According to the printed version of The Mirror (February 12, page 56), per HITC, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge on a free transfer when his contract expires this summer.
What’s the word, then?
Well, it is looking likely that the 29-year-old will leave Anfield at the end of the campaign considering there have been no developments in him extending his deal with the Merseyside outfit, and The Mirror, via HITC, reports that he is interesting clubs both from the Premier League and abroad.
The Mirror report that the England international may well choose to remain in the English top flight however, and Spurs are keen on him to provide back-up to Harry Kane next term with Fernando Llorente likely to leave the north London club this summer.
The report adds that the centre-forward, who earns £120,000-a-week, would help to boost Tottenham’s number of home-grown players.
Would he be a good addition?
He certainly would be.
While Sturridge turns 30 years of age this year and has suffered from his fair share of injury issues over the years, he has still scored 77 goals in 213 Premier League appearances and the chance to sign him for nothing would be an opportunity that is too good to turn down.
Of course, Tottenham have found themselves without the injured Kane in recent weeks and while their form hasn’t really suffered, they would be much better off if they had an out-and-out striker who is proven over many years at this level – something that Llorente isn’t – and would allow Son Heung-Min to play out wide instead as well as through the middle.
Harry Kane gets his hands on the Super Bowl and Dele Alli gets his hands on a superb owl in the latest episode After 90 below…
After a good spell of defensive solidity, Chelsea’s defence has absolutely crumbled in recent weeks.
Humiliating 4-0 and 6-0 defeats to Bournemouth and Manchester City have seen many eyebrows raised over Maurizio Sarri’s defence, and failure to improve could now see the Blues spend heavily in the summer to improve that area of the squad.
The Breakdown
Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness) reports that Chelsea are keen on signing Ajax central defender Matthijs de Ligt in a move that makes perfect sense, though it could be a deal that proves extremely difficult to pull off.
The likes of Juventus, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also said to be interested in de Ligt, according to the Spanish outlet, leaving Chelsea with some serious competition if they do intend on making an offer for the 19-year-old.
The Blues, however, must do all they can to see off rival interest; de Ligt is exactly the kind of player they need at the back going forward.
David Luiz has been an absolute shambles in defence at times this season and, at 31 with his contract set to expire in the summer, his long-term future does not look to be anywhere near Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, Antonio Rudiger, who started off the season well, has also been poor of late, constantly committing silly fouls and failing to win simple headers.
By no means will de Ligt solve all of the problems at Stamford Bridge, but signing a defender with his potential would definitely be a good start and a step in the right direction for the west London club.
Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has only started one Premier League game and has been a spectator for most of this year, as his personal battle with manager Unai Emery has caused problems.
The former Germany international came off the bench on Sunday as Arsenal saw off Southampton at the Emirates, and he once again showed how good he can be.
Ozil’s 27-minute cameo suggested that Emery should put more trust in him, as he’s the ability to play a big part from here on in until the end of the season.
Arsenal moved ahead of Manchester United on Sunday following the Red Devils’ draw with Liverpool at Old Trafford. The Gunners will now host Bournemouth at the Emirates on Wednesday before making the short trip to Wembley on Saturday for the North London derby.
Of course, having Ozil, who is valued at £31.5 million (by Transfermarkt), confident and ready to produce this week is something that could benefit the Gunners massively on the field, as he is the type of player who could produce a match-winning performance.
Indeed, this week could be season-defining for the German as he has the perfect opportunity to cement a place in the side by putting in a couple of dominant performances. But, things could also go horribly wrong if he returns to his old ways, with one bad performance possibly ruining his chances of securing regular minutes.
Billy Sharp may have fired in the goals to get the Blades within touching distance of automatic promotion this season yet the form of his strike-partner could prove pivotal over the coming weeks.
David McGoldrick has scored on eleven occasions for Chris Wilder’s side during their Championship campaign but has been experiencing somewhat of a drought in recent games having failed to find the target in five games.
Following the departure of Leon Clarke and Ben Woodburn in January, Sheffield United have inadvertently put more pressure on Sharp to lead the line as both Gary Madine and Scott Hogan have failed to provide the necessary impact in-front of goal since their arrival at Bramall Lane.
In order for the Blades to reach the promise land of the Premier League at the end of the season, McGoldrick will almost certainly have to return to form as Norwich City and Leeds United show no signs of slowing down in the hunt for the top two spots in the Championship.
