All posts by z3u9t.icu

Serge Aurier has been at Tottenham Hotspur since Mauricio Pochettino signed him in 2017 from PSG but Paul Stewart, who scored in Spurs’s 1991 FA Cup final victory, spoke exclusively to Football FanCast about how now is the time for the full-back to leave.

In a somewhat surprising move, Pochettino has been linked with a move for Aurier in what would be a surprising reunion with the full-back, considering how his last 12 months were like in Paris.

Spurs have struggled with the right-back position this season as neither Aurier, Matt Doherty or Japhet Tanganga have managed to cement a regular starting spot under either Jose Mourinho or Ryan Mason.

Aurier, who just two months ago was handed a 3/10 rating by Football London journalist Alasdair Gold following his display against Dinamo Zagreb, has worked under three different managers at Tottenham having made 110 appearances but his time could be up this summer, Stewart spoke exclusively to FFC:

“He’s been poor but I did hear that he’s been linked with PSG so I think it would be good business to let him go. Would PSG want him with Pochettino there? I can’t see it, but he does need to leave Tottenham.

“That is why I keep talking about the defence and how that’s where we’ve got to improve before we even think about moving forward.”

Spurs have been linked with Janik Vestergaard at Southampton as they look to improve an outstanding weakness that has been in their team for several seasons.

For years, Tottenham had a solid centre back pairing of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld but since the former departed for Benfica last summer they appear to have struggled all the way across the backline.

Kalvin Phillips will return to Leeds United’s starting XI for Monday night’s trip to Crystal Palace. 

The lowdown

Leeds travel to Selhurst Park for the 20.00 kick-off looking to make it four wins in five matches.

They weren’t in action last weekend, with their game against Chelsea postponed due to the Blues’ FA Cup semi-final commitments.

The Whites are still in need of points to ensure survival after 18th-place Burnley beat Southampton on Thursday night to close the gap to five.

£38,000-per-week midfielder Phillips hasn’t started a Premier League match since the 2-2 draw with Brentford way back at the start of December.

After a four-month spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, he returned for the final 24 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Southampton on 2 April and got another 31 minutes under his belt as Leeds beat Watford 3-0 last time out.

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The latest

Leeds Live writer Beren Cross reported on Saturday morning from Jesse Marsch’s press conference at Thorp Arch that Phillips is ‘confirmed to start’ already.

The verdict

Phillips has demonstrated in his two recent substitute cameos that he’s ready to return.

At Vicarage Road, he won two of the three ground duels he contested after coming on, regaining possession three times, and completed nine out of 12 passes (via SofaScore).

You wonder if Leeds would have been able to avoid relegation trouble entirely had Phillips, England’s 2021 Player of the Year, been fit for the whole campaign.

In even better news for Marsch, two of his forward options are now on the comeback trail. Patrick Bamford is due to be back on the grass next week, while Tyler Roberts is ‘getting close’ to a return.

In other news, Leeds are targeting this Spurs ace.  

Leicester City have potentially been handed a huge blow in their pursuit of Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard with a fellow Premier League club having jumped up the queue for his signature.

According to Football Insider, West Ham United are now in pole position to capture the Frenchman and are confident of signing him during the transfer window.

The Foxes have long been linked with a move for Edouard, with The Telegraph recently revealing that the East-Midlanders are set to battle with Arsenal for his signing ahead of the 2021/22 season with the striker having expressed an intention to leave his current employers.

However, with West Ham now having elbowed their way to the front of the queue for Edouard, it is a big blow for Leicester.

Rated at £13.5m, the former Paris Saint Germain man would have been excellent competition for current Foxes’ forwards Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Whilst the Nigerian has been in hot form in recent months, Vardy has been drastically off-form having scored just once in his last 14 Premier League appearances.

A failed move would also be a huge disappointment particularly for current Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers, who worked with the 23-year-old during his tenure at Celtic Park.

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Bringing him to the club initially on-loan before agreeing a permanent deal a year later, Edouard plundered a huge 27 goals in 68 appearances under the Northern-Irishman, helping the Hoops to two Scottish Premiership titles during Rodgers’ time at Celtic.

In all, Edouard’s record at the club is hugely impressive having netted 81 goals in just 163 appearances.

However, it is now looking like Leicester and Rodgers will not be able to call upon that eye for goal with West Ham now reportedly taken a huge step towards signing Edouard in the summer in what is certainly a huge blow for the Foxes.

