All posts by h716a5.icu

Sam Hutchinson had an afternoon to forget on Sunday, didn’t he Sheffield Wednesday fans?

The midfielder was brought on as a substitute against Queens Park Rangers in the second half of the Owls’ final day clash yet struggled to make any sort of impact before succumbing to injury in the 80th minute at Hillsborough.

Hutchinson’s latest setback capped off what has been an immensely frustrating campaign for the 29-year-old as a number of different issues has resulted in him missing a total of 24 league games for Wednesday.

With doubts surrounding the £1.8m-rated ace’s suitability for the Championship (via Transfermarkt), it may be time for Steve Bruce to cash in on him when the transfer window opens in July.

Although he is an undeniably talented player when at his very best, Hutchinson has unfortunately been far too inconsistent for the Owls since joining the club in 2014 from Chelsea as his constant struggles with injuries have hampered his development in recent years.

When you consider that the likes of Joey Pelupessy and Barry Bannan have formed a strong partnership in the heart of midfield in recent months, it could be argued that Bruce already has better options to choose from than Hutchinson and so he would not be losing anything by letting him leave in the summer.

Furthermore, if Wednesday are to launch a sustained push for promotion next season, they cannot afford to carry any passengers and so they must be ruthless over the summer.

If Hutchinson is made surplus to requirements by Bruce, he could benefit from a fresh start elsewhere as it would give him the opportunity to prove himself following a mixed level of success during his five-year stint at Hillsborough.

What do you think Wednesday fans? Should Bruce consider putting Hutchinson up for transfer in the season? Or does the midfielder deserve another chance to prove himself next season? Let us know below.

Today’s play-off semi-final first-leg clash between Leeds United and Derby County has all the ingredients needed to be an enthralling affair, doesn’t it?

After the fallout surrounding the spy-gate scandal grabbed national headlines earlier this season, it is safe to say that there is no love lost between Marcelo Bielsa and Frank Lampard who will be both wanting to secure a positive result at Pride Park heading into the return fixture on May 15th.

Although the Whites finished the regular season nine points ahead of the Rams, they will know that if they are not at their very best at the weekend, their hopes of securing promotion to the Premier League could be shattered.

Having seen his side fail to record a victory in any of their previous four league games, Bielsa is in desperate need of one of his players to step up to the mark.

With Patrick Bamford serving the second match of his suspension for deceiving the referee in Leeds’ clash with Aston Villa last month, the former Lazio boss could place his trust in Ryan Edmondson to deliver the goods against Derby.

Although the 17-year-old has only made two senior appearances for the Whites since joining the club in 2017 from York City, his outstanding form for the under-23’s this season has seen him fire in 19 goals in 31 appearances.

By selecting Edmondson, Leeds could benefit from the element of surprise as the Rams will not have seen him in action before and therefore would not have studied the strengths and weaknesses of his game.

With Tyler Roberts expected to start in a deeper role on Saturday and Kemar Roofe clearly struggling for any sort of form since making his return from injury in April, it could be worth taking the risk with Edmondson as if it pays off, the Whites could move one step closer to securing promotion from Championship.

What do you think Leeds fans? Should Bielsa start Edmondson against Derby at the weekend? Or is it too much of a risk to take in such an important game? Let us know below.

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Tottenham Hotspur are exploring the possibility of re-signing former star Gareth Bale from Real Madrid this summer, according to Football Insider.

What’s the word?

Bale has continually been linked with a fairytale return to north London after leaving the club in 2013, in a then-world record £85million deal.

He is reported to earn £350,000-per-week in Madrid, however, and any transfer fee would surely break the £42m record that Spurs set when they acquired Davinson Sanchez from Ajax.

Football Insider, then, report that chairman Daniel Levy will only do a deal for Bale, who is valued at £63m by Transfermarkt, if Real are willing to discuss terms relating to a reduced fee, while the Wales international would also have to take a significant pay cut.

The Spanish club are said to be interested in signing Christian Eriksen this summer and one possibility listed is a part-exchange deal, though Levy is said to value the Dane at triple Bale’s worth.

