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Gabriel Agbonlahor has offered his thoughts on an interesting statistic regarding Rangers veteran Allan McGregor and his form at Ibrox.

What’s the talk?

Former Premier League forward Agbonlahor has admitted that Rangers will need to take the rough with the smooth when it comes to McGregor’s performances this season.

Reacting to the statistic that McGregor has the joint-worst save percentage (50%) in the Scottish Premiership, the pundit said it is to be expected.

He told Football Insider: “That’s going to happen, you’re going to be rotated.

“At McGregor’s age, you’re going to get those moments when you’re in and out of the team. He’s been a great servant to the game, a great servant to Rangers.

“So, I’m sure that he’ll play his fair share of games for Rangers and they’ll still get some good performances out of him.”

Time’s up

The time has come for Steven Gerrard to make a ruthless decision over McGregor’s future. He is out of contract at the end of the season and Rangers need to cut the chord with him to refresh their goalkeeping department for the 2021/22 campaign.

His main competition in the first-team is Jon McLaughlin, who is 34 and also out of contract in 2022. We published an article explaining why he deserves a new contract and should be the number one for Gerrard in all competitions next season, hinting at McGregor’s departure.

The 39-year-old, as Agbonlahor said, has been a sublime player for Rangers throughout his career. He has racked up 401 first-team appearances for the club during two spells, keeping an impressive 186 clean sheets and conceding 313 goals.

McGregor, who is on £13k-per-week, has not been in the best of form this term and his best days could be behind him as he heads towards his 40th birthday. It could be the right time for him to depart from Ibrox and see out his days elsewhere or retire and potentially join the coaching department at the club if Gerrard is willing to take him on to bolster the ranks behind the scenes.

Last season, he saved 85.3% of the shots he faced and looked like he could continue playing for years to come. However, his 50% save rate – the worst in the division – suggests that his time may be up.

He has been beaten by every other shot on target and Gerrard cannot afford to have a liability between the sticks. That’s why he must axe McGregor next summer if the player does not decide to hang up his gloves on his own accord.

AND in other news, Rangers hit the jackpot with “phenomenal” gem whose value has soared 697% in 2 years…

Everton have appointed Duncan Ferguson as their interim manager whilst they search for a candidate to take the permanent role in leading the squad at Goodison Park, and after interviewing Vitor Pereira this week, there has been an update on progress.

What’s the word?

Sky Sports reporter, Vinny O’Connor, was live at Finch Farm yesterday to give an update on the progress on the Everton manager search, and the potential of Pereira being appointed.

O’Connor told Sky Sports News:

“As regards to Vitor Pereira, at this moment, we understand that no appointment is imminent.

“Vitor Pereira, we are told, is one of several candidates in line for the Everton manager’s job.”

Sky Sports have reported a number of candidates who could potentially become the new manager to take on the challenge at Everton, with both Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney being named.

Fans surely buzzing

Everton fans will surely be buzzing that there have been no offers made, already taking to social media to share their thoughts on Pereira being appointed for the managerial role, and he has not had a welcoming reception so far, with one fan tweeting:

“Start worrying, sacked in the Turkish league, the hierarchy of this club is frightening, we are going down!”

Pereira’s recent record after being sacked for the second time by Fenerbahce and relegating 1860 Munich to the German third league is surely the reason fans are uncomfortable with the idea of having the Portuguese manager put in place to try to save Everton’s season, where there is no room for error in the remaining few months as the side is currently only three points off the relegation zone.

Moshiri has already been advised to pull away from signing the former Porto manager according to reports, with the Everton board worried about making any rash decisions due to the fragile situation at Everton. Indeed, we agree with those sentiments, and so do plenty of fans who will be keen to ensure that Pereira isn’t offered the gig at Goodison Park.

However, a decision will need to be made soon as the Toffees have an important game against Brentford in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and the Toffees will be hoping they can salvage something from their season by having a good cup run.

In other news: Alan Myers drops claim on Christophe Galtier

An update has emerged on Lazio forward Joaquin Correa, regarding Everton’s plans to bid for his services.

What’s the talk?

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Get Italian Football News), Everton are readying an improved bid for Lazio attacker Joaquin Correa after having their initial offer knocked back by the Italian side.

Earlier this month, other reports in Italy stated that the Toffees failed with a €25m (£21m) offer for the Argentine forward.

But now, it appears director of football Marcel Brands is set to go back in for Correa, who has expressed his desire to leave the Stadio Olimpico this summer.

His preference is a move to Inter Milan but it’s thought that the Merseyside outfit cannot be discounted at this stage, perhaps even more so after the Serie A champions recently signed Edin Dzeko

Rafa needs him

Brands must ensure that his talks with Lazio run smoothly and that he is able to agree a deal to sign Correa in the next two weeks. The winger could be a terrific addition to the squad and the type of player they need to improve their attacking line-up.

