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With a price tag of £54m, Naby Keita is currently the third most expensive player Liverpool have signed behind Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker.

However, the midfielder’s time at the Merseyside club has not been a particularly smooth ride as of yet, with many injury issues damaging his playing time with the Reds.

Since arriving from German club RB Leipzig back in the 2018 summer transfer window, Keita, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £120k-per-week according to Spotrac, has made a total of 82 appearances for the Reds across all competitions. During his time in Merseyside, he has managed to chip in with eight goals and four assists.

In terms of his transfer value, Transfermarkt had his market value listed at £58.5m back in December 2018 but since then, it has dropped dramatically. Now it stands at £28.8m, which proves how disappointing the majority of his time at Anfield has been. It also suggests that the decision to lure him to Liverpool was a poor one from Michael Edwards.

Moving forward, it seems as though the key to unlocking Keita’s potential and getting the best out of him is if he could stay fit for a consistent period of time and gets the chance to play to show why Liverpool chose to splash such a significant amount of cash to bring him to the club.

Until that happens, it seems unlikely, in our view that his market value will be getting anywhere near where it was when he originally left Leipzig to join Liverpool. However, everyone at the Merseyside club will undoubtedly be more concerned over his fitness and playing time rather than his market value.

Given how Liverpool currently have Thiago Alcantara and Harvey Elliott out injured, we feel that this is one of the times where they could do with having Keita fit and available consistently to give Klopp an extra option in midfield.

That, however, seems farfetched. A big reason behind his decrease in value is his fitness issues. Since moving to Englan,d the Guinea international has had 14 different spells on the sidelines, missing 54 matches as a consequence.

Looking ahead to the future, with the midfielder’s current contract at Liverpool set to expire in 2023, it would be intriguing to see whether the club would be willing to offer him a new deal. In our view, if he keeps missing games through injury, the club should consider letting him go if they can’t rely on him.

In other news: FSG currently face one of their biggest Liverpool dilemmas, they must act soon – opinion 

When Scott Robertson made his Celtic debut all the way back in 2019, it looked as though it would be the first taste of a glittering career at Parkhead.

However, in classic circumstances, Robertson has only had one bite of the cherry in the senior team and hasn’t been deemed good enough yet for a proper breakthrough.

The list is countless, especially in recent years. Neil Lennon didn’t hand sufficient chances to the likes of Karamoko Dembele, Cameron Harper or Luca Connell either.

Harper has left and Dembele’s contract expires next summer with an extension still unlikely.

Connell did at least enjoy a loan spell at Queen’s Park last term where he helped them achieve promotion but Robertson is another to benefit from the loan system.

He spent last season at Gillingham and has now moved to Crewe in League One.

His first performance was wonderful as he shone in the middle of the park for David Artell’s team.

During a 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury last weekend, Robertson was all-action in the middle of the park, supplying three key passes and winning eight of the nine defensive duels he competed in.

On top of that, the 20-year-old was fouled five times as Crewe’s opponents struggled to contain his dynamism.

It’s not entirely how the midfielder would have expected his career to go after making his debut against Cluj in the Europa League two years ago.

However, there is no shame in being loaned out to the third tier of English football; just ask current club captain Callum McGregor.

He spent a year with Notts County in 2013/14 and has since gone on to become a stalwart of the Hoops team.

What’s so vital to McGregor’s tale is that he plays in a very similar way to Robertson.

They are not afraid of the physical side of the game and they are also both immensely creative. Speaking about his own game last year, the academy graduate commented: “I like being the deepest in midfield getting on the ball and dictating the game.

“But I’ve got no problem going a bit further forward as a No 8 rather than a No 6, because I think I’m not bad when I get closer to the goal as well.”

The number 6 role has become synonymous with McGregor at Paradise. He wins turnovers, dictates the game and then acts as the supply line for the exciting forward players at Ange Postecoglou’s disposal.

Pivotally, he also looks a player above his age bracket. Gills boss, Steve Evans, said during the youngster’s loan spell: “He is a player. He is a kid in a man’s body and I am pleased we got him. I am not going to build him up to what he is not; he is a young player who has come from a great club and he has got great potential.”

Adding to that, a Celtic source told The Athletic: “His technical ability and tactical side of the game are already there, and he’s developed a lot physically over the last few years.”

There are plenty of parallels between him and McGregor. They’ve spent time in England but importantly, their game is similar.

The skipper registered 1.6 key passes per match in the Premiership last season while amassing 1.4 tackles per game this term.

Of course, McGregor is now a fully-fledged international so Robertson has plenty to live up to.

