According to Foot Mercato, Newcastle are very much interested in a big-money move for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly this summer.
What’s the word?
Despite the club’s proposed takeover still in the process of being confirmed and given the green light by the Premier League, it appears as though the Saudi consortium have already drawn up plans to spark a revolution at St James’ Park.
The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?
Foot Mercato claim that despite Napoli’s valuation of around €100m (£89.5m), “contacts have intensified in recent times”. The report adds that the Magpies’ prospective new owners want Koulibaly to be the “cornerstone” of their new project, and that “the Saudis informed Naples that they were ready to get as close as possible to the price claimed by President Aurelio De Laurentiis”.
Elite defender
Make no mistake about it, Koulibaly is one of the elite defenders in the world.
His former boss at Napoli, Carlo Ancelotti, waxed lyrical about the Senegal international, and delivered an incredible comparison. He said: “Koulibaly belongs in the category of Maldini, Thuram, Thiago Silva, and Sergio Ramos. He’s very clever, usually he’s so fast and strong he thinks it’s no use to solve problems. He knows that it’s not enough to have a strong personality.”
Ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, and former teammate of Koulibaly back in Naples, even described him as “extraordinary”, and that high level of praise is just a snapshot of the kind of ability the giant centre-back possesses.
If the report is true, and the Magpies are willing to spend an incredible sum of money to get him if and when their takeover is complete, then it would be the kind of statement-making move that could send shock-waves across Europe.
After 30 years of ups and downs, nearly’s and maybe’s – Liverpool have finally achieved their long-awaited desire to win the Premier League title.
It is safe to say the Red’s did it in style as well, winning the trophy with a staggering 18 point lead over second-place Manchester City – but what happened in that time for the club to achieve such an impossible feat? From incredible goals to surprise standouts, we’ll be looking at the highlights of Klopp’s team this season, from their player of the season to the defining moment, all the way down to their signing of the season.
This campaign has been jam-packed with high’s and low’s, and even a three-month sabbatical due to COVID-19, but this didn’t stop one of the clubs best seasons in their history. Now sit down and enjoy, as we give Liverpool’s title-winning campaign a FootballFanCast review for the ages…
Player of the Season – Sadio Mané
The Senegalese starlet has been incredible since joining the club in 2016, and marked the beginning of Klopp’s tenure at the club, having developed into one of the best players in the world.
With 18 goals and 7 assists this season, Mané has been incredibly important in Liverpool’s surge for the title, coming up with some important goals in the clubs run.
It would be easy to nominate Mohamed Salah or Jordan Henderson as Liverpool’s player of the season, but Mané has proven this year he is just as important as any in this Liverpool team.
Goal of the Season – Mo Salah vs Newcastle, Nov 10th ’19
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With 85 incredible goals to choose from this season, it has proved difficult to name just one as the Reds’ goal of the season – but these decisions have to be made, and Mo Salah’s effort against Newcastle at home back in November has just nipped it for me.
Fabinho’s pass to Salah, who plays it into Firmino – in which the Brazilian shows of his samba and produces one of the most tantalising flicks you’ll ever see in a 1-2 back to the Egyptian, who drives forward into the box and makes the most acute finish across Dubravka into the bottom right corner.
Simply put, wow.
Breakthrough Player – Curtis Jones
This seemed an easy decision overall. The young scouser has been introduced to the best team in the league, and it was obvious that an opportunity to play was going to be difficult given the caliber of players at Liverpool’s disposal.
Despite this, Jones has proven he is a talented young player, and many Reds fans will be willing him on to become an important part of the team in years to come.
With a cracking goal against rivals Everton in the FA Cup in January, as well as scoring his first Premier League goal vs Aston Villa at the beginning of July – Jones has proven to be the club’s breakthrough player of this campaign.
Flop of the Season – Divock Origi
Before we break this one down, it is key to point out that not really any of the players at Liverpool have been a flop this season given it has been their best ever in the club’s history, totaling a club record 99 points and winning their first league title in 30 years – but a decision has to be made, and given the Belgian producing some big goals in big games, he’s been rather poor overall.
With just 4 goals in 28 league appearances, Origi has never quite met the expectations that many fans have expected of him, hence his inclusion as the club’s flop of the season.
Defining Moment – 2-1 win vs Aston Villa, Nov 2nd ’19
Liverpool’s comeback against the Villans back in November of last year proved Klopp’s men meant business, and their fight for the title was far from over.
The win saw the Reds move to six points clear from second place Man City after just 11 games, and in previous seasons Liverpool probably would have gone on to lose games such as that, but this season was different. The squad had a hunger and desire, having cruelly missed out on the title last season by one point.
This late comeback showed a side to Klopp’s team that proved they were destined to win the title this year and was my defining moment for the club this campaign.
Signing of the Season – Adrian
There had been a lack of arrivals at the beginning of the season for Liverpool, with just Harvey Elliott and Sepp van den Berg looking like the only signings during the summer transfer window – this was until the departure of Simon Mignolet at the beginning of August, which saw the former West Ham goalkeeper join the Reds on a free transfer.
The Spaniard’s arrival proved to be as important as any, with Alisson coming off in Liverpool’s first game of the season after just 40 minutes against Norwich – which saw Adrian go on to play the next seven league games, winning all seven and keeping two clean sheets.
Hit Expectations? YES
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Overall, Klopp and his players have been astronomical this season, and have more than hit any expectations of themselves this season.
It was clear that the club’s aim was to win the title this year, but they went above and beyond in the way in which they did so.
An 18 point lead with 99 points in total, winning 32 out of their 38 league games, winning the title with seven games still to play – the city of Liverpool will forever be indebted to the German and what he has done for the club, and all eyes will be looking toward next season, and the clubs attempt at retaining the coveted Premier League title.
Manchester United are ‘confident’ of completing a deal with Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho this summer after cooling interest in Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, reports claim.
Discussions with Dortmund focus on the transfer fee for Sancho as it is understood that personal terms will not be a problem.
The German giants want at least €120m (£109m) for the England international winger but Man United are not prepared so much in such unprecedented circumstances.
Dortmund are demanding a figure of €100m (£90.5m) upfront and they want the deal to be done in time for their return to pre-season training on August 10.
According to Sky Sports, Lucien Favre’s side are already preparing for his departure as they are interested in Lille forward Jonathan Ikone as an alternative.
Although the transfer deadline is fast approaching, United remain the only club to have made official contact with Dortmund.
Sancho, 20, is the club’s top scorer this season, having scored 20 goals and supplied 18 assists in all competitions so far (via WhoScored). His contract will run out in 2022 and Dortmund are in no rush to sell him in the summer.
However, the Red Devils have received a major boost as their chances of convincing the former Manchester City academy graduate to move to Old Trafford have significantly improved after Solskjaer’s side qualified for the Champions League.
Qualifying for Europe’s premier competition is rewarded with a share of UEFA’s prize money distribution and this has increased their sizeable transfer kitty. Each of the 32 clubs that reach the tournament receive a group stage allocation which varies from year to year.
United are also looking at alternatives like Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman, but fans should be reassured that this is a big step in the right direction.
United fans, do you think Ed Woodward will sign Sancho this summer? Let us know down below!
Chelsea look set for a very exciting transfer window as Roman Abramovich continues to back Frank Lampard.
The Blues have already added two new players to the club this summer but are on track to welcome a lot more through the door. According to The Athletic, the Russian businessman is willing to fund a lavish £300m transfer window in order for Chelsea to undergo an extreme makeover.
Abramovich was reportedly tabling a £120m budget for Lampard originally, but with UEFA relaxing their Financial Fair Play rules, the amount at the Chelsea manager’s disposal has skyrocketed.
The Athletic report has cited one Premier League agent claiming that England’s top flight is very much “a buyer’s market”. However, they also believe that books needs to be balanced in order for the signings to be justified. This is something that Abramovich has already put into motion.
He is willing to splash the cash this summer, although Marina Granovskaia must be able to offload Chelsea’s deadwood players in order to make some money back.
Chelsea managed to secure Champions League football by narrowly securing a top four finish last season. The upcoming campaign will definitely be one that Lampard hopes will end in silverware.
Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner mark the former Blues midfielder’s first step towards achieving this. However, he also has his eyes on more big-money targets. Declan Rice and Ben Chilwell are among those who will command huge transfer fees, but Lampard also wants a new goalkeeper on top of that.
These relaxed FFP regulations could be the huge boost that Chelsea need to re-establish themselves in the Premier League. With a revamped squad and a young manager at the hilt, it could be once again their time to put their hands on the league trophy.
Who else would you like to see Frank Lampard sign this summer for Chelsea? Let us know your views in the comments below!
Aston Villa could be eyeing up a surprise move for a player who hugely impressed down the road last season…
What’s the word?
According to the Beautiful Game Podcast (via Birmingham Mail), the Midlands outfit are interested in signing West Ham winger Grady Diangana this season following his spectacular spell on loan to local rivals West Bromwich Albion.
The likes of Southampton, Fulham and the Baggies themselves have all been linked with the 22-year-old and now the Villans have entered the race.
Meanwhile, Football Insider have claimed that the Hammers could let their young academy graduate depart east London if their £25m valuation is met, so it’s now all on those interested clubs.
Bye-bye Jota
Just a year on from joining, Jota is heading closer towards the exit door with AS reporting that the 29-year-old has numerous suitors in his home country, including Granada and Valladolid.
Perhaps it’s time to move in on and bring in some fresh blood in the shape of Diangana.
The tricky yet enigmatic speedster was electric at the Hawthorns as Slaven Bilic’s men secured promotion from the Championship, he provided eight goals and six assists whilst averaging 2.4 dribbles, 1.6 shots and 1.4 key passes per game, via WhoScored.
Such performances have led to pundits waxing lyrical over his credentials and they go to show why he’d be a hit at Villa Park next season.
Villa legend Lee Hendrie believes he can be a “total nightmare” for the opposition to defend against whilst Keith Andrews labelled the 22-year-old as “explosive” – what players does Dean Smith currently have that match this besides Jack Grealish?
The answer is probably none.
Therefore, it would make perfect sense for Johan Lange to bring the energetic wide man to Villa this summer.
AND in other news, Smith eyeing La Liga STAR to bolster leaky defence…
Napoli have lowered their asking price for Tottenham Hotspur target Arkadiusz Milik, as reported in the Sunday issue of Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness).
They had previously been demanding €40m (£37m) for the Poland international, a fee Spurs were not willing to match, though they have now reduced that to €25m (£23.1m).
Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…
This decision comes after Roma came in with an offer of €15m (£13.9m) plus a couple of youth players in an effort to sign the 26-year-old, who scored 14 goals across all competitions for Napoli last term.
Spurs are looking to sign a frontman who can act as back-up to the talismanic Harry Kane, and it is claimed they have already sent an offer to Milik’s entourage in the hope it will help to bring about a move.
The offer is said to relate to wages, which could see the former Ajax man sign a pre-contract agreement and join next season, when his contract comes to an end.
However, Napoli want to get rid of Milik, the player is keen to leave and Jose Mourinho feels he needs another striker as soon as possible, so it is likely that work will be done to make the move come about sooner.
As things stand, Spurs don’t have a single recognised senior striker to fill in if anything were to happen to Kane.
Speaking to Sky Sports, via football.london, pundit Micah Richards has lavished Spurs star Son Heung-min with praise following his impressive performances this season and has even compared him to Premier League superstars Kevin De Bruyne and Sadio Mane – both of whom were arguably the division’s best assets last season.
Son, who averaged more shots per 90 than the likes of Dele Alli over 2019/2020, all while completing more dribbles than any player in the Tottenham squad (WhoScored), has been in sensational form already after the new campaign’s commencement.
Indeed, the South Korea international recently buried four goals at St Mary’s as Jose Mourinho’s men ran out 5-2 winners against Southampton last weekend – a performance which highlights just how underrated he is according to Richards.
The pundit, likening him to De Bruyne and Mane whilst lauding the 28-year-old as a Premier League sensation, waxed lyrical over his recent outings and also called the attacker an ‘absolute steal’.
Tottenham signed Son back in August 2015 for a reported £22 million, with the winger going on to amass 234 appearances for the club whilst bagging 90 goals and assisting 49 others so far (Transfermarkt).
Now, given his most recent accolades, ex-Premier League winner Richards has put him up there with the very best.
“His form is absolutely incredible,” explained the former Man City star.
“When I worked under Steve Bruce, he would pinpoint how he’d want me to play, how to set up against someone like this.
“Someone might want to man-mark him but when you’ve got this player in this sort of form, it doesn’t matter what you try and do.
“He always finds the spaces, he always looks to run in behind. What I like about Son the most is his composure in front of goal.
“How many times do you see him miss chances? Very rarely. He’s an absolute steal for Spurs.
“There’s a lot of talk about Mane and Kevin De Bruyne, and rightly so, but for me, Son is right up there.
“Spurs are lucky to have him because he’s an absolute treasure of a player.”
Indeed, given the attacker’s contribution in north London since putting pen to paper on a move over half a decade ago, it’s far to say that Richards could be spot on in his verdict.
If Jose Mourinho’s side are going to reach the top four by the end of 2020/2021, they will need Son to keep up his brilliant run of form.
Spurs fans, is Son up there with both De Bruyne and Mane? Have your say in the comments down below…
Chelsea are set to give West Ham United a clear path to sign Antonio Rudiger on loan with reports the Stamford Bridge outfit could block a potential move to Tottenham Hotspur.
What’s the word?
According to Goal, Chelsea are loath to sanction a deal for Rudiger to join Spurs for the 2020/21 campaign as they envisage they will be competing with their London rivals for league positions and silverware this season.
Tottenham would have been the ideal destination from Rudiger’s perspective, as the 32-cap defender is noted to favour remaining in the capital and be playing for a side who are competing in Europe.
Rudiger’s immediate future at Stamford Bridge is in serious doubt on Deadline Day with the German out of favour under Frank Lampard, having made just one appearance on the bench and failing to make any subsequent matchday squads this term.
The 27-year-old has attracted an array of potential suitors this summer in Spurs, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter, AS Roma and West Ham, although interest in the Italian capital has since cooled with the Giallorossi nearing an agreement with Manchester United for Chris Smalling.
Inter will only move for Rudiger if Milan Skriniar leaves the San Siro, too, while Chelsea potentially blocking the £36m-rated centre-half from joining Spurs could leave the Irons with a clear path to strike a deal given his intentions to remain in London.
Chelsea’s “best” defender
West Ham’s hopes of signing Rudiger will not be fulfilled purely on Chelsea potentially blocking the defender from joining Spurs given his aspirations of playing in Europe this season, but the Blues’ stance will come as a major boost for manager David Moyes.
The Irons will also have to contend with AC Milan and PSG as both are said to be pushing for a loan deal, but coming out on top could see David Gold and David Sullivan land who Arsenal icon Martin Keown considers to be Chelsea’s best current defender.
“We’re asked to analyse now in this job, to look at the detail; have a look at Chelsea’s line,” Keown told talkSPORT host Jim White last month.
“I’ve spent hours watching, their defence is a joke, it’s a disgrace! [Thiago] Silva’s come in, maybe he’ll resolve that, but I think Rudiger is actually their best defender.”
Rudiger started 19 of his 20 Premier League appearances last season after overcoming an early groin injury, in which SofaScore data shows he averaged a whopping 84.4 touches, 64.8 accurate passes, won 4.8 duels, made 1.4 tackles, 2.8 clearances and was dribbled past just 0.5 times a game.
To now be cast aside will leave Rudiger with the sense of having a point to prove ahead of his return to Chelsea next summer, something Moyes can tap into as he strives to better West Ham’s record as the fifth-worst defence from the top-flight last term.
AND in other news, West Ham United are considering a late move to sign a Premier League player who recorded just 0.8 key balls a game in 2019/20.
David Gold and David Sullivan could have finally solved David Moyes’ defensive crisis this summer had the West Ham United ownership dug a little deeper in their pursuit of RC Strasbourg’s rising star Mohamed Simakan.
What’s the word?
According to Le10 Sport, West Ham scrambled to France at the end of the international transfer market in search of Moyes’ next centre-half, but came up short in efforts to lure Simakan to the London Stadium.
The Irons are believed to have been behind a rejected €17million (£15.4m) bid for the 20-year-old, also courted by Southampton and AC Milan who likewise saw approaches rebuffed.
Strasbourg held firm in their asking price of no less than €20m (£18.1m) in the face of Euro-wide interest, with Milan only offering as much as €15m (£13.6m) while Rennes, Lyon and Marseille never formalised their intrigue.
Simakan, described as a “great professional” by agent Badou Sambage earlier in 2020, as per Transfer20 via HITC, is thought to have been left disappointed by a potential move – particularly one to England – falling through with Strasbourg rejecting all approaches received, having been keen to try his hand in another league following 25 appearances across all competitions last season.
Thierry Laurey’s Meinau stadium natives must now persist with an unhappy player in the camp, but have felt fit to start the 6 ft 1 talent in each of their six Ligue 1 fixtures played to date this term.
