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According to El Desmarque, Tottenham Hotspur are the ‘main player’ in regard to the clubs interested in landing Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos.

The report even claims that Spurs would be willing to pay between £35m and £44m to land the Spaniard in this summer’s transfer window.

Ceballos joined Real Madrid from Real Betis in 2017.

The midfielder has made 56 appearances for the capital giants in all-competitions – contributing five goals and two assists in the process.

Ceballos was hardly used in the latter stages of the 2018-19 campaign, however, with returning head coach Zinedine Zidane seemingly not a fan of his talents.

The 22-year-old has won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, two Club World Cups and one Spanish Super Cup during his time at the Bernabeu.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals he would have snubbed Tottenham for Arsenal if they’d come knocking in 2005…

However, despite having an impressive CV, a number of Tottenham fans do not want their club to move for the six-time Spain international.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Crystal Palace host Manchester City this weekend in a clash that doesn’t look too promising for Roy Hodgson’s side – their visitors are strolling through games at the moment without getting out of second gear, while the Eagles’ woeful home record this campaign speaks for itself.

Despite the shocking result at the Etihad Stadium in December, this game looks more or less like a write-off for Palace, but it could give Hodgson the epiphany he needs to turn Palace’s Selhurst Park fortunes around.

On the chalkboard

Pep Guardiola’s side are masters of ball retention and pinning their opponents’ backs to the wall for the full 90 minutes and are confident enough to do it wherever they go, SE25 included.

Palace will likely be forced to sit back and soak up pressure, denying all the intricate runs and passes made by their opposition for much of the game, despite it being on their own ground.

It will most likely be damage limitation for the Eagles, who will look to keep the score down and get some joy on the counter – sound familiar? It’s what they’ve been doing on the road all season and it has yielded results.

Hodgson’s epiphany

No matter how much Hodgson tries to turn Palace into an attractive footballing side, the Eagles are a counter-attacking outfit – they were much better under Sam Allardyce and even Alan Pardew at times when they played direct.

There’s some exciting changes happening at Crystal Palace next summer. Find out what in the video below…

At home, Palace tend to be the aggressors and they always get caught out on the counter – the roles will be reversed on Sunday though, and the Eagles can turn it into an away game.

They have the pace – and Wilfried Zaha – to cause the Premier League champions all sorts of problems on the counter and, should they get anything close to their Boxing Day result, then Hodgson might finally realise where his side’s true quality lies.

The Croydon outfit desperately need to improve their home form if they are to avoid another relegation battle next year, and this could be the game after which the turnaround begins.

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Leeds fans have been appreciative on Twitter after Barry Douglas posted an update revealing his operation was a success.

Douglas has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a medial ligament injury in his knee and he has now undergone an operation which will help him on his road to recovery.

The 29-year-old played through the pain barrier after picking up his injury on Saturday to assist a goal which could swing the promotion race in Leeds’ favour.

The victory over Millwall saw Leeds move back into second place above Sheffield United and put their fate in their own hands.

Leeds now have a one-point gap between them and the Blades with seven games left to play in the league and if they end up getting promoted fans will look back on Douglas’ assist against Millwall as one of the contributing factors.

Fans have been showing their gratitude on Twitter after Douglas posted his injury update…

[ad_pod ]It was the 2013/14 season, and a 23-year-old Jordan Henderson was running the show in midfield on most weekends under Brendan Rodgers.The former Sunderland man, an academy graduate of Black Cats, had developed a bit of a reputation as a box-to-box midfielder during his time on Wearside, as well as in his early days at Anfield.Here was a player with evident bundles of energy, a real burgeoning midfield player who could pass the ball, cross it, and find the net from a very young age.Five goals and seven assists were what Henderson came out of the aforementioned 2013/14 season with, as he and Liverpool came within touching distance of a first Premier League title – it was telling that Henderson was suspended for the final three games of the run-in, when Rodgers’ men ultimately bottled it.Check out the latest hilarious video by 442oons in the video below…Rodgers was given the sack in October 2015, and in came Jurgen Klopp, a man who has done wonders for the football club so far ever since, but not so much for Henderson.The energetic player who was making an impact at both ends of the pitch had quickly turned into a stifled midfielder, one who didn’t really look to have a unique role in the team nor did he have a defining presence on the field as Klopp deployed him deeper.”Boring sideways passer”. “He offers nothing!” These were the types of cries that would find their way onto Liverpool fans’ and neutral fans’ Twitter accounts, or would be the topic of the post-match pub chat amongst supporters. What had happened to Henderson, someone who was rated as one of the best English talents in the country just a few years previous?

