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With an average squad age of 27.3, Manchester City have the eight-oldest squad in the Premier League at this moment in time, with 36-year-old Fernandinho being the joint-oldest player alongside goalkeeper Scott Carson, who is the same age as the Brazilian.

Taking this into account, and with the midfielder’s current contract at the Manchester club set to expire next summer, it seems as though the Premier League champions should be thinking about his eventual exit and who they could get to replace him.

However, we think that the club may not need to go out and spend a significant amount of money on a new player, as they have done in the past, to replace Fernandinho, and instead turn to 17-year-old defensive midfielder Romeo Lavia.

The teenager joined City’s under-18 side back in the 2020 summer transfer window from Belgian club Anderlecht for an undisclosed fee.

Since then, the midfielder – who has been described as an “aggressive” player by former City defender Vincent Kompany – has made 14 appearances for the under-18 side, as well as 25 appearances for City’s under-23s in which he has managed to score two goals and provide three assists, which we feel is quite impressive for a defensive midfielder at such a young age.

Lavia, who is currently valued at £900k by Transfermarkt, has also made one appearance for Guardiola’s first team in the 6-1 win over Wycombe Wanderers in the Carabao Cup last month, where he played the full 90 minutes.

For his performance against Wycombe, Lavia earned himself a decent overall match rating of 7/10 from the Manchester Evening News, who said that he “clearly likes a tackle, and his passes over the top and through the lines were Fernandinho-esque”. That further highlights him as a potential ideal long-term replacement for the Brazilian at the Etihad Stadium, if the veteran leaves when his current contract ends in the summer.

Moving forward, if Lavia can keep playing regularly for the under-23 side and make the most of any future chances that he gets in the first team, we believe he could well find himself becoming a significant part of Guardiola’s squad in the coming years.

In other news: 95% pass accuracy, 91 touches: £140k-p/w MCFC ace was Pep’s only shining light against West Ham

The previous summer transfer window saw Southampton sell striker Danny Ings to fellow Premier League club Aston Villa after the Englishman managed to score 46 goals in 100 appearances for the Saints.

Unsurprisingly, Southampton have been struggling in front of goal so far this season with just five goals scored in their opening seven Premier League games.

Although things aren’t looking too positive at Southampton at the moment, there is one player at the club that Hasenhuttl should consider giving a chance to play in the first team to help fix their attacking output.

16-year-old attacking-midfielder Kamari Doyle has been showing his talents in Southampton’s youth teams in recent weeks.

Back in August, Doyle made three appearances for Southampton’s U18 side in the U18 Premier League where he managed to score five goals and provide one assist with all five strikes incredibly coming in their 7-2 win over Birmingham City.

Since then, the teenager has been involved with Southampton’s U23 team, playing in numerous positions as a second striker, central-midfielder and a right-winger, which shows just how skilled he is at just 16-years-old.

In addition to this, the fact that Doyle was recently named in The Guardian’s Next Generation 2021 list of the 20 best young talents across the Premier League clubs, proves how impressive he has been in Southampton’s youth ranks and how big his future at the club could be.

Taking all of this into account, we feel that it could well be worth Hasenhuttl giving Doyle a chance to show what he can do in the Premier League with the rest of the senior team, even at such a young age.

With current Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse set to begin serving a three-match ban after the current international break following a red card during the club’s previous clash with Chelsea, it could open the door for Doyle to make his senior debut from the bench.

Looking further down the line, we feel that there’s every chance that Doyle could potentially replace Ward-Prowse and be Southampton’s next academy star to come through the ranks and impress. He has the goal-scoring prowess to do so which combines nicely with his tidy ability on the ball. Doyle’s versatility is also a trait that compares well with the club’s skipper.

In our view, whether Hasenhuttl chooses to give Doyle a shot in their upcoming Premier League matches, the Saints could really do with getting their first win of the season as soon as they can to move away from the relegation zone.

In other news: Ralph could solve Southampton’s JWP problem instantly after big injury boost – opinion

According to Football Insider sources, Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on Peterborough United prodigy Ronnie Edwards.

The Lowdown: Highly-rated defender

Edwards, just 18, has already made seven senior appearances for Peterborough United, starting two games in last season’s League One promotion season.

The teenager joined Posh from National League side Barnet in August 2020 and is highly-rated within the club.

Edwards has made two appearances this season – one in the cup and one in the league – while Spurs have previously shown their trust in young talent from the Football League with the likes of Dele Alli and Joe Rodon.

