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Even though the 2022 January transfer window has now opened, allowing clubs to bring new players in where they see fit, it seems as though Wolves have brought a familiar face back to Molineux.

According to a recent Twitter post from Wolves journalist Tim Spiers, it appears that the Midlands club have recalled left-midfielder Ryan Giles from his loan deal with Championship club Cardiff City.

In his tweet, Spiers said that Giles has “made great progress in the past couple of years” and that he now has a “big chance to impress” back at Wolves.

As a product of Wolves’ youth academy, Giles has had previous loan spells at clubs such as Shrewsbury Town, Coventry City and Rotherham United before joining Cardiff during the previous summer transfer window.

During his time at Cardiff, the 21-year-old managed to provide nine assists in 21 appearances, the current joint-highest in the Championship alongside John Swift, which goes to show why former Cardiff boss Mick McCarthy labelled Giles as an “exciting” player with his crosses, corners and free-kicks being a “real weapon” for the team.

In addition to his impressive assists, Giles has shown his versatility by making appearances in the left-wing, left-midfield and left-back positions as well as one appearance each in the central-midfield and right-midfield positions.

Taking all of this into account, Wolves chairman Jeff Shi could save manager Bruno Lage millions in potential transfer fees this month by using Giles as a regular figure in his team from now on.

Given his versatility and creativity on the pitch, Giles, who is currently valued at £1.8m according to Transfermarkt, could easily be a useful player for Lage should any current Wolves player get struck with injuries or a positive virus test.

Even though he has only made one senior appearance for Wolves which came during their 2-2 draw against Shrewsbury in the fourth round of the FA Cup back in 2019, this could be a great time for Giles to finally make his mark in the first team at Molineux and show to Lage why he should be in the squad.

It would be great to see the youngster given some minutes in the first team throughout the remainder of the season as a reward for doing so well at Cardiff.

In other news: Luke Hatfield drops teasing transfer update that will leave Wolves fans thrilled – opinion

An update has emerged on Rangers and their pursuit of a striker from the English Championship…

What’s the talk?

According to TEAMtalk, the Gers are among a number of clubs keen on a deal to sign QPR centre-forward Lyndon Dykes this month.

The report claims that Norwich, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are among the other clubs interested in signing the attacker, although it remains to be seen how much the west London outfit will demand for his services.

Get it done

Giovanni van Bronckhorst must ensure that he is able to get a deal over the line for Dykes, as he could be a “brilliant find” for Rangers, to use the words of Alex McLeish.

The £8k-per-week bulldozer could provide a different option for the Gers boss at the top end of the pitch, as he is not built in the same way as Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos. Whilst the current Ibrox duo are technically adept and like to make runs, Dykes is a forward who can be the focal point of the attack and hold up the ball for his teammates.

In the Championship this season, he has won an impressive 4.3 aerial battles per game, after averaging 4.8 last season. This shows that he can hold his own in the air and is capable of winning flick-ons by beating opposition defenders to long balls, whilst it also suggests that he could aid Rangers in their defending from set pieces as he could use his talents to defend his team’s penalty box.

Darren Jackson hailed him as “mobile” despite his big frame after he scored a winner against the Faroe Islands for Scotland three months ago. This suggests that the 26-year-old could also offer running off and on the ball to go along with the physical presence that he provides.

In terms of goals, Dykes has also shown that he knows how to find the net regularly. He has scored 18 Championship goals for QPR since the start of last season and has netted four times in six starts for Scotland in World Cup qualifiers.

Therefore, he could be a brilliant find for Rangers, as he is a striker who can score goals, bully defenders with his physique and work hard at the top end of the pitch with his mobile running. This is why Van Bronckhorst must work with Ross Wilson to secure his services before the end of the month.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Van Bronckhorst must ruthlessly axe £900k-rated Rangers dud, he’s a “weak link”…

Having secured a loan deal for Philippe Coutinho with rumours of potential deals for Everton left-back Lucas Digne, and West Ham United goalkeeper Darren Randolph, Aston Villa have not been shy in their attempts to strengthen their squad this month.

With this in mind, it seems as though a familiar face associated with the Midlands club has urged them to launch another transfer move and bring in a player who, similarly to Coutinho, Steven Gerrard will know a lot about.

Speaking on talkSPORT over the weekend (via Birmingham Live) former Villa attacker Gabby Agbonlahor claimed that the presence of Gerrard at the club will be an attractive factor for any player that may be linked with a move to Villa Park.

Agbonlahor then suggested that the Midlands club use Gerrard to make a move to sign his former Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez.

He said: “This is no Mickey Mouse ex-footballer, this is Steven Gerrard, one of England and Liverpool’s greatest ever players.

“He is going to have the most amazing relationship with the likes of Coutinho. Go and get Suarez next! Us Villa fans we aren’t stopping.”

During his time at Liverpool, Suarez managed to rack up a total of 82 goals and 47 assists in 133 appearances across all competitions before joining Barcelona in the summer of 2014.

With 69 of those goals coming in the 110 Premier League appearances he’s made, the 34-year-old would certainly provide Villa with a lot of experience of playing in England’s top division as well as a winning mentality of having picked up a plethora of individual awards and team trophies throughout his career.

Having been labelled as a “relentless” player by Gerrard in the past, a swoop for Suarez this month could be a direct replica of their move for Coutinho as an experienced, former Liverpool player that the Villa boss will know what to do to get the best out of him having made 95 appearances together.

In addition to this, with Villa having 13 attempts at goal but not managing to score in their recent 1-0 defeat against Manchester United in the FA Cup, perhaps adding a player such as Suarez, who knows how to find the back of the net with 433 club goals to his name, could be just what Villa need to be more clinical going forward.

However, with the Uruguay international having played in all but one of Atletico’s games across all competitions so far this season, they could be reluctant to let Suarez leave this month halfway through their season, potentially disrupting their chances of finishing in the top four as a result.

In other news: “We’re told” – Journo drops AVFC transfer claim live on Sky Sports, it’s smart work – opinion

Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this evening as they travel to the Midlands to face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

Spurs haven’t played in a week due to Sunday’s postponement of the north London derby, whilst it’s been nearly three weeks since the Foxes last kicked a ball competitively.

And Antonio Conte is left with plenty to think about heading into kickoff.

Last time out, his side were knocked out of the Carabao Cup semi-final by his former club Chelsea, just one game away from Wembley. It leaves only the league and FA Cup left to fight for.

Spurs are on the cusp of breaching the top-four, so they could really do with a result tonight. That means the Italian head coach needs to get his team selection spot on, perhaps a little tricky with the number of players he has on the treatment table.

One player he must axe is Giovani Lo Celso, who has underwhelmed in recent appearances.

The Argentina midfielder certainly hasn’t taken his opportunity to impress, failing to perform in both of their recent cup games, including a win over League One minnows Morecambe.

Across 18 appearances in all competitions, the 25-year-old has provided Spurs with only one goal and two assists, considering he cost a whopping £55m, it just isn’t good enough.

Lo Celso has never really impressed since arriving from Real Betis, managing a direct goal contribution once every 327 minutes.

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Once tipped to replace Christian Eriksen in the creative no.10 role, we’re yet to see any sort of similarities between the pair. Back in November, Lilywhites insider John Wenham slammed the attacking midfielder to Football Insider.

“One player I really want to talk about is Lo Celso.

“He came in against Man United which was another baffling decision by Nuno [Santo]. [Tanguy] Ndombele had been playing better than he previously had. He decided very randomly to bring in Lo Celso.

“He was awful and did absolutely nothing. Poor set pieces, poor pass completion, he was an utter passenger,” he said.

Indeed, his outing against the Blues last week was similar – as per SofaScore, he managed only 19 passes despite having 49 touches of the ball, whilst he was dribbled past on three occasions and won just 46% of his 15 midfield duels.

On the evidence above, Lo Celso has no place in Spurs’ starting XI, especially in a game of his magnitude. It’s time for Conte to be bold and ruthless and axe the struggling £25m-rated flop this evening.

AND in other news, “Tottenham are..”: Reliable journo drops exciting transfer claim, fans will be buzzing…

A number of Liverpool supporters have been voicing their approval over the news that the Reds have hired a mental health consultant to help players.

Footballers may live a hugely privileged life but they are still human beings who feel the stresses and strains of everyday living.

There is enormous scrutiny on everything they do, both on and off the pitch, with their every move analysed and any step out of line potentially leading to vitriolic criticism.

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Social media can be particularly bad in terms of online abuse of players, with individuals receiving horrible criticism after a poor performance or a bad result.

According to The Daily Mail [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], Liverpool have brought in a specialist to help tackle mental health struggles from social media abuse, in what has been hailed an “important” move by the club.

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Liverpool fans love off-field news

These Reds fans have reacted to the news in positive fashion on Twitter.

“Wonderful news! Mental health is extremely important and it’s a brilliant move by LFC!”

Credit: @DanielFergy25

“Long overdue”

Credit: @Bryce_Sp

“Good move! Mental health is very important”

Credit: @FPL_Baldie

“Leading the way. Always”

Credit: @SylvesterTamang

“Sad world we live in that this is needed”

Credit: @football_murphy

“They just need to stay off the social media. But maybe, that’s not a wrong choice to hire one.”

Credit: @Seyjith

In other news, some Liverpool fans love an injury update regarding one player. Find out who it is here.

Celtic have seen many players come through their youth academy and go on to become important first-team figures for the Hoops such as Calum McGregor, James Forrest and Anthony Ralston among others.

However, it seems as though the Parkhead club could be in danger of letting one future star slip through their hands in the coming months.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist and transfer insider Pete O’Rourke had this to say about the possibility of Hoops youngster Ben Doak leaving the club in the near future after being linked with a move to Premier League club Liverpool in recent weeks.

He said: “To see him possibly leave for a move down to Liverpool would come as a blow because I think Celtic did have high hopes for him in the future that he could become a regular in the first team.

“That’s why they were offering some minutes this season as well.”

Not good news for the Hoops

As O’Rourke mentioned, the teenager has played in two SPFL games for Ange Postecoglou’s side in this campaign, the first of which came back in January where he played 22 minutes against Dundee United which was then followed by a brief three-minute cameo in the Hoops’ 3-0 win over Rangers.

According to Bhoys Analytics on Twitter, Doak is a name that “Celtic fans should get familiar with” before naming him a “generational talent”, highlighting the buzz and excitement around the teenager.

Taking all of this into account, it seems as though the Parkhead club are very much in danger of seeing their young prospect follow in the footsteps of previous Celtic players to make the move to the Premier League. For instance, the likes of Victor Wanyama, Virgil van Dijk, Stuart Armstrong, Fraser Forster, Kieran Tierney, Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard have all departed.

Although Ange Postecolgou’s side are doing pretty well in the SPFL at the moment sitting at the top of the league table with 76 points on the board from 31 games played, losing Doak will definitely be a blow for them in the long term.

Should the youngster end up moving and making a name for himself on the big stage at Liverpool, it would not only dishearten a lot of Hoops supporters but would surely leave them gutted at the same time.

In other news: Daily Record drop big 11-word Celtic claim, unforgivable error could be inbound

According to West Ham United insider Claret & Hugh, there has been a transfer update out of the club involving Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: West Ham in Nunez race…

One of the most sought-after strikers in Europe right now, it is believed that David Moyes and the club are firmly in the mix to sign Nunez this summer.

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Protected by a €150m (£125m) release clause, Benfica are actually willing to sell for around half of that amount, alerting some of the Premier League’s elite as they eye a seriously in-form attacker.

West Ham are joined in their interest by the likes of Spurs and Newcastle United according to some reports (Record via Sport Witness), with English champions Manchester City having also been mentioned.

Now, as per Claret & Hugh, it appears that Moyes has been personally setting his sights on the Benfica star ever since the Irons’ failed January bid.

The Latest: Moyes ‘on the case’ for Nunez…

According to the club insider, West Ham’s manager has been ‘on the case’ to sign Nunez as he personally works on a prospective transfer behind the scenes.

Claret & Hugh add that the 22-year-old is ‘keenly wanted’ by Moyes, who is ‘determined to land’ Benfica’s prolific forward.

The Verdict: Ambitious move…

Signing the Portuguese top-flight ace would be a hugely impressive West Ham coup given his ‘big name’ status and the sheer amount of competition for his signature.

GSB and the club will most likely have to smash their transfer record to sign Nunez, who has scored an extremely impressive 28 goals across 35 appearances in all competitions over 2021/22.

Taking to Twitter, journalist and Breaking The Lines writer Maxi Angelo perhaps highlights why Moyes is so interested, with his take on the ‘incredible talent’ who has continued to evolve this season.

It is no secret that West Ham may need to sign an alternative to sole striker Michail Antonio if they are to remain in among the Premier League’s best, and Nunez certainly looks like he fits the bill.

If the Hammers can get a deal done, it would certainly be a statement and a very ambitious move.

In other news: ‘Deal is there to be done’…West Ham insider makes big striker claim as price drops by £20m! Find out more here.

Nottingham Forest are one of the EFL’s most in form sides having lost just one league game in 2022 with Steve Cooper’s side very much in the picture for a playoff spot come the end of the season.

Having beaten Birmingham City 2-0 at the City Ground on Saturday, the Reds are now third in the Championship table and have an outside shot at sneaking into the automatic promotion places with second place Bournemouth six points ahead with seven games to go.

It’s been a marvellous turnaround for the East Midlands club under Steve Cooper, who has made a colossal impact in the Forest dugout, with the Welshman looking set to lead a side to a top-six finish for the third consecutive season.

The likes of Brennan Johnson, Lewis Grabban, Ryan Yates and Keinan Davis have all been fit and firing over the course of the season. However, Cooper’s talented squad could be further improved with the addition of U23s striker Will Swan who has enjoyed an impressive campaign in Premier League 2.

In the pipeline

21-year-old Swan has scored 12 goals and assisted a further four in 18 appearances for Forest in Premier League 2 this season and is certainly one of the youth setup’s hottest prospects.

The East Midlands outfit sit third in the second division of the Premier League youth league after an impressive campaign with the English striker’s goals a major contributing factor to their success.

Swan has had various loan spells without truly making the grade at Forest yet but the forward will undoubtedly be knocking on the door of Cooper.

The loan signing of Keinan Davis from Aston Villa in January certainly boosted the Welshman’s striking options, but at the same time limited the opportunities that could’ve been handed to Swan.

Although, if Davis isn’t to make his stay at the City Ground permanent in the summer, the 21-year-old could find a clear pathway to the first team next season.

The idea of having a lethal finisher like Swan linking up with the creativity of Brennan Johnson and James Garner would certainly be a mouth-watering concept for Forest fans.

They both have superb technical attributes and that’s where Swan thrives too, with journalist Josh Bunting hailing his “lovely” ability earlier this year.

Whether or not the young striker will be given an opportunity in the near future is yet to be seen though.

In other news: Cost £0, now worth £3.6m: Forest struck gold on “superb” gem likened to “Wolverine”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hinted that Sadio Mane could sign a new deal, after claiming he could play at the top well into his 30s.

The Lowdown: Mane’s deal expiring

The 30-year-old has been one of the superstars of this memorable era at Anfield, maturing into one of the world’s best attacking players.

Mane has sealed Premier League and Champions League glory during his time at Liverpool, also scoring 115 goals and registering 45 assists in 259 Reds appearances.

Recent reports suggested that the Senegalese sensation could sign a new deal at Anfield, with his current contract expiring at the end of next season.

The Latest: Klopp hints at extension

Speaking in his pre-Manchester United press conference on Monday [via the Express], Klopp hinted at him wanting Mane at Liverpool for years to come, with his current level likely to remain for a long time:

“His physicality shows his dedication, yes, and he is a talent too. If you do the same training as Sadio – or I do – we will never look like him…it is not possible.

“He is blessed, let me put it like this. He does a lot (of training) absolutely, but he is a bit lucky as well. He will play on well into his 30s…if he wants to.”

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Liverpool

When it comes to Liverpool offering Mane a new deal or not, it should be considered an absolute no-brainer, with the forward still such a huge force in the game.

Granted, he has lost a little bit of the explosive pace that he once had, but he is excelling in a new central attacking role and already has 18 goals this season, including two against Manchester City on Saturday.

It may be that Mane has to accept a long-term contract may not come his way, but assuming he wants to stay put, extending his time as a Liverpool player by at least a couple of years would be a massive positive.

In other news, the race for one Liverpool target is heating up. Read more here.

Former Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny believes introducing VAR midway through next season could have a negative impact on Celtic and others.

The Lowdown: SPL set for VAR

The Scottish Premiership is yet to experience VAR, instead watching the much-discussed technology being used from afar across Europe’s top leagues.

It has now been confirmed that it will be used in the SPL from the middle of next season onwards, however, following a one-sided vote on the matter.

VAR will come into play after the 2022 World Cup, which takes place between November 21st and December 18th.

The Latest: Kenny bemoans decision

Someone who doesn’t like the idea of the change halfway through the campaign is Kenny, who told Football Insider that it could benefit some teams more than others come next May:

“They are asking for trouble with this. It should start at the start of next season or the start of the season after, you can’t start it halfway through a season.

“There will be decisions they get wrong in the first half of the season which could cost teams, then in the second half of the season, you get a different result.

“That could decide relegation or whoever wins the league. It’s wrong, I don’t think it’s right at all. It will lead to so many debates and what-ifs. It needs to come in at the start of a season.”

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The Verdict: Could backfire hugely

It is a strange decision to implement VAR in the middle of a season, seemingly asking for trouble, in terms of some teams feeling hard done by compared to others.

Celtic could be robbed by a key decision before the World Cup takes place, for example, while Rangers could then benefit from the same incident taking place after Christmas.

It would surely have made more sense to bring in VAR at the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign, although if all clubs are happy with this situation, they will have to accept that some may profit more than others over the course of the season.

In other news, a financial expert has made a promising Celtic claim. Read more here.