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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…

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.

Having joined Celtic in what was a £5m deal back in the summer of 2020, with the centre-forward signing a four-year deal on a reported £16k-per-week, the opinion at Parkhead was the Bhoys had secured an excellent addition to their attacking lineup in the shape of Albian Ajeti.

However, over the 24-year-old’s 20 Scottish Premiership appearances during his debut campaign, the £2.88m-rated man scored just six goals, registered one assist and created no big chances for his teammates, as well as hitting the target with an average of just 0.5 shots per game.

These returns saw the Switzerland international who Packie Bonner dubbed a “problem” earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.85, ranking him as Celtic’s joint 12th-worst performer in the top flight of Scottish football.

Things have not improved for the striker over his six league appearances this season, with the former West Ham United man averaging an even more disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.72, ranking him as Ange Postecoglou’s eighth-worst performer in the Premiership.

As such, it will perhaps come as no surprise that reports are suggesting the 56-year-old Bhoys manager is looking to move the centre-forward on in the January transfer window, nor why Celtic are being linked with a move for the rather more prolific Yokohama F Marinos striker, Daizen Maeda, as his replacement.

Indeed, over his 34 J League appearances this term, the 24-year-old has scored 21 goals, provided three assists and created 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 have seen the player who Kevin Muscat dubbed a “fantastic” talent average a SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as his side’s seventh-best performer in the Japanese top flight.

As such, it would indeed appear highly advisable for Postecoglou to finally wash Celtic’s hands of Ajeti this January and bring in a much more promising striker in the shape of the £990k-rated Maeda in his place.

In other news: Ransacked of £5.9m: Celtic had a transfer disasterclass on “horrendous” £20k-p/w flop

Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race to sign Mikkel Damsgaard this summer, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian newspaper La Repubblica claim (via Tuttomercatoweb) that the Premier League side have accelerated their interest in the Sampdoria attacking midfielder.

It’s thought that Spurs have now overtaken other suitors, with sporting director Fabio Paratici prepared to offer a bid of €25m (£21.5m).

European giants Barcelona and AC Milan have been mooted with a move for the 21-year-old gem in recent months, as per Goal, but now it appears as if the Lilywhites have nudged one step closer to winning the tussle.

Bye-bye Moura

Nuno Santo has some interesting choices to make in the wing department.

It’s believed that Erik Lamela is closing in on a switch to Sevilla, in which Spurs will receive Bryan Gil in a swap, and the outgoings may not stop there as Lucas Moura is another name that the club are reportedly prepared to offload.

“They have put Lamela on the market and Lucas Moura on the market hoping to receive transfer fees and reduce their wage bill,” claimed journalist Duncan Castles on ‘The Transfer Window’ podcast.

Replacing an injury-prone 29-year-old with one of Spain’s top young prospects, and an inconsistent 28-year-old with a highly-rated 21-year-old, could be very smart business indeed.

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It’s no wonder former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho was keen to sign him and it’s no wonder the former Juventus supremo feels the same way. Damsgaard could be a real star of the future and we got a glimpse of that at Euro 2020, as he rifled home a scorching strike against Russia to help Denmark qualify for the knockout stages.

The £18m-rated dynamo can play anywhere behind the striker and offers a mix of electrifying pace and phenomenal work rate, that much was displayed throughout his domestic campaign.

As per WhoScored, Damsgaard delivered two goals and four assists last term, whilst also averaging 1.5 dribbles and 1.2 tackles per game, proving to be quite the threat under former Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri, who dubbed him a “child prodigy” to reporters at one point.

His playing style has been likened to Danish great Michael Laudrup and TV2’s football expert Martin Mikkelsen described him as “magical”.

By comparison, Moura struggled to match such returns, managing only 1.1 dribbles and 1.1 tackles per game in the Premier League last term, via WhoScored.

On the above evidence, Paratici must look to seal a move for the young Sampdoria sensation. He and Gil could be one hell of a duo for years to come, and it’s that sort of forward planning which could get Spurs back on top.

AND in other news, Nuno set for Hotspur Way boost as Alasdair Gold drops exciting claim…

Tottenham Hotspur have once again been linked with interest in Wout Weghorst…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, Spurs are among three Premier League teams considering a move for the Wolfsburg and Netherlands striker this summer.

It’s thought that the North London outfit made preliminary advances for the Dutch goal machine last year and now, they could be set to revisit that interest ahead of next season.

The Bundesliga side are prepared to let the 28-year-old leave if their €30m (£26m) asking price is met but they’ll face competition from top-flight rivals West Ham United and Newcastle United.

Perfect replacement

There is a lot of uncertainty at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium right now, both on and off the pitch. One major concern heading into the new campaign is Harry Kane’s future at the club after reports suggested that he has asked to leave.

Sky Sports believe the England captain wants out in a bid to add silverware to his goal-laden career, with teams like Manchester City and Chelsea interested in his signature.

It means whoever Spurs’ next boss is, he may well need a new striker to lead his line and in Weghorst, they may have found the most ideal candidate.

The Dutch colossus has continued to catch the eye in Germany, where he has found the net a whopping 25 times in all competitions to help steer Wolfsburg into the Champions League.

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He’s also provided nine assists, meaning he has managed a direct goal contribution once every 104 minutes. Their reliance on him is somewhat similar to that of Spurs with Kane.

During the 2020/21 season, the 27-year-old contributed towards 54.4% of all their league goals scored. Evidently, he’s going to leave behind a major void.

But Weghorst, who stands at a towering 6 foot 6, has been tipped as the perfect man to replace him.

“I think he’d be a perfect replacement for Harry Kane, should he leave,” claimed Get German Football News editor-in-chief Daniel Pinder during an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

“Whether it’s because he’s Dutch or not, he’s got similar attributes to Van Nistelrooy. He’s tall, strong, even though he’s really tall, possesses a great touch – his movement is underappreciated in the Bundesliga. His threat inside the area, his work ethic in pressing the opposition defence.”

Weghorst’s work-rate is another key attribute that makes him so appealing, earning further comparisons to Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy, who is renowned for his ability to cause many a defence trouble with his pace and movement.

According to The Athletic‘s Bundesliga expert Raphael Honigstein, “[Weghorst is] Holland’s taller, chunkier answer to Jamie Vardy — minus the bit with the electronic tag and the Skittles-flavoured vodka — still plays like he’s got a point to prove in every match. He flies into tackles, wins more headers than almost anyone and frequently tops his team’s charts for most distance covered.”

Whilst teammate Admir Mehmedi once described him as “so crazy” because “runs a lot for the team”, and his former manager Bruno Labbadia has previously described him as “tireless.”

Kane is certainly one of the most irreplaceable players in this current Spurs squad but Weghorst has all the qualities to be a viable successor. He scores plenty of goals, can provide assists, and works his socks off for the team.

For £26m, incoming sporting director Fabio Paratici must absolutely consider the Dutch man mountain.

AND in other news, Paratici could seal instant Spurs masterstroke by axing £120k-p/w “absolute liability”…

West Ham United are reportedly interested in making a move for Monaco defender Guillermo Maripan, as their search for defensive reinforcements continues.

Enjoying a productive 2020/21 campaign, the Chile international registered six goal contributions in 31 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit; five goals and one assist [Transfermarkt].

Now, he could be set to move to England owing to recent reports.

West Ham United are said to be considering a move for the 27-year-old, who Manuel Pellegrini attempted to sign during his tenure in London [Mirror via Hammers News].

He could be available for around £17.5million, after his current employers exited the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Shakhtar Donetsk.

In light of this news, no wonder loads of West Ham United diehards took to social media to comment on the latest developments, with the fan base desperate for a new centre-back addition before they embark on a gruelling campaign in Europa League football.

West Ham United FC fans react:

Replying to West Ham Central on Twitter, here is what some fans had to say about the news:

“We took about 6 months to decide between Zouma, Milenkovic and Caleta Car No chance they sign Maripan so quickly without identifying him as a target 37 times first”

Credit: @_a7un

“It’s the mirror spinning a target we have been linked with in the pellegrini era. Not looking into this at all.”

Credit: @HammerFromDevon”Weren’t we linked with him like 3/4 seasons ago?”Credit: @brad_hass4″oh no not him again”Credit: @danielluker10″Surely not ?”Credit: @LewisDowling7″Caught my eye the other night against Shaktar, made some good challenges and was extremely vocal”Credit: @IukesteggIesIn other news, West Ham United fans react to a Declan Rice update. Find out more here.

Celtic have been linked with a move for Watford striker Troy Deeney with just days remaining of the window, The Sunday Mirror (29/8; page 66) report.  

The Lowdown: Lennon considered bid

Celtic look set to add to their attacking ranks in the final days of the window by signing VVV-Venlo’s Georgios Giakoumakis.

However, it seems as if the Hoops have a long-standing interest in Deeney, with former manager Neil Lennon recently admitting he wanted to sign the forward during his first stint as Celtic boss.

Deeney, on £77,000-a-week at Vicarage Road, hasn’t started a game this season and it seems as if a move could be on the cards.

The Latest: Celtic linked again

Watford released a statement on Friday regarding Deeney. The Hornets revealed that the club and Deeney are in discussions over his future, with the 33-year-old into the final 12 months of his contract.

The Sunday Mirror (29/8; page 66), cited by The Boot Room, admitted that Celtic are one of the sides keen on the forward, who, according to Nigel Pearson, ‘embraces pressure’.

The Verdict: Avoid

Dominic McKay and Ange Postecoglou appear to be building for the future with seven of the club’s nine signings so far 26 years of age or under.

Should Celtic land Giakoumakis, as expected, and possibly move on Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths, who have been linked with moves away, they should still have enough without Deeney.

Giakoumakis, Kyogo Furuhashi and Albian Ajeti could be the three options in a central role, so Celtic should avoid bringing Deeney to Parkhead in the final few days.

In other news: Pundit tips ‘composed’ ace to re-join Celtic in late activity.

According to a report by Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are now ‘confident’ Lilywhites superstar Son Heung-min won’t be leaving this summer transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Spurs exit claims

Amid all the noise surrounding star striker Harry Kane, with Sky Sports recently lifting the lid on his desire to leave north London, Son still hasn’t signed his new deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The South Korean sensation has been heavily touted to put pen to paper on a £200,000-per-week extension since near the end of last year, but contract talks were put on hold due to the financial difficulties caused by coronavirus.

The Sun also claimed that Kane’s possible exit could spark an exodus of stars from north London, with Son left ‘upset’ and ‘concerned’ over the prospect of losing him.

The Latest: Club chiefs ‘confident’ of keeping Son

In an encouraging claim, Football Insider believe that Spurs chiefs are now ‘confident’ of keeping the 28-year-old despite the saga surrounding Kane and his future with the club.

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The prospect of losing another star attacker would have been a tough pill to swallow for Lilywhites supporters, but FI report Tottenham chiefs are under the firm belief that Son isn’t going anywhere this summer.

As relayed by this report, there has been some speculation over whether the winger could force an exit of his own. However, it appears the club have been boosted in their hopes of keeping hold of Son for now.

The Verdict: Big boost for Spurs…

Apart from Kane, Son was Tottenham’s next best player over the 2020/2021 season – bagging a brilliant 17 goals and ten assists in the Premier League alone (WhoScored).

Son and Kane also formed a devastating partnership, breaking Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton’s previous record of most English top flight combinations for goals in a single campaign (Premier League).

Gary Neville perhaps summed up his quality in the most efficient way, labelling Son an ‘absolutely world class’ player when speaking on Sky Sports (via football.london).

It’s safe to say, as a result, that Spurs supporters can take real encouragement from this Football Insider claim as they continue to await where Kane will be next season.

In other news: ‘I hear from a reliable source’…Journalist drops major Harry Kane claim, find out more here.

Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch could look to bring Manchester United assistant Chris Armas to Elland Road this summer, according to Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Armas profiled

The 49-year-old worked under Marsch at New York Red Bulls, serving as his assistant for 151 games.

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Armas, labelled as a ‘winner’ with ‘infectious positivity’, has since gone on to manage Toronto and has been at Old Trafford under Ralf Rangnick since December.

His services in Manchester may no longer be needed after Erik ten Hag was announced as Manchester United’s new manager, and it looks as if Marsch could take full advantage ahead of his first full season in charge.

The Latest: Hay’s claim

Hay shared a story on The Athletic on Saturday morning, looking at Leeds’ U23s following a record PL2 attendance at Elland Road on Friday night.

Within his report, he claimed that Marsch looks set to make further alterations to his backroom staff this summer, revealing Armas is under consideration for a permanent post.

The Verdict: Makes sense

The pair know each other well following their time back in the USA and Marsch is clearly a fan of Armas, so a reunion in Yorkshire appears to be a shrewd move.

Marsch has already brought Franz Schiemer and Cameron Toshack to Thorp Arch, while Mark Jackson has been promoted from the U23s, so Amas could be the missing piece in the backroom staff jigsaw.

Hopefully, Leeds will be preparing for a first full season under the American as a Premier League side, which could persuade Armas to remain in England.

In other news: Phil Hay: Marsch now eyeing Leeds move for ‘quality’ rising star alongside Aaronson.