Lots of Tottenham Hotspur fans have been reacting on social media to reports by The Times, claiming that Mauricio Pochettino has informed the North London outfit that he wants six players signed in the January transfer window.
Pochettino has stressed concerns that he may not be given a chance to build “version 6.0” of his side after taking one league win in nearly two months, but conversations are likely set to be held behind the scenes over whether Spurs splash out in the winter market.
Lucas Moura is the only first-team player Tottenham have acquired in the January window in the past six seasons, when he arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in 2018.
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But Pochettino hopes this season brings about a change to how Tottenham deal with the mid-season market, and has requested that at least three defenders, a holding midfielder and two forward options – including a striker – are added to his squad in January.
It would not be expected that any incomings come in tandem with key players leaving North London, where the transfer budget and potential transfer targets would be vastly different if Pochettino is unable to secure another season of Champions League football.
Tottenham currently find themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League standings, 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City and just two wins above the relegation zone.
Here are some of the reactions shared to The Times’ claiming Pochettino wants six players signed in January…
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Andriy Yarmolenko started up-front for Ukraine against Serbia on Sunday, and proved that he can be effective playing through the middle.
On the chalkboard
The 27-year-old naturally plays right-wing and he has started to prove his effectiveness there for the Hammers, though recent poor results have seen the whole squad suffer somewhat.
That means he hasn’t scored for his club since September, but if given a different role it could freshen up the squad and allow the Ukrainian to rediscover some of his best form.
It is unlikely that he would play up-front due to the form of Sebastien Haller, but operating in the number 10 role, close to the Frenchman, could allow his best attributes to shine.
Given the injury to Manuel Lanzini and the lack of form of Pablo Fornals, who is still without a league goal or assist, attacking midfield is somewhat of a problem position for West Ham, and with Michail Antonio set to return from injury at some stage it makes sense to move the Ukranian into the middle.
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Suited to attacking midfield
Considering Yarmolenko is not all used to playing as a forward, his performance for his country on Sunday was an impressive one.
He made three key passes and three long balls, which shows how useful he could be for his club in the final third, as the Hammers have lacked players who can provide that cutting edge in attack, with no player averaging more than two key passes per game.
That is one of the reasons why Pellegrini’s side have scored just 14 goals in 12 league games, and why Haller has often been isolated in the lone striker role, with Yarmolenko often too busy helping out in defence.
The midfielder has shown he has an eye for goal too, and by playing in the middle he may be more likely to get onto the end of chances, as Robert Snodgrass’ recent goals attest too.
Against Serbia Yarmolenko also managed a pass accuracy of 88%, while the fact he won a tackle and took part in 15 total duels shows how hardworking he is, and that could come into great effect for West Ham in defending from the front.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Sheffield Wednesday’s financial decisions are in the headlines yet again.
Dejphon Chansiri is at the centre of it all yet again.
Only this time, his decisions may deal the worst and most devastating blow of his tenure in charge of the south Yorkshire club.
Just last week, the Owls were charged by the EFL for misconduct over the sale of their Hillsborough stadium to their owner, Chansiri.
The club do indeed plan on contesting the decision regardless of the course of punishment that will soon ensue. It is expected that Wednesday could be made an example of with talk of them receiving a 12-point deduction at the very least.
Such a penalty would put their promotion hopes in tatters as it will see them sink to the border of the relegation zone.
Whether it is fair or not is an argument for another day, but you have to admit it was a long time coming as his four-year tenure has seen the club flirting with such dangers multiple times.
Chansiri once told fans at a forum, “if we don’t go up soon, we will break [the Football League’s financial fair play rules],” according to the Yorkshire Post.
He even admitted on the same night that “We broke [the Football League’s profitability and sustainability] rules a lot, eight figures high.”
The lure of top-flight football is all just too much for some to abide by regulations as the exploitation of them can often hand a team an advantage, unless caught like in this instance.
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Wednesday have also suffered from multiple transfer embargoes in the past too.
The intention and end goal has always been on the right path as ultimately everyone wants to be in the Premier League, just the execution has been far from ideal, let alone legal.
It’s about time the Owls owner was held accountable for his actions as it will be a case of when rather than if over the repercussions and he’s just cost any chance of Garry Monk succeeding this season.
Former Liverpool U16 manager Michael Beale, who now works as a first-team coach at Rangers, believes that Harry Wilson could command a transfer fee between £25m-£30m.
What’s the word?
Wilson has impressed away from the club on a series of loan spells but it remains to be seen if he has a future at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp.
The club will have a decision to make when he eventually returns from his loan spell with Bournemouth, and Beale believes that the club will be in a strong position to command a considerable sum for his services, per The Athletic.
“I do think he’s a player who would excel in a team who are dominating the ball and playing in a really technical way,” he says.
“That could be at Liverpool. If it isn’t, then I’d suggest he’s worth about £25 million to £30 million, which gives you in an idea of how well he’s doing and how hard it is to break into Liverpool’s team.”
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The creative winger, who has been capped 13 times by the Welsh national side, first underlined his credentials to thrive at the top level during a short-term loan spell with Hull City in the 2017/18 season.
Wilson bagged seven goals and provided four assists in just 13 Championship appearances, and that set the tone for what proved to be another fruitful spell the following season with Frank Lampard’s Derby County.
Now at Bournemouth in the Premier League, the 23-year-old has scored six goals so far this season and shown promise in fleeting bursts for Eddie Howe’s struggling outfit.
This season may not have been ground-breaking but Liverpool’s academy product possesses an array of coveted qualities that will naturally boost his price-tag: flair, an eagerness to dribble, versatility in attacking positions, an eye-catching record in front of goal and, of course, a wand of a left-foot from dead ball situations.
Given everything he has to offer, Beale’s valuation is absolutely spot on and, should they decide to cash in, Liverpool should not settle for anything less than £25m.
Leeds United fans have been left astonished by the latest transfer news surrounding loan star Ben White as one top-flight team is starting to dampen their interest in him.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are blown away by the 22-year-old but have one major doubt over his aerial ability with him standing at just 6 foot tall.
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Although this hasn’t been a problem for Marcelo Bielsa this campaign, seeing as he’s started the Brighton ace in every single game, it could be an issue for Jurgen Klopp as he doesn’t possess a central defender under 6 foot 2.
White has become a fan-favourite at Elland Road but is due back on the south coast at the end of the season where he’ll be under the Seagulls’ control – whether that means he remains at Brighton or leaves on a transfer still remains to be seen.
The Englishman has won 2.8 aerial duels a game on average and is also recording three clearances, 2.3 interceptions and 1.7 tackles per match, via WhoScored.
Which is why some supporters in west Yorkshire are sarcastically agreeing with Liverpool’s claim in the hope that Bielsa and co can swoop in and land him permanently in the summer.
Here’s what has been said…
AND in other news, Phil Hay reveals how close Leeds were to 18-goal sensation…
Everton playmaker Bernard has had a stop-start time at Goodison Park and a recent report suggests that he may not be at the club for too much longer.
The diminutive technician, who has been capped by the Brazilian national side on 14 occasions, has made 58 appearances for the Toffees since he arrived on a free transfer in 2018 after his contract with Shakhtar Donetsk expired.
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During that time he has contributed five goals and six assists while offering guile and creativity in a handful of midfield roles.
However, according to LaRoma24.it (via Sport Witness), Bernard has been offered to AS Roma amid suggestions that Henrikh Mkhitaryan is more likely to return to Arsenal than stay at the Stadio Olimpico when his loan spell in the Italian capital comes to an end.
It is assumed that the 27-year-old’s agents have offered his services to Roma rather than the club themselves.
In response to the emerging report, the Toffees faithful were relatively mixed in their reaction.
Some fans seem to be open to the possibility of profiting on a player they signed for free just under two years ago, while others would be distraught to see him depart.
