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Everton and Marco Silva should look to turn Yerry Mina into a centre-defensive midfielder, amid uncertainty about the futures of a number of their midfielders.

In need of defensive midfielders

Silva, formerly of Hull and Watford, prefers to set up in a 4-2-3-1 system and has done throughout the entirety of the season, using Idrissa Gueye and loan star Andre Gomes as the two defensive midfielders in that system in front of the back four.

However, both of those players have uncertain futures at Goodison Park. In Gueye’s case, the Senegalese midfielder handed in a transfer request back in January as he looked to force a move to Paris Saint-Germain, who bid £25m for his services.

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Furthermore, Gomes is on a loan deal from Barcelona which will expire in the summer. The Toffees’ chances of turning that deal into a permanent one look tough, as the Spanish champions are reportedly looking for around €40m for the Portuguese international.

It is also worth mentioning that, whilst he has recently been much more involved in proceedings, Morgan Schneiderlin has still only made nine Premier League appearances this season and will turn 30 in November.

How well is Mina suited to the role?

The Colombian international has made just 11 Premier League appearances since his £27m summer move from Barcelona, as he has struggled with injuries and found it difficult to dislodge the impressive pairing of Kurt Zouma and Michael Keane.

Mina is a dominant aerial presence, who is strong in the tackle but also a fine passer of the ball – Barcelona don’t just buy any old centre-back unless they’re decent in possession.

He recorded a passing success rate of 89.2% in his three games at the World Cup – along with scoring three goals – and has also recorded an 83.1% success rate with the Toffees so far this season – in La Liga with Barcelona last season, he amassed an impressive 92.6% percentage.

Mina is extremely tidy on the ball and composed in possession; Silva could potentially be onto a winner if he implemented this tactical switch, whilst saving his club a lot of money in finding a new midfielder.

West Ham, like almost every other Premier League team, desperately need to do some recruiting during the summer transfer window, if they want to push to where they think they belong in the league. Indeed, fans will have loved the taste of success the Manuel Pellegrini era has teased them with this season, but more is certainly needed. 

European qualification simply has to be the ambition this season but with that now being a longshot, the Hammers must look to buy some more quality to ensure it’s at least a better possibility next season. Indeed, Pellegrini is surely a manager the West Ham board can trust with a hefty budget as it has to be said that the Hammers do need a number of new players.

Starting with another midfielder due to the injury problems West Ham have sustained specifically in that position.

This season, Jack Wilshere, Carlos Sanchez and Manuel Lanzini have all suffered long-term lay-offs, so the ambitious East London side should look to sign a player like Napoli’s Amadou Diawara.

Diawara, (who is valued at £14.4 million on Transfermarkt) is a defensive-minded midfielder that has all the quality to be a top player in the game. Pellegrini has often utilised a midfield trio of Mark Noble, Declan Rice and Robert Snodgrass but with Amadou Diawara in the mix as well, he would bring an injection of pace and overall quality.

The 21-year-old – who was linked with a move to the London Stadium by Tuttomercato Web in January – has only been able to make 11 starts for Napoli this season, something that will disappoint the youngster, concerning how highly-rated he is.

Nevertheless, if he opted for a move to England, West Ham would be a terrific option for him considering how badly they need a midfielder like him. Around such a talent, the phasing out of Noble could begin, giving the Irons a long-term heir.

It may take a hefty sum for West Ham to try and push through a deal but Diawara has so much potential that definitely makes him worth investing in.

West Ham fans, would you back such a move? Do you think the hunt for a Mark Noble successor needs to start soon? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been giving their verdict on their midfield options, after reports claimed West Ham are preparing a surprisingly big bid for Jonjo Shelvey.

According to The Evening Chronicle, Rafael Benitez is seeking assurances that Shelvey will be replaced if he is sold this summer.

The report claims the Hammers are ready to reignite their interest in the Newcastle pass-master with a whopping £20m swoop, even going so far as to say the offer is already “on the table”.

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While the report says the Magpies have not made a decision on Shelvey’s future yet, it seems likely that the 27 year-old will depart with impressive youngster Sean Longstaff taking over his role in the team.

Fans have plenty to say about the situation though, not least because two other midfielders could be on their way out of Tyneside as well.

Mo Diame will be out of contract if the club do not trigger his extension, and Isaac Hayden is likely to try and leave again as the midfielder seeks a club closer to his family.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where loads of fans are debating what is fast becoming the biggest issue of Newcastle’s summer window…

أشاد لاعب منتخب ألمانيا كاي هافيرتز بالأداء الذي قدموه في مباراة الأمس، أمام منتخب سويسرا، في دوري الأمم الأوروبية رغم عدم تحقيقهم الفوز.

وتعادل المنتخبان بثلاثة أهداف لمثلهم، في الجولة الرابعة من المستوى الأول.

وقال هافيرتز، في تصريحات للموقع الرسمي للبطولة: “بالطبع نريد الفوز في كل مباراة ولكن الليلة قاتلنا بشدة وأظهرنا شخصية رائعة ولم نستسلم أبدًا”.

وأضاف لاعب تشيلسي: “كان من المهم بالنسبة لنا إظهار ذلك كفريق”.

وواصل: “مازلنا شباب وننمو كفريق واحد، اللعب مع فيرنر وجنابري أمر ممتع للغاية، فهم لاعبون سريعون وموهوبون يجعلون حياتي أسهل”.

وتابع: “نحن بحاجة إلى القيام بعمل أفضل عندما يتعلق الأمر بإنهاء المباريات”.

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Leeds United produced an emphatic display to overcome struggling Reading by a 3-0 scoreline at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday night and return to the top of the Championship table.

All three goals came in the first half, as midfielder Mateusz Klich opened the scoring before veteran Spaniard Pablo Hernandez notched a well-taken brace. After the break, the Whites were comfortable and managed the game with ease, whilst No. 9 Patrick Bamford missed a handful of chances to add some gloss to the scoreline.

It was an accomplished performance from the Elland Road outfit, and with the run in fast approaching, and the race for automatic promotion so tight, fans can take heart from such a calm and composed display. 

The win certainly gave an insight into what kind of shape Bielsa’s side are in as the finish line for the campaign begins to come into sight. Here’s three things we learned…

Bielsa was right to retain faith in Ayling

Right-back Luke Ayling’s performances in recent weeks have left plenty to be desired. However, Bielsa stuck with the 27-year-old in his starting XI throughout this time and was rewarded with a fine performance on Tuesday.

The full-back was devastating in the final third and notched two assists for his creative efforts. He also was generally very solid defensively and distributed the ball well. However, despite the many upsides to his display, the Arsenal academy product was perhaps fortunate to avoid a red card following one particularly poor challenge.

All in all though, it was certainly a step in the right direction for Ayling.

Hitting form at the right time

Ayling is not alone in having improved recently. Leeds themselves have won four games on the bounce, scoring ten and conceding only twice in that run. Prior to this winning streak the Yorkshire club had won only two of their last six league matches. 

Bielsa’s side now look to have emerged from this sticky patch, with their title ambitions still very much intact, and are now hitting form and gathering momentum at the perfect time. 

The Whites face fellow promotion hopefuls Sheffield United at Elland Road on Saturday in what could potentially be a season-defining encounter for both sides. Leeds will be going into it full of confidence and belief, fuelled by their recent dominance. 

Still lacking efficiency 

Despite the club’s results having improved dramatically, a certain flaw remains. The Whites are still not clinical enough in front of goal. They’re certainly far too reliant upon moments of sheer brilliance from Hernandez to make up for the number of easy chances they miss.

Bamford demonstrated against Reading that he’s still missing a ruthless edge. They were able to get away with this because they could produce such a high volume of chances against the relegation-battlers.

This will not be the case against the Blades though. Chris Wilder’s side are a formidably solid defensive unit, so Leeds must be efficient and capitalise upon any chances they get. 

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Divided Arsenal fans on Tuesday afternoon have been reacting on Twitter to the latest comments made by controversial former player Paul Merson.

Merson made 212 appearances as an attacking midfielder for the Gunners in 12 years after graduating from the academy, scoring 39 goals.

But since, the 50-year-old has been ever-outspoken about his former club and clearly upset some fans with his latest remarks, while others appear to completely agree with him.

Appearing on Sky Sports show The Debate, the ex-England international was quoted as saying, in a dig at the perceived lack of ambition from the owners of the North London club in recent seasons “Manchester United will make an effort to win the league next season. They’ll buy players. Arsenal won’t.”

Opinions from Gooners about the quote have ranged from beliefs that Merson’s stating the obvious to admissions that the pundit’s words should be given about as much thought as he puts into them, none at all! If one thing’s for sure, though, they have certainly split a fan base.

Here is our list of the best reaction Tweets…

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Liverpool. A club steeped in rich history and one who always seem to have players of star quality emerge from their academy.

Specifically, the Reds have produced a number of top-drawer strikers over the years, such as Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen, and another couple look to be coming out of the talent machine; Rhian Brewster and Bobby Duncan.

Now, we would assume that you’d be aware of Brewster, for Jurgen Klopp has spoken enough about him and lauded the teenager on many occasions for his talents to be known to the wider world.

Are the media letting Jurgen Klopp off lightly for his lack of silverware? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

However, in Duncan’s case, the 17-year-old has quietly been going about his business with the Under-18’s and to some effect.

The cousin of Steven Gerrard has hit an eye-catching 22 goals and recorded seven assists, where he has proven to be an excellent No.10 behind 21-goal Paul Glatzel.

His low centre of gravity and good passing ability make him a brilliant option in the hole behind the striker, and his talents in the role look to be the perfect foil to the good aspects of Brewster’s game.

The England Under-17 World Cup winner is far more of a typical No.9 type forward who is better at rounding off the move with his lethal finishing, rather than being instrumental in the build up.

That isn’t to say that he isn’t a good player in the early stages of a goal, but Duncan looks far better suited to pulling the strings in a No.10 role than Brewster is.

There is a two year difference between the two, but that shouldn’t prevent them from both featuring in the Premier League 2 together in the near future given Duncan’s excellent progress in the level below.

The pair could well strike up a deadly partnership if deployed in attack together; they most certainly look well suited as a potential duo.

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Georginio Wijnaldum has been in good form for Liverpool this season, making 37 appearances in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The midfielder has not received too many plaudits, but certainly performs an important role for a Liverpool team chasing success in the Premier League and Champions League.

Wijnaldum has made 129 appearances for the Reds since a 2016 move from Newcastle United, but his current deal will expire at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

There has not yet been any news on the 28-year-old’s contract situation.

The Liverpool fans, however, have been on social media calling for an announcement on the 5 ft 9 ace.

It seems likely that the Reds will look to sign a new attacking midfielder this summer, but Wijnaldum has again shown his class at Anfield this season and will surely want to stay with the Premier League title challengers.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Liverpool supporters can be seen below:

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According to Claret & Hugh, Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis has no intention of keeping on-loan West Ham United forward Jordan Hugill beyond the end of the current season.

What’s the word, then?

It was more than just a little bit of a surprise when West Ham signed Hugill from Preston North End in the latter stages of the 2018 January transfer window.

The Hammers paid £10m to land the forward, who would go on to make just three Premier League appearances in the second half of last season.

Hugill joined Boro on loan for the 2018-19 campaign, but has found it tough to contribute, managing just six goals in 30 Championship appearances.

According to Claret & Hugh, Boro are not interested in a permanent deal for the striker, something his parent club were hoping for, meaning that he will head back to London this summer.

The 26-year-old has a contract at West Ham until June 2022, but it seems likely that he will be sold on in this summer’s transfer window.

Could West Ham yet decide to keep him?

No, not if they are to move forward. Some will argue that Hugill is decent back-up, but not for a team of West Ham’s ilk.

As it stands, Hugill has played just 22 minutes of first-team football for West Ham, despite being contracted to the club for about 14 months.

The Englishman will be remembered as one of the club’s worst signings in the Premier League era – particularly in terms of actual ability, contribution to the first team and how quickly they’re already looking to offload him, which in itself is now proving problematic.

A record of 30 goals in 114 games for Preston is not exactly terrific, whilst as mentioned, the striker has struggled to show consistency for Boro this term.

Hugill might be heading back to West Ham this summer, but he will surely be sold to the highest bidder ahead of the new campaign.

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…