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Former Leeds United forward Noel Whelan has tipped his old club to move for Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard, in an interview with Football Insider.

What did he say?

Edouard has bagged 22 goals in the Scottish Premiership this season, with Arsenal and Everton linked with a move for the Frenchman last month.

However, following the news that the Qatar Sport Investment (QSI) group could be interested in investing in the club, Whelan has said that Edouard should be a potential target for the Elland Road club.

Any move for Edouard would likely depend on Leeds securing promotion to the Premier League, but the 22-year-old appears open to a move after stalling talks over a new contract.

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, Whelan said: “You would hope we get new investment and the money from the Premier League.

“Then it is a case of spending money in the right areas and a goalscorer is one you are going to have to part a lot of money with, unfortunately. We need to give ourselves every opportunity.

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“We need players that will make a difference. I would be looking at the Celtic striker – Edouard if we are going up. Is he available and if he is, let’s bring him in. For £30million that would be a great buy and I can see it.

“Someone like him or Mitrovic or both! But maybe that is greedy!”

Choice to make

Edouard has impressed a number of clubs this season with his form for Celtic and at 22 years of age, it is hoped he could develop even further.

With Arsenal, Everton and others said to be interested, it may be difficult for Leeds to strike a deal, although investment from QSI could prove a game-changer.

Of course, Leeds will need to secure promotion back to the Premier League for any deal to happen and with the season suspended, this is somewhat in doubt.

Crystal Palace are no strangers to snatching bargain buys from the clutches of their rivals.

The south Londoners did just that in 2011 when moving to sign Glenn Murray from Brighton, a man who would go on to net 30 Championship goals in the 2012/13 campaign to fire the Eagles into the Premier League.

However, cast your mind back two years before the English marksman arrived at Selhurst Park, and Crystal Palace once again nabbed a future club legend from a rival of theirs.

With fellow south London outfit Charlton needing to offload players from the wage bill after failing to confound the 888sport odds and suffering relegation to League One, Palace – who had just been docked one point and fined £20,000 for ineligibly fielding Rui Fonte on the final day of the 2008/09 season – snatched the midfielder on a free transfer.

In terms of being eased into life at his new club, Ambrose was instead thrown into treacherous waters.

Just months after his arrival, the club was plunged into administration and also docked ten points, transforming their ambitions for the campaign from playoff hopefuls into serious relegation candidates.

Assets were stripped. Neil Warnock – who had signed Ambrose – left for QPR, the highly-rated Victor Moses was sold to Wigan, and the future of the club was in jeopardy. Crystal Palace needed a saviour, but any potential buyer would surely prefer to throw their millions at a Championship club rather than one relegated to League One – survival was imperative.

So, when the final day of the season came around, and Paul Hart’s Palace side needed to avoid defeat against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough to avoid the drop, nails were being bitten.

However, coming into this game with 19 goals already under his belt from midfield in his debut campaign, Ambrose wasn’t in the mood to see the Eagles go out with a whimper.

It was his coolly converted effort from Sean Scannell’s second-half cross which put Palace 2-1 up, where they eventually earned the point they needed thanks to the midfielder’s 20th strike of the season – that 2-2 draw may have saved the club from extinction.

Steve Parish and the rest of the ‘CPFC2010’ consortium eventually swooped in to save the club financially, but it was Ambrose whose incredible goalscoring efforts decided things on the pitch, and all for free.

This inspired free transfer would go on to net 37 goals and record 23 assists in 124 appearances for Palace.

Ambrose is without question a cult hero in SE25, and his work helped provide a platform for the Eagles to mount a promotion charge in 2013, which would lead to them still playing top-flight football seven years later – the club’s longest run in the Premier League.

His goals after arriving on a free transfer helped Palace shape their own future – it truly was a piece of wizardry from Warnock.

Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of spending big this summer were already slim given Daniel Levy’s tight constraints over his chequebook, but fresh reports emerging this week suggest there’s genuinely very little chance a single fee is spent.

According to Dan Kilpatrick at the Evening Standard, Spurs’ transfer plans have been reduced to signing free agents and landing players via swap deals, and such a revelation has left fans in north London absolutely reeling.

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The current financial climate is bleak due to the ongoing pandemic sweeping the nation, and this has dealt a devastating blow to not just Spurs, but football too.

Jose Mourinho’s chances of rebuilding Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is looking increasingly unlikely, and while he will be able to spend the money from player sales, it is expected that he primarily operates using the free-agent market and any possible swap deals.

The Portuguese chief’s former Chelsea winger Willian has been one name touted for a switch across the capital, as per TEAMtalk.

Here’s how the Spurs faithful have been reacting to these recent developments…

AND in other news, Spurs fans react to Jan Vertonghen contract latest…

The rumoured deal of Timo Werner to Liverpool is likely to be the will-he, won’t-he transfer saga of the summer.

The Reds have now been linked with the 24-year-old since last year, and his form this term has done little to cool down the speculation of a potential switch. So far this campaign, he has managed 27 goals in all competitions, and the Anfield outfit’s supporters will no doubt be keeping an eye on the striker as the Bundesliga approaches the end of its campaign in the coming weeks.

The latest update on the situation appears to illustrate how desperate Jurgen Klopp is to sign him. According to Le10 Sport, the 52-year-old has involved himself in the negotiations and has called the Germany international several times to explain his project to him.

The club’s supporters have been reacting to this latest update in their droves, and they have taken to Twitter to do so. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Let us know what you think!

WBA fans have seen some comings and goings in the transfer market over the years.

Whether it’s the Tony Pulis, Gary Megson or Bryan Robson eras in the hot seat; the Baggies faithful have seen an array of new signings arrive over the years at the club, with some good and some damn right bad; where for every Chris Brunt, there unfortunately has been a Sebastian Blanco that has donned the famous West Brom shirt.

In our latest Baggies quiz we have compiled a quiz on the most obscure signings of recent times, can you recognise them all?

Glasgow Rangers and the rest of Scottish football will not be undergoing any system change, it has been revealed.

Following the premature end to the season, and therefore Hearts’ relegation, Jam Tarts owner Ann Budge pushed for a reconstruction to the pyramid north of the border – a fresh 14-10-10-10 structure was on the table instead of the 12-10-10-10 currently place. However, in the end, the vote failed, with only a paltry 16 sides backing the proposal.

What happens now in regards to the Edinburgh outfit remains to be seen, but Hamilton Academical vice-chairman and SPFL board member Les Gray has told BBC Sport he believes that their attempts to change the make-up of Scottish football could well hamper the preparations for the new campaign.

This has attracted the attention of the Ibrox outfit’s fans, and they are far from happy with his comments. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Let us know what you think!

According to The Athletic’s James Pearce, Liverpool starlet Yasser Larouci could be leaving the club this summer.

What’s the word?

The 19-year-old has just made two appearances for the first-team this season, with both of them coming in the FA Cup. The young left-back has been in impressive touch for the academy side however, even scoring once and setting up another in a 4-2 triumph over Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Youth League.

Now, Pearce has claimed that Larouci is set for an Anfield exit this summer, and that with him being down to the final year of his contract, he has told the club he won’t sign an extension to it and is in search of first-team football.

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Pearce adds that Championship contenders Leeds and Brentford are both keen on signing the teenager.

Regret

Despite barely making a handful of appearances for the first-team, Larouci’s exit could be something Liverpool regret in the future.

Speaking after his performance against Borussia Dortmund in a pre-season friendly last summer, Jurgen Klopp said: “There is no doubt about the potential of Jadon Sancho. His speed and body control at the highest speed is his main strength. Being good in big spaces and in small spaces makes you a pretty interesting player – and that’s what Jadon is. Yasser (Larouci) our 18-year-old left-back played against one of the biggest talents in world football and did pretty well the whole night. The pitch helped a little but, but still he did really well.”

And aside from Andy Robertson, the Reds don’t have a natural back-up to the Scotland international in that left-back position, with James Milner having to fill in.

Larouci, whilst young, could quite conceivably have been promoted to the first-team squad for next season, and been schooled into being Robertson’s eventual successor.

But instead, the Reds risk seeing one of their brightest young talents walk through the exit door this summer.

Kyle Lafferty has suggested that Michael Beale could be the man to replace Steven Gerrard as Glasgow Rangers manager when he eventually leaves the club.

Gerrard is the current boss at Ibrox and has been in the hot-seat for two years, and Beale is one of his coaches at the club. He already has a glittering CV, having spent time at Liverpool, Chelsea and even Sao Paulo in Brazil as assistant manager.