Here’s what the fans had to say about the news concerning Bernard…
This article forms part of our Total Duds feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how bad a deal the club got.
West Ham United had a big summer before the start of the 2019/20 campaign, spending nearly £100 million on new signings, per Transfermarkt, and alongside Sebastien Haller, the club also bought another forward, Albian Ajeti. They spent around £7.83 million on the player, via Transfermarkt, but looking at how he has fared in his debut season highlights that the club may have wasted their money on the attacker.
The 23-year-old played in his home nation of Switzerland for FC Basel before his move, and had an impressive goalscoring record at the club, picking up 43 goals in 96 games, via Transfermarkt, and this combined with his age meant that on paper it looked as though the Hammers could have found a good striker to strengthen their squad for many years.
So far, this has not been the case however as similar to many new players, Ajeti has struggled in his first campaign in England. He has not just found it difficult to adjust to the level, but he has struggled to even be picked for the Irons, with Manuel Pellegrini and more recently David Moyes barely giving the Swiss any chances. In fact he has only managed to get 128 minutes of Premier League football, via WhoScored, in nine appearances and for the last four games before football was postponed, he was not even making the bench.
Similar to many new signings in the division, Ajeti has been given opportunities to impress in the domestic cups, but it clearly did not go well as again he failed to score and the club were knocked out of both the FA Cup and League Cup early, per West Ham.
You could argue that maybe the attacker does need more time to be given a chance, however with the Hammers being a club battling relegation, per BBC Sport, they can not afford to take risks and give players off form chances. It has already been reported throughout the season that the Swiss international will be sold, and he was linked with a move away from the club as early as December, according to a report from Claret and Hugh.
Transfermarkt have already decreased his market value, as they estimate he is worth around £4.32 million and as it stands, but the East London side may be lucky to even get that. Some players just don’t make it in England, and Ajeti looks to be one of them by the looks of his first campaign.
What do you think of the club’s recruitment Hammers fans? Comment below!
With the current economic climate likely to result in a significant change in how the transfer window functions, there is a chance a number of surprise deals could take place.
One side in particular that have been linked with a range of shock deals is Newcastle United, who are on the brink of being taken over by a Saudi-led consortium who look set to invest heavily in the North East club.
Some of the names mentioned include Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar and Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, but perhaps the most surprising target is Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale.
Something of an outcast at Madrid under Zinedine Zidane, this is not the first time that Bale has been linked with a return to England, but were he to arrive at St James’ Park it would surely be one of the most shocking deals ever seen.
With that in mind, here are 25 of the most surprising deals from around the world of football…
Robbie Keane to Inter Milan
Irish Inter Milan striker Robbie Keane (L) fights for the ball against Napoli’s defender Francesco Baldini during their Serie A soccer match at San Siro stadium in Milan October 14, 2000.SR/CRB
After bursting onto the scene at Wolverhampton Wanderers and then Coventry City, Keane made a shock more to the San Siro. However, things did not work out and he only lasted six months before returning on loan to Leeds United.
Jerome Boateng to Manchester City
The German international arrived in Manchester early on in his career after a few seasons at Hamburg, but was never able to secure a spot in the first team. He left for Bayern Munich after one season where he finally found his best role.
Kim Kallstrom to Arsenal
With Arsenal’s 2013-14 title bid faltering, Arsenal plumped for the Swede towards the end of the January window even though he was injured. His time in North London amounted to little, although he did score a penalty in a FA semi-final shootout win against Wigan Athletic.
Emmanuel Adebayor to Real Madrid
After falling out of favour at Manchester City, the Togo international secured a shock loan move to Real Madrid in January 2011. After managing eight goals in 22 matches, he returned to England to join Tottenham Hotspur.
Edgar Davids to Barnet
After a brief spell at Crystal Palace and then two years of retirement, Davids returned to join Barnet in League 2 as a player-manager. He remained at the club until 2014, when he resigned.
