’s young star Tom Cleverley may be handed a new contract of £80k per week before the end of the year according to Mirror Football.
The England midfielder still has two and a half years left on his current contract, with wages of £40k per week, signed at the beginning of last season. However United are keen to not let time on his present deal run down any further and wish to bring his pay up to the level of some of the club’s star players.
Ferguson is keen to reward the 23-year-old’s rapid progress since being selected for the first XI during Man United’s impressive start to the 2011/2012 Premier league season.
Plagued by injury, Cleverley’s involvement in the first team diminished, and lacked opportunities to impress Roy Hodgson before Euro 2012. However, the midfield playmaker was selected and given a key role in Team GB’s football squad at the London Olympics.
This season, Cleverley, playing in a more advanced role, has shown his goal scoring abilities with two goals in six appearances. Ferguson now appears convinced that the talented youngster is a big part of the Red Devils’ future and wishes to tie him down to a long-term deal.
The central midfielder has also broken onto the international scene, being selected by Hodgson and starting in both of England’s qualifying matches against Moldova and Ukraine.
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Considering Cleverley’s salary was £40k per week before his career for club or country actually took off, the United board feel the player deserves a better deal.
Speaking recently, Sir Alex explained the midfielder’s importance to the club: “”He is very mature in what he does because he’s got a fine footballing brain, and there’s no doubt he’s one of the biggest prospects in the English game.”
It is no secret that Liverpool have had their fair share of woes when it comes to the goalkeeping department.
Simon Mignolet has always divided fans since his arrival from Sunderland in 2013, while Loris Karius has shown signs that he is not quite at the level required.
At the start of 2018, manager Jurgen Klopp promoted Karius to the number one role, and initially it proved to be the right call.
The German helped the Merseyside outfit claim fourth place in the Premier League table and be a significant part of their route to the Champions League final.
However, Karius can be prone to blunders, and if Liverpool want to take that step further and regularly challenge for league titles, then they require experience and know-how.
This leads us nicely to the news that Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon has decided to leave the Serie A giants after 17 years at the prestigious club.
While confirming the news to reporters on Thursday, the former Italy star revealed that he has received some “interesting proposals” that would see him continue playing next season.
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Given that Buffon has played at the top level for more than a decade and has won nine league titles in his time, is he the right keeper to take Liverpool to that next level?
Everton attacker Aaron Lennon has hailed Sam Allardyce for helping him find his form for the Toffees in recent weeks.
Lennon missed eight of Everton’s first nine Premier League matches of the 2017-18 campaign, but the 30-year-old has been a regular for the Toffees since Allardyce arrived at Goodison Park.
The former England international initially regained his spot in the team under David Unsworth, and Allardyce has kept faith with Lennon since his arrival as head coach.
Lennon has paid tribute to Allardyce for giving him the confidence to find his best form for the Toffees.
Lennon told evertontv:
“He [Allardyce] has been great and so have all the staff who have come in.
“They’ve been showing me clips on how to improve and the spaces to get in and where to run and so on. They’ve really helped me since they came in.
“I think my fitness is getting up there now. I feel sharper, I feel stronger in the games, personally I just feel a lot better in the games, and I think I’m playing well again.”
Lennon played a key role in Everton coming from behind to record a 3-1 win over Swansea City in the Premier League on Monday night.
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The attacker, who is valued at £4.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is also expected to be involved when Everton welcome Chelsea to Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
As always when the Ballon d’Or shortlist is announced there are four or five realistic contenders for the award, and then the additional 15-odd players who are granted the recognition of a nomination. At the back of a year which saw the mighty Barcelona dethroned as the force on the continent by a rock solid Bayern Munich, there might be fiercer competition this time round, especially after Franck Ribery won the European Footballer of the Year award. But let’s face it, we struggle to see the golden ball go to anyone other than Ronaldo or Messi.
One thing will alarm us at the British isles more than anything, though. Despite the presence of five Premier League players, not a single Englishman made the cut to the 23-man shortlist. Not even Wayne Rooney, a regular nominee for the last decade, was considered worthy by FIFA to join the world elite.
The only British feature for the award ceremony in Zurich on January 13th will be Real Madrid star Gareth Bale. The Welshman undoubtedly had a blistering season last year, averaging more than a goal a game for Spurs, and coming within an arms length of firing the north Londoners to the Champions League. Bale is natural edition on the list, but our domestic league enjoys considering itself the best in the world, so why the omission of English players?
Is it possible that FIFA fancy foreign leagues above the premiership?
