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Glasgow Rangers are plotting a move to sign Kenny McLean in 2023, according to reports.

The Lowdown: McLean profiled

The Norwich City midfielder worked his way up through the academy ranks north of the border, but was released by the Light Blues in 2008 before going on to join St. Mirren and Aberdeen.

The Scottish Premiership side soon lost the 30-year-old to the Canaries where he’s been a expire at the end of the season, a return to Ibrox could be on the cards.

The Latest: Rangers eyeing McLean

According to the Scottish Daily Express, Gers are ‘considering a move’ for McLean, and he is someone who is on the club’s ‘radar’ ahead of next year.

Given his situation, he will be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with potential suitors from January onwards, though a small ‘fee’ would be required to secure his services in the New Year.

Last summer, the Carrow Road ace admitted that he would be open and keen on a return, though whether that will happen, only time will tell.

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The Verdict: Potential bargain

Should Rangers be able to reach an agreement with Norwich for the sale of McLean, he would be an absolute bargain buy considering his impressive record in the final third.

The 6 foot maestro has registered 17 assists and netted 11 goals during his time with Dean Smith’s side and is a versatile player, having previously operated at left-back alongside three different midfield positions (Transfermarkt).

Once described as ‘too hot to handle’ by Josh Bunting, McLean would be a welcome addition in Glasgow as the Light Blues start preparing for life after Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s long-term future at the club is reportedly in doubt because of his relationship with new manager Unai Emery.

The Lowdown: Martinez on Argentina duty

The 30-year-old has traded club commitments for international duty, currently starting between the sticks for much-fancied Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.

Martinez conceded twice in the shock opening defeat to Saudi Arabia but bounced back with a crucial clean sheet in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Mexico.

Away from Qatar, however, the Argentine’s Villa future has emerged as a worrying topic of conversation.

The Latest: Villa exit on the cards?

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, Martinez’s time at Villa Park is ‘under threat’ because of ‘friction’ with new boss Emery, who recently replaced Steven Gerrard.

A source has claimed that a ‘fallout’ took place between the pair during their time at Arsenal together which could still prove to be problematic, with it being described as a ‘hurdle’ to overcome.

The Verdict: Hugely worrying news

This is undoubtedly concerning news for anyone of a Villa persuasion, considering what an influential performer Martinez has been during his time at the club and the fact he signed a new contract through to 2027 earlier this year.

He has established himself as arguably one of the standout goalkeepers in the Premier League and has also been described as ‘one of the best’ in the world in his position by Lionel Messi.

The hope is that Martinez and Emery can get past their differences and work together effectively – not everybody has to be best friends – because the thought of the former departing is hugely worrying.

Leeds United could secure Jesse Marsch his next Erling Haaland in Dion Drena Beljo, who has revealed his surprise interest in the club…

What’s the word?

The young NK Osijek forward, 20, has caught the eye of multiple teams across Europe (via Sport Witness) and in a recent interview with Sky Sports Germany, he namedropped the Yorkshire giants as a team he admires.

Manchester United and Newcastle United were the two other Premier League teams mentioned by the Croatian striker, whilst West Ham United were linked in the summer, as per the report.

The fact that he’s fond of the Whites is certainly positive, should director of football Victor Orta look to sign him in the future.

Marsch’s next Haaland?

And with the American – the former manager of RB Salzburg – at the helm, we could well see the next Haaland at Elland Road. During his time at the Austrian champions, the club signed the Norweigen colossus from Molde and the pair guided the side to the league and cup double in 2019/20.

Across 22 appearances, Haaland bagged 28 goals and laid on seven assists, quickly earning a move to Borussia Dortmund before going on to sign for Manchester City in the summer.

Just like Beljo, the 22-year-old’s admiration for Leeds has been made very public and given that Marsch would be signing a relatively unknown striker from one of Europe’s smaller divisions, there could be plenty of similarities made between the two – something that talent scout Jacek Kulig has even noted.

In the Osijek forward, the American coach could well discover the next big thing. Despite playing for the third-ranked team in Croatia, the 20-year-old has been in electric form, scoring nine goals and assisting two more across 19 appearances in all competitions this term, via Transfermarkt.

Last season, meanwhile, Beljo netted 20 goals in 37 appearances for NK Istra 1961, so he is clearly a proven goalscorer, even if it’s only been in his native country thus far.

Standing at a whopping 6 foot 5, further likeness to Haaland could be drawn, with Kulig also describing the Croatia U21 titan as a “tall, strong, fast, and prolific left-footed CF” on Twitter only last month.

With reports suggesting that he’s available for just €6m (£5m), Orta could do little wrong in signing a young frontman with bags of potential and with Marsch aiding his development, Leeds could well sign the next Haaland with a move for Beljo.

AND in other news, Marsch could finally send James packing with Leeds swoop for “pacey” £8.5m “trickster”…

Everton making a move for Inter Milan left-back Robin Gosens is a real possibility, according to a fresh claim from journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Gosens could leave Inter

The 28-year-old has made a name for himself during an excellent spell at Atalanta which saw him score 29 goals and chip in with 21 assists from a left wing-back role.

Gosens’ form earned him a move to Inter earlier this year but things haven’t gone to plan, with only one Serie A start coming his way so far this season.

It could be that the German leaves the San Siro in the January transfer window, and Everton have been linked with a move for him in recent weeks.

The Latest: Everton move talked up

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips claimed that he could see Gosens heading to Goodison Park, with Everton manager Frank Lampard expressing an interest in him in the past.

The journalist said:

“Frank Lampard looked at him and tried to sign him when he was at Chelsea. He was a player that they took to the board, so I can definitely see this link being legit and transpiring.”

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The Verdict: Upgrade at left-back

Gosens’ stock may have fallen of late, not helped by him being omitted from Germany’s World Cup squad, but he could still be an excellent signing by Everton.

He would provide more attacking thrust from left-back than Vitaliy Mykolenko, who has no goals or assists in 15 Premier League appearances this season, and he could be an all-round upgrade on the Ukrainian.

Gosens has been hailed as an ‘amazing’ player for former Germany boss Joachim Low, and at 28, he should remain in and around his peak for the next few years, bringing much-needed experience and quality to Everton’s squad.

Aston Villa have joined the race to sign Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij as Unai Emery looks to secure his first signing for the club.

What’s the news?

That’s according to FC Inter News, who claim that Villa have joined the race to sign the Dutch centre-back, joining the likes of Atletico Madrid and Leicester City.

His contract is due to expire at the end of the current season and Inter have yet to agree on a new deal with the player, opening up the chances of him moving on in January.

Emery could land the 30-year-old for a bargain price, with Calciomercato claiming a fee of just €5m (£4m) would be enough to secure his signature next month.

Dream first signing

Emery has gotten off to a solid start as Villa manager, winning two of his first three Premier League matches, including a victory over Manchester United.

Despite these early encouraging signs, there still remains a few issues that the Spaniard needs to sort out, mainly defensively. The club have conceded 22 league goals this season and a move for another centre-back appears to be a priority.

De Vrij has plenty of experience at the highest level, making 231 appearances in Serie A for both Inter and Lazio while winning 59 caps for the Netherlands.

The 30-year-old has been a titan at the heart of the Inter defence this season, winning 66% of his total duels, making 2.0 interceptions, 1.0 tackles, and 3.0 clearances per game while leading the club to four clean sheets in the 12 matches he has featured in.

This defensive acumen could be vital for Villa during the second half of the season, with Emery hoping to land a dream first signing in the Dutchman.

Mauricio, his former teammate at Lazio lavished plenty of praise on the Dutchman, saying: “Stefan is a great defender and deserves to be at a big club. He’s very tall, he’s strong and fast, he runs a lot – he’s a monster!

“He also has excellent technique and knows how to play the ball like few others, and that’s the difference between him and other players. He’s a calm defender who never gets agitated.”

High praise indeed and Emery should be keeping a close eye on his situation as January approaches, with the chance to seal a bargain £4m swoop for the defender far too good to turn down.

Glasgow Rangers enjoyed a second half turnaround to win 3-2 at Ibrox last night in Michael Beale’s first match in charge of the club as their Premiership campaign resumed.

The first half wasn’t pretty, and it was almost reminiscent of the Giovanni van Bronckhorst era, although the incumbent manager must have had some strong words for his team as they roared back in the second half to secure a confidence boosting victory.

A tactical tweak saw Beale play with a more attacking setup, having Alfredo Morelos and Fashion Sakala leading the line in a fluid 4-3-1-2 as opposed to the rigid 4-3-3 often used under the Dutchman, and in the second half it appeared to work wonders.

Ryan Porteous and Kevin Nisbet had scored for Hibernian either side of a Sakala equaliser, but with just over half an hour remaining, Ryan Jack scored Rangers’ second equaliser. Just four minutes later, Morelos had a simple tap-in after some wonderful work by Malik Tillman to score what proved to be the winner.

The Colombian was back to his best, recording four shots during the match and thriving in the new formation, but it was Tillman who looks like he could really get going under Beale after his performance.

The American – who was dubbed “phenomenal” by John Lundstram – was excellent against Hibs as he received a 7.7/10 rating from Sofascore, which ranked him as the best performer on the pitch.

The 20-year-old provided two assists, took 58 touches and made an impressive four key passes, which proved pivotal to opening up the Hibs defence.

He also succeeded with 75% of his dribble attempts, had two shots off target and also created a further two big chances, proving to be a constant attacking threat throughout the match.

The Ibrox faithful would have known that the youngster had talent in abundance, but translating it to consistent performances on the pitch was becoming rather difficult. However, Beale’s tactical nous caters for players like Tillman who thrive on a more fluid system, and this was clearly evident last night based on his metrics from the match.

There are still plenty of things to work upon going forward, but the 42-year-old will just be happy to secure a first win in front of the Ibrox crowd; and if the second half performance is a sign of things to come, the future certainly looks bright for Tillman and Rangers.

Manchester United will absolutely move for a new striker during the upcoming January transfer window, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: Ronaldo exit causes havoc

Cristiano Ronaldo’s time at Old Trafford has come to an end for a second time, with the Portuguese sensation sacked by the club after a recent interview criticising manager Erik ten Hag.

While he clearly wasn’t the player he once was, his departure has still left a void in United’s attack, with fewer options suddenly on show ahead of the second half of the season.

As the January window looms, it looks as though the Red Devils are about to delve into the market.

The Latest: New striker expected

That’s certainly the opinion of Sheth, who told Give Me Sport that a new striker is on the agenda at Old Trafford:

“What is clear, is that Erik ten Hag has said last week that he does want to bring a forward player in. We’ve seen Cristiano Ronaldo leave the club, we thought that that was going to be the saga during the January transfer window, but they’ve managed to get all of that done and dusted before the transfer window opens.

“So, I think if they can find somebody, they are in the market to bring people in, there’s no question about that. All clubs will always be in that position, but it would have to be right, cost-wise.

“And that’s why there’s every chance that United won’t be bringing anyone in in the window.”

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The Verdict: Simply has to happen

It is absolutely essential that United add a striker to their squad in January as the battle for a top-four finish hots up, as well as cup and European glory being on offer.

Failure to sign a new attacker would be negligent by the Glazers, with a lack of firepower on show with Ronaldo gone and Jadon Sancho seemingly frozen out for the time being.

It remains to be seen who could come in, and while it is important that United don’t panic buy and waste money on a player, they must act fast and sign someone who can dovetail effectively with Marcus Rashford and Antony, as well as the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen behind him.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, and the USA international could level up Julen Lopetegui’s side.

What’s the word?

According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato, Juventus are keen on signing Rayan Ait-Nouri in the January transfer window and could offer McKennie as a makeweight in any potential deal for the French left-back.

While the Old Gold may well be keen to keep the 21-year-old at Molineux, especially after his winning goal in Lopetegui’s first game as manager on Boxing Day, they have Hugo Bueno emerging as a top young talent in the same position, while Jonny can also provide cover there.

The report claims that, should any swap deal be discussed between the two sides, Wolves would have to offer around €15m (£13m) in order to bring McKennie to the Premier League next month.

Levelling up Wolves’ midfield?

Wolves’ midfield was once the crown jewel of their success in the Premier League but in Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Matheus Nunes, the Old Gold could be accused of having three players who don’t differ too much in terms of their attributes.

Moutinho has looked past his best in recent seasons, with his WhoScored average rating having declined rapidly since his impressive 2019/20 campaign, while Nunes has flattered to deceive since his club-record switch from Sporting Lisbon in the summer, with no goals and just one assist to his name thus far.

McKennie has struggled for regular game time in Serie A so far this season but has one goal and one assist to his name in Italy’s top flight, with WhoScored awarding him a solid 6.63 average rating, which ranks him ahead of all of Wolves’ midfielders bar Neves.

The 24-year-old – who can also play at centre-back – would catch the eye for the USA as they reached the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar, with his “outstanding” performance against England no doubt attracting the attention of a number of Premier League midfielders.

In a relegation battle, you often need a general in midfield who isn’t afraid to get stuck in, and with WhoScored suggesting that his defensive contribution is one of his main strengths, he could be a massive player for Lopetegui in the second half of the season.

Therefore, while Wolves might be reticent to lose Ait-Nouri, a move for McKennie should definitely be considered in next month’s window.

Everton are desperately scrambling to put the cogs in place to mount a charge up the Premier League table across the second half of the 22/23 campaign, with the club currently languishing in 17th place, just one point above the drop-zone.

Indeed, Frank Lampard’s Toffees are in a dire situation, with three successive losses in the English top-flight – the latest of which was a 2-1 home defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were bottom of the table prior to their victory at Goodison Park.

According to The Sun, the Toffees have a vested interest in Chicago Fire’s Columbian starlet Jhon Duran – who is reported to be valued at around £10m – and may swoop for the ace with swift conviction.

There may still be light at the end of the tunnel, and one signing that could rectify the wrongs comes in the form of Duran, with journalist Simon Phillips detailing his thoughts on a move to GIVEMESPORT.

He said: “There’s a few names they’ve been looking at. The only one that really stands out and I have had solid information on lately is Jhon Duran.

“Everton are there and are one of the clubs that are looking at him. But there are other names and Lampard is pushing hard now to bring a new striker in during January.”

Lukaku 2.0

After finishing 16th last year, staving off an unthinkable relegation due to an impressive burst of form in the closing weeks, the Everton faithful’s optimism was turned up a notch following a promising summer transfer window that saw the club spend approximately £69.7m on summer signings.

They have not had the desired effect, and while the defence has been bolstered, the offensive vigour and fluidity across the pitch is steeply lacking.

The 19-year-old Duran, who has eight goals and five assists from terminated with the Toffees earlier this month.

A far more vibrant replacement possessing bundles of pace and imposing physicality could go a long way towards turning Everton’s fortunes around, and it bears semblance to a former juggernaut at the club’s disposal.

Romelu Lukaku signed for the Merseyside-based club from Chelsea in 2014 for a then-club-record fee of £28m, and the striker went on to wreak havoc upon the Premier League and Europe with his club, scoring 87 goals across 166 appearances.

In his most prolific season, he netted 25 goals and six assists from 37 league appearances with the Toffees, and Duran – hailed as a “wonderkid” by Tom Bogert – could go a long way in emulating the powerhouse.

Whether Everton succeed in their pursuit will remain to be seen, but with the front of the ship failing to steady the turbulence, someone of his ilk is certainly needed, and quickly.

Glasgow Rangers are interested in a move for Royal Antwerp defender William Pacho this month, according to reports from Belgium.

The Lowdown: Beale’s first transfer window

Michael Beale was confirmed as the Light Blues’ manager in November, so January will present him with his first opportunity to bring some of his own players to Ibrox as he begins building his long-term project at the club.

The Premiership giants already have plenty of options at centre-back, including the likes of Ben Davies and Connor Goldson, but that doesn’t appear to have stopped Beale from wanting to add further defensive reinforcements.

The Latest: Rangers eyeing Pacho

According to Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad (via Glasgow World), Rangers are ‘keen on signing’ Pacho after ‘impressing’ under Mark van Bommel this season.

The Ecuadorian has reportedly ‘emerged as a target’ for Beale, with the 21-year-old offering ‘competition’ for places, as well as a ‘path to the future’.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Ross Wilson will know that he needs to invest in the squad if he wants Rangers to seriously compete with their Glasgow arch-rivals, so wrapping up a deal for Pacho seems a no-brainer.

The Belgian Pro League star is averaging 2.6 clearances and 2.1 tackles per 90 minutes and also provides an aerial threat with his height, standing at 6 foot 3 (WhoScored).

Pacho has been dubbed a ‘fantastic signing’ for Antwerp by Jacek Kulig, and he is someone who would certainly seem able to firm up Beale’s defence should he put pen to paper at Ibrox in the coming weeks.