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Alex Crook believes that the interested Qatari group are now the favourites to purchase Manchester United.

The Lowdown: Deadline is looming

The Raine Group – who are assisting the sale of Man United – have set a soft deadline of 10 pm this evening for interested parties to register their bids and interest in taking Man United off of the Glazers’ hands.

There are said to be several interested parties in buying Man United with groups from both Qatar and Saudi Arabia being linked as well as the Red Devils fan himself, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

It has been reported that the Qatari group are going to indeed bid for Man United at some point today which could well put a marker down as to whether or not other interested groups can compete financially with them.

The Latest: Qatari group favourites

Crook has been speaking on TalkSPORT about the interest from Qatar and how they are now firmly favourites to buy Man United given their sheer wealth.

He said: (0:30) “You mentioned Sir Jim Ratcliffe, he was the first really to come out publicly and say that he wanted to buy the club, we’re expecting a big-money bid from Qatar to come in today as well.

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“I say big-money, I don’t think it will meet the Glazer family’s £6 billion valuation I think it will be less than that so it’ll be interesting but I think a lot of people who are showing an interest and a lot of people who are maybe considering a bid do believe the Qataris are favourites just because of the sheer volume of wealth in that country.

“I think what’s important to stress is this is a private group of individuals we know the emir of Qatar is actively encouraging people to invest in football clubs following the success of the World Cup at the end of last year but it is a separate company from that who own Paris Saint-Germain.

“That’s crucial because under UEFA rules you can’t own two clubs who compete in the same competition so I would make the Qataris favourites.”

The Verdict: Huge moment in Man United’s history

Given the constant protests and discontent towards the Glazers, if they can attract a number of potential bidders by 10 pm this evening it would be a huge moment in the history of Man United as they may well get their club back.

However, if they were to be taken over by either a group from Qatar or Saudi Arabia it would indeed bring up a huge number of issues including human rights violations that were also fired the way of Newcastle United during their takeover process.

The deadline of 10 pm this evening forces parties to show their hands and prove they’re serious about buying the club and allows the Red Devils to get a deal ironed out prior to the summer transfer window opening.

Former Celtic forward Andy Walker has claimed on Sky Sports that Ange Postecoglou will want to stay at the club amid reported interest from elsewhere.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou in high demand

As of late, Postecoglou has been heavily linked with moves south of the border, with Premier League clubs registering an interest in the Australian boss after working wonders at Celtic.

Postecoglou has managed to push Celtic beyond their league rivals after missing out on the title back in the 2020/21 season and has assembled a nine-point lead this campaign as he looks to win back-to-back league titles.

As well as managing Celtic in the Champions League, his achievements in Glasgow certainly haven’t gone unnoticed, but the lure of winning silverware on a regular basis and becoming a hero in Glasgow could be what sees him reject any forthcoming proposals, amid links to the likes of Everton and Leeds United in recent weeks.

The Latest: Celtic boss looking to win many more trophies

Walker believes that Postecoglou won’t be looking to jump ship just yet, as he wants to be managing in Europe’s elite competition and winning games after a disappointing campaign on the continent this term.

He said: “I think he’s got a lot of unfinished work to do in Glasgow before he would make the next step to the Premier League.

“I think he wants to rack up some titles, some trophies. Celtic are in pole position to get the title again next year, and as you well know, it gives Ange Postecoglou and Celtic direct access to the Champions League.

“And I think that’s where he would like to put together a team that can get some notable victories, because the financial gap when Celtic go in with the big boys of the Champions League is pretty big, but without getting a lot of points this season, I thought they competed really well, so I think that’s where his focus is.”

The Verdict: Staying in Glasgow would be a sensible move

While the lure of the Premier League, its money and the calibre of players that would come with a move to England would be tempting for Postecoglou, it would perhaps tarnish his legacy at Celtic if he was to leave mid-season.

He only has to look at how the Celtic fans reacted when Brendan Rodgers left them for Leicester City in February 2019 – and he’d won far more trophies and accolades than Postecoglou has done during his current tenure.

If Postecoglou continues to win silverware and play a ‘beautiful and aggressive style of football’, there will arguably be many more suitors, not just in England, but across Europe in the near future, so staying at Celtic, where he can build the team he wants with a less intense media spotlight will be best for him in the short and long term.

West Ham United have fallen well below expectations this season after such good work across the previous two years under David Moyes, and they failed to utilise the January transfer window as well as they possibly could have.

Languishing near the bottom of the Premier League table – West Ham have just 18 points from 20 matches this term and are one point above the relegation zone – they are in real danger of scraping for survival as the season enters its latter stages, despite back-to-back European qualifications and signing the likes of Lucas Paqueta (£51m) and Gianluca Scamacca (£35.5m) last summer.

Despite clinching Danny Ings for £15m from Aston Villa, and Brazilian youngster Luizao for an undisclosed fee, last month, there is a sense that the Hammers did not revitalise the squad to the best of their ability. That is especially the case given recent injuries to the aforementioned Ings and Scamacca, with winger Maxwel Cornet also sidelined.

With this in mind, signing former Irons ace Andre Ayew at the end of the January transfer market might have been a prudent move for the club, with 90min stating that the veteran forward arrived in England after the conclusion of deadline day. As a free agent, Ayew was not bound to the constraints of the transfer window and was duly able to discuss a move with several Premier League clubs.

In the end, West Ham were rejected and the 33-year-old chose to join the expansive ranks at Nottingham Forest, with the Reds now bolstered further across their attack after recently hitting a timely purple patch.

During his previous spell with West Ham, after he signed from Swansea City in 2016 for a then-club record £20.5m, the Ghanaian dynamo only managed 12 goals and five assists from 50 appearances. His two years in claret and blue were largely hampered by injuries and he was unable to make the emphatic effect for which he would have been hoping.

However, his versatility and experience could indeed have been invaluable as West Ham attempt to rekindle their cohesion and fluidity, and he could have been the “game changer” – as once heralded by former Irons boss Slaven Bilic – to turn the tide in east London.

Also, given West Ham’s inclusion in the Europa Conference League – in which they return to action in the round of 16 next month after winning their group – adding him as an extra option up front would have been the perfect remedy to continue battling across multiple fronts, perhaps salvaging a slice of prosperity from a hitherto frustrating season at the London Stadium.

While landing a 33-year-old Ayew would not have been the glitziest signing for a team competing in Europe, he is an accomplished and experienced professional with Premier League experience (89 games), and as a former Irons player he might well have taken to life back in east London like a duck to water.

As it is, the 113-cap Ghanaian will instead aid Forest in their own pursuit of maintaining top-flight status, and having dropped the ball on this possible free signing, Moyes will have to make do with the options who were already at his disposal.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano says that Flamengo is ‘no longer’ an option for Facundo Pellistri to head out on loan from Manchester United.

The Lowdown: In talks

It was reported earlier this week that Flamengo were in talks to sign Pellistri on loan for the remainder of the year, and were willing to pay his wages in full for the duration of the loan.

He has only made unused substitute in the 3-2 loss away at Arsenal in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Latest: Flamengo no longer in race

Taking to Twitter, Romano says that Flamengo is ‘no longer a loan option’ for Pellistri, but Valencia are ‘pushing’ for him, while two clubs in the Serie A are also ‘on the table’:

“Understand Flamengo are no longer a loan option for Facundo Pellistri. Valencia are pushing while there are two Serie A clubs as possibilities on the table.

“Manchester United will decide next week whether they want to send Facundo on loan or not.”

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The Verdict: Loan needed

Given Pellistri’s lack of senior football, Eric ten Hag’s side need to seriously consider letting him go out on loan to gain some vital first team experience.

Hailed as a ‘real talent’ by former Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer upon his arrival to Old Trafford in 2020, that was a lot of hype around Pellistri when he first signed for the club, but so far the supporters have seen very little of him.

His short cameo in the Carabao Cup earlier this season remains the only senior minutes he has had, while he has only played nine times for the U21 side (Transfermarkt).

At 21 years of age, Pellistri simply has to be playing more regular football, and he can get that with a loan away from United this month.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Youri Tielemans for almost a year now, and a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the Belgian.

What’s the latest?

According to TEAMtalk, the Reds are tracking several Premier League midfielders this month, including the Leicester City star.

As per the report, Liverpool will have competition from Arsenal, although it is claimed that if the Merseyside club can meet Tielemans’ wage demands, the 25-year-old will become their signing.

Bargain Bellingham alternative

It is no secret that the powers at Anfield love a bargain when recruiting for their successful squad, and former sporting director Michael Edwards was an expert in not only getting a good price for outgoing players but also identifying signings who could make a credible impact in the team for the right price.

Liverpool are in a period of transition when it comes to their midfield personnel, with a number of their current crop either out of contract at the end of the season or reaching the latter stages of their careers, and the need for change couldn’t be more glaringly obvious when reflecting on the team’s performance’s so far in 2022/23.

The Reds are currently sixth in the Premier League after a number of lacklustre and uninspiring performances which have seen them drop a number of points over their first 17 games, with defeats to the likes of Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and more recently Brentford.

Furthermore, the Reds have crashed out of the Carabao Cup after losing to Manchester City in the fourth round and await an FA Cup replay at Wolverhampton Wanderers after a 2-2 draw last weekend.

As a result, the need for reinforcements has perhaps never been so desperate for Jurgen Klopp since his arrival at the club in 2015, and Tielemans could be the perfect profile of player to be part of the midfield rebuild.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Jude Bellingham also, but with a £129m price tag on the Englishman, it would be an expensive commitment for FSG. It also goes against the kind of austere transfer business to which the club has been accustomed, so Tielemans could be a bargain alternative considering that he is set to be a free agent in the summer.

As per FBref, the £35k-per-week Foxes ace ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues over the last 12 months for shots on goal, shot-creating actions, progressive passes completed, tackles and blocks. This shows that he is both effective in defensive and attacking play, and he has continued to shine this season despite Leicester’s struggles.

Across 18 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, Tielemans – who was dubbed “one of Europe’s top midfielders” by his manager Brendan Rodgers – has scored three goals, registered one assist, created six big chances and successfully completed 71% of his dribbles. He has also averaged 1.1 key passes, 2.2 tackles, 1.2 shots on goal and 4.3 duels won per game.

Indeed, it is not hard to see why the Belgian midfielder is attracting attention from the likes of Newcastle United and Arsenal alongside Liverpool, as his hard-working attitude reflected in his output on the pitch would be a valuable asset to any club challenging near the top of the Premier League.

Signing Tielemans would be a major coup for Liverpool and could ultimately save them hundreds of millions if the club are unable to seal a deal for Bellingham this year.

Glasgow Rangers have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Ross Stewart ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Keith Downie, with the Sky Sports reporter revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, despite the fact that the centre-forward is settled and happy to stay at Sunderland, contract talks between the 26-year-old and the club are now believed to have reached an impasse, with the Championship side said to be willing to cash in on the striker this winter.

This is sure to come as a huge boost to Ross Wilson and Michael Beale, with Downie revealing in a further post on Twitter that Rangers, as well as Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, Crystal Palace and Brentford, are keeping a close eye on the situation of the £10m valued hitman ahead of launching a potential move in the January market.

In his posts, the Sky Sports reporter said: “Stewart is settled at Sunderland and wants to stay, but talks over a new contract have reached an impasse. Other clubs offering significantly more in wages & SAFC could cash in on him now.

“Middlesbrough are showing the strongest interest from a clutch of clubs wanting to sign Sunderland striker Ross Stewart. Stewart could leave in January with Blackburn & Stoke among a number of Championship clubs – plus Rangers – keen. Premier League duo Crystal Palace & Brentford also monitoring.”

“Exceptional”

Considering just how impressive Stewart has been for Sunderland in recent years, should Wilson be able to fend off a number of Premier League and Championship clubs in the race to sign the 26-year-old in January, it would undoubtedly represent an exceptional coup for the sporting director and Rangers.

Indeed, over his nine Championship appearances in the current campaign, the £3.1m-rated talent has been in devastating attacking form, having already scored seven goals, registered three assists and created one big chance, in addition to taking an average of 3.6 shots – 1.8 of which have hit the target – making 0.8 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the player who journalist and Mackems supporter Josh Bunting dubbed a “key asset” average a breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.57, not only ranking him by far and away as Tony Mowbray’s best performer in the league but also as the second-best player in the English second-tier as a whole.

It was a similar story over Stewart’s 49 League One fixtures in 2021/22, with the £2.3k-per-week hitman bagging a whopping 26 goals, providing three assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots – 1.2 of which hit the target – making 1.3 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per match.

These metrics saw the 26-year-old who former Sunderland goalkeeper David Preece labelled “exceptional” average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 7.25, once again ranking him as the Black Cats’ best performer in the division, as well as the joint 11th-best player in the third tier in its entirety.

As such, it is clear for all to see that the Scotland international would undoubtedly represent a fantastic addition to Beale’s current attacking arsenal at Ibrox, leading us to believe that Wilson must do everything in his power to win the race for the centre-forward’s signature in January.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter will be looking to use the January transfer window to add a couple of new faces to his team and assemble his squad how he sees fit ahead of a vital few months.

He might not be under severe pressure just yet, but the previous few weeks before the World Cup break saw the London side defeated by Newcastle United, Manchester City, and Arsenal in the Premier League and improvement will be needed after Christmas.

What’s the word?

Not only do they face competition on the pitch, but Chelsea are in a fight with Tottenham Hotspur over a potential move for Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol.

That’s according to Corriere dello Sport, who claim that the defender has caught the eye of Tottenham with Potter facing a battle to secure the services of the youngster.

Indeed, Chelsea had an offer rejected in the summer and a move for the RB Leipzig star would now cost around €80 (£68m), which considering his potential and performances already this season, could be a very shrewd investment for the future.

Shining in Qatar

The 20-year-old has shown maturity beyond his years in the Bundesliga this season, losing possession on average just 6.5 times per match, while winning an impressive 2.5 duels per game at a success rate of 62%.

The £68m price tag will now surely be down to his World Cup displays for Croatia, as Gvardiol has been a key part of a defence that has conceded just once in three matches.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.3/10, making 1.7 interceptions per game, 1.3 tackles, and taking a staggering 88.3 touches on average across the three group stage matches.

This clearly suggests he is extremely comfortable on the ball despite playing in high-pressure situations and by winning 64% of his total duels over the games, his physicality is one of his main strengths.

It’s no wonder he has been decreed the Erling “Haaland of defenders” by talent scout Jacek Kulig. The youngster has clearly had the same blistering impact on world football as the Norwegian striker, just at the opposite end of the pitch.

Journalist Zach Lowy even dubbed him as a “sensational centre-back” while declaring that the player had been the best player on a pitch that contained Kevin De Bruyne and Luka Modric, no mean feat.

If Potter wants to remain with the club for the long haul, signing talents like Gvardiol will make his job that little bit easier, while also signalling a massive statement of intent toward the rest of the league.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have lost ‘another senior figure’ following the exit of Dr Rob Chakraverty, according to journalist Steve Madeley.

The Lowdown: Chakraverty’s departure

The Premier League medic arrived at Molineux in the middle of the pandemic, joining after spending a four-year stint with the England national squad.

The Old Gold figure held the roles of first-team doctor and head of performance and medicine following the departure of the long-term chief Matt Perry, though the club confirmed his exit in a statement released by Jeff Shi on Sunday.

The Latest: Madeley’s reaction

Taking to Twitter, Madeley reacted to the shock behind-the-scenes exit at Wolves which came just days after the chairman appointed Matt Hobbs as the new sporting director in the start of an off-field overhaul. He wrote:

“Fair to say the “shake-up” Jeff Shi spoke of the other day is continuing. Another senior figure gone.”

The Verdict: Time for a change

Wolves find themselves rock bottom of the table after a difficult start to the season, so Fosun may feel like it’s the right time for a transformation to try and change the team’s fortunes on the pitch.

Chakraverty, however, did an excellent job in helping to move the club forward during the pandemic and improved the medical department as a whole, so he could be a big miss on the sidelines.

Shi will now be hoping that his swift decision-making has an instant impact on the matchday squad as Julen Lopetegui prepares to take his first game in charge against Everton on Boxing Day.

Queens Park Rangers have been handed an injury boost after manager Michael Beale confirmed that Jake Clarke-Salter will be available for their Championship clash against Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Spell on the sidelines

The R’s come into this fixture off the back of some disappointing results, having lost two and drawn one of their last three games, although will be hoping to turn that form around against the Terriers tonight.

The centre-back has missed the previous two games after sustaining a knee injury, although his boss has now delivered a positive update on the player’s progress, and it’s one that QPR supporters will be happy to hear.

The Latest: Clarke-Salter fitness update

Speaking to Football League World following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to West Brom, with the quotes published on Monday, Beale provided an update on Luke Amos before revealing that Clarke-Salter is set to make a return to the matchday squad for tonight.

The 42-year-old said: “He’s [Amos] a bit tight in his hamstring, which is not great. We’ll see how he reports back tomorrow. Jake will be back for Tuesday.”

The Verdict: Boost for Beale

QPR only signed Clarke-Salter from Chelsea over the summer, but it will be a huge boost for Beale to have him back at his disposal given the instant impact he has made since the start of the season.

The ‘vocal’ 25-year-old, as dubbed by John Terry, was averaging 3.8 clearances and 3.8 successful aerial duels per game before his absence (WhoScored).

Those returns put him among the top three in Beale’s squad for both metrics (WhoScored), highlighting how much of a rock he is at the heart of the backline.

Huddersfield are currently bottom of the table – so if there’s anyone you’d want to play when in need of a win, it would appear to be Mark Fotheringham’s side – and this appears to be an ideal opportunity for QPR to pick up a much-needed three points to maintain their push for a promotion place.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has been reacting to West Brom’s reported interest in former Burnley manager Sean Dyche.

The Lowdown: Dyche rumours

The Baggies have yet to make any real progress when it comes to securing Steve Bruce’s long-term successor after parting ways with the 61-year-old on Monday.

Dyche was thought to be the club’s first-choice candidate, according to Chris Lepkowski, but as we know, a potential move is yet to gather pace.

The 51-year-old led Burnley to the Championship title in 2015/16 and has been out of work since April after he parted ways with the Clarets, six months short of his ten-year anniversary at Turf Moor.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Talking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke described Dyche as a ‘proven manager’ and someone who would ‘tick a lot of boxes’ at The Hawthorns.

“Yeah, Dyche, proven manager. He can go in there and get teams playing and he’s got that promotion with Burnley on his CV as well.

“So I think he’s somebody who would definitely tick a lot of boxes for West Brom.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Time is ticking for chief executive Ron Gourlay, with the Baggies currently in the Championship relegation zone. However, if he can lure Dyche to the Midlands, it could prove to be worth the wait, with the Englishman having plenty of previous success in the second tier.

He has two previous promotions to the Premier League with Burnley, so if believes in the project at The Hawthorns, Dyche may fancy his chances of a third promotion with West Brom.