Newcastle United are on the verge of guaranteeing their English Premier League safety after securing a massive result away to Leicester City on Saturday.Winning 2-1 against the Foxes, Rafa Benitez’s side are now ten points ahead of 18th-placed Southampton, albeit having played a game more.With seven teams between themselves and the relegation zone with just a handful of games remaining, supporters can begin to relax and dream about next season in the top-flight.Central to the win against Leicester was midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, whose recent impressive form continued with a vital opening goal.Newcastle supporters are now calling on him to be selected for England’s World Cup this summer, believing he’s shown enough to be included.Shelvey hasn’t played for the national side since 2015 but has his season been impressive enough to convince Gareth Southgate to include him on the plane to Russia?Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts…
Martin Atkinson has been appointed to referee the 176th Manchester derby, which could go down in history if City beat United to clinch their third Premier League title.
Winning the top flight crown on 7 April would be the earliest that any team has done so and nobody would put it past Jose Mourinho to draw on every trick in the book – including time-wasting and tactical fouls – to try and spoil Pep Guardiola’s party.
That means that 47-year-old Atkinson, who has taken charge of four United and two City matches this season, may well have to take a strict approach to keep a lid on proceedings.
We can see that Atkinson’s numbers are fairly middle of the road, although the win bias towards the home team may worry United fans.
He has yet to oversee a defeat for either side this season but he does have a penchant for booking United players – averaging 2.25 Red Devils bookings per game while awarding an average of 13.75 fouls per match against the side who currently sit second in the Premier League.
He has yet to referee a match at the Etihad Stadium this season and it remains to be seen how he will react, especially if there is an expectant cauldron of noise in a ground that is expecting to witness history.
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As reported by The Telegraph, Arsenal are one of the teams interested in signing Norwich City’s star midfielder James Maddison this summer.
What’s the story?
Arsenal are on the hunt for new talent after another disappointing season in the English Premier League and while recruitment from abroad is likely to be key to their summer window, it’s also important to secure the future of homegrown talents too.
One such Englishman that could join the ranks at the Emirates is James Maddison.
That’s according to The Telegraph who say Arsenal join the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City in pursuit of his signature.
With Norwich not keen to sell though, the paper reckon it could cost as much as £25m to land the U21 international.
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Is he good enough?
There’s quite a step up from the Championship to the Premier League, never mind moving to that next level at one of the division’s top six sides, so wherever Maddison ends up, he’ll have plenty of learning to do.
The Telegraph reckon he wants to join a club where he’s likely to get regular first team action, which could be tough for him at Arsenal given the attacking midfield talent already available to them.
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However, his stunning season in the Championship at the age of just 21 means he’s worth pursuing for clubs like Arsenal. With 15 goals and 11 assists this term, he’s been a stand-out not just for Norwich but the entire division and clearly has many years ahead of him to improve further.
If Arsenal don’t move for him they could end up regretting it if he lands at Spurs or Man City.
In this day and age, if a football club do not spend big in the transfer window, particularly in the summer, then they are going to get left behind by their competitors.
Arsenal have splashed the cash on hefty transfer fees in the past, but reports have emerged claiming that the North London outfit will have little to spend in the coming months.
According to The Telegraph, Arsenal will have a budget of around £50m for new signings due to the fact that they have handed over three bumper contracts to players and broke the club transfer record twice in the past year.
Given that the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool are likely to spend well in excess of that amount, it has left some Arsenal fans worried.
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Although, others believe that reports of this nature prove that there is a media agenda against the Gunners.
Arsenal will have a new manager at the helm next season following Arsene Wenger’s resignation, but it seems like whoever takes the job will have to work with what he already has in the playing squad, unless money is made from sales.
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright thanked manager Sam Allardyce for leading the club up to eighth in the Premier League at the club’s end of season awards on Tuesday night, and Toffees fans were quick to react to his comments.
The 72-year-old is reported to have said: “After the West Ham United game, if anyone said by the time we play them again we will be 8th place and away from all that crap, you would’ve more than accepted that. On behalf of the board and players, Sam, we thank you.”
