All posts by h716a5.icu

Greed could be the downfall of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

Even after having his wishes granted by the club’s FSG owners with big money moves for Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson, both of whom have exponentially improved their defence, Klopp is seemingly craving for even more artillery at the back.

According to reports from Portuguese outlet Record (via The Metro), the Reds are planning a potential world-record move for Benfica’s Francisco Ferreira. Indeed, the 21-year-old starlet is regarded as a rising giant thanks to his fantastic work for Benfica B, the latest in a long line of talents to have emerged from the Lisbon giants.

He recently netted against Dinamo Zagreb to help Aguias’ progress into the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals and has displayed confidence capable of harming anyone. A strong, towering centre-back who is agile, pacy and capable of neutralizing commanding attacking threats, Ferreira’s garnered Klopp’s attention with his blooming rise.

However, the Reds will reportedly need to pay the Portuguese’ release clause, close to £85 million! This will be even more than what they paid for Van Dijk, who was already nearing his peak. It’s a gamble which could pay off in the near future, but one which Liverpool shouldn’t be able to afford right now.

Bringing in another big-time prospect could also derail the confidence of their existing defenders. What about big Joe Gomez’s future? Insecurity will be ravaged amongst defenders, causing a lack of harmony in the squad.

While Liverpool still have some defensive issues to look after, paying a world-record fee for a defender- who only made his professional debut last month – could end up undoing their recent smart business procedure.

Liverpool fans, do you want another defensive addition to the squad? Join the discussion by commenting below…

[ad_pod ]

Loads of Sunderland fans have been reacting to an update from the Northern Ireland squad, as Will Grigg is struggling with an ankle injury.

Grigg is expected to miss both of Northern Ireland’s Euro 2020 qualifiers during this international break – the green and white army take on Estonia on Thursday evening before a clash with Belarus on Sunday.

According to various reports, the 27 year-old is suffering from an ankle problem and will return to Wearside for treatment.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

“Will’s ankle is an ongoing problem that he’s had for some time,” said manager Michael O’Neill.

Unsurprisingly, Sunderland fans are now speculating over the extent of the injury, with plenty hoping it’s just a precaution ahead of the Checkatrade Trophy final, while others fret over the possibility of a more serious issue.

The ex-Wigan ace has bagged three goals and two assists already in his short time as a Black Cat, and if his ankle problem causes him to miss time in April it would be devastating for the club’s promotion hopes.

Jack Ross’ side play eight League One games in April, and loads of fans have been reacting to the news that could present a hammer blow to the charge for automatic promotion…

[ad_pod ]

According to Colombia media outlet Marca Claro, via Sport Witness, Everton defender Yerry Mina looks set to be out for three weeks after suffering a hamstring injury during his country’s clash with South Korea this week, and Toffees fans have been quick to react to the soul-destroying blow.

Having seen his performances at the 2018 World Cup and considering the fact the tall centre-back was joining from Barcelona, there would have been plenty of excitement and anticipation following the arrival of Mina at Goodison Park last summer.

However, it has turned out to be something of a nightmare spell in England for the 24-year-old to date, as he has been continually hampered by injuries and lack of form.

The South American finally made his first Premier League start since December against Chelsea before the international break, but now the latest setback looks set to consign him to another spell on the sidelines.

The update has unsurprisingly been met with a disgruntled response by Toffees supporters, with many suggesting it is typical of the Merseyside club’s luck, while one says his injury record is “concerning” and another believes the club have “signed a dud”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

[ad_pod ]

According to the Telegraph, Ander Herrera has reportedly demanded a contract in excess of £200,000-a-week to stay at Manchester United, amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain – the midfielder’s current deal expires in the summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Spaniard will be available on a free transfer unless the Red Devils can agree terms with him over a new deal, although they will reportedly not be held to ransom by the 29-year-old after he requested such a huge wage.

Herrera has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance at Old Trafford since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho in the dugout, emerging as one of United’s key players since the start of 2019.

Which “global superstar” has just been named Man Utd’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video above…

However, whilst United want the former Athletic Bilbao man to stay and are said to have offered him a substantial increase on his current earnings of £80,000-a-week, Herrera has demanded a salary that would catapult him amongst the club’s top earners.

Alexis Sanchez’s wages cause more issues

It has previously been reported that Sanchez’s alleged earnings of £500,000-a-week have completely shattered the wage structure at Old Trafford, with the Chileans’s salary making it extremely difficult to negotiate a new deal with David de Gea – the Spanish keeper is said to be demanding double his current deal of £240,000-a-week.

Whilst that will worry United – the 28-year-old is one of the most important players at the club – the fact that Herrera is now demanding such a huge salary to stay at the club proves that Sanchez’s ludicrous earnings are having a detrimental effect on the squad.