First and foremost, he must make an impression on Postecoglou and earn another chance in the first team.

AND in other news, Ange could discover Celtic’s new Christie by signing £6.3m-rated “top player” in Jan…

Southampton fans were livid with the performance of Mohamed Elyounoussi during the Saints’ 1-0 defeat to Wolves on Sunday.

Saints have not had the best start to the 2021/22 campaign at all. So far, they have won just one match during the 90 minutes in all competitions, an 8-0 victory over Newport County in the League Cup, and have drawn four and lost two of their six Premier League games to date (Sky Sports).

The latest match was a 1-0 loss to Wolves, who won the match thanks to a Raul Jimenez goal.

On the day, £10.8m-valued Elyounossi (Transfermarkt) did not put in a great display at all, losing possession a huge 23 times against the Old Gold (SofaScore), so it’s no surprise the supporters were not happy with what they saw from the Norway international.

He did bag a hat-trick against Newport, but he needs to do it regularly in the league, it seems, to win over the fans after a loan spell away.

Supporters took to social media platform in their droves to share their thoughts on the former Celtic loanee.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Elyounoussi below

“Elyounoussi has been absolutely terrible. How is he still on?”

Credit: @ImmortalMachine

“Elyounoussi has been absolutely horrendous today”

Credit: @IWSaint1

“Elyounoussi is disappointing in the midfield, He just passes the ball without seeing around and runs forward ,No Accuracy …He should have been taken off in place of Redmond”

Credit: @balumahendra_v

“Facts. Djenepo, Redmond, Elyounoussi so wasteful.”

Credit: @MizButNotPriv

“Well maybe he should try playing more than 1 up front and we may score a goal. Also constantly picking Redmond and Elyounoussi is just gifting the opposition a clean sheet. Both very very poor players when Tella is on the bench. Also, Long coming on, that’s abysmal!!”

Credit: @newington13

“That was garbage today. Adams and Armstrong get a lot of stick but having a player like Saint Maximan or Sarr, the likes our rivals have would make a huge difference to the amount of chances they get. Redmond and Elyounoussi is just a bag of nothing”

Credit: @EdBakerYes

In other news, Southampton fans react to this claim.

With Slavisa Jokanovic seeing his Sheffield United side get off to something of a slow start to their 2021/22 Championship campaign, having picked up just one point in their opening two league fixtures, the 53-year-old will be desperately hoping his Blades side can secure their first three points of the season on Wednesday evening.

However, fixtures will not come much more difficult this season than an away trip to West Bromwich Albion, with Valerien Ismael’s side looking to be scoring Championship goals for fun at present, having bagged five in their opening two fixtures.

As such, while United have not exactly been leaking goals, Jokanovic’s defence must nevertheless be at the very top of their game at The Hawthorns to ensure that their side have any hope of leaving West Bromwich with a positive result.

And, having recently secured the loan signing of Liverpool centre-back Ben Davies, a player whom the Serbian manager has already revealed will be part of his squad that makes the trip to West Midlands, it would very much seem as if Jokanovic could be in possession of a player who has the ability to be something of a game-changer the United backline.

Davies must start

While it is well known that, following his move from Preston North End to Anfield earlier this year, Davies failed to make a single appearance for Jurgen Klopp’s side, the defender nevertheless proved during his time with the Lilywhites that he is an extremely capable player in the second tier of English football.

Indeed, over his 19 Championship appearances last season, the £2.7m-rated man helped his side keep six clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.2 tackles, 4.3 clearances and winning 4.9 duels per game.

These returns saw the player Klopp dubbed a “leader” earn a highly impressive average SofaScore match rating of 6.99, ranking him as Preston’s second-best player in the league.

And, despite being only the third fixture of the Championship season, a positive result against one of Sheffield United’s main promotion rivals on Wednesday is extremely important for Jokanovic to achieve, as a win would send a real message to the rest of the competition that the Blades are indeed one of the contenders in the second tier.

As such, it would appear highly advisable for the 53-year-old to unleash Davies against West Brom, as the 26-year-old undoubtedly has the ability to help shore up the Blades defence against what is likely to be one of the most impressive attacking lineups in the Championship this season.

In other news: Bye Ramsdale: Jokanovic must sanction Sheff Utd swoop for “incredible” £14k-p/w beast

The transfer window is now just days away from closing but it’s expected to be a busy period for Wolves and Bruno Lage.

The Portuguese manager hasn’t been able to bring too many new players to Molineux and the Old Gold now face a race against time to complete their business.

What’s the word?

One area of the squad that Wolves seem intent on improving before the market slams shut next Tuesday is a centre-half.