Rafa Benitez enjoyed a fine start to his tenure at Goodison Park with a 3-1 win over Southampton, but goals from the wide areas is still a cause for concern. Bernard and Alex Iwobi were the club’s top-scoring wide players with one goal each in the Premier League last term and the arrivals of Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray are unlikely to solve the problem. The former scored two goals in the past two league seasons for Crystal Palace and Gray scored once for Bayer Leverkusen.

This suggests that the Spanish boss is in dire need of a wide man who is capable of finding the back of the net at the top level. 21 goals in the past two seasons for Lazio indicates that Correa could be that man for the Blues, with 11 goals and six assists in the 2020/21 campaign across the Serie A and Champions League for the 27-year-old.

In a tactical analysis of the forward, Breaking the Lines highlighted his biggest strengths as a player, including his positional flexibility. They wrote: “It is no wonder why his style of play is drawing fans towards his potential. Correa’s wide repertoire of skills and his tricky dribbling makes him a menace for opposing defenders. His quick movement and awareness allow him to move into spaces or drop deep to enable his teammates to move forward.

“He can be the creative outlet of the side, creating chances for his teammates. It is because of his movement that he is able to draw defenders away, then using his dribbling to get past them and either provide a key pass or go for goal himself.

“Highly versatile, he can play on both wings or in the centre, with his wide array of assets allowing him to flourish in either position.”

Correa has also been described as a “jugador revelación” (a revelation), whilst his nickname is said to be ‘the jewel’ – that’s exactly what Goodison Park would be getting if Brands can seal a move for him.

Overall, this shows that the £27m-rated gem could operate in a variety of roles for Benitez, whilst also offering him the goals from out wide that he is in need of. Therefore, Brands must get this deal over the line to bolster the squad in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, “I’m all for it” – Exclusive: Michael Ball keen for Everton to wrap up deal for £27m-rated beast…

Rangers powerhouse Borna Barisic stole the show for Croatia in their 3-0 win over Slovenia in their World Cup qualifying game on Tuesday night.

Marko Livaja, Mario Pasalic and Nikola Vlasic scored the goals for Croatia, with Ivan Perisic and Mislav Orsic providing the assists, but it was Barisic who recorded the highest SofaScore rating on the night.

The left-back was given a score of 7.8/10 for his performance against Slovenia despite not getting on the scoresheet or creating a goal. This was the highest score of any player in the game.

Defensively, the Rangers beast was almost perfect. Per SofaScore, he won six of his nine duels on the pitch as he made four tackles, two clearances and one interception during the match. He also avoided being dribbled past by a Slovenia player, which shows that he was able to guard Atalanta’s Josip Ilicic – who played on the right wing – effectively.

On the ball, Barisic was also able to show off his quality. Per SofaScore, he had an impressive 93 touches of the ball and completed 96% of his passes. The full-back produced one key pass, was successful with all three of his long ball attempts and completed 100% of his dribbles in possession.

This shows that the defender was able to merge stoic defending with class and creativity on the ball. Barisic held Slovenia’s attackers at bay by being strong in his duels and winning a number of tackles, whilst then completing a high rate of passes when going the other way – contributing to Croatia’s dominance.

His 7.8 – man of the match – rating for Croatia shows how he stole the show from the goalscorers on the night. It also highlights how Barisic is capable of producing high-class performances at the top level.

Steven Gerrard will be delighted by this performance as it will surely be a confidence booster for the defender heading back into club football this weekend

AND in other news, Rangers dealt yet another fitness setback with Ibrox “leader”, Gerrard will be fuming…

Manchester United have cultivated an enviable reputation for producing a constant stream of talented youngsters in their academy, and striker Anthony Elanga is the latest prodigy to come off their conveyor belt.

The Sweden U21 international departed his homeland back in 2014 in order to chase his dream of becoming a Premier League footballer and burst onto the scene last term, scoring in the Red Devils final-day victory over Wolves on only his second appearance for the club.

Since then, he’s continued to take great strides towards becoming a permanent fixture in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team setup.

After finding the back of the net during a pre-season game over the summer, United’s Norwegian manager was quick to praise Elanga, hinting he could feature more prominently in the senior side throughout 2021/22.

Solskjaer told the club website: “The boy is electric, has energy and enthusiasm, he’s really enjoying himself. He’s done himself the world of good. We know he’s a good player, we know he’s a good lad.

“He works so hard, he’s always smiley, bright, asking what more he needs to do, he’s so hungry to improve and get better. He can play wide left, wide right, upfront, so anywhere along the front line. He’s going to be an asset.”

Elanga’s only minutes in the first-team so far this season have come as an emergency left-back in the 20-time English champions shock 1-0 defeat to West Ham United in the Carabao Cup, though.

