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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 Sky Sports, Wolves could attempt to sign AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie in January when the transfer window re-opens after failing with a bid on deadline day last month.

What’s the word?

The Premier League club tried to clinch the signing of the 22-year-old late on in the summer transfer window but were unable to push the deal over the line in time.

Kessie has been at AC Milan since 2017, where he joined on a two-year loan from Atalanta, which included an obligation to buy.

The defensive midfielder has featured twice in Serie A this season, starting their last game, a 1-0 victory against Brescia.

Reports suggest that the club would be open to offloading the Ivory Coast international, who they value at £25m, with Monaco also keen.

Have you heard the strangest chant in the Premier League yet? Hear it in the video below…

Cutrone copy

Nuno Santo pursuing Kessie would be a mistake, especially after rumoured links to Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who is much more used to English conditions having played a total of 149 games in Yorkshire.

AC Milan are seemingly keen to cash in on Kessie due to their Financial Fair Play dealings, which should be a red flag to Wolves.

The Molineux outfit signed Patrick Cutrone from the same club for £16m earlier in the summer and he’s yet to make any major impact, as the Santo boss still favours his familiar strike partnership of Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez.

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The pair have both played a part in all ten matches this campaign whilst last season they played over 33 matches together in the Premier League.

Cutrone has started just two of a possible eight matches and is yet to even get on the scoresheet, per Transfermarkt.

A similar case is likely to follow if Kessie were to make the same switch from Milan to the west Midlands – Ruben Neves is certainly not going to lose his spot in the starting lineup anytime soon unless he’s sold, as he’s normally the first name on the teamsheet for Santo.

The Portuguese anchorman has started all four Premier League games this season and has made a total of 90 in the gold and black since joining the club in the summer of 2017.

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Speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, former Tottenham Hotspur player Micky Hazard has identified the one thing Erik Lamela does that can sometimes hinder the team.

What did he say?

Well, the podcast was discussing the Argentina international following another impressive display in which he found the net against Crystal Palace on Saturday, with the conversation centering around how he is important to the team being able to press effectively.

While Hazard did acknowledge that fact and says he offers a tempo and brings some urgency, he also questioned the 27-year-old’s decision-making when it comes to that tactic as well.

The 59-year-old told the Last Word on Spurs (41:50):

“Sometimes he overdoes it. He chases from one player to the next player to the next player.

“What Lamela does sometimes is he defeats the press because he chases and follows the pass across the pitch.”

Verdict

Hazard may well be right, but it is a hard one to weigh up because Lamela probably simply wants Tottenham to re-adopt the tactics they have used so successfully over the last couple of years.

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Sky Sports reported prior to the Crystal Palace clash that Spurs had pressed their opponents less than any other Premier League team so far this term, and perhaps the Argentine attacker is simply looking to encourage his teammates to do that more often.

Of course, you don’t want the 27-year-old to defeat the press by doing too much, however if he provides that spark to get the other players on his team to work that little bit harder, it could actually be a blessing in disguise.

Lamela will be hoping he can keep his spot in the XI for the sixth successive match in 2019/20 when the north London outfit face Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

According to former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan, Manchester United are looking to make a move for Aston Villa star John McGinn in January – per quotes on Football Insider.

What’s he said?

Villa have endured a tough spell in the Premier League as of late, picking up just one victory from their opening six matches.

Though, some of their playoff heroes have continued their rich vein of personal form – most notably McGinn, who ranks as their best player according to WhoScored ratings at an average of 7.54 per game.

He’s scored two goals, assisted one and picked up the Man of the Match award in half of their fixtures, continuing on from last season’s campaign where his seven goals and nine assists majorly contributed towards their promotion.

Over the summer, Sir Alex Ferguson wanted United to sign his fellow countryman, and it appears they may well be thinking along the same lines this time around.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan claimed:

“He’s Villa’s one shining light. When you watch Villa, McGinn is the best player every game. He is involved in everything and is a fantastic player.

“That is why Manchester United are looking at him for January. That’s what I’ve been told. They’re scouting him. I think they could do with someone like McGinn. He would be far better for them than someone else like Juan Mata.”

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A worrying but expected sign

It’s fair to say that Villa aren’t one of the top sides in the Premier League having only just returned to the top-flight this season, so it is understandable that when any player stands out, it is likely to bring interest from the financial heavyweights in the division.

As the previous statistics suggest, he’s been far and away one of their most impressive players and one that they’ll need to keep hold of at least until the summer if they want to remain in the big time.

Losing McGinn in January could seriously put their survival hopes at risk, considering the club already occupy a relegation place, that’s not something they’ll want to happen unless they are forced to do so.

The club does have riches in the central midfield position, but no player is like the Scot, and his absence would undoubtedly create a big void in the attacking phase. They should, therefore, be fearing the worst if United are circling around.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, John Hartson claimed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be the answer to Everton’s problems in attack.

The Toffees have struggled on the goal-scoring front so far in the Premier League with five goals in six games, and much of that is due to the rotation of the 22-year-old and Moise Kean, according to the Welshman.

Calvert-Lewin has one goal so far in the league – a towering header against Bournemouth – but he struck twice against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday – a sign that his confidence may be beginning to grow.

Hartson has suggested what Marco Silva needs to do to get the best out of the 6ft 2 striker.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “He needs to play all the time. It’s very difficult being in and out of the team all the time. There’s chopping and changing.

“Get him in the side, make him a focal point, tell him to master the art of playing between the 18-yard box, he doesn’t really need to be running down the channels doing this and that.

“Just be a number nine, get Moise Kean to play off him, get the ball into them, work on the training ground as a partnership, and get something going.”

The method put forward by the former Arsenal striker is one Silva hasn’t implemented yet this season, instead preferring a lone striker to fit into a 4-2-3-1 system. But Hartson’s suggestion could be a suitable solution.

His point about the striker playing regularly is key. After his goal against the Cherries, Calvert-Lewin was left on the bench for the following game against Sheffield United.

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That means neither he nor his teammates are able to find a rhythm or a run of form, and goals dry up as a consequence.

On the rare occasion Kean started for Juventus last season, he often found his best form as part of a two, scoring four goals in five starts alongside a strike partner.

With Calvert-Lewin strong in the air and able to hold up play, he could be able to use Kean’s pace in a way which exploits the opposition.

As a result, Silva’s side would have more variety in attack, and with more support for the front two they could be more likely to get amongst the goals.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Crystal Palace legend Mile Jedinak has given an interesting interview to The Athletic about his time at Selhurst Park, with some intriguing snippets to say the least.

The former Australia international – who made 179 appearances for the Eagles across a five-year stay – captained the Eagles to a first FA Cup final in 26 years, and also led them to the unlikeliest of promotions back in 2013.

Jedinak, a dominant midfield presence, departed SE25 after being stripped of the captaincy by Alan Pardew and sold to Aston Villa, but he is still fondly remembered as a club icon – the club’s Twitter account even called him a ‘legend’ themselves.

While speaking to The Athletic, Jedinak named his worst Palace moment, and it is one that is hard to argue with.

What did he say?

The 35-year-old said: “You knew Crystal Palace don’t often make FA Cup finals. Why not be the first ones to lift an FA Cup? It almost was us. That’s the hardest thing to take from it all.”

Club correspondent Matt Woosnam also wrote about how Jedinak described the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United as his ‘worst’ moment at the club and the ‘only regret’ from his stay in SE25.

Hard to disagree 

The south Londoners have never won a significant trophy, and were just over ten minutes from doing so after Jason Puncheon’s 78th-minute strike at Wembley back in 2016.

In truth, Pardew’s side should have seen the game out from then on and become history makers, winning the first trophy in the club’s history and becoming legends in doing so.

A win also would have seen Palace compete in Europe with a passage into the Europa League, which would have enabled Jedinak to write another beautiful chapter in his story with the Eagles.

Given how close the Aussie and his teammates were to winning the FA Cup, and the manner in which they threw it away – the Eagles conceded almost immediately after scoring the opener – it is especially hard to disagree with what Jedinak describes as his ‘worst’ moment at the club.

And considering Pardew was involved in both the final and the club’s dismissal of their ‘legend’, we don’t think the former Newcastle boss will be on Jedinak’s Christmas card list.

Joel Matip has been voted the PFA Bristol Street Motors Fans’ Premier League Player of the month for September.

In a vote run by fan engagement experts, Snack Media, the Liverpool defender won with 44% of the vote, beating Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez, who finished in second place with 17%. Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mahrez’s team-mate, Kevin De Bruyne, both took 14% of the vote, while Leicester City’s Ricardo Pereira and AFC Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson grabbed 7%.

In the first of five divisional votes carried out over nine days via Snack’s digital and social networks and supported by top-flight football clubs and the press, it was evident that the Cameroon international’s impressive performances – in which he helped the Reds take maximum points last month – have resonated with football fans up and down the country.

The full list of contenders from the final shortlist polled were as follows:

• Joel Matip (Liverpool) – 41%

• Riyad Mahrez (Man City) – 17%

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) – 14%

• Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – 14%

• Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City) – 7%

• Callum Wilson (AFC Bournemouth) – 7%

Fabian Schar has impressed Newcastle fans with his start to the season, leading many to discuss how much he should be sold for should a club come in for his services.

Some believe he is vital to the team and as such they should hold out for an “outlandish” fee, with one individual suggesting between £40-£50m would be fair.

Though he is an international and has performed well since coming into the Newcastle side, helping the Magpies keep eight league clean sheets last term, he has never played at the highest level of club competition and only has 20 months left on his contract.

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As a result, some supporters are concerned that he may be bought for a price way below his value, and therefore the club could lose out on the money they deserve.

Despite that, many amongst the St. James’ Park faithful have used the discussion to lavish praise on the centre-back, and considering the Magpies have conceded 13 goals in eight league games this season, it is some recognition.

Here is some of the conversation taking place between Newcastle fans on Twitter.

Jose Mourinho has reportedly been contacted by Tottenham over the possibility of him replacing Mauricio Pochettino if the Argentine leaves, and it has generated quite a mixed reaction from Spurs fans on Twitter.

Many don’t believe the report from Soccerlink, but it has sparked discussion nonetheless, with some members of the fanbase having polar opposite viewpoints.

Some of those who are opposed to the idea of him taking over from the Argentine point to his failure at Manchester United, where he not only underachieved but played largely negative football and created a negative atmosphere.

With Spurs in a similar position of unrest, with several players allegedly unhappy with the situation they find themselves in, appointing Mourinho may not be the best option.

The 56-year-old famously fell out with those above him at Real Madrid and twice at Chelsea, but some Tottenham supporters are choosing to look past that because of the success he brings, and the trophies he wins.

Despite the joy Pochettino has had in north London he has still failed to pick up a piece of silverware, and some fans are keen to see that change, believing the arrival of Mourinho would help.

Here are some of the varying responses to the prospect of the Portuguese boss becoming manager at the Tottenham Stadium.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Ronaldinho is one of the universally beloved former stars in the world of football. And even though he is also part of the Barcelona faithful, having spent the best years of his career at the Catalan club, recently, in a pre-match press conference ahead of an exhibition game, the Brazilian talked about Real Madrid’s 19-year-old talent, as reported by EFE (via Marca).

What did he say?

It’s strange seeing a Barcelona legend talked extensively about a big Real Madrid talent but the thing that connects Ronaldinho to Vinicius Junior is their nationality.

Both the young star and the retired veteran are Brazilians and it doesn’t really come as a surprise to hear the now 39-year-old ex-Blaugrana icon shower Los Blancos’ talent with such praise.

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Ronaldinho mentioned how Vinicius is already playing for a big club and then went on to say he will become one of the world’s best in the not so distant future.

Here’s what he said in full:

“[Vinicius] is already at one of the best clubs in the world. I think he will soon be there, among the best.”

A hidden gem

Vinicius had a rocky start to his Real Madrid career, to say the least.

After a brilliant first season in which he managed to score seven goals and assist a further 13, it unfortunately all went downhill for the young talent.

Of course, a big part of that was actually an unlucky injury as Vinicius was sidelined by a ruptured knee ligament, making him miss out on nine games in total and more importantly, stopping his red-hot form altogether.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

And he’s been struggling to truly reach those heights once again.

In the ongoing 2019/20 season, the Brazilian has only managed to accumulate 313 minutes in a total of seven games across all competitions so far, scoring one goal and assisting another in the process.

And sure enough, when his form went down and he started struggling, the alarm bells were all ringing in the media for quite a while.

But Ronaldinho seems to believe Vinicius is destined for greatness and if the 2018/19 campaign and his stint at Flamengo, during which he scored ten goals and assisted four in 49 games, are any indication, the talent and the potential are certainly there.

Real Madrid have a true gem on their hands and it will be up to them to groom him properly so he can become one of the best players in the world.

Ronaldinho seems to believe that is possible so why shouldn’t Real Madrid believe it as well?

Crystal Palace succumbed to a 2-0 home defeat to Man City on Saturday and though both goals were the result of some fine play from the visitors, some Eagles fans feel it would have been a different story had Vicente Guaita started the match.

The Spaniard has been first choice this season and has kept three clean sheets from eight games, helping to make him something of a fan favourite at Selhurst Park.

It will be good news for them that Roy Hodgson does not expect his injury to be a long-term problem, instead admitting that he didn’t want to risk him when he had the capable Wayne Hennessey to call upon.

The Wales international made eight saves against the Citizens, and with the opener coming off the inside of the post there was little he could have done to prevent it.

David Silva’s strike, however, went through his legs, and some supporters feel Guaita would have kept it out, and therefore the team missed his presence.

Here are some of the reactions from the Crystal Palace fanbase.