All posts by h716a5.icu

Kalvin Phillips has had a season to remember for Leeds United, hasn’t he?

One of the many benefactors from Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival at Elland Road last summer, the midfielder has developed into a key player for his side this year and has all the ingredients needed to become a modern-day hero for the Yorkshire-based outfit.

With Phillips expected to start in the first-leg of Leeds’ play-off semi-final against Derby County on Saturday, he will be hoping that by delivering yet another outstanding performance for the club, he can help them move one step closer to securing promotion to the Premier League.

If the Whites are successful in achieving this goal over the coming weeks, they will be able to provide the 23-year-old with the platform to thrive against the very best that England has to offer.

However, despite already being an extremely gifted player, Phillips could take his game to new heights if Bielsa brings in Ander Iturraspe when the transfer window opens in July.

According to El Gol Digital, the Athletic Bilbao midfielder is reportedly interested in reuniting with his former manager next season if Leeds make it into the top-flight via the play-offs.

Although the arrival of Iturraspe at Elland Road would lead to him directly competing with Phillips for his position, he could use his wealth of experience to help mentor the Whites ace.

Having played over 300 games for Bilbao during his 11-year career, the 30-year-old knows just what it takes to compete against the world’s best and so by passing on what he has learned to Phillips, he could help him fulfil his potential.

Available on a free transfer in the summer having failed to agree a new deal with Bilbao (via HITC), Iturraspe could turn out to be the perfect signing for Leeds as he not only would he be a significant upgrade on Adam Forshaw but he could also develop the talents of those around him.

What do you think Leeds fans? Should Bielsa bring in Iturraspe in the summer? Could the Spaniard’s arrival turn out to be a boost for Phillips? Let us know below.

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Given the messes West Bromwich Albion have found themselves in down the years, it would take more than the wand of Harry Potter to summon a spell capable of ending the club’s yoyo period.

It’s been a reoccurring theme throughout the years but another man with the same surname, Swansea City’s Graham Potter, could be the individual with the powers to finally banish the demons that lurk at the Hawthorns.

Albion have their problems and even though Jimmy Shan has done the best possible job under the circumstances, there is a feeling in the air of negativity, rather than positivity. It’s rather strange going into a play-off campaign.

However, someone who may be able to sort that out next season, regardless of whether the club achieves promotion, is Potter. That’s the manager, not the fictional character.

The Sun on Sunday (05/05: page 59) – via HITC – reported that West Brom are eyeing him as the man to take the reins on a permanent basis next season, but it could cost £2m to prise him away.

With that in mind, here are the possible consequences of Potter reuniting with West Brom 19 years after he left the club as a player.

Negative atmosphere wiped away

Potter is a fantastic man manager and knows how to create a culture and thriving environment. His eight years at Swedish side Ostersunds, where he took the club all the way from the fourth tier to the Allsvenskan, tells you all you need to know in that regard.

He built a legacy there and an atmosphere which the players loved. They may not have possessed the greatest of footballing ability, but by creating a pleasant environment they achieved things beyond their wildest dreams.

In some senses, he’s done the same since arriving at Swansea. Obviously, the success hasn’t come yet, but he took over a side recently relegated and in danger of falling away. He’s been able to stabilise the Swans and wipe away the negative atmosphere that will have been creeping in after a relegation.

He saw 12 players leave last summer but that had no effect as he was able to instil a belief in the team that saw them finish tenth in the league.

The atmosphere at West Brom, whether that be at board level or on the pitch, hasn’t been too favourable for a number of years now. Potter could help change that.

Jenkins finally looks at the bigger picture

Giving Mark Jenkins praise would be beyond most Albion supporters at the moment but they would have reason to give him plaudits should Potter be appointed as manager this summer.

The Chief Executive at West Brom hasn’t had the best of relationships with the supporters and that’s putting it lightly. Jenkins seems to constantly work his way through uninspiring and safe managerial appointments that save the club some money.