The Goodison Park faithful, who are desperate on Twitter for Allardyce to go at the end of the season, could interpret those quotes in one of two ways – either a sign that they will keep the 63-year-old next season, or as a thank you but goodbye message.
Everton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on Kenwright’s words, and while one said “there are two words missing at the end… ‘and goodbye'”, another said “Kenwright can do one as well”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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According to The Express, Arsenal want to sign Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly in this summer’s transfer window.
What’s the story?
Arsenal are yet to announce Arsene Wenger’s replacement, but whoever arrives at the Emirates Stadium will have a serious job on their hands to reinstall the Gunners as a top-four team.
The capital outfit actually have a whole host of attacking talent, but they are simply not good enough in a defensive area, and at least two new defenders need to arrive this summer.
According to The Express, the Gunners have pinpointed Koulibaly as the perfect player to bring both a presence and indeed quality to the backline ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
Chelsea were previously strongly linked with a move for the centre-back, but the former English champions could not come to an agreement with Napoli, who might well lose their manager Maurizio Sarri to the Blues this summer.
Would Koulibaly be a good signing?
The 26-year-old is under contract at Napoli until the summer of 2021, and it is understood that the Italian giants value the defender in excess of £50m.
Arsenal might well have been able to afford that sum if they had secured a return to the Champions League, but their failure to win the Europa League means that they will again be absent from Europe’s leading competition next term.
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The simple fact of the matter is that Arsenal’s new boss will not have hundreds of millions to spend this summer, and paying in excess of £50m for a centre-back is a huge risk.
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That said, Koulibaly is an outstanding talent, and would certainly boost a defence that conceded 51 Premier League goals during the 2017-18 campaign.
Per Mertesacker’s retirement and Laurent Koscielny’s long-term Achilles problem has strengthened Arsenal’s need in that area of the field, and Koulibaly has had another wonderful season at Napoli – making 44 appearances in all competitions.
Money is a problem when it comes to this particular deal, however, and it is very difficult to see the move taking place under the current terms.
West Ham United preserved their Premier League status for at least another year when they beat Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power Stadium on Saturday – which was coupled with other results going their way – but it doesn’t mask what has been a disappointing campaign.
The east London outfit would have been expecting to be challenging where the likes of Burnley and Everton are right now having signed players like Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez last summer – as well as Joao Mario during the January transfer window – but it hasn’t worked out like that.
It remains to be seen whether David Moyes will be their manager next season or not with the London Stadium currently showing their discontent towards him in the ground and on Twitter because of below-par performances and results, and it is clear that the Irons need new faces through the door this summer.
With the World Cup due to start on June 14 and the window slamming shut on August 9 – before the 2018/19 campaign gets underway – they are under some pressure to get their business done early this year.
Here are three players we can see West Ham signing before July 1…
With Joe Hart set to return to Manchester City following an unsuccessful loan spell and Adrian’s future seemingly in doubt, one of West Ham’s priorities this summer may well be to spend big to bring a new number one to the London Stadium.
Having conceded the most goals in the Premier League this season, it is clear to see that strengthening at the back must be the aim, and Butland is a goalkeeper that can gain his team 5-10 points a season when he is at his best.
The Telegraph reports that Stoke value him at £40m, but following their relegation to the Championship and the fact that the 25-year-old will want out – and preferably to have his future sorted out before he jets off to the World Cup with England – the Irons will fancy their chances of getting him for a more reasonable – but still costly – fee.
With Sam Byram suffering injury problems and Michail Antonio better in a more attacking role on the right side, it has been Pablo Zabaleta that has often started at right-back or right wing-back for West Ham this season.
However, it is clear to see that they need more depth in that position and someone younger who can get up and down the pitch to help the team in terms of defending and attacking, and they have been linked with Fredericks previously.
The Fulham right-back has impressed for the Championship club this term and while they are to be involved in the play-offs, the fact that his contract is due to expire at the end of the season and no new one has been agreed means that his future is in doubt – even if the Cottagers end up winning promotion.
