Arguably the biggest club side on the planet, Manchester United have a vast, diverse and widespread following across the planet. The Red Devils’ loyal fans stick with the club through thick and thin, and we like to reward them with a wide array of articles looking at the good, the bad and the ugly (Luke Chadwick being the ugliest) the Old Trafford giants offer up.

Since November is fairly fee of notable events, we’ve decided to brighten up your winter time with the best bits of United stuff we have to offer… There are some crackers…

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FIVE January reinforcements to secure Man United’s CL spot

Louis van Gaal still has faith in his Manchester United side catching up with Premier League leaders Chelsea.

But after coming away from the Manchester derby with a 1-0, even Champions League qualification could be a push for the Red Devils this season.

Luckily, the January window is looming closer, giving LvG the perfect opportunity to add some reinforcements that can improve his side’s chances of making it into the Premier League’s top four.

And just in case he’s short on a few ideas, we at Football FanCast have listed FIVE.

United back in the UCL? Click on to find out why…

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Why Man United’s maligned midfielder could be vital to Van Gaal’s first season

Marouane Fellaini came to epitomise everything that went wrong at Old Trafford last season.

His cumbersome, attritional nature symbolised the negative philosophy Manchester United adopted under David Moyes, just as his £28million transfer fee agreed on deadline day – £6million more than the release clause United had bizarrely allowed to expire a fortnight earlier – symbolised Ed Woodward’s failure to attract top talent to the club during summer 2013.

Big hair… big role! Click on to read more

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FIVE stars of the future Manchester United can turn to

Manchester United currently find themselves in quite a strange position. Despite widespread strengthening of the squad over the summer, which saw them spend in excess of £150million – the most by any team in European football – a spate of injuries in defence, coupled with the decision to prioritise big-name attacking players over reinforcing their back line in their transfer dealings, has forced United boss Louis van Gaal to turn to unproven youth in the opening stages of the Premier League season.

However, the Dutchman is accustomed to dealing with youngsters, and may even relish the opportunity to do so again at Old Trafford.

Well-known for launching the careers of several world-class footballers, he gave Xavi and Andres Iniesta their debuts for Barcelona in his time there and now Van Gaal has a number of promising young players at his disposal, and may look to embrace United’s long-standing tradition of developing talent into potential champions. Though emulating the feats of Sir Alex Ferguson’s now-mythical Class of ’92 is a tough act to follow, here are five youngsters that may have important roles to play under Louis van Gaal at Manchester United.

Future Red Devils ahoy… Click here to find out more

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Man United boss makes for a refreshing change in the Premier League

Premier League managers are a notoriously hypocritical bunch. While defending their own players or ruing a controversial decision by the referee is understandable at any level of the game, the extremes to which many in the top flight’s gaffers take their partisan approach often borders on the absurd.

Depending simply on whether an opposition player or one of the manager’s own is the culprit, a red card for a dangerous challenge, a raised flag for a borderline offside or a booking for a perceived penalty box dive will either be incandescently deplored as a terrible call or praised as the correct one by the chameleonesque manager in a post-match interview, with his opinion on such matters able to change in a remarkably short space of time.

Click here to see why we think LVG is a breath of fresh air…

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Man United or Arsenal… which should this German ace choose?

There seems to be a trend in modern football. The Premier League has exposed it, the World Cup gave us a few hints and pundits are banging on about it week in, week out. The art or defending is dying, with goals coming thick and fast in the top leagues across Europe, while every ‘emerging starlet’ appears to be either a ‘tricky No. 10’, a ‘goalscoring sensation’ or a ‘wing wizard’.

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Gone are the days of 0-0 Champions League knockout games of the mid to early 2000s in which John Terry, Alessandro Nesta and Paolo Maldini, among others, marshalled their backlines to provide fans with tactical thrillers, with mad scoreline increasing normal. Goals are exciting and capture the highlight reels, but the one commodity needed above all other right now is top class centre-backs, of which there are few.

Man United and Hummels? Read on to see if it’s a match…

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has declared that the Premier League title is Chelsea’s to lose after the Gunners’ 2-1 loss to Swansea on Sunday, Mirror reports.

The Swans came from one goal down to triumph at the Liberty Stadium and Wenger has given up on his side’s chances of catching the Blues this season.

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“At the moment Chelsea are on course to get an average of 100 points this season,” he said.

“If they keep that up nobody will catch them, that’s for sure. There doesn’t look to be anybody capable to challenge them at the moment.”

Wenger’s men were still reeling from being three goals up against Anderlecht in the Champions League before drawing the game in midweek and the loss to Swansea is another disappointing result for the Gunners.

“We’ve had a very disappointing week considering the performances we produced and the end result we got,” Wenger added.

“It’s very disappointing. We were 3-0 up against Anderlecht and 1-0 up against Swansea and in the end we lose two points against Anderlecht and three points today. You have to be capable, once you are 1-0 up and a big team, of winning the game.

“I don’t know how damaging it is, but for our league position it’s very disappointing. We had an opportunity to come back into the top four in a bit more of a comfortable way. It is unfortunate that we didn’t take it.

“Did Tuesday night play a part in our mind? I don’t think so. I hope not. As for Swansea, you have to give them credit. They didn’t give up. They fought until the end, they scored a good free-kick and course that gave them momentum again.

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“In the end, we lost the three points. That’s very sad but we have to take it on the chin because we didn’t play for 90 minutes with the right rigorous attitude. We produced quite a decent performance for 75 minutes but you have to last 90 minutes.”

West Ham currently find themselves between a rock and a hard place regarding star centre-back Winston Reid.

The New Zealand skipper is yet to extend his current contract past the end of the season and according to Hammers owner David Sullivan, wants European football.

That could be with the Irons come the end of the campaign, who are currently in 6th place,  but the impetus on Sam Allardyce’s part is to sell in January rather than risk losing Reid for free in the summer.

Either way, some replacements for the 26 year-old need to be considered and just in case Big Sam is surprisingly short on ideas, here’s FIVE courtesy of Football FanCast…

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DAN BURN

The West Ham boss was largely dismissive about reports linking the East Londoners with Fulham’s Dan Burn during last week’s press conference:

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But measuring in at a whopping 6 foot 7, everything about the young centre-back screams Sam Allardyce.

Not to suggest height is the only thing Big Sam looks for in a transfer target and the technical side of Burn’s game still requires some work. But the 22 year-old’s an unstoppable force in the air and at his best when sticking to the basics – headers, tackles, clearances – which fits perfectly into the defensive mantra West Ham have adopted since 2011.

Here’s a look at his stats over the last few campaigns:

Some sources have mooted a £4million bid in the New Year, but Cottagers gaffer Kit Symons has made his feelings abundantly clear, recently telling reporters; “I want to keep Dan. He’s a big part of how we play and he’s been excellent since he’s come in – he’s one of our leaders.”

CURTIS DAVIES

Curtis Davies has been in consistently exemplary form since Hull City returned to the Premier League in summer 2013. Last season, he captained the Tigers to within minutes of winning the FA Cup against Arsenal and this year Whoscored.com rate him as the best centre-back in the Premier League, alongside partner Michael Dawson:

The 6 foot 2 defender has spent the vast majority of his career bobbing between English football’s top two tiers and now 29 years of age, appears to be finally hitting his footballing peak. Here’s a look at Davies’ stats over the last two campaigns:

Currently, there’s not much noise suggesting the former West Brom, Aston Villa and Birmingham centre-back would be interested in a move away from the KC Stadium.

But there will be just a year left on Davies’ contract come the summer, which could give the Hammers a way in.

RON VLAAR

Much like Winston Reid, Ron Vlaar’s contract is up at the end of the season and he’s resultantly been linked to some top Premier League clubs:

The Netherlands international’s domineering World Cup performances verged upon talismanic, helping Louis van Gaal’s side win the third-place playoff. Here are Vlaar’s highlights from Brazil 2014:

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He’s never quite matched that form during 63 Premier League outings for the Villains, but the World Cup displays demonstrated Vlaar’s potential to play at a much higher level.

Furthermore, it appears a Villa Park departure is now inevitable, with boss Paul Lambert claiming Vlaar’s agent gave him a ‘thanks, but no thanks’ in regards to a new contract.

As previously mentioned however, West Ham will have to fend off some strong competition for the 6 foot 2 centre-back’s signature.

