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Arsenal have made contact with Real Madrid over the potential loan signing of James Rodriguez this month, as per The Independent.

The Gunners are keen to strengthen their squad this summer and have explored the possibility of recruiting the Colombia international, who is currently on loan at Bayern Munich.

What’s the word?

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has admitted that there is little money for Arsenal to spend in the January transfer window, accepting that the club are likely to be restricted to loan signings.

According to The Guardian, he said on January 10th: “We cannot sign permanently.

“We can only loan players. I know the club is working on possibilities of which players can help us with big performances like we need now. I cannot say more.”

Rodriguez is set to return to Madrid at the end of the season, but Bayern are not averse to allowing him to move to a new club on loan now, according to The Independent.

Arsenal and Napoli are both interested, with Real set to sell up in the summer, having spent £71million to sign him on the back of his excellent performances at the 2014 World Cup, as per BBC Sport.

Real are interested in signing both Eden Hazard and Christian Eriksen in the summer, from Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, according to The Independent, and that will leave Rodriguez surplus to requirements.

However, the report claims that the club could potentially send the 27-year-old to Spurs instead in order to smooth over their mooted bid for Eriksen.

One man’s trash is another’s treasure

Arsenal fans can be forgiven for expressing their reservations over this transfer window when Emery revealed there was little money to spend. However, the acquisition of Rodriguez would go a long way to placating the baying hordes.

It has become clear that Emery does not believe Mesut Ozil can play a key role in his system, so the signing of the Colombian would help the Gunners click into a higher gear, where there is creative support for their two potent front-men – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

Pl>ymaker FC believes Arsenal fans won’t have to wait long to see Unai Emery’s long-term ambitions for the club come to fruition. Watch the video below to find out why…

A six-month loan deal could potentially come with an obligation to buy, too, and that could prove to be a very smart piece of business for the club.

Supporters will hope this one gets over the line.

According to a report from The Daily Mirror earlier this week, Southampton were one side interested in a January move for Che Adams. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Championship outfit Birmingham City and has done so since leaving Sheffield United back in 2016, with his impressive efforts in front of goal for Garry Monk’s men seemingly attracting interest from new Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

And that’s because a report from The Daily Mirror on Monday outlined Southampton’s interest in the striker, only for the club to fail to get a deal done for the Englishman prior to the deadline at 11pm on Thursday.

And while that transfer failure may well come as great disappointment to Saints fans, what it does do is pave the way for Charlie Austin, valued at £9 million by Transfermarkt, to seek to save his Southampton career.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, 22-year-old Adams has proven to be one of the hottest properties outside of the Premier League this season with a sensational 15 goals in just 29 Championship games for Birmingham, a tally that sees him sit fifth in the second tier’s goal-scoring charts.

And with nine goals the season before in the Blues’ run to 19th place in the division, and seven in his first campaign at the club in 2016/17, it’s clear that the striker has been getting better and better as the years have gone by, culminating in a staggering return in front of goal this time round – he certainly seems set for big things in the game.

And in a Southampton side that have struggled for goals for the best part of 18 months now, he could well have been the ideal addition in January, only for the club to ultimately fail to lure the 22-year-old to St Mary’s.

As such, Hasenhuttl will have to make-do with the striking options already at his disposal, with Englishman Austin one man who may look at the failure to sign Adams as the opportunity he needs to save his Saints career.

The 29-year-old was linked (as per talkSPORT) with a move away from St Mary’s during January such has been his struggles for game time following Hasenhuttl’s appointment in December, what with the striker starting just twice in the nine Premier League games the Austrian has taken charge of.

And in failing to even make their last two league matchday squads, it’s pretty clear just how low down the pecking order Austin is under Hasenhuttl – but failing to land a striker this month may well give him the chance to keep his Southampton career alive.

Clearly, there is a hugely adept striker in the 29-year-old given he scored seven times for the club last season and nine the campaign before, which added to fruitful spells at Burnley and Queens Park Rangers suggest a forward that, when the chance arrives in the penalty box, invariably finds the back of the net.

Yes, he may not be the ideal man to lead the line in a Hasenhuttl team, but with goals something of a premium for the Saints this season, they may well need his striking pedigree in the second half of the campaign.

