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According to the BBC, Chelsea have been handed a transfer ban for the next two transfer windows by FIFA, following a breach in regulations regarding the transfers of young players.

Apparently, of the 92 deals investigated, the Blues were found guilty of having broken rules in 29 cases. The west London club have also been hit with a £460,000 fine, whilst the FA have been charged £390,000 for their role in the issue.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

The Stamford Bridge club have said that they’ll appeal the ban, but in case their pleas fail, Maurizio Sarri must now begin planning for life at Chelsea with only the players he already has.

This news comes as a major blow to Chelsea, who have an ageing squad and appeared to be on the precipice of a major rebuild with the Italian coach in charge.

However, for Chelsea’s London rivals, including West Ham United, the situation is rather more palatable. Since the announcement, plenty of Hammers fans have taken to Twitter to indulge in some schadenfreude…

Rangers have arguably their biggest Premiership game of the season ahead of them tomorrow as the latest Old Firm derby is set to take place at Ibrox.

As things stand, the Gers are currently three points behind their Glasgow arch-rivals at the top of the league table, making victory imperative if they are to strengthen their hopes of retaining the title.

The Ibrox outfit were dealt an injury blow after Giovanni van Bronckhorst revealed that they will be without Alfredo Morelos for the next few weeks as a result of a thigh injury he picked up while on international duty with Colombia.

In addition to this direct blow, it seems as though the Dutchman and his side have been dealt another big setback ahead of tomorrow’s clash.

However, rather than it being an injury issue with one of their players, it seems to be the fitness of one of Celtic’s key players which could land a blow on Rangers’ chances of securing a much-needed victory.

What’s the news?

After being out of action since December with a hamstring injury, Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi will be available to feature in Sunday’s clash according to Ange Postecoglou.

Taking into account how the Japan international has scored 16 goals and provided five assists in 26 appearances for the Hoops since his arrival from Vissel Kobe last stummer, it’s safe to say that the attacker has been a solid addition to Celtic’s ranks and a real attacking threat for them, much to the annoyance of Rangers fans.

Also, to further highlight the 27-year-old’s attacking talent, he currently has the third-highest shot-on-target average (54.8%) out of any player in the Premiership this season, showing how deadly he is in front of goal.

Therefore, having him back available for selection will surely be a massive boost for the Hoops and a big blow for the Gers, especially if he is able to get on the pitch and on the scoresheet.

Moving forward, Rangers will have to accept this bad news and make sure they do enough to snuff out the Japanese forward and Celtic’s other attacking players to make sure their arch-rivals don’t open a six-point gap at the top of the table.

In other news – McLeish howler: Rangers had a nightmare on “outstanding” 362-goal “special player”

Newcastle United ‘aren’t giving up’ hope of signing Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard, The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder writes, revealing Eddie Howe is a huge admirer.

The lowdown

Newcastle’s efforts to sign Lingard during the January transfer window continued until Deadline Day.

They offered to pay a fee to take him on loan in addition to covering the entirety of the player’s £75,000-per-week salary.

But Manchester United’s board blocked the move, even after interim manager Ralf Rangnick had given Lingard permission to leave, and that left the player ‘extremely disappointed’.

But The Red Devils may be powerless to stop him leaving at the end of the season, when his contract is due to expire.

The latest

Ryder sets out ‘Howe’s stance’ on Twitter and in his article for The Chronicle, as the manager said: “Jesse Lingard is a player I have always admired.”

He says Howe has indicated that Newcastle ‘will be in the hunt’ once again come the summer.

If the Magpies survive and Lingard decides to run down his contract, ‘he could be an intriguing free transfer’.

The verdict

Lingard on a free would be a superb bit of business. He showed on loan at West Ham last season, where he scored nine goals and provided five assists in 16 appearances, that he can be explosive in the right environment. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer even called him ‘brilliant’ after that temporary stint.

What’s more, in Transfermarkt’s estimation, he’s an £18million player, so to get him for nothing would be an incredible coup.

The problem for Newcastle, of course, is that they may not be the only club in the running.

Indeed, as recently as last Sunday, sports journalist Pete O’Rourke told Give Me Sport that the Hammers would ‘definitely’ be in the mix for the signing.

If, as you’d expect, Lingard looks back fondly on his time in London, they may have a key advantage.

In other news, Liam Kennedy reacts to ‘big’ news coming out of SJP.

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is available for his side’s huge Premier League clash with Manchester City, journalist David Lynch has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Biggest game of the season

The Reds take part in one of the biggest games in Premier League history on Sunday afternoon, heading to the Etihad for a top-of-the-table clash.

Just one point separates City and Liverpool currently and Jurgen Klopp’s side know that victory will put them in pole position to win a second title in three seasons.

Fabinho picked up a head injury in Tuesday’s 3-1 win at Benfica in the Champions League, leading to concern over his involvement in the weekend action.

The Latest: Fabinho passed fit

Lynch has allayed those fears, however, confirming in an article for Anfield Watch that the Brazilian is fit for selection:

“It was still feared that Fabinho might fall foul of concussion protocols subject to further examination. However, it is understood that the Brazilian ultimately did not require further treatment, other than to the minor cut he sustained.

“And, with the club’s medical staff confident a concussion was avoided, he has been given the all clear to train ahead of this weekend’s trip to the Etihad Stadium.”

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The Verdict: Vital news for Liverpool

This is an enormous boost for Liverpool, with Fabinho arguably the world’s best defensive midfielder currently, averaging 1.6 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the league this season and being hailed as ‘world-class’ by Thiago.

His presence in front of the defence is absolutely vital, with his influence in the spine of the team almost as big as Alisson’s in goal or Virgil van Dijk’s at centre-back – Klopp doesn’t have another natural number six to call on.

Fabinho is a shoo-in to start on Sunday and he will have a massive job on his hands extinguishing the threat of the many creative players City boast in central areas, from Bernardo Silva to Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.

In other news, Liverpool are eyeing up a move for a defender this summer. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard previously claimed that the current crop of players in his squad are fighting for their futures at the Midlands club.

With the upcoming summer transfer window on the horizon, the Villans have shown in the past just how proactive they can be in the market when it comes to moving players in and out of the club.

Looking ahead to the summer, one figure that Gerrard may want to have in his side going forward should any of his current players fail to secure their future at Villa Park is Joe Aribo.

Having been mentioned with a move to the Midlands club during the previous January transfer window, the midfielder remained at Rangers instead of following his former manager to the Premier League.

One issue that the Villans have had at times this season is their ability to find the back of the net.

With four defeats on the bounce in their four previous league games, the Villa Park outfit have only scored two goals, conceding nine in the process.

Taking into account how Aribo has racked up a total of 25 goals and 25 assists in 141 appearances for the Scottish club across all competitions, this highlights just how capable he is of not only scoring goals but providing goals for his teammates.

Labelled as being “unplayable” by journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, the 25-year-old has racked up an average of 1.9 key passes per game in the SPFL this season, the joint-third highest of any player in Rangers’ squad.

This is also higher than any Villa player has managed to total in their latest Premier League campaign.

With an overall performance rating of 7.29/10 from WhoScored, the midfielder is currently the third-highest rated player in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side, which would make him the highest-rated player at Villa by the same metric.

The £45k-per-week midfielder has also shown his playmaking talents in the Europa League as well by delivering three assists in 12 appearances.

Moving forward, with the summer window in mind, Johan Lange should definitely consider launching a move for the Nigerian, who Gerrard would surely love to have at his disposal again.

However, with previous reports claiming that fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace are eyeing up a £10m move for the midfield talent this summer, the Villans may have to be ruthless if they want to reunite Aribo with his former manager.

In other news: Forget Young: Gerrard must finally unleash Aston Villa’s £2.5k-p/w “mini Gareth Barry”  

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Espanyol and Spain striker Raul de Tomas, as are a couple of other Premier League teams.

The Lowdown: De Tomas impressing in Spain

The 27-year-old is enjoying a hugely impressive season in his homeland, scoring 12 goals in just 21 La Liga appearances for Espanyol.

De Tomas also won his maiden international cap for Spain back in November, as his career has really turned up a gear this term.

It looks as though the Spaniard could potentially be off to the Premier League, too, if a new rumour is to be believed.

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The Latest: Leeds linked with move

According to AS, Leeds are set to do battle with Arsenal and West Ham for the signature of the Espanyol man, whose current deal doesn’t expire until 2026.

The Gunners have identified him as an alternative to Dusan Vlahovic, while Leicester City are also mentioned as possible suitors.

It is stated that Espanyol don’t want to sell him for anything under €70million (£58.76m), though, so we would surely need to see that price come down if Victor Orta is to strike a deal.

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The Verdict: Too expensive?

De Tomas’ ruthless form this season means he could be exactly what Leeds are after, in terms of providing stiff competition for Patrick Bamford.

The Englishman is the only real out and out goalscorer in the squad, meaning there is huge pressure on his shoulders and a gaping void to fill when he is not fit.

That being said, there is little to no chance that the Whites would pay the amount allegedly being demanded for De Tomas –  Rodrigo is the club’s record signing at £27million.

Cheaper alternatives must instead be looked at by Orta, with a summer addition more likely than January reinforcements, due to financial issues.

In other news, Phil Hay has provided a key Leeds transfer update. Read more here.

Leeds United have been handed a double boost ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent Joe Donnohue report for the Yorkshire Evening Post, in which the journalist reveals that both Nathan Ferguson and Luka Milivojevic are major doubts for the visit of Leeds on Monday evening, as the duo are still yet to recover from injuries sustained earlier this month.

In his report, Donnohue writes: “Nathan Ferguson and Luka Milivojevic are not expected to feature against Jesse Marsch’s side as both are struggling with injuries picked up this month.”

Huge boost

While it is true that neither Ferguson nor Milivojevic have exactly been first-team regulars under Patrick Vieira so far this season – largely as a result of injury – the news that the pair look unlikely to feature once again on Monday evening will nevertheless come as a huge boost to Jesse Marsch and his Leeds United side.

Indeed, following his 2020 move from West Bromwich Albion to Selhurst Park, versatile right-back Ferguson has had something of a torrid time with injury, so far making just one senior appearance over his near two-year stay in south London.

And, speaking after this single outing – a 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in December last year – Joel Ward praised the 21-year-old’s work ethic in his recovery from injury:

“You have to appreciate it. It’s a testament to his character and the way in which he has picked himself up after each setback. They are only setbacks, and they are only speed bumps, and unfortunately in life, we come across those.

“As a man, he has taken them on his shoulders to make sure that he has put himself in the right position and have the right people around him. His work ethic to make sure that he is right, ready to go, and to come back, is spot on. We all want to see him be back out on the pitch and doing what he does.”

Meanwhile, club captain Milivojevic has been in and out of Vieira’s XI over the course of the current campaign, making 13 appearances in the Premier League, over which he has averaged a respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.79.

Additionally, with Michael Olise looking as if he too will be watching on from the sidelines on Monday evening – after the winger picked up a foot injury in the Eagles’ 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United in midweek – the news of Ferguson’s and Milivojevic’s continued absence will undoubtedly provide a huge boost to Leeds United’s chances of returning to Elland Road with all three points.

And, with the Whites currently sitting just five points above the relegation zone with six fixtures left to play, these marginal gains could well prove to be the difference between the club playing Premier League or Championship football next season.

AND in other news: Orta given green light for “superb” £8.5m-rated signing, it’d be a huge coup for Leeds

Everton will host Brentford in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday afternoon, with Frank Lampard leading his first game in front of the home fans and will be hoping that he can make a good first impression by securing progression in the domestic competition.

The ex-Chelsea boss will have his first opportunity to pick a team and a formation that is going to change the fate that Everton have faced so far, with a series of bad performances leading the side to a poor season in the league.

However, a good FA cup run could be a real positive start for Lampard if he can complete the challenge in getting a victory over Brentford this afternoon.

Both the signings that were made in the January transfer window by Lampard on Deadline Day won’t be available to start in the side today. Donny Van de Beek and Dele Alli are unfortunately cup tied, so we will have to wait until the Toffees return to action in the Premier League on Tuesday to see them make their debut.

One player who could get their chance today is Nathan Patterson, he was signed by Rafa Benitez in early January but has failed to be picked for the first team since his arrival.

The 20 year old was spotted in the new manager’s initial training sessions this week, and with Lampard well known for developing youth and giving chances to young prospects, this could be the perfect opportunity for him to make a good impression on the legendary midfielder turned manager.

With that being said, Lampard must drop Jonjoe Kenny from the side in this important FA Cup clash against Brentford, whilst considering his other options going forward, with the right back not being able to make a positive impact in defence when he has played this season for the Toffees.

The 24 year old, who was hailed “aggressive” by Jamie Carragher, has only made seven appearances for Everton this season and despite being offensively effective bagging two assists, has been poor in his defensive play, losing possession at least 10 times on average every game and picking up no clean sheets when he has played in the back line in the Premier League according to SofaScore.

Ultimately, axing the £15k-p/w dud in the upcoming game gives Patterson the chances to shine and make a positive impact on the team, giving Lampard the opportunity to see if the Scottish youngster has what it takes to play in the side, and potentially giving him more options in the position over the remaining months of the season.

