If there’s one thing West Ham will be in need of during the summer transfer window, it’s a new starting striker.
None of the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Lucas Perez and Javier Hernandez have overly convinced, with Manuel Pellegrini set to go for a more youthful approach for first-team players next season who also won’t take up much of the wage bill.
It will be a positive change in direction for the club, who have prided themselves in recent seasons in signing experienced names for big wages, which hasn’t exactly gone to plan, and a player who could signal the end of this old transfer strategy is Birmingham City striker Che Adams.
The 22-year-old attacker was linked by the Daily Star with to a move to the Hammers in the final days of the January transfer window this year, however, no deal materialised and West Ham were unable to bring in a striker of any sorts, so this summer, Pellegrini would be wise to go back in for Adams.
The Birmingham striker has been a sensation for Gary Monk’s side this season, scoring 22 goals and assisting five and earning the nickname of ‘Chele’ from the Blues’ faithful, as well as being compared to the original Ronaldo by former teammate Matt Baker.
Adams has shown he has the ability to be a player who can play in the top-flight, and with Birmingham have an unremarkable season at best marred by a nine-point reduction, the striker could do with a change of scenery, and West Ham would be perfect.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The 22-year-old is still young in the game and can grow into a real Premier League standard striker should he make the leap to West Ham, and being coached by Manuel Pellegrini could turn Adams into a terrifying attacker for the Hammers.
West Ham fans, would Adams be a good addition to the team? Let us know!
Liverpool will travel to bitter rivals Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds are currently second in the Premier League table to Manchester City, but only trail the champions on goal difference and have a game in hand.
The clash at Old Trafford needs no build-up, with United also desperate to triumph as they bid to stay in the top four.
United will have had one day extra to prepare, with the Red Devils in FA Cup action against Chelsea on Monday night, whilst Liverpool tackled Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Liverpool midfield is an interesting topic of debate ahead of the match, with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Georginio Wijnaldum and Naby Keita battling for three spots.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…
The club’s fans have been on social media revealing their views and it would be fair to say that they have differing opinions on what should happen:
According to reports in The Sun, Arsenal are targeting a January move for Villarreal midfielder Pablo Fornals who has a £17.8m release clause, and their Premier League rivals Liverpool should hijack any potential deal.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Sun report that Gunners boss Unai Emery is ready to meet the 22-year-old’s bargain release clause as he searches for a replacement for Aaron Ramsey, who looks set to leave the Emirates when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The Sun report that the Spanish manager believes that his national compatriot has what it takes to be a hit in the Premier League, and he has been an impressive performer for Villarreal this term despite the fact that they are struggling towards the wrong end of the La Liga table.
Fornals has scored three goals and provided a further two assists in 17 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish club during the current campaign, while he has netted seven times and produced 15 assists in 63 outings in total having joined them from Malaga in the summer of 2017.
Why should Liverpool sign him?
The Reds came so close to bringing Lyon attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir to Anfield during the summer before a £53m deal broke down, and at times this season they have been missing that player that can make a difference in a No.10 role – especially when their front-three haven’t been firing.
Watch Playmaker FC’s Thogden react to England’s dramatic second-half comeback against Croatia in the video below…
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
There is no doubt that talented Spain international Fornals is capable of filling that role, and the fact that he can play in a deeper role or on the wing too is just another bonus.
Because of his reported price tag, the 22-year-old would be a budget alternative to Fekir for Jurgen Klopp, but he has the quality and potential to make the same impact as the Frenchman would.
According to TEAMtalk, Celtic are interested in signing Wigan forward Nick Powell and fans of the Bhoys on Twitter were excited by the rumour.
The transfer window in Scotland ends on August 31, the same day as the loan deadline for English Football League clubs and it is a host of Championship sides who Celtic are battling against for Powell’s signature.
Powell joined Manchester United from Crewe Alexandra during the summer of 2012 while still just a teenager, but the move didn’t work out for the youngster and after a series of loan moves away he was let go in 2016.
Wigan then signed the former England U21 international on a free transfer, having been the destination of Powell’s first temporary move away from United. In just over two seasons back at the DW Stadium, the now 24-year old has 24 league goals and 11 assists from games in both the Championship and League One.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
TEAMtalk now reports that Celtic are up against Middlesbrough, Stoke, West Brom and Leeds for the Englishman’s signature but many fans want Brendan Rodgers to sign him as a replacement for Stuart Armstrong, who joined Southampton for £7m this summer. Check out the best tweets below.
Newcastle United’s bid to avoid an instant return to the Championship was massively boosted over the weekend thanks to their 3-0 win against Southampton and with other results going for them, and Magpies fans are loving one statistic in particular.
The Toon’s comprehensive win against fellow strugglers Saints and Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and West Ham United all losing, and Huddersfield and Swansea City drawing with each other, saw them jump up to 13th in the standings and five points clear of the relegation zone.
Stoke’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester City on Monday night saw their goal difference drop to minus 28 (the worst in the Premier League), while only the top eight teams in the standings have a better record than the Tyneide outfit’s minus 10 – which could be worth an extra point in the coming weeks – and the St James’ Park faithful can’t get enough of manager Rafa Benitez right now.
Newcastle supporters have been quick to have their say on goal difference via social media, and while one said “our GD could be worth an extra point come May”, another said “Rafa’s so-called negative tactics could be crucial”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Manchester United are no strangers to huge transfers and big-name signings, having splashed the cash a lot in recent years, and Sky Sports reports that one major target considered a switch.
What’s the story?
Manchester United have consistently tried to upgrade their forward line in recent years, despite spending heavily to bring the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to the club, and there was one name on everybody’s lips two-years ago.
Back in 2015, Manchester United were extremely interested in Bayern Munich’s World Cup winning forward Thomas Muller and it’s now been revealed that the German sensation considered a switch- which may leave fans wondering what might have been.
Manchester United’s attacking line this year is ferocious but the Red Devils tried to secure further additions in the transfer market but, this time, it seems Muller wasn’t on the agenda- but he has seemingly opened the door for an exit from Bavaria in the future.
What’s been said?
Speaking to German publication Kicker, Muller said:
“There was a stage when the subject [a move to United] arose two years ago when I considered it, but then the club immediately backed me and I was told I belong here. I didn’t have to think about it a great deal after Bayern said we are counting on you and that you are an important man for us.”
“Of course, it’s possible [to leave]. When my time is up, it’s up. [Bastian] Schweinsteiger was here for over 10 years and now he’s been gone for over two years and another player is here instead.”
“It will be exactly the same with me. If I drop dead tomorrow, there will be a funeral, yet on Friday, 11 players will still be out on the pitch. That’s life.”
What might have been…
Had Thomas Muller moved to Manchester United, and had the same transfers gone ahead, then the Red Devils would boast an incredible attacking side with the likes of Lukaku, Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba helping to assemble a Galactico side at Old Trafford.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It does, of course, continue to raise questions about the club’s dedication to younger players in the squad, like Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, but it may well be that the Muller ship has sailed. Equally though, Manchester United could revive their interest should a move for the German sensation become possible.
According to reports on talkSPORT, Newcastle United are leading Red Bull Salzburg in the race to sign Saint-Etienne defender Mickael Nade.
Who?
The 18-year-old is a highly-rated centre-back who is yet to make his first team debut for the Ligue 1 outfit, but has impressed in appearances for the Under-19 and reserve teams.
Nade has already been likened to Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma, who also started his career with Saint-Etienne.
Britain Football Soccer – Crystal Palace v Chelsea – Premier League – Selhurst Park – 17/12/16 Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma arrives before the game Reuters / Peter Nicholls Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the young defender’s contract with the French outfit runs out in June, and it appears as though he would like to move on, with England being his preferred destination.
Red Bull Salzburg will battle Newcastle for his signature, but it is understood the offer of a professional contract at St James’ Park could be too good an opportunity to turn down.
Would he be involved in the first team?
Probably not.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Having not even made his senior debut for his current club, Nade certainly wouldn’t be thrown straight into the first team if he did move to Newcastle – especially if they are promoted back to the Premier League this season.
However, he would definitely get some experience with the club’s Under-23 side, which would allow manager Rafa Benitez to take a closer look at the teenager.
Amid the Leicester excitement, Newcastle’s potential great escape has been overlooked.
The Magpies were truly in the mire just four games ago, but Rafa Benitez has worked his magic to turn it all around. Sunderland still have it all in their hands – they know that if they win their remaining three they will stay up – however, three wins in a row for this Black Cats side is rather unlikely… and Newcastle face the comically bad Aston Villa next.
