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Manchester United target Jadon Sancho will still be a Borussia Dortmund player next season, according to the club’s sporting director Michael Zorc.

The 11-cap England international right winger has rejoined his Bundesliga teammates for their pre-season training camp in Switzerland, reports say.

Dortmund had issued an ultimatum insisting a deal should be sorted out by August 10 to avoid any interruption to their camp and to give them time to find a replacement.

As it stands, the German club’s deadline has now passed, and Zorc seemed to suggest that Sancho will be staying at the Signal Iduna Park for the 2020/21 Bundesliga season, telling reporters on Monday “we plan on having Jadon Sancho in our team this season, the decision is final. I think that answers all our questions.”

He went on to add “last summer, we adjusted Jadon’s salary to match the development of his performances. So in context, we had already extended his contract until 2023 back then.”

However, Fabrizio Romano revealed that, while there is “no agreement reached” between the two clubs, talks are ongoing, and personal terms are not expected to be a problem.

The Italian transfer guru added this is a “normal” situation while both clubs remain embroiled in a “poker game” that has shown no signs of ending anytime soon.

It is worth remembering Dortmund have been here before. Zorc came unstuck after saying the same thing about Ousmane Dembele, as the French international ended up leaving the club after just one season for Barcelona.

There was always bound to be plenty of plotting, scheming and double-bluffing on both sides because there’s an awful lot of money involved.

Lucien Favre’s side are looking for at least £108m for the club’s top scorer last season, but the United board believe this is unrealistic, given the current circumstances.

Transfers of this size and scale are no easy task and it can take a great deal of time to reach an amenable resolution as a result.

Dortmund have drawn a line in the sand which means it is up to Ed Woodward to sort out a deal that is satisfactory by all accounts.

While some will be concerned it seems as though the ongoing transfer saga has taken a turn for the worse, it appears they are still locked in negotiations. Man United must meet their demands if they want to prise Sancho away from the Westfalenstadion this summer.

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward will sign Sancho this summer? Let us know your views in the comments below!

Tottenham Hotspur could land themselves a huge upgrade to their defence if fresh reports are to be believed.

What’s the word?

According to El Desmarque, Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is interested in signing Sevilla colossus Diego Carlos this summer, although the La Liga side have warned suitors that he won’t be sold on the cheap.

Both Manchester City and Premier League champions Liverpool are also in the hunt.

It’s claimed that the centre-back wants to take a further step forward in his career by acquiring a better contract and to raise his chances of making Brazil’s squad for the World Cup in 2022.

A brutal defender

With Jan Vertonghen now out the door in north London, Mourinho could ideally do with a replacement for the Belgian and he may have found the perfect candidate in Carlos.

The 27-year-old is a no-nonsense, agressive-type that could send shivers down the spines of many top-flight attackers.

Per WhoScored, he’s averaged 4.8 clearances, 1.3 fouls, 1 tackle and 1 interception per game across both domestic and European competitions.

Just last month, the Brazillian brute was part of the Sevilla squad that earned a respectable 0-0 draw against Barcelona – to keep Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez quiet for 90 minutes is no mean feat – he recorded five clearances as well as three interceptions whilst notching a cool 89.2% passing accuracy.

Messi was left absolutely rattled by one challenge from Carlos, which resulted in the Argentinian superstar shoving him to the floor.

Spanish football expert Domagoj Kostanjsak has likened him to Kalidou Koulibaly, claiming that Carlos is a “really physical player” who’s built “like a tank” before adding that he isn’t called the “beast” for no reason.

If Mourinho wants to quickly replace Vertonghen, then the Sevilla man would certainly be the right way to go about business but then, it all comes down to Daniel Levy’s willingness to fork out a substantial fee.

Carlos will reportedly cost over £35m according to the Telegraph, which could deter the Spurs chairman but he could well prove to be fully worth that fee.

AND in other news, Spurs must beat Chelsea to ideal upgrade on Lloris

Sunderland are yet to hear back from defender Tom Flanagan after offering him a new contract after his current deal expired on June 30.

The Black Cats could need to make wholesale changes this summer after what proved to be another promotion-less season, failing to gain a route back to the Championship from League One for the second consecutive season.

Manager Phil Parkinson is expected to be extremely busy over the next few weeks as a number of first team regulars have now left the club.

Flanagan, who is one of those players, has been offered a new deal by the Wearsiders, but the versatile defender is yet to respond to that offer.

With Flanagan’s future now hanging in the balance at the Stadium of Light, it is also understood that Birmingham City and Coventry City are among a group of interested teams in for the defender.

One of those interested sides, Coventry, who gained automatic promotion from League One are seemingly keen to sign the defender with a latest report by Coventry LIVE looking into how Flanagan would fit in Mark Robins’ side if a deal was completed.

The report also goes on to add that the Sky Blues have told Flanagan’s agency Red6 Sports Management their intentions to make a move for the £225,000-valued man.

It does look likely that Flanagan will not be returning to Sunderland now, especially with reported interest from clubs in the Championship.

His spell at the Stadium of Light is now best in the past and he would be foolish not to take a step up to England’s second tier, but of course, he could want to attempt a promotion push with the club next term.

The guarantee of achieving promotion, however, is simply non-existent…

Where do you think Tom Flanagan will play his football next season? Let us know in the comments section below…

The stage is set for Liverpool to finally be tangibly rewarded for their runaway 2019/20 Premier League season.

Following their match against Chelsea this evening, the Reds will get the chance to lay their hands on the league trophy. James Pearce has reported that the Liverpool squad have had their say on the selection of songs that will be played during the post-match celebrations.

The players have opted for ‘All of the Lights’ by Kanye West and Coldplay’s ‘A Sky Full of Stars’, which was played at full-time when the Reds won their sixth Champions League trophy last season. However, a lot of fans aren’t keen on these choices and have flocked to Pearce’s tweet to share their thoughts.

One supporter has tweeted ‘God help us’ whilst another has commented saying ‘words fail me’. It seems that many Anfield faithful aren’t impressed at all with the playlist to mark the club’s first Premier League title.

Read more replies from Liverpool fans here:

How do you feel about the music choices, Reds fans? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

An update on Liverpool’s link to Timo Werner claims it was ‘genuine’, but current events meant the club couldn’t capitalise. 

According to a report from Paul Joyce, (relayed via @AnfieldEdition), the Reds were unable to bring the RB Leipzig star to Anfield due to financial worries as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Whilst the Merseyside outfit were forced to pull the plug, Chelsea have swooped in and Werner could be joining the Blues next season (via Sky Sports).

Joyce writes that Jurgen Klopp is now instead planning to call upon Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Neco Williams, who have all stood out this campaign.

Liverpool local Jones has been head and shoulders above the majority of young Reds this season. The 19-year-old made four FA Cup appearances and scored two goals, including the winner against bitter rivals Everton in January (via Transfermarkt).

However, fans aren’t impressed with this revelation and are slamming the club for not succeeding in signing Werner. One supporter has tweeted Liverpool’s attitude is ’embarrassing’ whilst another thinks Klopp has ‘lost the plot’. This is something of an overreaction, given the Reds are currently 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League ahead of the restart (BBC Sport).

However, it hasn’t stopped these fans from airing their grievances about the Werner affair and the fact that instead of signing the German, Klopp will play some youngsters…

What do you make of Joyce’s update, Reds? Join the conversation in the comments below…

A lot of Crystal Palace fans are praising former Palace midfielder Ben Watson, dubbed the ‘Peckham Beckham’ by one Eagles supporter, after a fan asked about the player on Twitter.

The central midfielder made 181 appearances for the South London side spanning across six seasons from 2003 to 2009 in which me managed to score 20 goals and provide 16 assists, as per Transfermarkt. He came from the club’s academy and made his professional debut at the age of just 17, so it is easy to see why the player has left fond memories at Selhurst Park.

Many Palace fans believe the player was a great footballer at the club and some wish they could have kept hold of the Englishman for longer, but in 2009 he moved to Wigan for £1.89m and continued to have a great career, including his part in an FA Cup final upset as the Latics beat Manchester City to lift the trophy in 2013, via BBC Sport. He wasn’t just a part of it, however; he came up with the decisive moment as his stoppage time header won the cup for Roberto Martinez’s side.

Here is what these Palace fans had to say following the post about Watson:

Palace fans, do you wish Watson stayed at Selhurst Park  for longer? Comment below with your views!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

With the transfer window fast approaching, Liverpool have been linked with a number of European players that they may look to add at the start of next year.

Timo Werner and Jadon Sancho are two of the biggest names to have been mentioned, whilst there has also been speculation surrounding Genk’s Sander Berge (Radio Punto Nuovo via The Daily Mail). The Reds have already faced him twice this season in the Champions League, and Jurgen Klopp praised the 21-year-old old directly at Anfield.

Watch Liverpool Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

The midfielder was in action during the international break, playing in midfield for Norway against Malta on Monday, which was his 20th cap for his country. Whilst it may have come against inferior opposition, Berge was outstanding and showed the Merseyside club exactly what he has to offer.

With a SofaScore rating of 7.6, he was the match’s best performer. Going forward, he was particularly impressive, managing an 88% pass accuracy which included four key passes. That was double what any other player on the field managed, and one of them even ended up being an assist for Alexander Sorloth’s winner.

At 6 foot 5, he has a colossal frame, and he made use of that against the Falcons. He managed two tackles, which was the second-most amongst his teammates, whilst no player was able to dribble past him. He also prevailed in five out of the nine duels he contested.

It was a commanding and creative display from the usually defensive midfielder. This performance showed that he is mature beyond his years, and given his build, he would likely settle perfectly into Liverpool’s side.

Currently valued at £19.8m by Transfermarkt, it is the perfect time for the Anfield outfit to make a move for Berge before his price tag rockets and it is too late. Based on this display, it appears to be only a matter of time before that happens.

Liverpool supporters have said that they would rather not see Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe come to Anfield.

The 20-year-old has been linked with a move to Anfield as reports from El Desmarque suggest that Real Madrid will step up their bid to take the World Cup winner to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mbappe is one of the world’s best footballers, encapsulated by his goalscoring achievements, and he has been nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.

He moved to Paris Saint-Germain from Monaco for €180m (£155.1m) in 2018 after a loan spell in the French capital the season before and has scored 69 goals in 98 appearances.

Despite his achievements, supporters don’t believe that Mbappe will come to Liverpool. One fan said that his move would risk ‘destabilisation’ at the club, while another said that he would rather use the funds to buy reinforcements in defence and midfield.

Here are some of the best responses from Liverpool fans:

Liverpool fans, should Jurgen Klopp try to buy Mbappe? Have your say below!

Arsene Wenger’s 22-year helm at Arsenal may have come to an end in 2018, but the Gunners’ former manager is now officially back in work.

Wenger, who won three Premier League and a record seven FA Cups during his time with the club, departed The Emirates following a decline in results and the consequent increase and intensification of calls for his departure.

Yet the Frenchman has now been appointed as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development; a new role within the governing body.

The 70-year-old will return to working in football for the first time since leaving the north London outfit, and these Arsenal fans were certainly delighted to see their former manager back in work. This is especially given the contrast in feelings towards their former manager and current boss Unai Emery – who reportedly could have less than a month to save his job at the club. 

Here are some of the best reactions following the news that Wenger will be returning to football.

Few people would have predicted a night so full of action on Wednesday at Anfield between Liverpool and Arsenal.

The scored ended 5-5 in normal time, before Jurgen Klopp’s Reds prevailed in a penalty shoot-out to advance to the next round of the League Cup.

For the home side, Shkodran Mustafi’s own goal got them under way, before James Milner, former Gunner Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and a double from Divock Origi completed their scoring.

For the visitors, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Lucas Torreira, Joe Willock and Gabriel Martinelli – twice – were on the scoresheet.

Watch the moment Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal career may have come to an ugly end in the video below…

Unai Emery will have been hoping for a win to ease the pressure on his shoulders, but he will now need to look to the Premier League fixture against Wolves to get himself that much-needed victory.

Once again last night, he didn’t escape the wrath of the supporters. This time, they slammed his substitutions, particularly the decisions to bring Mesut Ozil and Torreira off.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.