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Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a cunning swoop for one of Europe’s most promising teenagers and he’s very similar to a former Anfield favourite…

What’s the word?

According to Sport Bild, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is looking to raid his old club Borussia Dortmund for their attacking midfielder Giovanni Reyna.

The 17-year-old wonderkid is entering the final year of his contract at the Bundesliga outfit but is expected to sign a new deal when he turns 18 in November, which would mean that Liverpool would have to pay a substantial fee to secure him.

It remains to be seen how much Reyna would command as Transfermarkt value the American at £13.5m whilst Dortmund are wanting over £100m for his teammate Jadon Sancho, someone who he could emulate in seasons to come.

Shades of Coutinho

The Black and Yellows have been a hotbed for young talent to emerge in recent years and it appears as if Reyna is the next player to make an impact – already at such a young age, he’s played 18 times for the club, scoring once as well as providing two assists, via WhoScored.

Former New York City head coach Patrick Vieira once compared him to David Trezeguet but Bundesliga.com likened his playing style to that of Kaka, which is high praise indeed.

“His ability to run at top speed for extended periods, breaking into opposition boxes and scoring goals is more reminiscent of AC Milan and Brazil great, Kaka.”

Perhaps he could bring shades of Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield as a result with the website going on to describe the teenager as “a true all-rounder” blessed with “pace” and “excellent finishing ability.”

The glowing endorsements don’t stop there either, current boss Lucien Favre claimes Reyna has “something special” whilst his father, Claudio, claims he’s a “goalscorer” who can “strike a ball well.”

Liverpool have lacked goals from midfield for quite some time – in his final two seasons at the club, Coutinho bagged 20 times in the Premier League but last term, the likes of Gigi Wijnaldum, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain only manged 14 between them.

Whether this move can happen this summer or way down the line, he’d be a phenomenal talent to have in Merseyside. Michael Edwards could deliver yet again.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Neil Mellor delivers verdict on huge Liverpool transfer decision…

Speaking in a YouTube video (uploaded 5pm, September 28, 25:15), reliable Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold has questioned whether January star signing Steven Bergwijn fits the mould in north London – going on to state that the attacker was ‘not the player [Jose] Mourinho wanted’ at the start of this year. 

As the summer transfer window deadline looms, with all business beyond the UK having to be concluded by October 5, Tottenham are debatably running out of time to secure their desired two additional signings before the congested 2020/2021 Premier League season continues.

Previous reports indicate that Daniel Levy and co wish to acquire a new defender and back-up striker to Harry Kane before calling time on what has been the most noteworthy few transfer dealings at Spurs in recent memory.

Sergio Reguilon joined in a £25 million deal nearly a fortnight ago, alongside a headline-grabbing loan swoop for club icon Gareth Bale – with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Hart and Matt Doherty putting pen-to-paper beforehand.

Now, to cap off some excellent moves by the club, Tottenham want two more signings – but journalist Gold has now questioned the acquisition of Bergwijn back in January given he wasn’t Mourinho’s first choice or debatably fits the mould, even if he did brand him ‘fantastic’ last season.

Using the Dutchman as a potential warning to future business, stating the importance of signing a player the Portuguese does in fact want, Gold believes that a could-be reason for the lack of Bergwijn match action may be that Mourinho doesn’t see him as a crucial enough asset for his system.

Imploring the club to avoid a similar error before deadline day, Gold could be right in claiming that Spurs must be cautious and clear in their next transfer approaches.

Tottenham fans, should Spurs have signed Bergwijn? Have your say in the comments down below…

Glasgow Rangers showed they are early favourites to win the Scottish Premiership title as Steven Gerrard’s side beat Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday.

Celtic were comprehensively outplayed from start to finish as the Light Blues cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over their arch-rivals on their home turf which sent them four points clear at the top of the table, having played a game more than Neil Lennon’s men.

A brace from Connor Goldson helped his side claim the spoils in the first Old Firm derby of the season but the Rangers boss will be well aware that there is still a long way to go between now and the end of the season.

The Gers won at Celtic Park last December but their title challenge crumbled before their very eyes after the winter break. Gerrard’s side dropped eight points in five games which left the Bhoys with a ten-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership last season.

