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Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano has recently suggested on his Here We Go podcast that the Citizens are considering a move for Borussia Monchengladbach defensive-midfielder Denis Zakaria.

As per City Xtra on Twitter, the City board are focused on bringing in the Swiss international and have made contact with the player’s agent but nothing is advanced at this stage.

Should City agree a deal with the Bundesliga side for the £36 million-rated midfielder, he could prove to be Fernandinho’s long-term replacement at the club.

The 35-year-old Brazilian has made 321 appearances during his time the club, in which time he has contributed 23 goals and 26 assists (per Transfermarkt).

However, he is no longer a regular in Pep Guardiola’s side and is perhaps likely to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season.

Spanish midfielder Rodri was seemingly the man to step up as his long-term replacement, but the 24-year-old doesn’t look to be completely accustomed to the physicality of the Premier League thus far, with the Spanish international noticeably outpaced by Harry Kane in the defeat against Spurs recently, suggesting that the Citizens could do with someone more physical such as Zakaria in defensive-midfield.

The 24-year-old has been a big part of Monchengladbach’s success in recent seasons, with the club’s sporting director Max Eberl praising his influence recently, and lamenting the fact that he was injured, saying:

“Denis’ development has been fantastic. Especially in the past season under Marco Rose, he took a very big leap forward.

“With his dynamics, speed, aggressiveness and intense runs in behind, he is enormously important for our game. It’s no secret that we miss him a lot and that he’s not easy to replace.” (per Buli news)

The midfielder recently returned from that long-term knee injury, and City may have to act fast if they want to bring him to the club in the near future, as his superb performances in the Bundesliga last season suggest that he won’t be short of suitors.

It will be interesting to see whether City do actively pursue Zakaria in the upcoming transfer window and whether he could be the true heir to Fernandinho’s throne.

AND, in other news… City may well be regretting selling “very quick” centre-back 

Everton conducted a widespread transformation of Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield during the summer transfer window, effectively signing a whole new engine room.

Marcel Brands secured the services of James Rodriguez from Real Madrid, Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure and the Italian’s former lynchpin, Allan, and the Merseysiders have already reaped the rewards in fixing one of their biggest problems in one quick hit.

Sat in sixth place going into December, the Toffees are in a strong position to battle for a place in Europe next season. Indeed, they are merely four points behind league leaders Tottenham Hotspur, who Everton defeated on the opening day.

It could be time to move on some of the deadwood from Marco Silva’s reign and whilst many aren’t likely to command anything worthwhile in terms of income, there is one man who could bring in a hefty fee – Andre Gomes.

The Portuguese started the season playing alongside the aforementioned midfield trio but has found himself on the bench in three of their last four Premier League outings, via Transfermarkt.

Gomes is perhaps now seen as the main back-up to box-to-box addition, Doucoure, though as he’s valued at £21.6m by Transfermarkt, it would be wise to cash in on him before that number drops off significantly.

Especially as he’s raking in a cool £85k-per-week at Goodison Park, which is more than Lucas Digne, Seamus Coleman and Doucoure too, according to reports.

You could argue that Everton owes him a bit of loyalty given the horrible injury he sustained against Spurs last season, though football is a cruel game and Ancelotti ought to be ruthless with his decision-making here.

Gomes joined the club in a £22m deal from Barcelona and played an integral part under Silva but Sky Sports’ Charlie Nicolas has never been convinced, claiming he “could not cut it” at the La Liga giants (via HITC).

Whilst former Toffees monster Idrissa Gueye believes he “brings something special” yet we’ve never truly seen that ability after the 27-year-old averaged two fouls and just 0.6 key passes per game last term, via WhoScored.

Ancelotti must sell him in order to bolster other areas of need, such as out wide or in central defence.

AND in other news, Forget Gordon: Ancelotti could secure is new Robben in £45m-rated destroyer…

Tottenham Hotspur were dealt a devastating blow as one of their mooted defensive targets rejected a move on deadline day…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Star, Manchester City centre-back John Stones rejected a chance to join Spurs despite falling down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola.

It’s believed that the 26-year-old was reluctant to uproot his family and move to north London and will also not commit to leaving the Etihad Stadium until he’s told that he’s no longer wanted.

Missed trick?

Spurs could well have missed out on something good here.