Virgil van Dijk

Certainly not someone you’d describe as a traditional Sam Allardyce centre-back, but recent reports claim the Hammers could be in for Celtic star Virgil van Dijk:

The Dutch youngster’s developed at a sensational rate since joining the Scottish champions last summer, winning the Bhoys’ Player of the Year award last season, and it now seems inevitable that he’ll swap Celtic Park for the Premier League at some point in the near future.

Unlike West Ham’s current centre-back mould, the 23 year-old is famed for his front-front style, technical quality and potency from long range – take this free kick against Hibernian for example:

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But the Hammers have undergone a mini-revolution under Allardyce this season and in that regard, the former Oranje U21 fits the bill perfectly.

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Once again however, the £7million-rated defender has attracted some major suitors over the last eighteen months, including Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Aleksandar Dragovic

Most likely the priciest defender on this list, West Ham reportedly sent scouts to watch Austria centre-back Aleksandar Dragovic in action during the international break:

The 23 year-old is best famed from his time at FC Basel, where he won three consecutive Super League titles and continually earned rave reviews before joining Dynamo Kiev in summer 2013. Here’s a look at some of his highlights for Bebbi:

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He followed that up with a Ukrainian Cup last year, but it’s believed the 6 foot 1 centre-back is growing increasingly concerned with the political and military unrest in Ukraine.

A winter move could resultantly be on the cards and the Hammers are known suitors. But they’ll have to act quickly to land Dragovic, with reports last week claiming Spartak Moscow have already tabled a £12million offer.

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In one the January transfer window’s most surprising twists thus far, Everton forward Samuel Eto’o looks set to leave Goodison Park this month for Serie A side Sampdoria.

The three-time Champions League winner only joined the Toffees on a free transfer from Chelsea in the summer, but has now passed a medical with the Italian outfit and is expected to complete a deal within the next few days.

Everton have struggled for form this season however so replacing the 33 year-old, who scored three Premier League goals for the Merseysiders, is now imperative. It’ll have to be done on a budget too – the Eto’o deal is reportedly worth just £1.5million.

With that in mind, we’ve listed FIVE cut-price replacements for the Cameroon legend.

EMMANUEL EMENIKE

Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur this month, but with the reports seemingly coming from his agent rather than north London, it’s likely the Toffees can muscle in on any potential deal.

Returns of 14 in 40 for the Turkish club and seven in 28 for the Nigerian national team may be rather ordinary, but the 27 year-old is blessed with all the pace, power and directness one could want in a Premier League striker.

A decent back-up to Romelu Lukaku, the tabloids claim the Super Eagles striker is available for around £8million this month, which should be just within Everton’s financial reach.

JONATHAN SORIANO

Once tipped to set La Liga ablaze during his prolific tenure with Espanyol B and Spain’s U21 squad, netting eight goals in just four appearances for La Rojita way back in 2005, Jonathan Soriano is a former prodigy that never quite made the grade at top level.

At the age of 29 however, the Spanish striker’s career is amid an intriguing renaissance, leaving Barcelona B in summer 2012 with 55 goals in 80 appearances and since going on to claim an incredible 112 goals in 126 outings for current club Red Bull Salzburg.

Currently enjoying the best form of his career – 30 goals in 30 appearances, including seven in the Europa League – the 5 foot 11 front-man, blessed with great technical ability and natural pedigree, could be worth a punt this month.

According to a summer report from Newcastle publication The Journal, the Austrian outfit could sell for as little as £2million.

MUNIR EL HADDADI

Barcelona youngster Gerard Deulofeu excelled on loan at Goodison Park last season, so why not launch a loan swoop for another member of the Catalan crop in Munir El Haddadi?

The 19 year-old stood in for suspended striker Luis Suarez at the start of the season and, despite only netting once in 16 outings for Barcelona’s first string, impressed in his cameo capacity, demonstrating his blend of pace, creativity and skill.

There’s already been plenty of speculation suggesting the 5 foot 9 forward could be farmed out this month, with The Express mooting Arsenal and Chelsea as potential loan destinations back in December.

Both clubs are relatively well endowed up front however and Everton can offer El Haddadi considerably more game-time. Head coach Luis Enrique, however, has recently announced his intentions to use the young striker on sparing occasions throughout the campaign.

ANTHONY MODESTE

You might remember Anthony Modeste from his brief spell at Blackburn Rovers, making five appearances in 2012 as the Ewood Park outfit plummeted out of the Premier League.

He failed to register a goal in England but has since gone on to prove his worth in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga, netting 15 times during a single campaign with Bastia and 14 times in 32 appearances amid an 18 month stay with Hoffenheim.

That includes four goals in just seven starts this year and, in addition to firepower, the 26 year-old offers a physically imposing 6 foot 1 frame that should serve him well in the Premiership – especially in Everton’s customary lone striker role.

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Modeste’s consistent form over the last few years has reportedly attracted attention from Swansea and West Ham this season according to the Daily Mail, but rated at just £5million, he should be within Everton’s budget too.

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR

Perhaps not an obvious suggestion, considering Tottenham’s Emmanuel Adebayor has left virtually every club he’s played for in the Premier League on rather sour terms – particularly Arsenal and Manchester City – and looks set to leave White Hart Lane in a similar manner.

But the Togo international’s goal record has remained consistent throughout his career in England, with 96 in 225 top flight outings – including eleven goals last year- and in terms of physique and style, shares many traits with Everton’s first choice striker, Romelu Lukaku.

Furthermore, the Lilywhites will be pleased just to get Adebayor off the wage bill at this moment in time and would likely accept nominal offers for the 30 year-old.

Whether Everton, Spurs or in fact, anybody in the world, could convince the 6 foot 3 striker to walk away from his £100k per-week contract however, not set to expire until 2016, remains to be seen.

Arsene Wenger showed a lack of respect and took Monaco lightly according to the Ligue 1 side’s boss Leonardo Jardim, who has torn into the Frenchman following his side’s Champions League victory over Arsenal.

The Mediterranean outfit held on for an away goals win over their Premier League opponents last night, with the Londoners’ 2-0 triumph in the Stade Louis II not enough to overturn the 3-1 scoreline from the first leg.

After the game Wenger was critical of Monaco – whom he used to manage – claiming that Jardim’s side, who failed to register a shot on target in their home ground, did not deserve their spot in the last eight of the competition.

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And Jardim has hit back at his defeated opponent, claiming that he’s shown a lack of respect:

“It’s true in first leg when I wanted to shake a hand, Wenger didn’t thank me and shake my hand. So this time even though Monaco did everything for Arsenal, I decided not to thank him,” he is quoted by The Metro.

When asked if he felt Wenger had been disrespectful, the Monaco boss replied: “I think so and right now we’re celebrating and we think that Arsenal maybe didn’t show all the respect that they should have in the first leg.”

Arsenal were heavy favourites to overcome Monaco when drawn against the Principality side, who are only in their second season back in the top tier of French football.

The Red and Whites are also the lowest scoring team in the hat for the quarter-finals, and Jardim feels that Wenger was cocky and took victory against his side for granted:

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“Arsenal were very happy to play Monaco as we were supposed to be one of the weakest teams. All the teams in the last 16 wanted to play against Monaco. Maybe Arsenal thought they had qualified already.”

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Liverpool suffered yet more disappointment as they were dumped out the FA Cup thanks to a 2-1 semi-final defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Despite taking the lead, it was Villa who deservedly booked their place in the final as the pressure continues to mount on Brendan Rodgers after another abject display.

Having failed to build upon last season’s success, the Reds are in serious danger of missing out on qualification for the Champions League with a seven-point deficit to make overturn with just six games remaining.

Much of Liverpool’s problems this season can be put down to their issues upfront and it’s clear they have struggled since the departure of Luis Suarez. Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini have all failed to fill the void even slightly and the trio could well be on their way out of Anfield this summer.

And with their main striker Daniel Sturridge spending much of the season out through injury it’s clear Liverpool are in desperate need of some quality reinforcements to bolster their attack.

Reports this week have linked the Merseyside outfit with a move for out of favour Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao, and despite his struggles at Old Trafford he certainly could be a good option for Liverpool and is a player they should be going all out to sign this summer.

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Having struggled for form and first-team opportunities since arriving in Manchester, it looks unlikely that United will sign the Columbian on a permanent basis following his loan deal from Monaco.

And with just four goals to his name this season, his agent Jorge Mendes is already believed to be looking for a new club for next season and has approached Liverpool to enquire about the possibility of a summer switch.

Given the fact they look unlikely to qualify for the Champions League, attracting big names could be a problem for Liverpool this summer, and so if a player of Falcao’s calibre is considering joining the club, it really is an opportunity they should make the most of.

Prior to his arrival at United, the South American was considered as one of the world’s best strikers and this alone should be enough to persuade Liverpool to take a chance. At times he has looked like he is yet to fully recover from the knee injury that saw him miss the World Cup, but the lack of match time at United has to have played a part in this.

With a full pre-season under his belt, Liverpool could offer him a regular starting place in the side, and it would be no surprise to see the 29-year-old return to the form that saw him held in such high regard not long ago. The Reds clearly require a goalscorer and Falcao is in desperate need of a club that can give him the basis to perform on a weekly basis, and so it would appear a perfect match.

Despite a lack of goals at United, it’s not as if Falcao has been littered with opportunities in front of goal when he has been given a chance in the side and this hasn’t helped the perception of the fans.

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He almost found the net at Stamford Bridge with his only real opportunity of the game against Chelsea, and was unfortunate to see his effort rebound off the post. The United players have failed to create sufficient chances for Falcao when he has been in the side, but his luck could change were he to make the switch to Liverpool.

With plenty of creative players in the side, they look like a team who could help bring the best out of Falcao as he spearheads their attack. The likes of Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson should provide plenty of opportunities for a striker of his ability to thrive on in and around the penalty area, and their style of play would arguably suit him better than United’s that at times hasn’t been as direct as their counterparts.

It would certainly be a risk signing Falcao, but given how little their summer signings have provided this season it has to be one worth taking. It could just take a run of consecutive starts to rejuvenate the forward and Liverpool can offer him the platform to showcase just what a world class player he can be as well as show their rivals just what they are missing.

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Just as Raheem Sterling remains embroiled in a ‘will he – won’t he’ transfer saga, another key man at Liverpool, Jordan Henderson, has been reported by The Telegraph to be having his own deliberations regarding signing a new deal at Anfield.

The Star have suggested that the stand-in skipper at Liverpool is most likely to end up at Premier League rivals Chelsea. If we consider for a moment that Chelsea could acquire the England midfielder; would he be good enough to have any impact at Stamford Bridge?

His improvement under Rodgers at Liverpool has been meteoric. From national laughing stock, to the driving force behind the new ‘Gerrard free’ Liverpool. He now seems to be the heir apparent to Gerrard and central to the future of the club.

But for all of his improvements at Anfield, does it mean he can make the step up from a team on the edge of the top four to the Champions elect?

His competition at Stamford Bridge would be fierce to say the least. In his preferred role of defensive midfield, he would have to contend with Nemanja Matic; a player that has arguably become the best in the world in his position. It would take the most staunch fan of Henderson (maybe even a close relative or spouse) to argue he could displace the Serbian.

Another contender for his Blue shirt in West London would be Cesc Fabregas. The former Arsenal man has had a mixed first season at Chelsea. Almost unquestionably the best player in the country up to Christmas, his form in 2015 has been patchy at best, poor at worst. He has become a passing monument in Chelsea’s listless march towards the title.

Now of course, Fabregas is a great deal more technically proficient footballer. He is one of the great midfielders of his generation. But Mourinho takes no passengers.

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The way in which the manager treated Juan Mata is still at the forefront of every Chelsea fan’s mind. He was the wizard at the Bridge for two years and player of the season in both of those campaigns. However, Jose became dismayed at his supposed lack of work rate and he was quickly moved on.

The fact that Fabregas, has recently been likened to a statue is a worrying development for the Spaniard.

‘The Special One’ is open in his admiration for players who will work for the team; sacrifice their own game for the greater good. Look at the transformation Oscar and Willian have undertook under the stewardship of the man from Portugal.

The Liverpool midfielder seems to be the perfect fit for Jose Mourinho.

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If the rumours of Henderson’s reluctance to sign a new deal are to be believed, his list of potential suitors will be a long one. He has managed to build a reputation as one of the most energetic midfielders in the game.

Whether he could genuinely overtake Fabregas and Matic to earn himself a Chelsea starting berth is yet to be seen. But what cannot be argued is how important he has become at Anfield.

If Chelsea aren’t interested, someone else will be. Liverpool have more than one important bit of paperwork to be carrying on with.

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Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey has admitted that he is keen to switch from a wide role to the centre of midfield next season.

The Wales international has traditionally been deployed by the Gunners in the centre of the park, but has played most of his football wide on the right this season.

