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Glasgow Rangers scouted goalkeeper Ivor Pandur over the weekend ahead of a potential move, according to The Daily Mail.

What’s the latest Rangers transfer news involving Pandur?

Michael Beale appears to be making a head start when it comes to possible signings prior to his first full season in charge. It looks set to be a busy few months in the transfer market when it comes to incomings and outgoings, with a number of players out of contract at Ibrox.

Chelsea right-back Dujon Sterling and Norwich City midfielder Kieran Dowell appear to be close to making the move north on free transfers, with the former of the two having a tour of the Gers’ training centre. Up to 10 new additions could be made this summer, one of which may be Pandur following a recent update.

The Daily Mail shared more Rangers news in their transfer confidential story in the last 48 hours, with the club making their first move for Pandur.

They said that Gers scouts checked in on Pandur for Fortuna Sittard against PSV Eindhoven on Sunday, with the goalkeeper under consideration over a summer transfer. A move for Jack Butland is seemingly too expensive at this moment in time, with Pandur appearing to be an alternative.

Who is Pandur?

You can see why Rangers are on the hunt for a new shot-stopper this summer, with Allan McGregor one of those who is out of contract in a matter of weeks and looks destined to call time on his time with the Light Blues.

Pandur, a Croatia U21 international, is 23 years of age and is on loan at Fortuna Sittard from Hellas Verona. He has made 29 appearances for his current employers, and a permanent move appears to be on the cards. He has even recently been hailed by Sjoerd Ars, Fortuna’s technical manager, who described the player as a "top professional".

“Ivor has developed fantastically this season. The rack isn’t finished yet. He is a top professional, works hard every day and always with a big smile. We are of course super happy that we have now managed to capture him for four seasons.”

Therefore, if Rangers can’t get a deal over the line for Butland, Pandur, who was previously linked with Liverpool, could be a shrewd target, potentially arriving to challenge Robby McCrorie next season in what will be Beale’s first full season in charge.

Scottish champions Celtic endured a day to forget in Saturday's Old Firm derby away to bitter rivals Rangers, with the treble hopefuls suffering a disappointing 3-0 defeat to slip to just their second league loss of the campaign.

While the result ultimately matters little in the grand scheme of things with the title having already been wrapped up by the Parkhead outfit, manager Ange Postecoglou will still have been deeply frustrated to see his side produce such an uncharacteristically poor display.

Among those to have perhaps let the side down was summer signing, Alexandro Bernabei, with the promising Argentine having formed part of what was a rather shaky, second-string backline, in the absence of the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston and Greg Taylor.

With the latter man dropping to the bench, Bernabei had been afforded a rare chance to impress at Ibrox, albeit with the £3.75m addition ultimately looking 'uncomfortable' and 'unsettled' throughout, as per Football Scotland's Mark Hendry, having notably lost possession on 27 occasions as a marker of his woes.

As ex-Hoops star Kris Commons noted in his Daily Mail column following the match – as per The Scotsman – the 22-year-old has proven a 'disappointing signing' thus far, having been unable to dislodge Taylor as the first-choice pick.

Although the former Lanus man still has time on his side to turn things around in Glasgow, the 5 foot 7 speedster should perhaps be wary of sliding down the pecking order even further amid his recent struggles, particularly with teenage sensation, Matthew Anderson, having been tipped to make his mark on the first-team sooner rather than later.

Who is Celtic's Matthew Anderson?

The exciting 19-year-old has only recently come to wider attention after receiving notable praise from Postecoglou back in January, with the Greek-Aussie stating that the club have "high hopes" for the young left-back, following the news that he had signed a new contract extension at the club until 2025.

The former Yokohama F Marinos boss also claimed at the time that the youth starlet was among those who "over the course of the next sort of six to 12 months" will "start to make an impact at first-team level."

A chance to impress in the senior ranks has yet to emerge for the 'B' team skipper, although Anderson can take encouragement from the recent promotions of both Rocco Vata and Ben Summers, with the latter pair showcasing that there is a pathway to the first-team squad.