Solskjaer will obviously have a number of issues to clean up in the summer having recently been appointed on a permanent basis, most notably finding a right-winger and potentially another centre-back.

However, the situation involving Sanchez and the evident knock-on effect this is having on other members of the squad, who feel they should be earning closer to the former Arsenal man’s earnings, may well be the determining factor on whether or not the Norwegian will be a success in Manchester.

As we can see, players are requesting salaries that do not befit their quality or importance to the team, as, whilst Herrera and De Gea are key players, they definitely should not be earning, nor are they worth, figures in excess of £200,000-a-week and £480,000-a-week.

The sooner the peripheral figure of Sanchez leaves the better, or the highest earning player at the club will continue to plague morale around the place and cause players to request absurd sums.

It’s not often you see a team spend £100 million and still get relegated, but Fulham have done just that.

The Cottagers relegation status was confirmed after a midweek defeat to Watford, and teams are already swarming to the club for their star players just days after their fatal loss.

Ryan Sessegnon, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Jean Michael Seri have already been linked with summer moves away from the Championship-bound side, and it is likely more players will be rumoured with moves away from Fulham.

With the club likely to offload the majority of their players, Fulham’s Premier League standard squad members will need new homes in the summer, and for Arsenal, the club will be foolish not to get involved with the transfer sale.

Although the Gunners are in need of defensive signings more than anything and Fulham are likely to have anything of worth for Unai Emery, there are some players who Arsenal should be looking at as potential summer signings.

Former transfer target Seri seems like the most obvious pick for who Arsenal can sign from Fulham. The Ivory Coast international, who is valued at £27 million (by Transfermarkt), was linked to the north London side for some time before deciding to move to west London, and with the midfielder reportedly looking for a move away this summer, the Gunners should swoop in on that.

Arsenal are in need of a creative midfielder with Aaron Ramsey leaving for Juventus this summer, and Seri would be a near-perfect replacement despite his lacklustre season with Fulham. He could also be a cheap signing for the club with the Cottagers likely to offload the former Nice man as quickly as possible.

Although Arsenal shouldn’t look to Fulham for defensive signings, one player they have to consider for next season is Calum Chambers, who is returning to north London following a season on loan at Craven Cottage.

For all of Fulham’s defensive qualities, or lack thereof, Chambers has been the one player who has impressed defensively for Scott Parker’s side this season and has been a fan favourite with the west London faithful.

With his performances and overall game impressing supporters of a team who have shipped the most goals this season in the Premier League, it is likely we could see Chambers feature for the Arsenal first-team next campaign as either a centre-back option or a defensive midfield backup.

Arsenal fans, who should the club sign from Fulham this summer? Let us know!

[ad_pod ]

Ronald de Boer has given a rather bizarre outlook on Rangers’ revamp, claiming the Gers do not need to be in a rush for silverware.

Rangers will almost certainly end this season with no trophies, as Steven Gerrard has endured an up and down debut campaign in senior management.

The Old Firm win in December and enjoyable run through the Europa League qualification stages will no doubt be looked back on as the highs of the campaign, while the recent defeat to Celtic and poor run of form that basically decided the title in March are definitely low points.

De Boer though, has claimed that titles shouldn’t be the only thing on the club’s mind, urging the Gers and Gerrard to focus on one thing – developing youth players.

Check out the video below to see how Brazil fans reacted to being asked how Cristiano Ronaldo would perform for them in a hilarious prank by Pl>ymaker FC…

What has he said?

“I am in favour of giving the kids time,” he said, as reported by The Evening Times.

“Rangers shouldn’t think they have to challenge Celtic right away. At the end of the day, when you bring through your own players your club will be so healthy. It is also great for the fans to have local boys in their team. That is something special.

“If you put a lot of money into the youth system like we do at Ajax then in the end you will get the results. When that is working properly, when you have good youth coaches, then you will always be a very healthy club.

“I think Rangers should look to do it more and not just focus on signing players for the first team. It always starts with the foundation and the pillars of success are the youth.”

Verdict

De Boer joined Rangers in 2000, linking up with a number of Dutch talents at Ibrox including Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Fernando Ricksen. He spent four years with the club, winning a league title and three domestic cups.

Therefore, he should fully understand the immense pressure that comes with wearing the famous blue, but it appears he doesn’t.

While he may be correct to point out that the likes of Ross McCrorie and Glenn Middleton need more playing time with the first team, he is dead wrong about the need for silverware.

Celtic’s squad is ageing and the Bhoys are in need of a bit of a revamp over the next couple of transfer windows. The Gers will never have a better opportunity to seize back the crown of Scottish football, and putting success lower down on the priority list is just not what this club does.

De Boer’s comments aren’t stupid by any means by they are misguided and perhaps a little naive. Sorry Ronald.

