisted eight as a 15-year-old.

With a maturity far beyond his years, his goal-scoring exploits paired with the solidity of another academy graduate in Rice could make for a perfectly balanced midfield once more.

Ranking in the top 6% for both interceptions and pass completion in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, the 23-year-old could be the key to unleashing Orford in the places where he can really do damage.

Having also been included in the Guardian’s Next Generation list, they described him as a “playmaker” who has all the best parts of players like Rice, Michael Carrick and even Frank Lampard.

This youngster seems poised for a phenomenal career and is taking all the necessary steps to slowly get there. He could complement the current skipper perfectly in the future, and potentially end up taking over from him should he stick around long enough.

West Brom host Blackpool on Tuesday night with Carlos Corberan looking to pick up his first three points as Baggies boss.

The Midlands club currently sit bottom of the Championship after suffering a 2-0 defeat against Sheffield United in Corberan’s first game on Saturday but can move off the foot of the table with three points against Michael Appleton’s side.

The Tangerines sit 15th after their 2-1 win over Coventry City on Saturday and will arrive at the Hawthorns in a confident mood as a result.

However, the Baggies must target three points if they are to distance themselves from a relegation battle under Corberan.

Here is how Football FanCast expects the Spanish manager to line his side up on Tuesday evening, with four changes from the side that started against Sheffield United.

Palmer, Furlong, O’Shea, Kelly, Phillips (RM), Townsend (LM), Molumby, Gardner-Hickman, Swift (AM), Diangana (AM), Thomas-Asante (ST) – 3-4-2-1.

Alex Palmer keeps his place in between the sticks, as David Button’s woeful form earlier in the season suggests that he is unlikely to reclaim his starting spot any time soon, with WhoScored ranking him as the worst player in West Brom’s squad to make at least one start.

Corberan looks likely to persevere with his 3-4-2-1 formation for now but due to the lack of centre-back options available right now, Darnell Furlong keeps his place in the back three.

He is partnered by Dara O’Shea and Martin Kelly, who comes in for Erik Pieters as a more natural central defender, while Matt Phillips and Conor Townsend seem likely to keep their place as the wide players.

After he was hauled off on Saturday, captain Jake Livermore should drop to the bench, with Jayson Molumby replacing him in midfield to partner the exciting Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

Jed Wallace has failed to live up to expectations since his summer arrival from Millwall, with just three goals in 17 outings, so he is replaced by John Swift in the attacking midfield role, with the former Reading man no doubt pushing for a recall.

He is joined in attacking midfield by Grady Diangana, while the fourth and final change should see Karlan Grant drop to the bench after another goalless performance at the weekend.

The former Huddersfield man is replaced by the hard-working Brandon Thomas-Asante, whose journey to West Brom was described as “unbelievable”, and after two goals off the bench earlier in the campaign, he deserves another start up front.

Leeds United have been dealt a fresh injury blow regarding left-back Junior Firpo.

What’s the latest?

Speaking on a recent episode of The Phil Hay Show, the titular journalist revealed that, after Jesse Marsch confirmed that the 26-year-old missed the 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday as a result of a knock, the defender’s latest setback is believed to be a thigh injury.

Hay went on to state that, with Firpo having already been sidelined for two lengthy spells following his move to Elland Road in the summer of 2021, in addition to Pascal Struijk having impressed at left-back, the full-back’s latest knock could well see the club make a move for a new player in the position in the not too distant future.

Regarding Firpo’s injury, The Athletic journalist said: “I’m told that he’s got a slight thigh problem.

“I think as it stands at the moment, it’s hard to see him shifting Struijk from the team, I think Struijk has done enough to keep himself there, but it seems to me that at some point they’re going to have to bite the bullet at left-back and sign somebody else.

“It doesn’t need to be someone vastly experienced, it can be a project of sorts provided that you feel confident enough to play them in first-team games.

“Firpo almost falls into the category of [Patrick] Bamford at the moment, the conversation about him of how it could be when you have Firpo in the team when he has a run in the team. He’s another player that hasn’t played much at Leeds.”

Bad news for Marsch

Considering just how little first-team football Firpo has played since his £13m move to LS11, the news that the defender has now suffered yet another injury setback, especially having only made a return to action in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa at the start of the month, is sure to have come as bad news for Jesse Marsch.

Indeed, with Stuart Dallas also being ruled out until at least the turn of the year as a result of a fractured femur, the American manager has been left with no other option than to deploy centre-back Struijk on the left of his backline for the majority of the current Premier League campaign.

And, while the 23-year-old has impressed over his eight league appearances in the position this term – averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.91, currently ranking him as Leeds’ fifth-best performer in the top flight – it is nevertheless far from ideal for the 48-year-old coach to continue fielding Struijk out of position when he could be utilised at centre-back.

Furthermore, with Firpo reported to be earning a princely £55k-per-week at Elland Road – ranking him as the Whites’ seventh-highest-paid player – it is evident that the defender’s continuous injury setbacks only make the full-back appear more and more like a waste of money as each week passes.

As such, while his latest knock would not appear to be overly serious, the left-back’s increasing proneness to injury is sure to come as a huge blow for Marsch, who may well already be considering a long-term replacement for the former Barcelona defender in the January transfer window.