Even though it seemed like Manchester United were ready to throw in the towel and admit defeat, it appears the Jadon Sancho saga has received a fresh twist in the story.
According to the newest report from Daily Mail, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to finalise the fees and the wages with the player before submitting an official offer to Borussia Dortmund for their coveted young star.
Of course, the German outfit is likely to still demand a fee in the region of £108m so it remains to be seen how successful the Red Devils will be in their attempt. But be that as it may, they will still try their luck.
Sancho remains their priority target for the ongoing summer transfer window and securing his signing following a couple of brilliant deals would be the cherry on top of an excellent run in the market.
Still, as far as Dortmund are concerned, Man United are still far away from actually sealing the transfer and bringing the Englishman to the Premier League.
But all of this could change once the official offer is tabled. As of right now, however, we still don’t know how big the fee might be but it’s definitely below the price tag expected by the Germans.
Only time will tell whether there is indeed a chance to somehow turn their heads and convince them to sell.
Verdict
Even though an official bid will finally get the ball rolling, it does still feel like we’re quite far away from actually seeing the end of this saga. If Man United don’t make a substantial offer, it’s highly likely that Borussia will just turn it down.
And then, we’re back to the very beginning. But where there is smoke, there is usually fire so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.
Manchester United have been handed a major boost in the race to sign Jadon Sancho this summer as Borussia Dortmund are already planning for his departure.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear that Sancho is the signing he needs to rebuild the Red Devils midfield.
In the same week Man United entered ‘advanced’ talks with Dortmund, The Telegraph revealed the Germans are stepping up contingency plans in preparation for his exit in the summer.
The Bundesliga challengers have now turned their attentions elsewhere as they try to sign a new right winger before the start of next season.
United have not met Dortmund’s asking price of £100m so there is still some work to be done.
However, Michael Zorc, the German club’s sporting director, is putting plans in place for Sancho to depart as he expects negotiations to continue throughout the summer.
Man United have been trying to sign Sancho for three years now, but it seems they are now one step closer to bringing him back to England.
Sancho, 20, is the club’s top scorer this season, as he has scored 20 goals in all competitions so far.
The England international famously left Manchester City to join Dortmund in 2017 after refusing to sign a new deal at the Etihad.
According to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, the Yellow and Blacks have earmarked Werder Bremen’s Milot Rashica as the player they feel can replace Sancho in the summer.
Admittedly, there is still a long way to go, but the fact Dortmund are already lining up a replacement should give Ed Woodward the boost he needs to get a deal done.
Whether or not United will improve their £80m valuation remains to be seen, as Woodward has warned the club’s summer spending may be limited in these uncertain times.
Failing to sign Sancho in the summer would be a huge blow for Solskjaer, as he has made it his mission to bring him to Old Trafford at all costs.
United fans, do you think Woodward will sign Sancho this summer? Let us know down below!
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has a mighty task on his hands if he’s to rebuild the Merseyside underdogs this summer but if fresh reports are to be believed, he could be heading down an all too familiar path.
What’s the word?
According to Sky Sports, the Toffees are one of several teams chasing Sassuolo winger Jeremie Boga after the 61-year-old tried to sign him whilst in charge of fellow Serie A outfit Napoli.
They still remain keen on landing the 23-year-old under Gennaro Gattuso whilst Borussia Dortmund see the former Chelsea starlet as a potential replacement for Jadon Sancho and likewise over at Bayer Leverkusen, who could lose Kai Havertz to Frank Lampard’s Blues soon.
Everton’s struggles from out wide are no secret with summer signing Alex Iwobi failing to provide much more than a solitary goal all season, so a swoop for a player like Boga does make sense on the face of it.
However, as talented as he seems, this reeks of another disasterclass from director of football Marcel Brands…
Brands disaster?
If you go back to the start of the season, the Merseysiders made some encouraging moves, namely Iwobi as mentioned above but also in Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Fabian Delph, Moise Kean and Djibril Sidibe. Have any of those truly stood out? No, probably not.
