All posts by n8rngtd.top

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Arsene Wenger left Arsenal on a somewhat sour note. While his farewell was a fitting 5-0 win at home to Burnley in which the players reminded all of why fans grew to love the Frenchman so much, a sixth placed finish and a trophyless season left the Gunners faithful demanding change.

Since his departure though, it’s evident the man is still loved amongst all who support the North Londoners. He regularly gets the attention he rightly deserves when appearing as a pundit on beIN sports or making time for journalists and fans when the opportunity arises.

Little is known about Wenger’s next professional venture, and there were fears he’d drop out of football completely and lose touch with the game. The ex-Arsenal manager once said “retirement is dying” when speaking about football keeping him on his feet for so many years and how hard it would be to walk away.

Check out an Arsenal fan vow to “move to another planet” if Spurs win the UCL in the video below…

He remains jobless, in terms of looking for a team to manage, but he’s certainly is no slouch, having recently invested in tech company PlayerMaker.

Most recently though, an image has appeared on social media showing Arsene Wenger playing in a charity match with Real Madrid legend and manager Zinedine Zidane. Many might have forgotten that Wenger had a career as a player, and the picture, while it doesn’t give too much away, suggests he may still have some of his class on the pitch.

Arsenal fans enjoyed the photo that appeared to display Wenger dribbling away from Zidane who looks to be trying to keep a hold of the Gunners legend…

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino insists that he will involve the entirety of his matchday squad in the pre-match photograph prior to the Champions League final, per the Daily Mail.

Spurs will play Liverpool in Madrid on Saturday as they bid to win the competition for the first time in their history.

Pochettino’s side have beaten Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax in the knockout stages, with the latter result coming after a scarcely believable comeback; Lucas Moura scored a second-half hat-trick to save Spurs after falling three goals behind.

It is normal that the starting XI are included in the photograph but Pochettino insists that he wants to flout the rules and include every single substitute in the picture, too.

Indeed, the Argentine claims that a substitute could ultimately change the game, just as Fernando Llorente did in Amsterdam, without getting any recognition.

He said: “I say: ‘F*** off!’ What I want is all the players before the start of the game — 22 or 23 — in the picture on the pitch. That is the team that won or lost.”

He added: “People care a lot about that. The players care more than we believe. When I was a player I always fought with the organisation and the club. And the same now I’m a manager. I’m going to propose it.”

And fans love the fact that Pochettino is so conscious of the feelings of his players, while also surely appreciating his fearlessness in directly defying the usual UEFA practices.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

£0. Nada. Zilch. That’s the total amount of money Tottenham have spent in the transfer window for the past eighteen months. And yet, Mauricio Pochettino’s side secured another top-four finish, opened the world’s shiniest new stadium, and are in the Champions League final this season. Whilst the club were expected to finally open up the chequebook this summer, perhaps no Spurs fan even in their wildest dream would have thought they would be willing to show their hand quite like a £53m bid for Giovani Lo Celso. If this is a sign of things to come over the next couple of months for the north London side, then 2019 could be the biggest year in the history of the club.

For all of Pochettino’s wonders with this side, even the Argentine has gone on record to say that the club need to be active in the transfer market in order to bridge the gap to the league’s top two. Top-four finishes are fine and dandy, but as those from the red half of north London will attest to, it all means nothing if trophies don’t come at the end of it. So by making a big-money bid for Lo Celso, the club are essentially killing two birds with one stone.

Not just are they attempting to sign one of the best midfielders in European football this season, but also a statement that they are ready to dine at the top table. No longer will they be the victim of another ‘Willian’, and seeing transfer targets slip away at the 11th hour and joining one of their big rivals. With Pochettino at the helm, and reaching a first Champions League final in their history, the club will be seen as a viable destination by many players now. The feeling before was always that Spurs weren’t even the most desirable option in north London, let alone the entire Premier League.

Indeed, whilst the £53m bid for Lo Celso could bring in an exciting young talent, the very intent in placing the bid could be huge in respect to something far bigger than any potential signing; the future of Pochettino himself. The former Southampton boss has been the subject of great speculation in recent months over potentially joining one of the elite sides in Europe, where he would be unrestrained by club finances. The 47-year-old even went so far as to admit that he would be prepared to walk away if he felt the club failed to match his ambition; that statement came in the aftermath of Spurs’ euphoric semi-final comeback against Ajax. It may be £53m for Lo Celso, but in the case of Pochettino, it would be priceless.

So whether Spurs do the unthinkable on Saturday or not, the bid for Lo Celso is very much a marker of things to come, and a potential ushering in of a glorious new era for the Lilywhites.

Spurs fans, how important is this summer’s transfer window for the future of the club? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Tottenham Hotspur are set to make a formal bid for Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo this summer, per Tuttosport via Sport Witness.

What’s the word?

Spurs are seemingly set for a summer of investment as they look to improve on the club’s top-four finish in the Premier League and their run to the Champions League final.

A number of players have been linked with a move; Lyon and Real Betis midfielders Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso are both targets, per the London Evening Standard.

Zaniolo is an attacking midfielder who can also play on the right wing and the report states that Spurs are “pressing” to complete the signing.

They have yet to table a formal bid, however, but an offer between €45m (£39.8m) and €50m (£44.3m) is in the offing.

Zaniolo made 36 appearances in all competitions in 2018/19, scoring six goals and laying on two assists. He has also won two caps for Italy.

A negotiating tactic?

This feels like it could be a smokescreen thrown up by chairman Daniel Levy.

If the club really are attempting to sign both Ndombele and Lo Celso, it doesn’t make a great deal of sense for them to sign Zaniolo too.

A mooted move, then, could be designed to bring Lyon and Betis to the negotiating table.

After all, if they sign Zaniolo, it tracks that both clubs risk missing out on a hefty payday.

Even if what is seemingly a clever tactic from Levy does not pan out the way he intended, the Lilywhites will be in an excellent position to secure the signing of Zaniolo instead.

But, at this stage, it certainly appears that he is a back-up option.

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According to Sky Sports, West Ham have had a £29m bid accepted by Celta Vigo for their powerful centre-forward Maxi Gomez, whilst Valencia have made the same offer which has also been accepted.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Hammers were keen on the Uruguayan back in January but did not want to meet his huge £43.3m release clause, which saw Gomez stay in La Liga for the rest of the season.

The 22-year-old hit 13 goals and recorded five assists for Celta Vigo last term, impressing in Spain’s top flight once again after hitting 18 goals the year before.

West Ham ruined Arsenal’s unbeaten record at the Emirates in 2007 and history repeated itself at the weekend. Spurs fans don’t take it well in the video below…

The east Londoners are showing real intent with their transfer moves this summer, already swooping to sign Villarreal forward Pablo Fornals in a £24m deal, whilst they have also launched a £13m offer for Eibar midfielder Joan Jordan – it may turn out to be another busy summer for the Irons.

West Ham face an uphill battle to land Gomez

Gomez is quite obviously on the Hammers’ radar after extensive talks were held over him back in January, but they face a real battle to land a player they clearly want at the London Stadium and surely Valencia are the favourites at this point.

Valencia have submitted a similar £29m offer with add-ons, and they also have the pull factor of Champions League football to offer Gomez as well as a chance to stay in La Liga and closer to familiar surroundings.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side don’t even have Europa League football to offer the Uruguay international for next term, so it could prove to be a difficult deal to negotiate in terms of convincing Gomez to choose them over Valencia.

The ambition on show from West Ham is admirable and will definitely get the fans excited this summer, but they may have ventured too far this time in getting involved with Champions League clubs for multi-million pound signings.

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Tottenham Hotspur have dropped their interest in AS Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans, per Football Insider, leaving fans split over the news.

The Belgium international spent the second half of last season on loan at Leicester City, with Spurs linked with a move in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Ligue 1 club have quoted Spurs a price of over £40m for the 22-year-old, who the Foxes would like to sign on a permanent basis.

However, the north London club are said to believe that Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele and Real Betis’ Giovani Lo Celso are higher-quality targets this summer as they bid to make their first signing since 2018.

Indeed, The Guardian claim that Spurs are in talks with Lyon over a deal for the France international, while Lo Celso is said to be keen on working under Mauricio Pochettino in north London.

Nevertheless, fans are split over this decision, some believing that Tielemans, having proven himself in the Premier League with three goals and five assists in 13 games, would have been a shrewd addition, and others pleased that Tottenham are focusing their efforts on Lo Celso and Ndombele instead.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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According to reports from SportBible, Leeds United are eying up a move to sign Fulham youngster Cody Drameh.

The 17-year-old is one of the highest rated prospects at Craven Cottage, but he is the latest youngster to consider his future at the London club after Harvey Elliott and Ryan Sessegnon have been linked with moves away.

In demand

Last week it was reported by Sky Sports (June 13, 09:21 AM) that Drameh was on his way to Germany to sign for Europa League semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt, but now Leeds have joined the race for his signature.

If he is set on leaving Craven Cottage then there shouldn’t be a shortage of suitors. He is one of the most talented youngsters at Fulham and great things are expected of him over the next few years.

Bielsa’s pull

Ever since Jadon Sancho burst onto the scene for Borussia Dortmund, the trend of young British players moving to Germany has grown and grown with a number of players heading to the Bundesliga either on loan or permanently.

Germany is now seen as the land of opportunity for young footballers and Drameh looked set to move to mainland Europe until Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds came calling.

The Argentine has made Elland Road just as lucrative a destination than any German club due to Bielsa’s masterful handling of young players. In this past 12 months, we have seen Jamie Shackleton and Jack Clarke go from relative unknowns to a couple of the brightest young prospects in the country.

The 63-year-old’s tendency for bringing out the best in young players is unmatched by a lot of managers throughout Europe. Drameh may have realised this and could deny himself a move to the Bundesliga in order to play under one of the greatest footballing minds the world has ever seen.

So it looks like this summer is finally going to be an exciting one for you Tottenham fans? Well, we’ve been waiting a while for it and they say that good things come to those who wait, as far as we’re concerned signing a trio of Jack Clarke, Tanguy Ndombele and Benjamin Bourigeaurd would be more than good.

Sky Sports have claimed that Clarke is close to a Tottenham move and the Tanguy Ndombele rumours have most recently been fuelled by Jean-Michael Aulus recent comments, documented in The Sun, where the Lyon president has claimed that the player ‘is seeking a departure’.

With those two cleared up, we then move on to the man that this article is all about, the Stade Rennais star Benjamin Bourigeaurd, who’s been linked with Spurs by Estadio Deportivo. We know that the vast majority of you not have heard of the Frenchman, but let’s start by reminding you of the wonder-strike he lashed in against Arsenal in the Europa League.

If the 25-year-old was to sign and could score an equally good goal against the Gunners again then he would instantly become a favourite amongst the fans, and there is no reason he couldn’t do just that. In all competitions, the Frenchman scored nine goals and assisted a further ten last season in his 52 games for Stade Rennais.

It also helps that the midfield man has proven to be versatile. For a lot of the season, he played on the left of Rennais’ midfield, although he also has it in his locker to start in the middle of the park. That will be something that interests Mauricio Pochettino, as the Lilywhites have a number of versatile players like Heung-Min Son, Lucas Moura, Eric Dier and Jan Vertonghen who can all play multiple positions.

Bourigeaurd, according to the article linking him with Spurs, is also a transfer target for the likes of Sevilla, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and a number of top Italian clubs, so whilst he would be worth the hassle to sign, it certainly will not be easy for the Lilywhites to get this one over the line.

Tottenham fans, would you be happy to sign Bourigeaurd? Let us know by commenting below!

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Marcelo Bielsa’s quest to strengthen the left-wing position at Leeds United may be over as Phil Hay on Thursday confirmed that Jack Harrison is nearing a return to the club.

The Man City winger will join the Whites on loan for the second time after spending last year at Elland Road.

Bielsa’s need to strengthen

It’s been no secret that the Argentine wants to bring in reinforcements for his wide positions next term.

For one reason or another, Bielsa’s idea of strengthening the wings is bringing back a man who contributed to just seven goals last season.

With Ryan Kent rejecting a loan move to Leeds, it’s not implausible that Harrison will be the starting option on the left, but the Whites manager seems to be neglecting a man who is already at the club who is seemingly the better pick.

Alioski the better option

With Ezgjan Alioski’s heroics at left-back last season, it seems to have been forgotten that he is a winger by trade, and a good one at that.

The Macedonian appeared 18 times last season as a left-midfielder, and during those appearances, he scored five times and assisted three goals. That means that when played on the wing, he contributed to one more goal than Harrison in 21 fewer games.

Surely this should encourage Bielsa to utilise him as a more attacking option.

Indeed, he was brilliant at left-back, scoring four and assisting four while playing in that role. But with Barry Douglas being such an excellent option as an attacking full-back with 14 assists in the 2017/18 season, a left-flank featuring Douglas behind Alioski is surely better than one with the 27-year-old behind Harrison.

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Leeds would still have a reliable left-back, but they would also have a more effective threat down the wing as Alioski’s stats prove that he is a more dangerous player than Harrison.

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Lots of Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to discuss rumours linking them with a move for AC Milan forward Fabio Borini.

Calciomercato reports that the Eagles are monitoring the Italian’s situation at the San Siro with a view to making a move for the 28-year-old, who only managed to score 16 goals in 111 Premier League appearances.

If Palace sell Wan Bissaka and Zaha, will they be in another relegation battle? One fan gives his opinion in the video below…

Aston Villa are also said to be interested in the man who Milan want to get at least €15m (£13.5m) for should he depart Serie A.

According to the report by Calciomercato, Borini likes the destination of Palace but we are only in the initial stage of a deal – no offer has even been made for the 5 foot 11 attacker yet.

He is by no means prolific judging by his aforementioned goal record, but Borini has once again caught the eye of an English side having already plied his trade for Liverpool and Sunderland previously.

Let’s take a look at what the Palace fans on Twitter have to say about links to the Italy forward…