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Aston Villa were recently labelled as the ‘early favourites’ to sign Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge this summer.

The 23-year-old looks likely to seal a move away from Chris Wilder’s side, with relegation to the Championship looking inevitable for the Yorkshire outfit.

Arsenal and Tottenham keen

According to website Jeunes Footeux, via Sport Witness, Arsenal and Tottenham are both now interested in the Blades ace and are on alert over a potential transfer.

The report claims that Berge, who has been out of action since December through injury, will be allowed to leave Bramall Lane for €26m (£22.3m).

Transfer Tavern take

Securing Berge’s services could turn out to be a shrewd piece of business by Villa, but it looks as if they’ll need to make him the club’s third biggest-signing in their history at £22.3m.

The Norwegian is capable of playing as a holding or central midfielder, so could provide Dean Smith with another strong option in the middle of the park.

On the other hand, Smith already has the likes of Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Marvelous Nakamba, Jacob Ramsey and January arrival Morgan Sanson as central options, so Smith may feel he is well-stocked in that department.

In other news: Gregg Evans believes £27k-a-week Villa ace could leave this summer, find out more here.

A number of Liverpool fans have been reacting negatively to rumours linking them with a surprise move for Aaron Ramsey this summer.

Jurgen Klopp is sure to be looking at options to bring in at the end of the season, ensuring he keeps his squad fresh. Despite Liverpool’s struggles in 2020/21, however, they still have an excellent group of players and there aren’t a huge amount of tweaks required.

The injury-prone nature of both Joe Gomez and Joel Matip could lead to the Reds bringing in another centre-back, while Roberto Firmino’s continued struggles in front of goal means a new striker may potentially be eyed up.

[freshpress-quiz id=“343638″]

Midfield is an area of the pitch where Liverpool appear to be well-stocked, however, with the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum, Thiago, Naby Keita, James Milner and Curtis Jones all vying for playing time.

Despite this, the Reds have been linked with a move for Juventus and Wales star Ramsey, with Calciomercato claiming they are one of the clubs eyeing him up.

Now 30, and not without injury problems of his own, it would certainly be a surprise if Liverpool made a move for the former Arsenal man, who has won seven trophies during his playing career.

Liverpool fans don’t want Ramsey at Anfield

These Reds supporters took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the rumour, with the general consensus that Ramsey is not wanted.

“As if we don’t have enough injury-prone players”

Credit: @BaileyJainey

“Please don’t, not good enough and never fit, huge mistake….”

Credit: @Eamonn68267456

“No thanks, just not good enough for this current squad”

Credit: @ciaran65660274

“Another injury on the payroll! Ridiculous if true”

Credit: @jones_jonezee

“Another flop is coming then”

Credit: @donee79

“Injury prone when with Arsenal, would never be fit given Klopp’s demands of his players. Great player though WHEN fit. It’s a no for me.”

Credit: @walter2169

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to another shock transfer rumour – find out what it is here.

West Brom have had to wait all weekend, but they finally return to Premier League action tonight.

And the Baggies will be going into their encounter with Southampton at the Hawthorns in great confidence after dispatching Europe-chasing Chelsea in a resounding and shock victory last time out.

Sam Allardyce’s men put five past the Blues to bolster their hopes of surviving in the top-flight, though the Midlands outfit still remain some 11 points adrift with only six matches left to play.

A win this evening would certainly be another big boost in the right direction and Big Sam must turn to one man in his hour of need after his impressive exploits at Stamford Bridge.

Enter Callum Robinson…

On the Chalkboard

The 26-year-old has largely been a forgotten man at West Brom this season, starting only 15 times in the Premier League. In fact, his 53 minutes against Chelsea were his first since the start of February, when he struggled to make an impact against his former club, Sheffield United.

All four of his league goals this season may have come against the same side, but he cannot be ignored after tearing Thomas Tuchel’s side apart last weekend.

talkSPORT claimed he haunted the Blues ‘like Sergio Aguero’ whilst ex-England shot-stopper Paul Robinson lauded his performance “amazing” to Football Insider.

Despite coming off the bench for the injured Branislav Ivanovic in the 37th minute, Robinson was indeed the Baggies’ star-performer, scoring both his shots at goal.

The former Blades forward also managed to pull off two successful dribbles, as many as the silky Matheus Pereira – who played the full 90 – and as many as Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic combined.

Whilst only one player on the whole pitch could better his three key passes, an impressive feat considering he was barely on the pitch for an hour.

Evidently, he was a thorn in Chelsea’s side and he could well repeat those exploits against the Saints tonight – if Allardyce finally unshackles him.

Albion Journalist Adrian Goldberg believes the Baggies boss has “missed a trick” with the £13m-rated dynamo this season, he told ‘The Liquidator’ podcast:

“I just think they’ve missed a trick with Callum Robinson, and I’ve argued this point long and hard that he offers you something that Hal Robson-Kanu doesn’t up front, if only it’s a bustling energy and determination, but also as that goal proved he’s got real quality.”

It’s that sort of presence a desperate team needs, so he must start at the Hawthorns tonight. Robinson can once again be West Brom’s game-changer.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Steve Bull urges Baggies star to stick with West Brom this summer…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer expressed his doubts over Liverpool’s reported interest in Leeds United star Raphinha.

The Brazilian attacker has impressed at Elland Road this season following his £17m move from Rennes in last summer’s transfer window, managing to score five goals and provide five assists in the current Premier League campaign.

Raphinha is now being linked with a move to Jurgen Klopp’s side, with France Football (via MailOnline) previously reporting that the 24-year-old tops the Reds’ shortlist. Palmer, however, thinks it is too soon for that type of talk.

Discussing the speculation in an exclusive interview with FFC, the ex-Leeds player said:

“I think it’s a bit early to say that [Raphinha ready for Liverpool]. I mean, you know, all the media in the UK, all of a sudden, they have a couple of good games, the next minute, they’re Messi or Ronaldo.”

Speaking on the subject further, Palmer later added: “Players have to play consistently, and that’s what the top players do. Top players perform eight out of 10 games well. That’s what they do, and you have to do that over a period of time to be considered a top player, so he has to keep doing what he’s doing.”

Even if Raphinha is ready to make that jump from Leeds to Liverpool, it may not be the best career move in regards to getting minutes on the pitch.

While the former Rennes man has certainly performed well in attack this season, he would be competing against two of the best forwards in world football in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at Anfield.

The Liverpool duo recorded some brilliant numbers in front of goal on the Merseyside club’s way to the 2019/20 Premier League title, scoring 37 times combined, showing the extent of what Raphinha would be up against.

Carlo Ancelotti must continue to track Everton prospect Ellis Simms while out on loan after securing a January transfer to League One side Blackpool until the end of the season.

What’s the word?

Everton have announced that Simms has moved to Bloomfield Road on a half-season deal.

The 20-year-old has been a regular of David Unsworth’s Under 23s side this season and has scored eight goals in 12 Premier League 2 appearances, while beginning to establish a path for himself into Ancelotti’s senior fold.

Simms began regularly training with the Everton first-team earlier in the 2020/21 campaign and had joined in on sessions over the past few weeks, leading to his selection in two senior matchday squads to add to his inclusions in the final two matches of the previous term.

Simms was an unused substitute at Newcastle United last November and again for this month’s FA Cup third round win over Championship side Rotherham United. But with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Cenk Tosun and Richarlison ahead in the pecking order, has been sent out on loan.

Simms is yet to play a single minute of senior football in his career but has proven to be a prolific youth forward with 41 goals in 44 U18s appearances with Everton before netting 17 in 36 outings with the U23s.

The Oldham-born attacker could make his Blackpool debut this Saturday in the FA Cup when Neil Critchley’s side visit Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion.

Ancelotti must pay attention

Ancelotti must continue to monitor Simms’ progress now that he has departed Merseyside for the Seasiders, having clearly caught the Italian’s attention in recent months to edge ever close to earning his Toffees debut.

Simms’ route to the first-team at Goodison Park is blocked right now, with Calvert-Lewin enjoying the best season of his career to date, netting 14 goals in all competitions, while Richarlison is a player whom Ancelotti feels is a one-of-a-kind type in the dressing room.

