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Crystal Palace announced a loan deal for Lucas Perri on Thursday via their official website and, while many surely see the Brazilian as a squad player rather than an addition to the starting XI, his signing gives Roy Hodgson a golden opportunity to finally end the debate over who should be the Eagles’ number 1.

On the chalkboard

Perri makes the switch to Selhurst Park from Sao Paulo on a temporary basis and, in his six-month spell in red and blue, he will have to compete with Wayne Hennessey and summer signing Vicente Guaita for the gloves.

The latter surely edges out the former based on current form but both are sidelined with injury at the moment, leaving third choice ‘keeper and Palace legend Julian Speroni to deputise between the sticks.

While his performance against Liverpool may be one the Argentine hopes won’t count towards his statistics – Speroni was at fault for Mohamed Salah’s second – his first start this season made him the third different custodian to don the gloves for Palace in 2018/19; injuries have admittedly played their part, but that is still quite ridiculous.

If Perri gets in ahead of the 39-year-old, he would become the fourth. Palace’s defence are surely far from assured by Hodgson’s chopping and changing of goalkeepers and the manager must put all his eggs in his new signing’s basket for the good of the team.

Taking off the shackles

Mamadou Sakho and James Tomkins have formed a formidable partnership at the heart of defence but, with the uncertainty as to who will guard the net next time out, they would surely play with more confidence if it was made clear who the number one choice is.

What makes Perri the number one, though? Well, he’s only 22, so has plenty of room to grow and will get better playing regular minutes. His distribution is also far better than any of his competitors and that ability to start an attack quickly will be more beneficial in the coming weeks as Christian Benteke returns to the fold – his hold up play will mean most long balls are won by Palace.

If Hodgson can finally establish a back five he trusts, the 71-year-old may loosen the shackles on the rest of the outfield players, too, and with goals a rare commodity at SE25 this season, that can surely only mean more opportunities to score.

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video above…

[ad_pod ]According to The Times’ northern football correspondent Paul Joyce on his official Twitter account on Thursday, Anderlecht and interested in signing Everton winger Yannick Bolasie on loan, and the Merseyside outfit want the deal to happen.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 29-year-old had joined Championship club Aston Villa on a season-long loan deal during the summer transfer window, but having failed to really make an impact in the Midlands he decided to cut short his spell, as per avfc.co.uk, and return to Goodison Park earlier this month.

Now it appears as though he is attracting admiring glances from Belgium according to Joyce, with Sky Sports also reporting that talks are already at an advanced stage, and the fact that the Toffees are keen for a move to go through tells you all you need to know about what manager Marco Silva thinks about the DR Congo international.

Will he go?

It would appear likely, and Everton are likely to do everything they can to get it done if the well-placed Joyce is correct with what he has said.

Silva already has plenty of depth and quality in wide areas in the form of Richarlison, Bernard, Ademola Lookman and Theo Walcott, and it is no surprise that he sees no future for Bolasie at Goodison – at least for the remainder of this season.

The 29-year-old himself will be looking to make a big impact for Anderlecht if he does end up joining them, as he looks to recapture the sort of form that earned him a big-money move to Merseyside in the first place.

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin may be out for the season but it’s given him a chance to show off his new accessory. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

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Tottenham welcome Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund to Wembley on Wednesday, and Mauricio Pochettino’s side are perfectly poised to ruffle a few feathers.

On the chalkboard

“It’s the history of Tottenham,” said Giorgio Chiellini shortly after his Juventus side broke north London hearts in the Champions League at Wembley last season.

“They always created many chances to score so much, but at the end they miss always something to arrive at the end.”

12 months later, and Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been forced to adapt after injuries to multiple key players, and they are now one of Europe’s most mentally strong teams.

Dortmund meanwhile have drawn their last three games in normal time (one was a cup fixture that they lost on penalties), and Spurs’ new-found mentality could well be the difference in this epic Champions League showdown.

Which Man Utd star got fed by Salt Bae this week? Check out the video below to find out…

Mentality is key, just ask Real Madrid!

Confidence and form is everything in a Champions League knockout fixture, where a couple of quick goals can decide the tie in a matter of moments, and Tottenham couldn’t have asked for better timing on this one, of course barring a date that would allow Dele Alli and Harry Kane to take part.

The Lilywhites have won their last four league fixtures, all without Kane and three of those without Alli, and if not for Heung-min Son’s last-gasp goal against Leicester all of those games would have been decided by just one goal.

Pochettino’s side have the quality to win while playing beautiful football, but the injury crisis may actually have improved their chances in the Champions League, where the killer mentality they have now developed can go an awful long way.

In fact, one could argue what has separated Real Madrid from the rest of the contenders in recent years is their sheer belief that they will win every game they play.

While Dortmund were blowing a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Hoffenheim this weekend, Spurs were battling it out for another deserved three points, and Chiellini’s comments on the “history of Tottenham” are well and truly just that – history.

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On Tuesday, Everton legend Tim Cahill shared an image of his son, Cruz Cahill, at a training session with the Toffees.

There is absolutely no question that Cahill – Tim that is – is an Everton legend, having made close to 300 appearances for the Merseyside club in all competitions, scoring 68 times in the process.

The 39-year-old is still playing professionally in the Indian Premier League, turning out for Jamshedpur FC.

Cahill was back on English soil earlier this week, however, and shared an image of his son in training with Everton.

Cruz was born in September 2012, meaning that he will turn seven later this year.

The post from his father was always going to bring a huge reaction from the Everton fans when considering Cahill senior’s standing at the club.

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And that was indeed the case, with the Everton supporters, who are frustrated with their team at the moment, reacting to the image in their numbers:

شن مرتضى منصور، رئيس نادي الزمالك، هجومًا على اتحاد الكرة برئاسة عمرو الجنايني، ولجنة الحكام.

وينتظر الزمالك مواجهة أسوان، في الثامنة من مساء اليوم الجمعة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة والعشرون من مسابقة الدوري المصري، المقرر إقامتها على ستاد القاهرة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. خالد الغندور يحدد موعد إعلان اسم مدرب الزمالك الجديد

وأضاف مرتضى منصور خلال مداخلة هاتفية عبر برنامج “البريمو” المُذاع عبر قناة “TEN”: “الحكم المصري فاشل، والجمهور يتقبل أخطاء الحكام الأجانب”.

تابع: “الأندية كلها تشكو من الحكام، الأهلي والمصري وأسوان، وليس من المعقول أن (الأندية كلها غلط والحكام هي اللي صح!)”.

وواصل:” عمرو الجنايني ليس لديه فكرة عن أى شيء، ولا يفهم فى أمور إدارة الكرة المصرية، ويجب رحيل اللجنة الخماسية”.

استكمل: “عمرو الجنايني لم يقم بإعداد اللائحة ويجب رحيله، وتقنية الفار أعظم اختراع في العالم، وأصبحت الأسوأ بسبب الجنايني”.

أردف: “محمد فضل عضو اللجنة الخماسية، أتى لمنزلي لكي يلعب لنادي الزمالك، وأنا رفضت”.

اختتم: “(أقسم بالله أن إبراهيم نور الدين جاء لي وقال لي إن جهاد جريشة عملي عمل هو وجمال الغندور”.

يُذكر أن اتحاد الكرة قد عين الحكم محمد معروف، لإدارة مباراة الزمالك وأسوان اليوم، على أن يتواجد الحكم أحمد الغندور لتقنية الفيديو طالع التفاصيل.

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Tottenham Hotspur host Leicester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, and Mauricio Pochettino’s side will be looking to keep pace with the Premier League title race with a win. 

However, Spurs must be wary, as the Foxes showed in their recent hard-fought draw against Liverpool that they have what it takes to match the best. Every member of the Spurs team must pay due diligence to their defensive duties.

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

Pochettino will be looking to his midfielders to follow runners and drop deep to support their defence throughout the match. Harry Winks, who has impressed recently in the middle of the park for Spurs, will shoulder plenty of this responsibility.

The 23-year-old will have to balance his attacking duties with being mindful of the threat being posed by the likes of James Maddison and Demarai Gray who will be looking to exploit any gaps between Spurs’ midfield and defence.

The 3-cap England international must be mature and disciplined to ensure that his side aren’t caught out as they push forwards.

Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit for collecting the cream of young English footballers continues, with Mauricio Pochettino chasing Norwich City defender Max Aarons. According to reports (via the Mirror), Spurs are looking to snap up Aarons in the summer.

The 19-year-old’s been a revelation for the Canaries, playing a key role in their fight for the Championship title race. The pacy Aarons has been a thorn for Championship sides’, with his impressive ability to whizz past players, helping Norwich on the attack. Aarons has also shown a hunger for goal, often creeping into the box unpredictably to score two goals this season.

The Canaries’ youngster has assisted four times, displaying an impressive eye for creativity and commendable crossing ability for a youngster. The fact that he’s recorded an 81% passing accuracy so far proves how much he’s matured under Daniel Farke. A sound defender who rarely makes errors and doesn’t let anyone outpace or outwit him easily, Aarons ticks all the boxes for success.

However, a straight-up signing could create issues for the youngster. He won’t be able to get a starting spot ahead of Kieran Trippier or Serge Aurier and faces stiff competition from Kyle Walker-Peters. Still, the Trippier attracting a fair amount of criticism this season for his lacklustre displays since the World Cup, Aarons could be seen as his long-term replacement.

Aarons is already being touted as one of the best U-20 English defenders and become a cult hero at Norwich. Considering Alli and Trippier’s success, maybe taking a risk on another blooming young talent isn’t foolish after-all.

If they do, it could be curtains for Trippier.

توصل نادي ليفربول إلى اتفاق مع نظيره نادي وولفرهامبتون بشأن الحصول على خدمات اللاعب دييجو جوتا، حسبما أفادت تقارير صحفية إنجليزية منذ قليل.

وأبدى بطل الدوري الإنجليزي رغبته في التعاقد مع المهاجم البرتغالي، هذا الصيف.

وحسب شبكة “ذا أثلتيك” الإنجليزية، فإن ليفربول توصل بالفعل إلى اتفاق مع وولفرهامبتون حول الرسوم المالية لتلك الصفقة المرتقبة.

وأوضحت أن القيمة المالية لصفقة انتقال جوتا إلى الأنفيلد تُقدر بـ41 مليون جنيه إسترليني، وستصل في النهاية إلى 45 مليون جنيه إسترليني اعتمادًا على مشاركة اللاعب ونجاح الفريق في الدوري الإنجليزي ودوري أبطال أوروبا.

وأفادت أن إدارة ليفربول نجحت كذلك في التوصل إلى اتفاق مع جوتا وممثليه حول الشروط الشخصية لصفقة انتقاله إلى بطل أوروبا.

وأشارت إلى أن جوتا سيوقع عقدًا ساريًا لمدة خمس سنوات مع ليفربول.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كيف تحولت بوصلة ألكانتارا من التجديد مع بايرن ميونخ إلى ليفربول؟

ومن جهة أخرى، سينتقل مدافع ليفربول كي جانا هوفر في صفقة منفصلة إلى وولفرهامبتون مقابل 13.5 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

وتصل قيمة المبلغ الثابت في تلك الصفقة 9 ملايين جنيه إسترليني، إلى جانب إضافات بقيمة 4.5 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

ورغب ليفربول في إدراج بند يتيح له الحصول على 15 % من رسوم بيع اللاعب لأي نادِ في المستقبل.

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Brendan Rodgers has one very important decision to make in defence for the return leg with Valencia.

It doesn’t involve the full-back positions – Jeremy Toljan and Jonny Hayes seem certain to start – but in central defence the Celtic boss has to decide who plays alongside Dedryck Boyata.

In the first leg Jozo Simunovic was pulled all over the place with Valencia’s second goal delivered by an unmarked Ruben Sobrino shooting home from seven yards out. At that moment the odds on Celtic progressing became ridiculous.

On Sunday at Kilmarnock Kris Ajer replaced Simunovic, who has made just one appearance on a plastic pitch since joining Celtic in 2015.

The former Dinamo Zagreb defender has never quite convinced the Celtic support that he is the real deal. Apart from one memorable challenge on Kenny Miller there have been few domineering performances in between regular spells out injured. According to Transfermarkt he has had eight absences due to injury.

By contrast Ajer has always made himself available – away to Astana in the 2017 Champions League qualifier he learned some punishing lessons as Celtic leaked goals but just managed to hang on to claim a place in the group phase.

Ajer is effectively in his second season at Celtic, deputising behind Boyata and Filip Benkovic who are the first choice pairing but about to leave the Hoops in the summer.

The young Norwegian has had some testing times but 90 minutes against Valencia will have him fully prepared for next season’s Champions League qualifiers – assuming Celtic clinch the title.

None of next season’s Champions League opponents will be on a par with the Spanish side. This season Celtic would have faced qualifiers against the champions of Greece and Hungary to reach the group phase.

Rodgers has spoken recently about age not being a barrier – giving Ajer the jersey to face Valencia is a sound decision for the clash in the Mestalla with plenty of dividends down the line for the player and club.

Rangers will be expected to once again see an influx of new players this summer, in the hope of bringing some silverware back to Ibrox. 

Steven Gerrard has done exactly that in his first season in charge and with hopes of catching Celtic increasing already, a few top signings maybe all they need.

Ultimately with them being eight points behind Celtic this season, that comes down to not having the quality consistently to see games through as draws have been too frequent.

With that in mind, another striker could be brought in to add even more quality to Rangers’ front-line.

Someone like Derby’s Mason Bennett is a player the Gers should consider because of his quality not being presented because he doesn’t play enough currently.

Bennett, (who is valued at £450k on Transfermarkt) is a player who’s been starved of action this season after Frank Lampard has persisted with using the likes of Jack Marriott and Martyn Waghorn instead.

So much so that Mason Bennett has made just seven starts in the Championship this season and although he has a contract until 2020, the Englishman may leave in search of regular game-time.

In total, the versatile forward has scored once and assisted his team-mates on three occasions this season, which doesn’t prove what a good player he could be.

Still, only at the age of 22, Mason Bennett has plenty of time to find himself another club, get adjusted to life there and then starting banging in the goals again.

He offers something completely different to all their current options and that could work in Mason Bennett’s favour whilst trying to get a move to a club like Rangers.

Do you agree… Let us know!