Barcelona starlet Toni Sanabria does not want to leave the club according to the clubs sporting director Andoni Zubizaretta, reports talkSPORT.
A host of Premier League clubs have been linked with young Paraguayan, who is currently starring for Barcelona’s reserve side.
Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are all thought to be keen on bringing the talented 17-year-old to the Premier League, especially after the players agent claimed he may need to move on in order to gain regular first team football.
Sanabria is yet to make his first team bow at the Nou Camp, and has the likes of Lionel Messi, Alexis Sanchez and Neymar currently ahead of him in the forward positions.
And whilst the young forward has plenty of time on his side, such have been his performances for the reserve side, he believes he should be on the fringes of the first team at the Nou Camp already.
But former Spanish goalkeeper and director of football Zubizaretta, has moved to dampen the speculation linking the youngster with a move to the Premier League, revealing Sanabria has made no mention of wanting to depart the Spanish champions.
He told Spanish newspaper Sport: “Sanabria has a contract with us and neither he nor his agent has told us they want to go.”
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has questioned Chelsea’s timing and motive in their sale of Juan Mata to Manchester United, the Guardian reports.
He fears that Chelsea’s short-term aspirations have clouded the Blue’s judgement in letting Mata move to a rival, albeit one that is struggling this season, and has warned Jose Mourinho he may later regret his decision.
Wenger believes the £40m was considered beneficial to Chelsea’s push for the title as the Spaniard will be helping United in upcoming fixtures with Arsenal and Manchester City, who currently sitting first and second respectively.
After Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over United last weekend, in which Mata was an unused substitute, Mourinho said with a smile that he now hopes the Red Devils “beat all of them [the top clubs] to finish fourth.”
“He [Mourinho] sums up what Chelsea’s thinking is,” Wenger said, in regards to Mata.
He went on to stress that Chelsea aren’t doing anything wrong but felt Mourinho was manipulating the market in an unfair manner.
“I am surprised because Juan Mata is a great player and they sell a great player to a direct opponent,” Wenger said. “It opens [up] again a little bit the opportunity of this transfer market because Chelsea had already played twice against Man United so they don’t play again. They could have sold him last week [before the United game].
“It opens, at least, the opportunity of the dates of this transfer window. Some teams have already played twice against one opponent and some others, not. If you want to respect the fairness for everybody exactly in the game, that should not happen. I just think you would want everybody on the same level. I can understand completely what Chelsea is doing. They do not do the rules but, maybe, the rules should be a bit more adapted to more fairness.”
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Wenger was however previously criticized for his sale of Robin Van Persie to Manchester United, who went on to win the title last season.
Liverpool entertained Aston Villa at Anfield this evening in the Premier League’s late Saturday kick-off. The Reds had their eyes victory to maintain momentum in their Champions League push, whilst the points were the priority for the visitors – Paul Lambert’s side had claimed just four in their last seven league fixtures.
But it was surprisingly the Villians who came out of the blocks flying. Gabby Agbonlahor could have put them ahead in the first minute after finding himself alone in the Liverpool box, but the breakthrough eventually came via Andreas Weimann in the 24th minute, who applied a sliding finish to a low cross. Christian Benteke then found his second goal in successive games ten minutes later.
It seemed Liverpool would enter the interval 2-0 down, but a Daniel Sturridge goal before the break made Brendan Rodgers’ half-time team-talk a little easier. Early in the second half, Brad Guzan then brought down Luis Suarez in the box, with Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard converting the spot kick with a powerful effort.
Here’s how the key events unfolded on Twitter:
With less than a minute on the clock, Gabby Agbonlahor found himself through on goal, but put the effort wide…
And after 23 minutes, Keiran Clark hits the right-hand post with a headed effort from a corner;
A few minutes later, a great counter-attacking move sees Christian Benteke, Gabby Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann charge down the pitch. Agbonalhor puts in a low cross, the Austrian provides a sliding finish.
At the 35 minute mark, Villa won possession high up the pitch. Agbonlahor whipped in a curling ball from the right hand side fooling Simon Mignolet, leaving Benteke to comfortably nod home into an empty net and make it 2-0 to the visitors.
It took until just before the half-time whistle for Liverpool to get back into the game. Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge combined nicely in the final third, Jordan Henderson applied an inventive flick and Sturridge produced a calm dinked finish;
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The comeback continued when Luis Suarez was brought down inside the box by Villians ‘keeper Brad Guzan. There was some debate over the amount of contact actually made, but Steven Gerrard stepped up to convert the penalty with a drilled finish.
Suarez nearly took the lead with a blistering free kick in the 76th minute. It beat Brad Guzan but wasn’t on target.
Stoke City winger Matthew Etherington has reiterated that he will be leaving the Potters at the end of the season, as reported by Sky Sports.
Etherington has failed to break into the side under Mark Hughes and so will not be offered a new deal when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The former West Ham winger is hoping to stay in the Premier League with a new club but is taking nothing for granted after a tough few months at Stoke.
Etherington is now 32 years old and he knows that he may not have many more years left at the top, so will put a lot of thought into his next move.
“I am definitely leaving,” said Etherington in the Sunday Mirror.
“I have not heard anything from the club, which is fair enough, I have not played a lot lately.
“I will have been there five years in the January just passed and it has been a great time so I am really sad it is coming to an end.
“But there are no hard feelings. I think they are looking to go a different way, which is absolutely fine.”
1) You won’t have to queue for half an hour in your local…
Remember the Italy game? When it was four deep at the bar and the bar staff were ignoring you anyway because they were all watching the game? Oh… we remember. Now, though, that nightmare is over. All the part-time fans have lost interest and you’re laughing all the way to the front of the queue.
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2) The perfect excuse to leave work early
There’s still plenty of games to kick-off at 5pm and what kind of heartless boss would deny a football fan like you the basic human right of leaving work at an adequate time (3.30pm) to take the glorious once-every-four-year spectacle that is the World Cup? If the worst comes to the worst, just bail out and tell the office you’ll make it up to them in the winter.
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3)You won’t have to fight with your partner for the TV remote
So what if it’s the new series of Celebrity Masterchef? That constant, attritional battle with your significant other for possession of the flicker is over. England are out. Of course you’ll want to watch most of the other games, however, letting control of the TV slide when Algeria vs Russia is on will only guarantee your spell in charge when the business end of the tournament comes about.
home tv
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4) You can finally go on summer holiday
Let’s be honest… you were never going to leave the country when England still had a shot at winning the competition. It would have been ethically wrong. Now Roy’s boys are out though, those summer holiday plans that had been put on ice can start to materialise. Go watch the final on a beach somewhere – you’ve earned it.
Happy couple clinking their glasses while relaxing on their deck chairs
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5) It won’t happen again for at least another four years
Take a deep breath, relax. That agonising combination of heart-break, disappointment and self-loathing at your own hopeless optimism can finally be put to bed. Well, for four years that is.
36 managers in 22 years as owner of Italian club Cagliari Calcio earned current Leeds United chairman Massimo Cellino the nickname Il mangiatore di direttore, which translates as ‘The Manager Eater’.
It is therefore of no surprise that the ruthless Italian businessman’s takeover of the Elland Road club earlier this year attracted much publicity, as well as doubts as to whether he was fit to have anything to do with, let alone run, an English football club at all.
Initially, these doubts proved to be legitimate. Before Cellino had even been formally announced as the new owner of the club, he attempted to relieve then-manager Brian McDermott of his job, only for McDermott to be bizarrely reinstated the following day. This, coupled with the problematic takeover process – Cellino was initially deemed to have failed the ‘fit and proper persons’ test by the Football League, only for this decision to be overturned in April – only reinforced many Leeds fans’ fears that the Manager Eater had not lost his appetite one bit since his move to England, and that the club was under the mercy of a man who would bring instability to a club who had experienced enough of it already during the past decade.
McDermott was never going to stand a chance with Cellino in charge of proceedings, and by the end of last season he was swiftly sacked, to be replaced by the unheralded, undecorated and unheard of Dave Hockaday, whose only previous managerial experience came during an unspectacular spell in charge of Conference side Forest Green Rovers.
Naturally, his appointment came as a shock to many. A working partnership between an obscure former non-league manager and the notorious Cellino was, for many, a disaster waiting to happen. After Leeds’ disappointing start to the season, the omens were not good. A solitary league victory against Middlesbrough in the second game of the season was followed by successive defeats to Brighton and Watford, with Leeds finishing the match against the latter with nine men. With Cellino widely reported to be preparing his latest managerial feast, he then proceeded to stun everyone by displaying his previously non-existent patient side, opting to back Hockaday and pin the blame on himself for the club’s unimpressive start to the campaign.
This was a highly significant moment in Cellino’s career as a football chairman. The Italian had defied his accurate reputation and resisted the temptation to consign yet another manager to the sack. His change of heart offered a glimmer of hope that the man had done away with his reckless ways, and may even be a fit and proper person to lead a football club after all.
The faint rays of hope were not to last long. After League Cup elimination to third-tier side Bradford City, Cellino gave the orders, and Hockaday left Leeds after just 70 days in charge. The Manager Eater was back, and with a vengeance.
However, the brief moment of hesitation, the rare display of compassion which followed the Watford game suggests that all is not lost for Cellino. He may never shake off the reputation of being an irrational, brutal and slightly crazy owner (the number 17 shirt at Leeds United has been retired at the behest of Cellino due to superstitious reasons); however, by displaying some patience – which he did, albeit very briefly with Hockaday – Cellino may finally find the one manager who satisfies his needs and desires.
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Nevertheless, one gets the impression that Cellino is in the last chance saloon. Leeds fans are crying out for stability, and a constant overhaul of managers is never healthy for any football club. If he is to prove himself to be a competent, responsible owner – which will be no easy task – he must be very careful about his latest managerial appointment. And with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Robbie Fowler – two former fan favourites at Elland Road – both expressing their interest in the job, this decision may prove to be the most important one of his turbulent, controversial career; mistreatment or unjustified dismissal of a man once adored by Leeds fans could prove very costly indeed. Cellino’s last remaining shreds of credibility depend on his next choice of manager, as well as how he deals with the inevitable rough patches that all football clubs experience on the pitch. Change his ways, and there may be a chance of redemption. Live to his nickname, and there will be no turning back.
Although an increasing number of Arsenal fans are beginning to turn against Arsene Wenger, there are still those out there who remain loyal to the Frenchman.
However, if the Gunners continue their recent form of losing leads as they struggle for consistency with their defence, the future of Wenger may need to once again be reconsidered at the end of this season’s Premier League.
So, with this in mind, here are five possible candidates the board may need to consider if the time comes for a drastic change to be made:
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CLICK ON DIEGO SIMEONE TO SEE THE FULL LIST
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Steve Bould
Name: Steve Bould
Age: 51
Nationality: England
Current Club: Arsenal (Assistant Manager)
Before looking outside, the Arsenal board should consider promoting from within. In this case, Arsene Wenger’s current assistant, Steve Bould, could be the perfect choice to take over.
He is known for his work with the academy players and could continue the club’s efforts to promote home-grown talent. Much like how Ryan Giggs is being moulded into the future of Manchester United’s managerial plans, Bould could become just that at the Emirates.
Pep Guardiola
Name: Pep Guardiola
Age: 43
Nationality: Spain
Current Club: Bayern Munich
Pep Guardiola is one of the best managers on the planet and tops every elite club’s list of potential managerial candidates. His consistent achievement at Barcelona has been followed up by a Bundesliga title with his current Bayern Munich and the Spaniard certainly has the talent and determination to make Arsenal genuine title contenders.
Although it is unlikely that he will leave Bayern so soon after starting his managerial career in Germany, if he does win everything there is to offer at the club this season, he could very well seek a challenge elsewhere. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool have all been linked with Guardiola in recent years, so acquiring his services is no easy task.
Roberto Martinez
Name: Roberto Martinez
Age: 41
Nationality: Spain
Current Club: Everton
Although Everton are currently in sensational form in the Europa League, their domestic form hasn’t been equal to the one which saw them qualify for Europe last season. Roberto Martinez’s job looks rather safe right now, but he has also been tipped to replace Arsene Wenger due to their similar coaching methods.
Another advantage offered by Martinez is his intimate knowledge of the Premier League, managing to keep Wigan up for three seasons before leading Everton into Europe. Wenger’s future may be safe for now but should the time come for change then the Arsenal board could do a lot worse than move for Martinez.
Jurgen Klopp
Name: Jurgen Klopp
Age: 47
Nationality: Germany
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Current Club: Borussia Dortmund
Another name that is never far away from any of the top club’s list of potential managers is Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp. His passion and personality is unmatched by any modern day manager and is the kind of personality that could instil a sense of fear into the Arsenal squad.
His success with Dortmund in the Bundesliga in recent years as made him one of the most sought after managers in world football. Klopp has often been linked with a switch to the Premier League, and if Dortmund continue to sell their best players to their rivals in Munich, he may finally tire and seek a new challenge. Liverpool as well as Manchester United have also monitored his situation in the past and could still make a move if the opportunity arises.
Diego Simeone
Name: Diego Simeone
Age: 44
Nationality: Argentina
Current Club: Atletico Madrid
Finally comes Diego Simeone, another manager with the passion and drive to push Arsenal to once again be a force both domestically and in Europe. He took control of an average Atletico Madrid squad and turned them into La Liga champions, beating both Barcelona and Real Madrid to the title.
His amazing acheivements have not gone unnoticed and a host of Europe’s top sides are currently considering his services. He is deemed as a miracle worker in the Spain and it looks as though the Gunners are really in need of one right about now.
Liverpool were one of English football’s more active players in the summer transfer market. The exit of Luis Suarez forced Brendan Rodgers to put his wellies on and wade into the wilderness, with his net full with over £100m worth of talent by the close of the window.
The struggles of Mario Balotelli and Dejan Lovren in particular have highlighted the wrongdoings of the Reds’ summer, and with hindsight being such a wonderful thing we can now point to players the club should have gone all out for.
For the sake of argument we’ve taken this from the point that Suarez had left, with keeping the Uruguayan so obviously the thing the club should have done.
With all this in mind, here’s how Liverpool could be lining up if things went well…
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CLICK ON ALEXIS SANCHEZ TO REVEAL THE XI LIVERPOOL COULD HAVE HAD
Football – Arsenal v Southampton – Capital One Cup Third Round – Emirates Stadium – 23/9/14Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring the first goal for ArsenalMandatory Credit: Action Images / Tony O’BrienLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account represent
Although he technically wouldn’t be able to play just yet given his pesky knee injury, Liverpool could have Valdes in their squad right now. The Reds had been negotiating with the veteran Spaniard up until a few weeks ago, but rumours suggest disputes over a potential trial to assess his fitness and personal terms cost the club the chance to land him.
Better than Mignolet? Almost certainly!
Glen Johnson
Liverpool weren’t linked with a host of defenders over the summer, so the much-maligned Johnson keeps his spot in this XI. Although criticised for switching off defensively, the England international is a real threat in the final third thanks to his pace and ability on the ball.
Daniel Agger
While Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel are producing comedy errors on a weekly basis, Agger is back at his boyhood club, Bondby. It’s hard to work out why the classy enforcer was sold when the Reds’ current options are so poor, so if we could turn back the clock for this team, we’d keep the former Anfield vice-captain.
Toby Alderweireld
Again very few defenders other than Lovren were linked with Brendan ‘let’s just attack’ Rodgers’ side, but now Southampton man Alderweireld was on the short list. Able to play at full-back too, the Saints’ gain looks to have been Liverpool’s loss after his bright start to life on the South Coast.
Marcelo
Alberto Moreno has been a decent addition, but Marcelo would certainly have been a significant short-term upgrade. Liverpool were linked with attack-minded Brazilian during the window, but, perhaps unsurprisingly, he stayed in sunny Spain to play for the defending European champions…
Steven Gerrard
No Liverpool team is complete without ‘Stevie G’. The Kop skipper remains the heartbeat of the side at the age of 34, and with pace and energy around him, he still has the ability to pick out the killer ball from the ‘quarter-back’ role.
Isco
‘Let’s all have a disco, Sturridge, Sterling Isco! Lallana-na’ Just because of that potential chant we wish the silky Spaniard was on Merseyside right now. A loan move for the 22-year-old was mooted when James Rodriguez moved to Real Madrid, but Carlo Ancelotti deemed it to be his aim to keep the youngster. An understandable call following his showing against Liverpool in the 3-0 Anfield demolition.
Alex Song
Providing a little more steel alongside Gerrard, we’ve gone for Song. The Cameroonian was another loan target, but reluctance on Liverpool’s part to push through a deal saw West Ham come out on top. The Hammers have really benefitted from adding the ex-Arsenal man to their ranks, with his energy and physical presence having been key in the early season top four push in east London…
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Alexis Sanchez
Dubbed the man to replace Luis Suarez, Sanchez rejected Liverpool for the ‘London life’ at Arsenal. Boy oh boy does missing out on the Chilean now look like bad news, with his infectious work rate and driving deamination (his skill also helps) having made him, arguably, the signing of the summer. The closest thing to Suarez, Liverpool may be in the title battle had they nabbed him from Barcelona.
Raheem Sterling
For all the targets around, a fit and firing Sterling still makes this XI. The England international appears a little laboured recently, but with more top class players around him he could be performing as he did at the end of last season.
Daniel Sturridge
And the final spot goes to another Liverpool player. Getting Sturridge back in now would feel like a new signing, with the Englishman’s absence – he hasn’t played since the end of August – have coincided with a downturn in results.
In a season of odd results and inconsistency, West Ham have been one of the Premier League’s most impressive sides.
An excellent summer has changed the mood in east London, where the calls for Sam Allardyce to be axed were strong, with the top four seen as a ever more realistic aim.
So, have the Hammers got genuine reason to dream? Maybe, and here are FIVE reasons why…
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CLICK ON SAM ALLARDYCE TO REVEAL THE FIVE
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Options…
From relying on Carlton Cole for a large slice of last season, West Ham now have multiple options to slot in and out of the forward line. Andy Carroll’s return from injury has been a prime example, with top scorer Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia’s roles now under threat long-term. Such depth means competition for a role is high, which should, in theory, keep everyone at the peak of their powers, and allow Allardyce to rotate his options over the festive period – which is typically the section of the season so called weaker teams fall away.
It’s not just ‘up top’ that ‘Big Sam’ has decisions to make, with some wise summer purchases now presenting a wealth of choices in midfield and defence.
Rivals all stumbling
The weekend’s results could not have been much better for the Irons. The majority of their rivals slipped up, allowing the Londoners to boost their top four credentials. Swansea, also in the upper reaches of the division, presented a potential ‘six pointer’, which West Ham came through unscathed. Manchester United vs. Southampton is a game worth keeping an eye on, but if the Londoners’ luck is really in, a draw will further increase the ‘what if?’ calls at Upton Park.
Alex Song
In Song, West Ham have a genuine midfield dictator. The Cameroonian was a real coup for the Hammers over the summer as they secured a somewhat surprise loan deal for the Barcelona ace, which now looks to be one of the best bits of business during the window. Although he has no direct assists to his name in Premier League action, Song has contributed hugely to West Ham’s forward play, with his pass success rate hovering around 80%.
The ‘Big Sam’ factor
Love or hate Allardyce, the man knows how to get results in the Premier League. Last season may be one to forget, but the former Bolton man has proven himself in the lower end of the division, and may now have the squad to make a real push for the upper echelons.
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Experience is an underrated trait, and it could be a vital one while other sides are stumbling.
Fortress Upton Park
16 points from eight games at Upton Park is a decent record. Only two sides –Spurs and Southampton – have come away from east London with maximum points, making the Hammers’ home ground somewhat a fortress nowadays. Maintaining such a record could be the bedrock of a top four push, with West Ham’s away form also respectable.
With Winston Reid’s future still in the balance, West Ham may be looking to strengthen the centre their defence this month. Although the centre-back position is a priority, there is little money available for big transfers this month.
Instead Allardyce believes that loan signings are the only possibility for recruitment this January due to the financial fair play regulations: “There is limited finance for us, as I have said before, on the financial fair play side of it.
“So anybody coming in on a permanent basis wouldn’t be possible for us, I don’t think, based on the budgets that we have got available.
“Maybe a loan player or two, but not a permanent deal.”
West Ham will be looking to grab a bargain in the winter window in order to provide further depth to a squad that has just three senior centre-backs. The addition of Canadian defender Doniel Henry this month is a signing for the future but Allardyce knows that he needs to sign a player that can immediately settle into the first team in order to provide competition for Winston Reid, James Tomkins and James Collins.
Here are FIVE budget centre-backs West Ham should sign this January…
Azubuike Egwuekwe
Football – Scotland v Nigeria – International Friendly – Craven Cottage, London, England – 28/5/14Nigeria’s Azubuike Egwuekwe Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Matthew ChildsEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Recent reports suggest that West Ham have taken the Nigerian international on trial with a view to signing the centre back permanently. The 25-year-old has 33 caps for his country but is yet to play club football outside of Nigeria.
The Warri Wolves defender has talent but the leap from Nigerian football to the Premier League could be a problem. A bid of around £1 million should be enough to sign the defender and the fee would not break the financial fair play constrictions that West Ham have to adhere to.
Efe Ambrose
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Another Nigerian defender, Efe Ambrose has become a regular starter at Celtic alongside the impressive Virgil van Dijk. He has 46 senior caps for his country and can play in both the centre-back and right-back positions of defence, something that will appeal to Allardyce.
He could be available for around £3 million which means West Ham may have to sell to buy. The defender has been strongly linked with a switch to the Premier League for a number of transfer windows and could be the cheap but effective option that West Ham need.
Nicolas N’Koulou
The Marseille defender has enjoyed an excellent season so far with Marseille as the French club currently sit 2nd in the league. The 24-year-old’s contract runs out at the end of the season and there is no sign of the Cameroonian committing himself to a new deal.
Therefore, Allardyce may choose to wait until the summer to snap up the talented centre-back. N’Koulou is understood to be good friends with Alex Song so a potential deal for the defender could persuade Song to join West Ham in the long run as well.
Lewis Dunk
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Dunk has enjoyed a fine season with Brighton so far, often being the only shining light in a defence that has struggled this season. The 22-year-old has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs and West Ham feel that he could be the ideal Winston Reid replacement if the new Zealander decides to leave.
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A bid in the region of £5 million would be an attractive proposition for the Championship side but again, it’s a case of one out, one in at West Ham if they wanted to pay the fee and sign Dunk.
Dan Burn
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Another young Championship defender that has impressed this term, Fulham centre-back Dan Burn has been attracting interest from the Premier League this window. Standing at 6’7, the defender would fit the bill for Allardyce, as Burn is a threat from set pieces as well as being a commanding figure in the heart of defence.
Similarly to Dunk, a bid of around £4 million could see the young Englishman leave Craven Cottage this month.