[ad_pod ]

Portuguese outlet A Bola have reported that Islam Slimani could leave Leicester to rejoin Sporting Lisbon in the summer.

The report claims that the Liga NOS outfit have been in contact with the Foxes over a possible loan move, involving an option to buy at the end of it.

Slimani has endured a torrid spell with Leicester, scoring just 13 times after a club-record switch in 2016.

The Algerian international has spent the current 2018/19 term with Fenerbahce but again has struggled for goals, scoring just once in the league.

There is a huge doubt that the Foxes will return much of the £29m they spent on the player three years ago but given his performances it’s unlikely the club will care too much.

With another possible switch away in the offering, Football FanCast writers have given their verdicts on whether the 6 ft 2 forward deserves another chance at the King Power. Check out what they said below.

Jack Saville:

“Slimani has been one the biggest transfer blunders in Leicester’s history and there is absolutely no chance he should stay at the club. His style is antithetical to Brendan Rodgers’ philosophy and it would take a minor miracle for him to play his way back into the first-team at this stage. This one is a no brainer: he is finished at the King Power.”

Luke Glanville:

“Leicester City have made some atrocious signings in the last couple of years and Islam Slimani is very much one of those. The Algerian has been given plenty of opportunities at the King Power Stadium and not nearly been consistent enough, also failing to impress out on loan. The Foxes need to move forward under Brendan Rodgers and to do that, deadwood like Slimani has to be sold. Leicester should not give the 30-year-old a second chance.”

Harry Sherlock:

“Islam Slimani isn’t good enough for Leicester. He’s 30 and there’s absolutely no chance of him improving at this stage. The Foxes aren’t the richest club in England but they have a fair transfer budget and there has to be better out there this summer. In fact, it should be a priority; Leicester need to replace him, not debate giving him another chance.”

Tottenham fans simply cannot wait until their beloved team walks out onto the Wanda Metropolitano pitch for the upcoming Champions League final.

It’s most definitely an occasion most wouldn’t have believed Spurs could get to but now they’re here, Tottenham are in it to win it.

With qualification secured for the competition next season as well, Spurs are really starting to change the perception about them. No longer viewed as bottlers, the football world is finally seeing the north London club for what they truly are: a very dangerous outfit.

Next season will be a new challenge entirely but one Mauricio Pochettino’s side will without a doubt be ready for.

The capture of a number of big names could do Tottenham the world of good and one of those linked with a move to London and the Premier League is German international Julian Brandt, recently linked with a move to the club by the Daily Mail.

Brandt, (who is valued at £40.5 million on Transfermarkt) is a player that has exceptional quality and because of that will likely get a move this summer, whether that is Tottenham or not.

Indeed, with nine goals and 17 assists, interest is quite rightly aplenty in a player that has great potential to get even better. Clearly, the 23-year-old has enjoyed a prolific season for Bayer Leverkusen and his goals could even see his team rise into fourth place by the end of the campaign.

Brandt has brilliant versatility which means he is able to play out on the wing or through the middle as an attacking midfielder.

Yes, Tottenham do already have plenty of quality in those positions but Brandt would add even more to an ever-improving side, especially if Christian Eriksen was to leave as well.

Daniel Levy must have more than enough money to splash after two disappointing transfer windows.

Would you want to sign Julian Brandt… Let us know!

[ad_pod ]

According to The Mirror, Liverpool would have to make Matthijs de Ligt their highest earner if they are to lure the prodigious centre-back to Anfield this summer ahead of Europe’s top clubs.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Champions League winners appear to be in the race for De Ligt’s signature along with five other elite European clubs – Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain are also vying for the teenager.

The 19-year-old rose to prominence in 2018/19, scoring a winner against Juventus in the Champions League quarter-final as well as a goal against Tottenham in the semi-final, and he looks set to be the next world-class youngster to emerge after Kylian Mbappe.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

United have reportedly offered the Ajax wonderkid £236k-a-week to sign for them, whilst PSG have offered £256k-a-week.

Liverpool would have to offer wages in the region of those figures to be considered as serious candidates.

Would be just be another Alexis Sanchez

It has been well documented that the arrival of Alexis Sanchez at United caused a number of issues.

Apart from the fact he has notched just five goals despite earning a reported £400k-a-week with bonuses, the Chilean’s earnings appears to have caused issues in the dressing room – David de Gea has been demanding a similar wage packet in contract negotiations, whilst Ander Herrera left the club after his demands weren’t met. On the pitch, meanwhile, United have looked like anything but a united bunch for a very long time now.

Liverpool would be risking a similar domino effect if they placed a 19-year-old on better wages than their experienced Champions League winning stars, as questions would surely start to be asked.

Virgil van Dijk earns £150k-a-week whilst Mohamed Salah earns £200k-a-week, and those two – who are key figures in the dressing room – would have a right to be knocking on Jurgen Klopp’s door asking for a pay rise if De Ligt were signed on wages close to £300k-a-week.

The Reds must learn from their arch-rivals’ huge error and avoid risking the dressing room harmony Klopp has helped to create at Anfield.

Assessing Bournemouth’s squad, it is quite clear where the south coast club need to strengthen in the summer.

If Eddie Howe does not believe the promising Mark Travers is ready to become the Cherries’ No.1 yet, then he needs to go out and buy a new goalkeeper.

Asmir Begovic has made too many errors between the sticks this season, while Artur Boruc is 39 years of age.

That explains Bournemouth’s interest in Jack Butland, with the Daily Mail reporting that Burnley’s Nick Pope is also a target for the Premier League outfit.

Seen as a cheaper alternative to the Stoke City shot-stopper, Pope is exactly the sort of goalkeeper the Cherries need.

Should they be unable to land Butland, then they should go all out for the 27-year-old.

Pope has obviously featured very little this season due to injury. But prior to that, the former Charlton man enjoyed a highly successful 2017/18 campaign where he went on to win his first senior England cap.

Reliable between the sticks, Pope offered Burnley even more security behind a sturdy central defensive partnership of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski.

That reliability is something Howe has not seen nowhere near enough of from Begovic.

Bearing that in mind, ditching the Bosnia and Herzegovina international for Pope is certainly the play here for the Bournemouth boss.

Bournemouth fans, would you welcome the addition of Pope in the summer? Join the discussion by commenting below.

[ad_pod ]

Will Alfredo Morelos stay or go this summer?

Rangers’ prolific hitman has been in sparkling form in front of goal this season but his erratic streak has also made him something of a liability.

His return of 29 goals in all-competitions this season has not arrived without its caveats, as the Colombia international has been embroiled in enough controversy to last an entire career, earning five red cards along the way.

If you didn’t see what the likes of Mark Goldbridge and Expressions Oozing got up to at the Football Blogging Awards you need to check out the video below…

Interest from afar, however, is likely to be forthcoming even with his disciplinary problems in mind, and Morelos’ own admission on his future suggests that potential suitors are already expressing an interest, per Daily Record.

“I know what there are many interested clubs asking and as soon as there is something official I will be announcing it.

“But I’m committed to Rangers just now. I’ve had a good season and many clubs are interested and hopefully everything will be done in the right way.”

Morelos’ major disciplinary problems have forced fans to think about his future with a hint of pragmatism and his latest comments, despite the fact they strongly imply a departure could be looming, have hardly aroused much cause for concern.

Instead, the vast majority of fans have suggested they’d be happy to see the back of him, though one fan did suggest he could step up another level if he stays at Ibrox.

Here’s what some of the Rangers fans had to say in response to the report…

[ad_pod ]

According to The Sun, Aston Villa are lining up a huge move for Brentford’s Neal Maupay in a deal which could see him reunite with Dean Smith.

What’s the word?

Maupay cemented himself as one of the leading strikers in the Championship this term, scoring 25 times in 43 matches.

The forward meanwhile found the net a further three times in the FA Cup, enjoying a stellar season in front of goal.

Considering his record in 2018/19, it’s not a great surprise to see that he could be lining up for a Premier League team once the new campaign arrives.

Per The Sun, Aston Villa are preparing a £20m move for the Frenchman as they prepare for life back in the top-flight.

 Better than Abraham?

Tammy Abraham scored just one goal more than Maupay in the Championship as he found himself at the forefront of their promotion charge whilst on loan from Chelsea.

He’s now returned to Stamford Bridge but it isn’t known whether the Villans will be able to bring him back.

As a replacement, Maupay would be an outstanding buy and could help bring even more to Smith’s side than Abraham did.

The 22-year-old claimed eight assists for Brentford in 2018/19, displaying his ability to bring others into play. On average, he completed 1.3 key passes per game.

Those stats are considerably better than Abraham who found himself primarily charged with scoring goals, rather than creating for others.

He managed just three assists and 0.8 key passes per game so the difference is considerable.

Maupay is essentially the full package. Calm and composed in front of goal, as well as having a strong creative trait, he is as close to a complete forward as you’ll find.

Considering Villa struggled for creativity in wide areas, the Brentford man could also benefit in this regard. If he’s able to get into the channels on a regular basis it could be game changing for the Midlands club.

£20m is a massive outlay on one player, but you sense this is a deal that would be worth it. If they managed to get it over the line, Villa would send out a strong statement of intent.

لا شك أن تاريخ 27 -11 – 2020 سيكون له احتفالا مميزا كل عام بالنسبة لجماهير النادي الأهلي؛ وذلك بعد الفوز المثير على الغريم التقليدي الزمالك والتتويج بالبطولة الأكبر داخل القارة السمراء، دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

لم تذق القاهرة النوم ليلة أمس، ما بين احتفالات وصخب، وعلى الجانب الآخر ألم وحزن لجماهير القلعة البيضاء، وعزائهم الوحيد هو ظهور الفريق بأداء مشرف، وكانوا الأفضل على مدار المباراة، ولكن التوفيق لم يحالفهم وابتعدت عنهم الأميرة السمراء حتى موعد آخر.

وتوج الأهلي باللقب التاسع في تاريخه بعد فوزه على الزمالك بهدفين مقابل هدف، في مباراة دراماتيكية احتضنها استاد القاهرة الدولي.

وبات الأهلي رابع الأندية المتأهلة إلى النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية والتي تستضيفها قطر خلال الفترة من الأول وحتى الحادي عشر من فبراير المقبل.

حيث حجز كل من الدحيل القطري حامل لقب الدوري القطري ممثلا عن البلد المضيف، وبايرن ميونخ الألماني حامل لقب دوري أبطال أوروبا وأوكلاند سيتي النيوزيلندي بطل دوري أبطال أوقيانوسية، مقاعدهم في المونديال العالمي.

ويتبقى 3 مقاعد في مونديال الأندية لم تحسم بعد، حيث يتبقى تتويج ثلاثة اتحادات قارية هي آسيا وأمريكا الجنوبية (كأس ليبرتادوريس) وكونكاكاف (أمريكا الشمالية والوسطى والكاريبي).

كيف تناولت صحف العالم تتويج الأهلي بـ دوري أبطال إفريقيا على حساب الزمالك؟! وفيما يلي نرصد لكم كيف تناولت الصحف العربية فوز الأهلي على الزمالك والتتويج بدوري أبطال إفريقيا:صحيفة “المنتخب” المغربية

عزز النادي الأهلي المصري صدارته في قائمة أكثر الأندية تتويجا بلقب عصبة الأبطال الإفريقية، عندما حقق اليوم لقبه التاسع، بفوزه في نهائي تاريخي على غريمه الزمالك بهدفين لهدف واحد. صحيفة “الخبر” الجزائرية

الأهلي يتوج بطلا لإفريقيا للمرة التاسعة في تاريخه صحيفة “الصباح” التونسية

استعاد الأهلي المصري سيطرته على القارة الإفريقية وذلك بتتويجه بلقب رابطة الأبطال الإفريقية للمرة التاسعة في تاريخه عقب فوزه على غريمه التقليدي الزمالك بهدفين لهدف في لقاء قوي وشيق ومشوق تقاسم فيه الفريقين السيطرة ولكن الحظ كان بجانب الأهلي الذي عرف كيف يكسب المباراة ويتوج باللقب صحيفة “كورة إنفو” المويتانية

بعد غياب دام 7 أعوام الأهلي المصري بطلاً لدوري أبطال أفريقيا

كان الزمالك هو الأكثر استحواذاً على الكرة خلال الشوط الأول والأكثر تهديداٍ للمرمى، بينما ارتكن الأهلي للدفاع بعد تسجيله الهدف الاول في الدقائق الأولى. صحيفة “توووفا” الصومالية

ويكتسب الفوز بالبطولة على حساب الغريم التقليدي الزمالك، طابعا خاصا ، بالإضافة إلى جني مبلغ ثلاثة ملايين دولار، عقب فوز بلقب البطولة. صحيفة “أخبار ليبيا”

بفوزه على الزمالك.. الأهلي المصري بطلا لدوري أبطال أفريقيا للمرة التاسعة صحيفة “الرياضية” السعودية

الأهلي.. كبير إفريقيا

وبالتأكيد، ستظل تلك النسخة الاستثنائية للبطولة عالقة في أذهان محبي الساحرة المستديرة في أفريقيا لفترة طويلة ، خاصة وأنها الأطول في تاريخ المسابقة من ناحية ، كما أنها أول نسخة تجمع بين فريقين من بلد واحد وذلك على مدار تاريخ دوري أبطال أفريقيا.

ونجح موسيماني المدير الفني للأهلي من تحقيق اللقب للمرة الثانية على حساب الزمالك، بعدما ناله في نسخة 2016 مع صن داونز الجنوب أفريقي.

واستعاد الأهلي اللقب بعد غياب دام لمدة 7 أعوام، بينما استمر الزمالك بلا تتويج باللقب الأفر يقي لـ 18 عاماً متواصلا. صحيفة “الرأي” الأردنية

الأهلي المصري بطلا لدوري أبطال أفريقيا – صحيفة الرأي وكالة أنباء البحرين

الأهلي المصري يتوج ببطولة دوري أبطال أفريقيا بعد فوزه على الزمالك (2-1) صحيفة “الشرق” القطرية

الأهلي يتوج بلقب دوري أبطال إفريقيا للمرة التاسعة في تاريخه صحيفة “يمن اتحادي” اليمنية

أجواء كبيرة أحاطت بالمباراة كونها لقاء القرن بين الأهلي والزمالك، قمة مصرية بنكهة إفريقية، جعلت القارة السمراء تنظر إلى استاد القاهرة لتنظر إلى بطل دوري أبطال إفريقيا في هذه النسخة. صحيفة “الأيام” الفلسطينية

دوري أبطال افريقيا: الأهلي يصدم الزمالك في الوقت القاتل ويتوج بلقبه التاسع

[ad_pod ]

Lots of Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was reported that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be handed a new 12-month contract extension.

The England international spent almost the entirety of last year out with a cruciate ligament injury which he suffered in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Roma in 2017/18.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

He made his comeback as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Huddersfield at the end of April, making just two appearances in total throughout the 2018/19 campaign as Liverpool won the Champions League.

A new 12-month extension would take Oxlade-Chamberlain’s time at the club to 2023, and would also allow him to have the year back on his contract that he lost whilst recovering from injury.

The 25-year-old missed 366 days in total due to the cruciate injury, and it is a move that appears to have gone down well with some of the supporters – the former Arsenal man has become a real fans’ favourite at Anfield.

A few of them aren’t too happy, though.

Let’s take a look at some of the responses on Twitter…

Who (allegedly) signs a third-choice goalkeeper when the club does not have a second-choice already in place? West Ham United, that’s who.

According to a report by the South London Press, the Hammers are set to bring Millwall goalkeeper David Martin to the London Stadium in such a capacity. Hopefully, the fans can forgive him for his ties with his former club, although there are lines that can never be crossed.

Firstly, regarding the move, we can see why the Irons are keen on snapping the player up and there are a number of reasons as to why it makes sense.

Martin is available on a free transfer after his contract expired at Millwall and has become the norm for clubs to snap up veteran goalkeepers when they become available – former Hammer Rob Green is at Chelsea whilst Lee Grant is at Manchester United. Still can’t quite believe those names and clubs are in the same sentence other than when they have had to pick up the ball out of the back of the net against them.

The 33-year-old is an experienced shot-stopper and can provide back-up, should the likes of Lukasz Fabianski and their second-choice ‘keeper get injured or become unavailable – their name escapes me at the moment… wait! that’s because there isn’t one at the club yet.

Unless Nathan Trott will make the jump up and deputise for the experienced Pole following Adrian’s departure? It is a possibility.

Manuel Pellegrini has brought youngsters into the team at points over the last season, with the likes of Grady Diangana, Joe Powell and Ben Johnson getting opportunities to express themselves in the first-team.

The Berumda-born ‘keeper, who did sign a new contract back in March, has been on the substitutes bench for the senior side in the past, however, whether he is ready to deputise remains to be seen.

Maybe the Hammers have another name on their wish list and just have not managed to get a deal already done for him? It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few months.

Signing Martin is smart business, however, the question regarding who will be second-choice still remains and is one Pellegrini must look to answer this summer.

West Ham fans, what do you think regarding Martin and the second-choice option? Do you think Trott will step up? Let us know below!

[ad_pod ]

Leeds United fans on Twitter are split as to what the club should do with Jay-Roy Grot next season.

The Dutchman spent last season out on loan in his home country at VVV-Venlo where he has been quite impressive.

He scored six goals and created three assists for teammates in the Eredivisie during his loan spell, and that has prompted Leeds fans to wonder if he should return next season.

He didn’t reach those types of levels when he pulled on the famous white shirt of Leeds during his first season at the club where he scored only once in 20 appearances for the Yorkshire outfit.

Aged just 21 there is plenty of time for the youngster to develop as a player, and while some supporters want to see him given a chance next season others want him to go out on loan again.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…