Regardless of whether Tottenham prevail in the Champions League or not, this summer is crucially important for the club. Without a signing in either of the last two windows, it’s now time for Tottenham to push on.
Mauricio Pochettino has spoken about the start of a ‘new chapter’ (as per Sky Sports News). It’s time to get ambitious, guys.
As expected, the rumours have started to spiral, with Tottenham linked with seemingly every player under the sun. However, a player that has received concrete interest is Leeds United’s Jack Clarke (as per Sky Sports News). The 18-year-old winger has impressed this season under Marcelo Bielsa and Sky Sports have reported Tottenham are looking to inject youth into the squad. However, it would reportedly cost £20m to capture his services (as per the Mail).
Indeed while the finances might be greater these days, to believe Tottenham will be able to compete with the likes of Manchester City or Liverpool is perhaps naive. The focus should be on players that are going to make an impact rather than £20m on a player that very will get a handful of appearances at best. Clarke both scored and assisted two in 24 league games last season. He’s a prospect, yes. But would he really make an impact? Would he really give the likes of Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura something to think about? It’s unlikely.
This is the time to be bold. To send a statement. Win or lose against Liverpool, Tottenham have come of age. They have the stadium, the training ground and now the belief. They haven’t slipped through via some freakishly straightforward route. Rather, they have results against Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, City and Ajax. Indeed, they are now operating at the highest level and they need to be making top signings.
Clarke may be one for the future, but he should be forgotten if his signing is at the expense of another. Tottenham need genuine reinforcements who will be immediately ready for selection. Clarke is not the answer.
Tottenham fans, would you be happy to see Clarke join the team? Would he be able to make an impact? Or would he be a waste of money? Comment below.
According to The Mirror, Liverpool would have to make Matthijs de Ligt their highest earner if they are to lure the prodigious centre-back to Anfield this summer ahead of Europe’s top clubs.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Champions League winners appear to be in the race for De Ligt’s signature along with five other elite European clubs – Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain are also vying for the teenager.
The 19-year-old rose to prominence in 2018/19, scoring a winner against Juventus in the Champions League quarter-final as well as a goal against Tottenham in the semi-final, and he looks set to be the next world-class youngster to emerge after Kylian Mbappe.
You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…
United have reportedly offered the Ajax wonderkid £236k-a-week to sign for them, whilst PSG have offered £256k-a-week.
Liverpool would have to offer wages in the region of those figures to be considered as serious candidates.
Would be just be another Alexis Sanchez
It has been well documented that the arrival of Alexis Sanchez at United caused a number of issues.
Apart from the fact he has notched just five goals despite earning a reported £400k-a-week with bonuses, the Chilean’s earnings appears to have caused issues in the dressing room – David de Gea has been demanding a similar wage packet in contract negotiations, whilst Ander Herrera left the club after his demands weren’t met. On the pitch, meanwhile, United have looked like anything but a united bunch for a very long time now.
Liverpool would be risking a similar domino effect if they placed a 19-year-old on better wages than their experienced Champions League winning stars, as questions would surely start to be asked.
Virgil van Dijk earns £150k-a-week whilst Mohamed Salah earns £200k-a-week, and those two – who are key figures in the dressing room – would have a right to be knocking on Jurgen Klopp’s door asking for a pay rise if De Ligt were signed on wages close to £300k-a-week.
The Reds must learn from their arch-rivals’ huge error and avoid risking the dressing room harmony Klopp has helped to create at Anfield.
If Aston Villa are to sign Maxi Gomez this summer then they’d have to part company with £43.5m of their transfer budget.
It’s a deal that would surely put activity in other areas beyond the realms of possibility, but if the club want to make a statement going into the Premier League, this would be it.
The Villans have completed shrewd deals for Jota and Anwar El Ghazi already this summer, whilst Kortney Hause could also arrive for £3m.
Yet a deal for Gomez would blow this out of the water. Speaking on the radio show Tiempo de Futbol on Sport 890 on 6 June, Ney Castillo, the president of his former team, admitted that Villa had an interest.
This came amid one of the club’s scouts revealing his admiration for the player, per Marca.
It’s a deal that seems unlikely given the fee, but if they are to part ways with the necessary funds, the Uruguayan could bring an asset to their front line that wasn’t seen as frequently when Tammy Abraham was at the club.
Last term, the Chelsea loanee won on average 3.1 aerial duels per match. His potential successor won four per game.
Standing at 6 ft 1, the 22-year-old is a force to be reckoned with in the air, winning 140 aerial duels in La Liga over the course of the 2018/19 season.
Abraham, on the other hand, won 121 in five more matches, a statistic that proves Gomez has a better presence when the ball is in the air.
