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According to reports by the Cypriot media, Nottingham Forest defender Nicholas Ioannou looks set to move away from the club as he is allegedly on the verge of completing a move to Aris on loan – with an option-to-buy at the end of the season – if his spell is successful. 

Ioannou, who has started just five matches for Forest in the Championship this season, has been made a surplus-to-requirement figure at the City Ground – with these reports suggesting his exit is all but done.

Manager Chris Hughton remained tight-lipped over these reports when speaking to the press, refusing to comment on any news that his player could be leaving the club after just three months.

The 25-year-old signed on a permanent deal from APOEL FC in the summer, but it now his time with Forest could be coming to an end.

Here’s how Forest fans reacted to this big development.

Forest fans react to Ioannou news

“Good news for me, not a patch on Yuri, looked really suspect against Derby, not tracking back properly and then cost us against Luton with a bad tackle”

Credit: @SimpsonsNffc

“Please make this happen!!”

Credit: @Del_Lindo64

“The current transfer/recruitment policy at Forest is dubious at best. The regime have a way of ‘doing things’ which does in no way fit with a forward looking strategy. Today’s news re Ioannou is as outrageous as it is unsurprising.”

Credit: @longlivethepast

“This leaves us light in the lb area. But I’m all for getting rid of as many players as possible in January”

Credit:@Craig74Davies

“Its all well and good shipping out theses players but i have zero faith we won’t just go and do the same thing over and over again.”

Credit: @Dazzler_m

“What is the actual point of this? The whole club is a farce #nffc”

Credit: @RichyRi28081938

In other news: Nottingham Forest fans were desperate for the club to tie down this ace, find out more here. 

Here we go! Fabrizio Romano has dropped a fresh transfer update on Wilfried Zaha’s future at Crystal Palace.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent weeks revealed European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan want to sign the Eagles winger in the January transfer window.

It’s claimed AC Milan are reportedly eyeing up a £50m bid for Zaha as they want to bolster their firepower as they seek to win their first Scudetto since the 2010-11 season.

However, speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano said: “No, he’s been offered to some Italian clubs by some intermediary and we had some rumours because of this.

“He has been offered but AC Milan are not interested, they are happy with their players. And they have Brahim Diaz on loan from Real Madrid. So they still want to go with him, to see his quality and to decide about signing him on a permanent deal next summer or not.

“So at the moment, Zaha is not a target for AC Milan.”

Huge boost for Roy Hodgson

With Zaha heavily linked with the Selhurst Park exit, Romano’s latest comments will come as music to manager Roy Hodgson’s ears.

The Palace boss finds himself under increased pressure after a mixed bag of results as the Eagles were dumped out of the FA Cup following a 1-0 defeat to Wolves at Molineux.

Whilst Eberechi Eze has burst onto the scene since the start of the season – with two goals and two assists in ten top-flight appearances – it’s hard to ignore Zaha’s importance to Palace.

Against Wolves, in the absence of Zaha, the Eagles failed to record a single shot on target. Zaha himself is currently averaging more shots (2.4) per game than any other Palace player, via WhoScored.

The 28-year-old tops the goal-scoring charts, as he has provided eight goals and two assists in 15 games in the Premier League, via Transfermarkt.

He was there when the Eagles came close to the relegation battle last season and is a large part of the reason why Palace are still in the top flight – having scored four goals and supplied five assists in total.

Now, Zaha has resumed his role as the club’s talisman, whilst he recently described himself as a “passionate” player in an interview with The Telegraph’s Jason Burt. He isn’t just a part of the furniture. He’s played a major part in keeping them in the top flight.

This is exactly why Steve Parish simply can’t afford to lose the £45m-rated ace. He means too much to supporters on and off the pitch.

Click here to see the full 30 minute video of Fabrizio Romano’s interview with Give Me Sport

AND in other news, Crystal Palace midfielder James McCarthy the only positive from Wolves defeat…

According to The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell, Kai Kennedy is ‘close’ to agreeing a new contract with Glasgow Rangers.

What’s the word?

Kennedy impressed on loan with Inverness Caledonian Thistle during the first half of this season, scoring one goal and supplying one assist for John Robertson’s side, including an assist against Raith Rovers in the Scottish League Cup.

Since Steven Gerrard officially took charge of the 54-time Scottish champions, the 18-year-old has struck one goal and six assists across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

However, his progress has been somewhat limited after a public spat with the Ibrox boss, but it appears Gerrard has changed his mind having previously given the green light for the teenager, 18, to leave the club last July.

Statement of intent

Reports in recent months revealed European heavyweights Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Roma were lining up a potential swoop for Kennedy, which would no doubt have been tempting prospects for the left-winger.

