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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Leeds United midfielder David Norris admitted that he has been surprised by how good Raphinha has performed in his first season.

Raphinha was a deadline day signing last year as he arrived for £17million from Rennes and he has taken to the Premier League effortlessly, with six goals and six assists this season.

The goals have dried up for Leeds since he picked up an injury against Manchester City, as Marcelo Bielsa’s side have scored just one goal in the three games Raphinha has recently missed.

Speaking on how Raphinha has surprised him with how well he’s taken to the Premier League and how good he has performed all season, Norris exclusively told FFC:

“He’s a very clever player as he spots weaknesses in defenders and attacks it. For me, he’s been a massive player for them this season. 

“I’ve been surprised because it’s always a risk bringing in foreign players, but knowing Bielsa and how diligent he is he must have known there was a good chance Raphinha would have settled quickly, and that’s exactly what’s happened as he’s been brilliant.”

The 24-year old winger has been linked with a move to Liverpool this summer, despite having played just 27 games in all competitions this season.

Raphinha admitted earlier this year that it was a difficult decision to join Leeds and that he only had 20 minutes to choose whether to stay at Rennes or come to the Premier League.

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O plano da comissão técnica do Santos em contar com cinco laterais no elenco para a próxima temporada podem cair por terra antes mesmo de 2017 começar. Isso justamente por causa da contratação de Matheus Ribeiro, que passou por exames no clube nesta semana. Reserva imediato de Victor Ferraz na lateral direita, Daniel Guedes foi procurado pelo Botafogo e pelo Napoli (ITA) durante a janela de transferências entre julho e agosto. Agora, os cariocas voltaram a manifestar interesse no ala de 22 anos.

O gerente de futebol do Glorioso, Antônio Lopes, entrou em contato com o presidente santista nesta semana. Modesto Roma Júnior aceitaria emprestar Daniel para dar mais rodagem ao atleta, que disputou apenas seis jogos no ano, mas ele terá trabalho para convencer a comissão técnica.

O técnico Dorival Júnior, a exemplo do que já tinha feito no meio do ano, vetou as negociações e não abre mão de seu plano de contar com cinco laterais no elenco para 2017, principalmente pelo excesso de competições que o time disputará com a vaga garantida na Libertadores.

Daniel Guedes está disposto a deixar o Santos e o interesse do Botafogo agrada, principalmente pelo fato de os cariocas estarem próximos de uma vaga na Liberta. Aos 22 anos, o jogador e seus representantes acreditam que seria interessante um novo clube para 2017.

Por outro lado, a chegada de mais um lateral-direito ao Alvinegro Carioca está, muito provavelmente, condicionada à manutenção ou não de Alemão. Emprestado pelo Bragantino, ele chegou para suprir a lacuna aberta após Luis Ricardo sofrer fratura no tornozelo esquerdo – por acaso, o próprio Alemão está com uma lesão no mesmo tornozelo. Ainda não há definição sobre permanência ou não do jogador, até porque implicaria na compra junto à equipe de Bragança Paulista (SP).

Além de Luis Ricardo e Alemão, o Botafogo conta com os jovens Marcinho e Diego para a posição. Este último, porém, deverá ser emprestado na próxima temporada.

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Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he can understand why supporters of his old side are getting frustrated with central defender Tyrone Mings.

Mings came in for criticism for his performance in Villa’s 3-1 win against Fulham earlier this month, with the 28-year-old’s mistake resulting in the west London club taking the lead.

He did, however, manage to redeem himself by setting up the equaliser. Ultimately, thanks to Trezeguet’s brace, no real damage was done in the end.

Nevertheless, Hendrie has called for Mings to up his game in general amid fan frustration, frustration that the ex-Villa player totally gets.

On the £24.3m-rated England international, Hendrie told FFC:

“I look at the mistake that John Stones made in the England game and, you know, there’s similar sorts of aspects between Tyrone Mings and John Stones. They’re footballing centre-halves, they get on the ball, they want to have that bit of time and they want to play football from the back.

“And that’s a risk you run having centre-halves that want to play through the lines and want that extra couple of seconds on the ball where they’re going to pick things out. And sometimes they get a little bit cocky in that situation.”

Discussing the matter further, the retired Premier League footballer went on to add:

“I can understand why Villa fans are getting frustrated because [Ezri] Konsa’s been brilliant defensively, puts his neck on the line. And, at times, I’ve seen Tyrone over the season, you know, the Leeds game stood out to me where [Patrick] Bamford just literally ran riot and some of the goals that were scored… defensively, I didn’t feel that he was at it.

“For the physical strength that he possesses, he should be going on and doing a lot better, and I think that’s why Villa fans get so frustrated.”

Next up for Mings and Villa in the Premier League is the visit of Manchester City.

