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West Ham are preparing to launch a late bid for Rangers right-back James Tavernier before Monday’s deadline but Steven Gerrard’s side must keep the club captain at all costs.

What’s the word?

According to a TEAMtalk exclusive, West Ham are looking for reinforcements at the back before the transfer window closes.

And David Moyes’ side are interested in the skipper even though Rangers have insisted that he is not for sale.

However, as we all know, anything can happen between now and the end of the transfer window, so Gers fans will have to keep their fingers crossed that he stays for the foreseeable future.

It remains to be seen how much it will take to prise Tavernier away from the Ibrox Stadium with the Englishman valued at a mere £4.5m on Transfermarkt, a short fall from £5.4m this time last year, but so far the Gers are refusing to sell him.

Keep Tavernier at all costs!

It is no secret that Tavernier has turned out to be a real bargain worth every bit of the £250k fee the club paid for him back in 2015.

This season, the Bradford-born right-back has scored six goals and supplied four assists in 11 games at the time of writing, taking 2 shots, averaging 2.3 key passes and 2.4 tackles per game in the Scottish Premiership so far, via WhoScored.

Over the course of his career at the Ibrox club, the Newcastle academy graduate has netted 52 times in over 250 appearances, incredible numbers for a right-back, with the majority of his goals coming in the Premiership.

Combined with 78 assists in as many matches, these kind of numbers would be hard to replace, especially considering the current circumstances.

Gerrard openly admitted he is his dream player because of how he conducts himself on-and-off the pitch.

Thankfully, the board seems to be in no rush to sell one of their key players, whilst more importantly the 28-year-old is happy to be where he is at the moment.

AND in other news, Defoe and Hagi start, no Cedric Kitten: Predicted Rangers XI vs Galatasaray… 

The Premier League may still remain a few weeks away from getting underway, but Tottenham are already facing a major issue in this summer transfer window.

One of the north London side’s main priorities has been to strengthen the right-back position, with Kyle Walker-Peters already having joined fellow Premier League side Southampton.

But Ivory Coast international Serge Aurier is also being linked with an exit, with The Telegraph recently claiming that Spurs are aiming to raise funds for the signing of Lille’s Zeki Celik by letting the former go.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…



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However, The Evening Standard have suggested in recent days that Spurs’ asking price of £22m for Aurier is putting off potential suitors Milan, who are only willing to go up to £13m for the right-back.

Whilst Daniel Levy is understandably looking to secure the best money possible for one of his first-team players, he is risking delaying Celik’s signing or even completely missing out on him.

The sooner Mourinho gets some of his key transfer targets in, the sooner he can get to work on the training ground with them. With Spurs facing a hectic schedule at the start of the new campaign thanks to having to take part in the qualifying rounds for the Europa League, every day that the Lilywhites boss gets to train with his players will be vital.

Levy being his usually stringent self could leave Spurs in a major pickle for the opening games of the Premier League season, with either an unwanted Aurier still at the club, or no replacement full-back having being bought.

Compromising on Aurier’s asking price and getting a deal agreed for him will allow Spurs to quickly move on from the £70k-a-week star, and give Mourinho the time to actually start planning for the new campaign.

Chelsea are still on the hunt for a new goalkeeper as they continue their lavish summer spending spree.

The Blues have made some pretty big statements so far by welcoming the likes of Timo Werner and Ben Chilwell through the door. But one problematic area still to be remedied is Frank Lampard’s options between the sticks.

According to Football Insider, Chelsea have their eye on Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and initial contact has been made.

The West Londoners are eager to find a replacement for Kepa Arrizabalaga, who has fallen short of the mark with his recent performances. Lampard has made it clear that the Spaniard is no longer part of his plans moving forward. For that reason, he has been monitoring the situation of several goalkeepers, including Jan Oblak.

However, with Atletico Madrid not budging on the Slovenian’s £110 million release clause, the Blues have turned their attention to the Rennes shot-stopper instead.

The Ligue 1 outfit have demanded £45 million for the 28-year-old, which could prove to be a problem for Chelsea who reportedly only want to pay £22million.

This could simply be a tactic from Chelsea to try and lower Mendy’s asking price, with Marina Granovskaia known for her exceptional business deals.

The club were highly considering making a move for Oblak before they considered other options, despite his hefty buy-out clause. Plus, with Roman Abramovich backing Lampard’s decisions, the Blues aren’t short of cash to make the move happen.

Mendy missed just four league games last season and in his 24 appearances, managed to keep nine clean sheets (via Transfermarkt). The Senegal international has also been capped twice for his country.

Chelsea have started to shop smart, including the signing of Chilwell who will bolster their options across the backline. With Declan Rice also linked with signing, bringing in a goalkeeper would round off a very successful window for Lampard and Co.

Arguably, the Blues are a new goalkeeper away from being serious title contenders for the upcoming campaign.

Should Chelsea sign Edouard Mendy? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Glasgow Rangers have had some wonderful players down the years, but arguably none have been quite as good as Brian Laudrup.

The Denmark international had already had an illustrious career by the time he rocked up at Ibrox in 1994 for £2.5m, having appeared for the likes of AC Milan and Bayern Munich and having won the 1992 European Championships with Denmark. Across four years with the 54-time Scottish champions, Laudrup wrote himself into the club’s history books, scoring over 30 goals in more than 100 Scottish Premiership matches, and lighting up the whole of Scottish football along the way.

It appears he still has an affinity with the club as well. On Instagram, he shared a photo of himself with one of his old shirts with the caption: “Rumours say the no.11 is still vacant.”

This was shared on Twitter, and it has attracted the attention of the Gers supporters – as you can imagine, there have been plenty of comments that he could still do a job. They have taken to the social media platform to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best reactions below.

Let us know what you think!

According to Football Insider, West Brom are hoping to sign Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy before the end of the transfer window. 

The Baggies have made the 23-year-old their number one target, as they seek to replace Harvey Barnes before the end of the month after the 21-year-old returned to parent club Leicester.

The winger has struggled for game time at St James’ Park so far this season, although he did start in The Magpies’ recent FA Cup loss to Watford. Other than that, he has managed just three starts in the Premier League, and he will surely want a move away from the club in order to play more often. He only signed for Newcastle in the summer, but it looks as though it has not worked out.

However, West Brom could seriously profit from the player’s unhappiness currently, and a signing like this could inject a lot of optimism at The Hawthorns. Being in the Premier League, Murphy would be player that provides a lot of quality to an already exciting West Brom team. What would make this move so enticing to Murphy is that manager Darren Moore likes to play an attacking brand of football which has seen the likes of Barnes, Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle thrive this season. In contrast, Newcastle manager Rafa Benítez adopts a slightly more conservative style that could irritate a winger like Murphy.

With The Baggies chasing promotion back to the Premier League, this is the kind of signing that will boost spirits this season and put them in good stead for next term.

Cristiano Ronaldo demands the best of himself and those around him, but Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez insists he is not “difficult or complicated”.

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Portuguese superstar now a historic greatWants to be the best at all times Does not make life difficult for colleaguesWHAT HAPPENED?

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has broken countless records down the years – while collecting league titles in England, Spain and Italy alongside five Champions League crowns – as a result of his pursuit of perfection. Ronaldo has strived for continuous improvement over the course of his remarkable career.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mexican frontman Hernandez briefly worked alongside the Portuguese superstar at Real Madrid in 2014-15 – as Ronaldo posted a personal best goal return of 61 that season – and has been in awe of the all-time great before, during and after that stint at Santiago Bernabeu.

WHAT THEY SAID

Hernandez has told of his time in Spain working alongside one of the very best to have ever played the game: “I always divided it as the first six months being very complicated because I played practically nothing. Some unfortunate injuries arose and I was given an opportunity in the second part, which was extraordinary and unique. Cristiano was phenomenal in the locker room and also in his way of being. I don’t think I have met or seen a player, who has come out to say that Cristiano is a difficult or complicated person. Cris is Cris. We know his personality and competitiveness, but as a team-mate that is one of the things you cannot take away.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Ronaldo and Hernandez are now plying their trade outside of Europe, with the former in Saudi Arabia at Al-Nassr while the latter is enjoying a fourth season with the LA Galaxy in MLS – with Lionel Messi now a direct rival for major honours in the United States.

Lionel Messi will play some part for Inter Miami in their friendly against New York City FC, with the Ballon d’Or set to be paraded in Florida.

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All-time great named best player on the planetMLS season already over for Inter MiamiOne more game to take in on home soilWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine icon has been named the best player on the planet for the eighth time in his record-breaking career. In an effort to recognise that success, while also bringing the 2023 campaign to a close in front of home supporters at DRV PNK Stadium, a meeting with NYCFC will take place on Friday.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Said occasion is being billed as “Noche d’Or” night, with a pre-game ceremony set to see the prestigious Golden Ball on show as MLS commissioner Don Garber and Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas speak to the crowds. Inter Miami coach Tata Martino has said of Messi’s involvement in a game that will be all about him: “Of course, (Leo) will play because he is the star of this match. We want to be with him to celebrate his Ballon d’Or, but also it is an opportunity to return to competition, even though it’s a friendly, so people can see Leo and his team-mates on the field one more time and bid farewell to this season.”

WHAT THEY SAID

Inter Miami stars will hit their off-season break after facing New York City – with some still having international action to take in this month – and plans are being drawn up for further friendly dates when the club’s 2024 pre-season campaign gets underway on January 10. Martino added on getting more matches lined up – with there talk of facing Newell’s Old Boys at some stage, the team that helped to put Messi on a path to superstardom: “Over the past few days we have been having conversations between the sporting side and the business side about all our needs, obviously with the sporting side as the priority. We have looked at scenarios of having some of the pre-season in Florida, some abroad, but nothing has been confirmed. We want to have a pre-season of approximately 40 days.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Inter Miami had been due to take in a two-game tour of China this month, but those plans have been cancelled. The curtain will instead come down on the 2023 season in the club’s own backyard, with Messi having delivered a historic Leagues Cup triumph in his debut campaign, while also helping his new employers to the U.S. Open Cup final.

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Discover our top six streaming devices and why they should star in your gadget lineup

Calling all cable cutters! It’s an exciting time to be you. 

Streaming devices are the top tier of flexible viewing, bringing all the streaming services you use into one neat location. Whether you’re looking for live coverage of the Premier League or some pithy life lessons from Jose Mourinho in Netflix’s “The Playbook”, you’re covered with the click of a button. If that's not enough, any device worth its salt features 4k and HDR content, so you've always got a front-row seat.

There are a lot of streaming devices to choose from. To fast-track you to the right one for your budget, we've put together our six best and brightest.

What to consider: Essential Visual QualityInterface Apps in the device library App and content Loading speedPricingAdditionalSmart device functions AdvertisementsDolby audio and visual compatibilityOur Top Six Streaming DevicesRoku Streaming Stick 4k [$49.99]Roku Express 4k [ $39.99]Nvidia Shield TV [$149.99]Chromecast with Google TV 4k [$49.99]Amazon Firestick 4k max [$54.99]Apple TV 4k [$129.99]

We've weighed up the merits of each, so you can decide which gets the sacred spot in your living room.

Whether you're buying on a budget, or on the hunt for premium visuals that put you a hairbreadth from the action, there's something for you.

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Best Cable and Satellite providers for live sports streamingBest streaming services for live sports in 2023

You can also find league and competition schedules for your favorite teams using GOAL's streaming services.

FAQSDo I have to pay monthly for my device?

No, your streaming device is a one-off purchase. However, streaming services and channels accessed via your streaming device (e.g., Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Paramount+) will require you to pay a monthly subscription. 

Will I have access to every channel?

Most devices have access to the big streaming apps you need. However, if you’re looking to stream specific leagues and games, it’s essential to check which services broadcast them and whether those services are available through that device.

Are additional features worth the extra cost?

That depends. For most people watching the big game in 4k with HDR is more than enough to feel close to the action. But if you want a cinematic experience with every watch and are willing to invest, the likes of Dolby Audio and visuals will provide a more immersive viewing experience. 

Best streaming devices

Roku Express 4k is hands down the best on the market for those wanting quality streaming on a budget.  It’s one of the only 4k services available for under $50, offering good app variety and loading speeds. Express includes Airplay, so it can be synchronized across Apple devices. It’s an affordable all-rounder. 

The Nvidia Shield 4k is an accomplished all-rounder. It’s one of the pricier dishes on the menu as a result, but well worth it if it fits your budget. Nvidia Shield TV is an Android device that comes with 4K streaming and HDR, lightning-fast loading, and a responsive, user-friendly dashboard. Its extensive app library gives you up to 5000 channels.

If that’s not enough, you get all the smart features you could ask for, with built-in Google Assistant, smart home control, network data storage and file sharing, and DVR storage for live TV recording through HDHomeRun.

Say hello to smart streaming. Chromecast offers 4k, HDR and is a reliable option for live TV.  However, its greatest strengths are its smart device features, offering Google assistance via the voice-controlled remote and smart home control. Chromecast also integrates seamlessly with other Google-run platforms, such as YouTube and Google Photos.

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Supporting Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Vision, the Amazon Fire Stick 4k Max offers impressive loading speeds and high-quality visuals if you have the appropriate router. Similarly to Google Chromecast, the Amazon Fire Stick is well integrated with other services from the provider.  The Fire Stick 4k Max features Alexa to help you search for your favorite channels, as well as smart home control and a huge variety of apps.

After suffering Premier League relegation at Elland Road, the midfielder has the perfect platform to recover in the Bundesliga

Last season, Brenden Aaronson waded through a field of manure, but he's come out of the other side smelling of roses. While his Leeds team-mates prepare for a season in the Championship following their relegation, Aaronson will be competing at European football's top table.

The United States men's national team star has completed a loan switch to Union Berlin, and, owing to their incredible fourth-place finish last campaign, the minnows will be involved in the 2023-24 Champions League group stages.

Union's ascension to the grandest stage of them all would have seemed ludicrous just a few short years ago. But rise they have, thanks in part to a feverishly-devoted group of fans that refused to let the club die.

Aaronson is therefore joining an intriguing project in the German capital. It's also a move that makes sense, providing him with the platform to bounce back from a seriously difficult spell in England.

Getty ImagesScruffy underdogs

That Union Berlin have found themselves in a strong enough position to sign a player of Aaronson's profile is startling, considering they were playing in the fourth tier of German football as recently as 2006. These fluctuating fortunes neatly sum up the Iron Ones' history as a whole. The current iteration of the club was formed in 1965, though their lineage can be traced significantly further back than that.

Located on the East side of the Berlin Wall, they were hardly a powerhouse in the German Democratic Republic, a fact made all the more jarring by their splinter team, that formed in West Germany after the Soviets banned the club from all-German competitions, enjoying significant success. The 10 successive league titles won by local rivals Berlin FC Dynamo – who had links to the secret police – similarly acted to strengthen Union's status as scruffy underdogs.

Being 'outsiders', if not entirely anti-establishment, is another key aspect of their identity. The dominance of Berlin FC made it easy for supporters to embrace this image, as did their ramshackle stadium, the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei.

"When I started going in 1973, the stadium hadn’t been expanded yet, so the fans were packed in tight and the atmosphere was really one of a kind," one fan recalled in a illuminating piece for in 2018.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesOvertly counter-cultural?

During the late 1970s, Union's reputation as a 'safe' haven for those in opposition to the GDR regime blossomed. Although there remained a degree of restraint, there was a growing tide of shrouded dissent at matches in this period.

A personal favourite of some supporters was chanting 'The Wall has to go' whenever a team had a free-kick in a dangerous position. There is also claims that shouts of 'Stasi Out!' and 'Sh*t Dynamo' were aired on the terraces.

Perhaps the most open defiance to the status quo was Union fans' friendship with Hertha Berlin. The two clubs were based on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall, but Hertha fans would travel to games when their own team was playing away, singing provocative songs en route to the stadium which claimed that two sets of supporters 'belonged together'.

The above led to the authorities monitoring sections of the Union support closely. Police records show that those of the red side of the Berlin derby were also more likely to be punished than their FC Berlin counterparts if there was ever crowd trouble – which there frequently was.

Despite all this, there are limits to Union's reputation as counter-culture hell raisers, according to several who were there. “The great majority of Union supporters were just normal fans. By the end of the 1980s, many people had had it up to here [with the GDR] and came to Union games to get their unhappiness off their chest," long-time fan Theo Koerner has recalled. "Union fans were always quick, but you shouldn’t make resistance fighters out of them. Provocation is a part of football and people yelled out whatever they knew they could get away with without too much trouble."

Getty ImagesFighting to survive

Following the reunification of Germany in the early 1990s, many GDR-based clubs found it extremely difficult to sustain themselves. Union were no different. Lumbered with a stadium that was in dire need of improvement and an unsavoury minority of far-right supporters, they seemed a million miles away from reaching the Bundesliga, let alone the Champions League.

Fumbling around in the third tier, a solution was eventually found for their infrastructure problems, with supporters reaching into their own pockets to fund the stadium redevelopment.

It was not the first time that Union fans had shown ingenuity to keep the club afloat. During a particularly worrying period, supporters would give their ticket money to shady go-betweens in the forest surrounding the stadium. This helped keep the revenue away from their creditors who were crawling all over the books, with the money instead being used to make much-needed improvements around the club.

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A miraculous rise to the top

Following decades of perilous instability, Union finally got themselves on an even keel in the 2000s. In 2006, they won promotion back to the third tier, but they were not there for long.

After finishing 12th and fourth, they romped to the 3.Liga title in 2009, with club legend Karim Benyamina netting 16 goals. His No.22 jersey was retired in 2011 and will only be worn again if someone is able to break his all-time scoring record.

Union had little trouble establishing themselves in the 2.Bundesliga following promotion, recording a string of mid-table finishes before flirting with promotion during the 2016-17 campaign. Although they eventually fell short, just two years later they would secure Bundesliga status, finishing third before beating fallen giants Stuttgart on away goals in a dramatic relegation play-off.

After the full-time whistle sounded, the pitch was flooded by Union supporters. It felt like things could not get any better. In fact, it was only the start.

Jesse Marsch may have been sacked by Leeds, but there are other coaches in the U.S. who could be a success across the Atlantic

Jesse Marsch is out at Leeds and, as his time in the Premier League comes to an end, American soccer must reckon with what's happened and what comes next.

By getting jobs with Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig and Leeds, Marsch has managed at a level higher than any American that has preceded him. He's won league titles in Austria, coached in the Champions League and guided a team that looked out of ideas to Premier League survival.

It's a resume unmatched by any American manager, but he's not the only coach with the hopes and the ability to manage at a high level.

Several American coaches seem well on their way towards European jobs in the future, while there are also several familiar faces that could pop up at a top job somewhat soon.

And it's not just Americans that could use American soccer as a springboard, as there are several international coaches learning their trade in MLS who may soon want to be make the move across the Atlantic.

So who's the next Marsch or Patrick Vieira, coaches that have both used MLS as a springboard to Premier League jobs? GOAL takes a look at some candidates to make big waves sometime soon…

Getty ImagesGregg Berhalter

The former(?) U.S. men's national team coach has already tried his hand in Europe with Hammarby but, after a decent World Cup, Berhalter's next move could be back to the continent.

Media in Europe looked at the USMNT's performance in Qatar a bit more favorably than back home, with many left impressed by Berhalter's tactics. He's a veteran coach that also has playing experience abroad, so there shouldn't be any concerns about his ability to adapt to the European club game.

Berhalter, in many ways, is better suited for club level, where he can consistently work to implement his attacking philosophy. Doing so with a national team is difficult, and he's already proven he can win without too much financial backing during his time with the Columbus Crew.

However, the entire Reyna family situation is hanging over him, which could put off some clubs that would have previously been interested.

AdvertisementGettySteve Cherundolo

For years, Cherundolo has been earmarked for big things, and it feels like its only a matter of time before we see the Mayor of Hannover make his mark as a coach in europe.

Cherundolo spent 15 years with Hannover as a player, solidifying his place as a club legend. He then began to work his way up through the ranks in Germany, coaching youth teams at his former club while also serving as an assistant with Stuttgart and the Germany Under-15s.

He returned stateside to coach the Las Vegas Lights before taking over from Bob Bradley at LAFC. In his first season with the club, Cherundolo led LAFC to an elusive MLS Cup title, guiding one of the most star-studded rosters in the league's history to a memorable triumph.

There are still questions about Cherundolo as a coach, which is natural given his relative lack of experience. Some, meanwhile, will wonder how Cherundolo will fare this year with a vastly different LAFC team that likely won't have such a talent advantage.

However, if Cherundolo keeps the ship steady in Los Angeles, it's only a matter of time before Europe, most likely Germany, comes calling.

GettyJim Curtin

Curtin's stock continues to rise, and rightfully so.

A two-time MLS Coach of the Year, Curtin has helped build the Union from irrelevant to elite. And he's done so without spending much money, instead helping the club develop some of American soccer's best young talent and a few hidden gems to become one of the best clubs in MLS.

He's out of contract after the 2023 season and, once this MLS campaign is over, there's certainly a chance he decides to try something new. He's already hinted that he could, telling the that he'd be willing to leave for a USMNT assistant job.

At just 43, Curtin has plenty of time to evolve as a coach, and he's already shown he can play different styles with different players.

If there was one MLS coach most ready for Europe, it's probably Curtin. The question is what it would take to get him to go.

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GettyJosh Wolff

It's still very, very early for Josh Wolff, but his coaching career is off to a good start.

Wolff has helped build Austin FC from the ground up, taking over before the club's inaugural season and helping establish them as a legit MLS contender. Year one had its ups and downs, but the growth shown in year two was enough to prove that Wolff really knows what he's doing.

Austin is Wolff's first head coaching job, having previously served as an assistant under Berhalter in Columbus, so there's still a lot for him to learn and prove in the coming years. However, the early returns are promising.

Add in his playing experience, which includes 52 USMNT caps and some time abroad in Germany, and you have all the makings of a good young coach.