However, he’s continued to impress at youth level. He underlined his burgeoning reputation with a match-winning performance for United’s U23s against bitter rivals Liverpool last time out, scoring one and laying on an assist as the academy side earned a 3-0 victory.

And Elanga’s rise to prominence could come at the ideal time for both the player and the club.

With Edinson Cavani’s contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign, Anthony Martial desperately struggling for form and Cristiano Ronaldo deep into the twilight zone of his career, a new forward is believed to be high up on the hierarchy’s wishlist.

The youngster has previously outlined an Arsenal legend as his biggest influence in an interview with The Athletic, saying: “Thierry Henry was my idol, and I tried to match my game with his.

“He was quick. He could play anywhere across the front three – striker, left-wing, right-wing – and that’s how I want to replicate my game.”

But United will be hoping their latest homegrown star can replicate one of their own; Ronaldo.

Just like the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Elanga started his career as a skilful, pacey, goalscoring left-winger, but has already made the leap to becoming a central striker on many occasions.

Of course, it will take some stunning performances to replicate the great Portuguese attacker but his dribbling, goals and creativity certainly show shades of their famous number 7.

Solskjaer and co. will be hoping their Scandinavian starlet carries on his meteoric rise in the weeks and months ahead, providing the Old Trafford outfit with yet another outstanding asset in the final third of the pitch.

And, in other news…Murtough must seal Man Utd move for £70m magician, he’s “destined for great things” 

Former Everton defender Michael Ball believes that Sheffield United player Sander Berge is a player the Toffees would like to bring to Goodison Park. 

The 21-year-old midfielder signed for Sheffield United in January 2020, featuring 16 times for the Blades in all competitions last season.

After Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League, there has been interest in the signature of Berge from Everton, but the Star have reported that Arsenal are interested in a double swoop of the Bramhall Lane outfit, showing interest in Sander Berge and also goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

With possible competition for the 6 ft 5 Berge, Everton will need to act swiftly if they want to land his signature, with Ball telling Transfer Tavern: “I think it’s one Everton would like to bring in, but it’s always going to be a sort of sitting and wait to see who actually moves on going forward and whether they’ve got the cash to actually make that deal happen.”

Prior to Sheffield United’s opening day Championship match against Birmingham City in pre-match press conference manager Slavisa Jokanovic told the Examiner: “There’s a long time in the window ahead of us and I hope the guys will stay with us because they are important players in my squad.”

Berge completed 90 minutes for the Blades in their defeat to Birmingham City over the weekend but with interest from the Premier League it remains to be seen where Berge will be playing his football when the transfer window closes at the end of this month.

When West Brom secured promotion back to the Premier League in 2020, their star player wasn’t up for debate.

Brazilian playmaker Matheus Pereira was on loan from Sporting CP and took to the English game like a duck to water, chipping in with eight goals and 16 assists across the campaign.

The Baggies turned his move permanent as they moved up to the Premier League and once again he was the stand-out player in their squad, scoring 11 goals and registering six assists in England’s top flight. It wasn’t enough to keep the Midlands side in the division though and he eventually made the move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia to continue his career away from the Hawthorns.

With West Brom back in the Championship this season, they are desperate to get back to the top flight as quickly as possible. They currently sit third in the division, six points behind Bournemouth in the automatic promotion places. Their problem this year has been relatively easy to spot; they aren’t scoring enough goals.

Valerien Ismael’s side have managed just 29 goals in 21 games so far this season, with top scorer Karlan Grant hitting nine of those. Callum Robinson has chipped in with three goals as the main striker, while he leads the assist charts for his club with six this season.

But the lack of quality in the final third is clear for all to see and it shows just how much they are missing Pereira in their side.

During his year in the Championship, Pereira averaged 2.6 shots, 2.8 key passes, 1.5 dribbles and 0.2 through balls per game.

In comparison, this season Grant has averaged 2.5 shots, 1.2 key passes, 1 dribble and zero through balls a match, while fellow attacker Matty Phillips has averaged 1.5 shots, 1 dribble and key passes an outing to go with only 0.1 through balls.

It shows the clear difference in quality and level between West Brom’s current options in the final third compared with Pereira, a player dubbed “incredible” by former coach, Nate Weiss. It makes it clear how much they miss him.

The £13.5m-rated wizard won’t be making a return to the Hawthorns any time soon, so the Baggies must find a way to replace him or regret letting him go in the first place.

AND in other news, West Brom must keep Sam Johnstone beyond January.

Liverpool are interested in a deal to bring Serge Gnabry to Anfield in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Goal, who claim that, with there being no sign of the 26-year-old and Bayern Munich reaching an agreement regarding the extension of the winger’s current contract at the Allianz Arena – with is due to expire in the summer of 2023 – the Germany international is now considering a move away from the Bundesliga side.

The report goes on to state that this has alerted both Liverpool and Real Madrid to the forward’s potential availability this summer, with Jurgen Klopp’s side said to have identified the former Arsenal attacker as a candidate to replace Mohamed Salah – who is himself being linked with a move away from Anfield due to similar contractual issues.

Bye-bye Salah

While it would be an extremely difficult task to find a supporter of Liverpool who would be happy to wave goodbye to Salah at the end of the season, should the £225k-per-week forward go on to secure a move away from the club this summer, Gnabry would very much appear to be a near-perfect replacement for the Egyptian sensation.

Indeed, since making an €8m (£6.5m) move to Bayern back in July of 2017, Gnabry has gone on to establish a reputation as being one of the most deadly wingers currently playing the game – having scored a quite astonishing 61 goals and registered 40 assists over just 163 appearances for Die Roten – averaging 0.62 direct goal contributions per game.

And, while the €70m (£58m) valued German’s record is poorer than Salah’s at Liverpool – with the £90m-rated forward having scored 153 goals and provided 57 assists over his 240 outings for the Reds, averaging 0.89 direct goal contributions per game – it should be pointed out Gnabry’s record is still incredibly impressive, it is just that Salah has been on a different level from almost everyone in world football over the past four years.

Indeed, with the £115k-rated talent who Michael O’Neill dubbed “unplayable” being three years Salah’s junior, it is arguable whether or not the 26-year-old has even entered the prime of his professional career as yet – while the 29-year-old is certainly well into his.

Either way, should the Egypt international move onto pastures new this summer, Klopp could do a great deal worse than signing the Bayern star as his replacement, as Gnabry very much appears to be one of a very select group of players who would be able to soften the blow of losing the Liverpool talisman.

AND in other news: Source: Klopp now wants Liverpool to sign £150m “explosion”, he’s better than Thiago

Renato Sanches may be eyeing up a move to a bigger club than Wolves, which could scupper a switch to Molineux, according to journalist Luke Hatfield.

The Lowdown: Wolves linked with January move

According to recent reports, Bruno Lage is keen on acquiring the signature of the Lille man who shone for Portugal at Euro 2020, averaging a 91.6% pass completion rate.

Sanches’ current Lille contract expires in the summer of 2o23, so next year will likely be their final opportunity to receive a hefty fee for him.

Wolves could eye up a January move for the 24-year-old but a negative update has emerged in that respect.

The Latest: Journalist provides Sanches update

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Hatfield claimed Sanches may see his future at a club with greater credentials than Wolves, putting paid to a move to Molineux:

“The issue with Sanches is you see his name linked with other clubs, and clubs who are higher up the pecking order in terms of size than Wolves. Would he see them as a more attractive option? That’s a question you’ve got to ask.”

The Verdict: Talented but injury-prone

Sanches is an extremely gifted footballer – he won the 2016 European Golden Boy award, which speaks volumes – but his career has been plagued by injuries.

In fact, the 32-time capped Portugal international has never started more than 16 league games in a season at any club, highlighting his fitness issues. If he were to play just 16 times in a 38-game Premier League campaign, that amounts to only 42 per cent of the season.

For that reason, Wolves may end up seeing not signing Sanches as a blessing in disguise, spending their money on a more trustworthy midfielder who will be available for more than half the campaign.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has given an update on one Wolves target. Find out who it is here.

Mohamed Salah is increasingly close to signing a new deal with Liverpool in a potentially huge boost for the Reds, according to a new update.

The Lowdown: Salah saga continues

The future of Liverpool’s Egyptian superstar has dominated the headlines of late, with it unknown if he will sign a new contract or not.

Salah’s current deal expires at the end of next season and his representatives have struggled to agree with the club’s current offer, leading to an impasse.

Now, a big update has emerged regarding the situation, perhaps a timely boost for the club ahead of Sunday’s game of the season against Manchester City.

The Latest: Massive update emerges

According to Football Insider, a ‘source close to Liverpool’ has informed them that Salah is increasingly likely to extend his stay at Anfield, with talks now ‘close to a breakthrough’.

He is ‘willing to compromise’ on the £500,000-a-week wage demands that have been rumoured, still signing a ‘huge’ deal but earning slightly less than he wants.

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The Verdict: Huge, if true

FSG are stubborn owners, so it was always going to be up to Salah to change his demands and it looks as though that is the case currently, in what a massive positive boost for Liverpool.

Despite a dip in form of late – the 29-year-old hasn’t scored in open play since February – he is arguably still the most important player the Reds have and he has many years left in him at the top, such is his incredible level of fitness, missing just three games through illness or injury in his entire Liverpool career.

For that reason, the idea of him leaving, either this summer or next, doesn’t even bear thinking about and this update suggests he could remain on Merseyside well into his 30s.

In other news, Liverpool are ‘convinced’ they should sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.