Boga is adept at playing anywhere across the front three and has brought returns of 11 goals and two assists in Serie A this campaign, via WhoScored, as well as averaging 3.9 dribbles, 1.7 shots and 1 key pass per appearance.
Former Chelsea youth coach Michael Beale hailed the Ivory Coast international as the best talent to come through the system, claiming he could “beat teams on his own”.
Although, we’ve been here before haven’t we with Eupen sensation Henry Onyekuru. He joined for £7m in 2017 and played a grand total of zero matches despite being signed on the back of a whopping 24 goals and nine assists for the Belgian outfit.
As per Sportmediaset, Sassuolo are asking for at least €20m (£18m) and whilst this is nearly half the amount of Iwobi, it still presents some doubt in Brands’ ability to spot a winger.
Players like Onyekuru and his fellow Nigerian show that maybe the Dutchman’s weakest attribute is out wide and thus, you’d have to have doubts over Boga despite the evident talent.
AND in other news, Free transfer swoop for UCL-winning “animal” would be shades of Distin…
After enjoying a stellar season in front of goal, it’s been no surprise to hear Celtic star Odsonne Edouard linked with an exit this summer.
The Frenchman bagged an impressive 27 goals in just 45 games, as well as providing a further 19 assists too – as complete a season as you will ever see from a front-line striker.
Reports in recent weeks and months have claimed that Premier League side Arsenal are interested in luring him south of the border this summer as a potential replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Can you name every one of the Celtic’s top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…
If Peter Lawwell and co have got their wits about them, then they will be keeping an eye out for players to come in and take Edouard’s place if needed.
And a free transfer for Charlton ace Lyle Taylor may be the kind of shrewd signing that guarantees Celtic’s striking options ahead of next season, with Sky Sports journalist Jim White revealing the Hoops’ interest in the 30-year-old.
Whilst Taylor has hit the headlines recently for his refusal to play for the Addicks again in order to give him the best chance of securing a move away, it doesn’t take away from the fact that he has enjoyed a fine season with Lee Bowyer’s side.
He has struck 11 times in 22 games in the Championship, and a couple of times this season, Bowyer has taken publicly to hail the centre-forward’s abilities and work ethic. Speaking after a 3-1 victory over Luton back in February, the Charlton boss hailed Taylor’s work-rate as “outstanding” and that it was a “full performance” from a striker.
And a couple of months before that when the striker was out injured, he said: “It is his all-round performances that we’ve missed. It’s not just his goals, but it’s also his work ethic, the way he holds the ball up lets us get up the pitch. He is good defensively from set-pieces as well.”
Not only would Taylor bring in a source of goals, but he would offer hard work and defensive discipline too. If Edouard does end up leaving this summer, then bringing in the Charlton striker on a free transfer seems like it could have all the hallmarks of being a Lawwell masterstroke.
Loads of Tottenham Hotspur fans have been reacting on Twitter following an honest admission by Juan Foyth on his future in an interview with TNT Sports, as relayed by Ricky Sacks on the popular social media platform.
The 5 foot 10 defender said about his future at the north London outfit: “If they won’t count on me, the best thing will be to find another club. I would like to stay in Europe, all leagues have a high level. My aim is to just play football.”
Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?
While the 22-year-old has suffered from injury issues during the 2019/20 season, he has featured for just 262 minutes in all competitions in total, and has struggled to even make the matchday squad on occasions under Jose Mourinho.
As things stand, it appears as though the South American has fallen behind the likes of Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga in centre-back pecking order, and that isn’t great if he wants more game-time if and when the campaign restarts, or even next term.
It is no surprise then that he is talking about a potential exit, but supporters seem pretty positive on the Argentine’s future.
There are those who would like to see him stay and be given a proper opportunity, while others feel he could benefit from a loan move away.
Check out a selection of the reaction below…
In other Tottenham news, one journalist’s fresh transfer claim on Friday suggests Pochettino favourite could be on his way out of Spurs…
According to Todofichajes, Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has identified Atletico Madrid star Stefan Savic as his top transfer target in the summer.
