Transfer Focus: Manchester United target Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka

[ad_pod ]

According to an exclusive by The Sun, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United are targeting a summer transfer window move for Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

What’s the word, then?

Solskjaer, who was confirmed as the next permanent manager at Old Trafford on Thursday, wants to fill his ranks with England players in the summer and has told Ed Woodward.

One of those is Wan-Bissaka who is yet to make his senior debut but has impressed at under-21 level for the Three Lions and he is being valued at around £40 million, per the original report.

The 21-year-old is a bright right-back with a big future ahead of him having broken into the Palace first team in 2017/2018 and remained a regular since, making 38 appearances in all competitions. He’s quick, agile and possesses a real thirst for getting forward to join every attack and getting back to help his defence each time.

United must avoid position overload

By signing Wan-Bissaka this summer, the Red Devils would be committing the footballing crime of position overload – something that really wouldn’t be recommendable so early in the reign of the new boss.

Already in the right-back position in the current squad are skipper Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian and Diogo Dalot, with other players also able to fill in.

Whilst some of those names could depart at the end of 2018/2019, if United are looking for a young, hungry right-back, then they already have one.

He comes in the form of the last of those names, Dalot, a £19m signing of the Jose Mourinho era last summer from Porto in his native Portugal.

Despite much scepticism at the time of the move, the man one year younger than Wan-Bissaka has impressed in his first campaign in Manchester and is ready to become the full-time first-choice right-back ahead of 2019/2020.

At this stage in his career, the Palace starlet won’t want to be playing second-fiddle to a very similar player, that’s if he can get that high in the pecking order.

Wan-Bissaka is a special young player but if he desires to leave Selhurst Park soon, Man United are really not the best option, from both perspectives.

Sheffield United fans on Twitter react as club tries to rally support following defeat

[ad_pod ]Sheffield United fans on Twitter have been reacting as the club tried to rally support following Saturday’s shock home defeat to Bristol City at Bramall Lane.

Supporters were replying to a Tweet posted by the Blades’ official account, featuring the motivational words “Stronger together, we are Blades, we go again next week against Preston North End.”

It’s a surprise to see a fan base so upbeat after a massive blow like this, a result which saw their team fall out of the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion spots.

They’re now third in the division, two points off Leeds United directly above and seven adrift of leaders Norwich City, and really could have done without this loss in their quest to return to the Premier League for the start of next season.

However, fans are mirroring the attitude of the club in looking ahead to the next match already, with one using the common “onwards and upwards” phrase and another repeating over “who is next?”

Fans of Norwich, Sheffield United and Ipswich name their club’s worst ever manager in the video below…

Check out the pick of their reactions to the motivational message, below…

Paul Merson heaps praise on Palace ahead of new White Hart Lane opener

[ad_pod ]

Crystal Palace will be the first team to face Tottenham at the new White Hart Lane this week and the Eagles would love nothing more than to take it right to their hosts and come away with three points, thus breaking Spurs hearts.

It’s well known that the Selhurst Park outfit are far better away from home, where they feel more inclined to sit back and hit their hosts on the counter – what they’re good at – so the clash will be an interesting one.

Roy Hodgson’s side will be hoping to capitalise on any nerves from the home side and secure a brilliant three points which would surely see them achieve Premier League survival for another year.

Paul Merson has offered his predictions ahead of the midweek clash and Palace fans will love what the Sky Sports pundit had to say:

“I can’t think of a worse game to play as the first at your new stadium. Crystal Palace are one of the best counter-attacking sides about on their day. They are a big threat on the counter away from home.

“This is another hard game for Spurs. They will be kicking themselves about the result at Anfield. There only looked like one winner as the game went on and, in the end, they lost the game. How many times have we said that about Spurs in the last year? I’m just going to go with Tottenham but I would not be surprised if they didn’t win this game.”

While the former Arsenal midfielder still opted for a Spurs win, Palace fans will be rubbing their hands with glee at Merson’s assessment of the clash and how difficult he thinks it will be for the Mauricio Pochettino’s side to achieve that result they so desperately crave in their new home.

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video below…

Palace’s away form is saving their season, there is no doubt, and they could get another impressive win under the belt on Wednesday night against a side who they have given as good as they’ve got against in recent meetings.

In their front three, of which Wilfried Zaha is the crown jewel, the Eagles have an attack to trouble the best sides in the Premier League – will they cause one of the biggest upsets of the season?

West Ham should think strongly against signing Gary Medel

As with every other club in football, West Ham United will be on the lookout for new recruits in the summer as they look to build on their rather successful season.

Manuel Pellegrini made a number of solid signings last year, with the majority of them having worked out rather well, and with a year under his belt at the club, the Chilean will be in a better position to be able to assess his squad properly and identify where he needs to make improvements.

Inconsistency continues to be a problem for the Hammers, as they constantly leak goals, whilst they struggle to create and score a number of opportunities themselves, with their midfield options sometimes coming under scrutiny.

Naturally, it would appear that Pellegrini could use the summer to try and improve the area, however, questions must be asked about whether one of his reported transfer targets would be the right man for the club to bring in and solve the issue.

Turkish media outlet Super Haber have claimed that West Ham are closing in on signing Besiktas’ Gary Medel – a player that the club appear to have been tracking for ages as links about a move to the London Stadium were rife in the winter.

The Chile international is very experienced – having won 118 caps for his country’s national side – and has also had a taste of Premier League action with Cardiff City back in 2013/14.

Medel could be available on a cut-price deal as his contract with the Istanbul outfit is set to expire in 2020, however, those positives may be the only ones that West Ham can potentially take from bringing him to the London Stadium.

Yes, the Hammers have looked poor defensively at times when it comes down to the middle areas of the field, but whether Medel is the type of player that they should be looking to bring in is questionable as there are doubts about whether he will be able to help the club go to the next level.

He may be a good passer of the ball and psychically tough, however, that can sometimes get him into trouble, as his discipline is something that leaves plenty to be desired. Although his love of a tackle is admirable, he has the tendency to pick up a number of yellow cards throughout a campaign and could end up missing a number of games through suspension.

Another question that many would be forgiven asking is whether Medel would be any better than the options that the club already have. With the likes of Declan Rice, Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang already in the squad, it would be difficult to see the Chilean being much better than them.

Also, does a transfer for the experienced midfield-general also match the ambition West Ham are supposedly trying to show? It would be hard to suggest he does.

West Ham fans, do you thin Medel would offer something different to the team? Or do you think the club should avoid signing him in the summer? Join in with the discussion below by sharing your thoughts with us.

Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp is the man to lift the Chelsea hoodoo

It’s time for Liverpool to rewrite destiny.

After failing at the final hurdle in 2014, they now have the opportunity to make things right. Still, on a harrowing case of déjà vu, Chelsea block their path to Premier League success once again.

Who could forget that dreadful day five years ago? Steve Gerrard unfortunately slipping, Fernando Torres setting up the winner or Jose Mourinho marauding down the touchline. Indeed, things like those are a morale-killer.

Obviously, Liverpool cannot afford anything similar and what Brendan Rodgers failed at, Jurgen Klopp must prevail at.

If the signs prove anything, Liverpool shouldn’t have any hiccups. Chelsea aren’t the same anymore, becoming extremely inconsistent under Maurizio Sarri. Liverpool are unbreakable at home and Mohamed Salah has extra incentive to prove doubters wrong after a dip in form.

However, destiny creates its own cruel rules. Back in 2014, the Reds were soaring towards the title before that one misfortunate tie turned their season to dust. Frustration and lack of concentration allowed that to happen, but Klopp cannot let those traits take over. Chelsea will annoy the Reds, but they need to maintain patience, keep up their intensity and fruits will start bearing.

Nobody knows better than Jurgen Klopp on how to go past immovable hurdles. Just ask Bayern Munich! The German manager is the coach to lift this strange hoodoo Chelsea have had over the Reds at Anfield and lead the club to the Premier League title. It’s their last hurdle.

There’s no other option.

After years of waiting, this year is truly set up to be Liverpool’s.

Liverpool fans, what do you feel should the approach be against Chelsea? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Newcastle fans share thoughts on Javier Manquillo’s display against Leicester

[ad_pod ]

Javier Manquillo has received some strong criticism in his time at Newcastle since joining in the summer of 2017 from Atletico Madrid. The Spaniard made 21 Premier League appearances last season and was shaky at best.

This season he has made just 9 starts for the Toon and his defensive stats are very similar to last season, averaging 1.5 tackles per game compared to 1.7 last term, the same amount of interceptions and 2.4 clearances per game compared to 2.3.

So, by looking at the stats he is still the same as last season, but on Friday he had a very solid game dealing with the threat of Harvey Barnes and then Marc Albrighton – although he could have give away a penalty when he tugged back Youri Tielemans late on.

The 24-year-old has managed to register two assists for the Magpies this season, however passing to Fabian Schar before he unleashes a 30-yard screamer is hardly splitting a defence open.

He represents the lack of investment in Newcastle’s squad as he should not be the back-up option for any Premier League club, never mind for a club as big as Newcastle.

Despite this though, he did play well against Leicester – although the performance hasn’t sat well with everybody. Here’s a look at what fans have been saying about Manquillo’s latest display on Twitter…

Lazy journalism: Leeds fans shoot down John Cross’ criticisms

[ad_pod ]

Leeds fans have bashed John Cross’ article in The Mirror after he labelled the club’s season a ‘glorious failure’ should they fail in their quest for promotion.

Cross criticised Marcelo Bielsa in his piece saying that the board’s choice to spend big on a manager rather than the playing squad may prove to be a costly mistake.

