All posts by n8rngtd.top

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…

AC Milan are still struggling to get their season underway.

Ever since the beginning of the 2019/20 campaign, the Rossoneri have been rather lacklustre in their approach and as a direct result of that they are currently sitting in 12th place in the Serie A table with no clear signs of improvement.

With only one win in their last six games under their belts, it has become clear that some changes are going to be needed if they want to salvage anything this year.

One such change seems to be dealing with outcasts and players that are deemed surplus to requirements in the team.

Watch Italian Football Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Fabio Borini, for one, is definitely on that list as Calciomercato have recently come out with a report stating the Rossoneri are keen to see him go in the near future.

And just by looking at the 28-year-old winger’s current situation at the club, his departure could very well be a win-win scenario for both parties.

After all, with just 70 minutes in a total of two games played for Milan this season, Borini is not likely to get any game time moving forward and the exit door might be the only solution to this problem.

[ad_pod ]

Crystal Palace are a club Calciomercato name as one showing interest and despite the Premier League side targeting a man out of favour, Borini could still offer them some much-needed quality.

He’s a player known to be able to shift between multiple positions across the forward line, having played on both flanks and down the middle throughout his career, as recorded by Transfermarkt’s current database.

Not to mention that he is very much familiar with English football since he had stints with both Sunderland and Liverpool, netting 17 for the former and three goals for the latter team respectively.

By all accounts, there is still something in him that Crystal Palace could potentially use and maybe a move to the Premier League could reignite his career.

Milan, on the hand, would be getting some funds they can definitely use to bolster their squad and finally start moving forward.

In other news, Milan simply can’t afford to lose one of their stars who’s linked with an exit to West Ham…

Loads of Celtic fans have been piling praise on former hero Artur Boruc, after @celticbible relayed some comments from the 40 year-old about their Old Firm rivals.You’d be hard pushed to find a more popular former player around Celtic Park than Boruc, who fans nicknamed ‘the holy goalie’ during his time with the club.

Best of the Decade: Top scorers & creators – Can you name them?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

The Hoops have had several iconic shot-stoppers down the years, and even current number one Fraser Forster etched himself into the history books this season with one of the great cup final performances of all time.

There was something special about Boruc though, who despite keeping 76 clean sheets and winning three league titles will likely be best remembered for his unique relationship with the fans.

Few have bought into the hatred of their Old Firm rivals quite so much, as the former Poland international explained why he didn’t shake hands with Rangers players back in 2007: “I don’t have to like anybody – and I don’t. I don’t like them, I don’t like the club and I don’t like the players – end of story.â€

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where fans are reminiscing about the “brilliant” words from their former icon, who one supporter called “the king”…

Many Wolverhampton Wanderers fans are loving a tweet from Raul Jimenez after he shared a video on his official Twitter page about his new baby girl.

The caption was in Spanish but this did not stop many Wolves supporters flocking to the post. In the video, you can see people dressed up as wolves in the black and gold shirts delivering a baby wolf to his door. Whilst the footage is meant to be amusing, the underlining statement is that Jimenez has had a baby with his partner, which many fans congratulated him for.

Indeed, the 29-year old is something of a fan favourite at the Midlands club, due to his relatively impressive record in front of goal. The Mexican international has scored 22 times and provided 10 assists in 44 appearances so far this season, according to Transfermarkt.

The striker has proved that he can do it consistently as well, netting 17 strikes and making eight assists in the same number of games in the previous campaign, as per the website.

Nevertheless, these WWFC supporters loved his post:

Wanderers, what do you think of Jimenez? Comment below!

Everton fans have been drooling over the prospect of landing one of their former players this week after fresh reports emerged about his future at his current club.

According to French football journalist @JordanM_Choco, Paris Saint-Germain are willing to sell defensive midfielder Idrissa Gueye should a ‘great’ offer come in for him this summer.

The 30-year-old swapped Goodison Park for the Ligue 1 champions in the summer for £30m and has made 28 starts for them in all competitions, via WhoScored.

Gueye is averaging 3.2 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and one key pass per game across France’s top tier and the Champions League, which only highlights the bite that Carlo Ancelotti has lacked in midfield this campaign.

Morgan Schneiderlin, who many in Merseyside want rid of, ranks best for tackles per match with 2.1 and he’s only started 12 times all season.

The single toughest football logo quiz of all time…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

It remains to be seen what sort of fee PSG would command for the industrious lynchpin with Transfermarkt currently valuing him at £21.6m. He still has three years to run on his current contract.

Going by the following reaction, you’d struggle to find a member of the Toffees faithful that wouldn’t want Gueye back in the blue colours of Merseyside.

Here’s what has been said…

AND in other news, Everton fans torn by interest in coveted COLOSSUS…

Newcastle United’s imminent £300m takeover by a Saudi-backed consortium has brought with it plenty of stunning rumours and this week is no different.

Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has been long linked with the managerial job as the new owners’ ‘number one’ choice and fresh reports have claimed that the deal is already “closed” with the Argentine wanting to bring one of his former stars with him.

According to TodoFichajes, the unemployed tactician will make an attempt to snatch Tottenham talisman Harry Kane. It’s claimed that he sees this as their main objective.

The 26-year-old is rated at £108m by Transfermarkt and you’d imagine it would take a fee a lot bigger than that to clinch him given he’s Jose Mourinho’s only option in attack – and an elite one at that.

Kane was on track for a fruitful season before injury struck on New Years’ Day as he had amassed 17 goals and two assists from just 25 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Spurs are set to be well behind the riches of the Magpies this summer after the Evening Standard claimed that they will only be operating the free transfer and swap deal market due to the financial consequences of this pandemic, and although it remains to be seen if they’d sell Kane to keep the playing squad ticking over, it isn’t completely out of the realms of possibility.

Best of the Decade: Top scorers & creators – Can you name them?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

As per Spotrac, the England skipper is on wages of £200k-per-week, which is nearly triple what United’s highest earner, Jonjo Shelvey, rakes in at just £70k-a-week.

However, these sorts of fees and pay packets are surely going to become the norm in the northeast with the Saudi state taking 80% ownership of the club once the all-clear is given from the Premier League.

AND in other news, Journalist claims Newcastle takeover will be done this week

In a Q&A for Football.London, Alasdair Gold has confirmed Tottenham’s interest in Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma.

What did he say?

Reports in recent days have suggested that Spurs are eyeing a move for the Frenchman this summer, and any potential switch would see Zouma be reunited with his former boss at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho.

And according to Gold, that previous link means the current Spurs manager will “know him inside out”, but admitted that any fee to sign him could prove to be out of the north London side’s reach.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

When asked whether there is “any legitimacy in the links”, he said: “There will be interest there. Mourinho signed him for Chelsea and will know him inside out and at 25 there’s plenty to work with when it comes to Zouma. However, for me, with three years left on his deal and Chelsea not likely to be desperate to deal with Spurs, any fee would be massive and something Tottenham would struggle with this year.”

Reunion

Out of all the managers he has played under at Chelsea, Zouma featured the most under Mourinho, playing 49 games for the Portuguese man and even scoring four goals too.

The £25.2m-rated ace had been a regular under Frank Lampard for the first-half of the season, but the last couple of months before football was postponed, saw him fall out of the starting eleven.

He played just twice in Chelsea’s last eight Premier League games, and at 25, is at the stage of his career when playing first-team football week-in and week-out should surely be at the top of the agenda.

And having played under Mourinho before, a move to Spurs may be all the more appealing. But as Gold suggests, Chelsea are unlikely to let him go on the cheap, so the north London side may have to turn their attentions elsewhere.

Manchester United face Sheffield United on Wednesday in their first game back at Old Trafford since the nationwide lockdown was imposed. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side earned a hard-fought draw with Tottenham last week, and they will be looking to build on that momentum, as they are currently five points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.

If Manchester City’s Champions League ban is upheld, fifth place will be enough for European football next season, but United are level on points with Wolves and a defeat to the Blades would be detrimental.

Transfer Tavern have worked on a predicted starting lineup, which sees Solskjaer make three changes to the team that faced Spurs on Friday.

Solskjaer was delighted with Paul Pogba’s performance after he replaced Fred in the second half.

Despite the fact Pogba hadn’t played for almost six months, the substitution turned out to be a real game changer, as he won a penalty which Bruno Fernandes converted to equalise.

The Pogba and Fernandes axis in the midfield may be too tempting for Solskjaer to ignore and Scott McTominay could drop to the bench as a result.

United started the previous game in a 4-2-3-1 formation and it is unlikely the Norwegian will mess around with his preferred system.

Solskjaer faces a dilemma at the back as Victor Lindelof limped off the pitch last week. Although the club legend has indicated he is fully fit to play, he may not be willing to take that risk, and Eric Bailly could be called into action instead.

David de Gea and Harry Maguire were on the receiving end of some strong criticism from Roy Keane but both are expected to keep their places despite his protestations.

Meanwhile, Luke Shaw played the full 90 minutes against the Lilywhites and was criticised by Alan Shearer for his part in Steven Bergwijn’s opening goal. This has presented the perfect opportunity for Brandon Williams to earn his stripes, as he will have to cope with John Lundstram and George Baldock marauding down the left flank.

Man United fans, do you think this is how Mourinho will lineup against Chris Wilder? Let us know down below!

Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle Manchester United for Valencia star Geoffrey Kondogbia in the summer. 

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has identified Kondobgia as the signing he needs to rebuild the midfield. According to Foot Mercato, as relayed by Ricky Sacks, Spurs are interested in signing him this summer.

Valencia are now open to offers for the veteran as he has entered the last two years of his current contract.

Mauricio Pochettino wanted to sign the African during his time in charge of White Hart Lane and it looks like his successor will manage to land the £30m-valued ace in the summer.

The Bats are in turmoil as a power struggle has broken out between the players and backroom staff.

Valencia have struggled to fend off financial pressures and may have to resort to a quickfire sale of key players to cover the costs of these uncertain times.

Kondogbia, 27, has made 27 appearances in La Liga this season, scoring one goal, supplying one assist, making 2.3 tackles per game, averaging 2.1 interceptions, and completing 1.2 clearances so far (via WhoScored).

Tottenham and Man United have entered the race to sign the box-to-box midfielder, amid interest from overseas. The powerhouse is pushing for a move to the Premier League, which should give both clubs a boost.

The Lilywhites were linked to the former Inter Milan man several years ago but a move never materialised.

Standing at 1,88m tall, he cuts an imposing figure in the midfield, which explains why Mourinho is determined to get his man.

The Portuguese spent huge sums of money on Nemanja Matic to bring him first to Stamford Bridge and then to Old Trafford, and Kondogbia is a similar build to the Serbian.

Valencia will be without Champions League football next season, which has weakened their position in the transfer window, and this is something Daniel Levy could be looking to exploit. They will not be able to demand a hefty asking price as a result.

Tottenham fans, should Levy sign Kondogbia in the summer? Let us know down below!

This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.

Back in 2008, Arsenal picked up a young Francis Coquelin from French side Stade Laval, per Transfermarkt, for £900,000. The Frenchman was in their U17 squad, but clearly the Gunners liked what they saw of the defensive midfielder even at such a young age.

He would make his senior debut in that same year, in the League Cup against Sheffield United, as he came on as a substitute at the age of 18, highlighting how much manager Arsene Wenger rated him. He made the odd appearances here and there, but was loaned out to Freiburg and Charlton before he started becoming a consistent player in 2014.

The defensive midfielder went on to make 160 senior appearances for the side, picking up three assists along the way, but his great work in the middle of the pitch breaking up oppositions attacks saw him compared to Gunners legend Patrick Viera by fellow Arsenal legend Robert Pires, who spoke to The Express back in 2015, via TribalFootball, and said: “Coquelin is a good player. He’s really important for Wenger and the team. I believe a lot in him. He has a good future. He’s better defensively than their other midfielders – a warrior type. He puts more aggression into the position and that’s important.

“He’s more like a Patrick Vieira or Ray Parlour. He will be important at Old Trafford because he is No.1 in the tackle.”

This sums up how good he was in periods at the club, but sadly he started to fall out of favour and after only making seven Premier League appearances in the 2017/18 season, per Transfermarkt, both Coquelin and the club clearly thought it best if he moved on. The Frenchman ended up moving to La Liga side Valencia for £12.60 million in the January transfer window of 2018, per Transfermarkt.

He clearly put in a good performances during his spell in North London to be compared with a former great of the game, and he also was a good servant for the club as he made so many appearances for them, but sometimes the quality is just slightly missing and players want to be playing consistently, so for the Gunners to get the best out of him whilst he played for them and also make nearly £12 million from him shows how good a profit player he was for the club.

Gunners fans, did you enjoy Coquelin performances at the club? Comment below!

Attacks win you games, defences win you titles.

The old adage has rung true for Leeds United as they romped home to the Championship title while boasting the best defensive record in the division, and their strength at the back is certainly something they’ll want to see more of next season.

However, there’s every chance that their backline will line up significantly weaker next term, and it may actually end up being worse than when Marcelo Bielsa arrived.

There’s no doubting that Leeds’ defensive brilliance this season was largely down to Ben White’s talent.

The Brighton loanee won the club’s Young Player of the Year award, and he’s also reportedly been valued at £40m.

The Seagulls seemingly have no interest in selling him this summer, and United may struggle to replace him, considering it’s been claimed that he’s already better than £47.5m man John stones.

The ironic thing is, the Yorkshire club’s position wouldn’t have been as bad if they hadn’t have made one decision 12 months ago.

Of course, we’re talking about selling Pontus Jansson.

The Whites may have had the best defensive record in the division, but they only narrowly edged out Brentford, and their backline was marshalled by a former Leeds man in the shape of Jansson.

The Whites were able to live comfortably without Jansson due to the emergence of White, but now that he’s gone, they’re going to be scrambling for a replacement, when they could have had an experienced Championship Team of the Year level centre-half ready to step in and replace him.

Of course, there’s more to it than meets the eye, Jansson reckons he was sold because of FFP while others claim he fell out with Bielsa, but either way, it has to be said that Leeds would have been better off keeping him or at least holding out for more than the £5.5m they received, especially as we’d seen Championship centre-backs who hadn’t made the Team of the Season moving for eight-figure sums last summer.