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Former Rangers ace Michael Ball says that Steven Gerrard deserves the trust to buy players such as Joey Veerman in the summer transfer window following the success of the Ryan Kent deal.

The Scottish champions have been heavily linked with a move to sign the Heerenveen captain this summer.

One of Veerman’s team-mates, Henk Veerman, believes that his namesake will make the move to one of the clubs interested in him, touting Rangers as a possible destination in an interview with Voetbalprimeur, as transcribed by The Daily Record.

Veerman enjoyed a superb season in the Eredivisie, scoring seven goals and laying on 10 assists from defensive midfield.

It remains to be seen if Rangers will be able to bring the 22-year-old to Scotland but Ball believes that Gerrard deserves to be backed after the success of the Kent deal.

Indeed, Kent arrived for a £7.5m fee from Liverpool, despite only making one senior appearance for the Reds, and he has gone on to become a star at Ibrox, making 128 appearances on the left wing.

Asked if the Rangers board would deliver if Gerrard said he wanted Veerman, Ball told The Transfer Tavern:“If you’d asked me that question two or three years ago I probably would have said no.

“But I feel the Ryan Kent deal, that they trusted Steven, and that was a lot of money. Rangers at that time, I don’t think many people realised Rangers had that money to get that deal done and that’s worked and that’s a big bonus for Steven and his ability to spot players.”

A big update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their interest in Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson.

What’s the talk?

According to The Independent, the Magpies are scheduled to hold talks with the player’s representatives ahead of the summer, along with Leicester and Villarreal.

Brentford and Everton are also interested in the gem and are hoping to snap him up for a fee in the region of £20m-£25m. He has one year left on his contract with the Championship club and his agency – including his father – wants him to make the step up to the Premier League next season.

Johnson can get St James’ Park rocking

PIF can get St James’ Park rocking with a deal for Johnson, as he would be an exciting addition to the Newcastle squad in the short- and long-term.

He has been in phenomenal form for Forest in the Championship this season and has shown that he has the potential to make the step up to the Premier League next term.

Ex-Forest striker Glenn Murray showered the youngster with praise earlier this season, saying: “For me, Brennan, he just looks special. He just looks a cut above and he’s destined for the top.

“Yes, he’s not getting everything right at the moment but he looks at the top-level easily. I expect a really big future from him.”

In the current Championship campaign, Johnson has produced 15 goals and 10 assists for Steve Cooper’s team. This shows that he has been able to make a big impact in the final third as he has consistently delivered with the ball at his feet, scoring and setting up goals on a regular basis.

At the age of 20, he is still in the infancy of his professional career. He is just getting started and should have plenty of scope left to grow and develop as a player. This means that he would be a sublime long-term signing for the Magpies, as they would be able to watch his improvement over time and benefit from it on the pitch as he hones his skills.

Newcastle fans will surely be buzzing with the club’s efforts to bring such a talented and promising young player to the club. St James’ Park would be rocking with excitement if PIF can get a deal over the line for the 20-year-old, and that is why the Magpies hierarchy must work hard to snap him up in the coming months.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bruno: PIF must finally launch NUFC move for “outrageous” £50m dynamo…

With everything that has happened in the last few days, Manchester City fans would be forgiven if they had forgotten that their side take on Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

Pep Guardiola’s side can take a huge step towards the title with three points at Villa Park, although if recent reports are to be believed, the result may not matter at all, as the Citizens could soon find themselves kicked out of the Premier League and maybe even stripped of their titles.

Despite this, the players must try and focus on the immediate future and earn the win against Dean Smith’s side, who will be looking to avenge their controversial loss at the Etihad earlier this season.

City fell to a 1-0 defeat in the FA Cup semi-final last time out after Guardiola made plenty of changes and it seems likely that he will rotate his squad again on Wednesday night, especially with the Carabao Cup Final to come on Sunday.

Here’s how we think Guardiola will line his side up at Villa Park, with eight changes from the side that started against Chelsea on Saturday…

After strangely being rested in the FA Cup semi-final, Ederson reclaims his place in between the sticks for this one.

There are three changes in defence, as Oleksandr Zinchenko replaces Benjamin Mendy at left-back, Kyle Walker comes in for the disappointing Joao Cancelo at right-back and John Stones resumes his partnership with Ruben Dias at centre-back, with “the best in the world” Aymeric Laporte dropping to the bench.

