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Tottenham seem to be at a crossroads at the moment. They don’t have their new stadium yet, they crashed out of two competitions in a week, and some of their players are being linked away from the club. 

What’s worse is that manager Mauricio Pochettino could well be leaving the club soon, not only due to the interest from rival clubs, but because he may be growing bored of the lack of trophies and progress Tottenham seem to be making.

One man that could bring a completely radical new approach to Tottenham is former Man United boss José Mourinho. Now we are not saying that the Portuguese is going to join Tottenham, or even linked with a move to north London, but it is a possibility that Daniel Levy may need to think about should his current manager leave.

This would be a controversial call, as Mourinho is a very divisive figure, but here are the pros and cons of Mourinho joining Tottenham:

Pros Status

Whether he is popular or not, there is no denying that Mourinho is one of, if not the most well-known manager in the world.

If Tottenham were able to attract the Portuguese to their club, it would send a huge message to the rest of the world. Some fans would even argue that they would suddenly be put in the same conversation as Chelsea, Man United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan- all European Giants that Mourinho has managed.

This would be a very good move for Tottenham’s global appeal.

Track record

Pochettino has made Tottenham into one of the most attractive teams to watch in England, and indeed Europe. He has overseen some very successful performances and seasons as a whole but there is one glaring blemish on his career so far and that is his lack of a trophy. He has made it to semi finals and indeed a League Cup final, but still has nothing.

Mourinho is almost stylistically the opposite of the Argentinian, creating boring and defensive teams to some, but he has undeniably had a lot of success. He could bring a winning mentality that Spurs have perhaps lacked in recent years. 

At every club he has been with, he has got silverware which to many Tottenham fans is all they may want. He could be the missing piece in their puzzle and toughen up a traditionally fragile team.

Cons Man management

For a long time there was no questioning the methods and style of Mourinho as it was hard to criticise a manager that had been successful in every club and country he had managed in.

But he started to turn a few heads with Man United, particularly regarding his man management.

He fell out with a number of players and oversaw a drastic drop in form by many of them. This was surely one of the leading factors in his sacking and he now has a job to prove that he is not a negative effect on others.

On the other hand, Pochettino has a great rapport with all his players and any senior figure at Tottenham will be wary of the Portuguese’s arrival.

Outdated

There were also questions during Mourinho’s spell at Man United whether he was becoming outdated as a manager. As teams like Man City, Liverpool and Tottenham play progressive football, Mourinho’s Man United look like they were from a different era.

Perhaps he is past his sell by date and Tottenham would not want to risk devastating a team that play so positively under Pochettino.

Verdict

Given the way that Mourinho tarnished his reputation at Man United, this is a risk that Levy should avoid. Whether fans agree with Mourinho or Paul Pogba after their ongoing feud, it is an environment that Tottenham just cannot afford to create.

That being said, Tottenham do need to look to a manager like the Portuguese in terms of their winning mentality if the situation does arise when they need a new manager. But this is a potential disaster they should avoid.

Newcastle are expected to sign a number of players in the summer according to Sky correspondent Keith Downie.

What’s the story?

He said when speaking to This Is Futbol that he expects the Toon to be extremely busy when it comes to adding new faces to the squad ahead of next season.

He said: “I still expect four or five players to arrive, and that’s without me talking about anyone leaving. If players leave then it could lead to even more arriving.”

Despite still not having secured their Premier League status, the Magpies seem confident of their survival and seem to be planning ahead of next season already.

Who’s on their list?

It will be interesting to see who Newcastle are able to attract but it’s likely they will want to target some of Europe’s best players.

They have recently been linked with a move for West Ham United star Jarrod Bowen who has been their top scorer this season and is highly rated at only 25-years old.

A move for him would also see them weaken potential rivals next season when they’ll be looking to finish as high as possible.

Reports in the Daily Mirror also say that the club have already set their list of targets which includes Everton star Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Kalvin Phillips.

With Everton and Leeds both struggling this season, if either of them were to be relegated it would make it far easier for Newcastle to make these signings.

Targeting an English contingent of players may be a strategic move. They may be more willing to move to the North East due to recognising Newcastle’s stature and history perhaps more than players on the continent.

However, if they do go down this route then they will have to be willing to pay more for English talent. History has shown players from home tend to fetch higher transfer fees.

Ever since the takeover, it’s been expected that Newcastle would spend big to try and compete with the best in the league. Time will tell just how much they will spend but if you’re a fan of the Magpies then it should be an exciting summer ahead. This is certainly great news for the Toon Army.

IN other news: NUFC plot bid to sign £31.5m-rated star who’s on “fire”, he could be their own “Salah” – opinion

A big update has emerged on Rangers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s plans to replace Ibrox veteran Allan McGregor this summer…

What’s the talk?

According to the print edition of the Daily Record on 5 April [page 48], via Ibrox News, the Gers have made Schalke shot-stopper Martin Fraisl their number one transfer target heading into the window, with the Scottish giants setting their sights on their first signing.

The report claims that there are doubts over McGregor’s future at the club and the 2. Bundesliga gem is set to be available on a free transfer as his contract with the German outfit expires at the end of the season.

GVB needs him

Gio van Bronckhorst needs the Austrian goalkeeper badly heading into next season because McGregor has made himself a liability in the Premiership this term.

The 40-year-old has cost the club too many times in the Scottish top-flight and it is time for a changing of the guard between the sticks in Glasgow.

SofaScore have him down as making three errors directly leading to goals and one error directly leading to a shot in the Premiership. Whilst these are worrying statistics as it is, they do not take into consideration goals that you would expect a Rangers goalkeeper to stop.

For example, his weak parry straight into the path of Tom Rogic against Celtic last weekend did not go down as a direct error, but it was a mistake from the shot-stopper that got the Hoops level in the match. His failure to stop an effort going through him at the near post against Motherwell in a 2-2 draw also escaped that tag, with these incidents illustrating how costly his blunders have been.

This is why van Bronckhorsst needs a new goalkeeper badly and Fraisl can be the man to take McGregor’s place in goal at Ibrox. Schalke Sporting director Rouven Schroder dubbed his form “excellent” and his statistics in the 2. Bundesliga back that up, with an average SofaScore rating of 6.83.

The 28-year-old has also made zero errors directly leading to goals in the league this season. Whilst it is hard to say whether or not he has made the type of mistakes the Scot has made that do not go down as direct errors, it does show that he drops fewer clangers than the veteran.

The £5.9k-per-week gem is also quoted in the report as saying: “I have made it my aim to play the last 10 years at least of my pro career at the same club.

“I want to play until I’m 42. My body resembles that of an 18-year-old.”

This suggests that he is willing to be loyal to the Gers and will be in it for the long haul if they decide to snap him up this summer. It is an attitude that the fans will surely love as it suggests that he has the potential to enjoy a fantastic spell with the club if he is able to deliver on the pitch.

AND in other news, Smith endured big Rangers howler over “world-class” £7.5m gem who was “admired by all”…

Newcastle United put their three-match losing streak to bed with a 1-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League on Friday night.

Eddie Howe’s men lost to Everton, Chelsea and Tottenham in the build-up to this clash at St James’ Park, where Chris Wood’s goal was enough to seal all three points.

The 30-year-old thought he had given the Magpies the lead in the first half as he bundled the ball into the net from close range after clever play from Miguel Almiron and Bruno Guimaraes. VAR then deemed the latter to be offside and the goal was subsequently disallowed.

The New Zealand international’s wait for a St James’ Park goal did not go on much longer, though, as he converted from the penalty spot in the second half. He was brought down in the box by Jose Sa and dusted himself down to score from 12 yards.

Despite the win, there were some worrying performances for the Toon, and one of them came from electric winger Allan Saint-Maximin.

Magpies reporter Ciaran Kelly dubbed it a “tough night” for the attacker and the statistics back that up as the 25-year-old struggled badly throughout the match.

Off the ball, the Frenchman was a liability for Newcastle. As per SofaScore, he lost a whopping 15 individual duels out of 22 contested, which shows that he was physically dominated by the opposition. He was unable to stand up to the Wolves defenders in one-on-ones and was lucky that Bruno Lage’s team did not make him pay for it.

Saint-Maximin also made zero clearances, tackles, interceptions or blocks, whilst being dribbled past twice. This suggests that he did not put in the required effort defensively to win the ball back for Howe’s side.