Strasbourg have kept one clean sheet and taken one win in their league matches held prior to the international break, coming in a 1-0 result over Dijon before conceding six times in two games to AS Monaco and LOSC Lille.
Missed opportunity?
Simakan’s potential is there to see in the number of top-tier sides to have been linked with his services this summer, with reports in Germany also suggesting that RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund were closely monitoring his situation earlier in the year.
Leipzig’s belief in Simakan’s talents reaching another level in the Bundesliga were seemingly so strong that they potentially considered the Marseille-born prospect to be of a standard good enough to replace Dayot Upamecano – who they informed Bayern Munich would cost €40m (£36.2m) after lowering a €60m (£54.4m) asking price.
West Ham could always return to Strasbourg in January with the market only a few months away, knowing the Irons were only €3m (£2.7m) shy of reaching an agreement this month. But Strasbourg’s asking price was already put to the Hammers when the east London outfit emerged as a potential suitor.
Gold and Sullivan presenting the extra funds would have secured Moyes a rough diamond in Simakan, who stood out last season with his pace at full stride, talent on the ball and ability to lead the backline.
AND in other news, West Ham could land David Moyes’ ideal defensive partner for Angelo Ogbonna in a Championship talent his current side landed for £4m.
After Leeds United’s ascension into the promised land of the Premier League, there remains two clubs in the EFL to have won major European trophies – 1981 UEFA Cup winners, Ipswich Town, and Nottingham Forest. For the latter, it’s now over 40 years since a John Robertson goal delivered the second of two European Cups in succession. A nice memory, but also one that reminds Forest fans that glory days are firmly in the past.
Fans need no reminding that Forest have just started their 22nd season in succession outside England’s top flight. Their average position in the Championship over the last ten seasons has been a thoroughly unremarkable 13th. 2010/11 was the last time they made the Playoffs.
But fans would be delighted to see Forest even in mid-table at the moment. Four defeats in four games saw them in the relegation zone before the international break, only ahead of Wycombe on goal difference and Sheffield Wednesday who started on minus 12 points. A defeat to high-flying Bristol City was the final straw for the owners, who promptly sacked manager Sabri Lamouchi and replaced him with Chris Hughton. While Hughton is seen as a safe pair of hands and got his Forest tenure off to a fine start with a win over Blackburn, he has quite the task ahead of him if he is to get a tune out of Forest.
Hughton must stabilise a squad in constant flux
The first problem Hughton faces is to get to grips with a squad that contains plenty of talent on paper, but little cohesion. To give you an indication of the kind of upheaval we have seen at Forest in recent seasons, consider that former boss Aitor Karanka, who had a year in charge up until January 2019, signed 24 players across two transfer windows. Lamouchi also signed over a dozen players in 2020. Forest haven’t been spending a fortune, as many players left too, but it’s the constant state of flux that has been hurting the team.
The second issue facing Hughton is to develop some kind of workable understanding with the owner, shipping magnate Stefanos Marinakis. The 53-year-old Greek also owns Olympiakos, but he has shown the kind of knee-jerk decision making that is reminiscent of Venky’s at Blackburn Rovers. Hughton is the sixth man to take his place in the dugout since Marinakis bought the club in May 2017. The onus should be on the board to give Hughton time.
You would imagine that Hughton will see the resolution of those two issues above as a means to achieve stability first and foremost. On paper, Forest look too good to be involved in a relegation battle – although you never can tell in the Championship – but they certainly do not look like they will be anywhere near the Playoff spots even should Hughton quickly get them out of this funk. He might want to resist the temptation to overhaul the squad in January, although there are several players who might seem surplus to requirements.
Soh could be a superstar
The green shoots for Hughton? Some clear quality to build a team around. 19-year-old centre back Loic Mbe Soh, who Forest signed from Paris Saint Germain, looks like a star of the future. Lewis Grabban has demonstrated he has the skillset to get goals in the Championship. And, Jack Colback has settled in nicely, transferring from Newcastle after spending a couple of seasons on loan at the City Ground. You would worry, however, about signings like Cafu (not that one) and Miguel Guerrero, both of whom came from Olympiakos. Neither player would be there had it not been for Marinakis’ influence.
In a perfect world, Hughton would get time to assess the squad and then start building from next summer onwards. He might not get that, however, such is Marinakis propensity towards meddling. It would be a shame as Hughton seems the right man for the job of getting this historic club – the oldest in the EFL after Notts County’s relegation to the National League – back to where many believe it belongs.