A natural No.8, Henderson now found himself stuck as a No.6 under the German. With the armband strapped around his bicep, was he going to kick up a fuss about it? Of course not. The England international simply got on with it for the sake of his team, sacrificing his reputation in the game as an exciting roaming midfielder, and instead picking up the label of a non-creative figure simply happy to keep the game ticking over.

A lack of a natural holding midfielder meant Henderson had to cover there with no other options available.

However, following the arrival of Fabinho, a natural defensive midfielder, Henderson has taken the opportunity to return back to his ways of old. A conversation with Klopp, in which he discussed his preference to play in a more advanced role, saw the 28-year-old thrust back into his former position from the bench against Southampton.

With the score at 1-1, Henderson got an assist and scored a goal to help his side to a 3-1 win, and immediately looked far more comfortable in the advanced role than he had whilst playing deeper for the last 18 months.

He was deployed there again in the 2-0 win over Porto in the Champions League quarter-finals, where he was instrumental in victory over the Portuguese side.

Following that game, Klopp even admitted to stifling his captain’s ability, and apologised. The former Borussia Dortmund boss said: “It was my fault that for one-and-a-half years he played as a No 6. Sorry for that! But we needed him there.”

Now approaching his 29th birthday, Henderson is regarded by many neutral fans as a bang average midfielder who offers very little, an opinion that may not change despite his obvious preference for the No.8 role.

Klopp may now have realised the errors of his ways after Henderson took it upon himself to chat with his boss, but could his entire career have been completely different had he been played in his favoured position?

We’ll never know, but the chances are that Henderson would be viewed very differently right now.

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Since Steve Bruce took over as Sheffield Wednesday manager last month, the Owls have been completely revitalised. Now, after seven matches in charge – including his first Steel City derby – Bruce is yet to lose a game with his new club.

Three wins and four draws have seen what looked destined to be a drab, disappointing season transformed into one where the prospect of qualifying for the play-offs is genuinely on the cards. 

A new-found defensive solidity is the reason for the Hillsborough club’s recent upturn in form. Bruce himself has taken the time to credit his side for their recent resilience.

Did Chris Wilder get it wrong in the Steel City derby? Check out the thoughts of Ingood Nick below…

What he said

As quoted by the club’s official website, on the prospect of vying for promotion through the play-offs, Bruce said: “We’ve given ourselves a chance because of our defensive record all of a sudden…we’ve made sure that we are difficult to beat and I think that was vitally important…it gives us a chance to not give up the dream.”

The manager further noted that his players have had to work extremely hard for him to get to this point.

“I’ve only been here a month but already they are showing a bit of resilience and I’m pleased with that…they are giving me everything they have got.”

Quick impact

Wednesday certainly have looked a far more resilient side in recent weeks. They produced an immaculate defensive performance to hold off their bitter rivals Sheffield United last time out. The commitment, discipline and diligence they showed at the back in that derby clash was a testament to Bruce’s impact.

They may still fall short of the play-offs this season, but what the manager has already achieved so far in his short time in charge should give the Owls plenty of confidence heading into the next campaign.

It’s been a strange old week for Tottenham fans, hasn’t it? Brushing aside the Bundesliga leaders in the Champions League then losing at Southampton on Saturday shows just how mentally weak this squad is.

You’d think such a mid-week thrill would lift the squad and pull them out from the Premier League hole they dug themselves after defeats to Burnley and Chelsea. Their title chances were killed by those losses and the continuation of poor league form suggests a complete lack of spine from Mauricio Pochettino’s men.

It seems the squad can’t link their momentum in one competition to the other, and that’s worrying because Spurs clearly have the quality to beat anyone on their day, as they’ve proved at times this season. They’re high on confidence in the Champions League, so they play well, but they’re low on confidence in the league, and that means they play poorly.

Whether it’s Pochettino’s fault for not being able to motivate the team to finish the season strongly or if it’s the players’ fault for lacking interest, there’s clearly an issue here. Spurs’ squad falls short of being capable of taking City and Liverpool right to the last couple of games, but even if they did have the depth and quality, would the club’s mentality ruin their chances even then?

As Manchester City have found in the Champions League and Liverpool in the league, if there’s no precedent of recent success in a particular field, the mental side of challenging for honours often trips players up. Spurs are, and will be, a victim of this until they do finally win their first Premier League. The hardest trophy to win is the first, and Spurs have to toughen up to rise to that challenge.

Aside from the clear spending requirements in summer, their best existing players, if they stay, have to realise the quality they possess and add some arrogance to their game. Being mentally fragile kills title chances, and Spurs shouldn’t let that affect the quality they have in their ranks.

Spurs fans, who do you think your club needs to sign in the summer to mount a title challenge? Join the discussion by commenting below…

تحدث طارق يحيى المدير الفني المؤقت لفريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك، عن مباراة الفارس الأبيض أمام طنطا التي أقيمت مساء اليوم على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

المباراة التي أقيمت على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي في اطار منافسات الجولة 29 من عمر الدوري المصري الممتاز، وانتهت بفوز الزمالك بثلاثية مقابل هدف.

 بالفيديو | الزمالك يعمق جراح طنطا بثلاثية في الدوري

وقال يحيى في تصريحات بالمؤتمر الصحفي عقب اللقاء: “أحب أن أعتذر لجمهور الزمالك ومجلس إدارته عن مباراة أسوان، هزيمة كانت خارجة عن إرادتنا، وجدت 11 لاعبًا مصابًا، ودخلت المباراة على مسؤوليتي الشخصية بحازم إمام وكاسونجو وهما مصابان”.

وأضاف: “بعض الناس وجهوا لي اللوم لأنني لم أشركهما، ولكن كان صعبًا أن أبدأ بهما لأنها لم يكونا قدا تأهلا بالشكل الكافي”.

وتابع: “الأداء لم يكن سيئًا اليوم، اللاعبون مجهدون وهناك ضغط مباريات، وهذا أبلغته لإدارة النادي أن يكون هناك راحة من أسبوع لعشرة أيام قبل مباراة نصف النهائي يتخلل هذه الفترة مباراة ودية واحدة”.

وواصل: “أشرف بن شرقي وأحمد زيزو لعبا مباراة جيدة بـ50 أو 60% من مجهودهما ونطمئن على عبد الله جمعة، واتفقت مع بن شرقي على مشاركته لمدة نصف ساعة”.

وأردف: “أنا دوري الآن المحافظة على المركز الثاني وتجهيز اللاعبين العائدين من الإصابة والمقيدون إفريقيا حتى يكونوا على مستوى بدني وفني جيد ومؤهلين للعب في إفريقيا”.

وواصل: “دائمًا أؤكد أن الأهداف تأتي من كرات عرضية أو تسديدات ومتابعة، اجتهد مع اللاعبين على ذلك، تغيير الملعب والتصويب على المرمى والمتابعة، وأحاول استغلال أصحاب الرأسيات المتقنة”.

واستكمل: “لاعبو الزمالك كبار ومحترفين ودوليين، الجهد الفني ضروري والشق النفسي مهم أيضًا، واليوم كان نتيجة عمل جزء صغير مني والباقي لـ باتريس كارتيرون”.

واستطرد: “لا أعلم ماذا سيفعل المدرب الجديد مع اللاعبين لكن لاعبي الزمالك كبار ويجيدون التعامل والاستجابة بشكل كبير، ولابد أن نعذرهم لأن الوقت مضغوط جدا”.

واستكمل: “مباراة اليوم كان من المفترض أن تكون نتيجتها 5 أو 6 أهداف، لكن الأمر يعود للخبرات، أحمد عيد وكريم بامبو أتيحت لهم فرص وأضاعوها، ولكن هذه نقطة ايجابية لأننا نصل للمرمى، ولكن الأمر يعود للتوفيق اللاعبين أو عدم التركيز”.

وأتم طارق يحيى متحدثًا عن متابعة مباريات الرجاء المغربي: “أنا متابع للرجاء من فترة وليس لأنني مدربًا الان، أنا من القلائل الذين يفضلون مصلحة النادي عن المصلحة الشخصية”.

