When considering that Lucas Perez scored seven times in 21 appearances for Arsenal last season, it is a surprise that he is still not at the club.
The Spaniard joined the Gunners off the back of a 17-goal season with Deportivo La Coruna, and impressed when given the chance to play for Arsene Wenger’s side.
That chance did not come around too often, however, and he eventually re-joined Deportivo on loan in the latter stages of last summer’s transfer window.
Perez, who is valued at £9m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has scored four times in 15 league appearances for Deportivo this season, but he is still contracted to Arsenal, and could yet form a career at the Emirates Stadium.
On Friday afternoon, Arsenal’s official Twitter account posted a video of a super goal that Perez had scored last season, and asked whether it was the Goal of the Year.
The video prompted a host of responses from Arsenal fans, with many claiming that Perez should have not been allowed to leave the club ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.
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A selection of the best Twitter reaction can be found below:
According to Sky Sports News, Marouane Fellaini is still locked in contract talks with Manchester United, and has not told the Red Devils that he wants to leave.
What’s the story?
Reports on Tuesday morning claimed that Fellaini had informed Man United boss Jose Mourinho that he would not be signing a new contract.
The Belgium international will see his current deal with the Red Devils expire at the end of the season, and he is currently free to discuss terms with foreign clubs.
It has been reported that Fellaini had already decided his future, but according to Sky Sports News, the 30-year-old is still very much in discussions with his English club.
Fellaini, who is valued at £10.8m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has been strongly linked with a move to Turkey, whilst it is understood that there is interest from the super-rich Chinese Super League.
The midfielder is currently with the Man United squad in Dubai as the team enjoy a warm-weather training camp ahead of Monday’s Premier League clash with Stoke City.
What will be the outcome of this one?
It is extremely difficult to say at this stage. It had been suggested that Fellaini’s mind was made up, but that no longer seems to be the case.
Fellaini has had an up and down time at Man United, but it is worth pointing out that Mourinho has been very good to the former Everton midfielder.
The Portuguese has shown Fellaini a lot of attention since coming through the door, and has consistently spoken about the midfielder’s importance to his plans.
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Fellaini only returned from a knee injury as a late substitute against Derby County in the FA Cup on Friday night, and as mentioned, is currently with the squad in Dubai.
It is understood that he turned down a new two-year contract in September, and the fact that there will be no improvement to the deal currently on the table seems to suggest that the Belgium international will move on. However, nothing is certain at this stage.
Leeds United sent scouts to watch Carpi striker Jerry Mbakogu over the weekend ahead of a potential move, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
What’s the word?
The next few days could be crucial for the Whites in terms of how their season pans out.
The club currently reside five points adrift of the playoff spots, but if the right players are bought, the team’s chances of promotion will be boosted.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Nigerian forward Mbakogu is on the club’s radar as scouts were spotted watching the 25-year-old in action on Saturday.
The striker scored in Capri’s 2-1 victory over Spezia at the Stadio Sandro Cabassi.
The Italian publication claims that Leeds could struggle to get a deal over the line before Wednesday’s deadline, which means that the club may have to revisit a deal in the summer.
Is Mbakogu needed at Leeds?
There is no denying that the Yorkshire club could do with an added attacker in the squad, but signing Mbakogu would be a risk.
The Nigerian has scored seven goals in 19 appearances this season, which is a positive tally, but his lack of experience in the English game could hamper him.
If Leeds head coach Thomas Christiansen wants a striker who will slot into the team with ease and cope with the pressures of fighting for promotion, then Mbakogu might not be the answer.
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One thing is for sure – the Whites are in need of a new forward to share the workload with Samuel Saiz and Kemar Roofe.
The team have scored 40 Championship goals so far this season, with Roofe top-scoring on 11.
According to club insider @ExWHUemployee on his Twitter account, West Ham United could bring in another free agent in the coming days after adding Patrice Evra to their squad on Wednesday, and Irons fans are confident that they are set to re-sign Alex Song.
@ExWHUemployee has hinted that the 36-year-old Frenchman won’t be the last arrival at the London Stadium, and it would certainly make sense for it to be a new midfielder given Hammers boss David Moyes didn’t get the defensively-minded player he wanted during the January transfer window following Pedro Obiang’s injury.
Song spent two seasons on loan with the east London outfit from Barcelona before joining Rubin Kazan on a permanent deal in 2016, but he has since left the club having not been paid for a number of months.
West Ham supporters were quick to have their say on who they could be signing via social media, and they seemed confident it will be the Cameroonian with one saying ‘Song will defo come back’, while another said “Sing us a Song, Ex”.
If poor performances on the pitch this season weren’t enough to rile up West Brom fans, their team’s off the field antics in the past week has left them seething with anger.
Four West Brom players were accused of stealing a taxi in Barcelona last week and driving it back to their hotel.
