According to reports in The Mirror, West Ham United could look to keep Manchester City loanee Joe Hart, rated at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, beyond the end of the season, and Irons fans have been quick to react to the rumour.
The east London outfit brought the England international to the London Stadium on a season-long loan deal last summer, but after a disappointing start to the campaign and after making one too many errors, he was dropped by new manager David Moyes in place of Adrian following the 4-0 against Everton at Goodison Park in November.
The 31-year-old only won his place back in the starting XI last month, but a mistake in the 1-1 draw against Stoke City on Monday night had seemingly put his future into doubt once again, although The Mirror reports that Moyes has been impressed with the stopper’s professionalism and could keep him.
West Ham supporters, who slated Hart on Twitter following his latest error, have taken to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and while one said “this is the news I have been dreading to hear”, another said “this club needs to stop settling for second best”.
The Chelsea fans in the Transfer Tavern have been bitterly disappointed by Ross Barkley’s lack of involvement since he arrived at the club in January, and recent reports suggest he could be on his way out of the club already this summer.
Ross Barkley arrived at Stamford Bridge in January without a single minute of competitive football under his belt all season due to a troublesome hamstring injury, and very little has changed since his transfer. The 24-year-old is fit and ready for first-team action once again, but without a proper pre-season or any match practice it seems that Conte is unwilling to hand him opportunities this season.
Whether there is an underlying issue with Barkley’s fitness or Conte’s confidence in his ability is unclear, but recent reports from Italian media outlet Calciomercato suggest that his career in West London could be coming to a premature end this summer. According to the report, Chelsea are interested in signing Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes, although they face competition from Liverpool and Tottenham for his signature.
Chelsea’s interest in Fernandes (valued at £18 million by Transfermarkt) is hardly surprising considering his incredible record this season. In 53 appearances the Portugal international has managed to notch 16 goals and provide 20 assists for his teammates – including 3 goals and 4 assists from 6 appearances in the Europa League.
However, with plenty of central midfielders already to chose from, the addition of an attacking midfielder would cast serious doubt over Barkley’s future this summer. Barkley’s career at Chelsea has hardly got off to a flying start and it appears he is facing an uphill battle to prove himself.
Adding Fernandes to the mix will certainly not do the Everton academy product any favours, especially considering his new competitor will be full of confidence on the back of an exceptional season in Portugal. The Chelsea supporters will be hoping Barkley can turn things around and finally develop into the player he was widely tipped to become when he broke through as a youngster at the Toffees, but the their interest in Fernandes suggests he may be forced to embark on a new challenge before his latest chapter has even begun,
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Tottenham Hotspur have a huge, huge game against Newcastle United on Wednesday night.
There is simply no downplaying the importance of the match when considering that fourth-placed Spurs are just two points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League table.
When Mauricio Pochettino’s side won 3-1 at Chelsea at the start of April, it looked like the London club had secured a spot in the top four.
A lot has changed since then, however, with the gap now down to two points.
Chelsea face Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, and it would be a big surprise if Antonio Conte’s side did not collect all three points.
The Tottenham fans have been looking ahead to the clash with Newcastle, and many have urged Pochettino to select January arrival Lucas Moura, who is valued at £25.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, from the start.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The 25-year-old has only started one Premier League match for Tottenham since joining the club, but the Spurs supporters, who have also recently criticised Harry Kane, are desperate for the attacker to be in the XI against Newcastle.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
As reported by The Sun, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in signing Liverpool winger Harry Wilson this summer.
What’s the story?
Wilson his highly rated at the Reds, having a signed a new long-term deal at the club in January ahead of a successful loan move to Championship side Hull City in the second half of the 2017/18 season.
As a result, it appears teams are queuing up to offer him more first team football next season.
The Sun report that Leeds United, Rangers, Huddersfield and Aston Villa are all interested in securing a loan deal for him this summer.
The paper say Liverpool are looking for a £250,000 fee, plus penalties should he not get enough of the first-team opportunities they want.
