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Alfredo Morelos became Glasgow Rangers’ leading European goalscorer of all-time but a late strike from Darwin Nunez saw Benfica snatch a 3-3 draw in the Europa League from the jaws of victory.

Whilst there were some positives to take away from the poor performance on Thursday night, there’s one player in particular who’s performance left a lot to be desired.

Goldson’s struggles?

Rangers defender Connor Goldson arguably struggled at the back as his stats tell a sorry story. As we’ve mentioned before, we think he is one of the best centre-backs in Scotland right now. But every once in a while, even the best footballers in the world have an off day – after all, they’re only human.

And Goldson is no exception to the rule, as he barely offered anything going forward, whilst he was also at times lackadaisical at the back. He didn’t make any key passes in the game, whilst he scored an unfortunate own goal.

Only a few days ago it looked like his defensive prowess made him the most important player on the pitch, but against Benfica his ball-carrying abilities seemed to have disappeared almost completely.

The 27-year-old did make one tackle, but he also committed one foul and lost possession of the ball four times, whilst he failed to register a single interception all game, which suggests that he was slightly off the pace when he was trying to win the ball back.

Give the man a break!

Now look, let’s just make one thing clear – we aren’t taking pot-shots at Goldson, and we’re certainly not trying to drag Gerrard over the coals. The Ibrox boss just needs to give Goldson a rest as he’s started every single league game for the Gers this season.

The Englishman is still a very good player, as he still won five out of six duels overall, he will just want to forget all about the game against Benfica, as he was slammed for his “shocking” defensive display by Ally McCoist.

With a home game against Hamilton Academical at the weekend, what better opportunity for Goldson to rest his weary legs? A brief spell on the sidelines should do the trick, as he could be replaced by Leon Balogun in the starting line-up. Sounds like a good idea, don’t you think?

However, Gerrard faces a difficult decision, as George Edmundson is currently suspended, which means it’s likely he will only be able to replace one of Goldson or Filip Helander, who also had a night to forget about in Lisbon. We don’t envy him the decision, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Forget Alfredo Morelos: Steven Davis shines in Glasgow Rangers thriller with Benfica…

Wolves have emerged in the race to sign one of Europe’s brightest prospects…

What’s the word?

According to 90min, the Midlands outfit are one of several Premier League teams chasing Valencia teenager Yunus Musah alongside Arsenal, Everton and Leeds United.

It’s claimed that the 17-year-old winger would be open to a return to England, having once been on the books at the Emirates Stadium but the La Liga side is currently working on a fresh contract extension for their first-team starlet.

A tug-of-war has extended past the domestic stage too as the United States, Italy and the Three Lions battle it out for his allegiance.

Fosun dream

One of the biggest goals of Fosun is to bring through youth and improve the academy, and that much has been seen with their investment in recent years.

And manager Nuno Santo hasn’t been afraid to utilise young players – if they’ve got it, he’ll play them.

At just 17, Musah has become a bit of a regular for Valencia this season, starting eight games in the Spanish top-flight, scoring just one goal. He’s been deployed on both flanks as a winger as well as a right wing-back too.

Per WhoScored, the enigmatic dynamo has averaged 1.4 dribbles and 1.2 tackles each game, which only adds further weight to a potential future in defence and particularly in the Old Gold’s wing-back system.

Rising Dortmund sensation and current international teammate Gio Reyna believes Musah is “one of the best 02’s in the world,” dubbing him a “big player” whilst USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter has claimed that he’s a player with a “ton of potential.”

His arrival would mean that someone like Daniel Podence is at risk of losing his place, should Nuno see the young wide man as a first-team option, but that’s a gamble worth risking when you could potentially have a star of the future at your disposal.

AND in other news, £90k-per-week Wolves lightweight puts in weak showing vs Saints…

One of Leeds United’s summer decisions is quickly turning out to be an absolute masterstroke from Victor Orta.

Premier League clubs ought to approach the Belgian top-flight with caution and the Yorkshire giants are lucky that they weren’t stung by the same bee as Aston Villa last season.

Throughout the transfer window, the Championship-winners were linked with a swoop for then-Gent talisman Jonathan David – according to GFFN, the Whites failed in their attempts to sign the 20-year-old Canadian.