The Baggies have launched their own investigation into the embarrassing events in the Catalonian capital, which saw Gareth Barry, Jonny Evans, Jake Livermore and Boaz Myhill questioned by police.
The Spanish courts yesterday provisionally dismissed any legal action against the players due to a lack of evidence, but the whole episode has only served to add insult to injury for Baggies fans who witnessed their side crash out of the FA Cup on Saturday with a 2-1 defeat to Southampton at the Hawthorns.
Many fans are blaming the club as a whole for an abject season, but some are placing the blame squarely at the feet of manager Alan Pardew, who has seen his side plummet to the bottom of the table following his arrival in the West Midlands in November.
Here is a selection of some of their responses…
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English football’s attempts to incorporate VAR have thus far produced mixed results. While few dispute the merits of a system that increases the likelihood of accurate and just refereeing decisions, the practicalities of adding video technology to the English game have proved problematic; using the FA Cup as the platform for experimentation, ties involving Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have all lead to controversies in the last three rounds of the competition.
During Chelsea’s third round draw with Norwich, VAR missed a penalty that the Canaries’ honest defender Timm Klose later admitted should have been awarded. When Liverpool lost to West Brom in the fourth round, the entire first half was disrupted by long delays as the referee conferred with the video official – although they eventually came to the right decisions between them. And Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Huddersfield last weekend was overshadowed by some incredibly squiggly lines initially believed to have been used to determine whether Juan Mata’s goal was offside, damaging VAR’s already limited credibility.
So, do we need to make adjustments to VAR before it can be adopted permanently in English football? What alternative ways are there of using video technology? Football FanCast take a look at four suggested solutions to an innovation that continues to divide opinion…
Solution A – Stick with the current format
For all the stick VAR has received, it’s being quickly forgotten that we’re at the very conception of the system. It will take referees time to be fully trained and experienced in the nuances of video technology, just as it will take time for the actual Video Assistant Referees to master the new trade – it’s not as simple as watching a TV screen and telling the referee when he’s wrong. Eventually, officials will become more accustomed to it and there will be a wider, consistent consensus of when VAR can and can’t be used.
On top of that, by the letter of the law VAR should be marginal in influence – it’s meant to only be called upon for goals, penalties, straight red cards and cases of mistaken identity when there’s a ‘clear and obvious’ error on the referee’s part. That being said, the current setup still seems quite muddled and confusing, especially for those watching at home and even more so for those in the stadium. The rules are clearly far too open to interpretation at the moment, and that lack of consistency is incredibly frustrating.
Solution B – Only the referee can review footage
Many will argue it still leaves too much pressure on the referees, which VAR is ultimately designed to help. But changing the rules so that only the referee can decide to review footage for incidents he’s uncertain about – perhaps he was blindsided for a furtive-looking challenge inside the box or wants to determine whether a tackle should be a yellow or red card – would at least make it clear who is ultimately responsible for the decisions, reducing some of the vagueness and anonymity that many fans have found frustrating.
Furthermore, it strikes a balance between embracing new technology while allowing for human error, which many argue is an intrinsic factor in what makes football such a universally popular and engaging sport. The counter-argument though, is the pressure the referee would be under should they come to review footage on the touchline. They’ll not only be sandwiched between two dugouts protesting on behalf of their respective teams, but also in incredibly close proximity to the fans which could sway their judgement even if they are seeing crystal clear footage.
Solution C – The Challenge System
An approach used in the NFL, each manager is given two chances to challenge a referee decision and make it go to review, and are then granted a third if both of their challenges lead to an overturn in the original call. It’s not perfect – you can imagine the fury if a manager has already used his challenges but the referee misses a late penalty or awards an offside goal – but it’s at the very least a system fans can easily get their heads around and accept the merits and the flaws.
The main concern though, is whether the challenges will end up being used dishonestly by managers, hoping it gives them some sort of advantage. For example, using a challenge in the final five minutes can slow down the game and effectively time waste, or give a manager the chance to hold an impromptu team talk on the touchline. That’s no doubt a manipulation of what VAR is for and will eventually corrode the system’s credability.
Solution D – TMO
Currently used in rugby, the main difference between VAR and TMO is that the video referee is in the stadium rather than a studio in the heart of central London. More crucially, however, rugby referees essentially pass up the decision to the TMO rather than simply being advised to review their original call, and the footage is shown in the stadium – so fans aren’t left in the dark about what the officials are actually looking at.
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But it must be said that most decisions in rugby are much clearer than football, and even then the TMO can still make some incredibly controversial calls such as whether the player has put enough pressure on the ball when scoring a try. Likewise, it’s not hugely different from the VAR setup and some would argue it’s much fairer to have the video referee in another location where he won’t be influenced by the crowd.
So, which direction do you think VAR should head in? Let us know by voting below…
A few months ago, Sam Allardyce was something of a saviour on Merseyside, steering Everton clear of the Premier League’s relegation battle after an abysmal start to the season under Ronald Koeman. But fast forward to present day, and all is not happy in paradise.
