Manchester United: Paulo Dybala would be the perfect Lukaku replacement

Everyone knows Manchester United need to completely rebuild their squad. With that in mind, they should start with the man up top, so throwing out Romelu Lukaku and bringing in Paulo Dybala would be a dream.

Calciomercato have reported that the Red Devils are interested in the Argentinian, and who could blame them? Simply put, he’d fit into Ole Gunnar Soskjaer’s philosophy perfectly. Obviously, the Juventus ace hasn’t hit his usual standards this season but he could return to form at United.

His five goals and six assists from 27 appearances are quite underwhelming, but his movement, work-rate and technical ability is something United have been missing under the colossus that is Lukaku. A much more deft player, he could help the club actually create attacks when it comes to feeding their fast forwards.

He’s still one of the best attackers in world football and is just 25-years-old. Right now, he’s rated at £90m on Transfermarkt so he’d be another big-money buy, but this time he’d be a success. Clearly, Dybala understands the pressure of playing for a massive club, but isn’t flashy like his old team-mate Paul Pogba.

Whoever comes in this summer, they must fit the style of football Solskjaer wants to play. To that end, the Argentine would bring his individual talent but also work hard for the team when they don’t have the ball, and that’s something they’ve lacked over the last six years.

If he can get back to form at United, he’d provide a constant flow of goals and assists that could bring them back to competing for the title. They have a gap of nearly 30 points to bridge, but world-class players like Dybala would go some way to closing it.

United fans, who do you think your club needs to sign this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Please stay! Sunderland fans heap praise on Bryan Oviedo

[ad_pod ]

Sunderland suffered extraordinary heartbreak at Wembley on Sunday, but some fans are already looking ahead with optimism to next season, and they’re starting with Bryan Oviedo.

The Black Cats were beaten 2-1 by Charlton on Sunday, marking their second devastating loss in the capital this season.

After taking the lead thanks to a remarkable mix-up by the Addicks, Jack Ross’ side sat on their advantage and simply did not do enough to see out the game.

Ben Purrington levelled things up before half-time, and Patrick Bauer gave Lee Bowyer’s side a deserved winner in the 94th minute of the match.

While none of the Sunderland players covered themselves in glory, there’s no question this group of players is united with the fans, and Oviedo’s post-match tweet has been met with heavy praise from the Wearside faithful.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

The 29 year-old is far too good for League One if truth be told, but clearly loves the club, and fans have responded to his verdict on the game by begging him to stay for another crack at the third tier.

Have a look at the best of the Twitter reaction down below…

Earned his spot: Liverpool fans discuss in-form defender Joel Matip

[ad_pod ]

Injuries to Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren at different stages of this season have seen Joel Matip benefit immensely to form a strong partnership with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Liverpool defence.

Matip found it very, very difficult to secure regular minutes in the early stages of the 2018-19 campaign, but he has been more in favour in recent months.

He is not a regular in the starting XI by default and his run in the side of late has emerged by virtue of necessity more than anything, but the impeccable form he has showcased hints that Gomez will have a tough time forcing his way back into Klopp’s first choice XI.

And along with a number of others in a red shirt, Matip was outstanding in Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night.

The Liverpool fans have been on social media discussing the 27-year-old’s future at the club, and it has thrown up an interesting debate.

Indeed, whilst there are those who feel that Matip – valued at £18m by Transfermarkt – has more than earned his position in the squad, others believe that the Reds still need to strengthen defensively when this summer’s transfer window opens for business.

Has Alisson been Liverpool’s most important signing of the season? Check out the video below to find out why Jurgen Klopp thinks so…

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Leeds fans split on potential signing of Barcelona youngster Rafael Mujica

[ad_pod ]

Leeds United fans on Twitter have been split after Marca reported that a deal to sign Barcelona youngster Rafael Mujica was close.

Mujica is a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, but now aged 20 he is yet to make a first-team appearance for the European giants.

He has played 63 games for the Catalan club’s B team where he has scored just 10 goals, so it has been difficult for certain members of the Leeds fanbase to get excited about his potential arrival.

Other fans though are thrilled about the prospect of bringing in a player who has come through the same academy as Lionel Messi.

The potential signing of a Spanish-speaking striker has had certain supporters comparing Mujica to Luciano Becchio. The Argentine became a cult hero at the club, and boasted a fantastic goalscoring record at Elland Road.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying on Twitter…

Transfer Focus: Gerrard’s insistence on Edmundson deal means he must become Rangers regular

[ad_pod ]

Rangers are set to table an improved offer for Oldham Athletic defender George Edmundson, according to The Scottish Sun.

What’s the story?

The Ibrox side have been pursuing the 21-year-old for a while now, reportedly having a bid rejected earlier this week.

Steven Gerrard though appears intent on landing his man, with The Scottish Sun believing they are set to offer Oldham an improved deal in an effort to beat English clubs also keen on signing the defender.

Edmundson’s situation has changed since the last Rangers offer, say the paper, with the player rejecting a new long-term offer to stay with the League Two outfit.

Potential first-team player?

Given that the defender has never played above the fourth-tier in England it would be easy to think that Rangers would be interested in him as a player for the future to be developed, rather than a player for the first-team right now.

Clearly though the recruitment team at Ibrox rate him highly if they are coming back for a second bid, hinting that Gerrard sees him as a firm part of his plans next season.

With Joe Worrall heading back to Nottingham Forest and Gareth MacAuley’s contract expiring there is certainly room for the player, but the Gers’ reported insistence on getting to deal done suggests he could be a regular.

Should Nikola Katic be worried?

Connor Goldson is clearly Gerrard’s prime pick in the centre of defence, that was clear throughout the 2018/19 season. His defensive partner was changed multiple times though, with little success.

Nikola Katic started the season as a regular before being displaced by loanee Worrall, not winning his place back in the side until towards the end of the season when the Forest man was on the verge of an exit.

Gerrard appears to have some question marks when it comes to the Croatian and the presence of Edmundson could put his place in the team at risk again.

Ultimately the competition will benefit Rangers as a club, but Katic will need to hit the ground running next season or risks having another frustrating campaign.

فيديو| سواريز وسون ولاعب صن داونز يتنافسون على جائزة بوشكاش لأفضل هدف في 2020

أعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “FIFA”، عن الأهداف المرشحة لجائزة بوشكاش 2020، والتي سيحصل عليها الفائز في حفل توزيع جوائز الأفضل في 2020.

وكان الاتحاد الدولي قد ألغى حفلته لتوزيع جوائز الأفضل لهذا العام بسبب تفشي فيروس كورونا، قبل أن يتراجع عن القرار ويعلن عن إقامة الحفل بمدينة زيورخ 17 ديسمبر المقبل.

طالع أيضًا.. قائمة المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم 2020

وضمت القائمة 11 هدفا للمنافسة على جائزة الأفضل في 2020، وسيتم الإعلان عن الفائز من خلال تصويت الجماهير عبر موقع الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم. قائمة الأهداف المرشحة لجائزة بوشكاش 2020

هدف الكوستاريكية شيرلي كروز

هدف الأوروجوياني دي أراسكايتا

هدف الإنجليزي جوردان فلوريد

هدف الفرنس أندريه بير جينياك

هدف الويلزية صوفي أنجيل

هدف النمساوي زلاتكو يونوزوفيتش

هدف الجنوب إفريقي هلومفو كيكانا

هدف الكوري الجنوبي، سون هيونج مين

هدف الكولومبي، ليونيل كوينيز

هدف الأوروجوياني، لويس سواريز

هدف الأسكتلندية، كارولين وير 

Tottenham: Rose would stand no chance after Ryan Sessegnon signing

Spurs need to add depth to their squad this summer, and if they sign Ryan Sessegnon then Danny Rose might be pushed back despite his solid season.

The Evening Standard have reported that Spurs are interested in the Fulham full-back and it’s no surprise considering the potential he’s shown over the last two seasons. Despite his club’s relegation, he’s proved he has the ability to make it to the top.

Danny Rose has been excellent too, playing 26 games this season despite being marred with injuries previously. He’s 28-years-old and is in his prime, so Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t need to replace him. He needs competition and Sessegnon will do more than just that.

The Englishman has been likened to Marcelo and Bale by the way he’s able to shoot up and down the left. His 35 games for Fulham this season show he’s capable of putting in these performances at the highest level consistently. Sounds pretty good, right?

Imagine that in the stunning new stadium. Shivers.

The England U21 international produced six assists and scored two goals in the Premier League this season, but expect that to shoot up if he moves to Spurs where he’ll be playing alongside some world-class players. Indeed, he’d soon push Rose out of the way and will establish himself as the man for the big occasion.

He’s just 18-years-old and he’s rated at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, so would demand a hefty fee, but it’d be a long-term signing and could ensure Spurs keep themselves at the top level for the next 10 years. He’s a decade younger than Rose and it’s time for a changing of the guard.

Spurs fans, who do you think will be first-choice left-back next season? Join the discussion by commenting below.

The Verdict: Should Tottenham Hotspur swoop for James Maddison this summer?

[ad_pod ]

The Mirror are suggesting that Mauricio Pochettino is planning to use Tottenham Hotspur’s UEFA Champions League earnings to seal the signing of James Maddison from Leicester City this summer.

The tricky English attacking midfielder burst onto the scene with Norwich City last season before a summer 2018 move to the King Power Stadium saw the 22-year-old notch up seven goals and seven assists in the Premier League, while creating an incredible 100 chances.

Pochettino is one of the best in the world when it comes to developing promising young talents and while Maddison’s progression at Leicester has hardly been limited, it does seem like a match made in heaven considering the midfielder is already producing the goods at Premier League level.

In light of this and the recent speculation, we asked some of Football FanCast’s writers whether Spurs should swoop for Maddison during the summer transfer window. Here’s a look at what they had to say…

Christy Malyan 

“Maddison’s clearly a very promising talent but he’s a very selfish player too. There have been countless opportunities this season when he’s wasted chances by electing to shoot himself rather than use team-mates. Tie in the fact Leicester will want a massive fee after signing him only a year ago and the amount of players we’ve seen take the Premier League by storm before petering out, Spurs should give it another year before making a move.”

Harry Sherlock 

“Maddison is an excellent playmaker and would fill a rather large Christian Eriksen-sized hole if the Dane heads to Real Madrid. If he doesn’t, Maddison isn’t likely to get all that much game time, though, so his future has to be tied to Eriksen’s. As a like-for-like replacement, he would be an excellent acquisition and would put a number of concerns to bed almost instantly.”

James Beavis

“Yes they should, and Tottenham must regret not going for him 12 months ago. It was clear to see with his performances for Norwich City that Maddison was capable of making the step up to the Premier League successfully, and so it proved for Leicester City in the 2018/19 campaign. The 22-year-old is capable of creating chances galore – Harry Kane would thrive on his service – and takes a mean set piece. The only issue for Spurs could be his valuation, as Leicester will likely demand a huge fee for the attacker.”

Leeds United: Bielsa must consider Bamford’s future after play-off horror show

The play-offs are a very unforgiving competition, aren’t they?

Having achieved a third-place finish in the Championship under Marcelo Bielsa in the regular season, the Whites looked almost certain to book their place at Wembley Stadium on May 27th after winning the first leg of their semi-final against Derby County 1-0 last Saturday.

Yet the Rams had other ideas.

Boosted by the news that Kemar Roofe would be absent from the return clash at Elland Road, Frank Lampard’s side took the game to their opponents last night by deploying an attacking formation that ultimately paid dividends.

Although Stuart Dallas managed to fire in a fantastic brace for Leeds, a double from Jack Marriot combined with goals from Mason Mount and Harry Wilson secured a famous 4-2 victory for Derby who are now just 90 minutes away from the Premier League.

Whereas the East Midlands-based outfit’s key players stepped to the mark in their biggest match of the season to date, the same cannot be said for Patrick Bamford.

Brought in as a replacement for Roofe, the forward had the chance to justify why the Whites splashed out £7.11m (via Transfermarkt) to bring him to Elland Road from Middlesbrough last summer.

Yet with the pressure to deliver proving too much for Bamford, he produced a shocking performance against Derby in which he offered very little up-front for his side.

Already on thin ice with Bielsa after picking up a two-game ban for deceiving an official in Leeds’ 1-1 draw against Aston Villa last month, the fact that the 25-year-old was booked for diving by Anthony Taylor during Wednesday’s clash suggests that he hasn’t learned his lesson at all.

With Bamford’s lack of discipline costing the Whites in recent weeks, it may be time for the club to consider cutting ties with the forward if they are to bounce back next season.

Having only managed to fire in a measly total of nine goals in the Championship during the 2018/19 campaign, it is obvious that the former Chelsea ace is simply not good enough to lead a club to promotion with his latest failure being the fourth time he has failed in the play-offs in his career.

If Bielsa can offload him in the summer, the Argentine could use the money gained from a sale to make some much-needed improvements to his squad.

What do you think Leeds fans? Would you be happy to see Bamford leave Elland Road following his recent antics? Can your side bounce back from their play-off heartbreak in the 2019/20 campaign? Let us know below.

Rangers: Sunday should be the last we see of transfer flop Borna Barisic

Steven Gerrard and company won’t have enjoyed the half an hour journey back from Rugby Park after losing 2-1 to Kilmarnock on Sunday. The loss meant that the Gers have taken just two points out of a possible 12 off of the Ayrshire side this season, although that might have been three from 12 had Borna Barisic not given away a silly penalty late on.

Whilst the game had a dead-rubber feel about it, if anything, it served as a reminder as to why Barisic has been in and out, but mostly out of the side this season. The Croatian full-back only signed at Ibrox last summer after impressing against the Gers for NK Osijek in a Europa League qualifier, but the £1.8 million man, as valued by Transfermarkt, has been woeful for the most part this season.

The 26-year-old is just one of the many reasons why Gerrard has struggled at left-back this season. With both Barisic and Jon Flanagan flopping, Lee Wallace spending most of the season in the solitary confinement he’s seemingly been in since last season’s episode with Graeme Murty and Andy Halliday a midfielder by trade, you can see why these problems have surfaced.

Barisic’s short time in Glasgow hasn’t been memorable at all, and it’s probably best that he bows out like that. The only way that the Ibrox faithful are in danger of having lasting memories of the Croatian is by way of some massive blunder. We’re yet to see anything from the full-back to suggest that he can prove otherwise, and as that’s the case Gerrard should get rid and bring in a more capable defender.

Whether or not Gerrard does go out this summer and targets a left-back is still to be seen, but whilst they continue to limp through with Barisic, Flanagan and Halliday holding down the fort on the left of the back four their title dream will remain just that. Should the issue be addressed next season then hopes will be boosted, but for now, shipping off Barisic is key as the silly season approaches thick and fast.

Rangers fans, have you had enough of Borna Barisic? Comment below!

Game
Register
Service
Bonus