On the ball, he was also ineffective. As per SofaScore, he had 52 touches and attempted 11 dribbles but did not create a single chance as a result of his involvement in attacks. All three of his attempted crosses failed to find a team-mate and he ceded possession a staggering 23 times in his 95 minutes on the pitch.

Overall, the Frenchman was a passenger last night as he was unable to positively contribute in or out of possession for Howe. He was nowhere near his best and he has now gone eight games without a goal or assist to show for his efforts on the pitch, which highlights his struggles of late.

AND in other news, Signed for free, now worth £9m: Ashley sealed his final NUFC gift in £35k-p/w “dream”…

Glasgow Rangers have the chance to put an end to a frantic week by securing a place in the final of the Scottish Cup.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side were in action on Thursday night as they made it through to the semi-finals of the Europa League by beating Braga 3-1.

The Gers now take on Celtic in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, having lost to the Hoops in the SPFL earlier this month.

On the chalkboard

One player that didn’t start in midweek that should now make a return to the starting XI for Rangers is midfielder Glen Kamara.

Having replaced Ryan Jack after 80 minutes on Thursday, the 26-year-old ended up playing 40 minutes in total as the game went to extra time.

In those 40 minutes, the midfielder did his best to make sure his side kept their composure and see out the match once Kemar Roofe had scored the goal that put Rangers ahead on aggregate.

With 42 touches of the ball in total, the Finnish international completed 32 of the 35 passes he attempted, including two successful long balls.

He also managed to win four of the five duels he was involved in, block one shot and draw two fouls, showing how useful he was when he came on.

In the SPFL, Kamara has also shown what a useful defensive figure he is, with Joe Aribo (32) being the only other midfielder to have won more than his 19 tackles.

Similarly, John Lundstram (28) is the only other Rangers midfielder to rack up more interceptions than the £21k-per-week talent (22).

Taking into account the fact that Celtic ended up scoring seven goals in their previous outing against St Johnstone and have had a full week of rest, having a defensively capable player like the £5.4m-rated figure in his starting XI would appear a very wise move by Van Bronckhorst.

Labelled both “aggressive” and a “class act” in the past by former Gers manager Steven Gerrard, Kamara would very much appear to be the right player to break up the Bhoys’ attacks most efficiently.

Indeed, after his solid run out in midweek, Van Bronckhorst should definitely unleash the midfield machine from the start this time around – as Kamara’s presence in the middle of the park would certainly terrify Celtic.

AND in other news: £10.1m in the bank: Rangers hit the jackpot on “brutally ruthless” £31.5k-p/w machine

Leeds United are making good progress in what would be their first major piece of business this month – contract discussions with star man Raphinha, Phil Hay reports.

The Lowdown: Bayern rumours

Raphinha, described by Paul Merson as a player ‘full of energy’, has been a revelation at Elland Road following his move in 2020.

The 25-year-old has contributed to 25 goals in 50 appearances, scoring eight times so far this season, with Hay describing the display at West Ham last weekend as a ‘masterclass’.

His impressive displays have led to rumours of a move to German giants Bayern Munich over the festive period. However, the Whites are looking to reward the Brazilian with an improved deal.

The Latest: Hay’s claim

Hay took to Twitter on Wednesday morning, revealing Leeds are ‘are increasingly confident of finalising a new contract with Raphinha.’

He shared a link to an analysis piece of Raphinha’s display against the Hammers on The Athletic, where he added that the Whites are making good progress regarding a new deal.

The Verdict: Brilliant news

Hay previously claimed that the winger’s wage is a ‘fairly modest’ one by Premier League standards, with Salary Sport having him down as the club’s third-highest earner on £63,000-a-week.

Therefore, handing him improved terms is a shrewd and easy call and one that should keep all parties happy.

Raphinha has comfortably been the club’s best-performing player this season, as per WhoScored, so this update is just as important as a new signing, especially with the forward proving key under Marcelo Bielsa over the last 18 months.

Even if he does eventually leave, a new deal ensures Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani can get the best deal possible when that time comes.

In other news: ‘Leeds have also tabled a bid…’ – More transfer news emerges after Aaronson move.

