Glasgow Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has proven that he is not afraid to hand opportunities to players from the Ibrox academy this season.

The Dutch head coach has made Leon King a regular in the first team and the likes of Alex Lowry, Adam Devine, and Charlie McCann have been given game time throughout 2022.

They will all be hoping to follow in the footsteps of other successful academy graduates, including players like Billy Gilmour and Nathan Patterson, who are both playing in the Premier League at this moment in time.

One academy graduate who went on to bigger things after leaving the club was Scottish central midfielder Charlie Adam, who retired at the end of last season.

He made his debut for the Light Blues as a youngster in the 2003/04 campaign and eventually became a regular in the first-team in 2006/07 as he racked up 28 Premiership outings and chipped in with eight goals and four assists from midfield.

However, the youngster then fell out of favour as he only featured in 25 Scottish top-flight matches in the following two seasons combined and this led to him going out on loan to English side Blackpool for the second half of the 2008/09 campaign.

Adam scored two goals in 13 Championship outings before he reportedly returned to Glasgow for talks with the club to decide whether or not the then-23-year-old still had a future at Ibrox. They seemingly decided that he did not as he then sealed a permanent switch to Blackpool for a fee of £500k in the summer of 2009.

In his first full season down in England, the midfielder scored 18 goals and provided nine assists in 46 Championship matches as he helped his side to win promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

The “wonderful” maestro – as dubbed by Glenn Hoddle, then caught the eye in the English top flight as he enjoyed a stellar campaign with Blackpool. He scored 12 goals and assisted eight and this caught the attention of Premier League giants Liverpool.

Adam, whose left foot was once dubbed a “strong weapon” by Christian Poulsen, sealed a £7.5m transfer to Anfield in the summer of 2011, just two years after leaving Rangers for £500k.

This shows that he thrived after leaving Ibrox and was sold at the wrong time by the Scottish giants as he could have fulfilled his potential in Glasgow if he was given the opportunity to play more often.

Blackpool were willing to give him regular game time and benefitted from that by making a gigantic profit on the central midfielder, whilst also getting two years of fantastic service out of him.

Therefore, Rangers had a nightmare by selling the now 36-year-old for £500k as his career after departing the club suggests that it was a huge mistake to allow him to depart.

The time has come for players to depart their clubs and head off to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, before returning to domestic football after the tournament finishes.

While agonisingly waiting for the Premier League season to restart already, why don’t you Newcastle United fans have a go at our Ultimate Newcastle World Cup quiz! Only the biggest Magpies supporter will get 100%, so try your luck below and test your friends and family. 10 questions in total…

Tottenham Hotspur may be in pursuit of quick silverware with Antonio Conte at the helm but recent reports suggest they could be planning for the long-term future, too.

According to Radio Kiss Kiss (via Tutto Napoli), the north London outfit are among the European giants interested in Fenerbahce prodigy Arda Guler, who is being considered as a ‘real coup’ despite being only 17.

Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli are also interested in the teenager.

Guler appears to be a real star of the future and that much is obvious by the fact that the Yellow Canaries have given him the famed no.10 shirt, which has a special meaning to supporters, having once been donned by club legend Alex de Souza for eight years.

Capable of playing anywhere behind the striker, the newly-capped Turkey international has delivered four direct goal contributions across 13 appearances, of which just three have been starts, this campaign.

A goal or assist every 75 minutes is good going for a teenager getting his first taste at the men’s game.

Guler’s future could lie in the very position that’s on his back, having already earned comparisons to Mesut Ozil, who was his teammate at the Ulker Stadium last season.

“A super goal. A super assist. Quality,” the former Arsenal maestro said of the 17-year-old after one game back in March. “I hope it will continue like this, brother. You will be a world star.”

Indeed, the early signs are there – not at least because of the clubs that have been linked with interest in the past. Per WhoScored, Guler is averaging 2.5 key passes, 3.3 tackles and 3.9 successful dribbles per 90 minutes across the Super Lig and Europa League this term.

It, therefore, comes as little surprise to have seen the young Fenerbahce gem described as “special” by his former youth coach Erol Tokgozler and “mature” by national team boss Stefan Kuntz.

This exposure to the first-team at such a young age will only bode well for his chances of coming to Spurs and making an impact under Conte, should their interest be genuine.

As such, Paratici and go must look to sign Guler as he’s certainly a future superstar, based on the evidence above.

