Lucas Torreira started the season brilliantly at Arsenal, and he looked to be exactly what the club had been lacking. He was quick, he was aggressive, and he was energetic, and he added new life to the Gunners’ midfield.
However, there’s no getting around it – he’s dropped off somewhat over the last few weeks. Whether he’s just lacking fitness or whether he’s in a poor run of form is yet to be determined, and though he’s still had a few good games recently, there’s no doubting the need for further midfield depth in his place.
Unsurprisingly, then, Arsenal and Unai Emery are apparently keen on a move for Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye – according to Sky Sports – and the 29-year-old could be just the ticket.
Like Torreira, he’s an aggressive and mobile midfielder with one simple aim – to win back the ball and move it forwards. Unlike Torreira, he comes with lots of experience in English football, and he’s been at the heart of everything good that Everton have done over the last few years. He’s been the Toffees’ answer to N’Golo Kante, and he’s served as the primary defensive shield for a team that has struggled at the back for a while.
At 29-years-old, he’s a player that is arguably coming to the end of his peak, but he could still provide a lot for Arsenal. He’d serve as a valued depth option, whilst he’d also be able to play alongside Torreira in a pivot, which could help the Gunners against some of the bigger teams in the Premier League.
If nothing else, his arrival will simply keep Torreira on his toes, and whilst he’s undeniably the long-term option in the role for Arsenal, Gueye could be a great choice for the present.
With English football postponed until April, Football FanCast will be bringing you a daily dose of trivia to help fill that void. For the answer to today’s edition of Who Am I?, scroll down to the bottom of the article.
Who Am I?
I experienced my first taste of English football whilst on loan from PSG.
I lifted the FA Cup in the 2000s, playing alongside Sol Campbell.
I never won a single international cap.
I won the Players’ Player of the Season award during a six-season stint at Everton.
I spent five years at Manchester City and won the Player of the Year award there.
I finished my career with Bournemouth.
The Answer
The answer is Sylvain Distin. The French centre-back initially ventured into the Premier League during a loan stint at Newcastle, which convinced Manchester City to sign him permanently from PSG in the following summer.
There, Distin made 204 appearances – named the club’s Player of the Year for 2002/03 – before leaving on a free transfer to Portsmouth in 2007. It was there where the defender won the 2008 FA Cup, playing alongside Sol Campbell at the heart of Harry Redknapp’s backline.
Distin then went on to join Everton in 2009 and would later win the Players’ Player of the Season award in 2011/12.
After six years at Goodison, Distin made the move to Bournemouth but was released after just one season, marking the end of his career.
Another chapter of the rivalry between Crystal Palace and Brighton will be written on Monday evening when the two sides face off at Selhurst Park, with just three points separating them in the Premier League table.
The Eagles have enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, winning six and drawing four of their 16 league outings while keeping an eye-catching six clean sheets – more than most teams in England’s top-flight have managed so far.
In Brighton’s case, the Seagulls have also been in good form, maintaining a performance level that has seen Graham Potter rewarded with a two-year contract extension just six months after being appointed as manager.
However, while the south Londoners go into this game as slight favourites in terms of league standing, Hodgson has a number of injury problems to deal with.
Jeffrey Schlupp and Joel Ward are definite absentees, while Patrick van Aanholt is also a doubt – Mamadou Sakho is suspended after picking up a red card against Bournemouth.
As a result, here’s the XI we think the former England manager should deploy on Monday evening…
We think that the 72-year-old should make one change from the XI that started against Watford, bringing in Jairo Riedewald for the injured Jeffrey Schlupp.
The former Ajax man came off the bench against the Hornets at half-time to replace the Ghanaian, and proceeded to deliver a decent cameo appearance which impressed these Palace fans on Twitter.
Riedewald – a Netherlands international – hasn’t started a Premier League game for nearly two years since a 1-0 loss to Tottenham on the 25th February 2018. The fact that Aaron Wan-Bissaka – a man who has since made a name for himself and left Selhurst Park – made his club debut in that game is telling.
Other than that, we would make no other changes from the 0-0 draw against Watford.
