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Manchester United have been boosted by the news that the injury suffered by Raphael Varane against Chelsea is less serious than originally feared.

The Lowdown: Varane forced off against Chelsea

The Red Devils battled their way to a 1-1 draw in west London in their Premier League clash on Saturday evening, with Casemiro’s last-gasp equaliser earning the visitors a point.

There was a worrying moment on the hour mark at Stamford Bridge, though, with Varane having to be replaced by Victor Lindelof because of a hamstring problem.

Given the nature of the injury, there was concern that the 29-year-old would be out for a significant period, but a fresh update suggests otherwise.

The Latest: Varane injury boost

Taking to Twitter, injury analyst Ben Dinnery relayed the news that Varane’s problem isn’t a serious one.

He outlined:

“Reports from France suggest the hamstring injury suffered by Raphael Varane was ‘less serious than feared’ after the United centre-back was forced off during Saturday’s game at Stamford Bridge.”

The Verdict: Huge positive for United

This is an enormous boost for United, with Varane so far being a regular first-choice pick under Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford and being hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Mark Goldbridge last year.

These reports that he should only be missing for a short period of time, if indeed at all, will come as a great relief to him and the Red Devils, and he is going to be such a key figure in the  top-four battle.

Boasting a formidable CV at both club and international level, Varane has shown his worth to United this term by ranking among their top three players for both clearances and successful aerial duels per game, and his blossoming partnership with Lisandro Martinez has the makings of being a strong one for a few years.

Crystal Palace will be looking to build on their impressive 2-1 win over Leeds United last weekend when they travel to the King Power Stadium to take on Leicester City on Saturday.

Patrick Vieira’s side put some important distance between themselves and the bottom three with a second win of the season last weekend and will be targeting another three points against the struggling Foxes.

Leicester sit rock bottom after winning just once in the top flight so far this season, with Brendan Rodgers under pressure after seeing his side lose 2-1 against Bournemouth last time out.

Here is how Football FanCast expects Vieira to line his side up against Leicester, with two changes from the side which started against Leeds last time out.

Vicente Guaita looks likely to keep his place in goal for the time being, although Sam Johnstone will surely be pushing hard to establish himself as number one at Selhurst Park.

There is one change in defence, as Tyrick Mitchell returns in place of Jeffrey Schlupp. The youngster is more defensive-minded than his Ghanaian teammate, who Roy Hodgson described as “incredible” during his time with the Eagles.

Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen continue their partnership at the heart of defence, while Nathaniel Clyne’s injury means that Joel Ward is likely to start again at right-back.

After impressive performances from all three last weekend, Vieira looks likely to select the same midfield trio, with Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise looking promising in their deeper roles alongside Cheick Doucoure.

There is one change in attack, as Vieira can look to take advantage of Leicester’s defensive vulnerabilities by starting Jean-Philippe Mateta ahead of Jordan Ayew.

The Foxes have shipped five goals from set-piece situations so far this season and Mateta’s physicality makes him a preferable option to Ayew on this occasion, while he can alternate with Odsonne Edouard and Wilfried Zaha in Palace’s front three on Saturday.

Rangers have certainly had a chequered recruitment record in recent years, although one Ibrox addition that has proven a real masterstroke is that of Ryan Kent, with the flying winger having gone on to become a crucial figure for the Old Firm outfit.

The former Liverpool youth product had been signed on an initial loan deal from Anfield by then-Gers boss Steven Gerrard in 2018, with the former England international subsequently sanctioning a £7m permanent swoop for the player the following summer.

While the Oldham-born ace has gone on to sparkle for the Glasgow side, not everyone had seemingly seen the wisdom in securing the deal at the time, with pundit – and ex-Celtic striker – Chris Sutton voicing his scepticism regarding the switch.

The one-time Chelsea flop suggested the capture of the Englishman on that £7m deal was a result of Gerrard and co “panic buying”, with the move coming late in the day in the 2019 summer window following a defeat in the Old Firm derby.

In full, the pundit commented: “He’s rattled, they’re panic buying. Today, £7m!

