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Sell up Mike Ashley: Newcastle fans are in dreamland as the club is lined up for sensational £350m takeover by Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Well, it’s happening (apparently) the Sheikhs are back with a taste for Premier League football and this time it could be Newcastle United who are set to benefit, according to The Sun.

If the rumours are true (the report also states that the new regime would want the Spaniard to stick around), what a moment this will be for the club and manager Rafael Benitez, who have long since suffered the reign of their current department store tycoon.

Since making his arrival in March 2016, the Newcastle boss has understandably grown more and more frustrated with Mike Ashley’s blatant lack of ambition and investment. It says it all that only recently have they broken their transfer record, which – by the way – was set by Michael Owen all the way back in 2005.

It’s a glorious time for all those involved, it really is. Benitez has long since waited for the moment his shackles would be lifted and it seems like that day is finally on the horizon. And best news of all, he will apparently remain in charge under the potential new owner for the foreseeable.

Indeed, contract negotiations had been stalling between Benitez and the club until the news had emerged that Ashley was willing to sell up for a sizeable £350million. Now, with the prospect of some real investment and financial clout in the transfer market, there is every chance that he will extend his tenure, so he can continue his quest in the long-term.

This will come as promising news to the Magpie faithful, we’re sure.

During what will surely be a rapid and turbulent period of transition, we’d argue that it will benefit the club to no end having a manager who appreciates the culture and history surrounding Newcastle United and the plight of its fans, as opposed to some mercenary who’s hired because of their botched history with “big” European teams.

Newcastle fans, are you happy with the idea that Benitez would stay? How likely do you think the takeover is? Let us know in the comments below…

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Leigh Griffiths is targeting a return to first-team action at Celtic, speaking in an exclusive interview with in-house media outlet Celtic TV on Wednesday.

The striker hasn’t played a game since December after taking a break from football to focus on off the field personal problems.

In recent weeks though he’s returned to Lennoxtown to train with Neil Lennon’s squad and is hoping he can impress his manager in upcoming pre-season action this summer.

He has a tough task to convince anyone he can be the club’s main striker, but there is certainly room for him to make an impact in the first-team next season.

On the chalkboard

Griffiths has, in recent seasons, mostly performed as back-up to both Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard, who admittedly have brought Celtic’s game to new levels in attack.

The potential of the Scotland international at the Hoops can’t be understated though. We know what he can do in a Celtic shirt when given a run of games.

His 104 goals for the club are evidence of that, the first striker to achieve such a career total at the club since the days of John Hartson and Henrik Larsson.

The 2015/16 season stands as the high watermark of his time at Celtic Park, scoring an incredible 41 goals in all competitions. He may never reach those heights at the Hoops again, but as a different option to Edouard, or as someone who can stand in before or after European games, he can be a key weapon for Lennon.

Is he ready?

He certainly seems ready and eager to impress, having spent months working on personal issues.

In his interview with Celtic TV this week, he said:

Is the hunger still as strong as ever? It’s probably more so now. From where I’ve been in December to now, it’s night and day.

Hopefully when I pull that jersey back on and step onto the pitch I’ll be firing on all cylinders. It’s been a tough few months, double training sessions every day. I’m on the home straight now and not long to go before pre-season.

I’m hoping to come back a lot fitter than the previous start to the campaign. Being in the gym near enough every day gives me that platform to get fitter and when we come back on the 17th I’ll be raring to go.

Obviously caution should be taken when it comes ensuring he is ready for re-integration back into competitive action, but the signs are good and the fact he has been working so hard to force his way back into the Hoops manager’s plans is a great sign.

He’ll have a point to prove he has plenty more life him at Celtic yet and given his record for the Hoops to date, you’d be silly to write him off.

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The latest in a long line of managerial targets for West Brom has seen them line up Slaven Bilic as a potential successor to Darren Moore.

That’s per Express & Star who reported on Wednesday that the club had held talks with him this week over their vacant managerial position. It’s a role that’s now been without a permanent head since March.

Most recently, Chris Wilder has been targeted according to Sky Sports, whilst Express & Star also claim Albion are keen to speak to Lee Bowyer.

Reacting to the Bilic news on Twitter there was a sense of optimism from some supporters. One fan laid claim that he was a good manager, suggesting he was confident the board could get a deal over the line despite wages potentially being an issue.

A further supporter said he was a manager with an excellent pedigree. Another individual explained that Bilic’s potential appointment would be a gamble but a fun ride at the same time.

The Croatian was capped 44 times by his country during his playing career and also went onto manage them.

Bilic has experience managing in England with West Ham but his most recent job was in charge of Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ittihad.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

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And now it’s finally official: Daniel James made up his mind and is finally donning the Manchester red. A signing that was long on the cards has finally gone through and this electric youngster has arrived at Old Trafford and is ready to make a big impact in the foreseeable future.

This 21-year-old winger could very well be the breath of fresh air United needed and because of that, here are two main reasons he will be a huge hit at Old Trafford…

The numbers don’t lie

It’s quite easy to get carried away with emerging new talents as we are so often seduced by their flashy styles and quick development. But James’ contribution to Swansea City cannot really be disputed, especially after glancing at the pure numbers behind it. Four goals and a total of nine assists in his last Championship campaign for the Swans really do speak for themselves. Even when he’s compared to current Manchester United players, the 21-year-old is not far behind – albeit playing in a division of lesser quality.

And, of course, James has his age as one of his biggest advantages over most of his rivals at the club.

Dissecting the figures even further, we find out that he ranked third in the Championship for fast breaks per 90 minutes last season, and fifth among the players with the most shots in the league. Additionally, only four players recorded more touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes than James in his latest campaign. If that doesn’t excite you, barely anything will.

The sky is the limit

At 21 years of age, James has the whole world ahead of him. His journey in English football has barely begun! With proper management, which will surely play a major role in his development, he could become an important player for the Red Devils.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems pretty convinced Manchester United is the right place for James to continue his career and he is excited to have him on his team. Honestly, we couldn’t agree more, and it’s now down to Ole to lead the youngster properly.

Ultimately, in a market where talented young players can be difficult to sign for a modest fee, Manchester United have done fairly well to acquire one for £15m.

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New Rangers signing Greg Stewart has work to do to win over plenty of Gers fans after he was announced as the club’s latest signing on Thursday.

The 29-year-old has joined on a two-year deal and has been added to the squad ahead of Steven Gerrard’s pre-season preparations for European qualifiers next month.

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

Stewart had an up and down season in the Scottish Premiership last term, shining initially on loan at Kilmarnock before really struggling as part of Derek McInnes’ Aberdeen side after a January switch.

Supporters backing his move will point to his eight goals and seven assists in 16 appearances for Killie, alongside excellent form for Dundee before his switch to Birmingham, as proof he can make an Ibrox impact.

Many though are unconvinced, feeling he is not the kind of signing that the club need to help close the gap on Celtic.

These fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his unveiling…

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According to ABC.es, Real Madrid have placed a £76m valuation on Gareth Bale, who Tottenham Hotspur are interested in bringing back to the club, as reported by The Sun last month.

The 29-year-old only scored eight La Liga goals for Los Blancos during a disappointing 2018-19 campaign.

The Wales international has a contract at the Bernabeu until the summer of 2022, however, and is therefore in a strong position.

According to ABC.es, Real Madrid are keen to sell the attacker this summer but are looking for a price of around £76m.

Due to Bale’s current struggles it is perhaps easy to forget just how impressive the Welshman is when in full flow.

Tottenham saw plenty of magical moments from the former Southampton youngster during his time in the English capital, that is for sure.

Watch the best UCL final reactions from Liverpool and Spurs fans (and their enemies) in the video below…

The Spurs fans have caught wind of the latest rumours surrounding the future of Bale and many have taken to social media to express their thoughts.

A selection of the Twitter reaction is available to view below:

Christian Eriksen is considering a move to Manchester United or Juventus after waving goodbye to his dream move to Real Madrid, according to the Mirror.

Eriksen looked set to move away from the Premier League to La Liga this summer, after announcing his intention to leave in search of fresh challenges.

“I have the wildest and deepest respect for everything that has happened in Tottenham, nor will it be negative. But I have also said that I would like to try something new,” he said to Ekstra Bladet earlier in June.

“I hope there will be a clarification during the summer. That’s the plan. In football you do not know when a clarification comes. It can happen anytime. Everyone wants it best if it happens as soon as possible, but in football takes things time.

“It depends on Daniel Levy, and another club has to come. Or I have to sit down at the table and negotiate a new contract. You can’t set a date yourself.”

However, with Los Blancos stocking up on the best young talents in world football (plus Eden Hazard), and Zinedine Zidane reportedly (per Marca) only interested in bringing in Paul Pogba, the midfield maestro’s hopes of playing at the Bernabeu are over before they even started.

It opens up the opportunity for Manchester United to swoop in and take advantage of the situation, especially with their own man going the other way.

With that said, here are three knock-on effects of Eriksen making a U-turn and joining United…

Struggle to replace

Replacing a man who claimed 10 goals and 17 assists in all competitions last season won’t be an easy job for Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

So far, the club have been linked with La Liga talents Giovani Lo Celso and Dani Ceballos to fill the void, both of whom are talented players in their own right, with the former recently producing 16 goals and six assists for Real Betis and the latter a Spain under-21 international.

However, they’re both worryingly untested at the top level of football. Lo Celso, who arguably has the strongest claim to Eriksen’s throne due to last year’s performances, spent just two seasons at Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain before being loaned out to Spain. And Dani Ceballos, as good of a player he may be in the future, is still only 22-years-old and has contributed five goals and two assists in 56 appearances. This poses serious questions over his ability to shoulder the bulk of the club’s offensive efforts.

Doesn’t suggest immediate impact to us.

Another year without silverware

It’s been tough enough with Eriksen at the helm, never mind without him.

Not since Tottenham’s League Cup victory in 2008 have they had their hands on a major trophy. The Champions League final was their golden opportunity to strike. Yet, despite putting in some truly magnificent performances against Manchester City and Ajax, they fell desperately short on the day.

During the six seasons he’s spent in north London, Eriksen has played 277 games for the club. He’s produced 66 goals and 86 assists and has been the ever-present danger in the squad; the man to make things happen. But even with his influence Spurs haven’t been able to battle the infamous ‘bottle job’ jibes that have followed them around since the 1987 FA Cup final.

Eriksen moving to Old Trafford spells bad news for Spurs’ trophy hopes. Despite being immeasurably poor throughout the recently completed season, the Red Devils have shown time and time again in the past that they’re able to step up on the big occasions. Since Spurs last tasted glory, Manchester United have won eight trophies – including three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three League Cups and a Europa League. Surely Eriksen’s ability will only serve to boost United’s title prospects.

Fans lose faith

If a player publicly admits that he wants to pursue new challenges, then joins a Premier League rival then you know there’s something going wrong. It suggests that even a weakened Manchester United side, who currently offer nothing Spurs couldn’t (other than perhaps wages), can poach the club’s best players. Surely this kind of behaviour doesn’t inspire confidence amongst fans that they’re going to see many of the necessary improvements to mount a more successful challenge next season.

In turn, what kind of effect will this have on the players? Will they rise to the challenge, or will they also start to lose faith in the club? How many more will leave to join more successful rivals? A dangerous precedent could be set.

Spurs fans, do you agree with our predictions? Let us know in the comments below…

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Leeds United fans on Twitter have written off the rumours linking Pontus Jansson with a move to Fulham.

Reputable journalist Matt Law reported that the London club are very keen to sign the Swede, but United fans find it hard to believe that a player would want to swap Elland Road for Craven Cottage.

Many were baffled by the links with one fan asking: “Why on earth would he go to a smaller club in the same division?”

These Leeds supporters do seem to have a short memory. The last time Fulham were relegated they signed arguably their best player in Ross McCormack just a few weeks after he won the Championship golden boot, so it isn’t too far fetched that history could repeat itself here.

It remains to be seen whether or not this deal will be done or not, but many members of the fanbase are confident that it will not come to fruition.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…

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The Gunners are knee deep in pre-season preparations as the beginning of the 2019/20 campaign edges ever closer.

The schedule for Arsenal is quite tough. Their US tour starts against the MLS side Colorado Rapids and after that they are due to take part in the International Champions Cup against Bayern Munich, Fiorentina and then Real Madrid.

Upon their return to north London, they will host the French side Lyon in the Emirates Cup, before finalising their pre-season with games against Angers away and finally, Barcelona and Lionel Messi to finish off strong.

Hector Bellerin will, however, take no part in those games as he is still on the road to recovery.

The Spaniard suffered a serious injury back in January in the game against Chelsea and has been sidelined ever since.

He missed a total of 25 games due to that blow but if his newest Instagram snap is anything to go by, he is well on his way back.

Bellerin can be seen running and working hard in the snap, which is definitely a good sign, especially considering how serious the injury actually was.

Even though we don’t have an official date of his return, the latest reports say he hopes to be back on the pitch for the Gunners before the end of September.

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are gutted that the club are set to sell Mallik Wilks after Phil Hay confirmed that it was looking like he would be headed to either Hull City or Barnsley.

The 20-year-old is coming off the back of a fantastic season out on loan at Doncaster Rovers where he scored 14 and assisted eight.

Form like that had Leeds supporters in awe of him last term, but now the fanbase are gutted as he hasn’t been given a chance to replicate those performances at Elland Road in 2019/20.

Leeds’ wide areas are somewhat oversaturated now following the arrivals of Jack Harrison and Helder Costa, as well as the loan deal to bring Jack Clarke back to the club after he was sold to Tottenham.

Hay’s update prompted one fan to respond “please tell me this isn’t permanent”, but in a separate tweet, the journalist confirmed it would be.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…