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West Bromwich Albion’s transfer business in recent years has been far from exemplary, but there’s one deal for which the club’s hierarchy will gain praise for many years to come.

Back in the summer of 2015, the Midlands outfit turned down multiple bids for star striker Saido Berahino after the youngster had bagged an incredible 20 goals in all competitions throughout the previous campaign.

Fellow Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur were desperate to secure the forward’s signature in the run-up to the August deadline, but no deal could be agreed between the two clubs.

Berahino, who had cost West Brom nothing in transfer fees having come up through the youth academy, reacted badly after learning that his dream move had been blocked, tweeting that would never play for chairman Jeremy Peace again before going on strike.

Tony Pulis was appointed as the Baggies’ new manager midway through the speedster’s breakthrough season at The Hawthorns and attempted to bring him back into the fold before slowly losing patience.

The Welsh tactician later claimed that Berahino’s fitness and mental levels were not right after West Brom managed to secure a very healthy £12.51m fee for his services courtesy of Stoke City in January 2017. 

It was later reported that the Burundi international served an eight-week FA suspension at the end of his time at The Hawthorns for failing a drugs test, capping off a terrible final few years at his boyhood club. 

Berahino’s career offered so much promise in its early stages, with 10 goals in just 11 outings for England’s under-21s illustrating his truly top-class potential, but several bad decisions in a short space of time ensured that he never reached the heights which once seemed inevitable.

It took him 35 appearances to register his first goal at Stoke, by which time they had been relegated from the Premier League, and he would score just four more goals for the club before being released in June 2019, a month after being convicted for drink driving.

The now 28-year-old spent time in Belgium following his Stoke exit, featuring for Zulte Waregem and RSC Charleroi, before returning to English shores with League One outfit Sheffield Wednesday over the summer.

However, he has never shown the form which almost earned him a move to Spurs six years ago, proving that West Brom struck gold over his transfer by earning themselves a sizeable fee for a player who was already in decline.

In other news… Signed for free, now worth £6.3m: West Brom struck gold over “special” maestro

West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael must offer Sam Johnstone a significant pay rise in order to keep the goalkeeper at The Hawthorns.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by the Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield, who stated in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that the only way West Brom will be able to convince the England international to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Championship side is to substantially increase his reported £30k-per-week salary.

In the interview, Hatfield said: “The club are in talks with him. It was an unfortunate situation for Sam, dropping out of the Premier League.

“It’s an interesting one for Sam because he could either play out his contract and get a free move in the summer or maybe re-sign with Albion if they go up, or he could commit his future to his club and protect his value and maybe get a little bit of a wage bump.

“That’s the only way I can see him signing a new deal unless he’s very happy at the club. He’s still getting England call-ups as well.”

Ismael must act

Considering just how important a part of the West Brom team Johnstone has been in recent seasons, it would seem highly advisable for Ismael to offer the 28-year-old a new deal with a significant pay rise, as Hatfield suggests.

Indeed, despite the club’s relegation from the Premier League back in 2020/21, the £7.2m-rated ‘keeper nevertheless highly impressed over his 37 league appearances, keeping six clean sheets and making a rather extraordinary average of 4.5 saves per game.

These returns saw the shot-stopper earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as West Brom’s second-best performer in the top flight.

And, while the former Manchester United man has not exactly been in the best form of his career over his ten Championship appearances so far this season, he has still managed to keep four clean sheets, save one penalty and average a SofaScore match rating of 6.88.

As such, losing the services of Johnstone in January would undoubtedly come as a major blow to Albion’s hopes of securing an immediate return to the Premier League this season, leading us to believe that Ismael indeed must do everything in his power to tie the 28-year-old down to a new deal in West Bromwich.

In other news: Ismael drops fresh update on “consistent” £4.4k-p/w ace, West Brom fans surely buzzing

With Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side heading into Saturday’s Scottish Premiership clash on the back of securing their first away win of the season last time out, the 56-year-old Hoops boss would have undoubtedly been hoping for a similar result when the Bhoys made the trip to Motherwell.

And the Greek-Australian manager would not be disappointed, as goals either side of half-time from Jota and David Turnbull saw Celtic run out 2-0 winners against Graham Alexander’s side – with the victory seeing the Hoops move up to fourth place in the Premiership standings.

As is perhaps to be expected after such a result, a number of Postecoglou’s side fared extremely well in terms of match ratings, with only two of Celtic’s starting XI being awarded a SofaScore rating of below 7.00 on the day.

However, there was one player in green and gold whose performance at Fir Park particularly stood out – that of attacking midfielder, Tom Rogic.

“Orchestra conductor”

Having come back into the side after starting on the bench against Aberdeen, the 28-year-old put on an extremely commanding display from midfield, with journalist and Celtic fan Dominik Diamond dubbing the Australia international’s performance as like an “orchestra conductor” in the middle of the park.

Indeed, it is easy to see why Diamond described the midfielder’s performance this way, as, over his 73 minutes on the pitch, the £1.35m-rated man had 54 touches of the ball, made two key passes, created one big chance for his teammates and ended the match with an assist to his name.

The £16k-per-week attacking midfielder also completed four of his five attempted dribbles, won seven of his 13 duels and drew three fouls for his side.

These returns saw Rogic receive a SofaScore match rating of 7.3 for his efforts, statistically his best display for Celtic since the club’s 6-0 win over Dundee FC back in August.

So, while Jota and Turnbull may have stolen the headlines with their match-winning goals, Postecoglou will undoubtedly be just as delighted with the performance of Rogic, as the midfielder’s form appears to be very much on the up once more.

In other news: Fewer touches than Hart: “Positive” Celtic ace who made 7 passes let Ange down today

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left reacting to some comments which have emerged from Connor Goldson.

Speaking to the media ahead of their game at home to Brondby in the UEFA Europa League group stage on Thursday night, the central defender spoke on whether he is any closer to signing a new deal at Ibrox (via Jordan Campbell).

“No, I haven’t heard anything. I haven’t really spoken to my agent or the club recently so I couldn’t tell you where it’s at but I’m just focused on the club, playing football & making sure this club wins.”

Goldson is out of contract next summer, and West Ham United have reportedly been monitoring the situation ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window (Football Insider). He currently holds a market value of £6.75m.

The 28 year-old is clearly a crucial player for the Light Blues, having played in all but two matches and captained the side on a few occasions so far this season (Transfermarkt).

Thus, there is a debate amongst supporters over whether to just give him a new contract, or sell him for a fee in January at the risk of losing him for free.

Rangers fans on Goldson news

These Gers reacted to the news as it was shared on Twitter, with one RFC fan even going as far as to claim that it is a ‘major issue’:

“Sell him in January, get some money in”

Credit: @RenegadeUk101

“I think this is a major issue for the team this season. Lack of commitment affecting everyone. Would be nice to be able to drop him.”

Credit: @MacdonaldRamsay

“He should have been sold in the summer. Letting his contract run down is madness.”

Credit: @Motor_Ted

“Shocking. Treating our club and fans like idiots. Shouldn’t play for us again. Basically using us to stay match fit until he signs for someone on a free. Shambles of a situation.”

Credit: @dbr1872

“That will be a no then, strange one this!”

Credit: @Grantmckay01

“Nonsense, he’s been offered more cash elsewhere that the club can’t or won’t match and he wants to go on a free. Get rid in January.”

Credit: @RobertMenzies79

In other news, find out what price tag Rangers have put on Joe Aribo here!

As per Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia), Tottenham’s directors have met with their Fiorentina counterparts to discuss a move for striker Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Spurs need goals

Despite having the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in their squad, Spurs have struggled for goals so far this season.

In their opening 10 Premier League matches of the campaign, they have scored just nine goals – only rock-bottom Norwich have managed fewer than that (Sky Sports).

The Latest: Spurs eye Vlahovic

As per this latest report from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia), Spurs are interested in signing Vlahovic in the upcoming transfer window.

The club’s directors are said to have met with their Viola counterparts, and it has not been denied that the Serbia international could leave in January.

The Verdict: Spurs could do with him

Over the past year or so, Vlahovic has evolved into one of the best strikers in Serie A. Last season, he netted 21 goals in 37 games in the Italian top flight, and he already has 14 goals in 17 matches in all competitions for club and country this term.

Valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, he will not come cheap – his contract does not expire until 2023. However, Spurs need goals with the usually prolific Kane having just one Premier League strike this season, and they also need quality.

If they want to compete at the highest level, they must sign top-class players, and Vlahovic’s autumn form suggests that he fits that particular billing.

In other news, Spurs want to sign this up-and-coming centre-half

Aston Villa chiefs look set to stick with manager Dean Smith for the time being, according to reliable reporter Ashley Preece.

As to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa fell to a fifth consecutive defeat on Friday night against Southampton, which led to multiple supporters calling for him to be sacked amid a mood of toxicity. The club even reportedly made initial contact with former AS Roma manager Paulo Fonseca prior to the latest defeat, but it seems as if Smith will be handed more time in the Midlands.

Preece shared a story on Birmingham Live on Saturday, claiming that the 50-year-old will be given at least the Brighton game following the international break to salvage his Villa career.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful relayed Preece’s claim on Twitter, which led to a number of Villa supporters hitting out at the club’s NSWE ownership and Christian Purslow for their reported decision, with one fan labelling it ‘horrendous’.

“NSWE out”

Credit: @avfcdom2

“Oh dear god”

Credit: @LawsAVFC

“Pathetically run club, what a joke”

Credit: @benharris42

“Love Smith, but that’s a horrendous call.”

Credit: @RossMatthewman7

“Purslow out”

Credit: @avfcjoe_

“This is harming us game by game, we need change and bringing in a new manager over the international break would’ve been the ideal thing to do”

Credit: @Cameron_Avfc

In other news: ‘How?’, ‘God help us’ – Some Villa fans ‘baffled’ by confirmed player news. 

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have shared their thoughts after hearing what new minority shareholder Daniel Kretinsky may now have planned.

The Czech billionaire officially completed his purchase of a 27% stake in West Ham on Wednesday, which is estimated to be worth between £180m and £200m (The Telegraph).

Reliable reports suggest that Kretinsky’s involvement with the club could boost David Moyes’ and his ability to spend in the transfer market, with the so-called ‘Czech Sphinx’ possessing a personal fortune of around £2.9bn.

Becoming a minority shareholder in a deal which will also see him named on the West Ham board of directors, the 46-year-old’s ties with Sparta Prague as co-owner are also viewed as something to keep an eye upon.

Links to their exciting young striker Adam Hlozek have re-emerged as a result of this off-field development, and while not quite going that far, The Telegraph have just lifted the lid on one of Kretinsky’s first plans for West Ham.

They claimed that the Czech magnate ‘will propose a partnership’ between Sparta and the Hammers as a ‘potential player development line’ for Moyes.

With that potentially being the first step towards building a fruitful relationship with the Fortuna Liga giants, it’s little wonder that West Ham fans are excited at the prospect of a budding partnership, with a couple of supporters calling this news ‘exciting’.

Check out some of their best verdicts below.

West Ham fans flock to Kretinsky claim…

“Love that”

Credit: @Mahoney

“Be snapping his arm off to do this as a perfect league to get our players out to develop in the men’s game & also be playing EL football most seasons too. Added benefit will be getting the likes of Hlozek & others as Sparta can “offer” a pathway to the EPL for young Czech players.”

Credit: @mhare641

“I’d better get a Sparta Prague shirt to go with my Slavia one”

Credit: @ShaneBailey92

“Can’t wait to see Hlozek in claret and blue”

Credit: @sharnidanc92

“If they get consistent European football too, would be great for our youth to get experience with them”

Credit: @nathh_whu

“Exciting times lay ahead…Make sure we sign Hlozek too!”

Credit: @SweeneyWestHam

“This sounds exciting!”

Credit: @olliejcoe

In other news: ‘Huge’…Sky pundit thrilled as West Ham eye ‘massive signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.

Flocking to Twitter, lots of Everton fans have erupted over some punditry from Stephen Warnock.

As shared by Sky Sports Premier League on their official Twitter page, the former Liverpool player claimed that Tottenham Hotspur were ‘very very good’ against the Merseyside club at Goodison Park over the weekend, considering that it was only a week into Antonio Conte’s reign.

He also claimed that Spurs’ wing-backs caused Rafa Benitez’s team ‘problems’, despite the final score ending up 0-0.

The analysis has left several Toffees supporters baffled, given that the Lilywhites failed to record a single shot on target in the game, despite the hosts going down to 10 men after Mason Holgate was shown a straight red card (SofaScore).

In terms of their wing-backs, Emerson Royal did not record any dribbles, key passes or accurate crosses, while Sergio Reguilon was ranked as the worst player to have started the match on SofaScore, with a mere 6.3 overall rating.

Everton fans on Warnock punditry

Taking these individual performances from Tottenham’s defenders into account, these Blues erupted over Warnock’s punditry as it was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was ’embarrassing’:

Find all of their verdicts from social media down below.

“What problems? Zero shots on target type problems? Only reason they got a point was because the Premier League is corrupt.”

Credit: @1878X

“A week to prepare his team for a game! An experienced coach, what sort of punditry is this?”

Credit: @Hemms10

“Need new specs pal”

Credit: @mcnallyc95

“Shocking analysis”

Credit: @BurnsA1997

“How many shots on targets? Clueless”

Credit: @Fordy1EFC

“This is so embarrassing for Sky omg haha. I didn’t see the match but the stats speak for themselves”

Credit: @_efcluke

In other news, find out which former referee has been slammed for his post-game comments here!

Tottenham have once again been linked with a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso, Kicker report.

The Lowdown: Summer links…

Tolisso is into the final year of his contract with the German giants and has made just eight appearances during the current campaign.

The 27-year-old, labelled as ‘dangerous’ by Jean-Pierre Papin, can play as a defensive, central or attacking midfielder and was linked with a move to Tottenham over the summer.

Rumours emerged that the World Cup winner could have moved to Spurs before the 2021/22 campaign began, with Tanguy Ndombele moving to Munich, however, as we know, a swap deal never materialised.

The Latest: Kicker’s report

Reports from German outlet Kicker on Thursday morning linked Spurs and Inter Milan with a fresh move for Tolisso.

Tottenham chief Fabio Paratici reportedly spoke to Tolisso and his representatives, with the midfielder a big fan of Paratici.

The Verdict: McKennie alternative?

Another midfielder who has been heavily linked with a move to north London is Juventus’ Weston McKennie, and the two are similar players. [FBref]

Should Spurs explore a cut-price deal for Tolisso in the winter window and secure a pre-contract agreement ahead of the summer, they’d be getting a versatile international midfielder valued at £13.5m for nothing.

He also has plenty of Champions League experience and will have a winning mentality due to his plethora of honours, so he could be an excellent addition to bolster Antonio Conte’s midfield options in his preferred 3-5-2 system.

In other news: ‘World class’, ‘Perfect’, ‘Winning already’…Sky pundit raves over transfer news out of Spurs, find out more here.

Speaking to Football Insider, Lilywhites ‘insider’ John Wenham has made a claim involving Tottenham Hotspur starlet Harvey White.

The Lowdown: N17 academy thriving…

It is no secret that new Spurs manager Antonio Conte has a wealth of homegrown academy talent at his disposal as the Italian takes on the mountainous task of rebuilding Tottenham.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-developments-2/” title=”Spurs developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Former managers like Jose Mourinho have previously waxed lyrical over the likes of Oliver Skipp and Dane Scarlett, with both players seemingly making serious progress at the club. More recently, the likes of Dilan Markanday have also been turning heads, with the 20-year-old starlet scoring 11 goals and setting up four others over his 12 Premier League 2 appearances this season (Transfermarkt).

Another youngster in Tottenham under-23s captain White, who has also been in impressive Premier League 2 form with five goals and six assists from midfield, looks ready for more senior action, and Wenham believes he could get his wish in January.

The Latest: Wenham makes Harvey White claim…

Speaking to Football Insider, the Spurs insider believes that the 20-year-old is ‘desperate’ for a temporary transfer and more senior minutes, adding that an early January move away is ‘possible’.

Wenham explained:

““He’s desperate for a loan,” 

“I hope Tottenham have something ready to go for 1 January, that’s possible.

“It seems ridiculous to me that when he joined Portsmouth last year and proved himself, he hasn’t gone out again. He’s been stuck playing Under 23s football when he could have been out getting more experience.

“I don’t think that’s good enough. He could easily play for a top League One side or a lower Championship side.

“I think he may have stuck around thinking he would get minutes in the Conference League but that just hasn’t happened.

“I think he will go out on loan in January because staying at Tottenham is doing him no favours.”

The Verdict: Right move?

As White continues to thrive in Tottenham’s academy, that could demonstrate that he is ready for the next step, and another loan move in January could be the solution.

He enjoyed a fruitful stint on loan at Portsmouth last season, making 21 appearances on the south coast and scoring his first professional goal for the League One club against Oxford United.

White guided his sumptuous header past an outstretched and helpless Jack Stevens, an impressive finish and perhaps a sign of more things to come if he is granted another senior spell away from N17.

In other news: ‘Coming from Tottenham’…Journalist makes exciting Spurs transfer claim with big offer on the table, find out more here.