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With Dele Alli out of favour at Spurs, now is the perfect time for Jose Mourinho to reinvent his midfield. The club are still yet to replace clinical creator Christian Eriksen after he left for Inter Milan at the start of the year.

The Dane enjoyed seven years in north London and produced some stunning performances for the Lilywhites. His first season after joining from Ajax saw him bag 12 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, a tally he would go on to smash with a 23-assist campaign in 2016/17 (via Transfermarkt).

A player Spurs would do well to poach is previously-linked target Jack Grealish. The Englishman’s performances for Aston Villa have attracted a lot of attention from top clubs and he currently has an £80million price tag to warrant his exceptional influence. Ex-Lilywhite Paul Robinson recently admitted that he would love his former club to snap up the rising talent as he tips him to soon leave Aston Villa in search of silverware (via Football Insider).

Should Spurs sign Jack Grealish?

Despite playing primarily on the wing, Grealish’s versatility has seen him perform well in the heart of the midfield as well. Not only would he fill a gap in Tottenham’s engine room, but he could be deployed out wide in order to cover injury as well.

The 25-year-old has contributed to ten goals in just seven appearances this season, making up more than half of Villa’s entire goal tally so far. Grealish is already on track to bettering last campaign’s stats, where he finished the term with eight goals and six assists in the Premier League.

He has also shone during the international break, already rapidly establishing himself as a vital part of Gareth Southgate’s team. The Villa captain bagged an assist for England against the Republic of Ireland and was awarded Man of the Match in their Nations League fixture against Iceland. His influential performances have sparked a lot of conversation, with Jamie Redknapp recently branding Grealish as the “real deal”.

It’s to be expected that the Midlands outfit will lose their beloved skipper and goalscorer, hence the mammoth asking price they have put out there. However, Daniel Levy has shown that he isn’t afraid to put his hand in his pocket when required. The signing of Tanguy Ndombele broke the club’s record transfer fee after they forked out a handsome £53million. Whilst Grealish would command a lot more, the longevity of his career and blistering form speaks for itself.

Selling Alli would also put a large wedge of the transfer money in the pot too. The midfielder is currently valued at £46million, but Spurs would be able to charge much higher than this, considering the fact he still has four years left on his current contract.

However they find the money, signing Grealish would be a massive move for Spurs who are looking to assert their dominance in the Premier League. Bringing a natural goalscorer and leader like the Villa icon would be the perfect successor to Eriksen.

In other news, Marlon Harewood highlights this Chelsea ace as ideal Tottenham signing…

Having signed from Wigan back in 2007 for a reported fee of just £6m, Leighton Baines has no doubt etched himself as a club hero at Everton.

The former England international played 420 times for the Toffees in his 13-year spell at the club, before announcing his retirement from football at the end of last season.

How big of an Everton fan are you? Can you spot Mikel Arteta from Graham Stuart? This quiz will test your knowledge, try it if you’re brave enough…

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Now, The Liverpool Echo claim that Baines’ time at Goodison Park may not be completely over. It’s suggested that “Everton are working through the final details on creating a role for Baines after talks with the former club left-back”, and that “Carlo Ancelotti made it clear the club would do all it could to retain Baines’ services in an off-field role”.

And in a letter to supporters, Denise Barrett-Baxendale said: “Marcel and I have been working behind-the-scenes with Leighton over the last few weeks and are excited about how we might be able to continue a relationship with him in future. We’re currently working through some of the final details, which we believe will be great for Leighton and for our football club.”

After hearing about the report, Everton fans took to Twitter to share their reactions.

One Everton fan pointed to Baines being a “total professional” and why the Toffees need to keep him around.

Another Toffees supporter revealed their satisfaction at seeing the club getting their recruitment “right for once”, with the club still yet to make a significant signing in the summer transfer window.

In his time at Goodison Park, Baines was the ultimate professional, and rarely let the side down on or off the pitch.

Giving him a role behind the scenes to make sure an icon like him remains connected to the club in some capacity, seems like a win-win situation for everyone involved.

It’s no surprise that Everton fans are absolutely loving the fact Baines may still be a familiar face at Goodison Park.

Coventry City youngster Jonny Ngandu has completed a loan move to Icelandic side Keflavik, it has been confirmed via the club’s official website.

The Sky Blues have had a busy summer on the transfer market with the arrival of a number of new faces to bolster Mark Robins’ squad.

Coventry are gearing up for a crack at the Championship after promotion from League One, but one player who will not be involved next term is youngster Ngandu.

The 18-year-old made his senior debut against Cheltenham Town in the Carabao Cup in 2018 but that remains his only first team appearance for the Sky Blues.

Ngandu, who was once linked with a move to Manchester United, has now completed a move to Icelandic side Keflavik, who currently sit second in the Icelandic First Division, the second tier of football in the Nordic country, meaning a promotion could be on the cards.

Ngandu is expected to head straight in to the Keflavik starting XI, being given a chance to gain experience of football in another country and some valuable first team exposure.

It seems a strange move for Ngandu to leave the Sky Blues on loan for Keflavik, given that the Icelandic second tier is hardly one that springs to mind for a youngster to gain experience of good, competitive football – the country’s top tier is ranked 46th out of 55 on UEFA’s association club coefficient.

Surely a move to League Two or even the National League would have been more beneficial for the youngster, but nonetheless it is now up to him to impress in Iceland and try to prove his long-term worth at Coventry.

Do you think the loan to Keflavik is a good move for Ngandu? Let us know in the comments section below…

With the league title all sewn up, one would imagine that Liverpool might take their foot off the gas for the remaining few games of the season.

While the Reds weren’t at their brilliant best during the 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday, the desire to win was still as strong as ever.

Unfortunately, that manifested itself in quite a negative way after the final whistle at Anfield as Andy Robertson was caught on camera giving the referee a dressing down, using some rather colourful language while lambasting the official.

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With no crowd in the stadium, it was very easy to hear exactly what the Scot thought of David Coote’s performance on Saturday, and it’s fair to say that he wasn’t full of praise for him.

Robertson was clearly aggrieved that his side didn’t get a penalty in the second half, and he let his emotions get the better of him.

Understandably, the wider footballing world has taken issue with Robertson’s behaviour, with many calling for him to be banned, while others branded him as disrespectful.

The critics certainly have a point.

Football is an emotive sport, especially at the top level, but Liverpool have already won the league, and while this sort of reaction may have been slightly more justified had Coote’s failure to award the Reds a penalty have cost them the title, Roberston’s tirade just came across as immature and over the top on this occasion.

The left-back wasn’t the only man to confront the officials after the game.

The clip also shows Jurgen Klopp having a word with the referee, and while he kept his cool more than Robertson did, some viewers still weren’t happy to see the German talking to the officials, with many pointing towards other managers who’ve received sanctions for similar behaviour.

According to The Athletic, Juventus are looking to bolster their attack ahead of next season, with Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette a top priority.

Andrea Pirlo has recently been appointed the new manager of Juventus, after Maurizio Sarri was sacked following their Champions League exit. It has been reported that the Gunners are looking for ways to reduce their wage bills in order to recruit new players, and Lacazette may be part of this cut.

Juventus have reportedly admitted to being happy in allowing one of three players to join Arsenal as part of a swap deal for the French international striker. The three stars who could be seen as part of this deal are; Gonzalo Higuain, Douglas Costa, and Cristian Romero.

Higuain looks to be the least likely arrival as he is coming to the end of his career and fitness issues have been in doubt over the past few seasons. In addition to this, the Argentine will more than likely be demanding huge wages, near to what they are already paying Lacazette.

Douglas Costa is also unlikely to sign for the Gunners, despite interest from manager Mikel Arteta. Arsenal have many attack options and youngsters who are more likely to start ahead of the Brazilian winger.

This leaves Cristian Romero who has spent the past season on-loan at his former club Genoa, having signed for Juventus last summer for €26m. The Argentinian centre-back looks very promising and would certainly aid the Gunners’ shaky defence.

Verdict

It is not a surprise that Juventus are after Lacazette with his proven track record, though it would not make sense for Arsenal to offload the Frenchman as he is certainly an asset to the club. The Gunners could surely free-up wages from other members of their squad such as Mesut Ozil who is earning £350k-per-week, having played very little last season.

If Arsenal do cave in and offload Lacazette to Juventus, then Romero does look like their best option as part of a swap deal, only if they receive a substantial fee in addition.

Sheffield Wednesday under the stewardship of Garry Monk are proving to be a worthy playoff contender this season.

Last weekend’s 4-0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest saw them extend their unbeaten run to a fifth straight game while moving up into fifth in the Championship standings.

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The Owls also rank as the third-best defence in the division, which can’t be much of a surprise considering the 40-year-old’s playing career as a central defender.

However, his most impressive attribute has been his man-management at the club. He’s granted an opportunity to several players whose future at Hillsborough was certainly wearing thin before his arrival.

Three of which are highlighted below.

Jordan Rhodes

Wednesday’s club-record signing slipped down the pecking order at the club last season, resulting in him being sent out on a season-long loan to Norwich City. He contributed towards their title win by scoring six times in the league.

Though, this was not enough to see caretaker boss Lee Bullen hand him much of an opportunity at the start of this season, being limited to just two substitute appearances.

Jordan Rhodes has now featured in three straight matches, the last of which saw him net a first-half hattrick at the City Ground. He’s surely in line for an increased role under Monk as it moved him to their joint-second top goalscorer for the season.

Cameron Dawson

Another player given a new lease of life is goalkeeper Cameron Dawson. He had been given opportunities here and there in the absence of then first-choice Keiren Westwood, but whenever the veteran returned, the 24-year-old duly dropped back to the bench. But it appears to be different now with him keeping his place at the weekend.

Dawson has kept five clean sheets in ten appearances this campaign, and it appears Monk will continue to trust him between the sticks going forward. His contract is up at the end of the season so he could well be encouraged by this.

This is the first time the shot-stopper has enjoyed a sustained period of time in the starting line up since he was reinstated as third-choice after Jos Luhukay’s sacking – the Dutchman had named him number one at the start of the 2018/19 season.

Best of the decade: Quickfire Quiz on the last 10 years of Premier League football

Morgan Fox

And finally, there’s Morgan Fox who has totally transformed his Owls career. Fans have always hated his performances since he joined in 2017, as seen here against Wolves.

He’s since been named October’s Player of the Month, an award voted for by supporters, and has become Monk’s first-choice at left-back having started 11 straight league games the role.

The Welshman’s contract also expires at the end of the season, although, Monk will face a battle to keep him after reports linking several rival clubs to his signature next month – that only further shows how far he’s come.

And in other Owls news, Monk must steer clear of adding this five-goal ace to his ranks next month…

Name: Mason Greenwood

Club: Manchester United

Date of Birth: 1 October 2001

Position: Centre-forward

Mason Greenwood – his career so far

By now, Mason Greenwood is a well-known quantity at Manchester United and if the early signs are anything to go by at all, soon the whole footballing world should become quite familiar with his name.

The 18-year-old centre-forward is still only getting started with his career and yet, it seems that he’s already destined for greatness, such is the extent of his talent and potential. His first footballing steps, however, were made in Man United’s academy, which he joined at the age of six, training and developing in Halifax.

His progress through the youth ranks was quite swift and by the beginning of the 2017/18 season, Greenwood was already on the doorstep of the Red Devils’ U18 squad. This was quite impressive, especially since he was still a schoolboy registered with the U16s and yet he managed to end the campaign as the Premier League North’s top-scorer.

All of that success was soon followed up with a call-up to the senior team’s pre-season tour and after blistering starts with both the U18s and U19s in the UEFA Youth Cup, he was rewarded with his first professional contract in October that same year.

Of course, there would still be hurdles to jump over before he could be considered a fully-fledged first-team player and as a whole, Greenwood played a total of 34 games for the U18 squad, netting 34 goals and eight assists while his shorter stay with the U23s was marked with eight games, five goals and two assists.

After sitting on the bench for one of the senior games, the now 18-year-old centre-forward would finally get his debut at the Parc des Princes in Man United’s second leg of a knockout Champions League tie with Paris Saint-Germain in March 2019. His first start came in the final game of the Premier League season against Cardiff City at Old Trafford.

But he came a long way since his bow with the first-team, already tallying 40 games under his belt and scoring a total of 12 goals and assisting another four in the process as well.

Needless to say, he is one for the future and the Red Devils are extremely lucky to have him in their ranks.

Transfer latest

It’s pretty safe to say that Greenwood is not going anywhere for the foreseeable future. He is already a far too important piece of the Man United puzzle to be even considering the possibility of leaving Old Trafford.

Not only that but some recent transfer rumours suggest that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is even scrapping the potential signing of Harry Kane because it could harm Greenwood’s development. That is some huge Manchester United news for the fans right there.

On a similar note, the youngster has been so widely praised in the media in recent times that it wouldn’t really surprise to see other top teams and various transfer news start to appear in the conversation as we approach the summer transfer window.

But as things currently stand, Greenwood is staying at Man United and there are really no two ways about it.

Player profile

Earlier in his career, Greenwood was usually deployed as the no.10, slotting right behind the centre-forward and often being the link between the middle and the final thirds of the pitch. But over the years, his game has evolved and the young gem is now more of a striker himself.

What immediately catches the eye is his ability to play with both feet and his exceptional movement across the final third and especially inside the box, where he is adept and creating and exploiting space for both himself and his teammates.

And since he is versatile enough and possesses the pace and good technical abilities, he’s also been known to shift out wide to the right side at Man United. But even so, he often drifts back centrally and pins down the defenders during the offensive phase.

While he can use his speed to beat opponents in a direct 1v1 confrontation, he often uses it to exploit free pockets of space across the pitch. His intelligent movement and positioning, paired up with lethality and technique, make him an incredibly difficult player to mark and a huge asset to his team.

Leeds United fans on Twitter have been reacting to the news that Eddie Nketiah is set to return to first-team training on Wednesday after Phil Hay posted a tweet confirming that the Arsenal striker is set to return to action.

The 20-year-old has been sidelined for a few weeks at this point after a reported abdominal issue saw him ruled out of the QPR game earlier this month.

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It’s recently been revealed by Hay in a Q&A session with The Athletic that Nketiah was due for a run of starts before the Whites’ clash with the London club, but of course, he couldn’t play after his injury.

Fortunately for United, Patrick Bamford has hit form during Nketiah’s absence as he’s netted twice in his last three games, but despite this, fans still believe that the youngster has earnt a chance to start.

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However, despite the fact that Bamford has been in good form, his overall performances this season haven’t been up to scratch, and fans took this as an opportunity to criticise the striker.

Other supporters had a combination of both schools of thought as they believe that it’s time for Bielsa to play Nketiah and Bamford together.

In other news, Leeds fans have been raving over one man after his performance against Reading.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Sunderland continue to look dire under the management of Phil Parkinson, and despite fans teetering on outrage that he is still in charge, there seems to be little movement in regard to his position.

The match against Gillingham was a familiar tale as the Black Cats mustered just three shots on target before succumbing to a late defeat.

Nothing has changed since the reign of Jack Ross, and in fact, things have got worse. Why then, if his predecessor was deemed not good enough, has Parkinson remained in charge?

The answer could rely on finances. The club recently received £10m according to The Sunderland Echo (via The Sun) of investment but paying off both Parkinson and Ross would represent a significant outlay, as would bringing in a new manager.

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That could eat heavily into Stewart Donald’s resources, which is a massive concern given the additions that will have to be made to a lacklustre and underperforming squad in January.

As things stand there seems to be no thought given to Parkinson’s poor management and he looks set to remain in charge for the foreseeable future, yet he is taking the club backwards.

Sunderland Echo writer Phil Smith has suggested that the Black Cats’ manager still has the backing of his boss, Donald, but if he continues to fail even after reinforcements are brought in then his time must surely be up soon.

Trusting him to bring in his own playing personnel now seems like a massive gamble Sunderland can’t afford to make, as it could not only hinder them this season, but in years to come.

He has been trusted to bring in coaches to improve the players’ fitness and their understanding of his style, yet two wins in 12 games for a massive club in League One is diabolical, and hints that he won’t be able to turn things around.

Players caught eating fast food shows there is now a mentality issue in the squad, and Parkinson, therefore, has a lot to do right if he is ever going to sort out the mess and carry Sunderland forward.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to BBC Sport, West Ham United are interested in making a move for Mbwana Samatta, with Newcastle United also considering the Tanzania national team striker.

What’s the word?

Just days after scoring for Genk in their 2-1 loss against Liverpool, getting in ahead of James Milner to power in a header, Samatta has been linked with a move to the Premier League.

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The 26-year-old, who was the Jupiler League’s top-scorer last season with 25 goals, reportedly has a release clause in his contract of around £10m.

This time around, he has 8 goals from 16 starts and 1 substitute appearance across the league and Champions League, with this tally including the only goal of the game against Anderlecht and a clinical header against RB Salzburg.

Concerning for Albian Ajeti

It is understandable that the Hammers are interested in Samatta due to how prolific he has been for Genk this season and last.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that this is a very concerning sign for Albian Ajeti, who has struggled since making his move to east London, with this perhaps being an indication that the club are already losing faith in him.

Ajeti has played 244 minutes of football for the Hammers this season, a total that includes the full 90 minutes against Newport County and Oxford United, yet he still hasn’t managed to get a goal in claret and blue.

Another worrying sign comes from his time on international duty in September, when he played the full 90 minutes of Switzerland’s 4-0 win over Gibraltar, yet only took 2 shots, with 1 of those going on target, while he failed to get a goal contribution.

With all of this in mind, if West Ham do go out and sign Samatta, the 22-year-old could be in real danger of fading into the background at the London Stadium.