Manchester United have been handed a major blow in the race to sign Jadon Sancho this summer.
Recent reports claimed Borussia Dortmund have rejected an opening offer of £89m from the Red Devils.
However, that doesn’t appear to be the case. According to The Telegraph’s James Ducker, Man United have not launched a bid for Sancho. Furthermore, the two clubs haven’t even held formal talks over a possible transfer as of yet.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear Sancho is the signing he needs to revamp the Red Devils in time for the 2020/21 Premier League season.
Dortmund have reportedly been preparing for his potential departure, as they have been eyeing up Werder Bremen’s Milot Rashica as an ideal replacement, but the fact that the two sides have not entered negotiations suggests otherwise.
The Bundesliga challengers are ready to let him leave for the right price. Nevertheless, they seem to be in no rush to sell their star player.
Sancho, 20, scored 20 goals and supplied 18 assists in all competitions the 19/20 campaign(via WhoScored).
Dortmund have issued United an ultimatum of August 10 to reach an agreement as the German giants are playing hardball over the England international.
With the deadline fast approaching, Ed Woodward will have to work quickly if he wants to sign Sancho in the summer. The fact there are just two weeks left is rather foreboding as the club have not opened official discussion as it stands.
Solskjaer will want a deal wrapped as quickly as possible as he is keen to add to his firepower before the start of next season. Most importantly, he will not want to miss out on his top target, after he failed to sign Erling Braut Haaland from RB Salzburg, as he ended up at the Signal Iduna Park instead.
The Norwegian has already done the hard part after the Red Devils secured a spot in the Champions League by beating Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power Stadium. Everything ultimately rests on Woodward’s shoulders and fans should expect plenty of twists and turns as the transfer window heats up.
United fans, do you think Ed Woodward will sign Sancho this summer? Let us know down below!
The deal to bring Jadon Sancho back to England is starting to become a real uphill battle for Manchester United. Of course, the player wants the switch to the Premier League to happen but his club, Borussia Dortmund, are still adamant he’ll only leave for a transfer fee upwards of £100m.
Needless to say, even for a club with pockets as deep as the Red Devils, this is a very tough task in current circumstances. Still, while they want to negotiate a fair price with the Bundesliga outfit, it is quite possible they will have to turn to other targets instead.
According to Defensa Central, they have now enquired about Real Madrid’s young prodigy, Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian has been outstanding for Los Blancos and at 20 years of age, he is definitely a player to look out for in the future.
The same source claims the Brazilian was not happy with Zinedine Zidane’s decision to not give him a chance against Manchester City in the Champions League and Man United see that as a potential way in.
However, the chances are quite slim as it would take quite an effort to prise Vinicius away from the Santiago Bernabeu. He still has a contract until 2025 and a gargantuan release clause of €700m (£630m). Quite clearly, he’s very highly valued at the Spanish capital.
Alongside Man United, the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Paris-Saint Germain are reportedly also tracking the young winger, which makes the situation that much more complicated for the Red Devils and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Verdict
On paper, Vinicius could indeed be a worthy Sancho replacement but it does feel like bringing him in would be as much of a hassle as the deal with Borussia is turning out to be.
Real Madrid don’t want to sell and the player likely wants to continue in La Liga anyway. Although it sounds exciting, this is a very difficult piece of business to pull off for Man United.
Loads of Everton fans have hailed the latest transfer link to Wilfried Zaha as the Daily Mirror have reported that Crystal Palace are willing to listen to offers for him in the summer transfer window.
As per the outlet, the former Manchester United ace, who has three years left on his current deal, would be available at the right price, as Carlo Ancelotti is apparently an admirer of his.
However, the Merseyside club may have to rival a number of teams as Roy Hodgson seems resigned to losing him.
Zaha enjoyed a relatively impressive 2019/20 season in the Premier League, playing in every single game and managing to score four goals and make five assists, according to Transfermarkt.
One member of the Goodison Park faithful even urged the Toffees to ‘give them Iwobi’ to try and sweeten the deal, and based off of the stats of the two players, it may be a wise move if they can pull it off.
Zaha averaged more shots, dribbles and passes per match in the top flight last campaign (via Whoscored).
These EFC supporters also hailed the link, with one Blue even labelling the 27-year old as a ‘game changer’:
Evertonians, would Zaha be a good signing? Comment below!
Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is quite the cult figure in west Yorkshire after two years in charge of the Championship giants which is quite understandable as he appears to be the man to guide them back to the promised land after a 16-year absence.
This week an image has emerged on social media after one supporter spotted the wild Argentine out and about. Both the fan and Bielsa adhered to social distancing measures as they posed for a quick picture.
The Whites are currently sat top of the standings, holding a seven-point cushion to those dreaded playoff positions, and with only nine games still to play, the side are comfortably favourites to secure automatic promotion.
