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Ryan Sessegnon should consider a loan move away from Tottenham in the January transfer window, according to former Spurs defender Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Sessegnon’s struggles continue

Sessegnon joined Spurs in 2019 with a massive reputation after shining for Fulham, but he has struggled in north London, making just 14 appearances to date.

The 21-year-old has suffered from fitness issues and Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed another development earlier this week, with a setback expected to keep the youngster out for ‘a while’.

The Latest: Hutton tips youngster for move

First-team opportunities look sparse for Sessegnon currently, so it could be that a loan move in January is beneficial to him.

That’s certainly the opinion of Hutton, who told Football Insider that a switch elsewhere could be important for Sessegnon following the news on his fitness this week:

“I would want to move out somewhere on loan. He can have a future at Tottenham but it’s a matter of going out and finding out about himself. Where is his best position?

“Playing for a club regularly to come back a better player and then really try and focus on getting into that Tottenham team. I think it would be good for him to go out on loan.”

The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

At 21, Sessegnon is still such a young player and his talent is undeniable, with Jose Mourinho once hailing the left-sided player as ‘fantastic’.

The Englishman needs some luck with injuries and to pick up some playing time and confidence elsewhere – if he can achieve those things he can still go on to reach his potential at Spurs.

Time is still very much on Sessegnon’s side and some players can take longer to fully develop than others.

In other news, three Spurs players struggled in the defeat to Vitesse Arnhem. Find out who they are here.

Celtic B coach Tommy McIntyre has hailed the professionalism of Christopher Jullien following an outing for the young Hoops. 

The lowdown: Mini Old Firm derby

The 29-year-old was a surprise inclusion for the B team as McIntyre’s side fell to a 5-4 penalty defeat at the hands of Rangers in the Glasgow Cup semi-final.

Strikes from Mikey Johnston and Ben Summers had twice given the Bhoys the upper hand before the hosts levelled to take the game to extra time and the young Hoops fell short in the shootout.

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However, despite the defeat, Jullien was able to get an all-important 90 minutes of competitive action and impressed the man in charge…

The latest: McIntyre hails ‘role model’

Speaking to the club’s official website, McIntyre was quick to praise the French centre-back’s ‘big’ influence:

“Jullien is a great role model, young Josh Dede is only 16 and playing alongside him, as is Ewan Otoo.

“So it’s great for us that he can come in and it was a big bonus. Again, the attitude was first class from Jullien and I thought Johnston was the same.”

Jullien has only made one fleeting appearance for Ange Postecoglou’s side this season having suffered a wretched campaign with injury.

The verdict: A welcome sight

Although both Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt have been admirable deputies in the Frenchman’s absence, welcoming Jullier’s experience and indeed quality back to the squad for what could be a crucial run-in is a massive boost for Celtic.

Out of contract at the end of next season (Transfermarkt), the former France Under 20 international could also be playing for his own future at Parkhead over the coming weeks.

Showing a willingness to get back to fitness and help out the youngsters in the process will undoubtedly stand the 62 appearance Celtic man in good stead at Lennoxtown when it comes to possible renewal talks.

In other news, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has been left fuming. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly leading the race to sign Franck Kessie…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian outlet Calciomercato, who claim the 25-year-old midfielder is yet to agree on a contract extension at Serie A giants AC Milan and with his current deal set to expire in the summer, he could depart the San Siro for nothing.

Spurs are among the Premier League teams chasing his signature and are the favourites to seal him, whilst Paris Saint-Germain are also interested.

Kessie is free to speak to teams outside of Italy from January, meaning the north London outfit could secure a pre-contract agreement with the 52-time Ivory Coast international, who is currently valued at €30m (£26m) by CIES Football Observatory.

Shades of Dembele

Whilst manager Antonio Conte may have to wait until next season to see the talents of Kessie in action, he would still be a mighty fine addition to his engine room.

The bustling midfield enforcer could well bring shades of Mousa Dembele back to N17. He’s capable of being an absolute rock defensively with his big physical attributes, whilst also being able to drive forward with the ball. He even has a goal or two in him, too.