In other news: Richarlison must step up after Calvert-Lewin injury

Leeds United’s hopes of signing RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson at all now appear to be slim, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Aaronson strongly linked

The Whites looked like having a chance of acquiring the 21-year-old’s signature earlier in the month, with numerous reports linking him with a move.

Aaronson has already matured into a key player for club and country, starting all six Champions League games for Salzburg this season, along with winning 15 caps for the USA.

However, it now appears as though Leeds’ hopes of signing the midfielder are bleak.

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The Latest: Move dead in the water?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed the transfer is unlikely to happen in January or the summer, claiming that it has become a complex situation. He revealed:

“They might be able to resurrect it in the summer but, even then, it does actually sound a bit more complicated than I originally realised.

“I’m afraid, as much as they like Aaronson and as much as he would be a great fit for them, it’s just not going to happen.”

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The Verdict: Real shame for Leeds

This is an undoubted blow for Leeds, who genuinely looked as though they would sign Aaronson at one point in the January transfer window.

At 21, he would have been a tremendous long-term addition who’s already capable of making an impact straight away given his Champions League experience, giving the Whites’ midfield an injection of youth and quality.

Instead, it looks as though Marcelo Bielsa will have to eye up alternative targets in the summer, especially if Kalvin Phillips decides to move on.

In other news, Leeds have reportedly made an approach for one player. Find out who it is here.

West Bromwich Albion are interested in a deal to bring Vedat Muriqi to The Hawthorns in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Corriere della Sera (via Sport Witness), who claim that Valerien Ismael’s side are not relenting in their interest to secure a deal for the Lazio centre-forward in the current transfer market, despite the fact the club secured the £7m signing of Daryl Dike earlier this month.

The report goes on to state that CSKA Moscow are also keeping a close eye on the situation of the 27-year-old, while the Serie A side are thought to be willing to sanction the departure of the Kosovo international on a temporary basis – as long as the deal includes an obligation to buy clause.

“Absolute donkey”

While it is true that Muriqi did return impressive numbers during his time in Turkey – scoring 17 goals over 36 appearances for Fenerbahce, bagging 25 goals over 52 outings for Caykur Rizespor and netting 23 times in 69 fixtures for Giresunspor – following his £17.93m move to Lazio back in the summer of 2020, the centre-forward has been a particularly big flop for the Italian side.

Indeed, over his 27 Serie A appearances for I Biancocelesti last season, the £5.4m-rated man scored just one goal, registered no assists and missed four big chances for his side, as well as hitting the target with an average of a mere 0.3 shots per game.

These returns saw the £52k-per-week striker earn an extremely disappointing seasonal SofaScore rating of just 6.69, ranking him as Lazio’s 12th-worst performer in the top flight of Italian football.

Things have not improved over the Kosovan’s 11 league outings in the current campaign, with Muriqi failing to hit the back or providing a single assist for his teammates, as well as missing two big chances.

These metrics have seen the 27-year-old average an even more disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.52, ranking him as Maurizio Sarri’s fourth-worst player in the division this time around.

As such, it is perhaps easy to understand why Vincenzo Morabito suggested that Lazio had been duped into spending so much on the centre-forward, with the Italian football agent stating of Muriqi: “He has this brother who is the Albanian Consul in Istanbul and suddenly [Lazio] pay €18m for a player who is an absolute donkey.

“Simone [Inzaghi] told me, ‘I’m pulling my hair out, here.’ Stefan Radu tells me he can mark Muriqi with slippers on in training because he’s so bad. €18m for Muriqi, and then there are five agents involved with all the commissions. I mean, €18m is a lot of money for Lazio and they get this horrible flop.”

Indeed, there would appear to be worrying similarities between the potential signing of the Kosovan this month and the £15m deal to bring Oli Burke to The Hawthorns back in 2017 – with the Scotland international going on to score just one goal over his 24 appearances for the Baggies before being sold for a near-£10m loss to Sheffield United in 2020.

As such, considering Albion have already brought Dike to the club this winter, in addition to the fact that, should the Baggies go on to secure promotion to the top flight this season, Muriqi would not appear to be a striker who is anywhere near the standard required for the English top-flight, Ismael must avoid a move for the Kosovan this month – as his signing could well prove to be a repeat of the Burke disaster.

In other news: Worrying January transfer claim emerges that will have West Brom fans sweating