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Following The Daily Mirror’s David Maddock update on Everton’s pursuit of a new manager, there has been a fresh twist on Friday afternoon.

What’s the story?

On Tuesday night, Maddock said: “Now the dust has settled a little, it is clear Pereira is still very much in the running to secure the job, with Lampard the other strong contender after coming across well in his initial talk with the owner.

“Rooney could still make a late play for the job if he feels the club really want him, though that is unlikely at this stage of the process, while the executive will scrutinise Ferguson’s plans on how he intends to develop the team.”

But now, Rooney has revealed that he has turned down an approach from the Toffees, and is insistent that he wants to continue on in his job as Derby County manager.

Everton fans will be fuming

While Vitor Pereira and Frank Lampard now look to be the main contenders for the job, Rooney’s work at Derby hasn’t gone unnoticed – especially when you consider the difficult circumstances the Rams find themselves in the Championship.

He has lost just eight of the 27 games they have played in the league since his appointment, picking up 35 points in the process, and has them genuinely battling to avoid what looked like inevitable relegation to League One.

Speaking after speculation recently emerged linking Rooney with the top job at Goodison Park, Noel Whelan said: “He’s managing to produce some amazing results at that club despite the fact that they’re on the verge of going under.

“I think he’s someone who they should look at, absolutely. He can really organise and fire up those players and get them to show a bit of fight – and that’s something they’ve really lacked recently.

“You certainly can’t ignore him for this job, I think he could be appointed now – maybe he could handle the pressure at Everton.”

But despite Maddock’s earlier claim that didn’t firmly rule out Rooney from the running, the Derby boss’ own admission is sure to leave Everton fans fuming about missing out on him.

Meanwhile, Moshiri could make a surprise signing by landing this man…

With 18 games played in the Premier League so far this season, Newcastle United have the worst defensive record in the top flight with a total of 41 goals conceded.

Taking this into account and the imminent opening of the January transfer window, this could provide newly appointed transfer consultant Nick Hammond with the opportunity to sign some players that would help strengthen Eddie Howe’s squad, particularly at the back.

Looking ahead to January, it seems as though Newcastle have identified someone they would like to bring in to help fix their defensive issues.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Telegraph, Newcastle are leading the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon.

The report also claims that Spurs are likely to allow Rodon to leave on a short-term deal in January to get some regular game time. However, fellow Premier League clubs Brighton & Hove Albion, Watford and Leeds United are keeping an eye on the centre-back as well.

Rodon to the rescue

Since joining Spurs from Swansea City back in October 2020 in a deal worth an initial fee of £11m plus add-ons, the 24-year-old, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £24k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has only made 20 appearances for the north London club across all competitions.

Having been praised in the past for his “colossal” display for Wales in their 3-1 defeat against Belgium back in March by BBC Wales Football Correspondent Rob Phillips, a move to Newcastle on loan in January could suit all parties if Rodon gets to play regularly.

If he achieves that, then he could potentially save the Toon from relegation if he can fix up what can only be described as a shambolic defence.

The Magpies have shipped more goals than any other team in the top-flight (41) and have one of the worst defensive records in the highest four divisions of English football. Only Morecambe and Peterborough United (44) have let in more strikes throughout 2021/22 than Newcastle.

With pundit and former Premier League star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink saying that “nothing fazes him” when talking about Rodon, this is the sort of mindset that Newcastle will need to have in their side if they are going to escape the relegation zone and secure their place in the Premier League next season.

His defensive attributes and strong-willed mentality could be exactly what Hammond needs to add to the Newcastle squad in order to rescue their campaign.

Taking all of this into account, the Toon should do all they can to secure Rodon’s signature in January, even if it is only on a temporary basis just so they can add some defensive strength to their side, which is what they desperately need if they are going to avoid the drop.