Among Milan’s three best performers in the Serie A this season, Kessie has scored five goals in 13 starts, to add to his 13 goals last term.

Meanwhile, since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, he’s averaged at least 1.3 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.9 dribbles and 0.8 key passes, via WhoScored, which shows his influence at both ends of the pitch.

Such consistent form has led to high praise indeed.

His former Rossoneri boss Vincenzo Montella once lauded him as an “extraordinary player” with “sublime intelligence”, whilst ex-Milan frontman Antonio Cassano likened him to Yaya Toure and dubbed him “devastating.”

“I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he’s intelligent. I’m watching him carefully, with Roma it was devastating,” he said. “It reminds me of the Yaya Toure of the best times. He is a different player, but in terms of impact. He is holding Milan’s midfield alone.”

You could argue that Spurs have lacked that sort of physical ball-carrying beast in the heart of their midfield for quite some time and it would appear that Kessie seems a perfect fit to solve that lingering problem.

Therefore, it would make sense for sporting director Fabio Paratici to push ahead to try and land the Ivorian machine over some of their biggest rivals.

It would be an absolute steal, not having to pay a transfer fee, and in Kessie, the Lilywhites could well discover their next Dembele – a mouth-watering prospect indeed.

AND in other news, Conte can finally axe Spurs’ “liability” by signing £36m-rated “absolute beast” in Jan – opinion

A number of Liverpool supporters have slammed James Milner’s ineffective performance in the Reds’ 0-0 draw at home to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were in semi-final first leg action on Thursday evening, hosting a Gunners side that had just been dumped out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest.

It proved to be an extremely frustrating night for Liverpool, who performed badly throughout, failing to break down an Arsenal side who had Granit Xhaka sent-off in the first half.

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The Reds mustered a single attempt on target and now have plenty of work to do in the second leg at the Emirates next Thursday if they want to make it into next month’s final against Chelsea.

One player who struggled more than most was Milner, who offered little in the middle of the park, losing possession 13 times and playing no key passes, according to Sofascore, with that lack of creativity summing up the team’s overall display.

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Liverpool fans slaughter Milner performance

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to criticise the veteran’s display, with one supporter calling it a ‘disgrace’.

“I’m sorry but Milner and Henderson in the same midfield actually breaks me”

Credit: @ilab1612

“Honestly, I’ve had enough of Milner. He’s washed, it’s a bit of a disgrace he still gets minutes for us”

Credit: @TDJS_92

“Milner and Hendo were woeful yet again”

Credit: @_umairg

“Love Milner done lots for us but surely he has to go”

Credit: @sam76803802

“Milner is one of the worst players in the Prem”

Credit: @UnbiasedLiverp1

“Announce Milner as part of the coaching staff @LFC”

Credit: @KingAfo

In other news, some Liverpool fans have flocked to one transfer update. Read more here.

As per The Athletic, an update has emerged involving Aston Villa, Leeds United and West Ham United goalkeeper Darren Randolph as more January news comes to light.

The Lowdown: West Ham have quiet window…

In the last week of the winter window, multiple reports of marquee bids and last gasp striker signing attempts came out of the woodwork as the Hammers left it too late to bring someone through the door.

Indeed, West Ham and manager David Moyes apparently made big offers for star Leeds United duo Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips before turning their attention to deadline day striker swoops for Benfica’s Darwin Nunez and Duvan Zapata of Atalanta.

Jesse Lingard was also the subject of intense final day interest but recruitment chief Rob Newman fell short in all of these last gasp attempts.

In some exit news, sharing who West Ham and Moyes stopped from leaving, The Athletic have made a claim involving Randolph.

The Latest: West Ham block Randolph exit…

According to their sources, the Irons told their third-choice shot stopper he couldn’t join Leeds or Villa as both sides plotted loan moves for the 50-cap shot stopper.

Indeed, despite being on the very fringes of West Ham’s first team, Moyes held firm and refused to green-light a temporary exit for Randolph.

The Verdict: Wrong move?

Given the 34-year-old’s lack of game time at the London Stadium, we believe not sanctioning a move away is a strange call.

Loanee second-choice goalkeeper Alphonse Areola has barely been granted game-time himself, starting just one Premier League game all season, making you wonder what purpose Randolph has sitting behind the Frenchman.

Randolph’s current deal expires in 2023, giving West Ham two more transfer windows to make a profit off his sale, and letting him attempt to establish game time at another Premier League side could’ve potentially done wonders for his market value.

Ex-Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate, Randolph’s former boss, even called the player ‘outstanding’ during their time together at Middlesbrough – perhaps indicating he is wasted on the sidelines.

In other news: ‘Fancies West Ham’…£18m man ‘let down’ after failed January move, find out more here.

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According to The Express and Star, West Brom’s Zhang Yuning, previously on loan at ADO Den Haag, has returned to The Hawthorns before a proposed move to an unnamed Chinese Super League.

The Chinese striker, signed in 2017, is expected to depart for the East next week with zero minutes in Baggies blue and white under his belt.

The 22-year-old will not be returning to England to train in B71, instead leaving straight for China to finalise his move. Fortunately for the Baggies, the player has cost them nothing in fees as owner Guochuan Lai financed the transfer himself and paid his wages.

Who do you want to see promoted this year? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked their 3 favoured teams in the video below…

Lai had surely been hoping that the hitman would significantly boost the Midlands club’s fanbase in Asia and perhaps develop into a useful player, but that hasn’t been the case as he has been unable to secure a work permit in England.

Here’s how the West Brom faithful reacted to the news on Twitter…

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion manager Graham Potter, and as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been giving their thoughts to the rumour via social media.

The Daily Record claimed on Monday evening that the 46-year-old, who is under contract at the Amex Stadium until 2025, had been discussed as an option to replace Dean Smith at Villa Park.

BBC’s Phil McNulty provided a managerial update on Tuesday morning, name-checking the likes of Steven Gerrard, Roberto Martinez, Kasper Hjulmand, Ralph Hasenhuttl and Potter.

When it came to the Brighton boss, he said that the Englishman would be a prime contender for any vacancy, but it is highly doubted he could be tempted to leave the Seagulls.

Despite this doubt, a number of Villa fans are desperate for Solihull-born Potter, who Smith has called ‘fantastic’, to return to the Midlands.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful shared McNulty’s claim regarding Potter via Twitter. Here is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with some urging the club’s NSWE ownership to make their move for the Brighton boss.

“Please Villa”

Credit: @JackAVFC77

“I’d love to see us do whatever it takes.”

Credit: @calvmcd713

“Give them 20mil if they want it”

Credit: @AVAlex1874

“Try it!”

Credit: @EarwigLLe

“If we want to play an attractive and associative game, Graham is the best option. But it’s true that it’s the most complicated option.”

Credit: @JohnMcGinnism

“Please”

Credit: @buendiazboyz

In other news: ‘I understand’ – Ashley Preece drops Tuesday morning Frank Lampard to Aston Villa claim

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has lauded the brilliant Sadio Mane after his influential performance in the Reds’ 3-2 win over Manchester City.

The Lowdown: Reds down City at Wembley

Jurgen Klopp’s side got the better of their Premier League rivals on Saturday afternoon, producing a scintillating performance in the first half of their FA Cup semi-final clash.

Liverpool raced into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to Ibrahima Konate’s header and a Mane double, with Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva replying for City after the break.

The Reds hung on in the dying minutes, keeping their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple alive in the process.

The Latest: Carragher hails Mane

Taking to Twitter during the game, Carragher paid special attention to Mane, as he produced one of his most impressive performances of the season:

“What a player you’ve been & still are for @LFC Sadio.”

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The Verdict: A true Liverpool legend

There is an argument to say that, at 30, Mane is not quite the all-conquering player he was, but he remains someone who would walk into most teams in Europe, having been hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Klopp in the past.

