Everyone loves saying ‘I told you so’, and for Newcastle fans, it might be one of the only bits of satisfaction they take away from this summer.
The Magpies are yet to make a signing, although Joelinton was pictured at St. James’ Park on Tuesday, they have replaced a Champions League winning manager with Steve Bruce and are no closer to achieving their ultimate goal of getting Mike Ashley out of the club.
But there’s no question the Toon Army called this one right, as Lee Charnley is reportedly pressing ahead with a move for Allan Saint-Maximin, despite the protests of Bruce.
L’Equipe claim the manager is concerned about the winger’s behavioural issues, which is certainly a fair complaint given that OGC Nice have dropped their asking price due to the 22 year-old’s poor work ethic and selfishness.
Last week, The Chronicle reported that Bruce will have some control over transfers and was offended by ‘yes man’ comments, but a poll from fan site The Mag revealed that a whopping 96% of fans do not believe that claim.
Needless to say, the latest reports from France seem to have proven the fans right, and the Twitter reactions down below are lapping it up…
As the transfer window deadline approaches, Arsenal have endured a relatively quiet summer so far.
The Gunners have only confirmed the signing of Brazilian prospect Gabriel Martinelli from Ituano, although deals for William Saliba and Dani Ceballos are seemingly on the verge of completion.
However, following reports in recent weeks that Unai Emery’s side were hopeful of getting a deal done for Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, an update on the situation has made for grim reading for Arsenal.
According to The Daily Mirror, both the Gunners and Celtic have apparently reached a deadlock over talks after the two sides couldn’t agree on the payment structure of a potential deal.
Hoops manager Neil Lennon has also said: “There has been no further inroads into that really. Our valuation of Kieran wasn’t met and it’s as simple as that.”
After hearing the news that a move for one of their prime targets for the summer could be dead in the water, Arsenal fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the matter.
Many supporters of the north London side revealed their frustrations over the Gunners’ dithering and simply stated that they have become a “joke club”.
Indeed, some fans even mocked Josh Kroenke’s comments over being excited for the remainder of the summer window and said that it is “inexcusable” for the club to avoid sorting out their problems in defence.
Check out some of the reaction of Arsenal fans below:
Last summer, Steve Bruce was left with what looked like a mountain to climb at Aston Villa.
They’d failed to gain promotion, were embroiled in financial trouble and were surrounded by speculation linking Jack Grealish with a departure.
Yet, despite his sacking further down the line, Villa eventually sorted themselves out.
In came new owners, Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris, as well as a new contract for Jack Grealish and the appointment of CEO Christian Purslow, once of Liverpool.
Before then, there was no CEO, there was no sporting director and money looked thin on the ground.
Therefore, to see Villa in the Premier League and seemingly financially stable just one year later is quite phenomenal.
It is a testament to the hard work Dean Smith has put in since he was appointed manager but there are arguably greater thanks owed to those behind the scenes.
Without Edens, Sawiris and company, the situation at the football club could have been far worse.
The recruitment in what has already been a busy summer of transfer activity is not only led by Smith, but Purslow and Jesus Garcia-Pitarch are also having a strong say on proceedings.
The groundwork, however, appears to be led by the latter two names, building on the type of philosophy that their head coach wants to work with.
Things may have played out very differently if they didn’t end the season so well, however.
Towards the climax of the 2018/19 term, Villa won ten games on the bounce as their momentum carried them to an eventual play-off final victory at Wembley.
There were many heroes. Jed Steer, of course, was the man of the moment at the Hawthorns whilst Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn popped up with the all-important goals in London.
Yet, Villa still needed to be careful. We saw what happened with Fulham last season, spending over £100m only for them to come crashing straight back down to earth.
It’s clear things weren’t very carefully thought out at Craven Cottage, but Villa appear to be different. They have a distinct approach, they know what they want and Purslow is already helping them deliver on that front.
So far the Villans have added a handful of new bodies to their playing squad, all players who should be solid additions on the face of it.
Villa supporters are already aware of the talents Kortney Hause and El Ghazi provide. The pair of them had their loan deals made permanent this summer after the former was particularly impressive in defence, winning 4.7 aerial duels per game.
The latter, on the other hand, was involved in 12 goals last term.
But that is symbolic of what Villa now are. Gone are the days of an inadequately run institute, they now mean business.
In an interview with BBC WM, Purslow made one key statement about the summer that was to come, saying: “This is when poorly run businesses and clubs make mistakes.
“This is the time to pause, apply a cold towel and contemplate carefully exactly what we need to do.”
And in many senses, that’s exactly what they’ve done. Besides speculation surrounding a potential deal for Adam Webster, a player Bristol City want £30m for, deal have been contemplated carefully.
They’ve been shrewd in their approach and that’s evident in the fact they’ve brought back two loan signings on permanent deals. They know the club, know the philosophy and are already familiar with the surroundings. Ahead of a return to the Premier League, that’s already two players who won’t need time to bed in.
However, there is a key promise that Purslow and Smith are also following up on, one that already has them ahead of what Fulham were trying to achieve last summer.
Further issuing his thoughts to the BBC, Villa’s CEO added: “On the recruitment side in particular, things have not been handled as I think they should be in the way our fans expect, which is for us to be a young exciting team and a team that over time establishes itself back in the Premier League.”
This is a pivotal point to understand in Villa’s transfer business so far. Out the door have gone the old heads of Micah Richards, Alan Hutton, Mile Jedinak and co, whilst younger individuals have arrived.
Hause, for example, is still only 23, whilst the recent addition of Matt Targett is the same age. He fits the profile of what Villa are looking for, and considering he was the fourth-best in terms of chance creation for full-backs in the Premier League last term, is without a doubt an exciting talent.
The club won’t pay out unless they are sure either. The most they’ve spent this summer has been £22m on Wesley Moraes, a Brazilian forward who has the ability to score and create, finding himself involved in 27 goals last term.
At the age of 22 he is a player who is every bit the type of signing that the club have promised. He’s young, hungry and, more importantly, fits their playing style.
Smith was keen to ensure he had midfielders running from deep last term and judging by Wesley’s ten assists, he could play a crucial role in supplying the end product to encourage those types of runs.
Villa’s approach so far has been measured and Purslow’s promise, coupled with Smith’s philosophy and ambition, is proving fruitful.
It’ll now be down to the players to live up to the billing of being an exciting young team.
“I’m prone to a leftfield signing, it doesn’t scare or bother me. We have to take little punts now and again.”
These were Chris Wilder’s words after Sheffield United committed themselves to a one-year deal with midfielder Ravel Morrison following a successful trial period with the club and the Blades boss’ take on the transfer contains two distinct truths.
The first of which is that it is commonplace for promoted sides to take chances in the transfer market simply because they have no other choice but to. The established stars head to the top six. The emerging talent that still have lingering doubts attached to them are snapped up by the mid-table outfits. The brilliant but fundamentally flawed players – who have all the ability in the world ‘on their day’ but are too often undone by inconsistency or temperament – head to clubs who by necessity must be creative in their recruitment as they enter the fantasia of the Premier League. That’s how it works. That’s how it’s always worked.
The latter truth is that Wilder has indeed been prone to ‘leftfield’ targets in the past and encouragingly he is really rather good at picking them. Last summer he scoured the bargain bins for discarded gemstones – spending just £6m in the process – and emerged with enough of them to forge a promotion winning squad against all expectations.
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Ravel Morrison though? There are risks and then there are risks who have already been gambled on so many times that placing faith in them feels like a pipedream.
Since he first broke through at Manchester United to much hype – in the same class of 2011 that contained Paul Pogba incidentally – the Wythenshawe-born prodigy has been reluctantly released by Sir Alex Ferguson to West Ham where his immense promise once again was usurped by off-the-pitch problems and a questionable attitude as illustrated by former team-mate and captain Kevin Nolan’s recollections here. Loan spells followed: to Birmingham, QPR and Cardiff, before a permanent switch to Lazio saw Morrison make just eight outings amidst further short-term stints in Mexico and Sweden.
No matter how far he travelled however his baggage accompanied him. In February 2011 Morrison admitted to two counts of witness intimidation. Later he was convicted for criminal damage. Soon after it was seemingly obligatory to include the words ‘wasted talent’ in any article written about him.
Find out why Phil Jagielka’s move back to Sheffield United is so much more than mawkish nostalgia in the video below…
Which, in many ways is undeniable. Since making his debut in October 2010, Morrison – now 26 – has participated in 125 professional games excluding youth international football. That equates to 15 per year. By comparison Pogba has made 403, including of course a World Cup final.
Yet anecdotal evidence suggests that Morrison was at least his peer’s equal as they developed at Carrington with Ferguson alegedly even going as far as to insist he was the finest prospect he had ever seen. Better than Giggs. Better than Scholes. Better than Rooney .
It is for this reason primarily why so many clubs have extended a chance of redemption to Morrison only for most to be let down. Will Sheffield United be the latest of them? If that’s not the case then Wilder has pulled off another masterstroke; a risk with high reward indeed.
أبدى برنارد كايتزو، رئيس نادي سانت إيتيان الفرنسي، اندهاشه من مسؤولي الزمالك، بعد بيع مُهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، مصطفى محمد لـ جالطة سراي التركي، رغم العرض المالي الكبير من جانب ناديه.
سانت إيتيان دخل في مفاوضات مع الزمالك من أجل ضم مصطفى محمد، ولكن تصريحات رولاند رومير، نائب الرئيس، أثارت غضب مسؤولي القلعة البيضاء، بعدما زعم أنّ هُناك مسؤولين طلبوا عمولات من أجل تسهيل انتقال اللاعب للنادي الفرنسي.
وعقب ذلك اعتذر سانت إيتيان لـ الزمالك، من أجل استئناف المفاوضات مرة أخرى، بعدما أكدوا أنّ الأمر ليس إلا خطأ في الترجمة، ولكن مسؤولي الأبيض أغلقوا الطرق أمام إيتيان، لينضم مصطفى محمد لـ جالطة سراي.
مُهاجم الأبيض، انضم لوصيف الدوري التركي، على سبيل الإعارة لموسم ونصف الموسم مقابل 2 مليون دولار، مع وجود بند للشراء بقيمة 4 ملايين دولار في موعد أقصاه 31 ديسمبر المقبل.
اقرأ أيضًا.. رئيس جالطة سراي عن مصطفى محمد: حفظ الله “الدبابة” من عيون الشر.. وشراؤه ليس إجباريًا!
وقال كايتزو في تصريحات نشرتها مجلة “le10sport”: “إنه أمر غريب ومُدهش، لقد عرضنا على الزمالك 5 ملايين دولار نقدًا”.
وأضاف: “الكل يُعاني من أزمة مالية، كيف لـ الزمالك أنّ يقبل مليوني دولار ونحن قدمنا عرضًا بقيمة خمسة ملايين دولار؟”.
وواصل: “دعونا نكون صادقين، جالطة سراي لا يدفعون الأموال بسرعة، ومن أجل التفاوض على ضم مصطفى محمد باعوا لاعبًا وحاولوا بيع الجزائري سفيان فيجولي”.
وأكمل: “مصطفى محمد لاعب رائع، لو بقي في الزمالك حتى نهاية الموسم، لكانت جميع الأندية تتسارع لشرائه”.
وأتم تصريحاته قائلًا: “سيشاهده الجميع خلال الألعاب الأولمبية، ولهذا أصررنا على إحضاره في فترة الانتقالات الشتوية، هو أيضًا كان يرغب في الانضمام إلى سانت إيتيان”.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Tottenham Hotspur legend Osvaldo Ardiles has urged the club to sell Christian Eriksen this summer, per talkSPORT.
What’s he said?
Eriksen has been heavily linked with a possible departure from the club this summer, with one report even claiming that his family has been house-hunting in Spain ahead of a mooted move to Real Madrid.
And Ardiles, who spent a decade at the club as a player between 1978 and 1988 and returned as manager in the 1993/94 season, believes that he has set his heart on a move away.
Indeed, Eriksen told Ekstra Bladet earlier this summer that he is open to a transfer away from the club.
As such, he believes that Spurs should cash in this summer.
He said: “It looks to me like he has put his mind on a move – that he wants to go somewhere else.
“And if that is the case it’s futile for the club to try and keep a player when he wants to leave.
“I won’t say he’s not happy with us, because he is, but his mind is trying to play somewhere else, and the best thing is to part company.”
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Nailed it
Eriksen does really need to leave Spurs.
The Denmark international has outlined his own intention to depart and Spurs are already embarking on a spending spree.
They have signed Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon, breaking their own transfer record to do so, and if they cash in on Eriksen, there will be even more in the pot to bring in further reinforcements.
Real Betis’ Giovani Lo Celso has been linked, as has Dani Ceballos of Real Madrid.
They should try to recoup the biggest fee possible and then keep spending.
There were enough positive performances last season for Rangers fans to justify feelings of optimism heading into the new season.
The summer transfer window, however, will dictate their endeavour to end the Hoops’ domination in the SPFL, and Steven Gerrard will need to clear out a handful of players from his squad to give his side the best possible chance of clinching the title next season.
Lee Hodson and Lee Wallace have both been allowed to leave on free transfers to Gillingham and QPR respectively, but there are other players within the squad who should follow them out the exit door.
With that in mind, Football FanCast have taken a look at what Gerrard should do with his squad before the summer window draws to a close…
[snack_break title=”Goalkeepers – Allan McGregor, Wes Foderingham”]
Football – Rangers v Celtic Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League – Ibrox Stadium – 10/11 , 24/4/11 Allan McGregor – Rangers Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee Smith
Allan McGregor – Keep him: McGregor returned to his boyhood club six years after leaving for Besiktas, and the now 37-year-old keeper remains one of Scotland’s best. Gerrard will be wise to keep the veteran as his number one next season.
Wes Foderingham – Sell him: Being a backup stopper in the peak years of your career is a painful sight to see, so Gerrard must allow him the opportunity to seek first-team football.
[snack_break title=”Defenders – Borna Barisic, Jon Flanagan, Connor Goldson, Gareth McAuley, Nikola Katic, Matt Polster, James Tavernier, Lee Wallace”]
Borna Barisic – Keep him: Poor form and injuries might have put a dampener on Barisic’s first season in Scotland, but the left-back can prove to be a good option on the bench.
Jon Flanagan – Keep him: A surprise free signing last summer, Flanagan has been a useful player so far – despite being a touch inconsistent – playing both full-back positions and turning up whenever called upon. Hopefully he will move on an upward trajectory next season.
Connor Goldson – Keep him: Goldson firmly established himself as one of the top defenders in Scotland in his debut season with Rangers, and at 26 the former Brighton man can lead the defensive line for years to come.
Gareth McAuley – Sell him: At 39, it is incredible that McAuley is still going strong in professional football, but after making just seven appearances last season it could be time for the Northern Ireland veteran to move on.
Nikola Katic – Keep him: A Croatia international already, Katic has the potential to be a star at Rangers if he continues to improve at the rate he has been going at. Gerrard has to start him more next season.
Matt Polster – Loan him: It was a difficult few months for Polster, who found it difficult to get a sniff of first-team football, but that shouldn’t mean Rangers should give up on him now. A loan move will do the American some good.
James Tavernier – Keep him: The Rangers captain had one of the craziest statistical seasons for a defender this year, scoring 17 and assisting 20 in all-competitions. Gerrard simply has to keep hold of him.
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[snack_break title=”Midfielders – Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, Graham Dorrans, Andy Halliday, Ryan Jack, Glen Kamara, Ross McCrorie, Jordan Rossiter”]
Scott Arfield – Keep him: Returning to Scottish football eight years after leaving it, Arfield didn’t miss a beat for Rangers this season, being one of Gerrard’s most reliable players and a name that will likely stick around for a while.
Steven Davis – Keep him: Davis was another Premier League name Gerrard was able to tempt north of the border, and just like Arfield, the midfielder became essential for Rangers last season. The club did well to turn his loan move into a permanent one.
Graham Dorrans – Sell him: The midfielder’s once promising stint in Glasgow has faded in unfortunate circumstances and it’s unlikely he’ll return from his injury nightmare with anything to offer that Gerrard’s current options don’t already provide.
Andy Halliday – Keep him: A Swiss-army knife of a player, Halliday played everywhere for Rangers last season, proving his worth to the squad as a solid backup option.
Ryan Jack – Keep him: Jack continued to assert himself as one of the best midfielders in the country with a stellar second season with Rangers. The former Aberdeen man has been unlucky not to receive a Scotland call-up.
Glen Kamara – Keep him: Despite being at Rangers for only half a season, Glen Kamara is already being tipped with a move away from Scotland after starting his career in glistening fashion. According to TEAMtalk, Brighton are interested in signing the midfielder in a double swoop for Kamara and Tavernier. Gerrard absolutely needs to ensure the Finland international remains at the Ibrox.
Ross McCrorie – Loan him: McCrorie got his first taste of first-team football this season after breaking into Gerrard’s squad, but consecutive starts have been hard to come by. A year out on loan could do wonders for the 21-year-old.
Jordan Rossiter – Keep him: Rossiter’s career hasn’t gone to plan after so much excitement in his younger days at Liverpool, but things finally look to be going right for the midfielder. A stellar season at Bury should give him a chance to prove himself under Gerrard, and the club would be wise to retain him for the year. However, according to The Scottish Sun, Rossiter has been told to find a new club. It will be intriguing to see how much truth there is in those reports.
[snack_break title=”Attackers – Daniel Candeias, Eros Grezda, Kyle Lafferty, Glenn Middleton, Alfredo Morelos, Jamie Murphy”]
Daniel Candeias – Keep him: Candeias was an ever-present fixture of Gerrard’s starting XI, and in a season in which the Portuguese winger scored six and assisted 12 in all-competitions, the attacker is likely to keep his place for next term.
Eros Grezda – Sell him: A weird signing to begin with, Grezda has been an underwhelming figure in the Rangers squad this season. The Albanian has been poor whenever called upon and could do with a move away.
Kyle Lafferty – Sell him: The Northern Ireland international has only been back at Rangers for a year, but it is looking like he is already heading for the exit door. Fans have been unable to get behind him due to poor form and problems away from the field, and Gerrard should be looking to sell the former Norwich man.
Glenn Middleton – Keep him: The 19-year-old came into his own last season after breaking into Gerrard’s squad. With Ryan Kent unlikely to return for a second season, Middleton could have a major chance to flourish next season.
Alfredo Morelos – Keep him: The best striker in Scotland, Morelos has been the talisman for Rangers for the past two seasons. If Gerrard is to dethrone Celtic as the top-dog in the country, the Colombian must remain at Ibrox.
Jamie Murphy – Keep him: An ACL injury kept Murphy out for the majority of the season. After starting the campaign well with a goal and three assists in all-competitions, the winger deserves time to recover and prove his quality.
It took Tottenham 517 days after signing Lucas Moura to capture their next arrival. However, Jack Clarke has now been joined by another new face in North London. Today’s Spurs transfer roundup including the failed pursuit of a Danish defender, Championship interest in one of the club’s midfielders, and updates on a star playmaker.
Andersen joins Lyon
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Lyon have completed the signing of Danish defender Joachim Andersen from Italian club Sampdoria. Tottenham had been interested in the centre-back, but now the Ligue 1 club have completed the move and will reportedly pay €25m (£22.4m) + €5m (£4.5m) in bonuses.
Wednesday interested in Onomah
According to the Sheffield Star, Sheffield Wednesday are interested in Josh Onomah. The 22-year-old was on loan with the Owls last season, and it seems that the Yorkshire-based club would like him to return to Hillsborough. They have held discussions with Spurs in regards to the player.
Eriksen’s agent meets Real
Christian Eriksen’s agent Martin Schoots is to meet with Real Madrid to discuss the potential signature of the Dane according to Spanish outlet Marca. Eriksen has already told Tottenham that he wishes to leave the club this summer.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Pace. Pace. Pace. Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson were remembered for their relentlessness in attack and the speed in which they moved both with and without the ball. Since the Scottish legend’s departure, the Red Devils have frankly become slow, one-paced and one-dimensional. No edge of your seat action, no ‘wow’ moments.
But in the immediate weeks after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival, it seemed like the ‘old’ United were back. Counter-attacking at will, being clinical in front of goal and a real danger everytime they pushed forward. The performances at Wembley and the Emirates against north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal were a throwback to when they were dominating English football.
Whilst the end of the campaign seemed like the club had gone back into their shell and hit a lull, the summer signings of Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are encouraging. The duo are young and explosive and are everything Solskjaer has been looking for.
Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…
Speaking on the club’s pre-season tour of the USA, the Norwegian said: “The two of them do have top, top speed. Modern football is stop-start, it is go again, speed, tempo, quality. So those two have put their marker down. Of course, with our boys, we have got some quick ones.
“You just want good players and good people. Quality and speed, of course, is a big thing in football nowadays. The more x-factors you have in a team, the better you are.”
For United, a counter-attacking style might suit them right to the ground. Other than perhaps Paul Pogba, the club’s current midfield options really lack genuine passers of the ball who are able to dictate the tempo and break the lines of play with their incisive technique and vision. The likes of Fred and Jesse Lingard in central areas, and James, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford further forward all do their best work in transitions.
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All are incredibly quick and thrive when the action is end to end, mostly possessing solid dribbling ability as well. Rashford’s winner against Spurs was counter-attacking at its best; soak up the pressure, a superb outlet ball from the central midfielder, an off-the-shoulder run from the striker and a clinical finish. It was smash-and-grab and oh was it exciting.
So whilst United may not dominate games with their possession next season, hitting teams on the break with their lightning quick stars could be the “x-factor” that the gaffer is yearning for.