AND in more news, remind yourself of a bargain transfer that has gone bad for Leicester…

Liverpool are reportedly willing to sanction Harry Wilson’s permanent exit from Anfield for £10m amid interest from West Brom, according to The Mirror’s David Anderson.

What’s the story?

Wilson’s future at Liverpool remains ‘up in the air’ as we edge closer to the opening day of the Premier League season, with his game-time with Jurgen Klopp’s side likely to be very much restricted.

The Wales international spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan with Cardiff City as they finished eighth in the Championship.

West Brom and Brentford are some of the clubs credited with interest in signing the 24-year-old, with the Baggies looking to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking under the management of Valerien Ismael.

Anderson has now revealed that Liverpool are willing to sell Wilson for a fee of £10m this summer, which could be a tempting proposition for a number of clubs before the summer transfer window slams shut.

Wilson could be the ideal Matheus Pereira replacement

Wilson has been restricted to just two competitive senior appearances for Liverpool, which will be frustrating for the 24-year-old, who has caught the eye with a number of strong performances on loan in recent seasons.

He burst onto the scene whilst with Derby County in 2018/19, where he scored 18 goals and was on hand to provide six assists from his 49 appearances under the watchful eye of Frank Lampard. However, his efforts weren’t quite enough for promotion as they lost to Aston Villa in the play-off final.

Wilson followed that up with a spell at Bournemouth in the Premier League before a move to Cardiff City in the 2020/21 campaign, and he continued to impress in the second tier, chipping in with seven goals and 12 assists in all competitions for Mick McCarthy’s side.

However, it seems as though he’s heading for a permanent exit from Anfield this summer, despite Jurgen Klopp once praising him for his ‘world-class’ shooting ability.

West Brom have already been faced with a considerable amount of interest from other clubs for Matheus Pereira, with the Brazilian’s strong showings in the last couple of seasons evidently not going unnoticed.

If Pereira were to move on, West Brom could seemingly have his replacement already lined up in Wilson, and they’d be making a shrewd investment into a player who has already shown that he can perform to a high standard in the Championship.

With a WhoScored rating of 6.96 from the 2020/21 season, that puts him fifth on the list for Cardiff, and you’d back him to replicate similar performances under the management of Ismael.

If the Baggies strike a deal to land Wilson’s signature this summer, he could instantly fill any potential void left by Pereira moving on amid substantial transfer interest in the Brazilian.

In other news, West Brom face potential ‘big blow’ over this Baggies player.

Leeds Live reporter Beren Cross recently answered a question regarding links to Wolves winger Adama Traore.

The Lowdown: Traore links

The Whites were first linked with Traore back in December 2020 ahead of the January window. As we know, Leeds didn’t add to their ranks during the winter window, finishing 9th in their first season back in the top flight.

Traore has been linked with a move to Elland Road again in recent days, with 90min suggesting Leeds were considering launching a bid.

The 25-year-old still has two years remaining on his Wolves deal, and it doesn’t seem as if the pacey winger will be moving to Yorkshire anytime soon.

The Latest: Cross answers question

Reliable reporter Cross ran a Q&A piece on Thursday morning and was asked about the club’s centre-midfield targets, as well as Noa Lang and Traore.

Cross believes ‘Traore doesn’t seem to fit the current bill’ – an interesting eight-word admission going off latest reports of interest.

The Verdict: Leeds to play the waiting game…

Leeds’ final signing last summer was Raphinha on deadline day in a deal worth £17m after they found out Rennes were willing to sell late on.

Phil Hay reported last week that a wide man addition this summer could come at the end of the window again, so it seems as if fans will have to be patient once again.

A move for Raphinha has proven a brilliant piece of business, and hopefully, Leeds will make a similar move this summer, but Cross feels that won’t be Traore.

In other news: Leeds gem set to leave for good after three-and-a-half years as source shares transfer agreement.

Mateusz Klich endured a difficult afternoon as Leeds United went down 2-0 at Brighton on Saturday afternoon.

Klich started his first game since the 2-0 defeat away to West Ham United in early March.

But his SofaScore rating of 6.4 was the third lowest in the Leeds team – only Ezgjan Alioski, who gave away a penalty, and Luke Ayling scored lower.

Klich lost four of his six ground duels and conceded possession on 11 occasions. He also attempted four crosses, only one of which was accurate.

A Pascal Gross penalty and a late Danny Welbeck effort condemned Leeds to defeat the Amex Stadium.

Where does the Brighton defeat leave Leeds?

