Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah posted on Twitter after his loan spell with Crystal Palace came to an end on Sunday and suggested that he won’t be returning to the Eagles, and Red Devils fans were quick to react.
The 6ft 3in tall right-back, who can also play as a defensive midfielder, had something of a rollercoaster campaign with the south London club, being something of a regular in the XI up until February, before he was then struggling to make Roy Hodgson’s matchday squad in the final couple of months of the campaign.
Meanwhile, United manager Jose Mourinho could be looking to sign a defensive midfielder and right-back this summer, although Fosu-Mensah will hope that he can stop the Portuguese manager needing to strengthen in one of those positions by making a big impact in pre-season.
Man United supporters, who didn’t enjoy the performance of a 20-year-old in the 1-0 win against Watford on Sunday, took to social media to respond to the Netherlands international’s message, and while one said “come home now”, another said “welcome back to United my bro”.
Aston Villa will look to secure a return to the Premier League following a two-year absence when they face Fulham in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.
The Midlands outfit saw off Middlesbrough 1-0 on aggregate over two legs in their semi-final tie, with manager Steve Bruce deploying a 4-1-4-1 system in both matches.
Mile Jedinak was the man tasked with sitting in front of the back four and providing that shield, and it certainly worked as the Villans kept two clean sheets.
[ad_pod ]
They may well need that protection again against a free-scoring Fulham, with Slavisa Jokanovic’s fluid 4-3-3 formation seeing them finish the league campaign as the second-top goalscorers in the division behind champions Wolverhampton Wanderers.
We at Football Fancast suggested previously that Bruce should perhaps look to be a little more adventurous and also select a 4-3-3 system because he has the players that would excel in, and it would likely shock the Cottagers ahead of the encounter.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
We asked Aston Villa fans to vote on our poll to see which formation out of the two they would prefer Bruce to use on Saturday, and a majority 62% want him to play it safe and not take any risks by sticking with the trusted 4-1-4-1.
It will certailyn be interesting to see what the 57-year-old chooses to do this weekend, as he looks to lead the club back to the promised land.
Lazio have set the asking price for Manchester United midfield target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic at a whopping £87.5m this summer according to the Daily Mail.
That will reportedly serve to cool United’s interest but the Serbian maestro is the perfect man to complete their midfield trio, alongside Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba.
What’s the story, then?
The Mail claim that the asking price had previously been set at £70m, and Milinkovic-Savic has been offered to United at various stages of the season at that valuation.
The report says that Real Madrid have shown an interest in the midfielder, which has served to push the value of the player up by £17.5m.
It goes on to say that bump has put United off, as they are not sure where he would fit into their side, especially with a deal for Fred, also a midfielder, reportedly moving closer.
Milinkovic-Savic is the man
Both Milinkovic-Savic and Fred are unknown quantities in Premier League terms, with high reputations and price tags but uncertainty over their ability to adapt to English football.
However, Jose Mourinho has been obsessed with physicality in his United side for far too long and it seems like the signing of Fred would be another step in that direction.
The Serbian is a physical player, able to handle himself but also with the technical ability and flair to, alongside Pogba, haul United forward from deep.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Manchester City’s title canter was engineered by two number 10s – Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva – playing from deep and United would have a duo capable of similar in Pogba and Milinkovic-Savic.
West Ham fans all agree they don’t want Jay Rodriguez, after the West Brom striker was linked with a move to East London.
With Manuel Pellegrini likely to play two up front at the London Stadium next season, the Hammers will probably be linked with every striker under the sun this summer, but fans don’t like the latest links.
According to Sky Sports, West Ham are one of four Premier League sides interested in Rodriguez, alongside Burnley, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.
[ad_pod ]
The Englishman scored seven times in 37 Premier League appearances last season, and is likely to be one of a number of players to leave the Hawthorns this summer.
