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Luke Murphy has explained why he left Leeds United for Bolton Wanderers.

Murphy departed Elland Road last summer, moving to the Macron Stadium after terminating his contract with the Whites.

What’s the word?

Murphy joined Leeds in 2013, playing 111 times for the club.

However, he twice went on loan to Burton Albion, making a total of 61 appearances.

And he has explained that Leeds were ready to sign another player to replace him and that he was subsequently keen to leave for Bolton.

He told The Bolton News: “The season prior to leaving, I went out on loan twice and with one year left on my contract, they were looking in other directions and looking to bring in people from abroad.

“We ended on good terms and it was fine as I had the chance to come to another big club in Bolton.”

Landed on his feet

Murphy has landed on his feet with his move to Bolton.

The 29-year-old stayed in the Championship and, while has yet to truly make his mark at the club, he has been playing recently.

Murphy featured for 45 minutes against Birmingham City and also played the entire 90 minutes against Norwich City last time out, in a 4-0 loss.

He has handled his departure with genuine grace and good humour, and his exit is totally understandable.

Murphy remains an experienced Championship campaigner and has made a total of 168 appearances in the second-tier – he will remain an asset to Bolton in future weeks and months.

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left slamming the display of Ianis Hagi despite their 2-0 win at home to St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team came home from Ibrox with all three points thanks to goals from Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, but Hagi, making up the final part of the front three, was certainly not as influential.

The Romania international lost out on five of his duels in total, the joint-most out of any of his teammates on the pitch, and failed to score with all three of his shots (SofaScore).

He was also unsuccessful with all of his dribble and crossing attempts, while Hagi was guilty of losing possession of the ball on no fewer than on 18 separate occasions in the match, the second-most out of any Light Blues player (SofaScore).

Rangers fans slam Hagi

These Teddy Bears slammed his performance on Twitter, with one Gers supporter even going as far as to claim that he was ‘non-existent’:

“Good half but Hagi has been stinkin’”

Credit: @jaayfc

“Btw Hagi is useless wide. We need to stop this”

Credit: @RheiceMulgrah

“Still don’t get Hagi, would love to know how many times he loses possession in a game by just falling down”

Credit: @de5erteaglegreg

“What do people actually see in Hagi?”

Credit: @WilliamGrimes_

“Hagi out wide is utterly depressing just get Fash on”

Credit: @LeighamMacleod

“Hagi non-existent here”

Credit: @L8522Mac

In other news, find out what official RFC post has fans gushing here!

Newcastle United target Boubacar Kamara intends to leave Marseille on a free transfer, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. 

The lowdown

The Tyneside club tried to sign the 22-year-old on transfer deadline day in August but he rejected both them and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Circumstances are now significantly different at St James’ Park, though, with the takeover complete and Eddie Howe installed as Steve Bruce’s replacement.

Kamara’s £46,000-per-week contract at the Stade Velodrome is due to expire at the end of the season, which means he would be able to agree a summer move to a foreign club from January 1.

The latest

As per The Athletic, Marseille have recently tried to persuade Kamara to commit to a new deal, but it has been deemed ‘too late’. The Ligue 1 outfit could make one final push to keep him at the club, but it seems that the player himself has already decided not to agree a new contract and is set to leave as a free agent next June.

‘Lines of communication’ remain open with Newcastle, but he is also attracting interest from elsewhere in the Premier League, with Manchester United reportedly keeping tabs. Bayern Munich and Barcelona are in the frame as well, so the competition is pretty daunting for the Magpies.

The verdict

It will be interesting to see whether Newcastle pursue a cut-price January deal or seek to line up a summer move for Kamara.

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson reported that players in the final six months of their contracts would be prime targets for PIF in the winter.

Hailed as a ‘phenomenon’ by former team-mate Rolando, the 22-year-old would be a real statement signing for the new ownership at St James’ Park given the calibre of the competition and his immense potential. Indeed, Ornstein wrote that the defensive midfielder is regarded as one of the best emerging talents in his position in world football.

That position isn’t fixed, either – he can also play as a centre-back and on the right, further enhancing his appeal to Newcastle after Bruce’s unsuccessful attempts to bring him to the club earlier this year.

In other news, Newcastle are also eyeing this Premier League ace

Newcastle United are plotting an ambitious swoop for Manchester United transfer target Amadou Haidara.

What’s the story?

Eddie Howe’s side have enjoyed a good start to the January transfer window thus far, signing Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid and Chris Wood from Burnley.

Now, The Daily Mail have revealed that the Magpies are prepared to push the boat out for Haidara, who has previously been linked with a switch to Old Trafford.

The report adds that “Newcastle expect the total cost of a deal for the highly-rated Mali midfielder, who is currently on Africa Cup of Nations duty, to stretch beyond £80m including wages over the length of his contract. Haidara would command a long-term deal and wages in the region of £160,000-per-week, which would make him Newcastle’s highest earner.”

Exciting news for Newcastle fans

While the signings of Trippier and Wood have given Newcastle a couple of experienced veterans with plenty of Premier League experience, a move for Haidara would certainly be the most exciting.

The claim that the Magpies’ swoop for the Mali midfielder cost cost well over £80m, and also make him the highest-paid earner at the club, would be a real statement of intent from the new owners.

And, when you look at some of the comments that have been made about his ability, it’s no surprise why Newcastle are keen to swoop in ahead of United to sign him.

Indeed, now United boss Ralf Rangnick waxed lyrical about him when he first brought him to RB Leipzig, saying: “We’ve been following his progress in Salzburg, as he’s developed into an absolutely exceptional player there. There aren’t many players his age with so much potential. He has all the requirements to follow in Naby Keita’s footsteps.”

If Newcastle can beat off the interest from United for the £34m-rated star, then it really would be a major statement and exciting news for the Magpies fans.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are eyeing this experienced centre-back…

Newcastle United were active throughout the January transfer window as they made a number of additions to their squad.

Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes and Chris Wood all came in to bolster Eddie Howe’s options across the park.

These signings tipped the club over the squad limit in the Premier League and they made the decision to leave Ciaran Clark, Isaac Hayden and Jamal Lewis out of their 25-man list.

Big error

PIF must now avoid making a big error as Hayden is being linked with an exit from St. James’ Park.

Sparta Prague, Basel, Spartak Moscow, Lokomotiv Moscow and Sochi are among the European teams reportedly interested in snapping him up as their respective transfer windows remain open for the time being.

Alan Shearer once dubbed him “superb” and he still has plenty to offer. The £41k-per-week machine has averaged 3.0 tackles and interceptions whilst winning 4.6 duels per game. This shows that he is able to regularly win the ball back for his side, whilst he has been reliable in possession in his own half with a pass completion rate of 89%.

He was ruled out for two months at the end of December and it remains to be seen exactly when he will be cleared for action. This injury seemingly influenced their decision to leave him out of the squad but it should not tempt PIF into cashing in on him.

Hayden is an experienced, hard-working, option in the middle of the park and a player the club should be looking to bring back in next season. This is why it would be a big error for the owners to sanction a permanent exit, instead of a loan until the end of the campaign.

The former Arsenal enforcer has over 100 appearances in the Premier League under his belt and still has plenty of years left ahead of him in the top-flight at the age of 26.

Even if Howe does not see him as a player who will be starting on a regular basis next season, he could be useful as a squad option who can come off the bench late in games to see out results and to start when needed due to injuries or suspensions.

This is why PIF must avoid allowing Hayden to depart St. James’ Park on a permanent basis. It would be a big error and one that could negatively impact the squad next season, due to the loss of his experience and defensive nous.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Howe must brutally axe £42k-p/w NUFC “lightweight”, he’s been “shocking”…

The January transfer window is well underway and Sunderland have already been hard at work as they go about improving their squad.

Trai Hume was unveiled as the club’s first signing of the window this week, with the right-back joining on a permanent basis from Linfield.

Another player who has been touted with a switch to the Stadium of Light is Manchester City attacker Patrick Roberts. Football Insider recently claimed that the attacker is poised to join the League One outfit, cancelling his loan with Troyes in the process.

Brutally axe

If Sunderland are able to complete a deal for the Citizens man then it could lead to Lee Johnson brutally axing Aiden O’Brien from the squad.

The £6.5k-per-week dud has struggled to make a big impact in League One this season and the arrival of another player in his position could send him further down the pecking order. He has produced one goal and one assist in 14 appearances, starting seven of those games, and missed two ‘big chances’ in the process.

O’Brien has also lost a whopping 66% of his duels on the pitch, whilst creating 0.7 chances per match. This shows that he has struggled at both sides of the game this season and could be in line for the axe with a new signing coming in.

Roberts has endured a difficult season in France, playing just one Ligue 1 match for Troyes in the first half of the campaign. However, he has previously shown promise during a loan spell with Celtic in Scotland, scoring 18 goals and providing 26 assists in 78 matches for the Hoops.

Former Norwich head coach Daniel Farke also previously lauded the forward’s talents, saying: “He is a brilliant lad who is full of potential. He is the type of player who can change a game because he has this ability that he can create something in a one against one situation.

“He has already shown he can offer an end product on a different level up at Celtic, in front of a big crowd with the pressure and tension that brings.”

At the age of 24, the wizard still has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and Johnson could look to improve him on the training field at Sunderland. This is why he could be an excellent addition to the squad, as he is a player with quality and potential.

His incoming would also allow them to offload O’Brien as Roberts would add an extra option in the wide areas. Although, instead of selling the 28-year-old, Sunderland could axe him to the reserves and use him in case of injuries or suspensions.

As per reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, as shared by The West Ham Way, it appears that Darren Randolph may be on the way out of the London Stadium, with a replacement already being eyed.

The Lowdown: Randolph surplus…

The goalkeeper has started just 11 games in all competitions since the beginning of 2019/20, and with his contract not set to expire until 2023, now may be the right time to offload him.

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Randolph, an experienced Republic of Ireland international with 50 caps, has been pushed down further down the pecking order with the summer arrival of Paris-Saint Germain ‘keeper Alphonse Areola on loan.

As a result, the 34-year-old hasn’t featured at all in this campaign, with Ex sharing the latest on his future.

The Latest: Insider makes Randolph exit claim…

As per the club insider’s sources, via The West Ham Way, Randolph is now ‘likely’ to leave in January, and it is believed that West Ham will look into signing West Brom’s Sam Johnstone at the end of the season.

The Baggies ‘keeper, who could come as a replacement for Randolph, is expected to leave on a free transfer with his contract expiring in 2022, but the Hammers face stiff competition from Newcastle to get a deal done.

The Verdict: Time to go?

News of Johnstone being eyed and Randolph potentially leaving should certainly indicate that Moyes is shuffling his goalkeeping options. They could also feasibly decide to take up the option to sign Areola on a permanent deal as the 58-year-old is left with a key decision on who to add to his roster.

One thing is for certain, though – Randolph should move on to pastures new and enjoy the last few years of his career getting plenty of game-time. His exit from the London Stadium would suit all parties as West Ham look to make more room in their squad for incomings.

In other news: Newman now eyeing West Ham bid to sign 129-goal ‘big name’ striker for Moyes, find out more here.

A number of Liverpool supporters are overjoyed after Harvey Elliott took part in a behind-closed-doors match, potentially the final step in his recovery from injury.

The Reds haven’t always convinced in midfield this season, with the likes of James Milner and Jordan Henderson arguably looking their age, while other key figures like Thiago have been injured.

One player who made an excellent start to the season was Elliott, with the 18-year-old enjoying a real breakthrough and starting three Premier League games in the early weeks.

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Sadly, the creative midfielder suffered a serious ankle injury in the 3-0 win at Leeds United back in September and he has been out of action ever since.

Elliott’s return to the fold is edging closer all the time, however, with journalist Paul Joyce taking to Twitter to confirm that the Liverpool youngster was playing in an Under-23s game against Wrexham on Saturday – he scored and provided an assist.

This is not the first piece of big news the supporters have been greeted with this week, with reliable reports claiming a deal for Porto star Luis Diaz should be wrapped up soon.

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Liverpool fans love Elliott latest

These Reds fans expressed their happiness at the news on Twitter, as Joyce confirmed Elliott could even be back in first-team action next weekend.

“This boy is special and he’s BACK”

Credit: @EmadZafar

“OMG my starboy is back”

Credit: @sweetsadio

“Love it”

Credit: @JamalJilloo

“My life just keeps getting better and better”

Credit: @SawkurGod

“Yesss”

Credit: @LFC_Lewis66

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @ste_malone

In other news, some Liverpool fans have mocked a Premier League rival after a key update. Read more here.

Everton are in the midst of a gruelling relegation battle with the Toffees fighting for their lives to remain in the Premier League.

While the club will be more focused on what’s happening on the pitch at this moment in time, it seems as though there could be some challenges ahead at Finch Farm once the season comes to an end and the summer transfer window opens for business.

What’s the news?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Paul Brown had this to say about the potential transfer interest that could be around Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the summer.

He said: “I know for a fact that Arsenal like and have liked Calvert-Lewin for quite a few years, even before he was scoring regularly in the Premier League.

“So, if I was to guess, I’m pretty sure they’ll make a bigger push for Calvert-Lewin than they will Richarlison in the summer.”

Fans would be seething

Everton signed the striker back in 2016 from Sheffield United in a deal worth a reported fee of £1.5m.

Since then, the Englishman has made 187 appearances for the Toffees across all competitions, scoring 56 goals and providing 17 assists along the way.

To highlight what a capable striker he is, the 25-year-old went through the 2020/21 Premier League season with more shots on target (46) than any other Everton player as he bagged 21 times in all competitions.

Even though the centre-forward hasn’t managed to score a league goal since recovering from his toe injury back in January, it would still infuriate a lot of Everton fans to see their club potentially sell Calvert-Lewin in the summer, especially to another Premier League side.

Having scored 32 league goals since the start of the 2019/20 season, losing the England international would surely be a massive blow for the Toffees and their hopes of progressing from the sticky situation they’ve found themselves in during the majority of this campaign.

Moving forward, the main focus for everyone at the Merseyside club right now should be to avoid getting relegated down to the Championship by picking up as many points as they can under Frank Lampard’s management.

Then, if the Toffees do secure their safety, this could put them in a better place to keep hold of their star striker should Arsenal, or any other club, come in to try and sign him. For now, however, it’s not exactly promising news.

In other news: Lampard must finally axe “poor” 28 y/o Everton flop who’s massively “costing the team”

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has no intention of leaving the Premier League this summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Another stunning season for Salah

The 29-year-old has enjoyed a magnificent 2021/22 season, proving to be the Reds’ best player as they hunt for an unprecedented quadruple.

However, Salah’s future has been up in the air in recent months, with a new deal not yet agreed and links to other clubs emerging at the same time.

Recent claims have suggested that a new contract could be agreed imminently, though, and another positive update has now emerged.

The Latest: Romano makes big claim about Salah

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Romano was adamant that Salah would not move countries this summer, which may suggest that he is likely to stay put at Anfield.

The journalist tweeted: “The situation hasn’t changed. Mo Salah doesn’t consider La Liga move a priority – he’s not planning to leave the Premier League.”

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The Verdict: Would he join a Premier League rival?

This suggests that Salah would only move to a fellow Premier League club this summer, which surely isn’t on the cards.

Only Manchester City would likely be able to both afford him and promise him trophies, and the Egyptian would surely never even consider a move to the Etihad Stadium given the affection he has been shown by the Anfield faithful during his five years on Merseyside.

It does feel as though Salah is edging towards signing that precious new deal – should it happen, it would feel like the biggest off-field moment of Liverpool’s season, given the Egyptian’s never-ending heroics in a red shirt.

In other news, Liverpool reportedly want to sign an England international this summer. Find out who it is here.