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Sheffield Wednesday are in dire form of late.

There’s no hiding the fact that the Owls have been terrible recently. They’ve won just once since the turn of the year and any thoughts of a playoff push now seem a distant memory.

Understandably, there have been a number of fans calling for Garry Monk’s head after the Yorkshire club’s recent woes, and after only one win in 11 games, you have to say that his job isn’t secure.

However, Wednesday can’t afford to act too hastily on this one.

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The Owls’ situation could be made so much worse by off-field issues, and if that happens they’ll need to re-evaluate what they want to do.

Indeed, the Hillsborough outfit could be handed a points deduction in the coming weeks due to their financial misconduct charge, and if that happens they may want to keep Monk on board.

The 40-year-old has experience that not many other managers do in that he has been in this exact position before.

Last season he saw his Birmingham City side docked nine points, and they were immediately put amongst the relegation battlers, sitting just five points above 22nd place after their sanction.

Fortunately, Monk was able to motivate his squad and get them playing the football they were capable of and they finished 12 points clear of the drop zone.

Wednesday could soon be put in the same position, and if they’re scrapping amongst the relegation-threatened sides they’ll need a manager who can drag them out of the fire.

Monk has already proven that he’s more than capable of doing that at Birmingham City, and if Dejphon Chansiri chooses to sack him before the EFL ruling comes in they may struggle to get a manager in who can work so well under such strenuous circumstances.

In other news, Sheffield Wednesday fans have been reacting to one man’s emotional tweet.

Reported Everton transfer target Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has spoken out to Danish media outlet BT after changing agents in recent months.

What did he say?

Well, the reliable Gianluca Di Marzio told Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre (January 23, 9:08pm) last month that the Southampton captain was the club’s primary central midfield target during the January transfer window, although no move materialised before the deadline as they were reluctant to pay his £35m price tag.

It has now emerged that the Denmark international left former agent Soren Lerby at the end of 2019, with super-agent Pini Zahavi his replacement.

Speaking to Danish outlet BT about the switch, the 24-year-old said: “It’s all very simple. I ended my association with Søren Lerby around mid-December. Then I got the opportunity to work with Pini and took that opportunity.

“I am very happy to have Pini on my team. I don’t need to introduce him. His story speaks for itself. He is the master of his profession.”

Could a summer move happen?

It could certainly be one to watch for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it was reported by Di Marzio above and Sky Sports that Everton wanted to sign a central midfielder in January, with Italian journalist Nicolo Schira tweeting that they were in advanced talks over a move for Inter Milan’s Matias Vecino, although his valuation proved to be an issue.

Did he really play for us?! No Everton fan has managed to name all of these obscure Toffees players….

Secondly, Hojbjerg’s contract at St Mary’s actually runs out in the summer of 2021, meaning that if we get to the end of the current campaign with no extension agreed, he would have just 12 months remaining on his deal.

If he has no intention of committing his future to them, then a summer move would surely be on the cards if their valuation of the Dane was met.

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This is one to watch, for sure.

In other Everton news, loads of Toffees fans have been reacting on Twitter to a surprise player exit report…

It has been a successful couple of weeks for Crystal Palace.

The Eagles have won each of their last two matches by a scoreline of 1-0, which has seen them jump up the Premier League table and away from the relegation battle. They now have 36 points – only four from the magic 40 – and would need to endure a complete collapse to see themselves now drop down to the second tier.

Their latest victory, against Brighton, was perhaps a tad fortunate. The Seagulls dominated the match, managing 66% possession and 23 shots to 12, but in the end it was Palace who claimed all three points thanks to Jordan Ayew’s strike – his seventh of the season in the Premier League.

It was also promising for Roy Hodgson’s side to keep a second clean sheet in successive matches. From a defensive point of view, they have been impressive this season, only conceding 32 goals in the top flight – just six sides have managed less.

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It is surprising to see how big a role Scott Dann has played in that aspect of Palace’s play considering he has spent much of the campaign as a spectator. He has started just six matches in the league this season, with eight appearances overall in the competition.

Yet his influence has been felt when he has played. The London outfit have kept eight clean sheets so far this campaign, and Dann has been included in the starting line-up for four of them – they have conceded just twice overall with him in the side. Despite this eye-catching record, though, Hodgson continues to prefer James Tomkins over him.

6 foot 2 Dann might be 33 and approaching the end of his career, but he still has plenty to offer at the back. His performance at the Amex Stadium was a case in point – he made six clearances, three tackles and won four out of his seven duels.

Just because he is older, it doesn’t mean that he has lost the ability to appear on a regular basis. Surely he has done enough to prove his boss wrong. He now has to be a regular starter.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace fans react to Hodgson’s injury update.

