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The January transfer window has come and gone and Rangers added five new faces over the course of the month, so what is now Steven Gerrard’s best XI?

Rangers cruised past Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup on Wednesday evening, winning 5-0 courtesy of a whopping four-goal haul from front man Alfredo Morelos.

The Colombian international has of course been the subject of much controversy since picking up his fourth red card of the season, but it’s easy to see why Rangers fans believe he is the best player in the league.

So with the no. 20’s spot pretty much nailed on, who takes the other ten places in Gerrard’s side? What is Rangers’ best starting XI?

Haven’t seen Paul Pogba’s latest strange photoshoot? You need to check out the video below…

The defence

Just like with Morelos, there are a few stars in defence who are nailed on to start whenever fit.

Allan McGregor, Connor Goldson and James Tavernier will all start when available, leaving just two spots to pick. Borna Barisic’s delivery makes him the most likely choice at left-back, but the other centre back is a little harder to choose.

None of Nikola Katic, Gareth McAuley or Joe Worrall have really impressed this season, but we here at Football FanCast believe Katic should get the nod, as the young Croatian has the highest ceiling, and could forge a long-term pairing with Goldson if given the chance.

Men in the middle

In midfield, Ross McCrorie deserves to start. The 20 year-old has had an inconsistent season, but at his best he is one of the country’s finest defensive enforcers, at least according to Scott Arfield, and his presence would afford the ever-reliable Ryan Jack more freedom to explore further up the pitch.

If McCrorie and Jack are playing in the middle, then January signing Glen Kamara must take the number ten spot, as his low centre of gravity, vision and incisiveness will inevitably create chances and space for the forwards.

Ferocious front three

Finally, the forward lines pretty much picks itself, with Morelos flanked by Ryan Kent and Daniel Candeias, a front three packed with speed, creativity, skill and a little bit of a nasty streak.

4-2-3-1: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic, McCrorie, Jack, Candieas, Kamara, Kent, Morelos. Rangers fans, is this your best XI?

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly now eyeing a move for potential free agent Sam Johnstone in the summer.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

Johnstone’s contract at West Brom is set to expire this summer, with no signs of a renewal at the moment.

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Given that he is currently rated at £7.2m, and is an established England international, only missing out of Gareth Southgate’s latest Three Lions squad through injury, whichever club is able to sign him would be getting a real bargain on their hands.

The Latest: Tottenham looking

As per The Daily Telegraph, Spurs are among a number of teams that are now looking at signing Johnstone on a free transfer.

Pierluigi Gollini is not expected to stay in the North London after his loan spell from Atalanta ends, and so it is likely that the hierarchy will be looking to sign another goalkeeper this summer.

The Verdict: Sign

If the Lilywhites can get Johnstone on a free, then it is surely a deal worth doing.

Dubbed ‘world class’ by Wolves legend Steve Bull, and ‘unreal’ by former Premier League ‘keeper Paddy Kenny, he has certainly received rave reviews, and the fact that he gets picked by England from the second tier shows his credentials.

Assuming that Gollini does leave, Johnstone would be a very capable understudy to captain Hugo Lloris, should he choose to accept that position, and could even surpass the 35-year-old as the number one in the future.

Interestingly, the six-foot-four colossus shares the same agent as Ryan Sessegnon, and so he could help him secure the move.

In other news, find out who THFC are now fighting Arsenal to sign here!

Reliable journalist Phil Hay has outlined three key factors which could ensure that Leeds United sign Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson this summer.

The Lowdown: Aaronson linked with Leeds move

The American has already become a key player for Salzburg at the age of just 21, starting all eight of their Champions League matches this season.

Back in the January transfer window, he was strongly linked with a move to Leeds, and that was before his former manager Jesse Marsch had replaced Marcelo Bielsa in Yorkshire.

It could be that the Whites’ interest in the midfielder returns in the summer, as Marsch looks to further make his mark at Elland Road.

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The Latest: Hay discusses possibility of Aaronson to Leeds

Writing for The Athletic, Hay claimed that a move to Leeds for Aaronson could easily materialise for three key reasons, with the Whites planning to try their luck with him again. The reporter stated:

“The intention is, or certainly was, to bid again for Aaronson. He’s interested in the move, he’s played under Jesse Marsch before and Salzburg are likely to be more open to bids in the summer than they were in January.”

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The Verdict: Ideal midfield addition

On the face of it, Aaronson looks like an ideal player to come in and make Leeds stronger in the middle of the park, bringing more guile to that area of the pitch.

Along with averaging 1.8 tackles per game in the Champions League this season, he has also scored 12 goals and registered 15 assists throughout his time with Salzburg, showing what an effective all-round footballer he can be.

The fact that Marsch is now in charge surely only increases the chances of Aaronson joining him at Elland Road, with the American compatriots knowing each other well from their mutual time at Salzburg.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has revealed a key Leeds transfer update. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur made some ruthless decisions during the January transfer window as the club looks to transform Antonio Conte’s playing squad.

The north London outfit sit just two points outside of the top four with two games in hand on Manchester United and having lost just one league game under the Italian, there’s every chance of the team battling for a place in the Champions League ahead of next term.

Spurs announced the arrivals of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski in a double swoop from sporting director Fabio Paratici’s former club, Juventus, on deadline day.

Whilst no fewer than four players saw an exit, with Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso departing on loan and Dele Alli ending a seven-year stint in N17 after he signed for Everton permanently.

So what is left of Conte’s squad and exactly what is his strongest lineup heading into the second half of the season? Here’s how Spurs could look with their new additions, starting with an FA Cup clash against Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend.

Both Bentancur and Kulusevski are likely to be part of Conte’s starting XI going forward. It would be foolish to not involve them after bolstering the squad as demanded.

They could slot right in, meaning academy graduate Oliver Skipp is likely to make way with the Uruguay international becoming Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s new partner. The Dane has played more minutes than the Spurs youngster, so Conte surely favours him more.

Meanwhile, the Swedish attacker is a ‘plug and play’ option in the final third, meaning he could be deployed anywhere, though it seems likely that he’s going to feature alongside Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, so that leaves the £18m-rated Lucas Moura – who was once dubbed a “nightmare” to train against by Eric Dier – the unlucky man to make way.

Speaking of which, the English centre-back should play with Ben Davies and Cristian Romero, once he returns from injury. That back three should sit in front of club captain Hugo Lloris, who signed a two-year contract extension during January.

Matt Doherty could even get the nod over Emerson Royal on the right flank. Conte sought a new addition in this role due to his lack of faith in the pair but evidently, it was to no avail. If the Italian wants a more attacking option, then the Irishman has a slight edge over the summer signing.

Meanwhile, Sergio Reguilon should remain on the other side with Ryan Sessegnon as a key backup.

Players like Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez and Steven Bergwijn will all play their part, especially the latter, who could be seen as an alternative to Kane up top.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops huge behind-the-scenes Conte claim at Spurs, fans will be ecstatic…

An insider has dropped a big transfer claim on Tottenham and their interest in Paulo Dybala…

What’s the talk?

Former Palermo sporting director Rino Foschi has claimed that Spurs may be in the race with Inter to land the Argentine international on a free transfer this summer.

Foschi dealt with Fabio Paratici when he sanctioned the sale of the forward to Juventus from Palermo and he is not ruling out the Italian attempting to snap him up again.

He told 1 Station Radio, via FCInterNews: “In November there was talk of certain figures for which everyone agreed, while in January they (Juventus) offered him less, taking back the not so much the player, the more the entourage did not go down with this change of offer, and tried to pique the interest of some European teams, including Inter.

“As of today, the Nerazzurri track seems to be the most accredited, but I would not rule out Tottenham, given how much Paratici is crazy about the Argentine.”

Antonio Conte will be excited

This claim will surely leave the Spurs head coach delighted as Dybala would be a terrific addition to the squad to further bolster his attacking options.

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He already has Heung-Min Son, Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski delivering the goods in the final third and throwing the Juventus man into that mix is an exciting prospect because of the quality he possesses.

The attacking midfielder has proven his ability in the Serie A as he has been a key player for the Old Lady for a number of years. In 285 appearances for the club, he has scored 113 goals and provided 48 assists in all competitions as he has been able to provide direct goal contributions on a regular basis.

He scored three goals and registered one assist in five Champions League outings this term and this shows that he would be a useful player to have if Spurs finish in the top four. He has proven that he can do it in Europe’s premier competition and is, therefore, a player Conte can rely upon next season if they are able to qualify this term.

Overall, Conte will be excited by this claim because of Dybala’s immense talents in the final third and Paratici’s relationship with him making a deal realistic. The Argentine attacker would bring quality and experience at the top level to the side, whilst costing Tottenham £0 in transfer fees to get it over the line.

AND in other news, Talks underway: Paratici in negotiations for £41.5m deal, it’d be a big coup for Spurs…

Tanguy Ndombele’s future at Tottenham Hotspur is by no means certain.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who cost a club-record £55m two-and-a-half years ago, has not featured for the club since being withdrawn early during their FA Cup third-round victory over Morecambe.

He slowly trudged off to a chorus of boos and jeers with his side down by a goal at the time. Since then, it has emerged that the club are trying to move him on and that he has reportedly been training alone at Hotspur Way.

“Tottenham are looking for a solution to sell or loan out Tanguy Ndombele in January,” revealed Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

It’s hard to put up a case for Spurs keeping hold of their big-money signing as he’s been nothing short of a flop – as per Transfermarkt, he has delivered only ten goals and nine assists across 91 appearances.

If they are to move him on, however, manager Antonio Conte will be in need of a new central midfielder but perhaps he already has the answer at the club, somewhat.

Sarr solution?

During the summer, sporting director Fabio Paratici sealed the signature of promising Ligue 1 gem Pape Matar Sarr, who has remained on loan at Metz, for around €17m (£15m).

The 19-year-old midfielder has played in pretty much every role in the engine room for the French outfit this season, where he has made 19 appearances across all competitions.

Now valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, the Senegal international has struggled for consistency, averaging a rating of just 6.43, though there have been signs of encouragement and he is a player with undoubted potential.

“I am told this guy is really more than an interesting talent. He has real potential, [he’s a] fantastic talent,” claimed Romano to his YouTube channel in September.

“One of my sources told me he could become one style of [Paul] Pogba player. He has style, he has potential, he has skills, so we will see what happens with this guy.”

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A Pogba-like midfielder? That should be right up Conte’s street considering he managed the France superstar across 78 matches at Juventus before he rejoined Manchester United.

Sarr is certainly looking to contribute at both ends of the pitch, having averaged 2.2 dribbles, 1.7 successful tackles, one shot and 0.9 key passes per 90 minutes in the French top-flight, via WhoScored.

“Pape Matar Sarr is elegance in the midfield, it’s talent, it’s making others play.” once claimed Metz coach Frederic Antonetti.

So come the summer, Conte may not need to look far to find Ndombele’s replacement, thanks to Paratici’s decision in the summer. He seems primed for a shot in Spurs’ first team, especially under the stewardship of the Italian, who has already worked wonders with players like Oliver Skipp and Sergio Reguilon.

As such, he could also save the clubs millions as Sarr seems like the perfect replacement for the struggling flop.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops exciting Hugo Lloris claim at Spurs…

Aston Villa are thought to be in advanced talks over a permanent move for goalkeeper Robin Olsen, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Olsen’s loan move

Olsen was one of four senior signings made by Steven Gerrard in his first transfer window in charge at Villa Park.

The 32-year-old arrived on loan from AS Roma and has been on the bench for every Premier League game since moving to the Midlands.

Olsen has served as back up to Emiliano Martinez, and it looks as if the pair will continue to work closely together at Bodymoor Heath beyond the summer.

The Latest: Source shares update

FI shared a story regarding Villa and Olsen on Thursday afternoon after being informed by a recruitment source.

They revealed that Olsen has impressed Gerrard since joining and talks over a permanent move are now at an advanced stage.

The Verdict: Good news

Although Olsen is yet to turn out in a Villa shirt, it is good news that he looks set to make his Villa stay a full-time one.

Labelled as ‘monstrous’ by the Spanish press following a performance for Sweden, Olsen has plenty of experience across Europe and on the international stage, winning seven trophies during his career.

He appears to be happy as second choice to Martinez, so it looks as if Villa will now have two high-quality shot-stoppers on the books heading into Gerrard’s first full season.

In other news: ‘What a signing he would be’ – Journalist buzzing at ‘fantastic’ Aston Villa transfer ‘reveal’. 

Aston Villa are pushing to sign Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma, according to French journalist Nabil Djellit.

The Lowdown: Bissouma links

Villa have been heavily linked with a move for the 25-year-old for the majority of the January transfer window.

They now have just a few hours to get it over the line, with Brighton reportedly wanting at least €45m (£37.4m) for their star midfielder, who is into the final 18 months of his contract at the Amex Stadium.

Villa have already had a £25m bid rejected by the Seagulls for Bissouma, with Premier League rivals Manchester United and Tottenham also showing an interest.

The Latest: Djellit’s post

Journalist Djellit took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to provide an update on Bissouma’s future.

He claimed that Villa are pushing for the 25-year-old, adding that Steven Gerrard ‘loves’ the Mali international. Djellit also stated that Spurs are still interested.

The Verdict: To be continued?

Djellit ended his post with a cryptic ‘to be continued’ message, and that may well be the case regarding Villa’s and Spurs’ interest in Bissouma.

It could prove to be too tricky for NSWE to push through a transfer in the final hours of the January window, but Villa are expected to be in for the player in the summer.

Who knows, his €45m (£37.4m) valuation may drop ahead of the 2022/23 campaign. Should his situation remain the same by then, he will be into the final year of his Seagulls contract.

He’s clearly a long-term target at Villa Park, and hopefully the club will secure his services – it’s just a question of when that might happen.

In other news: ‘Hats off to the board’ – Sky Sports pundit purrs at ‘amazing’ out-of-the-blue Villa transfer news

Everton have seen many players coming the Merseyside club over the past few years, some for very significant amounts of money in terms of transfer fees.

However, looking back along, there has one player on whom the Toffees should have been much quicker to splash the cash, only to miss their opportunity.

According to former Toffees manager David Moyes (via Daily Express), the club were chasing the Belgian while he was at Lille before making his way to England with Chelsea, but a lack of sufficient funds meant that a potential move to Goodison Park wouldn’t have been possible.

Moyes said: “We knew all about Hazard because of Marouane Fellaini and the Belgium boys. But it was always going to be biggish cash for us – and we’ve had a few like that, I can tell you!”

During his time at Lille, the winger scored 50 goals and provided 53 assists in 194 appearances before joining the west Londoners in 2012 in a deal worth a reported £32m.

In 352 appearances with Chelsea across all competitions, the 31-year-old scored 110 goals, provided 92 assists and won numerous titles and individual awards along the way. This shows just how brilliant a piece of business it was from the west London club to bring him to England.

Having left the Premier League in the summer of 2019 for a move to Real Madrid, the Belgian has found goalscoring rather hard, only scoring six times in 65 appearances while also struggling with numerous injuries.

Labelled an “unbelievable” player in his prime by former Chelsea team-mate Ruben Loftus-Cheek and called a “superstar” by Jamie Carragher, Hazard has totalled 166 goals and 155 assists in 611 senior club appearances throughout his career.

Taking all this into account, mostly the goal contributions the Belgian delivered during his time in England, it’s safe to say that it was a real calamity from Bill Kenwright to somehow not find the funds for Everton to swoop in and sign Hazard before Chelsea set their sights on him.

Had the Toffees been able to bring the attacker to Goodison Park when they had him on their radar, he could have been a crucial figure for the club for many years due to his immense talent.

In other news: Alan Myers drops four word Everton update which will leave supporters relieved

West Ham United’s hopes of a top four finish were dented as they lost 3-2 to Leeds United at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon, just a week after beating the Whites 2-0 in the FA Cup.

Leeds winger Jack Harrison scored his first career hat-trick in East London as Marcelo Bielsa’s side showed resilience by taking the lead three times after Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals’ equalisers.

However, the defeat could prove to be a major blow in David Moyes’ side’s hopes of securing Champions League football this campaign with the Hammers still fourth but just two points ahead of fifth-place Arsenal who have two games in hand.

With winger Said Benrahma away on African Cup of Nations duty with Algeria, summer signing Nikola Vlasic is likely to be handed more game time by Moyes, with the Croatian handed a rare start against Leeds. However, the 24-year-old failed to take his opportunity.

According to SofaScore, the winger made just 24 touches, losing possession 12 times, meaning he lost the ball for every two touches he made. Vlasic’s creativity was certainly lacking too, failing to offer a single shot, accurate cross, key pass or successful dribble.

There was little offering in the defensive department too, with no tackles, interceptions or clearances with the Croat being withdrawn just after the hour mark. Overall, the wide man was rated 6.1/10 by SofaScore.

It will certainly disappoint Moyes that Vlasic was unable to take his opportunity after publicly stating that he will receive game time with the absence of Benrahma, particularly against a side who sit 15th in the Premier League table.

The Algerian has already scored eight goals and assisted four times in 28 appearances for the Irons this season, setting a high standard for the Croatian to match. Moreover, Jarred Bowen has been in impressive form of late with the goal against Leeds his ninth of the season.

Sunday’s appearance was just the 24-year-old’s fourth start in the Premier League for the Hammers, who has scored once and assisted twice in 19 appearances across all competitions since his move from CSKA Moscow last summer.

Vlasic has plenty to prove after making the decision to return to the English top-flight after a failed stint at Everton. Granted, he was much younger, but the winger made just 19 appearances for the Toffees, scoring twice and assisting once.

His spell in Russia was fruitful, scoring 33 goals and registering 21 assists in 108 appearances for CSKA Moscow; that’s the sort of form Moyes will be keen to see on display as soon as possible.

In other news: Moyes could finally replace Haller as West Ham plot bid for “complete” £13.5m-rated machine