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According to a recent report from The Daily Mirror, Che Adams would be open to a move to Southampton this month. The striker currently plays his football at Championship side Birmingham City and has done so since leaving Sheffield United back in 2016, with his impressive goal-scoring exploits for Garry Monk’s side this season seemingly attracting interest from teams in the top-flight.

And that’s because a recent report from The Daily Mirror suggests that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton and Sean Dyche’s Burnley are eyeing up a move for the 22-year-old this month, with the man himself reportedly (as per The Daily Mirror) open to a move to either club.

As such, the door is very much open for Hasenhuttl and Southampton to secure what would be an exciting January deal.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, scoring goals has been something of a problem for some time at St Mary’s, what with the Saints only managing 37 goals in their 38 league games under Mauricio Pellegrino and Mark Hughes last season, and just 25 from their 23 games so far this term.

And with Manolo Gabbiadini joining Sampdoria on a permanent deal earlier this month, and Charlie Austin’s future far from certain heading into the final few days of the window (as per Sky Sports), Hasenhuttl is taking a risk heading into the rest of the campaign with just Danny Ings, Shane Long, Michael Obafemi, and Sam Gallagher.

Ings aside, who has bagged on eight occasions for the South Coast outfit this term, the other three simply haven’t produced the goods on a regular enough basis to be relied upon to score goals – as such, it would make a great deal of sense to try and get another attacker through the St Mary’s door.

And recent developments in pursuit of Adams, in that he is reportedly (as per The Daily Mirror) happy to move to Southampton this month, leaves a deal very much in the offing for the Saints were Hasenhuttl’s men to make a move.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed the best season of his career to date this time round with 14 goals in 28 appearances for Monk’s Birmingham, with only four players in the Championship having netted more than the Englishman so far this term.

And it’s not as if this season has come out of the blue either given the former Sheffield United man bagged seven in his first campaign at St Andrew’s and then backed that up with nine goals last time round – he has progressively been getting better and better, culminating in a wonderful season this term.

And at the tender age of 22, there is plenty more improvement to come from Adams, but significantly he is the sort of January signing that can bolster the Saints’ forward ranks – unlike last term in the form of Guido Carrillo, they wouldn’t be signing someone who hasn’t played and as such isn’t sharp and confident in front of goal.

Instead, 22-year-old Adams is in the goal-scoring form of his life and that can only be of benefit to Southampton, with the door now very much open for Hasenhuttl’s side to seal a deal for the exciting young striker.

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

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In a game where Liverpool could’ve gone five points clear at the top of the table with victory, it was West Ham and Declan Rice in particular that frustrated the Reds massively, holding them to a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.

The secret to stopping Liverpool?

Throughout the game, it was apparent almost from the first whistle that there was going to be limited space for the likes of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to work in, and that proved to be the main theme throughout the 90 minutes – all credit must go to the Hammers for sticking to their game-plan so effectively.

Speaking after the game, the Irons’ man of the moment Rice, said: “I think you could see that Firmino and Salah were frustrated because they couldn’t go through the middle. They kept going wide and they obviously haven’t got a target man to play up to, so we frustrated their gameplan and we got out with a point.”

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Manuel Pellegrini’s game-plan could’ve reaped greater reward had the linesman been focusing on the play, as Mane’s opener shouldn’t have stood after James Milner was miles offside in the build-up.

As a result of their excellent showing, the Hammers could well have landed the league leaders in a lot of bother for their remaining games of the season – after Leicester nullified them too, are they being found out by opposition sides?

What can Jurgen Klopp do about this?

Well, for a start, he can’t begin playing a target man as he sold his most physical striker to Bournemouth in Dominic Solanke, so Klopp needs to work with what he has.

At his disposal in attack are the aforementioned trio, along with Daniel Sturridge and Xherdan Shaqiri if need be – the Reds are extremely weak in terms of their attacking depth.

Rice mentions that once Liverpool were forced to play it wide, that seemed to be the end of their attacking threat. So, as a result of this, the former Borussia Dortmund boss should have no choice but to put Salah up top and play Firmino in behind him in a 4-2-3-1 system.

By doing that, the Reds still have a threat through the middle against sides who don’t plug the holes, whilst also having dangerous players out on the flank.

Steven Gerrard’s Rangers have played some stunning attacking football this season and a youngster to have helped that is young Ryan Kent.

The loanee from Liverpool has become a fan-favourite at Glasgow, with his electric demeanour producing brilliant moments throughout the season.

