The records Ronaldo can break at Juventus
Cristiano Ronaldo's career is littered with broken records but after his move to Serie A giants Juventus, he is primed to shatter even more
Cristiano Ronaldo's career is littered with broken records but after his move to Serie A giants Juventus, he is primed to shatter even more
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.”
The Blues have a host of talent out on loan that they could look to offload to help raise cash for a summer spending splurge
David Moyes could land West Ham United’s star defender of the next decade with a move to sign Stoke City centre-back Harry Souttar this summer.
According to the Express, the Irons are in a three-way Premier League fight to obtain the services of Australia international Souttar.
The Potters enforcer is highly-rated by talent spotters after an impressive season in the Championship, which has seen the 22-year-old nail down a regular role under head coach Michael O’Neill.
Souttar has started 32 of a possible 33 appearances in the second-tier this term, while missing four games at the start of the winter through Covid.
His efforts at the bet365 Stadium are understood to have West Ham, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers on alert, with all three having watched Souttar regularly in recent months.
Stoke are expected to demand a high fee for the 6 ft 6 titan, as Souttar is considered to be one of the Potters’ prize assets and has been tipped for big things in Staffordshire.
The Potters moved to secure Souttar’s long-term future last month with a new contract that keeps the Socceroos star at the club until 2025, with him about to enter the final 12-months of his previous terms.
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Promotion into the Premier League may also impact Souttar’s time at the bet365 Stadium, with O’Neill’s men 10 points outside of the Play-Off positions with eight games to play.
Stoke demanding a high asking price for Souttar in the summer could be enough to ward off any Premier League interest, having tied the promising 22-year-old down to a long-term deal only last month.
But a strong end-of-season run from the two-cap Australia international may be enough to tempt an interested party into making a move, with his age and performances to date already proving to be enticing.
Souttar is a contender for Stoke’s Player of the Year award, despite only making his Championship debut in September following an 18-month spell on loan with Fleetwood Town.
O’Neill believes his performances warranted the new four-and-a-half-year deal signed in February, as he firmly sees Souttar being a key part of Stoke’s future.
“We felt he deserved to be rewarded for his performances and we were able to extend his contract on that basis,” he said, via quotes by Stoke on Trent Live. “I do think he’s done extremely well. I also think there’s a lot more to come as well. He now has to push for that.
“Harry has all the attributes to go to the top level of the game and our responsibility as coaches and managers is to help him do that. If we do that, it’s going to, in turn, help us as a club. Certainly, we see him as an important player in the future of Stoke City.”
Souttar can also pose a threat at the other end of the pitch, with the Aberdeen-born colossus boasting one goal and three assists in the Championship this season. He has also scored four times over his two appearances for the Socceroos.
If West Ham are able to present Stoke with an offer simply too good to refuse, then, Moyes could have the Irons’ star defender for the next 10-years on his hands and see that he develops into a Premier League powerhouse rather than a Championship star.
AND in other news, West Ham have been tipped to sign a 12-goal striker who is “Moyes’ type”…
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”.
“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.
Mike Ashley has dropped a clanger amid claims Dwight Gayle is set to sign a new three-year contract to remain at Newcastle United.
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.
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…
Tottenham Hotspur legend Gary Mabbutt has told Football FanCast that Spurs could still finish as high as second in the Premier League table.
Spurs had fallen as low as ninth under manager Jose Mourinho but have enjoyed a three-game winning run that has seen them beat Burnley, Fulham, and Crystal Palace.
That has left Mourinho’s men in seventh, five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea but with a game in hand.
Such is the congested nature of the Premier League table, Spurs are nine points behind Manchester United in second but, again, they have a game in hand.
Both West Ham United and Everton, in fifth and sixth respectively, have played the same amount of games as Tottenham, but Mabbutt is quietly optimistic that the north London club can still force their way into the top four.
Spurs have an interesting run-in and they still have to play both United and Everton, while they also meet Leicester City on the final day.
Those three games could well define how Spurs finish the season.
Speaking to FFC, Mabbutt was asked if this was the tightest top-four race he’d seen and whether he could see Spurs potentially being able to finish third.
He replied: “Absolutely, if not higher. We have a game in hand on Manchester United, if we win that game in hand, I think we’re only six points behind them.
“People were talking about Spurs, three or four weeks ago, crikey, a dip in form and look at them lying in eighth place in the table. They were top of the table in December.”
The weekend’s set of Premier League fixtures only served to spotlight how crazy results have been this season, as United beat Manchester City and Liverpool lost at home to relegation-threatened Fulham.
Mabbutt added: “I can’t talk about results anymore, because it’s totally bizarre. The results that we are seeing, I think probably over the weekend, the only result that went as you’d expect was the Spurs result.
“All the other results, Man City will have expected to beat United, Liverpool at home to Fulham. Liverpool, six straight defeats after 68 games unbeaten. It’s a totally bizarre season that we’ll probably never see again.”
Sheffield Wednesday are likely to go into tonight’s crunch match without one of their star performers…
According to YorkshireLive, Owls centre-back Chey Dunkley is facing ‘another spell on the sidelines’ after picking up a hamstring injury in training last week.
Indeed, the towering 29-year-old was a notable absentee on Sunday as Darren Moore’s side suffered a seventh successive defeat at the hands of league leaders Norwich City.
Whilst it remains to be seen how severe the issue is, hamstring problems can take several weeks to heal fully, so it would be a surprise to see him involved this evening as Wednesday host arch-rivals Huddersfield Town at Hillsborough Stadium.
The Owls currently sit second from bottom, some seven points adrift of safety and of Birmingham City, who sacked their manager last week.
Tonight’s opposition aren’t too far away from being drawn into the dogfight either as the Terriers occupy 18th place, so tonight’s result is a crucial one for both teams but especially for Moore.
His new side need to start picking up points otherwise they might as well be planning for life in League One, at this rate.
And without Dunkley, the 46-year-old’s task gets even harder because the former Oxford and Wigan powerhouse has been one of the only shining lights in this miserable season.
In terms of average WhoScored rating for the current campaign, Dunkley ranks fifth (6.68), where he has proven to be the best centre-back at the club for reading the game having averaged two interceptions per game.
That sort of presence will be vital in thwarting the opposition, though that is something Moore is going to be without tonight.
He’s not just a colossal presence to have at the back either as he can chip in with goals too – at Wigan, he found the net 13 times. Only three Owls players have scored more than three goals this season, and they’re all forwards.
Speaking about his aerial ability and threat, former Latics teammate Sam Morsy lauded Dunkley “unbelievable” and claimed he was “lethal” in one to one situations, so his interception returns are now hardly a surprise.
Evidently, Moore could do with a player like Dunkley right now. He must find a way to stop the rot, and without the £10k-per-week beast, it’s a massive blow to his chances of doing so.
With only 11 games to play, the Yorkshire giants need him back sooner rather than later.
AND in other news, Moore could save Sheffield Wednesday thousands next season with “terrific” 20 y/o gem…
A lot of Everton supporters have flocked to the latest tweet involving an update from Carlo Ancelotti which recently emerged on social media.
The official Everton Twitter account posted some comments from Ancelotti and he talked about the fitness status of Tom Davies and James Rodriguez ahead of the Toffees’ Premier League game against Chelsea on Monday evening.
Ancelotti said he is hopeful that Davies recovers in time for the Stamford Bridge clash, but he revealed that Rodriguez might not be available and he might need to check his situation. However, the manager believes that the Colombian will be fit for the next game against Sean Dyche’s Burnley.
Rodriguez wasn’t in the squad in their recent games against Southampton and West Bromwich Albion. Earlier in the season, the former Real Madrid man has missed games due to a groin injury and a calf problem (Transfermarkt).
He last played in the league against Liverpool, picking up an assist in a 2-0 win in the Merseyside derby. He also scored a goal each against Manchester United and Leicester City – two teams who currently occupy places in the top three (Transfermarkt).
While that is reflective of how important his contributions can be, some Everton fans made their views clear about Rodriguez’s litany of fitness concerns, which one supporter described as “annoying”.
“James is quality but so frustrating how often he’s injured.”
Credit: @shaun00012
“Unreal player James, but these phantom calf Injuries do become annoying.. Sir Gylfi is in good form tho.”
Credit: @seann1878
“Rodriguez isn’t somebody who only misses one game is he, yes he can pick a pass better than anybody else we have but I’ve always been a bit lukewarm on him, we need somebody who is available more often, dons tin hat.”
Credit: @Leeefc56
“Why tweet that this late and ruin my evening.”
Credit: @MattyArnoldEFC
“HOW IS HE INJURED AGAIN.”
Credit: @HamesBond19
“I love him, but when isn’t James hurt? Good lord.”
Credit: @tblick10
“Omg the man is literally made of glass. Shambles.”
Credit: @harryreynolds96
In other news, Everton are at the risk of losing a young star – read more here.
According to The Mirror, Manchester United remain interested in Sevilla hotshot Jules Kounde as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seeks to bolster his defensive options in the summer.
Despite finding themselves second in the table, the Red Devils have conceded 27 goals in 21 Premier League games this season.
And now, The Mirror claim that Solskjaer is prepared to wait until the summer before bolstering his defence, with Kounde now his prime target.
It is understood that Solskjaer views the £60m-rated 22-year-old Frenchman as his ideal centre-back partner for Harry Maguire, who arrived at Old Trafford in an £80m move from Leicester City in 2019.
The Norwegian has Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly and youngster Axel Tuanzebe available at his disposal, with the latter three jostling for position to bag the spot beside the club captain at the back, each with varying degrees of success.
Bailly has battled various injuries over the years, whilst it’s fair to say that Lindelof has looked defensively shaky this season, and Tuanzebe is still relatively inexperienced, despite impressing in the Champions League.
Despite being shorter than Rio Ferdinand, Kounde shares a lot of similarities with the club legend and former England international.
Just like Ferdinand, while some centre-backs will soley focus on the defensive aspect of the game, the French national has shown no hesitation in attempting to carry the ball forward or play out from the back, having scored one goal in 17 top-flight appearances in La Liga this season, as evidenced by his 0.9 dribbles per 90 minutes during his time with Sevilla.
But that doesn’t mean that his defensive contributions should go unnoticed, either, as he is prepared to get stuck in to deny clear-cut chances for the opposition.
Per WhoScored, Kounde is currently averaging more interceptions (1.3) and clearances per match than Tuanzebe and he commits fewer fouls than Lindelof’s 1.1.
In his last season with Bordeaux, he averaged 1.3 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 5.4 clearances per game, via WhoScored.
It’s these kind of performances that led Sevilla sporting director Monchi describing the defender as “one of the sensations of French football.”
Kounde could add a touch of class in the heart of the United defence, considering his experience in the Champions League, and he still has room to improve at the age of 22, which is precisely why Ed Woodward should sanction such a move.
AND in other news, Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka was Solskjaer’s only silver lining in Arsenal draw…