In midfield, Fernandinho is replaced by Ilkay Gundogan, whilst Bernardo Silva starts in the absence of the injured Kevin De Bruyne.

After disappointing displays at Wembley, both Raheem Sterling and Ferran Torres are axed by Guardiola, with the more in-form duo Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez starting at Villa Park, and they support Gabriel Jesus in attack.

And, in other news… Pep handed ideal opportunity to axe “remarkable” Man City gem, he’s been awful

Injury expert Ben Dinnery believes Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi could be out for four weeks with his current muscle problem, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Ange’s comments

Furuhashi injured his hamstring in the final game before the winter break against St Johnstone and missed Celtic’s first game back against Hibernian on Monday evening due to injury alongside Albian Ajeti, Christopher Jullien, Karamoko Dembele and David Turnbull.

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The 26-year-old, who has contributed to 21 goals in 26 games as a Hoops player, is expected to be out for at least a couple more weeks, Ange Postecoglou confirmed.

That means he is at risk of missing the Glasgow derby against Rangers on February 2, in what could be a crucial fixture at Celtic Park with Postecoglou’s side currently four points adrift at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts

Dinnery was talking to Football Insider regarding Furuhashi’s injury. This is what he had to say in reply, believing the Japan international could ultimately miss four weeks of action and urged Celtic to be cautious when it comes to a return.

“There are high re-injury and recurrence rates with these injuries.

“That first month is where we see the highest recurrence rates, so we need to be very careful.

“When you suffer a setback, typically you are looking at how long you’ve spent on the sidelines previously and then adding to that.

“He was injured in the Boxing Day fixtures and he’s just returned, so we’re talking a couple of weeks there.

“If he’s been back on the training pitches for around 10 to 14 days, the assumption is it’s a fairly low-grade tear.

“It’s really unfortunate but maybe we’re looking at that two to four week period that he might miss.

“It’s one of those injuries where it makes sense to take a little bit more time with it. The longer you take, the more likely you are to stay fit afterwards.

“Around 40 per cent of all muscle injuries are hamstring injuries. Around the winter months, we see very high prevalence because of the schedule.

“There is likely fatigue involvement, so with Kyogo, we’re looking at maybe early February before he returns.”

The Verdict: Maeda set for first Glasgow derby?

Should Dinnery’s prediction prove accurate and Furuhashi’s absence stretch to four weeks, he will miss the meeting with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

That could mean that new signing Daizen Maeda will get a first Glasgow derby start, and he proved against Hibernian he is more than up to the task when it comes to leading the line.

It took the 24-year-old just four minutes to score his first Celtic goal, and if he can continue his positive start, you’d expect him to feature ahead of Giorgos Giakoumakis and the injured Furuhashi and Ajeti against Rangers.

In other news: Transfer request submitted – Celtic handed boost as news emerges on possible 5th winter recruit. 

Alex McLeish is delighted by the news that Glasgow Rangers will be able to have a substantial amount of fans at Ibrox for their Premiership opener against Livingston.

The Lowdown: Gers to have fans at opener

Last term, as the Gers won the Premiership for the first time in 10 years, fans across the country were unable to enter grounds due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, it has now been confirmed that Ibrox will be able to host 23,000 for that clash against Livingston (The Herald).

The Latest: McLeish delighted

Speaking to Ibrox News, McLeish has shared his delight at this update. He said:

“Goodness knows how excited those fans were.

“The fact that they’re getting back in there in numbers…we know over the last year or so the lack of fans has affected some teams, in fact, a lot of teams.

“There’s nothing like hearing the roar of your fans in your own stadium and in top competitions that is also massive.

“It’s fantastic news for everybody.

“The fact they can experience crowds again, I’m sure it always gives an adrenaline rush when you hear the roar and the motivation is there to play your best.”

The Verdict: Slowly back to normality

Finally, it seems we are somewhat approaching a return to normality. While 23,000 is not even half of what Ibrox can hold, it is still a considerable step in the right direction. Everyone in Scottish football will be hoping the country can soon follow in the footsteps of England, where stadiums will be full from the start of the new campaign (Reuters).

The Gers will be looking to defend their league title this coming term, while they will also be pushing to qualify for the Champions League group stages. The 55-time Scottish champions’ fans should hopefully have plenty to shout about, therefore, and they will even be able to be there to make their voices heard.

