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Carlo Ancelotti must recall Marcel Brands snubbing FC Barcelona’s approach for Richarlison after Real Madrid were linked with a potential move for Everton’s irresistible striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

What’s the word?

According to TodoFichajes, Madrid have placed Calvert-Lewin on their agenda as Los Blancos begin scouring the market to find Karim Benzema’s replacement at the Santiago Bernabeu having been left unimpressed by Luka Jovic’s form.

The Madrid hierarchy are understood to have no confidence in Jovic being the one to take over from Benzema, just a year after signing the Serbian from Eintracht Frankfurt for around €60million (£53.2m) and awarding the forward a six-year contract on the back of a 27-goal season in Germany.

Los Blancos are expected to attempt moving Jovic on in the upcoming winter market in order to raise funds for his replacement in the Spanish capital, who is thought to be Calvert-Lewin, having only scored twice in 30 games under Zinedine Zidane.

Madrid are said to have already contacted Everton to discuss Calvert-Lewin’s availability, as they are keen to take the lead in any race that may emerge for his services given his form under Ancelotti this term will not have gone unnoticed elsewhere.

Calvert-Lewin is considered one of the great sensations of the new Premier League season after striking seven goals in five games, while stretching his tally to ten for the term thus far across all competitions with a hat-trick against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup.

Real Madrid are preparing a €40m (£36.4m) offer for the 23-year-old and would look to close the deal in June should they fail in offloading Jovic in January.

No need to worry

Despite reports suggesting Madrid consider Calvert-Lewin to be their Benzema successor and that an offer of €40m could be on the cards soon, Ancelotti should have no reason to suspect the striker will be leaving Goodison Park for the Santiago Bernabeu any time soon.

The fee in question alone is reason enough for Ancelotti to scoff at Los Blanco’s alleged interest, as Everton reportedly slapped an £80m asking price on the striker this September amid interest from Manchester United.

That was also before the 23-year-old opened the league season with at least a goal a game, while justifying the Red Devils opting to walk away from their hopes of signing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s attacking target.

Everton refusing to devalue one of their prized assets paid dividends with Calvert-Lewin’s start to the season, and came as the latest signal of intent from the Goodison Park outfit that they wish to strengthen not deplete the options Ancelotti has.

Director of Football Brands immediately snubbed an alleged €100m (£85m) offer for Richarlison back in January as Barcelona’s former Sporting Director Eric Abidal strived to land his long-term target.

Ancelotti had only been at Goodison Park for a month when that offer came through, but will have been buoyed by Brands’ decision and only has to remember those discussions should Madrid come forward with an offer for Calvert-Lewin.

AND in other news, Everton will be in heaven over a 29-year-old whose causing his former side to regret accepting a summer transfer.

Eberechi Eze has been tipped to move to the Premier League after catching the eye for Queens Park Rangers. 

QPR have reportedly rejected an offer from Crystal Palace for the attacking midfielder this summer, and Eze has been touted to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although the Lilywhites have been informed that he will cost at least £20m, amid interest from West Brom and West Ham.

According to Football.London’s Alasdair Gold, Spurs have a ‘great relationship’ with QPR, with plenty of links between the two clubs. Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is rumoured to be a keen admirer of the two-cap England under-21 international as he seeks to rebuild his midfield before the start of next season.

The Lilywhites have been linked with the 22-year-old before and he has admitted that he is inspired by Dele Alli, who made the jump from MK Dons to Spurs and went on to play for England at the World Cup.

Spurs duo Jack Clarke and Luke Amos both spent the past season on loan at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, which could pave the way for Eze to head in the opposite direction.

Gold notes that QPR want to sign Amos, as he has a close relationship with Mark Warburton, and Daniel Levy may look to use the defensive midfielder as leverage to sort out a deal for his teammate in the summer.

Eze, who is 22 years of age, scored 14 goals and supplied eight assists in the Championship last season (via WhoScored).

Mourinho knows that he must strengthen in the summer, as Spurs struggled to score during Harry Kane’s absence, although he will have a limited budget with which to work in the transfer window.

While the set-piece specialist has made it clear that he wants to “play at the highest level”, he will want to play first-team football, which is something Mourinho cannot guarantee. The Lilywhites should be able to offer European football if they progress through the qualifying rounds of the Europa League, although Eze could decide to take his chances elsewhere instead.

It would be a real shame if Mourinho misses out on his man, with Eze emerging as one of the best players in the Championship. Levy will have to act quickly if he wants to avoid a repeat of not getting Aston Villa star Jack Grealish for a cheaper price, as the Midlanders’ captain will now cost a staggering £80m in the transfer market.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sign Eze this summer? Let us know your opinion in the comments below!

