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With promotion back into the Championship looking likely, Jack Ross must begin to look at where he can strengthen his Sunderland side and really get back where they belong. It’s going to be a long process and, as every Black Cat reading this will know, long-term planning is something that’s been severely missing at the club. 

That needs to change.

After a few dismal years, the club have seemingly finally found the key formula that will help them climb back up the football leagues. Currently sitting in third with a game in hand, Jack Ross and his side truly look like a match made in heaven. Indeed, he has been the perfect man for one of the biggest re-builds in English football.

So, if the progress is to continue happening and promotion is achieved, Ross will have to make sure he has complete backing from the board, and go into the new Championship season with a squad capable of handling what would be a demanding season.

Here’s a couple of suggestions the Scot should make during the summer window.

Strengthen the goalkeeping position

There have been times this season where the Sunderland goalkeepers have been looking like the weakest link within what is otherwise a strong side. One of the biggest problems that the Black Cats had during their last Championship campaign was that there were goals flying in left right and centre.

Everyone knows in order to survive a drop, you HAVE to be strong at the back.

So, if the promotion is to be won, there will certainly be a new attraction to joining the Wearside club, making it easier to attract a higher calibre of goalkeeper than there already is at the club.

Get O’Nien to sign a new contract 

Luke O’Nien has been one of Sunderland’s stand out players this season. Contributing with five goals and four assists from the midfield, he has become one of Ross’ more reliable starters.

Only contracted until 2020, Ross will be eager to get the in-form 24-year-old to sign a new long term deal and take him into the following season as one of the main men in the Sunderland midfield.

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Arsenal fans on Twitter are absolutely lapping up a video posted by the club’s official account on Monday, celebrating right-back Hector Bellerin on his 24th birthday.

In the eight-year-old video, a baby-faced Bellerin was talking after first moving to the Emirates Stadium from giants of his homeland, Barcelona.

The then-16-year-old discussed how he wanted to be the best right-back in the world in ten years’ time, 2021, two years away.

However, the bulk of the Gooners who replied to the popular post believe the Spanish international has already achieved that aim and is the best right-back in the world ahead of schedule.

Whilst one fan modestly commented about how Bellerin is already up there in terms of the top right-backs in world football, a wave of others flocked to Twitter to tell the La Masia product that he is indeed the best.

Check out our list of the best reactive Tweets from Gunners supporters to the eye-opening video, below…

1992 was a landmark year in sport.

Linford Christie became only the third ever athlete from the United Kingdom to win the 100-metre final at the Olympics in Barcelona whilst Denmark shocked the world by winning their first ever major honour at the Euro’s, defeating world champions Germany in Sweden.

Yet despite these historic moments, Sheffield Wednesday supporters will undoubtedly remember 1992 for the arrival of Chris Waddle from Olympique Marseille.

After winning the Ligue 1 title on three consecutive occasions with Les Phoceens, the winger returned to the top flight of English football as one of the nation’s biggest stars and he soon demonstrated his magnificent ability for the Owls. During his debut season at the club, Waddle played on 55 occasions and provided the experience needed for his team to thrive in the cup competitions as they reached the finals of the League Cup and the FA Cup.

Unfortunately for Wednesday, they met an Arsenal side managed by George Graham on both occasions. A 2-1 loss in the League Cup was replicated by the same scoreline in the FA Cup, although the latter was achieved by the Gunners via a replay after the original tie ended in a draw at Wembley Stadium.

Despite their defeats, Wednesday had allowed their supporters to dream once again and with Waddle in the side, they went onto to finish in seventh place in both the 1992/93 and 1993/94 campaigns. The following two seasons saw the Owls struggle in the Premier League as the absence of the former Marseille midfielder due to a number of injury problems impacted his side.

After making 147 appearances for the club over a period of four years in which he scored 15 goals, Waddle was surprisingly released by then-manager David Pleat in 1996. Spells at Falkirk, Bradford City and Sunderland followed yet the midfielder failed to reach the same levels that he had demonstrated during his time at Wednesday.

The achievement of reaching the FA Cup final in 1993 remains to this day the last time that the Owls have made it to a major domestic final. Since the turn of the century, the club’s form in England’s cup competitions has seen them fail to make it past the semi-finals, illustrating just how special their run was 26 years ago.

Although ultimately he didn’t win any silverware at the club, Waddle provided Wednesday supporters of a certain age with two moments that they will always remember and therefore is still regarded as a hero amongst many at Hillsborough.

If there ever was a team to make the EFL Trophy interesting, it would be Portsmouth.

The final had everything. Dramatic late goals, a penalty shootout, a petition asking for the winner to be placed in the Europa League, it was truly the most memorable EFL Trophy final in years, and arguably the most talked in the edition of the final in history.

Even nowadays after the final, fans are still looking back at how good the game was and how this cup win could spur Portsmouth on to gaining promotion back to the Championship, and this final could send a ripple effect across the Football League that makes the EFL Trophy a competition teams actually want to win.

Of course, there will be some critics against this claim, after all a run in the EFL Trophy means more games are played meaning there is a greater risk to players getting injured, and the recent introduction of U-21 Premier League teams has seen fans boycott these games.

But Sunday’s final showed that getting to the final can be a big boost for the club in terms of mentality and lifting the spirits of a team and fans heading into the business end of the season and that winning the cup can act as a springboard for ending the league campaign on a high note.

Portsmouth now finds themselves as a club on a high after their first piece of silverware in over 10 years, and now both the fans and the players are more confident than ever on gaining promotion heading into the final month of the League One season.

The EFL Trophy might be the definition of a ‘Micky Mouse cup’, but the implications of a club winning it can act as a butterfly effect which ends in that team ending the season better than originally thought.

Portsmouth fans, how important will winning the EFL Trophy be in the long run for the club?

I think we can all agree, more attacking creativity is needed at Rangers. Nick Powell would be a bargain and could be just the man to get Ibrox back on its feet.

The Sun’s Alan Nixon (sourced by Football Insider 247) said the Gers are ‘very’ interested in the Man United academy graduate, so the club could see what we’re seeing in terms of his potential.

He’ll leave Wigan on a free at the end of the season as it stands, and the 25-year-old will be a bargain for whoever picks him up. He’s scored six goals and made seven assists from 26 appearances in midfield this season, all for a team in 19thplace.

Wigan is a rugby league town at heart and we’re sure he’d love to make the step up from the DW Stadium to Ibrox where football is a religion. He’s played under the weight of expectation ever since his days at United, so he’ll be used to the pressure that comes with playing for the Gers.

He’s known for his long-range strikes and exciting creativity, and that’s just what Steven Gerrard’s side needs as they look to challenge Celtic for the title next season. They’ve really lacked a playmaker this term, so this is exactly the signing the fans would love.

They can expect fireworks if Powell makes the switch to Glasgow, with him having the confidence to thrive in front of such a large crowd. The size of which Sir Alex Ferguson predicted he’d play in front of all those years ago. Now’s the time for Rangers to allow him to fulfil that potential.

Rangers fans, how do you think Nick Powell would fit into your team next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Tottenham Hotspur fans have reminisced about former right winger Aaron Lennon on his birthday.

The former Spurs winger, who currently plays for Burnley, spent a total of ten years at White Hart Lane between 2005 and 2015 and played a key role in a number of milestones in the club’s history.

Lennon was a part of the team that won the League Cup in 2008 and was a key player under Harry Redknapp in the 2010-11 season as the club enjoyed a run to the Champions League quarter-finals, where they were ultimately beaten by Real Madrid. He laid on the assist for Peter Crouch to score in the 1-0 win over AC Milan at the San Siro.

An electric winger who sometimes lacked an end product, Lennon was highly thought of at Spurs and was given a rousing ovation when he returned to face the club with Everton, as a number of fans rose to their feet to applaud him.

And fans have again waxed lyrical about their former star on the day of his 32nd birthday on Tuesday. Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been running the rule over the latest transfer news, as reports in Germany claim the Magpies are chasing Nurnberg midfielder Patrick Erras.

According to Bild, Newcastle are “keen” on a move for Erras this summer, but will face plenty of competition for his signature.

Erras will enter the final year of his contract next season, meaning it’s exactly the type of deal Mike Ashley will go for, and the report claims a whole host of English clubs are interested.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Of course, Newcastle will be in need of some midfield reinforcements; Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey are both likely to depart while Mo Diame’s future is still anyone’s guess.

Diame is depending on a contract extension that is triggered by a certain amount of appearances, while Hayden is expected to repeat his January attempts to leave and Shelvey is wanted by West Ham.

Erras is only 24, but standing at 6 ft 5 he would provide a huge boost in physicality to Newcastle’s midfield.

Plenty of fans have given their verdict on the links though, and they’re getting more and more fed up of Ashley’s bargain hunting…

Slipping up at this stage of the season could be disastrous for Doncaster Rovers as it may see them throw away their chances of reaching the play-offs after such a successful season.

Grant McCann’s side saw their streak of four consecutive victories in League One end last Friday as they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of automatic-promotion chasing Sunderland.

Although this particular result was not pounced upon by their nearest challengers Peterborough United who drew against Fleetwood Town, the Cambridgeshire-based side closed within three points of Donny by securing a late equaliser against the Black Cats yesterday.

Despite Rovers currently have a vastly superior goal difference in comparison to Posh, if they do not deliver an immediate response to their defeat at the Stadium of Light, panic may start to set in between now and May.

Therefore, it is extremely important that they are at their very best when they face Accrington Stanley later tonight as a win would allow them to move six points ahead of Peterborough.

Although John Coleman’s men are currently 18th in the league standings and just two points above the drop zone, a victory over Rovers would see them take a massive step to securing survival and so they will be gearing up to cause an upset.

With the likes of John Marquis and Herbie Kane returning to full fitness in recent weeks, there is no reason why the South Yorkshire-based outfit cannot end the season on a high.

However, if they fail to beat Stanley, they may struggle to pick up the points necessary to secure a top-six finish in their final two fixtures as they face tricky match-ups with Oxford United and Coventry City who are both in fine form in the third tier.

What do you think Rovers fans? How important is it to get back to winning ways against Accrington? Are you confident that your side can still secure a play-off position this season? Let us know below.

Marcelo Bielsa has caused concern after he appeared coy on his future in the event that Leeds aren’t promoted this season. He’ll surely have some big offers if they don’t, but the Whites must keep him at all costs.

As quoted by Phil Hay from the Yorkshire Evening Post, he said: “It’s not up to me and I don’t have any response to that. It’s not a decision that we have to take now and it’s not the right time to give my opinion.”

That quote seems to suggest the club might not even want him to continue next season, but it certainly shows he’s avoiding the subject, and that should be a major worry for the Elland Road faithful. He’s transformed Leeds since his arrival and all that’s left is gaining Premier League status.

Yes, it’ll be disappointing if they don’t go up considering they looked certain to make it in the first few months. But the Championship season is arduous, as we all know, and perhaps it’ll take another summer to get things right. It certainly doesn’t mean he’s not up to the job.

Teams around the world will be fighting for his signature if he continues to avoid speculation, so Leeds must do everything in their power to make sure he stays. They’ll need to promise him more money to spend and maybe even more money for himself too.

Some might say he shouldn’t have to receive more money to want to stay, but that’s the reality of football now. Unless Leeds are in the Premier League, he’s staying at the club out of goodwill and a belief he can bring them up. Surely that’s worth a pay rise?

The last month or so have been disappointing but the fans and the club mustn’t forget the impact he’s had since arriving at Elland Road. They need to do all they can to keep him, or their style of football and excitement around the club could turn sour.

Leeds fans, would you throw more money at Marcelo Bielsa to convince him to stay if United don’t go up? Join the discussion by commenting below.

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Goal are reporting that Manchester City man and Wolves target Nicolas Otamendi is after a move to Valencia after reduced game time under Pep Guardiola this season.

What’s the word?

Last week, Marca Argentina claimed that Wolves were showing an interest in the Argentine who was seeking a move away from Man City.

But Goal has now suggested that the centre back is favouring a transfer back to Valencia, where he played for a season during 2014/15.

The same publication previously reported that Otamendi was looking to leave Man City in search of more game time and it now appears that he sees his future in Spain.

Rated at £27m by Transfermarkt, he was a pivotal part of City’s title-winning side last season but has been overtaken by Aymeric Laporte in the pecking order.

Even if Otamendi’s desire is to go back to Spain, Wolves must convince him to stay in the Premier League and join Nuno Santo’s exciting project.

European ambitions

Last October, Managing Director of Wolves, Laurie Dalrymple claimed the ultimate aim was to get into Europe, per quotes relaid by Birmingham Live, after an appearance on BBC’s Football Focus. Signing Otamendi would more than help the club realise these ambitions.

Wolves won’t need much in the transfer market. Their main concern will surely be about adding depth to a particularly thin squad.

However, given some of the defensive inconsistencies we’ve seen from Nuno’s team in recent times, Otamendi would be a stellar acquisition.

In attack, Wolves more than have the capability to threaten in Europe but it’s in defence where some questions arguably still lie.

What’s your club’s best chant? Check out the video below for a Wolves epic that surely has to be one of the best in English football…

Willy Boly and Conor Coady have had fantastic seasons but the club are lacking a third defender with real consistency. Both Ryan Bennett and Romain Saiss have only shown glimpses of their true capabilities in defence and as such, Otamendi would significantly improve the team.

Not only could he benefit them domestically, but if they were to qualify for the Europa League, they’d boast a player with international and European pedigree aplenty.