It is not exactly a secret that Newcastle United want to sign a new centre-forward before the end of the January transfer window.
Head coach Rafael Benitez is still unsure how much money he has to spend this month due to the uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the football club.
However, it is expected to be a busy end to the winter market for the Magpies, who really need to sign at least one striker before the window slams shut next month.
According to Sky Sports, Newcastle are currently in talks with Leicester City over a move for Islam Slimani, who has struggled for regular action this season.
The 29-year-old scored seven Premier League goals last season following his big-money arrival from Sporting Lisbon, but has managed just one strike in the top flight this term.
The Algerian did score four times in three EFL Cup appearances this season, however, and there is no question that there would be takers if Slimani became available.
Are Newcastle in for the powerful forward? Quite possibly.
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A selection of the reaction to the rumour from the club’s supporters can be found below:
According to reports in The Mirror, Manchester United are ready to go head-to-head with arch-rivals Manchester City for the signing of £50m-rated Leicester City defender Harry Maguire this summer.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Mirror says that United have joined City in the race to sign the 24-year-old with Jose Mourinho being impressed with his performances for the Foxes following his move from Hull City during the summer.
The Mirror says that the Portuguese boss wants to improve his central defensive options at the end of the season and he could make a move for Maguire, who is rated at £50m according to the report.
The report adds that City are still keen on the England international even though they only signed Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao in a £57m deal last month.
How has Maguire done this season?
He has been brilliant.
The 24-year-old has established himself as a first-choice centre-back for Leicester and quickly become one of their key players, scoring two goals and providing a further four assists in 26 Premier League appearances.
According to WhoScored.com, Maguire has won 79 of the 127 of the aerial duels he has faced in the top flight this term, while he has won 41 tackles and made 127 clearances and 34 interceptions.
Most impressively, he has successfully completed 34 of the 41 dribbles he has attempted to show good he is at bringing the ball out from the back.
Would he be a good signing for United?
He certainly would be.
The 24-year-old has shown for Leicester this season – and Hull City last term – what a good defender he can be, and the fact that he is now an England international and is performing consistently at Premier League shows he has the quality to play for United.
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The centre-back is good in possession and at bringing the ball out of defence, and that is something that Mourinho will admire.
His £50m price tag may put them off, but that is a realistic fee for someone of Maguire’s ability in this day and age and they may have to pay it to get their man.
Manchester United David De Gea will commit to a new deal with the Red Devils, according to a report today by The Times, and the club’s fanbase couldn’t be more delighted about the move.
Speculation has reached breaking point in recent weeks over Real Madrid’s pursuit of the keeper, but the latest news hints that the keeper is likely to commit to a contract paying him around £220,000 a week at Old Trafford. It is believed he is currently on £200k-a-week, according to MirrorFootball.
The value of De Gea’s sharp reflexes and goalkeeping technique were highlighted in United most recent game – a 0-0 draw with Sevilla in the Europa League – and that performance led to some rave reviews from past United legends.
Former United midfielder Paul Scholes said: “He’s the best around, there’s no doubt about that.
“He must have saved the team so many points, he’s been the player of the season.”
Scholes’ former teammate Rio Ferdinand, who was also presenting for BT Sport, said: “He’s outright the best goalkeeper in the world.”
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De Gea has the potential to rank along United goalkeeping greats Edwin Van Der Sar and Peter Schmeichel, and the reaction of fans on Twitter said it all…
Everton will look to move a step closer to guaranteeing their Premier League status for another year when they host Brighton and Hove Albion at Goodison Park on Saturday, and Toffees fans have told manager Sam Allardyce which new formation he must use against the Seagulls.The 63-year-old has favoured 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 systems in recent weeks, but when the club asked the Goodison Park faithful how the team should line up against the south coast outfit this weekend via their official Twitter account, they wanted a 4-4-2 formation that would allow them to play with two strikers.
