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Kostas Tsimikas will be allowed to leave Liverpool during the summer transfer window, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Disappointing first season

The 25-year-old joined the Reds from Olympiakos last year, with the general consensus that he was a shrewd acquisition by Jurgen Klopp as left-back cover for Andrew Robertson.

Tsimikas suffered a 2020/21 season to forget, however, not making a single start in the Premier League and playing just seven times in all competitions.

The hope is that the Greece international will come good and provide competition for Robertson, but a bleak update has been provided regarding his future.

The Latest: Romano says Tsimikas can leave

According to Romano [via Anfield Talk on Twitter], Tsimikas ‘can leave the club’ this summer, with Klopp deeming him surplus to requirements.

A loan move to Napoli has been mooted, but it remains to be seen whether or not the left-back will head there.

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The Verdict: Keep hold of him

While Tsimikas struggled badly in his first season at Liverpool, mainly because of injuries, it would be a shame to see him moved on so quickly.

He is yet to get a genuine opportunity to prove himself and enjoy a fully fit run in the team, so it would be nice to see him given at least one more year to prove his worth.

Should Liverpool decide to sell Tsimikas, it is essential that they sign a tailor-made replacement, ensuring that Robertson doesn’t have too much pressure on him to stay fit, or leading to James Milner needing to fill in there.

In other news, some Liverpool fans are fuming after an update regarding a Reds transfer target. Read more here. 

Carlton Palmer has told Football FanCast that he thought Nuno Espirito Santo was nailed on to become the Tottenham manager following his shock departure from Wolves last week.

Just 48 hours before the Premier League season finished, the Portuguese made a surprise announcement that he’ll be leaving the Midlands outfit after four years.

Santo was then almost immediately backed into the favourite for the Spurs job, although Alasdair Gold confirmed that he’s not a candidate to replace his compatriot, Jose Mourinho.

Countless names have been linked with the vacancy in N17, with the likes of Roberto Martinez, Antonio Conte and even Mauricio Pochettino all being reportedly considered, although it doesn’t appear that Spurs are any closer to naming Mourinho’s successor.

But one man it won’t be is Santo despite taking Wolves from the Championship to the top-seven in the Premier League and then quarter finals of the Europa League, much to the confusion of Palmer.

He told Football FanCast:

“I am still quite bemused as to why Nuno left Wolves. Why has he stepped down? There’s no reasons why he stepped down, I thought he 100 per cent stepped down because he was in with a shout for the Spurs job.

“But there will be a lot of people linked with the Spurs situation, and anybody will be honoured to be linked with Spurs, it’s a massive club.”

A major update has emerged about MK Dons’ pursuit of Sunderland striker Will Grigg.

What’s the talk?

MK Dons’ sporting director Liam Sweeting has confirmed that he would like to sign Grigg from Sunderland this summer. Grigg joined MK Dons on loan in February, having played for the club earlier in his career.

Sweeting has said that his club thinks highly of Grigg and will be keeping their ear to the ground on his situation as they prepare a potential swoop for the Northern Ireland international. He told MKfm:

“That will be down to me and Russ, obviously Griggy is a player we think really highly of but he doesn’t belong to us, he belongs to Sunderland.

“We don’t have as much control over that one as we might have another target, but for sure we’ll be informed on that situation.”

Current MK Dons striker Charlie Brown praised Grigg earlier this year. He labelled the Sunderland man as an “absolute beast” and admitted that he is learning from him. He told the MK Citizen: 

“He’s brilliant on and off the pitch, I get on really well with him. We’ve got a good connection and when I’ve played with him, I’ve really enjoyed it.

“I’m learning from all of them. When Cammy was playing, I was watching him thinking he’s an absolute beast, and it’s the same with Griggy now.”

Sunderland fans will be buzzing

Sunderland fans will surely be buzzing with this news. It shows real intent from MK Dons to pursue a deal for Grigg as they want to be kept in the loop in regards to his situation at the Stadium of Light. This suggests that they are ready to sanction a bid for the 29-year-old should Lee Johnson decide that he does not want him as a part of his squad for the 2021/22 League One campaign.

Grigg has been a flop since arriving at Sunderland from Wigan for a reported £3.07m. In 61 competitive appearances for Sunderland, the forward has managed a meagre eight goals and three assists, figures that simply do not justify his large price tag. He has not been able to catch the eye at the Stadium of Light and this summer could be the perfect time to move him on, especially if MK Dons are now keen on bringing him in.

His sale could come as music to the ears of Sunderland fans, as the club would be getting rid of a player who has struggled to perform for them in recent years. In the first half of the 2020/21 campaign, Grigg failed to score a single goal in 12 appearances for the club in all competitions. Fans had to watch Grigg falter in front of goal consistently for the club, which is why they will surely be buzzing that there is genuine interest from a club looking to take him away.

AND in other news, Speakman must seal deal for “tremendous” £800-p/w beast, Sunderland fans would love it…

According to a report by the Guardian, Tottenham Hotspur have held a conversation with former FC Schalke boss Ralf Rangnick – but it’s ‘unclear’ whether talks were regarding the manager’s job or a director’s position.

