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Reports in Turkey claim Newcastle are interested in signing the new Ozil – Mainz 05 wonderkid Erkan Eyibil.

What’s the story?

According to Turkish Football, Eyibil is attracting interest from “a growing number of clubs” with Newcastle and West Ham both keeping tabs on the teenager.

At 17, he is yet to make an appearance for Mainz’s senior side, but has scored nine goals and added four assists this season for the Under-19 side.

The report says the Turkish press have dubbed the diminutive playmaker as the “new Ozil” due to his vision and guile, but should the Magpies make a summer swoop?

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….

Savvy business

Newcastle have been heavily criticised for their transfer business under Mike Ashley, and rightly so, but signing Eyibil before the big clubs jump in would be a sign of improvement.

The Mainz starlet scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win last weekend, taking his total tally across all Mainz youth teams to 38 goals, as well as a remarkable 31 assists.

He has shot through the youth ranks of the German national team, making appearances for the Under-15s, Under-16s, Under-17s and Under-18s in the last few years, racking up three goals along the way.

Even if the youngster does not feature in the first team immediately, penning such a talented player to a long-term deal would be a stroke of genius from Ashley and the club, and could eventually land them a huge profit if he moves on to the bigger and better things that he seems destined for.

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Axel Tuanzebe has revealed that he could make his Aston Villa return in the club’s home Championship fixture against Blackburn Rovers on March 30.

What’s the update?

Tuanzebe told Villa’s official website:

“It’s really good to be back. I’m at a stage where I’m building my fitness in order to be ready for the Blackburn game.

“When you’re out with a bone injury there’s not a lot you can do but rest. It’s been a long process of healing. But I’m back in full training now and doing my extras – doing everything I can to be ready to play.

“The Blackburn game gives me the chance to build up the lungs and the legs and get ready for the run of games that the Championship requires. It’s great to be back around the lads and I’m ready to go again for a big finish to the season.”

Tuanzebe has been unavailable for selection since picking up a foot injury during Villa’s 2-2 draw with Stoke City in the Championship on December 15.

The 21-year-old was sent back to his parent club Manchester United to recover, but he returned to Villa earlier this month.

The centre-back has revealed that he could be ready for Villa’s next game with Blackburn, although it remains to be seen whether head coach Dean Smith throws the England Under-21 international straight back into action.

How big of a boost is it for Villa?

Huge. Absolutely massive. Tuanzebe had a shaky start to the campaign, but was switched to central defence upon Smith’s arrival as head coach.

Between the start of October and middle of December, the on-loan Man United ace was excellent for Villa.

Injuries to the likes of Tommy Elphick and James Chester means that Kortney Hause has recently been moved from left-back to central defence to play alongside Tyrone Mings.

But the thought of Mings – who has been excellent since arriving from Bournemouth – operating alongside a fit and hungry Tuanzebe will be very exciting for the Villa fans.

A brilliant run of form has seen Villa move into the playoff positions in the Championship and the return of Tuanzebe is a monumental boost.

Christopher Nkunku was a relative unknown in English football until he was linked with Arsenal, and now the fans see him as the heir to Aaron Ramsey.

The PSG midfielder overnight became the name on everyone’s lips when he was linked by BBC Sport with a move to north London in the January transfer window, but after a move failed to materialise, it is looking like the Gunners are going for round two to sign the Frenchman this summer, and news is they have received a big boost.

According to French outlets Le Parisien and Paris Team, the 21-year-old midfielder is unhappy with his playing time under Thomas Tuchel and is keen to not sign a deal with at PSG and move on from the France capital, with Arsenal in the run in to sign the midfielder this summer.

With a previous attempt to sign the midfielder already documented, it is likely Unai Emery will make a move back in for the PSG man when the transfer window opens, and with a reported transfer fee of £30 million, the midfielder could be a realistic signing for the Gunners.

Nkunku, who is valued at £10.8 million (by Transfermarkt), is a player with the potential to grow into a top midfielder and thrive in the Premier League having already established himself as a first-team player in Ligue 1, now it is up to the Arsenal transfer board to go in for the playmaker and make him one of the first signings of the summer.

Emery made a mistake in missing out on the French midfielder and opting to bring in Denis Suarez, who has yet to start a game for the club, and the Spanish manager can’t afford to be wasteful with time this summer and must go in for Nkunku as quickly as possible.

Arsenal fans, should the club sign Nkunku this summer? Let us know!

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Loads of Celtic fans have been reflecting on the Old Firm, and they’re not too happy with Neil Lennon’s in-game decisions.

The dust has settled on the third and final Old Firm derby of the campaign, but the talking points are still raging on.

Scott Brown is of course the subject of most of the controversy having played a part in both of Rangers’ red cards, and fans are loving what the skipper said after the match.

Obviously though, there was a game of football that took place, and all the talk surrounding Brown, Alfredo Morelos and whatever madness occurred near the benches at full time seems to have distracted from that.

Some Bhoys fans are keeping their eyes fixed firmly on what matters though, and they’re highlighting a number of poor decisions Lennon made as his side surrendered more and more of the game to their arch-rivals in the second half.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

The boss brought off Jonny Hayes at half time, who was playing extremely well, and used all three of his subs before the 74th minute, in which Dedryck Boyata picked up an injury.

The Hoops then had to play on with ten men due to Lennon’s early moves, and the Twitter reactions down below do not make pretty reading…

Once Hector Bellerin got injured in January, Arsenal fans couldn’t help but prepare for the absolute worst.

Already in midst of defensive crisis, losing the primary right-back meant they had to rely on their reserves, something not many fans were confident to do considering the wider struggles of the team.

Stephen Lichsteiner had nightmares and Shkodran Mustafi’s was also wobbly, but the player who’s risen up the ranks is Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Originally a winger, Unai Emery moulded the youngster into a successful wing-back by working on improving his defensive skills.

As a potential wonderkid, Maitland-Niles’ reputation down the wings was already well-known and his adventurous style suits Emery’s high-voltage one perfectly.

A risk which has paid off, the 21-year-old development under Emery’s among Arsenal’s stories of the season. At a period where transitioning from a winger to a wing-back can have a catastrophic result, the Ilford-born academy graduate worked really hard to hold his own.

The make-shift right wing-back’s best came against Manchester United, who had danced their way into tormenting Arsenal in the FA Cup fixture earlier on. However, like the side, the youngster had learnt his lesson and did a great job in keeping Marcus Rashford and Anthony  Martial quiet.

Indeed, he made 4 interceptions, 2 tackles and 3 ball recoveries (stats via Fotmob), while also making some glaring runs forward.

However, he’d receive a great share of the spotlight a few nights later. Maitland-Niles shone through in Arsenal’s terrific turnaround against Rennes, playing a part in creating the first before scoring the second with a thumping header.

He’s perfected the transition into his new position and has added new-found vibrancy to Arsenal’s game with his compelling work.

Arsenal fans, are you impressed by Maitland-Niles development under Emery? Join the discussion by commenting below. 

أوضح المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، يورجن كلوب، حالة المصابين بالريدز قبل يومين من مباراة أياكس أمستردام في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويحل ليفربول ضيفًا على ملعب “يوهان كرويف” يوم الأربعاء المقبل، في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” بقيادة الحكم الألماني الدولي، فيليكس بيريش.

وبدأ كلوب حديثه عن حالة تياجو ألكانتارا الذي تعرض لتدخل قوي من مهاجم إيفرتون، ريتشارلسون، الذي حصل على البطاقة الحمراء في نهاية مباراة السبت ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وقال في تصريحات لموقع ناديه الرسمي: “لقد تعرض لضربة قوية وتعرفون ما حدث بعد ذلك”.

وتابع: “بالطبع هي ليست بحجم إصابة فان دايك، لكن موقفه من المشاركة أمام أياكس لا أعرفه حتى الآن، سنرى ماذا سيحدث خلال الساعات القادمة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كلوب: سنفعل مع فان دايك ما تقوم به المرأة الصالحة تجاه زوجها المسجون!

بينما خضع نابي كيتا لاعب وسط ليفربول لاختبار فيروس كورونا، بعدما استُبعد من معسكر منتخب بلاده غينيا بسبب الإصابة بالعدوى، ولكن النتائج جاءت سلبية.

وقال كلوب عن حالة كيتا: “تدرب بالأمس بشكل طبيعي، هذا أمر إيجابي للغاية، لكنه عندما عاد من المنتخب كان بدون أعراض ولقد ظهر بشكل جيد في التدريبات لكنني لا أعرف إذا ما كان يستطيع المشاركة أم لا”.

وعن تشامبرلين: “يسير برنامجه بشكل جيد للغاية ربما مازال هناك وقت طويل لعودته لنا، لكنه بدأ في ملامسة الكرة من جديد، وفي النهاية، لا نستطيع التسرع والمخاطرة به إلا عندما يتعافى بنسبة 100%”.

وأليسون: “دائمًا ما أهتم بحالته كل يوم، ويبادرني بالتطورات مع ابتسامة كبيرة ويخبرني عن تحسنه لكنني لما أراه اليوم حتى الآن، لذلك سأطلب من الجهاز الطبي تقريرًا عن حالته”.

واختتم تصريحاته عن إذا ما كان سيجري بعض التغييرات في مباراة أياكس لتجنب الإرهاق بعد مواجهة إيفرتون: “هناك دائمًا مخاوف، لكن الوقت ما زال مبكرا جدًا لعملية التدوير رغم قوة المباراة الماضية”.

وأتم: “لقد تعرض الكثير من اللاعبين لكدمات مختلفة، لكن حالتهم جيدة الآن لأننا نستخدم اليوم التالي للمباراة في تحليل المباراة السابق واليوم الثاني للتعافي”.

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.

Tottenham fans on Twitter absolutely adore their incredible manager, Mauricio Pochettino. However, in the next few years, the gaffer may have some competition to be the Lilywhites’ favourite Pochettino, as his son, Maurizio, is coming through the ranks. The Argentine scored for the U18s earlier today, and the supporters loved it.

The star of the show for Tottenham Hotspur at U18 level is undoubtedly Troy Parrott. The young Irishman grabbed another brace against Aston Villa today, but when the fans saw their first-team manager’s son on the scoresheet, it completely eclipsed the double from Parrott. One day, the fans may be lucky enough to see both Parrott and Poch firing in the senior side, and what a sight that would be.

It happens all too often that players who are prolific at youth level fail to make it and convert their goalscoring form into the senior game and Pochettino senior will be desperate to ensure that his son doesn’t fall down that path. Although it’s certainly still too early so stay whether or not we’ll ever see both Maurizio Pochettino playing for Tottenham under his old man.

You can read the Lilywhites’ verdict on Maurizio’s goal here:

The Lilywhites are desperate to see their gaffer give young Pochettino a game one day, and will hope they both stay at the club long enough for it to happen.

[ad_pod ]BBC broadcaster Adam Pope spoke to Leeds United defender Gaetano Berardi this week and has issued an update on his future on Twitter, with the 30-year-old telling him that promotion is the priority over that right now.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Pope was responding to a message from a Whites fan on the social media platform having interviewed the Swiss player, who has just over a year remaining on his contract at Elland Road which is due to expire in June 2020, this week.

However the versatile star, who has only recently returned from a long injury lay-off, apparently doesn’t seem too concerned about that right now as he instead looks to help the Yorkshire outfit secure a long-awaited Premier League return.

Will he get a new contract?

It’s difficult to say and much could depend on what division Leeds find themselves in next season.

Should they stay in the Championship it would be no surprise to see him get a one or two-year extension given how clearly he loves the club and the effort he puts in when he is on the pitch, but it could be a different story if they do go up.

The 30-year-old is getting no younger and if his injury issues persist, Marcelo Bielsa may feel that he would be better off cashing in on the summer rather than letting his deal run down into a campaign where he may not feature too much at all anyway.

Manchester City fans will be praying that their side can get the job done in the Champions League at the Etihad, after a rather disappointing performance at Spurs’ new stadium.

Raheem Sterling failed to have much of an impact on the game which made it difficult for Manchester City to get things going in the final third, but that won’t bother supporters as he’s been sensational this season.

Interestingly, all of his hard work and world-class performances appear to have made his value skyrocket, as according to CIES (via Daily Mail), Raheem Sterling is valued at an incredible £161 million.

The Englishman has established himself as one of the best attackers in world football in the current campaign, so it makes perfect sense to see him valued at a whopping £161 million.

He’s managed to produce 19 goals and 16 assists in the current campaign and he’s already helped City secure the Carabao Cup, with silverware still up for grabs in the Champions League, Premier League and the FA Cup.

Sterling is well on his way to becoming a Manchester City legend and he’s already making great strides on the international stage with England, so Pep Guardiola really does have a special player on his hands.

Of course, keeping him in the summer transfer window must be the priority for the Manchester club if he attracts attention as he’s been nothing short of incredible, and they would find it impossible to replace him.

His value is a testament to how well he’s playing at this moment in time, and it will only rise from here on in.

Manchester City fans, do you think Raheem Sterling is worth £161 million? Join the discussion by commenting down below!