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It’s hard to believe, but it’s now almost a decade since Sir Alex Ferguson decided to call time on his glittering managerial career, and it would be fair to say that the past nine years since the Scot led the Old Trafford side to their last Premier League triumph have been among the toughest in Manchester United’s recent history.

That may all be about to change. If you are a Manchester United fan and a sports betting enthusiast, then you might want to check out the best new betting sites in the UK ahead of a possible wager on new boss Erik ten Hag’s reign being a fruitful one.

A succession of managers have been brought in to replace Sir Alex, and some have proven more disastrous than others, but in all honesty, the search for a replacement that can ably replace the Scot was always going to be something of an unforgiving task.

Of the managers who’ve tried to get the club back on track Jose Mourinho is arguably the one that has come the closest, the Portuguese manager did at least secure some silverware, but Ralf Rangnick (in an interim role) arguably brought the club to a new low with last season’s sixth-place finish that saw the club finish the campaign with their lowest points total since 1991.

So What Now?

Erik ten Hag comes with a stellar reputation, and the success he achieved during his five-year stint in charge of Ajax can not be underplayed. Three Eredivisie titles and a host of other trophies proved he knew how to get the most out of the Amsterdam giants, and perhaps more impressive was the way the club performed in the Champions League over the course of his tenure.

In 2018-19, only a 96th-minute winner from Tottenham winger Lucas Moura prevented Ajax from reaching the Champions League final.

The 52-year-old means business and isn’t the type of manager that is going to let a dressing room dictate proceedings, which is an issue that has been a big headache for a succession of managers.

This was something Sir Alex was adept at handling, and ten Hag will look to do likewise as he seeks to take a squad of underachieving stars more than just a sum of its parts. He’ll also look to bring in big new names, and with that in mind, he’s hot in pursuit of Dutch midfield maestro Frenkie de Jong, a player he knows well from the Barcelona star’s Ajax days.

What Can Be Achieved In the Short and Long-Term?

Since Ferguson left in May of 2013, United have employed no less than four permanent successors (as well as three interim/caretaker bosses), and ten Hag must be given time to make an impact.

This coming season will be a transition, and while this term is a dreaded one that fans hate to hear, you can expect the new Man United manager to do decidedly better than the last couple who have held the post.

We’d say a genuine push back into the top four is on the cards, and if Erik ten Hag is given the right backing, especially financially, then you can expect Man United to once again be a team that can truly be considered Premier League title challengers.

Photo by Unsplash

TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor is adamant that a plethora of clubs will trigger the reported £10m release clause included in the contract of Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo.

The Lowdown: Aribo’s contract

With the 25-year-old having entered the final 12 months of his Ibrox contract, the Light Blues run the risk of losing Aribo on a free transfer next summer.

However, The 4th Official recently reported that the Nigeria international has a £10m release clause in his current deal.

And with a whole host of Premier League clubs interested in securing the midfielder’s services, the Gers may no longer be left with the choice of cashing in now or losing him next year – that decision could soon be out of their hands.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s claim

Agbonlahor, who works as a pundit for talkSPORT, believes that numerous clubs will be willing to trigger Aribo’s release clause this summer.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed: “There will be clubs interested in Joe Aribo.

“If there is a £10million release clause I’m sure that will be met because of what he showed in the final with his goal.

“Every time I watched him over the last couple of season he’s been a player that’s stood out for me.

“He’s very comfortable on the ball, always shows that work rate and can play a number of positions. He’s a top player who Rangers will not want to lose, definitely.”

The Verdict: Big loss

When analysing the Nigerian’s underlying stats, his importance to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side really shines to the forefront, demonstrated by his wide range of attributes.

When compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the 25-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile for aerials won, in the 97th percentile for expected assists, and in the 95th percentile for interceptions and clearances (via FB Ref).

However, with Aribo’s Gers contract running low, the Glasgow outfit may simply have to take what they can get and reinvest efficiently.

The thought of losing the talented midfield maestro is a troublesome one, but at least they will make a huge profit on his Bosman move from Charlton.

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min is now at the centre of interest from European giants Real Madrid, as Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici are given a warning.

The Lowdown: Spurs summer of change?

The Lilywhites have sealed three major signings already this summer in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma, with Spurs also thought to be closing in on Richarlison and Clement Lenglet.

Indeed, manager Antonio Conte could be about to oversee a real summer of change in N17, not least because a flurry of exits could also occur.

There are certain players, like Son, who you would imagine simply aren’t for sale, given just how pivotal they have been for the north Londoners.

However, despite their importance, that isn’t to say that big clubs won’t have been weighing up moves for some of Tottenham’s big-name stars.

The Latest: Real Madrid eye Son move…

Indeed, as per journalist Rudy Galetti in a column for Tribal Football, there has been a development involving Real Madrid and Son.

He claimed that the Galacticos are now targeting a move for the South Korea international, who has ‘all the characteristics’ of a player requested by manager Carlo Ancelotti.

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Galetti went on to send a warning to Paratici and Levy, explaining that ‘we dare not imagine’ what Conte would do if both Spurs chiefs negotiate Son’s sale.

The Verdict: Rebuff…

If Real Madrid attempt to lodge any bids for the 29-year-old, it’s safe to say that Spurs should not hesitate in knocking them back.

A crucial player for Conte last season, finishing level with Mohamed Salah for the Premier League Golden Boot, Son also averaged more key passes per 90 than any Tottenham player, whilst finishing 2021/22 as their best overall performer (WhoScored).

The winger undoubtedly earned Alan Hutton’s rave review, with the former Spurs right-back calling Son ‘unplayable’ after his performance in the derby win over Arsenal last month.

Tottenham Hotspur’s attempts to sign Everton star Richarlison may have been given a boost as an update comes out of north London.

The Lowdown: Spurs keep moving…

After completing a trio of deals to sign Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma, it is reliably believed that Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici has his eye on more incomings for manager Antonio Conte.

A right-wing-back, central defender and centre-forward are said to be priorities for the Lilywhites, who are looking to build upon their top four Premier League finish at the back end of last term.

Subsequent qualification for the Champions League has gifted the club a £150m equity increase which has so far been put to use in the summer market, with a promising update now coming to light involving one of the Lilywhites’ targets.

The Latest: Romano shares promising Richarlison update…

Toffees striker Richarlison, who is said to be on Spurs’ radar, may well be on the move before the start of 2022/2023.

Taking to Twitter, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the Brazil international is now interested in a move to Hotspur Way with the club having ‘discussed’ him in recent transfer talks with Everton.

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The transfer guru explained: “Tottenham are still well informed on Richarlison – was discussed during talks for Harry Winks-Everton. Richarlison would be open to Spurs move. It also depends on Raphinha domino.

“Winks talks going slow, as he could be included in Richarlison talks or separated deal.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Finishing 2021/22 as the Goodison Park club’s best-performing player, as per WhoScored, we believe that the South American would be a grand addition for Conte.

He was also Everton’s top scorer last season in the top flight (10) whilst averaging more attempts at goal per 90 than any member of Frank Lampard’s squad (WhoScored).

It’s little wonder that journalists such as CBS Sports editor Mike Goodman have claimed that the 25-year-old is a ‘unique’ player, and Richarlison may well fit in to what Conte is building in N17.

Liverpool have been linked to Matthijs de Ligt on multiple occasions over the last few months, and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player during the transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Tutto Sport newspaper (via Sport Witness), Liverpool remain interested in signing De Ligt this summer.

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As per the report, the publication has said ‘pay attention to Liverpool’ in regards to a potential move for the Juventus defender, and claims that offers from the Merseyside giants would be hard for the player to refuse.

Imagine him & Van Dijk

The defence at Anfield is the last area you would expect FSG to strengthen with their accumulation of huge talent in the back-line, nevertheless, the idea of Virgil van Dijk playing alongside De Ligt for Liverpool would be a dream duo.

The £200k-per-week centre-back was hailed by the late Mina Raiola who sang the player’s praises in an interview with Sport Voetbal Magazine (via Goal):

“De Ligt is like an oil tanker, he will be unstoppable.”

This season for Juventus, De Ligt has been a solid force in the back-line for the Serie A giants, winning the majority of his ground duels combined (62%), made 3.1 clearances and won 1.3 tackles. He also made 48.4 accurate passes on average per game, with an impressive accuracy of 89% in total over 31 league appearances.

His phenomenal defensive performances are not the only thing that would’ve caught Liverpool’s eye as the player also scored three goals, contributed one assist and created three big chances in the Italian top-flight last season.

There is no doubt that the Merseyside giants have other areas of improvement that need to be addressed ahead of adding more depth to the defence, with a midfielder looking like the next priority for the club, however, it wouldn’t be a bad decision to add De Ligt into the squad as he is clearly a high-quality player.

With that being said, the powers at Anfield should carefully consider the potential of signing De Ligt this summer as it isn’t guaranteed he gets into the starting line-up and currently picks up the same wages as the top performers in the Liverpool squad.

AND in other news: Liverpool plotting bid for “electric” £60m star with “no restrictions”, he’s Salah 2.0

Liverpool are definitely keen on signing Jude Bellingham but a move is likely to have to wait until the summer of 2023, according to journalist David Maddock.

The Lowdown: Bellingham a huge talent

The 19-year-old is one of Europe’s most exciting young players currently, catching the eye hugely with his mature performances for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Bellingham has also become more of a fixture in the England setup, winning 15 caps for The Three Lions and pushing to start at this winter’s World Cup.

Liverpool have long been linked with a move for the midfielder – who idolises Steven Gerrard – and another update has now emerged.

The Latest: Liverpol still keen on move

According to The Mirror‘s Maddock, the Reds are still eyeing up Bellingham as a future signing but it is unlikely he will move to Anfield this summer.

That’s because Dortmund don’t want to lose both him and Erling Haaland in the same year, so a 2023 transfer could materialise instead.

Jurgen Klopp is a long-term admirer of the player and is happy to wait to get his man, rather than settle for a stand-in option this time around.

Darwin’s a Red! Get your special edition Darwin Nunez tee here. The Verdict: Perfect next midfield signing

Bellingham looks like a player of incredible potential – Jordan Henderson has called him a ‘fantastic’ footballer – and Liverpool signing him would feel enormous, given his potential.

Midfield is one area that Jurgen Klopp should be looking at adding to in the near future, with plenty of options there but certain figures ageing and others still maturing.

Granted, Bellingham is extremely young, too, but he already plays with such poise and his mix of technical quality and physical prowess make him a special prospect. If Liverpool have to wait a year it will be worth it, although Maddock says something drastic could cause a move this summer, so don’t rule it out completely quite yet.

In other news, Liverpool are eyeing a shock move for one Champions League-winning player. Read more here.

Everton have not only had problems on the pitch in the Premier League this season but also financial troubles off the pitch, and now a reliable source has given an update on FFP concerns.

What’s the latest?

Reliable Everton source and former club communications director Alan Myers has given a nine-word response to a fan’s question on Twitter regarding the current situation on the FFP concerns for the Toffees.

The fan asked whether Everton needed to sell to buy players due to ongoing financial troubles and Myers responded: “I don’t think much has changed at this point.”

Supporters will be concerned

The Toffees have had their financial problems heavily speculated over the last few months, with the headache of a relegation battle hanging over the club as well over the last season.

Now that Everton have secured survival and remain in the Premier League next season it will surely lift a weight off the club’s shoulders, but they will need to make smart business moves this summer to ensure they don’t create more problems for themselves going forward.

Farhad Moshiri has reportedly spent over £600m on transfers over the last six years, and it was revealed that the club confirmed another financial loss of over £100m for the third successive year, however, it is thought that they are not considered in breach of Premier League profit and sustainability rules.

Sky Sports also reported that Everton are confident they have complied with Financial Fair Play rules amid recent threats of legal action from Burnley and Leeds United, with letters submitted to the Premier League asking for clarity on Everton’s financial movements.

With that being said, the Merseyside club have continued to rebuild and improve their team as they are close to signing James Tarkowski on a free transfer with the player reported to take his medical at the club yesterday, which is a great piece of business that is saving them millions.

The Toffees are also said to be willing to sell a number of fringe players this summer, with journalist Chris Smith tweeting last month:

“Allan, Michael Keane, Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Andros Townsend and Salomon Rondon are all players Everton are willing to entertain offers for this summer.”

If Everton can continue to take advantage of free transfer opportunities and offload some players whilst identifying the right players to help the club compete at a better level next season in the top flight, it should put them in good stead to stay within the financial guidelines and reduce the concerns surrounding the club.

That said, the fact that nothing has changed regarding their dreadful financial situation, will surely be a worry to fans. Everton really need to strengthen this summer but will have to do so on a severely reduced budget.

AND in other news: Lampard must now brutally axe Everton’s £22m “walking red card”, he’s Klaassen 2.0

Wolves are reportedly looking to tie down Morgan Gibbs-White to a new contract at Molineux.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Football Insider, the Midlands club are “in talks” with the player behind the scenes over the possibility of him putting pen to paper on a new deal. The report added that the Old Gold are “reluctant to see Gibbs-White leave this summer and have set a big-money price tag to ward off any interest”.

A product of Wolves’ youth system, the midfielder has gone on to make a combined 103 appearances across the club’s under-23 and senior teams. In that time, the Englishman has scored five goals and delivered six assists along the way.

His second and most recent loan spell away from Molineux saw him take the Championship by storm with Sheffield United.

In 35 regular season league appearances for the Blades, the 22-year-old found the net 11 times and delivered nine assists in the process. He also scored one goal and supplied one assist in their two play-off matches against Nottingham Forest.

Wolves fans will be buzzing

To further highlight the impressive attacking prowess that he showed throughout this season, he had more shots at goal (86) and shots on target (33) than any other player at the Yorkshire club.

In addition, he also ended the season with the joint-highest average of key passes per game (1.6) and the highest overall performance rating (7.14/10) at Bramall Lane, according to WhoScored.

Taking all this into account, it’s easy to see why the Old Gold are keen to tie down the player to a new deal at Molineux, despite his current contract not set to expire until 2024.

Looking at what he’s done during his latest loan spell away from Molineux, the midfielder should definitely be in Bruno Lage’s plans for Wolves’ next Premier League campaign.

Having played in numerous midfield and attacking positions, this sort of versatility could make him a very useful squad option for the Wolves manager.

If the youngster does end up signing a new deal at the club and becomes a regular first-team figure next term, this would surely be great news for fans at Molineux, especially if Gibbs-White can add some attacking dynamism to Lage’s team.

In other news: Wolves eyeing swoop for “terrific” 20 y/o “hotshot”, he can be their next Moutinho 

Manchester United have now joined Liverpool in the race to sign Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, according to The Independent.

The Lowdown: Liverpool interested in Nunez

According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via Liverpool.com), the Reds are pulling out all the stops to sign the 22-year-old from Benfica this summer.

It is claimed that the Primeira Liga outfit have identified Watford forward João Pedro as a potential replacement, with the expectation that a transfer will be feasible given the Hornets’ relegation to the Championship.

The Uruguay international impressed on the continent this season, following two impressive performances against Liverpool in the Champions League as the youngster scored twice and was denied a number of goals by marginal offsides at the Estadio da Luz.

The Latest: United join Liverpool in Nunez race

According to a report by The Independent, Nunez has been namechecked by Erik ten Hag as a top target for Manchester United this summer, with England’s two most successful clubs seemingly set to go toe to toe for the youngster’s signature.

It is understood that the 22-year-old had favoured a move to Liverpool up until now, but the player’s representatives are prepared to listen to offers from the Red Devils.

The Verdict: Tough battle ahead

Having established himself as one of Europe’s most prized assets this summer, Benfica are likely to command a fee of around £100m for Nunez.

With United joining the race, this will come as a blow to Jurgen Klopp’s side, as the Manchester club are more likely to accept more expensive demands compared to FSG-led Liverpool, having spent £94.5m on Paul Pogba and £80m on Harry Maguire.

However, the 22-year-old has had an “outstanding season”, having scored 34 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions. Therefore, Benfica’s valuation could be justified, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claiming that “a big move is now on his agenda”.

In other news: A fresh rumour has emerged over a possible Sadio Mane successor

Reputable journalist Ryan Taylor has made a claim regarding Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek. 

The lowdown: Contract talks stalled

More or less an instant success since landing in the Premier League from Slavia Prague, Soucek has directly contributed to 21 goals in 105 appearances so far for the east Londoners.

Despite the seamless transition into life in England, the 27-year-old saw fresh contract talks put on hold earlier this year as the club attempted to tie down their talismanic ace amidst interest from Bayern Munich.

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Following a report claiming that Spurs and Juventus are also keen on signing the £40.5million valued Czech Republic international ace, one journalist has fuelled the fire of a potential cross-city swoop…

The latest: Conte an ‘admirer’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor has claimed that Antonio Conte is a fan of Soucek and Tottenham may well be primed to swoop.

He said: “I know Conte, from what I understand, seems to be an admirer of him. Obviously, he’s in talks with West Ham over a new contract, so I think that’s kind of linked to that situation, and they’re seeing what happens.

“It’s not a case of Soucek being one of the top targets, it’s just a player Tottenham seem to like, which is something that could potentially develop.”

The verdict: No brainer

Having qualified for the UEFA Champions League, Spurs are in a position to offer elite level football once again and must strengthen the ranks suitably in order to compete domestically and in Europe next term under Conte.

With the likes of Harry Winks, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele expected to leave the Lilywhites on a permanent basis this summer, adding the 6 foot 3 towering midfielder – who was described as ‘incredible’ by Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel – would be a worthwhile signing.

Last term, Soucek scored six times and provided one assist in a remarkable 51 outings across all competitions, proof if nothing else of a durability that would be welcomed with open arms by Conte should Fabio Paratici be able to pull the deal off.

If Taylor is proven to be correct, the prospect of potentially lining Soucek up in midfield alongside Rodrigo Bentancur with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg there to rotate in as well is very enticing.

In other news: Tottenham are now eyeing ‘unstoppable’ Ligue 1 star, read more here