The disappointing result against the relegation-threatened Seagulls ends their six-match unbeaten run, but Leeds remain ninth in the table with four games of the season remaining, so it is still an excellent campaign from Marcelo Bielsa’s men.

They could, however, be leapfrogged by Arsenal and Aston Villa and drop back into the bottom half if those teams win their respective games in hand.

Leeds fans react to Klich’s Brighton struggles

“Klich is so bad these days I can’t actually remember what he was ever any good at.”

Credit: @daveberry2709

“We actually have broken Klich haven’t we ?”

Credit: @SirJackWest

“The downfall for klich is unreal, is it confidence or an injury ?”

Credit: @Kye_lufc

“Klich isn’t that guy anymore. Thanks for 2 wonderful seasons pal but Crvena Zvezda is in your future”

Credit: @leedsinfidel

“Klich offers so little in every aspect nowadays”

Credit: @tommylufc1

“Genuinely wouldn’t care if klich left in the summer, offered nothing for months”

Credit: @murderball

In other news, fans also tore into this player’s first-half display.

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a summer ‘assault’ for young Sampdoria midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard, according to Samp News 24.

The lowdown

Damsgaard only signed for Sampdoria last summer, making a £6.08 million move from Nordsjaelland in his native Denmark.

The 20-year-old made 35 Serie A appearances in his debut season, 18 of which were starts.

Predominantly a left midfielder, Damsgaard scored two goals and provided four assists (via WhoScored).

Claudio Ranieri, a title-winning manager with Leicester City and Damsgaard’s former manager at Sampdoria, described him as a ‘prodigy’.

He’s currently representing his country at the European Championships.

The latest

Spurs have apparently been targeting Damsgaard ‘for months’, and the arrival of Fabio Paratici as managing director of football will add fresh impetus to their pursuit.

Sampdoria don’t want to sell their starlet, but the report says an offer of €20million (£17.2million) could be enough to tempt them.

Spurs aren’t the only team tracking him, with Serie A giants Inter and Juventus also said to be interested.

The verdict

Damsgaard looks to be one of the most exciting young attacking talents in Europe, and Spurs could regret it if a rival suitor swoops in.

His attacking numbers might not be eye-catching, but his ceiling is clearly very high. Let’s not forget that 17 of his appearances came off the bench – if you look at his numbers per 90 minutes, he managed 2.6 dribbles and 2.1 tackles per showing, providing a great balance of skill going forward and tenaciousness in tracking back.

The proposed fee also looks reasonable, especially when you consider that it’s already tripled in the space of 12 months, suggesting he could be worth much more as he continues to develop.

Spurs could thus secure a player with plenty of potential and make profit in the long-term if he is sold again in the future.

In other news, Alasdair Gold has shed light on Paratici’s plan.  

Many West Bromwich Albion supporters have flocked to Twitter to discuss an issue at the Hawthorns.

The Athletic’s West Brom correspondent, Steve Madeley, produced a story about the current traffic problem which has occurred at the home of the Baggies this season.

In the report, Madeley states how some fans have missed games due to being stuck in traffic or are even turning around and heading home after being delayed.

According to West Midlands Police, traffic management around the stadium is not within their jurisdiction and the club also have no authority over the road network.

It is said that the issue is Junction 1 of the M5, which is close to the ground, with both sets of fans using the roundabout when travelling to games.

West Brom fans flock to Madeley tweet

These West Brom fans have taken to Twitter to react to Madeley’s tweet and have told their own stories and frustrations about the current problem at the ground.

“I am close to giving up after 4 decades of going and it is all to do with the parking and a bit of Sky fixture lottery”

Credit: @shrew69

“Junction 1 island is horrific. Said it before, and ill say it again, nobody will do NOTHING til someone is killed on that island. Easiest football stadium to get to (from a motorway)… The most unorganised, chaotic nightmare of a stadium to get to!”

Credit: @WBAFC_TOM

“It’s not just about the ‘routes’, there needs to be affordable and accessible parking. The club need to step in. I had a ticket for the Derby game but couldn’t face the challenge of getting there after the Millwall game so I didn’t go.”Credit: @blueandwhite78″Never known it as bad as this season, leaving Sutton 2 hours before kick off just to guarantee making kick off now”Credit: @b_smith82″The problem on the motorway island is everyone’s so selfish and just want to get on to the island that they block the exits. So the other cars can’t leave the island and it all just sits there not moving.”Credit: @JonW1995″Takes me 2 hours, I live 10 mile from ground.”Credit: @8en1990In other news, some West Brom fans have expressed their unhappiness with this player. Find out more here.

Leeds Live’s Beren Cross has delivered an update on where things stand with Leeds United and the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have endured a real struggle in their opening few games of the new Premier League season, remaining winless and lying in the bottom three.

With the Whites also facing some considerable injury issues, Cross has now revealed what he thinks Leeds’ plan could be when the transfer window reopens in the winter.

He said: “For what it’s worth, I think the midfield did a lot better on Saturday. Klich and Dallas were something much closer to their best, but I agree they still feel light when injuries and suspensions hit.

“I don’t think Leeds are looking for a bargain in the sense they only want back-ups for less than £2.5m, but I think they should be applauded for seeking out value in the market. Raphinha, Koch and Llorente look incredible value for the prices paid.

“The problem with January business is you’re always fighting an uphill battle to make it work under Bielsa. Assuming you sign the player in mid to late January. They need six weeks with the under-23s before they’re ready physically and tactically for Bielsa. You’re looking at the final six weeks of a season for the player to have an impact.

“If there was some form of injury crisis, then I am sure the club would act, but it seems highly unlikely if the squad is largely available to Bielsa through the second half of the season.”

Leeds need new signings

Make no mistake about it, Leeds could really do with some reinforcements in some key areas to better deal with the problems that have already begun to surface just six games into the new Premier League campaign.

Centre-back went from an area of strength to one that has seen teenage talent Charlie Cresswell having to step in in the last couple of weeks, something Bielsa would surely have been keen to avoid.

Midfield continues to be one of the biggest concerns of the lot, with Adam Forshaw’s recent injury setback delivering yet another painful reminder of how and why they didn’t get a deal done for a new player in that part of the pitch – the likes of Lewis O’Brien and Nahitan Nandez were linked of course for long periods of time.

And up front, the machine that is Patrick Bamford finally broke down at the weekend, missing a rare Premier League match through injury, and the workload that is placed on his shoulders is surely too much to ask for yet another campaign in the top-flight.

It’s exactly why Cross’ claim that Leeds are “highly unlikely” to make new signings unless there’s an injury crisis is sure to leave Bielsa fuming. They needed new players in particular in midfield and up front even without any injuries, and yet it appears the club aren’t ready to back their manager just yet.

Meanwhile, Leeds could find their next Pablo Hernandez in this star…

Kevin Phillips reckons that Jack Grealish will start England’s crunch Euro 2020 round of 16 fixture against Germany on Tuesday evening.

The Lowdown: Grealish was the difference maker v Czech Republic

Evolving into a key player for club and country, the 25-year-old Aston Villa captain currently has the world at his feet.

Following calls from fans up and down the country for him to start at the European Championship after being left out of the first two line-ups, he finally got the call against the Czech Republic last week, recording an assist in a 1-0 victory for the Three Lions [BBC].

As one of the biggest fixtures for England in recent times approaches, could Grealish get the nod in the English attack against their German rivals after his recent form?

The Latest: Phillips drops complimentary verdict on Grealish

Sky Sports pundit Phillips was very complimentary in his assessment as to whether Grealish should start the Wembley encounter.

In a recent interview with Football Insider, he stated: “Grealish has to start. Every pundit, journalist and supporter wants Grealish to start tomorrow night and I think he will.

“He offers too much to the side in terms of creativity, winning fouls and ball retention to be dropped.

“The way he linked up with Saka the other night was wonderful to watch. Something always happens when Grealish is playing.

“Is the video of the four of them doing a shooting drill an indication that they are going to start? From my experience, you cannot read too much into it.

“Southgate is not daft. He will not be giving anything away before the match. I expect Grealish to play though. 100 per cent.”

The Verdict: Phillips makes a valid point

Phillips correctly points out the multitude of qualities that the boyhood Villa fan brings to the table, whether it be for the Villains or his country.

Never shy to take on a man, there is a reason he has been the most-fouled player in the Premier League over the last 12 months [GIVEMESPORT]. He dazzled domestically in 2020/21, chipping in with 19 goal contributions in 27 outings for Aston Villa, with seven goals and 12 assists to his name [Transfermarkt].

Whether it’s for Villa or England, Grealish provides a special skillset which enriches not only his team’s prospects but also inspires the players around him.

If England have much designs on beating Germany in London, Southgate could do a lot worse than to start the Villa playmaker.

In other news, these Aston Villa fans react to one man’s potential Villa Park return.