All posts by h79snht.top

According to reports in The Mirror, Southampton manager Mark Hughes wants to sign Barcelona attacker Paco Alcacer, who was also a target for previous Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino, according to a report in The Sun in October 2017.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Mirror says that Alcacer wants to leave the La Liga champions after two seasons where he has found his first-team opportunities restricted, and Hughes is keen to bring the Spaniard to St Mary’s to strengthen his frontline.

The 24-year-old joined Barca in a £30m deal in 2016 after scoring 29 goals in two seasons for Valencia previously, but he has failed to hit the same form for the Catalan giants.

Hughes’ men are certainly in need of a boost to their firepower given the Saints, who should sign a 6ft 4in England international once Chelsea complete a £45m deal, only netted 37 times in their 38 Premier League matches last term, as they narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship with a 17th-place finish.

How did Alcacer do during the 2017/18 campaign?

It was another tough campaign for the attacker, who once again found himself behind the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele in the pecking order.

The 24-year-old only made 23 appearances in all competitions – playing just 693 minutes of La Liga football – but he still scored seven goals and provided a further four assists, scoring a goal on average every 142 minutes in total.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]

Would he be a good signing for Southampton?

He certainly could be, yes.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

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 centre-forward showed during his time with Valencia that he can both score and create, and while his time with Barcelona hasn’t been hugely impressive in terms of the number of goals and assists he has recorded, the fact that he is making an impact when he does play is certainly eye-catching.

The fact that the La Liga giants bought him in the first place shows how good the 24-year-old is and can be, and there is no doubt that it would be a huge coup for Saints if they could bring the £30m man to St Mary’s.

According to an exclusive report in The Sun on Sunday, Southampton are on the brink of securing a deal for Norwich City attacking midfielder James Maddison after seeing a bid worth more than £20m accepted.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Sun on Sunday says that Saints have had an offer accepted for the highly-rated 21-year-old, who has been targeted by a string of Premier League clubs including Everton and Leicester City.

The Sun on Sunday says that sources close to the Canaries say that the south coast outfit’s manager Mark Hughes now has permission to speak to the England U21 international, who won the Championship club’s 2017/18 Player of the Season award, and convince him to move to St Mary’s.

The report adds that Maddison could be a replacement for Sofiane Boufal, who looks set to join either Marseille or Nice in France having had an altercation with Hughes and then been excluded from the first team following the loss against Chelsea back in April.

[ad_pod ]

How did Maddison do last season?

He was outstanding.

The 21-year-old scored eight goals and provided a further 14 assists in 44 league games for Norwich, but he brings far more to the table than simply goals and assists.

The England U21 star is comfortable on the ball and impressive in tight situations, and according to WhoScored.com he successfully completed 104 of the 154 dribbles he attempted, while he made a remarkable 124 key passes.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255885″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Southampton’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]

Would he be a good Southampton signing?

He certainly would be, and their most exciting since they brought Sadio Mane to St Mary’s from Red Bull Salzburg in 2014.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Like the Senegal international, Maddison brings a huge threat in the final third and has the touch and ability to get forward that will excite Saints supporters, who are split on a potential club-record deal for another Championship star, and that is something that is much needed after two successive disappointing campaigns.

The fact that he is also good on set-pieces is another bonus, and he would surely significantly boost a team that only scored 37 goals in 38 Premier League matches last term.

Newcastle fans have been discussing the probable sale of Aleksandar Mitrovic, and they can’t agree on a price tag for the Serbian.

Mitrovic showed exactly why so many fans rate him so highly on Friday, bullying the Switzerland defence all night in his side’s 2-1 loss.

The beastly striker grabbed the opening goal with a towering header, although Serbia eventually fell to goals from Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255847″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Newcastle’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]

It seems like a matter of “when” rather than “if” Mitrovic leaves this summer, as the striker is not in Rafael Benitez’s plans for next season.

A report from the Chronicle said even the 23 year-old’s impressive showings thus far in Russia won’t be enough to change Rafa’s mind, and fans are now discussing how much they’d expect to receive in a potential sale.

[ad_pod ]

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Fulham are the front-runners to land the striker, after he played a huge part in helping the Cottagers secure promotion, and forged a great connection with the Fulham boss, compatriot Slavisa Jokanovic.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

According to Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, Everton are interested in signing powerful striker Willian Jose.

The Brazilian forward has been on fire for Real Sociedad since signing two years ago, bagging 20 goals this season for the Spanish club.

Everton clearly have problems up front, only managing to score 44 times in the Premier League last season, and it is an area new manager Marco Silva will need to invest in this summer if he wants the team to improve on its 8th place finish.

However, according to the report, Real Sociedad want £52million for Willian Jose, which would break Everton’s transfer record.

We asked Everton fans if they would be prepared to spend a club record £52million on recruiting Willian Jose this summer, and 65 per cent said they would.

Some clearly see Willian Jose as a potential replacement for Romelu Lukaku, with both players being strong and physical strikers who bully defenders.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

However, it remains to be seen whether Marco Silva would spend such a huge sum on one player with no Premier League experience, despite what the fans may think.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255857″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Everton’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]

An overwhelming majority of polled Rangers supporters would love to see the Ibrox side make a loan move for Ben Woodburn this summer, after reports that the club were set to make a renewed move for the player.

Last week’s Scottish Mail on Sunday reported that manager Steven Gerrard has made a fresh enquiry about the striker’s availability ahead of the club’s massive UEFA Europa League qualifiers next month.

Woodburn became Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscorer in 2016, and now 18 years of age is needing regular first-team football to enhance his development and move towards becoming a big part of Jurgen Klopp’s talented squad.

Rangers need depth in attack themselves with Alfredo Morelos as yet the only real recognised striker available to Gerrard in pre-season.

Supporters appear in favour of a move for the Welsh international, with a massive 83% of respondents to a poll we published earlier this week voting that Rangers should make a move for the player.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

You can see the full results below…

Loads of Leeds fans have been reacting to the latest transfer news, as reports claim they are close to a deal for Wolves full back Barry Douglas.

According to Phil Hay of the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds have launched a shock move for Douglas.

The report claims Leeds have actually agreed to meeting the Premier League newcomers’ asking price, with a view to complete the move in the next few days.

Fans have been growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of transfer activity, but signing the flying Wolves full back would be a huge boost.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”257599″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Leeds’ opening fixtures for the 201819 Championship season”]

The Scottish international was one of the standout players in Wolves’ run to the title last season, racking up 15 assists, mostly from his incredible set pieces.

Marcelo Bielsa is expected to deploy three at the back this season, so signing one of the league’s best wing backs is a no brainer.

Douglas is in the last 12 months of his contract at Molineux, and Leeds fans are getting excited about the prospect of the Scotsman and Luke Ayling flying down the flanks.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Friday marked 100 days since Jose Mourinho took over as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, shortly after Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Plenty has happened during his time in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hot-seat, from his opening 3-2 win away against West Ham United, to their FA Cup progression over Southampton.

However, he is still yet to completely win over plenty of Spurs fans, who either don’t trust him or miss Pochettino.

Of his 22 matches up until this point, Mourinho has won 11 games, drawn four and lost seven in all competitions, which is not necessarily that impressive.

This has got Spurs up to sixth in the Premier League table, just four points outside of the top four, but their fans are still far from happy.

A true test for any Spurs fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?

One referred to his tenure as the “longest 100 days of my life”, one suggested that the Portuguese tactician has “nothing to show for it”, while another rated it 3/10.

There are some who have suggested that they “miss Poch”, which likely makes it more difficult for Mourinho to make an impression on them.

Mauricio Pochettino managed Spurs from May 2014 up until November 2019, and took them to a Champions League final, which definitely cemented his legacy if that hadn’t already happened.

It is clear that Mourinho has a very long way to go until he is held in anywhere near the same regard as the man he replaced.

Meanwhile, Mourinho has also been criticised by a big-name pundit.

Gazetta World have managed to get Tottenham Hotspur fans looking up with interest here in the Football Transfer Tavern as they seem to think that Roma could well make a move for Erik Lamela.

The creative star has suffered from a torrid time and lack of form since his move to England, and we think a move away could well be what he needs and with Roma willing to bring him back to the club, it could be a deal that goes through before deadline day.

As one of our regulars quips over a couple of games of pool, we think that the player could well leave and after showing a lack of consistent form in north London, few Spurs fans would miss the player who they seem to think was a big waste of money and total flop.

Spurs fans. Would you like to see Lamela leave? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!

Bargain buys haven’t exactly been the transfer policy at Manchester United of late, but the squad is definitely in need of some additions as you begin on Football Manager 2016.

Louis van Gaal has built a squad with plenty of talent, but there are some fundamental issues that need to be addressed in the short term.

The Dutch veteran manager might have splashed the cash, but the wonderful world of football virtual reality means that you don’t always have to.

United are blessed with a significant budget from the start of your save, but the way that youngsters develop on the game means you can bring starlets in from all over the world at bargain prices.

Failing that, investment in a bigger name who can give you a decade of service is equally justifiable and might be deemed a bargain in years to come: see Luke Shaw.

Here are FIVE players who could be ideal for your save at Old Trafford…

Marc-Oliver Kempf

This German centre-back will not be as cheap as some of you may have hoped, but a decade or so of service more than makes up for the price tag.

If you work the deal intelligently, you should be able to get the upfront payment below £15million.

With some ideal mental stats and marking of 15, Kempf can play anywhere from centre-back to central midfield and would be an ideal long-term partner for Chris Smalling or Phil Jones.

Timo Werner

A Football Manager legend for several years now and Werner is as good a signing as ever.

His pace would be a welcome addition to the Manchester United frontline and the prospect of a partnership with Wilson and Martial a few seasons down the line is stuff dreams are made of.

A structured deal could see the initial budget hit as low as £10million, but be prepared to pay more if you don’t want to riddle yourself with potential risky clauses down the line.

Will Hughes

Real life links to Liverpool probably don’t do the Derby youngster justice.

If nurtured correctly, Hughes can become a complete central midfield player and comfortably step into the boots of Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Training on marking would be a necessity, but all of this for a cost of only marginally over £10million is a comparative bargain for a club the size of Manchester United.

Gerson

Gerson has an impending transfer to Roma when you start your save, but if you wait until the second summer the Brazilian playmaker should be available for around £7.5million.

The Fluminese man is natural in any attacking midfield position and represents no considerable weakness at the beginning of your game.

The scouts will tell you he could reach the level of Memphis Depay’s potential and its hard to turn down that sort of quality at this price.

Fran Villalba

Another transfer to make you feel old, Villalba was born in 1998.

This Spanish playmaker is only 17 and would probably be due a couple of loan spells before being ready for the first team.

However, if you can manage him correctly he will be an ideal replacement for Juan Mata as a central creative force.

With a flair rating of 17 already, Villalba could be a brilliant player to sign and sell on in a couple of seasons considering that he can be signed for just over £2million.

Check your chocolate-filled advent calendars, folks – we’re now just TWO sleeps away from Christmas day!

Indeed, it may seem like only yesterday we were celebrating New Year’s for 2015, but we’re now just 48 hours away from the short period in which parents up and down the country let an old, chubby, bearded man break into their private property and leave gifts for their naive, impressionable and vulnerable young children. Apparently, that’s a good thing.

We at Football Fancast are all bursting at the seams with festive cheer and the same can be said for Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, a man notoriously fond of celebrating Jesus’s birthday.

He’s already bought new football boots for all of Arsenal’s star players and has even started stuffing his turkey with frogs legs. But worried St. Nick might frown upon his questionable spelling, the Gunners gaffer has asked us to give his Christmas wish list a quick proof read before leaving it at the bottom of his chimney.

Being a rather cheeky bunch at Football Fancast, we feel no remorse in sharing the five items at the top of Wenger’s wish list this year with you lucky souls.

A JOSE MOURINHO VOODOO DOLL

To many, being sacked as Chelsea manager is probably enough punishment for Jose Mourinho, especially with Christmas just around the corner. How he be able to afford a new crutch for whoever the Portuguese equivalent of Tiny Tim is now?

But not to Arsene Wenger, the man who has felt the full brunt of the Special One’s insidious remarks like no other Premier League manager. ‘Specialist in failure’, ‘Voyeur’, ‘the only manager in the Premier League who doesn’t have to worry about his job’ – Le Professeur never forgets.

Consequentially, there’s nothing Wenger would like more this Christmas than a Jose Mourinho Voodoo doll, finding great pleasure in sticking pins and god knows what else into a pintsized effigy of the unemployed Portuguese.

Santa isn’t too big on black magic but Emmanuel Adebayor’s mum can probably help the Arsenal gaffer out.

A TREADMILL WITH GOAL POSTS

A treadmill with goal posts. An item that probably doesn’t exist.

Why would Wenger want this for Christmas? So Arsenal can get more practice walking it into the net.

I’ll see myself out.

ZIPPER GREASE

Every season, Arsene Wenger gets a new, thirty-foot-long puffer jacket. And every season, the Frenchman somehow gets trapped in it as he fails to master the basic mechanics of a conventional zip – leading to much hilarity at his expense on the touchline.

“Convert to buttons!” some Arsenal fans cry. “Stop wearing coats with zips longer than Peter Crouch,” others protest.

But alas, Wenger is a notoriously stubborn man (it took him ten years to get rid of Nicklas Bendtner) and rather than daring to extinct an old tradition now, he’d much prefer to stick with the highly-fashionable telescopic puffer coat with one alteration courtesy of St. Nick – a fresh splattering of zipper grease.

Does such a thing exist? Yes! It’s a little known fact that zipper grease is made from the sweat of the north pole’s elfish slaves. Its sales keeps the local economy steady during the non-festive periods.

MILES AND MILES OF BUBBLEWRAP

Wrapping footballers in bubblewrap is meant to be a stock commentary joke, aimed at any footballer who finds himself spending more time in the physio room than on the pitch.

But having endured injury crisis after injury crisis during every single season of his lengthy north London reign, it’s becoming one of the only strategies Wenger hasn’t actually tried in his thus far fruitless mission to end Arsenal’s love-hate relationship with crocked stars.

Indeed, it takes little more than a slightly-too-feisty tug of war over Christmas cracker to leave Jack Wilshere sidelined for six months with a strained wrist (although his internet search history suggests there might be other causes), whilst the sheer soundwaves from muttering the word ‘injury’ is enough to shatter every bone in Aaron Ramsey’s lower legs.

So why not literally wrap the players in bubblewrap? It might actually work! Then again, it might also lead to some chaffing-induced injuries.

ANYTHING BUT A NEW SIGNING

There are plenty of items on Wenger’s wish list this year – he’s fully aware that he’s been a very good boy – but one thing definitely absent from his note to St. Nick is a brand new January signing.

Indeed, Arsenal may be in the middle of a typically Arsenal injury crisis and may have their best chance of claiming the Premier League title for over a decade, but the last thing Le Prof needs is some stupid world-class signing turning up in north London during the January transfer window and ignorantly improving the depth of the Gunners’ squad with all his bloody talent.

Why do that when you can spend £10k on some lanky teenager from Djibouti? Or better yet, give Mathieu Flamini a new contract? Karim Benzema can humbug off!