It is thought to cost each club close to £100,000 per season, or around £1.2m combined, with a vote expected to take place in the spring. That figure has increased from £60,000 per season, and Maguire has been having his say on the now seven-figure total cost.
The Latest: Maguire’s comments
Maguire, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider, who led with a title suggesting that the rest of the league will ‘hate’ VAR coming into play.
He admitted that it isn’t a surprise to see both Celtic and Rangers pushing for a VAR deal due to their financial power, saying:
“You can understand it from the perspective of other clubs.
“Other clubs are operating on total revenue of around about £5m per season.
“That means £100,000 would be two per cent of total revenue going towards VAR, which isn’t insignificant.
“But Celtic and Rangers are generating much more than that, meaning it is less significant.
“For them, VAR could be the difference between coming 2nd and winning the title.”
The Verdict: The right move?
You can see why both Celtic and Rangers are pushing for VAR, especially following the Hoops’ impressive financial figures in 2021.
As Maguire mentions, the implementation of the technology could prove to be the difference in who wins the title in subsequent seasons, with the current campaign showing how close the two sides are now.
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Hopefully, other top-flight clubs will vote in favour of the technology, despite the £100,000-a-year cost, and this topic could be one to keep an eye on over the coming months.
In other news: Devlin reveals that Celtic ‘definitely want’ to sign ‘incredible’ £22k-p/w international
Ibrox giants Rangers have been dealt a late quadruple injury setback as Gio van Bronckhorst’s Glasgow giants prepare to play in the Premiership tonight.
What’s the latest?
The manager has revealed the players who will be absent for the Gers as they return to action away from home this evening.
We covered the news that Aaron Ramsey is set for a return from injury “soon” after missing the last few matches through injury, but four more players have sustained knocks to join him on the treatment table.
The club’s official Twitter account quoted him as saying: “Ramsey, Davis, Amad, Jack and Helander are not available for tomorrow.”
He added: “Helander and Jack should be back for the weekend, Amad next week.”
Fuming
When it rains it pours…
Rangers fans will surely be fuming with this update as it is another frustrating development and major blow that will compound their misery after recent results in the Premiership.
The Gers have failed to win either of their last two matches in the division after drawing with both Dundee United and Motherwell. Van Bronckhorst’s men dropped a two-goal lead in the latter as they failed to capitalise on holding a healthy advantage at half-time, with these matches allowing Celtic to maintain their three-point lead at the top of the table.
They will now face St Johnstone with a depleted squad as these fresh injury blows have left the club without four more of their first-team options along with Ramsey, which is why this is a major blow to the side. This will, therefore, leave supporters fuming as the injuries have come at the same time as a frustrating run of results.
The fans will also be livid with some of the players who are out. Filip Helander made his return in the draw with Dundee United and showed some signs of promise despite looking rusty, as he won four of his five aerial battles in the match. Instead of being able to build up his fitness and return to his best, he will now be watching on from the sidelines again.
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Ryan Jack being out is also a major blow as he has been in excellent form of late. He has recorded a SofaScore rating of 6.9 or higher in four of his last five appearances as the central midfielder looked to be getting back to 100%.
Now, much like Helander, he has suffered a setback and may have to work his way back to those level upon his return, which is another reason why fans will be fuming with this update.
AND in other news, GvB must unleash “outstanding” £14k-p/w Rangers gem who plays with “smile on his face”…
Celtic will be entitled to some of the money if Manchester United buy Moussa Dembele from Lyon, Football Scotland’s Matthew Elder writes.
The lowdown
Celtic signed Dembele on a free transfer from Fulham in 2016 and he went on to make 94 appearances for the club, scoring 51 goals and providing 18 assists.
In 2018, they agreed to sell him to Lyon for £19.8million, a deal that remains one of the most lucrative in their history.
The Daily Mail reported this week that Manchester United are now eyeing the Frenchman, with no guarantee that Marcus Rashford, Cristiano Ronaldo or Anthony Martial will be at Old Trafford next season.
United are aware that Dembele would qualify as a homegrown player following his stint at Celtic, offering another incentive.
The latest
Elder says that Celtic insist on sell-on clauses when they sell players, and they could now see the benefit of that strategy.
He thinks Lyon may be inclined to cash in on Dembele this summer because he’ll be entering the final year of his contract.
The portion of the proceeds which The Hoops are due to receive isn’t specified.
The verdict
The Mail claim that Lyon could ask for £25million for Dembele, and so Celtic would be in line to bank a fairly considerable amount of money, even if the clause is only along the lines of ten per cent.
The club can be very pleased with their transfer dealings in this instance, having banked a huge sum in the first place for a player who didn’t cost them a penny.
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And now they’re due to reap the rewards of some long-term thinking and firm negotiation.
With Jeremie Frimpong, who also has a sell-on clause, a target for Bayern Munich, Celtic’s coffers could be nicely boosted by external dealings this summer.
In other news, Celtic have received a fitness boost.
Rangers have been dealt a concerning blow over Ibrox midfielder Joe Aribo’s injury situation…
What’s the latest?
Gio van Bronckhorst has admitted that the Nigeria international is a doubt ahead of their Scottish Cup quarter-final clash today, with the club set to make a late call on his availability.
On Friday, Rangers’ official Twitter channel quoted the manager as saying: “Physically it was a tough match last night, we have a couple concerns with Lundstram’s ankle and we have to assess Aribo also before Sunday.”
Sweating
The knock to the ex-Charlton man will surely leave Van Bronckhorst sweating, as the 25-year-old has been a crucial player for the club throughout the campaign. He has proven himself to be an integral member of the squad and it will be a big blow to lose him for any period of time.
Rangers are three points behind Celtic in the Premiership table and remain in the Europa League and the Scottish Cup, so there is still plenty to play for between now and the end of the campaign. Therefore, the Dutch head coach will surely want as many of his top players available as possible, and Aribo fits into that description.
In the league this season, the midfielder has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.11, placing him sixth out of all the outfield players. He has chipped in with seven goals and five assists whilst mainly being deployed in a number 10 role or out wide, showing that he has the quality to make a difference in the final third for the Gers.
He has also averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.92 in the Europa League, creating 1.3 chances per game and registering one assist so far. This may not be as impressive as his ratings domestically, but he is ranked above the likes of John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield, Borna Barisic and Glen Kamara in the Rangers squad, which shows that he has been one of the Gers’ better performers in Europe.
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The 25-year-old’s statistics in Europe and in the Premiership illustrate why Van Bronckhorst will be sweating over this latest injury issue. The Gers boss will surely be hoping that it is only a minor issue which will not leave the Nigerian out of action for an extended period of time, as Aribo has proven how important he is to the team.
For now, though, this is looking like a big blow to the squad for the clash against Dundee today and potentially beyond…
AND in other news, Rangers dealt another concerning injury update which will also leave Van Bronckhorst sweating…
Liverpool pair James Milner and Kostas Tsimikas have been out of the Reds’ crucial Premier League clash with Arsenal because of illness.
The Lowdown: Reds face huge game v Arsenal
Jurgen Klopp’s men face one of their biggest matches of the season on Wednesday night, making the trip to face a Gunners side who have taken control of the battle to finish fourth.
Manchester City’s 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Monday means that Liverpool can get to within one point of their title rivals with a win at the Emirates Stadium, although it will be no easy task.
Mohamed Salah looks set to be available for the game despite suffering a knock away to Brighton last weekend but two other players are missing for the trip to north London.
The Latest: Milner and Tsimikas ruled out
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, journalist Carl Markham confirmed that Milner and Tsimikas have been ruled out of tonight’s clash in north London.
He tweeted: “Klopp says Konate is back fit. Milner and Tsimikas are out with illness.”
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-24/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
The Verdict: Milner’s experience will be a miss
While neither Milner nor Tsimikas are regular figures in this magnificent Liverpool team, they have been important squad members this season, starting seven league matches apiece.
In terms of who will be the biggest miss, the English veteran’s vast experience could have been so important in a match of such magnitude, coming on in the second half to help manage the game, especially if the Reds are winning at that point.
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The hope is that Liverpool still have enough midfield depth to alleviate that issue, both in terms of quality and nous, while Andy Robertson is clearly first-choice over Tsimikas at left-back, so the Greek might not be a devastating miss for one game.
In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a hugely exciting move for one midfielder. Read more here.
Rangers’ January signing Amad Diallo may not be ‘up to it’ at Ibrox, Frank McAvennie has told Football Insider.
The lowdown
With three days of the January transfer window remaining, Rangers signed Diallo on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst inherited the squad of his predecessor Steven Gerrard in the autumn, but this was one of four incoming deals he sanctioned in January as he looked to put his own stamp on the squad.
Diallo made a flying start for the Gers, scoring just five minutes into his debut against Ross County on 29 January.
But Van Bronckhorst then substituted him at half time against Celtic, with Rangers 3-0 down, after he lost five of the six duels he contested and conceded possession 12 times.