He was magnificent against City in a new central attacking role, pressing relentlessly and providing two of the game’s standout moments, charging down Steffen for one goal and volleying home the other.

There is no question that Mane is now a Liverpool legend in his own right, like Carragher, having scored 115 goals in 259 appearances, not to mention winning the Champions League and Premier League along the way.

In other news, a pundit expects a renewal from one Liverpool player. Find out who it is here.

Ianis Hagi is likely to leave Rangers, and Rijeka’s Robert Muric could replace him. 

That’s according to a report from Croatian outlet Germanijak (via Ibrox News).

The lowdown

Hagi only joined Rangers permanently in the summer of 2020 in a £3.15m move from KRC Genk following an initial loan spell at Ibrox. The Romanian, who is valued at £6.3m by Transfermarkt, still has two-and-a-half years left on his contract.

It emerged on Tuesday that he would miss the remainder of the 2021/22 season after undergoing surgery on a knee injury sustained against Stirling Albion in the Scottish Cup, so there’s now a possibility that the 23-year-old has played his last game for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

The latest

The report from Germanijak (via Ibrox News) claimed that Hagi will ‘probably’ leave Ibrox come the end of the season.

Muric is being lined up as a potential replacement, although Rangers have yet to make a formal approach for the 25-year-old Rijeka wizard.

The verdict

Hagi would no doubt be a big loss at Ibrox. His four goals and four assists this season take him to an overall tally of 36 direct goal contributions in 85 games for Rangers. He has started 15 times in the Premiership this season, and three times in the Europa League group stage, further emphasising his importance to the Light Blues.

Would Muric be an able replacement? To his credit, the £2.7m-rated Croatian boasts some pretty strong numbers, with eight goals and seven assists in his 20 appearances in the current campaign.

However, it’s worth stressing that the Croatian top flight ranks 17th in Europe, a full eight places below the Scottish Premiership, so there’s no guarantee he could make the step-up to this league, especially for the reigning champions and current leaders.

In other news, many Rangers fans were buzzing over this development

Aston Villa secured their second consecutive victory under the tutelage of new manager Steven Gerrard, seeing off Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park in today’s Premier League encounter.

It was left-back Matt Targett who put the visitors ahead after just 15 minutes of action in south London, firing a low drive through a crowd of bodies from Ashley Young’s perfectly-weighted corner.Gerrard’s charges put in a confident display in the opening half, and bar Wilfried Zaha’s golden opportunity following a jinking run, the Villans had the better chances to double their tally.John McGinn, Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings all failed to add to Targett’s opening strike before half-time, leaving the game in the balance until the final moments.The returning Douglas Luiz then had a red card rescinded before McGinn made up for his earlier miss, capping a magnificent display with a well-taken effort in the closing stages, curling his effort into the top corner of Vicente Guaita’s net from the edge of the box.Although it may have been against the run of play, the Scotland international earned his goal after dominating the engine room throughout, and his effort meant that Marc Guehi’s late effort was a mere consolation.As per SofaScore, McGinn received a match rating of 8.7 out of 10, by far the highest total awarded to any player on the pitch, and when looking at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why.The 27-year-old won 12 of his 15 duels throughout the 90 minutes, made a whopping seven tackles and successfully completed all three of his attempted dribbles.McGinn also picked out a teammate with both of his crosses, achieved a passing accuracy of 90%, and lost possession a mere four times, highlighting his hugely effective display in south London.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece was equally as impressed with the former Hibernian midfielders outstanding display.

“Rolled Kouyate beautifully and almost curled home a cracker in the first half,” he wrote after awarding the 27-year-old an eight out of 10.

Preece added: “Scored a cracker to seal the three points after bending home from the edge of the area. McGinn’s carrying a huge goal threat under Gerrard. A solid performance from the Scot who loved his goal.”

Gerrard will be hoping that his pivotal engine room operator can maintain this level of performance in the weeks ahead, with reigning champions Manchester City up next.

In other news… Gerrard could be heading for his first AVFC disaster on £31.5m-rated “absolute joy”