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Football is a sport based around constant progression and that means that squads are constantly changing and evolving, and Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has overseen plenty of development on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.

He has brought in the likes of Ryan Kent, Ianis Hagi and Connor Goldson to Ibrox from other teams in the transfer market, but buying ready-made stars is not the only way to go about improving your team. Utilising the academy set-up can be a profitable and worthwhile method of acquiring talented players and Gerrard has been able to bring through young defender Nathan Patterson.

The 20-year-old has emerged as a first-team player over the past 18 months and is currently competing for the first-choice right-back spot with captain James Tavernier.

At the start of the year, Transfermarkt valued him at a measly £225k. This was after he made a couple of cameo appearances in the first-half of the 2020/21 campaign, with Gerrard easing him into the first-team picture slowly.

The Gers coach has been able to pull off a masterclass with the full-back by integrating him into the team bit by bit in 2021. Patterson has now made 20 first-team appearances in the Premiership, cup and Europa League to date and recently started and picked up an assist in a crucial 2-1 win over Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership. This has also led to him being capped five times by Scotland at international level.

Head of academy Craig Mulholland once heaped praise on the young full-back, saying: “Nathan has been fantastic for us this year.

“Again, we started the project five, six, years ago to get a level of player that we felt could go and compete in the Europa League, could go and compete in Old Firm games.

“And if you go and look at Nathan in the last 16 of the Europa League, if you look at him in the Old Firm game, it’s a great example for all the young players in here of what we’re trying to achieve.”

At the time of writing (18/10/2021), Transfermarkt value Patterson at £1.17m. This is a 420% increase from his initial £225k valuation back in January, perfectly illustrating his meteoric rise over the course of the year whilst working with Gerrard at Ibrox.

Therefore, the ex-Liverpool player and coach has pulled off a masterclass with Patterson. He has turned a talented young player into a serious first-team option and someone who could either earn the club a healthy payday, with Manchester United one of the clubs reportedly interested in the 20-year-old.

It is down to the Scottish international to keep working hard and ensure that he is constantly putting pressure on Tavernier. If he can earn a regular starting position in the team then his development could accelerate with the experience gained from minutes week-in-week-out.

AND in other news, Major update emerges on key Rangers figure that’ll leave fans worried…

Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield cannot see Aston Villa making a late move for Lazio attacker Joaquin Correa.

Correa has been linked with a move to Villa, with Il Messaggero (via Sport Witness) reporting at the start of the month that the Midlands club were one possible destination for the 27-year-old this summer.

However, Inter Milan currently look to be winning the race for Correa. According to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset (via SempreInter), the Serie A champions have agreed personal terms with the £27m-rated player as they look to tie up a deal.

And Hatfield is not expecting a late challenge from Villa, who have already bolstered their attacking options in this transfer window.

“I don’t see it happening,” the Aston Villa journalist told FFC. “He just doesn’t strike me as a Villa player.

“When you see links regarding players and Villa, Dean Smith seems very intent on signing those with some Premier League experience and if not, then someone who’s shown real potential.

“I don’t see Correa really fitting the mould for Villa. It seems very much like paper talk.”

As touched on earlier, Villa have already splashed out on attacking reinforcements this summer, bringing in the likes of Danny Ings, Leon Bailey and Emiliano Buendia.

Considering that, unless there is an outgoing before the transfer window closes, it is hard to imagine the Villans bringing in another attacker.

Everton CEO Denise Barrett-Baxendale is lining up her departure, according to Twitter insider The Bobble. 

The lowdown

Barrett-Baxendale features on Everton’s Board of Directors, along with chairman Bill Kenwright, majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and finance director Grant Ingles.

She helped Everton secure the greenlight to build a new 52,888-seater stadium at Bramley Moore Dock. That was described as a feat 30 years in the making, and drew immense praise from supporters.

Director of football Marcel Brands was also on the board before he officially left the club by mutual consent over the weekend.

The latest

The insider says Baxendale is ‘looking for alternative employment’ and has been for a ‘number of months’ now – she even has the board’s blessing.

That process is said to be ongoing, indicating that Brands may not be the only high profile figure to leave Goodison Park.

The verdict

A lot of Everton fans will be sad to see Barrett-Baxendale go, when she does eventually find a new role.

