All posts by h716a5.icu

Spurs are this summer looking to finally spend a bit of money and build on the impressive squad Mauricio Pochettino has at his disposal.

Champions League finalists last season, the Londoners are edging ever closer to finally landing some silverware it would seem, but another summer of non-spending will surely hold the club back as they look to bring some success back for the fans.

However, while bringing in players is going to be key, Spurs also have plenty of players who other clubs are interested in, not least Kieran Trippier, who is reportedly being lined up for a £30m bid by Italian giants, Juventus.

And here in the Tavern, we think that Spurs simply cannot afford to reject such an offer for a player who has not had his finest year whatsoever in the white of Spurs.

Trippier has looked off the pace for a good few months now, never seemingly quite getting over the hangover from England’s 2018 World Cup campaign over in Russia.

While he remains a threat from dead balls and is full of energy up and down the right hand side, mistakes have crept into his game, and he doesn’t look half the player he did for Pochettino’s men during the 2017/18 campaign.

£30m is a huge chunk of change as well should that be the bid Juventus come in with, and for a right back not at the top of his game, Spurs simply have to be snapping their hands off.

That money could be reinvested back into the squad, and with young players like Kyle Walker-Peters breaking into the first-team fold, the loss of Trippier and the addition of £30m in the coffers could be just the ticket for the club as they continue to build towards success.

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A number of Manchester United supporters have called on head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to use Anthony Martial as a centre-forward during the 2019-20 campaign.

Martial has scored 48 times in 174 appearances for United since joining the English giants from Ligue 1 outfit Monaco in the summer of 2015.

Just 23 years of age, the attacker contributed 12 goals in 38 matches last term.

But it would be fair to say that the Frenchman struggled for consistency, whilst he only scored once in the Champions League during the 2018-19 season.

There is an extremely talented footballer in there somewhere, however, and it will be up to Solskjaer to fully unlock the 5 ft 11 ace’s potential.

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In response to a video of Martial preparing for the new campaign, a number of United fans have called for the attacker to be deployed as a centre-forward next term, rather than in his usual position off the left.

Neither Romelu Lukaku nor Marcus Rashford particularly impressed up top last season and the supporters might well be onto something.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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The Premier League’s 20 clubs continue to work behind the scenes as they prepare for the upcoming campaign. Thursday’s Premier League transfer roundup includes Chelsea’s pursuit of Mateo Kovacic, Manchester United’s potential move for James Rodriguez and the situation at Newcastle as the Toon look for a new manager.

Chelsea agreement with Real for Kovacic

Chelsea may be under a two-window transfer ban, but that hasn’t stopped them trying to bring in players during this summer transfer window. And it seems they may have been successful in finding a loophole. According to Sky Sports News, the Blues have reached an agreement with Real Madrid in regards to the transfer of Croatian Kovacic.

The fee agreed is €45m (£40.3m). The 25-year-old central midfielder spent last season on loan at Stamford Bridge and made 51 appearances in all competitions for the club. Chelsea, it has emerged, can sign the player as he was registered with them last season, but they must complete the move before June 30 for it to go through.

Rodriguez on United radar

Manchester United have been busy during this summer transfer window, having already completed the signing of Dan James. Aaron Wan-Bissaka looks to be incoming soon as well. United are unlikely to stop there, however, and new reports claim that the Red Devils have held talks with Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez.

The Colombian, who is currently at the Copa America with his country, played the last two seasons on loan at Bayern Munich, but the Bavarians decided not to use their purchase option. It is reported that the former Monaco and Porto player would be interested in a move to the Premier League.

Newcastle managerial targets

Newcastle United’s managerial situation is still up in the air but, as to be expected, there is no lack of names being linked with the job in the North-East.

According to the Telegraph, Nice’s Patrick Vieira, Rangers’ Steven Gerrard and Mikel Arteta, who is Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Premier League champions Manchester City, are all on the club’s shortlist. However, none of them have yet been contacted. Nice have confirmed that there has been no contact made for Vieira, and according to Sky Sports, they would not welcome an approach for the former Arsenal midfielder.

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Aston Villa’s pursuit of Adam Webster seems to be quite a big saga at the moment. The Sun initially reported Villa’s interest in the player at the start of June before they went onto actually submit a bid for the centre back.

