All posts by h716a5.icu

Fans of Manchester City have been reacting to a post on Twitter, which relayed a report regarding Chelsea’s interest in signing City centre-forward, Sergio Aguero, this summer. 

Having confirmed in an emotional statement on Twitter that, after 10 years spent with Manchester City, he would be leaving the club upon the end of his current contract this summer, a recent report by the Daily Mail claims that Chelsea are now leading the race for the signing of Aguero in the upcoming transfer window.

Indeed, it has been claimed that the striker is determined to remain in the Premier League after leaving City, and it would seem as if Thomas Tuchel’s side could offer the 32-year-old the chance to do so.

And, after City Xtra relayed this report on Twitter, fans of Manchester City flocked to have their say on the matter, with many appearing furious at the prospect of the club legend potentially lining up against them for a rival next season.

So, what exactly did these Manchester City fans have to say in reaction to the report regarding Chelsea’s interest in Sergio Aguero?

“Nah pls no.”

@vikymcfc

“I knew this was going to happen.”

@ChilloDintoa

“Worst summer ever.”

@BluuMoonRising

“Stop.”

@DeBruyne___

“Bro NGL I’d feel betrayed if he moved to Chelsea.”

@xelifyss

“Nooooo, Chelsea noooo. Stay at City!!!”

@milucas32

In other news: lots of Man City fans ripped into Guardiola as these ‘disrespectful’ talks emerged – find out more here!

In a recent interview with Football FanCast, Peterborough United director Barry Fry has claimed that Southampton should demand a huge fee in the summer if Manchester City try and sign Danny Ings.

The 28-year-old is yet to sign a new deal with the South Coast club, with his current contract set to expire at the end of next season, and the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with him ahead of the summer.

The England international has been superb for the Saints since joining from Liverpool on a £20 million deal in 2019, hitting 22 goals in the Premier League last season.

Here’s what Fry had to say about the former Burnley man when speaking exclusively to FFC:

“Well, I think because it’s Manchester City, Southampton will ask for £100 million, but they won’t get nowhere near that!

“Southampton have done amazingly in the transfer market when they’ve sold some of their young players, but Ings isn’t young.

“He’s an established player. And, unfortunately, he’s had a few injuries. He’s a great player, he scores great goals, and he works his socks off, no doubt about that. He could contribute to every team in the Premier League.”

“However, Southampton could ask for more than what Man City is willing to pay. And I hope that doesn’t happen because he has been a great servant to Southampton. And I think if he’s got a year left, then obviously if he doesn’t sign another contract he can walk out in a year’s time on a free transfer, but that’s a waste of a year.

“It’s a waste of money that Southampton can get, and invest in other players. For what Danny Ings has done for Southampton, he should have the opportunity to move to a top club. They shouldn’t stand in his way. But at the same time, Man City have got to pay a proper transfer fee.”

Whilst Southampton would be fortunate to get anything close £100 million for Ings, Fry is right in that the South Coast club should not be bullied into selling the 28-year-old cheaply this summer.

After all, Ings is a proven goalscorer, homegrown and arguably at the peak of his career, having overcome the injury issues that ruined his time at Liverpool.

He is incredibly important in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side and therefore if Ings does have his heart set on a move to a top-four club this summer, vice-chairman Martin Semmens must ensure that the fee they receive for him represents his quality and is enough for them to bring in an adequate replacement.

And, in other news… Shades of Schneiderlin: Saints could repeat transfer masterclass with 19 y/o gem

It appears that Sheffield Wednesday have their sights set on bringing a new striker to Hillsborough Stadium this summer…

What’s the word?

According to The72, the Owls are eyeing a move for Rochdale striker Stephen Humphrys ahead of the upcoming transfer window, though they face competition from a host of other EFL clubs.

Championship rivals Blackburn, Preston, Bristol City, Stoke and Nottingham Forest are all in the race and it is thought that all six are ‘very interest and likely to make a move’ in the summer.

It remains to be seen how much the 23-year-old forward would cost as he will still have a year to run on his contract at Spotland come to the end of the season.

Rhodes replacement

Regardless of the division the Owls find themselves in next season, it is likely to be ‘all change’ at Hillsborough under Moore as several players are out of contract, including their only senior striker, Jordan Rhodes.

The 31-year-old is on the verge of becoming the Championship’s all-time record goalscorer and has interest from elsewhere in the division, but recently remained tight-lipped on his future. He told YorkshireLive:

“That’s for the powers-to-be,” Rhodes said. “It’s out of my control.”