The 28 year-old, who earned an England cap after his brilliant form for Southampton back in 2013, probably would have gone to the 2014 World Cup if not for a knee injury.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
West Ham fans want to see more ambition from their club though, and they all agree Rodriguez is not what they’re looking for.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
According to the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur have been told that they will have to come up with £60m in order to sign Bayer Leverkusen attacker Leon Bailey this summer.
Bailey, 20, joined Leverkusen from Genk in January 2017, and the attacker has gone from strength to strength during his time in the Bundesliga.
Indeed, the Jamaican ended the 2017-18 campaign with 12 goals and six assists in 34 appearances in all competitions.
Manchester United have been credited with an interest in Bailey, whilst the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid are also believed to be admirers.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”253261″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Who could sign Gareth Bale this summer”]
Tottenham were said to be keen to secure a deal this summer, but it appears that they will have to bid £60m in order to convince Leverkusen to part with the wonderfully-gifted forward.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The Tottenham fans have been reacting to the transfer speculation, and it would be fair to say that a number are desperate for their club to complete the deal this summer.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
West Bromwich Albion are keeping tabs on Derby County forward Matej Vydra ahead of a possible move, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
What’s the word?
Darren Moore is attempting to shape a team that can challenge for promotion following last season’s relegation from the Premier League.
The Baggies are in danger of losing a handful of players asa result of dropping into the second tier, but there is plenty of Championship talent up for grabs.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
One man who could be available is Vydra, who has been at Derby since 2016, but there could be a scramble for his signature given the forward’s exploits in front of goal.
The 26-year-old, who has earned 20 international caps for the Czech Republic, scored an impressive 22 goals in all competitions last season.
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the Baggies are looking to rival Leeds United for Vydra and they have the upper hand due to the fact that they can offer better wages.
Is this a good idea from West Brom?
There is no doubt that Vydra was a key figure in the Championship during the 2017-16 campaign, but the Baggies do not have the best memories of the forward.
The Czech joined the club for the 2013-14 season, but could only muster three goals in 25 outings for the club.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Having said that, though, Vydra started just seven league matches, and if he was to rejoin he would be used more often.
Given the importance of this season for West Brom, it is imperative that they make the right choices in the transfer market, and the Derby forward falls into the ‘risk’ column.
Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard appear to be friends as well as teammates, having emerged through the Manchester United youth setup at the same time.
The pair both annoy the more old-school football fan to a similar degree due to their confident personas, on-pitch dancing and large social media presence with the strength of feeling exacerbated by their wages being paid by a currently underperforming club.
However, their footballing journeys to this point have been markedly different. Pogba, along with Ravel Morrison, was identified early on at United as a player with all the natural talent to make it to the top.
The Frenchman developed earlier and was more impatient, moving to Juventus aged just 19 in 2012, having demanded greater first-team opportunities.
How far will England get in Russia? Tell us now and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.
He was justified in deciding to leave having watched Park ji-Sung and Rafael toil in central midfield in a 3-2 home defeat to Blackburn and his career went from strength to strength in Serie A with Juventus.
Yet, in the four years was Pogba away was winning four Serie As and making the 2015 Champions League final, Lingard was toiling away at United, forced to remain hungry and patient, trusting that he would come good and step off the carousel of loans – Leicester, Birmingham, Brighton and Derby – to become a regular for club and country.
It took until 2015/16, the year before Pogba returned to United as the most expensive player in the world, for Lingard to break into the team at Old Trafford under Louis van Gaal, adding pace and vigour to a pedestrian team and scoring the winner in the FA Cup final.
Soccer Football – World Cup – Group G – England vs Panama – Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia – June 24, 2018 England’s Jesse Lingard scores their third goal REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Now valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, when England manager Gareth Southgate decides which key players should be rested for his side’s final Group G game against Belgium, Lingard should be viewed just as important as anyone, bar Harry Kane.