A loan deal is another option, with the 29-year-old seemingly set to depart the Santiago Bernabeu; he has won four Champions League titles in the Spanish capital but has been repeatedly jeered by his own fans in recent months.

Is a pipe dream becoming reality?

If Real are desperate enough, we could see another Levy masterclass.

It seems likely that Bale is on his way out but Manchester United have long been touted as the likeliest suitor. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have missed out on the Champions League this season, though, and it remains to be seen if they will have any chance of convincing Bale to make the move to Old Trafford.

Instead, Spurs could become Real’s unlikely saviours.

A loan deal would work for everyone; Spurs lure back a previous hero, add some genuine stardust to a team that has reached the Champions League final and rake in the merchandising income; Real remove the albatross from around their neck and are able to reinvest at least a portion of his gargantuan wages.

It may have to wait until deadline day – Real would surely prefer to hold out for a fee for as long as possible – but what a deal it would be.

Portsmouth know that they must spend to improve their squad in the summer, especially after their play-off defeat.

Despite being able to win the Checkatrade Trophy, there is still a lot of work to be done at Fratton Park, evident from the two ties against Sunderland.

Still, after years of money trouble and plenty of different problems, Portsmouth look to be on the up and should be challenging for promotion once against next season.

But to make sure they do go one step further next time round, new players will be needed.

And one player that Pompey have been linked with in recent weeks is Plymouth’s Ryan Edwards, and fans would be very happy to see the defender arrive at Fratton Park this summer.

Edwards, (who is valued at £90k on Transfermarkt) now finds himself back in League Two after Plymouth’s relegation but with the talent he possesses, it won’t be long until he gets a move.

The 25-year-old played 36 times in the league this season and whilst doing his best defensively, he also provided five goals which is clearly a great return for a centre-back.

Portsmouth conceded 51 goals this campaign, the second most in the top six and so improvements defensively will be an aim during the summer window.

Ryan Edwards is therefore someone that with all his experience, could be seen as a great option for Pompey and helps them solidify a key area on the pitch.

Do you agree that Portsmouth should try and sign Ryan Edwards this summer… Join the discussion and let us know!

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Per Football Insider, Wolves are plotting a swoop to sign Liverpool’s Harry Wilson.

The attacker has been in majestic form on loan at Derby in the Championship this season, scoring 18 goals from a variety of positions, guiding them to the play-off final.

The 22-year-old has predominantly played out wide and according to the report, could be available for £25m after Jurgen Klopp gave the green light for a possible sale if suitors meet their valuation.

Wilson is a highly promising player and it’s no surprise to see him attracting interest from a Premier League club.

Considering Liverpool boast a phenomenal front three it is highly unlikely he’d get game time at Anfield. With that in mind, a move elsewhere would make sense.

But what do those at Football FanCast towers make of a possible switch for Wilson?

Here they give their verdicts on whether Wolves should cough up the reported fee Liverpool are asking for.

Luke Glanville:

“In my opinion, Wolves should pay the full asking price and sign Harry Wilson as soon as possible. £25 million means little in today’s market and to secure one of the brightest young attacking players in English football is an absolute steal. Just a year younger, Wilson can be the player Nuno Espirito Santo thought he was getting in Adama Traore last summer, only for the Spaniard to disappoint. The Liverpool talent of a similar age could slot into his place at Molineux and even allow the club to get shot of the inconsistent Traore – he could still fetch a pretty fee. At this price, 22-year-old Wilson, who deserves to be playing at the highest level, is a no-brainer for Wolves.”

Harry Sherlock:

“It’s a steep asking price and the answer, logically, is probably no. Wilson hasn’t proved that he can do it at the top level yet and Wolves already have a pretty solid attacking unit. Wilson can obviously improve and grow but one feels that he needs another loan move to refine his skills before earning a big move to another major Premier League club. Paying £25m at this point would be a risky punt. Wolves are best off looking elsewhere.”

We’ve found Raul Jimenez’s No. 1 fan and… it’s a little scary. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

James Beavis:

“Yes, they should. Wilson has shown during his spell with Derby County just how much potential he has, and at 22 years of age he has the world at his feet. £25m may seem like a lot for a player with no Premier League experience, but he has more than shown he is ready to make the step up. This is the man who would get the Molineux crowd on their feet with the quality of his set pieces.”

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Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham has hinted that he could join Aston Villa on a permanent deal in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Abraham played the full 90 minutes as Villa recorded a 2-1 win over Derby County in Monday’s Championship playoff final to secure a return to the Premier League.

As it stands, the England international will be heading back to Chelsea this summer with the view to battling for a first-team spot at Stamford Bridge next term.

However, Villa have been linked with a £25m swoop for the striker, who has refused to rule out a permanent move to the newly-promoted side.

Abraham told Sky Sports in his post-match interview:

“You can never say never, first of all, I have to enjoy it with the boys tonight. You can never say never. [I’ll] see what God has in store for me.”

There is absolutely no question that the striker was key for Villa during the 2018-19 campaign.

However, Dean Smith’s side must ensure that they use their heads when it comes to the 6 ft 3 ace rather than making an emotional decision.

How will this one play out?

Abraham has ended the season with 26 goals in 42 appearances for Villa – including 25 during the regular Championship campaign.

The Englishman is a serious force at Championship level but is yet to prove himself in the Premier League, managing just five top-flight goals during a loan spell at Swansea City.

Chelsea will surely now increase their £25m asking price following Villa’s promotion and that will leave Smith’s team with a huge decision to make.

Abraham has played a key role in Villa returning to the top flight but any decision taken at this point could be due to the emotion surrounding Monday’s win over Derby.

Spending big on Abraham this summer would effectively make him Villa’s starting forward next season and that would be a huge gamble when taking everything into consideration.

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Rangers are interested in making a move for Kilmarnock forward Eamonn Brophy this summer, according to TEAMtalk.

What’s the story?

It appears to be a policy of Steven Gerrard’s to bring the best Scottish Premiership talent to Rangers, with moves completed in recent months for Glen Kamara, Jordan Jones and Jake Hastie.

Brophy is another who impressed in the top-flight through 2018/19 and TEAMtalk reckon that the Scottish top flight runners-up are looking at the Killie man as someone who can potentially replace Alfredo Morelos if he is sold for big money this summer.

Morelos replacement?

To suggest that Brophy can come in and match the contribution of Morelos is perhaps overstating things a little, but if Rangers are interested it makes complete sense as back-up to both the Colombian and Jermain Defoe.

Brophy scored 12 goals for Kilmarnock this season, proving to be a key part of Steve Clarke side that delivered European football at Rugby Park, finishing ahead of Aberdeen in the table.

Check out Keith from C’mon the Hoops’ fascinating video on the origins of the Old Firm derby below…

It was form impressive enough for him to receive his first Scotland call-up for next month’s qualifiers against Cyprus and Belgium.

A thorn in Rangers’ side

Two of those goals came against Rangers in wins for Killie in January and on the last day of the season. The first saw him expose a mistake in the Gers defence with a smart, cool-headed finish while his most recent effort was from the penalty spot, perfectly dispatched while under significant pressure.

Kyle Lafferty’s move from Hearts last season hasn’t worked out the way anyone at Ibrox would have hoped and Brophy definitely has the ability to arrive in Glasgow and replace his presence.

By signing him, it also weakens one of the toughest sides Rangers faced this term – why not go out and grab the players who directly punished you?

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Arsenal’s season might have ended in embarrassing fashion in Baku at the hands of Chelsea, but it could have been a lot worse without Alexandre Lacazette in the squad.

The former Lyon man has unquestionably been Arsenal’s most important player this campaign, forming a great relationship both on and off the pitch with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and showing the quality to link midfield and attack with intelligence.

Lacazette has established himself as a fan favourite in north London and one of the most reliable strikers in the Premier League, but that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from churning out reports of Arsenal going in for a new striker this summer, and the latest name to pop up is Borussia Dortmund man Mario Gotze.

The once former golden boy of German football has seen his career stall in recent years, with a failed move to Bayern Munich seeing the now 26-year-old playmaker making a return back Dortmund, where he has since seen a change in role from a creative number 10 to more of a false 9, and Arsenal are sniffing about.

According to the Mirror, the Gunners are interested in the Black and Yellow superstar, who only has a year left on his current deal with Dortmund, and after one of Gotze’s best seasons to date in the Bundesliga, the German international could be a smart signing for Unai Emery’s side, but how does he compare to the former Lyon hitman?

As well as playing nearly the same number of games in their respective leagues, Lacazette and Gotze are also close when you look at the assist numbers, with the Arsenal man registering eight and the German playmaker creating seven, but from there, it is a completely different story.

From the stats, it is clear that despite Lacazette’s Player of the Season worthy campaign with the Gunners, Gotze does a far better job than the Arsenal striker when it comes to creative output.

Years of playing behind the striker and being the creative heartbeat for both one of the best Dortmund sides of all time – and also a strong Bayern Munich team – have culminated in Gotze being an ideal false 9 and a player who could add a fresh dynamic to Emery’s options in attack.

With a real creative powerhouse like Gotze, Arsenal could have a player that can return the club to the promised land of Champions League football and someone who can unlock the true potential of Aubameyang as well as take the creative burden off Lacazette, who will see his goal tally improve greatly with the German playing alongside him.

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Speaking to Sky Sports during their coverage of England’s Nations League encounter with Switzerland on 9 June, Gary Neville had a bizarre dig at Jack Grealish, per quotes relaid by Birmingham Live.

What’s the word?

Back in March, Gareth Southgate hinted that Grealish would have to be playing in the Premier League in order for him to receive an England call-up.

And following on from England’s defeat against the Netherlands last week, Aston Villa fans have since been calling for their star man to be included in the squad. However, a new debate surrounding the player has occurred.

Speaking about Declan Rice switching his allegiance from the Republic of Ireland, Neville chose to attack Grealish, another player eligible for the same nation.

In quotes relaid by Birmingham Live, he declared that it was nonsense that a footballer should ask for assurances over their place in a national side.

Describing an incident that arose when he was among the Three Lions’ coaching setup, he said:

“There was a situation when I was coaching with England when the FA at the time were trying to win the services of Jack Grealish and he wanted meeting with managers, assurances and other such things. It’s nonsense all of that!

“I don’t believe in the idea that you have to persuade someone to play for your country or give them assurances. How can you give them assurances in sport? You have to play well.”

Is he right?

Given the season Grealish has had, Neville’s comments feel very mistimed and rather unusual in their tone.

As the former Manchester United man has said, you need to play well first in order to warrant a place in the squad.

Regardless of the talent you possess, you won’t get an international call-up unless you’ve performed well for your club, or already earned your keep at the highest level of the game.

When Neville was coaching England, though, Grealish’s maturity was not of the level it’s at now and that perhaps explains what happened in the past.

“Finding a Lionel Messi in Sheffield… bit of a tall order!” – Watch Championship fans attempt to name their clubs’ Messi in the video below…

Now a couple of years older, the attacking midfielder has matured greatly, becoming a leading light for his side as well as being given the captaincy.

With Villa now returning to the Premier League, there is every chance Grealish may find himself in the England senior team for the very first time.

It’s highly unlikely that he’ll demand assurances over his place now he’s matured both on and off the field, and the standard of his performances might just give Southgate plenty to ponder over ahead of Euro 2020.

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Lots of Everton fans have taken to Twitter to discuss a report from Goal linking them with a move for Porto’s Yacine Brahimi.

The Toffees are reportedly interested in signing the Algerian, who is out of contract with Porto this summer – as you can see from some of the supporters’ reactions below, they’ve been linked with the attacking midfielder before.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

Brahimi enjoyed an impressive 2018/19 campaign with 13 goals and nine assists to his name last term, recording his best return since arriving in Portugal from Granada.

The 29-year-old has jetted off to the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria with his future at Porto still unresolved, which has seemingly alerted the attention of Everton.

It would definitely be a strange signing, seeing as Marcel Brands outlined his intentions to bring players between the ages of 20-25/26 to the club – the Sporting Director said that the Toffees ‘don’t want to invest big money in players who are older’.

Of course, he would be free. However, free transfers usually command quite big sums in terms of wages and agent fees, so it would still assumingly be investing big money in him if Brahimi was to arrive at Goodison Park.

Let’s take a look at what the Everton fans on Twitter have been saying…