Alexandre Pato to Chelsea
After two years on loan at Sao Paulo, the Corinthians forward arrived in West London on a six month deal. The move did not really work out and managed just one goal in two appearances.
Javier Hernandez to Real Madrid
Soccer Football – World Cup – Group F – Germany vs Mexico – Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia – June 17, 2018 Mexico’s Javier Hernandez celebrates after the match REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
After a great start to life at Old Trafford, Chicharito fell out of favour in 2014 and was shipped out on loan to Real Madrid in January 2015 as a result. His spell at the Bernabeu was not too bad though, where he managed nine goals in all competitions.
Nicklas Bendtner to Juventus
After failing to make the grade at the Emirates, Bendtner made the surprise move on loan to Juve where he did not manage to score in 11 appearances.
Kyle Lafferty to Palermo
After making his name at Rangers, Lafferty spent a spell in Switzerland with Sion before joining Italian club Palermo. Despite scoring 12 goals from 36 appearances, his time in Serie B is best remembered for the club’s owner describing him as a “out-of-control womaniser”.
Sol Campbell to Notts County
After a successful spell at Portsmouth, the former England international moved to League 2 side Notts County in a shock deal. However, he left after just one match and returned to former club Arsenal.
Thomas Gravesen to Real Madrid
After an outstanding start to the 2004-05 season with Everton, the Dane made a surprise move to Real Madrid in the January of 2005. He would only last 18 months in the Spanish capital though before leaving for Celtic.
Steven Caulker to Liverpool
After an injury crisis hit the Liverpool squad, Jurgen Klopp moved for the Queens Park Rangers defender who had been on loan at Southampton, only to use him as a striker on his debut.
Esteban Cambiasso to Leicester City
After finally departing Inter Milan, the Argentine joined Nigel Pearson’s Leicester City as they bid to secure their Premier League status. Cambiasso played a starring role that season but sadly left the summer before their famous title winning year.
Martin Braithwaite to Barcelona
With injuries hitting the Barcelona squad, the club were granted special dispensation to secure a move for Leganes forward and former Middlesbrough player Martin Braithwaite.
Andy Carroll to Liverpool
With Fernando Torres leaving Liverpool for Chelsea and Carroll impressing for Newcastle United, the Reds spent £35m on the England international in a move that never quite worked out. Carroll is now back at Newcastle although injuries have massively impacted his career.
Alex Song to Barcelona
In an era where Barcelona seemed to be signing every Arsenal player, they perhaps took it too far when the signed Alex Song. After a two-year spell on the sidelines, he returned to England on loan with West Ham United.
Michael Essien to Real Madrid
Despite injury resulting in his best form at Chelsea being behind him, Essien still joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2012. Luckily for him, he managed to stay fit and made 35 appearances in his one season at the club.
Henrik Larsson to Manchester United
After an incredibly successful career with Celtic and Barcelona, Larsson returned to Sweden in 2006 to rejoin Helsingborgs. However, six months later he joined Manchester United on a short term loan spell as the club chased their first title since 2003.
Julien Faubert to Real Madrid
After a season and a half at West Ham United with limited success, Faubert earned a surprise loan move to the Bernabeu, but managed just two appearances before returning to East London.
Hidetoshi Nakata to Bolton Wanderers
After a very successful career in Italy, the Japanese international made a shock move to Bolton Wanderers in 2005. His move was not without success, with the side finishing eighth in the table and Nakata making 32 appearances overall.
Jonathan Woodgate to Real Madrid
After making his name at Leeds United before earning a move to Newcastle United, Real Madrid caused plenty of shock when they paid £13.4m for the defender. Injuries proved a huge obstacle and Woodgate made just 14 appearances.
Giuseppe Rossi to Newcastle United
Another player whose career was blighted by injuries, Rossi spent a short spell on loan in the North East prior to his move to Villarreal where he first made his name.
