All posts by n8rngtd.top

Making the move to Real Madrid, no matter how good you are, invites a tonne of pressure on how well you perform for the Spanish giants.

We have seen the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema thrive for Los Blancos whereas Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez have faltered in the Spanish capital, and for Dani Ceballos, the youngster falls into the latter.

Since making the move from Real Betis to Madrid for a reported £14.5 million the 22-year-old midfielder has found it hard to find a permanent place in the starting XI and could be on the way out of the club after just two years at Real, and West Ham are interested.

According to the Express, Manuel Pellegrini has opened talks with Madrid over the signing of Ceballos, who could leave for just £20 million, and pulling off such a deal would be a steal for West Ham.

Although game time has been limited at Real Madrid, Ceballos is still a player who could make an impact and impress at a top-division side, and having been likened to Cesc Fabregas in the past, the Spanish international would be a welcome signing for the Hammers.

As well as being an overall quality signing for the club, Ceballos would add much-needed creativity to the Irons, who have been heavily reliant on Felipe Anderson this season. With the Spanish playmaker in the side, though, the burden will be lessened for the Brazilian winger.

Ceballos would be a coup for West Ham if they are able to pull off the signing, and the Spaniard would bring something new to the team that have needed a new dynamic for the past few seasons. If David Gold and Sullivan splash the cash, that is.

West Ham fans, would Ceballos be a good signing? Let us know!

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Manchester United fans have taken to Twitter in disgust after Marcos Rojo revealed what he and Angel Di Maria got up to in their early days at the club.

Rojo told ESPN Argentina: “We went to English classes with Angel Di Maria and we killed each other with laughter.

One point separated City and Liverpool but twenty-five separated them from the rest! Fans discuss who could reduce the deficit next season in the video below?

“Afterwards we did not go to those classes anymore and they (United) started fining us because they were already paying.”

Unsurprisingly, Di Maria has since left the club after spending one failed season at Old Trafford, managing to score just four times following his £59.7m move from Real Madrid.

Rojo, however, signed a contract extension as recently as last year, but only made six appearances for the club in the campaign just gone.

A lot has been made of the poor attitude at Old Trafford right now, and it is seemingly a huge reason behind the club’s dismal season under Jose Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer; the latter even threatened to sell some of his players due to their woeful attitudes.

Having heard how the two Argentina internationals treated the club and the lack of effort they put in to their English lessons, the United supporters on Twitter have reacted lividly and feel the pair have been disrespectful to the club…

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According to Italian media outlet Tuttomercatoweb, Southampton are closing in on a deal to sign Standard Liege attacker Moussa Djenepo, and it would be the perfect start to Saints’ summer transfer business.

What’s the word, then?

Tuttomercatoweb report that the south coast outfit are nearing a €22m (£19.4m) deal for the Mali international, in what would be their first addition of the close season.

The versatile 20-year-old, who can play on either wing or through the middle, scored 11 goals and provided a further six assists in 39 appearances in all competitions for the Belgian outfit this term to clearly catch the attention of clubs like Southampton.

Perfect start to Hasenhuttl’s summer business

Ralph Hasenhuttl will be desperate to strengthen his squad this summer in order to avoid a third successive Premier League relegation battle, and the Austrian will surely be keen to get the majority of his business done early before pre-season and with the window closing before the 2019/20 campaign gets underway.

Bringing in an exciting and unpredictable attacker in Djenepo would add a further much-needed threat to their frontline next term.

Southampton fans may love Ralph Hasenhuttl but do the owners? Check out the video below…

Nathan Redmond can’t do it all on his own – as he so often was forced to in 2018/19 – when it comes to being direct and using his pace, and the 20-year-old African is more than capable of doing both of those things.

While the reported price tag is perhaps steep given his lack of experience, he has the attributes that Hasenhuttl needs for his pressing system, and has the quality and potential to be another player that develops at St Mary’s before being sold on.

There is no doubt that this is an important few weeks for Southampton in their bid to get back to a place where they secured four successive top-eight finishes between 2014/2017, and signing the Mali international would be the perfect start.

When you think of an archetypical West Ham striker, what do you think?

Tall, good in the air, physically strong, a bit on the older side, it seems like this has been the Hammers way of life for decades when it comes to who plays up top, but in the era of the modern game where strikers have to be all of that and more, a stereotypical target man just won’t cut it for West Ham nowadays.

So with the Sun now reporting that the east London side are interested in Tottenham striker Fernando Llorente, it seems like Manuel Pellegrini hasn’t exactly got the memo on what West Ham are in need of this summer.

True, they desperately need a refresh in the attack with Andy Carroll confirmed to be leaving and Lucas Perez likely to be joining him, but Llorente is not the striker West Ham should be targeting this summer.

The 34-year-old striker has been Tottenham’s surprise saviour this season, netting this vital goal against Manchester City to see the north London side progress to the Champions League semi-final, but at that age, West Ham should be looking for an attacker much younger despite Llorente likely to leave as a free agent this summer.

The Spaniard has also been well utilised by Spurs as a super sub, something West Ham are not looking for right now as they should be targeting a starting striker, not someone to bring on in the final 10 minutes and maybe score a goal.

The Hammers are in need of a striker this summer, but Llorente is far from the answer the club are looking for.

West Ham fans, who should the club sign this summer? Let us know!

[ad_pod ]The president of Maxi Gomez’s former club Defensor Sporting Ney Castillo has revealed that Aston Villa are interested in the player during the radio show Tiempo de Futbol on Sport 890, broadcast 6 June.

It’s interest that comes after Villa scout Juanfran declared his admiration for the player, per Marca.

What’s the word?

After Tammy Abraham left the Villans following a loan spell it was always going to be a battle to bring him back given Chelsea’s transfer embargo.

The forward scored 26 goals on the way to helping the club get back to the Premier League but they’re now touting Celta Vigo forward Gomez, a player who could go a long way to replacing him.

One of the club’s scouts, Juanfran, has spoken about the player’s qualities in quotes per Marca, revealing there is admiration from the Premier League.

An official at the Uruguayan’s former club then told the radio programme Tiempo de Futbol that Villa have genuine interest.

Villa’s owners will be at the forefront

The 22-year-old striker currently has a release clause of £43.5m which would normally be considered way out of the budget of a newly promoted side.

Yet, under the ownership of Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris, it’s a deal that feels possible.

Last summer the club were in huge financial strife until the two businessmen took over. Since then they’ve transformed Villa’s fortunes.

Spending a potential £43.5m on one man would be a huge sign of their financial muscle and would be a phenomenal indication of their intent going into the Premier League.

Gomez was one of the most impressive forwards in La Liga last season, finding the net on 13 occasions whilst also claiming six assists.

The striker is good in the air but also has great composure in goal, two assets that would make him a perfect addition to the Premier League.

The thought of paying over £40m for a player last summer would have been impossible for Villa. In Gomez, however, that may now be a reality.

Manchester City are willing to part with bench talent Fabian Delph if they get fetch the right price this summer, sources have revealed to ESPN FC.

City would apparently expect to receive around £15million for the former Leeds United man and Aston Villa captain and won’t stand in his way if he decides to leave, which comes as no real surprise really given his peripheral role in the squad.

Delph, 29, who joined under controversial circumstances after backtracking on a promise to stay with Villa (the Guardian reported in depth at the time), is out of contract next season and has fallen behind even Oleksandr Zinchenko in the pecking order.

Pep Guardiola placed a lot of faith in the England star when he converted him to left back during the 17/18 campaign following an injury to first-choice Benjamin Mendy and he played a fundamental part in City’s magnificent 100-point title-winning season.

Though, with Mendy recently returning to first-team action, and Zinchenko moving up the ranks, there is seemingly no place left for Delph who played just 20 times this term with his last appearance coming in the Champions League defeat to Tottenham at the beginning of April.

“It’s frustrating for anybody who doesn’t get as much game time as they want,” Delph revealed. “I’m quite experienced now and very level-headed so my main focus was to help my teammates.

“I always talk about being a team player. I think I’m a really good team player. I had the lads’ back all the way through. I was pushing them in training. I was there, a big voice in the changing room before games.”

To be fair to Delph, he’s not wrong.

The Englishman is still a very decent player, and he experience at the top level of English football will almost certainly come in use to any of the punters willing to part with the fairly nominal £15million that’s said to be being asked for him.

Remember: this man has played under Pep Guardiola for three years now, there’s very few who can claim that.

We imagine any mid-table side looking to establish themselves a foothold in the league, or even take the next step, will benefit massively from his extensive experience in the game, passing ability – which ranks at 90% accuracy on average – and fairly newfound defensive qualities, considering his stint in the full-back role for much of the past two seasons.

After all, the likes of West Ham United (as per Football Insider on May 27th) were linked, so it’s not hard to gauge at what sort of level he might be performing at.

Manchester City fans, would you be happy to wave goodbye to Delph? Do you think he could make something of himself elsewhere? Let us know in the comments below…

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With both the men’s and women’s national sides we have been here before. In the midst of a major tournament an optimistic fever takes hold and coupled with a large dose of patriotism we all start to believe that something special is afoot, a conquering of the world.

Usually of course our hopes are dashed and usually too it is cruel and painful. A semi-final exit on pens or in the case of England’s Women at the 2015 World Cup in Canada a 92nd minute own goal with immortality in sight.

This time though feels different. Maybe it’s the surge in interest regarding the Lionesses that recently saw 6.1 million viewers tune in to their opening game against Scotland. From such momentum great things can occur. Or perhaps it is the bellicose words of head coach Phil Neville who repeatedly stated prior to the tournament that his team should embrace the fact that they can return from France victorious.

Maybe too it is the three reasons below. Will Steph Houghton and co raise aloft the trophy at the Parc Olympique Lyonnaise on July 7th? There is no way of knowing that. But can they? Absolutely.

We believe because SheBelieves

It may have been a tournament comprising of friendlies but it simply cannot be under-estimated how much belief and momentum has installed itself into the squad following March’s success in the SheBelieves Cup. To hold the formidable USA to a draw and triumph over Brazil and Japan was a tremendous achievement and acted as empirical proof that this team can beat anyone on their day.

It was in every sense the perfect fillip ahead of going into a highly pressurised and prolonged major competition and in addition to giving the spirit within the camp greater meaning it also afforded Neville the opportunity to blood some talented younger players prior to their World Cup selection. Of these Arsenal’s Leah Williamson in particular excelled.

The future benefits of their spring success were best summed up by Karen Carney when the champagne was still flowing:  “This group seems to have a confidence and a swag. It feels really good and feels like home.”

Expectation is now dealt with

In the build-up to this summer the Lioness legend and popular pundit Alex Scott reflected on the England Women’s poor Euro campaign back in 2013 saying: “It felt like everybody was talking about us and then we bombed so bad it was unbelievable. We didn’t get out of the group.”

Compare and contrast to the present day and the structure and support around the team ranked third in the world that is designed to instil belief into the players while lessening the load of expectation on their shoulders. When the stakes get high this group will stand tall.

Parris the game-changer

Every tournament winning side needs a special player with the ability to conjure up magic and England have that in 25-year-old Nikita Parris. Last season the FWA Women’s Footballer of the Year scored 19 goals for Manchester City in a prolific year that led to a move across the channel to Lyon. She has the firepower and creativity to make things happen.

Elsewhere there is plenty of experience too, another vital criterion for World Cup glory. England Women’s starting XI v Scotland had 624 caps between them and that’s not including Karen Carney and her 139 caps coming on as a sub.

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are shocked about the lack of transfer rumours surrounding the club at this time of year.

In previous years there has been a massive turnover at Elland Road every year with masses of signings coming through the door throughout every summer, but this time around it has been much quieter.

Perhaps this is the influence of Marcelo Bielsa taking hold of the club as he prefers to work with a smaller squad, but it certainly is strange to see Leeds not at the centre of dozens of transfer stories.

Of course, there have been a few links, Jack Harrison, Helder Costa and Harry Wilson have all been named as targets, but everything seems to have gone quiet recently regarding those players.

This summer’s transfer window may be one of the most important in the club’s history, and United supporters are getting increasingly frustrated at the lack of activity so far.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…

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Lots of Manchester United fans on Twitter have been demanding a return to the club for former midfield icon Roy Keane.

The Irishman has just left his post as assistant manager at Nottingham Forest, where he worked alongside Martin O’Neill once again – the pair also worked together for five years whilst with the Republic of Ireland national team.

Could United be in the hunt for an £85m blockbuster signing this summer? Check out the video below…

The duo worked with each other at Aston Villa as well, so his departure from the City Ground comes as somewhat of a surprise.

Keane played for United from 1993 to 2005, winning almost everything there is to win – the no-nonsense midfielder lifted seven Premier League titles, as well as the FA Cup and Champions League.

Given the current state of things at Old Trafford right now, where players like Paul Pogba are talking openly about leaving and Jesse Lingard is causing a stir with his social media activity, some supporters want the straight-talking Keane to come back and sort them out.

He would certainly set the standards around the place, and the players would most likely fear him given his fiery reputation from his playing days.

It would also be an interesting move given the Irishman launched a verbal attack on Pogba after Everton’s 4-0 win over United while working as a pundit for Sky Sports (via The Express).

Let’s take a look at some of the tweets from United fans on Twitter who want Keane to return…

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West Brom Chief Executive Mark Jenkins has claimed that he’s promised new manager Slaven Bilic a competitive budget this summer despite a reduction in parachute payments.

Speaking at Bilic’s unveiling, he told Express & Star that the club’s finances had improved but it was still a challenging situation as they faced the need to cut back on wages.

However, his comments sparked fury from certain segments of the West Brom fan base who took issue with the fact he was promising something maybe he couldn’t guarantee.

Reacting on Twitter, one supporter called him a useless individual whilst another said they stopped reading as soon as they saw Jenkins and the word promise in the same sentence.

One fan was so angry that he demanded that he should sack himself. A further individual took issue with the club losing out on money for both Craig Dawson and Jonny Evans.

The former was sold to Watford for £5.5m this week despite being the subject of a £12m offer last summer from West Ham.

Evans, on the other hand, only went to Leicester for £3.5m in 2018 after the club had previously rejected £25m bids.

Here’s the best of the reaction surrounding the current situation.