We often forget footballers are human beings. Transfers are treated like formalities when families are often being uprooted to move to new countries and continents, while the pressure that comes with the slightest mistake being magnified on television and debated for hours on end by thousands of fans is huge. Sure, most are financially compensated to a staggering level, but they are people after all.

Kerry Dixon, to this day a Chelsea legend, had it all back in his playing days but lost his way, and ahead of the release of his film series ‘Legends Live – Kerry Dixon’ in two weeks’ time, the eight-time England international has spoken frankly about his fall from grace and offered a helping hand to any young footballers struggling with the pressures and demands of the beautiful game:

“Football can bring its privileges but they are young men first and foremost and while they should be chasing their dreams at every opportunity, they are still young men and can make mistakes.

“People will look a me and say: ‘he had it all, and lost it all’, but I am fighting back and want to help young footballers see what can happen, and what might happen, and if they are concerned then ‘pick up the phone and I’ll be there.’”

The film of Dixon’s remarkable life story will be premiered at the Sanctum Soho cinema with several big name legends attending to support the ex-Chelsea man in his continuing rehabilitation quest.

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Money is unlikely an issue for Manchester City starlet Leroy Sane, but he has shown that he can appreciate the frustration when a football fan misses out on a big payout from a bookie.On this occasion, a punter in Germany was 13 minutes away from scooping €34,200 (£28,858) on a €2 bet, but Sane ruined the dream when he scored in the 82nd minute of City’s win over Monaco at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.It was a frantic match as the North-West outfit came from behind twice to claim a 5-3 victory and give themselves a two-goal cushion heading into the second leg of their last-16 tie in the Champions League.[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]Sane was delighted to net his fourth goal of the season but in complete contrast, the fan in Germany would have been raging.Everything was going to plan for the punter, who bet that Atletico Madrid would defeat Bayer Leverkusen 4-2, and his 4-3 prediction for the City game looked like the right shout when John Stones nudged the English club in front, but it was not to be.Sane found out about the fans’ misery and offered his apologies on Twitter.

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Leeds United fans have promised manager Garry Monk that they will create a wall of noise in this weekend’s cash against Brighton at Elland Road.

The former Swansea City boss has called on the supporters to make the difference following two frustrating results.

The Whites suffered an injury-time late equaliser against Fulham at Craven Cottage on March 7, and they followed that up with a stalemate at home to Queens Park Rangers.

Neither team could find the back of the net and they were forced to settle for a point, but Monk wants much more this weekend.

Leeds remain in a strong position in the Championship given that they are fourth in the table, five points clear of seventh-placed Fulham.

It is highly unlikely that Monk’s men will break into the automatic promotion spots due to Newcastle and Brighton having an 11-point advantage over them, but a route into the Premier League is still visible.

Ahead of Saturday’s game at Elland Road, Monk urged the fans to crank up the noise.

The Yorkshire Evening Post quotes Monk as saying:

“What I have written in my programme notes this week is that it’s time to crank up the noise. The fans have been fantastic, there have been amazing atmospheres and I have spoken to people that have been here for many years that have seen the atmospheres at Elland Road and they say it’s been a long time since they have seen the types of atmospheres that we have had here.

“That’s great to know, it’s great confidence for the players and it’s great for the fans as well. That’s what we all want, but it’s time to crank it up. It’s time for everyone to be together.”

After Monk’s comments, fans took to Twitter to inform the manager that they will be at their loudest for Leeds, who are on course to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

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Newcastle United are believed to be among the pack chasing after Swansea City star Gylfi Sigurdsson, and the fans are very happy about it.

The Sun reports that Magpies manager Rafael Benitez is eager for club owner Mike Ashley to part with £15m to sign the creative midfielder.

Sigurdsson has impressed for the Welsh outfit this season, despite the club fighting against relegation from the Premier League.

So far in the campaign, the 27-year-old has provided 11 assists and scored eight goals of his own in 29 Premier League appearances.

The likes of West Ham United and Everton have been named as possible summer destinations for the Iceland international, so Newcastle could face a fight to land his signature.

The North-East outfit’s case would be helped along if they manage to earn promotion back into the top flight, and they are on course to do so given that they reside at the summit of the Championship, seven points clear of the playoffs.

After news emerged of Newcastle’s new rumoured transfer target, fans took to Twitter to deliver their opinions.

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According to reports in German media outlet Bild, long-term Tottenham Hotspur target Max Meyer could be available for around £17m this summer.

The Schalke attacking midfielder could be sold at the end of the season as he is refusing to contemplate signing a new contract with the Bundesliga outfit, and it is news that will have attracted the attention of Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The north London outfit tried to bring the 21-year-old to White Hart Lane last summer, but they lost interest after they were quoted £45m for his services.

However, now he is available for just over one-third of that asking price Spurs could reignite their interest in the Germany international.

Tottenham supporters were quick to give their reaction via social media, and while some hold Meyer in high regard, others weren’t so sure that he would be a good addition for the Premier League title hopefuls.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction to the story…

Manchester United dropped vital points at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, severely denting their hopes of a top four finish in the English Premier League.Without consistent performers Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Red Devils just couldn’t create the number of chances needed to break down the Baggies defence.Tony Pulis’ side frustrated Jose Mourinho’s men throughout in a typically pragmatic fashion and the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford were unable to bang home a vital winner.It leaves United four points adrift of fourth in the table and six points adrift of third, albeit with two games in hand on that third placed team, Liverpool.While they’re on an impressive 19 game unbeaten streak in the Premier League, it’s the amount of draws that have been so frustrating for supporters.As this stat from Squawka shows, it’s been a particular problem at home over the last few months.

That’s pretty dismal home form for a team with UEFA Champions League ambitions and something that has to change next season. If Mourinho doesn’t solve their Old Trafford blues, then it’ll be another disappointing season for fans.

Europe is glistening with young stars at the moment. Manchester City’s Leroy Sane is one of those having set the Etihad Stadium alight during the second half of the season. Renato Sanches is the Bayern and Portugal star setting pulses racing across the continent. Dortmund boast the flying winger Ousmane Dembele and Tottenham have the coveted Englishman Dele Alli at their disposal.

But one teenager on the lips of the whole of Europe is Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe, who has set the Champions League alight with his five goals in Europe’s elite competition this term.

Amongst those reportedly interested in the teenage sensation are Manchester United, who will be looking to strengthen during the summer after what has been an hit-and-miss season under manager Jose Mourinho.

United signed former Monaco wonderkid Anthony Martial for an astronomical fee only two summers ago, and while he had an excellent first season in English football, he has since struggled to make a real impact. Signing Mbappe, who is valued at just £8.5m by transfermarkt.com, could go one of two ways for the Red Devils: they could find themselves with one of the worlds hottest talents on their books, or over-spending on a yet generally unproven forward.

Should United sign the French wonderkid? Let us know by voting below…

Slaven Bilic may well end up paying the price for West Ham’s questionable recruitment last summer. The Hammers aimed to be ambitious in the transfer window as they welcomed European football to a new stadium, but quantity soon took priority over quality and cheaper talent from abroad was preferred to stars already proven in the Premier League.

Regardless of whether Bilic is still in the dugout by the time the coming transfer window officially opens, it’s likely West Ham will have learned from their mistakes, instead focusing on players who can improve the starting XI rather than the squad and those who’ll arrive with well-established Premier League credentials.

Thus, I turn your attentions to Manchester United’s Ashley Young. In a world where the record transfer fee stands at £90million, a soon-to-be 32-year-old winger who has made only eight Premier League starts this season and is valued by Transfermarkt at just £5.95million might seem a little underwhelming.

Indeed, Young is by no means the player that arrived at Old Trafford in 2011 after four-and-a-half affluent seasons at Aston Villa, but he’s still got plenty to offer a top-seven aiming club like West Ham, not least including the experience of nearly 300 Premier League appearances, 30 England caps and top flight, FA Cup and League Cup title wins.

The last few years have seen Young transform into a different kind of footballer; less concerned with marauding runs and theatrics in the box and more focused on being a true team player, working hard and filling a variety of positions in both defence and midfield – he’s featured as a winger, a full-back and a wing-back on both flanks already this season.

But he still has that natural pedigree which once made him the PFA Young Player of the Year, namely that lethal left-footed delivery from out wide – something that would unquestionably benefit the aerial menace of Andy Carroll at the London Stadium – and the ability to produce the occasional worldie from long range.

No doubt, Young’s spent the last few seasons stuck in the wilderness at Old Trafford, performing well when called upon but inevitably seen as a bit-part player by Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. Yet, he’s now reached a stage of his career where natural talent has combined with experience and intelligence to give hope of an Indian summer somewhere else in the Premier League – and the London Stadium seems like the perfect destination for a final swansong.

Should West Ham swoop this summer? Let us know by voting below…

N’Golo Kante might perhaps be Chelsea’s signing of the decade. Having won the Premier League with Leicester last season, the Frenchman has been on what appears to be a one man mission to repeat the feat with new club Chelsea this season.

It was a feat he achieved last Friday, as Antonio Conte’s side won the Premier League with a dramatic 1-0 victory over West Brom to clinch the title. In doing so, Kante became the first player in history to win back-to-back titles with two different clubs. Quite an achievement.

However, not all of the Blues’ signings over the past decade or two have quite been the same calibre or had a similar impact of the arrival of the one man tackling machine that is Kante.

Owner Roman Abramovich has seen nearly £900million depart from his wallet since his arrival at the club back in 2003, and while generally his tenure has been a success, the Russian must be left wondering just where some of his hard-earned money went.

Infamous for signing strikers that just aren’t quite able to cut it, including the likes of Fernando Torres, Andrei Shevchenko, Adrian Mutu, Mateja Kezman among many others, there have also been a number of players in other positions that Chelsea fans and Roman Abrahiovich will laugh at the thought of, or perhaps not considering their cost.

Who do you think has been Chelsea’s worst signing under Abramovich? Have your say in the poll below…

Aston Villa fans are concerned that they are on the verge of losing one of their key players.

Turkish media outlet Fotospor has claimed that the forward’s representatives have held talks with Fenerbahce regarding a season-long loan.

Interestingly, the report states that Kodjia had a pre-arranged agreement with the club that he would be allowed to leave on a temporary basis if the Villans failed to earn promotion to the Premier League.

Steve Bruce’s side failed to reach that target, eventually finishing 13th in a disappointing Championship campaign.

The shining light of the season was Kodjia, who scored 19 goals and created another in 36 appearances in the second tier.

The 27-year-old only joined the Midlands outfit from Bristol City last year, so it would be a big blow to lose him for a season.

At the moment, the forward is nursing an ankle injury that is expected to keep him on the sidelines for the majority of pre-season.

After the reports about Kodjia’s future came to light, fans have been giving their reaction on Twitter, with some wanting answers from club owner Tony Xia.