The Scotland U21 international has been highly-regarded for a number of years now having previously been the subject of interest from Leeds United back in 2021, with Blantyre Soccer Academy chief Jimmy Whelan stating that the full-back is the "real deal" and "one to watch".

Whelan also went as far as to suggest that the £480-per-week teen "could be like Kieran Tierney" and go on to establish himself at Celtic Park, having thus far shown his quality in the academy with four goals and five assists in 30 games across all fronts this season – a better record than what Bernabei has achieved in the first team (one goal and three assists).

That attacking prowess should well have piqued the interest of Postecoglou, with Anderson potentially not too far away from making a senior bow – particularly following Bernabei's high profile, Ibrox woes.

Liverpool are seriously considering a move for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Phillips' future?

The Reds have James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all out of contract at the end of the season, and with Arthur Melo returning to Juventus, central reinforcements will be needed during the upcoming window. Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that the Merseyside outfit have removed themselves from the race to sign Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham so he will be in the market to find suitable alternatives, and the 27-year-old is a new name to have been linked.

The Premier League maestro made the £45m big-money move to the Etihad Stadium from Leeds United back in July 2022, and despite having made 16 appearances to date, he's failed to start a single match in the top-flight, so is significantly out of favour having failed to make an impression under Pep Guardiola. Therefore, he could be looking to secure a move elsewhere to increase his game time, and should that be the case, FSG have emerged as admirers at Anfield.

According to the Daily Star, Liverpool "want to sign" Phillips from Manchester City this summer in a deal worth up to £35m. Klopp has personally "targeted" the midfielder after suffering the financial blow on Bellingham, and it's stated that he's made him "one of his main targets" heading into the upcoming window.

The Reds have "let it be known" that the Sky Blues star is "on their radar", and he's reportedly "open to a move" to Merseyside. The Three Lions gem would "relish" the opportunity to kickstart his career again as he looks to "boost his chances" of being named in Gareth Southgate's squad for next year's Euro's tournament.

Should Liverpool splash the cash on Phillips?

Phillips is naturally a defensive midfielder, which is evidenced by him ranking in the 99th percentile for tackles made by central midfielders, with his previous performances for England having seen him lauded a "Rolls Royce" by journalist Josh Bunting, and he would be a solid addition for Liverpool.

The World Cup and Champions League participant also clocked up 27 goal contributions (14 goals and 13 assists) during his time at Leeds and holds leadership qualities having captained the Whites occasionally in the absence of Liam Cooper, so would slot into the midfield nicely alongside his international counterpart Jordan Henderson.

Finally, Phillips shares interestingly the same agent as Caoimhin Kelleher, Ibrahima Konate and Rhys Williams, so a move could prove easier than expected to complete, and for £35m, it would be a bargain for the Reds should they be able to get this deal over the line in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are yet to decide just who will be the permanent successor to Antonio Conte at N17, with the experienced Italian having been relieved of his duties last month following a toxic end to his time in north London.

Amid the mounting problems regarding the 53-year-old's latter days at the club – including limp exits in both the FA Cup and Champions League, as well as branding his players "selfish" following the draw with Southampton – one further issue was the former Chelsea man's inability to promote young talent, having rarely looked to the academy ranks.

As the Daily Mail noted back in March, there was said to be frustration brewing among the youth staff due to Conte's unwillingness to give youngsters a chance, with any new appointment likely needing to take a closer focus on the Lilywhites' potential stars of the future.

One such talent who is generating a lot of fuss at present is 18-year-old striker, Jamie Donley, with the Northern Irishman having scored eight goals and provided eight assists in all competitions this season, for both the U21s and the U18 side.

The marksman's record in that latter age group currently stands at a remarkable tally of 26 goals and ten assists in just 40 appearances, with it easy to see why the "natural finisher" – as per journalist Josh Bunting – has been heralded as the 'new Harry Kane', according to the Belfast Telegraph.

The prolific gem is not the only emerging starlet who could also go on to strengthen Spurs' forward line in the years to come, however, with fellow teen Jaden Williams having also been setting tongues wagging with his displays in the youth ranks.

Who is Tottenham's Jaden Williams?

Much like Donley, the young forward – who can feature through the middle or on either flank – has been in stunning form in the youth set-up in recent times, having scored 11 goals and provided four assists across all fronts this season, including 12 goal involvements in just 15 games at Premier League U18 level.

The 'lively' gem – as hailed by Tottenham's official website – is still waiting for his first taste of life in the first-team, although the belief is that the 18-year-old could well be another future sensation, with his overall record for the U18s standing at 22 goals and nine assists in just 41 games to date.

The London-born menace was notably lauded for such explosive form by Spurs insider John Wenham back in December 2021, with the respected source describing him as a "very powerful player" who has perhaps gone "under the radar" at times, after being "overshadowed" by Donley.

A Wenham went on to add, Williams is certainly "one to watch out for", with it hopefully not too long before the £180-per-week dynamo is able to showcase his worth at senior level, with any new manager set to have a real gem on their hands.

It is a truly mouthwatering prospect, indeed, to think that both the Englishman and Donley could potentially be unleashed in tandem in the coming years, with such an eye-catching duo potentially set to save chairman Daniel Levy millions on new recruits.

Liverpool's Joe Gomez has enjoyed his fair share of success in Reds colours, playing a pivotal role in the club's historic Premier League title triumph in 19/20 and the Champions League glory the year prior.

However, recent seasons have failed to bear the same calibre for the ace, who has been at the epicentre of the club's struggles this term.

Jurgen Klopp's Reds have failed to build upon an impressive preceding campaign that saw victory in both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, falling agonisingly short in the Premier League and Champions League.

Said to be in a "footballing nightmare" by journalist Uri Levy, Gomez has certainly failed to demonstrate the best of his ability for a considerable amount of time now, but that does not mean that Liverpool didn't hit the jackpot when making their swoop for the talent back in 2015.

Signing the highly-sought defender for just £3.5m from Charlton Athletic, Gomez has made 171 appearances for Liverpool and registered six assists, indeed winning a plethora of major honours, but after nearly eight years of servitude on Merseyside, it might now be time to move the dud on.

Should Klopp cash in on Gomez?

The 11-cap England international is valued at around £29m by Football Transfers, and should he prospectively leave Anfield for such a fee, Liverpool could make a recuperation by an increase of 829% from the initial fee paid for his signature.

Once hailed as "outstanding" by Martin Keown, Gomez still boasts a steady 6.92 rating in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore, making 1.4 tackles and 2.2 interceptions per game, also completing 86% of his passes, and his robustness and physicality would leave plenty of suitors' interest piqued if he did indeed emerge as available on the transfer market.

Indeed, as per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 4% of positional peers for assists, the top 2% for progressive passes, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for progressive carries per 90, illustrating a modern skill set that remains a large factor behind Klopp's decision to stick with his man.

But with Liverpool linked with the likes of Croatian RB Leipzig colossus Josko Gvardiol, the centre-back position indeed targetted following the evaporation of former resilience and fluidity on Merseyside, Gomez might find playing time harder to come by should he remain on the books ahead of next season.

After such a shambolic season that threatens to implode, should Champions League qualification – the barest of minimums for the Reds – fail to be achieved, and with Gomez failing to impress by some degree, a transfer away might be the most fruitful move for all parties involved.

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita is ‘expected to leave’ the club in the summer transfer window, according to The Athletic journalist Andy Jones.

The Lowdown: Keita awful at Palace

The 28-year-old was handed a start away to Crystal Palace last weekend, as he looked to show Jurgen Klopp that he is worth persevering with beyond this summer.

Instead, Keita produced an awful first-half showing, losing the ball seven times, losing ten out of 12 total duels, picking up a yellow card and committing four fouls (Sofascore).

It led to Klopp substituting the Guinean at half-time, presumably because a sending-off seemed so likely, in what was the latest disappointing showing from him.

The Latest: Summer exit expected

Taking to Twitter, The Athletic‘s Jones focused on Keita’s woeful display at Selhurst Park, adding that he is likely to move on at the end of the season:

“Not for the first time, a night & performance to forget for Naby Keita. Klopp had no option but to take the midfielder off at HT.

“Unlikely to be his last #LFC performance, but expected to leave in the summer, it’s tough to see how he starts many more.”

The Verdict: More disappointment

There is no denying that Keita has ultimately underwhelmed in a Liverpool shirt, having arrived with such great expectations back in the summer of 2018.

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A constant stream of injuries have clearly played a big role in the midfielder’s struggles, affording him only 129 appearances in nearly five seasons, but his overall performances have also lacked consistency and influence.

That’s not to say that Keita hasn’t contributed to Liverpool’s great success in recent years, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup, among other trophies, but he should indeed go when his contract expires this summer.

Virgil van Dijk once hailed his teammate as a ‘world-class’ player but he hasn’t performed like that for some time now and he has been a rare flop in the Klopp era.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will look to return to his tried and trusted lineup which saw his side bring in some positive results earlier in the season.

Who is missing for Newcastle’s cup final?

The Toon have been handed a number of setbacks ahead of their trip to Wembley on the weekend for their Carabao Cup final against Manchester United.

Mainly, the suspension of Nick Pope will be the obvious setback which will concern some fans and there are still some worries over whether Joe Willock will be fit enough to play.

And speaking on The Magpie Channel TV YouTube account, Keith Downie has suggested Howe will be hoping to see the likes of Willock return straight to the starting XI:

(13:30) “In terms of formation, or in terms of selection, I expect them to try and go back to the tried and tested sort of before Christmas. I think he’ll want to play Joelinton as one of the front three. With Joe Willock in midfield if he makes it. I think that’s what he’ll try and do.”

Who will start for Newcastle in the cup final?

As Downie alluded to, results of late have not gone in Newcastle’s favour with no win in the Premier League since 15 January which came in dramatic style against Fulham.

And as a result, it does seem as if something may have to be changed if the Toon are to put up a fight against a United side who are flying high in all competitions.

However, their two most recent victories came in the Carabao Cup against Southampton when Howe had more players available for selection.

It is this side that Downie feels Howe will be hoping to return to with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes set to return to the fold having served his three-game suspension.

But a lot of this will rely on whether Willock is fit enough to return to the starting XI which could allow Joelinton to play in his more advanced role at left-wing.

And that is a position which has worked well for the Brazilian who has provided Newcastle with a return of two goals and an assist from there in his last three Carabao Cup games.

It has been a difficult run of games of Newcastle since securing their spot in the final and having the likes of Willock and Guimaraes will have played a big role in that.

However, if they are able to find their feet again at Wembley, the recent results will be the last thing Newcastle fans will be thinking of with a long-standing trophy drought there to be ended on Sunday.

Danny Murphy has predicted that Liverpool will not achieve a top-four finish in the Premier League at the end of the season.

The Lowdown: Mauled by Wolves

Jurgen Klopp’s side were soundly beaten this past weekend, going 2-0 down within 15 minutes of their clash at Molineux.

The defeat to Wolves means the Reds have only won eight league matches this season and sit in 10th place, 11 points off fourth and 21 points behind the league leaders.

Liverpool are out of all cup competitions aside from the Champions League, where they will face Real Madrid later this month.

And they face a mammoth task to snatch a top-four spot, with the club yet to win in the league since the turn of the year.

The Latest: No top four

Speaking on TalkSport, former Reds midfielder Murphy claimed that there’s no chance Liverpool will get into the top four.

He stated: “I think the top four’s gone, I have to admit. I don’t see them turning that around. I really can’t see how they can click their fingers and become a dynamic, winning team overnight again. They’re going to have ups and downs.”

The Verdict: Steady the ship

In our view, Liverpool’s season is now relying on Europe in terms of salvaging any form of success.

Looking at where the Reds are in the league, we believe it’s simply too much for them to get back into the top four and be playing Champions League football next season.

Liverpool are currently 11 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United with a game in hand. While they have put together solid runs of form in years gone by, they look miles away from being capable of doing what is required to reduce the deficit to those Champions League places – particularly when you consider the number of teams they would have to overhaul to get there.

As far as their tie against Real Madrid in Europe’s top competition is concerned, we can’t see them getting the better of the La Liga outfit over two legs.

Real Madrid are behind Barcelona in La Liga, but they’re still second and in much better form than Liverpool at the moment.

Klopp has to get Liverpool’s mojo back, as it could have severe consequences in the summer, as you could argue that fewer players would want to join the Reds in the next transfer window as they may have no European football, while their manager is beginning to show the pressure is getting to him amid their poor form this term.

Leeds United remain in the transfer hunt for a top European talent…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Italian publication Calciomercato, who are outlining the Yorkshire outfit as one of the clubs linked with a move for wantaway attacking midfielder  Nicolo Zaniolo.

Whites director of football Victor Orta had shown a long-standing interest and was reportedly handed a fresh glimmer of hope in their potential deadline day swoop just last night.

Leeds could ditch Harrison

With Jack Harrison also linked with a switch away from Elland Road, the £50k-per-week wide man could make way in favour of the 23-year-old Italian with a dazzling future ahead of him.

Although he has been a dependable stalwart during his time in Yorkshire, it does seem like Harrison has a tendency to go missing through large portions of the season.

His goal in the FA Cup at the weekend marked just his second of the season in all competitions, with the 26-year-old having produced just one goal contribution in his last 14 Premier League games.

He is hardly irreplaceable, despite having impressed last season in their moment of need.

Meanwhile, Zaniolo has also endured a poorer year for AS Roma with just five goal contributions in all competitions. Having played far fewer minutes than his potential predecessor, however, he has been slightly more productive despite his poor form.

Should he move to Leeds in an attempt to replace Harrison, he would want to recapture his consistency from last year, as he scored eight and assisted nine in all competitions.

It was likely his ability to show up late into the box and score that saw him lauded as a “Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard-type player” by former Inter coach Stefano Vecchi. High praise indeed to earn comparisons with two of the league’s most celebrated midfielders.

Roma legend Francesco Totti doubled down on this praise, as he once noted on Zaniolo: “He has explosive strength and technique, and everything it takes to become a truly great player.”

With all the attributes to be a successful asset in English football, this deal would soften the blow of potentially losing Harrison tenfold.

Insider ExWHUemployee has revealed Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to let Djed Spence join West Ham United on loan this January.

What’s the word?

The young fullback arrived in north London from Middlesbrough last summer but has failed to make much of an impact at his new club, having played just three minutes of Premier League football so far this term.

With that in mind, it’s no great shock that some reports have tipped Spence to leave Tottenham on loan for the remainder of the season as to guarantee more regular game time.

In an update shared on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex has explained that the Hammers are potentially keen on a deal. However, it sounds as though Spurs aren’t so happy to do business with a rival.

The insider said: “Spence is at Spurs, former Middlesbrough player, we’ve looked at maybe getting him on loan, he’s a right-back.

“Spurs have barely played him since they signed him. The only problem we’ve got is that Spurs don’t like to deal with us – you know, the rivalry and so on – unless we’re signing an outcast of theirs.

“They don’t like to loan players to us, so I think we’re going to be knocked back in our interest in him.”

Bad blood

Well, it’s certainly quite likely that Spence will want out from Spurs in the short term. After all, manager Antonio Conte doesn’t seem to trust him – as evidenced by the fact that the youngster is yet to start even once so far in his debut season across all competitions.

However, they are bitter rivals with the Hammers and so it’s not surprising to hear that any negotiations for a loan this winter could be complicated.

If that is the case, though, and Spence can’t find himself a new club in January it will be hard not to feel for the 22-year-old. Indeed, he was sold a dream when he joined the north London outfit last summer but has been met by obstacles every step of the way ever since.