Tosun would appear the weakest link and Simms’ best option to eventually displace, having scored just once all season and is yet to start a league game, but the Turkey international has seemingly been given a new lease of life this month.

Reports claim Everton may shelve plans to sell Tosun in January if AFC Bournemouth’s Joshua King does not lower his wage demands from £120k-p/w, as the Norwegian would only be a squad player on the blue side of Stanley Park.

If that happens, or they sign an alternative target, it could spark a return to the U23s or a second loan spell for Simms next season, who former Everton goalkeeper Nigel Martyn believes is a “natural goalscorer” and has “all the attributes” needed for the centre-forward role.

Those attributes would not have been refined much further under Unsworth with the level of talent in the PL2 nothing compared to senior action, making a half-season spell in the Football League increasingly important for Simms to prove himself to Everton ahead of the summer market.

AND in other news, Everton have requested further information on the availability of a 21-y/o target who “has potential”…

After seeing Kalvin Phillips limp off in the dying minutes of Leeds’ 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, Marcelo Bielsa will no doubt be sweating over his talisman’s fitness during this week.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealed after the game that it was “too early to say” about the midfielder, but considering that he initially seemed to go down with a calf problem, he faces a real race against time to make the Premier League game against Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.

But in Jamie Shackleton, Bielsa could find his saviour.

The 20-year-old has been on the fringes of Leeds’ long-awaited return to the Premier League, playing just 296 minutes of football in the top-flight.

And quite recently, Bielsa hasn’t even turned to him as an option off the bench – barring the two minutes that he came on to replace Phillips against Palace last time out, Shackleton remained an unused sub for the past four Premier League matches.

But with question marks over Phillips’ availability, Bielsa must unleash Shackleton on Sunday when they travel to north London to take on Arsenal.

Speaking after his cameo in that 5-0 win over West Brom earlier this season, the Leeds boss said: “Good organisation, energetic, he’s quick, he can surprise opponents, plays in a position which has many varieties as a box-to-box midfielder.”

Shackleton wouldn’t exactly be a like-for-like replacement for Phillips, but his extra energy and dynamism could counter Arsenal’s young guns well.

The likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka have been two of Arsenal’s stand-out players in recent weeks, and Shackleton’s own youthful endeavour could be key to combating that – his average of 0.8 interceptions per game in the Premier League ranks him seventh among his Leeds teammates, while he actually gets dribbled past the least amount in the squad, just 0.5 times per match.

And, after he produced a tigerish performance against Aston Villa, Leeds Live’s Beren Cross wrote: “Settled in so quickly and linked up the play between midfield and attack beautifully. So important for his confidence and visualising himself in this team going forward. Tireless running and helped Klich win that midfield battle with McGinn and Barkley.”

On Sunday, Leeds will need every bit of that tireless running as they try and find a unique way to replace Phillips. Shackleton’s introduction to the starting eleven could prove to be a masterstroke from Bielsa and one that helps the Whites boss forget all about his main midfield man.

Meanwhile, Bielsa can find his next Klich in this Leeds transfer target…

Former England midfielder Rob Lee has called for Thiago to be given time at Liverpool in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

Thiago, who joined the Reds from Bayern Munich in the last summer transfer window, has faced criticism for his lack of impact at Anfield since arriving. Speaking on talkSPORT back in January, host Adrian Durham described the 29-year-old as a “luxury player” in a scathing attack.

Lee, however, is refusing to be as critical, suggesting that Thiago needs time as he continues to adapt to English football.

On the topic of the Spain international, former Newcastle United star Lee exclusively told FFC:

“I think you look at Thiago and think, that was a good signing, that was a great signing. He plays differently. Liverpool will always press – Jordan Henderson and the other players, they’re always pressing.

“Maybe Klopp thought ‘there’s a different way we have to play. We have the ball the majority of the time, we need to retain the ball’.

“Thiago does that, he passes well. So, you just have to give him time. He’s certainly not a bad player.”

Thiago could not be blamed for feeling if he did feel like a bit of a scapegoat right now. Liverpool, as a whole unit, have simply not been performing well and it’s unfair to point fingers at just one man.

