All posts by h716a5.icu

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Rangers fans aren’t convinced that James Lawrence is a viable transfer option for Steven Gerrard this summer after he was linked with a move to Ibrox.

The Daily Record reported on Sunday that the club were weighing up a £3m move for the Anderlecht centre-back, with the Gers boss said to be a big fan of the player’s talents.

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…

Signing for the Belgian giants last summer, he was part of a rather disastrous season for the club, who are now embarking on a new era under Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany.

A Welsh international, he would likely have enough ability to compete at Scottish Premiership level, but the fee involved and the fact Rangers already have two first-choice defenders in the position has fans questioning whether it’s smart business.

Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic should be considered good enough to start consistently next season and while back-up is needed, supporters seem to think that can be delivered for less money.

These fans have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts on it all…

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One of the deadliest duos in the Premier League at the time, it’s safe to say Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres struck up an almost telepathic understanding at Liverpool.

In three-and-a-half seasons with the Reds, Torres scored 81 times in 142 appearances and it was a major blow to the side when the Spaniard made the decision to join Premier League rivals Chelsea.

However, after announcing his prospective retirement this summer, Torres has admitted that Gerrard was his greatest ever teammate during his player career.

He said: “He was the player who completed my game. I think my level got into a different dimension when I was on the pitch with him. It was an amazing three-and-a-half years playing alongside Steven and I would love to go back to those days – even for one minute.”

After hearing their former star’s comments, many Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their opinion on the matter and reminisced about the 35-year-old’s time at Anfield.

Reds supporters waxed lyrical over Torres’ and Gerrard’s partnership whilst on Merseyside and acknowledged that the striker had chosen the Liverpool legend over Spain icons Xavi and Iniesta – a clear sign of just how highly he rated the now Rangers manager during his playing days.

Check out some of the reaction of Reds fans to Torres’ comments on Gerrard below:

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has defended himself against West Brom accusations that Oliver Burke was mistreated on loan last season, speaking to Sky Sports.

What’s he said?

West Brom technical director Luke Dowling said earlier this week that Burke wouldn’t “be going anywhere near Celtic with the current manager”, claiming that the Hoops boss’ handling of the attacker’s loan left a lot to be desired.

Lennon though has hit back at the senior Baggies figure, claiming that if anything Burke was treated too well.

How can Celtic improve next season? A Hoops fan tells us how in the video below…

As quoted by Sky Sports, the 48-year-old said:

“We treated him very well.

“He played a lot of games. Maybe in hindsight I was too good in treating him too well at times, compared to the rest of the group.

“I have no idea where this sort of tirade has come from. This could have been dealt with privately and professionally.

“As a club we have to defend ourselves robustly because it is totally unacceptable.”

Burke’s loan

A quick look at Burke’s opportunities under Lennon sees that he played on eight occasions between Brendan Rodgers’ departure and the end of the season. That’s from 14 possible appearances.

Playing more than half of the available games hardly suggests that a player has been frozen out, so why West Brom have felt the need to publicly go after Lennon and the Hoops on Burke’s development is unknown.

With Odsonne Edouard returning from injury around the time Lennon came in, it makes sense that Burke’s opportunities would be less frequent.

Lennon and Celtic are right to defend their record of developing players given the many that have passed through the doors of Celtic Park in recent years and left better players.

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Jack Clarke has signed for Tottenham Hotspur after impressing at Leeds in his breakthrough season under Marcelo Bielsa, and it’s with the Yorkshire club that he will play his football next season having been immediately loaned back.

Mauricio Pochettino seldom loans players out whom he plans to embed into his first team. The development of Juan Foyth and Harry Winks suggests that he prefers to develop youngsters in an environment where their development can be closely monitored.

However, considering Clarke’s age and Pochettino’s admiration for Bielsa’s coaching ability, it’s perhaps no surprise that the new recruit will remain in Yorkshire until 2020.

With Clarke set to stay in Leeds for another season before joining Spurs, Football FanCast take a look at ten players who have also immediately returned to the selling club on loan after joining a Premier League side.

[snack_break title="Dele Alli"]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

It’s easy to forget that Alli arrived from MK Dons having impressed in the lower leagues.

Pochettino brought him to White Hart Lane in January 2015, but agreed to loan him back to the Dons with the League One outfit in pursuit of promotion, which the prodigious teenager helped them to clinch by scoring 16 goals and providing 9 assists in a glowing individual campaign.

It took a little longer to see him in a Tottenham shirt, but it was worth the wait as Alli had an instant impact upon arrival, scoring 10 goals on his maiden Premier League campaign. 

He has since become a first-team regular and an integral cog in Pochettino’s machine, even if his mercurial presence has made him something of a divisive figure in the British media. 

[snack_break title="Ante Palaversa"]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Ante Palaversa joined Manchester City in January 2019 and was immediately loaned back to Hajduk Split for eighteen months, although there is an option for Pep Guardiola to recall him in January.

While most fans won’t know much about the young Croatian midfielder, he’s been impressing in his domestic league and at 19 years of age has plenty of time to improve.

Palaversa is physically imposing and gets involved in the defensive side of the game but he’s also composed and exciting on the ball, something that must have caught the eye of City’s recruitment team given Guardiola’s revered style. 

Check out FFC’s Scout Report on Palaversa.

[snack_break title="Wilfried Zaha"]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Zaha arrived at Old Trafford with plenty of promise and potential, having impressed Sir Alex Ferguson and the Manchester United hierarchy during his Crystal Palace days.

He was loaned back to help the south London outfit secure promotion via the play-offs and joined up with the United squad after Sir Alex’s departure.

He was frozen out under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal but the pairing clearly missed an opportunity when it was staring them in the face, with Zaha now commanding a price-tag of £80m amid reported interest from Arsenal. 

With 118 goal contributions to his name in 323 Palace appearances, it’s no surprise to see such a gargantuan price-tag slapped on his head.

[snack_break title="Christian Pulisic"]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

It didn’t take long for Pulisic to establish himself as Dortmund’s golden boy after he completed the switch from Pennsylvania Classics in 2015. 

The immediacy of his impact was striking, as he became the youngest ever foreign player to score in the Bundesliga in April 2016 before becoming Dortmund’s youngest ever star to feature in the Champions League.

Jadon Sancho seemed to take the limelight away from the wonderkid last season, but that did not deter Chelsea’s interest and they agreed to sign the American sensation for £58m in January in a deal that saw him immediately return to Signal Iduna Park.

Whether the 20-year-old can justify the hype during his spell in west London is a Premier League subplot worth monitoring with laser-eyed intrigue.

[snack_break title="Kurt Zouma"]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Zouma was very highly rated at St Etienne before his move to Chelsea, so much so that his own manager, Christophe Galtier, wouldn’t allow him to have the name on the back of his shirt in a bid to keep his name out of the spotlight.

But the rising star didn’t remain incognito for too long and eventually interest from afar inevitably arose.

He earned a big move to the Premier League on deadline day in January 2014, with the French outfit keeping him on loan until the end of the season.

His rise has not been as meteoric as one might have expected given France manager Didier Deschamps once viewed him as a future partner for Raphael Varane, but his progress at Everton last season hints that he is beginning to realise his massive potential.

Chelsea’s questionable policy over youth development has almost certainly had a part to play in Zouma’s delayed progress.

[snack_break title="Frederic Guilbert"]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Like Palaversa, Guilbert is another name that perhaps won’t be known to the regular football fan, but keep your eyes peeled for him in the Premier League next season.

Aston Villa secured his services in January this year for a fee of around £4.4m before loaning him back to Caen for the remainder of the season.

The Frenchman can play at both right-back and centre-back, but predominantly figures as a right-sided player who can get up the pitch and provide width going forward.

Defensively Guilbert is incredibly solid, averaging at 2.9 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game in the 2018/19 campaign, per Whoscored.

With Alan Hutton leaving the club as a free agent this summer, Guilbert should be an important addition to the squad.

[snack_break title="Marko Grujic"]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The 6 ft 3 midfielder showed a lot of promise in his days at Red Star Belgrade, convincing Liverpool to sign him for £5.1m in January 2016.

Red Star were reaped the rewards of his quality for a little while longer, though, as he immediately returned to Serbia on loan until the end of the season.

But the move hasn’t worked out and he has spent the majority of his time away from the club on loan, most notably at Hertha Berlin where he has made a profound impression on head coach Pal Dardai, who claimed the Serbia international is “by far the best midfielder I’ve seen in my time at the club.”

That’s about as esteemed as praise gets from someone who has been at Hertha for more than 20 years.

Given how highly-rated the all-action midfielder is at the Olympiastadion, it’s no surprise he has returned to the Bundesliga on another season-long loan deal.

[snack_break title="Kyle Walker"]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

In 2009 Kyle Walker joined Tottenham Hotspur along with Kyle Naughton from Sheffield United, both full-backs with high ceilings at the time.

Naughton joined Spurs immediately but Walker returned to Bramall Lane on loan, and history suggests that an extra year in Yorkshire served him well.

The now Manchester City man blossomed into a Premier League star thereafter, establishing a huge reputation at Spurs before moving to the Etihad Stadium, where he has since won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two Carabao Cups.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to ExWHUemployee, West Ham United will consider a move for Torino forward Andrea Belotti if they are unable to complete a deal for Celta Vigo’s Maxi Gomez during this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

The first mention of the Hammers potentially being interested in Belotti came from La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Nicolo Schira.

ExWHUemployee later verified those claims, with Belotti firmly on West Ham’s list of targets should a move for Gomez fall through.

Indeed, it has been reported that the Hammers are still working on a deal for the Celta forward but Valencia appear to be the favourites.

Gomez is three years younger than Belotti but the Torino man has the superior record when it comes to finding the back of the net.

Whilst Gomez has 60 goals in 127 games for Celta and Defensor Sporting Club, Belotti has registered 115 goals in 287 appearances for Torino, Palermo, UC AlbinoLeffe and AlbinoLeffe Berretti.

The fact that Marko Arnautovic is said to be closing in on a move to China means that signing a new striker will be even more of a priority for West Ham.

Why should West Ham favour Belotti?

As mentioned above, Belotti has the superior goal record. It is difficult to compare two players who have played in different leagues, though, and Gomez has certainly proved his class since arriving in Spain.

Thogden challenged himself to DM 100 footballers on Instagram. Find out who replied in the video below…

Belotti’s figures for Torino are outstanding, however, scoring 70 times in 148 appearances for a team not considered as one of the powerhouses in Italy.

The Italian also boasts the superior record at international level – netting five times in 22 appearances to Gomez’s two in 12 games for Uruguay.

Belotti is also more mobile in the final third of the field, which West Ham will need next season if they are to push for a top-seven finish.

Gomez could become a star in the future but a swoop for Belotti makes more sense at this moment as Manuel Pellegrini’s side look for a ready-made Arnautovic replacement.

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Leicester City defender Filip Benkovic posted a goodbye message to Celtic fans on Instagram on Wednesday, suggesting he won’t be returning on loan during the summer transfer window.

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The Croatian enjoyed a successful 2018/19 season on loan at the Scottish champions, making 27 appearances and helping the club lift their third successive treble of domestic trophies.

C’mon the Hoops’ Keith remembers the late Phil O’Donnell in the video below…

There had been speculation he could return for a second season on loan at the Hoops, a door opened by former manager Brendan Rodgers back in May.

However, his latest Instagram post would suggest that won’t be the case given he has wished the club well in their quest for ‘ten-in-a-row’.

He had formed a partnership in defence with Dedryck Boyata and the duo’s departure has prompted the club to make a big move for Christopher Jullien since the end of last season.

Benkovic was a popular figure with supporters, as demonstrated by the reaction to his latest message, with many fans taking to social media to lament the fact he won’t be playing in Celtic colours next term…

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Jack Colback is returning to Newcastle United this summer as his loan spell at Nottingham Forest has come to a close.

The former Sunderland man’s spell on Tyneside has been a major disappointment, racking up just five goals in over 100 appearances for the Magpies.

Colback was frozen out by Rafael Benitez at the end of the 2016/17 campaign, and he eventually spent 18 months on loan with Nottingham Forest.

Having now returned to St. James’ Park after Forest opted not to sign him permanently, he has finally spoken up about that gloomy period of his career and the alleged “spat” with his former manager.

“That was what was surprising. I got on fine with Rafa when he was here and played games with him. It was just out of the blue, which was the only strange thing I felt,” he said, as reported by The Chronicle.

“Again, that’s football. I’m big enough to take it on the chin. There are a lot better players than me left out of squads. I went to Forest and really enjoyed my time there. Now maybe I’ve got half a chance back here, so we’ll see what happens.”

Unsurprisingly, the fans didn’t really appreciate his words as they simply don’t think he is good enough to play for the club.

And they certainly don’t want to see him make a shock return to the first-team, with one fan rightly pointing out he only got notable playing time under managers like Steve McClaren, not Benitez.

Colback’s comments that it was “out of the blue” and “unexpected” seem to have riled fans, and you can see some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Derby County writer Tom Thorogood has praised Rangers’ bargain buy Glen Kamara after his display in the recent friendly between the two sides.

What’s he said?

Thorogood has had his say on the once-Derby target after the Finland international was part of Steven Gerrard’s side’s 1-0 win over the English Championship team.

The midfielder had been a target for Frank Lampard’s side last December, according to The Daily Mail, but the Gers pipped them to his signature.

Having originally been brought in on a pre-contract, Gerrard moved quickly to get him to the club immediately and paid £50,000, per The Courier, to accelerate his departure from Dundee in January. Thorogood thinks that was a bargain for the former Arsenal youngster.

The Derby County News writer stated: “Rangers 1-0 Derby: Best player on the pitch today was Glen Kamara. Derby passed up the chance to sign him for a mere £50k last January. He must now be worth 100x that at least. Cracking midfielder and in an area Derby are short on quality.”

What a bargain

Kamara proved an instant hit at Ibrox with some dominant displays, leading fans to gush over his Old Firm performance in May. The 23-year-old nailed down a starting berth at the club last season after arriving for the nominal fee.

The midfielder was a staple of the team as he played 17 times for Gerrard’s men in the second half of the season. Arriving for such a small fee and from a struggling Dundee side, who were ultimately relegated after losing Kamara, expectations were probably relatively low on arrival, but he proved any doubters wrong very quickly.

The value for money the club has already got from the deal is impressive as he helped them secure second spot in the Premiership and a European qualifying spot, all for just £50k.

Yet, with Thorogood’s statement that he’s now worth 100 times what the Light Blues paid for him, it could be en even more lucrative deal than first imagined.

Going by the journalist’s calculation, Rangers could have a £5m player on their hands, and as much as fans would of course hate to see the gifted midfielder leave, if he ever does depart Ibrox they can rest assured knowing the club will make a hefty profit.

Thorogood’s review must be music to the ears of Gerrard and director of football Mark Allen.

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Lots of Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was revealed that Harry Wilson is undergoing a medical with Bournemouth ahead of a season-long loan deal, and they are not happy.

The Wales international has been of interest to a number of clubs this summer, including Aston Villa and Newcastle, but it looks as if the Cherries have won the race for the 22-year-old after his excellent season last term.

Wilson netted 16 goals and four assists in the Championship whilst on loan with Derby last season and almost helped them to promotion, only to lose to Villa in the playoff final at Wembley.

The deal to take the Reds academy graduate to Eddie Howe’s side is believed to be a simple season-long loan deal with no obligation or option to buy the forward permanently.

Liverpool themselves haven’t made a significant signing this summer. The Champions League winners have signed Adrian to be Alisson’s deputy, whilst teenage duo Harvey Elliott and Sepp van den Berg have also arrived.

It is perhaps for that reason, and the lack of depth behind Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, that the fans below aren’t too happy with Wilson’s exit.

Let’s see how the supporters on Twitter reacted to the news…

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If there’s one word to describe Patrick Bamford then it is infuriating. Or something in that ballpark.

The striker signed from Middlesbrough last term but endured a rather indifferent first season in Yorkshire.

2018/19 was a difficult one for him. He missed 22 matches through injury, scored ten times and was also banned for deceiving the officials.

As if missing games through injury wasn’t bad enough, that final line summed it all up.

An incident involving Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi saw the 25-year-old chuck himself to the floor without being touched.

His reputation was tarnished and that wasn’t helped by diving in the playoffs either.

For a player who grew up in Chelsea’s youth academy, his story has been one of stagnation and what-ifs.

He started this season with a goal against Bristol City but the performance he put in against Nottingham Forest last weekend told a sorry story.

Bamford had six opportunities, hitting the bar once as three of his efforts were completely off target. In a game that Leeds drew, this proved telling.

The striker is very much a figure with a tendency to divide opinion, something Noel Whelan was all too quick to add to after that draw.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “It’s crucial moments in times where in front of goal it’s a lack of concentration, the timing of the volley in the second half. Six, seven yards out, you’ve got to be hitting the back of the net, you’ve just got to.

“Patrick will tell you yourself it’s a chance you’d put away in training but you’re not in training. He’s now costing us points.”

That Whelan believes Bamford is costing Leeds points is a damning indictment. Had he put even one of those six shots away then it’s likely Marcelo Bielsa’s men will have left Elland Road with all three points.

Leeds are still unbeaten but following the departure of Kemar Roofe, something has to change. That starts with Bamford.

On deadline day, the Whites brought in the talented Eddie Nketiah for a temporary stay, a young forward who initially looked as though he’d be in Unai Emery’s Arsenal plans for the upcoming season.

The 20-year-old scored on his debut against Salford and if he continues in the same manner he could prove extremely beneficial.

He can be the one to take the pressure away from Bamford but a relationship on the pitch could also be hugely important.

Because of injuries, Bamford and Roofe weren’t afforded much game time together throughout the first half of last term.

That didn’t seem to matter as the Whites were in such good form but the absence of a clinical goal scorer could prove detrimental as the season unfolds.

In pre-season, Bielsa attempted to play the pair together and that’s something that could be replicated with Nketiah and Bamford.

After all, the former is particularly good at linking the play, producing moments of quality in the channels for Arsenal during his senior and youth days.

He earned plaudits for that part of his game from Football London after scoring against Fiorentina in pre-season, whilst he’s earned 11 assists in his short career so far.

It’s that final aspect in particular that could serve as good news for the ex-Chelsea man.

Tyler Roberts was originally brought to Leeds as a forward but has since been preferred by Bielsa as an attacking midfielder. Bamford has played as a second striker in his career whilst also enjoyed game time in wider roles for Boro.

To accommodate the pair of them, those are two positions Bielsa could choose for the striker.

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If Leeds can get someone like Nketiah closer to their current first-choice it could prove incredibly valuable.

Although there may be sentiments that he is better off being left out entirely, Bamford is someone who can still play a key role, regardless of where their new loan recruit’s future lies.

He scored nine times despite limited game time in his first year under Bielsa in the Championship. An improvement is needed but Nketiah could be the person to drive that out of him.

Only time will tell whether they can play together, but there are indications given Bamford’s versatility and the Arsenal man’s creativity that they can do so.

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