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West Bromwich Albion are not the most renowned side for producing fine home-grown talent, but have been solid in their ability to churn out players who have gone on to impress in the English top-flight.

Chris Wood, Saido Berahino, Tyler Roberts and more are just some of the talents that have sprung up from their academy and were are similarly sturdy and reliable players.

Another who fits this mould and could be ready for a spot in the first team is Josh Shaw.

The 18-year-old left-back is yet to make any senior appearances but has made the step up from under-18s football with ease.

Having scored twice and assisted once in 25 games in the U18 Premier League, 12 further appearances in the Premier League 2 are indicative of someone who is not afraid to match up to the physical demands that older age groups might demand.

Conor Townsend is 29, so when his inevitable decline starts, given the intensity such a role requires, Shaw will be waiting patiently in the wings ready to take his place.

It is a testament to his ability that the Baggies spent the summer resisting advances from Premier League clubs who were desperate to tempt the youngster from the Hawthorns

With Taylor Garder-Hickman and Dara O’Shea acting as a prime examples of the pathway from youth football into the starting side, Shaw will feel confident he can be the next to make the step up.

His U18s boss Peter Gilbert had the following to say about his potential:

“Josh has improved, keeps getting better and it’s been an upward curve in his career since moving to West Brom”

Not only this, but his versatility makes him a further asset to the side he hopes to break into. With an ability to play left wing, he is clearly a forward-thinking full-back.

He could certainly improve a West Brom side that has scored just 14 in nine games this season, with five of them coming in one game.

They are in desperate need of some freshness in their side, and Steve Bruce must consider unleashing this teenage sensation to propel them away from their current 20th position.

Bukayo Saka is close to signing a contract extension at Arsenal…

What’s the word?

The 20-year-old has hinted that he could be close to a new deal after the England international agreed with manager Mikel Arteta that an agreement was close, as per the Independent.

“I am very confident that we as a club and Bukayo, his family, his agent, everybody, we are very much aligned in what we want to achieve. And now it is about putting it on a piece of paper,” the Spaniard claimed earlier this month.

Speaking after a recent win over Fulham, Saka re-iterated his manager’s confidence, claiming:

“Yes, I share his confidence. I really feel the love from my teammates, my coaches and the fans as well. So yeah, I really feel loved here.”

Best business yet

This could be the Gunners’ best business yet this summer as Saka is an integral part of not just Arteta’s project at the Emirates Stadium but for the club as a whole, having graduated from the Hale End academy.

Some of the Premier League’s elite have been mooted with interest in the versatile wide man, including Liverpool and Manchester City, so this update will surely put to bed potential exit rumours – he’d have cost in excess of £150m, according to some.

The Athletic’s Amy Lawrence has since described this development as “fantastic news” – and it’s easy to see why.

Forget about Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko or Fabio Vieira, Saka’s long-term commitment to Arsenal will be the best decision that technical director Edu Gaspar could make.

Last season, the England sensation led the squad for goals (11), assists (seven) and shots per game (2.6), which resulted in him ranking as Arteta’s best-performing player, as per WhoScored figures.

Such form also saw club legend Ray Parlour describe him as a “revelation” to talkSPORT.

“The way he took his goal today, it was fantastic. His movement, his runs off the ball, he’s got so much intelligence. He really can play anywhere.

“The England call up and playing regularly for England now has given him more belief. He can be anything he wants to be.

“If he can keep working hard, keep his feet on the ground – which I know he has done because I’ve met him a number of times, he’s a really humble guy and really wants to work – then he can be a massive player for Arsenal going forward, and for England in major competitions.”

He’s certainly already become a ‘massive player’ for the Gunners and there will be very few, if any, disappointed by this news around the red side of north London.

AND in other news. Arsenal could land “outrageous” 6th signing with £17m bargain who’s “destined” to join…

Following Glasgow Rangers’ terrific 3-0 victory against Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday which overturned the 2-0 defeat in the first leg and ensured passage into the Champions League play-off tie, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side welcome St Johnstone to Ibrox on Saturday.

The Premiership clash offers the Ibrox side a chance to make it three wins from three on league duty and continue building the momentum ahead of the crucial tie against PSV next Tuesday.

There are no fresh injury concerns for Rangers heading into the tie, with only Ianis Hagi and Filip Helander currently on the treatment table with long-term problems.

Van Bronckhorst will be expecting to see a repeat of Tuesday’s performance against a side who will surely apply a low block and try to ensure it’s a frustrating 90 minutes for the home crowd.

Predicted starting XI

In goal, Jon McLaughlin will continue his no.1 duties, having taken over from club legend Allan McGregor, who is a more than able deputy if needed.

The back four will remain unchanged from Tuesday, with James Tavernier and Borna Barisic taking up their usual spots, with James Sands and Connor Goldson aiming for their third clean sheet in a row at the heart of the defence.

