All posts by h79snht.top

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According to Sky Sports, Bayern Munich have matched Chelsea’s asking price for Callum Hudson-Odoi by tabling an improved £35m offer, but losing the youngster would be disastrous for the Blues – Newcastle should capitalise on their desperation to keep him by making a cheeky loan move.

What’s the word?

Well, Sky Sports reports that Bayern’s bid – the latest of four – does not include a buy-back clause and has matched Chelsea’s valuation of the exciting winger. It seems, therefore, that it is all down to Hudson-Odoi if the Blues cannot convince him to sign a new deal.

The 18-year-old has just 18 months left on his current contract and is surely disgruntled by the lack of playing time afforded to him by Maurizio Sarri, who sticks to old guns Willian and Pedro more often than not.

Meanwhile, Newcastle look set to be operating in the transfer market with little financial backing as Mike Ashley remains in ownership so any signings made by Rafa Benitez need to be cheap, firstly – the Spaniard should send the lacklustre Kenedy packing and hope that Chelsea’s desperation to keep Hudson-Odoi will mean they can get him on loan.

Kick out Kenedy

After a fantastic 17/18 campaign on loan at St James Park, Kenedy was brought back again for the current season, such was the impression he made on Tyneside, however he has been a shadow of that player since as he chalks up just one goal and one assist in 18 league games.

The Brazilian is one of few Magpies players who are blessed with bags of pace and skill and this limits their attacking potential greatly – Salomon Rondon is crying out for a player who is willing to make runs and feed off of his hold up play, but that man isn’t Kenedy.

With many of the Toon Army calling for the 21-year-old’s loan spell to be terminated, Benitez should give the people what they want but, also, try and bring Hudson-Odoi back the other way. The Londoner will do everything that Kenedy was supposed to and more, and it would surely be hard for Chelsea to say no to a loan deal – they can’t afford to lose yet another exciting prospect on a permanent basis.

Newcastle would be rid of the apathetic Kenedy; Hudson-Odoi would receive the minutes he so desperately craves and Chelsea can try and negotiate new terms with him once his spell up north expires – everyones a winner, expect Bayern.

What do you think, Magpies fans? Would you like to swap Kenedy for Callum Hudson-Odoi? Let us know by voting in the poll below…

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According to The Sun, Leicester are lining up Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers to replace Claude Puel if Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha decides to sack the Frenchman after the upcoming Wolves clash.

Despite guiding the Foxes to safety last season, the former Southampton boss is far from a hit with the fans, who seem to feel that the brand of football he has got the team playing is far too negative – three defensive midfielders were deployed in the ill-fated Southampton game.

Rodgers is surely keen to try his luck at the Premier League after two-and-a-half years at the Parkhead helm and is apparently top of the list to succeed Puel.

With Rangers and Kilmarnock hot on their heels, the Hoops are surely dreading the 45-year-old’s departure and will need to get the right man in if they are to retain the SPFL title – but who should that be?

Steve Clarke looks most likely; David Wagner has just been sacked by Huddersfield; Leicester’s own Puel would of course be available; Neil Lennon would be a good option; but the best choice would surely be Preston boss Alex Neil – the former Norwich boss impressed at Carrow Road, has done well on a shoestring budget at Deepdale, is only 37 and therefore has a bright future ahead of him.

What do you think, Bhoys and Ghirls? Who would you back to take over from Rodgers? Let us know by voting in the poll below…

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Newcastle have been offered Akhmat Gronzy left-back Milad Mohammadi, who rose to fame with his efforts for Iran at the World Cup last summer, according to The Daily Mail.

What’s the word, then?

The Magpies are extremely light in that specific area of the field, with Paul Dummett the only specialist  left-back in Rafael Benitez’s plans. Annoyingly for the Newcastle boss, Dummett hasn’t even been available recently as he battles to recover from a hamstring injury, missing the last four games.

Which Man Utd star got fed by Salt Bae this week? Check out the video below to find out…

To cover for the Welshman, Benitez has switched his system to a three-man defence, with Matt Ritchie dropping deeper to play as a left wing-back. Whilst this system hasn’t been a complete disaster, the Spanish boss would rather have some depth in that area and has wanted a new left-back for a number of transfer windows now, according to The Daily Mail.