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham Hotspur fans have reacted to a set of spooky omens that appear to point towards the club winning the Champions League.

Spurs, of course, face Manchester City later this week in a game that will decide whether or not the club reach their first Champions League semi-final in a generation.

Son Heung-Min’s first-leg strike has given the club a 1-0 lead to protect at the Etihad Stadium, meaning a clean sheet would see them through.

And Twitter user @Treverlloyd92 has pointed out some landmarks that seem to show that the club is destined to progress even deeper into the competition.

Indeed, on Sunday evening, world-class golfer Tiger Woods completed one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history to win The Masters, his first major victory since 2008. Spurs last won a trophy in that year, beating Chelsea in the League Cup final.

And he has also pointed out that Watford have reached the FA Cup final for the first time since 1984, the last time that Spurs won a European trophy.

It could merely be coincidence but it has not stopped Spurs fans getting excited on Twitter.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

[ad_pod ]

Mauricio Pochettino wants Tottenham Hotspur to spend £150million this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Spurs are seemingly set to invest in the playing squad when the transfer window reopens, having gone the past two without signing a single player.

What’s the word?

The Mail report that Pochettino will be given an initial kitty of £60m to spend before player sales are considered, but the report states that the majority of transfer revenue will be retained and spent on the playing staff.

Doubts persist over the futures of both Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen.

The defender, of course, has a £25m release clause embedded into his contract, while the report states that Spurs could cash in on Eriksen, with his deal set to expire at the end of next season.

Full-back Danny Rose, midfielder Victor Wanyama, winger Georges-Kevin N’Koudou will all reportedly be sold if bids come in, while Kieran Trippier and Fernando Llorente could also depart.

The Mail believe that could raise upwards of £100m to boost Pochettino’s spending power, with the club hoping to sign two central midfielders as well as an attacking player who can inject some creativity into the forward line.

Back him

Daniel Levy is absolutely right to throw some cash behind Pochettino.

The Argentine has worked miracles this season, with Spurs in the Champions League semi-finals and also fighting to finish in the Premier League top four.

Quite frankly, Pochettino deserves to be backed to the absolute hilt.

And while he may not have a say in the future of Alderweireld, his targets have to be brought in this summer.

Spurs stand on the precipice of something massive; major investment, then, is absolutely key if they are to take the next step.

[ad_pod ]Southampton are mathematically safe from relegation after Saturday’s action, and one BT Sport pundit is extremely impressed by Ralph Hasenhuttl.Hasenhuttl was a bit of an unknown quantity for many when he joined Southampton earlier this season, but fans were certainly happen to see anyone not named Mark Hughes at the helm.What the Austrian has done since his arrival has been truly stunning though, and BT Sport Pundit Chris Sutton has heaped praise on the Saints boss.

There can be no arguments either, as the ex-Leipzig boss has transformed a turgid side bereft of any confidence or creativity into a focused unit all playing at the same intensity.

Saints drew an incredible match 3-3 with Bournemouth on Saturday, as both managers chopped and changed their personnel and tactics in an epic battle of wits.

A Southampton fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the Saints in the video below…

And while neither won the battle, both showed exactly why they are two of the brightest prospects in the business at the moment.

Sutton is absolutely right to laud St. Mary’s’ newest hero, and the 51 year-old can now begin plotting how to make next season even better.

[ad_pod ]

Manchester City have entered the race to sign Toby Alderweireld from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to TeamTalk.

The Belgium international has a £25million release clause in his contract and is seemingly poised to leave the club once the transfer window reopens.

What’s the word?

Manchester United have long been seen as favourites to land Alderweireld, according to the report.

But City have entered the race as they look to bolster their defence in the transfer window.

The report claims that the Premier League champions want a long-term partner for Aymeric Laporte, with Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones both failing to convince the club’s hierarchy. Vincent Kompany, too, is a constant injury doubt.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG are also interested in signing Alderweireld.

But the Belgium international is said to be keen to stay in England.

United deal suits Spurs better

Pochettino needs a replacement to Alderweireld.

And TeamTalk claim that United remain confident of signing the Belgian, while Spurs could potentially return to Old Trafford to sign his successor.

Pochettino is said, per the report, to be keen on the potential signing of Ivory Coast international Eric Bailly.

Alderweireld’s departure will leave a major hole at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, so elite have his performances been.

Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen are likely to become Pochettino’s first-choice partnership in the 30-year-old’s stead, but Bailly would offer an excellent alternative.

Sending Alderweireld to Old Trafford would surely smooth that path over.

Daniel Levy, then, either needs to do business quickly before City’s interest becomes concrete or attempt to convince Alderweireld to move to Old Trafford instead of the Etihad.

It remains to be seen if that can be done, however.