Smith’s side will need to be wary of a reaction from the Citizens following their disappointing 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup.

West Brom are set to be without an integral member of their squad…

What’s the latest?

According to Sam Allardyce, via the Express & Star, Baggies midfielder Robert Snodgrass is expected to be out for the next seven to ten days, meaning he could well miss their crucial encounter with Leicester City next Thursday.

“Robert has had an epidural – it will probably be seven to 10 days before he is back in action,” Big Sam explained.

It’s hard to imagine him being fit enough to return in a weeks time, so this will come as a huge blow to Albion.

Bad news for Big Sam

Snodgrass may have not featured in the starting XI in recent outings, that in part surely being down to this long-term issue, but he’s a very important character in the dressing room and that will be needed if West Brom are to stand a chance at survival.

Despite notching impressive back-to-back victories, the Baggies still find themselves eight points adrift of safety, with only seven games left to play.

The versatile 33-year-old midfielder has featured eight times since joining on a permanent deal from West Ham United but has not started a match for the Midlands side since the 1-1 draw to Manchester United.

Upon arrival at the Hawthorns, many were quick to praise the veteran Scotsman, such as former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who claimed Snodgrass is “a huge character in the dressing room,” whilst his former Villa coach Colin Calderwood lauded him a “team player.”

Not having him around on a matchday, especially in the upcoming derby where both teams need a big result, will come as hugely disappointing news to Allardyce.

It can be argued that his presence on the pitch has not been missed, as they have won successive matches for the first time without him in the starting XI but there is a case to be made over him starting, as he’s often an industrious presence and one that can play through the middle or out wide.

His 2.1 tackles per game are only matched – or bettered -by the Baggies’ three loan stars, for example.

Either way, not having Snodgrass available next week will come as a major blow.

AND in other news, Allardyce played a blinder over big West Brom omission vs Saints…

The upcoming transfer window could be the perfect time for Crystal Palace to wave goodbye to a costly arrival.

According to Correire dello Sport, centre-back Mamadou Sakho is on a list of potential summer targets for Serie A giants Lazio alongside the likes of Arsenal’s David Luiz and Chelsea’s Thiago Silva.

Out of contract at the end of the season after four years as a permanent Eagles player, Palace should certainly not fight too hard to keep the Frenchman at Selhurst Park.

Having arrived from Liverpool, initially on-loan, Sakho has endured a rollercoaster period with the club.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-crystal-palace-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more-townsend-bayindir-butland-van-aanholt-parish” title=”Latest Crystal Palace news, transfer rumours and more…”]

He has, at points, been an excellent option at the back for Roy Hodgson, specifically during the 2018/19 season where he played 27 times in the Premier League alone as the club finished 12th in the standings.

However, he has also endured frustrating injury problems, having missed a total of 67 matches through injury, whilst he has only appeared on six occasions throughout the current campaign.

For context, the defender has only actually appeared on 75 occasions for the club in his four years at the club since arriving for what was a reported fee of £26m from Liverpool.

As a result, Sakho has now fallen considerable down the pecking order, finding himself behind the likes of Gary Cahill, Cheikhou Kouyate, Scott Dann and James Tomkins for a starting berth at centre-back.

Considering that lack of action then, the £6.3m-rated French international has certainly not justified his £100k per-week wages at Selhurst Park.

With Lazio then now swooping for his signature, Palace now have the perfect opportunity to let him go as opposed to extending his contract.

It really now could be time then, for the Eagles to wave goodbye to Sakho in the upcoming transfer window.

AND in more news, Palace have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of Aaron Ramsey…

Carlo Ancelotti should ruthlessly axe Yerry Mina from the Everton starting line-up as the Colombian centre-half may actually hold his side back against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Toffees travel to the Amex Stadium on Monday night striving to regain ground in the race for European football, after a run of three defeats and a draw left the Merseysiders eight points down on fourth-placed West Ham.

Ancelotti’s men hold at least two games in hand over each side above them in the Premier League standings ahead of their south coast trip, which can see the Blues move to within a point of fifth-placed Chelsea.

Mina opened Everton’s last top-flight fixture in the heart of a three-man centre-back core alongside Mason Holgate and Michael Keane, but was unable to prevent Michy Batshuayi from scoring an 86th-minute equaliser for Crystal Palace.

The Goodison Park natives had appeared in control for much of the game and were set to win only their sixth league game on home soil this term after a 56th-minute strike from James Rodriguez, as the Colombian returned from a calf injury.

But the Eagles rallied in the closing stages and made their surge of late pressure count when Batshuayi combined with Jeffrey Schlupp before firing past Robin Olsen, to see that Everton were punished for poor performances from Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Ancelotti cannot afford to see his side be punished in the same manner at Brighton if Everton are to qualify for a UEFA competition this season, so must alter his line-up to be aggressive and attacking in hopes of snapping the Toffees’ torrid run of form.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-everton-news-and-views” title=”Latest Everton news and views!”]

