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New Champions League format set to be agreed “within weeks”
European Clubs Association Chairman Andrea Agnelli has claimed that a shake-up to the Champions League format is close to being agreed. Agnelli, who is also Chairman of Italian giants Juventus, has proposed several reforms to UEFA, including a new “Swiss system” format to European football’s biggest competition. This may involve expanding the tournament to 36 teams instead of 32. Agnelli has been at the heart of Champions League restructure negotiations As quoted by the Guardian, Agnelli said: “I think we’re very close to my ideal Champions League – I think the Swiss system is beautiful. “I think it will provide great opportunities for those teams participating in that competition. It will provide the knockouts that are the essence of any competition. “It’s very, very close to an ideal Cha...
‘One of the best’: Bielsa drools over ‘very good’ Leeds player vs West Ham
Marcelo Bielsa showered heaps of praise on midfielder Kalvin Phillips in his post-match press conference after Leeds United lost 2-0 against West Ham United. Jesse Lingard and Craig Dawson scored for the Hammers as they moved up to fifth in the Premier League table. Leeds played in their usual relentless style, and Bielsa was left disappointed that they failed to score despite dominating the match for a long period. The Whites looked fresh after getting a nine-day break since their 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa and welcomed back Phillips from injury. Bielsa said after the match that the England midfielder added balance to the side and was one of the best players on the pitch. Bielsa, as quoted by Leeds Live, said: “Very good. It’s very difficult to play the way Kalvin played today after h...
‘Waste of money’ – Some West Ham fans react to the update on 33-yr-old’s future
West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble has agreed on a short-term contract extension with the London club. As per the Athletic, the 33-year-old was due to be a free agent at the end of this season but he has now extended his stay for another year. Despite not being a regular starter for the Hammers anymore Noble remains a key figure in the West Ham dressing room. The 33-year-old is also involved in coaching some academy sessions and he is integral to mentoring some of the young players at the club like Ben Johnson. Noble is undoubtedly a West Ham legend and it will be interesting to see if he can play European football with the Hammers next season. It would be a proper send-off for the fan favourite who has been at the club since 2000 as a youth player. The Hammers are currently fifth in th...
Pundit reckons West Ham could move for 20-goal star who is expected to join PL rivals
Leicester City are thought to be closing in on a £15 million signing of Odsonne Edouard from Celtic at the end of this season. The Frenchman has made quite an impression in the Scottish Premiership over the last few seasons, and he is expected to move this summer. Apparently, the player is keen on a reunion with Brendan Rodgers. The two worked together during their time at Celtic. Edouard has 20 goals this season, and he could prove to be a quality long-term replacement for Jamie Vardy at the King Power stadium. According to pundit Kevin Phillips, West Ham could move to sign the French striker if he is available for a fee of around £15m in the summer. He said to Football Insider: “I think a lot of clubs will be interested at £15million because if it works, great and if it doesn’t you ...
Celtic make their move for attacking target amid interest from Premier League club
Celtic are interested in signing Wigan Athletic striker Kyle Joseph at the end of the season. The 19-year-old will be a free agent in the summer, and the Hoops are not the only club looking to sign him. According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers are also monitoring Joseph. To fend off the interest from the other clubs, Celtic have offered the striker a pre-contract, and they will hope to finalise an agreement soon. The Scottish giants have offered him a long-term deal and will have to pay around £300,000 to Wigan before the transfer can go through. SL View: Celtic would be the ideal move for Joseph The Hoops could definitely use some depth in the attacking department, and Joseph would be a solid long-term investment for them. If Celtic manage to hold onto Odsonne Edouard ...
‘I can’t think of a better replacement’ – Pundit urges Klopp to sign 26-yr-old as a replacement for key star
Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum has been linked with a move away from the club at the end of this season. The 30-year-old will be a free agent in the summer and he is yet to sign an extension with the Merseyside outfit. The player has been linked with the likes of Inter Milan and Barcelona in recent months and it will be interesting to see where he ends up. Wijnaldum has been an excellent servant for the Reds since his move from Newcastle United and the Reds must look to replace him adequately this summer. According to BBC pundit Garth Crooks, Liverpool should sign the Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse as a replacement for the Dutchman. “I am convinced Southampton would be in serious trouble were it not for James Ward-Prowse,” said Crooks (via Teamtalk). “We know he can take a f...
Chris Sutton and Gary Lineker share their reactions to Rangers’ title win
Rangers secured the Scottish Premiership title last night after Celtic’s goalless draw against Dundee United. The Ibrox outfit are now 20 points clear at the top of the table with six games left to play. Steven Gerrard’s side have been remarkable this season and deserve to win the title comfortably. Rangers are unbeaten in their 32 league games, conceding just nine goals. Apart from the Scottish Premiership, Rangers have also done well in the Europa League, and Gerrard will believe he can lead his side to European glory this year. Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton reacted to Rangers’ title win on Twitter. Well done to Steven Gerrard and Rangers on a brilliant season and one in a row👏👏 — Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) March 7, 2021 Meanwhile, former Premier League star Gary...
Three Things: Shaw deserves call-up, brainless Arsenal, Tottenham star shines
Another week has flown by and it is Monday again, which means it’s time to roll out our latest ‘Three Things’ column. The latest round of matches in the Premier League provided a vast array of talking points, so let’s dive straight in. Shaw for England? Luke Shaw was undoubtedly one of the standout performers as Manchester United ended Manchester City’s long unbeaten run at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Shaw rarely looked troubled defensively throughout the game and crowned an excellent display with United’s second goal in a 2-0 victory. The 25-year-old has won just eight caps for England, but his performances this season deserve rewarding with another international call-up. Let’s hope Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate agrees. Brainless Arsenal mess up Arsenal missed a golden opportunit...
‘I would be delighted’ – Former Celtic star keen on the idea of 43-yr-old managing the Hoops
Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has revealed that he would be delighted if Eddie Howe is appointed as the next Celtic manager. The 43-year-old is currently a free agent and has been linked to Celtic in recent weeks. The Scottish giants parted company with Neil Lennon earlier in the season after a series of poor results, and assistant manager John Kennedy has taken over as the interim boss. Howe did a remarkable job with Bournemouth, helping them secure promotion to the Premier League a few years ago. The Cherries played some exciting football in the English top-flight, and he could bring the same style of football to Parkhead next season. Celtic are in desperate need of a rebuild and a clear identity. Howe has already done a similar job at Bournemouth, and he could be the ideal man t...
Everton interested in signing 25-yr-old, player has worked with Carlo Ancelotti before
Everton and Manchester City have been linked with a move for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot. According to the Sun, the 25-year-old is a top target for City, but it is unlikely that the Frenchman will leave the Italian champions this summer. The Toffees have also been linked with Rabiot for a while now, and Carlo Ancelotti worked with him during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain. It remains to be seen whether the Premier League clubs can bring the Frenchman back to England at the end of this season. Rabiot was a youth player for City back in 2008, but he left without making an appearance for the Premier League club. The midfielder has done reasonably well since his move to Juventus and could prove to be a quality addition to Everton’s midfield. SL View: Much needed depth for the...
Predicted West Ham XI v Leeds: Moyes to make two changes, 24-yr-old set to start
West Ham United host Leeds United in the Premier League later today, and the Hammers will be looking to bounce back from their defeat against Manchester City with a win at home. Leeds head into this game on the back of four defeats in their last six league outings and will be determined to produce a strong performance here. The Whites have an impressive away record against the Hammers and are undefeated in their last six away matches in all competitions. West Ham have been quite impressive this season and are currently 7th in the league table. They are the favourites heading into the game, but Leeds can beat any side on their day, and the Hammers will have to be careful. Marcelo Bielsa’s side have been quite vulnerable at the back, conceding 44 goals in 26 league matches. The Hammers ...
Pundit says Chelsea target could leave if club fails to qualify for Champions League
European football expert Lars Sivertsen believes that Erling Braut Haaland will push for a summer move if Borussia Dortmund fail to qualify for the Champions League. Dortmund’s 4-2 defeat against Bayern Munich on Saturday left them sixth in the Bundesliga, four points behind fourth place with 10 games remaining. The 20-year-old has been linked with all of Europe’s top clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City. Sivertsen suggested it could be difficult for Dortmund to keep hold of Haaland if they don’t force their way back into the top four in Germany. “I think the plan was very much for him to stay at Dortmund for one more year but, of course, everyone in Norway wants to know what will change if they don’t make the Champions League,” Sivertsen told talkSPORT. “He...