The Merseyside outfit will move on to 37 points if they beat Chris Hughton’s men, and their fans obviously feel there is better chance of that happening if they partner last weekend’s goalscorer Cenk Tosun, who has spoken out about his troubles since signing in January, with either Oumar Niasse or Dominic Calvert-Lewin up top.
Everton supporters were quick to have their say on their preferred formation via social media, and while one said ‘should play 4-4-2 home and away’, another simply said “4-4-2” in response to the question of how the team should line up.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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According to the printed version of the Daily Mirror on February 28 (Page 50), via HITC, West Ham United are looking increasingly likely to sign Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter this summer, and Irons fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.The Daily Mirror, via HITC, says that the Cherries have already identified Arter’s replacement in Lokomotiv Moscow’s Anton Miranchuk, which could pave the way for the 28-year-old to move to the London Stadium at the end of the season.The Express reported in December that Hammers boss David Moyes had had an £8m bid for the Republic of Ireland international rejected, and the Scot may well reignite his interest in the Sidcup-born player this summer.West Ham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and they seemed divided with their opinions.While one said “surely we can do better”, another seemed to disagree by saying “what a signing that would be”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…[ad_pod ]
Leeds captain Liam Cooper could miss Saturday’s clash with Reading with because of a dead leg, which is great news for Leeds fans apparently.
The 26-year-old centre back has made 104 league appearances for Leeds since joining in 2014, but it doesn’t seem like that’s endeared him much to the fans.
Cooper looks set to miss Saturday’s trip to the Madejski Stadium thanks to the dead leg that forced him off in the 3-0 defeat against Wolves on Wednesday.
The defender ran into his own player while attempting to clear a corner, and manager Paul Heckingbottom says the injury “seized up,” causing concerns it could keep him out longer than a typical dead leg.
“He limped off – swollen leg – and we knew it was an impact injury straight away,” Heckingbottom said.
“We will probably scan him and see what fluid is in there and how bad the bleeding is but at the minute he is struggling as it stands.
With Pontus Jansson just one yellow card away from a two-match ban for accumulating ten yellow cards, Leeds could face a serious defensive crisis if Cooper does not recover quickly.
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As the club continues to fall further away from the playoff places and the injuries mount up, Paul Heckingbottom may be looking at top ten as the target for the season.
Leeds fans have decided to see the funny side of this injury, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
According to reports in the Chronicle Live, Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez will have been alerted to the news that Manchester United defender Luke Shaw, who is reportedly earning £80,000-a-week, is unhappy with life at Old Trafford after an interesting weekend.
The 22-year-old made a rare start at left-back against Brighton and Hove Albion in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with Ashley Young often preferred there in recent weeks, but he was taken off at half-time by manager Jose Mourinho with the Portuguese boss publicly criticising him post-match.
Now, the England international could be looking for a way out this summer following the latest incident, with the Magpies one of the clubs that were interested in taking him on loan during the January transfer window, before Mourinho opted to keep Shaw.
Benitez would likely see a long-term future for him at St James’ Park with Paul Dummett a solid but unspectacular full-back for them right now, but they certainly won’t be the only Premier League club taking a look.
Meanwhile, West Ham United manager David Moyes will also be starting to plan for the future if the Irons secure their top flight status for another year – even if the fans are starting to lose patience with him – and he may well target his defence as a priority given they have conceded 57 goals in 30 league matches this term – only 19th-placed Stoke City have let in more.
In that regard, bringing Shaw to the London Stadium could prove to be a shrewd move as the Hammers look to push on next season if they avoid relegation to the Championship.
Here are three reasons West Ham must hijack Newcastle’s bid to sign the 22-year-old…
While Aaron Cresswell has played as a left centre-back in a three-man defence on occasions this season, his strongest position is still as a left-back or left wing-back.
West Ham currently have the 28-year-old, Arthur Masuaku and Patrice Evra fighting for that position, but few would argue that Luke Shaw wouldn’t be a big upgrade on the trio this summer if the Irons secure their Premier League status for another season.