It is too easy to question the football governing body’s business – they awarded Qatar the 2022 World Cup – and I always feel that their nomination processes is a beauty contest rather than an actual assessment of footballing ability and influence. For instance, could someone explain to me how Neymar has stood out as one of the top 23 players in the world the last year? For all his cute tricks and abundance of potential, you’d have a hard time arguing that his contributions at Santos outdo for example Champions League finalist Marco Reus’s performances for Borussia Dortmund last season.
The fact that only two defenders (Philipp Lahm and Thiago Silva) and one goalkeeper (Manuel Neuer) feature on the list further suggest that the Ballon d’Or should be renamed “The Highest Profiles in Football”-awards. And this is problematic for Englishman. Being an English footballer in the Premier League just isn’t sexy.
These awards tend to go to more exotic footballers. To South American and Mediterranean style players that epitomize skill, flair and finesse. What associations does the arch-English Englishman evoke? Jack Wilshere said it best a few weeks ago.
“We’re English. We tackle hard.”
There is, sadly, nothing sexy about the English stereotype. Therefor, I believe Steven Gerrard can track back, tackle, break up play, and pinpoint cross passes as if his life depended on it, but if Neymar nutmegs five or six defenders, he will easily be preferred. He’ll be cooler, he’ll be more appealing. Therefor, perhaps more English players should move abroad. Not only in order to boost their image, this seems a useless for pure football means, but to look above the immediate horizon for inspiration.
At the moment, not a single member of the England international squad play outside of the Premier League. England might be a massive importer of foreign assets, but it is a poorly ran exporter in football terms. Whereas foreign players seem happy to go abroad, English footballers stay grounded, confident that the English way is the best way. England’s World Cup campaign currently relies on a through an through English side that have grown up, learned their football and made their careers in England, with an English manager that plays a thoroughly English system.
It’s outrageously pragmatic.
The reluctance to accept foreign influence is halting the development of English football. While other countries around Europe are developing an interesting and attractive way of playing football, something about the Anglo-Saxon culture seem to dictate that the Three Lions become tag-alongs rather than innovators. Now, I’m sure Roy Hodgson accept input from other parts of the continent, but the framework of English football is at the moment a bit peerless and uninspired. And results reflect it. England have fallen to tenth place on the FIFA ranking, behind exciting and up-and-coming nations like Belgium and Switzerland, and no English player has won the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen achieved the feat in 2001.
In fact, Frank Lampard was the last Brit to appear in the top three when he claimed second place in 2005. This is a depressing record for the country that regards itself the spiritual home of football.
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In an attempt to arrive at a conclusion, I will say that I am sure the national coaches, captains and journalists who are voting for the best player in the world on January 13th will make a good decision, they have a knack for getting it right. But if England is to ever achieve international greatness again, I am confident that English football will need to embrace foreign influences in a different way. Although the Carrington and Shenley training grounds might be absolute state of the art facilities, I hear they do some decent work at this place called La Masia. Maybe a few English blokes could check it out.
Adnan Januzaj made a move abroad, why can’t the English?
Is pragmatism the cause for the absence of Englishman on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, or is it something else?
Manchester United have progressed to the next round of the Capital One Cup at Newcastle’s expense, after a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
Anderson grabbed the first goal for the Red Devils on the stroke of half-time, before Tom Cleverley doubled the hosts’ advantage.
Papiss Cisse did grab one back for the Magpies, but United held on to progress.
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted that he was happy with the result and glad to get through to the next round of the competition.
“Newcastle had a stronger team than us physically but we played some fantastic football and we deserved to win,” Ferguson told Sky Sports.
“We want to progress as far as we can in this competition and will do our best to do that.”
Alan Pardew admitted that he is happy that Cisse ended his goal drought, with the Senegal international also netting a second with an overhead kick that crashed off the United crossbar close to the end of the game.
“There are a lot of positives to take out of tonight,” Pardew stated.
“The media can’t hang that tag round Papiss’ neck that he has not scored anymore. That goal means everything to him. There is nothing in his work-rate that has changed. Sometimes a goal can make a difference.
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“You could see that little bit of exuberance return to his game with the overhead kick. I thought that was in,” he concluded.
Loris Karius failed to get a look-in at Liverpool in the early stages of the season due to Simon Mignolet being ahead in the pecking order.
However, from the start of 2018, the goalkeeper’s fortunes changed as manager Jurgen Klopp handed him the number one role.
From that point on, Karius has been between the sticks, and he played a part in the Reds securing a top-four finish in the Premier League, as well as reaching the Champions League final.
The 24-year-old is expected to be in the first XI for what could be a very high-scoring showdown against Real Madrid in Kiev on May 26.
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In total, Karius has played in 32 games in all competitions this season for the Merseyside outfit and has kept 16 clean sheets.
On Tuesday, reigning world champions Germany announced their squad for the upcoming World Cup in Russia, and there was no place for the Liverpool shot-stopper.
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Instead, Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp and Bernd Leno made the 27-man provision setup.
According to Sky Sports, Southampton are the favourites to sign Arsenal winger Theo Walcott, who is rated at £18m according to Transfermarkt, but his future is still yet to be decided by the north London outfit.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Sky Sports reports that Saints are leading the race to re-sign the 28-year-old if he leaves the Emirates Stadium this month, with his position likely to become clearer in the next week with talks between the club and his representatives due to take place.
Sky Sports says that the England international remains a popular figure at St Mary’s having left the south coast outfit to join Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2006, and he would be welcomed back in order to help Mauricio Pellegrino’s side get out of the trouble they currently find themselves in towards the bottom of the Premier League table.
The report adds that Southampton may struggle to match Walcott’s £120,000-a-week wage demands, but he could be willing to take a pay cut in order to play regularly and boost his chances of going to the World Cup in the second-half of the campaign.
How has Walcott done this season?
Despite scoring 19 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners last season, the winger has found first-team opportunities hard to come by in the Premier League this term.
While the 28-year-old has started five Europa League matches and three EFL Cup games, he is yet to start in the top flight and has been restricted to five brief substitute outings – including the 2-2 draw against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
Will Southampton sign him this month?
It’s difficult to say.
While the report from Sky Sports suggests that Walcott is happy to rejoin Saints, there are a number of factors that could affect a deal.
With Olivier Giroud injured and Alexis Sanchez potentially leaving the Emirates this month, Arsene Wenger may choose to hold on to the attacker, while the south coast outfit’s struggles – they currently lie outside of the relegation zone on goal difference – could put the 28-year-old off.
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His wages could also be an issue, but it is clear that Southampton need new additions to boost their squad, and if they are serious about staying away from the bottom three then they need to invest money in bringing experienced players like Walcott to the club this month.
League One Stevenage came close to a Capital One Cup Round 2 upset at Goodison Park last night, but goals from on-loan Barcelona ace Gerard Deulofeu and Marouane Fellaini spared Everton’s blushes.
With Fellaini expected to link up with former Toffees boss David Moyes at Manchester United in the coming days, it was perhaps quite fitting that he came off the bench in extra-time to win this tie for the hosts. His class shone through when he was introduced to proceedings and, if it turns out to be his final game in a blue shirt, then it was a performance to remember.
But it was Stevenage who opened the scoring ten minutes from half-time. The Everton defence were all at sixes and sevens and failed to clear Oumare Tounkara’s cross, leaving Luke Freeman with the opportunity to send the travelling supporters wild with the visitor’s first shot of the game.
But the hugely impressive Deulofeu showed why he’s rated so highly by the Barcelona hierarchy by finishing off a mazy run with a curling effort on the stroke of half-time to level things up. And, after Stevenage battled courageously to keep Everton at bay, it was the big Belgian that eventually won it for the hosts with a close-range drive.
One player that didn’t impress the Everton faithful, however, was summer arrival Arouna Kone. Linking up with Roberto Martinez from Wigan once more, it was expected that he’d hit the ground running at Goodison Park. But @sidoyle summed up his performance in the best possible way: “Kone wouldn’t have finished a chip butty tonight.” Make of that what you will.
Stevenage fans were not too downbeat with the last minute heartbreak, though. The performance was something to be proud of and that was plain to see among their supporters. @BenBilling tweeted: “If Stevenage play like that every week we’ll be rocketing up the table!” With just three points from their opening four League One fixtures, they can be forgiven for wondering where last night’s performance came from.
Everton, who managed just eight shots on target from the 31 they had on goal, will no doubt be in the market for an out-and-out goalscorer. With Fellaini seemingly heading for the Goodison Park exit and defender Leighton Baines likely to follow him, Martinez appears to have a bit of a job on his hands before Monday’s transfer deadline slams shut.
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The Toffees will now travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham in Round 3.
Whoever thought up John Terry’s latest injury is a genius. Maybe he is really carrying a knock, although I hope it’s just a clever way of avoiding the stupidity of this weekend’s hysteria—or as the Premier League/FA/those-who-have-nothing-better-to-do have dubbed it, the necessary pre-match handshake.
Where are we going with this whole handshaking malarkey? Isn’t football supposed to be about tribalism and us against them? In fact, every team sport carries that weight of us against them, so why try to muddy those boundaries with a pre-game handshake? What good is going to come from forcing John Terry and Anton Ferdinand to exchange in something formal and gentlemanly following their history? Its as pointless as what happened with Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra last season and with Wayne Bridge and Terry a few years back at Stamford Bridge. Remember how eagerly and childishly those cameras focused on what would happen between two former friends; the bonds of a great alliance now broken, or something equally dramatic.
Why do we need it? Hugs and kisses right before a Champions League game isn’t necessary. If you’ve got mates on the other team (as Cesc Fabregas did when he represented Arsenal during their ties with Barcelona) then leave all of that for afters. Go out, have a drink, catch up, but that time before the game should be a period of focus for what’s important. Football will roll out the same old story about respecting the game, but it’s a real mugging of those ideals when five-minutes later tackles are flying in and studs are showing. Hasn’t football made a mockery of itself enough without the added tension of handshakes and the useless swapping of shirts, pennants, girlfriends, and whatever else we can throw onto the pile.
American sports don’t do it, because somewhere along the lines they realised that there is no use for pleasantries right before a battle. Imagine the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide lining up for a handshake just moments before they get ready to take each others heads off in a college football game. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers hate each other, as do the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys. Do sports fans mingle with each other and talk about the good times prior to a game? No, they’re separated by a 10 tanks and rows of armed guards. But football will want to act as the peacekeeper and portray good role models. Certainly some footballers do live a reasonably respectful lifestyle, but what about the rest? Those calls for respect and good feelings were thrown out the window last night after the seventh round of shots.
We don’t need it. Football really needs to find a way to re-establishing the difference between two teams and not try and force something that isn’t there. Why should Aaron Ramsey have to be faced with Ryan Shawcross, why should Wayne Bridge have to dread that weekend where he’ll be forced to think of a way to avoid contact with Terry? If players want to engage with people on the other team, then there’s that short time following the final whistle. Some choose to head straight down the tunnel (the unsociable, miserable lot) while others use it to find that good ground between countrymen and former team-mates. That is where handshakes are acceptable and the only time they’re necessary.
It’s not just about avoiding the circus that surrounds racism and un-Christian acts, but it’s about rivalry and competition. Football’s governing bodies, however, really don’t seem to look at it that way. They seem to love the built up hysteria and the excitement of what will happen when two blokes who hate each other are forced to face one another. It seems the only explanation. Of course, individuals aren’t bigger than the sport as a whole, but don’t allow those comparisons and arguments to come up. If the FA were in the right frame of mind to scrap the handshake the last time Chelsea and QPR met, they obviously see the damage it can do. From here on, do the right thing and get rid of it for good.
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According to reports in the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are interested in signing West Bromwich Albion defender Craig Dawson after the Baggies’ relegation to the Championship was confirmed on Tuesday night.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the west Midlands outfit could have taken their incredible battle to survival to the final day had Swansea City and Southampton drawn at the Liberty Stadium on Tuesday night, but Manolo Gabbiadini’s second-half goal saw Darren Moore’s men go down on the day he picked up the Premier League Manager of the Month award for April.
The Daily Mail says that Dawson will be a transfer target for a number of top flight clubs – including Celtic – this summer, with the Magpies already plotting a £15m move for the versatile 28-year-old.
How has Dawson done this season?
While it has clearly been a tough campaign for West Brom seeing as they have dropped into the Championship, the 28-year-old has been one of their most consistent performers.
He has played 27 Premier League matches in total – including five appearances at centre-back in recent weeks where the club picked 11 points from a possible 15 and kept clean sheets against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – and he has kept captain Jonny Evans out of the side since Moore took over.
The versatile defender has shown his strength in the air and his ability to put his body on the line for his team, and it no surprise that a number of Premier League clubs could be taking a look at him this summer.
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Would he be a good signing for Newcastle?
He certainly would be, and one that the St James’ Park faithful, who have reacted on Twitter to the club’s reported interest in Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen, would soon take on as a fans’ favourite.
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While the likes of Ciaran Clark and Florian Lejeune, who would feel particularly hard done by if the 28-year-old signs, have done well alongside captain Jamaal Lascelles this season, Dawson may well prove to be an upgrade and the perfect partner for the skipper because of the defensive qualities he would bring to the backline.
The fact that he is also a big danger in the opposition box – he has 12 goals in 179 appearances for the Baggies – would be a huge boost, and to get a player that is equally as comfortable playing as a centre-back or a right-back for £15m is an opportunity that Newcastle can’t afford to miss out on.