Humphrys is a physical threat at a little over 6-foot and would seem primed for the next step-up having impressed immensely at the League One strugglers. His proven record in the division also makes for great appeal should Wednesday go down this campaign.

The former Fulham graduate has provided nine goals and four assists in 25 league appearances, as per Transfermarkt. Even despite the Dale sitting precariously at the foot of the table.

As per WhoScored figures, Humphrys ranks second at Spotland for average rating for the season (7.09) and has fired off a whopping 3.6 shots per game, of which 1.8 come from inside the penalty area – very much like the goal-poaching Rhodes.

Earlier this year, journalist and Rochdale fansite owner Chris Fitzgerald lauded the 23-year-old as being “a different level.”

If the Owls are to finally move on from the long-serving Scotsman this summer, then they should look no further than Humphrys.

AND in other news, Forgotten Sheffield Wednesday man with “great ability” fires huge message to Moore…

Swansea City are reportedly one of the sides taking an interest in Sheffield United centre-back Kean Bryan ahead of the summer, and if he were to make the move to the Liberty Stadium ahead of next season, he could be the ideal replacement for Marc Guehi in Steve Cooper’s side.

According to Football Insider, Fulham, Burnley and Swansea are all plotting moves for the 24-year-old defender, who is currently set to leave The Blades at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Although the former Manchester City youngster has previously stated his desire to stay at Bramall Lane, all three sides interested in him could potentially offer him Premier League football next season, whereas the Yorkshire side look destined for a return to the Championship.

Even if Swansea were to fail in their bid for promotion this season, if they could convince Bryan to join, then it could prove to be an excellent signing, as he has earned some valuable Premier League experience with the Blades.

The season-long injury suffered by Jack O’Connell provided an opportunity for the young defender to step in as the Blades’ left-sided centre-back and he has gone on to make 10 appearances for Sheffield United in the Premier League this season, including a game where he struck the winning goal in their shock 2-1 win at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

It seems extremely unlikely that Swansea will be able to keep hold of Guehi next season as a result of his impressive performances on loan from Chelsea over the past two seasons, and therefore, Cooper may well be in the market for a left-sided centre-back for his side next season.

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Considering that Bryan has plenty of experience, is just 24-years-old and would be available on a free transfer, he could be an excellent heir to the England U21 international, so Swansea should definitely try to bring him in.

And, in other news… Forget Lowe: Swansea beast who played four key passes was Cooper’s star vs Millwall 

Charlton Athletic have every chance of making the League One play-offs this season.

Heading into the final seven matches of the campaign, the Addicks occupy eighth place in the table and are only three points behind Portsmouth, who occupy that final play-off spot – and they hold a game in hand on Pompey, too. Win that game in hand, the south-east Londoners are only five points off Sunderland in third, who they beat last time out.

However, if Nigel Adkins is to steer Charlton back to the Championship within just two months of his arrival at The Valley in March, then he must resolve one of Lee Bowyer’s biggest problems – their abysmal home record.

On the Chalkboard

The Addicks sit 17th in the home league standings for results at The Valley this term – they have won six, drawn five and lost seven on their own patch, picking up just 23 points. That is the same return as Bristol Rovers, who are embroiled in a relegation dogfight, and fewer than every single team above them vying for promotion.

By comparison, the Red Robins are second-best in the division away from home, winning 11 and losing just four of 21 matches – a feat only bettered by Adkins’ former club Hull City.

Therefore, it’s abundantly clear that the Addicks need to quickly improve on their own patch, especially as five of their seven remaining league games are at The Valley.

That starts with Ipswich Town this Saturday, a crucial encounter as defeat could see the Tractor Boys leapfrog Charlton in the table, and that would certainly deal a blow to the Addicks’ hopes of breaking into the playoff zone. Adkins’ men will also face automatic promotion-chasing Peterborough United, fourth-placed Lincoln City and league leaders Hull at home in the coming weeks.

Under Adkins, Charlton are unbeaten in three matches, but each of those has been played away from south-east London, so there has to be some confidence that they can continue that form going into the weekend.

If Adkins can fix the poor home record that Bowyer left behind, then they should easily make the playoffs – and given that 71.5% of their remaining matches are at home, then any improvement would certainly bolster their promotion dreams.

AND in other news, Adkins must wave goodbye to 29 y/o flop, he’s just not good enough…

Charlton Athletic moved into the playoff places with a record-equalling 6-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday night, also extending their unbeaten run to ten matches.

There were six different goalscorers on Tuesday night ranging from Jake Forster-Caskey’s opener to an own goal from the home side, whilst the returning Chuks Aneke extended his tally to 13 for the season late on, too.

Nigel Adkins made two changes from the weekend’s draw over fellow promotion-chasers Ipswich Town, resting recent mainstays Ryan Inniss and Darren Pratley.

In came forgotten midfielder and veteran Ben Watson, and he delivered a huge reminder that he can still cut it at this level, aged 35.

The former Nottingham Forest captain had not started a match under Adkins since the 56-year-old’s appointment last month, seemingly falling down the pecking order until this week.

He was at risk of becoming a truly forgotten option in midfield, especially given the red-hot form of Forster-Caskey and fellow goalscorer Alex Gilbey but in the midst of the Addicks romping home to victory, he excelled as the team’s anchorman.

Truth be told, Argyle offered very little threat, managing just two shots on target all game, in comparison to the visitor’s seven, but Watson was still there to clean up in midfield and proved to be a rock defensively.

The £5.5k-per-week star made a match-high six clearances, more than any of Adkins’ defenders on the night, only proving that the 35-year-old midfielder was key towards that clean sheet.

Watson also made more interceptions (three) than anyone else on the pitch, home or away, further suggesting that his ability to read the game and then snuff out the danger is still in his locker.

From 54 touches, he was able to find 88% of his 42 passing attempts, including 77.7% of his long balls finding a player in a red shirt. On top of that, he won two of his three battles, too, as per SofaScore.

Most importantly, he didn’t add to his ten bookings on the season, further showing signs of improvement.

Once described as “brilliant” and “important” by ex-Charlton boss Lee Bowyer, Watson’s experience could prove crucial if they do make the playoffs.

That display down in the southwest was certainly a huge message that he should be featuring more.

AND in other news, “Strong-willed” 18 y/o Addicks gem could save Sangaard a lot of money this summer….

Many fans of West Ham United have been reacting to a post on Twitter in which the Hammers relayed the news that Ademipo Odubeko scored a brace for the club’s under-23 side.

So far this season, Odubeko has impressed over his nine fixtures for West Ham’s youth teams, with the 18-year-old scoring eight goals and providing one assist over six appearances in the Premier League 2, as well as bagging two goals and one assist over two FA Youth Cup fixtures and netting two goals in one game in the EFL Trophy.

In a recent under-23 fixture against Everton, the Republic of Ireland under-21 international was once again in top form, scoring two second half goals to secure all three points for Dmitri Halajko’s side in the Premier League 2 clash.

After news of the striker’s brace was relayed on Twitter by West Ham, numerous fans of the club flocked to have their say on the matter, with many urging David Moyes – who currently has no fit centre-forwards in his first team squad – to field the “untouchable” teenager in the Hammers’ upcoming clash against Chelsea this Saturday.

So, what did these West Ham fans have to say in reaction to Ademipo Odubeko’s goals for the under-23s?

“He deserves to get a couple of substitutions atm. Having a blinder this year.”

@joelitt78828048

“Honestly put him in the squad this week against Chelsea (if it goes ahead). He’s been smashing at this level and it’s time for the step up.”

@whujoe18

“The man is elite.”

@gvomikez17

“FIRST TEAM NOW.”

@Kai_WHU

“What a player.”

@danwhu_

“Baller.”

@haydenrush91

“This guy is actually a joke.”

@IronsUnited2

“This geezer is untouchable at the moment.”

@GeorgeJoseph97

“Start Odubeko against London Blues.”

@BigBrexitGoat

“Give this guy a chance.”

@TWHU77

In other news: ‘What a day’, ‘My club is massive’ – Many WHU fans gush as club in line to seal £21.5m signing – find out more here!

Crystal Palace’s hopes of appointing Eddie Howe as the club’s new manager this summer appear to have taken a significant blow.

When replying to a supporter’s questions on Twitter, journalist Alan Nixon suggested that it is “unlikely” that the former Bournemouth manager would be taking the reins at Selhurst Park – a gutting development for Steve Parish, who reportedly had his eyes on Howe.

With Roy Hodgson’s contract at the club winding down, it was reported by Football Insider that Howe had been sounded out by the hierarchy at Selhurst Park, with further suggestions from Give Me Sport implying that he could have potentially been interested in the role come the end of the season.

However, with Howe now seeming unlikely to take over, it means that Palace are charged with the task of finding another suitable candidate to succeed Hodgson.

The former Bournemouth boss would certainly have been an interesting appointment at Selhurst Park, having done remarkably well to earn promotion with the Cherries as well as establish them in the Premier League before relegation at the end of last season.

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In all, the 43-year-old has overseen 190 matches in the Premier League, winning 56 of those. He has also been linked to the vacancy at Scottish giants Celtic so whether the likelihood of him being appointed Palace manager is impacted by progress made at Parkhead remains to be seen.

In the meantime, the Eagles remain linked with various candidates for the role ahead of Hodgson’s potential departure. Barnsley manager Valerien Ismael has been rumoured to be under consideration, whilst Burnley’s Sean Dyche is also thought to be on Parish’s shortlist ahead of the summer.

Whoever gets appointed at Selhurst Park, there will surely be a tinge of disappointment at potentially having missed out on Howe.

AND in more news, find out which current PL star could be the perfect arrival for the Eagles in the summer…

Aston Villa must avoid a major disaster over Carney Chukwuemeka after his latest masterclass for the youth side.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days and weeks have suggested that the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City are interested in signing the 17-year-old, with The Athletic’s Gregg Evans adding that clubs from across Europe are also keeping an eye on things too.

And if Villa needed any fresh reminder that they absolutely have to keep him, then his starring performance in the FA Youth Cup certainly sent a huge message to Dean Smith and the rest of the club’s hierarchy.

Villa must avoid disaster

Dubbed a “star in the making” by Evans, Chukwuemeka bagged himself a stunning hat-trick in Villa’s 6-1 thrashing over Newcastle to reach the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

And, writing in his post-match player ratings for The Birmingham Mail, Ashley Preece was understandably fulsome in his praise, giving him a perfect ten and adding: “This was a Carney Chukwuemeka masterclass. It was a clinic in how to play an advanced midfield role with the 17-year-old oozing confidence and swagger. The hype’s real surrounding this kid who, as supporters know, has been around Dean Smith’s first team for a long time now. Villa’s No.10 started almost every attack and looked to hurt Newcastle at every opportunity.

“European clubs are hovering looking to take Chukwuemeka and Villa could do with reassuring him that his future’s at Villa Park. He’s ready for some Premier League minutes. A scary talent who assisted Reddin as well. Unreal. He’s got everything.”

Knowing that the club could stand to lose one of their prized young assets, even after proving his value and potential, would surely infuriate NSWE.

Bringing in new players for big money is all well and good, but having a good academy system that can provide a couple of genuine first-team stars is always key to a club’s future – you only have to look at Jack Grealish to see that.

Losing Chukwuemeka would be a monumental mistake from Smith and co.

Meanwhile, Villa are eyeing a summer swoop for this star…

Speaking to Football Insider, pundit Frank McAvennie has been left excited by a Tottenham Hotspur managerial development as Roberto Martinez has been placed on the shortlist to replace Jose Mourinho. 

The Lowdown: Martinez linked to Spurs

The Spaniard has been sporadically linked to Spurs over this last month with Football Insider claiming he has been added to the managerial shortlist in north London.

As well as that report, journalist and reliable source of information Alasdair Gold said on his YouTube channel (May 5) that he is ‘certainly one’ the Lilywhites have been looking at alongside Graham Potter.

It is also claimed Spurs chiefs ‘really like’ his style of football amid reports he has entered the fray (Alasdair Gold).

The Latest: McAvennie excited by Martinez links

In reaction to the recent development of Martinez entering Tottenham’s shortlist, former West Ham United and Celtic striker McAvennie has certainly been left in awe.

“Wow, he’d be a great appointment,” he told Football Insider.

“Martinez has certainly got the stature to go into Tottenham. He’s worked with the biggest players on the planet with Belgium.

“It won’t frighten him. I’d imagine Martinez misses the day-to-day, the training with the boys.

“It’ll be great when you’ve got your players there but a good manager wants to be doing things every day.

“His stock is so high but Tottenham is a big club.”

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The Verdict: McAvennie right to be excited

Of all the managers linked to Tottenham over this past month, Martinez is arguably one of the names who have garnered the least discussion despite his experience both in the Premier League and at international level.

He even guided Belgium to a 2018 World Cup semi-final place where they only narrowly lost out to eventual winners France.

On the road, his Red Devils side knocked out five-time world champions Brazil in an impressive performance. 

The 47-year-old also has trophy-winning experience in England, clinching a memorable FA Cup triumph for Wigan in 2013 as they upset Manchester City at Wembley.

His accolades, therefore, could highlight the fact he is a strong outside contender.

In other news: Spurs keen to sell this 66-cap ace as Levy makes transfer call, find out more here.