The Athletic’s Tottenham Hotspur correspondent James Maw doesn’t believe that Dele Alli is enjoying his football while playing out of position, per The View From The Lane podcast (March 10th, 13:39).

What’s he said?

Alli scored at the weekend as Spurs drew 1-1 with Burnley in the Premier League.

He was deployed as a centre-forward against the Clarets, playing as the focal point of the team in the absence of both Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min.

While he scored from the penalty spot after Erik Lamela was fouled in the box, Maw doesn’t believe he is having the required impact up front.

Indeed, the 23-year-old’s strike at Turf Moor was his first goal in the Premier League since the 2-1 win over Norwich City at the end of January.

He said: “I mean, you can kind of see from Dele Alli’s body language that he’s really not enjoying it at the moment. It’s difficult for any player to play out of position.

He added: “When he is the focal point, it just doesn’t seem like things are really working quite the same way for him. He just kind of looks a bit lost.”

Not his game

Alli doesn’t have the physicality or the presence to make a ball stick when it is fired up to him.

He is a clever playmaker, capable of flicks and tricks and of bringing other players into position, while he can also gallop beyond the striker, as he has often done when Kane has been up front.

That is remarkably different to being the main man and the focal point of an entire attack.

A football legend: Can you get over 80% on this Gazza quiz? Find out now…

Per WhoScored, Alli, who is valued at £72m by Transfermarkt, had 63 touches of the ball in the game against Burnley, was dispossessed four times, and had just one shot on target, from the penalty spot.

He also had a passing accuracy of just 68%, while he did not register a key pass.

As Maw alludes to, it is not necessarily his fault, but Mourinho needs to find a way to restore him to a playmaking position.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans have reacted to a link with a rival Premier League ace!

There wasn’t much for West Brom fans to get excited about during their 0-0 draw with Swansea City on Saturday.

The Baggies failed to win for the third consecutive game after losing to both Wigan and Newcastle in their previous two fixtures.

However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom, Romaine Sawyers made his return from suspension against the Swans and he showed everybody what the Midlands club have been missing over the past few weeks.

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The St Kitts and Nevis international was quickly back to his best after having a few weeks on the sidelines, showcasing why he has previously been hailed as the best passer in the Championship with an 89.3 per cent pass success rate.

Understandably, some fans took to social media to praise the midfield maestro.

Others believe that Sawyers’ good performance was due to the time he had to rest up while he was suspended.

The Championship schedule is gruelling, and a lot of key players aren’t afforded any decent rest throughout the season, but Sawyers was handed such an opportunity, and fans think that it’s done him the world of good.

In other news, West Brom’s summer priority has become apparent.

Southampton are in quite a nice position when it comes to contract expiries and potential renewals as only one man is in a precarious position this summer when it comes to potentially leaving the club on a free transfer.

Indeed, the only player at Southampton whose deal will be up is Shane Long, and as sad as it is to say, it’s becoming increasingly obvious as to what the Saints should do with the Irishman.

A look at his stats make the stats quite obvious – the striker has scored just 12 league goals over the past four seasons, and his best return over that period is just five strikes in 2018/19.

Long has been a decent servant for the Saints during his six years at the club, but it’s time for the club to make a statement of intent by casting him aside.

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The south coast club have a talented young striker in their ranks who is desperate for a chance in the shape of Michael Obafemi.

However, Long’s presence in the squad has seen him limited to just five starts all season, but there are sections of the fanbase who rate him very highly with the 19-year-old often praised by supporters.

Letting Long go and giving Obafemi a shot would be a great message from the club, one that demonstrates they’re ready to move on from the past few seasons of disappointment and underperformance to usher in a new era of giving these young players a proper opportunity.

Of course, it could backfire and the teenager may not live up to his billing, but it’s going to be hard for him to be any worse than the 5 foot 11 man who has scored the same number of goals as his fellow countryman this season, despite playing over twice as many minutes.

In other news, Southampton need to ditch one transfer policy.

The Athletic’s Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has suggested Watford striker Troy Deeney as a realistic signing for the club should they win promotion to the Premier League this season, in his latest Q&A.

What did he say?

Well, Hay’s Q&A was based around who fans believe they vould realistically bring to Elland Road should they go up if and when the 2019/20 campaign resumes.

Before the debate had even started, the journalist threw one name out there straightaway – the Hornets centre-forward.

Hay said: “Here’s a name to start us off – Troy Deeney. Vastly experienced, a sharp finisher, strong, very good at handling pressure and out of contract in 2021. His father was a Leeds fan too so he knows the score round here.”

Would he be a good addition?

He certainly would be.

As Hay points out, firstly the 31-year-old knows all about Leeds because of his dad, and you would have to think that he has the personality and self-confidence to fit in well at Elland Road.

Call yourself a Leeds expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

He is someone who fights for the shirt, and as the journalist says he would also add some real experience to Leeds’ frontline if they were to make their long-awaited return to the English top flight.

Indeed, Deeney has scored 43 goals in 154 Premier League outings for Watford, while he has also shown his ability and setting up his teammates too with 21 assists.

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One of Bielsa’s priorities this summer should the Yorkshire outfit win promotion could be to add some players with know-how and experience to his squad, and the 31-year-old very much fits the bill as a realistic signing.

Rated at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, it will be interesting to see what happens with the striker this summer when he will have just 12 months remaining on his contract at Vicarage Road.

In other Leeds news, the Yorkshire outfit made the wrong call on Ryan Kent and a current Whites player…

Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has revealed the hardest right-back he has come up against in his career so far in an Instagram Q&A he has conducted, via Dugout.

The 27-year-old will have lined up against plenty of right-sided full-backs during his spells in the Premier League with the Eagles, Cardiff City and Manchester United, but it is actually a former teammate he has chosen.

Indeed, he believes that ex-Red Devil Antonio Valencia is the most difficult right-back opponent he has faced, describing him as “strong” and “fast”.

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

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Quite the praise for the Ecuadorian.

In other Crystal Palace news, lots of Eagles fans are fuming with one recent transfer link…

Signed from then UEFA Cup winners Porto in a £6.25m deal back in the summer of 2003, Helder Postiga certainly arrived in north London with a burgeoning reputation in European football.

The Portuguese marksman was only 20 at the time, and had just come off the back of a campaign that had seen him score 19 goals across all competitions, and helped fire his team to European glory.

Speaking after the confirmation of his signing, then Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle waxed lyrical about his latest recruit. He said: “He is a player who will add definite striking quality to our squad and is a young player of proven ability. I’m sure our supporters will enjoy watching him over the coming seasons.”

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

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Even Daniel Levy got in on the act of talking up what it meant to the club, and backed Postiga to deliver for the Lilywhites over the coming seasons. He added: “This exciting signing demonstrates our commitment to increasing the strength and quality of our playing squad and will hopefully assist us in our quest for success next season and beyond.”

But in the end, Postiga’s signing quickly turned into a nightmare for Levy and co. He made just 23 appearances in total for the north Londoners, scoring a measly two goals – only one of them even came in the Premier League.

In fact, just over a year later, Spurs had seemingly had enough, and decided to simply cut their losses on the striker, and send him packing. His former side Porto came back in for him for just £5m, meaning the north London side took a loss on him.

Following the decision to sell him, Spurs sporting director Frank Arnesen admitted that perhaps the club had made a mistake in bringing him to English football in the first place. He said: “There is no doubting Helder’s ability but maybe he came to the Premiership too soon. He was keen to return home and, although we rate him highly here, we did not like to see him unhappy.”

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After no doubt thinking they had signed a young striker who could lead their line for the years to come, Spurs were left to tuck their tail in between their legs and wave goodbye to one of their biggest flops in recent memory.

Meanwhile, Alasdair Gold offers a Spurs transfer update.

Borussia Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho has been on Manchester United’s radar for what feels like eternity.

The England international has been linked with a big-money move to Old Trafford for a number of months now, amid suggestions that he could finally be set for a return to English football after a few years in Germany.

The likes of Chelsea and Liverpool are also reported to be monitoring the situation, but recent reports have claimed that United are the ones in pole position.

Best of the Decade: Top scorers & creators – Can you name them?

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However, a fresh update from The Daily Express has claimed that the current situation surrounding the world at the moment makes it “far-fetched” that United could spend £120m on Sancho.

As such, it’s suggested the Manchester side could could active their buy-back clauses on Memphis Depay or Wilfried Zaha.

Whilst the reasons behind such a stance is understandable, this could turn into a monumental mistake from Ed Woodward. Make no mistake about it, if United have second thoughts about signing Sancho, then the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool will no doubt be prepared to blow them out of the water and beat them to the punch.

If Sancho really is the priority signing for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this summer, then there really shouldn’t be any settling for second-best, whatever the circumstances.

Getting the Dortmund starlet in would mean United have a winger for the next decade or so in their first-team – both Depay and Zaha on the other hand would come with a question mark due to them initially failing to make the grade at Old Trafford.

Sancho’s arrival would be a statement of intent that Solskjaer’s team are battling for the biggest and best signings in world football. Going for cheaper alternatives would completely undermine that and set United back years. Re-signing a flop would make them a laughing stock, and another sign that they are not amongst the elite.

Meanwhile, Man Utd would make a statement of intent with move for this Serie A ace.