His sights were always set on Lille, whom he joined in a €30m (£27m) deal in August, and United should be hugely grateful for his decision as they appear to have dodged one massive flop.

In his last two seasons with De Buffalo’s, David scored 37 goals and provided 17 assists so it was no surprise to see interest come for him from the Premier League.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Leicester City were all also mooted with the young striker, as per Goal.

Although the step-up in quality from the Belgian Super League to any of Europe’s elite divisions has been displayed once again.

You only have to look at how badly both Wesley Moraes and Mbwana Sammatta struggled at Villa last season to know why a move for David was a major gamble.

The former has scored only five league goals following a 13-goal campaign with Club Brugge whilst the latter has already been moved on after just one strike for Leeds’ Midlands rivals. He had bagged over 30 goals for Genk across two seasons prior to his PL move.

Now we’re seeing similar with the Canadian international.

David has delivered just one goal in 958 minutes of action (all competitions) for the Ligue 1 outfit and that is hugely surprising given his form in Belgium and previous comments lauding his ability.

His former boss, Hein Vanhaezebrouck, once dubbed him “a phenomenon” and claimed that David was “the best player in the country,” adding: “He will be the most expensive outgoing transfer from Gent. They would happily sell him for £25m or more.”

He may only be 20. but clearly, his raw experience is holding him back, and that’s not something Leeds could’ve given him time to resolve as they will be wanting to stay in the top-flight at all costs.

Plus they have enjoyed Patrick Bamford’s red-hot form thus far, so there’s no guarantee that he would’ve even featured much.

The Whites can count their lucky stars that they didn’t successfully splash the cash on David this summer.

AND in other news, Leeds could land their next Saiz in £18m-rated maestro who “breathes talent”…

Leeds United suffered a tough defeat on the road last weekend after title-challengers Chelsea brushed them aside in a 3-1 win. Despite Patrick Bamford’s keen eye to capitalise on an early defensive error, Frank Lampard’s men rallied and extended their unbeaten league run to nine games.

Whilst the match had a few things to concern Marcelo Bielsa – including Robin Koch’s injury – there was a lot of positive takeaways for the Argentinian.

A boost as Leeds prepare for West Ham

Kalvin Phillips recently returned to action for the Whites after missing three matches due to a shoulder injury. Leeds have lost just the one game since he rejoined the squad and he will prove to be key in Friday’s clash with West Ham.

The England international was the man behind the creativity to set up Bamford for Leeds’ opening goal against Chelsea. The £50,000 per week midfielder hooked a lovely ball with his weaker foot to the lurking striker, who made no mistake in front of an open net.

Noel Whelan lauded Phillips for his inch-perfect pass, labelling it as “perfect” and claiming that it would be topic of conversation for weeks if Kevin de Bruyne had made it.

Indeed, the 25-year-old has made a huge difference in the Leeds midfield and he will be crucial against the Irons. Not only will he help defend against the threat of Sebastien Haller, but he has shown he is capable of creating chances that really catch the opposition off guard.

Bielsa will undoubtedly be thrilled with his impact since his return from injury and will be hoping to see more of the same this weekend.

In other news, Leeds United made an error in not signing Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez…

Sam Allardyce has been tipped to sign Everton man Yannick Bolasie for West Brom in the January transfer window by former Premier League star Dean Windass.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Windass was asked as to whether he could see the 66 year-old signing his former player for the Baggies next month, to which he said:

“Yeah, pace in the wide areas.

“He’s been Everton’s forgotten man but yeah [I’d take him].

“Listen, Sam will know, Sam will have it in his mind who he needs.”

Bolasie could be a smart signing

Bolasie could well turn out to be a smart signing by Allardyce should he be able to attract the DR Congo international to the Hawthorns.

He has played in 17 past games before under the former West Ham United and Sunderland boss, and so Allardyce should know exactly to how to get the best out of him.

The 31 year-old also has a wealth of experience in the Premier League under his belt, very much like his manager, which could be crucial in keeping Albion up by the end of the 2020/21 term.

Bolasie can still be ‘unbelievable’ on his day, once exemplified by netting himself a quite sublime hat-trick away at the Stadium of Light for Crystal Palace back in April of 2015, and his pace and trickery makes the wide man ‘fun to watch’.