Potter, however, would go against that and bringing him back to the Hawthorns would be a masterstroke. Yes, it could cost the club £2m, but it would be evidence that Jenkins is finally looking at the bigger picture.

The appointment of the Swansea manager wouldn’t be safe, nor would it be cheap, but it would help paint a picture of where West Brom can be in the future.

If Jenkins has any ambition, then he’ll consider the long term future, rather than the short term. Wouldn’t that be a rarity?

No more academy concerns

Where would West Brom be had they kept some of their very best young talents down the years? It feels like a broken record, particularly after Izzy Brown’s departure. However, as Rekeem Harper’s contract looks set to run down and with Borussia Dortmund reportedly chasing Jamie Soule, the debate could again be renewed very soon.

However, Potter could help wipe away those concerns. After he lost a number of players at Swansea last summer, he brought through young individuals who have thrived at the Liberty this season.

The main men to focus on here are Dan James and Joe Rodon, who have been two of the Swans’ key players since the 43-year-old manager took over.

Was Darren Moore’s sacking unfair? The Pl>ymaker FC squad name which Championship bosses should have gone instead in the video below…

Looking at that, there should be encouraging signs for Baggies’ supporters, especially given the fact that 69% of Swansea’s goals were scored by players under the age of 23 this term.

Potter was monitored by the club back in March 2018, only for nothing to materialise. This time around, though, they must do everything they can to lure him back to the Midlands.

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According to Birmingham Live, West Brom are one of a number of clubs interested in Oldham defender George Edmundson this summer.

What’s the word?

Edmundson was fantastic for League 2 Oldham this term, playing 45 times for the Latics as he was also included in the Team of the Year.

At just 21, the centre-half has a huge amount of potential and it’s not hard to see why clubs in a higher division are chasing him.

Birmingham Live suggest that West Brom are after the youngster, but they’ll face stiff competition from a host of clubs. Earlier this week, The Daily Mail claimed that Rangers, Hull and Stoke are all monitoring the player.

Any potential deal could cost in the region of £500,000 if the report is to be believed.

Kyle Bartley replacement in the making?

The former Arsenal defender had had a hit and miss season at the Hawthorns but has finally established himself under Jimmy Shan in a three-man defence at the back end of the current campaign.

For better or worse, Edmundson would be an ideal replacement. Standing at 6 ft 3, he is just an inch shorter than Bartley and also boosts similar qualities.

He’s comfortable on the ball, a threat from set plays and his reading of the game is highly intelligent for someone so young.

Edmundson’s leadership qualities are also a key attribute, and given Bartley has captained the Albion side at times this season, there are comparisons to be made in that regard as well.

Was Darren Moore’s sacking unfair? The Pl>ymaker FC squad name which Championship bosses should have gone instead in the video below…

Making the step up numerous divisions could be tough for the player but it’s not as though it hasn’t been achieved before. After all, the 21-year-old has plenty of time to grow and could come in to replace Albion’s number five further down the line.

Alongside Dara O’Shea, a hotly tipped Baggies defender who spent the season on loan at Exeter, West Brom would be well set for the future.

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Liverpool fans on Twitter have been drooling over their youth prospect Ki-Jana Hoever after the teenager played a key role in the Netherlands’ Under-17 European Championship success.

Hoever has already made his first-team debut for the Reds as a 16-year-old, coming on as an early substitute in the FA Cup third round defeat to Wolves – he certainly has a huge future ahead of him.

Chelsea fans were giving it large at Anfield on Sunday. Watch their afternoon get slowly ruined in the video below…

The now 17-year-old Dutchman played a key role in the European Championship success, setting up one of the goals against Italy in the final with a well-taken free-kick that hit the post before being tapped in.

Liverpool fans are most definitely excited by the former Ajax star’s potential, and seemingly cannot wait for him to make the step up into the first-team The fact that he can play at both right-back and at centre-back is a hugely attractive factor.

Let’s see what the Liverpool supporters on Twitter have been saying about the teenage star…

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The departure of Manchester City’s long-term leader and captain may have come as a surprise to many, but in typical City fashion, they are wasting no time in their search for a Vincent Kompany replacement.

Prior to the arrival of Pep Guardiola, the central defence position was a problem which plagued the Citizens season after season.

But with the departure of such a key figure – on and off the field – and a burning desire of everyone at the club to go one step further than their current achievements and win the Champions League, they will need to ensure that the player they bring in is up to the task.

Harry Maguire is that man, and the Englishman’s performances at club and international level are convincing enough to make him Pep’s number one target.

The Daily Mail report that the City manager put Maguire at the top of his shopping list after City’s 1-0 victory over Leicester earlier this month – a match in which Maguire’s side almost kept a rare clean sheet against the league’s highest scorers but for a Kompany wonder strike.

If Guardiola does manage to lure one of his primary targets to the club, the cost of the deal could surpass what Liverpool paid to secure Virgil van Dijk.

The arrival of Maguire would also help to boost the numbers of English players in City’s squad, and possibly re-form the England partnership with John Stones.

Both players were key in England’s impressive World Cup run, but since then Maguire has been the more impressive of the two and his progression shows no signs of slowing down. At his current rate, he could become a world beater in the same mould as the departing skipper.

Stones meanwhile, has had a stop-start season, making just two starts in City’s last fifteen matches, and has been dropped in many key matches this season, particularly in the Champions League.

Furthermore, although both players are known for their ability on the ball, which is key for a Pep side, Maguire exceeds his compatriot on a number of key stats this season, most notably in interceptions and aerials won.

This is what makes Maguire stand out from Stones and the rest. His presence in both boxes is crucial and would bring an extra dimension to the City defence, providing an aggressive and physical edge which Stones lacks.

However, the style of play of the teams they play for is a factor influencing these stats. City, after all, are rarely without possession and as such do not spend as much time as Leicester on the back foot, meaning there is less opportunity for the City man to make interceptions. In addition, Maguire has made seven appearances more in the Premier League.

More surprisingly perhaps, is that Maguire has performed better this season in an area where Stones has become renowned for – his ability on the ball.

Maguire made more than double the amount of key passes, and 11 more successful dribbles, than Stones. Given City’s dominance of the ball, this statistic is even more impressive.

Maguire has already proved himself on the highest stage. He is constantly improving and is arguably the most all-round defender in the league. Under Pep’s guidance, he could become a pivotal member of the team, and make City fans forget all about Vinny Kompany.

With news of a possible new owner coming to town, there really is cause for a lot of excitement surrounding Newcastle United right now. Are we actually going to see a Newcastle side fighting back towards the top of the table again? 

Indeed, after what has been a seriously average season, there is nothing more exciting than hearing that the man that put you there, may finally be ready to sell up. Does this mean we will see Rafael Benitez stay? Are we going to see a financial shift within the club the same size of Manchester City’s following their takeover?

With an exciting summer ahead, there is cause for concern on plenty of the player’s minds. With this, we are going to take a look at a couple of players who are going to struggle next season in what may be a new era for the club.

Joselu

After being given various chances throughout the season, we really got to see the real Joselu and just how badly he doesn’t fit into this Newcastle side.

Scoring two goals in 16 Premier League appearances just isn’t good enough, especially when your competing against the likes Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon, who have been exceptional.

It really would not be a shock to see the 29-year-old placed on Benitez’s transfer list and if the Spaniard is not able to get a move away from St. James’ Park, it would not be a surprise to see him get frozen out next term.

Ki Sung-yueng

Is he possibly one of the flops of the season? You would have to say he’s in with a shout.

After joining following a successful spell at Swansea a lot was expected of the 30-year-old midfielder, and unfortunately for himself, Benitez and Newcastle’s fans, he has not delivered.

Only managing 18 games this season in the Premier League and registering more yellow cards than goals and assists combined, there really is no evidence as to why Benitez should look to choose the South Korean in the future.

Liverpool have the perfect reward for their efforts this season after beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final of the UEFA Champions League on Saturday night.

Jurgen Klopp’s side narrowly missed out on English Premier League glory but put all that behind them in Madrid to eventually show their class and finish off Mauricio Pochettino’s outfit.

An early penalty set the tone for victory, which was coolly dispatched by Mohamed Salah after a Moussa Sissoko handball.

We all love the Champions League theme tune but you’ve never heard it like this before! Check out the video below…

With both teams struggling to hit their best form from then on, the Reds had to defend stoutly in the face of Tottenham possession until well into the second half when super-sub Divock Origi found space in the box to accurately finish past Hugo Lloris, sending the travelling Liverpool supporters into raptures.

Origi has far from been a regular under Klopp this season but has scored some massive goals including a Merseyside Derby winner, a double against Barcelona in the semi-final of this competition and now this career defining effort.

Whatever happens now for him at Liverpool, he’ll always be something of a club legend.

These fans were obviously overjoyed by his impact, taking to Twitter on Saturday to share their thoughts…

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As reported by Montecarlo Radio (via Calcio Mercato), Liverpool have pulled out of the race to sign Matthijs de Ligt along with Bayern Munich, leaving just Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona in a battle for the wonderkid.

What’s the word, then?

The 19-year-old’s future has been a major talking point this summer, with Europe’s top clubs seemingly desperate to land what appears to be a truly generational talent – the teenager scored crucial goals in the latter stages of the Champions League knockout phases as Ajax made the semi-finals.

De Ligt is quite frankly a freak of nature and his ability, maturity and leadership defy his adolescent years. He already captains the Dutch giants and is a regular fixture in the national team alongside Liverpool colossus Virgil van Dijk.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

Anyone that lands De Ligt this summer will be getting their hands on the hottest prospect in world football, and Liverpool had been mentioned as potential suitors. It now seems that’s no longer the case.

The wrong approach from Liverpool

A report from the Telegraph revealed that the Reds are set to target ‘low-key’ signings this summer. But how do they expect to overtake Manchester City in the Premier League next season with that approach?

The arrivals of difference makers such as van Dijk and Alisson in 2018 have allowed Liverpool to step it up a notch, and a sixth major European Cup would not have been possible without the influential pair.

The Citizens have spent millions almost every summer, splashing almost £100m on full-backs alone when they moved to sign Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy.

It is these kinds of purchases that keep Pep Guardiola’s men on top of their game and ensure that complacency doesn’t set in – Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp cannot rest on their laurels after picking up their first piece of silverware under the German.

This is a unmissable opportunity in the market for Liverpool. For as good as they were last season, De Ligt represents a huge chance to improve the quality of the starting XI once again ahead of new campaign. Unfortunately though, it appears the Reds are passing it by.

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Tanguy Ndombele is one of Tottenham Hotspur’s mooted summer targets with recent reports claiming they have tabled a club-record £60m bid and, on the surface, it looks like a mouthwatering signing.

A full France international with a major pedigree in Ligue 1, the central midfielder has developed into one of the most sought-after players in world football.

Both Manchester United and Manchester City have been linked with big-money moves and it appears almost certain that he will depart the French club this summer; Jean-Michel Aulas, the club’s president, has confirmed he is in negotiations with clubs to sell him.

That was said last summer, too, with Spurs and City both reported, per RMC via TalkSport, to have failed with bids to entice him away.

But how good is he, really, and how has he grown as a player since making his first-team breakthrough at Lyon?

In terms of attributes, Ndombele belies the usual “pace and power” stereotype that is so often associated with young, black footballers.

While he is quick, he has a deftness of touch that takes him past defenders and is also a thoughtful distributor of the ball. He moves it well and is always looking to take up positions in which he can affect the game, be it defensively or offensively.

He is, at his base, a hybrid midfielder, one who is equally adept at breaking up play and recycling possession as he is at taking the ball on the run and quickly picking a pass or unleashing a shot.

He is exceptional at picking the ball up on the turn, too, and spinning away from his man, a la Mousa Dembele in his prime.

And yet, in 2015/16, he was playing for Amiens’ reserve team, in France’s fifth division.

It has been a meteoric rise and along that journey, he has been a model of consistency.

Indeed, in 2016/17, he made his breakthrough into the club’s first-team and laid on seven assists in 30 games in Ligue 2. He also scored twice.

These performances came about at a time when the club did not really know how to use him; throughout the campaign he played in central midfield, attacking midfield, on the right of midfield and at right-back.

He was first loaned to Lyon in 2017/18, with the club securing an option to sign him on a permanent basis should they so wish. In 35 Ligue 1 games, he took to top-flight French football like a duck to water and again laid on seven assists, while nailing down a place in the club’s starting XI.

The following season, the deal having been made permanent, he made one less appearance but still registered seven league assists.

This is not a goalscoring midfielder by any means, as he has scored just one Ligue 1 goal for Lyon in his two seasons at the club.

But he is perhaps exactly what Mauricio Pochettino needs in the centre of midfield.

This is a player who is yet to be burned out by the pressure of a lengthy career at a young age; he is 22 and has played just 130 first-team games at club level. Dele Alli, by comparison, is a year older and has played 272 first-team matches.

Ndombele is fresh as a daisy, then, and all the signs point to a career marked by longevity, such is his playing style.

He is not a full-throttle midfielder, instead choosing to make his bursts forward only when he sees a gap, in a manner not too dissimilar to Moussa Sissoko.

There is more poise and elegance to the way Ndombele plays, however, and it is not hard to see why major clubs are fawning over him.

He has emerged as perhaps the best young central midfielder in Europe in recent years.

Spurs should pull out all the stops to get this deal over the line.

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According to The Sun, Manchester United are prepared to hand over Andreas Pereira as a sweetener in an attempt to land Leicester’s Harry Maguire.

What’s the word?

This isn’t the first time Maguire has attracted the interest of Man United after the club were reportedly eyeing up a move last summer.

However, they now look set to come back in for the defender.

Initially it was reported that Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo could be used in a swap deal for the 26-year-old, but The Sun now suggest it is Pereira who could go in the opposite way if a deal occurs.

The report suggests Brendan Rodgers is a big fan of the Brazilian midfielder and United are willing to let him go as they don’t want to meet the Foxes’ asking price for their star centre-back.

Leicester would be robbed

If Leicester were somehow convinced into agreeing to a deal like this they’d be robbed of not only one of their prized assets, but they’d be getting a far less influential player in return.

In short, this would be a terrible deal for the club, especially if you consider the fact Pereira’s only rated at £9m per Transfermarkt.

It’s no secret that the funds Leicester would gain from selling Maguire would be healthy but if a player of Pereira’s calibre is being used as a sweetener, it should be a no-go.

The fact of the matter is that the 23-year-old doesn’t provide enough end product and would only add another frustrating figure to their ranks.

Last term he only found the net once whilst his assist tally was the same number. Boasting the ability to play centrally and out wide, he hardly matches up to those already at the club.

Could Daniel Sturridge be set to reunite with Brendan Rodgers? Check out the video below to find out…

In midfield Wilfred Ndidi’s place seems set whilst it’s highly unlikely he’d live up to James Maddison’s performances.

Meanwhile, on the flanks, his numbers are even less convincing than the likes of Marc Albrighton, Demarai Gray and Rachid Ghezzal.

Between them they only found the net six times in 2018/19.

As such, signing a player like Pereira in return for Maguire would fail to make much sense.

If Leicester are going to bring in any forward players this summer they have to be capable of providing far more end product.