Tyrone Mears to Marseille
A player lacking top-flight experience when he made the move, Mears sealed a shock loan move to Marseille in the summer of 2008 after Derby County were relegated. However, he made just seven appearances before returning to Derby.
Steven Fletcher to Marseille
Another Brit who made his way to the south of France for no apparent reason, Fletcher joined Marseille from Sunderland in February 2016. He scored three times for the club before joining current side Sheffield Wednesday that summer.
Borja Valero to West Bromwich Albion
A player who has since made his name at Villarreal, Fiorentina and Inter Milan, Valero joined West Bromwich Albion in 2008 in something of a shock deal. He left on loan after one season before finally departing on a permanent basis in 2010.
Manchester City loanee Esme Morgan has lauded Everton teammate Chloe Kelly for her performances this season.
The 19-year-old, who will return to parent club Man City ahead of next season, has heaped praise on the Blues’ rising star. Morgan has also admitted that the Everton forward is the reason she has developed so much during her loan spell (via Liverpool ECHO).
Unfortunately for women’s football fans, the Women’s Super League (England’s highest female tier) was called to an early finish. Chelsea have been crowned league champions and two-time WSL winners Liverpool have been relegated.
For Everton, this season has been a learning curve under Willie Kirk, who is looking to develop his team. Kelly in particular has stood out this campaign, scoring nine league goals in 12 appearances and finishing fourth in the table of top goal-scorers (via BBC Sport).
As a result of the 22-year-old’s performances in front of goal, Morgan has a lot to say about her influence.
“Chloe has went from being a player that teams are worried about but now she is getting two or three players doubling up against her just to try and keep her quiet,” the Man City loanee said. “I think that’s testament for how well she has played and she has scored some incredible goals which have helped us win a lot of points.”
Morgan’s loan spell seems to have been an effective one, learning from the rapidly improving Kelly. The striker was called up to represent the Lionesses this Spring during the SheBelieves Cup, a decision which she said left her ‘speechless’.
Kelly will no doubt be one of the first names on Everton’s team-sheet next season as they look to build on their sixth place finish this term. The recent addition of established England international Izzy Christiansen will mean Kelly has increased creativity behind her and potentially more chances to bang in some goals.
“The sky’s the limit for Chloe because she is such a talented player and it is tough coming up against her in training everyday but I feel like that is one of the reasons I’ve developed, learning to deal with her.”
Kelly’s influence on young players like Morgan will only continue to bode well for her both domestically and on the international stage as her career continues to blossom.
How would you describe Chloe Kelly’s 2019/20 season, Blues fans? Join the conversation in the comments below!
Tottenham are confident Jan Vertonghen will sign a new deal until the end of the 2019/2020 Premier League season before he leaves the club in the summer.
Vertonghen has rejected Spurs’ offer of a new contract which would keep him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a further year.
Last month, the Premier League confirmed clubs can negotiate short-term deals for players whose deals are due to expire on 30 June.
Now, a source has told Football Insider the Lilywhites expect him to sign an extension to cover the remaining nine matches of the campaign.
The report adds Spurs are eager to reach an agreement before the Premier League clash against Manchester United next week.
Writing for The Evening Standard, football correspondent Dan Kilpatrick recently revealed Vertonghen plans to stay loyal to Spurs as he won’t be able to play for another club until next season as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
As the veteran is no doubt well aware, it is hard to imagine he will play in every game anyway.
Even though the Belgian was a favourite of former boss Mauricio Pochettino, he has fallen out of favour with Pochettino’s successor, and it seems his long stint in north London is finally winding down.
The 33-year-old, who has spent eight years with Spurs, is now weighing up his options, amid interest from Serie A sides Inter Milan and Fiorentina.
Although he has previously admitted he would like to end his career with his boyhood club Ajax, he is now considering offers from Italy.
Despite the fact he is below the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga in the pecking order, Mourinho’s side may benefit from his presence in the dressing room, as he could counsel some of his younger teammates as Spurs seek to surge into the top four.
Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should let Jan Vertonghen leave? Let us know down below!