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Liverpool fans want to sign Bissouma

A number of Liverpool fans have been calling for the Reds to sign Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma following another impressive performance from him.

Jurgen Klopp may be expected to be in the market for new players this summer, adding fresh blood to his squad after a disappointing season. Defensive reinforcements look to be at the top of the agenda, but additions in midfield shouldn’t be ruled out either.

With Gini Wijnaldum’s future still up in the air, not to mention James Milner now being 35 and question marks over Naby Keita’s worth, it could be that Klopp eyes up a new face in that area.

Bissouma has been linked (ESPN) with a move to Liverpool as a Wijnaldum replacement, as he continues to shine in the middle of the park for Brighton this season.

He was excellent in the Seagulls’ 0-0 draw at home to Everton on Monday night, taking home the Man of the Match award in the process and earning praise from Jamie Carragher in the form of being called “a top-quality player”.

Liverpool fans want to sign Bissouma

These Liverpool supporters took to Twitter to talk up the idea of the 24-year-old heading to Anfield this summer and called for the club’s FSG ownership to try and land the ‘brilliant footballer’.

“How is Bissouma still at Brighton? Brilliant Footballer this lad. Can improve any Top team. Good age. Great injury record. LFC do something”

Credit: @Lunga_WeeeSiba

“Bissouma with a fantastic tackle from behind to stop an Everton counter-attack! Didn’t rate him much when he was initially linked to a move to us but steadily he’s impressing me more and more”

Credit: @Kloppista_LFC

“Wouldn’t mind Bissouma at Liverpool”

Credit: @EntireDesign_

“Come to Liverpool”

Credit: @LFC_Kareem_YNWA

“Bissouma is such a Klopp-type of player, won’t be surprised if he tries to sign him soon”

Credit: @Deji500

“Bissouma please, FSG”

Credit: @JamieHolme

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been buoyed by a Real Madrid injury update. Read more here.

Spurs legend makes big Bale claim

Tottenham Hotspur legend Gary Mabbutt has told Football FanCast that plans will be in place for Gareth Bale’s future as his loan spell at the club comes to an end.

The winger returned to the club from Real Madrid in the summer.

He has gone on to make 29 appearances in all competitions, scoring 11 goals, but the spell is coming to an end, with just five games of the season remaining.

It remains to be seen what will happen next, with Bale himself saying that his plan was to return to Spain, before his agent felt the need to clarify the comments and claim that they had been taken out of context.

Spurs are reported to have an option to keep him for another season and Mabbutt thinks that decisions will already have been made for the Wales international.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “Of course plans are in place. You’ve got a player that in two months’ time is going to be in limbo and due to be going back to Real Madrid after a one season loan.

“He’s come back and people will be debating about Gareth Bale’s impact at Spurs.”

Bale took some time to get up to speed at Spurs but Mabbutt has also hailed the impact the superstar has had on the dressing room.

“The bringing back on loan of Gareth Bale from Real Madrid had a massive impact in that respect within the dynamics of the dressing room.”

Liverpool fans call for Firmino to leave

A number of Liverpool fans have been calling for Roberto Firmino to leave this summer, having been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid.

The Brazilian has been a wonderful player for the Reds, becoming one of the poster boys of the Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield and winning both the Champions League and Premier League.

Firmino leads the line in his own unique way, pressing relentlessly off the ball and proving to be selfless on it, dropping deep and allowing Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane space in behind.

The 29-year-old may have contributed a huge amount for Liverpool down the years, but he hasn’t been himself for a sustained period now.

Firmino’s performances have dropped off for around a year, and for the first time, there are now real question marks about his place in the team, especially with Diogo Jota now such an influential member of the squad.

According to El Gol Digital [via TEAMtalk], Atletico are eyeing up a move for the Liverpool star, potentially viewing him as a replacement for Luis Suarez.

Liverpool fans call for Firmino to leave

These Reds supporters took to Twitter to talk up the idea of Firmino leaving, with many now believing it is time for him to move on.