Mourinho has made it clear he wants to add to his defensive options before the start of next season, as it appears Jan Vertonghen and Juan Foyth could be heading out the door.
Indeed, Vertonghen is reportedly ready to leave the Lilywhites for free as his contract is set to expire in a matter of weeks.
The Spanish outlet claims the Spurs head coach believes Savic would be a suitable replacement and is keen to sign him when the transfer market opens.
After arriving at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium from Fiorentina for £22.5m in 2015, the 29-year-old has emerged as one of Europe’s highest-rated defenders, due to a transformation under Diego Simeone.
The Montenegro international, who has been capped 50 times by his country, famously won the Premier League with rivals Manchester City back in 2012.
Savic has made 14 appearances in La Liga for Simeone’s side this season, making 1.1 tackles per game, averaging 1.4 interceptions, and completing a staggering 4.2 clearances on average.
In contrast, Vertonghen has played in 19 games in the Premier League, providing 2.1 tackles on average, registering 1.6 interceptions, and attempting 2.9 clearances per game.
Evidently, the Madrid stalwart is an upgrade on the wantaway veteran, as he has been rewarded a higher WhoScored rating of 6.82 for his performances throughout the season.
However, the Montenegrin is currently valued at £22.95m via Transfermarkt, and it is unclear if Daniel Levy will be willing to break the bank for the centre-back. Indeed, Mourinho is well aware he will have to cope with a severely restricted budget in the transfer market, due to the economic uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.
Tottenham fans, should the board sign Stefan Savic in the summer? Let us know down below!
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…
There haven’t been too many of Wolves’ young players to make the grade at Molineux in recent years.
Coupled with a promotion-winning campaign and a first season back in the Premier League, the philosophy has been about performance and simply sustaining themselves in the top-flight.
That, however, now looks as though it could change. Kevin Thelwell detailed this week that Wolves’ plan is on succession, something that will continue to see the Midlands outfit opt for younger long-term investments in the transfer market.
The acquisitions of Pedro Neto and Meritan Shabani showed as much last summer, but one thing that can further both Thelwell and Fosun’s ambitions of building for the future is Chem Campbell.
The 16-year-old appears to be a generational talent, being named in The Guardian’s 20 best young players from Premier League clubs in 2019.
Born just a few days short of 2003, he’s begun making waves this season and has already earned his first-team debut. It’s no surprise that a team such as Borussia Dortmund are reportedly swooping around him.
Campbell has one Carabao Cup appearance to his name this campaign while he’s also netted twice in the U18 Premier League.
But it was a performance against PSG this week that will have made people stand up and take notice, especially those at Dortmund.
It was a sparkling display from the teenager as he demonstrated his canny dribbling ability on more than one occasion in the PL International Trophy.
Wolves drew 1-1 but Campbell was in the thick of the action. He was denied by a brilliant save when one-on-one but a moment of pure brilliance just after the break showed why the youngster’s stock will only continue to rise.
He waltzed past a number of defenders and then placed an effort just wide of the target. If he can be guilty of anything, it was a lack of composure. But that shouldn’t distract from the sheer confidence he possesses.
Towards the start of this month, it was reported that Wolves were looking to tie him down to a new deal and hand him professional terms once he finally turns 17 at the end of December.
Given this performance, it’s now become a huge necessity. Turning up and delivering against an elite European academy shows how good Campbell is and why they must get new terms sorted before bigger outfits such as Dortmund try to lure him away.
If anything summed Arsenal up over the last decade or so it would be their start to the current Premier League campaign.
The only matches they’ve lost have come against Liverpool and Sheffield United. One is a bustling team full of attacking and defensively quality and the other is a well regimented and unified outfit.
Unai Emery’s side are neither of those, however, and it’s extremely difficult to work out where the Spaniard is heading with this crop of players.
His style is dull and lacks fluidity, there is no personality and they’ve distanced themselves so far from the distinct philosophies that Arsene Wenger ingrained in the club.
