All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham Hotspur face a battle with Everton, Leicester City, Liverpool and Wolves for Schalke star Weston McKennie this summer.

Tottenham have conceded more goals than Arsenal, Sheffield United and the Premier League champions this season, amongst several others.

Although the Lilywhites seem to have turned things around for now, Jose Mourinho knows he must fix their defensive problems as soon as possible.

According to ESPN, Spurs are considering either splashing the cash for McKennie or trying to sign Southampton’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg instead.

Sources have told the outlet Liverpool are long-standing admirers of the United States international, but Jurgen Klopp has recently revealed they will not be spending heavily in the transfer market.

Football Insider claims McKennie is set to move away from the VELTINS-Arena in the summer as Schalke are struggling to cope with financial repercussions.

Die Knappen, which translates to the Miners, are holding out for roughly €25-30m for the American, although the Premier League suitors are optimistic he will be available for something closer to to €20m.

The youngster has attracted attention from big-spending Hertha Berlin as well, but it is understood he favours a move to the Premier League.

Spurs need to sign a defensive midfielder to protect the defence, as the Lilywhites have leaked goals for fun throughout the season so far, and they have struggled to fill the gap left by Moussa Dembele.

Mckennie, 21, has impressed for the Royal Blues, making 28 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, scoring 3 goals, making 1.4 tackles per game, averaging 1.6 interceptions, and successfully completing 1.3 clearances on average (via WhoScored).

The box-to-box midfielder has also shown an attacking edge to his playing style, taking 1.1 shots per game, in addition to being an indirect set-piece threat.

Despite his young age, his stats show he could be the long-term solution to the problem, as he has received a higher WhoScored rating than Harry Winks for his performances this season.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely he will come cheap, as it seems as if Daniel Levy will have a transfer battle on his hands in the summer.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sign Weston McKennie this summer? Let us know down below!

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from a dull draw with Bournemouth by beating Arsenal 2-1 at home. 

Toby Alderweireld headed a late winner to clinch the victory in a hotly-contested north London derby.

Spurs had struggled for form beforehand, after they slumped to a disappointing defeat to Sheffield United, edged past Everton, and took away only a point from the Vitality Stadium.

However, the Lilywhites seem to have turned things around, as they came from behind to climb above their arch rivals into eighth in the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho will know his side face an almost impossible task to reach the top four, as they are currently nine points behind fifth-placed Manchester United, with only three games remaining.

As it stands, a spot in the Europa League is still up for grabs, and he will be looking to make a statement when Spurs travel to Newcastle United on Wednesday night.

Transfer Tavern have put together a predicted starting lineup, which sees Mourinho mess around with the side that beat Arsenal, as Erik Lamela and Steven Bergwijn return.

It was obvious right from the start that Mourinho had set his team up completely differently when Spurs welcomed Arsenal to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

As Alasdair Gold pointed out, Moussa Sissoko was pushed out wide, while Lucas Moura started on the left.

Moura effectively played as a wing-back and the Portuguese worked out a way to neutralise Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin.

Dele Alli has missed the past three games after suffering a knee injury in training, and whether or not he will have recovered in time to meet the Magpies remains to be seen. Spurs also line up against Leicester City at the weekend and Mourinho may choose to rest him for the pivotal clash.

Working on the assumption that he will not be fit to face Newcastle, it is likely Spurs will stick to the 4-4-1-1 formation.

Eric Dier is in the middle of a four game ban, so Davinson Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld will renew their partnership in front of Hugo Lloris, while Ben Davies lines up alongside his teammates.

Serge Aurier’s brother Christopher was killed earlier this week and Mourinho has made it clear he will let him decide if he wants to play so soon after his brother’s murder.

As Kyle Walker-Peters is on loan at Southampton, Spurs do not have another designated right-back, and the head coach has been considering Gedson Fernandes, Oliver Skipp and Sissoko as possible alternatives.

Sissoko is the most experienced player out of the trio and he may get the nod on the right flank.

With a bigger game against the Foxes at the weekend, Mourinho may want to give Moura some time off. Both Steven Bergwijn and Erik Lamela could come into the side instead, with Lamela replacing Sissoko further up-field.

Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks have formed a promising partnership in the heart of the midfield and the duo worked hard in front of the two centre-backs. It is hard to imagine Mourinho will want to break the pair up, particularly as he is currently embroiled in a public spat with Tanguy Ndombele.

The club’s record signing has barely featured since the Premier League restart and stands to miss out once again when Tottenham take on the Toon, which doesn’t bode well for his future.

Meanwhile, Harry Kane was relieved to finally have a strike partner up front, and he will look to resume his healthy rivalry with Son Heung-min at the top of the pitch.

Tottenham fans, do you think this is how Mourinho will start against Newcastle? Let us know down below!

Tottenham Hotspur are set to sanction a transfer for Juan Foyth amid interest from Leeds United, reports say. 

Spurs struggled to a disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on the final day of the Premier League season, although they qualified for the Europa League in the process, but Foyth was nowhere to be seen.

According to The Sun, Leeds are preparing to launch a £15m bid for the defender irrespective of whether Marcelo Bielsa brings Ben White back to Elland Road as well.

Foyth’s future at Tottenham looks far from certain as his agent recently revealed he will make a decision following the conclusion of the campaign.

He has made a full recovery from a meniscal injury, although he was an unused substitute in the 3-1 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, before being dropped from the squad altogether for the London derby at Selhurst Park.

The Argentine, who was once considered a Mauricio Pochettino prodigy, has fallen out of favour with his successor, as he has featured just twice for Jose Mourinho since the Portuguese succeeded Pochettino in November.

Bielsa is keen to recruit his compatriot, as he believes the 22-year-old would strengthen his newly-promoted squad, and it is unlikely the Lilywhites will stand in his way.

The versatile player, who can play in the centre or at right-back, is considered surplus to requirements by Mourinho, who wants to replace him with Freiburg’s Robin Koch.

So far Foyth has failed to convince Mourinho he is worth keeping while Bielsa has a habit of developing young talent as he has arguably transformed the Peacocks by giving players like Kalvin Phillips a chance to prove themselves.

Regardless of whether or not Bielsa will be able to get the best out of him, this should benefit Mourinho, as his sale will generate some much-needed funds in the transfer market.

Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should let Foyth leave for Elland Road? Let us know down below!

Liverpool look set to part ways with Harry Wilson this summer after offering him on the market amid heavy interest. 

According to The Mirror’s David Anderson, the Reds are hoping to cash in on the winger in order to help raise funds for their own transfer business. A £20m price tag has been revealed and the likes of Leeds, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Newcastle are all reportedly interested in his services.

The Welshman is looking to play regular first team football, which is something Liverpool simply cannot offer with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane untouchable on the wings.

Wilson enjoyed a solid 2019/20 season on loan in the Premier League withBournemouth despite their relegation. The winger contributed seven goals for the Cherries and will be hoping that his performances will prompt another club to come in for him.

Many Liverpool fans have responded to this news and are in agreement that Wilson’s time at Anfield has come to an end. One supporter has said that he is taking one for the team by ‘contributing to the Thiago fund’. Indeed, if the Reds can pocket £20m, they will be closer to meeting Bayern Munich’s asking price of €30m (£26.9.m) for top transfer target Thiago Alcantara.

Read more replies from the Anfield faithful here:

Do you think Liverpool should keep or sell Harry Wilson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

Celtic may have reason to worry after their Champions League exit in midweek, which is why Nick Hammond is acting quickly in the transfer market…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Scottish champions are eyeing up a move for Preston North End centre-back Ben Davies as a potential replacement for Kristoffer Ajer.

It’s claimed that doubts are growing over the future of the Norweigan colossus at Parkhead as he’s thought to be one of the stars who want an exit this summer.

Davies, who is entering the final year of his contract at Deepdale, is seen as an ideal successor and whilst it remains to be seen how much the 25-year-old could cost, he was linked with a £10m move back in January.

Bye-bye Ajer?

Ajer returned to the starting XI in midweek but was surprisingly left on the bench for the Bhoys’ matches against KR Reykjavik and Dundee United.

And now his representatives have reportedly asked the Celtic hierarchy for their valuation which could see him depart Scotland this summer, as per the Glasgow Times.

Davies would be an interesting successor to the Hoops giant as he’s not quite as imposing in height but has still been a rock for the Championship outfit this term, where he has averaged 4.5 clearances, 3.2 aerial duels won and 0.9 tackles per game, via WhoScored.

It’s led to his Lilywhites boss Alex Neil lauding him as a defender with “really good pace,” adding that he also “reads the game well and has the determination to get better”.

This all spells good news for Lennon, who is seemingly going to need a new option at the back sooner rather than later – and it’s not like it wasn’t coming as Ajer has been courted by AC Milan, Arsenal and West Brom in recent months.

Perhaps Davies would be a most welcome addition at Celtic Park.

AND in other news, Neil Lennon has to unleash “special” Celtic sensation…

Even though there is some time until the ongoing summer transfer window officially closes, the Premier League season is just around the corner and that means the clubs will have to hurry up with their business on the market.

For Aston Villa, that undoubtedly means solving their striker issue which has become an emergency and a crisis on its own. Of course, the Villains somehow survived the 2019/20 campaign but it’s also quite obvious their strikeforce just wasn’t good enough.

Because of that, signing a new forward is now a priority for Dean Smith. Unfortunately, after missing out on Callum Wilson who joined Newcastle United, they will have to turn to other targets instead.

According to the latest report from The Telegraph, Smith is ready to table a £16m bid to land Bournemouth’s Josh King.

The Cherries were not as lucky as Villa and they got relegated last season. That usually means the players should be available for a cut-price so Smith is looking to cash in on that opportunity.

Still, Bournemouth already lost Wilson and Ryan Fraser so taking King away from them as well could take some negotiating after all. But with enough money to spend now that Wilson is no longer an option, Smith could have the financial power to seal the deal.

All he has to do now is convince Bournemouth they should part ways with their forward.

Only time will tell how easy that task will be.

Verdict

King, just like Bournemouth, didn’t exactly have the best season in front of goal throughout 2019/20. But in general, he seems like a consistent provider and a proven player in the English top-flight.

Getting him for £16m won’t exactly start a revolution at Villa but could help them plug some holes along the way.

Will that be enough for their 2020/21 aspirations, though? We’ll have to wait and see.

Having missed out on one central defensive target this summer, Leeds United could clinch one of his current teammates if reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to TEAMtalk, the Yorkshire giants have turned their attention to versatile Arsenal centre-back Calum Chambers after failing to clinch Rob Holding this window.

They claim that the 25-year-old is very much a player that the Gunners are wanting to cash in on this summer but United will face competition from fellow Premier League newcomers and former loan club Fulham as well as West Ham and Newcastle.

Chambers is likely to command a fee of around £12m.

The good, the bad or the ugly?

But would this be a neat addition at Elland Road?

Well, Chambers is someone who can play in a multitude of positions, including right-back and defensive midfield, and he’s featured 139 times in the Premier League already in his career, so that would add some top-flight experience to Marcelo Bielsa’s squad.

However, Victor Orta has signed him before whilst in charge of transfers at Middlesbrough and he’s never looked particularly amazing.

During the 2017/18 campaign, talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino slammed him for looking like a “kid” and “an accident waiting to happen,” claiming Chambers was “nervous on the ball and lacking concentration.”

This is something that wouldn’t sit well with Bielsa.

Last season, he averaged only 1.9 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 0.5 key passes per game also managing a passing accuracy rate of just over 80%, via WhoScored.

Having been linked to so many other options in the centre-back position, Chambers should really only be seen as a last resort and if anything, he’d be behind Pascal Struijk after an impressive PL bow against the champions last week.

AND in other news, Leeds will need to break club-record fee to land midfield target this summer…

David James believes Aston Villa would be making a good signing if they manage to secure Watford winger Ismaila Sarr before the transfer deadline, even despite his split loyalties.

Speaking exclusively to FootballFanCast, the former England goalkeeper claimed the 22-year-old would be a “good fit” for Dean Smith’s side.

Last week, Senegalese outlet Wiwsport revealed that Villa had entered the race to sign the relegated Hornets star with Premier League champions Liverpool, Crystal Palace and West Brom also keen.

The Sun’s Alan Nixon recently reported that the Championship newcomers would accept around £35m to let him leave Vicarage Road this window, and the ex-Villa shot-stopper believes he’d be a hit in the Midlands.

James, who was speaking at Utilita’s ‘Switch before Pitch‘ campaign for grassroots football, said…

“I think the Villa story is an interesting one, obviously, scraping survival at the end of the season there. The acquisition of [Emiliano] Martinez was a big acquisition given he was a relatively unknown goalkeeper.

“[Ismaila] Sarr from Watford, again a talented player. It depends on which side of the fence I want to sit on here because I want Watford to get promoted to the Premier League and losing your best players is not the first way to go about getting promoted, so from Villa’s point of view to maintain survival in the Premier League for a club that’s spent a lot of money in the first place, arguably they did the right job as they did survive.

“They need to get themselves in a healthier position and they’re doing that. Sarr would be a good fit.”

In 28 Premier League appearances last season, Sarr provided five goals and four assists whilst averaging 1.7 dribbles, 1.6 shots and 0.9 key passes per game. He also won a free-kick 1.7 times per match too (WhoScored).

The Senegalese wide man has been likened to his fellow countryman Sadio Mane in the past and has even been tipped to become a “Champions League player” by former teammate Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Smith has already bolstered his frontline with the additions of £28m club-record signing Ollie Watkins and Bertrand Traore, so it remains to be seen if the Villa boss will pursue his reported interest in Sarr.

FORMER LIVERPOOL AND ENGLAND GOALKEEPER DAVID JAMES LAUNCHES DAMNING NEW REPORT – AS 4,000 FOOTBALL CLUBS FEAR CLOSURE IN 2021 DUE TO COVID

Loads of Liverpool fans reacted in delight to the news that star man Sadio Mane is back in full training with Everton on the horizon.

The Senegal international was recently ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19, which saw him miss his side’s 7-2 defeat to Aston Villa before the international break. But talkSPORT revealed that he has now returned to Melwood and is taking part in sessions with his teammates.

Mane joined new signing Thiago Alcantara on the sidelines, who also contracted the virus, with the Spaniard’s only appearance so far being a 45-minute cameo against Chelsea.

Over the years, the 28-year-old has been one of the Reds’ most crucial players following his £34m move from Southampton in 2016, finding the net 84 times in 174 appearances (as per TransferMarkt) and entering the club’s top 20 all-time goalscorers.

Anfield legend Jamie Carragher didn’t hold back on what he thought about Mane, declaring his love for Jurgen Klopp’s number ten during the title celebrations in July.

Understandably, supporters erupted with joy once discovering the news that Mane is back, with one of their key assets back now ready for their rivals across Stanley Park, who are currently top of the Premier League.

Mane’s return welcomed by the Kop faithful

Liverpool fans! What was your initial reaction when you found out that Sadio Mane was back in training? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Everton squandered their best chance to offload Cenk Tosun during the summer transfer market, having offered the Besiktas target to the Super Lig giant’s biggest rivals.

What’s the word?

According to Fotospor, Besiktas were interested in re-signing Tosun during the summer market having been offered the chance to land the forward on loan by Everton, but were left annoyed at how the Toffees conducted their business.

Everton chiefs had put forward a deal that would have seen Tosun return to Vodafone Park two-and-a-half-years on from his £27million move to Merseyside, though the Black Eagles were not convinced they should cover the 29-year-old’s £60,000-per-week contract in full.

However, while the Besiktas hierarchy discussed what sort of counter-offer they could make, Everton were putting their same offer to Galatasaray and Fenerbahce in hopes they would see value in taking Tosun on loan and covering his entire salary.

The Toffees’ plans frustrated Besiktas and no deal was ultimately secured for the 42-cap Turkey international to return to the club he scored 64 goals for in 142 appearances.

Carlo Ancelotti has since included Tosun in his 25-man squad for the Premier League season, but is yet to award the attacker any minutes across all competitions following surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament.

Tosun suffered an ACL injury during training with Crystal Palace in March after making just five appearances for the Eagles during what was scheduled to be a half-season loan spell.

Naïve mistake by Everton

Everton offering Tosun’s services to Galatasaray and Fenerbahce whilst in talks with Besiktas was a naïve mistake by Director of Football Marcel Brands, who squandered the Blues’ best chance to offload the forward for a year by burning bridges with the Vodafone Park side.

Besiktas held an interest in signing Tosun if a financial agreement could be struck with Everton, who would have benefited far more from sanctioning a temporary deal even if it meant Carlo Ancelotti’s team continuing to cover a percentage of his salary.

Tosun has never made the grade on Merseyside with just 10 goals in 51 games, five of which came during his first half-season at the club under Sam Allardyce before the 29-year-old was ushered aside to promote Dominic Calvert-Lewin into an integral starting role.

Ancelotti is also yet to award Tosun any minutes on the field since taking charge at Goodison Park, having opted to only name the Turkey international among the substitutes before his ill-fated loan spell with Palace.

Had Tosun not suffered his serious injury in training and been able to improve on his early Eagles form that featured one goal in 176 minutes, then Everton may have had more suitors lining up to sign the now £8.1m-rated forward. Instead, the Toffees’ efforts blocked his most-likely route away from Merseyside and will now be hoping that January sees an offer arrive.

AND in other news, a permanent transfer could be imminent for a £1.44m-rated Everton man after his latest comments.