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Villa reportedly weighing up £35m club-record summer deal for England international
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are weighing up the potential cost of signing Ross Barkley permanently for £35 million this summer. The England international joined Dean Smith’s side on a season-long loan from Chelsea last summer, and he has featured in 14 Premier League games, scoring three goals and weighing in with one assist. Villa would have to break their transfer record if they want to sign the Barkley permanently, but Smith is yet to make up his mind if the 27-year-old is actually worth it. The Villans boss is a fan of the Chelsea midfielder, but the fact that he does not have a recognised position and that the side have a better winning record when he is not on the pitch is giving him a headache. Sportslens View Villa have won six out of the 14 games he has played, and ...
‘No longer for sale’ – Journo claims NUFC takeover talks are on hold, reveals Barnes’ stance
According to The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards, all Newcastle United takeover conversations have been halted by Mike Ashley adviser Justin Barnes, and the club is no longer for sale. To underline how significant this blow is, I’m told this morning all #nufc takeover conversations have been halted by Justin Barnes and the club is, effectively, no longer for sale. Everything paused until relegation matters decided. https://t.co/MdVq1qw8E7 — Luke Edwards (@LukeEdwardsTele) March 2, 2021 Talks have been paused until the club’s Premier League status is decided, and it is definitely not the type of news the Magpies supporters want to hear at the moment. Newcastle are just three points away from the relegation zone after 26 Premier League games, and they have Fulham breathing down their neck. The St J...
West Ham United must move for 21-goal forward this summer
The recent reports linking Tammy Abraham with a move to West Ham United are an exciting development for the club’s fans. The 23-year-old was left out of Chelsea’s squad for their game against Manchester United on Sunday, sparking talk over his future at Stamford Bridge. Abraham has developed well at Chelsea, with his return of 21 goals in 56 Premier League appearances highlighting his progression. However, with Timo Werner and Olivier Giroud in the squad, Abraham faces plenty of competition for game time. The Blues have also been strongly linked with Borussia Dortmund star Erling Braut Haaland, and his potential signing must be a worry for Abraham. Having demonstrated that he can score goals in the Premier League, there would be plenty of clubs willing to sign Abraham this summer. Leiceste...
Massive opportunity: What can Everton expect from their next five games?
After two back-to-back wins, confidence is overflowing in the Everton camp. The victory against Liverpool in the Merseyside derby was followed by a 1-0 win against Southampton yesterday, and Everton are now just two points behind fourth-placed West Ham United with a game in hand. Take a look at the media narratives and you’ll get the vibe around Goodison Park. Garth Crooks, writing for BBC Sport: “If Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin can recapture the spark they had earlier in the season, Liverpool might find themselves finishing behind their arch-rivals. Now wouldn’t that be interesting?” Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports told on MNF that Everton must aim for the top-four, and while they don’t have squad depth like Liverpool or Chelsea, the Carlo Ancelotti-factor can propel them to their tar...
Barcelona vs Sevilla preview: Can Messi lead another improbable comeback?
Barcelona will be looking to turn the tables on Sevilla when the two sides meet at Camp Nou in the return leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie. Goals by Jules Kounde and Ivan Rakitic led Sevilla to a comfortable 2-0 win in the first leg, putting the visitors in the driving seat ahead of the rematch. Although a two-goal cushion favours Sevilla, this tie could go down to the wire, as Barcelona have not lost any of their last 12 competitive matches against this opposition at home (W11, D1). The Copa del Rey is probably the only realistic chance each team have to wrap up silverware this season. Lionel Messi scores and assists as Barcelona beat Sevilla in LaLiga… three days before Copa del Rey semi-final rematchhttps://t.co/FwWilLJPGI — The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) Febru...
‘It looks good’: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirms Man United injury boost for Palace clash
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has provided an injury update on Edinson Cavani ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League clash at Crystal Palace. Cavani sustained a calf injury in mid-February, and he has since missed four games for the Red Devils across all competitions. Ahead of the Eagles game, Solskjaer confirmed that Cavani has returned to training, and he is hopeful that the striker can at least make the bench. He told Manutd.com: “Edi has trained this morning, and hopefully there is no reaction. It looks good.” “Edi has got the desire and hunger and, of course, he wants to join in, even if it’s from the bench. Hopefully, he’ll say tomorrow that there’s been no reaction.” Aside from Cavani, none of the remaining injured players – Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Phil Jones – will ...
Bordeaux v PSG preview: Can PSG keep up the pressure on Lille in title race?
Wednesday night sees perennial Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain take on out-of-sorts Bordeaux in need of all three points to preserve their title hopes. A staggering 24-point gap separates the sides in the Ligue 1 table ahead of the kick-off, and there is currently a massive gulf in quality between the pair. The mid-table hosts are unlikely to secure European football for next season, especially given how they have performed lately. Les Girondins have rarely been able to go toe-to-toe with the reigning French champions over the past decade, and the odds are stacked against them. Meanwhile, sitting two points adrift of league-toppers Lille, PSG cannot afford to drop points at the venue where they last lost in March 2015. The second-placed visitors are odds-on favourites to ruffle Borde...
Paper Talk: New deal ‘unlikely’ for Arsenal star, Clarke tipped for Celtic, United get UEL boost
Our Paper Talk feature takes a look at the latest news and rumours from some of the top media outlets in the business. Keep up-to-speed with what is happening around football right here at Sportslens. Alexandre Lacazette has been tipped to leave Arsenal this summer. According to football.london, Lacazette has already decided his future as manager Mikel Arteta plots a summer clearout. The 29-year-old has scored 11 goals in 30 appearances this season, despite not being a regular in the starting XI. The former Lyon striker was linked with a switch to Atletico Madrid last summer, but the move failed to materialise. With just one year remaining on his current contract, Arsenal appear ready to sanction a transfer at the end of the season. Atletico and Roma have been linked with the forward, alth...
Leeds owner misses out on purchase of Spanish club as Malaysian Prince seals deal
Spanish outlet Marca reported last December that Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani was keen to oversee a takeover of La Liga giants Valencia. The Italian knows the club president Anil Murthy, and The Athletic’s Phil Hay recently claimed that his desire to own such a club has always been real. The Leeds owner would love to invest in another club, but it does not appear that it will be Valencia given the latest developments. According to Spanish outlet A Punt, the Prince of Johor has reached an agreement to buy the club from current owner Peter Lim, and the sale is expected to be processed on Monday. Lim is more than keen to sell his stakes having fallen out of favour with the fans, and while Radrizzani considered the possibility of buying the club, there were doubts over whether the Leed...
‘This is a much bigger test’: Lawrenson gives prediction for Liverpool vs Chelsea game
Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has told the BBC that the Reds will draw against Chelsea at Anfield this week. Jurgen Klopp’s side got back to winning ways in the Premier League after beating Sheffield United 2-0 last weekend. They next play Chelsea at Anfield, a venue where they haven’t won for over two months. The Reds used to be unbeatable at home, but recent events have made this period where opponents want to play them in their own backyard. The Blades are the weakest team in the Premier League this season, but a win is a win and Liverpool will certainly be in good spirits ahead of their clash with Chelsea. However, Lawrenson believes that both sides will play out a 1-1 draw at Anfield on Thursday. The former Irish international said: “Chelsea don’t concede many goals, but they don’t ...
Midfielder set to join London club for free 9 months after West Ham exit
According to The Sun, Colombian midfielder Carlos Sanchez is set to join Watford today as the Championship outfit look to bolster their squad in a bid to boost their promotion chances. Sportslens View The 35-year-old has been a free agent since leaving West Ham United at the end of his contract in June 2020, and it appears that he is on his way back to London. Sanchez struggled to impress during the two seasons he spent with the Hammers, making 18 appearances in all competitions under Manuel Pellegrini and David Moyes. Watford are keen to add his experience to their ranks, and they will be hoping that he can help them return to the top-flight at the end of the campaign. Xisco Munoz’s side are currently third in the Championship table after 33 games, three points off the automatic promotion...
‘Massive’, ‘We keep Pushing’: Everton players react to win vs Southampton
Everton secured back to back wins in the Premier League after beating Southampton 1-0 on Monday night at Goodison Park. Richarlison scored the only goal of the match to earn all three points for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Everton are now two points behind fourth-placed West Ham United, having played a game fewer. The Brazilian rounded Fraser Forster to score inside ten minutes, with Gylfi Sigurdsson providing him with a measured pass. Everton players took to social media to express their reactions after the game: 💙 pic.twitter.com/LO9vSnqpVQ — Richarlison Andrade (@richarlison97) March 2, 2021 Important Win at Goodison We keep Pushing and Believe 💙💪 pic.twitter.com/22PeeSMuMW — Abdoulaye Doucouré (@abdoudoucoure16) March 1, 2021 Plus 3 @richarlison97 Ὂ...
