All posts by n8rngtd.top

[ad_pod ]Newcastle United have identified two potential replacements for Rafael Benitez, per The Times.The Magpies are, per the aforementioned report, aware that Benitez could leave the club at the end of the season, when his contract expires.Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been placed on a shortlist to replace the Spaniard if he does choose to depart, along with former Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner.Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…Wagner left the club last month as the Terriers languished in the relegation zone, while Rodgers has a contract with the Scottish giants until 2021 and is chasing yet another domestic treble.Newcastle, meanwhile, have spent this season fighting off relegation. The Magpies face Wolves on Monday evening as they look to pull away from the drop zone.And fans are not happy with the links to Rodgers and Wagner, insisting that the club should do everything they can to ensure that Benitez stays at St. James’ Park for the foreseeable future.

Patrick van Aanholt is set to leave Crystal Palace when his contract this summer after four-and-a-half years with the club.

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, the 30-year-old full-back is set to be released by the Eagles as they embark on a mass clearout of their first-team squad.

The Dutch international is one of 17 players approaching the end of their existing deals at Selhurst Park, and with manager Roy Hodgson also announcing his imminent departure, it could be a totally different-looking Palace side that lines up at the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Steve Parish is making a mistake

It’s set to be a summer of upheaval at Selhurst Park, but getting rid of one of your best defenders doesn’t make much sense.

Van Aanvolt has made 21 Premier League appearances for the south London side this season, recording 1.4 interceptions per game, the second-highest total in the Palace squad, and 1.1 defensive dribbles per game, the third-highest total in the Palace squad.

While the capital club certainly needs to freshen up their options along the backline, as well as in midfield and attack, the exit of their most accomplished left-back could be a decision they come to regret.

Young academy graduate Tyrick Mitchell has performed admirably after coming into the starting XI in recent weeks, but at just 21, still has a lot of development to do to be able to cope with top-flight attackers week in week out.

Learning under the guidance of an experienced campaigner who has over 200 Premier League appearances to his name for another couple of seasons could have been the perfect way for Mitchell to develop and hone his craft.

The likes of James McArthur, Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend could yet follow the former Sunderland man out of the Palace exit door, however, Van Aanholt’s absence could well be felt the strongest next season, all in order to save on his £55,000-per-week wages, Steve Parish may regret letting him go.

And, in other news…Palace must secure a deal with ‘colossal’ powerhouse, Eagles fans would love it – opinion

Many Everton fans have been left to fume as the Goodison Park faithful have announced a kick off time for their game at home to Wolves.

As per the official website of the Merseyside club, the match, which is set to take place on Wednesday 19th May, will kick off at 6pm.

This will be the only fixture of the 2020/21 term that Toffees will be allowed into their stadium to watch Carlo Ancelotti’s team, but several supporters have voiced their rage at the decision to make it a 6pm kick off.

The ground may be a struggle to get to given fans’ situations with work and their families, and so it has come as a big disappointment given Blues have not been able to go to Goodison Park for a long time.

Everton fans on Wolves kick off time

These EFC supporters fumed as the update was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was ‘absolutely ridiculous’:

“First game back with fans and it’s been moved it 6pm proper thinking of the fans there”

Credit: @Fordy1EFC

“Awful times again….”

Credit: @nickgartland

“All these stupid kick-off times best binned when grounds can be full again.”

Credit: @IanG1878

“Allow supporters back then schedule a match for 6pm on a weekday. Absolutely ridiculous @premierleague”

Credit: @NeilSolan

“6pm kick off. How the hell are fans getting to that game midweek? Joke.”

Credit: @80sEFC

“6pm midweek kick off when fans are allowed back is a poor decision. TV before fans again”

Credit: @kev83mav

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Toffees buzzing here!

Everton are expected to sanction the sale of Jonjoe Kenny this summer, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

The report claimed that Carlo Ancelotti is unconvinced by the young right-back, who has spent the second half of the season on loan at Celtic

Burnley apparently ‘retain an interest’ in Kenny, who is valued at £6.3m by Transfermarkt.