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this article.

Liverpool’s board are intent on beginning negotiations with Fabinho over a contract extension, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Another ‘priority’ for the Reds is tying injured defender Virgil van Dijk down to a new contract.

The lowdown

Liverpool paid £43.7million to sign Fabinho from AS Monaco in 2018. He’s gone to make 117 appearances for the Reds, with 24 outings at centre-back this season amid the absences of Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip (via Transfermarkt).

The Brazilian is about to enter the final two years of his £100,000-per-week contract at Anfield.

The same can be said for Virgil van Dijk, who’s been out since October with a cruciate ligament injury.

Van Dijk will turn 30 this summer but it’s no surprise that Liverpool are keen to extend his stay, with the likes of Franco Baresi dubbing the Dutchman the best defender in the world, praise very few in football would dare disagree with.

The latest

According to Romano, the board ‘plans to open talks with Fabinho’ to see off any contract uncertainty.

He reported back in December that the 27-year-old’s next deal could put him among the top earners at the club, and a number of fans agreed that he merited that status, so those fans will be absolutely delighted with Romano’s update.

Meanwhile, extending Van Dijk’s contract has been high on their agenda since January. The centre-back is simply ‘waiting’ for Liverpool to come to the negotiating table.

Football Insider reported this week that he could be in line for a deal worth a whopping £50million and that talks will commence at the end of the season.

The verdict

It’s vital that Liverpool tie down Fabinho – he’s one of the very best defensive midfielders in the world.

It would be a risk to commit to a huge new contract for Van Dijk, given that we simply don’t know if he’ll be able to return to the top of his game when he returns from this serious injury.

But Liverpool clearly believe he’s strong enough an athlete to perform at an elite level well into his 30’s, and perhaps they are right given the way he reads the game.

Nonetheless, it seems Reds fans may have some positive news to look forward to this summer after a disappointing season.

In other news, Liverpool fans bemoaned this Thiago statistic.

A major update has emerged on Amari Miller, regarding Leeds United’s pursuit of his signature this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, Leeds are confident that they will be able to secure a deal to sign Birmingham midfielder Amari Miller on a free transfer next month.

Leeds believe that they will be able to get Miller to ditch Birmingham to move to Elland Road upon the expiry of his deal with the Championship side at the end of June.

The report claims Leeds’ Premier League rivals Everton have also been interested in the youngster, who Birmingham have been attempted to pin down to an extended contract.

Earlier this year, Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer lavished praise on the “fearless” youngster. Bowyer lauded his personality off the pitch as well as his quality on it, predicting that he will become a good player. He told Birmingham Live:

“[He adds] Goals, assists, pace, something that we probably lack a bit is pace. He’s at that age where he is fearless. When he came on against Stoke, he got himself into an area and wasn’t afraid to go at the defender.”

“I think he will be a good player. He just needs to keep working hard. Hopefully, this taste that he’s having will drive him on for next season,” Bowyer said.

“I like him as a person, his manners and he’s respectful. The senior players love him as well. He’s going to make mistakes, but he keeps going. He’s fitted into the group well.”

Bielsa would love him

Victor Orta could strike gold with a swoop for Miller this summer. Not every signing has to be made with the next season in mind and Miller could be a player who has the potential to become a key player for Leeds in the future, rather than making an immediate impact in the Premier League.

At the age of 18, he still has an entire career ahead of him and Leeds can afford to take their time with his development at the club.

This means that he could be a player Bielsa is able to work closely with over a number of years, providing the Argentine boss remains at Elland Road in the long term. As Bowyer said earlier this year, Miller has the quality to become an impressive player and the attitude to make his way to the top, which Bielsa would love as it suggests the teenager is willing to learn and ready to do what it takes to improve himself.

Miller has already made five Championship appearances for Birmingham despite his young age. Given that he has already been exposed to first-team football, he could be a player Leeds sign and then loan back out to the Championship or another league where they feel he could play regular football and continue his development.

Bielsa could then monitor his progress and keep in touch with the youngster ahead of potentially bringing him into the first-team at Leeds in the future.

AND in other news, Promising update emerges on £13m Leeds-linked dynamo that will leave Bielsa buzzing…

Wolverhampton Wanderers are planning to make a bid for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey in January, according to Friday’s edition of Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Birmingham Mail). 

