Tottenham fans desperate for new Toby Alderweireld deal

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Toby Alderweireld’s future is an interesting one.

The centre-back is now very much back in favour at Tottenham Hotspur, having played 34 times in all competitions for the club this season.

Alderweireld’s current contract with Tottenham will expire at the end of the 2019-2020 campaign, though.

What’s more, teams will be able to sign the Belgian for £25m this summer due to a clause in his current deal.

At that price, Alderweireld – a 2015 arrival from Atletico Madrid – will not be short of suitors.

There is still obviously a chance that the defender could pen a fresh deal with Tottenham, however, which would remove the release clause.

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And that is exactly what the Spurs supporters want to happen.

Alderweireld is one of the best central defenders in European football and losing the 29-year-old in this summer’s transfer window really would be a big blow.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Tottenham fans can be seen below:

Unstoppable Che Adams on course for big-time Premier League move

A new gem has been unearthed from the EFL Championship.

Indeed, Birmingham City’s Che Adams’ name is doing the rounds for his fantastic goal-scoring form for Birmingham City, where he’s almost single-handedly guiding them into securing a playoffs spot. Adams has been almost unstoppable and attracting surmounting transfer interest due to his heroics in the Second City.

Last month, almost 12 Premier League clubs had scouted Adams( via the Mirror) and the likes of Southampton (via Sky Sports) and Burnley (via the Mirror) even made an approach for him. While The Blues fought valiantly towards retaining their hitman, repeating the same in the summer will be difficult. Adams is coming up as an emerging youngster in English football and has the talent to prove it.

The 22-year-old forward’s scored 19 goals for Garry Monk’s side, which included a sensational hat-trick in the weekend in a thrilling 3-4 win over QPR. The youngster’s been practically unplayable at times, with his clinical touch in front of goal reaping him rewards this season.

Adams possesses a superb striker’s instincts and his unpredictable movement in an around the final third has troubled almost everyone he’s faced so far. He’s been able to create chances for himself with his clever positioning and hit some clean strikes this season. A wily forward with a powerful striking ability, he can also operate as an attacking midfielder due to his excellent link-up play, which has garnered him 2 assists as well.

The youngster’s entirely focused on gaining Premier League promotion with Birmingham City. However, regardless of whether he can do that or not, Adams is destined for top-flight football next season.

Out of favor Nick Pope could be ideal replacement for Petr Cech at Arsenal

Life at Burnley has gone from high to low really quickly for Nick Pope.

Lauded as the Clarets’ hero last season for his brilliant work in goal, Pope’s been unable to feature throughout this season. Despite being named in England’s World Cup squad, the former Charlton custodian faced a harsh reality when he suffered a dislocated shoulder in Burnley’s Europa League qualifiers in July.

He’s since unable to feature for the Clarets, with Joe Hart’s signing and Tom Heaton’s recent resurgence blocking any chances of returning into the starting lineup. However, that doesn’t mean Pope’s reputation’s gone down. According to reports (via The Sun), Pope’s attracted attention from Arsenal.

The Gunners want to sign a goalkeeper to replace Petr Cech, who is retiring at the end of the season. Pope can be a more than adequate replacement for Cech and can create a friendly competition with Bernd Leno as well. Pope kept 11 clean-sheets for Burnley last season, conceding only 35 goals in as many appearances and making 114 saves! (stats via Premier League)

A towering goalkeeper, he possesses enough where-with-all to collect high crosses and doesn’t let himself get bullied by strikers. Not only is Pope a formidable shot-stopper, pulling off unbelievable saves regularly, he’s also good with distribution and his alertness in goal is exemplary.

Quickly reaching his peak, replacing Pope for the error-prone Cech could be a masterstroke for Arsenal. It’ll give Unai Emery options to choose from two talented, young goalkeepers and help fix Arsenal’s leaky defensive state.

بيراميدز: لا نضايق الأهلي.. وما يحدث بين الناديين حاليًا "جس نبض"

نفى عمرو بسيوني مدير التعاقدات بنادي بيراميدز، تلقي رجب بكار لاعب فريقه عرضًا رسميًا من الأهلي لضمه خلال الميركاتو الصيفي الحالي.

ومن المقرر أن يرحل أحمد فتحي الظهير الأيمن بالأهلي لصفوف بيراميدز فور انتهاء الموسم الحالي.

وقال عمرو بسيوني خلال مقابلة ببرنامج “جمهور التالتة” المذاع على قناة “أون تايم سبورت 2”: “الصفقة الوحيدة التي تمت بتفاوض الأهلي وبيراميدز كانت لضم محمد مجدي أفشة، أما الثنائي شريف إكرامي وأحمد فتحي فانضما إلينا كصفقة انتقال حر”.