History has a habit of repeating itself and as Celtic still have a game in hand and were without first-team regular starters Odsonne Edouard and Ryan Christie at the weekend, the Light Blues must already start to think about the next three points that are on offer.

Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack admitted his side received a reality check last term and vowed that they will not allow such an opportunity slip through their grasp once again. He said: “It’s always a great feeling to win a derby match, the boys are delighted.

“I thought we did very well, but it’s just another three points, a step to where we want to get to.

“The challenge is to put demands on ourselves to keep improving. It’s a big win but it doesn’t stop here. If we want to get to where we want to be then this is only the start.”

TGers registered another clean sheet when Celtic didn’t even manage a single shot on target throughout the entire game. Gerrard’s side have now only conceded three goals in eleven league games, four less than their arch-rivals who have a game in-hand.

Former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan believes the Light Blues “look a lot more defensively sound.” He told Football Insider: “Steven Gerrard has changed that mental strength in that group of defensive players now, that’s what he’s been looking for.

“We’ve seen it from the start of the season, we’ve seen defensively they work hard, they look assured, they’re a lot more gritty at the back, they look a lot more defensively sound.

“That is where they were looking to strengthen and get better and they definitely have with their record this season in Europe and in the league.”

However, Rangers really cannot afford to slip up again and stutter for the second year running after beating their biggest rivals in their own backyard. To lose such a lead once may be regarded as misfortune; to lose both would be carelessness.

Let’s face it, Gers fans shouldn’t get too carried away. If there’s one thing for sure, the title race is far from over just yet.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers’ Glen Kamara dominates midfield battle in Old Firm derby…

West Ham United’s deal for Brentford star Said Benrahma is on the verge of collapse, if recent reports are to be believed, which has paved the way for Crystal Palace to make a move…

What’s the word?

According to The Daily Mirror, the Hammers have turned their attentions to signing Bournemouth striker Josh King instead. It’s claimed that Benrahma has fallen out with the Bees over ‘broken promises’.

And Sky Sports have reported that Palace also remain interested in the Algerian international, who has won four caps for his country so far. Premier League clubs have until October 16th to sign professional footballers from the EFL.

Despite several reports suggesting otherwise, it seems that West Ham are still favourites to sign Benrahma but Palace must secure a deal for the £30m-rated ace.

Bye-bye Zaha?

Benhrama has been one of the best players in the Championship but he is still yet to prove himself at the highest level. The 25-year-old made 46 appearances in the second division last season, and scored 17 goals and supplied 9 assists, whilst he averaged 3.8 shots, 3 dribbles and 2.1 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

However, Palace’s interest isn’t anything new. In fact, the Eagles have been pursuing him all summer, and have even come close to signing him on several occasions so far, despite his reservations about a move to Selhurst Park.

Much has been made of Wilfried Zaha’s long running transfer saga which seems to have shown no signs of stopping anytime soon. Roy Hodgson admitted he did not want to receive any late bids for the Ivory Coast international on deadline day. And the Eagles have kept hold of their star man and prized asset, for the time being at least.

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie insisted Benrahma is an “outstanding” player who possesses the quality to play in the Premier League.

Zaha has continued to be linked with a move away from Selhurst Park over the past few seasons. Indeed, both Borussia Dortmund and Everton have expressed a longstanding interest in the Palace playmaker. However, a move has failed to materialise so far. But Palace should still cover their tracks by signing Benrahma instead.

The Algerian, who has predominantly played as a left attacking midfielder so far, can also be deployed on the right flank. Even in the event a transfer doesn’t work out as well as planned, they would still be able to sell him for a reasonable profit. Get it done, Parish.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace fans loving Eberechi Eze’s cameo against Southampton…

West Ham United star Declan Rice stood out as the midfield enforcer of David Moyes’ plans on Saturday as the east London outfit held Manchester City to a one-all draw.

Michail Antonio opened the scoring at the London Stadium in spectacular fashion by turning the ball home in the 18th-minute with fantastic technique, but saw his effort cancelled out by a 51st-minute strike from Phil Foden which salvaged a point for Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues.

Moyes trusted Rice to once more begin affairs in the engine room of his starting line-up, marking the 11-cap England international’s 25th straight Premier League appearance since the Scottish coach returned to the Irons.

Rice again wore the captain’s armband, too, with Mr West Ham Mark Noble only named among the substitutes, and delivered a performance worthy of the honour as the 21-year-old demonstrated why he was valued at £80million this summer.

Rice’s development at the London Stadium saw Chelsea court his services throughout the recently-concluded market but they refused to match West Ham’s rumoured asking price, which has left the Irons considering awarding the midfielder a £120,000-per-week contract.

England boss Gareth Southgate has similarly been impressed with the midfielder’s progress, noting during the October internationals via quotes by the official West Ham website: “We are delighted, pleased with how he is developing.

“We have leaders who are older players, but he is a younger one. He is a good professional, wants to learn, wants to work for the team, digs in for the team, is getting more vocal on the pitch. He has the respect of the rest of the group.

“He has huge potential and the reason he has that potential is because he has a great mentality and desire to keep improving. He has other good examples among the senior players here. He knows the ones to follow and that is a good start.”

Rice’s ‘great mentality’ that Southgate lauds was on full display against Manchester City this weekend, as he displayed what is becoming a customary performance from the 21-year-old.

The midfielder offered a near-Man of the Match worthy 7.6 out of 10 performance on Saturday, per SofaScore, with only Citizens left-back Joao Cancelo (7.9) delivering a display that warranted a higher score.

Rice achieved his mark by winning six of his seven total duels – only losing one of two aerial contests – and never misplacing a pass, having found teammates with each of his 28 efforts including all four long balls.

One of the youngster’s forward passes was also deemed key and Rice beat his marker with each of his two attempted dribbles, while aiding defensively with four interceptions, three tackles, one clearance and not committing any fouls in a complete display.

AND in other news, David Moyes must hit the reset button as £27.2m target puts West Ham’s interest in the past.

From being deemed surplus to requirements last summer and being sent out on loan to Besiktas, to starring in Arsenal’s win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. What an incredible journey it has been for Mohamed Elneny.

The Egypt international returned in the summer after a year away in Turkey with some food for thought. Mikel Arteta of course was the new man in charge at the Emirates, and it remained to be seen whether he would be given a look-in under the new regime.

But the Spaniard made it clear, that having played with him whilst he himself was an Arsenal player, he knew of his qualities and what he could bring.

And on Sunday night at Old Trafford, Elneny showed everyone exactly what Arteta was talking about. The former Basel man helped run the midfield alongside summer signing Thomas Partey, and whilst the Ghana international may take some of the headlines, Arsenal fans shouldn’t be quick to forget about the shift the 28-year-old put in.

As per Sofascore, his total of 72 touches was only behind that of Partey, whilst he boasted an impressive 89% pass accuracy. But more than his eye-opening calmness on the ball – there were countless times in the game where he kept his composure to find teammates in the half-spaces – it was his work off it that really stood out.

Elneny covered a lot of ground, and with United operating with a midfield diamond, had to do just that more than usual to ensure Arsenal didn’t get overrun in the engine room.

His tally of three interceptions was more than that of Partey, and was only just behind Bukayo Saka (4) in the Gunners’ rankings. Moving forward, Arteta will have a big call to make on the man hailed as being “excellent” by The Times journalist Henry Winter.

He left out both Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos for the contest at Old Trafford, and the duo will be looking to push for a recall. But on this evidence, Elneny deserves his moment in the spotlight.

Pablo Fornals has dealt West Ham United a titanic blow ahead of facing Sheffield United on Sunday after stating why he favours playing with Michail Antonio over Sebastien Haller.

What’s he said?

While speaking with the Irons’ official club website, Fornals has noted how Antonio has the ability to make attacks easy as all the Spanish midfielder has to do is pick him out, knowing the centre-forward can do the rest.

Antonio has often been praised by manager David Moyes for his relentless workrate as the spearhead of West Ham’s frontline, in a role the Hammers chief does not feel Haller has the ability to match when played in a one-striker formation.

Moyes has persisted with a single central attacker since returning to the London Stadium to succeed Manuel Pellegrini, with the 57-year-old only naming two centre-forwards in five fixtures across all competitions during his current 31-match run at the helm.

The Scottish coach is unlikely to favour a change in tack when West Ham visit Sheffield United on Sunday, with Moyes already backed to name Haller as his starting striker with Antonio only among the substitutes following his hamstring injury.

Doing so could see Fornals struggle in his search for a third assist of the top-flight season, having noted the reasons why he favours lining up behind Antonio rather than Haller.

“We are close friends, not just outside the pitch but on it too, where all of you can see how both of us enjoy playing together,” Fornals said while smiling.

“I always say that in whatever team I play for, I want to play with a player like Mikey because, for me, he makes it so easy to play with him. I just have to find his body [with the ball], because if I find his body, I know we will have the ball for a second chance.”

The last time Moyes named two strikers in a starting line-up for a Premier League fixture came in March’s 1-0 loss at Arsenal to extend a winless run with multiple centre-forwards, along with a 2-0 defeat at Manchester City and a 4-1 drubbing by Leicester, plus a 1-0 loss to West Brom after a 2-0 win over Gillingham in the FA Cup.

Titanic blow for Moyes

With Moyes already backed to favour handing Haller, who has largely flopped so far with 12 goals in 44 matches following a £45m move in 2019, his third start of the Premier League season, Fornals’ comments may come as a titanic blow to both him and West Ham’s hope of beating Sheffield United this weekend.

In the two full top-flight fixtures the Irons have contended since losing Antonio, Fornals has failed to register any key balls, deliver an accurate cross, connect a long pass, has lost possession 24 times, made just two successful dribbles, directed two shots on target and won three of his 10 ground duels, per SofaScore.

Moyes even saw enough from Fornals that he hauled the £67,308-per-week midfielder off after 72-minutes against Fulham while West Ham continued to search for a breakthrough goal.

It was a performance that will have left a shoddy impression on the Hammers boss, who has previously urged Fornals to deliver consistent performances as he can typify the energy the Scot wants from his players.

“He is a really likeable boy, and he works incredibly hard for the team,” Moyes said, via quotes by the West Ham website. “We are always demanding more from him because we want him to contribute with assists and goals and he has been doing that.

“He’s been more involved, and I have to say, his energy and enthusiasm in training is incredible and we really like him. What we have got here is the slight makings of a young group of players who are all doing well and giving us a much bigger energy than in the past.”

AND in other news, a West Ham gem with his “best years ahead of him” has been tipped for David Moyes’ axe this January.

Glasgow Rangers signing Kemar Roofe from Belgian giants Anderlecht on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee in the summer may have raised some eyebrows.

After all, the Jamaican striker bagged seven times in 16 games during an injury-stricken season at the Brussels club, which may have given Rangers fans some cause for concern.

But, fast forward to the beginning of December, and the versatile forward has been directly involved in eight goals in just 13 games for Steven Gerrard’s side, including five goals and an assist in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, which is a pretty impressive return.

Whilst Roofe scored a strike for the ages from inside his own half against Standard Liege in the Europa League in October, it is his overall contribution that cannot go unnoticed.

Although he was largely starved of service, the 27-year-old was noticeably dropping deeper to try and bring others into play like Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, but at times he cut a frustrated figure as he was often left isolated on the right wing.

During his time at Leeds United, the Walsall-born striker was often tasked with leading the line as the lone frontman, but a look at his heatmaps so far this season shows a remarkable difference, as he isn’t afraid to drop into his own half and build up play from the back.

With Roofe seemingly the flavour of the month after Gerrard waxed lyrical about his “impressive” work rate, the Ibrox boss should seriously consider starting the Jamaican behind wily veteran Jermain Defoe to face Ross County at Victoria Park, as the poacher could turn provider by working hard to create space for others.

Once hailed as a “top professional” by former Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom, this campaign could see Roofe add another element to his game, and bring the best out of Defoe upfront.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard must bench Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos for the foreseeable future…

Gary Mabbutt, while speaking exclusively with Football FanCast, has suggested Tottenham Hotspur no longer need to sign Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish two years on from Daniel Levy chasing his signature.

Grealish was the subject of a £25million bid by the north London club in 2018 as Levy moved to complete his side’s long-running pursuit, after negotiations with the then-22-year-old dragged on throughout the summer.

Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens ultimately blocked the deal shortly into their tenure as majority owners of the Birmingham-based outfit, much to the midfielder’s disappointment.

Grealish expected to be sold by former Villans chief Dr Tony Xia in 2018, and revealed to The Telegraph following the end of the window: “Of course there’s going to be disappointment.

“At the start of the season my head was swivelled, it was all over the place. Even after the transfer window closed, until the end of August, I wasn’t right. I thought I was leaving. Before the new owners, Villa needed the money so I kind of accepted that me going would save the club.”

Villa have seen Grealish’s stock skyrocket in the years to follow, with reports this summer claiming Sawiris and Edens now demanded at least £80m amid interest from Manchester United after helping Dean Smith’s side to stave off relegation on the final day of last season.

But Mabbutt believes Tottenham no longer need to sign Grealish, with Jose Mourinho guiding the north London side to a potential Premier League title challenge with Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane firing on all cylinders.

“Yes, I’m not saying he’s someone we should be going after now,” the former Spurs man told FFC.

Grealish has been a talismanic force for Aston Villa since the West Midlands outfit’s return to the Premier League, sparking Sawiris and Edens to more than triple the valuation Xia slapped on the 25-year-old in 2018.

Only Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne (137) registered a higher number of key passes than Grealish (91) in the Premier League last term, while ranking fourth for accurate final third passes (558) and eighth for successful dribbles (73), per SofaScore.

Wilfried Zaha (325) and Adama Traore (293) were also the only top-flight players to win a greater amount of ground duels than Grealish (267), who ended the campaign as the most fouled player (167) with 47 more decisions given than anyone else.

Grealish’s efforts further saw the boyhood Villans fan earn his England debut under Gareth Southgate this September. He was rewarded with a new, five-year contract worth £120,000-per-week at Villa Park.

The midfield maestro has already begun to justify Aston Villa’s lucrative offer, too, with the 5 ft 10 wizard among the top-flight’s best for successful dribbles (21), key passes (22), big chances created (7) and times fouled (36) this season while boasting four goals and six assists in eight appearances.

AND in other news, Gary Mabbutt has exclusively told Football FanCast what Jose Mourinho did “a lot of” at Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur advanced into the knockout stages of the Europa League by topping Group J on Thursday evening, though there’s no time to celebrate as their attentions will now quickly turn to the Premier League this weekend.

Jose Mourinho’s side are also sitting on the throne in the English top-flight after 11 matches and are favourites to continue their impressive form when they head to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.

And one member of his much-changed starting XI has just given him plenty to ponder.

Giovani Lo Celso, a player that has taken very scathing criticism from his manager, delivered a masterclass as Spurs defeated Royal Antwerp 2-0.

Indeed, he was rewarded as the Man of the Match with an 8.9 rating by SofaScore.

Last month, Mourinho slammed the Argentine’s fitness, he told reporters via Sky Sports:

“I feel that when he plays he’s not the Gio that we know, not the Gio that we know that he can be an amazing player. But with the ball of course great criteria and he knows what he’s doing of course, and understands the way we want to play. But we need more intensity to be fitter, to be more intense and to be stronger in the transitions.”

Well, Thursday night may have been a delayed reaction to that as on top of scoring the match-winner, Lo Celso also had a squad-high 72 touches, won ten duels, made four key passes, pulled off six successful dribbles and even put in three tackles, via SofaScore.

It was certainly Lo Celso’s night.

Time to unshackle him?

Now Mourinho must reward the £31.5m-rated playmaker with an opportunity to continue his mini-rise in the Premier League, a competition that has seen him restricted to just two starts.

In Europe, the former Betis star has delivered, already scoring four goals so it’s only fair he gets a crack against Palace this weekend.

Tanguy Ndombele’s return could see Lo Celso drop back to the bench, though we saw a glimpse of what life could be like when pairing the two together and when you throw in the stability of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, then it becomes a mouth-watering prospect.

The three have had the ability to run the show at Selhurst Park.

Once dubbed “extraordinary,” the £70k-per-week monster must be unleashed once again.

AND in other news, £25m Spurs ace with fewer touches than HART endured a night to FORGET…