That bid, however, was rejected according to Sky Sports. Their first ploy to get him in a deal worth £12m didn’t go to plan but now they’re considering returning for the player, per The Mirror (June 27, page 65).

It looks like they may have to pay a considerable fee in order to land him though as Bristol Live have reported that his club, Bristol City, are aiming to receive £30m for his services.

Webster was crucial for the Robins last term, featuring 44 times in the Championship, scoring three goals and winning a monumental 6.4 aerial duels per game.

He was a rock at the back but it appears as though Villa could be in danger of overpaying for the 24-year-old. But what do other writers at Football FanCast make of the situation? Check out their thoughts below…

James Beavis

“Aston Villa may be a Premier League club now, but enough is enough when it comes to transfer demands like this one from Bristol City. Yes, Webster did well for Lee Johnson’s men last season, but it was the first time he has even come close to playing a full campaign at Championship level. The 24-year-old has never played in the Premier League, so for the Robins to ask for £30m for his services is quite frankly ludicrous, even in this day and age of player valuations.

“£12m was a more than fair offer for the former Portsmouth man, and with City clearly wanting more, it is time for Villa to walk away before they overpay.”

Charles Jones

“£30m should be able to land you an experienced top-level defender, not a Bristol City man who didn’t even make the Championship Team of the Season.

“Don’t get me wrong, Webster is a decent player and I’m sure he would do a job, but at that price, Villa must asses some other options. There are bargains to be found throughout Europe, and that’s where the Midlands club should probably be looking. Newcastle paid ten times less for Fabian Schar than what Villa have been quoted for Webster and he has now caught the eye of some of England’s biggest teams. Value for money deals are out there, but Webster certainly isn’t one of them.”

Jack Saville

“£30m is an obscene figure for a player with no Premier League experience and Smith would be foolish to go near that valuation. Villa clearly need to conduct major surgery on their defensive unit but they need to be shrewd in their negotiations.

“If they’re going to splash out £30m on a new defensive enforcer, they must ensure that the player is experienced and proven in one of Europe’s top five leagues. This is a massive no-go for Villa.”

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Steve Bruce is reportedly the frontrunner to replace Rafael Benitez at Newcastle.

What’s the story?

Newcastle fans were fuming when reports claimed Bruce was a target on Tuesday, and things have gone from bad to worse as far as those fans are concerned.

According to Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Bruce is now the Magpies’ priority target to take over from Benitez.

Downie says Sheffield Wednesday are expecting an official approach for their boss, and that Bruce returned from the Owls’ pre-season camp in Portugal on Wednesday evening.

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Behind the times

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that replacing a former Champion of Europe in Benitez with a man whose greatest managerial achievement is gaining promotion to the Premier League with Hull City in 2016 isn’t a good idea.

That’s not a joke either; Bruce has never won a major trophy during his 21-year managerial career.

And an article from The Guardian in 2011 reveals exactly how far behind the times Bruce really is. After being asked about possibly deploying a Christmas tree formation while at Sunderland, he replied: “I’m not really into tactics.”

The article calls Bruce “unashamedly old school” and criticises his ability to tweak and alter his tactics during games.

His managerial record suggests that every single team he has taken charge of has eventually cottoned onto this fact too – he is simply not clever enough tactically.

With no disrespect intended to any of the teams in the above tweet, if that’s what they think of him, what on Earth makes Mike Ashley and Newcastle think he is the right choice at St. James’ Park?

The Toon Army deserved to be fuming if Bruce is appointed. He is nowhere near the calibre of gaffer they should be aspiring to appoint.

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Christian Eriksen’s Tottenham Hotspur future remains up in the air this summer.

The Spurs playmaker has not been the subject of a single bid in this transfer window, per The Guardian, despite airing his desire to leave after the Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.

It remains to be seen if Real Madrid will move for him – they have also been heavily linked with Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, per the aforementioned report – but would Spurs actually be better off by pushing him out of the exit door this summer?

There are a number of positives to consider, which Football FanCast runs through below!

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This one is obvious.

Reports suggest that Daniel Levy values the Denmark international at around €100m (£89.9m) and such a figure could be immediately reinvested into the playing squad.

However, Madrid are reportedly only willing to stump up €80m (£72.2m), which is still a considerable figure for a player entering the final year of his contract.

Spurs have already smashed their transfer record this summer to sign Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon and one feels that they may need a bit of help as they look for further reinforcements.