وأضاف: “عندما نحتاج لاعبًا من الأهلي سنقدم عرضًا رسميًا ولن نتواصل مع أي لاعب بدون علم إدارة القلعة الحمراء، والناس يحاولون تصدير فكرة أن بيراميدز يضايق الأهلي وهذا غير صحيح”.

واختتم موضحًا مدى حقيقة تلقي إدارة بيراميدز عرضًا من الأهلي لضم رجب بكار: “لم تصلنا أي عروض من إدارة الأهلي لأي لاعب حتى الآن، ولكن ما يحدث هو (جس نبض) من جانبنا ومن جانبهم على اللاعبين في الفريقين”.

Arsenal: The Premier League an awful lot more important than Europe

Last week has left Arsenal with a bit of a hurdle to jump, hasn’t it? It’s certainly not a mountain to climb, because they could progress with a 2-0 win, but it’s still an annoying distraction from the top four race, and the team are now at a crossroads.

The win against United has meant they’re now in a brilliant position to finish in the top four, or even come third, in this season’s Premier League. So priority has shifted from perhaps a Europa League win being their key into the Champions League, to the domestic league holding a great chance too.

It seems sensible now to prioritise the league and field a side in the Europa League that wouldn’t hamper the squad’s fitness for the weekend. If they progress through the competition with that mentality, then great. In the final, they could then go all-out.

However, if they get knocked out, it wouldn’t be such a blow as it would have been if Spurs had maintained such strong form and United would have beaten them at the weekend. There’s belief that Unai Emery and his side deserve to play in the Champions League next season, and it’s hard to argue with that, so it’s important they don’t burn themselves out trying to succeed in both.

Worst case scenario, Emery makes his key men play too many minutes and their performances in both the Europa League and Premier League drop so they don’t earn Champions League through either. That would then hinder the club’s ability to attract the players Emery wants to create a team capable of fighting for the title.

The Premier League should now be the focus, despite Emery’s success in the continent’s second-tier competition.

Arsenal fans, how do you think Unai Emery should approach team selection in the Europa League? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Yorkshire derby is far from the biggest test of Leeds United’s promotion credentials

It’s reaching that time of year again, isn’t it? Where nails are bitten, nerves are high and every result counts in the race for promotion. Leeds are in their strongest position for years, but the next two games before they face Sheffield United can make or break their chances.

Yes, to earn automatic promotion it’s important to win those ‘six-pointers’ against your rivals who are fighting it out for the same two spots, but without the points against teams further down, those big games are pointless. The Whites now head to sixth-placed Bristol City and 21st placed Reading before returning to Elland Road to play United.

They’re now two points clear of the Blades, who sit in third place and two points behind leaders Norwich City. They must keep the pressure on the teams around them by winning these next two games and proving they’re not going to flake away like they have so often in recent years.

Their 4-0 win at home to West Brom on Friday made a statement to say they weren’t shaken after the 1-0 defeat at the hands of QPR just three days earlier. Picking up from a setback is key to any promotion race and they must continue this against Bristol on Saturday.

Winning that and the game at Reading would give them the momentum to take back home and use against Sheffield United who may also have their own noses up after two home games against Brentford and Rotherham.

It’s so tight at the top right now that goal difference may be the difference between automatic promotion to the Premier League and being thrown into the play-offs.

Norwich have +26, Leeds +21 and the Blades +25, so it’s going to be tight to say the least. It’s in games like the one against Reading where Leeds have to make more use of the chances they will create to push up their goal difference.

The next two games leading up to that crunch game at Elland Road can decide Leeds’ promotion chances and they must get it right. If they don’t beat the teams who aren’t even challenging for automatic promotion, they don’t deserve to be in the top two at all.

Leeds fans, tell us how nervous you are. Is there a more horrible feeling? Join the discussion by commenting below…

تشكيل الأهلي أمام الترسانة.. مصطفى شوبير والشحات أساسيان

أعلن السويسري رينيه فايلر المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي تشكيل فريقه أمام الترسانة اليوم في المباراة التي ستقام ضمن منافسات كأس مصر.

ويلعب الأهلي ضد الترسانة في إطار مواجهات دور الـ16 ببطولة الكأس.

وشهد تشكيل الأهلي اليوم عودة بادجي أساسيًا والاعتماد على مصطفى شوبير في حراسة المرمى وحسين الشحات، كجناح. تشكيل الأهلي أمام الترسانة

حراسة المرمى: مصطفى شوبير

خط الدفاع: أحمد فتحي – حمدي فتحي – ياسر إبراهيم – محمود وحيد.