Rangers are back in league action once again this evening as they welcome St Johnstone to Ibrox – and a win could take them top of the Scottish Premiership, some five points clear of their arch-rivals.

Last time out, Steven Gerrard’s side breezed past St Mirren 3-0 to keep their 100% record intact. It was certainly one way to bounce back from their Europa League exit last week.

But will the 40-year-old stick or twist with his winning side? There are matches coming thick and fast so rotation could well be needed.

Here’s how we predicted the Gers will lineup tonight…

Gerrard could make as many as two changes following Sunday’s victory but there still won’t be any place amongst the matchday squad for summer signing Kemar Roofe.

Rs number one Allan McGregor is set to return to the starting lineup despite Jon McLaughlin’s impressive debut. Following the match, the Rangers chief claimed that the 38-year-old should be fit to face St Johnstone.

The back four is expected to remain much the same despite Filip Helander needing some game time, so it means Borna Barisic and James Tavernier continue on the flanks with Conor Goldson partnering the industrious Leon Balogun once again.

In midfield comes the other change as Glen Kamara drops to the bench at the expense of veteran Steven Davis, who sits alongside Ryan Jack in the Gers engine room.

Gerrard has often gone to others over the Finnish international and that could repeat itself here. It remains to be seen if Kamara has a future in Glasgow with Ligue 1 outfit Marseille keen on signing him for around €10m (£9m).

Ryan Kent and Joe Aribo will be deployed on the wings again with Ianis Hagi sitting in the hole.

Whilst upfront, Alfredo Morelos is likely to continue after two goals and two assists from as many matches this season.

AND in other news, The new Mo Salah claims Rangers want to sign him this summer…

Manchester United have extended Odion Ighalo’s loan from Shanghai Shenhua until January 2021, via BBC Sport.  

Ighalo initially joined United in January from the Chinese Super League side but he will now be allowed to stay at Old Trafford until next year. However, the Red Devils do not have the option to buy the striker.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “It’s been a dream for him and hopefully he can finish what he started and win a trophy with us. Shanghai Shenua have been great towards us, allowing him to play for his dream club.”

The Nigerian was initially brought in to provide cover for injured duo Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial but he has more than stepped into their boots, scoring four goals in eight games for Solskjaer’s side, including a brace against Derby County in the FA Cup at the beginning of March (Transfermarkt).

Although he is yet to score in the Premier League this season, his work-rate will no doubt make him a useful asset to bring on as a substitute, as he has averaged 2.7 shots, made two key passes and completed 1.7 dribbles per game on average in the Europa League (WhoScored). He is currently valued at £4.68m via Transfermarkt.

In contrast, Martial has taken 1.8 shots on average, averaged less than one key pass per game and completed roughly 1.5 dribbles in the European competition this season (WhoScored).

Meanwhile, Rashford is the club’s leading goalscorer this season, even though he spent a significant spell on the sidelines with a back injury before football was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite his young age, it should be noted the England international has suffered from a high number of injuries throughout his career so far, including a hip injury at the start of the campaign.Therefore, the board’s decision to extend Ighalo’s loan could turn out to be a shrewd move, as he has demonstrated that he is more than capable of leading the line in Rashford’s absence. Furthermore, the Nigerian can continue to help to ease the goalscoring burden on the Englishman and reduce the risk of injury to the 21-year-old as a result.United fans, do you think Ed Woodward has made the right decision in extending Ighalo’s loan? Let us know by commenting below!

Key Information about Spotland Stadium

Spotland Stadium, currently known as the Crown Oil Arena for sponsorship reasons, is the home ground of Greater Manchester located Rochdale AFC, as well as Rugby League club Rochdale Hornets.

The 10,249 capacity stadium opened all the way back in 1878, and the Dale have been tenants since 1920. Spotland Stadium comprises four famous stands; the Co-Operative Stand (main stand), the Thwaites Beer Stand (the Sandy Lane End), the T.D.S. Stand (Pearl Street End), and the Westrose Leisure Stand (the Willbutts Lane Stand).

All stands are fully-seated with the exception of the Sandy Lane End which has a small terrace behind one of the goals.

A history of Spotland Stadium

Spotland Stadium was originally known as St Clement’s Playing Fields, after the nearby St Clement’s Church. The ground was previously used solely for cricket purposes, though in 1878 it became the first official home of St Clement’s Rugby Club in 1878; however, the club disbanded in 1897. Before AFC Rochdale as we know today, moved into the ground, two previous football clubs actually used to play their home matches at

Stadium is the home ground of club. Located in location and opened in year, the stadium has a capacity of capacity.

– Rochdale AFC (not affiliated with the current Rochdale AFC), and Rochdale Town.

Both football clubs occupied the ground for only one year each at the start of the 1900s, though they folded soon after being founded. The present Rochdale AFC was formed in order to play at the ground in 1907, and seven years later they finally purchased the freehold for £1,700.

The Dale joined the Football League in 1921, and subsequently a low wooden grandstand was built on the south side of the ground which was once the location of the cricket pavilion. Ahead of Rochdale’s entry into the Football League for the first time in history, St Clement’s Playing Fields was renamed Spotland Stadium after the surrounding area of the town.

It was not until the summer of 2016 when Rochdale AFC renamed their infamous ground “Crown Oil Arena” as part of a sponsorship deal with Bury-based fuel company Crown Oil. Over the years, the Dale have had many issues with the pitch in Spotland Stadium, and in 2018 the pitch turned into an unplayable state due to the treacherous winter weather.

As a result, a number of games had to be postponed, including an FA Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur which manager at the time, Mauricio Pochettino deemed the pitch to not be in a suitable condition to play football on. Spotland Stadium was famously selected as a venue for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, hosting a match between Fiji and Ireland – this was the first large scale event hosted at the ground as it was sold out with almost 9,000 people.

The record attendance at Spotland Stadium is thought to be 24,231 during an FA Cup tie against Notts County in December 1949.

Tickets to Watch Rochdale at Spotland Stadium

Adults can purchase matchday tickets from £17, and season tickets start at just £150.

Related Links

https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/ – Official website of Rochdale AFC

https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/tickets/matchday-prices/ – Rochdale AFC Ticket Office

Tottenham Hotspur’s U23 side is currently firing on all cylinders.

On Friday, they managed to beat a young Liverpool side 4-0 courtesy of a Jamie Bowden hat-trick and a goal from Rodel Richards.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Spurs tallied all three points but it was Bowden who got most of the praise, as it should be considering his heroics against the Reds.

Many of the fans were quick to point out this was definitely due to Jose Mourinho being in the stands and watching the youngsters play. This prompted the youngster to turn into the “new Ronaldo”, as one fan put it.

But the main takeaway from this game should definitely be his eventual promotion to the senior team. The 18-year-old midfielder still hasn’t had the taste of Spurs’ first-team but this performance could possibly boost his long-term chances.

Mourinho’s produced some incredible footballing stars – how much do you know about them?

The fans, however, seem to have already made up their minds and they want to see the young talent promoted as soon as possible – with one fan going as far to label him the next Michael Carrick.

By all accounts, it seems like Mourinho has a very good crop of young players in the academy and the fans will no doubt be eager to see how he plans to use them in the near future.

Elsewhere, Barcelona’s chase of Borussia Dortmund’s star could actually help Manchester United land their own target…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

After having his summer of football disrupted due to a hamstring injury, which forced him out of the Republic of Ireland’s EURO 2020 qualifiers against Denmark and Gibraltar, Shane Long had work to do.

The former Reading, West Brom and Hull forward had to work hard to get back up to speed, while he also saw the Saints part with £15m when bringing another striker in Che Adams to St Mary’s, to provide even more competition for Long as well as Danny Ings and Michael Obafemi.

However, after a slow beginning to the season – in which he didn’t start any of Southampton’s first seven Premier League fixtures until the tie against Chelsea on matchday eight – the 32-year-old is making his way back into form and has become somewhat of an unsung hero in recent weeks.

Always a willing runner, Long’s energy and determination to chase every ball has seen the Saints turn a corner in recent weeks, winning two and drawing one of their last four games.

It was Long’s commanding leap and flicked header than allowed Ryan Bertrand to prod home for what turned out to be the winning goal against Norwich recently – he credits his jumping skills to his days as an all-round athlete in his younger years.

“As a kid I did every sport you can think of and athletics was a big part of that,” continues Long, who also credits that multi-sport background for the gravity-defying header that set up Ryan Bertrand’s winning goal against Norwich (a goal that was particularly satisfying for being conceived and practised in training).”

Long managed his first 90 minutes of the campaign last time out against Newcastle, a game that the Saints were unlucky to lose, and it is his impressive aerial ability that separates him from Obafemi, a young player who does not quite have the same leap on him.

West Ham will presumably be bringing a committed, determined game to St Mary’s on Saturday evening, and Long’s never-say-die attitude will be needed against a side who could reportedly be playing for their manager’s future.

Having worked so hard to get back into the fold, Long deserves even more chances from the first whistle, starting with the game against the Hammers.

In other news, a woeful Southampton trend would continue if January loan exit for this player happened…

West Ham United’s goalkeeper situation has been shocking while Lukasz Fabianski has been out with his hip injury.

A plethora of errors from Roberto have definitely been a contributing factor to the current seven-game winless run that the Hammers are enduring.

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It seems as though this has forced the hand of West Ham’s board in the transfer market, as ExWHUEmployee revealed on The West Ham Way podcast (Show 159, 39:58) that a move could be made for Jack Butland:

The club insider claimed that the deal would originally be a loan with the view to a permanent signing being made in the summer.

While there are some fans who say the nine-cap England international is better than Roberto, many don’t think that should be the benchmark and have been left underwhelmed by the proposed move.

Butland has conceded 19 goals in nine league games this season and was even dropped to the bench and has been replaced by Adam Federici at points during the current campaign.

A selection of reaction to the links, including posts from underwhelmed West Ham fans, can be seen below:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish has been speaking about the positions he can play, as reported by FourFourTwo.

What did he say?

Grealish’s last five appearances in a Villa shirt have all come from the left-wing, with the 24-year-old having played centrally in every other match before that this campaign.

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The move hasn’t disrupted his flow though, with the captain contributing two goals and two assists in that time, which offers an indication into how adaptable he can be.

The move has benefited Conor Hourihane, so it seems as though Grealish may be deployed on the wing for the foreseeable future.

While he made it clear he is willing to play wherever he is needed, Grealish admitted he prefers to play in the centre: “I don’t think the manager will like me saying this, but I prefer playing as a number eight, but I’ll play wherever the manager wants.”

Take note Gareth Southgate

This could be seen as a hint to Gareth Southgate, who has ignored the Villa talisman so far, much to the annoyance of the club’s fans.

It will be difficult for Grealish to break into the side on the left-wing, due to the fact that he will find himself in direct competition with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho for a spot out wide.

In addition, he does not fit the same physical profile as the aforementioned names, as it is not likely he would be able to keep up in a race with them.

With this in mind, he is perhaps more likely to be handed an opportunity on the international stage in the central areas, as his attributes could be seen as more suited to a place in Southgate’s midfield three.

In the Premier League this season, the 24-year-old has averaged 1.4 tackles, 2.8 key passes and 1.8 dribbles per game, while completing 85.5% of the passes that he has attempted.

It is statistics such as this that will be sending messages to Southgate, but Grealish may have just sent another one in a more subtle way, revealing that he is at his most comfortable as a number eight.

There’s seemingly no place for a number ten in Southgate’s system and the competition out wide is fierce, but perhaps the Villa star can sneak in to the Euro 2020 squad as a number eight after all.

In other news, a potential England teammate has sent an encouraging message to the Villa captain.

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

A natural replacement, but it’ll take some time before he makes his mark.

As reported by French football journalist Manu Lonjon over the weekend, Leicester are set to make a run at Club Brugge’s 21-year-old Nigerian forward Emmanuel Dennis.

Whilst still young, Dennis has managed to establish himself incredibly well for the Belgian side with 25 goals in 86 appearances (via Transfermarkt) and even managed to score a brace against Real Madrid in a recent Champions League game.

However what sort of impact could his arrival have on the club’s first team attacking three, but in particular their main man and league’s top scorer Jamie Vardy?

This is what happens when you sing about Jamie Vardy’s wife…

On the chalkboard

Having played most of his career predominantly as a centre-forward, Dennis can also play anywhere across a front three, so he’d be a prime candidate not just for Vardy’s role, but also contending for the likes of Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez out wide.

As discussed earlier, the fact that he has managed to establish himself as a first-team player for his club might end up causing a few problems.

If he was an up and coming youngster who had only made a couple of cameos it would be safe to assume that he’d take on a similar role at the King Power, acting as a substitute or rotation player and giving someone like Vardy or Perez some relief every now and again.

Whilst that may be the case for cup games, when it comes to dislodging that front three for league outings, that would be something different.

With that being said, he very much fits the mould as the ‘long term’ successor for Jamie Vardy.

Although he is capable of playing anywhere across the front three, his most natural role is that of a ‘centre-forward’, capable of scoring goals with either foot as well as his head.

Not only that but his days out wide see him as a naturally quick player, being described as a pacey forward in the past. This is a vital aspect in a Brendan Rodgers system, so he’ll be able to combine those into bringing both speed and power.

As is well documented, Vardy holds that in abundance and has also played on the wing throughout his career.

Whilst Vardy shows no sign of slowing down despite being 32 and fast approaching 33, there will eventually be a time where that pace and firepower drops off and he’d have to make way for Dennis.

Thankfully it’ll be Rodgers that would have to make that decision rather than us here at FFC, because that will be a tough call to make should the deal go through.