But it seems Kennedy has finally managed to convince his boyhood club he is worth keeping and now Ross Wilson must recognise that he needs rewarding for the show of faith he has shown this season.

The Light Blues boss heaped praise on the “fabulous little player” after some “outstanding” performances two years ago, but he has found his chances hard to come by since then.

If the Gers can persuade Kennedy that he may be best served by staying at Ibrox, then that in itself would be quite a significant coup for Gerrard in the winter transfer market.

With Ryan Kent linked with Leeds United in the summer, there may soon come a point where the Govan-based Glaswegian giants may need a proven number eleven to lead the attack. Granted, he’s not quite there yet, but he’s starting to show promising signs of being precisely just that.

It will be a bitter blow for the Ibrox boss if they can’t tie him down to a new long-term deal and a top European club seizes the chance to snap him up instead – just like what happened with now-Chelsea star Billy Gilmour. This simply must be one of Wilson’s top priorities – failure to do so is surely out of the question.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Dean Windass questions Rangers interest in John Lundstram…

Ever since Thomas Partey signed from Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window, the hope has been that the Ghana international could be the one to transform Arsenal’s midfield.

And since his arrival, there have been games where he’s done exactly that, not least in a superb 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford – a game that led Roy Keane to hail Partey as the Gunners’ potential Patrick Vieira successor.

But injuries have disrupted his progress, and whilst his return to first-team training recently is a welcome boost, there’s a real question about who should be the man to partner him in central midfield.

And that is exactly why Mikel Arteta’s side might be wise to bring in Stade Rennes midfielder Steven Nzonzi.

Reports in recent days have suggested that the 6 foot 5 Frenchman has remained of interest to the Gunners, and whilst at 32, fans might question whether he’s past his best, his performances this season in Ligue 1 suggest he’s got plenty to offer.

And perhaps more than that, his game could be the perfect compliment to the £45m-rated Partey.

At Atletico Madrid, the Ghanaian was used more as a holding midfielder, someone to break up the play and pass it off to those in front of him.

That naturally restricted the kind of talent he actually has going forward, with Owen Hargreaves speaking earlier this season about how he’s got so much more to his game than being the classic anchor man.

He said: “This guy has everything you need from a modern midfielder. He can do everything. His whole repertoire, he just has everything. He can play every pass. Play it long, play it short, put it on a plate.

“We’ve seen the defensive side which is what he’s going to bring, the long range passing, and the shooting from distance to get goals. He’s the perfect modern midfield player.”

The key for Arteta is to actually unleashing the more box-to-box dynamism that he possesses, rather than weighing him down with the responsibility of protecting Arsenal’s defence.

Nzonzi’s arrival can allow him to do that. In Ligue 1 this season, the Frenchman has averaged an impressive 4.6 duels won per game, whilst he only gets dribbled past 0.6 times per match.

That extra solidity would open up Partey’s game even more, and become much more of a game-changer for this Arsenal side. Letting the Ghanaian work his “magic” like Hargreaves says when going forward would add an extra dimension to Arteta’s men.

It’s why signing Nzonzi, even now at 32, could be a real coup for the Gunners.

Writing on Twitter, club insider and reliable source ExWHUemployee has hinted that a late signing for West Ham United could still be possible as the club confirm Jesse Lingard’s arrival – going on to say there isn’t anyone pending ‘at the moment’ but that could change if a player is ‘presented’ to the club.

Responding to a supporter on social media, ExWHUemployee shared that a late arrival for the Irons this window is still plausible after the signing of Lingard – even if there is nobody imminently joining as things stand.

ExWHUemployee refuses to rule out late signing

Indeed, this is in line with West Ham boss David Moyes’ transfer update from Friday afternoon – with the Scotsman also not ‘expecting’ any more late arrivals ‘at the moment’ as he refused to rule it out entirely (football.london).

ExWHUemployee reiterated that stance but hinted it could change depending on developments – saying no forward is pending to join ‘unless’ there is a ‘late change’ or a decent player is ‘presented’ to the Hammers (Twitter).

Transfer Tavern take

Judging by this claim, it appears there is some hope for supporters who still wish to see a new striker walk through the door at Rush Green – coming after West Ham sold club record signing Sebastien Haller at the start of this month.

Time will tell whether a decent opportunity arises, but the fact a possible late transfer isn’t being completely ruled out altogether could spell late hope for Moyes.

In other news: West Ham are apparently eyeing this ‘exciting’ 51-cap attacker, find out more here.

When you look at the right-hand side of Leeds’ defence, there aren’t really too many issues.

Luke Ayling has become one of the most reliable figures in the squad and nothing summed that up more than his virtuoso display against Leicester at the weekend.

When he’s injured or has to cover in the middle of defence, it’s Stuart Dallas who fills in. Again, he is a picture of consistency, winning their Player’s Player of the Year in 2019/20 for his displays at full-back.

With that in mind, it might be difficult to get into the team if you’re an outsider looking in. Certainly, that’s what young full-back Cody Drameh might be thinking.

The 19-year-old has been making waves at academy level this term but his performances should bring huge belief. Some of his outstanding displays for Mark Jackson’s U23s have been eye-catching to say the least.

Not since a young Sam Byram have we seen a young defender make such an impact at Elland Road. The right-back became a key part of the Championship side as a youngster before he was sold to West Ham in January 2016.

Byram was someone who was adept defensively but also loved to get forward. He had pace, energy and was confident.

Coincidentally, those are similar qualities that Drameh possesses. The teenager signed from Fulham in the summer but despite failing to work his way into Marcelo Bielsa’s first-team plans, a call-up surely won’t be too far away.

During the club’s 2-0 win over Sunderland U23s on Monday, Drameh was one of the best players on the park.

Leeds commentator Tom Hill called the youngster a “box of tricks” during the coverage of the match and it’s hard to argue with that statement. He constantly got down the right-hand channel and failed to lose much energy.

Writing at full-time, Leeds Live reporter Joe Donnohue said: “Down the right flank combining with Helder Costa, Drameh’s flicks, tricks and backheels were a welcome addition to his game. His constant running in behind meant Sunderland were pinned back on that side of the pitch, which contributed to Leeds’ complete dominance.”

Donnohue continued: “Drameh’s defensive game was called upon more often in the second half, but it was of a similar calibre to his first-half attacking.”

Byram may have kept things simpler than flicks and tricks but he still had an unrelenting ability to get forward. The two players are also similarly adept defensively.

For context, the former Leeds man won 2.4 tackles per game last season. Drameh, on the other hand, has won 2.5 in the EFL Trophy for the Whites.

Improving all the time, it will surely only be a matter of time before he’s involved in senior team life more often. He is a radiant ball of attacking fun and defensive nous. What’s not to like?

AND in other news, Never mind Alioski: Leeds gem who lost possession 19x let Bielsa down on Wednesday…

Many Wolves fans hailed forward Pedro Neto during his side’s Premier League clash against Leeds United on Friday night.

The 20-year-old started on the right-hand side of the midfield where manager Nuno Espirito Santo opted to field an unchanged side.

Neto, who earns £50k-per-week at Molineux, spoke to The Athletic earlier in the week about how his mother has been telling him to shoot a lot more during games. Her message appeared to work as he was firing in efforts left, right and centre.

The Portugal international has been showered with praise in recent weeks, especially by Alan Shearer who described him as a “huge talent.”

Unsurprisingly, supporters were delighted with the way that he was performing and were quick to acknowledge that he had taken on the advice of those close to him.

Neto earns Molineux plaudits

“Neto listening to his mother’s advice… always good to see from a young man. Shots shot shots “

Credit: @northernwolf10

“Neto is loving these shots from outside the box at the moment.”

Credit: @kevtheman10

“Has Neto’s mom done the team talk? #shootonsight #wwfc #fwaw”

Credit: @nigelbolton

“Neto doing what his mom said and shooting”

Credit: @KVenmore

“Neto enjoying himself. Confidence sky high again.”

Credit: @CraigSpillard

“Neto has really come a long way”

Credit: @corky_jack

In other news, Wolves in with a chance of capturing wonderkid with bargain six-figure fee next summer.

When Peter Lawwell announced his decision to retire at the end of the season, Celtic fans rejoiced. No longer were they going to be lead by a man who some thought were the reason for the club’s downfall.

It’s going to be a sad way for Lawwell’s tenure at Parkhead to end. After all, they have won the last nine Scottish Premiership crowns. However, the way they’ve been left in the dust by the Gers this term is a sight for sore eyes.

Neil Lennon has now resigned too and once next season kicks off, it will be a fresh start for everyone at Celtic.

A new manager is yet to be appointed but Lawwell’s successor will be Dominic McKay, the man who currently acts as the Chief Operating Officer of Scottish Rugby Union.

Ally McCoist has already expressed concerns at his lack of experience when it comes to football, so how can he assure the best of starts to his life at Celtic?

Remarkably, his first big decision could be a new manager. That’s if they haven’t found a man to replace John Kennedy who is currently acting as the boss in the interim.

However, if they have already found a new manager then he’ll have a big decision on shaping the new squad. The Athletic has already predicted a potential 12-man exodus at Celtic and one player who could well leave is Kristoffer Ajer.

The Norwegian has been linked with Tottenham in the past but it’s AC Milan who have shown the most interest of late. With his contract set to expire in 2022, selling him in the summer would be the best way of getting a decent fee.

Though, with Christopher Jullien out for the best part of nine months and their defensive record proving to be a shoddy one, keeping Ajer must be near the top of their agenda. But why is that?

Well, words from John Hartson tell us everything you need to know.

“He’s grabbing the bull by the horns and he’s almost dragging the team through, even to these draws. You see him making these lung-bursting runs forward, he’s marauding with that big stride, he’s challenging, on his backside, making blocks, in the opposition’s penalty area,” he stated.

Hartson continued: “He’s a credit to the rest of the players. They should all look at him and if they’d all adopted the same attitude as Ajer then might have made a better fist of it in terms of holding on to the title.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-on-celtics-managerial-vacancy” title=”Check out the latest on Celtic’s managerial vacancy!”]

Celtic may have underperformed this season but their indomitable centre-half hasn’t. He’s stepped up when it’s mattered and nothing epitomises that more than his winning penalty in the Scottish Cup final win over Hearts.

Handing him a new deal, therefore, would only be a good thing. Of course, it’s easier said than done, but extending and bettering his current £10k-per-week contract would be an instant way for McKay to become a hit.

He will have a whole host of jobs to undertake when he walks through the door of Parkhead, but addressing Ajer’s future must be near the top of his priorities.

AND in other news, Christie could be in trouble if Celtic hire 57 y/o coach “reminiscent to Craig Brown”…

As per Le10 Sport, Everton are prepared to sell Moise Kean to Paris Saint-Germain for just €30m (£26m) this summer.

Ancelotti happy to sell Kean

Kean is currently on loan in Paris and has scored 15 goals in 27 games for the Ligue 1 champions (Transfermarkt). Despite that, Carlo Ancelotti would be happy to see him depart, with €30m (£26m) deemed to be an acceptable sum – that is a big difference from the £50m-£60m valuation recently mentioned by Fabrizio Romano.

However, PSG sporting director Leonardo is not willing to pay that fee, and will instead look to sign the 21-year-old on another 12-month loan.

Mistake

After signing for £25.1m from Juventus (BBC), Kean struggled at Goodison Park. In 37 games for the club, he managed just four goals – far less than what most would have expected when he made the switch to England. However, it must be taken into consideration that he signed for the Toffees as a teenager – it was always going to be difficult for him to hit the ground running after moving to a new and strange country at such a young age.

He is proving in France that he has what it takes to play at the highest level. Of course, the Toffees may have no choice but to sell if Kean does not want to return, but if he does, Ancelotti and co should give him another chance. It would be a waste not to do all they can to get the best from a top attacking talent.

In other news, Everton eye a move for this Europa League ace.

Many Crystal Palace fans are reacting to the latest transfer update on Premier League target John Lundstram.

The midfielder, who currently plays for Sheffield United, has been linked with the Eagles on multiple occasions, most recently in the January transfer window. According to The Mirror, and as tweeted by @CPFCTransfersHQ, several clubs in England’s top flight are monitoring the player, whose contract expires at the end of a season, and Palace are among those. However, this link hasn’t gone down too well with some of the Palace fan base, with one supporter even calling him ‘useless’.

The Blades midfielder has failed to score in 23 league appearances this season, accruing six yellow cards and committing 0.8 fouls per game (WhoScored). Only one Palace player has been booked more often, while Eagles defenders Gary Cahill and Scott Dann have both found the net this term (WhoScored).

Palace  arguably have a decent midfield with a fair amount of depth, but this could look very different in the summer.James McArthur is nearing the end of his career at the age of 33 (Transfermarkt), whilst James McCarthy’s contract expires in the summer. This emphasises that Lundstram could be the ideal signing for Palace, especially due to the fact that, as things stand, the £7.2m-valued player could be picked up on a free transfer in the summer, with his contract expiring at the end of June.

Many Eagles fans weren’t too pleased with the Lundstram links, although there were some views in favour of such a move:

Here is how Palace fans reacted to the update:

“Already 27 years old, no thanks! I’d rather get Gallagher, Cantwell or Brooks.”

Credit: @TheGoverner99

“Whyyyyyyyyyy”

Credit: @sam_palace

“No thanks…. useless lump”

Credit: @Tushydog

“Perfect midfielder for a club like us, everyone’s always complaining about getting a macca replacement, this would be it.”

Credit: @cpfc_sean

“It’s so boring”Credit: @Kevbartleyy”Please no”Credit: @letstalkpalaceIn other news, many Palace fans react to this club update!