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Liverpool fans are far from happy with the news that Thiago Alcantara has not featured in any images from the Reds’ latest training session at Kirkby.

The Spain international was signed from Bayern Munich last summer, and was expected to become a key member of Liverpool’s squad. However, it hasn’t quite worked out like that.

He has so far managed just 35 appearances for the club since making the switch (Transfermarkt), as injuries have curtailed his chances of really unleashing his obvious quality.

He has made just two starts for Jurgen Klopp’s side in the Premier League this campaign, and has missed the last two through injury. Now, it appears that he could be out of the action for a little while longer as he was not pictured during the club’s latest training session.

The news was shared on Twitter by @AnfieldWatch, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Thiago update below

“This man is a big fraud”

Credit: @l3mzyL

“He’s worse than naby”

Credit: @Jef46916091Jeff

“Be gone in the summer I expect. Bit part player. So disappointing”

Credit: @LeighBergin

“Such a plastic midfield”

Credit: @JohnSno36837584

“He misses all our important big games while only being available against the dross.”

Credit: @kevin_the_gray

“Lets just swap this guy for Kessie.. Heard Milan are interested”

Credit: @Bwoy_Tynnie

In other news, Liverpool fans want this man to leave the club.

Frank McAvennie has now revealed what he has heard about the ongoing situation with Connor Goldson and his Glasgow Rangers contract.

The Lowdown: No deal yet

Goldson is out of contract at Ibrox next summer, and West Ham United are reportedly monitoring his situation ahead of a potential approach in the January transfer window (Football Insider).

If he has not signed by January, then he can be approached by clubs ahead of a potential free transfer in the summer.

The Latest: McAvennie on Goldson

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie, who is now a pundit after playing as a striker for the likes of the Hammers and Celtic, has revealed what he and former Gers player Derek Ferguson have heard about the situation:

“There are a lot of rumours up here about Goldson.

“From what I hear, Rangers have offered him good money. I spoke to Derek Ferguson this morning and he’s heard there is a decent contract offer.

“There may be something going on, we just don’t know. It’s worrying he hasn’t signed a new deal yet.

“He’s a big player for them and he’s not tied down, that has to be a concern.

“There must be something going on otherwise he would have signed it. It sounds like the offer is good so it must be for Goldson.”

The Verdict: Sign him up

Goldson is clearly a very important player for the Light Blues, having played in all but two games and captained the team on a few occasions so far this season (Transfermarkt).

To lose him on a free transfer would be nothing short of devastating, especially as he still holds a decent market value.

Nonetheless, there are still a couple of months to go until January comes calling, and so it is imperative that the Gers get the central defender tied down between now and then, and meet whatever demands he has.

In other news, find out what early Team News before Hibernian Steven Gerrard has dropped here!

Reading have recently been linked with a move for Derby County youngster Louie Sibley, according to a recent report from The Reading Chronicle. 

What’s the story?

Sibley has found regular game time hard to come by in Wayne Rooney’s side in recent months, which will be frustrating for the youngster, who impressed after breaking through to the senior squad.

The 19-year-old was restricted to ten league starts last term, as the Rams narrowly avoided relegation into League One on the final day of the 2020/21 season.

Reading’s financial situation has been well-documented, with the club previously being under a transfer embargo after breaching FFP regulations in recent years.

However, they’ve been given the green light to add to their squad, with Watford’s Tom Dele-Bashiru and former Nottingham Forest full-back Yuri Ribeiro being linked with moves to the club recently.

Sibley has three years remaining on his contract with Derby County, but it remains to be seen as to whether any potential agreement with Reading would be a loan or permanent deal at this stage.

‘Complete’

The Derby talent’s future remains ‘up in the air’ at this moment in time, but Reading could be the ideal move for him, as he goes in search of regular game time in senior football.

The Royals need additional strength in depth, as they’ve been reliant on the club’s Under-23s players over pre-season, which is far from ideal heading into the new Championship campaign.

Yakou Meite has been ruled out of action for the foreseeable future, as he recovers from surgery on an ACL injury, so it makes complete sense for Veljko Paunovic to target an attack-minded player this summer.

Sibley will be eager to make a name for himself in senior football as well, and if he can find game time with Reading consistently this term, then he could turn out to be a shrewd signing for the Berkshire-based side.

The 19-year-old netted a hat-trick for the Rams against Millwall back in June 2020, but has since gone on to find minutes hard to come by, which will be frustrating for the youngster.

Speaking after Sibley’s hat-trick against Millwall (quotes sourced from FourFourTwo), Phillip Cocu gave high praise to the young talent, and labelled it as a ‘complete’ game from the Derby youth academy graduate.

“He played a massive game. Not only the way he played, but his total development as a young player is a real positive for us as a club.

“He scored great quality goals, a very complete game in his position. When we don’t have possession he does his job, he works for the team.”

Reading finished seventh in the Championship last term, and will be keen to make a serious push for promotion once again this season.

If Sibley can find some consistency in his performances if he does sign for Reading, then the Royals could strike gold in landing his signature this summer, even if that is to be on a temporary basis.

Reading are set to return to action this weekend, where they’ll be looking to pick up their first win of the 2021/22 season, when they take on Preston North End, in what could potentially be a tricky test for Paunovic’s side.

As per a report by The Telegraph, it appears Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has set his sights on a brand new target as news emerges on Everton keeper Jordan Pickford.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye goalkeeping swoops…

Amid Hugo Lloris’ precarious contract situation, with his deal set to expire in 2022 as it stands, Tottenham have been linked to bolstering their roster with new goalkeeping additions.

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Sam Johnstone of West Bromwich Albion is a name repeatedly mentioned alongside Spurs with his deal also running out at the end of the season.

Ajax shot stopper Andre Onana is another shot stopper currently on Tottenham’s radar as 90min reiterates Conte’s personal desire to strengthen his options.

This is despite the addition of Pierluigi Gollini on loan with an option to buy over the summer, with the Italian only featuring in Tottenham’s cup competitions thus far.

The Latest: Conte eyes new name…

As per The Telegraph, Conte is now personally targeting Pickford as he adds a new target to his list.

According to the reliable outlet’s sources, England’s number one is being ‘lined up’ as a successor for Lloris as the Tottenham veteran’s contract continues to run down.

If the Frenchman does end up signing extension, Conte wants a homegrown keeper regardless as he eyes a high profile candidate who can compete for the number one spot.

The Verdict: Big move…

Given the availability of another homegrown ace in Johnstone, who could move on for much cheaper, this Pickford swoop would certainly come as the more audacious move.

The 27-year-old is under contract at Goodison until 2024 and it is believed that Everton will want to make a profit on the £25 million paid to sign him from Sunderland in 2017.

This represents a gamble financially for Spurs when compared to Johnstone, who they could snap up for free in 2022, but would he be worth it?

Pickford enjoyed a phenomenal Euro 2020 campaign as one of the Three Lions’ best players, attracting praise for his heroics between the sticks.

Trevor Sinclair, speaking to talkSPORT during the tournament, described him as ‘one of the best goalkeepers in the world’ and heaped praise on the player for utilising a sports psychologist and improving his all-round game.

Meanwhile, a fellow former England international in Danny Mills raved over just how underrated Pickford can be – going on to suggest he is one ‘nobody ever talks about’ (Football Insider).

These plaudits certainly point to a player who can bolster Conte’s options, but only time will tell whether Spurs opt to invest.

In other news: ‘World class’, ‘Perfect’, ‘Winning already’…Sky pundit raves over transfer news out of Spurs, find out more here.

Reading forward George Puscas has reportedly turned down a loan offer from Turkish side Kasimpasa, according to Berkshire Live.

What’s the story?

Puscas has been with Reading since 2019, after signing from Italian giants Inter Milan for a fee believed to be in the region of £8million.

With that hefty price tag, there were high hopes for the Romanian international, but for one reason or another, he hasn’t hit the heights expected of him in recent seasons with the Royals.

Puscas has been restricted to just 64 appearances in total for the Berkshire-based side, with the 25-year-old often being behind Lucas Joao in the pecking order at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

But it has now been reported by Berkshire Live that Puscas has turned down a move to Super Lig side Kasimpasa, as he wants to fight for his future with Veljko Paunovic’s side moving forwards into the 2021/22 campaign.

‘Very special’

Reading’s current financial restrictions have been well-documented, with Paunovic recently revealing that some first-team players could still leave the club before the conclusion of the summer transfer window.

Puscas is seemingly one of those, with the club looking to cut the wage bill to make room for new signings ahead of the upcoming Championship campaign.

But the forward is clearly keen to remain patient and wait for an opportunity to impress Paunovic in the 2021/22 season, which gets underway on Saturday 7th August, when the Royals take on Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.

We’ve seen glimpses of Puscas’ quality whilst with Reading, with the striker making a blistering start to life with the club, after netting an impressive brace against Cardiff City back in August 2019, which included a memorable solo strike.

But with 18 goals to his name from his 64 appearances for the Royals, there is certainly room for improvement. When you’re comparing that to the 28 goals in 59 appearances that Lucas Joao has scored for the Berkshire-based side, it’s easy to see why Paunovic starts the former Sheffield Wednesday man ahead of Puscas.

Speaking in an interview on Sky Sports’ EFL Podcast, Keith Andrews admitted that he thought Puscas could be something ‘very special’, although he struggled in English football since then.

“It was a shrewd move and obviously they had to pay a fair bit to get him through the door.

“I was at the Cardiff game earlier in the season (a 3-0 victory where Puscas scored twice) and he was outstanding. He took the bull by the horns and ran Cardiff ragged and I thought he could be something very special.”

But Puscas’ record certainly isn’t the worst, and with Lucas Joao not fully-fit as of yet, it does leave the Romanian forward a chance to stake a claim for a starting spot, especially with Femi Azeez being the only other recognised option in attack during pre-season.

He deserves a run in the starting XI, and given that he’s keen to prove himself with the Royals, there would be no harm in giving him game time whilst Joao is out of action, and Puscas could silence a few of his doubters this term with Veljko Paunovic’s side.

Fulham manager Scott Parker looks increasingly likely to leave Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Telegraph, who claim that the 40-year-old looks on course to leave the Cottagers later this week, with fellow Championship side Bournemouth thought to be lining up a move to appoint him as Jonathan Woodgate’s replacement at the Vitality Stadium.

It is reported that Parker has been in talks with Shahid and Tony Khan regarding his position as the Fulham manager, with negotiations regarding his departure set to accelerate over the coming days before his exit is confirmed, which will potentially be by mutual consent.

According to The Telegraph, there has been friction between the former Fulham midfielder and the club’s hierarchy, with this being a primary factor as to why Shahid and Tony Khan are prepared to allow the 40-year-old to leave.

Big mistake

While it is true that Parker ultimately failed to keep his side in the Premier League last season, the former England international’s record in the Championship should be more than enough incentive for the Fulham bosses to do all they can to ensure the 40-year-old remains at the club this summer, rather than facilitating his departure.

Indeed, in the club’s 2019/20 promotion-winning campaign, Parker led his team to 23 wins, 12 draws and 11 losses, narrowly missing out on automatic promotion by just two points.

However, the Cottagers then went on to secure a return to the top-flight regardless of their fourth-place finish in the second tier, defeating Brentford 2-1 AET in the play-off final.

Furthermore, despite Fulham’s aforementioned relegation last season, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder earned a considerable amount of praise from some of the biggest names in the game for the style of football Fulham were playing in the top flight, with the likes of Marcelo Bielsa, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp all complimenting the Cottagers boss, with Klopp stating his belief that the 40-year-old had his team playing “exceptional” football.

As such, the argument can be made that Shahid and Tony Khan’s decision to allow the 40-year-old to leave the club this summer will be a catastrophic mistake, as they will not only be waving goodbye to a manager with a track record of securing an immediate return to the Premier League, but they look likely to be strengthening a direct rival for promotion in the shape of Bournemouth – both factors that will undoubtedly leave Fulham fans devastated.

In other news: Parker heading for grave Fulham transfer error over “relentless” £14.4m-rated machine

Newcastle United were reportedly offered as many as seven different players on loan in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Frustrating window

The St. James’ Park faithful only managed to bring in one player of note on a permanent deal in Joe Willock from Arsenal.

Given that he was already on loan there last season, the squad has not really improved in what turned out to be a frustrating window in the North East.

The Latest: Players offered

Writing in his latest piece for The Daily Telegraph, Luke Edwards has said that the Tyneside club were offered seven players on loan throughout the window: Hamza Choudhury, Axel Tuanzebe, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Hector Bellerin, Harry Winks, Mason Holgate and Boubacar Kamara.

However, all of them requited a loan fee to be paid, which the Magpies hierarchy insisted that they could not afford.

The Verdict: Shame

To get even just a couple of those players in on loan deals would have made the window a much better one for Steve Bruce’s team, and instead, the former Aston Villa and Sunderland manager now has to work with a very similar squad to last season.

Described as a ‘phenomenal’ player by pundit Paul Robinson back in February after an impressive performance against Burnley while on loan at West Brom, Maitland-Niles made his feelings known late on in the window about potentially wanting to leave (The Guardian), and one cannot help that a deal could have been struck with the Gunners having already brought in Willock.

Tuanzebe and Bellerin have both moved on to Aston Villa and Real Betis respectively, but the Toon should really be looking at revisiting moves for the other five players when January comes around.

In other news, find out why NUFC’s offer for this player was rejected here!

Rangers have been dealt a huge blow ahead of their game against Alashkert on Thursday afternoon, with a number of first-team players unable to travel.

What’s the word?

It was confirmed by The Athletic’s Rangers correspondent Jordan Campbell that Steven Gerrard, along with several first-team players, are unable to travel to Armenia for the second leg after registering a positive Covid test.

Allan McGregor, Jon McLaughlin, James Tavernier, Calvin Bassey, Ryan Kent and Scott Wright are all unavailable for selection in Yerevan, and with Rangers holding a slender 1-0 advantage from the first leg at Ibrox last week, this puts their qualification hopes at serious risk.

A huge blow for Rangers?

You would hope that, even without these first-team players, Rangers will still have too much for their Armenian opponents but after scraping past them at Ibrox, it could prove to be a very tricky afternoon for the Teddy Bears.

As well as missing players through the virus, the Gers will also be without Ryan Jack and Fashion Sakala through injury, whilst John Lundstram and Kemar Roofe are both suspended.

This leaves Gerrard with very few options to choose from the bench and it is also unclear how the 41-year-old manager will share his input on things from home, with Gary McAllister likely to be the one giving the team talk and instructions from the side of the pitch.

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776”]

After already blowing their chance of reaching the Champions League group stages with an embarrassing home defeat against 10-man Malmo recently, Rangers fans will surely be worried that these circumstances could lead to another defeat, which would leave them without any form of European football for the 2021/22 campaign.

And, in other news… Gerrard could be set for huge Rangers transfer blow

Tottenham Hotspur are still yet to appoint a new manager after parting ways with Jose Mourinho in April but Paul Stewart, who was signed by Spurs as a striker but later reverted to a holding midfielder, has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that Spurs should look to someone other than Antonio Conte.

Conte has recently just won the Serie A title with Inter Milan, the club’s first league title in 11 years and during his two years in England, he managed to guide Chelsea to a Premier League crown title as well as an FA Cup victory despite the club finishing 10th the season before he took over.

The Italian has been linked with a sensational return to England with Chelsea’s rivals, Spurs, as Daniel Levy continues to whittle down his shortlist of candidates until he finds what he believes to be the perfect manager – reports suggest Levy has been in talks with Conte for the last month.

Despite his links to Chelsea, that would not prove to be a barrier if he did come to Spurs but they should be looking for someone else, that’s according to Stewart, who spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern:

“Something wasn’t quite right between him and the players at Chelsea despite winning trophies, but for me, I’d probably look elsewhere and try to rebuild the club.

“They’ve got to bring a manager in that they trust will be able to build over a few years, because Spurs need to look at a different way in which they employ managers because it has to be about bringing players through for the long term.”

Spurs lost the chance to have their Europa League destiny in their own hands following their surprise 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa earlier this week, which saw Sergio Reguilon score a stunning own goal.

Ryan Mason’s side did guarantee a spot in the European Conference League following their 4-2 win against Leicester City on Sunday.

Celtic enjoyed a comfortable afternoon in the Premiership as they strolled to a routine 2-0 win on Sunday to send them six points clear at the top of the table.

Kyogo Furuhashsi opened the scoring in the first half and then Jota, who set up the first goal, sealed the three points with an 87th-minute strike.

The Hoops dominated the match as they ended the game with 74% of the ball and 22 efforts on goal, with Ross County fortunate that they only conceded twice.

Whilst Jota scored and assisted a goal in the match, the real star of the show for Ange Postecoglou was central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.

It is easy to point at the attackers and praise them for scoring the goals to win the match but all of their work is built on the back of a strong platform. The solid defence allows the likes of Jota and Kyogo to go and do what they want to do without worrying about constantly needing to drop deep to win the ball back – allowing the opposition to press up on them.

Carter-Vickers was outstanding in central defence as he stood strong at the back and was reliable in possession. He played a major role in Celtic’s dominance throughout the game and the forwards should be thanking him for making their lives easier.

As per SofaScore, he won 85.7% (6/7) of his individual duels and made five clearances, one interception and one block to help his side to a clean sheet. This shows that he was superb defensively as he won the vast majority of his battles with Ross County players and did not allow himself to be beaten by the opposition – keeping them away from Joe Hart’s goal.

On the ball, he completed 85% of his passes from 62 touches and created one chance from centre-back. He is not expected to do anything special in possession from his position but Postecoglou will be delighted with his assuredness on the ball.

The £20k-per-week defender continues to impress at the heart of the defence and fans will surely be wanting to see him back at Parkhead next season on a permanent basis.

In the Premiership this season, the on-loan Tottenham man has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.36 across 29 matches. Celtic have kept 16 clean sheets in those games and the latest one came with the help of his sublime display against Ross County on Sunday.

AND in other news, Source: Celtic on course to seal “immense” summer signing, Ange will be buzzing…