Reflecting on Kenny’s Everton career

Kenny has made almost 50 appearances for Everton after coming through their academy, 35 of which have come in the Premier League.

When the defender made his breakthrough in 2018, Jamie Carragher hailed him as ‘your typical Scouse full-back – very aggressive, takes no prisoners, but he also has quality going forward’. The Sky Sports pundit added the ‘traditions of Everton are that they always have those types of players’.

Kenny’s tackling average of 2.1 per game in that season would appear to back up Carragher’s compliment about his controlled aggression.

Aarons is the right-back Everton really want

The Daily Mail claimed that the Blues want competition for an eventual right-back successor to current captain Seamus Coleman.

However, rather placing their faith in Kenny, they have their eyes on Norwich City’s Max Aarons, who could cost £30m. England international Kieran Trippier is also named as an alternative.

Transfer Tavern verdict

The fact that the Daily Mail’s report makes no mention of interest from Celtic in a permanent transfer speaks volumes for Kenny’s future.

The 24-year-old has failed to kick on in the manner that Everton would have hoped, with some of his performances in Scotland drawing the ire of the Parkhead faithful.

He could still go on to forge a good career for himself in the lower reaches of the Premier League, but the Toffees are right to look elsewhere for their heir to Coleman, with his current backup seemingly having no future under Ancelotti.

In other news, Alan Myers delivered this update on Everton’s pursuit of Max Aarons. 

Leicester City have potentially been handed a huge blow in their pursuit of Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard with a fellow Premier League club having jumped up the queue for his signature.

According to Football Insider, West Ham United are now in pole position to capture the Frenchman and are confident of signing him during the transfer window.

The Foxes have long been linked with a move for Edouard, with The Telegraph recently revealing that the East-Midlanders are set to battle with Arsenal for his signing ahead of the 2021/22 season with the striker having expressed an intention to leave his current employers.

However, with West Ham now having elbowed their way to the front of the queue for Edouard, it is a big blow for Leicester.

Rated at £13.5m, the former Paris Saint Germain man would have been excellent competition for current Foxes’ forwards Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Whilst the Nigerian has been in hot form in recent months, Vardy has been drastically off-form having scored just once in his last 14 Premier League appearances.

A failed move would also be a huge disappointment particularly for current Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers, who worked with the 23-year-old during his tenure at Celtic Park.

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Bringing him to the club initially on-loan before agreeing a permanent deal a year later, Edouard plundered a huge 27 goals in 68 appearances under the Northern-Irishman, helping the Hoops to two Scottish Premiership titles during Rodgers’ time at Celtic.

In all, Edouard’s record at the club is hugely impressive having netted 81 goals in just 163 appearances.

However, it is now looking like Leicester and Rodgers will not be able to call upon that eye for goal with West Ham now reportedly taken a huge step towards signing Edouard in the summer in what is certainly a huge blow for the Foxes.

AND in more news, remind yourself of a bargain transfer that has gone bad for Leicester…

Rangers youngster Stephen Kelly has spent this season on loan at Ross County and is winning a lot of plaudits for his displays, so Steven Gerrard should consider unleashing him at Ibrox next season.

The 20-year-old joined John Hughes’ side on loan for the season last summer and has been a regular in the side throughout the 2020/21 campaign, making 25 appearances in all competitions, contributing two assists in that time.

The Scotland under-21 international, who is a product of Rangers’ youth academy, has previously spent time on loan with Ayr United in the Championship, where he also impressed, managing six goals and four assists in 33 appearances.

The young midfielder has shown this season that he can cut it at the top level of Scottish football and he could prove to be an important part of Gerrard’s squad next season, especially if we see fellow midfielder Glen Kamara depart as a result of the interest being shown in him by several Premier League clubs.

The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell recently sat down with Ross County manager John Hughes, who waxed lyrical about Kelly’s talent, comparing him to Rangers regular Steven Davis.

The Staggies boss said: “He’s as brave as a lion and has the courage to get on the ball. He’s my type of player: someone who wants the ball and keeps it ticking over. He understands the game. He’ll look at you and say, ‘I don’t quite get that’. He knows if he grasps and implements it, he’ll be better for it.”

Meanwhile, former Ayr manager Mark Kerr was also full of praise for the young midfielder after his excellent performances last season, saying: “I love him to bits. He’s a manager’s dream and (was) one of the best professionals at the club. He wants to be the best that he can be.”

Therefore, after proving himself in both the Championship and the Premiership on loan in the past two seasons, the next natural step for Kelly would surely be to build on the one senior appearance he has managed at Rangers so far in his career by establishing himself in Gerrard’s first team next season.

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Certainly, if his performances over the last two seasons are anything to go by, it looks as if Kelly could have a bright future at Ibrox.

In other news… Rangers could sign their ideal Kamara heir in 20 y/o wonderkid

Motherwell defender Declan Gallagher has been linked with a move to Celtic Park in the summer.

TEAMtalk reported earlier this month that the Hoops were ready to make a move for the central defender, who has had his head turned by Celtic’s interest and will be available for free as he is out of contract this summer (Transfermarkt).

Fresh Gallagher link

Now, Give Me Sport are the latest to share news on Gallagher. They claim that the Scotland international is definitely of interest to the Hoops.

Rochdale’s Kwadwo Baah and Peterborough’s Siriki Dembele are two other players also being looked at by Celtic ahead of a summer potentially filled with cut-price moves.

All three could be available for next to nothing at the end of the current campaign when their respective contracts expire, allowing Dominic McKay to start his reign as the new Hoops chief with some bargain hunting.

Bye bye Duffy

Gallagher, a boyhood Celtic fan, is seemingly keen on a Parkhead switch, and would be a clever replacement for Shane Duffy as he has more experience in the league and would cost less.

Duffy is set to return to Brighton in the summer following his season-long loan in Glasgow, and financially, bringing in Gallagher to replace Duffy could be a shrewd move.

Gallagher is on just £1,400-a-week, whereas the Hoops have reportedly been paying £25,000 of Duffy’s £45,000-a-week wage.

The Motherwell man has over 100 Scottish Premiership appearances under his belt and could prove a solid addition to battle the likes of Kris Ajer, Christopher Jullien and Stephen Welsh.

In other news: One former Celtic man worried over Celtic’s possible move for Gallagher, find out more here. 

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has been handed an injury problem ahead of his return to the England U21 fold.

According to the Manchester Evening News, the striker has been forced to withdraw from international duty with an unidentified injury.

The report suggests that the Red Devils are hopeful that the problem will not keep him restricted to the sidelines for too long but it will nonetheless be a concern for United and, of course, for Greenwood himself.

Before he picked up the problem, it was appearing that the 19-year-old was beginning to regain his form in front of goal.

He ended a long goal drought at the weekend, netting his first strike since January in the team’s damaging 3-1 defeat to Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Having scored 19 goals last season but just five so far this term, the international break would have given him the opportunity to continue his recent form with the Young Lions set to begin their UEFA U21 Euro campaign against Switzerland, before matches against Portugal and Croatia.

He will now not be available for Aidy Boothroyd’s team and Greenwood’s absence will be of concern to Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

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Manchester United have been handed an attacking injury crisis in recent times with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Edinson Cavani all suffering from their own problems.

Whilst the latter two did make their returns from injury in the defeat at Leicester, any reoccurrence, coupled with Greenwood’s problem, could see the Red Devils extremely light in attacking positions.

It is clear that Solskjaer is a big fan of the youngster, with him stating that the £45m-rated forward is “top class”, so his absence will be felt.

It will be hugely disappointing that the Red Devils and the Young Lions will be missing a player of such calibre, especially with the upcoming tournament such a great opportunity for Greenwood to continue re-finding his clinical touch.

If he performed well at the U21 level, which he was more than capable of given his immense quality, he could have returned to United full of confidence, but that will no longer be the case, which will more than likely be a bit of a blow to his manager.

AND in more news, the Red Devils must regret not moving for a midfielder currently starring for a Premier League rival…

Rangers’ signing of Joe Aribo from Charlton Athletic in 2019 looks to have been a masterstroke by the Ibrox outfit, with the Nigerian international’s market value having gone through the roof in his two years working under Steven Gerrard.

The midfielder joined on a free transfer from the Addicks in July 2019 and has been a regular with the Light Blues in the two years since, making 84 appearances for Gerrard’s side, in which he has contributed 16 goals and 12 assists.

Rangers did superbly well to sign Aribo for nothing when they did, as he had just played a huge part in Charlton’s promotion to the Championship through the League One playoffs, weighing in with 10 goals and five assists across the season.

At the time of his signing, Gerrard confirmed that there were plenty of clubs in the Premier League and Championship, as well as some across Europe, who were interested in signing the young midfielder, which emphasises just how well Rangers did to bring him to Ibrox.

This season in particular has seen Aribo impress for the Gers, as he has contributed six goals and four assists in 26 Premiership appearances so far in 2020/21, resulting in a superb 7.40/10 average rating from WhoScored.

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This rates him as the joint-second best performer for Gerrard’s side in the league so far this term, which emphasises just how important he has been to Rangers’ title success.

It is no surprise, therefore, that his market value on Transfermarkt has significantly increased as a result of his performances this season, as he is now rated at £3.15m, which is the highest value of his career.

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Considering that Aribo was valued at just £450,000 when he joined the club, it is excellent to see how his impressive performances on the pitch are being recognised by a significant increase in market value, and it would not be a surprise if we see the 24-year-old’s value continue to rise in the future.

Last season, Gerrard labelled the Nigerian international “outstanding” after an impressive performance against Braga, and it seems clear that the midfielder has now established himself as a key player under the former Liverpool captain.

In other news… Gerrard suffers potentially huge Rangers transfer blow with “outstanding talent”

A discussion within the Leeds camp over Pablo Hernandez’s potential successor has been going on for a considerable period of time.

On the odd occasion last season, it was thought that the Spaniard’s performances were dwindling. At the age of 35, you can hardly blame those assessments. He’d lost a yard of pace and it was difficult to envisage him playing two games a week in a demanding Championship campaign.

However, once all was said and done, Hernandez walked away with his third successive Player of the Year award.

The attacking midfielder is a cult-hero at Elland Road but this season really has been the one where he’s struggled.

Hernandez has started just twice in the Premier League and despite Rodrigo suffering from an injury over the last few weeks; he’s still struggled to get in the side.

The reason behind that has been Tyler Roberts, someone enjoying somewhat of a rejuvenation in Yorkshire.

In January, he was on the cusp of leaving. Bournemouth were interested in his services but ultimately, the Welshman stayed. His decision to do so has immediately been vindicated.

He has gone from Leeds outcast to the man now looking like the most likely to leave Hernandez in his wake.

Roberts might not have the mouth-watering numbers that Leeds’ Spanish dynamo has recorded in recent seasons but his performances of late have been impressive.

He has had two goals ruled out against West Ham and Chelsea, strikes that would have been fine rewards for his displays.

The West Brom academy product is improving all the time and nothing typifies that more than his performance against Chelsea last weekend.

The 22-year-old was named BT Sport’s Man of the Match and was even included in Alan Shearer’s official Premier League Team of the Week.

Against Chelsea, he was rather wasteful in possession, something he needs to work on to really succeed Hernandez. That being said, he is beginning to make all the right noises.

In offensive areas, he was excellent. Roberts was unlucky to have a goal from close range ruled out while he also struck the bar with a lovely dipping effort from the edge of the box. Roberts completed three dribbles during the contest; the same number as Raphinha and had a further two shots on target.

This was an eye-catching performance, especially against a Chelsea side with five consecutive clean sheets to their name.

Described as “very talented” by Leeds guru Phil Hay, there is evidently a future for Roberts at Elland Road. In January, that didn’t look like the case.

Of course, he still has a considerable way to go to really cement his place in this Leeds team. However, in the absence of Rodrigo he has thrived.

Bielsa has entrusted him ahead of one of the club’s greatest players in the last few years; that is telling. He could just be Hernandez’s replacement.

AND in other news, Forget Gelhardt: Leeds must finally unleash rarely-seen 19 y/o, he’s a “box of tricks”…