The Latest: Spurs keen to sign him

In the report by Football Insider, transfer sources reveal Fabio Paratici and Tottenham have set their sights on signing the young defender, with a number of top clubs across the country tracking him after he burst on the scene last season.

Spurs sent scouts to watch Edwards play for Peterborough under-23s against Watford last week, with the view to a potential transfer to bring the Englishman to the Premier League.

Edwards’ involvment with the first team this season would see his price tag drastically increase and Spurs will be monitoring him as the season goes on.

The Verdict: Another Rodon

The 18-year-old prodigy is yet to cement himself in Darren Ferguson’s side above the experienced Frankie Kent and Mark Beevers. And with Spurs’ nature of recruiting players for the first team of the future, it would be hard for Edwards to say no.

Rodin meanwhile has appeared for Spurs 15 times so far and is showing great promise, hailed as a ‘special player’ and ‘flawless’ by Wales Online journalist Ian Mitchelmore.

The arrival of Edwards will be a bonus for the under-23s side and a statement of thinking ahead for the future of the club.

With Japhet Tanganga and Rodon already options at the back, it could be a very youthful Spurs defence in the years to come with the arrival of Edwards.

In other Tottenham news, an offer has been tabled for ‘extraordinary’ midfielder. Find out more here.

Arsenal have been linked with a shock move for Serge Aurier in recent days…

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports, the Gunners have been notified about the 28-year-old’s availability following his release from arch-rivals Spurs on deadline day.

It’s thought that the Ivory Coast right-back is keen to remain in the country after attracting offers from France, Turkey and Russia during the transfer window.

No suitable bid came forward and with Aurier having no future at the north London club, the two parties came to a mutual agreement to end his £120k-per-week contract a year early.

Disaster waiting to happen

Gunners chief Edu Gaspar is already facing mounting pressure at the Emirates Stadium following several poor transfer windows and a move for the calamitous defender could see the fanbase turn on him even more.

The Brazilian sporting director has endured a nightmare in recent seasons – under his tenure, Arsenal have spent around £300m but have only recouped £80m in return, per the Express.

In that time, they have recorded back-to-back eighth-place finishes in the Premier League and went from clinching the FA Cup to not qualifying for a European competition whatsoever.

To make matters worse, they have made no fewer than six additions this summer and Mikel Arteta’s side have lost all three of their top-flight matches.

“Get rid” and “fraud” are just two phrases that have been used to describe the Arsenal supremo in recent days, as relayed by HITC.

According to reports, the Gunners could line up another ex-player, Marc Overmars, as Edu’s replacement and the signing of Aurier would surely push him closer to the exit door.

There’s a reason that Nuno Santo was prepared to offload him and bring in another name in Emerson Royal.

Speaking after Spurs’ Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher described Aurier as “one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football” and was a player that “would possibly put you off management with the amount of crazy decision he makes,” via talkSPORT.

That’s the last thing Arteta needs right now, especially after the arrival of Takehiro Tomiyasu, who can play both on the right and at centre-back.

Also dubbed an “absolute liability” by ex-Lilywhites midfielder Jamie O’Hara, the potential signing of the £18m-rated defender would be a recipe for disaster, given all the circumstances mentioned above.

Edu must not sign Aurier, otherwise he could well have to deal with the consequences from around the stadium.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Arsenal transfer update that’ll leave fans buzzing…

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

An update has emerged on Liverpool’s interest in Jarrod Bowen, amid speculation over Divock Origi’s future.

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, a number of European teams are interested in signing Origi from Liverpool before the end of the window, although no official offers have been placed.

The report adds that Liverpool are continuing to monitor West Ham attacker Bowen, although it remains to be seen how viable a deal for the Englishman is.

Fans would love it

Michael Edwards and Jurgen Klopp must work together to wave bye-bye to Origi and replace him with Bowen either before the end of this window or in the January market. With less than a week to go before the deadline, it may be too tight for the Reds to get both deals over the line this summer, but they could get the wheels in motion ahead of the next one.

With a clutch of clubs showing interest in Origi, the Reds should cash in on the Belgian and use those funds to bring Bowen in. The Reds dud failed to score a Premier League goal in nine appearances last term, having managed four goals in 25 games the previous year, whilst only providing one assist. This suggests that he does not have the quality to be a consistent threat for the club in the top-flight.