So while the failure to land Adams may frustrate some Southampton fans, what it does appear to do is at least give Austin the opportunity, given he didn’t leave the club in January, to save his career on the South Coast.

Southampton fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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West Ham United’s 1-1 draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool at the London Stadium was a fantastic result for the east London club. However, the Hammers may be disappointed in its wake given they were the better team and probably deserved all three points.

The draw with the Reds was a continuation of the fine home record Manuel Pellegrini’s side have enjoyed against ‘big six’ opposition so far this season. Earlier in the campaign they’d also drawn with Chelsea and taken all three points against Arsenal and Manchester United.

For all their impressive work against the giants of English football though, the Irons currently find themselves in 12th place. Such a position is far from disastrous, but considering what this side have proven themselves to be capable of, it must be considered an underachievement.

Check out the below above to see football played as you’ve never seen it before… in a maze!

For every positive showing against big six opposition there have been limp defeats against the likes of Bournemouth, Wolves, Brighton, Watford and Burnley. That’s not to mention the FA Cup fourth round exit at the hands of League One strugglers AFC Wimbledon.

Considering West Ham spent £99million in the summer – the fifth highest amount of all top flight clubs – this failure to achieve consistency must be especially disappointing. The summer arrivals of the likes of Felipe Anderson, Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko, Lukasz Fabianski, Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena, amongst others, along with the appointment of a former Premier League-winning manager in Pellegrini, ought to have yielded greater results by now, even with injury woes taken into account.

Being a West Ham fan this season must be far more fun than it has been in previous years, with plenty of fresh faces and high-profile wins to enjoy and get excited about. The mood in Stratford is certainly far better than at this point last season, when tensions were about to manifest themselves in mass protests inside and outside the stadium (and on the pitch).

This unrest may have sparked the club’s majority owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, into action in the summer. Their spending spree certainly suggests they were keen to appease the fanbase. However, they may now be feeling a level of vindication for their previous thriftiness.

£99million is a lot to spend for 12th place – in fact, it’s only one position better than the club’s final standing at the end of last season. Of course, things could improve between now and the end of the campaign, but as things stand they aren’t actually receiving a strong return on their investment.

Before the summer, West Ham could have been described as a stagnating club. They still are, or at least that is what their inconsistency suggests – their stagnation is simply being masked by a handful of good, high-profile results. 

They certainly aren’t progressing smoothly. Until their strides forward aren’t immediately followed by an awkward stumble, Gold and Sullivan will continue to feel that their reluctant investments are failing to pay off.

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Former Southampton attacker Dusan Tadic started up top for Ajax in their 2-1 Champions League defeat against Real Madrid in Amsterdam on Wednesday night, and Saints fans were quick to have their say on the 30-year-old, whom they sold for £10m last summer.

The BBC awarded the Serbia international, who has scored 22 goals and provided a further 13 assists in 36 appearances in all competitions this term, the man-of-the-match award for his display in the first leg of the last 16 tie, as he hit the post and made more key passes (five) than anyone else on the pitch.

Tadic was also involved in a controversial VAR moment when he was adjudged to have been standing in the way of Real stopper Thibaut Courtois in an offside position when Nicolas Tagliafico headed home, leading to the goal being chalked off.

Supporters of Southampton, who currently find themselves in the relegation zone in the Premier League, took to social media to give their thoughts on their former star, and while one said “makes me wonder what Ralph could’ve done with Tadic”, another said “absolutely gutted we sold Tadic”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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According to The Sun, Manchester City are targeting Ben Chilwell as part of a £150m triple-swoop to increase their number of home-grown players, with Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka and West Ham’s Declan Rice joining the Leicester man on Pep Guardiola’s list.

Despite having spent a similar amount on the signings of Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Danilo to strengthen at full-back, the former Barcelona boss is still not satisfied with his options it would seem and Chilwell would presumably vie with injury-prone Mendy for a starting spot at left-back.

The 22-year-old has impressed in defence for the Foxes this season and his performances have earned him a call-up to the England squad, but what could be yet to come for the left-footer and City if he were to trade the King Power Stadium for the Etihad Stadium in the summer? We consider the potential consequences…

Sterling continues on the left-wing

A lack of options beyond Mendy has led Guardiola to deploy utility man Fabian Delph and Oleksandar Zinchenko out of position and at left-back – both have done a decent job despite being natural midfielders, but the arrival of Chilwell, a defender by trade, would mean they are less likely to feature there.