But that all depends on the season resuming, and if it doesn’t, how the EFL and Premier League agree to teams changing divisions.
Calling all EFL experts: Can you get full marks on this stadiums quiz?
It’s quite murky territory at the minute, though it would be a travesty if Leeds aren’t a top-flight club considering their impressive season.
The 64-year-old has been a catalyst in transforming the club and you’d struggle to find anyone near Elland Road that didn’t absolutely love him as seen by the following reactions…
AND in other news, Rangers tipped to make move for Leeds flop…
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal are being “hindered” in their chase to appoint a permanent successor to Unai Emery due to their financial constraints.
What’s the word?
The Gunners are on the lookout for a new manager after they sacked Emery following a run of no wins in seven games across all competitions. The north London side have placed Invincibles hero Freddie Ljungberg in charge on an interim basis, but reports have claimed they are keen to make a full-time appointment, with a shortlist of 12 candidates for the role.
But according to The Daily Mail, their limited budget is forcing them to look past leading contenders for the position like Mauricio Pochettino and Massimiliano Allegri. The report claims the Gunners would be unable to match the kind of salary on offer at some of their other top six rivals, and that whilst they are willing to make big offers, it is “nowhere near a figure demanded by Europe’s elite coaches”.
As a result, the north London side could be forced to much cheaper alternatives like Freddie Ljungberg or Mikel Arteta.
Criminal
Having spent in the region of £72m on Lille winger Nicolas Pepe in the summer, the Gunners would be making a complete mockery by not using financial constraints as a reason behind potentially missing out on their top managerial targets. Players can come and go, but having a top-class manager – as Liverpool and Manchester City have shown in recent years – can go a long way to achieving tangible success.
Turning away from Pochettino because they don’t have the ‘money’ would be nigh on criminal. Appointing the Argentine could well be the biggest and best signing the Gunners could make either now or in the near future. His work at Spurs makes him such a no-brainer – a Champions League final and consecutive years of playing in European football’s elite competition. It would be a major blot on the copybook of the Arsenal hierarchy if they skimped out on such a decisive issue. Raul Sanllehi was rightly hailed by the Gunners faithful for a pretty successful transfer window in the summer. But he would have a lot to answer for if the report from The Daily Mail is accurate.
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West Ham United have been seriously missing Lukasz Fabianski since he sustained an injury against AFC Bournemouth.
This is shown by the fact that game started a run of six league matches without a single win, with Roberto making various errors, including his failed attempt at a punch against Burnley.
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The indications are that the West Ham and Poland number 1 is getting closer to getting back on the pitch, as he discussed his rehab with the club's official channels:
However, the 34-year-old, who won last season's Hammer of the Year, has reiterated that he won't be rushing back to action before he is fully prepared.
While this is the correct stance from the goalkeeper, it hasn't changed the fact that Hammers fans are longing to see him return to the field at London Stadium.
A selection of Twitter reaction to the video, including posts from impatient West Ham fans, can be seen below:
Southampton fans on Twitter have been happy with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s actions after Friday’s embarrassing 9-0 defeat at home against Leicester City.
Saints supporters haven’t had much to be happy about after suffering the joint-biggest loss in Premier League history, but they have admired what their captain did after the game.
Watch Southampton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Hojbjerg wasn’t under any illusions about how bad his team were on Friday, and he immediately got in front of a camera to apologise to the fans.
It takes a lot of heart to put yourself in the firing line after such a performance, but fortunately, the fans have actually got behind him after he said he was sorry.
It’s great to see that the supporters haven’t immediately turned on everybody associated with the club, and hopefully, this means that all isn’t lost for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side this season.
Of course, not every fan will be ready to forgive the team after Friday’s showing, but Hojbjerg clearly has the right attitude, and maybe that can help the Saints can turn things around.
Manchester City fans are fuming with Sadio Mane after he claimed he will not change his style of play, amidst controversy about diving from Pep Guardiola.
With the two set to clash this Sunday, the war of words has seemingly got into full swing this week and it is only adding to the tension ahead of the game.
Mane has now replied to the Guardiola’s jibe about simulation, but he has stated he will not change his methods.
The Liverpool star told The Guardian: “To be honest I don’t have any problem about it. For sure, it can happen in football and we have seen many people, some diving and get penalties, some got a penalty and the referee didn’t give it. That’s football. You have to deal with it.
“[I will keep doing] like I’m always doing. It’s what I want to keep doing. If I get a penalty, yeah it’s a penalty. If no penalty, no penalty, but [it will never] change the way I’m playing or the way I’m doing my things.”
As you would imagine, City fans are fuming at Mane after his controversial statement. One fan called him a “peerless cheat”, whilst another fan said his words were “embarrassing”.
The Liverpool star has been in sensational form this season, as he and Mohamed Salah lead the way as the club’s top scorers with eight goals. Guardiola may have just been playing his famous mind games with the Senegal international and it will be interesting to see how this one plays out on Sunday.
Here’s what the City fans have had to say about his recent quotes…
Arsenal fans have been reacting to a tweet from Dani Ceballos as the Gunners prepare to face Sheffield United on Monday.
Ceballos, 23, has had a positive start to life in north London since his move from Real Madrid on a season-long loan. The Spaniard has proved to be a creative influence in the middle of the park with Mesut Ozil in and out of the squad.
Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
With two assists and a passing accuracy of 89% in the Premier League this season, the Spain international is becoming a vital asset for boss Unai Emery in terms of controlling the play and getting the ball to the attackers.
Supporters have been full of encouragement towards Ceballos after he issued a rallying cry on Twitter, as he prepares for a busy schedule of matches with the Gunners.
Arsenal will play four games in nine days, with a trip to Anfield against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup being the final game of a testing period.
Below you will find some of the best responses from Arsenal fans, who seem delighted by the summer arrival’s attitude…
In today’s Newcastle United roundup, we take a look at what news has been doing the rounds for the Magpies. 16-year-old Luke Matheson has been linked with the club after scoring at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup, there is a fresh takeover bid from Peter Kenyon, and Rafael Benitez has named the best players he signed for the club.
Kenyon launches fresh takeover bid
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Report: According to Sky Sports, Kenyon’s new American investment fund GACP Sports is trying to buy Newcastle for £300m which will be paid in installments over three years. A detailed 46-page brochure has been sent out to potential investors, explaining their plans for the club, states the report.
Verdict: No doubt this will be music to the ears of anyone who follows the Toon Army. For over a decade now, fans have been desperate to see the back of Mike Ashley, with the Sports Direct owner refusing to delve into the transfer market enough, and thus having played a huge role in the club being relegated twice during his reign.
Kenyon’s GACP Sports also owns French side Bordeaux, whilst the man himself has been chief executive of both Chelsea and Manchester United and clearly knows how to run a football club as a result.
As has been the case in previous bids from Kenyon, there needs to be a large sum which Ashley would fancy or it is unlikely he will sell the club. Indeed, in recent times Amanda Staveley’s PCP Partners, the Bin Zayed Group as well as Kenyon have all attempted to purchase the club, with Ashley turning down each offer.
It seems it is going to take a bid in excess of £350m, as Sky Sports reports, and Newcastle fans will be hoping and praying this comes sooner rather than later.
Benitez on his best signings for the club
Report: In a Q&A with The Athletic (as quoted by Shields Gazette), former Magpies boss Benitez revealed who were his best signings during his time at St James’ Park. The Spaniard was asked ‘who would you say was your best value signing at Newcastle (Fabian) Schar, (Florian) Lejeune, (Martin) Dubravka?’, although Benitez was quick to point out Solomon Rondon as a name he never forgot during his time in the North East.
He replied: “I agree the three of them are quite good signings for the money we paid. Also I would add Rondon was good value as a loan.”
Verdict: Dubravka has turned himself into one of the better goalkeepers in the Premier League over the last few years, keeping 17 clean sheets and making 139 saves in 56 appearances. Although the Slovakian has conceded 67 times, only five of them have come as ‘errors leading to a goal’, according to official statistics of the Premier League.
Schar is continuing to prove his importance for the club this season, averaging a 7.16 performance rating and playing a huge role in Newcastle conceding eight goals in six games – only Crystal Palace boasts better in the bottom half.
As for Rondon, he has linked up once again with Benitez, joining him at Dalian Yifang in China. During his time at Newcastle, however, the Venezuelan finished as the second top scorer for the club, bagging 11 goals and seven assists in 31 Premier League appearances.
Lejeune is currently out injured, but the Frenchman did average a 7.05 performance rating with the Magpies in his first season under Benitez.
Bruce keeping tabs on Matheson
Report: According to the Chronicle Live, Newcastle have been scouting the Rochdale teenager even before his heroics against Manchester United. It is reported that the Magpies have kept tabs on the defender ever since he made his first-team debut in the Checkatrade Trophy last year.
Verdict: 16-year-old Matheson has jumped into the limelight after scoring the equaliser in the Dale’s Carabao Cup tie at Old Trafford. The right-back has been involved heavily for the League One side so far, playing all three of the EFL Cup games until Rochdale were knocked out. Matheson has also played twice in the league for his boyhood club this season and has even stepped out for the England U17’s on one occasion.
It is always wise to keep tabs on the younger guys around because clubs can never know what youth teams are prizing away the best young talent in the country – sometimes it is not always the Premier League teams who acquire the best young products from around England.
If Newcastle were to sign Matheson, it would be highly doubtful he would see first-team action more than a handful of times in a year. Nevertheless, if his performance at Old Trafford is anything to go by, it is a good idea to keep an eye on his progress.