Manchester City are counting the cost of Rodri’s latest card trick, with the Spanish midfielder set to serve another suspension.
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Vivianne Miedema posted an emotional message on her Instagram story after making her Emirates Stadium return for the first time since her ACL injury.
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The Frenchman could have been an all-time great but made one bad decision after another, culminating in a failed drugs test
In Robert De Niro's brilliant 'A Bronx Tale', the movie's young protagonist, Calogero 'C' Anello, comes to realise, "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever."
Paul Pogba is a perfect case in point. He was once the most expensive player on the planet. He should have become its best too. Italy icon Gianluigi Buffon said he used to leave Juventus' players "open-mouthed" with his mix of imposing physique and outrageous technique, while the great Ronaldinho tipped Pogba to win the Ballon d'Or.
So, when the Frenchman rejoined Manchester United in 2016, 'The Theatre of Dreams' offered him the opportunity to realise his – and yet Pogba now looks finished at the very highest level, a victim of his own dreadful decision-making.
Indeed, after seeing his career derailed by injuries and ill-discipline, it's unlikely he'll ever get back on track after being hit with a four-year ban for failing an anti-doping test.
Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing a deal for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, having already confirmed the arrival of young Frenchman Boubacar Kamara.
After announcing his departure from Marseille late last week, the 22-year-old has since agreed to join Steven Gerrard’s side on a five-year deal this summer, following the expiry of his existing deal.
That free transfer coup could well be followed by another midfield addition in the upcoming window in the form of Phillips, however, with the Telegraph reporting on Sunday that the England international is a ‘leading target’ for the Midlands outfit.
Had the 26-year-old’s current side suffered relegation on the final day the player could have reportedly been available for as little as £30m owing to a release clause in his contract, although after a dramatic win away at Brentford at the weekend to secure their survival, Jesse Marsch’s side are likely to demand closer to £60m.
Having already snapped up Kamara – the club’s second summer arrival after making Philippe Coutinho’s move permanent – a move for the Yorkshireman in the coming months could help Gerrard form an immense midfield pairing that would be the envy of the sides above them.
Dubbed “unreal” by former teammate Lewis Cook, Phillips has blossomed for club and country in recent seasons, notably starring under Gareth Southgate last summer as the Three Lions surged to the Euro 2020 final, featuring in all seven games in the competition.
A key cog in Southgate’s side, the £45m-rated gem had formed a standout partnership with West Ham United talisman Declan Rice in that tournament, with managerial legend Fabio Capello lavishing the duo with praise for their commanding displays in front of the back four.
Although replicating that pair at Villa Park appears improbable – with Rice set to fetch roughly £150m if he is to depart the London Stadium – in Kamara the club have identified a man who can perform a similar role, having been an all-action midfield presence during his time at the Stade Velodrome.
In 34 Ligue 1 outings this term, the £46k-per-week star averaged 1.4 interceptions, 1.2 clearances and two tackles per 90, while also recording an impressive 91% pass completion rate.
That record is remarkably similar to that of the aforementioned Hammers star, with the 23-year-old recording a 92% pass accuracy rate, as well as averaging 1.8 interceptions, 1.4 clearances and 2.2 tackles per game, with the Englishman narrowly coming out on top.
That does prove, however, that Villa’s new signing has the capabilities to be not only a success in the Premier League, but also a suitable partner to potential target Phillips, with supporters likely to be praying that a deal can get done for the 19-cap monster.
Dubbed “exceptional” by pundit Danny Higginbotham, the £38k-per-week man has performed remarkably compared to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 1% for pressures made and in the top 3% for blocks and tackles made.
Much like in the Phillips-Rice axis, it can be Kamara offering the silky, ball-playing qualities in the centre of the park, while the current Leeds man provides the intense and tireless energy that has become his trademark both at international level and at Elland Road.
Gerrard could well have the perfect partnership on his hands, he just needs NSWE to back him sufficiently to make it happen.
Manchester United have reportedly launched an ‘important offer’ for Napoli forward Victor Osimhen.
The Nigeria international, who former United striker Odion Ighalo described as ‘the future’, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford this month.
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Reports earlier this month claimed that Erik ten Hag’s side were ‘on pole’ to sign the 23-year-old, who is also wanted by Premier League rivals Arsenal.
Ten Hag faced the media as Red Devils manager for the first time on Monday, with Old Trafford chiefs seemingly hard at work over new signings for the Dutchman behind the scenes.
Sport Witness relayed an important transfer update from La Repubblica regarding Osimhen.
They claimed that AC Milan have now joined the race for the Nigeria international, although they added that the ‘most important offer’ has come from United.
Osimhen is thought to be an ‘alternative’ target to Harry Kane, with the Tottenham striker seemingly Ten Hag’s priority.
It remains to be seen how much United’s offer for Osimhen was worth, but you’d expect that it would need to be a big bid for Napoli to consider parting ways with their star attacker.
Osimhen is valued at £54m by Transfermarkt and still has three years remaining on his current deal. Reports have previously mooted a €90m (£76.8m) figure, so a transfer could eat into Ten Hag’s budget of £100m-£150m, some of which he wants to spend on Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
However, United could well offload a few players over the coming months to raise funds, such as right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Eric Bailly, so a prospective big-money move for Osimhen could be one to watch.
In other news: Sky Sports man now worried at ‘dangerous’ MUFC move Glazers have approved after landing Ten Hag
Alasdair Gold has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Filip Kostic.
Speaking in a recent video posted on his YouTube channel, the football.london journalist revealed that Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici are confident they will be able to secure a deal for the Eintracht Frankfurt wing-back in the summer transfer window, with the Bundesliga side reported to be willing to listen to offers of around €15m (£12.5m) for the 29-year-old.
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Regarding Tottenham’s interest in the Serbia international, Gold said: “I know certainly that they’ve got a lot of interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 29-year-old Filip Kostic – their left wing-back.
“So that’s one they’re going to look at, they’re going to try and sign. I think there’s a lot of interest in him, but we’ll see. I think there’s a growing confidence that he might be someone that they can bring in this summer.”
Considering just how impressive Kostic was in Germany this season, Gold’s claim that Paratici looks set to make an offer for the 29-year-old is sure to be one that the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful will love.
Indeed, over his 31 Bundesliga appearances this term, the £18m-rated wing-back was in breathtaking form for Eintracht, bagging four goals, providing nine assists and creating 16 big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.6 shots, making 2.8 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.
These returns saw the £43k-per-week talent average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.25, not only ranking him as Oliver Glasner’s best performer in the league but also as the 15th-best player in the division as a whole.
The 45-time capped international also impressed over his 12 Europa League fixtures, scoring three goals, registering six assists and creating four big chances, as well as taking an average of 2.7 shots, making 2.1 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per outing.
These metrics saw the former VfB Stuttgart starlet average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.33 – playing a starring role in Frankfurt going on to win the tournament and seeing him named the player of the competition.
As such, it is clear to see that Kostic would make a fantastic addition to Conte’s Spurs side, something which leads us to believe that Gold’s latest update concerning Tottenham’s interest in the 29-year-old is undoubtedly fantastic news for everyone involved with the club.
AND in other news: Contact made: Paratici in talks for “unreal” £30m Spurs target, he’s Mousa Dembele 2.0
Pundit Paul Robinson has made a transfer claim involving Aston Villa and soon to be free agent James Tarkowski, Football Insider report.
Villa have already explored the free agent market by signing Boubacar Kamara from Marseille. The French midfielder will officially become a Villa player from July 1 and Steven Gerrard also has his eyes on a move for former Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez following his release from Atletico Madrid.
Tarkowski could be another to head to the Midlands for nothing, with Sky Sports claiming last month that Villa were in talks with the Burnley defender.
Robinson, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI regarding Tarkowski. He labelled the centre-back as a ‘very good player’, adding that ‘he’d be a good fit’ at a club like Aston Villa.
“Tarky is a very good player.
“He is not a top-four defender.
“You could put him in a Liverpool side alongside Virgil van Dijk but he would be best suited as a ball playing centre-half at a Newcastle, an Everton, an Aston Villa. There’s talk of Newcastle.
“He will be a great acquisition for somebody on a free.
“He has been clever running his contract down. It has worked out well for him. He will get the move that he wants.
“I think he’d be a good fit at Newcastle, Everton, Aston Villa or West Ham.”
Tarkowski has yet to pen terms with another side, although Gregg Evans has described a move to Villa Park as unlikely.
That could well change once again, though, so until the experienced centre-back secures his next move, a transfer to the Midlands shouldn’t be ruled out entirely.
Reports even suggested that Gerrard was desperate for the club to get a move over the line, believing there isn’t a better deal to be struck all summer, so it may well be one to watch closely.
In other news: Sky Sports man now drops ‘crazy’ Suarez to AVFC claim after what he’s heard from Villa Park.
Liverpool have been linked with a number of forwards already this summer ahead of the transfer window, with Sadio Mane’s reported potential departure ramping up the urgency to sign a new player and now an update from a reliable source has been revealed.
Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano took to the Que Golazo Podcast to give an update on Liverpool’s pursuit for a replacement for Mane should he leave Anfield this summer.
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Romano claimed: “There are no negotiations for Pulisic with Liverpool. For sure Liverpool will go for a player in that position.
“Darwin Nuñez and Arnaut Danjuma are two players they really appreciate.”
There is no doubt that supporters will be excited at the prospect of FSG working to find a solution to the potentially unexpected loss of Mane this summer. Both Nunez and Danjuma could be worthy replacements if the worst outcome does present itself and the Senegalese winger leaves Anfield.
Nunez reportedly favours a move to Anfield over fierce rivals Manchester United who have also taken an interest in the Benfica star after his impressive season in Portugal.
The 22-year-old Uruguayan has scored 34 goals and delivered four assists in all competitions, with his most notable performances coming from the Champions League this season as his attacking output guided Benfica to their first quarter-final in the competition since 2016.
Nunez found the back of the net against Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Ajax to lead his side to a two-leg tie with Liverpool in the quarter-final in which he scored a goal in both games but it wasn’t enough to defeat the Reds and they crashed out of the prestigious competition at Anfield.
In terms of Danjuma, he has similarly been impressive for Villarreal in the Champions League which has helped him catch the eye of big-hitting European clubs with Manchester United again reportedly a long term admirer of the player and interested in signing him up this summer alongside Liverpool.
The 25-year-old has scored 16 goals and delivered four assists in all competitions for Unai Emery’s side, and despite his six Champions League goals was also knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool but progressed further than Nunez with their clash coming in Villarreal’s first semi-final of the competition since 2006.
Danjuma recently spoke out about the speculation surrounding his rumoured move to Merseyside this summer in an interview (via Liverpool Echo);
“I was informed that Liverpool were following me closely. And if a club came along that offers a higher sporting platform, I would always consider it.”
With that being said, Jurgen Klopp clearly has options and a plan needs to be made to identify the right player to replace Mane which will be no easy challenge. However, if Romano’s comments are to be believed the two potential targets could definitely make a positive impact at Anfield.
Tottenham Hotspur have been approached by agents as they offer out Brighton star Yves Bissouma, according to a recent report.
After his summit in Italy with club chief Fabio Paratici, Spurs head coach Antonio Conte has identified key positions to strengthen ahead of his first full Premier League season in charge in N17.
The Lilywhites have already confirmed the signings of both Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster on Bosman deals as their transfer window well and truly gets underway.
Midfield is an area of the squad where Conte allegedly wishes to make new additions, and according to a report by Claret & Hugh, they have been offered Bissouma.
Claret & Hugh now claim that the north Londoners are one of three clubs to have been ‘approached’ by agents over the possibility of signing the Brighton midfielder.
The Seagulls have apparently now placed a £25m price tag on the Malian’s head as the 25-year-old enters the final year of his contract, although the report doesn’t go into further detail over Spurs’ response to the intermediary contact.
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According to WhoScored, Bissouma finished 2021/22 as one of Graham Potter’s standout men, making more tackles and interceptions per 90 than any Brighton player.
The Mali international has received numerous plaudits for his top-flight performances over the last two seasons, with members of the media even hailing Bissouma as an ‘absolute monster’ (Aaron Stokes, The Chronicle).
Gary Lineker is another pundit to have sung the praises of the Brighton gem, labelling him ‘exceptional’, and we believe that £25m could be a very reasonable price to pay for the player.
In other news: ‘What is this witchcraft?’ – Media blown away by ‘great’ transfer news out of Tottenham! Find out more here.
Aston Villa are reportedly looking to add to the experience in their squad with a move for a Premier League veteran.
That is according to a report from Marca, who have covered Aston Villa’s interest in soon-to-be free agent Ben Foster in their transfer round-up piece.
Foster is listed in the interested category for Villa, along with Rory Wilson and James Tarkowski.
With no contract agreed, Foster will depart Watford at the end of this month and has also piqued the interest of Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, as per the same report.
Speaking on his “Fozcast” podcast, Foster revealed that he would accept being a number two goalkeeper at the age of 39, but expressed that his competitive nature would still drive him to fight for the right to become the first choice option at the club – particularly if he felt he was the safer pair of hands between the sticks.
Most importantly, the eight-cap England international revealed that he would love nothing more than to nurture a young number one and share tips and tricks from his vast experience at the top level.
Having made the most saves in Premier League history with 1248, the former United goalkeeper could help Emi Martinez return to his sparkling best, acting as a supportive number two or number three that would help the Argentine prepare for each game.
£33k-per-week Foster, who has amusingly been dubbed a “cat” by former teammate Gerard Deulofeu, forced his way back as a first-choice goalkeeper for Watford on a couple of occasions last season and registered a respectable save percentage of 58.6%.
Compared to Martinez’s save percentage of 67.6%, that number is slightly tarnished, though both ‘keepers conceded a similar amount of goals, with the Argentine letting 48 into his net and the Englishman allowing 49 goals to seep through in what was a worse defence.
Foster could be a welcome asset to a Villa squad that has recently been bolstered by relatively young signings by Johan Lange who will need help acclimatising to Premier League football.
He would also make for a perfect off-field partner for Martinez, who could thrive under the additional guidance of a fellow shot-stopper like Foster.
In other news: AVFC could land dream Bissouma alternative by signing £30m “complete package”