Bowen, meanwhile, was impressive in the Premier League for the Hammers last season. He produced eight goals and five assists in 30 starts, averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.75 for David Moyes’ side. The winger showed that he is capable of scoring and creating goals from out wide, whilst he is also able to operate in a number of positions across the front – offering Klopp tactical flexibility.

Hull boss Grant McCann once hailed him as a ‘special talent’ and lauded his professionalism on and off the pitch. He said:

“He is unreal. Just watching him doing his tests the other day and the way he trains and presents himself every day shows you that. He has always got a smile on his face and there are no airs or graces about him. He got 22 goals in the Championship last year and that is no mean feat.

“He is a special boy and special talent. Hopefully, I can add my stamp onto him and imprint that will take him further. That is what I am about.”

Liverpool fans would love this move as it could improve the quality of their attacking options. Bowen has proven that he can score and assist goals at a greater rate than Origi, whilst he also has the potential to improve further at the age of 24.

Whether they are able to do that in the remaining days of the window is up in question, though, so this may be one that is shelved for a future one, but fans could be delighted if the club are able to ship out an underperforming player.

AND in other news, Gini 2.0: Edwards must sanction £40m Liverpool swoop for “exceptional” powerhouse…

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

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton was fuming at referee Bobby Madden’s performance in the Hoops’ Scottish Cup semi-final defeat.

The Lowdown: Hoops beaten by rivals

Andy Postecoglou’s side were looking to keep their treble dream alive on Sunday afternoon, as they faced old foes Rangers at Hampden Park.

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When Greg Taylor fired Celtic in front, everything seemed to be going swimmingly, but Scott Arfield equalised and the game ended up going to extra-time.

It was left to Fashion Sakala to secure a 2-1 win for Rangers, as the Hoops were left to lick their wounds after a bitterly disappointing day at the office.

The Latest: Sutton fumes at Madden

Taking to Twitter after the game, Sutton couldn’t hide his frustration at Madden’s performance, following some questionable decisions on the day:

“Celtic were poor but Bobby Madden turned in one of the worst refereeing performances I’ve seen in Scotland for a long time… and that’s saying something!!!”

The Verdict: Poor day all round

There is no doubt that Madden was poor on Sunday, somehow allowing John Lundstram to commit numerous fouls before being booked, among other errors.

That being said, Celtic must also look at themselves and accept that they were short of their best, as Sutton alluded to in his aforementioned tweet.

You could argue Rangers were the better team for much of the game, with their superiority eventually shining through, even despite playing 120 minutes in the Europa League around 72 hours earlier.

Celtic must now dust themselves down and focus on securing Scottish Premiership glory, hopefully fending off the Gers in the remaining weeks of the season.

In other news, a pundit has explained why Celtic will win the league title. Read more here.

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

Reported Manchester United target Declan Rice is not for sale this summer, according to Sky Sports News.

The lowdown

The Telegraph’s Northern Football Correspondent James Ducker reported earlier this month that United would target West Ham midfielder Rice this summer, with incoming manager Erik ten Hag set to be given access to a transfer ‘war chest’.

Irons manager David Moyes said recently that the Englishman was worth £150million at a ‘minimum’.

That would be the biggest transfer in Premier League history, smashing the £105.75milllion record set by Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City.

Rice is under contract until the summer of 2024, but West Ham crucially have the option to extend that deal by a further year. He’s believed to have turn down three offers of an extension, one of which was worth around £200,000 per week (via The Guardian).

The latest

Live on air on Friday evening, presenter Mike Wedderburn relayed an update on Rice.

While West Ham won’t countenance a sale this summer, their stance could change at the end of next season, he told Sky.

“Our chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol has spoken to West Ham today. West Ham have said this: they will not sell Declan Rice this summer, even if he doesn’t sign a new contract.

“The Hammers would be prepared to sell Rice in the summer of 2023 if he doesn’t sign a new contract.”

The verdict

This presents Man. United with an interesting dilemma. They can either bide their time for Rice, who will only be 24 years old come the 2023 window. If he’s their no. 1 target, they may be patient.

Or they may decide that they simply have to furnish Ten Hag with a marquee midfield addition this summer, particularly with Paul Pogba set to leave on a free transfer.

They’ve been linked with Rice’s England team-mate, Kalvin Phillips, who is available for a fee of £60million (according to The I’s Mark Douglas). This cheaper, swifter deal could prove to be more desirable.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano drops a key update concerning Ten Hag.