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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly closing in on a move to sign Real Betis attacking midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.

Earlier this week The Daily Mirror claimed the club could secure the Argentina international for a fee of between £54m and £60m.

And just at the point when optimism surrounding the transfer market was returning to Spurs fans, the rumour mill threw up a link from the footballing stratosphere.

Indeed, according to The London Evening Standard, contact has been made with Juventus over a potential record-breaking swoop for Paulo Dybala.

Any such deal for either Lo Celso or Dybala will follow the acquisitions of Jack Clarke from Leeds United and Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon.

The signing of the latter broke the club’s transfer record and a deal for either of the South American targets could well see that broken for the second time in one transfer window.

Spurs, though, have a chequered history when it comes to buying Argentine players.

There are a number of tiers involved for players brought in from an elite footballing nation.

Football FanCast takes a look at the list of Argentines to strut their stuff in north London, excluding Mauricio Pochettino who, obviously, has never pulled on a Spurs shirt.

Still, he’d probably be quite high up if he had.

[snack_break title=”Appalling tier – Federico Fazio”]

Signed from Sevilla for £8m to add some solidity to the Spurs backline, Fazio did pretty much the exact opposite.

He made 32 appearances for the club despite not really knowing how to tackle and also having a turn of pace that makes the largest of container ships look positively rapid.

In those games, Spurs kept a clean sheet just eight times.

Fazio was eventually sold in 2017 after two loan spells, first back to Sevilla and then to Roma, where he made the move permanent.

Spurs haven’t missed him. Not one bit.

[snack_break title=”Rotation tier – Juan Foyth, Paulo Gazzaniga”]

Juan Foyth is a young defender who could yet blossom into an excellent one. At the time of writing, however, he’s made just 25 appearances for the club.

It would be unfair to put him anywhere else on this list.

The same, really, can be said of Paulo Gazzaniga. Signed as a back-up to Hugo Lloris, he has performed reasonably well whenever he has been called upon but that has not happened all that often.

Indeed, he has made a total of 12 appearances for the club, though he is a good shot-stopper and a calm presence between the sticks.

If he continues to play and impress he’ll rise.

[snack_break title=”Polarising tier – Erik Lamela”]

This one is controversial.

Erik Lamela has been almost ever-present in the Spurs squad since his move to the club in the wake of Gareth Bale’s departure.

He is closing in on 200 appearances for the club and yet he has never really nailed down a spot in the starting XI.

He has scored 29 goals and registered 41 assists, but is not anywhere near as important as the likes of Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen or Heung-Min Son.

Lamela is a quick and skilful and has an excellent eye for a pass but is still regarded as nothing more than a squad player.

He can’t be any higher here, because his contributions must also be weighed against his £25.8m fee; he has not lived up to it.

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[snack_break title=”Understated tier – Mauricio Taricco”]

Signed by George Graham, Mauricio Taricco was a dependable presence on the left side of the Spurs defence.

He made 143 appearances for the club in total, scoring two goals, and was always steady, allying robustness in the challenge to a desire to sprint forward and join the attack.

He is far from the most spectacular Argentine acquisition a Premier League club has ever made but he never once let Spurs down.

Taricco may not make it into too many of these lists but his contributions should not be forgotten.

[snack_break title=”Legend tier – Ricky Villa, Ossie Ardiles”]

The duo that started it all.

Ricardo Villa came into the club and is remembered for scoring perhaps the best ever goal the club has seen, setting them on their way to victory in the FA Cup final replay of 1981 against Manchester City.

A mazy dribble that saw him beat numerous defenders before slotting home, Villa was awarded the Wembley Goal of the Century award in 2001.

He spent a total of five years in north London, while Osvaldo Ardiles spent a decade at the club, helping them win both the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup.

Ardiles, of course, came back in 1993, managing the club to a 15th-placed finish.

It is fair to say that his spell as a player was far more successful and he is remembered as a diminutive, skilled midfielder who helped take the club to great heights alongside his Argentine compatriot.

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According to journalist Gregg Evans on Twitter, Tyrone Mings is nearing a return to Aston Villa after the club agreed a £20m deal with Bournemouth.

Mings starred for the club on loan last term, helping them achieve promotion and win a club-record ten games on the bounce towards the back end of the season.