Indeed, in addition to results taking a sharp downturn following the bounce the November appointment initially provided, style of football has been a real sticking point with some fans – it must be said that Everton aren’t performing in a manner you’d expect of a side hoping to break into the Premier League’s big six.
But there are some counter-arguments to consider here, particularly that Everton are still aren’t completely safe from the drop, so it’s not as if Allardyce can allow the team to open up and play expansive football, and that he’s inherited an imbalanced squad from Ronald Koeman.
With that in mind, we recently asked Everton fans whether Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright should sack Allardyce and the verdict of our poll was almost completely unanimous, with 96% wanting the former England gaffer to receive his marching orders.
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Who would you bring in to replace Allardyce, Everton fans? Let us know by commenting below…
According to Spanish paper Sport, Jose Mourinho is desperate to sign Samuel Umtiti.
What’s the word?
The 24 year-old, valued at £36million by Transfermarkt, has gone from strength to strength since joining Barcelona from Lyon in 2016, and is rumoured to be one of Mourinho’s main targets for the summer.
The Red Devils have also been heavily linked with Real Madrid’s Varane, so it is clear Mourinho is interested in adding another centre back.
The report from Sport claims the Portuguese manager is in constant contact with the player’s brother and agent, Yannick Umtiti.
Would he be the right choice?
There is no doubt Manchester United need to add another centre back. Daley Blind is on his way out, Phil Jones is injury prone, and Chris Smalling just isn’t very good. Eric Bailly has had his own problems with injuries, but the hope is that a big money signing could compete with Bailly and Victor Lindelöf for the starting positions.
Umtiti is certainly a good player, but if it were a choice between the Barcelona man and Varane, then the Madrid star is a better option. Umtiti’s ball playing skills fit right in at Barcelona, but he is relatively small for a centre back, especially a Premier League centre back. Jose Mourinho in particular is a big fan of having plenty of height in his teams, so Varane might be a better fit.
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Umtiti is also loved at Barcelona, so could be very costly to lure away from the Catalan club. While Varane is highly respected in Madrid, a summer clear-out at the club could mean players like the towering Frenchman are available for a reasonable price.
Manchester United fans, would you prefer Umtiti or Varane? Let us know in the comments below…
Marcus Rashford has proved that, even amid the most competitive era of the Premier League, promising youngsters can still break through at a club the size of Manchester United. No doubt, the England international enjoyed his fair share of luck, but he had the talent to take his opportunity and is now an important player for club and country.
With that in mind, we recently looked at some of United’s best performers at Premier League 2 level this season, and then asked Red Devils supporters to vote for which youngster has the best chance of becoming a future star at Old Trafford – with Angel Gomes, Joe Riley, Demetri Michell and Zachary Dearnley the four candidates.
And our poll revealed that the vast majority of Red Devils supporters, a whopping 85%, believe 17-year-old attacker Gomes has what it takes to become a key player at first team level.
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Can Gomes break into Jose Mourinho’s starting XI next season, United fans? Let us know by commenting below…
According to The Sun, Barcelona are interested in signing Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen after Spanish newspaper Sport claimed the North London side are scrambling to secure their star man’s future.
Whats the story?
Eriksen was a target for Barcelona in January before they secured the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.
According the The Sun, Nou Camp chiefs remain keen on the Dan following his stunning form since Christmas.
Eriksen has been key to Spurs excellent form and instrumental in their push for top 4. However, the wage structure at Spurs has meant a number of key players are stalling contract extensions.
Eriksen would be a huge loss, bigger than Dembele or Kane
The Dane’s influence on Spurs goes somewhat under the radar, with Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele taking the limelight. He is not someone who seeks the stardom but deserves it.
Eriksen, who is valued at £63m by transfermarkt.com, is Spurs most important player. He links their midfield and defence and is the driving creative force. While others have sometimes faltered, the midfielder has consistently performed form Spurs.
He regularly provides excellent chances for top scorer Kane and Son. Eriksen’s importance was highlight when Kane was injured.
Without Kane’s goals and holdup play, Tottenham had to be a bit more clever with their play. This was led through Eriksen who’s excellent range off passing and ability to get a goal allowed Spurs to continue to win without Kane.
His importance was highlighted against Chelsea when he scored an excellent goal just before half-time to change the tide of the game. The goal was very much his own doing and without it Spurs may have struggled to get take the points back to Wembley.
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Losing Eriksen would be a massive loss for the North London side. Without the Dane, Spurs go flat and lack creativity. Dele Alli and Son do not have his guile and calmness. He links the team together and is an important part of Mauricio Pochettino’s game plan.
He is the master of finding space and is the main supply chain for Kane’s goals. While Spurs could cope without Kane they would struggle to fill the hole that selling Eriksen would leave.