The Lowdown: Rangnick on the candidate list

The 62-year-old has been loosely touted as an option over this last month, with the Athletic reporting back in late April that Spurs could indeed turn to Rangnick as credible candidate.

Reliable reporter Christian Falk (via Sport Witness) even claimed that Rangnick was offered the Spurs manager’s job and has held talks with both Manchester United and Everton in past seasons – so he’s no stranger to Premier League discussions.

The Latest: Tottenham hold Rangnick talks

Bringing the latest, the Guardian state there has been a conversation between Spurs and Rangnick – but it remains unclear whether the talks were regarding the managerial vacancy or a director’s position.

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They relay that the search for a new manager rumbles on but insist Rangnick has indeed been contacted.

As well as Rangnick, they believe Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick has also had talks with Tottenham.

The Verdict: Credible option for Spurs

While it is unclear whether this conversation was over the managerial vacancy, we believe that he more than stands out as a very credible candidate to become the next Lilywhites boss.

Having won two Austrian league titles with Red Bull Salzburg and three major trophies at Schlake (Transfermarkt), Rangnick isn’t exactly short of experience when it comes to winning silverware.

Lauded as a ‘perfectionist’ by former RB Leipzig striker Yussuf Poulsen (ESPN), the Independent claimed back in 2019 that Rangnick was interested in succeeding Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs.

He has been credited as a huge influence on some of the biggest managerial names in football, including Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel (ESPN).

Dubbed the godfather of gegenpressing, we believe Rangnick and Tottenham are a match made in heaven.

In other news: Tottenham could lose this ‘magnificent’ star, it’s not Kane…find out more here.

There has been widespread speculation that Bruno Lage is the man Jorge Mendes and Wolves want to succeed Nuno Espirito Santo and he certainly has big boots to fill but he could be up for the job according to Wolves legend, Steve Bull.

Lage has only ever been the manager in a top league once and that was from 2019 to 2020 with Benfica, but he did manage to guide them to the Liga Nos title and only lost two out of the 48 games he was in charge for from when he was appointed in January 2019.

Whoever arrives at Molineux will have a huge task on their handsm especially if reports are to be believed that the club are wanting to sell Ruben Neves for £35 million this summer so that they can raise some funds.

Lage would be a relatively risky appointment given his lack of experience as both a manager and in England but that was also the case for Nuno as he had never managed in England, so Bull thinks he could be a good appointment as he exclusively spoke to Football FanCast:

“We’ve got all these Portuguese players and ex-Benfica and Porto players that Mendes has brought in so he could be a good shout.

“I’ve not read too much into all of these managers and what they’ve done because it’s all come as a shock to me.”

Nuno had some rotten luck this season in terms of injuries having had to cope with a number of high profile players spending time on the sidelines such as Raul Jimenez, Pedro Neto and Willy Boly.

The Fosun group reportedly want to cut back on their spending at Wolves heading into this summer and it also emerged that they were looking to invest in Bordeaux, which could be a huge reason why they aren’t as hands-on at Molineux now.

Many football fans across the world have been sharing their appreciation for Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba on social media.

Nakamba, who made the move to Villa Park in 2019 from Club Brugge in a deal worth £10.8m, has paid the school fees of 1,000 pupils in his native country of Zimbabwe.

The 27-year-old made the gesture through his eponymous foundation, which was launched in 2019, with his goal to reach 100,000 pupils’ fees paid by the end of the year. Nakamba is also hoping to hit one million in four years’ time, and it’s safe to say that his charitable gesture has drawn a glowing response on social media.

The midfielder is on £34,000 per week at Villa Park and has made 13 appearances in all competitions during the current campaign.

Nakamba praised for his philanthropy

@AfricaStoryLive shared the news on Twitter on Saturday evening and their post received plenty of interaction from fans of various clubs, with one describing the Aston Villa man’s gesture as ‘beautiful’.

“Legend!”

Credit: @GichanaKephers

“Incredible”

Credit: @Awwalgimba

“Class”

Credit: @Jornwathe4

“This is beautiful”

Credit: @usuflasa

“Act of class”

Credit: @_MR_MAYOR

“God bless you” 

Credit: @YusufOAhmed_

In other news: Villa keen on versatile international with a £21.5m price tag, find out more here. 

Manchester United may look to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton this summer.

That’s according to a report from The Sun, who claimed that the Red Devils will target Heaton if they can’t land West Brom’s Sam Johnstone. Both shot-stoppers have been on the books at Old Trafford previously, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looking for experienced goalkeeping cover in the summer transfer window.

Heaton, who earns £47,000 per week at Villa Park, is out of contract at the end of the season. The 35-year-old has played second fiddle to Emiliano Martinez since returning from long-term injury, and the latest report claims that the ex-Burnley stopper ‘would have to be happy as an understudy’ at Manchester United – eight words which seem crucial to any potential deal.

Transfer Tavern take

Heaton may well be looking at a Villa Park exit in search of regular game time, so Manchester United viewing him as an experienced backup ‘keeper may not appeal to him.

Former England number one Paul Robinson recently described the veteran stopper as ‘phenomenal’, and we feel that he is too good to sit on the bench in the final stages of his career. He has more than 100 appearances in both the Premier League and Championship under his belt, along with three England caps.

On that basis, he could be a shrewd signing for any club looking for a new number one, providing he doesn’t extend his stay at Villa Park.

In other news: Many AVFC fans buzz as club make South American ‘top transfer target’, find out more here. 

Tuesday evening’s 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Spain was a hugely frustrating and disappointing evening for Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds’ familiar defensive woes reared their heads again as a brace from Vinicius Junior, alongside a strike from Marcos Asensio, saw the reigning Premier League champions humbled at the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano.

Despite that, it was also in their attacking play that Liverpool hugely underwhelmed, a key protagonist to that being forward Sadio Mane.

Having previously been hailed as “world class” by Reds’ boss Klopp, the former Southampton man did not get anywhere near that level in Madrid.

According to WhoScored, the Senegalese wideman did not contribute a single shot or key pass, whilst just two dribbles were the pinnacle of his evening’s work in Spain.

His lack of threat was certainly a worrying sign but the regularity in which he conceded possession will be what angers the Reds and of course Klopp most.

Mane had as many as eight unsuccessful touches throughout the evening – at least five more than anybody else on the pitch for both teams.

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Meanwhile, he only had 40 touches of the ball during the game – this figure only being better than Naby Keita, who was substituted in the 40th minute, goalkeeper Alisson and two out of the three Reds’ substitutes: Xherdan Shaqiri and Roberto Firmino.

Even when Mane did get the ball, he could not do much with it at all.

Alongside all of the occasions where his touch let him down, he could only complete 22 passes throughout his entire time on the pitch whilst both of his attempted crosses evaded his teammates.

Mane’s evening was compounded with a booking that he picked up in the first-half for his complaints to the referee.

Jurgen Klopp will surely have expected more from one of his stars in Madrid.

AND in more news, take a look at which pundit has said signing Luis Suarez would be a backwards step for the Reds…

James Milner has praised his former club Leeds United ahead of the Whites’ Premier League clash with Liverpool.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are back in action on Monday night, welcoming the outgoing champions to Elland Road in what could be a thrilling encounter.

Both teams are famed for their attack-minded nature, serving up a 4-3 thriller at Anfield on the opening day of the season, so it would be a surprise if their meeting tonight ended up being a drab affair.

Milner will come up against his boyhood club, potentially starting in the Reds midfield, as he continues to perform at the highest level at the age of 35.

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Milner hails Leeds ahead of Liverpool clash

On Sunday, the Englishman took to Twitter to speak about the difficulty of the match for Liverpool, saying: ‘Ready to go for a difficult away trip against a good team’.

Milner added that there is ‘an important 3 points up for grabs’ as Jurgen Klopp’s side battle for a top four finish this season.

Transfer Tavern take

There is every chance that Milner will start against his old team, having been on from the outset in Liverpool’s last two league games, and Bielsa may actually see him as a potential weakness to target.

Despite his enduring quality, the midfielder is now an ageing player and Leeds’ intensity could prove to be too much for him, even though his fitness levels remain admirable.

If he plays, it will be interesting to see how he fares against such a relentless Whites team on what could be an emotional night for him back at Elland Road.

In other news, an update has been provided on Leeds’ potential quest to sign a Premier League forward this summer. Find out who it is here.

A number of Liverpool fans have been calling for Divock Origi to leave this summer following reports surrounding his Reds future.

The Belgian has enjoyed a curious career at Anfield in many ways, producing moments of magic but also proving to be a frustrating player.

Origi famously scored a string of vital goals back in the 2018/19 season, netting against Tottenham in the Champions League final and Barcelona in the semis, not to mention crucial late winners against Everton and Newcastle United.

Constant reports have linked the 25-year-old with a move away from Liverpool this summer, considering he has managed just 182 minutes of league action all season.

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Origi has been tipped to join Borussia Dortmund in the next transfer window (per 90min.com), with the Bundesliga giants emerging as a surprise option for the striker.

It appears increasingly likely that he will move on to pastures new once the season reaches its conclusion, bringing an end to six years as a Liverpool player.

Liverpool fans react to Origi rumour

These Liverpool fans reacted to the news on Twitter, with the general consensus that it is time for him to exit the club, with some joking that Erling Haaland could head the other way.

“It was time for him to go long ago, came into clutch a few good times and he’ll be in Liverpool’s folklore forever. But not good enough”

Credit: @TonySop60754145

“Said it many times I’ll pick him and drop him to which ever club wants him lol”

Credit: @ThiagosFather89

“Origi for Haaland seems like a fair trade if you ask me”

Credit: @JM1745303

“Replacement for Haaland”

Credit: @96_19_96

“Should’ve gone after the Champions League when his value was high as he deserves regular games, but sad to say he is not good enough to challenge the front-three. Gonna be a busy summer!”

Credit: @dennism53706722

“Straight swap for Haaland yeah?”

Credit: @kevrobson4

In other news, Liverpool have suffered a big injury blow ahead of their Champions League clash with Real Madrid. Read more here.