Therefore this signing could be major for the Midlands outfit after already bringing back two loan players in Anwar El Ghazi and Kortney Hause.

Unsurprisingly, Villa fans were absolutely buzzing with the transfer news as they flocked to Twitter to reveal their delight. One supporter called it absolutely superb and another claimed it would be the most important transfer so far.

A further fan commented that they couldn’t be happier whilst one individual went as far as calling him a new Aston Villa legend.

Mings featured 18 times for the Villans after arriving for a temporary stay in January. Crediting assistant manager John Terry for the move, he won 3 aerial duels per game, making a massive 4.3 clearances every 90 minutes, too.

The 26-year-old also popped up with two goals after initially moving over the winter.

Here’s some of the reaction.

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Frank Lampard has officially been appointed as the new manager of Chelsea.

Onlookers would be well within their rights to consider the probable appointment to be a risk given Lampard’s lack of managerial experience. That said, during his first season in management with Derby County, the 40-year-old demonstrated his willingness to entrust young players – a significant factor given the Blues’ current predicament.

Chelsea are banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows, and the need for serious youth integration has never been more pressing.

In Lampard, the Blues will have a manager who recognises the importance of trusting youth players – as his reliance on the likes of Harry Wilson, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori at Derby suggested – which could provide many of Chelsea’s young talents with their eagerly awaited breakthrough at Stamford Bridge.

Resultantly, here are five youngsters that must be incorporated into Chelsea’s squad under Lampard next season.

Mason Mount

Mount proved to be an integral figure in the Derby side that reached the Championship playoff final. His goal tally reached double figures in all competitions for the second successive season, contributing towards 17 goals – 11 goals and six assists – for the Rams.

Chelsea’s midfield requires an injection of creativity, particularly given that Ruben Loftus-Cheek is sidelined with a ruptured Achilles Tendon. Loftus-Cheek was the Blues’ highest scoring central midfielder in the league last season with six goals, and following the departure of Eden Hazard, Chelsea’s need for a variety of goal scorers is pressing.

Mount is an exceptional footballer who exhibits excellent technical quality and clinical proficiency in dead-ball situations. He has scored four direct free-kicks in his career.

His tremendous passing quality and habit of scoring from long-range would make him a valued member of Chelsea’s squad, and after two years away from the club acquiring regular first-team football, he deserves an opportunity to make a major step up in class.

Tammy Abraham

Not many teams are fortunate enough to have a 21-year-old with two international caps, top-flight experience and 60 senior club goals to their name. Given Chelsea’s need for a clinical striker, it would be foolish of the Blues not to utilise Tammy Abraham.

The forward was indispensable in Villa’s return to the Premier League, scoring 26 goals for Dean Smith’s side.

Collectively, Morata, Giroud and Higuain scored just 12 Premier League goals for Chelsea last season. Lampard’s need for a consistent goalscorer is clear, and Abraham could provide an answer.

The forward is supremely clinical in the penalty area, and he has also proven to be a dependent penalty taker – having scored 13 out of 16 penalties at all levels. His composure from the spot could be vital for Chelsea following the exit of Eden Hazard.

Ethan Ampadu

The Welshman enjoyed a frustrating season under Maurizio Sarri’s tutelage, one marred by limited involvement and injury concerns.

Despite his restricted opportunities at club level, Ampadu has shone on the international stage with Wales, becoming one of their most important players.

Rarely do you see an 18-year-old command proceedings as coolly and authoritatively as Ampadu. The Welshman displays splendid vision, and he has the technical quality to accompany his foresight.

He’s equally competent playing in defence or as a holding midfielder and displays an extensive passing range.

Ampadu plays without fear, and his physicality and tenacious nature ensure that he’s an imposing player.

The Guardian reported last month that Aston Villa are eager to sign him, and it’s unsurprising that other Premier League teams are courting his services.

His versatility and evident quality would be of enormous worth to Chelsea.

Reece James

The 19-year-old has enjoyed a phenomenal season with Wigan Athletic, where he won their player of the year, was named in the Championship team of the season and captained the side on the last day of the campaign.

James is supremely talented, and he can play in multiple positions, namely, right-back, centre-back and central midfield.

The Englishman flaunts a vast array of attacking qualities, notably his dribbling and crossing ability. He is also a potential threat from set-pieces. He managed to claim an assist from a free-kick during his time with the Latics and his presence would significantly augment Chelsea’s threat from wide positions.

Ousting a man of Cesar Azpilicueta’s pedigree will be a difficult task, but he has shown enough promise to earn a genuine opportunity in the senior setup.

Fikayo Tomori

Tomori’s impressive season with Derby County and close relationship with Frank Lampard could carve a pathway into Chelsea’s first-team next season.

Having played a staggering 55 appearances for the Rams under the soon-to-be Chelsea manager, one would expect Tomori to have a decent chance of featuring for the Blues in the forthcoming campaign.

The 21-year-old is another Chelsea youngster that provides tactical adaptability: he can play at centre-back or as a right-back.

Tomori’s impressive performances for Derby were rewarded with the player of the season award, and that alone is enough to suggest he can be a very capable player for Lampard to call upon next season.

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Marcelo Bielsa has made strengthening the wings his priority in this upcoming transfer window.

Ryan Kent, Helder Costa and Jack Harrison have all been heavily linked, but is the answer to the Argentine’s problem right under his nose?

Mallik Wilks is returning from an incredibly successful loan spell at Doncaster Rovers and he looks ready to make the step up to play Championship football.

He scored 14 goals and created eight assists during his stint in League One, and now it looks like it could be time for him to get some game time at his parent club.

Fans have been excited by his performances at points this season, and Noel Whelan has urged Bielsa to give him a shot.

Trying Wilks would certainly save the club a lot of money, but is it too much of a risk heading into a season where anything other than promotion would be deemed failure?

Football FanCast’s writers have had their say as to whether or not he should be a part of Leeds’ plans next season.

Matt Dawson

“Wilks may have enjoyed a terrific season in League One but making the step up to a team who have desires of competing in the Premier League would be an almighty task. Leeds are a side who need to stop mucking around and sort themselves out this summer. There were still a few gaps in the side that failed to achieve promotion and Wilks would not plug one of them. They’d be far better off getting in Helder Costa, a player with proven pedigree in the Championship.”

James Beavis

“Leeds United obviously feel that strengthening in wide areas is the key to winning promotion next season, and who is to argue with Marcelo Bielsa and Victor Orta? If the Argentine doesn’t feel Wilks is good enough for a starting spot, then he shouldn’t be handed one just because of how well he performed in the 2018/19 season. Both Bielsa & Orta know what they’re doing, and the Whites are right to ignore Wilks if they can bring in more quality to Elland Road.”

Luke Glanville

“Giving young Mallik Wilks a chance next season rather than splashing the cash on multiple new wingers is certainly a cheaper option for Leeds United this summer. The 20-year-old managed 22 goal contributions in League One for Doncaster Rovers last season and definitely deserves more of a chance with the senior side next term. But there’s no guarantee that he would be able to cut it in the second tier so Marcelo Bielsa would be putting all his eggs in one basket with this move. I think they should do both, give the starlet a chance in 2019/2020 and recruit more wingers.”

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Charlton completed their first business of the summer transfer window on Monday as they announced the signing of Macauley Bonne from Leyton Orient, with the red-hot striker having joined the Addicks for an undisclosed fee and on a three-year deal.

The jump from the fifth to the second tier shouldn’t be underestimated and there’s no guarantee that the 23-year-old will be able to replicate his recent goalscoring exploits going forward but that doesn’t mean expectations at SE7 aren’t high. Head of recruitment Steve Gallen has indicated that he may have a lot to live up to in Charlton red.

What did he say?

Well, speaking about the new addition whom he has had an eye on for two years, Gallen said:

“Macauley’s been part of the team that won the National League, and he’s scored a lot of goals and as I say he’s someone who we’ve been watching for a while. The manager and I talked about him in January as a potential replacement for Karlan (Grant) at that stage to see if we could do it. We couldn’t at that stage, but we’re now really pleased to get him.”

Gallen admits that Bonne has been on their radar ‘for a while’ so they will be undoubtedly pleased to have finally got him through the door, but can he match the output of Grant?

Bonne chance

Grant departed The Valley in January when Huddersfield came calling for his services and left Charlton with a lot to do in the second half of the season without his goals – the speedster had notched 14 already by that point.

Lionel Messis have been spotted at The Valley, Boundary Park and even in Wales in the video below…

Fortunately for the Addicks, Lyle Taylor’s form and a stellar run-in saw Lee Bowyer’s side reach Wembley, where they would go on to beat Sunderland in dramatic fashion, thus sealing their promotion to the Championship.

With Igor Vetokele released, it was clear Charlton needed a striker to line up alongside Taylor next term and, having netted 23 times for the O’s last season, Bonne could prove a shrewd signing – but can he match Grant, as Gallen and Bowyer surely hoped he might when they looked as him as a replacement for the Englishman five months ago?

Only time will tell, but it definitely won’t be easy.

Imagine (yes, again) the damage Everton could do with a reliable, out-and-out goalscorer next season…

Indeed, it’s all well and good having the quality of Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson within their ranks but the Toffees are really missing a trick not having a quality striker alongside them as well. Well, not missing a trick perse in that literally everyone knows this is a big issue for the club, but seemingly ignoring it. Weird.

Clearly, ever since Romelu Lukaku left, Everton have been unable to find an adequate replacement, someone who would even get near his goal-tally. And now that Marco Silva and his side have shown real signs of progression in the last few months, he should be given the chance to make a top striker his, this summer.

Although he certainly isn’t in that calibre yet, more so potential, Everton should seriously consider reviving their interest (cited by the Daily Mail back in March) in Lille forward Rafael Leao.

Leao, (who is valued at £10.8 million on Transfermarkt) was a player Everton seemingly struck up a firm interest in a matter of months ago now. Having joined Lille in the summer, the Portuguese concluded his debut campaign out in France with eight goals in 24 appearances.

Considering that he is 19-years-old and was a stranger to first-team football before the start of the season, a goal every three appearances is a good way to introduce yourself.  Everton know full-well how much they need another striker at least this summer and who is to say that young Rafael Leao isn’t the answer?

While there are obviously a few problems with the make-up of the squad over at Goodison Park, the main strength of the playing staff is the youthful core throughout the team and adding such a sprinkling of stardust would help Silva create one of the most dynamic sides outside the top tier of European football.

Exactly what the club need to be doing at this stage of their project.

Indeed, Rafael Leao and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are players for the future but when the two reach their peak, it will be a very potent attack that Everton have at their disposal.

Everton fans, would you like to see Rafael Leao brought in this summer? Join the discussion and let us know down below!

Trying to make your name at a Premier League club is one of the hardest tasks in football, even more so when that team is Liverpool.

The club have one of the best reputations in the country for bringing through academy prospects, with Trent Alexander-Arnold being the latest in a long list of stars to make it at the Merseyside club, but for every success story there are a dozen other tales of players not being given a sniff in despite an obvious talent, and one such player is Ryan Kent.

The 22-year-old winger has been a fan favourite at Liverpool for some time and was tipped for great things but has yet to find a way into Jurgen Klopp’s first-team plans, and after a successful season out on loan at Rangers the attacker has firmly put himself in the shop window for the summer transfer window, and Aston Villa have come calling.

According to the Scottish Sun, the Villains are interested in the Liverpool academy product and are willing to put up £10 million for Kent, with Rangers also interested in retaining the services of the attacker, and for the Reds, they should allow the winger to walk this summer to the newly promoted Premier League side.

Aston Villa over the past two seasons have shown to be a team on the rise after regaining top-flight status in their second successive Championship play-off match, and under Dean Smith, Kent will flourish as a player in the English top-flight compared to another season in Scotland with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

Kent has shown he is more than capable of playing first-team football at the highest level, and now the youngster has the chance to impress in the Premier League with a team on the rise, and Liverpool should allow the winger to leave.

Liverpool fans, should the club sell Kent this summer? Let us know!

اعترف اللاعب الدولي الألماني، ليون جوريتسكا، متوسط ميدان بايرن ميونخ، أنّه ارتكب الكثير من الأخطاء في مباراة بوروسيا دورتموند بالدوري الألماني.

بايرن حسم الكلاسيكو الألماني، بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدفين أمام بوروسيا، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما، مساء أمس، السبت، على ملعب “سيجنال إيدونا بارك”، ضمن لقاءات الجولة السابعة (طالع تقرير المباراة). شاهد اهداف مباراة بايرن ميونخ وبوروسيا دورتموند

وقال جوريتسكا في تصريحات نقلتها شبكة “eurosport” في نسختها الألمانية: “دورتموند استفاد من أخطاءنا، لقد ارتكبنا الكثير من الأخطاء، وهذا منحهم العديد من الفرص للتسجيل”.

وأضاف: “لقد حققنا فوزًا مُستحقًا، لأننا كنا أسرع منهم في بعض المواقف، كُنا نُدرك أنّ دورتموند لديهم استعدادًا أفضل منا، ولكن هذا ليس عذرًا لنا، قاتلنا من أجل الفوز خلال الـ90 دقيقة، وهذا الانتصار كان مهمًا من أجل النضال في الدوري”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. نوير: هالاند كان محظوظًا.. وفوز مستحق على بوروسيا دورتموند

وواصل: “خوض العديد من المباريات؟ لا يجب أنّ نسمح لأنفسنا بالإرهاق، في الوقت الحالي، نحن في دوامة المباريات، علينا فقط السباحة مع الأمواج”.

وأتم تصريحاته قائلًا: “لدينا إصابات، ولكن نحن لدينا وفرة من اللاعبين، قادرين على تعويض الغيابات”.

Middlesbrough brought their dismal losing run to an end last night, with a comfortable 2-0 win at struggling Bolton, largely down to a magnificent performance from 23-year-old Ashley Fletcher, who scored both Boro’ goals.

The youngster, who is valued at £2.7 million (by Transfermarkt), has now scored five of the Teessiders’ last seven goals, which is remarkable considering the run they have been on, during which they failed to score at all in four of their last seven games.

Fletcher’s progression has been curtailed, somewhat, by Tony Pulis, who has only used him sporadically, and not given him the extended run in the side Boro’ fans crave.

Speaking to the Teesside Gazette about Fletcher’s attitude and display, Pulis said: “I’ve been absolutely delighted and I mean delighted with him.

“He’s a great kid, he’s never dropped his head and never been a minute’s problem.

“These goals will do him the world of good.  He’s a young lad. He’s not as mature as he will be…I’m delighted.

But the manager has been criticised for his handling of the young player — something he says he has been “crucified” for.

“Again, you get crucified for not playing him Saturday,” Pulis commented.

“He’s a young lad still growing into his body. People say ‘he’s a young lad, he can run around all the time’. This is a different level and you have to play the level to understand the level.

“Today and Saturday are Fletch’s games. He’s got two goals tonight, hopefully he can carry it on for the Hull game.”

But his comments are bizarre, and make little, or no, sense.

He is intimating that he will play again on Saturday, but then — having also played last night — may be rested again. It is ridiculous!

It is not as though he is a fledgeling teenager who has just left school and started to play — he is 23-years-old.

He was on loan at Sunderland last season — playing in the same division — where he played the full 90 minutes in 12 of the 16 games he was involved in.

With Boro’ in a precarious position in the table, regarding any slim play-off hopes they cling on to, Fletcher’s current form means his should be the first name on the team-sheet.

Middlesbrough need to win games. To win games, they need to score goals — to do that, it seems, they must have Fletcher in their lineup, with him being the only player looking likely to score consistently.

There are plenty of players of his age or younger, playing for their clubs week in, week out, which renders Pulis’ logic as flawed.

It is yet another sign — were one needed — that one win over a doomed side, will not paper over the cracks of a string of mistakes made by the manager, and why he needs to go as soon as possible.

What do you think of the manager’s handling of Fletcher? Is he right to keep resting the player? Or should he be given a consistent run in the side? Let us know your thoughts…

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It would be fair to say that the West Ham United fans were not pleased with what they saw from Manuel Lanzini in Monday night’s 2-0 loss at Chelsea.

Lanzini played the full 90 minutes for the third Premier League match in a row, having recovered from the knee injury that forced him to miss the 2018 World Cup, in addition to the majority of the 2018-19 campaign.

The 26-year-old is a brilliant footballer when in full flow, but the West Ham supporters appear to be losing a bit of patience when it comes to the Argentina international.

According to WhoScored, Lanzini did not have a single dribble during his 90 minutes on the field against Chelsea.

It was a tough night for West Ham against a team inspired by the brilliant Eden Hazard, but the club’s fans were really upset with what they saw from Lanzini.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be viewed below: