All posts by h716a5.icu

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring Sampdoria defender Joachim Andersen ahead of a possible summer bid, per the London Evening Standard.

What’s the word?

Spurs are tracking possible replacements for Belgium international Toby Alderweireld, with the central defender’s contract containing a £25m release clause that can be triggered this summer.

And the aforementioned report claims that Andersen has been identified as a potential acquisition should their current centre-back depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs are currently focused on signing a midfielder, the report states, with Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele at the top of their shortlist.

Andersen, then, is not likely to be the subject of an offer until the club know if Alderweireld is to leave.

Ducks in a row

This is excellent planning from the Lilywhites. Spurs are attempting to put a safety net in place in case Alderweireld does depart and Andersen is very highly-rated.

Indeed, the Standard claim that Juventus are also admirers of the 23-year-old.

A Denmark Under-21 international, he has yet to make his senior debut for his country but has made 39 Serie A appearances for his club.

It is not yet known, of course, if he would be able to adapt to life in the Premier League but he has age on his side and is likely to improve under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino.

One feels they would rather keep Alderweireld around but Andersen appears to be a solid and reliable back-up option.

Chalk this one up to sensible planning, then.

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Tottenham Hotspur are set to sign Jack Clarke from Leeds United this summer, per the London Evening Standard.

The teenager is set to remain at the club throughout next season, instead of returning to the Whites on loan.

On the chalkboard

Can Clarke actually make the cut under Mauricio Pochettino in 2019/20?

He made his breakthrough under Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road this term, making a total of 25 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice and registering two assists.

And yet he made just four starts in the second-tier as Leeds reached the play-offs, only to lose to Frank Lampard’s Derby County.

Per WhoScored, Clarke averaged 0.8 shots per game, 0.7 key passes and was fouled just 0.5 times. He also averaged 1.1 dribbles across the 90 minutes, while he made 1.1 unsuccessful touches in every game.

Defensively, the teenager is actually pretty appalling; he averages 0.5 tackles per game, 0.5 fouls, 0.1 interceptions and 0.2 clearances.

But to focus on his defensive stats is to miss the point; he was allowed the freedom to attack by Bielsa.

And yet he makes just 0.2 crosses and has a pass completion rate of 75.9%.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Much improvement needed

Clarke will need to get better if he joins Spurs, but that is to be expected.

He’s just 18 and has less than one full season of senior professional football under his belt.

There is every chance, though, that Pochettino can polish a rather rough diamond.

Clarke isn’t as effective as he could be in the final third and nor is he particularly inclined to track back.

But work ethic is vital at Spurs and he will have to improve in pretty much every area if he is to make an impact at the club.

If he does join though, he will be working with a manager who flourishes on bringing the best out of young players – Dele Alli is a prime example – and seeing them thrive.

If Clarke knuckles down at Spurs and takes on board the undoubted wisdom that Pochettino can impart, then he has every chance of making it.

Bobby Moore is the most iconic footballing figure in English history.

Being the captain of the Three Lions and guiding them to a World Cup triumph – the greatest achievement in the country’s long and illustrious involvement with the beautiful game – is something no other player can say they have done.

There are many famous images of Moore throughout the years, most notably of him lifting the glittering gold in 1966, which is probably the single most recognisable football photo for anybody who has grown up on these shores.

But there are also many photos that have never been published which show the character of the man – they give a peak behind the curtain as to how England’s finest carried himself outside of being the driving force in a legendary team.

Here are 15 of the very best pictures of Moore, starting with his trip to Madame Tussauds…

Madame Tussauds

Ex-England Captain Bobby Moore has lost his place, not only as England Captain but the place in Madame Tussauds where he has stood since England won the World Cup in 1966. He has been taken to the Madame Tussauds store room at Wookey Hole, Somerset, where his head will be stored alongside other famous heads which have been moved onto the shelf.

Bill Johnson, the store keeper at Wookey, places Bobby’s head alongside his old England team-mate Nobby Stiles.

8th November 1974.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

With model Kate Howard

West Ham and England football star Bobby Moore with model Kate Howard in Oxford Street, London to promote the new nude look Norlyn Niknax tights on sale.

10th September 1970.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

Three legends together

Henry Cooper fooling around with fellow boxer Muhammad Ali at a press conference in London with Bobby Moore laughing in the background.

1st December 1974.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

Cowboy Bobby

Bobby Moore dressed as a cowboy in America taken when West Ham were on their Tour of the States.

6th June 1971.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

TV Duties

Superstars TV Programme with Bobby Moore alongside Roger Taylor, Joe Bugner, David Emery, Tony Jacklin, Jackie Stewart.

August 1973.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

Post-match pint

West Ham United captain Bobby Moore spending a few quiet minutes under the sun lamp with a bottle of beer to celebrate his team’s victory over Manchester United to reach the FA Cup Final.

15th March 1964.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

Consoling a legend

West Ham v Fulham in the F.A. Cup Final. A friendly touch as Fulham veteran Bobby Moore is consoled by Billy Bonds and Graham Paddon, as he trudges off after the Hammers won 2-0.

3rd May 1975.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

A hero’s welcome

Bobby Moore at the Town Hall, East Ham, after winning the European Cup Winners Cup with West Ham.

May 1965.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

Family Man

Bobby Moore on holiday with his wife and children on Spain’s Costa Del Sol.

July 1969.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

Global role model

Bobby Moore, pictured on holiday on the Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, playing football with local children.

21st July 1971.

Copyright: Mirrorpix

[ad_pod ]

According to The Sutton & Croydon Guardian, Crystal Palace are preparing a £20m bid for Fulham’s Jean Michael Seri.

What’s the deal, then?

The Eagles have just had an influx of money come their way thanks to the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United for a fee that could rise to £50m.

And it is being reported that the Ivorian midfielder is one of the first name on Roy Hodgson’s hit-list this summer after he was relegated with the Cottagers last season.

Before moving to west London a year ago, the former Nice man was even linked with a transfer to Barcelona.

But he eventually did leave the French club and joined Fulham in 2018 for a club-record fee of £25m, a value which Palace obviously believe will have fallen over the past 12 months.

Watch Crystal Palace Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Palace should see Seri as a risk worth taking

It was a disappointing 2018/19 campaign for the man who plies his trade in the middle of the park as he contributed just one goal and three assists in 34 appearances.

However, he was playing in a team majorly lacking in defensive quality and organisation – they conceded the most goals in the Premier League with 81.

Compare that to Palace who have looked solid under Hodgson, shown by the fact that they conceded fewer goals than every team in the bottom half bar Newcastle, as well as West Ham and Man United.

Seri demonstrated his ability at Nice when he was playing in a more organised set-up and his stats back that up – 12 goals and 23 assists in 103 games for the Ligue 1 team is an impressive return given he only played two of those matches in an attacking midfield role.

Are Crystal Palace right to slap a £100m valuation on Wilfried Zaha’s head? Check out the video below to see why they are…

It would be foolish to write off a player who only two years ago was being linked with Barcelona.

He is a risk worth taking for a team like Palace who may just stumble upon a diamond in the rough who can help propel them into the top half of the table.

[ad_pod ]

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…

To say West Brom fans are disillusioned with the club’s academy at the moment would be a considerable understatement.

The Hawthorns faithful have been sent into disarray lately, letting their feelings be known on matters surrounding Louie Barry, Morgan Rogers and Mike Scott.

Barry’s time at the club came to an end after rejecting a new contract offer from the club, only to sign for Barcelona.

Rogers, on the other hand, has reportedly headed to Manchester City whilst former U18 coach Scott has also packed his bags.

It’s a bewildering time as far as their academy is concerned and after Rekeem Harper signed a new deal, things have only gone downhill again.

Harper had a contract offer on the table for a lengthy period of time and after July 1 passed by, it looked as though he would be another out the door.

This is a club who have become accustomed to seeing their best prodigies depart. In the past, Izzy Brown fled the scene as he moved to Chelsea, whilst Tyler Roberts and Kemar Roofe also left.

Yet, Harper, rather surprisingly decided to stay at Albion.

And what’s also surprising, is the example he’s now set.

When manager Slaven Bilic was questioned about the 19-year-old’s new terms, he told the club’s website: “It was a no-brainer for a player who is looking to have a good path, a good opportunity and platform long-term in his career.

“He knows the club, he knows the area. Last year he played a reasonable amount, a lot maybe for his first season. It was not hard for me to persuade him.”

However, with the younger players at Albion in the past, it appears as though it has been difficult to convince them.

Harper wasn’t short of attention, attracting the interest from the likes of Celtic and Liverpool. His decision to stay in the Midlands, therefore, was quite something.

And in doing so, he has set what is an unlikely example. For once, the Baggies have a young player thinking about the good of their career, rather than seeking a glamorous move.

Watch fans explain why the Football League is better than the Premier League in the video below…

He is one of the few players who has made good use of his breakthrough into the first team.

Of all academy graduates last season, he experienced the most minutes under Darren Moore. He played 1,131 minutes over 16 Championship outings, as well as playing six times in cup competitions.

His decision to sign a new deal at West Brom is a positive sign, but others must follow suit if the academy is to truly be considered a success in the future.

[ad_pod ]

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

Tottenham Hotspur could offer Fernando Llorente a fresh contract this summer, per The Guardian.

What’s the word?

The Spanish World Cup winner played an integral role in Spurs’ run to the Champions League final, scoring the winning goal in the quarter-final second leg against Manchester City, and proved an adept back-up to Harry Kane throughout the 2018/19 season.

However, his contract at the club has expired and, while there has been no communication from the club, he is no longer a part of their squad.

However, The Guardian claims that Spurs would be open to keeping him if he is unable to find himself a new club, having entered into free agency.

Llorente, the report states, earned £100,000-per-week in north London but he would have to accept a pay cut to be kept on for next season.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

A no-brainer

Spurs should be keeping him around.

Llorente was an excellent deputy to Kane throughout the campaign and Spurs would never have reached the final without him.

He has rarely complained about a lack of playing time when the England captain is fit and he offers a completely different threat from the bench. Add to that the fact that the only possible alternative to Kane at this point is Vincent Janssen, and the case is only strengthened; Janssen made just three Premier League appearances last season.

A barrel-chested forward who is a genuine nuisance in the air, there are few strikers like him in England and he always gives opposition defences a headache.

His goal against City should have sealed the deal but he was then excellent in the semi-final second leg versus Ajax, as Spurs overturned a 2-0 deficit to book a final showdown with Liverpool.

Even if he only plays five games next season, keeping him around makes all the sense in the world, particularly if he is willing to take a hit on his old wages.

Lots of Sheffield United fans have taken to Twitter to praise youngster Marcus Dewhurst after he kept a clean sheet in his first senior appearance for the Blades in a 5-0 win over Chesterfield.

The 18-year-old recently made a name for himself as he was described as an ‘unlikely hero’ for England’s U18 side despite a penalty shoot-out defeat to Spain back in May, and continued that form as he kept The Spireites at bay.

It was a successful night all-round for Chris Wilder’s side as Billy Sharp scored a hat-trick and new signings Luke Freeman and Callum Robinson both found the back of the net.

The Blades are currently having a tricky time in finding a number one for the start of the season as Manchester United continue to delay the return of Dean Henderson as they want him to sign a new contract before he goes back out on loan.

And although the Yorkshire team have been linked with a move for Michael Verrips, plenty of supporters were impressed with the teenager’s ability in the pre-season friendly.

Here is just some of the reaction:

[ad_pod ]

Lots of Tottenham fans have taken to Twitter to react after Sky Sports reported that Paulo Dybala would prefer to stay at Juventus amid interest from Spurs and Manchester United.

The Italian champions have been linked with a move for Romelu Lukaku and are said to be prepared to include Dybala in any potential deal, whilst Spurs have also been strongly linked with the Argentina international.

Neymar wants out of PSG and he’s not exactly being professional about it! Check out 3 other players tried to force a transfer away in the video below…

Dybala, 25, scored just five goals in 30 Serie A appearances for the Turin-based side, appearing to struggle after the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo as his return of 22 goals in the campaign prior to the Portuguese star’s arrival attests to.

Despite his poor 2018/19 season, Dybala is said to want to stay and fight for his place under new boss Maurizio Sarri, which has put a dampener on speculation linking him with Spurs.

Let’s see how the Tottenham fans on Twitter reacted to the news regarding Dybala’s future…

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

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

Ryan Sessegnon is finally set to complete his long-awaited move to Tottenham Hotspur this week, per The Daily Mail.

What’s the word?

Sessegnon has been linked with Spurs throughout the summer transfer window.

And it now appears that the club will get their man, with the 19-year-old having told Fulham of his desire to make the switch, per the report.

The Mail claims that Josh Onomah will move the other way, with the deal set to be worth £30m.

Indeed, Scott Parker, the Fulham boss, is said to have a keen interest in working with the attacking midfielder and Spurs are willing to include him in their offer to finally complete the deal.

[ad_pod ]

Door opens for Rose

Football FanCast sources understand that Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino regards Sessegnon as a long-term replacement for current left-back Danny Rose.

And there is a confidence at the club that a deal for the teenager will be completed; indeed, there has been all summer.

There was initially a suggestion that Sessegnon would not be signed until Rose was sold, but it now appears to be the other way around, with the Cottagers full-back, who can also play as a winger, arriving prior to his new team-mate’s departure.

That makes sense.

FFC understands that the club have yet to receive any bids for Rose but there is interest from the continent, with PSG exploring a move for the player and attempting to gauge his interest in playing in France.

With Sessegnon set to arrive, Rose, who was left out of the club’s pre-season tour earlier this summer, has seemingly never been closer to the exit door.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to Rafael Benitez’s column for The Athletic, as he revealed the reason for his exit from St. James’ Park.

Newcastle fans were devastated when Benitez left the club this summer, but that didn’t stop managing director Lee Charnley from criticising the Spaniard in Sunday’s match programme.

Charnley claimed Benitez had been offered the fairest deal the club could reasonably afford, but instead chose to move to China for the money.

Benitez has since disputed that, writing in The Athletic: “Newcastle’s board had a year to sort out my contract but, when we met after the end of last season, they didn’t make me a proper offer.

“They told me they didn’t want to invest in the academy or the training ground – if they like, I can explain the reason why Mike Ashley refused to do that.

“Their idea of a project was a policy of signing players under 24 and, in my opinion, the budget available was not enough to compete for the top 10.

“After that meeting, I knew they would not come back with a serious offer and, when it arrived, 19 days later, it was for the same salary as three years earlier and with less control over signings.

“After three years of unfulfilled promises, I didn’t trust them.”

If what Benitez says is true, then it confirms all the suspicions the Toon Army have had about the Mike Ashley regime.

The former Liverpool boss only wanted enough spending to break into the top ten, yet was not set to be granted his wish or given control over the transfers themselves.

This also perhaps confirms the criticism that Steve Bruce may be a “yes man”, as he is seemingly happy to work under such conditions.

Take a look at some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

[ad_pod ]