All posts by h716a5.icu

We’ve all been here before haven’t we Leeds fans? We’ve seen Elland Road graduates Sam Byram, Ronaldo Vieira and Lewis Cook all leave in recent years before being able to create a legacy at the club, and looking back even further it’s not a recent trend as James Milner, Fabian Delph and Aaron Lennon all did the same.

This time around the player in question is one that could have a really big future in the impressive winger Jack Clarke. According to recent reports from LondonFootballNews, the deal for Clarke to leave Yorkshire for London and join Tottenham is on the verge of completion, and it will bring mixed feelings amongst the Whites.

The fee that we’re talking about is that of £8.5m, a small figure for the Lilywhites who will be purchasing the youngster, although slightly more of a sizeable amount to receive for Leeds given their Championship status, and the fans shouldn’t be left disheartened by the fact that the youngster could be on his way.

The 18-year-old has so much time to either make or break his career, and whilst he made 25 appearances last season across all competitions for Marcelo Bielsa, he only completed 90 minutes twice and was left out of the squad and on the bench more than he would have liked as the season came to an end.

Despite those inconsistent minutes, the youngster still managed to provide two goals and two assists, all in the Championship, including the assist for a huge winner away at Sheffield United and the goal which started a festive turnaround at Villa Park from 2-0 to eventually win 3-2, stats via Transfermarkt.

This all makes great reading for Spurs fans and will have reminded Leeds fans what he can do, but ultimately at the age of 18 he was never going to be a man starting every week for Bielsa in the Championship for the 2019/20 season, and the chance to pocket just under £10m that can then be reinvested is too good to turn down.

If that money gets put into the right areas, which Bielsa will hopefully ensure happens, then only good things can happen at Elland Road and Thorpe Arch. It won’t be easy going at the Championship again next season after last season’s failings, but with the Clarke money, the Whites will have to be confident that good things can come in Bielsa’s second attempt and promotion.

Leeds fans, have we convinced you that selling Clarke would be a good thing? Comment below and let us know!

With Andy Carroll out the door and Javier Hernandez (AS) and Marko Arnautovic (Di Marzio) reportedly also heading in the same direction, a new striker seems to be a logical player on West Ham’s transfer list.

Maxi Gomez has long been rumoured with a move to east London with rumours of the Celta Vigo striker joining the club being reported by Sky Sports News as far back as January, but the Uruguayan hasn’t been the only striker linked with a move to West Ham, and a familiar name has entered the frame.

According to the Sun, the Hammers are interested in Bournemouth and England striker Callum Wilson and are plotting a £35 million move for the 27-year-old to fill the void left by the attackers who could potentially be leaving this summer, and although it is a hefty transfer fee, it would be a risk worth taking for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

Comparing the Cherries man to West Ham’s most prolific striker last season, Arnautovic, with stats from WhoScored, it’s clear to see that Wilson does a lot more to contribute to goals, scoring 14 and assisting 9 compared to the Austrian’s 10 goals and 4 assists.

The English international is also more likely to be fouled per 90 minutes, winning 1.1 fouls per game to Arnautovic’s 0.4 per game. However, the West Ham man is more likely to retain possession with the first touch as the striker has on average 1.7 bad touches per game compared to Wilson’s 3.2.

With a new striker needed this summer, it is clear to see that Wilson will be an improvement on what West Ham’s finest could produce last season and that despite the hefty price tag, the England international will be worth the financial risk.

West Ham fans, would you take Wilson this summer? Let us know!

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to La Gazette du Fennec, Arsenal are in “very advanced talks” to sign Yacine Brahimi on a free transfer this summer following the expiration of his deal with Porto.

What’s the word?

Brahimi’s five-year stay with the Portuguese giants came to an end this summer and the report claims that Unai Emery is keen to bring the Algerian international to the Emirates.

It adds that despite reported interest and potential competition from Turkish sides like Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas, Brahimi wants the “sporting and financial” rewards of a move to the Premier League.

Celtic fans aren’t happy about Arsenal’s bid for one of their key players…

A free transfer will likely mean the winger’s wage demands will be comparatively high and the Gunners may be expected to fork out a significant signing-on fee.

An unwise move

One of Arsenal’s biggest weaknesses last season was their lack of attacking potency from their wide players. Both Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi had underwhelming campaigns, particularly in terms of their end product, and so it has been no surprise to see Emery look towards signing a new winger.

But at 29-years-old, Brahimi – who is valued at £18.9m by Transfermarkt – may not be the answer to their solutions.

Despite scoring ten times in the Liga NOS last season, his performances in Porto’s Champions League run were virtually non-existent. His nine games in the competition heralded no goals and just two assists despite being considered one of the side’s most trusted weapons going forward.

Indeed, the Algerian’s creative numbers don’t make for particularly impressive reading if you’re Emery either. The Gunners boss is keen for his sides to dominate the ball and one of the big strengths last year was the number of crosses Sead Kolasinac and Hector Bellerin (when fit) put in.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Despite predominantly being an out-and-out winger though, Brahimi averaged a measly 0.2 crosses per game in the league and showed little signs of getting involved in the build-up play with just 30.8 passes per game.

So, whilst a free transfer for Brahimi might seem appealing at first, paying big-money wages and a huge signing-on fee for a 29-year-old who may not even be the type of player Emery wants or needs, would be a complete waste of money for the cash-strapped Gunners.

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On Friday, Newcastle United’s official website revealed that a number of youngsters had signed new contracts with the Magpies ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

Nathan Harker, Lewis Cass, Tom Allan, Owen Bailey, Liam Gibson, Mo Sangare, Oliver Walsh and Stefan O’Connor were first announced.

And then it was revealed that second-year scholars Jack Young, Dan Langley and Ryan Barrett have also signed professional contracts.

Eleven players in total and potentially a whole new team for the Magpies.

It is a difficult period for Newcastle with much-loved head coach Rafael Benitez leaving and a number of players being linked with moves away.

And with the exit of Ayoze Perez still fresh in mind, many of the club’s supporters feel that the youngsters might end up being the bulk of the first team next season.

Watch Newcastle United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It is a bit far-fetched and a number of comments were said tongue-in-cheek but the point is still very much there.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Leicester City’s summer has all of a sudden burst into life.

Last week they confirmed the addition of Ayoze Perez who arrived for a fee of £30m, a total which broke their transfer record after previously bringing Islam Slimani to the club for £1m less.

Yet, just a matter of days later, Youri Tielemans’ permanent switch to the Foxes was confirmed, smashing Perez’s record by £10m.

The club well and truly have lift off and after being subjected to a summer where Harry Maguire has been the main centre of attention, attracting a bid from Manchester United, the focus is now being directed elsewhere.

The signing of Perez, though, could be canny business. This is a player who ended last season by netting six goals in his final five outings for Newcastle but what have the experts said about him?

Luis Garcia, former Spanish international:

“He definitely deserves a try [in the Spain team] because he’s been amazing, it’s not easy in a team which is being rebuilt, hasn’t had much help for Rafael Benitez but every time he is on the pitch he delivers something special.

“He’s a very technical player, knows how to move to score goals and it is something that maybe Rafa was asking a little bit more [from him].”

Considering some of the great Spanish strikers that have gone before him, earning a call-up to the national side – as his compatriot Garcia alluded to on Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday (24/02/19, 12:26), via The Chronicle – would be quite something.

Interestingly, it’s something he’s reiterated he has a vision of achieving in the past.

Previously in 2017, he told Sky Sports, via The Chronicle that it was a dream to play for the national side, before revealing to Marca this year that he hoped the same ambition would come true.

In terms of the goals Garcia spoke about, his 2018/19 campaign was one of his best yet, finding the net 12 times as he ended the campaign as Newcastle’s top scorer.

Per Sky Sports, 62% of his shots were on target, which is hugely impressive and it’s that statistic that bodes particularly well for the Foxes going into next term.

He finished last season with an average of 1.5 shots per game, a tally that would have put him fifth in the shots per game leaderboard at Leicester.

Noel Whelan, commentator and ex-footballer:

“He’s always been a good player, we saw that there’s a spark in him, he’s got a change of pace, he’s good on the ball very intelligent player and when you’ve got those three things obviously clubs will be interested, especially at a club that have sort of struggled.”

Fascinatingly, Whelan tipped Perez for a move away from Newcastle when speaking to Football Insider earlier this year. He waxed lyrical about the Spaniard, hailing the new Leicester signing for what he can offer.

It’s clear Perez is an intelligent player by his all-round contribution to the side. Not only does he add goals but he’s also creative as well, boasting the ability to play in a variety of positions.

At Leicester there is a strong possibility that he could be preferred either on the right or behind Jamie Vardy, who will presumably continue to start in attack after thriving under Rodgers at the culmination of the 2018/19 season, scoring ten goals in the final 11 games of the Premier League season.

To provide evidence of just how intelligent he is, he created the same number of opportunities, 1.2 per game, as Tielemans managed in a Leicester shirt last term.

Could Daniel Sturridge be set to reunite with Brendan Rodgers? Check out the video below to find out…

Anton Toloui, Sky Sports reporter:

“He adds options to that frontline, they’ve got very direct options and Jamie Vardy probably needs some support behind him and they need a back up for James Maddison if he can’t play. He brings versatility and he brings pressing. He brings a certain defensive discipline to a team that Brendan Rodgers will absolutely love as well.”

Speaking to Sky Sports’ Good Morning Transfers as Leicester were in the middle of pursuing Perez, Toloui spoke about what exactly the 25-year-old can offer at Leicester.

After last season the Foxes desperately needed to add to their attacking options. Besides Vardy, who scored 18 and James Maddison, who netted seven, they lacked a coherent and consistent goal threat.

However, Perez will give them a refreshing option which, on paper, is far better than the four-goal Demarai Gray, someone he could rival on the right-hand side.

His ability to press, though, could be game-changing for Rodgers’ side.

Last season he managed particularly striking defensive statistics, making 1.6 tackles per game whilst managing a further 1.1 interceptions.

Verdict

It remains to be seen just how much of an impact Perez will have on the Leicester side but for £30m it’s likely the pressure will be on him to succeed.

The Foxes have already seen big money signings in Slimani and Kelechi Iheanacho fail, with the pair of them scoring just 13 and 10 goals respectively after their arrivals.

But despite that, the glowing reviews above are a demonstration of the quality he does indeed have.

From the expert opinions it’s clear he’s got more than one dimension to him, and that in itself should be conducive to a successful spell in the Midlands.

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Football’s biggest stars are probably used to getting some strange questions from their fans, but not many have topped the request Jesse Lingard received this week.

There’s waiting in line after every game, home and away, in the off-chance of getting some one-on-one time with your heroes. There’s stalking them on social media and replying to everything they tweet or post. And then, there’s asking them to sign your head.

And this is exactly what happened when Manchester United’s squad arrived in Australia, as players started mingling with fans almost immediately on arrival down under.

Lingard shared a video on

/Bz-sg2kH4i8/?utm_source=ig_embed” data-lasso->Instagram that shows this really weird request from one particularly excited young fan.

In the video, you can see how Lingard first signed his ball but then he was asked to do the same with the forehead. Of course, the 26 year-old Red Devil complied and made the young lad’s day, but even he must have been scratching his… head.

The attacking midfielder commented “that’s new” under his post, and will now be hoping to kick on and make a real impact this summer to prove he is a worthy Manchester United player.

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Hatem Abd Elhamed has finally signed for Celtic, but fans can’t believe the criticism the player has already received from one of their own.

The 28-year-old has arrived at Parkhead on a four-year deal from Hapoel Be’er Sheva, and although the club announced him as a right-back, he has been used in various roles across his career, primarily in the backline but also further up the park.

Of course, the Bhoys are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements, particularly on the right flank. Neil Lennon has seen full-backs Mikael Lustig, Cristian Gamboa and Jeremy Toljan all leave his team this summer.

Abd Elhamed becomes the latest Dudu Dahan representative to arrive at Celtic Park. The Israeli joins the likes of Nir Bitton, Efe Ambrose and Beram Kayal to go to the club from Dahan’s agency, and one fan has taken issue with that fact.

And while the annoyed fan does raise some fair points – Abd Elhamed is not a specialised right-back, nor does he have much experience in high-quality leagues – it certainly seems harsh to write a player off before he’s even set foot on the Parkhead turf.

Here’s how the Celtic supporters reacted to the stern criticism of their new signing on Twitter:

[ad_pod ]According to 90min, Everton could be about to pull off one of the most sensational transfer swoops in recent memory as they look set to beat Real Madrid, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan to the signing of Flamengo wonderkid Reinier Jesus.You would be forgiven for wondering just how the Toffees have found themselves in the race for the 17-year-old, let alone leading it, but the report states that Richarlison’s presence at Goodison Park has swayed Reinier towards Merseyside.You would also be forgiven once more for asking just who this teenager is and why he’s attracting interest from some of Europe’s elite clubs.

The Brazil Under-17 attacking midfielder is one of the most precocious talents in world football right now.

He has five goals in just nine games for Brazil’s Under-17 side, and a reported release clause of €70m (£63m).

The Toffees, however, are willing to pay up to €40m (£36m) including add-ons.

It would be natural to speculate how an unproven teenager could merit such a huge initial fee of £36m, and you would also be well within your rights to call Everton crazy for parting with that figure for a player with no experience in European football.

If you scratch beneath the surface a little bit, however, this deal would be shrewder than first meets the eye.

As we’re all acutely aware, the transfer market operates independently to the world economy, with fees perpetually inflating at a rate that is as mind-boggling as it is obscene.

Harry Maguire is valued at £90m by Leicester City, and Sean Longstaff is valued at £50m despite playing just nine Premier League games for Newcastle.

With football slowly becoming – if it isn’t already – a playground for the super-rich, the true value of any player can be warped and manipulated in a transient snippet of time.

But it’s that very acceptance of the market’s volatility that makes Everton’s willingness to pay £36m for Reinier less irrational than the average gut reaction may indicate.

The Longstaff example is a good one as is the rise of Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

After just one full season in Crystal Palace’s first-team, he completed a £50m move to Manchester United this summer. The 21-year-old hasn’t even been capped for the England national side yet and is likely to be firmly wedged in at third choice for the right back berth behind Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker.

There is huge value in taking a well estimated punt on young players in the modern day. Values can multiply following just one outstanding season and even a mere couple of months of impressive form can send values skyrocketing, as Longstaff’s rise attests to.

With all due respect to Longstaff, Maguire and Wan-Bissaka, Reinier has made a name for himself in the game far quicker than any of them managed.

As a result, a £36m punt on Reinier could see Everton triple, or even quadruple that figure a few years down the line. One only needs to acknowledge the calibre of clubs who are rivalling Everton for his signature to appreciate the enormity of his potential.

You wouldn’t think twice today about spending that figure on a 17-year-old Kylian Mbappe, who is now valued at £180m and is still only 20. That isn’t to say that Reinier will emulate Mbappe’s rise to stardom, but it proves that investing in young assets can be hugely profitable long term.

Joao Felix is another good example. Just one full season in the professional game – albeit an impressive one – has landed the teenager a £113m move to Atletico Madrid – just imagine what Reinier would be worth if he replicated the Portugal international’s 20-goal 2018/19 season.

Initially, £36m may seem steep to cough up for a player who is still crafting his trade in his formative years, but the state of the current market gives Everton plenty of reason to believe that this could actually be a shrewd piece of business.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Daily Mail, Bournemouth forward Ryan Fraser is on Liverpool’s wishlist with just six days of the window remaining for the Merseysiders to complete their business.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Champions League winners are yet to sign a player this summer who is likely to have an impact on first-team proceedings.

Just teenage duo Harvey Elliott and Sepp van den Berg have been signed, along with 35-year-old Andy Lonergan to provide cover in the goalkeeping department.

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Fraser enjoyed an excellent campaign with the Cherries last term in which he found the back of the net seven times, and also racked up 14 assists – no player in the Premier League recorded more set-ups other than Eden Hazard.

Would ease the burden on Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold

It’s no secret who the most creative players in Jurgen Klopp’s squad are right now.

The full-back duo of Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold caused havoc last term, recording 11 and 12 assists in the league respectively, and a lot of the creative burden was placed upon their shoulders throughout the season.

It was also strikingly evident when one of them was missing, as the Reds looked to have less ideas going forward – the period just after the turn of the year where Alexander-Arnold was missing for a month saw Liverpool draw two consecutive games against Leicester and West Ham, in which James Milner and Jordan Henderson deputised at right-back.

Fraser recorded more assists than any other player in Klopp’s squad last season, and with all due respect to Bournemouth, you could argue that his numbers would improve at Anfield given the calibre of players in attack such as Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

When either full-back is missing or just having an off day in general, Fraser’s creativity would help ease the burden and allow Liverpool to still be just as deadly.

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Fulham vice-chairman Tony Khan has criticised Tottenham’s pursuit of Ryan Sessegnon, and Spurs fans are finding it absolutely hilarious.

After a hot start to the window saw the Lilywhites snap up Tanguy Ndombele and Jack Clarke, things went very quiet on the transfer front.

A late flurry saw the north London outfit sign two more promising young talents though, as Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso joined on deadline day.

Spurs had been chasing Sessegnon for quite some time, but Daniel Levy, who is known for his cheeky tactics and late moves, waited until the final day to secure a deal, something that has irked Khan, as reported by Football.London.

The vice-chairman revealed to Fulham Football Club TV that Spurs waited so long to come in for Sessegnon that the Cottagers began to plan for the season assuming the teenager would be involved.

Khan continues that his side were unable to buy more players due to the lateness of the pursuit, and complains that the initial bid was “ridiculously low”.

Of course, Levy eventually stumped up the asking price at lunchtime on deadline day, and Tottenham fans are heaping praise on their own chairman, as you can see in the Twitter reactions down below…

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