Would Mohammadi be a good signing?

If the St. James’ Park faithful want to see some entertainment when their side are awarded a throw-in, then yes, Mohammadi would be a great signing. The 25-year-old became an internet sensation for his roly-poly throw-in attempt against Spain in a crucial World Cup group match, and would be worth signing for that feat alone.

On a more serious note, it’s no secret that Benitez has little funds to work with and is said to be close to breaking point on Tyneside, as reported by The Telegraph. In that respect, if he wants depth at left-back, a cheap move for the Iran international should be acted on.

The Akhmat defender has enjoyed a decent season with the Russian Premier League club so far, scoring one goal in 16 league starts and proving to be a threat going forward with his impressive dribbling skills.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports, Aaron Ramsey has penned a pre-contract agreement with Italian giants Juventus. The Wales international currently plays his football at Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and has done so since leaving Cardiff City back in 2008, although with his contract up at the end of the season, the midfielder was able to speak to foreign clubs from the beginning of January regarding a move away.

And reports suggest that the 28-year-old has indeed signed a pre-contract agreement with Serie A champions Juventus to join them come the summer, but with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool having also been linked with a move for the £36 million-rated star (as per Transfermarkt), they may be left to rue missing out on a potential midfield problem solver.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the Reds are in an extremely healthy position sat at the summit of the Premier League table with just 16 games of the season remaining, with their gap to second place Manchester City at four points to suggest that Klopp’s men have a great chance of winning the league for the first time since 1990.

However, their 2-1 defeat to the Citizens at the start of the month has led some to wonder whether the Merseysiders have enough creativity in the middle of the park to indeed go on and thwart Pep Guardiola’s Citizens, with that game in particular highlighting the difference between the two sides in that area of the field.

Yes, the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Georginio Wijnaldum have all done a great job in the centre of the pitch in winning tackles, retaining possession, and thus providing a platform to allow the front three to produce the goods, but there are question marks about whether they have that flair and killer pass in their armoury.

And with Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, arguably two more forward-thinking central midfielders, battling injury, Arsenal’s Ramsey appeared to be the ideal choice to come in and give that Liverpool midfield the creative lift it seemingly needs.

The 28-year-old has been an excellent servant to the Gunners following his move from Cardiff ten-and-a-half years ago, with the midfielder in that time appearing 357 times for the North London giants, netting 62 goals and laying on 64 assists in the process.

Yes, some have bemoaned Ramsey’s lack of consistently high-level displays over the years, but with three seasons having exceeded ten goals for Arsenal, one of which coming last time round as he won the club’s Player of the Year award, the Welshman has clearly been a huge asset to the Gunners over the years.

And with ability on the ball in picking a pass and launching attacks, the 28-year-old appears to be exactly what Liverpool need in the middle of the park to bolster their creative ranks – he may not be brilliant off the ball, but that is the strength of many of the Reds’ other midfield options.

As such, while it remains to be seen whether Liverpool did indeed go in for Ramsey this month, the Premier League table-toppers may well be left to rue missing out on the midfielder, as he appears to be the problem solver for their creative woes in the middle of the park.

Liverpool fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Eintracht Frankfurt have entered the bidding for Reece Oxford, according to Sky Sports.

What’s the word?

Oxford spent last season on loan at Bundesliga rivals Borussia Monchengladbach, making a total of eight appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

He has yet to play for the Hammers in the Premier League thus far this season and was left out of the squad for the FA Cup defeat to AFC Wimbledon at the weekend.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Oxford made his debut for the club at the age of 16 in 2015 and appeared set for a rapid rise through the ranks.

However, his progress has stalled at the club, and Frankfurt are keen to complete an £8million deal for the defender, as per Sky Sports.

The aforementioned report also claims Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Oxford, as they look to bolster their squad for a run at the play-off spots in the Championship.

Escape route

Oxford is a player of immense potential.

A player making their breakthrough at the age of 16 marks them out as a special talent, but there has been serious upheaval at the London Stadium since his debut.