In other news: Move over Ashworth: NUFC must consider “irate” DoF whose “behaviour’s been a disgrace”…

Manchester United have been having a quiet transfer window in terms of incomings, but rumours have been spreading of fall outs and potential moves for many of the current squad, with the latest development one that would potentially be welcomed by fans.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports Italia, as cited by MilanLive, Eric Bailly is one of a number of defenders that AC Milan are interested in signing this January to replace Simon Kjaer.

The Serie A side are said to be looking for a quick fix to replace the Milan defender, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season, and Manchester United’s centre-back is one that they have reportedly ‘focused their attention’ on.

Fans will be buzzing

Bailly has been previously criticised for his poor performances when given his opportunity to play in the side, with Trevor Sinclair ripping into the “poor” player after the 2-0 defeat Manchester United sustained to local rivals, Manchester City:

“What is Bailly doing? That is poor defending,” he began.

“We’re not surprised, are we? He’s a rash defender and he seems like he’s always got a mistake in him,

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks and the ship has sailed for Bailly. He’ll never be the composed defender Man United need.”

The £87k-per-week flop has had his ups and downs at Old Trafford over the last five and a half years, and has only been given seven appearances in all competitions this season. Thus, fans will surely be delighted to see the back of him.

According to SofaScore, Bailly has not helped his side keep a single clean sheet in any of the Premier League games he has played in this season, as well as averaging less than one interception per game while only winning possession 0.3 times on average over the season so far in the league.

It’s safe to say fans would not be sorry to see the central defender leave the club this January, with one fan simply tweeting: “Bailly can leave.”

Ralf Rangnick has had a number of internal issues going on this week, with Bailly named as one of 11 players who are rumoured to want to leave the club this season, and with the FA Cup game against Aston Villa coming up this evening it will be interesting to see who the German coach plays in his starting line up amidst the drama.

If he does, it will be a mistake. After all, the defender should be brutally axed from the Theatre of Dreams this winter.

In other news: Ralf Rangnick eyes a swoop for Rudiger

Wolverhampton Wanderers signed Fabio Silva for £35m in a record-breaking transfer for the club, but Silva has since only been given 36 minutes of Premier League football so far this season under Bruno Lage.

The Portuguese boss hasn’t been playing the 19-year-old forward often, with just two starts for the side in the league cup, during which he has bagged two assists for the side.

The Wolves manager did speak out last week about why he hasn’t been included in the side much this season:

“Fabio is important for us,” Lage said. “He’s a young talent. Me and my staff have a pathway for the youth. Luis (Nascimento) worked with Fabio before so we see potential in him.”

“He needs to continue to work and wait for that chance. He needs to work for today and work for tomorrow.”

The teenager played 37 games in all competitions last season under Nuno Santo, scoring four goals and assisting three times for the side but has become out of favour for game time since the arrival of new manager Bruno Lage, in the summer.

Silva has been predicted to be an “extraordinary striker” by Sporting CP legend, Manuel Fernandes and even compared the teenager to Ronaldo.

“When Ronaldo was 17, he played as a centre-forward for Sporting’s youth teams. I saw him doing things that I’m now seeing a boy from FC Porto do, Fabio Silva.”

One of the main reasons that Silva did get so much game time last season was due to the fact Raul Jimenez suffered a horrific skull injury a few months into the season in November 2020, missing the rest of the season for Wolves, meaning that the youngster had the opportunity to step into his shoes quickly.

Although the Mexican has made his return to the side, Lage will need to look at future prospects for Silva, who will be keen to break back into the first team.

Wolves will be looking to capitalise on their fantastic first half of the season, with the view to securing a European spot by finishing in the top half of the Premier League.

The number of attacking options in Wolves’ locker still hasn’t deterred the rumour mill from working overtime when it comes to the imminent winter transfer window, with Enner Valencia linked to a move to the Molineux.

However, Lage could make smarter moves by saving millions and forgetting about the aforementioned target, utilising Silva in the team instead.

In other news: Hatfield hints at an early exit for Traore

Celtic are continuing their talks to bring Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Anthony Joseph, with the Sky Sports journalist stating in a post on Twitter that Ange Postecoglou’s side are still locked in negotiations with both Yokohama F Marinos and Gamba Osaka concerning moves for the centre-forward and central midfielder, with Celtic hoping to secure deals for the duo early on in the winter market.

In his tweet, Joseph said: “Celtic are also continuing talks in their pursuit of Yokohama F Marinos forward Daizen Maeda and Gamba Osaka midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi. It’s understood the Hoops are looking to complete their January business early in the window.”

Celtic fans will love Joseph’s update

With Celtic very much appearing as if they require greater strength in depth both up front and in central midfield this winter, the news that the club are hoping to secure deals for both Maeda and Ideguchi early on in the January transfer window is sure to be an update that Hoops fans will love.

Indeed, Maeda was incredibly impressive over his 36 J League appearances this season, with the £990k-rated striker bagging 23 goals, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These returns saw the Japan international average a SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as his club’s joint sixth-best performer in the league.

Meanwhile, although Ideguchi was rather less impressive over his own 29 J League outings this term, the 25-year-old would nevertheless be a signing who would appear to provide Postecoglou with a very reliable additional option in the middle of the park.

The £720k-rated midfielder created just one big chance for his teammates, but made an average of 1.2 interceptions, 2.3 tackles and 0.5 key passes per game, seeing him earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.76.

As such, the news that the club look as if they are nearing deals for the Japanese duo will undoubtedly please Celtic fans, who, considering the 56-year-old Bhoys manager’s success in the summer transfer window, must be incredibly excited to see plenty more of Postecoglou’s previously unknown gems make the move to Parkhead this winter.

In other news: Kieran Devlin drops 8-word injury update that will delight Celtic fans

Some Glasgow Rangers fans have been left fuming after it was officially confirmed by the club that Steven Gerrard has now left to manage Aston Villa.

The Scottish champions posted a statement on their official website, stating that he had left to go and manage Villa in the Premier League after three-and-a-half years at Ibrox.

The statement listed just some of his achievements while managing the Light Blues, including qualifying for group stage football in Europe for four successive seasons, reaching the knockout stage in the last two, while of course bringing them their coveted 55th Premiership title after a 10-year wait.

While supporters can be appreciative of what Gerrard has done, it is a bit of a kick in the teeth to leave them midway through the campaign, especially with all of the competitions in which they are still involved and the fact that they currently sit four points clear at the top of the Premiership.

Therefore, it is not a surprise to see some Rangers fans react angrily to the news.

Rangers fans on Gerrard departure

These Gers supporters fumed as the news was shared on Twitter, with one even saying that they were ‘sickened’ by the hasty manner of Gerrard’s exiy:

“Very disappointing leaving halfway through season, Europa place still in sight.”

Credit: @ShazEHollas

“Handling of this has been terrible, like a flashback to the Warburton shambles”

Credit: @AaronRo85

“I won’t lie. I am SICKENED seeing him holding that Villa top…..Part of me thinks he’s done a great job but main part thinks he’s a rat for leaving at this time of season – I have NO DOUBTS he will regret it and no one is bigger than our club.”

Credit: @glen1873

“I’d like to wish Steven nothing but the absolute worst”

Credit: @JosephStanton_

“Enjoy the relegation battle, snake”

Credit: @AmyB0yd

“Gerrard lied, simple as that.”

Credit: @RFC1872GER

In other news, find out what news on this ‘brilliant’ player has left many Gers fans buzzing

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped a worrying update regarding the club’s potential permanent signing of Jota.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Football Scotland, the Bhoys boss suggested that, despite the Benfica loanee’s remarkable form since making a temporary switch to Parkhead this summer, he will not be rushed into activating the club’s €7.5m (£6.5m) option to buy the winger.

Despite initially talking positively about the deal, the uncertainty behind a move is likely to be a cause of concern.

Speaking about the potential of signing the 22-year-old, Postecoglou said: “I know people tend to get really excited. I tend to let those kinds of things happen naturally. Jota is enjoying his football here. He’s loving the club, loving his teammates and the way we play. He loves playing in front of our supporters.

“If that continues and he wants to stay at this football club, then we’ll start those negotiations and come to an agreement. That’s not going to satisfy everyone because people think you should just sign players as soon as they show some potential.

“For me, what’s more important is that we have footballers here who appreciate what they have and Jota is certainly doing that at the moment. I can’t give you timelines.”

Worst-case scenario?

Considering just how impressive Jota has been since joining Celtic, it would not be surprising at all if a number of Europe’s biggest clubs have started to take notice of the Portugal U21 international.

Indeed, over his nine Premiership appearances this season, the £3.15m-rated man has scored four goals, registered four assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.9 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the 22-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 7.40, ranking the winger as the eighth-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football.

The £7.1k-per-week forward has also impressed over his four Europa League fixtures, scoring one goal, providing two assists and creating four big chances for his teammates – returns which have seen him average a SofaScore match rating of 7.55.

Indeed, in recent comments cited by the Daily Record, John Hartson stated his belief that, as a result of these remarkable returns, it is essential for Celtic to tie up the permanent signing of Jota as quickly as possible, or else the Bhoys could see a bigger club land the winger ahead of them.

The former Celtic centre-forward said: “You do it now, you do it now. In January, you do it. He’s made a great impact and although Celtic have first refusal it doesn’t mean you get him over the line.

“They have an option to get him, but his agent and Jota will have the decision whether it will be Celtic or not. You don’t want Jota to be on 20 goals by February and then a Bayern Munich come in and say to his agent ‘we’ll give you £10m if you get him to us.’

“That could happen – a Bayern Munich or a PSG might come in and say, ‘we want this kid, he’s 22, he’s lit the place up at Celtic, he looks dynamite.’ I would recommend Celtic to it as swiftly as they can because he is a very special player.”

As such, should Postecoglou decide against rushing into making the 22-year-old’s temporary deal a permanent move in January, and the Hoops ultimately end up missing out on the signing of the winger, it would undeniably be a huge mistake on the part of the 56-year-old, as well as being an outcome that would leave Bhoys fans severely annoyed.

In other news: Nicholson initiates Celtic talks for “outstanding” 20 G/A dynamo, Ange would love him

Former Aston Villa centre-forward Gabriel Agbonlahor has claimed that Ivan Toney would be a brilliant fit for Villa.

What’s been said?

Speaking recently on talkSPORT (via Birmingham Live), Agbonlahor stated his belief that the Brentford forward has the ability to play for a team that is fighting for European qualification in the Premier League, before suggesting that the 25-year-old would make an ideal strike partner for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Speaking about the centre-forward, Agbonlahor said: “I think he’s got what it takes to be in a team that’s fighting for Europe… somewhere like Villa as a target man, playing with Watkins.”

Lange must move

While there are no concrete links being reported regarding a potential Aston Villa move for Toney, considering just how impressive the 25-year-old has been for Brentford this season, it would be difficult to disagree with Agbonlahor’s claim that the striker would make an impressive addition to Dean Smith’s options in attack.

Indeed, over his eight Premier League appearances so far this term, the £28.8m-rated man has already scored two goals, registered two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.3 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the player Thomas Frank claimed boasts the “mindset of a lion” earn a remarkable average SofaScore match rating of 7.47, ranking him as the Bees’ best performer in the top flight, as well as the ninth-best in the entirety of the division.

As such, the prospect of the £21k-per-week Toney lining up alongside either Watkins – one goal in six league appearances – or Danny Ings – three goals over eight league fixtures – is certainly a mouthwatering one.

And, while it would appear an incredibly unlikely scenario considering their highly impressive start to the season, should Brentford find themselves being relegated to the Championship at the end of the current campaign, and the opportunity to sign Toney presents itself, Johan Lange simply must do everything in his power to secure the 25-year-old’s arrival at Villa Park.

In other news: “Outstanding” Aston Villa gem who won just one duel failed Smith in derby collapse

Eddie Howe has officially been confirmed as the new manager of Newcastle United and replaces interim boss Graeme Jones with immediate effect.

Jones took charge of three games following Steve Bruce’s exit last month, drawing 1-1 with Crystal Palace and Brighton away from home either side of a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea at St. James’ Park.

Howe arrives with the team sat 19th in the Premier League table and without a single win in 11 matches so far this season.

An instant impact?

The ex-Bournemouth head coach could make himself an instant crowd favourite by making one key selection decision in his first match in charge. He must ruthlessly axe centre-back Ciaran Clark from the starting XI as he has been a liability for the club this season and fans will surely be frustrated by his performances.

Clark’s latest outing ended with him giving away a penalty against Brighton in the Premier League. He committed a foul inside the box, albeit a soft one, with Leandro Trossard converting from 12-yards to hand Graham Potter’s side the lead, although the defender did his part to make up for the error by setting up Isaac Hayden’s equaliser.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-newcastle-howe-ter-stegen” title= “Read the latest Newcastle news!”]

However, his assist was not enough to detract from the poor standard of his displays this season. He has averaged a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.66 across nine starts, which places him 13th in the Newcastle squad overall – below both Federico Fernandez and Fabian Schar. Clark has been keeping the pair out of the side, yet his statistics suggest that he should be the one sitting on the bench in their place.

Those are sentiments that Magpies reporter George Caulkin agrees with. He tweeted during the Brighton match on Saturday: “I don’t understand how Clark, who gave the penalty away, has kept his place in recent matches.”

The £37k-per-week Irishman is putting in disappointing showings on the pitch and fans will surely be frustrated that he is continuing to be selected as potentially better options in Schar and Fernandez wait in the wings. Schar has averaged a rating of 6.75 in the Premier League whilst his Argentine teammate has managed a score of 6.78, suggesting that both of them have played to a higher standard than Clark.

Therefore, Howe could instantly win over the crowd and become a favourite by dropping the dud and starting Fernandez or Schar in place of him for the match against Brentford after the international break. With no wins in 11 matches, something has to change for Newcastle and this move could be the first one Howe makes in order to benefit the side.

AND in other news, Howe could make early Newcastle blunder on £110k-p/w “waste of time”, he’s a dud…

Southampton have been handed an injury blow ahead of their upcoming Premier League showdown against Chelsea this afternoon.

What’s the latest?

In his latest press conference ahead of the match against the west Londoners, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed that Jack Stephens will not be available for the clash at Stamford Bridge as a result of the injury he picked up during 0-0 draw at Manchester City which saw him forced off the pitch in the first half.

With Hasenhuttl previously revealing that Stephens ruptured a tendon in his knee and is expected to be out of action for around 10-12 weeks, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the defender will play no part in the Chelsea clash, but it’s still a blow for the Saints.

Hasenhuttl won’t be happy

Stephens, who is currently valued at £4.5m according to Transfermarkt, has made 139 appearances for Southampton across all competitions in which he has managed to chip in with six goals and provide five assists in the process.

Given how he played every minute of action in the Premier League for Southampton this term before picking up his injury at the Etihad Stadium, this shows just how vital he has been for Hasenhuttl and why it’s such a blow that he will now miss a considerable chunk of the season through injury.

Indeed, the 27-year-old has posted match averages of 1.8 tackles and 1.6 interceptions in the early weeks of the campaign, placing him third for both metrics among the Saints’ squad, as per WhoScored. That serves to illustrate how crucial he is as a defensive rock at St Mary’s.

Given how fellow Southampton centre-back Mohammed Salisu, who replaced Stephens in the City game, went on to play in the 1-0 defeat against Wolves and earn himself a respectable match rating of 6.8/10 from SofaScore, he should be given the chance to play alongside Jan Bednarek today to see if he can be the right person to fill in for Stephens while the 29-year-old is out injured.

In other news, “Now close”: Ralph makes claim on 21 y/o maestro which will leave Southampton fans buzzing…