All posts by h716a5.icu

A number of Liverpool fans have been calling for Roberto Firmino to leave this summer, having been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid.

The Brazilian has been a wonderful player for the Reds, becoming one of the poster boys of the Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield and winning both the Champions League and Premier League.

Firmino leads the line in his own unique way, pressing relentlessly off the ball and proving to be selfless on it, dropping deep and allowing Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane space in behind.

The 29-year-old may have contributed a huge amount for Liverpool down the years, but he hasn’t been himself for a sustained period now.

Firmino’s performances have dropped off for around a year, and for the first time, there are now real question marks about his place in the team, especially with Diogo Jota now such an influential member of the squad.

According to El Gol Digital [via TEAMtalk], Atletico are eyeing up a move for the Liverpool star, potentially viewing him as a replacement for Luis Suarez.

Liverpool fans call for Firmino to leave

These Reds supporters took to Twitter to talk up the idea of Firmino leaving, with many now believing it is time for him to move on.

“Swap deal for Felix + £40M-£65M”

Credit: @Umin01253591

“Yessssssss Suarez is coming home”

Credit: @paulo060802

“Sell him please”

Credit: @kieranfn18

“Swap for Felix”

Credit: @skratzz

“Please I beg”

Credit: @MDHanif_7

“Atletico Madrid interested in Firmino, $71M should be good deal imo”

Credit: @LFCSai7

In other news, Liverpool have been tipped to make a double signing this summer – find out more here.

Ben Godfrey has missed out on England’s senior squad for the upcoming internationals, instead receiving a call-up for the group stages of the Under-21 European Championship.

Godfrey joins Toffees team-mate Tom Davies in the squad for the games in Slovenia at the end of the month. The Young Lions will face Portugal, Switzerland and Croatia as they look to secure a place in the last eight.

Godfrey has made seven appearances for his country at under-21 level but may be disappointed not to be granted a senior international debut given his performances for Everton in recent months.

Godfrey has impressed at Everton

In the wake of Everton’s momentous victory at Anfield last month, BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty hailed his performance as ‘outstanding’ and dubbed the £25m summer signing a ‘revelation’.

“[He] will surely be catching the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate,” McNulty added.

Godfrey has started all but four Premier League games since his move from Norwich. The 23-year-old is averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 3.2 clearances per game and has been dribbled past a mere 0.3 times per match (via WhoScored).

Transfer Tavern verdict

Whilst Godfrey’s inclusion in the under-21 roster doesn’t necessarily preclude his involvement at the men’s European Championships in the summer, it suggests that Southgate doesn’t think he’s quite ready for that level yet.

After all, this is the final international break before the pre-tournament training camp, and so Southgate’s selection will be telling.

It seems more likely that Godfrey plays a part in the under-21 knockout rounds if England progress. They are set to begin on 31 May and conclude with the final on 6 June.

He would be unfortunate to miss out. Southgate called up Joe Gomez in November prior to his season-ending injury, and Godfrey is an ample replacement judging by how he has been playing this term, not least in big occasions such as the Merseyside derby.

In other news, Everton are reportedly facing competition in their pursuit of this defender.

Ben Jacobs has shed some light on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and their potential takeover of Newcastle United.

As part of a Twitter thread, the sports journalist has calmed fears that the group are switching attentions from Tyneside to Milan, claiming they are only eyeing a minority stake with the Nerazzurri.

“Remains my understanding that PIF are discussing a minority stake in Inter. They are thus offering Suning a way to offset debt & gain added exposure in MENA. This is a different type of offer to BC or Fortress. Becoming majority owner would be a move of vanity not value for PIF.”

As Jacobs points out, PIF, who are not currently in talks to revive the original deal between Mike Ashley and the KSA consortium, are linked with Inter Milan about investing a minority stake in the Serie A club, who are owned by the Suning Holdings Group.

They are making a different offer to the ones previously made by BC Partners and Fortress, offering a range of benefits including gaining added exposure in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Jacobs has claimed that it is “doubtful” that PIF will consider majority ownership for Inter just yet, as the St. James’ Park faithful’s club case is still ongoing, which may create a path back for them if all goes well. However, the journalist did add it could get ‘intriguing’ if the Newcastle saga drags on much longer and Suning decide to sell up.

What next for the potential Newcastle takeover?

The arbitration case between the North East club and the Premier League is still pending and should give a clearer view over the direction of where the potential takeover is heading.

If the Magpies were to win this case, it may present a clearer path for PIF to come back to the table, and so any deal with Inter is far from done it seems until this is cleared up first of all.

In other news, find out what details have been shared on a key Premier League decision on the potential takeover here!

Glasgow Rangers romped to a 4-1 win over Dundee United to leave Steven Gerrard’s side needing ten more points to win the Scottish Premiership.

Ianis Hagi gave the Gers the lead before Ryan Kent made it 2-0 with a low drive from the edge of the area, and Joe Aribo cut inside from the left flank to blast his shot into the bottom corner.

Alfredo Morelos also came close to scoring on several occasions, only for the Colombian to finally get his name on the scoresheet in the strangest of circumstances after goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist’s clearance bounced off him into the back of the net.

Rangers impressed for most of the game, but Marc McNulty gave the Tangerines a lifeline with a goal just before the final whistle blew though by then, the damage had already been done.

However, there was one man who struggled while those around him shined: Filip Helander, who let his manager down badly.

Now, we may, perhaps unfairly, be accused of having an agenda against the Swede defender. But we’re surely not the only ones who are beginning to question the logic behind Gerrard’s decision to start him regularly, especially after such a dismal showing.

In defence, no Rangers player was arguably worse than the centre-back, who looked distinctly out of sorts.

It was Connor Goldson and new boy Jack Simpson who conceded against Dundee but at least they were getting in the right areas, with the latter managing the same number of clearances as Helander, despite only playing a handful of minutes.

As per SofaScore, he received the worst rating out of any Rangers player who started the game, and it’s easy to see why when you take a closer look at the numbers.

During his 67 minutes on the pitch, the 27-year-old produced just one tackle and one interception, the latter being the lowest of all defenders to start the game.

Despite being on the pitch for a little more than 23 minutes, Simpson was still more diligent. He attempted the same number of clearances as Helander and also provided 100% of his passes. For context, Helander could only muster a pass success rate of 82%.

With that in mind, it wasn’t a great surprise to see him substituted in the second half, and it would be a shock to see him start against Royal Antwerp.

With Simpson patiently waiting in the wings, Gerrard has plenty of options at his disposal. If Helander keeps performing at such a low standard, he may find his chances limited in the coming weeks and months.

The Swede was an accident waiting to happen against Dundee and Gerrard should seriously consider dropping him ahead of the Europa League return fixture with Antwerp.

AND in other news, Rangers dealt devastating James Tavernier injury blow ahead of Dundee clash…

Another professional debut was handed out by Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho as Marcel Lavinier earned a 16-minute cameo during his side’s 4-0 win over Wolfsberger in the Europa League.

The 20-year-old academy sensation replaced Matt Doherty late in the second half and enjoyed an energetic spell that saw him record 19 touches. He also delivered two tackles, made six passes from eight attempts and won 80% of his five duels, via SofaScore.

On the whole, it was hugely encouraging, which begs the question – could he break into the first-team full-time?

The right-back spot has been a problematic area for Mourinho all season with the likes of Doherty (nine league starts), Serge Aurier (14 league starts) and Japhet Tanganga (two starts) splitting game time there.

There are doubts over them all.

According to ESPN, the Portuguese manager remains unconvinced by Doherty, Aurier will soon enter the final year of his current contract and has always been regarded as a liability, while we’re still yet to learn of Tanganga’s natural role despite hints that he has a future as a full-back.

Lavinier could solve this should his development continue at this increasing rate, and it has every chance to as he’s part of Spurs’ 25-man UEL squad for the remainder of the campaign.

You could even argue that Spurs have never truly replaced Kieran Trippier, who swapped north London for Madrid in 2019. In some ways, the emerging prospect is a carbon-copy as he too can play on the other side of defence and through middle.

As noted by the Daily Mail, Lavinier’s speed is a key asset and is a very versatile weapon to have at your disposal, especially given his direct nature – only further drawing comparisons to the Atletico Madrid man.

The young defender was snapped up by Spurs in the summer on a free following his release from local rivals Chelsea, and that move has turned out to be a masterstroke thus far.

In fact, it was perhaps a surprise to see him depart Stamford Bridge after notching three goals and eight assists across their U18 and U23 squads, as per Transfermarkt.

There’s still a long way to do, but Mourinho really could unearth Spurs’ future at right-back in Lavinier.

Forget Tanganga, the 20-year-old could possess so much more potential.

AND in other news, Jose can kickstart exciting Spurs rebuild with “sensational” £30m gem who stopped Kane – opinion

Liverpool have been linked with Ajax centre-back Perr Schuurs in recent months and after a superb display for the Eredivisie side at the weekend, you could definitely argue he would be a strong addition to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

It was suggested last month that the Reds were readying a £27 million bid for the 21-year-old but he seemingly ruled out the chances of him making the move to Anfield but he later responded to those rumours, suggesting that he wanted to stay with Ajax to win trophies before even considering a move away.

The young defender joined Ajax from Fortuna Sittard in January 2018 and in the three years since he has gone on to make 46 appearances for the senior side, contributing two goals and one assist.

Schuurs showed his class at the weekend against his former side, helping Ajax to a 2-1 win away from home with an excellent all-round display, which perhaps suggests that he is destined for a great future.

As per SofaScore, the centre-back would earn a solid 6.9 rating for his performance on Sunday, which was the joint-fourth highest of any Ajax player.

The 21-year-old would make two clearances, three tackles and two interceptions in the 90 minutes, significantly more than his experienced centre-back partner Daley Blind.

He would also play double the amount of passes than the former Manchester United man, with 62/66 of his efforts finding an Ajax shirt, resulting in an impressive 94% accuracy rate.

The six foot three centre-back would also complete 5/7 of his long balls, which suggests that he would fit well into Liverpool’s style of play, as Van Dijk’s long passes have been a feature of the Reds’ play in recent seasons.

The three tackles Schuurs made against Fortuna Sittard was impressive considering he normally averages 1.2 tackles per game in the Eredivisie.

However, that is double the number of tackles made on average by Van Dijk both this season and last season (0.6), which again suggests that he could be a good partner for the Dutch international in the future, at both club and international level.

After Schuurs impressed in the 1-0 defeat against Liverpool in the Netherlands earlier this season, Rio Ferdinand said:

“The young centre-back Schuurs was very, very good.”

With Liverpool looking weak at the back right now, Michael Edwards should definitely consider a swoop for the £10.8m-rated Schuurs in the future. His performance on Sunday was just one of many impressive displays this season, and he looks as if he has a huge amount of potential.

And, in other news… Liverpool should sign “technically outstanding” teenager; he’s better than Elliott

Steven Gerrard has plenty of options as Glasgow Rangers host Ross County in the Scottish Premiership this Saturday afternoon.

Rangers began the year with victory over Celtic at Ibrox at the start of the month, and will be looking to get back to winning ways to keep spirits high after being held to a draw by Motherwell.

Ryan Jack is back in the mix, as is Kemar Roofe, and with the likes of Scott Arfield and Nikola Katic out for an extended period of time, the fact the duo are moving closer to full fitness will be a big boost for the Ibrox boss.

Here is Football FanCast’s predicted starting XI, which sees Gerrard make three changes to the draw with Motherwell.

Allan McGregor will start in goal against the club he has only faced three times in his whole career so far. Gerrard would ideally like to rotate his squad ahead of next week’s trip to Hibernian, but with County picking up a result against Aberdeen, his side will be at almost full strength to face the Staggies.

With that being said, it’s likely Filip Helander will replace Leon Balogun in the only change to the back four after his struggles against Motherwell.

Midfielder Bongani Zungu – having been restricted to mostly substitute appearances since his arrival from French Ligue 2 side Amiens – will want to show he is worth of first-team opportunities at the halfway point of the campaign. Don’t be surprised to see Jack start from the bench, either, as he will want to prove a point if given a chance.

As far as this weekend is concerned, Cedric Itten will surely usurp Alfredo Morelos, having scored the equaliser off the bench in the draw with Well last weekend.

AND in other news, Rangers should unleash Cedric Itten against Ross County…

Marcus Rashford bagged a brace as Manchester United came from behind to beat Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Thursday night.

The Red Devils didn’t get off to the best of starts after United goalkeeper Dean Henderson gifted the Blades an opener when he was caught in possession by Oliver Burke, which allowed David McGoldrick to coolly slot home from close range.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side weren’t to be denied the spoils, as they staged yet another comeback, with Rashford scoring a stunning equaliser, and Anthony Martial ended his goal drought to put the visitors ahead before the break with his first league goal of the campaign.

And Rashford appeared to have put the game to bed after he beat the diving Aaron Ramsdale after a swift counter attack.

But there were a few nervous faces in the United dugout when McGoldrick headed in from a corner in the latter stages of the game and Lys Mousset forced a fine save from Henderson.

Red hot Rashford continued his impressive run of form, Martial seemed back to his very best, but Paul Pogba played the Blades off the park and it allowed United to build on Rashford’s equaliser to secure the three points.

Pogba was imperious in the midfield, completing 82% of his passes and touching the ball an astonishing 91 times, second only to Alex Telles, and won most of his individual battles to help Solskjaer’s side to victory.

The 27-year-old glided around the middle of the pitch, picking the right moments to keep it short and simple or split the defence with a well-timed pass.

As per SofaScore, he won five out of nine ground duels, and won three out of the six aerial duels he contested, whilst he made three clearances as well.

He was only dribbled past once and committed just one foul, which shows that he maintained a high level of concentration throughout the game.

After a shaky start to the season, Solskjaer seems to have finally found his winning formula at long last.

Once lauded as a “monster” by his former boss Jose Mourinho, the Frenchman has been the centre of attention following Mino Raiola’s most recent outburst as he has been heavily linked with the Old Trafford exit.

But Pogba simply must start more often if United are to establish themselves as genuine contenders for the title if this latest showing is anything to go by.

AND in other news, Man Utd could complete transfer coup in AC Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu…

In the last couple of weeks, you have to credit Neil Lennon.

The Celtic boss took considerable flak from supporters when they travelled to Parkhead in protest against both his management and the club’s ownership a few weeks ago.

Though, Peter Lawwell stuck with his man and it’s paid off. In the last five games, the Bhoys have won every single one, including the Scottish Cup final.

It would seem that clash has given him a lifeline and also injected extra energy into the Celtic side. From a defensive point of view, they have been a lot better. They’ve conceded more than Rangers in the league and shipped a mighty 19 strikes in the Europa League, but they have now kept three clean sheets in their last four.

One of the biggest reasons for keeping one against Hamilton was courtesy of Nir Bitton, someone who’s provided Lennon with a pretty hefty selection dilemma.

The defensive colossus won a mighty seven aerial duels in that clash, putting in a simple but effective display at the heart of the Hoops’ backline. It was a performance that included anything but drama, something that should be of huge relief to the watching Celtic fans.

Bitton was pretty much perfect on Boxing Day, making four interceptions and completing 90% of his passes. So, with that in mind, he simply has to start over the likes of Shane Duffy and Christopher Jullien against Dundee United on Wednesday.

The Hoops have a few selection dilemmas at the moment – no less than with Leigh Griffiths, someone who’s scored in each of his last three games. That, however, means moving Odsonne Edouard about.

Lennon needs to forget about that headache, though, and focus on Bitton instead. Of course, it’s difficult to tell what kind of form the Israeli is in after one match, so throwing him into the XI once more when they play Dundee would be a wise plan.

If he impresses again, then Lennon knows he’s someone to rely on heading into the New Year. If he flops, then the January transfer window will have to be utilised.

Besides the last few weeks, Celtic’s defence hasn’t been good enough – it needs to be the manager’s primary focus.

AND in other news, Celtic gem with “unquestioned” talent has given Lennon a BIG problem…

With the transfer window set to reopen in just a few months’ time, Paul Pogba’s future at Manchester United remains uncertain.

What’s the word?

Speaking in a pre-match press conference before France’s friendly with Finland, Didier Deschamps believes Pogba is unhappy at Old Trafford. He said: “He is in a situation with his club where he cannot be happy, neither with his playing time, nor with his positioning.”

“He is not in his best period, he has had a series of injuries and the Covid-19 which has hit him quite hard. He needs to find his rhythm.

“With me, there is no such concern. When a player is in discomfort in his club, obviously, he is happy to play for the France team.

“He will tell me about his feelings and, as I know him very well, it will go in a positive direction.”

Pogba’s relationship with the Red Devils is well-documented amid ongoing transfer speculation after a throwaway remark he made about his ambitions of playing for Real Madrid.

Not so long ago, the idea of selling the French World Cup winner would have been a taboo subject amongst the United faithful, but it seems to be that this is no longer the case any more.

Ready-made replacement

As any regular reader of this column will know, we think that Pogba is one of the club’s best players on his day. But that doesn’t excuse his behaviour at times, or indeed the attitude of those around him like his infamous agent Mino Raiola, and Deschamps falls into the same bracket.

His comments seem to suggest that the 27-year-old is angling for a move away from Old Trafford as soon as possible, which will no doubt give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer some cause for concern, as he had been hopeful that the French international would sign a new deal and commit his future to the club to play an important role in their future success.

Reports in recent times claimed that the club have triggered the one-year clause in his contract, which will keep him at the club until 2022.

He has only started twice for Solskjaer’s side in seven games since the humiliating 6-1 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur, having only played the full 90 minutes twice so far this season (via Transfermarkt).

When you consider the fact that Pogba cost a club-record £94.5m from Juventus back in 2016, you do have to question why he isn’t getting more minutes under his belt.

However, Solskjaer already has the perfect ready-made replacement for Pogba in Donny van de Beek. Lining up in a midfield against the likes of Koke and Rodri, the 23-year-old was the man who stole the show in the Netherlands’ 1-1 draw with Spain.

The 10-cap Dutch international volleyed home the equaliser to score his second goal in as many games for his country as the Dutch fought back to a hard-earned draw in the international friendly.

Despite his young age, he has more than proved his worth already, as he scored a consolation goal against Crystal Palace at the start of the season. Pogba’s potential departure would leave a massive void for the Red Devils to fill, but if Van de Beek can continue to develop as a player under Solskjaer, then there is no reason why he cannot be the Frenchman’s long-term replacement at the club, one who is perfectly suited to the manager’s desires. Who knows, he may even save Solskjaer’s career!

AND in other news, Woeful Woodward: Manchester United will forever regret not signing Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund…