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Liverpool star Raheem Sterling has refused to rule out the possibility of leaving for Arsenal or Manchester City at the end of the season, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

Sterling has been stalling contract negotiations to extend his deal with the Reds, fuelling speculation that he is set to depart in the summer.

WANT MORE? >> Arsenal transfer news | Liverpool transfer news

The England international has come out to state that his intentions to stop talks are not motivated by financial gains, but he is instead hoping to be convinced by the Liverpool hierarchy that the side can challenge with Europe’s best.

He said: “The public just see it as this 20-year-old boy being greedy.

“But I just want to take the time to think about what I have achieved in my career so far and where I need to go and what I need to do to get better as a player.

“It’s never been about money. I talk about winning trophies throughout my career. That’s all I talk about.”

It has been confirmed that the 20-year-old has turned down a massive £100,000-a-week contract and plans to consider all his options this summer.

“It’s not about the money at all. I just want to focus on football and when it gets to the end of the season assess my position, where I am as a 20-year-old playing in the Premier League,” he added.

“I just want to see where I need to be to achieve my goals that I’ve set out since I was a young kid.

“I don’t want to be perceived as a money-grabbing 20-year-old. I just want to be seen as the kid that loves to play football and wants to do the best for the team.”

Liverpool are currently trailing Manchester United in fourth by five points, but they still have eight games remaining to catch up with their rivals.

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However, if Brendan Rodgers’ side fail to qualify for the Champions League, then the Anfield club could lose Sterling to the likes of Arsenal, Man City, or even European powerhouses Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

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Tottenham Hotspur have cemented their role as the nearly team in the Premier League. Every year the club show early promise of Champions League qualification but time and time again they fall short in the final weeks.

This summer the club are in danger of falling even further behind their rivals after a slow start to the transfer window.

Rivals Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City and Man United have all improved their squads with a number of key signings, including the likes of Petr Cech, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Roberto Firmino.

Fans of the White Hart Lane outfit will be no doubt starting to worry.

Mauricio Pochettino has only made the relatively low key signings so far this summer, strengthening their leaky defence with the signings of right back Kieran Trippier from Burnley, slightly more impressive centre back Toby Alderwiereld from Atletico Madrid and FC Koln defender Kevin Wimmer.

There is no disputing that chairman Daniel Levy has a lot more work to do over the coming weeks to dramatically improve what currently seems a very average Spurs side.

The weakest area of the side is certainly the midfield. How Pochettino plans to achieve anything with players like Andros Townsend, Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb starting every week is baffling.

All three would certainly not look out of place in the Championship, which is not acceptable for a club supposedly challenging for Champions League football.

However, the north London side have been linked with a number of more talented additions already this summer.

The latest names in the hat are James McCarthy and Kevin Mirallas, with the Independent reporting that a £20million swoop for the Everton pair is close.

Both players would certainly improve the quality in that Tottenham midfield.

Belgium International Mirallas has never managed to cement his place in the starting line-up at Goodison Park and has grown frustrated with life under manager Roberto Martinez. The recent arrival of Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona has only poked the fire regarding Mirallas’ future and a move away looks likely.

The winger would easily be the best wide midfielder at the club. His speed and technical ability are major strengths of his game, not to mention the player’s pure determination to get in a position to fire a shot on target.

Sitting either side of Christian Eriksen in the attacking three midfield spots would suit the 27-year-old, being able to thrive off the Danish star’s playmaking.

West Ham have also been linked with the player, but it is believed that Spurs are in the driving seat, offering more of a step up from life at Everton.

Another Everton player being courted by Spurs is James McCarthy.

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His consistently impressive performances have led to attention from Man City and Pochettino’s side this summer. The Ireland international is a solid midfielder, particularly strong when it comes to the defensive side of the game, including tackling and recovering the ball, but the player’s distribution is also an impressive aspect of this talents.

McCarthy would be a step up in class from Mason/Bentaleb, offering a more physical and experienced presence in the middle of the park, something that Spurs have lacked for a long time.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez will be determined to hold on to two of his most prized assets but, unfortunately for him, that isn’t all that easy – especially with Tottenham able to offer the duo regular European football.

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Both Tottenham and West Ham have been inconsistent for differing reasons so far this season, but the chance of some success in the Capital One Cup could be a welcome release from their Premier League struggles.

Sam Allardyce and Andre Villas-Boas fielded conflicting sides during their route to Round 5 and the Hammers manager could decide to do the same again, while whoever stands in for the departed Villas-Boas may be tempted to field a full strength side, despite being only three wins away from a trip to Wembley.

So here’s a combined XI for you to mull over ahead of their Round 5 fixture. It was tempting to go with Allardyce’s infamous 4-6-0 formation considering he beat Spurs with it earlier this season and both side’s lack of strike options, but alas, we’ve gone for a more traditional tactical output.

Click on Sam Allardyce to reveal the Tottenham and West Ham combined XI…

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New West Brom manager Steve Clarke has shown his displeasure at the untimely international break as two of his key defenders play 90 minutes for their respective countries.

While England fielded a somewhat experimental team in Switzerland against Italy on Wednesday night, other international sides didn’t take the same approach with Gareth McAuly and Jonas Olsson both seeing out the entire game in their games.

“Jonas Olsson played 90 for Sweden and Gareth McAuley played 90,” said Clarke.

“It has upset me a little bit, yes. Two experienced central defenders didn’t need 90 minutes of football after travelling to play for their countries before the opening of the Premier League.

“I don’t understand it.

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“It’s placed in a ridiculous place in the calendar. It’s been addressed and it will be taken out of the fixture list and the quicker that happens the better.”

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1. Ronaldinho to Blackburn – 2011:

After the Venky’s took control of Blackburn in 2010 they talked of taking Rovers into the Champions League and back to the top of English football. Their grand scheme included bringing in some of the biggest names in world football and quite unbelievably Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho was one of their targets.  It was a sensational proposal that inevitbaly never mateirialised as Rovers offered the money but the Brazilian wasnt ready to swap stylish Milan for bog standar Blackburn.

 2. John Terry to Man City – 2009:

When Sheikh Mansour took over at Eastlands every top player under the sun was linked with a move to City and Chelsea captain John Terry was probably the most outlandish of all. It showed City’s ambition but even a proposed £200,000 a week wasn’t enough to tear Terry away from his beloved blues.

 3. Carlos Puyol/ Steven Taylor swap deal – 2010:

It was one of those rumours that you had to read twice just to check that it had actually been printed. The thought that Puyol would leave Barcelona after just winning the Champions League to sign for newly promoted Newcastle is pretty extraordinary. However if you throw in the fact that magpies defender Steven Taylor was reportedly headed in the other direction it defies belief that this kind of transfer rumour was even conceived in the human mind.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo to Man City – 2012:

Cristiano Ronaldo has always stated that it was his dream to play for Real Madrid and it was the main reason behind his world record transfer to the Bernebeu in 2009. So after a brilliant 2011/12 season in which he helped Madrid claim back the La Liga title, why would Ronaldo ever want to ditch his dream role in Madrid and head back to Manchester to join his former teams rivals. This unlikely turnaround of desires coupled with the astronomical fee of £120million certainly signaled that this rumour was born out of a City fans fantasy rather than hard evidence.

5. Jay Bothroyd to AC Milan/Juventus/Inter – 2010:

It only took a premature England call up and a handful of goals in the championship to cast Jay Bothroyd as the star of a fantasy transfer to the creme de la creme of Serie A in 2010. The former Cardiff striker looked like he was about to hit the big time in Italy but had to settle for a supporting role at QPR instead as this rumour was clearly a work of fiction.

6. Steven Fletcher to Real Madrid – 2012:

I bet when Sunderland signed Steven Fletcher from Wolves this summer they didn’t realise that it was from right under the nose of Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho. Well, Martin O’Neill didn’t know because this rumour was probably untrue, Mourinho was apparently keeping an eye on Fletcher for the Real Madrid B team so there was at least some believable aspects to the story.

7. Wayne Rooney to PSG – 2012:

There are so many unbelievable aspects to this transfer that there would be too many to list. Besides the obvious problems of United not wanting to sell and anything other than the Premier League is a step down, there is also the fact that  Wayne Rooney would have to learn french.

8. Iker Casillas to Man City – 2012:

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This rumour is another that will make you do a double take as certain sections of the Spanish press believe that because Casillas doesn’t exactly see eye to eye with manager Mourinho, he is ready to jump ship and join Man City. None of this rumour seems realistic as City don’t need a goalkeeper and Casillas doesn’t need to move.

9. David Beckham to Blackburn – 2012:

Although all of David Beckham’s previous transfers have been pretty sensational, a move to Blackburn Rovers under the tumultuous ownership of the Venky’s would have topped the lot. Beckham has stated on my occasions he is committed to his contract at LA Galaxy and it seems like this transfer rumour was plucked out of the stratosphere.

10. Alessandro Del Piero/Filippo Inzaghi to Watford – 2012:

When the Pozzo family added Championship side Watford to their portfolio of clubs around Europe and appointed Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola as manager, there was a new found optimism surrounding the club. But even the most optimistic of hornets fans probably couldn’t believe that they were about to sign Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo inzaghi to complete a trio of Italian striking legends. Obviously this was a rumour that came about with the whirlwind of the takeover rather than reality, but it will have given some Watford fans a brief moment of ecstasy.

During the early portion of this season, Everton and Liverpool target Ezri Konsa performed an unusual role in the Charlton first-team. The highly-rated 20-year-old is primarily a centre-back or at the very least a defender, but Karl Robinson utilised him in a more unique capacity from the bench. On several occasions, Konsa was brought on in central midfield, his predominant task seemingly to help see out victories by winning free kicks in the middle of the park and slowing down the clock.

Konsa proved incredibly adept at it and although it’s a rather unique trait, especially for a defender, it tells us much about why he’s so well-regarded, particularly in the context of English football. Those free kicks were earned by knowing how to use his body; putting it between the ball and an onrushing opponent hoping to stage a counter-attack with a tackle in deep midfield.

That quality fits perfectly into how the demands placed on central defenders are steadily changing in the modern game. More quality on the ball is expected than ever before, and defenders are asked to play their way out of trouble – be that by winning a foul like Konsa has shown he can or by passing through a press – rather than simply hoofing into row Z.

In recent years, we’ve seen just how much clubs are prepared to pay for that kind of defender through signings like John Stones and Virgil van Dijk and currently, eight of the ten most expensive defenders of all time are ball-playing centre-backs. If Everton or Liverpool can pick up one now on the cheap, albeit requiring substantial further development, they’ll save themselves a fortune in the long-run.

That alone makes Konsa something of a gamble worth taking, but there are other appealing qualities to his game as well. The youngster’s athleticism and physicality already stands out and underlines his versatility, although some suitors will be put off by the fact he measures in at just 6 foot – certainly on the short side by the standards of Premier League centre-halves.

Additionally, as we have seen through the impressive progress Dele Alli has made since stepping up to the top flight, experience in the Football League can really make a difference for young players; Konsa has already made 69 senior appearances for the Addicks and is now a recurring member of Robinson’s regular starting XI. Alli made 88 for MK Dons before moving to Spurs and while his exponential rise has been something of an incomparable anomaly, exposure to League One has helped Konsa quickly improve his reading of the game. He’s certainly more experienced than most at the age of 20, and more equipped to make the jump to the top flight.

Likewise, while it provides no guarantee of success, there’s certainly something to be said for Charlton academy products. The Roland Duchatelet regime won’t be remembered fondly by Addicks fans but it has allowed academy products to shine and under the much-maligned Belgian’s tutelage, Diego Poyet, Morgan Fox, Kasey Palmer, Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, Callum Harriott, Jordan Cousins, Joe Gomez and Ademola Lookman have all made the step up to either Championship or Premier League clubs. It wasn’t too long ago Arsenal and Liverpool signed Carl Jenkinson and Jonjo Shelvey from the Addicks as well.

Of course, some of those players have enjoyed far more successful careers than others, and Everton and Liverpool will be hoping Konsa – who Transfermarkt value at £450k – is something closer to Gomez and Lookman than Poyet, Fox or Cousins. But the academy setup at The Valley has shown its consistency in developing young footballers and currently, Konsa is the club’s standout prospect.

In turn though, perhaps that should shape how Liverpool and Everton approach this potential swoop. While they’re both keen to sign Konsa before somebody else does, his development is best-served in south east London for now; he’s surrounded by coaches who have known him since joining the club as a twelve-year-old, he’s getting games for a playoff-chasing side in a competitive third tier and he’s playing under a manager in Robinson who wants exciting and expansive football – Konsa will be allowed to play and express himself, rather than simply being asked to defend the near post with headers and clearances.

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With that in mind, a loan back to Charlton for the remainder of the season seems the most logical option.

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There is a disease spreading through north London – and it looks to be contagious.

For the last few seasons, Arsenal have been near the top of the league by Christmas, still in cup competitions both at home and abroad, only for February-itis to kick in.

Symptoms of this well-documented disease include getting to the month of February with high hopes, but swiftly losing ground in the league, slipping up in the cups and mistaking fourth place for a trophy.

Miraculously, the Gunners would be able to pick themselves up, dust off those red tops and put together a wonderful run before the end of the season, inevitably squeaking into the Champions League spots. But the disease has effectively put paid to their hopes of real glory in the last few seasons. In fact, ‘glory’ seems to take on a different form for those with February-itis, with finishing fourth enough to feel like a successful season.

We thought this was a syndrome specific to Arsene Wenger’s men, but it looks to be spreading to their north London neighbours Tottenham. Spurs really started to come into their own just before Christmas and in January, qualifying for the knockout stages of the Europa League, positioning themselves for an assault on fourth place, reaching the Capital One Cup final.

WANT MORE? >> Tottenham transfer news | Arsenal transfer news

Mauricio Pochettino’s intense pre-season of fitness work seemed to be paying dividends; Spurs managed to win games very late on, scoring in stoppage time on numerous occasions. The Argentinian manager’s methods weren’t universally popular at the Lane early on in the season, but they seemed to have boosted the fitness of the players and that helped them to keep going late on in games when the opposition was tiring.

But by the same token, you’d think that their superior fitness would be telling at this time of the season too. Spurs have played plenty of games, given their Capital One Cup run and their place in the Europa League, but not that much more than most of the other top teams, and only Manchester United and Southampton above them weren’t in Europe after Christmas.

But Spurs’ form faltered anyway, and the month of February has ended their hopes of silverware come May.

Since then, they have been knocked out of Europe, lost the cup final, and defeat to Manchester United last weekend has left them down in seventh, six points off fourth place.

February-itis has spread, and it’s looking menacing at White Hart Lane.

Spurs have a young side with some promising but not-quite-there-yet players, they are out of every cup competition and have no distractions left (and crucially, no fixture congestion) to derail their league campaign. Sound familiar?

Spurs seem to be having a season much like the ones suffered by Arsenal over the last few years, thanks to their affliction with February-itis, and their latest defeat makes the Champions League look so far away.

Thankfully, a diagnosis of February-itis isn’t fatal. Arsenal have managed miraculous recovery after miraculous recovery. Even from positions where all seemed lost.

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And this is what Spurs will be hoping for now. Emulating their bitter rivals in an attempt to save their season doesn’t sound like the kind of season Spurs fans had in mind for their own team, but ask any Spurs fan right now if they’d consider it a successful season if they finished fourth and they’d definitely say yes – clearly Spurs are approaching late-stage February-itis.

The disease is spreading, and clubs like West Ham and Chelsea should take precautions and be careful not to be in too much contact with their north London neighbours for fear that they too might catch the bug!

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It was deemed a harsh move by Jose Mourinho at the beginning of this season to replace Petr Cech as Chelsea’s No.1 with returning Atletico Madrid loanee Thibaut Courtois.The Czech ‘keeper had done nothing wrong, and is arguably the greatest ‘keeper to ever play in the Premier League, but with the Belgium international having age on his side, Jose was clearly thinking long-term when it came to making his decision.[ad_pod id=’football-friends’ align=’center’]Cech was linked with a move away, with London rivals Arsenal seemingly ready to pounce, however, Jose kept hold of his stalwart and he will no doubt be pleased that he did so.Petr Cech started tonight’s Premier League clash with Everton and rolled back the years with an unbelievable reactionary save from former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku – it looked impossible for the Everton forward to do anything other than score from less than six-yards out.Cech’s heroics have certainly given Mourinho some food for thought…

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Stoke are reported to be considering a move for Brighton boss Gus Poyet as speculation over who will replace Tony Pulis hots up.

Chairman Peter Coates is drawing up a shortlist of managers who could potentially replace Pulis and Poyet is reported to be on it along with the likes of Roberto Martinez, Mark Hughes and Roberto Di Matteo.

Poyet is reported to be the number one choice but the Uruguayan remains in limbo at Brighton after being suspended over comments he made following the play-off defeat against Crystal Palace.

The Potters would first have to approach Brighton and there is a big question mark over whether the Seagulls would be willing to grant Poyet permission to speak to Coates and his board.

Martinez also remains in the frame and is set to make a decision over whether he will stay at Wigan after holding talks with his chairman Dave Whelan.

Di Matteo and Hughes would be more straightforward appointments as both are free agents but they would still demand hefty pay packets and Coates may prefer to wait for Poyet or Martinez to make a decision on their respective futures.

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This time last Friday we were struggling to find goals anywhere but we were in the midst of a 34 game unbeaten home run. A little over eight days later and we are no longer unbeaten at home but we have scored six goals in our last two outings.

After late fight backs and stunning victories helped us maintain such an impressive unbeaten home record it was Scunthorpe United, winless and bottom of the league, that would be the side to finally break down our resilience in the most anti climatic of fashions. A one goal defeat in an otherwise forgettable encounter ended 18 months of dominance on home soil. But lets not dwell, the pressure is off now and despite the fact that we are no longer unbeaten we have still only lost one game at home in 36 and we should just look at it as a blip.

Which thankfully appears to be the case. Coventry were next to visit the Meadow three days after we had been upset by Alan Knill’s men. Like Scunthorpe they had yet to win a game this season and five minutes into the game it was easy to see why. They were awful. A goalkeeper error allowed us to take the lead inside the opening few minutes and we never looked back from there, smashing four past them during the game and only conceding one to a questionable penalty.

So we had restored our confidence following our defeat and things were looking up for us as we made the long journey north to Hartlepool this weekend. Much like us The Pools had had an inconsistent start to the season and were coming into the game with something to prove following their midweek stuffing at the hands of Preston North End.

One of our biggest problems this campaign has been our strikers inability to score. Despite creating numerous chances in the games we have played we have been unable to get the results we deserve due to this. On the back of being gifted a goal in the week against Coventry Marvin Morgan appears to finally be stepping up his game. The striker netted a brace against Hartlepool and had it not been for a great save towards the end of the contest he would have had a much deserved hattrick. Morgan’s efforts were cancelled out late on following a 90th minute equaliser from Hartlepool but there were many positives that could be taken from the game.

A week’s a long time in football, 8 days ago we hadn’t lost at home and our strikers couldn’t find the net, we have now surrendered our home record but finally Morgan looks as though as he could have found his scoring boots. A striker is still needed to improve the squad but our form is definitely improving.

You can follow me on Twitter @LiamHoofe

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