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According to Claret and Hugh, West Ham could make a January move for Inter Milan’s Joao Mario to reinforce a midfield stricken with injuries.

What’s the story?

Portuguese Mario signed for West Ham in January on a short loan spell last season, chipping in with a couple of goals and also impressing fans with his work rate and versatility.

There was an option to buy the 25-year-old for £26m in the summer (Sky Sports) but the London club declined to do so, opting to spend their budget elsewhere as they brought in Ukrainian Andriy Yarmolenko, Lazio winger Felipe Anderson and centre-back Issa Diop to name but a few.

With summer signing Yarmolenko the most recent Hammer to be struck down by injury, reports believe that Manuel Pellegrini could dip into the market in January to bring the 40-capped international back across the channel.

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Could Mario make his return?

The former Sporting Lisbon man has become estranged at Inter following his comments in an interview with Gazetta dello Sport (via Football Italia) and has so far not made a single appearance in a competitive match for the San Siro outfit; the Portuguese has either been an unused substitute or left out of the match-day squad completely.

The number 15 is capable of filling in all across the midfield and his performances for the Hammers last season showed that he is good enough for the top flight. Currently Robert Snodgrass looks likely to slot in for Yarmolenko in a 4-1-4-1 but the 380 league minutes he has played in claret and blue this season have yet to yield a goal or an assist, even if he has impressed with his work rate and commitment to the cause.

West Ham’s injury crisis might leave them in desperate times but there’s no need to panic; if they can secure another loan deal or a permanent transfer for Mario (he is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt) in January then they will have a player whom they know what can be expected from.

Jose Mourinho would be wise to target a new striker in the January transfer window.

Anthony Martial netted his third goal in three games as United defeated Everton 2-1 at the weekend, but Mourinho surely still wants to bolster his forward options. With one goal in nine games between Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford, the Portuguese will want to land a regular goalscorer in January to boost his firepower. With United still five points behind Arsenal, their output needs to increase if they are to finish in the top four.

Luckily for Mourinho, United are willing to back the former Chelsea boss significantly in the January transfer window. Reports suggest the Red Devils could make around £100m available to improve his ranks in the New Year. A new forward is believed to be high on his short list as well as a new defender.

One man Mourinho should be watching is Celta Vigo hotshot – Maximiliano Gomez. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the Uruguay forward has taken La Liga by storm since joining the club last summer. Gomez hit 19 league goals in his debut season, and the 22-year-old has already found the back of the net four times this campaign before an injury hampered his progress.

The 22-year-old is a powerful, physical forward who would have no trouble adapting to the rigours of the Premier League. With a proven goal record in a tough division, Gomez could be the answer to Mourinho’s prayers. His lethal finishing and intelligent movement would have United’s creative players licking their lips.

The forward is young and improving with every game – moving to the Premier League to play in a side of United’s quality would only further his development. If his goals continue, it won’t be long before Europe’s elite come calling. United must snap him up before someone else does.

Manchester United fans, thoughts?

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All of the optimism that accompanied Fulham as they were promoted to the Premier League ahead of this season has gradually ebbed away. Now, they have a manager on the verge of the sack and the worst defensive record in the top flight.

Such a poor back line has led to the Cottagers becoming the division’s whipping boys who even Cardiff can put four goals past. With Liverpool next on the agenda things look set to get worse before they get better. 

If the west Londoners are to stand any chance of securing a result at Anfield, they must be tactically perfect.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”328975″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Fixture in Focus Manchester City vs Manchester United”]

On the Chalkboard 

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic must dial back his attacking instincts to an extent and focus on constructing a far more balanced rearguard, which includes playing players in their natural positions.

The time has also come for Jokanovic to place faith in the players who secured promotion for Fulham in the first place. Including the likes of Tim Ream, Ryan Sessegnon and Cyrus Christie in the starting XI ought to provide a measure of defensive cohesion that the overabundance of newcomers at the club cannot yet muster.

Equally, the central midfielders and wide attackers must be diligent in performing their defensive duties.

Taking chances

Defensive solidity is the foundation of any successful side. That is a lesson that Liverpool themselves have had to learn in recent years. If Fulham can find that base to build from at the back then they can still survive and thrive in the Premier League.

Against the Reds, the Cottagers have the attacking quality to create chances. If they take their chances and match that with a greater focus upon maintaining their defensive focus, then at the very least signs of improvement and progress should be evident on Sunday.

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Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has suggested in his column for the Liverpool Echo that the club should make a move for Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

What’s the word?

Jurgen Klopp already has some decent attacking options at his disposal, in the form of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Last season, the team blew everyone away with their scintillating free-flowing moves, but that energy has been lacking in the current campaign.

In his column for the Liverpool Echo, Aldridge suggested that Mitrovic would give the Reds a different option and style.

“He gives you something that little bit different and I like him as a squad player. The way Liverpool play they could do with someone who provides a bit of diversity and a Plan B.”

Does he have a point?

Mitrovic would certainly bring a different facet to Klopp’s team, but it is not one that they really need.

The manager has already experimented with formations this season as his tried and trusted 4-3-3 has shifted to 4-2-3-1 at times.

Salah was the focal point up front for Liverpool against Fulham last weekend, but his attributes are more than just that of a striker.

Mitrovic certainly has talent as he has netted five goals for the Cottagers this season, but he is more one-dimensional than Salah.

Would Liverpool be able to sign him anyway?

Fulham only landed the Serbian’s signature on a permanent deal from Newcastle United last year.

With that in mind, it would be a surprise if they agreed to let him go, unless Liverpool came in with a mammoth offer.

No disrespect to Mitrovic, but he is not worth a hefty fee, particularly as he would only be playing a bit-part role under Klopp.

According to Leeds Live, 21-year-old loanee Izzy Brown is nearing his debut for The Whites.  

The Chelsea player sustained an ACL injury in January whilst playing for Premier League outfit Brighton. He signed for Leeds on loan in August with the pre-existing injury, but is now drawing close to his much awaited return from injury.

This is a player that manager Marcello Bielsa clearly has a plan for, otherwise he would not have signed him with such an injury. He must be highly regarded at Elland Road, which is understandable, as he has been very impressive in his brief career so far.

No matter what club Brown has played for, he has made a good account of himself. His Championship spells at Rotherham and Huddersfield two seasons ago proved to be very fruitful, particularly helping The Terriers earn promotion to the Premier League.

Leeds already have a small squad, and have looked to be struggling at times when injuries have occurred. When taking into the intense style of football that Bielsa demands, squad depth and rotation is key. While January is the time to strengthen a squad, Brown provides a much better alternative for The Peacocks. While a new signing would need time to adjust to the Argentinian’s style of football, Brown will be well accustomed to it already, it would just be a case of working his way to match fitness.

The versatile Brown will ease the pressure considerably of Leeds’ squad when he returns, and could well be the trick up Bielsa’s sleeve he’s been waiting to unleash in his title push.

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According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are plotting an ambitious move to sign Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante.

What’s the word?

Kante has been a revelation since his arrival in England in 2015. By the end of his first campaign with Leicester City, he had become a Premier League title winner with the Foxes. A second league triumph followed in the next campaign with the midfielder by then a Chelsea player. 

A World Cup winner with France in the summer of 2018, the 27-year-old has become one of the most decorated and celebrated defensive midfielders in world football in recent years.

Watch Playmaker FC’s Thogden react to England’s dramatic second-half comeback against Croatia in the video below…

If the Red Devils could prise him away from Stamford Bridge, then it would be a major coup, but the current set-up at Old Trafford would not get the best out of the Frenchman.

A major step down

Jose Mourinho has so far failed to get the best out of his recent major signings, such as Alexis Sanchez and Fred. It seems unlikely that a character such as Kante would thrive under the combative Portuguese either.

What’s more, the Portuguese manager’s enduring presence in the Old Trafford dugout, from where he has overseen United’s awful start to the season, could put Kante off a switch to the club. 

Under Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, Kante is currently playing a progressive, exciting brand of football that has elevated the Blues to third place in the table after an unbeaten start to the campaign. As things stand, a move to United under Mourinho would constitute a major step down.

United could find that the longer they persist with the 55-year-old, the less attractive they are to the kind of top talents their squad desperately needs.

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Loads of fans have been reacting to Tottenham’s demolition of Chelsea on Saturday evening, and Liverpool fans are crucifying Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The Chelsea-Liverpool rivalry has been refreshed this season, as both sides look like genuine title contenders for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Fans are constantly arguing over whether Mohamed Salah or Eden Hazard is the better player, and they have started a similar debate over their goalkeepers.

Kepa and Alisson Becker both arrived this summer for huge fees, and until Saturday the pair were almost statistically identical.

The Playmaker FC squad decided to wind-up some unsuspecting Brazil fans at the Emirates on Saturday night. Watch the hilarious results in the video below…

Chelsea’s defence collapsed at Wembley though, as goals from Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min gave Tottenham a 3-1 win.

Kepa was caught out badly for the second goal, as he seemed to be completely wrong-footed by Kane’s long-distance effort.

It certainly didn’t help the young keeper that David Luiz moved out of the way of the shot, but Reds’ fans are destroying him on Twitter nonetheless.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Andre Gomes’ development in recent weeks has captured the imagination of Everton supporters and taken the limelight off Richarlison. 

The Brazilian boy wonder started the season in electric form and has rapidly vindicated Everton’s decision to complete a £35 million deal for his services in the summer.

But Gomes’ recovery from the injury that ruled him out of the early weeks of the campaign has allowed him to establish himself at the heart of Marco Silva’s midfield, and he has made quite the impression.

With just six Premier League appearances to his name, a unanimous decision has been made among the Toffees faithful: we want Gomes on a permanent deal.

That feeling is one mirrored by Silva, as his glowing admiration for his compatriot in the British media serves to prove, but after a relatively extravagant 2018 of spending it see if there is anything left in the transfer kitty to complete another high-profile deal in the new year.

Well, according to the Guardian, Silva has explained that patience is needed as Everton’s, Barcelona’s and Gomes’ interests all need to be taken into consideration before completing a permanent deal.

And the same report also claims that Everton may look to sell Oumar Niasse (Transfermarkt valuation £7.2 million) and Morgan Schneiderlin (Transfermarkt £18 million) to accumulate the necessary funds required to complete the most desirable of January deals.

Now, whether or not Everton will be able to command transfer fees in the region that their respective transfermarkt valuations suggest remains to be seen, but Schneidlerin’s decline since leaving Southampton will unquestionably make him a hard sell.

Considering that both players are on the fringes of Everton’s first-team and seemingly have no major role to play at the club it makes perfect sense to offload them and secure Gomes’ signature before interest begins to intensify from outside the club.

Although it’s early in Gomes’ season-long loan spell at Goodison Park it already appears glaringly apparent that the Portugal international is in his element at this level, so the sooner Everton raise the funds for a permanent deal the better.

Everton fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Everton had a bit of a week to forget in terms of results, with their nightmare finish at Anfield last weekend not being helped by a midweek draw.

The Toffees though do look in good nick at times under Marco Silva, and it would not be a surprise to see them challening for Europe.

Silva have brought in a wealth of new players to Goodison Park and that has left a few players on the periphery of proceedings at the club, meaning a loan move for some might well materialise come the opening of the January transfer window.

And one side who might look to snap up a few of the Toffees fringe players is Aston Villa, who are making a big surge towards the promotion places under new manager Dean Smith.

A squad which is already riddle with talent at Championship level, adding more Premier League players is a scary thought for the rest of the league.

However, we’ve taken a look at TWO Everton players who might well enhance Villa’s promotion push further…

Jonjoe Kenny

The young defender burst onto the scene for the Toffees last season, but has been frozen out somewhat this term under Silva.

However, Kenny is a talent, and is someone who defensively can really help a club like Villa out during the Championship run in.

Good with the ball as well as being solid defensively, Kenny would be an excellent signing for Dean Smith’s men.

Kieran Dowell

The young midfielder spent last season with Nottingham Forest, and impressed in the main for Aitor Karanka’s men.

A classy operator in the middle of the park who would fit with Smith’s ethos of high tempo football, he would be a useful addition for the Villans if they could persuade Everton to do a short-term deal.

[ad_pod ]Manchester City extended their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 away win over Watford on Tuesday evening, but here at Football FanCast we want to know whether Vincent Kompany did enough to justify a start in the clash with Chelsea on Saturday.City’s club captain has had a torrid time with injury in recent years, and he has only made seven Premier League appearances so far this season.Against Watford though he was brought in to deal with the physical threat of Troy Deeney, with Aymeric Laporte dropping out and missing Premier League minutes for the first time in this campaign.[brid autoplay=”true” video=”338209″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Aubameyang Emulates West Ham Flop”]Many Manchester City fans might have worried that the Belgian international’s bad luck had struck again when he limped off after 82 minutes, but Ben Dinnery confirmed on Twitter that it was just cramp for the 32-year-old.

He will be fit then for the trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, and Guardiola should consider starting him. There is no substitute for experience and Kompany has that in abundance.

He also brought back memories of his days as a holding midfielder against Watford, as his splitting passes broke the Hornets’ press.

Guardiola is clearly a big fan on Laporte and John Stones for their ball-playing abilities, but Kompany’s intelligence and tactical nous will be huge in negating the threat of his compatriot Eden Hazard.

So, City fans, do you think Kompany should start against Chelsea? Have your say by voting in the poll below.