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Given it seemed clear that David Moyes wanted a new defensive/central midfielder during the January transfer window – as Slaven Bilic did last summer – it was strange that the club once again didn’t end up getting one.
A serious injury suffered by Pedro Obiang in the same month has meant that Cheikhou Kouyate and captain Mark Noble have been regular starters in the middle of the park for the east London outfit, but both have struggled at times and an upgrade is needed for at least one of them.
West Ham were linked with Dendoncker during the January transfer window, and following reports from Belgium that Stuart Pearce scouted him this week, it would be no surprise to see the 23-year-old finally arrive at the London Stadium this summer.
According to Bild, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Augsburg forward Michael Gregoritsch during this summer’s transfer window.
What’s the story?
Spurs will again play Champions League football next season after finishing third in the Premier League table during the 2017-18 campaign.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino will be looking to improve his squad this summer, but there is no getting away from the fact that the club will be shopping in a different market to the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.
According to Bild, Tottenham have identified Gregoritsch as the perfect summer signing, although the London outfit are just one of a number of clubs interested in a move.
Indeed, Leicester City, Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen are also said to be monitoring proceedings ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
What are Gregoritsch’s credentials?
An attacking midfielder who is also capable of operating as a second striker, Gregoritsch scored 13 times and registered four assists in 32 Bundesliga appearances for Augsburg during the 2017-18 campaign.
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He moved to Augsburg last summer following a two-year spell at Hamburger SV, and has made seven appearances for the Austrian national team – scoring once.
Standing at 6ft 4inches, Gregoritsch is also a huge physical presence, and would be the perfect replacement for Fernando Llorente if the Spanish forward moved on this summer.
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It is unlikely that Tottenham would have to break the bank for a player who is valued at £11.7m by transfermarkt.co.uk, and it could well turn out to be a very smart piece of business if Pochettino manages to lure the Austrian to White Hart Lane this summer.
Securing quality footballers at affordable prices will surely be the name of the game for Tottenham ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
Everton are leading the pack of Premier League clubs, which includes bitter rivals Liverpool, in the race to sign Norwich City’s James Maddison, according to Sky Sports.
What’s the story, then?
Sky Sports report that both Merseyside rivals, along with champions Manchester City, Tottenham and Southampton are in the hunt for the man who bagged 15 goals last season.
They claim that a bid between £20m and £25m would be enough to snare the England under-21 international, as the Canaries’ parachute payments come to an end this summer.
They also state that new Everton boss Marco Silva is a known admirer of Maddison, who is currently recovering from a knee ligament injury.
Maddison’s arrival would be a better deal than Rooney’s return
Everton should never have gone back in for Rooney if they have genuine ambitions of moving into the top seven and beyond.
Rooney is yesterday’s man and the Toffees need to be snaring younger talent, who are the envy of the elite clubs and Maddison fits the bill perfectly.
Everton signed too many number 10s last summer but if Rooney’s protracted move to MLS outfit DC United finally materialises, that will clear out one space in the squad for Maddison to take up.
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He also has more legs than Rooney, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Davy Klaassen, so could be at the heart of a new high-tempo approach that would surely please the Goodison fans under Silva.
According to the London Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Newcastle United centre-back Jamaal Lascelles in this summer’s transfer window.
Chelsea and West Ham United have both been credited with an interest in the Magpies captain over the last month, whilst Everton are said to be preparing a move.
It now appears that Tottenham are in the hunt, with the London club prepared to meet Newcastle’s £45m asking price for the central defender.
Lascelles has made over 100 appearances for Newcastle since joining the club from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2015.
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Last season, meanwhile, he scored three times in 35 appearances in all competitions.
Lascelles would have fancied his chances of being named in the England squad for the 2018 World Cup, but Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate overlooked the defender.
It might not be too long before the centre-back, who is valued at £13.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, makes his England bow, however.
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The Tottenham fans have been reacting to the speculation surrounding Lascelles, and it would be fair to say that the majority are split when it comes to the defender.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: