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[ad_pod ]Liverpool’s first-choice left-back, captain of the Scotland national team and a Champions League finalist, but it hasn’t always been this easy for Andrew Robertson. Released by Celtic as a 15-year-old, the energetic full-back ended up at Queens Park, whereÂGardner Speirs, who now oversees the academy at the Tartan Army’s Hampton Park, was taken aback by a teenage Robertson.“We were due to go down to Largs on the Clyde coast to play a couple of matches inside four days but we didn’t have a left-back,†Speirs said. “Andrew was just finishing a season with the under-17s, so we took him and that’s how it happened.“Andy’s response was to say, ‘I’ll prove you wrong.’ He played in the first warm-up game at Largs and I don’t think he went out of the team again until he left us.”It is this attitude that has endeared him to the Liverpool supporters after some had written him off before his career on Merseyside had even begun.

Some of the Anfield faithful wanted a marquee name, but in truth, almost anyone would’ve been an upgrade on Alberto Moreno, so Robertson had a chance to make the left-back position his own.

But Robertson would’ve been somewhat of a hit even if he never set foot on the hallowed turf of Anfield, as a result of his selfless charity work and commitment to the community around him – that is an ethos that Liverpool hold dear to them, and one that Robertson does too.

“He might be from Glasgow originally, but everything about him screams Liverpool”, said Jurgen Klopp, and luckily for the German and those associated with the club who aren’t as interested about his work off the pitch, the Scottish international is one hell of a footballer to boot.

Robertson currently has eight assists in all competitions, more than any other defender in Europe, and that tiny initial £8m spent on him back in the summer of 2017 is looking like small change – it could even be argued that the 24-year-old is probably worth five times that figure now if not more.

His relentless play up and down that left flank is hard not to cheer on, even if you aren’t a Liverpool fan.

One foray up the left flank and over to the right wing saw Robertson mount a one-man press against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the 4-3 win at Anfield last season, a moment which drew cheers similar to those heard after a goal and almost saw the Reds score, but for the referee’s intervention.

“I am still tired just looking at Robertson. He makes 100-metre sprints every minute, absolutely incredible, and these are qualities,”Âsaid Jose Mourinho after his Manchester United side were humbled by three goals to one earlier in the season – Mourinho didn’t get much right during his time with the Red Devils, but that statement is spot on.

The scary thing about Robertson is that he has time on his side, time that he doesn’t even need given just how phenomenal he is right now. If there is an improved version of the hungry Scot waiting for us in the future, opposition forwards might as well not bother.

In our Loan Watch feature, The Transfer Tavern takes a look at how Celtic defender Osaze Uroghide is faring during a short-term loan spell at KV Oostende.

The lowdown

Celtic paid just over £200,000 to sign Urhoghide from League One outfit Sheffield Wednesday last summer.

But he found opportunities hard to come by under Ange Postecoglou, with his one and only senior appearance coming in the dead-rubber Europa League game against Real Betis in December.

On Deadline Day, Celtic opted to loan him out to Jupiler Pro League outfit Oostende for the remainder of the season.

The latest

It took a couple of games, after the loan move had gone through before Yves Vanderhaeghe handed Urhoghide his debut.

That came in a 3-0 defeat against KV Mechelen, with Urhoghide substituted off at half time.

It was certainly an auspicious start, then, but the defender was perhaps played out of position at right midfield and he’s admirably put it behind him.

He completed the full 90 for the first time against Sint-Truiden on 26 February and hasn’t missed a minute of action since.

His strongest performance to date came against Anderlecht, the side who have been crowned Belgian champions more than anyone else.

He won nine out of 11 ground duels – a hugely impressive 82% – in addition to making five interceptions and even creating a chance from his centre-back berth.

That earned a SofaScore rating of 7.1/10, the second highest in the side.

Overall, he’s recorded nine successful aerial duels, eight clearances, 11 interceptions and nine tackles, whilst also demonstrating his comfort in possession by completing ten long passes and five dribbles (71%).

The verdict

So, does Urhoghide potentially have a future at Celtic?

Well, under the loan agreement, Oostende will have the option to sign him permanently in the summer.

And if he can continue to impress Vanderhaeghe enough to hold down his place in the XI, then they will surely trigger it.

After all, he’s a player they’ve been following ‘for quite some time’, according to club president Gauthier Ganaye, and they ‘firmly believe in his talent’.

There are potentially clear parallels with Jack Hendry, who left Celtic for Oostende and then earned a move to Club Brugge, where’s he’s played six Champions League games this season and seen his Transfermarkt value climb to £5.4million (well above the £990k Celtic banked).

Celtic writer John McGinley has applauded the player’s hunger, suggesting that he’d ‘do anything for Ange Postecoglou’, and perhaps he deserved more of a chance to show what he was capable of.

In other news, read this journalist’s claim on Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Wolves could sign Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig if he is made available in the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Puig linked with Wolves move

The 22-year-old has emerged as an exciting prospect at the La Liga club, even being compared to legendary former Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta.

Puig has struggled for playing time at the Camp Nou this season, though, managing just one solitary start in La Liga and getting a mere 17 minutes of Champions League action.

The youngster has been linked with a move to Wolves, and with his current Barca deal expiring in 2023, the Catalan giants may be happy to see him leave this month.

The Latest: Wolves ‘would love’ to sign Puig

O’Rourke believes that a move to Molineux isn’t out of the question for Puig, telling GiveMeSport that he could see it coming to fruition before January is over.

The journalist said: “Riqui Puig is a talented young player at Barcelona and I’m sure Wolves would love to have him at Molineux if he is available.”

The Verdict: Unlikely but possible?

There don’t appear to be strong enough links to suggest that Puig is a nailed-on target for Wolves in January, but he could certainly be an exciting proposition if they were to move for him.

His aforementioned Iniesta comparisons speak volumes about his ability, and while he hasn’t featured much of late, he still has 51 appearances to his name for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

His youth and guile could be an ideal addition to Bruno Lage’s midfield – he has an incredible 93.9% pass completion rate in La Liga this season – with the Wolves boss potentially seeing him as a long-term replacement for 35-year-old Joao Moutinho.

In other news, one rumoured Wolves target has been linked with another Premier League team. Find out who it is here.

In recent days, Aston Villa have been linked with a transfer move for West Ham United goalkeeper Darren Randolph, only for Hammers manager David Moyes to come out and say that they have no intention of letting him leave this month.

With that in mind, it seems as though this has not stopped the Midlands club in their search for another goalkeeper to add to their squad.

What’s the latest?

In a recent Twitter post from journalist Matteo Moretto, Villa have “in the last hours,” approached Paris Saint-Germain with an offer to sign goalkeeper Sergio Rico, who apparently wants to play regularly, on loan with an option to buy.

He said: “Sergio Rico’s priority is to play regularly and that is why he prioritizes signing for Mallorca. In the last hours Aston Villa appeared, who contacted PSG offering a loan with an option to buy, but the English team already has Martínez as the owner of the project.”

Given how PSG have the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Keylor Navas in their squad that has made a total of 20 Ligue 1 appearances between them this season, it’s easy to see why he would be willing to go elsewhere to get regular game time.

Gerrard would be delighted

Even though Villa have Emi Martinez in their squad who has played in all but one of their Premier League games so far this season, it’s safe to say that Rico would be closer to regular game time at the Midlands club rather than at Paris where a potential injury or ban for Martinez would presumably open the door for Rico to come in.

The 28-year-old originally joined the French club on a loan deal from Sevilla back in September 2019 before joining on a permanent basis a year later.

Overall, the Spaniard has only made 24 appearances for Mauricio Pochettino’s side across all competitions, highlighting his lack of regular game time.

However, in those 24 appearances, Rico has managed to concede just 16 goals and keep 14 clean sheets in the process, showing his capabilities in goal and demonstrating why Villa have made a move to sign him.

With this in mind, if the Villans were able to secure a deal for Rico this month, it would surely delight Gerrard who is very much in need of finding a quality back-up with Jed Steer still currently playing second fiddle.

Therefore, to have an experienced and capable backup goalkeeper to Martinez, or one that could even compete with the Argentine for his place in the team would be incredibly pleasing for the Liverpudlian.

It would put an end to the club’s search for a shot-stopper so they can then focus on other potential areas in the squad they may feel the need to strengthen in.

In other news: Gregg Evans drops exciting AVFC update, Gerrard could soon break transfer records – opinion

Aston Villa will try to sign Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma in the summer, according to Ryan Taylor of The Express.

And, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans were quick to flock to the update on social media.

Villa were credited with an interest in Bissouma earlier this month and even reportedly had a £25m bid turned down.

It now seems as if Juventus’ Rodrigo Bentancur is the club’s main midfield target, but Bissouma is still on Johan Lange and Steven Gerrard’s radar.

According to Taylor, Villa are expected to go back in for Bissouma in the summer, when he could be into the final 12 months of his Seagulls contract. However, Brighton remain adamant he is not for sale at any price.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful relayed Taylor’s claim on Twitter on Wednesday evening. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with one believing the summer window could be ‘absolutely mental’.

“We’re cooking”

Credit: @buendiazboyz

“I can’t see us getting Bissouma in the summer so many clubs will want him”

Credit: @Benavfctooth

“Dw we’re big time again now”

Credit: @youngprodigy08

“Our summer is gonna be absolutely mental”

Credit: @JayVtid

“Good we need Bissouma”

Credit: @mattdavis281

“110% have to”

Credit: @AvfcRegan

In other news: ‘Bottled it’ – Many Villa fans react to Fabrizio Romano transfer update. 

After beating holders Manchester City in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup back in October, West Ham couldn’t secure their place in the semi-finals after losing 2-1 against Tottenham Hotspur last night.

An opening goal from Steven Bergwijn put the hosts ahead only for Jarrod Bowen to level things up just a few minutes later.

Unfortunately for David Moyes, it didn’t take long for the north London club to take the lead again, this time through Lucas Moura.

Despite a valiant effort, West Ham couldn’t turn the tide in the second half and ended up being knocked out of the competition.

In terms of what the positives Moyes could take from the game, one player that impressed for the Hammers, arguably more so than Bowen, was midfielder Declan Rice.

With 90 minutes under his belt and a total of 106 touches of the ball, Rice once again showed what a capable midfielder he is for the team.

The England international managed to complete 86 of the 90 passes he attempted with two key passes and six accurate long balls, resulting in an impressive overall passing accuracy percentage of 96%.

In addition to this, Rice also managed to complete all of the seven dribbles he attempted, highlighting how good he is on the ball and how much of a nuisance he was for Spurs, striding forward at each and every opportunity.

The 22-year-old didn’t shirk away from his defensive duties either by making two interceptions and two tackles.

This performance ultimately earned Rice a solid overall match rating of 7.8/10, making him the highest-rated player that made an appearance in the game across both teams according to SofaScore.

Having been praised in the past by Gary Lineker for his “magnificent” performances for West Ham in the past, this display against Spurs is another example of how good the England international can be and why he was Moyes’ hero on the day.

Football.London also picked up on Rice’s solid display by saying that he “was always alert to any danger on the edge of his own box,” as well as saying that he “got things moving going forward too, particularly late on.”

Moving forward, with West Ham now out of the competition, if Rice can keep delivering this sort of performance throughout the remainder of their Premier League campaign, he will give his side a great chance of securing a place in the top four again.

In other news: ExWHUemployee drops big injury update that will have West Ham fans buzzing

Rangers manager Gio van Bronckhorst is set for his first match in charge of the Glasgow giants this week at Ibrox on Thursday night.

The Gers host Sparta Prague in the Europa League as they attempt to keep their dreams of progressing in the competition alive with a win.

He watched on from the stands as the club fell short of reaching the League Cup final over the weekend. They lost 3-1 to Hibernian, with Martin Doyle scoring a first-half hat-trick.

Time’s up

One player he must ruthlessly axe for this clash is Colombian forward Alfredo Morelos, who struggled badly in the defeat.

The £33k-per-week attacker endured a difficult afternoon in the loss to Hibernian and his display could call time on his place in the starting XI, for now.

Football Scotland reporter Calum Woodger handed him a dismal 3/10 match rating. He wrote: “A very poor outing from the Colombian who disappeared in a big game once again – abysmal. 3”

He has now scored seven goals in 21 appearances in all competitions, including four in 11 Premiership matches, and is yet to score in the group stages of the Europa League. Morelos has had nine shots in the four games in this competition and has not registered a single assist, highlighting his struggles in Europe.

His form in the Europa League and his ‘abysmal’ showing against Hibernian should result in van Bronckhorst axing him from the XI. Another player should be given the opportunity to show that they can lead the line for the Gers, as they look to beat the Czech outfit.

The frustrating part of Morelos’ recent showing is that he has previously shown his quality. Speaking anonymously to The Athletic in 2019, a Scottish Premiership player called him a ‘nightmare’ to defend against. 

“There’s never a time when he’s walking about or not interested in the game. He’s always involved, whether that’s taking you away or dragging you closer to the ball.

“He’s kind of dropping deep now and going out wide. That’s a nightmare for defenders because he’s your player that you’re meant to be man-marking but then you’re dragged out of position and you’ve got midfield runners taking his space. That means you need to start talking to your full-backs and centre-mids to start swapping players, which makes it a lot more difficult.”

He also managed three goals and seven assists in ten Europa League games last season, proving that he does have the ability to make an impact at this level. However, something has gone wrong for him this term and spending this match on the bench could potentially give him the jolt he needs to buck up his act, which is why the Dutch coach must make this key decision.

AND in other news, 129 appearances: Rangers secured dream deal with £0 gem who “embodies professionalism”…

Celtic had a rather enjoyable afternoon back in Premiership action today following their Old Firm victory last weekend.

This time, Ange Postecoglou’s side secured a tantalising 7-0 victory over St Johnstone at Parkhead courtesy of six different goalscorers.

Three first-half strikes from Reo Hatate, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Daizen Maeda gave the home side a comfortable 3-0 lead at the midway point. A penalty from Josip Juranovic, a brace from Matt O’Riley and a clinching goal from Liel Abada gave Postecoglou and the home fans a lot to savour as they take another step closer to the title.On a day when many Hoops players had a lot to smile about, one player in particular lit up Parkhead and stole the show.Having opened the scoring for his team, Reo Hatate had 60 touches of the ball before being replaced by fellow midfielder David Turnbull in the 55th minute. Out of the 47 passes he attempted, 43 found their intended target, including all three of the long balls he attempted.He also had three shots on target in total and won the penalty that Juranovic put away in the second half, in addition to completing both of his dribbles, showing how tricky he was to play against. That was in stark contrast with his fellow countryman Maeda, who failed to complete any of his three dribble attempts.The 24-year-old also did his bit defensively by winning three of his four duels, showing how useful he was in and out of possession for his team.This performance ultimately earned the midfield gem an overall match rating of 8/10 from SofaScore, making him the joint-second highest rated Celtic player to start the game.Labelled an “outrageous” player by Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn, Hatate has shown once again today why Postecoglou chose to bring the Japanese maestro to Parkhead in the January transfer window.If the Australian coach can keep getting Hatate and the rest of the Celtic players to deliver performances like this throughout the remainder of the season, they should be a shoo-in to secure the Premiership title.In other news: £2.7m down the drain as Celtic had a howler on “difficult” £450k-rated Parkhead flop

Since Steven Gerrard was appointed as Aston Villa’s manager back in mid-November, the former midfielder has used a total of 24 players at the Midlands club so far.

One of those 24 players is midfielder Morgan Sanson, who, alongside Ashley Young, has made six appearances for Villa under the Liverpudlian, all of them coming in the Premier League.

The Frenchman has started two of the six league games he’s played in so far this season under Gerrard, the first of which came in their 3-1 defeat against Chelsea followed by their recent 2-2 draw against Manchester United.

Even though the 27-year-old has only made 16 appearances for the Villans since arriving from French club Marseille back in the 2021 January transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £16m, his future at Villa Park should be starting to come into consideration based on what he’s managed to deliver for the club.

His performances in the Premier League so far this season have earned the midfielder an overall rating of 6.34/10, currently making him the lowest-rated player in Villa’s squad at the moment that has started more than one league game according to WhoScored, suggesting that he has let Gerrard down when given the chance to show what he can do.

In the game against the Red Devils at the weekend, not only did Sanson give the foul away that led to the free-kick that Bruno Fernandes scored his first goal of the game from but the French maestro also gave the ball away in the second half that led to United’s second goal. All of that culminated in him reacting badly when he was substituted off, which he had to apologise for on social media afterwards.

In addition to his underwhelming performances, Sanson has struggled with injury issues since he made the move to the Midlands club, which former Villa manager Dean Smith described as “frustrating,” which shows that he hasn’t been a particularly reliable player for the team.

Moving forward, if Sanson doesn’t start delivering for Villa on the pitch until the end of the season, then Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris must seriously consider cutting their losses with the player in the next summer transfer window to see if they can reclaim any of the money they paid for him.

Also, with young Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka apparently not happy with his playing time at the club, potentially axing Sanson, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £59k-per-week according to Salary Sport, from the team could give him a clear path to regular game time to see if he would be a better option than the struggling Frenchman.

In other news: Lange could secure another AVFC transfer masterclass as claim emerges on £9m-rated ace – opinion

Lots of Wolves fans have been left erupting as an exit rumour emerged involving Rayan Ait-Nouri.

According to Jeunes Footeux, the left-back is now ‘of interest’ to both Newcastle United as well as Crystal Palace, who are ‘closely following’ his situation in the Midlands.

However, as he has a contract at Molineux until 2026, he will not be sold in the January transfer window for anything less than between €25-30m (£21.4-25.7m).

Ait-Nouri has really made his mark since signing on a permanent deal in the summer after his loan spell ended, averaging the most tackles (3.9) and crosses (1.3) out of his teammates per game in the Premier League so far this season, while he also ranks highly in terms of key passes (0.9) and dribbles (1.9) (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, selling him to a direct rival, especially midway through the campaign, would seem a strange idea without a better replacement lined up.

Wolves fans on Ait-Nouri transfer news

These WWFC supporters erupted as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, as they all seemed to play down the rumour, with one Wanderer even going as far as to claim that it was ‘comical’:

“We all ask for things we have no chance of getting for Christmas”

Credit: @Cookmtt1976

“Comical”

Credit: @Cal_Wood1990

“This is one of the most ridiculous rumours I’ve seen for one of our players in ages”

Credit: @_ahxle

“If true, and Wolves go through with it, this would be the stupidest transfer in a long time. Ait-Nouri isn’t just another bog standard LB, he’s looking to be a prodigy. He had a fantastic game against #LFC, and has continually looked good for us”

Credit: @ChrisMM__

“This is laughable”

Credit: @eve_elizabethxx

“Usual nonsense being cooked up before a window.”

Credit: @jon306

“Not a chance.”

Credit: @southbank82

In other news, find out what Tim Spiers post has Wanderers talking here!