There will be one change in midfield, with Glen Kamara replacing Scott Arfield and he will feature in a midfield three containing Tuesday’s star Tom Lawrence and John Lundstram.

The front three will see the biggest change, with club talisman Alfredo Morelos, who scored on his return against Kilmarnock last week as the Dutchman dubbed him “very important”, will replace £1.8m Antonio Colak in the starting XI. The “terrific” finisher is key to the Gers success and he will be supported by Ryan Kent from the left and Malik Tillman from the right.

The young American scored the goal that ultimately won the tie against USG on Tuesday evening and he has settled into life well in Glasgow.

Predicted Rangers XI (4-3-3): McLaughlin; Barisic, Goldson, Sands, Tavernier; Lawrence, Kamara, Lundstram; Kent, Morelos, Tillman.

Sky Sports pundit Alex McLeish has slammed Julian Nagelsmann’s comments where he opened the door to Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane regarding a future move to Bayern Munich.

The Lowdown: Nagelsmann’s comments

As reported by Sky Sports, the Bayern boss recently raised the possibility of a future move for the England skipper.

He claimed the 29-year-old would “score a lot” in the Bundesliga, before adding “we will see what happens in the future” – as speculation continues to emerge over a possible transfer next summer.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte was left furious with Nagelsmann’s comments, labelling them ‘disrespectful’ during his own press conference last week.

The Latest: McLeish’s claim

McLeish, who regularly features as a pundit for Sky Sports, has weighed in on the situation, offering his support for the Premier League manager.

Speaking with Football Insider, the former Aston Villa boss claimed: “I think that’s out of order.

“For some reason, in our country, you don’t get away with that. You were warned by the FA about saying things about other clubs.

“If there were players who were going out of contract and you were talking publicly about them, you just don’t do that.

“It’s part of the bond between managers throughout the world. You can admire Harry Kane but you can’t say you are going to upset Spurs and talk about Kane on the back pages of German newspapers.

“For me, Conte is correct. It’s unsettling for some players when they see that.

“Not Harry Kane, he is mature and he has already stated that he wants to play for Conte.

“That is what will happen for the foreseeable future, there is no doubt about it. He won’t be going to Bayern.”

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The Verdict: Kane won’t be phased

Kane has already shown that he is not unsettled at Tottenham following the comments linking him with a move to the German giants.

The superstar striker has been smashing the goals in during pre-season – showcasing his sharpness ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

However, with less than two years left on his Lilywhites contract, the longer Kane hasn’t signed an extension with Spurs, fans will begin to worry about their star man’s future at the North London club.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is ‘really pushing’ to sign Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: ‘Official proposal’

The Red Devils are finally making progress in the transfer market ahead of the 52-year-old’s first season in charge at Old Trafford. United look set to sign Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia and have also reached a verbal agreement with free agent Christian Eriksen.

They also appear to be getting closer to agreeing a fee with Barcelona for priority target Frenkie de Jong and have recently made an ‘official proposal’ to Martinez.

The Latest: Romano’s comments

Romano has now shed further light on the situation involving Martinez and Manchester United, claiming that the Argentine is well aware that Ten Hag ‘is really pushing’ to bring him to Old Trafford.

The Italian told GiveMeSport: “At the moment, the man who is pushing is Erik ten Hag and so this could be a factor. The player has not decided yet, but he knows that Erik ten Hag can be a factor. The player knows that Erik is really pushing to have him at Manchester United.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

Martinez was described as an “excellent player” by Ten Hag and was a regular under the Dutchman at the Johan Cruyff Arena last season prior to suffering a muscular injury in April.

He played his part in an Ajax team which conceded just 19 goals in 34 league games, whereas United had a season to forget at the back, shipping more goals than relegated Burnley.

Therefore, signing a tried and trusted defender under Ten Hag appears to be a no-brainer, especially with Martinez also able to cover at full-back and in midfield and being at the peak of his powers with a career-high £28.8m Transfermarkt valuation.

Newcastle United are in ongoing contact over the potential signing of Christian Eriksen this summer.

The Lowdown: Offer considered

It was reported last week that Eriksen is considering contract offers from a number of clubs in the Premier League, including the St. James’ Park outfit.

He is now officially a free agent after his short-term deal at Brentford expired, and so with no transfer fee to be paid, there is set to be a fierce battle for his signature, with Manchester United also hopeful they can secure a Bosman deal.

The Latest: Talks still open

Taking to Twitter, NewcastleWorld journalist Jordan Cronin has revealed that the North East club ‘remain interested’ in signing Eriksen, and the lines of contact between them and his representatives are still ‘very much open’:

“NUFC remain interested in signing Christian Eriksen. Lines of contact between the Magpies and Eriksen’s representatives remain very much open, despite reports of a two-horse race between MUFC and Brentford.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

If they can get it done, signing Eriksen on a free transfer is surely a no-brainer for the Tynesiders.