The English colossus has often divided opinion following a £47.5m move to City but if there’s anyone that could bring the best out of a defender then it’s certainly going to be Jose Mourinho over Pep Guardiola, who once openly admitted that he doesn’t work on tackling and other elements of the defensive game.

Stones has enjoyed success against Harry Kane in the past too, silencing him in 2018 – per SofaScore, the City star won five duels and kept a clean sheet, leaving Spurs’ key talisman with a shocking 6.5 rating.

Former Spurs defender Kyle Walker is also a huge admirer of his teammate, once dubbing him “unbelievable” before adding: “You don’t quite appreciate him until you are playing alongside him. He rarely gets beat, he is great on the ball and he is very calm and level-headed.”

Mourinho’s first-choice pairing seems to be Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez, so with Toby Alderweireld starting to peak at 31, he could have been an ideal contender, if not successor, to the Belgian international.

The £27m-rated Stones has averaged an impressive 92% passing accuracy from nearly 60 passes per game, via WhoScored, throughout his career so there’s no doubting he’s an ideal modern-day central defender.

You can’t help but feel that Spurs have missed out severely here, although their transfer window, on the whole, was phenomenal.

AND in other news, £60k-p/w outcast quickly becoming a forgotten man at Spurs

Southampton may have identified their replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as Premier League rivals Liverpool look to offload Marko Grujic.

According to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, the Saints have their eye on the castaway Anfield man, who has been given a couple of last gasp minutes in action before his imminent departure. Grujic featured against Lincoln City and Arsenal in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup run, bagging himself his first ever senior goal in a 7-2 victory over the Imps.

Sadly for the Serbian, he has been listed alongside Rhian Brewster and Harry Wilson as part of a bumper upheaval to pocket a handsome £50million.

Southampton monitor Grujic

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are desperate for a defensive-minded midfielder after Spurs came in and plucked Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from their grasp. Southampton pocketed about £15million for the Denmark international, making a small profit on the original £12.8million spent on him back in 2016 (via BBC Sport).

At the moment, the Saints only have one senior defensive midfielder on their roster in the form of Oriol Romeu. However, after being benched several times last season, Hasenhuttl may be looking for a new option in the No.6 role.

Transfermarkt has valued Grujic at £13million and with him being surplus personnel on Merseyside, Liverpool could listen to offers in or even below that price.

Grujic praised for Hertha Berlin loan

The 24-year-old has spent the last two years out on loan, enjoying a two-season spell with Hertha Berlin and half a season with Cardiff City before that. The 6 ft 3 colossus scored a combined 10 goals across his loan spells with these clubs and contributed a further three assists (via Transfermarkt).

Former Hertha boss Pal Dardai waxed lyrical over the Serbia international’s time at the club. During a press conference following a victory over Frankfurt (via bundesliga.com), the Hungarian said: “This isn’t meant as an insult to anyone else, but Marko is by far the best midfielder I’ve seen in my time at the club.

“I was a defensive midfielder and managed to score 17 goals, which isn’t bad. But Marko carries much more of a goal threat, he’s got a sensational shot on him and is much better than I was […] He can play anywhere in midfield.”

Should Southampton opt to pursue a move, they will be buying a highly-recommended midfielder to fill the void left by Hojbjerg. A move could be on the horizon and fans must trust that Martin Semmens can orchestrate it over the line.

In other news, Southampton would get a Hojbjerg upgrade with Ibrahima Diallo deal…

It feels a bit wrong to say anything negative about Everton at the moment.

The Toffees are flying high after winning each of their three opening games in the Premier League, but with the transfer window still open, there is still room for activity.

The Merseyside club have been linked with numerous incomings with the likes of Arkadiusz Milik and Jean-Clair Todibo reportedly on their radar, but there is also a potential exit on the horizon.

Indeed, Alan Nixon is reporting that the club are willing to sell Jonjoe Kenny for a fee of around £10m, and that could end up being seen as a huge mistake for years to come.

Kenny was impressive in the Bundesliga last season during his loan spell with Schalke, and with Sheamus Coleman turning 32 next month, the Toffees do need a long-term solution at right-back and Kenny really could have been that man.

The fact that Arsenal have previously shown an interest in him in the past is enough to show just how highly he is rated, but with Coleman clearly being Everton’s first-choice in the right-back spot, it’s hard to see his immediate route into the starting XI at Goodison Park.