He’s only played 22 Scottish Premiership minutes since, and has watched all the Europa League knockout action from the sidelines.
The latest
McAvennie stressed that Diallo has the ability but says he may have encountered something of a culture shock.
And he feels it’s fair to question the wisdom of the signing in light of what we’ve seen so far.
“It’s a different game up here,” he said. “In England, players will take the ball. In Scotland, you take the ball and the man.
“It’s frantic, you get no time on the ball. Diallo doesn’t have the time to run with the ball, it can be a shock to a player.
“He’s only a young boy and he has bags of talent but maybe Van Bronckhorst doesn’t trust him.
“There are loads of options for Rangers in that position so if you aren’t up to the job, you won’t play.
“It just makes me wonder why they signed him if he’s not up to it.”
The verdict
This was a signing that felt like it could go either way.
Diallo had showcased his immense potential at youth level, notching 28 direct goal contributions in 46 appearances for Atalanta’s Primavera side.
But, on the other hand, he’d only made 14 senior appearances for La Dea and Manchester United combined.
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Rangers haven’t committed to an expensive mandatory purchase option, so from that point of view it was still perhaps a risk worth taking, but it hasn’t paid off so far.
As McAvennie says, Van Bronckhorst simply seems to have very little trust in him.
After all, BBC Sportsound pundit Derek Ferguson has accused him of looking ‘half-hearted’, while journalist Andrew Dickson described his attitude as ‘really poor’ after he allegedly backed out of a challenge against Dundee United.
If the commitment isn’t there, then he can’t expect to play in important games.
In other news, this BBC man drops a transfer claim on Cedric Itten.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte must make a ruthless decision ahead of their Premier League encounter with Newcastle United this afternoon.
The Italian head coach is facing plenty of selection decisions as his side looks to maintain ground in the race for a top-four finish and with teams slipping up around them, there won’t be a better chance to solidify their claims.
Eddie Howe has turned things around at the Magpies, winning three of their last five in the competition – a run of form that has seen them rise from the brink of an end-of-season relegation battle to near-enough survival.
And he has quite the threat upfront in Chris Wood, who swapped Turf Moor for St James’ Park during the January transfer window. Perhaps not the big-name signing many expected under their new Saudi backers but quite an astute addition, all things considered.
The 30-year-old marksman hasn’t scored as many goals as he’d have liked in the black and white, with just one goal from ten appearances, but having played 100% of minutes in those matches, it’s clear that Howe trusts him and his attacking credentials.
He has won a whopping 8.8 aerial duels won per game since signing for the northeast outfit, which is the most in the Premier League but quite some margin, eclipsing his 5.5 headers won at Burnley and far exceeding anyone in the Spurs squad, as per WhoScored.
This aerial threat will be something of a problem for Conte, even with three centre-backs being deployed, and at 5 foot 11, Ben Davies could be at risk from facing the axe.
The Welshman, dubbed “perfect” by ex-Lilywhites man Michael Dawson, withdrew from the Wales squad during the recent international break and whilst he is available for this clash, it may be wise to hold him back in case any lingering injury gets worse, whilst last time out, he was rated as one of Spurs’ worst-performing players in their 3-1 win over West Ham.
Those factors, combined with the fact that he’s a full-back playing out of position, should be enough for Conte to make a brutal and ruthless call to drop him from the starting XI when the two teams go head-to-head later today.
The 28-year-old star has won an average of only 2.2 headers per league outing this term, a mere fraction compared to the aerial threat of Wood, and last time out, he won only one of his three duels, failed to register a single tackle and lost possession eight times – and that was up against an out-of-sorts Michail Antonio.
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A bit lightweight, in comparison to Howe’s big target man.
Therefore, it would be wise for Conte to ruthlessly axe the £18m-rated defender, who Jose Mourinho once lauded as “intelligent”, for this fixture, as he could well be dominated by the threat of Wood and co amid recent domestic form struggles and potential injury concerns.
AND in other news, Spurs dealt huge blow as early team news emerges ahead of Newcastle clash…
Manchester United have a huge couple of weeks ahead of them, with Ruben Amorim desperately needing to find a solution to various issues across the squad.
The attacking department has been hugely improved in 2025/26, as seen by their tally of 30 goals in their first 16 Premier League matches of the campaign.
However, INEOS have made it clear they want further attacking reinforcements in January, which has seen Antoine Semenyo just one player shortlisted at Old Trafford.
The Ghanian has already netted seven goals in England’s top-flight this campaign, with his latest effort coming against the Red Devils on Monday evening.
However, the move could come as a surprise to many outsiders, but there is a huge reason why Amorim’s men are in the hunt for added attacking reinforcements.
Why United are set to struggle due to AFCON
The African Cup of Nations comes round every two years, giving players from such a continent to make themselves heroes for their respective countries.
However, it does pose a huge issue to many Premier League clubs, with Amorim’s United one of the sides hugely affected by this year’s edition of the competition.
Three players, Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui, have all linked up with their nations, which has left a huge issue for the manager to contend with down the right-hand side.
Losing three players would be a challenge to any manager, but the aforementioned trio have arguably been the Red Devils’ best players in the 2025/26 campaign to date.
Mbeumo and Amad have been two of the club’s star performers in England’s top-flight, subsequently registering 11 combined goals and assists between them to date.
Such a tally is 36% of the whole club’s goal tally in the league, with the former of the duo currently sitting top of the goalscoring charts with his tally of six.
The competition ends on the 18th of January, which could see the pair miss seven games between them should their nations both reach the final, which may leave Amorim with a huge decision to make.
The solution to United’s AFCON troubles
Given the impact of losing Mbeumo and Amad, United currently have two separate solutions to fix the issues they could face as a result of the African Cup of Nations.
Option one could be to delve back into the transfer market and once again bolster the frontline, with Semenyo one name that continues to be linked with a switch to Old Trafford.
He’s set to be one of the most in-demand players in the Premier League, especially when his £65m release clause becomes active on the first day of the new year.
However, the Red Devils will need to act swiftly to secure the 25-year-old’s signature, with his current clause only lasting for the first ten days of the January window.
Another option the manager could choose is to put faith in the academy ranks, subsequently handing Shea Lacey the chance to prove his worth in the absence of Mbeumo and Amad.
The 18-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for the first-team, but has been consistently on the bench this campaign, with Amorim yet to hand him his big break.
However, he has impressed for the U21 side throughout the ongoing campaign, as seen by his incredible tally of goal contributions from his nine appearances to date.
Lacey, who’s an England U20 international, has five combined goals and assists despite playing three years above his age group, even scoring a double in a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace.
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It could be a huge step up for the teenager, but he does possess very similar traits to the outgoing African talents, which could make him the perfect short-term replacement.
Like Mbeumo and Amad, Lacey is a left-footed attacker who loves to play off the right-hand side, often cutting inside onto his favoured foot and finding the top corner. In the words of journalist Jack Kenmare, he looks like “a Phil Foden regen”.
Like Foden and indeed Semenyo, Lacey has rapidly become known for his dribbling ability in recent years, as seen at youth level, leading to one analyst labelling the teenager as “impossible to dispossess”.
Shea Lacey – stats against Notts County
Statistics
Tally
Minutes played
90
Touches
71
Passes completed
80%
Passes into final third
10
Dribbles completed
3
Ground duels won
8
Fouls won
2
Gosls scored
1
Stats via FotMob
His recent showing in the Vertue Motors Trophy against Notts County was evidence of such talent, subsequently scoring whilst also completing three dribbles – the most of anyone in the match.
It may not be the most popular of decisions this January, but catapulting Lacey into the first-team reckoning could well prove to be an excellent option for the manager.
Semenyo would no doubt be a phenomenal addition, but it’s £65m worth of funds that should be directed into other areas of the pitch to bolster their Premier League standing.
Amad upgrade: Man Utd in talks "this week" to sign "unplayable" PL talent
Manchester United’s search for new attack-minded wing-backs appears to be stepping up.
Tottenham Hotspur’s spineless defeat against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground last weekend was a mess.
Thomas Frank has since been entrusted by the Lewis Family with the responsibility of turning things around, but it’s hard to see that Spurs have made headway after dismissing Ange Postecoglou at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
That being said, Frank has what it takes to lift this project off the ground, having exceeded expectations in west London with Brentford. He is steadfast in his belief that he will make discernible progress soon.
The Danish coach needs time, but, more importantly, he needs results, and he must navigate through a number of obstacles down N17.
The biggest problems facing Frank at Spurs
Frank was visibly incensed as his Tottenham team trudged off after defeat at Nottingham Forest. After all, it was a display littered with issues.
The likes of Pedro Porro have been abject all year. The Spanish right-back is a creative expert, but he’s struggling to bring it all together, so flimsy and, it looks at times, disinterested.
Sofascore record that Spurs lost 57% of their aerial challenges against the Tricky Trees; moreover, only three of 19 attempted crosses found their target.
It’s not just a struggle to implement Frank’s vision. Individual errors are costing Tottenham dearly too. There are deep-rooted problems for the Lilywhites boss to wrestle with, but mistakes make up some of the biggest creases, and they need to be ironed out.
Premier League 25/26 – Most Errors Made
Club
Goals Conceded
Errors
Tottenham
21
20
Everton
19
19
Nott’m Forest
25
18
Wolves
20
17
Man City
16
16
Sunderland
17
16
Data via FBref
Perhaps this means certain members of the squad need to be evicted. We’ve seen before the hindrances that error-prone players can have, even against their natural talent, and Frank may have landed his own version of Serge Aurier in that regard.
Spurs' new version of Serge Aurier
Aurier spent four years in north London with Tottenham, enjoying highs and lows under Mauricio Pochettino and then Jose Mourinho’s wing.
An athletic and creative right-back, Aurier arrived from PSG for a hefty £23m fee, and while he boasted a suitable athletic and technical profile for the Premier League, the Ivorian defender was culpable of many “ridiculous and rash” decisions, making many an “elementary mistake”, as had been said by pundit Jamie Redknapp.
Talented but guilty of error-strewn displays? Tottenham may have their new version between the sticks, with Guglielmo Vicario having played an epicentral role in his side’s mistake-filled performances this season.
Vicario, 29, is into his third campaign in north London after joining from Empoli for an initial £17m fee, and while has saved 70.6% of the shots he has faced in the Premier League this term, putting him seventh in the standings for that metric, he has also blundered on several occasions, drawing the ire of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher and many Spurs supporters besides.
Also branded “embarrassing” and “in a tough spot” by former Premier League forward Nigel Reo-Coker after blundering against Forest, Vicario’s job is not at risk yet, but he’s ostensibly entered the beginning of his prime as a shot-stopper and needs to be producing more convincing displays.
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He was at fault both times as Callum Hudson-Odoi worked his way onto the scoresheet, and it’s hardly as if that dour defeat stands as an outlier.
In fact, the Italy international has made a sum total of 11 direct errors since moving to the Premier League, including a woeful return of six from just 24 appearances last year.
Aurier had his uses in a Tottenham shirt, but his strengths did not outweigh the weaknesses that bogged Spurs down after that post-Champions League decline.
Now, Vicario is proving himself to be the new version, and if Frank is serious about making sustained headway, it might be that the shot-stopper needs to be cut loose down the line.
A better signing than Simons: Spurs hold talks to sign big-money PL star
Tottenham’s attacking additions from the summer have left something to be desired.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher claims that Manchester City star Yaya Toure will be judged on his defensive performances rather than his attacking forays this season, Sky Sports reports.
City made easy of their season-opening fixture on Monday night, brushing aside West Bromwich Albion 3-0 at the Hawthorns with Toure grabbing the first two goals.
His first strike took a lucky deflection off both David Silva and Craig Dawson’s legs, but his second was an immaculate side-footed finish right into the top corner.
WANT MORE? >> Manchester City Transfer News | Latest Transfer News
However, Kop icon Carragher claims that if the Citizens want to overcome champions Chelsea to the Premier League crown this season, the Ivory Coast international will need to perform his defensive duties.
He said: “That criticism could still come again, because it’s not in games like this. It’s games where he’s got to do a defensive job.”
“The system looks like Sterling on the left, Silva off the front and Yaya Toure will play central midfield.
“The power and pace he shows going forward, he doesn’t show it going back. I’ve said it time and time again, he’s like a sprinter going forward, and a marathon runner coming back. He doesn’t want to come back.
“And that’ll be the problem for him at the weekend. In those big games can he be trusted to play in the two?
“He was fantastic tonight, but over the course of the season in those big games, Champions League games, that’s where the criticism will come from. Not in terms of going forward, because he’s still as good as anyone.”
Carragher went on to admit that Toure is one of the best central midfielders in Premier League history, and that he could be the difference between winning the title or another trophy-less campaign for the Sky Blues.
He continued: “Have we ever seen anyone better in Premier League history, a central midfield player, dominating, sprinting forward from that central midfield with power, coming on to things, but also that finishing.
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“For the criticism he got last year, he was still among the highest-scoring midfield players. But because of the year before, when he got 20, you automatically give him criticism and stick.
“He’s driven them to the title before. If they could get the Yaya Toure of the last couple of years, in title-winning seasons, they have a fantastic chance of winning the league.”