“How many wingers have Rangers got? Thye signed Ojo, they signed Hastie, they signed Jones, I know Jones has an injury. They’ve got Arfield, Aribo.

“They are rattled, they are shaken by it all.”

Sutton then went on to suggest that Rangers supporters were somewhat ‘hysterical’ in hoping that the youngster would be the man to change their fortunes with regards to challenging for the title, amid their rivals’ ongoing dominance.

Kent has seemingly proved that assessment wrong, thus leaving the pundit extremely red-faced having gone on to play a pivotal role in the club’s Scottish Premiership triumph the following season, scoring 13 goals and registering 15 assists in all competitions in that glorious 2020/21 campaign.

The “sensational” asset – as dubbed by Gerrard – had scored eight goals and registered four assists in the 2019/20 campaign the year prior following that permanent swoop, having proven himself a real potent threat in the final third.

Now seemingly the Ibrox outfit’s “chief creator” – according to journalist Jordan Campbell – the £15.75m-rated ace notably laid on a staggering haul of 19 assists in all competitions last term, while he has begun the new campaign brightly with three assists so far.

Such has been his form in recent years, there has even been hefty interest in the winger from the Premier League, with both Leeds United and Aston Villa having been tipped to bring the player south of the border.

In truth, Kent has more than made Sutton eat his words over the past three years, with the £18k-per-week man having truly proven himself a real dynamic, attacking threat, both domestically and in Europe.

Wolves have joined the race to sign talented PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo before Thursday’s deadline, according to reports in the player’s homeland.

The Lowdown: Gakpo a wanted man

The 23-year-old has been linked with moves to various Premier League clubs in recent months, with Liverpool and Manchester United among those believed to be interested.

Gakpo has been one of PSV’s most influential players in recent years, scoring 12 goals and registering 13 assists in the Eredivisie last season, labelled as ‘incredible’ and ‘fantastic’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

With Wolves looking for attacking reinforcements by the end of deadline day on Thursday, it looks as though they are in the mix to snap up the Dutchman.

The Latest: Wolves keen on winger

According to Einhovens Dagblad [via Molineux News], Wanderers have been eyeing up a move for Gakpo for a number of weeks and he is happy to leave PSV this summer if the ‘whole picture is right’ for him.

The winger’s current deal doesn’t expire until 2026, however, and his current club are expected to demand €50million (£43m) for his services.

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The Verdict: Statement of intent

Gakpo is a hugely exciting prospect who has already matured into a formidable attacking player, so Wolves’ rumoured interest is extremely encouraging.

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Admittedly, it could mean that Pedro Neto is set to leave Molineux in the coming days, but ideally, one of them on either wing would make Wanderers so much more of a threat in the final third. It could also be that he is seen as a replacement for Hwang Hee-chan instead, which makes more sense given the January arrival’s links to Leeds.

Gakpo’s aforementioned end product last season speaks for itself and there is no reason why his speed and unpredictability out wide can’t be similarly influential in the Premier League, with the Dutchman also hoping to star for the Netherlands at the upcoming World Cup.

Celtic are set to complete the signing of Rubin Kazan winger Sead Haksabanovic in the next 48 hours, according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Haksabanovic deal agreed

The Montenegro international has been a long-term target of the Hoops, having missed out on him last year before he made his big-money move to the Russian First League.

However, due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the Scottish Premiership side have another chance to seal a move, with a fee allegedly already agreed upon.

The 23-year-old has already been in Glasgow for the past few days to finalise his transfer, with Ange Postecoglou admitting last weekend that the contract was ‘getting close’.

The Latest: Celtic set to announce Haksabanovic

Taking to Twitter, Joseph revealed that Haksabanovic is likely to be unveiled as a new Celtic player before Dundee United.

Asked by a fan whether there was any news on the deal, he wrote:

“All but done. Should be completed this week.”

The Verdict: Star in the making

The Bhoys have already made seven new signings this summer and it looks like that number is about to become eight with Haksabanovic, and what a fantastic addition he will be.