Dubbed ‘world class’ by Brentford manager Thomas Frank, his average rating of 7.37 in the Premier League last season was only bettered by Kieran Trippier (7.38) in Eddie Howe’s squad, while none of the Magpies squad averaged more shots, key passes or crosses per match than the 30-year-old.

Indeed, Eriksen reminded the footballing world what he is still capable of after returning from his scare at Euro 2020, and hailed as a ‘superstar‘ by former Bees teammate Pontus Jansson, signing him would no doubt be a real coup for the Magpies.

A big Newcastle United transfer twist has emerged on their interest in Dean Henderson with the summer transfer window set to open on Friday.

What’s the talk?

90min reporter Graeme Bailey has claimed that the club’s sporting director is behind the call to drop their pursuit of the shot-stopper.

He Tweeted: “One of Dan Ashworth’s first deals and he is now on top of everything. It is believed he is the main reason Newcastle have stepped back from Dean Henderson deal.”

This comes after Dean Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that he was surprised by the Magpies going back on their interest in the Englishman:

“It’s come as a bit of a surprise, but there is one source inside the club now that is indicating to people that he is not going to be pursued any longer, which definitely isn’t the message we’ve been getting from other people around the ownership up to now. So, that’s interesting.”

Supporters will be delighted

The supporters will be delighted with this news as it shows that Ashworth is looking to make his mark instantly and is willing to be ruthless with his decision making on Tyneside.

As per Jones’ comments, there was interest from Newcastle in Henderson earlier in the summer and Bailey has now revealed that the sporting director coming in has changed that. This shows that he is prepared to tell others that they are wrong, as he has seemingly told those at the club who wanted to sign the goalkeeper that it is not a signing the team needs to make.

Irrespective of whether or not the fans agree with this specific decision, the supporters will love that he is willing to make tough decisions and is not going to pander to any calls that were made before he arrived at St. James’ Park.

This bodes well for the remainder of the window as fans can now expect him to take decisive action on targets, both in terms of players he wants to sign and those – like Henderson – who are recommended to him and he does not want to bring in.

Supporters will, therefore, be delighted with this update and will now be hoping that his strong leadership in the sporting director role leads to an excellent summer window that improves Eddie Howe’s squad.

AND in other news, Ashworth now plotting NUFC bid for £20m gem with “no nerves”, he’s a huge Burn upgrade…

A big Ibrox development has emerged regarding Rangers and their plans with Ianis Hagi for the upcoming summer transfer window. 

What’s the talk?

Twitter transfer account The 4th Official has confirmed that the Premiership giants will not be cashing in on the winger ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

They tweeted: “Rangers have zero intention of selling Ianis Hagi. There is a feeling that this is a lowball offer that is done primarily to unsettle the player.”

This comes after reports of a €7m (£6m) bid from Galatasaray in an attempt to snap up the Romanian from Ibrox, with Ross Wilson rejecting the Turkish club’s offer.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be delighted

The Gers head coach will be delighted with this news, as it suggests that Hagi will be at Ibrox come the end of the summer transfer window.

He will be buzzing with Wilson’s reluctance to do a deal for the Romania international, as it shows that the club are willing to stand firm and fight to keep hold of their best players. They will not roll over and allow European suitors to take away their most prized gems without paying a hefty price for them.

Van Bronckhorst can therefore have faith that those making the decisions above him will do what is in the best interests of what happens on the pitch, rather than taking the £6m offer and banking the money to the detriment to the team.

Former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard previously lauded the 23-year-old’s mentality, saying: “We’re really happy with Ianis Hagi, he’s a joy to work with.

“He’s a student of the game. He’s always looking at areas to improve, whether that be from a physical point of view or tactically or technically. He’s someone you have to drag off the training ground.

“Ianis is always in the analyst department too. He’s never out of the gym, so he’s an absolute dream to work with, very low maintenance. We’re delighted with how he is developing and progressing and we’re happy to have him.”

These comments suggest that the midfielder is unlikely to be affected by any mind games at play with Galatasaray’s bid, as he is a hard worker and will not want to cause any issues which may affect his development by agitating for a move.

Hagi’s drive to be the best is also another reason why Van Bronckhorst will be delighted by Rangers’ stance on his situation. The Dutch head coach will surely be excited to work with the midfielder upon his return from injury, as he has shown that he has an appetite to develop and hone his skills.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Souttar: Rangers can seal dream deal by signing 23 y/o “real leader”…

Manchester United have reportedly made contact with Everton forward Richarlison ahead of a possible summer swoop.

The Lowdown: Richarlison in England

Richarlison, labelled as a ‘match-winner’ by Kevin Campbell, has been plying his trade in England since 2017.

He impressed with Watford in his first year in the top flight which resulted in Everton spending over £35m on his services. Since then, the Brazilian has made more than 150 appearances for the Toffees, scoring 52 times, including 10 this season.

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He’s played a key role in Everton’s attempts to avoid the drop, and it looks as if a move to work with Erik ten hag at Old Trafford could be on the cards.

The Latest: United contact

Sports Witness shared an update from Goal regarding Richarlison on Tuesday. They claim that United, along with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, have made contact to learn conditions over a move and are all in the running for his services.

The report adds that Everton are yet to name a price for their star attacker, however, United are willing to ‘invest’ in the 25-year-old.

The Verdict: Shrewd?

Richarlison has played as a centre forward and as a left-winger this season, two areas of the pitch where Ten Hag may be looking to strengthen this summer.

He could have limited options in both positions, should Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford depart, as has been rumoured, so Richarlison could be a smart signing based on his versatility and experience in the Premier League.

You’d expect that his asking price would fall if Everton dropped down to the Championship, but if they remain in the top flight, then perhaps United would have to pay over his £45m Transfermarkt valuation as he enters the final two years of his Goodison Park deal.

In other news: Agreement reached: Man Utd now strike deal for ‘top’ gem who ‘dominates’ on the ball. 

Having made a habit of winning Test matches from tough situations, they channeled all those fightbacks into a supreme performance after losing two days to rain

Mohammad Isam in Wellington12-Mar-2019When Bangladesh’s fast bowlers posed their biggest challenge in Wellington, for about an hour on the fourth morning, New Zealand fought and scrapped and eventually began to dominate. As Ross Taylor put it at the end of the day’s play, it was an effort to “earn the right to dictate terms in the last session”. New Zealand, having established a 221-run first-innings lead, took three wickets in that period, putting themselves on the road to an eventual innings-and-12-run win, which they completed on the fifth morning.With that, they wrapped up their fifth consecutive series win, an unprecedented feat in their Test history. They have now made winning Test matches a habit, often after coming through trying situations. Here in Wellington, they faced a side struggling against the short ball and carrying a weak pace attack, but they had to find a way to squeeze out a win in limited time after losing two full days to rain.At the same venue and against the same opponents two years ago, New Zealand battled back from conceding 595 for 8 to win the Test in the last session. In Christchurch last year, they had to rely on their lower order to get the draw against England and ensure a 1-0 series win. Then they beat Pakistan by four runs in Abu Dhabi, lost the next Test, and bounced back in the third to seal a historic away series win.More recently, when Sri Lanka reduced them to 64 for 6 on the first day in Christchurch in December, New Zealand had to scrap once again, Tim Southee their unlikely saviour with the bat as they recovered to post 178. They later hit back through Trent Boult, Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls, and eventually beat the visitors by 423 runs.New Zealand channeled all those hard-fought wins into their play on the fourth day of this Test. Taylor battled through Abu Jayed’s blustery new-ball spell, and rode his luck after being dropped twice in the same over and being beaten numerous times. Still, he counter-attacked on his way to a third double-hundred in Tests. It was even harder, at least physically, for Kane Williamson, who batted through a shoulder injury. His struggle was visible whenever he took his left hand off his handle, wincing at the impact of ball on bat.Trent Boult takes a catch•Getty Images”I was trying to talk him through it,” Taylor said. “He was in a lot of pain, a lot of discomfort, and it showed just what a classy knock that was, not to be 100% and still go out and get 70-odd.”Taylor said keeping the run rate up was New Zealand’s way of grabbing control of the game,”[Given] the game situation, being a three-day Test, we had to be a bit more proactive and score quickly and try first of all to get a lead and try to build it up as quick as possible to give our bowlers a bit of a chance. I think the way Henry Nicholls [batted] and the partnership with Kane was outstanding,” he explained.Even when Bangladesh put up a bit of resistance on the fifth morning, New Zealand’s pace attack found a way to break through. Neil Wagner finished with his second five-wicket haul in as many games while Boult took four wickets.These mini fightbacks have come from every department. While the batsmen and bowlers have been in excellent collective form for a long time now, New Zealand’s catching and fielding, and their overall preparation, give them an edge over many other Test teams. An excellent seam attack and a wide pool of spinners (Mitchell Santner now has competition from Ish Sodhi, Todd Astle, Ajaz Patel and William Somerville) gives them a range of resources to deploy in different conditions.With much of world cricket focused on the World Cup, New Zealand can also rest assured that they have put in place the building blocks for the World Test Championship when it comes around later this year. They are the No. 2 Test team in the world at the moment, and they will only grow stronger with every fightback, and every time they find a new match-winner.