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[ad_pod ]Upon his shock departure from the club back in 2017, Sam Allardyce at least gave Crystal Palace some advice on who should replace him after his sudden exit from Selhurst Park – a nice gesture considering he could have just left south London with the club in the lurch.The former England manager recommended Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder to Eagles supremo Steve Parish, a man who has vast experience in the Football League and had already worked wonders with the Blades in League One.Previously, Palace had thrived under British managers, who seemed to resonate with the majority of the squad and get the best out of them.A Crystal Palace fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the Eagles in the video below…The likes of Tony Pulis, Neil Warnock, Alan Pardew and Allardyce all arrived in SE25 and fared quite well, getting good results before ultimately taking the team as far as they could.As a season ticket holder myself, Wilder’s no-nonsense approach but advanced attacking tactics – particularly in comparison to bosses such as Pulis – would have gone down well at Selhurst Park, in my honest opinion.This was the only real opportunity the Eagles had had to truly make a considered, well thought-out appointment since their return to the top-flight.Their previous hires had been as a result of Ian Holloway’s sudden departure, Pulis’ untimely resignation on the eve of the season, Warnock’s mid-season sacking as well as Pardew’s – Allardyce had commendably declared his intentions to leave early, and gave Palace an entire summer to find a replacement.But no. Instead of opting for a lesser-known, not-so-fashionable but solid gaffer in Wilder, Parish opted to take a gamble on a glitzy European name in Frank de Boer.The Dutchman had made his name in management with Ajax, winning four straight Eredivisie titles with the Dutch giants before joining another colossus of a club in Inter.However, he failed miserably in Serie A. De Boer was sacked after just 85 days in charge at the San Siro in what was a truly miserable tenure in every sense of the word.With his only accomplishments coming in Holland, a division that is vastly different to that of the Premier League, appointing De Boer was a huge risk and one that ultimately backfired.

The 49-year-old lasted even less time in the Selhurst Park dugout than he did at the San Siro, managing to survive for just 77 days before being given the chop – he didn’t even see his Palace side score a single league goal.

So, Parish and Palace had messed up their opportunity for stability, and were forced into a hurried appointment yet again: Roy Hodgson was hired on a two-year contract.

Since then, whilst they have stayed up comfortably in two successive seasons under the 71-year-old, the Palace fans have grown tired of Hodgson’s football and have called for him to leave at times throughout the campaign.

In stark contrast, Sheffield United fans seem to be absolutely loving life under Wilder.

The 51-year-old has just led them to a 2nd-place finish in the Championship to secure automatic promotion, where his incredibly inventive overlapping centre-back system has been a sight to behold – he also has the 4th best win percentage in England since 2015/16, behind only Jurgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola.

Straying away from the typical defensive minds of Warnock and Pulis, Wilder has his side playing some exquisite football. The Blades hit an impressive 78 goals this term, whilst conceding just 41, the joint-least in the Championship.

They are now back in the Premier League for the first time since 2007, where Wilder will finally face the side who ignored Allardyce’s recommendation to appoint him.

Meanwhile, Palace’s talismanic forward Wilfried Zaha has revealed he wants to leave Selhurst Park for Champions League football, and it would be a real hammer blow to the Eagles if the Ivorian gets his wish.

Interestingly, if he does leave, there is a very real chance that Wilder could finish above a toothless Palace side with his Blades; for those of you saying that’s unrealistic for a newly-promoted side, just take a look at Wolves.

It would be a truly embarrassing moment for Parish if the man he ignored when he was in League One led his team to finish above Palace, which is a very real possibility given how they usually fare without Zaha in the side; Palace hadn’t won without the 26-year-old for over two years before they beat Leicester without him this season.

They are well and truly in danger of being made to look foolish for ignoring Allardyce’s excellent recommendation.

Of all the top-six clubs in the Premier League, it is looking likely that Liverpool will be the quietest when it comes to bringing players in.

The Reds currently have one of the best starting XIs in all of Europe and are not in a rush to fix something that isn’t broken, and what is more, it is looking like improved recruitments on the bench seem to be Jurgen Klopp’s main aim this summer, but that soon could all be about to change.

According to Sunday Times sports journalist Duncan Castles via Team Talk, Liverpool have approached Lille over star attacker Nicolas Pepe, who is likely to be one of the most sought after targets in football this summer after a sensational season with the French side, guiding them to Champions League football for the first time since Eden Hazard was at the club.

Liverpool’s team on paper are near-perfect, but you can argue that an extra boost of creativity in the side is what’s missing from Klopp’s team, and Pepe will be more than able to fix that broken link.

The Ivorian international is so coveted this summer for a reason, he is one of the most energetic and flamboyant players in France and will add both creativity and an extra attacking threat to whatever side Pepe joins this summer, and Liverpool have to ensure they are in front of the queue.

Klopp’s side were inches away from a Premier League title, and in Pepe, they will have a player who can get them over the finish line and add the missing ingredient the side have been missing.

Liverpool fans, would Pepe be a good signing? Let us know!

It was going to happen sooner or later, right?

With Jose Mourinho out of work and Chelsea on the lookout for a new manager as Maurizio Sarri finalises his move to Juventus (via Sky Sports), it was surely only a matter of time before the 56-year-old’s name entered the conversation.

According to The Sun, Mourinho would seriously consider taking up the reins at Stamford Bridge for a third time if the opportunity presented itself. And from his point of view, it makes perfect sense.

With the Juventus job about to be filled and nothing currently available at the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea are the only club presently who can offer their former coach Champions League football, a strongish squad and a large transfer budget.

Why would a manager of Mourinho’s pedigree turn that down? From Chelsea’s perspective, though, turning to the former Manchester United boss would surely be a step backwards.

Last time we all checked, the Blues were trying to become a more adventurous team, hence the appointment of Sarri. Bearing that in mind, names like Mourinho, Massimiliano Allegri and Nuno Espirito Santo make no sense.

Also, let us not forget that Mourinho practically sold off Chelsea’s future for one Premier League title and a measly League Cup.

Had he shown faith in the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Mohamed Salah and actually tried to develop them, who knows where both he and the Blues would be right now?

If Chelsea want pragmatism and another short-term option, then by all means they should go for Mourinho. But just like last time, there are reasons to suggest – following his sacking at Manchester United – it could end badly.

Chelsea fans, do you want to see Mourinho back at Stamford Bridge? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Bailey Peacock-Farrell has been very outspoken about his future at Leeds United this week.

The stopper has said that he will happily look for another club if he isn’t offered assurances about the playing time he will get next season.

What’s been said?

The 22-year-old started the last campaign as Leeds’ number one, but the arrival of Kiko Casilla saw him dropped to the bench.

The Spaniard’s recent poor performance in the playoff semi-final has given Peacock-Farrell hope that he will be able to reclaim his spot, but if he isn’t a starter for Leeds next season, he has said he will look to leave.

The Northern Irishman is entering the last year of his deal, and he isn’t sure if he will sign a new contract.

“They said they want to offer me a new deal which is great, but that was two or three weeks ago and I haven’t heard anything since,” he told Sky Sports.

“The aim for me is to be number one at Leeds and play at Leeds but, if that is not the case, I may have to look elsewhere. To maybe miss another season, let’s say I will be number two at Leeds, I can’t afford that.

“Obviously I want to play for Northern Ireland as well and to do that I need to be playing at the highest possible level that I can do.”

Let him go

Leeds would be making an incredibly irresponsible decision if they were to promise Peacock-Farrell a starting spot.

For all the blunders Casilla has made the 22-year-old is equally as error-prone. There is a reason the Whites brought someone in to replace him in January, and they shouldn’t lose sight of that.

Likewise, while you can’t fault Peacock-Farrell’s ambition and determination, there’s also a clear element of disrespect about his comments. Less than two years ago he was playing for York City; now, with just 41 first team appearances under his belt, he’s essentially laying down ultimatums.

That alone, regardless of Peacock-Farrell’s actual form, should be grounds enough for Leeds to get rid. If every player is allowed to dictate the terms of their own status in the squad, managing the dressing room will become impossible.

Peacock-Farrell has a lot of potential but not enough to start bowing down.

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Arsenal have seen better days in the Premier League. The Gunners will be gunning for something better than the fifth-placed finish they managed to achieve in their latest campaign when the top flight rolls around once again. This, however, is not going to be easy considering the heavy competition. So following the announcement of the Premier League fixtures list, we give you five key dates that will decide whether Arsenal can improve on last season’s final standing…

31 August, Tottenham Hotspur (H)

Arsenal’s biggest worry in reaching anything higher than that fifth spot will be taking down teams that already occupy it. Spurs managed to beat them by one point last year and winning at home early against them could prove crucial in the long run.

28 September, Manchester United (A)

Following the same pattern, the Gunners will have to be able to stay ahead of those that were below them. United beat them at Old Trafford last time they met there so clinching a win here next time is an absolute must for Unai Emery and his troops. Not to mention the Red Devils will have roughly the same goals as Arsenal heading into the new season.

26 October, Crystal Palace (H)

Even though this one doesn’t seem as big, it really is. Palace are one of those teams that regularly chipped points off of the Gunners last season, both home and away, so getting the better of them and doing it against the Premier League’s rank and file will be vital – especially since they play Wolves at the Emirates the week after. Must win games for them in October if they want to improve.

28 December, Chelsea (H)

Games against Chelsea barely need an introduction and seeing how the Blues are directly in their way to the top four, Arsenal will absolutely have to win their matches against their city rivals. But the trick is that Chelsea at home is a start of an awful sequence of games: Chelsea (H), Man Utd (H), Palace (A). Getting off to a bad start could lead to a very poor run of results.

14 March, Brighton (A)

Brighton away is sort of the cherry on the top of this list. Beating the best is a must but not dropping points against lower-placed teams is somewhat of Arsenal’s speciality. Brighton held them to a draw both times they met last season and this game is also sandwiched between West Ham (H) and Southampton (A), both of whom beat the Gunners in 2018/19. Against this calibre of team, improvement is greatly needed.

Liverpool will set their sights on the future with Southampton’s Matthew Targett, after releasing Alberto Moreno at the end of this month, according to TEAMtalk.

Indeed, the Reds are apparently ready to raid Southampton once again, after signing Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana from them in recent years.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is thought to be looking for competition for Andrew Robertson, who arguably had his best season yet for Liverpool, booking himself a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for the first time, and former England under-21 star Targett is being considered.

It is reported that the Southampton youngster would consider a move to Anfield but has been encouraged by England coaches to seek regular first-team football elsewhere in a bid to stake his claim in the international first-team setup.

Targett struggled to overthrow Ryan Bertrand from the starting spot last season, making just 21 appearances in total, 13 of which were in the starting line-up. But that isn’t to say he doesn’t possess the ability to develop into a star.

The 23-year-old most definitely has age on his side, and his statistics aren’t half bad either. According to WhoScored, he produced on average 1.7 tackles (compared to Robertson’s 2.2), 1.7 interceptions (almost double Robertson’s 0.8), 1.9 clearances (Robertson: 1.3) and was dribbled past 0.9 times – the same amount as his prospective Liverpool senior.

In terms of his attacking ability, he doesn’t fare much worse, either. Targett provided 0.7 shots per game and 1.4 key passes (compared to Robertson’s 0.4 and 1.4, respectively), and while his assists and dribbling statistics do pale in comparison to the flying Scotsman’s, there isn’t many in the league that would come out on top in that contest.

One of the major themes of Klopp’s work in making Liverpool a force to be reckoned with again has been his ability to pick players up from the lower half of the Premier League and mould them into better players. Robertson himself is perhaps the key example of this but Georginio Wijandlum and Xherdan Shaqiri have fit the collective well after moving from relegated sides.

Even as a potential back-up, this move makes complete sense from Liverpool’s perspective.

Liverpool fans, would you be happy with Targett providing competition? Do you think there’s any chance anyone could dislodge Robertson? Let us know in the comments below…

What an exciting time it must be for you West Ham fans out there.

After an encouraging, if not perhaps mildly underwhelming, season for the Hammers, they’ve certainly pushed on with the exciting addition of Pablo Fornals.

Indeed, they dipped into the market early, signing the talented Spaniard for a reported £24 million per BBC Sport in a deal that Guillem Balague told the club’s official website surprised him, believing the player’s talent could have attracted teams in the Champions League.

Since confirming his move to Stratford, the 23-year-old has largely been showcasing his skills in the U-21 EUROs, starring in a hugely talented Spain team. In fact, Fornals found himself again on the scoresheet in Spain’s 5-0 demolition of Poland that saw La Roja reach the semi-final.

The goal, his second in two games, was an important one too. Fornals put his side ahead after 17 minutes, which in turn saw Spain march into a quick 3-0 lead. Frankly, it was also an absolute beauty, with the midfielder picking the ball up on the left, confidently carried it towards the penalty area, before emphatically thumping it into the far corner.

While judging players off of one tournament alone can sometimes be a dangerous thing to do, the midfield maestro does seem to be impressing pretty much everyone who’s asked about him. Following on from Balague’s comments we mentioned earlier, Dean Ashton also told the club’s website of his excitement for next term with him in the side. Labelling Fornals as a ‘striker’s dream’ and predicting he could add some creativity to the engine room, it does appear to have been one of the most exciting additions the club has made in recent years, at least on paper.

Indeed, if he can replicate that in the Premier League, West Ham have a player and a half on their hands.

West Ham fans, have you been keeping up with the u21 European Championships? How excited are you to see your new man grace the Premier League? Let us know! 

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to reports from The Hull Daily Mail, Hull City are interested in signing Mallik Wilks as it is understood that Leeds United are willing to let the winger go on a permanent basis if the offer is right.

Barnsley have also reportedly shown an interest in signing the 20-year-old, but the Whites’ willingness to let him go without much of a fight is baffling.

Wilks’ season

The winger enjoyed a fantastic season out on loan at Doncaster Rovers last term. He scored 14 goals and assisted a further eight as the Yorkshire club made the League One playoff semi-final.

Throughout the season Leeds fans were in awe of what the youngster was doing at The Keepmoat Stadium, and excitement was growing about what he would do for the Whites once he returned.

Letting him go

For some reason, the Elland Road outfit don’t want to keep hold of a player who put up such promising numbers in England’s third division last season, and it just doesn’t add up.

One problem that has plagued Marcelo Bielsa’s side is a lack of goal contributions from the left-wing. Last season’s first choice Jack Harrison contributed to just seven goals throughout the entire campaign, yet Leeds have opted to bring him back and are seemingly set to let Wilks go.

It makes no sense, why would a team that has enjoyed bringing through young talents such as Jamie Shackleton and Jack Clarke turn their back on a 20-year-old prospect coming off the back of a red hot season in League One?

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It’s hard to believe that a youngster putting up those types of numbers wouldn’t be of interest to the Championship club. Indeed, he isn’t experienced at this level yet, but to outright sell him rather than loaning him out is completely baffling.

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Just when you thought the Gareth Bale to Manchester United rumours had finally gone away, they just find a way of coming back up.

The Welshman’s name has been on the radar of the Red Devils for almost every transfer window since joining Real Madrid back in 2013, but a move to Old Trafford has never come to fruition.

Now, Spanish publication MARCA claim that Madrid’s pursuit of Paul Pogba this summer has given Los Blancos the idea of potentially sending Bale in the opposition direction to try and sweeten the deal.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

After hearing that Bale could be coming in to replace Pogba, United fans took to Twitter to voice their opinion on the matter and many were rather unimpressed by the whole thing.

Red Devils supporters insisted that despite their previous interest in the former Tottenham star, his recent lack of form, and history of troublesome injuries had turned him into a very unattractive proposition.

Indeed, having seen their struggles with paying huge wages to under-performing stars like Alexis Sanchez, United fans seemed keen to point out that signing Bale would simply give them another problem akin to the Chilean.

Check out some of the reaction of United supporters below:

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According to The Daily Mail, Juventus are happy to sell Moise Kean for a sum of £31m as Everton remain interested, although the Serie A champions will want to insert a £40.5m buy-back clause in any potential deal.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Toffees reportedly had a bid worth €30m (£26.9m) rejected for the Italy international, although it looks as if Juventus have set their stance out on the matter pretty clearly.

Kean shot to prominence last season with six goals in just five Serie A starts, whilst he also impressed at this summer’s European Championships with two goals in two appearances.

Thogden challenged himself to DM 100 footballers on Instagram. Find out who replied in the video below…

The Turin-based side are happy to sell Kean as they think a £31m deal makes financial sense for them – sporting director Fabio Paratici is also said to be concerned about the 19-year-old’s character.

Buy-back clause hinders Everton, but it may be worth it

Of course, in this day and age, £31m for one of Europe’s brightest young talents is practically nothing.

The Merseysiders would be getting an precocious talent who has already proven that he can find the back of the net when given the opportunity for game time, and it would also help solve the problem that is the lack of a quality striker.

Marco Silva has just Cenk Tosun and Dominic Calvert-Lewin to choose from in attack, who scored a combined nine league goals – that simply isn’t good enough.

Kean would assumingly come in and perform well in an environment that has coaxed a high standard of performance out of young players already, such as Richarlison, Jordan Pickford and Lucas Digne.

However, the buy-back clause of just £40.5m is also nothing in the modern market, and would hardly be ideal for Everton as Juventus could buy him back for a snip – no matter how well he does at Goodison Park.

It would restrict their ability to get the most out of their long-term investment. Who knows how much Kean could be worth next summer if he is able to command a fee of £31m after just one season in Juventus’ first-team?

His value could absolutely sky rocket, although Everton would always be hindered by the knowledge that one club can have him for a bargain fee.

It might just be worth it though, in exchange for a few years of quality striking service.