Wolves star Roman Saiss is being scouted by Spanish giants Atletico Madrid as they weigh up a summer move for the midfielder, as reported by Lions de l’Atlas.
What’s the word, then?
Well, having struggled to break into Nuno Espirito Santo’s starting eleven at the beginning of the season, the Morocco international is starting to see a lot more game time as the season goes on.
Saiss started 37 games for the Midlands-based side last season on their way to becoming Championship winners, but has made just eight league starts in the current campaign after the arrivals of Joao Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker.
Atletico have strong ties with super-agent Jorge Mendes, who is heavily involved at Wolves as his clients include boss Nuno himself, whilst the club’s Chinese owners have a stake in Mendes’ company – Diego Simeone’s side could potentially have a better chance at negotiations given Mendes’ involvement.
Will Wolves miss Saiss if he goes?
As aforementioned, the summer arrivals of Moutinho and Dendoncker have seen Saiss pushed down the pecking order. Whilst he is far from being surplus to requirements at Molineux, Nuno prefers to play a two-man central midfield pairing in a 3-4-2-1 system, so it is difficult to see where Saiss will get the game time he wants in the middle.
The former Angers star can also play at centre-back, and has done already this season in the absence of Willy Boly, so in that respect, Wolves will certainly miss such a versatile player who is a valuable utility man.
Having said that, Belgian international Dendoncker can also play at centre-back, so Saiss is not the only versatile midfielder at Nuno’s disposal.
It would be a shame for Wolves to lose one of their promotion heroes, but it would be especially hard for the 28-year-old to turn down a move to a Champions League club if a concrete offer did arrive.
When Fernando Llorente missed an incredible chance to register against Watford on Wednesday night, the Tottenham Hotspur fans may have thought it was going to be another one of those nights for the Spaniard.
The 33-year-old is currently being tasked with leading the line in the absence of Harry Kane, which is not exactly the easiest thing in the world.
Overall, Llorente had a difficult night against Watford, but there proved to be a fairytale ending for the former Athletic Bilbao man as he netted an 87th-minute winner in Spurs’ 2-1 victory.
As expected, there were wild celebrations when Llorente registered and it could well be a turning point for the Spaniard, who was linked with an exit this month by The Daily Mail in December.
The Tottenham fans did a flip when Llorente – earning £75,000 a week according to Spotrac – scored the winner, with a large number taking to social media to lavish praise on the centre-forward.
A selection of the reaction from the club’s supporters can be seen below:
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West Ham United midfielder Edimilson Fernandes is currently on loan at Fiorentina, having seemed surplus to requirements by Manuel Pellegrini ahead of this season.
The 22-year-old has made 48 appearances for West Ham, whilst he has been a regular for Fiorentina this term, scoring twice in 21 Serie A games.
Fernandes was on the scoresheet in Fiorentina’s 4-1 win over SPAL on Sunday night, which led to a number of West Ham fans discussing the midfielder.
One particular Twitter account claimed that the Hammers should recall Fernandes, which led to an interesting debate.
It would be fair to say that the majority were struggling to agree, however, when it comes to the Switzerland international.
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Indeed, there were those calling for the midfielder to return, but others feel that he has already proved that he is not good enough to turn out for the Hammers on a regular basis.
A selection of the Twitter reaction from the West Ham supporters can be seen below:
Tottenham Hotspur continue to be linked with a move for Adrien Rabiot, the PSG midfielder.
The Daily Star reported on Saturday evening that Spurs are still interested in the France international after being linked with the player throughout the January transfer window.
Spurs failed to make a signing at the turn of the year, having also refused to add to their squad in the summer.
However, the aforementioned report claims that Mauricio Pochettino’s side attempted to secure a £20million deal for Rabiot in January.
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A family bereavement saw the deal put on hold, however, and Spurs are now said to be worried about the prospect of the 23-year-old being poached by another interested party.
Indeed, the Daily Star claim that both Liverpool and Barcelona are also taking a keen interest in Rabiot’s situation.
And Tottenham fans are readying themselves for disappointment, with many insisting that it is unlikely Rabiot will end up in north London.
The clock’s ticking and as always at this time of year, clubs are rushing around like headless chickens looking for last minute deals.
There isn’t a single club who isn’t being tipped to complete some late January business before the window slams shut on Thursday evening, with so many managers still desperate to strengthen their squads ahead of the final run-in of fixtures this season.
You’ve only got to look at any of the live transfer feeds around the internet to know that we haven’t seen the last of the business being done this month, with a number of huge deals touted to go through.
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Vincent Janssen – Cardiff, Boro, Wolves, Burnley
A switch to China is currently the most likely of destinations for the Dutch striker, who is hoping to bring an end to a nightmare spell at Tottenham. Cardiff (9/1), Middlesbrough (12/1), Wolves (2/1) and Burnley (4/1) are currently the leading favourite English clubs, according to the bookies.
Youri Tielemans – Leicester City
Soccer Football – Ligue 1 – Monaco vs Montpellier – Stade Louis II, Monaco – December 1, 2018 AS Monaco’s Youri Tielemans celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
Reports this week have linked Leicester with a move for Belgian wonderkid Tielemans. It’s believed, with a number of midfielders being allowed to leave the King Power Stadium this month, funds have been freed up in order for Puel to make a move for the youngster.
Gelson Martins- Newcastle
Newcastle being linked with anyone these days doesn’t normally lead to a deal being done but reports over the last few days suggest Rafa Benitez may just be able to secure a few deals before the window shuts. Gelson Martins is one of the favourites to sign for the Magpies before Thursday. Watch this space.
Adrien Rabiot – Spurs
The Frenchman is in to the final six months of his PSG contract and therefore is able to start discussing personal terms with other clubs. Tottenham have reportedly already made an offer to Rabiot and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him being brought in to replace the departed Mousa Dembele. He’s as short as 3/1 with some bookies to agree a move to North London.
Nathan Ake – Chelsea
This would be classic Chelsea, but it does seem as though Sarri is interested in bringing Nathan Ake to Stamford Bridge. He’d cost a fair whack financially but it’s no secret the Blues need to tighten up defensively and it’s believed they’re lining up a huge bid before the window closes.
Michy Batshuayi – Crystal Palace, Everton
Higuain’s arrival last weekend has all but ended the Belgium international’s Stamford Bridge career, but there shouldn’t be a shortage of suitors ready to offer him a way out. Crystal Palace (4/1) and Everton (2/1 are currently the favourites among the English clubs interested in him, but Spurs, West Ham, Watford, Southampton and Fulham are all considering late moves.
Bradley Dack – West Ham, Burnley
Bradley Dack has been smashing it in the Championship for Blackburn, so it’s no surprise to see him being linked with a move to the Premier League. It’s widely expected that he’ll be rocking up in Stratford before the month is out, with the Hammers the bookies’ favourites to sign him at 4/1, while Burnley are priced at 10/1 to complete a deal.
Gary Cahill – Crystal Palace, Fulham, Arsenal
Gary Cahill, once a mainstay stalwart of dominant Chelsea teams gone by, is widely expected to leave the Blues in January and despite his age, there does seem to be some concrete interest in his signature. Crystal Palace (9/4), Fulham (3/1), Arsenal (10/3) and even Aston Villa (4/1) are all battling for his signature this week.
Nicolo Barella – Man United, Chelsea
The 21-year-old Cagliari midfielder is quite rightly attracting interest in some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but it’s Man United and Chelsea who are both leading the chase to sign him this week. The bookies currently have Chelsea down as the favourites at 4/1 but reports suggest the youngster would prefer a move to Old Trafford. Keep an eye on this one!
Che Adams – Southampton, Burnley
Che Adams can’t stop scoring for Birmingham in the Championship, so it’s little wonder Southampton and Burnley have been keeping close tabs on him this month. Both Premier League clubs have struggled for goals this term so expect Adams to be rocking up at one of these clubs come Thursday evening.
Newcastle fans will be encouraged by their side’s performance despite losing to Tottenham at the weekend.
Spurs pinched a narrow 1-0 victory at Wembley after a Martin Dubravka error in the 83rd minute allowed Son Heung-Min to score the only goal of the game. Despite being unable to build on the win against Manchester City, there was plenty of reason to be optimistic after a decent display against Mauricio Pochettino’s men.
Benitez has his January signings to welcome into the starting eleven with Antonio Barreca making his debut from the bench. The £20m addition of Miguel Almiron will prove to be the difference maker for the Magpies. If the Paraguay international can display his magic, staying in the Premier League shouldn’t be a problem.
Turning his attention to the summer transfer window, Benitez should be keeping tabs on Huddersfield star – Philip Billing. Valued at £6.3m by Transfermarkt, the Dane joined the club in 2013 and progressed through the youth ranks to become an important member of the first-team. Huddersfield’s time in England’s top division looks to be coming to an end after registering just 11 points so far this season and Biling is likely to be snapped up.
The 22-year-old is a giant on the pitch and his presence in the engine room would give the Magpies some much-needed grit. Despite his size, Biling is also quality in possession and would thrive alongside Jonjo Shelvey. Still improving and developing, the Denmark international has massive potential and with his contract set to expire in 2020, he could be available for a great price.
Biling has already proven himself in the Premier League and could be the man to unlock Almiron in the Magpies attack.
There’s no way around it – Chelsea collapsed against Bournemouth. The Blues really struggled in the second half against the Cherries, and in the end, Eddie Howe’s men were good value for their win.
It’s the latest in a number of poor results for Chelsea, and it’s one that the club won’t want to suffer through again this season.
One area in which Chelsea struggled, again, was the midfield. Jorginho continues to struggle, whilst Mateo Kovacic hasn’t been able to do much of anything so far this term. Not to mention, N’Golo Kante is being played out of position, and that can’t be helping the cause.
Maurizio Sarri’s issue is that he’s got great players, but they just haven’t been able to click, and so perhaps another midfielder could be a help. It’s important, too, to note that Cesc Fabregas has also already left the club, and so it’s clear that they’re short on depth and quality.
That’s something the club want to fix, according to the Mirror, with Chelsea potentially looking at making a move for Watford man Abdoulaye Doucoure. It’s an audacious move, and though he’s rated at £22.5 million by Transfer Markt, you’d imagine that Watford would want far beyond his market to sell him this last in the window. However, he could still be worth it.
Doucoure offers so much strength in the middle of the park, and he’d offer a lot of what Chelsea lack at present. First and foremost, he’s able to make an impact going forward, with 3 goals and 5 assists so far this term, but that’s only a part of his game.
He’s also brilliant at breaking up play. Offering strength and agility in the middle of the park, he’d help to prevent Chelsea getting caught on the counter so often – especially with Maurizio Sarri unwilling to play N’Golo Kante further back in the midfield. He’s got a little bit more in the way of technical ability than Kante, and so perhaps he’d be a better fit in place for Jorginho on occasion – allowing Kante to sit further back.
With a solid range of passing and dribbling, he’s been one of the best breakout players in the Premier League over the last few years, and Chelsea would be lucky to have him – if they can get their hands on him.
Rangers are now stumbling eight points behind bitter rivals Celtic after a couple of poor performances and results, and the wheels might well be falling off from within.
Steven Gerrard has never been afraid to voice his concern if he believes something isn’t right.
A relentless worker, leader and role model during his playing career and a tough manager now, Gerrard has been true to form when addressing some of the major concerns he has over the attitude of his squad.
Fans aren’t exactly disagreeing with him either with most echoing his concerns that players have done little to deserve being so complacent at such an important stage of the season.
Gerrard may be right, but by publicly outingÂmembers of his squad he’s playing a very dangerous game.
Indeed, in an age where internal revolts can dictate the future of a manager’s career at a club, we’ve already seen the likes of media shaming pro-Jose Mourinho ousted from both Chelsea and Manchester United after his players took a disliking to his practises.
And that’s someone who’s experienced major success throughout his long and illustrious career.
Gerrard, for all his quality as a player, is unproven as a manager.
There’s a very fine line the current Gers boss would do well not to cross if he wants to make a success of his first big job in coaching.
Celtic fans must be reeving following Brendan Rodgers business end bail, but the news that rumoured replacement David Moyes could be heading to the Chinese Super League instead of Glasgow will surely improve their mood slightly.
According to The Sun, Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sunderland and West Ham flop David Moyes has announced his interest in returning to management and has set his sights on former club Celtic, alongside the CSL.
The man he wants to replace, Neil Lennon, is currently on his second managerial stint with the Hoops having been drafted on an interim basis but has made a decent enough case for succeeding as the permanent coach with two wins out of two – the most recent guiding Celtic into the final four of the domestic cup.
A win against Aberdeen at the week would surely leave Lennon in good stead.
Moyes, on the other hand, has been out of a job since being sacked by West Ham and has scantly achieved any kind of success since his Everton days.
Conveniently, we have a warning from history which reminds us that David Moyes is a poorly qualified candidate for handling the pressures of succeeding a very successful manager at a club.
As far as we are concerned, and likely anyone else who have endured his management style, he is regressive in his tactics and exists as a prominent reminder of how far the game has come in recent years.
Fortunately, there is every chance the Chinese Super League could be the next home for David Moyes as they continue their mission to boost the profile of football in the country.
Regardless, the Celtic faithful will surely be hoping that the board are looking at forward-thinking coaches who could drive the club on a similar trajectory as their former man Rodgers.
Loads of Liverpool fans have been giving their verdict on the win over Bournemouth, and they’re absolutely stunned by the performance of Naby Keita.
Keita has been somewhat scapegoated by Liverpool fans in recent weeks, as the number eight’s performances have simply not been up the standard he set during his time in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig.
After showing glimpses of his quality against West Ham though, the Guinean international produced his most well-rounded display of the season so far on Saturday.
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The arrival of an injury-plagued Bournemouth at Anfield offered the perfect chance to get the confidence flowing again, and that’s exactly what happened as Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah all found the net.
While he didn’t get on the scoresheet, Keita was perhaps the best of the lot, as he touched the ball 120 times, completed 91 per cent of his passes and made a whopping seven tackles.
The 23 year-old may finally be coming into his own at Anfield, and fans are performing a complete 180 after bashing their big summer signing just last week…