Mina is likely to be the victim of Ancelotti’s need for offensive changes, having been the least involved of the Italian’s centre-backs against Crystal Palace irrespective of his vocal presence and an important block to deny Wilfried Zaha in the early stages.

While Holgate attempted four tackles, winning three, and Michael Keane took possession with each of his two challenges, Mina only attempted to and won the ball once, per WhoScored.

He also offered no interceptions while Keane snuffed out two Palace moves, while Holgate split the Eagles’ defence with a precise lofted through ball to Calvert-Lewin that deserved a better finish.

Calvert-Lewin has now scored just once in his last six Premier League appearances and Richarlison has failed to find the back of the net since a run of four in four games came to an end in early March.

Ancelotti cannot afford to see neither of his strikers flourish at Brighton, where Leicester City had to leave it late to seal a 2-1 win last month after heading to the Amex without a number of players including key forwards Harvey Barnes and James Maddison.

It meant the Foxes had to live off scraps as they struggled for creativity, a prospect Everton could face if Ancelotti decides to be defensive in his team selection by starting Mina again.

The defender may feel hard done by to fall out of the line-up having not put a foot wrong against Crystal Palace, but the Toffees’ desperation for a positive result must come first for Ancelotti.

AND in other news, Marcel Brands could deliver Everton’s own Virgil van Dijk with £17.5m summer swoop…

أعلن البرتغالي كارلوس كيروش المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر تشكيل الفراعنة أمام السودان اليوم الأربعاء في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2021.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر أمام السودان مساء اليوم في الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة من مرحلة المجموعات ببطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية.

وكان منتخب مصر قد خسر من نيجيريا بهدفٍ وحيد في الجولة الأولى، بينما تمكن من تحقيق فوز صعب أمام غينيا بيساو بنتيجة 1-0 في الجولة الثانية.

وشهد تشكيل منتخب مصر مشاركة محمد عبد المنعم أساسيًا بسبب غياب محمود الونش لتعرضه للإصابة أمام غينيا بيساو في اللقاء الماضي. تشكيل منتخب مصر أمام السودان اليوم

حراسة المرمى: محمد الشناوي.

خط الدفاع: عمر كمال عبد الواحد، أحمد حجازي، محمد عبد المنعم وأيمن أشرف.

خط الوسط: عمرو السولية، محمد النني، عبد الله السعيد.

خط الهجوم: محمد صلاح، مصطفى محمد وعمر مرموش.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Sheffield Wednesday frontman Dean Windass been discussing Jordan Henderson’s recent injury.

The England midfielder had missed just four of Liverpool’s Premier League matches this season, but is now facing a spell on the sidelines following a groin problem sustained in last month’s Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Henderson was replaced by Nathaniel Phillips just 30 minutes into the Reds’ 2-0 defeat, and whilst the Liverpool Echo revealed that the Liverpool captain is expected to play again this season, the club are yet to comment on when he might return to playing action.

However, the Echo confirmed that Henderson won’t feature before the upcoming international break, meaning he’ll miss Premier League games against Chelsea, Fulham and Wolves, plus their Champions League second leg against Leipzig.

And Windass told FFC that Liverpool have lost their “back-bone” with Henderson out the side. He said:

“They’ve missed him in midfield, they talk about Van Dijk, he’s been the biggest one, they haven’t had a settled back-two because Robbo [Andy Robertson] and Trent have always been the right back and the left back.

“Jordan is a good organiser, he learnt everything through Stevie, and went on to captain and win the Premier League, so the back-bone of the team has slipped away. The biggest loss is that Jordan’s been out of the midfield. It’s a blow for Liverpool, but the defence has always been a problem since Van Dijk has been injured.”

Whilst the injury to Virgil Van Dijk has been well publicised following his impact in the last two seasons, Henderson’s absence is a major blow in more ways than one – their midfield and centre-back options are even more limited, whilst they’re also without their captain and biggest leader on the pitch.

West Ham United must hand Declan Rice the double-your-money contract thought to have been in the works earlier this season, amid interest from Liverpool and Manchester United.

What’s the word?

According to Ian McGarry, while speaking on The Transfer Window podcast, representatives of both the Anfield and Old Trafford outfits have opened talks with Rice’s agent over a potential summer move.

It is thought the Reds and Red Devils have expressed their interest in prising the 22-year-old away from the London Stadium and have requested that they stay informed of any updates regarding his situation.

Chelsea are also noted to no longer be entertaining the idea of signing the England international, as was expected following Frank Lampard’s sacking by the Stamford Bridge natives.

Lampard had been the driving force behind the Blues pursuing the midfielder last summer, but the south-west London side refused to pay West Ham’s £80m valuation with other club figures not as keen to re-sign a player they released as a teenager for such a significant fee.

Rice has since continued to shine with the Hammers as one of the first names on the teamsheet, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in all 24 Premier League fixtures this term.

What can West Ham do?

Moyes made it clear last month that he would not be letting Rice leave the London Stadium no matter who stood in the Chelsea dugout, as it would take an astronomical offer for West Ham to let the academy graduate leave.

“No matter who was the manager at Chelsea, or whoever came in, it would have been the same answer,” the Scot said, via quotes by the Mirror. “I said it right at the start and I’m only repeating myself – Bank of England money would be required, and you might even need to add Bank of Scotland on to that as well because he has been so good.”

Now, it is David Sullivan, Karren Brady and David Gold’s turn to show Rice how much he means to West Ham if they are to keep the midfielder in east London beyond the end of the season amid Liverpool and Manchester United’s approaches to his agent.

It had been reported by The Sun in October that GSB were willing to double Rice’s wage to £120k-per-week following Chelsea’s interest, but he has remained on the same £60k-per-week terms penned in 2018.

Rice was supposed to earn a pay rise to signify his importance to the Hammers and has only established his presence more so in the coming months, with Aaron Cresswell and Tomas Soucek the only West Ham players to have also featured for all 2,160 minutes of Premier League action to date.

The 13-time international also wears the captain’s armband when Mark Noble is not on the field, has long been considered the natural successor to the veteran midfielder and is a player Moyes sees as the future of West Ham.

But that may not come true if Manchester United or Liverpool present offers in the summer that appeal to Rice, who may feel undervalued if GSB are not willing to make him the best-paid player at the London Stadium in line with his status on the pitch.

So, if Gold, Brady and Sullivan want to see Rice in claret and blue and not red next season, they must hand the Moyes favourite a double-your-money deal or accept the consequences.

AND in other news, West Ham weigh up free-agent deal for 28-y/o who flopped after a £16m Premier League move…

David Moyes looks like he’s forcing Fabian Balbuena out of West Ham United with his plans to promote winter signing Frederik Alves to the first-team next season

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Hammers intend to promote Alves to the senior fold for the 2021/22 campaign and hand the Denmark Under 21 international a prominent role.

It is said that the centre-half has impressed the Irons coaching staff in training and with his appearances in Dmitri Halajko’s U23s, where he has started all four available Premier League 2 fixtures since finalising a £1.5m move from NordicBet Liga outfit Silkeborg IF.

Moyes and his backroom team allegedly have no doubt that the 21-year-old is capable of playing in the Premier League next term, despite him being left an unused substitute in each of his six sporadic inclusions in a first-team matchday squad to date.

West Ham did not envisage Alves competing for a first-team role when they finalised his arrival in December, having returned to Silkeborg to complete the transfer which fell through on Deadline Day in October.

Moyes’ role in negotiations is thought to have been key to the Irons beating competition from Leeds United and Norwich City, after the Hammers boss went out of his way to speak with Alves and his representatives to explain how he saw the defender developing in east London.

Alves in, Balbuena out?

West Ham planning on awarding Alves a prominent role in Moyes’ centre-half group next season could be a further sign that Balbuena’s time in claret and blue is nearing its end, with the Paraguayan’s contract due to expire in the summer.

Reports have suggested that four sides are monitoring the defender’s situation with a view to signing Balbuena in the off-season, with Flamengo, Internacional, a Saudi Arabian outfit and a team from Major League Soccer all keeping close tabs on developments.

The 29-year-old would prefer to secure a move back to Brazil following his time in South America with Brasileirao side Corinthians, from whom West Ham signed the 16-cap international for £6.5m in 2018.

Irons insiders Claret & Hugh have also suggested that Balbuena has made his mind up and will leave the Premier League in the summer, feeling that his future is no longer at the London Stadium after losing his place in the side to Craig Dawson in December.

Balbuena opened 15 of the Hammers’ initial 18 fixtures across all competitions during the 2020/21 campaign, but has only featured for 90 minutes in the club’s following 14 games played since after starting January’s FA Cup win over League One side Doncaster Rovers.

West Ham being 99 per cent certain of retaining Dawson beyond his season-long loan from Watford would also see that minutes will be thin and far between for Balbuena next term, especially if Alves is promoted to the first-team.

So, all things considered, it seems as if Moyes is forcing Balbuena out at West Ham as he looks to stamp his mark even further on the squad assembled by Manuel Pellegrini.

AND in other news, West Ham have been dealt a huge blow with a David Moyes favourite ruled out until mid-April…