Nonetheless, Allardyce has been backed to complete the signing of Bolasie in the January transfer window by Windass, but it remains to be seen if a deal does get done.

In other news, find out what big WBA takeover claim has been dropped here!

Declan Rice betrayed David Moyes with a horror show performance in the heart of West Ham United’s midfield at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.

Moyes called on Rice to anchor the Hammers engine room alongside Tomas Soucek with Mark Noble fielded behind a two-man frontline of Sebastien Haller and Jarrod Bowen, after deciding to deploy promising full-back Ben Johnson on the left of a five-strong defence.

Brighton had arrived at the London Stadium just a point above the relegation zone while West Ham would have moved to within a point of ninth-placed Southampton with a win, yet were forced to settle for a point apiece after an abysmal first-half from the hosts.

West Ham improved following the break to overturn a 1-0 deficit after Neal Maupay broke the deadlock moments before half-time, having seen his initial shot ricochet off Rice and Angelo Ogbonna back into his path before driving the ball home past Lukasz Fabianski.

Rice helped to inspire the Irons’ improved form at the start of the second period with a teasing delivery for Haller, whose header was directed straight at Robert Sanchez on route to an 11th scoreless display of the league season for the Ivory Coast international.

His improved showing did not last long, however, with football.london’s Sam Inkersole criticising Rice later in the half after overhitting a poor attempted cross whilst West Ham chased a second equalising effort following Lewis Dunk restoring Brighton’s lead.

“Declan Rice hangs his head after a poor cross, miles overhit. He’s not been at the races today,” he noted.

Rice charged around the field at the London Stadium on Sunday, often without any end product, as he struggled to leave a positive impression on proceedings as the Hammers were forced to settle for a point after Soucek’s 82nd-minute equaliser.

The England international’s early second-half cross for Haller returned Rice’s sole key ball of the game, on a day he failed to direct his only shot on target and attempted a single dribble, per SofaScore.

Rice, who West Ham valued at £80m amid interest from Chelsea in the summer, further lost five of his eight ground duels for an overall success rate of 50% having won his two aerial contests, while losing possession 14 times.

He was dribbled past on two occasions as the 21-year-old laboured to a 50% tackle success rate, while offering no clearances and one interception.

West Ham would have expected a more telling contribution from the man who played his side’s second-most accurate passes (45), but instead were left relying on Soucek to save the day when the Croatia international met Cresswell’s delivery with a committed header eight minutes from time.

AND in other news, an “incredible” Mario Husillos flop is set to be on his way out at West Ham in 2021.

According to The Athletic, Watford are quietly confident that they can hold onto long-term Crystal Palace target Ismaila Sarr in January.

Parish must test the waters

Reports in recent times reported the Eagles were keen on bringing the Senegal international to Selhurst Park, with rumours continuing to circulate over Wilfried Zaha’s future at the club.

Fast forward several months later, and The Sun’s Alan Nixon has revealed Palace could be tempted to make an offer for the Watford winger but it “depends on the price.”

It’s claimed the star’s Championship employers seem to believe they are on the verge of receiving some sizeable bids in January, although they remain reluctant to sell him before the end of this season.

Imagine Sarr and Eberechi Eze

The Eagles will be closely monitoring the situation of the 22-year-old versatile forward who has been subject to a rejected £25m bid from Palace chairman Steve Parish on transfer deadline day in the summer.

But Parish could finally test Watford’s resolve by submitting an offer they can’t refuse, possibly an amount somewhere in the region of the £27m plus add-ons Palace paid Liverpool to prise Christian Benteke away from Anfield in 2016. That remains the club’s transfer record fee to this day.

However, it’s worth remembering Watford’s original asking price for Sarr in the summer was reportedly set at £40m, the price he cost the Hornets when he signed.

After failing to get a deal done in the summer, Roy Hodgson’s side find themselves in dire straits, with just three points separating them from the relegation battle and the chasing pack below.

The Senegalese would add strength and depth to a squad that has come under increasing strain as a result of the busy schedule over the winter break and would be able to slot into place opposite the likes of Eberechi Eze, Jeffrey Schlupp and Andros Townsend, or even replace Zaha upfront if he picks up an injury between now and the end of the season.

He has received rave reviews for his performances from former Sunderland and England striker Kevin Phillips, who told Football Insider he is a “top player” who will “only get better.”

You only have to look at the numbers – four goals and two assists in 17 appearances in the Championship, while he is averaging 2.4 shots and 2.1 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

It’s about time Parish atoned for his past mistakes – say no more about Alexander Sorloth – and signing a player who is capable of playing anywhere across the midfield or playing second-fiddle to Zaha is surely a no-brainer.

AND in other news, Bye-bye McCarthy: Roy Hodgson must push Crystal Palace to sign Fenerbahce midfielder Ozan Tufan…

Portuguese publication A Bola reported earlier this week that Felipe Anderson is on the verge of returning to West Ham United following his failed loan spell with FC Porto, and that could present David Moyes with the chance to save the Brazilian’s London Stadium career.

Anderson departed for Portugal at the climax of the last international transfer market, aiming to rediscover his form by playing time for a Champions League side, but the move has not benefited either the one-time international or the Liga Nos outfit.

Dragoes boss Sergio Conceicao has called on Anderson to feature in just five fixtures across all competitions for a woeful total of 218 minutes to date, with his last league outing coming in October,  after which, his work-rate came into question.

Moyes, likewise, had called on Anderson to make the step up with his performances, after an underwhelming spell last season left the forward outside of the Scot’s starting line-up.

“Both had big reputations [when I arrived] and I think the games that they have played everybody had the chance to see their performances,” Moyes said of Anderson and former teammate Sebastien Haller in September, via quotes by the Evening Standard.

“I’ve got to say, the two of them are great to work with, the two of them are really good lads – I like them a lot. Felipe is a terrific lad, so is Seb. But what I want them to be is terrific players every time they play, and I want them to make a difference. They were bought by the club to make a difference, one to be a major goalscorer and one to be a major assist maker.”

Anderson failed to show that he was a ‘major assist maker’ amid his struggles with Porto and he may now return to east London but not for long, with A Bola adding that Everton are interested in taking the forward on loan as Carlo Ancelotti looks to add depth ahead of the likely departure of AS Roma target Bernard.

The Toffees are not alone in monitoring Anderson’s situation, either, as the Daily Mail have touted Serie A leaders AC Milan as another potential suitor, should the San Siro natives seek to sign options who can strengthen Stefano Pioli’s title-chasing squad.

It is also noted by The Guardian that West Ham will look to secure another loan move for the 27-year-old, as the Irons fear that him not playing games will lead to them struggling to demand a lucrative price if the club look to sell him in the summer, as is expected.

However, Moyes opting to allow Anderson the chance to stay and fight for his future in east London may deliver the Scot an option he currently lacks in his players, with quality depth in terms of wide players thin and far between beyond regular starters Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma.

Last season was far from perfect for Anderson as he offered just 1.0 key balls and 0.6 shots per Premier League appearance, after his impressive debut campaign which returned 1.8 key balls and 1.1 shots a game, per SofaScore.

Yet ,West Ham did not see a decline in his successful dribbles as they actually rose from 2.1 to 2.5, which would be enough for Anderson to rank first among all of Moyes’ current midfield and forward options, with Michail Antonio’s 1.56 a game the current best at the London Stadium.

Anderson would also rank first for key passes, with Bowen’s 0.88 the best at present, whist Andriy Yarmolenko – often Moyes’ go-to from the bench when fit – is ninth with 0.33 and ninth for shots, again with 0.33 a game.

If Anderson does return to the Premier League and stays put at the London Stadium, it might be worth the manager giving him another chance in and around the first team.

If things went well or the winger, he could prove to be the game-changing option Moyes is sometimes lacking, and it could indeed open the door for the £22.5m-rated maestro to save his West Ham career.

His stats from a few years ago were very impressive, if he could recreate them in 2021, he’d certainly provide Moyes with an effective option, he might just need to be given a chance to prove to his manager, and maybe even to himself, that he is still that same player.

AND in other news, GSB must back Moyes with WHU move for “devastating” 17-goal star with “explosive pace”.

