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Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was unwell instead of suffering a concussion in England’s 6-2 win over Iran, according to journalist David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: Maguire substituted in win

The Three Lions made a perfect start to their 2022 World Cup campaign on Monday afternoon, cruising to victory over a limited Iran side.

Maguire performed well for England, hitting the crossbar and assisting Bukayo Saka’s goal, before being substituted with what looked like an initial concussion during the second half. Now, an update has emerged regarding the United man’s situation.

The Latest: Positive update emerges

Writing on Twitter, Ornstein claimed that Maguire had in fact left the field through illness, allaying fears that he will miss a chunk of the World Cup:

“Harry Maguire substitution in England victory over Iran resulted from him feeling unwell + was not related to concussion. Asked afterwards if defender was ok & he said ‘should be’. #ENG next face #USA on Friday night.”

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The Verdict: Should face the USA

This is good news for both England and United, with Maguire clearly given a confidence boost by being picked by Gareth Southgate, as he looks to return to form in Qatar.

In fairness to him, he has rarely let the Three Lions down in the past and this update suggests that he will be available to face the USA on Friday night.

Erik ten Hag may never see Maguire as the long-term solution for United at centre-back, but this tournament is certainly a great opportunity to prove his worth to his club manager.

Glasgow Rangers supporters of a certain vintage will remember the glory days of the 1990s when the late great Walter Smith led the Ibrox side to nine in a row Premiership titles and countless domestic trophies.

During the final few seasons of this extraordinary run, Smith relied on the wonderful duo of Ally McCoist and Paul Gascoigne to get an ageing Rangers side over the line and match Celtic’s record.

The mercurial Englishman scored 39 goals for Rangers, while McCoist is the Light Blues’ all-time leading goal scorer and the two clicked straight away. Their most memorable moment came in the 1996 League Cup final, as the pair scored twice each in an enthralling 4-3 victory over Hearts.

Michael Beale would certainly love a duo like that in his current Rangers side, and with starlets Alex Lowry and Zak Lovelace thriving at youth level, he may just have the next Gazza and McCoist waiting in the wings.

Lowry made his first team debut in last season’s Scottish Cup win over Stirling Albion, even scoring shortly after he entered the game from the bench and his qualities are similar to that of Gascoigne.

He is very attack-minded and extremely comfortable on the ball, not shy about getting stuck in when the going gets tough either and he can become a mainstay in the Gers midfield for years to come.

Journalist Joshua Barrie described him as a “step above everyone else” during a Lowland League tie and he could form an excellent duo with Lovelace in the future.

The Englishman is three years younger than Lowry, however, his potential is limitless. He made his first team debut for Millwall at just 15 and joined the Ibrox side in the summer, going straight into the B team.

He certainly shares McCoist’s keen eye for goal, scoring 11 goals in 26 matches for the B team this term, while also chipping in with eight assists and he even made his senior bow against Queen of the South in the League Cup back in August.

Beale is expected to give youth players a chance in his Rangers team, and with Lowry and Lovelace raring to go, the future is bright.

Newcastle United have been named as one of the six clubs in the mix to sign Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix. 

The Lowdown: Felix’s current situation

Prior to the World Cup, Felix had scored four goals and delivered three assists in 18 appearances for Diego Simeone’s side across all competitions this season.

Earlier this month however, Atletico CEO Gil Marin admitted that it makes sense for the Spanish club to consider selling the 23-year-old.

With that in mind, it seems as though several clubs across Europe have been alerted as potential suitors for the Portugal international.

The Latest: Newcastle named as Felix suitor

In a recent report from a Spanish newspaper, Newcastle, alongside Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and PSG, have been named as the six options for the Portuguese star, who reportedly has a release clause worth €350m (£300m).

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The report does add however that despite their financial capabilities, Newcastle are not likely to make the move for Felix as they don’t want to run afoul of Financial Fair Play.

The Verdict: An opportunity for Newcastle?

With three appearances to his name for Portugal in this latest World Cup tournament, Felix has scored one goal and provided two assists, earning himself an overall performance rating of 7.46/10 from WhoScored, making him the third-highest rated player in Fernando Santos’ squad.

His performances in Qatar have also been described as “magnificent” on Twitter by journalist Babatunde Koiki, which further highlights how much of an impressive attacking figure he is.

Taking all of this into account, despite Newcastle’s apparent reluctance to spend big money on players, the Magpies should at least explore the possibility of signing the Atletico star, even if it means selling some players to balance the books.

Given his age and the experience he has of playing at the top level of European and international football, this could be a real marquee signing for Newcastle and Eddie Howe.

West Bromwich Albion were shoehorned into a summer of limited spending, with Steve Bruce suffering due to years of financial mismanagement by the club.

It culminated in a total summer expenditure of just £1.1m across eight signings, with the former Baggies boss forced to work the free transfer market.

To his credit, costless recruits such as Okay Yokuslu and Tom Rogic added pedigree, whilst Jed Wallace and John Swift had dominated the Championship for years beforehand.

It therefore made Albion’s start to the season all the more disappointing, as they endured a run of just one win in 11 games in the league before the hierarchy called time on Bruce’s tenure.

Languishing in the relegation zone, they called upon former Huddersfield Town boss Carlos Corberan to turn around the sinking ship and whip what on paper was a decent side into shape.

Although their loss to Sheffield United in his opening game in late October may have caused initial concern, the current boss has since guided West Brom to four straight victories, propelling them to within eight points of the play-off spots.

Their recent win over Sunderland was particularly impressive, given how the Black Cats were in similarly imperious form and could have risen to seventh with a win.

Although goalscoring substitutes Daryl Dike and Rogic might have stolen the headlines with their match-wining displays, it cannot be forgotten that it was Jed Wallace’s teasing delivery which allowed the former to head home the winning goal.

It marked the seventh goal contribution of the season for the winger, who has admittedly endured a tough start to life at The Hawthorns after his heroics for Millwall in the 2021/22 campaign.

Having assisted twice in his last six games, the 28-year-old will be hoping that he can reinstate his scoring touch now that he has the faith of a manager who encourages free-flowing attacking play.

Last season he scored six goals and set up 12 for a Millwall side which finished ninth, with his then-manager Gary Rowett dubbing him “unplayable” at times.

It is worth reminding that, having signed for nothing, he is now worth €5m (£4.3m). Regardless of whether or not he finds his best form, this was a relatively risk-free deal which already appears to have worked out for West Brom.

However, it seems that Corberan is now starting to get the best from Wallace, who has averaged a 6.95 Sofascore rating throughout the season.

Despite his somewhat underwhelming goal contributions tally, he has still recorded 1.9 key passes and two shots per game.

Should Wallace manage to convert these into actual goals and assists, Corberan might finally be able to see the player who has lit up the Championship throughout his career.

Manchester City have tabled a huge bid for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Man City target defender

Man City manager Pep Guardiola already has incredible strength in depth in the centre-back department, considering Aymeric Laporte, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and John Stones are all at his disposal.

It remains to be seen whether they will all stay at the club if a move for Gvardiol transpires, but the Croatian has become the Spaniard’s latest target, perhaps with the long-term future in mind, given that he is just 20 and all of the aforementioned current stars are 25 and above.

The Latest: Offer made

Foot Mercato are now reporting that Guardiola has taken his interest one step further by lodging a ‘crazy’ transfer bid exceeding £85m for the titan, while City are also trying to tempt Leipzig into a sale by including a resale percentage as part of the deal.

The Sky Blues are facing competition from other Premier League clubs for his signature, with Manchester United and Chelsea also formulating offers, although these are not believed to be as lucrative as the proposal put forward by the Sky Blues.

The Verdict: Get it done?

It is hard to argue that City particularly need a new centre-back, given the array of defensive talent already at the Etihad Stadium, however it cannot be denied that the £59k-per-week earner would be a quality addition for any side.

At the World Cup with Croatia, the colossus has been one of the country’s most consistent performers en-route to the semi-final stage, boasting a SofaScore match rating of seven or above in every outing so far, most recently absolutely vital in the victory against Brazil, making seven clearances and blocking two shots in another fine display.

It also must be noted that the 6 foot 1 enforcer would be perfectly suited to Guardiola’s trademark style of play, with the ‘monster’, as dubbed by Fabrizio Romano, registering an average of 87.58 passes attempted per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers.

Gvardiol would be a mainstay at the heart of the City defence for years to come, but they may have to part with an existing option if they are to complete a transfer switch.

Tottenham have identified England international Jordan Pickford as their ‘main objective’ to replace goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs think to future…

Recent reports have suggested that Spurs boss Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici are thinking of Lloris’ successor as the Frenchman enters his twilight years.

The World Cup finalist, now 35-years-old, could be nearing the end of what has been a stellar ten-year stay in the Premier League after his 2012 move from Lyon.

Conte and Paratici have reportedly identified their top target to succeed Lloris between the sticks, and it’s apparently Everton’s number one.

The Latest: Pickford ‘main objective’ for Spurs…

According to Italian sources, the former Sunderland shot-stopper has climbed to the top of Spurs’ transfer wish list with the club ‘already looking beyond’ Lloris.

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TUTTOmercatoWEB claim the saga could ‘take shape’ next season and Pickford is now the ‘main objective’ for Paratici and co.

The Verdict: Right man…

Pickford’s performances for the Three Lions in Qatar highlight just how dependable he can be and we believe the homegrown ace is a perfect target for Tottenham.

Called a ‘real leader’ by members of the media, he could take up Lloris’ role in that regard, not to mention his ‘world class’ distribution could be a real asset.

Valued at around £25 million by Transfermarkt, Pickford is still just 28-years-old and could serve Spurs for a long while after he is potentially signed.

Manchester United have illuminated the right-back department as one needing swift reinforcement, and the youthful speedster Jeremie Frimpong is top of the January shopping list.

Frimpong has been of interest to the Red Devils since before the World Cup, with Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg confirming the club’s interest in the Bayer Leverkusen starlet and stating that talks would commence following the international tournament.

Furthermore, Steve Bates, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, has claimed that the pieces to the puzzle fall kindly in the favour of United boss Erik ten Hag, who is enamoured with his offensive skill set.

Bates said: “He speaks English perfectly; he was brought up here, and he’s Dutch, so Ten Hag has got an in there let’s say that. And I think he’ll be certainly on the shortlist of players United will be looking at.”

The path to a concrete move remains hazy, obscured by rival interest from the likes of Chelsea, according to Football Transfers, and Ten Hag will indeed be to move swiftly if he is to ensure the ace’s Premier League future lies in Manchester. 

“Outstanding”

Man United are indeed prioritising the right-flank, with Frimpong’s pace and offensive prowess viewed as the ideal counterpoint to first-choice Diogo Dalot’s dynamic approach to his play.

Despite signing for Old Trafford for an initial £45m, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has tumbled down the pecking order and faces an uphill battle that teeters on a clamber up a sheer cliff edge.

Reports earlier this year indicated that United were open to selling the 25-year-old in the summer, and now, having made just two appearances and one start under Ten Hag’s tutelage, the sandglass is near empty. 

With Dalot’s position indeed cemented, the Red Devils need a more offensive-minded marauder to fight for a place in the team, and having scored five goals and three assists from just 21 appearances this term, Frimpong might fit the bill.

His youthful age of 21 years old bolsters his prospects of earning a move to one of football’s most illustrious outfits, with a spiky sheen of attacking intent fitting Ten Hag’s forward-thinking philosophy to a tee.

United’s Dutch manager is attempting to rewrite the script at the Theatre of Dreams, instilling confidence and that ‘fear factor’, fusing it together with a cohesive gel.

As per FBref, the “outstanding” – as hailed by Neil Lennon – former Celtic gem ranks within the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals, the top 9% for assists and the top 1% for dribbles completed over the last 365 days.

And, at a club brimming with offensive guile such as Man United, there is no reason why Frimpong can’t nurture his abilities and blossom into a formidable and devastating tool down the right side of the attack.

Chelsea have now held positive talks with N’Golo Kante over a potential new deal to keep the French midfielder at Stamford Bridge.

What’s the latest?

Kante’s future in London has come under serious scrutiny of late with the 31-year-old’s contract at Chelsea now set to expire at the end of the current campaign. There were even reports claiming the French international could walk away from the Blues with an agreement unable to be found.

However, Fabrizio Romano has now suggested Chelsea have held fresh talks with the midfielder which could see him put pen to paper on a new deal to keep him playing under Graham Potter:

“It’s important to mention also what happens about Chelsea’s situation with N’Golo Kante.

“Now the focus is on coming back from his injury but the last conversations with his agents have been positive. Positive conversations because Kante is prepared to accept different kinds of terms to stay at Chelsea.

“So a few months ago, it was really complicated and the feeling was for Kante to leave Chelsea on a free. Now it’s a 50/50 between Kante and Chelsea there are chances for him to stay there are chances for him to leave.”

Ahead of the January window and even the summer market, the Blues have already been linked with a host of names which could potentially be a long-term replacement for the Frenchman at Stamford Bridge.

The likes of Enzo Fernandez, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are all names who are believed to be on Todd Boehly’s radar with the future of Kante still uncertain as he enters the final months of his deal in west London.

Optimism at the Bridge

It has been a testing campaign for Kante whose game time in the starting XI has taken a major blow due to a hamstring injury which he picked up back in August against Tottenham Hotspur.

The injury has seen the Frenchman miss every single game since then with just 175 minutes of action under his belt for the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign.

However, even last season, the midfielder saw his game time hindered by a hamstring injury with 26 appearances to his name across the Premier League campaign.

With this in mind, could the likes of Rice or Fernandez provide Potter with an upgrade on the World Cup-winning midfielder in the coming transfer windows?

Comparing Kante’s 2021/22 campaign with Fernandez and Rice’s current campaign, the Frenchman still provides the most tackles per 90 minutes (via FBref).

But in terms of passes completed, the Argentine remains head and shoulders above the Premier League duo with more than 40 extra passes attempted than Rice and Kante (via FBref).

Despite Kante still holding his own among the promising midfield duo, his injury record of late has to be a concern for those at Stamford Bridge as the Blues sat slumped down in eighth spot of the Premier League following Sunday’s draw at Nottingham Forest.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is keen on tying down Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot to new deals, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

The Lowdown: United pair key

The Red Devils are enjoying a good start to the season with Ten Hag at the helm, and a number of players have enjoyed new leases of life under his management.

Rashford is unquestionably one of those, standing out as one of United’s best performers and scoring a total of 13 goals, in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Dalot has made the right-back spot his own ahead of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, making 14 appearances in the Premier League and providing defensive solidity with attacking quality.

The Latest: Ten Hag wants new deals

Taking to Twitter on Saturday morning, Romano confirmed that Ten Hag sees news contracts for the United duo as key pieces of business to sort in the near future:

“Manchester United consider Marcus Rashford & Diogo Dalot new contracts among top priorities to be done as soon as possible. Contacts are already taking place.

“Ten Hag wants both to be part of long project. He was very clear when PSG moved for Marcus last August: no way.”

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Red Devils

Frankly, it makes complete sense for United to hand new deals to both Rashford and Dalot, with the pair massive parts of the Ten Hag revolution moving forward.

The former has been inspired this season, overcoming some poor form last term to hit an unplayable level currently, scoring in his last five appearances.

Dalot is also a top player in his own right, and at 23, he has the potential to mature into one of Europe’s best right-backs, having been hailed as ‘very professional’ by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ross Wilson must be fearing the worst as there are seven Glasgow Rangers first-team players out of contract at the end of the current season.

For likes of Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, and Allan McGregor, this term will most likely be their final one in Glasgow as Michael Beale aims to bring in his own players to build a new side, however, for a few others, the situation gets slightly more complicated.

Wilson and Beale will want to keep both Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent at the Ibrox side and the next few months will be crucial in convincing two of the club’s prized assets that their long-term future is in Glasgow.

Wilson must do everything to keep Kent

What a difference a few months can make. Before the World Cup break, Kent was performing poorly, scoring just once and registering six assists across 13 Premiership matches, which on the surface, sounds like a reasonable return.

He was dubbed “misfiring” by Rangers Review journalist Derek Clark and his displays in the Champions League lacked any real urgency or desire to perform on the elite European stage.

He averaged a rating of just 6.28 across six appearances, taking just 37.7 touches on average and playing 0.5 key passes which was far below his capabilities and it looked like Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s rigid 4-3-3 was severely hindering Kent.

Since the return of Beale to Ibrox, having previously served as Steven Gerrard’s first team coach between 2018 and 2021, the 27-year-old has looked rejuvenated.

The 42-year-old has allowed Kent more freedom as opposed to hugging the touchline and this has resulted in the winger scoring once and registering an assist in just five matches, while his recent performance against Celtic was excellent.

The £18k-per-week star was back to his best during the 2-2 draw, averaging a 7.4/10 Sofascore rating, scoring the equaliser just after halftime and succeeding with half of his dribble attempts as he caused chaos amongst the Celtic defenders.

Beale sang Kent’s praises after the match, saying: “All the time I’m here Ryan Kent has a place here and is loved. Time and time again, when it matters, he shows up for this club.”

The tactical switch has clearly benefitted the winger and it would be a waste if he was to leave for nothing at the end of the season. The next few weeks could be extremely interesting, but the appointment of Beale may have been a wise move by Wilson, especially if he can convince Kent that there is a long-term project at Ibrox.