All posts by n8rngtd.top

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Tottenham Hotspur fans want the club to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa this summer.

The club attempted to sign the attacking midfielder in the summer of 2018.

Per Sky Sports, they tabled a bid worth £25million in August as they attempted to prise the 23-year-old away from Villa Park.

Villa, of course, stood firm and Grealish has been a key part of the club’s push for promotion in the Championship this term.

He has played a total of 32 times in all competitions, scoring six goals and laying on six assists.

Since returning from an injury lay-off in March, Grealish, who is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, has been in exceptional form, playing a key role in a run of 10 successive victories that took Villa to the Championship play-offs.

And Spurs fans want Grealish signed this summer as the club look to buy their first player since the January 2018 transfer window.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

As with a number of clubs, Liverpool have made some rather questionable transfers in the past that have not quite worked out as they would have liked.

For example, the likes of Alberto Aquilani, Mario Balotelli and Christian Benteke are just a few that spring to mind of transfers that all promised plenty, however, left many at Anfield wondering if they had a twin brother or a stunt double that had been purchased instead.

But, sometimes a club can catch a lucky break at times and not sign a player who they have been linked with in the past and be thankful that they did not miss out on anything special.

Take Gaston Ezequiel Ramirez Pereyra; Gaston Ramirez to you and I.

Liverpool were linked with a move for the then-21-year-old Uruguayan in 2012 by the Daily Mail in his Bologna days and are thought to have tabled a £16.3million offer according to the player’s agent.

Ramirez had been extremely impressive for the Serie A outfit that season, having scored eight goals in his 33 appearances for the struggling Italian club.

However, he was eventually snapped up by Southampton that summer for a reported fee believed to be around £12m (Goal).

But, Ramirez found life difficult on the south coast with the Saints and was soon sent out on loan to Hull City and Middlesbrough as he tried to prove he had what it took to become successful in English football.

Boro decided to take him on a permanent basis when they won promotion to the Premier League after the Uruguayan looked impressive in the Championship.

However, England’s top-flight continued to be a level too high for him and he decided to make a return to Italy as he was handed an opportunity at Sampdoria; a club he has now been at for the past two years, but his struggles have continued.

Indeed, with everything said and done and with how things have turned out for Ramirez, Liverpool must be breathing a sigh of relief as they surely dodged a bullet on this one.

Liverpool fans, how relieved are you that Ramirez is not another one to add to your failed transfers? Let us know below!

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Arsenal fans on Twitter have reacted to news of Borussia Dortmund quickly concluding deals for Julian Brandt and Thorgan Hazard this week.

The Bundesliga runners-up splashed out a combined £45m to sign the two attackers after selling Christian Pulisic to Chelsea for £58m in a sustainable move that netted the club a profit while adding two players with clear talent.

The Gunners’ plan for the summer window is still up in the air with the Europa League final on May 29 likely to go a long way in determining the club’s finances. Arsenal are projected to have a slender budget of just £40m should they lose to Chelsea and miss out on Champions League football.

Dortmund’s speed and efficiency this summer has already caught the eye, including amongst Arsenal fans on Twitter. Some believe their own club will never operate in the market with such smoothness, while others have called for the north London outfit to follow Dortmund’s lead.

Check out the best of the reaction below!

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According to Goal.com, Liverpool would not be against selling Xherdan Shaqiri this summer if a suitable bid arrived for the Switzerland international.

It remains to be seen how busy the Reds are in this transfer window.

All things considered, it has been a very good campaign for the Merseyside giants.

And it could get even better as they prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final at the start of next month.

According to Goal.com, in order to fund other moves this summer, Shaqiri could be sold.

However, it would be fair to say that the Liverpool supporters are against the versatile attacker leaving Anfield ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

Has Alisson been Liverpool’s most important signing of the season? Check out the video below to find out why Jurgen Klopp thinks so…

Shaqiri has not exactly set the world alight since arriving from Stoke City.

However, he has contributed six goals and five assists this season and is certainly a decent option off the bench.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Liverpool fans can be seen below:

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Liverpool conquered Europe for the sixth time on Saturday, but Arsene Wenger has already identified one area the Reds can improve.

For many neutrals, the highlight of Saturday’s Champions League final was the coverage from beIN SPORTS, who scooped a wonderfully awkward pundit duo of Wenger and Jose Mourinho.

Before, in between and after the two halves of tense, turgid football, we were gifted to gems of comedy, insight and analysis from two of the greatest managers the world has ever seen.

And Wenger had some transfer advice for Jurgen Klopp, after Reds owner John W. Henry claimed they will invest again this summer to improve their bid for a Premier League title.

What did he say?

Speaking on beIN SPORTS, as reported by The Mirror, Wenger said: “They need to dominate European football to improve the technical level.

“But they might lose what is their strength at the moment – that solidarity, their fighting spirit. In our jobs, we know we need to improve a team but sometimes, by improving one aspect you destroy what makes you win.”

Does your club have a legend who is criminally overrated? Fans answer this tough question in the video below…

Bad news for Madrid heroes

Wenger has absolutely nailed it here, and his comments could be bad news for Madrid heroes like Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Gini Wijnaldum.

There’s no question the skipper and his second-in-command are excellent leaders and useful players, but for the Reds to dominate matches and seasons in the manner Wenger is talking about, they need players with more composure and ability on the ball in the middle third, such as Fabinho.

These players are work horses, but not overly gifted with the ball, and as Wenger says, the latter is a requirement for true domination. Wijnaldum meanwhile is excellent at dribbling in close areas, but poor at finding dangerous, incisive passes.

However, the Arsenal legend knows all about great teams crumbling from within, and also identified the need to keep the core of the squad together.

Klopp will certainly heed the warning about destroying what made the squad great in the first place, but with the midfield perhaps the one area in need of strengthening, the likes of Henderson and Milner should be very concerned if any more reinforcements arrive this summer.

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Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring Roma winger Cengiz Under ahead of a potential summer bid, per Gazzetta Giallo Rossa.

What’s the word?

The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the finest young players in European football in recent years and enjoyed a productive season with the Serie A club in 2018-19.

He scored six goals and laid on 11 assists in 33 games, helping the club to a sixth-placed finish.

A winger who can play on the left or the right, Under joined the club in 2017 for a fee of €13.4million (£11.8m) and is now valued at €40m (£35.2m).

Under is said to be keen on a move to the Premier League, with both Spurs and Arsenal making approaches to Roma over a possible deal.

The Italian club, as a result, are considering a swoop for Marseille winger Florian Thauvin as a potential replacement.

A diamond in the rough

A move for Under would, ironically, likely see Spurs replace Erik Lamela, the last player that they signed from Roma.

The Turkey international is young enough to be used sporadically, with manager Mauricio Pochettino likely to quietly develop his talents in the first season.

And his stats prove that he could well become an elite winger in the future.

Under, per WhoScored, averages 1.5 shots per game in Serie A, as well as 1.2 key passes, while he draws 1.1 fouls.

The youngster is raw, though, and he also averages 1.5 unsuccessful touches and a pass completion rate of 77.9%.

His defensive contribution is negligible, too, as he makes just 0.2 tackles per game and 0.5 interceptions.

Pochettino has worked miracles on players in the past though – just ask Moussa Sissoko and Lucas Moura – and that could be repeated with Under next season.

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Goalkeeper Liam Kelly has triggered a transfer release clause in his contract at Livingston, with Celtic said to be admirers of the player, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

What’s the story?

Kelly has had a stand-out season in the Scottish Premiership and The Scottish Sun report the West Lothian side were keen to hold onto him for another year.

However, the shot-stopper has other ambitions and will now be leaving the club this summer.

C’mon the Hoops throwback to one of the greatest Celtic goalkeepers of all time in the video below…

The paper reckon that Celtic, as well as a number of English Championship sides, are interested in signing him so it seems he’ll have plenty of options ahead of the new season.

Would Celtic be a good move for him?

Chances of regular first-team action at Celtic seem slim right now for any goalkeeper that isn’t Scott Bain but Kelly would have a realistic shot of becoming the number two goalkeeper at Celtic Park.

Dorus De Vries’ contract is up this summer, while Craig Gordon has been struggling with injury problems over the last few months and at 36 years old is getting on a bit, even for a ‘keeper.

The Hoops arguably need a young, hungry player in the position to truly test Bain and Kelly could be that man.

He helped Livingston keep an impressive 17 clean sheets last season as the club surprised everyone and comfortably avoided relegation to the Championship.

As a long-term replacement for Gordon, the Hoops could do a lot worse and should move quickly for the player if they are interested, with the player unlikely to be available for long.

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After three years away from the big time, Aston Villa are back amongst England’s elite in the Premier League, and there is already much excitement about their return.

One of the original members of the English top-flight during its reformation, Villa are a side many a neutral have a soft spot for, but heading back into the Premier League in a division where money now does all the talking, Dean Smith will have his work cut out next season if he is to keep his side up.

So what are the key fixtures for Villa looking ahead to next season, and what games will decide whether they can clinch survival?

October 5th – Norwich City (A)

If Villa are to stay up in the Premier League in their comeback year they need to ensure that they can get results over those who will also be fighting for survival, and Norwich City fall into that category. Picking up a win away at Carrow Road will be huge for the Birmingham-based club, besting last season’s Championship champions.

December 7th – Leicester City (H)

A win at home to Leicester City might seem like a tall task, but if Smith can orchestrate a win against the Foxes in a month where Villa play Sheffield United, Southampton and Norwich again, it could be the catalyst that leads to a run of wins that will be vital for the club’s Premier League safety.

February 29th – Sheffield United (H)

Speaking of Sheffield United, doing the double over Chris Wilder’s side would be a vital six points for Villa if they are to achieve Premier League status for the foreseeable future. Not only will it be important points gained for Smith and co, it will be points lost for the Blades.

April 4th – Wolverhampton Wanderers (H)

Rivalries are one of the defining elements of football that make the sport what it is, and a return to the Premier League for Villa means that their rivalry with Wolverhampton Wanderers can kick start yet again in a new era. Smith’s side will have to be on their A-game not just to bask in regional glory, but to get three important points that can help the Villans to safety. Based on last season’s form it’s a big ask, but Wolves often struggled against the teams near the bottom and they now have Europa League football to contend with as well.

May 9th – Arsenal (H)

Getting a result over a top-six side might seem like a tall order for Villa, but if there’s one side team you can always count on to bottle it away from home towards the end of the season, it’s Arsenal. If the pressure is on for the Gunners as we approach the home stretch it could be an end of season party for the Villans at Villa Park.

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Celtic fans are considering the challenge of FK Sarajevo after drawing them in the first round of UEFA Champions League qualifying.

The first leg is currently due to take place at Celtic Park on the 9th or 10th of July, with the second leg away from home occurring a week later.

The Hoops are seeded and will be favourites to progress to the next qualifying round, but facing the champions of Bosnia will be considered a difficult start to the season.

How can Celtic improve next season? A Hoops fan tells us how in the video below…

Sarajevo won a league and cup double last season and are no pushovers.

A benefit for Celtic is the fact their opponents will also be returning to action after a pre-season, with the challenge always more difficult against teams who operate in a summer league.

Neil Lennon will know he needs a good start as Celtic manager to win over any doubters of his permanent appointment.

Comfortable progression will allow the Hoops boss to build some momentum ahead of the Scottish Premiership starting in August.

These fans have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts on the draw…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to French media outlet La Voix Du Nord, Southampton are interested in signing Lille midfielder Thiago Mendes, and are ready to go on the offensive to get him.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the report by La Voix Du Nord says that the Brazilian is attracting interest from Lyon – who look set to lose Tanguy Ndombele to Tottenham Hotspur – with negotiations already said to be underway between two clubs who will compete in the Champions League next term.

However, La Voix Du Nord write that Saints are also keen on a move for €25m (£22.4m) rated player, as they look to return to the top half of the Premier League in 2019/20 following two successive relegation battles.

The 27-year-old would be a strange signing for the south coast outfit in some ways however, given manager Ralph Hasenhuttl recently said in an interview with SportBild that they would only be looking to bring in players aged 24 or under.

Worth bending the rules for

If Southampton have the chance to get Mendes, they shouldn’t waste it.

The Brazilian was a key player for Lille as they finished second in Ligue 1 last season, playing in a defensive midfield role.

The 27-year-old isn’t your archetypal individual in that position however, as he has an eye for a forward pass – shown with his five assists and 1.8 key passes per match in 35 top flight outings in 2018/19.

The main thing about the Sao Luis native is that he is mobile and has a trick up his sleeve – as shown by his YouTube highlights reel from last term – which are two things Saints’ current out-and-out defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu lacks in his own game.

His ability to get around the pitch make him the ideal deep-lying playmaker if you were, while the fact he averaged 2.4 tackles and 1.9 interceptions per game during the previous campaign proves he doesn’t shirk his defensive responsibilities either.

Southampton’s new man Moussa Djenepo divides opinion amongst fans in the video below…

All in all he would be a really positive signing even if he may not fit into Hasenhuttl’s preferred philosophy when it comes to new additions.