That means there is no place for Max Meyer – who Bild report is becoming frustrated under Hodgson – as well as Christian Benteke, who is still yet to score a goal this season.
Germany international Meyer has started just two Premier League games this term, and doesn’t seem like he would be able to get into the game amongst a packed midfield consisting of physical performers such as Davy Propper, Luka Milivojevic and Cheikhou Kouyate due to his 5 foot 8 frame.
In terms of Benteke, Jordan Ayew has scored four goals this term while impressing with his committed work rate levels, so there is no reason to drop him.
In other news, this Crystal Palace target was his side’s biggest goal threat against Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday…
According to The Sun, Real Madrid are planning an audacious £90 million double Premier League swoop for Tottenham Hotspur’s Christian Eriksen and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.
The report claims that Los Blancos are preparing to offer the Red Devils £50 million for the 21-year-old attacker who they consider a potential successor to Cristiano Ronaldo at the Bernabeu.
Check out the video below to see how Brazil fans reacted to being asked how Cristiano Ronaldo would perform for them in a hilarious prank by Playmaker FC…
The 31-cap England international has had a difficult start to the season at Old Trafford, having made just five Premier League starts for Jose Mourinho’s side so far. However, he did recently come on from the bench to score a vital last-minute winner against Bournemouth.
With 136 senior United appearances, and 34 goals, to his name already, Rashford is clearly a sensationally exciting young talent with huge potential. His Transfermarkt valuation already stands at £58.5 million, meaning United would be foolish to accept the touted figure from Madrid. Rashford already ought to command a fee in excess of £80 million.
Every player has his price though, and the La Liga giants have deep pockets. So, United fans, how much do you consider Rashford to be worth in the current market?
According to Sky Sports, West Brom winger Nacer Chadli is on the verge of a £10m move to Ligue 1 challengers Monaco. It was a deal that everyone saw coming, and should have been done much sooner.
The Belgian midfielder joined The Baggies from Tottenham in 2016 for what was a club record £13m. After a very successful first season, an injury-ravaged second season meant he barely appeared at The Hawthorns, as West Brom were relegated.
Despite his persistent injuries throughout the 2017/18 season, Chadli (valued at £13.5m on Transfermarkt.co.uk) still made Belgium’s World Cup squad, where he shined for Roberto Martinez’s side. His winner in the last 16 against Japan was a highlight for the former Tottenham man, but it also became abundantly clear during the World Cup that West Brom would not be able to keep hold of him.
This is why it was so foolish not to have sold him earlier than they did. He has not featured under manager Darren Moore so far this season, further fuelling speculation that he was leaving. To have a player in the camp that is clearly not going to play throughout the coming season will definitely have created a negative atmosphere amongst the players. His attitude would probably not have been of the standard expected, and that would be contagious to other players.
It’s not only the divisive element which makes this move by West Brom so foolish, it’s the fact that they will not have the time or opportunity to replace him. Although there is still another day left for the EFL loan transfer window, West Brom will struggle to replace him at such short notice.
Furthermore, if they sold him before August, they would have had the time to search for a player, and the money to buy him. In reality, they may need to wait until January to fill the space he has left; this could be too far down the road in the club’s season.
Ultimately, it is good that West Brom will get something from a player that was clearly not going to play for them this season, but they will surely regret the timing of it.
N’Golo Kante has been a solid figure in Chelsea’s midfield since he signed for the Premier League giants from Leicester City in the summer of 2016.
The Frenchman played 35 top-flight matches for the Blues last season and he had started all seven of the club’s games in the 2017-18 campaign before he was struck with a hamstring injury.
The 26-year-old suffered the problem while on international duty with France and as a result missed last weekend’s shock 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.
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Ahead of Saturday’s early kickoff against Watford, manager Antonio Conte confirmed that Kante will play no part in the game and is not expected to return until the beginning of November.
The length of absence could have been much longer, so it is not all bad news for Chelsea fans, but understandably many are already missing the midfielder.
The Blues currently sit two points behind fourth-placed Watford after suffering back-to-back victories.
League leaders Manchester City have a nine-point advantage over the reigning champions.
Newcastle United’s recent blip means the prospect of not finishing in the automatic promotion places is a genuine possibility. While the Magpies’ fate remains in their hands, they are in no sort of form leading into the most pivotal part of the campaign.
Exactly how this happened remains to be seen, though the absence of Ciaran Clark certainly hasn’t helped Rafa Benitez’s cause. Despite his largely unheralded arrival from Aston Villa over the course of the summer, the Republic of Ireland international has established himself as one of the most important players on Tyneside this term.
So, the news the defender could be back for the crucial game against Preston North End this weekend has had fans online praising just how vital Clark is to the backline.
With neither Jamaal Lascelles, Chancel Mbemba or Isaac Hayden proving overly convincing in recent weeks, having him back in the side will be a boost to the Magpies, who need all the help they can get to make it back to the Premier League as things stand.
That being said, here’s how fans reacted to the injury news.
The football just keeps on coming now in 2016/17 as the third round of the newly named EFL Cup takes centre stage this week.
As the first opportunity for clubs to win silverware, the competition isn’t always given as much respect as it perhaps should due to a packed fixture schedule but this season there looks to be a number of clubs who could really do with lifting the three handled trophy.
Last year’s final saw Manchester City beat Liverpool at Wembley as Jurgen Klopp looked for his first trophy with the Reds and Manuel Pellegrini won his last with the Citizens.
The competition has been targeted by many managers in their first seasons at clubs as a way of installing a winning mentality early on and with a number of high-profile new faces at some of England’s biggest teams, expect them to all be going for it this year.
Meanwhile, there’s still the potential for some shocks as the draw threw up some great looking ties so before the action all gets underway tonight, here are five things to look out for from the third round…
Will Everton lay down a marker?
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The Toffees have started very well and are unbeaten under Ronald Koeman, but what their fans want most of all is a trophy.
It’s been a long time since Everton last lifted something but this current crop of players is as good as they’ve had for a while and as important as good league form is, Koeman must know delivering a trophy would make him an instant icon.
Their latest step is against Norwich City tonight.
Nicklas Bendtner to face Arsenal
They say players are always likely to score against their former sides so Arsenal had better watch out against Nottingham Forest at the County Ground.
The former Gunners player Nicklas Bendtner has signed for the Championship side and has said he will celebrate if he scores, just not wildly. As Arsenal fans will attest to, though, it’s a big if.
Jurgen Klopp set to field a strong team
Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of this competition if you hear him speak about it and with no European football for the Reds this season, expect a strong line-up from the German.
Liverpool head to Derby County tonight on the back of another eye-catching performance against Chelsea but they’ll have to make sure they don’t let that momentum fade away.
Can Northampton pile on the pressure on Mourinho?
Jose Mourinho has lost three games on the bounce at Manchester United and so naturally questions are being asked of the Portuguese manager.
Undoubtedly, he’ll still fancy himself to turn things around and the fixture against Northampton Town provides a chance to do so.
It also provides a chance, though, for things to get really chaotic if they conspire to lose.
Can West Ham kick-start their season?
West Ham have a home game against Accrington Stanley which, if they lose, would be nothing short of a disaster.
The Hammers and their fans just need a break to get things going this season and whilst on paper, this should be a bit of a banker, the club have already shown their frailties in games they’re expected to win this season.
Accrington have nothing to lose and West Ham arguably have everything to lose.
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to inspire Real Madrid to trophies, with Los Blancos’ basketball team performing a synchronised ‘Siuu’ celebration.
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All-time great made history at the BernabeuFamous celebration continues to be copiedHoping to lift silverware himself in 2024WHAT HAPPENED?
Portuguese superstar Ronaldo severed ties with the Spanish giants back in 2018, after becoming their all-time leading goal-scorer and taking his collection of Ballon d’Or awards to five. He will forever be lauded as a legend at Santiago Bernabeu.
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Real’s basketball side are not about to forget about Ronaldo, as they seek to buy into the mentality that has made an all-time great in football circles a winning machine. They got into CR7 mode ahead of a Copa del Rey final clash with Clasico rivals Barcelona.
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DID YOU KNOW?
The pre-match routine did the trick, with the Blancos prevailing 96-85 in a meeting with their arch-rivals. That saw them hoist major silverware after the final buzzer sounded, with Real famed for their ability to secure top honours regardless of the sport involved.
Wrexham will be in the market to strengthen in the middle of the park following their promotion back to League Two
Now the dust has settled on Wrexham's much-publicised return to the Football League, Phil Parkinson and his recruitment staff are on the lookout to strengthen the squad. Although the club are remaining coy publically – well, except for Ben Foster – it's clear that they will be targeting another promotion this coming season.
A series of strong transfer windows mean they already look in good shape to challenge at the top end of the table once again, however, the spending is not expected to stop this summer. The EFL's more stringent financial fair play rules should not present much of an issue either, thanks to the Robins' colossal commercial power.
One area of focus during the window will be midfield. The games will come thick and fast in League Two, meaning Parkinson will need to be able to rotate in this area of the pitch throughout the campaign.
These issues could even be exacerbated by the departure of Tom O'Connor. The Irishman is one of Wrexham's key players, providing the side with balance and bite in defensive midfield, and he has been heavily linked with several Championship clubs this season.
Even if he does not leave, we can expect to see at least one midfielder arrive at the SToK Racecourse before the summer is out. Below, GOAL takes a look at who that might be.
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Max Power
Wigan Athletic are once again a club in turmoil. Just a few years after the Latics were plunged into administration, HMRC has lodged a winding-up petition against the 2013 FA Cup winners.
A judgement on their case will be made in July, but the more pressing issue is that players and staff were rarely paid on time during the 2022-23 season. Despite a takeover by a local businessman being completed earlier this week, there remains plenty of uncertainty at the former Premier League club.
As a result, some of Wigan's players are likely to be on the move this summer. One of those is Max Power – a near-ever present for the Latics last season. The former Sunderland man is out of contract on June 30, though Wigan have offered him a new deal.
It would take a committed charm offensive to pull off the signing, but Power would instantly become the best midfielder in the division by some stretch.
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Louis Thompson
After breaking his leg, Louis Thompson missed a significant portion of Portsmouth's 2022-23 season, but there was still plenty of disappointed fans when he was released at the end of the campaign.
The 28 year old has amassed bags of Football League experience over the past decade after first breaking through at Swindon Town under Paolo Di Canio. Playing under the slightly-mad Italian clearly instilled a tireless work rate in Thompson and, provided he can prove his fitness, he should have no issue finding a third-tier club in the summer.
However, Wrexham could be an alluring choice too, especially as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are believed to be keen to recruit as many Welsh players as possible.
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Ryan Broom
Speaking of Welsh players, Ryan Broom is also entering free agency this summer. The Newport-born midfielder could end up being one of two former Cheltenham players that Wrexham sign this summer, with Alfie May been heavily linked with a move to the SToK Racecourse.
According to Gloucestershire Live, Broom has a deal agreed with another side – and it's not out of the question that that club is Wrexham.
A versatile midfielder, he largely spent the 2022-23 campaign pulling the strings in an advanced position but he is more than capable of slotting into a deeper role if required. And with no transfer fee to pay, he represents a good-value addition.
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Dan Gosling
It was a slightly strange 2022-23 campaign for Dan Gosling. In March, Watford terminated his contract by mutual consent after he was ruled out for the season with an Achilles injury. He's been recuperating ever since and could yet be handed a new deal at Vicarage Road, provided he can show he's fully recovered.
If those negotiations do not bear fruit, Wrexham could step in and sign the former Premier League star. The 33-year-old has racked up close to 200 top-flight appearances across spells at Everton, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Watford, but could be seduced by the Wrexham project.
It's been reported that he has one eye on a coaching career when his playing days end, so the Robins could sweeten their offer by allowing him to share his on-field responsibilities with a role on Parkinson's staff. He'll be an expensive acquisition, though.