He has been a serious casualty of that and his development has been stilted as a result.

A move to the Bundesliga can only improve him, and he certainly has an understanding of German football and will have also seen how well Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson have fared there.

While Forest are interested in an ambitious move of their own, Frankfurt are third in the German top-flight, nine points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund and just three behind Bayern Munich.

Oxford would do well to follow in the footsteps of Sancho and swap the Premier League for the Bundesliga, and start to rebuild a career that has threatened to die out.

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Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after Mohamed Salah picked up the PFA Player of the Month award for the second time in a row, after spearheading another fine four weeks for the Reds.

The Egyptian international scored three goals in his four games throughout January, including a crucial double against Crystal Palace to earn a pivotal three points from a game where it looked like they would drop two.

Additionally, the 26-year-old won, and converted, a penalty at the Amex Stadium against Brighton in another game where it looked like fortune was against the team from Merseyside.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Salah’s form ensured he stayed atop the Premier League goalscoring charts on 16 goals, ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane, whilst also guaranteeing Liverpool remained ahead of Manchester City at the top of the league.

The former Roma winger may arguably have not deserved the award ahead of other nominees such as Leroy Sane who hit two goals and made two assists, but nevertheless, Salah wins the award for the second time in a row.

Let’s take a look at how the Reds’ supporters reacted on Twitter…

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Moussa Sissoko has transformed himself from Tottenham Hotspur’s whipping boy into an integral lynchpin this season, but could the club have been spared of nearly two years of disappointment with a move for Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum?

What’s the word?

Spurs supporters are well accustomed to hearing about players they came close to signing but eventually failed to bring to north London.

Reports claiming that Mauricio Pochettino personally declined the opportunity to sign a rumoured transfer target are becoming commonplace within the British media, but stories of that tone are not exclusively a recent phenomenon.

Indeed, there is evidence dating back to the 2016 transfer window which falls into the same bracket as recent failed pursuits.

Spurs were linked with a move for Georginio Wijnaldum in 2016 before the Holland international agreed to a £25 million switch to Anfield, and the player himself provided an insight into the events which preceded the transfer in 2018, as per PFA.com.

“I had a really good conversation with Pochettino but we didn’t come to an agreement. Not just me – Newcastle also didn’t come to an agreement with Tottenham.”

Missed opportunity for Pochettino and Tottenham?

That Wijnaldum has revealed discussions with Pochettino were positive suggests Spurs were well in the race for his signature.

The 28-year-old midfielder’s decision to swap Tyneside for Merseyside forced Pochettino to consider alternative options and a £30 million deal for Sissoko was eventually concluded.

There are certainly similarities to be drawn between the playing styles of both players, although it must be said that Wijnaldum is technically superior and more reliable in the final-third, while Sissoko possesses a greater level of versatility and power.

Liverpool’s dynamic box-to-box midfielder has established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet under Jurgen Klopp within a squad which is stacked with fantastic options in central midfield, and that speaks volumes about how highly regarded he is at the club.

Sissoko is enjoying a comparable level of popularity at Spurs, but one cannot escape the feeling that he would be nothing more than a back-up player if Pochettino had the likes of Naby Keita, Fabinho, James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at his disposal.

The Argentine manager will be delighted with the turnaround Sissoko has enjoyed this season, however, with the benefit of hindsight, he might well be ruing Tottenham’s failure to beat Liverpool to Wijnaldum’s signature in the summer of 2016.

Wednesday’s print edition of Dutch newspaper Het Nieuwsblad (as per Sport Witness) is reporting that Southampton are interested in signing Aurelio Buta from Royal Antwerp.

What’s the story?

The 22-year-old is a right-back who is having a “great season” as per the outlet.

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That has led to a host of Premier League club being interested, including the Saints. The other sides to be mentioned are Wolves, Watford and Leicester City.

Creative addition

There is certainly plenty that catches the eye with £3.6m-valued Buta – as per Transfermarkt. So far this campaign, he has racked up five assists in 18 matches in the Jupiler league with Antwerp, whilst he managed six in 20 last year. Add in the one goal he has this term as well, and it certainly looks like he could be an interesting addition.

Watch Chelsea vs Southampton Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

His potential arrival would show exactly what kind of football Hasenhuttl is trying to implement at St. Mary’s Stadium. So far this campaign, both Ryan Bertrand and Cedric Soares are in the top seven of Saints players with the most key passes per match, whilst they are also both in the top three of crosses per game as well.

Calling all Premier League experts: Who do these unique statistics belong to? Find out below….

On the whole they are two players who have under-performed though, picking up respective WhoScored ratings of 6.33 and 6.56, but it is clear that Hasenhuttl wants to ask his full-backs to provide more going forward.

Interestingly, this is a difference from his time at RB Leipzig. Since his departure, both Marcel Halstenberg’s and Lukas Klostermann’s attacking threat has increased, with them now scoring and assisting more since he left the club.

Perhaps Hasenhuttl thinks he needs a different style in the Premier League. But considering he took Die Rotenbullen to second place in the Bundesliga, perhaps he should stick to his guns a little more and look at asking his full-backs to provide less going forward. That tactic has brought him success in the past – he should stick to his principles.

In other news, that stats show that Southampton are doing far worse than they should be.

Ramón Núñez was a bit of a maverick player during his short spell at Elland Road and though he didn’t make many appearances he has still created a lasting legacy at the club.

Leeds fans have been praising the Honduran for the impression he made in his stint in Yorkshire, such as one fan’s call for the 34-year-old to be given a statue – albeit with a hint of tongue-in-cheek.

The attacking midfielder clearly had a touch of class about him, as highlighted by his goal against Doncaster, but unfortunately for him and Simon Grayson, the then Leeds manager, he could never quite settle in the team – making a mere 25 appearances in total.

Injury also hampered his time in Yorkshire and prevented him making the impact he would have wished for, as his 19 appearances in the Championship in 2011/12 could only help the Whites to a 14th-place finish.

Nevertheless, he has managed to establish a cult figure status for a few fans, who have maybe praised him a little too highly.

He endured a disappointing end to his time in Leeds due to suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury, after amassing four goals and three assists for the club in 25 games.

It is, therefore, a little puzzling to see him lavished with comments such as those below, as he ended up spending more time on the bench and in the reserves than thrilling for the first team.

Virtually impossible: Can you name the year all of these Leeds flops arrived at Elland Road?

Neil Warnock shared a similar sentiment when he arrived at the club, transfer listing Nunez before terminating his contract in January 2013 while he was still recovering from injury.

That meant he was never given the chance to play for Leeds again, which may have left some fans disappointed based on these responses to the sheer utterance of his name…

In more current news, Leeds should look to act on a current favourite by trying to tie him down to the club long-term.

Sheffield Wednesday return to action this afternoon as they look to continue their rich vein of form into the New Year.

The Owls are now unbeaten in six with two back-to-back wins and even consecutive clean sheets.

Last time out they edged fellow playoff hopefuls Bristol City 1-0 at Hillsborough courtesy of an 85th-minute penalty from central midfielder Barry Bannan.

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The south Yorkshiremen were without top scorer Steven Fletcher while Morgan Fox was withdrawn early through injury while manager Garry Monk could welcome back a couple of players from suspension.

Here’s what we predict his starting XI will be this afternoon as they face a trip to Stoke City…

The 40-year-old Owls chief could make up to two changes, one of which will be enforced.

Fox’s injury is not as serious as first thought meaning he should be able to feature this afternoon.

Skipper Tom Lees continues to partner Dominic Iorfa, even though the impressive colossus deputised on the right following the Welshman’s knock.

One change is in central midfield as Sam Hutchinson is available after serving a two-match suspension, he replaces Massimo Luongo to give Monk more stability defensively in the middle – no player puts in more tackles than he does with as he averages 2.6 per game.

The 30-year-old partners match-winner Barry Bannan while both wingers remain the same.

In attack, there should be a joyous return for Fletcher, who only missed the Bristol City game through illness. He’ll be alongside Jordan Rhodes who keeps his spot for a fourth straight game.

And in other Owls news, the performance from this long-serving Wednesday ace only goes to show that there could be trouble ahead for Monk and co…