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A number of Liverpool supporters have been lauding the rumoured decision to change the way VAR judges the offside rule in the Premier League next season.

The Reds ended up saving what threatened to be a disastrous 2020/21 campaign, finishing third in the league and securing Champions League football next year.

It was still a poor spectacle throughout the season, however, with no fans inside grounds making for lifeless atmospheres and VAR continuing to frustrate many.

It felt as though Liverpool were on the wrong end of a string of bad decisions, with an offside call against Sadio Mane away to Everton particularly tough to take.

According to The Times, there are plans to make the offside lines thicker next season, in order to hopefully avoid those marginal calls and hand the advantage back to the attacking team.

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It is a decision that has gone down well with a number of supporters on Twitter – here are some of the best reactions.

Reds fans love VAR change

“Such an obvious fix, thank God”

Credit: @ronan_cosgrave

“So no more armpit offside”

Credit: @Knightspeed1

“Sounds like the right step”

Credit: @footballfounded

“Finally some common sense”

Credit: @ameen7rs

“Ahhhh it’s maybe the best thing they could do”

Credit: @MostlyTmo

“YESSSSSSSS”

Credit: @TheeSamKnox

“Good Lord! Better late than never. Teams keeping high lines and playing heavy metal football should benefit now. The new rule also respects the human aspect of the game. Players & fans hopefully need not wait for VAR checks to celebrate goals”

Credit: @sankulyaa

In other news, some Liverpool fans are excited after a Reds transfer rumour emerged. Read more here.

Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh is attracting increasing interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Wales Online, who claim that AFC Bournemouth have made an enquiry regarding the signing of the Whites right-back ahead of the upcoming transfer market.

The report goes on to state that the Premier League side will likely assess the position of the 20-year-old in pre-season before determining whether or not they believe his future lies at Elland Road.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

Finally, it is also claimed that, should regular first-team football not be realistic at Leeds next season, the England U21 international would be more than happy to spend next season on loan with Cardiff City once again.

Drameh can save Leeds millions

Considering just how impressive Drameh has been during his loan spell in South Wales, it is undeniable that permanently losing the services of the young defender this summer would be something of a disaster for Jesse Marsch and his side.

Indeed, over his 18 Championship appearances since linking up with the Bluebirds in January, the £900k-rated full-back has been a revelation on the right of Steve Morison’s backline, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 0.7 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game.

The £4.4k-per-week defender has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep five clean sheets, in addition to making an average of one interception, four tackles – the most of any player in the league – 1.9 clearances and winning 7.6 duels – at a success rate of 56% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Morison claimed is “like a Duracell Bunny” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as Cardiff’s fourth-best player in the English second tier.

As such, considering his tender age, it is clear to see the sheer amount of potential Drameh possesses, something which leads us to believe that Marsch must not only retain the 20-year-old this summer but also give him a shot in the first team.

Indeed, with Luke Ayling turning 31 later this year, as well as the £3.6m-rated defender having something of a season to forget in 2021/22, Leeds have been linked with moves for a number of right-backs in the summer transfer window in a bid to strengthen the position ahead of 2022/23.

However, following Drameh’s sensational campaign with Cardiff, the player who Glen Williams dubbed “such an exciting prospect” would appear more than worth a chance in the first-team – while also being a talent who could well save Andrea Radrizzani and Leeds millions of pounds in transfer fees.

AND in other news: Leeds handed big injury boost as Thorp Arch image emerges, Marsch will be buzzing

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans have been giving their thoughts to the latest update regarding striker Christian Benteke on social media

According to Turkish outlet Fanatik, cited by Sports Witness, Fenerbahce are determined to arrange a deal for the forward before the European Championships.

Benteke, described as ‘fantastic’ by teammate Jordan Ayew last year, is out of contract at Selhurst Park over the coming months.

The recent report signals that all signs point towards a Selhurst Park exit this summer, with the Belgian not short of potential suitors.

He’s on £120,000-a-week with the Eagles, so his possible exit could be huge in terms of the club then potentially using that money on younger additions.

However, it seems as if a number of Palace supporters don’t want to see him go.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared Sports Witness’ report regarding Benteke on social media on Wednesday.