It has been reported recently that Jose Mourinho wanted to sign Wesley Fofana from St Etienne and considering how well he has performed with Leicester City this season, it looks as if the North London club made a big mistake in not signing him.

According to ESPN, the Portuguese manager was keen to bring the centre-back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the summer but the Foxes were able to fend off the interest from Spurs in order to sign the defender for £36.5 million.

In the absence of Caglar Soyuncu, Fofana has stepped up to the plate brilliantly for Brendan Rodgers’ side this season, forming an excellent partnership in central defence with Jonny Evans.

In 14 appearances in the Premier League this season, the 20-year-old defender has averaged a superb 7.17 rating, whilst also helping his side to six clean sheets.

This is better than any of Spurs’ current centre-back options have managed, with Toby Alderweireld’s 6.97 average rating the best of the bunch.

The Belgian will also turn 32 this year and Fofana could have perhaps proved to be his long-term replacement with the North London club had they managed to sign him from St Etienne during the summer.

Eric Dier has been Mourinho’s go-to man for much of the season in defence, having started 17 games in the top-flight, but Fofana has outscored him in almost every aspect.

The French defender has averaged 1.8 tackles, 2.6 interceptions and 4.6 clearances per game in the Premier League this season, compared to Dier’s 0.4 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and 2.8 clearances.

Whilst Fofana averages fewer passes per game than Dier, his pass success rate is higher, suggesting he would have been a good fit in Mourinho’s side.

The young defender’s value will only continue to rise as he improves in Rodgers’ side, suggesting that he would have been well worth the £36.5 million fee Leicester paid.

Jamie Redknapp was full of praise for the youngster earlier this season, saying:

“This young man is going to be the best in a few years, the best in Europe. He’s so assured, so confident, so commanding. I’m a massive fan.”

Therefore, it can definitely be argued that Daniel Levy should have pushed harder to bring Fofana in during the summer, as he could’ve been a great addition to Mourinho’s side.

According to SPORT via The Daily Express, Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele is one of two options Manchester United are considering to bolster Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s firepower in the summer.

What’s the word?

It’s claimed that the 23-year-old, whose contract is set to expire in two years’ time, finds himself on the Red Devils’ radar along with Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho as Solskjaer seeks to try and fill the gap on the right wing.

The Frenchman has started to transform his fortunes under Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman, making 22 appearances across all competitions as the 26-time Spanish champions try to mount a title challenge this season.

It’s been a relatively quiet transfer window for the Red Devils with more outgoings than incomings as Marcos Rojo is set to follow Jesse Lingard out of the Old Trafford exit door.

And now, it seems that Solskjaer’s side will wait until the end of the season before embarking on another spending spree with Dembele top of their shortlist.

Must avoid at all costs

United are still searching for an answer to the gaping hole on the right of their attack. Mason Greenwood – predominantly a forward by trade – can play that role, whilst Daniel James and Juan Mata have shown glimpses of their former selves this season, but neither can be considered the perfect solution to the problem.

However, while Dembele would fit the bill of the type of high-profile signing fans expect to see at Old Trafford – he earns around £200,000-per-week at the Nou Camp – he just wouldn’t be the right man for the Red Devils.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/man-utd-deadline-day-latest-news-transfer-rumours-and-more” title=”Deadline day is here: Read the latest Man Utd news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Would he be any better than Greenwood? Let’s face it, probably not.

Both players produce high volumes of shots and dribbles per game but Dembele, who is several years older than the 19-year-old, tops the charts with 1.8 and 2.1 respectively.

But his numbers pale into insignificance alongside those of Jadon Sancho, with the 20-year-old England international coming out on top in almost every area. Sancho himself is currently averaging more dribbles and key passes per match than the former France international, as per WhoScored.

It’s also worth remembering that Dembele has suffered from his fair share of injuries which have ruled him out for extended periods of time. Thus signing Sancho could be a safer option with the former Manchester City youth prospect playing all bar two of Dortmund’s Bundesliga games this season thus far. Ed Woodward would be wise to steer clear of the injury-prone Frenchman, that’s for sure. Otherwise, it could prove costly.

AND in other news, Woodward can deliver a masterclass with move for long-term Man Utd target Jadon Sancho…