Stuart Broad has been rested from the one-day series against South Africa ahead of the World Twenty20 where he will be captain.Broad, whose lack of pace during the Test series was highlighted although he finished as England’s leading wicket-taker, will return to lead the team in the three-match Twenty20 series against South Africa before the squad departs for Sri Lanka.He is the only notable absentee from the one-day squad – Kevin Pietersen’s continued exclusion was not a surprise – which beat Australia 4-0 earlier in the season, a result which helped England to the top of the ODI rankings.Chris Woakes, the Warwickshire allrounder who has been around numerous squads this season, will hope that Broad’s absence will open the way for him.Ravi Bopara is back in the England set-up after pulling out of the Test series against South Africa due to personal issues. He returned for Essex at the weekend, making 1 against Netherlands in the CB40, and an agreement has been reached for him to play for Gloucestershire against the South Africans in a 50-over match at Bristol on Wednesday to help him prepare for the series.Geoff Miller, the national selector, said: “We are grateful to both Essex and Gloucestershire for agreeing to allow Ravi Bopara to play for Gloucestershire against South Africa on Wednesday. Ravi has had some time away from the game and we feel that he will benefit from some extra cricket ahead of the start of the NatWest Series and with no games for Essex before we begin our preparations for the first match this is an ideal opportunity for him.”All players in the 14-man NatWest ODI Series squad were involved in the recent series victory against Australia. We will be looking for this side to build on the recent success we have had and to show further signs of improvement against a strong South Africa side.”Squad Alastair Cook (capt) James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes

Everton signed Fabian Delph during the summer transfer window, and it was suggested in September by the player himself that director of football Marcel Brands had brought him to Goodison Park to provide some experience and leadership to the younger members of the squad.

That hasn’t exactly gone to plan so far though.

The 30-year-old played the full 90 minutes in four straight Premier League defeats in September and October under Marco Silva, and has also missed 10 top flight matches through injury.

The former Manchester City man was also a second-half substitute in the disastrous 1-0 loss against a severely-weakened Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup earlier this month, and didn’t react in the best way in the aftermath.

The Englishman was spoken to by manager Carlo Ancelotti having been involved in a confrontation with a Toffees fans on social media, which is certainly not what you expect from a player of his knowledge and experience.

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Delph may well wear his heart on his sleeve – as The Athletic has reported – but this was not the right way to respond and he has since been booed when coming on as a substitute.

In addition, he was brought in to help influence the younger members of the team and keep them calm and presumably able to hold onto leads, but that is something they failed to do in disastrous circumstances during the week as Newcastle scored two injury-time goals at Goodison Park to come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.

Meanwhile, Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio told Sky Sports News, via Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre (January 23, 9:08pm), that Everton’s primary central midfield target during the January transfer window is Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Despite there being older and more experienced players such as Ryan Bertrand, Shane Long and James Ward-Prowse in the Southampton team, it was the then 23-year-old Dane who Ralph Hasenhuttl quickly named as his captain when he was appointed as Mark Hughes’ successor at St Mary’s in December 2018.

He has stood up to the plate, too.

He skippered the team to Premier League survival last season, and has been a real driving force in the middle of the park in Saints’ revival in recent months.

The Athletic reported earlier this month that he had made more possession recoveries (208) than any other top flight player this term, and by quite a significant number.

Call yourself an Everton expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

Of course, the upturn in form has largely come following the humiliating 9-0 defeat at home to Leicester City at the end of October.

It would have been very easy for Hojbjerg to shirk the responsibility of speaking to the media post-match, but he instead came out and apologised – a much better reaction than Delph’s after the Merseyside derby, one would suggest.

The Denmark international has shown maturity beyond his years in the past 12 months or so especially, and has all of the ingredients to be exactly what the Everton man hasn’t been should he end up signing on at Goodison.

In other Everton news, Toffees fans have been reacting to the performance of a “frightening” Premier League ace, with some saying they want him at Goodison Park…

After finishing second in their Champions League group, Liverpool were given a tough draw in the first knockout round of the competition with German giants Bayern Munich now awaiting them. 

And while Niko Kovac’s men have had their struggles in the Bundesliga this season, they certainly possess enough quality to beat almost any team on their day with Manuel Neuer certainly fancying his side’s chances ahead of the tie.

The Breakdown

Speaking on Liverpool following yesterday’s draw (Goal), the Bayern Munich captain said: “They’re having a very good season and we know they were in the Champions League final last year.

“They certainly won’t be delighted with the draw, either. They can counter quickly and they’re dangerous in front of goal, but they’re also vulnerable, as we’ve seen, and they’ll be up against a good Bayern attack.”

Being a club of their stature, Bayern will never go into any game feeling like the inferior team. But even so, Neuer is probably not giving Liverpool the respect they deserve, a Liverpool team who are more than capable of winning the upcoming clash between the two European heavyweights. Right now, there is arguably not a better team in world football than Jurgen Klopp’s side.

And with the way Bayern have defended at times this season, if anyone is vulnerable, it is them with neither Jerome Boateng or Mats Hummels looking like the high-calibre centre-halves everyone had become accustomed to watching in recent years.