Tottenham have not enjoyed the best of starts to the season and things look to be getting worse before they get better, with fears surrounding Harry Kane’s future.
The Times report that Spurs’ star striker is disillusioned with the state of the club’s current position and there are concerns he could seek a move away, possibly making him another player whose affiliation with the club is uncertain, alongside Christain Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen.
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Naturally, fans are worried by this development, with many desperate for him to stay.
However, others are showing great understanding, suggesting that a player with his quality deserves better whilst admitting that the club lacks ambition.
Despite that, some hold out hope that the situation can be resolved, and have subsequently called on Daniel Levy and Mauricio Pochettino to sit down with the England captain and work out a plan which suits both the player and club.
Here is some of the mixed reaction that has met the story of Kane being unsettled.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Anthony Georgiou helped Cyprus record a 4-0 win over San Marino in Monday night’s Euro 2020 qualification match.
The 22-year-old did not start the international affair but was introduced at the break as Ran Ben Shimon’s side put three points on the board in routine fashion.
Georgiou was involved in Tottenham’s preparations for the 2019/20 campaign.
However, the defender was deemed surplus to requirements during the summer – joining Ipswich Town on loan until the start of 2020.
The versatile left-sided player has made three League One appearances for his loan club this term, and will be hoping to impress in the third tier with the view to returning to Mauricio Pochettino’s side in the January transfer window.
Tottenham’s official Twitter account drew attention to Georgiou’s performance for his country, which led to a few of the Premier League club’s fans taking to social media to reveal their thoughts.
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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
When you think of Real Madrid, your mind probably immediately goes to some of the biggest names of the footballing stage. The likes of Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
And as fate would have it, these absolute fan favourites are often strikers, attacking players who bring joy and excitement to the fans. Not often do you hear people chanting goalkeepers’ names. But one such mythical person did exist in Los Blancos’ ranks for many years, a player presented at the turn of the century.
Of course, that someone is none other than Iker Casillas, a legend sprung out of Real Madrid’s academy and a loyal servant of the club. And Casillas truly was a name revered among the fans and within the club for a very long period of time.
Until, that is, he wasn’t.
And while this is definitely not something entirely new and uncommon in the world football, it was quite a shocking revelation. Players come and go; one day you’re the hero and the next a villain. This is especially true for players who swap shirts, and even more true for those who decide to don the colours of both rival clubs. Luis Figo and a certain pig’s head can certainly attest to that.
Real Madrid’s Portuguese star Luis Figo celebrates after scoring a penalty against Anderlecht’s during his Champions League group D soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium December 5, 2000.SP
But sometimes, this change of heart happens without a great incentive. Let’s stay with Casillas’ example for a bit longer.
The now 38-year-old joined the senior Real Madrid squad in 1999 and stood in between the sticks until 2015 when he made the move to Porto. But not before being banished from the club like he was a nobody. A legend left alone to cry in a press-conference, with a couple of journalists offering him a handkerchief to wipe the tears from his face.
With a shivering voice, he said his final goodbye and then he was gone, never to look back again. And you’d think that the emotion from that scene would teach Real a thing or two but the very same scenario just might be unfolding with their current goalkeeper and a faithful servant of the club, Keylor Navas.
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Navas’ journey is, however, nowhere near as impressive as Casillas’ and the two hardly fit in the same sentence as far as their careers or maybe even abilities are concerned. The Costa Rican arrived in 2014 from Levante and has since been on a rollercoaster ride with the Galacticos.
He has gone from substitute to number one and then back to the bench.
But there was one constant throughout his five-year spell in the capital and that was his commitment. Maybe he was never the flashiest of choices, maybe he was often overlooked and underappreciated, but he was always there. Ready and on standby. And when he was called upon, he acted and most of the time he delivered.
That’s what describes him best. Rarely will anyone talk about his saves that made sure Real made it past this or that opponent, but they will be quick to point out his blunders along the way. But that comes with the territory.
Casillas knew it and Navas probably knows it too. And he still remains undeniably underappreciated.
Even now Thibaut Courtois has been signed and already dubbed a flop, so who will step up and face the challenge once again? Navas, that’s who. And despite that and Zinedine Zidane’s affection towards his faithful goalie, Madrid are still looking to find a way out of this rotting relationship.
Once again a player who’s given the club the benefit of the doubt, who’s given them his faith and his commitment, could possibly be thrown out the door with the first real chance they get.
We cannot say for certain that it will happen but if it’s happened to people bigger than him then it’s sure bound to happen again.
Gareth Bale is living through that same drama as well. A player with a multitude of crucial goals and triumphs under his belt is being forced out quite disgracefully. For all their pedigree and fame, the Spanish giants certainly lack that human touch and respect for their own heroes; Cristiano Ronaldo was also booed and condemned the first chance they got to do so.
Once the players become dispensable, they’re replaced in a heartbeat, no matter their value. For that reason, it’s not a stretch assuming the same thing will eventually happen to someone of Navas’ stature in the club.
He is far from perfect but he’s been their saviour since 2014, stepping up and patching them up when they needed it the most. With Casillas gone, he jumped into the fray. He played a big part in Zidane’s extremely successful Champions League run and now that Courtois is underperforming he’s ready to take the team on his back once again and adapt, as he has done ever since his arrival.
Why do we always hear rumours and stories about Real wanting to throw him out, then? It’s a question that continues to persist without answer.
But judging by Navas’ character and mentality, when the time finally comes he’ll be ready to, in typical Navas fashion, take another one for the team.
Lots of Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was revealed on the club’s official website that Ovie Ejaria had joined Reading on a season-long loan deal.
The move will be made permanent next summer for a set sum of £3m which could potentially rise to £3.5m, as reported by The Athletic’s James Pearce.
Ejaria returns to the Madejski Stadium having made 16 appearances for the Royals in the second half of last season, after a loan spell at Rangers under Steven Gerrard was terminated following the first half of the campaign.
The 21-year-old was given his debut by Jürgen Klopp in a League Cup tie against Derby County in September 2016, and went on to make two Premier League appearances for the Reds before heading to Ibrox.
Let’s take a look at how the Liverpool fans on Twitter reacted to the news of the youngster’s departure…
These Rangers fans adored the performance of Steve Davis on Thursday night, as he marshalled the Gers midfield in their 0-0 draw with Legia Warsaw.
The tie is evenly poised after the tense affair in Poland, with Steven Gerrard’s men hosting the Poles next week at Ibrox. One player who got the fans talking after the game was the Northern Irishman, who instilled calm in what was a tricky goalless affair.
Having spent the second half of last season on loan at Ibrox, Davis was signed to a permanent deal this summer and has started his third Gers spell well. The 34-year-old has managed to fend off strong competition from Greg Docherty and Glen Kamara to become one of Gerrard’s key men so far this season.
Alongside Ryan Jack and Joe Aribo, Davis caught the eye of the supporters as the Gers secured a decent result ahead of the pivotal return leg next week.
Here’s how the fans described his display on Twitter after Thursday’s game:
Thursday’s Arsenal transfer roundup was made up of a club veteran making a shock refusal, a new bid for a Premier League star and an approach made for a Portuguese right-back. Today’s edition focuses on an update on a Real Madrid forward, a South coast side potentially willing to let a top Gunners target leave on a free, and the confirmed loan departure of a youngster.
Mariano wants Madrid stay
Arsenal target Mariano Diaz wants to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer and fight for his place according to AS. The Gunners had reportedly been offered the opportunity to sign the 25-year-old for £18m, but the former Lyon forward sees his future in Madrid.
Fraser could leave on free next summer
According to The Daily Express, Bournemouth are prepared to see Ryan Fraser run down his contract and leave as a free agent next summer rather than sell him during this transfer window. Unai Emery’s side have been linked with the 25-year-old Scottish international.
Sheaf makes Doncaster loan move
Doncaster Rovers have confirmed the loan signing of Ben Sheaf. The 21-year-old will join the League One outfit for a sixth-month spell. The versatile youngster said of the move, “I’m really happy to take this step up, I feel like I’m past U23s football now and this is a great opportunity to get experience in the men’s game.”
Just a few short weeks ago you could argue optimism was rife across the city of Newcastle.
After enduring over a decade of Mike Ashley’s ownership of their football club it seemed that the dark days were nearly over and a takeover was imminent.
Better yet, better to an incalculable degree, the potential new proprietors were rich. Staggeringly so. The figurehead of the takeover, Sheikh Khaled was an Emirati member of the Abu Dhabi royal family no less and we had all seen how transformative a comparative takeover of Manchester City had proven to be.
For Newcastle United’s long-suffering fans this must have felt like instantly going from famine to feast; a whopping big compensation pay-out for wrongful imprisonment because under the deeply unpopular Ashley, the remit was clearly and consistently to prioritise profit over ambition at all costs.
It was a policy that directly or otherwise led to two relegations to the Championship during his long tenure. It was a policy that directly led to sustained protests multifarious in their scope, protests that were increasingly accompanied by utter exasperation.
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Fast forward to now and the takeover talk has gone eerily quiet. Worse yet, Rafa Benitez has upped sticks to China and the club’s star striker Ayoze Perez has joined Leicester in a £30m deal. Whether that money is reinvested remains to be seen but historical evidence suggests it won’t be to any significant extent.
For Newcastle supporters, this is cruel indeed.
To extend on the wrongful imprisonment analogy it must feel like finally seeing a chink of light equating to freedom only to immediately be sent back to the cells and deprived of all privileges because they dared to hope.
“The club is in state!”… The Playmakers give their first impressions on receiving the sudden news of Rafa Benitez’s departure from Newcastle United. See what they have to say here…
This reversion to type has prompted protestations towards the present hierarchy to intensify with fans believing the only way Ashley will act on their grievances and sell up is if he is hit in the pocket.
To that end many fans are refusing to buy the new club shirt. Many too are planning to boycott Newcastle’s first home game of the season against Arsenal.
But it was the reaction of rival fans that most piqued interest as the latest depressing chapter of ‘Newcastle United: The Mike Ashley Years’ scribbled itself out over a balance sheet.
With social media and 24/7 football coverage, we are more tribal and divided than ever before as football fans.
We are entrenched and consequently, it is hardly uncommon for one set of supporters to find another group’s suffering to be humorous.
Yet here there is anger. There is annoyance. That’s how dire the situation at Newcastle has become – the time for gloating and chuckling is over and we have all had enough of it.
So why don’t we – just for once – show some solidarity. Why don’t we stand together as one instead of being divided by our club colours?
It would not be the biggest sacrifice in the world to forego travelling to St James’ Park this season to watch our team play there. It’s just one game.
Yet a half-empty away end, coupled with a half-empty home section would make a hugely powerful statement; one that would ripple beyond the north-east throughout the rest of the sport.
It would inform football’s authorities and the TV companies and the owners that there is a line. And when that line is crossed we have each other’s backs.
Aston Villa have been linked with a number of defensive targets in the transfer window. Adam Webster has been the subject of interest whilst they’ve enquired about Huddersfield’s Terence Kongolo too.
However, they also seem keen on adding Burnley’s Ben Gibson to their ranks.
TEAMtalk have claimed that the Clarets are willing to let him leave just a year after buying him from Middlesbrough, with Sheffield United and Norwich City also keen on Gibson.
The report suggests that the club could be willing to consider a loan deal for the 26-year-old who initially signed for £15m last summer.
It’s fair to say that the central defender hasn’t had the easiest of rides since making the switch, appearing just five times in all competitions as he became an outcast at Burnley.
Within that time Gibson scored one goal in the only Premier League game he featured in whilst he also picked up a red card against Olympiacos in the Europa League.
Villa made terrific use of the loan market last season by bringing in the likes of Anwar El Ghazi, Axel Tuanzebe, Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause so it’s a deal that would have similarities if they could secure the player on a temporary basis.
With a potential deal on the cards, what do Football FanCast’s writers make of it? Here’s what they’ve had to say about whether Villa should move for the Premier League outcast…
Charles Jones
“Gibson couldn’t break into Burnley’s starting XI last season, but that doesn’t at all indicate that he isn’t a capable defender. The former Middlesbrough man looked brilliant during his time at the Riverside Stadium, playing almost every game as Boro conceded just 45 goals that season, and he has been coached by two of the best defensive managers in England in Sean Dyche and Tony Pulis.
“He is a bit one dimensional as his pass success rate of 66.7% last season indicates that he isn’t the best ball player. A newly promoted side could do a lot worse than adding the Englishman to their ranks though as he has the defensive acumen to play a deep-sitting style that would frustrate quality teams by doing the basics well. Dean Smith would be making a good move if he brought Gibson to Villa Park.”
Harry Sherlock
“It simply hasn’t worked out for Gibson, has it? A £15m deal saw him become Burnley’s joint-record signing and yet he played one game of Premier League football in 2018/19. That’s a risible return and one has to wonder whether Burnley were left with buyer’s regret. He’s got pedigree, though, and was a genuinely exceptional centre-half at Middlesbrough, making over 200 appearances.
“A loan deal would make a lot of sense from Aston Villa’s perspective; he may not play all 38 games next season but he will have a point to prove and could form a key part of a backline attempting to stave off relegation.”
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James Beavis
“Despite the fact that Gibson endured a frustrating first season with Burnley where he was barely on the field – he played just 63 minutes of Premier League football – due to injury and being unable to break up the successful partnership of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski, he would still offer something to Aston Villa.
“The 26-year-old led by example as captain during his only other Premier League campaign in 2016/17, showing his defensive capabilities despite the fact that the Teesside outfit ended up being relegated. 31 out of 39 successful tackles and 234 clearances prove that as he played every minute for Boro, and he will be chomping at the bit to prove himself at this level again if he does go out on loan. A win-win situation for Smith and Villa, then.”
Clyde 1 Superscoreboard pundit Mark Wilson believes Rangers should be seriously considering signing John Souttar and Greg Taylor this summer, speaking on Thursday’s edition of the radio show.
What’s he said?
Ibrox manager Steven Gerrard has made it something of a priority in recent transfer windows to sign up the best talent available in the Scottish Premiership with deals for Glen Kamara, Jake Hastie and Jordan Jones completed this year alone.
With defensive reinforcements needed ahead of the new season, former Dundee United and Celtic man Wilson reckons Souttar and Taylor should be the next in line for a move to Glasgow.
Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, the 34-year-old said:
I’ve got to say if John Souttar is offered to go to Rangers and Hearts accept it, I can’t see John Souttar having a problem.
He’s wanting to stay in the international fold and playing European football and playing beside better players like he would at Rangers and under Steven Gerrard would improve him.
Greg Taylor I’ve been a big fan of for a good while now. Good fit, getting international recognition now and it’s a position that Rangers need to fill.
You’ve got Barisic there who looked decent but again you can’t get him on the park.
Flanagan, a right footer at left back, that upsets the balance a bit. So I think if you brought those two in, they would be very good signings. It’s whether Killie or Hearts would let them go in the cheap.
Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…
Shopping for Souttar
There’s no doubt that Hearts stopper John Souttar is one of the stand-out defensive talents in the division outside of the two Glasgow giants.
Still just 22-years-old, he has excellent experience for his age both at Tynecastle and with Dundee United, where he made his senior breakthrough as a teenager playing alongside the likes of Andrew Robertson and Stuart Armstrong.
He’d be an excellent option to compete with Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic and definitely someone the Gers should be looking at if he is available this summer.
Taylor transfer
Likewise Greg Taylor has caught the eye of many in the Scottish Premiership over the last 12 months, finding himself nominated for the Scottish Football Writers’ Young Player of the Year award and subsequently getting called up to the most recent Scotland squad.
Mark Wilson is right to suggest that Rangers need another option at left-back too, and signing up the young homegrown 21-year-old could be an inspired transfer and one that pays off massively in the future.
The radio pundit has picked out two dynamite potential deals for Rangers to make here – will the club be making any bids for them this summer?
“Pep has to say that as he hasn’t been in the Champions League final for a while.”
Those were the words of Jurgen Klopp via the Express when asked by a reporter in the build-up to Saturday’s Champions League final on what the German thought of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola’s claim that he was not disappointed to be in the upcoming European final because of his team’s Premier League title win.
It was a comment Liverpool fans thoroughly enjoyed and gave the media plenty to write about, but arrogance before such an important game can easily come to haunt Klopp and Liverpool.
After all, Guardiola might not have managed a Champions League final side since 2011, but at least the Spaniard has actually won the trophy, something Klopp will be attempting to do on his third attempt against Tottenham this weekend.
Liverpool are understandably the favourites heading into the game in Madrid. The Reds have not only faced and bested better opposition in the Champions League but have also overcome Spurs twice in the previous Premier League campaign, but to call the Reds the winners already would be silly.
We have seen the underdog in a Champions League final scrap through and come out the winning side, with Chelsea being the latest and arguably luckiest recipients of the famous trophy seven years ago after sleepwalking their to the final and then beating Bayern Munich on penalties, and there is a feeling in the air Tottenham could do the same to Liverpool.
Klopp’s dig at Guardiola might seem harmless at first, but it was a comment that can easily come around to bite Liverpool if they are not careful in Madrid.
Liverpool fans, will the Reds win the Champions League? Let us know!