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The Celtic and Rangers stars hoping to make an impact at Euro 2020
With the postponed European Championships just around the corner, we look at the Celtic and Rangers players participating in the tournament. Most of the Glasgow contingent will represent Scotland at Euro 2020, but several Rangers stars will play for other countries. Here is the list of all Ibrox and Celtic Park stars that will take part in Euro 2020. Rangers Borna Barisic – Croatia The 28-year-old has been a permanent fixture in Steven Gerrard’s team this season, making 50 appearances in all competitions. Barisic is Croatia’s first-choice left-back and will play a prominent role in the upcoming tournament. After finishing runners-up to France at the 2018 World Cup, the Blazers are not among the favourites. A competitive group that pits them against England, the Czech Republic and Sco...
Euro 2020 Group F Preview: Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe look to steal the show
The phrase ‘Group of Death’ gets used a lot, but it has never been more appropriate than this instance. Group F at Euro 2020 is without a doubt the one to look out for, with no fewer than three major contenders competing up against each other. 2014 World Cup winners – Germany. Euro 2016 winners – Portugal. 2018 World Cup winners – France. All three of these were drawn in the same group, along with Hungary. It’s a group stuffed full of world-class talent and one that we can’t wait to watch. Here is one player from each Group F side to keep an eye on this summer. France – Kylian Mbappe Mbappe could be one of the stars of the tournament Three years ago, Kylian Mbappe lit up the World Cup with several exceptional performances, including a goal in the final. The youngster could be back for more...
Report: Manchester stars lead La Liga rivals in player transfer values
The latest CIES Football Observatory report has been released, revealing the highest estimated transfer values of players in Europe’s top five leagues. The list is dominated by English players, with three Englishmen topping the charts and another four inside the top 20. The Premier League is also very heavily represented, with 12 players inside the top 20 and 43 in the top 100. There are 21 from La Liga, 15 from the Bundesliga, 14 from Serie A, and seven from Ligue 1. Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe ranks 12th, much lower than many would expect. The Frenchman has been given a value of €118.3 million. This will be largely because he has a year left on his current contract, but he could probably command a higher fee this summer. Harry Kane is another who is lower down than expected, w...
Southampton reveal transfer stance on James Ward-Prowse amid Aston Villa interest – report
Southampton have made their stance clear on club captain James Ward-Prowse amid interest from Aston Villa, The Mail reports. The Villans are eager to complete their transfer business early, and they are on the verge of landing Norwich City playmaker Emiliano Buendia on a club-record deal. It was recently claimed that they could follow the purchase of Buendia with a surprise move for England international Ward-Prowse. However, the Saints have made it clear that their graduate is not for sale at any price during this summer’s transfer window. Sportslens view: The Saints sanctioned the sale of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to Tottenham Hotspur last year, and they failed to find a suitable replacement. They didn’t have much choice as the Dane’s contract was due to expire in 12 months. The same is not ...
SL View: Spurs will strike gold if they can land £40m Everton target this summer
Could this be the year? It has to be this year. Has there been any transfer window in recent memory where Wilfried Zaha didn’t want to leave Crystal Palace? How many times in the last few years have we seen clubs queuing up for Zaha, only to walk back after knowing his price tag? Zaha is the talisman figure for the Eagles, but maybe he has outgrown himself. He needs a fresh challenge, and Palace need a fresh direction as well. Two summers ago, he was valued at around £100m, but now he could be available at a reasonable £40m. According to reports from The Times, Zaha has told Crystal Palace he wants to leave. He wants to quit Selhurst Park in the summer and preferably wants a move away before the Eagles return for pre-season training next month. According to a recent re...
Report: Newcastle want £27m player on loan as deal for Celtic star now unlikely
Newcastle United are interested in signing William Saliba on loan this summer. The Magpies are looking to bolster their defence in the summer transfer window, and they have been heavily linked with a move for Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer. However, any potential deal for the Norwegian now looks ‘unlikely’. Instead, newly promoted Premier League club, Norwich City, are now leading the chase for Ajer. As a result, the Magpies have now turned their attention towards signing Saliba on loan, according to reports from The Daily Mail. The exciting young defender joined Arsenal in 2019 for a fee of £27m but he is yet to play a competitive game for the Gunners. The 20-year-old spent the last season on loan in France with Nice, where he heavily impressed. The loan deal was a succes...
Gareth Southgate reveals Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement in England Euro 2020 squad
Ben White has been called up to England’s final squad for Euro 2020. The Brighton and Hove Albion man was included in Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad back in May, earning his first ever call up. However, he was one of seven players to be cut from the squad. White in action against Romania In England’s warm up fixture against Austria, Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up a hamstring injury, and it was later confirmed that he would be sidelined for four to six weeks, keeping him out of the tournament. This left one space in the squad, which has since been given to Ben White. White is primarily a centre-back, although he has been praised for his versatility. He is able to cover at right-back and central midfield if necessary. White’s selection could be an indicator of the fitness of H...
Report: Barcelona set to lose out on ‘done deal’ with Liverpool midfielder
Georginio Wijnaldum has decided to join Paris-Saint Germain in a deal that will run until 2024, according to reliable transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Wijnaldum looked certain to join Barcelona as a free agent at the end of May, with Romano previously describing it as a ‘done deal’, He ran down his contract with Liverpool at the end of last season and was even set to undergo medicals at Camp Nou. However, Romano has reported that French heavyweights PSG have hijacked the deal and will double the salary Barca were prepared to offer. Barcelona are looking to rebuild following several years of underachievement both domestically and in Europe. It will be a big blow to their short-term ambitions if they fail to sign the 30-year-old. Due to the Spanish club’s financial situation, they have been ...
Germany vs Portugal: Euro U-21 Final Preview, Players to Watch & Predicted Line-ups
Stadion Stozice is the venue as Germany and Portugal go head-to-head in the European Under-21 Championship final on Sunday night. While Germany enjoyed two triumphant Euro U-21 Championship campaigns in the 21st century, Portugal are on the lookout for their first-ever title. After succumbing to a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the previous tournament edition back in 2019, Die Mannschaft are looking to become the first team to win the competition three times this millennium. Germany U-21 Preview Germany reached the knock-outs as Group A runners-up to the Netherlands because of a worse goal difference. Following a 3-0 thumping of Hungary in their group-stage curtain-raiser, Die Mannschaft have lost some momentum, drawing back-to-back matches with the Netherlands and Romania. However, Stefan K...
Euro 2020: Manchester City and Bayern Munich forwards could decide fate of Group E
We’re now less than a week away from the first whistle of Euro 2020, and the excitement is getting difficult to contain. Group E is one of the more open groups in the tournament. Spain will be the favourites but come into the competition following three early exits in a row. Hoping to cause an upset are Poland, Sweden, and Slovakia, who have some secret weapons of their own. Here is one player from each of those nations who could make an impact this summer. Poland – Robert Lewandowski Lewandowski enters the tournament in the form of his life It’s no secret who Poland’s main man is. Robert Lewandowski is one of the most prolific forwards of the modern era and has elevated himself to new heights in the last two seasons, scoring 103 goals in 87 appearances. The 32-year-old is one of the front...
Arsenal working on a deal for 24-year-old Manchester United target, ready to pay €40m – report
Arsenal have begun working on a summer deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, The Times reports. The Gunners are planning to reshuffle their midfield options with Dani Ceballos having returned to Real Madrid, while there are doubts surrounding Granit Xhaka’s future. They have regularly been linked with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma in recent weeks, and it is reported that the midfielder remains on their radar. However, they are also planning an approach for Neves, who is one of the high-profile players likely to be sold by Wolves to recoup funds for new signings. The Portugal international has three years left on his contract, but the Gunners are hopeful of landing his signature for a fee of around €40 million this summer. Sportslens view: Neves has been...
Report: After agreeing £30m deal, Villa turn attention towards signing 26 y/o int’l
Aston Villa are making some smart moves this summer. Villa pulled off a huge coup this week after agreeing a club-record £30 million-plus deal to sign Emiliano Buendía from Norwich City. Dean Smith is keen to secure his targets quickly as Villa prepare for another season in the Premier League. If Buendia’s move to Villa Park isn’t already enough to shake the fan base, the latest transfer update from The Guardian will undoubtedly keep the fans excited. Paul Doyle writes that Villa are set to make a move for Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse in the next few days. It clearly shows that Ward-Prowse is not someone who Villa are just looking at but are planning to sign him with a concrete offer. The report claims that Villa are keen to bolster their midfield and have ...