The Sweden-born talent is naturally a left-sided player, having recorded an outstanding 40 goal contributions in just 56 appearances down that flank, but offers plenty of versatility and can play on either wing, as well as anywhere in midfield and as a second striker.

Haksabanovic is at that age where he’ll have a point to prove, and having Postecoglou as his manager will only allow him to flourish and fulfil his potential at Celtic Park for many years to come.

Aston Villa’s captain John McGinn put on a midfield masterclass as he drove his side to a narrow 2-1 victory over Everton on Saturday afternoon, helping his side claim their first three points of the season.

The Scotland international was instrumental in the heart of the pitch, with his movement and neat passes leaving the Toffees spellbound at times.

Danny Ings and Emi Buendia were the scorers, with the latter particularly impressing off the bench after Philippe Coutinho had to be withdrawn early due to injury.

However, it was the 27-year-old who shone the brightest, alongside Jacob Ramsey – who was awarded man of the match by BT Sport’s commentary team.

Earning an 8.1 rating on SofaScore, the relentless dynamo was unstoppable for Villa as he won nine of his ten ground duels (90%), further emphasising just how dominant he was over Frank Lampard’s midfield.

McGinn also make two key passes and created one big chance, suggesting that, despite his defensive credentials shining through during the game, he still managed to be a creative outlet for his side. His dependability is also outlined in his 87% pass success rate.

Elsewhere, the £28.8m-rated general also recorded a 100% dribble success rate whilst not being beaten by an opponent once himself. The perfect all-around performance from one of the best all-around midfielders in the league.

His impressive SofaScore rating takes his average to the start of the season to 7.45 as he looks to improve on last season’s extremely impressive average of 7.29.

It is no wonder manager Steven Gerrard was so keen to strip Tyrone Mings of the captaincy and gift it to this Scottish stalwart, who is proving why he deserves it.

Once lauded as a “relentless creature” by Mat Kendrick, the Scotsman seems to get better with each passing season. Today was just another example of how he keeps smashing his ceiling with exceptional performances.

McGinn helped to overcome the Toffees with his dominant midfield display and is sure to be giving Everton and their supporters nightmares this evening.

Wolves looked set to lose exciting midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, but the Express and Star’s Liam Keen claims the rumours are completely wide of the mark and the youngster is ‘not for sale’.

The Lowdown: Gibbs-White’s future

Bruno Lage opted to loan out the Englishman to Sheffield United last season and he shone there, scoring 12 goals in the Championship and helping them reach the playoffs.

Gibbs-White is now back at Wolves during pre-season but his future is up in the air, with the 22-year-old not yet signing a new deal, as he looks at other options.

Nottingham Forest have been continually linked with a move in recent times and rumours were swirling on social media this week.

The Latest: Keen provides huge update

Writing on Twitter on Monday, cricket journalist Ali Martin claimed Gibbs-Whites was set to move to Forest: “For those who like their football rumours from a cricket correspondent, hearing Forest are very close to completing a deal for Morgan Gibbs-White.”

However, Keen provided his own far more significant update on his Twitter: “Rumours that Morgan Gibbs-White is close to joining Forest are untrue. The newly-promoted club haven’t even been in touch. Wolves consider him not for sale.”

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The Verdict: Keep him!

Losing Gibbs-White would be a potentially massive blow for Wolves. He has caught the eye during pre-season and will hopefully become a key man during the 2022/23 campaign – Barnsley manager Poya Asbaghi described the youngster as ‘outstanding’ last season, and it feels only a matter of time before he has a real breakout at the top level.

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The fact that he has refused to commit his long-term future to the club has always felt worrying, however, and with Ruben Neves likely leaving Molineux, they need to prioritise getting the youngster to sign a new deal.

Keen’s claim is at least a relief – if both moved on, a gaping void would appear in the middle of the park for Wanderers, and with Joao Moutinho past his very best, it is essential that at least one new face comes in this summer regardless.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Josh Tymon to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim a source has revealed that, following reports of Glasgow Rangers’ interest in a move for the Stoke City left-back this summer, both Leeds and Norwich City have now joined the race for the 23-year-old’s signature.

It is suggested that both the Premier League and Championship side have informed the Potters of their interest in the former England U20 international, while it is also claimed that Michael O’Neill would be willing to sanction the defender’s sale this summer – as long as he is to receive an offer in the region of £6m.

“An outstanding young talent”

Considering just how exciting a prospect Tymon undoubtedly is, the news that Leeds now look to have been given the green light to make a move for the full-back is undoubtedly fantastic for everyone involved with the club.

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Indeed, the £1.62m-rated talent highly impressed over his 44 Championship appearances last season, scoring one goal, registering four assists and creating a whopping 14 big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.2 key passes, taking 0.7 shots and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

The £7.1k-per-week defender who Steve Bruce dubbed “an outstanding young talent” also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.3 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 1.3 clearances, 25.7 passes, 1.3 long balls and winning 3.7 duels per fixture.

As such, with left-back having been something of a problem position for Jesse Marsch last season – with Junior Firpo struggling to adapt to the pace of Premier League football – the signing of a new player in the position would appear to be an extremely wise move for Victor Orta to make this summer.

And, considering just how exciting a prospect Tymon appears to be, £6m could very quickly look to be an absolute bargain for the Whites.

AND in other news: Phil Hay relays big Leeds United transfer news, supporters will be buzzing

Nottingham Forest are ‘doing everything they can’ to seal a move for Liverpool right-back Neco Williams, according to BBC journalist Natalie Jackson.

The Lowdown: Williams linked with Forest move

In recent days, the Welshman has been strongly linked with a move to the City Ground as Steve Cooper looks to sign a replacement for Djed Spence, who has returned to his parent club Middlesbrough.

Williams looks set to leave Liverpool after the Premier League giants completed the signing of Calvin Ramsay, who is expected to be Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deputy moving forward.

Forest face competition for the signing of the Anfield defender but it appears as though they are still the front-runners to snap him up.

The Latest: Journalist provides Williams update

Taking to Twitter, Jackson claimed that the recently promoted club are working extremely hard on getting the deal over the line for the Wales international.

She stated: “The club doing everything they can to sign Liverpool defender Neco Williams.”

The Verdict: Perfect summer signing

Williams is an excellent young player who has been described as a ‘machine’ by Jurgen Klopp in the past, so the hope is that Forest acquire his signature over fellow newly-promoted side Fulham.

The Wales international has bags of energy down the right flank, providing powerful runs and end product, having registered two goals and two assists on loan at Craven Cottage last season.

At just 21, Williams would also be a long-term signing who could mature into a fantastic player over time, hopefully playing a key role in a potentially great period at Forest under Cooper.

West Ham United are eyeing a move for soon-to-be free agent Andrea Belotti this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Milan News. where it is said that the Scotsman is desperate to lure the centre-forward to the London Stadium in order to bolster his attacking ranks.

In the same report, it is claimed that the Hammers are a “concrete option” for Belotti this summer, with the forward set to leave Torino at the end of the month.

The next Zola

Being a technically gifted and prominent striker, Italian striker Belotti could well be the next Zola in the Premier League.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a notable Italian force up-top and the Torino man can fill that void, whilst also solving David Moyes’ depth issue at striker.

Like Zola, it’s Belotti’s ability to read the game that makes up for what is a lack of pace on the whole and truthfully, having endured his second-worst goal-scoring season in Serie A, it is time for the 28-year-old to move on and give his prime years to a more progressive side.

Belotti, who has been dubbed a “machine” who can “chop people down” according to Siavoush Fallahi on Twitter, bagged eight goals in 22 Serie A games this season and whilst that is still solid, it’s a far cry from his 26 goal haul from the 2016/17 season.

West Ham could well offer the Italian a platform in the Premier League with his only real competition being Michail Antonio.

He could go one further than Zola who managed West Ham and instead become their main bagsman.

For a player who is in his prime and possesses a market value of around £18m, according to Transfermarkt, it is a move that comes with little to no risk.

It’s a no-brainer for Moyes and co.

In other news: Enquiry made: West Ham could land a new £36m-rated monster by signing £21k-p/w gem