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Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that he’s been reliably informed that Everton want to keep Colombian star James Rodriguez.

Rodriguez enjoyed a mixed first season in the Premier League, scoring six times and adding five assists in 23 appearances, although more than half of those goal contributions came in the first five games.

However, the 29-year-old’s Toffees future has been thrown up into the air following the recent departure of Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid.

The pair were together in the Spanish capital, meaning Ancelotti was a major reason why Rodriguez eventually left to join Everton on a free transfer last summer.

Suggestions have been made that they could link-up together once again should the attacking midfielder make a swift return to Real Madrid, less than 12 months after he left permanently after an up and down six seasons.

Despite those claims, Bent told Football FanCast that he believes Rodriguez’s future firmly remains at Goodison Park:

He said:

“It was said by the people that I speak to at Everton that he [Ancelotti] brought him in to take him back to Real Madrid. Is he good enough for Real Madrid or a bigger side in Europe or the Premier League?

“We know he’s a talent, he’s on big wages, but the people I speak to say the club don’t want to get rid of him because they can see the talent and they can see his future being at Everton.”

Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Mohanad Jeahze to Parkhead in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Scottish Sun, who claim that Ange Postecoglou is on the lookout for a new left-back this summer, in order to provide Scotland international Greg Taylor with competition for his starting spot next season.

The report then goes on to state that the 56-year-old Bhoys boss has identified Hammarby’s Mohanad Jeahze as his primary target in the position, with the Allsvenskan defender’s side believed to be willing to part with the 25-year-old for a figure in the region of £2m.

He’s perfect for Angeball

Considering just how impressive Jeahze has been for Hammarby following his 2020 switch from Mjallby, it is not difficult to see why Postecoglou would be interested in the signing of the left-back this summer.

Indeed, over his 27 Allsvenskan appearances last season, the £900k-rated full-back was a bundle of creativity on the left flank, scoring one goal, registering seven assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 2.4 key passes, taking 0.5 shots and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

The Iraq international also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep five clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 1.5 clearances and winning 3.7 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per fixture.

These metrics saw the 25-year-old average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.24, not only ranking him as Hammarby’s best performer in the league but also as the joint 15th-best player in the division as a whole.

In total, the left-back has notched a total of two goals and 12 assists over his 55 appearances in all competitions for the Swedish side – incredibly impressive returns for a defender.

As such, with Jeahze evidently being a talent who is incredibly creative, boasts an impressive reading of the game and is extremely capable with the ball at his feet, it is not difficult to understand why Postecoglou would be keen to bring the defender to Celtic Park ahead of the Hoops’ 2022/23 campaign – as the Hammarby star appears to be a perfect fit for Angeball.

And, if the Iraqi is indeed available for as little as £2m this summer, the 25-year-old sensation could very easily go on to join the Greek-Australian’s ever-increasing list of impressive budget buys.

AND in other news: Celtic must secure “mouth-watering” deal for “outstanding” £6.5m gem, Ange loves him

Many Wolves fans have been slamming the performance of Conor Coady in the first half of their game against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon.

The former Liverpool man struggled at times organising his defence against Graham Potter’s men, with Danny Welbeck especially causing him lots of problems with his pace and power.

He failed to get his foot on the ball to clear an inbound header from Lewis Dunk from a corner, which ultimately led to the home side going behind at Molineux. He also failed to win any of his duels in a disappointing first 45 minutes.

Coady will be hoping to have a much better second half under the watchful eyes of Nuno Espirito Santo, as the Wolves manager aims for his team to have a strong finish to a tough season.

Wolves fans on Coady display

These Wolves fans slammed the captain’s performance in the first half on Twitter, with one fan calling the 28-year-old a ‘liability’:

“Coady in a back 4 is not the one, holds off too much”

Credit: @RyanEvans_11

“Get Coady gone man he’s so terrible”

Credit: @bestwolvesfan

“Coady having a shocker”

Credit: @sophiaeclayton

“If I speak about Coady I will be in big trouble”

Credit: @Vyoe_

“Conor Coady is shocking”

Credit: @capzwwfc

“Coady is a liability in a 4. Who’d have thought it? #wwfc”

Credit: @DavidHandley

In other news, find out what Tim Spiers update has left some Wolves fans buzzing!

Aston Villa have reignited their interest in Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma.

That’s according to The Telegraph’s John Percy and Sam Wallace, which unsurprisingly has had a number of Villa fans talking on social media.

The reliable reporters shared the update on the morning of deadline day, revealing that a ‘key decision’ is set to be made today over a late January move or whether to wait until the summer.

Villa reportedly had a £25m bid turned down earlier this month for the Brighton midfielder and failed in their pursuit of Rodrigo Bentancur, but it seems as if they could attempt a late swoop for the Mali international.

Bissouma is now back from the Africa Cup of Nations and has less than 18 months remaining on his contract, with both Manchester United and Tottenham also credited with a late interest on Twitter.

Villa fans react

Well-known fan feed @villareport relayed Percy and Wallace’s claim on Twitter. It had these Villa supporters excited, with many urging Johan Lange to push through with a late deadline day deal.

“DO IT TODAY!”

Credit: @JordAVFCx

“Lange at the back post”

Credit: @avfctom_

“Would be unreal if we get him”

Credit: @GW_94

“Get it done today!!!!”

Credit: @SamSamchilton9

“Pleaseeeeee ”

Credit: @_JackAvfc

“Don’t play with my emotions, he’d be class”

Credit: @Mattachu_Avfc

In other news: ‘Hats off to the board’ – Sky Sports man purrs at ‘amazing’ out-of-the-blue Villa transfer news. 

Southampton are the latest side to have been linked with a move for Ryan Gauld ahead of the summer transfer window, and he could be a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Record, the Saints have joined the race to sign the former Dundee United man after his impressive spell with Portuguese side SC Farense.

The likes of Norwich City, Sheffield United, Brentford, Blackburn Rovers, Swansea City and Brighton have all been linked with the 25-year-old, who is available on a free transfer, as his deal at Estadio de São Luís is set to expire in June.

Would he be a good signing?

Gauld has had a very strange career thus far, signing for Sporting Lisbon from Dundee United when he was just 18-years-old and earning comparisons with Barcelona legend Lionel Messi for his style of play.

Whilst things wouldn’t work out for him with the current Liga NOS champions, as he made just five appearances, he has rebuilt his reputation with Farense in recent seasons.

In 71 appearances for the Portuguese side, he has contributed an impressive 20 goals and 12 assists, including nine goals and seven assists in the most recent season, which helped him average a superb 7.19 rating from WhoScored.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-southampton-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Southampton transfer rumours and news!”]

Therefore, it is no surprise that he is attracting interest ahead of the summer transfer window, as he could be a bargain option for any Premier League or Championship side.

There are certainly a lot of similarities between Gauld and Southampton ace Stuart Armstrong, as both were youngsters at Dundee United, both are attack-minded players and both could arrive at St Mary’s in bargain deals, as the Saints paid just £7m for Armstrong from Celtic in 2018, which has certainly proved to be an excellent signing.

Therefore, the potential arrival of Gauld, who has been described as a “top player” by one of his coaches at Farense, could well end up being a repeat of that Armstrong signing, so is one that Martin Semmens should definitely be looking to complete.

And, in other news… £6m down the drain: Southampton potentially cost new signing, Hasenhuttl surely fuming

Swansea City are plotting a move to bring Harry Wilson to the Liberty Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sunday People (via Football League World), who claim that Steve Cooper’s side have joined the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Fulham and Brentford in the race to land the Liverpool winger in the summer transfer window.

According to an earlier report by Goal, Jurgen Klopp’s side are willing to part with the 24-year-old this summer, with it being thought a fee of around £12m should be enough to get a deal over the line.