This is what some had to say in reply…

“Be mad to let him go”Credit: @Jonno55Ng”If he goes we’re finished”Credit: @RRcpfc”I stand by the fact that he’s our best striker, should be given another contract imo”Credit: @LukaMurataj”Stay away”Credit: @Sumo08112″and this is why we need to sort out the manager ASAP. get them working out who they want to keep before the players clear off”Credit: @palacejacob”tbf these European clubs will have been able to speak to them from the winter, so whilst i agree the sooner the better, its not the end of the world if the club isn’t hiring someone right away.”Credit: @DOOMcpfc

In other news: Many CPFC fans react to club’s interest in English right-back, find out more here. 

Everton could be set to bring as many as four players to Goodison Park on transfer deadline day.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by David Maddock, with The Mirror journalist revealing on Twitter that, following Frank Lampard’s appointment as the new Everton manager, Farhad Moshiri could be set to sanction last-minute moves for as many as four of the 43-year-old’s transfer targets on Monday.

In his post, Maddock said: “Some complicated negotiations [are] at [an] advanced stage, [Lampard] will have [the] final decision on at least two, possibly three-four new signings on Monday.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how poor Everton have been this season, with the Toffees sitting a mere four points above the relegation zone at present, it is clear that the current playing squad at Goodison Park is in need of much improvement.

One position that undoubtedly looks as if it could do with improving on is that of centre-back, as although Lampard can call upon the likes of Michael Keane, Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite in the heart of his defence, there is no real standout star amongst this quintet – something that will be required if the former Chelsea boss is to improve a Toffees backline that has already shipped 35 goals this season.

Another position in which Lampard is lacking any real strength in depth is attacking midfield, something which has led to the club being linked with late moves for Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek, Tottenham Hotspur’s Dele Alli and Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Should the three or four players who Maddock suggests could be on their way to Goodison be in either of these two positions, they will undoubtedly be signings that will have Everton fans buzzing – as, not only would strengthening in the aforementioned areas help to steer the Toffees clear of the drop, they could well be enough to fire the club back to the top half of the Premier League table come May.

In other news – Forget Iwobi: Lamps may save Everton’s season by signing “intelligent” £18m-rated ace

Leeds United will ‘get there’ in their negotiations to tie Marcelo Bielsa down to a new contract, according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay

The lowdown

The manager is out of contract with Leeds this summer, with the 66-year-old signing a one-year contract with the Yorkshire club back in September 2020.

The Argentine guided the Whites to promotion back into the Premier League in his second season in charge and was hugely impressive in his first year in the top-flight. Leeds finished ninth in the Premier League table in the 2020/21 season, their first at that level in 17 years.

Speaking on talkSPORT, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara showered Bielsa with praise, labelling him a ‘world-class manager’ who is adored by the Elland Road faithful.

The latest

The Atheltic’s Leeds United reporter Hay has revealed that Bielsa’s future is the same as it was at this point last year.

In response to a query on Twitter from a concerned Whites fan regarding the Argentine, the journalist reassured them with the seven-word response of: “Same as last summer. They’ll get there”.

Bielsa only signs contracts on an annual basis, and that doesn’t seem as though it’s going to be any different this year with the Whites. Managing director Angus Kinnear previously stated that the club were treating his new contract as a ‘formality’, although an official announcement is yet to be made.

The verdict

Hay’s update should come as a relief for the Elland Road faithful, who may have been fearing the worst that Bielsa would be tempted by a move elsewhere.

The Argentina has been nothing short of brilliant since being appointed as Leeds’ manager back in June 2018, as reflected in their ever-improving league finishes, and the club will be hoping that they can get the formalities of the deal concluded at the earliest opportunity.

In other news, Leeds are in the mix for this “really bright” Championship starlet

The curtain will come down on a wonderful four years in charge for Nuno Santo on Sunday.

He has changed the face of Wolverhampton Wanderers, turning them into an established Premier League outfit.

Unfortunately, their clash with Manchester United this afternoon will represent his final in the Molineux dugout.

He surprisingly announced the decision to resign on Friday, leaving the Old Gold’s future well and truly up in the air.

Wolves will be aiming to send Nuno off with an almighty bang but it won’t be easy against one of the best sides in the top-flight.

Though, with nothing to play for, the Midlands outfit can kick back and relax on the final day of the season.

Thus, how will their final ever team selection under the Portuguese look? Here’s what we’re predicting…

We’re tipping Nuno to make three changes from the team that lost to Everton last time out.

John Ruddy continues in goal but there are changes to the backline in front of him with Max Kilman dropping out.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-transfer-rumours-and-news-soumare-dias-dembele-marques-nuno-santo” title=”Read the latest Wolves transfer rumours and news!”]

The Englishman is replaced by 18-year-old Christian Marques, someone we’ve raved about on Football FanCast this weekend.

The centre-back has never been seen in the first-team but with nothing riding on the match, this feels like as good a time as any to hand him his Premier League debut.

Another change is at right wing-back where Ki-Jana Hoever is given a chance ahead of Nelson Semedo, something that occurred in the 2-1 win over Brighton.

The third and final change is in the middle of the park where Joao Moutinho is axed from the starting XI in favour of the young Vitinha.

If Wolves don’t exercise the option to buy clause in his loan contract then this could be the 21-year-old’s final outing in the Old Gold.

There is no room for Willian Jose while Raul Jimenez won’t be fit to play despite his promising recovery from a fractured skull.

Marcal has returned from injury but Rayan Ait-Nouri gets the nod on the left-hand side.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Silva: Wolves should replace Nuno with “spectacular” 44y/o Mendes client…

Rangers have now rejected a bid from Porto for the services of star striker Alfredo Morelos.

The Lowdown: Morelos’ future up in the air

The Colombian has been a superb player for the Gers, helping them win the Scottish Premiership title last season and scoring 94 goals in 182 appearances for the club.

Morelos’ current deal may not expire until the summer of 2023, but he has been constantly linked with a summer exit, and it does sort of feel like a matter of when and how much, rather than if.

The Latest: Porto bid rejected

Porto are seemingly one of the most interested parties, and according to journalist Ekrem Konur on Twitter, they have now seen a bid for the striker turned down.

It is stated that Rangers ‘will be in no hurry to sell’ Morelos, which is no great surprise, considering the influence he has enjoyed at Ibrox, with Steven Gerrard describing him as ‘top class’.

The Verdict: Tough to keep hold of him

In an ideal world, Morelos would stay put with the Gers for years to come, spearheading countless titles charges and improving even more as a player.

It will of course be hard to keep hold of the £10.8million-rated attacker, though, as he looks to potentially test himself in a harder league moving forward and prove himself as one of the very best at a higher level than the Premiership.

For now, it is encouraging to see the club being stubborn about letting him go, and if/when he does eventually move on, Gerrard will at least be given a hefty amount to spend on new signings as it seems the club will hold out for every last penny.

In other news, Rangers’ signing of John Lundstram has delighted one individual. Find out who it is here.

Rangers travel to face Motherwell in the Premiership this lunchtime as they look to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Their Glasgow rivals’ failure to beat Livingston on Saturday kept the Gers at the Premiership summit and they now have a chance to build on their lead today.

Steven Gerrard’s side come into the match off the back of a 2-2 draw with Aberdeen in midweek, as they came from 2-0 down to salvage a point.

How many changes will Gerrard make to the side for today? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the team from midweek, with Allan McGregor, Steven Davis and Fashion Sakala all coming in.

Starting off between the sticks, it could be time for the veteran shot-stopper to come in for Jon McLaughlin, who has conceded three goals in his last two matches. McGregor has only let in four goals in his last five matches for the Gers and he could be called upon against Motherwell today.

In defence, the back four could stay the same. Tavernier picked up a goal and assist at right-back, while centre-back options are few and far between for the Gers. Calvin Bassey appears set to keep his spot at left-back, with Gerrard ruling Borna Barisic out due to injury.

The manager said: “Borna has a small issue at the moment and I think he will be out for the weekend, also. Hopefully we will have him around for the Brondby game.”

We are predicting that Steven Davis will come in to replace John Lundstram in central midfield. The ex-Sheffield United man was caught sleeping for St Mirren’s opener last Sunday and was then dispossessed in his own box for an Aberdeen goal earlier this week. After two key mistakes in as many matches, Gerrard should axe the 27-year-old from the team and start the experienced Northern Ireland international.

Finally, Fashion Sakala could come in for Ianis Hagi. We published an article explaining why the Zambian deserves a chance to start and could potentially form an exciting partnership with Alfredo Morelos in the final third.

Hagi could come out of the team after a frustrating display against Aberdeen. As per SofaScore, the 23-year-old lost 66.6% of his duels and created zero chances as he failed to pick out a team-mate with 12 of his 13 attempted crosses. Therefore, he could be axed from the starting XI today to make way for Sakala.

AND in other news, “Likely be with us”: Gerrard drops huge Rangers injury update which will delight fans…

An update has emerged on Rangers forward Kai Kennedy, regarding West Ham’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, Rangers have rejected a second bid from West Ham for winger Kai Kennedy as they look to keep hold of the youngster.

The 19-year-old is under contract at Ibrox until 2023 and has now been called up for first-team training with Steven Gerrard’s side in an attempt to dissuade him from wanting a Premier League transfer.

Fans will be delighted

Rangers fans will be delighted by this news as it shows a willingness from the club to dig in and retain their best talents. Kennedy is a young prospect who could be a future first-team star and Ross Wilson has made it clear that he will not allow him to leave easily by rejecting two offers from the Hammers.

If the Premier League side are going to sign Kennedy this summer then they are going to need to shell out big money to land him, as shown by their two opening bids being turned down.

Rangers do not need to worry about his contract situation this summer, as he still has two years left to run, which means that they can demand as much as they like for the forward.

Fans will be happy about this because the attacker is a prospect who could have the potential to make an impact in the first team.

Inverness boss John Robertson heaped praise on the young winger last year and called him a “crowd-pleaser”. The Scottish coach said that he excites him with his direct play on the ball out wide whilst he was on loan there.

He said:

“He beats people for fun and gets out of tight situations – he’s a crowd-pleaser.

“Even in training when we see him getting the ball, he excites us. He goes past players and we think he’s going to lose it, then the next minute he wriggles away and he has created something.

“Kai at times looks like a wee ragamuffin as he just bounces about, but he goes past people and excites people. That’s the type of player we wanted to come.”

The 19-year-old managed two goals and five assists for Inverness and Raith Rovers combined last season during two separate loan spells in the Championship. This is a valuable experience for the teenager and shows that he can already make contributions in the second tier despite his age.

Therefore, he could have the potential to improve further and become a key figure in Gerrard’s side moving forward, which is why fans will be delighted with Wilson’s approach to West Ham’s interest so far.

Hopefully, he can continue to ward off unreasonable offers and either keep hold of Kennedy or receive a sizeable fee for his services.

AND in other news, Time to go: Rangers must ruthlessly axe £9k-p/w “warrior”, Gerrard doesn’t need him…

Phil Smith has dropped a claim regarding the circumstances behind Leon Dajaku’s move to Sunderland. 

What’s the talk?

Sunderland reporter Smith has dished out the inside track on Union Berlin’s decision to send Dajaku on loan to the Black Cats.

The journalist has revealed that Union believe the youngster has potential to become a good player and did not send him out on loan due to issue with his quality or attitude.

He told The Roar Podcast, via This is Futbol: “They [Union Berlin] clearly feel that while it hasn’t quite worked out for him there yet, they obviously believe he’s a player of potential and who has future value.

“And from what I’ve heard, I don’t think it was necessarily a form issue or an attitude issue or anything like that from Berlin. It sounds like he just had a difficult time with a couple of niggling injuries. It sounds like he had a little bit of an illness at a bad time as well.

“So I don’t think it was one at all where they’re looking to rush him out the door. They think he’s a good player with a potential value, but they also just feel it is probably best for him to go somewhere where he might get regular minutes.”

Excitement

Sunderland fans will surely be excited by these claims from Smith. It shows that Union have not shipped him out to England because they do not think he is good enough, but rather that they believe that he has the potential to grow into a top player and needs the regular minutes which they cannot provide him in the Bundesliga.

The 20-year-old has made six appearances in the German top flight, with two apiece for Stuttgart, Bayern Munich and Union. This highlights the potential each of those clubs have seen in him, particularly at Bayern given their size and stature in the country.

Upon Dajaku’s arrival at the Stadium of Light, Johnson hailed him as a ‘top prospect’ and added that his attitude is exactly what he wants to see at the club.

The manager said: “Leon is a really interesting player – he’s a top prospect with good ability, agility and quality – so we are looking forward to adding him to the squad and working with him. He’s a hungry player that has shown a strong attitude and desire to come to Sunderland and grow with us, which is exactly what we want.”

This is why Sunderland fans should be excited by Union’s reasoning behind the loan deal for the £1.6m-rated forward. They seemingly expect him to enjoy a strong season in England to help him fulfil his potential, which could delight Black Cats fans who can now look forward to seeing him display his talents in League One.

Bringing in a promising young player who has already played top-flight football for Bayern is an excellent piece of business on paper for the Wearside club. It is now up to Dajaku to live up to the excitement and anticipation around him in the coming weeks.

In other news, Sunderland avoided key deadline day howler after update on “dangerous” gem