“Swap deal for Felix + £40M-£65M”

Credit: @Umin01253591

“Yessssssss Suarez is coming home”

Credit: @paulo060802

“Sell him please”

Credit: @kieranfn18

“Swap for Felix”

Credit: @skratzz

“Please I beg”

Credit: @MDHanif_7

“Atletico Madrid interested in Firmino, $71M should be good deal imo”

Credit: @LFCSai7

In other news, Liverpool have been tipped to make a double signing this summer – find out more here.

West Ham XI vs Leeds: Team and injury news, predicted line-up

David Moyes faces a potential goalkeeper crisis with Lukasz Fabianski and Darren Randolph both injury concerns ahead of West Ham hosting Leeds United in the Premier League on Monday night.

Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites visit the London Stadium to round out the weekend’s action, after the Irons landed a nine-day break between fixtures since losing 2-1 at Manchester City last time out.

The Hammers were strong for much of the Etihad Stadium affair but fell to goals from centre-backs Ruben Dias and John Stones, while a wait for action has seen the east London natives slip to seventh in the standings but with at least one game in hand on each of the sides above them bar Everton.

The Toffees visit fourth-placed Chelsea earlier on Monday night with a view to moving inside the Champions League place previously occupied by West Ham. So, as Moyes strives to keep West Ham in the top-four race, here’s a potential line-up that the Scot could field against Leeds…

Republic of Ireland international Randolph opened the action as West Ham lost 2-1 to Manchester City last time out after Fabianski was ruled unfit the day before, having developed an elbow injury following an accidental training ground collision.

Unfortunately for the Irons, Randolph suffered a minor recurrence of a recent thigh injury at the Etihad that has required further treatment, but Moyes was hopeful that at least one of his shot-stoppers will be passed fit ahead of tonight’s clash with Leeds.

“I think we’re pretty much as we were,” Moyes said on Friday while discussing his side’s fitness. “Lukasz Fabianski hasn’t trained yet [this week], but he’s got a chance of playing.

“Darren Randolph’s got a little bit of a problem with his hip. He’s doing a bit of work in the gym. We’ve got a little bit of a consideration with both of our goalkeepers, but I’m hoping that I’ll have one of them fit for the game on Monday night.”

Should both be deemed fit, Fabianski will be expected to take over duties between the sticks, having kept eight clean sheets in 24 Premier League games this season to Randolph’s one shut out in two top-flight outings to date.

Ben Johnson endured a challenging afternoon against Manchester City having returned to the starting line-up to occupy the left-back spot in Moyes’ five-man defence, and will be expected to fall to the bench at home to Leeds.

The versatile defender taking a seat on the sidelines will, in turn, see a return to the four-man defence of Aaron Cresswell, Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and Vladimir Coufal as West Ham continue to await the return of Angelo Ogbonna from a high ankle sprain.

Declan Rice and eight-goal top-scorer Tomas Soucek will anchor the midfield to continue their run of playing every minute of Premier League football this season.

Jesse Lingard has played all but eight of an available 450 minutes since joining West Ham on loan from Manchester United in January, and will strive to continue his run of scoring or assisting a goal in his last three outings in claret and blue.

The Red Devils-owned playmaker will be expected to feature more centrally against Leeds than he did against Manchester City, having offered little defensive support on the left-wing at the Etihad.

Lingard moving back into the central position would allow Moyes to recall £23,000-per-week playmaker Said Benrahma, who has not started either of the Irons’ last three league games despite penning his fifth assist of the season across all competitions in last month’s 3-0 win over Sheffield United.

Pablo Fornals will be expected to maintain his recent run in the starting line-up after returning at home to Tottenham Hotspur and impressing against both Jose Mourinho’s side and Manchester City.

Michail Antonio will hope to add his eighth goal of the Premier League campaign at home to Leeds after scoring in each of his last two outings.

AND in other news, West Ham are monitoring a nine-goal 21-year-old but face a huge hurdle to strike a deal…

NUFC injury boost dropped before Villa

Steve Bruce has dropped a big triple injury boost for Newcastle United before their home game versus Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match, the former AVFC and Sunderland boss said (via The Chronicle):

“Callum is four weeks in (to rehab), he’s been on the grass and is progressing.

“The same for Allan and Almiron. We hope the international break will help us get them there or thereabouts.”

Huge boost for Newcastle

The fact that Allan Saint-Maximin, Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron could all return from injury after the international break is nothing short of a huge boost for the St. James’ Park faithful.

They are the top scorers for the North East club in the Premier League so far in the 2020/21 term, with no fewer than 16 goals between them, while they have also made nine assists (Whoscored).

The Tyneside club have a real relegation battle on their hands at the moment, and if they can get to after the international break relatively unscathed, then potentially having their best attacking players return may well help them push them further and further away from the dreaded drop zone.

Nonetheless, the likes of Andy Carroll, Dwight Gayle and Ryan Fraser will have to step up for the Magpies now more than ever until the break, starting with what looks to be a particularly crucial game at home against Dean Smith’s team.

In other news, find out what timeframe a sports law specialist has put on the takeover arbitration case here!

Man U price Everton target Dalot at £17m

Everton could potentially save themselves around £13m in the summer transfer market by targeting Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot over Norwich City’s Max Aarons or Tariq Lamptey of Brighton & Hove Albion.

What’s the word?

According to Nicolo Shira, AC Milan are opposed to the permanent transfer of Dalot after Manchester United slapped a €20m (£17m) price tag onto the on-loan defender.

The 22-year-old moved to the San Siro in October after sealing a late season-long switch to the Serie A giants, but has struggled to establish himself under Stefano Pioli.

Dalot has opened just 18 of his 24 appearances across all competitions and has been fielded in less than half of the Rossoneri’s league games to date.

AC Milan are now expected to focus on alternative targets and Dalot will return to Old Trafford at the end of the season, in a potential boost for Everton.

The Toffees were linked with a potential move for Dalot last week, with Carlo Ancelotti said to view the Portuguese defender as an alternative to Aarons and Lamptey in his search for Seamus Coleman’s successor.

Ancelotti is eager to find a right-back capable of offering an aerial presence at both ends of the field, and had sought a deal for Dalot last year only for Manchester United to pull the plug in fear of strengthening a rival.

Director of Football Marcel Brands was in agreement with Ancelotti over a move for Dalot, whom the Italian likes for his versatility, and had made efforts to land his signature in 2019 during Marco Silva’s tenure at Goodison Park.

Who would be the best option?

Everton making moves to sign Dalot for a third successive summer has the potential to see the Merseyside outfit acquire Ancelotti’s long-term heir to Coleman, and at a bargain fee compared to deals for Aarons or Lamptey.

Reports by Sky Sports last month claimed Norwich value Aarons in the region of £30m-35m, while the Liverpool Echo understand Brighton would demand close to £30m to release Lamptey.

Aarons is the only one of the trio who has been given consistent minutes at right-back this season, with Daniel Farke awarding the 21-year-old all 38 of his Championship outings in his natural position.

Dalot, who Jose Mourinho claimed was “fantastic” and could be Manchester United’s full-back for the next ten years back in 2018, has only made four of his 12 Serie A outings for AC Milan at right-back this term.

Lamptey made nine of his 11 Premier League appearances in the role before sustaining a season-ending hamstring injury.

Over their performances when played at right-back this season, Aarons has registered the highest average WhoScored match rating at 6.9 out of 10, while Lamptey ranks second at 6.87 and Dalot is third with a 6.71.

But Dalot has provided the highest number of successful tackles per game with 3.8 from six attempts, to Lamptey (1.8/2.3) and Aarons (0.7/1). He also ranks first for interceptions with two ahead of the Seagulls star (1.6) and Canaries ace (0.9) and aerial duels won with 1.3 from 2.3 to 0.4 from 1.7 and 0.9 from 2.3 respectively.

Aarons also provides the least accurate crosses with 0.8 from 3.1 deliveries per game to Dalot (0.5/3) and Lamptey (0.9/3.1), yet tops the charts for key passes with 1.3 to the Portuguese’s 0.5 and the Englishman’s 0.9.

Obviously, Dalot’s sample size is smaller than Lamptey’s and especially Aarons’, but he has the potential to prove a bargain by saving Everton £13m in the transfer market if he emerges as Ancelotti and Brands’ priority target this summer.

AND in other news, Everton land a huge boost but face PL competition for a £26m star who’s “grown so much”

Celtic: Perraud could have been their Tierney heir

It’s not often you miss a left-back so much. It’s not often you regret not signing one either. However, both of those couldn’t be truer with Celtic.

In the summer of 2019, they reluctantly sold Kieran Tierney for a Scottish record of £25m. The full-back has since become of Arsenal’s biggest creators, proving to be a rampaging force down the left-hand side.

In the Premier League, he is high up for sprints and running intensity per 90 minutes, demonstrating fierce qualities in the final third.

It’s hard to suggest that Celtic did a good job of replacing him either. Once he departed, the Bhoys signed Boli Bolingoli for £3m and then added Greg Taylor to their ranks on deadline day.

Taylor is now a bit-part member of the squad following Diego Laxalt’s arrival last summer while Bolingoli is on loan after a moment of madness at the beginning of the season. The defender went on an unsanctioned trip abroad and put the entire squad at risk.

Though, it could have worked out very differently. Celtic made a bid in the summer of 2019 to sign Romain Perraud who was then at Nice.

The player revealed that he had “concrete offers” from both the Glaswegians and Dijon. Though, Perraud admits that his club didn’t field any further interest. Unfortunately for Celtic he resultantly signed for Brest.

He has since become one of the most threatening defenders in French football and thus, is taking interest from the English Premier League.

For Nick Hammond and co, this feels like a classic case of one who got away. That’s because he would have been the ideal Tierney successor.

So far this term, he has been involved in eight goals and is relentless in his nature to get down the left-hand side.

Assessing stats provided by Smarterscout, a tool that uses videogame-like ratings out of 99, it demonstrates that the 23-year-old is particularly good going forward.

Adjusted to Premier League standard – via The Athletic – Perraud’s carry and dribble volume ranks at 89 out of 99. On top of that, expected goals from his chance creation are rated at 75 while his shot volume is a staggering 99 for someone in his position.

For context, Tierney’s dribbling in the Premier League this term ranks at 80. Meanwhile, the Arsenal full-back’s expected goals from his passing ranks at just 52 in comparison to Perraud.

On that evidence, they could have landed an upgrade here. He is rampant going forward and would surely have flourished in Scottish football judging by how much Celtic like to keep the ball.

He joined Brest for just £1.8m according to Transfermarkt. It’s rather perplexing the Hoops couldn’t pursue the deal further. Perraud would have been perfect.

AND in other news, Desmond could revolutionise Celtic by replacing Lennon with 62 y/o “architect”…

Richarlison holds Everton back in challenging return vs West Ham United

Richarlison lost possession a mammoth 19 times as the Brazilian held Everton back on his return to action at home to West Ham United in Friday night’s 1-0 defeat.

Carlo Ancelotti had been without the 23-year-old for his side’s previous win over Sheffield United through the Premier League’s concussion protocol, having been forced off following a collision with Manchester United defender Eric Bailly during the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

Richarlison, who reportedly earns £90,000-a-week, served the needed period to return for the visit of David Moyes’ Irons to Goodison Park, marking his 15th appearance of the season across all competitions after missing three top-flight fixtures earlier in the campaign through suspension.

The South American often held Everton back on his return to action but saw out the full 90 minutes despite his struggles, with the flow of play never falling in favour of the £54m-rated winger who frequently favoured cutting inside.

Ancelotti fielded Richarlison on the right-wing in the absence of Alex Iwobi, who sustained a small injury in training, while James Rodriguez could only make his return from a calf issue with a seat on the bench.

It was the first time this term that Richarlison has not started a league game on the left-flank, offering an excuse to his numerous runs down blind alleys on a night his passing was often lacking its usual accuracy.

Richarlison completed just 27 of his 38 passes for one key ball, misplaced two of three attempted crosses and failed to find a teammate with one of two long balls, while only beating his marker with one of two attempted dribbles on route to losing possession 19 times, per SofaScore.

The 23-cap international’s rare ventures into the West Ham penalty area further saw the forward fail to test stand-in goalkeeper Darren Randolph, with the Brazilian seeing his only attempt of the game blocked.

Ancelotti will have taken pride in seeing Richarlison contribute defensively with two interceptions, a clearance and a successful tackle to his name, but losing five of nine ground duels, four of five aerial contests and being caught offside once only served to see the former Watford attacker hold Everton back at home to the Hammers.

His challenging return also paved the way for Seamus Coleman to struggle at right-back as the Republic of Ireland international went unnoticed by his teammates whilst making his first top-flight start since November.

AND in other news, a rarely-seen £11m Everton “luxury” may have played his final game at Goodison Park.

Saints fans love Hummel partnership

Southampton fans have been reacting to the news that Hummel are set to replace Under Armour as their kit manufacturer.

Under Armour have been making the south-coast outfit’s kits since 2017, while that contract was set to run for another two years (The Athletic). However, the powers that be at St. Mary’ Stadium have decided to end their previous deal early to move to sign off on a deal with Danish company Hummel. The new agreement is set to run for five years.

Hummel previously made the club’s kits between 1987 and 1991. There is no indication as to how much the deal will bring in for Southampton, but that doesn’t seem to have worried these supporters – they are absolutely delighted by the news, which was shared by the club’s official Twitter account, and they took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Hummel news below

“Take my money now.”

Credit: @jackosfc89

“This is ace. Great decision. Might actually get the kit delivered on time for a change”

Credit: @samdewar06

“Excellent news! Bye bye under armour!!”

Credit: @paulbowring85

“Great news! Excited to see what they do for us. Welcome back @hummel1923”

Credit: @adamthesaint9

“OH YES. YES. THANK YOU FOOTBALL LORD. YESNOW.”

Credit: @iHarlandos

“Fantastic news”

Credit: @rogersanders

In other news, Southampton fans are worried by this financial news.

Rangers fans angry at Killie decision

Glasgow Rangers fans are far from happy with an incident from their match against Kilmarnock in the Premiership on Saturday.

The Gers edged the game 1-0 to go 21 points clear at the top of the table with just nine games left to play (BBC). Steven Gerrard will be delighted that his team were able to pick up the three points – right now, he knows the results are far more important than the performances.

It could have been a more comfortable win for the Gers as well. There was an incident in the penalty area, when right-back and captain James Tavernier was clearly taken out by a Killie player – it looked like a stonewall spot-kick, but referee Don Robertson decided not to give it.

A GIF of the incident was shared by Twitter account @_R_W_B_, and it angered the club’s supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Rangers fans had to say about the incident below

“100% a penalty. If the ref thinks the Killie player gets the ball, he can argue it’s a corner (Still a penalty, as he’s went through the back of Tav). He gave a goal kick. Bonkers.”

Credit: @RustyBaw72

“These just get ignored. It’s ridiculous.”

Credit: @BMCRangersRants

“That’s actually hilarious “

Credit: @AATG57

“Absolute joke and Tavs goal was onside”

Credit: @thefragglerocks

“Decisions are getting worse #wontstop55”

Credit: @richardbarber73

“Stonewall penalty. Don doing what he does best today.”

Credit: @onlyoneamoruso

In other news, Rangers fans love this injury update.

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