The ‘brilliant’ (via The Times’ Henry Winter) CEO won praise from plenty of supporters after demanding an apology from Liverpool and Manchester United over ‘Project Big Picture’ and was also applauded after winning Business Woman of the Year in 2020.

And worryingly, BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty noted even before this news emerged that Everton’s board of directors had a ‘very, very lightweight appearance’ post-Brands.

If the CEO does indeed follow the Dutchman in departing, some new appointments will need to be made as quickly as possible with the January window looming.

In other news, fans fumed over this managerial update.

Following on from their disappointing 1-0 defeat against Huddersfield Town at the weekend, West Brom are back in Championship action tonight as they take on Blackpool away from home.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Baggies boss Valerien Ismael could pick for his starting XI on this occasion, one player that featured at the weekend that should keep their place in the team this time around is Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

During the game against Huddersfield, Gardner-Hickman managed to show Ismael just how much of a useful figure he is for the team in an attacking and defensive sense.

In the full 90 minutes he was on the pitch for, Gardner-Hickman had a total of 93 touches of the ball, completed 34 passes with one of them being a key pass, one of them being an accurate cross and three precise long balls. He also registered two shots at goal, highlighting his attacking intentions and passing range.

As well as this, the 19-year-old did not shirk away from his defensive duties as well having made four tackles, two interceptions and one clearance in the process, ultimately earning himself an overall match rating of 6.8/10 according to SofaScore.

With former West Brom manager Sam Allardyce previously claiming that Gardner-Hickman could become an “important” player for the Midlands club among a number of other young players at West Brom, it seems as though the teenager is proving to Ismael that he is a player that the current manager can rely on this season. That’s perhaps even more so than Darnell Furlong, who came on as a late substitute against Huddersfield but was ultimately unable to secure even a point for the Baggies.

The youngster also managed to impress in West Brom’s recent 1-0 win over Hull City where Birmingham Live said that he “was mostly measured on the ball and made a couple of eye-catching forward passes while possessing plenty of energy.”

Taking all of this into account, Gardner-Hickman’s inclusion in the starting XI tonight would give the Baggies a great chance of securing a positive result with his defensive capabilities giving West Brom some strength at the back as well as his attacking prowess providing the team with some energy going forward to terrify Blackpool, who have scored seven goals less than the Baggies and conceded five more than them.

In other news: Callum Robinson must start against Blackpool

Ange Postecoglou has only been Celtic manager for a small period of time but he’s already living up to his opening day promise.

After being announced as the new boss, he declared that the Hoops needed to crack on with their transfer business ahead of a busy window.

What’s the word?

One area of concern for the Bhoys will be in attack where Postecoglou and Dominic McKay will need to act quickly to replace the outgoing Odsonne Edouard.

The Frenchman is reportedly on the verge of joining Leicester in a £15m deal but it doesn’t look as though they’ll use that sum to find a replacement.

Instead, the recruitment team are working on a free transfer in the shape of Charlie Wyke.

Football Insider reported this week that talks are now underway to lure him to Parkhead with his contract expiring with Sunderland at the end of the month.

The outlet suggests Celtic will make a concrete offer to the forward during the course of this week.

A great fit for Postecoglou

The Australian may rely on a quick and frantic style of football but Wyke would offer something Celtic don’t have in attack right now; an aerial ability.

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Edouard has always been a big physical presence in the final third but his heading ability isn’t the most natural.

Leigh Griffiths prefers to play with the ball on the deck while the less said about Albian Ajeti’s time in Glasgow, the better.

Standing at 6 foot 2, Wyke is a dominating figure in the box, capable of brushing defenders to one side with ease.

He is a monster in the air but he also knows how to find the back of the net with his feet as well.

The Sunderland forward scored 31 goals last term, netting 26 in the third tier of English football. Remarkably, 12 of those strikes came with his head.

Described as “clinical” by Mackems boss Lee Johnson, Wyke has a wonderful habit of being in the right place at the right time.

He makes clever runs to the near post and holds the ball up tremendously well. In winning 4.8 aerial duels per match this term, no attacker at Celtic even comes close to replicating that.

Mohamed Elyounoussi had the best aerial ability from an offensive point of view last term, winning just 1.5 battles per match.

With that in mind, this transfer has the potential to be absolutely game-changing for Postecoglou and his coaching staff.

AND in other news, McKay must complete Celtic move for 42-cap beast who dubbed Postecoglou “intimidating”…

According to Calciomercato, Tottenham Hotspur managing director Fabio Paratici is already eyeing his next transfer swoop as news emerges about AC Milan star Franck Kessie.

The Lowdown: Paratici era in full swing…

Following the conclusion of Tottenham’s summer transfer window, it’s safe to say that the new Paratici era is now in full swing.

Chairman Daniel Levy appointed the Italian transfer chief at the beginning of June with Paratici going on to oversee a plethora of incomings and outgoings at N17 – as well as the arrival of new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Now, despite the window literally just shutting, it appears that he has his eyes on another swoop for Spurs.

The Latest: News emerges on Kessie…

According to Calciomercato, Tottenham are ‘ready to make an offer’ of €8 million(£6.8m)-per-year to Kessie in January in order to sign him as a free agent next summer.

The Ivory Coast international has just one year left on his contract at the San Siro and clubs will be able to make personal January offers to land him for free later in 2022.

Milan are facing a battle to tie him down with a new deal as a result and it appears both Spurs and Paratici are intent on taking full advantage in the winter months.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Lauded as an ‘extraordinary’ player by sports writer and broadcaster Nicky Bandini to ESPN, landing Kessie on a free deal next summer would come as quite the coup given his £49.5 million Transfermarkt value.

The 44-cap star is arguably one of Milan’s most key players and extremely well-rounded – notching 13 goals and four assists despite being a natural defensive midfielder.

Still only 24-years-old and with plenty of sell-on value, it’s little wonder the Serie A giants are desperate to renew Kessie’s deal – but Tottenham and Paratici will be praying for exactly the opposite.

In other news: ‘Finished article’…Sky pundit in awe of Spurs starlet who’s an ‘improved version’ of Ndombele, find out more here.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has dropped an update on Aston Villa starlet Carney Chukwuemeka.

What’s the story?

In the end, transfer deadline day was a bit of a quiet one for Dean Smith’s side, with the only notable incoming or outgoing seeing Frederic Guilbert return to Ligue 1 to join Strasbourg on loan.

However, Preece did reveal that the Midlands club have still got a significant deal to do, and even delivered a timeframe on it…

And, writing on Twitter, he said: “Frederic Guilbert has passed his Strasbourg medical & pens a loan move back to Ligue 1, announcement soon. Still 1/2 loans out to be completed re #avfc U23s. A big deal will happen on Oct 20 when Chukwuemeka signs new long-term contract on 18th birthday.”

Fans will be buzzing

Make no mistake about it, getting the talented Chukwuemeka to put pen to paper on a new long-term contract when he turns 18 will be a major boost to Villa.

This is the same teenager who was being linked with the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester United just earlier this year – a real indication of the kind of potential he possesses and how some of the biggest and high-profile clubs around Europe are all sitting up and taking notice.

The 17-year-old was handed his senior debut in the Premier League towards the end of last season by Smith, making some late cameos against the likes of Spurs and Chelsea.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans then delivered some exciting news on the plans for Chukwuemeka heading into this campaign, saying: “Carney Chukwuemeka is the one teenager who will definitely be a part of the first team. He’s starting to fill out and will soon be ready for the demands of Premier League football.”

After seeing their club keep their powder dry on deadline day, the biggest and best news to come out of it is surely that one of their club’s brightest young academy talents, and a part of their FA Youth Cup winning side last season, is set to stay at Villa Park for the long-term.

Fans will be absolutely buzzing at the news Preece has just dropped.

Leeds United have been boosted in their quest to sign Osaze Urhoghide this summer, with the defender set to leave Sheffield Wednesday.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen on Urhoghide

Marcelo Bielsa will be on the lookout for new signings in the next transfer window, as he looks to bolster his squad ahead of the 2021/22 season.

One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road is Urhoghide, who made 16 appearances in Wednesday’s doomed Championship season.

The 20-year-old’s Owls contract expires at the end of this month and it looks as though his time at Hillsborough is coming to an end.

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The Latest: Whites receive boost

According to the Sheffield Star, Urhoghide has rejected the offer of a new deal for Wednesday, with several clubs eyeing him up.

The youngster is thought to be keen on regular first-team football, rather than joining a team for ‘financial gain’, although the Owls can’t match his demands.

With Leeds’ interest in the youngster known (previous report from the Sheffield Star) this latest development could be a big boost to their chances of signing him for nothing.

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The Verdict: Exciting young player

At 20, Urhoghide certainly represents an acquisition for the future and is a centre-back with plenty of potential – he has been hailed as ‘really impressive’ by Dean Ashton – not to mention being a homegrown talent.

The fact that he wants regular football could work against him, however, considering the level Leeds are now playing at, with Bielsa and his players likely having European aspirations next season after finishing just short of that this term.

If he is happy to be a squad option, perhaps even starting off in the Under-23s and maturing over time, he could be a shrewd addition.

In other news, a journalist has made a big claim regarding a key Leeds player’s future. Find out who it is here.

Taking to Twitter, 90min journalist Sean Walsh has made a claim involving Tottenham Hotspur and a possible move for Brentford attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen. 

The lowdown: A joint reunion…

Having made a superb return following a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, Eriksen could already be eyeing the next step as the summer transfer window approaches.

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Out of contract at the end of the season (Transfermarkt), the 30-year-old has already been linked with a sensational move back to N17 to rejoin Spurs and in turn, reunite with Antonio Conte who he starred under at Inter Milan.

Sharing news on social media, Walsh has suggested that the move could now be edging closer than ever…

The latest: Walsh drops update

As per his information, the Brentford and Tottenham reporter claims that the north London club are now ‘confident’ of signing Eriksen this summer.

Walsh explained in a Tweet that the move could be dependent on whether Conte remains at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and whether the Lilywhites reach the UEFA Champions League.

The verdict: Get it done

This is a no-brainer for Spurs as transfer chief Fabio Paratici attempts to strengthen the squad in the summer transfer window.

The 111-cap Denmark international has been nothing short of a revelation since joining Brentford and has directly contributed to three goals in seven Premier League outings for a side that was floundering in February.

Overall, the man hailed as a ‘very special player’ by Spurs insider John Wenham, has earned an outstanding 7.49 average rating since returning to the English top-flight, creating three big chances, making 2.1 key passes per game and taking 1.9 shots a match (Sofascore).

These statistics bear out the star’s continued class and given the perceived stylistic similarities with Manchester City ace Kevin De Bruyne (Fbref), Tottenham should be desperate to land Eriksen.

In other news: Source: Tottenham edge closer to ‘top signing’, he now really wants to join Conte! Find out more here.

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has tipped the Whites to make more signings after the deal for left-back Junior Firpo was confirmed.

The Lowdown: Firpo signs

Marcelo Bielsa has already enjoyed a busy start to the summer, with Jack Harrison signing permanently from Manchester City and youngster Amari Miller joining from Birmingham City.

Firpo will now be Leeds’ third signing, too, with the Barcelona defender penning a four-year deal after the clubs agreed to an undisclosed fee (official).

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The Latest: Whelan believes more players will join

The hope is that the Whites’ transfer business doesn’t stop there, however, and speaking to Football Insider, Whelan claimed that wouldn’t be the case:

“I expect another couple of signings at least.

“When the Euros comes to an end I think we will see even more business done. Victor Orta will be working on a number of other signings. A lot of negotiating needs to be done.

“When we think about where we need to get to as a football club, the squad needs to be bigger, better and stronger. That is the only way we can break into the European places.

“I expect a couple more signings to come through the door before the end of the window.

“I think there is two key positions that will prioritise now that we’ve got a left-back coming in. We need a quality centre-forward to help Patrick Bamford and another option in the middle of the park.”

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The Verdict: Exciting times for Leeds

It is imperative that Leeds kick on after such an impressive first season back in the Premier League, but new signings will likely be needed for that to happen, improving both the starting lineup and squad depth.

This is a hugely exciting time for Bielsa’s side, as they look to potentially finish in the European places next season, or at least match their ninth-place finish in 2020/21.

It is going to be intriguing to see who else Leeds sign in order to take them to the next level, making them even more formidable in the process.

In other news, a rumoured Leeds target has been tipped to thrive in the Premier League. Read more here.