All posts by h716a5.icu

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Ruben Neves has easily been one of the brightest talents in the Premier League this season and as a result, is attracting the interest of one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

According to El Gol Digital, Atletico Madrid are lining up the Wolves midfielder as a possible replacement for Thomas Partey who may leave the La Liga club in the summer.

The report claims that he could cost as much as €50m (£43.1m) so Nuno Santo’s team would end up getting quite a significant financial windfall should he leave.

In the past, Neves has also caught the eye of Manchester City and Liverpool but nothing concrete has come forward for the Portuguese star.

The 22-year-old has been phenomenal since arriving from Porto ahead of Wolves’ Championship winning campaign last term. With this in mind, can the club afford to lose him this summer? Football FanCast writers give their verdicts.

Ben Goodwin:

“I think Wolves can easily cope without Neves mainly because they will get a massive transfer fee for him. The 22 year-old is a crucial cog in Nuno’s system, but he is not irreplaceable, and so long as the money from his exit goes towards signing one or perhaps two elite passers of the ball to take over his role in the midfield they will be fine.”

Harry Elnaugh:

“I think it would be a huge step back for Wolves to sell Neves. Few players outside the top six can pass a ball with the consistency and range that the Portuguese can, and the Wolves hierarchy would have to be mad to cash in on that commodity.” 

Jack Saville:

“I think this summer is a brilliant time to cash out on Neves. One positive season in the top-flight will naturally command plenty of suitors, but if he fails to kick on next year questions will be asked of his true scope for development. He has been brilliant at times this season and tepid at others, so I don’t think it would be as cataclysmic a loss as one might have thought during the early stages of the season.

With the likes of Moutinho and Dendoncker in the squad and a massive fee likely to arrive in exchange for Neves’ services, Nuno should be entertaining the possibility of selling Wolves’ crown jewel this summer.”

Finishing third place in the League One table to set up a play-off semi-final clash against Doncaster Rovers, it has been a good season for Charlton Athletic.

And one player who has certainly played his part in making all of the above possible is Lyle Taylor.

The 29-year-old, who was recently named Charlton’s 2018/19 Player of the Year, has been in superb form this campaign, scoring 21 goals in English football’s third tier.

Bearing that in mind, it would not be a surprise to see some Championship clubs come in for him in the summer.

And should Charlton not have that status next season, a move could be inevitable. All things considered, Taylor now looks to have outgrown the division he is currently playing in.

Having established himself as a top League One centre-forward, the Montserrat international will undoubtedly now want to test himself at a higher level in a league such as the Championship, be it with or without Charlton.

After losing Karlan Grant to Huddersfield Town earlier on in the season, the last thing Lee Bowyer will want if he is still at the helm next term is to see another key forward depart.

But if the Addicks fail to win promotion, being forced to part ways with Taylor could become a real possibility.

Charlton fans, do you think your club can keep hold of Taylor this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below.

When Middlesbrough announced the signing of Martin Braithwaite in 2017, their supporters had every right to be excited given his previous escapades with Toulouse.

During his time with Les Violets, the forward almost single-handedly kept them in Ligue 1 by reaching double figures for goals in consecutive seasons.

Therefore, when he arrived at the Riverside Stadium, expectations were understandably high.

Although Braithwaite failed to score in his first two appearances for the Smoggies, he eventually opened his account by firing home against Brentford before adding another just two weeks later in a 2-2 draw against Barnsley.

Yet despite making a good start to his career in North Yorkshire, then-boss Garry Monk’s insistence of playing the 27-year-old out of position severely hampered his development and therefore it was not at all surprising when he left the club on loan in January 2018 to join Bordeaux for the remainder of the campaign.

Whilst back in France, Braithwaite enjoyed a fruitful spell in which he scored four goals and provided three assists for Les Girondins as they finished sixth in Ligue 1.

After being linked with a permanent move away from the Smoggies last summer, Tony Pulis eventually convinced him to give the Championship another shot.

Having begun the 2018/19 campaign in brilliant fashion by scoring in three of Boro’s opening four fixtures, it looked as if Braithwaite was about to take the second tier by storm.

However, this, unfortunately, wasn’t the case as after going 13 games without a goal, the £7.2m-rated ace (via Transfermarkt) was shipped out on loan five months ago to Leganes.

