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It has been a dramatic week to be a Middlesbrough supporter, hasn’t it?

Having seen Tony Pulis part ways with their club following an incredibly disappointing 2018/19 campaign, the Smoggies faithful will be keen to see just who will be chosen to lead them into a new dawn next season.

With a whole host of names being linked with the vacancy at the Riverside Stadium, chairman Steve Gibson clearly has a big decision to make over the next few weeks.

By appointing the right man, the 61-year-old could see his team make a return to the Premier League in the not-too-distant future yet by making a mistake, he could inadvertently be setting Boro up for disaster.

Therefore, with this in mind, Gibson must avoid the temptation to hand over the reins to Paul Heckingbottom this summer.

According to the Northern Echo, the Hibernian boss is reportedly a target for the Smoggies after enjoying an impressive start to his spell at Easter Road.

Although he has managed to transform the Scottish Premiership side’s fortunes since taking over four months ago, it would be a huge risk for Boro to take if they are to give Heckingbottom the job when you consider his previous escapades in the Championship.

Despite achieving a relative amount of success during his time at Barnsley, the 41-year-old’s failure to secure a play-off place last year whilst in charge of Leeds United should act as a warning to the Smoggies that he may not be good enough to thrive at this particular level of football.

If the Yorkshire-based outfit are to push for promotion in the upcoming campaign, they will be better off suited bringing in a manager who knows just what it takes to get over the line in the second tier.

What do you think Boro fans? Would it be a mistake to appoint Heckingbottom this summer? Who would be your ideal replacement for Pulis? Let us know below.

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According to The Sun, Aston Villa are lining up a huge move for Brentford’s Neal Maupay in a deal which could see him reunite with Dean Smith.

What’s the word?

Maupay cemented himself as one of the leading strikers in the Championship this term, scoring 25 times in 43 matches.

The forward meanwhile found the net a further three times in the FA Cup, enjoying a stellar season in front of goal.

Considering his record in 2018/19, it’s not a great surprise to see that he could be lining up for a Premier League team once the new campaign arrives.

Per The Sun, Aston Villa are preparing a £20m move for the Frenchman as they prepare for life back in the top-flight.

 Better than Abraham?

Tammy Abraham scored just one goal more than Maupay in the Championship as he found himself at the forefront of their promotion charge whilst on loan from Chelsea.

He’s now returned to Stamford Bridge but it isn’t known whether the Villans will be able to bring him back.

As a replacement, Maupay would be an outstanding buy and could help bring even more to Smith’s side than Abraham did.

The 22-year-old claimed eight assists for Brentford in 2018/19, displaying his ability to bring others into play. On average, he completed 1.3 key passes per game.

Those stats are considerably better than Abraham who found himself primarily charged with scoring goals, rather than creating for others.

He managed just three assists and 0.8 key passes per game so the difference is considerable.

Maupay is essentially the full package. Calm and composed in front of goal, as well as having a strong creative trait, he is as close to a complete forward as you’ll find.

Considering Villa struggled for creativity in wide areas, the Brentford man could also benefit in this regard. If he’s able to get into the channels on a regular basis it could be game changing for the Midlands club.

£20m is a massive outlay on one player, but you sense this is a deal that would be worth it. If they managed to get it over the line, Villa would send out a strong statement of intent.

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As West Ham look to improve on their tenth-placed finish from last season, there are sure to be busy in this year’s transfer window. Having spent big last year, they’ll need to splash out again in order to further improve. With that in mind, here’s a look at the latest transfer rumours involving the Irons…

West Ham in battle for Sanson

One new arrival could be Marseille’s Morgan Sanson, according to Sky Sports. After the Ligue 1 side failed to qualify for the Champions League, they are valuing the former Montpellier midfielder at €35m (£31.21m) and West Ham are in talks to sign him. However, they could face competition from Wolves and Newcastle for his signature.

Gonalons to the London Stadium?

It seems that West Ham want to boost their midfield in particular, with AS Roma’s Maxime Gonalons also on their radar. According to L’Equipe, West Ham is a potential loan destination for the Serie A man next season, after he spent last term on loan at Seville. Everton have been mooted as well.

La Liga double swoop on the cards

Manuel Pellegrini’s side are also looking to make a double swoop for Celta Vigo’s Maxi Gomez and Stanislav Lobotka, according to the Daily Mail. The two are valued at £58m by the Spanish side, although Valencia have strong interest in the towering striker.

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Speaking to Football Insider, Danny Mills has claimed that Leeds United offering a new contract to Kalvin Phillips could convince him to stay at Elland Road.

The defensive midfielder hasn’t been short of Premier League interest this summer with Bournemouth and Norwich linked, but the former England international is hoping that he will want to stay with his current club after being assured that he will be offered a new contract.

What’s been said then?

The former United defender spoke to Football Insider about the 23-year-old being offered a new deal.

“It will be a huge boost to Kalvin Phillips that the club want to keep him and give him a new deal,” Mills said. “He will be thinking, ‘great, the club I love want me’ and, believe me, that really does matter.

“Players want what they are worth, and also want to play week in, week out. If you are a young player and getting good advice from your agent, the aim should be to get as much money as you can from the club you are at and to play every week.

“Phillips might not be a regular starter at a Premier League club, so he could stay at Leeds for another season, improve his game under Marcelo Bielsa and then treble his wages by moving to the Premier League in a year’s time when he is in a better position to play every week.”

Hope he’s right

The Whites have definitely made the right decision in offering the midfield general a new deal as his performances have warranted a wage increase, and a longer contract increases his value in the transfer market. Now Leeds will be hoping that Danny Mills is right about their star man’s mindset.

The allure of the Premier League is obvious, and last season Phillips proved he is good enough to make the step up.

More money and the potential to make a mark on the international stage may be irresistible, but if Mills is right with his view and the midfielder chooses to stay at his boyhood club it will be a huge boost for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

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Rangers legend Derek Johnstone is hoping to see some young players stake a claim to be members of Steven Gerrard’s first-team squad next season, speaking to The Evening Times.

What’s he said?

Rangers will soon be heading off for a ten day pre-season training camp in Portugal and if last year’s similar trip is anything to go by, plenty of youngsters will be making the trip too, to train alongside established first-team members.

Johnstone believes it’s the perfect chance for them to show the progress they have made in the club’s reserve and youth sides.

The fans in the video below had some very strong words for Michael Platini who was detained over alleged corruption this week…

As quoted by The Evening Times, he said:

“Steven Gerrard has always said that he will give his young players a game at Rangers if they can prove that they are good enough. That is the chance a few of them have at the training camp in Portugal and in the friendly fixtures we’ve got this summer.

The manager played down the importance of the kids winning the leagues and cups that they won last season, saying it was more about players coming through the ranks.

That is true. It won’t do the youngsters any harm having that mentality, though, because when you get to that first team you have to be a winner.It is a wonderful feeling when you are that age and you are winning for Rangers but the players want to do it up a level and they need to catch Steven’s eye this summer.”

Who’s closest to getting a chance?

Gerrard has already shown that youngsters like Glenn Middleton will get a first-team opportunity if they impress enough of the training pitch. The winger got plenty of game time in the first half of last season before falling out of favour at senior level.

The former Norwich player will be hoping he can impress again over the next few weeks, having looked back to his exciting best for the reserve side in the closing stages of last term.

Another out to impress will be striker Zak Rudden, who scored 12 goals in the Scottish Championship last term on loan at Falkirk and on Friday signed a new contract.

With others, such as Scottish Youth Cup final man of the match Josh McPake and reserves team captain Cammy Palmer, also showing good progress, Gerrard will have plenty of options to turn to in upcoming friendlies.

Tottenham to sabotage Manchester United’s move for Bruno Fernandes, the Telegraph reports.

Champions League runners-up Spurs apparently held talks with the agent of the Sporting Lisbon whizz this week, which is really promising news for a fanbase deprived of new arrivals for close to 18 months.

The intent of the meeting is not yet known, though the Telegraph has speculated that it may be an attempt to force United’s hand. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been linked with a move for the impressive midfielder throughout the transfer window and with Paul Pogba recently announcing his intention to leave and seek new challenges, that certainly makes sense.

However, Spurs have problems of their own in midfield that need to be addressed. As it stands, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen are the only out-and-out attacking midfielders in the squad, the latter of whom recently made it public that he’s very open to a move away this summer.

While it’s a long shot to suggest that Tottenham will be able to get away with the transfer steal – simply by virtue of United’s desperation, financial clout and time spent pursuing the player – stranger things have happened in the market.

Spurs haven’t signed a single player since the 2017-18 campaign, with Johan Cruyff ArenA hero Lucas Moura the last man to step through the door. That being said, surely, given the disappointment of finishing fourth in the Premier League and losing out in the Champions League final, all the club’s efforts will be channelled into changing that. And where better to start than Bruno Fernandes, the man who claimed 32 goals and 18 assists in all competition last season.

If there’s one way to start a transfer window, it’s by making marquee signings. This could quite easily be that if they play their cards right and pounce at the right moment.

Spurs fans, do you think the club could make this happen? Would he be a suitable replacement for Eriksen? Let us know in the comments below…

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West Brom appear confident that they will keep teenage prodigy Louie Barry at the club this summer.

The 16-year-old netted ten times in five games at a tournament for England U15s last year but Express & Star now claim that there is interest from PSG.

Amid the news, technical director Luke Dowling claimed he was positive a new deal would be signed by the youngster.

Reacting to the report on Twitter, certain fans of the club decided to question Dowling, hinting that they couldn’t trust him.

One made reference to the poor quality of loans he brought in during January whilst another said they were staggered that he was confident Barry would sign new terms.

A further comment focused on Slaven Bilic, suggesting that he could help guide the academy product through his career. One fan meanwhile said that they really hoped Albion kept him.

Barry seems to be one of the real rising stars of the Baggies’ youth system and has also attracted the interest of European giants Barcelona this year too.

But despite that, PSG have reportedly offered him terms to sign in a deal that would see West Brom take £235,000 in compensation.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

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It probably isn’t a great surprise to see Leicester in danger of losing one of their star men.

After all, in recent years their supporters have seen the likes of N’Golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater and Riyad Mahrez all depart.

However, they could now see their Player of the Season, Ricardo Pereira, leave for pastures new too.

Calciomercato claim that Juventus are eyeing the right back with a view to making him their Joao Cancelo replacement, and The Sun have followed up by stating that the Portuguese is keen on the move.

Pereira has only been with the Foxes for just over a year. He arrived from Porto last summer and took to the Premier League like a duck to water, claiming an assist in just his third game.

The Portuguese full-back displayed phenomenal traits at both ends of the pitch, improving defensively as the season went on whilst providing a constant threat in the final third. He came within one goal contribution of reaching ten in 2018/19.

He went onto play 35 times in the Premier League, so can the Foxes afford to part ways with him? Football FanCast writers have given their thoughts on the matter below…

James Beavis

“I personally always feel that full-backs are usually easily replaceable for any club, but it is a bit of a different story for Leicester City and Pereira. The 25-year-old established himself as one of the best in that position in the Premier League –only Wilfred Ndidi, Idrissa Gueye and Aaron Wan-Bissaka made more tackles than his tally of 118 for the Foxes in 2018/19. He also provided seven assists in 35 top-flight outings to help him win both the club’s Player and Players’ Player of the Season awards.

“Given he is also able to play further forward on the right wing too, seeing him leave would be a monumental loss for Brendan Rodgers considering the form he has been in and his versatility. Leicester need to say a big fat no to Juventus, then.”

Charles Jones

“It really depends on whether Leicester are approached with a massive offer. The attacking full-back was fantastic last term at the King Power Stadium, and they would find it very tough to replace him with somebody of the same calibre in that spot. His two goals and seven assists indicate how much of an attacking threat he can be, and in the modern game full-backs of that ilk are worth their weight in gold. Unless a ridiculous bid comes in they should do everything they can to keep hold of him because they will certainly struggle to find anyone better than him to replace the 25-year-old.”