In recent days they’ve been linked with a plethora of central defenders including Lille’s Sven Botman and Marseille’s Duje Caleta-Car.

However, there is a fresh face on their radar in the shape of Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo.

That’s according to Football League World who state that Wolves have approached the Championship side in a bid to lure him away from Craven Cottage.

Adarabioyo had a £10m release clause which expired last summer so the Midlands outfit can expect to pay more than that to get their man.

Lage needs him

With limited options in the centre of defence and Romain Saiss appearing to be an expendable asset in the squad, signing a player like Adarabioyo makes sense.

He was part of a Fulham side that got relegated last term but the English defender possesses rare traits that could prove game-changing at Molineux.

For starters, the 23-year-old stands at a colossal height of 6 foot 5, meaning he is a dominant force in the air.

Last season, Adarabioyo won 2.5 aerial battles per game, a tally that was fractionally down on his career average of 2.8 per match.

Immediately we can see why that would help Wolves. In 2020/21, only Willy Boly, Leander Dendoncker and Saiss managed more.

Meanwhile, the Fulham centre-back’s career average is actually better than the latter’s.

On top of that, he is excellent when it comes to playing out from the back. Although tall and gangly, Adarabioyo has a sense of grace to his game. He completed 86.2% of his passes last season and has improved on that in 2021/22, making 91.7%.

A glistening review from Pep Guardiola also lays claim to his wonderful ability. During his time with Man City, the Spaniard called him “exceptional”.

A loan spell with Blackburn Rovers also gave him acclaim. Former teammate Darragh Lenihan once said: “He’s brilliant. His distribution is excellent, he’s quick, he’s big, he has all the attributes. I’ve said to him that he has all the attributes to play for Manchester City in my opinion.”

Of course, his time at the Etihad didn’t work out but he’d surely suit a side like Wolves. At the age of 23, he still has his best years ahead of him.

AND in other news, Tim Spiers delivers three-word Wolves transfer update, fans must be excited…

Former Manchester City player Michael Ball believes that manager Pep Guardiola could improve Harry Kane. 

The Tottenham striker has been linked with a summer move to the Etihad Stadium, with journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting that Spurs turned down a £100m bid earlier in the summer, insisting they want to keep Kane at the club.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola told the media [via Simon Stone] that: “He is a Tottenham player. If Tottenham don’t want to negotiate, it is finished. If they want to negotiate, many clubs would like to sign him, we are not an exception. We are very interested in him.”

Harry Kane published a statement on his own Twitter account on Friday, explaining that he will be returning to Tottenham on Saturday as planned and that he hasn’t refused to train, and never would.

But with the speculation linking him to Manchester City, Ball believes Pep Guardiola could improve the striker, exclusively telling the Transfer Tavern: “Harry Kane, you’d love to see him at Manchester City teaming up with De Bruyne and the other guys, I think Pep would bring Harry Kane’s game on as well, like he did with Aguero.”

Kane has been an unbelievable player for Tottenham, scoring three occasions, finishing with 25 goals in the 2015/2016 season, 29 goals in 2016/2017 and 23 goals last term.

The Cityzens have already strengthened their star-studded squad ahead of 2021/2022, completeing the signing of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for £100m, but Pep Guardiola’s very public admission that he is indeed interested in Kane’s services suggests he may be prepared to cheque book out again before the transfer window closes.

Newly-promoted Norwich City should bolster their attacking options by signing free agent Andy Carroll, according to Steve Howey.

Carroll is still without a club after leaving Newcastle United when his contract expired at the end of June.

However, the frontman boasts 54 Premier League goals in 248 appearances for the Magpies, West Ham United and Liverpool.

With Callum Wilson being Newcastle boss Steve Bruce’s first-choice striker following his big-money move from Bournemouth, Carroll was restricted to just four top flight starts last season.

The 32-year-old only found the back of the net once, in a 2-1 home defeat to Leicester City, but former Newcastle defender Howey believes he would enjoy more success by linking up with Daniel Farke at Norwich.

The Canaries are back in the Premier League after clinching the Championship title last term.

But Howey insists Norwich cannot rely on leading frontman Teemu Pukki, who scored 11 Premier League goals in the club’s doomed 2019/20 campaign, to fire the newly-promoted outfit to safety single-handedly.

He believes Finland international Pukki and Carroll could strike up a fruitful partnership.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Howey said: “I think Carroll could fit into most teams. Because he’s such a presence and defenders are worried about him, he takes up two defenders. That could free room up for Pukki if he went to Norwich.

“I don’t think signing him would be a big risk, particularly if he was going to be on a contract where it’s pay-as-you-play.”

West Bromwich Albion have approached former Liverpool goalkeeper Andy Lonergan over a potential return to the Hawthorns [The Athletic].

The Lowdown: West Brom build ahead of 2021/22

Looking for a fresh start after unfortunately suffering relegation last term, newly appointed Baggies manager Valerien Ismael will be keen to acquire the personnel necessary to initiate a 2021/22 promotion bid.

Making strides in terms of recruitment, the Frenchman has sanctioned moves for free agent Alex Mowatt alongside Brighton and Hove Albion centre-back Matt Clarke [Transfermarkt].

However, West Brom could be about to take the unusual step of releasing and then re-signing a former player owing to recent reports.

The Latest: West Brom approach Lonergan over return to the Hawthorns

Searching for a third-choice goalkeeper, the West Midlands outfit have seemingly turned back to Lonergan to fill the position [The Athletic].

Of course, the 37-year-old is no stranger to the Hawthorns faithful, having spent the second half of 2020/21 on the books of the Baggies before subsequently being released earlier in the window.

Nevertheless, he may now be drafted in to bridge gaps within the West Brom goalkeeping department, in order to allow youngster Josh Griffiths to be farmed out on loan to the EFL to gain experience [Manchester Evening News].

The Verdict: Lonergan return would be sensible move by the Baggies

Low risk to say the least, bringing Lonergan back to the club would be a sensible and presumably inexpensive move for the Sky Bet Championship side.

Having plied his trade at no fewer than 14 clubs across his career, the former England Under-20’s international picked up a Premier League winners medal at Liverpool during his brief stint on Merseyside, but is no stranger to playing a support role.

All in, the Preston-born keeper has completed 409 appearances throughout his time in football, keeping 92 clean sheets [Transfermarkt].

Likely to pass on some of his expertise to younger figures at the club should a deal be formalised, West Brom could do a lot worse than to re-hire Lonergan for another campaign.

In other news, a West Bromwich Albion ace is linked with a Premier League giant.

Football.London journalist Sam Inkersole believes that West Ham United should consider a swoop for Roman Yaremchuk this summer as they look to strengthen their forward line, with Eurosport reporting earlier this month that they were considering a bid.

The Hammers have made just one permanent signing this summer, bringing in Craig Dawson on a permanent deal after his initial loan move from Watford last season.

The season kicks off in just three weeks, and the Hammers will also be playing Europa League football after their sixth-placed finish last term.

Moyes’ side will surely be keen to bring a striker into the club this summer, given that Michail Antonio is their only current senior forward.

6 ft 3 Yaremchuk currently plays for KAA Gent in Belgium and impressed at Euro 2020, scoring twice for Ukraine as they reached the quarter-finals, where they were ultimately beaten by England.

Last season, the 25-year-old scored 17 goals and laid on six assists in 28 league games, and he is valued at £15.75m by Transfermarkt.

Inkersole previously covered the Irons for Football.London before moving on to cover Chelsea, and he believes that a swoop for Yaremchuk would be ideal for David Moyes’ side, though he wonders if they would prefer a deal to bring in an experienced Premier League striker.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “I really like the look of Yaremchuk from Ukraine, I thought he played very well at the Euros. England did a good job on him in that quarter-final but he did get a couple of decent opportunities, Pickford made one good save from him.

“It’s a gamble because he’s not played in the Premier League.”

Graham Roberts has backed Dele Alli to snub potential moves away and return to the form he showed in his early days at Tottenham Hotspur.

Alli fell out of favour under previous boss Jose Mourinho and made just 29 appearances in all competitions last season.

However, the midfielder has come out and insisted he blames himself for failing to nail down a place in Mourinho’s preferred starting line-up ahead of his sacking in April.

A lack of competitive minutes resulted in the 25-year-old missing out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2020.

Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed as Spurs’ new head coach last week and, speaking to Football FanCast, former Hull City striker Dean Windass backed Alli to move onto pastures new by linking up with Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

The north Londoners may be interested in getting Alli’s £100,000-per-week wages off the books but Spurs legend Roberts, who won the UEFA Cup and FA Cup during his playing days, feels the ex-Milton Keynes Dons man will thrive under Nuno.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Roberts said: “I think Dele Alli will fit in. You can’t forget what Dele Alli has done in the last five years.

“I think, last year, the manager didn’t help him. He had a manager who didn’t trust him because he didn’t train well. I’ve seen hundreds of people not train well but be the best player on the pitch.

“For me, if you’re going to play attacking football, you need Dele Alli in the team. By all accounts, he has been working really hard throughout the summer.”