Cresswell has failed to impress and come under scrutiny from his own supporters at times, Masuaku has shown what a liability he can be by picking up a six-match ban after being sent off for spitting against Wigan Athletic in January, while Evra was only ever going to be a short-term buy.
Shaw would bring a real freshness to the team as a full-back or wing-back, and would be able to showcase the qualities that he has.
While Shaw perhaps needs some work on his fitness following some bad injuries and his concentration on the pitch, there is no doubt of the qualities that he possesses in his locker.
The 22-year-old showed at Southampton and in the early stages of his United career how good he can be at either end of the pitch, and his pace and ability to get forward and beat his opponents mean that he is as useful in the final third as he is at the back.
The England international perhaps needs an arm around the shoulder from a new manager to boost his confidence, and David Moyes could be that man if Shaw joins West Ham.
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West Ham have signed older players like Evra, Pablo Zabaleta, Jose Fonte, Joe Hart and Javier Hernandez in recent times, and while they certainly don’t neglect bringing in young players when you think back to the likes of Cresswell and Sam Byram in the past, it is a strategy that they need to start following more often.
Bringing in younger players that have the potential to improve in the future and either stay at the club for years or move on for a profit are what a club like the east London one should be looking to do, and Shaw would be the ideal signing in that respect.
The 22-year-old has lost his way at a big club like Man United but there is no doubt about the ability he has and his potential for the future, and he could prove to be a fruitful addition for West Ham both in the short-term and the long-term.
Chelsea vs Tottenham represents the biggest clash in the Premier League this weekend. This London derby has become one of the key rivalries in English football over the last few years, deciding the last two Premier League titles, and Sunday’s instalment is another high stakes contest with Chelsea needing a win to avoid all-but-mathematically ending their hopes of claiming a place in the Premier League’s top four.
But can history tell us anything about this fixture? Which manager faces the bigger injury problems? Who is currently enjoying the better form? And how could the referee influence the match? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 4pm kickoff at Stamford Bridge.
What History Tells Us
Remarkably, Tottenham are still awaiting their first ever win at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, a run that could extend to a whopping 26 games on Sunday. In fact, Spurs only first beat Chelsea in the Premier League in 2006, so perhaps it’s no surprise the Blues have dominated this fixture in terms of wins, goals scored and clean sheets.
However, the clash is far less one-sided these days. During the last six meetings, both clubs have drawn, won and lost two apiece – the watershed moment being Tottenham’s 5-3 win over Chelsea at White Hart Lane on New Year’s Day 2015.
Still though, Tottenham will have to overcome the tide of history to claim all three points on Sunday.
Form Guide
There’s no question Tottenham enter Sunday’s game enjoying the better form. Their only defeat since losing to Manchester City in December was against Juventus in the Champions League, and with those games excepted due to the sheer quality of the opposition, their undefeated run stems all the way back to a 2-1 loss at the King Power Stadium back in November. Their last six Premier League games, meanwhile, have produced 16 points and four clean sheets – including wins over Arsenal and Manchester United and an impressive 2-2 draw at Anfield.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have lost and drawn as many games as they’ve won thus far in 2018, six apiece, in a clear downturn in form for last season’s champions. Their previous six Premier League encounters have produced four losses and just two victories; in sharp contrast to Tottenham’s impressive results against key rivals, the west Londoners have lost to Manchester City and United (both away) during that time. The good news though, is that Eden Hazard’s still regularly finding the net.
Referee Influence – Andre Marriner
There’s only one thing you really need to know about Andre Marriner – he’s easily the most lenient referee in the Premier League. Indeed, from the 19 officials to work in the top flight this season before the weekend, he ranks bottom for fouls per game, second-bottom for fouls per tackle and fourth bottom for yellow cards per game.
That means two key things in regards to Sunday’s game. Firstly, it should allow for the kind of fiery London derby we all want to see, echoing the famous Battle of Stamford Bridge a few years ago. Secondly, however, as Marriner’s modest return of just three penalties awarded this season also alludes to, the 47-year-old often shies away from making game-changing decisions.
While some like the idea of referees letting the game flow as much as possible, it also means Chelsea and Tottenham shouldn’t expect much luck in terms of penalties and key decisions.
Team News
With 3-4-3 still proving easily Chelsea’s most effective system despite flirtations with 3-5-2 and 3-6-1 this season, we’re largely expecting Antonio Conte to stick with the same starting XI that beat Leicester City last time out in the FA Cup quarter-final, injuries permitting.
The real question is whether Thibaut Courtois – who Transfermarkt value at £54million – and Andreas Christensen win their races for fitness. But should they do so, the former will almost certainly replace cup goalkeeper Willy Caballero, while the latter should retain his spot at the heart of defence.
The only other area of contention is in the midfield. Tiemoue Bakayoko was hauled off at half time against Leicester, so it’s more than likely playmaker Cesc Fabregas will be given the nod alongside N’Golo Kante. After scoring at the King Power Stadium, Alvaro Morata will surely lead the line once again.
The big concern for Tottenham is how they’ll fare against top-quality opposition in the likely absence of Harry Kane, but much of the team largely picks itself at this stage of the season and we’re expecting six of the back seven to keep their place from the 4-1 win over Bournemouth – with Ben Davies replacing Danny Rose at left-back.
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Accordingly though, Pochettino will have to rejig his attack. Heung-min Son proved a perfect solution to Kane’s injury against the Cherries, scoring twice after the England international made way, so the ultimate question is who supports the South Korean in attacking midfield. Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli are both likely to start, leaving a toss-up between Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela on the right flank.
The Argentine has thoroughly impressed in recent weeks but considering how Son’s deployment as a striker takes some of the speed out of the midfield, we’re tipping a fourth Tottenham start for the exciting January signing instead. He’d certainly give left wing-back Marcos Alonso, a key player for Chelsea going forward, a few problems defensively.
Tottenham Hotspur have come close in the last two seasons to becoming Premier League champions.
However, in the current campaign, Mauricio Pochettino and his men have had to settle for a top-four challenge due to the dominance of Manchester City, who currently hold a 13-point advantage over the rest of the pack.
At the weekend, Spurs edged closer to securing a Champions League spot with a 2-1 victory over Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium.
Their challenge was helped by Sunday’s result between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge.
Antonio Conte’s side, who reside fifth in the standings, were held to a 1-1 draw on home soil, which means that Tottenham are just three victories away from cementing their spot in the top four.
Next up for Pochettino’s side is a home clash against champions elect Man City, who have had a difficult week.
Pep Guardiola witnessed his team suffer back-to-back defeats, the first of which was a 3-0 loss to Liverpool in the first round of their Champions League quarter-final clash.
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At the weekend, City squandered the chance to secure the league title by throwing away a 2-0 lead and losing 3-2 to arch rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.
After Spurs stretched their unbeaten league run to 14 matches, Christian Eriksen made it clear that the team remain focused.
According to reports in Spain, Ayoze Perez is set to move to Real Betis this summer, and Newcastle fans are not buying it.
Ayoze Perez has been one of the most influential figures in Newcastle’s incredible revival, and now Gol Digital are claiming the Spaniard is on the radar of several La Liga sides.
In fact according to the report, Perez’s move to Real Betis is “imminent” even though there are no reports in England to substantiate the claim.
Perez has always lacked a bit of end product to go with his undeniable talent, but with three goals and four assists in his last seven starts the 24 year-old is finally repaying Rafael Benitez’s faith.
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Newcastle themselves have been linked with a summer move for Fernando Torres, and while the Toon Army are delighted with those links they definitely don’t want to lose Perez in the same window.
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Goalscoring has been a problem for the Magpies all season, and if they can add a top striker next season they can surely challenge again for the top ten.
Losing their “number ten” in Perez would be devastating though, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…