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst is in for a busy summer transfer window as he looks to shape his squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

With the Gers currently sitting six points adrift of the Premiership leaders, the Dutch head coach is set to head into next season with the aim of winning the title back from their Glasgow arch-rivals – unless of course there is a very late twist in the current campaign.

This means that the club will have an extra edge in their transfer dealings, as they will be motivated to improve their squad to a point where they will be confident of finishing above the Hoops.

One player who must be brutally axed from the Rangers squad in the summer is Finland international Glen Kamara, as the timing is perfect for him to leave.

Ibrox chief Ross Wilson can seal a masterclass by cashing in on the 26-year-old, whose form has nosedived of late. He has only started one Premiership match since 5th March as John Lundstram and Ryan Jack have been preferred to him in the two deep-lying midfield roles.

In all competitions since that date, he has recorded a SofaScore rating of 6.8 or lower in each of his appearances, while he has struggled in the Europa League all season. He has averaged an underwhelming SofaScore rating of 6.68 in Europe across 11 appearances, showing that he has not been one of the key players in their charge towards glory in that competition.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the club value him at £15m. It would be a stroke of genius from Wilson if he is able to sell Kamara for that amount, as it would generate significant funds for Van Bronckhorst to strengthen the squad in other positions without weakening the club’s best XI.

In his last Premiership start, the Finland midfielder was culpable for Motherwell’s goal and was dubbed an “all-round shambles” by Andrew Dickson for his involvement in that play. The 26-year-old was given the opportunity to show Van Bronckhorst that he can be a reliable, regular starter for him in the middle of the park, but instead he let the manager down with a poor mistake.

Kamara has struggled to get into the team of late and has not been able to catch the eye whenever he has played, so that is why this summer will be the perfect time for him to be sold. Wilson must cash in on the player whilst his value is still reasonably high, whether that is the £15m previously quoted or a similar fee, and then use that money to reinvest in the team.

If he can pull that off, then it will be a transfer masterclass from the former Southampton chief…

AND in other news, Rangers now plot exciting bid for £1.8m-rated sensation, it’ll leave Van Bronckhorst thrilled…

An exciting Newcastle United transfer claim has been made regarding their attempts to sign Jesse Lingard…

What’s the talk?

CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that the Magpies are closing in on a deal to bring the midfielder to the Tyneside club this week.

He tweeted: “Newcastle are confident of signing Jesse Lingard in the next 48 hours. Looks like a loan deal. Told Lingard isn’t against a permanent move to SJP but wants game time first and then to assess options.”

Pete Graves has since revealed that Newcastle are pushing hard to get this one over the line and are waiting for Manchester United to give the green light.

The Sky Sports reporter added: “#nufc pushing hard to sign Jesse Lingard on loan from #mufc BUT awaiting final decision from Old Trafford. Club will pay loan fee plus full wages. Lingard desperate to play and speak to Newcastle as he weighs up his options. This one could yet happen.”

Delight

Newcastle fans will surely be delighted by this news, as it suggests that this particular transfer saga is coming to a successful end for the club. With less than a week to go before the window slams shut, the Magpies need to start getting deals done quickly, and securing Lingard on loan in the next two days could be a major boost for Eddie Howe.

He could be a fantastic addition to the team and give the fans a much-needed lift, with their side still sat in the relegation zone despite the win over Leeds at the weekend. Lingard is a proven Premier League performer who has the potential to come in and be a key player for the Toon in the coming months.

The England international proved his quality during a loan spell with West Ham last season as he was directly involved in 13 goals in 16 matches for the Hammers. He produced nine goals and four assists to help David Moyes’ side to a Europa League finish, and he could hopefully provide a similar level of end product for the Magpies to help them stave off relegation to the Championship.

Lingard has also shown off his talent at international level, with two goals and two assists in six World Cup 2022 qualifiers. This shows that he can do it for club and country, emphasising the point that he could be an excellent prospective signing for Newcastle.

Therefore, their supporters will be buzzing with the prospect of him arriving at St James’ Park on loan in the next 48 hours.

AND in other news, “I’ve heard” – Keith Downie drops key Newcastle transfer update, Howe surely buzzing….