The lowdown

The 30-year-old has been limited to 97 minutes of Serie A action since the start of the season and finds himself behind Manuel Locatelli, Rodrigo Bentancur, Adrien Rabiot and Weston McKennie in the pecking order in Turin.

When he joined the Old Lady in 2019, it was reported that his contract was worth as much as £400,000 per week. That’s four times more than Wolves’ current top earner Joao Moutinho. With that deal not due to expire until June 2023, Ramsey is valued at £12.6m by Transfermarkt.

The latest

As per Corriere dello Sport (via Birmingham Mail), Wolves apparently wanted to sign Ramsey during the summer transfer window and will revisit the potential deal when January rolls around.

They are readying an offer for the 30-year-old but could face competition from the likes of Everton and West Ham United.

The verdict

The centre of the Wolves midfield could do with investment – they’re a little light on depth and Moutinho has just turned 35 – but this would probably be too great a risk.

Even if he agrees to take a massive pay cut, you’d expect Ramsey to still be the highest earner at Molineux. Also, when you consider his unrelenting injuries, you can easily see how the deal might backfire.

If Wolves want to beef up their central midfield options, they should look elsewhere.

In other news, some Wolves fans don’t want this loanee to return

An update has emerged on Milan midfielder Franck Kessie, regarding Tottenham’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Dean Jones of EuroSport, Tottenham hold a strong interest in AC Milan central midfielder Franck Kessie and are exploring the possibility of bringing him to the club this summer. Fabio Paratici wants to improve Nuno Santo’s squad and is eyeing the midfield as an area of concern.

The report claims that Kessie could be available as he has failed to agree to fresh terms with Milan and his contract expires at the end of next season. Tottenham will make an offer if they receive encouragement from the player that a deal can be done.

Nuno needs him

Paratici must do all he can in order to seal a deal for Kessie in the coming weeks. Spurs have an exceptional opportunity to swoop for a player of his quality due to his contract situation, with just under 12 months left to run on his current deal.

Milan may need to cash in on him now or risk losing him on a free transfer next year, with Spurs, or any other club being able to agree a pre-contract agreement with him in the January transfer window. Therefore, Tottenham could end up being able to land a bargain for the Ivorian enforcer as Milan may need to lower their valuation in order to adjust for his contract dilemma, with clubs knowing that they can sign him for nothing if they bide their time.

Santo needs him in his squad next season and that is why Paratici must get a transfer over the line. Kessie averaged an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.15 in the Serie A last season and earned praise from former Italy international Antonio Cassano. He hailed the midfielder as “devastating” earlier this year, admitting that he has many impressive qualities.

Speaking to BoboTV, as transcribed by Milan Live:

“I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he is intelligent. I’m watching him carefully, against Roma, he was devastating.”

The £74k-per-week powerhouse managed 13 goals and four assists for Milan in the Serie A, whilst also averaging 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game. This shows that he is a talented box-to-box midfield and that is the type of player Santo is missing from his squad. Tanguy Ndombele was Tottenham’s top-scoring midfield last term with four goals, whilst Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg only managed three.

Kessie is a much-needed signing for the club as they need to bolster their midfield ranks. He could add an additional goal threat from deep and provide the likes of Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane with the support they were lacking from their teammates last season.

AND in other news, Spurs have opened talks to sign “outstanding” £16.2m-rated beast, he’s a big upgrade…

Dean Windass is confident that West Ham will sign Jesse Lingard before the transfer window closes later this month.

Lingard has been linked with a return to the London Stadium following his memorable loan spell during the second half of last season, with The Athletic claiming last month that he would cost £30m.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has previously said that Lingard is part of his plans for the current season despite the array of attacking players at his disposal.

Lingard featured heavily in pre-season, but a positive COVID-19 test saw him miss out on being involved in United’s opening-day victory over Leeds.

He was back in the frame at Southampton on Sunday – and made his first Premier League appearance for the Red Devils since the final day of the 2019-2020 campaign.

But Lingard played only the final five minutes, which suggests he’s some way down the pecking order, with both Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford to come back into the fold.

West Ham first-team coach Stuart Pearce recently told talkSPORT that West Ham are still interested in signing him, and Windass exclusively told FFC that he will return to east London:

“I think West Ham will do that. I just can’t see him being at Manchester United with Sancho coming in now, and you’ve still got Martial and Dan James.”