Links with Giovani Lo Celso and Dani Ceballos of Real Betis and Real Madrid respectively persist and, while the latter could join on loan, the former has a release clause of £88m.

That money does not grow on a tree at Spurs’ training ground.

Selling Eriksen, then, and adding the cash to the coffers would see Spurs cover a significant portion of the fee required to sign Lo Celso.

If Mauricio Pochettino believes the Betis man is better than Eriksen, that feels like a no-brainer.

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Dele Alli is not a winger.

This has been much discussed but he was often pushed out to the flank to make room for Eriksen throughout the 2018/19 season and his output suffered as a result.

He scored just five Premier League goals last season and provided three assists.

Compare that to 2016/17, when he primarily played off the shoulder of striker Harry Kane: he scored 18 Premier League goals and registered nine assists.

The difference is night and day and selling Eriksen could free up a spot at No.10, particularly if Lo Celso isn’t signed.

The Dane’s departure could be just what the England international needs.

[snack_break title=”Lo Celso and Ceballos”]

It is difficult to imagine that both players will come in if Eriksen doesn’t go.

Ceballos, as mentioned above, is a target for Spurs.

But to bring in Lo Celso, too, one feels that Eriksen will have to depart, otherwise, they face a severe overload of attacking midfielders.

It may not be too much of a bad thing, though.

Lo Celso enjoyed a sensational season with Betis while Ceballos would offer a deeper-lying alternative to Harry Winks, who has not had a lot of support in recent months.

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Eriksen has basically been forced to play every game at Spurs when he’s fit.

The club haven’t had a proper alternative in the No.10 role for quite some time, perhaps since Clint Dempsey left the club.

And now, irony of ironies, it could happen as soon as he departs.

Indeed, both Lo Celso and Ceballos can play in the role, as can Alli, and it would mean that Spurs fans no longer have to watch a mid-season blip from their one-and-only creative hub.

Eriksen, after all, played 51 times in all competitions last season; he made 47 appearances in 2017/18 and 48 in 2016/17.

It is no wonder he was tired.

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Harry Winks needs to add another string to his bow.

A truly excellent water-carrier in midfield, his statistics are unspectacular and he failed to register a single assist last season.

Eriksen’s departure, though, could see him move further forward, with Mauricio Pochettino spreading the creative responsibility throughout the team.

One feels that Winks can become an excellent vertical midfielder, looking to break the lines and pass through teams, instead of merely offloading the ball to the nearest runner.

This is not to say that he will suddenly become an attacking midfielder, but he could well flourish in a role with more attacking requirements.

Playing alongside both Ndombele and Moussa Sissoko in midfield, he will certainly have the bruising support needed to venture forward every now and again.

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Jake Hastie made his first competitive Rangers start on Thursday, but he hasn’t totally convinced the fans just yet.

The 20-year-old was introduced to the Ibrox faithful in his side’s 6-0 win over St. Joseph’s. The second leg demolition in the Europa League qualifiers means that Steven Gerrard’s men progress with a thumping 10-0 aggregate victory over the Gibraltans.

Hastie started in a front three alongside Alfredo Morelos and Greg Stewart, but was taken off just before the hour with the score at 3-0. A Morelos hat-trick, Jermain Defoe double and an early strike from Joe Aribo gave the home side the win on Hastie’s first real Gers showing in front of the Ibrox crowd.

Brought in from Motherwell this summer, The Scottish Sun reported that the youngster looked likely to leave Ibrox on loan, but Gerrard might now be keen to keep the winger this season as he faces increased competition for loan target Ryan Kent, with Football Insider claiming Leeds are on the hunt.

Here’s what the Rangers fans had to say about Hastie’s disappointing debut…

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One source has suggested that Leicester City will not sell Harry Maguire for anything less than £100m this summer.

Read that sentence again. Let it sink in. £100m. That’s £20m more than Cristiano Ronaldo cost Real Madrid in 2009. They were buying the best player in the world. And he didn’t cost as much as the value placed upon Maguire by Leicester City.

Now, of course, inflation is as much to blame for this as anything else but this is still an absolutely astronomical amount of money.

Manchester United had reportedly agreed a fee a few weeks ago, looking to fill their defence with yet another England international who has been okay elsewhere but never really hit the heights that he could have.