The Merseyside club have failed to score in any of their last three Premier League fixtures at home, succumbing to defeats against Fulham, Chelsea and Everton. Considering that, their issues may be further up the pitch, rather than in midfield.

Ultimately, with this being Thiago’s first season in English football, there is probably no reason for manager Jurgen Klopp to hit the panic button yet regarding the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona midfielder. As Lee suggested, he just needs more time.

After claiming a point last time out against Chelsea, Aston Villa take on another one of the Premier League’s big six when they travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side took home all three points in their clash against Wolves on Wednesday night, and appear to be hitting their stride in the league over these past few weeks.

Dean Smith will have some big decisions to make before the game, including whether to bring back Ross Barkley. The Chelsea loanee was ineligible to play against his parent side on Monday night, and has been unavailable in recent weeks due to an injury picked up against Brighton.

But if the England international is fully fit and raring to go, then Smith simply has to play him from the start.

The 33-cap star has got that ability to unlock the door and provide a bit of creativity, and that can help Jack Grealish massively. The more attacking weapons Villa have out on the field, the less likely their talisman is to get double-teamed or completely marked out of the game.

Barkley can help with that, and it’s no surprise he’s been called an “exceptional” talent.

In fact, former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer thinks the attacking midfielder may have found his perfect spot at Villa, saying: “Ross seems to have found a system that suits him and a manager who wants to play him. This is exactly what he needs.

“He now needs to find the consistency that has been lacking in his game because this is a crucial stage of his career. Ross has been spoken about in glowing terms since he was very young but he is 27 now and needs to deliver on that potential. At his best he is match-winner and Villa is a great platform for him.”

If Barkley’s fit against United, he just has to start.

Some Everton fans have been calling for Anthony Gordon to get into the first team after his assist versus Chelsea for the U23s.

As per a clip shared by the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, the England U20 international can be seen driving down the wing before setting up his teammate to give the Merseyside club a 2-0 lead midway through the second half.

With just three games played for Carlo Ancelotti’s team so far in the 2020/21 term, including just one in the Premier League, perhaps some EFC supporters think that Gordon is not getting enough opportunities under the Italian boss.

Thus, he is having to play his trade in the U23s, and with more good displays such as these, surely the 19 year-old should be knocking on the door for more matches in the first team.

Everton fan reaction to Gordon assist

These Toffees were all in agreement that Gordon should be given more opportunities after watching his assist on Twitter, with one Blue describing the winger as ‘pacey’:

In other news, find out which former Everton star has been slammed by fans recently here!

Leicester City will look to face off against AEK Athens in their final group stage match of their Europa League run. They are currently leading Group G on ten points, ahead of SC Braga on goal difference. Whilst they have already secured their progression into the next round, Brendan Rodgers will still want to put in a convincing performance against bottom of the table Athens.

But with safety already banked, he can afford to change up his starting XI and give some lesser seen players a chance. With that being said, Football FanCast has predicted how the Foxes will set up this evening…

With Caglar Soyuncu still not 100% ready to return to the action, Rodgers might opt to start club captain Wes Morgan, who has fallen down the pecking order in the Premier League this season, in defence. Starting him alongside 19-year-old Wesley Fofana will provide a strong balance between seniority and fresh legs, which could be a winning combination against Athens.

Rising talent Luke Thomas could be handed his third start of the season with the nod to slot into the left-back position. The versatile defender has featured three times in total under Rodgers this term and has already bagged himself a Europa League goal. With the manager’s trust in him, he could deliver another solid performance for Leicester.

After returning to the action against Zorya, Rodgers may bring Wilfred Ndidi back into the starting lineup as he adjusts himself following his comeback from injury. He will help support the defence whilst the likes of Dennis Praet and Hamza Choudhury feature just in front in the midfield.

Whilst Ayoze Perez is battling for game time, he could be rewarded for his goal against Sheffield United by starting this evening. He will support fringe striker Kelechi Iheanacho along with Demarai Gray, who could make a surprise appearance in this stress-free fixture – what would be the 24-year-old’s second start of the campaign.

In other news, Ricardo Pereira’s U23 appearance is exactly what Rodgers needed…