Tottenham Hotspur fans want the club to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa this summer.
The club attempted to sign the attacking midfielder in the summer of 2018.
Per Sky Sports, they tabled a bid worth £25million in August as they attempted to prise the 23-year-old away from Villa Park.
Villa, of course, stood firm and Grealish has been a key part of the club’s push for promotion in the Championship this term.
He has played a total of 32 times in all competitions, scoring six goals and laying on six assists.
Since returning from an injury lay-off in March, Grealish, who is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, has been in exceptional form, playing a key role in a run of 10 successive victories that took Villa to the Championship play-offs.
And Spurs fans want Grealish signed this summer as the club look to buy their first player since the January 2018 transfer window.
Barcelona are lining up a sensational swoop for Tottenham Hotspur striker Fernando Llorente, per Mundo Deportivo.
What’s the word?
Llorente has been in excellent form for Spurs this season, particularly in the Champions League, but his contract expires in the summer.
He scored the decisive goal in the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City, while he also had a major impact in the unbelievable semi-final victory over Ajax.
And Mundo Deportivo claim that Barca have taken note of the 34-year-old’s performances as they look to bring in back-up to central striker Luis Suarez.
Barca have been linked with a number of big names this summer, including Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, and it would certainly be a surprise if they ended up luring Llorente to the Camp Nou.
However, it may well be a free transfer; Llorente is not set to earn an extension to his current deal this summer, per the Daily Mail.
Laughable
This is ridiculous.
Llorente, clearly, is a capable striker and he’s been a wild card for Spurs thus far this season.
Indeed, were it not for the veteran, the club wouldn’t be anywhere near the Champions League final.
But to claim that Barcelona could look to snaffle him away on a free transfer is nothing short of laughable.
He would perhaps be a fine signing for a promoted club, who come up from the Championship into the Premier League, or even a mid-level top-flight club.
Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter and reacted angrily to Raheem Sterling’s comments, after the Manchester City forward joked that no-one wants to see the Reds win the Premier League title.
Speaking at the BT Sport Industry Awards, where he picked up the Integrity and Impact Award for his efforts in fighting racism in football, the former Liverpool forward spoke about the Manchester derby and the implications losing that game would have had.
Chelsea fans were giving it large at Anfield on Sunday. Watch their afternoon get slowly ruined in the video below…
Sterling said: “Any little slip and you’ve got the Liverpool guys who could go on top of you. You don’t want that, I don’t want that, I don’t think anybody wants that.”
Having come through the Merseysiders’ academy, Sterling left Liverpool for Manchester City in a £49m deal in 2016, and the Reds supporters haven’t taken kindly to his comments towards the club that made him.
There still seems to be some bad blood between the player and the club’s fanbase after the manner in which he forced a move away, having rejected a £100,000-a-week deal before his agent said that his client wouldn’t sign a contract worth £900,ooo-a-week.
Let’s see what a number of angry Liverpool supporters on Twitter have been saying about the 24-year-old’s comments…
Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat at Wolves was further evidence that the side are struggling in defence, having now conceded six goals in two games.
A 3-2 defeat at home to Crystal Palace preceded this result and the manner of the performance left Arsenal fans panicking for their place in the top four, which they have now dropped out of.
World Cup winner Shkodran Mustafi was largely at fault for all three goals against Crystal Palace, and has been subject to immense criticism ever since.
There were social media plaudits before kick-off for Unai Emery’s decision to drop Mustafi after his dismal display on Sunday, though it comes as a surprise after his staunch defence of the German in the days following the defeat.
Arsenal’s loss at Molineux highlighted the significant defensive issues at the club that need addressing, and that the problems go beyond Mustafi.
Fans took to Twitter to question who was to blame for the defeat with Mustafi not an option for scapegoating…
With Mustafi not involved on Wednesday night, many have taken to Twitter to wonder who Arsenal fans will scapegoat in the wake of this defeat.
However, two wrongs don’t make a right, and whilst the Wolves loss will have to be post-mortemed in the near future, Mustafi’s horrendous contribution on Sunday should still be recognised and acted upon, rather than ignored because there’s been another shoddy display of defending since.
Mustafi wasn’t to blame for the Wolves defeat, and neither was Emery’s team selection really. But just as the Arsenal manager has to respond in every game and try to improve, Arsenal fans will be hoping Mustafi has also learnt from his many mistakes this season.
أعلنت الحكومة الكتالونية موافقتها منذ قليل رسميًا على إجراء الاستفتاء بالتصويت على حجب الثقة من مجلس إدارة الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة بقيادة، جوسيب ماريا بارتوميو.
وكان نادي برشلونة قد راسل الحكومة من أجل تأجيل موعد الاستفتاء من 1 أو 2 نوفمبر المقبل حتى منتصف نفس الشهر، خوفًا من تفشي فيروس كورونا المستجد، كوفيد 19.
اقرأ أيضًا.. بي إن سبورتس: رونالدو يغيب عن تدريبات يوفنتوس قبل مواجهة برشلونة
ولكن الحكومة الكتالونية ردت على خطاب برشلونة منذ قليل، وأكدت على أنه لا يوجد مانع أو عائق من جانب وزارة الصحة أو الرياضة أو الداخلية لرفض إقامة الاستفتاء.
وأفاد الخطاب المرسل من الحكومة على أن مدينة برشلونة تتمتع ببروتوكولات طبية قوية من أجل مواجهة فيروس كورونا بدأت منذ يوم 21 أكتوبر الجاري.
الجدير بالذكر أن بارتوميو في مؤتمره الصحفي بالأمس، أكد على عدم تفكيره في الاستقالة من رئاسة برشلونة وسيحاول مع الحكومة الكتالونية تأجيل الاستفتاء ولكن خطاب اليوم قد وضعه في ورطة كبيرة لأن التصويت سيُقام في معاده الرسمي يوم 1 نوفمبر.
حرص جيروم بواتينج لاعب بايرن ميونخ الألماني على تدعيم مدافع ليفربول فيرجيل فان دايك بعد تعرضه لإصابة مؤسفة، في مباراة الأمس أمام إيفرتون في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
وتلاقى الفريقان في الجولة الخامسة من البريميرليج، في جوديسون بارك، حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما.
وتسبب جوردان بيكفورد حارس إيفرتون في تعرض فان دايك لإصابة بقطع في أوتار الركبة (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).
وكتب جيروم بواتينج، عبر حسابه الشخصي بموقع “تويتر”: “هذه الأوقات جزء من المباراة، أعرف ما أتحدث عنه”.
وأضاف: “أنت محارب وستعود أقوى، متأكد من ذلك!”.
These times are part of the game – I know what I‘m talking about. You are a fighter and you will come back stronger, I‘m sure! @VirgilvDijk — Jérôme Boateng (@JeromeBoateng) October 18, 2020
Newcastle vs Crystal Palace later today may not be a game that the rest of the Premier League will take much notice of, however, both sides will be desperate to get all three points, and will be relying on their respective star men to achieve that. For the Magpies, record signing Miguel Almiron is the man whilst the Eagles have the flashy Wilfried Zaha.
Almiron is yet to score his first goal for the Geordies, and what a time it would be this weekend if he was to net in front of the Gallowgate end at St James Park to down Roy Hodgson’s Palace. If the game was to go the other way, though, the man to do the business for Palace is blatantly Zaha. The Ivorian is arguably the best player outside of the Premier League’s top six, and here we’ll be comping the two star men.
MIGUEL ALMIRON
Soccer Football – Premier League – Newcastle United v Burnley – St James’ Park, Newcastle, Britain – February 26, 2019 Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron applauds fans as he is substituted off REUTERS/Scott Heppell EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your
So far from Almiron, we’ve seen plenty of good signs but nothing concrete. However there’s no smoke without fire and the work rate, passion and endless running from the Paraguayan is bound to bring some end product sooner or later. The Geordies are just desperate for it to come sooner, and they don’t want to see the 25-year-old heading into the 2019/20 season still chasing that first elusive Newcastle goal.
The Paraguayan is unlucky not to have netted yet, but as Rafa Benitez’s side still have six games to go including their clash today, if Almiron keeps going the way he is then surely he’ll net soon. Until then, though, there will be question marks over him and the £20 million fee that the Geordies parted with to snatch him from across the pond. Thee signs are certainly there, but we just need a little bit more from the flashy South American in front of goal.
TT GRADE: B
WILFRIED ZAHA
Where to start on Wilfried Zaha? Without the Ivorian, there is little doubt that Palace would have surrendered their Premier League status many seasons ago, and their current run of six seasons in the top flight is the longest in their post-war history. Given that stat, it’s fair to say that Zaha is going to go down as a legend at Selhurst Park, and his 51 goals and 62 assists only confirm that.
This season has seen the Ivorian grab eight goals and seven assists in the Premier League and once again his brilliance and trickery have been key to the Eagles’ success. The mid-table slot that Palace currently fill is one that the fans could only dream of ten years ago, but as Zaha has risen to prominence so have the South London club, and if anyone is going to be put Newcastle to the sword today it will most certainly be Zaha.
TT GRADE: A+
TT VERDICT
Look away Newcastle fans, because this is one battle you’re not winning.
At this moment in time, Mike Ashley’s big January swoop is looking like a schoolboy in comparison to Zaha.
In time, Almiron may prove this battle to be spectacularly wrong, but going off of the evidence we have now, it is impossible to try and fathom that Almiron is better, more important or has more chance of influencing a top flight game than Palace’s wizard, and for those reasons Zaha is the deserved winner of this battle.
For Southampton, the international break probably could have waited a couple more weeks – the Saints have been excellent of late, with their ever-increasing performance standards finally paying dividends in the impressive 2-1 victory over Spurs last time out.
After a string of poor league performances, Mauricio Pochettino’s former side surely inflicted the final nail in the coffin of Spurs’ title hopes and Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier is tipping them to cause another major upset when we resume normal, domestic service.
Here’s what the former Saints striker had to say on Sky Sports, as he, Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson predicted results in Manchester City and Liverpool’s respective run-ins…
“I think the Saints game is one Liverpool drops points in, and that is not myself being biased. The win against Spurs will give them a massive lift and the way Ralph Hasenhuttl has got them playing is great.
“They took Man Utd all the way at Old Trafford and beat Arsenal and Spurs at home. They raise their game.”
Regardless of whether he is biased or not, there is solid thinking behind the Saints legend’s analysis – indeed, they were excellent against the Red Devils and really should have taken at least a point from Old Trafford, while they took their opportunities well in the win over the Lilywhites the following game.
James Ward-Prowse has been a standout performer, as has Yan Valery, while the expected return of Danny Ings from injury will be a massive boost to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, who have been operating without a clinical striker since the Liverpool loanee was sidelined in early February.
Southampton fans would of course love to get one over on the club who notoriously pinches their top talent year after year, so Saints fans, do you think Le Tissier’s prediction will come true? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below…
It goes without saying that Liverpool are obviously one of the best teams in England, and their achievements in reaching the final of both the Europa League and the Champions League in recent years suggests that they can be considered as one of the best in Europe.
However, as their inability to win either of those finals shows, the Reds still have gaps in their teams that prevent them from clearing that final hurdle, and weaknesses that Europe’s current elite sides will look to target.
Where do their weaknesses lie?
Jurgen Klopp’s side have arguably one of the best attacking trios in world football, with Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah causing havoc for opposition defences for what seems like almost every week of the footballing calendar.
Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…
Their midfield isn’t too shabby either, with the ever impressive Gini Wijnaldum playing a starring role alongside Fabinho, whilst Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, James Milner and Xherdan Shaqiri can also be called upon.
So, you may think this next part is a strange statement given the fact that the Reds sit atop of the Premier League clean sheet table this season with 13 to their name – however, it is in defence that the Merseyside-based team are often let down.
What’s wrong with it and how can it be solved?
When everyone is fit, the backline is fairly solid. Virgil van Dijk is obviously the main man at the back, whilst Andrew Robertson is emerging as one of, if not the best left-back in Europe. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s position at right-back is uncontested for now, so it is van Dijk’s partner at centre-back in Joe Gomez that needs upgrading.
Soccer Football – Champions League – Group Stage – Group C – Paris St Germain v Liverpool – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – November 28, 2018 Liverpool’s Joe Gomez looks dejected at the end of the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Since arriving at the club from Charlton back in 2015, the England international has missed 505 days out through injury, which is simply astonishing.
For a player as important as him, as seen by both Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren’s struggles to replace him this season, his injury problems are too frequent for Liverpool to be able to depend on him.
It may cost a lot, perhaps even more than the world-record £75m fee spent on van Dijk, but the Reds must ensure they land Napoli colossus Kalidou Koulibaly before any of their rivals pick him up.
The Senegalese international centre-back is an unerringly dominant presence at the back, but is immeasurably composed and effective on the ball – he has the lot, and Liverpool need to sign him even if it is the only purchase they make in the summer.
ScorecardMark Davies was miserly and menacing, with 5 for 27 off 18 overs•Getty Images
Can history repeat itself? Derbyshire are left hoping that it will after Mark Davies collected his first five-wicket bag of the season to given Kent a clear but certainly not decisive advantage at the halfway stage of this crucial contest between two promotion contenders.A month ago, in the reverse fixture, Derbyshire managed to come from a long way behind to secure a thrilling two-wicket victory that kept them top of the second division table and prevented Kent from moving to the head of affairs.Now, with just one more round of fixtures remaining, the stakes are higher still. And it may take an equally spectacular fightback to deny Kent, who were wonderfully served today by the impressive Davies.Released from his contract by Durham, shortly before the season began, the 31-year-old opening bowler has been a model of consistency all campaign. Spell after spell has ended with him conceding fewer than two runs an over and that relentless pressure must have helped Charlie Shreck, his new-ball partner, to prosper. But while Shreck has more than 50 Championship wickets in the bank, Davies had to settle for slimmer picking – until today.Having totalled 261 – a competitive but not commanding first-innings total on a pitch providing a good contest between bat and ball – Kent knew they had to bowl with great discipline when Derbyshire resumed on 32 for 1. And there are few better bowlers than Davies for that sort of job.Despite having his career plagued by injuries, he has captured the thick end of 300 first-class wickets at a cost of little more than 22 runs apiece and with an economy rate of around 2.5 an over. No wonder England seriously considered him three years ago – and little surprise that he put the squeeze on Derbyshire here.Shreck did not give much away. He was almost generous, though, compared to Davies who began the second day with six consecutive maidens – one of them the wicketed variety. Wes Durston, trying to knock the bowler off his length, went for a lofted drive over mid-on but succeeded only in skying a catch to mid-off where the back-pedalling Alex Blake did well to hang on.In all, the first hour produced 18 runs from 16 overs and, well though Wayne Madsen, the Derbyshire captain, was playing, Kent had applied a suffocating hold from which they did not escape until it was almost too late.Vitally, the leaders lost five wickets for 23 runs either side of lunch. And, deservedly, three of them went to Davies, in the space of 11 deliveries. The most significant victim was Madsen, who chopped on for 64 while looking to fashion a cut.Davies finished with 5 for 27 from 18 overs, figures which will no doubt have at least some Durham supporters wondering whether a good ‘un has been allowed to get away too soon.But while Davies had done more than his bit, Derbyshire were not ready to roll over. They have shown their fighting qualities all season, not just against Kent a month ago, and here they managed to turn 112 for 7 into 200 all out, earning a precious batting point in the process.Kent helped a bit, mind. Rob Key dropped a relatively straightforward catch at first slip when Tom Poynton had scored 6 – and the wicketkeeper, who posted his maiden first-class century, against Northants a fortnight ago, went on to contribute 45.The generosity did not end there, either. Tim Groenewald converted 2 into 22 after Adam Riley had grassed a lower, more difficult opportunity in the slip cordon with both chances being missed off the bowling of medium-pacer Darren Stevens.Kent had a first-innings lead of 61, but even that began to look a little shaky as three wickets in the last five or so overs of the day allowed Derbyshire to leave the field with a spring in their step.The ball is turning for Wes Durston, who bowled Key behind his legs and ‘gated’ the nightwatchman Davies, and for David Wainwright, who had Alex Blake caught behind off the final delivery. And the match itself could yet turn several more ways before it is done and dusted.