Kent’s been a nightmare for defenders in the Scottish Premiership, lighting up The Light Blues’ left wing. Not only is Kent a pacy winger, but his close-control and dribbling ability are also unprecedented. The 22-year-old has turned out to be a Steven Gerrard favourite, as the gaffer’s given him the opportunities and freedom to express himself.

Kent has scored 5 goals and assisted 4 so far for the Light Blues, forming excellent chemistry with his team-mates. He’s shown impressive ability to wheeze past his opponents on the left flank, often bamboozling defenders with his cunning trickery.

A confident man going forward, Kent also possesses the ability to make inwards into the box and going all the way to score amazing goals. The youngster’s dribbling prowess was on show against Celtic when he provided a delightful assist for Ryan Jack’s winner.

The left-winger’s heroics against Celtic, whom he terrorized with his pace and trickery, proved how crucial he is to their fast-paced attacking style. However, Jurgen Klopp’s also licking his lips watching Kent’s growth and probably can’t wait to have him back. Indeed, Gary McAllister hinted (via the Scottish Sun) there’s little chance of keeping him at Ibrox, making it all a bittersweet for Rangers fans right now.

Clearly a level above most other players north of the border, it’ll be very hard to replace him in the summer, especially in their price range. Still, if he can help the Gers win a title, who really cares?

What will be Liverpool’s gain is a huge loss to Rangers, who are growing more reliant on Kent’s influence to play their best football.

Ruben Neves was linked with a move to Manchester City in the summer and now the Express are reporting Manchester United are keen on signing the Wolves midfielder. Still, if he has the option, he should snub Old Trafford for the Etihad.

Ten years ago, nobody would have even thought about which team to sign for if both Manchester clubs were chasing your signature unless you were a City fan, of course. Manchester City have been in United’s shadow ever since the inception of the Premier League, but now things are changing.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, United have lacked the vision and success they once had and that’s the same vision and success City have established over the past eight years. Their hierarchy have a consolidated a style of football, invested in one of the finest training complexes in the world, and they now have the man who most argue to be the best manager in the world.

Alexis Sanchez had the choice between City and United last January and he chose United. Since then, he’s looked a shadow of the player he was at Arsenal and watched City go on to win the Premier League in emphatic fashion. It’s not hard to imagine that Sanchez might regret his decision.

It’s true the Manchester United that drained all creativity from Sanchez is no longer present because Jose Mourinho’s out of the door and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is playing more attacking football. But how can a player reject the chance to develop himself under Pep Guardiola especially considering the way their players seem to enjoy their football, and their trophies, so much.

Nevez is only 21-year-old and that means he’s entering a crucial stage of his career. These are the years that managers have the most impact because they can mould players into the footballers they will become for the rest of their career, and who better to take Neves to the next level than Guardiola?

The recent history and global reach of Manchester United is attractive, of course, but is that more important than being developed by one of the greatest coaches the game has ever seen at a club that is only going to win more and more trophies as they grow?

Neves must choose to join the Manchester City project if given the chance.

Who do you think Ruben Nevez should sign for?

Liverpool supporters will be desperate for their side to finally secure an elusive piece of silverware under Jurgen Klopp, as they can’t cope with anymore heartbreak after last year’s European final. 

The Reds have let themselves down slightly in recent times, despite securing all three points against Bournemouth last time out, as they’ve dropped a number of valuable points.

However, one thing that has been worrying supporters in recent times is Mohamed Salah’s future, as according to Tuttosport (via the Mirror), Mohamed Salah could make a sensational switch to Italian giants Juventus this summer, with Paulo Dybala coming to Anfield.

Indeed, it’s believed that the Italian club will test Liverpool’s resolve by offering Dybala plus £43.9 million.

So, with Salah’s future at Anfield looking a little less certain with Juventus looking to steal him away, perhaps the Reds should already set their sights on a potential replacement for the attacker. Indeed, with Dybala operating centrally, it would make sense for Liverpool to look at bringing in a winger who Klopp could develop into a star.

Interestingly, one player who is seemingly open to moving in the summer is Nicolas Pepe. The Ivory Coast international had this to say to French newspaper Le Voix du Nord (via Sky Sports) at the end of December 2018:

“For me, that’s for sure. As the president has already said, my desire is to finish the season at Lille.

“I am under contract until 2022. My idea is to end this season in Lille and then, why not, leave for somewhere in Europe. It would be beautiful.”

Of course, it would be extremely difficult for Liverpool to replace the player who fans call the ‘Egyptian king’ as he’s established himself as a club hero and one of the world’s best attackers since moving to Anfield.

However, Nicolas Pepe has already developed into one of Europe’s most promising talents, having produced an  incredible 17 goals and 11 assists in just 27 appearances for French side LOSC Lille this season.

At the age of 23, the forward still has plenty of time to develop as a player and he’d fit perfectly into Klopp’s attacking style as his electrifying pace would be sure to excite supporters.

Anfield may soon have a new king if Salah ends up leaving and FSG seal a deal for Pepe, as he would be the perfect replacement for Salah, despite not quite being on the same level as him just yet, as they’re very similar with pace and skill being both of their main attributes, along with their world-class ability to create and finish.

Liverpool fans – thoughts on a potential move for Nicolas Pepe?

Arsenal will have their sights set on securing a top four spot in the current campaign, but they’ll need to finish the season strongly if they are to do so as Chelsea and Man United are also in the race.

The one thing that supporters will want to see next season is Champions League football, after failing to hit the heights that many thought they would in recent years.

However, it appears as if Unai Emery looking to strengthen, as according to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), the Gunners could make another offer for Cengiz Under after having a €30m (£26m) offer turned down last summer, with Spurs and Arsenal possibly battling for his signature.

Indeed, getting the better of Spurs in the race for the winger would be great for supporters, but it may not be so exciting for a number of players already at the club.

Therefore, here are the potential consequences of Arsenal signing Cengiz Under in the summer…

UNAI EMERY SECURES FUTURE STAR

Cengiz Under is arguably one of the most promising attackers in Europe at this moment in time as he continues to impress over in Italy, with six goals and nine assists to his name.

He has already established himself as one of the standout performers at current club AS Roma, and he still has plenty of potential waiting to be unlocked with his whole career ahead of him at the age of 21.

Therefore, Emery can secure Arsenal a future star if he manages to sign Under as he has all the ingredients to become one of the world’s best attackers, as well as the pace and skill to excite supporters.

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN UNHAPPY

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has struggled to secure a regular starting place under Emery as the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazette have been preferred.

Indeed, the Armenian international has operated on the right-side of the Gunners’ attack at times, which is the position that Under takes up at Roma, so it’s safe to say that Mkhitaryan would be slightly unhappy with his potential arrival as it could push him further down the pecking order.

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Kalvin Phillips is having a wonderful season. The Leeds United midfielder is flourishing under Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road. The Whites are currently chasing the Championship title and Phillips is playing a key role in the side.

The 23-year-old defensive midfielder provides a reliable, solid base for Leeds’ attacking contingent to build upon. Not only does he possess an excellent instinct for reading the game, his work rate, stamina and mobility make him a relentless nightmare to play against. 

On the ball, the locally-born academy graduate impresses even more. Once he has won possession back for his side by breaking up an opposition attack, Phillips consistently looks to play the ball forwards. His vision and range of passing often go unaccredited as the focus is invariably on his defensive work and aggressive pressing style, but those distribution skills are just as worthy of note.

He’s certainly an easy player to love. Phillips’ dynamic, all-action, blood and thunder style never fails to invigorate the Elland Road faithful. Certainly, the midfielder is a favourite amongst the fans these days.

However, it has not been an easy journey for Phillips to get to this point. It’s never straightforward for any academy player to break into the first team at any club and force their way into the starting XI. Even though he has managed that laudable feat, Phillips has still had his critics. 

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

Prior to the appointment of Bielsa, who looks to have brought the best out of Phillips, the youngster was an inconsistent and often frustrating player. It wouldn’t be surprising if there were some who were ready to give up on him at Leeds. Now, though, they’ll be desperate to cling onto him.

Premier League clubs will have taken note of Phillips’ form this season. The midfielder’s application, attitude and industry may well garner some interest. In this regard, Everton must seriously consider making a swoop for the Leeds man in the upcoming summer transfer window.

If the Whites fail to seal promotion this season, then Everton should be able to prise their man away from Elland Road with a minimum of fuss. Even if Leeds do come up, the Toffees still ought to possess the financial clout to force a deal through. Marco Silva should certainly throw whatever resources he can into getting a deal done.

The Portuguese coach has suffered at Goodison Park this season thanks, in part, to his midfield. In the middle of the park, Everton lack steel and bite. The likes of Tom Davies, Andre Gomes and Morgan Schneiderlin don’t have the defensive discipline and fighting spirit that Phillips would bring.

Of the midfield contingent currently at Silva’s disposal, only Idrissa Gueye has these qualities. However, the Merseyside club will likely have to seek a replacement for the 29-year-old this summer anyway.

As reported by L’Equipe, Gueye was devastated to see a January move to PSG collapse, and hopes that the Ligue 1 giants will return for him. Either way, he has made it clear that he intends to make a step up in his career soon.

Whilst he remains untested at Premier League level, Phillips looks like he could be the perfect replacement for Gueye. Not only that, but given he is English he would also help the Toffees achieve their homegrown player quota.

Launching a bid for the Leeds midfielder this summer is something of a gamble, but it’s certainly a risk well worth taking for Everton.

What a performance Nottingham Forest put in on Saturday. Their 3-0 win at home against Hull proved they have the quality to make the play-offs, but only if they replicate their home form on the road.

The Reds have won their last four at the City Ground, scoring ten goals in the process, so if they played all their league games there, they’d probably already have secured a play-off spot already. Of course, they can’t do that so they’re sitting two points off the coveted sixth spot in eighth.

There are only eight points separating them and fourth so there’s a huge opportunity to sneak into the play-offs before the end of the season. Their away form could hamper that chance though, because they’re now without a win in seven away games. That’s certainly not promotion material.

That’ll be so frustrating for Forest fans because every other week they see what their players are capable of but as soon as they leave the comfort of Nottingham everything seems to fall apart. That signifies that it’s not a lack of ability that’s preventing Forest moving up the table, but a lack of composure and grit when they’re not in their comfort zone.

Solid home form is always the key to staying in a division, but the difference between that and earning promotion is going to your opponent’s ground and picking up wins where you aren’t be expected to. That’s eluding the Reds this season, and it could prove costly.

They play in-form Villa at home on Wednesday, but their next away game is against rock-bottom Ipswich Town at the weekend, and that’s the ideal time to get back to winning ways on the road and begin a vein of away form that could push them into the play-offs.

Forest fans, where do you think your side will finish this season? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Portsmouth finally got back to winning ways in League One which has since rekindled hope they could gain promotion this season. As every Pompey fan reading this know, the South Coast side really don’t make things easy, do they? Painful. Oh so painful. 

Still, Kenny Jackett’s side remain in fourth position and have a real chance of still getting in the automatic places, having also made the Checkertrade Trophy final at Wembley.

That will delight manager Jackett, whose team have battled hard to earn a place at Wembley and stay in contention for promotion. Offered this at the start of the season, that surely would have sounded good. So, imagine just how bad things must have been of late to even ruin that.

Clear, although there is still so much to play for this season, Portsmouth need to start planning how they will get better next season. If they plan correctly, they can build on the obvious blocks in place to really mount a sustained return to the upper echelons of the English footballing system.

Transfers are the main way to do that and a player who’s now surplus to requirements at Derby is Ikechi Anya, a versatile player who would be a very good capture for Pompey. Anya, (who is valued at £1.3 million on Transfermarkt) has found game-time under Frank Lampard extremely hard to come by, which would be the reason behind a move away from Derby.

The 31-year-old at this stage of his career would have hoped to be settled with a club and helping them regularly but that hasn’t been the case this season. Pace and power, the Scotland international would thrill Fratton Park, bombing up and down the wings to lift backsides off seats.

With just four appearances this season, of which all were for the development side, Ikechi Anya has been cast aside and needs to move away to restart his career. Portsmouth are a team who would certainly be strengthened with the Scotsman’s arrival, seeing as he can play anywhere from left-midfield to left-back or even right-back.

Pompey must consider all the experience Ikechi Anya has and although he may be nearer the end of his career than the start, he could still make a brilliant signing and be a welcome addition at Fratton Park.

Portsmouth fans, would you back a move for Anya? If so, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Manchester United fans are worried about the prospect of failing to finish in the top four after they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Wolves on Saturday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were beaten 2-1 at Molineux, as goals from Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota gave Nuno Espirito Santo’s side a well-deserved victory. Marcus Rashford scored a late consolation for the Red Devils.

The defeat was perhaps the club’s worst display since Solskjaer took charge in December, with United failing to truly test the Wolves defence across the 90 minutes.

Per WhoScored, United attempted 17 shots throughout the game but only two were on target, while they were also dispossessed 13 times compared to Wolves’ seven and lost possession 26 times to the hosts’ 17.

And fans have expressed their doubts that United will be able to climb back into the Champions League qualification spots before May.

Solskjaer’s side are currently fifth, two points behind Arsenal, and face the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea before the end of the season, while they will also take on Barcelona in the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club competition.

Take a look at the best of the reaction from a number of disappointed fans on Twitter below!