In fact, Emery has gone so far back that he could replicate George Graham. That isn’t in a good way, either.
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Graham is one of Arsenal’s most successful managers and in his nine-year tenure at Highbury helped take the club to eight honours. That included a European trophy and two First Division titles, as well as the FA Cup.
It also included some incredibly dry football and tough times, something we’re seeing to a similar degree in 2019 – over 23 years since Graham first walked through the doors.
As well as the Gunners did under him, they finished sixth, tenth and also 12th during his reign in north London.
That final placing was enough to see him walk out of Arsenal, eventually being replaced by Bruce Rioch. Wenger was his successor and the rest was history.
It’s been a topsy-turvy time in the life of a fan at the Emirates Stadium. Many were willing to give time to the new management – after all, things were never going to be sorted overnight.
But there have now been many nights since he entered London Colney and even if the former Sevilla manager still requires time to see where things go, the style needs to be improved. But is that time now running out?
The huge toxicity that surrounded him and Granit Xhaka during a draw with Crystal Palace says so.
Arsenal long for some more respected figures around the club, and how they could do with a duo that initially came together in the first year after Graham.
Ian Wright and Dennis Bergkamp are the two names in question and they recently spent some time together as some poignant words were shared.
The interview with the pair was fascinating as the flying Dutchman not only labelled his concerns about the current crop at the club, but gave an insight into what life was like when he first arrived. Rather remarkably, it’s something that can be linked back to the modern-day.
Despite Rioch arriving, they still couldn’t shake one of the most damning tags Graham’s sides had earned – ‘Boring Arsenal’.
Although it may have been enough to see them win the title as they ground out results, it wasn’t particularly pleasing on the eye.
However, if we cast our minds towards the present again, Arsenal are far from entertaining but they’re also failing to grind out good performances. That was evident against a bullish Sheffield United and Crystal Palace.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang was isolated and Alexandre Lacazette’s introduction failed to see the Gunners register a goal at Bramall Lane. Nicolas Pepe was also guilty of trying too much.
In the video below, we look at where it all went wrong for Arsenal’s former ‘saviour’, Mesut Ozil…
Funnily enough, what they’re missing is a Bergkamp. A number 10 capable of linking the midfield to the attack.
But what his words indicate, is that the scenario that played out when he first arrived in 1995 from Inter Milan, is being replicated now.
It almost feels as though those behind the front three are leaving it up to the forwards to do it all by themselves. With that comes a burden and considerable pressure.
Aubameyang has scored eight Premier League strikes this term but there is a lack of threat behind him. Lacazette and David Luiz have two but after him is a defensive trio on one for the season – Calum Chambers, Sokratis and Lucas Torreira. Pepe, meanwhile, is on the same tally.
It’s damning but it shows how dull the Gunners have been.
In Graham’s two title-winning seasons, Arsenal scored 73 and 74 goals respectively. In 2018/19, Emery’s team managed that first number but finished outside of the top four.
Football perhaps wasn’t as free-flowing back then as it is now and with the added quality and finances that Liverpool and Manchester City possess, it shows how far Arsenal have fallen behind and how the game has progressed.
If we reflect upon some of the dullest memories at N5 over 20 years ago, it was the 90s where it was particularly drab.
Via The Telegraph, they netted just 40 goals in 1992/93, a tally that stands at 1.86 per game. Incredibly, 15 of their games were 1-0 wins.
The season after that, they scored 53 times at a rate of 1.93 strikes per match. In Rioch and Bergkamp’s first season they hit the back of the net on just 49 occasions in the league.
In 11 top-flight matches this term, the Gunners have scored as few as 16 times. That’s at a record of 1.5 goals each outing.
If they carry on in the same manner, Arsenal will somehow become even duller than Graham could ever manage. No wonder Lucas Torreira was emotionally distressed during their performance against Roy Hodgson’s men.
Tactical comparisons can easily be drawn between the two. Emery’s deep video analysis is well documented while Graham had a similar fascination. Journalist Amy Lawrence recently detailed:
“George Graham, being a student of tactics, he used to read books from America about sports psychology and specialist things. He developed this thirst for knowledge and tactics that was quite a bit ahead of his day.”
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Fortunately for the now 74-year-old, he had trophies to boast about and rather crucially he was respected by his players. After all, we are talking about one of the best to manage in N5.
Emery might be replicating the boring brand of football, but he is far from cherished.
Rather ironically, there are suggestions from one of the greats of the Graham era, Alan Smith, that his playing staff don’t understand him and that’s indicative of the current mess surrounding the club.
In some ways, the two managers are bound together, but at the same time, they couldn’t be further apart.
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…
Son Heung-Min is likely to play for Tottenham Hotspur against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Wednesday, Mauricio Pochettino has said, per The Independent.
What’s the word?
The South Korea international was at the centre of a grisly injury on Sunday, as his tackle led to Everton midfielder Andre Gomes sustaining a fracture-dislocation of his ankle during the 1-1 draw.
Son was sent off for the tackle – the red card has since been rescinded – and was left in tears after seeing the extent of the injury Gomes had sustained.
Reports had suggested that he could subsequently miss the European encounter but Pochettino has now confirmed that he is likely to play a part.
He said: “Son was devastated after the action.
“It was a mix of everything, it was a mix of the injury, a mix of the red card, the situation of the game it was an emotional moment for everyone.
“Now after a few days, everyone is available to play. He is in a very good way, he feels sorry like everyone, but he is in good form.”
Clinical
This is vital.
Son has been in clinical form in the Champions League thus far this season and has netted three goals in his first three appearances.
Those strikes include a brace against Red Star at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Spurs ran out 5-0 winners over a fortnight ago.
Having him available, then, will be a major boost for Pochettino, who has started Son in every available game this season bar two, the draw with Olympiacos and the loss to Colchester United. Even there, he came on as a substitute.
Since his time at Spurs, Son has made 28 appearances in the Champions League, scoring 12 goals, while also registering one assist.
As a left winger who is there to supplement the form of the likes of Harry Kane, that is an impeccable record and one that will surely worry the Red Star defenders on Wednesday night.
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…
It was a vitriolic return for Raheem Sterling, who is now valued at £126m by Transfermarkt, to Anfield last Sunday as his Manchester City side faced the Reds in the Premier League.
Every time the 24-year-old picked up the ball, he was booed and jeered by the club’s supporters, and at times it appeared to get to him. It is not the first time he has been on the end of such a backlash from the Anfield outfit’s fans when he has faced them, and it is unlikely to be the last.
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It has been a difficult week for the England international. After the Citizens’ 3-1 defeat in that huge clash, he was dropped from the Three Lions squad for the fixture against Montenegro on Thursday following an incident with Joe Gomez.
Danny Rose, his national side teammate, has suggested that the abuse he received in Liverpool may have played a role in his frustration with the 22-year-old defender.
Ever since Sterling departed for the Etihad for an initial £44m, he has been on the receiving end of the Liverpool fans’ wrath. The winger refused to travel on the team’s pre-season tour before he made the move, hence the animosity.
However, the time is right for the fans to let it go, and the reason is, they do not need to worry themselves with such petty anger towards a former player.
As it stands, the Reds are in the best position they could possibly be. They are the current champions of Europe, whilst they also lead the Premier League by a full eight points. The match on Sunday showed the current contrast between the two sides. As the table shows, Liverpool are in a league of their own right now.
With this now looking like their best chance in the last 30 years to win the title, the Kop faithful should be concentrating on their own players and their performances rather than berating an opposition player, especially one who’s been hugely successful since leaving. Perhaps there’s an ounce of jealousy in the fact he’s won the title and they haven’t?
They can’t argue that Sterling’s move hasn’t been a success – he has won seven trophies compared to Liverpool’s two since his departure – and now the Reds are in a healthy position from their own point of view. With that in mind, it is time to let bygones be bygones and move on.