Benitez taking the Newcastle job was odd at the time, but now, having shown that he can get this highly talented squad to play, it is starting to make more and more sense. The Magpies have really struggled to live up to their expectations for the majority of this season, yet Benitez has rejuvenated the players and given the Geordie faithful some belief. It could yet be their year – it could be the black and white of Newcastle that are the next Premier League surprise package. The talent is there, the manager is there and they definitely have the home atmosphere to make St James’ Park a fortress. What is there to say that Newcastle can’t replicate the success of West Ham this season?
In Georginio Wijnaldum, Moussa Sissoko, Chancel Mbemba and Ayoze Perez, Newcastle have a spine of players who should be competing in the top half of the Premier League. Wijnaldum, for instance, moved to Newcastle last summer and it was a surprise to many that the star of PSV Eindhoven’s title winning side in 2014/15 was not moving to a team in a stronger position. The Dutchman has been patchy in his form throughout this campaign, but a couple of outstanding performances have shown the Tynesiders just how good he could become. Wijnaldum’s up and down season is symbolic of Newcastle in this campaign and equally representative of what they could be next season.
I’ll spare you the tedious – and meaningless – comparisons with ‘doing a Leicester’, as that is a freak that will seldom, if ever, be repeated. Newcastle need to be realistic in what they can achieve and, if they stay up, there is no reason they can’t make it into a battle in the top eight. The squad is there to really challenge the biggest sides, and St James’ Park should quickly return to the fortress it was when they were at their best. Aleksandar Mitrovic will quickly become the most popular man in the city with a few goals whilst Mbemba and Jamaal Lascelles have proven themselves as a trustworthy Premier League partnership.
Investment is unlikely to be flowing in the summer with Mike Ashley still at the helm, but Benitez can work around that. The Spaniard does not need to go signing Toni Kroos, as shrewd additions will comfortably be enough. West Ham’s squad is not light years ahead of Newcastle, nor is Southampton’s, there is simply no reason that the Magpies shouldn’t be competing in the top half of the table. All of the renowned ‘big sides’ will be fighting harder than ever next year, but Benitez can surely build a Newcastle team that has the mettle to match the talent, and only a couple of signings are needed to make a team that is good enough for a top six finish.
Assuming they manage to avoid the drop, Newcastle fans can reasonably expect their team to secure a top half finish next season. Their fan base, a world class manager and a squad rich in talent has all the makings of a team to shock a few people next season. St James’ Park can become one of the trickiest away trips once more and Benitez can become a Kevin Keegan-esque Geordie icon.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Manchester United’s owners are planning to back the club massively in the coming years to raise their value to a staggering £3billion, well, according to reports over the weekend. Edward Glazer recently sent out a prospectus to potential interested parties in the USA after putting three million of his own shares up for sale, with promises of global stars heading to Old Trafford to boost the team’s profile and worth across the globe.
The addition of Angel di Maria, despite a lack of Champions League football, over the summer is an indication of the ambition at the club, and taking advantage of a potential top four finish, which looks likely after the drubbing of Liverpool, is something the hierarchy at Old Trafford are keen to do. But which players will become a part of the ‘Gaalactico’ era?
Here are FIVE we think could be targets…
Gareth Bale
The world’s most expensive player after his £86m move from Spurs to Real Madrid last summer, Bale is certainly not a star out of United’s reach. Reports have already suggested that Los Blancos are, on the quiet, keen to offload their man for a profit, with manager Carlo Ancelotti no longer convinced by the Welsh wing wizard.
Even this season, in which his contribution is being questioned, the 25-year-old has already notched nine goal in 17 appearances, and his stats from 2013/14 are even more impressive – 21 goals and 16 assists. A fee of around £90m – £100m has already been spoken of, which could make Bale the ultimate statement of intent for United.
Thomas Muller
Possibly one of the most underrated players in European football, Muller has been a shining star for some time. The German attacker is by no means a flashy forward, but he gets the job done, as his statistics from the past few seasons truly reveal.
A product of Bayern’s youth set-up, luring the 25-year-old away from the Allianz Arena may be tricky, but the promise of being a key player for United in a, potentially, exciting period may be enough to sway him. The video below shows his best five Bundesliga goals… there are some crackers!
