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Club plan bid for £20m Everton star, Ancelotti feels he is ‘error prone’ – report
Valencia are lining up a summer move for Everton centre-back Yerry Mina, Football Insider reports. The Colombian is currently in his third campaign with the Toffees and has registered 73 appearances across all competitions. 20 of those outings have come in the Premier League this term, but he has largely been injured or on the bench in recent months. Mason Holgate, Ben Godfrey and Michael Keane appear to be ahead of him in the pecking order, and he could be on the move this summer. Valencia are planning an approach for his services. The Toffees are said to value Mina at £20 million, but he could be sold for less. While manager Carlo Ancelotti believes Mina is physically suited for the league, he personally feels the Colombian defender is ‘too erratic and error-prone’. Sportslens view:...
England international reportedly keen on leaving Villa for EPL leaders this summer
According to Football Insider, Jack Grealish would be interested in swapping Aston Villa for Manchester City this summer. The Premier League leaders are preparing a bid to land the Villa skipper when the transfer window opens, and he is open to a move. Grealish wants to play in the Champions League and regularly challenge for silverware, and he knows he may have to leave Villa Park for that to happen. The Midlands outfit slapped a £100 million price tag on the 25-year-old after he signed a new deal last September, but suitors can land him for less than that. However, Villa owners Wes Edens and Naseef Sawiris are not looking to cash in on Grealish, and they are hoping that quality recruitment this summer will convince him to stay. Sportslens View The attacking midfielder is Villa’s most imp...
Moyes a ‘big fan’ of 27-yr-old, eyeing a reunion with him at West Ham next season
Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley is currently on loan at Aston Villa, but the midfielder has had a mixed spell with the West Midlands club. The 27-year-old started the season in red hot form, but he has regressed since then and is now struggling to get regular game time at Villa Park. It is currently unclear whether manager Dean Smith will sign the midfielder permanently at the end of this season. He is unlikely to have a future at Chelsea, especially with the likes of Mason Mount and Kai Havertz ahead of him in the pecking order. According to the Telegraph, West Ham United could be an option for Barkley in a possible loan deal next term. David Moyes is a ‘big fan’ of the former Everton star, and the Hammers may attempt to secure his services this summer. SL View: Working with Moyes could b...
Seven changes for City, forward axed completely, Leeds keep it simple
The 31st round of fixtures in the Premier League features some important matches at both ends of the EPL table. We’ll update this story with reports, results, highlights and the latest Premier League standings throughout the weekend. The action got underway last night, with Wolverhampton Wanderers securing a 1-0 victory at Fulham – Adama Traore bagged the winner in stoppage time. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made seven changes to his starting XI for their home game against Leeds United. Ruben Dias and Kevin de Bruyne are amongst the players who drop down to the bench, while Sergio Aguero misses out completely. The lads to face Leeds! 💪 XI | Ederson, Cancelo, Stones, Ake, Mendy, Fernandinho (C), Zinchenko, Bernardo, Torres, Sterling, Jesus SUBS | Steffen, Walker, Dias, ...
Manchester United want to sign their long-term target, could offer £50m star in exchange
Manchester United plan to offer David de Gea as a makeweight to sign goalkeeper Jan Oblak from Atletico Madrid this summer, 90min reports. De Gea has been the regular goalkeeper for the Red Devils over the past decade, but Dean Henderson has recently been preferred ahead of him between the sticks. The Spaniard currently commands a salary of around £350,000-a-week, and it has been reported that he could be sold to reduce the wage bill this summer. It is now claimed that United have their sights on landing Oblak, with some of United’s hierarchy unsure whether Henderson should retain the number one role next term. Oblak has a £103 million buy-out clause in his Atletico contract, but United aim to offer de Gea (reportedly valued at £50m) in a player-plus-cash deal for the S...
Three key battles that could decide El Clasico – and La Liga
Real Madrid vs Barcelona is always a big game, but this is massive. If either side can take all three points from this El Clasico, they will be in pole position to kick on for the league title. There really is nothing between the two sides at the moment. Both teams come into the game enjoying their best form of the season, with Barca unbeaten in 19 games and Madrid having lost just one of their last 19. With no clear favourite heading into the game, here are some of the key battles that could define the outcome of the biggest game of the Spanish season. Messi vs Casemiro The obvious place to start is La Liga’s top goalscorer. If Madrid are going to get anything from this game, they will need to nullify the threat of one of the greatest players of our generation – Lionel Messi. The Argentin...
Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona interested in signing £210,000-a-week German star – report
Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona are among the contenders to sign Jerome Boateng when his contract with Bayern Munich expires this summer, Sport Bild reports. The German has been a brilliant performer for the Bundesliga giants over the past decade, but it was confirmed earlier this week that his contract won’t be renewed. Boateng, who was previously with Manchester City, has been linked on multiple occasions with a return to the Premier League with Chelsea in particular. Bild journalist Christian Falk has now reported that Spurs and Barcelona are looking at Boateng as a smart addition to their respective squads this summer. Sportslens view: Spurs have had a stop-start campaign in the league, and they have been guilty of conceding late goals which have cost them valuable points. Jose Mourinh...
‘You’re starting at £50m too’: Ex-PL flop issues crazy view on Arsenal player’s future
Charlie Adam. A player that ‘journalist’ Oliver Holt once predicted would be a better signing than Sergio Aguero. That ended well. Adam’s career has been fairly nondescript since then, and it is fair to say that a career in punditry is unlikely to be his forte when he eventually hangs up his boots. His recent comments in the Metro highlight that point to perfection, making Adam the latest inductee into our ‘barely a day goes by in football without someone spouting nonsense’ hall of shame. According to the former Scotland international, Arsenal full-back Kieran Tierney is worth more than £50 million, and Europe’s biggest clubs should be clamouring to sign him this summer. “Would it surprise me if a Real Madrid, a Man City or any of the clubs in the top echelons come in for him in the summer...
‘West Ham are fortunate to have him’ – Hammers star receives glowing praise from Lampard
Erstwhile Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has admitted that he was keen on bringing West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice to the Stamford Bridge last summer. The Blues legend was shown the exit door in January following a run of woeful results, and Thomas Tuchel was brought in to replace him. West Ham and Chelsea are both fiercely competing for one of the Champions League spots, and David Moyes’ side might not have had a chance had Rice been sold to the Blues last summer. Lampard might have been able to keep his job if he had such a player within his ranks, though, and he has showered praises on the England international, sending a message to the Hammers too. “Now you see him in the England squad and quickly you don’t see an England team without Declan in it,” the Chelsea legend said (via G...
Manager who reportedly accepted to become Celtic boss last week eyeing another job
According to Football Insider, former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe had accepted to become Celtic boss last week after reaching a verbal agreement with Dermot Desmond. However, he is now having second thoughts and is in talks with Crystal Palace. Celtic’s largest individual shareholder and Howe held talks in London last week, and everything was in place for him to become Neil Lennon’s permanent successor. However, the 43-year-old is considering remaining in the English top-flight, and Palace are considering him as a potential replacement for Roy Hodgson. Hodgson’s contract expires at the end of the season, and the club are considering appointing a new manager. The Selhurst Park job is apparently more tempting to Howe than Celtic despite the absence of European football. The Scottish Premi...
Gary Neville picks Real Madrid star as his number one target for Manchester United
Gary Neville has picked Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane as his preferred summer target for Manchester United during a Q&A session on Twitter. The Red Devils have had a good season, and they are presently lying second in the league standings with 60 points, nine ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea. They are also the favourites to win the Europa League, which would end their trophy drought that has lasted for nearly four years. Despite the positives, the club are still far off from competing for the league title, with Manchester City cruising at the top with a 14-point lead. The club are likely to strengthen the squad this summer, and there has been much talk that they could pursue a new centre-back to accompany Harry Maguire. In a Q&A session earlier today, SPORTbible asked Neville to...
‘I have to do what is good’: Chelsea star in limbo after manager’s latest comments
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has once again refused to offer Tammy Abraham any reassurances over his future. Despite scoring 12 goals in 30 appearances for the club this season, Abraham doesn’t appear to have impressed the German. Speaking ahead of the Blues’ trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday, Tuchel suggested that the 23-year-old doesn’t suit his preferred playing style. “I’m the coach for Chelsea and I have to do what is good and best for us,” said Tuchel. “Tammy had a bit of a rough time. “He started twice or three times and was twice substituted for tactical reasons at half-time. He could not have the impact he demands from himself and we wish from him.” Injuries have not helped Abraham’s cause, with an ankle problem forcing him onto the sidelines over the past few weeks. “We demand ...