Could Daniel Sturridge be set to reunite with Brendan Rodgers? Check out the video below to find out…

Harry Sherlock

“Pereira is perhaps the best right-back outside of the top six in the Premier League. He’s a threat going forward – he scored two goals and registered seven assists for the Foxes this season – and defensively, he’s incredible. An average of 3.4 tackles per game is excellent, as are his three clearances, 1.7 interceptions and 1.9 dribbles. It is difficult to see Leicester being able to adequately replace him if he does depart – world-class right-backs don’t grow on trees, particularly for a club that doesn’t play in the Champions League – but one can understand why Juventus are interested. The Foxes had better hope he doesn’t have his head turned because he would be a considerable loss.”

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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…

As reported by Spanish outlet Eldesmarque, Liverpool are prepared to ‘throw the house out of the window’ in their attempts to bring Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio to Anfield.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Reds seem to be extremely keen on bringing the Spain international to Merseyside, as Jurgen Klopp reportedly views the attacking midfielder as the ideal man to complement to his front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

The report states that the European champions are willing to pay close to €75m (£67.5m) to sign Asensio, and also says that Klopp is not satisfied with his squad despite winning the Champions League last term.

The Spaniard had a fairly underwhelming 2018/19 campaign with Los Blancos, scoring just one goal and recording four assists in La Liga.

“It reminds me of a bus seat!” – Watch a damning verdict on Chelsea’s new kit in the video below…

Whilst this has all been reported, it doesn’t quite add up to what a more trusted source has said.

This completely contradicts the Echo’s story

The Liverpool Echo is probably the most reliable outlet when it comes to news on the Champions League winners.

They have inside information and are allowed access to chat with Klopp himself and some players from time to time.

Interestingly, the Echo ran a story today which doesn’t align with what Eldesmarque are saying – in fact, it’s almost the complete opposite.

Where the Spanish outlet says that Klopp isn’t satisfied with his squad, they said: “After spending around £250m in 2018, the strategy very much centres around sustaining and extending the stay of star players who have made Liverpool European champions.

“It ties in with Klopp’s current ethos of keeping together the nucleus of a squad that came so close to ending a 29-year wait for a league title three weeks before bagging a sixth European Cup in Madrid.”

Now, bringing in a player of Asensio’s quality for such a large amount of money, only for him to sit on the bench as a ‘complement’ to the front three probably wouldn’t go down too well with the player himself, and would potentially risk damaging that nucleus that Klopp is so keen to protect.

The two stories are almost entirely contrasting, and practically sum up the madness of the transfer window right now.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds officially touched down in Australia over the weekend as they gear up for their pre-season clashes against both Manchester United and Western Sydney Wanderers.

The Whites’ squad is incredibly slim, having picked just 16 members. Not included in that party are a number of first-team faces who have been left behind in order to gain fitness on the training pitch.

Those who haven’t travelled include Mateusz Klich, who is the subject of interest from Burnley, whilst Helder Costa and Jack Clarke have also been left behind.

And with that in mind, it’s now presented a huge opportunity to some fresh faces beginning to enter the first team picture.

On the chalkboard

Marcelo Bielsa may not be in Australia just yet but if and when he does arrive, he could have a huge opportunity to test some of Leeds’ U23 players out.

Last term Jack Clarke was one of the breakthrough players, eventually earning a move to Tottenham before being loaned back, but the four young individuals who are in Australia with the senior team now have a major chance to force Bielsa’s hand next term.

Midfielders Jordan Stevens and Mateusz Bogusz are both in the squad, as are Bryce Hosannah and Clarke Oduor.

Leeds have a number of attacking options so Oduor could find it a struggle to attain regular minutes unless he impresses on the tour. A right winger by trade, he could be on for a similar breakthrough season like Clarke, who plays in the same role, had in 2018/19 if given the platform to do so.

For Bielsa, this is a major opportunity to oversee their talents, but it may also present him with a significant dilemma.

If these young players do well, particularly against United, there should be every reason to give them minutes in the Championship.

After all, there could be openings in midfield if both Klich and Kalvin Phillips, who has also been linked away, depart.

Watch fans explain why the Football League is better than the Premier League in the video below…

If they do indeed go, both Stevens and Bogusz could be those to benefit from the individuals coming through the academy at the moment.

The latter hasn’t played for the Leeds first team yet but has experience of senior football in Poland, where he scored five goals in their third tier.

Although pre-season is traditionally about building fitness, it could just spark a predicament for Bielsa if they do well.