Although it is fair to say that he hasn’t pulled up any trees whilst playing in La Liga, it is looking increasingly likely that Braithwaite’s two-year spell with Boro will be coming to an end when the transfer window opens.

Speaking to Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet (as quoted by Sport Witness), the forward admitted that: “I’m not coming back to Middlesbrough, I can’t imagine that.

“The project I was presented with in Middlesbrough changed completely when Pulis arrived. He has a strange way of playing football.

“The team plays defensively with long balls. It doesn’t look good for me.”

With the clearly forward pining for a move away, it may be beneficial for both parties to let him leave.

Whereas the Smoggies would receive some much-needed funds to make some alterations to their squad in the summer, Braithwaite will receive the chance to start afresh at a new club.

What do you think Boro fans? Should your club cut ties with Braithwaite in the summer? Or is worth giving him one final opportunity to impress next season? Let us know below.

Manchester City wrapped up a superb domestic treble this weekend with a stunning 6-0 win over Watford in the FA Cup final.

Pep Guardiola’s men have been brilliant throughout the campaign and thoroughly deserve their three big trophies, and the challenge now for the Spaniard is to try and ensure he can keep the hunger in his squad and keep on winning the biggest prizes.

The departure of Vincent Kompany this weekend is one of the first signs of the City squad beginning to break apart, and the likes of David Silva, Fernandinho, and Sergio Aguero are players who might well be in the next group of City regulars to move away from the club.

That’s why we think that the club being linked with a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri makes perfect sense, with the Spaniard rumoured to be the subject of a £65m bid from the Manchester giants.

City have got to move soon to replace some of their top stars in the middle of the park, especially in the form of Silva and Fernandinho, who are now both into their 30s and will need some of the pressure taking off them in the coming seasons.

Rodri has everything about him to become the next Silva for the Cityzens, and with the right coaching under Guardiola and his skilled coaching team, he could have a huge impact on proceedings at the Etihad.

The 22-year-old has the potential within him to get even better, building on what has already been a successful careeer so far in La Liga in spells with Villareal and Atletico.

Guardiola will need to act and act soon, and he won’t be afraid to bring in new faces as he seeks to keep the successful times going at City.

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Tottenham Hotspur are confident that striker Harry Kane will be fit to play in the Champions League final against Liverpool, manager Mauricio Pochettino said at the Bilbao International Football Summit via Goal.

What’s the word?

Kane has been out with ligament damage since the first leg of the quarter-final against Manchester City.

There were fears at the time that the forward could miss the remainder of the season.

But Pochettino is ebullient about the prospect of the England captain featuring in Madrid as Spurs look to win the competition for the first time in their history.

He said: “Kane is training, he’s in a good phase of recovery.

“We hope he’s there to help, whether that’s from the start, off the bench or as moral support in the dressing room.

“We’re optimistic that he can be there to help on the pitch.”

Kane has scored 24 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions this season, including five in Europe.

Psychological boost

This is a major psychological boost for Spurs.

Even Kane sitting on the bench would be enough to potentially swing the game in his side’s favour; the prospect of him coming on with the scores level in the second half would provide a major momentum boost.

It remains to be seen, of course, if Pochettino will decide to trust in the striker’s fitness from the start.

The performances of Lucas Moura and Son-Heung Min, after all, have taken the club this far.

But as a wildcard, Kane could end up playing a major role.

In many ways, it has been a rather strange season for everyone associated with Chelsea.

The Blues started their Premier League campaign in lightning fashion and Maurizio Sarri had looked to be a rather good appointment. However, when the club tasted their first defeat in all competitions in November (against Tottenham Hotspur of all teams!), the wheels appeared to come off and things did not go to plan for the SW6 outfit.

Frustrations at the Italian’s team selection and his stubbornness to continue playing his famed ‘Sarri-ball’ led to a number of the fans in the Stamford Bridge stands telling them exactly what they felt about it in no uncertain terms.

Despite all the calls for his head, Sarri still managed to guide Chelsea into a top-four finish and they of course still have a Europa League final against old foes Arsenal still to come.

However, that has not stopped the reports circulating about his future at the club this summer and has even led to the manager himself stating that he would need to have discussions with the board after the final in Baku (Sky Sports).

Frank Lampard has been heavily tipped to replace him and make a hero’s return after his sensational debut year in management with Derby County – and don’t forget, he could still cap it off by helping the Rams win promotion to the Premier League.