Cooper would love him

Considering just how impressive Wilson was in the Championship last season, it is unsurprising to learn of Swansea’s interest in the forward this summer, particularly following the recent departure of Andre Ayew.

Indeed, over his 37 Championship appearances while on loan at Cardiff City last term, the £15.3m-rated man scored seven goals, registered 11 assists and created 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of two shots and making 1.3 key passes per game.

These returns saw the man Marcelo Bielsa dubbed an “exceptional” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.20, ranking him Mick McCarthy’s second-best performer in the second tier of English football, playing a key role in the Bluebirds’ securing an eighth-place finish in the league.

And, with Cooper having already lost the Swans’ top league goalscorer in Ayew this summer, the 41-year-old will almost certainly be looking to bring in a player who can replace both the clinical finishing and creativity of the 31-year-old, with Wilson appearing to be a fantastic candidate to do so.

So, while £12m is undoubtedly a hefty transfer fee for Swansea to pay, should the club wish to go one step further than their play-off final appearance last time out and secure promotion to the Premier League next season, the addition of the Wales international would certainly appear to be a major step towards achieving this feat, as well as being a signing Cooper would absolutely love.

In other news: Major update drops about “outstanding” £25k-p/w Swansea target, fans will be gutted

It’s ‘likely’ that Newcastle United will be offered the chance to sign long-term transfer target Andrea Belotti on a cut-price deal, according to Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder.

The lowdown

The 27-year-old has been a prolific striker for Serie A club Torino, scoring 105 goals in 228 appearances and finishing third in the race for the league’s Golden Boot in 2016/17. He’s currently on Euro 2020 duty with semi-finalists Italy as a back-up to favoured centre-forward Ciro Immobile.

Belotti has now entered the final year of his contract at Torino, who will be wary of the risk that he leaves on a free transfer next summer.

Former Torino boss Davide Nicola has labelled him a ‘unique’ forward and a ‘great finisher’.

The latest

Ryder says that Newcastle have long ‘kept tabs’ on Belotti, who was ‘scouted before [the] pandemic’.

The 27-year-old’s contract contains an £85m release clause, but Torino are now thought to have slashed their demands to £29m with less than 12 months left on the deal, a 66% reduction in his asking price. [Chronicle Live]

However, Ryder expresses doubt as to whether Newcastle will take up the opportunity to bring him in. With transfer funds in ‘short supply’ and the club shrouded in a ‘veil of uncertainty’, it may not be realistic. [Chronicle Live]

The verdict

Belotti will surely have no shortage of suitors at that price tag, and a move to a Premier League club could leave Newcastle pondering what might have been.

If this deal had been available 12 months ago, you’d have been urging the club to pounce. However, the £20m addition of the prolific Callum Wilson means that the centre-forward position is no longer a transfer priority, and even if Bruce wanted to play two up top, it would be sensible to use an in-house option for the moment and invest in improving the squad elsewhere.

In other news, could this be when Newcastle learn their arbitration result? 

According to a report by Turkish news outlet Haber 365, there have been some ‘new developments’ surrounding Besiktas forward and West Ham United summer target Cyle Larin.

The Lowdown: West Ham make Larin contact…

Following his head-turning season in the Turkish Super Lig over 2020/2021, West Ham have reportedly been very interested in the possibility of signing Larin for manager David Moyes.

Indeed, as per newspaper Fanatik (via Sport Witness), the Irons were in ‘constant contact’ with both Larin’s representatives and Besiktas over the summer window.

He scored a brilliant 23 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions last year and stood out as a candidate to possibly provide back up to Michail Antonio.

The Latest: Larin eyeing move to England…

Now, as per Haber 365, it appears West Ham may be given a boost if they still wish to sign the prolific and versatile forward.

According to their sources, sharing ‘new developments’ on Larin’s future in Turkey, the Canada international has rejected an offer from Besiktas to extend his stay.

Larin’s current contract runs out in 2022, meaning Besiktas risk losing him on a free deal next summer, leaving little wonder the club want to come to an agreement ‘as soon as possible’.

It is stated that they are aware of the ‘danger of the Premier League’ as their target man could now apparently ‘turn his route to England’ should an attractive offer come in.

They also go on to state that ‘hot developments’ are soon expected regarding the Larin’s future.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Given the player’s contract situation and prolific goalscoring record, bagging a career total of 88 so far, Larin could be the ideal man to provide cover for Antonio – especially considering he can play in the centre-forward role as well as his natural place out wide.

Financially, it is a deal West Ham are more than capable of doing on a free transfer due to his contract situation, or potentially even forcing Besiktas to sell for a lower fee in January.

At 26-years-old, he’s scored an impressive 20 goals in 42 international caps for Canada – showcasing he can also perform on the very biggest stages outside of Turkey.

If West Ham end up being the team to make that ‘attractive offer’ and lure Larin to England, it’s a transfer they may not regret.

In other news: ‘Already going on…’ – Major West Ham update as ‘preliminary talks’ come to light, find out more here.

A number of Sheffield Wednesday supporters weren’t impressed with Andre Green’s performance in the 0-0 draw at Charlton Athletic.

The Owls got their League One season underway on Saturday evening, making the trip to London to take on the Addicks. Wednesday’s opening game back in the third tier ended in a goalless draw at The Valley, but it could be looked back on as a good result next May.

Both teams will hope to be battling it out for promotion as the weeks and months pass and Darren Moore’s side held their own against their opponents.

Green was named in Wednesday’s starting lineup on the day, but he struggled to have a major impact on proceedings, earning a 5.8 rating from WhoScored. It was the lowest of anyone on the pitch and the striker failed to even get a shot off during his 63 minutes on the pitch, while he completed just seven passes all evening (via WhoScored).

Sheff Wed fans criticise Green’s performance

The 23-year-old’s performance didn’t impress some of the watching Owls fans either, with a number of them taking to Twitter to criticise his “woefully poor” display after the game.

“get Green out, he’s woefully poor”

Credit: @Ringrose91

“Disappointed in Andre Green over the last two games. Was expecting him to be better than he has been. We also need Gregory in the team. Kamberi showed glimpses but still not convinced. Apart from that I’m still encouraged that we will do well this season”

Credit: @LyndonWilkins10

“Not convinced of Green!”

Credit: @aaronswallow26

“You’ll have to watch an awful lot of football to find a football player as bad as Andre Green.”

Credit: @7ronaldo1309

“Green had a very poor game”

Credit: @G_Nibs

“Don’t start Green next week”

Credit: @AS__1867

In other news, Sheff Wed are reportedly interested in signing one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Massimo Luongo could return to Australia, with Perth Glory reportedly interested in making a move for him.

The Lowdown: Luongo impresses for Owls

The 28-year-old has been an impressive performer at times for the Owls, scoring three goals in 45 appearances. and boasting impressive averages of 2.4 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game in the Championship last season.

Luongo has lacked consistency though and is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, meaning he is set to miss a chunk of Wednesday’s League One campaign.

The Latest: Midfielder linked with exit

According to The Sheffield Star, Darren Moore could actually lose his midfielder for good, with Perth eyeing up a permanent move for him.

The A-League side are thought to be keen on bringing Luongo back to his homeland, with over a month of the Australian transfer window still remaining.

Luongo’s current Owls deal expires next summer, leaving his future up in the air.

The Verdict: Big potential loss?

Luongo would be a big loss if he moved on this summer, even though his injury problems have held him back at times at Hillsborough.

The tenacity and energy he provides in midfield could be too good for some League One opponents – he has won 43 caps for Australia, which speaks volumes – and he is an ideal foil for the more attack-minded Barry Bannan.

The hope may be that Luongo stays put at Wednesday and ends up signing a new contract, but cashing in now is a more viable option than losing him for free next year.

In other news, some Sheff Wed fans have been hailing an Owls player’s brilliance on international duty. Read more here.