//www.youtube.com/embed/xzJerP4Llv8
Mats Hummels
While the term ‘Galactico’ throws up images of attacking talents such as Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham, a good, solid centre-back can also warrant the tag. In a period of time in which top-class defenders are in limited supply, Hummels looks to be the pick of the bunch, with the German tough and uncompromising in his style of play, while adept enough on the ball to launch attacks and charge forward from the back – hence the Franz Beckenbauer comparisons.
Dortmund are not enjoying a great deal of success in the Bundesliga right now, which has opened the door for the World Cup winner to leave for the right price. And that price may be a ‘Galactico’ figure of £40m+.
Mario Gotze
Another German to consider in Gotze. The slender playmaker has long been considered to be one of Europe’s best passers, and at the age of 22 he’s well and truly on his way to picking up all of the major honours available to him. A controversial move from Dortmund to Bayern in 2013 has yielded success for the starlet, but rumours of a switch away from the Allianz Arena have circulated in recent times.
//www.youtube.com/embed/J0l0CtDMXpY
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
As one of the very best ‘No. 10’s’ around, United would benefit massively from adding Gotze to their ranks, with a partnership with Angel di Maria enough to set pulses racing.
Paul Pogba
Now this one would be a shock, but money speaks. Pogba left Manchester United in 2012 to join Juventus, and quickly spoke out about his frustration with life at Old Trafford, suggesting that he would never return to the club. Ironically, the France international appears to be the type of player United now need above all others, which has led to rumours that the Red Devils are among the host of clubs looking at the 21-year-old.
//www.youtube.com/embed/xLkjRYQjfgE
Compared to Patrick Vieira, Pogba has been lauded for his physicality and technique, which have already led to talk that he’s destined to be one of the best central midfielders of his era. Juve tied their man down to a new contract a few months ago, but the Old Lady have already confessed that they cannot compete with the financial power of English clubs… read into that what you will.
Arsenal fans – anyone remember Julio Baptista? The Brazilian striker was only at the Emirates for a single season, and made an overall limited impact on Arsenal’s 2006-7 campaign. A burly forward most familiar with the Spanish style of football after three years in La Liga, he struggled to adapt to the pace of the Premier League and made little impact on the competition, with over half of his 24 appearances coming as a substitute.
Arsenal had nearly landed Baptista the year before. After two seasons at Sevilla which produced a remarkable 47 goals in 79 appearances across all competitions, by 2005 Baptista was touted as one of the most talented forwards on the market as Real Madrid and Arsenal led the chase to sign him. In addition, the then-24-year-old was an emerging part of the Brazilian national squad, for whom he often featured in more of an attacking midfield position and acted more as a link-up playmaker than a goal threat.
In that one-year stay, however, Baptista did break a club record, registering four goals in a single game againstLiverpoolin the League Cup quarter-finals. It was the performance that summed up why Arsene Wenger had been so interested in Baptista’s services before. A free-kick, a placed 20-yard strike and two tap-ins showed his versatility and for once Baptista’s trickery and guile were complimented by some genuine pace. He could have had a fifth goal but Jerzy Dudek saved his second-half penalty.
Wenger, a staunch defender of the striker throughout his difficult season inEngland, hailed Baptista’s performance after the game, calling him “a mentally very strong player… his quality is fantastic”.
The goals kept coming in the next round of the League Cup as Baptista scored two more against arch-rivals Tottenham in the semi-finals. He couldn’t help Arsenal overcomeChelseain the final, but the two games – the virtuoso performance againstLiverpoolin particular – had left Gunners fans with some insight into what might have been from Julio Baptista.
It’s obvious that his best performances came in the League Cup for Arsenal and his goals are equivalent to those of Theo Walcott in this year’s Capital One Cup – although Arsene Wenger will be hoping that Walcott takes his form into league games, something which Baptista failed to do.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Unfortunately, ‘The Beast’ hasn’t produced the same magic since, either. With the loan expiring in the summer of 2007, Baptista returned to Real Madrid but couldn’t produce the La Liga form of his time at Sevilla, and is currently without a club after stints with Roma andMalaga, where on both occasions he faded away after showing early promise. His involvement with the national side has fizzled out, too, and the 31-year-old has not been capped since 2010.
English fans, then, can count themselves lucky that they got a little taste of Baptista’s brilliance with that memorable display against Liverpool at Anfield.