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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie has tipped Watford winger Ismaila Sarr to join Liverpool or another top-six side in the near future.

According to TEAMtalk, both Liverpool and rivals Manchester United were interested in signing Sarr last year in a potential £40m deal. However, in the end, nothing materialised and the 23-year-old ended up staying at Vicarage Road.

He is now spearheading Watford’s promotion push as the Hornets look to make a quick return to the Premier League following their relegation last season, managing to both score and create goals for his side this term.

When asked whether his old side Aston Villa, who were also linked with Sarr last year, should target the player again, Hendrie told FFC:

“I just think when you’re being linked with Liverpool, I personally think that he will end up going to if anything, maybe a top-five club, just because he’s had that sort of talk of him going to Liverpool – maybe they still have that interest.

“I think if he goes anywhere, I mean it’d be great to have a link with him, but personally I think he’d end up going to a top-five club if he was going to go anywhere.”

Signing Premier League talent has certainly worked for Liverpool of late. The Reds signed Diogo Jota from Wolves in the last summer transfer window and the Portuguese attacker has not disappointed, recently dismantling Arsenal in an impressive 3-0 win.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Sergio Reguilon endured a nightmare evening as the north Londoners were defeated in the Carabao Cup final by Manchester City.

The Spanish left-back continued his poor run of form with a shocking display in which he struggled to contain Man of the Match Riyad Mahrez and wasn’t able to impose much of an influence on Kyle Walker.

SofaScore graded Reguilon their worst performer with a 6.0 rating and similarly, football.london’s Alasdair Gold was far from impressed with his performance.

‘Off the pace in the first half and picked up a yellow card for a late lunge on De Bruyne. Lacked quality in his end product when he did get forward,’ he wrote.

In midweek, the 24-year-old was a frequent influence against Southampton, managing more touches (97) of the ball than all but one other Spurs player but here, he managed only 43 touches and was largely wasteful and ineffective with it.

Even Hugo Lloris (54) had more touches at Wembley than Reguilon.

Across the 90 minutes, the former Real Madrid ace won just one of seven duels (14%), further showing just how badly he struggled against the likes of Mahrez and Walker.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-manager-transfer-news-and-rumours” title=”Read this week’s latest Spurs manager news, transfer rumours and more!”]

And just like Gold claims, when going forward, he offered interim boss Ryan Mason absolutely nothing – as per SofaScore, Reguilon failed to register a shot, dribble or key pass and couldn’t even provide an accurate cross, leaving Harry Kane very little to work with.

His game was summed up by a very lazy and late tackle on Kevin De Bruyne, when the Belgian superstar looked to be away down the right flank. The Reguilon from earlier of the season would’ve been so much smarter there.

He’s just not been the same since returning from injury.

In his last eight appearances, Reguilon has only managed a rating above 6.8 once, with this latest game being the worst in that run, according to SofaScore figures.

Unfortunately for Spurs, though, his main rival for the left-back spot – Ben Davies – is still out injured, so it’s not as if Mason can make a change there.

The £45m-rated dynamo, who is thought to be earning around £80k-per-week in N17, badly let Spurs down on Sunday evening.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Naglesmann: Levy could revolutionise Spurs with landmark double swoop…

Many Glasgow Rangers fans were delighted with the performance of Joe Aribo during the first half of their match against Hibernian on Sunday.

After already having sewn up the Premiership title, the Gers are looking to go the league season unbeaten – they are yet to lose in the first 33 matches of the league campaign (BBC). They have started off well against the Edinburgh outfit as they lead at the interval.

Nigeria international Aribo was on hand to open the scoring with a lovely finish after some good work from Kemar Roofe. It is the 24-year-old’s seventh goal of the season in the league (Transfermarkt), and Steven Gerrard will be hoping to see more of the same from him as the 55-time Scottish champions go in search of a domestic double.

These Gers supporters were very happy with the midfielder’s showing in the first 45 minutes, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts. One even said that Aribo has been a “joy to watch”.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Aribo below

“Big Aribo hit that well”

Credit: @Ky13Rob

“Cracking finish from Aribo! First bit of intensity in the game has resulted in that, long may it continue!”

Credit: @RFT123

“Quality finish Aribo”

Credit: @Shaunwarby

“big Joe Aribo, joy to watch”

Credit: @EuanGriffiths4

“King Joe Aribo makes it Rangers 1 Hibs 0 with a delicious finish”

Credit: @steviesouness

“Aribo is a great player who will be wanted by many clubs this summer”

Credit: @amcfarlane07

In other news, Rangers fans love this Old Firm news.

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Loads of Leeds fans have been giving their verdict on the setback against Norwich, and they’re fuming with the performance of Luke Ayling.

Leeds lost their spot as the kings of the castle on Saturday evening, falling into second place in the table as Norwich thumped three goals past them at Elland Road.

Mario Vrancic opened the scoring with a delightful free kick that Kiko Casilla had absolutely zero chance of stopping, and Teemu Pukki got one of the easiest goals of his life after Adam Forshaw had given the ball away in midfield.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

Vrancic added a third in the second half when his deflected effort snuck through the legs of Casilla, and Patrick Bamford’s late header was little more than a consolation.

Ayling has been a popular figure at Elland Road over the last couple of years, but the versatile defender is having a poor season.

Perhaps it is a result of the two knee injuries he has suffered over the last 18 months, but the 27 year-old has the turning circle of a cruise ship and the passing ability of Caleb Ekuban on roller skates.

That may be a little harsh, but the right-back was constantly caught in possession against Norwich and it’s not the first time this season he has been completely off the pace.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, look away now Luke…

Mike Ashley has dropped a clanger amid claims Dwight Gayle is set to sign a new three-year contract to remain at Newcastle United.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, Gayle has committed his immediate future to the Magpies by agreeing to sign a new deal but on lesser terms.

The 31-year-old was due to be a free agent at the end of the current campaign, but has put pen to paper on a deal that will see that he remains at St. James’ Park through to at least the summer of 2024.

Gayle’s contract status had seen Galatasaray emerge as one of several Super Lig sides to be credited with an interest, along with potential moves to the Middle East, Europe or Major League Soccer.

Gayle was earning £40,000-per-week at Newcastle on his previous deal, which placed him level with captain Jamaal Lascelles and above Martin Dubravka (£38k-p/w) in the Toon’s wage bill, per Spotrac figures.

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce had been pushing for Gayle to receive a new contract despite rarely favouring the forward, with the £4.5m-rated dud only staring two of his 11 Premier League appearances this season.

“We’ll do everything we can to get him tied up,” Bruce said, via quotes by Chronicle Live, in December. “Obviously, he’s been struggling with an injury, but I think we’ll do our best and I hope that he can stay.”

Yet the United head coach has often overlooked Gayle despite a hamstring injury for 10-goal top-scorer Callum Wilson, with the London-born frontman left an unused substitute on nine occasions in the top-flight this term – including the 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion prior to the international break.

Should Newcastle retain Gayle?

Newcastle are expected to operate on a shoe-string budget in the summer transfer market due to the loss of revenue from games being played behind closed doors all season, making the retention of those set to become free agents key.

Yet retaining Gayle, even on lesser terms, should be seen as a mistake by Ashley should Bruce manage to keep Newcastle in the Premier League, as the striker has rarely met the standard required of him since leaving Crystal Palace in 2016.

The Magpies paid £10m for Gayle five-years ago and his efforts fired Rafa Benitez’s side to an immediate top-flight return with 23 goals in 32 Championship fixtures. But the following term only featured six goals in 35 Premier League games, before spending the 2018/19 campaign back in the second-tier on loan with West Bromwich Albion.

He was on fire at The Hawthorns with 24 goals in 40 league games, including the Play-Offs, but returned to Tyneside to strike home just five times in 31 Premier League fixtures over the past two seasons – only one of which has come this term.

Gayle’s performances under Bruce, during what have been two injury-ravished campaigns, have ensured that he was namechecked by Micky Quinn recently when listing some of the players responsible for Newcastle’s fight for top-flight survival.

“They’re on that slippery rock. You look at some of the players: Jonjo Shelvey and Dwight Gayle… Andy Carroll – past his sell-by date – Joelinton – couldn’t hit a barn door with a pea. These are guys I think fall below Premier League class,” Quinn told talkSPORT last month.

To now retain Gayle would suggest that Ashley has accepted relegation and is confident in the striker repeating his 2016/17 season, and is rewarding him for the commitment to stay and help secure another immediate return to the top-flight.

AND in other news, Newcastle are planning an £8m move for a “great character” with an amazing skill set…

Former Premier League midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has exclusively suggested to Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that Chris Wilder would be a better fit than Eddie Howe for Celtic.

The Glasgow club are yet to appoint a permanent manager following Neil Lennon’s resignation back in February, though Howe is said to be the leading candidate for the post.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, the coaches that the 43-year-old would like to bring with him are still contracted to Bournemouth, complicating things.

As far as alternatives go, however, Hendrie believes Celtic should be looking at Wilder, suggesting the former Sheffield United boss could actually be a better fit than the current frontrunner for the Celtic gig.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the two managers, the ex-Aston Villa player said:

“I think most Celtic fans, they’d probably go with Eddie Howe I just feel for the football side of things. But I feel for the part and passion and the whole round circumference of Chris Wilder, I’d be looking at him. 

“I feel he’d get the club rocking again – I really do. And I just feel he’s got that temperament and that mentality to do that.”

In terms of managers who are available, Wilder, 53, definitely looks like he could be a good option given what he managed to achieve at Sheffield United.

Under his leadership, the Blades went all the way from League One to the Premier League. Last season, they were quite the success story, finishing in ninth place following their return to English football’s top flight.

Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that Odsonne Edouard could become one of the best strikers in the world.

The Frenchman hasn’t been at his best this term, but is still enjoying a prolific campaign in front of goal having managed 20 goals in all competitions, and is leading the race to win the Scottish Premiership Golden Boot.

Edouard has been previously linked with a number of top European sides, including Leicester and Arsenal, having hinted at a summer exit from Parkhead.

Leicester are also pushing for a deal to bring Edouard to the King Power as a long-term replacement for Jamie Vardy, but whilst McAvennie has tipped the 23-year-old for big things, he’s warned him to perform more consistently.

He told Football FanCast:

“The Premier League is a lot quicker and harder than people think. Edouard could go to the very top, but he can’t do it on his terms, he has to do it every week because he’s a wonderful talent.

“I really enjoy watching him when he’s on form and you can see him when he’s enjoying it. His touch is magnificent, he’s got a touch second to none.”

Many Sunderland fans were livid with Lee Burge following their 1-0 defeat to Blackpool in League One on Saturday.

This latest defeat is a huge blow to the Black Cats’ hopes of earning automatic promotion to the Championship from the third tier. It is their third loss in a row at that level (Sky Sports) after having been beaten 2-1 by both Charlton Athletic and Wigan Athletic, and they now find themselves eight points behind second-placed Peterborough United with just five games left to play (BBC).

The performance of Burge against the Seasiders contributed to Sunderland’s downfall. It was his mistake which allowed Luke Garbutt’s effort to wriggle into the net, and that proved to be the only goal of the game. At this stage of the season, every mistake is magnified – Burge simply cannot afford to drop such howlers.

These fans were far from happy with what they saw from the 28-year-old, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts on an “awful” display from the Sunderland goalkeeper.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Burge below

“Absolutely crushing. Scowen, Burge and McFadzean need not ever play for us again”

Credit: @SAFCJake

“Said 20 mins into first game of season. You are only as good as your keeper. Burge is awful. A shot is as good as a goal for opposition”

Credit: ian_safc_1974

“I feel qualified to speak on this as I’ve watched so many bad players for Sunderland: Josh Scowen is one of the worst players I’ve ever seen, and Lee Burge is an atrocious goalkeeper.”

Credit: @AnthonyMorrow83

“Lee Burge – that is a disgrace. How many points has he cost us this season now? From the inside of the post to going up the other end and that happening.”

Credit: @DHT_MrP

“Lee Burge awful. Has been most of the season”

Credit: @MJacko1989

“Lee Johnson is not exempt from criticism today, the petulance of not picking Maguire is unreal. McFadzean being in squad at all is criminal. Having no better option than Lee Burge has cost us several times this season. He is a very very very poor goalkeeper.”

Credit: @Powell_Matthew

In other news, many Sunderland fans also slammed this man against Blackpool.

A number of Liverpool fans have been reacting to a stunning run by Mohamed Salah during international duty with Egypt.

The 28-year-old has matured into one of the biggest names in world football in the last few years following his incredible performances for the Reds.

Salah has scored a remarkable 119 goals in 192 appearances for Liverpool, chipping in with 45 assists for good measure.

This season, the Egyptian has carried his side’s attack in many ways, with Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino out of form and Diogo Jota injured for several months.

It isn’t just at club level where Salah is the main man, either, with the world-class forward Egypt’s undisputed star player. He has scored 43 times in 69 caps for his country, inspiring them to the 2018 World Cup, and is mobbed everywhere he goes in his homeland.

On Monday, Salah produced a stunning Lionel Messi-esque run in during Egpyt’s 4-0 win over Comoros, with the Reds superstar also scoring twice.

Liverpool fans laud Salah

Here are the best reactions from Reds supporters on Twitter as they showed their love for Salah.

“Imagine he got a goal out of it. Oh my days, he’s too good”

Credit: @tashaaa2000

“Salah cAnt dRibbLe”
Credit: @SmittyJimbo
“Ramos shaking”

Credit: @NazH92

“Reminiscent to the Watford game”
Credit: @CurtisEra20

“Real Madrid, he is coming for you…”
Credit: @ournumberfour
“Messi who?”Credit: @abougalala_adam

In other news, some Liverpool fans are worried about the future of one Reds player after a big transfer report on Monday. Read more here.

Sheffield Wednesday’s decision to send Aden Flint back in January is now looking worse by the week.

The 31-year-old arrived at Hillsborough in the summer as one of Garry Monk’s eight signings, arriving alongside the likes of Jack Marriott and Izzy Brown on a season-long loan.

That was cut short at the start of January, presumably by Owls chairman Dejphon Chansiri as Monk’s successor – Tony Pulis – was sacked a week prior to the decision.

The towering 6 foot 5 centre-back picked up a hamstring problem in only his fourth appearance for the south Yorkshire giants, and returned to parent club Cardiff City for treatment following surgery.

Flint has gone onto feature regularly for the Welsh outfit since the Bluebirds changed their own manager, replacing Neil Harris with Mick McCarthy.

The wily veteran was surprised by the decision to let the former Bristol City and Boro defender leave. He said, via The Star: “I’ve always really rated him as a centre-back and I was surprised to hear he had gone out of our club on loan. He’s been fantastic for me.”

He has started their last 14 matches in the Championship, coinciding with a phenomenal run of matches that has seen them lose just once – to promotion favourites Watford.

The £2.25m-rated colossus has even scored in that time, meaning he now has more goals than both of the Owls’ remaining loanees, Marriott (zero) and Brown (zero) combined.

To make matters worse, new Wednesday boss Darren Moore has had an injury crisis, with 11 players on the treatment table, but it is a particular concern at centre-back.

Dominic Iorfa was ruled out for the season. Joost van Aken limped off with a groin problem before suffering a fresh setback for the U23s. Sam Hutchinson wasn’t risked against Barnsley. Liam Shaw picked up a knock and also missed the South Yorkshire derby. And Chey Dunkley has been absent with a long-standing hamstring issue.

That’s five viable central defensive options out. If Moore had the services of Flint, then perhaps it would have been a completely different story.

Instead, he’s helping propel Cardiff up the table all whilst the Owls continue to battle out a relegation dogfight.

Flint has been so key to McCarthy’s fortunes too – his 7.16 WhoScored rating is only bettered by two other players, and would sit comfortably atop Wednesday’s standings, with Callum Paterson scoring a 6.90 as their top goalscorer.

Chansiri made a massive mistake with Flint, and now Sheffield Wednesday are dealing with the consequences.

AND in other news, Sheffield Wednesday could land their next Fernando Forestieri in “undoubted talent”…