An email, a phone call, a taxi ride and a 12-hour flight later, we found ourselves in Mexico City, about to meet the fourth-highest goal scorer in Champions League history, a man who won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Award twice while a Manchester United, a man who courted success and controversy in equal measures…We were, of course, meeting Ruud van Nistelrooy – poacher extraordinaire and current assistant manager of the Netherlands.Ruud was in Mexico City for Heineken’s #ChampionTheMatch, where he would watch Real Madrid v Juventus with mere mortals like ourselves, while answering questions from fans all around the world.We met at Heineken House in a swanky part of Mexico City, a property that boasted the finest chandelier we’ve ever seen (it was made out of beer bottles) and naturally was set up to host one hell of party.Once the main man arrived, we sat down to grill him on what it was like to be on the end of the infamous Fergie Hairdryer, his toughest opponents and whether United should’ve got rid of Paul Pogba, but before long it was game time and our chance to attempt an arty photo like this…Back to the day job and Juventus surprised Los Blancos by booking their place in the final – much to the disappointment of former Real star van Nistelrooy.Not that he had time to be glum, as he was whisked away for an interview with local television – an interview he conducted in fluent Spanish (see action shot below.)And after all that, what was the fruits of the Heineken and the Dutchman’s labour? This fantastic video – that’s what!
Roberto Carlos will be taking over the reins for the Champions League Final so tweet your questions to @Heineken using the #ChampionTheMatch hashtag and grill this Brazilian legend!
Forget all the recent underwhelming signings (Roberto Firmino aside), the Reds may have a big name waiting in the wings.
He made headlines for exhibiting a temper during an international match. He’s a hot-headed South American centre forward with more than 15 La Liga goals this season.
No, Luis Suarez won’t be returning to Anfield. But it seems Liverpool do have a type.
After failing to meet Aston Villa’s £32.5million valuation for Christian Benteke, as reported by the Express, Liverpool have turned their attentions to Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca for second first big-name signing of the summer, according to MailOnline.
The Colombian international most recently made the news for a brawl involving Brazil’s Neymar following a Copa America group stage match, for which both players received red cards.
Bacca was much more well-behaved during the La Liga season, however. The striker led Sevilla with 20 league goals, and found the net seven more times while helping the club to their second successive Europa League title.
Despite his biting and fighting, Suarez provided a much needed boost for the Reds when he arrived in January 2011. The Uruguayan led Liverpool offensively in every one of his three seasons at Anfield, including 23 league goals in 2012-13 and 31 goals and 21 assists the following season.
Bacca will reportedly cost Brendan Rodgers a £21.5 million release clause, but could very well be worth it. Similar to Suarez, the Colombian is known for his finishing ability and as an indirect set-piece threat.
Bacca is also approaching the peak of his career, a great sign for Liverpool, who are most definitely not peaking in the slightest. The 28-year-old averaged 127 minutes per goal across all competitions this season, his most productive year yet, and is an adept penalty taker as well.
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Bacca does his best work in front of the goal and doesn’t shy away from high-stakes games. All of his goals this season came from inside the penalty box, and he scored twice for Sevilla in the Europa League final. He is used to playing as a lone striker, but could also provide support for Daniel Sturridge, who has struggled since Suarez’s departure.
All-in-all, Bacca offers Liverpool many of the same benefits that Suarez did, with superb goalscoring and great ball movement. And, hopefully, without all the drama.
Jose Mourinho didn’t name names, but made it clear he was disappointed with a significant portion of his players last night as Manchester United were unexpectedly eliminated from the League Cup at the hands of Bristol City – suggesting certain United stars didn’t want to be there, playing at Ashton Gate against rugged Championship opposition on a wet Wednesday night. He said after the 2-1 defeat…
“In the first-half we lacked the intensity that they had, and when I say intensity I say not just physical I say also mentally. For some of us it was just one more day in the office – probably a day that some of them they don’t even want to come to the office.”
And when considering which players that rather condemning description most applies to, it’s hard to look past right-back Matteo Darmian, especially in light of reports linking the Italian international with a return to Serie A and away from Old Trafford.
Indeed, you’d expect a full-back to make key attacking contributions during a game in which United should dominate much of the ball against lesser opposition, but Darmian didn’t complete one dribble, create one chance or lay on one accurate cross before being subbed off in the 94th minute. In fact, he made less passes than goalkeeper Sergio Romero, just 25, with an overall accuracy of just 76%.
Defensively too, the 28-year-old didn’t fare much better. He made more fouls than interceptions or blocks, won only a single aerial duel, completed just two tackles and made three clearances. Overall, it was an incredibly passive display from the 36-cap defender and if there were any question marks over whether United could afford to let him go mid-season, last night most probably answered them for Mourinho.
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Everton were one of the busiest clubs in the summer transfer window when Ronald Koeman was at the helm as they spent more than £100m on new arrivals.
This month, with Sam Allardyce now in charge, the Merseyside outfit moved swiftly again to tie down the signatures of Turkish striker Cenk Tosun from Besiktas and Arsenal star Theo Walcott.
Even though both new signings have received a warm welcome from the fans, there is one area of the pitch that the supporters desperately want addressed – left-back.
Leighton Baines is usually the man to fill the position, but at the age of 33, the Englishman is not getting any younger.
Recently, the Liverpudlian has been on the sidelines with injury, which has forced Allardyce to play Cuco Martina at left-back.
The former Southampton man has struggled to make an impression in the role given that he is predominantly right footed.
On Friday, Allardyce told reporters in a press conference that he is unlikely to bring any more new players to Goodison Park this month.
“No, I don’t think so. We would be more in the terms of where we are at the moment, [be looking to move] players on. The squad is too big. There are 33 players here at the moment and from my point of view reducing those squads numbers is important for me.”
As expected, fans were not best pleased by his comments.
According to reports in The Mirror, Manchester United are closing in on a £30m deal to sign Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, but Red Devils fans have urged them to follow up the addition of the Chilean by bringing Riyad Mahrez to Old Trafford too following another impressive display against Chelsea on Saturday.
The 26-year-old has been back to his best in recent months under Claude Puel following a disappointing start to the campaign, and he was a constant threat for the Blues backline at Stamford Bridge from the right wing.
Jose Mourinho doesn’t really have a long-term option on that side with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard failing to make a significant impact in the Portuguese boss’ preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, and the Algeria international could be the answer to the issue.
Man United supporters were quick to have their say on his latest performance via social media and the potential arrival of Sanchez, and while one said “now let’s get Mahrez too”, another said the club ‘needs Mahrez and Sanchez for the Champions League this season’.
West Bromwich Albion boss Alan Pardew has revealed that Arsenal are yet to put an acceptable offer on the table for Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans.
Evans was strongly linked with a move away from West Brom during the summer, with Manchester City said to be interested in the former Manchester United defender.
Arsenal are now believed to lead the race as the Gunners attempt to boost their squad before the January transfer window closes next week.
Pardew has claimed that West Brom would be prepared to sell Evans ‘if the price is right’.
However, the Baggies boss has insisted that Arsenal – nor any other club – have submitted an offer which meets the club’s value of the centre-back.
Pardew told reporters:
“The Arsenal deal is paper talk, someone has released that and it’s not true. Jonny is still at the football club and we’ve not had a bid put to us which is anywhere near acceptable.
“We might sell if the price is right. We’ve had a couple of enquiries of what we would be looking for, and the answer has been ‘we’re not gonna tell you’.
“You make a bid and you’ll get some gauge. We don’t really want to sell Jonny but we’ll see.”
Evans, who is valued at £13.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is fast closing on 100 appearances for West Brom following a move from Man United in the summer of 2015.
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The 30-year-old is contracted to the Baggies until the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
According to reports in The Sun on Sunday, Manchester United could make a £50m move for Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the summer if David De Gea leaves the club.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Sun on Sunday says that Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho has been impressed with the England international’s form since he joined the Toffees from Sunderland last summer, and he tops their emergency list of replacements for De Gea if the stopper returns to Spain at the end of the season.
The Sun on Sunday says that United are expecting the annual Real Madrid pursuit of the 27-year-old to happen again this summer – especially after another reported target Kepa signed a new long-term contract with Athletic Bilbao last month.
The report adds that after Pickford cost the Merseyside outfit £30m in June, he would likely cost around £50m now and Mourinho’s men wouldn’t be averse to paying that amount should they lose De Gea.
How has Pickford done this season?
The 23-year-old probably would have been expecting to have less to do this term having made the move to Goodison Park from relegated Sunderland during the summer, but it hasn’t really proven to be the case.
Everton struggled in the early stages of the season when their defence was really leaky, and while things improved for a time under current manager Sam Allardyce they have started to concede regularly again – the Toffees were beaten 5-1 by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Merseyside outfit have conceded 45 goals in their 26 Premier League matches this term, and while Pickford can’t be blamed for too many of those there will be certainly be some that he will think he should have done better with.
According to the PremierLeague.com, only De Gea and Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski have more made saves than Pickford’s 83 in the top flight this season.
Would he be a good signing for United?
He certainly would be, yes.
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If De Gea does go in the summer then there is no doubt that it will be a hugely difficult task to replace him, and the Red Devils may not find someone as good.
However, Pickford has proven that he has the quality, potential and time to get even better than he is now, while his impressive distribution would be another one of the big bonuses of bringing the 23-year-old to Old Trafford.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has identified Lyon attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir, who has scored 21 goals this season, as his top summer target and he is willing to pay £45m to bring him to the Emirates.
What’s the word, then?
Soccer Football – Europa League Round of 32 First Leg – Olympique Lyonnais vs Villarreal – Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France – February 15, 2018 LLyon’s Memphis Depay celebrates with Nabil Fekir after scoring their third goal REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot
Well, the Daily Mail says that Wenger has followed the 24-year-old’s career closely and has had him watched by Gunners scout Gilles Grimandi on a number of occasions, and he is ready to make his move at the end of the season.
Fekir looks likely to play a key role for France at the World Cup in Russia, and the Daily Mail says the French boss wants to get a deal tied up before then to ensure his value and stock doesn’t rise too much.
The report adds that while Lyon will be reluctant to lose their star man, they showed they are willing to do business if the price is right having sold Alexandre Lacazette to the north London outfit last summer.
How has Fekir done this season?
He has been outstanding.
The Frenchman has scored 21 goals and provided a further six assists in 31 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit, and he has 55 goals and 35 assists in 155 outings in total for the club.
The Lyon captain found the net in his side’s 3-1 win against Villarreal in the first leg of their last 32 Europa League tie on Thursday night, and according to WhoScored.com he has made 63 key passes in 29 appearances in the French top flight and in Europe this term.
Meanwhile, he has also shown his quality on the ball too having successfully completed 101 of the 134 dribbles he has attempted in the same period.
Would he be a good signing for Arsenal?
He certainly would be.
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The 24-year-old has been an outstanding and influential performer for Lyon for a while now, and there is no doubt that he could add to the Gunners attack.
The fact that he has played with Lacazette previously could also perhaps get the best out of the striker, who has struggled for goals and starts at the Emirates in more recent times.
If Wenger was able to bring the France international to north London for £45m it would certainly be a no-brainer when you look at his impressive statistics, but it may take a little bit more money to prise him away from Lyon.
Seven points adrift with just ten games remaining, maintaining their Premier League status is no longer the ultimate challenge West Brom face. With relegation now seemingly inevitable, the Baggies’ attentions must shift towards whether the club has the robustness to cope with life in the Championship. The early signs aren’t promising.
Just a quick look at the second tier and beyond shows how hard it can be for former Premier League clubs; Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds, Charlton Athletic, Wigan, Wolves, Bolton Wanderers, Fulham and Sunderland all fall into the bracket of sleeping giant that have struggled to come to terms with the harshness of the Football League and failed to find a way back to the top flight. Seven of those have even dropped into the third tier, and bitter rivals Wolves have even suffered double relegation.
That’s the reality West Bromwich Albion now face; the possibility of double relegation or at the very least, a long and arduous fight back to the money-rich lands of the Premier League. And the overriding concern is how poorly-equipped the Hawthorns outfit are for that challenge at this moment in time.
Soccer Football – Premier League – West Bromwich Albion vs Huddersfield Town – The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, Britain – February 24, 2018 West Bromwich Albion first team coach John Carver with manager Alan Pardew REUTERS/Rebecca Naden EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please con
Currently, they don’t even have a permanent chief executive or chairman after the owner sacked both earlier this month and although there will likely be appointments at the end of the season, the Baggies essentially enter the Championship without a rudder, a figure who oversees all departments and sets the club’s direction.
And speaking of Gouchuan Lai, he doesn’t offer much direction either. The Chinese owner only watches a handful of games per season, and was more eager to maintain the club’s continuity than instigate changes when he took a controlling stake. Excepting the recent sackings, he’s been very much a silent partner – watching the club’s decline from afar.
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Many would argue that’s a good thing, considering how tyrannical some foreign owners have become in English football. But it also hints at a limited interest in the club, or at the very least a distinct distance between the owner and the coalface. Often, issues can be lost in translation, especially along lines of communication that cross continents.
That’s just at boardroom level – the more pertinent concern is the state of the first-team. At 29, West Brom have the oldest average squad age of any Premier League team this season and it would be the oldest in the Championship as well. Will West Brom’s ageing warriors really be up for the challenge of 46 gruelling, hugely physical games against younger sides that unanimously view beating a former Premier League team as an irresistible scalp?
Soccer Football – Premier League – West Bromwich Albion vs Huddersfield Town – The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, Britain – February 24, 2018 West Bromwich Albion’s Jonny Evans warms up before the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please c
It seems inevitable some of West Brom’s elder personnel will opt out of that – the likes of Gareth Barry, Chris Brunt, Gareth McAuley and James Morrison – especially if another club offers them a final chance in the Premier League. The Baggies then face a fight to keep the players in their peak years. We already know Jonny Evans’ contract includes a £3million release clause, and there will likely be interest in Craig Dawson, Salomon Rondon and Kieran Gibbs as well – Premier League standard players who will surely interest other clubs.
Style of play is a huge problem too. In theory, West Brom are built for the Championship through their attritional philosophy, but that also means there’s a lack of differentiation between the Baggies and the rest of the division. They play in a way most second tier teams are accustomed to and deal with weekly, and if anything the philosophy will only level out any difference in quality between West Brom and Championship opponents. That’s part of the reason why West Brom always struggled against Football League opposition in the FA Cup and the League Cup under Tony Pulis.
Britain Football Soccer – West Bromwich Albion v Swansea City – Premier League – The Hawthorns – 14/12/16 West Brom manager Tony Pulis during the match Reuters / Peter Nicholls Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Of course, the squad could be of a wholly different complexion this season – partly by choice, partly by financial constraints, partly by the situation imposed upon them – and for all of West Brom’s ageing veterans, there are some promising young players at the club too. Oliver Burke, Rekeem Harper, Sam Field and Jonathan Leko all fall into that bracket and the Championship would give those youngsters a better platform to prove themselves than the top flight, especially amid the current climate where every bottom half side is essentially involved in the relegation battle.
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But one way or another, a huge squad overhaul is inevitable, and it’s the scale of change required at the club that’s perhaps the most alarming. From the boardroom to the manager to the players, West Brom will be employing almost wholly different personnel come the end of the summer.
That can go both ways; while it may extinguish the negative mindset that often engulfs teams when they enter the Championship from the top flight, the lack of continuity and familiarity can prove equally debasing. New signings need time to gel, just as fans need time to warm to them. If the feel-good factor isn’t there almost instantaneously, it could prove to be a very long season.
For a club much less equipped to handle the Championship than the Premier League, a double-relegation like Wolves’ is a plausible possibility.
Leeds United will look to keep their faint play-off hopes alive when they host Championship table-toppers Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road on Wednesday night, and Whites fans have begged manager Paul Heckingbottom not to start midfielder Eunan O’Kane, rated at €1m (£900,000) by Transfermarkt.A 3-0 defeat against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Friday night combined with other results over the weekend on Tuesday night have left the Yorkshire outfit nine points adrift of the top six with just 11 games of the season remaining, and they need to start picking up wins.It won’t be an easy task against a high-flying Wolves team though, and the Elland Road faithful are keen to see O’Kane dropped from the XI following his performance against Boro alongside Kalvin Phillips in the middle of the park, and after being left unimpressed with the 27-year-old’s post-match comments.Leeds supporters have been quick to have their say on the inclusion of the Republic of Ireland international in the team vs Wolves, and while one said “please don’t start O’Kane and Phillips for tonight’s game Paul Heckingbottom”, another said “if I see O’Kane in that starting line-up tonight, I’ll actually cry”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…[ad_pod ]