Guardiola rarely plays Mendy and Leroy Sane together, perhaps because the overlapping runs of the former would obstruct the latter, who is also left-footed. Raheem Sterling, meanwhile, has been playing on the left for City frequently of late, where he can cut in on his right foot.

Perhaps the signing of Chilwell, who also enjoys bombing up and down the flank, will mean Guardiola uses Sterling on the left far more often.

Delph back in midfield

As previously mentioned, the 18-cap former Villa man came through as a midfielder but found his Cityzens breakthrough playing elsewhere under Guardiola, however Chilwell’s arrival could mean his opportunities are far more limited once again.

Having made 11 appearances in the Premier League this campaign, the Yorkshire-born ace has been much less of a fixture this season but still seems to be a key player in the dressing room. With Fernandinho ageing and the Brazilian’s ideal replacement Frenkie de Jong moving to Barcelona instead, could Delph do a job at the base of midfield? He is certainly willing to delve into the ‘dark arts’.

On the latest After 90 Sergio Aguero reveals a very embarassing secret. Find out what in the video below…

The Etihad Stadium outfit look far less likely to win when former Shakhtar Donetsk man Fernandinho isn’t in the starting XI and they sorely miss his bite in the middle of the park. Guardiola may feel inclined to reintegrate Delph into the starting XI once his left-back situation is sorted and while City hunt for a more long-term replacement for their anchor.

England spot confirmed

Having won five caps with the Three Lions so far, Chilwell’s England career has well and truly begun but could just as easily be stunted whiles he remains at Leicester and the likes of Danny Rose impress with Spurs.

A move to a top six club will all but establish the 22-year-old as an England international and further his career on all competitive stages and, unlike many of the other sides around them, City can offer regular game-time despite the plethora of stars already on their books thanks to Guardiola’s excellent squad management – everyone who has earned them gets minutes.

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Crystal Palace face Leicester this weekend at the King Power Stadium and, having won their last three clashes with the Foxes without conceding a goal, Palace will be hoping that they can continue their unprecedented run of good results against the 2015/16 champions.

However, BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson, though, thinks that the game could be won or lost depending on whether one Leicester remains benched or not.

What did he say?

Discussing his predictions for the weekend’s round of football in his regular column, the former defender said:

“There always seems to be speculation over the future of Foxes boss Claude Puel, and he really needs to return to winning ways here.

“A lot depends on Puel’s line-up – and whether Jamie Vardy starts this time – but I actually quite fancy Leicester here.

“Crystal Palace are having a good run in the FA Cup and have taken five points from their past three games too.

“The Eagles have been playing quite well and creating loads of chances, but they are still hovering just above the relegation zone and they will have to be careful they don’t get sucked in.”

Lawrenson tipping Vardy to get Leicester back on form

As Lawrenson says, the Eagles have been putting in solid performances but their finishing needs to be far better if they are to fly away from the relegation zone. They will fancy themselves against the Foxes considering the results from their last few meetings and the possible absence of lynchpin James Maddison, but former England international Vardy will cause them problems should be given the nod.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

The hitman was surprisingly left out of the starting XI in the 3-1 loss to Spurs last time out, with Demarai Gray deputising up front, but came on to score the consolation for his side. Selhurst Park outfit Palace will have to be wary of the 32-year-old’s pace if they are to get the win but also pray that their forwards’ finishing is as exemplary as Vardy’s typically is.

Mr. Controversy, Marko Arnautovic’s found himself in a precarious position at West Ham United, incurring the wrath of sections of support after being linked to a move away in January.

His manager, for one, wasn’t impressed with his actions and has seemingly banished him from the starting XI after everything cleared up in February.

Arnautovic was replaced with Javier Hernandez and West Ham’s promising form means they aren’t missing him. However, if his substitute appearance against Fulham proved anything, he still possesses the ability to create moments of brilliance not many are capable of.

He put in a glowing performance in the London Derby, proving his creativity with a clever assist for Michail Antonio in the dying stages to seal an important win. Before that, the former Stoke City ace came close to scoring his first in over a month, having his powerful header saved by Sergio Rico.

The Austrian striker is undoubtedly the most prolific one they have currently, having scored seven goals assisted three so far for the Hammers. Apart from that, the fact that he possesses a shooting accuracy of 52% and created six big chances in 19 appearances (stats via Premier League) proves how versatile an attacker he is.

Arnautovic not only has a fantastic eye for goal but can open up the Hammers attack and provide width with his ability to play anywhere in the final third.

He’s served his “punishment” without hesitation and it’s high time West Ham forgive his actions, as they need his clinical ability to finish the season strongly.

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Loads of Liverpool fans have been reflecting on the week’s Champions League action, and they think they have found the missing ingredient in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield.

Real Madrid were knocked out of the Champions League in stunning fashion on Tuesday night, as a mixture of young and old did the trick for an electrifying Ajax side.

Veterans like Dusan Tadic and Lasse Schone were both on the scoresheet, while youngsters like Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong were equally brilliant.

No one impressed over the two legs more than Hakim Ziyech though, who Liverpool fans are eyeing as the answer to their midfield creativity problems.

The Reds have not found that extra craft and guile in midfield since Coutinho departed last winter, and Ziyech does appear to have the versatility, vision and skill to function in Klopp’s high-tempo attack.

The 25 year-old scored in both legs against the European champions, and has recorded 16 goals and ten assists in all competitions this season.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where fans think they have found the man to add some creativity to their midfield…

It’s been a strange old week for Tottenham fans, hasn’t it? Brushing aside the Bundesliga leaders in the Champions League then losing at Southampton on Saturday shows just how mentally weak this squad is.

You’d think such a mid-week thrill would lift the squad and pull them out from the Premier League hole they dug themselves after defeats to Burnley and Chelsea. Their title chances were killed by those losses and the continuation of poor league form suggests a complete lack of spine from Mauricio Pochettino’s men.

It seems the squad can’t link their momentum in one competition to the other, and that’s worrying because Spurs clearly have the quality to beat anyone on their day, as they’ve proved at times this season. They’re high on confidence in the Champions League, so they play well, but they’re low on confidence in the league, and that means they play poorly.

Whether it’s Pochettino’s fault for not being able to motivate the team to finish the season strongly or if it’s the players’ fault for lacking interest, there’s clearly an issue here. Spurs’ squad falls short of being capable of taking City and Liverpool right to the last couple of games, but even if they did have the depth and quality, would the club’s mentality ruin their chances even then?

As Manchester City have found in the Champions League and Liverpool in the league, if there’s no precedent of recent success in a particular field, the mental side of challenging for honours often trips players up. Spurs are, and will be, a victim of this until they do finally win their first Premier League. The hardest trophy to win is the first, and Spurs have to toughen up to rise to that challenge.

Aside from the clear spending requirements in summer, their best existing players, if they stay, have to realise the quality they possess and add some arrogance to their game. Being mentally fragile kills title chances, and Spurs shouldn’t let that affect the quality they have in their ranks.

Spurs fans, who do you think your club needs to sign in the summer to mount a title challenge? Join the discussion by commenting below…

In his time as the Liverpool manager so far, Jurgen Klopp has mostly got it right. However, no one is perfect and the German does have a few blunders to his name, with the main one coming in the form of Loris Karius. The German shot-stopper has been a disaster at the club, and even now whilst on-loan his woes are continuing.

The German shot-stopper will likely never be able to distance himself from his performance in Kiev last year, and it seems that he still suffers from major confidence issues. Those issues won’t be resolved quickly either if his manager doesn’t trust him, and after Besiktas’ narrow 3-2 win over Konyaspor his gaffer, Senol Gunes, came out with some pretty damning comments on the German.

Any Liverpool fan who hasn’t yet seen the Besiktas’ boss’ scathing words can read them over on ESPN and it begs the question of what is next for Loris Karius. Gunes claimed that Karius ‘does not feel really apart of the team’ and that ‘if I still had Tolga (Tolga Zengin, Besiktas’ reserve goalkeeper) available I would play him’. These cutting words are sure to only do more damage to Karius’ fragile state of mind, and Liverpool fans haven’t been surprised to learn of his struggles.

With that in mind, here’s what the Liverpool fans had to say upon hearing of Karius’ woes:

In truth, the Reds aren’t too surprised to hear of Karius’ most recent blunders and will just hope that one day he can get his career back on track.