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No one really likes to take their better halves shopping, right?

Well, you’ll be glad to hear that professional footballers, no matter how popular they are, have to go through the very same thing, or at least, Romelu Lukaku does.

The Belgian took to Instagram to send a message to his girlfriend in the form of a rap lyric, stating that he won’t take her shopping anymore.

His look of pure boredom and frustration will feel very familiar to those who spend their weekends chasing around shopping centres after their significant other, and the post was just waiting for someone to comment and engage in some banter. Yannick Bolasie answered the call.

Everton’s misfiring winger responded admiring Lukaku’s watch and saying the Belgian has should lend it to him. Naturally, Lukaku took the bait and followed it with a series of emojis, giving the DR Congo man one task – win the 2019 AFCON tournament.

Lukaku is still on holiday after a rough season with Manchester United in which he played a total of 32 games, scoring 12 goals and assisting one.

His future at Old Trafford is still unclear with some big name clubs lurking around and it just might be quite an interesting transfer window ahead for the forward.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

After his incredible 2018/19 season, Kalvin Phillips has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs. Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Norwich have all apparently been looking at the defensive midfielder.

With all of this speculation, Leeds have been thinking about other options in Phillips’ position, and one name that has continuously cropped up is Ander Iturraspe. The Whites were linked with the Spaniard back in March (AS (11/03), reported via Sport Witness), but his recent comments may indicate that a move could be on the horizon.

If Iturraspe joined the Whites they would be getting an experienced player from La Liga, but his recent performances may show that he isn’t as good as Phillips.

The above image takes stats from Iturraspe’s most recent full La Liga campaign as he made just three appearances last term, and compares them to Phillips’ incredible 2018/19 season.

As you can see in the infographic, the 5 ft 10 man outshines the Spaniard in multiple areas.

In terms of defensive output, the 23-year-old is clearly the better option that Iturraspe.

He completes almost twice as many tackles per game, and when playing as the holding midfielder in Bielsa’s 4-1-4-1 formation that is vital.

Of course, in his younger years, Iturraspe played under Bielsa, but even then his tackling numbers aren’t quite at the level of Phillips’ last season as he made just 2.1 and 1.9 tackles per game during his two seasons under the Argentine.

In terms of winning aerial battles, Phillips also trumps the 30-year-old, which is another crucial component in the English leagues.

It’s not only the defensive output where the current Leeds man is triumphant. He takes four times as many shots as the Bilbao midfielder per game, and plays almost 20 more passes per match.

Perhaps the only area of Phillips’ game that Leeds would want to change is his disciplinary record, but Iturraspe actually picks up more yellow cards per 90 mins than the Englishman, too.

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According to The Sun, Manchester United are in a three-way battle with Liverpool and Arsenal for Borussia Dortmund attacker Jacob Bruun Larsen.

What’s the word, then?

Well, according to The Sun, Larsen is in the middle of battle between Premier League rivals Liverpool, United and Arsenal.

The winger has been with Dortmund since 2015 and enjoyed a breakthrough 2018-19 campaign at the club – scoring three times and providing three assists in 30 appearances in all competitions.

Larsen had incredible numbers for BVB’s Under-19 side – netting 31 goals and providing 26 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions.

United have already signed a left-sided winger this summer with Daniel James making the move from Swansea City.

However, The Sun have claimed that the Red Devils are firmly in the hunt for Larsen, who earned his first senior cap for Denmark in March.

Does Larsen fit into United’s summer plans?

Larsen certainly fits the brief – a young, hungry and talented player who would be given the freedom to develop at Old Trafford.

Indeed, ESPN FC reported back in March that the Red Devils would concentrate on emerging youngsters rather than splashing the cash on big names.

The fact that the 20-year-old appeared in 24 of Dortmund’s 38 Bundesliga matches last season is an indication of just how highly he is rated. Meanwhile, a pass success rate of 78% in the Bundesliga and 89% in the Champions League – per WhoScored – is very high for a young winger.

If United were to lose both Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba this summer than there might well be a panic when it comes to finding replacements.

Could United be in the hunt for an £85m blockbuster signing this summer? Check out the video below…

Larsen would not be able to arrive in England and help United immediately return to the top of the Premier League, but his talent was on display last season.

And the Dane, who appeared five times in the Champions League last season, is exactly the type of player the Red Devils should be targeting as they plan for a brighter future.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

According to Turkish outlet Fanatik, Everton are interested in signing Egypt international Mahmoud Trezeguet.

The left-sided forward enjoyed an impressive 2018/19 campaign with Super Lig outfit Kasimpasa, who he notched nine goals and nine assists for in 34 appearances – not bad at all.

Thogden challenged himself to DM 100 footballers on Instagram. Find out who replied in the video below…

Trezeguet is also putting his name on the map at the Africa Cup of Nations this summer with Egypt alongside Liverpool man Mohamed Salah. The 24-year-old has already grabbed a goal and an assist in three outings for his country at the tournament.

However, despite those encouraging signs, bringing Trezeguet to Goodison Park would represent a major risk for the Toffees given the attacker’s lack of pedigree in leagues outside of Turkey.

Despite having a world class namesake in former France hero David, the 5 foot 11 Super Lig star has never done anything of note outside of the Turkish top-flight – in fact, he has only ever played in his native Egypt and Belgium, where he didn’t pull up any trees due to a total of 14 goals in 126 appearances.

Furthermore, how many players come from the Turkish league and prove to be hits in the Premier League?

The Toffees’ own Cenk Tosun hasn’t, scoring just nine goals in 43 outings and finding starts hard to come by – 15 of his 25 Premier League appearances last term came from the substitutes’ bench.

If he had been banging in 30 goals and recording 20 assists a season over there, maybe it would be a a risk worth taking for Marcel Brands and Marco Silva, but nine goals and nine assists doesn’t represent anything too special given the quality of the opposition.

As shown by the graphic above, Trezeguet isn’t afraid of shooting – he takes a whopping 4 shots per game on average.

With shooting numbers like that, it would be a crime if the 24-year-old didn’t get at least nine goals over the course of the season.

His dribbling numbers of 3.3 completed per game are a bit more impressive, but nevertheless, this would be a major risk for the Merseysiders.

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Leigh Griffiths made his competitive return for Celtic against FK Sarajevo and the fans are absolutely delighted.

Griffiths came on as a late substitute for Odsonne Edouard in his side’s 2-1 victory over the Bosnian champions.

Goals from Ryan Christie and Callum McGregor ensured it was a comfortable night for Neil Lennon’s men, after their dominant showing in the away leg last week.

The 5-2 aggregate win means that Lennon’s side will face Nomme Kalju in the second round of the Champions League qualifiers. The Estonian side will travel to Celtic Park next week in the first leg.

Griffiths is a real fan favourite at Celtic Park and the affection the fans have for him was clear to see against Sarajevo. Perhaps the loudest cheer of the night was reserved for his entrance onto the pitch in the 80th minute.

The 28 year-old has returned having taken time away from football to focus on his mental health.

This was his first taste of competitive action since December,and the Twitter reactions down below will tell you exactly how the Parkhead faithful feel about his return…

In the Champions League Final, all eyes were on Liverpool as they went head to head with Tottenham. It was an intense 90 minutes and by half time, we’re sure those that had placed their bets on Tottenham were beginning to work up a sweat. Whilst the odds were in both Liverpool and Tottenham’s favour pre-game, it sometimes pays to place your bets on the most positive outcome, despite which team you’re convinced are going to win.

Although, with centrepiece events like the Champions League Final, you’ll notice that new UK casinos will contain headline offers. For example, if you visit the right site at the right time, you could get special offers like Liverpool to win at 10/1 for new customers. Clearly, these odds are far better than anything you would typically find – that’s where affiliate sites can be so helpful, they list all of the best offers in one place. Basically, avoid getting too comfortable with one bookie and keep your eyes open for special offers.

Choosing figures over your sports knowledge

Whilst it can be tempting to go with your gut instinct and bet on the team you think are most likely to win, relying on your sports knowledge alone can often be a lucky bettor’s greatest downfall.

Statistics show that the best way to make money over an extended period of betting is to bet on positive value. What is positive value you ask? Positive value exists when the probability of a wager winning is greater than the probability reflected in the odds. To work on this concept, you need to be able to work out if the wager is more or less likely to win that the odds suggest.

Here’s a simple formula for working it out…

You want to be betting on team or player with positive value, meaning the chances of them winning are greater than the implied probability of the odds. To calculate the implied probability, you can use this formula …

(1/odds) x 100

This will give you the implied probability of the odds as a percentage, which makes it easier to work with. Let’s apply this formula to an example…

Take a look at the first available bet on Atteq and D Nolan, the chances of Atteq winning the bet is 3.75. You can use this handy conversion table for reference.

Applying the formula to the following odds would look like this

(1/3.75) x 100

Following this formula, the odds are 26.6%. Compare this with the actual probability and if the actual probability is of greater value than the implied probability, then you’re on to a winner.

Determining the actual probability

Now you’ll see that finding the implied probability is easy, but determining the actual probability is tricky, as you’ve only got your best bet to go by. The best advice here is only to carry out efficient research and analysis to be able to determine the most accurate actual probability.

There must be a catch right?

Of course, when you can work out the value of the odds as explained above, you’re on the path to success, and that’s not going to be profitable for the vendor. This means that sometimes you’ll find that value is hard to find, particularly within the sports betting industry, as the bookmakers can be fairly crafty. The key here is to ONLY put your money where you can find positive value!

The purpose of finding value in the odds is to make sure you only bet when the odds are in your favour, and as the bookmakers are in this game to make money, they’ll do what they can to give very little away. Whilst finding a bet with positive value can be a little time consuming, in the end it’s worth it as if you choose to bet even, it’s been a complete waste of time.

Lesson learnt = Always find positive value in your bet

Finding the right place to place your bets!

These days there are so many casinos, and especially if you’re doing it online then it can be tricky to know where to place your bets. Comparison websites are the best place to look.

Give it a go

Now that you’re clued up on how to play to win consistently by choosing the best with positive value, it’s time to give it a try and see for yourself how to find the best odds this season.  May the odds be ever in your favour!

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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…

Speaking on talkSPORT, Lille defender Jose Fonte has given his seal of approval on teammate and potential Arsenal signing Nicolas Pepe.

What did he say?

According to recent reports, the Gunners are edging closer to sealing a club-record £72m deal for the Ivory Coast international this summer, and Fonte has tipped his colleague for greatness.

He said: “He’s incredible. If he can reach the same level that he did last year in Lille, which I believe he will, I think Arsenal fans will be very happy. He’s super quick, his left foot is silky, his 1v1 is second to none, he finishes really good, he takes penalties and free kicks. He’s a very accomplished player and I think Arsenal fans will be in for a treat.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

“It’s not always that you have a player like this. I’ve played with a lot of players and this kid is special. There’s no doubt about it, he’s special. He can get to a very, very high level and can be one of the best in the world, 100 per cent, I’m confident he has everything in place to get there.

“The Premier League is the best league in the world, Arsenal is a great club and I’m sure he’ll enjoy London as well. I’m excited to see him play in the Premier League.”

Seal of approval

As a former Premier League defender with Southampton, Fonte’s ringing endorsement of Pepe’s abilities should be given serious consideration. The ex-Saints star has seen the winger tear up Ligue 1 first-hand, and bore witness to a player who finished as the league’s second-top goalscorer – only behind PSG’s Kylian Mbappe.

Whilst Pepe’s impressive goals and assists tallies stand up well, it was perhaps the way he carried his Lille side to a second-placed finish in the league that really makes for impressive reading. The season before, Lille had finished just outside the relegation places, so to see Pepe help transform the side to perform miracles is something to behold.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

The Gunners are similarly in need of a revival themselves after an underwhelming end to the campaign last season. The battle to finish in the Premier League’s top four continues to be a difficult job, and Pepe’s arrival can help lift the mood both on and off the pitch at the Emirates next season.

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Celtic hero Mikael Lustig has had his say on Brendan Rodgers’ departure from the club and the fans are loving his honesty.

Speaking to Sport/Foot Magazine, the former Celts right-back pulled no punches when describing his old manager’s exit. The Northern Irishman left Parkhead in February for the riches of the Premier League and it’s safe to say the fans appreciate Lustig’s criticism of the man who won seven trophies in Glasgow.

The Swede said: “I only regret that he left the way he did. When you say you are a fan of Celtic you do not quit the club in February. I do not approve of his choice and he knows it.”

Rodgers hasn’t been popular with the fans since his departure but his former full-back’s comments are still something of a surprise. Lustig was a regular during the now-Leicester City boss’s spell at the club but has since followed him out the Celtic Park exit doors.

The 32-year-old left the club this summer despite being offered the chance to stay.

The Daily Record reported that the club was prepared to offer him a deal, but not his desired three-year contract. Lustig is now playing his football in Belgium with Gent.

Here’s what the fans had to say about his comments on Twitter…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

According to The Daily Mail, Jurgen Klopp wants to add another goalkeeper, left-back and forward to his ranks before the transfer deadline on August 8.

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Amongst those names being targeted is Bournemouth forward Ryan Fraser, a man who enjoyed an excellent 2018/19 campaign on a personal level and one who would allow Jurgen Klopp to get a lot more out of one of his current stars.

The Scotland international scored seven goals and recorded an eye-catching 14 assists in the Premier League last season, with no player setting up more goals other than Eden Hazard with 15.

Fraser primarily operates on the left, making 33 appearances out on that side in all competitions last term – the man who currently occupies that area at Anfield right now is Sadio Mane.

The Senegal international played as a centre-forward twice last term and netted two goals, showing that he is capable of starring in a central role.

As aforesaid in The Daily Mail’s report, Klopp is looking for another forward to add to his ranks and Fraser would be the ideal candidate to fit the bill and help get more use out of Mane.

As detailed by Understat, Fraser does most of his best work out on the left, whereas you can see Mane does a lot in the middle even when starting as a left-forward – it is a natural tendency for him to cut inside.

If Fraser signed, Klopp wouldn’t need another centre-forward to replace the departed Daniel Sturridge as the Scot’s presence would allow him to be more creative with Mane.

It would give the former Borussia Dortmund boss the option to rotate his side with Mane in the middle and Fraser out wide, or with the former Southampton forward out on the left and Roberto Firmino in the middle – the extra possibilities would certainly be open for Klopp and will be welcome ones with the added Club World Cup fixtures next term.

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There could be some very good times ahead for the pair if Solskjaer continues to place his faith in them. ‘

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