Manchester United fans react as Solskjaer opens the door for Alexis Sanchez to stay

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Having arrived as a major coup from Arsenal, it’s fair to say Alexis Sanchez’s hasn’t quite delivered on expectations at Manchester United.

The Chile international has suffered from a loss of form and numerous injuries, and reports in recent weeks had even suggested he could be set for a move away from Old Trafford.

However, speaking in his pre-Chelsea press conference, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed he expects the 30-year-old to stay at the club for the foreseeable future and backed him to make his mark as a striker.

After hearing the update about the Chilean’s future, United fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on Solskjaer’s revelation.

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Many threw their backing behind the decision to hand Sanchez another chance at the club and urged their fellow fans to have “patience”.

Others however insisted the former Arsenal star’s career at Old Trafford is done and blamed Solskjaer for trying to suggest otherwise.

Check out some of the divided reaction of United fans below:

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Tottenham must swoop for David Neres in this summer’s transfer window

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Calciomercato, Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to pay £54m to land Ajax attacker David Neres in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Neres enjoyed a terrific 2018-19 campaign for Ajax – scoring 12 times and registering 15 assists in 50 appearances in all competitions.

The 22-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to Everton this summer and the Toffees are said to be in pole position to land the Brazil international.

According to Calciomercato, though, Tottenham are determined to hijack the Merseyside outfit’s move for Neres. Indeed, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are said to be prepared to pay £54m to land the attacker.

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Spurs have already broken their transfer record to bring French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

However, the capital outfit continue to be linked with a number of players ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign.

And bringing Neres to London for the 2019-20 season would send out a huge message to the rest of the league and indeed Europe.

Why must Tottenham move for Neres?

As mentioned, Neres contributed 12 goals and 15 assists for Ajax last term, including two goals and two assists in the Champions League as the Dutch giants reached the semi-finals of the competition.

What’s more, the attacker has a record of 29 goals and 32 assists in 99 appearances for his current club in all competitions.

Neres’ numbers are very impressive for a player still relatively young, but there is no question that his versatility will also be hugely attractive to Pochettino.

Transfermarkt have listed Neres as playing on 23 occasions as a left winger last season, 20 times as a right winger and seven times as an attacking midfielder.

He played in all three of those positions during Ajax’s run to the semi-finals of the European Cup and caused a lot of problems with his ability to rotate.

Tottenham need movement around Harry Kane if they are to move up another level in the coming seasons and a summer move for Neres makes a whole lot of sense.

Sheffield Wednesday’s season hopes could be ruined if Steve Bruce leaves

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Reports from The Sun have stated that Sheffield Wednesday manager Steve Bruce will be approached for the Newcastle United job after Rafa Benitez left the club.

The former Manchester United player is currently in charge of the Owls, and his departure could ruin their hopes for the upcoming campaign.

Bruce’s start

To understand how Bruce’s departure could derail the Steel City outfit’s season, you must first look at the impact the 58-year-old had when he arrived at Hillsborough.

The former Villa boss took charge of his first game with Owls in February and the results Wednesday picked up from his appointment to the end of the season had them in sixth place in the form table.

Ultimately, the Yorkshire club fell 10 points short of a play-off spot, but there were signs that they were ready to challenge for promotion under him.

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If he goes

It’s a very real possibility that Wednesday will be managerless in the coming days as Bruce looks increasingly likely to become the next Newcastle manager, with Sky Sports’ Keith Downie suggesting on Twitter that he is the Toon’s number one target.

Of course, the club’s first task if they lose their boss would be to replace him. Ideally, they would be able to get somebody better, but at this level, there may be no such manager.

Nobody has overseen more promotions to the Premier League than the 58-year-old, and he would be incredibly hard to replace.

Find out which stadiums fans have nominated for the worst atmosphere in football in the video below…

Wednesday’s squad isn’t good enough to flourish without the right man in charge as shown by their unremarkable league performances under Jos Luhukay previously.

Indeed, their squad is full of experienced Championship players such as Steven Fletcher and Barry Bannan and they are probably too good to go down, but if Bruce leaves they will more than likely be in for another season of mid-table mediocrity rather than a top six challenge.

No brainer: Arsenal fans call on club to sign Alves on a free

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Dani Alves has revealed that he will be leaving Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract on June 30.

The 36-year-old arrived at PSG from Juventus in 2017 and has won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles during his time in the French capital.

Alves is currently representing Brazil at this summer’s Copa America.

But he will not be returning to Paris for the 2019-20 campaign.

Alves is incredibly the most successful player in football history when it comes to trophies, having picked up 42 during a stunning career at the top level.

And a number of Arsenal fans have called on their club to move for the experienced right-back ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

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For all of his success, Alves is yet to try his hand in the Premier League. He has, however, recently expressed a desire to play in England.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Gunners supporters can be seen below:

Newcastle end 13-year wait as new record fee is set on Miguel Almiron

Following his arrival at Atlanta United prior to the start of the 2017 MLS season, Miguel Almiron lit the league up. He was one of the main stars of the side, along with Josef Martinez, as they won the MLS Cup in 2018 with the Paraguayan scoring 12 goals and assisting 13 more during the campaign. Although it was amidst the lower quality of US football, Almiron stood out, and it seemed only a matter of time before a European side snapped him up.

It therefore came as no shock when he got his move in January of this year. What was surprising, however, was that Newcastle United won the race to sign him, especially considering they parted with £20m to bring him to the Premier League according to the Panini Tabloid.

For a lot of clubs, that sum would represent pocket change, but not for the Toon as it set a new club-record transfer fee. It had previously been set by the capture of Michael Owen in 2005 from Real Madrid, for whom they had paid £17m and therefore taken them over 13 years to break their highest fee, but for some clubs such a milestone is a near-annual occurrence. The fee paid for Owen is lower than the highest paid by all but two of last year’s 20 Premier League clubs.

As such, it was a big deal for Newcastle, and a lot was expected of the attacking midfielder. But, whilst he impressed with his performances, he flattered to deceive from a numbers point of view. In his 10 games in the Premier League following his arrival, he failed to register a single goal or assist. Next season, he will need to do a lot more to prove he has what it takes to make it in the Premier League.

The transfer record may soon be broken again, of course. Recent reports suggest that the Bin Zayed group may soon purchase the club from Mike Ashley and while there is no guarantee they will spend lavishly, if the example set by fellow Sheikh owners at Manchester City is anything to go by, Newcastle fans shouldn’t be waiting another 13 years to see a record purchase.

Dowling and Jenkins must take a leaf out of Aston Villa’s book for West Brom to thrive

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As Aston Villa players celebrated triumphantly on the Wembley pitch on Monday, those associated with West Brom could only wonder what may have been.

Both teams had their ups and downs this season and following heartbreak last term only one of them could make up for it in 2018/19.

Villa, of course, tasted defeat in the play-off final last term, but Albion were relegated from the Premier League. It’s a division that feels miles away from them at the moment.

This summer will be a huge rebuilding job for the Baggies. A number of players have departed and countless more look as though they’ll leave. Express & Star hinted that first team defenders Ahmed Hegazi, Craig Dawson and Kieran Gibbs among others could be those who are first through the exit door.

However, there are more pressing concerns before any of that happens. To start with, they need a new manager.

It would be typical West Brom if they went into the new season with another member of their backroom staff in charge. This time, they must take a risk and in doing so, follow the example set by their Midlands rivals who defeated them in the play-off semi-final.

In short, Albion must find someone like Dean Smith. That’s easier said than done but he has a number of qualities Luke Dowling must be searching for when he holds talks with managers the club are interested in.

This week, he will meet with Wolfsburg’s Bruno Labaddia, a man who, like the Villa boss, led his side out of trouble to a more than respectable league finish.

Would he be the man to rebuild Albion? Only time will tell, but he certainly has the qualities to do so. The question, though, is whether the German would have the funds.

The Baggies face a monumental task to patch up their squad over the window and at the same time, they also need to reduce their wage bill which currently stands at £38m.

Consequently, they need a boss who can work on a tight budget. Smith is famed for doing this, first at Brentford and now with the Villans. After the failings under Steve Bruce which almost rinsed the club of all their financial resources, they’ve undertaken a new model. It’s one which West Brom must now follow.

If they can find a manager capable of working on the slim budget that’s likely to be given, then they can strike gold. In some regards, Albion do need to play safe, but they must balance this with the right amount of risk.

The future of the football club is on the line here. If Mark Jenkins and Dowling get things wrong, a third season in the Championship beckons.

Would be unreal: Leeds fans want Helder Costa

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Loads of Leeds United fans on Twitter are excited at the prospect of signing Helder Costa this summer after Phil Hay wrote an article linking the Whites to the Portuguese winger.

The 25-year-old was electric for Wolves when they were in the Championship, but now the Midlands club seem content to let him go out on loan after a lacklustre first season in the top flight.

The winger scored just once last term while adding only two assists. A significant decrease on the 15 goals he scored over two seasons in the Championship where he also crafted 14 assists.

Hay has previously reported that Marcelo Bielsa’s side want to strengthen out wide this summer, and this signing would certainly help towards that.

It remains to be seen whether Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta can negotiate this signing successfully, but if they do, it will undoubtedly be a very popular move.

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

Barely had a chance: Leicester fans share differing views on Soyuncu

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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.

أحمد كابوريا: انتظر قرار الزمالك قبل حسم مصيري.. ولدي 4 عروض

كشف أحمد كابوريا لاعب الزمالك المعار إلى صفوف فريق طلائع الجيش حقيقة تواصل مسؤولو القلعة البيضاء للعودة في الموسم الجديد.

وقال كابوريا خلال تصريحات لبرنامج “جمهور التالتة” عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورت”: “عقدي مع الزمالك مدته 4 سنوات، ويتبقى لي سنة في عقدي”.

وتابع: “أمير مرتضي المشرف على فريق الكرة، تواصل معي منذ شهرين وقال لي إنه احتمال أن أعود، وأنا أنتظر قرار الزمالك وتحت أمرهم”.

وأكمل: “لدي أكثر من عرض جيد، ولكن أنتظر قرار الزمالك، وبالتأكيد أتمنى العودة لصفوف الأبيض”.

طالع | ميدو يوجة رسالة إلى مرتضى منصور قبل مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي إفريقيا

وأردف: “لعبت في الاتحاد 6 أشهر وأحرزت 7 أهداف، وعدت بعدها إلى الزمالك ثم خرجت إعارة مرة أخرى لطلائع الجيش ولعبت سنتين وأشكرهم على هذه الفترة، وكنت أشتغل على نفسي لكي أعود للزمالك وهذا الأهم بالنسبة لي”.

وواصل: “لدي عروض من المقاولون وسموحة وسيراميكا والبنك الأهلي، وأنتظر موقفي النهائي من الزمالك لأحدد اختياري”.

وأتم: “لم أحصل على فرصتي في الزمالك، لم ألعب سوى 60 دقيقة فقط، وأنتظر رد الزمالك النهائي قبل يوم 11 نوفمبر”.

Rangers: Ibrox would be bouncing with Nick Powell signing

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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