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Coventry City player Matt Godden has said that he and his teammates would ‘love’ to see Callum O’Hare return to the club this summer.

The Aston Villa academy graduate saw his contract come to an end at Villa Park in June, leading to much speculation that he would return to Coventry, having spent the 2019/2020 season on loan with Mark Robins’ side.

O’Hare performed well during his time with the Sky Blues, scoring four goals and providing seven assists in the process.

The youngster’s form played a big part in the club’s automatic promotion to the Championship via League One and his former teammate and Coventry striker Godden has now called on him to return.

Speaking to CoventryLIVE, Godden revealed his thoughts on a potential return for O’Hare.

“Every single person at the club would love him back.

“He knows what all the boys think of him and obviously it’s a massive decision for him in his career so I don’t blame him for taking his time.

“But the fans, players especially and the staff as well all love him. He’s a top lad. He’s a quiet one but he’s no trouble and he’s one hell of a player as well.”

During his time at Villa, O’Hare made just nine appearances for the first team, appearing 61 times at under-23 level.

Callum O’Hare’s role at Coventry over the last 12 months has been so important and his return would be a massive boost as they look to take on the challenge of the Championship.

The young midfield talent will, like all at the Sky Blues, be relishing the chance, if he returns, to test his ability in England’s second tier.

Talk of a move has gone fairly quiet in the last few weeks, but you have to feel Coventry are still in pole position.

Do you think O’Hare will return to Coventry? Let us know in the comments section below…

With West Bromwich Albion managing to secure their place in the upcoming 2020/21 Premier League roster, Slaven Bilic will certainly be keen on strengthening his squad as much as possible. And according to the latest reports coming from the Evening Standard, they are currently eyeing Tottenham Hotspur’s young talent, Jack Clarke.

Bilic’s squad is just one of many who would be willing to take the 19-year-old on loan in an attempt to give his team an additional boost ahead of the new campaign in the top-flight. Of course, Clarke is still a Spurs player but has spent a lot of time on various loan deals, first at Leeds United and then at Queens Park Rangers.

However, both stints were quite rocky for the youngster as he could only record ten appearances between those two gigs. Still, the same outlet states the final say goes to Jose Mourinho who is reportedly ready to give Clarke a shot in the Spurs team in the coming season. The main idea for the Special One is to introduce even more competition in the forward line and the 19-year-old would do exactly that, seeing how he’s eager to prove his worth and finally settle at a club.

The London side had a mixed season in 2019/20 so will welcome any kind of reinforcements they can get. Clarke was actually signed by Spurs back when Mauricio Pochettino was still in charge but despite his obvious talent, he hasn’t been able to break out of his shell yet.

Still, 2020/21 could finally be the year we see him fully emerge. Only time will tell, though.

Verdict

If Mourinho truly plans on giving Clarke a proper shot in the squad, then it would be good for the youngster to try and stay in London and fight for his spot. However, at West Brom, he would undoubtedly have a bigger role to play and with their promotion to the Premier League, he would stay at the same high level as well.

So if Bilic is really contemplating a loan deal, maybe this is something Spurs should seriously consider with Clarke’s development being the priority in the whole story.

Glasgow Rangers full-back Borna Barisic has admitted he does not like playing on plastic pitches ahead of the Gers’ clash against Livingston this weekend.

The Ibrox outfit have had a positive start to the season. As is stands, they are top of the Scottish Premiership, having won each of their first three matches, and they have not even conceded a goal. However, Livingston do play on an artificial field, and that does present a different problem for the 54-time Scottish champions.

Speaking ahead of the game, Barisic said:

“Honestly it is different of course on a plastic pitch and I am not a huge fan but we need to adapt as we have three of them to play on.

“I am very happy with a good start to the season for me but even happier because of the team and the clean sheets with nine points.

“I am excited about keeping this run going. It is very difficult to keep a clean sheet for three games so I am very happy because of this.

“We have confidence from the start to the season but also the hard work and 100 per cent focus we had in pre-season, this sets us up well for the remainder of the season.

“I practice free-kicks a lot, almost every day at training I stay behind to practice and I am very happy to score. I try to improve at training every day, I started pre-season in the best shape of my life and worked very hard to help both me personally and the team.”

As Barisic explains, an artificial pitch is not the same as playing on a grass field, but the Gers should have more than enough to be able to deal with the situation. Livingston are currently in 10th place in the table, and are yet to win a single game this term.

If £3.6m-valued Barisic – as per Transfermarkt – continues his form from the St. Johnstone clash – he scored and provided an assist – Steven Gerrard’s side should have no trouble in brushing their latest opponents aside.

Let us know what you think below!

After their title-winning season last time out, Liverpool will be looking at ensuring the Premier League title makes it’s way back to Anfield at the end of next season.

To do so, however, the club will likely have to make some important signings to add some real depth in quality to an already star-studded squad. So far, Jurgen Klopp has signed Greek left-back Kostas Tsimikas from Greek side Olympiacos for £11.7 million (BBC Sport) and will be wanting to carry on how they’ve started.

Liverpool have been linked with countless players already in the first few weeks that the window has been open, something that is expected for a team at the top and with a manager such as Klopp, who tends to attract some of the best players in the game.

Who would be suitable signings for the club though, and which players would make realistic additions to an already incredible squad?

Ismaila Sarr

The Senegalese starlet’s name is certainly one that the Liverpool faithful won’t forget – the 22-year-old scored twice in the Reds’ first defeat of the season back at the end of February and wowed the Anfield crowd with an incredible performance that day.

The club have reportedly made contact with Watford over a move for the player, who tallied up 5 goals and 4 assists last season. It is likely that Sarr would provide backup for both Sadio Mané and Mo Salah, which makes the reported £40 million that Watford have asked for a little bit of a stretch – only time will tell if this is a move Liverpool will make.

Aissa Mandi

The 28-year-old Algerian defender has been plying his trade at Spanish club Real Betis since 2016 – and is on the radar of many clubs this transfer window. Liverpool have been linked with a move for the player over the past two weeks, with the departure of Dejan Lovren to Zenit leaving a gap in the squad for cover at centre-back – it is likely that the Reds will make another defensive signing before the window is up.

Mandi has a moderate season at Betis last campaign, averaging 3 clearances, 1.3 interceptions, and 1.1 tackles per game, as well as 2.1 aerial duels won per game.

Klopp and the club are reportedly close to agreeing a £9 million transfer for Mandi according to beIN SPORTS, as well as agreeing on personal terms with the player.

Ozan Kabak

Turkish defender Ozan Kabak is another player that has been reportedly on Liverpool’s radar this summer – but Schalke 04 have valued him at £40 million, but he could go for less due to the club’s reported financial issues (via DailyMail).

The 20-year-old had a strong campaign last season, averaging 1.4 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 3.6 clearances, and 2.9 aerial duels won – and with Lovren’s departure, it has also been recently reported that Joel Matip has been linked with a move to PSG, meaning the Reds would only have two first-choice centre-backs left.

If this is true, then a move for Kabak would make even more sense for the club.

Ben White

Our third and final centre-back on the list, the 22-year-old has been linked with the club after an impressive season on-loan at Leeds United from parent club Brighton.

White’s current market value is just under a mere £5 million, but Brighton have valued him at £50 million and want no less for the player according to Metro.

Last season, White averaged 1.6 tackles, 2.5 interceptions, 2.7 clearances, and 2.8 aerial duels won.

It is clear that Liverpool need strength in numbers in defense given Lovren’s departure and the aforementioned links with Matip to PSG – and White would bring great talent at a young age to learn from a player such as Virgil van Dijk.

Thiago Alcantara

The speculation between Thiago and Liverpool has been going on for months now after the Spanish midfielder reportedly admitted to wanting a move to the Merseyside club.

Thiago’s numbers for this season prove why he is one of the best midfielders in the world – with a 90.5% pass completion rate, averaging 1.9 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, as well as a 7.47/10 WhoScored match rating. According to sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, both Liverpool, and Thiago are keen to make the transfer happen, but it is the asking price that is causing issues, as Bayern are demanding £27 million for the player’s services, but Liverpool don’t want to spend that when they can sign him for free in just 5 months time.

Either way, a deal should be met as soon as possible, as the addition of Thiago would make Liverpool’s midfield one of the best in the world.

There is a lot of transfer speculation surrounding Arsenal at the moment, and recent news suggests that one player is looking to seal a move away from the club in this transfer window.

Goalkeeper Matt Macey has been speaking to The Telegraph, saying: “For me, it is all about playing regular football again. My focus is to go and find games wherever I can. The club are keen for me to go and play and be successful, wherever that may be and whether that is on a loan or a permanent deal.”

The goalkeeper had his contract extended by a year recently to keep him at the club until 2021, but it seems as if he will not be able to get near the goalkeeping position in the first XI as it stands.

A move away from the club makes perfect sense as the Englishman is now 26, but he has only made two senior appearances for the Gunners; and with Bernd Leno back from injury to challenge Emiliano Martinez for the number one slot, it doesn’t look like Macey will be featuring any time soon.

It is fair that he wants to be playing football, as players don’t train their whole lives to just be sitting on the bench, so if he can secure a loan or even a permanent deal, it would be in his best interests.

Hopefully the move can be secured sooner rather than later because, if it was a permanent deal, it could help the Gunners to add more funds to their transfer budget and strengthen their squad going forward.

Gunners fans, would you be happy for Macey to move on? Comment below with your views!

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle have had a big-money big for Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare turned down.

What’s the word?

Reports back in the January transfer window suggested that the Magpies were interested in the France international, but a deal failed to materialise before the end of the deadline.

Think you’re a big Magpies fan? Can you name these former players by looking at their careers? Go on, give it a go…



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Now, Romano has claimed that Steve Bruce’s side remain keen on Soumare, and lodged a €35m (£32.2m) bid including add-ons to Lille – an offer that was rejected by the Ligue 1 outfit.

It remains to be seen whether Newcastle go back in with a new and improved bid for the 21-year-old in the closing weeks of this transfer window.

The next Paul Pogba

For all the ‘drama’ that may come with Manchester United star Paul Pogba, there’s no questioning that he is still a player with incredible talent.

A World Cup winner with France, the central midfielder has produced some impressive returns for the Red Devils, scoring 32 goals and providing 33 assists in 164 games.

In the 6 foot 2 Soumare, Newcastle could get their own Pogba, with Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill even claiming that a source had told him that the Lille starlet is like the United midfielder, but “without the baggage”.

It’s no surprise that Lille president Gerard Lopez has waxed lyrical about the French side’s prodigy, declaring: “He’s one of the very best at his job.He’s technical, with incredible physical power and wins a great deal of possession. He’s a modern No.6 or 8. We’ll see him in the France team very soon. He’s a clear vision of where he wants to go and he’s working very hard to get there.”

Just like Pogba, Soumare is at his best when he’s driving forward from the heart of the midfield, and was particularly impressive in Lille’s Champions League run last season. He averaged three dribbles per game in the group stages, which actually put him in the top ten amongst all players in the competition.

It may take big-money to bring him in, but Newcastle could land an absolute gem.

Wolves are looking to make Adama Traore an integral part of their plans moving forward as they prepare to offer him a new long-term contract.

As reported by the Daily Mail, the Midlands outfit are in talks with the Spaniard, tying him down to the club. A new deal will come in tow of star striker Raul Jimenez also penning new terms for an extra four years at Molineux.

Importance of keeping Adama Traore

The winger has attracted a lot of attention this year after his rare combination of strength and pace proved to be a very important asset to Wolves’ first team. Barcelona and Juventus were eyeing up a swoop for Traore, along with reigning Premier League champions Liverpool, who are currently in the middle of offloading several attacking players of their own.

The Wanderers quoted a transfer fee of £70million for the 24-year-old as they were unwilling to lose him without having the funds to bring in a replacement. As it stands, Traore is the only recognised right-winger on the Wolves roster, meaning a move away from the club would leave Nuno Espirito Santo scrambling to plug a hole in his team.

The former Middlesbrough man tallied six goals and 12 assists for Wolves last season, scoring a result-defining goal on three separate occasions (via Transfermarkt).

Traore future at Wolves

Traore has showcased his versatility by operating in the Wolves midfield and as a centre-forward, as well as in his natural position on the wing. With the loss of Diogo Jota earlier in this transfer window, building a strong attack will be important for the Wanderers to recreate their strong 2019/20 season and potentially build on their performance of last year.

Nuno’s side were denied a top six finish after Spurs placed ahead of them on goal difference. However, with top four contenders like Manchester United and Tottenham hardly setting the world on fire this seasom, a Champions League spot may even be a goal that the Midlanders have in their sights. Tying down a game changer like Traore will help push the club further up the Premier League table, towards another season of European football.

In other news, Signing £18m-rated teenager would be seriously smart business from Wolves…

Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has claimed that Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips faces a challenge to continue proving his doubters wrong.

Phillips initially broke into the Leeds first team back in 2015 and the talented midfielder has since gone on to become a key member of the Whites’ squad, helping them to promotion to the Premier League this summer and ending the club’s 16-year wait for top-flight football.

A consistent starter under Marcelo Bielsa, Phillips has made 185 appearances in a Whites shirt during his career and his performances at domestic level have seen him gain international recognition, featuring for England twice. He came in for widespread praise following his display in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Wales.

Phillips, who has played alongside Harry Winks in a two-man holding midfield unit thus far for England, normally plays on his own in that role for Leeds.

What did Prutton say about Phillips?

Prutton, who was writing in his column for Yorkshire Evening Post, has now offered his opinion on whether or not the Leeds man could regularly play a lone holding role in England’s midfield. The ex-Whites midfielder wrote:

‘It’s funny that people are looking at a game like that and saying he was good but we could have had more out of him. There were no goals conceded and three scored at the other end which is a pretty good game for England.‘The only way that you will find out if Phillips is good enough to play the holding midfield role for England on his own is by committing to it and taking the plunge.‘But as good as Kalvin is, I think it’s a huge step to say that as he has done it over the course of several seasons in the Championship and for less than double figures games in the Premier League we should say well England should obviously build a team around him. I think it’s a bit early for that.’ How has Kalvin Phillips performed so far this season?

Phillips has thus far started all four of Leeds’ Premier League games and the defensive midfielder has offered one assist so far this term.

Gaining an impressive average WhoScored rating of 7.15 out of 10 in those games, the midfielder’s standout performance came against Fulham in a 4-3 win, when the website rated his performance as 7.71/10.

After gaining England recognition of late, the future seems bright for the 24-year-old, but Prutton is right to plead caution about Phillips making the Three Lions’ holding midfield role his own, as he is still inexperienced at international level.

Do you think Phillips will become a regular England international? Let us know your views in the comments section below…

Having led Leeds United to the Championship title last season, it was inevitable that a lot of people’s eyes were going on to be Marcelo Bielsa.

“Here comes El Loco” was the title that The Guardian ran with in the first week of September, as excitement grew over seeing the man Pep Guardiola hails as his mentor.

But whilst Leeds have had an encouraging start to the new Premier League campaign with seven points from their opening five games, that’s not a patch on what Dean Smith is managing over at Aston Villa.

Having survived relegation back to the Championship by the skin of their teeth last season, Villa have done a complete 360, and currently sit second in the table with four wins from four – even a point against Leeds on Friday night would send them top and above Everton thanks to goal difference.

Despite the fact they’ve confounded everybody’s expectations, Bielsa continues to be the topic of conversation.

Sky Sports ran a lengthy feature ahead of his team’s clash against Manchester City about how he inspired Guardiola, whilst before that, after a 4-3 loss to Liverpool, the headline was “Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds show no compromise in Liverpool thriller”. It’s been all about how the Argentine has shaped the Yorkshire club in his own image.

He’s a magnet for attention with his quirky style of management – since when did sitting on a stool on the touch-line become a thing? – and it’s no surprise that people gravitate towards that.

But on Friday, Smith can strike a blow to that love-in with a tactical masterstroke. In the games Leeds have dropped points in thus far – their defeats to Liverpool and Wolves and the draw to City – they have come undone against teams who have quick forwards who are prepared to run in behind.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick, Raheem Sterling netted for City, and Wolves had the likes of Daniel Podence, Pedro Neto and Adama Traore to call upon as they won last time out.

With Leeds’ high-pressing, by-passing that with a quick ball over the top for wingers and central strikers to chase onto can leave them unstuck, and it’s why Smith may be tempted to throw in someone like Keinan Davis into the attack on Friday.

The 22-year-old is a willing runner and makes constant movements into the channels, and instead of relying on just Ollie Watkins to do that, having another outlet in Davis could leave Bielsa in a muddle.

Smith has the perfect opportunity to get one over on his counterpart, and prove why he’s been the outstanding manager of these first few weeks of the Premier League season.