Yes, he enjoyed a very good World Cup but so did Kieran Trippier. Let’s leave that argument in the box it came from. He’s fine at Leicester, absolutely fine, good in fact, but that, realistically, is his level.

Now, if he moves, he could become the fifth most expensive footballer in history. In history!

Why? The question does have to be asked, doesn’t it? Three words: Premier League proven.

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He’s played in the top-flight and has made over a century of appearances within it. He’s got knowledge and he’s got know-how so, yep, he’s more expensive because of it.

Lewis Dunk, the Brighton & Hove Albion defender, could replace him for a fee of £45m.

Let’s just compare for a second, shall we?

A viral tweet from Premier League Panel assumes that Maguire would move for £80m. That’s still making him the most expensive defender in the world, at £5m more than Virgil van Dijk.

Yet it is still striking as it shows that Mats Hummels, the decorated Germany international centre-back who has actually won a World Cup, has moved to Borussia Dortmund for £27m.

Benjamin Pavard, who also won a World Cup, moved to Bayern Munich for £31.4m. Kostas Manolas, one of the highest-rated centre-backs in Europe, has linked up with Napoli for €34m (£30.5m). Real Madrid have parted with £42.7m to sign Eder Militao, a bundle of potential and promised talent.

What are Premier League clubs doing?

The Bundesliga is often held up as a shining beacon of how clubs and leagues should operate. Two of the deals mentioned – the two cheapest – occurred in Germany.

Even Bayern’s acquisition of Lucas Hernandez, their club-record signing, cost £72m – that’s £32m less than Maguire could move for and is a massive anomaly.

The five most expensive defensive signings in the Bundesliga run like this: Hernandez, Pavard, Hummels’ move to from Dortmund to Bayern, Hummels’ return and Dortmund’s acquisition of Abdou Diallo for £25m.

The Premier League? Van Dijk, obviously, then Manchester City’s £57m purchase of Aymeric Laporte, their £52m deal for Benjamin Mendy, their £47.5m deal for John Stones and Manchester United’s £50m deal for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

The mind honestly boggles.

Why are those five players any more expensive than those in the Bundesliga? How many of those players moving to an English club have won the World Cup? The answer is one – Mendy – but he played 40 minutes in a dead rubber group stage match against Denmark as France won the 2018 tournament.

There is a disease in the Premier League and both Maguire and Dunk are symptomatic of it.

The former would become the most expensive defender of all time if he moved to United and that, really, is ridiculous. More than that, it’s downright crazy.

For United, they might end up with an excellent defender who fits right in at Old Trafford. But the fee is extortionate and speaks to English clubs simply having too much money.

There is an old saying that goes: More money than sense.

It has summed up the Premier League for too long, and Maguire is the latest example of it being proven yet again.

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The reputable journalist has revealed Dybala has not yet made a decision about his future although it is claimed he wants a ‘super contract’ on a ‘top wage’, with the Premier League outfit having to improve their offer.

Manchester United are also thought to have asked about the availability of Mandzukic as well. Juventus are thought to be open to letting the former Croatia international leave but they will only sell him as part of the swap deal between Romelu Lukaku and their Argentine star.

Dybala’s name has been linked with Manchester United amid a swap deal for Lukaku for some while as the Premier League outfit proposed the idea to Juventus, according to claims by Tuttosport (via Sport Witness). However, Mandzukic being included in the deal could be something Ole Gunnar Solskjaer thinks about strongly.

In regards to the Argentine, the 25-year-old has been clinical in front of goal throughout his career, especially when deployed as a secondary striker. In 182 games for Juventus, Dybala has scored 78 goals and provided 30 assists (via Transfermarkt), with 43 goals in his 93 appearances coming in that particular role.

His versatility is something that can appeal to Solskjaer as well (who is thought to be a huge admirer of the South American), as he would provide him with a number of different attacking options in the final third of the pitch. As noted by WhoScored, he can be utilised as an attacking midfielder and be rather effective. In his six games there, he provided Juventus with two goals and one assist, whilst managed to produce an average of 1.7 key passes per game and 1.7 dribbles.

Add in the experience of Mandzukic and what he can bring to Old Trafford, Manchester United’s goalscoring woes of last season might become a distant memory. They managed just 65 in the Premier League and finished fifth in the rankings just ahead of Chelsea in terms of goals scored but the Croatian could help improve that number.

Although he is entering the final stages of his career at 33-years-old, the forward has been prolific in front of goal for every club he has been a part of. Over his illustrious career, Mandzukic has managed to find the back of the net on 188 occasions in his 476 career appearances to date (Transfermarkt).

Marcus Rashford might be Solskjaer’s first-choice striker, but adding a player of the veteran’s calibre could help to take him to the next level of his game as he could learn from a player who has won almost everything available throughout his glowing career wherever he has gone.

As detailed by Transfermarkt, Mandzukic can also play in a number of different positions like Dybala, which could also work in tandem with the 21-year-old currently playing at Old Trafford. As noted by WhoScored, the Croatian bagged nine goals and six assists in his 25 Serie A outings last season, including an average of 1.2 shots and 1.2 key passes per 90 mins, although his dribbling skills left plenty to be desired (0.2).

However, whether he is worth bringing into the club at the expense of Lukaku is something that needs to be thought about as the Belgium international’s stats may suggest otherwise. He scored 12 goals in the Premier League last season, according to the figures collected by WhoScored, he managed an average of 1.7 shots per game and provided his team-mates with less than one key pass a match (0.7). But, his stats continued to get worse the further you delve into them.

He completed less than one dribble per game (0.7), he was found offside 0.7 times – perhaps that had something to do with the extra weight and how unfit he was as Gary Neville alluded to in his scathing attack of the forward? – whilst his ball control was far from solid.

Having been dispossessed 1.4 times on average per game and making an average of 1.6 bad touches per match it is hardly any wonder as to why a number of fans were quick to tear into him on social media on a number of occasions (including his birthday).

Manduzkic’s name being thrown into the mix is an intriguing development and, as mentioned, it might be worth Manchester United thinking strongly about, especially if they can land Dybala at the same time.

The duo, on paper, certainly look like individuals that can offer Solskjaer the additional goal threat they lacked last season, whilst one could bring a certain amount of experience whilst the other would bring a South American flair to the side that could help them in the final third of the pitch.

Whether any deal like this happens remains to be seen, especially with Romano detailing plenty that still needs to happen, but with just days to go in the transfer window, it will surely be an interesting watch.

Manchester United fans, what do you make of a Dybala and Mandzukic-Lukaku swap deal? Would you want the Juventus duo at Old Trafford for the upcoming campaign? Let us know your thoughts by sharing them below!

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

Newcastle signed local lad Andy Carroll on Thursday, and the manager who once proclaimed “I’m not really into tactics” may now have all the tools to play the good old-fashioned 4-4-2.

On the chalkboard

It is not known what formation Bruce will play in his debut campaign on Tyneside. The former Sheffield Wednesday boss has varied his tactics in pre-season, testing a three-at-the-back similar to Rafael Benitez’s, while also deploying a 4-5-1, or effectively a 4-2-3-1.

However, looking back to an article from The Guardian way back in 2011, in which the famous “not really into tactics” quote surfaced, the Magpies boss is described as “unashamedly old school” and unable to influence the game tactically.

With that in mind, the arrival of the 6 foot 4 Carroll has us wondering if Bruce has his sights set on an “unashamedly old school” style of play, once Carroll is fully fit.

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The perfect partnership

A traditional target man and a skilful speedster, one little one large, it’s the classic centre-forward one-two punch.

Think Emile Heskey and Michael Owen, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch, or even Carroll himself together with Luis Suarez during their time at Liverpool.

In Sean Longstaff and Jonjo Shelvey, Bruce has two tough-tackling midfielders with good work rates and an eye for a pass. In Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron he has two wingers with the pace to burn past defenders and whip balls into the box.

And now, with the arrival of Carroll, he has the perfect target man to partner Joelinton in a 4-4-2.

The Brazilian won 2.3 aerial duels per game last term, which isn’t too shabby in itself, while Carroll averages a whopping 6.2 aerial wins each match throughout his career.

Joelinton also has uniquely well-rounded capabilities with and without the ball though, bearing a striking resemblance to Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino, dribbling, creating and dropping into space, as well as pitching in with goals.

Pairing the 22 year-old up with Carroll then seems a no-brainer. Carroll is power personified, while his new partner in crime does a little bit of everything, and both of them know how to get on the scoresheet.

We’ve had Wenger-ball. We’ve had Sarri-ball. Is it time the Premier League’s most “unashamedly old school” manager brings us Bruce-ball?

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