خط الوسط: أليو ديانج – محمد مجدي “أفشة” – جونيور أجاي – حسين الشحات.

خط الهجوم: مروان محسن – أليو بادجي.

طالع أيضًا.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة الأهلي والترسانة في كأس مصر

طالع أيضًا.. بدلاء الاهلي الرسمي امام الترسانة في كاس مصر

وكان الأهلي قد انتصر على بني سويف في دور الـ32 بنتيجة 3-1، بينما نجح الترسانة في إقصاء إنبي بركلات الجزاء الترجيحية.

Ajer the answer to Brendan Rodgers’ biggest conundrum

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Brendan Rodgers has one very important decision to make in defence for the return leg with Valencia.

It doesn’t involve the full-back positions – Jeremy Toljan and Jonny Hayes seem certain to start – but in central defence the Celtic boss has to decide who plays alongside Dedryck Boyata.

In the first leg Jozo Simunovic was pulled all over the place with Valencia’s second goal delivered by an unmarked Ruben Sobrino shooting home from seven yards out. At that moment the odds on Celtic progressing became ridiculous.

On Sunday at Kilmarnock Kris Ajer replaced Simunovic, who has made just one appearance on a plastic pitch since joining Celtic in 2015.

The former Dinamo Zagreb defender has never quite convinced the Celtic support that he is the real deal. Apart from one memorable challenge on Kenny Miller there have been few domineering performances in between regular spells out injured. According to Transfermarkt he has had eight absences due to injury.

By contrast Ajer has always made himself available – away to Astana in the 2017 Champions League qualifier he learned some punishing lessons as Celtic leaked goals but just managed to hang on to claim a place in the group phase.

Ajer is effectively in his second season at Celtic, deputising behind Boyata and Filip Benkovic who are the first choice pairing but about to leave the Hoops in the summer.

The young Norwegian has had some testing times but 90 minutes against Valencia will have him fully prepared for next season’s Champions League qualifiers – assuming Celtic clinch the title.

None of next season’s Champions League opponents will be on a par with the Spanish side. This season Celtic would have faced qualifiers against the champions of Greece and Hungary to reach the group phase.

Rodgers has spoken recently about age not being a barrier – giving Ajer the jersey to face Valencia is a sound decision for the clash in the Mestalla with plenty of dividends down the line for the player and club.

Liverpool fans want Milner to leave this summer

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Loads of Liverpool fans have been reflecting on the weekend’s action, and they’re not too happy with the form of James Milner.

Liverpool returned to the summit of the Premier League on Sunday, drawing 0-0 at Old Trafford in a rather drab affair.

The Reds have now drawn four of their last five games in all competitions, and the front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have combined for just two goals across those four draws.

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All three were ineffective again on Sunday, but the real problems are further back in the team, where the lack of creativity in midfield is a huge problem.

Milner filled in at right-back at Old Trafford, and the versatile ace had by far the most chances to create dangerous situations for the Reds, yet he couldn’t produce a single good cross. When he plays in midfield, his crosses and forward play are equally ineffective.

The 33 year-old has said in the past that he would like to move back to Leeds United after his time at Anfield ends, and fans are now discussing the prospect of axing him this summer.

Milner is a Jurgen Klopp favourite and for good reason, but the Twitter reactions down below suggest his time at the club is nearing its end…

Brendan Rodgers right man to get Leicester back running in Premier League

It’s been a drastic past few days at Leicester City.

After parting ways with Claude Puel, the Foxes successfully managed to tap Brendan Rodgers as their new manager (via Leicester City), relying on the Northern Irishman to turn things around in this disappointing season and beyond.

At the risk of incurring the Celtic fans’ wrath, Rodgers has the opportunity to become a new hero at Leicester. After enduring some difficult few months under Puel, the Foxes faithful will be looking for him to bring back life in their gameplay. Having already played his trade at Liverpool, Rodgers knows what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.

He was extremely successful at Celtic, winning the treble not once, but twice! However, the smell of competition and fame couldn’t allow him to say no to a return. Having a 50.30% win-rate with Liverpool and 44.79% win rate with Swansea (stats via ManagerStats), he definitely knows what it takes to win games at England’s top flight.

Rodgers’ attacking philosophy and renowned man-management skills are exciting prospects for Leicester. While his immediate job will be to bring back joy to their game, Rodgers will slowly integrate his possession-based, sleek style which was so devastating at Liverpool.

He’ll relish the prospect of working with such a vibrant, youthful unit. With experienced candidates like Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel to help him and brilliant talents like James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Demarai Gray, Rodgers can get the Foxes playing beautiful football to rise up the Premier League ranks once again.

Leicester City won’t win the title again but, at last, their fans are about to go on their best ride since.

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