Tag Futebol

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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…

It’s no secret that Southampton have had many a good player cherry picked from their squad over the years.

The Saints have lost the likes of Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne, Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Morgan Schneiderlin, Victor Wanyama, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane to top six sides in recent years, but there was one man who never managed to get his big move away despite numerous links – Ryan Bertrand.

The left-back, now 30, was arguably amongst the best Premier League players in his position a few seasons ago and was consequently linked with headline transfers to clubs such as Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United.

For whatever reason, the England international never got his big move away from the South Coast and he could now face the ultimate price – falling into obscurity away from the Saints first-team.

Recently, Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl dropped the former Chelsea man for 20-year-old centre-back Kevin Danso for the trip to Brighton. Bertrand had a knock, but the Austrian said that he would’ve made the decision to drop his previous No.1 left-back anyway.

Quite why the former RB Leipzig had this decision in mind remains to be seen, but it could be argued that something isn’t right with Bertrand.

The 30-year-old held the captain’s armband at St Mary’s under Mark Hughes and also in the early days of Hasenhuttl’s reign, but that duty has since been handed to Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – the Dane was captain in Bertrand’s last league appearance, a 2-1 loss to Liverpool.

There have been signs of an attitude problem with Bertrand in the past in terms of complacency and entitlement.

Having been left out of the England squad for the 2018 World Cup, the former Aston Villa defender agreed to an interview in which he makes a big point of telling Gareth Southgate that he was wrong not to select him, saying that it was “perhaps an oversight in the manager’s analysis and I find that hard to take.”

Another glimpse of Bertrand potentially being quite arrogant and cocky can be seen in the clip below, where he purposefully messes up a throw-in by launching the ball further down the touchline, before glancing down to the camera, smiling, winking and tapping his wrist to indicate him pointing to a watch – weirdly, the score at the time was 1-1 in a derby game against Bournemouth.

For one reason or another, Hasenhuttl has seen fit to drop a man who was once the leader of this Southampton side, and at 30 years of age now, it seems like Bertrand faces an uphill battle to ever hit the heights of being linked to the best sides in the country again. He wasn’t even mentioned as a potential candidate for the most recent England squad either – his last Three Lions outing being being nearly two years ago.

Bertrand may have looked at the likes of Shaw, Lallana, Mane and Chambers and expected a similar move away for himself to follow, but he has been left behind by a glittering Southampton alumni. Now not even a guaranteed starter under Hasenhuttl, the ultimate price for that could well be fading into the background at a club that finished 16th in the Premier League last season.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Scottish Daily Mail (August 8, page 84), Celtic rejected a late bid for Callum McGregor from former boss Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City as their window was drawing to a close on Thursday evening.

What’s the story?

Celtic booted out a late bid for McGregor as Rodgers looked to splash some of the incredible fee the Foxes received for Harry Maguire. It’s believed that Leicester were willing to spend £20m on the Celts’ midfield lynchpin, but the offer was rejected out of hand, per the report.

Major shareholder Dermot Desmond informed his former manager that McGregor was not for sale at any price as the club were preparing to lose another one of its stars to the Premier League, with Kieran Tierney joining Arsenal.

The report details the 26-year-old’s interest in speaking to his former manager but says he accepted the club’s decision to hang onto him during a period of change.

A smart decision from Desmond

With Tierney gone, the loss of McGregor would’ve been a disaster both on and off the pitch for the club.

There could well have been a massive backlash as the fans come to terms with losing two key players, especially two Scotland internationals. Tierney, a boyhood fan, was tough enough to lose on his own, but adding their dynamic midfield maestro to the exit list may have broke the camel’s back.

It becomes even more crucial that the club opted not to sell simply because it is Leicester. Rodgers tarnished his Celtic legacy by jumping ship to a mid-table Premier League side just as he was on the cusp of treble-treble glory at Parkhead, and it’s fair to predict a successful swoop for McGregor would have erased absolutely any goodwill the Northern Irishman still had in Glasgow.

Once again, it shows the club is in touch with the fans, knowing that entering into a deal with Rodgers would’ve been a public relations nightmare.

Most importantly, McGregor is such a pivotal part of the Celtic side on the pitch. The midfielder played more minutes than any other player in world football last season as his side won their third-consecutive treble with him at the heart of everything.

Keeping McGregor wouldn’t have been an easy decision with such a large offer on the table, but the Celtic board deserves massive credit for simply walking away.

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Today’s Hammers transfer roundup includes news on their pursuit of a La Liga forward, a fresh bid for a Championship striker and Serie A interest in one of the club’s midfielders.

Gomez future still up in the air

Maxi Gomez is yet to decide on a move to West Ham. Sky Sports had reported that Celta Vigo’s Gomez was keen on a move to the London Stadium, but reliable West Ham insider ExWHUemployee has said that the Argentinian is “undecided”.

New bid for Rondon

West Ham are set to make a new bid for West Brom’s Salomon Rondon, according to Football Insider. The bid is reported to be in the region of £14m. Football League World has added extra information, saying that Sam Byram will be included in the offer.

Parma want Obiang

According to Parma Today, Italian club Parma are interested in taking Pedro Obiang on loan next season, with a potential purchase option. However, it appears the potential swoop is very much at its earliest stages, described as ‘just an idea’.

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Manchester United will reportedly have to stump up a whopping £60m to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka this summer.

According to Sky Sports, Manchester United have seen a £40m bid for Wan-Bissaka rejected.

The report claims a right back is on the agenda for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this summer, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Thomas Meunier and Tottenham’s Kieran Trippier also on the list of possible targets.

At least £60m will be needed to convince Crystal Palace to part ways with their 21 year-old tackling sensation, so should the Red Devils pull the trigger?

With Diogo Dalot waiting for his chance after penning a five-year deal last summer, we asked the writers at Football FanCast for their verdicts on whether United should splash out on Wan-Bissaka…

One point separated City and Liverpool but twenty-five separated them from the rest! Fans discuss who could reduce the deficit next season in the video below?

Harry Sherlock

“Wan-Bissaka is pure potential and £60m is probably about the going rate for a genuinely prodigious young talent. United don’t have the right-back options they once did and, with Antonio Valencia leaving the club, new blood is needed. United can afford to spend £60m on a talent like Wan-Bissaka and, really, this is exactly the type of player they should be pursuing. It’s a big fee but it solves their problem position for the next decade. Pay it and get him in.”

Billy Meyers

“I personally think this deal isn’t necessary for Man United. They definitely need a new right-back, but Dalot should be the next in line for the starting role and a cheaper second choice option should be pursued instead. Wan-Bissaka would definitely be a great signing, but other areas are in need of investment first.”

Jack Saville

“Considering how much Man City have paid for the likes of John Stones and Kyle Walker, it’s fair to say that a figure in the region of £50m+ is the new benchmark for England’s most promising and talented defenders. United can have no complaints about the enormity of the fee and, if they are serious about laying strong foundations for the future, they must do whatever it takes to bring him to the club. With Dan James set to arrive at Old Trafford, the addition of Wan-Bissaka would be in line with a major policy shift from Woodward.”

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Having joined Liverpool from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, Naby Keita arrived ready to become a mainstay of the Reds’ first-team.

After being phased into the side by Jurgen Klopp, the 24-year-old really began to shine and offered the Reds some much-needed creativity and goal threat from midfield.

However, after pulling up with an injury in the 3-0 defeat to Barcelona, Keita’s involvement in his country’s Africa Cup of Nations this summer was in jeopardy, but was seemingly rushed into action for the tournament.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Now, Guinea have confirmed (via Foot 224) that Keita suffered shin and thigh injuries during the 1-0 defeat to Nigeria and that he has been ruled out of their game against Burundi on Sunday.

After hearing that their midfielder had fallen to a fresh injury blow, Liverpool fans took to Twitter to vent their frustrations and seemed to point the finger at Guinea’s hierarchy for failing to take care of Keita.

Indeed, many begged the question as to why the former Leipzig man was even on the trip in the first place and suggested he should have been given adequate time to recover from his injury at the Camp Nou.

Check out some of the reaction of Liverpool fans below:

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Declan Rice insists he is focused on staying at West Ham United this summer, per The Guardian.

What’s the word?

The midfielder has been routinely linked with a move away from the Hammers, with both Manchester United and Manchester City touted as potential suitors.

He has enjoyed a breakthrough season under Manuel Pellegrini, after all, playing a total of 38 times in all competitions and earning a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the Nations League finals.

And he maintains that he is content with his lot at West Ham, having signed a new contract in December.

He said: “I know that there’s speculation but I signed a five-year contract with West Ham during the season.

“So my focus is fully on playing for West Ham. I’ve got a great connection with the fans; the fans love me and I love them and that’s the way it is at the moment. I’m not thinking about anything else, for sure.”

A legend-in-the-making

Rice could become a Hammers legend if he remains at the club for the duration of his career.

He is already seen as perhaps the best young player to play for the club since the days of Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand.

And, yes, he could well earn himself a massive move to a Manchester club or potentially a big foreign side.

But we’ve seen how revered the likes of Mark Noble and his ilk are at the Hammers; he has committed himself to the club and become an icon in the process.

Rice could do the same; he’s well on the way given how much supporters adore him.

It is down to him to ensure he enters the pantheon of the greats.

West Ham United will need to build upon this year’s campaign and adding quality to their squad this summer would have to be considered a priority.

The Hammers were rather successful in the transfer window last summer as Manuel Pellegrini managed to bring in a number of players to help significantly improve the side he inherited.

However, the London Stadium outfit still have a number of areas that could do with upgrading ahead of the new season and one man that has been linked with a move to east London could be an excellent coup for the Irons.

Enter Steven Zuber.

According to the guys at Tuttomercatoweb, West Ham are allegedly interested in the Hoffenheim flyer and are thought to be keeping tabs on him as he has been impressing in his loan spell with Stuttgart.

The Switzerland international is extremely versatile, as he can play in any position on the left-hand side comfortably, whilst he is also more than adept at playing in the centre of midfield – an area of the field where we have suffered a number of injuries.

However, what makes him more appealing is the fact that he is thought to be valued around €7million (£6.1m). Pocket change in today’s transfer market, even for a club like West Ham!

Indeed, Zuber is a quality player, and although the Hammers already have bundles of talented players in wide positions, the 27-year-old would still be able to provide the depth required in the Premier League, whilst he might also be a perfect upgrade on the likes of Arthur Masuaku and Aaron Cresswell at left-back.

But, the club is going to have to act quickly if they do decide to make a move for him, as the likes of Nice, AS Roma and SS Lazio are all thought to be interested in securing his signature.

Pellegrini must not think too long and hard about this one, as it is unlikely he will be available for too long.

West Ham fans, do you think the club should sign Zuber this summer? Let us know below!

Chelsea remain on course to have a decent season this term despite plenty of chat about Mauro Sarri not getting what he should out of his team.

The Blues can still capture the Europa League, while they also remain on course to land a spot in the top four, something which would surely constitute a successful season for the Italian manager.

However, there is a big summer ahead for Chelsea, with the club in the midst of a transfer ban – something they are indeed appealing – and looking at some of their top stars like Eden Hazard potentially moving away from the club.

If Chelsea can indeed overcome the transfer ban though, then we here in the Tavern feel like they need to be going all out for Ajax defender Matthijs De Ligt, who despite interest from Barcelona has revealed that he might well be interested in a move elsewhere in the summer.

The Ajax youngster has been nothing short of superb for the Dutch side this year, leading from the back as Ajax have moved within one game of landing a spot in the Champions League final.

Ajax have a historical link with Barcelona which has naturally led to De Ligt being linked with a move for the defender, but Chelsea are desperate for younger players in their squad who are ready made for first-team action, something which De Ligt falls right into.

It does of course come down to Chelsea being able to get some good fortune from the powers that be in relation to their transfer ban, but if they can get out of it, then signing De Ligt has to be a priority.

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This week The Daily Mail claimed that Leicester may make a £15m move for Hull’s Jarrod Bowen.

The winger has been in exceptional form in the Championship this season so it’s no surprise to see him being linked with a Premier League club.

Responding to the claims on Twitter, Leicester supporters appeared to be buzzing with the news, sharing their opinions on a potential transfer for the 22-year-old.

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…

One fan responded by saying they’d be very happy with Bowen, whilst another claimed they were begging.

Much of the reaction was centred around current Foxes man Demarai Gray. A certain supporter urged the club to give Hull the £15m plus the Leicester winger, whilst a further member of the King Power faithful simply declared that he was much better than the former Birmingham ace.

Bowen has been phenomenal in front of goal throughout 2018/19, finding the back of the net on 22 occasions. All but one of his strikes have come from the wing this season which makes his return even more incredible.

To add to that, Bowen has claimed four assists this term.

With Harvey Barnes on the left and the current Hull star possibly signing to play on the opposite side, Leicester’s attack would have plenty of potential in the future.

Here’s the best of the reaction…

Tony Pulis faced the media today, ahead of their massive game against Swansea tomorrow, and was defiant in the face of mounting criticism from Boro’s fans.

He acknowledged fans’ feelings, and agreed that, as paying customers, they have every right to criticise, insisting “they can say what they want”.

But he also pleaded for unity, expressing a need for “everyone to be together”, in a bid to end their horrible run of form, and regain their footing in the play-off race.

The Hartlepool Mail report Pulis said: “I don’t have a problem with it. If people want to criticise I understand that. I understand the job. I understand my responsibilities.

“People pay their money and they have a right to criticise. They can say what they want.. “But we need everyone to be together right now. And the most important people in that are the players. They have to stay together and they have that belief.

Boro’s loyal fans have a dilemma on their hands. While they are fed up with how things have gone recently, they do need to be behind their side in the remaining games — starting at Swansea tomorrow.

That said, they cannot be expected to watch a team go six games without a win — which has seen them lose their last five in succession — without venting their frustrations.

To say nothing, is to send a message that they are accepting what they are being served up, and that is simply not right.

It is a balancing act.

The fans will, as ever, be 100 per cent behind their team when they walk onto the pitch at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow, but for how long, is up to the manager an players.

If they start well, and get their noses in front, then Pulis’s rallying call will be followed.

But should they continue to struggle to find the net, and see their manager seemingly unable to switch to an effective plan B, then the fans will hold him, and the players, to account.

The supporters can definitely do their part to help tomorrow, but it is certainly not their job to motivate the players before a game — they should not have to.

That is the manager’s job, and if he cannot get every one of his players up for a game, in which nothing other than a win will suffice, then the only outcome is for him to leave his post.

Pulis, apparently, has support in the boardroom — at least publicly anyway — but how long that lasts, only time will tell.

What are your thoughts and predictions before tomorrow’s game? Will you listen to Pulis’s calls for unity? Let us know your thoughts…