Whilst Lafferty has praised Gerrard, he believes that Beale is even more important to the 54-time Scottish champions. He told Open Goal:

“The longer I was there I started to realise, Michael Beale, I think he’s the man behind it, No disrespect to Steven Gerrard, because I think he’s an amazing manager, where he has taken the club from day one to now is night and day – he’s made Rangers a force again in Scotland and Europe, but Michael Beale is behind the scenes and I think he’s the brains behind it. Tactically he’s amazing.”

“I think if Steven Gerrard went – and everyone knows he’s lined up for Liverpool at some stage – if he went to Liverpool and Michael Beale stayed there, I think wouldn’t be a change. I think Michael Beale is into everything, detail and he could probably step up to be manager because he’s that good.”

This is big praise for Beale and it could well be something for Ross Wilson and co to consider when Gerrard eventually departs. Giving Beale the job would see some continuity at the club and would therefore not be too much of a culture shock for the players who are already there.

For now, Gerrard needs all the support he can get in order to end Celtic’s long-standing Premiership dominance – but it is good from the Light Blues’ perspective that they have a potential back-up plan in Beale should they need it.

‘Gers  fans, do you agree with Lafferty’s endorsement of Beale as a potential successor to Gerrard? Let us know what you think by commenting below!

If you wanted a snapshot of just how ambitious Leeds United plan on being following their Premier League return, then look no further than Andrea Radrizzani declaring that former PSG striker Edinson Cavani is someone they would consider signing in the summer transfer window.

And whilst luring a player of Cavani’s calibre to Elland Road would be some statement of intent by the Whites, the kind of wages the striker would be looking to command is surely a major stumbling block. But if Victor Orta and co are looking for an alternative to the former Napoli man, then perhaps they should look closely at his Uruguayan compatriot Cristhian Stuani.

Reports in recent days have suggested that Leeds are planning on making a £21m move for him this summer, with Bielsa said to be “thinking” of him as a potential option.

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Stuani is perhaps best known on these shores for his miserable time in the Premier League with Middlesbrough – he scored just four times in 23 Premier League games – but the veteran has since rediscovered his goal-scoring touch and then some at Girona.

In 36 games in La Liga 2, Stuani has found the back of the net an extraordinary 29 times, scoring at a rate of one every 110 minutes. Whilst the naysayers may argue that his goals have come in Spanish football’s second division, then just look at how he did last year with Girona – he racked up 19 goals in 32 games in the top-flight.

The Uruguayan is in the form of his life despite being 33, and is still showing that he has plenty to offer. And with there still being major uncertainty as to whether Leeds will have to make Jean-Kevin Augustin’s deal permanent, making a move for Stuani could be the way for Bielsa to guarantee goals next season.

The striker can provide the Whites with the kind of clinical finishing that has long been missing, and could well light up Elland Road in their first season back in the top-flight.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins has discussed his desire to bring in a new striker and add depth to his squad.

The Sky Blues boss has done a remarkable join with the club over the last 12 months, winning the League One title and gaining automatic promotion to the Championship. Heading into the 2020/21 season, the 50-year-old has already started to develop his squad and make a number of significant changes.

Gustavo Hamer signed from PEC Zwolle before Julien Dacosta joined from Chamois Niortais on a free transfer and they have since been joined by three more players. Callum O’Hare was next to be announced as a Coventry signing, agreeing a permanent move from Aston Villa, and Marcel Hilssner and Ryan Giles then came on board.

With those additions, Robins has commented on whether or not he will look to bring in a new striker, having just Maxime Biamou, Amadou Bakayoko and Matt Godden as centre-forward options.

As quoted by Coventry Live, Robins recently said: “We still need more.

“We need strength and depth. Championship teams have strong squads, so we have to try and strengthen as much as we can.

“They’ve got numbers in the striking areas too, so we need to do something there and in defence too.”

One potential further arrival could be Arsenal’s Ben Sheaf, with talks said to be ongoing between Coventry and the Premier League club. The midfielder spent last season on loan with Doncaster Rovers but has since returned to his parent club and his future is unknown.

The 22-year-old has come through the youth ranks at the Emirates Stadium after joining the north London side from West Ham United.

Robins has made several signings this summer already and Coventry’s side looks like a very solid unit, with a squad size of 26 players ensuring that he is quite well-stocked overall.

However, an experienced Championship striker or hungry Premier League loan addition could be what is needed to add further depth and quality in attack, particularly now that they are back in the second tier.

Who do you think Coventry City should target as a potential new striker? Let us know your views in the comments section below…