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A proven goal-scorer in European football, Mario Mandzukic appears to be heading towards the twilight stages of his career.

The Croatian has 188 goals in his professional career, scoring for giants like Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Juventus. But he has struggled to find himself in favour with Maurizio Sarri for the Bianconeri this season, not even playing a single minute of football for the side.

That has understandably led to speculation of a potential move away, with reports suggesting Manchester United have him high up on their short-list of striker targets.

Now, according to Italian publication, Tuttosport, Mandzukic has chosen to join the Red Devils in January, and that he is prepared to relocate in December to help speed up his adaptation process when he officially joins the following month.

After hearing the transfer update on the 33-year-old, United fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

Many supporters of the Manchester side insisted that it would be a smart decision to bring in the veteran forward, and insisted he still has plenty to offer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Southampton legend Terry Paine has been speaking to The Daily Echo about Moussa Djenepo, and the 80-year-old has managed to slip a sly dig at Ralph Hasenhuttl into his comments.

Paine’s playing career for the Saints spanned across a whopping 17 years after he broke into the first-team, and also earned 19 caps for England during his incredible career which also saw him become a World Cup winner.

The Southampton legend has shared his views on one of the Saints’ most exciting players in Djenepo, who has scored two goals for the club since his £15m summer move from Standard Liege.

What did he say?

Paine told The Daily Echo: “I’d like to see the young Djenepo play on Saturday and get a sustained run, free of injury. He’s given glimpses of hope and if he can get a run in the side and settle down in the side he might just be the difference.

“He’s only 21 and only come in this season and got the injury so hasn’t really had a chance to establish himself.

“If he can adapt to the Premier League he’ll be big asset. But he needs to play in his right position to benefit the team.”

Sly dig at Hasenhuttl is fair, and isn’t a one-off issue

The final sentence from Paine’s comments make for interesting reading.

The 80-year-old has basically aimed a subtle dig at Hasenhuttl for his use of Djenepo, perhaps in reference to the fact that the former RB Leipzig boss deployed his £15m attacker at left wing-back against Sheffield United earlier in the campaign, as well as in the second half against Everton before the international break.

Incidentally, that wasn’t the only instance in which the Austrian forced a square peg into a round hole.

Hasenhuttl also put Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at left-back for the trip to Manchester City, which was strange seeing as the Dane is a centre-midfielder.

Furthermore, Hasenhuttl played Stuart Armstrong – who is also a midfielder – at right wing-back last time out against Everton, and was made to pay for his decision as Richarlison’s winning goal came from the Brazilian running in from the left unchallenged.

The Southampton boss simply has to start using his players in their natural positions.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Jose Mourinho comes into the Tottenham Hotspur job with a London derby on the horizon.

Spurs face West Ham United this weekend in the first game of the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss’ reign.

Mauricio Pochettino, of course, was sacked on Tuesday evening, with Mourinho appointed on Wednesday morning.

His first game against the Hammers will, ironically, mirror Pochettino’s – Spurs won at Upton Park in his first game in charge.

But how does his record stack up against the Irons and against more of the club’s London rivals?

He has faced the Hammers on 16 occasions and has been ridiculously successful.

Mourinho has beaten them on 11 occasions, with three draws and just two defeats.

One of those losses came during his time at Manchester United towards the end of his tenure as manager. His other loss came in 2015/16, as Chelsea fell to a 2-1 defeat to the Irons.

He had nine successive victories over them at Chelsea, including two 4-1 wins, between 2004 and 2014, and was also unbeaten in five at United. In total, his teams have netted 32 goals versus the east Londoners, with just 10 conceded.

In the north London derby, Spurs should be just fine.

He has lost to the Gunners just twice in 20 outings and only once in the Premier League.

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One of those defeats came at Manchester United, the other at Chelsea in the Community Shield in 2015/16.

His zenith, of course, came with a 6-0 thumping of Arsene Wenger’s Gunners on the Frenchman’s 1,000th game back in 2014.

In total, Mourinho’s teams have scored 31 goals versus Arsenal and conceded 14, winning 10 times and drawing eight.

Chelsea, of course, is more complicated. Mourinho has lost on four occasions against his former club, with all the defeats coming at United. He beat them twice with Inter Milan and twice with the Red Devils.

His final outing against the Blues, in 2018, was a 2-2 draw. In total, the Portuguese’s sides have scored nine goals versus Chelsea and conceded 11.

It remains to be seen if he can pick up another victory while he is at Spurs.

The news, then, is mixed, but fans should expect some glory against both the Gunners and the Hammers. Against the Blues, well, anything could happen.

Everton could be set for a summer overhaul of the squad and pundit Noel Whelan believes Theo Walcott is one player whose future lies elsewhere.

What did he say?

The Toffees have had several underperforming players this year which is why they are languishing 12th in the Premier League table, but some have disappointed with how frequently they have played.

Summer signing Fabian Delph is included in that as the midfielder has 16 league appearances to his name, while Walcott has often been unavailable during his time on Merseyside, or simply deemed not good enough to start.

He has been named in the starting line-up on 14 occasions in the Premier League this term – six times under Carlo Ancelotti – and since his contract expires in summer 2021 it would seem that he is running out of time to prove himself.

Whelan certainly thinks so, and while he argues that Walcott could still produce the goods he believes the winger won’t do so at Everton, and that indicates his future may lie away from Goodison Park.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said:

“I thought it was a great signing at first, I thought it would work for both player and club but it has not. Injuries again, a lack of confidence and a lack of goals and assists.

“He still has a lot to offer but I do not think it is going to be at Everton unfortunately and I think now you have got to forget about the name and think about the player and what he has done or two seasons which is not enough.

“Right now, you say Theo Walcott and you think about the name and everything he has done at Arsenal. But you need to forget about the name right now because he has not done enough in two seasons whilst he has been at Everton.”

Big letdown

Walcott arrived at Everton in January 2018 for £20m after more than ten years playing regularly in an Arsenal side that qualified for the Champions League, but he failed to translate that experience into effective performances for the Toffees.

He started off brightly with six goal contributions in 13 league starts in 2017/18 but he has failed to replicate that form in the more than year and a half that has passed since.

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WhoScored average ratings of 6.5 in 2018/19 and 6.4 this season demonstrate that he is on a downward trajectory, and given he is now 31 it is the right time for Everton to part ways.

They need younger, hungrier players with a point to prove if they are to succeed. Richarlison is a perfect example of that and the Brazilian continues to improve, as his return of 10 goals and three assists this campaign would suggest.

Call yourself an Everton expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

He often occupies a right-wing role, too, while the addition of Alex Iwobi also signalled that Marco Silva held doubt over Walcott’s ability.

One goal and a pass accuracy of 68% show that the Englishman’s best days are behind him, and that means Everton should look to get him off the wage bill sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Everton fans have been reacting to a very interesting transfer report linking them with a big name…

Speaking on talkSPORT on Thursday, Southampton loanee Kyle Walker-Peters has revealed the bizarre reason he’s had to contact parent club Tottenham Hotspur in recent weeks.

What did he say?

Well, the 22-year-old joined the south coast outfit on a temporary basis until the end of the campaign during the January transfer window, but of course recent events mean that all of the players are now training at their homes.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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Asked whether he’s currently in talks with Spurs or Saints, the full-back told talkSPORT: “I did actually contact Tottenham because I didn’t have any footballs at my house. I’m back in my house in London at the moment, and luckily Tottenham brought me over some balls.â€

Something you don’t really consider

Of course, footballers not having cones and footballs at home isn’t something you naturally consider when they are forced to train at home in exceptional circumstances like these.

You may expect a player to have a ball perhaps, but in this instance it was lucky that Walker-Peters was back in the English capital and so close to home.

The Englishman will certainly be looking forward to the 2019/20 season resuming too – if it does – given he has so far failed to make an impression under Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Indeed, he only made one Premier League start before the current halt to proceedings, while he saw a midfielder in James Ward-Prowse and then Yan Valery – who hadn’t started since the 9-0 defeat to Leicester in October – picked at right-back ahead of him in their previous two top-flight outings.

Work to do, then.

In other Tottenham news, Tanguy Ndombele has responded when asked whether he prefers PSG or Barcelona amid recent exit links…

With clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal all turning to former players to take the manager’s helm, one of the big positives of taking such an approach is the unity it can inspire in fans.

And it appears Newcastle’s prospective new owners want to tap into something similar. According to The Chronicle, the consortium buying the club are looking at bringing back some club legends in some capacity as part of their plan to inspire a revolution at St James’ Park.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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The Magpies have got a rich history of players and icons to tap into, most notably the likes of Alan Shearer. And after hearing about the club’s reported plans, Newcastle fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

One Newcastle fan in particular spoke glowingly of how the club’s potential owners are already taking them in the “right direction”.

Understandably, most Newcastle supporters seem excited at the prospect of seeing some of the club’s favourites head back to St James’ Park in some fashion.

Getting them involved in and around the scene only serves to bring the entire club closer, and it does sound like the new owners are already beginning to get a feel for the Magpies.

Tottenham transfer target Willian is reportedly on his way to North London, according to Richard Keys via beIN Sports.

The sports presenter revealed on The Keys & Gray Show that the 31-year-old has spoken to his old boss Jose Mourinho and could be heading to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer. Keys said: “He’s another one that’s already spoken to Jose Mourinho. He is on his way to Tottenham.”

Willian’s contract with his current club Chelsea is set to expire at the end of the season and Spurs are keen to take advantage of the situation by signing him on a free transfer.

Ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Anzhi Makhachkala for £31.95m in 2013, the Brazil international has gone on to win the Premier League twice, the Europa League, the FA Cup and League Cup. He also won the Copa America with Brazil last summer. [via TransferMarkt]

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Premier League clubs are facing economic uncertainty, and the veteran winger could make a shrewd investment for Spurs in the upcoming transfer window.

However, many Lilywhites slammed the Blues star on social media, with one fan tweeting the news “stinks of Gallas”. Another even directed their ire at Keys, calling him a “clown.”

Scroll through some of the scathing reactions down below…

Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sign Willian before the start of next season? Join the discussion in the comments section!

Plenty of Nottingham Forest fans have taken to Twitter to show their appreciation for Lewis Grabban following a post from the club’s official account on the social media platform.

The 32-year-old joined Forest in 2018 from Bournemouth in a £6m deal as the Reds fought off competition from Birmingham, Leeds and Middlesbrough to secure Grabban’s signature (via BBC Sport).

The London-born forward has a total of 146 career goals to his name and has scored 34 during his time with Nottingham Forest (via Transfermarkt). This season, Grabban has tallied an astonishing 17 goals in 36 matches, putting him third in the list of Championship top scorers for 2019/20. He sits behind only Ollie Watkins of Brentford (22) and Fuham’sÂAleksandar Mitrovic (23).

Many Forest fans have flocked to the club tweet to show their love for their top scorer, with one adamant that Grabban will take them up into the Premier League. Read some of the best replies below:

Forest fans, describe Lewis Grabban in just one word in the comments below!

Charlton Athletic are currently in a grey area as a potential takeover continues to spark questions from fans.

Current owners East Street Investments (ESI) could be about to lose control of the club as takeover rumours swirl. A recent statement posted by Charlton revealed that the board had been made aware of a ‘change of ownership’.

ESI bought the club in January from Roland Duchatelet but a turbulent relationship could now see Tahnoon Nimer and co usurped from their position at the hilt. Interest from former Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins and a Portuguese business consortium are among the parties taken into consideration for sale.

Charlton director Marian Mihail has answered questions from fans and has stated that, despite the interest shown in the purchase of the club, the identity of the buyer has not been revealed.

A lot of Addicks fans are becoming impatient with the up-and-down news, with many taking to Twitter to express their frustration. One supporter has responded to the Q&A post saying it’s ‘absolutely pointless’ as talks remain vague.

Another fan has said ‘all roads point to Jenkins’, who recently said he wanted a chance to prove he can ‘prosper’ again in charge of a club (via Wales Online).

Read more replies from the Charlton faithful here:

How do you feel about Mihail’s recent comments, Addicks fans? Join the conversation in the comments below…

Defender Christian Burgess has been named Portsmouth’s Player of the Season as his move to Belgium edges closer.

Kenny Jackett’s side will meet Oxford United on Friday evening in the first of their two-legged League One play-off semi-final. A potential promotion to the Championship is very much a possibility for Pompey, but they will not have central defender and first team regular Burgess available for the 2020/2021 season.

Available to help his side during the play-offs, the 28-year-old, who moved to Fratton Park in 2015, will depart the club at the end of the season to join Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

Having made 32 appearances for the League One side this season, Burgess will be missed next term and it has now been confirmed that he has been named Portsmouth’s 2019/2020 Player of the Season.

Burgess received 69% of the votes from readers of both local newspapers The News and Sports Mail, whilst winger Ronan Curtis came second and Tom Naylor finished third (as per portsmouthfc.co.uk).

The Barking native has signed a deal with Les Unionistes until 2023 and will link up with fellow Englishman Anthony Bloom, who also owns Brighton and Hove Albion.

Burgess has had a superb final season with Portsmouth and it could get even better if he helps them seal promotion to the Championship.

If the 28-year-old can do that, he will at least get to sign off at Fratton Park in the best possible manner but it will be a shame that he would not then be a part of their team in the second tier.

How much will Portsmouth miss Burgess next season? Let us know in the comments section below…