Is he a player that Leeds should be moving for?
What does he offer?
Still just 21 years of age, Wilson doesn’t have extensive first team experience to draw too many conclusions from, but did demonstrate on loan at Hull City that he as quality that could be a benefit to Leeds.
He scored seven Championship goals from the left flank, also creating three assists. Also netting his first goal for the Welsh national team, it’s been a big year for the youngster.
It’s clear he has huge potential and already has the cutting edge to be a success in English second-tier, with Leeds badly needing more inspiration in the final third next season.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Loan deals are never ideal, permanent signings are what supporters want to see, but this is one that could be a big positive for all parties and something Leeds should definitely pursue.
Jose Mourinho is supposedly at his best during his second season at a football club but that has not proved to be the case at Manchester United, who finished the 2017/18 trophyless after their 1-0 FA Cup Final defeat at the hands of their manager’s former club Chelsea on Saturday.
Going a season without silverware at a club that invests so heavily to secure trophies is bad enough but the misery could be compounded by United’s two most bitter rivals, Liverpool and Manchester City.
City have already scooped the other two domestic trophies on offer – the Premier League and the League Cup – while Liverpool have the opportunity to secure the Champions League against Real Madrid in Kiev this weekend.
The rivalry between United and Liverpool, England’s two most successful clubs is as bitter as any in this country but some Red Devils fans bewilderingly want Jurgen Klopp’s men to run out victorious on Saturday.
It really has to be seen to be believed but we’ve assembled some Manchester United fans who actually want Liverpool to win the Champions League…
Writing in his column for The Daily Mail, former teammate of new Rangers manager Steven Gerrard, and current Sky pundit, Jamie Redknapp is excited to see the Liverpool legend take on the task in Glasgow.
What’s the story?
Gerrard officially begins his new position at Ibrox on Friday and the eyes of British football are on him as he tries to inspire the Light Blues to major silverware next season.
Jamie Redknapp believes he is ready for the challenge and has admitted he can’t wait to see what happens, writing for The Daily Mail.
Writing in his column, he said:
I’m certain it’s an incredible adventure for him and he will lift the profile of the Scottish game.
He will need to learn fast because beating Rangers is a scalp – and beating Steven Gerrard’s Rangers will be an even bigger scalp.
He’ll be going from the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool to a Europa League qualifier in the back of beyond for Rangers. And as we saw last season when they went out to the fourth-best team in Luxembourg – Progrès Niederkorn – there are pitfalls. He’ll want to get off to a winning start.
There are inevitable comparisons with my Sky colleague Graeme Souness, but these are entirely different times. Rangers are still a huge draw, but they are long way behind Celtic and there isn’t the budget to fight fire with fire.
So, Rangers are relying on Steven Gerrard bringing his own brand of magic and to draw people to the club.
And it will be thrilling to see him try and pull it off. Don’t put anything past him.
It’s all set to be an immensely exciting time in Glasgow, with Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic desperate to continue their clean sweep of trophies and enjoy domestic dominance over their city rivals.
[ad_pod ]
How big is Gerrard’s task?
This could well be the biggest challenge of Gerrard’s career to date and he’s had to overcome the odds plenty of times as a player at Liverpool.
Celtic are streaks ahead financially and have a much more talented first team squad. Added to an elite manager with plenty of experience then it all means that Rangers are most certainly underdogs next season.
That could play into their favour though and the former Liverpool man must tap into a siege mentality and forge a team that is willing to battle as hard as he did throughout his career.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
If he can deliver a trophy next season it’ll be seen as great progress and while the league may be beyond them, lifting the League Cup or Scottish Cup is most certainly achievable.
Can he get off to a winning start in his career as a manager?
Liverpool are certainly not crying out for an attacker due to the dominance of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.
The trio ripped defences apart last season with their blistering pace and clinical touch.
However, in order to take that next step and become regular title challengers, the Reds need to build on their current squad.
The Champions League final highlighted that Liverpool do not have the strength in depth required to compete at the top level.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
When Mohamed Salah was forced off the pitch after dislocating his shoulder inside the first 30 minutes of the clash against Real Madrid, the Reds were unable to recover and ended up losing 3-1 in Kiev.
Now that the summer transfer window is in full swing, rumours are rife about who manager Jurgen Klopp is targeting in this window.
One player who has been doing the rounds is Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri, who could get his head turned following the Potters’ relegation from the Premier League.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
According to the Liverpool Echo, the Switzerland international, who scored eight goals in 36 league matches last season, has a release clause worth between £12m and £13.5m.
We asked you whether Shaqiri would be a decent summer signing for the Reds, and the majority seem keen on the idea.
Liverpool started off as a dominant force in the transfer window, but the last few weeks have gone relatively quiet on that front.
Jurgen Klopp reacted to the team’s disappointing Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid by shocking everyone with the signing of Fabinho from Monaco.
[ad_pod ]
The news then swiftly turned to Lyon playmaker Nabil Fekir, who was tipped as Philippe Coutinho’s successor, but the proposed transfer fell through.
A handful of goalkeepers have also emerged in the gossip pages following Loris Karius’s horror show in Kiev, but no deals have been struck just yet.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255848″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Liverpool’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]
One area of the pitch that has not seen much attention since the transfer window opened is the defence, but according to The Guardian, the club’s priority is to bring in a new centre-back to partner Virgil van Dijk.
Dejan Lovren currently holds that role, but he has not always convinced on the pitch, much like teammates Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The publication states that Harry Maguire, James Tarkowski and Jamaal Lascelles are among the targets.
Liverpool fans have tweeted their thoughts on these claims that signing a defender is a priority.
Tottenham fans are absolutely crucifying Xherdan Shaqiri, after a report claimed Liverpool are going to beat the North Londoners to the Swiss winger.If you only watched football during major international tournaments, you would think Switzerland’s Shaqiri is one of the world’s superstars.The fiery little winger was the star of the show once again on Friday night, scoring a sensational winning goal to lift Switzerland over Serbia.The 26 year-old hit a sensational curling effort off the post in the second half, before breaking away in the dying moments to calmly slot home the winner.[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255896″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Tottenham’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]The Stoke star is expected to leave the Potters this summer, with reports suggesting he has a £12m relegation clause in his contract.Teams like Everton and West Ham would love to bring the winger in this summer, but he seems an ideal fit to be a super sub for one of the top six teams.According to Gambling Times insider Graeme Bailey, the Reds believe they will beat Tottenham to Shaqiri, and Spurs fans are certain they’re dodging a bullet.[ad_pod ]Shaqiri is undoubtedly talented, but he tends to go missing in between flashes of brilliance, and fans are adamant they should let Liverpool sign him.You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
The Indian board has extended by six months its current contract with Sahara India to sponsor the national team after its inability to find any alternative sponsors
Cricinfo staff02-Dec-2009The Indian board has extended by six months its current contract with Sahara India to sponsor the national team after its inability to find any alternative sponsors. N Srinivasan, the BCCI secretary, said the extension was granted on the basis of the present terms and conditions by the marketing committee, headed by the president Shashank Manohar.”A fresh tender will be issued, before the expiry of the extension period, inviting bids for the team sponsorhip,” Srinivasan said.Sahara’s contract was to have ended on December 31 this year, and had already been extended by three months.Reports indicate that one stumbling block in finding a new sponsor was the base price the BCCI deemed fit for the deal. While the previous contract with Sahara was a four-year-deal signed in 2006 for Rs 400 crore, the BCCI is now asking companies to top that and fork out around $35 million (about Rs 162 crore) annually.The board also awarded the title and ground rights for the two Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka to WSG at Rs 3.15 crore per match.The BCCI also said that any party that strikes a deal with it for the IPL, will have to submit a bank guarantee for the full value of the deal with immediate effect. This includes Multi Screen Media, for IPL telecast rights, and Entertainment Sports Direct (ESD), which won the IPL theatrical rights.