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Nottingham Forest face a crisis after Lewis Grabban was forced off through injury in yesterday’s 1-0 win over Peterborough United.

Promotion chasing Forest have been without Grabban for the majority of the year, after he suffered an ankle injury at the end of January. He has only recently returned so to see him out injured again is a huge setback for Steve Cooper’s side.

With their victory the club have taken a big stride towards securing a top six finish, they currently sit fourth in the Championship on 73 points. Since Cooper took over as boss at The City Ground, Forest have been in exceptional form and sit second only to already promoted Fulham.

Grabban came on as a substitute yesterday for the goal scorer Sam Surridge but then had to come off in the 89th minute.

The 34-year old has contributed massively this season making 32 appearances and being directly involved in 16 goals. If they are to be without him for the rest of the season then it could seriously affect their hopes of being promoted to the Premier League.

When Cooper was asked about the injury he told Nottinghamshire Live: “He was clear straight away that he needed to come off. We’ve got our fingers crossed for him.”

His contract expires this summer and whether or not he stays might be dependent on Forest’s promotion chase. He has experience of playing in the Premier League for both Norwich City and Bournemouth, however, he’s always failed to replicate the form he’s shown at Championship level and at his age now it may be asking too much.

Not keeping him on will also allow the club to save on their wage bill with the former Jamaican international on a wage of £25k-per-week.

The injury adds to the list of dilemmas that Cooper faces, with on-loan Aston Villa star Keenan Davis also out meaning Surridge is the only recognised senior striker at the club who’s fit.

The Reds haven’t been in the top flight since the turn of the century and many would like to see them make a return due to the history and stature of the club.

IN other news: Nottingham Forest set for disaster on Djed Spence…

Carlton Palmer has offered his thoughts on Southampton’s interest in Sam Johnstone.

What’s the talk?

The former Saints midfielder has said that it would be a ‘no-brainer’ for the club to sign the goalkeeper from West Brom.

The Saints are reportedly interested in signing the England international and Palmer has claimed that the 28-year-old is worth the £15m asking price, although it is worth noting that The Athletic claimed the Baggies wanted £12m for him.

He told This is Futbol: “Yes, it’s a no-brainer. I think a lot of clubs will be interested in him on a free. I mean, I still don’t understand why he’s not gone.

“If it’s true that they were only asking for 15 million for him, I think at 15 million that’s good business. That’s cheap in today’s market.”

Ralph needs him

Martin Semmens must now ruthlessly axe £72k-per-week dud Fraser Forster in January to make way for the signing of Johnstone. The 33-year-old is out of contract next summer and currently playing second fiddle to Alex McCarthy at St Mary’s, which suggests that another goalkeeper coming in would make him the third choice.

This is why Semmens must cash in on the former Celtic man in the January window. It is the club’s final chance to recoup some money on him instead of losing him on a free transfer next summer, which is why he must be sold and replaced by Johnstone.

If the Saints can snap up the £12m-rated West Brom man in January, he could prove to be an upgrade on Alex McCarthy, who could then take up the backup position between the sticks, thus allowing Forster to move on. Last season in the Premier League,  McCarthy conceded 8.1 more goals than he should have, based on Expected Goals Against metrics.

Johnstone, meanwhile, prevented 4.1 goals as he performed to a higher level than expected of the average goalkeeper whilst playing for West Brom, who were eventually relegated. This suggests that he is a better shot-stopper than McCarthy in the top flight, which is why Ralph Hasenhuttl needs him in his squad.

The Baggies ace could offer Southampton a more assured last line of defence, increasing their chances of picking up points in the Premier League. Therefore, Semmens must strike a deal for Johnstone in January and reorganise the club’s goalkeeping ranks.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than McCarthy: Saints lightweight with 69% duels lost let Ralph down…

Manchester United have been handed a potentially significant boost in their pursuit of Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the highly-rated 18-year-old throughout the summer as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to bolster his engine room options.

And now, the well-known journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Camavinga’s situation, claiming a move away from his boyhood club could still occur before the transfer window closes.

He tweeted: “There are chances for Eduardo Camavinga to leave Rennes in the final 8 days of the transfers market. He’ll not sign a new long-term deal with Rennes, so they’re open to sell Camavinga for €35m fee. #transfers It depends on the offers in the next few days. Open race.”

Solskjaer will love him

The talented teenager has established himself as one of Ligue 1’s most promising young players since making his first-team debut back in 2019, scoring two goals and providing five assists in 86 appearances for Les Rouge et Noir.

Famed for his tackling skills, his ability to drive upfield with the ball and his tactical discipline, Camavinga would be a valuable addition to any top-level squad and Solskjaer would surely love to bring one of the sports most exciting prospects to Old Trafford.

With Paul Pogba’s long-term future at United still up in the air, the chance to bring in a ready-made replacement for just £30m is surely something the club’s hierarchy must be considering.

Although Camavinga is a different player with a different set of attributes to his compatriot, his ability and potential mean he could be the ideal heir to the World Cup-winning dynamo, should he seek pastures new next summer.

Therefore, Solskjaer and United supporters alike will love this news and will surely be hoping that football director John Murtough can pull off a third masterclass of the current window to bring the youngster to the red half of Manchester.

The 20-time English champions are attempting to win their first top-flight title since 2013 this season, and the arrival of Camavinga would be a substantial boost to their chances of doing just that.

And, in other news…Fewer touches than De Gea: £40.5m-rated MUFC dud who lost 60% duels cost Ole vs Saints 

Southampton defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu turns 30 later this month and is now in the final two years of his contract at St. Mary’s. With the Spaniard heading into his 30’s, the club may start to think about what life starts to look like post-Romeu.

He has played 216 games for Southampton since joining from Chelsea in 2015, establishing himself as a regular in midfield almost instantly. His tally of 21 Premier League appearances last term was the only season in which he has not featured in at least 29 league matches for the Saints, emphasising his importance over the past six years.

All good things must come to an end, though, and there could be a player currently in the Southampton academy who could take the torch from Romeu and burn bright in the middle of the park – Caleb Watts.

The 19-year-old Australian international has already made his first-team debut for Southampton and could be the long-term successor to Romeu. Australia’s technical director, Trevor Morgan, was effusive in his praise of the midfielder earlier this year and backed him to have a career in the Premier League. He said:

“He’s a wonderful talent. He was exceptional for us at the World Cup and showed no fear in the matches we played.

“He’s with a very successful team at the present time, and yeah they’ve got some injuries, but he’s a guy that can attack space quickly, he can score goals, he takes responsibility and wants to be on the ball.”

Morgan added: “He’s got a very high work rate, he’s flexible in that he can probably play anywhere in midfield, and he’s an intelligent player; when you speak to him about the game, he understands the game and he reads the game.

“On top of that, he’s training in a Premier League environment and he’s had to fight his way up into that squad, so I think he can have an excellent career and very likely at the Premier League level.”

As Morgan said, Watts can play in a variety of midfield roles – including holding midfield – and his energy could allow him to screen the defence whilst also having the quality on the ball to pick out passes.

He played three games in the Premier League last season, coming off the bench in all three, and featured in the FA Cup against Shrewsbury. This suggests that Ralph Hasenhuttl, like Morgan, sees potential in Watts and believes he can do a job at the first-team level.

Romeu still has two years left to run on his contract at St. Mary’s and this means that he can take Watts under his wing over the next 18 months or so to help him progress as a holding midfielder. The Australian can learn from the ex-Chelsea man to help make that leap from development football to being a first-team regular.

It is now down to Watts, however, to fulfil his potential and show Hasenhuttl that his Romeu replacement is already in the building and that another signing is not required.

AND in other news, Southampton must sign £28k-p/w beast who’s “one of the best”, he won’t cost a penny…

West Bromwich Albion are set to have a fight on their hands to keep goalkeeper Sam Johnstone at the club over the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

The 28-year-old has entered the final year of his current contract at the Hawthorns and has already reportedly attracted the attention of West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

And now, according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, fellow Premier League outfit Southampton have joined the race for Johnstone’s signature, with the Saints keen to secure his services over the winter window.

The report states that: “They (Southampton) are willing to pay rather than wait until he becomes a free agent in the summer. But Johnstone, 28, is settled at the Championship Baggies and looks ready to wait until the end of his contract to decide on his next move.

“And the fact he is now No. 2 in the international squad while playing in the second tier means there is no need for him to jump ship sooner. Both West Ham and Tottenham have pencilled in offers for Johnstone if he leaves, while West Brom have let him know there will be a lucrative deal to stay.”

Ismael concerned

Despite the report stating that Johnstone is likely to remain at West Brom for the remainder of the campaign, Baggie’s boss Valerien Ismael will still be concerned at this latest revelation.

Johnstone has started ten of Albion’s 11 Championship fixtures so far this season, keeping four clean sheets and conceding just seven goals.

But perhaps more importantly, the Manchester United academy graduate has adapted to Ismael’s style of play with relative ease.

A recent article published by The Atheltic revealed Johnstone has completed 31 keeper-sweepings and has made six-headed clearances already, which is the same as his last three campaigns combined.

Alongside this, he is also down on saves per game and catches per game as he has been forced to become a more modern goalkeeper and appears to be coping well with the change.

Therefore, Ismael will be worried that Johnstone’s potential departure could derail West Brom’s promotion push, condemning them to another campaign in the second tier of English football.

After all, he is one of their most important players and is now a prominent member of the England set up too.

And, in other news…West Brom set for big injury boost ahead of Birmingham, Ismael will be buzzing

A number of Liverpool supporters are unhappy after an update regarding Xherdan Shaqiri, Harvey Elliott and the Reds’ transfer business emerged.

It has been a quiet summer at Anfield to date, with Ibrahima Konate the only player to arrive at Anfield.

Liverpool have been doing their best to offload some of the deadwood, however, with Shaqiri one of those individuals, having only made five Premier League starts last season.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

The 29-year-old has been linked with a move to Lyon recently, but as things stand, he remains a Reds player.

According to The Daily Mail‘s Dominic King, Elliott’s rise at Liverpool this summer means Liverpool are unlikely to sign a replacement for Shaqiri, with the teenager deemed a good enough player to fill in.

This has naturally led to some frustration surrounding the Reds’ continued lack of spending, with many still wanting another attacking player brought in.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/the-latest-liverpool-transfer-news-copy-4/” title=”The latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans unhappy at Shaqiri update

These Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to show their anger at the update.

“Clowns, don’t want to hear any complaints when we start falling apart next season”

Credit: @SnowHalliburton

“This club kills me man”

Credit: @bayowaaaa

“You see how as Shaqiri is about to be sold it’s no longer we have to sell to buy? FSG are a disgrace”

Credit: @agyeitah

“No way are FSG using an 18 YEAR OLD to be the Gini replacement AND our attacking depth???”

Credit: @VirgilLFC

“This club isn’t serious”

Credit: @SoLockedIn

“Why did my dad have to support this team man”

Credit: @kany3west3_

In other news, some Liverpool fans have also fumed at another transfer update. Read more here.

A much-changed Manchester United secured a 1-1 draw with BSC Young Boys at Old Trafford in their final Champions League encounter in Group F.

Ralf Rangnick made a full 11 changes to the side that featured from the off in the victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday, handing first starts of the season to teenagers Anthony Elanga and Amad Diallo.

And it was a fast start from the hosts, with Mason Greenwood finishing in spectacular style within the opening ten minutes following Luke Shaw’s measured cutback.

United continuously won the ball back high up the pitch at the start of proceedings as Rangnick slowly implements his Gegenpressing style, but Diallo and Juan Mata both failed to finish off promising attacking moves.

However, the Red Devils were unable to sustain their pressing game and their Swiss opposition clawed themselves back into the tie on the stroke of half-time.

Fabian Reider won the ball back following some sloppy play on the edge of United’s area before bending in an unstoppable strike, leaving Dean Henderson helpless between the sticks.

An uneventful second half saw Rangnick hand first-team debuts to Tom Heaton, Charlie Savage and Zidane Iqbal, while Shola Shoretire also made his first appearance of the campaign, but it was perhaps a more experienced head who really took his chance.

Donny van de Beek controlled proceedings in the middle of the park and put his name firmly in the hat for more consistent outings under the new regime.

As per SofaScore, the Netherlands international had a whopping 92 touches throughout the 90 minutes, won nine of his 11 duels (82%) and picked out a teammate with three of his four attempted long balls.

The 24-year-old finished the game with a passing accuracy of 84% and successfully completed both of his dribbles, yet it was defensive contribution that really caught the eye.

Van de Beek made six tackles – at least two more than any of his teammates – pulled off three interceptions, two clearances and one block, highlighting his hugely effective display at both ends of the pitch.

His part in Young Boys’ equaliser was the only blot on the former Ajax ace’s copybook, and he’ll be hoping Rangnick can look past his single error as he bids to become a regular fixture in the starting lineup.

And, in other news…Rangnick lines up move for “unbelievable” £100k-p/w “animal”, he’s what Man Utd need

West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Bruce has provided an update on the fitness of long-term absentees Kean Bryan and Kenneth Zohore as the Baggies approach the conclusion of their campaign.

What’s the story?

Speaking to the media ahead of today’s Championship clash against Stoke City at The Hawthorns, the Albion boss revealed that the duo are working hard to be fit in time for pre-season training in the summer, but has effectively ruled out any hope of either player featuring for the remainder of 2021/22.

Bryan required knee surgery after damaging his ACL in November, having played just 49 minutes of league action across three appearances after joining the West Midlands club on a free transfer from Sheffield United.

On the 25-year-old defender, the Albion manager said: “That’s a hard thing to deal with, especially when you’re a new player at a club and you do your ACL.

“I spoke to him the other day – his knee resembles a knee again, which three months ago it didn’t. He’s working extremely hard. It’s a big summer for him, too. He’s on track.

“I think it’s a crucial time, pre-season. Every club have had a struggle with it, because of the pandemic.”

As for Zohore, the striker has been limited to just two Championship appearances this term, featuring seven times in Premier League 2 for the under-23s.

A nightmare season was made even worse when he picked up a thigh injury and then got injured again upon returning to training.

Bruce stated of the Dane: “It was a bad couple of days for us, because unfortunately he broke down. It’s a reset for him, as well. He got a thigh injury, a muscle injury, and he’d been six weeks out. He got re-injured. It was horrible. He’d only trained for 20 minutes and then he broke down again. It’s a reset for him. I would think that’s his season.”

Bruce will be gutted

Having been in the job for just two months, the 61-year-old is still yet to be able to fully witness the capabilities of both Zohore and Bryan, a development which will no doubt leave the West Brom boss feeling gutted.

The West Midlands outfit have endured a tricky campaign after being relegated from the Premier League last term, with Bruce’s team sat in 11th going into Saturday’s meeting with the Potters.

With just six games to go and the play-offs seemingly beyond Albion this year, Baggies supporters will be keen to see the back end of a difficult season. They will also be keen to have as many players as possible available for the new campaign, as will Bruce, who might then be able to make a proper assessment of the squad at his disposal.

It’s vital that Bryan and Zohore ensure that they are fit in time for pre-season in order to make an impression on the manager in order to reignite their respective West Brom careers. Otherwise they may have to seek moves elsewhere.

In other news: West Brom now set for big disaster over “unbelievable” £7.2m-rated gem

A journalist has claimed that Ralf Rangnick and Paulo Fonseca are both now ‘out of the picture’ for the Newcastle United manager job.

The Lowdown: Manager hunt continues

The St. James’ Park faithful have been linked with a number of different managers to take over from Steve Bruce on a permanent basis, including most recently Lucien Favre and Rafa Benitez.

Fonseca had been heavily linked with the role, with reports even suggesting he was Amanda Staveley’s preferred candidate, but Craig Hope claimed this week the former Roma boss arriving looks unlikely.

While the hunt continues, Graeme Jones will remain in temporary charge in the North East for now.

The Latest: No Rangnick or Fonseca?

Speaking to BILD (via Sport Witness), Bundesliga journalist Christian Falk has claimed that both Rangnick and Fonseca are currently ‘out of the picture’ in terms of becoming the next coach on Tyneside.

However, he also added that they are still ‘candidates’, meaning that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium could still turn to them to fill the vacancy.

The Verdict: Not much between them

There is certainly not much between Rangnick and Fonseca, with the former having eight trophies to his name with three different clubs (Transfermarkt), while the latter boasts nine major honours.

They both have an attractive playing style, as Fonseca has been described as ‘similar’ to Chelsea and UEFA Champions League winning-boss Thomas Tuchel by his former player at Roma Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Football London), while Roma chief executive Tiago Pinto believes that he is an ‘international class‘ tactician.

Rangnick is famous for his team’s gegenpressing, an attack-minded tactic based on making chances by winning the ball back high up the pitch (ESPN), while Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp claimed that he is ‘one of the best, if not the best German coach’ (ESPN), ahead of the likes of Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann.

Nonetheless, both would be excellent choices by the new owners, should they come back into the equation.

In other news, find out what conversations Craig Hope has revealed about Fonseca and the Magpies job here!

Newcastle United fans have been handed an exciting twist in their club’s chase to sign Lille defender Sven Botman this summer.

What’s the story?

Fabrizio Romano had recently suggested that Serie A giants Milan were virtually nailed-on to sign the Netherlands international, but it seems that the Magpies have come in at the 11th hour to throw a spanner in the works.

Posting initially on Twitter, Football Insider revealed that both Eddie Howe’s side and Milan have “verbally agreed personal terms” and that the Magpies have held “extensive negotiations” with the defender since January.

In a follow-up article, it was added that a Newcastle source had told them the Tyneside club “have not given up hope of landing Botman after extensive negotiations over a potential deal both in January and subsequently… They will now try to negotiate a fee with Lille, who have held out for a £30m fee.”

Game-changer for Newcastle

If Newcastle can manage to pull off a last-minute heist for Botman, it really would be the biggest statement of the new PIF era thus far.

Never mind that the Magpies are competing with a club like Milan, who are rich in footballing history and playing some kind of European football almost annually.

The idea that Newcastle could come in and blow the Rossoneri out of the water with an offer and convince a player to join them so soon after they had basically been out of the running is a telling sign of the massive impact that the Toon Army could have in the future.

It’s a worrying sign for the rest of Europe that, even at this early stage of their revolution, that Newcastle are already beginning to throw their weight around behind closed doors and putting their money where their mouth is.

They already managed to beat Arsenal to the signing of Bruno Guimaraes, and muscling out Milan to Botman would be another significant coup.

Described by his former Lille boss Christophe Galiter as someone who is emerging as a “leader”, and valued at £40m by CIES, Botman could be another game-changing signing for Newcastle if they pull it off.

AND in other news – Sold for just £100k, now a two-time title winner: NUFC flop has delivered huge payback