This has been due to the blossoming partnership of Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla in the heart of the North London club’s midfield, with no room for the Wales international centrally.

Ramsey has admitted that he has spoken to Arsene Wenger about his preferred role at the Emirates Stadium, but would continue to play wherever the French boss selected him.

“I’m not hiding away from it, I want to be playing in the middle,” The Mirror report the former Cardiff midfielder as saying.

“I’ve had chats with the manager about it. I showed at Manchester United what I’m capable of doing when I go into the middle of the park.

“But the manager said he wants me do a job out there for the moment and obviously I’ll do that for him. But I prefer to play in the middle.

“We have wingers on the bench, but he’s still picking me out wide.

“Santi Cazorla is the one in my position. He’s the one who plays alongside Francis Coquelin and tries to get forward. I am trying to get that back.

“I like to get the ball and drive the team forward. I’m not a No10, playing with my back to goal. I’ll try to play between the lines now and again if the game demands that and we’re pressing quite high. That can be a dangerous position to take up.

“But I like to start from a defensive position and drive the team forward with little one-twos around players. That’s where I prefer to play.”

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Ramsey has overcome serious injuries to play a prominent part in the Arsenal team in 2015.

The Welshman also has the likes of Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere for competition if he is to play in his preferred role in the centre of midfield.

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It has recently been reported by Sky Sports that Newcastle are willing to let Papiss Cisse leave for the right price.

Whatever that right price is we don’t know of course, but the Senegal international moved to St James Park from Freiburg for £9m in 2012, and since then Cisse has scored over 40 goals for the Tynesiders.

Newcastle paid £9m for their man at the time, and with his age having now passed the 30 mark, perhaps £6m is realistic. And for that price Cisse could be a very good signing for a Premier League side, as he has a proven scoring record in the division – over 10 goals in three of his four seasons in the English top flight.

Of course he is thirty, but Cisse’s style of play isn’t heavily reliant on pace and agility, traits players typically lose as the years pass. He instead depends on clever movement, goal scoring instincts and subtle, cute play to find positions and chancs to score his goals.

He has a good turn of speed, enough to get away from most markers and to get in behind defenders, and that along with his best attribute, finishing chances, could make him a very shrewd signing for a newly promoted team, or even an established Premier League side.

He may join a Premier League club, but it does indeed look more likely that Cisse will go to Turkey (specifically Besiktas) to replace his former St James’ Park team-mate, Demba Ba.

That is not to say a Premier League side won’t try and get a deal done for Cisse, however they may be put off by a couple of negative factors surrounding the Senegalese marksman.

His wage demands are reportedly quite high, which would certainly deter some suitors, while his age is another negative. However, if a club is looking for a short-term fix then his age would not be such an issue.

But probably the biggest negative is Cisse’s disciplinary record – he faced two lengthy spells on the sidelines last season. First up was a three-match ban for a deliberate elbow on Seamus Coleman and then another seven matches for spitting at Jonny Evans.

These instances will be a real worry for any club looking to sign him, as how will they be able to trust Cisse if he keeps on getting suspended?

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It would be a risk for any club pinning their hopes on Cisse for their entire Premier League campaign but he could well provide a good back up option or even a first choice option if he can curb his bad disciplinary record and knuckle down to produce the goods he is capable of. However believing he will do that could be somewhat naive.

Nevertheless he could well do a decent job for a Premier League club if one comes in for him, but at the moment it does look likely we could have seen the last of Papiss Cisse in the Premier League.

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Rangers managed to avoid defeat against Celtic for just the second time since Brendan Rodgers arrived in Glasgow, after a creditable 0-0 draw at Celtic Park in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

In a match that the Hoops were expected to win comfortably, Rangers gave a spirited and determined performance to play out a stalemate.

In truth, the Light Blues could have won the match in the second half with Alfredo Morelos missing some big chances to put his team ahead.

Rangers had to defend stoutly too of course, with Rodgers’ side piling the pressure on in spells.

It was a day that supporters were proud of a defence that has had severe criticism over the last few months.

Particular praise went to youngster David Bates, who was thrown into the deep end in the first half, replacing an injured Bruno Alves.

The 21-year-old central defender helped keep Celtic’s attack quiet for most of the afternoon and even ended up winning Sky Sports’ man of the match award.

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Rangers fans took to Twitter to enthuse about his performance…

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