But, according to The Sun, it seems that he will not be in charge of Chelsea just yet provided Sarri stays on.

It is claimed Roman Abramovich and the club’s hierarchy are prepared to wait on bringing him back to Stamford Bridge and feel he can benefit from another year at Pride Park.

And, it would make perfect sense for everyone involved in west London if that were to happen.

Lampard has been impressive; that cannot be argued. However, whether he is ready to be tested in the Premier League as a manager is something that is unknown. As mentioned, this is his first year in management! Not many are able to come in and do a job straight away.

By giving him another year (and potentially one in the Premier League), Lampard would be able to gain some valuable experience and be able to learn more about himself in terms of his managerial style, without the pressure of winning silverware on his shoulders straight away.

Let’s not forget, Abramovich is not the type to hand someone time as patience is clearly a virtue he was never blessed with. By bringing the legend back to the club at this stage of his career could ruin him if things were not to work out and could make his future in the game a little more difficult – just look at what happened to Roberto Di Matteo despite his Champions League and FA Cup heroics.

If the Russian billionaire does as the report suggests, it would have to be seen as the best thing for Chelsea at this moment in time.

Chelsea fans, what do you think? Should Lampard have another year in management before taking the hotseat at Stamford Bridge? Let us know your thoughts below!

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Neil Lennon is set to ramp up his interest in Charlton Atheltic’s Joe Aribo after he is confirmed as Celtic’s next manager, according to The Scottish Sun.

What’s the story?

Lennon was offered the job by the club in the wake of last Saturday’s superb Scottish Cup win over Hearts but has since taken a short holiday break, so the details have not yet been thrashed out on his appointment.

The paper say that he is set to be confirmed as manager on Friday though and after that he won’t be wasting time in signing players up this summer.

Charlton midfielder Joe Aribo is high up on his list of targets, states the report, with the 22-year-old available on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract at the recently promoted English club.

The Sun reckon Lennon has had him repeatedly scouted since taking over from Brendan Rodgers in February.

Keith from C’mon the Hoops throws back to player who was both a Hoop by name and by nature in the video below…

Can Aribo make the step up?

A central midfielder with presence, poise and attacking ambition, Aribo has the attributes to be a success in the Scottish Premiership and it’s no surprise he is being linked with bigger clubs this summer after a stand-out season at Charlton.

He starred in the Addicks’ promotion campaign which saw them rise into the English Championship through the play-offs, scoring 10 goals and assisting 5 times in 39 appearances.

Celtic are currently well-stocked in central midfield, but the chance to sign an athletic talent like Aribo on the cheap is understandably appealing and clearly Lennon is a fan of the player having had him regularly scouted.

Ntcham replacement?

With reports on Friday from The Daily Record suggesting French midfielder Olivier Ntcham could be heading to Ligue 1 for decent money, the capture of Aribo could spell the end of the former Man City man’s time at Celtic Park.

Recouping a fee for Ntcham, as classy a player as he is, and replacing his presence with Aribo sounds like smart business.

The core of Celtic’s Scottish midfield would remain intact, while ensuring that Lennon has a different, more attacking option if needed, with Aribo providing direct competition for Tom Rogic.

Manucho…ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha (x10).

Honestly, what were Manchester United thinking when they signed Angolan Striker Mateus Alberto Contreiras Gonçalves?

With all due respect to (*checks notes*) Girabola, or Campeonato Nacional de Futebol em Séniores Masculinos, Angolan football is hardly a breeding ground of phenomenal talent. In fact, we’d struggle to name two players off the top of our head that have hailed from that part of the footballing world, and that’s counting Manucho.

However, Ferguson being Ferguson – that is, a man who made some fairly questionable purchases in his time as United boss – he took a punt on him anyway, for better or for worse.

Now, before anyone brings it up, yes – we understand he scored a few goals in the African Cup of Nations. But seriously, how often has buying the player off the back of a successful major tournament worked?

Anyway, we digress.

While we don’t want to be too sceptical of Ferguson and the way he handled incoming signings, the former United boss did seem to be playing a game of ‘buzzword bingo: transfer edition’ when he introduced his latest acquisition, Manucho.

We believe his exact words were, “tall, agile, quick forward” (tick, tick and…tick – that’s a line, games master).

Adding, of course, as a precautionary measure, that he had been brought to his attention by Carlos Queiroz months before.

Unfortunately, whoever his sources were (we suspect the same ones that recommended Ali Dia to Southampton) Manucho managed just three abysmal appearances for Manchester United before it became abundantly clear that he didn’t possess the quality necessary to challenge Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez or Louis Saha for the starting spot.

And so began his journey elsewhere.

A loan spell at Hull City saw him net twice in 17 appearances, which is a huge improvement on his zero goal tally at parent club United. But, against all odds, this was still not enough to earn him a place with the Red Devils. Who’d have thought?! Standards at United were far different back then, hey.

Real Valladolid eventually came in for the player with a three million euro bid, though he failed to impress (again) before being loaned out to two Turkish top-flight clubs, Bucaspor and Manisaspor. You guessed it, both moves didn’t go particularly well.

After years with up-and-down side Rayo Vallecano, where he scored just 15 goals in 119 appearances, Manucho is now stealing a living a third-tier outfit, UE Cornella.

And if it interests you, his record currently stands at one in 16. This man played for Manchester United, remember.

Manchester United fans, what are your standout memories of Manucho? Where does he rank as one of your worst ever signings? Let us know in the comments below!

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Leeds United have been linked with yet another winger, and this time it is in the form of Liverpool youngster Ryan Kent.

He spent last season out on loan at Rangers, but he may be set to swap one of Scotland’s biggest clubs for one of England’s most historic.

A move to Elland Road wouldn’t be the first time the youngster swapped Merseyside for Yorkshire after spending the 2016/17 season playing for Barnsley.

His spell at Oakwell saw him appear 44 times in the Championship, where he scored just three goals and set up one.

It’s tough to call whether or not the 22-year-old would be a good player for Leeds next season. On one hand he has been fantastic in Scotland for the past 12 months, but during his last spell in the second tier he was underwhelming.

It’s a real conundrum, but that hasn’t stopped Football FanCast’s writers having their say as to whether or not Kent would be a good signing.

Matt Dawson

“Ryan Kent would be an absolutely superb piece of business from Leeds. The Liverpool youngster has proven himself to be capable of performing with the added pressure of playing for a big club such as Rangers, so he’d have no trouble adapting to life at Elland Road. If they can get a deal across the line, his creativity could prove the difference in a bid for promotion.”

Billy Meyers

“I think this would be an excellent signing for Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds. Ryan Kent has taken the Scottish league by storm and looks far too good to be playing there, so a move to the Championship is the next logical step for a player who visibly improves every season. Leeds would be getting an ideal foil for Jack Clarke, or a great replacement if they signed Kent.”

Luke Glanville

“In my view, the Scottish Premiership to the Sky Bet Championship is a natural step up for Ryan Kent and one he deserves. Leeds should definitely be making sure it happens with them. Kent would be healthy competition for someone like Jack Clarke in that left wing position and it would be very exciting to see the pair of bright prospects challenge to become the first choice. Unquestionably, Kent would be a great signing for Marcelo Bielsa and could well help his team go one better in 2019/2020.”

Liverpool are heading into the summer on the back of landing a sixth European Cup after the Reds finally got their rewards for two years worth of superb football.

The Reds and manager Jurgen Klopp are in a good place in all honesty, and barring a disaster in terms of losing some their top players, not much is needed in terms of squad investment to ensure the club remain right at the summit of the game.

However, if there was one position that could do with adding too, it’s in goal, where number two Simon Mignolet is nowhere near on the level of main stopper Alisson, who has been simply superb since being brought into the club last summer.

This weekend then has seen the club linked with a move for Southampton stopper Alex McCarthy, and here in the Tavern, we couldn’t think of a better signing for the club.

McCarthy might have lost his place in the Saints XI to Angus Gunn, but the 29-year-old had earlier in the campaign displayed the type of form which showed he can play at the very top, earning himself an England call up along the way.

Belgian Mignolet has never ever produced the goods for the Reds either, and his onrunning battle with Loris Karius last season was blamed for the club’s lack of success in the end, with both ‘keepers deemed untrustworthy by Klopp.

The signing of McCarthy then would represent a welcome boost to the squad, and crucially, would relieve some of the game time Alisson has to put himself through. McCarthy is also good enough to ensure the Brazilian number one cannot rest on his laurels either, and Liverpool fans could be safe in the knowledge that they have a steady pair of hands ready to jump in should Alisson be missing.