Abraham was a physical player, but when it comes to Villa’s reported target, he is a different animal, that’s despite only scoring 13 times. Though, given his steely nature he could be a real asset in the Premier League.
In a 1-1 draw with Getafe back in October, the Celta Vigo striker won a colossal ten headers.
Meanwhile, in a 2-0 win over Barcelona last month, a game he scored in, Gomez was victorious in six aerial duels.
Next term Villa aren’t likely to enjoy as much possession as they did in the Championship. Therefore, playing the ball into a striker with the sheer presence the Uruguay international possesses could be extremely beneficial.
After netting the winner for Poland in their U21 European Championship clash against Italy, Krystian Bielik has seen a lot of Arsenal fans clamour for him to get an opportunity for Unai Emery’s first-team next season.
What’s the word?
Speaking whilst on international duty, Bielik was adamant that after a spell with Charlton in League One last season he would not contemplate returning to the Gunners’ youth sides.
He insisted (via Football.London): “My future is unknown but there is one thing I can say for sure: I will definitely not go back to Arsenal U23 team. At this stage it wouldn’t make sense.
“If I do not receive the possibility to join the first team permanently, I will have to look for other solutions. I feel like a senior player now so I want to play senior football.”
The ball-playing centre-back Emery has been searching for
After conceding 51 goals in the Premier League it has been no surprise to see reports in recent weeks claiming Emery is on the look-out for a new centre-back to potentially marshal his back-line next season. But there’s one man right under the noses of the Gunners management who could be the long-term answer they’ve been desperately looking for.
Would you take a job at your fiercest rivals stadium? The Spurs fan in the video below wasn’t going to let football stand in the way of a bit of dollar…
Step forward Bielik. The former Legia Warsaw man has been largely confined to Arsenal’s academy sides but had a real breakthrough campaign under Lee Bowyer’s guidance at Charlton. The 21-year-old showcased his versatility by looking comfortable in both a holding midfield role and as a centre-back for the Addicks.
In his country’s opening game of the U21 Euros against Belgium, Bielik completed more passes than any of his teammates and had an impressive accuracy of 95.7% for passes in the opposition half – a percentage higher than any other starter on either side.
He rounded off the performance with a thumping header and then against Italy showed some fine technique and agility with a half-volley from the edge of the box.
His performance in the play-off final against Sunderland earned him the man of the match award and was a real sign of his temperament for the big games.
Emery’s insistence on having “protagonists” and people who can dictate the game brought out teething problems last season. Bielik’s return to the Emirates however would ensure the Gunners have someone capable of leading their back-line both on the ball and off it.
Per a report from The Sun, Aston Villa are plotting a £10m move for Matt Targett as the club gear up for a return to the top-flight.
The newspaper claims that Dean Smith sees the Englishman as his first choice to bolster their options at left-back.
Targett, who can play both in defence and further up the field in a role on the wing, demonstrated his quality in attack by claiming three assists last term.
The 23-year-old started just 13 times for Southampton in the campaign just gone, but his lack of game time doesn’t appear to have put Villa off from making a move.
After releasing Alan Hutton and Tommy Elphick, strengthening in defence will be key ahead of next season, especially considering Axel Tuanzebe, Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause have all returned to their loan clubs.
Of course, Hause could return after the club triggered their option to buy the player, but Targett would certainly add even greater quality.
But what do other writers at Football FanCast make of a possible move? Check out their thoughts below.
Luke Glanville:
“It’s no secret that Aston Villa need to sign some Premier League experience this summer ahead of their return to the highest level. And it’s often thought that these kind of signings need to be of veterans, but that’s nonsense. Matt Targett is still young and has plenty of Premier League experience, namely 43 appearances in the division with Southampton. This kind of signing would definitely help to prepare Villa suitably for Premier League life.”
Charles Jones:
“Matt Targett is a fantastic left-back in my opinion, but I’m not sure you can say that his addition would suitably prepare them for Premier League life. He has always been the understudy for Ryan Bertrand at Southampton, and he doesn’t really have the experience at this level. That being said he has looked the part when he has stepped onto the pitch, but if this is Villa’s idea of adding Premier League experience to the squad they are looking in the wrong places.”
James Beavis:
“It really depends on what Aston Villa are looking for. If they want a left-back who is reliable defensively but not brilliant going forward, then Targett would be a decent addition. The problem with the 23-year-old is that he doesn’t have the pace to get up to the byline and back, which results in the majority of his crosses coming from a deeper position. In conclusion, he’d be a solid but unspectacular signing for Villa.”
The transfer window is yet to creep into July yet there has been one player that Manchester United have been linked with time and time again as the month progresses, Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The Crystal Palace star has emerged as one of the best young defensive talents in Europe after a breakout year in the Premier League with the Eagles, and with United on the hunt for a new right-back with club captain Antonio Valencia gone, Wan-Bissaka has become a common name rumoured with a move to Old Trafford this summer, but a new name has entered the fray as of late.
According to the Sun, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has turned his attention towards PSV defender Denzel Dumfries, who too enjoyed a breakout campaign as the Dutch international was named in the Eredivisie Team of the Season and became a starter in Ronald Koeman’s Holland side.
A move for Dumfries or Wan-Bissaka seems likely this summer for United, but here are two reasons why the Red Devils should be looking at the 23-year-old Dutchman instead of the England U-21 international…
He’s the full-back United have been craving
With the role of the full-back evolving into one of the most important roles in the starting XI, it’s crazy to think United are one of the last big clubs in European football to not utilise the position to its modern potential, with Dumfries, though, the Red Devils can finally step into the new age.
At four goals and six assists in the league last season, Dumfries was involved in more goals than Wan-Bissaka last term, who only managed three assists, and at 0.8 key passes on average per game the Dutch defender is more likely to do more creatively compared to his English counterpart, who only averaged 0.4 key passes.
Although Wan-Bissaka’s defensive numbers completely blow Dumfries’ out the water, along with virtually every fullback in Europe, the Dutch defenders attacking output would be a welcome addition for United, who have lacked a true attacking fullback for years.
A transfer fee won’t break the bank
As well as playing in the mould of the modern day fullback, Dumfries would come at a cost that is completely realistic for United.
At a reported £25 million per the report from the Sun, the Dutch international would be a cheap option for United in an era of football where fees of £40 million and £50 million are becoming commonplace, and the price of Wan-Bissaka is no different with reports via the Sun of a £70 million bid needed to prize Palace away from their star man.
Dumfries would be a sign of good scouting from the club, and with a price tag £45 million less than what Palace want for Wan-Bissaka, it could be a coup of a signing from United.
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…
Aston Villa assistant manager John Terry has given his thoughts on the job Steven Gerrard is doing at Rangers, feeling that the club are make excellent progress in their quest for trophies, as reported by The Scottish Sun.
What’s he said?
Terry is an English football legend having won 78 caps for his country and a massive 14 trophies with his beloved Chelsea, including the UEFA Champions League.
A former teammate of Gerrard at international level, Terry recently took the chance to meet up with the Gers boss in Portugal to take in a Rangers training session.
He’s impressed with the job that Gerrard is doing and reckons the club are well placed to win trophies next season.
The fans in the video below had some very strong words for Michel Platini who was detained over alleged corruption this week…
As quoted by The Scottish Sun, the 38-year-old said:
“Is the balance of power shifting? You can see that.
“Listen, Celtic are still a top side and the points difference showed that as well. But what Rangers did last season, from the games that I saw, is close that gap. It will be interesting to see what happens this year.
“I think it comes down to a desire to win things. Stevie has been used to winning things so that will be his target, for sure. He will want to win a trophy for a massive club like Rangers.
“You can see in the players they have that there is quality there and they are closing the gap on Celtic. That was a big job in itself and I think he did that last year. What he has also done is make people down south talk about Rangers.”
Can Rangers challenge?
The Gers are certainly not standing still this summer, announcing the signings of players such as Joe Aribo, Greg Stewart and Sheyi Ojo.
Players like that bolster Gerrard’s attacking options next term and should turn some of their nine Scottish Premiership draws last season into the wins they need to get closer to Celtic.
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On the other side of the city though the Hoops are also adding quality to their side, bringing in Christopher Jullien from Ligue 1 side Toulouse and Luca Connell from Bolton.
It’s shaping up to be one of the most competitive seasons for a long time but, although progress has been made at Ibrox, it’s all on Rangers to prove they have the determination and quality that produces consistent results.
Last summer was all about Jack Grealish. Would he stay or would he go?
Ultimately, the creative midfielder would stay at Aston Villa, but it didn’t come without its fair share of speculation as the 23-year-old found himself at the centre of a saga involving Tottenham.
Spurs bid £25m for him last summer, an offer that was swiftly rejected by the Villans as they stood firm over their prized asset.
Eventually, Grealish would go onto sign a new contract and then as the 2018/19 campaign played out he became the club’s captain.
It’s been quite the rise for the midfielder in recent years. After bursting onto the scene during Villa’s relegation season, he has now never looked more ready to take on the Premier League.
But what if there was a player who was more important to the club than Grealish? It would take quite something for anyone to outmuscle the individual who has supported Villa since he was a boy.
Yet, in John McGinn, they may well already have that. Grealish is the one who’s grown up around the club but his midfield partner from last season became every bit as important.
He may even have become more vital.
But where does all this spawn from? It’s not just based off of a season where he scored nine and assisted seven, however good he was.
The back story here, is Manchester United’s interest in the player.
Whether you believe a report claiming they’re lining up a move is another matter, but that reports of this nature have even surfaced tells you plenty about the quality of the player and why he could be even more important than the beloved Grealish.
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It’s essential to state this is not an attack on one of Villa’s best players. The academy graduate is a fabulous footballer and, after scoring six and assisting seven in the Championship last term, could be set to take the Premier League by storm.
However, as McGinn’s future quite possibly lies in slim doubt, there is a debate to be had over who is more indispensable to the club.
Grealish is someone with leadership qualities in this Villa team, something we witnessed last season, but on the field he is the flashy player. There’s nothing wrong with that because he puts in a terrific shift going forward.
But his Scottish midfield partner has more to his game. You only need to look at the fact he can provide good numbers in the final third, whilst still boasting a tackle rate of 2.1 per game.
In many ways, he is the perfect midfield player. Perhaps only his discipline – as 14 yellow cards last season suggests – is his downfall, but this is a man who is every bit as good in front of the back four as he is going forward.
A wonderful dipping volley that crashed in against Sheffield Wednesday in the early stages of last season demonstrated exactly how game-changing he can be.
Yet, rather remarkably, he went unnoticed in the PFA Championship Team of the Year. Grealish was instead the man picked despite missing a part of the season through injury.
Going forward though, McGinn could yet prove to be more crucial.
In the Premier League, we’ve seen what an all-action midfielder can bring you at a variety of clubs. From those who came up last year, you only need to look at Ruben Neves’ impact at Wolves.
He contributed to seven goals whilst boasting a tackle success of 2.1 per outing, the same as Villa’s Scottish midfielder.
In short, the 24-year-old knows how to get the job done. In many senses he is an understated midfielder.
McGinn’s work rate is nothing short of phenomenal and if Villa want to sustain themselves now they’re back in the big time, his attitude, tenacity and ability at both ends of the pitch will be colossal.
A move to Man United seems incredibly unlikely but it does beg the question of who in the Villa side is more paramount to future success.
Grealish may have scored the winner in the Second City derby earlier this year, but it was McGinn who helped turn the tide.
Coming off the bench with just under half an hour to play, he had one shot, made two dribbles and won an aerial duel.
Considering he didn’t have long on the pitch it was a phenomenal effort.
But that sums the Scotland international up. In the long run, he could be worth more to the club than any potential sum of money they take for him.
Villa are reportedly demanding a monumental £50m if United’s interest is legitimate, but keeping themselves in the top-flight is worth even more.
Grealish has been the centre of attention for a while, but Villa now need to make McGinn the figurehead of their plans.
For first-team stars, pre-season is usually just a way of building up fitness ahead of the start of the new campaign. But for new signings and young players alike, it can be the difference in whether you’re involved or not in the conversation for the opening game.
And in the case of Manchester United starlet Mason Greenwood, it appears he really has taken his chance. Despite it only being the second game of their pre-season, the 17-year-old has earned rave reviews for his performances and it appears Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taken notice.
After scoring in the 4-0 win over Leeds, the United boss admitted that Greenwood had a “chance” to start against Chelsea for the first Premier League game of the season and that he was “more than capable” to do so.
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Having heard that the academy product was in line for a huge opportunity, United fans took to Twitter to voice their opinion on the matter and many were rather excited by the prospect.
Red Devils supporters revealed their delight at potentially seeing Greenwood feature against the Blues and thought including him in the starting line-up would give them a devastating attack.
Others however were slightly more reluctant to get carried away and instead urged caution about Solskjaer’s words, saying that more experienced stars could well come back in.
Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:
West Ham United fans are thrilled at the prospect of signing Sebastian Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer.
The Hammers have agreed a deal with the Bundesliga club to sign the French striker in this transfer window.
Frankfurt confirmed in a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday that Haller is set to undergo a medical in east London, with sources telling Football FanCast that the Irons will pay an initial £45m that could rise to £50m depending on performance-related bonuses.
Haller scored 20 goals in all competitions last season and will strengthen manager Manuel Pellegrini’s frontline at the London Stadium.
Indeed, the Hammers have sold Marko Arnautovic and Lucas Perez in this transfer window, while also releasing Andy Carroll.
And fans are excited by the possibility of Haller lighting up the Premier League if the Irons can complete a club-record move for the 25-year-old.
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