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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.

With safety secure, Newcastle fans can really sit back and enjoy their summer, knowing they will be watching Premier League football again next season. 

Oh wait, no they can’t!

For relaxation to commence, Rafa Benitez needs to sign a new contract with the club, or the same old fears will come flooding right back for those fans. It must be gutting to be a member of the Toon Army under the reign of Mike Ashley, truly miserable.

All the foundations have been laid by Benitez but he needs to be the man to orchestrate the changes at St James’ Park, if he is given a big budget. Everyone knows that. Apart from the Ashley regime, it seems.

Nothing major needs to happen in terms of chopping and changing players but an influx of quality would do no harm. To that end, on a free transfer, the addition of Hull City’s Markus Henriksen (who was linked by the Sun with a move to Tyneside in January) would be one that interests all and it could be very shrewd business for the Magpies.

Henriksen, (who is valued at £3.6 million on Transfermarkt) has without a doubt been one of the shining stars for Nigel Adkins and Hull this season and he would prove to be a steal for a team like Newcastle. His quality is obvious and there is no question that he is good enough to play higher up in the Premier League.

With 37 Championship matches to his name this season, Henriksen has added 3 goals and an assist during those as well.

Newcastle were rightly interested in the Norwegian international during the January transfer window but now he is completely free, the deal makes so much sense and they should look to beat the competition to secure his signature. Surely it makes too much sense not to.

Surely.

Midfield quality is something Rafa Benitez has been vocal about getting so his answer – sign Markus Henriksen.

Newcastle fans, do you agree? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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With survival achieved this season at the earliest point since they returned to the Premier League in 2013, Crystal Palace have a number of players to thank for that achievement.

Vicente Guaita has been a huge boost in net, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been immense at right-back and Wilfried Zaha has been up to his usual tricks.

The Eagles number 11, having said outright that he wants to play Champions League football, could be out the door this summer after another impressive campaign – a departure that would shake Selhurst Park to the core.

However, there is at least one positive for Palace fans to consider.

On the chalkboard

Zaha brings bags of pace, strength and flair to Palace’s attack and he is the main reason why the SE25 outfit are seen as one of the most dangerous counter-attacking teams away from home. They have beaten Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and nearly got the better of Liverpool at Anfield – results that put them second in the table based on away form in the last 10 games.

However, it isn’t the same story at home, with the Eagles sitting in a lowly 17th place and taking just nine points from their last 10 at Selhurst Park.

With an atmosphere that’s the envy of the Premier League, Palace should be making their home ground a fortress, not taking it with them on their travels.

How, then, can Zaha’s departure re-balance their polarised form both home and away?

Blessing in disguise

Roy Hodgson’s side is built to do damage on the counter and, when on their travels, the Eagles sit back a little more and allow their hosts to have possession – this ultimately allows them to get the best out of the threat they have on the break, to which Zaha is crucial.

Currently, Palace’s plan A both away from and at home is to give the ball to the talismanic winger and let him do what he does best but, without him, their ability to hit teams with speed is significantly weakened, meaning that they will inevitably pick up fewer points on the road.

There’s some exciting changes happening at Crystal Palace next summer. Find out what in the video below…

At Selhurst Park, though, it would see them think of other avenues to attack and create.

This would benefit the likes of Christian Benteke, who would see a lot more crosses headed his way with Zaha no longer there to chop back inside and win penalties.

With Hodgson surely forced to completely change his side’s approach with Zaha out of the picture, Palace fans could see their team pick up more results at SE25 next season should the Ivorian seek pastures new, thus re-balancing their home and away form.

Ultimately, season ticket holders pay their money to see their team get results at home and Zaha’s departure could see them finally get value for their hard-earned cash.

أكد فيكتور فونت المرشح لرئاسة برشلونة أنه يمكن أن يتعاقد مع قائد ريال مدريد سيرجيو راموس خلال فترة ولايته للنادي الإسباني.

سيرجيو راموس من المفترض أن ينتهي عقده مع ريال مدريد في نهاية الصيف المقبل، وما زال حتى الآن لم يتم التوصل لاتفاق رسمي بين النادي الملكي واللاعب على تجديد العقد.

طالع أيضًا.. نيكول: انتقال راموس لـ ليفربول؟ خيار جيد.. ولكن!

فونت أكد في تصريحات لشبكة “كادينا كوبيه” الإسبانية: “ليس لدي مانع في التعاقد مع راموس لتدعيم دفاع برشلونة”.

فونت وعد بأن في حالة توليه رئاسة برشلونة، سيعيد تشافي هيرنانديز للنادي مجددًا، ولكن في منصب المدير الفني أو في اللجنة الفنية.

وأضاف: “إذا طلب مني تشافي التعاقد مع راموس وكان ذلك مجديًا اقتصاديًا سأفعل ذلك، لأن القرارات الرياضية سيقررها تشافي هيرنانديز إنه أفضل شخص ممكن لقيادة المشروع في برشلونة”.

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Caglar Soyuncu has been a man left in the shadows after arriving at Leicester City last summer. He struggled to get into the side and even a change of manager from Claude Puel to Brendan Rodgers failed to help his cause.

The Turk arrived at the club as a hugely promising centre-back but his stock has decreased since he moved to the Premier League. He’s currently rated at £16.2m per Transfermarkt after an initial £19m move last year.

Le10 Sport claimed last month that Monaco had shown an interest in the player and now with the transfer window open, Leicester fans have been debating the future of the 22-year-old.

On Twitter, a poll was posted which saw 47% of people voting to see him remain as a squad player.

Below the post, supporters gave a mixed verdict on the 22 cap defender as one individual claimed he clearly had the talent. Another hinted that Soyuncu needed a period of games to bed in.

A further fan urged the Foxes to use him in a deal to bring Youri Tielemans back to the King Power permanently. The Belgian has only just recently returned to Monaco following his loan spell.

Soyuncu only played in six Premier League matches this term, appearing four times from the start.

Here’s the best of the debate.

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Arjen Robben will be available on a free transfer this summer.

Indeed, the 35-year-old is leaving Bayern Munich following the expiration of his contract at the end of June.

Robben joined Bayern from Real Madrid in 2009 and went on to make 309 appearances for the German giants – scoring 144 times and contributing 101 assists.

The Dutchman has won eight Bundesliga titles, five DFB-Pokal crowns and the Champions League during his time at the Allianz Arena.

Meanwhile, the attacker has also lifted league titles with PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea and Real Madrid during a quite wonderful career.

Injuries have harmed Robben in recent seasons but the winger is not hanging up his boots and there will not be a shortage of interest this summer.

A few Everton fans have been on social media discussing a potential move for the 96-time Netherlands international.

However, it seems that the club’s supporters are not interested in a swoop – a selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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QPR fans have seen plenty of players come and go in their time but, for most, none come close to Adel Taarabt, who was an absolute world-beater at Loftus Road until things turned sour.

The Moroccan managed 164 appearances for the W12 outfit, chalking up 34 goals and 42 assists, while also dazzling with his close control and trickery.

Unfortunately, the fan-favourite would be criticised for his weight and attitude before having his contract terminated by mutual consent in 2015, when he crossed the channel to Benfica.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The midfielder has made just seven appearances for the Portuguese outfit since, though, and has lined up for Genoa (on loan) and Benfica’s B-side more frequently.

It’s a shame when a player who possesses such natural talent goes to waste but some just aren’t meant for the big time – you can check out the best of the discussion on Twitter below as messages poured in on the former fan favourite’s 30th birthday, with some saying he’s the best they’ve ever seen in blue and white…

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Manchester United fans on Twitter have been left bemused by the club’s decision to target Swansea winger Daniel James as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to overhaul United’s uninspiring attacking unit.

With questions marks surrounding the futures of numerous United forwards including Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku, the Red Devils are in need of additional attacking impetus and have been strongly linked with Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.

However, according to The Evening Standard United are not hopeful of completing a deal for the Dortmund sensation and have instead turned their attention to the cheaper and more realistic target in James, who would likely cost between £15-£20m initially.

The 21-year-old Welsh winger has had a commendable Championship season, scoring four times and contributing nine assists in 33 appearances although those numbers pale in comparison to Sancho’s 11 goals and 17 assists in 33 Bundesliga matches this term.

After selling Christian Pulisic to Chelsea, Dortmund have no interest in losing their 19-year-old star leading to Solskjaer’s alternate pursuit of James, a development that has incurred the wrath of United fans on Twitter who feel the club is not showing enough ambition.

Check out the best of the reaction below!

The grind never really stops for Jurgen Klopp.

Not only is he responsible for delivering Liverpool’s present success, he’s also responsible for making sure they maintain their dominance in future. Klopp’s clearly a big believer in promoting youth and has some impressive talents whom he can’t wait to start working on next season.

Among those leads is a certain Ryan Kent, whose excellent work at Rangers won him many plaudits over this season. The 22-year-old’s enjoyed a prolific season under Steven Gerrard, scoring six goals in the Scottish Premiership. The former Liverpool captain’s given him free will to do as he pleases, something Kent’s really benefitted from.

He’s been an irresistible figure in the attacking third for the Gers, with his electric movement and tricky dribbling ability bamboozling defenders. The 22-year-old’s caused nightmares thanks to his ambitious nature, which has allowed him to score stunning goals and trouble opponents with his fiery movement.

Kent (valued at just £1.58m by Transfermarkt) is more than ready to glitter up Liverpool’s attack, being a prolific squad option for Jurgen Klopp next season. The German gaffer must recognize the excellent potential in this exciting talent and slowly integrate him into his style for maximum effect.

Knowing his excellent work with youngsters over the years, Kent’s the perfect player for him to mould into something special. The 22-year-old possesses bags of potential, showcasing confidence moving forward with the ball while also causing destruction in the final third.

If moulded well enough, he could become Liverpool’s leader in attack and keep their attacking flare raging on for years to come.

Liverpool fans, do you want to see more off Kent next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…

When Sheffield United announced their retained list earlier this week, the decision not to offer a deal for one player in particular would have come as a shock to many of the club’s supporters.

Having joined the Blades last summer following a brief spell with Middlesbrough, Martin Cranie had to wait until November to make his debut for the club in a clash with Nottingham Forest.

Although his side would go on to lose 1-0 at the City Ground, the central-defender’s impressive individual performance saw him grab the attention of boss Chris Wilder who chose to include him as part of United’s team rotation policy in the second-half of the season.

With the Blades fighting for automatic promotion in the Championship, Cranie used all his experience to help the club overcome the challenge of Leeds United as he played a prominent role in the run-in by featuring in seven of the final ten games of the year.

Therefore, by producing key contributions to the club’s success during the 2018/19 campaign, the defender must have thought that he had done enough to earn a new contract at Bramall Lane. Yet along with Conor Washington, Daniel Lafferty, Paul Coutts and Caolan Lavery, Cranie was released by United on Wednesday (via BBC Sport).

Although Wilder would argue that in the form of Chris Basham, John Egan and Jack O’Connell the Blades already have better options for next season in comparison to the 32-year-old, it may turn out to be a mistake letting him leave.

Having already played at Premier League level before for Huddersfield Town and Southampton, Cranie could have used his experience to help his team-mates make the necessary adjustments needed in order to compete at a higher level.

However, with the club deciding to cut ties with the defender, it would not be at all surprising if they face a season of struggle in the top flight in his absence.

What do you think Blades fans? Was it the right call by Wilder to not offer a new deal for Cranie? Are you confident that your side survive in the Premier League next year? Let us know below.