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The transfer window slams shut next week and Rangers have been relatively busy in the market as they have brought in two players and sold one from Ibrox for a club-record fee.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has signed James Sands and John Souttar, whilst selling Nathan Patterson north of the border too. He has also recalled striker Cedric Itten from his loan and reintegrated him into the first-team set-up.

In the last week or so of the window, the Gers may have some big decisions to make on players whose deals expire in July. One player who could be in trouble of being cut loose is Canadian midfielder Scott Arfield, with the 33-year-old’s contract up in the summer.

Axe him

Van Bronckhorst could jettison him from the squad this month or in the summer by bringing in a new player. He has missed a whopping five ‘big chances’ in the Premiership this season and lost 65% of his individual duels, whilst only creating 0.6 chances per game – as per SofaScore – and this suggests that it could be time for him to be axed.

One attacking midfielder who has been linked with a switch to the club is 18-year-old PSG youngster Xavi Simons.

He too is out of contract at the end of the season and this means that the Gers could replace Arfield without having to splash millions and millions in the transfer market. Instead, they could snap up the teenage Dutchman on a free and pay a nominal compensation fee via tribunal or through an agreement with PSG.

In doing so, they could land a terrific player for the future as Simons has shown immense potential in his fledgling career to date.

Football scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him as “phenomenal” earlier this season for his form in the academy side with the French giants. He has scored five goals and provided six assists in 13 appearances for the U19’s, showing off his quality at youth level.

This suggests that he is already too good to be playing reserve team football and that is emphasised by his first-team involvement in France this term. He has played four times for the Ligue 1 side this season, picking up one assist in those games.

His agent, Mino Raiola, previously stated that his client has a “big future” and PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino believes that he will mature with time, saying: “Xavi Simons? There is a big difference between the reserve and the first team. Xavi can play in different positions; as a torchbearer, he can also play on the side. Maturity comes with time; you have to take into account the leadership of the team and complementarities.”

Therefore, he could have the potential to improve further over the years and develop into a top player, which is why he could be a fantastic replacement for Arfield as the ex-Burnley man is nearing the end of his career.

AND in other news, Rangers could finally axe “really poor” lightweight by landing £2.8m-rated playmaker…

Rangers have been dealt a big blow in Giovanni’s pursuit of another attacker signing to Ibrox during the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Championship side Bournemouth are poised to complete a move for a Gers target ahead of Monday’s deadline.

He Tweeted: “Hearing Bournemouth have agreed a deal for Peterborough’s Siriki Dembele. A number of clubs have been chasing Dembele but Bournemouth have agreed undisclosed fee with Peterborough for the winger.”

The Light Blues have been touted with an interest in the Scottish forward this month and now look set to miss out on him.

Gutted

This news will surely leave van Bronckhorst gutted as it means that he will not be able to bring the attacker in during the current window or in the summer.

Dembele could have been a fine addition to his squad at Ibrox and he will be frustrated that he now appears to be on his way to Bournemouth to work with Scott Parker at the Vitality Stadium.

In his last 66 starts for Peterborough, he has produced 16 goals and 11 assists for the English outfit. This shows that he has the quality to score and create goals in the final third, proving it in the third and second tier in England, suggesting that he could make an impact for the Gers in the Premiership.

Ryan Kent managed three goals and three assists in two Championship seasons for Barnsley and Bristol City combined prior to his move to Rangers and he has been an exceptional signing for the club.

The ex-Liverpool man provided ten goals and nine assists for Steven Gerrard in the league last term, showing the level of quality he has been able to bring to the table.

Therefore, Dembele could have had a similar impact if he came through the door at Ibrox. Instead, he looks to be on his way to Bournemouth and Rangers may have to abandon any plans to further strengthen their wide options this month and wait until the summer to bring in additional firepower.

This is why van Bronckhorst will be gutted with this news, as the 25-year-old could have been an exciting signing for him. At the age of 25, he also has the potential to improve further and the Dutch head coach will not be able to enjoy developing him on the training pitch.

AND in other news, Talks set: Rangers now eyeing key deal for “important” £16k-p/w beast, Gvb needs it…

Tottenham Hotspur’s new signing Dejan Kulusevski could become a better version of one of Antonio Conte’s former stars…

January swoop

The Sweden international signed from Juventus on deadline day, joining in an 18-month initial loan for an £8.3m fee, which has an option to buy set around £29.2m, as per the BBC.

He arrives in north London alongside fellow teammate Rodrigo Bentancur, who joins in a £15.9m permanent deal, which could rise by £5m before the end of his contract in 2026.

The pair would be Spurs’ only two arrivals this winter.

Shades of Eden Hazard

Kulusevski is hardly the sort of player that the Lilywhites were crying out for but he’s still a very exciting young talent who will offer Conte supreme versatility in the final third.

It’s that sort of ‘plug-and-play’ style that the Italian loves to have at his disposal – as we’ve already seen, he considers Steven Bergwijn to be a back-up option to Harry Kane up top, whilst there could be some similarities to Eden Hazard, an out-and-out winger who thrived in the half-spaces as one of two no.10s.

The 21-year-old is certainly capable of playing both roles as displayed during his maiden campaign at the Old Lady. Kulusevski was deployed in as many as seven different positions and he still provided 14 direct goal contributions across all competitions, which is remarkable for his age at a club of Juve’s stature.

Perhaps what is more astonishing was the way in which he dropped down the pecking order under Massimiliano Allegri but his loss is certainly Spurs’ gain.

“He has incredible physical strength. He reminds me of a young [Mo] Salah for the way he shakes off opponents in the first ten metres,” once claimed Italian coach Pierpaolo Bisoli, whilst former Aston Villa and Sweden striker Marcus Allback dubbed Tottenham’s new man “explosive” and “direct” to The Sun.

According to  Italian Football expert Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Kulusevski will become an “absolute monster” under the stewardship of Conte.

Hazard provided 34 goals and 21 assists in 94 appearances under the Conte at Stamford Bridge, and the 52-year-old will be hoping that the £27m-rated dynamo can be a similar sort of attacking threat at Spurs this season.

Given the way in which the Belgian has fallen off in his career and the age that Kulusevski has arrived in N17, the Lilywhites’ new man could well emerge as an even better talent than the former Chelsea star in the future.

AND in other news, Antonio Conte concerns emerge at Spurs amid huge transfer claim…

Aston Villa made the surprise signing of Steven Gerrard’s former Liverpool teammate, Philippe Coutinho, from Barcelona in January, and not only will his talent and ability surely have a fantastic impact on the side’s Premier League season, but he could also become hugely influential to the players around him.

The 29-year-old has already scored for the Villans on his debut in the eventful 2-2 draw to Manchester United at Villa Park last month, where he helped the side secure a point after going 1-0 down in the first half, scoring his goal just 13 minutes after coming onto the pitch in the 68th minute.

One player who also shone in the game against Manchester United is Jacob Ramsey, who not only opened the scoring in the second half for his team but also assisted Coutinho in his first Premier League goal in over four years.

Ramsey has been going from strength to strength at Aston Villa, with the current manager at the club being one of his biggest fans.

Gerrard hailed the £15k-per-week gem “outstanding” following his wondergoal scored against Norwich at Carrow Road in a 2-0 victory, and his progression at the club can only enhance with the arrival of Coutinho, something we saw glimpses of against Man United.

Ramsey has the world at his feet, being described as a “big talent” by scout Jacek Kulig, and as a midfielder, not only having one of the greatest central players to grace the game as his manager, but the opportunity of playing alongside Coutinho who has experience on the left wing and in attacking midfield positions, racking up 102 goals and 75 assists in his career so far.

The £13.5m-rated Birmingham born youngster was instantly put into Gerrard’s Villa first team when he took over in November, with the side now picking up 16 points from just ten games in the league since the Liverpudlian took the reigns.

Ramsey has also offered an attacking output from his position that puts him in the top 18% of Premier League goal scoring midfielders, with 0.23 goals per 90 and an xG of 0.14 per 90 minutes.

Evidently, Gerrard now has a scary duo for Aston Villa going forward, with the 20-year-old being given the best opportunity to develop into a fantastic player working with Coutinho’s influence and experience.

He can learn a lot and become part of a formidable attacking threat with the Brazilian by his side to lead the team to greater things in the future.

It will be interesting to see how the pair progress over the remaining months of the season, and how far the former Rangers boss can take his players in the future with new additions being integrated into the existing Villa squad and the continued development of young players like Ramsey.

In other news: Gerrard already planning to pounce for Bissouma

Leeds United have been boosted in their attempts to sign Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia this summer, according to a new transfer report.

The Lowdown: Winger’s complex situation

The 21-year-old has been plying his trade at Russian side Rubin Kazan since 2019, scoring nine goals and registering 18 assists for the club, drawing praise as a ‘very interesting’ transfer target by Sky Germany reporter Max Bielefeld.

Due to the ongoing situation regarding Russia, Kvaratskhelia was granted a move out of the country earlier this month, joining Georgian side Dinamo Batumi.

It looks as though Leeds are now eyeing up a summer move for the youngster, however, following an update regarding his future.

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The Latest: Leeds boosted in fresh update

According to Il Mattino [via Sport Witness], it is ‘Leeds above all’ when it comes to who could potentially sign Kvaratskhelia in the summer, ahead of Tottenham and Napoli.

With the player cutting all ties with Rubin Kazan, the situation could be made easier for the Whites, in terms of getting their man.

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The Verdict: One for the present and future

At 21, Kvaratskhelia is a player who is still clearly developing but he has already become a key player for Georgia, scoring five goals in just 12 caps for his country.

Predominantly a left-sided attacking player, he could be considered an upgrade on Jack Harrison and Dan James, adding an extra spark in the final third.

The £14.4million-rated Kvaratskhelia’s aforementioned end product certainly speaks for itself and that is hopefully something that would become even more prolific as he matures as a footballer, potentially blossoming under Jesse Marsch.

In other news, Phil Hay has dropped a concerning claim regarding one Leeds player. Read more here.

Wolves reportedly now want to clinch a quick deal to sign Kilmarnock central defender and ‘big, big’ talent Charlie McArthur.

The Lowdown: Breakthrough season

McArthur is enjoying a breakthrough season in Scottish football, having already made three senior appearances for his club at just 16 years of age.

His former manager Tommy Wright was full of praise form him earlier this season, claiming that he has a ‘big, big future’ after handing him his debut, while he has also hailed McArthur as a ‘dream to work with’.

Nonetheless, it is no surprise to see clubs now circling around for his signature.

The Latest: Wolves want quick deal

As per The Daily Record, both the Midlands club and West Ham United are preparing moves and ‘want to clinch a quick deal’ for McArthur, as Brighton and Hove Albion also look to table a £275,000 bid for the starlet.

The Seagulls have been tracking him for ‘some time’ and have seen him play for Scotland’s U17s, of whom he is the captain.

The Verdict: Get it done

Given the impending offer from Brighton, the Molineux faithful need to act fast if they are going to get a deal for McArthur over the line.

He is clearly a bright prospect that could thrive in the Academy, until Bruno Lage is ready to call him up to the first team.

Nonetheless, at 16, he has so much potential, and so other teams may well join the race in the summer.

In other news, find out which Wanderers ace is now being eyed by ‘several clubs’ here!

Tottenham are now the favourites to sign West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in the summer, according to football.london’s Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Johnstone’s contract

The 29-year-old’s current deal with the Baggies is set to expire in the summer. As a result, numerous rumours linking him with moves to a whole host of Premier League clubs have arisen.

Given his experience in the English top flight, Tottenham have been linked with a move for the ‘keeper as they search for a backup option for club captain Hugo Lloris.

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The Latest: Spurs favourites for Johnstone

Gold reported for football.london that Spurs are currently the favourites in the race to sign Johnstone upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.

The homegrown status of the Preston-born goalkeeper is an appealing factor in Spurs’ pursuit of the 6 foot 4 West Brom man.

Consequently, this also suggests that Pierluigi Gollini’s loan move from Atalanta will not be made permanent at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Good addition

Whilst this move may appear relatively minor among Antonio Conte’s long-term plans as Tottenham manager, Johnstone’s arrival would provide a much-need addition in terms of squad depth.

The free transfer would allow for Spurs’ budget to be used elsewhere in a transfer window which is expected to see Conte backed in the market.

Johnstone would be a great signing for the Lilywhites on a free. Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle has praised him as an “outstanding” keeper, whilst Sam Allardyce has branded him “top-quality”, having worked together at West Brom, for whom he was a rare shining light as they were relegated last year.

Therefore, Fabio Paratici should be doing all he can to try and get this deal over the line.

In other news: Pete O’Rourke drops Andrea Belotti to Spurs transfer claim

Sunderland enjoyed a busy January transfer window as Kristjaan Speakman brought in a number of players to bolster then-manager Lee Johnson’s squad.

Jermain Defoe, Jack Clarke, Jay Matete, Trai Hume, Danny Batth and Patrick Roberts all came in to aid the club’s attempts to win promotion to the Championship this season.

One of those signings has already flopped as Defoe recently announced his retirement from football after playing seven League One matches for the club.

Kristjaan Speakman error

Another January signing who the club could end up making an embarrassing error over is attacking midfielder Patrick Roberts.

At the time of his arrival, Johnson said: “We hope that this is the place he calls home for a number of years.”

However, that may not transpire as he is attracting interest from elsewhere. TEAMtalk recently reported that Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise are keen on a deal for the former Manchester City man at the end of the season.

They are set to have Champions League football to offer and want to tempt Roberts into making the switch just months after he signed for the Black Cats.

This is where Speakman must act quickly to avoid making this blunder. He was only able to agree a short-term deal with the forward until the end of the season and must now extend his terms to secure his future at the Stadium of Light.

At the very least, Roberts signing a new contract would allow Sunderland to recoup a fee for his services instead of losing him for nothing in the summer.

The winger has one goal and has averaged 1.3 key passes per game across ten matches in League One, starting four times, and has the potential to improve further at the age of 25. He still has his best years ahead of him as he is yet to reach his peak and he could enjoy that at the Stadium of Light if he stays.

Ex-Black Cats player Stephen Elliott dubbed him “sublime” recently and former Norwich head coach Daniel Farke also previously hailed the forward’s talents, saying: “He is a brilliant lad who is full of potential. He is the type of player who can change a game because he has this ability that he can create something in a one against one situation.”

These comments suggest that Sunderland are yet to see the best of the attacker and that is why they cannot lose him on a free. It would be embarrassing to lose a player of his talent without receiving payment for him just months after bringing him to the club, which is why Speakman must rectify his error to avoid making another one.

AND in other news, Cost £13.6m, now worth £1.8m: SAFC had a nightmare on dud who “lacked professionalism”…

Celtic qualifying for the Champions League could hold the key to whether or not they are able to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers move wanted

The future of the 24-year-old has been a major talking point of late, with the Hoops hopeful that they can make his temporary move permanent this summer.

There is interest from other clubs, however, some of which are in the Premier League, which of course has the potential to turn Carter-Vickers’ head.

The American, called ‘outstanding’ by teammate Greg Taylor, has enjoyed a superb season on loan at Parkhead, scoring four goals in 28 Scottish Premiership appearances and producing some dominant defensive performances, ranking as the club’s fifth-most important player in Premiership games, per Whoscored.

The Latest: CL qualification key

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed playing in the Champions League could be a key reason for Carter-Vickers wanting to stay on at Celtic:

“I think Nicholson will be thinking, ‘come here for regular first team football, you know the club and there is a chance to play in the Champions League next season, which would be attractive to all players’.

“I think if he went to Celtic, maybe Celtic will be thinking we can keep him here for a couple of years at least and if he continues to shine and grow then, after that, maybe a move back down to the Premier League might be in the offing for Carter-Vickers.

“He is still quite young and been out on loan a few times from Spurs, so finding a permanent home where he’s happy, when seemingly it has worked out for him at Celtic so far this season, might be his best thing to do.”

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The Verdict: Tough to predict

In truth, it is difficult to predict what Carter-Vickers’ decision will be, but there is no doubt that the chance to play in the Champions League would appeal hugely.

It is arguably the pinnacle of club football, and while wanting to play in the Premier League may also appeal to the defender, those clubs interested will not be in the Champions League next season.

As O’Rourke alludes to, signing for Celtic for a few years and then potentially moving elsewhere eventually feels like the best solution for all concerned, banking the Hoops a hefty profit down the line after getting some solid years out of the up and coming star.

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

Manchester City are reportedly interested in a move for Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij, according to reports in Italy.

What’s the word?

As per CMIT TV (via Sports Witness), the reigning Premier League champions are ‘willing to spend’ an ‘important figure’ to prize the Dutchman from the San Siro, with a bid in the region of €40m (£33.5m) potentially on the cards.

The 30-year-old – who joined the Serie A outfit from Lazio in 2018 – has just a year remaining on his existing deal, with the ‘right offer’ potentially set to tempt both him and Simone Inzaghi’s side into a sale this summer.

As the report also alludes to, however, there has been speculation in recent weeks linking the £31.5m-rated man to Tottenham Hotspur in the upcoming transfer window, with the player having previously worked under Spurs boss Antonio Conte in Milan for two seasons – notably winning the Scudetto last term for the first time in 11 years.

Stones in trouble

Despite being currently well-stocked in their centre-back ranks – with Aymeric Laporte, John Stones, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake all at the club – this latest news suggests that Pep Guardiola’s side appear keen to further bolster their backline, with one of their current stars potentially set to be a notable casualty.

The man that could well give way to any new defensive addition is England international, Stones, with the 27-year-old having lost his place to teammate Laporte as the first-choice partner to last season’s Premier League player of the year’, Dias.

Having been a £40m arrival from Bournemouth just two seasons ago, it would also appear unlikely that the club would cash in on Ake just yet, particularly with the former Chelsea man offering that much-needed balance as a left-footed option.

For Stones, it has proven to be a fairly frustrating campaign thus far, with the £250k-per-week star having made just 11 top-flight starts to date, while he was also recently forced off with an injury in the recent thrilling 4-3 victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday night.

That enthralling clash had seen the former Everton man line up in an unconventional right-back position in the absence of compatriot Kyle Walker – a role he has utilised on five occasions this season – a fact that further emphasises his diminishing status at the heart of the backline.

The £25.2m-rated man has also registered some fairly meagre statistics so far this term, averaging o.4 tackles and 0.8 interceptions in the Premier League, while he also ranks in just the top 97% for blocks made per 90 and the top 77% for clearances made, compared to players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

While that partly has something to do with City’s usual dominance in possession and limited need to defend, such a record also points to lingering concerns over his defensive ability, having once been criticised by Alan Shearer for making “mistake after mistake” in his early days at the Etihad.

By contrast, potential new arrival de Vrij has been in stunning form for the Serie A title challengers, with former Lazio defender Mauricio dubbing him a “monster” with “excellent technique” following his eye-catching displays for the Nerazzurri.

The 55-cap international has performed favourably in comparison to the aforementioned City man so far this season, registering 1.2 tackles, 1.8 clearances and one interception per game in the league thus far in his 26 outings.

There would no doubt need to be a period of adjustment as he has frequently lined up at the centre of a back three for Inzaghi’s charges, although his arrival in England could help to strengthen an already stubborn and seemingly impenetrable backline.

Stones – who has been linked with a move to Newcastle United of late – would be wise to be at least a little concerned for his future.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Rice: West Ham could have signed “magic” £45m-rated star for just £5m…