All posts by n8rngtd.top

Leicester City are set to receive a huge boost ahead of their Premier League clash versus Manchester City, with James Maddison ready to return to action.

The midfielder has been out of action since mid-February with a hip injury.

However, Foxes’ boss Brendan Rodgers has suggested that the former Norwich City man is likely to return to contention “after” the international break.

His return after a five-match lay-off will surely be massive news for Leicester as they attempt to continue their push for a UEFA Champions League place against runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Maddison is currently in the midst of his most productive campaign since arriving at the King Power Stadium from Norwich City in 2018.

He currently has 11 goals and ten assists in all competitions to his name and only needs to get on the scoresheet on a further four occasions to match the most prolific season of his career to date.

As a matter of fact, only striker Jamie Vardy can match the 24-year-old’s 21 total goal contributions throughout 2020/21.

It shows then how big of a player Maddison is that he is out-performing the vast majority of the Leicester squad and coming up against the irrepressible City at home on Saturday evening, Rodgers will certainly need his best players if the Foxes are to earn a result.

Having said that, Leicester’s results haven’t been harmed whilst Maddison has been ruled out.

In the five matches in which he has been unavailable, Rodgers’ troops have won three, drawn one and lost the other.

Nevertheless, in games in which the midfielder has scored – ten in total – Leicester have won every single one, including their famous 5-2 victory at the Etihad earlier this season.

Maddison will certainly be looking to continue that trend as he provides a big injury boost to Leicester and Rodgers at the weekend.

AND in more news, take a look at which former Real Madrid striker the Foxes are reportedly interested in…

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans have been giving their thoughts on social media to a weekend report regarding two Eagles youngsters.

As reported by The Sun (4 April, print edition, page 61), both Jesuran Rak-Sakyi and Tayo Adaramola are pushing to make their Premier League debuts before the end of the season.

Rak-Sakyi, 18, recently rejected a professional contract at Selhurst Park. The versatile attacking midfielder, who has been involved in 10 goals for the club’s youth teams this season, is reportedly set to make the move to Germany.

Adaramola, 17, has been a regular for the club’s Under-18 side this season. The Irishman has played mainly at left-back but also further forward on occasions.

Palace fans react

It seems as if the pair could receive their chance from Roy Hodgson over the coming weeks.

@cpfc_xtra shared the news regarding the pair on social media on Tuesday evening.

Their post received plenty of interaction, with one fan describing the possible inclusion of Rak-Sakyi over the coming weeks as ‘massive’, perhaps feeling some playing time could tempt him to stay at the club.

“Absolute scenes if true”

Credit: @BRL__18

“Would be amazed if it happens but PLEASE. Exactly what we need to persuade these players to stay and show what they’ve got. Roy impressed me yesterday with how he approached the game. Hopefully being safe and with his job on the line he’ll show us what we want to see as fans”

Credit: @Phillyconcarne

“rak-sakyi in particular would be massive given the talks of him potentially not signing a pro contract and going to germany”

Credit: @thisisntxav

“I have a feeling Mr Hodgson has other ideas”

Credit: @JJ_CPFC

“It would be good to see Rak-Sakyi make his debut but I highly doubt it”

Credit: @cmilesgillam

“If Roy is picking the team absolutely no chance. We’ve taken only 6 subs to games this season rather than giving youth some experience with the first team”

Credit: @MDJones82

In other news: Many Palace fans react as club contact Word Cup winner, find out more here. 

According to a report by La Gazzetta dello Sport, via LFC Transfer Room, Liverpool are pursuing Ajax midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and will be watching him against AS Roma in the Europa League tonight – prompting many Reds to erupt at this news on a rising starlet in Amsterdam.

Gravenberch has been a mainstay for the Dutch giants this season at just 18-years-old, starting 25 Eredivisie matches whilst scoring three goals and assisting five others (WhoScored).

Primarily a defensive midfielder, his statistics suggest he is already a well-rounded player at such a young age – averaging a consistent 1.6 shots and 1.2 key passes per 90 domestically for Ajax (WhoScored).

He’s also impressed in the Europa League defensively with a brilliant 3 tackles and 3 interceptions averaged every game – more than any Liverpool player in the Champions League by comparison (WhoScored).

La Gazzetta now report that Liverpool are pursuing the €35 million (£30m)-rated starlet with Reds scouts set to keep a close eye on his exploits tonight in Europe.

Given his impressive season, it’s little wonder why supporters are begging FSG to sign him as one supporter even dubs Gravenberch the ‘perfect’ Georginio Wijnaldum replacement.

Find all of their verdicts down below.

Liverpool fans erupt as FSG eye Gravenberch

“I beg we get this done”

Credit: @LFC_6Times_

“Already better than #5 so this better be true”

Credit: @lfcthijs

“perfect gini replacement”

Credit: @NveemU

“I am BEGGING”

Credit: @LadiesLoveWill

“Omds plssssssss”

Credit: @LewYNWA

“Better be true”

Credit: @m1ele_

“big baller”

Credit: @CheemaDharam

“Trust me, Gravenberch is the real deal!!”

Credit: @TheIconnaisseur

In other news: Liverpool fans slammed this ‘absolutely shocking’ star, find out more here.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has revealed he does not care about Danny Ings’ mentality for Euro 2020 and has said the striker must put Southampton first.

Hasenhuttl discusses Ings

The £19.8m-valued ace has so far earned three caps for England, scoring once, and is in with an outside chance of making Gareth Southgate’s squad for this summer’s showpiece.

However, ahead of the Saints’ clash with West Brom on Monday, Hasenhuttl claimed that Ings must concentrate on the St Mary’s Stadium outfit above all else. He said (via football365.com):

“If he has a (place in the) Euros or not, he is part of this club.

“He has a contract with this club, so that contract means he has to do everything and just to help us, this is the deal we made.

“I don’t care about the mentality for the Euros, this is something like a bonus for him.

“The most important thing is that he helps us win games, that he helps us in climbing the table and that he helps us maybe come into the FA Cup final.

“This is the deal we have with him, and so long as he is here, he tries to give his part to this deal and we give our part of the deal.

“We offer him everything that is possible to make him better – and this is how it should be with every player.”

Spot on

Of course, Ings will have eyes on the international tournament this summer, and he will no doubt want to be a part of the squad. However, as Hasenhuttl says, the Saints must come first, especially as they still have so much to play for. While the Saints are 10 points above the relegation zone as it stands (Sky Sports), they are not yet mathematically safe, and they also face Leicester City in the FA Cup semi-finals next weekend.

Ings’ future at Southampton remains uncertain as rumours continue to circle about a potential move away from the south coast. For now, though, he remains a Saints player, and as their top scorer he has a big role to play between now and the end of the season.

In other news, Southampton are interested in this midfielder.

Tottenham Hotspur could finally make a move for a player they have been tracking for three years this summer; Joachim Andersen…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Eurosport’s Dean Jones, who claims the current Spurs squad will undergo a refresh regardless of who is in charge; Jose Mourinho or someone else.

He also suggests that recent reports linking the north Londoners to the Dane do carry weight after all.

Alasdair Gold suggested earlier this month that Andersen would be a potential summer target after impressing on-loan to Premier League rivals Fulham, and they have no option to buy, so parent club Lyon could see a bidding war ensue for their towering defender.

The Telegraph believe he could be available for just £25m.

Imagine him & Rodon

It is no secret that Spurs need defensive reinforcements, particularly through the middle. They may well hold the record of being the fourth-best defence in the top-flight but mistakes at the back have been the true defining trend of the season.

Following Sunday’s defeat to Manchester United, Mourinho’s side have now dropped 18 points from winning positions, only second to Brighton’s attempt of 20 points.

Had they seen out those matches, then Spurs would be second in the league to an outstanding Man City side.

[snack-amp-story url=https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-and-recent-gossip” title=”Read this week’s Spurs news, latest transfer rumours and more!]

That’s not the case and is undoubtedly why they are so desperate to transform their backline this summer. Joe Rodon, a late £11m signing, has started to prove his worth and at just 23, he’s certainly one for the long-term future.

He’ll need a partner, though. And it’s evident that neither Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez or the aging Toby Alderweireld are up to scratch as Mourinho has utilised 16 different combinations at the back this term alone.

Andersen, however, has impressed in a side battling for relegation. Despite it being his maiden campaign in England, he’s picked up the armband in 14 of his 26 appearances, including the 1-1 draw against Spurs, where he stopped Harry Kane to just the one goal.

Only a trio of regular starters under Scott Parker have managed a better average WhoScored rating than the Dane (6.81), whilst he leads the squad for aerial duels won (3.2 per game).

The 6 foot 4 titan’s form this campaign has earned glowing praise from across English press, ranging from Mirror chief football writer John Cross lauding him “magnificent” to the Telegraph’s Sam Dean claiming he’s Fulham’s best passer – an attribute that would definitely see him fit nicely with Spurs playing out from the back.

Rodon is currently Mourinho’s best passer, managing to find another Spurs player with 88.7% of his passing attempts, so pairing the two together could prove to be a shrewd decision in the long run.

He’s only 24, too, so you can just imagine the spine of Rodon and Andersen for years to come.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Hojbjerg: Spurs plot swoop for the next Paul Pogba…

Aston Villa must avoid a major Ross Barkley nightmare after Dean Smith’s transfer update.

What’s the story?

The England international joined the club on loan from fellow Premier League side Chelsea, and has since endured a disappointing spell at Villa Park, scoring just three goals in the top-flight all season.

And now, speaking after his side’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday night, Smith revealed that there have been no discussions over a potential permanent deal with Chelsea.

He said: “No, Ross Barkley came in on loan at the start of the season. Obviously, Frank (Lampard) was the manager at the time we did a deal to bring him in on loan. That’s where it was. He’s got another two years left on his contract at Chelsea and that’s not been discussed at all.”

Major nightmare for Dean Smith

It’s been a real telling sign that Barkley hasn’t started a Premier League game since the 2-1 defeat at home to Leicester, either being left on the bench as an unused substitute, or just coming on for brief cameos – even starlet Jacob Ramsey appears to have pipped him in the pecking order in recent weeks.

Villa podcaster Simon O’Regan critcised the midfielder’s recent form just last month, saying: “I think what’s sort of annoyed me as well over the last few weeks is Ross Barkley, and I’m not trying to single him out because I think he has been really heavily criticised more than he probably should have been, especially when other players haven’t exactly stepped up either.

“These last few weeks were a real opportunity I think for him to really shine and play his way into getting in a decent move and he hasn’t really done that.”

As O’Regan says, the £18m-rated Barkley just hasn’t shown enough to warrant Villa coughing up a decent sum of money to make this move permanent, and that really is on the midfielder himself for not doing so.

With Jack Grealish out, he had the perfect opportunity to really showcase his worth and prove to Smith and the fans that he’s someone worth keeping over the long-term. Instead, he’s proven beyond doubt that Villa simply cannot justify signing him on a permanent basis.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-aston-villa-transfer-rumours-and-news-copy-copy” title=”Latest Aston Villa transfer rumours and news”]

Johan Lange must avoid a major Villa nightmare this summer and just let Barkley walk away, or else Smith will surely be fuming at signing someone he clearly doesn’t rate anymore.

Meanwhile, this Villa star let Dean Smith down just as much as Matty Cash vs Man City…

Former Newcastle United star Keith Gillespie has hailed Martin Dubravka’s form at the club but has told Football FanCast that Karl Darlow can feel unlucky that he is now sitting on the bench.

Dubravka missed the first 15 games of the season, due to a heel injury, but he returned to the substitutes’ bench for the 0-0 draw with Liverpool in December.

Since then, he has had to watch on from the bench but made his return against Wolves in February, and has been in goal for the Magpies ever since.

Newcastle have only lost one of those games, a 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, and he has kept one clean sheet, against West Bromwich Albion.

Darlow has subsequently been relegated to the bench, having played in 25 games, conceding 43 goals and keeping four clean sheets.

And Gillespie, who played for the club between 1995 and 1998, believes that Darlow played well enough at the start of the season to potentially earn an England call-up, though he has praised the form of Dubravka recently.

He told FFC: “He’s been fantastic since he came to the club. He had to bide his time once he came back from injury and for me, Darlow was probably one of Newcastle’s best players this season in the early parts.

“He could probably say he’s a little bit unlucky to all of a sudden lose his place because I remember watching a few months ago and talking Karl Darlow up in terms of possible England recognition, and now all of a sudden he finds himself on the bench.

“Again, it’s a big call from the manager to make that decision.”

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith came very close to being sacked by the club at one point in his tenure.

Villa are currently safe and secure in a midtable Premier League position, but it has been reported that things weren’t always as rosy for Smith during his time at the helm.

Smith nearly got the sack in 2019

Football Insider have recently reported about Smith, saying that the club would’ve sacked the Englishman if they had lost to Derby County in a Championship game back in March 2019. The defeat would’ve left them further behind in the race for promotion and chief executive Christian Purslow was reportedly ready to let go of Smith just five months into his tenure.

As much as Smith’s job was on the line, Villa picked up a very impressive 4-0 win over Frank Lampard’s Derby. Conor Hourihane grabbed a brace, with Jack Grealish and loanee Tammy Abraham scoring a goal each (BBC Sport). From there, they never looked back.

Decision to not sack Smith paying off

In the 2018/19 Championship campaign, Villa finished fifth in the table but they won promotion via the play-offs, beating Derby in the final to return to the top flight.

While they avoided relegation only narrowly last season, some quality summer spending has left them on course to secure a midtable finish this term.

If Villa can invest well in the summer once again, they could end up going one better and potentially finish closer to the European places. Considering the job Smith has done since he was threatened with the sack two years ago, supporters can be glad that Purslow didn’t pull the trigger.

In other news, ‘Phenomenal’ £47k-p/w Villa ace linked with shock exit; 8-word reveal key to any deal – report

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills admits the length of Rodrigo’s injury absence is worrying, as Marcelo Bielsa prepares to welcome him back possibly as a substitute this weekend (via Yorkshire Evening Post).

The Spaniard has endured a disappointing first season at Elland Road, having arrived as the club’s most expensive signing in history last summer, joining for £27million from Valencia.

Big things were expected of the 30-year-old, but instead, he has scored just three goals in 23 appearances, also finding himself injury-plagued.

Rodrigo hasn’t started a game for Leeds since January because of a groin issue, with his last cameo coming against Sheffield United, and Mills is concerned about the nature of the ongoing issue.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

Mills provides worrying Rodrigo injury verdict

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills admits it is hard to predict exactly how much the striker could struggle fitness-wise, ahead of his possible return on Saturday:

“The problem with injuries is every single one is different, every different player is different.

“Then you get compensations within your body that affect other things and sometimes it can just be a long, slow process.

“We all want to know ‘When is he going to be back? When is he going to be back?’ and sometimes you have to just say ‘Don’t know is the answer.’

“People don’t like that but it’s literally how long is a piece of string sometimes? It can be two or three weeks if it’s minor. If it’s really bad it can be five or six months.

“It’s so subjective with the way people react to treatment and recovery. It’s a tough one, it’s really difficult to say.”

Transfer Tavern take

There is no denying that Rodrigo has been a flop at Leeds to date, with injuries certainly playing a key part in his struggles in England.

He has been linked with a return to Spain the summer transfer window, but the hope is that he stays put for another season, at least.

Rodrigo has scored eight goals in 25 caps for Spain, highlighting his pedigree, so it would be a shame to him leave after just one year at Leeds. Assuming he can rid himself of these injury issues, one would hope he can kick on and find the type of form he has for previous clubs at Elland Road.

In other news, a pundit has taken a needless swipe at Leeds on social media – find out who it is here.

Manchester City have been linked with a move for Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic recently and he could be the ideal alternative to Erling Haaland in Pep Guardiola’s side should he join this summer.

According to Corriere Dello Sport (via Sport Witness) the Serbian striker is being considered as a potential replacement for the legendary Sergio Aguero at the Etihad Stadium this summer, although the youngster is also attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a superb season with Fiorentina, contributing 19 goals and three assists in 32 Serie A appearances, which has helped him earn an impressive 6.87 average WhoScored rating for his performances in Italy’s top flight.

Whilst many Manchester City fans may have been hoping to see their club sign Borussia Dortmund sensation Haaland this summer, it would take a huge amount of money to prise the Norwegian away from Signal Iduna Park ahead of next season, whilst agent Mino Raiola is also sure to demand an enormous fee in any potential deal.

Therefore, Guardiola’s side should turn their attention elsewhere as they look to bring in a replacement for Aguero, and Vlahovic could be the perfect man to succeed him at the Etihad.

The former Partizan Belgrade marksman is a similar style of striker to Haaland, as he stands at 1.9m (6 foot 3) and would therefore offer Guardiola’s side an aerial threat up front, something which they have lacked at times this season.

Although there is no doubt that the Citizens have enjoyed a superb season, there have been occasions, notably in recent defeats to Leeds and Chelsea, where they have lacked a physical presence and goalscorer up front, something which Vlahovic could definitely provide.

The 21-year-old, who is currently valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, has averaged more successful aerial duels per game (2.8) and more shots per game (2.5) than any naturally attacking Manchester City player excluding Kevin De Bruyne this season, so he could definitely add an attacking threat in Guardiola’s side next term if he comes to the Etihad.

He also believes in his own ability, suggesting in an interview earlier this season that he can get to Haaland’s level, so he looks to be a hugely worthwhile signing for the Citizens, and Txiki Begiristain should definitely consider him as an option this summer.

In other news… City can sign their ideal heir to £150k-p/w beast with “outstanding” Premier League star