An injury to top-scorer Sharp could prove to be devastating for the Blades in their hunt for promotion yet even if their veteran forward stays fit, his fellow forwards will need to step up at some point if they are to overcome a tough run-in.
Wilder’s side face the likes of Leeds United, Bristol City and in-form Brentford over the next three weeks with the fixture against the Bees occurring on Tuesday night.
The 31-year-old forward has previous experience of playing in England’s top flight division during a five-year spell at Southampton and his calm aura whilst on the pitch could help his side overcome any nerves that they may experience.
A second promotion in three years would cap off a meteoric rise since the arrival of Wilder from Northampton Town who joined the club after they limped to a disappointing eleventh placed finish in League One under previous boss Nigel Adkins.
A fairytale indeed, but Sharp isn’t the protagonist.
Sheffield United fans, do you think Sharp is your main man? Join the discussion by commenting below…
The January transfer window marked one of Manchester City’s quietest in recent memory.
The defending league champions made just one addition during the month, acquiring Japanese midfielder Ko Itakura who has been sent out on loan to Groningen for the rest of the season, but were otherwise radio silent, content to continue on the title chase with the squad as is.
That complacency though, was in fact a crucial mistake. And despite strong rumblings from the fanbase during the window, Pep Guardiola remained especially adamant that the club would not be pursuing one man in particular who would have provided a certain boost to his club’s shot at a second consecutive league title: Wolverhampton midfielder Ruben Neves.
“He’s an excellent player but there are many clubs in the world, many holding midfielders in the world, and most of them can play here,” the Spanish manager said. “A month ago, I started reading – ‘Rúben Neves, £100m’. That is not going to happen, we are not going to pay £100m for a holding midfielder.”
Indeed, acquiring the 21-year old Neves would have come at a steep price, but was Pep right to rule out such a potentially lucrative purchase?
The former Porto captain exploded onto the scene of English football in the Championship a year ago, earning Wolves promotion and himself widespread acclaim as one of the top young players in the world with his deft passing, top-level vision and cracking shots from distance.
Soccer Football – FA Cup Third Round – Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool – Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain – January 7, 2019 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ruben Neves celebrate after the match REUTERS/Darren Staples
And though his consistency has dropped ever so slightly in his first Premier League campaign, Neves’ quality has remained on display and his contributions have Wolves sitting 7th in the Premier League.
Dominant in the defensive midfield, dangerous when he pushes up on the attack – the Portuguese international has been impressive once again.
Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…
Manchester City, meanwhile, will now embark on the final half of their season thin in the defensive midfield position and a lone injury away from major vulnerability.
Fernandinho has once again been remarkable for Guardiola in 2018-19. But when the 33-year-old Brazilian is not on the pitch, City become a weaker team and have fallen in two of the three league matches he’s missed this season.
On those days, Pep attempted to plug the hole with Fabian Delph, then Ilkay Gundogan and most ambitiously John Stones, with none able to match Fernandinho’s impact on the pitch.
With so much of their success tied to Fernandinho’s presence, Manchester City’s failure to bring in a reinforcement leaves them an injury away from stumbling and falling off Liverpool’s rampant pace.
And while an expansive middle ground did exist between making no signings at all and splurging on Neves’ massive transfer fee, there was no better option for Guardiola’s City in the near term and the future. The shunned move is one they’ll regret not making.
In acquiring Neves from Wolverhampton, Manchester City would have solved the crucial problem laid out above. His level of quality and experience – he made 18 Champions League appearances at Porto, per Transfermarkt – would have allowed him to step in immediately as a rotational midfielder in Guardiola’s squad, one who would provide respite for Fernandinho, and give City an insurance policy should they lose their first-choice defensive midfielder to injury.
As much as Neves was the perfect fit to bolster the squad now, he may have also been the answer for the future. Though Fernandinho has remained in form and holds a contract with the club that runs through next season, he’s fast approaching his third decade of senior football. A proven yet developing 21-year- old talent fits the mould for his successor perfectly.
With Neves, Manchester City would have given themselves a bridge to their future while adding security for this season. Guardiola may have a point in expressing reluctance over Wolverhampton’s reportedly hefty asking price, actually £10million greater than claimed by the City gaffer, but he was sorely mistaken to have spurned a move for Neves this time around.
يدخل الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي مهمة جديدة اليوم الأربعاء أمام الترسانة في مسابقة كأس مصر.
الأهلي يلتقي مع الترسانة على استاد القاهرة في إطار مباريات دور الـ 16 من مسابقة كأس مصر والتي تقام على استاد الأهلي وي السلام.
طالع أيضًا.. موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي والترسانة اليوم في كأس مصر
ونجح الأهلي في إنهاء مهمته الأولى في المسابقات المحلية وحصد لقب الدوري المصري للمرة الـ42 في تاريخه والخامسة على التوالي.
وتأهل الأهلي لدور الـ 16 من كأس مصر على حساب بني سويف بنتيجة 3-1، بينما صعد الترسانة لهذا الدور بعد الفوز على إنبي بضربات الجزاء 4/3.
طالع أيضًا.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة الأهلي والترسانة في كأس مصر
وأوضحت التدريبات الختامية للنادي الأهلي ملامح التشكيل المتوقع الذي قد يبدأ به السويسري رينيه فايلر المدير الفني مباراته أمام الترسانة.
ويشهد التشكيل المتوقع تواجد مصطفى شوبير لحراسة عرين الأهلي أمام الترسانة بدلًا من محمد الشناوي الحارس الأساسي، فيما يقود هجوم الأحمر أليو بادجي. تشكيل الأهلي المتوقع أمام الترسانة:
حراسة المرمى: مصطفى شوبير.
خط الدفاع: محمود وحيد، حمدي فتحي، ياسر إبراهيم، أحمد فتحي.
خط الوسط : أليو ديانج، محمد مجدي أفشة، حسين الشحات، جونيور أجاي، محمود عبد المنعم كهربا.
[ad_pod ]According to reliable West Ham news site Claret & Hugh, Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis has cooled on the idea of signing West Ham United striker Jordan Hugill on a permanent deal this summer following his season-long loan spell.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the centre-forward joined the Championship club on a temporary basis for the 2018/19 campaign last summer, having only made three appearances for the east London outfit between January 2018 and the end of last term.
Despite being a regular starter under Pulis, the 26-year-old hasn’t exactly set the world alight for Boro in terms of goals, scoring just the six in 26 league appearances for the Teesside outfit.
Claret & Hugh report that they are unlikely to look to make the move permanent should they achieve promotion to the Premier League, although they have been told that he will be returning to the London Stadium no matter what happens.
More bad news for West Ham
Manuel Pellegrini and the club would surely have been hoping that they had seen the last of Hugill and that they could recoup some of the £10m fee they paid Preston North End for the striker.
However, if Claret & Hugh are to be believed then that won’t be happening, and it is yet another striker blow for the east London side.
Andy Carroll is out of contract at the end of the season while Lucas Perez was reportedly left behind when the squad travelled to Marbella for a training camp this month because of his attitude.
Meanwhile, Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic were both heavily linked with exits during the January window, and it would be no surprise if we haven’t heard the last of the story involving the latter even if he did recently pen a new contract.
Loads of Celtic fans have been reflecting on the weekend’s action, and they’ve already made their minds up on the future of Neil Lennon.
Celtic had the chance to pretty much put the title to bed on Saturday courtesy of Rangers dropping points at Easter Road on Friday night, but the Bhoys weren’t able to break down Aberdeen at Parkhead.
It was the first 0-0 draw between the Hoops and the Dons since 1994, and it leaves Lennon’s side eight points clear of the Gers with four games left to play.
Despite their superb position in the table, fans were understandably infuriated by the performance on Saturday, as the side struggled to create clear-cut chances and simply weren’t clinical enough in the final third.
And they have seen enough after the goalless draw, calling for someone else to take over from Lennon in the summer.
The 47 year-old replaced Brendan Rodgers on an interim basis at the end of February, but it appears the large majority of fans simply want him to steady the ship and then get out of the way.
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…
He couldn’t, could he? Gareth Bale back at Tottenham Hotspur?
According to Marca, via Sport Witness, Real Madrid are actually prepared to offer Bale back to Tottenham this summer in a bid to sign Christian Eriksen.
Bale netted his 13th goal of the season in Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Levante on Sunday night.
However, the Wales international shrugged off the congratulations of his teammates, cutting a frustrated figure as he headed back to the centre circle.
The 29-year-old has struggled for starts in recent weeks and is expected to be on the bench for Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Barcelona on Wednesday night.
Bale – valued at £72m by Transfermarkt – has long been linked with a return to England, where he scored 56 times in 203 appearances for Tottenham and five goals in 44 games for Southampton.
The Tottenham fans have been discussing re-signing the attacker and many are desperate to see him return to the club in this summer’s transfer window: