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Speaking exclusively to the Transfer Tavern, Steve Bull said that Jose Mourinho’s fallout with Dele Alli is the root to his ongoing problems at Tottenham.

Mourinho’s side missed the chance to climb into the top four on Sunday after dropping more points at Newcastle late on, to leave them sixth in the Premier League table.

Both Newcastle goals were down to more poor defending from Spurs, meaning Harry Kane’s quick-fire brace counted for little at St James’ Park.

And Mourinho, like so often this season, blamed his players for their failure to see the game out which further dented their hopes of bringing Champions League football back to north London next term.

It means that Tottenham have now conceded nine times in the final 10 minutes of Premier League games this campaign, and the Spurs boss took little responsibility for the result by saying it’s the “same coach, different players”.

But whilst Mourinho has had several off the field issues this season, Bull believes that his problems started when Alli, who reportedly earns £100,000-a-week, fell out of favour and was dropped back in September.

He told the Transfer Tavern:

“When you have got faith in the players, the players have got faith in you, but if you lose that faith you chuck your dummy out the pram.

“Mourinho hasn’t got on with the players since Dele Alli chucked his dummy out the pram. Once you get a bad apple in the camp you’ve had it sour.

“He’s got to have a reshuffle over the summer and see who he wants and who he doesn’t want, and see if he can get his spark back.”

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.

MatériaMais Notícias

Poupado contra o Tupi e também fora da próxima partida do Vasco, contra o Vila Nova, o meia Nenê gravou um vídeo para esclarecer sua situação direcionado à torcida cruz-maltino. O primeiro assunto abordada pelo jogador foi negar uma possível saída do clube. Segundo o camisa 10 vascaíno, ele foi questionado sobre isso nos últimos dias.

– Eu tenho ouvido muitas perguntas, gente me perguntando se eu ia sair do clube. Então, queria explicar para vocês que não tem nada disso. Estou muito feliz aqui, e infelizmente às vezes as coisas não acontecem como a gente quer. Vocês sabem como eu sou, quero jogar todos os jogos. E se realmente eu não joguei e não vou jogar o próximo jogo é porque realmente ainda tenho alguma coisa, tenho um problema explicou Nenê em uma transmissão ao vivo por meio de sua página oficial no Facebook.

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No vídeo, Nenê aparece no Caprres, ao lado dogerente científico Alex Evangelista. O meia explicou o motivo de não estar jogando e alegou que ainda sente o músculo da coxa, local onde teve uma lesão, ainda o incomoda.

– A fibrose não é a lesão, ela é a cicatrização da lesão. Nesse tempo que não teve jogos, nós treinamos muito. Eu achei que estava liberado, mas depois do jogo contra o Sampaio Corrêa eu comecei a sentir a perna endurecer. Eu vi que minha perna não estava legal, e por isso não conseguia fazer todos os movimentos, estava me limitando. Isso estava deixando a minha perna presa. Então, realmente é mais por isso. Para eu poder me sentir realmente bem, 100% para estar fazendo o melhor e ajudar o vasco a vencer – disse o jogador.

Alex Evangelista voltou a explicar o motiva de poupar o meia das partidas. Segundo ele, Nenê precisa de treinamentos específicos para voltar ao seu melhor condicionamento físico.

– Nós do Caprres sentamos e analisamos que ele deveria ficar fora para fazer um preparativo. Essa preparação se dá no Caprres, com treinamentos específicos, de musculação específica, treinamento na piscina, treinamento na esteira, o treinamento no campo para ele continua normal. Mas ele vai melhorar essa fibrose, que é uma cicatriz que dá no músculo e ela impede uma contração muscular, de ela ser perfeita e ele ganhar velocidade. Então, ele é um atleta que alcança 13,14 km por partida, e neste momento ele não está conseguindo alcançar porque ele tem alguma limitação física. Estamos tirando de campo para ele voar baixo, que é o que ele sempre fez, e nos ajudar na Copa do Brasil, que é um dos objetivos esse ano também -revelou Evangelista.

After arriving from Stade Rennes in the summer, it’s fair to say Raphinha has taken like a duck to water at Leeds United in the Premier League.

Dubbed as “stardust” and as a “match-winner” by The Athletic’s Phil Hay, Raphinha has been an absolute revelation for Leeds this season in his debut campaign in English football.

In just 21 games in the Premier League, the 24-year-old already has an impressive tally of five goals and five assists. That’s not to mention a penchant for the spectacular, whether that’s through a stunning free-kick or a piece of magical skill like how he skinned Crystal Palace’s Gary Cahill.

It’s perhaps no surprise then that other clubs have sat up and taken notice of his performances this campaign, with reports in recent weeks even suggesting that reigning Premier League champions Liverpool have been “blown away” by the Brazilian ahead of a potential summer move.

With claims that the winger was bought for around £17m plus add-ons, there’s no questioning that Leeds appear to have gotten the better end of the deal.

Hay opened up on his move from Rennes in the summer, delivering an insight into why the French side appeared to be happy to take such a small transfer fee in the modern market.

He said: “My understanding of what went on at Rennes was that he was as happy to leave as they were to sell him, and it felt like, in the end, all sides got pretty much what they wanted.

“I was asking a couple of journalists over there, ‘why have they done this deal at this price?’ They said because, basically, if they get their money back on him, they would be happy with that, because they don’t think he’s been that outstanding.”

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson echoes thoughts himself, revealing: “He’s full of energy, he’s got a (good) work ethic as well where he works for the team, he just does everything right.

“I’m a big fan of his and the recruitment there to find that player, because for £17m, there will be people now scratching their head going ‘why didn’t we get him?'”

Given how he has performed for Leeds, there’s no questioning that Rennes could have, and probably should have, held out for much more than they actually got given his supreme talent.

The Whites won’t complain, however, as they got an absolute steal. Victor Orta pulled off an absolute dream deal in the £60k-per-week earning gem.

Meanwhile, Leeds could hire Bielsa’s dream successor in this 36 y/o…

Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin will make his return from injury when Everton host Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup on Sunday night.

The striker has missed the Toffees’ last two fixtures across all competitions with a hamstring problem first sustained before losing to West Ham United on New Years’ Day.

Calvert-Lewin played 79 minutes in the defeat before sitting out his side’s FA Cup win over Rotherham United and visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but is now in line to start this weekend.

Calvert-Lewin is without a goal in his last six appearances after failing to find the back of the net since recording his 14th of the season in a 1-1 draw with Burnley in early December, having previously only gone one match at a time without scoring at worst.

Ancelotti will have a heavily depleted squad to select from when Everton host Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday night, with the Italian confirming a raft of injuries for the FA Cup tie.

“We have Dominic available for the game,” said Ancelotti. “Unfortunately, we have some players out like [Jean-Philippe] Gbamin, Allan, [Fabian] Delph, [Lucas] Digne, [Alex] Iwobi and [Niels] Nkounkou.

“Iwobi and Digne will be unavailable for only this game – they will be available for the game against Leicester [on Wednesday]. The other players are in good condition and are ready to play this game and to compete.”

Ancelotti handed Cenk Tosun a start in the FA Cup at home to Rotherham United before favouring attacking midfielders James Rodriguez and Gylfi Sigurdsson as false nines for the 2-1 win at Wolves.

Ancelotti confirming that Calvert-Lewin will make his return to action against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup will come as a bitter pill for Tosun, who would have hoped to be given another chance to potentially save his Goodison Park career.

Tosun continues to be linked with a potential move away from Merseyside in the January transfer window, with Fanatik claiming the Turkey international is Sam Allardyce’s top target at West Bromwich Albion after signing him for £27m in 2018 while in charge of Everton.

Allardyce described Tosun as the “best in Europe” at the time for the price paid to Besiktas, and saw the 29-year-old score five of his 11 career Everton goals before the one-game England boss was fired at the end of the 2017/18 season.

Ancelotti has only overseen one of Tosun’s goals in royal blue, coming in the FA Cup third round win over Rotherham during what was only his first start and seventh appearance of the campaign following his return from cruciate ligament surgery.

Tosun will no doubt be gutted to find that the bench will likely be his home, at first, on Sunday, having also been left an unused substitute on six occasions to date.

AND in other news, Everton are demanding no less than £9m to sell a Carlo Ancelotti outcast this month.

Southampton are continuing to be linked with a loan move for Manchester United left-back Brandon Williams this month, with the latest reports suggesting that the South Coast club are ‘in the driving seat’ to sign the 20-year-old and if he were to join, it could lead to Ryan Bertrand departing the club this summer.

Eurosport claim that Southampton are currently leading the race to sign the England U21 international this month, although Sheffield United are also showing an interest in the young defender.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has suggested that any deals Southampton do this month will be in a similar vein to the one that saw Kyle Walker-Peters join in the summer, where a loan deal becomes a permanent one should the player do enough to impress the Austrian manager and his coaching staff.

Therefore, they are clearly contemplating the idea of Williams joining on a permanent deal in the summer if he is able to perform well in his loan spell, which could be bad news for the future of Bertrand.

The former Chelsea man is out of contract this summer and whilst Southampton are said to be keen to extend his deal, the signing of another left-back is unlikely to help them to convince the 31-year-old to stay.

In December, the experienced defender did suggest that he was keen to stay with Southampton for the long haul whilst also hinting that a new deal was potentially not too far away.

However, it is nearly a month later and there has not been any official announcement of a new contract for Bertrand, with foreign clubs now free to negotiate with the Englishman with the view to signing him on a Bosman transfer in the summer.

Certainly, Bertrand’s attacking returns have dipped in recent seasons, whilst no goals or assists in 16 top-flight appearances this season, whilst Williams has managed one goal and three assists in his 42 senior appearances for Manchester United, whilst also regularly providing assists with the academy sides.

Therefore, if Hasenhuttl wants to add some more attacking gusto on his left-hand side, he may well favour Williams over Bertrand if he arrives on loan from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this month, which could, as a result, lead to Bertrand departing the South Coast club for nothing this summer.

And, in other news… Southampton signing 29 y/o beast will be bad news for Saints gem with “a lot of potential”

Many Liverpool fans have been talking about an update involving Georginio Wijnaldum that recently emerged on social media.

In an article for EuroSport, journalist Dean Jones recently provided some information regarding the Dutch midfielder’s situation. The report stated that Jurgen Klopp is set to urge Liverpool to make a new attempt to convince the Dutchman to sign a new deal at Anfield.

The report claimed that terms couldn’t be agreed in the earlier negotiations but Klopp believes that handing Wijnaldum a new deal with higher wages would be a better option than signing a replacement. The manager was the driving force behind the club’s signature of Thiago Alcantara and he could do the same, when it comes to Wijnaldum’s potential new deal.

His current deal at the Anfield-based side runs out at the end of the season. Because of that, he would be free to agree a pre-contract deal with foreign clubs in the January transfer window.

The 30-year-old had joined Liverpool from Newcastle in the summer of 2016 for a fee of £25 million. This season, the Dutchman has made 19 appearances in all competitions for the Reds, scoring one goal so far.

The update about Wijnaldum was relayed on Twitter by Anfield Edition and many Liverpool fans gave their opinion about the news, with one supporter hailing him as ‘spectacular’.

What did Liverpool fans make of this update regarding Wijnaldum?

In other news, Liverpool fans have reacted to the club’s links with a Premier League defender – read more about it here!

Recent reports have suggested that Sepp van den Berg could be allowed to leave on loan this month, which reflects that Jurgen Klopp simply does not rate the Dutch defender at this moment in time.

What’s the word?

According to Goal, Liverpool are willing to let the 19-year-old leave on loan this month, despite their current injury crisis.

The report suggests that the Merseyside club have held discussions from three different clubs, from Belgium, Germany and Switzerland respectively, as they look to get the 6 ft 2 youngster some first-team football experience under his belt.

Does he have a future with Liverpool?

The fact that Klopp has trusted Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams, both of whom had never appeared in the Premier League before, ahead of Van den Berg this season, is perhaps a damning reflection of where the 19-year-old currently stands at Liverpool.

The centre-back joined the Reds from PEC Zwolle in the summer of 2019 and he has four first-team appearances to his name, having established himself as a regular in the first-team with the Eredivisie side.

He has also made seven appearances in the U’23 side so far this season, in which he has contributed one goal but he has clearly not done enough to prove to Klopp and the Liverpool coaches that he was capable of stepping up in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip this season.

Liverpool journalist was full of praise for the young defender after his performance in the FA Cup against Shrewsbury Town last season, saying:

“I thought against Shrewsbury he was absolutely brilliant. I mean that was by far and away the best I’ve seen him play, for him to take on that responsibility and he seemed to be far more aggressive than he normally has been.”

Hopefully, if he does leave on loan, he can do get some regular first-team experience but there is definitely a worry that Klopp doesn’t rate him, as he has not been given an opportunity to impress at all this season, despite Liverpool’s injury crisis in defence.

And, in other news… Klopp must ruthlessly axe LFC ace TAA dubbed “world-class”; he was abysmal vs AVFC

Manchester City ran out comfortable 3-0 winners against Marseille in their final Champions League group stage game on Wednesday night but Guardiola may well be frustrated with the performance of Riyad Mahrez.

The Algerian struggled to have much impact on the game throughout his time on the pitch and was substituted by the Spanish manager with just over 20 minutes remaining, with the Citizens managing to make the game safe ten minutes later through the winger’s replacement, Sergio Aguero.

As per SofaScore, Mahrez picked up a 6.6 rating for his display against Andre Villas-Boas’ side, which saw him ranked as the Citizens’ worst player on the pitch.

Although he had a big part to play in City’s opening goal, with his driving run finding Ferran Torres for the equaliser, the former Leicester City man was certainly not at his best on Wednesday night.

During his time on the pitch, he completed 31/40 of his passes, resulting in a solid, if unspectacular, 78% pass accuracy.

The winger also struggled when expected to create opportunities for the home side, as none of his three crosses were accurate, and none of his two attempted long balls found their mark.

Mahrez also failed to win any of his three ground duels during the fixture, suggesting that the Marseille defenders often had the better of the 29-year-old during the game.

Fortunately for the Algerian international, he has enjoyed a superb start to the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, having contributed four goals and one assist in eight top-flight appearances, resulting in an excellent 7.48 average rating (per WhoScored).

Guardiola was full of praise for the winger last year, saying:

“It was so important for him. From the beginning, he arrived with an incredible mentality, positive and the way he plays.

“He has the feeling when he gets that ball in that position, the 18-yard box close to the area, something is going to happen. It’s a feeling and I think all the spectators can have that feeling and that is because he has a gift. He has something special.”

Therefore, despite his arguably disappointing display against Marseille on Wednesday, it might not be a surprise to see him restored to Guardiola’s starting lineup to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

And, in other news… Garcia heir apparent: Guardiola must promote “exceptional” teenager to his first-team

West Bromwich Albion have a wealth of riches when it comes to their youth team and they certainly know a promising striker when they see one.

Whilst first-team regulars Dara O’Shea and Nathan Ferguson were breaking the trend being defenders making it at the Baggies, the club have undoubtedly produced more attackers.

Sadio Berahino, Izzy Brown, Chris Wood, Kemar Roofe, Morgan Rogers, Louie Barry are some that have come through the system and gone onto play professionally elsewhere.

Whilst the likes of Rayhaan Tulloch, Jovane Malcolm and Jamie Soule look like a trio of players that could be on the fringes of the senior squad come next year.

But now there’s a new name making a lot of noise right now, and that’s Owen Windsor, who is quietly impressing during a loan spell at League Two outfit Grimsby Town.

The 19-year-old has scored and assisted one goal apiece from two starts whilst also averaging one dribble, shot and key pass per appearance, via WhoScored.

His latest outing at the weekend was particularly eye-catching as he played an instrumental role in the Mariners’ 3-2 victory over Leyton Orient – per SofaScore, Windsor won 50% of his ground duels, won three free-kicks, won a penalty and also recorded one dribble, one shot and one key pass.

Such a display earned him a 7.4 rating, which was the third-highest of any player that featured on the day.

GrimsbyLive claimed the Albion starlet shined and named him as their Man of the Match: “Outstanding performance. For 19 years old, his strength in holding off defenders was incredible, the through ball for Williams was delectable, and of course he created the decisive moment with superb run at the death. Looks a perfect fit in professional football.”

Upon his arrival, Ian Holloway lauded Windsor as a “bull of a number nine” and added: “He’s full of running, absolutely fresh as a daisy and he is going to complement what we already have here.”

That sort of emphatic work-rate surely draws some similarities to former Baggies forward Shane Long, so just maybe, the Midlands outfit have found a gem.

In Charlie Austin and Kenneth Zohore, Albion have lacked an energetic presence in attack and that’s evidently what Windsor is already bringing so early on in his professional career.

He will be well worth a look after this valuable season-long loan in the EFL.

AND in other news, Controversial EXIT now looking a masterstroke from Dowling…