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Kenny is a local lad with years ahead of him, and it’d be a bitter pill to swallow for all supporters if he’s allowed to leave without making any real impact in the squad.

The defender impressed last season, and selling him as soon as he returns sends out the wrong message for any young player who is sent out on loan to develop their skills.

Another loan spell could be just what the doctor ordered, but a sale could be something Carlo Ancelotti lives to regret in the long run.

According to a report by reliable Football.London correspondent Alasdair Gold, Tottenham transfer target Habib Diallo is ‘keen’ to link up with manager Jose Mourinho at Spurs, with the Metz forward on Daniel Levy’s list of attacking candidates ahead of the 2020/21 Premier League season. 

Diallo, who racked up 12 goals and three assists in Ligue 1 last season, has been billed as a player who fits the Mourinho profile, with his price tag currently set at around £18.5m.

Standing at a lofty 6 ft 1, Diallo could be viewed as a traditional target man who can hold the ball up, bring his teammates into play and dominate defenders in the air, made evident by his brilliant record of 4.3 aerial duels won per match during the 2019/20 season (WhoScored).

The Senegalese attacker is also a potent threat in front of goal, having managed 2.9 shots per game last season, an even better average than Spurs’ star striker Harry Kane over fewer league appearances.

Taking this into account, it’s little wonder that Spurs and Levy have considered a swoop for Diallo, with the Premier League’s physicality potentially demanding a forward who can hold his own.

Gold has now claimed that the striker is eager to link up with Mourinho and, by extension, Spurs – gifting Tottenham a boost in the race for his signature. As well as Diallo, strikers Patson Daka and Arkadiusz Milik could be on the Spurs agenda, with the duo totalling a combined 41 goals in all competitions last term (Daka, 27; Milik, 14).

Whether or not Tottenham will prioritise Diallo over the other two remains to be seen, but the 25-year-old Metz attacker could be viewed as a real coup if Spurs can land him.

Spurs fans, is Diallo the perfect solution to your club’s striker conundrum? Have your say in the comments below…

Liverpool failed to return to winning ways against Arsenal after throwing away an early 1-0 lead at the Emirates.

The Gunners were able to capitalise on two defensive errors to come from behind and win the match 2-1. The victory sees them stay in their fight for Europa League football but ends Liverpool’s dreams of a 100-point season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have won just two of their matches since they were crowned champions. Their loss in London means they will not achieve centurion status and following their draw against Burnley at Anfield, they will not finish the season with a perfect home record.

Fans are frustrated with their most recent result and are particularly criticising Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s performance against his former side. According to Sofascore, the midfielder lost possession 14 times and failed to complete any of his attempted crosses. He was substituted off after 61 minutes and earned a disappointing rating of 6.5.

A lot of fans on Twitter aren’t happy – with one telling Chamberlain to ‘leave my club ASAP’. Others have branded him a ‘fraud’ and claimed ‘he’s done’.

Read more replies here:

Do you agree with the comments on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reds? Join the conversation in the comments below…

A signing made by Andre Villas-Boas, Hugo Lloris has been a permanent fixture in Tottenham’s staring eleven for a number of years now.

France’s World Cup winning captain has played 316 times for the north London side, and has more than proven his value to the team, even earning a runner-up medal for FIFA’s Best Goalkeeper award back in 2018.

But whilst he has been a loyal performer for the Lilywhites, his form has tailed off sharply over the past couple of seasons now. According to the Premier League’s official statisics, the last three campaigns has seen him make a total of eight errors that have directly led to goals – almost half of his entire total in his time at the club (18).

Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

That’s not even to mention the kind of mistakes that he has made in other competitions – who can forget the howlers against Barcelona at Wembley or away at PSV.

Injuries have also taken its toll on the veteran Frenchman, with the 33-year-old’s significant elbow injuxry this campaign restricting him to just 18 appearances across all competitions – not the kind of record you want for your supposed number one goalkeeper.

All this is exactly why Spurs are absolutely right to be pursuing a move for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson. The Englishman has been in between the sticks for Sheffield United as he continues learning his craft away from Old Trafford, but his performances in the Premier League for the Blades this year points to someone who is now more than ready for first-team action at a big club.

Henderson’s displays have been a big reason why Chris Wilder’s side have conceded just 25 goals in the top-flight – the second best record in the division, only behind Liverpool. His boss even insisted he’s ready to step up for international duty too saying: “He has got a mental strength to play in goal with his a hugely difficult position and a brilliant attitude and ability. I am sure he will be pushing and gaining that England shirt he is desperate to get.”

And the 23-year-old’s teammate at Bramall Lane, Sander Berge, went a step further with his praise, declaring: “He’s insane. I’ve never been with such a good goalkeeper. He saves balls from one yard. Sometimes I am completely speechless by how good he is. It’s like having two goalkeepers in goal with him. He is exceptional.” John Fleck even described him as a “bit mad” and having that vocal personality to truly succeed as a shot-stopper.

Make no mistake about it, Spurs are absolutely right to be targeting the 6 foot 2 Henderson this summer, and he could be the perfect long-term successor to Lloris.

Mason Greenwood has kept Manchester United fans in the loop after he posted a picture of himself in a shocking new outfit. 

After being given his first team debut by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last year, Greenwood has played in 39 games for United in this season so far, scoring 14 goals and supplying one assist in total.

Although most of his appearances have come as a substitute, the teenager has still managed to bag five goals in the Premier League (WhoScored).

The 18-year-old uploaded a photo of himself wearing some rather peculiar trousers.

/CAfhfJEpeXr/?igshid=62lscvb29g3j

Many eagle-eyed-fans will surely notice the red trim around the bottom of his car, which is a homage to his boyhood club. Fellow United academy product Brandon Williams clearly loved the body wrap as he commented: “need for speed.”

Solskjaer’s side reported for duty at Carrington earlier this week after the Premier League unanimously voted in favour of a return to group training in a major boost for Project Restart.

Greenwood will no doubt be looking to continue his fine form ahead of the European Championship next year as the domestic league aims to resume behind closed doors next month.

United fans, are you excited to see Mason Greenwood back on the pitch? Let us know down below!

As the Premier League rides the current conveyor belt into uncertain waters, many clubs are wondering how the current global crisis will affect their next transfer window.

For some, their financial worries will be of a much greater magnitude and could involve offloading players in order to make back some summer funds. Everton are amongst those likely to be concerned over their budget and whether the current climate will allow Carlo Ancelotti any breathing space to bring in new talent.

Another option to help minimise costs would be to turn to the out-of-contract players who are set to depart their teams at the end of the campaign. The Premier League has 57 free agents who have not been offered new contracts and Football FanCast has looked at two players who could fit the bill for the Blues if buying big is not an option.

Olivier Giroud

The Merseyside outfit once upon a time came close to penning Olivier Giroud’s future after he was made a top target to replace Romelu Lukaku. In 2017, Everton looked firmly in the running to poach the Frenchman after talks of Dortmund bringing him in were snubbed due to not wanting to offload Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

In an update from Transfermarketweb, Giroud was reportedly set to leave London with Merseyside his likely destination. Of course, the striker instead signed for Chelsea but Everton were reportedly inches away from winning the race for the £25million star (via BBC Sport). But now, with the French international looking to be leaving Chelsea as a free agent this summer, Everton should reignite their interest and add him to the Goodison ranks.

Giroud’s last two full seasons with Arsenal saw him tally a combined 40 goals and 13 assists – proof that when played consistently, he is a threat in front of goal.

The Blues have Dominic Calvert-Lewin who is currently in fine form, but to be able to learn from a veteran of the game who has a total of 203 career goals would be priceless experience. Not to mention the crucial rotation Giroud could provide for Everton’s attack.

Shane Long

The 33-year-old centre-forward could be available for free this summer unless Southampton act fast in renewing his contract. According to a report from the Daily Echo in February, the Saints were set to extend Shane Long’s deal but no further action has been taken as of yet.

However, amid the current financial difficulties, the club could want the striker off their books in order to free up some cash. Southampton also have younger forward options in the form of Che Adams and Michael Obafemi, as well as Danny Ings who has had an explosive season. His 15-goal tally compared to Long’s two could be enough to favour the Englishman and let the latter leave this summer.

Everton were reportedly linked to a move for Long back in 2016, but talks never came to fruition. However, with the Toffees looking to offload a hefty amount of deadweight this summer, they may not be able to spend big on targets they had in mind prior to this global crisis.

Furthermore, as Long approaches the end of his career, he could prove an important pivotal asset to this Everton side. His Premier League expertise and decades in the game would make for a strong substitute during more calculated games.