So far in the current January transfer window, Villa have been rather active in the market in terms of bringing new players in such as Lucas Digne and Philippe Coutinho to help strengthen Steven Gerrard’s side, as well as moving players out of the club on loan deals such as Wesley and Keinan Davis.

One other player that has moved on from Villa Park this month is winger Anwar El Ghazi, who recently joined fellow Premier League club, Everton, on a loan deal until the end of the current season.

Despite it being a loan deal, the Dutchman’s future as a Villa player beyond that has recently been called into question.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to Football Insider, former Villa player Kevin Phillips had this to say about El Ghazi and his future at the Midlands club.

He said: “This is the start of the end for El Ghazi at Villa. He has been a great servant for the club over the years but the club are now moving in a different direction.

“I think it’s a great move for the player. He’s going to another big club. Everton are struggling though so the pressure is on him. It was clear that he wasn’t going to be playing every week at Villa. If he plays well at Everton he’ll be able to secure a permanent deal there in the summer.

“Will we see him in a Villa shirt again? No, we won’t.”

Lange masterclass

During his time at Villa, the 26-year-old managed to rack up 26 goals and 16 assists in 119 appearances across all competitions.

Given how he had only made three substitute appearances for Villa after Gerrard was appointed back in mid-November, it made sense for him to move elsewhere in the search for regular game time.

If Villa were to decide that El Ghazi doesn’t have a future at the club by the time his loan deal at Everton runs out, it could be another transfer masterclass from Johan Lange if they were able to pick up a suitable fee for him that they could use to strengthen their squad in the summer.

Moving forward, Villa will have to hope that the £9m-rated winger can make the most of his time at the Merseyside club and convince the club’s hierarchy that they should sign him on a permanent deal and bring an end to his Villa career.

With the Midlands club already seeing Coutinho have more of an impact on the team with his debut goal against Manchester United at the weekend than El Ghazi had done in his appearances under Gerrard, it would seem likely for them to want to secure the Brazilian on a permanent deal rather than have El Ghazi back.

In other news: Lange must avoid big AVFC disaster as insider update emerges, Gerrard would be livid – opinion

Flocking to Twitter, many Southampton fans have shared their takes as a major transfer claim comes to light involving former star Gareth Bale.

Serbian-born businessman Dragan Solak recently completed a £100 million takeover of the club in what kickstarts a brand new era at St Mary’s Stadium (Sky Sports).

The cable television tycoon’s purchase of a majority stake in Southampton brings an end to the club’s long search for a new owner with former chairman Gao Jisheng now relinquishing control of the Saints.

CEO Martin Semmens remains in his role managing the club as Southampton’s transfer chief and new owner Solak has reportedly set one eye on the January transfer window.

According to El Nacional, making a major claim on what Southampton could now do under their new ownership, Semmens and Solak have identified their ‘first’ transfer goal as they set their sights on Real Madrid winger Bale.

The Wales international, according to their sources, is attracting interest from the south coast side and it is a transfer that has the ‘approval’ of Galactios president Florentino Perez.

As well as this, it is believed that Solak has ‘already begun negotiations’ with Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, and Real’s board of directors over re-signing him at Southampton.

Southampton fans erupt…

Taking to Twitter, given the nature of this transfer claim, it’s safe to say there has been no shortage of reaction from Saints fans.

While some are excited over the prospect of a Bale return, especially considering his pedigree at the top level and previously good years with Southampton, others believe this move could be too far out of the club’s reach.

His age (32) and possible salary demands arguably come as a stumbling block to this move so it’s not hard to see why some fans don’t dare to dream.

Find all of their best reactions to this news down below:

“Imagine the scenes”

Credit: @gdwtownsend

“Yes please!!!”

Credit: @PhilGrinch

“Get it done! Let’s see how serious these new owners are!!”

Credit: @MarcTR4

“Anyone who says no is an idiot”

Credit: @RahilMajid

“This won’t happen but I would love it to he can’t even be compared to Walcott. Bale is another level Theo would never get to imo”

Credit: @saintjoshb

“It would be incredible. But I just don’t think, even with the new owners, that we could afford the funds for his wages. He’d lift the atmosphere of the club, I just hope he would actually try.”

Credit: @SamuelR75523948

“Surely not”

Credit: @Bradders1302