Fans took issue with The Mirror journalist’s synopsis that the season would be a failure if they don’t go up again.

The Whites have already secured a play-off spot just one year after finishing 13th in the Championship, which proves that huge progress has been made.

Bielsa has wholly transformed the club with largely the same squad that was nowhere near promotion last term.

To judge the Argentine’s first season at Elland Road as a failure would be incredibly short-sighted, the new manager has exceeded all expectations during his first year and has inspired optimism throughout the Yorkshire club.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying on Twitter…

Spurs fans thrilled with Danny Rose display against Brighton

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur collected a vital three points on Tuesday as they defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0, and fans were delighted with the performance of left-back Danny Rose.

The result ensures Spurs remain in third after a weekend of remarkable results.

Indeed, after the north London outfit lost to Manchester City on Saturday, both Arsenal and Manchester United lost, to Crystal Palace and Everton respectively, while Chelsea were held to a draw at Stamford Bridge by Burnley on Monday.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men, then, knew that they needed to win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and left it late, with Christian Eriksen netting a superb 88th-minute winner from long range.

It was largely a night of frustration for Spurs, who enjoyed 78% possession on the night and also had 29 shots on goal.

While Eriksen scored the exceptional winner, Rose turned in a performance of the highest calibre, testing goalkeeper Mat Ryan with an excellent long-range drive and turning in a generally assiduous performance.

Per WhoScored, he won three aerial duels, three tackles and also completed two dribbles.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

"It’s a joke" – Spurs fans slam club policy ahead of CL semi-final

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur will go into their first European semi-final in 57 years on Tuesday night when they face Ajax at their new stadium in the first of a two-legged Champions League affair.

Spurs’ season was looking like it would wither away with their title challenge, but an impressive double-display against Manchester City in the quarter-finals has revived the club and leaves the North Londoners in with a real chance of an appearance in the final in Madrid on 1st June.

Fans are rightfully jubilant about the upcoming fixtures, but many have found it hard to buy tickets to travel and support their beloved Spurs in Amsterdam.

For fans to buy tickets, they need to have obtained a certain number of loyalty points. In order to earn these points, one must attend a certain number of away games. The design is such that the most devoted supporters get the chance to see the team away from home in the most important games of the season rather than losing out to fans who only turn up for the big occasion – seems fair.

However, as many have pointed out, it’s a bit of a catch-22. In order to buy tickets, you need to have the points, but in order to have the points, you need to have attended a certain number of games.

The suggestion to Spurs fans who have these complaints is that they attend more of the lesser games away from home in order to earn the points, as having a season ticket for years makes little difference.

These fans took to Twitter to vent their anger, leaving a slightly sour taste on what is sure to be an incredibly exciting occasion…

Liverpool: Tanguy Ndombele would be fitting last piece to complete midfield puzzle

Whenever he’s needed them the most, Liverpool’s midfield have turned up big for Jurgen Klopp this season.

However, injury problems, lapses in consistency and creativity issue have plagued them from being as good as the scintillating front-three. Indeed, while it seems fairly churlish to criticise them after THAT performance against Barcelona, imagine how good their campaign could have been if there was a touch more in their engine room.

While Klopp definitely has some hard-working players at his disposal, the midfield is an area he wants to further stack up in order to attain a world-class reputation. According to reports from EuroUnited (via Daily Star), the Reds are closing on Olympique Lyonnais’ Tanguy Ndombele after a contractual agreement was reportedly reached.

Excitingly, the French midfielder’s been in blistering form this season, ripping apart opposition in the midfield battle. Particularly Manchester City in the Champions League, which is always likely to stand him in good stead on Merseyside.

Indeed, the 23-year-old’s been a shining light in Lyon’s midfield, doing almost everything by himself to dominate oppositions. He’s been a workhorse, helped control games and also deliver lethal forward balls whenever required to help his side prevail. Ndombele’s recorded six assists from a deep position in midfield, while also recording 1.9 tackles, 1.4 key passes and 89.4% passing accuracy (stats via WhoScored) per game.

Pretty perfect stuff, right?

He’s a crucial reason for Lyon’s success and a standout among their multi-talented core. Ndombele the all-in-one package who possesses all the attributes which make comprises of Liverpool’s midfield. He’s energetic like Henderson, defensively savvy or a master of conserved distribution like Fabinho, while can also stride forward with intent like Georginio Wijnaldum.

Yes, the reports may be a little premature but, as one of the best midfielders in Europe, it’s time to take the notion of his arrival at Anfield seriously. He’s simply that good.

Ndombele can spark up Liverpool’s midfield, stacking them with bundles of energy and a relentless presence akin to N’Golo Kante. All in all, he’d add another dimension to their unsustainable style, helping Liverpool dominate games with an iron fist if Klopp can lure him to Anfield anytime soon.

Liverpool fans, would you be happy with N’Dombele’s potential arrival this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Game
Register
Service
Bonus