By contrast, Pogba has come into his second World Cup on the back of yet another season of constant debate over his best position and his worth to Jose Mourinho’s United side and underperformed for a disappointing France side.
A recent poll saw 73% of Les Bleus fans call for Pogba to be dropped. He has become a genuine global superstar, under intense scrutiny but he is failing to embrace that pressure on the pitch.
Lingard takes the joy he shows off the pitch onto the field as well and looks to be enjoying this World Cup as much as anyone, which could lead to further rewards upon his return to club football at United.
Pogba’s favoured position is on the left of a three-man midfield, and that is the exact role that Lingard switched to and shone in as England swept aside Panama 6-1, scoring the pick of the bunch with a curling first-half strike.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It helps Lingard that England’s 3-1-4-2 is more flowing than United’s 4-3-3, but his mini-reinvention poses an interesting tactical dilemma for Mourinho.
Lingard is playing in Pogba’s favourite position and playing better than him in it. The Englishman could not be putting forward a stronger claim to take his good friend’s starting spot at Old Trafford.
Mourinho reportedly wants warriors, who have the personality to fight for everything, and judging Lingard and Pogba on that metric, there is only going to be one winner.
According to a report from Sport1, Tottenham attacker Son Heung-min could be on his way out of the Premier League club this summer. The South Korea international enjoyed a fine season in North London last term, and were Spurs to indeed sanction his departure this summer, they can wave goodbye to a possible title challenge this time round.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, the 25-year-old has become an increasingly important member of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad in the last few years, not least last season in netting an impressive 18 goals and laying on 11 assists in 53 appearances for Tottenham.
Only Harry Kane (41) scored more goals for the North Londoners last time round to further underline the importance of Son to this Spurs squad, while his tally of 11 assists was only bettered by Dele Alli (13) and Christian Eriksen (17).
Thus, it’s evident that, while the likes of Kane, Alli, and Eriksen often get the plaudits, Son is equally as important to Pochettino’s side and as such will play a key part in inspiring the side to a Premier League title challenge next term.
Significantly, take Son out of the Tottenham side, and the replacements simply haven’t shown the level of form he has in recent times, with neither Erik Lamela nor Lucas Moura doing enough down the flanks, while Fernando Llorente certainly hasn’t proven his worth to be Kane’s deputy up top.
And losing Son, who can play in a more advanced central role, would further pile the pressure on Kane to get the goals for Pochettino’s side, at the same time taking a key cog of the attacking ranks out of the side.
Who do you think will win the World Cup? Let us know here
Arguably, the 25-year-old is one of the most underrated players in the Premier League at present such is the focus on messrs Kane, Alli, and Eriksen at Tottenham, but Son is just as important, and as such his departure would significantly weaken them heading into the 2018/19 season.
Ultimately, if Tottenham are serious about bridging the 23-point gap to champions Manchester City this term, and thus challenging for the title, not only do they need to make additions, but they absolutely have to retain their most prized assets – Son is in that category.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Thus, the North Londoners can wave goodbye to a possible title assault if they do indeed sanction the £45 million-rated (as per Transfermarkt) star’s departure this summer.
Leonardo Bonucci is an experienced winner having won seven league titles in his career, and now he is being linked with a move to the Premier League.
According to Calciomercato, Manchester City are one of a handful of clubs that are interested in recruiting the veteran defender.
Pep Guardiola already has a strong team at his disposal, and not a huge amount needs to be changed following last season’s title triumph.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255859″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Man City’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]
However, it seems that the recent two-year European ban implemented on Milan by UEFA has led City to consider a swoop for Bonucci as he is now believed to be considering his future.
Calciomercato reports that along with City, the club’s arch rivals Manchester United, as well as Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are tracking the defender.
Who do you think will win the World Cup? Let us know here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.
Guardiola are not in desperate need of a new centre-back, but there are concerns over injury prone Vincent Kompany.
Judging by the reaction on Twitter, though, City fans would rather the club did not make a move for the 31-year-old.
The South Africans will have to remind themselves what game they are playing on Wednesday. White clothes, red balls and attacking fields … that would be Test cricket, then
Andrew McGlashan at Centurion15-Dec-2009The South Africans will have to remind themselves what game they are playing on Wednesday. White clothes, red balls and attacking fields … that would be Test cricket, then. It is nine months since they beat Australia, at Cape Town, in their most recent five-day contest. Since then they have lived on a diet of one-day and Twenty20 action.Five of South Africa’s squad, including the captain Graeme Smith, haven’t even played first-class cricket since March, and the team as a whole prepared with a training camp in Potchefstroom rather than turning out for their franchises in a round of Supersport four-day matches. Despite the concerns about coming into the series short of meaningful practice, the coach Mickey Arthur felt the greater importance was to get his Test squad back together after such a long time apart, and for his part, Smith doesn’t believe the team will be caught cold.”I wouldn’t say under-cooked is the right word,” he said. “We’ve played enough cricket, had enough training and enough match time. It is more the long haul of a Test match, being able to handle pressure for long periods and sustain performances for long periods. I know it’s been a lengthy period since our last Test match, but our squad is a very mature one. It’s had a lot of success, and each guy knows what he needs to do to be successful. We’ve prepared really well – and it’s been a good, calm focus with intensity around our training sessions.”It’s always difficult to say where you are if you haven’t played a Test match for a long time. But I think we’re ready for tomorrow. It’s up to us to come out and make that first day count.”A situation that Smith will definitely have to confront is not having his usual five-man bowling attack. Although Jacques Kallis has been passed fit for batting duties after his fractured rib, he won’t be available with the ball which puts an added burden on the frontline bowlers, including Dale Steyn who has had recent hamstring trouble.”It’s obviously a luxury to have the five bowlers available,” said Smith. “I hope the four picked can do the job well and take the pressure off me. We have some quality bowlers who can produce the results, but we’re not going to have the luxury of Jacques [with the ball] so the responsibility shifts to all other places. Players know they’re going to have to take on a little bit more.”One bowler Smith knows will run in all day for him whatever the conditions is Makhaya Ntini, who will be celebrating his 100th cap. “It’s been a pleasure to be a part of his career and see the success he’s had – where he’s come from to where he is today,” Smith said. “He’s had his ups and downs but has always met them with 100% commitment. He’s a vibrant personality, even to the point sometimes where we have to put a muzzle on him. We wish him all the success in the next game and a lot more to come. He’s going to play a prominent role in the future, not only in this team but in South Africa.”Being greeted by a green pitch on the eve of the game may have given Smith cause to considering bolstering the pace attack in Kallis’s absence, but he said there was “a 99% chance” they would play the left-arm spinner Paul Harris. “That’s the way we’ve played our Test cricket over the last period of time, and I think we’ll stick to it,” he added. “The weather’s going to be a lot better tomorrow, and there’s still a lot of work to be done on the wicket this afternoon. I think it will change quite a bit, so we’ll assess it in the morning.”Smith is a far more mature captain than the one England first faced in 2003 when his attitude didn’t endear him to many of his opponents. Back in his younger days he would go down the route of making strong and provocative statements, but the older, wiser version instead opts for more subtle views about his rivals.”They’ve got a few challenges like the loss of an allrounder,” he said referring to Andrew Flintoff’s absence, and he has also suggested that England’s attack doesn’t look overly threatening with Steve Harmison left back home in Ashington.”And it wouldn’t be the build-up to a South Africa-England contest without mention of Kevin Pietersen. “We’d like to make it a major test for him,” Smith said. “That is our challenge as a team. We want to put all England batters under pressure, and he’s a key figure in that line-up. We’ve worked on a few interesting gameplans to him. Since his injury, he’s searching for a bit of confidence – and we hope we can keep him under that pressure he’s had on the tour so far.”