Perhaps a similar sort of deal as the one for Destiny Udogie could be completed, in which the teenage wonderkid could remain in Turkey for the next six to 18 months to continue his remarkable development.

AND in other news, Spurs could find perfect Romero partner in £43.5m “monster”, he’s set to stun in Qatar…

Newcastle United squeezed their way into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup following a nervy victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, with the Magpies overcoming an underwhelming 90-minute display to clinch progression via the dreaded penalty shootout.

Following a rather drab affair at St James’ Park, Eddie Howe’s side were left thanking the quality of first-choice stopper Nick Pope for helping to seal their place in the next round, with the Englishman having produced three spot-kick saves to deny the Eagles.

The former Burnley man was undoubtedly the shining light for the hosts as they laboured to victory, with the decision to keep the 30-year-old in the sticks ahead of deputy Karl Darlow seemingly paying off.

The ten-cap colossus’ overall performance was also no doubt impressive, notably recording a 100% pass accuracy rate from his 38 touches and completing all four of his long balls, while his 8.8 match rating, as per SofaScore, was by far the highest of any player on the day.

Such heroics have simply been no surprise for those on Tyneside such has been the 6 foot 3 titan’s impact at the club thus far, having proven something of a bargain by PIF after being snapped up from Turf Moor over the summer for a reported fee of just £10m.

While no doubt aided by a strong defensive unit, the one-time Charlton Athletic brute has already kept six clean sheets from 14 Premier League games so far this season, conceding just 11 goals in that time – the best record in the division.

That form has unsurprisingly seen the Soham-born ‘keeper enjoy a rise in value of late, with the player now reportedly worth in the region of £25m, according to Football Transfers.

Not that Howe and co will be looking to move on the “dominant” 6 foot 3 gem – as described by journalist Josh Bunting – any time soon in order to make a profit, it is simply a marker of how Pope has been “such a good investment” for the northeast side, as per Bunting.

After the frustration last term regarding the inability to settle on a first-choice pick – with the aforementioned Darlow, as well as Freddie Woodman and Martin Dubravka all enjoying a run in the side – it is no doubt now a real bonus to have an undisputed number one in Newcastle’s ranks.

If Howe’s men are to have any chance of securing a top-four berth or ending their lengthy trophy drought, then keeping the “absolute monster” – as per former manager David Flitcroft – injury-free will seemingly be a must.

Leeds United are not likely to get rid of Jesse Marsch any time soon, according to journalist Dean Jones. 

The Lowdown: Doubts over Marsch’s future

The Whites have won four, drawn three and lost seven of their Premier League games so far this season, scoring 22 goals and conceding 26 in the process.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the American’s position at Elland Road is not completely safe due to Leeds’ shaky results this season.

However, it has now been claimed that Marsch is likely to continue in his current role for the time being.

The Latest: Leeds to stick with Marsch

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones discussed the 49-year-old’s current situation at Leeds and his prospects for the future at Elland Road.

The journalist said of Marsch: “I still think it’s unlikely that they get rid of him, the talk a few weeks ago was like he’s got until the World Cup break and then they’ll assess things.

“But we also know that Leeds really want to stick by Marsch, and since they sent out those messages about him, Leeds have been more entertaining, they’ve scored more goals.”

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The Verdict: Give him more time

Results have not been particularly impressive or consistent for Leeds so far this season, and a significant number of goals have been conceded, but we feel that this break for the World Cup and the following January transfer period could work in Marsch’s favour.

With time on his hands to assess his players and the season so far, January could give him the opportunity to make whatever changes to his squad that he feels are necessary, as he did in abundance during the summer.

Taking that into account, we feel that it would make sense for Leeds to stick with the 49-year-old during this period and give him the time and space to get the team on a more stable track and away from the relegation zone.

However, if things don’t pick up for the Whites throughout the remainder of the season, the board may then have a big decision to make as to whether or not they relieve Marsch of his duties.

Liverpool have had one of their worst starts to a Premier League season in over a decade and now Jurgen Klopp could be about to turn to the January transfer window to refresh his squad, with news of a potential transfer target emerging.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones, Liverpool are monitoring PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo “very closely” ahead of the transfer window re-opening in the new year.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“They have watched him and they have monitored him very closely, as closely as most other teams have so far. They just haven’t been linked with him as frequently.”

“Now, I think it depends really on how their squad shapes up for the return to action as to whether they will be likely to go for him.”

Imagine him & Nunez

It is no secret that Liverpool have lost a certain amount of their spark this season as they sit sixth in the Premier League table after their first 14 outings but you can never write the Reds off in the second half of the season, especially if they can acquire the services of an “electric” – as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – star in Gakpo.

The talented 23-year-old matches Erling Haaland for the most goal contributions (21) in the entirety of Europe this season with nine goals and 12 assists over 14 appearances so far, and will be one of the headliners at the World Cup when he represents the Netherlands over the next month.

Gakpo – who was also hailed “creative” by Bunting – has risen through the ranks at PSV scoring 55 goals and registering 50 assists over his career at the club so far. Over he entire career, he’s weighed in with a goal contribution every 105 minutes proving that he is a consistent and reliable threat in the final third.

If FSG sanction a move for Gakpo in January or the summer he could become the perfect partner to Darwin Nunez.

The Dutchman is predominantly a left winger but is also comfortable occupying a role as a centre forward or right winger too and possesses attributes through his experience in a wider role that could benefit a striker like Liverpool’s newly-signed Uruguayan.

Gakpo ranks in the top 5% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for dribbles completed, shot-creating actions and touches, proving that not only is he a prolific goal-scorer himself but a selfless presence and a valuable team player on the pitch.

Indeed, his dazzling skillset of dribbling and chance creation would be perfect for Nunez, as the 23-year-old would no doubt benefit from his constant stream of service.

With that being said, if Liverpool could snap up Gakpo in the upcoming transfer window he would be a great asset to Klopp in the manager’s efforts to get his team back where they belong in the second half of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has requested to sign Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries, according to reports over the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Reinforcements needed

The Premier League giants currently have Emerson Royal as their first-choice right-back, but with Matt Doherty and Djed Spence failing to make an impact, the 53-year-old is understandably on the lookout for reinforcements.

Dumfries still has nearly three years remaining on his deal at the San Siro but Simone Inzaghi’s side are believed to be open to a sale in 2023, with his price tag having now been revealed.

The Latest: Spurs monitoring Dumfries

According to Rudy Galetti (via Sport Witness) on Thursday, Spurs are just one of several clubs ‘chasing’ Dumfries, with the signing being a personal ‘request’ from Conte.

The report states that the Tottenham manager is ‘not convinced’ by Emerson, with the 26-year-old Dutchman identified as a suitable ‘alternative’.

Inter are willing to consider offers in the region of €30m (£26m), with Chelsea and Manchester United also holding a strong interest, duly creating big competition for the Lilywhites.

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The Verdict: Emerson replacement?

Tottenham clearly aren’t sold on Emerson and are only playing him because he’s the best of a bad bunch, but having been hailed as a ‘big threat’ by Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell, Dumfries would certainly appear to be an upgrade.

The Rotterdam native already has two goals and two assists to his name across all competitions this season and is currently averaging 1.3 shots and 1.1 key passes per league game (WhoScored).

For comparison, Dumfries exceeds all three of Spurs’ senior right-back options for all of those metrics (WhoScored).

For someone with such experience and fantastic ability as the Dutchman, Fabio Paratici splashing out £26m shouldn’t even be up for debate, with his existing connection to Serie A potentially handing Tottenham an advantage in this transfer pursuit.

Everton could be ready to battle for a European star in January…

What’s the latest?

According to Torino Granata, the Toffees are one of two Premier League sides vying to sign Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic.

It is expected that following his World Cup campaign with Serbia he will assess his options, with Leeds United also pushing for his signature.

With reported friction between the player and club following contract talks, another source suggests it will cost around €15m (£13m) to secure his services.

Ditch Gueye

Although he starred in his first few matches after returning, Idrissa Gana Gueye has at times shown his age with a few silly mistakes in midfield.

This was highlighted in their loss to Manchester United, where he was handed an abysmal 5.8 SofaScore rating and made one error that led to a goal after being caught lacking by the Red Devils’ midfield.

The 33-year-old offers a fine option for Frank Lampard, but he must look for fresher options than the Senegal international.

In Lukic, the 44-year-old would gain a fine all-around midfield ace who could offer a slightly increased offensive presence than Gueye does.

There is definitely space beside Amadou Onana for someone with more attacking impetus, and with 1.0 shots and 1.0 key passes per game, the Serbian could be just that man.

That’s not to suggest that he shirks his defensive responsibilities, as he also averaged 0.8 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per game too.

Labelled an “excellent midfielder” by teammate Gleison Bremer, he proves this with consistently reliable displays in Serie A. The 26-year-old is boasting an average SofaScore rating of 6.95, which actually outperforms the 6.87 of Gueye too.

What further outlines him as a brilliant asset to have in the engine room is his pass accuracy, which averages out to 89%.

Although it might seem a bold option to drop the ageing Goodison Park hero, many would agree that time has certainly caught up with him since he first left for Paris Saint-Germain all those years ago.

He has plenty left to offer the Merseyside club, but Lukic would provide a fine option to ensure that he does not have to be relied upon solely given his age.

Leeds United have been dealt a potential setback to their hopes of securing a move for reported transfer target Raphael Guerreiro. 

The Lowdown: Leeds’ interest in Guerreiro

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Whites are planning to make an approach to sign the full-back from Borussia Dortmund during the upcoming January transfer window.

With the World Cup in Qatar around the corner, this will give the Yorkshire club the chance to potentially see Guerreiro in action for Portugal ahead of the winter market opening for business.

However, it appears that the Elland Road outfit have been dealt a potential blow to their chances of signing the defender.

The Latest: West Ham join Guerreiro transfer race

According to a recent report from Jeunes Footeux, West Ham United have joined the race to sign the 28-year-old from Dortmund in January.

The report adds that the German club have offered a new deal to Guerreiro, who is set to see his current contract expire at the end of June.

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The Verdict: Leeds must be ruthless

Across 206 appearances for Dortmund, Guerreiro has scored 37 goals and delivered 39 assists in the process.

Across his 12 Bundesliga outings this season, he has racked up the third-highest number of key passes (14) and third-highest number of shot-creating actions (32) at the club, highlighting how much of an attacking threat he can offer.

From a defensive point of view, Guerreiro – who has been described in the past by Michael Zorc as being in “exceptionally good shape” – has the fourth-highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (35) in the Dortmund squad.

This showcases just how effective the full-back can be up and down the pitch, which is presumably why Dortmund are keen to keep hold of him and why the likes of Leeds and West Ham want to sign him.

Taking all that into account, we feel that Guerreiro would be a very smart signing for Jesse Marsch’s side and that the club will need to be ruthless in their attempts to sign him in January if they are to prevent the Hammers from beating them to the punch.

Leeds United would have been gutted to miss out on the signing of Charles De Ketelaere during the summer transfer window but life for the Belgian maestro since then has been far from smooth.

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Yorkshire oufit were prepared to shatter their club-record fee to sign the 21-year-old dynamo, having submitted a €35m (£30.5m) bid to Club Brugge in mid-July.

But De Ketelaere was prioritising a switch to Serie A giants AC Milan and he got his wish just a couple of weeks later as the Rossoneri paid around the same price for his signature in the end.

Perhaps the ten-cap international was too lofty a target for chairman Andrea Radrizzani and director of football Victor Orta to get over the line but the ambition was there, off the back of their final-day survival from relegation last term.

Now, several months later, that initial disappointment should be a thing of the past as De Ketelaere has struggled to replicate the form that has led to Kevin De Bruyne comparisons and him to be dubbed the “complete package” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, as well as why Leeds were so keen to bring his services to Elland Road.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay spoke about the youngster’s performances for the Italian outfit on his podcast recently. “The shoot for the moon signings look great on paper and are fantastic if you make them happen, although De Ketelaere isn’t having a happy time at AC Milan from what I can gather,” he said.

Indeed, as per Transfermarkt, De Ketelaere has failed to score and has provided just one assist from 18 appearances across all competitions.

A stark contrast to his extraordinary 18 goals and ten assists last season, suggesting that he may have struggled to adapt from the Jupiler Pro League, given the step up in quality of opposition and talent.

Meanwhile, over in west Yorkshire, attacking midfielder Brendan Aaronson has looked the part with three direct goal contributions from his 14 Premier League appearances, having had to adapt from a similar level to the Belgian top-flight in the Austrian Bundesliga.

As such, it’s clear that Orta and Leeds dodged a £30.5m bullet and the fact that De Ketelaere rejected them in favour of Milan is currently looking like an absolute blessing in disguise.

AND in other news,  Leeds could seal “real coup” in £81k-p/w dynamo who’s a “huge upgrade” on Bielsa flop…